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Brown rust (caused by Puccinia melanocephala H. & P. Sydow) is one of the most devastating diseases in commercial sugarcane production. It could reduce sugarcane yield by up to 50% depending on the susceptibility levels of cultivars. Breeding disease‐resistant cultivars is the most effective, economical, and environmentally friendly option to control brown rust. A genome‐wide association study was conducted on a field trial using 432 sugarcane clones following an augmented design with two replications. Brown rust was screened using the whorl inoculation method over two crop cycles. The genotype data were obtained through target enrichment sequencing technologies. The gene actions considering six different models and marker dosage effects were included during the marker‐trait analysis. A total of seven, nine, and seven nonredundant marker‐trait associations were identified for plant cane, first ratoon, and across two crop cycles, respectively. The most significant (p‐value 6.17E−20) marker (chr01p59833543) has the additive effect of −0.63 for the diplo‐additive model and reduced disease severity the most (41.35%) due to heterozygote (AG) over homozygote allele (AA) combination in the tested clones. Gene annotation of the monoploid sugarcane genome R570 suggested that six putative candidate genes were co‐located with significant markers associated with brown rust resistance in sugarcane. The putative candidate genes regulated the formation of a cell wall barrier that plays a crucial role in controlling brown rust pathogen infection. The results of this study will open the path to exploiting new resistance sources for brown rust resistance in commercial sugarcane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measurements of lifetimes and electromagnetic moments of the isomeric states in some of the nuclei around A ≈ 135 carried out at BARC-TIFR Pelletron Linac Facility at TIFR, Mumbai, are highlighted. The results from these measurements, along with similar studies reported in the literature, provide a wealth of nuclear structure information in Ba, La, and Ce isotopes in the A ≈ 135 region. Comparison of the measured moments with the calculations gives a unique testing ground for the predictive power of the nuclear models. Plans for similar studies in other mass regions are also described at the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional healers have used the shrub Calotropis procera (CP) for many years for various therapies. The present study investigated the bioactive constituents of ethanolic extract of CP leaf and dried latex using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy. The identification and characterization of the compounds were confirmed by examining the constituents' mass spectrum fragmentations and FT-IR spectra and comparing the results with those in the literature. The tail-flick method was used to investigate the analgesic properties of the extract and its anti-inflammatory activities using a rat model of formalin-induced oedema. Acute oral toxicity in rats was studied per OECD recommendations. Twenty male rats were divided into four groups and received an ethanolic extract of the leaves and dried milky sap of CP (200 mg/Kg) in groups 1, 2, and 3. Group 4 rats were administered aspirin 50 mg/kg as a positive control. The CP dried latex extract has the highest content of lupeol and its acetate derivative compared to its leaf extract. The CP dried latex extract inhibited inflammation more significantly than the ethanolic leaf extract and the drug indomethacin at a higher dosage (200 mg/kg). The ethanolic extracts showed analgesia comparable to aspirin. It suggests that fatty acids and their esters, particularly ethyl linoleate (8.96%), ethyl palmitate (7.99%), ethyl linoleate (6.98%), and palmitic acid (5.18%), may be valuable biomarkers for characterizing leaf and latex samples and describing the medicinal potential of CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group (pooled) testing has long been used for the monitoring and detection of infectious diseases. In group testing, pools comprised of individual biospecimens are amalgamated and tested initially, and then the individuals belonging to positive pools are retested to complete case identification. This procedure and its variants can offer substantial savings with regard to time and testing cost. Unfortunately, these savings come at the expense of a complex data structure; e.g., ambiguities due to imperfect testing and complex dependence caused by individuals potentially being tested in multiple pools. To account for these complex features, several advanced statistical methods have been proposed. Regretfully, these methods are non-trivial to implement, especially for non-statistician. Recognizing this as an important issue in surveillance programs, we have developed a userfriendly R package called groupTesting that can be used to analyze group testing data. In particular, our package consists of R functions which possess a great deal of versatility and generality, and can be used in estimating both proportions and binary regression functions. The computing efficiency of our package is greatly enhanced through the strategic implementation of compiled Fortran subroutines. The primary features of the R package are illustrated using HIV and chlamydia data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pooled testing can enhance the efficiency of diagnosing individuals with diseases of low prevalence. Often, pooling is implemented using standard groupings (2, 5, 10, etc.). On the other hand, optimization theory can provide specific guidelines in finding the ideal pool size and pooling strategy. This article focuses on optimizing the precision of disease prevalence estimators calculated from multiplex pooled testing data. In the context of a surveillance application of animal diseases, we study the estimation efficiency (i.e., precision) and cost efficiency of the estimators with adjustments for the number of expended tests. This enables us to determine the pooling strategies that offer the highest benefits when jointly estimating the prevalence of multiple diseases, such as theileriosis and anaplasmosis. The outcomes of our work can be used in designing pooled testing protocols, not only in simple pooling scenarios but also in more complex scenarios where individual retesting is performed in order to identify positive cases. A software application using the shiny package in R is provided with this article to facilitate implementation of our methods. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) adherence and identify factors associated with nonadherence in pediatric asthma patients. Methods: A total of 134 patients aged 8–18 years old were included. At the first visit, patient adherence, asthma knowledge, and outcome expectation data were collected and recorded. Depression, anxiety, and self-esteem were assessed using psychiatric questionnaires. After providing asthma education, reevaluation of adherence and asthma control was performed at one 3- to 6-month follow-up visit. Results: The mean ICS adherence was 75.9 ± 27.5%. Fifty-seven patients (42.5%) were defined as having poor adherence (<75%). "Intentional" and "hectic lifestyle and forgetfulness" were the main reasons for missing ICS doses in mid-late adolescents and children, respectively. Asthma knowledge generally improved with age. Overall, 89% and 67.7% of patients could define symptoms and triggers of asthma, respectively; however, less than 25% understood how asthma affected their body and the chronic nature of asthma. Patients with ICS adherence <75% had unfavorable expectations from asthma treatment (odds ratio [OR]: 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–1.10), and a higher proportion of inhaled short-acting beta-agonist use before exercise (OR: 4.12, 95% CI: 1.27–13.36). Depression and anxiety were frequently found (27.5%) and 23.3%, respectively; p > 0.05). Significant improvement in ICS adherence (p = 0.02) and Asthma Control Test scores (p = 0.02) were observed at the follow-up visit. Conclusions: Patient outcome expectations could be predictors of ICS adherence. Patient education regarding the mechanism and nature of asthma should be considered as an intervention for improving pediatric patient adherence. Psychological evaluation is warranted in pediatric patients with asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a straightforward method by which a commonly available reference sample such as water can be used to calibrate an attenuated total internal reflection infrared absorbance measurement in order to account for the polarization of the beam incident on the internal reflecting element, and the spread of angles about the nominal angle of incidence. This enables quantitative comparison of attenuated total reflection-derived absorbance data with spectra calculated from optical constants. We then apply this calibration to the measurement of temperature-dependent absorption spectra of a polydimethylsiloxane sample. We illustrate that the extracted optical constants scale with the temperature-dependent changes in the polymer density better than the raw absorbance values on vibrational resonance. Graphical Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript focuses on devising a Tellurite-filled circular-timbered PCF that shows considerably highly birefringent and nonlinear characteristics. The impacts of numerous design parameters, such as birefringence (Br), nonlinear coefficients (NLC), confinement loss (CL), effective mode area (EMA), dispersion, numerical aperture (NA), etc. of the fiber are extensively inspected employing the commercially accessible and simulationfriendly COMSOL Software. Besides, the pertinent modal properties of the modeled fiber are rigorously characterized by operating the full-vector finite element method (FEM) with a perfectly matched layer (PML) boundary condition. The simulated findings affirm that the developed fiber exemplifies an ultra-high Br and NLC of 0.0924 and 18900 W-1Km-1 consecutively, at the operational wavelength of 1.55µm. Notably, the offered PCF also reveals a relatively lower CL, a negative-sloping dispersion and a higher EMA at the same wavelength. The pragmatic execution of the modeled fiber is expected to be doable applying the existing fabrication approaches and it can be applied in miscellaneous identical optical domains, namely polarization retention in long-distance communications, optical switching, sensor and laser layout, supercontinuum generation for frequency metrology and so forth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• ' Mesua ferrea Linn (MFL)' vegetable oil extracted from locally available feedstock can supplement diesel fuel. • Al 2 O 3 doped MFL vegetable oil blend shows improvement in both BTE and BSFC over the MFL vegetable oil blend. • CO, CO 2 and NOx emissions are reduced significantly for Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles doped MFL vegetable oil blend. The present investigation attempts to elucidate the impact of Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles additive to ' Mesua ferrea Linn' vegetable oil (MFL)-diesel blends on the emission characteristics, performance and combustion of diesel engines operating at constant speed. Two test fuels namely MFL20D80 (20% MFL+80% standard diesel) and MFL20D80A50 (20% MFL+80% standard diesel +50 ppm Al 2 O 3 nanoparticle) have been considered for investigation in a diesel engine (single-cylinder, four-stroke, direct-injection, water-cooled, naturally aspirated, variable compression ratio). The experimental investigation reveals that MFL20D80A50 blend exhibits improved brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) as compared to MFL20D80 blend. The emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) (−12.1% and −19.2%), carbon dioxide (CO 2) (−4.63% and −23.2%) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) (−7.34% and −42.3%) for MFL20D80 and MFL20D80A50 blend are lower than standard diesel at peak load while unburnt hydrocarbon (HC) emissions are more for MFL blends. At peak load, the drop in BTE for MFL20D80 and MFL20D80A50 blends are 2.53% and 1.79% respectively from standard diesel. The BSFC for MFL20D80 and MFL20D80A50 blends registered higher by 4.5% and 5.59% from standard diesel at peak load. This study reveals comparable performance for MFL20D80A50 to standard diesel with significant reductions in exhaust emissions of CO, CO 2 and NOx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pooled (or group) testing has been widely used for the surveillance of infectious diseases of low prevalence. The potential benefits of pooled testing include savings in testing time and costs, reducing false positive tests, and estimating models or making predictions from limited observed data information (e.g., only initial pooled responses). However, realizing these benefits often critically depends on the pool size used. Statistical methods introduced in the literature for optimal pool size determination have been developed mainly to accommodate simpler pooling protocols or perfect diagnostic assays. In this article, we study these issues with the goal of presenting a general optimization technique. We evaluate the efficiency of the estimators of disease prevalence (i.e., the proportion of diseased individuals in a population) while accounting for testing costs. Then, we determine the optimal pool size by minimizing the measures of optimality, such as screening efficiency and estimation efficiency. Our findings are illustrated using data from an ongoing screening application at the Louisiana Department of Health. We show that when a pooling application is properly designed, substantial advantages can be realized. We provide an R package and a software application to facilitate the implementation of our optimization techniques. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stable room temperature operation of field-effect transistor (FET) based on two-dimensional silicon (silicene) has recently been reported. Like graphene, silicene is a Dirac cone material. Silicene-based devices provide high off-state leakage current due to lack of a significant bandgap. However, quantum confined silicene nanoribbon (SiNR) shows observable bandgap which can be used for making switching transistors for digital integrated circuit design. Contrary to metal oxide semiconductor FET (MOSFET), tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) overcomes the physical limit of scaling of supply voltage. In this work, we present structure and characteristics of SiNR TFET using atomistic simulation based on self-consistent solution of 3D Poisson and Schrödinger equations within the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism. Performances are also compared with the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors projected high performance requirements of 2026 nMOSFETs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multi-biometric verification system lowers the verification errors by fusing information from multiple biometric sources. Information can be fused in parallel or serial modes. While parallel fusion gives a higher accuracy, it may suffer from a serious problem of taking a longer verification time. Serial fusion can alleviate this problem by allowing the users to submit a subset of the available biometric characteristics. Unfortunately, several studies show that serial fusion may not reach the level of accuracy of parallel fusion. In this paper, we propose a fusion framework which combines the advantages of both parallel and serial fusion. The core of the framework is a new concept of "confident reject region" which incurs nearly zero verification error. We evaluate our framework by performing experiments on two multi-biometric verification systems built with NIST biometric scores set release 1. The experimental results show that our framework achieves a lower equal error rate and takes a shorter verification time than standard parallel fusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AstroSat is India's first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 28 September 2015. After launch, the AstroSat Science Support Cell (ASSC) was set up as a joint venture of ISRO and the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) with the primary purpose of facilitating the use of AstroSat, both for making observing proposals and for utilising archival data. The ASSC organises meetings, workshops and webinars to train users in these activities, runs a help desk to address user queries, provides utility tools and disseminates analysis software through a consolidated web portal. It also maintains the AstroSat Proposal Processing System (APPS) which is deployed at ISSDC, a software platform central to the workflow management of AstroSat operations. This paper illustrates the various aspects of ASSC functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fibre content (FC) of sugarcane millable stalks is important for both sugar and bioenergy production. Higher FC favours the energy producer while lower FC facilitates the efficient sugar extraction. A molecular marker for FC helps select improved sugarcane cultivars with favourable partitioning of FC for both sugar and energy production industries. A quantitative trait loci (QTL) study was conducted using an enriched linkage map of LCP 85‐384 and FC data from two crop cycles (plant cane and first ratoon) of its self‐progeny population. A total of five unique QTL were identified across both crop cycles and combined, of which three QTL (qFC020, qFC044 and qFC053) were common explained a total of 22.46%, 23.93% and 25.14% of the phenotypic variances for plant cane, first ratoon and combined data, respectively. As FC values increased gradually, the QTL allele combination effect also increased. Using markers linked to these putative common QTL alleles would benefit the breeders to select sugarcane lines for sugar and bioenergy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was aimed to evaluate the anti-ferlility activity of Caesalpinia pulcherrima Linn in rats. The plant Caesalpinia pulcherrima is a shrub or small tree. The plant is normally considered to be an ornamental shrub which is planted in gardens and parks for its beautiful red or yellow flowers. The phytochemical screening of the plant has shown the presence of various chemical constituents like alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids and triterpenes. The bark extracts of Caesalpinia pulcherrima have exhibited significant estrogenic activity. Both the aqueous and alcoholic extracts have produced reduction in ovarian and increase in uterine weight in a dose dependent manner. Also there is a significant increase in antiimplantation and resorption in a dose dependent manner. The activity shown can be attributed to the presence of phytochemical constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multistage biometric verification system uses multiple biometrics and/or multiple biometric verifiers to generate a verification decision. The core of a multistage biometric verification system is reject option which allows a stage not to give a genuine/impostor decision when it is not confident enough. This paper studies the effectiveness of symmetric rejection for multistage biometric verification systems. The symmetric rejection method determines the reject region by symmetrically rejecting equal proportion of genuine and impostor scores. The applicability of a multistage biometric verification system depends on how secure and user convenient it is, which is measured by the performance–cost trade-off. This paper analyzes the performance–cost trade-off of symmetric rejection method by conducting extensive experiments. Experiments are performed on two biometric databases: (1) publicly available NIST database and (2) a keystroke database. In addition, the symmetric rejection method is empirically compared with two existing rejection methods: (1) sequential probability ratio test-based method, which uses score-fusion and (2) Marcialis et al.'s method, which does not use score fusion. Results demonstrate strong effect of symmetric rejection method on creating a secure and user convenient multistage biometric verification system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to numerically investigate the orbital dynamics of the planar circular‐restricted three‐body problem, where the two primary bodies have equal masses and an oblate spheroid shape. By numerically integrating several large sets of initial conditions of both retrograde and prograde orbits, we classify them into three main categories: (a) bounded (regular or chaotic), (b) escaping, and (c) collision orbits. We reveal the motion of the test particle by presenting color‐coded diagrams, where the initial conditions are mapped to the orbit type and studied as a function of the total orbital energy (or equivalently of the Jacobi constant) as well as of the oblateness coefficient. Our numerical results are compared with related previous ones, corresponding to the classical version of the planar‐restricted three‐body problem. The presented outcomes have practical physical applications as they can be used for modeling the motion of a massless test particle in the gravitational field of a binary system of two oblate exoplanets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consensus is a significant part that supports the identification of unknown information about animals, plants and insects around the globe. It represents a small part of Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) known as the DNA segment that carries all the information for investigation and verification. However, excessive datasets are the major challenges to mine the accurate meaning of the experiments. The datasets are increasing exponentially in ever seconds. In the present article, a memory saving consensus finding approach is organized. The principal component analysis (PCA) and independent component (ICA) are used to pre-process the training datasets. A comparison is carried out between these approaches with the Apriori algorithm. Furthermore, the push down automat (PDA) is applied for superior memory utilization. It iteratively frees the memory for storing targeted consensus by removing all the datasets that are not matched with the consensus. Afterward, the Apriori algorithm selects the desired consensus from limited values that are stored by the PDA. Finally, the Gauss-Seidel method is used to verify the consensus mathematically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nexus between science and human rights are intertwined in many ways. Though the acknowledgment in international law have been available for decades, the right to savor the fruits of scientific advancement and its applicability has gained just small recognition of the human rights from the international community. A human rightsbased approach to science, technology, and development endeavors a concern for human rights at the heart of the international community facing with critical global challenges. Thus, the paper initially discusses the relevant international human rights instruments including laws, regulations, declarations, conventions and provides a thorough analysis. The doctrinal and qualitative study of the paper presents human rights approaches in order to show insight on the ethical implications of new technologies and investigate how policy can compete with briskly advancing science. The paper also recommends the international community to promote regulatory processes that can help in blocking the disputes by securing an equilibrium between human rights and science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovary dysfunction causes an aberrant endocrine surge at various reproductive cycle stages, negatively impacting fertility and economic profit. Optimizing dairy cow performance requires determining ovarian status and detecting early pregnancy. Still, little to no information is available about the diagnosis of the ovarian condition using urine chemical analysis at the field level in Bangladesh. This study aimed to develop a simple, inexpensive and portable on-farm technique for pregnancy diagnosis and ovary status determination in cows via chemical urine analysis. Fifty reproductively healthy cows were recruited from different donor farms. Prior to artificial insemination (AI), all selected cows were placed in a single ovsynch program. TAI (timed artificial insemination) was carried out. Urine was routinely collected from Day 0–55 days at estrus cycle stages for routine chemical analysis using barium chloride (BaCl 2), followed by commercially available protein strip tests. The developed techniques for pregnancy and ovary status diagnosis in cows were validated with rectal palpation (RP). Barium chloride (BaCl 2) analysis of urine revealed white precipitation corresponding to a mature follicle in the ovary during estrus and colorless precipitation corresponding to the corpus luteum during the diestrus period. Positive pregnancy was indicated by the presence of a colorless precipitate in the BaCl 2 test, and a protein value of less than 100 mg/dl was found in the protein strip test. The maximum accuracy (42/50, 84%) was observed between 25 and 35 days, as confirmed by RP. Perplexing results were seen 45–55 days after AI, between pregnancies and luteal cystic disease. In both cases, we discovered that the BaCl 2 precipitation was colorless. However, the protein value in the context of luteal cystic disease was found to be higher than 100 mg/dl. The barium chloride test, followed by protein strip tests, is a simple and portable way to diagnose pregnancy and determine ovarian status in cows at the field level. [Display omitted] • Urine analysis by Barium Chloride detects the ovary status during the estrus cycle period. • Protein quantification followed by a Barium Chloride test in urine detects early pregnancy (25-30 Days) in cattle. • Protein quantification in urine can differentiate pregnant CL from cystic CL. • Urine analysis revealed a short, inexpensive, portable on-farm test for early pregnancy diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group testing, where specimens are tested initially in pools, is widely used to screen individuals for sexually transmitted diseases. However, a common problem encountered in practice is that group testing can increase the number of false negative test results. This occurs primarily when positive individual specimens within a pool are diluted by negative ones, resulting in positive pools testing negatively. If the goal is to estimate a population-level regression model relating individual disease status to observed covariates, severe bias can result if an adjustment for dilution is not made. Recognizing this as a critical issue, recent binary regression approaches in group testing have utilized continuous biomarker information to acknowledge the effect of dilution. In this paper, we have the same overall goal but take a different approach. We augment existing group testing regression models (that assume no dilution) with a parametric dilution submodel for pool-level sensitivity and estimate all parameters using maximum likelihood. An advantage of our approach is that it does not rely on external biomarker test data, which may not be available in surveillance studies. Furthermore, unlike previous approaches, our framework allows one to formally test whether dilution is present based on the observed group testing data. We use simulation to illustrate the performance of our estimation and inference methods, and we apply these methods to 2 infectious disease data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gate induced interlayer tunneling field effect transistor (iTFET) is studied analytically considering vertical heterostructure of boron nitride (BN) layer sandwiched between two monolayers of molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ). The device structure in comparison to recently reported work shows subthreshold slope close to 60 mV/decade and operation at upper GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Testing protocols in large-scale sexually transmitted disease screening applications often involve pooling biospecimens (e.g., blood, urine, and swabs) to lower costs and to increase the number of individuals who can be tested. With the recent development of assays that detect multiple diseases, it is now common to test biospecimen pools for multiple infections simultaneously. Recent work has developed an expectation-maximization algorithm to estimate the prevalence of two infections using a two-stage, Dorfman-type testing algorithm motivated by current screening practices for chlamydia and gonorrhea in the USA. In this article, we have the same goal but instead take a more flexible Bayesian approach. Doing so allows us to incorporate information about assay uncertainty during the testing process, which involves testing both pools and individuals, and also to update information as individuals are tested. Overall, our approach provides reliable inference for disease probabilities and accurately estimates assay sensitivity and specificity even when little or no information is provided in the prior distributions. We illustrate the performance of our estimation methods using simulation and by applying them to chlamydia and gonorrhea data collected in Nebraska. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Individual fiber strength is an important quality attribute that greatly influences the strength of the yarn spun from cotton fibers. Fiber strength is usually measured from bundles of fibers due to the difficulty of reliably measuring strength from individual cotton fibers. However, bundle fiber strength (BFS) is not always correlated with yarn strength since it is affected by multiple fiber properties involved in fiber-to-fiber interactions within a bundle in addition to the individual fiber strength. Molecular mechanisms responsible for regulating individual fiber strength remain unknown. Gossypium hirsutum near isogenic lines (NILs), MD52ne and MD90ne showing variations in BFS provide an opportunity for dissecting the regulatory mechanisms involved in individual fiber strength. Results: Comprehensive fiber property analyses of the NILs revealed that the superior bundle strength of MD52ne fibers resulted from high individual fiber strength with minor contributions from greater fiber length. Comparative transcriptome analyses of the NILs showed that the superior bundle strength of MD52ne fibers was potentially related to two signaling pathways: one is ethylene and the interconnected phytohormonal pathways that are involved in cotton fiber elongation, and the other is receptor-like kinases (RLKs) signaling pathways that are involved in maintaining cell wall integrity. Multiple RLKs were differentially expressed in MD52ne fibers and localized in genomic regions encompassing the strength quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Several candidate genes involved in crystalline cellulose assembly were also up-regulated in MD52ne fibers while the secondary cell wall was produced. Conclusion: Comparative phenotypic and transcriptomic analyses revealed differential expressions of the genes involved in crystalline cellulose assembly, ethylene and RLK signaling pathways between the MD52ne and MD90ne developing fibers. Ethylene and its phytohormonal network might promote the elongation of MD52ne fibers and indirectly contribute to the bundle strength by potentially improving fiber-to-fiber interactions. RLKs that were suggested to mediate a coordination of cell elongation and SCW biosynthesis in other plants might be candidate genes for regulating cotton fiber cell wall assembly and strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian Mycoplasmosis is a chronic respiratory disease which causes very low mortality but it decreases egg production and causes carcass condemnation. A cross sectional study was conducted from September 2010 to October 2012 to identify the potential risk factors for Mycoplasma gallisepticum (Mg) seroprevalence in commercial chicken production in Chittagong area, Bangladesh. A total of 5589 serum samples were collected from one hundred chicken flocks of different production systems (commercial layer, broiler and layer breeder). Antibody against Mycoplasma gallisepticum was determined by commercial indirect Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit. A multivariable logistic regression model was designed to evaluate the risk factors for Mg seroprevalence. The ELISA test results demonstrated that 32% of the birds were seropositive to Mg antibodies in the study area. A multivariable logistic regression model identified a strong effect of 'age' on the Mg antibody level where birds of more than 53 weeks of age showed the greatest risk of being positive for Mg (OR 419.27, 95% CI 294.67-596.54, P<0.0001) compared to birds less than 16 weeks of age. Moreover, monsoon season (OR 2.962, 95% CI 2.24-3.92, P<0.0001), male birds (OR 1.192, 95% CI 1.03-1.38, P=0.0196) and Commercial layer type of production system (OR 2.641, 95% CI 2.17-3.22, P<0.0001) were factors found to be associated the risk of attracting Mg in chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining two kinds of fibers is a potential way to improve the essential properties of natural fiber-reinforced hybrid polymer composites. Biocomposites produced from natural resources are experiencing an increase in interest due to their high demand in the market for manufacturing, in addition to environmental and sustainability issues. In this study, natural fiber-reinforced hybrid polymer nanocomposites were prepared from coir fiber, wood fiber, polypropylene, and montmorillonite nanoclay using a hot press technique. The effects of fiber mixing and montmorillonite on their physico-mechanical and biodegradable properties were subsequently investigated. Before being used, both the wood and the coir fibers were alkali-treated to reduce their hydrophilicity. The mechanical properties of the fabricated composites were measured using a universal tensile testing machine and found to be enhanced after fiber mixing and nanoclay incorporation. Fourier transform infrared spectra indicated that the characteristic peaks of the composites shifted after fiber mixing. A new peak around 470 cm-1 was observed in the case of the nanocomposites, which confirmed the interaction between the fiber, polymer, and montmorillonite (MMT). Scanning electron microscopic analysis revealed that MMT strongly improved the adhesion and compatibility between the fiber and polymer matrix. The combining of fibers improved the biodegradability and water absorption properties, while MMT addition had the reverse effect on the same properties of the composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity is a major abiotic stress limiting rice production worldwide. Identification of genotypes with better salt tolerance can promise sustained crop yields in salt affected areas. In the present research, 24 rice varieties were evaluated by conducting field trials under natural saline condition (salinity block) and normal field condition in 2010 and 2011. Pokkali, Basmati 198 and Sathra 278 were categorized as salt tolerant varieties; whereas IR36, Shaheen Basmati, Basmati 2000, Basmati 370, Basmati 6129, IR-6, KSK-133, TN-1, IRP-2 were categorized as salt susceptible varieties based on grain yield data of 2010 and 2011 field trials. Significant positive correlations of morphological traits {number of total tillers/plant, number of effective tillers/plant, panicle length, panicle weight, number of spikelets/panicle, number of grains/panicle, panicle fertility (%)} with grain yield were found under saline conditions in both years field trials. It was observed in both year field trials, under normal field conditions, days to 50% flowering and days to maturity had highly significant negative correlation with grain yield/plant, whereas under saline conditions these traits had nonsignificant negative correlation. During stress conditions, rice cultivars with early flowering time under normal conditions had comparative advantage under saline conditions. These cultivars had better balance between vegetative and reproductive phase, resulting in better grain yield/plant under stress conditions. Thus days to 50% flowering is an important selection criterion for salt tolerance in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of metal complexes of Ni(II), Zn(II), Sb(III), and U(VI) were synthesized by reacting the corresponding metal salts with the Schiff base ligand, S-benzyl-3-(4-methoxybenzylidine)dithiocarbazate. These metal complexes were structurally characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR, and electronic absorption spectroscopy. The molecular structures of the synthesized complexes were also explored by quantum computational calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT). The outcome of the spectroscopic and theoretical data revealed that the ligand was linked with metals through N and S donor atoms of the Schiff base. Based on analytical data, metal-ligand stoichiometry in complex formation was found to be a 1 : 2 molecular ratio. Analytical data allied with spectroscopic studies spilled that the Ni(II) and Zn(II) complexes preferred square planar geometry and tetrahedral geometry, whereas Sb(III) and U(VI) complexes offered octahedral geometry, respectively. Both the Schiff base and its complexes were screened for antibacterial activity against some pathogenic bacterial species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

R3701 --> 870.2 --> Background: Among the various cancers, pancreatic cancer has the third highest mortality rate per 100,000 population each year. In 2021, an estimated 60,430 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the United States, with more than 48,220 deaths. Desmoplasia is a hallmark of pancreatic cancer. Cell surface receptor integrin promotes tumor progression by modulating the reciprocal signaling between the actin‐cytoskeleton and the desmoplastic tumor microenvironment. Integrin's are heterodimeric cell surface receptors consisting of non‐covalently associated α and β subunits. Integrin β1 forms heterodimers with 12 different α subunits, and its expression is upregulated in pancreatic cancer. Integrin α2 is one of the α subunits that shows both pro and anti‐tumorigenic properties in cancer and belongs to the I domain group of integrin where the I domain in α subunit mediates the binding to matrix proteins. This study tested the hypothesis that in pancreatic cancer, upregulation of integrin β1 differentially regulates integrin α2 mediated cell functions in a cell‐specific manner. Method: Two of the major pancreatic cancer types, Mia Paca‐2 and Panc‐1 cell lines were used in this study. The protein level of integrin β1 was downregulated using genetic approaches and confirmed by immunoblotting, immunocytochemistry, and qRT‐PCR. Cell spreading and adhesion assays were performed with WT cells and clones with lower integrin β1 expression. Cells were grown on the 3D matrix to see the ability of cells to proliferate in the presence of matrix proteins. Results: Downregulation of integrin β1 in both Mia Paca‐2 and Panc‐1 cells decreased tumor growth in the collagen‐Matrigel 3D matrix significantly (n=10, p<0.0001). With the reduction of expression of integrin β1, there is a significant decrease in the expression of integrin α5 in Mia paca‐2 and Panc‐1 cell, which resulted in a significant decrease in cell adhesion (n=3; P<0.05) and spreading (n=40; p<0.05) on fibronectin and vitronectin. However, there were contrasting results in the case of integrin α2 expression and functions with integrin β1 downregulation. An increase in integrin α2 expression was recorded in Miapaca‐2 cells (n=3, p<0.05) with increased cell adhesion (n=3; p<0.05) and cell spreading (n=3; p<0.05) on collagen‐1 by the deletion of integrin β1. In the case of Panc‐1, there is reduced expression of integrin α2 that resulted in decreased cell adhesion (n=3; p<0.05) and cellular spreading (n=30; p<0.05) on collagen 1 with the knock‐down of integrin β1. Conclusion: The results indicate that the tumor suppressor property of integrin α2 varies between different tumor types in pancreatic cancer. Further studies are required to understand the mechanism of the anti‐tumorigenic property of integrin α2 in pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistin, originally described as an adipocyte-specific hormone, has been suggested to be an important link between obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes. Although its expression was initially defined in adipocytes, significant levels of resistin expression in humans are mainly found in mononuclear leukocytes, macrophages, spleen and bone marrow cells. Increasing evidence indicates that resistin plays important regulatory roles apart from its role in insulin resistance and diabetes in a variety of biological processes: atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, autoimmune disease, malignancy, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease and chronic kidney disease. As CVD accounts for a significant amount of morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes and without diabetes, it is important to understand the role that adipokines such as resistin play in the cardiovascular system. Evidence suggests that resistin is involved in pathological processes leading to CVD including inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, thrombosis, angiogenesis and smooth muscle cell dysfunction. The modes of action and signalling pathways whereby resistin interacts with its target cells are beginning to be understood. In this review, the current knowledge about the functions and pathophysiological implications of resistin in CVD development is summarized; clinical translations, therapeutic considerations and future directions in the field of resistin research are discussed. LINKED ARTICLES This article is part of a themed section on Fat and Vascular Responsiveness. To view the other articles in this section visit [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple, sensitive and economical spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of zidovudine in commercial dosage forms. The method was based on the formation of chloroform extractable complex of zidovudine with wool fast blue. The absorbance of the extractable ion pair complex is measured at the wavelength of maximum absorbance 590 nm against the reagent blank treated similarly. Statistical analysis proves that the proposed methods are reproducible and selective for the estimation of zidovudine in bulk drug and in its tablet dosage form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influence of radiation on unsteady hydromagnetic natural convection transient flow near an impulsively moving vertical flat plate with ramped wall temperature in a porous medium is studied. Exact solution of momentum and energy equations, under Boussinesq approximation, is obtained in closed form by Laplace transform technique. The variations in fluid velocity and temperature are shown graphically whereas numerical values of skin friction and Nusselt number are presented in tabular form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The design of a 19m long MEBT line connecting the accelerator LINAC 2 with LINAC 3 of the VECC-RIB project is presented. The design goal is to achieve a robust solution for the transport of heavy ion beams, emerging from LINAC 2 with a fairly large momentum width and transverse emittance with the mean energy of 289keV/u and q/A≥1/14 so that the beam is well matched both in transverse and longitudinal directions at the entry of the LINAC 3. The limitations of the site necessitate a 90° bending of the beam a few metres downstream of LINAC 2 that adds to the further requirement and complication of dispersion suppression. The skewed position of the RFQ (before LINAC 1) vanes with respect to conventional horizontal and vertical planes complicates the design by requiring the decoupling of the X (horizontal) and Y (vertical) motion before the beam is bent in the 90° dipole after LINAC 2. In the design presented, step-by-step all the requirements, viz, decoupling of X–Y motion, dispersion suppression and transverse and longitudinal beam matching could be effectively met. The robustness of the design with respect to orientation of the initial beam ellipses has also been checked. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper interprets and discusses the usefulness of otolith microstructure for ageing Japanese sea bass ( Lateolabrax japonicus) larvae and juveniles. Samples were collected from the Tango Sea along the Japan Sea coast, January–March 2007. Known-age (0-day and 10-day-old) larvae were obtained from the Ibaragi Prefectural Hatchery, Japan. Sagittal and lapillar otolith were processed and read using an otolith reading system. Clearly discernible hatch- and first-feeding marks were evident on sagitta, and development of accessory premordia (AP) appeared to be associated with larva-juvenile transition; however, no other marks indicating metamorphosis or settlement were evident. In lapillus, no discernible check mark was found. Known-age larvae showed that deposition of the first daily increment (DI) corresponded to first-feeding, which occurred at day-4 post-hatch. However, mean increment counts were significantly lower in lapillus than in sagitta, caused by poorly expressed increments around the centrum as well as relatively unclear centrum of the lapillus. The authors suggest that the use of lapillus can cause significant underestimation of age. Therefore, the sagitta is recommended for age and growth estimations of larvae and juveniles, although the presence of numerous subdaily increments warrants careful preparation and interpretation of the microstructure. A test for asymmetry showed the right and left otoliths to be quite symmetrical and their DI counts not significantly different, suggesting that either otolith can be used for studying age and growth of Japanese sea bass larvae and juveniles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Different sources of saponins are known to have hypocholesterolemic activity with varying degrees of efficacy. We hypothesize that karaya root saponin would efficiently reduce cholesterol. The aim of this study is to examine the comparative hypocholesterolemic effect of karaya root saponin in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. Sixty male Wister–Imamichi rats were divided into 5 groups of 12 rats each constituting of the following: control group, soybean saponin–supplemented group, karaya root saponin–supplemented group, quillaja saponin–supplemented group, and tea saponin–supplemented group. Compared with the control diet, both the karaya root– and quillaja saponin–supplemented diets significantly reduced (P < .05) serum cholesterol and atherogenic index. Karaya root saponin significantly increased the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol/cholesterol ratio, and fecal cholesterol concentrations (P < .05). The triacylglycerol concentration was significantly reduced only in the quillaja saponin–supplemented rats (P < .05). All the tea, soybean, karaya root, and quillaja saponins significantly reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and the greatest reduction was observed with karaya root saponin. Highest fecal bile acid concentration was found with quillaja saponin, whereas highest liver bile acid concentration was observed with karaya root saponin–supplemented rats (P < .05). These results collectively suggest that karaya root saponin can efficiently reduce serum cholesterol concentration in rats. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) has been established as a potent independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. We were the first to propose that hypomethylation is the key biochemical mechanism by which homocysteine (Hcy) inhibits endothelial cell (EC) growth. We reported that clinically relevant concentrations of Hcy (10–50 μmol/L) exerts highly selective inhibitory effects on cyclin A transcription and EC growth through a hypomethylation related mechanism, which blocks cell cycle progression and endothelium regeneration. Recently, we demonstrated that Hcy reduces DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) activity and demethylates cyclin A promoter leading to cyclin A chromatin remodeling. We found that adenovirus-transduced DNMT1 gene expression reverses the inhibitory effect of Hcy on cyclin A expression and EC growth inhibition. We hypothesize that DNA hypomethylation is a key biochemical mechanism responsible for Hcy-induced cyclin A suppression and growth inhibition in EC and contributes to CVD. Clin Chem Lab Med 2007;45:1660–6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To evaluate the water quality of recently flooded tube wells in Bangladesh and the effect of spot chlorination on improving bacteriological quality. Methods and Results: The study team identified and tested water samples from 127 tube wells that were flooded within the preceding 4 weeks. Twenty-six of the tube wells with the highest concentration of thermotolerant coliform bacteria were randomly assigned to spot chlorination vs control. On initial screening, water samples from 56 recently inundated tube wells (44%) were contaminated with thermotolerant coliforms. Among the 13 wells randomized to chlorination, there was no change in the proportion of water samples that had no detectable thermotolerant coliform bacteria immediately before chlorine treatment ( n = 4, 23%) and 60 min following chlorine treatment ( n = 4, 23%). Similarly, there was no difference in the proportion of water samples that had no detectable thermotolerant coliforms between chlorine spot treated and control tube wells 7–18 days later (31 vs 23% P = 0·66). Conclusions: Spot chlorine treatment of inundated tube wells in Bangladesh three to 6 weeks after the flooding did not improve drinking water quality. Significance and Impact of the Study: Unless modified methods improve effectiveness, resources should not be spent promoting spot chlorination of flooded tube wells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From 1998 to 1999, a total of 128 blood samples were collected from scarlet macaws (Ara macao), kept in captivity in 11 different aviaries located in six provinces of Costa Rica. The sera were examined for antibodies directed against Chlamydophila psittaci, Newcastle disease virus (NDV), avian polyoma virus (APV), and Pacheco disease virus (PDV). Testing by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), showed 16 (12.39%) of the samples (n=129) exhibited antibodies directed against C. psittaci. Employing haemagglutination inhibition tests for NDV antibodies, all of the samples were found to be negative. The prevalence of antibodies specific for APV was tested with a blocking ELISA and serum neutralization tests (SNT) and 12 of 128 samples (9.37%) were found to be positive with both tests. In SNT, two out of 128 samples (1.56%) were positive for PDV. This is the first description of the serological status in scarlet macaws in captivity in Costa Rica. The study demonstrates the absence of NDV antibodies in the birds investigated on one hand, but also indicates a health hazard for numerous avian species due to the risk of infections with C. psittaci, APV or PDV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the catabolic pathway of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) in Candida albicans. Involvement of glucosamine-6-phosphate deaminase (NAG1) in the catabolic pathway; Mapping of the transcription start sites; Deletion analysis of the NAG1 promoter.

Memory or transistor devices based on an electron's spin rather than its charge degree of freedom offer certain distinct advantages and comprise a cornerstone of spintronics. Recent years have witnessed the emergence of a new field, valleytronics, which seeks to exploit an electron's valley index rather than its spin. An important component in this quest would be the ability to control the valley index in a convenient fashion. Here we show that the valley polarization can be switched from zero to 1 by a small reduction in density, simply tuned by a gate bias, in a two-dimensional electron system. This phenomenon, which is akin to Bloch spin ferromagnetism, arises fundamentally as a result of electron-electron interaction in an itinerant, dilute electron system. Essentially, the kinetic energy favors an equal distribution of electrons over the available valleys, whereas the interaction between electrons prefers single-valley occupancy below a critical density. The gate-bias-tuned transition we observe is accompanied by a sudden, twofold change in sample resistance, making the phenomenon of interest for potential valleytronic transistor device applications. Our observation constitutes a quintessential demonstration of valleytronics in a very simple experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cnemaspis geckos communicate primarily using chemical secretions, but some species also evolved visual signalling traits. • To understand how visual traits affect communication, we compared behavioural responses of two species (sexually monochromatic vs. dichromatic) when exposed to either visual, or chemical, or both stimuli of conspecifics. • Males of the sexually dichromatic species use multimodal traits of other males as a non-redundant signal, whereas males and females of the sexually monochromatic species only use chemical traits. • Hence, geckos with additional visual signals use the same behavioural repertoire to partially shift toward multimodal communication. Animal signals in multiple modalities expands the opportunity for effective communication. Among diurnal geckos of the genus Cnemaspis , chemical signalling traits preceded the evolution of visual traits. Males of all species possess chemical secreting ventral glands, but only in some species, males also express yellow gular patches. This difference in the expression of unimodal or multimodal signalling traits between closely related species provided us with an opportunity to understand the use of multimodal signals for communication. We studied receiver responses in Cnemaspis indica , a sexually monochromatic species, and in C. littoralis , a species where males possess yellow gulars. We performed behavioural trials where individuals of each species were exposed to only chemical stimuli, only visual stimuli, or both chemical and visual stimuli simultaneously from male and female conspecifics. Our results show that only chemical stimuli were necessary and sufficient to elicit responses in males and females of C. indica as well as in females of C. littoralis. However, males of the dimorphic C. littoralis required the multimodal stimulus to elicit movement-based responses. Our results suggest that the evolution of colour traits in diurnal geckos is associated with a partial shift in some receiver responses toward multimodal communication, with no addition to the behavioural repertoire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regioselective unimolar one-step hexanoylation of methyl α- d -mannopyranoside (MDM) under controlled conditions furnished the 6- O -hexanoate and indicated the regioselectivity at C-6 position. To develop mannopyranoside based potential antimicrobial sugar esters (SEs), 6- O -hexanoate was further converted into five newer 2,3,4-tri- O -acyl esters reasonably in good yields. Both prediction of activity spectra for substances (PASS) and in vitro antimicrobial evaluation established these SEs as better antifungal agents than as antibacterials. Quantum chemical study has been performed to calculate the thermodynamic, molecular orbital and electrostatic potential properties. Molecular docking and nonbonding interactions have been performed against lanosterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51A1), A. flavus (1R51), and E. coli (4XO8) to search the binding affinity and interactions of MDM esters with the receptor proteins. ADMET prediction also performed to evaluate the absorption, metabolism, and toxic properties of SEs. Structure activity relationship (SAR) study along with in vitro , and in silico results indicated that amongst the acyl chains, caproic chain (C6) in combination with acetic (C2), caprylic (C8) or lauric (C12) chains were found the most promising against fungal pathogens. Image 1 • Controlled hexanoylation showed regioselectivity at C-6 OH position of methyl α- d -mannopyranoside (MDM). • 6- O -Hexanoate was converted into five 2,3,4-tri- O -acyl esters with high yields. • MDM derived SEs are more effective against fungal pathogens. • The most promising antifungal property was found for caproic chain (C6) in combination with acetic (C2), caprylic (C8) or lauric (C12) chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the on-line transaction has become one of most important day-to-day life activities, security issues related with the on-line transactions has become most crucial part of the financial institutions. We have proposed here fraud detection algorithm for on-line transactional frauds. We developed a decision tree IFDTC4.5 using intuitionistic fuzzy logic and C4.5 decision tree to detect the frauds. Here intuitionistic fuzzy logic helps in considering cognitive properties of attributes, so that the legitimate transactions are not treated as frauds and fraudulent transactions are not treated as legitimate. For optimality of detection process we have considered both the derived attributes and normal attributes. The result obtained here shows that detection rate is high and efficient, compared to the other recent works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report measurement of the g-factor for the 11/2- isomeric state at 535 keV in 133La, employing the time differential perturbed angular distribution technique (TDPAD). This isomer was populated in the reaction 126Te(11B, 4n)133La at beam energy of 52 MeV. From the observed nuclear spin precession, analysed through combined, magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole hyperfine interactions, we obtain the g factor for the 11/2- state as g=1.16±0.07. In addition, this analysis provides the spectroscopic quadrupole moment |Q|=1.71±0.34b, yielding the deformation parameter β=0.28±0.10. Further, we have performed theoretical calculations using the large-scale shell model and the Monte Carlo shell model. The results successfully describe the low-lying levels and the band structures of 133La, and the calculated g factor compares well with the values obtained from our experiment. The dominant configuration of 11/2- isomeric state in 133La is inferred to be π(h11/2)⊗132Ba(0+). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Zeonex based porous fibre is proposed for biomedical imaging and polarisation preserving applications of terahertz waves. The standard finite element method is used to simulate the propagation characteristics of the fibre that shows high numerical aperture of 0.48, high birefringence of 0.039 and a flattened dispersion of 1.07 ± 0.05 ps/THz/cm. In addition, the fibre also possesses low effective material loss and negligible confinement loss in the terahertz frequency band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]