Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship : Relaxs / Riegynna Shannga James... [et al.]

Relaxs Sdn Bhd is a start-up company that will sell Ais-Kacang to community. Basically, the business owned as a form of partnership and each of us contribute a certain amount of capital to build up this company. The management lead by Riegynna Shannga James as a General Manager, assisted by Administration Manager, Catherina Nunsong Anak Laban. Meanwhile, Marketing Manager held by Norahimin binti Abdul Rahman followed by Carolyne Anak Ensoren as Operational Manager. Last but not least, the Financial Manager is Nornimaya binti Ahad. General Manager will direct and lead all the workers to work together under a good environment. This management help by the administrative manager who responsible to all the facilities in our place. Also monitor the entire worker. Follow by the marketing manager who responsible in doing Research and Development (R&D) on existing product and services especially business competitor's. Then, operational manager who ensure the shop setup arrangement always in a good condition and comfortable to customer. Lastly, financial manager who deal with all the financial transaction in the business

Insecticidal effects of deltamethrin in laboratory and field populations of Culicoides species: how effective are host-contact reduction methods in India?

BACKGROUND: Bluetongue virus (BTV) is transmitted by Culicoides biting midges and causes bluetongue (BT), a clinical disease observed primarily in sheep. BT has a detrimental effect on subsistence farmers in India, where hyperendemic outbreaks impact on smallholdings in the southern states of the country. In this study, we establish a reliable method for testing the toxic effects of deltamethrin on Culicoides and then compare deltamethrin with traditional control methods used by farmers in India. RESULTS: Effects of deltamethrin were initially tested using a colonised strain of Culicoides nubeculosus Meigen and a modified World Health Organisation exposure assay. This method was then applied to field populations of Culicoides spp. in India. The field population of C. oxystoma in India had a greater LC50 (0.012 ± 0.009%) for deltamethrin than laboratory-reared C.nubeculosus (0.0013 ± 0.0002%). Exposure of C. nubeculosus to deltamethrin at higher ambient temperatures resulted in greater rates of knockdown but a lower mortality rate at 24 h post-exposure. Behavioural assays with C. nubeculosus in WHO tubes provided evidence for contact irritancy and spatial repellence caused by deltamethrin. The field experiments in India, however, provided no evidence for repellent or toxic effects of deltamethrin. Traditional methods such as the application of neem oil and burning of neem leaves also provided no protection. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that field-collected Culicoides in India are less susceptible to deltamethrin exposure than laboratory-bred C. nubeculosus and traditional methods of insect control do not provide protection to sheep. These low levels of susceptibility to deltamethrin have not been recorded before in field populations of Culicoides and suggest resistance to synthetic pyrethrioids. Alternative insect control methods, in addition to vaccination, may be needed to protect Indian livestock from BTV transmission

DNA barcoding and surveillance sampling strategies for Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in southern India

Background: Culicoides spp. biting midges transmit bluetongue virus (BTV), the aetiological agent of bluetongue (BT), an economically important disease of ruminants. In southern India, hyperendemic outbreaks of BT exert high cost to subsistence farmers in the region, impacting on sheep production. Effective Culicoides spp. monitoring methods coupled with accurate species identification can accelerate responses for minimising BT outbreaks. Here, we assessed the utility of sampling methods and DNA barcoding for detection and identification of Culicoides spp. in southern India, in order to provide an informed basis for future monitoring of their populations in the region. Methods: Culicoides spp. collected from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were used to construct a framework for future morphological identification in surveillance, based on sequence comparison of the DNA barcode region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene and achieving quality standards defined by the Barcode of Life initiative. Pairwise catches of Culicoides spp. were compared in diversity and abundance between green (570 nm) and ultraviolet (UV) (390 nm) light emitting diode (LED) suction traps at a single site in Chennai, Tamil Nadu over 20 nights of sampling in November 2013. Results: DNA barcode sequences of Culicoides spp. were mostly congruent both with existing DNA barcode data from other countries and with morphological identification of major vector species. However, sequence differences symptomatic of cryptic species diversity were present in some groups which require further investigation. While the diversity of species collected by the UV LED Center for Disease Control (CDC) trap did not significantly vary from that collected by the green LED CDC trap, the UV CDC significantly outperformed the green LED CDC trap with regard to the number of Culicoides individuals collected. Conclusions: Morphological identification of the majority of potential vector species of Culicoides spp. samples within southern India appears relatively robust; however, potential cryptic species diversity was present in some groups requiring further investigation. The UV LED CDC trap is recommended for surveillance of Culicoides in southern India

Genotoxicity in Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) from a PAH-contaminated Superfund site on the Elizabeth River, Virginia

The Atlantic Wood Industries Superfund site (AWI) on the Elizabeth River in Portsmouth, VA is heavily contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from a wood treatment facility. Atlantic killifish, or mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus), at this Superfund site are exposed to very high concentrations of several carcinogens. In this study, we measured PAH concentrations in both fish tissues and sediments. Concurrently, we assessed different aspects of genotoxicity in the killifish exposed in situ. Both sediment and tissue PAH levels were significantly higher in AWI samples, relative to a reference site, but the chemistry profile was different between sediments and tissues. Killifish at AWI exhibited higher levels of DNA damage compared to reference fish, as measured via the flow cytometric method (FCM), and the damage was consistent with sediment PAH concentrations. Covalent binding of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) metabolites to DNA, as measured via LC-MS/MS adduct detection methods, were also elevated and could be partially responsible for the DNA damage. Using similar LC-MS/MS methods, we found no evidence that oxidative DNA adducts had a role in observed genotoxicity

T cell receptor reversed polarity recognition of a self-antigen major histocompatibility complex

Central to adaptive immunity is the interaction between the αβ T cell receptor (TCR) and peptide presented by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule. Presumably reflecting TCR-MHC bias and T cell signaling constraints, the TCR universally adopts a canonical polarity atop the MHC. We report the structures of two TCRs, derived from human induced T regulatory (iTreg) cells, complexed to an MHC class II molecule presenting a proinsulin-derived peptide. The ternary complexes revealed a 180° polarity reversal compared to all other TCR-peptide-MHC complex structures. Namely, the iTreg TCR α-chain and β-chain are overlaid with the α-chain and β-chain of MHC class II, respectively. Nevertheless, this TCR interaction elicited a peptide-reactive, MHC-restricted T cell signal. Thus TCRs are not 'hardwired' to interact with MHC molecules in a stereotypic manner to elicit a T cell signal, a finding that fundamentally challenges our understanding of TCR recognition

Seed amplification and neurodegeneration marker trajectories in individuals at risk of prion disease

Human prion diseases are remarkable for long incubation times followed typically by rapid clinical decline. Seed amplification assays and neurodegeneration biofluid biomarkers are remarkably useful in the clinical phase, but their potential to predict clinical onset in healthy people remains unclear. This is relevant not only to the design of preventive strategies in those at-risk of prion diseases, but more broadly, because prion-like mechanisms are thought to underpin many neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we report the accrual of a longitudinal biofluid resource in patients, controls and healthy people at risk of prion diseases, to which ultrasensitive techniques such as real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC), and single molecule array (Simoa) digital immunoassays were applied for preclinical biomarker discovery. We studied 648 CSF and plasma samples, including 16 people who had samples taken when healthy but later developed inherited prion disease (IPD) ("converters"; range from 9.9 prior to, and 7.4 years after onset). Symptomatic IPD CSF samples were screened by RT-QuIC assay variations, before testing the entire collection of at-risk samples using the most sensitive assay. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament light (NfL), tau and ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) levels were measured in plasma and CSF. Second generation (IQ-CSF) RT-QuIC proved 100% sensitive and specific for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD), iatrogenic (iCJD) and familial CJD phenotypes, and subsequently detected seeding activity in four presymptomatic CSF samples from three E200K carriers; one converted in under two months while two remain asymptomatic after at least three years' follow-up. A bespoke HuPrP P102L RT-QuIC showed partial sensitivity for P102L disease. No compatible RT-QuIC assay was discovered for classical 6-OPRI, A117V and D178N, and these at-risk samples tested negative with bank vole RT-QuIC. Plasma GFAP and NfL, and CSF NfL levels emerged as proximity markers of neurodegeneration in the typically slow IPDs (e.g. P102L), with significant differences in mean values segregating healthy control from IPD carriers (within 2 years to onset) and symptomatic IPD cohorts; plasma GFAP appears to change before NfL, and before clinical conversion. In conclusion, we show distinct biomarker trajectories in fast and slow IPDs. Specifically, we identify several years of presymptomatic seeding positivity in E200K, a new proximity marker (plasma GFAP) and sequential neurodegenerative marker evolution (plasma GFAP followed by NfL) in slow IPDs. We suggest a new preclinical staging system featuring clinical, seeding and neurodegeneration aspects, for validation with larger prion at-risk cohorts, and with potential application to other neurodegenerative proteopathies

Improving Salmonella vector with rec mutation to stabilize the DNA cargoes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Salmonella </it>has been employed to deliver therapeutic molecules against cancer and infectious diseases. As the carrier for target gene(s), the cargo plasmid should be stable in the bacterial vector. Plasmid recombination has been reduced in <it>E. coli </it>by mutating several genes including the <it>recA</it>, <it>recE</it>, <it>recF </it>and <it>recJ</it>. However, to our knowledge, there have been no published studies of the effect of these or any other genes that play a role in plasmid recombination in <it>Salmonella enterica</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The effect of <it>recA</it>, <it>recF </it>and <it>recJ </it>deletions on DNA recombination was examined in three serotypes of <it>Salmonella enterica</it>. We found that (1) intraplasmid recombination between direct duplications was RecF-independent in Typhimurium and Paratyphi A, but could be significantly reduced in Typhi by a Δ<it>recA </it>or Δ<it>recF </it>mutation; (2) in all three <it>Salmonella </it>serotypes, both Δ<it>recA </it>and Δ<it>recF </it>mutations reduced intraplasmid recombination when a 1041 bp intervening sequence was present between the duplications; (3) Δ<it>recA </it>and Δ<it>recF </it>mutations resulted in lower frequencies of interplasmid recombination in Typhimurium and Paratyphi A, but not in Typhi; (4) in some cases, a Δ<it>recJ </it>mutation could reduce plasmid recombination but was less effective than Δ<it>recA </it>and Δ<it>recF </it>mutations. We also examined chromosome-related recombination. The frequencies of intrachromosomal recombination and plasmid integration into the chromosome were 2 and 3 logs lower than plasmid recombination frequencies in Rec⁺strains. A Δ<it>recA </it>mutation reduced both intrachromosomal recombination and plasmid integration frequencies.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The Δ<it>recA </it>and Δ<it>recF </it>mutations can reduce plasmid recombination frequencies in <it>Salmonella enterica</it>, but the effect can vary between serovars. This information will be useful for developing <it>Salmonella </it>delivery vectors able to stably maintain plasmid cargoes for vaccine development and gene therapy.</p

The Body Action and Posture Coding System (BAP): Development and Reliability

Several methods are available for coding body movement in nonverbal behavior research, but there is no consensus on a reliable coding system that can be used for the study of emotion expression. Adopting an integrative approach, we developed a new method, the Body Action and Posture (BAP) coding system, for the time-aligned micro description of body movement on an anatomical level (different articulations of body parts), a form level (direction and orientation of movement), and a functional level (communicative and self-regulatory functions). We applied the system to a new corpus of acted emotion portrayals, examined its comprehensiveness and demonstrated intercoder reliability at three levels: a) occurrence, b) temporal precision and c) segmentation. We discuss issues for further validation and propose some research applications