Search

Inflammation has been linked to the onset and progression of a wide range of neuropathological disorders. The well-conserved outer mitochondrial membrane 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) is perceived as an in vivo neuroinflammation marker. A dearth of a reference region, genetic disparity influencing the ligand's affinity for TSPO, and a substantial signal in the endothelium of the brain veins contributes toward complications in quantifying TSPO positron emission tomography (PET) image. Up to the present time several radiotracers based on different pharmacophore such as (R)[

Using farm‐level data from dairy farmers in India's Bihar state and the two‐stage residual inclusion method, this study investigates the impact of the adoption of food safety measures (FSMs) on milk yield and profitability of smallholder dairy farms. This study reveals that herd size and experience in dairy farming have a significant effect on the number of FSMs smallholders adopt. An additional FSM increases milk yield by about 1% and profitability by about 2.3%. An extra year of education increases yield and profits by about 3.8% and 4.9%, respectively. The government could design and incentivize policies that help increase herd size and promote better housing conditions for animals, thus promoting the uptake of FSMs and increased milk yield and profitability. [EconLit Citations: Q12, Q16, Q18].

The diversity of cellulolytic bacteria from the rice-pulse system can be sourced for identification of efficient cellulose decomposing microbial strains. In the present study, the abundance, structural diversity, and cellulolytic potential of the culturable bacterial community were studied in 5-year old rice-pulse system under different resource conservation technologies. Higher cellulose (68% more) and xylanase (35% more) activities were observed under zero tilled soil. The populations of cellulolytic bacteria were significantly higher (44%) in zero tillage (ZT) treatment than those of conventional practice. Results revealed that the cellulolytic bacterial diversity was found to be significantly higher under ZT practice, but the present population may not be sufficient for effective recycling of organic wastes in this system. Out of 290 bacterial isolates, 20 isolates had significantly higher cellulolytic activities, of which the top three superior isolates were received from ZT practice. The cellulolytic bacterial diversity based on 16S rDNA sequencing data revealed that the Firmicutes was the most dominant phyla and the Bacillus spp. were the common genus, the observation also showed that there were 17 different haplotypes were recorded among 20 isolates of cellulolytic bacteria. The present findings indicated that long-term ZT in the rice-pulse system could be a unique source for efficient cellulose decomposing bacteria and further the efficient bacterial strains isolated from this system can be used as efficient bioinoculants for in situ as well as ex-situ decomposition of rice straw particularly in conservation agriculture.

This article reviews the literature on contract farming (CF) in India and assesses the impact of smallholders’ perceived production risks on the adoption of CF; the impact of CF on smallholders’ food security; and its impact on employment generation in their farming enterprises. We also show the impact of the outcome variables by risk preference of smallholders. Using farm-level data and endogenous switching regression methods, this study presents three key findings. First, the perception of weather and pest risk, access to irrigation facilities, extension visits, and access to institutional credit are the main drivers of CF adoption. Second, CF adoption increases food security and varies with the revealed risk preference of smallholders, and risk-seeking smallholders tend to gain higher food security. Third, regardless of revealed risk preferences, smallholders who did not adopt CF benefit from adoption by reducing their labor requirements, with no significant losses in yield.

B lymphocytes optimize antibody responses by class switch recombination (CSR), which changes the expressed constant region exon of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH), and by somatic hypermutation (SH) that introduces point mutations in the variable regions of the antibody genes. Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is the key mutagenic enzyme that initiates both these antibody diversification processes by deaminating cytosine to uracil. Here we asked the question if transcription factors can mediate the specific targeting of the antibody diversification by recruiting AID. We have recently reported that AID is together with the transcription factors E2A, PAX5 and IRF4 in a complex on key sequences of the Igh locus. Here we report that also ETS1 is together with AID in this complex on key sequences of the Igh locus in splenic B cells of mice. Furthermore, we show that both ETS1 and PAX5 can directly recruit AID to DNA sequences from the Igh locus with the specific binding site for the transcription factor. Taken together, our findings support the notion of a targeting mechanism for the selective diversification of antibody genes with limited genome wide mutagenesis by recruitment of AID by PAX5 and ETS1 in a transcription factor complex.

This study investigates the impact of contract farming (CF) through cooperatives in tomatoes on employment and economic performance of smallholders in a low‐income developing country. Using farm‐level data from Nepal and a nonparametric matching estimator, the study finds a negative and significant effect of CF on employment. However, CF through cooperatives has a positive and significant impact on profits, and yield. We find that small farms (≤0.51 ha) with contracts tend to gain in profits and yield per hectare. However, large farms (>0.85 ha) with contracts employ significantly less hired labor per hectare. Finally, our estimates reveal that, compared to independent producers, smallholder households in Nepal that engaged in CF with both input and output conditions received, on average, higher profits and yield. Findings underscore the importance of cooperatives and CF. [EconLit citations: C31, D23, Q12, Q13]

Crop diversification into high‐value crops (HVCs) can be an important strategy to augment income, generate employment, and reduce poverty in developing countries. We study the impact of crop diversification (share of production value obtained from the HVCs) on household (HH) welfare measures in Nepal. We use three rounds of the nationally representative Nepal Living Standard Surveys: NLSS I (1994/95), NLSS II (2004/05), and NLSS III (2010/11). The dose–response function, propensity score matching, and instrumental variable techniques are used to estimate the impact of crop diversification. Results show the positive impact of HVCs on the monthly per capita consumption expenditure and poverty outcomes. Among HVCs growers, HHs growing vegetables have the better welfare outcomes. While establishing the relationship between degree of agricultural diversity and poverty measures, we find that the marginal farmers need to at least derive 35% of the share of revenue from HVCs to escape from poverty. La diversification des cultures en cultures a fort apport economique peut s'averer une importante strategie pour augmenter les revenus, generer des emplois et reduire la pauvrete dans les pays en voies de developpement. Nous etudions les impacts de la diversification des cultures (part de la valeur economique de production obtenue des cultures a fort apport economique) sur les mesures d'assistance sociale aux menages au Nepal. Nous nous sommes servis de trois series de sondages nationaux representatifs des Nepal Living Standard Surveys (etude sur le niveau de vie au Nepal): NLSS I (1994/95), NLSS II (2004/05) et NLSS III (2010/11). La fonction dose‐reponse, l'appariement des coefficients de propension, et des techniques de variables instrumentales ont servi a estimer les impacts de la diversification des cultures. Les resultats demontrent l'impact positif des cultures a fort apport economique sur les depenses mensuelles de consommation et de niveau de pauvrete par habitant. Parmi les agriculteurs de cultures a fort apport economique, ceux qui cultivent les legumes demontrent de meilleurs resultats de bien‐etre. En etablissant une relation entre le degre de diversite agricole et le niveau de pauvrete, nous avons etabli que les fermiers marginaux devaient tirer au moins 35 % de leur part du revenu des cultures a fort apport economique pour echapper a la pauvrete.

Addition of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (HTNP) to an ethene-bridged diiron(III) μ-oxo bisporphyrin (1) in CH2Cl2 initially leads to the formation of diiron(III) μ-hydroxo bisporphyrin (2⋅TNP) with a phenolate counterion that, after further addition of HTNP or dissolution in a nonpolar solvent, converts to a diiron(III) complex with axial phenoxide coordination (3⋅(TNP)2). The progress of the reaction from μ-oxo to μ-hydroxo to axially ligated complex has been monitored in solution by using 1H NMR spectroscopy because their signals appear in three different and distinct spectral regions. The X-ray structure of 2⋅TNP revealed that the nearly planar TNP counterion fits perfectly within the bisporphyrin cavity to form a strong hydrogen bond with the μ-hydroxo group, which thus stabilizes the two equivalent iron centers. In contrast, such counterions as I5, I3, BF4, SbF6, and PF6 are found to be tightly associated with one of the porphyrin rings and, therefore, stabilize two different spin states of iron in one molecule. A spectroscopic investigation of 2⋅TNP has revealed the presence of two equivalent iron centers with a high-spin state (S=5/2) in the solid state that converts to intermediate spin (S=3/2) in solution. An extensive computational study by using a range of DFT methods was performed on 2⋅TNP and 2+, and clearly supports the experimentally observed spin flip triggered by hydrogen-bonding interactions. The counterion is shown to perturb the spin-state ordering through, for example, hydrogen-bonding interactions, switched positions between counterion and axial ligand, ion-pair interactions, and charge polarization. The present investigation thus provides a clear rationalization of the unusual counterion-specific spin states observed in the μ-hydroxo bisporphyrins that have so far remained the most outstanding issue.

Crop and cultivar diversification in cropping systems may improve crop productivity and energy efficiency along with the sustainability of agricultural production in eastern India, but the choices may be made based on the cropping area. This study was conducted to examine the energy input–output relationship, energy requirement, and system productivity of rainfed rice (Oryza sativa L.) based cropping systems (Swarna rice–Annada rice–black gram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper var. mungo], Naveen rice–toria [Brassica rapa L. ssp. dichotoma (Roxb.) Hanelt]–horse gram [Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc.], Swarna rice–toria–coriander [Coriandrum sativum L.], Gayatri rice–green gram [Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek var. radiata], Swarna rice–green gram, and Naveen rice–black gram–horse gram) in the eastern part of India. Results of the study revealed that the Swarna rice–toria–coriander system consumed the highest total energy input (24,546 MJ ha–¹), whereas the Swarna rice–green gram (15,543 MJ ha–¹) system was the most energy-efficient system. Among all the energy inputs, fertilizer consumed the highest share (45–58%), followed by land preparation (19–24%) and labor (18–23%). The Gayatri rice–green gram system produced the highest energy output (183,006 MJ ha–¹), which was at a par with the energy production of the Naveen rice–toria–horse gram system (179,788 MJ ha–¹). Systems such as Naveen rice–toria–horse gram, Gayatri rice–green gram, and Naveen rice–black gram–horse gram appeared to be most suitable for resource-poor farmers for their higher energy use efficiency, energy productivity, and system productivity.

Wetland rice in many humid tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and South America are affected by iron toxicity, which mainly occur due to increase in Fe(II) concentration in soil solution resulting from drop of redox potential arising from anaerobic situations in submerged rice fields. The high quantity of ferrous ions in the soil solution upsets the mineral element balance in rice plants and affects its growth. A field experiment was carried out in acidic laterite soil (pH 5.1) having 400 mg kg−1 diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid extractable Fe for developing strategies to combat Fe toxicity and to study Fe, Zn, and Mn nutrition in rice. The treatments included four cultivars and six soil management options. Soil pH increased upon submergence and stabilized at 6.2 in compost treated plots and 6.8 in lime treated plots after eight weeks of flooding. Application of lime resulted significantly higher yields in all the four cultivars over control. Among the cultivars lowest Fe concentration both in grain and straw was recorded in tolerant as compared to susceptible cultivars. The ratio of Fe/Mn in rice plants was highest under control and reduced with Fe toxicity management treatments. It was further observed that Fe/Mn ratio of tolerant cultivars was lower as compared to susceptible cultivars irrespective of amendments. Similar relations were also recorded for Fe/Zn ratio under different Fe toxicity management interventions. Thus, the application of lime and limiting plant nutrients, such as K, Mn, and Zn along with tolerant cultivars could be important components of Fe toxicity management in Fe toxic acid lateritic soils.

Widespread yield stagnation and productivity declines in the rice–rice cropping system have been reported and many of the associated issues are related to soil quality. A long-term experimental study was initiated in 1969 to assess the impact of continuous cultivation of rice as a single crop grown in wet as well as dry seasons using varying levels of chemical fertilizer and manure applications on soil quality indicators (physical, chemical and biological), a sustainable yield index (SYI) and a soil quality index (SQI). The treatments comprised chemical fertilizers and farmyard manure (FYM) either alone or in combination viz. control, N, NP, NK, NPK, FYM, N+FYM, NP+FYM, NK+FYM and NPK+FYM, laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Soil samples were collected after the wet season rice harvest in 2010 and were analysed for physical, chemical and biological indicators of soil quality. A SYI based on long-term yield data and SQI using principal component analysis (PCA) and nonlinear scoring functions were calculated. Application of NPK fertilizers in combination with FYM significantly increased the average grain yield of rice in both wet and dry seasons and enhanced the sustainability of the system compared to the control and plots in receipt of fertilizers. The SYI for the control was higher in the wet season than in the dry one, whereas the reverse was true for NPK+FYM treatment. The value of the dimensionless SQI varied from 1.46 in the control plot to 3.78 in the NPK+FYM one. A greater SYI and SQI in the NPK+FYM treatment demonstrated the importance of using a chemical fertilizer in combination with FYM. For the six soil quality indicators selected as a minimum data set (MDS), the contribution of DTPA-Zn, available-N and soil organic carbon to the SQI was substantial ranging from 59.4 to 85.7 per cent in NPK+FYM and control plots, respectively. Thus, these soil parameters could be used to monitor soil quality in a subhumid tropical rice–rice system.

Using a murine tumor model, we demonstrate that tumor cells display a tumor stage-dependent differential glucose utilization associated with an altered GLUT-1 expression. Hyperglycemic tumor microenvironment modulates the tumorigenic ability, survival, apoptosis, and glucose utilization of tumor cells in late tumor-bearing stage accompanied by an altered tumor acidosis and expression of cell survival regulatory molecules: HIF-1α, p53, Bcl2, caspase-activated DNase, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, TGF-β, and VEGF. Glucose-exposed tumor cells of late tumor-bearing stage also show a declined susceptibility to the cytotoxic action of chemotherapeutic drugs: cisplatin and methotrexate, accompanied by an increased expression of MDR-1 gene. Taken together the results show that hyperglycemic tumor microenvironment differentially alters tumor growth depending on the stage of tumor progression.