Train schedule delays leading to overcrowding, injuries and fatalities

Abstract: Rail industry in South Africa is facing a dilemma in connection with trains overcrowding causing injuries and fatalities. This paper emphasized this topic analysis to reach the understanding of the problem to an eventual solution that will benefit both the train user and the operator. One of the priority insights look was at the annual train planned schedule versus the actual state of trains given to run. The overall objective of the paper’s study was to analyze the existing train schedule that is currently in use and whether addressing the needs of the commuter. The paper highlighted that the found-out train planned schedule are not always met due to technical issues. The paper also investigated the number of healthy trains versus the commuter demand per peak, because operationally fit trains are required to avoid service distraction that can lead to overcrowding of trains

Comprehensive Identification of Protein Substrates of the Dot/Icm Type IV Transporter of Legionella pneumophila

A large number of proteins transferred by the Legionella pneumophila Dot/Icm system have been identified by various strategies. With no exceptions, these strategies are based on one or more characteristics associated with the tested proteins. Given the high level of diversity exhibited by the identified proteins, it is possible that some substrates have been missed in these screenings. In this study, we took a systematic method to survey the L. pneumophila genome by testing hypothetical orfs larger than 300 base pairs for Dot/Icm-dependent translocation. 798 of the 832 analyzed orfs were successfully fused to the carboxyl end of β-lactamase. The transfer of the fusions into mammalian cells was determined using the β-lactamase reporter substrate CCF4-AM. These efforts led to the identification of 164 proteins positive in translocation. Among these, 70 proteins are novel substrates of the Dot/Icm system. These results brought the total number of experimentally confirmed Dot/Icm substrates to 275. Sequence analysis of the C-termini of these identified proteins revealed that Lpg2844, which contains few features known to be important for Dot/Icm-dependent protein transfer can be translocated at a high efficiency. Thus, our efforts have identified a large number of novel substrates of the Dot/Icm system and have revealed the diverse features recognizable by this protein transporter

No Evidence for Natural Selection on Endogenous Borna-Like Nucleoprotein Elements after the Divergence of Old World and New World Monkeys

Endogenous Borna-like nucleoprotein (EBLNs) elements were recently discovered as non-retroviral RNA virus elements derived from bornavirus in the genomes of various animals. Most of EBLNs appeared to be defective, but some of primate EBLN-1 to -4, which appeared to be originated from four independent integrations of bornavirus nucleoprotein (N) gene, have retained an open reading frame (ORF) for more than 40 million years. It was therefore possible that primate EBLNs have encoded functional proteins during evolution. To examine this possibility, natural selection operating on all ORFs of primate EBLN-1 to -4 was examined by comparing the rates of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions. The expected number of premature termination codons in EBLN-1 generated after the divergence of Old World and New World monkeys under the selective neutrality was also examined by the Monte Carlo simulation. As a result, natural selection was not identified for the entire region as well as parts of ORFs in the pairwise analysis of primate EBLN-1 to -4 and for any branch of the phylogenetic trees for EBLN-1 to -4 after the divergence of Old World and New World monkeys. Computer simulation also indicated that the absence of premature termination codon in the present-day EBLN-1 does not necessarily support the maintenance of function after the divergence of Old World and New World monkeys. These results suggest that EBLNs have not generally encoded functional proteins after the divergence of Old World and New World monkeys

On theorems of Jackson and Bernstein type in the complex plane

We consider best polynomial approximation to functions analytic in a Jordan domain D and continuous on . We relate theorems of Jackson and Bernstein type to the Hölder continuity of the exterior conformal mapping functions for D .Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41343/1/365_2005_Article_BF02075464.pd

Inhibition of Host Vacuolar H+-ATPase Activity by a Legionella pneumophila Effector

Legionella pneumophila is an intracellular pathogen responsible for Legionnaires' disease. This bacterium uses the Dot/Icm type IV secretion system to inject a large number of bacterial proteins into host cells to facilitate the biogenesis of a phagosome permissive for its intracellular growth. Like many highly adapted intravacuolar pathogens, L. pneumophila is able to maintain a neutral pH in the lumen of its phagosome, particularly in the early phase of infection. However, in all cases, the molecular mechanisms underlying this observation remain unknown. In this report, we describe the identification and characterization of a Legionella protein termed SidK that specifically targets host v-ATPase, the multi-subunit machinery primarily responsible for organelle acidification in eukaryotic cells. Our results indicate that after being injected into infected cells by the Dot/Icm secretion system, SidK interacts with VatA, a key component of the proton pump. Such binding leads to the inhibition of ATP hydrolysis and proton translocation. When delivered into macrophages, SidK inhibits vacuole acidification and impairs the ability of the cells to digest non-pathogenic E. coli. We also show that a domain located in the N-terminal portion of SidK is responsible for its interactions with VatA. Furthermore, expression of sidK is highly induced when bacteria begin to enter new growth cycle, correlating well with the potential temporal requirement of its activity during infection. Our results indicate that direct targeting of v-ATPase by secreted proteins constitutes a virulence strategy for L. pneumophila, a vacuolar pathogen of macrophages and amoebae

Genomic Fossils Calibrate the Long-Term Evolution of Hepadnaviruses

Ancient hepadnavirus sequences found in bird genomes reveal that this family of viruses, which includes the human hepatitis B virus, is much older than previously thought

Novel Arenavirus Sequences in Hylomyscus sp. and Mus (Nannomys) setulosus from Côte d'Ivoire: Implications for Evolution of Arenaviruses in Africa

This study aimed to identify new arenaviruses and gather insights in the evolution of arenaviruses in Africa. During 2003 through 2005, 1,228 small mammals representing 14 different genera were trapped in 9 villages in south, east, and middle west of Côte d'Ivoire. Specimens were screened by pan-Old World arenavirus RT-PCRs targeting S and L RNA segments as well as immunofluorescence assay. Sequences of two novel tentative species of the family Arenaviridae, Menekre and Gbagroube virus, were detected in Hylomyscus sp. and Mus (Nannomys) setulosus, respectively. Arenavirus infection of Mus (Nannomys) setulosus was also demonstrated by serological testing. Lassa virus was not found, although 60% of the captured animals were Mastomys natalensis. Complete S RNA and partial L RNA sequences of the novel viruses were recovered from the rodent specimens and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Gbagroube virus is a closely related sister taxon of Lassa virus, while Menekre virus clusters with the Ippy/Mobala/Mopeia virus complex. Reconstruction of possible virus–host co-phylogeny scenarios suggests that, within the African continent, signatures of co-evolution might have been obliterated by multiple host-switching events

Гидроэнергетика - национальный ресурс Беларуси

The main reason of return to so called «small hydraulic power engineering», involvement of local hydraulic power resources in power balance of the Republic is significant changes of social and economical conditions of management, acute deficit and high price of local and in^orted resources of fuel, oil, gas, electric power, respectively.The paper analyses hydraulic power engineering potential of the Republic of Belarus. History of the development of hydraulic power engineering in the Republic, program of restoration and construction of hydraulic power stations, some prospective projects that ate planned for realization are presented in the paper.Основной причиной возврата к «малой гидроэнергетике», вовлечения собственных гидроэнергоресурсов в энергобаланс республики явились существенное изменение социально- экономических условий хозяйствования, резкий дефицит собственных и удорожание импортируемых нефти, газа, электроэнергии.Проведен анализ гидроэнергетического потенциала Республики Беларусь, представлены история развития гидроэнергетики в стране, программа восстановления и строительства ГЭС, ряд перспективных проектов, которые намечены к реализации