Comparative Analysis of Double-Stranded RNA Degradation and Processing in Insects

RNA interference (RNAi) based methods are being developed for pest management. A few products for control of coleopteran pests are expected to be commercialized soon. However, variability in RNAi efficiency among insects is preventing the widespread use of this technology. In this study, we conducted research to identify reasons for variability in RNAi efficiency among thirty-seven (37) insects belonging to five orders. Studies on double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) degradation by dsRNases and processing of labeled dsRNA to siRNA showed that both dsRNA degradation and processing are variable among insects belonging to different orders as well as among different insect species within the same order. We identified homologs of key RNAi genes in the genomes of some of these insects and studied their domain architecture. These data suggest that dsRNA digestion by dsRNases and its processing to siRNAs in the cells are among the major factors contributing to differential RNAi efficiency reported among insects

Comparative analysis of web-based programs for single amino acid substitutions in proteins

Single amino-acid substitution in a protein affects its structure and function. These changes are the primary reasons for the advent of many complex diseases. Analyzing single point mutations in a protein is crucial to see their impact and to understand the disease mechanism. This has given many biophysical resources, including databases and web-based tools to explore the effects of mutations on the structure and function of human proteins. For a given mutation, each tool provides a score-based outcomes which indicates deleterious probability. In recent years, developments in existing programs and the introduction of new prediction algorithms have transformed the state-of-the-art protein mutation analysis. In this study, we have performed a systematic study of the most commonly used mutational analysis programs (10 sequence-based and 5 structure-based) to compare their prediction efficiency. We have carried out extensive mutational analyses using these tools for previously known pathogenic single point mutations of five different proteins. These analyses suggested that sequence-based tools, PolyPhen2, PROVEAN, and PMut, and structure-based web tool, mCSM have a better prediction accuracy. This study indicates that the employment of more than one program based on different approaches should significantly improve the prediction power of the available methods

Does MGNREGS Promote Inclusive Growth? What do Evidence Indicate?

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in India seeks to provide a specified number of days of employment at a specified wage rate to interested rural households, and ensures equal wages between male and female workers. MGNREGS will benefit wage seekers directly by providing assured employment and pay, which will enhance their purchasing power; and indirectly by increasing the rural market wage rate. The nature of work of some employment opportunities under MGNREGS will likely improve the infrastructure at both community and individual levels, mostly of small-scale and marginal farmers, which is expected to improve the income levels of the poor. Using evidence from Andhra Pradesh before its bifurcation, the present study sought to determine if MGNREGS promotes inclusive growth. The empirical study used both primary and secondary data. The analyses reveal that MGNREGS promotes inclusive growth by augmenting openmarket wages, reducing gender wage differentials, increasing the proportion of Scheduled Castes among the participating households, improving the employment and income levels of wage seekers, and deriving substantial benefits compared to government expenditure on the Scheme

Mid-Day Meals Scheme in Hilly Areas: Tamil Nadu, India

In the year 1956 the state of Tamil Nadu introduced the Mid-Day meals scheme for the first time in the country. Today almost all states are following different methods of menu’s and patterns. The government is trying to solve the problems of malnutrition and other side to concentrate as school education from 1st standard to 10th standard. In the state one step forward to introduce different food menu and importantly to launched daily eggs for children. Aim of this case study to find out the utilisation of mid-day meals programme among school children based on filed visit in children, teacher, organiser, cook, parents and public and also what are problems are faced by school children in hilly, rural and urban areas. Most of the studies concluded that the scheme is working satisfactorily (urban, coastal areas) in Tamil Nadu and even recommend that other states should follow the Tamil Nadu Mid-Day meals scheme. The working of the Mid-Day Meals Scheme in hilly, rural areas was not assessed till now and needs to be examined. This study was conducted at Theni district, Tamil Nadu. This case study concludes that Mid-Day Meals Scheme in Tamil Nadu has positive points and negative points. The children faced many problems and others opinions are not satisfied. However, with some more Commitment, Vision and Realism the Scheme can be made more effective to fulfil the dreams of K. Kamaraj and M.G. Ramachandran. In the case study strongly suggested alarming findings about the future development of Mid-Day Meals programme

HEAT TRANSFER ENHANCEMENT USING DIFFERENT GEOMETRY OF TWIST TAPE TURBULATORS: A REVIEW

The development of high-performance thermal systems has increased interest in heat transfer enhancement techniques. The high thermal performance enhancement of heat exchanger systems is needed to use energy source efficiently due to the sky-rocketing prices of petroleum and coal fuels. Heat exchangers are widely used in industry both for cooling and heating. Insertion of turbulators in the flow passage is one of the favorable passive heat transfer augmentation techniques due to their advantages of easy fabrication, operation as well as low maintenance. The purpose of this review presents the effect of twisted tape turbulators on the heat transfer enhancement, pressure drop, flow friction and thermal performance factor characteristics in a heat exchanger tube. The twisted tape turbulator is a device for increasing the heat transfer rate in the heat exchanger system. The widely employed in several industrial and engineering applications of heat exchanger are automobile, refrigerators, solar collector, heat engine, air conditions, thermal power plant, electronic cooling, milk plant, chemical process industries etc. heat transfer enhancement using different type of the turbulators placed in the tube has been extensively studied for the past decade among the both passive and active technique are compile in this review

Kinetic modeling of microwave-assisted chemoenzymatic epoxidation of styrene

Novozym 435 (Candida antarctica lipase B immobilized on polyacrylic resin) is used to generate perlauric acid directly from lauric acid and hydrogen peroxide. This generated perlauric acid was then applied for both in situ and ex situ epoxidation of styrene to styrene oxide. The reactions were carried out by using conventional heating as well as microwave heating. Various kinetic parameters affecting the conversion and initial rates of styrene to styrene oxide were studied including mass transfer, mechanism, kinetic modeling, and deactivation. Under microwave irradiation, there was an increase in the frequency factor resulting from enhanced collision of molecules, which can in turn be attributed to the increasing entropy of the system. The values of activation energy for the conventional and microwave heating are almost the same. The enzyme is deactivated by hydrogen peroxide and perlauric acid and also at high temperature under conventional heating. In the presence of microwaves, the deactivation of Novozym 435 was substantially reduced

Lipase-catalyzed hydrazinolysis of phenyl benzoate: Kinetic modeling approach

Immobilized lipase-catalyzed synthesis of benzoic acid hydrazide from hydrazine and phenyl benzoate is reported in this work. A series of immobilized lipases such as Candida antarctica lipase B, Mucor miehei lipase and Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase were screened to establish that C. antarctica lipase B was the best lipase for hydrazinolysis. When phenyl benzoate (0.01 mol) and hydrazine (0.02 mol) in toluene (15 ml) were reacted with C. antarctica lipase B (Novozym 435) at 50 °C, 95% of phenyl benzoate was converted to benzoic acid hydrazide after 2 h. The effects of various parameters such as speed of agitation, concentration of the substrates, temperature, enzyme concentration, and reusability of the enzyme were studied to deduce kinetics and mechanism of the reaction. A mechanism based on an ordered bi–bi dead end complex with hydrazine was found to fit the data. Systematic deactivation studies indicated that the enzyme was deactivated due to the hydrazine and phenol, enzyme deactivation obeys first-order series model. The kinetic parameters deduced from these models were used to simulate the lipase activity. There was a very good agreement between the simulated and experimental values

Kinetic and mechanistic investigation of microwave-assisted lipase catalyzed synthesis of citronellyl acetate

Citronellyl acetate (also known as citronellol acetate) is an important perfumery chemical which can be produced both by chemical catalysis and by biocatalysis. In the current work, Novozym 435 (Candida antarctica lipase B immobilized on polyacrylic resin) was employed to synthesize citronellol acetate directly from citronellol and vinyl acetate under the influence of microwave irradiation vis-à-vis conventional heating. The effects of various parameters affecting the conversion and initial rates of transesterification were studied to deduce the kinetics and mechanism. The enzyme inhibition was studied in conjunction with both modes of heating. Under microwave irradiation, there was an increase in lipase activity due to enhanced collision of molecules, which can in turn be attributed to an increase in the entropy of the system. The synergistic effect of reaction media and microwaves on lipase activity was analyzed. The enzyme is inhibited by alcohol, which is reduced significantly by microwaves. The analysis of the initial rate data and progress curve data showed that the reaction obeys the ping-pong bi−bi mechanism with inhibition by citronellol and vinyl acetate. The experimental and theoretical values match very well