Developing integrated PBPK/PD coupled mechanistic pathway model (miRNA-BDNF): An approach towards system toxicology

Integration of a dynamic signal transduction pathway into the tissue dosimetry model is a major advancement in the area of computational toxicology. This paper illustrates the ways to incorporate the use of existing system biological model in the field of toxicology via its coupling to the Physiological based Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics (PBPK/PD) model. This expansion framework of integrated PBPK/PD coupled mechanistic system pathway model can be called as system toxicology that describes the kinetics of both - the chemicals and - biomolecules, help us to understand the dynamic and steady-state behaviors of molecular pathways under perturbed condition. The objective of this article is to illustrate a system toxicology based approach by developing an integrated PBPK/PD coupled miRNA-BDNF pathway model and to demonstrate its application by taking a case study of the PFOS mediated neurotoxicity. System dynamic involves miRNA-mediated BDNF regulation, which plays an important role in the control of neuronal cell proliferation, differentiation, and survivability

An information theoretic characterisation of auditory encoding.

The entropy metric derived from information theory provides a means to quantify the amount of information transmitted in acoustic streams like speech or music. By systematically varying the entropy of pitch sequences, we sought brain areas where neural activity and energetic demands increase as a function of entropy. Such a relationship is predicted to occur in an efficient encoding mechanism that uses less computational resource when less information is present in the signal: we specifically tested the hypothesis that such a relationship is present in the planum temporale (PT). In two convergent functional MRI studies, we demonstrated this relationship in PT for encoding, while furthermore showing that a distributed fronto-parietal network for retrieval of acoustic information is independent of entropy. The results establish PT as an efficient neural engine that demands less computational resource to encode redundant signals than those with high information content

Rhizosphere of rice plants harbor bacteria with multiple plant growth promoting features

114 diazotrophic bacteria from the rice rhizosphere of five districts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh (India) were isolated and screened for plant growth promoting (PGP) activities employing standard microbiological and biochemical techniques. All these isolates showed nitrogenase activity in the range of 0.23 to 1.72 μmol C2H4 mg-1 protein h-1. Further analysis showed that 84 (73.68%) isolates were Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) producer; the value of IAA production ranged from 10.1 to 353.0 μg IAA mg-1 protein. IAA production occurred solely in the medium supplemented with tryptophan. P solubilization activity was observed in 28 (24.56%) isolates, the activity being in the range of 38.50 to 321.0 P released μg mg-1 protein. 45 (39.46%) isolates were capable of producing siderophore, the range of production being 4.50 to 223.26 μg mg-1 protein. Analysis of molecular diversity was made by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) and denaturating gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), which exhibited distinct differences among all the isolates. Of the 114 isolates, twenty one (21) isolates showed multiple plant growth promoting traits and were potent in terms of PGP activities. These isolates were identified on the basis of 16S rDNA sequencing and belonged to the genera Pantoea, Bacillus, Microbacterium, Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, Ancylobacter, Enterobacter, Advenella, γ-proteobacterium strain VA3S1, Rhizobium and Agrobacterium. Findings of this study suggest that certain isolates may be exploited for developing a potential source of biofertilizer.Key words: Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, N2 fixation, amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis, indole-3-acetic acid, siderophore, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, temperature gradient gel electrophoresi

Asymmetry to symmetry transition of Fano line-shape: Analytical derivation

An analytical derivation of Fano line-shape asymmetry ratio has been presented here for a general case. It is shown that Fano line-shape becomes less asymmetric as \q is increased and finally becomes completely symmetric in the limiting condition of q equal to infinity. Asymmetry ratios of Fano line-shapes have been calculated and are found to be in good consonance with the reported expressions for asymmetry ratio as a function of Fano parameter. Application of this derivation is also mentioned for explanation of asymmetry to symmetry transition of Fano line-shape in quantum confined silicon nanostructures.Comment: 3 figures, Latex files, Theoretica

Impact of financial literacy on savings behavior: the moderation role of risk aversion and financial confidence

This research examines the impact of financial literacy on the savings behavior of investors residing in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. It also investigates the moderating impact of financial confidence and risk aversion in the relationship between financial literacy and savings behavior. The primary data were collected from 357 respondents through a structured questionnaire using the snowball sampling method. The findings of this study suggest that financial literacy has a positive impact on investors' savings behavior. Further, the study also found that risk aversion significantly moderates the relationship between financial literacy and savings behavior. The three-way interaction between financial literacy, risk aversion, and financial confidence significantly affects the investors’ savings behavior. The study suggests that policymakers should emphasize training programs for investors on financial literacy, financial confidence, and risk aversion

Genetic architecture and population structure of Oat Landraces (Avena sativa L.) using molecular and morphological descriptors

439-450Oat is grown as winter forage in India. It is a self-pollinated crop with less variability. However, the variation for different morphological traits in oat germplasm may be available at genotypic level. The present study was conducted to find out the genetic diversity among 24 oat landraces using 9 morphological traits and 24 SSR primers. Morphological data observed across the 24 landraces showed wide variation and grouped various landraces into two clusters. GFY and DMY were positively and significantly correlated with most of the traits studied. The molecular analysis using 24 SSR primers resulted amplification of 62 polymorphic alleles with an average of 2.58 alleles per primer. Size of amplified alleles ranged from 70 to 480 bp. Mean polymorphic information content was 0.42 showing moderate level of SSR polymorphism. Cluster analysis based on SSR data differentiated 24 oat landraces into three major clusters. Bayesian model-based STRUCTURE analysis assigned landraces into two clusters and showed the extent of admixture within individuals. Clustering pattern of oat landraces based on SSR marker profiles were different from that of morphometric traits. So, based on the pooled analysis at morphological and molecular level, the landraces IG-02-121, IG-02-129 and IG-02-113 were found superior for morphological traits as well as most distant among all the landraces under study. Hence, these landraces could be used in for future breeding programmes for genetic improvement in oats

Allele mining in β-lactoglobulin gene of Capra hircus

β-Lactoglobulin (β-LG) genetic polymorphisms are important and well known due to their effects on quantitative traits and technological properties of milk. At the DNA level, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) allows for the detection of unknown polymorphisms at β-LG loci. Here we describe the usefulness of the PCR-SSCP technique for β-LG typing. In the present study, we amplified and sequenced the part of promoter region and all the seven exons containing the entire coding and untranslated region for the β-lactoglobulin gene in best dairy goat breeds of India namely: Jamunapari and Jakhrana. Nine polymorphisms were detected, one in the l promoter region, four in the introns and four in the exons of the β-lactoglobulin gene. All polymorphisms were single nucleotide substitutions. The polymorphisms in the coding region did not produce any amino acid change.Key words: β-Lactoglobulin gene, dairy goats, polymorphism, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP)

Local perceptions and adaptation of indigenous communities to climate change: Evidences from High Mountain Pangi valley of Indian Himalayas

58-67The present study was undertaken with aim to understand the perceptions of indigenous communities about climate change pattern and its local impacts on climate variables, seasons, agriculture, biodiversity and adaptive strategies in geographical and technological-isolated Pangi valley situated in Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh. Randomly selected 120 respondents were interviewed and their perceptions were recorded on pre-designed questionnaire. The climate change impacts are experienced in the form of decreased snowfall (98.3%), temperature rise (97.5%), late onset of monsoon (90.8%), decreased rainfall (76.7%), reduced snow-melted water availability (86.7%) and increased drought incidences (85.8%) of over the years. Further, these climatic changes affecting agriculture through early shifts in crop season (80.8%), shorter growing season (91.7%), introduction of fruit and vegetable crops (90.8%), increased incidence of insect-pest (81.2%) and diseases (84.2%) and thereby decline in crop yield (70%). However, majority of the respondents undertaken adaptive strategies such as crop diversification, traditional mixed-cropping, mixed farming, crop rotation and agro-forestry/agro-horticulture systems to cope with climate change but they are either little or unaware of modern farming practices such as snow water/glacier runoff harvesting, agro advisory services, mulching and zero tillage as adaptation strategies