Replacing FIPB with Standard Operating Procedure Not Enough

Foreign investment into India has always been heavily regulated, requiring approvals from various government ministries. Post-liberalisation, a need was felt to create a single window for foreign investors applying for such approvals. As a result, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) was established in August 1991. Initially, it was placed within the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) since its credibility needed to be projected speedily. Then it shifted to Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) and finally to Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) in Ministry of Finance. Here it functioned as an inter-ministerial body making recommendations to the Finance Minister for grant of approval for foreign investments as per the regulations under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999

The serine/threonine kinase PknB of Mycobacterium tuberculosis phosphorylates PBPA, a penicillin-binding protein required for cell division

A cluster of genes encoded by ORFs Rv0014c-Rv0018c in Mycobacterium tuberculosis encodes candidate cell division proteins RodA and PBPA, a pair of serine/threonine kinases (STPKs), PknA and PknB, and a phosphatase, PstP. The organization of genes encompassing this region is conserved in a large number of mycobacterial species. This study demonstrates that recombinant PBPA of M. tuberculosis binds benzylpenicillin. Knockout of its counterpart in M. smegmatis resulted in hindered growth and defective cell septation. The phenotype of the knockout (PBPA-KO) could be restored to that of the wild-type upon expression of PBPA of M. tuberculosis. PBPA localized to the division site along with newly synthesized peptidoglycan, between segregated nucleoids. In vivo coexpression of PBPA and PknB, in vitro kinase assays and site-specific mutagenesis substantiated the view that PknB phosphorylates PBPA on T362 and T437. A T437A mutant could not complement PBPA-KO. These studies demonstrate for the first time that PBPA, which belongs to a subclass of class B high-molecular-mass PBPs, plays an important role in cell division and cell shape maintenance. Signal transduction mediated by PknB and PstP likely regulates the positioning of this PBP at the septum, thereby regulating septal peptidoglycan biosynthesis

The Effect of w−termw-term on Visibility Correlation and Power Spectrum Estimation

Visibility-visibility correlation has been proposed as a technique for the estimation of power spectrum, and used extensively for small field of view observations, where the effect of $w-term$ is usually ignored. We consider power spectrum estimation from the large field of view observations, where the $w-term$ can have a significant effect. Our investigation shows that a nonzero $w$ manifests itself as a modification of the primary aperture function of the instrument. Using a gaussian primary beam, we show that the modified aperture is an oscillating function with a gaussian envelope. We show that the two visibility correlation reproduces the power spectrum beyond a certain baseline given by the width, $U_{w}$ of the modified aperture. Further, for a given interferometer, the maximum $U_{w}$ remains independent of the frequencies of observation. This suggests that, the incorporation of large field of view in radio interferometric observation has a greater effect for larger observing wavelengths.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, 2 table

Polyphosphate kinase is involved in stress-induced mprAB-sigE-rel signalling in Mycobacteria

Polyphosphate kinase 1 (PPK1) helps bacteria to survive under stress. The ppk1 gene of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and characterized. Residues R230 and F176, predicted to be present in the head domain of PPK1, were identified as residues critical for polyphosphate (polyP)-synthesizing ability and dimerization of PPK1. A ppk1 knockout mutant of Mycobacterium smegmatis was compromised in its ability to survive under long-term hypoxia. The transcription of the rel gene and the synthesis of the stringent response regulator ppGpp were impaired in the mutant and restored after complementation with ppk1 of M. tuberculosis, providing evidence that PPK1 is required for the stringent response. We present evidence that PPK1 is likely required for mprAB-sigE-rel signalling. σE regulates the transcription of rel, and we hypothesize that under conditions of stress polyP acts as a preferred donor for MprB-mediated phosphorylation of MprA facilitating transcription of the sigE gene thereby leading finally to the enhancement of the transcription of rel in M. smegmatis and M. tuberculosis. Downregulation of ppk1 led to impaired survival of M. tuberculosis in macrophages. PolyP plays a central role in the stress response of mycobacteria

INSPIRESat-1: A Year of On-Orbit Operations

INSPIRESat-1 (IS-1) was the first mission under the INternational Satellite Program In Research and Education (INSPIRE) program, a consortium of universities coming together to space science missions. IS-1 launched on February 14, 2022 at 00:30 UTC to a sun synchronous dawn-dusk orbit onboard the Indian Space Research Organization\u27s PSLV C52 mission. The IS-1 spacecraft was primarily developed at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado with significant contributions from the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), NCU of Taiwan and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. The IS-1 carries two scientific instruments: The Compact Ionospheric Probe (CIP) developed at National Central University (NCU) for studying Earth\u27s dynamic ionosphere and the NASA funded Dual-zone Aperture X-ray Solar Spectrometer (DAXSS) developed at LASP for studying the highly-variable solar X-ray radiation. DAXSS is a follow on from the highly successful MinXSS 1 &2 missions. First contact was established with the spacecraft 45 minutes after launch. The first science instruments were turned on by February 27th. DAXSS has now observed multiple solar flares in the current increasing phase of solar cycle 25 for a period of 16 months. In this paper we will present details on spacecraft performance in a unique dawn dusk orbit which presents thermal challenges not encountered frequently by nano-satellite platforms. We also present preliminary science results from CIP and DAXSS instruments from a year of on-orbit operations. Operations of the Spacecraft has also been unique with multiple universities commanding and downlinking science data

Novel Role of Phosphorylation-Dependent Interaction between FtsZ and FipA in Mycobacterial Cell Division

The bacterial divisome is a multiprotein complex. Specific protein-protein interactions specify whether cell division occurs optimally, or whether division is arrested. Little is known about these protein-protein interactions and their regulation in mycobacteria. We have investigated the interrelationship between the products of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene cluster Rv0014c-Rv0019c, namely PknA (encoded by Rv0014c) and FtsZ-interacting protein A, FipA (encoded by Rv0019c) and the products of the division cell wall (dcw) cluster, namely FtsZ and FtsQ. M. smegmatis strains depleted in components of the two gene clusters have been complemented with orthologs of the respective genes of M. tuberculosis. Here we identify FipA as an interacting partner of FtsZ and FtsQ and establish that PknA-dependent phosphorylation of FipA on T77 and FtsZ on T343 is required for cell division under oxidative stress. A fipA knockout strain of M. smegmatis is less capable of withstanding oxidative stress than the wild type and showed elongation of cells due to a defect in septum formation. Localization of FtsQ, FtsZ and FipA at mid-cell was also compromised. Growth and survival defects under oxidative stress could be functionally complemented by fipA of M. tuberculosis but not its T77A mutant. Merodiploid strains of M. smegmatis expressing the FtsZ(T343A) showed inhibition of FtsZ-FipA interaction and Z ring formation under oxidative stress. Knockdown of FipA led to elongation of M. tuberculosis cells grown in macrophages and reduced intramacrophage growth. These data reveal a novel role of phosphorylation-dependent protein-protein interactions involving FipA, in the sustenance of mycobacterial cell division under oxidative stress

Interaction between FtsZ and FtsW of mycobacterium tuberculosis

The recruitment of FtsZ to the septum and its subsequent interaction with other cell division proteins in a spatially and temporally controlled manner are the keys to bacterial cell division. In the present study, we have tested the hypothesis that FtsZ and FtsW of Mycobacterium tuberculosis could be binding partners. Using gel renaturation, pull-down, and solid-phase assays, we confirm that FtsZ and FtsW interact through their C-terminal tails, which carry extensions absent in their Escherichia coli counterparts. Crucial to these interactions is the cluster of aspartate residues Asp367 to Asp370of FtsZ, which most likely interact with a cluster of positively charged residues in the C-terminal tail of FtsW. Mutations of the aspartate residues 367–370 showed that changing three aspartate residues to alanine resulted in complete loss of interaction. This is the first demonstration of the direct interaction between FtsZ and FtsW. We speculate that this interaction between FtsZ and FtsW could serve to anchor FtsZ to the membrane and link septum formation to peptidoglycan synthesis in M. tuberculosis. The findings assume particular significance in view of the global efforts to explore new targets in M. tuberculosis for chemotherapeutic intervention

1,4-DithiinePuckered in the Gas Phase but Planar in Crystals: Role of Cooperativity

Tricyclic C₆S₈ is known to exist in two different polymorphic phases, namely, alpha (α) and beta (β) forms with planar and puckered conformations, respectively. Recently, it has been shown that the individual molecule undergoes spontaneous symmetry breaking due to pseudo-Jahn–Teller (PJT) distortion resulting in a puckered conformation at the ground state. Here, on the basis of solid-state dispersion-corrected DFT, DFT-D2, as well as the localized Gaussian basis calculations, on periodic systems, we have compared the relative stabilities and structural preferences for α and β polymorphs in a systematic way, starting from the monomers to different forms of higher aggregates in both α and β crystals. From the molecular viewpoint, puckered conformations of the β form are found to be more stable compared to that of planar ones in the α form. Nevertheless, it is shown that PJT distortion can be suppressed by increasing the π-stacking interactions in its aggregates along the crystallographic <i>c</i>-axis and, therefore, eventually in the α crystal form. The same general principle is also shown to occur in the form-II of the dithianon polymorph. Unlike the C₆S₈ molecule of α form, dithianon molecules require only a dimer aggregate to suppress PJT distortion due to the shorter π-stacking distance. It has been shown that environmental or cooperativity effects as found in crystalline phases play a crucial role to quench the PJT distortion in the molecule. The computed IR spectra for both the molecular conformations as well as crystalline phases show good agreement with the experimental spectra

Plasma Assisted Surface Coating of Porous Solids

Surface modification of high-porosity solids using RF plasma has been investigated. Hydrophobic coatings were deposited on a stack of five porous filter papers using four types of plasma from different fluorine-containing monomers (TDFO, PDFOA, PFDD and PFMCH). Surface chemistry and water contact angles of each layer were analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and video contact angle (VCA) measurements. It is seen that CF2 and CF3 groups are responsible for hydrophobic behavior and contact angle values correlates very well with total surface fluorine content. As the average surface fluorine concentration increases to about 15%, the surface becomes abruptly hydrophobic. This study indicates that a very thin coating (average thickness smaller than 1-2 nm) is needed for hydrophobic behavior. Additional deposition increases coating thickness, but has no effect on contact angle. All the monomers are equally effective in coating the external surfaces of the stack, but the extent of permeation of the plasma into the inner layers varies with monomer structure. PDFOA produces more penetrating plasma compared to other molecules. The molar ratio of the two hydrophobic functional groups (CF2/CF3) in all coatings is lower than that in the original monomer due to molecular fragmentation in the plasma. In the straight chain monomers studied, CF2/CF3 ratio of the coating follows the same trend as in the starting molecule. However, in the cyclic monomer studied, this ratio is significantly lower indicating greater fragmentation of such molecules. These results indicate that plasma-induced coatings can modify surface properties of high-porosity materials and that the extent of permeation can be controlled. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved