The present study was conducted to evaluate the genetic variability for morphological and qualitative traits of Coccinia for development of trait specific lines at ICAR-Central Horticultural ...Experiment Station (CIAH-RS), Panchmahals (Godhra), Gujarat during 2020-2022. In this study, we evaluated 26 gynoecious accessions to assess the genetic divergence through principal component and cluster analysis. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replications under rainfed semi-arid conditions. High values of PCV and GCV were observed for variables such as NFFP (25.13 and 22.20), PL (23.14 and 20.69), FD (24.01 and 21.46), AFW (22.98 and 20.13), NFPY (26.38 and 24.40), FYP (37.57 and 31.29), FY (35.55 and 33.20), AsC (28.65 and 27.73), Ac (24.32 and 21.06), TSS (37.23 and 35.94), DPPHL (20.71 and 20.38), FRAPL (21.08 and 20.92), TPF(20.81 and 20.45) respectively. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of mean was observed for vine length (VL), internodal length (IL), number of female flowers per plant (NFFP), fruit length (FL), peduncle length (PL), fruit diameter (FD), average fruit weight (AFW), number of fruit per plant per year (NFPY), fruit yield per plant (FYP), fruit yield (FY), ascorbic acid (AsC), acidity (Ac), total soluble solids (TSS), total phenols in leaves TPL), total flavonoids in leaves TFL, CUPRAC in leaves (CUPRACL), DPPH in leaves (DPPHL), FRAP in leaves (FRAPL), Total phenols in fruits (TPF), Total flavonoids in fruits (TFF), CUPRAC in fruits (CUPRACF) and DPPH in fruits (DPPHF). The FYP exhibited a significant positive correlation with variables like VL (0.6833), IL (0.2991), NFFP (0.8107), FD (0.5245), AFW (0.6766), NFPY (0.7659), ASC (0.4611), TSS (0.5004) and TPF (0.4281). The estimates of genetic parameters revealed scope for further improvement of fruit yield by selection. Of the eight principal components, PC-I through PC-VIII had eigen values greater than 1 and it accounts 85.02% of the total variation for 26 gynoecious accessions of Ivy gourd. The eigen values of PC-I comprised 5.775% of total variation followed by PC-II (4.250%), PC-III (3.175%), PC-IV (2.588%), PC-V (1.828%), PC-VI (1.447%), PC-VII (1.179%) and PC-VIII (1.013%).The cluster VI and cluster I having highest mean values for most of traits under study. Thus, genotypes from the distinct cluster like cluster VI and I for should be used for selection of parents and varietal improvement for further breeding programme in ivy gourd.
•High dielectric constant (∼33,000) with low loss (∼0.45) was found at room temperature.•Cole–Cole plot analysis confirmed the formation of barrier layers on grain–grain boundary interfaces.•XANES ...study confirms the mixed valence state of Fe ion.•Reporting first time about presence of magnetocapacitance (∼3.4%) in the system.
Lead free Ba(Fe0.5Nb0.5)O3 (BFN) ceramics were synthesized by sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction pattern of the samples at room temperature shows a monoclinic structure. The influence of sintering temperature on microstructure and dielectric properties of BFN ceramics were analysed. Microstructure analysis shows well-grown and dense microstructure in 1200°C sintered sample exhibiting enhanced dielectric and magnetodielectric properties. We report a very high dielectric constant (∼33,000) with low dielectric loss (∼0.45) at room temperature for 1200°C sintered sample at 100Hz frequency. Cole–Cole plot shows that the grain boundary effect (barrier layer formation) is responsible for such a high value of dielectric constant. The sample was also analyzed by Fe K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy to obtain the Fe oxidation state. This analysis confirms that Fe ions in BFN ceramics are in mixed valance state (Fe2+/Fe3+). Another interesting feature of BFN ceramics is the appearance of room temperature high magnetodielectric response (3.8%) at 7 kOe magnetic field and 100Hz frequency.
In concern to the continuously rising global prevalence of obesity, diabetes and associated diseases, novel preventive and therapeutic approaches are urgently required. However, to explore and ...develop such innovative strategies, a meticulous comprehension of the biological basis of these diseases is extremely important. Past decade has witnessed an enormous amount of research investigation and advancement in the field of obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, with the gut microbiota receiving a special focus in the triangle of nutrition, health and diseases. In particular, the role of gut microbiota in health and diseases has been one of the most vigorous and intriguing field of recent research; however, much still remains to be elucidated about its precise role in host metabolism and immune functions and its implication in the onset, progression as well as in the amelioration of metabolic ailments. Recent investigations have suggested a significant contribution of the gut microbiota in the regulation and impairment of energy homeostasis, thereby causing metabolic disorders, such as metabolic endotoxemia, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Numerous inflammatory biomarkers have been found to be associated with obesity, diabetes and risk of other associated adverse outcomes, thereby suggesting that a persistent low-grade inflammatory response is a potential risk factor. In this milieu, this review intends to discuss potential evidences supporting the disturbance of the gut microbiota balance and the intestinal barrier permeability as a potential triggering factor for systemic inflammation in the onset and progression of obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Fully-phase image encryption is considered more secure as compared to an amplitude image encryption. In the present paper, an encryption scheme is proposed for double phase-images. The phase-images ...are bonded with random phase masks and then gyrator transformed. The two resulting images are then added and subtracted to give intermediate images which are bonded with a structured phase mask (SPM) based on devil’s vortex Fresnel lens (DVFL) in the frequency plane. Thereafter, the images are once again transformed using a gyrator transform (GT) to give the corresponding encrypted images. The use of a structured phase mask enhances the key space for encryption and also overcomes the problem of axis alignment associated with an optical set-up. The decryption process is the reverse of encryption. The validity of the proposed scheme is established from the computer simulation results using MATLAB 7.1 platform. The performance of the scheme is evaluated in terms of mean-squared-error (MSE) between the input-, and the decrypted images. In addition, the sensitivity to encryption keys such as SPM parameters, and transform angles of GT is investigated. The technique is likely to provide enhanced security in view of the increased number of encryption parameters. Robustness of the system against occlusion and noise attacks has also been investigated.
•An encryption scheme is proposed for double phase-images in the gyrator domain.•We have used a structured phase mask (SPM) based on devil’s vortex Fresnel lens (DVFL) in the frequency plane.•The validity of the proposed scheme is established from the computer simulation results using MATLAB 7.1 platform.•The performance of the scheme is evaluated in terms of mean-squared-error (MSE) between the input-, and the decrypted images.•The sensitivity to encryption keys such as SPM parameters, and transform angles of GT orders is investigated.•Robustness of the system against occlusion and noise attacks has also been investigated.
A field experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of the ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal (India) to study influence of different integrated nutrient management (INM) modules on soil ...potassium (K) fractions. The experiment comprised with twelve treatments laid out in randomized block design (RBD) with three replications under maize-chickpea cropping sequence. The treatments included general recommended dose (GRD), soil test crop response (STCR) dose; combinations of inorganic and organic inputs and only organic modules. The soil samples were collected at crop harvest and analyzed for various K fractions viz., water soluble-K, available-K, exchangeable-K, HNO.sub.3 -K, lattice-K and total-K. The results indicated that potassium fractions were significantly (p = 0.05) affected by different treatments. Different INM modules significantly enhanced significantly K availability in soil. Among various INM modules studied, treatment 11 (application of 20 t ha.sup.-1 FYM in maize with 5 t ha.sup.-1 FYM every year in chickpea) proved most beneficial for improving the soil K fractions. Findings of this type are important for K fertilizer management during crop production in areas with low soil fertility.
•Soya lecithin-based extender, liposome-based extender and egg yolk-based extender were compared.•Sperm kinetics and motility was found higher in liposome-based extender among these ...extenders.•Liposome-based extender performed better in vitro assessment of sperm longevity test.•Sperm cryopreserved in liposome-based extender travelled significantly more distance in cervical mucus.
Demand for alternative of egg yolk in freezing extenders have increased in recent years due to variability in egg yolk composition, risk of microbial contamination and presence of steroid hormones. The alternative to egg yolk-based extender (EY) can be soya lecithin-based extender (SL) and liposome-based extender (LP). However, the efficacy of SL is still a matter of debate. Few studies have been performed on the effect of LP but to date evaluation of buffalo semen cryopreserved in LP has not been studied. Therefore, this study was designed to compare SL and LP with conventional EY for evaluation of post-thaw quality of buffalo semen. Results showed that total, progressive and rapid sperm motility were found significantly higher (P<0.05) in LP among these extenders. In vitro assessment of post-thaw sperm longevity has also resulted in better maintenance of sperm kinetics and motility in LP in comparison to other extenders. Furthermore, sperm cryopreserved in LP travelled significantly more (P<0.05) distance in cervical mucus as compared to SL and EY. Therefore, it can be concluded that the LP is more efficient than SL and EY for the cryopreservation of buffalo semen.
Understanding the speciation of metal ions in heterogeneous hydrogen-bonded deep eutectic solvents (DES) has immense importance for their wide range of applications in green technology, environmental ...remediation, and nuclear industry. Unfortunately, the fundamental nature of the interaction between DES and actinide ions is almost completely unknown. In the present work, we outline the speciation, solvation mechanism, and redox chemistry of uranyl ion (UO2 2+) in DES consisting of choline chloride (ChCl) and urea as the hydrogen-bond donor. Electrochemical and spectroscopic techniques along with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have provided a microscopic insight into the solvation and speciation of the UO2 2+ ion in DES and also on associated changes in physical composition of the DES. The hydrogen-bonded structure of DES plays an important role in the redox behavior of the UO2 2+ ion because of its strong complexation with DES components. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and MD simulations showed strong covalent interactions of uranyl ions with the constituents of DES, which led to rearrangement of the hydrogen-bonding network in it without formation of any clusters or aggregations. This, in turn, stabilizes the most unstable pentavalent uranium (UO2 +) in the DES. MD analysis also highlights the fact that the number of H-bonds is reduced in the presence of uranyl nitrate irrespective of the presence of water with respect to pristine reline, which suggests high stability of the formed complexed species. The effect of added water up to 20 v/v % on speciation is insignificant for DES, but the presence of water influences the redox chemistry of UO2 2+ ions considerably. The fundamental findings of the present work would have far reaching consequences on understanding DES, particularly for application in the field of nuclear fuel reprocessing.
Summary
Canine distemper (CD) is one of the highly contagious and invariably fatal viral diseases of dogs and other carnivores. Despite the widespread use of modified live vaccines to control CD, the ...prevalence of disease has increased at an alarming rate in recent years. Although a number of factors may be ascribed for vaccine failure, antigenic differences among the vaccine and wild‐type strains have gained the interest of researchers. Considering the high genetic variability of haemagglutinin gene (H gene) and its role in eliciting the immune response to canine distemper virus (CDV), we have generated nine full‐length CDV H gene sequences from infected dogs including three vaccinated cases. Bayesian analysis was performed using 102 full‐length H gene nucleotide sequences over a time frame of 76 years (1940–2016) from 18 countries. The time to the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) of CDV was estimated to be 1696 AD. Phylogenetic reconstruction clustered Indian wild‐type viruses into a distinct monophyletic group clearly separated from the previously established CDV lineages. This signifies the presence of a novel genetic variant (proposed as “Lineage India‐1/Asia‐5”) circulating among dog population in India. To investigate the importance of substitutions at amino acid residues 530 and 549 of CDV H protein in determining the host switches from canid to non‐canid hosts, we analysed 125 H gene sequences including nine sequences generated in this study. Selection pressure analysis and analysis of amino acid sequences revealed a trend towards adaptation of 549H variants in non‐canid hosts although no role of G/E530R/D/N substitution could be identified. This is the first comprehensive study about the nature and ecology of CDV circulating among dog population in India. Outbreaks in vaccinated animals as observed in this study have raised a concern towards the effectiveness of current vaccine strains warranting detailed investigation.
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