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The main aim of this simulation work is to assess the financial possibility analysis of 10 MWP grid-associated solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants in seven cities i.e. Lucknow, Agra, Meerut, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Allahabad, and Varanasi of Uttar Pradesh (UP) state of India with the RETScreen Software. The presented research work demonstrates the method of selection of profitable locations for solar PV power plants according to financial viability indicators. It is found that Allahabad city is the most profitable site with values of 16,686 MWh of electricity exported to the grid (EEG), US$20,896.30/year of electricity export revenue (EER), 9.4 years of simple payback period (SPP), 7.7 years of equity payback period (EPP), 19545.9 tCO2/year of GHG emission reduction, US$3492.82/year of the annual life cycle savings (ALCS), 1.5 benefit-cost (B-C) ratio, US$27394.59 of net present value (NPV), 16.5% internal rate of return on equity (IRR-equity), 12.3% modified internal rate of return on equity (MIRR-equity), 5.4% internal rate of return on assets (IRR-assets), and 7% modified internal rate of return on assets (MIRR-assets). The second most profitable site is found in Gorakhpur city and Varanasi city is found the least profitable site. The other two cities, Agra and Kanpur are not found suitable because of the negative values of NPV and ALCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leaf curl disease of Jatropha caused by geminiviruses results in heavy economic losses. In the present study, we report the identification of a new strain of a Jatropha leaf curl Gujarat virus (JLCuGV), which encodes six ORFs with each one having RNA silencing suppressor activity. Therefore, three artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs; C1/C4, C2/C3 and V1/V2) were designed employing overlapping regions, each targeting two ORFs of JLCuGV genomic DNA and transformed in tobacco. The C1/C4 and C2/C3 amiRNA transgenics were resistant while V1/V2 amiRNA transgenics were tolerant against JLCuGV. The relative level of amiRNA inversely related to viral load indicating a correlation with disease resistance. The assessment of photosynthetic parameters suggests that the transgenics perform significantly better in response to JLCuGV infiltration as compared to wild type (WT). The metabolite contents were not altered remarkably in amiRNA transgenics, but sugar metabolism and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle showed noticeable changes in WT on virus infiltration. The overall higher methylation and demethylation observed in amiRNA transgenics correlated with decreased JLCuGV accumulation. This study demonstrates that amiRNA transgenics showed enhanced resistance to JLCuGV while efficiently maintaining normalcy in their photosynthesis and metabolic pathways as well as homeostasis in the methylation patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNAi pathway is an antiviral defence mechanism employed by insects that result in degradation of viral RNA thereby curbing infection. Several viruses including flaviviruses encode viral suppressors of RNAi (VSRs) to counteract the antiviral RNAi pathway. Till date, no VSR has been reported in alphaviruses. The present study was undertaken to evaluate chikungunya virus (CHIKV) proteins for RNAi suppressor activity. We systematically analyzed all nine CHIKV proteins for RNAi suppressor activity using Sf21 RNAi sensor cell line based assay. Two non-structural proteins, namely, nsP2 and nsP3 were found to exhibit RNAi suppressor activity. We further validated the findings in natural hosts, namely in Aedes and in mammalian cell lines and further through EMSA and Agrobacterium infiltration in GFP silenced transgenic tobacco plants. Domains responsible for maximum RNAi suppressor activity were also identified within these proteins. RNA binding motifs in these domains were identified and their participation in RNAi suppression evaluated using site directed mutagenesis. Sequence alignment of these motifs across all species of known alphaviruses revealed conservation of these motifs emphasizing on a similar role of action in other species of alphaviruses as well. Further validation of RNAi suppressor activity of these proteins awaits establishment of specific virus infection models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]