Cosmic-Ray Composition analysis at IceCube using Graph Neural Networks

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a multi-component detector embedded deep within the South-Pole Ice. This proceeding will discuss an analysis from an integrated operation of IceCube and its surface array, IceTop, to estimate cosmic-ray composition. The work will describe a novel graph neural network based approach for estimating the mass of primary cosmic rays, that takes advantage of signal-footprint information and reconstructed cosmic-ray air shower parameters. In addition, the work will also introduce new composition-sensitive parameters for improving the estimation of cosmic-ray composition, with the potential of improving our understanding of the high-energy muon content in cosmic-ray air showers

Cosmic-Ray Composition analysis at IceCube using Graph Neural Networks

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory is a multi-component detector embedded deep within the South-Pole Ice. This proceeding will discuss an analysis from an integrated operation of IceCube and its surface array, IceTop, to estimate cosmic-ray composition. The work will describe a novel graph neural network based approach for estimating the mass of primary cosmic rays, that takes advantage of signal-footprint information and reconstructed cosmic-ray air shower parameters. In addition, the work will also introduce new composition-sensitive parameters for improving the estimation of cosmic-ray composition, with the potential of improving our understanding of the high-energy muon content in cosmic-ray air showers

Constitutive expression of protease inhibitor gene isolated from black gram (Vigna mungo L.) confers resistance to Spodoptera litura in transgenic tobacco plants

94-101Plant insecticidal proteins like protease inhibitors have been reported to confer insect resistance in transgenic plants. We have cloned a protease inhibitor gene of black gram (Vigna mungo L.) and developed transgenic tobacco plants expressing the protease inhibitor constitutively under the 35S promoter by Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated genetic transformation. A full-length open reading frame (ORF) of 545 nucleotides codes for a serine protease inhibitor protein with a deduced sequence of 180 amino acids contributing to a predicted molecular mass of 20.2 kDa. The Vigna mungo protease inhibitor (VmPI) is basically a Bowman-Birk type proteinase inhibitor (BBI) of double headed type; family of plant serine protease inhibitors that block trypsin or chymotrypsin. Comparison for conserved domain in the protein by National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) conserved domain (CD) search showed that the regions from 113-168 amino acid residues have the conserved domain of which 9 residues compose reactive loops on the conserved domain of BBI. The transgenic tobacco plants developed were confirmed by Southern, northern hybridization, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-RCR) analysis. When transgenic T1 tobacco plants were analyzed for insecticidal bioassays, the larval growth of Spodoptera litura, the tobacco cutworm was found severely retarded as compared to their growth on control plants. Therefore, black gram protease inhibitor could be used as an alternative individually or in combination with other insecticidal genes for the development of insect-resistant transgenic crop plants

A comparison of physiological and yield characters in old and new wheat varieties

The Indian subcontinent has witnessed a spectacular improvement in yield of wheat during the past decade (Rao, 1978). This is reflected in the improvement of the average national yields as well as of those regions where wheat is grown as an irrigated crop (Sinha & Aggarwal, 1981). However, after the release of the double dwarf variety Kalyansona, only marginal improvement in yield has occurred in recent years. Despite this, the semi-dwarf character continues to be considered a major factor for improvement of wheat. Asana & Chattopadhyay (1970), Konar & Asana (1975), and Wattal & Asana (1976) observed no significant difference in yield between tall and semi-dwarf (medium tall) varieties in pot culture experiments where lodging was prevented and competition was partly reduced. They ascribed prevention from lodging and improvement in the ratio of grain to total above-ground dry matter as major advantages in the modern varieties. Somewhat similar conclusions have recently been drawn by Austin et al. (1980). However, a detailed comparison of various physiological and biochemical characters lias not been made to determine whether any advance has occurred in basic processes such as photosynthesis and nitrogen assimilation. The present study was an effort in this direction

Plant protease inhibitors in control of phytophagous insects

Plant proteinase inhibitors (PIs) have been well established to play a potent defensive role against predators and pathogens. Although diverse endogenous functions for these proteins has been proposed, ranging from regulators of endogenous proteinases to act as storage proteins, evidence for many of these roles is partial, or confined to isolated examples. On the other hand, many PIs have been shown to act as defensive compounds against pests by direct assay or by expression in transgenic crop plants, and a body of evidence for their role in plant defense has been accumulated consistently. The role and mechanism of action for most of these inhibitors are being studied in detail and their respective genes isolated. These genes have been used for the construction of transgenic crop plants to be incorporated in integrated pest management programmes. This article describes the classes of protease inhibitors, their regulation and genes used to construct transgenic plants against phytophagous insects