Zirconia based nucleic acid sensor for Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection

Nanostructured zirconium oxide (ZrO2) film (particle size ∼ 35 nm), electrochemically deposited onto gold(Au) surface, has been used to immobilize 21-mer oligonucleotide probe (ssDNA) specific to Mycobacterium tuberculosis by utilizing affinity between oxygen atom of phosphoric group and zirconium to fabricate DNA biosensor. This DNA-ZrO2/Au bioelectrode, characterized using x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and scanning electron microscopy techniques, can be used for early and rapid diagnosis of M. tuberculosis with detection limit of 0.065 ng/μL within 60s

Proteomic-biostatistic integrated approach for finding the underlying molecular determinants of hypertension in human plasma

Despite advancements in lowering blood pressure, the best approach to lower it remains controversial because of the lack of information on the molecular basis of hypertension. We, therefore, performed plasma proteomics of plasma from patients with hypertension to identify molecular determinants detectable in these subjects but not in controls and vice versa. Plasma samples from hypertensive subjects (cases; n=118) and controls (n=85) from the InGenious HyperCare cohort were used for this study and performed mass spectrometric analysis. Using biostatistical methods, plasma peptides specific for hypertension were identified, and a model was developed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression. The underlying peptides were identified and sequenced off-line using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization orbitrap mass spectrometry. By comparison of the molecular composition of the plasma samples, 27 molecular determinants were identified differently expressed in cases from controls. Seventy percent of the molecular determinants selected were found to occur less likely in hypertensive patients. In cross-validation, the overall R(2) was 0.434, and the area under the curve was 0.891 with 95% confidence interval 0.8482 to 0.9349, P<0.0001. The mean values of the cross-validated proteomic score of normotensive and hypertensive patients were found to be -2.007±0.3568 and 3.383±0.2643, respectively, P<0.0001. The molecular determinants were successfully identified, and the proteomic model developed shows an excellent discriminatory ability between hypertensives and normotensives. The identified molecular determinants may be the starting point for further studies to clarify the molecular causes of hypertension

Tracing controversies in hacker communities: ethical considerations for internet research

This paper reflects on the ethics of internet research on community controversies. Specifically, it focuses on controversies concerning gendered, social interaction in hacking communities. It addresses the question how internet researchers should treat and represent content that individuals controversially discussed online. While many internet sources are likewise technically public, they may yet suggest distinct privacy expectations on the part of involved individuals. In internet research, ethical decision-making regarding which online primary sources may be, e.g., referenced and quoted or require anonymisation is still ambiguous and contested. Instead of generalisable rules, the context dependence of internet research ethics has been frequently stressed. Given this ambiguity, the paper elaborates on ethical decisions and their implications by exploring the case of a controversial hackerspaces.org mailing list debate. In tracing data across different platforms, it analyses the emerging ethico-methodological challenges

Synthesis and Anti-Pancreatic Cancer Activity Studies of Novel 3-Amino-2-hydroxybenzofused 2-Phospha-γ-lactones

A series of 3-amino-2-hydroxybenzofused 2-phosphalactones (4a-l) has been synthesized from the Kabachnik-Fields reaction via a facile route from a one-pot three-component reaction of diphenylphosphite with various 2-hydroxybenzaldehyes and heterocyclic amines in a new way of expansion. The in vitro anti-cell proliferation studies by MTT assay have revealed them as potential Panc-1, Miapaca-2, and BxPC-3 pancreatic cell growth inhibitors, and the same is supported by molecular docking, QSAR, and ADMET studies. The MTT assay of their SAHA derivatives against the same cell lines evidenced them as potential HDAC inhibitors and identified 4a, 4b, and 4k substituted with 1,3-thiazol, 1,3,4-thiadiazol, and 5-sulfanyl-1,3,4-thiadiazol moieties on phenyl and diethylamino phenyl rings as potential ones. Additionally, the flow cytometric analyses of 4a, 4b, and 4k against BxPC-3 cells revealed compound 4k as a lead compound that arrests the S phase cell cycle growth at low micromolar concentrations. The ADMET properties have ascertained their inherent pharmacokinetic potentiality, and the wholesome results prompted us to report it as the first study on anti-pancreatic cancer activity of cyclic α-aminophosphonates. Ultimately, this study serves as a good contribution to update the existing knowledge on the anticancer organophosphorus heterocyclic compounds and elevates the scope for generation of new anticancer drugs. Further, the studies like QSAR, drug properties, toxicity risks, and bioactivity scores predicted for them have ascertained the synthesized compounds as newer and potential drug candidates. Hence, this study had augmented the array of α-aminophosphonates by adding a new collection of 3-amino-2-hydroxybenzofused 2-phosphalactones, a class of cyclic α-aminophosphonates, to it, which proved them as potential anti-pancreatic cancer agents. ©Mr. R.R.G. and Prof. S.R.C. thank Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), India for providing financial assistance through a research project grant f.no.: SB/S1/OC-96/2013, Dt: 05-11-2014. Author S.K.B. thanks University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, India for RFSMS (Research Fellowship in Sciences for Meritorious Students) Fellowship (F.4-1/2011, BSR-RFSMS-BSK) under Basic Scientific Research (BSR) Scheme. Authors V.K.R.A. and G.V.Z. are thankful to Ural Federal University for support and acknowledge the financial support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation (grant no.: 075-15-2020-777)

Career guidance and the changing world of work: Contesting responsibilising notions of the future.

Career guidance is an educational activity which helps individuals to manage their participation in learning and work and plan for their futures. Unsurprisingly career guidance practitioners are interested in how the world of work is changing and concerned about threats of technological unemployment. This chapter argues that the career guidance field is strongly influenced by a “changing world of work” narrative which is drawn from a wide body of grey literature produced by think tanks, supra-national bodies and other policy influencers. This body of literature is political in nature and describes the future of work narrowly and within the frame of neoliberalism. The ‘changing world of work’ narrative is explored through a thematic analysis of grey literature and promotional materials for career guidance conferences. The chapter concludes by arguing that career guidance needs to adopt a more critical stance on the ‘changing world of work’ and to offer more emancipatory alternatives.N/

Application of nanostructured ZnO films for electrochemical DNA biosensor

Nanostructured zinc oxide (nsZnO) films have been fabricated onto conducting indium–tin–oxide (ITO) coated glass plate, by cathodic electro-deposition to immobilize probe DNA specific to M. tuberculosis via physisorption based on strong electrostatic interactions between positively charged ZnO (isoelectric point = 9.5) and negatively charged DNA to detect its complementary target. Electrochemical studies reveal that the presence of nano-structured ZnO results in increased electro-active surface area for loading of DNA molecules. The DNA–nsZnO/ITO bioelectrode exhibits interesting characteristics such as detection range of 1 × 10-6 - 1 × 10-12 M, detection limit of 1 × 10-12 M (complementary target) and 1 × 10-13 M (genomic DNA), reusability of about 10 times, response time of 60s and stability of up to 4 months when kept at 4°C

“What is Postcolonial Digital Humanities(#DHpoco)?”

Recently, digital humanities has received attention for its intervention in literary and cultural studies. This was certainly the case last May when we three met and resolved to collaborate on this piece while attending the Women’s Studies Summer Technology Institute at the Univ. of of Maryland, College Park. While the definition of “digital humanities” is contested, we would assert that digital humanities brings computational and other digital technologies to bear on humanities scholarship and engaging humanistic tools to understand digital media. This is vital because it is indisputable that digital media shapes identity and culture faster and more influentially than any other cultural force in the 21st century. As such, it comprises sets of practices as varied as computational software use to analyze myriad texts, engaging visualization tools in research, using mapping software to understand literature or history (including participatory GIS), digitizing texts to create new archives, and using our knowledge of culture and history to critically analyze and understand digital objects and cultures

Fault-tolerant Embedding of Linear Arrays and Rings in the Star Graph

Methods are presented to embed Hamiltonian paths (H-paths) and Hamiltonian cycles (H-cycles) in a star graph Sn in a faulty environment. The models considered include single-processor failure, double-process failure, and multiple-processor failures. All three models are applied to an H-path/cycle, which is formed by visiting all the (n!/4!)S4s in an Sn in a particular order. An optimal embedding is obtained in the case of single-processor failure, wherein the length of the H-path/cycle is shown to be (n! − 2). The multiple-processor failure model is developed based on single and double processor failure models. In this case the length of the H-cycle that can be embedded is shown to be (n! − 2f), where f ≤ n − 2 is the number of faults. Another case of multiple-failure scenario is investigated by assuming that all faults are contained in a single Sm, m\u3cn. The network in this case, is shown to reduce to a cluster-star graph. It is proven that it is always possible to formulate an H-cycle of length (n! − m!) in such a network