An extremely luminous panchromatic outburst from the nucleus of a distant galaxy

Variable x-ray and γ-ray emission is characteristic of the most extreme physical processes in the universe. We present multiwavelength observations of a unique γ-ray-selected transient detected by the Swift satellite, accompanied by bright emission across the electromagnetic spectrum, and whose properties are unlike any previously observed source. We pinpoint the event to the center of a small, star-forming galaxy at redshift z = 0.3534. Its high-energy emission has lasted much longer than any γ-ray burst, whereas its peak luminosity was ～100 times higher than bright active galactic nuclei. The association of the outburst with the center of its host galaxy suggests that this phenomenon has its origin in a rare mechanism involving the massive black hole in the nucleus of that galaxy.     

Induced resistance to Verticillium longisporum in Brassica napus by β‐aminobutyric acid

A preinoculative soil drench application of 0·5 mm β‐aminobutyric acid (BABA) significantly inhibited colonization of oilseed rape (Brassica napus, susceptible cultivar Falcon) by Verticillium longisporum and also prevented plant stunting caused by the pathogen. To better understand the defence responses induced by BABA, the presence of occlusions in the plant hypocotyl, levels of salicylic acid (SA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity and expression of PR‐1 and PDF1.2 genes were examined. Transverse sections through the hypocotyl region of BABA‐treated plants showed clear vessels surrounded by phenol‐storing cells, in contrast to numerous obstructed vessels in water‐treated plants, in response to the pathogen. A significant increase in SA levels was observed in the hypocotyls of both water‐ and BABA‐treated plants in response to the pathogen; however, SA levels were unrelated to disease resistance. The level of H₂O₂ decreased in both treatments in response to the pathogen. A significant increase in PAL activity was observed in hypocotyl tissues of BABA‐treated plants. The expression patterns of PR‐1 and PDF1.2 were similar in the two treatments in response to the pathogen, indicating no involvement of these genes in resistance. The results indicate a similar organ specificity of the plant hypocotyl for chemically induced internal resistance as for genotype‐related resistance, two phenomena which, however, are based on contrasting cytological responses in the vascular tissues. Nonetheless, evidence is provided that the activity of the phenylpropanoid pathway plays a crucial role in both types of resistance.     

Defluoridation of Drinking Water Using PURAL® MG-20 Mixed Hydroxide Adsorbent

Water, Air, &; Soil Pollution - High applications of P fertilizers and manure are general practice in intensive agriculture and may cause eutrophication in adjacent streams. Bioavailability of P...     

Evaluation of minor carps intercropping in carp polyculture vis‐à‐vis other grow‐out cropping patterns of carp farming

One year grow‐out evaluation of four cropping patterns of carps, viz. control: single stock single harvest (SSSH); T‐1:intercrop of minor carps and Indian major carps (IMC); T‐2:single stock multiple harvests (SSMH); and T‐3:multiple stock multiple harvests (MSMH) was conducted in eight earthen ponds (0.09 ha each). Ponds were stocked with three IMCs (catla, rohu and mrigal) at 1:1:1 ratio at 10,000 fingerlings/ha combined density. T‐1 was additionally stocked with 10,000 fingerlings/ha of minor carps (Puntius gonionotus, Labeo fimbriatus and Puntius sarana), while T‐2 with additional 10,000 fingerlings/ha of the IMC. Periodic removal of partial biomass ensured prevalence of better water quality in treatments (higher water pH, higher dissolved oxygen and reduced inorganic nutrients). It helped to improve fish growth as average harvested weight of rohu and mrigal remained similar in treatments despite the presence of greater inter‐ and intraspecific competitions in intercrop and SSMH, respectively, and periodic stocking of younger juveniles in MSMH. Catla showed significantly higher growth in MSMH. The biomass yield in intercrop, SSMH and MSMH were 21%, 17% and 24% higher than SSSH, but the respective net incomes were 32.9, 21.3 and 56.5% higher. Partial harvest also helped reducing FCR in the order T‐3<T‐2<T‐1<control. While the study showed MSMH as the most productive cropping pattern for biomass yield, the intercrop of minor carps and IMCs proved to be the most water productive (gross and consumptive water use) cropping method to produce varied fish protein with higher biomass yield.     

Effect of TGF‐β1 Superfamily Members on Survival of Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Embryonic Stem‐like Cells

This study examined the effects of supplementation of ES‐like cell culture medium with bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)‐4 (0, 10, 20 or 100 ng/ml) or Noggin (250, 500 or 750 ng/ml) or TGF‐β1 (0, 0.1, 1 or 10 ng/ml) or SB431542 (0, 10, 25 or 50 μm ), an inhibitor of TGF‐β1 signalling, on survival, colony area and expression level of pluripotency genes in buffalo ES‐like cells at passage 40–80, under different culture conditions. BMP‐4 supplementation significantly reduced (p < 0.05) colony survival rate, percentage increase in colony area and relative mRNA abundance of OCT4, whereas that of NANOG and SOX‐2 was increased significantly (p < 0.05). Noggin supplementation did not affect the colony survival rate and percentage increase in colony area in the presence of FGF‐2 and LIF. In the presence of FGF‐2 alone, it significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the relative mRNA abundance of OCT4 and SOX‐2 and increased (p < 0.05) that of NANOG. Supplementation with TGF‐β1 at 1.0 ng/ml but not at other concentrations increased colony survival rate but had no effect on percentage increase in colony area at any concentration. Supplementation with SB‐431542 decreased (p < 0.05) colony survival rate at 50 μm but not at other concentrations. The percentage increase in colony area was lower (p < 0.05) with 10 μm SB‐431542 than that in the controls, whereas at higher concentrations of 25 or 50 μm , SB‐431542 decreased (p < 0.05) the colony size instead of increasing it. In conclusion, these results suggest that BMP‐4 induces differentiation in buffalo ES‐like cells, whereas TGF‐β/activin/nodal pathway may not be playing a crucial role in maintaining pluripotency in these cells.     

Evapotranspiration data assimilation with genetic algorithms and SWAP model for on-demand irrigation

Evapotranspiration (ET) is one of the indicators of water use efficiency. Periodic information of ET based on remote sensing is useful for an on-demand irrigation (ODI) management. The main objective of this paper was to develop an ET data assimilation scheme to optimize the parameters of an agro-hydrology model for ODI scheduling. The soil, water, atmosphere, and plant (SWAP) simulation model has been utilized for this purpose. We computed remote sensing-based ET for a wheat field in the Sirsa Irrigation Circle, Haryana, in India using 18 cloud-free moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer images taken between December 2001 and April 2002. The surface energy balance algorithm for land (SEBAL) was used for this purpose. Because ET estimates from SEBAL provide information on the surface soil moisture state, they were treated as observations to estimate unknown parameters of the SWAP model via a stochastic data assimilation (genetic algorithm) approach. The SWAP parameters were optimized by minimizing the residuals between SEBAL and SWAP model-based ET values. The optimized parameters were used as input to SWAP to estimate soil water balance for ODI scheduling. The results showed that the selected parameters (i.e. sowing, harvesting, and irrigation scheduling dates) were successfully estimated with the data assimilation methodology. The SWAP model produced reasonable states of water balance by assimilating ET observations. The root mean square of error was 0.755 and 2.132 cm³/cm³ for 0–15 and 15–30 cm soil depths the same layers, respectively. With optimized parameters for ODI, SWAP predicted higher yield and water use efficiency than traditional farmer’s irrigation criteria. The data assimilation methodology produced can be considered as an operational tool at the field scale to schedule irrigation or predict irrigation requirements from remote sensing-based ET.     

Depolymerized Fractions of Sulfated Galactans Extracted from Gracilaria fisheri and Their Antibacterial Activity against Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio harveyi

Various seaweed sulfated polysaccharides have been explored for antimicrobial application. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of the native Gracilaria fisheri sulfated galactans (NSG) and depolymerized fractions against the marine pathogenic bacteria Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio harveyi. NSG was hydrolyzed in different concentrations of H₂O₂ to generate sulfated galactans degraded fractions (SGF). The molecular weight, structural characteristics, and physicochemical parameters of both NSG and SGF were determined. The results revealed that the high molecular weight NSG (228.33 kDa) was significantly degraded to SGFs of 115.76, 3.79, and 3.19 kDa by hydrolysis with 0.4, 2, and 10% H₂O₂, respectively. The Fourier transformed spectroscopy (FTIR) and ¹H− and ¹³C−Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses demonstrated that the polysaccharide chain structure of SGFs was not affected by H₂O₂ degradation, but alterations were detected at the peak positions of some functional groups. In vitro study showed that SGFs significantly exerted a stronger antibacterial activity against V. parahaemolyticus and V. harveyi than NSG, which might be due to the low molecular weight and higher sulfation properties of SGF. SGF disrupted the bacterial cell membrane, resulting in leakage of intracellular biological components, and subsequently, cell death. Taken together, this study provides a basis for the exploitation and utilization of low-molecular-weight sulfated galactans from G. fisheri to prevent and control the shrimp pathogens.     

City–forest relationship in Nagpur: One of the greenest cities of India

There are sporadic reports on urban forests in Indian cities. Nagpur is one of the greenest cities of India with 18 per cent of its area under forests and plantations, 17 per cent under cultivation and 2 per cent under water bodies. The present study showed that natural vegetation of the city is very well diversified with a representation of 59 per cent vegetation including 124 trees species belonging to 38 families as compared with the overall district vegetation statistics. Air quality in the city is relatively better with lower SO₂ (6 μg/m³), NO₂ (18 μg/m³) and Respirable Suspended Particulate Matters (RSPM, 53 μg/m³) as against National Ambient Air Quality Standards (2009) for cities in India of 80, 80 and 100 μg/m³, respectively. It was also noted that the diversity in natural forests which are being protected is greater than the plantations undertaken by the civic authorities and private sector efforts. The study thus demonstrated the positive relationship of the city with diversified vegetation cover for cleaner environment. The analysis is expected to guide formulation of strategies for maintaining green space in the city.     

Synthetic and organic mulching and nitrogen effect on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in a semi-arid environment

Field experiments were conducted in 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 to evaluate the relative performance of synthetic (black polyethylene) and organic (paddy husk and straw) mulches on soil and plant water status vis-a-vis N uptake in wheat in a semi-arid environment of India. Scope of better utilization of soil moisture was documented through all the mulches, especially during initial crop growth stages, when the moisture content was 1-3% higher in mulches. Soil temperature was more moderate under organic mulches. Paddy husk recorded significantly higher plant biomass, while the effect of mulching in enhancing root growth was clearly documented. Organic mulches produced more roots (25 and 40% higher root weight and root length densities compared to no-mulch) in sub-surface (>0.15 m) layers, probably due to greater retention of soil moisture in deeper layers and relatively narrow range of soil temperature changes under these systems. Incremental N dose significantly improved all the plant parameters in both mulch and no-mulch treatments. Grain yield was 13-21% higher under mulch and so with increasing N levels. Nitrogen uptake was higher in organic mulches and also with higher N doses, while polyethylene mulch showed mixed trend. Mulches were effective in reducing 3-11% crop water use and improved its efficiency by 25%. Grain yield and biomass were well-correlated with leaf area index (r = 0.87 and 0.91, respectively) and water use was better correlated with root length than its weight. Results indicated substantial improvement in water and N use efficiency and crop growth in wheat under surface mulching, and the organic mulches, especially rice husk performed better than synthetic mulches.