Contribution of National Digital Library of India on the paradigm shift in research and education: A study based on the Central University Kerala

Libraries have seen a significant transformation in terms of both resources and services in the 21st century. The emergence and widespread use of digital repositories and digital libraries is an important step in this regard. The Ministry of Education set up the National Digital Library of India (NDLI) for the benefit of Indian academics. In order to better understand how well students and researchers at the Central University of Kerala are aware of the digital resources offered by the NDLI, as well as how they utilize such resources and services, this study will look at both of these factors. This study applied simple random sampling procedures to randomly choose a sample of students and scholars, and then they used online closed questionnaires to collect data from them. The current study explored the state art of NDLI among the Central University Kerala users and found the NDLI\u27s resources and services are not fully exploited, despite the fact that the majority of students are aware of them. Many of the respondents are still ignorant of the NDLI\u27s instruments and have not used the services, which are crucial to their research and academic work. The university library must take the lead step by organizing orientation and awareness programmes

Profile retrieval of a buried periodic structure using spin echo grazing incidence neutron scattering

When the neutron scattering technique, Spin Echo Resolved Grazing Incidence Scattering (SERGIS) concept, was originally put forward by Rekveldt [Physica B 1135, 234–236 (1997)] and Felcher et al. [Proc. SPIE 4785, 164 (2002)], they recognized that the specular scattering and the off-specular scattering could be spatially separated due to the tight neutron beam collimation in the scattering plane, a necessity for any reflectometry experiment. In this Letter, we show that it is possible to make large area measurements of periodic grating structures using SERGIS in a number of interesting scenarios. The SERGIS data can be analyzed using a dynamical theory, which makes it possible to effectively retrieve the lateral profile of a commercial periodic diffraction grating. Interestingly, this is still the case even when that grating is buried beneath a highly deuterated poly(methyl methacrylate-D8) polymer layer. We also clearly demonstrate that the maximum sensitivity to lateral structures is achieved when the specular reflection from the grating is excluded from the data analysis, demonstrating a feature of SERGIS that was proposed over two decades ago

FimH Adhesin of Type 1 Fimbriae Is a Potent Inducer of Innate Antimicrobial Responses Which Requires TLR4 and Type 1 Interferon Signalling

Components of bacteria have been shown to induce innate antiviral immunity via Toll-like receptors (TLRs). We have recently shown that FimH, the adhesin portion of type 1 fimbria, can induce the innate immune system via TLR4. Here we report that FimH induces potent in vitro and in vivo innate antimicrobial responses. FimH induced an innate antiviral state in murine macrophage and primary MEFs which was correlated with IFN-β production. Moreover, FimH induced the innate antiviral responses in cells from wild type, but not from MyD88−/−, Trif−/−, IFN−α/βR−/− or IRF3−/− mice. Vaginal delivery of FimH, but not LPS, completely protected wild type, but not MyD88−/−, IFN-α/βR−/−, IRF3−/− or TLR4−/− mice from subsequent genital HSV-2 challenge. The FimH-induced innate antiviral immunity correlated with the production of IFN-β, but not IFN-α or IFN-γ. To examine whether FimH plays a role in innate immune induction in the context of a natural infection, the innate immune responses to wild type uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) and a FimH null mutant were examined in the urinary tract of C57Bl/6 (B6) mice and TLR4-deficient mice. While UPEC expressing FimH induced a robust polymorphonuclear response in B6, but not TLR4−/− mice, mutant bacteria lacking FimH did not. In addition, the presence of TLR4 was essential for innate control of and protection against UPEC. Our results demonstrate that FimH is a potent inducer of innate antimicrobial responses and signals differently, from that of LPS, via TLR4 at mucosal surfaces. Our studies suggest that FimH can potentially be used as an innate microbicide against mucosal pathogens

Elevated Expression of Osteopontin May Be Related to Adipose Tissue Macrophage Accumulation and Liver Steatosis in Morbid Obesity

OBJECTIVE—Osteopontin (OPN) plays an important role in the development of insulin resistance and liver complications in dietary murine models. We aimed to determine the expression pattern of OPN and its receptor CD44 in obese patients and mice according to insulin resistance and liver steatosis

Characterization of Barley Genotypes and Their Biochemical Responses against Leaf Rust (Puccinia hordei) Disease under Cold Arid Environment

Cereal rust is one of the most damaging diseases of small-grain cereals. The fungus Puccinia hordei causes leaf rust in barley and other small grain crops. Puccinia hordei causes serious yield losses in the cultivating areas where susceptible and late-maturing barley varieties are cultivated. Therefore, rust-resistant barley cultivar is highly demandable for sustainable small-grain crop production. Improving barley yields and quality is one of the major objectives of barley breeding programs in our country. Exotic and indigenous germplasm is one of the best sources of resistance to biotic stresses in barley particularly leaf rust caused by Puccinia hordei. Hence, the present investigation was carried out to identify the resistance sources to P. hordei and incorporate them into the breeding programs for higher barley yields under changing climatic scenarios. The study aimed to identify new resistant cultivars in barley and other small grain crops. In this study, 100 barley genotypes (Hordeum vulgare L.) were considered for screening susceptibility to P. hordei causing rust disease. Several biochemical responses were analyzed in P. hordei infected barley genotypes. However, the variable response was observed among the 100 barley genotypes while those were screened against leaf rust disease under high altitude cold arid conditions of Ladakh, India. The efficiency of the 100 barley genotypes were categorized into different classes including high resistance (4 genotypes)>resistance (14 genotypes)> moderately resistance (20 genotypes)> moderately susceptible (33 genotypes)>moderately susceptible to susceptible (19 genotypes)> and susceptible (10 genotypes) based on plant response to P. hordei. Among the total genotypes, SHEIKH/KP-706, SHEIKH-B1, SHEIKH-636, and IC-062190 showed high resistance (8.07-8.63) as per the international leaf rust scale, while EC-667381, EC-667390, EC-667392, EC667396, EC-667417, Jyoti, EC-667434, EC-667442, EC-667445, and EC-667446 were found as susceptible (3.13-3.97) to P. hordei. The highly resistant genotypes accumulated a high level of phenols and flavonoids and cooperated with susceptible and other rest of the genotypes in response to P. hordei rust. The efficiency of plant immune response and or fitness to P. hordei was correlated to the disease susceptibility index of particular genotypes. This provides a new insight and the mechanistic basis of genotype-specific rust disease susceptibility against P. hordei. A large number of genotype-based studies at the field level could be useful to plant breeders and farmers for improving rust resistance in barley and other small-grain cereals

Recombinant human osteopontin expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana stimulates osteogenesis related genes in human periodontal ligament cells.

Tissue engineering aims to utilise biologic mediators to facilitate tissue regeneration. Several recombinant proteins have potential to mediate induction of bone production, however, the high production cost of mammalian cell expression impedes patient access to such treatments. The aim of this study is to produce recombinant human osteopontin (hOPN) in plants for inducing dental bone regeneration. The expression host was Nicotiana benthamiana using a geminiviral vector for transient expression. OPN expression was confirmed by Western blot and ELISA, and OPN was purified using Ni affinity chromatography. Structural analysis indicated that plant-produced hOPN had a structure similar to commercial HEK cell-produced hOPN. Biological function of the plant-produced hOPN was also examined. Human periodontal ligament stem cells were seeded on an OPN-coated surface. The results indicated that cells could grow normally on plant-produced hOPN as compared to commercial HEK cell-produced hOPN determined by MTT assay. Interestingly, increased expression of osteogenic differentiation-related genes, including OSX, DMP1, and Wnt3a, was observed by realtime PCR. These results show the potential of plant-produced OPN to induce osteogenic differentiation of stem cells from periodontal ligament in vitro, and suggest a therapeutic strategy for bone regeneration in the future