Building Information Modelling (BIM) value realisation framework for asset owners

The paper is presenting a value realisation framework for asset owners based on an exploratory study. The study is descriptive in nature and adopting a qualitative approach towards data collection. The paper adopts the viewpoint of BIM business value measurement considering that; (i) if the process is better as a result of BIM-based processes, then it is different in some relevant way; (ii) if it is different in some relevant way as a result of certain BIM properties or characteristics, then the change is observable; (iii) if the change is observ-able because of certain direct BIM benefits, then it is countable; (iv) if it is countable using defined measurement metrics, then it is measurable; (v) if it is measurable using established measurement techniques, an organisation can value each unit and therefore, realise the benefits of BIM. The specific contribution of paper is to improve asset owners’ understanding of BIM-business value measurement techniques and approaches

Molecular diversity of RNA-2 genome segments in pecluviruses causing peanut clump disease in West Africa and India

The complete nucleotide sequence of RNA-2 genome segments of four isolates of Peanut clump virus (PCV) and two isolates of Indian peanut clump virus (IPCV) were determined. Comparisons among the complete RNA-2 sequences of six isolates from this study and two published earlier, revealed a high degree of variability in size (between 4290 and 4652 nucleotides) and nucleotide sequence identities (between 58% and 79%). Amino acid sequence alignments of the five open reading frames (ORF) showed that ORF 4, which encodes the second of the triple gene block proteins, is highly conserved (90 to 98% identical) whereas the protein encoded by ORF 2, whose function is unknown, is less conserved (25 to 60% identical). The coat protein of the eight isolates showed amino acid identities between 37% and 89% and contained several conserved residues. Phylogenetic comparisons, based on complete RNA-2 sequences, revealed that the eight isolates grouped into two distinct clusters with no geographical distinction between PCV and IPCV isolates. Phylogenetic tree topologies for individual ORFs showed an overall similarity with that obtained from entire RNA-2 sequences, although the relative positions of individual isolates vary within each cluster. The results indicate that there is substantial divergence among the RNA-2 genomes of pecluviruses and suggest that different proteins have evolved differently, possibly due to different selection pressures

Peanut yellow spot virus: A distinct tospovirus species based on serology and nucleic acid hybridisation

Nucleocapsids of peanut yellow spot virus (PYSV), purified from peanut (= groundnut) plant tissue, contained a protein with a molecular mass of 29 kDa. In ELISA and immuno-blot analysis the virus did not react with tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) and peanut bud necrosis virus (PBNV) antisera. PYSV contained three RNA species, a large (L) RNA (c.8900 nucleotides), a medium (M) RNA (c.4800 nucleotides) and a small (S) RNA (c.3000 nucleotides), similar to other tospoviruses. In addition, a fourth RNA species of approximately 1800 nucleotides was also present in purified preparations. Hybridisation analysis under high stringency conditions revealed no hybridisation between PYSV RNAs and cDNA probes representing the nucleocapsid (N) gene, the glycoprotein (GP) gene and the 3' half of the RNA polymerase gene of PBNV. PYSV genomic RNAs also failed to hybridise with cDNA probes from the GP genes of TSWV and INSV. In reciprocal tests, the cDNA clones of PYSV S and M RNAs did not hybridise with any of the PBNV RNAs. Based on the absence of serological relationships between PYSV and PBNV, TSWV and INSV and lack of nucleotide homology based on hybridisation studies between the PYSV RNAs and cDNA clones from PBNV, TSWV and INSV, PYSV should be considered as a distinct species of the genus Tospovirus under a new serogroup, putatively designated ‘V

Human-Like Receptor Specificity Does Not Affect the Neuraminidase-Inhibitor Susceptibility of H5N1 Influenza Viruses

If highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza viruses acquire affinity for human rather than avian respiratory epithelium, will their susceptibility to neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors (the likely first line of defense against an influenza pandemic) change as well? Adequate pandemic preparedness requires that this question be answered. We generated and tested 31 recombinants of A/Vietnam/1203/04 (H5N1) influenza virus carrying single, double, or triple mutations located within or near the receptor binding site in the hemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein that alter H5 HA binding affinity or specificity. To gain insight into how combinations of HA and NA mutations can affect the sensitivity of H5N1 virus to NA inhibitors, we also rescued viruses carrying the HA changes together with the H274Y NA substitution, which was reported to confer resistance to the NA inhibitor oseltamivir. Twenty viruses were genetically stable. The triple N158S/Q226L/N248D HA mutation (which eliminates a glycosylation site at position 158) caused a switch from avian to human receptor specificity. In cultures of differentiated human airway epithelial (NHBE) cells, which provide an ex vivo model that recapitulates the receptors in the human respiratory tract, none of the HA-mutant recombinants showed reduced susceptibility to antiviral drugs (oseltamivir or zanamivir). This finding was consistent with the results of NA enzyme inhibition assay, which appears to predict influenza virus susceptibility in vivo. Therefore, acquisition of human-like receptor specificity does not affect susceptibility to NA inhibitors. Sequence analysis of the NA gene alone, rather than analysis of both the NA and HA genes, and phenotypic assays in NHBE cells are likely to adequately identify drug-resistant H5N1 variants isolated from humans during an outbreak

Tobamovirus and Dianthovirus Movement Proteins Are Functionally Homologous

AbstractThe movement proteins (MPs) of tobacco mosaic tobamovirus (TMV) and red clover necrotic mosaic dianthovirus (RCNMV) enlarge plasmodesmata size exclusion limits, transport RNA from cell to cell, and bind nucleic acids in vitro. Despite these functional similarities, they have no sequence homology. However, they do appear to have similar secondary structures. We have used transgenic plants expressing either the TMV MP or the RCNMV MP, and a chimeric TMV that encodes the RCNMV MP as its only functional MP gene, to demonstrate that the MPs of TMV and RCNMV are functionally homologous. Further, both TMV and RCNMV can act as helper viruses to allow the cell-to-cell movement of the heterologous movement-defective viruses. These data support the conclusion that, despite other differences, such as particle morphology, host range, and sequence, TMV and RCNMV share a common mechanism for cell-to-cell movement