Agro-morphological and quality characterization of indigenous and exotic aromatic rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasm

For establishment of the distinctness among 64 aromatic rice germplasm, 35 agro-morphological and quality traits were used. Most of the studied traits showed wide variation among the germplasm. Purple colour of auricles and ligule was found in only one genotype, while light purple colour of auricles was recorded in four genotypes. White colour of stigma was recorded in 57 accessions, whereas purple stigma was observed in six accessions. Awns present in 31 accessions. The weight of 1000 grains, which is one of the most important yield attributing traits showed wide variation among accessions, and ranges from very low to very high weight. Grain: length and decorticated grain: length showed high variation and ranges from very short to long type, while grain: width and decorticated grain: width showed somewhat little variation among the genotypes. Extra long slender type grain shape was observed in 27 accessions. White type of decorticated grain colour was found in 55 genotypes, while light red and red colour was observed in only three genotypes. The present study concluded that all sixty four accessions were found to be distinct on the basis of thirty one agro-morphological and quality traits. Accessions having short stem length, very long panicle length, more number of panicle per plant, and extra long slender grain may be used as potential donor in hybridization programmes. This study will be useful for breeders, researchers and farmers toidentify and choose the restoration and conservation of beneficial genes for crop improvement

Complexes of Triphenylarsine Oxide with Trichlorotin(IV) & Trichlorotitanium(IV) Alkoxides & Dichlorotitanium(IV) Dialkoxides

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Cloning and semi-quantitative expression of endochitinase (ech42) gene from Trichoderma spp.

Species of Trichoderma such as T. harzianum, T. viride and T. atroviride are some of the most potent antagonistic fungi, and have been used as plant growth promoters in developed countries. Endochitinase (ech42) gene which is involved in mycoparasitism, was isolated from Trichoderma spp. taken from hot-arid soils of Rajasthan, cloned, sequenced and its expression profiling was carried by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. The cloned DNA sequence was 1,476 base pairs. Gene encoding endochitinase was ligated in pGEMT cloning vector. The plasmids were transformed in DH5α Escherichia coli competent cells and clones were confirmed through sequencing and restriction analysis. Endochitinase gene expression was then observed for different Trichoderma isolates viz., T. harzianum (T14 and T12) and T. atroviride (T5). Among the three, higher expression of endochitinase was observed in T14 and T12, whereas T5 showed lesser expression with respect to T14 and T12 strain. The Trichoderma chitinase enzyme activity was monitored for all isolates under study. The highest chitinase activity was observed in T14 and T11 viz., 17.21 (1 enzyme μg/ml) and 13.11 enzyme μg/ml, respectively.Keywords: Endochitinase, cloning, expression, Trichoderma atroviride, Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma virid

Induced Anticlinic Ordering and Nanophase Segregation of Bow-Shaped Molecules in a Smectic Solvent

Recent experiments indicate that doping low concentrations of bent-core molecules into calamitic smectic solvents can induce anticlinic and biaxial smectic phases. We have carried out Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of mixtures of rodlike molecules (hard spherocylinders with length/breadth ratio $L_{\rm rod}/D = 5$) and bow- or banana-shaped molecules (hard spherocylinder dimers with length/breadth ratio $L_{ban}/D = 5$ or 2.5 and opening angle $\psi$) to probe the molecular-scale organization and phase behavior of rod/banana mixtures. We find that a low concentration (3%) of $L_{ban}/D = 5$ dimers induces anticlinic (SmC$_A$) ordering in an untilted smectic (SmA) phase for $100^\circ \le \psi < 150^\circ$. For smaller $\psi$, half of each bow-shaped molecule is nanophase segregated between smectic layers, and the smectic layers are untilted. For $L_{ban}/D = 2.5$, no tilted phases are induced. However, with decreasing $\psi$ we observe a sharp transition from {\sl intralamellar} nanophase segregation (bow-shaped molecules segregated within smectic layers) to {\sl interlamellar} nanophase segregation (bow-shaped molecules concentrated between smectic layers) near $\psi = 130^\circ$. These results demonstrate that purely entropic effects can lead to surprisingly complex behavior in rod/banana mixtures.Comment: 5 pages Revtex, 7 postscript figure

Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Glia-Neuron Intercellular Communication

Cross talk between glia and neurons is crucial for a variety of biological functions, ranging from nervous system development, axonal conduction, synaptic transmission, neural circuit maturation, to homeostasis maintenance. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which were initially described as cellular debris and were devoid of biological function, are now recognized as key components in cell-cell communication and play a critical role in glia-neuron communication. EVs transport the proteins, lipids, and nucleic acid cargo in intercellular communication, which alters target cells structurally and functionally. A better understanding of the roles of EVs in glia-neuron communication, both in physiological and pathological conditions, can aid in the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and the development of new biomarkers. This review aims to demonstrate that different types of glia and neuronal cells secrete various types of EVs, resulting in specific functions in intercellular communications

Theory of Banana Liquid Crystal Phases and Phase Transitions

We study phases and phase transitions that can take place in the newly discovered banana (bow-shaped or bent-core) liquid crystal molecules. We show that to completely characterize phases exhibited by such bent-core molecules a third-rank tensor $T^{ijk}$ order parameter is necessary in addition to the vector and the nematic (second-rank) tensor order parameters. We present an exhaustive list of possible liquid phases, characterizing them by their space-symmetry group and order parameters, and catalog the universality classes of the corresponding phase transitions that we expect to take place in such bent-core molecular liquid crystals. In addition to the conventional liquid-crystal phases such as the nematic phase, we predict the existence of novel liquid phases, including the spontaneously chiral nematic $(N_T + 2)^*$ and chiral polar $(V_T + 2)^*$ phases, the orientationally-ordered but optically isotropic tetrahedratic $T$ phase, and a novel nematic $N_T$ phase with $D_{2d}$ symmetry that is neither uniaxial nor biaxial. Interestingly, the Isotropic-Tetrahedratic transition is {\em continuous} in mean-field theory, but is likely driven first-order by thermal fluctuations. We conclude with a discussion of smectic analogs of these phases and their experimental signatures.Comment: 28 pgs. RevTex, 32 eps figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.