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Magnesium alloys have a significant benefit over the steel and aluminum alloys in manufacturing of components for many automotive and structural applications because of their extreme lightweight, low density, and high strength to weight ratio. However, one of the glaring impediments to the success of steels, aluminum, and magnesium-based multi-material integration for automotive industries is the ability to join these materials together without any cracking and corrosive damages during a performance. The present work aims to demonstrate a cost-effective, novel, and versatile joining technique, named Upset Protrusion Joining (UPJ), to mechanically and rapidly (1-2 seconds) join die-cast AM60 alloy to aluminum alloy sheet and evaluate its UPJ characteristics. Cast Mg plate has a cylindrical protrusion (11 mm diameter and 14 mm height) emanated perpendicular to its flat surface, and an aluminum sheet has a hole that accommodates the protrusion. Mg and Al alloy components are then clamped together, electrically heated, and compressed perpendicular to the protrusion axis. During compression, the protrusion expanded circumferentially to fill the hole as well as the region above the hole, and entrapped the Al sheet between the deformed (in a mushroom shape) head and the Mg plate. The effect of different UPJ process parameters such as applied current, current duration, compression loading rate, and compression distance is studied. The process demonstrated repeatability at given process conditions, and optimum process parameters were identified that produce visibly good joints (defect-free) and sufficient joint strengths when tested in the lap-shear mode under uniaxial tension. AM60 alloy showed a great promise as a candidate alloy to suit the UPJ method to adapt to automotive and other industrial manufacturing units to join with dissimilar wrought Al alloy sheets.

Biotinidase deficiency (BTD) is a rare inherited metabolic disorder with predominant dermatogical and neurological manifestations, which if untreated leads to severe neurological sequelae. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment with biotin prevents further progression of neurological symptoms and resolution of cutaneous features. We report an interesting case of four and half year male child presenting with seizures, developmental delay with non resolving extensive skin lesions and alopecia, diagnosed as BTD and successfully treated.

While mitochondria in different tissues have distinct preferences for energy sources, they are flexible in utilizing competing substrates for metabolism according to physiological and nutritional circumstances. However, the regulatory mechanisms and significance of metabolic flexibility are not completely understood. Here we report that the deletion ofPTPMT1,a mitochondria-based phosphatase, critically alters mitochondrial fuel selection – the utilization of pyruvate, a key mitochondrial substrate derived from glucose (the major simple carbohydrate), is inhibited, whereas the fatty acid utilization is enhanced.PTPMT1knockout does not impact the development of the skeletal muscle or heart. However, the metabolic inflexibility ultimately leads to muscular atrophy, heart failure, and sudden death. Mechanistic analyses reveal that the prolonged substrate shift from carbohydrates to lipids causes oxidative stress and mitochondrial destruction, which in turn results in marked accumulation of lipids and profound damage in the knockout muscle cells and cardiomyocytes. Interestingly,PTPMT1deletion from the liver or adipose tissue does not generate any local or systemic defects. These findings suggest that PTPMT1 plays an important role in maintaining mitochondrial flexibility and that their balanced utilization of carbohydrates and lipids is essential for both the skeletal muscle and the heart despite the two tissues having different preferred energy sources.

PurposeMost of the services being delivered to persons with disabilities (PwDs) in India are through non-government organizations (NGOs). The quality and effectiveness for the delivery of services to PwDs largely depends on the capacity of the NGOs involved. This study attempts to understand the linkage between various capabilities of non-profits organizations working in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities and their value creation.Design/methodology/approachUsing a mixed methodology, the study has conducted various interviews with the involved stakeholders and interviews to obtain a complete understanding and overcome the limitations of quantitative or qualitative approach alone.FindingsThe findings of this study exhibit that there is a significant and positive influence of financial capability, human resource capability, stakeholder capability, dynamic capability and collaboration capability on non-profit performance. However, knowledge capability has no effect on non-profit performance.Originality/valueThis study will help in making policies for policymakers in capacity building of NGOs. This research study is the first attempt in exploring the critical factors in capacity building of NGOs in the intellectual disability sector, particularly in India.

Arterial and venous thrombosis constitutes a major source of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Long considered as distinct entities, accumulating evidence indicates that arterial and venous thrombosis can occur in the same populations, suggesting that common mechanisms are likely operative. Although hyperactivation of the immune system is a common forerunner to the genesis of thrombotic events in both vascular systems, the key molecular control points remain poorly understood. Consequently, antithrombotic therapies targeting the immune system for therapeutics gain are lacking. Here, we show that neutrophils are key effectors of both arterial and venous thrombosis and can be targeted through immunoregulatory nanoparticles. Using antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) as a model for arterial and venous thrombosis, we identified the transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) as a key regulator of neutrophil activation. Upon activation through genetic loss of KLF2 or administration of antiphospholipid antibodies, neutrophils clustered P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 (PSGL-1) by cortical actin remodeling, thereby increasing adhesion potential at sites of thrombosis. Targeting clustered PSGL-1 using nanoparticles attenuated neutrophil-mediated thrombosis in APS and KLF2 knockout models, illustrating the importance and feasibility of targeting activated neutrophils to prevent pathological thrombosis. Together, our results demonstrate a role for activated neutrophils in both arterial and venous thrombosis and identify key molecular events that serve as potential targets for therapeutics against diverse causes of immunothrombosis.

BackgroundMulti System Inflammatory Syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19 is a recently recognised potentially life-threatening entity. There is limited data on post MIS-C sequelae.Methods21 children fulfilling the WHO criteria for MIS-C were included in our study. Data was collected at baseline and at 12-16 weeks post discharge to look for any persistent sequelae mainly relating to the lungs or heart including coronary arteriesResultsFever was the most common presentation, found in 18 (85.7%) patients. All had marked hyper-inflammatory state. Low ejection fraction (EF) was found in 10 (47.6%), but none had any coronary artery abnormality. All received corticosteroids, while 7 (33.3%) children required additional treatment with intravenous Immunoglobulins. 20 children improved while 1 left against medical advice. At discharge, 3 children had impaired left ventricular function. At median 15 weeks’ follow-up, no persistent complications were found. EF had returned to normal and no coronary artery abnormalities were found during repeat echocardiography. Chest radiographs showed no fibrosis and all biochemical parameters had normalized.ConclusionThe children with MIS-C are extremely sick during the acute stage. Timely and adequate management led to full recovery without any sequelae at a median follow-up of 15 weeks.

Crop productivity in legumes is determined by number and size/weight of seeds. To understand the genetic basis of seed size/weight in chickpea, we performed genome resequencing of 13 small- and 5 large-seeded genotypes using Illumina platform. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and insertions/deletions (InDels) differentiating small- and large-seeded genotypes were identified. A total of 17,902 SNPs and 2594 InDels located in promoter and/or coding regions that may contribute to seed size/weight were detected. Of these, 266 SNPs showed significant association with seed size/weight trait. Twenty-three genes including those involved in cell growth/division, encoding transcription factors and located within QTLs associated with seed size/weight harbored SNPs within transcription factor binding motif(s) and/or coding region. The non-synonymous SNPs were found to affect the mutational sensitivity and stability of the encoded proteins. Overall, we provided a high-quality SNP map for large-scale genotyping applications and identified candidate genes that determine seed size/weight in chickpea.

Enhancers represent non-coding regulatory regions of the genome located distantly from their target genes. They regulate gene expression programs in a context-specific manner via interacting with promoters of one or more target genes and are generally associated with transcription factor binding sites and epi(genomic)/chromatin features, such as regions of chromatin accessibility and histone modifications. The enhancers are difficult to identify due to the modularity of their associated features. Although enhancers have been studied extensively in human and animals, only a handful of them has been identified in few plant species till date due to non-availability of plant-specific experimental and computational approaches for enhancer identification. Being an important regulatory component of the genome, enhancers represent potential targets for engineering agronomic traits, including salinity stress tolerance in plants. Here, we provide a review of the available experimental and computational approaches along with the associated sequence and chromatin/epigenetic features for the discovery of enhancers in plants. In addition, we provide insights into the challenges and future prospects of enhancer research in plant biology with emphasis on potential applications in engineering salinity stress tolerance in crop plants.

Plants have evolved a complex network of components that sense and respond to diverse signals. In the present study, we have characterized OsRR6, a type-A response regulator, which is part of the two-component sensor-regulator machinery in rice. The expression of OsRR6 is induced by exogenous cytokinin and various abiotic stress treatments, including drought, cold and salinity stress. Organ-specific expression analysis revealed that its expression is high in anther and low in shoot apical meristem. The Arabidopsis plants constitutively expressing OsRR6 (OsRR6OX) exhibited reduced cytokinin sensitivity, adventitious root formation and enhanced anthocyanin accumulation in seeds. OsRR6OX plants were more tolerant to drought and salinity conditions when compared to wild-type. The hypocotyl growth in OsRR6OX seedlings was significantly inhibited under red, far-red and blue-light conditions and also a decline in transcript levels of OsRR6 was observed in rice under the above monochromatic as well as white light treatments. Transcriptome profiling revealed that the genes associated with defense responses and anthocyanin metabolism are up-regulated in OsRR6OX seedlings. Comparative transcriptome analysis showed that the genes associated with phenylpropanoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis are enriched among differentially expressed genes in OsRR6OX seedlings of Arabidopsis, which is in conformity with reanalysis of the transcriptome data performed in rice transgenics for OsRR6. Further, genes like DREB1A/CBF3, COR15A, KIN1, ERD10 and RD29A are significantly upregulated in OsRR6OX seedlings when subjected to ABA and abiotic stress treatments. Thus, a negative regulator of cytokinin signaling, OsRR6, plays a positive role in imparting abiotic stress tolerance.

Objective To evaluate various causes of pediatric stridor and their management among admitted patients in last 2 y. Methods Retrospective study of 67 stridor cases in pediatric age group (from birth to 18 y), admitted to the Department of Pediatrics and ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) from May 2018 to April 2020 were included in the study. Data were obtained from medical records regarding age, gender, clinical presentation, and management. Results Out of 67 cases of pediatric stridor, 28.3% were infants, 50.7% were between 1 to 5 y, while 20.9% were between 5 to 18 y. Foreign body trachea (FB) was the most common (38.8%) cause of stridor. The commonest cause of stridor among infants was laryngomalacia (47.4%) while FB trachea (55.9%) was the commonest cause among 1 to 5 y age group. In age group between 5 to 18 y, peritonsillar abscess and bacterial tracheitis (21.4% each) were found to be the most common. Primary management with securing of airways were done in all cases. Curative treatment was provided according to the underlying pathology. Eight patients (11.9%) required tracheostomy to bypass airway obstruction. There was no mortality in the present study population. Conclusion Pediatric stridor management is a teamwork between ENT surgeons, pediatricians, and anaesthetists. Management starts with suspicion from history followed by clinical and radiological evaluation. Securing airway is of utmost importance and precise management of cause is carried out later.

Magnesium alloys have a significant benefit over steel and aluminum alloys in manufacturing components for many automotive and structural applications because of their higher light-weighting potential, lowest density, and higher strength to weight ratio. However, one of the impediments to the success of multi-material integration of the above materials for automotive manufacturing is joining these materials together without any cracking or corrosion during in-service use. The present work aims to develop and demonstrate a cost-effective, novel, and versatile mechanical joining technique, named Upset Protrusion Joining (UPJ), to mechanically and rapidly join a cast magnesium component to an aluminum alloy sheet. The process involves a cylindrical protrusion emanating perpendicular to the flat surface of a cast plate that fits through a hole in an aluminum sheet. The two components are then clamped together, electrically heated, and compressed perpendicular to the protrusion axis. During compression, the protrusion expands circumferentially to fill the hole as well as the region above the hole, thus entrapping the sheet metal between the mushroomed head and the casting. The effect of different UPJ process parameters such as applied current, current duration, compression loading rate, and compression distance were studied through experimentation on die-cast magnesium alloy, with protrusion of 11 mm diameter and 14 mm height. Material-specific process window was identified to achieve a satisfactory joint quality in terms of post-UPJ joint strength with appearance. UPJ method shows a great promise to implement in automotive and other industrial manufacturing environments for fastening cast components to a similar or dissimilar wrought sheet component.

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a medium-vessel vasculitis having coronary predilection, usually affecting under-5 children presenting as acute febrile illness. Despite being a disease with long-term grievous outcome, only few published literature are available from India, even lesser from its eastern region. Methods: From January 2016 to December 2020, 30 case records of children with a discharge diagnosis of KD were enrolled in this study. Demographic profile, clinical manifestations, laboratory data, echocardiographic findings, and treatment done were extracted from the case records. Laboratory investigations were done at admission and repeated after 24 h of intravenous immunoglobulin administration as per the American Heart Association Guidelines 2004. Echocardiography was carried out at diagnosis, at 2 weeks, and at 6 weeks. Results: Out of 30 children diagnosed with KD, majority belong to 1–5 years of age group (72%) with male predominance. Complete KD was seen in 77% of children. The most common presentation was fever >5 days (100%) followed by oral changes in 26 (87%), conjunctivitis in 25 (83%), extremity changes in 23 (77%), and rash in 21 (70%) children. Desquamation of perineum and reactivation of bacillus Calmette–Guérin scar were seen in 10%. No children with complete KD and three children with incomplete KD developed coronary artery Abnormalities (CAA). Conclusion: Infants with incomplete KD have a higher incidence of CAA. Aggressive management results in better outcome.

Atypical hemolytic–uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a form of thrombotic microangiopathy that occurs due to dysregulation of alternate pathway of complement system, which progressively causes systemic complications, end-stage renal disease, and death. As prognosis is poor compared to typical hemolytic–uremic syndrome, early diagnosis and treatment is crucial for favorable outcome. We came across seven patients of aHUS in our pediatric intensive care unit in the last 5 years. Plasma exchange (PE) along with immunosupressives was used for treatment. First child who did not receive PE died. Rest six patients underwent PE and attained hematological remission; however, one later on progressed to chronic kidney disease and expired. All others are on regular follow-up and doing well. A high index of suspicion is required to diagnose aHUS. Early PE can give a better prognosis.

Introduction: The microalga Parachlorella kessleri-I produces high biomass and lipid content that could be suitable for producing economically viable biofuel at a commercial scale. Sequencing the complete chloroplast genome is crucial for the construction of a species-specific chloroplast transformation vector. Methods: In this study, the complete chloroplast genome sequence (cpDNA) of P. kessleri-I was assembled; annotated and genetic transformation of the chloroplast was optimized. For the chloroplast transformation, we have tested two antibiotic resistance makers, aminoglycoside adenine transferase (aadA) gene and Sh-ble gene conferring resistance to spectinomycin and zeocin, respectively. Transgene integration and homoplasty determination were confirmed using PCR, Southern blot and Droplet Digital PCR. Results: The chloroplast genome (109,642 bp) exhibited a quadripartite structure with two reverse repeat regions (IRA and IRB), a long single copy (LSC), and a small single copy (SSC) region. The genome encodes 116 genes, with 80 protein-coding genes, 32 tRNAs and 4 rRNAs. The cpDNA provided essential information like codons, UTRs and flank sequences for homologous recombination to make a species-specific vector that facilitated the transformation of P. kessleri-I chloroplast. The transgenic algal colonies were retrieved on a TAP medium containing 400 mg. L-1 spectinomycin, but no transgenic was recovered on the zeocin-supplemented medium. PCR and Southern blot analysis ascertained the transgene integration into the chloroplast genome, via homologous recombination. The chloroplast genome copy number in wildtype and transgenic P. kessleri-I was determined using Droplet Digital PCR. Conclusion: The optimization of stable chloroplast transformation in marine alga P. kessleri-I should open a gateway for directly engineering the strain for carbon concentration mechanisms to fix more CO2, improving the photosynthetic efficiency and reducing the overall biofuels production cost.

Oryza coarctata is a wild relative of rice that has adapted to diverse ecological environments, including high salinity and submergence. Thus, it can provide an important resource for discovering candidate genes/factors involved in tolerance to these stresses. Here, we report a draft genome assembly of 573 Mb comprised of 8,877 scaffolds with N50 length of 205 kb. We predicted a total of 50,562 protein-coding genes, of which a significant fraction was found to be involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis and hormone signal transduction pathways. Several salinity and submergence stress-responsive protein-coding and long non-coding RNAs involved in diverse biological processes were identified using RNA-sequencing data. Based on small RNA sequencing, we identified 168 unique miRNAs and 3219 target transcripts (coding and non-coding) involved in several biological processes, including abiotic stress responses. Further, whole genome bisulphite sequencing data analysis revealed at least 19-48% methylcytosines in different sequence contexts and the influence of methylation status on gene expression. The genome assembly along with other datasets have been made publicly available at http://ccbb.jnu.ac.in/ory-coar. Altogether, we provide a comprehensive genomic resource for understanding the regulation of salinity and submergence stress responses and identification of candidate genes/factors involved for functional genomics studies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Tracheostomy is one of the most commonly used surgical intervention in sick children in the intensive care unit. The literature in the pediatric population is limited, therefore, we conducted this study to evaluate the indications, timing, complications, and outcomes of tracheostomy among the children at our center. This retrospective study was conducted from January 2016 through December 2019. Data was collected from the patients’ records and analyzed. During this study period, 283 children were ventilated, of which 26 (9.1%) required tracheostomy. Among this 73% were boys. The median age of the children who underwent tracheostomy was 6.32 y. The most common indication for tracheostomy was prolonged mechanical ventilation [24 cases (92%)] followed by upper airway obstruction [2 cases (8%)]. The average time of tracheostomy was 11.65 d, range (1–21 d). Complications were seen in 14 patients (55%). The most common complications were accidental decannulation, occlusion, pneumothorax, and granulation tissue. Twenty one (80%) patients were successfully discharged, out of which 16 (61%) patients were discharged after decannulation and 5 (21%) were sent home with a tracheostomy tube in situ. Overall mortality in present study was 11.5%; none was directly related to tracheostomy. The indication for tracheostomy has been changed from emergency to more elective one. Prolonged mechanical ventilation is the most common indication for tracheostomy. Although the timing of tracheostomy is not fixed, two weeks time is reasonable and it can be done safely at the bedside in pediatric intensive care.

Air pollution involving particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm in size (PM(2.5)) is the world’s leading environmental risk factor contributing to mortality through cardiometabolic pathways. In this study, we modeled early life exposure using chow-fed C57BL/6J male mice that were exposed to real-world inhaled, concentrated PM(2.5) (~10 times ambient levels/~60–120 μg/m(3)) or filtered air over a 14-week period. We investigated the effects of PM(2.5) on phenotype, the transcriptome, and chromatin accessibility and compared these with the effects of a prototypical high-fat diet (HFD) as well as cessation of exposure on phenotype reversibility. Exposure to PM(2.5) impaired glucose and insulin tolerance and reduced energy expenditure and (18)FDG-PET uptake in brown adipose tissue. Multiple differentially expressed gene clusters in pathways involving metabolism and circadian rhythm were noted in insulin-responsive tissues. Although the magnitude of transcriptional change detected with PM(2.5) exposure was lower than that observed with a HFD, the degree of alteration in chromatin accessibility after PM(2.5) exposure was significant. The novel chromatin remodeler SMARCA5 (SWI/SNF complex) was regulated in response to PM(2.5) exposure, the cessation of which was associated with a reversal of insulin resistance and restoration of chromatin accessibility and nucleosome positioning near transcription start sites, as well as a reversal of exposure-induced changes in the transcriptome, including SMARCA5. These changes indicate pliable epigenetic control mechanisms following cessation of exposure.

OsHOX24 mediates regulation of desiccation stress response via complex regulatory network as indicated by its binding to several target genes including transcription factors in rice. HD-ZIP I subfamily of homeobox transcription factors (TFs) are involved in abiotic stress responses and plant development. Previously, we demonstrated the role of OsHOX24, a member of HD-ZIP I subfamily, in abiotic stress responses. In this study, we identified downstream targets of OsHOX24 under control and desiccation stress conditions via chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq) approach in wild-type and OsHOX24 over-expression transgenic in rice. OsHOX24-binding sites in each sample and differential binding sites between the samples were detected at various genomic locations, including genic and intergenic regions. Gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed that OsHOX24 direct target genes were involved in several biological processes, including plant development, ABA-mediated signalling pathway, ubiquitin-dependent protein catabolic process, ion transport, abiotic and biotic stress responses besides transcriptional and translational regulation. The enrichment of several cis-regulatory motifs representing binding sites of other TFs, such as ABFs, ERF1, MYB1, LTREs and SORLIP2, suggested the involvement of OsHOX24 in a complex regulatory network. These findings indicate that OsHOX24-mediated desiccation stress regulation involves modulation of a plethora of target genes, which participate in diverse pathways in rice.

Significance Chronic neurodegeneration, a major cause of the long-term disabilities that afflict survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI), is linked to an increased risk for late-life neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, vascular dementia, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Here, we report on the restoration of blood–brain barrier (BBB) structure and function by P7C3-A20 when administered 12 mo after TBI. This pharmacotherapy was associated with cessation of chronic neurodegeneration and recovery of normal cognitive function, benefits that persisted long after treatment cessation. Pharmacologic renewal of BBB integrity may thus provide a new treatment option for patients who have suffered a remote TBI, or other neurological conditions associated with BBB deterioration., Chronic neurodegeneration in survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity, with no effective therapies to mitigate this progressive and debilitating form of nerve cell death. Here, we report that pharmacologic restoration of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), 12 mo after murine TBI, is associated with arrested axonal neurodegeneration and cognitive recovery, benefits that persisted for months after treatment cessation. Recovery was achieved by 30 d of once-daily administration of P7C3-A20, a compound that stabilizes cellular energy levels. Four months after P7C3-A20, electron microscopy revealed full repair of TBI-induced breaks in cortical and hippocampal BBB endothelium. Immunohistochemical staining identified additional benefits of P7C3-A20, including restoration of normal BBB endothelium length, increased brain capillary pericyte density, increased expression of BBB tight junction proteins, reduced brain infiltration of immunoglobulin, and attenuated neuroinflammation. These changes were accompanied by cessation of TBI-induced chronic axonal degeneration. Specificity for P7C3-A20 action on the endothelium was confirmed by protection of cultured human brain microvascular endothelial cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death, as well as preservation of BBB integrity in mice after exposure to toxic levels of lipopolysaccharide. P7C3-A20 also protected mice from BBB degradation after acute TBI. Collectively, our results provide insights into the pathophysiologic mechanisms behind chronic neurodegeneration after TBI, along with a putative treatment strategy. Because TBI increases the risks of other forms of neurodegeneration involving BBB deterioration (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, vascular dementia, chronic traumatic encephalopathy), P7C3-A20 may have widespread clinical utility in the setting of neurodegenerative conditions.

In this paper, dual phase steel (DP780) and AA2024-T3 aluminum sheets were successfully butt-welded together utilizing laser/MIG hybrid and cold metal transfer (CMT) brazing methods. A comparative study was conducted between the brazed joints produced by both methods in terms of wetting length, intermetallic compounds (IMCs) layer thickness, fracture position, and fracture mode. The results of testing showed that the produced joints from each method introduced significantly different deformation behavior. In addition, better wetting length and lower IMCs layer thickness are not the only factors that improve the mechanical behavior of brazed joints. The susceptibility of the aluminum base metal and time of exposure to the heat sources during joining process are also important.

DNA methylation governs gene regulation in plants in response to environmental conditions. Here, we analyzed role of DNA methylation under desiccation and salinity stresses in three (IR64, stress-sensitive; Nagina 22, drought-tolerant and Pokkali, salinity-tolerant) rice cultivars via bisulphite sequencing. Methylation in CG context within gene body and methylation in CHH context in distal promoter regions were positively correlated with gene expression. Hypomethylation in Nagina 22 and hypermethylation in Pokkali in response to desiccation and salinity stresses, respectively, were correlated with higher expression of few abiotic stress response related genes. Most of the differentially methylated and differentially expressed genes (DMR-DEGs) were cultivar-specific, suggesting an important role of DNA methylation in abiotic stress responses in rice in cultivar-specific manner. DMR-DEGs harboring differentially methylated cytosines due to DNA polymorphisms between the sensitive and tolerant cultivars in their promoter regions and/or coding regions were identified, suggesting the role of epialleles in abiotic stress responses.

Diabetes Mellitus in first six months of life is usually monogenic and is referred to as neonatal diabetes mellitus. The incidence of neonatal diabetes is extremely rare and varies from 1:89000 to 1:400000 live births. We report a two months old baby presenting with repeated seizures; on evaluation found to have diabetic ketoacidosis and initially managed with IV insulin infusion. Genetic study revealed heterozygous mutation, p. Valin 252 Leu in KCNJ 11 gene. This mutation suggests responsiveness to oral glibenclamide. The baby has responded to therapy. Seizure as a presenting feature for hyperglycemia is a rare entity

High strength AA7075-T6 aluminum sheets were joined by hot die-less clinching by locally heating the clinching region with an electrical resistance heating method. This method applied a large amount of current in the range 7.5–15 kA over a time period of 2–3 s to enhance the local ductility of AA7075-T6 sheets. A modified die-less clinching tool was developed to carry current from the blank holder to the anvil through a pair of AA7075-T6 sheets to be clinched. The above range of applied current and time duration led to an increase in sheet metal temperature in the range 175–260 ℃ leading to material softening and a consequent reduction in the clinch forming force as well as improved material flow. The clinched joints produced with constant forming force of 60 kN resulted in an increase in lap shear joint strength up to 41% with an applied current of 15 kA. Microstructure examination of the clinched region for a range of electrical resistance heating conditions revealed sound joints with previously reported forming and force locking mechanisms as well as recently identified elevated temperature material locking mechanism in the literature. The geometric interlock resulted in nonlinear increase in force with displacement in the lap shear test as well as instantaneous drop in the force due to failure of material locking.

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are multifunctional proteins that help in oxidative stress metabolism and detoxification of xenobiotic compounds. Studies pertaining to GST gene family have been undertaken in various plant species, however no information is available with respect to GST genes in chickpea. In the current study, we identified a total of 51 GST encoding genes in chickpea (CaGST) genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that GST gene family can be divided into eleven distinct classes. Tau and phi were the major classes in chickpea and one third of the CaGST genes represented segmental duplication and purifying selection was common among these genes. Expression of many CaGST genes, in particular, members of tau class were found to be upregulated under abiotic stress conditions. In addition, CaGST genes displayed differential expression patterns across diverse organs/tissues, suggesting their roles in developmental processes. Many CaGST genes showed opposite expression pattern in small- and large-seeded chickpea cultivars during seed development. Higher expression of CaGST genes in small-seeded cultivar at maturation stages of seed development suggested their important role in seed development and seed size/weight determination in chickpea. Overall, these results provide a comprehensive information on GST gene family members in chickpea and is expected to provide a rational platform to explore versatile role of these genes in semi-arid legume crops.