369 research outputs found
Emergent chiroptical properties in supramolecular and plasmonic assemblies
Get PDFThis tutorial provides a comprehensive description of the origin of chiroptical properties of supramolecular and plasmonic assemblies in the UV-visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The photophysical concepts essential for understanding chiroptical signatures are presented in the first section. Just as the oscillator strength (a positive quantity) is related to absorption, the rotational strength (either a positive or a negative quantity) defines the emergence of chiroptical signatures in molecular/plasmonic systems. In supramolecular systems, induced circular dichroism (ICD) originates through the off-resonance coupling of transition dipoles in chiral inclusion complexes, while exciton coupled circular dichroism (ECD) originates through the on-resonance exciton coupling of transition dipoles in chiral assemblies resulting in the formation of a bisignated CD signal. In bisignated ECD spectra, the sign of the couplet is determined not only by the handedness of chiral supramolecular assemblies, but also by the sign of the interaction energy between transition dipoles. Plasmonic chirality is briefly addressed in the last section, focusing on inherent chirality, induced chirality, and surface plasmon-coupled circular dichroism (SP-CD). The oscillator strength is of the order of 1 in molecular systems, while it becomes very large (104-105) in plasmonic systems due to the collective plasmonic excitations, resulting in intense CD signals, which can be exploited for the design of plasmonic metamaterial platforms for chiral sensing applications. This journal i
Henosepilachna circellaris
No full textHenosepilachna circellaris (Weise) Epilachna circellaris Weise, 1908: 216 (BMNH). Henosepilachna circellaris: Jadwiszczak & Wegrzynowicz, 2003: 141. Jadwiszczak & Wegrzynowicz (2003) listed H. circellaris as distributed in India in the world catalogue of Epilachninae, though Weise (1908) listed ‘Tharrawaddy’ (now in Myanmar) as its type locality. In Poorani’s (2004) updated online checklist of the Indian Subcontinent fauna, the author of H. circellaris was wrongly cited as Korschefsky and it was also wrongly mentioned as present in India (Karnataka). Distribution: Myanmar (Tharrawaddy).Published as part of Poorani, J., Booth, R. G., Gracy, R. Gandhi, Anuradha, C., Thanigairaj, R. & Swathi, R. S., 2021, Immature stages, host plants and natural enemies of Henosepilachna implicata (Mulsant) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) with DNA sequence data and a new synonym and notes on some Indian species of Epilachnini, pp. 533-546 in Zootaxa 4970 (3) on pages 543-544, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4970.3.5, http://zenodo.org/record/476683
Sex trafficking of girls and women : Evidence from Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh
Get PDFA crucial gap in the trafficking literature from India is the dearth of primary data and micro studies that could be used for vulnerability mapping of the source areas and addressing the identified risk factors. The present paper is a small attempt to contribute to plugging the gap in the context of Andhra Pradesh, identified as a hot spot in the trafficking literature. This paper is based on case studies of 78 women who had been trafficked from their places of origin in Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh to metropolitan cities across India and who have since returned to their homes. The paper attempted to identify the individual and family circumstances that contribute to the causes of trafficking, to highlight in particular the gendered vulnerabilities that set these women up for trafficking, and to capture the process of the trafficking experience. The findings of the study are located in the dynamic interplay of the social structural context and specificities of the district that contribute to causes of trafficking and the individual circumstances and agency of the women. The case studies reported in this paper are a pointer to the compelling urgency of interventions that will go beyond the forced / voluntary divide in trafficking and sex work.Andhra Pradesh, India, trafficking
Regulation of the Ras Signaling Network in C. Elegans Development
Get PDFAn EGF gradient induces the equipotent C. elegans vulval precursor cells (VPCs) to assume the 3��-3��-2��-1��-2��-3�� pattern of cell fates. EGF triggers the LET-60/Ras-LIN-45/Raf-MEK-2/MEK-MPK-1/ERK canonical MAP kinase cascade to induce 1�� fate and synthesize of DSL ligands for the lateral Notch signal. In turn, LIN-12/Notch induces neighboring cells to become 2��. In response to lower dose of EGF signal, LET-60/Ras switches effectors to use the RGL-1/RalGEF-RAL-1/Ral modulatory signaling cascade to promote 2�� fate in support of LIN-12. The goals of this research are to define principles by which signaling networks function and to identify an effector cascade downstream of RAL-1. RAL-1 signals through EXOC-8/Exo84, an established Ral binding partner, GCK-2, a CNH domain-containing MAP4 Kinase, and PMK-1/p38 MAP kinase to promote 2�� fate. We also show that RGL-1 plays opposing and genetically separable roles in VPC fate patterning. RGL-1 promotes 2�� fate via canonical GEF-dependent activation of RAL-1 and 1�� fate via a non-canonical GEF-independent activity. Our genetic epistasis experiments are consistent with RGL-1 functioning in the modulatory 1��-promoting AGE-1/PI3-Kinase-PDK-1/PDK-AKT-1/Akt cascade. Animals without RGL-1 experience 15-fold higher rates of VPC patterning errors compared to the wild type. Yet VPC patterning in RGL-1 deletion mutants is not more sensitive to environmental perturbations. We propose that RGL-1 functions as a ���Balanced Switch��� that orchestrates opposing 1��- and 2��-promoting modulatory cascades to decrease developmental stochasticity. To investigate how LET-60/Ras switches effectors to promote different cell fates, we used CRISPR to tag endogenous LIN-45/Raf and RGL-1/RalGEF proteins. We found that they are recruited to different subcellular compartments during VPC induction. LIN-45 is recruited to the basolateral membrane in presumptive 1�� cells. RGL-1 is recruited to the apical membrane in presumptive 2�� cells, and this localization depends on functional LET-60. We hypothesize that RGL-1 apical localization in the VPCs is mediated by phosphorylation or scaffold proteins. Our studies delineate a novel Ral-dependent developmental signaling cascade, bifunctional RGL-1 as a ���Balanced Switch���, and LET-60 effector segregation mechanism in vivo, thus providing critical insights for understanding Ras biology in cancer and development
Comparative analysis of shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) miRNAs expression profiles during WSSV infection under experimental conditions and in pond culture
Get PDFIn recent years, the importance of viral and host microRNAs (miRNAs) in mediating viral replication and control of host cellular machinery, has been realised and increasing efforts have been taken in order to understand the interactions of miRNAs from host and pathogen during infection. However, all existing studies has thus far been conducted in controlled experimental conditions and the veracity of these data for field conditions are yet to be established. In this framework, small RNA sequencing was performed to identify the miRNAs involved in shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) immune responses under two different WSSV infection conditions of natural infection and experimentally challenged conditions. The expression profiles of miRNAs of shrimp infected with WSSV under two contrasting conditions were compared and as a result, 23365 known miRNAs and 481 novel miRNAs were identified. Amongst the most abundantly expressed miRNAs, the hypoxia related miR-210 and immune pathway related miR-29b were expressed only in infected shrimps of both conditions. miR-8-5p, having a functional role in modulation of chitin biosynthesis was exclusively represented in higher numbers in the WSSV -infected shrimps under natural conditions whilst four of the miRNAs (mja-miR-6493–5p, mja-miR-6492, mmu-miR-3968, tcf-miR-9b-5p) identified from shrimps collected from pond culture targeted chitinase, an important enzyme involved in growth and moulting in shrimps, indicating an interaction between WSSV infection and moult cycle under culture conditions. Some of the miRNAs (tca-miR-87b-3p, cte-miR-277a) and miRNAs belonging to class miR-9, miR-981 that were identified only in WSSV infected shrimps under experimental conditions, are known to respond against WSSV infection in shrimps. Moreover, the miRNA target prediction revealed several immune-related gene targets such as cathepsin, c-type lectin, haemocyanin and ubiquitin protein ligase were commonly identified under both the conditions. However, the miRNAs identified from challenge experiment had wide number of gene targets as compared to the miRNAs of natural infection. The shrimp miRNA mja-miR-6489–3p, was also found to target early virus gene wsv001 of WSSV. Our study, therefore, provides the comparative analysis of miRNA expression from shrimp during WSSV infection in two different conditions.</p
Role of biology in the air-sea carbon flux in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea
Get PDFA physical-biological-chemical model (PBCM) is used for investigating the seasonal cycle of air-sea carbon flux and for assessing the effect of the biological processes on seasonal time scale in the Arabian Sea (AS) and Bay of Bengal (BoB), where the surface waters are subjected to contrasting physical conditions. The formulation of PBCM is given in Swathi et al (2000), and evaluation of several ammonium-inhibited nitrate uptake models is given in Sharada et al (2005). The PBCM is here first evaluated against JGOFS data on surface pCO2 in AS, Bay of Bengal Process Studies (BoBPS) data on column integrated primary productivity in BoB, and WOCE Il data on dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and alkalinity (ALK) in the upper 500 meters at 9°N in AS and at 10°N in BoB in September-October. There is good qualitative agreement with local quantitative discrepancies. The net effect of biological processes on air-sea carbon flux on seasonal time scale is determined with an auxiliary computational experiment, called the abiotic run, in which the biological processes are turned off. The difference between the biotic run and abiotic run is interpreted as the net effect of biological processes on the seasonal variability of chemical variables. The net biological effect on air-sea carbon flux is found to be highest in southwest monsoon season in the northwest AS, where strong upwelling drives intense new production. The biological effect is larger in AS than in BoB, as seasonal upwelling and mixing are strong in AS, especially in the northeast, while coastal upwelling and mixing are weak in BoB
Comparative study of Typhidot-M with Widal and blood culture in diagnosis of enteric fever
Get PDFObjective: To evaluate the diagnostic utility of Typhidot-M and Widal test in the early diagnosis of enteric fever (EF) in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Methods: The study included 270 children in the age group of 1-18 years admitted to the Department of Pediatrics from November 2012 to February 2014, with fever of 5 days or more and with clinical symptoms and signs suggestive of typhoid fever. Detailed history and clinical examination findings were recorded on a standard pro forma. Complete hemogram (hemoglobin, platelet count, and total and differential leukocyte count), Typhidot-M test, Widal tube test, and blood culture weredone on day 1 of admission. For Widal test, a titer of 1 in 160 or more for “O” agglutinins and a titer of 1 in 320 or more for “H” agglutinins were considered as positive results. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated. Results: Of 270 children included in the study, Salmonella typhi was isolated from 82 samples (30.4%) and the remaining 188 (69.6%) were blood culture negative. Widal test was positive in 107 children (39.6%) and Typhidot-M was positive in 136 (50.4%). The sensitivity was 78%, specificity was 79.3%, PPV was 59.8%, and NPV was 91.4% for Widal test. Typhidot-M test had a sensitivity of 81.7%, specificity of 84.6%, PPV of 69.8%, and NPV of 91.4%. Conclusion: Prompt diagnosisof EF is essential for appropriate management and it is, therefore, important to have a satisfactory test to replace conventional tests used for diagnosis. The present study compares newer test (Typhidot-M) against conventional tests such as Widal test and blood culture, and it appears to be a practical alternative to Widal test in the early detection of EF even in the resource-poor laboratories as it neither requires much laboratory equipment nor laboratory expertise to conduct the test. This test can be done within 7 days of illness, but whenever feasible confirmation with blood culture is strongly recommended, especially with the well-documented presence of multidrug-resistant strains of salmonella typhi worldwide. However, both Widal and Typhidot-M appear to correlate less satisfactorily with blood culture, and thus, there is a need for developing a test which allows accurate and early diagnosis of EF to manage a child effectively and limit its morbidity and mortality
Sart-3 Functions to Regulate Germline Sex Determination in C Elegans
Get PDFCaenorhabditis elegans gene sart-3 was first identified as the homolog of human SART3 ( S quamous cell carcinoma A ntigen R ecognized by T -cells 3). In humans, expression of SART3 is associated with squamous cell carcinoma, thus most of the studies focus on its potential role as a target of cancer immunotherapy (Shichijo et al. 1998; Yang et al. 1999). Furthermore, SART3 is also known as Tip110 (Liu et al. 2002; Whitmill et al. 2016) in the context of HIV virus host activation pathway. Despite these disease related studies, the molecular function of this protein was not revealed until the yeast homolog was identified as spliceosome U4/U6 snRNP recycling factor (Bell et al. 2002). The function of SART3 in development, however, remains unknown. Here we report that the C. elegans sart-3 mutant hermaphrodites exhibit a Mog ( M asculinization O f the G ermline) phenotype in adulthood suggesting that sart-3 normally functions to regulate the switch from spermatogenic to oogenic gametic sex
Fabrication of device quality films of high loaded PPy/MWCNT nanocomposites using pulsed laser deposition
No full textPolypyrrole (PPy) - multiwalled carbonnanotubes (MWCNT) nanocomposites with various MWCNT loading were prepared by in situ inversion emulsion polymerization technique. High loading of the nano filler were evaluated because of available inherent high interface area for charge separation in the nanocomposites. Solution processing of these conducting polymer nanocomposites is difficult because, most of them are insoluble in organic solvents. Device quality films of these composites were prepared by using pulsed laser deposition techniques (PLD). Comparative study of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of bulk and film show that there is no chemical modification of polymer on ablation with laser. TEM images indicate PPy layer on MWCNT surface. SEM micrographs indicate that the MWCNT's are distributed throughout the film. It was observed that MWCNT in the composite held together by polymer matrix. Further more MWCNT diameter does not change from bulk to film indicating that the polymer layer remains intact during ablation. Even for very high loadings (80 wt.% of MWCNT's) of nanocomposites device quality films were fabricated, indicating laser ablation is a suitable technique for fabrication of device quality films. Conductivity of both bulk and films were measured using collinear four point probe setup. It was found that overall conductivity increases with increase in MWCNT loading. Comparative study of thickness with conductivity indicates that maximum conductivity was observed around 0.2 mu m. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
Sorting Real Numbers in Constant Time Using n^2/log^cn Processors
Get PDFWe study the sorting of real numbers into a linked list on the PRAM (Parallel Random-Access Machine) model. We show that n real numbers can be sorted into a linked list in constant time using n2 processors. Previously n numbers can be sorted into a linked list using n2 processors in O(loglogn) time. We also study the time processor trade-off for sorting real numbers into a linked list on the PRAM (Parallel Random Access Machine) model. We show that n real numbers can be sorted into a linked list with n2/t processors in O(logt) time. Previously n real numbers can be sorted into a linked list using n3 processors in constant time and n2 processors in O(loglogn). And then we show that input array of n real numbers can be sorted into linked list in constant time using n2/logcn processors for any positive constant c. We believe that further reduction on the number of processors for sorting real numbers in constant time will be very difficult if not impossible
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