The Caenorhabditis elegans vulva: A post-embryonic gene regulatory network controlling organogenesis

The Caenorhabditis elegans vulva is an elegant model for dissecting a gene regulatory network (GRN) that directs postembryonic organogenesis. The mature vulva comprises seven cell types (vulA, vulB1, vulB2, vulC, vulD, vulE, and vulF), each with its own unique pattern of spatial and temporal gene expression. The mechanisms that specify these cell types in a precise spatial pattern are not well understood. Using reverse genetic screens, we identified novel components of the vulval GRN, including nhr-113 in vulA. Several transcription factors (lin-11, lin-29, cog-1, egl-38, and nhr-67) interact with each other and act in concert to regulate target gene expression in the diverse vulval cell types. For example, egl-38 (Pax2/5/8) stabilizes the vulF fate by positively regulating vulF characteristics and by inhibiting characteristics associated with the neighboring vulE cells. nhr-67 and egl-38 regulate cog-1, helping restrict its expression to vulE. Computational approaches have been successfully used to identify functional cis-regulatory motifs in the zmp-1 (zinc metalloproteinase) promoter. These results provide an overview of the regulatory network architecture for each vulval cell type

Techno-economic Analysis of Carp Farming Practices in Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu, India

Aquaculture represents the most efficient and sustainable way to guarantee that there is enough protein to feed the world with increasing population. Since carp farming is a promising enterprise, study on the economics and technical bottlenecks on regional basis is highly necessary. Kaveripattinam block of Krishnagiri district was selected purposively because of its rich inland resource endowments. The study was conducted to understand the technical and economic viability of carp culture (Integrated and backyard) and to identify the operational constraints in farming practice. Totally, 31 carp farmers were randomly selected and information based on the specified objectives was collected using a structured interview schedule. Descriptive statistics, costing and Garette ranking techniques were used for analysis. The study revealed that the experience in farming activity lie with a mean of 4.77 years and small farms occupied the major share (81%). Among the reported, three species combination was adopted by 67.74% of the farmers. The economics of carp culture was calculated through estimation of Cost A, Cost B and Cost C with an average output of 586.75 kg/ha/yr and a net income of Rs. 23,623.35/ha @ Rs. 75/kg on an average. Among the variable inputs, seed cost accounted the major share (16.11%) followed by feed (13.58%). Non availability of credit (59.15), lack of quality seed (63.25) and improper guidance (69.00) were perceived as major resource, production and management constraints, respectively. Other constraints include uncertainty in demand, competition and absence of government institutions for marketing

Synthesis of macrocyclic receptors with intrinsic fluorescence featuring quinizarin moieties

An unprecedented class of macrocycles with intrinsic fluorescence consisting of phenolic trimers and quinizarin is developed. Though they are lacking strong hydrogen bonds as observed in calixarenes, the two examples introduced here each adopt a vase-like conformation with all four aromatic units pointing in one direction (syn orientation). This “cone” conformation has been confirmed by NMR spectroscopy, molecular modeling, and X-ray crystallography. The laminar, electron-rich fluorophore as part of the macrocycle allows additional contacts to enclosed guest molecules

Therapeutic DNA vaccine induces broad T cell responses in the gut and sustained protection from viral rebound and AIDS in SIV-infected rhesus macaques.

Immunotherapies that induce durable immune control of chronic HIV infection may eliminate the need for life-long dependence on drugs. We investigated a DNA vaccine formulated with a novel genetic adjuvant that stimulates immune responses in the blood and gut for the ability to improve therapy in rhesus macaques chronically infected with SIV. Using the SIV-macaque model for AIDS, we show that epidermal co-delivery of plasmids expressing SIV Gag, RT, Nef and Env, and the mucosal adjuvant, heat-labile E. coli enterotoxin (LT), during antiretroviral therapy (ART) induced a substantial 2-4-log fold reduction in mean virus burden in both the gut and blood when compared to unvaccinated controls and provided durable protection from viral rebound and disease progression after the drug was discontinued. This effect was associated with significant increases in IFN-γ T cell responses in both the blood and gut and SIV-specific CD8+ T cells with dual TNF-α and cytolytic effector functions in the blood. Importantly, a broader specificity in the T cell response seen in the gut, but not the blood, significantly correlated with a reduction in virus production in mucosal tissues and a lower virus burden in plasma. We conclude that immunizing with vaccines that induce immune responses in mucosal gut tissue could reduce residual viral reservoirs during drug therapy and improve long-term treatment of HIV infection in humans

Design and Development of an Efficient Branch Predictor for an In-order RISC-V Processor

Conditional branches are a serious issue in the pipelined processor. The branch direction and branch target address are determined and calculated by the processor after several cycles of the instruction decode, which results in the pipeline stall. Pipeline stall leads to control hazards in the processor and results in performance degradation. To increase the rate of the instruction flow in modern processors, branch prediction is used. Branch prediction provides an ideal speedup in performance of the processor. The processor predicts the direction in the branch prediction and determines instructions in accordance with the predicted path. The processor tests any prediction for the branch when the branch condition is calculated. If the prediction is incorrect, the processor will automatically abort all instructions taken along the wrong path and return the state to the address of the determined branch. An inaccurate branch predictor results in increased program run-time and leads to higher power consumption. Once the position of a branch is known, the actual target address of the next instruction must also be determined along the expected path. If the branch is expected not to be taken, the destination address is simply the address of the current branch plus the size of the command word. Unless the branch is to be taken, then the target depends on the branch type. The branch target buffer (BTB) can reduce branch efficiency by predicting the branch path and storing information used by branch. There are no stalls if the branch entry is found in BTB, and the calculation is accurate, or the penalty shall be two cycles or more. This paper focuses on the design and development of branch predictor with BTB for the fetch unit, which further integrates to an in-order pipelined RISC-V processor. The performance of the RISC-V core in terms of clock cycle latency, instruction per cycle (IPC), was measured and analyzed

A single evolutionary innovation drives the deep evolution of symbiotic N₂-fixation in angiosperms

Symbiotic associations occur in every habitat on earth, but we know very little about their evolutionary histories. Current models of trait evolution cannot adequately reconstruct the deep history of symbiotic innovation, because they assume homogenous evolutionary processes across millions of years. Here we use a recently developed, heterogeneous and quantitative phylogenetic framework to study the origin of the symbiosis between angiosperms and nitrogen-fixing (N2) bacterial symbionts housed in nodules. We compile the largest database of global nodulating plant species and reconstruct the symbiosis’ evolution. We identify a single, cryptic evolutionary innovation driving symbiotic N2-fixation evolution, followed by multiple gains and losses of the symbiosis, and the subsequent emergence of ‘stable fixers’ (clades extremely unlikely to lose the symbiosis). Originating over 100 MYA, this innovation suggests deep homology in symbiotic N2-fixation. Identifying cryptic innovations on the tree of life is key to understanding the evolution of complex traits, including symbiotic partnerships

An energy-efficient cluster head selection in wireless sensor network using grey wolf optimization algorithm

Clustering is considered as one of the most prominent solutions to preserve theenergy in the wireless sensor networks. However, for optimal clustering, anenergy efficient cluster head selection is quite important. Improper selectionofcluster heads(CHs) consumes high energy compared to other sensor nodesdue to the transmission of data packets between the cluster members and thesink node. Thereby, it reduces the network lifetime and performance of thenetwork. In order to overcome the issues, we propose a novelcluster headselection approach usinggrey wolf optimization algorithm(GWO) namelyGWO-CH which considers the residual energy, intra-cluster and sink distance.In addition to that, we formulated an objective function and weight parametersfor anefficient cluster head selection and cluster formation. The proposedalgorithm is tested in different wireless sensor network scenarios by varyingthe number of sensor nodes and cluster heads. The observed results conveythat the proposed algorithm outperforms in terms of achieving better networkperformance compare to other algorithms

Bioflavonoid luteolin prevents sFlt-1 release via HIF-1α inhibition in cultured human placenta

Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious hypertensive complication of pregnancy and is a leading cause of maternal death and major contributor to maternal and perinatal morbidity, including establishment of long-term complications. The continued prevalence of PE stresses the need for identification of novel treatments which can target prohypertensive factors implicated in the disease pathophysiology, such as soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1). We set out to identify novel compounds to reduce placental sFlt-1 and determine whether this occurs via hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α inhibition. We utilized a commercially available library of natural compounds to assess their ability to reduce sFlt-1 release from primary human placental cytotrophoblast cells (CTBs). Human placental explants from normotensive (NT) and preeclamptic (PE) pregnancies were treated with varying concentrations of luteolin. Protein and mRNA expression of sFlt-1 and upstream mediators were evaluated using ELISA, western blot, and real-time PCR. Of the natural compounds examined, luteolin showed the most potent inhibition of sFlt-1 release, with >95% reduction compared to vehicle-treated. Luteolin significantly inhibited sFlt-1 in cultured placental explants compared to vehicle-treated in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Additionally, significant decreases in HIF-1α expression were observed in luteolin-treated explants, suggesting a mechanism for sFlt-1 downregulation. The ability of luteolin to inhibit HIF-1α may be mediated through the Akt pathway, as inhibitors to Akt and its upstream regulator phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) resulted in significant HIF-1α reduction. Luteolin reduces anti-angiogenic sFlt-1 through inhibition of HIF-1α, making it a novel candidate for the treatment of PE

More than rubber: Exploring the benefits and practicalities of diverse intercropping systems in rubber plantations

Conventional monocrop rubber farming, while profitable, has led to significant environmental and socio-economic issues. These include deforestation, reduced soil fertility, loss of biodiversity, and increased carbon emissions. Economically, smallholder farmers face risks due to fluctuating rubber prices and income dependency on a single crop. This situation has resulted in low incomes, labour shortages, and, in some cases, abandonment of rubber plantations. Intercropping, or modern rubber agroforestry, offers a promising solution to these challenges. This approach involves planting other crops or trees alongside rubber, increasing revenue, enhancing soil properties, conserving moisture, reducing erosion and improving overall rubber crop yield. Various crops such as fruits (Salaca palm, gnetum, banana and lemon), vegetables (Cucumber, arrowroot, french bean, chilli, mung bean, broad leaf pumpkin, yam, cowpea and egusi melon), spices (Ginger, turmeric, coriander, fenugreek, black pepper, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg) and medicinal plants (Sarpagandha, kalmegh, lesser galangal, satavar and long pepper) can be successfully grown with rubber. However, implementing intercropping systems comes with challenges, including potential adverse effects on rubber growth and yield if not appropriately managed. Farmers must implement good agricultural practices and integrated farming strategies to achieve sustainable economic and ecological benefits from rubber-based intercropping. This includes careful selection of cultivars, optimal planting and spacing, regular maintenance and balanced fertilizer application. This review explored essential intercropping practices and highlighted successful case studies within rubber plantations. While more complex than traditional monocropping, a well-managed intercropping system can provide diverse income sources, improve agro-biodiversity and contribute to more sustainable rubber farming practices

Cause of Death and Predictors of All-Cause Mortality in Anticoagulated Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation : Data From ROCKET AF

M. Kaste on työryhmän ROCKET AF Steering Comm jäsen.Background-Atrial fibrillation is associated with higher mortality. Identification of causes of death and contemporary risk factors for all-cause mortality may guide interventions. Methods and Results-In the Rivaroxaban Once Daily Oral Direct Factor Xa Inhibition Compared with Vitamin K Antagonism for Prevention of Stroke and Embolism Trial in Atrial Fibrillation (ROCKET AF) study, patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were randomized to rivaroxaban or dose-adjusted warfarin. Cox proportional hazards regression with backward elimination identified factors at randomization that were independently associated with all-cause mortality in the 14 171 participants in the intention-to-treat population. The median age was 73 years, and the mean CHADS(2) score was 3.5. Over 1.9 years of median follow-up, 1214 (8.6%) patients died. Kaplan-Meier mortality rates were 4.2% at 1 year and 8.9% at 2 years. The majority of classified deaths (1081) were cardiovascular (72%), whereas only 6% were nonhemorrhagic stroke or systemic embolism. No significant difference in all-cause mortality was observed between the rivaroxaban and warfarin arms (P=0.15). Heart failure (hazard ratio 1.51, 95% CI 1.33-1.70, P= 75 years (hazard ratio 1.69, 95% CI 1.51-1.90, P Conclusions-In a large population of patients anticoagulated for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, approximate to 7 in 10 deaths were cardiovascular, whereasPeer reviewe