Salinity induced apoptosis in food spoilage yeast Zygosaccharomyces bisporus

Background: Food spoilage is one of the most serious challenges in agriculture, and food and beverage industry, which can lead to worldwide food economic loss. The crucial organoleptic species, Zygosaccharomyces bisporus, is a highly resistant yeast fungus that can escape industrial quality check. They survive high salt environments by undergoing immediate programmed cell death (PCD), which plays an important role in mediating adaptive responses to adverse environmental conditions. Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) prompted by salt stress is an early event in apoptosis, which in later stage is associated with prime genomic degradation.Methodology: In this study, the tolerance mechanism to salt of Z. bisporus MTCC 4801 cells was investigated by serial dilution of exponential growth phase of the cells in 1.0M sodium chloride (NaCl) as salt stressor, and spotting on Yeast Peptone Dextrose Agar (YPDA) plates with incubation at 28oC for growth assessment and colony count. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to demonstrate characteristic ultrastructural hallmark features of apoptosis on Z. bisporus cells exposed to 1.0M NaCl at three different stress interval periods; 60, 90, and 120 minutes. Results: Growth of Z. bisporus cells on the YPDA plates was observed after 16 hours incubation period. Comparing the growths, Z. bisporus tolerated salt concentration below 1.0M NaCl but no growth was observed at 1.0M NaCl concentration indicating 1.0M NaCl to be limiting concentration for Z. bisporus growth. TEM analyses showed that treatment of Z. bisporus with 1.0M NaCl resulted in nuclear and cytoplasmic condensation, membrane blabbing, cytoskeletal distortion, and formation of apoptotic bodies. However, on prolonged stress span (90 and 120 minutes), the fungal cells were able to osmoadapt and repaired the damaged cells, resulting in lowering of the apoptotic ratio. Conclusion: These qualitative analyses contribute more insights regarding stress adaptive mechanisms in moderately halotolerant food spoilage yeast.Key words: Apoptosis; salt stress; food spoilage yeast; TEM; cell surviva

Retention Behavior of Basic Amino acids on Various Adsorbents layers in DMSO-1MHCl Mobile Phase

The four basic amino acids were chromatographed on various adsorbents layer and also on admixture layers. It is found that in DMSO–1MHCl mobile phases, the adsorbent titanium (iv) tungstate and its admixture with silica gel-G were found more effective than other adsorbent. However, various basics amino acids are separated on these layers. Which have some real life importance

Productivity enhancement and popularization of improved production technologies in wheat through frontline demonstrations

Front line demonstrations (FLDs) on wheat were conducted on 150 farmers’ fields to demonstrate the impact of drought tolerant rainfed varieties (PBW 175 & PBW 644) and other improved practices techniques (supplemental irrigation and sowing with seed drill) on production and economic benefits in the kandi region of Punjab state during rabi seasons from 2011-12 to 2013-14 under rainfed situation. The improved production technologies recorded additional mean yield of 27.8 q/ha and 28.4 q/ha for rainfed varieties and other improved practices. The per cent average increase in yield of rainfed over local cultivars was 35.3, while 29.1 for other improved practices. The average extension gap, technology gap and technology index were 7.3 q/ha, 8.4 q/ha and 22.5 per cent, respectively in different varieties. FLDs recorded higher B:C ratio of 2.32 and 2.52 for rainfed varieties and other improved practices, respectively. The FLDs conducted on improved technologies during the present study resulted in enhancement of yield, net returns and also increased the knowledge of the farmers. Thus, productivity of wheat could be increased by adopting recommended improved management practices with a suitable high yielding variety under rainfed conditions. The present study resulted in convincing the farming community about potentialities of improved production management technologies of wheat in productivity enhancement and for further adoption by the farming community

Range Free Localization Techniques in Wireless Sensor Networks: A Review

AbstractRecent developments in micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) technology and wireless communication have propelled the growing applications of wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Wireless sensor network is comprised of large number of small and cheap devices known as sensors. One of the important functions of sensor network is collection and forwarding of data. In most of the applications, it is of much interest to find out the location of the data. This type of information can be obtained by use of localization techniques. So node localization is very crucial to find out the position of node with the help of localization algorithms. Hence, node localization becomes one of the fundamental challenges in WSNs. We make the rigorous reviews on different schemes of localization in sensor networks. On the basis of range measurements, the localization schemes can be broadly classified in two categories such as: range based and range free schemes. The cost and hardware limitation on sensing node preclude the use of range based localization schemes. In most of the sensor network application coarse accuracy is sufficient so range free localization schemes are considered as a substitute to range based schemes. In this paper, the detailed study has been carried out to understand and select the best range free localization algorithm for WSNs. At the end some issues are discussed for future research in the area of localization techniques for WSNs

Structural Dynamic Analysis of Freight Railway Wagon Using Finite Element Method

AbstractThis paper describes the development of a virtual freight wagon vehicle using virtual prototyping computer tools. The freight wagon considered as open type wagon “BOXN25” of the Indian Railways. The freight wagon vehicle comprises of car body structure and two bogies. Solidworks is used for modeling the freight wagon and the geometry is exported to finite element tool, ANSYS. A multi degree of freedom system has been reviewed and compared with system having infinite degree of freedom (continuous structure). The current problem falls in the category of large models (Block Lanczos Algorithm is used) and has high degrees of freedom (PCG Solver is used). The structural dynamic response for the virtual freight wagon is determined. It is seen that the car body deformation is influenced by its elastic underframe and sidewalls. The influence of vibration modes, which describe local deflection, on the comfort level and stability of laden goods is discussed. Mode shapes up to a frequency of 30Hz are considered

Four Decades of Dryland Agricultural Research in Kandi Area of Punjab

Not AvailableDuring seventies and eighties, dryland experiments were conducted on farmers’ fields in the villages of Nawangram, Kotmajra and Jhonewal located within a distance of 10-15 km from Garhshankar in Hoshiarpur district of Punjab. The village Nawangram represented gently sloping and undulating lands in Kandi area which lies at the foot of the lower Shiwaliks. The latter two villages represented relatively levelled lands in the Beet area where soils are heavy and water retentive. During late eighties, dryland experiments were also carried out at Balachaur on the farmers’ fields. In the year 1992, the dryland project was shifted at the Zonal Research Station for Kandi Area, Ballowal Saunkhri.Not Availabl

Climate Resilient Agriculture: Innovations and Experiences in Kandi Region of Punjab(NICRA 2011-16)

Not AvailableWeather plays animmense role in Indian agriculture. Timely onset and good distribution of rainfall are critical for achieving optimum crop yields by farmers, particularly during Kharif season along with other factors like inputs,labour and technology. The submontane North Eastern part of Punjab which falls under agro-climatic zone AESR 9.1 of India is known as Kandi Region. Out of the total rainfall in this region, 80 % of it is received during the monsoon season which determines the success of rainfed crops. Any deviation from normal monsoon pattern affects crop production. To develop mitigation strategies for changing climatic scenario the "National Innovation on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)project" was started at AICRPDA Centre-Ballowal Saunkhri with the financial assistance from CRIDA, Hyderabad during the year 2011-12. The project was started at AICRPDA centre (On-station) for development of technologies and Village Achalpur&Nainwan, Block Garhshankar, District Hoshiarpur for simultaneous testing and dissemination of the technologies developed at AICRPDA centre.During the last five years a number of technologies have been developed and successfully adopted by the farmers in the adopted villages. The overall impact of NICRA during the last five years has been documented in this report.Not Availabl

Midostaurin inhibits hormone-refractory prostate cancer PC-3 cells by modulating nPKCs and AP-1 transcription factors and their target genes involved in cell cycle

Background: The development of prostate cancer from a clinically localized, hormone-naive state to a hormonerefractory phenotype involves a complex interplay of protein kinase C (PKC) and activator protein-1 (AP-1). Therefore, the present study aimed to uncover the roles of PKC and AP-1 through midostaurin-mediated regulation�a multi-target protein kinase inhibitor. Methods: Androgen Receptor-negative, hormone-refractory prostate cancer cells (PC-3) were used as an in-vitro model system. The effect of midostaurin on cell viability was assessed by an MTT assay. Expression studies on PKC-α, PKC-d, different AP-1 transcription factors, and AP-1 regulating genes were analyzed by semiquantitative RT-PCR, and protein levels of Bcl-2 were evaluated by western blotting. Results: Midostaurin decreased the viability of hormone-refractory PC-3 cells. Furthermore, midostaurin significantly induced the transcripts of apoptotic-mediated PKC-d, tumor suppressor p53, cell cycle inhibitor p21cip1/waf1, death receptor TNF-α, pro-apoptotic Bax, and Caspase-8, and eventually inhibited the expression of pro-survival PKC-ε, pro-oncogene c-Jun, c-Fos, Fra-1, positive growth regulator cyclin D1, and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2. In addition, midostaurin also decreased the protein expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2. Conclusion: The present study provided evidence that midostaurin suppresses tumor growth and induces apoptosis in hormone-refractory PC-3 cells via modulation of PKC-d and PKC-ε expression, and regulation of PMA-altered c-Jun, c-Fos, and Fra-1 AP-1 transcription factors and their target genes involved in cell cycle regulation (cyclin D1, p53, p21, Bcl-2, and TNF-α). Thus, pharmacological targeting of PKC and AP-1 factors may have therapeutic potential against hormone-refractory prostate cancer. © 2017, Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature

Ashgourd Cultivation: a Success Story

Kandi area of Punjab constitutes the 10 per cent of the total state area. The area is characterized by the erratic distribution of rainfall, small and scattered land holdings and severe soil erosion on sloppy lands, poor soil fertility and low moisture retention capacity. Maize is the main kharif season crop in kandi area and covers about 70 per cent of the total cropped area. The yield potential of the maize crop is very low which might be due to uncertainly of rains and lack of resources (good quality seed, implements etc.). Nowadays, increase in wild and stray animals’ nuisance in the area has led to major setback for the cultivation of maize crop in the area. Crop failures have become a common problem in the area and famers start keeping some of their land barren.Not AvailableNot Availabl