Expression of genes related to Na⁺ exclusion and proline accumulation in tolerant and susceptible wheat genotypes under salt stress

In the present investigation, expression of genes related to Na+ exclusion such as salt overly sensitive (TaSOS1) and Na+/H+ antiporter (TaNHX1) and proline accumulation such as pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (P5CR) and glutamate synthase (GOGAT) was studied in seedlings of Kharchia 65 (Kh 65, salt tolerant) and HD 2009 (sensitive) under salt stress (ECe, 12 dSm–1) and controlled conditions. As compared to HD 2009, Kh 65 showed significantly lower accumulation of Na+ (p + exclusion in root and compartmentation in leaf and increased proline concentration are associated with tolerance to salinity stress in wheat. The information will be useful for improving wheat genotypes for salt tolerance

Heavy-chain deposition disease: a morphological, immunofluorescence and ultrastructural assessment

Heavy-chain deposition disease (HCDD) is the least common of the monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition diseases with only 24 reported cases in English literature, including the present case. The rarity of this disease merits its documentation. We present a case of HCDD from our archival material, who presented with rapidly progressive renal failure and nephrotic syndrome and was found to have nodular glomerulosclerosis on renal biopsy which on immunofluorescence and electron microscopy confirmed HCDD of immunoglobulin G1 type without any light-chain deposition. We also present an in-depth literature review on HCDD

Fragmentation of very high energy heavy ions

A stack of CR39 (C12H18O7)n nuclear track detectors with a Cu target was exposed to a 158 A GeV lead ion beam at the CERN-SPS, in order to study the fragmentation properties of lead nuclei. Measurements of the total, break-up and pick-up charge-changing cross sections of ultrarelativistic Pb ions on Cu and CR39 targets are presented and discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 3 EPS figures included with epsf, uses article.sty Talk presented by M. Giorgini at the Int. Conf. on Structure of the Nucleus at the Dawn of the Century, Bologna (Italy), May 29-June 3, 200

Examining Temporal Variation of the Fermi Coupling Constant using SNe Ia Light Curves

In standard model, the Fermi coupling constant, $G_F$, sets the strength of electroweak decay. We attempt an approach to constrain the temporal variation of the Fermi coupling constant $G_F$. To probe it, Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) light curves are being used as a source of reliable primordial nucleosynthesis events across the redshifts. We utilized studies suggesting that in the initial phase after the SNe Ia explosion, the electroweak decay of $^{56}Ni \rightarrow ^{56}Co \rightarrow ^{56}Fe$ is the key contributor to powering the SNe Ia light curve. We hence used the Pan-STARRS supernovae catalog having 1169 supernovae light curves in $g$, $r$, $i$, and $z$ spectral filters. The post-peak decrease in the apparent magnitude of light curves (in the rest frame of SNe) was related to the electroweak decay rate of primordial nucleosynthesis. Further, the decay rate relates to $G_F$. To keep the analysis independent of the cosmological model, we used the Hubble parameter measurement and a non-parametric statistical method, the Gaussian Process. Our study suggests a small yet finite temporal variation of $G_F$ and puts a strong upper bound on the present value of the fractional change in the Fermi coupling constant i.e; $\dfrac{\dot G_F}{G_F}\big\rvert_{z=0} \approx 10^{-11} yr^{-1}$ using datasets spread over a redshift range $0<z<0.75$.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, 1 tabl

Impact of novel psychoactive substances on clinical and forensic toxicology and global public health

Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) have been a part of the landscape of clinical and forensic toxicology for over a century, beginning with the introduction of a few new drugs like heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and gammahydroxybutyric acid (GHB). However, after the appearance of synthetic cannabinoids in the early 2000’s there was a rapid emergence of hundreds of synthetic cathinones, benzodiazepines and opioids. Toxicology laboratories previously focused on a rather narrow range of compounds including amphetamines, cannabinoids, cocaine, opioids, antidepressants, salicylate and acetaminophen. Now potent fentanyl derivatives are mixed with heroin or substituted entirely, killing unsuspecting drug users at an alarming rate. Toxicology laboratories are challenged with detecting potent drug analogs that are only present in blood for a short period of time, urinary metabolites whose chemical formula and structures are initially unknown, and no available reference standards. Here four international experts discuss what fueled the global NPS market, how toxicology laboratories can best address this challenge, and how public health and law enforcement agencies can help reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with NPS

Coupled Phonons, Magnetic Excitations and Ferroelectricity in AlFeO3: Raman and First-principles Studies

We determine the nature of coupled phonons and magnetic excitations in AlFeO3 using inelastic light scattering from 5 K to 315 K covering a spectral range from 100-2200 cm-1 and complementary first-principles density functional theory-based calculations. A strong spin-phonon coupling and magnetic ordering induced phonon renormalization are evident in (a) anomalous temperature dependence of many modes with frequencies below 850 cm-1, particularly near the magnetic transition temperature Tc ~ 250 K, (b) distinct changes in band positions of high frequency Raman bands between 1100-1800 cm-1, in particular a broad mode near 1250 cm-1 appears only below Tc attributed to the two-magnon Raman scattering. We also observe weak anomalies in the mode frequencies at ~ 100 K, due to a magnetically driven ferroelectric phase transition. Understanding of these experimental observations has been possible on the basis of first-principles calculations of phonons spectrum and their coupling with spins