Improving Wheat Productivity in Pakistan: Econometric Analysis Using Panel Data from Chaj in the Upper Indus Basin

Abstract

Increasing water scarcity, degradation of land and water resources, continuing low agricultural productivity, and increasing populations are posing the largest ever challenges for development of agricultural economies in many developing countries including Pakistan. Using panel data from irrigated settings in Chaj sub-basin of the Indus basin in Pakistani Punjab, we attempt to: (a) analyze the causes of low productivity; (b) disentangle factors (both land, water and other factors) contributing to productivity variations; and (c) identify limits and opportunities for narrowing productivity gaps and increasing overall wheat production, with a view to enhance food security for the poor. The results of the study indicate that locational inequities in distribution of canal water, use of groundwater of varying quality, differences in use of seed varieties, and other inputs lead to significant variations in wheat productivity. Key implications are that large gains in wheat productivity are possible by (a) improving the production environment at the tail-end through integrated water management practices; (b) adjusting the mix of canal and groundwater use; and (c) using technological interventions to improve the adoption of modern wheat varieties and dissemination of knowledge on planting dates and timings and application rates of inputs, especially water and fertilizer. Not only such interventions are economically, financially, and environmentally desirable, they are also pro-poor. What is needed is a strong political will and commitment.     

The Yellow River Basin: Water Accounting,Water Accounts,and Current Issues

Abstract

There is increasing recognition of the problems facing China in meeting the growing water demand in the Yellow River basin, the “cradle of Chinese Civilization” and a critically important agricultural and industrial region. Meaningful debate on the range and relative costs of options available to policy-makers in addressing the problem depend fundamentally on an accurate understanding of basin water resources. Unfortunately, the ability of outsiders to participate in the de bate and for Chinese, with their long history of water management, to contribute to similar discussions elsewhere in the world is hindered to some extent by a lack of understanding of differences in water accounting systems and concepts. This paper attempts to address this problem by describing the water accounting system used in the Yellow River basin and elsewhere in China. The paper shows that the primary difference between water accounting methodologies in the Yellow River and those typically applied elsewhere is related to supply accounting in general and groundwater accounting in particular. Although not currently included in its water accounting system, Chinese concepts of environmental water use, when included, will also differ substantially from those familiar to outside researchers. In terms of actual Yellow River balances, the paper highlights the apparent declining trend in basin rainfall and runoff and the dramatic growth in industrial and domestic water use. Together declining supply and rising demand will increasingly cause policy-makers to face hard choices in assessing their water planning options. These choices will only become more difficult as managers in the Yellow River, as elsewhere in the world, try to incorporate ecological needs in the water accounting equation.     

Immune Cells in Cutaneous Wound Healing: A Review of Functional Data from Animal Models

The healing of skin wounds involves the activation and recruitment of various immune cell types, many of which are believed to contribute significantly to different aspects of the repair process. Roles for immune cells have been described in practically all stages of wound healing, including hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and scar formation/remodeling. Over the last decade, tools to deplete immune cell populations in animal models have become more advanced, leading to a surge in the number of studies examining the function of specific immune cell types in skin repair. In this review, we will summarize what is known about distinct immune cell types in cutaneous wound healing, with an emphasis on data from animal studies in which specific cell types have been targeted.     

处理器与音视频外设之间的连接

数字信号处理器以需要大量I/O负载的应用为目标,通常为开发人员提供各种集成接口一某些是标准接口,另外一些则是专用接口.例如,美国模拟器件公司(ADI)的Blackfin系列处理器是会聚处理器,这意味着它们在一个芯片上集成了DSP与MCU功能,这些处理器拥有与音频应用相关的两种主要类型的串行接口.该处理器的低比特速率双线接口(TWI)与串行外设接口(SPI)模块是用于音频器件控制与配置的.这些外设接口的前向通道通常用于配置或控制音频转换器,而反向通道则主要负责传输转换器的反馈信息或状态信息.该处理器的高比特速率串行端口外围电路,通常用于执行音频数据传输.     

Catalytic Properties of Bacillus megaterium Amylase

A new amylolytic enzyme from Bacillus megaterium is described, which is produced as a trace contaminant in a complex protein mixture, with β-amylase as the major enzyme. By genetic engineering, the productivity could be increased by a factor 10000, and the enzyme is free of other amylases. Compared to pullulanase, which catalyses pullulan degradation to maltotriose, B. megaterium amylase (BMA) does not attack 1,6-linkages and hydrolyses pullulan exclusively to panose. Furthermore, it hydrolyses crosslinked Phadebas starch, used for determination of α-amylases and it also catalyses transfer reactions. Those are strongly enhanced in presence of suitable acceptors, which can be sugar molecules with the same configuration as dextrose in C2, C3, C4-position. In the industrial dextrose process, about 1% of oligosaccharides remains from starch which is difficult to be hydrolysed, thus reducing yield and quality of the final product. The structure elucidation showed 35% 1,6-linkages being present. These oligosaccharides can be degraded and eliminated by BMA through panosyl transfer to dextrose, under formation of 6³-α-glucosylmaltotriose, which is degraded by glucoamylase to dextrose.     

Zimbro (Juniperus communis L.) as a Promising Source of Bioactive Compounds and Biomedical Activities: A Review on Recent Trends

Plant-derived products and their extracted compounds have been used in folk medicine since early times. Zimbro or common juniper (Juniperus communis) is traditionally used to treat renal suppression, acute and chronic cystitis, bladder catarrh, albuminuria, leucorrhea, and amenorrhea. These uses are mainly attributed to its bioactive composition, which is very rich in phenolics, terpenoids, organic acids, alkaloids, and volatile compounds. In the last few years, several studies have analyzed the huge potential of this evergreen shrub, describing a wide range of activities with relevance in different biomedical discipline areas, namely antimicrobial potential against human pathogens and foodborne microorganisms, notorious antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, antidiabetic, antihypercholesterolemic and antihyperlipidemic effects, and neuroprotective action, as well as antiproliferative ability against cancer cells and the ability to activate inductive hepato-, renal- and gastroprotective mechanisms. Owing to these promising activities, extracts and bioactive compounds of juniper could be useful for the development of new pharmacological applications in the treatment of several acute and chronic human diseases.     

Heterogeneities at multiple length scales in 2D layered materials: From localized defects and dopants to mesoscopic heterostructures

Nano Research - Two-dimensional (2D) materials hold great promise for applications in optoelectronics, quantum information science, and energy conversion due to their remarkable properties imbued...