Inducible nitric oxide synthase and control of intracellular bacterial pathogens

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) has important functions in innate immunity and regulation of immune functions. Here, the role of iNOS in the pathogenesis of various intracellular bacterial infections is discussed. These pathogens have also evolved a broad array of strategies to repair damage by reactive nitrogen intermediates, and to suppress or inhibit functions of iNOS.

Application of artificial intelligence for the assessment of the status of power transformers

The Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) a non destructive test procedure, has been in vogue for a long time now, for assessing the status of power and related transformers in service. An early indication of likely internal faults that may exist in Transformers has been seen to be revealed, to a reasonable degree of accuracy by the DGA. The data acquisition and subsequent analysis needs an expert in the concerned area to accurately assess the condition of the equipment. Since the presence of the expert is not always guaranteed, it is incumbent on the part of the power utilities to requisition a well planned and reliable artificial expert system to replace, at least in part, an expert. This paper presents the application of Ordered Ant Mner (OAM) classifier for the prediction of involved fault. Secondly, the paper also attempts to estimate the remaining life of the power transformer as an extension to the elapsed life estimation method suggested in the literature.

A Single Mammalian Mitochondrial Translation Initiation Factor Functionally Replaces Two Bacterial Factors

The mechanism of translation in eubacteria and organelles is thought to be similar. In eubacteria, the three initiation factors IF1, IF2, and IF3 are vital. Although the homologs of IF2 and IF3 are found in mammalian mitochondria, an IF1 homolog has never been detected. Here, we show that bovine mitochondrial IF2 (IF2mt) complements E. coli containing a deletion of the IF2 gene (E. coli ΔinfB). We find that IF1 is no longer essential in an IF2mt-supported E. coli ΔinfB strain. Furthermore, biochemical and molecular modeling data show that a conserved insertion of 37 amino acids in the IF2mt substitutes for the function of IF1. Deletion of this insertion from IF2mt supports E. coli for the essential function of IF2. However, in this background, IF1 remains essential. These observations provide strong evidence that a single factor (IF2mt) in mammalian mitochondria performs the functions of two eubacterial factors, IF1 and IF2.

Classification of Indian meteorological stations using cluster and fuzzy cluster analysis, and Kohonen artificial neural networks

The present study deals with the application of cluster analysis, Fuzzy Cluster Analysis (FCA) and Kohonen Artificial Neural Networks (KANN) methods for classification of 159 meteorological stations in India into meteorologically homogeneous groups. Eight parameters, namely latitude, longitude, elevation, average temperature, humidity, wind speed, sunshine hours and solar radiation, are considered as the classification criteria for grouping. The optimal number of groups is determined as 14 based on the Davies-Bouldin index approach. It is observed that the FCA approach performed better than the other two methodologies for the present study.

The Edge of Danger: artificial lighting and the dialectics of domestic occupation in Philip Johnson's Glass and Guest Houses

In the first half of the twentieth century the dematerializing of boundaries between enclosure and exposure problematized traditional acts of “occupation” and understandings of the domestic environment. As a space of escalating technological control, the modern domestic interior offered new potential to re-define the meaning and means of habitation. This shift is clearly expressed in the transformation of electric lighting technology and applications for the modern interior in the mid-twentieth century. Addressing these issues, this paper examines the critical role of electric lighting in regulating and framing both the public and private occupation of Philip Johnson’s New Canaan estate. Exploring the dialectically paired transparent Glass House and opaque Guest House (both 1949), this study illustrates how Johnson employed artificial light to control the visual environment of the estate as well as to aestheticize the performance of domestic space. Looking closely at the use of artificial light to create emotive effects as well as to intensify the experience of occupation, this revisiting of the iconic Glass House and lesser-known Guest House provides a more complex understanding of Johnson’s work and the means with which he inhabited his own architecture. Calling attention to the importance of Johnson serving as both architect and client, and his particular interest in exploring the new potential of architectural lighting in this period, this paper investigates Johnson’s use of electric light to support architectural narratives, maintain visual order and control, and to suit the nuanced desires of domestic occupation.

Morphological differentiation observed in manganese oxidizing bacterial colonies

Bacteria play a vital role in bringing about Mn(II) oxidation in the natural environment. A study was conducted to identify the potential threat offered by these bacteria in bringing about biomineralisation of manganese dioxide on titanium surfaces exposed to seawater. During the study it was observed that the bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Bacillus formed brown colonies on agar plates amended with Mn2+ indicating their ability to oxidize Mn(II). These colonies showed distinct morphologies when grown on plates containing Mn(II) while they formed normal colonies in the absence of Mn.(II).Hence it is possible that these morphologically distinct structures produced by the bacterial colonies assist these bacteria to perform this function of Mn-oxidation.

Investigation of true remnant polarization response in heterostructured artificial biferroics

Epitaxial bilayered thin films composed of ferromagnetic La0.6Sr0.4MnO3 and ferroelectric 0.7Pb (Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.3(PbTiO3) were fabricated on LaAlO3 (100) substrates by pulsed laser ablation. Ferroelectric, ferromagnetic and magneto-dielectric characterizations performed earlier indicated the possible existence of strain-mediated magneto-electric coupling in these biferroic heterostructures. In order to investigate their true remnant polarization characteristics, usable in devices, room-temperature polarization versus electric field, positive-up negative-down (PUND) pulse polarization studies and remnant hysteresis measurements were carried out. The PUND and remnant hysteresis measurements revealed the significant contribution of the non-remnant component in the observed polarization hysteresis response of these heterostructures. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd

Confirmation of linkage and refinement of the RP28 locus for autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa on chromosome 2p14-p15 in an Indian family

PURPOSE: To report the linkage analysis of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in an Indian family. METHODS: Individuals were examined for symptoms of retinitis pigmentosa and their blood samples were withdrawn for genetic analysis. The disorder was tested for linkage to known 14 adRP and 22 arRP loci using microsatellite markers. RESULTS: Seventeen individuals including seven affecteds participated in the study. All affected individuals had typical RP. The age of onset of the disease ranged from 8-18 years. The disorder in this family segregated either as an autosomal recessive trait with pseudodominance or an autosomal dominant trait. Linkage to an autosomal recessive locus RP28 on chromosome 2p14-p15 was positive with a maximum two-point lod score of 3.96 at theta=0 for D2S380. All affected individuals were homozygous for alleles at D2S2320, D2S2397, D2S380, and D2S136. Recombination events placed the minimum critical region (MCR) for the RP28 gene in a 1.06 cM region between D2S2225 and D2S296. CONCLUSIONS : The present data confirmed linkage of arRP to the RP28 locus in a second Indian family. The RP28 locus was previously mapped to a 16 cM region between D2S1337 and D2S286 in a single Indian family. Haplotype analysis in this family has further narrowed the MCR for the RP28 locus to a 1.06 cM region between D2S2225 and D2S296. Of 15 genes reported in the MCR, 14 genes (KIAA0903, OTX1, MDH1, UGP2, VPS54, PELI1, HSPC159, FLJ20080, TRIP-Br2, SLC1A4, KIAA0582, RAB1A, ACTR2, and SPRED2) are either expressed in the eye or retina. Further study needs to be done to test which of these genes is mutated in patients with RP linked to the RP28 locus.

Prediction of swelling pressure of soil using artificial intelligence techniques

The swelling pressure of soil depends upon various soil parameters such as mineralogy, clay content, Atterberg's limits, dry density, moisture content, initial degree of saturation, etc. along with structural and environmental factors. It is very difficult to model and analyze swelling pressure effectively taking all the above aspects into consideration. Various statistical/empirical methods have been attempted to predict the swelling pressure based on index properties of soil. In this paper, the computational intelligence techniques artificial neural network and support vector machine have been used to develop models based on the set of available experimental results to predict swelling pressure from the inputs; natural moisture content, dry density, liquid limit, plasticity index, and clay fraction. The generalization of the model to new set of data other than the training set of data is discussed which is required for successful application of a model. A detailed study of the relative performance of the computational intelligence techniques has been carried out based on different statistical performance criteria.

Prediction of swelling pressure of soil using artificial intelligence techniques

The swelling pressure of soil depends upon various soil parameters such as mineralogy, clay content, Atterberg's limits, dry density, moisture content, initial degree of saturation, etc. along with structural and environmental factors. It is very difficult to model and analyze swelling pressure effectively taking all the above aspects into consideration. Various statistical/empirical methods have been attempted to predict the swelling pressure based on index properties of soil. In this paper, the computational intelligence techniques artificial neural network and support vector machine have been used to develop models based on the set of available experimental results to predict swelling pressure from the inputs; natural moisture content, dry density, liquid limit, plasticity index, and clay fraction. The generalization of the model to new set of data other than the training set of data is discussed which is required for successful application of a model. A detailed study of the relative performance of the computational intelligence techniques has been carried out based on different statistical performance criteria.

Molecular characterization of sediment bacterial communities affected by fish farming

Fish farming introduces nutrients, microbes and a wide variety of chemicals such as heavy metals, antifoulants and antibiotics to the surrounding environment. Introduction of antibiotics has been linked with the increased incidence of antibiotic resistant pathogenic bacteria in the farm vicinities. In this thesis molecular methods such as quantitative PCR and DNA sequencing were applied to analyze bacterial communities in sediments from fish farms and pristine locations. Altogether four farms and four pristine sites were sampled in the Baltic Sea. Two farm and two pristine locations were sampled over a surveillance period of four years. Furthermore, a new methodology was developed as a part of the study that permits amplifying single microbial genomes and capturing them according to any genetic traits, including antibiotic resistance genes. The study revealed that several resistance genes for tetracycline were found at the sediment underneath the aquaculture farms. The copy number of these genes remained elevated even at a farm that had not used any antibiotics since year 2000, six years before this study started. Similarly, an increase in the amount of mercury resistance gene merA was observed at the aquaculture sediment. The persistence of the resistance genes in absence of any selection pressure from antibiotics or heavy metals suggests that the genes may be introduced to the sediment by the farming process. This is also supported by the diversity pattern of the merA gene between farm and pristine sediments. The bacterial community-level changes in response to fish farming were very complex and no single phylogenetic groups were found that would be typical to fish farm sediments. However, the community structures had some correlation with the exposure to fish farming. Our studies suggest that the established approaches to deal with antibiotic resistance at the aquaculture, such as antibiotic cycling, are fundamentally flawed because they cannot prevent the introduction of the resistance genes and resistant bacteria to the farm area by the farming process. Further studies are required to study the entire fish farming process to identify the sources of the resistance genes and the resistant bacteria. The results also suggest that in order to prevent major microbiological changes in the surrounding aquatic environment, the farms should not be founded in shallow water where currents do not transport sedimenting matter from the farms. Finally, the technique to amplify and select microbial genomes will potentially have a considerable impact in microbial ecology and genomics.