Steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs) such as α-solanine found in solanaceous food plants— as, for example, potato— are antinutritional factors for humans. Comparative coexpression analysis between tomato ...and potato coupled with chemical profiling revealed an array of 10 genes that partake in SGA biosynthesis. We discovered that six of them exist as a cluster on chromosome 7, whereas an additional two are adjacent in a duplicated genomic region on chromosome 12. Following systematic functional analysis, we suggest a revised SGA biosynthetic pathway starting from cholesterol up to the tetrasaccharide moiety linked to the tomato SGA aglycone. Silencing GLYCOALKALOID METABOLISM 4 prevented accumulation of SGAs in potato tubers and tomato fruit. This may provide a means for removal of unsafe, antinutritional substances present in these widely used food crops.
The present study investigates the evolution of ocean thermal parameters during the intensification of three rare cases of rapidly intensified long-duration tropical cyclones (TCs) formed over the ...North Indian Ocean (NIO). TCs consume energy from the underlying warm ocean for their development. The movement of TC towards warmer sea surface temperature (SST) fueled the TCs during rapid intensification (RI). Though, the ultimate storm intensities of the TCs were significantly impacted by ocean mean temperature up to 26 ºC isotherm (OMT) rather than the SST. This is an important factor to be considered in studying the impact of ocean thermal energy on TCs. The passage of TCs after RI causes cooling in SST by 1–2 °C. Though, the reduction in OMT was about 0.5 °C because more ocean thermal energy is available in the upper layers. The maximum intensification of the TC Fani to the category-4 stage was much contributed by the OMT rather than SST. The energy input to the ocean due to wind stress is higher at the lower translational speed of TCs. The total (average) of mechanical energy transferred to the ocean by TCs Fani, Luban, and Ockhi are 6019 (35.8), 3460 (16.9), and 5449 (36.3) TW, respectively, during their lifecycle. The study suggests that the interaction of TCs and OMT (upper layer ocean thermal energy) rather than SST (only ocean skin temperature) has to be understood in greater detail to address the research problem of TC prediction.
Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and other polyphagous agricultural pests are extending their plant host range and emerging as serious agents in restraining crop productivity. Dynamic ...regulation, coupled with a diversity of digestive and detoxifying enzymes, play a crucial role in the adaptation of polyphagous insects. To investigate the functional intricacy of serine proteases in the development and polyphagy of H. armigera, we profiled the expression of eight trypsin‐like and four chymotrypsin‐like phylogenetically diverse mRNAs from different life stages of H. armigera reared on nutritionally distinct host plants. These analyses revealed diet‐ and stage‐specific protease expression patterns. The trypsins expressed showed structural variations, which might result in differential substrate specificity and interaction with inhibitors. Protease profiles in the presence of inhibitors and their mass spectrometric analyses revealed insight into their differential activity. These findings emphasize the differential expression of serine proteases and their consequences for digestive physiology in promoting polyphagy in H. armigera.
Developmental patterns and survival of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a polyphagous insect pest, have been studied with reference to the effect of diet on ...major gut digestive enzymes (amylases, proteases, and lipases). Significant correlations between nutritional quality of the diet and larval and pupal mass were observed when H. armigera larvae were fed on various host plants viz. legumes (chickpea and pigeonpea), vegetables (tomato and okra), flowers (rose and marigold), and cereals (sorghum and maize). Larvae fed on diets rich in proteins and/or carbohydrates (pigeonpea, chickpea, maize, and sorghum) showed higher larval mass and developed more rapidly than larvae fed on diets with low protein and carbohydrate content (rose, marigold, okra, and tomato). Low calorific value diets like rose and marigold resulted in higher mortality (25–35%) of H. armigera. Even with highly varying development efficiency and larval/pupal survival rates, H. armigera populations feeding on different diets completed their life cycles. Digestive enzymes of H. armigera displayed variable expression levels and were found to be regulated on the basis of macromolecular composition of the diet. Post—ingestive adaptations operating at the gut level, in the form of controlled release of digestive enzymes, might be a key factor contributing to the physiological plasticity in H. armigera.
In this work, four varieties of hybrid Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) panels made of kevlar-29 and natural fibers are studied. All panels have kevlar-29 face sheets and natural fiber core, such as ...jute, flax, sisal, and hemp. This research focuses on the behavior of these hybrid FRP panels under flexural and impact loading so that the panels can be explored for the structural/semi-structural members of army shelters, portable helipad, and roofing panels in high-altitude areas. Natural fibers are chemically treated with NaOH to improve hydrophobicity. The panels are vacuum bagged, the fiber volume fraction is 0.39, and the thickness is close to 4 mm. Three-point flexural loading using the universal testing machine and low-velocity impact loading up to 24 J under drop weight impact test setup is carried out to characterize the panels. Damage area, delamination, permanent deformation, indentation depth, energy absorbed, flexural strength, and modulus are measured. The hybrid flax/kevlar panel and hemp/kevlar panel, each resist impact with permanent deformation less than 0.5 mm up to 24 J. Without significant face sheet or core fiber breakage, the delamination is spread over a small radial distance of 18.5 and 24.5 mm, respectively. Interface matrix breakage causes delamination. The load vs deflection curve is almost linear under flexural loading, and specimens failed under compression at 240 MPa. The numerical simulation is also done using ANSYS and LS-DYNA for detailed study.
Magnetars are highly magnetized young neutron stars that occasionally produce enormous bursts and flares of X-rays and γ-rays
. Of the approximately thirty magnetars currently known in our Galaxy and ...the Magellanic Clouds, five have exhibited transient radio pulsations
. Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration bursts of radio waves arriving from cosmological distances
, some of which have been seen to repeat
. A leading model for repeating FRBs is that they are extragalactic magnetars, powered by their intense magnetic fields
. However, a challenge to this model is that FRBs must have radio luminosities many orders of magnitude larger than those seen from known Galactic magnetars. Here we report the detection of an extremely intense radio burst from the Galactic magnetar SGR 1935+2154 using the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) FRB project. The fluence of this two-component bright radio burst and the estimated distance to SGR 1935+2154 together imply a burst energy at 400 to 800 megahertz of approximately 3 × 10
erg, which is three orders of magnitude higher than the burst energy of any radio-emitting magnetar detected thus far. Such a burst coming from a nearby galaxy (at a distance of less than approximately 12 megaparsecs) would be indistinguishable from a typical FRB. However, given the large gaps in observed energies and activity between the brightest and most active FRB sources and what is observed for SGR 1935+2154-like magnetars, more energetic and active sources-perhaps younger magnetars-are needed to explain all observations.
Background: Good quality sleep and adequate amount of sleep are important in order to have better cognitive performance and avoid health problems and psychiatric disorders. Aim: The aim of this study ...was to describe sleep habits and sleep problems in a population of undergraduates, interns and postgraduate students of Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed University), Loni, Maharashtra, India. Subject and Methods: Sleep habits and problems were investigated using a convenience sample of students from Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed University), Loni, Maharashtra, India. The study was carried out during Oct. to Dec. 2011 with population consisted of total 150 medical students. A self-administered questionnaire developed based on Epworth Daytime Sleepiness Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used. Data was analyzed by using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. Results: In this study, out of 150 medical students, 26/150 (17.3%) students had abnormal levels of daytime sleepiness while 20/150 (13.3%) were border line. Sleep quality in females was better than the male. Conclusion: Disorders related to poor sleep qualities are significant problems among medical students in our institution. Caffeine and alcohol ingestion affected sleep and there was high level of daytime sleepiness. Sleep difficulties resulted in irritability and affected lifestyle and interpersonal relationships.
Trade and transport of goods is widely accepted as a primary pathway for the introduction and dispersal of invasive species. However, understanding commodity flows remains a challenge owing to its ...complex nature, unavailability of quality data, and lack of systematic modeling methods. A robust network-based approach is proposed to model seasonal flow of agricultural produce and examine its role in pest spread. It is applied to study the spread of Tuta absoluta, a devastating pest of tomato in Nepal. Further, the long-term establishment potential of the pest and its economic impact on the country are assessed. Our analysis indicates that regional trade plays an important role in the spread of T. absoluta. The economic impact of this invasion could range from USD 17–25 million. The proposed approach is generic and particularly suited for data-poor scenarios.
•Regional trade can impact the spread of pests which survive of agricultural commodities.•A structured network modeling approach can help study the dynamics of trade and its impact on pest spread even in data poor scenarios.•Case study with T. absoluta spread in Nepal indicates a strong role of trade in the way it has spread.•Spread forecasting and economic impact modeling estimate the total cost of invasion at USD 17–25 million.
Bioprospecting of natural molecules is essential to overcome serious environmental issues and pesticide resistance in insects. Here we are reporting insights into insecticidal activity of a plant ...natural phenol. In silico and in vitro screening of multiple molecules supported by in vivo validations suggested that caffeic acid (CA) is a potent inhibitor of Helicoverpa armigera gut proteases. Protease activity and gene expression were altered in CA-fed larvae. The structure–activity relationship of CA highlighted that all the functional groups are crucial for inhibition of protease activity. Biophysical studies and molecular dynamic simulations revealed that sequential binding of multiple CA molecules induces conformational changes in the protease(s) and thus lead to a significant decline in their activity. CA treatment significantly inhibits the insect’s detoxification enzymes, thus intensifying the insecticidal effect. Our findings suggest that CA can be implicated as a potent insecticidal molecule and explored for the development of effective dietary pesticides.
B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) is a recently identified novel member of the tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily shown to exist in a membrane-bound and soluble form. BLyS was found to be ...specifically expressed on cells of myeloid lineage and to selectively stimulate B-lymphocyte proliferation and immunoglobulin production. The expression of a cytokine involved in potentiation of humoral immune responses, such as BLyS, is expected to be strictly controlled. The goal of the present study was to examine regulation of BLyS levels in monocytic cells in response to cytokines and during their differentiation to macrophages and dendritic cells. The presence of BLyS on the cell surface and in the culture medium of both normal blood monocytes and on tumor cells of myelomonocytic origin was demonstrated. BLyS gene expression and levels of membrane-associated and soluble BLyS were found to be regulated by cytokines, in particular interferon (IFN)-γ and to a lesser extent interleukin-10 (IL-10). The expression of BLyS on monocyte membranes was retained following differentiation into macrophages, but detection on the surface of monocyte-derived dendritic cells required stimulation with IFN-γ. Both IFN-γ and IL-10 enhanced the release of soluble BLyS that was active in B-cell proliferation assays. Cells transfected with BLyS complementary DNA mutated in a predicted cleavage site failed to release BLyS into the culture medium, thereby suggesting that soluble BLyS was derived from the membrane form. These results provide further support for an important role for BLyS expressed in myeloid cells in B-cell expansion and antibody responses.
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