Assessment of biochemical and physiological tolerance mechanism of the multipurpose paradise tree (Simarouba amara Aubl.) under zinc and copper stress

Simarouba amara Aubl., commonly known as paradise tree, is a multipurpose, evergreen, poly-gamodioecious, and oil yielding tree. The plant is famous for its seeds containing 55-65% oil, a potent source of biodiesel production and is being utilized in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other industries. The study aimed to evaluate the physiological and biochemical changes that occur in S. amara seedlings under heavy metals stress. Two-month-old S. amara seedlings were exposed to different concentrations of zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) (Zn and Cu: 10 mg Kg-1, 50 mg Kg-1, 100 mg Kg-1, 200 mg Kg-1). The study indicated that both the heavy metals resulted in a significant decrease in leaf relative water content (LRWC), photosynthetic pigments and an increase in lipid peroxidation and antioxidant levels. Regarding lipid peroxidation, Cu proved to be more toxic to seedlings compared to Zn. However, in terms of LRWC and photosynthetic pigments, Zn showed higher toxic effects than Cu. Proline and cysteine content increased by 234% and 270%, respectively, due to Zn stress and 117% and 102%, respectively, due to Cu stress at 200 mg Kg-1. Among antioxidant enzymes, a maximum increase in glutathione reductase (GR) activity was observed (600% due to Cu stress and 320% due to Zn stress) at 200 mg Kg-1. At the same concentration, a minimum increase was seen in glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity (60% under Cu stress) and catalase (CAT) activity (69% under Zn stress). The present study revealed that S. amara has a better antioxidant defensive mechanism against oxidative stress and can be used for its large scale cultivation on wastelands

The ORNATE India project: Building research capacity and capability to tackle the burden of diabetic retinopathy-related blindness in India

The ORNATE India project is an interdisciplinary, multifaceted United Kingdom (UK)–India collaborative study aimed to build research capacity and capability in India and the UK to tackle the burden of diabetes-related visual impairment. For 51 months (October 2017–December 2021), this project built collaboration between six institutions in the UK and seven in India, including the Government of Kerala. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening models were evaluated in the public system in Kerala. An epidemiological study of diabetes and its complications was conducted through 20 centers across India covering 10 states and one union territory. The statistical analysis is not yet complete. In the UK, risk models for diabetes and its complications and artificial intelligence-aided tools are being developed. These were complemented by joint studies on various aspects of diabetes between collaborators in the UK and India. This interdisciplinary team enabled increased capability in several workstreams, resulting in an increased number of publications, development of cost-effective risk models, algorithms for risk-based screening, and policy for state-wide implementation of sustainable DR screening and treatment programs in primary care in Kerala. The increase in research capacity included multiple disciplines from field workers, administrators, project managers, project leads, screeners, graders, optometrists, nurses, general practitioners, and research associates in various disciplines. Cross-fertilization of these disciplines enabled the development of several collaborations external to this project. This collaborative project has made a significant impact on research capacity development in both India and the UK

Impact of age-related macular degeneration on diabetic retinopathy: An electronic health record based big data analysis from a tertiary eye centre in South India.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the presence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) decreases the risk of diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: This was a retrospective, case-cohort study performed in patients with a systemic diagnosis of diabetes at a tertiary health care center from May 2011 to April 2020. A total of 43,153 patients (1,024 AMD patients and 42,129 non-AMD patients) were included in the analysis. A total of 1,024 age and diabetes mellitus (DM) duration-matched controls were chosen from the non-AMD group for risk factor analysis. The severity of diabetic retinopathy was compared between the patients with AMD and the patients without AMD. RESULTS: Out of the enrolled 43,153 diabetic patients, 26,906 were males and 16,247 were females. A total of 1,024 patients had AMD and 42,129 had no AMD. The mean age of the cohort was 58.60 ± 0.09 years. The overall prevalence of DR was noted to be 22.8% (9,825 out of 43,153 eyes). A significantly lower prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) (23% in non-AMD, 11.4% in AMD, OR = -0.43, P < 0.001), non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) (12% in non-AMD, 8.2% in AMD, OR = -0.66, P < 0.001), and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) (11% in non-AMD, 3.2% in AMD, OR = -0.27, P < 0.001) was seen in the AMD patients. No significant difference was seen between the dry and wet AMD. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, the lower age, absence of AMD, and male gender were associated with a higher risk of PDR. CONCLUSION: The presence of AMD was noted to statistically reduce the risk of DR. Our results may be useful in the field of resource allocation and awareness of DR

Development and Application of High-Density Axiom Cajanus SNP Array with 56K SNPs to Understand the Genome Architecture of Released Cultivars and Founder Genotypes

As one of the major outputs of next-generation sequencing (NGS), a large number of genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been developed in pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth.]. However, SNPs require a genotyping platform or assay to be used in different evolutionary studies or in crop improvement programs. Therefore, we developed an Axiom Cajanus SNP array with 56K SNPs uniformly distributed across the genome and assessed its utility in a genetic diversity study. From the whole-genome resequencing (WGRS) data on 104 pigeonpea lines, ∼2 million sequence variations (SNPs and insertion–deletions [InDels]) were identified, from which a subset of 56,512 unique and informative sequence variations were selected to develop the array. The Axiom Cajanus SNP array developed was used for genotyping 103 pigeonpea lines encompassing 63 cultivars released between 1960 and 2014 and 40 breeding, germplasm, and founder lines. Genotyping data thus generated on 103 pigeonpea lines provided 51,201 polymorphic SNPs and InDels. Genetic diversity analysis provided in-depth insights into the genetic architecture and trends in temporal diversity in pigeonpea cultivars. Therefore, the continuous use of the high-density Axiom Cajanus SNP array developed will accelerate high-resolution trait mapping, marker-assisted breeding, and genomic selection efforts in pigeonpea

Search for R-parity violating supersymmetry via the LLE couplings lambda_{121}, lambda_{122} or lambda_{133} in ppbar collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV

A search for gaugino pair production with a trilepton signature in the framework of R-parity violating supersymmetry via the couplings lambda_121, lambda_122, or lambda_133 is presented. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of L~360/pb, were collected from April 2002 to August 2004 with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV. This analysis considers final states with three charged leptons with the flavor combinations eel, mumul, and eetau (l=e or mu). No evidence for supersymmetry is found and limits at the 95% confidence level are set on the gaugino pair production cross section and lower bounds on the masses of the lightest neutralino and chargino are derived in two supersymmetric models.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures (fig2 includes 3 subfigures

Search for right-handed W bosons in top quark decay

We present a measurement of the fraction f+ of right-handed W bosons produced in top quark decays, based on a candidate sample of $t\bar{t}$ events in the lepton+jets decay mode. These data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 230pb^-1, collected by the DO detector at the Fermilab Tevatron $p\bar{p}$ Collider at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV. We use a constrained fit to reconstruct the kinematics of the $t\bar{t}$ and decay products, which allows for the measurement of the leptonic decay angle $\theta^*$ for each event. By comparing the $\cos\theta^*$ distribution from the data with those for the expected background and signal for various values of f+, we find f+=0.00+-0.13(stat)+-0.07(syst). This measurement is consistent with the standard model prediction of f+=3.6x10^-4.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review D Rapid Communications 7 pages, 3 figure

Measurement of Semileptonic Branching Fractions of B Mesons to Narrow D** States

Using the data accumulated in 2002-2004 with the DO detector in proton-antiproton collisions at the Fermilab Tevatron collider with centre-of-mass energy 1.96 TeV, the branching fractions of the decays B -> \bar{D}_1^0(2420) \mu^+ \nu_\mu X and B -> \bar{D}_2^{*0}(2460) \mu^+ \nu_\mu X and their ratio have been measured: BR(\bar{b}->B) \cdot BR(B-> \bar{D}_1^0 \mu^+ \nu_\mu X) \cdot BR(\bar{D}_1^0 -> D*- pi+) = (0.087+-0.007(stat)+-0.014(syst))%; BR(\bar{b}->B)\cdot BR(B->D_2^{*0} \mu^+ \nu_\mu X) \cdot BR(\bar{D}_2^{*0} -> D*- \pi^+) = (0.035+-0.007(stat)+-0.008(syst))%; and (BR(B -> \bar{D}_2^{*0} \mu^+ \nu_\mu X)BR(D2*0->D*- pi+)) / (BR(B -> \bar{D}_1^{0} \mu^+ \nu_\mu X)\cdot BR(\bar{D}_1^{0}->D*- \pi^+)) = 0.39+-0.09(stat)+-0.12(syst), where the charge conjugated states are always implied.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev. Let