Innovation in traditional organic nutrient management practices for better soilhealth and higher productivity of brahmi (Bacopa monnieri L.)

This study was conducted at Medicinal Plants Research and Development Centre (MRDC) of Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, District Udham Singh Nagar, India, to examine the effect of Jeevamrit (Bioenhancer) on soil health and herbage yield of brahmi crop (var. CIM- Jagriti) and to optimise its rate of application. The experiment was laid out in randomised block design (RBD), replicated trice. The experimental soil was sandy clay loam in texture, neutral in reaction, having pH 6.9, medium in organic carbon (0.64%), low in available nitrogen (180.78 kg ha-1) and medium in both available phosphorus (20.14 kg ha-1) and potassium (200.64 kg ha-1). Jeevamrit enhances soil nutrient content, improve bulk density and biodiversity by increasing beneficial soil microbes which mineralise the nutrients present in soil and increase their availability. Jeevamrit 4000 l ha-1 can be used as a nutrient source in place of chemical fertilisers and expensive bulky organic manures under organic nutrient management

Human surfactant protein D alters oxidative stress and HMGA1 expression to induce p53 apoptotic pathway in eosinophil leukemic cell line

This article is made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund. Copyright: © 2013 Mahajan et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Surfactant protein D (SP-D), an innate immune molecule, has an indispensable role in host defense and regulation of inflammation. Immune related functions regulated by SP-D include agglutination of pathogens, phagocytosis, oxidative burst, antigen presentation, T lymphocyte proliferation, cytokine secretion, induction of apoptosis and clearance of apoptotic cells. The present study unravels a novel ability of SP-D to reduce the viability of leukemic cells (eosinophilic leukemic cell line, AML14.3D10; acute myeloid leukemia cell line, THP-1; acute lymphoid leukemia cell lines, Jurkat, Raji; and human breast epithelial cell line, MCF-7), and explains the underlying mechanisms. SP-D and a recombinant fragment of human SP-D (rhSP-D) induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest, and dose and timedependent apoptosis in the AML14.3D10 eosinophilic leukemia cell line. Levels of various apoptotic markers viz. activated p53, cleaved caspase-9 and PARP, along with G2/M checkpoints (p21 and Tyr15 phosphorylation of cdc2) showed significant increase in these cells. We further attempted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of rhSP-D induced apoptosis using proteomic analysis. This approach identified large scale molecular changes initiated by SPD in a human cell for the first time. Among others, the proteomics analysis highlighted a decreased expression of survival related proteins such as HMGA1, overexpression of proteins to protect the cells from oxidative burst, while a drastic decrease in mitochondrial antioxidant defense system. rhSP-D mediated enhanced oxidative burst in AML14.3D10 cells was confirmed, while antioxidant, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, abrogated the rhSP-D induced apoptosis. The rhSP-D mediated reduced viability was specific to the cancer cell lines and viability of human PBMCs from healthy controls was not affected. The study suggests involvement of SP-D in host’s immunosurveillance and therapeutic potential of rhSP-D in the eosinophilic leukemia and cancers of other origins.Department of Biotechnology, Indi

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

Quantitative tissue proteome profile reveals neutrophil degranulation and remodeling of extracellular matrix proteins in early stage gallbladder cancer

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is an aggressive malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract with a poor prognosis. It is important to understand the molecular processes associated with the pathogenesis of early stage GBC and identify proteins useful for diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Here, we have carried out an iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic analysis of tumor tissues from early stage GBC cases (stage I, n=7 and stage II, n=5) and non-tumor controls (n=6) from gallstone disease (GSD). We identified 357 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) based on ≥ 2 unique peptides and ≥ 2 fold change with p value < 0.05. Pathway analysis using the STRING database showed, ‘neutrophil degranulation’ to be the major upregulated pathway that includes proteins such as MPO, PRTN3, S100A8, MMP9, DEFA1, AZU, and ‘ECM organization’ to be the major downregulated pathway that includes proteins such as COL14A1, COL1A2, COL6A1, COL6A2, COL6A3, BGN, DCN. Western blot and/or IHC analysis confirmed the elevated expression of MPO, PRTN3 and S100A8 in early stage of the disease. Based on the above results, we hypothesize that there is an increased neutrophil infiltration in tumor tissue and neutrophil degranulation leading to degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins promoting cancer cell invasion in the early stage GBC. Some of the proteins (MPO, MMP9, DEFA1) associated with ‘neutrophil degranulation’ showed the presence of ‘signal sequence’ suggesting their potential as circulatory markers for early detection of GBC. Overall, the study presents a protein dataset associated with early stage GBC

Mitochondria-localized AMPK responds to local energetics and contributes to exercise and energetic stress-induced mitophagy

Mitochondria form a complex, interconnected reticulum that is maintained through coordination among biogenesis, dynamic fission, and fusion and mitophagy, which are initiated in response to various cues to maintain energetic homeostasis. These cellular events, which make up mitochondrial quality control, act with remarkable spatial precision, but what governs such spatial specificity is poorly understood. Herein, we demonstrate that specific isoforms of the cellular bioenergetic sensor, 5′ AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPKα1/α2/β2/γ1), are localized on the outer mitochondrial membrane, referred to as mitoAMPK, in various tissues in mice and humans. Activation of mitoAMPK varies across the reticulum in response to energetic stress, and inhibition of mitoAMPK activity attenuates exercise-induced mitophagy in skeletal muscle in vivo. Discovery of a mitochondrial pool of AMPK and its local importance for mitochondrial quality control underscores the complexity of sensing cellular energetics in vivo that has implications for targeting mitochondrial energetics for disease treatment

Neurodevelopmental disorders in children aged 2-9 years: Population-based burden estimates across five regions in India.

BACKGROUND: Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) compromise the development and attainment of full social and economic potential at individual, family, community, and country levels. Paucity of data on NDDs slows down policy and programmatic action in most developing countries despite perceived high burden. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We assessed 3,964 children (with almost equal number of boys and girls distributed in 2-<6 and 6-9 year age categories) identified from five geographically diverse populations in India using cluster sampling technique (probability proportionate to population size). These were from the North-Central, i.e., Palwal (N = 998; all rural, 16.4% non-Hindu, 25.3% from scheduled caste/tribe [SC-ST] [these are considered underserved communities who are eligible for affirmative action]); North, i.e., Kangra (N = 997; 91.6% rural, 3.7% non-Hindu, 25.3% SC-ST); East, i.e., Dhenkanal (N = 981; 89.8% rural, 1.2% non-Hindu, 38.0% SC-ST); South, i.e., Hyderabad (N = 495; all urban, 25.7% non-Hindu, 27.3% SC-ST) and West, i.e., North Goa (N = 493; 68.0% rural, 11.4% non-Hindu, 18.5% SC-ST). All children were assessed for vision impairment (VI), epilepsy (Epi), neuromotor impairments including cerebral palsy (NMI-CP), hearing impairment (HI), speech and language disorders, autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), and intellectual disability (ID). Furthermore, 6-9-year-old children were also assessed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disorders (LDs). We standardized sample characteristics as per Census of India 2011 to arrive at district level and all-sites-pooled estimates. Site-specific prevalence of any of seven NDDs in 2-<6 year olds ranged from 2.9% (95% CI 1.6-5.5) to 18.7% (95% CI 14.7-23.6), and for any of nine NDDs in the 6-9-year-old children, from 6.5% (95% CI 4.6-9.1) to 18.5% (95% CI 15.3-22.3). Two or more NDDs were present in 0.4% (95% CI 0.1-1.7) to 4.3% (95% CI 2.2-8.2) in the younger age category and 0.7% (95% CI 0.2-2.0) to 5.3% (95% CI 3.3-8.2) in the older age category. All-site-pooled estimates for NDDs were 9.2% (95% CI 7.5-11.2) and 13.6% (95% CI 11.3-16.2) in children of 2-<6 and 6-9 year age categories, respectively, without significant difference according to gender, rural/urban residence, or religion; almost one-fifth of these children had more than one NDD. The pooled estimates for prevalence increased by up to three percentage points when these were adjusted for national rates of stunting or low birth weight (LBW). HI, ID, speech and language disorders, Epi, and LDs were the common NDDs across sites. Upon risk modelling, noninstitutional delivery, history of perinatal asphyxia, neonatal illness, postnatal neurological/brain infections, stunting, LBW/prematurity, and older age category (6-9 year) were significantly associated with NDDs. The study sample was underrepresentative of stunting and LBW and had a 15.6% refusal. These factors could be contributing to underestimation of the true NDD burden in our population. CONCLUSIONS: The study identifies NDDs in children aged 2-9 years as a significant public health burden for India. HI was higher than and ASD prevalence comparable to the published global literature. Most risk factors of NDDs were modifiable and amenable to public health interventions

LGBTQ Notion Evaluation: A Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Review

Several conservative sectors and employers are embracing equality objectives, including financial institutions, for example, more importantly, there has been a change in attitude and support towards the LGBT+ issues, which has been noticed in other professions and companies, including law and accountancy. The LGBT group includes Lesbians, Gay, Bisexuals and Transgender sexual orientation. Gay men and heterosexuals have also been observed to be in these groups. If we talk only about sexual orientation, we should avoid using the label “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender” More than one of these labels can recognise and identify a person. The organization should review and structure LGBTQ including workplace policies and procedures. The research identifies major contributors, recent trends, contexts and supports in the field of study. The paper adopted, systematic literature reviews and network reviews, bibliometrics and network analysis (NA), to evaluate the research events that have taken place in this topic, collecting a sample of 195 documents from the Scopus database. After analysing different viewpoints, such as the initial data structures, bibliometrics and network, the study is an essential basis for the understanding of LGBTQ, its current indications, and the environment in which the analysis advances. The goal of the researchers is to identify major contributors, as well as identify the currently being investigated variables. such as discrimination in the workplace, LGBTQ inclusion and promotes for additional directions in the field of LGBTQ inclusion at workplace

Regioselective synthesis of new 2,5,6-trisubstituted 5,6-dihydro-2H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]thiazoles from 5-dimethylaminoethylene-thaozolidin-4-thiones

<div><p>Thiazolidin-4-ones assembled through one-pot three-component (carbonyl compound, amine and ethyl mercaptoacetate) reactions in the presence of dicyclohexyl carbodiimide, on simultaneous treatment with dimethyl formamide dimethylacetal and Lawesson's reagent furnished 5-dimethylaminomethylene thiazolidin-4-thiones. These thiones on condensation with hydrazine derivatives afforded 2,5,6-trisubstituted-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]thiazoles <b>4</b> and not their possible 1,5,6-trisubstituted regioisomers <b>5.</b> Results of single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of thiazolidin-4-one <b>1b</b> have been reported. The structures of all the synthesized compounds were established by spectral data. DFT studies on regioisomers were carried out using B3LYP with the 6-31G** basis set and carbon NMR shifts of <b>4</b> show good correlation with experimental values.</p></div