Examining the fraud awareness from the university’s academic staffs perspectives / Mohamad Ridhuan Mat Dangi and Noor Hasimah M. Yacob

This study investigates the level of knowledge, awareness and understanding of fraud activities. It also identifies elements of fraud triangle theory which has the most influence on fraud activities and examines the fraudsters profile from academic staff perspectives. Findings from this study show that most of the academic staffs have a moderate knowledge and awareness of fraud and generally the information was obtained from the Internet. Most of them choose opportunity as the motivational factor for someone to perpetrate fraud and it will cause a serious problem to the society

Molecular Docking Study of Conformational Polymorph: Building Block of Crystal Chemistry

Two conformational polymorphs of novel 2-[2-(3-cyano-4,6-dimethyl-2-oxo-2H-pyridin-1-yl)-ethoxy]-4,6-dimethyl nicotinonitrile have been developed. The crystal structure of both polymorphs (1a and 1b) seems to be stabilized by weak interactions. A difference was observed in the packing of both polymorphs. Polymorph 1b has a better binding affinity with the cyclooxygenase (COX-2) receptor than the standard (Nimesulide)

Bioefficacy of different Insecticides against aphid (Myzus persicae) in cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.)

A field trail was conducted in randomized block design at KVK Bhilwara, MPUAT, Udaipur to evaluate efficacy of carbosulfan 25% EC at 250, 312.5 and 375 g a.i. ha-1 along with thiamethoxam 25% WG at 25 g a.i. ha-1, imidacloprid 17.8 SL at 25 g a.i. ha-1 and acetamiprid 20% SP at 10 g a.i. ha-1 against aphid (Myzus persicae) in cumin during Rabi, 2013-14 and 2014-15. The result revealed that two sprays of carbosulfan 25% EC at 375 g a.i. ha-1 was found effective against aphid. It caused maximum mean reduction in thrips population after second spray at 10 days after application, which was 87.52% and 88.45% during 2013-14 and 2014-15, respectively. It was followed by carbosulfan 25% EC at 312.5 g a.i. ha-1. The maximum yields were recorded in case of carbosulfan 25% EC at 375 g a.i. ha-1, which were 622.3 and 456.7 kg ha-1 during 2013-14 and 2014-15, respectively and incremental yield of 358.6 kg ha-1 over untreated control

Panicle Traits and Plant Height are Important Selection Indices to Enhance Productivity in Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.R.Br.) Populations

The study was conducted to determine the correlation and path coefficients among the yield and yield component characters in 14 parental lines and 91 hybrids of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L. R. Br), formulated by a diallel cross excluding reciprocals. Strong and significant genotypic and phenotypic correlations were observed between grain yield (kg ha-1) with panicle girth (cm),plant height (cm) and panicle length (cm). The path analysis indicated that panicle girth (cm)and plant height (cm) had the highest direct effects on grain yield. The days to 50% flowering, 1000-grain weight (g) and number of productive tillers had the least direct effects on grain yield. The direct effect of panicle girth (cm)was greatly reduced by the negative indirect effects through days to 50% flowering and 1000-grain weight (g). Similarly, the direct effect of plant height was very much influenced by the negative indirect effects of days to 50% flowering. The panicle girth, plant height and panicle length in this study has been identified as selection indices for obtaining good parental lines and hybrids in a pearl millet breeding program

Determinants of mRNA recognition and translation regulation by Lin28

Lin28 is critical for stem cell maintenance and is also associated with advanced human malignancies. Our recent genome-wide studies mark Lin28 as a master post-transcriptional regulator of a subset of messenger RNAs important for cell growth and metabolism. However, the molecular basis underpinning the selective mRNA target regulation is unclear. Here, we provide evidence that Lin28 recognizes a unique motif in multiple target mRNAs, characterized by a small but critical ‘A’ bulge flanked by two G:C base pairs embedded in a complex secondary structure. This motif mediates Lin28-dependent stimulation of translation. As Lin28 is also known to inhibit the biogenesis of a cohort of miRNAs including let-7, we propose that Lin28 binding to different RNA types (precursor miRNAs versus mRNAs) may facilitate recruitment of different co-factors, leading to distinct regulatory outcomes. Our findings uncover a putative yet unexpected motif that may constitute a mechanistic base for the multitude of functions regulated by Lin28 in both stem cells and cancer cells

Landscapes of Urbanization and De-Urbanization: A Large-Scale Approach to Investigating the Indus Civilization's Settlement Distributions in Northwest India.

Survey data play a fundamental role in studies of social complexity. Integrating the results from multiple projects into large-scale analyses encourages the reconsideration of existing interpretations. This approach is essential to understanding changes in the Indus Civilization's settlement distributions (ca. 2600-1600 b.c.), which shift from numerous small-scale settlements and a small number of larger urban centers to a de-nucleated pattern of settlement. This paper examines the interpretation that northwest India's settlement density increased as Indus cities declined by developing an integrated site location database and using this pilot database to conduct large-scale geographical information systems (GIS) analyses. It finds that settlement density in northwestern India may have increased in particular areas after ca. 1900 b.c., and that the resulting landscape of de-urbanization may have emerged at the expense of other processes. Investigating the Indus Civilization's landscapes has the potential to reveal broader dynamics of social complexity across extensive and varied environments.ER

Improved control of SARS-CoV-2 by treatment with nucleocapsid-specific monoclonal antibody

The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is the main antigen in all approved COVID-19 vaccines and is also the only target for monoclonal antibody therapies. Immune responses to other viral antigens are generated after SARS-CoV-2 infection, but their contribution to the antiviral response remains unclear. Here, we interrogate whether nucleocapsid-specific antibodies can improve protection against SARSCoV-2. We first immunized mice with a nucleocapsid-based vaccine, and then transferred sera from these mice into naïve mice, followed by challenge with SARS-CoV-2. We show that mice that received nucleocapsid-specific sera or a nucleocapsid-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) exhibited enhanced control of SARS-CoV-2. Nucleocapsid-specific antibodies elicited NK-mediated antibodydependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) against infected cells. These findings provide the first demonstration in the coronavirus literature that antibody responses specific to the nucleocapsid protein can improve viral clearance, providing a rationale for the clinical evaluation of nucleocapsid-based monoclonal antibody therapies to treat COVID-19

Innate Immune Suppression Enables Frequent Transfection with RNA Encoding Reprogramming Proteins

BACKGROUND: Generating autologous pluripotent stem cells for therapeutic applications will require the development of efficient DNA-free reprogramming techniques. Transfecting cells with in vitro-transcribed, protein-encoding RNA is a straightforward method of directly expressing high levels of reprogramming proteins without genetic modification. However, long-RNA transfection triggers a potent innate immune response characterized by growth inhibition and the production of inflammatory cytokines. As a result, repeated transfection with protein-encoding RNA causes cell death. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: RNA viruses have evolved methods of disrupting innate immune signaling by destroying or inhibiting specific proteins to enable persistent infection. Starting from a list of known viral targets, we performed a combinatorial screen to identify siRNA cocktails that could desensitize cells to exogenous RNA. We show that combined knockdown of interferon-beta (Ifnb1), Eif2ak2, and Stat2 rescues cells from the innate immune response triggered by frequent long-RNA transfection. Using this technique, we were able to transfect primary human fibroblasts every 24 hours with RNA encoding the reprogramming proteins Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and Utf1. We provide evidence that the encoded protein is active, and we show that expression can be maintained for many days, through multiple rounds of cell division. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results demonstrate that suppressing innate immunity enables frequent transfection with protein-encoding RNA. This technique represents a versatile tool for investigating expression dynamics and protein interactions by enabling precise control over levels and timing of protein expression. Our finding also opens the door for the development of reprogramming and directed-differentiation methods based on long-RNA transfection