A Complete Electron Microscopy Volume of the Brain of Adult Drosophila melanogaster.

Drosophila melanogaster has a rich repertoire of innate and learned behaviors. Its 100,000-neuron brain is a large but tractable target for comprehensive neural circuit mapping. Only electron microscopy (EM) enables complete, unbiased mapping of synaptic connectivity; however, the fly brain is too large for conventional EM. We developed a custom high-throughput EM platform and imaged the entire brain of an adult female fly at synaptic resolution. To validate the dataset, we traced brain-spanning circuitry involving the mushroom body (MB), which has been extensively studied for its role in learning. All inputs to Kenyon cells (KCs), the intrinsic neurons of the MB, were mapped, revealing a previously unknown cell type, postsynaptic partners of KC dendrites, and unexpected clustering of olfactory projection neurons. These reconstructions show that this freely available EM volume supports mapping of brain-spanning circuits, which will significantly accelerate Drosophila neuroscience. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

Noncanonical effector functions of the T-memory-like T-PLL cell are shaped by cooperative TCL1A and TCR signaling.

T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) is a poor-prognostic neoplasm. Differentiation stage and immune-effector functions of the underlying tumor cell are insufficiently characterized. Constitutive activation of the T-cell leukemia 1A (TCL1A) oncogene distinguishes the (pre)leukemic cell from regular postthymic T cells. We assessed activation-response patterns of the T-PLL lymphocyte and interrogated the modulatory impact by TCL1A. Immunophenotypic and gene expression profiles revealed a unique spectrum of memory-type differentiation of T-PLL with predominant central-memory stages and frequent noncanonical patterns. Virtually all T-PLL expressed a T-cell receptor (TCR) and/or CD28-coreceptor without overrepresentation of specific TCR clonotypes. The highly activated leukemic cells also revealed losses of negative-regulatory TCR coreceptors (eg, CTLA4). TCR stimulation of T-PLL cells evoked higher-than-normal cell-cycle transition and profiles of cytokine release that resembled those of normal memory T cells. More activated phenotypes and higher TCL1A correlated with inferior clinical outcomes. TCL1A was linked to the marked resistance of T-PLL to activation- and FAS-induced cell death. Enforced TCL1A enhanced phospho-activation of TCR kinases, second-messenger generation, and JAK/STAT or NFAT transcriptional responses. This reduced the input thresholds for IL-2 secretion in a sensitizer-like fashion. Mice of TCL1A-initiated protracted T-PLL development resembled such features. When equipped with epitope-defined TCRs or chimeric antigen receptors, these Lckpr-hTCL1Atg T cells gained a leukemogenic growth advantage in scenarios of receptor stimulation. Overall, we propose a model of T-PLL pathogenesis in which TCL1A enhances TCR signals and drives the accumulation of death-resistant memory-type cells that use amplified low-level stimulatory input, and whose loss of negative coregulators additionally maintains their activated state. Treatment rationales are provided by combined interception in TCR and survival signaling.

Elemental analysis of sage (herb) using calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.

In this work, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been used for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the sage sample using the calibration-free LIBS (CF-LIBS) technique. The sage plasma is generated by focusing the second harmonics (532 nm) of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with a repetition rate of 10 Hz and pulse duration of 5 ns. The emission spectra are recorded using a LIBS 2000 detection system spectrometer consisting of five high-resolution spectrometers covering a wavelength range from 200 to 720 nm. The optical emission spectra of the sage sample reveal the spectral lines of Fe, Ca, Ti, Co, Mn, Ni, and Cr. The plasma temperature and electron number density of the neutral spectral lines of the pertinent elements have been deduced using the Boltzmann plot and Stark-broadening line profile method, with average values 8855±885K and 3.89×1016cm-3, respectively. The average values of the plasma parameters were used for the quantification of the detected elements in the sample. Based on the calibration-free method, the measured results demonstrate that Fe is the major constituent in the sample, having a percentage concentration of 48.1%, while the remaining elements are Ca, Ti, Co, Mn, Ni, and Cr, with percentage concentrations 0.7%, 5.3%, 8%, 11%, 12.3%, and 14.6%, respectively. This study demonstrates the feasibility of LIBS for the compositional analysis of major and trace elements present in the plant samples and its further applications in medicine.

H-D Analysis Employing Energy Transfer from Metastable Excited-State He in Double-Pulse LIBS with Low-Pressure He Gas.

A laser-induced-breakdown-spectroscopy (LIBS) experiment with a unique double-pulse setup and operated in low-pressure (3 kPa) He ambient gas is performed to study the detection of light elements, such as hydrogen (H) and deuterium (D), as well as elements of high excitation energies, such as fluorine (F) and chlorine (Cl), which are usually difficult to detect using ordinary LIBS techniques. A nanosecond Nd:YAG laser operated in its fundamental wavelength with energy of 54 mJ is focused onto the Al target to generate the He plasma. Another picosecond Nd:YAG laser operated in its fundamental wavelength with energy of 2 mJ is focused onto the sample surface and activated 2 µs before the operation of the nanosecond laser. The application to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) samples produces sharp and high-intensity Cl- and F-emission lines. Meanwhile, the sharp and well-resolved H-D-emission lines with merely 0.18 nm wavelength separation are also clearly detected from a zircaloy sample. Further measurement of a set of zircaloy samples containing different concentrations of D yields a linear calibration curve with a zero intercept. The detection limit of D is found to be about 10 ppm.

Prevalence of Autoantibodies against 3-DG-Glycated H2A Protein in Type 2 Diabetes.

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) have been found to be critically involved in initiation or progression of diabetes secondary complications (nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy, and angiopathy). Various hyper-glycating carbonyl compounds such as 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG) are produced in pathophysiological conditions that form AGEs in high quantity both in vivo and in vitro. In the first stage of this study, we glycated histone H2A protein by 3-DG, and the results showed the formation of various intermediates and AGEs as well as structural changes in the protein. In the second stage, we studied the immunogenicity of native and 3-DG-glycated H2A protein in female rabbits. The modified H2A was highly immunogenic, eliciting high titer immunogen-specific antibodies, while the unmodified form was almost nonimmunogenic. Antibodies against standard carboxymethyllysine (CML) and pentosidine were detected in the immunized female rabbits, which demonstrates the immunogenic nature of AGEs (CML and pentosidine) as well. The results show both structural perturbation and AGEs have the capacity of triggering the immune system due to the generation of neoepitopes that render the molecule immunogenic. This study shows the presence of autoantibodies against 3-DG-modified H2A, CML, and pentosidine in the sera of type 2 diabetes patients having secondary complications. Autoantibodies against damaged H2A and AGEs may be significant in the assessment of initiation/progression of secondary complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients or may be used as a marker for early detection of secondary complications in diabetes.

Incidence of colorectal cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers: results from a follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes confer increased susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancer and to a spectrum of other cancers. There is controversy regarding the risk of colorectal cancer conferred by germline mutations in these two genes. METHODS: We followed 7015 women with a BRCA mutation for new cases of colorectal cancer. Incidence rates in carriers were compared with population-specific incidence rates, and standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were estimated. The expected numbers of cancers were computed by multiplying person-years at risk by the appropriate age-, sex- and country-specific incidence rates from the five countries. RESULTS: Twenty-one incident colorectal cancer cases were observed among all mutation carriers, compared with 23.6 cases expected. The SIR for BRCA1 carriers was 0.92 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.54-1.40, P=0.7) and for BRCA2 carriers was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.30-1.81, P=0.7). The SIR for colon cancer was 3.81 (95% CI 1.77-7.23) for women below the age of 50 years (both genes combined) and was 0.60 (95% CI 0.33-1.00) for women aged 50 years and above. CONCLUSION: The risk of colorectal cancer is increased in female carriers of BRCA1 mutations below the age of 50 years but not in women with BRCA2 mutations or in older women.

Revascularization strategies for patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Patients with coronary artery disease who have prognostically significant lesions or symptoms despite optimum medical therapy require mechanical revascularization with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or both. In this review, we will evaluate the evidence-based use of the two revascularization approaches in treating patients with coronary artery disease. CABG has been the predominant mode of revascularization for more than half a century and is the preferred strategy for patients with multivessel disease, especially those with diabetes mellitus, left ventricular systolic dysfunction or complex lesions. There have been significant technical and technological advances in PCI over recent years, and this is now the preferred revascularization modality in patients with single-vessel or low-risk multivessel disease. Percutaneous coronary intervention can also be considered to treat complex multivessel disease in patients with increased risk of adverse surgical outcomes including frail patients and those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Improvements in both CABG (including total arterial revascularization, off-pump CABG and 'no-touch' graft harvesting) and PCI (including newer-generation stents, adjunctive pharmacotherapy and intracoronary imaging) mean that they will continue to challenge each other in the future. A 'heart team' approach is strongly recommended to select an evidence-based, yet individualized, revascularization strategy for all patients with complex coronary artery disease. Finally, optimal medical therapy is important for all patients with coronary artery disease, regardless of the mode of revascularization.

A novel deep learning approach for early detection of cardiovascular diseases from ECG signals.

Cardiovascular diseases, often asymptomatic until severe, pose a significant challenge in medical diagnosis. Despite individuals' normal outward appearance and routine activities, subtle indications of these diseases can manifest in the electrocardiogram (ECG) signals, often overlooked by standard interpretation. Current machine learning models have been ineffective in discerning these minor variations due to the irregular and subtle nature of changes in the ECG patterns. This paper uses a novel deep-learning approach to predict slight variations in ECG signals by fine-tuning the learning rate of a deep convolutional neural network. The strategy involves segmenting ECG signals into separate data sequences, each evaluated for unique centroid points. Utilizing a clustering approach, this technique efficiently recognizes minute yet significant variations in the ECG signal characteristics. This method is estimated using a specific dataset from SRM College Hospital and Research Centre, Kattankulathur, Chennai, India, focusing on patients' ECG signals. The model aims to predict the ordinary and subtle variations in ECG signal patterns, which were subsequently mapped to a pre-trained feature set of cardiovascular diseases. The results suggest that the proposed method outperforms existing state-of-the-art approaches in detecting minor and irregular ECG signal variations. This advancement could significantly enhance the early detection of cardiovascular diseases, offering a promising new tool in predictive medical diagnostics.

COVID-19 Recovery and Cardiovascular Health: The Interplay Between Fetuin-A and Blood Pressure.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 has been shown to impair cardiovascular function, and further studies have proven that this effect can be long-term on several cardiovascular biomarkers. Fetuin-A, a multifunctional protein involved in calcification and inflammation, has emerged as an important biomarker in this process. This study investigates the relationship between recovery from COVID-19, cardiovascular health, and concentrations of fetuin-A in patients with high blood pressure. METHODS: Seventy-nine men and 36 women were admitted to the Nasiriyah Heart Center in Iraq between March and August 2023, with ages ranging from 5 to 93 years. Clinical data were collected on admission along with blood samples, and serum levels of fetuin-A were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results were analyzed using Python libraries Pandas and SciPy to perform independent sample t-tests to determine mean levels of fetuin-A in various patient subgroups. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The study showed that patients who had survived COVID-19 had significantly higher levels of fetuin-A compared to healthy controls, with a mean concentration of 103.64 mg/L versus 19.199 mg/L (p < 0.001). Additionally, it was found that patients with high blood pressure had increased levels of fetuin-A compared to those without high blood pressure, with a mean concentration of 109.01 mg/L versus 95.88 mg/L (p = 0.025). These results suggest that COVID-19 may alter the usual relationship between blood pressure and cardiovascular biomarkers. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the complex interaction between recovery from COVID-19 and cardiovascular health, primarily through the levels of fetuin-A. The increase in fetuin-A among hypertensive patients suggests that COVID-19 may enhance cardiovascular risk, highlighting the need for stricter monitoring and tailored treatment strategies. Further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms, which will help develop effective clinical guidelines for managing cardiovascular health in COVID-19 survivors.

Are two-centimeter breast cancers large or small?

BACKGROUND: Node-negative breast cancers from 2 cm to 5 cm in size are classified as stage ii, and smaller cancers, as stage i. We sought to determine if the prognosis of women with a breast cancer exactly 2 cm in size more closely resembles that of women with a stage i or a stage ii breast cancer. METHODS: Using a cohort of 4265 young women with breast cancer, we compared the 10-year breast cancer mortality rates for women who had a tumour 0.1-1.9 cm, exactly 2.0 cm, and 2.1-2.9 cm. RESULTS: In the first 3 years after diagnosis, the survival pattern of women with a 2.0-cm breast cancer was nearly identical to that of women with a larger cancer (2.1-3.0 cm). From year 3 to year 10, the relative survival of women with a 2.0-cm breast cancer was improved and nearly identical to that of women with a smaller cancer. The 10-year survival rate was 89.3% for women with tumours less than 20 mm, 86.1% for women with tumours equal to 20 mm, and 81.2% for women with 21-mm to 29-mm tumours. CONCLUSIONS: For young women with small breast cancers, the relative mortality from breast cancer is dynamic with increasing tumour size and varies with time from diagnosis.

In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Honey against Gram Negative Bacterial Isolates.

Topical application of honey results in disinfecting the wound infection promptly and also expedites healing. Being cheap and widely available, honey can be an excellent alternative to be used as a topical antimicrobial agent. This study observes the in vitro growth inhibitory activity of different concentration of honey for different bacterial strains. This experimental study had been carried out in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics of Sir Salimullah Medical College and Mitford Hospital (SSMC), Dhaka, Bangladesh in collaboration with Microbiology, Department of Sir Salimullah Medical College and Mitford Hospital (SSMC), Dhaka, Bangldesh over a period of one year from July 2018 to June 2019. Using the Agar dilution method to detect the antimicrobial activity of honey on 18 bacterial isolates belong to enterobacteriaceae family namely, 8 bacterial isolates of Salmonella Enterica Serovar Typhi, Five (5) bacterial isolates of Escherichia coli and 5 bacterial isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The mean of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of honey for the isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar typhi was 15.35±12.39mg/ml, ranged between 3.56 and 41.6mg/ml (0.25% - 3.0% v/v). In case of the isolates of Escherichia coli the mean MIC of honey recorded at 28.53±16.18mg/ml and the growth was ranged between 7.10 and 48.3mg/ml (0.5% - 3.50% v/v). And the mean of the MIC of honey for the isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 20.31±13.20mg/ml, ranged between 10.63 and 41.6mg/ml (0.75% - 3.0% v/v). The brilliant antibacterial activity of honey against clinical bacterial isolates indicates the usefulness of honey in clinical practice against bacterial infection.

Association of creatine kinase and skin toxicity in phase I trials of anticancer agents.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the association between skin rash and plasma creatine kinase (CK) levels in oncology phase I trials. METHODS: We analysed data from 295 patients treated at our institution within 25 phase I trials which included CK measurements in the protocol. Trials involved drugs targeting EGFR/HER2, m-TOR, VEGFR, SRC/ABL, aurora kinase, BRAF/MEK, PARP, CDK, A5B1 integrin, as well as oncolytic viruses and vascular disrupting agents. RESULTS: Creatine kinase measurements were available for 278 patients. The highest levels of plasma CK during the trial were seen among patients with Grade (G) 2/3 rash (median 249 U l(-1)) compared with G1 (median 81 U l(-1)) and no rash (median 55 U l(-1)) (P<0.001). There was a significant reduction in CK after the rash resolved (mean 264.2 vs 100.1; P=0.012) in 25 patients, where serial CK values were available. In vitro exposure of human keratinocytes to EGFR, MEK and a PI3Kinase/m-TOR inhibitor led to the increased expression of CK-brain and not CK-muscle or mitochondrial-CK. CONCLUSION: Plasma CK elevation is associated with development of skin rash caused by novel anticancer agents. This should be studied further to characterise different isoforms as this will change the way we report adverse events in oncology phase I clinical trials.

The incidence of pancreatic cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.

BACKGROUND: Germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 predispose to pancreatic cancer. We estimated the incidence of pancreatic cancer in a cohort of female carriers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation. We also estimated survival rates in pancreatic cancer cases from families with a BRCA mutation. METHODS: We followed 5149 women with a mutation for new cases of pancreatic cancer. The standardised incidence ratios (SIR) for pancreatic cancer were calculated based on age group and country of residence. We also reviewed the pedigrees of 8140 pedigrees with a BRCA1 or a BRCA2 mutation for those with a case of pancreatic cancer. We recorded the year of diagnosis and the year of death for 351 identified cases. RESULTS: Eight incident pancreatic cancer cases were identified among all mutation carriers. The SIR for BRCA1 carriers was 2.55 (95% CI=1.03-5.31, P=0.04) and for BRCA2 carriers was 2.13 (95% CI=0.36-7.03, P=0.3). The 5-year survival rate was 5% for cases from a BRCA1 family and 4% for cases from a BRCA2 family. CONCLUSION: The risk of pancreatic cancer is approximately doubled in female BRCA carriers. The poor survival in familial pancreatic cancer underscores the need for novel anti-tumoural strategies.

Use of simple sequence repeat markers for DNA fingerprinting and diversity analysis of sugarcane (Saccharum spp) cultivars resistant and susceptible to red rot.

Red rod is an economically important disease of sugarcane caused by the fungus Colletotrichum falcatum. We used a simple sequence repeat (SSR)-based marker system to identify and analyze genetic relationships of red rot resistant and susceptible sugarcane cultivars grown in Pakistan. Twenty-one highly polymorphic SSR markers were used for DNA fingerprinting and genetic diversity analysis of 20 sugarcane cultivars. These SSR markers were found to be highly robust; we identified 144 alleles, with 3-11 alleles per marker and a mean of 6.8. Three SSR markers were able to identify all 20 cultivars. DNAMAN(®)-generated homology tree was used to analyze genetic diversity among these cultivars; all cultivars shared 58% or more similarity. We correlated polymorphism information content and resolving power values with marker effectiveness in the process of sugarcane cultivar identification. We concluded that a small number of SSR-derived DNA markers will allow breeders to identify red rot resistant and susceptible cultivars.

Comparative Analysis of the Efficacies of the GeneXpert and Solid Culture Media Techniques in the Diagnosis of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis is one of the predominant infectious diseases causing significant deaths worldwide. Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli (MTB) using culture media was officially recognized by World Health Organization. However, there is a significant limitation in the authenticity of evaluation for its effectiveness on clinically important attributes. GeneXpert detects the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) based on the detection of nucleic acid and is able to identify the resistance of both isoniazid (INH) and Rifampicin (RIF) drugs. In this technique, DNA amplification is done using the GeneXpert instrument in the suspected sample with a specific reagent cartridge. Although GeneXpert is a rapid technique compared to other diagnostic tools for MTB identification due to false-negative results, the culture media technique is still considered the gold standard in detecting M. tuberculosis. The current study was designed to evaluate the comparative efficacies of GeneXpert and the solid culture media technique in identifying MTB. Sputum samples of 250 (n=250) suspected tuberculosis (TB) patients were investigated using both diagnostic techniques. The results revealed that out of the 250 suspected patients, 30 (12%) samples were positive with the culture media technique, while only 17 (6.8%) samples showed positive results with GeneXpert. Culture tests and GeneXpert are not equally efficient in detecting M. tuberculosis. The current study's findings showed that the culture-based detection method for M. tuberculosis is more efficient and reliable than GeneXpert.

Drought stress enhances the efficiency of floral dip method of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The Agrobacterium-mediated floral dip protocol is the most extensively used transformation method for a model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Several useful methods for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformations of Arabidopsis are existing, but they are time consuming and with low transformation efficiency. Here, we developed a transgenic Arabidopsis lines TET12p::TET12-RFP in a short period of time and enhanced transformation efficiency by using a modified transformation method by applying drought stress after floral dip. In this protocol, Agrobacterium cells carrying TET12p::TET12-RFP recombinant vectors were resuspended in a solution of 5% sucrose, 0.05% (v/v) silwet L-77 to transform female gametes of developing Arabidopsis inflorescences. Treated Arabidopsis were then applied with different levels of drought stresses to stimulate plants for the utilization of maximum plant energy in seed maturation process. The applied stresses achieved the fast maturation of already treated inflorescences while stopped the growing of newly arising untreated inflorescence, thus decreased the chances of wrong collection of untransformed seeds. Consequently, the collected seeds were mostly transgenic with a transformation frequency of at least 10%, thus the screening for positive transformants selection was more advantageous on a selective medium as compared to a classical floral dip method. Within 2-3 months, two hundred of individual transgenic plants were produced from just 10 infiltrated plants. This study concludes that application of drought stresses in a specific stage of plant is a beneficial strategy for achieving the transgenic Arabidopsis in a short period of time with high transformation efficiency.

Structured sampling of olfactory input by the fly mushroom body.

Associative memory formation and recall in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is subserved by the mushroom body (MB). Upon arrival in the MB, sensory information undergoes a profound transformation from broadly tuned and stereotyped odorant responses in the olfactory projection neuron (PN) layer to narrowly tuned and nonstereotyped responses in the Kenyon cells (KCs). Theory and experiment suggest that this transformation is implemented by random connectivity between KCs and PNs. However, this hypothesis has been challenging to test, given the difficulty of mapping synaptic connections between large numbers of brain-spanning neurons. Here, we used a recent whole-brain electron microscopy volume of the adult fruit fly to map PN-to-KC connectivity at synaptic resolution. The PN-KC connectome revealed unexpected structure, with preponderantly food-responsive PN types converging at above-chance levels on downstream KCs. Axons of the overconvergent PN types tended to arborize near one another in the MB main calyx, making local KC dendrites more likely to receive input from those types. Overconvergent PN types preferentially co-arborize and connect with dendrites of αß and α'ß' KC subtypes. Computational simulation of the observed network showed degraded discrimination performance compared with a random network, except when all signal flowed through the overconvergent, primarily food-responsive PN types. Additional theory and experiment will be needed to fully characterize the impact of the observed non-random network structure on associative memory formation and recall.

Stromal gene signatures in large-B-cell lymphomas.

BACKGROUND: The addition of rituximab to combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP), or R-CHOP, has significantly improved the survival of patients with diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma. Whether gene-expression signatures correlate with survival after treatment of diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma is unclear. METHODS: We profiled gene expression in pretreatment biopsy specimens from 181 patients with diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma who received CHOP and 233 patients with this disease who received R-CHOP. A multivariate gene-expression-based survival-predictor model derived from a training group was tested in a validation group. RESULTS: A multivariate model created from three gene-expression signatures--termed "germinal-center B-cell," "stromal-1," and "stromal-2"--predicted survival both in patients who received CHOP and patients who received R-CHOP. The prognostically favorable stromal-1 signature reflected extracellular-matrix deposition and histiocytic infiltration. By contrast, the prognostically unfavorable stromal-2 signature reflected tumor blood-vessel density. CONCLUSIONS: Survival after treatment of diffuse large-B-cell lymphoma is influenced by differences in immune cells, fibrosis, and angiogenesis in the tumor microenvironment.

A comparative study on the virulence of entomopathogenic fungi against Trogoderma granarium (Everts) (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) in stored grains rice.

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) now a possible safer microbial control measure that could be considered as a substitute for chemical control of insect pests. Three EPF viz., Metarihizium anisopliae, Isaria furnosoroseus and Beauveria bassiana were evaluated for their virulence against the grubs of Khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium (Everts) under laboratory conditions. The isolates were applied by two methods viz., diet incorporation and an immersion method with 3rd instar 20 grubs of T. granarium for each. The virulence of EPF was determined using percent mortality. Significantly higher mortality was observed in M. anisopliae applied through immersion (98.33%) and diet incorporation (93.33%) methods followed by B. bassiana (90.83 and 85.83%, respectively). The mortality caused by I. furnosoroseus was statistically lower in immersion and diet incorporation methods i.e. 81.67 and 73.33%, respectively. Based on the immersion method, all EPF were studied for multiple conidial concentration i.e., 1×104, 1×105, 1×106, 1×107 and 1×108 under the same in-vitro conditions. All the isolates were pathogenic to grub of T. granarium at the highest conidial concentration. M. anisopliae was proved the most effective virulent resulting in 98.33% mortality of the pest with LT50 4.61 days at 1 × 108 conidial concentration followed by 90.83 and 81.67 percent mortality with 5.07 and 8.01 days LT50, in the application of B. bassiana and I. furnosoroseus, respectively. M. anisopliae showed higher efficacy and could be considered as promising EPF for the development of myco-insecticides against effective biocontrol of T. granarium.

Resource use efficiency of cotton in improved vs conventional planting geometry with exogenous application of bio-stimulant and synthetic growth retardant.

Plant growth regulators and improved planting density are the innovative techniques in the establishment of more productive cotton crop. A field study was planned to assess the role of growth regulators in the resource utilization efficiency of cotton cultivars under different row spacing at Agronomic Research Area, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan and Usmania Agricultural Farm, Shujaabad during Kharif 2012. The study was comprised of cotton cultivars viz. CIM-573 and CIM-598, cultivated under conventional (75 cm), medium (50 cm) and improved ultra-narrow row spacing (25 cm) and foliar spray of growth regulators viz. moringa leaf extract (MLE) and mepiquat chloride (MC), either alone or in combination, distilled water as a control. The application of MLE alone and in combination (MLE + MC) showed the promoting effect on crop growth rate, net assimilation rate, leaf area index, leaf area duration, sympodial branches and number of bolls leading to higher seed cotton yield of both cotton cultivars grown under conventional row spacing. While application of MC averts the plant growth without considerably improving the productivity. MLE being rich source of growth promoting hormone and nutrients showed its potential to a far greater extent under conventional row spacing in efficient utilization of available resources compared to MC and distilled water.