25 research outputs found
Maximizing Nutrient Efficiency and Profitability: Integrating NADEP Compost and Phosphorous Solubilizing Bacteria in Black Gram (Vigna mungo. L) Cultivation
No full textChemical fertilizers primarily focus on providing a few essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK), neglecting other micronutrients required for healthy plant growth. This imbalance can lead to nutrient deficiencies in plants and subsequently in the food produced. Contributing to better food security and improved nutrition for the growing population, these organic manures and biofertilizers provide essential nutrients to the plants, improving their nutrient content and overall nutritional quality, which are highly valuable for addressing the nutritional needs of a growing population. Contrarily, imbalanced nutrition decreases productivity and deteriorates soil fertility, inturn increases the cost of cultivation. This problem can be only solved by quantifying biofertilizer integration with organic nutrients. With this in mind, an experiment was conducted in 2021 at the crop research center of the ITM University\u27s School of Agriculture in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. Using a randomized block design with three replications of three different organic manures and bio-fertilizers. There are ten distinct treatments (from T1 to T10). Different types of organic manures and biofertilizers had a substantial impact on nutrition intake. The highest nutrient uptake (N, P, K, and Zn) was achieved when NADEP-2 t/ha + PSB-2.5 lit/ha (T7) was applied in a manner comparable to the absolute control, that is, without the treatment of organic manures and biofertilizer. Furthermore, economics of different treatment, the maximum gross returns (Rs 1,48,995 ha-1), net returns (Rs 1,11,335 ha-1) and B:C ratio (2.95) was recorded under treatment T7 for Urd bean
Engineering of vitamin and cofactor synthesis in yeasts
No full textThe increase in world population together with an unsustainable and fossil fuel-based economy are at the root of the significant increase in the average global temperature since the pre-industrial era. Switching to a more sustainable and circular bio-based economy is one of the main pillars included in the Paris agreement aimed at reducing green-house gasses emissions in the next decades. Biotechnology promises to play a crucial role in this context by providing novel, more sustainable processes for the production of food, drugs, fuels and chemicals
Activities by child protection for a child in children's shelter
No full textTänapäeva ühiskonnas on toimumas suured muutused, mis mõjutavad nii täiskasvanuid kui ka lapsi. Selle tõttu on perekondi, kelle majanduslik olukord on halvenenud ja see on viinud omavaheliste arusaamatusteni, mis on halvimatel juhtudel lõppenud perevägivallaga. Kõik see omakorda mõjutab lapsi ja asjaolu, et lapsed jõuavad üha enam turvakoduteenusele.
Töö autor on arvamusel, et laste heaolu ja arengut silmas pidades on oluline, et lapse bioloogiline perekond võimaldaks lapsele Maslow’ püramiidis välja toodud inimvajaduste hierharia. Töö autor on arvamusel, et kui mõni Maslow’ püramiidis olevatest vajadustest jääb lapse puhul täitmata, siis võib see olla põhjuseks, miks lapsed satuvad turvakodusse.
Lõputöö eesmärgiks oli leida vastus küsimusele, millised on lastekaitse poolsed tegevused turvakodus viibivale lapsele, et taastada kiiremas korras lapse heaolu ja põhivajadused. Lõputöö uuringu läbiviimiseks kasutati kvalitatiivset uurimismetoodikat, mis lasi suhelda intervjueeritavatega vahetult, aitas mõista intervjueeritavate nägemusi ja kogemusi antud töö kontekstist ning võimaldas vajadusel küsimusi ümber formuleerida. Lõputöö läbiviimiseks püstitati uurimisküsimused ning lõputöö autori arvates sobis kvalitatiivne uurimismeetod kõige paremini ka püstitatud uurimisküsimustele vastuste leidmiseks. Lõputöö eesmärgi saavutamiseks püstitatud uurimisülesanded said täidetud ning uurimisprobleem tõestatud.
Läbiviidud uuringus tuli ilmsiks, miks lapsed jõuavad turvakodusse. Autor jõudis seisukohale, et igal lapsel on turvakodusse jõudmiseks oma põhjus. Samas vaadates 2021. aasta statistikat ja läbiviidud intervjuusid, saab tuua välja, et peamised põhjused turvakodusse jõudmisel on lähisuhtevägivald, alkoholi tarbimine ja hoolimatus. Intervjuudes tuli väga selgelt esile, et nende kolme põhjuse puhul üks põhjus mõjutab teist. Nende põhjuste puhul viib lastekaitsespetsialist läbi erinevad tegevused, milleks on nõustamine, erinevatele teenustele suunamine ja kõikvõimalik psühholoogiline abi. Samuti jõudis autor järeldusele, et väga suure osa tööst teeb ära turvakodu meeskond.
Autor leidis, et turvakodus olemise periood ei sõltu ainult lastekaitsespetsialistidest, vaid samuti lapsevanematest, kohtust, asenduspere või asenduskodu leidmise kiirusest. Samuti jõudis autor uurimuses järeldusele, et teatud olukordades on lapsele pigem kasulik, kui laps saab pikemalt turvakodus viibida, mitte liikuda ühest elukohast teise.
Autor jõudis järeldusele, et Eestis on küll 55 asendushooldusteenuse pakkujat, aga hetkel vaja minevast teenusehulgast on seda vähe, ehk siis teenusepakkujaid oleks vaja juurde. Samuti sai autor teada, et hetkel on Eestis ära hinnatud 37 sobivat hooldusperet, kes ootavad oma perre last. 2022 aasta andmete seisuga elab 154 last hooldusperedes. Hooldusperede andmed muutuvad igapäevaselt.
Autor on oma lõputöös andnud ülevaate teoreetilistest lähtekohtadest, kirjeldanud lastekaitseseadust ja toonud välja lastekaitsespetsialisti tööülesanded lähtuvalt ametijuhendist. Autor on oma töös andnud sisulise ülevaate Tartu Laste Turvakodu ajaloost ja seal pakutavatest teenustest. Töö autor kavandas uurimistöö metoodika etapilise teostamise.
Kokkuvõtvalt võib öelda, et vanem mõjutab last ja vastupidi. Igal inimesel on kaheksa arenguetappi ja kõigil lapsevanematel on kohustus oma last kuni täiskasvanueani nendes etappides toetada ja õpetada. Kui lapsevanema toetus nendes etappides puudub, on tulemus laste puhul koheselt näha, kuna mitmes arenguetapis on lapse jaoks just olulised suhted oma vanematega. Samuti on lapsevanema taotluse puudumine üks põhjustest, miks lapsed satuvad turvakodusse.
Lõputöö aitas autoril mõista, et turvakodu pole koht, mida peaks ilmtingimata vältima, vaid see on koht, kus lapsed saavad abi. Kuigi seal puudub igapäevane stabiilne keskkond, siis turvakodu meeskond annab endast kõik, et lapsel oleks turvaline seal ööbida. Samuti on turvakodus pikemal perioodil viibimine lapsele kasulik, mitte kahjulik. Pigem säästetakse sellega last, et hoiduda uutest traumadest.Big changes are taking place in today's society, which affects both adults and children. Thanks to this, there are families whose economic situation has worsened and this has led to mutual misunderstandings, which in the worst cases have ended in domestic violence. All this affects the children to reach the shelter service more and more. The author of the research is of the opinion that, in view of children's well-being and development, it is important that the child's biological family provides the child with the hierarchy of human needs outlined in Maslow's pyramid.
The author of the research is of the opinion that if any of the hierarchy of human needs outlined in Maslow's pyramid is not fulfilled in the case of a child, this is one of the influencing reasons why children end up in a shelter. The aim of the thesis was to find an answer to what child protection activities are for a child staying in a shelter in order to restore the child's well-being and basic needs as soon as possible. Qualitative research methodology was used to conduct the thesis research, which allowed direct communication with the interviewees and made it possible to reformulate the questions if necessary.
According to the author of the thesis, the qualitative research method was the best for finding answers to the research questions. Research questions were set up to carry out the thesis. The research was conducted using a qualitative research method, which was suitable for understanding the views and experiences of the subjects in the context of this work. The research tasks set for the thesis were fulfilled and the research problem was proven. Through the research, it became clear why children ends up in a shelter. The author came to the opinion that every child has his own reason for coming to a shelter, but at the same time, looking at the statistics of 2021 and the conducted interviews, it can be concluded that the main reasons for coming to a shelter are violence from a close relationship, alcohol consumption and carelessness.
It was very clear in the interviews that among these three reasons, one reason affects the other. In the interviews, it was revealed that the main reasons for children arriving at the shelter are violence in a close relationship, alcohol consumption and child neglect. From the point of view of these three basic reasons, the child protection specialist carries out various activities, which are counseling, referral to various services and all kinds of psychological help. The subject also came to the conclusion that a very large part of the work is done by the team of the shelter. The author found that the period of being in a shelter depends not only on child protection specialists, but also on the parents, the court, the speed of finding a foster family or a foster home.
The researcher also came to the conclusion in the research that in certain situations it is more beneficial for the child if the child can stay longer in a shelter, rather than moving from one place of residence to another. The author has provided an overview of theoretical starting points, described the Child Protection Act and outlined the duties of a child protection specialist based on the job description. The author has given a substantive overview of the history of the Tartu Children's Shelter and the services offered there.
The author of the work has planned the step-by-step implementation of the research methodology. In summary, it can be said that the parent influences the child and vice versa. Each person has two stages of development, and all parents have a duty to support and teach their child in these stages until adulthood. If there is no parental support in these stages, the result is immediately visible in the case of children, because in several stages of development, it is the relationships with their parents that are important for the child. Also, the lack of it is one of the reasons why children end up in shelters.
The research helped the author to understand that the shelter is not a place that should necessarily be avoided, but a place where children can get help. Although there is no daily stable environment, the shelter team does everything to ensure that children stays there safely. Also, staying in a shelter for a longer period is beneficial for children, not harmful. Rather, children is spared in order to avoid new traumas
Engineering of molybdenum-cofactor-dependent nitrate assimilation in Yarrowia lipolytica
No full textEngineering a new metabolic function in a microbial host can be limited by the availability of the relevant cofactor. For instance, in Yarrowia lipolytica, the expression of a functional nitrate reductase is precluded by the absence of molybdenum cofactor (Moco) biosynthesis. In this study, we demonstrated that the Ogataea parapolymorpha Moco biosynthesis pathway combined with the expression of a high affinity molybdate transporter could lead to the synthesis of Moco in Y. lipolytica. The functionality of Moco was demonstrated by expression of an active Moco-dependent nitrate assimilation pathway from the same yeast donor, O. parapolymorpha. In addition to 11 heterologous genes, fast growth on nitrate required adaptive laboratory evolution which, resulted in up to 100-fold increase in nitrate reductase activity and in up to 4-fold increase in growth rate, reaching 0.13h-1. Genome sequencing of evolved isolates revealed the presence of a limited number of non-synonymous mutations or small insertions/deletions in annotated coding sequences. This study that builds up on a previous work establishing Moco synthesis in S. cerevisiae demonstrated that the Moco pathway could be successfully transferred in very distant yeasts and, potentially, to any other genera, which would enable the expression of new enzyme families and expand the nutrient range used by industrial yeasts. BT/Industriele Microbiologi
Ecosystem-level Impacts of Chickpea Intercropping and Nutrient Management on Phenology, Land Equivalent Ratio and Microbial Populations
No full textA two-year field investigation (2023–2024) was conducted at the Agronomy Research Farm, G.D. Goenka University, Haryana, to evaluate the effects of integrated and sole organic nutrient management on the phenology, productivity, and land-use efficiency of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under different intercropping systems. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design comprising three nutrient management regimes—sole inorganic (NM₀₀), integrated (50% RDF + 50% vermicompost; NM₀₁), and sole organic (NM₀₂)—and four intercropping combinations: sole chickpea (IC₀₀), chickpea + oats (IC₀₁), chickpea + mustard (IC₀₂), and chickpea + barley (IC₀₃). Results indicated that mustard-based intercropping (IC₀₂) significantly advanced flowering, whereas oats intercropping (IC₀₁) delayed phenological development due to competitive stress. Integrated nutrient management (NM₀₁) enhanced early flowering and improved overall crop performance through balanced nutrient availability and improved soil microbial activity. The highest chickpea equivalent yield (CEY) was recorded in sole chickpea (21.46 q ha⁻¹), followed by IC₀₂ (19.16 q ha⁻¹), while IC₀₃ recorded the lowest yield (9.42 q ha⁻¹). Among nutrient regimes, NM₀₁ achieved the highest CEY (17.64 q ha⁻¹), confirming the synergistic advantage of combining organic and inorganic sources. Land equivalent ratio (LER) was highest under sole chickpea (1.00), with IC₀₂ outperforming cereal-based intercrops. Although nutrient effects on LER were statistically non-significant, the NM₀₁ × IC₀₂ interaction recorded optimal resource utilization. The study concludes that integrating mustard intercropping with balanced nutrient management enhances phenological efficiency, yield stability, and land-use optimization and soil microbial load. These results highlight the potential of integrated organic–inorganic nutrient strategies in developing climate-resilient, resource-efficient, and sustainable chickpea-based cropping systems suitable for semi-arid regions
Assessing Low-cost Capacitive Soil Moisture Sensors: Accurate, Affordable, and IoT-ready Solutions for Soil Moisture Monitoring
No full textThis research, conducted at G D Goenka University, assesses the performance of low-cost capacitive soil moisture sensors in comparison to the standard Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) sensors, with a focus on accuracy, reliability, cost-effectiveness, and IoT integration. The results indicate that these sensors are highly accurate, exhibit low error rates, and are a cost-effective alternative to TDR sensors, making them well-suited for large-scale deployments in agricultural and environmental applications. The study\u27s findings support the integration of these sensors into IoT-based soil moisture monitoring systems, with recommendations for optimizing their performance in specific use cases, thereby contributing valuable insights to the field of soil moisture measurement
Revolutionizing Tomato Cultivation through Panchgavya Enriched NFT Hydroponics
No full textDue to various man-made factors, including industrialization and urbanization, soil-based agriculture is currently experiencing difficulties. Additionally, unforeseen natural disasters, climate change, and the uncontrolled use of chemicals in agriculture reduce soil fertility and quality. Because of this, scientists have created a new alternative method of cultivation known as hydroponics or soilless cultivation. One such type of soilless growing is known as "hydroponics," and it uses less water than a typical system. Because it produces high-quality food and manages resources very effectively, hydroponic farming is currently gaining appeal on a global scale. Various hydroponic systems, including wick, ebb and flow, drip, deep water culture, and Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) systems, are discussed in this article. In general, hydroponically grown produce has superior nutritional value, flavor, and yield quality than naturally grown produce on the soil [1]. This method of farming is economical, free of diseases, environmentally benign, and gaining appeal both in developed and developing nations worldwide. Crops can be grown in a variety of hydroponic systems. Commercially, the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) has been applied around the world for the cultivation of leafy and other exotic vegetables. In hydroponic systems, which use a variety of non-soil growing media, mineral fertilizer solutions are used to feed the plants in water. When compared to traditional farming techniques, hydroponics technology offers a wide range of advantages whilst having few drawbacks
Preserving Nature\u27s Allies: A Framework for Sustainable Agriculture and Biodiversity Conservation through the Guardians of the Soil - Red Velvet Mite (Trombidium spp.) Conservation
No full textThe indiscriminate use of high-energy inputs like chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and farm mechanization is resulting in a decline in the amount of organic carbon in the soil, a decrease in the population of soil microbes, a loss of biodiversity in the flora and fauna and an accumulation of inorganic chemicals, which are deteriorating soil and crop ecosystems. Due to habitat loss brought on by excessive chemical use, both the variety and number of insects are declining globally. If extensive action is not taken, many of these important creatures, including Earthworms, Green Lacewings, Ladybug Beetles, Trombidium spp., and others will go extinct within the next few decades. Ironically, the uncontrolled application of chemical fertilizers, insecticides, and pesticides as well as over-exploitation by the drug trade are the main threats to these beneficial and valuable creatures. In this study, the importance of beneficial, farmer-friendly, trombididae in biological pest management, medicinal use, enhancing soil fertility and identifying potential change trajectories and forecasting their consequences on beneficial insects provides a scientific framework for making informed decisions regarding sustainable agriculture methods to save them from extinction were suggested
An integrated CRISPR-Cas toolkit for engineering human cells
No full textThesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2015.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 145-158).Natively functioning Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-associated (Cas) system is a prokaryotic adaptive immune system that confers resistance to foreign genetic elements including plasmids and phages. Very recently, a two-component CRISPR-Cas technology from Streptococcus Pyogenes comprising of the RNA-guided DNA endonuclease Cas9 and the guide RNA (gRNA) has been demonstrated to enable unprecedented genome editing efficiency across all domains of life. Current applications however, employ CRISPR/Cas technology in a stand-alone fashion, isolated from the rich biological machinery of the host environment in which it is applied. In this thesis, I present a toolkit designed by integrating CRISPR/Cas technology with a wide array of mammalian molecular components, thereby enabling altogether novel applications while enhancing the efficiency of current applications. By integrating a catalytically dead version of the CRISPR/Cas protein Cas9 (dCas9) with mammalian transcriptional activator VP64 and mammalian transcriptional repressor KRAB, we build and characterize tunable, multifunctional and orthogonal CRISPR/Cas transcription factors (CRISPR-TFs) in human cells. By integrating CRISPR-TFs and Cas6/Csy4 based RNA processing with multiple mammalian RNA regulatory strategies including RNA Polymerase II (RNAP II) promoters, RNAtriple- helix structures, introns, microRNAs and ribozymes, we demonstrate efficient modulation of endogenous promoters and the implementation of tunable synthetic circuits such as multistage cascades and RNA-dependent networks that can be rewired with Csy4. In summary, our integrated toolkit enables efficient and multiplexed modulation of endogenous gene networks, construction of highly scalable and tunable synthetic gene circuits. Our toolkit can be used for perturbing endogenous networks towards developmental, therapeutic and synthetic biology applications.by Samuel David Perli.Ph. D
Multi-Depth Soil–microbe Interactions Influencing Productivity of Mustard (Brassica juncea L.) under Conservation Agriculture and Organic Nutrient Management Systems
No full textThe accelerated degradation of agroecosystems driven by intensive tillage and synthetic inputs threatens soil functionality, ecosystem stability, and long-term food security. This two-year field experiment, titled “Decoding Multi-Depth Soil Physicochemical and Microbial Interactions Governing Productivity and Economic Viability in Mustard (Brassica juncea L.) under Conservation Agriculture and Organic Nutrient Management Systems,” evaluated twelve treatment combinations integrating reduced tillage, residue retention, and organic amendments under a randomized block design. Among all, No-till + Egg Amino Acid (1 L ha⁻¹) + Poultry Manure (4 t ha⁻¹) (T₇) emerged superior, recording the highest available nitrogen (242.03 kg ha⁻¹), phosphorus (22.67 kg ha⁻¹), and potassium (470.28 kg ha⁻¹), alongside a 23–28% increase in soil organic carbon and notable reductions in bulk density and electrical conductivity. The same treatment exhibited the maximum bacterial (40.32 × 10⁶ CFU g⁻¹) and fungal (12.00 × 10⁴ CFU g⁻¹) populations, indicating enhanced microbial activity and nutrient mineralization. Economically, T₇ achieved the highest gross return (₹1,22,164.9 ha⁻¹), net return (₹76,654.9 ha⁻¹), and benefit–cost ratio (2.68), outperforming the control by up to 60%. The synergistic influence of conservation tillage and organic inputs strengthened soil biological functions, improved resource-use efficiency, and enhanced mustard productivity, establishing a sustainable pathway toward low-input, carbon-positive, and biologically enriched agroecosystems
