Distinct Early Molecular Responses to Mutations Causing vLINCL and JNCL Presage ATP Synthase Subunit C Accumulation in Cerebellar Cells

Variant late-infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (vLINCL), caused by CLN6 mutation, and juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL), caused by CLN3 mutation, share clinical and pathological features, including lysosomal accumulation of mitochondrial ATP synthase subunit c, but the unrelated CLN6 and CLN3 genes may initiate disease via similar or distinct cellular processes. To gain insight into the NCL pathways, we established murine wild-type and CbCln6nclf/nclf cerebellar cells and compared them to wild-type and CbCln3Δex7/8/Δex7/8 cerebellar cells. CbCln6nclf/nclf cells and CbCln3Δex7/8/Δex7/8 cells both displayed abnormally elongated mitochondria and reduced cellular ATP levels and, as cells aged to confluence, exhibited accumulation of subunit c protein in Lamp 1-positive organelles. However, at sub-confluence, endoplasmic reticulum PDI immunostain was decreased only in CbCln6nclf/nclf cells, while fluid-phase endocytosis and LysoTracker® labeled vesicles were decreased in both CbCln6nclf/nclf and CbCln3Δex7/8/Δex7/8 cells, though only the latter cells exhibited abnormal vesicle subcellular distribution. Furthermore, unbiased gene expression analyses revealed only partial overlap in the cerebellar cell genes and pathways that were altered by the Cln3Δex7/8 and Cln6nclf mutations. Thus, these data support the hypothesis that CLN6 and CLN3 mutations trigger distinct processes that converge on a shared pathway, which is responsible for proper subunit c protein turnover and neuronal cell survival

Do Frogs Get Their Kicks on Route 66? Continental U.S. Transect Reveals Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Infection

The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been devastating amphibians globally. Two general scenarios have been proposed for the nature and spread of this pathogen: Bd is an epidemic, spreading as a wave and wiping out individuals, populations, and species in its path; and Bd is endemic, widespread throughout many geographic regions on every continent except Antarctica. To explore these hypotheses, we conducted a transcontinental transect of United States Department of Defense (DoD) installations along U.S. Highway 66 from California to central Illinois, and continuing eastward to the Atlantic Seaboard along U.S. Interstate 64 (in sum from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California to Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia). We addressed the following questions: 1) Does Bd occur in amphibian populations on protected DoD environments? 2) Is there a temporal pattern to the presence of Bd? 3) Is there a spatial pattern to the presence of Bd? and 4) In these limited human-traffic areas, is Bd acting as an epidemic (i.e., with evidence of recent introduction and/or die-offs due to chytridiomycosis), or as an endemic (present without clinical signs of disease)? Bd was detected on 13 of the 15 bases sampled. Samples from 30 amphibian species were collected (10% of known United States' species); half (15) tested Bd positive. There was a strong temporal (seasonal) component; in total, 78.5% of all positive samples came in the first (spring/early-summer) sampling period. There was also a strong spatial component—the eleven temperate DoD installations had higher prevalences of Bd infection (20.8%) than the four arid (<60 mm annual precipitation) bases (8.5%). These data support the conclusion that Bd is now widespread, and promote the idea that Bd can today be considered endemic across much of North America, extending from coast-to-coast, with the exception of remote pockets of naïve populations

Seasonal Pattern of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Infection and Mortality in Lithobates areolatus: Affirmation of Vredenburg's “10,000 Zoospore Rule”

To fully comprehend chytridiomycosis, the amphibian disease caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), it is essential to understand how Bd affects amphibians throughout their remarkable range of life histories. Crawfish Frogs (Lithobates areolatus) are a typical North American pond-breeding species that forms explosive spring breeding aggregations in seasonal and semipermanent wetlands. But unlike most species, when not breeding Crawfish Frogs usually live singly—in nearly total isolation from conspecifics—and obligately in burrows dug by crayfish. Crayfish burrows penetrate the water table, and therefore offer Crawfish Frogs a second, permanent aquatic habitat when not breeding. Over the course of two years we sampled for the presence of Bd in Crawfish Frog adults. Sampling was conducted seasonally, as animals moved from post-winter emergence through breeding migrations, then back into upland burrow habitats. During our study, 53% of Crawfish Frog breeding adults tested positive for Bd in at least one sample; 27% entered breeding wetlands Bd positive; 46% exited wetlands Bd positive. Five emigrating Crawfish Frogs (12%) developed chytridiomycosis and died. In contrast, all 25 adult frogs sampled while occupying upland crayfish burrows during the summer tested Bd negative. One percent of postmetamorphic juveniles sampled were Bd positive. Zoospore equivalents/swab ranged from 0.8 to 24,436; five out of eight frogs with zoospore equivalents near or >10,000 are known to have died. In summary, Bd infection rates in Crawfish Frog populations ratchet up from near zero during the summer to over 25% following overwintering; rates then nearly double again during and just after breeding—when mortality occurs—before the infection wanes during the summer. Bd-negative postmetamorphic juveniles may not be exposed again to this pathogen until they take up residence in crayfish burrows, or until their first breeding, some years later

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Carbon sustainability and productivity of maize based cropping system under conservation agriculture practices in Indo-Gangetic plains

Tillage practices contribute greatly to the labour cost in modern intensive agriculture in any crop production system resulting in lower economic returns, especially in developing countries where there is most concern for sustainable production without degradation of the natural resource base (Jat et al., 2008). The traditional practice of growing these crops has limitations such as inconvenient input management when sown by broadcasting: improper plant geometry; uneven plant population resulting in inefficient utilization of space; and plant competition leading to low productivity and input efficiency. Shortage of water, labour and energy resources, together with inappropriate crop management practices and the adverse effects of conventional tillage on the carbon based sustainability index, as well as declining profit margins, are forcing farmers of Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) to switch over to conservation agriculture practices. Conservation agriculture with diversified maize-based cropping systems by inclusion of legume crops in sequence helps to overcome the major challenges viz. declining factor productivity and deterioration of the resource base, and also plays a vital role in sustainable agricultural production. Adoption of no-till practice helps in timely seeding of either of the crops, and hence leads to increase in productivity of different maize-based cropping systems. In the present study four cropping system were evaluated under three different tillage and crop establishment practices to assess the system productivity, carbon inputs and outputs and carbon based sustainability index. The study aims to develop conservation agriculture practices to increase the sustainability of the maize-based cropping systems in the IGP

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Not AvailableThe population explosion post 1970s was primarily driven by the agriculture development coupled with good health care facilities. The health care facilities reduced the mortality rate while increased population was well fed to remain alive and contributed towards societal development. The food grain production in the country increased continuously due to introduction of high yielding varieties, plant protection chemicals, fertilizer and expansion of irrigation facilities. This made our farmers prosperous and food security of poor people ensured at affordable prices. At the same time, this have created a great pressure on the natural resources as the many of faulty agricultural practise and deployment of the crops in non-traditional areas with our proper planning raised serious environmental concerns. However the glory of the past is likely to be unstable in the scenario of declining water table in some of the high productive areas of western Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) and peninsular India is alarming and lead to creation of dark zones. This has become matter of concern for the present rice-wheat in IGP and rice-rice in peninsular India. The soil sickness, fading organic carbon, multiple nutrient deficiency, build up of insect-pest and disease which lead to decrease in input use efficiency and are the major challenges for the sustainability of modern agriculture. It is further aggravated by the fast-changing climatic conditions having aberrant weather conditions, which pose a serious threat to the sustainability farming in the world and India in particular. The excessive tillage operation enhances the production cost and carbon oxidation and thus causes economic and soil health losses. The increased area and production may have a threat to nutrient mining due to high nutrient removal with biomass and thus may make the future maize farming under threat. The reduction of the diesel consumption in agriculture and enhancement of soil carbon in soil could arrest the escalating burden of the environmental footprints and sustainability.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableMaize is the third most important cereal crop after wheat and rice in India. Besides as food crop, it is consumed more as feed, fodder and large scale importance as an industrial crop. Worldwide maize is cultivated on over 185 million hectares in 170 countries with a productivity of 5.62 t/ha. USA and China contribute around 35 and 21 per cent of total global production, respectively. India ranks fourth in area and sixth in the production. The productivity of maize in India (3.1 t/ha) is much lower than the world average. However, per day productivity of maize in India is comparable to many temperate countries. In India the maize production has recorded phenomenal growth which was happened both due to area expansion and adoption of improved production technologies like inroads of hybrids and better crop management practices. Currently India produces over 28 million MT of maize, of which roughly 60% is used as feed (poultry and animal feed), 14% for industrial purposes, around 13% for food, 7% as processed food and 6% for other purposes including seed. Increasing demand for maize particularly in feed industry has contributed towards increased production. By 2025 India is projected to require about 32 million MT of maize solely in feed industry. Further, the starch industry will require additional 15 million MT by 2025 from the present level of 4.25 million MT. By 2025 the overall demand for maize is projected to be 50 million MT, which is a big feat to be achieved.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableIn the past, blanket region-based fertilizer recommendations prescribed to farmer’s that did not take into account the variations in the indigenous nutrient supply from the specific fields have led to higher production costs, diminishing yield and factor productivity, and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, precision fertilizer recommendations that address the need-based crop requirements have been urgently needed. Site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) along with modern agronomic management practices may increase yields and nutrient use efficiency by optimizing the balance between nutrient supply and demand. In recent studies across large numbers of locations in rice/wheat-based systems in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) of India, SSNM has led to 8-12% increases in grain yields compared to farmers’ fertilizer practices/state recommended doses of fertilizers (RDF). The adoption of SSNM significantly increased the net returns by Rs. 2,500-3,200 ha-1 over farmers’ fertilizer practice by saving money on costly fertilizer inputs. Optical sensor (GreenSeeker)-based SSNM saved 20-30 kg N ha-1 without affecting grain yield under conservation agriculture (CA)-based cereal systems compared to recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF). Efficient management of N-fertilizers reduced N2O emissions by avoiding N losses via volatilization, leaching and denitrification. Site-specific nutrient management provides opportunities for enhancing crop productivity, profitability and nutrient use efficiencies (NUE) across the different ecologies. Drip irrigation system (sub-surface drip irrigation) improved the N-use efficiency by 20% over flood irrigation system in rice/maize-based systems that helped in increasing the farm profitability by saving on N-fertilizer use and water in rice-wheat/ maize-wheat systems.Not Availabl