Current trends in chloroplast genome research

Chloroplast is an important cellular organelle of autotrophs which has an independent, circular, doublestranded DNA molecule termed as chloroplast genome. The chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) contains essential genes for its maintenance and operation. Several components of the photosystems andproteins involved in biosynthetic pathways are also encoded by the chloroplast genome. Exploring the genetic repository of this organelle is vital due to its conserved nature, small size, persistent gene organization and promising ability for transgenic expression. Therefore, cpDNA sequence information has been instrumental in phylogenetic studies and molecular taxonomy of plants. Chloroplast genome sequencing efforts have being initiated with conventional cloning and chain-termination sequencing technologies. Dedicated databases such as CGDB and GOBASE among others have been established as more and more complete cpDNA sequences are being reported. Presently, elegant molecular biologytechniques including shotgun sequencing, rolling circle amplification (RCA), Amplification, Sequencing and Annotation of Plasteome (ASAP) and Next generation sequencing are being used to accelerate data output. Owing to many fold increase in submission of cpDNA sequences in nucleotide databases, challenges of in-depth data analysis stimulated the emergence of devoted annotation, assembling and phylogenetic software. Recently, reported bioinformatics software for chloroplast genome studiescomprise of DOGMA for annotation, SCAN-SE, ARAGON and PREP suit for RNA analyses and CG viewer for circular map construction/comparative analysis. Faster algorithms for gene-order based phylogenetic reconstruction and bootstrap analysis have attracted the attention of research community. Current trends in sequencing strategies and bioinformatics with reference to chloroplast genomes hold great potential to illuminate more hidden corners of this ancient cell organelle

Comparative genomics of an endophytic Pseudomonas putida isolated from mango orchard.

This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.We analyzed the genome sequence of an endophytic bacterial strain Pseudomonas putida TJI51 isolated from mango bark tissues. Next generation DNA sequencing and short read de novo assembly generated the 5,805,096 bp draft genome of P. putida TJI51. Out of 6,036 protein coding genes in P. putida TJI51 sequences, 4,367 (72%) were annotated with functional specifications, while the remaining encoded hypothetical proteins. Comparative genome sequence analysis revealed that the P. putida TJI51genome contains several regions, not identified in so far sequenced P. putida genomes. Some of these regions were predicted to encode enzymes, including acetylornithine deacetylase, betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, benzoylformate decarboxylase, hydroxyacylglutathione hydrolase, and uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase. The genome of P. putida TJI51 contained three nonribosomal peptide synthetase gene clusters. Genome sequence analysis of P. putidaTJI51 identified this bacterium as an endophytic resident. The endophytic fitness might be linked with alginate, which facilitates bacterial colonization in plant tissues. Genome sequence analysis shed light on the presence of a diverse spectrum of metabolic activities and adaptation of this isolate to various niches.This research was financially supported by the Higher Education Commission, Islamabad Pakistan

Interfacial Electrical Properties of Ion-Beam Sputter Deposited Amorphous Carbon on Silicon

Amorphous, “diamond-like” Carbon films have been deposited on Si substrates, using ion-beam sputtering. The interfacial properties are studied using capacitance and conductance measurements. Data are analyzed using existing theories for interfacial electrical properties. The density of electronic states at the interface, along with corresponding time constants are determined, and the density of interface states is unusually low for an as yet unoptimize

A multiprocessing platform for transient event detection

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1995.Includes bibliographical references.by Umair A. Khan.M.S

Do positive and negative variations in stock indexes lead to depreciation in local currencies? A beyond symmetrical evidence from ASEAN-5 region

Preliminary studies overlooked the importance of the financial crisis in the asymmetric transmission of financial market shocks to FX market returns. Moreover, existing studies also concentrated on the response of aggregate equity market returns to the forex market returns rather than the vice versa asymmetric effect for the ASEAN-5 region. We utilised the panel based ARDL and NARDL framework using pooled mean group method for conducting this study. There are 415 observations spanning the pre-crisis period of January 2001 to December 2007. Furthermore, 595 and 1135 observations are taken into consideration when post-recessionary, and overall sampling periods of January 2010 to December 2019 and January 2001 to December 2019 are considered, correspondingly. Overall, the findings indicated that in the short run, only negative equity market returns caused depreciation in the local currencies of ASEAN-5 member countries during the pre-crisis period, whereas only positive shocks during the post-crisis regime appreciated the local currencies of ASEAN-5 member countries. Furthermore, only longer-term negative financial market shocks contribute to post-crisis local currency deflation in the ASEAN-5 member nations. This demonstrates that investors and exporters must consider the importance of the particulate crisis period when formulating forward currency arrangements

Design and manufacture of a ten ton capacity wedge jack

A Wedge Jack of relatively small dimensions (300 x 100 x 50 mm), but extremely high load carrying capacity (10 tons) has been designed for precision lifting of turbine shaft and its bearing cases for their proper alignment at Ghorasal Power Plant. The work was unique of its kind in Bangladesh, since it was the first venture of installation of a new power plant using local technology and expertise. The Jack was a key inventory item, without which the erection work was not technologically feasible. Its import from abroad or local manufacture using foreign expertise would involve huge cost and delay in the erection. Design of the same by an expert team of B.U.E.T. has solved the above mentioned problem. The designed Wedge Jack consists of an upper plate, a lower plate, two wedges and threaded shaft. Rotation of the shaft in one direction facilitates lifting up of the upper plate along with the given load, while rotation in the opposite direction lowering down of the same. Safety factors in the range from 1.5 to 3.5 for various parts of the Jack have been ensured by the design. For ease of production a few sample pieces of the same were manufactured under the supervision of the designers. The manufactured Wedge Jacks were tested for accuracy and the required load carrying capacity

Vulnerability to HIV infection among sex worker and non-sex worker female injecting drug users in Dhaka, Bangladesh: evidence from the baseline survey of a cohort study

BACKGROUND: Very little is known about female injecting drug users (IDU) in Bangladesh but anecdotal evidence suggests that they are hidden and very vulnerable to HIV through both their injection sharing and sexual risk behaviors. In order to better understand the risks and vulnerability to HIV of female IDU, a cohort study was initiated through which HIV prevalence and risk behaviors was determined. METHODS: All female IDU (those who had injected in the last six months and were 15 years or older) who could be identified from three cities in the Dhaka region were enrolled at the baseline of a cohort study. The study was designed to determine risk behaviors through interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire and measure prevalence of HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis semiannually. At the baseline of the cohort study 130 female IDU were recruited and female IDU selling sex in the last year (sex workers) versus those not selling sex (non-sex workers) were compared using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the 130 female IDU enrolled 82 were sex workers and 48 were non-sex workers. None had HIV but more sex workers (60%) had lifetime syphilis than non-sex workers (37%). Fewer sex worker than non-sex worker IDU lived with families (54.9% and 81.3% respectively), but more reported lending needles/syringes (29.3% and 14.6% respectively) and sharing other injection paraphernalia (74.4% and 56.3% respectively) in the past six months. Although more sex workers used condoms during last sex than non-sex workers (74.4% and 43.3% respectively), more reported anal sex (15.9% and 2.1% respectively) and serial sex with multiple partners (70.7% and 0% respectively). Lifetime sexual violence and being jailed in the last year was more common in sex workers. CONCLUSION: Female IDU are vulnerable to HIV through their injection and sexual risk behaviors and sex worker IDU appear especially vulnerable. Services such as needle exchange programs should become more comprehensive to address the needs of female IDU

Functionalized Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Epoxy-Composites: Electrical And Mechanical Characterization

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) got great attention because of their interesting physical and mechanical properties. Due to these interesting properties observed at the nanoscale have motivated scientific community to utilize CNTs as reinforcement in composite materials. In the present study, different CNTs and epoxy nano-composites with different wt% (1, 2, 3, and 4%) of f-MWCNTs were prepared and their surface morphology and orientation has been investigated in detail. Further, the surface investigation, electrical and mechanical tests were carried out on CNTs-filled and unfilled epoxy at maximum sonication time 30 minute to identify the loading effect on the properties of the materials. Experimental results depicts well dispersion of f-MWCNTs, significant improvement that the resistivity of pure epoxy decreased from 108 .m to average value 103 .m with 1, 2, 3, and 4wt% f-MWCNTs. The 4.5wt% CNTs/epoxy was attributed to poor dispersion of f-MWCNTs in the nanocomposte. The hardness of nanocomposite loading 1, 2, 3, 4wt% of CNTs, increased 20.7%, 23.02%, 25.62%, 29.09% respectively as compared to pure epoxy. We believe that our strategy for obtaining CNT–reinforced epoxy nanocomposites is a very promising technology and will open a new doors in fields of aviation, aerospace, marine and sporting goods

The effect of graphite and carbon black ratios on conductive ink performance

Conductive inks based on graphite and carbon black are used in a host of applications including energy storage, energy harvesting, electrochemical sensors and printed heaters. This requires accurate control of electrical properties tailored to the application; ink formulation is a fundamental element of this. Data on how formulation relates to properties have tended to apply to only single types of conductor at any time, with data on mixed types of carbon only empirical thus far. Therefore, screen printable carbon inks with differing graphite, carbon black and vinyl polymer content were formulated and printed to establish the effect on rheology, deposition and conductivity. The study found that at a higher total carbon loading ink of 29.4% by mass, optimal conductivity (0.029 Ω cm) was achieved at a graphite to carbon black ratio of 2.6 to 1. For a lower total carbon loading (21.7 mass %), this ratio was reduced to 1.8 to 1. Formulation affected viscosity and hence ink transfer and also surface roughness due to retention of features from the screen printing mesh and the inherent roughness of the carbon components, as well as the ability of features to be reproduced consistently