Metabolic and Transcriptional Modules Independently Diversify Plasma Cell Lifespan and Function

Plasma cell survival and the consequent duration of immunity vary widely with infection or vaccination. Using fluorescent glucose analog uptake, we defined multiple developmentally independent mouse plasma cell populations with varying life- spans. Long-lived plasma cells imported more fluo- rescent glucose analog, expressed higher surface levels of the amino acid transporter CD98, and had more autophagosome mass than did short-lived cells. Low amino acid concentrations triggered re- ductions in both antibody secretion and mitochon- drial respiration, especially by short-lived plasma cells. To explain these observations, we found that glutamine was used for both mitochondrial respira- tion and anaplerotic reactions, yielding glutamate and aspartate for antibody synthesis. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress responses, which link meta- bolism to transcriptional outcomes, were similar between long- and short-lived subsets. Accordingly, population and single-cell transcriptional compari- sons across mouse and human plasma cell subsets revealed few consistent and conserved dif- ferences. Thus, plasma cell antibody secretion and lifespan are primarily defined by non-transcriptional metabolic traits

Physics Potential of the ICAL detector at the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO)

The upcoming 50 kt magnetized iron calorimeter (ICAL) detector at the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) is designed to study the atmospheric neutrinos and antineutrinos separately over a wide range of energies and path lengths. The primary focus of this experiment is to explore the Earth matter effects by observing the energy and zenith angle dependence of the atmospheric neutrinos in the multi-GeV range. This study will be crucial to address some of the outstanding issues in neutrino oscillation physics, including the fundamental issue of neutrino mass hierarchy. In this document, we present the physics potential of the detector as obtained from realistic detector simulations. We describe the simulation framework, the neutrino interactions in the detector, and the expected response of the detector to particles traversing it. The ICAL detector can determine the energy and direction of the muons to a high precision, and in addition, its sensitivity to multi-GeV hadrons increases its physics reach substantially. Its charge identification capability, and hence its ability to distinguish neutrinos from antineutrinos, makes it an efficient detector for determining the neutrino mass hierarchy. In this report, we outline the analyses carried out for the determination of neutrino mass hierarchy and precision measurements of atmospheric neutrino mixing parameters at ICAL, and give the expected physics reach of the detector with 10 years of runtime. We also explore the potential of ICAL for probing new physics scenarios like CPT violation and the presence of magnetic monopoles.Comment: 139 pages, Physics White Paper of the ICAL (INO) Collaboration, Contents identical with the version published in Pramana - J. Physic

BacHBerry: BACterial Hosts for production of Bioactive phenolics from bERRY fruits

BACterial Hosts for production of Bioactive phenolics from bERRY fruits (BacHBerry) was a 3-year project funded by the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) of the European Union that ran between November 2013 and October 2016. The overall aim of the project was to establish a sustainable and economically-feasible strategy for the production of novel high-value phenolic compounds isolated from berry fruits using bacterial platforms. The project aimed at covering all stages of the discovery and pre-commercialization process, including berry collection, screening and characterization of their bioactive components, identification and functional characterization of the corresponding biosynthetic pathways, and construction of Gram-positive bacterial cell factories producing phenolic compounds. Further activities included optimization of polyphenol extraction methods from bacterial cultures, scale-up of production by fermentation up to pilot scale, as well as societal and economic analyses of the processes. This review article summarizes some of the key findings obtained throughout the duration of the project

The Importance of Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy and Equivalent Circuit Analysis on Nanoscale Molecular Electronic Devices

To understand the electrical and charge transport phenomena in either single or large-scale molecular junctions, direct current (DC) measurements are mainly utilized. The current–voltage data obtained from DC measurements on molecular junctions (MJs) are employed to infer charge transport parameters, including barrier height, contact resistance, attenuation factor (β), and underlying transport mechanisms. However, DC measurements can not separate the individual electrical components, as it produces a total current that flows in the molecular junctions. Contact resistance obtained from the DC measurements by extrapolating plot of resistance versus chain length can not make exact value. In addition, defected SAMs-based MJs or junctions having a protective layer, DC measurements alone can predict neither proper electrical values nor the correct transport mechanisms and it lacks frequency response. Electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) along with the circuit model enables the identification of individual electrical components of the molecular junctions and faultless contact resistance values that facilitate the model of actual transport mechanisms. In this Review, the working principle of electrical impedance spectroscopy and circuit modeling to digitize the experimental results on various molecular junctions, is discussed. Overall, the EIS technique can serve as an excellent analytical tool for the proper electrical characterization that is highly desirable for molecular electronics

Evaluation of raw and detoxified neem cake in the diets of Wistar rats

Not AvailablePresent experiments were conducted to test raw and detoxified neem cake as a replacement of soybean meal in the diets of Wistar rats, Replacement of up to 25% soybean meal with DNC only resulted in positive growth rate (0.60 g/d) in rats compared to control (1.55 g/d). Low levels of DNC supplementation (12.5% in experiment 1 and 25% in experiment 2) caused similar nutrient intake and digestibility compared to control group. The supplementation of DNC did not exert any abnormal changes in blood profiles. Serum testosterone levels were lower (P<0.05) in rats that received DNC at 50% and RNC at 25%. Mild changes in intestinal villi were observed in DNC 25% group. Feeding of DNC was better (P<0.05) than RNC and replacement of SBM nitrogen with DNC up to 25% did not affect growth, feed consumption, blood profiles and histopathologyDepartment of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of Indi

Not Available

Not AvailableThe present study was conducted to know the effect of two levels of detoxified neem (Azadirachta indica) seed cake (DNC) on the carcass characteristics of male lambs. Eighteen male lambs were randomly divided in three groups of six each with group I control concentrate containing soyabean meal (SBM) and group II and III fed with concentrate mixtures containing defatted and DNC at two levels DNC25 and DNC50 for five months. At the end of feeding trial, the sheep were slaughtered humanely and slaughter weight, carcass weight, dressing percentages, and percentage weight of various organs were calculated and analysed statistically. The mean±SE slaughter weight (kg) and carcass weight (kg) of sheep were 18.33±1.27 and 13.65±0.95 in group I, 17.68±1.28 and 13.15±1.03 in group II, 18.00±0.99 and 13.71±0.79 in group III, respectively. The dressing percentages on slaughter weight basis were 49.74±1.26, 49.69±1.04 and 51.94±0.55, respectively. No significant difference in the slaughter weight, carcass weight and dressing percentages between the three groups was observed. The percentage of slaughter weight of various organs like skin, head, feet, heart, lungs, spleen, testicles, kidney and liver showed no significant difference between the treatment and control groups. Thus, the detoxified neem seed cake can be fed to sheep as protein replacement without affecting the carcass characteristics, which will reduce the feed cost and improve the profitability of the sheep farmers in India.DBT Projec

Not Available

Not AvailableThe present study was conducted to know the effect of two levels of detoxified neem (Azadirachta indica) seed cake (DNC) on the carcass characteristics of male lambs. Eighteen male lambs were randomly divided in three groups of six each with group I control concentrate containing soyabean meal (SBM) and group II and III fed with concentrate mixtures containing defatted and DNC at two levels DNC25 and DNC50 for five months. At the end of feeding trial, the sheep were slaughtered humanely and slaughter weight, carcass weight, dressing percentages, and percentage weight of various organs were calculated and analysed statistically. The mean±SE slaughter weight (kg) and carcass weight (kg) of sheep were 18.33±1.27 and 13.65±0.95 in group I, 17.68±1.28 and 13.15±1.03 in group II, 18.00±0.99 and 13.71±0.79 in group III, respectively. The dressing percentages on slaughter weight basis were 49.74±1.26, 49.69±1.04 and 51.94±0.55, respectively. No significant difference in the slaughter weight, carcass weight and dressing percentages between the three groups was observed. The percentage of slaughter weight of various organs like skin, head, feet, heart, lungs, spleen, testicles, kidney and liver showed no significant difference between the treatment and control groups. Thus, the detoxified neem seed cake can be fed to sheep as protein replacement without affecting the carcass characteristics, which will reduce the feed cost and improve the profitability of the sheep farmers in India.Not Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailablePresent experiments were conducted to test raw and detoxified neem cake as a replacement of soybean meal in the diets of Wistar rats, Replacement of up to 25% soybean meal with DNC only resulted in positive growth rate (0.60 g/d) in rats compared to control (1.55 g/d). Low levels of DNC supplementation (12.5% in experiment 1 and 25% in experiment 2) caused similar nutrient intake and digestibility compared to control group. The supplementation of DNC did not exert any abnormal changes in blood profiles. Serum testosterone levels were lower (P<0.05) in rats that received DNC at 50% and RNC at 25%. Mild changes in intestinal villi were observed in DNC 25% group. Feeding of DNC was better (P<0.05) than RNC and replacement of SBM nitrogen with DNC up to 25% did not affect growth, feed consumption, blood profiles and histopathology.Not Availabl