Characterization of adhesin variants in Indian isolates of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) are causative agents of diarrhea, being characterized by aggregative adherence to cultured epithelial cells. In this study, phenotypic properties of EAEC were analyzed with respect to AA, hemagglutination, clump and biofilm formation, all of which are mediated by aggregative adherence fimbriae (AAF). The strains were also screened for AAF types, AAF adhesin variants and Dr adhesin by PCR. Of the three known AAF types, AAF/I and AAF/II adhesin variants were identified. An association between the AAF/adhesin genotypes and the subtypes/scores of phenotypic properties was sought and it was observed that strains harboring same adhesins displayed different subtypes/scores and vice versa

Effect of shell thickness on exciton and biexciton binding energy of a ZnSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dot

The exciton and biexciton binding energy have been studied for a ZnSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dot using WKB (Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin) approximation. The exciton binding energy increases for small shell thickness and for large thickness, the binding energy again starts decreasing. A similar result is obtained for biexcitons where for thicker shells, the biexciton attains antibonding.Comment: 5 Figure

Active Physical Practice Followed by Mental Practice Using BCI-Driven Hand Exoskeleton: A Pilot Trial for Clinical Effectiveness and Usability

Appropriately combining mental practice (MP) and physical practice (PP) in a post-stroke rehabilitation is critical for ensuring a substantially positive rehabilitation outcome. Here we present a rehabilitation protocol incorporating a separate active PP stage followed by MP stage, using a hand exoskeleton and brain-computer interface (BCI). The PP stage was mediated by a force sensor feedback based assist-as-needed control strategy, whereas the MP stage provided BCI based multimodal neurofeedback combining anthropomorphic visual feedback and proprioceptive feedback of the impaired hand extension attempt. A 6 week long clinical trial was conducted on 4 hemiparetic stroke patients (screened out of 16) with left hand disability. The primary outcome, motor functional recovery, was measured in terms of changes in Grip-Strength (GS) and Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) scores; whereas the secondary outcome, usability of the system, was measured in terms of changes in mood, fatigue and motivation on a visual-analog-scale (VAS). A positive rehabilitative outcome was found as the group mean changes from the baseline in the GS and ARAT were +6.38 kg and +5.66 accordingly. The VAS scale measurements also showed betterment in mood (-1.38), increased motivation (+2.10) and reduced fatigue (-0.98) as compared to the baseline. Thus the proposed neurorehabilitation protocol is found to be promising both in terms of clinical effectiveness and usability

RPGR, a prenylated retinal ciliopathy protein, is targeted to cilia in a prenylation- and PDE6D-dependent manner

RPGR (retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator) is a ciliary protein associated with several forms of inherited retinal degenerative diseases. PDE6D is a ubiquitously expressed prenyl-binding protein and involved in ciliary targeting of prenylated proteins. The current working model for the RPGR function depicts that RPGR acts as a scaffold protein to recruit cargo-loaded PDE6D to primary cilia. Here, we present evidence demonstrating an alternative relationship between RPGR and PDE6D, in which RPGR is a cargo of PDE6D for ciliary targeting. We found that the constitutive isoform of RPGR, which is prenylated, requires prenylation for its ciliary localization. We also found that there are at least two independent ciliary targeting signals in RPGR: one within the N-terminal region that contains the RCC1-like domain and the other near the prenylation site at the C-terminus. Ablation of PDE6D blocked ciliary targeting of RPGR. Our study indicates that prenylated RPGR is one of the cargos of PDE6D for ciliary trafficking and provides insight into the mechanisms by which RPGR is targeted to cilia

Human factors for a successful Integrated Design Process in Zero Energy Buildings: leadership, trust, and goal orientation. A case study in Singapore

The Integrated Design Process is one of the most recommended methods to deliver Zero-Energy Buildings as it brings together all the stakeholders in the early moments of design, allowing performance optimisation and synergies among the different approaches and expertise. The practice of this design process is complex and difficult because it aims to integrate evolving decisions by all parties. It has been widely studied from the perspective of the process itself and its efficacy. However, the human side or how to manage the collaboration of the different stakeholders in the design development for a Zero Energy Building is unknown. To address this research gap this study is focused on the synergies among the consultants and the purpose behind this kind of building. Through the analysis of the design process and eight interviews with the main stakeholders of a Zero Energy Building at the National University of Singapore, three human factors are identified as critical for the success of an Integrated Design Process: client leadership, acting as the engine of the project; trust among the team, acting as the glue during the process, and focus on the goals that sustains the effort and allows the continuity in time. Although the results are limited to a case study, they can serve as a guide for clients and consultants to implement optimised Integrated Design Processes for future Zero Energy Buildings.</p

Alternative Splicing of the Human Cytomegalovirus Major Immediate-Early Genes Affects Infectious-Virus Replication and Control of Cellular Cyclin-Dependent Kinase ▿ †

The major immediate-early (MIE) gene locus of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the master switch that determines the outcomes of both lytic and latent infections. Here, we provide evidence that alteration in the splicing of HCMV (Towne strain) MIE genes affects infectious-virus replication, movement through the cell cycle, and cyclin-dependent kinase activity. Mutation of a conserved 24-nucleotide region in MIE exon 4 increased the abundance of IE1-p38 mRNA and decreased the abundance of IE1-p72 and IE2-p86 mRNAs. An increase in IE1-p38 protein was accompanied by a slight decrease in IE1-p72 protein and a significant decrease in IE2-p86 protein. The mutant virus had growth defects, which could not be complemented by wild-type IE1-p72 protein in trans. The phenotype of the mutant virus could not be explained by an increase in IE1-p38 protein, but prevention of the alternate splice returned the recombinant virus to the wild-type phenotype. The lower levels of IE1-p72 and IE2-p86 proteins correlated with a delay in early and late viral gene expression and movement into the S phase of the cell cycle. Mutant virus-infected cells had significantly higher levels of cdk-1 expression and enzymatic activity than cells infected with wild-type virus. The mutant virus induced a round-cell phenotype that accumulated in the G2/M compartment of the cell cycle with condensation and fragmentation of the chromatin. An inhibitor of viral DNA synthesis increased the round-cell phenotype. The round cells were characteristic of an abortive viral infection

Scaphomonus redundans

Scaphomonus redundans (Distant, 1918) Scaphoideus redundans Distant, 1918: 64. Scaphotettix redundans: Viraktamath & Mohan, 1993: 469, Figs 33–41. Scaphomonus redundans: Dai et al., 2009: 662. Distribution. India.Published as part of Dutta, Nirmal Kumar, Kwon, Jin Hyung, Suh, Sang Jae & Kwon, Yong Jung, 2020, First record of the leafhopper genus Scaphomonus Viraktamath from Korea, with description of one new species (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae), pp. 191-195 in Zootaxa 4747 (1) on page 193, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4747.1.9, http://zenodo.org/record/369353

Maiestas obongsanensis

&lt;i&gt;Maiestas obongsanensis&lt;/i&gt; (Kwon &amp; Lee, 1979) &lt;p&gt;(Figs 9 A&ndash;J)&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Recilia&lt;/i&gt; (&lt;i&gt;Togacephalus&lt;/i&gt;) &lt;i&gt;obongsanensis&lt;/i&gt; Kwon &amp; Lee, 1979, Nat. &amp; Life 9(2): 78&ndash;79 (Korea).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Maiestas obongsanensis&lt;/i&gt;, Webb &amp; Viraktamath, 2009, Zootaxa 2163: 16.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Material examined.&lt;/b&gt; Korea, Gangwon Province: 1 male, Balgyosan, 21.VIII.2016, Y.J. Kwon; Gyeongbuk Province: 1 male, Dansan-myeon, 2.X.1982, Y.J. Kwon; 1 male, Palgongsan, 7.X.1984; Gyeongnam Province: 1 male, Tongdosa temple, 9.X.1979; Jeonbuk Province: 1 female, Naejangsan, 14.VIII.1981; Jeonnam Province: 1 female, Cheonmabong, 21.VIII.2011, all same collector.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Distribution.&lt;/b&gt; Korea (Central, South), China.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Host plant.&lt;/b&gt; Unknown.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Remarks.&lt;/b&gt; This species can be distinguished by the shape of the style and the apex of aedeagal shaft, and by the characteristic spots on the forewing.&lt;/p&gt;Published as part of &lt;i&gt;Dutta, Nirmal Kumar, Kwon, Jin Hyung, Suh, Sang Jae &amp; Kwon, Yong Jung, 2019, Review of the leafhopper genus Maiestas Distant (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae Deltocephalinae) from Korea, pp. 564-584 in Zootaxa 4646 (3)&lt;/i&gt; on page 577, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4646.3.7, &lt;a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3351128"&gt;http://zenodo.org/record/3351128&lt;/a&gt

Scaphomonus longistylus

Scaphomonus longistylus (Li & Wang, 2005) Scaphotettix longistylus Li & Wang, 2005: 190, Figs 13–17. Scaphomonus longistylus: Dai et al., 2009: 661, Fig. 7 A–H; Li et al., 2011: 262, Fig. 5 –263; Xing & Li, 2013: 60. Distribution. China.Published as part of Dutta, Nirmal Kumar, Kwon, Jin Hyung, Suh, Sang Jae & Kwon, Yong Jung, 2020, First record of the leafhopper genus Scaphomonus Viraktamath from Korea, with description of one new species (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae), pp. 191-195 in Zootaxa 4747 (1) on page 192, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4747.1.9, http://zenodo.org/record/369353