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Science

Communities of microbes play important roles in natural environments and hold great potential for deploying division-of-labor strategies in synthetic biology and bioproduction. Here, in a community of two competing E. coli strains, the authors show that the relative abundances of the strains can be stabilized and steered dynamically with remarkable precision by coupling the cells to an automated computer-controlled feedback-loop.

Science

The design of feedback biomolecular controllers is essential to synthetically regulate biological processes in a robust and timely fashion. Here the authors introduce a wide array of biomolecular Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers that are capable of enhancing stability and dynamic performance, and also reducing stochastic noise.

optogenetics, optogenetic platform, light stimulation device, light-control, feedback control, in silico control, Biotechnology, and TP248.13-248.65

Harnessing the potential of optogenetics in biology requires methodologies from different disciplines ranging from biology, to mechatronics engineering, to control engineering. Light stimulation of a synthetic optogenetic construct in a given biological species can only be achieved via a suitable light stimulation platform. Emerging optogenetic applications entail a consistent, reproducible, and regulated delivery of light adapted to the application requirement. In this review, we explore the evolution of light-induction hardware-software platforms from simple illumination set-ups to sophisticated microscopy, microtiter plate and bioreactor designs, and discuss their respective advantages and disadvantages. Here, we examine design approaches followed in performing optogenetic experiments spanning different cell types and culture volumes, with induction capabilities ranging from single cell stimulation to entire cell culture illumination. The development of automated measurement and stimulation schemes on these platforms has enabled researchers to implement various in silico feedback control strategies to achieve computer-controlled living systems—a theme we briefly discuss in the last part of this review.

Science

Practical implementation of genetic circuits is difficult due to low predictability and time-intensive troubleshooting. Here the authors present Cyberloop, which interfaces a computer with single cells to enable cell-in-the-loop testing and optimization of circuit designs before they are built.

Cotton, Resource productivity, Resource use efficiency, and Agriculture

This paper examines productivity, profitability and resource use efficiency of cotton production in Palwal district of Haryana (India). The study is based on primary data collected from a total of 120 farmers selected randomly using two-stage sampling and data related to agricultural year 2017-18. Analytical tools like farm business analysis and production function approach is applied to summarise data. Results have revealed that large farms were more productive and earned higher profit from cotton production than small and medium farms. The regression results have shown that factors like human labour, phosphatic fertilizer, farm machinery and zinc had positive and significant impacts on cotton yield. The MVP of human labour, and phosphatic fertilizer were greater than unity indicating underutilization. However, other resources were applied in excess and suggested to utilize optimally to improve the yield of cotton.

growth medium, seed germination, seed treatment, Stereospermum suaveolens, Environmental sciences, and GE1-350

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of different seed treatment and potting media on germination percentage and associate parameters in Stereospermum suaveolens, a threatened dashmool species during May, 2019 at Silviculture Nursery of Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh). Experimental treatments comprised of twenty treatment combinations consisting of four different seed treatment and five growth mediums. Data on daily seed germination was recorded and used for estimation of final germination percentage (FGP), mean germination time (MGT), coefficient of velocity of germination (CVG), germination rate index (GRI), time spread of germination (TSG), energy period (EP) and peak value of mean germination (PVMG). Critical perusal of analysis revealed that treatment combination ‘Sand + Hot Water’ was resulted in positive effect on all the characters studied and could be used for mass raising of seedlings of S. suaveolens.

Medicine

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease. Chronic kidney disease (CKD)-associated cardiovascular mortality is more prevalent in those with diastolic heart failure and is an early predictor, while increased left ventricular mass (LVM) is a strong independent risk factor. Hypovitaminosis D is extensively being studied as a nontraditional risk factor for CVD. The aim of the present study is to look at the association of Vitamin D and other parameters of mineral bone disorder (MBD) with diastolic dysfunction and LVM in nondiabetic young adult patients with CKD. This was a hospital-based, cross-sectional observational study. Groups I and II comprised nondiabetic predialysis CKD patients (stage 4 and 5) and healthy controls, respectively. Groups IA and IB comprised cases with and without diastolic dysfunction, respectively. Vitamin D level was measured by enhanced chemiluminescence method and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) by electrochemiluminescence method. Parameters for diastolic function and LVM were assessed by Doppler echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging, and M-mode echocardiography. Vitamin D level was significantly lower in Group I as compared to Group II. Diastolic dysfunction was present in 48.8% of the cases and was significantly associated with serum phosphorus and calcium-phosphorous product, but not with Vitamin D level. A statistically significant positive correlation between LVM and iPTH was found in our study. Hyperphosphatemia and high calcium-phosphorous product can be a better early predictor of diastolic dysfunction than Vitamin D while secondary hyperpara-thyroidism with increased LVM may be a bad prognostic marker.

Medicine and Science

Aldose reductase (ALR2) inhibition is the most legitimate approach for the management of diabetic complications. The limited triumph in the drug development against ALR2 is mainly because of its close structural similarity with the other members of aldo-keto reductase (AKR) superfamily viz. ALR1, AKR1B10; and lipophilicity problem i.e. poor diffusion of synthetic aldose reductase inhibitors (ARIs) to target tissues. The literature evidenced that naturally occurring curcumin demonstrates relatively specific and non-competitive inhibition towards human recombinant ALR2 over ALR1 and AKR1B10; however β-diketone moiety of curcumin is a specific substrate for liver AKRs and accountable for it's rapid in vivo metabolism. In the present study, structure based comprehensive modelling studies were used to map the pharmacophoric features/spatial fingerprints of curcumin analogues responsible for their ALR2 specificity along with potency on a data set of synthetic curcumin analogues and naturally occurring curcuminoids. The data set molecules were also screened for drug-likeness or ADME parameters, and the screening data strongly support that curcumin analogues could be proposed as a good drug candidate for the development of ALR2 inhibitors with improved pharmacokinetic profile compared to curcuminoids due to the absence of β-diketone moiety in their structural framework.