Coupling of action potential activity between unmyelinated fibers in the peripheral nerve of monkey

Bidirectional coupling of action potential activity occurs between unmyelinated fibers in the normal peripheral nerve of monkey. The site of coupling is near the cutaneous nociceptive receptor associated with one of the fibers. This coupling could be due to an electrical synapse and could provide the basis for the flare associated with the axon reflex.     

A Shark Liver Gene-Derived Active Peptide Expressed in the Silkworm,Bombyx mori: Preliminary Studies for Oral Administration of the Recombinant Protein

Active peptide from shark liver (APSL) is a cytokine from Chiloscyllium plagiosum that can stimulate liver regeneration and protects the pancreas. To study the effect of orally administered recombinant APSL (rAPSL) on an animal model of type 2 diabetes mellitus, the APSL gene was cloned, and APSL was expressed in Bombyx mori N cells (BmN cells), silkworm larvae and silkworm pupae using the silkworm baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS). It was demonstrated that rAPSL was able to significantly reduce the blood glucose level in mice with type 2 diabetes induced by streptozotocin. The analysis of paraffin sections of mouse pancreatic tissues revealed that rAPSL could effectively protect mouse islets from streptozotocin-induced lesions. Compared with the powder prepared from normal silkworm pupae, the powder prepared from pupae expressing rAPSL exhibited greater protective effects, and these results suggest that rAPSL has potential uses as an oral drug for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in the future.     

An integrated multivariate approach to net blotch of barley: Virulence quantification,pathotyping and a breeding strategy for disease resistance

Knowledge of pathotype diversity and virulence in local populations of Pyrenophora teres is a prerequisite to screening for durable resistance to net blotch. The current study aimed to quantify the virulence level of Moroccan isolates, identify and designate existing pathotypes, and select resistant genotypes. We developed a method for virulence quantification of P. teres isolates based on a conversion of infection responses into frequencies for use in correspondence analysis. Coordinates of the first axis of this analysis had a virulence spectrum and ranked isolates from virulent to avirulent. Mixed model analysis was also devised for virulence quantification. Coordinates of the first dimension of correspondence analysis were linearly correlated to BLUPs (Best Linear Unbiased Predictors) of the mixed model. A genotype by genotype by environment model (GGE) coupled with cluster analysis differentiated P. teres isolates into ten and nine pathotypes for net- and spot-forms respectively. Populations of these two forms were dissimilar in terms of classes of virulence. For P. teres f. maculata, avirulent, moderately virulent and highly virulent isolates represented one-third of the population, whereas 90% of P. teres f. teres population was composed of avirulent to moderately avirulent isolates. Barley differential sets were subsequently reduced to two new sets that simplified pathotyping through a key code based on resistant or susceptible reactions. Dendrograms of cluster analysis based on GGE analysis depicted the stability of a genotype’s reactions across all isolates, and using only resistant cultivars as sources of resistance to control net blotch disease would, based on this analysis, fail to control all pathotypes. Therefore, we propose an alternative breeding strategy to control net blotch effectively.     

Epidemiological Investigation of Brackish Water Culture Systems in West Bengal,India

An epidemiological investigation was done in brackish water culture systems in three coastal districts of West Bengal. A total of 198 farms were randomly surveyed with a structured questionnaire. The data showed that there was a significant difference in outbreak of white spot disease (WSD) (p < 0.01), shell-associated problems (p < 0.01), and gill-associated problems (p < 0.05) among the culture systems. Among all systems, stunted and uneven growth and white fecal disease (only in shrimp monoculture) were the dominant emerging disorders. WSD remained the most prevalent disease. Some farms tested (polymerase chain reaction [PCR]) positive for WSD, but the animals were apparently healthy. Chlorination, use of PCR screening, application of immunostimulants, and strict bio-security measures play major roles in containing disease outbreaks.     

Polymorphism of growth hormone receptor (<Emphasis Type="Italic">GHR</Emphasis>) gene in Nilagiri sheep

The allelic variation in the regulatory sequence of growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene influences the growth traits of sheep. A study was carried out to find out the polymorphisms associated with exon 10 of GHR gene and its association with growth traits of Nilagiri sheep. The blood samples were collected from Nilagiri sheep (n?=?103) reared at Sheep Breeding Research Station, Sandynallah, Tamil Nadu, India. DNA was isolated using the phenol-chloroform extraction procedure and eight samples having amplified product of part of exon 10 (895 bp) sequenced. The results indicated transitions of nucleotide G>A at loci G177624A and G177878A. The genotyping frequencies estimated using the tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-PCR for GG, GA and AA were 0.262, 0.544 and 0.194, and 0.349, 0.505 and 0.146, respectively. The estimated allele frequencies of G and A nucleotides were 0.5340 and 0.4660, and 0.6015 and 0.3985, respectively, at loci G177624A and G177878A. The effects of both the mutations on growth-related traits viz., birth, weaning (3 months) 6, 9 and 12 months weight in Nilagiri sheep were found to be non-significant. This can be a novel approach to assess growth of sheep using the mutation in GHR gene. Thus, this approach can be useful for further investigation as a molecular marker associated with genetic improvement.     

Genotypic variability among cotton cultivars for heat and drought tolerance using reproductive and physiological traits

Development of rapid and inexpensive screening tools for heat and drought stress tolerance is needed and will be helpful in cotton breeding programs and selecting cultivars for a niche environment. In this study, several pollen-based traits at optimum and high temperatures and physiological parameters measured during the boll-filling period were used to evaluate variability among the cultivars for heat and drought stresses. Principal component analysis and drought stress response index methods were used to categorize cotton cultivars into three heat and drought tolerant clusters. Based on the combined analysis, PX532211WRF has been identified as heat- and drought-tolerant, and would be expected to perform better under both heat- and drought-stressed environments. A poor correlation between reproductive and physiological indices indicates that screening breeders have to use different traits to screen cultivars for reproductive and vegetative tolerance. Identified traits could serve as valuable screening tools in cotton breeding programs aimed at developing genotypes to a changing climate. Moreover, cultivar-dependent relative scores will aid in the identification of cultivars best suited to niche environments to alleviate the influences of abiotic stresses at both vegetative and reproductive stages.     

Cooperative extension and food system change: goals,strategies and resources

Recent attention to communities “localizing” food systems has increased the need to understand the perspectives of people working to foster collaboration and the eventual transformation of the food system. University Cooperative Extension Educators (EEs) increasingly play a critical role in communities’ food systems across the United States, providing various resources to address local needs. A better understanding of EEs’ perspectives on food systems is therefore important. Inspired by the work of Stevenson, Ruhf, Lezberg, and Clancy on the social food movement, we conducted national virtual focus groups to examine EEs’ attitudes about how food system change should happen, for what reasons, and who has the resources, power, and influence to effect change. The institutions within which EEs are embedded shape their perceptions of available resources in the community, including authority and power (and who holds them). These resources, in turn, structure EEs’ goals and strategies for food system change. We find that EEs envision working within the current food system: building market-centric alternatives that address inequity for vulnerable consumers and producers. EEs bring many resources to the table but do not believe they can influence those who have the authority to change policy. While these findings could suggest EEs’ limited ability to be transformative change agents, EEs can potentially connect their efforts with new partners that share perceptions of food system problems and solutions. As EEs increasingly engage in food system work and with increasingly diverse stakeholders, they can access alternative, transformational frames within which to set goals and organize their work.     

Response of foliar-applied nutrient solution with and without soil-applied fertilizers on growth and yield of mung bean

Hoagland's nutrient solution of 0, 25, 50, or 75% strength with or without soil-applied nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) fertilizers were sprayed at 7, 14, and 21 days after emergence on two cultivars (AZRI-2006 and NIAB-2011) of mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek). Hoagland's nutrient solution of 75% strength with soil-applied NPK fertilizers markedly increased the growth and yield of mung bean cultivars if applied at 21 days after crop emergence. However, 75% strength Hoagland's nutrient solution without soil-applied NPK fertilizers was comparable to 0, 25, and 50% strengths without NPK fertilizers. Foliar application of 75% strength of Hoagland's nutrient solution with soil-applied NPK fertilizers might enhance the yield of mung bean in low fertile areas. Performance of NIAB-2011 was superior to the other cultivar. It is concluded that Hoagland's nutrient solution of 75% strength can be sprayed at 21 days after emergence to get better yield of mung bean.     

Examining the impact of CITES listing of sharks and rays in Southeast Asian fisheries

CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. However, measuring the effectiveness and impacts of these trade regulations for commercially exploited aquatic species remains challenging. This study highlights observed or documented changes in elasmobranch fisheries in eight Southeast Asian countries before and after the listing of sharks and rays in CITES’ Appendix II, and the influence of CITES across five pillars or sectors of a “fishery assessment framework” developed especially for this purpose. Fisheries experts reported change was most common in the “governance” (e.g., policy, regulation and compliance) and “fisher(y)” sectors (e.g., structure and effort) of the assessment framework. The smallest change was recorded in “markets” (e.g., structures and prices) and “sociocultural” sectors (e.g., consumption, livelihoods and community awareness). Overall, the study demonstrates a measurable, albeit small, mostly positive influence of CITES in five of eight countries, while noting predominantly negative influences across two, and ongoing challenges for all in maintaining legal trade of these CITES‐listed species. The study concludes by offering guidance on future needs: most notably, more effort for long‐term collection of fundamental fisher‐, stock‐ and market‐related data to inform adaptive management and facilitation of legal trade where it is shown to be sustainable. Furthermore, as many of the shark and ray species under CITES provisions are transboundary stocks, increased support for communication and cooperation among regional fishery stakeholders is an ongoing need.