Ploidy analysis among Citrus mutants using leaf meristematic tissue

A promising method for preparing metaphase spread for counting the number of chromosomes from the emerging shoot tissue is described in this report. In the present study, we adopted enzymatic digestion of shoot tips to analyse the chromosome number. The chromosomes in metaphase stage of cell division are highly condensed and easy to count in routine cytological technique. Even the morphological features like position of centromere can be seen in metaphase. In prophase it may not be clear as the chromosomes are getting ready for cell division. In enzymatic digestion even the prophase chromosomes are visible, which can be counted. Hence enzymatic digestion technique is more efficient in citrus as compared to acid digestion method as the citrus crop is a perennial crop with small-sized chromosomes. Furthermore, the sample collection in the field was easy and actively growing vegetative flush was available throughout the year. This technique was attempted in the tissue culture lab of ICAR- CCRI in various in vito and in vivo ploidy induction experiments in Citrus sinensis Osbeck (Sweet orange cv. mosambi), C. reticulata Blanco (Nagpur mandarin) and C. jambhiri Lush (Rough lemon), for confirmation of diploidy (2n=2x=18), triploidy (2n=3x=27), tetraploid (2n=4x=36), hexaploid (2n=6x=54)

Study on Physico- Chemical Parameters and Structural Characterization of Soils in Pudukkottai District of Tamilnadu, India

The soil is the most important constituent to fulfilment of all the basic needs of human beings and also is an important component of our farming. The study was conducted with the main objective to investigate the soil samples of Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu for its physico-chemical analysis and structural characterization. The collected soil samples were analyzed for its pH, EC, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc and Iron. Besides, the sample was characterized by FTIR studies for structural conformation. From the study the results revealed that the collected soil was red soil and its texture was sandy clay loam. The soil pH was 9.29 which was alkaline and the EC was 0.02 dSm-1. The available macro-nutrients as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for paddy field soil samples had 118, 11 and 160 kg/ha respectively. Micronutrients Nutrients also analyzed. FT-IR spectrum of soil was recorded spectrum of soil was shown the C-H deformation vibrations occur at 1402. The C=C Stretching vibrations occur at 1644 and the N-H Stretching vibrations occur at 2344. Management options to improve the soil fertility were discussed

Effect of supplementary sugar feeding on colony growth of Asiatic hive bee, Apis cerana indica F.

Honey bees also known as "Angels of Agriculture" are arguably the most vital insects on the planet. Bee nutrition is an important aspect of colony management. Supplementary feeding is essential for maintaining the strength and health of honey bee colonies, especially during dearth periods. Experiments were conducted to evaluate a suitable, cheaper carbohydrate supplement and its effect on the colony growth of the Asiatic hive bee Apis cerana indica. Four different sugar syrup components, viz., sugar, water, milk and glucose, were combined to form  seven treatments : T1-Sugar: water (1:1), T2-Sugar: water (1:1) + Glucose (2%),T3- Sugar: water (1:1) + Desi cow’s milk (2%),T4- Sugar + water (2:1), T5- Sugar + water (2:1) + Glucose (2%) ,T6- Sugar + water (2:1) + Desi cow’s milk (2%) and T7-Control and evaluated to select honey bee colonies . Among the different sugar syrup feeding treatments, the colonies fed with T2 - Sugar: water (1:1) + Glucose (2%) had a profound effect within a month and the colonies recorded an increase in sealed brood area from 175.66 cm2 to 425.00 cm2, honey store area from 49.00 cm2 to 130.33 cm2, pollen store area from 47. 33 cm2 to 125.33 cm2, adult bee population from 4318.66 bees/colony to 4933.33 bees/colony. The work is new to A. cerana indica. Many of their bee colonies suffer from poor nutrition and absconding during the dearth period. The present study will help the beekeeping farmers maintain these Asiatic honey bee colonies during the starved period and will be useful in income generation.          

Influence of Fresh, Composted and Vermicomposted Parthenium hysterphorus and Poultry Droppings on Quality Parametres of Radish

A pot culture experiment was carried out to assess the influence of fresh, composted and vermicomposted Parthenium and poultry droppings on the quality parameters of radish like protein, carbohydrates, phenolics, reducing sugar, total soluble sugars and chlorophylls on 45 and 60 DAS (Days After Sowing). The maximum protein content of radish was in T6 on 45 DAS. T2 and T7 had highest carbohydrates content on 45 and 60 DAS respectively. The reducing sugar was more in T11. Increased phenol content was found in T14 on 45 DAS and T7 on 60 DAS .Total soluble sugar was more in T13 on 45 DAS and T4 on 60 DAS .The Total chlorophylls was increased in T1 on 45 and T13 on 60 DAS.Chlorophyll "b" was more in T13 on 60 DAS. @ JASE

Tractography dissection variability: What happens when 42 groups dissect 14 white matter bundles on the same dataset?

White matter bundle segmentation using diffusion MRI fiber tractography has become the method of choice to identify white matter fiber pathways in vivo in human brains. However, like other analyses of complex data, there is considerable variability in segmentation protocols and techniques. This can result in different reconstructions of the same intended white matter pathways, which directly affects tractography results, quantification, and interpretation. In this study, we aim to evaluate and quantify the variability that arises from different protocols for bundle segmentation. Through an open call to users of fiber tractography, including anatomists, clinicians, and algorithm developers, 42 independent teams were given processed sets of human whole-brain streamlines and asked to segment 14 white matter fascicles on six subjects. In total, we received 57 different bundle segmentation protocols, which enabled detailed volume-based and streamline-based analyses of agreement and disagreement among protocols for each fiber pathway. Results show that even when given the exact same sets of underlying streamlines, the variability across protocols for bundle segmentation is greater than all other sources of variability in the virtual dissection process, including variability within protocols and variability across subjects. In order to foster the use of tractography bundle dissection in routine clinical settings, and as a fundamental analytical tool, future endeavors must aim to resolve and reduce this heterogeneity. Although external validation is needed to verify the anatomical accuracy of bundle dissections, reducing heterogeneity is a step towards reproducible research and may be achieved through the use of standard nomenclature and definitions of white matter bundles and well-chosen constraints and decisions in the dissection process

Diverse definitions of the early course of schizophrenia - a targeted literature review

Schizophrenia is a debilitating psychiatric disorder and patients experience significant comorbidity, especially cognitive and psychosocial deficits, already at the onset of disease. Previous research suggests that treatment during the earlier stages of disease reduces disease burden, and that a longer time of untreated psychosis has a negative impact on treatment outcomes. A targeted literature review was conducted to gain insight into the definitions currently used to describe patients with a recent diagnosis of schizophrenia in the early course of disease ('early' schizophrenia). A total of 483 relevant English-language publications of clinical guidelines and studies were identified for inclusion after searches of MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, relevant clinical trial databases and Google for records published between January 2005 and October 2015. The extracted data revealed a wide variety of terminology and definitions used to describe patients with 'early' or 'recent-onset' schizophrenia, with no apparent consensus. The most commonly used criteria to define patients with early schizophrenia included experience of their first episode of schizophrenia or disease duration of less than 1, 2 or 5 years. These varied definitions likely result in substantial disparities of patient populations between studies and variable population heterogeneity. Better agreement on the definition of early schizophrenia could aid interpretation and comparison of studies in this patient population and consensus on definitions should allow for better identification and management of schizophrenia patients in the early course of their disease

Influence of Fresh, Composted and Vermicomposted Parthenium hysterphorus and Poultry Droppings on Quality Parametres of Radish

A pot culture experiment was carried out to assess the influence of fresh, composted and vermicomposted Parthenium and poultry droppings on the quality parameters of radish like protein, carbohydrates, phenolics, reducing sugar, total soluble sugars and chlorophylls on 45 and 60 DAS (Days After Sowing). The maximum protein content of radish was in T6 on 45 DAS. T2 and T7 had highest carbohydrates content on 45 and 60 DAS respectively. The reducing sugar was more in T11. Increased phenol content was found in T14 on 45 DAS and T7 on 60 DAS .Total soluble sugar was more in T13 on 45 DAS and T4 on 60 DAS .The Total chlorophylls was increased in T1 on 45 and T13 on 60 DAS.Chlorophyll "b" was more in T13 on 60 DAS. @ JASE

MRI-based multivariate gray matter volumetric distance for predicting motor symptom progression in Parkinson's disease

Abstract While Parkinson's disease (PD)-related neurodegeneration is associated with structural changes in the brain, conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has proven less effective for clinical diagnosis due to its inability to reliably identify subtle changes early in the disease course. In this study, we aimed to develop a structural MRI-based biomarker to predict the rate of progression of motor symptoms in the early stages of PD. The study included 88 patients with PD and 120 healthy controls from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative database; MRI at baseline and motor symptom scores assessed using the MDS-UPDRS-III at two time points (baseline and 48 months) were selected. Group-level volumetric analyses at baseline were not associated with the decline in motor functioning. Then, we developed a patient-specific multivariate gray matter volumetric distance and demonstrated that it could significantly predict changes in motor symptom scores (P < 0.05). Further, we classified patients as relatively slower and faster progressors with 89% accuracy using a support vector machine classifier. Thus, we identified a promising structural MRI-based biomarker for predicting the rate of progression of motor symptoms and classifying patients based on motor symptom severity