Molecular approaches to increasing resistance of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) towards two insect pests; Cereal aphid (Sitobion avenae F.) and Wheat bulb fly (Delia coarctata Fallen).

Cereal aphid (Sitobion avenae) and wheat bulb fly (Delia coarctata) are serious pests of wheat in the UK. At the present, chemical pesticides are used to control these insects, but they are limited in effectiveness, and have undersirable ecological impacts. There is a need to improve wheat genetically to be resistant to such inset pests. The objectives of this work were to investigate digestive biochemistry in the selected insect pests of wheat, and to determine effects of potential endogenous resistance factors in wheat on digestion, nutrition and other insect metabolic processes. The aim was to develop new strategies for crop protection. Digestive biochemistry in S. avenae and D. coarctata was studied to characterise gut proteases and their inhibition by host plant proteinase inhibitors (PIs). Investigation of proteolytic digestion in S. avenae gut showed that in spite of being a phloem-feeding insect, cereal aphid could digest ingested protein, using cysteine proteases. D. coarctata larvae contained mainly serine protease activity. A serine protease (DcSP) and a cysteine protease (DcCathL) from D. coarctata gut tissue were expressed as recombinant proteins. Only DcCathL was recovered in active form. DcCathL was insecticidal to Mamestra brassicae when injected into hemolymph, causing systemic and extensive melanisation. DcCathL selectively degraded recombinant serpins from M. brassicae in in vitro assays, and is suggested to interfere with regulation of the proteolytic cascade leading to phenoloxidase activation and melanin production in vivo. DcCathL has potential as a biopesticide if it could be made effective when orally delivered. A cationic amino acid transporter from D. coarctata gut (DcCAAT) was also cloned as a target for RNA interference. Potential resistance factors in wheat were characterised by expression as recombinant proteins. Two PIs from wheat (subtilisin/chymotrypsin inhibitor; WSCI, and cysteine proteinase inhibitor; WCPI) were expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris, and purified. WSCI inhibited gut protease activity of both insects in in vitro and in vivo assays, whereas WCPI only inhibited S. avenae gut extract activity. On feeding, WSCI was antimetabolic to both insects, affecting both survival and growth, whereas WCPI was antimetabolic to S. avenae only. Wheat Hessian fly responsive (Hfr) genes are up-regulated in response to herbivory by Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor). The protein product Hfr-3 was expressed and purified, and showed antimetabolic effects on survival and growth of both S. avenae and D. coarctata. Both accumulated and induced defence proteins, like WSCI, WCPI and Hfr-3, have the potential to act as endogenous resistance factors in wheat towards a range of insect pests. Developing a wheat variety constitutively expressing these defence proteins by using traditional breeding methods and/or modern biotechnological tools is discussed

Efficacy of staplers in comparison with conventional (Hand-Sewn) anastomosis in gastrointestinal surgery – A prospective and randomized study

Background: Gastrointestinal anastomosis is a regularly carried out surgical technique to set up communication between two distant portions of the intestine since the era of Sushruta. There exist different methods of intestinal anastomosis. The newer techniques are Stapling devices over to conventional hand-sewn method of anastomosis. It is proved that a key to a successful anastomosis is accurate anastomosis of two viable ends of the bowel maintaining good vascularity and less tension. Due to consistency, stapler’s can be used at difficult locations. Aims and Objectives: The objective of present study was to compare the outcome of hand-sewn versus stapler anastomosis in elective gastrointestinal surgeries. Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective and randomized study including 30 study participants each in stapler’s method and hand-sewn method at surgery outpatient department of Kempegouda Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital and Research Center. Results: Stapling procedure took less days to get restored, less time to return of bowel sounds, shorter duration of hospital stays, and less time to resume for oral feeds compared to hand-sewn method and which were statistically significant (P<0.05). Complications such as anastomotic leaks accounted for 3.3% in stapler group and 13.3% in hand-sewn anastomosis, which was not significant statistically. Conclusion: We concluded that time for anastomosis during the procedure, restoration of the gastrointestinal function, oral feeding resumption, and post-operative hospital stay took significantly less time in stapling technique than hand-sewn anastomosis and the staplers looked technically easy compared to hand-sewn method. Complications related to procedure did not show significant differences which helped us to conclude that one can use staplers with similar safety and accuracy as hand suturing method

Adherence to the post-exposure prophylaxis among animal bite patients attending rabies clinic at tertiary care hospital – A cross-sectional study

Background: Rabies is an acute and 100% fatal viral disease transmitted to humans through the bite or lick of an infected animal. It can be successfully prevented if a complete course of anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) is taken following an animal bite. The present study reveals the compliance of animal bite victims to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Aims and Objectives: The objectives of the study are as follows:(1) To determine the adherence to PEP among animal bite victims and factors influencing it. Materials and Methods: A retrospective record-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the anti-rabies clinic of VIMS Hospital Ballari. Information regarding sociodemographic variables, animal bite history, category of bite, treatment received, and completion of ARV schedule of all the animal bite cases were collected from the animal bite register and treatment card during the period from July 2023 to December 2023. Results: Out of the total 350 animal bite victims, all of them received the first dose of vaccine, 86.28% completed two doses, 72% completed three doses, and only 51.14% completed the schedule by taking all four doses, 37% of them completed the schedule without any delay, 14% delayed one or more doses, and the rest 49% did not complete the schedule. Conclusion: Adherence to PEP is a dire necessity as rabies is a fatal disease. Counseling the animal bite victims about the importance of adhering to the complete PEP schedule at the time of administering the first dose of vaccine is crucial

International Film Festivals as Field-Configuring Events

Studies examining the issue of organizational field evolution, especially on cultural field's, have found that some events shape the process by acting as 'purveyors of legitimacy' (Anand and Peterson, 2000). However, no research is forthcoming on events such as international film festivals that serve a similar function. A new theoretical framework - field-configuring events (FCEs) by Lampel' and Meyer (2008) seeks to rectify the lack of attention paid to 'events' by organization scientists. . Adopting their framework, my research explicates one such event in cultural industries, particularly the global film in9ustry - international filin festival. Towards that end, my PhD thesis spawns four papers - one conceptual and three empirical papers. First, I articulate international film festivals as field-configuring events, and identify some of their key characteristics: spatial embededness, temporal recurrence, programming, premiership, juried competition, film markets, side bars, and accreditation. Second, I examine the organization, strategy, and performance of international film festivals. I propose that a prototypical international film festival is a competition of 'films, and its perfonnance is dependent on two resource streams: reputation of nominated films/film makers, and reputation of members of the jury panel. Third, I explicate the macro linkages between an FCE and national film institutions such as BFI through a process known as retrospective consecration. I propose that international film festivals such as Cannes, Venice, and Berlin directly impact.BFI's efforts of anointing the best British films of the 20th century or 'BFI Top Ido'. Finally, I focus on the micro linkages between international film festivals and BFI choices, particularly focusing on how the. choices emerge from a voting college. The BFI's 'Top 100' voting college consists of three groups of respondents or 'cultural hierarchies' - experts, peers, and the public, and I propose that international film festivals represent a fonn of critical recognition and shape expert choices. IEThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Classics foretold? Contemporaneous and retrospective consecration in the UK film industry

Consecration of cultural products occurs both contemporaneously and retrospectively. This paper examines the influence of contemporaneous consecration on retrospective consecration in the UK film industry. We first examine the impact of professional and popular consecration on retrospective consecration using the list of “best films” compiled by the British Film Institute to gauge retrospective consecration. We then examine the impact of international film festivals on retrospective consecration. We show that experts and peers will have a differential effect on the process of retrospective consecration