COMBINING ABILITY ANALYSIS FOR GREEN FRUIT YIELD AND ITS COMPONENT TRAITS IN CHILLI (Capsicum annuum L.)

ABSTRACTObjectives: Chilli is classified under self pollinated crops, natural cross pollination takes place up to the extent of 7 to 60 %.   Present study of combining ability analysis was conducted for identifying the superior parents for obtaining superior hybrid combinations in Chilli using male sterile lines.Methods: The present study was conducted at of Main Vegetable Research Station, Anand Agricultural University, Anand (Gujarat) during Kharif-Rabi 2011-2012 season with the objective of getting information on combining ability and nature of gene action for fruit yield and its component characters in chilli.Results: Parents viz., ACMS 4, 9907-9611 (B line), LCA 206, ACG 12 and RHRC PENDT were good general combiner for green fruit yield per plant and its related attributes.Conclusion: The estimates of specific combining ability effect indicated that cross combinations ACMS-4 x 9955-15R, CCA-4759 x LCA 206 and ACMS-8 x RHRC PENDT were significant for green fruit yield per plant and its important component characters and, therefore, these can be further exploited for selection of hybrids and transgressive segregants

Economic evaluation of a task-shifting intervention for common mental disorders in India

OBJECTIVE: To carry out an economic evaluation of a task-shifting intervention for the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders in primary-care settings in Goa, India. METHODS: Cost-utility and cost-effectiveness analyses based on generalized linear models were performed within a trial set in 24 public and private primary-care facilities. Subjects were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control arm. Eligible subjects in the intervention arm were given psycho-education, case management, interpersonal psychotherapy and/or antidepressants by lay health workers. Subjects in the control arm were treated by physicians. The use of health-care resources, the disability of each subject and degree of psychiatric morbidity, as measured by the Revised Clinical Interview Schedule, were determined at 2, 6 and 12 months. FINDINGS: Complete data, from all three follow-ups, were collected from 1243 (75.4%) and 938 (81.7%) of the subjects enrolled in the study facilities from the public and private sectors, respectively. Within the public facilities, subjects in the intervention arm showed greater improvement in all the health outcomes investigated than those in the control arm. Time costs were also significantly lower in the intervention arm than in the control arm, whereas health system costs in the two arms were similar. Within the private facilities, however, the effectiveness and costs recorded in the two arms were similar. CONCLUSION: Within public primary-care facilities in Goa, the use of lay health workers in the care of subjects with common mental disorders was not only cost-effective but also cost-saving

A study of serum cystatin C as a marker of diabetic nephropathy among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Clinically type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) without serum creatinine microalbuminuria, macroalbuminuria lacks predictors for diabetic nephropathy (DN). We utilized a meta-analysis technique to review the literature to evaluate whether serum cystatin C may be used as an early marker of diabetic nephropathy in light of the differing opinions regarding the utility of serum cystatin C as such. PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Scopus Database were searched using various key search terms. Studies involving T2DM patients and containing serum cystatin C levels and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) data were included. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were also calculated. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of serum cystatin C for predicting DN were 0.87 (95% CI 0.84 - 0.91) and 0.84 (95% CI 0.83 - 0.88) respectively. The pooled positive and negative predictive values of serum cystatin C for predicting DN were 7.035 (95 % CI 4.30 – 11.43) and 0.15 (95% CI 0.09 - 0.21) respectively. The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve was 0.9548 and the diagnostic odds ratio was 67.10 (95% CI 28.12 - 156.84). Serum cystatin C is a significant biomarker of DN among patients with T2DM. It can also positively monitor kidney function progression and prediction of adverse outcomes among T2DM patients

Molecular details of quinolone–DNA interactions: solution structure of an unusually stable DNA duplex with covalently linked nalidixic acid residues and non-covalent complexes derived from it

Quinolones are antibacterial drugs that are thought to bind preferentially to disturbed regions of DNA. They do not fall into the classical categories of intercalators, groove binders or electrostatic binders to the backbone. We solved the 3D structure of the DNA duplex (ACGCGU-NA)(2), where NA denotes a nalidixic acid residue covalently linked to the 2′-position of 2′-amino-2′-deoxyuridine, by NMR and restrained torsion angle molecular dynamics (MD). In the complex, the quinolones stack on G:C base pairs of the core tetramer and disrupt the terminal A:U base pair. The displaced dA residues can stack on the quinolones, while the uracil rings bind in the minor groove. The duplex-bridging interactions of the drugs and the contacts of the displaced nucleotides explain the high UV-melting temperature for d(ACGCGU-NA)(2) of up to 53°C. Further, non-covalently linked complexes between quinolones and DNA of the sequence ACGCGT can be generated via MD using constraints obtained for d(ACGCGU-NA)(2). This is demonstrated for unconjugated nalidixic acid and its 6-fluoro derivative. The well-ordered and tightly packed structures thus obtained are compatible with a published model for the quinolone–DNA complex in the active site of gyrases

Nel positively regulates the genesis of retinal ganglion cells by promoting their differentiation and survival during development

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Spontaneous infection of a stable mediastinal cystic mass: A case report

Mediastinal cysts have an unpredictable course but can cause complications such as infection or local pressure effects. Persons with mediastinal cysts can be asymptomatic for many years or can develop symptoms as a result of complications of the cyst. There is a lack of consensus on the best approach to managing those patients without symptoms. In this case report, a 56 year old woman with an indolent mediastinal cyst initially managed conservatively suddenly developed symptoms suggestive of an infected mediastinal cyst requiring surgical resection

Large introns in relation to alternative splicing and gene evolution: a case study of Drosophila bruno-3

Background: Alternative splicing (AS) of maturing mRNA can generate structurally and functionally distinct transcripts from the same gene. Recent bioinformatic analyses of available genome databases inferred a positive correlation between intron length and AS. To study the interplay between intron length and AS empirically and in more detail, we analyzed the diversity of alternatively spliced transcripts (ASTs) in the Drosophila RNA-binding Bruno-3 (Bru-3) gene. This gene was known to encode thirteen exons separated by introns of diverse sizes, ranging from 71 to 41,973 nucleotides in D. melanogaster. Although Bru-3's structure is expected to be conducive to AS, only two ASTs of this gene were previously described. Results: Cloning of RT-PCR products of the entire ORF from four species representing three diverged Drosophila lineages provided an evolutionary perspective, high sensitivity, and long-range contiguity of splice choices currently unattainable by high-throughput methods. Consequently, we identified three new exons, a new exon fragment and thirty-three previously unknown ASTs of Bru-3. All exon-skipping events in the gene were mapped to the exons surrounded by introns of at least 800 nucleotides, whereas exons split by introns of less than 250 nucleotides were always spliced contiguously in mRNA. Cases of exon loss and creation during Bru-3 evolution in Drosophila were also localized within large introns. Notably, we identified a true de novo exon gain: exon 8 was created along the lineage of the obscura group from intronic sequence between cryptic splice sites conserved among all Drosophila species surveyed. Exon 8 was included in mature mRNA by the species representing all the major branches of the obscura group. To our knowledge, the origin of exon 8 is the first documented case of exonization of intronic sequence outside vertebrates. Conclusion: We found that large introns can promote AS via exon-skipping and exon turnover during evolution likely due to frequent errors in their removal from maturing mRNA. Large introns could be a reservoir of genetic diversity, because they have a greater number of mutable sites than short introns. Taken together, gene structure can constrain and/or promote gene evolution

Experiences of people with dementia and their caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic in India: a mixed-methods study

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has unprecedented consequences for the management of chronic diseases such as dementia. However, limited evidence exists on the condition of persons with dementia and their caregivers during the pandemic in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). The study aimed to provide insights into the experiences of persons with dementia and their families during the early phases of the pandemic in India. Methods This study adopted a mixed-method approach. One hundred and four persons with dementia and their caregivers were evaluated via telephone using validated instruments and a semi-structured interview guide. We used the quantitative data collected to establish a baseline, whereas qualitative data were analysed thematically. Results The study revealed that persons with dementia and their caregivers experienced difficulties during the pandemic, which included worsening of behaviour, problems in accessing care, disruptions in functional activities and struggles in enforcing infection prevention contributing to caregiver distress. An important finding that emerged was the unchanging reality of caregiving for families. The relative success of the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic contrasted with the lack of awareness and formal support for dementia. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of persons with dementia and their caregivers. This calls for a collaborative reframing of medical care and public health policies to address dementia care

The human liver microenvironment shapes the homing and function of CD4+ T-cell populations.

OBJECTIVE: Tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) are vital immune sentinels that provide protective immunity. While hepatic CD8+ TRM have been well described, little is known about the location, phenotype and function of CD4+ TRM. DESIGN: We used multiparametric flow cytometry, histological assessment and novel human tissue coculture systems to interrogate the ex vivo phenotype, function and generation of the intrahepatic CD4+ T-cell compartment. We also used leukocytes isolated from human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-disparate liver allografts to assess long-term retention. RESULTS: Hepatic CD4+ T cells were delineated into three distinct populations based on CD69 expression: CD69-, CD69INT and CD69HI. CD69HICD4+ cells were identified as tissue-resident CD4+ T cells on the basis of their exclusion from the circulation, phenotypical profile (CXCR6+CD49a+S1PR1-PD-1+) and long-term persistence within the pool of donor-derived leukcoocytes in HLA-disparate liver allografts. CD69HICD4+ T cells produced robust type 1 polyfunctional cytokine responses on stimulation. Conversely, CD69INTCD4+ T cells represented a more heterogenous population containing cells with a more activated phenotype, a distinct chemokine receptor profile (CX3CR1+CXCR3+CXCR1+) and a bias towards interleukin-4 production. While CD69INTCD4+ T cells could be found in the circulation and lymph nodes, these cells also formed part of the long-term resident pool, persisting in HLA-mismatched allografts. Notably, frequencies of CD69INTCD4+ T cells correlated with necroinflammatory scores in chronic hepatitis B infection. Finally, we demonstrated that interaction with hepatic epithelia was sufficient to generate CD69INTCD4+ T cells, while additional signals from the liver microenvironment were required to generate liver-resident CD69HICD4+ T cells. CONCLUSIONS: High and intermediate CD69 expressions mark human hepatic CD4+ TRM and a novel functionally distinct recirculating population, respectively, both shaped by the liver microenvironment to achieve diverse immunosurveillance