Combining ability analysis in linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) for improvement of seed yield and its component traits

Twenty eight hybrids developed from eight genotypes of linseed through diallel mating design (excluding reciprocal) along with one checks viz., Shekhar were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications for eleven distinct morphological traits during rabi season of 2012-13, to estimate the general combining ability (GCA) of the parents and specific combining ability (SCA) of hybrids considered for the development of high yielding varieties. The analysis of variance for combining ability revealed significant mean sum of squares due to GCA and SCA for all the traits under study. Genotype EC-1392 (0.50) and TL-11 (0.45) has been found good general combiner with highest magnitude of GCA effects for seed yield per plant. In addition to above, EC-1392 and TL-11 also showed good GCA effects for plant height, secondary branches per plant, capsules per plant and biological yield per plant. Hybrids A.95.B x Shekhar (2.43), TL-11 x EC-1392 (1.71) and NDL-2004-05 x GS-234 (1.53) showed higher positive significant SCA effects for seed yield per plant. These hybrids also exhibited positive significant SCA effects for plant height, secondary brances per plant, capsules per plant, indicating potential for exploiting hybrid vigour in breeding programme

Sticky Brownian rounding and its applications to constraint satisfaction problems

Semidefinite programming is a powerful tool in the design and analysis of approximation algorithms for combinatorial optimization problems. In particular, the random hyperplane rounding method of Goemans and Williamson [23] has been extensively studied for more than two decades, resulting in various extensions to the original technique and beautiful algorithms for a wide range of applications. Despite the fact that this approach yields tight approximation guarantees for some problems, e.g., Max-Cut, for many others, e.g., Max-SAT and Max-DiCut, the tight approximation ratio is still unknown. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that very few techniques for rounding semidefinite relaxations are known. In this work, we present a new general and simple method for rounding semi-definite programs, based on Brownian motion. Our approach is inspired by recent results in algorithmic discrepancy theory. We develop and present tools for analyzing our new rounding algorithms, utilizing mathematical machinery from the theory of Brownian motion, complex analysis, and partial differential equations. Focusing on constraint satisfaction problems, we apply our method to several classical problems, including Max-Cut, Max-2SAT, and Max-DiCut, and derive new algorithms that are competitive with the best known results. To illustrate the versatility and general applicability of our approach, we give new approximation algorithms for the Max-Cut problem with side constraints that crucially utilizes measure concentration results for the Sticky Brownian Motion, a feature missing from hyperplane rounding and its generalizations

Yoga Intervention as a Potential Countermeasure for Polar T3 Syndrome

Polar T3 syndrome is a common ailment for polar sojourners. It is characterised by abnormal fluctuations of thyroid hormones during extended polar winter. A randomised controlled study was conducted on 14 winter expedition members of Indian Scientific Expedition (2016) to Antarctica by introducing customised yoga module. Blood samples were collected during January to October, 2016 at different intervals for the estimation of total thyroxine (TT4), total triiodothyronine (TT3), thyroid stimulating hormone and noradrenaline (NA) by ELISA. In October yoga group showed significant (p = 0.04) higher TT3 values (2.1 ng/ml ± 0.9; mean ± SD) as compared to the control (0.7 ng/ml ± 0.6). In October a significant difference (p=0.0085) was observed between yoga and control group for NA values (47.0 pg/ml ± 22.0 and 107 pg/ml ± 46.0). Thyroid response of control group at the end of the study revealed presence of polar T3 syndrome in control group. Results indicate that regular yoga practice helped mitigating polar T3 syndrom

Effect of discrete breathers on macroscopic properties of the Fermi-Pasta-Ulam chain

The effect of discrete breathers (DBs) on macroscopic properties of the Fermi-Pasta-Ulam chain with symmetric and asymmetric potentials is investigated. The total to kinetic energy ratio (related to specific heat), stress (related to thermal expansion), and Young's modulus are monitored during the development of modulational instability of the zone boundary mode. The instability results in the formation of chaotic DBs followed by the transition to thermal equilibrium when DBs disappear due to energy radiation in the form of small-amplitude phonons. It is found that DBs reduce the specific heat for all the considered chain parameters. They increase the thermal expansion when the potential is asymmetric and, as expected, thermal expansion is not observed in the case of symmetric potential. The Young's modulus in the presence of DBs is smaller than in thermal equilibrium for the symmetric potential and for the potential with a small asymmetry, but it is larger than in thermal equilibrium for the potential with greater asymmetry. Our results can be useful for setting experiments on the identification of DBs in crystals by measuring their macroscopic properties.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures; v3: some changes in the text, references added; matches the published versio

Experimental evidences of quantum confined 2D indirect excitons in single barrier GaAs/AlAs/GaAs heterostructure using photocapacitance at room temperature

We investigated excitonic absorptions in a GaAs/AlAs/GaAs single barrier heterostructure using both photocapacitance and photocurrent spectroscopies at room temperature. Photocapacitance spectra show well defined resonance peaks of indirect excitons formed around the C-AlAs barrier. Unlike DC-photocurrent spectra, frequency dependent photocapacitance spectra interestingly red shift, sharpen up, and then decrease with increasing tunneling at higher biases. Such dissimilarities clearly point out that different exciton dynamics govern these two spectral measurements. We also argue why such quantum confined dipoles of indirect excitons can have thermodynamically finite probabilities to survive even at room temperature. Finally, our observations demonstrate that the photocapacitance technique, which was seldom used to detect excitons in the past, is useful for selective detection and experimental tuning of relatively small numbers ( 1011/cm2) of photo-generated indirect excitons having large effective dipole moments in this type of quasi-two dimensional heterostructures

Experimental evidences of quantum confined 2D indirect excitons in single barrier GaAs/AlAs/GaAs heterostructure using photocapacitance at room temperature

We investigated excitonic absorptions in a GaAs/AlAs/GaAs single barrier heterostructure using both photocapacitance and photocurrent spectroscopies at room temperature. Photocapacitance spectra show well defined resonance peaks of indirect excitons formed around the C-AlAs barrier. Unlike DC-photocurrent spectra, frequency dependent photocapacitance spectra interestingly red shift, sharpen up, and then decrease with increasing tunneling at higher biases. Such dissimilarities clearly point out that different exciton dynamics govern these two spectral measurements. We also argue why such quantum confined dipoles of indirect excitons can have thermodynamically finite probabilities to survive even at room temperature. Finally, our observations demonstrate that the photocapacitance technique, which was seldom used to detect excitons in the past, is useful for selective detection and experimental tuning of relatively small numbers ( 1011/cm2) of photo-generated indirect excitons having large effective dipole moments in this type of quasi-two dimensional heterostructures

Avian Primordial Germ Cells Contribute to and Interact With the Extracellular Matrix During Early Migration

During early avian development, primordial germ cells (PGC) are highly migratory, moving from the central area pellucida of the blastoderm to the anterior extra-embryonic germinal crescent. The PGCs soon move into the forming blood vessels by intravasation and travel in the circulatory system to the genital ridges where they participate in the organogenesis of the gonads. This complex cellular migration takes place in close association with a nascent extracellular matrix that matures in a precise spatio-temporal pattern. We first compiled a list of quail matrisome genes by bioinformatic screening of human matrisome orthologs. Next, we used single cell RNA-seq analysis (scRNAseq) to determine that PGCs express numerous ECM and ECM-associated genes in early embryos. The expression of select ECM transcripts and proteins in PGCs were verified by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunofluorescence (IF). Live imaging of transgenic quail embryos injected with fluorescent antibodies against fibronectin and laminin, showed that germinal crescent PGCs display rapid shape changes and morphological properties such as blebbing and filopodia while surrounded by, or in close contact with, an ECM fibril meshwork that is itself in constant motion. Injection of anti-β1 integrin CSAT antibodies resulted in a reduction of mature fibronectin and laminin fibril meshwork in the germinal crescent at HH4-5 but did not alter the active motility of the PGCs or their ability to populate the germinal crescent. These results suggest that integrin β1 receptors are important, but not required, for PGCs to successfully migrate during embryonic development, but instead play a vital role in ECM fibrillogenesis and assembly

Systematic literature review on user logging in virtual reality

In this systematic literature review, we study the role of user logging in virtual reality research. By categorizing literature according to data collection methods and identifying reasons for data collection, we aim to find out how popular user logging is in virtual reality research. In addition, we identify publications with detailed descriptions about logging solutions. Our results suggest that virtual reality logging solutions are relatively seldom described in detail despite that many studies gather data by body tracking. Most of the papers gather data to witness something about a novel functionality or to compare different technologies without discussing logging details. The results can be used for scoping future virtual reality research.acceptedVersionPeer reviewe