Potential,constraints and applications of in vitro methods in improving grain legumes

Grain legumes, the important constituents of sustainability‐based cropping systems and energy‐limited vegetarian diets have long been the subject of scientific research. Tremendous technological strides were made in the so‐called orphan crops, in terms of both varietal improvement and generation of basic information. Despite recalcitrancy and high genotype dependency, in vitro culture techniques such as organogenesis, in vitro mutagenesis, embryo rescue and in vitro gene transfer have been deployed for improvement of several grain legumes and these played an important role in introgression of desirable genes from related and distant species and creation of additional genetic variability. Stable and reproducible regeneration protocols resulted in the development of genetically modified chickpea, pigeon pea, cowpea, mungbean, etc., while embryo rescue was deployed successfully for recovery of interspecific recombinants, a few of them exploited for the development of commercial cultivars. Nevertheless, doubled haploidy witnessed limited success and protoplast regeneration and in vitro mutagenesis remained of academic interest. The present review focuses on the progress, achievements, constraints and perspectives of using in vitro technology in grain legume improvement.     

iRhom2 regulation of TACE controls TNF-mediated protection against Listeria and responses to LPS

Innate immune responses are vital for pathogen defense but can result in septic shock when excessive. A key mediator of septic shock is tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), which is shed from the plasma membrane after cleavage by the TNFα convertase (TACE). We report that the rhomboid family member iRhom2 interacted with TACE and regulated TNFα shedding. iRhom2 was critical for TACE maturation and trafficking to the cell surface in hematopoietic cells. Gene-targeted iRhom2-deficient mice showed reduced serum TNFα in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and could survive a lethal LPS dose. Furthermore, iRhom2-deficient mice failed to control the replication of Listeria monocytogenes. Our study has identified iRhom2 as a regulator of innate immunity that may be an important target for modulating sepsis and pathogen defense.     

Probiotics in aquaculture: The need, principles and mechanisms of action and screening processes

Aquaculture production of molluscs is worth US$11 billion per year and represents 65% of World mollusc product. A significant limitation to the industry is loss of stock through bacterial disease. Traditional methods to combat disease with antibiotics have been questioned and alternatives have been sought. The field of probiotics as well as the screening methods used to acquire probiotic strains for the alternative management of disease in aquaculture is discussed. This review provides a comprehensive summary of probiotics in aquaculture with special reference to mollusc culture.     

Social isolation of goats: significance of visual contact with conspecifics on behavioral and physiological responses

Social isolation can increase distress in goats, particularly when they cannot maintain visual contact with conspecifics. This experiment was conducted to determine the behavioral and physiological responses in goats during isolation with or without visual contact with conspecifics. Male Spanish goats (uncastrated, 8 mo old, average weight 29.4 ± 0.59 kg) were randomly assigned to a control (CO) group with no isolation or to one of four isolation treatment (TRT) pens (1.5 × 1.5 m) with: 1) open grill panels but with no visual contact with conspecifics (IO), 2) covered grill to prevent visual contact (IC), 3) open grill with visual contact (IV), or 4) covered grill with a 30 × 30 cm window to allow visual contact (IW), for 90 min of social isolation (n = 12 goats per TRT). Blood samples were collected at 0, 30, 60, and 90 min (Time) from isolated and control goats. The experiment was repeated 1 wk later using the same animals, with each goat being subjected to the same isolation TRT the second time to study the effect of prior exposure to isolation. Friedman’s two-way analysis of variance by Ranks test in SAS showed that the median frequency of vocalization (rank score) in goats was high in the IO group, low in the IV and IW groups, and intermediate in the IC group (P < 0.01). The vocalization rank score was also higher (P < 0.01) during the first 30 min of isolation in goats. The median frequency of visual contact was higher in the IW group than in the IV group (P < 0.01). The frequency of climbing behavior was high in the IC and IO groups, low in the IV group, and intermediate in the IW group (P < 0.01). Repeated measures analysis using general linear models procedures in SAS revealed that plasma cortisol and glucose concentrations tended (P < 0.1) to be the highest in the IO group than in CO, IC, IV, and IW groups. Cortisol levels were also higher (Time; P < 0.05) at 0 and 90 min compared with 30 and 60 min. Norepinephrine concentrations decreased (P < 0.05) with Time, and plasma nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels were affected by TRT × Time interaction (P < 0.01). Overall, epinephrine, norepinephrine, glucose, and NEFA concentrations were lower (P < 0.01) and cortisol concentrations and lymphocyte counts were higher (P < 0.01) when goats were exposed to isolation the second time. The results showed that goats with no visual contact with conspecifics during social isolation had greater physiological stress responses and spent more time vocalizing or trying to escape the pen, which may indicate distress.     

Synthesis of self-pillared zeolite nanosheets by repetitive branching

Hierarchical zeolites are a class of microporous catalysts and adsorbents that also contain mesopores, which allow for fast transport of bulky molecules and thereby enable improved performance in petrochemical and biomass processing. We used repetitive branching during one-step hydrothermal crystal growth to synthesize a new hierarchical zeolite made of orthogonally connected microporous nanosheets. The nanosheets are 2 nanometers thick and contain a network of 0.5-nanometer micropores. The house-of-cards arrangement of the nanosheets creates a permanent network of 2- to 7-nanometer mesopores, which, along with the high external surface area and reduced micropore diffusion length, account for higher reaction rates for bulky molecules relative to those of other mesoporous and conventional MFI zeolites.     

National Forest Policy in India: Critique of Targets and Implementation

For any country, the forest policy is an important guideline to maintain forest resources and their interaction with other land uses. India devised its first National Forest Policy (NFP) back in 1894. There has been a paradigm shift from timber production to forest conservation followed by community-based agroforestry and social forestry bringing a change in perspective towards forest resources. This change has been socio-economic, cultural and ecological. Since the 1952 NFP, there has been an advocacy for 33% forest cover with a 60% forest cover in mountainous and hilly regions. This objective was reiterated in the NFP 1988 and also confirmed in the National Forestry Commission report in 2006. This paper reviews the probable reasons for these targets. This paper also analyzes forest cover trends at state level and assesses the likelihood of meeting the prescribed policy targets under present perspective of land use practices. Only three Indian states meet the prescribed policy, while three more have the potential to do so, if their state wasteland area is afforested. Among the rest, a few states may achieve the 33% goal provided land conversion to tree cover is not hindered, and adequate resources are available at state level. The Planning Commission (XI Five-year Plan, 2007–12) has emphasized inclusion of other natural ecosystems (including treeless areas and trees outside forests) to forest cover. The paper also examines the above prescribed targets in light of the Planning Commission recommendations. It is argued that that the NFP should be re-visited and revised to meet the targets, along with setting a more realistic and attainable target for Indian forest and tree cover.     

Pathogenic threats and probiotic use in larviculture of the scallop,Pecten maximus

During a series of experiments, bacteriological elements in scallop larval rearing were investigated: larvae susceptibility to pathogens as a function of their age, and the use of probiotic bacteria during larviculture. Younger larvae (d5 PF) were highly more susceptible to pathogenic‐challenge than their older siblings, which were challenged at an older age (d15 PF). A challenge with 10⁴ CFU mL^?1 of V. pectenicida killed 100% of d5 PF larvae 7 days following challenge, yet killed only 9% of d15 PF larvae 9 days following challenge. Use of the probiotics Phaeobacter gallaeciensis, Alteromonas macleodii 0444 and Neptunomonas sp. 0536, provided for larger larvae, a high yield of competent larvae and, perhaps more importantly, protection against pathogen‐challenge similar to levels achieved from antibiotic use. When challenged with V. pectenicida, d29 survivals were 20.3%, 85.1% and 75.0% respectively for control (no probiotic), antibiotic treated, and ‘probiotic mix’ administered larvae. Use of potential probiotic Pseudoalteromonas sp. D41 appeared to hinder scallop larvae. Future use of probiotics in scallop larval rearing would benefit from combined use of P. gallaeciensis, A. macleodii 0444 and Neptunomonas sp. 0536.