Determining hotspots of gaseous criteria air pollutants in Delhi airshed and its association with stubble burning

Transboundary pollutant transport is considered as one of the primary factors causing the seasonal air quality deterioration in Delhi, India's capital. The highest standard deviations exceeding days in winter for NO2 (7.14-9.63%) and SO2 (4.04-7.42%) in 2019-2022 underscore the role of meteorological conditions in Delhi's pollution. In contrast, the post-monsoon season shows the highest pollutant exceedance days (4.52-8.00%) for CO due to stubble burning (SB) in Punjab (68,902 fires/year). Despite the government's assertions of decreasing SB events (14.68%), the city's CO exceedance days persistently rose by 6.36%. CAMS data is used for assessing contribution hotspots through back-trajectory analysis at multiple heights. An overlap hotspot of 111 sq. km area is identified in the Southeast parts of Punjab that have a higher contribution to the CO levels in Delhi during the post-monsoon season of 2019. Similarly, hotspots are also observed for SO2 over industrial areas of Punjab during the post-monsoon and pre-monsoon seasons. The same seasons show similar contributing patterns for NO2 highlighting the influence of consistent emission patterns and meteorological conditions. The clear delineation of hotspots using the receptor model at multiple heights coupled with source apportionment studies will assist decision-makers in addressing the pollution sources outside Delhi.

Development of Hemagglutinin-Neuraminidase Homologous Peptides as Novel Promising Therapeutic Agents Against Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus

The lack of specific antiviral therapy and complications associated with the existing peste des petits ruminants (PPR) vaccines accentuates the search of novel antiviral blocking agents in order to curtail the PPR infection at initial level. The synthetic hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) homologous peptides may compete with the natural HN protein of PPR virus for binding to signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) receptor, consequently, may disrupt peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) at entry level. Therefore, insilico analysis, synthesis, purification and subsequent characterization of HN homologous peptides were conducted in this study. The HN homologous peptides were synthesized by means of solid phase chemistry and were purified by reversed-phase-high performance liquid chromatography. The mass as well as sequence of HN homologous peptides were assessed by mass spectroscopy while its secondary structure was elucidated by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The binding (interaction) efficacy of HN homologous peptides with PPRV antibodies was assessed via indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, visual detection test (red wine to purple), bathochromic shift under UV-Vis spectrophotometry and lateral flow immunochromatographic strip test. The antiviral properties and cytotoxicity of these peptides were also assessed in B95a cell line with changes in cytopathic effect and titer of PPRV (Sungri/96). The presence of green fluorescein isothiocyanate over the B95a cell surface pointed towards the binding of HN homologous peptides with surface SLAM receptor. Moreover, the intact beta sheet configuration in water and lower cytotoxicity [cytotoxic concentration 50 (CC50) > 1000 µg/ml] of these peptides signifies its in vivo use. Among HN homologous peptides, the binding efficacy and antiviral properties of pep A was relatively high in comparison to pep B and Pep ppr peptides. The prerequisite concentration of HN homologous peptides (pep A = 12.5 µg/ml; pep B = 25 µg/ml; pep ppr = 25 µg/ml) to exemplify its antiviral effect was much lower than its CC50 level. Hence, this study signifies the therapeutic potential of synthetic HN homologous peptides.

Plant size, latitude, and phylogeny explain within-population variability in herbivory

Interactions between plants and herbivores are central in most ecosystems, but their strength is highly variable. The amount of variability within a system is thought to influence most aspects of plant-herbivore biology, from ecological stability to plant defense evolution. Our understanding of what influences variability, however, is limited by sparse data. We collected standardized surveys of herbivory for 503 plant species at 790 sites across 116° of latitude. With these data, we show that within-population variability in herbivory increases with latitude, decreases with plant size, and is phylogenetically structured. Differences in the magnitude of variability are thus central to how plant-herbivore biology varies across macroscale gradients. We argue that increased focus on interaction variability will advance understanding of patterns of life on Earth.

Genomic Regions Associated with Resistance to Three Rusts in CIMMYT Wheat Line "Mokue#1"

Understanding the genetic basis of rust resistance in elite CIMMYT wheat germplasm enhances breeding and deployment of durable resistance globally. "Mokue#1", released in 2023 in Pakistan as TARNAB Gandum-1, has exhibited high levels of resistance to stripe rust, leaf rust, and stem rust pathotypes present at multiple environments in Mexico and Kenya at different times. To determine the genetic basis of resistance, a F5 recombinant inbred line (RIL) mapping population consisting of 261 lines was developed and phenotyped for multiple years at field sites in Mexico and Kenya under the conditions of artificially created rust epidemics. DArTSeq genotyping was performed, and a linkage map was constructed using 7892 informative polymorphic markers. Composite interval mapping identified three significant and consistent loci contributed by Mokue: QLrYr.cim-1BL and QLrYr.cim-2AS on chromosome 1BL and 2AS, respectively associated with stripe rust and leaf rust resistance, and QLrSr.cim-2DS on chromosome 2DS for leaf rust and stem rust resistance. The QTL on 1BL was confirmed to be the Lr46/Yr29 locus, whereas the QTL on 2AS represented the Yr17/Lr37 region on the 2NS/2AS translocation. The QTL on 2DS was a unique locus conferring leaf rust resistance in Mexico and stem rust resistance in Kenya. In addition to these pleiotropic loci, four minor QTLs were also identified on chromosomes 2DL and 6BS associated with stripe rust, and 3AL and 6AS for stem rust, respectively, using the Kenya disease severity data. Significant decreases in disease severities were also demonstrated due to additive effects of QTLs when present in combinations.

Fabrication of thin Molybdenum backed target using rolling method

A successful attempt was made to fabricate a thin foil of natural Mo target on a thick Au backing with Indium in between to improve adhesion between the foils. Rolling at elevated temperature was considered to fabricate Mo foil while gold foil was fabricated employing conventional rolling technique. The heating of Mo foil under natural environment lead to the oxidation or carbonization on foil surface which was confirmed through Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) measurements. Indium of thickness ∼86μg/cm² was evaporated on Mo foil to improve adhesion between Mo and Au foils. The characterization of fabricated thin Mo foil was done using the Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and the Scanning Electron microscope (SEM) techniques. Thickness measurement of the target (Mo-Au) was done using Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) technique, in the measurements the thickness of the Mo foil and of gold backing are found out to be 1.3 mg/cm² and 9 mg/cm² respectively.

Dissecting the Genetic Architecture of Phenology Affecting Adaptation of Spring Bread Wheat Genotypes to the Major Wheat-Producing Zones in India

Spring bread wheat adaptation to diverse environments is supported by various traits such as phenology and plant architecture. A large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) was designed to investigate and dissect the genetic architecture of phenology affecting adaptation. It used 48 datasets from 4,680 spring wheat lines. For 8 years (2014-2021), these lines were evaluated for days to heading (DH) and maturity (DM) at three sites: Jabalpur, Ludhiana, and Samastipur (Pusa), which represent the three major Indian wheat-producing zones: the Central Zone (CZ), North-Western Plain Zone (NWPZ), and North-Eastern Plain Zone (NEPZ), respectively. Ludhiana had the highest mean DH of 103.8 days and DM of 148.6 days, whereas Jabalpur had the lowest mean DH of 77.7 days and DM of 121.6 days. We identified 119 markers significantly associated with DH and DM on chromosomes 5B (76), 2B (18), 7D (10), 4D (8), 5A (1), 6B (4), 7B (1), and 3D (1). Our results clearly indicated the importance of the photoperiod-associated gene (Ppd-B1) for adaptation to the NWPZ and the Vrn-B1 gene for adaptation to the NEPZ and CZ. A maximum variation of 21.1 and 14% was explained by markers 2B_56134146 and 5B_574145576 linked to the Ppd-B1 and Vrn-B1 genes, respectively, indicating their significant role in regulating DH and DM. The results provide important insights into the genomic regions associated with the two phenological traits that influence adaptation to the major wheat-producing zones in India.

Biochemical and molecular insights on the bioactivity and binding interactions of Bacillus australimaris NJB19 L-asparaginase

L-asparaginase, an antileukemic enzyme, is indispensable to the treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). However, the intrinsic glutaminase activity entails various side effects to the patients; thus, an improved version of the enzyme lacking glutaminase activity would be a requisite for effective treatment management of ALL. The present study highlights the biochemical and molecular characteristics of the recombinant glutaminase-free L-asparaginase from Bacillus australimaris NJB19 (BaAsp). Investigation of the active site architecture of the protein unraveled the binding interactions of BaAsp with its substrate. Comparative analysis of the L-asparaginase sequences revealed few substitutions of key amino acids in the BaAsp that could construe its substrate selectivity and specificity. The purified heterologously expressed protein (42 kDa) displayed maximum L-asparaginase activity at 35-40 °C and pH 8.5-9, with no observed L-glutaminase activity. The kinetic parameters, Km and Vmax, were determined as 45.6 μM and 0.16 μmoles min^-1, respectively. Furthermore, in silico analysis revealed a conserved zinc-binding site in the protein, which is generally implicated in inhibiting the L-asparaginase activity. However, BaAsp was not inhibited by zinc at 1 mM concentration. Therefore, the findings provide insights on the biochemical and molecular details of BaAsp, which could be valuable in formulating it for alternate antileukemic drug therapy.

Variation in Grain Zinc and Iron Concentrations, Grain Yield and Associated Traits of Biofortified Bread Wheat Genotypes in Nepal

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the major staples in Nepal providing the bulk of food calories and at least 30% of Fe and Zn intake and 20% of dietary energy and protein consumption; thus, it is essential to improve its nutritional quality. To select high-yielding genotypes with elevated grain zinc and iron concentration, the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth HarvestPlus Yield Trials (HPYTs) were conducted across diverse locations in Nepal for four consecutive years: 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19, using 47 biofortified and 3 non-biofortified CIMMYT-bred, bread wheat genotypes: Baj#1, Kachu#1, and WK1204 (local check). Genotypic and spatial variations were found in agro-morphological traits; grain yield and its components; and the grain zinc and iron concentration of tested genotypes. Grain zinc concentration was highest in Khumaltar and lowest in Kabre. Likewise, grain iron concentration was highest in Doti and lowest in Surkhet. Most of the biofortified genotypes were superior for grain yield and for grain zinc and iron concentration to the non-biofortified checks. Combined analyses across environments showed moderate to high heritability for both Zn (0.48-0.81) and Fe (0.46-0.79) except a low heritability for Fe observed for 7th HPYT (0.15). Grain yield was positively correlated with the number of tillers per m², while negatively correlated with days to heading and maturity, grain iron, grain weight per spike, and thousand grain weight. The grain zinc and iron concentration were positively correlated, suggesting that the simultaneous improvement of both micronutrients is possible through wheat breeding. Extensive testing of CIMMYT derived high Zn wheat lines in Nepal led to the release of five biofortified wheat varieties in 2020 with superior yield, better disease resistance, and 30-40% increased grain Zn and adaptable to a range of wheat growing regions in the country - from the hotter lowland, or Terai, regions to the dry mid- and high-elevation areas.

Speckle-based deep learning approach for classification of orbital angular momentum modes

We present a speckle-based deep learning approach for orbital angular momentum (OAM) mode classification. In this method, we have simulated the speckle fields of the Laguerre-Gauss (LG), Hermite-Gauss (HG), and superposition modes by multiplying these modes with a random phase function and then taking the Fourier transform. The intensity images of these speckle fields are fed to a convolutional neural network (CNN) for training a classification model that classifies modes with an accuracy >99%. We have trained and tested our method against the influence of atmospheric turbulence by training the models with perturbed LG, HG, and superposition modes and found that models are still able to classify modes with an accuracy >98%. We have also trained and tested our model with experimental speckle images of LG modes generated by three different ground glasses. We have achieved a maximum accuracy of 96% for the most robust case, where the model is trained with all simulated and experimental data. The novelty of the technique is that one can do the mode classification just by using a small portion of the speckle fields because speckle grains contain the information about the original mode, thus eliminating the need for capturing the whole modal field, which is modal dependent.

Visible-Light-Driven Site-selective Alkylation of Benzo Core of Coumarins

An unprecedented, straightforward photochemical platform for efficient site-selective C-H alkylation of C7 position of benzocore via the cross coupling between coumarins and NHPI ester, employing Ru(II) as photocatalyst in visible...

Juvenile Heat Tolerance in Wheat for Attaining Higher Grain Yield by Shifting to Early Sowing in October in South Asia

Farmers in northwestern and central India have been exploring to sow their wheat much earlier (October) than normal (November) to sustain productivity by escaping terminal heat stress and to utilize the available soil moisture after the harvesting of rice crop. However, current popular varieties are poorly adapted to early sowing due to the exposure of juvenile plants to the warmer temperatures in the month of October and early November. Therefore, a study was undertaken to identify wheat genotypes suited to October sowing under warmer temperatures in India. A diverse collection of 3322 bread wheat varieties and elite lines was prepared in CIMMYT, Mexico, and planted in the 3rd week of October during the crop season 2012-2013 in six locations (Ludhiana, Karnal, New Delhi, Indore, Pune and Dharwad) spread over northwestern plains zone (NWPZ) and central and Peninsular zone (CZ and PZ; designated as CPZ) of India. Agronomic traits data from the seedling stage to maturity were recorded. Results indicated substantial diversity for yield and yield-associated traits, with some lines showing indications of higher yields under October sowing. Based on agronomic performance and disease resistance, the top 48 lines (and two local checks) were identified and planted in the next crop season (2013-2014) in a replicated trial in all six locations under October sowing (third week). High yielding lines that could tolerate higher temperature in October sowing were identified for both zones; however, performance for grain yield was more promising in the NWPZ. Hence, a new trial of 30 lines was planted only in NWPZ under October sowing. Lines showing significantly superior yield over the best check and the most popular cultivars in the zone were identified. The study suggested that agronomically superior wheat varieties with early heat tolerance can be obtained that can provide yield up to 8 t/ha by planting in the third to fourth week of October.

Spectroscopic evidence of mixed angular momentum symmetry in non-centrosymmetric Ru[Formula: see text]B[Formula: see text]

Superconducting crystals with a lack of inversion symmetry can potentially host unconventional pairing. However, till today, no direct conclusive experimental evidence of such unconventional order parameters in non-centrosymmetric superconductors has been reported. In this paper, through direct measurement of the superconducting energy gap by scanning tunnelling spectroscopy, we report the existence of both s-wave (singlet) and p-wave (triplet) pairing symmetries in non-centrosymmetric Ru[Formula: see text]B[Formula: see text]. Our temperature and magnetic field-dependent studies also indicate that the relative amplitudes of the singlet and triplet components change differently with temperature.

Evaluations of Genomic Prediction and Identification of New Loci for Resistance to Stripe Rust Disease in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Stripe rust is one of the most destructive diseases of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), and responsible for significant yield losses worldwide. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) diagnostic markers were used to identify new sources of resistance at adult plant stage to wheat stripe rust (YR) in 141 CIMMYT advanced bread wheat lines over 3 years in replicated trials at Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), Ludhiana. We performed a genome-wide association study and genomic prediction to aid the genetic gain by accumulating disease resistance alleles. The responses to YR in 141 advanced wheat breeding lines at adult plant stage were used to generate G × E (genotype × environment)-dependent rust scores for prediction and genome-wide association study (GWAS), eliminating variation due to climate and disease pressure changes. The lowest mean prediction accuracies were 0.59 for genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) and ridge-regression BLUP (RRBLUP), while the highest mean was 0.63 for extended GBLUP (EGBLUP) and random forest (RF), using 14,563 SNPs and the G × E rust score results. RF and EGBLUP predicted higher accuracies (∼3%) than did GBLUP and RRBLUP. Promising genomic prediction demonstrates the viability and efficacy of improving quantitative rust tolerance. The resistance to YR in these lines was attributed to eight quantitative trait loci (QTLs) using the FarmCPU algorithm. Four (Q.Yr.bisa-2A.1, Q.Yr.bisa-2D, Q.Yr.bisa-5B.2, and Q.Yr.bisa-7A) of eight QTLs linked to the diagnostic markers were mapped at unique loci (previously unidentified for Pst resistance) and possibly new loci. The statistical evidence of effectiveness and distribution of the new diagnostic markers for the resistance loci would help to develop new stripe rust resistance sources. These diagnostic markers along with previously established markers would be used to create novel DNA biosensor-based microarrays for rapid detection of the resistance loci on large panels upon functional validation of the candidate genes identified in the present study to aid in rapid genetic gain in the future breeding programs.

Increased Predictive Accuracy of Multi-Environment Genomic Prediction Model for Yield and Related Traits in Spring Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Genomic selection (GS) has the potential to improve the selection gain for complex traits in crop breeding programs from resource-poor countries. The GS model performance in multi-environment (ME) trials was assessed for 141 advanced breeding lines under four field environments via cross-predictions. We compared prediction accuracy (PA) of two GS models with or without accounting for the environmental variation on four quantitative traits of significant importance, i.e., grain yield (GRYLD), thousand-grain weight, days to heading, and days to maturity, under North and Central Indian conditions. For each trait, we generated PA using the following two different ME cross-validation (CV) schemes representing actual breeding scenarios: (1) predicting untested lines in tested environments through the ME model (ME_CV1) and (2) predicting tested lines in untested environments through the ME model (ME_CV2). The ME predictions were compared with the baseline single-environment (SE) GS model (SE_CV1) representing a breeding scenario, where relationships and interactions are not leveraged across environments. Our results suggested that the ME models provide a clear advantage over SE models in terms of robust trait predictions. Both ME models provided 2-3 times higher prediction accuracies for all four traits across the four tested environments, highlighting the importance of accounting environmental variance in GS models. While the improvement in PA from SE to ME models was significant, the CV1 and CV2 schemes did not show any clear differences within ME, indicating the ME model was able to predict the untested environments and lines equally well. Overall, our results provide an important insight into the impact of environmental variation on GS in smaller breeding programs where these programs can potentially increase the rate of genetic gain by leveraging the ME wheat breeding trials.

Outcomes of free flap reconstructive surgery in head and neck cancer patients over 80-years old

An increasing elderly population in the United Kingdom has led to an increasing number of older patients with head and neck cancer, resulting in a greater demand for complex head and neck reconstructive surgery in this potentially high-risk age group. A possible perceived poorer tolerance to such major treatment risks under-treating some of these patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the outcomes in the elderly population (older than 80 years) who had undergone free flap reconstruction following head and neck cancer resection. A retrospective review of 127 patients was performed. Eighteen patients were 80 or older (14.2%) and 109 under 80 (85.8%). The elderly group experienced increased number of postoperative medical complications (p=0.01), but the surgical complications were not significantly different in the two groups (p=0.4). The average length of hospital stay was significantly longer in the older group (p=0.01). There was one flap failure during the study period, which belonged to the younger group of patients. Elderly patients undergoing free flap reconstruction experience an increased rate of postoperative medical complications resulting in an increased length of hospital stay. However, good surgical outcomes can still be achieved in this age group, and therefore age alone should not be considered as a primary factor in head and neck cancer management.

Elucidating SNP-based genetic diversity and population structure of advanced breeding lines of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Genetic diversity and population structure information are crucial for enhancing traits of interest and the development of superlative varieties for commercialization. The present study elucidated the population structure and genetic diversity of 141 advanced wheat breeding lines using single nucleotide polymorphism markers. A total of 14,563 high-quality identified genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) markers were distributed covering 13.9 GB wheat genome, with a minimum of 1,026 SNPs on the homoeologous group four and a maximum of 2,838 SNPs on group seven. The average minor allele frequency was found 0.233, although the average polymorphism information content (PIC) and heterozygosity were 0.201 and 0.015, respectively. Principal component analyses (PCA) and population structure identified two major groups (sub-populations) based on SNPs information. The results indicated a substantial gene flow/exchange with many migrants (Nm = 86.428) and a considerable genetic diversity (number of different alleles, Na = 1.977; the number of effective alleles, Ne = 1.519; and Shannon's information index, I = 0.477) within the population, illustrating a good source for wheat improvement. The average PIC of 0.201 demonstrates moderate genetic diversity of the present evaluated advanced breeding panel. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) detected 1% and 99% variance between and within subgroups. It is indicative of excessive gene traffic (less genetic differentiation) among the populations. These conclusions deliver important information with the potential to contribute new beneficial alleles using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and marker-assisted selection to enhance genetic gain in South Asian wheat breeding programs.

Field induced hysteretic structural phase switching and possible CDW in Re-doped MoTe2

Novel electronic systems displaying exotic physical properties can be derived from complex topological materials through chemical doping. MoTe₂, the candidate type-II Weyl semimetal shows dramatically enhanced superconductivity up to 4.1 K upon Re doping in Mo sites. Based on bulk transport and local scanning tunnelling microscopy here we show that Re doping also leads to the emergence of a possible charge density wave phase in Re_0.2Mo_0.8Te₂. In addition, the tunnellingI-Vcharacteristics display non-linearity and hysteresis which is commensurate with a hysteresis observed in the change in tip-height (z) as a function of applied voltageV. The observations indicate an electric field induced hysteretic switching consistent with piezoelectricity and possible ferroelectricity.

Elucidating the genetics of grain yield and stress-resilience in bread wheat using a large-scale genome-wide association mapping study with 55,568 lines

Wheat grain yield (GY) improvement using genomic tools is important for achieving yield breakthroughs. To dissect the genetic architecture of wheat GY potential and stress-resilience, we have designed this large-scale genome-wide association study using 100 datasets, comprising 105,000 GY observations from 55,568 wheat lines evaluated between 2003 and 2019 by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center and national partners. We report 801 GY-associated genotyping-by-sequencing markers significant in more than one dataset and the highest number of them were on chromosomes 2A, 6B, 6A, 5B, 1B and 7B. We then used the linkage disequilibrium (LD) between the consistently significant markers to designate 214 GY-associated LD-blocks and observed that 84.5% of the 58 GY-associated LD-blocks in severe-drought, 100% of the 48 GY-associated LD-blocks in early-heat and 85.9% of the 71 GY-associated LD-blocks in late-heat, overlapped with the GY-associated LD-blocks in the irrigated-bed planting environment, substantiating that simultaneous improvement for GY potential and stress-resilience is feasible. Furthermore, we generated the GY-associated marker profiles and analyzed the GY favorable allele frequencies for a large panel of 73,142 wheat lines, resulting in 44.5 million datapoints. Overall, the extensive resources presented in this study provide great opportunities to accelerate breeding for high-yielding and stress-resilient wheat varieties.

Bradyrhizobium arachidis mediated enhancement of (oxy)matrine content in the medicinal legume Sophora flavescens

Effect of rhizobial inoculation and nitrate application on the content of bioactive compounds in legume plants is an interesting aspect for interactions among microbes, plants and chemical fertilizers, as well as for cultivated practice of legumes. In this study, nitrate (0, 5 and 20 mmol l^-1 ) and Bradyrhizobium arachidis strain CCBAU 051107^T were applied, individually or in combination, to the root rhizosphere of the medicinal legume Sophora flavescens Aiton (SFA). Then the plant growth, nodulation and active ingredients including (oxy)matrine of SFA were determined and compared. Rhizobial inoculation alone significantly increased the numbers and fresh weight of root nodules. Nodulation was significantly inhibited due to nitrate (5 and 20 mmol l^-1 ). Only oxymatrine was detected in the control plants without rhizobial inoculation and nitrate supplement, while both oxymatrine and matrine were synthesized in plants treated with inoculation of B. arachidis or supplied with nitrate. The content of oxymatrine was the highest in plants inoculated solely with rhizobia and was not significantly altered by additional application of nitrate. Combinations of B. arachidis inoculation and different concentrations of nitrate did not significantly change the concentrations of (oxy)matrine in the plant. In conclusion, sole rhizobial inoculation was the best approach to increase the contents of key active ingredients oxymatrine and matrine in the medicinal legume SFA.

Emergent superconductivity by Re doping in type -II Weyl semimetal NiTe2

Recently topological semimetals emerge as a new platform to realise topological superconductivity. Here we report the emergent superconductivity in single-crystals of Re doped type-II Weyl semimetal NiTe₂. The magnetic and transport measurements highlight that Re substitution in Ni-site induces superconductivity at a maximum temperature of 2.36 K. Hall effect and specific heat measurements indicate that Re substitution is doping hole and facilitates the emergence of superconductivity by phonon softening and enhancing the electron-phonon coupling.

A potential type-II L-asparaginase from marine isolate Bacillus australimaris NJB19: Statistical optimization, in silico analysis and structural modeling

L-asparaginase is a cardinal biotherapeutic drug for treating acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which is highly prevalent in children worldwide. In the current investigation, L-asparaginase producing marine bacterial isolate, Bacillus australimaris NJB19 (MG734654), was observed to be producing extracellular glutaminase free L-asparaginase (13.27 ± 0.4 IU mL^-1). Production of L-asparaginase was enhanced by the Box-Behnken design approach that enumerated the significant variables affecting the enzyme production. The optimum levels of the derived variables resulted in 2.8-fold higher levels of the enzyme production (37.93 ± 1.06 IU mL^-1). An 1146 bp L-asparaginase biosynthetic gene of Bacillus australimaris NJB19 was identified and cloned in E. coli DH5α, fused with a histidine tag. The in silico analysis of the protein sequence revealed the presence of a signal peptide and classified it as a type II L-asparaginase. Toxic peptide prediction disclosed no toxin domain in the protein sequence, hence suggesting it as a non-toxic protein. The secondary structure analysis of the enzyme displayed a comparable percentage of alpha-helical and random coil structure, while 14.39% and 6.57% of amino acid residues were composed of extended strands and beta-turns, respectively. The functional sites in the three-dimensional structural model of the protein were predicted and interestingly had a few less conserved residues. Bacillus australimaris NJB19 identified in this study produces type-II L-asparaginase, known for its high affinity for asparagine and effectiveness against leukemic cells. Hence, these observations indicate the L-asparaginase, thus obtained, as a potentially significant and novel therapeutic drug.

New QTLs for Spot Blotch Disease Resistance in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Using Genome-Wide Association Mapping

Spot blotch disease caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana is a major constraint for wheat production in tropics and subtropics. The introgression of spot blotch resistance alleles to the disease susceptible lines is critical to securing the wheat production in these regions. Although genome-wide association studies (GWASs) for spot blotch were attempted earlier, the present study focused on identifying new quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for spot blotch under natural disease pressure in diverse field conditions. A total of 139 advanced spring wheat lines were evaluated in three environments (three years and two locations) in India and Bangladesh. The GWAS using 14,063 polymorphic genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) markers identified eight QTLs associated with spot blotch disease resistance belonging to eight chromosomes across the wheat genome. Here, we report the identified marker–trait associations (MTAs), along with the allele effects associated with the disease. The functional annotation of the significant markers identified NBS-LRR, MADS-box transcription factor, and 34 other plant-related protein families across multiple chromosomal regions. The results indicate four promising new QTLs on chromosomes 1A (497.2 Mb), 1D (89.84 Mb), 2B (421.92 Mb), and 6D (6.84 Mb) associated with several disease resistance protein families. These results provide insights into new genomic regions associated with spot blotch disease, and with additional validation, could be utilized in disease resistance breeding efforts in wheat development.

A large-scale genomic association analysis identifies the candidate causal genes conferring stripe rust resistance under multiple field environments

The incorporation of resistance genes into wheat commercial varieties is the ideal strategy to combat stripe or yellow rust (YR). In a search for novel resistance genes, we performed a large-scale genomic association analysis with high-density 660K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays to determine the genetic components of YR resistance in 411 spring wheat lines. Following quality control, 371 972 SNPs were screened, covering over 50% of the high-confidence annotated gene space. Nineteen stable genomic regions harbouring 292 significant SNPs were associated with adult-plant YR resistance across nine environments. Of these, 14 SNPs were localized in the proximity of known loci widely used in breeding. Obvious candidate SNP variants were identified in certain confidence intervals, such as the cloned gene Yr18 and the major locus on chromosome 2BL, despite a large extent of linkage disequilibrium. The number of causal SNP variants was refined using an independent validation panel and consideration of the estimated functional importance of each nucleotide polymorphism. Interestingly, four natural polymorphisms causing amino acid changes in the gene TraesCS2B01G513100 that encodes a serine/threonine protein kinase (STPK) were significantly involved in YR responses. Gene expression and mutation analysis confirmed that STPK played an important role in YR resistance. PCR markers were developed to identify the favourable TraesCS2B01G513100 haplotype for marker-assisted breeding. These results demonstrate that high-resolution SNP-based GWAS enables the rapid identification of putative resistance genes and can be used to improve the efficiency of marker-assisted selection in wheat disease resistance breeding.

Target Population of Environments for Wheat Breeding in India: Definition, Prediction and Genetic Gains

In this study, we defined the target population of environments (TPE) for wheat breeding in India, the largest wheat producer in South Asia, and estimated the correlated response to the selection and prediction ability of five selection environments (SEs) in Mexico. We also estimated grain yield (GY) gains in each TPE. Our analysis used meteorological, soil, and GY data from the international Elite Spring Wheat Yield Trials (ESWYT) distributed by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) from 2001 to 2016. We identified three TPEs: TPE 1, the optimally irrigated Northwestern Plain Zone; TPE 2, the optimally irrigated, heat-stressed North Eastern Plains Zone; and TPE 3, the drought-stressed Central-Peninsular Zone. The correlated response to selection ranged from 0.4 to 0.9 within each TPE. The highest prediction accuracies for GY per TPE were derived using models that included genotype-by-environment interaction and/or meteorological information and their interaction with the lines. The highest prediction accuracies for TPEs 1, 2, and 3 were 0.37, 0.46, and 0.51, respectively, and the respective GY gains were 118, 46, and 123 kg/ha/year. These results can help fine-tune the breeding of elite wheat germplasm with stable yields to reduce farmers' risk from year-to-year environmental variation in India's wheat lands, which cover 30 million ha, account for 100 million tons of grain or more each year, and provide food and livelihoods for hundreds of millions of farmers and consumers in South Asia.

Comparison of provision of maxillofacial emergency service during the two COVID-19 national lockdowns in the United Kingdom

We previously published a study on the provision of emergency maxillofacial services during the first UK COVID-19 pandemic national lockdown. We repeated the study during the second lockdown and now present our findings that highlight the main differences and learning issues as the services have evolved.

3-D macro/microporous-nanofibrous bacterial cellulose scaffolds seeded with BMP-2 preconditioned mesenchymal stem cells exhibit remarkable potential for bone tissue engineering

Bone repair using BMP-2 is a promising therapeutic approach in clinical practices, however, high dosages required to be effective pose issues of cost and safety. The present study explores the potential of low dose BMP-2 treatment via tissue engineering approach, which amalgamates 3-D macro/microporous-nanofibrous bacterial cellulose (mNBC) scaffolds and low dose BMP-2 primed murine mesenchymal stem cells (C3H10T1/2 cells). Initial studies on cell-scaffold interaction using unprimed C3H10T1/2 cells confirmed that scaffolds provided a propitious environment for cell adhesion, growth, and infiltration, owing to its ECM-mimicking nano-micro-macro architecture. Osteogenic studies were conducted by preconditioning the cells with 50 ng/mL BMP-2 for 15 min, followed by culturing on mNBC scaffolds for up to three weeks. The results showed an early onset and significantly enhanced bone matrix secretion and maturation in the scaffolds seeded with BMP-2 primed cells compared to the unprimed ones. Moreover, mNBC scaffolds alone were able to facilitate the mineralization of cells to some extent. These findings suggest that, with the aid of 'osteoinduction' from low dose BMP-2 priming of stem cells and 'osteoconduction' from nano-macro/micro topography of mNBC scaffolds, a cost-effective bone tissue engineering strategy can be designed for quick and excellent in vivo osseointegration.

Genomic Selection for Grain Yield in the CIMMYT Wheat Breeding Program-Status and Perspectives

Genomic breeding technologies offer new opportunities for grain yield (GY) improvement in common wheat. In this study, we have evaluated the potential of genomic selection (GS) in breeding for GY in wheat by modeling a large dataset of 48,562 GY observations from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), including 36 yield trials evaluated between 2012 and 2019 in Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. Our key objective was to determine the value that GS can add to the current three-stage yield testing strategy at CIMMYT, and we draw inferences from predictive modeling of GY using 420 different populations, environments, cycles, and model combinations. First, we evaluated the potential of genomic predictions for minimizing the number of replications and lines tested within a site and year and obtained mean prediction accuracies (PAs) of 0.56, 0.5, and 0.42 in Stages 1, 2, and 3 of yield testing, respectively. However, these PAs were similar to the mean pedigree-based PAs indicating that genomic relationships added no value to pedigree relationships in the yield testing stages, characterized by small family-sizes. Second, we evaluated genomic predictions for minimizing GY testing across stages/years in Obregón and observed mean PAs of 0.41, 0.31, and 0.37, respectively when GY in the full irrigation bed planting (FI BP), drought stress (DS), and late-sown heat stress environments were predicted across years using genotype × environment (G × E) interaction models. Third, we evaluated genomic predictions for minimizing the number of yield testing environments and observed that in Stage 2, the FI BP, full irrigation flat planting and early-sown heat stress environments (mean PA of 0.37 ± 0.12) and the reduced irrigation and DS environments (mean PA of 0.45 ± 0.07) had moderate predictabilities among them. However, in both predictions across years and environments, the PAs were inconsistent across years and the G × E models had no advantage over the baseline model with environment and line effects. Overall, our results provide excellent insights into the predictability of a quantitative trait like GY and will have important implications on the future design of GS for GY in wheat breeding programs globally.

Retrospective Quantitative Genetic Analysis and Genomic Prediction of Global Wheat Yields

Breeding for grain yield (GY) in bread wheat at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) involves three-stage testing at Obregon, Mexico in different selection environments (SEs). To understand the efficiency of selection in the SEs, we performed a large retrospective quantitative genetics study using CIMMYT's yield trials evaluated in the SEs (2013-2014 to 2017-2018), the South Asia Bread Wheat Genomic Prediction Yield Trials (SABWGPYTs) evaluated in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh (2014-2015 to 2017-2018), and the Elite Spring Wheat Yield Trials (ESWYTs) evaluated in several sites globally (2003-2004 to 2016-2017). First, we compared the narrow-sense heritabilities in the Obregon SEs and target sites and observed that the mean heritability in the SEs was 44.2 and 92.3% higher than the mean heritabilities in the SABWGPYT and ESWYT sites, respectively. Second, we observed significant genetic correlations between a SE in Obregon and all the five SABWGPYT sites and 65.1% of the ESWYT sites. Third, we observed high ratios of response to indirect selection in the SEs of Obregon with a mean of 0.80 ± 0.21 and 2.6 ± 5.4 in the SABWGPYT and ESWYT sites, respectively. Furthermore, our results also indicated that for all the SABWGPYT sites and 82% of the ESWYT sites, a response greater than 0.5 can be achieved by indirect selection for GY in Obregon. We also performed genomic prediction for GY in the target sites using the performance of the same lines in the SEs of Obregon and observed moderate mean prediction accuracies of 0.24 ± 0.08 and 0.28 ± 0.08 in the SABWGPYT and ESWYT sites, respectively using the genotype x environment (GxE) model. However, we observed similar accuracies using the baseline model with environment and line effects and no advantage of modeling GxE interactions. Overall, this study provides important insights into the suitability of the Obregon SEs in breeding for GY, while the variable genomic predictabilities of GY and the high year-to-year GY fluctuations reported, highlight the importance of multi-environment testing across time and space to stave off GxE induced uncertainties in varietal yields.

Determination of Stark Shifts and Widths Using Time Resolved Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) Measurements

Stark broadening parameters have been estimated for resonant lines of Al(I) using time resolved measurements. The relation between the various emission line characteristics at different phases of opacity have been utilized to obtain the value of plasma temperature and Stark width parameters from the experimental data. The observed value of the center line intensity and Lorentzian component of the line width are compared against a simulated value of these parameters for optically thin case. The plasma temperature and Stark broadening parameters are obtained for the best fit condition by matching the experimentally observed and the simulated values of intensity and line widths. The time resolved measurements result in much better estimates for Stark parameters by allowing multiple points for fitting keeping the number of variables limited. The Stark shift parameters are also obtained from the slope of the plot of observed central wavelength shifts versus observed electron number density which is measured as a function of time. Hence, a method utilizing multiple-time observation data to obtain the Stark broadening parameters for lines showing self-absorption has been demonstrated.

Provision of Emergency Maxillofacial Service During the COVID-19 Pandemic : A Collaborative Five Centre UK Study

The global pandemic of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) represents one of the greatest challenges to healthcare systems, and has forced medical specialties to rapidly adapt their approaches to patient care. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is considered particularly at risk of disease transmission due to aerosol generation during surgical interventions, patient proximity and operating environment. On day 2 (26th March, 2020) of when severe restrictions in population movement were instigated in the United Kingdom, we began a study to prospectively monitor the presentation and management of maxillofacial emergencies at five hospital trusts. Data was collected onto an online live database fed through a smartphone application. Of the total 529 patients over six weeks, 395 attended for face-to-face consultations and 134 patients received remote consultations via telephone or video link. There were 255 trauma related cases, 221 infection and 48 cases of postoperative complications. Most trauma cases were minor soft tissue injury related to slip, trip or fall at home. There were 44 cases of facial fractures with a tendency for conservative treatment. 19 cases were related to domestic violence or self-harm. Of the 216 dental related emergencies, 68% could have been managed in the primary care setting. A quarter of all emergency patients were satisfactorily managed by remote consultations. There was a significant change in the provision of emergency maxillofacial service during the pandemic lockdown. We discuss the study findings as well as the potential implications in relation to planning for possible further COVID- 19 spikes and future pandemics.

P1342OUTCOME OF ELDERLY PATIENTS AFTER PREDIALYSIS VASCULAR ACCESS CREATION

Background and Aims

Guidelines to create vascular access for elderly patients is guided by a number of factors i.e. competing risk of death, high rate of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) maturation failure, and poor vascular access outcomes, influencing the outcomes in this population . Does early creation of AVF in elderly patients with advanced CKD influence dialysis outcomes needs evaluation.

Method

We conducted a retrospective study among elderly (> 65 years ) who chose to create a permanent vascular access before dialysis initiation were identified between Jan 2014-Jan 2017 in Tertiary care hospital, Lucknow and assessed in 43 elderly patients (aged ≥65 years) with CKD undergoing predialysis AVF .

Results

They were observed for the frequencies of dialysis initiation, death before dialysis initiation, and dialysis-free survival for 2 years after vascular access creation. 45.6 % were diabetic, 78.9% were hypertensive, and 14.2 % had peripheral vascular disease. In all, 67% of patients with predialysis AVF initiated dialysis within 1 years of access placement, but the overall risk of dialysis initiation was modified by patient age. Only one half of patients initiated dialysis with a functioning AVF, 47.9% of AVFs were created <90 days before dialysis initiation. The primary patency rates were 42.7% at one year and 37.8 % at 2 years. Catheter dependence at dialysis initiation was more common in patients receiving predialysis AVF. In conclusion, most elderly patients with advanced CKD who received predialysis vascular access creation initiated dialysis within 1 year. As a consequence of late predialysis placement or maturation failure, almost one half of patients receiving AVFs initiated dialysis with a catheter.

Conclusion

Insertion of an AVF closer to dialysis initiation may serve as a “catheter-sparing” approach and allow delay of permanent access placement in selected elderly patients with CKD.

P1048EMPHYSEMATOUS PYELONEPHRITIS IN TYPE 2 DIABETES -CLINICAL PROFILE AND MANAGEMENT

Background and Aims

Emphysematous pyelonephritis (EPN) is a rare but life-threatening acute suppurative infection of the kidney.60-70% are associated with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (DM) with or without obstructive uropathy and superimposed with infection caused by gas-forming organisms. Conventional treatment of EPN is parenteral antibiotics with percutaneous or open surgical drainage and/or nephrectomy. There is no current consensus on management of EPN as to whether present day antibiotics alone good enough or is surgical intervention necessary and if surgical intervention required when should one go for nephrectomy.

Method

A prospective observational study was conducted at Tertiary care hospital, Lucknow from 2015-2018 to look for clinical, microbial profile and treatment outcome of diabetic patients with emphysematous pyelonephritis.The clinical features and laboratory data at the initial presentation, management and outcomes were analyzed .Contrast enhanced computerized tomography (CECT) was performed in case of suspected renal abscess and nonrecovering pyelonephritis

Results

A total of 76 Diabetic patients diagnosed with pyelonephritis were identified, of which 15 patients were diagnosed with EPN (26.3%) Renal papillary necrosis and renal abscess was seen in 1 and 3 patients, respectively. The mean age of the patients was 58.4 ± 6.5 years (age range 22-79 years). Pyelonephritis was more common among males. Duration of symptoms prior to hospitalization ranged from 16.34 ± 7.32 (range 8-32) days. Renal dysfunction at presentation was seen in 15 (100%) patients. Bilateral involvement was seen in 5 (33.3%) patients. Fever was the most common presenting symptom followed by dysuria. Urine and blood cultures were positive in 13 (88.3%) and 3 (20 %) patients respectively. Gram-negative bacilli were the most frequent organisms isolated, Escherichia coli in 11 (73.3%), Klebsiella sp. in 1 (6.6%), Pseudomonas in 1 (6.6%), and 1 each with polymicrobial and fungal UTI respectively. The fungus included Candida albicans managed with fluconazole. Good, moderate, and poor glycemic control was seen in 13 (12.3%), 16 (15.2%) and 76 (72.3%), respectively.Of 15 EPN patients, 13 (86.6 %) survived and 2 (13.3%) expired. 2 of them underwent Nephrectomy both survived.All patients with Stage I, II and IIIa EPN (n = 12) were managed with antibiotics with or without PCD. In EPN Stage IIIb/IV (n = 3), all the 3 (20 %) patients were managed with antibiotics and PCD and later 2 (13.3%) needed nephrectomy.Of different variable only altered sensorium and shock at presentation were associated with poor outcome in EPN patients (P < 0.05)

Conclusion

EPN in diabetics needs good multidisciplinary approach with adequate antibiotics and surgical management as and well required for better patient outcomes.

Optical-vortex diagnostics via Fraunhofer slit diffraction with controllable wavefront curvature

Far-field slit diffraction of circular optical-vortex (OV) beams is efficient for measurement of the topological charge (TC) magnitude but does not reveal its sign. We show that this is because in the common diffraction schemes the diffraction plane coincides with the incident OV waist plane. Based on the examples of Laguerre-Gaussian incident beams containing a spherical wavefront component, we demonstrate that the far-field diffracted beam profile possesses an asymmetry depending on the incident wavefront curvature and the TC sign. This finding enables simple and efficient ways for the simultaneous diagnostics of the TC magnitude and sign, which can be useful in many OV applications, including OV-assisted metrology and information processing.

Correction: Photocatalytic antibacterial performance of TiO2 and Ag-doped TiO2 against S. aureus. P. aeruginosa and E. coli

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.4.40.].

Nodeless s-wave superconductivity in the [Formula: see text]-Mn structure type noncentrosymmetric superconductor TaOs: a [Formula: see text]SR study

Noncentrosymmetric superconductors can lead to a variety of exotic properties in the superconducting state such as line nodes, multigap behavior, and time-reversal symmetry breaking. In this paper, we report the properties of a new noncentrosymmetric superconductor TaOs, using muon spin relaxation and rotation measurements. It is shown using the zero-field muon experiment that TaOs preserve the time-reversal symmetry in the superconducting state. From the transverse field muon measurements, we extract the temperature dependence of [Formula: see text], which is proportional to the superfluid density. This data can be fit with a fully gapped s-wave model for [Formula: see text]  =  2.01 [Formula: see text] 0.02. Furthermore, the value of magnetic penetration depth is found to be 5919 [Formula: see text] 45 [Formula: see text], which is consistent with the value obtained from the bulk measurements.

P41 Correlation of doppler ultrasound assessment of carotid femoral pulse wave velocity with coronary artery disease

Funding Acknowledgements

self

Background

Arterial stiffness is an important cardiovascular risk factor. Carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) is simple noninvasive  method to determine aortic stiffness. Arterial stiffness measures, cfPWV in particular,  have been found to be correlate with stroke and peripheral artery disease. Usually SphygmoCor or Complior are used to calculate cfPWV. Doppler ultrasound can serve as an alternative to these methods. 

Purpose

To assess cfPWV using doppler ultrasound and study its correlation with coronary artery disease and its severity. 

Methods

cfPWV was assessed by ultrasound Doppler in patient aged 20-70 years undergoing coronary angiography.  cfPWV was measured by sequential recordings of arterial pressure waveform at the carotid and femoral arteries with a Doppler ultrasound with ECG gating and calculated as the distance between the carotid and the femoral sampling site divided by the time interval. 

Result

Of the 358 subjects studied, 243 had coronary artery disease(CAD) (>50% diameter stenosis) and were further divided into single, double or triple vessel disease groups. 115 patients  had mild CAD (< 50% stenosis) or no CAD and served as controls. Baseline characteristics were similar except diabetes (more common in CAD group)(39.09% v/s 27.82%). cfPWV was found to increase with age in all groups. cfPWV was not significantly affected  by sex, diabetes, dyslipidemia, BMI, smoking or hypothyroidism. Mean cfPWV was significantly higher in patients with CAD (8.99 v/s 6.51 m/s, p < 0.001) and hypertensives (8.71 v/s 7.83 m/s, p < 0.001). Patients with triple vessel disease(TVD) had significantly higher cfPWV (10.12 m/s) than those with double(DVD)(8.84 m/s) or single vessel disease(SVD)(8.28m/s)(p < 0.001). Multinomial logistic regression revealed an odds ratio of 2.00, 2.375 and 3.368 respectively for SVD, DVD and TVD groups in comparison to controls (p < 0.001). cfPWV value > 7.25 m/s predicted CAD with sensitivity 78.6 % and specificity 74.8% (AUC =0.848, P < 0.001). 

Conclusion

Carotid femoral pulse wave velocity can be measured noninvasively by ultrasound Doppler. cfPWV increases with age and hypertension and has strong correlation with coronary artery disease and its severity. The cfPWV can be an independent risk factor and may be utilized for cardiovascular risk prediction.

Abstract P41 Figure. cfPWV in various subgroups.

Karnal Bunt: A Re-Emerging Old Foe of Wheat

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop health assumes unprecedented significance in being the second most important staple crop of the world. It is host to an array of fungal pathogens attacking the plant at different developmental stages and accrues various degrees of yield losses owing to these. Tilletia indica that causes Karnal bunt (KB) disease in wheat is one such fungal pathogen of high quarantine importance restricting the free global trade of wheat besides the loss of grain yield as well as quality. With global climate change, the disease appears to be shifting from its traditional areas of occurrence with reports of increased vulnerabilities of new areas across the continents. This KB vulnerability of new geographies is of serious concern because once established, the disease is extremely difficult to eradicate and no known instance of its complete eradication using any management strategy has been reported yet. The host resistance to KB is the most successful as well as preferred strategy for its mitigation and control. However, breeding of KB resistant wheat cultivars has proven to be not so easy, and the low success rate owes to the scarcity of resistance sources, extremely laborious and regulated field screening protocols delaying identification/validation of putative resistance sources, and complex quantitative nature of resistance with multiple genes conferring only partial resistance. Moreover, given a lack of comprehensive understanding of the KB disease epidemiology, host-pathogen interaction, and pathogen evolution. Here, in this review, we attempt to summarize the progress made and efforts underway toward a holistic understanding of the disease itself with a specific focus on the host-pathogen interaction between T. indica and wheat as key elements in the development of resistant germplasm. In this context, we emphasize the tools and techniques being utilized in development of KB resistant germplasm by illuminating upon the genetics concerning the host responses to the KB pathogen including a future course. As such, this article could act as a one stop information primer on this economically important and re-emerging old foe threatening to cause devastating impacts on food security and well-being of communities that rely on wheat.

Association Mapping of Seedling Resistance to Tan Spot (Pyrenophora tritici-repentis Race 1) in CIMMYT and South Asian Wheat Germplasm

Tan spot caused by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Ptr) is an important disease of wheat in many wheat producing areas of the world. A genome wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using 11,401 SNP markers of the Illumina Infinium 15K Bead Chip with whole genome coverage to identify genomic regions associated with resistance to tan spot in a diverse panel of 184 wheat genotypes originating from South Asia and CIMMYT. The GWAS panel was phenotyped for seedling resistance to tan spot with Ptr race 1 in two greenhouse experiments. Besides CIMMYT germplasm, several lines from South Asia (India, Bangladesh and Nepal) showed good degree of resistance to tan spot. Association mapping was conducted separately for individual experiments and for pooled data using mixed linear model (MLM) and Fixed and random model Circulating Probability Unification (FarmCPU) model; no significant MTAs were recorded through the MLM model, whereas FarmCPU model reported nine significant MTAs located on chromosomes 1B, 2A, 2B, 3B, 4A, 5A, 5B, 6A, and 7D. The long arms of chromosomes 5A and 5B were consistent across both environments, in which the Vrn-A1 locus was found in identified region of chromosome 5A, and MTA at IACX9261 on 5BL appears to represent the resistance gene tsn 1. MTAs observed on chromosomes 1B, 2A, 2B, 3B, 4A, 6A, and 7D have not been reported previously and are likely novel.

Observing sub-Poissonian statistics of twisted single photons using oscilloscope

Heralded single photon sources (HSPSs) from spontaneous parametric down-conversion are widely used as single photon sources. We study the photon number statistics of an HSPS carrying orbital angular momentum in our laboratory and observe the sub-Poissonian statistics using only photodetectors and an oscilloscope.

Characterization of QTLs for Seedling Resistance to Tan Spot and Septoria Nodorum Blotch in the PBW343/Kenya Nyangumi Wheat Recombinant Inbred Lines Population

Tan spot (TS) and Septoria nodorum blotch (SNB) induced by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis and Parastagonospora nodorum, respectively, cause significant yield losses and adversely affect grain quality. The objectives of this study were to decipher the genetics and map the resistance to TS and SNB in the PBW343/Kenya Nyangumi (KN) population comprising 204 F6 recombinant inbred lines (RILs). Disease screening was performed at the seedling stage under greenhouse conditions. TS was induced by P. tritici-repentis isolate MexPtr1 while SNB by P. nodorum isolate MexSN1. Segregation pattern of the RILs indicated that resistance to TS and SNB in this population was quantitative. Diversity Array Technology (DArTs) and simple sequence repeats (SSRs) markers were used to identify the quantitative trait loci (QTL) for the diseases using inclusive composite interval mapping (ICIM). Seven significant additive QTLs for TS resistance explaining 2.98 to 23.32% of the phenotypic variation were identified on chromosomes 1A, 1B, 5B, 7B and 7D. For SNB, five QTLs were found on chromosomes 1A, 5A, and 5B, explaining 5.24 to 20.87% of the phenotypic variation. The TS QTL on 1B chromosome coincided with the pleiotropic adult plant resistance (APR) gene Lr46/Yr29/Pm39. This is the first report of the APR gene Lr46/Yr29/Pm39 contributing to TS resistance.

Tunable ultraviolet vortex source based on a continuous-wave optical parametric oscillator

We report a continuous-wave (cw) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) generating optical vortices tunable in the ultraviolet (UV). Based on MgO:sPPLT as the nonlinear crystal, the singly resonant OPO is pumped by a cw vortex beam in the green, and deploying intracavity sum-frequency generation (SFG) between the undepleted pump and the Gaussian resonant signal in the crystal of BiB₃O₆, it can generate optical vortices of order, l_uv=1 and 2, tunable across 332-344 nm in the UV with a maximum power of 12 mW. Due to conservation of orbital angular momentum in the parametric process, the OPO also produces a non-resonant idler output beam in a vortex spatial profile of order l_i=1 and 2, identical to the pump vortex, with the signal beam in Gaussian distribution. The idler vortex is tunable across 1172-1338 nm with maximum output power of 1.3 W.

Expression and characterization of the non-structural protein V of small ruminant morbillivirus

Peste-des-petits ruminants is a transboundary viral disease of small ruminants caused by small ruminant morbillivirus (SRMV). In the present study, the full-length V gene of SRMV was constructed through site-directed mutagenesis from the P gene transcripts of the vaccine virus (Sungri/96 India) and expressed in a prokaryotic expression system. In animals, the seroconversion against this protein occurs from 14-days and is getting produced from 48 h in cell culture. An indirect ELISA developed using this protein has a relative sensitivity and relative specificity of 77.73% and 73.775%, respectively as compared to c-ELISA. In this ELISA, it was observed that most of the convalescent animals elicited higher level of antibodies than vaccinated animals.

Phylogenetic analysis of haemagglutinin gene deciphering a new genetically distinct lineage of canine distemper virus circulating among domestic dogs in India

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.

Point contact Andreev reflection studies of a non-centro symmetric superconductor Re6Zr

Re₆Zr, a non-centrosymmetric superconductor is an interesting system as recent experimental evidence suggests that the superconducting state breaks time reversal symmetry. This implies a mixing of spin singlet-triplet states leading to a complex order parameter in this system. Here, we report point contact Andreev Reflection (PCAR) measurements on a single crystal of Re₆Zr (superconducting transition temperature (T_c) = 6.78 K). We observe multiple gap features in the PCAR spectra which depends on the type of tip and contact. Spectral features appear at voltages 1.0 ± 0.1 mV, 0.75 ± 0.05 mV and 0.45 ± 0.1 mV suggesting that there are at least more than one band contributing to superconductivity. However, strong surface inter-band scattering is possibly responsible for the uncertainty in observing them together distinctly in a single contact in the PCAR measurements. Interestingly, the bulk gap (Δ  = 1.95k_BT_c = 1.1 meV) is occasionally observed in PCAR spectra, mostly with ferromagnetic tips. The gap features associated with the other two smaller gaps disappear at the bulk T_c. In addition, no anisotropy in the upper critical field was observed. Our results suggest an unconventional superconducting order in this compound: Multiband singlet states dominated by inter-band pairing which break the time reversal symmetry or singlet mixed with triplet states.

Time-Reversal Symmetry Breaking in Re-Based Superconductors

To trace the origin of time-reversal symmetry breaking (TRSB) in Re-based superconductors, we performed comparative muon-spin rotation and relaxation (μSR) studies of superconducting noncentrosymmetric Re_{0.82}Nb_{0.18} (T_{c}=8.8  K) and centrosymmetric Re (T_{c}=2.7  K). In Re_{0.82}Nb_{0.18}, the low-temperature superfluid density and the electronic specific heat evidence a fully gapped superconducting state, whose enhanced gap magnitude and specific-heat discontinuity suggest a moderately strong electron-phonon coupling. In both Re_{0.82}Nb_{0.18} and pure Re, the spontaneous magnetic fields revealed by zero-field μSR below T_{c} indicate time-reversal symmetry breaking and thus unconventional superconductivity. The concomitant occurrence of TRSB in centrosymmetric Re and noncentrosymmetric ReT (T=transition metal), yet its preservation in the isostructural noncentrosymmetric superconductors Mg_{10}Ir_{19}B_{16} and Nb_{0.5}Os_{0.5}, strongly suggests that the local electronic structure of Re is crucial for understanding the TRSB superconducting state in Re and ReT. We discuss the superconducting order parameter symmetries that are compatible with the experimental observations.

Resistance to Spot Blotch in Two Mapping Populations of Common Wheat Is Controlled by Multiple QTL of Minor Effects

Spot blotch (SB) is an important fungal disease of wheat in South Asia and South America. Host resistance is regarded as an economical and environmentally friendly approach of controlling SB, and the inheritance of resistance is mostly quantitative. In order to gain a better understanding on the SB resistance mechanism in CIMMYT germplasm, two bi-parental mapping populations were generated, both comprising 232 F_2:7 progenies. Elite CIMMYT breeding lines, BARTAI and WUYA, were used as resistant parents, whereas CIANO T79 was used as susceptible parent in both populations. The two populations were evaluated for field SB resistance at CIMMYT’s Agua Fria station for three consecutive years, from the 2012–2013 to 2014–2015 cropping seasons. Phenological traits like plant height (PH) and days to heading (DH) were also determined. Genotyping was performed using the DArTSeq genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) platform, and a few D-genome specific SNPs and those for phenological traits were integrated for analysis. The most prominent quantitative trait locus (QTL) in both populations was found on chromosome 5AL at the Vrn-A1 locus, explaining phenotypic variations of 7–27%. Minor QTL were found on chromosomes 1B, 3A, 3B, 4B, 4D, 5B and 6D in BARTAI and on chromosomes 1B, 2A, 2D and 4B in WUYA, whereas minor QTL contributed by CIANO T79 were identified on chromosome 1B, 1D, 3A, 4B and 7A. In summary, resistance to SB in the two mapping populations was controlled by multiple minor QTL, with strong influence from Vrn-A1.

Grape berry surface bacterial microbiome: impact from the varieties and clones in the same vineyard from central China

AIMS

Bacterial microbiome on grape berry surface may play an important role in grape quality and health. This study aims to investigate the impact of grape varieties and clones on grape berry surface bacterial microbiome from the same vineyard.

METHODS AND RESULTS

High-throughput sequencing strategy was used to investigate the bacterial diversity and abundance on the grape surfaces of 12 clones belonging to six varieties grown in the same vineyard of Zhengzhou Fruit Research Institute in Henan Province. In total, 45 bacterial phyla and 933 genera were detected from all samples. Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were the most abundant and prevalent phyla, while Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria and Planctomycetes were grape clone specific phyla. The nonrank genus from phylum Cyanobacteria occupied 30-81% of grape clones from Italian Riesling (GRX), Cabernet Franc (PLZ), Pinot Blanc (BBN) and Riesling (LSL). Interestingly, Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Lactococcus were the only three prevalent genera found on all the clones. Furthermore, the predicted functional activities of grape surface bacterial communities varied according to the clones.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study revealed that in addition to the grape varieties, the variations in grape clone background may also affect the bacterial microbiome on grape surfaces which may ultimately determine their functional activities.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This research provides an important information for grape planting and wine fermentation that not only the grape varieties need to be paid attention but also grape clones from the specific variety need to be concerned.