Bio-extraction of metal ions from laterite ore by Penicillium chrysogenum

The main objective of this study was to find a more feasible and economical method to extract metal ions from laterite ore by Penicillium chrysogenum. The effect of different substrates on microbial recovery of metal ions from laterite ore using indigenous strain of P. chrysogenum was observed. Maximum recovery of aluminum (86.78%), iron (97.78%), manganese (77.61%), nickel (57.31%) and chromium (34.32%) was recorded in case of shaking flasks experiments up to 24 days of incubation. Metal ions solubilization was also compared with the samples, which were not shaken and maximum recovery of Al (83.54 %), Fe (96.12 %), Mn (88.56 %), Ni (46.53 %) and Cr (37.82 %), were attained up to 24 days of incubation period. Enhanced recovery of Fe and Al may be due to the result of the acidic effect of the environment and the chelating capacity of organic acids.Key words: Bioleaching, Penicillium chrysogenum, agriculture wastes, laterite ore

Psychological contract fulfilment and well-being

Background There is considerable literature on well-being at work, the well-being process and short measures of psychosocial concepts. Psychological Contract Fulfilment (PCF) and other employee attitudes and behaviours have also been widely studied. Aims and objectives The aim of the present study was to examine associations of short measures of PCF and well-being outcomes while statistically adjusting for other established predictors (job characteristics, coping styles and personality). Methods The survey included established measures of well-being and the newly developed PCF short items. The questions were presented in an online survey, delivered using Qualtrics software and given to 166 workers from the USA, who were recruited using Mechanical Turk. Results Factor analyses identified the following measures: negative job characteristics; positive work characteristics; positive and negative coping; positive personality; PFC; work behaviours and job attitudes; work-life balance; and positive and negative well-being. While the PFC variables were significantly associated with well-being outcomes in univariate analyses, these effects were no longer significant when established predictors were included in the analyses. Conclusion Effects attributed to PFC may reflect other organisational and individual variables. The new short items can be used in future studies of the well-being of workers. This will lead to an increase in our knowledge and the development of new models that can be of theoretical and practical significance

Pathology induced by Newcastle disease virus AF2240 strain in Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Atikah HN, Hezmee MNM, Hafandi A, Intan-Shameha AR, Farhana BN, Lokman HI, Pathology induced by Newcastle disease virus AF2240 strain in Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Onl J Vet Res., 19(8): 497-507, 2015. Quails could become potential carriers of Newcastle disease (ND). We report susceptibility/pathology in Japanese quails (Coturnic corturnix japonica) to ND virus AF2240, a viscero-tropic velogenic strain isolated during an outbreak in Malaysia in the 60’s. Three groups of six 2 week old quails each, were injected antigen 0.1ml, 0.2ml or 0.3ml EID50 7.3log10/0.1ml intramuscularly with a non-injected control group. Six days after infection all dosed quails presented ruffled feathers, depression, incoordination, lameness, anorexia, diarrhoea, recumbency and paralysis of wings and legs. There were no increases in antibody titers in any group (ELISA). All groups except controls, showed variable congestion and haemorrhage of intestine, congestion of liver, brain, pectoral muscles, heart and lungs. The findings suggest that quails are susceptible to NDV AF2240 virus but that there was no dose dependent viral effect

New insights for diagnosis of Pineapple Fusariosis by MALDI-TOF MS technique

Fusarium is one of the most economically important fungal genus, since it includes many pathogenic species which cause a wide range of plant diseases. Morphological or molecular biology identification of Fusarium species is a limiting step in the fast diagnosis and treatment of plant disease caused by these fungi. Mass spectrometry by matrix-assisted laser/desorption ionisation-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF)-based fingerprinting approach was applied to the fungal growth monitoring and direct detection of strain Fusarium guttiforme E-480 inoculated in both pineapple cultivars Pérola and Imperial side shoots, that are susceptible and resistant, respectively, to this fungal strain. MALDI-TOF MS technique was capable to detect fungal molecular mass peaks in the susceptible pineapple stem side shoot tissue. It is assumed that these molecular masses are mainly constituted by ribosomal proteins. MALDI-TOF-based fingerprinting approach has herein been demonstrated to be sensitive and accurate for the direct detection of F. guttiforme E-480 molecular masses on both susceptible and resistant pineapple side stem free of any pre-treatment. According to the results obtained, the changing on molecular mass peaks of infected susceptible pineapple tissue together with the possibility of fungal molecular masses analysis into this pineapple tissue can be a good indication for an early diagnosis by MALDI-TOF MS of pineapple fusariosis

A cobalt complex redox shuttle for dye-sensitized solar cells with high open-circuit potentials

Dye-sensitized solar cells are a promising alternative to traditional inorganic semiconductor-based solar cells. Here we report an open-circuit voltage of over 1,000 mV in mesoscopic dye-sensitized solar cells incorporating a molecularly engineered cobalt complex as redox mediator. Cobalt complexes have negligible absorption in the visible region of the solar spectrum, and their redox properties can be tuned in a controlled fashion by selecting suitable donor/acceptor substituents on the ligand. This approach offers an attractive alternate to the traditional I3−/I− redox shuttle used in dye-sensitized solar cells. A cobalt complex using tridendate ligands [Co(bpy-pz)2]3+/2+(PF6)3/2 as redox mediator in combination with a cyclopentadithiophene-bridged donor-acceptor dye (Y123), adsorbed on TiO2, yielded a power conversion efficiency of over 10% at 100 mW cm−2. This result indicates that the molecularly engineered cobalt redox shuttle is a legitimate alternative to the commonly used I3−/I− redox shuttle

Performance of the CMS Cathode Strip Chambers with Cosmic Rays

The Cathode Strip Chambers (CSCs) constitute the primary muon tracking device in the CMS endcaps. Their performance has been evaluated using data taken during a cosmic ray run in fall 2008. Measured noise levels are low, with the number of noisy channels well below 1%. Coordinate resolution was measured for all types of chambers, and fall in the range 47 microns to 243 microns. The efficiencies for local charged track triggers, for hit and for segments reconstruction were measured, and are above 99%. The timing resolution per layer is approximately 5 ns

TBK1 Kinase Addiction in Lung Cancer Cells Is Mediated via Autophagy of Tax1bp1/Ndp52 and Non-Canonical NF-kappa B Signalling

K-Ras dependent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells are 'addicted' to basal autophagy that reprograms cellular metabolism in a lysosomal-sensitive manner. Here we demonstrate that the xenophagy-associated kinase TBK1 drives basal autophagy, consistent with its known requirement in K-Ras-dependent NSCLC proliferation. Furthermore, basal autophagy in this context is characterised by sequestration of the xenophagy cargo receptor Ndp52 and its paralogue Tax1bp1, which we demonstrate here to be a bona fide cargo receptor. Autophagy of these cargo receptors promotes non-canonical NF-κB signalling. We propose that this TBK1-dependent mechanism for NF-κB signalling contributes to autophagy addiction in K-Ras driven NSCLC

The GPI Anchor Signal Sequence Dictates the Folding and Functionality of the Als5 Adhesin from Candida albicans

Background: Proteins destined to be Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchored are translocated into the ER lumen completely before the C-terminal GPI anchor attachment signal sequence (SS) is removed by the GPI-transamidase and replaced by a pre-formed GPI anchor precursor. Does the SS have a role in dictating the conformation and function of the protein as well? Methodology/Principal Findings: We generated two variants of the Als5 protein without and with the SS in order to address the above question. Using a combination of biochemical and biophysical techniques, we show that in the case of Als5, an adhesin of C. albicans, the C-terminal deletion of 20 amino acids (SS) results in a significant alteration in conformation and function of the mature protein. Conclusions/Significance: We propose that the locking of the conformation of the precursor protein in an alternate conformation from that of the mature protein is one probable strategy employed by the cell to control the behaviour an

Tanshinones Inhibit the Growth of Breast Cancer Cells through Epigenetic Modification of Aurora A Expression and Function

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of tanshinones from a Chinese herb Salvia Miltiorrhiza on the growth of breast cancer cells, and to elucidate cellular and molecular mechanisms of action. Tanshinones showed the dose-dependent effect on the growth inhibition of breast cancer cells in vitro, with tanshinone I (T1) the most potent agent. T1 was also the only tanshinone to have potent activity in inhibiting the growth of the triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB231. T1 caused cell cycle arrests of both estrogen-dependent and estrogen-independent cell lines associated with alterations of cyclinD, CDK4 and cyclinB, and induced breast cancer cell apoptosis associated with upregulation of c-PARP and downregulation of survivin and Aurora A. Among these associated biomarkers, Aurora A showed the most consistent pattern with the anti-growth activity of tanshinones. Overexpression of Aurora A was also verified in breast tumors. The gene function assay showed that knockdown of Aurora A by siRNA dramatically reduced the growth-inhibition and apoptosis-induction activities of T1, suggesting Aurora A as an important functional target of T1 action. On the other hand, tanshinones had much less adverse effects on normal mammary epithelial cells. Epigenetic mechanism studies showed that overexpression of Aurora A gene in breast cancer cells was not regulated by gene promoter DNA methylation, but by histone acetylation. T1 treatment significantly reduced acetylation levels of histone H3 associated with Aurora A gene. Our results supported the potent activity of T1 in inhibiting the growth of breast cancer cells in vitro in part by downregulation of Aurora A gene function. Our previous studies also demonstrated that T1 had potent anti-angiogenesis activity and minimal side effects in vivo. Altogether, this study warrants further investigation to develop T1 as an effective and safe agent for the therapy and prevention of breast cancer