Transcriptome Profiling of Buffalograss Challenged with the Leaf Spot Pathogen Curvularia inaequalis

Buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides) is a low maintenance United States native turfgrass species with exceptional drought, heat and cold tolerance. Leaf spot caused by Curvularia inaequalis negatively impacts buffalograss visual quality. Two leaf spot susceptible and two resistant buffalograss lines were challenged with C. inaequalis. Samples were collected from treated and untreated leaves when susceptible lines showed symptoms. Transcriptome sequencing was done and differentially expressed genes were identified. Approximately 27 million raw sequencing reads were produced per sample. More than 86% of the sequencing reads mapped to an existing buffalograss reference transcriptome. De novo assembly of unmapped reads was merged with the existing reference to produce a more complete transcriptome. There were 461 differentially expressed transcripts between the resistant and susceptible lines when challenged with the pathogen and 1552 in its absence. Previously characterized defense-related genes were identified among the differentially expressed transcripts. Twenty one resistant line transcripts were similar to genes regulating pattern triggered immunity and 20 transcripts were similar to genes regulating effector triggered immunity. There were also nine up-regulated transcripts in resistance lines which showed potential to initiate systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and three transcripts encoding pathogenesis-related proteins which are downstream products of SAR. This is the first study characterizing changes in the buffalograss transcriptome when challenged with C. inaequalis

Transcriptome Profiling of Buffalograss Challenged with the Leaf Spot Pathogen \u3ci\u3eCurvularia inaequalis\u3c/i\u3e

Buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides) is a low maintenance U. S. native turfgrass species with exceptional drought, heat, and cold tolerance. Leaf spot caused by Curvularia inaequalis negatively impacts buffalograss visual quality. Two leaf spot susceptible and two resistant buffalograss lines were challenged with C. inaequalis. Samples were collected from treated and untreated leaves when susceptible lines showed symptoms. Transcriptome sequencing was done and differentially expressed genes were identified. Approximately 27 million raw sequencing reads were produced per sample. More than 86% of the sequencing reads mapped to an existing buffalograss reference transcriptome. De novo assembly of unmapped reads was merged with the existing reference to produce a more complete transcriptome. There were 461 differentially expressed transcripts between the resistant and susceptible lines when challenged with the pathogen and 1552 in its absence. Previously characterized defense-related genes were identified among the differentially expressed transcripts. Twenty one resistant line transcripts were similar to genes regulating pattern triggered immunity and 20 transcripts were similar to genes regulating effector triggered immunity. There were also nine upregulated transcripts in resistance lines which showed potential to initiate systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and three transcripts encoding pathogenesis-related proteins which are downstream products of SAR. This is the first study characterizing changes in the buffalograss transcriptome when challenged with C. inaequalis

Vortex Phase Diagram of weakly pinned YBa2_2Cu3_3O7−δ_{7-\delta} for H ∥\parallel c

Vortex phase diagram in a weakly pinned crystal of YBCO for H $\parallel$ c is reviewed in the light of a recent elucidation of the process of `inverse melting' in a Bismuth cuprate system and the imaging of an interface between the ordered and the disordered regions across the peak effect in 2H-NbSe$_2$. In the given YBCO crystal, a clear distinction can be made between the second magnetization peak (SMP) and the peak effect (PE) between 65 K and 75 K. The field region between the peak fields of the SMP (H$^m_{smp}$) and the onset fields of the PE (H$^{on}_{pe}$)is not only continuously connected to the Bragg glass phase at lower fields but it is also sandwiched between the higher temperature vortex liquid phase and the lower temperature vortex glass phase. Thus, an ordered vortex state between H$^m_{smp}$ and H$^{on}_{pe}$ can get transformed to the (disordered) vortex liquid state on heating as well as to the (disordered) vortex glass state on cooling, a situation analogous to the thermal melting and the inverse melting phenomenon seen in a Bismuth cuprate.Comment: Presented in IWCC-200

FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL GELS FOR THE TREATMENT OF PARONYCHIA

Objective: The aim of the study was to design and develop a gel based drug delivery system containing combinational drugs (ketoconazole, neomycin sulphate and diclofenac) for the effective treatment of Paronychia.Methods: The drugs used are ketoconazole, neomycin sulphate and diclofenac. The first two drugs provide an antifungal and antibacterial action and the last drug with a pain relieving effect. Two formulations of gels F1 and F2 were prepared using polymers like carbopol 934 and xanthan gum respectively. The amounts of drugs and other ingredients were kept as constant in both formulations. The prepared formulations were then evaluated by visual examination, pH, drug content, spredability, extrudability, drug release study, in vitro antibacterial study, in vitro antifungal study, stability studies and in vivo antibacterial study.Results: The obtained results were analyzed and compared. All the test results were within the accepted limit. The physicochemical properties of the gels were assessed and it was found that the two formulations have enough gel consistency with good spreadability and extrudability. The drug content and drug release studies of the prepared gels were done and the results showed that the all the three drugs were properly loaded into the gel system, with good drug release profile. The antimicrobial activities of the formulated gels were proved by both in vitro antifungal and antibacterial studies. The in vivo antibacterial studies revealed a significant reduction in bacterial count in wistar rats treated with prepared gel when compared with standard drug solution. From among all the developed formulations, F1 formulation with carbopol 934 has got a slight superior property when compared with formulation F2 xanthan gum as gelling agent.Conclusion: On the basis of the evaluation studies it was concluded that the drugs (ketoconazole, neomycin sulphate and diclofenac) were successfully incorporated into the different topical gel preparations with good physicochemical properties and antimicrobial activity. Therefore, it was concluded that our formulae could be very promising topical alternative for the treatment of Paronychia

Human resource management and performance at the Indian railway

High-performance-work-practices (HPWP) have been well documented within private organisations in developed country economies. Such practices, however, remain under-investigated in the public sector and in emerging economies. This paper aims to work towards filling this void, by empirically evaluating HPWP within an Indian public-sector undertaking (PSU), also the world’s largest commercial public sector employer: The Indian Railways

VERSATILE CATALYTIC TRANSFER HYDROGENATIONS IN ORGANIC SYNTHESIS

Catalytic transfer hydrogenation reactions are extremely useful in organic synthesis. We have investigated numerous reactions with ammonium formate (and other hydrogen gas donor) and 10% Pd/C successfully without using hydrogen gas. The reactions are very fast and produced products with high yields. Reduction of unsaturated groups, hydrogenolysis, reductive bond cleavage, allylic deacetoxylation, and dehalogenation are conducted using this method. In some instances, useful selectivity of reactions is observed. Most of the reactions are investigated with β-lactams as the substrates

Evidence of Electromagnetic Absorption by Collective Modes in the Heavy Fermion Superconductor UBe13

We present results of a microwave surface impedance study of the heavy fermion superconductor UBe13. We clearly observe an absorption peak whose frequency- and temperature-dependence scales with the BCS gap function. Resonant absorption into a collective mode, with energy approximately proportional to the superconducting gap, is proposed as a possible explantation

Comparison of History Effects in Magnetization in Weakly pinned Crystals of high-TcT_c and low-Tc_c Superconductors

A comparison of the history effects in weakly pinned single crystals of a high $T_c$ YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7 - \delta}$ (for H $\parallel$ c) and a low $T_c$ Ca$_3$Rh$_4$Sn$_{13}$, which show anomalous variations in critical current density $J_c(H)$ are presented via tracings of the minor magnetization hysteresis loops using a vibrating sample magnetometer. The sample histories focussed are, (i) the field cooled (FC), (ii) the zero field cooled (ZFC) and (iii) an isothermal reversal of field from the normal state. An understanding of the results in terms of the modulation in the plastic deformation of the elastic vortex solid and supercooling across order-disorder transition is sought.Comment: Presented in IWCC-200