A total of 108 diverse sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) accessions were characterized for quantitative and qualitative fodder-related traits and zonate leaf spot (ZLS) (Gloeocercospora sorghi) disease during two successive wet seasons of 2019 and 2020 in augmented randomized block design. The Shannon's diversity index and analysis of variance showed the existence of significant variability among qualitative and quantitative traits. K-mean clustering showed strong relationship between green fodder yield (GFY) and other yield-contributing traits. The dendrogram constructed based on morphological traits classified accessions into four diverse groups and most of genotype fall under cluster II. The principal component analysis bi-plot analysis showed a total variation of 68.96%, where GFY, stem weight per plant, panicle length and dry matter yield (DMY) contributed significantly. From the experimental results, three sorghum genotypes viz., IG-03-424, IG-01-436 and IG-03-438 were identified as promising for higher GFY (808.66 g/plant) and DMY (238.0 g/plant), respectively. Further, based on disease reactions under natural condition, five genotypes viz., EC-512397, EC512393, EC512394, EC512399 and IG-02-437 were identified as potential donor for resistance to ZLS disease. These selected lines could be used as promising sources for high biomass and disease resistance in forage sorghum breeding programme.

The current small study utilised prospective data collection of patterns of prenatal alcohol and tobacco exposure (PAE and PTE) to examine associations with structural brain outcomes in 6-year-olds and served as a pilot to determine the value of prospective data describing community-level patterns of PAE and PTE in a non-clinical sample of children. Participants from the Safe Passage Study in pregnancy were approached when their child was ∼6 years old and completed structural brain magnetic resonance imaging to examine with archived PAE and PTE data (n = 51 children–mother dyads). Linear regression was used to conduct whole-brain structural analyses, with false-discovery rate (FDR) correction, to examine: (a) main effects of PAE, PTE and their interaction; and (b) predictive potential of data that reflect patterns of PAE and PTE (e.g. quantity, frequency and timing (QFT)). Associations between PAE, PTE and their interaction with brain structural measures demonstrated unique profiles of cortical and subcortical alterations that were distinct between PAE only, PTE only and their interactive effects. Analyses examining associations between patterns of PAE and PTE (e.g. QFT) were able to significantly detect brain alterations (that survived FDR correction) in this small non-clinical sample of children. These findings support the hypothesis that considering QFT and co-exposures is important for identifying brain alterations following PAE and/or PTE in a small group of young children. Current results demonstrate that teratogenic outcomes on brain structure differ as a function PAE, PTE or their co-exposures, as well as the pattern (QFT) or exposure.

Diet is important in determining positive health outcomes. Income constraints are often provided as an explanation for poor dietary choices made by households. We test this hypothesis by exploiting shocks to household budgets driven by changes in house prices. Using a comprehensive panel of household food purchases matched to house price data, we find that house prices have a positive impact on food expenditure, but no impact on diet quality. We also find that the total quantity of food purchased increases as budget constraints are relaxed suggesting that changes in quantity are the primary driver of the expenditure change. Finally, we demonstrate that the impact of budget constraints is larger for lower income and younger age households.

Deriving glacier outlines from satellite data has become increasingly popular in the past decade. In particular when glacier outlines are used as a base for change assessment, it is important to know how accurate they are. Calculating the accuracy correctly is challenging, as appropriate reference data (e.g. from higher-resolution sensors) are seldom available. Moreover, after the required manual correction of the raw outlines (e.g. for debris cover), such a comparison would only reveal the accuracy of the analyst rather than of the algorithm applied. Here we compare outlines for clean and debris-covered glaciers, as derived from single and multiple digitizing by different or the same analysts on very high- (1 m) and medium-resolution (30 m) remote-sensing data, against each other and to glacier outlines derived from automated classification of Landsat Thematic Mapper data. Results show a high variability in the interpretation of debris-covered glacier parts, largely independent of the spatial resolution (area differences were up to 30%), and an overall good agreement for clean ice with sufficient contrast to the surrounding terrain (differences ∼5%). The differences of the automatically derived outlines from a reference value are as small as the standard deviation of the manual digitizations from several analysts. Based on these results, we conclude that automated mapping of clean ice is preferable to manual digitization and recommend using the latter method only for required corrections of incorrectly mapped glacier parts (e.g. debris cover, shadow).

Insufficiency of vitamin B12 (B12) and folate during pregnancy can result in low concentrations in the fetus and have adverse effects on brain development. We investigated the relationship between maternal B12 and folate nutrition during pregnancy and offspring motor, mental and social development at two years of age (2 y). Mothers (n = 123) and their offspring (62 girls, 61 boys) from rural and middle-class urban communities in and around Pune city were followed through pregnancy up to 2 y. Maternal B12 and folate concentrations were measured at 28 and 34 weeks of gestation. At 2 y, the Developmental Assessment Scale for Indian Infants was used to determine motor and mental developmental quotients and the Vineland Social Maturity Scale for the social developmental quotient. Overall, 62% of the mothers had low B12 levels (<150 pmol/l) and one mother was folate deficient during pregnancy. Maternal B12 at 28 and 34 weeks of gestation was associated with offspring B12 at 2 y (r = 0.29, r = 0.32, P < 0.001), but folate was not associated with offspring folate. At 2 y, motor development was associated with maternal folate at 28 and 34 weeks of gestation. Mental and social development quotients were associated positively with head circumference and negatively with birth weight. In addition, pregnancy B12 and folate were positively associated with mental and social development quotients. Maternal B12 and folate during intrauterine life may favorably influence brain development and function. Pregnancy provides a window of opportunity to enhance fetal psychomotor (motor and mental) development.

Longitudinal studies investigating vitamin B12 and folate status of mothers and their offspring will provide a better understanding of intergenerational nutrition. During pregnancy and 2 years (2y) after delivery, we measured plasma vitamin B12 and folate concentrations in 118 women [aged (mean ± s.d.) 22.9 ± 3.9y] who attended a rural (n = 68) or an urban (n = 50) antenatal clinic in Pune, India. Cord blood vitamin B12 and folate were measured, and when the child was 2y total homocysteine (tHcy) was also measured. Demographic and diet measurements were recorded using standard methods.

Pregnancy plasma vitamin B12 concentration at 34 weeks was low [median (25th, 75th), 115 (95, 147) pm]; 75% had low status (<150 pm). Plasma folate was high (mean ± s.d., 33 ± 21 nm); one had a folate concentration <7 pm. Cord plasma vitamin B12 and folate concentrations were higher than and positively associated with maternal concentrations. In stepwise regression, higher child vitamin B12 at 2y was predicted (total R 2 15.7%) by pregnancy vitamin B12 (std β 0.201, R 2 7.7%), current consumption of cow's milk (std β 0.194, R 2 3.3%) and whether breast feeding was stopped before 2y (std β −0.234 R 2 7.2%). Child's 2y tHcy concentration was high (11.4 ± 3.6 μm) and predicted by lower pregnancy vitamin B12 (std β −0.206, R 2 4.1%), lack of vitamin supplementation (std β −0.256, R 2 5.6%) in pregnancy and whether currently breastfed (std β 0.268, R 2 8.4%).

Low maternal vitamin B12 status in pregnancy and prolonged breast-feeding results in disturbed one-carbon metabolism in offspring at 2y. Supplementation of women of child-bearing age, particularly during pregnancy and lactation, may improve the homocysteine status of these children.

Experiments demonstrate the ~77× amplification of 0.5 to 3.5-ps pulses of seed light by interaction with Langmuir waves in a low density (1.2 × 1019 cm−3) plasma produced by a 1-ns, 230-J, 1054-nm pump beam with 1.2 × 1014 W/cm2 intensity. The waves are strongly damped (kλD = 0.38, Te = 244 eV) and grow over a ~ 1 mm length, similar to what is experienced by scattered light when it interacts with crossing beams as it exits an ignition target. The amplification reduces when the seed intensity increases above ~1 × 1011 W/cm2, indicating that saturation of the plasma waves on the electron kinetic time scale (<0.5 ps) limits the scatter to ~1% of the available pump energy. The observations are in agreement with 2D PIC simulations in this case.

Polarimetry of the BL Lac object OJ 287 has been carried out over the last decade in optical bands with the 1.2-m telescope of Mt. Abu Observatory, operated by Physical Research Laboratory, India. OJ 287 underwent several polarization outbursts during this period.

The major surface glycoprotein of Leishmania, referred to as GP63, is a zinc metalloproteinase of 63000 Mr present on promastigotes and amastigotes from diverse species of Leishmania. GP63 shares several characteristics with the members of the matrix metalloproteinase family including degradation of at least one component of the extracellular matrix, location at the cell surface, requirement for Zn2+ for proteinase activity and inhibition of the proteinase activity by chelating agents and α2–macroglobulin. Site-directed mutagenesis of the cloned L. major GP63 genes was carried out to determine whether the proposed active site of Leishmania GP63 was homologous to those of other zinc metalloproteinases. The codon encoding the catalytic glutamic acid was modified to encode an aspartic acid and when expressed in COS–7 cells the resulting mutant GP63 had no demonstrable proteinase activity compared to wild type GP63. GP63 was predicted to be synthesized as a precursor protein containing a pro region at the NH2–terminus of GP63 implicated to be involved with the regulation of proteinase activity. As with many other proteinases, including matrix metalloproteinases, these enzymes are synthesized as latent proteinases that require activation for full proteinase activity. L. major recombinant GP63 (rGP63) has been produced in the baculovirus expression system where rGP63 was secreted as a latent proteinase. To study the activation of baculovirus rGP63, purified rGP63 was incubated with the mercurial compound, HgCl2, at concentrations previously shown to result in activation of other latent matrix degrading metalloproteinases and resulted in a significant enhancement of GP63 proteinase activity. The similarity of GP63 to the family of matrix-degrading proteinases suggests that the proteinase activity of GP63 maybe involved with the pathology of lesion formation in the mammalian host and may also be involved with the promastigote life stage in the sandfly vector. To study the functional role of GP63 proteinase, mutant strains of L. major, deficient in the expression of GP63, are currently being derived by targeted gene deletion. Using this strategy results have demonstrated the deletion of an entire L. major GP63 locus, containing in total six GP63 genes. Strategies to delete the second GP63 gene locus are developed and will determine whether deletion of both loci results in viable promastigotes. L. major strains deficient in the expression of GP63 may then be used to address the function of GP63 glycoprotein in the life cycle of Leishmania.

Oral fluid is a non-invasive biological sample, which can be returned by post, making it suitable for large-scale epidemiological studies in children. We report our experience of oral fluid collection from 14 373 preschool-aged children in the UK Millennium Cohort Study. Samples were collected by mothers in the home setting following the guidance of trained interviewers, and posted to the laboratory. Samples were received from 11 698 children (81·4%). Children whose mothers were of Black Caribbean ethnicity and who lived in non-English-speaking households were less likely to provide a sample, and those with a maternal history of asthma more likely to provide a sample [adjusted risk ratio (95% CI) 0·85 (0·73–0·98), 0·87 (0·77–0·98) and 1·03 (1·00–1·05) respectively]. Collection of oral fluid samples is feasible and acceptable in large-scale child cohort studies. Formal interpreter support may be required to increase participation rates in surveys that collect biological samples from ethnic minorities.

Experiments were conducted to determine the effective diffusivity for axial transport through a tube of circular cross-section of a contaminant gas in oscillatory flow. Results were compared with the theoretical predictions of Watson (1983) and found to be in excellent agreement. The experiments differ from the theoretical situation in that the oscillations are superimposed upon a steady flow due to a constant infusion of tracer gas, and a buoyancy-induced flow associated with spatial variations in gas density. The influence of both artifacts is found to be negligible.

Giant pulses (GPs), occasional individual pulses with an intensity 100 times the average intensity, have been detected in four pulsars to date. Their origin is not well understood, but studies suggest a connection between the strength of magnetic field at the light cylinder B lc and the existence of GPs. Here, we report on detection of significant Large Amplitude Pulses (LAPs) in two more pulsars with high values of B lc , PSRs J0218+4232 and B1957+20, observed using Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT).

This paper discusses unsteady surface pressures on aircraft flaps and their correlation with far-field noise. Analyses are made of data from a 4.7% DC-10 aircraft model test, conducted in the 40 × 80 feet wind tunnel at NASA Ames Research Center. Results for various slat/wing/flap configurations and various flow conditions are discussed in detail to reveal major trends in surface pressure fluctuations. Spectral analysis, including cross-correlation/coherence, both among unsteady surface pressures and between far-field noise and near-field fluctuations, is used to reveal the most coherent motions in the near field and identify potential sources of noise related to flap flows. Dependencies of surface pressure fluctuations on mean flow Mach numbers, flap settings and slat angles are discussed. Dominant flow features in flap side edge regions, such as the formation of double-vortex structures, are shown to manifest themselves in the unsteady surface pressures as a series of spectral humps. The spectral humps are shown to correlate well with the radiated noise, indicating the existence of major noise sources in flap side edge regions. Strouhal number scaling is used to collapse the data with satisfactory results. The effects of flap side edge fences on surface pressures are also discussed. It is shown that the application of fences effectively increases the thickness of the flaps so that the double-vortex structures have more time to evolve. As a result, the characteristic timescale of the unsteady sources increases, which in turn leads to a decrease in the dominant frequency of the source process. Based on this, an explanation is proposed for the noise reduction mechanism of flap side edge fences.

This research investigates the potential of pulsed laser deposition to create reliable high current ohmic contacts of Ni2Si on single crystal 4H-SiC. Since this stoichiometry is the stable interphase in the nickel-silicon carbide diffusion couple, direct deposition eliminates the detrimental excess carbon normally formed by direct sintering Ni on SiC, the surface roughening that results from this sintering as well as the need for post-deposition high-temperature (900°C) anneals that are required in complex multi-component contacts. This study examines the processing parameters that must be used during deposition to obtain the desired microstructural characteristics for the contact. Pulsed laser deposition of nickel silicide produces smooth films with an amorphous or nanocrystalline structure interspersed with macroparticles. Macroparticle formation on the resulting films appear in the form of solidified droplets of the eutectic composition nickel silicide (3:1) that form during the long term target processing. The dependence of the number and size distributions of these droplets on laser fluence sample temperature is examined.