Indian Agriculture: Before and After Economic Reforms

Agriculture once known as the backbone of Indian Economy is at present at its worst, thanks to the anti farmer, pro-Industry policy of the various Indian Governments since 1991. India is once considered as the “Ann Data†of the entire world is struggling even to manage the own demand-supply problem of various agricultural commodities. The farmers are committing suicides, are celebrating “Crop Holidays†and are fighting with Govt. for illegal acquisition of land for developing Real estate or other commercially viable projects at the cost of Agriculture. The aim of this paper is to bring out the present scenario in the field of agriculture that leads to the minimum contribution of Agriculture in the Indian GDP, once the main contributor. This paper will discuss the various issues like less technical support to farmers, poor quality seeds, inappropriate storage, Minimum Support Price, irrigation, the problem of credit availability and above all the impact of Liberalization, Globalization and Privatization on the Indian Agriculture Sector. The issues related to the WTO and their impact on Indian Agriculture and the consequences of various treaties of WTO on Indian Agriculture sector will be discussed

A Study to Analyze Relationship between Psychological Behavioral Factors on WhatsApp Addiction among Youth in Jalandhar District in Punjab

Technology is not a new concept. Humans have been innovating ways to make life easier from the beginning. Recently, these changes have been coming faster and faster. The effects of these new inventions cannot be measured or seen before a newer technology is born. For the sake of this paper the relationship between behavioral factors on the use of “WhatsApp” (a Smartphone technology) on the youth is considered. Technology itself is not a bad thing; actually, it has helped better millions of lives by education, job performance, and entertainment. However, it is becoming more of an impact and prevalent in the lives of its users. This leads to higher rates of technology addiction and can lead to numerous social, physical, and psychological problems. In this paper a descriptive research is conducted to analyze the behavioral consequences of the use of WhatsApp among youth (18-35 age group) in Jalandhar. A sample of 150 respondents (75 male and 75 female) was considered for collecting the data with the help of a structured questionnaire

Do Bulls and Bears Understand Exchange Rate Dynamics? Evidence from Global Scenario

The motivation of the present study to investigate and understand the correlation of adjusted closing prices of forex and index (EUR/INR, GDP/INR, Nifty50, CNXIT) which is traded at National Stock Exchange, India. The empirical analysis of three years of data with the help of E-views software. After investigation, it can conclude there is a steady correlation ship among the group. CNXIT having a more robust relationship with Forex as compare to Nifty50. It shows a short-run equilibrium relationship variable but, long-run equilibrium among variables, but shows a very strong co-relation among all the research variable (EUR/INR, GDP/INR, Nifty50, CNXIT. Due to above support it determine the unidirectional price detection dynamics. The co-integration test allows high degree of relationships among variables

Deep phenotyping of PROM1-associated retinal degeneration

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate retinal structure in detail of subjects with autosomal-dominant (AD) and autosomal-recessive (AR) PROM1-associated retinal degeneration (PROM1-RD), study design: institutional, cross-sectional study. METHODS: Four eyes from four subjects (three with AD and one with AR) PROM1-RD were investigated by ophthalmic examination including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and multimodal retinal imaging: fundus autofluorescence (FAF), spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy. Quantitative assessment of atrophic lesions determined by FAF, thickness of individual retinal layers and cone photoreceptor quantification was performed. RESULTS: BCVA ranged from 20/16 to 20/200. Initial pathological changes included the presence of hyperautofluorescent spots on FAF imaging, while later stages demonstrated discrete areas of atrophy. In all patients, thinning of the outer retinal layers on SD-OCT with varying degrees of atrophy could be detected depending on disease-causing variants and age. Cone density was quantified both in central and/or at different eccentricities from the fovea. Longitudinal assessments were possible in two patients. CONCLUSIONS: PROM1-RD comprises a wide range of clinical phenotypes. Depending on the stage of disease, the cone mosaic in PROM1-RD is relatively preserved and can potentially be targeted by cone-directed interventions

Foveal Cone Structure in Patients With Blue Cone Monochromacy

Purpose: Blue cone monochromacy (BCM) is a rare inherited cone disorder in which both long- (L-) and middle- (M-) wavelength sensitive cone classes are either impaired or nonfunctional. Assessing genotype-phenotype relationships in BCM can improve our understanding of retinal development in the absence of functional L- and M-cones. Here we examined foveal cone structure in patients with genetically-confirmed BCM, using adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO). / Methods: Twenty-three male patients (aged 6-75 years) with genetically-confirmed BCM were recruited for high-resolution imaging. Eight patients had a deletion of the locus control region (LCR), and 15 had a missense mutation-Cys203Arg-affecting the first two genes in the opsin gene array. Foveal cone structure was assessed using confocal and non-confocal split-detection AOSLO across a 300 × 300 µm area, centered on the location of peak cell density. / Results: Only one of eight patients with LCR deletions and 10 of 15 patients with Cys203Arg mutations had analyzable images. Mean total cone density for Cys203Arg patients was 16,664 ± 11,513 cones/mm2 (n = 10), which is, on average, around 40% of normal. Waveguiding cone density was 2073 ± 963 cones/mm2 (n = 9), which was consistent with published histological estimates of S-cone density in the normal eye. The one patient with an LCR deletion had a total cone density of 10,246 cones/mm2 and waveguiding density of 1535 cones/mm2. / Conclusions: Our results show that BCM patients with LCR deletions and Cys203Arg mutations have a population of non-waveguiding photoreceptors, although the spectral identity and level of function remain unknown

Characterization of Retinal Structure in ATF6-Associated Achromatopsia.

PurposeMutations in six genes have been associated with achromatopsia (ACHM): CNGA3, CNGB3, PDE6H, PDE6C, GNAT2, and ATF6. ATF6 is the most recent gene to be identified, though thorough phenotyping of this genetic subtype is lacking. Here, we sought to test the hypothesis that ATF6-associated ACHM is a structurally distinct form of congenital ACHM.MethodsSeven genetically confirmed subjects from five nonconsanguineous families were recruited. Foveal hypoplasia and the integrity of the ellipsoid zone (EZ) band (a.k.a., IS/OS) were graded from optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. Images of the photoreceptor mosaic were acquired using confocal and nonconfocal split-detection adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO). Parafoveal cone and rod density values were calculated and compared to published normative data as well as data from two subjects harboring CNGA3 or CNGB3 mutations who were recruited for comparative purposes. Additionally, nonconfocal dark-field AOSLO images of the retinal pigment epithelium were obtained, with quantitative analysis performed in one subject with ATF6-ACHM.ResultsFoveal hypoplasia was observed in all subjects with ATF6 mutations. Absence of the EZ band within the foveal region (grade 3) or appearance of a hyporeflective zone (grade 4) was seen in all subjects with ATF6 using OCT. There was no evidence of remnant foveal cone structure using confocal AOSLO, although sporadic cone-like structures were seen in nonconfocal split-detection AOSLO. There was a lack of cone structure in the parafovea, in direct contrast to previous reports.ConclusionsOur data demonstrate a near absence of cone structure in subjects harboring ATF6 mutations. This implicates ATF6 as having a major role in cone development and suggests that at least a subset of subjects with ATF6-ACHM have markedly fewer cellular targets for cone-directed gene therapies than do subjects with CNGA3- or CNGB3-ACHM

Regulation of Autophagy via Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism in Cancer

Metabolic changes are an important component of tumor cell progression. Tumor cells adapt to environmental stresses via changes to carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Autophagy, a physiological process in mammalian cells that digests damaged organelles and misfolded proteins via lysosomal degradation, is closely associated with metabolism in mammalian cells, acting as a meter of cellular ATP levels. In this review, we discuss the changes in glycolytic and lipid biosynthetic pathways in mammalian cells and their impact on carcinogenesis via the autophagy pathway. In addition, we discuss the impact of these metabolic pathways on autophagy in lung cancer.This work was supported by the CancerCare Manitoba Operating grant (763117252) funded by CancerCare Manitoba Foundation, a Vanier CIHR Ph.D. studentship, and the Max Rady College of Medicine’s BSc (Med) program

Effect of excitotoxic striatal lesions on the discharge pattern in globus pallidus and entopeduncular nucleus of the cat.

An objective of these experiments was to characterize the discharge pattern of neurons in the globus pallidus and entopeduncular nucleus of the awake, unanesthetized and quietly sitting cat. A further objective of this work was to examine the effects of excitotoxic striatal lesions on the neuronal discharge in these nuclei. Three patterns of discharge have been described in the primate pallidum: (1) a high frequency discharge; (2) a high frequency discharge interrupted by long periods of silence; and (3) a discharge in bursts. The first pattern of discharge is evident in the internal pallidal segment only, whereas the latter two patterns are observed in the external segment exclusively. The major physiologic function of striatal discharge appears to be inhibition of neurons in the globus pallidus and entopeduncular nucleus. Thus, it was hypothesized that excitotoxic lesions of the striatum would result in: (1) increased discharge rate; (2) increased bursting; (3) increased variability of discharge; and (4) decreased proportion of units showing cross-correlations indicative of simultaneous inhibition--in both the globus pallidus and entopeduncular nucleus. In the present study, all patterns of discharge observed in the primate pallidum were evident in the cat pallidum, however, none of these patterns was exclusive to a particular segment of the pallidum. Units that discharged in bursts and units that contained long periods of silence were evident in both segments. After striatal lesions, the discharge rate in globus pallidus increased significantly whereas the discharge rate in the entopeduncular nucleus was unaffected by the lesion. Contrary to prediction, variability of discharge, amount of bursting, and the proportion of units containing long intervals all decreased significantly in both globus pallidus and entopeduncular nucleus. The striatal lesion had no effect on the cross-correlation histograms observed in the globus pallidus and entopeduncular nucleus.Ph.D.NeurosciencesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/104127/1/9034503.pdfDescription of 9034503.pdf : Restricted to UM users only

CT perfusion for Assessment of poor Neurological outcome in Comatose Cardiac Arrest Patients (CANCCAP): protocol for a prospective study

Introduction Cardiac arrest remains one of the most common causes of death with the majority occurring outside of hospitals (out of hospital cardiac arrest). Despite advancements in resuscitation management, approximately 50% of comatose cardiac arrest patients (CCAP) will suffer a severe unsurvivable brain injury. To assess brain injury, a neurological examination is conducted, however, its reliability in predicting outcomes in the first days following cardiac arrest is limited. Non-contrast CT is the most employed scan to assess hypoxic changes, even though it is not sensitive to early hypoxic-ischaemic changes in the brain. CT perfusion (CTP) has shown high sensitivity and specificity in brain death patients, although its use in predicting poor neurological outcome in CCAP has not yet been explored. The purpose of this study is to validate CTP for predicting poor neurological outcome (modified Rankin scale, mRS≥4) at hospital discharge in CCAP.Methods and analysis The CT Perfusion for Assessment of poor Neurological outcome in Comatose Cardiac Arrest Patients study is a prospective cohort study funded by the Manitoba Medical Research Foundation. Newly admitted CCAP receiving standard Targeted Temperature Management are eligible. Patients undergo a CTP at the same time as the admission standard of care head CT. Admission CTP findings will be compared with the reference standard of an accepted bedside clinical assessment at the time of admission. Deferred consent will be used. The primary outcome is a binary outcome of good neurological status, defined as mRs<4 or poor neurological status (mRs≥4) at hospital discharge. A total of 90 patients will be enrolled.Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the University of Manitoba Health Research Ethics Board. The findings from our study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and presentations at local rounds, national and international conferences. The public will be informed at the end of the study.Trial registration number NCT04323020

Regulation of Autophagy via Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism in Cancer

Metabolic changes are an important component of tumor cell progression. Tumor cells adapt to environmental stresses via changes to carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Autophagy, a physiological process in mammalian cells that digests damaged organelles and misfolded proteins via lysosomal degradation, is closely associated with metabolism in mammalian cells, acting as a meter of cellular ATP levels. In this review, we discuss the changes in glycolytic and lipid biosynthetic pathways in mammalian cells and their impact on carcinogenesis via the autophagy pathway. In addition, we discuss the impact of these metabolic pathways on autophagy in lung cancer