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This study introduces an approach to validate sampling points for air monitoring in environments where operations generate significant airborne particulate radioactivity. A case study of repair works in a nuclear spent fuel reprocessing facility is used to synthesis and demonstrate the methodology. We use the probability distribution of air activity measurements and the correlation between two sampling points near high particulate generating operations and the ventilation ducts. The methodology developed in this paper can be applied in task-related air monitoring scenarios for validation of sampling points. This will augment internal exposure control measures during works involving physical entries in areas with high potential of escalation of air activity (e.g., during major repairs, during decommissioning of nuclear facilities etc.) and to evaluate the sufficiency of respiratory protection.

Metabolic viability based high throughput assays like MTT and MTS are widely used in assessing the cell viability. However, alteration in both mitochondrial content and metabolism can influence the metabolic viability of cells and radiation is a potential mitochondrial biogenesis inducer. Therefore, we tested if MTT assay is a true measure of radiation induced cell death in widely used cell lines. Radiation induced cellular growth inhibition was performed by enumerating cell numbers and metabolic viability using MTT assay at 24 and 48 hours (hrs) after exposure. The extent of radiation induced reduction in cell number was found to be larger than the decrease in MTT reduction in all the cell lines tested. We demonstrated that radiation induces PGC-1α and TFAM to stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis leading to increased levels of SDH-A and enhanced metabolic viability. Radiation induced disturbance in calcium (Ca 2+ ) homeostasis also plays a crucial role by making the mitochondria hyperactive. These findings suggest that radiation induces mitochondrial biogenesis and hyperactivation leading to increased metabolic viability and MTT reduction. Therefore, conclusions drawn on radiation induced growth inhibition based on metabolic viability assays are likely to be erroneous as it may not correlate with growth inhibition and/or loss of clonogenic survival.

[...]of transcriptional loss of the domestication-driven CWM-associated profilin structural gene (GhPRF1), the cotton plant experiences severe developmental abnormalities in floral organs, predominantly due to disruption of coordinated gene expression profiles of CWM-gene clusters (triads) in the cellular milieu rather than single target gene silencing (Pandey and Chaudhary, 2021). [...]cell wall structural proteins, together with several glycoproteins and enzymes, form a rigid matrix of cellulose (Keegstra, 2010), and CWM genes contribute to maintaining a dynamic cell wall structure during fiber development. [...]the transcriptional loss of PRF gene(s) interfered with the synchronization of gene expression ratios in the “profilin–annexin–actin” (GhPRF1: Accession No.EF143832; GhAnnex3:Accession No.JX897059; and GhAct1: Accession No.AY305723) and “tubulin–expansin–FLA1” (GhTub1: Accession No.AF484959; GhExp1: Accession No.DQ204495; and GhFLA1: Accession No.EF672627) geneic triads, which may account for the observed phenotypic anomalies. Notably, the GhAnnex3 and GhAct1 genes are significantly downregulated in deformed stamen tissues of GhPRF1-RNAi lines (Pandey and Chaudhary, 2019). [...]GhPRF–GhAnnex–GhAct triad gene expression profiles are observed to be highly coordinated in their temporal patterns with intriguing interactions in various cellular contexts and cell types.

Current global agricultural production needs to be increased to feed the unconstrained growing population. The changing climatic condition due to anthropogenic activities also makes the conditions more challenging to meet the required crop productivity in the future. The increase in crop productivity in the post green revolution era most likely became stagnant, or no major enhancement in crop productivity observed. In this review article, we discuss the emerging approaches for the enhancement of crop production along with dealing to the future climate changes like rise in temperature, increase in precipitation and decrease in snow and ice level, etc. At first, we discuss the efforts made for the genetic manipulation of chlorophyll metabolism, antenna engineering, electron transport chain, carbon fixation, and photorespiratory processes to enhance the photosynthesis of plants and to develop tolerance in plants to cope with changing environmental conditions. The application of CRISPR to enhance the crop productivity and develop abiotic stress-tolerant plants to face the current changing climatic conditions is also discussed.

As a vegetable crop, sponge gourd is widely consumed worldwide due to its health promoting and nutraceutical value. This study describes genetics of an aromatic genotype VRSG-7-17 and deciphers the genetic control and volatile compound composition of sponge gourd. To study the inheritance of this trait, a cross was made between aromatic light-green-fruited VRSG-7-17 and non-aromatic dark-green-fruited VRSG-194 genotypes. The F1s were found to be non-aromatic and have a green fruit colour. Chi-square (χ2) analysis of backcross and F2 population segregating for aroma suggested that the inheritance of aroma in VRSG-7-17 is governed by a single recessive gene in a simple Mendelian fashion. The SPME–GC/MS analysis of the volatile compounds suggested that the compounds responsible for Basmati rice-like aroma were mainly hexanal, 1-octen-3-ol, 3-octanone and limonene. The aroma persists in the cooked VRSG-7-17 fruits, that did not lose fragrance traits at high temperatures. The inheritance of fruit colour was found to be controlled by a single gene with incomplete dominance. The segregation analysis showed that the aroma and fruit colour were not linked, and they segregated independently. The findings will lead to understanding the inheritance of the aromatic compounds in the sponge gourd and may be utilised in the breeding programmes for developing improved aromatic varieties.

The incidence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is on the rise, and with limited pharmacological therapy available, identification of new metabolic targets is urgently needed. Oxalate is a terminal metabolite produced from glyoxylate by hepatic lactate dehydrogenase (LDHA). The liver-specific alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase (AGXT) detoxifies glyoxylate, preventing oxalate accumulation. Here we show that AGXT is suppressed and LDHA is activated in livers from patients and mice with MASH, leading to oxalate overproduction. In turn, oxalate promotes steatosis in hepatocytes by inhibiting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) transcription and fatty acid β-oxidation and induces monocyte chemotaxis via C–C motif chemokine ligand 2. In male mice with diet-induced MASH, targeting oxalate overproduction through hepatocyte-specific AGXT overexpression or pharmacological inhibition of LDHA potently lowers steatohepatitis and fibrosis by inducing PPARα-driven fatty acid β-oxidation and suppressing monocyte chemotaxis, nuclear factor-κB and transforming growth factor-β targets. These findings highlight hepatic oxalate overproduction as a target for the treatment of MASH. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of the overproduction of oxalate in the liver alleviates metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis in male mice.

The present study reports the Agrobacterium rhizogenes -mediated hairy root induction in of an ethno-medicinally significant herb –Boerhaavia diffusa L., for elucidating the underlying competence regarding its biosynthetic (i.e. boeravinone B and eupalitin) and bioactivity (antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory) potentials. Host plant-specific receptiveness towards A. rhizogenes strains and disparity in compatibility threshold of leaf and nodal explants were evident. Only leaf explants responded, attaining hairy root induction with the ATCC 15834 followed by A4 and SA79 strains in reducing order of transformation efficiency. The growth behaviours differed amongst independent rhizoclones, and two clones of A4 (RBH) and ATCC 15834 (RBT8) origin demonstrated higher growth potentials. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of rol genes confirmed their transformed nature. Optimization of the appropriate solvent and reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography parameters relating to the targeted metabolite production in the selected RBH and RBT8 clones revealed higher accumulation of eupalitin with the RBH clone having the best result of 1.44 times greater yield over the control root. Compared to the selected rhizoclones, the control roots however showed higher boeravinone B content. Devising a modified “stirred-tank” reactor through equipping with marine impellers and ring spargers facilitated high-density RBH root biomass yield with 6.1-fold and 1.15-fold yield increment of the boeravinone B and eupalitin respectively compared to shake-flask cultures. Considering the control roots, the RBH clone revealed analogous antioxidant/antibacterial activities with improved anti-inflammatory potential. The hairy root mediated higher production of boeravinone B and eupalitin could be achieved for the first time in bioreactor.

Present study aimed to investigate the group favoritism and perceived discrimination which plays a major role in inter group behavior. It was hypothesized that negatively valuated group or category feel more perceived discrimination and adopted out group favoritism. One hundred twenty students (40 Gen, 40 OBC, 40 SC/ST) of Gorakhpur university were administered two standardized questionnaire- Social stereotypes scale and Perceived discrimination questionnaire. Results reveal that student of general category adopted in group favoritism and less perceived discrimination. Students of SC/ST category manifested out- group favoritism and feel highest perceived discrimination. Findings were explained with the help of social identity and social justification theory.

The present study characterises sorption of two pesticides, namely, paraquat (PQ) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) by an Oscillatoria sp.-dominated cyanobacterial mat. Sorption of PQ onto the test mat was not significantly affected by the pH of the solution within the pH range 2-7. However, 2,4-D sorption was strongly influenced by the solution pH and was maximum at pH 2. Whereas PQ sorption increased with increase in temperature, 2,4-D sorption showed an opposite trend. The sorption of PQ and 2,4-D achieved equilibrium within 1 h of incubation, independent of concentration of pesticide and mat biomass in the solution. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model better defined PQ sorption than the pseudo-first-order model, whereas 2,4-D sorption was well defined by both the models. Sorption isotherms of both the pesticides showed L-type curve. Freundlich model more precisely defined PQ sorption than Langmuir model, thereby suggesting heterogeneous distribution of PQ binding sites onto the biomass surface. However, the Langmuir model more correctly defined 2,4-D sorption, thus, indicating homogeneous distribution of 2,4-D binding sites onto the biomass surface. The test biomass is a good sorbent for the removal of PQ because it could, independent of pH of the solution, sorb substantial amount of PQ (q max = 0.13 mmol g⁻¹).

On the lines of the huge and varied efforts in the field of automation with respect to technology development and innovation of vehicles to make them run autonomously, this paper presents an innovation to a bicycle. A normal daily use bicycle was modified at low cost such that it runs autonomously, while maintaining its original form i.e. the manual drive. Hence, a bicycle which could be normally driven by any human and with a press of switch could run autonomously according to the needs of the user has been developed.