A rapid tissue testing methodology for optimum potassium fertilization of potato grown under subtropical short-day conditions

Field experiments were conducted at the Central Potato Research Station, Jalandhar (Punjab) during 1989–90 and 1990–91 on a sandy loam soil (Typic Ustochrept) to develop a tissue testing methodology for determining the optimum dose of K to be applied as a side dressing at the time of earthing up, based on leaf tissue analysis. The sixteen treatments consisted of all combinations of four levels of K applied as basal at planting and as side dressing at the time of earthing-up (30 days after planting (DAP) in two potato cultivars, Kufri Jyoti and Kufri Chandramukhi. The combined application of basal and side dressed K was superior in increasing tuber yield of potato compared to their individual application. The concentration of K in leaf blade or petiole at the early stages (29–40 DAP) was more related to basal K than to basal+ side dressed K, while at the later stages (40–60 DAP) it was more related to basal+side dressed K than to basal K. This suggests the need to apply both basal as well as side-dressed K to maintain a high K concentration in the leaf tissues throughout the crop growth cycle.A methodology to estimate the optimum dose of K to be side dressed from leaf tissue analysis is described. Critical K concentrations in leaf tissues at different growth stages are reported for both potato cultivars.     

Clinical and genetic analysis of a distinct autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia

OBJECTIVE: To characterize a distinct form of spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) clinically and genetically. BACKGROUND: The SCAs are a genetically heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders affecting the cerebellum and its connections. The mutations for SCA1, 2, 3, 6, and 7 have been identified and shown to be due to expansion of a CAG repeat in the coding region of these genes. Two additional SCA loci on chromosomes 16 and 11 have been designated SCA4 and SCA5. However, up to 20% of individuals with autosomal dominant forms of ataxias cannot be assigned any of these genotypes, implying the presence of other unidentified genes that may be involved in the development of ataxia. METHODS: We ascertained and clinically characterized a six-generation pedigree segregating an autosomal dominant trait for SCA. We performed direct mutation analysis and linkage analysis for all known SCA loci. RESULTS: The mutation analysis excludes SCA1, 2, 3, 6, and 7, and genetic linkage analysis excludes SCA4 and SCA5 (multipoint location scores < -2 across the candidate region). Clinical analysis of individuals in this family shows that all affected members have dysarthria, gait and limb ataxia, and nystagmus. No individuals have major brainstem or long-tract findings. Analysis of age at disease onset through multiple generations suggests anticipation. CONCLUSION: This pedigree represents a genetically distinct form of SCA with a phenotype characterized by predominantly cerebellar symptoms and signs.     

Haematological and biochemical studies on experimental Theileria annulata infection in crossbred calves

The aim of the present study was to clarify the effects of O2 diffusion limitation resulting from hypoxic interventions on O2 uptake (V.O2) in unloaded (that is, near-zero initial force) and loaded skeletal muscle in a high-frequency stimulation. We measured V.O2, muscle venous PO2 (PvO2) and initial force in gastrocnemius-plantaris muscle in situ of anesthetized dogs: (1) during hypoxic hypoxia at 1 Hz tetanic stimulation, and (2) during hypoxia induced by the perfusion with high O2-affinity erythrocytes (having a low value of PO2 at 50% saturation of hemoglobin (P50)) at 4 Hz twitch stimulation. Averaged unloaded V.O2 during normoxia was 10.2 ml.min-1.100 g-1 at averaged blood flow of 74 ml.min-1.100 g-1 (n = 6). Hypoxic hypoxia of a decreased O2 delivery (arterial O2 concentration x flow) significantly decreased both unloaded and loaded V.O2 with a decrease in PvO2 (p<0.05). The unloaded V.O2 was reduced to 8.5 ml.min-1.100 g-1. Low P50-hypoxia decreased V.O2 at high and low initial force conditions with a decrease in PvO2 (p<0.05) at the same O2 delivery. If these decreases in V.O2 correspond with a decrease in V.O2 at zero initial force (unloaded V.O2), the unloaded V.O2 value is calculated to be 7.57 ml.min-1.100 g-1 from V. O2-initial force data. Despite the different conditions of O2 delivery, the unloaded V.O2 decreased by both hypoxia showed similar values. Thus the decreased unloaded V.O2 does not seem to be derived from only the limited O2 delivery. Some other factors such as the limitation of O2 diffusion may contribute to the decreased V.O2.     

Deep Learning Based Analog Beamforming Design for Millimetre Wave Massive MIMO System

Software-defined networking (SDN) is a new approach that overcomes the obstacles which are faced by conventional networking architecture. The core idea of SDN is to separate the control plane from the data plane. This idea improves the network in many ways, such as efficient utilization of resources, better management of the network, reduced cost, innovation with new evolution, and many others. To manage all these changes, there is a great need for an efficient controller to improve the utilization of resources for the better performance of the network. The controller is also responsible for the analysis and monitoring of real-time data traffic. There is a great need for a high-performance controller in networking industries, data centres, academia, and research due to the tremendous growth of distributed processing-based real time applications. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the performance of an open-source controller to provide efficient traffic routing, leading to improved utilization of resources for the enhanced performance metrics of the network. The paper presents an implementation of SDN architecture using an open-source RYU SDN controller for the network traffic analysis. The proposed work evaluates the performance of SDN architecture based custom network topology for a node to node performance parameters such as bandwidth, throughput and roundtrip time, etc. The simulation results exhibit an improved performance of the proposed work in comparison to the existing default network topology for SDN.

     

Particle coarsening behavior of α-β titanium alloys

A systematic study was undertaken to develop particle coarsening relationships in terms of time, temperature, and volume percents of phases and to determine the rate-controlling mechanisms for the coarsening of α-β Ti-Mn and Ti-V alloys. This investigation is confined to equiaxed-type α+ β microstructures. For a given alloy anc te nperature, the coarsening of particles refers to the growth of particles under essentially constant volume percents of the component phases. The coarsening exponents increased from 0 24 to 0.29 and from 0.28 to 0.32 for Ti-V and Ti-Mn systems, respectively, when the temperature was increased from 973 to 1073 K. In addition, it was found that the activation energy chances as the temperature is increased from 973 to 1108 K for the Ti-Mn system. Based on these results, it is suggested that the rate-controlling mechanism for particle coarsening changes from mixed (bulk + grain-boundary) diffusion control toward bulk diffusion control when the temperature is increased from 973 to 1108 K for the Ti-Mn system. Similarly, for the Ti-V system, it is suggested that the rate-controlling mechanism changes from grain-boundary diffusion control toward mixed diffusion control when the temperature is increased from 973 to 1073 K. These results clearly indicate that the rate-controlling mechanism depends on temperture as well as the diffusivities of the alloying elements. This paper is based on a presentation made in the symposium “Interfaces and Surfaces of Titanium Materials” presented at the 1988 TMS/AIME fall meeting in Chicago, IL, September 25–29, 1988, under the auspices of the TMS Titanium Committee.     

Transgenic monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in pancreatic islets produces monocyte-rich insulitis without diabetes: abrogation by a second transgene expressing systemic MCP-1

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a CC chemokine that attracts monocytes and T lymphocytes in vitro; however, its in vivo functions are poorly understood. To address this question, we constructed transgenic mice expressing MCP-1 controlled by an insulin promoter. These mice developed a chronic insulitic infiltrate composed of F4/80+ monocytes with minor populations of CD4+, CD8+, and B220+ cells. Despite persistent transgene expression, the insulitis never progressed, and blood glucose levels remained normal. Thus, MCP-1 alone is sufficient to elicit a monocytic infiltrate, but not to activate elicited cells. These results differ from those obtained with another transgenic model using the mouse mammary tumor virus long terminal repeat, in which mice expressed substantial MCP-1 in several organs but had no infiltrates. However, mice expressing both transgenes had minimal insulitis, indicating that high systemic levels of MCP-1 prevented monocytes from responding to local MCP-1. Thus, the ability of MCP-1 to elicit monocytic infiltration depends on its being expressed at low levels in an anatomically restricted area.     

Effect of processing on thiamin and riboflavin contents of some high-yielding rice varieties of punjab

Six high-yielding varieties of rice (Oryza sativa L) were taken and subjected to 6 and 8% degree of milling. The raw rice and the parboiled rice were analysed microbiologically for thiamin and riboflavin contents. Milled parboiled rice contained more thiamin and riboflavin that milled raw rice at both the levels of milling because parboiling of paddy results in inward diffusion of water-soluble vitamins to the endosperm. The thiamin content of brown rice is reduced after parboiling. The loss may be due to the partial decomposition of thiamin during the stages of parboiling, but the riboflavin content of brown rice is found to be increased after parboiling.