An Ethylene Over-Producing Mutant of Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i>), Epinastic, Exhibits Tolerance to High Temperature Conditions

Above-optimal temperatures reduce yield in many crops, including tomato, largely because of the heat-sensitivity of their reproduction process. A full understanding of heat-stress (HS) response and thermotolerance of tomato reproduction is still lacking. Recently, using external application of the plant hormone ethylene, it was demonstrated that ethylene plays a role in heat-tolerance of tomato pollen (the male reproductive cells). In order to expand our understanding on involvement of ethylene in tomato pollen thermotolerance, we analyzed the response of wild type and ethylene-related tomato mutant plants to HS, at physiological and molecular levels. We report that mild chronic HS conditions highly reduce the number of viable and germinating pollen grains as well as the production of seeded fruits in wild type tomato plants, while no significant reduction was detected/observed in pollen quality, number of seeded fruits and seeds per fruit in plants of the ethylene over-producer mutant epinastic. Our findings suggest that ethylene is involved in thermotolerance of tomato reproduction, pointing to an effect on pollen viability and germination potential, highlighting candidate genes involved in pollen response to HS (like SlHSP17, SlHSP101, SlMBF1) and suggesting directions for further studies.

Simultaneous Study of VLF/ULF Anomalies Associated with Earthquakes in Japan

We carried out a simultaneous study of ground-based magnetic field and lower ionospheric anomalies during major earthquakes occurring around Japan in 2010 and 2012. Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) geomagnetic field waveforms of Esashi station and Very Low Frequency (VLF) Japanese transmitter (JJY) electric signal amplitude received in Moshiri station Hokkaido during nighttime (22:00-02:00 LT) were used to minimize the local interference. Twenty earthquakes having magnitude greater than 5.5 were considered for the data analysis for two years. Nighttime amplitude fluctuations and polarization from the received VLF transmitter signal amplitude and ULF magnetic field respectively were calculated to identify anomalous signatures in relation to every earthquake. We found most earthquakes analyzed indicating VLF amplitude anomalies simultaneously occurred with ULF magnetic field anomalies within a week prior to the earthquakes. Stronger anomalies were observed for larger magnitude and shallower earthquakes. Focal mechanism of earthquakes was also examined to identify the effectiveness of generating anomaly. Both VLF and ULF anomalies were observed for reverse fault type earthquakes occurring under the strong pressure in the crust. Obtained results may indicate the common anomaly source both for VLF and ULF in the lithosphere and are consistent with currently proposed Lithosphere-Atmosphere-Ionosphere (LAI) coupling scenarios during the earthquake preparation period.

Wooden stick penetration from the perineal region up to the thorax

BACKGROUND: Penetrating injuries of the perineum are rare but very dangerous. Since the genitourinary and colorectal organs may be injured, how to evaluate surgical management of the injury is very important.METHODS: The present report presents a case of penetrating injury of the perineum by a wooden stick when the patient fell on the upright wooden stick from a tree. The three feet long stick entered the perineal region just left lateral to the anal opening. Upon reaching the thoracic cavity, it broke and only a foot stick was left in the subcutaneous plane. These injuries are potentially serious with risk of damage to multiple organs. Exploratory laprotomy was done, and bladder injury was repaired. The entry wound and the track of stick was thoroughly washed and allowed for secondary intention healing.RESULTS: The post operative period was uneventful and the patient recovered fully.CONCLUSION: Meticulous evaluation and surgical management of perineal injuries are the key to prevent devastating complications.

Road traffic accidents in hilly regions of northern India: What has to be done?

BACKGROUND: Road traffi c accidents(RTA) are responsible for 1.2 million deaths worldwide each year. RTA will become the 3rd largest contributor to the global burden of diseases after ischemic heart diseases(IHD) and depression. We conducted a retrospective study on RTA in a tertiary center in the hilly district of Uttarakhand in India.METHODS: The number of RTA, pattern of RTA, the number of patients killed and injured, the pattern of injury causing death and disability, the severity of accidents, and the type of disability were noted from December 2009 to November 2011. The accident severity was calculated as the number of patients killed per 100 accidents. The methods for reducing the incidence of RTA were observed, and the role of policy makers was studied.RESULTS: The majority of deaths and disabilities in Uttarakhand were due to road traffic accidents in the hilly districts of the states. The most common cause of RTA was driving fault followed by defective roads.CONCLUSION: Proper designing of roads and minimizing the fault of drivers are essential to prevent road traffi c accidents in hilly regions.

Aqueous organic redox flow batteries

Redox flow batteries(RFBs)are promising candidates to establish a grid-scale energy storage system for intermittent energy sources.While the current technology of vanadium RFBs has been widely exploited across the world,the rise in the price of vanadium and its limited volumetric energy density have necessitated the development of new kinds of redox active molecules.Organic molecules can be used as new and economical redox couples in RFBs to address these issues.In addition,the redox organic species also provide ample advantages to increase the voltage and solubility,provide multiple numbers of electron transfer,and ensure electrochemical/chemical stability by molecular engineering through simple synthetic methods.This review focuses on the recent developments in aqueous organic RFBs,including the molecular design and the corresponding cycling performance as these organic redox molecules are employed as either the negolyte or posolyte.Various strategies for tuning the electrochemical/chemical characteristics of organic molecules have improved their solubility,redox potential cycling stability,and crossover issue across a separating membrane.We also put forward new strategies using nanotechnology and our perspective for the future development of this rapidly growing field.

STOCHASTIC SYNCHRONIZATION OF CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS

Models of circadian genetic oscillators involving interlinked feedback processes in molecular level genetic networks in Drosophila melanogaster and Neurospora crassa are studied, and mechanisms whereby synchronization can arise in an assembly of cells are examined. The individual subcellular circadian oscillatory processes are stochastic in nature due to the small numbers of molecules that are involved, and are subject to large fluctuations. The authors investigate and present the simulations of the stochastic dynamics of ensembles of clock-regulating proteins in different nuclei that communicate via ancillary small molecules, environmental parameters, additive cellular noise, or through diffusive processes. The results show that the emergence of collective oscillations is a macroscopic observable which has its origins in the microscopic coupling between distinct cellular oscillators.

Controllability of multi-term time-fractional differential systems

In this paper,an abstract multi-term time-fractional differential system is considered and the exact controllability results are investigated.In this theory,we tend to implement the basic tools of fractional calculus and measure of noncompactness to come up with a new set of sufficient conditions for the exact controllability by utilisation of Mönch fixed point theorem.Finally,an application is given to illustrate the obtained results.