816 research outputs found
Synthesis and use of fluorophore-tagged antimalarials
This invention includes a fluorophore-tagged antimalarial represented by the following structural formula (1) or a salt thereof. This invention relates to the synthesis of fluorophore-tagged antimalarials and describes the synthesis of a fluorophore-tagged antimalarial. These fluorophore-tagged antimalarials can be used to image live cells to determine the location of the antimalarial in the cell, identify drug resistance and growth related pathways in Plasmodium isolates, identify new drug targets and chemo-sensitizers to reverse drug resistance
Successful Genetic Transfection of the Colonic Protistan Parasite Blastocystis for Reliable Expression of Ectopic Genes
The microbial parasite Blastocystis colonizes the large intestines of numerous animal species and increasing evidence has linked Blastocystis infection to enteric diseases with signs and symptoms including abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and flatulence. It has also recently been reported to be an important member of the host intestinal microbiota. Despite significant advances in our understanding of Blastocystis cell biology and host-parasite interactions, a genetic modification tool is absent. In this study, we successfully established a robust gene delivery protocol for Blastocystis subtype 7 (ST7) and ectopic protein expression was further tested using a high sensitivity nano-luciferase (Nluc) reporter system, with promoter regions from several genes. Among them, a strong promoter encompassing a region upstream of the legumain 5? UTR was identified. Using this promoter combined with the legumain 3? UTR, which contains a conserved, precise polyadenylation signal, a robust transient transfection technique was established for the first time in Blastocystis. This system was validated by ectopic expression of proteins harbouring specific localization signals. The establishment of a robust, reproducible gene modification system for Blastocystis is a significant advance for Blastocystis research both in vitro and in vivo. This technique will spearhead further research to understand the parasite’s biology, its role in health and disease, along with novel ways to combat the parasite
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Pan-viral serology implicates enteroviruses in acute flaccid myelitis.
Since 2012, the United States of America has experienced a biennial spike in pediatric acute flaccid myelitis (AFM)1-6. Epidemiologic evidence suggests non-polio enteroviruses (EVs) are a potential etiology, yet EV RNA is rarely detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)2. CSF from children with AFM (n = 42) and other pediatric neurologic disease controls (n = 58) were investigated for intrathecal antiviral antibodies, using a phage display library expressing 481,966 overlapping peptides derived from all known vertebrate and arboviruses (VirScan). Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of AFM CSF RNA (n = 20 cases) was also performed, both unbiased sequencing and with targeted enrichment for EVs. Using VirScan, the viral family significantly enriched by the CSF of AFM cases relative to controls was Picornaviridae, with the most enriched Picornaviridae peptides belonging to the genus Enterovirus (n = 29/42 cases versus 4/58 controls). EV VP1 ELISA confirmed this finding (n = 22/26 cases versus 7/50 controls). mNGS did not detect additional EV RNA. Despite rare detection of EV RNA, pan-viral serology frequently identified high levels of CSF EV-specific antibodies in AFM compared with controls, providing further evidence for a causal role of non-polio EVs in AFM
Impact of Experience Corps® Participation on Children’s Academic Achievement and School Behavior
This article reports on the impact of the Experience Corps® (EC) Baltimore program, an intergenerational, school-based program aimed at improving academic achievement and reducing disruptive school behavior in urban, elementary school students in Kindergarten through third grade (K-3). Teams of adult volunteers aged 60 and older were placed in public schools, serving 15 h or more per week, to perform meaningful and important roles to improve the educational outcomes of children and the health and well-being of volunteers. Findings indicate no significant impact of the EC program on standardized reading or mathematical achievement test scores among children in grades 1–3 exposed to the program. K-1st grade students in EC schools had fewer principal office referrals compared to K-1st grade students in matched control schools during their second year in the EC program; second graders in EC schools had fewer suspensions and expulsions than second graders in non-EC schools during their first year in the EC program. In general, both boys and girls appeared to benefit from the EC program in school behavior. The results suggest that a volunteer engagement program for older adults can be modestly effective for improving selective aspects of classroom behavior among elementary school students in under-resourced, urban schools, but there were no significant improvements in academic achievement. More work is needed to identify individual- and school-level factors that may help account for these results
Polycation-π Interactions Are a Driving Force for Molecular Recognition by an Intrinsically Disordered Oncoprotein Family
Molecular recognition by intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) commonly involves specific localized contacts and target-induced disorder to order transitions. However, some IDPs remain disordered in the bound state, a phenomenon coined "fuzziness", often characterized by IDP polyvalency, sequence-insensitivity and a dynamic ensemble of disordered bound-state conformations. Besides the above general features, specific biophysical models for fuzzy interactions are mostly lacking. The transcriptional activation domain of the Ewing's Sarcoma oncoprotein family (EAD) is an IDP that exhibits many features of fuzziness, with multiple EAD aromatic side chains driving molecular recognition. Considering the prevalent role of cation-π interactions at various protein-protein interfaces, we hypothesized that EAD-target binding involves polycation- π contacts between a disordered EAD and basic residues on the target. Herein we evaluated the polycation-π hypothesis via functional and theoretical interrogation of EAD variants. The experimental effects of a range of EAD sequence variations, including aromatic number, aromatic density and charge perturbations, all support the cation-π model. Moreover, the activity trends observed are well captured by a coarse-grained EAD chain model and a corresponding analytical model based on interaction between EAD aromatics and surface cations of a generic globular target. EAD-target binding, in the context of pathological Ewing's Sarcoma oncoproteins, is thus seen to be driven by a balance between EAD conformational entropy and favorable EAD-target cation-π contacts. Such a highly versatile mode of molecular recognition offers a general conceptual framework for promiscuous target recognition by polyvalent IDPs. © 2013 Song et al
Ozone-CO Correlations Determined by the TES Satellite Instrument in Continental Outflow Regions
Collocated measurements of tropospheric ozone (O3) and carbon monoxide (CO) from the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) aboard the EOS Aura satellite provide information on O3-CO correlations to test our understanding of global anthropogenic influence on O3. We examine the global distribution of TES O3-CO correlations in the middle troposphere (618 hPa) for July 2005 and compare to correlations generated with the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model and with ICARTT aircraft observations over the eastern United States (July 2004). The TES data show significant O3-CO correlations downwind of polluted continents, with dO3/dCO enhancement ratios in the range 0.4–1.0 mol mol−1 and consistent with ICARTT data. The GEOS-Chem model reproduces the O3-CO enhancement ratios observed in continental outflow, but model correlations are stronger and more extensive. We show that the discrepancy can be explained by spectral measurement errors in the TES data. These errors will decrease in future data releases, which should enable TES to provide better information on O3-CO correlations.Earth and Planetary SciencesEngineering and Applied Science
Validation of TOI-1221 b: A warm sub-Neptune exhibiting TTVs around a Sun-like star
We present a validation of the long-period (
days) transiting sub-Neptune planet TOI-1221 b (TIC 349095149.01) around a
Sun-like (m=10.5) star. This is one of the few known exoplanets with
period >50 days, and belongs to the even smaller subset of which have bright
enough hosts for detailed spectroscopic follow-up. We combine TESS light curves
and ground-based time-series photometry from PEST (0.3~m) and LCOGT (1.0~m) to
analyze the transit signals and rule out nearby stars as potential false
positive sources. High-contrast imaging from SOAR and Gemini/Zorro rule out
nearby stellar contaminants. Reconnaissance spectroscopy from CHIRON sets a
planetary scale upper mass limit on the transiting object (1.1 and 3.5 M at 1 and 3, respectively) and shows no sign of a
spectroscopic binary companion. We determine a planetary radius of , placing it in the sub-Neptune regime. With a
stellar insolation of , we calculate a
moderate equilibrium temperature of 440 K, assuming no albedo
and perfect heat redistribution. We find a false positive probability from
TRICERATOPS of FPP as well as other qualitative and
quantitative evidence to support the statistical validation of TOI-1221 b. We
find significant evidence (>) of oscillatory transit timing
variations, likely indicative of an additional non-transiting planet.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, 4 table
Crop Updates 2002 - Oilseeds
This session covers twenty seven papers from different authors:
1. Forward and acknowledgements, Dave Eksteen, ACTING MANAGER OILSEEDS PRODUCTIVITY AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT Department of Agriculture
PLENARY SESSION
2. GMO canola - Track record in Canada, K. Neil Harker and George W. Clayton,Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research Centre, Lacombe, Alberta, R. Keith Downey, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon Research Centre, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
3. GMO canola – Prospects in Western Australia farming systems, Keith Alcock, Crop Improvement Institute, Department of Agriculture
4. Diamondback moth (DBM) in canola, Kevin Walden, Department of Agriculture
CANOLA AGRONOMY
5. Getting the best out of canola in the low rainfall central wheatbelt, Bevan Addison and Peter Carlton, Elders Ltd
6. Canola variety performance in Western Australia, Kevin Morthorpe, Stephen Addenbrooke and Alex Ford, Pioneer Hi-Bred Australia P/L
7. Relative performance of new canola varieties in Department of Agriculture variety trials in 2000 and 2001, S. Hasan Zaheer, GSARI, Department of Agriculture, G. Walton, Crop Improvement Institute, Department of Agriculture
8. Which canola cultivar should I sow? Imma Farré, CSIRO Plant Industry, Floreat, Bill Bowden,Western Australia Department of Agriculture
9. The effect of seed generation and seed source on yield and quality of canola, Paul Carmody, Department of Agriculture
10. The accumulation of oil in Brassica species, J.A. Fortescue and D.W. Turner, Plant Biology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia, B. Tan, PO Box 1249, South Perth
11. Potential and performance of alternative oilseeds in WA, Margaret C. Campbell, Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture
12. Comparison of oilseed crops in WA, Ian Pritchard and Paul Carmody, Department of Agriculture, Centre for Cropping Systems, Margaret Campbell, Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture
13. Identifying constraints to canola production, Dave Eksteen, Canola Development Officer, Department of Agriculture
14. Boron – should we be worried about it? Richard W. BellA, K. FrostA, Mike WongB, and Ross BrennanC , ASchool of Environmental Science, Murdoch University, BCSIRO Land and Water, CDepartment of Agriculture
PEST AND DISEASE 15. Yield losses caused when Beet Western Yellows Virus infects canola, Roger Jones and Jenny Hawkes, Department of Agriculture, and Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture
16. Influence of climate on aphid outbreaks and virus epidemics in canola, Debbie Thackray, Jenny Hawkes and Roger Jones, Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture and Department of Agriculture
17. The annual shower of blackleg ascospores in canola: Can we predict and avoid it? Moin U. Salam, Ravjit K. Khangura, Art J. Diggle and Martin J. Barbetti, Department of Agriculture
18. Environmental influences on production and release of ascospores of blackleg and their implications in blackleg management in canola, Ravjit K. Khangura, Martin J. Barbetti , Moin U. Salam and Art J. Diggle, Department of Agriculture
19. WA blackleg resistance ratings on canola varieties form 2002, Ravjit Khangura, Martin J. Barbetti and Graham Walton, Department of Agriculture
20. Bronzed field beetle management in canola, Phil Michael, Department of Agriculture
21. DBM control in canola: Aerial versus boom application, Paul Carmody, Department of Agriculture
22. Effect of single or multiple spray trearments on the control of Diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) and yield of canola at Wongan Hills, Françoise Berlandier, Paul Carmody and Christiaan Valentine, Department of Agriculture
ESTABLISHMENT
23. GrainGuardÔ - A biosecurity plan for the canola industry, Greg Shea, Department of Agriculture
24. Large canola seed is best, particularly for deep sowing, Glen Riethmuller, Rafiul Alam, Greg Hamilton and Jo Hawksley, Department of Agriculture
25. Canola establishment with seed size, tines and discs, with and without stubble, Glen Riethmuller, Rafiul Alam, Greg Hamilton and Jo Hawksley, Department of Agriculture
WEEDS
26. Role of Roundup ReadyÒ canola in the farming system, Art Diggle1, Patrick Smith2, Paul Neve3, Felicity Flugge4, Amir Abadi5, Stephen Powles3 1Department of Agriculture, 2CSIRO, Sustainable Ecosystems, 3Western Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, University of Western Australia, 4Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture, University of Western Australia, 5Touchstone Consulting,
Mt Hawthorn
FEED
27. Getting value from canola meals in the animal feed industries: Aquaculture, Brett Glencross and John Curnow, Department of Fisheries - Government of Western Australia and Wayne Hawkins, Department of Agricultur
Life Cycle-Dependent Cytoskeletal Modifications in Plasmodium falciparum Infected Erythrocytes
10.1371/journal.pone.0061170PLoS ONE84
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