Evaluation of quartzites for the manufacture of silica bricks

Chemical, physical and inversion characteristics of quartzites from different sources have been studied to evaluate their suitability for the conventional as well as superduty type of silica refractories. Results of small scale trials carried out on quartzite samples with addition of lime and iron oxide and physical properties of the specimens after firing to 1450°C have also been furnished and in the light thereof, the suitability of indigenous quartzites have been assessed. (Mr. Gurbux Singh Minhas, Senior Scientific Assistant and Mr. H.V. Bhaskar Rao, Senior Scientific Officer, National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur.

Ovarian function and pregnancy outcome in pony mares following immunocontraception with native and recombinant porcine zona pellucida vaccines

Reasons for performing study: Few studies have investigated ovarian function in the mare undergoing porcine zona pellucida (pZP) immunocontraception despite reported ovarian dysfunction in other species. Objectives: This study aimed to describe ovarian function and oestrous cyclicity in pony mares following treatment with either the conventional pZP vaccine or a novel recombinant form of the vaccine derived from porcine ZP3 and ZP4 (reZP). In addition, the contraceptive efficacy of pZP versus reZP was assessed. Study Design: Mares (n=21) were randomized into three groups of seven: Group I received the conventional pZP vaccine, with a booster five weeks later; Group II received the reZP vaccine, with a booster five weeks later; and Group III (controls) received two treatments, five weeks apart, of saline and adjuvant alone. Data were collected over a 24 week period coinciding with the physiological breeding season, with treatments commencing in week four. Methods: Mares underwent weekly monitoring via trans-rectal palpation and ultrasound examination of the reproductive tract, with daily monitoring during oestrus. Serum samples were obtained for antibody titres and ovarian steroid level analyses at seven day intervals. Cycling mares were bred via fresh semen artificial inseminations, over a maximum of two consecutive oestrous cycles that commenced five weeks post booster vaccination. Results: Control mares cycled throughout the trial. Post-treatment, six of seven pZP mares (86%) and one reZP mare (14%) had extended anoestrus that correlated with basal serum oestradiol and progesterone levels. All mares resumed cyclicity by ten months post treatment. Pregnancies were diagnosed in all controls, four reZP- (57%) and none of the pZP- immunized mares. Conclusions: The current study demonstrates the reversible suppression of ovarian function in pony mares following treatment with pZP. The effect of the reZP vaccine on pregnancy outcome requires further investigation

Adapting an evidence-based intervention for autism spectrum disorder for scaling up in resource-constrained settings: the development of the PASS intervention in South Asia.

Evidence-based interventions for autism spectrum disorders evaluated in high-income countries typically require highly specialised manpower, which is a scarce resource in most low- and middle-income settings. This resource limitation results in most children not having access to evidence-based interventions. This paper reports on the systematic adaptation of an evidence-based intervention, the Preschool Autism Communication Therapy (PACT) evaluated in a large trial in the United Kingdom for delivery in a low-resource setting through the process of task-shifting. The adaptation process used the Medical Research Council framework for the development and adaptation of complex interventions, focusing on qualitative methods and case series and was conducted simultaneously in India and Pakistan. The original intervention delivered by speech and language therapists in a high-resource setting required adaptation in some aspects of its content and delivery to enhance contextual acceptability and to enable the intervention to be delivered by non-specialists. The resulting intervention, the Parent-mediated intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder in South Asia (PASS), shares the core theoretical foundations of the original PACT but is adapted in several respects to enhance its acceptability, feasibility, and scalability in low-resource settings

Private reputation retrieval in public - a privacy-aware announcement scheme for VANETs

An announcement scheme is a system that facilitates vehicles to broadcast road-related information in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) in order to improve road safety and efficiency. Here, the authors propose a new cryptographic primitive for public updating of reputation score based on the Boneh–Boyen–Shacham short group signature scheme. This allows private reputation score retrieval without a secure channel. Using this, the authors devise a privacy-aware announcement scheme using reputation systems which is reliable, auditable, and robust

In vivo dual RNA-seq reveals that neutrophil recruitment underlies differential tissue tropism of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a genetically diverse human-adapted pathogen commonly carried asymptomatically in the nasopharynx. We have recently shown that a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the raffinose pathway regulatory gene rafR accounts for a difference in the capacity of clonally-related strains to cause localised versus systemic infection. Using dual RNA-seq, we show that this SNP affects expression of bacterial genes encoding multiple sugar transporters, and fine-tunes carbohydrate metabolism, along with extensive rewiring of host transcriptional responses to infection, particularly expression of genes encoding cytokine and chemokine ligands and receptors. The data predict a crucial role for differential neutrophil recruitment (confirmed by in vivo neutrophil depletion and IL-17 neutralization) indicating that early detection of bacteria by the host in the lung environment is crucial for effective clearance. Thus, dual RNA-seq provides a powerful tool for understanding complex host-pathogen interactions and reveals how a single bacterial SNP can drive differential disease outcomes

Rare novel CYP2U1 and ZFYVE26 variants identified in two Pakistani families with spastic paraplegia

BAKGROUND: Hereditary Spastic paraplegias (HSPs) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of degenerative disorders characterized by progressive spasticity and weakness of the lower limbs. This study aimed to identify causative gene variants in two unrelated consanguineous Pakistani families presented with 2 different forms of HSP. METHODS: Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed in the two families and variants were validated by Sanger sequencing and segregation analysis. ANALYSIS: In family A, a homozygous pathogenic variant in ZFYVE26 was identified in one family. While in family B, a frameshift variant in CYP2U1 was identified in 4 affected individuals presented with clinical features of SPG56. Our study is the first report of ZFYVE26 mutations causing HSP in the Pakistani population and the second report of CYP2U1 in a Pakistani family. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings enhance the clinical and genetic variability associated with two rare autosomal recessive HSP genes, highlighting the complexity of HSPs. These findings further emphasize the usefulness of WES as a powerful diagnostic tool

A mitochondrial membrane-bridging machinery mediates signal transduction of intramitochondrial oxidation

Mitochondria are the main site for generating reactive oxygen species, which are key players in diverse biological processes. However, the molecular pathways of redox signal transduction from the matrix to the cytosol are poorly defined. Here we report an inside-out redox signal of mitochondria. Cysteine oxidation of MIC60, an inner mitochondrial membrane protein, triggers the formation of disulfide bonds and the physical association of MIC60 with Miro, an outer mitochondrial membrane protein. The oxidative structural change of this membrane-crossing complex ultimately elicits cellular responses that delay mitophagy, impair cellular respiration and cause oxidative stress. Blocking the MIC60–Miro interaction or reducing either protein, genetically or pharmacologically, extends lifespan and health-span of healthy fruit flies, and benefits multiple models of Parkinson’s disease and Friedreich’s ataxia. Our discovery provides a molecular basis for common treatment strategies against oxidative stress

Host-glycan metabolism is regulated by a species-conserved two-component system in Streptococcus pneumoniae

Pathogens of the Streptococcus genus inhabit many different environmental niches during the course of an infection in a human host and the bacteria must adjust their metabolism according to available nutrients. Despite their lack of the citric-acid cycle, some streptococci proliferate in niches devoid of a readily available carbohydrate source. Instead they rely on carbohydrate scavenging for energy acquisition, which are obtained from the host. Here we discover a two-component system (TCS07) of Streptococcus pneumoniae that responds to glycoconjugated structures on proteins present on the host cells. Using next-generation RNA sequencing we find that the uncharacterized TCS07 regulon encodes proteins important for host-glycan processing and transporters of the released glycans, as well as intracellular carbohydrate catabolising enzymes. We find that a functional TCS07 allele is required for growth on the glycoconjugated model protein fetuin. Consistently, we see a TCS07-dependent activation of the glycan degradation pathway. Thus, we pinpoint the molecular constituents responsible for sensing host derived glycans and link this to the induction of the proteins necessary for glycan degradation. Furthermore, we connect the TCS07 regulon to virulence in a mouse model, thereby establishing that host-derived glycan-metabolism is important for infection in vivo. Finally, a comparative phylogenomic analysis of strains from the Streptococcus genus reveal that TCS07 and most of its regulon is specifically conserved in species that utilize host-glycans for growth.Patrick Rosendahl Andreassen, Claudia Trappetti, Vikrant Minhas, Flemming Damgaard Nielsen, Kevin Pakula, James C. Paton, Mikkel Girke Jørgense

Moisture Stress Assessment through NDVI and Climate Tools for Crop Management at Anantpur District, AP

Anantapur is the driest district of Andhra Pradesh and hence, agriculture conditions are very often precarious. Groundnut grows where other crops fail and thus it is the predominant crop of Anantapur district. Groundnut is grown in about 7.5 lakh ha in Anantapur district; however the average yields are low af 500 kg ha-1. Among various available vegetation indices, normalised difference vegetation index (ND VI) is widely used for all reasons, which is a single numerical indicator of presence and condition of green vegetation. ND VI mapping at a regional scale helps to assess the spatial changes in the vigour of green vegetation and thus occurrence of any moisture stress. Climate tOQls have a great role in understanding the crop performance and estimating the yields. This study was taken up by using freely available MODIS data to understand ND VI in terms of abiotic stresses over Anantapur district and linking with the actual rainfall conditions, groundnut crop acreage and production. Results indicate that low groundnut yields in general,could be related to ND VI-based stress measurements and rainfall quantum and distribution in the area however, with a few exceptions. It is hoped that by combining improved practices through IWM with climate-adapted crop varieties, rainfed farmers of Anantapur district can sustain their crop production under present climate variability and become resilient to future climate chang

More anxious than depressed: prevalence and correlates in a 15-nation study of anxiety disorders in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background Anxiety disorder, one of the highly disabling, prevalent and common mental disorders, is known to be more prevalent in persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) than the general population, and the comorbid presence of anxiety disorders is known to have an impact on the diabetes outcome and the quality of life. However, the information on the type of anxiety disorder and its prevalence in persons with T2DM is limited. Aims To assess the prevalence and correlates of anxiety disorder in people with type 2 diabetes in different countries. Methods People aged 18–65 years with diabetes and treated in outpatient settings were recruited in 15 countries and underwent a psychiatric interview with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Demographic and medical record data were collected. Results A total of 3170 people with type 2 diabetes (56.2% women; with mean (SD) duration of diabetes 10.01 (7.0) years) participated. The overall prevalence of anxiety disorders in type 2 diabetic persons was 18%; however, 2.8% of the study population had more than one type of anxiety disorder. The most prevalent anxiety disorders were generalised anxiety disorder (8.1%) and panic disorder (5.1%). Female gender, presence of diabetic complications, longer duration of diabetes and poorer glycaemic control (HbA1c levels) were significantly associated with comorbid anxiety disorder. A higher prevalence of anxiety disorders was observed in Ukraine, Saudi Arabia and Argentina with a lower prevalence in Bangladesh and India. Conclusions Our international study shows that people with type 2 diabetes have a high prevalence of anxiety disorders, especially women, those with diabetic complications, those with a longer duration of diabetes and poorer glycaemic control. Early identification and appropriate timely care of psychiatric problems of people with type 2 diabetes is warranted