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Sample records for alpha-toxin encoding plc

  1. Sequence variation in the alpha-toxin encoding plc gene of Clostridium perfringens strains isolated from diseased and healthy chickens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abildgaard, L; Engberg, RM; Pedersen, Karl

    2009-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to analyse the genetic diversity of the alpha-toxin encoding plc gene and the variation in a-toxin production of Clostridium perfringens type A strains isolated from presumably healthy chickens and chickens suffering from either necrotic enteritis (NE) or cholangio......-hepatitis. The a-toxin encoding plc genes from 60 different pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) types (strains) of C perfringens were sequenced and translated in silico to amino acid sequences and the a-toxin production was investigated in batch cultures of 45 of the strains using an enzyme...

  2. Phospholipase C produced by Clostridium botulinum types C and D: comparison of gene, enzymatic, and biological activities with those of Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fatmawati, Ni Nengah Dwi; Sakaguchi, Yoshihiko; Suzuki, Tomonori; Oda, Masataka; Shimizu, Kenta; Yamamoto, Yumiko; Sakurai, Jun; Matsushita, Osamu; Oguma, Keiji

    2013-01-01

    Clostridium botulinum type C and D strains recently have been found to produce PLC on egg yolk agar plates. To characterize the gene, enzymatic and biological activities of C. botulinum PLCs (Cb-PLCs), the cb-plc genes from 8 strains were sequenced, and 1 representative gene was cloned and expressed as a recombinant protein. The enzymatic and hemolytic activities of the recombinant Cb-PLC were measured and compared with those of the Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin. Each of the eight cb-plc genes encoded a 399 amino acid residue protein preceded by a 27 residue signal peptide. The protein consists of 2 domains, the N- and C-domains, and the overall amino acid sequence identity between Cb-PLC and alpha-toxin was greater than 50%, suggesting that Cb-PLC is homologous to the alpha-toxin. The key residues in the N-domain were conserved, whereas those in the C-domain which are important in membrane interaction were different than in the alpha-toxin. As expected, Cb-PLC could hydrolyze egg yolk phospholipid, p-nitrophenylphosphorylcholine, and sphingomyelin, and also exhibited hemolytic activity;however, its activities were about 4- to over 200-fold lower than those of alpha-toxin. Although Cb-PLC showed weak enzymatic and biological activities, it is speculated that Cb-PLC might play a role in the pathogenicity of botulism or for bacterial survival.

  3. Dynamics of plc gene transcription and α-toxin production during growth of Clostridium perfringens strains with contrasting α-toxin production

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abildgaard, Lone; Schramm, Andreas; Rudi, Knut

    2009-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate transcription dynamics of the α-toxin-encoding plc gene relative to two housekeeping genes (gyrA and rplL) in batch cultures of three Clostridium perfringens strains with low, intermediate, and high levels of α-toxin production, respectively. The plc...... transcript level was always low in the low α-toxin producing strain. For the two other strains, plc transcription showed an inducible pattern and reached a maximum level in the late exponential growth phase. The transcription levels were however inversely correlated to α-toxin production for the two strains....... We propose that this discrepancy is due to differences in plc translation rates between the strains and that strain-specific translational rates therefore must be determined before α-toxin production can be extrapolated from transcript levels in C. perfringens....

  4. The effect of feeding a commercial essential oil product on Clostridium perfringens numbers in the intestine of broiler chickens measured by real-time PCR targeting the α-toxin-encoding gene (plc)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abildgaard, Lone; Højberg, Ole; Schramm, Andreas

    2010-01-01

    Proliferation of Clostridium perfringens type A in the broiler intestinal tract is related to poor growth and litter quality, and can under certain conditions lead to the development of necrotic enteritis (NE), a severe gastrointestinal disease in broilers. The aim of the present study was to inv...... quantification of C. perfringens type A in broilers, a real-time PCR assay, targeting the α-toxin-encoding plc gene, was developed for use in ileal and caecal samples and was shown to be a fast and reliable alternative to conventional plate counting....

  5. A Quantitative Electrochemiluminescence Assay for Clostridium perfringens alpha toxin

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Merrill, Gerald A; Rivera, Victor R; Neal, Dwayne D; Young, Charles; Poli, Mark A

    2006-01-01

    .... Biotinylated antibodies to C. perfringens alpha toxin bound to streptavidin paramagnetic beads specifically immunoadsorbed soluble sample alpha toxin which subsequently selectively immunoadsorbed ruthenium (Ru...

  6. Veal Calves Produce Less Antibodies against C. Perfringens Alpha Toxin Compared to Beef Calves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bonnie R. Valgaeren

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Enterotoxaemia is a disease with a high associated mortality rate, affecting beef and veal calves worldwide, caused by C. perfringens alpha toxin and perfringolysin. A longitudinal study was conducted to determine the dynamics of antibodies against these toxins in 528 calves on 4 beef and 15 veal farms. The second study aimed to determine the effect of solid feed intake on the production of antibodies against alpha toxin and perfringolysin. The control group only received milk replacer, whereas in the test group solid feed was provided. Maternal antibodies for alpha toxin were present in 45% of the veal calves and 66% of the beef calves. In beef calves a fluent transition from maternal to active immunity was observed for alpha toxin, whereas almost no veal calves developed active immunity. Perfringolysin antibodies significantly declined both in veal and beef calves. In the second study all calves were seropositive for alpha toxin throughout the experiment and solid feed intake did not alter the dynamics of alpha and perfringolysin antibodies. In conclusion, the present study showed that veal calves on a traditional milk replacer diet had significantly lower alpha toxin antibodies compared to beef calves in the risk period for enterotoxaemia, whereas no differences were noticed for perfringolysin.

  7. Veal Calves Produce Less Antibodies against C. Perfringens Alpha Toxin Compared to Beef Calves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valgaeren, Bonnie R.; Pardon, Bart; Goossens, Evy; Verherstraeten, Stefanie; Roelandt, Sophie; Timbermont, Leen; Van Der Vekens, Nicky; Stuyvaert, Sabrina; Gille, Linde; Van Driessche, Laura; Haesebrouck, Freddy; Ducatelle, Richard; Van Immerseel, Filip; Deprez, Piet

    2015-01-01

    Enterotoxaemia is a disease with a high associated mortality rate, affecting beef and veal calves worldwide, caused by C. perfringens alpha toxin and perfringolysin. A longitudinal study was conducted to determine the dynamics of antibodies against these toxins in 528 calves on 4 beef and 15 veal farms. The second study aimed to determine the effect of solid feed intake on the production of antibodies against alpha toxin and perfringolysin. The control group only received milk replacer, whereas in the test group solid feed was provided. Maternal antibodies for alpha toxin were present in 45% of the veal calves and 66% of the beef calves. In beef calves a fluent transition from maternal to active immunity was observed for alpha toxin, whereas almost no veal calves developed active immunity. Perfringolysin antibodies significantly declined both in veal and beef calves. In the second study all calves were seropositive for alpha toxin throughout the experiment and solid feed intake did not alter the dynamics of alpha and perfringolysin antibodies. In conclusion, the present study showed that veal calves on a traditional milk replacer diet had significantly lower alpha toxin antibodies compared to beef calves in the risk period for enterotoxaemia, whereas no differences were noticed for perfringolysin. PMID:26184311

  8. Veal Calves Produce Less Antibodies against C. Perfringens Alpha Toxin Compared to Beef Calves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valgaeren, Bonnie R; Pardon, Bart; Goossens, Evy; Verherstraeten, Stefanie; Roelandt, Sophie; Timbermont, Leen; Van Der Vekens, Nicky; Stuyvaert, Sabrina; Gille, Linde; Van Driessche, Laura; Haesebrouck, Freddy; Ducatelle, Richard; Van Immerseel, Filip; Deprez, Piet

    2015-07-10

    Enterotoxaemia is a disease with a high associated mortality rate, affecting beef and veal calves worldwide, caused by C. perfringens alpha toxin and perfringolysin. A longitudinal study was conducted to determine the dynamics of antibodies against these toxins in 528 calves on 4 beef and 15 veal farms. The second study aimed to determine the effect of solid feed intake on the production of antibodies against alpha toxin and perfringolysin. The control group only received milk replacer, whereas in the test group solid feed was provided. Maternal antibodies for alpha toxin were present in 45% of the veal calves and 66% of the beef calves. In beef calves a fluent transition from maternal to active immunity was observed for alpha toxin, whereas almost no veal calves developed active immunity. Perfringolysin antibodies significantly declined both in veal and beef calves. In the second study all calves were seropositive for alpha toxin throughout the experiment and solid feed intake did not alter the dynamics of alpha and perfringolysin antibodies. In conclusion, the present study showed that veal calves on a traditional milk replacer diet had significantly lower alpha toxin antibodies compared to beef calves in the risk period for enterotoxaemia, whereas no differences were noticed for perfringolysin.

  9. Cationic antimicrobial peptides inactivate Shiga toxin-encoding bacteriophages

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Cogliano, Manuel E.; Hollmann, Axel; Martinez, Melina; Semorile, Liliana; Ghiringhelli, Pablo D.; Maffía, Paulo C.; Bentancor, Leticia V.

    2017-12-01

    Shiga toxin (Stx) is the principal virulence factor during Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections. We have previously reported the inactivation of bacteriophage encoding Stx after treatment with chitosan, a linear polysaccharide polymer with cationic properties. Cationic antimicrobial peptides (cAMPs) are short linear aminoacidic sequences, with a positive net charge, which display bactericidal or bacteriostatic activity against a wide range of bacterial species. They are promising novel antibiotics since they have shown bactericidal effects against multiresistant bacteria. To evaluate whether cationic properties are responsible for bacteriophage inactivation, we tested seven cationic peptides with proven antimicrobial activity as anti-bacteriophage agents, and one random sequence cationic peptide with no antimicrobial activity as a control. We observed bacteriophage inactivation after incubation with five cAMPs, but no inactivating activity was observed with the random sequence cationic peptide or with the non alpha helical cAMP Omiganan. Finally, to confirm peptide-bacteriophage interaction, zeta potential was analyzed by following changes on bacteriophage surface charges after peptide incubation. According to our results we could propose that: 1) direct interaction of peptides with phage is a necessary step for bacteriophage inactivation, 2) cationic properties are necessary but not sufficient for bacteriophage inactivation, and 3) inactivation by cationic peptides could be sequence (or structure) specific. Overall our data suggest that these peptides could be considered a new family of molecules potentially useful to decrease bacteriophage replication and Stx expression.

  10. Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides Inactivate Shiga Toxin-Encoding Bacteriophages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuel E. Del Cogliano

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Shiga toxin (Stx is the principal virulence factor during Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC infections. We have previously reported the inactivation of bacteriophage encoding Stx after treatment with chitosan, a linear polysaccharide polymer with cationic properties. Cationic antimicrobial peptides (cAMPs are short linear aminoacidic sequences, with a positive net charge, which display bactericidal or bacteriostatic activity against a wide range of bacterial species. They are promising novel antibiotics since they have shown bactericidal effects against multiresistant bacteria. To evaluate whether cationic properties are responsible for bacteriophage inactivation, we tested seven cationic peptides with proven antimicrobial activity as anti-bacteriophage agents, and one random sequence cationic peptide with no antimicrobial activity as a control. We observed bacteriophage inactivation after incubation with five cAMPs, but no inactivating activity was observed with the random sequence cationic peptide or with the non-alpha helical cAMP Omiganan. Finally, to confirm peptide-bacteriophage interaction, zeta potential was analyzed by following changes on bacteriophage surface charges after peptide incubation. According to our results we could propose that: (1 direct interaction of peptides with phage is a necessary step for bacteriophage inactivation, (2 cationic properties are necessary but not sufficient for bacteriophage inactivation, and (3 inactivation by cationic peptides could be sequence (or structure specific. Overall our data suggest that these peptides could be considered a new family of molecules potentially useful to decrease bacteriophage replication and Stx expression.

  11. ATP Release from Human Airway Epithelial Cells Exposed to Staphylococcus aureus Alpha-Toxin

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    Romina Baaske

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Airway epithelial cells reduce cytosolic ATP content in response to treatment with S. aureus alpha-toxin (hemolysin A, Hla. This study was undertaken to investigate whether this is due to attenuated ATP generation or to release of ATP from the cytosol and extracellular ATP degradation by ecto-enzymes. Exposure of cells to rHla did result in mitochondrial calcium uptake and a moderate decline in mitochondrial membrane potential, indicating that ATP regeneration may have been attenuated. In addition, ATP may have left the cells through transmembrane pores formed by the toxin or through endogenous release channels (e.g., pannexins activated by cellular stress imposed on the cells by toxin exposure. Exposure of cells to an alpha-toxin mutant (H35L, which attaches to the host cell membrane but does not form transmembrane pores, did not induce ATP release from the cells. The Hla-mediated ATP-release was completely blocked by IB201, a cyclodextrin-inhibitor of the alpha-toxin pore, but was not at all affected by inhibitors of pannexin channels. These results indicate that, while exposure of cells to rHla may somewhat reduce ATP production and cellular ATP content, a portion of the remaining ATP is released to the extracellular space and degraded by ecto-enzymes. The release of ATP from the cells may occur directly through the transmembrane pores formed by alpha-toxin.

  12. Veal calves produce less antibodies against C. perfringens alpha toxin compared to beef calves

    OpenAIRE

    Valgaeren, Bonnie; Pardon, Bart; Goossens, Evy; Verherstraeten, Stefanie; Roelandt, Sophie; Timbermont, Leen; Van Der Vekens, Nicky; Stuyvaert, Sabrina; Gille, Linde; Van Driessche, Laura; Haesebrouck, Freddy; Ducatelle, Richard; Van Immerseel, Filip; Deprez, Piet

    2015-01-01

    Enterotoxaemia is a disease with a high associated mortality rate, affecting beef and veal calves worldwide, caused by C. perfringens alpha toxin and perfringolysin. A longitudinal study was conducted to determine the dynamics of antibodies against these toxins in 528 calves on 4 beef and 15 veal farms. The second study aimed to determine the effect of solid feed intake on the production of antibodies against alpha toxin and perfringolysin. The control group only received milk replacer, wher...

  13. Isolation of Clostridium difficile and Detection of A and B Toxins Encoding Genes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abbas Ali Imani Fooladi

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Clostridium difficile is the most important anaerobic, gram positive, spore forming bacillus which is known as a prevalent factor leading to antibiotic associated diarrheas and is the causative agent of pseudomembrane colitis. The role of this bacterium along with the over use of antibiotics have been proved to result in colitis. The major virulence factors of these bacteria are the A and B toxins. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to isolate C. difficile from stool samples and detect A and B toxins encoding genes, in order toserve as a routine method for clinical diagnosis. Materials and Methods: Recognition of A and B toxins encoding genes by uniplex and multiplex PCR using two pairs of primers from 136 accumulated stool samples. Results: Results of the present study showed that out of 136 stool samples, three C. difficile were isolated and these strains contained A and B toxins encoding genes. Conclusions: It was concluded that although detection of C. difficile from stool samples based on PCR (polymerase chain reaction is expensive, yet this method is more sensitive and less time-consuming than culture methods and can be used as a clinical laboratory test.

  14. Molecular cloning and characterization of RGA1 encoding a G protein alpha subunit from rice (Oryza sativa L. IR-36).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seo, H S; Kim, H Y; Jeong, J Y; Lee, S Y; Cho, M J; Bahk, J D

    1995-03-01

    A cDNA clone, RGA1, was isolated by using a GPA1 cDNA clone of Arabidopsis thaliana G protein alpha subunit as a probe from a rice (Oryza sativa L. IR-36) seedling cDNA library from roots and leaves. Sequence analysis of genomic clone reveals that the RGA1 gene has 14 exons and 13 introns, and encodes a polypeptide of 380 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular weight of 44.5 kDa. The encoded protein exhibits a considerable degree of amino acid sequence similarity to all the other known G protein alpha subunits. A putative TATA sequence (ATATGA), a potential CAAT box sequence (AGCAATAC), and a cis-acting element, CCACGTGG (ABRE), known to be involved in ABA induction are found in the promoter region. The RGA1 protein contains all the consensus regions of G protein alpha subunits except the cysteine residue near the C-terminus for ADP-ribosylation by pertussis toxin. The RGA1 polypeptide expressed in Escherichia coli was, however, ADP-ribosylated by 10 microM [adenylate-32P] NAD and activated cholera toxin. Southern analysis indicates that there are no other genes similar to the RGA1 gene in the rice genome. Northern analysis reveals that the RGA1 mRNA is 1.85 kb long and expressed in vegetative tissues, including leaves and roots, and that its expression is regulated by light.

  15. Interaction of the alpha-toxin of Staphylococcus aureus with the liposome membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ikigai, H; Nakae, T

    1987-02-15

    When the liposome membrane is exposed to the alpha-toxin of Staphylococcus aureus, fluorescence of the tryptophan residue(s) of the toxin molecule increases concomitantly with the degree of toxin-hexamer formation (Ikigai, H., and Nakae, T. (1985) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 130, 175-181). In the present study, the toxin-membrane interaction was distinguished from the hexamer formation by the fluorescence energy transfer from the tryptophan residue(s) of the toxin molecule to the dansylated phosphatidylethanolamine in phosphatidylcholine liposome. Measurement of these two parameters yielded the following results. The effect of the toxin concentration and phospholipid concentration on these two parameters showed first order kinetics. The effect of liposome size on the energy transfer and the fluorescence increment of the tryptophan residue(s) was only detectable in small liposomes. Under moderately acidic or basic conditions, the fluorescence energy transfer always preceded the fluorescence increment of the tryptophan residue(s). The fluorescence increment at 336 nm at temperatures below 20 degrees C showed a latent period, whereas the fluorescence energy transfer did not. These results were thought to indicate that when alpha-toxin damages the target membrane, the molecule interacts with the membrane first, and then undergoes oligomerization within the membrane.

  16. Alpha oscillations and early stages of visual encoding

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    Wolfgang eKlimesch

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available For a long time alpha oscillations have been functionally linked to the processing of visual information. Here we propose an new theory about the functional meaning of alpha. The central idea is that synchronized alpha reflects a basic processing mode that controls access to information stored in a complex long-term memory system, which we term knowledge system (KS in order to emphasize that it comprises not only declarative memories but any kind of knowledge comprising also procedural information. Based on this theoretical background, we assume that during early stages of perception, alpha ‘directs the flow of information’ to those neural structures which represent information that is relevant for encoding. The physiological function of alpha is interpreted in terms of inhibition. We assume that alpha enables access to stored information by inhibiting task irrelevant neuronal structures and by timing cortical activity in task relevant neuronal structures. We discuss a variety findings showing that evoked alpha and phase locking reflect successful encoding of global stimulus features in an early poststimulus interval of about 0 - 150 ms.

  17. A simple electroelution method for rapid protein purification: isolation and antibody production of alpha toxin from Clostridium septicum

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    Lorena Vázquez-Iglesias

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Clostridium septicum produces a number of diseases in human and farm animals which, in most of the cases, are fatal without clinical intervention. Alpha toxin is an important agent and the unique lethal virulent factor produced by Clostridium septicum. This toxin is haemolytic, highly lethal and necrotizing activities but is being used as an antigen to develop animal vaccines. The aim of this study was to isolate the alpha toxin of Clostridium septicum and produce highly specific antibodies against it. In this work, we have developed a simple and efficient method for alpha toxin purification, based on electroelution that can be used as a time-saving method for purifying proteins. This technique avoids contamination by other proteins that could appear during other protein purification techniques such chromatography. The highly purified toxin was used to produce polyclonal antibodies. The specificity of the antibodies was tested by western blot and these antibodies can be applied to the quantitative determination of alpha toxin by slot blot.

  18. Alpha toxin specific PCR for detection of toxigenic strains of Clostridium perfringens in Poultry

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    Malmarugan Shanmugasamy

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Aim : Isolation of clostridium perfirngens from necrotic enteritis cases in poultry and confirmation by alpha toxin specific PCR Materials and methods: Robertson cooked meat medium with Brain Heart Infusion broth was used for isolation of C. perfringens from intestinal contents of necrotic enteritis suspected birds. Positive cultures from perfringens agar were further confirmed by biochemical tests and subjected to alpha toxin specific PCR. Results: Twenty Clostridium perfringens isolates were isolated from intestinal contents of thirty five NE suspected birds. Out of the twenty isolates, fourteen were isolated from commercial broilers of 2 to 6 wk of age and six from commercial layers of 9 to 15 wk of age. Frequency of isolation of C. perfringens was more with Robertson cooked meat medium with BHI broth than thioglycollate broth alone. When positive cultures were streaked on to clostridial agar appreciable luxuriant growths were obtained and the selective streaking of these colonies on perfringens agar with supplements revealed rough and black colonies with sulphate reduction. The isolates produced rough and black colonies with sulphate reduction on perfringens agar, double zone haemolysis on sheep blood agar, stormy clot fermentation on milk medium and opalescence on egg yolk medium. The isolates were found negative for oxidase, catalase, liquefied gelatin, fermented glucose, maltose, lactose and sucrose except mannitol. All the fourteen isolates obtained from commercial broilers proved the alpha toxin producing strains of C. perfringens when they were subjected to alpha toxin specific PCR. Conclusion : This study revealed alpha toxin specific PCR is highly useful for detection of toxigenic strains of Clostridium perfringens in poultry [Vet. World 2012; 5(6.000: 365-368

  19. Identification and validation of a linear protective neutralizing epitope in the β-pore domain of alpha toxin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oscherwitz, Jon; Cease, Kemp B

    2015-01-01

    The plethora of virulence factors associated with Staphylococcus aureus make this bacterium an attractive candidate for a molecularly-designed epitope-focused vaccine. This approach, which necessitates the identification of neutralizing epitopes for incorporation into a vaccine construct, is being evaluated for pathogens where conventional approaches have failed to elicit protective humoral responses, like HIV-1 and malaria, but may also hold promise for pathogens like S. aureus, where the elicitation of humoral immunity against multiple virulence factors may be required for development of an effective vaccine. Among the virulence factors employed by S. aureus, animal model and epidemiological data suggest that alpha toxin, a multimeric β-pore forming toxin like protective antigen from Bacillus anthracis, is particularly critical, yet no candidate neutralizing epitopes have been delineated in alpha toxin to date. We have previously shown that a linear determinant in the 2β2-2β3 loop of the pore forming domain of B. anthracis protective antigen is a linear neutralizing epitope. Antibody against this site is highly potent for neutralizing anthrax lethal toxin in vitro and for protection of rabbits in vivo from virulent B. anthracis. We hypothesized that sequences in the β-pore of S. aureus alpha toxin that share structural and functional homology to β-pore sequences in protective antigen would contain a similarly critical neutralizing epitope. Using an in vivo mapping strategy employing peptide immunogens, an optimized in vitro toxin neutralization assay, and an in vivo dermonecrosis model, we have now confirmed the presence of this epitope in alpha toxin, termed the pore neutralizing determinant. Antibody specific for this determinant neutralizes alpha toxin in vitro, and is highly effective for mitigating dermonecrosis and bacterial growth in a mouse model of S. aureus USA300 skin infection. The delineation of this linear neutralizing determinant in alpha

  20. Identification and validation of a linear protective neutralizing epitope in the β-pore domain of alpha toxin.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jon Oscherwitz

    Full Text Available The plethora of virulence factors associated with Staphylococcus aureus make this bacterium an attractive candidate for a molecularly-designed epitope-focused vaccine. This approach, which necessitates the identification of neutralizing epitopes for incorporation into a vaccine construct, is being evaluated for pathogens where conventional approaches have failed to elicit protective humoral responses, like HIV-1 and malaria, but may also hold promise for pathogens like S. aureus, where the elicitation of humoral immunity against multiple virulence factors may be required for development of an effective vaccine. Among the virulence factors employed by S. aureus, animal model and epidemiological data suggest that alpha toxin, a multimeric β-pore forming toxin like protective antigen from Bacillus anthracis, is particularly critical, yet no candidate neutralizing epitopes have been delineated in alpha toxin to date. We have previously shown that a linear determinant in the 2β2-2β3 loop of the pore forming domain of B. anthracis protective antigen is a linear neutralizing epitope. Antibody against this site is highly potent for neutralizing anthrax lethal toxin in vitro and for protection of rabbits in vivo from virulent B. anthracis. We hypothesized that sequences in the β-pore of S. aureus alpha toxin that share structural and functional homology to β-pore sequences in protective antigen would contain a similarly critical neutralizing epitope. Using an in vivo mapping strategy employing peptide immunogens, an optimized in vitro toxin neutralization assay, and an in vivo dermonecrosis model, we have now confirmed the presence of this epitope in alpha toxin, termed the pore neutralizing determinant. Antibody specific for this determinant neutralizes alpha toxin in vitro, and is highly effective for mitigating dermonecrosis and bacterial growth in a mouse model of S. aureus USA300 skin infection. The delineation of this linear neutralizing

  1. A Quantitative Electrochemiluminescence Assay for Clostridium perfringens alpha toxin

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-08-10

    Doyle, L.R. Beuchat, T.J. Montville (Eds.), Food Microbiology : Fundamentals and Fron- tiers, Second ed., ASM Press, Washington, D.C., 2001, pp. 351...D.E. Lorant, A.E. Bryant, G.A. Zimmerman, T.M. McIn- tyre, D.L. Stevens, S.M. Prescott , Alpha toxin from Clostridium per- fringens induces

  2. [Cloning of Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin gene and extracellular expression in Escherichia coli].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inoue, Masaharu; Kikuchi, Maho; Komoriya, Tomoe; Watanabe, Kunitomo; Kouno, Hideki

    2007-01-01

    Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) is a Gram-positive bacterial pathogen that widely propagets in the soil and the gastrointestinal tract of human and animals. This bacteria causes food poisoning, gas gangrene and other various range of infectious diseases. But there is no standard diagnosis method of C. perfringens. In order to develop a new type of immunoassay for clinical purpose, we studied expression and extracellular secretion of recombinant alpha-toxin having enzyme activity in E. coli expression system. Cloning was carried out after PCR amplification from C. perfringens GAI 94074 which was clinical isolate. Three kinds of fragment were cloned using pET100/D-TOPO vector. These fragments coded for ribosome binding site, signal peptide, and alpha-toxin gene respectively. Recombinant pET100 plasmid transformed into TOP 10 cells and the obtained plasmids were transformed into BL21 (DE3) cells. Then, the transformants were induced expression with IPTG. In conclusion, we successfully cloned, expressed and exteracellular secreted C. perfringens alpha-toxin containing signal peptide. Biologically, the obtained recombinant protein was positive for phospholipase C activity.

  3. Alpha Oscillations during Incidental Encoding Predict Subsequent Memory for New "Foil" Information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogelsang, David A; Gruber, Matthias; Bergström, Zara M; Ranganath, Charan; Simons, Jon S

    2018-05-01

    People can employ adaptive strategies to increase the likelihood that previously encoded information will be successfully retrieved. One such strategy is to constrain retrieval toward relevant information by reimplementing the neurocognitive processes that were engaged during encoding. Using EEG, we examined the temporal dynamics with which constraining retrieval toward semantic versus nonsemantic information affects the processing of new "foil" information encountered during a memory test. Time-frequency analysis of EEG data acquired during an initial study phase revealed that semantic compared with nonsemantic processing was associated with alpha decreases in a left frontal electrode cluster from around 600 msec after stimulus onset. Successful encoding of semantic versus nonsemantic foils during a subsequent memory test was related to decreases in alpha oscillatory activity in the same left frontal electrode cluster, which emerged relatively late in the trial at around 1000-1600 msec after stimulus onset. Across participants, left frontal alpha power elicited by semantic processing during the study phase correlated significantly with left frontal alpha power associated with semantic foil encoding during the memory test. Furthermore, larger left frontal alpha power decreases elicited by semantic foil encoding during the memory test predicted better subsequent semantic foil recognition in an additional surprise foil memory test, although this effect did not reach significance. These findings indicate that constraining retrieval toward semantic information involves reimplementing semantic encoding operations that are mediated by alpha oscillations and that such reimplementation occurs at a late stage of memory retrieval, perhaps reflecting additional monitoring processes.

  4. Recombinant Alpha, Beta, and Epsilon Toxins of Clostridium perfringens: Production Strategies and Applications as Veterinary Vaccines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcos Roberto A. Ferreira

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Clostridium perfringens is a spore-forming, commensal, ubiquitous bacterium that is present in the gastrointestinal tract of healthy humans and animals. This bacterium produces up to 18 toxins. The species is classified into five toxinotypes (A–E according to the toxins that the bacterium produces: alpha, beta, epsilon, or iota. Each of these toxinotypes is associated with myriad different, frequently fatal, illnesses that affect a range of farm animals and humans. Alpha, beta, and epsilon toxins are the main causes of disease. Vaccinations that generate neutralizing antibodies are the most common prophylactic measures that are currently in use. These vaccines consist of toxoids that are obtained from C. perfringens cultures. Recombinant vaccines offer several advantages over conventional toxoids, especially in terms of the production process. As such, they are steadily gaining ground as a promising vaccination solution. This review discusses the main strategies that are currently used to produce recombinant vaccines containing alpha, beta, and epsilon toxins of C. perfringens, as well as the potential application of these molecules as vaccines for mammalian livestock animals.

  5. Effectiveness of Alpha-toxin Fab Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Limiting the Pathology of Staphylococcus aureus Keratitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caballero, Armando R; Foletti, Davide L; Bierdeman, Michael A; Tang, Aihua; Arana, Angela M; Hasa-Moreno, Adela; Sangalang, Emma Ruth B; O'Callaghan, Richard J

    2015-08-01

    To investigate the effectiveness of a high-affinity human monoclonal antibody Fab fragment to Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin (LTM14 Fab) as therapy for S. aureus keratitis. A single topical drop of the LTM14 Fab antibody to alpha-toxin alone, or in 0.006% benzalkonium chloride (BAK), was applied every 30 min to S. aureus-infected rabbit corneas from 9 to 14 hours post-infection. Erosions and pathology were measured at 15 h post-infection. LTM14 Fab with BAK limited corneal erosions better than LTM14 Fab alone (p = 0.036), and both limited erosions compared to untreated eyes (p ≤ 0.0001). Overall pathology was similar in all groups (p ≥ 0.070), but iritis and chemosis were reduced by treatment (p ≤ 0.036). The high-affinity human monoclonal Fab fragment antibody (LTM14 Fab) to S. aureus alpha-toxin was effective in reducing corneal damage during S. aureus keratitis.

  6. Pertussis toxin-sensitive G-protein mediates the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor inhibition of melatonin release in photoreceptive chick pineal cell cultures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pratt, B.L.; Takahashi, J.S.

    1988-01-01

    The avian pineal gland is a photoreceptive organ that has been shown to contain postjunctional alpha 2-adrenoceptors that inhibit melatonin synthesis and/or release upon receptor activation. Physiological response and [32P]ADP ribosylation experiments were performed to investigate whether pertussis toxin-sensitive guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins) were involved in the transduction of the alpha 2-adrenergic signal. For physiological response studies, the effects of pertussis toxin on melatonin release in dissociated cell cultures exposed to norepinephrine were assessed. Pertussis toxin blocked alpha 2-adrenergic receptor-mediated inhibition in a dose-dependent manner. Pertussis toxin-induced blockade appeared to be noncompetitive. One and 10 ng/ml doses of pertussis toxin partially blocked and a 100 ng/ml dose completely blocked norepinephrine-induced inhibition. Pertussis toxin-catalyzed [32P]ADP ribosylation of G-proteins in chick pineal cell membranes was assessed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. Membranes were prepared from cells that had been pretreated with 0, 1, 10, or 100 ng/ml pertussis toxin. In the absence of pertussis toxin pretreatment, two major proteins of 40K and 41K mol wt (Mr) were labeled by [32P]NAD. Pertussis toxin pretreatment of pineal cells abolished [32P] radiolabeling of the 40K Mr G-protein in a dose-dependent manner. The norepinephrine-induced inhibition of both cAMP efflux and melatonin release, as assessed by RIA of medium samples collected before membrane preparation, was also blocked in a dose-dependent manner by pertussis toxin. Collectively, these results suggest that a pertussis toxin-sensitive 40K Mr G-protein labeled by [32P]NAD may be functionally associated with alpha 2-adrenergic signal transduction in chick pineal cells

  7. The Trojan Horse of the microbiological arms race: phage-encoded toxins as a defence against eukaryotic predators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnold, Jason W; Koudelka, Gerald B

    2014-02-01

    Phage-encoded Shiga toxin (Stx) acts as a bacterial defence against the eukaryotic predator Tetrahymena. To function as an effective bacterial anti-predator defence, Stx must kill a broad spectrum of predators. Consistent with that assertion, we show here that bacterially encoded Stx efficiently kills the bacteriovore Acanthamoeba castellanii in co-culture. We also show that, in addition to Stx, the phage-encoded exotoxin, diphtheria toxin (Dtx) expressed by Corynebacterium diphtheriae also can function as part of an anti-predator strategy; it kills Acanthamoeba in co-culture. Interestingly, only exotoxins produced by bacteria internalized by the Acanthamoeba predator are cytolethal; the presence of purified Dtx or Stx in culture medium has no effect on predator viability. This finding is consistent with our results indicating that intoxication of Acanthamoeba by these exotoxins does not require a receptor. Thus bacteria, in the disguise of a food source, function as a 'Trojan Horse', carrying genes encoding an exotoxin into target organisms. This 'Trojan Horse' mechanism of exotoxin delivery into predator cells allows intoxication of predators that lack a cell surface receptor for the particular toxin, allowing bacteria-bearing exotoxins to kill a broader spectrum of predators, increasing the fitness of the otherwise 'defenceless' prey bacteria. © 2013 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Purification of alpha-toxin from Staphylococcus aureus and application to cell permeabilization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lind, I.; Ahnert-Hilger, G.; Fuchs, G.; Gratzl, M.

    1987-01-01

    Crude alpha-toxin was produced by Staphylococcus aureus, strain Wood 46. The amount of exotoxin was monitored during growth and all subsequent purification steps by determination of its hemolytic activity against rabbit erythrocytes. The culture supernatant was treated with ammonium sulfate (75% saturation). The resulting precipitate was dialyzed and subjected to cation-exchange chromatography. The fractions containing the hemolytic activity were further purified by gel chromatography. The final product was enriched by a factor of 8.5 compared to the crude toxin. In sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis the purified toxin exhibited one major band. It caused the release of 86 Rb+ and ATP from rat insulinoma (RIN A2) as well as pheochromocytoma cells (PC12) in culture, indicating efficient permeabilization of their plasma membranes for small molecules

  9. Modality-specific alpha modulations facilitate long-term memory encoding in the presence of distracters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Haiteng; van Gerven, Marcel A J; Jensen, Ole

    2015-03-01

    It has been proposed that long-term memory encoding is not only dependent on engaging task-relevant regions but also on disengaging task-irrelevant regions. In particular, oscillatory alpha activity has been shown to be involved in shaping the functional architecture of the working brain because it reflects the functional disengagement of specific regions in attention and memory tasks. We here ask if such allocation of resources by alpha oscillations generalizes to long-term memory encoding in a cross-modal setting in which we acquired the ongoing brain activity using magnetoencephalography. Participants were asked to encode pictures while ignoring simultaneously presented words and vice versa. We quantified the brain activity during rehearsal reflecting subsequent memory in the different attention conditions. The key finding was that successful long-term memory encoding is reflected by alpha power decreases in the sensory region of the to-be-attended modality and increases in the sensory region of the to-be-ignored modality to suppress distraction during rehearsal period. Our results corroborate related findings from attention studies by demonstrating that alpha activity is also important for the allocation of resources during long-term memory encoding in the presence of distracters.

  10. Blocking of irrelevant memories by posterior alpha activity boosts memory encoding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Hyojin; Lee, Dong Soo; Kang, Eunjoo; Kang, Hyejin; Hahm, Jarang; Kim, June Sic; Chung, Chun Kee; Jensen, Ole

    2014-08-01

    In our daily lives, we are confronted with a large amount of information. Because only a small fraction can be encoded in long-term memory, the brain must rely on powerful mechanisms to filter out irrelevant information. To understand the neuronal mechanisms underlying the gating of information into long-term memory, we employed a paradigm where the encoding was directed by a "Remember" or a "No-Remember" cue. We found that posterior alpha activity increased prior to the "No-Remember" stimuli, whereas it decreased prior to the "Remember" stimuli. The sources were localized in the parietal cortex included in the dorsal attention network. Subjects with a larger cue-modulation of the alpha activity had better memory for the to-be-remembered items. Interestingly, alpha activity reflecting successful inhibition following the "No-Remember" cue was observed in the frontal midline structures suggesting preparatory inhibition was mediated by anterior parts of the dorsal attention network. During the presentation of the memory items, there was more gamma activity for the "Remember" compared to the "No-Remember" items in the same regions. Importantly, the anticipatory alpha power during cue predicted the gamma power during item. Our findings suggest that top-down controlled alpha activity reflects attentional inhibition of sensory processing in the dorsal attention network, which then finally gates information to long-term memory. This gating is achieved by inhibiting the processing of visual information reflected by neuronal synchronization in the gamma band. In conclusion, the functional architecture revealed by region-specific changes in the alpha activity reflects attentional modulation which has consequences for long-term memory encoding. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Assembly of the alpha-toxin-hexamer of Staphylococcus aureus in the liposome membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ikigai, H; Nakae, T

    1987-02-15

    It has been shown that the access of the alpha-toxin of Staphylococcus aureus to the target membrane and assembly of the hexamer can be monitored independently by respectively measuring the fluorescence energy transfer from the tryptophan residue(s) of the toxin to the dansylated phosphatidylethanolamine in the liposome membrane and the fluorescence increment of the toxin at 336 nm (Ikigai, H., and Nakae, T., (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 2150-2155). Measurement of these parameters under various conditions showed the following results: when phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes composed of saturated fatty acids were mixed with the toxin, the fluorescence energy transfer occurred below, at, and above the transition temperature of the lipid, but the change of fluorescence at 336 nm was never detectable; when PC-liposomes containing unsaturated fatty acids were used, both the fluorescence energy transfer and the fluorescence increment of 336 nm were observed. These results suggested that the toxin-membrane interaction occurs in PC-membranes containing saturated and/or unsaturated fatty acids and that the oligomerization occurs only in the presence of PC containing unsaturated fatty acid(s). This conclusion was supported by the results of quantitative determination of the toxin-hexamer assembly and leakage of carboxyfluorescein from PC-liposomes under conditions similar to the above.

  12. The YvfTU Two-component System is involved in plcR expression in Bacillus cereus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brillard, Julien; Susanna, Kim; Michaud, Caroline; Dargaignaratz, Claire; Gohar, Michel; Nielsen-Leroux, Christina; Ramarao, Nalini; Kolsto, Anne-Brit; Nguyen-The, Christophe; Lereclus, Didier; Broussolle, Veronique

    2008-01-01

    Background: Most extracellular virulence factors produced by Bacillus cereus are regulated by the pleiotropic transcriptional activator PlcR. Among strains belonging to the B. cereus group, the plcR gene is always located in the vicinity of genes encoding the YvfTU two-component system. The putative

  13. Solucions PLC obertes

    OpenAIRE

    López Llauradó, Oriol

    2006-01-01

    Treball que, després de revisar el concepte de PLC i d'exposar la necessitat de solucions obertes, defineix el concepte de PLC obert, basat en programari lliure i presenta alguns projectes interessants de PLC obert. Trabajo que, después de revisar el concepto de PLC y de exponer la necesidad de soluciones abiertas, define el concepto de PLC abierto, basado en el software libre y presenta algunos proyectos interesantes de PLC abierto. Study that, after looking at the concept of PLC and s...

  14. In Vitro Selection of Single-Stranded DNA Molecular Recognition Elements against S. aureus Alpha Toxin and Sensitive Detection in Human Serum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ka L. Hong

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Alpha toxin is one of the major virulence factors secreted by Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that is responsible for a wide variety of infections in both community and hospital settings. Due to the prevalence of S. aureus related infections and the emergence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, rapid and accurate diagnosis of S. aureus infections is crucial in benefiting patient health outcomes. In this study, a rigorous Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX variant previously developed by our laboratory was utilized to select a single-stranded DNA molecular recognition element (MRE targeting alpha toxin with high affinity and specificity. At the end of the 12-round selection, the selected MRE had an equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd of 93.7 ± 7.0 nM. Additionally, a modified sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA was developed by using the selected ssDNA MRE as the toxin-capturing element and a sensitive detection of 200 nM alpha toxin in undiluted human serum samples was achieved.

  15. Differential responses of cells from human skin keratinocyte and bovine mammary epithelium to attack by pore-forming Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suriyaphol, Gunnaporn; Sarikaputi, Meena; Suriyaphol, Prapat

    2009-11-01

    Human skin keratinocytes HaCat attacked by Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin showed a transient drop of cellular ATP levels whereas in toxin-perforated bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMEC), the ATP levels dropped more slowly. Morphologically, during the ATP level depletion, HaCat cell developed a spacious intracellular vacuole together with the transient influx of trypan blue. WST-1 signal, which tested the function of mitochondrial enzyme in viable cells, also decreased concomitantly. On the other hand, BMEC excluded trypan blue and vacuolation was not observed throughout the experiment. We conclude that mammary epithelial cells resist the toxin better than keratinocytes. This is the first report showing that alpha-toxin enhances transient membrane permeability to large molecules, temporary vacuole formation and the transient defect of mitochondrial enzyme in viable cells without cell lysis.

  16. The influence of nifedipine and pertussis toxin (PTX) on vascular responsiveness to alpha1- and alpha2-adrenergic stimulation of isolated femoral arteries

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Líšková, Silvia; Kuneš, Jaroslav; Paulis, Ĺudovít; Zicha, Josef

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 48, č. 4 (2006), s. 769-769 ISSN 0194-911X. [Annual Meeting of the European Council for Cardiovascular Research (ECCR) /11./. 29.09.2006-01.10.2006, La Colle sur Loup] R&D Projects: GA MZd NR7786 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50110509 Keywords : nifedipine * pertussis toxin * vascular responsiveness * alpha1- and alpha2-adrenergic stimulation * femorel arteria Subject RIV: FA - Cardiovascular Diseases incl. Cardiotharic Surgery

  17. PLC Programming

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Seong Jae; Wi, Seong Dong; Yoo, Jong Seon; Kim, Se Chan

    2001-02-01

    This book tells of PLC programming for KGL-WIN with summary of PLC, performance and function of PLC like characteristic of KGL-WIN, connection method with PLC, basic performance of K200S/K300S/K1000S, diagram of input and output H/W, writing project, staring the program, editing of program, on-line function, debugging and instructions like control, timer and counter, data transmission, comparison, rotation and moving, system, data operating data conversion and application program.

  18. Biochemical characterization of the tomato phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) family and its role in plant immunity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Abd-El-Haliem, Ahmed; Vossen, J.H.; Zeijl, van Arjan; Dezhsetan, Sara; Testerink, Christa; Seidl, M.F.; Beck, Martina; Strutt, James; Robatzek, Silke; Joosten, M.H.A.J.

    2016-01-01

    Plants possess effective mechanisms to quickly respond to biotic and abiotic stresses. The rapid activation of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PLC) enzymes occurs early after the stimulation of plant immune-receptors. Genomes of different plant species encode multiple PLC homologs

  19. PLC Berbasis Mikrokontroler Atmega16 Sebagai Pengganti PLC Konvensional

    OpenAIRE

    Brama, Adi; Kurniawan, Syafi’i Agus; Djaohar, Mochammad

    2015-01-01

    Making the research aims to design and build a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) that uses a microcontroller ATmega16 as the brain of the Micro PLC system. The process of manufacture, testing is done in simulation tools at Pustikom State University of Jakarta and completed the process in May-June 2015. PLC Microcontroller ATmega16-Based As Substitute Conventional PLC, and use the application on a laptop LDmicro to make instructions that form the ladder program to run the output in the form ...

  20. Stalling autophagy: a new function for Listeria phospholipases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivan Tattoli

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive bacterial pathogen that induces its own uptake in non-phagocytic cells. Following invasion, Listeria escapes from the entry vacuole through the secretion of a pore-forming toxin, listeriolysin O (LLO that acts to damage and disrupt the vacuole membrane. Listeria then replicates in the cytosol and is able to spread from cell-to-cell using actin-based motility. In addition to LLO, Listeria produces two phospholipase toxins, a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC, encoded by plcB and a broad-range phospholipase C (PC-PLC, encoded by plcA, which contribute to bacterial virulence. It has long been recognized that secretion of PI- and PC-PLC enables the disruption of the double membrane vacuole during cell-to-cell spread, and those phospholipases have also been shown to augment LLO-dependent escape from the entry endosome. However, a specific role for Listeria phospholipases during the cytosolic stage of infection has not been previously reported. In a recent study, we demonstrated that Listeria PI-PLC and PC-PLC contribute to the bacterial escape from autophagy through a mechanism that involves direct inhibition of the autophagic flux in the infected cells [Tattoli et al. EMBO J (2013, 32, 3066-3078].

  1. Separation of integrin-dependent adhesion from morphological changes based on differential PLC specificities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wooten, D K; Teague, T K; McIntyre, B W

    1999-01-01

    In normal lymphocytes an inside-out signal up-regulating integrin adhesion is followed by a ligand-mediated outside-in cell spreading signal. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibition blocks lymphocyte adherence to and spreading on fibronectin. In contrast, putative PLC inhibitors yield distinct differences with respect to adhesion and morphology. The phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor neomycin blocked spreading of CD3/CD28-activated T cells on fibronectin by disrupting adhesion. Furthermore, when an additional inside-out signal for fibronectin adhesion is unnecessary such as with HPB-ALL T leukemic or phorbol-myristate-acetate-treated normal T cells, neomycin treatment does not alter adhesion or morphology. However, the phosphatidylcholine-specific PLC inhibitor D609 abrogates cell spreading without affecting adhesion to fibronectin in these cells as well as the CD3/CD28-activated T cells. These results strongly suggest that inside-out signaling for the integrin alpha4beta1 in lymphocytes proceeds through phosphatidylinositol-specific PLC and PKC, whereas the outside-in signal utilizes phosphatidylcholine-specific PLC and PKC.

  2. ADP-ribosylation of transducin by pertussis toxin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watkins, P.A.; Burns, D.L.; Kanaho, Y.; Liu, T.Y.; Hewlett, E.L.; Moss, J.

    1985-01-01

    Transducin, the guanyl nucleotide-binding regulatory protein of retinal rod outer segments that couples the photon receptor, rhodopsin, with the light-activated cGMP phosphodiesterase, can be resolved into two functional components, T alpha and T beta gamma. T alpha (39 kDa), which is [ 32 P]ADP-ribosylated by pertussis toxin and [ 32 P]NAD in rod outer segments and in purified transducin, was also labeled by the toxin after separation from T beta gamma (36 kDa and approximately 10 kDa); neither component of T beta gamma was a pertussis toxin substrate. Labeling of T alpha was enhanced by T beta gamma and was maximal at approximately 1:1 molar ratio of T alpha : T beta gamma. Limited proteolysis by trypsin of T alpha in the presence of guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p) resulted in the sequential appearance of proteins of 38 and 32 kDa. The amino terminus of both 38- and 32 -kDa proteins was leucine, whereas that of T alpha could not be identified and was assumed to be blocked. The 32 -kDa peptide was not a pertussis toxin substrate. Labeling of the 38-kDa protein was poor and was not enhanced by T beta gamma. Trypsin treatment of [ 32 P]ADP-ribosyl-T alpha produced a labeled 37-38-kDa doublet followed by appearance of radioactivity at the dye front. It appears, therefore, that, although the 38-kDa protein was poor toxin substrate, it contained the ADP-ribosylation site. Without rhodopsin, labeling of T alpha (in the presence of T beta gamma) was unaffected by Gpp(NH)p, guanosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S), GTP, GDP, and guanosine 5'-O-(thiodiphosphate) (GDP beta S) but was increased by ATP. When photolyzed rhodopsin and T beta gamma were present, Gpp(NH)p and GTP gamma S decreased [ 32 P]ADP-ribosylation by pertussis toxin. Thus, pertussis toxin-catalyzed [ 32 P]ADP-ribosylation of T alpha was affected by nucleotides, rhodopsin and light in addition to T beta gamma

  3. The YvfTU Two-component System is involved in plcR expression in Bacillus cereus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nguyen-the Christophe

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Most extracellular virulence factors produced by Bacillus cereus are regulated by the pleiotropic transcriptional activator PlcR. Among strains belonging to the B. cereus group, the plcR gene is always located in the vicinity of genes encoding the YvfTU two-component system. The putative role of YvfTU in the expression of the PlcR regulon was therefore investigated. Results Expression of the plcR gene was monitored using a transcriptional fusion with a lacZ reporter gene in a yvfTU mutant and in its B. cereus ATCC 14579 parental strain. Two hours after the onset of the stationary phase, a stage at which the PlcR regulon is highly expressed, the plcR expression in the yvfTU mutant was only 50% of that of its parental strain. In addition to the reduced plcR expression in the yvfTU mutant, a few members of the PlcR regulon showed a differential expression, as revealed by transcriptomic and proteomic analyses. The virulence of the yvfTU mutant in a Galleria mellonella insect model was slightly lower than that of the parental strain. Conclusion The YvfTU two-component system is not required for the expression of most of the virulence factors belonging to the PlcR regulon. However, YvfTU is involved in expression of plcR, a major regulator of virulence in B. cereus.

  4. Detection of Alpha-Toxin and Other Virulence Factors in Biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus on Polystyrene and a Human Epidermal Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    den Reijer, P M; Haisma, E M; Lemmens-den Toom, N A; Willemse, J; Koning, R I; Koning, R A; Demmers, J A A; Dekkers, D H W; Rijkers, E; El Ghalbzouri, A; Nibbering, P H; van Wamel, W

    2016-01-01

    The ability of Staphylococcus aureus to successfully colonize (a)biotic surfaces may be explained by biofilm formation and the actions of virulence factors. The aim of the present study was to establish the presence of 52 proteins, including virulence factors such as alpha-toxin, during biofilm formation of five different (methicillin resistant) S. aureus strains on Leiden human epidermal models (LEMs) and polystyrene surfaces (PS) using a competitive Luminex-based assay. All five S. aureus strains formed biofilms on PS, whereas only three out of five strains formed biofilms on LEMs. Out of the 52 tested proteins, six functionally diverse proteins (ClfB, glucosaminidase, IsdA, IsaA, SACOL0688 and nuclease) were detected in biofilms of all strains on both PS and LEMs. At the same time, four toxins (alpha-toxin, gamma-hemolysin B and leukocidins D and E), two immune modulators (formyl peptide receptor-like inhibitory protein and Staphylococcal superantigen-like protein 1), and two other proteins (lipase and LytM) were detectable in biofilms by all five S. aureus strains on LEMs, but not on PS. In contrast, fibronectin-binding protein B (FnbpB) was detectable in biofilms by all S. aureus biofilms on PS, but not on LEMs. These data were largely confirmed by the results from proteomic and transcriptomic analyses and in case of alpha-toxin additionally by GFP-reporter technology. Functionally diverse virulence factors of (methicillin-resistant) S. aureus are present during biofilm formation on LEMs and PS. These results could aid in identifying novel targets for future treatment strategies against biofilm-associated infections.

  5. Characterizing RecA-independent induction of Shiga toxin2-encoding phages by EDTA treatment.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lejla Imamovic

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The bacteriophage life cycle has an important role in Shiga toxin (Stx expression. The induction of Shiga toxin-encoding phages (Stx phages increases toxin production as a result of replication of the phage genome, and phage lysis of the host cell also provides a means of Stx toxin to exit the cell. Previous studies suggested that prophage induction might also occur in the absence of SOS response, independently of RecA. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The influence of EDTA on RecA-independent Stx2 phage induction was assessed, in laboratory lysogens and in EHEC strains carrying Stx2 phages in their genome, by Real-Time PCR. RecA-independent mechanisms described for phage λ induction (RcsA and DsrA were not involved in Stx2 phage induction. In addition, mutations in the pathway for the stress response of the bacterial envelope to EDTA did not contribute to Stx2 phage induction. The effect of EDTA on Stx phage induction is due to its chelating properties, which was also confirmed by the use of citrate, another chelating agent. Our results indicate that EDTA affects Stx2 phage induction by disruption of the bacterial outer membrane due to chelation of Mg(2+. In all the conditions evaluated, the pH value had a decisive role in Stx2 phage induction. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Chelating agents, such as EDTA and citrate, induce Stx phages, which raises concerns due to their frequent use in food and pharmaceutical products. This study contributes to our understanding of the phenomenon of induction and release of Stx phages as an important factor in the pathogenicity of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC and in the emergence of new pathogenic strains.

  6. Phospholipase C-{delta}{sub 1} regulates interleukin-1{beta} and tumor necrosis factor-{alpha} mRNA expression

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chung, Eric; Jakinovich, Paul; Bae, Aekyung [Department of Anesthesiology, Health Sciences Center L4 Rm 081, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 (United States); Rebecchi, Mario, E-mail: Mario.rebecchi@SBUmed.org [Department of Anesthesiology, Health Sciences Center L4 Rm 081, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 (United States)

    2012-10-01

    Phospholipase C-{delta}{sub 1} (PLC{delta}{sub 1}) is a widely expressed highly active PLC isoform, modulated by Ca{sup 2+} that appears to operate downstream from receptor signaling and has been linked to regulation of cytokine production. Here we investigated whether PLC{delta}{sub 1} modulated expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1{beta} (IL-1{beta}), tumor necrosis factor-{alpha} (TNF-{alpha}) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in rat C6 glioma cells. Expression of PLC{delta}{sub 1} was specifically suppressed by small interfering RNA (siRNA) and the effects on cytokine mRNA expression, stimulated by the Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), were examined. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results showed that PLC{delta}{sub 1} knockdown enhanced expression IL-1{beta} and tumor necrosis factor-{alpha} (TNF-{alpha}) mRNA by at least 100 fold after 4 h of LPS stimulation compared to control siRNA treatment. PLC{delta}{sub 1} knock down caused persistently high Nf{kappa}b levels at 4 h of LPS stimulation compared to control siRNA-treated cells. PLC{delta}{sub 1} knockdown was also associated with elevated nuclear levels of c-Jun after 30 min of LPS stimulation, but did not affect LPS-stimulated p38 or p42/44 MAPK phosphorylation, normally associated with TLR activation of cytokine gene expression; rather, enhanced protein kinase C (PKC) phosphorylation of cellular proteins was observed in the absence of LPS stimulation. An inhibitor of PKC, bisindolylmaleimide II (BIM), reversed phosphorylation, prevented elevation of nuclear c-Jun levels, and inhibited LPS-induced increases of IL-1{beta} and TNF-{alpha} mRNA's induced by PLC{delta}{sub 1} knockdown. Our results show that loss of PLC{delta}{sub 1} enhances PKC/c-Jun signaling and up-modulates pro-inflammatory cytokine gene transcription in concert with the TLR-stimulated p38MAPK/Nf{kappa}b pathway. Our findings are consistent with the idea that PLC{delta}{sub 1} is a

  7. Pertussis toxin-sensitive alpha-adrenergic modulation of voltage - dependent calcium channels in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR)

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Zicha, Josef; Pintérová, Mária; Dobešová, Zdenka; Líšková, Silvia; Kuneš, Jaroslav

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 24, č. S6 (2006), s. 34-34 ISSN 0263-6352. [Scientific Meeting of the International Society of Hypertension /21./. 15.10.2006-19.10.2006, Fukuoka] R&D Projects: GA MZd(CZ) NR7786 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50110509 Keywords : pertussis toxin * alpha adrenergic vasoconstriction * voltage-dependent calcium channels * SHR rat Subject RIV: FA - Cardiovascular Diseases incl. Cardiotharic Surgery

  8. C3 toxin and poly-DL-lactide-ε-caprolactone conduits in the critically damaged peripheral nervous system: a combined therapeutic approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leibig, Nico; Boyle, Veronika; Kraus, Daniel; Stark, Gerhard Bjoern; Penna, Vincenzo

    2015-03-01

    Peripheral nerve regeneration over longer distances through conduits is limited. In the presented study, critical size nerve gap bridging with a poly-DL-lactide-ε-caprolactone (PLC) conduit was combined with application of C3 toxin to facilitate axonal sprouting. The PLC filled with fibrin (n = 10) and fibrin gel loaded with 1-μg C3-C2I and 2-μg C2II (n = 10) were compared to autologous nerve grafts (n = 10) in a 15-mm sciatic nerve gap lesion model of the rat. Functional and electrophysiological analyses were performed before histological evaluation. Evaluation of motor function and nerve conduction velocity at 16 weeks revealed no differences between the groups. All histological parameters and muscle weight were significantly elevated in nerve graft group. No differences were observed in both PLC groups. The PLCs are permissive for nerve regeneration over a 15-mm defect in rats. Intraluminal application of C3 toxin did not lead to significant enhancement of nerve sprouting.

  9. Reliability analysis of PLC safety equipment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, J.; Kim, J. Y. [Chungnam Nat. Univ., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2006-06-15

    FMEA analysis for Nuclear Safety Grade PLC, failure rate prediction for nuclear safety grade PLC, sensitivity analysis for components failure rate of nuclear safety grade PLC, unavailability analysis support for nuclear safety system.

  10. Reliability analysis of PLC safety equipment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, J.; Kim, J. Y.

    2006-06-01

    FMEA analysis for Nuclear Safety Grade PLC, failure rate prediction for nuclear safety grade PLC, sensitivity analysis for components failure rate of nuclear safety grade PLC, unavailability analysis support for nuclear safety system

  11. Modality-specific Alpha Modulations Facilitate Long-term Memory Encoding in the Presence of Distracters

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jiang, H.; Gerven, M.A.J. van; Jensen, O.

    2015-01-01

    It has been proposed that long-term memory encoding is not only dependent on engaging task-relevant regions but also on disengaging task-irrelevant regions. In particular, oscillatory alpha activity has been shown to be involved in shaping the functional architecture of the working brain because it

  12. Modality-specific Alpha Modulations Facilitate Long-term Memory Encoding in the Presence of Distracters

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jiang, H.; Gerven, M.A.J. van; Jensen, O.

    2014-01-01

    It has been proposed that long-term memory encoding is not only dependent on engaging task-relevant regions but also on disengaging task-irrelevant regions. In particular, oscillatory alpha activity has been shown to be involved in shaping the functional architecture of the working brain because it

  13. X-ray crystal structure of the passenger domain of plasmid encoded toxin(Pet), an autotransporter enterotoxin from enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Domingo Meza-Aguilar, J. [Departamento de Salud Pública Facultad de Medicina UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria Coyoacán 04510, D.F. (Mexico); Laboratorio de Patogenicidad Bacteriana, Unidad de Hemato Oncología e Investigación, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez 06720, D.F. (Mexico); Fromme, Petra [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Physical Sciences BLDG D-102, Tempe, AZ 85287 (United States); Torres-Larios, Alfredo [Instituto de Fisiología Celular UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria Coyoacán 04510, D.F. (Mexico); Mendoza-Hernández, Guillermo [Instituto de Química UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria Coyoacán 04510, D.F (Mexico); Hernandez-Chiñas, Ulises [Departamento de Salud Pública Facultad de Medicina UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria Coyoacán 04510, D.F. (Mexico); Laboratorio de Patogenicidad Bacteriana, Unidad de Hemato Oncología e Investigación, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez 06720, D.F. (Mexico); Arreguin-Espinosa de los Monteros, Roberto A. [Instituto de Química UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria Coyoacán 04510, D.F (Mexico); and others

    2014-03-07

    Highlights: • X-ray crystal structure of the passenger domain of Plasmid encoded toxin at 2.3 Å. • Structural differences between Pet passenger domain and EspP protein are described. • High flexibility of the C-terminal beta helix is structurally assigned. - Abstract: Autotransporters (ATs) represent a superfamily of proteins produced by a variety of pathogenic bacteria, which include the pathogenic groups of Escherichia coli (E. coli) associated with gastrointestinal and urinary tract infections. We present the first X-ray structure of the passenger domain from the Plasmid-encoded toxin (Pet) a 100 kDa protein at 2.3 Å resolution which is a cause of acute diarrhea in both developing and industrialized countries. Pet is a cytoskeleton-altering toxin that induces loss of actin stress fibers. While Pet (pdb code: 4OM9) shows only a sequence identity of 50% compared to the closest related protein sequence, extracellular serine protease plasmid (EspP) the structural features of both proteins are conserved. A closer structural look reveals that Pet contains a β-pleaded sheet at the sequence region of residues 181–190, the corresponding structural domain in EspP consists of a coiled loop. Secondary, the Pet passenger domain features a more pronounced beta sheet between residues 135 and 143 compared to the structure of EspP.

  14. Integrated cannabinoid CB1 receptor transmission within the amygdala-prefrontal cortical pathway modulates neuronal plasticity and emotional memory encoding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Huibing; Lauzon, Nicole M; Bishop, Stephanie F; Bechard, Melanie A; Laviolette, Steven R

    2010-06-01

    The cannabinoid CB1 receptor system is functionally involved in the processing and encoding of emotionally salient sensory information, learning and memory. The CB1 receptor is found in high concentrations in brain structures that are critical for emotional processing, including the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In addition, synaptic plasticity in the form of long-term potentiation (LTP) within the BLA > mPFC pathway is an established correlate of exposure to emotionally salient events. We performed a series of in vivo LTP studies by applying tetanic stimulation to the BLA combined with recordings of local field potentials within prelimbic cortical (PLC) region of the rat mPFC. Systemic pretreatment with AM-251 dose dependently blocked LTP along the BLA-PLC pathway and also the behavioral acquisition of conditioned fear memories. We next performed a series of microinfusion experiments wherein CB1 receptor transmission within the BLA > PLC circuit was pharmacologically blocked. Asymmetrical, interhemispheric blockade of CB1 receptor transmission along the BLA > PLC pathway prevented the acquisition of emotionally salient associative memory. Our results indicate that coordinated CB1 receptor transmission within the BLA > PLC pathway is critically involved in the encoding of emotional fear memories and modulates neural plasticity related to the encoding of emotionally salient associative learning.

  15. Alpha-Toxin Promotes Mucosal Biofilm Formation by Staphylococcus aureus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michele J Anderson

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus causes numerous diseases in humans ranging from the mild skin infections to serious, life-threatening, superantigen-mediated Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS. S. aureus may also be asymptomatically carried in the anterior nares, vagina or on the skin, which serve as reservoirs for infection. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis clonal type USA200 is the most widely disseminated colonizer and a major cause of TSS. Our prior studies indicated that α-toxin was a major epithelial proinflammatory exotoxin produced by TSS S. aureus USA200 isolates. It also facilitated the penetration of TSS Toxin-1 (TSST-1 across vaginal mucosa. However, the majority of menstrual TSS isolates produce low α-toxin due to a nonsense point mutation at codon 113, designated hly, suggesting mucosal adaptation. The aim of this study was to characterize the differences between TSS USA200 strains [high (hla+ and low (hly+ α-toxin producers] in their abilities to infect and disrupt vaginal mucosal tissue. A mucosal model was developed using ex vivo porcine vaginal mucosa, LIVE/DEAD® staining and confocal microscropy to characterize biofilm formation and tissue viability of TSS USA 200 isolates CDC587 and MN8, which contain the α-toxin pseudogene (hly, MNPE (hla+ and MNPE isogenic hla knockout (hlaKO. All TSS strains grew to similar bacterial densities (1-5 x 108 CFU on the mucosa and were proinflammatory over 3 days. However, MNPE formed biofilms with significant reductions in the mucosal viability whereas neither CDC587, MN8 (hly+, or MNPE hlaKO, formed biofilms and were less cytotoxic. The addition of exogenous, purified α-toxin to MNPE hlaKO restored the biofilm phenotype. Our studies suggest α-toxin affects S. aureus phenotypic growth on vaginal mucosa, by promoting tissue disruption and biofilm formation; and α–toxin mutants (hly are not benign colonizers, but rather form a different type of infection, which we have termed high density pathogenic

  16. PLC VVVF Elevator Control System

    OpenAIRE

    Tang, Yujian; Gui, Tianyu

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the thesis is to introduce the PLC VVVF elevator and its control system. The thesis can be divided into three parts. The first part is about the overview of the lift: the kinds of the lift and the structure of the lift, it shows the knowledge about the components and the operating systems of the lift. The second part is about the PLC control system, it’s about the operations of the lift from the introduction about the hardware and software of the PLC control system. And the thi...

  17. Modeling a Consistent Behavior of PLC-Sensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. V. Kuzmin

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The article extends the cycle of papers dedicated to programming and verificatoin of PLC-programs by LTL-specification. This approach provides the availability of correctness analysis of PLC-programs by the model checking method.The model checking method needs to construct a finite model of a PLC program. For successful verification of required properties it is important to take into consideration that not all combinations of input signals from the sensors can occur while PLC works with a control object. This fact requires more advertence to the construction of the PLC-program model.In this paper we propose to describe a consistent behavior of sensors by three groups of LTL-formulas. They will affect the program model, approximating it to the actual behavior of the PLC program. The idea of LTL-requirements is shown by an example.A PLC program is a description of reactions on input signals from sensors, switches and buttons. In constructing a PLC-program model, the approach to modeling a consistent behavior of PLC sensors allows to focus on modeling precisely these reactions without an extension of the program model by additional structures for realization of a realistic behavior of sensors. The consistent behavior of sensors is taken into account only at the stage of checking a conformity of the programming model to required properties, i. e. a property satisfaction proof for the constructed model occurs with the condition that the model contains only such executions of the program that comply with the consistent behavior of sensors.

  18. Induction of Shiga Toxin-Encoding Prophage by Abiotic Environmental Stress in Food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Yuan; Mercer, Ryan G; McMullen, Lynn M; Gänzle, Michael G

    2017-10-01

    The prophage-encoded Shiga toxin is a major virulence factor in Stx-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Toxin production and phage production are linked and occur after induction of the RecA-dependent SOS response. However, food-related stress and Stx-prophage induction have not been studied at the single-cell level. This study investigated the effects of abiotic environmental stress on stx expression by single-cell quantification of gene expression in STEC O104:H4 Δ stx2 :: gfp :: amp r In addition, the effect of stress on production of phage particles was determined. The lethality of stressors, including heat, HCl, lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and high hydrostatic pressure, was selected to reduce cell counts by 1 to 2 log CFU/ml. The integrity of the bacterial membrane after exposure to stress was measured by propidium iodide (PI). The fluorescent signals of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and PI were quantified by flow cytometry. The mechanism of prophage induction by stress was evaluated by relative gene expression of recA and cell morphology. Acid (pH stress were additionally assessed. H 2 O 2 and mitomycin C induced expression of the prophage and activated a SOS response. In contrast, HCl and lactic acid induced the Stx-prophage but not the SOS response. The lifestyle of STEC exposes the organism to intestinal and extraintestinal environments that impose oxidative and acid stress. A more thorough understanding of the influence of food processing-related stressors on Stx-prophage expression thus facilitates control of STEC in food systems by minimizing prophage induction during food production and storage. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  19. Autoselection of cytoplasmic yeast virus like elements encoding toxin/antitoxin systems involves a nuclear barrier for immunity gene expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kast, Alene; Voges, Raphael; Schroth, Michael; Schaffrath, Raffael; Klassen, Roland; Meinhardt, Friedhelm

    2015-05-01

    Cytoplasmic virus like elements (VLEs) from Kluyveromyces lactis (Kl), Pichia acaciae (Pa) and Debaryomyces robertsiae (Dr) are extremely A/T-rich (>75%) and encode toxic anticodon nucleases (ACNases) along with specific immunity proteins. Here we show that nuclear, not cytoplasmic expression of either immunity gene (PaORF4, KlORF3 or DrORF5) results in transcript fragmentation and is insufficient to establish immunity to the cognate ACNase. Since rapid amplification of 3' ends (RACE) as well as linker ligation of immunity transcripts expressed in the nucleus revealed polyadenylation to occur along with fragmentation, ORF-internal poly(A) site cleavage due to the high A/T content is likely to prevent functional expression of the immunity genes. Consistently, lowering the A/T content of PaORF4 to 55% and KlORF3 to 46% by gene synthesis entirely prevented transcript cleavage and permitted functional nuclear expression leading to full immunity against the respective ACNase toxin. Consistent with a specific adaptation of the immunity proteins to the cognate ACNases, cross-immunity to non-cognate ACNases is neither conferred by PaOrf4 nor KlOrf3. Thus, the high A/T content of cytoplasmic VLEs minimizes the potential of functional nuclear recruitment of VLE encoded genes, in particular those involved in autoselection of the VLEs via a toxin/antitoxin principle.

  20. Autoselection of cytoplasmic yeast virus like elements encoding toxin/antitoxin systems involves a nuclear barrier for immunity gene expression.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alene Kast

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Cytoplasmic virus like elements (VLEs from Kluyveromyces lactis (Kl, Pichia acaciae (Pa and Debaryomyces robertsiae (Dr are extremely A/T-rich (>75% and encode toxic anticodon nucleases (ACNases along with specific immunity proteins. Here we show that nuclear, not cytoplasmic expression of either immunity gene (PaORF4, KlORF3 or DrORF5 results in transcript fragmentation and is insufficient to establish immunity to the cognate ACNase. Since rapid amplification of 3' ends (RACE as well as linker ligation of immunity transcripts expressed in the nucleus revealed polyadenylation to occur along with fragmentation, ORF-internal poly(A site cleavage due to the high A/T content is likely to prevent functional expression of the immunity genes. Consistently, lowering the A/T content of PaORF4 to 55% and KlORF3 to 46% by gene synthesis entirely prevented transcript cleavage and permitted functional nuclear expression leading to full immunity against the respective ACNase toxin. Consistent with a specific adaptation of the immunity proteins to the cognate ACNases, cross-immunity to non-cognate ACNases is neither conferred by PaOrf4 nor KlOrf3. Thus, the high A/T content of cytoplasmic VLEs minimizes the potential of functional nuclear recruitment of VLE encoded genes, in particular those involved in autoselection of the VLEs via a toxin/antitoxin principle.

  1. The SXT conjugative element and linear prophage N15 encode toxin-antitoxin-stabilizing systems homologous to the tad-ata module of the Paracoccus aminophilus plasmid pAMI2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dziewit, Lukasz; Jazurek, Magdalena; Drewniak, Lukasz; Baj, Jadwiga; Bartosik, Dariusz

    2007-03-01

    A group of proteic toxin-antitoxin (TA) cassettes whose representatives are widely distributed among bacterial genomes has been identified. These cassettes occur in chromosomes, plasmids, bacteriophages, and noncomposite transposons, as well as in the SXT conjugative element of Vibrio cholerae. The following four homologous loci were subjected to detailed comparative studies: (i) tad-ata from plasmid pAMI2 of Paracoccus aminophilus (the prototype of this group), (ii) gp49-gp48 from the linear bacteriophage N15 of Escherichia coli, (iii) s045-s044 from SXT, and (iv) Z3230-Z3231 from the genomic island of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain EDL933. Functional analysis revealed that all but one of these loci (Z3230-Z3231) are able to stabilize heterologous replicons, although the host ranges varied. The TA cassettes analyzed have the following common features: (i) the toxins are encoded by the first gene of each operon; (ii) the antitoxins contain a predicted helix-turn-helix motif of the XRE family; and (iii) the cassettes have two promoters that are different strengths, one which is located upstream of the toxin gene and one which is located upstream of the antitoxin gene. All four toxins tested are functional in E. coli; overexpression of the toxins (in the absence of antitoxin) results in a bacteriostatic effect manifested by elongation of bacterial cells and growth arrest. The toxins have various effects on cell viability, which suggests that they may recognize different intracellular targets. Preliminary data suggest that different cellular proteases are involved in degradation of antitoxins encoded by the loci analyzed.

  2. Conformational alteration in alpha-toxin from Staphylococcus aureus concomitant with the transformation of the water-soluble monomer to the membrane oligomer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ikigai, H; Nakae, T

    1985-07-16

    The membrane-damaging alpha-toxin aggregate of Staphylococcus aureus was characterized physicochemically. The aggregate weight of the toxin formed by various methods appeared to be 6 times higher than the molecular weight of the monomer as determined by the laser light scattering technique, suggesting the presence of a hexamer in the membrane. The aggregates fluoresced 20 to 50% more than the monomer at 336 nm. Circular dichroism measurements revealed that both the monomer and the oligomer showed essentially beta-sheet structure with the maximum ellipticity about -8,400 deg.cm2.dmol-1 at 215 nm. Circular dichroism spectrum of the oligomers showed ellipticity difference of -6,600, -44 and +84 deg.cm2.dmol-1, at 200, 250 and 280 nm, respectively, compared with the monomer. All these results suggest that the conformational change in the toxin molecule occurs concomitant with the transformation of the water-soluble monomer to the membrane-embedded hexamer.

  3. Development of tools for automatic generation of PLC code

    CERN Document Server

    Koutli, Maria; Rochez, Jacques

    This Master thesis was performed at CERN and more specifically in the EN-ICE-PLC section. The Thesis describes the integration of two PLC platforms, that are based on CODESYS development tool, to the CERN defined industrial framework, UNICOS. CODESYS is a development tool for PLC programming, based on IEC 61131-3 standard, and is adopted by many PLC manufacturers. The two PLC development environments are, the SoMachine from Schneider and the TwinCAT from Beckhoff. The two CODESYS compatible PLCs, should be controlled by the SCADA system of Siemens, WinCC OA. The framework includes a library of Function Blocks (objects) for the PLC programs and a software for automatic generation of the PLC code based on this library, called UAB. The integration aimed to give a solution that is shared by both PLC platforms and was based on the PLCOpen XML scheme. The developed tools were demonstrated by creating a control application for both PLC environments and testing of the behavior of the code of the library.

  4. Alpha desynchronization and fronto­parietal connectivity during spatial working memory encoding deficits in ADHD: A simultaneous EEG­fMRI study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agatha Lenartowicz

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The underlying mechanisms of alpha band (8–12 Hz neural oscillations are of importance to the functioning of attention control systems as well as to neuropsychiatric conditions that are characterized by deficits of that system, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD. The objectives of the present study were to test if visual encoding-related alpha event-related desynchronization (ERD correlates with fronto-parieto-occipital connectivity, and whether this is disrupted in ADHD during spatial working memory (SWM performance. We acquired EEG concurrently with fMRI in thirty boys (12–16 yrs. old, 15 with ADHD, during SWM encoding. Psychophysiological connectivity analyses indicated that alpha ERD during SWM encoding was associated with both occipital activation and fronto-parieto-occipital functional connectivity, a finding that expands on prior associations between alpha ERD and occipital activation. This finding provides novel support for the interpretation of alpha ERD (and the associated changes in occipital activation as a phenomenon that involves, and perhaps arises as a result of, top-down network interactions. Alpha ERD was associated less strongly with occipital activity, but associated more strongly with fronto-parieto-occipital connectivity in ADHD, consistent with a compensatory attentional response. Additionally, we illustrate that degradation of EEG data quality by MRI-amplified motion artifacts is robust to existing cleaning algorithms and is significantly correlated with hyperactivity symptoms and the ADHD Combined Type diagnosis. We conclude that persistent motion-related MR artifacts in EEG data can increase variance and introduce bias in interpretation of group differences in populations characterized by hypermobility — a clear limitation of current-state EEG-fMRI methodology.

  5. Messenger RNAs from the Scutellum and Aleurone of Germinating Barley Encode (1-->3,1-->4)-beta-d-Glucanase, alpha-Amylase and Carboxypeptidase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mundy, John; Brandt, Anders; Fincher, Geoffrey B

    1985-01-01

    Polyclonal antibodies raised against barley (1-->3,1-->4)-beta-d-glucanase, alpha-amylase and carboxypeptidase were used to detect precursor polypeptides of these hydrolytic enzymes among the in vitro translation products of mRNA isolated from the scutellum and aleurone of germinating barley....... In the scutellum, mRNA encoding carboxypeptidase appeared to be relatively more abundant than that encoding alpha-amylase or (1-->3,1-->4)-beta-d-glucanase, while in the aleurone alpha-amylase and (1-->3,1-->4)-beta-d-glucanase mRNAs predominated. The apparent molecular weights of the precursors for (1......-->3,1-->4)-beta-d-glucanase, alpha-amylase, and carboxypeptidase were 33,000, 44,000, and 35,000, respectively. In each case these are slightly higher (1,500-5,000) than molecular weights of the mature enzymes. Molecular weights of precursors immunoprecipitated from aleurone and scutellum mRNA translation...

  6. Development of tools for automatic generation of PLC code

    OpenAIRE

    Koutli, Maria; Chasapis, Georgios; Rochez, Jacques

    2014-01-01

    This Master thesis was performed at CERN and more specifically in the EN-ICE-PLC section. The Thesis describes the integration of two PLC platforms, that are based on CODESYS development tool, to the CERN defined industrial framework, UNICOS. CODESYS is a development tool for PLC programming, based on IEC 61131-3 standard, and is adopted by many PLC manufacturers. The two PLC development environments are, the SoMachine from Schneider and the TwinCAT from Beckhoff. The two CODESYS compatible P...

  7. Bacterial toxin-antitoxin systems: more than selfish entities?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Melderen, Laurence; Saavedra De Bast, Manuel

    2009-03-01

    Bacterial toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are diverse and widespread in the prokaryotic kingdom. They are composed of closely linked genes encoding a stable toxin that can harm the host cell and its cognate labile antitoxin, which protects the host from the toxin's deleterious effect. TA systems are thought to invade bacterial genomes through horizontal gene transfer. Some TA systems might behave as selfish elements and favour their own maintenance at the expense of their host. As a consequence, they may contribute to the maintenance of plasmids or genomic islands, such as super-integrons, by post-segregational killing of the cell that loses these genes and so suffers the stable toxin's destructive effect. The function of the chromosomally encoded TA systems is less clear and still open to debate. This Review discusses current hypotheses regarding the biological roles of these evolutionarily successful small operons. We consider the various selective forces that could drive the maintenance of TA systems in bacterial genomes.

  8. Bacterial toxin-antitoxin systems: more than selfish entities?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laurence Van Melderen

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Bacterial toxin-antitoxin (TA systems are diverse and widespread in the prokaryotic kingdom. They are composed of closely linked genes encoding a stable toxin that can harm the host cell and its cognate labile antitoxin, which protects the host from the toxin's deleterious effect. TA systems are thought to invade bacterial genomes through horizontal gene transfer. Some TA systems might behave as selfish elements and favour their own maintenance at the expense of their host. As a consequence, they may contribute to the maintenance of plasmids or genomic islands, such as super-integrons, by post-segregational killing of the cell that loses these genes and so suffers the stable toxin's destructive effect. The function of the chromosomally encoded TA systems is less clear and still open to debate. This Review discusses current hypotheses regarding the biological roles of these evolutionarily successful small operons. We consider the various selective forces that could drive the maintenance of TA systems in bacterial genomes.

  9. DETERMINATION OF MUSHROOM TOXIN ALPHA-AMANITIN IN SERUM BY LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY AFTER SOLID-PHASE EXTRACTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maja Vujović

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Alpha-amanitin is a cyclic peptide which belongs to a large group of mushroom toxins known as amatoxins. Being responsible for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings, they require rapid detection and excretion from the body fluids. In accordance with these requirements, a simple and an accurate method was developed for successful identification and quantification of alpha-amanitin in serum with electrospray liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS after collision-induced dissociation. The method conforms to the established International Conference on Harmonization Q2A/Q2B 1996 guidelines on the validation of analytical methods. Linearity, precision, extraction recovery and stability test on blank serum spiked with alpha-amanitin and stored in different conditions met the acceptance criteria. The obtained calibration curve was linear over the concentration range 5-100 ng/mL with a lower limit of quantification (LOQ of 5 ng/mL and limit of detection (LOD of 2.5 ng/mL. The mean intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy were 6.05% and less than ±15% of nominal values, respectively. The neutral solid phase extraction with copolymer hydrophilic–lipophilic balance cartridges was found optimal for sample preparation with the mean recovery of 91.94%. The proposed method demonstrated high sensitivity and selectivity which can be useful both for clinical and forensic toxicology analysis of alpha-amanitin at low concentrations.

  10. On Construction and Verification of PLC-Programs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. V. Kuzmin

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available We review some methods and approaches to programming discrete problems for Programmable Logic Controllers on the example of constructing PLC-programs for controling a code lock. For these approaches we evaluate the usability of the model checking method for the analysis of program correctness with respect to the automatic verification tool Cadence SMV. Some possible PLC-program vulnerabilities arising at a number approaches to programming of PLC are revealed.

  11. Úzkopásmová PLC komunikace se standardy G3-PLC, PRIME a IEEE-1901.2

    OpenAIRE

    Skrášek, Tomáš

    2015-01-01

    Diplomová práce pojednává o standardech úzkopásmové PLC komunikace. V teoretické části jsou popsány všechny dostupné OFDM standardy, mezi něž patří G3-PLC, PRIME, IEEE-1901.2 a G.hnem. Praktická část se zabývá standardy PRIME a G3-PLC. Dále je také porovnán systém OFDM se systémem komunikace na jedné nosné frekvenci v prostředí s reálným rušením. V poslední části je popsán návrh dvou firmware pro PLC modemy Texas Instruments TMDSPLCKIT-V3, které umožňují UART komunikaci a dálkový sběr dat. K ...

  12. Agonist-induced affinity alterations of a central nervous system. cap alpha. -bungarotoxin receptor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lukas, R.J.; Bennett, E.L.

    1979-01-01

    The ability of cholinergic agonists to block the specific interaction of ..cap alpha..-bungarotoxin (..cap alpha..-Bgt) with membrane-bound sites derived from rat brain is enhanced when membranes are preincubated with agonist. Thus, pretreatment of ..cap alpha..-Bgt receptors with agonist (but not antagonist) causes transformation of sites to a high-affinity form toward agonist. This change in receptor state occurs with a half-time on the order of minutes, and is fully reversible on dilution of agonist. The results are consistent with the identity of ..cap alpha..-Bgt binding sites as true central nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Furthermore, this agonist-induced alteration in receptor state may represent an in vitro correlate of physiological desensitization. As determined from the effects of agonist on toxin binding isotherms, and on the rate of toxin binding to specific sites, agonist inhibition of toxin binding to the high-affinity state is non-competitive. This result suggests that there may exist discrete toxin-binding and agonist-binding sites on central toxin receptors.

  13. A new wine Torulaspora delbrueckii killer strain with broad antifungal activity and its toxin-encoding double-stranded RNA virus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramírez, Manuel; Velázquez, Rocío; Maqueda, Matilde; López-Piñeiro, Antonio; Ribas, Juan C.

    2015-01-01

    Wine Torulaspora delbrueckii strains producing a new killer toxin (Kbarr-1) were isolated and selected for wine making. They killed all the previously known Saccharomyces cerevisiae killer strains, in addition to other non-Saccharomyces yeasts. The Kbarr-1 phenotype is encoded by a medium-size 1.7 kb dsRNA, TdV-Mbarr-1, which seems to depend on a large-size 4.6 kb dsRNA virus (TdV-LAbarr) for stable maintenance and replication. The TdV-Mbarr-1 dsRNA was sequenced by new generation sequencing techniques. Its genome structure is similar to those of S. cerevisiae killer M dsRNAs, with a 5′-end coding region followed by an internal A-rich sequence and a 3′-end non-coding region. Mbarr-1 RNA positive strand carries cis acting signals at its 5′ and 3′ termini for transcription and replication respectively, similar to those RNAs of yeast killer viruses. The ORF at the 5′ region codes for a putative preprotoxin with an N-terminal secretion signal, potential Kex2p/Kexlp processing sites, and N-glycosylation sites. No relevant sequence identity was found either between the full sequence of Mbarr-1 dsRNA and other yeast M dsRNAs, or between their respective toxin-encoded proteins. However, a relevant identity of TdV-Mbarr-1 RNA regions to the putative replication and packaging signals of most of the M-virus RNAs suggests that they are all evolutionarily related. PMID:26441913

  14. Usage of Wifi Technology for PLC Programming

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaromír ŠKUTA

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available This contribution describes usage of WIFI technology for programming and parameterization of application in PLC. INSYS WLAN unit from the Microelectronics INSYS Corporation is the base of application. Software access point with using USB WIFI component WL167 is running in industrial PC. Particular PC clients are connecting into network infrastructure PLC by the help of this access point and INSYS WLAN unit. This connection allows configuring and uploading program into this PLC.

  15. Empirical P-L-C relations for delta Scuti stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, S.K.

    1978-01-01

    Separate P-L-C relations have been empirically derived by sampling the delta Scuti stars according to their pulsation modes. The results based on these relations have been compared with those estimated from the model based P-L-C relations and the other existing empirical P-L-C relations. It is found that a separate P-L-C relation for each pulsation mode provides a better correspondence with observations. (Auth.)

  16. Role of the pathotype-specific ACRTS1 gene encoding a hydroxylase involved in the biosynthesis of host-selective ACR-toxin in the rough lemon pathotype of Alternaria alternata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izumi, Yuriko; Kamei, Eri; Miyamoto, Yoko; Ohtani, Kouhei; Masunaka, Akira; Fukumoto, Takeshi; Gomi, Kenji; Tada, Yasuomi; Ichimura, Kazuya; Peever, Tobin L; Akimitsu, Kazuya

    2012-08-01

    The rough lemon pathotype of Alternaria alternata produces host-selective ACR-toxin and causes Alternaria leaf spot disease of the rootstock species rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri) and Rangpur lime (C. limonia). Genes controlling toxin production were localized to a 1.5-Mb chromosome carrying the ACR-toxin biosynthesis gene cluster (ACRT) in the genome of the rough lemon pathotype. A genomic BAC clone containing a portion of the ACRT cluster was sequenced which allowed identification of three open reading frames present only in the genomes of ACR-toxin producing isolates. We studied the functional role of one of these open reading frames, ACRTS1 encoding a putative hydroxylase, in ACR-toxin production by homologous recombination-mediated gene disruption. There are at least three copies of ACRTS1 gene in the genome and disruption of two copies of this gene significantly reduced ACR-toxin production as well as pathogenicity; however, transcription of ACRTS1 and production of ACR-toxin were not completely eliminated due to remaining functional copies of the gene. RNA-silencing was used to knock down the remaining ACRTS1 transcripts to levels undetectable by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The silenced transformants did not produce detectable ACR-toxin and were not pathogenic. These results indicate that ACRTS1 is an essential gene in ACR-toxin biosynthesis in the rough lemon pathotype of A. alternata and is required for full virulence of this fungus.

  17. Bacterial toxin-antitoxin systems: more than selfish entities?

    OpenAIRE

    Laurence Van Melderen; Manuel Saavedra De Bast

    2009-01-01

    Bacterial toxin?antitoxin (TA) systems are diverse and widespread in the prokaryotic kingdom. They are composed of closely linked genes encoding a stable toxin that can harm the host cell and its cognate labile antitoxin, which protects the host from the toxin's deleterious effect. TA systems are thought to invade bacterial genomes through horizontal gene transfer. Some TA systems might behave as selfish elements and favour their own maintenance at the expense of their host. As a consequence,...

  18. Automatic production of Iodine-123 with PLC 135/U

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moghaddam-Banaem, L.; Afarideh, H.

    2004-01-01

    In this project, the automatic system for production of Iodine-123 with PLC/135μ Siemens, which is designed and installed for the first time in Iran, is discussed. The PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) is used to control industrial processing, which is similar to a computer and consists of central processing unit and memory and Input/Output units. PLC receives input information from auxiliary units such as sensors, switches, etc. and software processes data in memory and then sends commands to output units such as relays, motors, etc.The target section in Iodine production consists of 8 stages. In order to be sure automation works properly the system can be operated both manually and automatically. First PLC checks Manual/Automatic switch and in the case of automatic mode, PLC runs the program in memory and processing is done automatically. For this purpose, PLC takes the value of pressures and temperatures from analog inputs and after processing them it sends commands to digital output to activate valves or vacuum pumps or heaters. In this paper the following subjects are discussed: 1) Production of Iodine 123 2) PLC structure and auxiliary boards 3) Sensors and actuators and their connection to PLC 4) Software flowchart

  19. Application and Development of Biological AFM for the Study of Bacterial Toxins

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Yang, Jie

    1999-01-01

    ... with other conventional methods. These studies have also established a solid foundation for our structural elucidation of molecular level conformation of membranous bacterial toxins, such as cholera toxin and alpha-hemolysin...

  20. Binding properties of Clostridium botulinum type C progenitor toxin to mucins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakamura, Toshio; Takada, Noriko; Tonozuka, Takashi; Sakano, Yoshiyuki; Oguma, Keiji; Nishikawa, Atsushi

    2007-04-01

    It has been reported that Clostridium botulinum type C 16S progenitor toxin (C16S toxin) first binds to the sialic acid on the cell surface of mucin before invading cells [A. Nishikawa, N. Uotsu, H. Arimitsu, J.C. Lee, Y. Miura, Y. Fujinaga, H. Nakada, T. Watanabe, T. Ohyama, Y. Sakano, K. Oguma, The receptor and transporter for internalization of Clostridium botulinum type C progenitor toxin into HT-29 cells, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 319 (2004) 327-333]. In this study we investigated the binding properties of the C16S toxin to glycoproteins. Although the toxin bound to membrane blotted mucin derived from the bovine submaxillary gland (BSM), which contains a lot of sialyl oligosaccharides, it did not bind to neuraminidase-treated BSM. The binding of the toxin to BSM was inhibited by N-acetylneuraminic acid, N-glycolylneuraminic acid, and sialyl oligosaccharides strongly, but was not inhibited by neutral oligosaccharides. Both sialyl alpha2-3 lactose and sialyl alpha2-6 lactose prevented binding similarly. On the other hand, the toxin also bound well to porcine gastric mucin. In this case, neutral oligosaccharides might play an important role as ligand, since galactose and lactose inhibited binding. These results suggest that the toxin is capable of recognizing a wide variety of oligosaccharide structures.

  1. Endoribonuclease type II toxin-antitoxin systems: functional or selfish?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramisetty, Bhaskar Chandra Mohan; Santhosh, Ramachandran Sarojini

    2017-07-01

    Most bacterial genomes have multiple type II toxin-antitoxin systems (TAs) that encode two proteins which are referred to as a toxin and an antitoxin. Toxins inhibit a cellular process, while the interaction of the antitoxin with the toxin attenuates the toxin's activity. Endoribonuclease-encoding TAs cleave RNA in a sequence-dependent fashion, resulting in translational inhibition. To account for their prevalence and retention by bacterial genomes, TAs are credited with clinically significant phenomena, such as bacterial programmed cell death, persistence, biofilms and anti-addiction to plasmids. However, the programmed cell death and persistence hypotheses have been challenged because of conceptual, methodological and/or strain issues. In an alternative view, chromosomal TAs seem to be retained by virtue of addiction at two levels: via a poison-antidote combination (TA proteins) and via transcriptional reprogramming of the downstream core gene (due to integration). Any perturbation in the chromosomal TA operons could cause fitness loss due to polar effects on the downstream genes and hence be detrimental under natural conditions. The endoribonucleases encoding chromosomal TAs are most likely selfish DNA as they are retained by bacterial genomes, even though TAs do not confer a direct advantage via the TA proteins. TAs are likely used by various replicons as 'genetic arms' that allow the maintenance of themselves and associated genetic elements. TAs seem to be the 'selfish arms' that make the best use of the 'arms race' between bacterial genomes and plasmids.

  2. Saccades phase-locked to alpha oscillations in the occipital and medial temporal lobe enhance memory encoding

    OpenAIRE

    Noachtar, Soheyl; Doeller, Christian; Jensen, Ole; Hartl, Elisabeth; Staudigl, Tobias

    2017-01-01

    Efficient sampling of visual information requires a coordination of eye movements and ongoing brain oscillations. Using intracranial and MEG recordings, we show that saccades are locked to the phase of visual alpha oscillations, and that this coordination supports mnemonic encoding of visual scenes. Furthermore, parahippocampal and retrosplenial cortex involvement in this coordination reflects effective vision-to-memory mapping, highlighting the importance of neural oscillations for the inter...

  3. Divergently overlapping cis-encoded antisense RNA regulating toxin-antitoxin systems from E. coli: hok/sok, ldr/rdl, symE/symR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawano, Mitsuoki

    2012-12-01

    Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are categorized into three classes based on the type of antitoxin. In type I TA systems, the antitoxin is a small antisense RNA that inhibits translation of small toxic proteins by binding to the corresponding mRNAs. Those type I TA systems were originally identified as plasmid stabilization modules rendering a post-segregational killing (PSK) effect on the host cells. The type I TA loci also exist on the Escherichia coli chromosome but their biological functions are less clear. Genetic organization and regulatory elements of hok/sok and ldr/rdl families are very similar and the toxins are predicted to contain a transmembrane domain, but otherwise share no detectable sequence similarity. This review will give an overview of the type I TA modules of E. coli K-12, especially hok/sok, ldr/rdl and SOS-inducible symE/symR systems, which are regulated by divergently overlapping cis-encoded antisense RNAs.

  4. Toxin-antitoxin systems and regulatory mechanisms in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slayden, Richard A; Dawson, Clinton C; Cummings, Jason E

    2018-06-01

    There has been a significant reduction in annual tuberculosis incidence since the World Health Organization declared tuberculosis a global health threat. However, treatment of M. tuberculosis infections requires lengthy multidrug therapeutic regimens to achieve a durable cure. The development of new drugs that are active against resistant strains and phenotypically diverse organisms continues to present the greatest challenge in the future. Numerous phylogenomic analyses have revealed that the Mtb genome encodes a significantly expanded repertoire of toxin-antitoxin (TA) loci that makes up the Mtb TA system. A TA loci is a two-gene operon encoding a 'toxin' protein that inhibits bacterial growth and an interacting 'antitoxin' partner that neutralizes the inhibitory activity of the toxin. The presence of multiple chromosomally encoded TA loci in Mtb raises important questions in regard to expansion, regulation and function. Thus, the functional roles of TA loci in Mtb pathogenesis have received considerable attention over the last decade. The cumulative results indicate that they are involved in regulating adaptive responses to stresses associated with the host environment and drug treatment. Here we review the TA families encoded in Mtb, discuss the duplication of TA loci in Mtb, regulatory mechanism of TA loci, and phenotypic heterogeneity and pathogenesis.

  5. In Vitro Selection of Single-Stranded DNA Molecular Recognition Elements against S. aureus Alpha Toxin and Sensitive Detection in Human Serum

    OpenAIRE

    Hong, Ka L.; Battistella, Luisa; Salva, Alysia D.; Williams, Ryan M.; Sooter, Letha J.

    2015-01-01

    Alpha toxin is one of the major virulence factors secreted by Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that is responsible for a wide variety of infections in both community and hospital settings. Due to the prevalence of S. aureus related infections and the emergence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, rapid and accurate diagnosis of S. aureus infections is crucial in benefiting patient health outcomes. In this study, a rigorous Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) var...

  6. Application of PLC in irradiation controlling system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qin Wenjuan; Lin Baoling; Wang Mingtao; Huang Daorong; Yao Qiuguo; Gao Weixiang; Yang Kun; Xue Changlin; Pu Jiangling

    2005-01-01

    To deal with the multiprogramming controlling system and computer gathering and printing measure data in Irradiation Station, we adopted Programmable Logic Controller (brief: PLC) instead of PCB to control Irradiation System. PLC improved the anti-jamming ability and debugged for convenience. (authors)

  7. Automated Formal Verification for PLC Control Systems

    CERN Multimedia

    Fernández Adiego, Borja

    2014-01-01

    Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) are widely used devices used in industrial control systems. Ensuring that the PLC software is compliant with its specification is a challenging task. Formal verification has become a recommended practice to ensure the correctness of the safety-critical software. However, these techniques are still not widely applied in industry due to the complexity of building formal models, which represent the system and the formalization of requirement specifications. We propose a general methodology to perform automated model checking of complex properties expressed in temporal logics (e.g. CTL, LTL) on PLC programs. This methodology is based on an Intermediate Model (IM), meant to transform PLC programs written in any of the languages described in the IEC 61131-3 standard (ST, IL, etc.) to different modeling languages of verification tools. This approach has been applied to CERN PLC programs validating the methodology.

  8. Translation of PLC Programs to x86 for Simulation and Verification

    CERN Document Server

    Sallai, Gyula

    2017-01-01

    PLC programs are written in special languages, variants of the languages defined in the IEC 61131 standard. These programs cannot be directly executed on personal computers (on x86 architecture). To perform simulation of the PLC program or diagnostics during development, either a real PLC or a PLC simulator has to be used. However, these solutions are often inflexible and they do not provide appropriate performance. By generating x86-representations (semantically equivalent programs which can be executed on PCs, e.g. written in C, C++ or Java) of the PLC programs, some of these challenges could be met. PLCverif is a PLC program verification tool developed at CERN which includes a parser for Siemens PLC programs. In this work, we describe a code generator based on this parser of PLCverif. This work explores the possibilities and challenges of generating programs in widely-used general purpose languages from PLC programs, and provides a proof-of-concept code generation implementation. The presented solution dem...

  9. A Classification of PLC Models and Applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mader, Angelika H.; Boel, R.; Stremersch, G.

    In the past years there is an increasing interest in analysing PLC applications with formal methods. The first step to this end is to get formal models of PLC applications. Meanwhile, various models for PLCs have already been introduced in the literature. In our paper we discuss several

  10. PLC control of 50 MW klystron modulators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shang Lei; Liu Gongfa; Chen Liping; Lu Yeming; Hong Jun; Zhang Yi; Zhao Feng

    2004-01-01

    Upgrade project of the 50 MW klystron modulators of Hefei Light Source (HLS) was firstly introduced. PLC control system of modulators was employed to replace the old control and monitor system, which was based on relay logic circuit and manual operation method. the PLC system becomes a sub system of the new EPICS control system of HLS. Constant-current, switch-mode and high voltage power supplies were adopted to replace the old 50 Hz power supplies. The technology of modulators was improved and operation was more reliable. The design method, hardware and software of PLC control of modulators were described and the performance was presented. (authors)

  11. The Integration of DCS I/O to an Existing PLC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadhukhan, Debashis; Mihevic, John

    2013-01-01

    At the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), Existing Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) I/O was replaced with Distributed Control System (DCS) I/O, while keeping the existing PLC sequence Logic. The reason for integration of the PLC logic and DCS I/O, along with the evaluation of the resulting system is the subject of this paper. The pros and cons of the old system and new upgrade are described, including operator workstation screen update times. Detail of the physical layout and the communication between the PLC, the DCS I/O and the operator workstations are illustrated. The complex characteristics of a central process control system and the plan to remove the PLC processors in future upgrades is also discussed.

  12. Cloning and characterization of Sdga gene encoding alpha-subunit of heterotrimeric guanosine 5'-triphosphate-binding protein complex in Scoparia dulcis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shite, Masato; Yamamura, Yoshimi; Hayashi, Toshimitsu; Kurosaki, Fumiya

    2008-11-01

    A homology-based cloning strategy yielded Sdga, a cDNA clone presumably encoding alpha-subunit of heterotrimeric guanosine 5'-triphosphate-binding protein complex, from leaf tissues of Scoparia dulcis. Phylogenetic tree analysis of G-protein alpha-subunits from various biological sources suggested that, unlike in animal cells, classification of Galpha-proteins into specific subfamilies could not be applicable to the proteins from higher plants. Restriction digests of genomic DNA of S. dulcis showed a single hybridized signal in Southern blot analysis, suggesting that Sdga is a sole gene encoding Galpha-subunit in this plant. The expression level of Sdga appeared to be maintained at almost constant level after exposure of the leaves to methyl jasmonate as analyzed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. These results suggest that Sdga plays roles in methyl jasmonate-induced responses of S. dulcis without a notable change in the transcriptional level.

  13. Histamine acting on H1 receptor promotes inhibition of proliferation via PLC, RAC, and JNK-dependent pathways

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Notcovich, Cintia; Diez, Federico; Tubio, Maria Rosario; Baldi, Alberto; Kazanietz, Marcelo G.; Davio, Carlos; Shayo, Carina

    2010-01-01

    It is well established that histamine modulates cell proliferation through the activation of the histamine H1 receptor (H1R), a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that is known to couple to phospholipase C (PLC) activation via Gq. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether H1R activation modulates Rho GTPases, well-known effectors of Gq/G 11 -coupled receptors, and whether such modulation influences cell proliferation. Experiments were carried out in CHO cells stably expressing H1R (CHO-H1R). By using pull-down assays, we found that both histamine and a selective H1R agonist activated Rac and RhoA in a time- and dose-dependent manner without significant changes in the activation of Cdc42. Histamine response was abolished by the H1R antagonist mepyramine, RGS2 and the PLC inhibitor U73122, suggesting that Rac and RhoA activation is mediated by H1R via Gq coupling to PLC stimulation. Histamine caused a marked activation of serum response factor activity via the H1R, as determined with a serum-responsive element (SRE) luciferase reporter, and this response was inhibited by RhoA inactivation with C3 toxin. Histamine also caused a significant activation of JNK which was inhibited by expression of the Rac-GAP β2-chimaerin. On the other hand, H1R-induced ERK1/2 activation was inhibited by U73122 but not affected by C3 or β2-chimaerin, suggesting that ERK1/2 activation was dependent on PLC and independent of RhoA or Rac. [ 3 H]-Thymidine incorporation assays showed that both histamine and the H1R agonist inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner and that the effect was independent of RhoA but partially dependent on JNK and Rac. Our results reveal that functional coupling of the H1R to Gq-PLC leads to the activation of RhoA and Rac small GTPases and suggest distinct roles for Rho GTPases in the control of cell proliferation by histamine.

  14. Realizace úzkopásmových PLC modemů

    OpenAIRE

    Kubíček, Lukáš

    2012-01-01

    Diplomová práce se věnuje úzkopásmové technologii přenosu dat el. sítí NN (PLC) a~možnostem jejího využití v senzorových sítích. Zabývá se jak strukturou a základními vlastnostmi PLC standardu, tak možnostmi jeho uplatnění v praxi. Hlavní částí této práce je realizace PLC sítě pomocí IO ST7570 firmy STMicroelectronics. Jako příklad praktického využití PLC technologie je tato síť připojena k počítači, ve kterém jsou data ze senzoru (wattmetru) připojenému k PLC modemu ukládána pomocí aplikace ...

  15. 78 FR 11976 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-21

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... (AD) for all Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-524 series turbofan engines. That AD currently requires...-16724 (76 FR 40217, July 8, 2011), for all RR plc RB211-524 series turbofan engines. That AD required...

  16. 77 FR 6668 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-09

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... all Rolls-Royce plc RB211-Trent 500 series turbofan engines. This AD requires a one-time inspection of... RB211- Trent 560A2-61 turbofan engines that have not complied with Rolls- Royce plc Service Bulletin No...

  17. Alpha-crystallins are involved in specific interactions with the murine gamma D/E/F-crystallin-encoding gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pietrowski, D; Durante, M J; Liebstein, A; Schmitt-John, T; Werner, T; Graw, J

    1994-07-08

    The promoter of the murine gamma E-crystallin (gamma E-Cry) encoding gene (gamma E-cry) was analyzed for specific interactions with lenticular proteins in a gel-retardation assay. A 21-bp fragment immediately downstream of the transcription initiation site (DOTIS) is demonstrated to be responsible for specific interactions with lens extracts. The DOTIS-binding protein(s) accept only the sense DNA strand as target; anti-sense or double-stranded DNA do not interact with these proteins. The DOTIS sequence element is highly conserved among the murine gamma D-, gamma E- and gamma F-cry and is present at comparable positions in the orthologous rat genes. Only a weak or even no protein-binding activity is observed if a few particular bases are changed, as in the rat gamma A-, gamma C- and gamma E-cry elements. DOTIS-binding proteins were found in commercially available bovine alpha-Cry preparations. The essential participation of alpha-Cry in the DNA-binding protein complex was confirmed using alpha-Cry-specific monoclonal antibody. The results reported here point to a novel function of alpha-Cry besides the structural properties in the lens.

  18. Toxins and antimicrobial peptides: interactions with membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlamadinger, Diana E.; Gable, Jonathan E.; Kim, Judy E.

    2009-08-01

    The innate immunity to pathogenic invasion of organisms in the plant and animal kingdoms relies upon cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as the first line of defense. In addition to these natural peptide antibiotics, similar cationic peptides, such as the bee venom toxin melittin, act as nonspecific toxins. Molecular details of AMP and peptide toxin action are not known, but the universal function of these peptides to disrupt cell membranes of pathogenic bacteria (AMPs) or a diverse set of eukaryotes and prokaryotes (melittin) is widely accepted. Here, we have utilized spectroscopic techniques to elucidate peptide-membrane interactions of alpha-helical human and mouse AMPs of the cathelicidin family as well as the peptide toxin melittin. The activity of these natural peptides and their engineered analogs was studied on eukaryotic and prokaryotic membrane mimics consisting of resistant pathogens.

  19. PLC based control system for RAM assembly test facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kulkarni, S.S.; Kumar, Vinaya; Chandra, Umesh

    1994-01-01

    The flexibility, expandability, ease of programming and diagnostic features makes the programmable logic controller (PLC) suitable for a variety of control applications in engineering system test facilities. A PLC based control system for RAM assembly test facility (RATF) and for testing the related hydraulic components is being developed and installed at BARC. This paper describes the approach taken for meeting the control requirements and illustrates the PLC software that has been developed. (author). 1 fig

  20. Differentiation of the mRNA transcripts originating from the alpha 1- and alpha 2-globin loci in normals and alpha-thalassemics.

    OpenAIRE

    Liebhaber, S A; Kan, Y W

    1981-01-01

    The alpha-globin polypeptide is encoded by two adjacent genes, alpha 1 and alpha 2. In the normal diploid state (alpha alpha/alpha alpha) all four alpha-globin genes are expressed. Loss or dysfunction of one or more of these genes leads to deficient alpha-globin production and results in alpha-thalassemia. We present a technique to differentially assess the steady-state levels of the alpha 1- and alpha-2-globin messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts and thus delineate the relative level of expressi...

  1. The application of PLC in 60Co container inspection system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Yibin; Xiang Xincheng

    2001-01-01

    The author discusses the interlock technique of 60 Co container inspection system, and introduces the hardware structure and program of interlock control system using PLC. Due to adopting PLC distributed control, the system works stably and reliably. The successful application of PLC in 60 Co container inspection system has some use for reference in nuclear technology field

  2. Parameters Evaluation of PLC Dependability and Safety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juraj Zdansky

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper is focused on evaluation of dependability and safety parameters of PLC (Programmable Logic Controller. Achievement of requested level of these parameters is an application assumption for using PLC in control of safety critical processes. Evaluation of these parameters can be made on the base of suitable model and it can be influenced by system architecture when necessary.

  3. Automated turn pike using PLC and SCADA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silpa Sreedhar, P.; Aiswarya, P.; Kathirvelan, J.

    2017-11-01

    We propose a smart turnpike based on Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems (SCADA) in this paper. In this work, the basic idea is to measure the weight of the vehicles and classify them according to its weight to the respective lanes. It is difficult for the turnpike people to monitor the whole process all the time. So, this PLC based diversion system can be implemented in turnpikes to reduce the difficulties. This method will work based on weight sensors (piezo-resistive) whose output will be fed to a PLC, which will control the vehicle diversion. Using SCADA software, the whole process can be monitored from a remote area. The algorithm developed in this successfully installed in real time system.

  4. Power Line Communication (PLC) in Space - Current Status and Outlook

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, J.

    2012-05-01

    The Power Line Communication (PLC) technology as known from various terrestrial applications, e.g. in building automation, in the automotive sector and on aircraft, appears to be a promising technology for the use on spacecraft. Starting from a critical overview on existing terrestrial PLC applications with their pros and cons, the paper gives a motivation for the introduction of the PLC technology on spacecraft, discusses the potential areas where it can be applied and is highlighting the potential problem areas. A short overview of on-going ESA PLC activities is provided and an outlook is given.

  5. PLC-based mode multi/demultiplexers for mode division multiplexing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saitoh, Kunimasa; Hanzawa, Nobutomo; Sakamoto, Taiji; Fujisawa, Takeshi; Yamashita, Yoko; Matsui, Takashi; Tsujikawa, Kyozo; Nakajima, Kazuhide

    2017-02-01

    Recently developed PLC-based mode multi/demultiplexers (MUX/DEMUXs) for mode division multiplexing (MDM) transmission are reviewed. We firstly show the operation principle and basic characteristics of PLC-based MUX/DEMUXs with an asymmetric directional coupler (ADC). We then demonstrate the 3-mode (2LP-mode) multiplexing of the LP01, LP11a, and LP11b modes by using fabricated PLC-based mode MUX/DEMUX on one chip. In order to excite LP11b mode in the same plane, a PLC-based LP11 mode rotator is introduced. Finally, we show the PLC-based 6-mode (4LP-mode) MUX/DEMUX with a uniform height by using ADCs, LP11 mode rotators, and tapered waveguides. It is shown that the LP21a mode can be excited from the LP11b mode by using ADC, and the two nearly degenerated LP21b and LP02 modes can be (de)multiplexed separately by using tapered mode converter from E13 (E31) mode to LP21b (LP02) mode.

  6. Applying Model Checking to Industrial-Sized PLC Programs

    CERN Document Server

    AUTHOR|(CDS)2079190; Darvas, Daniel; Blanco Vinuela, Enrique; Tournier, Jean-Charles; Bliudze, Simon; Blech, Jan Olaf; Gonzalez Suarez, Victor M

    2015-01-01

    Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are embedded computers widely used in industrial control systems. Ensuring that a PLC software complies with its specification is a challenging task. Formal verification has become a recommended practice to ensure the correctness of safety-critical software but is still underused in industry due to the complexity of building and managing formal models of real applications. In this paper, we propose a general methodology to perform automated model checking of complex properties expressed in temporal logics (\\eg CTL, LTL) on PLC programs. This methodology is based on an intermediate model (IM), meant to transform PLC programs written in various standard languages (ST, SFC, etc.) to different modeling languages of verification tools. We present the syntax and semantics of the IM and the transformation rules of the ST and SFC languages to the nuXmv model checker passing through the intermediate model. Finally, two real cases studies of \\CERN PLC programs, written mainly in th...

  7. Emergence of Escherichia coli encoding Shiga toxin 2f in human Shiga toxin-producing E-coli (STEC) infections in the Netherlands, January 2008 to December 2011

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Friesema, I.; van der Zwaluw, K.; Schuurman, T.; Kooistra-Smid, M.; Franz, E.; van Duynhoven, Y.; van Pelt, W.

    2014-01-01

    The Shiga toxins of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) can be divided into Shiga toxin 1 (Stx1) and Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2) with several sub-variants. Variant Stx(2f) is one of the latest described, but has been rarely associated with symptomatic human infections. In the enhanced STEC

  8. Melatonin potentiates glycine currents through a PLC/PKC signalling pathway in rat retinal ganglion cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Wen-Jie; Zhang, Min; Miao, Yanying; Yang, Xiong-Li; Wang, Zhongfeng

    2010-07-15

    In vertebrate retina, melatonin regulates various physiological functions. In this work we investigated the mechanisms underlying melatonin-induced potentiation of glycine currents in rat retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Immunofluorescence double labelling showed that rat RGCs were solely immunoreactive to melatonin MT(2) receptors. Melatonin potentiated glycine currents of RGCs, which was reversed by the MT(2) receptor antagonist 4-P-PDOT. The melatonin effect was blocked by intracellular dialysis of GDP-beta-S. Either preincubation with pertussis toxin or application of the phosphatidylcholine (PC)-specific phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor D609, but not the phosphatidylinositol (PI)-PLC inhibitor U73122, blocked the melatonin effect. The protein kinase C (PKC) activator PMA potentiated the glycine currents and in the presence of PMA melatonin failed to cause further potentiation of the currents, whereas application of the PKC inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide IV abolished the melatonin-induced potentiation. The melatonin effect persisted when [Ca(2+)](i) was chelated by BAPTA, and melatonin induced no increase in [Ca(2+)](i). Neither cAMP-PKA nor cGMP-PKG signalling pathways seemed to be involved because 8-Br-cAMP or 8-Br-cGMP failed to cause potentiation of the glycine currents and both the PKA inhibitor H-89 and the PKG inhibitor KT5823 did not block the melatonin-induced potentiation. In consequence, a distinct PC-PLC/PKC signalling pathway, following the activation of G(i/o)-coupled MT(2) receptors, is most likely responsible for the melatonin-induced potentiation of glycine currents of rat RGCs. Furthermore, in rat retinal slices melatonin potentiated light-evoked glycine receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents in RGCs. These results suggest that melatonin, being at higher levels at night, may help animals to detect positive or negative contrast in night vision by modulating inhibitory signals largely mediated by glycinergic amacrine cells in the inner

  9. Automatic control model of water filling system with Allen Bradley Micrologix 1400 PLC

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harahap, R.; Adyatma, AF; Fahmi, F.

    2018-02-01

    Programmable Logic Controller or PLC today plays an important role in most industrial control systems. PLC usage can be encountered in almost all fields of industry, not only in the manufacturing world but also on many other things such as elevators in office buildings, hotels hospitals, and others. PLC is an electronic control tool that operates in logic that its programming can be modified with relative ease. As with any controller in general, the PLC processes input signals to further discharge output according to the desired program. PLC usage is very broad because of its high reliability, can be reprogrammed or modified with relative ease, and very helpful in the tracking troubleshooting. One type of existing PLC is Allen Bradley PLC. Allen Bradley PLC program is commonly used in various industries. PLC Allen Bradley (AB) has several types, and one of them is the type of Micrologic 1400. In this study we design a system as a comparison with the conventional system. For that to explore the use of a PLC program which will be supported by a simulator tool, including a program to RSLogic 500, how to programming, monitoring via RSView32, and modification. It is expected to understand the application aspect of operation and programming of this specific PLC and its potential. The purpose of this research is to design water filling automation system by using Allen Bradley Micrologic 1400 type 1766-L32BXB PLC, empowering the use of Allen Bradley Micrologic 1400 PLC and to regulate the desired process to obtain efficiency and effectiveness compared with conventional system arrangement using Relay.

  10. Human alpha-defensin-1 protects cells from intoxication with Clostridium perfringens iota toxin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Stephan; Popoff, Michel R; Barth, Holger

    2018-03-01

    Iota toxin is produced by Clostridium perfringens type E strains and associated with diarrhea in cattle and lambs. This binary protein toxin comprises the enzyme component iota a (Ia), which ADP-ribosylates G-actin, and the separate transport component iota b (Ib), which delivers Ia into the cytosol of target cells. Ib binds to cell receptors and forms biologically active toxin complexes with Ia, which cause rounding of adherent cells due to the destruction of the actin cytoskeleton. Here, we report that the human peptide α-defensin-1 protects cultured cells including human colon cells from intoxication with iota toxin. In contrast, the related ß-defensin-1 had no effect, indicating a specific mode of action. The α-defensin-1 did not inhibit ADP-ribosylation of actin by Ia in vitro. Pretreatment of Ib with α-defensin-1 prior to addition of Ia prevented intoxication. Additionally, α-defensin-1 protected cells from cytotoxic effects mediated by Ib in the absence of Ia, implicating that α-defensin-1 interacts with Ib to prevent the formation of biologically active iota toxin on cells. In conclusion, the findings contribute to a better understanding of the functions of α-defensin-1 and suggest that this human peptide might be an attractive starting point to develop novel pharmacological options to treat/prevent diseases associated with iota toxin-producing Clostridium perfringens strains.

  11. The DinJ/RelE toxin-antitoxin system suppresses virulence in Xylella fastidiosa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xylella fastidiosa, the causal agent of a number agriculturally important plant diseases, encodes multiple toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems. TA modules consist of a toxin protein co-expressed with a specific antitoxin, and are often acquired through horizontal gene transfer. Antitoxin molecules (RNA or ...

  12. TcdC does not significantly repress toxin expression in Clostridium difficile 630ΔErm.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dennis Bakker

    Full Text Available In the past decade, Clostridium difficile has emerged as an important gut pathogen. Symptoms of C. difficile infection range from mild diarrhea to pseudomembranous colitis, sometimes resulting in colectomy or death. The main virulence factors of C. difficile are toxin A and toxin B. Besides the genes encoding these toxins (tcdA and tcdB, the pathogenicity locus (PaLoc also contains genes encoding a sigma factor (tcdR and a putative anti-sigma factor (tcdC. The important role of TcdR as a sigma factor for toxin expression is undisputed, whereas the role of TcdC as an anti-sigma factor, inhibiting toxin expression, is currently the subject of debate. To clarify the role of TcdC in toxin expression, we generated an isogenic ClosTron-based mutant of tcdC in Clostridium difficile strain 630Δ Erm (CT::tcdC and determined the transcription levels of the PaLoc genes and the expression levels of the toxins in the wild type strain and the tcdC mutant strain. We found only minor differences in transcription levels of the PaLoc genes between the wild type and CT::tcdC strains and total toxin levels did not significantly differ either. These results suggest that in C. difficile 630Δerm TcdC is not a major regulator of toxin expression under the conditions tested.

  13. Steady-state levels of G-protein beta-subunit expression are regulated by treatment of cells with bacterial toxins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watkins, D.C.; Northup, J.K.; Malbon, C.C.

    1987-01-01

    Cultures of 3T3-L1 cells were incubated with either 10 ng/ml cholera toxin or 10 ng/ml pertussis toxin from 4 days prior to the initiation of differentiation and throughout the subsequent incubation. Toxin concentrations were sufficient to completely prevent the labelling of alpha-subunits with [ 32 P]NAD + and pertussis toxin and to prevent by more than 90% the labelling with [ 32 P]NAD + and cholera toxin in membranes prepared from these cells. Neither toxin prevented the differentiation to the adipocyte phenotype. Neither toxin prevented the increases in the relative amounts of G-proteins which occur upon differentiation. Both toxins dramatically decreased the amount of beta-subunits. As measured by quantitative immunoblotting with antisera specific for both the 35 kDa and 36 kDa beta-subunits, levels of beta-subunit were decreased by more than 50% of steady-state level of control cells. Thus, bacterial toxins which modifies G-protein alpha-subunits are capable of modulating the levels of beta-subunits in vivo. The basis for the regulation of G-protein subunit expression by bacterial toxins is under study

  14. Transacsys PLC - Final Results

    CERN Multimedia

    2002-01-01

    Final results from Transacsys PLC. A subsidary of this company was set up to develop the CERN EDH system into a commercial product but incurred too much financial loss so the project was cancelled (1/2 page).

  15. Electromagnetic compatibility of PLC adapters for in-home/domestic networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potisk, Lukas; Hallon, Jozef; Orgon, Milos; Fujdiak, Radek

    2018-01-01

    The use of programable logic controllers (PLC) technology in electrical networks 230 V causes electromagnetic radiation that interferes with other electrical equipment connected to the network [1-4]. Therefore, this article describes the issues of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of new PLC adapters used in IP broadband services in a multi-user environment. The measurements of disturbing electromagnetic field originated in PLC adapters were made in a certified laboratory EMC (laboratory of electromagnetic compatibility) in the Institute of Electrical Engineering at Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. The measured spectra of the radiated electromagnetic field will be compared with the results obtained when testing older PLC modems [5].

  16. NetB, a new toxin that is associated with avian necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony L Keyburn

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available For over 30 years a phospholipase C enzyme called alpha-toxin was thought to be the key virulence factor in necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens. However, using a gene knockout mutant we have recently shown that alpha-toxin is not essential for pathogenesis. We have now discovered a key virulence determinant. A novel toxin (NetB was identified in a C. perfringens strain isolated from a chicken suffering from necrotic enteritis (NE. The toxin displayed limited amino acid sequence similarity to several pore forming toxins including beta-toxin from C. perfringens (38% identity and alpha-toxin from Staphylococcus aureus (31% identity. NetB was only identified in C. perfringens type A strains isolated from chickens suffering NE. Both purified native NetB and recombinant NetB displayed cytotoxic activity against the chicken leghorn male hepatoma cell line LMH; inducing cell rounding and lysis. To determine the role of NetB in NE a netB mutant of a virulent C. perfringens chicken isolate was constructed by homologous recombination, and its virulence assessed in a chicken disease model. The netB mutant was unable to cause disease whereas the wild-type parent strain and the netB mutant complemented with a wild-type netB gene caused significant levels of NE. These data show unequivocally that in this isolate a functional NetB toxin is critical for the ability of C. perfringens to cause NE in chickens. This novel toxin is the first definitive virulence factor to be identified in avian C. perfringens strains capable of causing NE. Furthermore, the netB mutant is the first rationally attenuated strain obtained in an NE-causing isolate of C. perfringens; as such it has considerable vaccine potential.

  17. Optical interconnection for a polymeric PLC device using simple positional alignment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryu, Jin Hwa; Kim, Po Jin; Cho, Cheon Soo; Lee, El-Hang; Kim, Chang-Seok; Jeong, Myung Yung

    2011-04-25

    This study proposes a simple cost-effective method of optical interconnection between a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) device chip and an optical fiber. It was conducted to minimize and overcome the coupling loss caused by lateral offset which is due to the process tolerance and the dimensional limitation existing between PLC device chips and fiber array blocks with groove structures. A PLC device chip and a fiber array block were simultaneously fabricated in a series of polymer replication processes using the original master. The dimensions (i.e., width and thickness) of the under-clad of the PLC device chip were identical to those of the fiber array block. The PLC device chip and optical fiber were aligned by simple positional control for the vertical direction of the PLC device chip under a particular condition. The insertion loss of the proposed 1 x 2 multimode optical splitter device interconnection was 4.0 dB at 850 nm and the coupling loss was below 0.1 dB compared with single-fiber based active alignment.

  18. Practical application with plc in manipulation of a robotic arm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristian Barz

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the use of a robotic arm PLC Siemens in order not using CNC commands. This is done by programming the PLC ladder diagram language that makes movement on the three axes of the arm by means of stepper motors. Required command console PLC is built with the help of a touch screen HMI Weintek. In the user interface are introduced distances and displacement speeds on the three axes.

  19. Reliability Analysis for Safety Grade PLC(POSAFE-Q)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Kyung Chul; Song, Seung Whan; Park, Gang Min; Hwang, Sung Jae

    2012-01-01

    Safety Grade PLC(Programmable Logic Controller), POSAFE-Q, was developed recently in accordance with nuclear regulatory and requirements. In this paper, describe reliability analysis for digital safety grade PLC (especially POSAFE-Q). Reliability analysis scope is Prediction, Calculation of MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure), FMEA (Failure Mode Effect Analysis), PFD (Probability of Failure on Demand). (author)

  20. Full-automatic Special Drill Hydraulic System and PLC Control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tian Xue Jun

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A hydraulic-driven and PLC full-automatic special drill is introduced, working principle of the hydraulic system and PLC control system are analyzed and designed, this equipment has the advantages of high efficiency, superior quality and low cost etc.

  1. Efficient Implementation of a Symbol Timing Estimator for Broadband PLC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nombela, Francisco; García, Enrique; Mateos, Raúl; Hernández, Álvaro

    2015-08-21

    Broadband Power Line Communications (PLC) have taken advantage of the research advances in multi-carrier modulations to mitigate frequency selective fading, and their adoption opens up a myriad of applications in the field of sensory and automation systems, multimedia connectivity or smart spaces. Nonetheless, the use of these multi-carrier modulations, such as Wavelet-OFDM, requires a highly accurate symbol timing estimation for reliably recovering of transmitted data. Furthermore, the PLC channel presents some particularities that prevent the direct use of previous synchronization algorithms proposed in wireless communication systems. Therefore more research effort should be involved in the design and implementation of novel and robust synchronization algorithms for PLC, thus enabling real-time synchronization. This paper proposes a symbol timing estimator for broadband PLC based on cross-correlation with multilevel complementary sequences or Zadoff-Chu sequences and its efficient implementation in a FPGA; the obtained results show a 90% of success rate in symbol timing estimation for a certain PLC channel model and a reduced resource consumption for its implementation in a Xilinx Kyntex FPGA.

  2. Efficient Implementation of a Symbol Timing Estimator for Broadband PLC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco Nombela

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Broadband Power Line Communications (PLC have taken advantage of the research advances in multi-carrier modulations to mitigate frequency selective fading, and their adoption opens up a myriad of applications in the field of sensory and automation systems, multimedia connectivity or smart spaces. Nonetheless, the use of these multi-carrier modulations, such as Wavelet-OFDM, requires a highly accurate symbol timing estimation for reliably recovering of transmitted data. Furthermore, the PLC channel presents some particularities that prevent the direct use of previous synchronization algorithms proposed in wireless communication systems. Therefore more research effort should be involved in the design and implementation of novel and robust synchronization algorithms for PLC, thus enabling real-time synchronization. This paper proposes a symbol timing estimator for broadband PLC based on cross-correlation with multilevel complementary sequences or Zadoff-Chu sequences and its efficient implementation in a FPGA; the obtained results show a 90% of success rate in symbol timing estimation for a certain PLC channel model and a reduced resource consumption for its implementation in a Xilinx Kyntex FPGA.

  3. Silica-based PLC with heterogeneously-integrated PDs for one-chip DP-QPSK receiver.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurata, Yu; Nasu, Yusuke; Tamura, Munehisa; Kasahara, Ryoichi; Aozasa, Shinichi; Mizuno, Takayuki; Yokoyama, Haruki; Tsunashima, Satoshi; Muramoto, Yoshifumi

    2012-12-10

    To realize a DP-QPSK receiver PLC, we heterogeneously integrated eight high-speed PDs on a silica-based PLC platform with a PBS, 90-degree optical hybrids and a VOA. The use of a 2.5%-Δ waveguide reduced the receiver PLC size to 11 mm x 11 mm. We successfully demonstrated 32 Gbaud DP-QPSK signal demodulation with the receiver PLC.

  4. Characterization of Hemagglutinin Negative Botulinum Progenitor Toxins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suzanne R. Kalb

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Botulism is a disease involving intoxication with botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs, toxic proteins produced by Clostridium botulinum and other clostridia. The 150 kDa neurotoxin is produced in conjunction with other proteins to form the botulinum progenitor toxin complex (PTC, alternating in size from 300 kDa to 500 kDa. These progenitor complexes can be classified into hemagglutinin positive or hemagglutinin negative, depending on the ability of some of the neurotoxin-associated proteins (NAPs to cause hemagglutination. The hemagglutinin positive progenitor toxin complex consists of BoNT, nontoxic non-hemagglutinin (NTNH, and three hemagglutinin proteins; HA-70, HA-33, and HA-17. Hemagglutinin negative progenitor toxin complexes contain BoNT and NTNH as the minimally functional PTC (M-PTC, but not the three hemagglutinin proteins. Interestingly, the genome of hemagglutinin negative progenitor toxin complexes comprises open reading frames (orfs which encode for three proteins, but the existence of these proteins has not yet been extensively demonstrated. In this work, we demonstrate that these three proteins exist and form part of the PTC for hemagglutinin negative complexes. Several hemagglutinin negative strains producing BoNT/A, /E, and /F were found to contain the three open reading frame proteins. Additionally, several BoNT/A-containing bivalent strains were examined, and NAPs from both genes, including the open reading frame proteins, were associated with BoNT/A. The open reading frame encoded proteins are more easily removed from the botulinum complex than the hemagglutinin proteins, but are present in several BoNT/A and /F toxin preparations. These are not easily removed from the BoNT/E complex, however, and are present even in commercially-available purified BoNT/E complex.

  5. Control Systems of Rubber Dryer Machinery Components Using Programmable Logic Control (PLC)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hendra; Yulianto, A. S.; Indriani, A.; Hernadewita; Hermiyetti

    2018-02-01

    Application of programmable logic control (PLC) is widely used on the control systems in the many field engineering such as automotive, aviation, food processing and other industries [1-2]. PLC is simply program to control many automatic activity, easy to use, flexible and others. PLC using the ladder program to solve and regulated the control system component. In previous research, PLC was used for control system of rotary dryer machine. In this paper PLC are used for control system of motion component in the rubber dryer machinery. Component of rubber dryer machine is motors, gearbox, sprocket, heater, drying chamber and bearing. Principle working of rubber dryer machinery is wet rubber moving into the drying chamber by sprocket. Sprocket is driven by motors that conducted by PLC to moving and set of wet rubber on the drying chamber. Drying system uses greenhouse effect by making hanger dryer design in the form of line path. In this paper focused on motion control system motors and sensors drying rubber using PLC. The results show that control system of rubber dryer machinery can work in accordance control input and the time required to dry the rubber.

  6. SVM-based prediction of propeptide cleavage sites in spider toxins identifies toxin innovation in an Australian tarantula.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily S W Wong

    Full Text Available Spider neurotoxins are commonly used as pharmacological tools and are a popular source of novel compounds with therapeutic and agrochemical potential. Since venom peptides are inherently toxic, the host spider must employ strategies to avoid adverse effects prior to venom use. It is partly for this reason that most spider toxins encode a protective proregion that upon enzymatic cleavage is excised from the mature peptide. In order to identify the mature toxin sequence directly from toxin transcripts, without resorting to protein sequencing, the propeptide cleavage site in the toxin precursor must be predicted bioinformatically. We evaluated different machine learning strategies (support vector machines, hidden Markov model and decision tree and developed an algorithm (SpiderP for prediction of propeptide cleavage sites in spider toxins. Our strategy uses a support vector machine (SVM framework that combines both local and global sequence information. Our method is superior or comparable to current tools for prediction of propeptide sequences in spider toxins. Evaluation of the SVM method on an independent test set of known toxin sequences yielded 96% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Furthermore, we sequenced five novel peptides (not used to train the final predictor from the venom of the Australian tarantula Selenotypus plumipes to test the accuracy of the predictor and found 80% sensitivity and 99.6% 8-mer specificity. Finally, we used the predictor together with homology information to predict and characterize seven groups of novel toxins from the deeply sequenced venom gland transcriptome of S. plumipes, which revealed structural complexity and innovations in the evolution of the toxins. The precursor prediction tool (SpiderP is freely available on ArachnoServer (http://www.arachnoserver.org/spiderP.html, a web portal to a comprehensive relational database of spider toxins. All training data, test data, and scripts used are available from

  7. Development of Multipurpose PLC trainer for the simulator of reactor safety system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Syaiful Bakhri; Deswandri; Ahmad Abtokhi

    2014-01-01

    PLC becomes one of the essential components for the current type of reactor which based on digital instrumentation and control. Several studies have demonstrated the promising results including the implementation of PLC's for RSG-GAS research reactor. However, research for the safety and reliability analysis can not be carried out freely in the existing systems.Therefore, this research aims to develop a PLC trainer employing micro PLC OMRON CP1MA which can be useful for simulator of various topics in reactor safety. Two experimental tests were carried out to show the PLC’s performances. The first experimental testing implementing reactor protection system of research reactor RSG-GAS shows the capacity of PLC system to identify the initiator of the SCRAM logic as well as giving a promptly response. Secondly, the application of PLC to controls the water level in dual reservoir system simulation, demonstrates the simplicity of the operation and design while maintaining the best performances. (author)

  8. A study of PLC system vulnerability checklists in nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cha, Ki Jong; Cho, Gi Ho; Ahn, Jaeh Young; Kim, Young Mi; Kwon, Yong Il

    2012-01-01

    Because the design of the PLCs (Programmable Logic Controller) in the I and C (Instrument and Control) systems for NPP (Nuclear Power Plant) were carried out independently, the problems of cyber security were not addressed in the PLC system designs. Recently, the analysis and the countermeasure development for the PLC systems became mandatory due to the developments in cyber attack techniques and the increasingly revealed vulnerability to such attacks. A comparative analysis on the cyber security checklist of PLC in industry control system and in NPP systems was carried out, and in this paper, the cyber security regulatory trend and the PLC usage status are described

  9. A study of PLC system vulnerability checklists in nuclear power plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cha, Ki Jong; Cho, Gi Ho; Ahn, Jaeh Young [Convergence technology Research Commercialization Center, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Young Mi; Kwon, Yong Il [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-10-15

    Because the design of the PLCs (Programmable Logic Controller) in the I and C (Instrument and Control) systems for NPP (Nuclear Power Plant) were carried out independently, the problems of cyber security were not addressed in the PLC system designs. Recently, the analysis and the countermeasure development for the PLC systems became mandatory due to the developments in cyber attack techniques and the increasingly revealed vulnerability to such attacks. A comparative analysis on the cyber security checklist of PLC in industry control system and in NPP systems was carried out, and in this paper, the cyber security regulatory trend and the PLC usage status are described.

  10. Using of Finite Automation at Programming PLC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karol Rastocny

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper is concerning with systematic advances at programming programmable logic controllers (PLC, which comes out from algebraic description of behaviour of sequential circuit, in the way of finite automaton. This kind of access is streamlining the work of a programmer and enabling to use formalisms in the of whole process of system development, that is from process of analysing demands to process of verification and validation created program. The paper considers about using of ladder diagram at programming PLC.

  11. Webová aplikace v PLC PFC200

    OpenAIRE

    Michalík, David

    2017-01-01

    Tato bakalářská práce se věnuje implementaci vlastního způsobu ovládání vstupů, výstupů a paměti PLC PFC200 od firmy WAGO pomocí dynamického webového rozhraní. Součástí práce je popis PLC, způsobů jeho ovládání, rešerše volně dostupných webových serverů pro Linux a popis metod pro vytvoření real-time ovládání. Výstupem je webová aplikace běžící na webovém serveru v PLC, využívající vlastní runtime systém formou daemon programů. This bachelor’s thesis is mainly focused on implementation of ...

  12. Programmable logic controller (PLC) for safety systems of nuclear plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sen, S.K.; Karmakar, G.; Joseph, Jose; Patil, R.K.

    2002-01-01

    Full text: A programmable logic controller (PLC) has been developed by RCnD, BARC for use in the safety critical systems in nuclear power plants. This PLC uses qualified hardware developed in RCnD for use in NPP. The programming software conforms to IEC-61131 part 3. The application programming is done on function block diagram (FBD) editor and the FBD is automatically converted into code in high level language (C / C++). This feature makes the application easily decipherable and therefore easily subjected to reviews and other validation techniques. The key to make quality software for use in nuclear systems is to enforce various standards in the design and development of the software, something, which is not possible to do with a commercially available PLC. This PLC with its software completely transparent lends itself to rigorous verification and validation easily

  13. The Proteome of Biologically Active Membrane Vesicles from Piscirickettsia salmonis LF-89 Type Strain Identifies Plasmid-Encoded Putative Toxins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristian Oliver

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Piscirickettsia salmonis is the predominant bacterial pathogen affecting the Chilean salmonid industry. This bacterium is the etiological agent of piscirickettsiosis, a significant fish disease. Membrane vesicles (MVs released by P. salmonis deliver several virulence factors to host cells. To improve on existing knowledge for the pathogenicity-associated functions of P. salmonis MVs, we studied the proteome of purified MVs from the P. salmonis LF-89 type strain using multidimensional protein identification technology. Initially, the cytotoxicity of different MV concentration purified from P. salmonis LF-89 was confirmed in an in vivo adult zebrafish infection model. The cumulative mortality of zebrafish injected with MVs showed a dose-dependent pattern. Analyses identified 452 proteins of different subcellular origins; most of them were associated with the cytoplasmic compartment and were mainly related to key functions for pathogen survival. Interestingly, previously unidentified putative virulence-related proteins were identified in P. salmonis MVs, such as outer membrane porin F and hemolysin. Additionally, five amino acid sequences corresponding to the Bordetella pertussis toxin subunit 1 and two amino acid sequences corresponding to the heat-labile enterotoxin alpha chain of Escherichia coli were located in the P. salmonis MV proteome. Curiously, these putative toxins were located in a plasmid region of P. salmonis LF-89. Based on the identified proteins, we propose that the protein composition of P. salmonis LF-89 MVs could reflect total protein characteristics of this P. salmonis type strain.

  14. The Proteome of Biologically Active Membrane Vesicles from Piscirickettsia salmonis LF-89 Type Strain Identifies Plasmid-Encoded Putative Toxins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliver, Cristian; Hernández, Mauricio A; Tandberg, Julia I; Valenzuela, Karla N; Lagos, Leidy X; Haro, Ronie E; Sánchez, Patricio; Ruiz, Pamela A; Sanhueza-Oyarzún, Constanza; Cortés, Marcos A; Villar, María T; Artigues, Antonio; Winther-Larsen, Hanne C; Avendaño-Herrera, Ruben; Yáñez, Alejandro J

    2017-01-01

    Piscirickettsia salmonis is the predominant bacterial pathogen affecting the Chilean salmonid industry. This bacterium is the etiological agent of piscirickettsiosis, a significant fish disease. Membrane vesicles (MVs) released by P. salmonis deliver several virulence factors to host cells. To improve on existing knowledge for the pathogenicity-associated functions of P. salmonis MVs, we studied the proteome of purified MVs from the P. salmonis LF-89 type strain using multidimensional protein identification technology. Initially, the cytotoxicity of different MV concentration purified from P. salmonis LF-89 was confirmed in an in vivo adult zebrafish infection model. The cumulative mortality of zebrafish injected with MVs showed a dose-dependent pattern. Analyses identified 452 proteins of different subcellular origins; most of them were associated with the cytoplasmic compartment and were mainly related to key functions for pathogen survival. Interestingly, previously unidentified putative virulence-related proteins were identified in P. salmonis MVs, such as outer membrane porin F and hemolysin. Additionally, five amino acid sequences corresponding to the Bordetella pertussis toxin subunit 1 and two amino acid sequences corresponding to the heat-labile enterotoxin alpha chain of Escherichia coli were located in the P. salmonis MV proteome. Curiously, these putative toxins were located in a plasmid region of P. salmonis LF-89. Based on the identified proteins, we propose that the protein composition of P. salmonis LF-89 MVs could reflect total protein characteristics of this P. salmonis type strain.

  15. Trends in Control Area of PLC Reliability and Safety Parameters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juraj Zdansky

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Extension of the PLC application possibilities is closely related to increase of reliability and safety parameters. If the requirement of reliability and safety parameters will be suitable, the PLC could by implemented to specific applications such the safety-related processes control. The goal of this article is to show the way which producers are approaching to increase PLC`s reliability and safety parameters. The second goal is to analyze these parameters for range of present choice and describe the possibility how the reliability and safety parameters can be affected.

  16. Analysis of the PLC object model in the PF linac

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abe, Isamu; Shirakawa, Akihiro; Nakahara, Kazuo; Tanaka, Masahiko

    1995-01-01

    Device controllers (front end) for the KEK PF Linac, which has been operated for more than ten years, had to be renewed, because there is no longer support from hardware manufacturer. To reduce maintenance costs, device controllers are planed to be replaced by PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). Investigations launched in the late 1994s for the PLC have carried out in order to make sure of the I/O stability and network possibilities. In this paper, the software for the PLC is discussed based on the OOP concept. (author)

  17. High prevalence of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli carrying toxin-encoding genes isolated from children and adults in southeastern Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spano, Liliana Cruz; da Cunha, Keyla Fonseca; Monfardini, Mariane Vedovatti; de Cássia Bergamaschi Fonseca, Rita; Scaletsky, Isabel Christina Affonso

    2017-12-18

    Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) are important bacterial causes of childhood diarrhea in Brazil, but its impact in adults is unknown. This study aimed at investigating DEC among children and adults living in endemic areas. A total of 327 stools specimens were collected from children (n = 141) and adults (n = 186) with diarrhea attending health centers. Diarrheagenic E. coli (DEC) were identified by their virulence genes (multiplex polymerase chain reaction) and HEp-2 cell adherence patterns. DEC were detected in 56 (40%) children and 74 (39%) adults; enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) (23%) was the most prevalent pathotype, followed by diffusely adherent E. coli (DAEC) (13%), and occurred at similar frequencies in both diarrheal groups. Atypical enteropathogenic E. coli (aEPEC) strains were recovered more frequently from children (6%) than from adults (1%). Twenty-six percent of the EAEC were classified as typical EAEC possessing aggR gene, and carried the aap gene. EAEC strains carrying aggR-aap-aatA genes were significantly more frequent among children than adults (p < 0.05). DAEC strains possessing Afa/Dr. genes were detected from children (10%) and adults (6%). EAEC and DAEC strains harboring genes for the EAST1 (astA), Pet, Pic, and Sat toxins were common in both diarrheal groups. The astA and the porcine AE/associated adhesin (paa) genes were found in most of aEPEC strains. High levels of resistance to antimicrobial drugs were found among DAEC and aEPEC isolates. The results show a high proportion of EAEC and DAEC carrying toxin-encoding genes among adults with diarrhea.

  18. Classification of alpha 1-adrenoceptor subtypes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Michel, M. C.; Kenny, B.; Schwinn, D. A.

    1995-01-01

    Two alpha 1-adrenoceptor subtypes (alpha 1A and alpha 1B) have been detected in various tissues by pharmacological techniques, and three distinct cDNAs encoding alpha 1-adrenoceptor subtypes have been cloned. The profile of an increasing number of subtype-selective compounds at cloned and endogenous

  19. Development of radioactive source scanner based on PLC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Guogui; Gao Xiang; Guo Hongli

    2013-01-01

    The radioactive radial uniformity of 68 Ge line radioactive sources is a critical quality parameter. The radioactive source scanner with linear scanning function is developed by making use of high-speed pulse counters, high-speed pulse output ports, and the powerful instruction system of Siemens S7-200 series programmable logic controller (PLC). A computer used as a host computer of the instrument communicate with. the PLC by point to point interface (PPI) protocol, The instrument with functions of data collection, transmission, displaying, saving, motion control and instrument parameter settings, can be used to measure the radioactive radial uniformity and total activity of line radioactive source. The advantages of Using the PLC to develop nuclear instrumentation are development speed, strong anti-interference ability, and low-cost. This paper mainly describes the control system implementation and feature of the instrument. (authors)

  20. Úzkopásmová PLC komunikace pro Smart Metering

    OpenAIRE

    Kubů, Jiří

    2016-01-01

    Tato bakalářská práce se zabývá úzkopásmovou PLC komunikací. V práci je popsán základní princip, rozdělení PLC komunikace, historie technologie, využívané komunikační standardy a rušení ovlivňující datovou komunikaci této technologie. V rámci této práce byly provedeny i experimentální měření v reálném prostředí s modemy od firmy Texas Instruments C2000 PLC TMDSPLCKITV4 a C2000 PLC TMDSPLCKIT-V3. Výsledky tohoto měření jsou reálné přenosové rychlosti. Dále byla vytvořena aplikace pro dálkový s...

  1. Construction and Verification of PLC LD-programs by LTL-specification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. V. Kuzmin

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available An approach to construction and verification of PLC LD-programs for discrete problems is proposed. For the specification of the program behavior, we use the linear-time temporal logic LTL. Programming is carried out in the LD-language (Ladder Diagram according to an LTL-specification. The correctness analysis of an LTL-specification is carried out by the symbolic model checking tool Cadence SMV. A new approach to programming and verification of PLC LD-programs is shown by an example. For a discrete problem, we give a LD-program, its LTL-specification and an SMV-model. The purpose of the article is to describe an approach to programming PLC, which would provide a possibility of LD-program correctness analysis by the model checking method. Under the proposed approach, the change of the value of each program variable is described by a pair of LTL-formulas. The first LTL-formula describes situations which increase the value of the corresponding variable, the second LTL-formula specifies conditions leading to a decrease of the variable value. The LTL-formulas (used for speci- fication of the corresponding variable behavior are constructive in the sense that they construct the PLC-program (LD-program, which satisfies temporal properties expressed by these formulas. Thus, the programming of PLC is reduced to the construction of LTLspecification of the behavior of each program variable. In addition, an SMV-model of a PLC LD-program is constructed according to LTL-specification. Then, the SMV-model is analysed by the symbolic model checking tool Cadence SMV.

  2. PLC/DTAM Software Programs for Pumping Instrumentation and Control Skid X

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    HORNER, T.M.

    2001-01-01

    This document describes the software programs for the Allen-Bradley SLC 500 programmable logic controller (PLC) and the Allen-Bradley DTAM PLUS operator interface module used on Pumping Instrumentation and Control (PIC) skid ''X''. The software programs for the SLC 500 and DTAM Plus are based on the core programs provided by Allen-Bradley. The PLC and DTAM software programs on skid ''D'' for SX-104 are the baseline programs. These baselines will be tailored for each individual BY-farm skid. An Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP) and an Operational Test Procedure (OTP) verify that the software programs meet the specific requirements for BY-105 pumping. This document represents the final PLC and DTAM programs for PIC skid ''X'' at BY-105. These programs were printed out after the performance of the OTP. The OTP acts as the final qualification test for the software programs. Functional requirements and details of the PLC ladder logic are described in this document. The final programs entered into the PLC and DTAM Plus are included as Appendices to this document

  3. 77 FR 13485 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-07

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... series turbofan engines. This AD requires inspecting the front combustion liner head section for cracking.... (c) Applicability This AD applies to Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 800 turbofan engines, all...

  4. Modelling and Formal Verification of Timing Aspects in Large PLC Programs

    CERN Document Server

    Fernandez Adiego, B; Blanco Vinuela, E; Tournier, J-C; Gonzalez Suarez, V M; Blech, J O

    2014-01-01

    One of the main obstacle that prevents model checking from being widely used in industrial control systems is the complexity of building formal models out of PLC programs, especially when timing aspects need to be integrated. This paper brings an answer to this obstacle by proposing a methodology to model and verify timing aspects of PLC programs. Two approaches are proposed to allow the users to balance the trade-off between the complexity of the model, i.e. its number of states, and the set of specifications possible to be verified. A tool supporting the methodology which allows to produce models for different model checkers directly from PLC programs has been developed. Verification of timing aspects for real-life PLC programs are presented in this paper using NuSMV.

  5. 77 FR 73268 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-10

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... certain Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 900 series turbofan engines. This AD requires inspection of the... turbofan engines, all serial numbers. (d) Reason This AD was prompted by a Trent 900 engine experiencing a...

  6. 77 FR 56760 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-09-14

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... all Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 800 series turbofan engines. This AD requires removing from...-17, 892-17, 892B-17, and 895-17 turbofan engines that have an intermediate pressure (IP) turbine disc...

  7. Long-Term Resistance of Drosophila melanogaster to the Mushroom Toxin Alpha-Amanitin.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chelsea L Mitchell

    Full Text Available Insect resistance to toxins exerts not only a great impact on our economy, but also on the ecology of many species. Resistance to one toxin is often associated with cross-resistance to other, sometimes unrelated, chemicals. In this study, we investigated mushroom toxin resistance in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen. This fruit fly species does not feed on mushrooms in nature and may thus have evolved cross-resistance to α-amanitin, the principal toxin of deadly poisonous mushrooms, due to previous pesticide exposure. The three Asian D. melanogaster stocks used in this study, Ama-KTT, Ama-MI, and Ama-KLM, acquired α-amanitin resistance at least five decades ago in their natural habitats in Taiwan, India, and Malaysia, respectively. Here we show that all three stocks have not lost the resistance phenotype despite the absence of selective pressure over the past half century. In response to α-amanitin in the larval food, several signs of developmental retardation become apparent in a concentration-dependent manner: higher pre-adult mortality, prolonged larva-to-adult developmental time, decreased adult body size, and reduced adult longevity. In contrast, female fecundity nearly doubles in response to higher α-amanitin concentrations. Our results suggest that α-amanitin resistance has no fitness cost, which could explain why the resistance has persisted in all three stocks over the past five decades. If pesticides caused α-amanitin resistance in D. melanogaster, their use may go far beyond their intended effects and have long-lasting effects on ecosystems.

  8. Long-Term Resistance of Drosophila melanogaster to the Mushroom Toxin Alpha-Amanitin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Chelsea L; Yeager, Roger D; Johnson, Zachary J; D'Annunzio, Stephanie E; Vogel, Kara R; Werner, Thomas

    2015-01-01

    Insect resistance to toxins exerts not only a great impact on our economy, but also on the ecology of many species. Resistance to one toxin is often associated with cross-resistance to other, sometimes unrelated, chemicals. In this study, we investigated mushroom toxin resistance in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen). This fruit fly species does not feed on mushrooms in nature and may thus have evolved cross-resistance to α-amanitin, the principal toxin of deadly poisonous mushrooms, due to previous pesticide exposure. The three Asian D. melanogaster stocks used in this study, Ama-KTT, Ama-MI, and Ama-KLM, acquired α-amanitin resistance at least five decades ago in their natural habitats in Taiwan, India, and Malaysia, respectively. Here we show that all three stocks have not lost the resistance phenotype despite the absence of selective pressure over the past half century. In response to α-amanitin in the larval food, several signs of developmental retardation become apparent in a concentration-dependent manner: higher pre-adult mortality, prolonged larva-to-adult developmental time, decreased adult body size, and reduced adult longevity. In contrast, female fecundity nearly doubles in response to higher α-amanitin concentrations. Our results suggest that α-amanitin resistance has no fitness cost, which could explain why the resistance has persisted in all three stocks over the past five decades. If pesticides caused α-amanitin resistance in D. melanogaster, their use may go far beyond their intended effects and have long-lasting effects on ecosystems.

  9. Heterogeneity in Induction Level, Infection Ability, and Morphology of Shiga Toxin-Encoding Phages (Stx Phages) from Dairy and Human Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O26:H11 Isolates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonanno, Ludivine; Petit, Marie-Agnès; Loukiadis, Estelle; Michel, Valérie

    2016-01-01

    Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) bacteria are foodborne pathogens responsible for diarrhea and hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). Shiga toxin, the main STEC virulence factor, is encoded by the stx gene located in the genome of a bacteriophage inserted into the bacterial chromosome. The O26:H11 serotype is considered to be the second-most-significant HUS-causing serotype worldwide after O157:H7. STEC O26:H11 bacteria and their stx-negative counterparts have been detected in dairy products. They may convert from the one form to the other by loss or acquisition of Stx phages, potentially confounding food microbiological diagnostic methods based on stx gene detection. Here we investigated the diversity and mobility of Stx phages from human and dairy STEC O26:H11 strains. Evaluation of their rate of in vitro induction, occurring either spontaneously or in the presence of mitomycin C, showed that the Stx2 phages were more inducible overall than Stx1 phages. However, no correlation was found between the Stx phage levels produced and the origin of the strains tested or the phage insertion sites. Morphological analysis by electron microscopy showed that Stx phages from STEC O26:H11 displayed various shapes that were unrelated to Stx1 or Stx2 types. Finally, the levels of sensitivity of stx-negative E. coli O26:H11 to six Stx phages differed among the 17 strains tested and our attempts to convert them into STEC were unsuccessful, indicating that their lysogenization was a rare event. PMID:26826235

  10. Discovery of novel bacterial toxins by genomics and computational biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doxey, Andrew C; Mansfield, Michael J; Montecucco, Cesare

    2018-06-01

    Hundreds and hundreds of bacterial protein toxins are presently known. Traditionally, toxin identification begins with pathological studies of bacterial infectious disease. Following identification and cultivation of a bacterial pathogen, the protein toxin is purified from the culture medium and its pathogenic activity is studied using the methods of biochemistry and structural biology, cell biology, tissue and organ biology, and appropriate animal models, supplemented by bioimaging techniques. The ongoing and explosive development of high-throughput DNA sequencing and bioinformatic approaches have set in motion a revolution in many fields of biology, including microbiology. One consequence is that genes encoding novel bacterial toxins can be identified by bioinformatic and computational methods based on previous knowledge accumulated from studies of the biology and pathology of thousands of known bacterial protein toxins. Starting from the paradigmatic cases of diphtheria toxin, tetanus and botulinum neurotoxins, this review discusses traditional experimental approaches as well as bioinformatics and genomics-driven approaches that facilitate the discovery of novel bacterial toxins. We discuss recent work on the identification of novel botulinum-like toxins from genera such as Weissella, Chryseobacterium, and Enteroccocus, and the implications of these computationally identified toxins in the field. Finally, we discuss the promise of metagenomics in the discovery of novel toxins and their ecological niches, and present data suggesting the existence of uncharacterized, botulinum-like toxin genes in insect gut metagenomes. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  11. Emulation of Narrowband Powerline Data Transmission Channels and Evaluation of PLC Systems

    OpenAIRE

    Liu, Wenqing

    2013-01-01

    This work proposes advanced emulation of the physical layer behavior of NB-PLC channels and the application of a channel emulator for the evaluation of NB-PLC systems. In addition, test procedures and reference channels are proposed to improve efficiency and accuracy in the system evaluation and classification. This work shows that the channel emulator-based solution opens new ways toward flexible, reliable and technology-independent performance assessment of PLC modems.

  12. Oxidative Stress in Shiga Toxin Production by Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katarzyna Licznerska

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Virulence of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC strains depends on production of Shiga toxins. These toxins are encoded in genomes of lambdoid bacteriophages (Shiga toxin-converting phages, present in EHEC cells as prophages. The genes coding for Shiga toxins are silent in lysogenic bacteria, and prophage induction is necessary for their efficient expression and toxin production. Under laboratory conditions, treatment with UV light or antibiotics interfering with DNA replication are commonly used to induce lambdoid prophages. Since such conditions are unlikely to occur in human intestine, various research groups searched for other factors or agents that might induce Shiga toxin-converting prophages. Among other conditions, it was reported that treatment with H2O2 caused induction of these prophages, though with efficiency significantly lower relative to UV-irradiation or mitomycin C treatment. A molecular mechanism of this phenomenon has been proposed. It appears that the oxidative stress represents natural conditions provoking induction of Shiga toxin-converting prophages as a consequence of H2O2 excretion by either neutrophils in infected humans or protist predators outside human body. Finally, the recently proposed biological role of Shiga toxin production is described in this paper, and the “bacterial altruism” and “Trojan Horse” hypotheses, which are connected to the oxidative stress, are discussed.

  13. Type II heat-labile enterotoxins from 50 diverse Escherichia coli isolates belong almost exclusively to the LT-IIc family and may be prophage encoded.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael G Jobling

    Full Text Available Some enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC produce a type II heat-labile enterotoxin (LT-II that activates adenylate cyclase in susceptible cells but is not neutralized by antisera against cholera toxin or type I heat-labile enterotoxin (LT-I. LT-I variants encoded by plasmids in ETEC from humans and pigs have amino acid sequences that are ≥ 95% identical. In contrast, LT-II toxins are chromosomally encoded and are much more diverse. Early studies characterized LT-IIa and LT-IIb variants, but a novel LT-IIc was reported recently. Here we characterized the LT-II encoding loci from 48 additional ETEC isolates. Two encoded LT-IIa, none encoded LT-IIb, and 46 encoded highly related variants of LT-IIc. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the predicted LT-IIc toxins encoded by these loci could be assigned to 6 subgroups. The loci corresponding to individual toxins within each subgroup had DNA sequences that were more than 99% identical. The LT-IIc subgroups appear to have arisen by multiple recombinational events between progenitor loci encoding LT-IIc1- and LT-IIc3-like variants. All loci from representative isolates encoding the LT-IIa, LT-IIb, and each subgroup of LT-IIc enterotoxins are preceded by highly-related genes that are between 80 and 93% identical to predicted phage lysozyme genes. DNA sequences immediately following the B genes differ considerably between toxin subgroups, but all are most closely related to genomic sequences found in predicted prophages. Together these data suggest that the LT-II loci are inserted into lambdoid type prophages that may or may not be infectious. These findings raise the possibility that production of LT-II enterotoxins by ETEC may be determined by phage conversion and may be activated by induction of prophage, in a manner similar to control of production of Shiga-like toxins by converting phages in isolates of enterohemmorhagic E. coli.

  14. 78 FR 17297 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-21

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... (AD) for all Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211 Trent 500 series turbofan engines. That AD currently requires... 9, 2012), for all RR RB211 Trent 500 series turbofan engines. That AD requires a one-time inspection...

  15. Silencing of the tomato phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C2 (SlPLC2) reduces plant susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gonorazky, Gabriela; Guzzo, María Carla; Abd-El-Haliem, Ahmed M.; Joosten, Matthieu H.A.J.; Laxalt, Ana María

    2016-01-01

    The tomato [Solanum lycopersicum (Sl)] phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C (PI-PLC) gene family is composed of six members, named SlPLC1 to SlPLC6, differentially regulated on pathogen attack. We have previously shown that the fungal elicitor xylanase induces a raise of SlPLC2 and SlPLC5

  16. GDP-L-fucose: {beta}-D-galactoside 2-{alpha}-Lfucosyltransferases, DNA sequences encoding the same, method for producing the same and a method of genotyping a person

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lowe, J.B.; Lennon, G.; Rouquier, S.; Giorgi, D.; Kelly, R.J.

    1998-09-15

    The gene encoding GDP-L-fucose: {beta}-D-Galactoside 2-{alpha}-Lfucosyltransferase has been cloned, and a mutation in this gene has been found to be responsible for an individual being a non-secretor. 30 figs.

  17. 77 FR 32007 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-31

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... all Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 800 series turbofan engines. This AD requires removal from...-17, 877- 17, 884-17, 884B-17, 892-17, 892B-17, and 895-17 turbofan engines. (d) Reason This AD was...

  18. 78 FR 6749 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-31

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... (AD) for all Rolls-Royce plc (RR) models RB211 Trent 768-60, 772-60, and 772B-60 turbofan engines... 772B-60 turbofan engines. (d) Reason This AD was prompted by low-pressure (LP) compressor blade partial...

  19. alpha-Amanitin induced apoptosis in primary cultured dog hepatocytes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam Szelag

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Amatoxin poisoning is caused by mushroom species belonging to the genera Amanita, Galerina and Lepiota with the majority of lethal mushroom exposures attributable to Amanita phalloides. High mortality rate in intoxications with these mushrooms is principally a result of the acute liver failure following significant hepatocyte damage due to hepatocellular uptake of amatoxins. A wide variety of amatoxins have been isolated; however, alpha-amanitin (alpha-AMA appears to be the primary toxin. Studies in vitro and in vivo suggest that alpha-AMA does not only cause hepatocyte necrosis, but also may lead to apoptotic cell death. The objective of this study was to evaluate the complex hepatocyte apoptosis in alpha-AMA cytotoxicity. All experiments were performed on primary cultured canine hepatocytes. The cells were incubated for 12 h with alpha-AMA at a final concentration of 1, 5, 10 and 20 microM. Viability test (MTT assay, apoptosis evaluation (TUNEL reaction, detection of DNA laddering and electron microscopy were performed at 6 and 12 h of exposure to alpha-AMA. There was a clear correlation between hepatocyte viability, concentration of alpha-AMA and time of exposure to this toxin. The decline in cultured dog hepatocyte viability during the exposure to alpha-AMA is most likely preceded by enhanced cellular apoptosis. Our results demonstrate that apoptosis might contribute to pathogenesis of the severe liver injury in the course of amanitin intoxication, particularly during the early phase of poisoning.

  20. Upgradation in SCADA and PLC of existing LN_2 control system for SST-1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Panchal, Pradip; Mahesuria, Gaurang; Panchal, Rohit; Patel, Rakesh; Sonara, Dashrath; Pitroda, Dipen; Nimavat, Hiren; Tanna, Vipul; Pradhan, Subrata

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • The control system of LN_2 Management System of SST-1 is designed on PLC and SCADA. • The implementation and results of up-gradation in PLC and SCADA are reported. • The up-gradation in PLC and SCADA has improved the reliability & availability of SST-1 LN_2 system. - Abstract: Helium Refrigerator/Liquefier system of Steady State Superconducting Tokamak (SST-1) incorporates Liquid Nitrogen (LN_2) pre-cooling system. LN_2 is used for 80 K thermal shields of SST-1, current feeder system and integrated flow distribution and control system. The LN_2 management system is distributed system and requires automatic control. Initially LN_2 control system had Citect based Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Koyo make Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). With the passage of time and due to unavailability of their hardware, it is being obsoleted. So, the requirements of new PLC and SCADA systems have been envisaged to make uninterruptable operation of SST-1 cryogenic system. Therefore, Wonderware SCADA and Schneider Electric make PLC is programmed to replace Citect SCADA and Koyo PLC. New control features have been added in upgraded control system for better management of LN_2 system. This upgradation of SCADA and PLC is completed, tested successfully and in operation. Operational performance highlights of the new upgraded system are presented in this paper.

  1. Development and Application of POSAFE-Q PLC Platform

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, MyeongKyun; Song, SeungWhan; Yun, DongHwa

    2012-01-01

    The Safety-grade Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Platform named POSAFE-Q was developed so that it meets the requirements of the Safety Class 1E, Quality Class 1, and Seismic Category I. Development process of the POSAFE-Q software developed in accordance with software life cycles. The POSAFE-Q meets safety and suitability for design are based on digital I and C laws, guidelines and technical standards. The POSAFE-Q PLC obtained approval for Topical Report from the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission in Korea. (author)

  2. Towards Designing PLC Networks for Ubiquitous Connectivity in Enterprises

    OpenAIRE

    Ali, Kamran; Pefkianakis, Ioannis; Liu, Alex X.; Kim, Kyu-Han

    2016-01-01

    Powerline communication (PLC) provides inexpensive, secure and high speed network connectivity, by leveraging the existing power distribution networks inside the buildings. While PLC technology has the potential to improve connectivity and is considered a key enabler for sensing, control, and automation applications in enterprises, it has been mainly deployed for improving connectivity in homes. Deploying PLCs in enterprises is more challenging since the power distribution network is more com...

  3. Susceptibility of Phelipanche and Orobanche species to AAL-toxin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Zélicourt, Axel; Montiel, Grégory; Pouvreau, Jean-Bernard; Thoiron, Séverine; Delgrange, Sabine; Simier, Philippe; Delavault, Philippe

    2009-10-01

    Fusarium and Alternaria spp. are phytopathogenic fungi which are known to be virulent on broomrapes and to produce sphinganine-analog mycotoxins (SAMs). AAL-toxin is a SAM produced by Alternaria alternata which causes the inhibition of sphinganine N-acyltransferase, a key enzyme in sphingolipid biosynthesis, leading to accumulation of sphingoid bases. These long chain bases (LCBs) are determinant in the occurrence of programmed cell death (PCD) in susceptible plants. We showed that broomrapes are sensitive to AAL-toxin, which is not common plant behavior, and that AAL-toxin triggers cell death at the apex of the radicle as well as LCB accumulation and DNA laddering. We also demonstrated that three Lag1 homologs, encoding components of sphinganine N-acyltransferase in yeast, are present in the Orobanche cumana genome and two of them are mutated leading to an enhanced susceptibility to AAL-toxin. We therefore propose a model for the molecular mechanism governing broomrape susceptibility to the fungus Alternaria alternata.

  4. Protozoan Predation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Is Unaffected by the Carriage of Shiga Toxin-Encoding Bacteriophages.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carrie E Schmidt

    Full Text Available Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a food-borne bacterium that causes hemorrhagic diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome in humans. While cattle are a known source of E. coli O157:H7 exposure resulting in human infection, environmental reservoirs may also be important sources of infection for both cattle and humans. Bacteriophage-encoded Shiga toxins (Stx carried by E. coli O157:H7 may provide a selective advantage for survival of these bacteria in the environment, possibly through their toxic effects on grazing protozoa. To determine Stx effects on protozoan grazing, we co-cultured Paramecium caudatum, a common ciliate protozoon in cattle water sources, with multiple strains of Shiga-toxigenic E. coli O157:H7 and non-Shiga toxigenic cattle commensal E. coli. Over three days at ambient laboratory temperature, P. caudatum consistently reduced both E. coli O157:H7 and non-Shiga toxigenic E. coli populations by 1-3 log cfu. Furthermore, a wild-type strain of Shiga-toxigenic E. coli O157:H7 (EDL933 and isogenic mutants lacking the A subunit of Stx 2a, the entire Stx 2a-encoding bacteriophage, and/or the entire Stx 1-encoding bacteriophage were grazed with similar efficacy by both P. caudatum and Tetrahymena pyriformis (another ciliate protozoon. Therefore, our data provided no evidence of a protective effect of either Stx or the products of other bacteriophage genes on protozoan predation of E. coli. Further research is necessary to determine if the grazing activity of naturally-occurring protozoa in cattle water troughs can serve to decrease cattle exposure to E. coli O157:H7 and other Shiga-toxigenic E. coli.

  5. Application of PLC in the crane control system of MJTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Ziqiang; Ji Xiangdong

    2004-01-01

    The paper describes the application of PLC (Programmable Controller) in the control system of the bridge crane. PLC is the essential part of the control system, which uses some equipment such as frequency transformer and photoelectric switch to implement remote, manual and automatic centering functions. This paper emphasizes the programming of the automatic hole centering

  6. Wavelet-OFDM Signal Transmission Characteristics with High-Speed PLC Modem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakagawa, Kenichi; Tokuda, Masamitsu; Igata, Yuji

    In this paper, we measured the interference immunity characteristics of high-speed PLC system using Wavelet-OFDM when the narrowband conducted interference wave signal was injected. As the results, it was clear that (1) measured PHY rate at the all frequency band hardly decreased in C/I (Carrier to Interference ratio) of above 20dB, but began to decrease rapidly in C/I of below 0dB when the interference signal was injected in the frequency band of high-speed PLC signal, (2) when C/I became from 0dB to -20dB, the measured PHY rate at the frequency existing the notch band were improved around 10Mbps than that at the frequency not existing the notch band, (3) when the narrowband interference wave was injected outside of frequency band of high-speed PLC signal, the measured PHY rate did not decrease than that in each notch band. Therefore, it was revealed that high-speed PLC system using Wavelet-OFDM had good interference immunity characteristics.

  7. Compensatory increase in alpha 1-globin gene expression in individuals heterozygous for the alpha-thalassemia-2 deletion.

    OpenAIRE

    Liebhaber, S A; Cash, F E; Main, D M

    1985-01-01

    alpha-Globin is encoded by the two adjacent genes, alpha 1 and alpha 2. Although it is clearly established that both alpha-globin genes are expressed, their relative contributions to alpha-globin messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein synthesis are not fully defined. Furthermore, changes that may occur in alpha-globin gene activity secondarily to the loss of function of one or more of these genes (alpha-thalassemia [Thal]) have not been directly investigated. This study further defines the expressi...

  8. Machine interlock and protection system based on PLC for the SSRF linac

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chou Wenjun; Zhou Dayong; Chen Jianfeng; Shen Liren; Liu Yajuan

    2008-01-01

    This paper describes a machine interlock and protection system used for accelerators based on EPICS (Experimental physics and industrial control system). The system is composed of a front-end computer and an FM-3R logic controller PLC. The alarm signal is passed by the hardware directly, and would be deal with PLC. The reporting, recording and analyst of the event are accomplished by EPICS control software. And PLC is linked to the EPICS by Internet. (authors)

  9. 77 FR 75831 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-26

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... certain serial numbers (S/Ns) of Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 768-60, 772- 60, and 772B-60 turbofan... use any of the RB211-Trent 768-60, 772-60, and 772B-60 turbofan engines listed by S/N in this AD...

  10. Application of Kingview and PLC in friction durability test system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Yinhan; Cui, Jing; Yang, Kaiyu; Ke, Hui; Song, Bing

    2013-01-01

    Using PLC and Kingview software, a friction durability test system is designed. The overall program, hardware configuration, software structure and monitoring interface are described in detail. PLC ensures the stability of data acquisition, and the KingView software makes the HMI easy to manipulate. The practical application shows that the proposed system is cheap, economical and highly reliable.

  11. Possible mistranslation of Shiga toxin from pathogenic Escherichia coli as measured by MALDI-TOF and Orbitrap mass spectrometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    RATIONALE: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are often subjected to DNA damaging antibiotics during culturing in order to elicit the bacterial SOS response and up-regulation of bacteriophage-encoded proteins including Shiga toxin (Stx). However, such antibiotic exposure and stress may al...

  12. GDP-L-fucose: .beta.-D-galactoside 2-.alpha.-L-fucosyltransferases, DNA sequences encoding the same, method for producing the same and a method of genotyping a person

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lowe, John B.; Lennon, Gregory; Rouquier, Sylvie; Giorgi, Dominique; Kelly, Robert J.

    1998-01-01

    The gene encoding GDP-L-fucose: .beta.-D-Galactoside 2-.alpha.-L-fucosyltransferase has been cloned, and a mutation in this gene has been found to be responsible for an individual being a non-secretor.

  13. 76 FR 65136 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-20

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA... information identified in this AD, contact Rolls-Royce plc, Corporate Communications, P.O. Box 31, Derby... 8, 2011, to perform the inspection. Costs of Compliance Based on the service information, we...

  14. Lysionotin attenuates Staphylococcus aureus pathogenicity by inhibiting α-toxin expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teng, Zihao; Shi, Dongxue; Liu, Huanyu; Shen, Ziying; Zha, Yonghong; Li, Wenhua; Deng, Xuming; Wang, Jianfeng

    2017-09-01

    α-Toxin, one of the best known pore-forming proteins produced by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), is a critical virulence factor in multiple infections. The necessity of α-toxin for S. aureus pathogenicity suggests that this toxin is an important target for the development of a potential treatment strategy. In this study, we showed that lysionotin, a natural compound, can inhibit the hemolytic activity of culture supernatants by S. aureus by reducing α-toxin expression. Using real-time PCR analysis, we showed that transcription of hla (the gene encoding α-toxin) and agr (the locus regulating hla) was significantly inhibited by lysionotin. Lactate dehydrogenase and live/dead assays indicated that lysionotin effectively protected human alveolar epithelial cells against S. aureus, and in vivo studies also demonstrated that lysionotin can protect mice from pneumonia caused by S. aureus. These findings suggest that lysionotin is an efficient inhibitor of α-toxin expression and shows significant protection against S. aureus in vitro and in vivo. This study supports a potential strategy for the treatment of S. aureus infection by inhibiting the expression of virulence factors and indicates that lysionotin may be a potential treatment for S. aureus pneumonia.

  15. Lysogeny with Shiga Toxin 2-Encoding Bacteriophages Represses Type III Secretion in Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xuefang; McAteer, Sean P.; Tree, Jai J.; Shaw, Darren J.; Wolfson, Eliza B. K.; Beatson, Scott A.; Roe, Andrew J.; Allison, Lesley J.; Chase-Topping, Margo E.; Mahajan, Arvind; Tozzoli, Rosangela; Woolhouse, Mark E. J.; Morabito, Stefano; Gally, David L.

    2012-01-01

    Lytic or lysogenic infections by bacteriophages drive the evolution of enteric bacteria. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) have recently emerged as a significant zoonotic infection of humans with the main serotypes carried by ruminants. Typical EHEC strains are defined by the expression of a type III secretion (T3S) system, the production of Shiga toxins (Stx) and association with specific clinical symptoms. The genes for Stx are present on lambdoid bacteriophages integrated into the E. coli genome. Phage type (PT) 21/28 is the most prevalent strain type linked with human EHEC infections in the United Kingdom and is more likely to be associated with cattle shedding high levels of the organism than PT32 strains. In this study we have demonstrated that the majority (90%) of PT 21/28 strains contain both Stx2 and Stx2c phages, irrespective of source. This is in contrast to PT 32 strains for which only a minority of strains contain both Stx2 and 2c phages (28%). PT21/28 strains had a lower median level of T3S compared to PT32 strains and so the relationship between Stx phage lysogeny and T3S was investigated. Deletion of Stx2 phages from EHEC strains increased the level of T3S whereas lysogeny decreased T3S. This regulation was confirmed in an E. coli K12 background transduced with a marked Stx2 phage followed by measurement of a T3S reporter controlled by induced levels of the LEE-encoded regulator (Ler). The presence of an integrated Stx2 phage was shown to repress Ler induction of LEE1 and this regulation involved the CII phage regulator. This repression could be relieved by ectopic expression of a cognate CI regulator. A model is proposed in which Stx2-encoding bacteriophages regulate T3S to co-ordinate epithelial cell colonisation that is promoted by Stx and secreted effector proteins. PMID:22615557

  16. aguA, the gene encoding an extracellular alpha-glucuronidase from Aspergillus tubingensis, is specifically induced on xylose and not on glucuronic acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Vries, R P; Poulsen, C H; Madrid, S; Visser, J

    1998-01-01

    An extracellular alpha-glucuronidase was purified and characterized from a commercial Aspergillus preparation and from culture filtrate of Aspergillus tubingensis. The enzyme has a molecular mass of 107 kDa as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 112 kDa as determined by mass spectrometry, has a determined pI just below 5.2, and is stable at pH 6.0 for prolonged times. The pH optimum for the enzyme is between 4.5 and 6.0, and the temperature optimum is 70 degrees C. The alpha-glucuronidase is active mainly on small substituted xylo-oligomers but is also able to release a small amount of 4-O-methylglucuronic acid from birchwood xylan. The enzyme acts synergistically with endoxylanases and beta-xylosidase in the hydrolysis of xylan. The enzyme is N glycosylated and contains 14 putative N-glycosylation sites. The gene encoding this alpha-glucuronidase (aguA) was cloned from A. tubingensis. It consists of an open reading frame of 2,523 bp and contains no introns. The gene codes for a protein of 841 amino acids, containing a eukaryotic signal sequence of 20 amino acids. The mature protein has a predicted molecular mass of 91,790 Da and a calculated pI of 5.13. Multiple copies of the gene were introduced in A. tubingensis, and expression was studied in a highly overproducing transformant. The aguA gene was expressed on xylose, xylobiose, and xylan, similarly to genes encoding endoxylanases, suggesting a coordinate regulation of expression of xylanases and alpha-glucuronidase. Glucuronic acid did not induce the expression of aguA and also did not modulate the expression on xylose. Addition of glucose prevented expression of aguA on xylan but only reduced the expression on xylose.

  17. 78 FR 54149 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-03

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA... service information identified in this AD, contact Rolls-Royce plc, Corporate Communications, P.O. Box 31... per hour. Replacement parts are estimated to cost about $2,271 per engine. Based on these figures, we...

  18. The occurrence of Photorhabdus-like toxin complexes in Bacillus thuringiensis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Recently, genomic sequencing of a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) isolate from our collection revealed the presence of an apparent operon encoding an insecticidal toxin complex (Tca) similar to that first described from the entomopathogen Photorhabdus luminescens. To determine whether these genes are w...

  19. The role of Campylobacter jejuni cytolethal distending toxin in gastroenteritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mortensen, Ninell P; Schiellerup, Peter; Boisen, Nadia

    2011-01-01

    The role of Campylobacter jejuni cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) on clinical outcome after gastroenteritis was investigated. Clinical data, blood serum samples, and Campylobacter spp. isolated, from each of 30 patients were collected over a period of 6 months. The CDT encoding genes, cdt...

  20. Normal and pathological NMR imaging aspects of the posterolateral corner (PLC) of the knee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tardieu, M.; Lazennec, J.Y.; Christel, P.; Brasseur, J.L.; Roger, B.; Grenier, P.

    1995-01-01

    The purpose of the study is to compare normal PLC (limits lateral condyle anterior sub luxation) anatomy and its magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearance, with the various lesions observed in MRI, from the simple popliteus tendinous contusion to the complete PLC rupture. For this specific work on PLC lesions, we selected 61 examinations among the traumatic knees explored during the last 3 years. Surgical correlation is obtained for the 61 patients. MRI examinations are performed on a 0.5 T. unit. Normal PLC anatomy is compared to the dissection of 4 anatomic subjects. Normal MRI slices are evaluated with this reference analysis. The principle anatomical structures of the PLC include the lateral collateral ligament, the popliteus tendon, the arcuate ligament, the fabello fibular ligament, the posterolateral condylar capsule, and the posterior horn of the lateral meniscus. Surgical findings confirm PLC lesion for 58 patients with 3 false positive. Diagnosis of these lesions is important because chronical posterolateral laxity is secondary to the destabilization of lateral condyle. Unrecognized and untreated posterolateral instability may result in failure of ACL (limits lateral condyle posterior sub-luxation) reconstruction. When clinical tests are doubtful or complex, or the examination very painful, MRI evaluates completely the traumatic knee and particularly the PLC. (authors). 3 refs., 26 figs

  1. Fc gamma receptor activation induces the tyrosine phosphorylation of both phospholipase C (PLC)-gamma 1 and PLC-gamma 2 in natural killer cells

    OpenAIRE

    1992-01-01

    Crosslinking of the low affinity immunoglobulin G (IgG) Fc receptor (Fc gamma R type III) on natural killer (NK) cells initiates antibody- dependent cellular cytotoxicity. During this process, Fc gamma R stimulation results in the rapid activation of phospholipase C (PLC), which hydrolyzes membrane phosphoinositides, generating inositol-1,4,5- trisphosphate and sn-1,2-diacylglycerol as second messengers. We have recently reported that PLC activation after Fc gamma R stimulation can be inhibit...

  2. New binding site on common molecular scaffold provides HERG channel specificity of scorpion toxin BeKm-1

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Korolkova, Yuliya V; Bocharov, Eduard V; Angelo, Kamilla

    2002-01-01

    The scorpion toxin BeKm-1 is unique among a variety of known short scorpion toxins affecting potassium channels in its selective action on ether-a-go-go-related gene (ERG)-type channels. BeKm-1 shares the common molecular scaffold with other short scorpion toxins. The toxin spatial structure...... resolved by NMR consists of a short alpha-helix and a triple-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet. By toxin mutagenesis study we identified the residues that are important for the binding of BeKm-1 to the human ERG K+ (HERG) channel. The most critical residues (Tyr-11, Lys-18, Arg-20, Lys-23) are located...

  3. Design and implementation of tutorials for PLC B&R Automation

    OpenAIRE

    Sýkora, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    Tato bakalářská práce se zabývá návrhem a realizací úloh pro PLC B&R a podrobným návodem práce v Automation Studio. Obsahuje také informace o firmě B&R Automation Ges. m. b. H. a jejích produktech. Návrh úloh probíhal ve vývojovém prostředí B&R Automation Studio. Praktická úloha na regulaci teploty byla řešena a odzkoušena na B&R PLC X20. This bachelor’s thesis deals with the design and the implementation tutorials for PLC B&R as well as the detailed instructions of work in the Automation ...

  4. The Design and Realization of Virtual Machine of Embedded Soft PLC Running System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qingzhao Zeng

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Currently soft PLC has been the focus of study object for many countries. Soft PLC system consists of the developing system and running system. A Virtual Machine is an important part in running system even in the whole soft PLC system. It explains and performs intermediate code generated by the developing system and updates I/O status of PLC in order to complete its control function. This paper introduced the implementation scheme and execution process of the embedded soft PLC running system Virtual Machine, and mainly introduced its software implementation method, including the realization of the input sampling program, the realization of the instruction execution program and the realization of output refresh program. Besides, an operation code matching method was put forward in the instruction execution program design. Finally, the test takes PowerPC/P1010 (Freescale as the hardware platform and Vxworks as the operating system, the system test result shows that accuracy, the real-time performance and reliability of Virtual Machine.

  5. Nicotinic cholinergic receptor in brain detected by binding of. cap alpha. -(/sup 3/H)bungarotoxin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eterovic, V A; Bennett, E L

    1974-01-01

    ..cap alpha..-(/sup 3/H)bungarotoxin was prepared by catalytic reduction of iodinated ..cap alpha..-bungarotoxin with tritium gas. Crude mitochondrial fraction from rat cerebral cortex bound 40 x 10/sup -15/ to 60 x 10/sup -15/ moles of ..cap alpha..-(/sup 3/H)bungarotoxin per mg of protein. This binding was reduced by 50% in the presence of approx. 10/sup -6/ M d-tubocurarine or nicotine, 10/sup -5/ M acetylcholine, 10/sup -4/ M carbamylcholine or decamethonium or 10/sup -3/ M atropine. Hexamethonium and eserine were the least effective of the drugs tested. Crude mitochondrial fraction was separated into myelin, nerve endings, and mitochondria. The highest binding of toxin per mg of protein was found in nerve endings, as well as the greatest inhibition of toxin binding by d-tubocurarine. Binding of ..cap alpha..-(/sup 3/H)bungarotoxin to membranes obtained by osmotic shock of the crude mitochondrial fraction indicates that the receptor for the toxin is membrane bound. /sup 125/I-labeled ..cap alpha..-bungarotoxin, prepared with Na/sup 125/I and chloramine T, was highly specific for the acetylcholine receptor in diaphragm, however, it was less specific and less reliable than ..cap alpha..-(/sup 3/H)bungarotoxin in brain. It is concluded that a nicotinic cholinergic receptor exists in brain, and that ..cap alpha..-(/sup 3/H)bungarotoxin is a suitable probe for this receptor.

  6. Application of PLC to mine hoist

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zheng Liquan

    2003-01-01

    This paper describes the reform of the hoister JMK 1.85 x 4 (B) with programmable logic controller (PLC), introduces hardware architecture, software architecture and interference protection measures, and presents the existential problems and suggestions for improvement

  7. Comparative genomics and stx phage characterization of LEE-negative Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan Renee Steyert

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Infection by Escherichia coli and Shigella species are among the leading causes of death due to diarrheal disease in the world. Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC that do not encode the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE-negative STEC often possess Shiga toxin gene variants and have been isolated from humans and a variety of animal sources. In this study, we compare the genomes of nine LEE-negative STEC harboring various stx alleles with four complete reference LEE-positive STEC isolates. Compared to a representative collection of prototype E. coli and Shigella isolates representing each of the pathotypes, the whole genome phylogeny demonstrated that these isolates are diverse. Whole genome comparative analysis of the 13 genomes revealed that in addition to the absence of the LEE pathogenicity island, phage encoded genes including non-LEE encoded effectors, were absent from all nine LEE-negative STEC genomes. Several plasmid-encoded virulence factors reportedly identified in LEE-negative STEC isolates were identified in only a subset of the nine LEE-negative isolates further confirming the diversity of this group. In combination with whole genome analysis, we characterized the lambdoid phages harboring the various stx alleles and determined their genomic insertion sites. Although the integrase gene sequence corresponded with genomic location, it was not correlated with stx variant, further highlighting the mosaic nature of these phages. The transcription of these phages in different genomic backgrounds was examined. Expression of the Shiga toxin genes, stx1 and/or stx2, as well as the Q genes, were examined with quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR assays. A wide range of basal and induced toxin induction was observed. Overall, this is a first significant foray into the genome space of this unexplored group of emerging and divergent pathogens.

  8. Voltage Control System of A DC Generator Using PLC

    OpenAIRE

    Subrata CHATTOPADHYAY; Sagarika PAL

    2008-01-01

    The voltage control system of a DC generator may suffer from high frequency oscillations without offset or low frequency oscillation with offset. A PID controller can eliminate both these errors. In the present paper, the voltage control system of a DC generator using a PLC based PID controller has been designed. Operation of PLC as a continuous controller has been described and the load characteristic of DC generator with and without controller have been determined experimentally and reporte...

  9. Intelligent Traffic Light Based on PLC Control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mei, Lin; Zhang, Lijian; Wang, Lingling

    2017-11-01

    The traditional traffic light system with a fixed control mode and single control function is contradicted with the current traffic section. The traditional one has been unable to meet the functional requirements of the existing flexible traffic control system. This paper research and develop an intelligent traffic light called PLC control system. It uses PLC as control core, using a sensor module for receiving real-time information of vehicles, traffic control mode for information to select the traffic lights. Of which control mode is flexible and changeable, and it also set the countdown reminder to improve the effectiveness of traffic lights, which can realize the goal of intelligent traffic diversion, intelligent traffic diversion.

  10. Two highly divergent lineages of exfoliative toxin B-encoding plasmids revealed in impetigo strains of Staphylococcus aureus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Botka, Tibor; Růžičková, Vladislava; Svobodová, Karla; Pantůček, Roman; Petráš, Petr; Čejková, Darina; Doškař, Jiří

    2017-09-01

    Exfoliative toxin B (ETB) encoded by some large plasmids plays a crucial role in epidermolytic diseases caused by Staphylococcus aureus. We have found as yet unknown types of etb gene-positive plasmids isolated from a set of impetigo strains implicated in outbreaks of pemphigus neonatorum in Czech maternity hospitals. Plasmids from the strains of clonal complex CC121 were related to archetypal plasmid pETB TY4 . Sharing a 33-kb core sequence including virulence genes for ETB, EDIN C, and lantibiotics, they were assigned to a stand-alone lineage, named pETB TY4 -based plasmids. Differing from each other in the content of variable DNA regions, they formed four sequence types. In addition to them, a novel unique plasmid pETB608 isolated from a strain of ST130 was described. Carrying conjugative cluster genes, as well as new variants of etb and edinA genes, pETB608 could be regarded as a source of a new lineage of ETB plasmids. We have designed a helpful detection assay, which facilitates the precise identification of the all described types of ETB plasmids. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  11. A formal safety analysis for PLC software-based safety critical system using Z

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koh, Jung Soo

    1997-02-01

    This paper describes a formal safety analysis technique which is demonstrated by performing empirical formal safety analysis with the case study of beamline hutch door Interlock system that is developed by using PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) systems at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory. In order to perform formal safety analysis, we have built the Z formal specifications representation from user requirement written in ambiguous natural language and target PLC ladder logic, respectively. We have also studied the effective method to express typical PLC timer component by using specific Z formal notation which is supported by temporal history. We present a formal proof technique specifying and verifying that the hazardous states are not introduced into ladder logic in the PLC-based safety critical system. And also, we have found that some errors or mismatches in user requirement and final implemented PLC ladder logic while analyzing the process of the consistency and completeness of Z translated formal specifications. In the case of relatively small systems like Beamline hutch door interlock system, a formal safety analysis including explicit proof is highly recommended so that the safety of PLC-based critical system may be enhanced and guaranteed. It also provides a helpful benefits enough to comprehend user requirement expressed by ambiguous natural language

  12. Implementation of PID autotuning procedure in PLC controller

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniun Marcin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we present the automatic PID tuning procedure based on the Method of Moments and AMIGO tuning rules. The advantage of the Method of Moments is that the time constant and transport delay are estimated at the areas rather than on the individual points. This results in high resistance to the measurement noises. The sensitivity to measurement noises is a serious problem in other autotuning methods. The second advantage of this method is that it approximates plant during identification process to first order model with time delay. We combined the Method of Moments with the AMIGO tuning rules and implemented this combination as a stand-alone autotuning procedure in Siemens S7-1200 PLC controller. Next, we compared this method with two built-in PID autotuning procedures which were available in Siemens S7-1200 PLC controller. The procedure was tested for three types of plant models: with lag-dominated, balanced, and delay-dominated dynamics. We simulated the plants on a PC in Matlab R2013a. The connection between the PC and PLC was maintained through a National Instruments data acquisition board, NI PCI-6229. We conducted tests for step change in the set point, trajectory tracking, and load disturbances. To assess control quality, we used IAE index. We limited our research to PI algorithm. The results prove that proposed method was better than two built-in tuning methods provided by Siemens, oscillating between a few and even a dozen percent in most cases. The proposed method is universal and can be implemented in any PLC controller.

  13. Upgradation in SCADA and PLC of existing LN{sub 2} control system for SST-1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Panchal, Pradip, E-mail: pradip@ipr.res.in; Mahesuria, Gaurang; Panchal, Rohit; Patel, Rakesh; Sonara, Dashrath; Pitroda, Dipen; Nimavat, Hiren; Tanna, Vipul; Pradhan, Subrata

    2016-11-15

    Highlights: • The control system of LN{sub 2} Management System of SST-1 is designed on PLC and SCADA. • The implementation and results of up-gradation in PLC and SCADA are reported. • The up-gradation in PLC and SCADA has improved the reliability & availability of SST-1 LN{sub 2} system. - Abstract: Helium Refrigerator/Liquefier system of Steady State Superconducting Tokamak (SST-1) incorporates Liquid Nitrogen (LN{sub 2}) pre-cooling system. LN{sub 2} is used for 80 K thermal shields of SST-1, current feeder system and integrated flow distribution and control system. The LN{sub 2} management system is distributed system and requires automatic control. Initially LN{sub 2} control system had Citect based Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Koyo make Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). With the passage of time and due to unavailability of their hardware, it is being obsoleted. So, the requirements of new PLC and SCADA systems have been envisaged to make uninterruptable operation of SST-1 cryogenic system. Therefore, Wonderware SCADA and Schneider Electric make PLC is programmed to replace Citect SCADA and Koyo PLC. New control features have been added in upgraded control system for better management of LN{sub 2} system. This upgradation of SCADA and PLC is completed, tested successfully and in operation. Operational performance highlights of the new upgraded system are presented in this paper.

  14. Model-based automated testing of critical PLC programs.

    CERN Document Server

    Fernández Adiego, B; Tournier, J-C; González Suárez, V M; Bliudze, S

    2014-01-01

    Testing of critical PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) programs remains a challenging task for control system engineers as it can rarely be automated. This paper proposes a model based approach which uses the BIP (Behavior, Interactions and Priorities) framework to perform automated testing of PLC programs developed with the UNICOS (UNified Industrial COntrol System) framework. This paper defines the translation procedure and rules from UNICOS to BIP which can be fully automated in order to hide the complexity of the underlying model from the control engineers. The approach is illustrated and validated through the study of a water treatment process.

  15. Tobacco plants transformed with the bean. alpha. ai gene express an inhibitor of insect. alpha. -amylase in their seeds. [Nicotiana tabacum; Tenebrio molitor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Altabella, T.; Chrispeels, M.J. (Univ. of California, San Diego, La Jolla (USA))

    1990-06-01

    Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seeds contain a putative plant defense protein that inhibits insect and mammalian but not plant {alpha}-amylases. We recently presented strong circumstantial evidence that this {alpha}-amylase inhibitor ({alpha}Al) is encoded by an already-identified lectin gene whose product is referred to as lectin-like-protein (LLP). We have now made a chimeric gene consisting of the coding sequence of the lectin gene that encodes LLP and the 5{prime} and 3{prime} flanking sequences of the lectin gene that encodes phytohemagglutinin-L. When this chimeric gene was expressed in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), we observed in the seeds a series of polypeptides (M{sub r} 10,000-18,000) that cross-react with antibodies to the bean {alpha}-amylase inhibitor. Most of these polypeptides bind to a pig pancreas {alpha}-amylase affinity column. An extract of the seeds of the transformed tobacco plants inhibits pig pancreas {alpha}-amylase activity as well as the {alpha}-amylase present in the midgut of Tenebrio molitor. We suggest that introduction of this lectin gene (to be called {alpha}ai) into other leguminous plants may be a strategy to protect the seeds from the seed-eating larvae of Coleoptera.

  16. The MazEF Toxin-Antitoxin System Alters the β-Lactam Susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher F Schuster

    Full Text Available Toxin-antitoxin (TA systems are genetic elements of prokaryotes which encode a stable toxin and an unstable antitoxin that can counteract toxicity. TA systems residing on plasmids are often involved in episomal maintenance whereas those on chromosomes can have multiple functions. The opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus possesses at least four different families of TA systems but their physiological roles are elusive. The chromosomal mazEF system encodes the RNase toxin MazF and the antitoxin MazE. In the light of ambiguity regarding the cleavage activity, we here verify that MazF specifically targets UACAU sequences in S. aureus in vivo. In a native strain background and under non-stress conditions, cleavage was observed in the absence or presence of mazE. Transcripts of spa (staphylococcal protein A and rsbW (anti-σB factor were cut, but translational reporter fusions indicated that protein levels of the encoded products were unaffected. Despite a comparable growth rate as the wild-type, an S. aureus mazEF deletion mutant was more susceptible to β-lactam antibiotics, which suggests that further genes, putatively involved in the antibiotic stress response or cell wall synthesis or turnover, are controlled by this TA system.

  17. A formal safety analysis for PLC software-based safety critical system using Z

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koh, Jung Soo; Seong, Poong Hyun

    1997-01-01

    This paper describes a formal safety analysis technique which is demonstrated by performing empirical formal safety analysis with the case study of beamline hutch door Interlock system that is developed by using PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) systems at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory. In order to perform formed safety analysis, we have built the Z formal specifications representation from user requirement written in ambiguous natural language and target PLC ladder logic, respectively. We have also studied the effective method to express typical PLC timer component by using specific Z formal notation which is supported by temporal history. We present a formal proof technique specifying and verifying that the hazardous states are not introduced into ladder logic in the PLC-based safety critical system

  18. MultiController: the PLC-SCADA object for advanced regulation

    CERN Document Server

    Ortola, J

    2007-01-01

    Nowadays, industrial solutions with PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) have basic control loop features. The SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) system is a key point of the process control system due to an efficient HMI (Human Machine Interfaces) that provides an open method of tuning and leading possibilities. As a consequence, advanced control algorithms have to be developed and implemented for those PLC-SCADA solutions in order to provide perspectives in solving complex and critical regulation problems. The MultiController is an object integrated for a large scale project at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) named LHC-GCS (Large Hadron Collider - Gas Control System). It is developed for a Framework called CERN-UNICOS based on PLC-SCADA facilities. The MultiController object offers various advanced control loop strategies. It gives to the user advanced control algorithms like PID, Smith Predictor, PFC, GPC and RST. It is implemented as a monolithic entity (in PLC and SCA...

  19. Voltage Control System of A DC Generator Using PLC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Subrata CHATTOPADHYAY

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available The voltage control system of a DC generator may suffer from high frequency oscillations without offset or low frequency oscillation with offset. A PID controller can eliminate both these errors. In the present paper, the voltage control system of a DC generator using a PLC based PID controller has been designed. Operation of PLC as a continuous controller has been described and the load characteristic of DC generator with and without controller have been determined experimentally and reported in this paper.

  20. Regulating Toxin-Antitoxin Expression: Controlled Detonation of Intracellular Molecular Timebombs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Finbarr Hayes

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Genes for toxin-antitoxin (TA complexes are widely disseminated in bacteria, including in pathogenic and antibiotic resistant species. The toxins are liberated from association with the cognate antitoxins by certain physiological triggers to impair vital cellular functions. TAs also are implicated in antibiotic persistence, biofilm formation, and bacteriophage resistance. Among the ever increasing number of TA modules that have been identified, the most numerous are complexes in which both toxin and antitoxin are proteins. Transcriptional autoregulation of the operons encoding these complexes is key to ensuring balanced TA production and to prevent inadvertent toxin release. Control typically is exerted by binding of the antitoxin to regulatory sequences upstream of the operons. The toxin protein commonly works as a transcriptional corepressor that remodels and stabilizes the antitoxin. However, there are notable exceptions to this paradigm. Moreover, it is becoming clear that TA complexes often form one strand in an interconnected web of stress responses suggesting that their transcriptional regulation may prove to be more intricate than currently understood. Furthermore, interference with TA gene transcriptional autoregulation holds considerable promise as a novel antibacterial strategy: artificial release of the toxin factor using designer drugs is a potential approach to induce bacterial suicide from within.

  1. Interactions of foot-and-mouth disease virus with soluble bovine alphaVbeta3 and alphaVbeta6 integrins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duque, Hernando; LaRocco, Michael; Golde, William T; Baxt, Barry

    2004-09-01

    At least four members of the integrin family of receptors, alphaVbeta1, alphaVbeta3, alphaVbeta6, and alphaVbeta8, have been identified as receptors for foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in vitro. Our investigators have recently shown that the efficiency of receptor usage appears to be related to the viral serotype and may be influenced by structural differences on the viral surface (H. Duque and B. Baxt, J. Virol. 77:2500-2511, 2003). To further examine these differences, we generated soluble alphaVbeta3 and alphaVbeta6 integrins. cDNA plasmids encoding the individual complete integrin alphaV, beta3, and beta6 subunits were used to amplify sequences encoding the subunits' signal peptide and ectodomain, resulting in subunits lacking transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. COS-1 cells were transfected with plasmids encoding the soluble alphaV subunit and either the soluble beta3 or beta6 subunit and labeled with [35S]methionine-cysteine. Complete subunit heterodimeric integrins were secreted into the medium, as determined by radioimmunoprecipitation with specific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. For the examination of the integrins' biological activities, stable cell lines producing the soluble integrins were generated in HEK 293A cells. In the presence of divalent cations, soluble alphaVbeta6 bound to representatives of type A or O viruses, immobilized on plastic dishes, and significantly inhibited viral replication, as determined by plaque reduction assays. In contrast, soluble alphaVbeta3 was unable to bind to immobilized virus of either serotype; however, virus bound to the immobilized integrin, suggesting that FMDV binding to alphaVbeta3 is a low-affinity interaction. In addition, soluble alphaVbeta3 did not neutralize virus infectivity. Incubation of soluble alphaVbeta6 with labeled type A12 or O1 resulted in a significant inhibition of virus adsorption to BHK cells, while soluble alphaVbeta3 caused a low (20 to 30%), but consistent, inhibition of virus

  2. Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 alters the sensitivity to interferon-based anticancer therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomimaru, Y; Eguchi, H; Wada, H; Noda, T; Murakami, M; Kobayashi, S; Marubashi, S; Takeda, Y; Tanemura, M; Umeshita, K; Doki, Y; Mori, M; Nagano, H

    2010-05-11

    A striking efficiency of interferon (IFN)-based anticancer therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been reported. Because its clinical efficiency greatly depends on each patient's local response, prediction of local response is crucial. Continuous exposure of IFN-alpha to parental PLC/PRF/5 cells (PLC-P) and a limiting dilution method resulted in the establishment of IFN-resistant cell clones (PLC-Rs). Microarray analyses of PLC-P and PLC-Rs identified insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) as one of the most significantly downregulated genes in PLC-Rs. Changes in anticancer effects of IFN-alpha were examined in HCC cells after genetic manipulation of IGFBP7 expression. The correlation between immunohistochemically determined IGFBP7 expression and the response to IFN-alpha/5-fluorouracil (5-FU) therapy was investigated in surgically resected HCC specimens. PLC-R cells showed a remarkable downregulation of IGFBP7 and resistance to IFN-alpha, compared with PLC-P. Parental PLC/PRF/5 cells transfected with short hairpin RNA against IGFBP7 showed a significant resistance to IFN-alpha relative to control cells (IC(50) fold increase=14.38 times). Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 transfection into PLC-R restored sensitivity to IFN-alpha. In resected specimens, IGFBP7 expression significantly correlated with the response to IFN-alpha/5-FU therapy. IGFBP7 could be a useful predictor of the response to IFN-based therapy in advanced HCC.

  3. AAU-Specific RNA Cleavage Mediated by MazF Toxin Endoribonuclease Conserved in Nitrosomonas europaea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatsuki Miyamoto

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Nitrosomonas europaea carries numerous toxin-antitoxin systems. However, despite the abundant representation in its chromosome, studies have not surveyed the underlying molecular functions in detail, and their biological roles remain enigmatic. In the present study, we found that a chromosomally-encoded MazF family member, predicted at the locus NE1181, is a functional toxin endoribonuclease, and constitutes a toxin-antitoxin system, together with its cognate antitoxin, MazE. Massive parallel sequencing provided strong evidence that this toxin endoribonuclease exhibits RNA cleavage activity, primarily against the AAU triplet. This sequence-specificity was supported by the results of fluorometric assays. Our results indicate that N. europaea alters the translation profile and regulates its growth using the MazF family of endoribonuclease under certain stressful conditions.

  4. LETHAL MUSHROOM TOXINS: ANALYSIS OF THE AMANITINS AND APPLICATION OF LATERAL FLOW IMMUNOASSAY

    OpenAIRE

    KAYA, Ertuğrul

    2018-01-01

    Deaths from mushroom poisoning, due to the ingestionofmushrooms containing amatoxins, seem to be increasingboth in Turkey andworldwide. The amatoxinsfound in Amanita phalloides (also called thedeath capmushroom) are most toxic agents, and they are responsible for more than 95% ofthe cases of deadlymushroom poisoning. Alpha amanitin is best known toxin ofthis group. Alpha amanitin analysis can be carried out with special methodssuch as chromatography and ELISA. ELISA method is suitable in orde...

  5. Transforming PLC Programs into Formal Models for Verification Purposes

    CERN Document Server

    Darvas, D; Blanco, E

    2013-01-01

    Most of CERN’s industrial installations rely on PLC-based (Programmable Logic Controller) control systems developed using the UNICOS framework. This framework contains common, reusable program modules and their correctness is a high priority. Testing is already applied to find errors, but this method has limitations. In this work an approach is proposed to transform automatically PLC programs into formal models, with the goal of applying formal verification to ensure their correctness. We target model checking which is a precise, mathematical-based method to check formalized requirements automatically against the system.

  6. Heterologous Expression of Toxins from Bacterial Toxin-Antitoxin Systems in Eukaryotic Cells: Strategies and Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeo, Chew Chieng; Abu Bakar, Fauziah; Chan, Wai Ting; Espinosa, Manuel; Harikrishna, Jennifer Ann

    2016-01-01

    Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are found in nearly all prokaryotic genomes and usually consist of a pair of co-transcribed genes, one of which encodes a stable toxin and the other, its cognate labile antitoxin. Certain environmental and physiological cues trigger the degradation of the antitoxin, causing activation of the toxin, leading either to the death or stasis of the host cell. TA systems have a variety of functions in the bacterial cell, including acting as mediators of programmed cell death, the induction of a dormant state known as persistence and the stable maintenance of plasmids and other mobile genetic elements. Some bacterial TA systems are functional when expressed in eukaryotic cells and this has led to several innovative applications, which are the subject of this review. Here, we look at how bacterial TA systems have been utilized for the genetic manipulation of yeasts and other eukaryotes, for the containment of genetically modified organisms, and for the engineering of high expression eukaryotic cell lines. We also examine how TA systems have been adopted as an important tool in developmental biology research for the ablation of specific cells and the potential for utility of TA systems in antiviral and anticancer gene therapies. PMID:26907343

  7. Heterologous Expression of Toxins from Bacterial Toxin-Antitoxin Systems in Eukaryotic Cells: Strategies and Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chew Chieng Yeo

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Toxin-antitoxin (TA systems are found in nearly all prokaryotic genomes and usually consist of a pair of co-transcribed genes, one of which encodes a stable toxin and the other, its cognate labile antitoxin. Certain environmental and physiological cues trigger the degradation of the antitoxin, causing activation of the toxin, leading either to the death or stasis of the host cell. TA systems have a variety of functions in the bacterial cell, including acting as mediators of programmed cell death, the induction of a dormant state known as persistence and the stable maintenance of plasmids and other mobile genetic elements. Some bacterial TA systems are functional when expressed in eukaryotic cells and this has led to several innovative applications, which are the subject of this review. Here, we look at how bacterial TA systems have been utilized for the genetic manipulation of yeasts and other eukaryotes, for the containment of genetically modified organisms, and for the engineering of high expression eukaryotic cell lines. We also examine how TA systems have been adopted as an important tool in developmental biology research for the ablation of specific cells and the potential for utility of TA systems in antiviral and anticancer gene therapies.

  8. Performance analysis of the PLC (Power Line Communication) in medium voltage electrical networks; Analise de desempenho de sistemas PLC em redes eletricas de media tensao

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mota, A.A.; Paleta, R. [Pontificia Universidade Catolica de Campinas (PUC-Campinas), SP (Brazil)], E-mail: amota@puc-campinas.edu.br; Mota, L.T.M.; Ricardo, R.A. [Indelmatec Engenharia, Campinas, SP (Brazil)], E-mail: mota@indelmatec.com.br

    2009-07-01

    Nowadays, the information access in communication networks is widely explored due to the increase of Internet users. In this context, the PLC (Power Line Communication) technology is an alternative for data transmission. This technology is based on the usage of transmission/distribution power lines for data transmission. However there are some problems related to the usage of this technology: adequate data transmission rates and generation of acceptable levels of electromagnetic interference (EMI). This work had the objective of studying the performance of PLC systems in medium voltage electrical networks, through the assess of data transmission rates and the generated EMI. Tests were carried out in a test field that corresponded to a medium voltage electrical network and the obtained results show that, under some circumstances, the PLC system does not reach the existent technical recommendations. (author)

  9. Temporal dynamics of attention during encoding vs. maintenance of working memory: complementary views from event-related potentials and alpha-band oscillations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myers, Nicholas E.; Walther, Lena; Wallis, George; Stokes, Mark G.; Nobre, Anna C.

    2015-01-01

    Working memory (WM) is strongly influenced by attention. In visual working-memory tasks, recall performance can be improved by an attention-guiding cue presented before encoding (precue) or during maintenance (retrocue). Although precues and retrocues recruit a similar fronto-parietal control network, the two are likely to exhibit some processing differences, since precues invite anticipation of upcoming information, while retrocues may guide prioritisation, protection, and selection of information already in mind. Here we explored the behavioral and electrophysiological differences between precueing and retrocueing in a new visual working-memory task designed to permit a direct comparison between cueing conditions. We found marked differences in event-related potential (ERP) profiles between the precue and retrocue conditions. In line with precues primarily generating an anticipatory shift of attention toward the location of an upcoming item, we found a robust lateralization in late cue-evoked potentials associated with target anticipation. Retrocues elicited a different pattern of ERPs that was compatible with an early selection mechanism, but not with stimulus anticipation. In contrast to the distinct ERP patterns, alpha band (8-14 Hz) lateralization was indistinguishable between cue types (reflecting, in both conditions, the location of the cued item). We speculate that whereas alpha-band lateralization after a precue is likely to enable anticipatory attention, lateralization after a retrocue may instead enable the controlled spatiotopic access to recently encoded visual information. PMID:25244118

  10. File list: Pol.Plc.50.RNA_polymerase_II.AllCell [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Pol.Plc.50.RNA_polymerase_II.AllCell hg19 RNA polymerase RNA polymerase II Placenta... http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Pol.Plc.50.RNA_polymerase_II.AllCell.bed ...

  11. File list: Pol.Plc.10.RNA_polymerase_II.AllCell [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Pol.Plc.10.RNA_polymerase_II.AllCell hg19 RNA polymerase RNA polymerase II Placenta... http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Pol.Plc.10.RNA_polymerase_II.AllCell.bed ...

  12. File list: Pol.Plc.05.RNA_polymerase_II.AllCell [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Pol.Plc.05.RNA_polymerase_II.AllCell hg19 RNA polymerase RNA polymerase II Placenta... http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Pol.Plc.05.RNA_polymerase_II.AllCell.bed ...

  13. File list: Pol.Plc.20.RNA_polymerase_II.AllCell [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Pol.Plc.20.RNA_polymerase_II.AllCell hg19 RNA polymerase RNA polymerase II Placenta... http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Pol.Plc.20.RNA_polymerase_II.AllCell.bed ...

  14. File list: Pol.Plc.50.RNA_Polymerase_III.AllCell [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

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  15. File list: Pol.Plc.20.RNA_polymerase_III.AllCell [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Pol.Plc.20.RNA_polymerase_III.AllCell hg19 RNA polymerase RNA polymerase III Placen...ta http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Pol.Plc.20.RNA_polymerase_III.AllCell.bed ...

  16. File list: Pol.Plc.10.RNA_polymerase_III.AllCell [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Pol.Plc.10.RNA_polymerase_III.AllCell hg19 RNA polymerase RNA polymerase III Placen...ta http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Pol.Plc.10.RNA_polymerase_III.AllCell.bed ...

  17. File list: Pol.Plc.05.RNA_polymerase_III.AllCell [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Pol.Plc.05.RNA_polymerase_III.AllCell hg19 RNA polymerase RNA polymerase III Placen...ta http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Pol.Plc.05.RNA_polymerase_III.AllCell.bed ...

  18. File list: Pol.Plc.50.RNA_polymerase_III.AllCell [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Pol.Plc.50.RNA_polymerase_III.AllCell hg19 RNA polymerase RNA polymerase III Placen...ta http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/Pol.Plc.50.RNA_polymerase_III.AllCell.bed ...

  19. 75 FR 46864 - Airworthiness Directives; Short Brothers PLC Model SD3 Airplanes

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-04

    ...-0225; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-203-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Short Brothers PLC... this proposed AD, contact Short Brothers PLC, Airworthiness, P.O. Box 241, Airport Road, Belfast, BT3... amend this proposed AD based on those comments. We will post all comments we receive, without change, to...

  20. Artificial activation of toxin-antitoxin systems as an antibacterial strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Julia J; Hergenrother, Paul J

    2012-06-01

    Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are unique modules that effect plasmid stabilization via post-segregational killing of the bacterial host. The genes encoding TA systems also exist on bacterial chromosomes, and it has been speculated that these are involved in a variety of cellular processes. Interest in TA systems has increased dramatically over the past 5 years as the ubiquitous nature of TA genes on bacterial genomes has been revealed. The exploitation of TA systems as an antibacterial strategy via artificial activation of the toxin has been proposed and has considerable potential; however, efforts in this area remain in the early stages and several major questions remain. This review investigates the tractability of targeting TA systems to kill bacteria, including fundamental requirements for success, recent advances, and challenges associated with artificial toxin activation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Fifth Baltic Sea pollution load compilation (PLC-5)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Knuuttila, S.; Svendsen, L. M.; Staaf, H.; Kotilainen, P.; Boutrup, S.; Pyhala, M.; Durkin, M.

    2011-07-01

    This report includes the main results from the Fifth Pollution Load Compilation abbreviated PLC-5. It includes quantified annual waterborne total loads (from rivers, unmonitored and coastal areas as well as direct point and diffuse sources discharging directly to the Baltic Sea) from 1994 to 2008 to provide a basis for evaluating any decreasing (or increasing) trends in the total waterborne inputs to the Baltic Sea. Chapter 1 contains the objectives of PLC and the framework on classification of inputs and sources. Chapter 2 includes a short description of the Baltic Sea catchment area, while the methods for quantification and analysis together with quality assurance topics are briefly introduced in Chapter 3. More detailed information on methodologies is presented in the PLC-5 guidelines (HELCOM 2006). Chapter 4 reports the total inputs to the Baltic Sea of nutrients and selected heavy metals. Furthermore, the results of the quatification of discharges and losses of nitrogen and phosphorus from point and diffuse sources into inland surface waters within the Baltic Sea catchment area (source-oriented approach or gross loads) as well as the total load to the maritime area (load-oriented approarch or net loads) in 2006 are shown. Typically, results are presented by country and by main Baltic Sea sub-region. In Chapter 5, flow normalization is introduced and the results of trend analyses on 1994-2008 time series data on total waterborne loads of nitrogen and phosphorus are given together with a first evaluation of progress in obtaining the provisional reduction targets by country and by main Baltic Sea sub-region. Chapter 6 includes discussion of some of the main conclusions and advice for future PLCs. The annexes contain the flow-normalized annual load data and figures and tables with results from the PLC-5.

  2. Crystal structure of the toxin Msmeg_6760, the structural homolog of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv2035, a novel type II toxin involved in the hypoxic response

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bajaj, R. Alexandra; Arbing, Mark A.; Shin, Annie; Cascio, Duilio; Miallau, Linda (UCLA)

    2016-11-19

    The structure of Msmeg_6760, a protein of unknown function, has been determined. Biochemical and bioinformatics analyses determined that Msmeg_6760 interacts with a protein encoded in the same operon, Msmeg_6762, and predicted that the operon is a toxin–antitoxin (TA) system. Structural comparison of Msmeg_6760 with proteins of known function suggests that Msmeg_6760 binds a hydrophobic ligand in a buried cavity lined by large hydrophobic residues. Access to this cavity could be controlled by a gate–latch mechanism. The function of the Msmeg_6760 toxin is unknown, but structure-based predictions revealed that Msmeg_6760 and Msmeg_6762 are homologous to Rv2034 and Rv2035, a predicted novel TA system involved inMycobacterium tuberculosislatency during macrophage infection. The Msmeg_6760 toxin fold has not been previously described for bacterial toxins and its unique structural features suggest that toxin activation is likely to be mediated by a novel mechanism.

  3. Diversification of a single ancestral gene into a successful toxin superfamily in highly venomous Australian funnel-web spiders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pineda, Sandy S; Sollod, Brianna L; Wilson, David; Darling, Aaron; Sunagar, Kartik; Undheim, Eivind A B; Kely, Laurence; Antunes, Agostinho; Fry, Bryan G; King, Glenn F

    2014-03-05

    Spiders have evolved pharmacologically complex venoms that serve to rapidly subdue prey and deter predators. The major toxic factors in most spider venoms are small, disulfide-rich peptides. While there is abundant evidence that snake venoms evolved by recruitment of genes encoding normal body proteins followed by extensive gene duplication accompanied by explosive structural and functional diversification, the evolutionary trajectory of spider-venom peptides is less clear. Here we present evidence of a spider-toxin superfamily encoding a high degree of sequence and functional diversity that has evolved via accelerated duplication and diversification of a single ancestral gene. The peptides within this toxin superfamily are translated as prepropeptides that are posttranslationally processed to yield the mature toxin. The N-terminal signal sequence, as well as the protease recognition site at the junction of the propeptide and mature toxin are conserved, whereas the remainder of the propeptide and mature toxin sequences are variable. All toxin transcripts within this superfamily exhibit a striking cysteine codon bias. We show that different pharmacological classes of toxins within this peptide superfamily evolved under different evolutionary selection pressures. Overall, this study reinforces the hypothesis that spiders use a combinatorial peptide library strategy to evolve a complex cocktail of peptide toxins that target neuronal receptors and ion channels in prey and predators. We show that the ω-hexatoxins that target insect voltage-gated calcium channels evolved under the influence of positive Darwinian selection in an episodic fashion, whereas the κ-hexatoxins that target insect calcium-activated potassium channels appear to be under negative selection. A majority of the diversifying sites in the ω-hexatoxins are concentrated on the molecular surface of the toxins, thereby facilitating neofunctionalisation leading to new toxin pharmacology.

  4. PLC and DTAM Software Programs for Pumping Instrumentation and Control Skid N

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    KOCH, M.R.

    2000-01-01

    This document describe the software programs for the Programmable Logic Controller and the Datable Access Module for Pumping Instrumentation and Control skid ''N''. The Appendices contains copies of the printouts of these software programs. This document describes the software programs for the Allen-Bradley SLC 500 programmable logic controller (PLC) and the Allen-Bradley DTAM PLUS operator interface module used on Pumping Instrumentation and Control (PIC) skid ''N''. The software programs for the SLC 500 and DTAM Plus are based on the core programs provided by Allen-Bradley. The PLC and DTAM software programs on skid ''D'' for SX-104 are the baseline programs. These baselines have been tailored for U-farm skids. The skid ''N'' program for U-109 is similar to the skid ''M'' program for U-102. An Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP) and an Operational Test Procedure (OTP) verify that the software programs meet the specific requirements for U-109 pumping. This document represents the final PLC and DTAM programs for PIC skid ''N'' at U-109. These programs were printed out after the performance of the OTP. The OTP acts as the final qualification test for the software programs. Functional requirements and details of the PLC ladder logic are described in this document. The final programs entered into the PLC and DTAM Plus are included as Appendices to this document

  5. Mechanisms of Action and Cell Death Associated with Clostridium perfringens Toxins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mauricio A. Navarro

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Clostridium perfringens uses its large arsenal of protein toxins to produce histotoxic, neurologic and intestinal infections in humans and animals. The major toxins involved in diseases are alpha (CPA, beta (CPB, epsilon (ETX, iota (ITX, enterotoxin (CPE, and necrotic B-like (NetB toxins. CPA is the main virulence factor involved in gas gangrene in humans, whereas its role in animal diseases is limited and controversial. CPB is responsible for necrotizing enteritis and enterotoxemia, mostly in neonatal individuals of many animal species, including humans. ETX is the main toxin involved in enterotoxemia of sheep and goats. ITX has been implicated in cases of enteritis in rabbits and other animal species; however, its specific role in causing disease has not been proved. CPE is responsible for human food-poisoning and non-foodborne C. perfringens-mediated diarrhea. NetB is the cause of necrotic enteritis in chickens. In most cases, host–toxin interaction starts on the plasma membrane of target cells via specific receptors, resulting in the activation of intracellular pathways with a variety of effects, commonly including cell death. In general, the molecular mechanisms of cell death associated with C. perfringens toxins involve features of apoptosis, necrosis and/or necroptosis.

  6. File list: InP.Plc.50.Input_control.AllCell [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available InP.Plc.50.Input_control.AllCell hg19 Input control Input control Placenta SRX19004...9,SRX080366 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/InP.Plc.50.Input_control.AllCell.bed ...

  7. File list: InP.Plc.05.Input_control.AllCell [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available InP.Plc.05.Input_control.AllCell hg19 Input control Input control Placenta SRX19004...9,SRX080366 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/assembled/InP.Plc.05.Input_control.AllCell.bed ...

  8. Binding of 125I alpha-bungarotoxin to the thymus of mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohshima, F.; Kondo, K.; Tsubaki, T.

    1978-01-01

    Alpha-bungarotoxin is known to bind with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of skeletal muscle. Binding of iodine 125-labeled alpha bungarotoxin to the murine thymus, muscle, and liver was estimated. The toxin was bound to the muscle. The thymus was also capable of binding a considerable amount of the toxin, and the binding was obviously blocked by tubocurarine chloride. Binding to the liver, an organ containing no nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, was very slight. These results may indicate the presence of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the thymus, which could have implications in the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis. Degenerating myoid cells and their receptors may represent autoantigens that induce an immunological cross-reaction with the receptors of skeletal muscles, giving rise to myasthenia gravis

  9. Integration of the HVCM PLC into the PEFP Control System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Young Gi; Jang, Ji Ho; Kwon, Hyeok Jung; Cho, Yong Sub

    2011-01-01

    The High Voltage Converter Modulators (HVCM) for the 100-MeV accelerator was installed to drive the 20-MeV linac. There are two klystrons in the 20-MeV linac and one modulator was used to drive two klystrons simultaneously. The HVCM for the 20-MeV linac area in Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) is shown in Fig. 1. We were faced with the necessity of integrating Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) for the HVCM into the Proton Engineering Frontier Project (PEFP) control system. At the PEFP, Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) has become the most widely used solution for building control systems for 100MeV proton accelerator. The EPICS as a standard development tool is a distributed architecture that provides several solutions such as independent programming tools for operating system, operator interface tools, and archiving tools. Although EPICS is used directly in our control system, HVCMs were delivered with the Allen-Bradley ControlLogix as a PLC. The industrial PLC has been verified for safety systems. We need to connect an interface from our EPICS control system to AB-PLC using Ethernet/IP (ControlNet over Ethernet) protocol over Ethernet. In this paper, we will present the communication protocol and EPICS IOC installation for the EPICS based PLC control system

  10. PLC-controlled cryostats for the BlackGEM and MeerLICHT detectors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raskin, Gert; Morren, Johan; Pessemier, Wim; Bloemen, Steven; Klein-Wolt, Marc; Roelfsema, Ronald; Groot, Paul; Aerts, Conny

    2016-08-01

    BlackGEM is an array of telescopes, currently under development at the Radboud University Nijmegen and at NOVA (Netherlands Research School for Astronomy). It targets the detection of the optical counterparts of gravitational waves. The first three BlackGEM telescopes are planned to be installed in 2018 at the La Silla observatory (Chile). A single prototype telescope, named MeerLICHT, will already be commissioned early 2017 in Sutherland (South Africa) to provide an optical complement for the MeerKAT radio array. The BlackGEM array consists of, initially, a set of three robotic 65-cm wide-field telescopes. Each telescope is equipped with a single STA1600 CCD detector with 10.5k x 10.5k 9-micron pixels that covers a 2.7 square degrees field of view. The cryostats for housing these detectors are developed and built at the KU Leuven University (Belgium). The operational model of BlackGEM requires long periods of reliable hands-off operation. Therefore, we designed the cryostats for long vacuum hold time and we make use of a closed-cycle cooling system, based on Polycold PCC Joule-Thomson coolers. A single programmable logic controller (PLC) controls the cryogenic systems of several BlackGEM telescopes simultaneously, resulting in a highly reliable, cost-efficient and maintenance-friendly system. PLC-based cryostat control offers some distinct advantages, especially for a robotic facility. Apart of temperature monitoring and control, the PLC also monitors the vacuum quality, the power supply and the status of the PCC coolers (compressor power consumption and temperature, pressure in the gas lines, etc.). Furthermore, it provides an alarming system and safe and reproducible procedures for automatic cool down and warm up. The communication between PLC and higher-level software takes place via the OPC-UA protocol, offering a simple to implement, yet very powerful interface. Finally, a touch-panel display on the PLC provides the operator with a user-friendly and robust

  11. rRNA fragmentation induced by a yeast killer toxin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kast, Alene; Klassen, Roland; Meinhardt, Friedhelm

    2014-02-01

    Virus like dsDNA elements (VLE) in yeast were previously shown to encode the killer toxins PaT and zymocin, which target distinct tRNA species via specific anticodon nuclease (ACNase) activities. Here, we characterize a third member of the VLE-encoded toxins, PiT from Pichia inositovora, and identify PiOrf4 as the cytotoxic subunit by conditional expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In contrast to the tRNA targeting toxins, however, neither a change of the wobble uridine modification status by introduction of elp3 or trm9 mutations nor tRNA overexpression rescued from PiOrf4 toxicity. Consistent with a distinct RNA target, expression of PiOrf4 causes specific fragmentation of the 25S and 18S rRNA. A stable cleavage product comprising the first ∼ 130 nucleotides of the 18S rRNA was purified and characterized by linker ligation and subsequent reverse transcription; 3'-termini were mapped to nucleotide 131 and 132 of the 18S rRNA sequence, a region showing some similarity to the anticodon loop of tRNA(Glu)(UUC), the zymocin target. PiOrf4 residues Glu9 and His214, corresponding to catalytic sites Glu9 and His209 in the ACNase subunit of zymocin are essential for in vivo toxicity and rRNA fragmentation, raising the possibility of functionally conserved RNase modules in both proteins. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Realization of PLC to the Variable Frequency Speed Regulation System of Mine Local Ventilator based on RS-485 Communication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Kai; Li, Jian; Yun, Yichong

    2018-03-01

    The article first introduces the merits of serial communication in the PLC to the variable frequency speed regulation system of mine local ventilator, and then sets up a hardware application development platform of PLC and inverter based on RS-485 communication technology, next presents communication initialization of the PLC and Inverter. Finally according to the control requirements, PLC send run operation & monitoring instruction to Inverter, realizes the serial communication control between the PLC and Inverter.

  13. Automated Translation of Safety Critical Application Software Specifications into PLC Ladder Logic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leucht, Kurt W.; Semmel, Glenn S.

    2008-01-01

    The numerous benefits of automatic application code generation are widely accepted within the software engineering community. A few of these benefits include raising the abstraction level of application programming, shorter product development time, lower maintenance costs, and increased code quality and consistency. Surprisingly, code generation concepts have not yet found wide acceptance and use in the field of programmable logic controller (PLC) software development. Software engineers at the NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) recognized the need for PLC code generation while developing their new ground checkout and launch processing system. They developed a process and a prototype software tool that automatically translates a high-level representation or specification of safety critical application software into ladder logic that executes on a PLC. This process and tool are expected to increase the reliability of the PLC code over that which is written manually, and may even lower life-cycle costs and shorten the development schedule of the new control system at KSC. This paper examines the problem domain and discusses the process and software tool that were prototyped by the KSC software engineers.

  14. Prototype of Automated PLC Model Checking Using Continuous Integration Tools

    CERN Document Server

    Lettrich, Michael

    2015-01-01

    To deal with the complexity of operating and supervising large scale industrial installations at CERN, often Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) are used. A failure in these control systems can cause a disaster in terms of economic loses, environmental damages or human losses. Therefore the requirements to software quality are very high. To provide PLC developers with a way to verify proper functionality against requirements, a Java tool named PLCverif has been developed which encapsulates and thus simplifies the use of third party model checkers. One of our goals in this project is to integrate PLCverif in development process of PLC programs. When the developer changes the program, all the requirements should be verified again, as a change on the code can produce collateral effects and violate one or more requirements. For that reason, PLCverif has been extended to work with Jenkins CI in order to trigger automatically the verication cases when the developer changes the PLC program. This prototype has been...

  15. Diphtheria toxin- and Pseudomonas A toxin-mediated apoptosis. ADP ribosylation of elongation factor-2 is required for DNA fragmentation and cell lysis and synergy with tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morimoto, H; Bonavida, B

    1992-09-15

    We have reported that diphtheria toxin (DTX) mediates target cell lysis and intranucleosomal DNA fragmentation (apoptosis) and also synergizes with TNF-alpha. In this paper, we examined which step in the pathway of DTX-mediated inhibition of protein synthesis was important for induction of cytolytic activity and for synergy. Using a DTX-sensitive tumor cell line, we first examined the activity of the mutant CRM 197, which does not catalyze the ADP ribosylation of elongation factor-2 (EF-2). CRM 197 was not cytolytic for target cells and did not mediate intranucleosomal DNA fragmentation of viable cells. The failure of CRM 197 to mediate target cell lysis suggested that the catalytic activity of DTX is prerequisite for target cell lysis. This was corroborated by demonstrating that MeSAdo, which blocks the biosynthesis of diphthamide, inhibited DTX-mediated protein synthesis inhibition and also blocked target cell lysis. Furthermore, the addition of nicotinamide, which competes with NAD+ on the DTX action site of EF-2, also blocked DTX-mediated lysis. These findings suggest that ADP-ribosylation of EF-2 may be a necessary step in the pathway leading to target cell lysis. In contrast to the sensitive line, the SKOV-3 tumor cell line is sensitive to protein synthesis inhibition by DTX but is not susceptible to cytolysis and apoptosis by DTX. Thus, protein synthesis inhibition by DTX is not sufficient to mediate target cell lysis. The synergy in cytotoxicity obtained with the combination of DTX and TNF-alpha was examined in order to determine the pathway mediated by DTX in synergy. Like the direct lysis by DTX, synergy was significantly reduced by MeSAdo and by nicotinamide. Furthermore, synergy was not observed with combination of CRM 197 and TNF-alpha. These results demonstrate that, in synergy, DTX may utilize the same pathway required for its cytolytic activity. Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin shared most the properties shown for DTX. Altogether, these findings

  16. Protection Against Necrotic Enteritis in Broiler Chickens by Regulated Delayed Lysis Salmonella Vaccines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Yanlong; Mo, Hua; Willingham, Crystal; Wang, Shifeng; Park, Jie-Yeun; Kong, Wei; Roland, Kenneth L; Curtiss, Roy

    2015-12-01

    Necrotic enteritis (NE), caused by Gram-positive Clostridium perfringens type A strains, has gained more attention in the broiler industry due to governmental restrictions affecting the use of growth-promoting antibiotics in feed. To date, there is only one commercial NE vaccine available, based on the C. perfringens alpha toxin. However, recent work has suggested that the NetB toxin, not alpha toxin, is the most critical virulence factor for causing NE. These findings notwithstanding, it is clear from prior research that immune responses against both toxins can provide some protection against NE. In this study, we delivered a carboxyl-terminal fragment of alpha toxin and a GST-NetB fusion protein using a novel attenuated Salmonella vaccine strain designed to lyse after 6-10 rounds of replication in the chicken host. We immunized birds with vaccine strains producing each protein individually, a mixture of the two strains, or with a single vaccine strain that produced both proteins. Immunization with strains producing either of the single proteins was not protective, but immunization with a mixture of the two or with a single strain producing both proteins resulted in protective immunity. The vaccine strain synthesizing both PlcC and GST-NetB was able to elicit strong production of intestinal IgA, IgY, and IgM antibodies and significantly protect broilers against C. perfringens challenge against both mild and severe challenges. Although not part of our experimental plan, the broiler chicks we obtained for these studies were apparently contaminated during transit from the hatchery with group D Salmonella. Despite this drawback, the vaccines worked well, indicating applicability to real-world conditions.

  17. Evaluation of PLC Channel Capacity and ABER Performances for OFDM-Based Two-Hop Relaying Transmission

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sana Ezzine

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Powerline network is recognized as a favorable infrastructure for Smart Grid to transmit information in the network thanks to its broad coverage and low cost deployment. The existing works are trying to improve and adapt transmission techniques to reduce Powerline Communication (PLC channel attenuation and exploit the limited bandwidth to support high data rate over long distances. Two-hop relaying BroadBand PLC (BB-PLC system, in which Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM is used, is considered in this paper. We derive and compare the PLC channel capacity and the end-to-end Average BER (ABER for OFDM-based direct link (DL BB-PLC system and for OFDM-based two-hop relaying BB-PLC system for Amplify and Forward (AF and Decode and Forward (DF protocols. We analyze the improvements when we consider the direct link in a cooperative communication when the relay node only transmits the correctly decoded signal. Maximum ratio combining is employed at the destination node to detect the transmitted signal. In addition, in this paper, we highlight the impact of the relay location on the channel capacity and ABER for AF and DF transmission protocols. Moreover, an efficient use of the direct link was also investigated in this paper.

  18. Bit rate maximization for multicast LP-OFDM systems in PLC context

    OpenAIRE

    Maiga , Ali; Baudais , Jean-Yves; Hélard , Jean-François

    2009-01-01

    ISBN: 978-88-900984-8-2.; International audience; In this paper, we propose a new resource allocation algorithm based on linear precoding technique for multicast OFDM systems. Linear precoding technique applied to OFDM systems has already proved its ability to significantly increase the system throughput in a powerline communication (PLC) context. Simulations through PLC channels show that this algorithm outperforms the classical multicast method (up to 7.3% bit rate gain) and gives better pe...

  19. 76 FR 80430 - Rio Tinto plc and Rio Tinto Limited; Notice of Application

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-23

    ... plc and Rio Tinto Limited; Notice of Application December 19, 2011. AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission''). ACTION: Notice of application under section 3(b)(2) and 45(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act''). SUMMARY: Summary of Application: Rio Tinto plc (``RTP'') and Rio Tinto...

  20. Evaluation of PLC Channel Capacity and ABER Performances for OFDM-Based Two-Hop Relaying Transmission

    OpenAIRE

    Ezzine, Sana; Abdelkefi, Fatma; Cances, Jean Pierre; Meghdadi, Vahid; Bouallégue, Ammar

    2017-01-01

    Powerline network is recognized as a favorable infrastructure for Smart Grid to transmit information in the network thanks to its broad coverage and low cost deployment. The existing works are trying to improve and adapt transmission techniques to reduce Powerline Communication (PLC) channel attenuation and exploit the limited bandwidth to support high data rate over long distances. Two-hop relaying BroadBand PLC (BB-PLC) system, in which Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is u...

  1. Connecting programmable logic controllers (PLC) to control and data acquisition a comparison of the JET and Wendelstein 7-X approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hennig, Christine; Kneupner, Klaus; Kinna, David

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► We describe 2 ways connecting PLCs to fusion control and data acquisition software. ► At W7-X standardization of the PLC type eases the maintenance of the software. ► At JET PLCs are interfaced with a daemon that hides the PLC specific part. ► There is potential to unify the approaches towards a common fusion PLC interface. - Abstract: The use of programmable logic controllers (PLC) for automation of electromechanical processes is an industrial control system technology. It is more and more in use within the fusion community. Traditionally PLC based systems are operated and maintained using proprietary SCADA systems (supervisory control and data acquisition). They are hardly ever integrated with the fusion control and data acquisition systems. An overview of the state of the art in fusion is given in the article. At JET an inhouse “black box protocol” approach has been developed to communicate with any external system via a dedicated http based protocol. However, a PLC usually cannot be modified to implement this special protocol. Hence, a software layer has been developed that interfaces a PLC by implementing the PLC specific communication part on one side and the black box protocol part on the other side. The software is completely data driven i.e. editing the data structure changes the logic accordingly. It can be tested using the web capability of the black box protocol. Multiple PLC types from different vendors are supported, thus multiple protocols to interface the PLC are in use. Depending on the PLC type and available tools it can be necessary to program the PLC accordingly. Wendelstein 7-X uses another approach. For every single PLC a dedicated communication from and to CoDaC is implemented. This communication is projected (programmed) in the PLC and configurable (data driven) on the CoDaC side. The protocol is UDP based and observed via timeout mechanisms. The use of PLCs for Wendelstein 7-X is standardized. Therefore a single

  2. Connecting programmable logic controllers (PLC) to control and data acquisition a comparison of the JET and Wendelstein 7-X approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hennig, Christine, E-mail: Christine.Hennig@ipp.mpg.de [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, Wendelsteinstrasse 1, 17491 Greifswald (Germany); Kneupner, Klaus; Kinna, David [JET-EFDA, Culham Science Centre, OX14 3DB Abingdon (United Kingdom)

    2012-12-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We describe 2 ways connecting PLCs to fusion control and data acquisition software. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer At W7-X standardization of the PLC type eases the maintenance of the software. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer At JET PLCs are interfaced with a daemon that hides the PLC specific part. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer There is potential to unify the approaches towards a common fusion PLC interface. - Abstract: The use of programmable logic controllers (PLC) for automation of electromechanical processes is an industrial control system technology. It is more and more in use within the fusion community. Traditionally PLC based systems are operated and maintained using proprietary SCADA systems (supervisory control and data acquisition). They are hardly ever integrated with the fusion control and data acquisition systems. An overview of the state of the art in fusion is given in the article. At JET an inhouse 'black box protocol' approach has been developed to communicate with any external system via a dedicated http based protocol. However, a PLC usually cannot be modified to implement this special protocol. Hence, a software layer has been developed that interfaces a PLC by implementing the PLC specific communication part on one side and the black box protocol part on the other side. The software is completely data driven i.e. editing the data structure changes the logic accordingly. It can be tested using the web capability of the black box protocol. Multiple PLC types from different vendors are supported, thus multiple protocols to interface the PLC are in use. Depending on the PLC type and available tools it can be necessary to program the PLC accordingly. Wendelstein 7-X uses another approach. For every single PLC a dedicated communication from and to CoDaC is implemented. This communication is projected (programmed) in the PLC and configurable (data driven) on the CoDaC side. The protocol is UDP based and

  3. Binding of /sup 125/I alpha-bungarotoxin to the thymus of mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ohshima, F.; Kondo, K.; Tsubaki, T.

    1978-01-01

    Alpha-bungarotoxin is known to bind with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of skeletal muscle. Binding of iodine 125-labeled alpha bungarotoxin to the murine thymus, muscle, and liver was estimated. The toxin was bound to the muscle. The thymus was also capable of binding a considerable amount of the toxin, and the binding was obviously blocked by tubocurarine chloride. Binding to the liver, an organ containing no nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, was very slight. These results may indicate the presence of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the thymus, which could have implications in the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis. Degenerating myoid cells and their receptors may represent autoantigens that induce an immunological cross-reaction with the receptors of skeletal muscles, giving rise to myasthenia gravis.

  4. Application of PLC timing control in the neutral beam injector of HT-7

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song Shihua; Liu Zhimin; Liu Sheng; Hu Chundong

    2006-01-01

    HT-7 tokamak high power Neutral Beam Injector heating system runs in the mode of pulse timing-control of PLC. The thesis discusses the theory about the operation for the experiment of discharge, which is controlled by PLC logical connection and introduces excellent user-friendly operating interface and the development of the ladder application program and upper monitor program in the VB6.0 environment. Monitor the conditions of power and facility real time by the upper monitor interface. The application of PLC control system ensures the experiment facility running safely and convenient for modifying and setting the parameter simply during the course of experiment. (authors)

  5. Detection of Shiga toxins genes by Multiplex PCR in clinical samples

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Different methods have been used for detection of shiga toxins; such as,  cell culture, ELISA, and RFPLA. However, all of these methods suffer from high cost, time-consumption and relatively low sensitivity. In this study we used Multiplex PCR method for detection of genes encoding shiga toxins. Material and Methods: In this study, 63 clinical samples were obtained from positive cultures of Shigella and E. coli O157, from Bahman 1391 until Ordibehesht 1392 in Mazandaran province. Initial confirmation of shiga toxins producing bacteria was performed by biochemical and serological methods. After DNA extraction, detection of stx1 and stx2 genes was accomplished by multiplex PCR.  For confirmation of the PCR amplicon, DNA sequencing was used. Antibiotic sensitivity tests were performed by disk diffusion method. Results:  Among the positive strains, 13 strains contained stx2 genes, 4 strains contained Stx/Stx1 genes and 4 strains harbored both Stx/Stx1 and Stx2. The DNA extracted from other Gram-negative bacteria was not protected by the relevant parts of these toxins. Sequencing of the amplified fragments indicated the correct toxin sequences.  The sensitivity for identification of Stx/Stx1 gene was 1.56 pg/ µl and for Stx2 was 1.08 pg/µl. The toxin positive strains were all sensitive to Cefixime, Gentamicin, Amikacin, Ceftriaxone, and Nitrofurantoin. Conclusion: This method is fast and accurate for detection of bacteria producing shiga toxin and can be used to identify different types of shiga toxin.

  6. Arbitration Award of ICSID on the Investment Disputes of Churchill Mining PLC v. Republic of Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yordan Gunawan

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The research is aimed at analyzing the ICSID (International Centre Settlement Investment Dispute decision in solving a dispute between Churchill Mining PLC and the Government of the Republic of Indonesia. The case brought to the public attention, because mining license owned by PT. Ridlatama which acquired from Churchill Mining PLC had been revocated. Churchill Mining PLC holds 75% share of PT. Ridlatama and it suffered losses caused by the revocation of its mining license. Churchill Mining PLC filed the case to the local court but it failed. Churchill Mining PLC then sought ruling from International arbitration or ICSID. On December 6, 2016, ICSID issued a decision that clearly threw out Churchill Mining PLC claim. ICSID, the World Bank court, ordered the firm to pay a total of US$.9.446.528 in cost to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia. It is based on the evidences that the UK-Australia company did the fraud and had document forgery of coal mining permit in East Kutai, Indonesia. So the firm has violated the Bilateral Investment Treaties between Indonesia-UK and Indonesia-Australia.

  7. Alpha 2-adrenergic receptor stimulation of phospholipase A2 and of adenylate cyclase in transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells is mediated by different mechanisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jones, S.B.; Halenda, S.P.; Bylund, D.B.

    1991-01-01

    The effect of alpha 2-adrenergic receptor activation on adenylate cyclase activity in Chinese hamster ovary cells stably transfected with the alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor gene is biphasic. At lower concentrations of epinephrine forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP production is inhibited, but at higher concentrations the inhibition is reversed. Both of these effects are blocked by the alpha 2 antagonist yohimbine but not by the alpha 1 antagonist prazosin. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin attenuates inhibition at lower concentrations of epinephrine and greatly potentiates forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP production at higher concentrations of epinephrine. alpha 2-Adrenergic receptor stimulation also causes arachidonic acid mobilization, presumably via phospholipase A2. This effect is blocked by yohimbine, quinacrine, removal of extracellular Ca2+, and pretreatment with pertussis toxin. Quinacrine and removal of extracellular Ca2+, in contrast, have no effect on the enhanced forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP production. Thus, it appears that the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor in these cells can simultaneously activate distinct signal transduction systems; inhibition of adenylate cyclase and stimulation of phospholipase A2, both via G1, and potentiation of cyclic AMP production by a different (pertussis toxin-insensitive) mechanism

  8. Alpha 2-adrenergic receptor stimulation of phospholipase A2 and of adenylate cyclase in transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells is mediated by different mechanisms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jones, S.B.; Halenda, S.P.; Bylund, D.B. (Univ. of Missouri-Columbia (USA))

    1991-02-01

    The effect of alpha 2-adrenergic receptor activation on adenylate cyclase activity in Chinese hamster ovary cells stably transfected with the alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor gene is biphasic. At lower concentrations of epinephrine forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP production is inhibited, but at higher concentrations the inhibition is reversed. Both of these effects are blocked by the alpha 2 antagonist yohimbine but not by the alpha 1 antagonist prazosin. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin attenuates inhibition at lower concentrations of epinephrine and greatly potentiates forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP production at higher concentrations of epinephrine. alpha 2-Adrenergic receptor stimulation also causes arachidonic acid mobilization, presumably via phospholipase A2. This effect is blocked by yohimbine, quinacrine, removal of extracellular Ca2+, and pretreatment with pertussis toxin. Quinacrine and removal of extracellular Ca2+, in contrast, have no effect on the enhanced forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP production. Thus, it appears that the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor in these cells can simultaneously activate distinct signal transduction systems; inhibition of adenylate cyclase and stimulation of phospholipase A2, both via G1, and potentiation of cyclic AMP production by a different (pertussis toxin-insensitive) mechanism.

  9. Prevalence and Characterization of a Binary Toxin (Actin-Specific ADP-Ribosyltransferase) from Clostridium difficile

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonçalves, Carina; Decré, Dominique; Barbut, Frédéric; Burghoffer, Béatrice; Petit, Jean-Claude

    2004-01-01

    In addition to the two large clostridial cytotoxins (TcdA and TcdB), some strains of Clostridium difficile also produce an actin-specific ADP-ribosyltransferase, called binary toxin CDT. We used a PCR method and Southern blotting for the detection of genes encoding the enzymatic (CDTa) and binding (CDTb) components of the binary toxin in 369 strains isolated from patients with suspected C. difficile-associated diarrhea or colitis. Twenty-two strains (a prevalence of 6%) harbored both genes. When binary toxin production was assessed by Western blotting, 19 of the 22 strains reacted with antisera against the iota toxin of C. perfringens (anti-Ia and anti-Ib). Additionally, binary toxin activity, detected by the ADP-ribosyltransferase assay, was present in only 17 of the 22 strains. Subsequently, all 22 binary toxin-positive strains were tested for the production of toxins TcdA and TcdB, toxinotyped, and characterized by serogrouping, PCR ribotyping, arbitrarily primed PCR, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. All binary toxin-positive strains also produced TcdB and/or TcdA. However, they had significant changes in the tcdA and tcdB genes and belonged to variant toxinotypes III, IV, V, VII, IX, and XIII. We could differentiate 16 profiles by using typing methods, indicating that most of the binary toxin-positive strains were unrelated. PMID:15131151

  10. Interactions between the toxin kid of the bacterial parD system and the antitoxins Kis and MazE

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kamphuis, M.B.; Monti, M.C.; van den Heuvel, R.H.H.; Santos-Sierra, S.; Folkers, G.E.; Lemonnier, M.; Diaz-Orejas, R.; Heck, A.J.R.; Boelens, R.

    2007-01-01

    The proteins Kid and Kis are the toxin and antitoxin, respectively, encoded by the parD operon of Escherichia coli plasmid R1. Kis prevents the inhibition of E. coli cell growth caused by the RNA cleavage activity of Kid. Overproduction of MazE, the chromosome-encoded homologue of Kis, has been

  11. The PLC: a logical development

    OpenAIRE

    Walker, Mark; Bissell, Christopher; Monk, John

    2010-01-01

    Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) have been used to control industrial processes and equipment for over 40 years, having their first commercially recognised application in 1969. Since then there have been enormous changes in the design and application of PLCs, yet developments were evolutionary rather than radical. The flexibility of the PLC does not confine it to industrial use and it has been used for disparate non-industrial control applications . This article reviews the history, deve...

  12. File list: InP.Plc.20.Input_control.AllCell [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available InP.Plc.20.Input_control.AllCell mm9 Input control Input control Placenta SRX112971...02,SRX404310,SRX1072160,SRX871507,SRX192097,SRX192098,SRX192099,SRX204148 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/InP.Plc.20.Input_control.AllCell.bed ...

  13. File list: InP.Plc.05.Input_control.AllCell [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available InP.Plc.05.Input_control.AllCell mm9 Input control Input control Placenta SRX344647...160,SRX204147,SRX404310,SRX871506,SRX871507,SRX192098,SRX192097,SRX192099 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/InP.Plc.05.Input_control.AllCell.bed ...

  14. File list: InP.Plc.10.Input_control.AllCell [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available InP.Plc.10.Input_control.AllCell mm9 Input control Input control Placenta SRX344648...310,SRX871506,SRX142911,SRX871507,SRX204148,SRX192098,SRX192097,SRX192099 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/InP.Plc.10.Input_control.AllCell.bed ...

  15. PLAT: An Automated Fault and Behavioural Anomaly Detection Tool for PLC Controlled Manufacturing Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Arup; Qin, Shiming; Lee, Jooyeoun; Wang, Gi-Nam

    2016-01-01

    Operational faults and behavioural anomalies associated with PLC control processes take place often in a manufacturing system. Real time identification of these operational faults and behavioural anomalies is necessary in the manufacturing industry. In this paper, we present an automated tool, called PLC Log-Data Analysis Tool (PLAT) that can detect them by using log-data records of the PLC signals. PLAT automatically creates a nominal model of the PLC control process and employs a novel hash table based indexing and searching scheme to satisfy those purposes. Our experiments show that PLAT is significantly fast, provides real time identification of operational faults and behavioural anomalies, and can execute within a small memory footprint. In addition, PLAT can easily handle a large manufacturing system with a reasonable computing configuration and can be installed in parallel to the data logging system to identify operational faults and behavioural anomalies effectively.

  16. PLAT: An Automated Fault and Behavioural Anomaly Detection Tool for PLC Controlled Manufacturing Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arup Ghosh

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Operational faults and behavioural anomalies associated with PLC control processes take place often in a manufacturing system. Real time identification of these operational faults and behavioural anomalies is necessary in the manufacturing industry. In this paper, we present an automated tool, called PLC Log-Data Analysis Tool (PLAT that can detect them by using log-data records of the PLC signals. PLAT automatically creates a nominal model of the PLC control process and employs a novel hash table based indexing and searching scheme to satisfy those purposes. Our experiments show that PLAT is significantly fast, provides real time identification of operational faults and behavioural anomalies, and can execute within a small memory footprint. In addition, PLAT can easily handle a large manufacturing system with a reasonable computing configuration and can be installed in parallel to the data logging system to identify operational faults and behavioural anomalies effectively.

  17. Reliability Analysis of Safety Grade PLC(POSAFE-Q) for Nuclear Power Plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, J. Y.; Lyou, J.; Lee, D. Y.; Choi, J. G.; Park, W. M.

    2006-01-01

    The Part Count Method of the military standard MILHDK- 217F has been used for the reliability prediction of the nuclear field. This handbook determines the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) failure rate by summing the failure rates of the individual component included in the PLC. Normally it is easily predictable that the components added for the fault detection improve the reliability of the PLC. But the application of this handbook is estimated with poor reliability because of the increased component number for the fault detection. To compensate this discrepancy, the quantitative reliability analysis method is suggested using the functional separation model in this paper. And it is applied to the Reactor Protection System (RPS) being developed in Korea to identify any design weak points from a safety point of view

  18. Detection of Staphylococcus aureus delta-toxin production by whole-cell MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julie Gagnaire

    Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to detect the Staphylococcus aureus delta-toxin using Whole-Cell (WC Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS, correlate delta-toxin expression with accessory gene regulator (agr status, and assess the prevalence of agr deficiency in clinical isolates with and without resistance to methicillin and glycopeptides. The position of the delta-toxin peak in the mass spectrum was identified using purified delta-toxin and isogenic wild type and mutant strains for agr-rnaIII, which encodes delta-toxin. Correlation between delta-toxin production and agr RNAIII expression was assessed by northern blotting. A series of 168 consecutive clinical isolates and 23 unrelated glycopeptide-intermediate S. aureus strains (GISA/heterogeneous GISA were then tested by WC-MALDI-TOF MS. The delta-toxin peak was detected at 3005±5 Thomson, as expected for the naturally formylated delta toxin, or at 3035±5 Thomson for its G10S variant. Multivariate analysis showed that chronicity of S. aureus infection and glycopeptide resistance were significantly associated with delta-toxin deficiency (p = 0.048; CI 95%: 1.01-10.24; p = 0.023; CI 95%: 1.20-12.76, respectively. In conclusion, the S. aureus delta-toxin was identified in the WC-MALDI-TOF MS spectrum generated during routine identification procedures. Consequently, agr status can potentially predict infectious complications and rationalise application of novel virulence factor-based therapies.

  19. Identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with hyperproduction of alpha-toxin in Staphylococcus aureus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xudong Liang

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available The virulence factor α-toxin (hla is needed by Staphylococcus aureus in order to cause infections in both animals and humans. Although the complicated regulation of hla expression has been well studied in human S. aureus isolates, the mechanisms of of hla regulation in bovine S. aureus isolates remain undefined. In this study, we found that many bovine S. aureus isolates, including the RF122 strain, generate dramatic amounts of α-toxin in vitro compared with human clinical S. aureus isolates, including MRSA WCUH29 and MRSA USA300. To elucidate potential regulatory mechanisms, we analyzed the hla promoter regions and identified predominant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs at positions -376, -483, and -484 from the start codon in α-toxin hyper-producing isolates. Using site-directed mutagenesis and hla promoter-gfp-luxABCDE dual reporter approaches, we demonstrated that the SNPs contribute to the differential control of hla expression among bovine and human S. aureus isolates. Using a DNA affinity assay, gel-shift assays and a null mutant, we identified and revealed that an hla positive regulator, SarZ, contributes to the involvement of the SNPs in mediating hla expression. In addition, we found that the bovine S. aureus isolate RF122 exhibits higher transcription levels of hla positive regulators, including agrA, saeR, arlR and sarZ, but a lower expression level of hla repressor rot compared to the human S. aureus isolate WCUH29. Our results indicate α-toxin hyperproduction in bovine S. aureus is a multifactorial process, influenced at both the genomic and transcriptional levels. Moreover, the identification of predominant SNPs in the hla promoter region may provide a novel method for genotyping the S. aureus isolates.

  20. The Research about Embedded Soft PLC Running System Based on ARM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fang Ding

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The paper discusses the overall construction and operational principle of soft PLC. Considering the real time request of the system, we use Linux+RTAI dual core system as software platform. In this platform, the implementation method of soft PLC operational system is introduced. Especially, the design of instruction analysis module is emphasized. On the basis of energy flow concept, the logic algorithm is established, aligning to the left bus. Finally, the system is tested to evaluate the desired control behavior.

  1. Targeting Alpha Toxin and ClfA with a Multimechanistic Monoclonal-Antibody-Based Approach for Prophylaxis of Serious Staphylococcus aureus Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Tkaczyk

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus produces numerous virulence factors, each contributing different mechanisms to bacterial pathogenesis in a spectrum of diseases. Alpha toxin (AT, a cytolytic pore-forming toxin, plays a key role in skin and soft tissue infections and pneumonia, and a human anti-AT monoclonal antibody (MAb, MEDI4893*, has been shown to reduce disease severity in dermonecrosis and pneumonia infection models. However, interstrain diversity and the complex pathogenesis of S. aureus bloodstream infections suggests that MEDI4893* alone may not provide adequate protection against S. aureus sepsis. Clumping factor A (ClfA, a fibrinogen binding protein, is an important virulence factor facilitating S. aureus bloodstream infections. Herein, we report on the identification of a high-affinity anti-ClfA MAb, 11H10, that inhibits ClfA binding to fibrinogen, prevents bacterial agglutination in human plasma, and promotes opsonophagocytic bacterial killing (OPK. 11H10 prophylaxis reduced disease severity in a mouse bacteremia model and was dependent on Fc effector function and OPK. Additionally, prophylaxis with 11H10 in combination with MEDI4893* provided enhanced strain coverage in this model and increased survival compared to that obtained with the individual MAbs. The MAb combination also reduced disease severity in murine dermonecrosis and pneumonia models, with activity similar to that of MEDI4893* alone. These results indicate that an MAb combination targeting multiple virulence factors provides benefit over a single MAb neutralizing one virulence mechanism by providing improved efficacy, broader strain coverage, and protection against multiple infection pathologies.

  2. Diversification of Type VI Secretion System Toxins Reveals Ancient Antagonism among Bee Gut Microbes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margaret I. Steele

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Microbial communities are shaped by interactions among their constituent members. Some Gram-negative bacteria employ type VI secretion systems (T6SSs to inject protein toxins into neighboring cells. These interactions have been theorized to affect the composition of host-associated microbiomes, but the role of T6SSs in the evolution of gut communities is not well understood. We report the discovery of two T6SSs and numerous T6SS-associated Rhs toxins within the gut bacteria of honey bees and bumble bees. We sequenced the genomes of 28 strains of Snodgrassella alvi, a characteristic bee gut microbe, and found tremendous variability in their Rhs toxin complements: altogether, these strains appear to encode hundreds of unique toxins. Some toxins are shared with Gilliamella apicola, a coresident gut symbiont, implicating horizontal gene transfer as a source of toxin diversity in the bee gut. We use data from a transposon mutagenesis screen to identify toxins with antibacterial function in the bee gut and validate the function and specificity of a subset of these toxin and immunity genes in Escherichia coli. Using transcriptome sequencing, we demonstrate that S. alvi T6SSs and associated toxins are upregulated in the gut environment. We find that S. alvi Rhs loci have a conserved architecture, consistent with the C-terminal displacement model of toxin diversification, with Rhs toxins, toxin fragments, and cognate immunity genes that are expressed and confer strong fitness effects in vivo. Our findings of T6SS activity and Rhs toxin diversity suggest that T6SS-mediated competition may be an important driver of coevolution within the bee gut microbiota.

  3. Identification of genes expressed in cultures of E. coli lysogens carrying the Shiga toxin-encoding prophage Φ24B

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Riley Laura M

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Shigatoxigenic E. coli are a global and emerging health concern. Shiga toxin, Stx, is encoded on the genome of temperate, lambdoid Stx phages. Genes essential for phage maintenance and replication are encoded on approximately 50% of the genome, while most of the remaining genes are of unknown function nor is it known if these annotated hypothetical genes are even expressed. It is hypothesized that many of the latter have been maintained due to positive selection pressure, and that some, expressed in the lysogen host, have a role in pathogenicity. This study used Change Mediated Antigen Technology (CMAT™ and 2D-PAGE, in combination with RT-qPCR, to identify Stx phage genes that are expressed in E. coli during the lysogenic cycle. Results Lysogen cultures propagated for 5-6 hours produced a high cell density with a low proportion of spontaneous prophage induction events. The expression of 26 phage genes was detected in these cultures by differential 2D-PAGE of expressed proteins and CMAT. Detailed analyses of 10 of these genes revealed that three were unequivocally expressed in the lysogen, two expressed from a known lysogenic cycle promoter and one uncoupled from the phage regulatory network. Conclusion Propagation of a lysogen culture in which no cells at all are undergoing spontaneous lysis is impossible. To overcome this, RT-qPCR was used to determine gene expression profiles associated with the growth phase of lysogens. This enabled the definitive identification of three lambdoid Stx phage genes that are expressed in the lysogen and seven that are expressed during lysis. Conservation of these genes in this phage genome, and other Stx phages where they have been identified as present, indicates their importance in the phage/lysogen life cycle, with possible implications for the biology and pathogenicity of the bacterial host.

  4. Development of Safety Grade PLC (POSAFE-Q) and Performance Test Results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Chang Hwoi; Park, Won Man; Choi, Jong Gyun; Lee, Dong Young; No, Young Hun; Song, Seung Hwan

    2006-01-01

    The safety grade PLC (POSAFE-Q) is being developed in the Korea Nuclear Instrumentation and Control System (KNICS) R and D project. The PLC satisfies Safety Class 1E, Quality Class 1, and Seismic Category I. The software such as the RTOS and firmware are being developed according to the safety critical software life cycle. Especially, the formal method is applied to design the SRS (Software Requirement Spec.) and the SDS (Software Design Specification.) to be error-free. The POSAFE-Q has several modules such as processor module, input and output modules, communication modules, redundant processor module, redundant power modules, etc,. To verify the function and performance, several tests such as CT, IT and ST were performed. And also, the equipment qualification test for environment, EMI and EMC, and seismic ware performed. All tests are satisfied with the requirements and specification for safety grade PLC, and the criteria for safety system in nuclear power plants

  5. Development of Safety Grade PLC (POSAFE-Q) and Performance Test Results

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Chang Hwoi; Park, Won Man; Choi, Jong Gyun; Lee, Dong Young [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); No, Young Hun; Song, Seung Hwan [POSCON, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2006-07-01

    The safety grade PLC (POSAFE-Q) is being developed in the Korea Nuclear Instrumentation and Control System (KNICS) R and D project. The PLC satisfies Safety Class 1E, Quality Class 1, and Seismic Category I. The software such as the RTOS and firmware are being developed according to the safety critical software life cycle. Especially, the formal method is applied to design the SRS (Software Requirement Spec.) and the SDS (Software Design Specification.) to be error-free. The POSAFE-Q has several modules such as processor module, input and output modules, communication modules, redundant processor module, redundant power modules, etc,. To verify the function and performance, several tests such as CT, IT and ST were performed. And also, the equipment qualification test for environment, EMI and EMC, and seismic ware performed. All tests are satisfied with the requirements and specification for safety grade PLC, and the criteria for safety system in nuclear power plants.

  6. Praksisnær skoleudvikling og PLC som strategisk udviklingsaktør

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Ole; Bach, Anna

    2017-01-01

    I det følgende belyses, hvorledes PLC kan udvikles som strategisk udviklingsaktør og understøtte praksisnær skoleudvikling. Vi ønsker at belyse hvorledes Bekendtgørelsens overordnede intentioner kan få retning og rammer og dermed medvirke til, at hele det pædagogiske personale indgår i skoleudvik......I det følgende belyses, hvorledes PLC kan udvikles som strategisk udviklingsaktør og understøtte praksisnær skoleudvikling. Vi ønsker at belyse hvorledes Bekendtgørelsens overordnede intentioner kan få retning og rammer og dermed medvirke til, at hele det pædagogiske personale indgår i...... skoleudviklingen. I den forbindelse er det vores erfaring, at PLC kan spille en central rolle i forbindelse med den praksisnære og lokale skoleudvikling. Erfaringerne bygger især på udviklings- og forskningsprojekter fra kommunerne Kolding, København, Roskilde og Tårnby. Der har været tale om praksisnære...

  7. Genetic evidence that HNF-1alpha-dependent transcriptional control of HNF-4alpha is essential for human pancreatic beta cell function

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Sara K; Párrizas, Marcelina; Jensen, Maria L

    2002-01-01

    Mutations in the genes encoding hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha (HNF-4alpha) and HNF-1alpha impair insulin secretion and cause maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY). HNF-4alpha is known to be an essential positive regulator of HNF-1alpha. More recent data demonstrates that HNF-4alpha...... in human islets and exocrine cells is primarily mediated by the P2 promoter. Furthermore, we describe a G --> A mutation in a conserved nucleotide position of the HNF-1alpha binding site of the P2 promoter, which cosegregates with MODY. The mutation results in decreased affinity for HNF-1alpha...

  8. Slovak Electric, Plc., 1998

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-06-01

    Slovenske elektrarne, a.s. (Slovak Electric, Plc., abbrevation 'SE, a.s.') is the Slovak electricity generating utility, incorporated on November 1, 1994 as one of new companies formed from substantially all of the assets and a legal successor of Slovensky energeticky podnik, s.p., founded on January 1, 1969 in the form of SEP group. From its predecessor, Slovak Electric, Plc., took over generation of power, operation of 220 kV and 400 kV power system, transit, import, export, and sale of electricity. It is also involved in generation, distribution, and sale of heat. At present, SE's share of electriciry sales in the Slovak Republic is 88.47%. Electricity is delivered to three regional distribution companies and directly to several major industrial enterprises. SE, a.s. operates one nuclear power station, three thermal power plants, and 30 hydro power plants. The second nuclear power plant is under construction (state up tu June 1997) and SE is participating in the construction of two hydro power plants and one combined cycle power plant. The efforts of SE, s.a. focus on the generation of power and heat with minimal environmental impacts. Ecology is given priority in the SE, a.s. development programmes. SE's mission is to permanently satisfy customers' needs, for an acceptable price and with minimal environmental impact. On this CD ROM next chapters are presented: (1) The structure of the Company; (2) Production units; (3) The economic power of the Company; (4) The operation culture; (5) The strategic plans of the Company

  9. Applying Hamming Code to Memory System of Safety Grade PLC (POSAFE-Q) Processor Module

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Taehee; Hwang, Sungjae; Park, Gangmin [POSCO Nuclear Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-05-15

    If some errors such as inverted bits occur in the memory, instructions and data will be corrupted. As a result, the PLC may execute the wrong instructions or refer to the wrong data. Hamming Code can be considered as the solution for mitigating this mis operation. In this paper, we apply hamming Code, then, we inspect whether hamming code is suitable for to the memory system of the processor module. In this paper, we applied hamming code to existing safety grade PLC (POSAFE-Q). Inspection data are collected and they will be referred for improving the PLC in terms of the soundness. In our future work, we will try to improve time delay caused by hamming calculation. It will include CPLD optimization and memory architecture or parts alteration. In addition to these hamming code-based works, we will explore any methodologies such as mirroring for the soundness of safety grade PLC. Hamming code-based works can correct bit errors, but they have limitation in multi bits errors.

  10. A Research on Seamless Platform Change of Reactor Protection System From PLC to FPGA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoo, Junbeom; Lee, Jonghoon [Konkuk Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jangsoo [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-08-15

    The PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) has been widely used to implement real-time controllers in nuclear RPSs (Reactor Protection Systems). Increasing complexity and maintenance cost, however, are now demanding more powerful and cost-effective implementation such as FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). Abandoning all experience and knowledge accumulated over the decades and starting an all-new development approach is too risky for such safety-critical systems. This paper proposes an RPS software development process with a platform change from PLC to FPGA, while retaining all outputs from the established development. This paper transforms FBD designs of the PLC-based software development into a behaviorally-equivalent Verilog program, which is a starting point of a typical FPGA-based hardware development. We expect that the proposed software development process can bridge the gap between two software developing approaches with different platforms, such as PLC and FPGA. This paper also demonstrates its effectiveness using an example of a prototype version of a real-world RPS in Korea.

  11. A Research on Seamless Platform Change of Reactor Protection System From PLC to FPGA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoo, Junbeom; Lee, Jonghoon; Lee, Jangsoo

    2013-01-01

    The PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) has been widely used to implement real-time controllers in nuclear RPSs (Reactor Protection Systems). Increasing complexity and maintenance cost, however, are now demanding more powerful and cost-effective implementation such as FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). Abandoning all experience and knowledge accumulated over the decades and starting an all-new development approach is too risky for such safety-critical systems. This paper proposes an RPS software development process with a platform change from PLC to FPGA, while retaining all outputs from the established development. This paper transforms FBD designs of the PLC-based software development into a behaviorally-equivalent Verilog program, which is a starting point of a typical FPGA-based hardware development. We expect that the proposed software development process can bridge the gap between two software developing approaches with different platforms, such as PLC and FPGA. This paper also demonstrates its effectiveness using an example of a prototype version of a real-world RPS in Korea

  12. Applying Hamming Code to Memory System of Safety Grade PLC (POSAFE-Q) Processor Module

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Taehee; Hwang, Sungjae; Park, Gangmin

    2013-01-01

    If some errors such as inverted bits occur in the memory, instructions and data will be corrupted. As a result, the PLC may execute the wrong instructions or refer to the wrong data. Hamming Code can be considered as the solution for mitigating this mis operation. In this paper, we apply hamming Code, then, we inspect whether hamming code is suitable for to the memory system of the processor module. In this paper, we applied hamming code to existing safety grade PLC (POSAFE-Q). Inspection data are collected and they will be referred for improving the PLC in terms of the soundness. In our future work, we will try to improve time delay caused by hamming calculation. It will include CPLD optimization and memory architecture or parts alteration. In addition to these hamming code-based works, we will explore any methodologies such as mirroring for the soundness of safety grade PLC. Hamming code-based works can correct bit errors, but they have limitation in multi bits errors

  13. A RESEARCH ON SEAMLESS PLATFORM CHANGE OF REACTOR PROTECTION SYSTEM FROM PLC TO FPGA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JUNBEOM YOO

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available The PLC (Programmable Logic Controller has been widely used to implement real-time controllers in nuclear RPSs (Reactor Protection Systems. Increasing complexity and maintenance cost, however, are now demanding more powerful and cost-effective implementation such as FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array. Abandoning all experience and knowledge accumulated over the decades and starting an all-new development approach is too risky for such safety-critical systems. This paper proposes an RPS software development process with a platform change from PLC to FPGA, while retaining all outputs from the established development. This paper transforms FBD designs of the PLC-based software development into a behaviorally-equivalent Verilog program, which is a starting point of a typical FPGA-based hardware development. We expect that the proposed software development process can bridge the gap between two software developing approaches with different platforms, such as PLC and FPGA. This paper also demonstrates its effectiveness using an example of a prototype version of a real-world RPS in Korea.

  14. Production of exfoliative toxin by isolates of Staphylococcus hyicus from different countries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andresen, Lars Ole

    2005-01-01

    A total of 218 isolates of Staphylococcus hyicus from pigs in eight countries (Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Japan, Korea, Slovenia, the UK and the USA) and 44 isolates from other animals in Belgium, India, Japan and the USA were examined for the genes encoding the exfoliative toxins ExhA, ExhB, Exhc...

  15. Yeast Killer Toxin K28: Biology and Unique Strategy of Host Cell Intoxication and Killing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Björn Becker

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The initial discovery of killer toxin-secreting brewery strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae in the mid-sixties of the last century marked the beginning of intensive research in the yeast virology field. So far, four different S. cerevisiae killer toxins (K28, K1, K2, and Klus, encoded by cytoplasmic inherited double-stranded RNA viruses (dsRNA of the Totiviridae family, have been identified. Among these, K28 represents the unique example of a yeast viral killer toxin that enters a sensitive cell by receptor-mediated endocytosis to reach its intracellular target(s. This review summarizes and discusses the most recent advances and current knowledge on yeast killer toxin K28, with special emphasis on its endocytosis and intracellular trafficking, pointing towards future directions and open questions in this still timely and fascinating field of killer yeast research.

  16. A Remote PLC Laboratory (RLab) for Distance Practical Work of Industrial Automation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haritman, E.; Somantri, Y.; Wahyudin, D.; Mulyana, E.

    2018-02-01

    A laboratory is an essential equipment for engineering students to do a useful practical work. Therefore, universities should provide an adequate facility for practical work. On the other hand, industrial automation laboratory would offer students beneficial experience by using various educational PLC kits. This paper describes the development of Web-based Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) remote laboratory called RLab. It provides an environment for learners to study PLC application to control the level of the non-interacting tank. The RLab architecture is based on a Moodle and Remote Desktop, which also manages the booking system of the schedule of practical work in the laboratory. The RLab equipped by USB cameras providing a real-time view of PLC environment. To provide a secured system, the RLab combines Moodle and Remote Desktop application for the authentication system and management of remote users. Moodle will send PartnerID and password to connect to TeamViewer. It has been examined that the laboratory requirement, time and flexibility restrictions constitute a significant obstacle facing traditional students desiring to finish the course. A remote access laboratory can be eliminating time and flexibility restrictions. The preliminary study of RLab usability proved that such system is adequate to give the learners a distance practical work environment.

  17. Data communication between Panasonic PLC and PC using SerialPort control in C#.NET environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Ting; Gan, Xiaochuan; Ma, Liqun

    2015-02-01

    With the gradual promotion of Microsoft.NET platform, C# as an object-oriented programming language based on the platform has been widely used. Therefore, more attention is concentrated on how to achieve the communication between Panasonic PLC and PC efficiently and fast in C#.NET environment. In this paper, a method of using SerialPort control which could be used for achieving communication between PLC and PC is introduced. Meanwhile, the reason of abnormal thread when displayed the receiving data in form is analyzed and the programming method to solve the problem of thread safety is designed. Achieving the communication of Panasonic PLC and PC in C#.NET environment can give full play to the advantages of the .NET framework. It is practical, easy communication, high reliability and can combine with other measurement and calibration procedures effectively and conveniently. Configuration software is expensive and can only communicate with PLC separately, but these shortcomings can be solved in C#.NET environment. A well-designed user interface realized real-time monitoring of PLC parameters and achieved management and control integration. The experiment show that this method of data transfer is accurate and the program' running is stable.

  18. Keeping the wolves at bay: antitoxins of prokaryotic type II toxin-antitoxin systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wai Ting eChan

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available In their initial stages of discovery, prokaryotic toxin-antitoxin (TA systems were confined to bacterial plasmids where they function to mediate the maintenance and stability of usually low- to medium-copy number plasmids through the post-segregational killing of any plasmid-free daughter cells that developed. Their eventual discovery as nearly ubiquitous and repetitive elements in bacterial chromosomes led to a wealth of knowledge and scientific debate as to their diversity and functionality in the prokaryotic lifestyle. Currently categorized into six different types designated types I – VI, type II TA systems are the best characterized. These generally comprised of two genes encoding a proteic toxin and its corresponding proteic antitoxin, respectively. Under normal growth conditions, the stable toxin is prevented from exerting its lethal effect through tight binding with the less stable antitoxin partner, forming a non-lethal TA protein complex. Besides binding with its cognate toxin, the antitoxin also plays a role in regulating the expression of the type II TA operon by binding to the operator site, thereby repressing transcription from the TA promoter. In most cases, full repression is observed in the presence of the TA complex as binding of the toxin enhances the DNA binding capability of the antitoxin. TA systems have been implicated in a gamut of prokaryotic cellular functions such as being mediators of programmed cell death as well as persistence or dormancy, biofilm formation, as defensive weapons against bacteriophage infections and as virulence factors in pathogenic bacteria. It is thus apparent that these antitoxins, as DNA-binding proteins, play an essential role in modulating the prokaryotic lifestyle whilst at the same time preventing the lethal action of the toxins under normal growth conditions, i.e., keeping the proverbial wolves at bay. In this review, we will cover the diversity and characteristics of various type II TA

  19. Equity valuation of Tesco Plc.

    OpenAIRE

    Schmitz, Clemens

    2015-01-01

    This dissertation aimed to value the British retailer Tesco Plc. The objective was to determine a target price for the company and as a consequence determine a buy or sell recommendation when comparing it to the current market price. After the state of the art of literature regarding equity valuation has been assessed, the retail industry as well as Tesco have been analysed in more detail. Based on this, the retail business of Tesco has been valued using the Adjusted Present Va...

  20. Genetically modified anthrax lethal toxin safely delivers whole HIV protein antigens into the cytosol to induce T cell immunity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Yichen; Friedman, Rachel; Kushner, Nicholas; Doling, Amy; Thomas, Lawrence; Touzjian, Neal; Starnbach, Michael; Lieberman, Judy

    2000-07-01

    Bacillus anthrax lethal toxin can be engineered to deliver foreign proteins to the cytosol for antigen presentation to CD8 T cells. Vaccination with modified toxins carrying 8-9 amino acid peptide epitopes induces protective immunity in mice. To evaluate whether large protein antigens can be used with this system, recombinant constructs encoding several HIV antigens up to 500 amino acids were produced. These candidate HIV vaccines are safe in animals and induce CD8 T cells in mice. Constructs encoding gag p24 and nef stimulate gag-specific CD4 proliferation and a secondary cytotoxic T lymphocyte response in HIV-infected donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro. These results lay the foundation for future clinical vaccine studies.

  1. Development of the safety PLC for plant protection system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Chang Hwoi; Lee, Dong Young [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2005-11-15

    The safety PLC (POSAFE-Q) is developing in the Korea Nuclear Instrumentation and Control System (KNICS) R and D project. The PLC satisfies Safety Class 1E, Quality Class 1, and Seismic Category I. The software such as RTOS and firmware are developed according to safety critical software life cycle. Especially, the formal method is applied to design SRS (Software Requirement Spec.) and SDS (Software Design Specification.) for error-free. The developed software according to software life cycle is verified by independent software V and V team. The overall response time from an input to the outputs shall be 50ms or less. The prototype for the POSAFE-Q was developed and functional testing and equipment qualification tests have been underway.

  2. An Architecture Of Plc Ls Xbc-Dr30e Based Clean Water Controlling System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.Jusuf Jamanawar Purba

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available In the industrial field the good controlling system is definitely required to improve the working efficiency of a system. The type of controller PLC Programmable Logic Controller used in Clean Water Controlling System in Electrical Workshop with PLC LS XBC-DR30E. Furthermore such system consistently uses two types of component they are Relay and Timer. The clean water pump control aims to pump the water in well A to storage tank B. The pump will work when water-contained well A is marked by sensor level well A on and the water inside storage tank B is under level 3. When the water inside storage tank B is under level 2 both pumps M1 and M2 will work to fill storage tank B. on the contrary when storage tank B is above level 2 only one pump M1 works until the tank reach level 3. In addition when storage tank B is above level 3 both pumps will stop working. However along with the advancement of recent technology the above system can be controlled by using PLC Programmable Logic Controller. Therefore it is possible to apply the controlling method of PLC as the semester Vs practical module. Based on the trial performed the PLC-based clean water system is well-functioned as the working description compiled before the operation of the tool.

  3. PLC based control system and maintenance activities at NCAR, Bilaspur

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dewangan, Jaidev; Trivedi, T.; Patel, Shiv P.; Malik, C.; Kumar, Rakesh; Gupta, Santosh Kumar; Bajpai, P.K.

    2015-01-01

    A 3.0 MV high current low energy Pelletron Accelerator facility (Model 9SDH-4, NEC, USA) with TORUIS (ion source for H + and He 2+ beam current H + ion ∼ 50μA @ 6 MeV, He 2+ at ∼ 10μA) and SNICS-II ion source for heavy ions has been commissioned as 'National Centre for Accelerator Based Research' in the Department of Pure and Applied Physics, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya. In this paper, we detail out the control system developed and implemented at NCAR. The basic idea of controlling the machine is by providing the output signal through PLC to ACPC of accelerator using user interface points provided by the manufacturer. The PLC based system generates output signal once it receives the feedback signals from search and secure switches, door lock switches and scram switches interlocked with PLC. The output is controlled by ladder logic and is activated only when all the radiation monitors are in healthy state and outside radiations monitor having low radiation level. The details of control system and maintenance activities will be discussed in the paper

  4. Enterprise network with software Asterisk PBX based on the PLC technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michal Maar

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This article presents the software Asterisk PBX solution design in enterprise PLC network (Power Line Communication. The description of the installation and configuration of software Asterisk PBX is involved in the design. The secure interconnection of two enterprise PLC network is implemented via the telecommunication tunnel with security grant using the Cisco routers. The connection between two Asterisk PBXs is designed in context of the establishment of the tunnel. The subject of the article is also cross/connection of exchanges Asterisk PBX and hardware PBX - IP Panasonic PBX K-NS500.

  5. β Absorption dust concentration monitor system based on the PLC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lian Dexing; Zhou Xiuliang; Liu Liyan; Li Zonglun; Cao Guanghui; Mao Wanchong

    2011-01-01

    To provide an on-line automatic system for dust concentration monitor is the purpose of this design.The system based on β-ray-absorption-method,employing PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) control technology, is presented. The user input parameter setup,the data acquisition and processing, and the communication with computer can be effectively regulated using the advanced PLC control technology. It has the features of high reliability, easy operation and easy maintenance, and the ability to monitor remotely. Measurement range: 0.1-1500 mg/m 3 , Accuracy: ±9%. The structure,working principle, electric circuit and software development of the system are introduced in detail. (authors)

  6. Expression and mutagenesis of the sea anemone toxin Av2 reveals key amino acid residues important for activity on voltage-gated sodium channels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moran, Yehu; Cohen, Lior; Kahn, Roy; Karbat, Izhar; Gordon, Dalia; Gurevitz, Michael

    2006-07-25

    Type I sea anemone toxins are highly potent modulators of voltage-gated Na-channels (Na(v)s) and compete with the structurally dissimilar scorpion alpha-toxins on binding to receptor site-3. Although these features provide two structurally different probes for studying receptor site-3 and channel fast inactivation, the bioactive surface of sea anemone toxins has not been fully resolved. We established an efficient expression system for Av2 (known as ATX II), a highly insecticidal sea anemone toxin from Anemonia viridis (previously named A. sulcata), and mutagenized it throughout. Each toxin mutant was analyzed in toxicity and binding assays as well as by circular dichroism spectroscopy to discern the effects derived from structural perturbation from those related to bioactivity. Six residues were found to constitute the anti-insect bioactive surface of Av2 (Val-2, Leu-5, Asn-16, Leu-18, and Ile-41). Further analysis of nine Av2 mutants on the human heart channel Na(v)1.5 expressed in Xenopus oocytes indicated that the bioactive surfaces toward insects and mammals practically coincide but differ from the bioactive surface of a structurally similar sea anemone toxin, Anthopleurin B, from Anthopleura xanthogrammica. Hence, our results not only demonstrate clear differences in the bioactive surfaces of Av2 and scorpion alpha-toxins but also indicate that despite the general conservation in structure and importance of the Arg-14 loop and its flanking residues Gly-10 and Gly-20 for function, the surface of interaction between different sea anemone toxins and Na(v)s varies.

  7. Bringing Automated Model Checking to PLC Program Development - A CERN Case Study

    CERN Document Server

    Fernandez Adiego, B; Tournier, J-C; Blanco Vinuela, E; Gonzalez Suarez, V M

    2014-01-01

    Verification of critical software is a high priority but a challenging task for industrial control systems. Model checking appears to be an appropriate approach for this purpose. However, this technique is not widely used in industry yet, due to some obstacles. The main obstacles encountered when trying to apply formal verification techniques at industrial installations are the difficulty of creating models out of PLC programs and defining formally the specification requirements. In addition, models produced out of real-life programs have a huge state space, thus preventing the verification due to performance issues. Our work at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) focuses on developing efficient automatic verification methods for industrial critical installations based on PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) control systems. In this paper, we present a tool generating automatically formal models out of PLC code. The tool implements a general methodology which can support several input languages, ...

  8. PURA, the gene encoding Pur-alpha, member of an ancient nucleic acid-binding protein family with mammalian neurological functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniel, Dianne C; Johnson, Edward M

    2018-02-15

    The PURA gene encodes Pur-alpha, a 322 amino acid protein with repeated nucleic acid binding domains that are highly conserved from bacteria through humans. PUR genes with a single copy of this domain have been detected so far in spirochetes and bacteroides. Lower eukaryotes possess one copy of the PUR gene, whereas chordates possess 1 to 4 PUR family members. Human PUR genes encode Pur-alpha (Pura), Pur-beta (Purb) and two forms of Pur-gamma (Purg). Pur-alpha is a protein that binds specific DNA and RNA sequence elements. Human PURA, located at chromosome band 5q31, is under complex control of three promoters. The entire protein coding sequence of PURA is contiguous within a single exon. Several studies have found that overexpression or microinjection of Pura inhibits anchorage-independent growth of oncogenically transformed cells and blocks proliferation at either G1-S or G2-M checkpoints. Effects on the cell cycle may be mediated by interaction of Pura with cellular proteins including Cyclin/Cdk complexes and the Rb tumor suppressor protein. PURA knockout mice die shortly after birth with effects on brain and hematopoietic development. In humans environmentally induced heterozygous deletions of PURA have been implicated in forms of myelodysplastic syndrome and progression to acute myelogenous leukemia. Pura plays a role in AIDS through association with the HIV-1 protein, Tat. In the brain Tat and Pura association in glial cells activates transcription and replication of JC polyomavirus, the agent causing the demyelination disease, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Tat and Pura also act to stimulate replication of the HIV-1 RNA genome. In neurons Pura accompanies mRNA transcripts to sites of translation in dendrites. Microdeletions in the PURA locus have been implicated in several neurological disorders. De novo PURA mutations have been related to a spectrum of phenotypes indicating a potential PURA syndrome. The nucleic acid, G-rich Pura binding

  9. Crystallization of the HigBA2 toxin-antitoxin complex from Vibrio cholerae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hadǽi, San; Garcia-Pino, Abel; Martinez-Rodriguez, Sergio

    2013-01-01

    The genome of Vibrio cholerae encodes two higBA toxin-antitoxin (TA) modules that are activated by amino-acid starvation. Here, the TA complex of the second module, higBA2, as well as the C-terminal domain of the corresponding HigA2 antitoxin, have been purified and crystallized. The HigBA2 compl...

  10. Bringing Automated Formal Verification to PLC Program Development

    CERN Document Server

    Fernández Adiego, Borja; Blanco Viñuela, Enrique

    Automation is the field of engineering that deals with the development of control systems for operating systems such as industrial processes, railways, machinery or aircraft without human intervention. In most of the cases, a failure in these control systems can cause a disaster in terms of economic losses, environmental damages or human losses. For that reason, providing safe, reliable and robust control systems is a first priority goal for control engineers. Ideally, control engineers should be able to guarantee that both software and hardware fulfill the design requirements. This is an enormous challenge in which industry and academia have been working and making progresses in the last decades. This thesis focuses on one particular type of control systems that operates industrial processes, the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) - based control systems. Moreover it targets one of the main challenges for these systems, guaranteeing that PLC programs are compliant with their specifications. Traditionally ...

  11. 76 FR 52288 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-22

    ...-0836; Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-38-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR... plc, P.O. Box 31, Derby, DE24 8BJ, United Kingdom: telephone 44 (0) 1332 242424; fax 44 (0) 1332... based on those comments. We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations...

  12. A PLC generic requirements and specification for safety-related applications in nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Jea Bok; Lee, C. K.; Lee, D. Y.

    2001-12-01

    This report presents the requirements and specification to be applied to the generic qualification of programmable Logic Controller(PLC), which is being developed as part of the KNICS project, 'Development of the Digital Reactor Safety Systems' of which purpose is the application to safety-related instrumentation and control systems in nuclear power plants. This report defines the essential and critical characteristics that shall be included as part of a PLC design for safety-related application. The characteristics include performance, reliability, accuracy, the overall response time from an input to the PLC exceeding it trip condition to the resulting outputs, and the specification of processors and memories in digital controller. It also specifies the quality assurance process for software development, dealing with executive software, firmware, application software tools for developing the application software, and human machine interface(HMI). In addition, this report reviews the published standards and guidelines that are required for the PLC development and the quality assurance processes such as environment requirements, seismic withstand requirements, EMI/RFI withstand requirements, and isolation test

  13. Technical considerations for the development of an engineering safety features control system with PLC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, C. K.; Kim, C. H.; Han, J. B.; Kim, H.; Lee, S. S.

    2002-01-01

    Technical considerations are summarized for the development of an ESFCS(Engineered Safety Features Control System) with PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). The ESFCS is required for the mitigation of plant accident conditions and therefore developed in conformance with the design requirements applied to the safety critical system. The design of ESFCS primarily considered its safety, and the system has an architecture that will be able to minimize spurious actuation. The PLC based functional distribution and redundant design features are adopted, and the fieldbus is applied in the communication of information and control signals between PLC processors. It is expected that the ESFCS will have several advanced design features compared with the conventional systems supplied by foreign vendors

  14. Characterization of a new cell-bound alpha-amylase in Bacillus subtilis 168 Marburg that is only immunologically related to the exocellular alpha-amylase.

    OpenAIRE

    Haddaoui, E; Petit-Glatron, M F; Chambert, R

    1995-01-01

    Immunoblot analysis of Bacillus subtilis cell extracts with polyclonal antibodies, raised against purified exocellular alpha-amylase, revealed one protein species of 82,000 Da. This protein was found even in cells in which the amyE gene, encoding exocellular alpha-amylase, was disrupted. Isolated from the membrane fraction, the 82,000-M(r) protein displayed an alpha-amylase activity in vitro.

  15. Amersham International plc. Report and Accounts 1995

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-01-01

    The Annual Report and Accounts for Amersham International plc for the year 1995 are presented. This leading health science company develops products, services and technologies based on its expertise in labelling and detection at the molecular level. Recent work in the fields of life science research, nuclear medicine and industrial quality and safety assurance are described. (UK)

  16. Csseverin inhibits apoptosis through mitochondria-mediated pathways triggered by Ca2 + dyshomeostasis in hepatocarcinoma PLC cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mengchen Shi

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Numerous experimental and epidemiological studies have demonstrated a link between Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis infestation and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA as well as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC. The underlying molecular mechanism involved in the malignancy of CCA and HCC has not yet been addressed. Csseverin, a component of the excretory/secretory products of C. sinensis (CsESPs, was confirmed to cause obvious apoptotic inhibition in the human HCC cell line PLC. However, the antiapoptotic mechanism is unclear. In the present study, we investigated the cellular features of the antiapoptotic mechanism upon transfection of the Csseverin gene.In the present study, we evaluated the effects of Csseverin gene overexpression on the apoptosis of PLC cells using an Annexin PE/7-AAD assay. Western blotting was applied to quantify the activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9, the mitochondrial translocation of Bax and the release of Cyt c upon Csseverin overexpression in PLC cells. Laser scanning confocal microscopy was used to analyze the changes of intracellular calcium. Fluorescence assay and immunofluorescence assays were performed to observe the changes of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP.The overexpression of Csseverin in PLC cells showed apoptosis resistance after the induction of apoptosis. Additionally, the activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9 was specifically weakened in Csseverin overexpression PLC cells. The overexpression of Csseverin reduced the increase in intracellular free Ca2+, thereby inhibiting MPTP opening in PLC cells. Moreover, Bax mitochondrial translocation and the subsequent release of Cyt c were downregulated in apoptotic Csseverin overexpression PLC cells.The present findings suggest that Csseverin, a component of CsESPs, confers protection from human HCC cell apoptosis via the inactivation of membranous Ca2+ channels. Csseverin might be involved in the process of HCC through C. sinensis infestation in

  17. Arabidopsis thaliana RGXT1 and RGXT2 encode Golgi-localized (1,3)-alpha-D-xylosyltransferases involved in the synthesis of pectic rhamnogalacturonan-II

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Jack Egelund; Petersen, Bent Larsen; Motawia, Mohammed Saddik

    2006-01-01

    in rhamnogalacturonan-II, a complex polysaccharide essential to vascular plants, and is conserved across higher plant families. Rhamnogalacturonan-II isolated from both RGXT1 and RGXT2 T-DNA insertional mutants functioned as specific acceptor molecules in the xylosyltransferase assay. Expression of RGXT1- and RGXT2......Two homologous plant-specific Arabidopsis thaliana genes, RGXT1 and RGXT2, belong to a new family of glycosyltransferases (CAZy GT-family-77) and encode cell wall (1,3)-alpha-d-xylosyltransferases. The deduced amino acid sequences contain single transmembrane domains near the N terminus, indicative...

  18. An advanced lab frame PC-PLC regime for a power supply control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdel-Bary, M

    2010-01-01

    A lab frame automatic control system (LFACS) based on a programmable logic controller (PLC) is designed, developed and tested in the laboratory. The LFACS is designed to control and monitor one DC power supply with output current accuracy 0.001 amps, one automatic valve. Also the LFACS will monitor one full range vacuum measurement and one water leak detector. The control system is built based on the internationally standard programmable logic controller (PLC) from Siemens. Two software's have been used; firstly SIMATIC S 7 lite has been used to build the control program and safety interlocks, secondly winCC flexible (runs in a PC computer and communicates with the PLC by multi point interface PC adapter (MPI) has been used to build the user-machine interface . This lab frame control system will be generalized to a global control system to control the MGC-20 cyclotron. The lab tests showed a reliable and flexible control system.

  19. Isolation of Clostridium difficile and Detection of A and B Toxins Encoding Genes

    OpenAIRE

    Abbas Ali Imani Fooladi; Sadegh Rahmati; Jalil Falah Mehr Abadi; Raheleh Halabian; Hamid Sedighian; Mohammad Javad Soltanpour; Mohsen Rahimi

    2014-01-01

    Background: Clostridium difficile is the most important anaerobic, gram positive, spore forming bacillus which is known as a prevalent factor leading to antibiotic associated diarrheas and is the causative agent of pseudomembrane colitis. The role of this bacterium along with the over use of antibiotics have been proved to result in colitis. The major virulence factors of these bacteria are the A and B toxins. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to isolate C. difficile from sto...

  20. The Drosophila melanogaster DmCK2beta transcription unit encodes for functionally non-redundant protein isoforms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jauch, Eike; Wecklein, Heike; Stark, Felix; Jauch, Mandy; Raabe, Thomas

    2006-06-07

    Genes encoding for the two evolutionary highly conserved subunits of a heterotetrameric protein kinase CK2 holoenzyme are present in all examined eukaryotic genomes. Depending on the organism, multiple transcription units encoding for a catalytically active CK2alpha subunit and/or a regulatory CK2beta subunit may exist. The phosphotransferase activity of members of the protein kinase CK2alpha family is thought to be independent of second messengers but is modulated by interaction with CK2beta-like proteins. In the genome of Drosophila melanogaster, one gene encoding for a CK2alpha subunit and three genes encoding for CK2beta-like proteins are present. The X-linked DmCK2beta transcription unit encodes for several CK2beta protein isoforms due to alternative splicing of its primary transcript. We addressed the question whether CK2beta-like proteins are redundant in function. Our in vivo experiments show that variations of the very C-terminal tail of CK2beta isoforms encoded by the X-linked DmCK2beta transcription unit influence their functional properties. In addition, we find that CK2beta-like proteins encoded by the autosomal D. melanogaster genes CK2betates and CK2beta' cannot fully substitute for a loss of CK2beta isoforms encoded by DmCK2beta.

  1. 76 FR 24796 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc RB211-Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-03

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc RB211-Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation.... Request To Revise the Compliance Times Four commenters, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Rolls-Royce plc... SNPRM were developed to minimize the risk of uncontained disc failure, based on the age of the parts in...

  2. Session 1984-1985. Radioactive waste. Minutes of evidence, Monday 13 May 1985. British Nuclear Fuels plc

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1985-01-01

    The Environment Select Committee of the House of Commons received a memorandum from British Nuclear Fuels plc on the treatment and preparation for disposal of radioactive wastes, under the headings: introduction; waste categories; waste management policy; waste arisings; waste treatment plans; appendix I - British Nuclear Fuels plc; appendix II - the nuclear fuel cycle for Magnox, AGR and LWR reactors; appendix III - control of liquid radioactive discharges from Sellafield and their environmental impact. Representatives of BNF plc were examined on the subject of the memorandum and the minutes of evidence are recorded.

  3. Session 1984-85. Radioactive waste. Minutes of evidence, Monday 13 May 1985. British Nuclear Fuels plc

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1985-01-01

    The Environment Select Committee of the House of Commons received a memorandum from British Nuclear Fuels plc on the treatment and preparation for disposal of radioactive wastes, under the headings: introduction; waste categories; waste management policy; waste arisings; waste treatment plans; appendix I - British Nuclear Fuels plc; appendix II - the nuclear fuel cycle for Magnox, AGR and LWR reactors; appendix III - control of liquid radioactive discharges from Sellafield and their environmental impact. Representatives of BNF plc were examined on the subject of the memorandum and the minutes of evidence are recorded. (U.K.)

  4. 70Z/3 Cbl induces PLC gamma 1 activation in T lymphocytes via an alternate Lat- and Slp-76-independent signaling mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graham, Laurie J; Verí, Maria-Concetta; DeBell, Karen E; Noviello, Cristiana; Rawat, Rashmi; Jen, Sandy; Bonvini, Ezio; Rellahan, Barbara

    2003-04-24

    The oncoprotein 70Z/3 Cbl signals in an autonomous fashion or through blockade of endogenous c-Cbl, a negative regulator of signaling. The mechanism of 70Z/3 Cbl-induced signaling was investigated by comparing the molecular requirements for 70Z/3 Cbl- and TCR-induced phospholipase C gamma 1 (PLC gamma 1) activation. 70Z/3 Cbl-induced PLC gamma 1 tyrosine phosphorylation required, in addition to the PLC gamma 1 N-terminal SH2 domain, the C-terminal SH2 and SH3 domains that were dispensable for TCR-induced phosphorylation. Deletion of the leucine zipper of 70Z/3 Cbl did not eliminate 70Z/3 Cbl-induced PLC gamma 1 phosphorylation, suggesting that blockage of c-Cbl via dimerization with 70Z/3 Cbl cannot fully explain 70Z/3 Cbl activating characteristics. The complete elimination of PLC gamma 1 phosphorylation required deleting the SH3 domain-binding region of 70Z/3 Cbl, consistent with 70Z/3 Cbl binding the PLC gamma 1 SH3 domain. 70Z/3 Cbl-induced PLC gamma 1 phosphorylation required Zap-70, as for the TCR, and the tyrosine kinase binding domain of 70Z/3 Cbl, which binds Zap-70, but did not require PLC gamma 1 binding to Lat, a crucial interaction in TCR-induced PLC gamma 1 phosphorylation. Furthermore, 70Z/3 Cbl-induced activation of NFAT, a PLC gamma 1/Ca(2+)-dependent transcriptional event, required Zap-70, but was independent of Slp-76, an adapter required for TCR-induced NFAT activation. These results suggest that 70Z/3 Cbl and PLC gamma 1 form a TCR-, Lat- and Slp-76-independent complex that leads to PLC gamma 1 phosphorylation and activation.

  5. Stool C difficile toxin

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... toxin; Colitis - toxin; Pseudomembranous - toxin; Necrotizing colitis - toxin; C difficile - toxin ... be analyzed. There are several ways to detect C difficile toxin in the stool sample. Enzyme immunoassay ( ...

  6. Application of PLC technology in measurement of beam profile on 100 MeV accelerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Luyang; Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing; Chen Yongzhong; Chen Yongzhong; Liu Dekang; Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing

    2005-01-01

    A comprehensive introduction is given to the real-time measuring method, which is based on the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) technology and can measure intensity and profile of the beam by a scintillator screen. The whole system has many advantages, such as good reliability, high precision, intuitional measurement, etc. due to the use of the PLC and Labview software. (authors)

  7. Alpha-amylase from the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Thermococcus thioreducens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernhardsdotter, E. C. M. J.; Pusey, M. L.; Ng, M. L.; Garriott, O. K.

    2003-01-01

    Extremophiles are microorganisms that thrive in, from an anthropocentric view, extreme environments such as hot springs. The ability of survival at extreme conditions has rendered enzymes from extremophiles to be of interest in industrial applications. One approach to producing these extremozymes entails the expression of the enzyme-encoding gene in a mesophilic host such as E.coli. This method has been employed in the effort to produce an alpha-amylase from a hyperthermophile (an organism that displays optimal growth above 80 C) isolated from a hydrothermal vent at the Rainbow vent site in the Atlantic Ocean. alpha-amylases catalyze the hydrolysis of starch to produce smaller sugars and constitute a class of industrial enzymes having approximately 25% of the enzyme market. One application for thermostable alpha-amylases is the starch liquefaction process in which starch is converted into fructose and glucose syrups. The a-amylase encoding gene from the hyperthermophile Thermococcus thioreducens was cloned and sequenced, revealing high similarity with other archaeal hyperthermophilic a-amylases. The gene encoding the mature protein was expressed in E.coli. Initial characterization of this enzyme has revealed an optimal amylolytic activity between 85-90 C and around pH 5.3-6.0.

  8. Formation of visual memories controlled by gamma power phase-locked to alpha oscillations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Hyojin; Lee, Dong Soo; Kang, Eunjoo; Kang, Hyejin; Hahm, Jarang; Kim, June Sic; Chung, Chun Kee; Jiang, Haiteng; Gross, Joachim; Jensen, Ole

    2016-06-01

    Neuronal oscillations provide a window for understanding the brain dynamics that organize the flow of information from sensory to memory areas. While it has been suggested that gamma power reflects feedforward processing and alpha oscillations feedback control, it remains unknown how these oscillations dynamically interact. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) data was acquired from healthy subjects who were cued to either remember or not remember presented pictures. Our analysis revealed that in anticipation of a picture to be remembered, alpha power decreased while the cross-frequency coupling between gamma power and alpha phase increased. A measure of directionality between alpha phase and gamma power predicted individual ability to encode memory: stronger control of alpha phase over gamma power was associated with better memory. These findings demonstrate that encoding of visual information is reflected by a state determined by the interaction between alpha and gamma activity.

  9. Bacillus cereus Fnr binds a [4Fe-4S] cluster and forms a ternary complex with ResD and PlcR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Esbelin Julia

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Bacillus cereus is a facultative anaerobe that causes diarrheal disease in humans. Diarrheal syndrome may result from the secretion of various virulence factors including hemolysin BL and nonhemolytic enterotoxin Nhe. Expression of genes encoding Hbl and Nhe is regulated by the two redox systems, ResDE and Fnr, and the virulence regulator PlcR. B. cereus Fnr is a member of the Crp/Fnr family of iron-sulfur (Fe-S proteins. Only its apo-form has so far been studied. A major goal in deciphering the Fnr-dependent regulation of enterotoxin genes is thus to obtain and characterize holoFnr. Results Fnr has been subjected to in vitro Fe-S cluster reconstitution under anoxic conditions. UV-visible and EPR spectroscopic analyses together with the chemical estimation of the iron content indicated that Fnr binds one [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster per monomer. Atmospheric O2 causes disassembly of the Fe-S cluster, which exhibited a half-life of 15 min in air. Holo- and apoFnr have similar affinities for the nhe and hbl promoter regions, while holoFnr has a higher affinity for fnr promoter region than apoFnr. Both the apo- and holo-form of Fnr interact with ResD and PlcR to form a ternary complex. Conclusions Overall, this work shows that incorporation of the [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster is not required for DNA binding of Fnr to promoter regions of hbl and nhe enterotoxin genes or for the formation of a ternary complex with ResD and PlcR. This points to some new unusual properties of Fnr that may have physiological relevance in the redox regulation of enterotoxin gene regulation.

  10. PowerGen plc report and accounts 1994

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-01-01

    The annual report and accounts of PowerGen plc for the year 1994 are presented. Financial highlights are quoted, followed by the Chairman's statement, reviews by the Chief Executive and Financial Directors, reports by the Auditors and Directors, balance sheets and details of the consolidated profit and loss account and principal accounting policies. A four year summary and shareholder information are included. (UK)

  11. 75 FR 61114 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc RB211-Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-04

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc RB211-Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation.... Fax: (202) 493-2251. Contact Rolls-Royce plc, P.O. Box 31, Derby, England, DE248BJ; telephone: 011-44... AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this proposed AD based...

  12. 75 FR 264 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc RB211-Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-05

    ...-1004; Directorate Identifier 2009-NE-36-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc.... Contact Rolls-Royce plc, P.O. Box 31, Derby, England; telephone: 011-44-1332-249428; fax: 011-44-1332... AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this proposed AD based...

  13. 77 FR 1009 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-524 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-09

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-524 Series Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation... 5, 2005). ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact Rolls-Royce plc, P.O...,000. Based on these figures, we estimate the total cost of the AD to U.S. operators to be $4,206,960...

  14. Five Year Retrospective Study of the Financial Situation of Northern Foods Plc., United Kingdom

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Louie DACOSTA

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This study was conducted as a retrospective analysis of Northern Foods Plc., once a major player in FTSE 350 Food Sector, to evaluate its financial situation over a five year period. The ex post factor research design was used for this study. Annual reports and databases on Northern Foods Plc., and Associated British Foods Plc., were used to perform a series of ratio analyses. The results revealed that Northern Foods Plc.’s performance has been declining as evidenced in the profitability ratios calculated. Also, financial strength was weak and working capital has not been effectively managed, hence affecting its cash and profit generation potentials. The company was limited in its ability to grow and expand as it needed to regularly fund its pension deficit, and finance its high levels of debt. The study concludes that Northern Foods was not in a very strong financial position, yet it was not making the required investments to improve, hence its takeover though this paper will not rule out non-financial issues. Furthermore, the study prescribed five generic points to improve the financial health of any organisation.

  15. Application of PLC to dynamic control system for liquid He cryogenic pumping facility on JT-60U NBI system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Honda, A.; Okano, F.; Ooshima, K.; Akino, N.; Kikuchi, K.; Tanai, Y.; Takenouchi, T.; Numazawa, S.; Ikeda, Y.

    2008-01-01

    The control system of the cryogenic facility in the JT-60 NBI system has been replaced by employing the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) system. The original control system was constructed about 20 years ago by specifying the DCS (Distributed Control System) computer to deal with ∼400 feedback loops. Recently, troubles on this control system have increased due to its age-induced deterioration. To maintain the high reliability of the cryogenic facility, a new control system has been planned with the PLC and SCADA systems. Their attractive features include high market availability and cost-effectiveness, however, the use of PLC for such a large facility with ∼400 feedback loops has not been established because of insufficient processing capability of the early PLC. Meanwhile, the recent progress in the PLC enables to use the FBD (function block diagram) programming language for 500 function blocks. By optimizing the function blocks and connecting them in the FBD language, the feedback loops have been successfully replaced from DCS to PLC without a software developer. Moreover, an oscillation of the liquid He level, which often occurs during the cooldown mode of the cryopumps, can be automatically stabilized by easily adding a new process program in the PLC. At present, the new control system has worked well

  16. A PLC platform-independent structural analysis on FBD programs for digital reactor protection systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, Sejin; Yoo, Junbeom; Lee, Young-Jun

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • FBD has been widely used to implement safety-critical software for PLC-based systems. • The safety-critical software should be developed strictly with safety programming guidelines. • There are no argued rules that have specific links to higher guidelines NUREG/CR-6463 PLC platform-independently. • This paper proposes a set of rules on the structure of FBD programs with providing specific links to higher guidelines. • This paper also provides CASE tool ‘FBD Checker’ for analyzing the structure of FBD. - Abstract: FBD (function block diagram) has been widely used to implement safety-critical software for PLC (programmable logic controller)-based digital nuclear reactor protection systems. The software should be developed strictly in accordance with safety programming guidelines such as NUREG/CR-6463. Software engineering tools of PLC vendors enable us to present structural analyses using FBD programs, but specific rules pertaining to the guidelines are enclosed within the commercial tools, and specific links to the guidelines are not clearly communicated. This paper proposes a set of rules on the structure of FBD programs in accordance with guidelines, and we develop an automatic analysis tool for FBD programs written in the PLCopen TC6 format. With the proposed tool, any FBD program that is transformed into an open format can be analyzed the PLC platform-independently. We consider a case study on FBD programs obtained from a preliminary version of a Korean nuclear power plant, and we demonstrate the effectiveness and potential of the proposed rules and analysis tool.

  17. Restructuring of SE, Plc - from a functionally managed company to a process managed commercial-production company

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ravasz, V.

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this presentation is to inform the participants about present changes currently occurred within Slovenske elektrarne, a. s. (SE, Plc). Changes are related to the liberalisation of the electricity market and expected accession of Slovakia to EU. To support its competitiveness, the SE, Plc became a customer-oriented company, prepared to the access of strategic investor. The paper includes the basic information about centralisation and project of Restructuring of SE, Plc., which has started in December 2003. The aim of Restructuring is the change from functionally managed company to a process managed commercial-production company

  18. 77 FR 20987 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-09

    ... Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION... the Federal Register. That AD applies to RB211-Trent 800 series turbofan engines. The last comment...

  19. 75 FR 61361 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-535 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-05

    ...-0994; Directorate Identifier 2009-NE-39-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR...-Royce plc., P.O. Box 31, Derby, DE24 8BJ, United Kingdom; Telephone: 011 44 1332 242424, Fax: 011 44... based on those comments. We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations...

  20. 76 FR 65997 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-535 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-10-25

    ...-0994; Directorate Identifier 2009-NE-39-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR... Friday, except Federal holidays. For service information identified in this AD, contact Rolls-Royce plc.... Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this proposed AD on U.S. operators to be $1,499,400. FAA...

  1. 76 FR 2605 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc RB211-Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-14

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc RB211-Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation... holidays. Fax: (202) 493-2251. Contact Rolls-Royce plc, P.O. Box 31, DERBY, DE24 8BJ, UK; telephone 44 (0... AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this proposed AD based...

  2. Event notification system with a PLC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawase, M.; Yoshikawa, Hiroshi; Sakaki, Hironao; Takahashi, Hiroki; Sako, Hiroyuki; Kamiya, Junichiro; Takayanagi, Tomohiro

    2004-01-01

    When an interlock occurs in the equipment, it is required to notify the upper rank control system of the Interlock and receive information for apparatus information in the upper rank control system as at high speed as possible. In the apparatus using FA-M3, it can respond to this by using the notice function of an event. This report shows the event notification system with a PLC based Kicker electromagnet power supply for 3GeV RCS. (author)

  3. Occurrence of Beta2 toxigenic Clostridium perfringens isolates with different toxin types in Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jabbari, A.R.

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Clostridium perfringens is an important cause of enteric diseases in both human and animals. The bacteria produce several toxins which play key roles in the pathogenesis of diseases and are classified into five toxin types, on the basis of the differential production of Alpha, Beta, Epsilon and Iota toxins. In this study a single PCR assay was developed and used for detection of cpb2 gene to identify the Beta2 harboring isolates among different types of C. perfringens isolated from animal enteric diseases in Iran. It was found that cpb2 presents among C. perfringens isolates types A, B, C and D with 54.5% (6/11, 62% (13/21, 42.8% (6/14, 69.25% (9/13, respectively. Totally 34 of 59 (56.7% isolates screened by PCR were cpb2-positive. This is the first report of cpb2 positive isolates of C. perfringens causing enteric diseases of animals in Iran. Further studies to demonstrate the exact role of Beta2 toxin in pathogenesis of the bacterium is suggested.

  4. PLC-based LP₁₁ mode rotator for mode-division multiplexing transmission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saitoh, Kunimasa; Uematsu, Takui; Hanzawa, Nobutomo; Ishizaka, Yuhei; Masumoto, Kohei; Sakamoto, Taiji; Matsui, Takashi; Tsujikawa, Kyozo; Yamamoto, Fumihiko

    2014-08-11

    A PLC-based LP11 mode rotator is proposed. The proposed mode rotator is composed of a waveguide with a trench that provides asymmetry of the waveguide. Numerical simulations show that converting LP11a (LP11b) mode to LP11b (LP11a) mode can be achieved with high conversion efficiency (more than 90%) and little polarization dependence over a wide wavelength range from 1450 nm to 1650 nm. In addition, we fabricate the proposed LP11 mode rotator using silica-based PLC. It is confirmed that the fabricated mode rotator can convert LP11a mode to LP11b mode over a wide wavelength range.

  5. Heating systems with PLC and frequency control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdallah, Salah; Abu-Mallouh, Riyad

    2008-01-01

    In this work, medium capacity controlled heating system is designed and constructed. The programming method of control of heating process is achieved by means of integrated programmable logic controller (PLC) and frequency inverter (FI). The PLC main function is to determine the required temperatures levels and the related time intervals of the heating hold time in the furnace. FI is used to control the dynamic change of temperature between various operating points. The designed system shows the capability for full control of temperature from zero to maximum for any required range of time in case of increasing or decreasing the temperature. All variables of the system will be changed gradually until reaching their needed working points. An experimental study was performed to investigate the effect of tempering temperature and tempering time on hardness and fatigue resistance of 0.4% carbon steel. It was found that increasing tempering temperature above 550 deg. C or tempering time decreases the hardness of the material. It was also found that there is a maximum number of cycles to which the specimen can survive what ever the applied load was

  6. 77 FR 4648 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-535 Series Turbofan Engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-31

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-535 Series Turbofan Engine AGENCY: Federal Aviation... identified in this AD, contact Rolls-Royce plc, P.O. Box 31, Derby, DE24 8BJ, United Kingdom; phone: 011 44... parts are required. Based on these figures, we estimate the cost of this AD on U.S. operators to be $1...

  7. 75 FR 63727 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-524 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-18

    ...-0162; Directorate Identifier 2004-NE-19-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR...-2251. Contact Rolls-Royce plc, P.O. Box 31, Derby, DE24 8BJ, United Kingdom; telephone: 011-44-1332... would cost $0. Based on these figures, we estimate the total cost of the AD to U.S. operators would be...

  8. PLC based development of control, monitoring and interlock for 100 kW, 45.6 MHz ICRH system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jadav, Hiralal; Joshi, Rameshkumar; Mali, Aniruddh K.; Kadia; Bhavesh; Parmar; Maganbhai, Kiritkumar; Kulkarni, S.V.

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents details of PLC based system development for 100KW at the rate 45.6 MHz. Presently in ICRH RF DAC (Data acquisition and control) system existing based on real time VME and linux operating system. The ICRH system consists of 1.5 MW RF generator operating at 22- 40MHz which is used for second harmonic heating and pre-ionization experiments on SST-1 Tokamak at 1.5T and 3T magnetic field operation respectively. The task of PLC system in RF ICRH is to control, monitoring and interlocks HVDC power supply signal. Voltage and current signal of 2 kW, 20 kW, tetrode for 100 kW RF tube electrode like Filament, Control grid, Plate, Screen grid, signal monitor and voltage set raised by PLC analog IO module. Acknowledgement of the HVDC supply Filament, Control grid, Plate, Screen grid power supply is monitor and interlocks by PLC Digital IO module to interlocks stop the RF pulse and off HV power supply. The RF pulse(shot) to trigger signal generator (5mw) RF power output feed to LPA then chain of 2 KW, 20 KW, 100 KW at the rate 45.6 MHz. The programming logic controller (PLC) software is written in ladder language for AH500 Delta make using ISP Soft 2.04 and GUI is in the table form to control and monitor the parameters. Communication of PLC to PC by ethernet LAN network. (author)

  9. Molecular evolution and diversification of snake toxin genes, revealed by analysis of intron sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujimi, T J; Nakajyo, T; Nishimura, E; Ogura, E; Tsuchiya, T; Tamiya, T

    2003-08-14

    The genes encoding erabutoxin (short chain neurotoxin) isoforms (Ea, Eb, and Ec), LsIII (long chain neurotoxin) and a novel long chain neurotoxin pseudogene were cloned from a Laticauda semifasciata genomic library. Short and long chain neurotoxin genes were also cloned from the genome of Laticauda laticaudata, a closely related species of L. semifasciata, by PCR. A putative matrix attached region (MAR) sequence was found in the intron I of the LsIII gene. Comparative analysis of 11 structurally relevant snake toxin genes (three-finger-structure toxins) revealed the molecular evolution of these toxins. Three-finger-structure toxin genes diverged from a common ancestor through two types of evolutionary pathways (long and short types), early in the course of evolution. At a later stage of evolution in each gene, the accumulation of mutations in the exons, especially exon II, by accelerated evolution may have caused the increased diversification in their functions. It was also revealed that the putative MAR sequence found in the LsIII gene was integrated into the gene after the species-level divergence.

  10. Multiprog Virtual Laboratory Applied to PLC Programming Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shyr, Wen-Jye

    2010-01-01

    This study develops a Multiprog virtual laboratory for a mechatronics education designed to teach how to programme a programmable logic controller (PLC). The study was carried out with 34 students in the Department of Industry Education and Technology at National Changhua University of Education in Taiwan. In total, 17 students were assigned to…

  11. Design of EAST LHCD high power supply feedback control system based on PLC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu Huaichuan; Shan Jiafang

    2009-01-01

    Design of EAST LHCD -35kV/5.6MW high power supply feedback control system based on PLC is described. Industrial computer and PLC are used to control high power supply in the system. PID arithmetic is adopted to achieve the feedback control of voltage of high power supply. Operating system is base on real-time operating system of QNX. Good controlling properties and reliable protective properties of the feedback control system are proved by the experiment results. (authors)

  12. British Nuclear Fuels plc: report and accounts 1987-88

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-01-01

    The Energy Committee has considered the report and accounts of BNFL (British Nuclear Fuels PLC) for the year 1987-88. The report looks at BNFL as a government owned PLC - its activities and financial performance. Various questions are raised about the underlying financial position justifying the optimism portrayed in the report and accounts. The impact of cost-plus contracts on UK customers is examined. The economics of THORP (Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant) are also examined especially as the escalation in the cost of constructing THORP means that a substantial loss will be made in the reprocessing of waste for which contracts were signed in the late 1960s or early 1970s. The main conclusions of the report are summarized. One of these is that the UK must be cautious about becoming a repository of foreign nuclear waste. Other specific recommendations are made - some about the decommissioning of BNFL plant. (UK)

  13. Bacteriophage-encoded shiga toxin gene in atypical bacterial host

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Casas Veronica

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Contamination from fecal bacteria in recreational waters is a major health concern since bacteria capable of causing human disease can be found in animal feces. The Dog Beach area of Ocean Beach in San Diego, California is a beach prone to closures due to high levels of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB. A potential source of these FIB could be the canine feces left behind by owners who do not clean up after their pets. We tested this hypothesis by screening the DNA isolated from canine feces for the bacteriophage-encoded stx gene normally found in the virulent strains of the fecal bacterium Escherichia coli. Results Twenty canine fecal samples were collected, processed for total and bacterial fraction DNA, and screened by PCR for the stx gene. The stx gene was detected in the total and bacterial fraction DNA of one fecal sample. Bacterial isolates were then cultivated from the stx-positive fecal sample. Eighty nine of these canine fecal bacterial isolates were screened by PCR for the stx gene. The stx gene was detected in five of these isolates. Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene PCR products from the canine fecal bacterial isolates indicated that they were Enterococcus and not E. coli. Conclusions The bacteriophage-encoded stx gene was found in multiple species of bacteria cultivated from canine fecal samples gathered at the shoreline of the Dog Beach area of Ocean Beach in San Diego, California. The canine fecal bacteria carrying the stx gene were not the typical E. coli host and were instead identified through phylogenetic analyses as Enterococcus. This suggests a large degree of horizontal gene transfer of exotoxin genes in recreational waters.

  14. Inhibition of cholera toxin and other AB toxins by polyphenolic compounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    All AB-type protein toxins have intracellular targets despite an initial extracellular location. These toxins use different methods to reach the cytosol and have different effects on the target cell. Broad-spectrum inhibitors against AB toxins are therefore hard to develop because the toxins use dif...

  15. NB-PLC channel modelling with cyclostationary noise addition & OFDM implementation for smart grid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Togis; Gupta, K. K.

    2016-03-01

    Power line communication (PLC) technology can be a viable solution for the future ubiquitous networks because it provides a cheaper alternative to other wired technology currently being used for communication. In smart grid Power Line Communication (PLC) is used to support communication with low rate on low voltage (LV) distribution network. In this paper, we propose the channel modelling of narrowband (NB) PLC in the frequency range 5 KHz to 500 KHz by using ABCD parameter with cyclostationary noise addition. Behaviour of the channel was studied by the addition of 11KV/230V transformer, by varying load location and load. Bit error rate (BER) Vs signal to noise ratio SNR) was plotted for the proposed model by employing OFDM. Our simulation results based on the proposed channel model show an acceptable performance in terms of bit error rate versus signal to noise ratio, which enables communication required for smart grid applications.

  16. The effect of a dynamic PCL brace on patellofemoral compartment pressures in PCL-and PCL/PLC-deficient knees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Welch, Tyler; Keller, Thomas; Maldonado, Ruben; Metzger, Melodie; Mohr, Karen; Kvitne, Ronald

    2017-12-01

    The natural history of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) deficiency includes the development of arthrosis in the patellofemoral joint (PFJ). The purpose of this biomechanical study was to evaluate the hypothesis that dynamic bracing reduces PFJ pressures in PCL- and combined PCL/posterolateral corner (PLC)-deficient knees. Controlled Laboratory Study. Eight fresh frozen cadaveric knees with intact cruciate and collateral ligaments were included. PFJ pressures and force were measured using a pressure mapping system via a lateral arthrotomy at knee flexion angles of 30°, 60°, 90°, and 120° in intact, PCL-deficient, and PCL/PLC-deficient knees under a combined quadriceps/hamstrings load of 400 N/200 N. Testing was then repeated in PCL- and PCL/PLC-deficient knees after application of a dynamic PCL brace. Application of a dynamic PCL brace led to a reduction in peak PFJ pressures in PCL-deficient knees. In addition, the brace led to a significant reduction in peak pressures in PCL/PLC-deficient knees at 60°, 90°, and 120° of flexion. Application of the dynamic brace also led to a reduction in total PFJ force across all flexion angles for both PCL- and PCL/PLC-deficient knees. Dynamic bracing reduces PFJ pressures in PCL- and combined PCL/PLC-deficient knees, particularly at high degrees of knee flexion.

  17. 77 FR 10355 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-22

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation... service of certain critical engine parts based on reduced life limits. This new AD reduces the life limits... effective March 28, 2012. ADDRESSES: For service information identified in this AD, contact Rolls-Royce plc...

  18. The Application of PLC (Powerline Communications) in Brazil in the regulatory viewpoint; A aplicacao do PLC no Brasil do ponto de vista regulatorio

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vieira, Daniel; Silva Filho, Armando [Agencia Nacional de Energia Eletrica (ANEEL), Brasilia, DF (Brazil). Superintendencia de Regulacao dos Servicos de Distribuicao

    2010-07-01

    The Powerline Communications technology - PLC allows transmission of data, voice, image and access to high speed internet by the grid, so that a power plug can also be an access point to the network communication. Considering that the electric grid reaches the vast majority of households, there is great potential in using this technology as a tool to achieve the reality of digital inclusion in the country. However, its implementation must be accompanied by effective regulation, both through policies with respect to the conditions of use of radio frequencies, as in regulating the use of distribution networks of electricity as a means of transport for communication signal. In this context, the present article deals with the fundamental rules governing the application of PLC technology from the standpoint of the distributors and consumers of electricity, with attention to quality assurance of electrical energy and facility security.

  19. 3D digital image correlation investigation of PLC effect in a new Ni-Co base superalloy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Y.; Fu, S. H.; Cheng, T.; Huo, X.; Zhang, Q. C.

    2013-06-01

    Repeated plastic instability accompanying serrated yielding in stress-strain curves and localization of deformation is observed during plastic deformation of many metallic alloys when tensile specimens are deformed under certain experimental conditions of temperature, strain rate, and pre-deformation. This phenomenon is referred to as the Portevin- Le Chatelier (PLC) effect. TMW alloy, a newly developed Ni-Co base superalloy for aircraft engine application, also exhibit PLC effect during tensile test at temperatures ranging from 300 ° to 600 °, which are also the temperature range for engine working. In this paper, a 3D digital image correlation (3D DIC) measurement system was established to observe the localization of deformation (PLC band) in a tensile test performed on TMW alloy specimen at temperature of 400 °. The 3D DIC system, with displacement measurement accuracy up to 0.01 pixels and strain measurement accuracy up to 100 μɛ, has a high performance in displacement field calculation with more than 10000 points every second on a 3.1G Hz CPU computer. The test result shows that, the PLC bands are inclined at an angle of about 60° to the tensile axis. Unlike tensile test performed on aluminums alloy, the widths of PLC bands of TMW alloy specimen, ranging from 4 mm to 4.5 mm, are much greater than the specimen thickness (0.25 mm).

  20. Saltwell PIC Skid Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Software Configuration Management Plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    KOCH, M.R.

    1999-01-01

    This document provides the procedures and guidelines necessary for computer software configuration management activities during the operation and maintenance phases of the Saltwell PIC Skids as required by LMH-PRO-309/Rev. 0, Computer Software Quality Assurance, Section 2.6, Software Configuration Management. The software configuration management plan (SCMP) integrates technical and administrative controls to establish and maintain technical consistency among requirements, physical configuration, and documentation for the Saltwell PIC Skid Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) software during the Hanford application, operations and maintenance. This SCMP establishes the Saltwell PIC Skid PLC Software Baseline, status changes to that baseline, and ensures that software meets design and operational requirements and is tested in accordance with their design basis

  1. 76 FR 78805 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-20

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation... all Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines. This AD results from mandatory... inspection of the FOHE mounts. We did not change the AD based on this comment. Request To Add Requirement To...

  2. 76 FR 68663 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-07

    ...-0755; Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-12-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR... Rolls-Royce plc, Corporate Communications, P.O. Box 31, Derby, England, DE248BJ; phone: 011-44-1332... date and may amend this proposed AD based on those comments. We will post all comments we receive...

  3. Binding of ATP by pertussis toxin and isolated toxin subunits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hausman, S.Z.; Manclark, C.R.; Burns, D.L.

    1990-01-01

    The binding of ATP to pertussis toxin and its components, the A subunit and B oligomer, was investigated. Whereas, radiolabeled ATP bound to the B oligomer and pertussis toxin, no binding to the A subunit was observed. The binding of [ 3 H]ATP to pertussis toxin and the B oligomer was inhibited by nucleotides. The relative effectiveness of the nucleotides was shown to be ATP > GTP > CTP > TTP for pertussis toxin and ATP > GTP > TTP > CTP for the B oligomer. Phosphate ions inhibited the binding of [ 3 H]ATP to pertussis toxin in a competitive manner; however, the presence of phosphate ions was essential for binding of ATP to the B oligomer. The toxin substrate, NAD, did not affect the binding of [ 3 H]ATP to pertussis toxin, although the glycoprotein fetuin significantly decreased binding. These results suggest that the binding site for ATP is located on the B oligomer and is distinct from the enzymatically active site but may be located near the eukaryotic receptor binding site

  4. Binding of ATP by pertussis toxin and isolated toxin subunits

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hausman, S.Z.; Manclark, C.R.; Burns, D.L. (Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Bethesda, MD (USA))

    1990-07-03

    The binding of ATP to pertussis toxin and its components, the A subunit and B oligomer, was investigated. Whereas, radiolabeled ATP bound to the B oligomer and pertussis toxin, no binding to the A subunit was observed. The binding of ({sup 3}H)ATP to pertussis toxin and the B oligomer was inhibited by nucleotides. The relative effectiveness of the nucleotides was shown to be ATP > GTP > CTP > TTP for pertussis toxin and ATP > GTP > TTP > CTP for the B oligomer. Phosphate ions inhibited the binding of ({sup 3}H)ATP to pertussis toxin in a competitive manner; however, the presence of phosphate ions was essential for binding of ATP to the B oligomer. The toxin substrate, NAD, did not affect the binding of ({sup 3}H)ATP to pertussis toxin, although the glycoprotein fetuin significantly decreased binding. These results suggest that the binding site for ATP is located on the B oligomer and is distinct from the enzymatically active site but may be located near the eukaryotic receptor binding site.

  5. What is the link between stringent response, endoribonuclease encoding type II toxin-antitoxin systems and persistence?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ramisetty, B. C. M.; Ghosh, Debabrata; Chowdhury, M. R.

    2016-01-01

    Persistence is a transient and non-inheritable tolerance to antibiotics by a small fraction of a bacterial population. One of the proposed determinants of bacterial persistence is toxin-antitoxin systems (TASs) which are also implicated in a wide range of stress-related phenomena. Maisonneuve E, ...

  6. Artificial activation of toxin-antitoxin systems as an antibacterial strategy

    OpenAIRE

    Williams, Julia J.; Hergenrother, Paul J.

    2012-01-01

    Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are unique modules that effect plasmid stabilization via post-segregational killing of the bacterial host. The genes encoding TA systems also exist on bacterial chromosomes, where they are speculated to be involved in a variety of cellular processes. Interest in TA systems has increased dramatically over the past five years as the ubiquitous nature of TA genes on bacterial genomes has been revealed. The exploitation of TA systems as an antibacterial strategy via a...

  7. 78 FR 6206 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-30

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT..., RB211-Trent 977-84, RB211-Trent 977B-84 and RB211-Trent 980-84 turbofan engines. This AD requires on...

  8. Adverse effects of T-2 toxin on chicken lymphocytes blastogenesis and its protection with Vitamin E.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaradat, Ziad W; Viià, Borja; Marquardt, Ronal R

    2006-08-15

    T-2 toxin, a trichothecene mycotoxin that is produced by fusarium species, is prevalent mainly in cereal crops and poultry feed. One of the major effects of this toxin is immunomodulation. The effect of T-2 toxin on chicken lymphocyte proliferation in the presence of mitogens and the subsequent protection with Vitamin E in both fat and water soluble forms was studied using an MTT colorimetric assay. T-2 toxin was administered in concentrations ranging from 0 to 10ng/mL of lymphocytes in the presence of either concanavalin A (ConA) or phytohemagglutinine (PHA-M) at optimum concentration of 333ng/mL and a dilution of 1:160 for ConA and PHA-M, respectively. Lymphocyte proliferation in response to ConA and PHA-M mitogens was depressed at T-2 doses of 1ng/mL or higher (pprotection effect against the toxin when it was added at either 25 or 100microg. However, when the water soluble form (Trolox) was added at a concentration of (200microg) (equivalent to 100microM of alpha-tocopherol), it provided considerable protection (pprotection.

  9. Linkage of the gene that encodes the alpha 1 chain of type V collagen (COL5A1) to type II Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS II).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loughlin, J; Irven, C; Hardwick, L J; Butcher, S; Walsh, S; Wordsworth, P; Sykes, B

    1995-09-01

    Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of heritable disorders of connective tissue with skin, ligaments and blood vessels being the main sites affected. The commonest variant (EDS II) exhibits an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance and is characterized by joint hypermobility, cigarette paper scars, lax skin and excessive bruising. As yet no gene has been linked to EDS II, nor has linkage been established to a specific region of the genome. However, several candidate genes encoding proteins of the extracellular matrix have been excluded. Using an intragenic simple sequence repeat polymorphism, we report linkage of the COL5A1 gene, which encodes the alpha 1(V) chain of type V collagen, to EDS II. A maximum LOD score (Zmax) for linkage of 8.3 at theta = 0.00 was generated for a single large pedigree.

  10. A combined PLC and CPU approach to multiprocessor control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harris, J.J.; Broesch, J.D.; Coon, R.M.

    1995-10-01

    A sophisticated multiprocessor control system has been developed for use in the E-Power Supply System Integrated Control (EPSSIC) on the DIII-D tokamak. EPSSIC provides control and interlocks for the ohmic heating coil power supply and its associated systems. Of particular interest is the architecture of this system: both a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and a Central Processor Unit (CPU) have been combined on a standard VME bus. The PLC and CPU input and output signals are routed through signal conditioning modules, which provide the necessary voltage and ground isolation. Additionally these modules adapt the signal levels to that of the VME I/O boards. One set of I/O signals is shared between the two processors. The resulting multiprocessor system provides a number of advantages: redundant operation for mission critical situations, flexible communications using conventional TCP/IP protocols, the simplicity of ladder logic programming for the majority of the control code, and an easily maintained and expandable non-proprietary system

  11. Structural studies of the toxin-antitoxin proteins RelE and RelB from E. coli

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Kasper Røjkjær; Overgaard, Martin; Gerdes, Kenn

    the special tRNA-mRNA mimic, tmRNA [1]. Questions to be addressed Many questions remain to be answered in the bacterial toxin-antitoxin system. The crystal structure of RelBE from Pyrococcus horikoshii OT3 was previously solved at 2.3Å [2]. This structure shows the molecule in an inactive state, but OT3......The bacterial toxin-antitoxin system The relBE operon in E. coli encodes two small proteins: A toxin, RelE (12 kDa) and an antitoxin, RelB (9 kDa). RelE is activated under nutritional stress and is able to inhibit protein synthesis by cleaving the mRNA in the ribosomal A-site. This stress response...... serves to down-regulate metabolism in the cell when growth conditions are limited. RelB is expressed in excess over RelE during balanced growth, and inhibits the toxicity of RelE by forming an extremely stable toxin-antitoxin complex. The activation of RelE is induced when the labile RelB protein...

  12. Structure and action of the binary C2 toxin from Clostridium botulinum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schleberger, Christian; Hochmann, Henrike; Barth, Holger; Aktories, Klaus; Schulz, Georg E

    2006-12-08

    C2 toxin from Clostridium botulinum is composed of the enzyme component C2-I, which ADP-ribosylates actin, and the binding and translocation component C2-II, responsible for the interaction with eukaryotic cell receptors and the following endocytosis. Three C2-I crystal structures at resolutions of up to 1.75 A are presented together with a crystal structure of C2-II at an appreciably lower resolution and a model of the prepore formed by fragment C2-IIa. The C2-I structure was determined at pH 3.0 and at pH 6.1. The structural differences are small, indicating that C2-I does not unfold, even at a pH value as low as 3.0. The ADP-ribosyl transferase activity of C2-I was determined for alpha and beta/gamma-actin and related to that of Iota toxin and of mutant S361R of C2-I that introduced the arginine observed in Iota toxin. The substantial activity differences between alpha and beta/gamma-actin cannot be explained by the protein structures currently available. The structure of the transport component C2-II at pH 4.3 was established by molecular replacement using a model of the protective antigen of anthrax toxin at pH 6.0. The C-terminal receptor-binding domain of C2-II could not be located but was present in the crystals. It may be mobile. The relative orientation and positions of the four other domains of C2-II do not differ much from those of the protective antigen, indicating that no large conformational changes occur between pH 4.3 and pH 6.0. A model of the C2-IIa prepore structure was constructed based on the corresponding assembly of the protective antigen. It revealed a surprisingly large number of asparagine residues lining the pore. The interaction between C2-I and C2-IIa and the translocation of C2-I into the target cell are discussed.

  13. 75 FR 45560 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-03

    ...-0755; Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-12-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR... based on engine thrust rating but now based on operating shaft speeds) introduced by Rolls- Royce. The...-Royce plc, P.O. Box 31, Derby, DE24 8BJ, United Kingdom: Telephone 44 (0) 1332 242424; fax 44 (0) 1332...

  14. 76 FR 72650 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211 Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-25

    ...-0959; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-25-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR... holidays. Fax: (202) 493-2251. Contact Rolls-Royce plc, P.O. Box 31, Derby, DE24 8BJ, United Kingdom; phone... AD. We will consider all comments received by the closing date and may amend this proposed AD based...

  15. Failure of botulinum toxin injection for neurogenic detrusor overactivity: Switch of toxin versus second injection of the same toxin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peyronnet, Benoit; Castel-Lacanal, Evelyne; Manunta, Andréa; Roumiguié, Mathieu; Marque, Philippe; Rischmann, Pascal; Gamé, Xavier

    2015-12-01

    To evaluate the efficacy of a second injection of the same toxin versus switching to a different botulinum toxin A after failure of a first detrusor injection in patients with neurogenic detrusor overactivity. The charts of all patients who underwent detrusor injections of botulinum toxin A (either abobotulinumtoxinA or onabotulinumtoxinA) for the management of neurogenic detrusor overactivity at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. Patients in whom a first detrusor injection had failed were included in the present study. They were managed by a second injection of the same toxin at the same dosage or by a new detrusor injection using a different botulinum toxin A. Success was defined as a resolution of urgency, urinary incontinence and detrusor overactivity in a patient self-catheterizing seven times or less per 24 h. A total of 58 patients were included for analysis. A toxin switch was carried out in 29 patients, whereas the other 29 patients received a reinjection of the same toxin at the same dose. The success rate was higher in patients who received a toxin switch (51.7% vs. 24.1%, P = 0.03). Patients treated with a switch from abobotulinumtoxinA to onabotulinumtoxinA and those treated with a switch from onabotulinumtoxinA to abobotulinumtoxinA had similar success rates (52.9% vs. 50%, P = 0.88). After failure of a first detrusor injection of botulinum toxin for neurogenic detrusor overactivity, a switch to a different toxin seems to be more effective than a second injection of the same toxin. The replacement of onabotulinumtoxin by abobotulinumtoxin or the reverse provides similar results. © 2015 The Japanese Urological Association.

  16. Radiolabelling of cholera toxin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, R.G.; Neves, Nicoli M.J.; Abdalla, L.F.; Brandao, R.L.; Etchehebehere, L.; Lima, M.E. de; Nicoli, J.R.

    1999-01-01

    Binding of cholera toxin to ganglioside receptors of enterocyte microvilli catalyzes the activation of adenylate cyclase causing a rise in cAMP which final result is a copious diarrhea. Saccharomyces boulardii, a nonpathogenic yeast has been used to prevent diarrhea. Although the antidiarrheic properties of S. boulardii are widely recognized, this yeast has been used on empirical basis, and the mechanism of this protective effect is unknown. The addition of cholera toxin to S. boulardii induces the raising of cAMP that triggers the activation of neutral trehalase. This suggests that toxin specifically binding to cells, is internalized and active the protein phosphorylation cascade. Our objective is labeling the cholera toxin to verify the presence of binding sites on yeast cell surfaces for the cholera toxin. Cholera toxin was radiolabelled with Na 125 I by a chloramine-T method modified from Cuatrecasas and Griffiths et alii. The 125 I-Cholera toxin showed a specific radioactivity at about 1000 cpm/fmol toxin. Biological activity of labeled cholera toxin measured by trehalase activation was similar to the native toxin. (author)

  17. A fast PID controller Design for Modern PLC for Process Control Application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mirza, A.; Nafis, A.; Anees, R.M.; Idris, S.

    2004-01-01

    PID is the most widely used control scheme in the process industry. Pill controllers are utilized for the control of such varied parameters as pressure, flow, temperature, etc. One characteristic of these parameters is that they posses slow dynamics. Most of the available digital controllers can manipulate only a single parameter- multiple controllers are required for control of more than one parameter. The Fast PID Controller for Modem PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) developed by the authors, provides control of several parameters at a time (through a single Pill control element), enhanced programmability including variable sampling period, parameter monitoring and data storage, which may be easily implemented in a PLC. (author)

  18. Pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of a G protein in mouse oocytes, eggs, and preimplantation embryos: Developmental changes and possible functional roles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jones, J.; Schultz, R.M. (Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (USA))

    1990-06-01

    G proteins, which in many somatic cells serve as mediators of signal transduction, were identified in preimplantation mouse embryos by their capacity to undergo pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation. Two pertussis toxin (PT) substrates with Mr = 38,000 and 39,000 (alpha 38 and alpha 39) are present in approximately equal amounts. Relative to the amount in freshly isolated germinal vesicle (GV)-intact oocytes, the amount of PT-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of alpha 38-39 falls during oocyte maturation, rises between the one- and two-cell stages, falls by the eight-cell and morula stages, and increases again by the blastocyst stage. The decrease in PT-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of alpha 38-39 that occurs during oocyte maturation, however, does not require germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), since inhibiting GVBD with 3-isobutyl-1-methyl xanthine (IBMX) does not prevent the decrease in the extent of PT-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation. A biologically active phorbol diester (12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate), but not an inactive one (4 alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, 4 alpha-PDD), totally inhibits the increase in PT-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of alpha 38-39 that occurs between the one- and two-cell stage; TPA inhibits cleavage, but not transcriptional activation, which occurs in the two-cell embryo. In contrast, cytochalasin D, genistein, or aphidicolin, each of which inhibits cleavage of one-cell embryos, or alpha-amanitin or H8, each of which inhibits transcriptional activation but not cleavage of one-cell embryos, have little or inhibitory effects on the increase in PT-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of alpha 38-39. Results of immunoblotting experiments using an antibody that is highly specific for alpha il-3 reveal the presence of a cross-reactive species of Mr = 38,000 (alpha 38) in the GV-intact oocyte, metaphase II-arrested egg, and one-, two-cell embryos.

  19. Development of Application Programming Tool for Safety Grade PLC (POSAFE-Q)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koo, Kyungmo; You, Byungyong; Kim, Tae-Wook; Cho, Sengjae; Lee, Jin S.

    2006-01-01

    The pSET (POSAFE-Q Software Engineering Tool) is an application programming tool of the POSAFE-Q which is a safety graded programmable logic controller (PLC) developed for the reactor protect system of the nuclear power plant. The pSET provides an integrated development environment (IDE) which includes editors, compiler, simulator, down loader, debugger, and monitor. The pSET supports the IEC61131-3 standard software model and languages such as LD (ladder diagram) and FBD (function block diagram) which are two of the most widely used PLC programming languages in industry fields. The pSET will also support SFC (sequential function chart) language. The pSET is developed as a part of a Korea Nuclear Instrumentation and Control System (KNICS) project

  20. Developing a Novel USB-PLC Controller for a Mechatronics Cloud Laboratory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen-Jye Shyr

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available This study proposes the development and implementation of a novel Universal Serial Bus (USB-Programmable Logic Controller (PLC, called a USB-PLC controller, for a mechatronics cloud laboratory. The aim of a mechatronics cloud laboratory is to provide state of the art research quality equipment to students, allowing them to conduct hands-on experiments via the Internet. One objective of the cloud laboratory is to not only provide equipment for conducting set experiments, but also to provide a means for students to access research equipment in order to conduct individual research experiments. The proposed controller for these cloud laboratory experiments has been chosen in order to expose the students to as many different engineering and technology disciplines as possible.

  1. Characterization of the SigD regulon of C. difficile and its positive control of toxin production through the regulation of tcdR.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Imane El Meouche

    Full Text Available Clostridium difficile intestinal disease is mediated largely by the actions of toxins A (TcdA and B (TcdB, whose production occurs after the initial steps of colonization involving different surface or flagellar proteins. In B. subtilis, the sigma factor SigD controls flagellar synthesis, motility, and vegetative autolysins. A homolog of SigD encoding gene is present in the C.difficile 630 genome. We constructed a sigD mutant in C. difficile 630 ∆erm to analyze the regulon of SigD using a global transcriptomic approach. A total of 103 genes were differentially expressed between the wild-type and the sigD mutant, including genes involved in motility, metabolism and regulation. In addition, the sigD mutant displayed decreased expression of genes involved in flagellar biosynthesis, and also of genes encoding TcdA and TcdB as well as TcdR, the positive regulator of the toxins. Genomic analysis and RACE-PCR experiments allowed us to characterize promoter sequences of direct target genes of SigD including tcdR and to identify the SigD consensus. We then established that SigD positively regulates toxin expression via direct control of tcdR transcription. Interestingly, the overexpression of FlgM, a putative anti-SigD factor, inhibited the positive regulation of motility and toxin synthesis by SigD. Thus, SigD appears to be the first positive regulator of the toxin synthesis in C. difficile.

  2. A Cost Effective Solution for Development Environment for Data Acquisition, Monitoring and Simulation of PLC Controlled Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. Bjelica

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available It is very important to test and monitor the operation of Programmable Logic Controller (PLC in real time (online. Nowadays, conventional, but expensive monitoring systems for PLCs, such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA systems, software and hardware simulators (or debuggers, are widely used. This paper proposes a user friendly and cost-effective development environment for monitoring, data acquisition and online simulation of applications with PLC. The purpose of this solution is to simulate the process which is controlled by the PLC. The performances of the proposed development environment are presented on the examples of washing machine and dishwasher simulators.

  3. An Integrated Software Development Framework for PLC and FPGA based Digital I and Cs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoo, Jun Beom; Kim, Eui Sub; Lee, Dong Ah; Choi, Jong Gyun

    2014-01-01

    NuDE 2.0 (Nuclear Development Environment) is a model-based software development environment for safety- critical digital systems in nuclear power plants. It makes possible to develop PLC-based systems as well as FPGA-based systems simultaneously from the same requirement or design specifications. The case study showed that the NuDE 2.0 can be adopted as an effective method of bridging the gap between the existing PLC and upcoming FPGA-based developments as well as a means of gaining diversity

  4. An Integrated Software Development Framework for PLC and FPGA based Digital I and Cs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoo, Jun Beom; Kim, Eui Sub; Lee, Dong Ah [Konkuk University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Jong Gyun [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-08-15

    NuDE 2.0 (Nuclear Development Environment) is a model-based software development environment for safety- critical digital systems in nuclear power plants. It makes possible to develop PLC-based systems as well as FPGA-based systems simultaneously from the same requirement or design specifications. The case study showed that the NuDE 2.0 can be adopted as an effective method of bridging the gap between the existing PLC and upcoming FPGA-based developments as well as a means of gaining diversity.

  5. Toxin production ability of Bacillus cereus strains from food product of Ukraine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. Pylypenko

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Potential pathogens of foodborne toxic infections – bacterial contaminants Bacillus cereus isolated from plant raw materials and food products from the Ukrainian region were investigated. When determining of the proportion of isolated bacilli from the plant samples, it was established that the epidemiologically significant microorganisms of Bacillus cereus as agents of food poisoning are the second largest. The average value of contaminated samples of Ukrainian plant raw materials and processed products with Bacillus cereus is 36,2 %. The ability of Bacillus cereus strains identified by a complex of morphological, tinctorial, cultural and biochemical properties, to produce specific emetic and enterotoxins was studied. Molecular genetic diagnosis and detection of the toxin-producing ability of isolated 42 Bacillus cereus strains showed both the possibility of their rapid identification and the presence of specific toxicity genes. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR was carried out with specific primers to detect toxicity determined of various bacilli genes: nheA, hblD, cytK, cesВ. The distribution of toxigenic genes is significantly different among the Bacillus cereus isolates from various sources. The nheA, hblD and cytK enterotoxin genes were detected in 100, 83,3 and 61,9 % of the investigated strains of Bacillus cereus, respectively. The cesB gene encoding emetic toxin was detected in 4,8 % of  strains. Molecular-genetic PCR-method confirmed that all the isolated strains belong to the Bacillus cereus group, and the ability to produce toxins can be attributed to five groups. The main toxins that produce the investigated Bacillus cereus strains were nhe and hbl enterotoxins encoded by the corresponding genes of nheA and hblD. The enterotoxic type of Bacillus cereus was predominant in Ukrainian region.  Studies of domestic plant food raw materials and products have confirmed the need to improve microbiological control of product safety

  6. Alpha-fetoprotein and hepatitis B virus infection in chronic liver disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Solina, A.

    1987-01-01

    Among 177 patients with chronic non-malignant liver disease, the prevalence of raised levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was 11.2 percent. A close association between the severity of the liver disease and AFP concentrations was observed. The most frequent pattern of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in these patients was the presence of antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) and hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), whilst only 5 cases were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Sixty seven patients, 18 of whom with high AFP, were longitudinally studied over a period ranging from 1 to 6 years. The evaluation of AFP was transient in 6 cases and persistent in 12 cases. The patients in the former group had high activity of liver disease and none of them developed primary liver cell cancer during the follow-up. In contrast, only two patients in the latter group had high activity, and 3 developed PLC. Active HBV replication was significantly more frequent among those with transient elevation of AFP, whereas anti-HBs and anti-HBc positive cases were significantly more frequent among those with persistent elevation of AFP. It is concluded that the severity of the liver disease is the major factor of elevation of AFP. Transiently raised levels of AFP are not related with PLC, whereas persistently high levels represent a premalignant condition. At variance with data obtained in areas with high prevalence of PLC, HBsAg seems not to be related with persistent elevation of AFP. The high rate positive for anti-HBs and anti-HBc in this group remains to be clarified

  7. Radiolabelling of cholera toxin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Santos, R.G.; Neves, Nicoli M.J. [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Abdalla, L.F.; Brandao, R.L.; Etchehebehere, L. [Ouro Preto Univ., MG (Brazil). Escola de Farmacia. Lab. de Fisiologia e Bioquimica de Microorganismos; Lima, M.E. de [Minas Gerais Univ., Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Inst. de Ciencias Biologicas. Dept. de Bioquimica e Imunologia; Nicoli, J.R. [Minas Gerais Univ., Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Inst. de Ciencias Biologicas. Dept. de Microbiologia

    1999-11-01

    Binding of cholera toxin to ganglioside receptors of enterocyte microvilli catalyzes the activation of adenylate cyclase causing a rise in cAMP which final result is a copious diarrhea. Saccharomyces boulardii, a nonpathogenic yeast has been used to prevent diarrhea. Although the antidiarrheic properties of S. boulardii are widely recognized, this yeast has been used on empirical basis, and the mechanism of this protective effect is unknown. The addition of cholera toxin to S. boulardii induces the raising of cAMP that triggers the activation of neutral trehalase. This suggests that toxin specifically binding to cells, is internalized and active the protein phosphorylation cascade. Our objective is labeling the cholera toxin to verify the presence of binding sites on yeast cell surfaces for the cholera toxin. Cholera toxin was radiolabelled with Na {sup 125} I by a chloramine-T method modified from Cuatrecasas and Griffiths et alii. The {sup 125} I-Cholera toxin showed a specific radioactivity at about 1000 cpm/fmol toxin. Biological activity of labeled cholera toxin measured by trehalase activation was similar to the native toxin. (author) 5 refs., 3 figs.; e-mail: nevesmj at urano.cdtn.br

  8. Design and development of PLC based offline impedance matching system for ICRH experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joshi, Ramesh; Jadav, H.M.; Mali, Aniruddh; Kulkarni, S.V.

    2015-01-01

    Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ICRH) transmission line has two impedance matching networks, one for offline matching which has been employed before experimental shot. Another is online impedance matching which has been employed during experimental shot. Offline matching network consists of two static stubs, coarse tuner and coarse phase shifter identical in both transmission lines. There are motorized arrangement installed in each stubs and phase shifters. Both stubs are being used to vary transmission line length. Phase shifter is used to match the frequency of generated RF power. Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) based automation and control technique has been designed and developed for the system. Offline matching should be operated below 1 kHz frequency in order to move stepper motors. Program generates required square pulses which employed to motor controller to move either in upward or downward direction. In existing system this operation has been carried out using VME. To reduce the load on VME, PLC based system has been designed and integrated with main DAC system. WinCC software has been used (as SCADA/HMI) to develop front end GUI which communicates with OPC server. Further, OPC communicates with PLC for control of motorized arrangement. This paper describes technical details,design and development of PLC based offline matching system using WinCC as user interface. The communication between WinCC application and hardware devices was realized by OPC technique. The developed system has friendly graphical user interface, high-level automation and comprehensive function such as experimental process control. The system was proved to be reliable and accurate in practical application. (author)

  9. Pertussis toxin substrate is a guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate-, N-ethylmaleimide-, Mg2+- and temperature-sensitive GTP-binding protein.

    OpenAIRE

    Wong, S K; Martin, B R; Tolkovsky, A M

    1985-01-01

    We compared the effects of guanine nucleotides and Mg2+ on ADP-ribosylation of rat brain and liver membrane proteins catalysed by Bordetella pertussis toxin (IAP) and cholera toxin (CT). Labelling of proteins in the presence of [alpha-32P]NAD+, ATP and CT required GTP or guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP [S]). In contrast, labelling of one (liver) or two (brain) polypeptides by IAP was enhanced by guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate (GDP[S]) or GTP, but was blocked by GTP[S] or guano...

  10. Evaluation of genetically inactivated alpha toxin for protection in multiple mouse models of Staphylococcus aureus infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rebecca A Brady

    Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen and a leading cause of nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Development of a vaccine against this pathogen is an important goal. While S. aureus protective antigens have been identified in the literature, the majority have only been tested in a single animal model of disease. We wished to evaluate the ability of one S. aureus vaccine antigen to protect in multiple mouse models, thus assessing whether protection in one model translates to protection in other models encompassing the full breadth of infections the pathogen can cause. We chose to focus on genetically inactivated alpha toxin mutant HlaH35L. We evaluated the protection afforded by this antigen in three models of infection using the same vaccine dose, regimen, route of immunization, adjuvant, and challenge strain. When mice were immunized with HlaH35L and challenged via a skin and soft tissue infection model, HlaH35L immunization led to a less severe infection and decreased S. aureus levels at the challenge site when compared to controls. Challenge of HlaH35L-immunized mice using a systemic infection model resulted in a limited, but statistically significant decrease in bacterial colonization as compared to that observed with control mice. In contrast, in a prosthetic implant model of chronic biofilm infection, there was no significant difference in bacterial levels when compared to controls. These results demonstrate that vaccines may confer protection against one form of S. aureus disease without conferring protection against other disease presentations and thus underscore a significant challenge in S. aureus vaccine development.

  11. Experimental Study of 6LoPLC for Home Energy Management Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Augustine Ikpehai

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Ubiquitous connectivity is already transforming residential dwellings into smart homes. As citizens continue to embrace the smart home paradigm, a new generation of low-rate and low-power communication systems is required to leverage the mass market presented by energy management in homes. Although Power Line Communication (PLC technology has evolved in the last decade, the adaptation of PLC for constrained networks is not fully charted. By adapting some features of IEEE 802.15.4 and IPv6 over Low-power Wireless Personal Area Network (6LoWPAN into power lines, this paper demonstrates a low-rate, low-power PLC system over the IPv6 network (referred to as 6LoPLC, for Home Energy Management System (HEMS applications. The overall idea is to provide a framework for assessing various scenarios that cannot be easily investigated with the limited number of evaluation hardware available. In this respect, a network model is developed in NS-3 (Version 21 to measure several important characteristics of the designed system and then validated with experimental results obtained using the Hanadu evaluation kits. Following the good agreement between the two, the NS-3 model is utilised to investigate more complex scenarios and various use-cases, such as the effects of impulsive noise, the number of nodes and packet size on the latency and Bit Error Rate (BER performances. We further demonstrate that for different network and application configurations, optimal data sizes exist. For instance, the results reveal that in order to guarantee 99% system reliability, the HEMS application data must not exceed 64 bytes. Finally, it is shown that with impulsive noise in a HEMS network comprising 50 appliances, provided the size of the payload does not exceed 64 bytes, monitoring and control applications incur a maximum latency of 238.117 ms and 248.959 ms, respectively; both of which are within acceptable limits.

  12. Prospective radiological dose assessment. Amersham plc (Amersham site) variation application December 1998

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allott, R.

    2001-01-01

    Amersham plc (previously Nycomed-Amersham plc) submitted an application to the Environment Agency in December 1998 for a variation to their radioactive waste discharge authorisations granted under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. The application requested a reduction in the discharge limits for certain radionuclides and no change for the remaining radionuclides. Amersham plc undertook a further review of their discharge requirements and submitted a new assessment for revised limits in January 2001. This report provides an assessment of the radiological implications of discharges at these revised limits requested by Amersham plc and the limits proposed by the Agency. It has been prepared by the National Compliance Assessment Service at the request of Thames Region to support their determination of the application. Four candidate critical groups were identified who could be exposed to discharges from the Amersham site: 1) Sewage workers at the Maple Lodge sewage works who might be exposed to external radiation from discharges contained within sewage and inadvertently inhale or ingest sewage. 2) Anglers on the Grand Union Canal who eat a small proportion of their annual catch of freshwater fish, who drink water abstracted solely from the River Colne and eat vegetables irrigated by water from the canal. 3) Persons living closest to site who eat locally produced food. 4) Dog walkers living near to site who eat locally produced food. For continuous discharges at the Agency's proposed annual limits, the highest dose of 160 μSv/y is predicted to be received by infants who live closest to the site and eat locally produced food. Therefore, this has been identified as the critical group. Children and adults living at the same location and eating locally produced food receive doses of 140 μSv/y and 130 μSv/y respectively. The critical group dose is less than the source constraint of 300 μSv/y. The dose is dominated by direct radiation from the site (110 μSv/y) and the

  13. Distribution of Insertion- and Deletion-Associated Genetic Polymorphisms among Four Mycobacterium tuberculosis Phospholipase C Genes and Associations with Extrathoracic Tuberculosis: a Population-Based Study

    OpenAIRE

    Kong, Y.; Cave, M. D.; Yang, D.; Zhang, L.; Marrs, C. F.; Foxman, B.; Bates, J. H.; Wilson, F.; Mukasa, L. N.; Yang, Z. H.

    2005-01-01

    The Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome contains four phospholipase C (PLC)-encoding genes, designated plcA, plcB, plcC, and plcD, respectively. Each of the four genes contributes to the overall PLC activity of M. tuberculosis. PLC is hypothesized to contribute to M. tuberculosis virulence. Infection of M. tuberculosis strains carrying a truncated plcD gene is associated with the occurrence of extrathoracic tuberculosis. However, whether the other three plc genes are also associated with extrat...

  14. 77 FR 21588 - Hart and Cooley, Inc., A Subsidiary of Tomkins, PLC Including On-Site Leased Workers from...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-10

    ... Subsidiary of Tomkins, PLC Including On- Site Leased Workers from Reliable, Masiello Employment Services..., applicable to workers of Hart and Cooley, Inc., a subsidiary of Tomkins, PLC, including on-site leased... workers. Based on these findings, the Department is amending this certification to include workers leased...

  15. 75 FR 34172 - Rexam Closure Systems, Inc., a Subsidiary of Rexam PLC, Including On-Site Leased Workers From...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-16

    ... Illinois Manufacturing, Hamlet, NC; Amended Certification Regarding Eligibility To Apply for Worker... PLC, Hamlet, North Carolina. The notice was published in the Federal Register on April 23, 2010 (75 FR... at the Hamlet, North Carolina location of Rexam Closure Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of Rexam PLC. The...

  16. Knowledge-based engineering of a PLC controlled telescope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pessemier, Wim; Raskin, Gert; Saey, Philippe; Van Winckel, Hans; Deconinck, Geert

    2016-08-01

    As the new control system of the Mercator Telescope is being finalized, we can review some technologies and design methodologies that are advantageous, despite their relative uncommonness in astronomical instrumentation. Particular for the Mercator Telescope is that it is controlled by a single high-end soft-PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). Using off-the-shelf components only, our distributed embedded system controls all subsystems of the telescope such as the pneumatic primary mirror support, the hydrostatic bearing, the telescope axes, the dome, the safety system, and so on. We show how real-time application logic can be written conveniently in typical PLC languages (IEC 61131-3) and in C++ (to implement the pointing kernel) using the commercial TwinCAT 3 programming environment. This software processes the inputs and outputs of the distributed system in real-time via an observatory-wide EtherCAT network, which is synchronized with high precision to an IEEE 1588 (PTP, Precision Time Protocol) time reference clock. Taking full advantage of the ability of soft-PLCs to run both real-time and non real-time software, the same device also hosts the most important user interfaces (HMIs or Human Machine Interfaces) and communication servers (OPC UA for process data, FTP for XML configuration data, and VNC for remote control). To manage the complexity of the system and to streamline the development process, we show how most of the software, electronics and systems engineering aspects of the control system have been modeled as a set of scripts written in a Domain Specific Language (DSL). When executed, these scripts populate a Knowledge Base (KB) which can be queried to retrieve specific information. By feeding the results of those queries to a template system, we were able to generate very detailed "browsable" web-based documentation about the system, but also PLC software code, Python client code, model verification reports, etc. The aim of this paper is to

  17. The mining of toxin-like polypeptides from EST database by single residue distribution analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kozlov, Sergey; Grishin, Eugene

    2011-01-31

    Novel high throughput sequencing technologies require permanent development of bioinformatics data processing methods. Among them, rapid and reliable identification of encoded proteins plays a pivotal role. To search for particular protein families, the amino acid sequence motifs suitable for selective screening of nucleotide sequence databases may be used. In this work, we suggest a novel method for simplified representation of protein amino acid sequences named Single Residue Distribution Analysis, which is applicable both for homology search and database screening. Using the procedure developed, a search for amino acid sequence motifs in sea anemone polypeptides was performed, and 14 different motifs with broad and low specificity were discriminated. The adequacy of motifs for mining toxin-like sequences was confirmed by their ability to identify 100% toxin-like anemone polypeptides in the reference polypeptide database. The employment of novel motifs for the search of polypeptide toxins in Anemonia viridis EST dataset allowed us to identify 89 putative toxin precursors. The translated and modified ESTs were scanned using a special algorithm. In addition to direct comparison with the motifs developed, the putative signal peptides were predicted and homology with known structures was examined. The suggested method may be used to retrieve structures of interest from the EST databases using simple amino acid sequence motifs as templates. The efficiency of the procedure for directed search of polypeptides is higher than that of most currently used methods. Analysis of 39939 ESTs of sea anemone Anemonia viridis resulted in identification of five protein precursors of earlier described toxins, discovery of 43 novel polypeptide toxins, and prediction of 39 putative polypeptide toxin sequences. In addition, two precursors of novel peptides presumably displaying neuronal function were disclosed.

  18. Design and Implementation of an over Current Protection Laboratory for Electrical Power Transmission Systems Based on PLC Techniques

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassaan Th. H. Thabet

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes a modern approach for the protection of transmission lines to ensure theirsafety against the faults occurred in power systems. Our approach uses a Programmable LogicController (PLC to realize a transmission line as an over current protection relay. A conditioningcircuit was designed, implemented and tested to collect data obtained from Hall Effect sensors which convert them to suitable analog values compatible with PLC's inputs. Results obtained by our PLC control system are very similar to those obtained by the conventional relays but more efficient. An Automatic Reclosing System (ARS for remote faults is also included in this approach. Our PLC control system and its algorithm are illustrated in this paper also. This approach is designed to be used in electrical networks laboratories as an educational unit in electrical departments of engineering collages and technical institutes; it can be used also in real power systems through suitable interfacing facilities.

  19. Bioterrorism: toxins as weapons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Peter D

    2012-04-01

    The potential for biological weapons to be used in terrorism is a real possibility. Biological weapons include infectious agents and toxins. Toxins are poisons produced by living organisms. Toxins relevant to bioterrorism include ricin, botulinum, Clostridium perfrigens epsilson toxin, conotoxins, shigatoxins, saxitoxins, tetrodotoxins, mycotoxins, and nicotine. Toxins have properties of biological and chemical weapons. Unlike pathogens, toxins do not produce an infection. Ricin causes multiorgan toxicity by blocking protein synthesis. Botulinum blocks acetylcholine in the peripheral nervous system leading to muscle paralysis. Epsilon toxin damages cell membranes. Conotoxins block potassium and sodium channels in neurons. Shigatoxins inhibit protein synthesis and induce apoptosis. Saxitoxin and tetrodotoxin inhibit sodium channels in neurons. Mycotoxins include aflatoxins and trichothecenes. Aflatoxins are carcinogens. Trichothecenes inhibit protein and nucleic acid synthesis. Nicotine produces numerous nicotinic effects in the nervous system.

  20. Slovak Electric, Plc., 1997

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1997-06-01

    Slovenske elektrarne, a.s. (Slovak Electric, Plc.) was established on November 1, 1994 as one entity among new entities created as successors to the former Slovensky energeticky podnik. The subject activity is the generation of electric power, operation of transmission 220 kV and 400 kV systems, transit, import, export, and sales of electric power. Besides these activities the company deals with generation, distribution, and sales of heat. The company operates one nuclear power station, three thermal power plants, and thirty hydro power plants. One nuclear Power plant is under construction (state up tu June 1997). On this CD ROM next chapters are presented: (1) The structure of the company; (2) The production Units; (3) The economic power of the company; (4) The operation culture of the company; (5) The strategic plans of the company

  1. Operating experiences with programmable logic controller (PLC) system of Indian Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ughade, A.V.; Singh, Ranjeet; Bhattacharya, P.K.; Kulkarni, R.K.; Chandra, Umesh

    2005-01-01

    PLC system was introduced for the first time in Kaiga-1,2 and RAPS-3,4 Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) for Station Logic Control of Non Safety Related (NSR) and Safety related (SR) systems. However, the safety system logics are still relay based. The experience on the deployment of PLC system, which is computer-based, has brought out various implementation issues. This paper give details of such experiences, the solutions emerged and applied for plants under operation/construction. (author)

  2. Design and Implementation of PLC-Based Automatic Sun tracking System for Parabolic Trough Solar Concentrator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Jinping

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A sun-tracking system for parabolic trough solar concentrators (PTCs is a control system used to orient the concentrator toward the sun always, so that the maximum energy can be collected. The work presented here is a design and development of PLC based sun tracking control system for PTC. Sun tracking control system consists of a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC and a single axis hydraulic drives tracking control system. Hydraulic drives and the necessary tracking angle algorithm have been designed and developed to perform the technical tasks. A PLC unit was employed to control and monitor the mechanical movement of the PTC and to collect and store data related to the tracking angle of PTC. It is found that the tracking error of the system is less than 0.6°. Field experience shows that tracking algorithm act stable and reliable and suit for PTCs.

  3. PLC Based Automatic Multistoried Car Parking System

    OpenAIRE

    Swanand S .Vaze; Rohan S. Mithari

    2014-01-01

    This project work presents the study and design of PLC based Automatic Multistoried Car Parking System. Multistoried car parking is an arrangement which is used to park a large number of vehicles in least possible place. For making this arrangement in a real plan very high technological instruments are required. In this project a prototype of such a model is made. This prototype model is made for accommodating twelve cars at a time. Availability of the space for parking is detecte...

  4. Effects of 5-fluorouracil on biological characteristics and drug resistance mechanisms of liver cancer cell line PLC/RAF/5

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CHENG Kangwen

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available ObjectiveTo study the changes in biological characteristics of a liver cancer cell line PLC/RAF/5 after repeated exposure to a chemotherapy drug, 5-fluorouraci (5-FU, and to investigate the relationship between drug-resistant liver cancer cells and liver cancer stem cells. MethodsA low concentration of 5-FU (1 μg/ml was used to treat the human liver cancer cell line PLC/RAF/5 repeatedly to establish the PLC/RAF/5/5-FU cell line. Morphological differences between the two types of cells were observed. The inhibitory effects of different concentrations of 5-FU (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 μg/ml on the proliferation of the two types of cells were determined using the CCK-8 assay. Apoptosis of the two types of cells after exposure to different concentrations of 5-FU (0.5, 1, and 2 μg/ml for 48 h was analyzed using flow cytometry. The proportions of side population cells in both types of cells were measured using flow cytometry. The colony-forming ability was compared between the two types of cells by the plate colony-forming assay. The expression of Bax, Bcl-2, ABCG2, and FoxM1 proteins in both types of cells was examined by Western blot. Between-group comparison was performed by t test. ResultsThe PLC/RAF/5/5-FU cell line was successfully established using the chemotherapy drug 5-FU. Compared with the PLC/RAF/5 cells, the PLC/RAF/5/5-FU cells had a larger volume, fewer protrusions, a changed shape of a long shuttle, and enhanced refractivity. Moreover, compared with the parent cells, the PLC/RAF/5/5-FU cells had a significantly lower sensitivity to the inhibitory effect of 5-FU on proliferation, a significantly lower proportion of cells at the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, significantly higher proportions of cells at the S and G2/M phases, significantly higher resistance to apoptosis, a significantly higher proportion of side population cells, and significantly enhanced proliferation (P<0.05. According to the results of Western blot assay, the

  5. Genomic organization of the rat alpha 2u-globulin gene cluster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFadyen, D A; Addison, W; Locke, J

    1999-05-01

    The alpha 2u-globulin are a group of similar proteins, belonging to the lipocalin superfamily of proteins, that are synthesized in a subset of secretory tissues in rats. The many alpha 2u-globulin isoforms are encoded by a multigene family that exhibits extensive homology. Despite a high degree of sequence identity, individual family members show diverse expression patterns involving complex hormonal, tissue-specific, and developmental regulation. Analysis suggests that there are approximately 20 alpha 2u-globulin genes in the rat genome. We have used fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to show that the alpha 2u-globulin genes are clustered at a single site on rat Chromosome (Chr) 5 (5q22-24). Southern blots of rat genomic DNA separated by pulsed field gel electrophoresis indicated that the alpha 2u-globulin genes are contained on two NruI fragments with a total size of 880 kbp. Analysis of three P1 clones containing alpha 2u-globulin genes indicated that the alpha 2u-globulin genes are tandemly arranged in a head-to-tail fashion. The organization of the alpha 2u-globulin genes in the rat as a tandem array of single genes differs from the homologous major urinary protein genes in the mouse, which are organized as tandem arrays of divergently oriented gene pairs. The structure of these gene clusters may have consequences for the proposed function, as a pheromone transporter, for the protein products encoded by these genes.

  6. 75 FR 17630 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc RB211 Trent 700 and Trent 800 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-07

    ...-0364; Directorate Identifier 2009-NE-27-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc... based on those comments. We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations... Service Information Rolls-Royce plc has issued Alert Service Bulletin RB.211-72-AG086, dated December 4...

  7. Modeling of Hydration, Compressive Strength, and Carbonation of Portland-Limestone Cement (PLC Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao-Yong Wang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Limestone is widely used in the construction industry to produce Portland limestone cement (PLC concrete. Systematic evaluations of hydration kinetics, compressive strength development, and carbonation resistance are crucial for the rational use of limestone. This study presents a hydration-based model for evaluating the influences of limestone on the strength and carbonation of concrete. First, the hydration model analyzes the dilution effect and the nucleation effect of limestone during the hydration of cement. The degree of cement hydration is calculated by considering concrete mixing proportions, binder properties, and curing conditions. Second, by using the gel–space ratio, the compressive strength of PLC concrete is evaluated. The interactions among water-to-binder ratio, limestone replacement ratio, and strength development are highlighted. Third, the carbonate material contents and porosity are calculated from the hydration model and are used as input parameters for the carbonation model. By considering concrete microstructures and environmental conditions, the carbon dioxide diffusivity and carbonation depth of PLC concrete are evaluated. The proposed model has been determined to be valid for concrete with various water-to-binder ratios, limestone contents, and curing periods.

  8. 78 FR 5126 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-24

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... turbofan engines. This AD requires replacement of the fuel oil heat exchanger (FOHE). This AD was prompted...-84 turbofan engines with a fuel oil heat exchanger (FOHE), part number 47111-1241, installed. (d...

  9. Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Signaling Enhances the Proinflammatory Effects of Staphylococcus aureus Gamma-Toxin on the Mucosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gillman, Aaron N; Breshears, Laura M; Kistler, Charles K; Finnegan, Patrick M; Torres, Victor J; Schlievert, Patrick M; Peterson, Marnie L

    2017-06-28

    Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) produces many different exotoxins including the gamma-toxins, HlgAB and HlgCB. Gamma-toxins form pores in both leukocyte and erythrocyte membranes, resulting in cell lysis. The genes encoding gamma-toxins are present in most strains of S. aureus, and are commonly expressed in clinical isolates recovered from menstrual Toxic Shock Syndrome (mTSS) patients. This study set out to investigate the cytotoxic and proinflammatory effects of gamma-toxins on vaginal epithelial surfaces. We found that both HlgAB and HlgCB were cytotoxic to cultured human vaginal epithelial cells (HVECs) and induced cytokine production at sub-cytotoxic doses. Cytokine production induced by gamma-toxin treatment of HVECs was found to involve epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling and mediated by shedding of EGFR ligands from the cell surface. The gamma-toxin subunits displayed differential binding to HVECs (HlgA 93%, HlgB 97% and HlgC 28%) with both components (HlgAB or HlgCB) required for maximum detectable binding and significant stimulation of cytokine production. In studies using full thickness ex vivo porcine vaginal mucosa, HlgAB or HlgCB stimulated a dose-dependent cytokine response, which was reduced significantly by inhibition of EGFR signaling. The effects of gamma-toxins on porcine vaginal tissue and cultured HVECs were validated using ex vivo human ectocervical tissue. Collectively, these studies have identified the EGFR-signaling pathway as a key component in gamma-toxin-induced proinflammatory changes at epithelial surfaces and highlight a potential therapeutic target to diminish toxigenic effects of S. aureus infections.

  10. Comportamiento de la Tecnología PLC en la Red Eléctrica

    OpenAIRE

    García Guibout, J.; García Garino, Carlos; Fusario, Rubén J.; Castro Lechtaler, Antonio; Sevilla, Guillermo

    2007-01-01

    La tecnología PLC1 - PowerLine Communications- está referida a la transmisión de datos utilizando la red eléctrica, tanto domiciliaria, como la red de distribución de baja tensión. Dependiendo del tipo de red que se utilice como soporte esta tecnología se divide en PLC indoor y outdoor. La primera se refiere a la utilización de la red domiciliaria y utiliza las frecuencias más altas de 5 MHz a 30 ó 40 MHz. La segunda, outdoor, usa la red de distribución y las frecuencias bajas de 1 MHz a 5 ó ...

  11. Staphylococcus hyicus exfoliative toxins selectively digest porcine desmoglein 1

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fudaba, Y.; Nishifuji, K.; Andresen, Lars Ole

    2005-01-01

    . Recently, genes for ExhA, ExhB, ExhC and ExhD were cloned. Exfoliative toxins produced by S. aureus have been shown to selectively cleave human or mouse desmoglein 1, a desmosomal adhesion molecule, that when inactivated results in blisters. In this study, we attempted to identify the molecular target...... that Exh selectively degrade porcine desmoglein 1. In vitro incubation of the recombinant extracellular domains of desmoglein I and desmoglein 3 of human, mouse or canine origin demonstrated that only mouse desmogleins 1 alpha and 1 beta were cleaved by ExhA and ExhC at high concentration. Furthermore...

  12. Botulinum toxin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nigam P

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Botulinum toxin, one of the most poisonous biological substances known, is a neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. C. botulinum elaborates eight antigenically distinguishable exotoxins (A, B, C 1 , C 2 , D, E, F and G. All serotypes interfere with neural transmission by blocking the release of acetylcholine, the principal neurotransmitter at the neuromuscular junction, causing muscle paralysis. The weakness induced by injection with botulinum toxin A usually lasts about three months. Botulinum toxins now play a very significant role in the management of a wide variety of medical conditions, especially strabismus and focal dystonias, hemifacial spasm, and various spastic movement disorders, headaches, hypersalivation, hyperhidrosis, and some chronic conditions that respond only partially to medical treatment. The list of possible new indications is rapidly expanding. The cosmetological applications include correction of lines, creases and wrinkling all over the face, chin, neck, and chest to dermatological applications such as hyperhidrosis. Injections with botulinum toxin are generally well tolerated and side effects are few. A precise knowledge and understanding of the functional anatomy of the mimetic muscles is absolutely necessary to correctly use botulinum toxins in clinical practice.

  13. PLC based automatic control of pasteurize mix in ice cream production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Xudong; Liang, Kai

    2013-03-01

    This paper describes the automatic control device of pasteurized mix in the ice cream production process.We design a scheme of control system using FBD program language and develop the programmer in the STEP 7-Micro/WIN software, check for any bugs before downloading into PLC .These developed devices will able to provide flexibility and accuracy to control the step of pasteurized mix. The operator just Input the duration and temperature of pasteurized mix through control panel. All the steps will finish automatically without any intervention in a preprogrammed sequence stored in programmable logic controller (PLC). With the help of this equipment we not only can control the quality of ice cream for various conditions, but also can simplify the production process. This control system is inexpensive and can be widely used in ice cream production industry.

  14. Anticipatory alpha phase influences visual working memory performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zanto, Theodore P; Chadick, James Z; Gazzaley, Adam

    2014-01-15

    Alpha band (8-12 Hz) phase dynamics in the visual cortex are thought to reflect fluctuations in cortical excitability that influences perceptual processing. As such, visual stimuli are better detected when their onset is concurrent with specific phases of the alpha cycle. However, it is unclear whether alpha phase differentially influences cognitive performance at specific times relative to stimulus onset (i.e., is the influence of phase maximal before, at, or after stimulus onset?). To address this, participants performed a delayed-recognition, working memory (WM) task for visual motion direction during two separate visits. The first visit utilized functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) imaging to identify neural regions associated with task performance. Replicating previous studies, fMRI data showed engagement of visual cortical area V5, as well as a prefrontal cortical region, the inferior frontal junction (IFJ). During the second visit, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was applied separately to both the right IFJ and right V5 (with the vertex as a control region) while electroencephalography (EEG) was simultaneously recorded. During each trial, a single pulse of TMS (spTMS) was applied at one of six time points (-200, -100, -50, 0, 80, 160 ms) relative to the encoded stimulus onset. Results demonstrated a relationship between the phase of the posterior alpha signal prior to stimulus encoding and subsequent response times to the memory probe two seconds later. Specifically, spTMS to V5, and not the IFJ or vertex, yielded faster response times, indicating improved WM performance, when delivered during the peak, compared to the trough, of the alpha cycle, but only when spTMS was applied 100 ms prior to stimulus onset. These faster responses to the probe correlated with decreased early event related potential (ERP) amplitudes (i.e., P1) to the probe stimuli. Moreover, participants that were least affected by spTMS exhibited greater functional connectivity

  15. 78 FR 70487 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-26

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... turbofan engines. This AD requires removal of certain high-pressure (HP) and intermediate-pressure (IP..., RB211 Trent 768-60, 772-60, and 772B-60 turbofan engines with turbine disc part numbers (P/Ns) and...

  16. 78 FR 68360 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-14

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... turbofan engines. The AD number is incorrect in the Regulatory text. This document corrects that error. In... turbofan engines. As published, the AD number 2013-19-17 under Sec. 39.13 [Amended], is incorrect. No other...

  17. 78 FR 61171 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-03

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... (RR) RB211-535E4-B-37 series turbofan engines. This AD requires removal of affected parts using a...-B-37 series turbofan engines. (d) Unsafe Condition This AD was prompted by recalculating the lives...

  18. Methods of Certification tests PLC-Networks in Compliance Safety Information

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. A. Balaev

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research was description of the methodology of the audit plc-network to meet the requirements of information security. The technique is based on the provisions of the guidance documents and model FSTEC Russia test object methods of information on safety information.

  19. Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin disrupts TCR signaling in CD1d-restricted NKT cells leading to functional anergy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunil K Joshi

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Exogenous CD1d-binding glycolipid (alpha-Galactosylceramide, alpha-GC stimulates TCR signaling and activation of type-1 natural killer-like T (NKT cells. Activated NKT cells play a central role in the regulation of adaptive and protective immune responses against pathogens and tumors. In the present study, we tested the effect of Bacillus anthracis lethal toxin (LT on NKT cells both in vivo and in vitro. LT is a binary toxin known to suppress host immune responses during anthrax disease and intoxicates cells by protective antigen (PA-mediated intracellular delivery of lethal factor (LF, a potent metalloprotease. We observed that NKT cells expressed anthrax toxin receptors (CMG-2 and TEM-8 and bound more PA than other immune cell types. A sub-lethal dose of LT administered in vivo in C57BL/6 mice decreased expression of the activation receptor NKG2D by NKT cells but not by NK cells. The in vivo administration of LT led to decreased TCR-induced cytokine secretion but did not affect TCR expression. Further analysis revealed LT-dependent inhibition of TCR-stimulated MAP kinase signaling in NKT cells attributable to LT cleavage of the MAP kinase kinase MEK-2. We propose that Bacillus anthracis-derived LT causes a novel form of functional anergy in NKT cells and therefore has potential for contributing to immune evasion by the pathogen.

  20. The mining of toxin-like polypeptides from EST database by single residue distribution analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grishin Eugene

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Novel high throughput sequencing technologies require permanent development of bioinformatics data processing methods. Among them, rapid and reliable identification of encoded proteins plays a pivotal role. To search for particular protein families, the amino acid sequence motifs suitable for selective screening of nucleotide sequence databases may be used. In this work, we suggest a novel method for simplified representation of protein amino acid sequences named Single Residue Distribution Analysis, which is applicable both for homology search and database screening. Results Using the procedure developed, a search for amino acid sequence motifs in sea anemone polypeptides was performed, and 14 different motifs with broad and low specificity were discriminated. The adequacy of motifs for mining toxin-like sequences was confirmed by their ability to identify 100% toxin-like anemone polypeptides in the reference polypeptide database. The employment of novel motifs for the search of polypeptide toxins in Anemonia viridis EST dataset allowed us to identify 89 putative toxin precursors. The translated and modified ESTs were scanned using a special algorithm. In addition to direct comparison with the motifs developed, the putative signal peptides were predicted and homology with known structures was examined. Conclusions The suggested method may be used to retrieve structures of interest from the EST databases using simple amino acid sequence motifs as templates. The efficiency of the procedure for directed search of polypeptides is higher than that of most currently used methods. Analysis of 39939 ESTs of sea anemone Anemonia viridis resulted in identification of five protein precursors of earlier described toxins, discovery of 43 novel polypeptide toxins, and prediction of 39 putative polypeptide toxin sequences. In addition, two precursors of novel peptides presumably displaying neuronal function were disclosed.

  1. Toxin-antitoxin systems are important for niche-specific colonization and stress resistance of uropathogenic Escherichia coli.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J Paul Norton

    Full Text Available Toxin-antitoxin (TA systems are prevalent in many bacterial genomes and have been implicated in biofilm and persister cell formation, but the contribution of individual chromosomally encoded TA systems during bacterial pathogenesis is not well understood. Of the known TA systems encoded by Escherichia coli, only a subset is associated with strains of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC. These pathogens colonize diverse niches and are a major cause of sepsis, meningitis, and urinary tract infections. Using a murine infection model, we show that two TA systems (YefM-YoeB and YbaJ-Hha independently promote colonization of the bladder by the reference uropathogenic ExPEC isolate CFT073, while a third TA system comprised of the toxin PasT and the antitoxin PasI is critical to ExPEC survival within the kidneys. The PasTI TA system also enhances ExPEC persister cell formation in the presence of antibiotics and markedly increases pathogen resistance to nutrient limitation as well as oxidative and nitrosative stresses. On its own, low-level expression of PasT protects ExPEC from these stresses, whereas overexpression of PasT is toxic and causes bacterial stasis. PasT-induced stasis can be rescued by overexpression of PasI, indicating that PasTI is a bona fide TA system. By mutagenesis, we find that the stress resistance and toxic effects of PasT can be uncoupled and mapped to distinct domains. Toxicity was specifically linked to sequences within the N-terminus of PasT, a region that also promotes the development of persister cells. These results indicate discrete, multipurpose functions for a TA-associated toxin and demonstrate that individual TA systems can provide bacteria with pronounced fitness advantages dependent on toxin expression levels and the specific environmental niche occupied.

  2. 2-Azido-( sup 32 P)NAD+, a photoactivatable probe for G-protein structure: Evidence for holotransducin oligomers in which the ADP-ribosylated carboxyl terminus of alpha interacts with both alpha and gamma subunits

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vaillancourt, R.R.; Dhanasekaran, N.; Johnson, G.L.; Ruoho, A.E. (Univ. of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison (USA))

    1990-05-01

    A radioactive and photoactivatable derivative of NAD+, 2-azido-(adenylate-32P)NAD+, has been synthesized and used with pertussis toxin to ADP-ribosylate Cys347 of the alpha subunit (alpha T) of GT, the retinal guanine nucleotide-binding protein. ADP-ribosylation of alpha T followed by light activation of the azide moiety of 2-azido-(adenylate-32P)ADP-ribose produced four crosslinked species involving the alpha and gamma subunits of the GT heterotrimer: an alpha trimer (alpha-alpha-alpha), and alpha-alpha-gamma crosslink, an alpha dimer (alpha-alpha), and an alpha-gamma crosslink. The alpha trimer, alpha-alpha-gamma complex, alpha dimer, and alpha-gamma complexes were immunoreactive with alpha T antibodies. The alpha-alpha-gamma and the alpha-gamma complexes were immunoreactive with antisera recognizing gamma subunits. No evidence was found for crosslinking of alpha T to beta T subunits. Hydrolysis of the thioglycosidic bond between Cys347 and 2-azido-(adenylate-32P)ADP-ribose using mercuric acetate resulted in the transfer of radiolabel from Cys347 of alpha T in the crosslinked oligomers to alpha monomers, indicative of intermolecular photocrosslinking, and to gamma monomers, indicative of either intermolecular crosslinked complexes (between heterotrimers) or intramolecular crosslinked complexes (within the heterotrimer). These results demonstrate that GT exists as an oligomer and that ADP-ribosylated Cys347, which is four residues from the alpha T-carboxyl terminus, is oriented toward and in close proximity to the gamma subunit.

  3. Guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins in retinal pigment epithelial cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiang, Meisheng; Tran, V.T.; Fong, H.K.W. (Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles (United States)); Pandey, S. (Doheny Eye Inst., Los Angeles, CA (United States))

    1991-05-01

    The expression of GTP-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins) in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells was analyzed by RNA blot hybridization and cDNA amplification. Both adult and fetal human RPE cells contain mRNA for multiple G protein {alpha} subunits (G{alpha}) including G{sub s}{alpha}, G{sub i-1}{alpha}, G{sub i-2}{alpha}, G{sub i-3}{alpha}, and G{sub z}{alpha} (or G{sub x}{alpha}), where G{sub s} and G{sub i} are proteins that stimulate or inhibit adenylyl cyclase, respectively, and G{sub z} is a protein that may mediate pertussis toxin-insensitive events. Other G{alpha}-related mRNA transcripts were detected in fetal RPE cells by low-stringency hybridization to G{sub i-2}{alpha} and G{sub s}{alpha} protein-coding cDNA probes. The diversity of G proteins in RPE cells was further studied by cDNA amplification with reverse transcriptase and the polymerase chain reaction. This approach revealed that, besides the above mentioned members of the G{alpha} gene family, at least two other G{alpha} subunits are expressed in RPE cells. Human retinal cDNA clones that encode one of the additional G{alpha} subunits were isolated and characterized. The results indicate that this G{alpha} subunit belongs to a separate subfamily of G proteins that may be insensitive to inhibition by pertussis toxin.

  4. Molecular characterization of cDNAs encoding G protein alpha and beta subunits and study of their temporal and spatial expression patterns in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viv.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaydamov, C; Tewes, A; Adler, K; Manteuffel, R

    2000-04-25

    We have isolated cDNA sequences encoding alpha and beta subunits of potential G proteins from a cDNA library prepared from somatic embryos of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viv. at early developmental stages. The predicted NPGPA1 and NPGPB1 gene products are 75-98% identical to the known respective plant alpha and beta subunits. Southern hybridizations indicate that NPGPA1 is probably a single-copy gene, whereas at least two copies of NPGPB1 exist in the N. plumbaginifolia genome. Northern analyses reveal that both NPGPA1 and NPGPB1 mRNA are expressed in all embryogenic stages and plant tissues examined and their expression is obviously regulated by the plant hormone auxin. Immunohistological localization of NPGPalpha1 and NPGPbeta1 preferentially on plasma and endoplasmic reticulum membranes and their immunochemical detection exclusively in microsomal cell fractions implicate membrane association of both proteins. The temporal and spatial expression patterns of NPGPA1 and NPGPB1 show conformity as well as differences. This could account for not only cooperative, but also individual activities of both subunits during embryogenesis and plant development.

  5. Botulinum toxin in parkinsonism: The when, how, and which for botulinum toxin injections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cardoso, Francisco

    2018-06-01

    The aim of this article is to provide a review of the use of injections of botulinum toxin in the management of selected symptoms and signs of Parkinson's disease and other forms of parkinsonism. Sialorrhea is defined as inability to control oral secretions, resulting in excessive saliva in the oropharynx. There is a high level of evidence for the treatment of sialorrhea in parkinsonism with injections of different forms of botulinum toxin type A as well as botulinum toxin type B. Tremor can be improved by the use of botulinum toxin injections but improved tremor control often leads to concomitant motor weakness, limiting its use. Levodopa induced dyskinesias are difficult to treat with botulinum toxin injections because of their variable frequency and direction. Apraxia of eyelid opening, a sign more commonly seen in progressive supranuclear palsy and other tauopathies, often improves after botulinum toxin injections. Recent data suggest that regardless of the underlying mechanism, pain in parkinsonism can be alleviated by botulinum toxin injections. Finally, freezing of gait, camptocormia and Pisa syndrome in parkinsonism almost invariably fail to respond to botulinum toxin injections. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Cloning and sequencing of the casein kinase 2 alpha subunit from Zea mays

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dobrowolska, G; Boldyreff, B; Issinger, O G

    1991-01-01

    The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA coding for the alpha subunit of casein kinase 2 of Zea mays has been determined. The cDNA clone contains an open reading frame of 996 nucleotides encoding a polypeptide comprising 332 amino acids. The primary amino acid sequence exhibits 75% identity to the alpha...... subunit and 71% identity to the alpha' subunit of human casein kinase 2....

  7. Drosophila fatty acid taste signals through the PLC pathway in sugar-sensing neurons.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pavel Masek

    Full Text Available Taste is the primary sensory system for detecting food quality and palatability. Drosophila detects five distinct taste modalities that include sweet, bitter, salt, water, and the taste of carbonation. Of these, sweet-sensing neurons appear to have utility for the detection of nutritionally rich food while bitter-sensing neurons signal toxicity and confer repulsion. Growing evidence in mammals suggests that taste for fatty acids (FAs signals the presence of dietary lipids and promotes feeding. While flies appear to be attracted to fatty acids, the neural basis for fatty acid detection and attraction are unclear. Here, we demonstrate that a range of FAs are detected by the fly gustatory system and elicit a robust feeding response. Flies lacking olfactory organs respond robustly to FAs, confirming that FA attraction is mediated through the gustatory system. Furthermore, flies detect FAs independent of pH, suggesting the molecular basis for FA taste is not due to acidity. We show that low and medium concentrations of FAs serve as an appetitive signal and they are detected exclusively through the same subset of neurons that sense appetitive sweet substances, including most sugars. In mammals, taste perception of sweet and bitter substances is dependent on phospholipase C (PLC signaling in specialized taste buds. We find that flies mutant for norpA, a Drosophila ortholog of PLC, fail to respond to FAs. Intriguingly, norpA mutants respond normally to other tastants, including sucrose and yeast. The defect of norpA mutants can be rescued by selectively restoring norpA expression in sweet-sensing neurons, corroborating that FAs signal through sweet-sensing neurons, and suggesting PLC signaling in the gustatory system is specifically involved in FA taste. Taken together, these findings reveal that PLC function in Drosophila sweet-sensing neurons is a conserved molecular signaling pathway that confers attraction to fatty acids.

  8. Saltwell Leak Detector Station Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) Software Configuration Management Plan (SCMP)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    WHITE, K.A.

    2000-01-01

    This document provides the procedures and guidelines necessary for computer software configuration management activities during the operation and maintenance phases of the Saltwell Leak Detector Stations as required by HNF-PRO-309/Rev.1, Computer Software Quality Assurance, Section 2.4, Software Configuration Management. The software configuration management plan (SCMP) integrates technical and administrative controls to establish and maintain technical consistency among requirements, physical configuration, and documentation for the Saltwell Leak Detector Station Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) software during the Hanford application, operations and maintenance. This SCMP establishes the Saltwell Leak Detector Station PLC Software Baseline, status changes to that baseline, and ensures that software meets design and operational requirements and is tested in accordance with their design basis

  9. Polyamine toxins

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Strømgaard, Kristian; Jensen, Lars S; Vogensen, Stine B

    2005-01-01

    Polyamine toxins, isolated from spiders and wasps, have been used as pharmacological tools for the study of ionotropic receptors, but their use have so far been hampered by their lack of selectivity. In this mini-review, we describe how careful synthetic modification of native polyamine toxins ha...

  10. Variance in total levels of phospholipase C zeta (PLC-ζ) in human sperm may limit the applicability of quantitative immunofluorescent analysis as a diagnostic indicator of oocyte activation capability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kashir, Junaid; Jones, Celine; Mounce, Ginny; Ramadan, Walaa M; Lemmon, Bernadette; Heindryckx, Bjorn; de Sutter, Petra; Parrington, John; Turner, Karen; Child, Tim; McVeigh, Enda; Coward, Kevin

    2013-01-01

    To examine whether similar levels of phospholipase C zeta (PLC-ζ) protein are present in sperm from men whose ejaculates resulted in normal oocyte activation, and to examine whether a predominant pattern of PLC-ζ localization is linked to normal oocyte activation ability. Laboratory study. University laboratory. Control subjects (men with proven oocyte activation capacity; n = 16) and men whose sperm resulted in recurrent intracytoplasmic sperm injection failure (oocyte activation deficient [OAD]; n = 5). Quantitative immunofluorescent analysis of PLC-ζ protein in human sperm. Total levels of PLC-ζ fluorescence, proportions of sperm exhibiting PLC-ζ immunoreactivity, and proportions of PLC-ζ localization patterns in sperm from control and OAD men. Sperm from control subjects presented a significantly higher proportion of sperm exhibiting PLC-ζ immunofluorescence compared with infertile men diagnosed with OAD (82.6% and 27.4%, respectively). Total levels of PLC-ζ in sperm from individual control and OAD patients exhibited significant variance, with sperm from 10 out of 16 (62.5%) exhibiting levels similar to OAD samples. Predominant PLC-ζ localization patterns varied between control and OAD samples with no predictable or consistent pattern. The results indicate that sperm from control men exhibited significant variance in total levels of PLC-ζ protein, as well as significant variance in the predominant localization pattern. Such variance may hinder the diagnostic application of quantitative PLC-ζ immunofluorescent analysis. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. 78 FR 20509 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-05

    ... Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking...) RB211-535E4-B-37 series turbofan engines. This proposed AD was prompted by recalculating the life of.... (c) Applicability This AD applies to Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-535E4-B-37 series turbofan engines...

  12. 77 FR 39157 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-02

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT...-84, and 980-84 turbofan engines. That AD currently requires inspecting the intermediate-pressure (IP... RR model RB211-Trent 970-84, 970B-84, 972-84, 972B-84, 977-84, 977B-84, and 980-84 turbofan engines...

  13. Higher cytotoxicity of divalent antibody-toxins than monovalent antibody-toxins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Won, JaeSeon; Nam, PilWon; Lee, YongChan; Choe, MuHyeon

    2009-01-01

    Recombinant antibody-toxins are constructed via the fusion of a 'carcinoma-specific' antibody fragment to a toxin. Due to the high affinity and high selectivity of the antibody fragments, antibody-toxins can bind to surface antigens on cancer cells and kill them without harming normal cells [L.H. Pai, J.K. Batra, D.J. FitzGerald, M.C. Willingham, I. Pastan, Anti-tumor activities of immunotoxins made of monoclonal antibody B3 and various forms of Pseudomonas exotoxin, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88 (1991) 3358-3362]. In this study, we constructed the antibody-toxin, Fab-SWn-PE38, with SWn (n = 3, 6, 9) sequences containing n-time repeated (G 4 S) between the Fab fragment and PE38 (38 kDa truncated form of Pseudomonas exotoxin A). The SWn sequence also harbored one cysteine residue that could form a disulfide bridge between two Fab-SWn-PE38 monomers. We assessed the cytotoxicity of the monovalent (Fab-SWn-PE38), and divalent ([Fab-SWn-PE38] 2 ) antibody-toxins. The cytotoxicity of the dimer against the CRL1739 cell line was approximately 18.8-fold higher than that of the monomer on the ng/ml scale, which was approximately 37.6-fold higher on the pM scale. These results strongly indicate that divalency provides higher cytotoxicity for an antibody-toxin.

  14. Evolution of Conus Peptide Toxins: Analysis of Conus californicus Reeve, 1844

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biggs, Jason S.; Watkins, Maren; Puillandre, Nicolas; Ownby, John-Paul; Lopez-Vera, Estuardo; Christensen, Sean; Moreno, Karla Juarez; Navarro, Alexei Licea; Corneli, Patrice Showers; Olivera, Baldomero M.

    2010-01-01

    Conus species are characterized by their hyperdiverse toxins, encoded by a few gene superfamilies. Our phylogenies of the genus, based on mitochondrial genes, confirm previous results that C. californicus is highly divergent from all other species. Genetic and biochemical analysis of their venom peptides comprise the fifteen most abundant conopeptides and over 50 mature cDNA transcripts from the venom duct. Although C. californicus venom retains many of the general properties of other Conus species, they share only half of the toxin gene superfamilies found in other Conus species. Thus, in these two lineages, approximately half of the rapidly diversifying gene superfamilies originated after an early Tertiary split. Such results demonstrate that, unlike endogenously acting gene families, these genes are likely to be significantly more restricted in their phylogenetic distribution. In concordance with the evolutionary duistance of C. californicus from other species, there are aspects of prey-capture behavior and prey preferences of this species that diverges significantly from all other Conus. PMID:20363338

  15. Performance Evaluation of CE-OFDM in PLC Channel

    OpenAIRE

    El ghzaoui Mohammed, Belkadid Jamal, Benbassou Ali

    2011-01-01

    One major drawback associated with an OFDM system is that the transmitter’soutput signal may have a high peak-to-average ratio (PAPR). High levels of PARmay be a limiting factor for power line communication (PLC) where regulatorybodies have fixed the maximum amount of transmit power. To overcome thisproblem, many approaches have been presented in the literature. One potentialsolution for reducing the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) in an OFDMsystem is to utilize a constant envelope OFDM (C...

  16. 75 FR 61363 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc RB211-524 Series, -535 Series, RB211 Trent 700 Series...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-05

    ...-0993; Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-08-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc... Federal holidays. Fax: (202) 493-2251. Contact Rolls-Royce plc, P.O. Box 31, Derby, DE24 8BJ, United... based on those comments. We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations...

  17. 76 FR 29814 - Statutory Debarment and Reinstatement of BAE Systems plc

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-23

    ... Bureau of Political-Military Affairs; Statutory Debarment and Reinstatement of BAE Systems plc and Policy... of Defense Trade Controls Compliance, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Department of State (202... required. Statutory debarment is based solely upon conviction in a criminal proceeding, conducted by a...

  18. 78 FR 70489 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-26

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT..., and 560A2-61 turbofan engines. This AD requires replacement or repair of the low-pressure (LP...-61, 556B2-61, 560-61, and 560A2-61 turbofan engines. (d) Reason This AD was prompted by reports of...

  19. 77 FR 58762 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-09-24

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT...-Trent 892-17, RB211- Trent 892B-17, and RB211-Trent 895-17 turbofan engines. That AD currently requires...-17, RB211-Trent 892B-17, and RB211-Trent 895-17 turbofan engines. (d) Unsafe Condition This AD was...

  20. Restriction and Recruitment—Gene Duplication and the Origin and Evolution of Snake Venom Toxins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hargreaves, Adam D.; Swain, Martin T.; Hegarty, Matthew J.; Logan, Darren W.; Mulley, John F.

    2014-01-01

    Snake venom has been hypothesized to have originated and diversified through a process that involves duplication of genes encoding body proteins with subsequent recruitment of the copy to the venom gland, where natural selection acts to develop or increase toxicity. However, gene duplication is known to be a rare event in vertebrate genomes, and the recruitment of duplicated genes to a novel expression domain (neofunctionalization) is an even rarer process that requires the evolution of novel combinations of transcription factor binding sites in upstream regulatory regions. Therefore, although this hypothesis concerning the evolution of snake venom is very unlikely and should be regarded with caution, it is nonetheless often assumed to be established fact, hindering research into the true origins of snake venom toxins. To critically evaluate this hypothesis, we have generated transcriptomic data for body tissues and salivary and venom glands from five species of venomous and nonvenomous reptiles. Our comparative transcriptomic analysis of these data reveals that snake venom does not evolve through the hypothesized process of duplication and recruitment of genes encoding body proteins. Indeed, our results show that many proposed venom toxins are in fact expressed in a wide variety of body tissues, including the salivary gland of nonvenomous reptiles and that these genes have therefore been restricted to the venom gland following duplication, not recruited. Thus, snake venom evolves through the duplication and subfunctionalization of genes encoding existing salivary proteins. These results highlight the danger of the elegant and intuitive “just-so story” in evolutionary biology. PMID:25079342

  1. Autoproteolytic Activation of Bacterial Toxins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aimee Shen

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Protease domains within toxins typically act as the primary effector domain within target cells. By contrast, the primary function of the cysteine protease domain (CPD in Multifunctional Autoprocessing RTX-like (MARTX and Clostridium sp. glucosylating toxin families is to proteolytically cleave the toxin and release its cognate effector domains. The CPD becomes activated upon binding to the eukaryotic-specific small molecule, inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP6, which is found abundantly in the eukaryotic cytosol. This property allows the CPD to spatially and temporally regulate toxin activation, making it a prime candidate for developing anti-toxin therapeutics. In this review, we summarize recent findings related to defining the regulation of toxin function by the CPD and the development of inhibitors to prevent CPD-mediated activation of bacterial toxins.

  2. 77 FR 37740 - Stagecoach Group plc and Coach USA, Inc., et al.-Acquisition of Control of Assets-American Coach...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-22

    ... Application. SUMMARY: On May 25, 2012, Stagecoach Group plc (Stagecoach), a noncarrier, and a number of its... Group plc and Coach USA, Inc., et al.--Acquisition of Control of Assets--American Coach Lines of Atlanta...) filed an application under 49 U.S.C. 14303 to acquire control of the assets of ten separate interstate...

  3. Authentic display of a cholera toxin epitope by chimeric type 1 fimbriae: effects of insert position and host background

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stentebjerg-Olesen, B; Pallesen, L; Jensen, LB

    1997-01-01

    The potential of the major structural protein of type 1 fimbriae as a display system for heterologous sequences was tested. As a reporter-epitope, a heterologous sequence mimicking a neutralizing epitope of the cholera toxin B chain was inserted, in one or two copies, into four different positions...... in the fimA gene. This was carried out by introduction of new restriction sites by PCR-mediated site-directed mutagenesis of fimA in positions predicted to correspond to optimally surface-located regions of the subunit protein. Subsequently, the synthetic cholera-toxin-encoding DNA segment was inserted....... Several of the chosen positions seemed amenable even for large foreign inserts; the chimeric proteins were exposed on the bacterial surface and the cholera toxin epitope was authentically displayed, i.e. it was recognized on bacteria by specific antiserum. Display of chimeric fimbriae was tested...

  4. Toxin production in Dinophysis and the fate of these toxins in marine mussels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Lasse Tor

    Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) poses a considerable threat to food safety and to the economy of shellfish fishers and farmers in many parts of the world. Thousands of DSP intoxications have been reported, and bivalve harvesting can sometimes be closed down several months in a row. The toxins....... acuta. I grew the two species in laboratory cultures at different irradiances (7-130 μmol photons m-2 s-1) and with different food availability. The results showed that irradiance had no effects on toxin profiles, and only limited effects of the cellular toxin contents. Rather, toxin production rates...... are primarily produced by the marine mixotrophic dinoflagellates Dinophysis spp., known to occur in most parts of the world. Dinophysis can, along with other planktonic organisms, be consumed by filter-feeding bivalves, and thus the toxins can accumulate. Dinophysis can produce the three toxin groups, okadaic...

  5. On an LAS-integrated soft PLC system based on WorldFIP fieldbus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Geng; Li, Zhijun; Li, Wen; Bai, Yan

    2012-01-01

    Communication efficiency is lowered and real-time performance is not good enough in discrete control based on traditional WorldFIP field intelligent nodes in case that the scale of control in field is large. A soft PLC system based on WorldFIP fieldbus was designed and implemented. Link Activity Scheduler (LAS) was integrated into the system and field intelligent I/O modules acted as networked basic nodes. Discrete control logic was implemented with the LAS-integrated soft PLC system. The proposed system was composed of configuration and supervisory sub-systems and running sub-systems. The configuration and supervisory sub-system was implemented with a personal computer or an industrial personal computer; running subsystems were designed and implemented based on embedded hardware and software systems. Communication and schedule in the running subsystem was implemented with an embedded sub-module; discrete control and system self-diagnosis were implemented with another embedded sub-module. Structure of the proposed system was presented. Methodology for the design of the sub-systems was expounded. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed system both in discrete and process control by investigating the effect of network data transmission delay induced by the soft PLC in WorldFIP network and CPU workload on resulting control performances. The experimental observations indicated that the proposed system is practically applicable. Copyright © 2011 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. 78 FR 5 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-02

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT...-535E4-C-37 turbofan engines. This AD was prompted by an investigation by RR concluding that certain...- 535E4-B-37; RB211-535E4-B-75; and RB211-535E4-C-37 turbofan engines with intermediate-pressure (IP...

  7. 78 FR 37703 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-24

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... (RR) model RB211 Trent 768-60, 772-60, and 772B-60 turbofan engines. This AD was prompted by low...) model RB211 Trent 768-60, 772-60, and 772B-60 turbofan engines. (d) Reason This AD was prompted by low...

  8. 78 FR 22180 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-04-15

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT... 972B-84, RB211-Trent 977-84, RB211-Trent 977B-84, and RB211-Trent 980-84 turbofan engines. This AD... 977B-84, and RB211-Trent 980-84 turbofan engines that incorporate RR production Modification 72-G585 or...

  9. 77 FR 20508 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-05

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT...-Trent 884B-17, RB211-Trent 892-17, RB211- Trent 892B-17, and RB211-Trent 895-17 turbofan engines. That...-17, RB211- Trent 892B-17, and RB211-Trent 895-17 turbofan engines. On September 9, 2011, we also...

  10. Toxin-Based Therapeutic Approaches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shapira, Assaf; Benhar, Itai

    2010-01-01

    Protein toxins confer a defense against predation/grazing or a superior pathogenic competence upon the producing organism. Such toxins have been perfected through evolution in poisonous animals/plants and pathogenic bacteria. Over the past five decades, a lot of effort has been invested in studying their mechanism of action, the way they contribute to pathogenicity and in the development of antidotes that neutralize their action. In parallel, many research groups turned to explore the pharmaceutical potential of such toxins when they are used to efficiently impair essential cellular processes and/or damage the integrity of their target cells. The following review summarizes major advances in the field of toxin based therapeutics and offers a comprehensive description of the mode of action of each applied toxin. PMID:22069564

  11. Detection of toxic shock toxin (tst gene in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from bovine milk samples

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Baniardalan

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus is a major causative pathogen of clinical and subclinical mastitis in dairy cattle all over the world. This agent produces a variety of extracellular toxins and virulence factors in-cluding toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1 which is the major cause of toxic shock syndrome (TSS. In the present study, 76 S. aureus isolates have been obtained from milk samples collected from 7 dairy herds in Hamedan province of Iran. The isolates were identified based on the biochemical and molecular methods using PCR amplification of the femA gene. The staphylococcal isolates were also examined for the presence of TSST-1 (tst encoding gene. This gene was detected in only one S. aureus isolate (1.3%. The results revealed that S. aureus strains causing bovine mastitis may potentially produce staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome toxin-1, indicating that it is very important to follow the presence of TSST-1 producing S. aureus isolates in foodstuffs to protect consumers against the risk of toxic shock syndrome

  12. Teleportation of a two-mode entangled coherent state encoded with two-qubit information

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mishra, Manoj K; Prakash, Hari, E-mail: manoj.qit@gmail.co, E-mail: prakash_hari123@rediffmail.co [Department of physics, University of Allahabad, Allahabad (India)

    2010-09-28

    We propose a scheme to teleport a two-mode entangled coherent state encoded with two-qubit information, which is better than the two schemes recently proposed by Liao and Kuang (2007 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 40 1183) and by Phien and Nguyen (2008 Phys. Lett. A 372 2825) in that our scheme gives higher value of minimum assured fidelity and minimum average fidelity without using any nonlinear interactions. For involved coherent states | {+-} {alpha}), minimum average fidelity in our case is {>=}0.99 for |{alpha}| {>=} 1.6 (i.e. |{alpha}|{sup 2} {>=} 2.6), while previously proposed schemes referred above report the same for |{alpha}| {>=} 5 (i.e. |{alpha}|{sup 2} {>=} 25). Since it is very challenging to produce superposed coherent states of high coherent amplitude (|{alpha}|), our teleportation scheme is at the reach of modern technology.

  13. Affinity chromatography of tetanus toxin, tetanus toxoid, and botulinum A toxin on synaptosomes, and differentiation of their acceptors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Habermann, E [Giessen Univ. (Germany, F.R.). Pharmakologisches Inst.

    1976-01-01

    /sup 125/I-labelled tetanus toxin and /sup 125/I-labelled botulinum A neurotoxin are known to be specifically bound to brain synaptosomes. In order to discriminate between active toxin and inactive admixtures present in the starting material or arising during iodination, synaptosome columns were prepared using bromacetylcellulose and/or kieselgur (Celite) as carriers. Both types of columns adsorb the toxins from low ionic strength medium and release them if the pH and ionic strength are raised. Botulinum toxin was eluted with lower ionic strength than tetanus toxin, and could be freed from nontoxic admixtures. Analysis by affinity chromatography disclosed partially toxoided tetanus toxin in both labelled and unlabelled toxin samples. High concentrations of formaldehyde (0.5%) destroyed both toxicity and affinity to the synaptosomes of tetanus toxin. Low concentrations of formaldehyde (0.05%) yielded a derivative of low toxicity which was still, however less firmly, bound to synaptosomes. Tetanus and botulinum toxin differ by their acceptors. Whereas unlabelled botulinum toxin is unable to compete with labelled tetanus toxin, unlabelled tetanus toxin slightly competes with botulinum toxin. Both labelled toxins display anomalous binding behaviour in that they cannot be displaced completely even with a large excess of unlabelled toxin.

  14. Affinity chromatography of tetanus toxin, tetanus toxoid, and botulinum A toxin on synaptosomes, and differentiation of their acceptors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Habermann, E.

    1976-01-01

    125 I-labelled tetanus toxin and 125 I-labelled botulinum A neurotoxin are known to be specifically bound to brain synaptosomes. In order to discriminate between active toxin and inactive admixtures present in the starting material or arising during iodination, synaptosome columns were prepared using bromacetylcellulose and/or kieselgur (Celite) as carriers. Both types of columns adsorb the toxins from low ionic strength medium and release them if the pH and ionic strength are raised. Botulinum toxin was eluted with lower ionic strength than tetanus toxin, and could be freed from nontoxic admixtures. Analysis by affinity chromatography disclosed partially toxoided tetanus toxin in both labelled and unlabelled toxin samples. High concentrations of formaldehyde (0.5%) destroyed both toxicity and affinity to the synaptosomes of tetanus toxin. Low concentrations of formaldehyde (0.05%) yielded a derivative of low toxicity which was still, however less firmly, bound to synaptosomes. Tetanus and botulinum toxin differ by their acceptors. Whereas unlabelled botulinum toxin is unable to compete with labelled tetanus toxin, unlabelled tetanus toxin slightly competes with botulinum toxin. Both labelled toxins display anomalous binding behaviour in that they cannot be displaced completely even with a large excess of unlabelled toxin. (orig.) [de

  15. Diversity and distribution of cholix toxin, a novel ADP-ribosylating factor from Vibrio cholerae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purdy, Alexandra E; Balch, Deborah; Lizárraga-Partida, Marcial Leonardo; Islam, Mohammad Sirajul; Martinez-Urtaza, Jaime; Huq, Anwar; Colwell, Rita R; Bartlett, Douglas H

    2010-02-01

    Non-toxigenic non-O1, non-O139 Vibrio cholerae strains isolated from both environmental and clinical settings carry a suite of virulence factors aside from cholera toxin. Among V. cholerae strains isolated from coastal waters of southern California, this includes cholix toxin, an ADP-ribosylating factor that is capable of halting protein synthesis in eukaryotic cells. The prevalence of the gene encoding cholix toxin, chxA, was assessed among a collection of 155 diverse V. cholerae strains originating from both clinical and environmental settings in Bangladesh and Mexico and other countries around the globe. The chxA gene was present in 47% of 83 non-O1, non-O139 strains and 16% of 72 O1/O139 strains screened as part of this study. A total of 86 chxA gene sequences were obtained, and phylogenetic analysis revealed that they fall into two distinct clades. These two clades were also observed in the phylogenies of several housekeeping genes, suggesting that the divergence observed in chxA extends to other regions of the V. cholerae genome, and most likely has arisen from vertical descent rather than horizontal transfer. Our results clearly indicate that ChxA is a major toxin of V. cholerae with a worldwide distribution that is preferentially associated with non-pandemic strains. © 2010 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  16. What is the method in applying formal methods to PLC applications?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mader, Angelika H.; Engel, S.; Wupper, Hanno; Kowalewski, S.; Zaytoon, J.

    2000-01-01

    The question we investigate is how to obtain PLC applications with confidence in their proper functioning. Especially, we are interested in the contribution that formal methods can provide for their development. Our maxim is that the place of a particular formal method in the total picture of system

  17. Development of Remote Monitoring and a Control System Based on PLC and WebAccess for Learning Mechatronics

    OpenAIRE

    Wen-Jye Shyr; Te-Jen Su; Chia-Ming Lin

    2013-01-01

    This study develops a novel method for learning mechatronics using remote monitoring and control, based on a programmable logic controller (PLC) and WebAccess. A mechatronics module, a Web‐CAM and a PLC were integrated with WebAccess software to organize a remote laboratory. The proposed system enables users to access the Internet for remote monitoring and control of the mechatronics module via a web browser, thereby enhancing work flexibility by enabling personnel to control mechatronics equ...

  18. Failure of isolated rat tibial periosteal cells to 5 alpha reduce testosterone to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Turner, R.T.; Bleiberg, B.; Colvard, D.S.; Keeting, P.E.; Evans, G.; Spelsberg, T.C.

    1990-01-01

    Periosteal cells were isolated from tibiae of adult male rats after collagenase treatment. Northern blot analysis of total cytoplasmic RNA extracted from the isolated periosteal cells was positive for expression of genes encoding the osteoblast marker proteins osteocalcin (BGP) and pre-pro-alpha 2(I) chain of type 1 precollagen. The isolated periosteal cells were incubated with 1 nM [3H]testosterone [( 3 H]T) for up to 240 minutes and the reaction products separated by high-performance liquid chromatography. [ 3 H]5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone [( 3 H]DHT) was not detected in extracts of periosteal cell incubations. In contrast, [ 3 H]DHT was produced in a time-dependent manner by cells from seminal vesicles. These results suggest that testosterone 5 alpha-reductase activity is not expressed by osteoblasts in rat tibial periosteum and that the anabolic effects of androgens in this tissue are not mediated by locally produced DHT

  19. Comparative diagnostic efficacy of recombinant LLO and PI-PLC-based ELISAs for detection of listeriosis in animals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suryawanshi, Rahul D; Malik, Satya Veer Singh; Jayarao, Bhushan; Chaudhari, Sandeep P; Savage, Emily; Vergis, Jess; Kurkure, Nitin V; Barbuddhe, Sukhadeo B; Rawool, Deepak B

    2017-06-01

    The present study for the first time evaluates the serodiagnostic efficacy of two recombinant antigens namely, listeriolysin O (rLLO) and phosphatidyl-inositol phospholipase C (rPI-PLC). Indirect ELISA with the above recombinant antigens was used on samples collected from bovines (n=106), goats (n=138) and pigs (n=92) having either a history of abortion, emaciation and/or apparently healthy animals. Isolation of Listeria was attempted from the blood samples using USDA-FSIS method. On screening of test sera by rLLO-based ELISA, antibodies against anti-listeriolysin O (ALLO) were observed in goats (22.46%), bovines (15.10%) and pigs (16.31%). As advocated, after adsorption of positive serum samples with streptolysin O (SLO), the seropositivity for ALLO was marginally reduced (p>0.05) in goats (21.73%) and bovines (10.38%), whereas, in pigs the reduction (5.43%) was significant (pPLC-based ELISA revealed higher non-specific seropositivity for antilisterial antibodies in goats (45.65%), bovines (31.13%) and pigs (8.69%). Further, on comparing the seropositivity with isolation rate, of the 16 animals that were culturally-positive for L. monocytogenes, 15 showed ALLO positivity in unadsorbed as well as SLO-adsorbed sera by rLLO-based ELISA, however, rPI-PLC-based ELISA could detect seropositivity in only 5 animals. Moreover, rPI-PLC-based ELISA also showed seropositivity in those animals (7/30) that were culturally positive for other Listeria spp. In conclusion, rLLO can serve as a better antigen than rPI-PLC in ELISA for the serodiagnosis of listeriosis in animals; however, prior adsorption of test sera with SLO is required to avoid false positive results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Toxin-Based Therapeutic Approaches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Itai Benhar

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Protein toxins confer a defense against predation/grazing or a superior pathogenic competence upon the producing organism. Such toxins have been perfected through evolution in poisonous animals/plants and pathogenic bacteria. Over the past five decades, a lot of effort has been invested in studying their mechanism of action, the way they contribute to pathogenicity and in the development of antidotes that neutralize their action. In parallel, many research groups turned to explore the pharmaceutical potential of such toxins when they are used to efficiently impair essential cellular processes and/or damage the integrity of their target cells. The following review summarizes major advances in the field of toxin based therapeutics and offers a comprehensive description of the mode of action of each applied toxin.

  1. 75 FR 27964 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-22B and RB211-524 Series Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-19

    ...-1157; Directorate Identifier 2009-NE-26-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR... p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Fax: (202) 493-2251. Contact Rolls-Royce plc... received by the closing date and may amend this proposed AD based on those comments. We will post all...

  2. Carbon nanoparticles in lateral flow methods to detect genes encoding virulence factors of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Noguera, P.; Posthuma-Trumpie, G.A.; Tuil, van M.; Wal, van der F.J.; Boer, de A.; Moers, A.P.H.A.; Amerongen, van A.

    2011-01-01

    The use of carbon nanoparticles is shown for the detection and identification of different Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli virulence factors (vt1, vt2, eae and ehxA) and a 16S control (specific for E. coli) based on the use of lateral flow strips (nucleic acid lateral flow immunoassay,

  3. Detailed Analysis of the Expression of an Alpha-gliadin Promoter and the Deposition of Alpha-gliadin Protein During Wheat Grain Development

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Herpen, van T.W.J.M.; Riley, M.; Sparks, C.; Jones, H.D.; Gritsch, C.; Dekking, E.H.; Hamer, R.J.; Bosch, H.J.; Salentijn, E.M.J.; Smulders, M.J.M.; Shewry, P.R.; Gilissen, L.J.W.J.

    2008-01-01

    Background and Aims: Alpha-gliadin proteins are important for the industrial quality of bread wheat flour, but they also contain many epitopes that can trigger celiac (c¿liac) disease (CD). The B-genome-encoded -gliadin genes, however, contain very few epitopes. Controlling -gliadin gene expression

  4. Performance Evaluation of CE-OFDM in PLC Channel

    OpenAIRE

    El Ghzaoui Mohammed; Belkadid Jamal; Benbassou Ali

    2011-01-01

    One major drawback associated with an OFDM system is that the transmitter’s output signal may have a high peak-to-average ratio (PAPR). High levels of PAR may be a limiting factor for power line communication (PLC) where regulatory bodies have fixed the maximum amount of transmit power. To overcome this problem, many approaches have been presented in the literature. One potential solution for reducing the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) in an OFDM system is to utilize a constant envelope O...

  5. Embedded PLC Webserver and Possibilities of its Utilization

    OpenAIRE

    Kopček Michal

    2016-01-01

    The concept Industry 4.0 is a top theme of recent times. Even if it represents the so-called 4th industrial revolution its main ideas could be used also to support the education of subjects from IT and automation. Furthermore, the basic IT and web technologies inherited by this concept are very well known to students. This paper introduces the embedded webserver of PLC and the options for its optimal utilization. The web server is essentially a simple and widely well-known technology, therefo...

  6. 78 FR 60658 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-02

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT..., 892-17, 892B-17, and 895-17; and RB211-524G2-T-19, -524G3-T- 19, -524H-T-36, and -524H2-T-19 turbofan... (RR) model turbofan engines that have a high-pressure (HP) compressor stage 1 to 4 rotor disc...

  7. The application of PLC automatic control system for resin transfer in pulsed elution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Long Maoxiong

    2001-01-01

    An application of Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) in automatic control system for resin transfer in pulsed elution column is described. The design principle as well as hardware and software are also described in detail

  8. Karyopherin alpha7 (KPNA7), a divergent member of the importin alpha family of nuclear import receptors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelley, Joshua B; Talley, Ashley M; Spencer, Adam; Gioeli, Daniel; Paschal, Bryce M

    2010-08-11

    Classical nuclear localization signal (NLS) dependent nuclear import is carried out by a heterodimer of importin alpha and importin beta. NLS cargo is recognized by importin alpha, which is bound by importin beta. Importin beta mediates translocation of the complex through the central channel of the nuclear pore, and upon reaching the nucleus, RanGTP binding to importin beta triggers disassembly of the complex. To date, six importin alpha family members, encoded by separate genes, have been described in humans. We sequenced and characterized a seventh member of the importin alpha family of transport factors, karyopherin alpha 7 (KPNA7), which is most closely related to KPNA2. The domain of KPNA7 that binds Importin beta (IBB) is divergent, and shows stronger binding to importin beta than the IBB domains from of other importin alpha family members. With regard to NLS recognition, KPNA7 binds to the retinoblastoma (RB) NLS to a similar degree as KPNA2, but it fails to bind the SV40-NLS and the human nucleoplasmin (NPM) NLS. KPNA7 shows a predominantly nuclear distribution under steady state conditions, which contrasts with KPNA2 which is primarily cytoplasmic. KPNA7 is a novel importin alpha family member in humans that belongs to the importin alpha2 subfamily. KPNA7 shows different subcellular localization and NLS binding characteristics compared to other members of the importin alpha family. These properties suggest that KPNA7 could be specialized for interactions with select NLS-containing proteins, potentially impacting developmental regulation.

  9. Construction of a novel, stable, food-grade expression system by engineering the endogenous toxin-antitoxin system in Bacillus subtilis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Sen; Kang, Zhen; Cao, Wenlong; Du, Guocheng; Chen, Jian

    2016-02-10

    Bacillus subtilis as an important workhorse that has been widely used to produce enzymes and metabolites. To broaden its applications, especially in the food and feed industry, we constructed a novel, stable, food-grade expression system by engineering its type II toxin-antitoxin system. The expression of the toxin EndoA, encoded by the chromosomal ydcE gene, was regulated by an endogenous, xylose-inducible promoter, while the ydcD gene, which encodes the unstable antitoxin EndoB, was inserted into a food-grade vector backbone, where its expression was driven by the native, constitutive promoter PylxM. By maintaining the xylose concentration above 2.0 g L(-1), this auto-regulated expression system was absolutely stable after 100 generations. Compared with traditional antibiotic-dependent expression systems, this novel expression system resulted in greater biomass and higher titers of desired products (enzymes or metabolites). Our results demonstrate that this stable, food-grade expression system is suitable for enzyme production and pathway engineering, especially for the production of food-grade enzymes and metabolites. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Development of a PLC modem for data transmission over a PWM power supply

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batard, Christophe; Ginot, Nicolas; Mannah, Marc Anthony; Millet, Christophe; Poitiers, Frédéric

    2014-04-01

    In variable-speed electrical drive and online conditioning monitoring, a feedback loop is required in order to transmit the sensor information from the motor to the controller close to the inverter. Additional cabling is used for signalling. This extra cabling has a significant cost and data transmission may not be reliable. Thus, the use of power line communication (PLC) technology to transmit data in motor drive application is quite interesting. The use of a PLC modem dedicated to the home network in a three-phase inverter-fed motor power cable does not work. Therefore, specific coupling interfaces are developed to transmit data through a pulse-width modulated power supply. Laboratory tests have shown that the couplers are operating properly. They ensure reliable data transmission in a motor drive application.

  11. The Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and Yersinia pestis toxin complex is active against cultured mammalian cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hares, Michelle C; Hinchliffe, Stewart J; Strong, Philippa C R; Eleftherianos, Ioannis; Dowling, Andrea J; ffrench-Constant, Richard H; Waterfield, Nick

    2008-11-01

    The toxin complex (Tc) genes were first identified in the insect pathogen Photorhabdus luminescens and encode approximately 1 MDa protein complexes which are toxic to insect pests. Subsequent genome sequencing projects have revealed the presence of tc orthologues in a range of bacterial pathogens known to be associated with insects. Interestingly, members of the mammalian-pathogenic yersiniae have also been shown to encode Tc orthologues. Studies in Yersinia enterocolitica have shown that divergent tc loci either encode insect-active toxins or play a role in colonization of the gut in gastroenteritis models of rats. So far little is known about the activity of the Tc proteins in the other mammalian-pathogenic yersiniae. Here we present work to suggest that Tc proteins in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and Yersinia pestis are not insecticidal toxins but have evolved for mammalian pathogenicity. We show that Tc is secreted by Y. pseudotuberculosis strain IP32953 during growth in media at 28 degrees C and 37 degrees C. We also demonstrate that oral toxicity of strain IP32953 to Manduca sexta larvae is not due to Tc expression and that lysates of Escherichia coli BL21 expressing the Yersinia Tc proteins are not toxic to Sf9 insect cells but are toxic to cultured mammalian cell lines. Cell lysates of E. coli BL21 expressing the Y. pseudotuberculosis Tc proteins caused actin ruffles, vacuoles and multi-nucleation in cultured human gut cells (Caco-2); similar morphology was observed after application of a lysate of E. coli BL21 expressing the Y. pestis Tc proteins to mouse fibroblast NIH3T3 cells, but not Caco-2 cells. Finally, transient expression of the individual Tc proteins in Caco-2 and NIH3T3 cell lines reproduced the actin and nuclear rearrangement observed with the topical applications. Together these results add weight to the growing hypothesis that the Tc proteins in Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. pestis have been adapted for mammalian pathogenicity. We further

  12. A Modification of Gamma Surveymeter Dosemeter 3007A for Monitoring Use Ethernet by PLC T100MD Series

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ikhsan Shobari; Subchan, M.; Syahrudin Yusuf; Sutomo Budihardjo

    2010-01-01

    It has been modified a gamma surveymeter Dosemeter 3007A. The Surveymeter represents analogous surveymeter, so that an interface for data acquisition is required. Acquisition system from surveymeter is added to the voltage amplifier module from 0 - 200 mV to 0 - 5 V. This voltage value will represent of doses 0 - 5 mR/hour. Hereinafter the analogous signal 0 - 5 V as signal of input to peripheral of PLC T100MD series. Data in the form of processed analogous signal presented at local display of PLC. For long distance monitoring, data have been sent to a computer from PLC by ethernet. After this modification, the surveymeter can be used to monitor from long distance. By using Internet Service Provider, monitoring can be done at any time and any where as long as network internet is available. (author)

  13. The Cish SH2 domain is essential for PLC-γ1 regulation in TCR stimulated CD8+ T cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guittard, Geoffrey; Dios-Esponera, Ana; Palmer, Douglas C; Akpan, Itoro; Barr, Valarie A; Manna, Asit; Restifo, Nicholas P; Samelson, Lawrence E

    2018-03-28

    Cish, participates within a multi-molecular E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, which ubiquitinates target proteins. It has an inhibitory effect on T cell activation mediated by PLC-γ1 regulation, and it functions as a potent checkpoint in CD8 + T cell tumor immunotherapy. To study the structural and functional relationships between Cish and PLC-γ1 during CD8 + T cell activation, we tested mutants of the Cish-SH2 (R107K) and D/BC (L222Q, C226Q) domains. We confirmed that Cish-SH2-specific binding was essential for PLC-γ1 ubiquitination and degradation. This domain was essential for the Cish-mediated inhibition of Ca 2+ release upon TCR stimulation. No effect on inhibition of cytokine release was observed with SH2 or D/BC mutants, although the absence of Cish led to an increased release of IFN-γ and TNF-α. Using imaging we showed that Cish was expressed mostly in the cytoplasm and we did not see any Cish clustering at the plasma membrane upon stimulation. We conclude that the Cish-SH2 domain is essential for PLC-γ1 regulation in TCR-stimulated CD8 + T cells.

  14. Characterisation of the binding of [{sup 3}H]methyllycaconitine: a new radioligand for labelling {alpha}7-type neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Davies, A.R.L.; Wolstenholme, A.J.; Wonnacott, S. [Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY (United Kingdom); Hardick, D.J.; Blagbrough, I.S.; Potter, B.V.L. [Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY (United Kingdom)

    1999-05-15

    Methyllycaconitine (MLA), a norditerpenoid alkaloid isolated from Delphinium seeds, is one of the most potent non-proteinacious ligands that is selective for {alpha}bungarotoxin-sensitive neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR). [{sup 3}H]MLA bound to rat brain membranes with high affinity (K{sub d}=1.86{+-}0.31 nM) with a good ratio of specific to non-specific binding. The binding of [{sup 3}H]MLA was characterised by rapid association (t{sub 1/2}=2.3 min) and dissociation (t{sub 1/2}=12.6 min) kinetics. The radioligand binding displayed nicotinic pharmacology, consistent with an interaction with {alpha}bungarotoxin-sensitive nAChR. The snake {alpha}-toxins, {alpha}bungarotoxin and {alpha}cobratoxin, displaced [{sup 3}H]MLA with high affinity (K{sub i}=1.8{+-}0.5 and 5.5{+-}0.9 nM, respectively), whereas nicotine was less potent (K{sub i}=6.1{+-}1.1 {mu}M). The distribution of [{sup 3}H]MLA binding sites in crudely dissected rat brain regions was identical to that of [{sup 125}I]{alpha}bungarotoxin binding sites, with a high binding site density in hippocampus and hypothalamus, but low density in striatum and cerebellum. [{sup 3}H]MLA also labelled a sub-population of binding sites which are not sensitive to the snake {alpha}toxins, but which did not differ significantly from the major population with respect to their other pharmacological properties or regional distribution. [{sup 3}H]MLA, therefore, is a novel radiolabel for characterising {alpha}7-type nAChR. A good signal to noise ratio and rapid binding kinetics provide advantages over the use of radiolabelled {alpha}bungarotoxin for rapid and accurate equilibrium binding assays. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

  15. Development of Remote Monitoring and a Control System Based on PLC and WebAccess for Learning Mechatronics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen-Jye Shyr

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available This study develops a novel method for learning mechatronics using remote monitoring and control, based on a programmable logic controller (PLC and WebAccess. A mechatronics module, a Web-CAM and a PLC were integrated with WebAccess software to organize a remote laboratory. The proposed system enables users to access the Internet for remote monitoring and control of the mechatronics module via a web browser, thereby enhancing work flexibility by enabling personnel to control mechatronics equipment from a remote location. Mechatronics control and long-distance monitoring were realized by establishing communication between the PLC and WebAccess. Analytical results indicate that the proposed system is feasible. The suitability of this system is demonstrated in the department of industrial education and technology at National Changhua University of Education, Taiwan. Preliminary evaluation of the system was encouraging and has shown that it has achieved success in helping students understand concepts and master remote monitoring and control techniques.

  16. Perancangan Prototype Early Warning System pada Kontrol On/Off Belt Conveyor Menggunakan PLC Siemens S7-300

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taufik Taufik

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, automation system become an important aspect of the manufacturing process because could make integration manufacturing process on it more effective and more efficient. PLC or Programmable Logic Controller is one kind of automation system. Many industries use PLC as automation control device in the manufacturing process to control all kind of process. For example at transportation process of coals in generator industry. Coals could be burned because main elements of coals are carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Base on this prototype early warning system design, we get the result if sensor thermocouple detects temperature larger than setpoint temperature (it is 2000C, then PLC will give an order to shut down the output, that is a belt conveyor. The result of this prototype design could use at coals transportation as an early warning system. The design of prototype early warning system could detect and prevent fire because of the consequence of burned coals until spreading of fire could be avoided.

  17. Paralytic shellfish toxin biosynthesis in cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates: A molecular overview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Da-Zhi; Zhang, Shu-Fei; Zhang, Yong; Lin, Lin

    2016-03-01

    Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) are a group of water soluble neurotoxic alkaloids produced by two different kingdoms of life, prokaryotic cyanobacteria and eukaryotic dinoflagellates. Owing to the wide distribution of these organisms, these toxic secondary metabolites account for paralytic shellfish poisonings around the world. On the other hand, their specific binding to voltage-gated sodium channels makes these toxins potentially useful in pharmacological and toxicological applications. Much effort has been devoted to the biosynthetic mechanism of PSTs, and gene clusters encoding 26 proteins involved in PST biosynthesis have been unveiled in several cyanobacterial species. Functional analysis of toxin genes indicates that PST biosynthesis in cyanobacteria is a complex process including biosynthesis, regulation, modification and export. However, less is known about the toxin biosynthesis in dinoflagellates owing to our poor understanding of the massive genome and unique chromosomal characteristics [1]. So far, few genes involved in PST biosynthesis have been identified from dinoflagellates. Moreover, the proteins involved in PST production are far from being totally explored. Thus, the origin and evolution of PST biosynthesis in these two kingdoms are still controversial. In this review, we summarize the recent progress on the characterization of genes and proteins involved in PST biosynthesis in cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates, and discuss the standing evolutionary hypotheses concerning the origin of toxin biosynthesis as well as future perspectives in PST biosynthesis. Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) are a group of potent neurotoxins which specifically block voltage-gated sodium channels in excitable cells and result in paralytic shellfish poisonings (PSPs) around the world. Two different kingdoms of life, cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates are able to produce PSTs. However, in contrast with cyanobacteria, our understanding of PST biosynthesis in

  18. One-way data transfer for PLC to VME status reporting at the Advanced Photon Source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stein, S.J.

    1993-01-01

    The Personnel Safety System for the experimental beamlines at the Advanced Photon Source will use a large number of Allen Bradley Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) to replace conventional relay logic. PLCs allow for the design of a very advanced safety system that can handle a large number of I/O points. Certain situations Require monitoring of the safety system from various locations around the storage ring via EPICS OPI (operator interface)consoles. This presentation covers the method of choice for transferring data from the Personnel Safety System into an EPICS database. Specifics on PLC ladder design, EPICS database design, and hardware selection are also discussed

  19. Botulinum Toxin (Botox) for Facial Wrinkles

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Stories Español Eye Health / Eye Health A-Z Botulinum Toxin (Botox) for Facial Wrinkles Sections Botulinum Toxin (Botox) ... Facial Wrinkles How Does Botulinum Toxin (Botox) Work? Botulinum Toxin (Botox) for Facial Wrinkles Leer en Español: La ...

  20. A bacterial toxin-antitoxin module is the origin of inter-bacterial and inter-kingdom effectors of Bartonella.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harms, Alexander; Liesch, Marius; Körner, Jonas; Québatte, Maxime; Engel, Philipp; Dehio, Christoph

    2017-10-01

    Host-targeting type IV secretion systems (T4SS) evolved from conjugative T4SS machineries that mediate interbacterial plasmid transfer. However, the origins of effectors secreted by these virulence devices have remained largely elusive. Previous work showed that some effectors exhibit homology to toxins of bacterial toxin-antitoxin modules, but the evolutionary trajectories underlying these ties had not been resolved. We previously reported that FicT toxins of FicTA toxin-antitoxin modules disrupt cellular DNA topology via their enzymatic FIC (filamentation induced by cAMP) domain. Intriguingly, the FIC domain of the FicT toxin VbhT of Bartonella schoenbuchensis is fused to a type IV secretion signal-the BID (Bep intracellular delivery) domain-similar to the Bartonella effector proteins (Beps) that are secreted into eukaryotic host cells via the host-targeting VirB T4SS. In this study, we show that the VbhT toxin is an interbacterial effector protein secreted via the conjugative Vbh T4SS that is closely related to the VirB T4SS and encoded by plasmid pVbh of B. schoenbuchensis. We therefore propose that the Vbh T4SS together with its effector VbhT represent an evolutionary missing link on a path that leads from a regular conjugation system and FicTA toxin-antitoxin modules to the VirB T4SS and the Beps. Intriguingly, phylogenetic analyses revealed that the fusion of FIC and BID domains has probably occurred independently in VbhT and the common ancestor of the Beps, suggesting parallel evolutionary paths. Moreover, several other examples of TA module toxins that are bona fide substrates of conjugative T4SS indicate that their recruitment as interbacterial effectors is prevalent and serves yet unknown biological functions in the context of bacterial conjugation. We propose that the adaptation for interbacterial transfer favors the exaptation of FicT and other TA module toxins as inter-kingdom effectors and may thus constitute an important stepping stone in the

  1. A bacterial toxin-antitoxin module is the origin of inter-bacterial and inter-kingdom effectors of Bartonella.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Harms

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Host-targeting type IV secretion systems (T4SS evolved from conjugative T4SS machineries that mediate interbacterial plasmid transfer. However, the origins of effectors secreted by these virulence devices have remained largely elusive. Previous work showed that some effectors exhibit homology to toxins of bacterial toxin-antitoxin modules, but the evolutionary trajectories underlying these ties had not been resolved. We previously reported that FicT toxins of FicTA toxin-antitoxin modules disrupt cellular DNA topology via their enzymatic FIC (filamentation induced by cAMP domain. Intriguingly, the FIC domain of the FicT toxin VbhT of Bartonella schoenbuchensis is fused to a type IV secretion signal-the BID (Bep intracellular delivery domain-similar to the Bartonella effector proteins (Beps that are secreted into eukaryotic host cells via the host-targeting VirB T4SS. In this study, we show that the VbhT toxin is an interbacterial effector protein secreted via the conjugative Vbh T4SS that is closely related to the VirB T4SS and encoded by plasmid pVbh of B. schoenbuchensis. We therefore propose that the Vbh T4SS together with its effector VbhT represent an evolutionary missing link on a path that leads from a regular conjugation system and FicTA toxin-antitoxin modules to the VirB T4SS and the Beps. Intriguingly, phylogenetic analyses revealed that the fusion of FIC and BID domains has probably occurred independently in VbhT and the common ancestor of the Beps, suggesting parallel evolutionary paths. Moreover, several other examples of TA module toxins that are bona fide substrates of conjugative T4SS indicate that their recruitment as interbacterial effectors is prevalent and serves yet unknown biological functions in the context of bacterial conjugation. We propose that the adaptation for interbacterial transfer favors the exaptation of FicT and other TA module toxins as inter-kingdom effectors and may thus constitute an important stepping

  2. Pertussis toxin modifies the characteristics of both the inhibitory GTP binding proteins and the somatostatin receptor in anterior pituitary tumor cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahy, N.; Woolkalis, M.; Thermos, K.; Carlson, K.; Manning, D.; Reisine, T.

    1988-01-01

    The effects of pertussis toxin treatment on the characteristics of somatostatin receptors in the anterior pituitary tumor cell line AtT-20 were examined. Pertussis toxin selectively catalyzed the ADP ribosylation of the alpha subunits of the inhibitory GTP binding proteins in AtT-20 cells. Toxin treatment abolished somatostatin inhibition of forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity and somatostatin stimulation of GTPase activity. To examine the effects of pertussis toxin treatment on the characteristics of the somatostatin receptor, the receptor was labeled by the somatostatin analog [125I]CGP 23996. [125I]CGP 23996 binding to AtT-20 cell membranes was saturable and within a limited concentration range was to a single high affinity site. Pertussis toxin treatment reduced the apparent density of the high affinity [125I]CGP 23996 binding sites in AtT-20 cell membranes. Inhibition of [125I]CGP 23996 binding by a wide concentration range of CGP 23996 revealed the presence of two binding sites. GTP predominantly reduced the level of high affinity sites in control membranes. Pertussis toxin treatment also diminished the amount of high affinity sites. GTP did not affect [125I]CGP 23996 binding in the pertussis toxin-treated membranes. The high affinity somatostatin receptors were covalently labeled with [125I] CGP 23996 and the photoactivated crosslinking agent n-hydroxysuccinimidyl-4-azidobenzoate. No high affinity somatostatin receptors, covalently bound to [125I]CGP 23996, were detected in the pertussis toxin-treated membranes. These results are most consistent with pertussis toxin uncoupling the inhibitory G proteins from the somatostatin receptor thereby converting the receptor from a mixed population of high and low affinity sites to only low affinity receptors

  3. Lymphocyte receptors for pertussis toxin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Clark, C.G.; Armstrong, G.D. (Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton (Canada))

    1990-12-01

    We have investigated human T-lymphocyte receptors for pertussis toxin by affinity isolation and photoaffinity labeling procedures. T lymphocytes were obtained from peripheral human blood, surface iodinated, and solubilized in Triton X-100. The iodinated mixture was then passed through pertussis toxin-agarose, and the fractions were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Autoradiography of the fixed, dried gels revealed several bands in the pertussis toxin-bound fraction that were not observed in fractions obtained from histone or fetuin-agarose. Further investigations employed a photoaffinity labeling reagent, sulfosuccinimidyl 2-(p-azido-salicylamido)-1,3'-dithiopropionate, to identify pertussis toxin receptors in freshly isolated peripheral blood monocytic cells, T lymphocytes, and Jurkat cells. In all three cell systems, the pertussis toxin affinity probe specifically labeled a single protein species with an apparent molecular weight of 70,000 that was not observed when the procedure was performed in the presence of excess unmodified pertussis toxin. A protein comparable in molecular weight to the one detected by the photoaffinity labeling technique was also observed among the species that bound to pertussis toxin-agarose. The results suggest that pertussis toxin may bind to a 70,000-Da receptor in human T lymphocytes.

  4. Botulinum toxin: bioweapon & magic drug.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhaked, Ram Kumar; Singh, Manglesh Kumar; Singh, Padma; Gupta, Pallavi

    2010-11-01

    Botulinum neurotoxins, causative agents of botulism in humans, are produced by Clostridium botulinum, an anaerobic spore-former Gram positive bacillus. Botulinum neurotoxin poses a major bioweapon threat because of its extreme potency and lethality; its ease of production, transport, and misuse; and the need for prolonged intensive care among affected persons. A single gram of crystalline toxin, evenly dispersed and inhaled, can kill more than one million people. The basis of the phenomenal potency of botulinum toxin is enzymatic; the toxin is a zinc proteinase that cleaves neuronal vesicle associated proteins responsible for acetylcholine release into the neuromuscular junction. As a military or terrorist weapon, botulinum toxin could be disseminated via aerosol or by contamination of water or food supplies, causing widespread casualties. A fascinating aspect of botulinum toxin research in recent years has been development of the most potent toxin into a molecule of significant therapeutic utility . It is the first biological toxin which is licensed for treatment of human diseases. In the late 1980s, Canada approved use of the toxin to treat strabismus, in 2001 in the removal of facial wrinkles and in 2002, the FDA in the United States followed suit. The present review focuses on both warfare potential and medical uses of botulinum neurotoxin.

  5. Embedded PLC Webserver and Possibilities of its Utilization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kopček, Michal

    2016-12-01

    The concept Industry 4.0 is a top theme of recent times. Even if it represents the so-called 4th industrial revolution its main ideas could be used also to support the education of subjects from IT and automation. Furthermore, the basic IT and web technologies inherited by this concept are very well known to students. This paper introduces the embedded webserver of PLC and the options for its optimal utilization. The web server is essentially a simple and widely well-known technology, therefore it was chosen as an example.

  6. Embedded PLC Webserver and Possibilities of its Utilization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kopček Michal

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The concept Industry 4.0 is a top theme of recent times. Even if it represents the so-called 4th industrial revolution its main ideas could be used also to support the education of subjects from IT and automation. Furthermore, the basic IT and web technologies inherited by this concept are very well known to students. This paper introduces the embedded webserver of PLC and the options for its optimal utilization. The web server is essentially a simple and widely well-known technology, therefore it was chosen as an example.

  7. Topical botulinum toxin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collins, Ashley; Nasir, Adnan

    2010-03-01

    Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing discipline that capitalizes on the unique properties of matter engineered on the nanoscale. Vehicles incorporating nanotechnology have led to great strides in drug delivery, allowing for increased active ingredient stability, bioavailability, and site-specific targeting. Botulinum toxin has historically been used for the correction of neurological and neuromuscular disorders, such as torticollis, blepharospasm, and strabismus. Recent dermatological indications have been for the management of axillary hyperhydrosis and facial rhytides. Traditional methods of botulinum toxin delivery have been needle-based. These have been associated with increased pain and cost. Newer methods of botulinum toxin formulation have yielded topical preparations that are bioactive in small pilot clinical studies. While there are some risks associated with topical delivery, the refinement and standardization of delivery systems and techniques for the topical administration of botulinum toxin using nanotechnology is anticipated in the near future.

  8. Failure of isolated rat tibial periosteal cells to 5 alpha reduce testosterone to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Turner, R.T.; Bleiberg, B.; Colvard, D.S.; Keeting, P.E.; Evans, G.; Spelsberg, T.C. (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (USA))

    1990-07-01

    Periosteal cells were isolated from tibiae of adult male rats after collagenase treatment. Northern blot analysis of total cytoplasmic RNA extracted from the isolated periosteal cells was positive for expression of genes encoding the osteoblast marker proteins osteocalcin (BGP) and pre-pro-alpha 2(I) chain of type 1 precollagen. The isolated periosteal cells were incubated with 1 nM (3H)testosterone (({sup 3}H)T) for up to 240 minutes and the reaction products separated by high-performance liquid chromatography. ({sup 3}H)5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (({sup 3}H)DHT) was not detected in extracts of periosteal cell incubations. In contrast, ({sup 3}H)DHT was produced in a time-dependent manner by cells from seminal vesicles. These results suggest that testosterone 5 alpha-reductase activity is not expressed by osteoblasts in rat tibial periosteum and that the anabolic effects of androgens in this tissue are not mediated by locally produced DHT.

  9. AtMRP1 gene of Arabidopsis encodes a glutathione S-conjugate pump: isolation and functional definition of a plant ATP-binding cassette transporter gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Y P; Li, Z S; Rea, P A

    1997-07-22

    Because plants produce cytotoxic compounds to which they, themselves, are susceptible and are exposed to exogenous toxins (microbial products, allelochemicals, and agrochemicals), cell survival is contingent on mechanisms for detoxifying these agents. One detoxification mechanism is the glutathione S-transferase-catalyzed glutathionation of the toxin, or an activated derivative, and transport of the conjugate out of the cytosol. We show here that a transporter responsible for the removal of glutathione S-conjugates from the cytosol, a specific Mg2+-ATPase, is encoded by the AtMRP1 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana. The sequence of AtMRP1 and the transport capabilities of membranes prepared from yeast cells transformed with plasmid-borne AtMRP1 demonstrate that this gene encodes an ATP-binding cassette transporter competent in the transport of glutathione S-conjugates of xenobiotics and endogenous substances, including herbicides and anthocyanins.

  10. 78 FR 54152 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-09-03

    ... Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc Turbofan Engines AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT...; -535C-37; -535E4-37; - 535E4-B-37, and -535E4-B-75 turbofan engines, and all RB211-524G2-19; - 524G3-19; -524H2-19; and -524H-36 turbofan engines. This AD requires a one-time inspection of the front combustion...

  11. Identification of novel Clostridium perfringens type E strains that carry an iota toxin plasmid with a functional enterotoxin gene.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazuaki Miyamoto

    Full Text Available Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CPE is a major virulence factor for human gastrointestinal diseases, such as food poisoning and antibiotic associated diarrhea. The CPE-encoding gene (cpe can be chromosomal or plasmid-borne. Recent development of conventional PCR cpe-genotyping assays makes it possible to identify cpe location (chromosomal or plasmid in type A isolates. Initial studies for developing cpe genotyping assays indicated that all cpe-positive strains isolated from sickened patients were typable by cpe-genotypes, but surveys of C. perfringens environmental strains or strains from feces of healthy people suggested that this assay might not be useful for some cpe-carrying type A isolates. In the current study, a pulsed-field gel electrophoresis Southern blot assay showed that four cpe-genotype untypable isolates carried their cpe gene on a plasmid of ∼65 kb. Complete sequence analysis of the ∼65 kb variant cpe-carrying plasmid revealed no intact IS elements and a disrupted cytosine methyltransferase (dcm gene. More importantly, this plasmid contains a conjugative transfer region, a variant cpe gene and variant iota toxin genes. The toxin genes encoded by this plasmid are expressed based upon the results of RT-PCR assays. The ∼65 kb plasmid is closely related to the pCPF4969 cpe plasmid of type A isolates. MLST analyses indicated these isolates belong to a unique cluster of C. perfringens. Overall, these isolates carrying a variant functional cpe gene and iota toxin genes represent unique type E strains.

  12. PLC-based search and secure interlock system for the personnel safety in folded tandem ion accelerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Padmakumar, Sapna; Subramanyum, N.B.V.; Bhatt, Jignesh P.; Ware, Shailaja V.; Kansara, M.J.; Gupta, S.K.; Singh, P.

    2006-01-01

    Safety of the personnel is one of the key issues addressed in any accelerator project. The FOTIA facility at BARC is capable of operating under standard operation conditions without any radiation hazard. Even then for a safe and reliable operation of FOTIA a PLC (Programmable logic controller) based interlock system has been implemented. This interlocking system is compact, modular, flexible, robust and easy for troubleshooting. These advantages led to the popularity of PLC rather than using a relay-based system. This paper highlights the salient features of the search and secure interlock for the personal safety of FOTIA. (author)

  13. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies on the parD-encoded protein Kid from Escherichia coli plasmid R1

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hargreaves, D.; Giraldo, R.; Santos-Sierra, S.; Boelens, R.; Rice, D.W.; Díaz Orejas, R.; Rafferty, J.B.

    2002-01-01

    DNA replication in Escherichia coli and therefore bacterial proliferation relies upon the efficient functioning of the DnaB helicase. The toxin protein Kid from the plasmid-stability system parD encoded on plasmid R1 of E. coli is thought to target and block DnaB-dependent DNA replication. The

  14. Process control through the incorporation of PLC networks in service radiation facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moehlmann, J.H.F.

    1990-01-01

    In order to ensure the smooth and safe running and operation of an irradiation facility, several regulations must be complied with, most of which are prescribed by the authorities. However, internal working regulations, based on years of practical experience, are of equal importance. The application of computers, micro-processors and PLCs, in combination with semi-conductor electronics, has improved process control considerably. Not only can every step in the process and even each detailed function be controlled, but also the combination of the different functions. By using PLC-systems in combination with computers, important data can be stored, recorded and presented in such a way that the technical staff can be warned in advance of breakdowns or undesirable deviations in the process parameters. Keeping a log of these data will help guarantee the correct functioning of the irradiation facility. It is even possible with these modern PLC techniques to monitor the control-console, so that each operation is recorded and accessible. (author)

  15. T-cell receptor V sub. alpha. and C sub. alpha. alleles associated with multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oksenberg, J.R.; Cavalli-Sforza, L.L.; Steinman, L. (Stanford Univ., CA (USA)); Sherritt, M.; Bernard, C.C. (LaTrobe Univ., Victoria (Australia)); Begovich, A.B.; Erlich, H.A. (Cetus Corporation, Emeryville, CA (USA))

    1989-02-01

    Polymorphic markers in genes encoding the {alpha} chain of the human T-cell receptor (TcR) have been detected by Southern blot analysis in Pss I digests. Polymorphic bands were observed at 6.3 and 2.0 kilobases (kb) with frequencies of 0.30 and 0.44, respectively, in the general population. Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, the authors amplified selected sequences derived from the full-length TcR {alpha} cDNA probe. These PcR products were used as specific probes to demonstrate that the 6.3-kb polymorphic fragment hybridizes to the variable (V)-region probe and the 2.0-kb fragment hybridizes to the constant (C)-region probe. Segregation of the polymorphic bands was analyzed in family studies. To look for associations between these markers and autoimmune diseases, the authors have studied the restriction fragment length polymorphism distribution of the Pss I markers in patients with multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, and Graves disease. Significant differences in the frequency of the polymorphic V{sub {alpha}} and C{sub {alpha}} markers were identified between patients and healthy individuals.

  16. Comprehensive functional analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis toxin-antitoxin systems: implications for pathogenesis, stress responses, and evolution.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Holly R Ramage

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Toxin-antitoxin (TA systems, stress-responsive genetic elements ubiquitous in microbial genomes, are unusually abundant in the major human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Why M. tuberculosis has so many TA systems and what role they play in the unique biology of the pathogen is unknown. To address these questions, we have taken a comprehensive approach to identify and functionally characterize all the TA systems encoded in the M. tuberculosis genome. Here we show that 88 putative TA system candidates are present in M. tuberculosis, considerably more than previously thought. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that the vast majority of these systems are conserved in the M. tuberculosis complex (MTBC, but largely absent from other mycobacteria, including close relatives of M. tuberculosis. We found that many of the M. tuberculosis TA systems are located within discernable genomic islands and were thus likely acquired recently via horizontal gene transfer. We discovered a novel TA system located in the core genome that is conserved across the genus, suggesting that it may fulfill a role common to all mycobacteria. By expressing each of the putative TA systems in M. smegmatis, we demonstrate that 30 encode a functional toxin and its cognate antitoxin. We show that the toxins of the largest family of TA systems, VapBC, act by inhibiting translation via mRNA cleavage. Expression profiling demonstrated that four systems are specifically activated during stresses likely encountered in vivo, including hypoxia and phagocytosis by macrophages. The expansion and maintenance of TA genes in the MTBC, coupled with the finding that a subset is transcriptionally activated by stress, suggests that TA systems are important for M. tuberculosis pathogenesis.

  17. Botulinum toxin injection - larynx

    Science.gov (United States)

    Injection laryngoplasty; Botox - larynx: spasmodic dysphonia-BTX; Essential voice tremor (EVT)-btx; Glottic insufficiency; Percutaneous electromyography - guided botulinum toxin treatment; Percutaneous indirect laryngoscopy - guided botulinum toxin treatment; ...

  18. Commercial information system of Slovak Electricity Transmission System, Plc

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laznicka, L.

    2004-01-01

    Commercial Information System (CIS), which main role of is to support the commercial activities of the company, is built up by business department of SEPS, Plc in close co-operation with the supplier company Sfera, Plc. The system entries are data from electricity meters obtained by automatized data acquisition and from bugging sheets, contractual hour diagrams, parameters of transmission system like measuring schemes and formulas for calculation of demand and supply, contractual data resulting from agreements, business conditions, URSO decisions and valid legislative. A part of the system is also support of process of data evaluation like calculation of transmitted energy quantity, calculation of actual output diagrams, comparison of actual and contractual diagrams, calculation of system divergence, calculation of demand divergence, etc. The final price for the drawings of services, which are joined with transmission of the electric power will be determined by the accounting process. In this causality there are automatically made out invoices for access, losses, system charges, system services, short-term and long-term transits, divergences and for cross-border transmission auctions. System also generates various specialized synopses and statistics for the evaluation requirements of important aspects and for parameter observations. Successive liberalisation of the electricity power market, changes in legislative and URSO decisions require CIS to be sufficiently configurable and to adapt flexible on the alternating environs. (author)

  19. Increase in posterior alpha activity during rehearsal predicts successful long-term memory formation of word sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meeuwissen, Esther B; Takashima, Atsuko; Fernández, Guillén; Jensen, Ole

    2011-12-01

    It is becoming increasingly clear that demanding cognitive tasks rely on an extended network engaging task-relevant areas and, importantly, disengaging task-irrelevant areas. Given that alpha activity (8-12 Hz) has been shown to reflect the disengagement of task-irrelevant regions in attention and working memory tasks, we here ask if alpha activity plays a related role for long-term memory formation. Subjects were instructed to encode and maintain the order of word sequences while the ongoing brain activity was recorded using magnetoencephalography (MEG). In each trial, three words were presented followed by a 3.4 s rehearsal interval. Considering the good temporal resolution of MEG this allowed us to investigate the word presentation and rehearsal interval separately. The sequences were grouped in trials where word order either could be tested immediately (working memory trials; WM) or later (LTM trials) according to instructions. Subjects were tested on their ability to retrieve the order of the three words. The data revealed that alpha power in parieto-occipital regions was lower during word presentation compared to rehearsal. Our key finding was that parieto-occipital alpha power during the rehearsal period was markedly stronger for successfully than unsuccessfully encoded LTM sequences. This subsequent memory effect demonstrates that high posterior alpha activity creates an optimal brain state for successful LTM formation possibly by actively reducing parieto-occipital activity that might interfere with sequence encoding. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Nicotinic Receptor Alpha7 Expression during Tooth Morphogenesis Reveals Functional Pleiotropy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Scott W.; Gahring, Lorise C.

    2012-01-01

    The expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtype, alpha7, was investigated in the developing teeth of mice that were modified through homologous recombination to express a bi-cistronic IRES-driven tau-enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP); alpha7GFP) or IRES-Cre (alpha7Cre). The expression of alpha7GFP was detected first in cells of the condensing mesenchyme at embryonic (E) day E13.5 where it intensifies through E14.5. This expression ends abruptly at E15.5, but was again observed in ameloblasts of incisors at E16.5 or molar ameloblasts by E17.5–E18.5. This expression remains detectable until molar enamel deposition is completed or throughout life as in the constantly erupting mouse incisors. The expression of alpha7GFP also identifies all stages of innervation of the tooth organ. Ablation of the alpha7-cell lineage using a conditional alpha7Cre×ROSA26-LoxP(diphtheria toxin A) strategy substantially reduced the mesenchyme and this corresponded with excessive epithelium overgrowth consistent with an instructive role by these cells during ectoderm patterning. However, alpha7knock-out (KO) mice exhibited normal tooth size and shape indicating that under normal conditions alpha7 expression is dispensable to this process. The function of ameloblasts in alpha7KO mice is altered relative to controls. High resolution micro-computed tomography analysis of adult mandibular incisors revealed enamel volume of the alpha7KO was significantly reduced and the organization of enamel rods was altered relative to controls. These results demonstrate distinct and varied spatiotemporal expression of alpha7 during tooth development, and they suggest that dysfunction of this receptor would have diverse impacts upon the adult organ. PMID:22666322

  1. ERPs and oscillations during encoding predict retrieval of digit memory in superior mnemonists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Yafeng; Li, Xianchun; Chen, Xi; Ku, Yixuan; Dong, Yujie; Dou, Zheng; He, Lin; Hu, Yi; Li, Weidong; Zhou, Xiaolin

    2017-10-01

    Previous studies have consistently demonstrated that superior mnemonists (SMs) outperform normal individuals in domain-specific memory tasks. However, the neural correlates of memory-related processes remain unclear. In the current EEG study, SMs and control participants performed a digit memory task during which their brain activity was recorded. Chinese SMs used a digit-image mnemonic for encoding digits, in which they associated 2-digit groups with images immediately after the presentation of each even-position digit in sequences. Behaviorally, SMs' memory of digit sequences was better than the controls'. During encoding in the study phase, SMs showed an increased right central P2 (150-250ms post onset) and a larger right posterior high-alpha (10-14Hz, 500-1720ms) oscillation on digits at even-positions compared with digits at odd-positions. Both P2 and high-alpha oscillations in the study phase co-varied with performance in the recall phase, but only in SMs, indicating that neural dynamics during encoding could predict successful retrieval of digit memory in SMs. Our findings suggest that representation of a digit sequence in SMs using mnemonics may recruit both the early-stage attention allocation process and the sustained information preservation process. This study provides evidence for the role of dynamic and efficient neural encoding processes in mnemonists. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  2. On Verification of PLC-Programs Written in the LD-Language

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. V. Kuzmin

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available We discuss some questions connected with the construction of a technology of analysing correctness of Programmable Logic Controller programs. We consider an example of modeling and automated verification of PLC-programs written in the Ladder Diagram language (including timed function blocks of the IEC 61131-3 standard. We use the Cadence SMV for symbolic model checking. Program properties are written in the linear-time temporal logic LTL.

  3. 75 FR 33738 - Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-524 Series and RB211 Trent 500, 700, and 800...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-15

    ...-0562; Directorate Identifier 2009-NE-29-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR...-2251. Contact Rolls-Royce plc, P.O. Box 31, Derby, DE24 8BJ, United Kingdom; phone: 011 44 1332 242424... amend this proposed AD based on those comments. We will post all comments we receive, without change, to...

  4. Rhodocytin (aggretin) activates platelets lacking alpha(2)beta(1) integrin, glycoprotein VI, and the ligand-binding domain of glycoprotein Ibalpha

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bergmeier, W; Bouvard, D; Eble, J A

    2001-01-01

    Although alpha(2)beta(1) integrin (glycoprotein Ia/IIa) has been established as a platelet collagen receptor, its role in collagen-induced platelet activation has been controversial. Recently, it has been demonstrated that rhodocytin (also termed aggretin), a snake venom toxin purified from the v...

  5. Comparative metagenomic analysis of plasmid encoded functions in the human gut microbiome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marchesi Julian R

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Little is known regarding the pool of mobile genetic elements associated with the human gut microbiome. In this study we employed the culture independent TRACA system to isolate novel plasmids from the human gut microbiota, and a comparative metagenomic analysis to investigate the distribution and relative abundance of functions encoded by these plasmids in the human gut microbiome. Results Novel plasmids were acquired from the human gut microbiome, and homologous nucleotide sequences with high identity (>90% to two plasmids (pTRACA10 and pTRACA22 were identified in the multiple human gut microbiomes analysed here. However, no homologous nucleotide sequences to these plasmids were identified in the murine gut or environmental metagenomes. Functions encoded by the plasmids pTRACA10 and pTRACA22 were found to be more prevalent in the human gut microbiome when compared to microbial communities from other environments. Among the most prevalent functions identified was a putative RelBE toxin-antitoxin (TA addiction module, and subsequent analysis revealed that this was most closely related to putative TA modules from gut associated bacteria belonging to the Firmicutes. A broad phylogenetic distribution of RelE toxin genes was observed in gut associated bacterial species (Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, but no RelE homologues were identified in gut associated archaeal species. We also provide indirect evidence for the horizontal transfer of these genes between bacterial species belonging to disparate phylogenetic divisions, namely Gram negative Proteobacteria and Gram positive species from the Firmicutes division. Conclusions The application of a culture independent system to capture novel plasmids from the human gut mobile metagenome, coupled with subsequent comparative metagenomic analysis, highlighted the unexpected prevalence of plasmid encoded functions in the gut microbial ecosystem. In

  6. [Intoxication of botulinum toxin].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chudzicka, Aleksandra

    2015-09-01

    Botulinum toxin is an egzotoxin produced by Gram positive bacteria Clostridium botulinum. It is among the most potent toxins known. The 3 main clinical presentations of botulism are as follows: foodborne botulism, infant botulism and wound botulism. The main symptom of intoxication is flat muscles paralysis. The treatment is supportive care and administration of antitoxin. In prevention the correct preparing of canned food is most important. Botulinum toxin is accepted as a biological weapon. © 2015 MEDPRESS.

  7. Why do we study animal toxins?

    Science.gov (United States)

    ZHANG, Yun

    2015-01-01

    Venom (toxins) is an important trait evolved along the evolutionary tree of animals. Our knowledges on venoms, such as their origins and loss, the biological relevance and the coevolutionary patterns with other organisms are greatly helpful in understanding many fundamental biological questions, i.e., the environmental adaptation and survival competition, the evolution shaped development and balance of venoms, and the sophisticated correlations among venom, immunity, body power, intelligence, their genetic basis, inherent association, as well as the cost-benefit and trade-offs of biological economy. Lethal animal envenomation can be found worldwide. However, from foe to friend, toxin studies have led lots of important discoveries and exciting avenues in deciphering and fighting human diseases, including the works awarded the Nobel Prize and lots of key clinic therapeutics. According to our survey, so far, only less than 0.1% of the toxins of the venomous animals in China have been explored. We emphasize on the similarities shared by venom and immune systems, as well as the studies of toxin knowledge-based physiological toxin-like proteins/peptides (TLPs). We propose the natural pairing hypothesis. Evolution links toxins with humans. Our mission is to find out the right natural pairings and interactions of our body elements with toxins, and with endogenous toxin-like molecules. Although, in nature, toxins may endanger human lives, but from a philosophical point of view, knowing them well is an effective way to better understand ourselves. So, this is why we study toxins. PMID:26228472

  8. Cybersecurity Vulnerability Analysis of the PLC PRIME Standard

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Seijo Simó

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Security in critical infrastructures such as the power grid is of vital importance. The Smart Grid puts power grid classical security approach on the ropes, since it introduces cyberphysical systems where devices, communications, and information systems must be protected. PoweRline Intelligent Metering Evolution (PRIME is a Narrowband Power-Line Communications (NB-PLC protocol widely used in the last mile of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI deployments, playing a key role in the Smart Grid. Therefore, this work aims to unveil the cybersecurity vulnerabilities present in PRIME standard, proposing solutions and validating and discussing the results obtained.

  9. AUTOMATION OF GLASS TEMPERING FURNACE BY USING PLC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdullah BÜYÜKYILDIZ

    2007-02-01

    Full Text Available In this study, a furnace which is used for observation of environments under high temperature, and also used for manufacturing of glasses which are resisted to high temperature has been designed and implemented. Automation of this system has been done by using PLC. Operating parameters of furnace such as materials entering, the furnace, the local temperature control of furnace, cooling control and materials outing have been sensed with Hall Effect Sensor. Furthermore, the observation of parameters of furnace on screen has been provided with SCADA software. Obtained products have been shown the system works successfully.

  10. Toxin Mediates Sepsis Caused by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Qin

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Bacterial sepsis is a major killer in hospitalized patients. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS with the leading species Staphylococcus epidermidis are the most frequent causes of nosocomial sepsis, with most infectious isolates being methicillin-resistant. However, which bacterial factors underlie the pathogenesis of CNS sepsis is unknown. While it has been commonly believed that invariant structures on the surface of CNS trigger sepsis by causing an over-reaction of the immune system, we show here that sepsis caused by methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis is to a large extent mediated by the methicillin resistance island-encoded peptide toxin, PSM-mec. PSM-mec contributed to bacterial survival in whole human blood and resistance to neutrophil-mediated killing, and caused significantly increased mortality and cytokine expression in a mouse sepsis model. Furthermore, we show that the PSM-mec peptide itself, rather than the regulatory RNA in which its gene is embedded, is responsible for the observed virulence phenotype. This finding is of particular importance given the contrasting roles of the psm-mec locus that have been reported in S. aureus strains, inasmuch as our findings suggest that the psm-mec locus may exert effects in the background of S. aureus strains that differ from its original role in the CNS environment due to originally "unintended" interferences. Notably, while toxins have never been clearly implied in CNS infections, our tissue culture and mouse infection model data indicate that an important type of infection caused by the predominant CNS species is mediated to a large extent by a toxin. These findings suggest that CNS infections may be amenable to virulence-targeted drug development approaches.

  11. Integrated software environment dedicated for implementation of control systems based on PLC controllers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szymon SURMA

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Industrial processes’ control systems based on PLC controllers play today a very important role in all fields of transport, including also sea transport. Construction of control systems is the field of engineering, which has been continuously evolving towards maximum simplification of system design path. Up to now the time needed forthe system construction from the design to commissioning had to be divided into a few stages. A mistake made in an earlier stage caused that in most cases the next stages had to be restarted. Available debugging systems allows defect detection at an early stage of theproject implementation. The paper presents general characteristic of integrated software for implementation of complex control systems. The issues related to the software use for programming of the visualisation environment, control computer, selection oftransmission medium and transmission protocol as well as PLC controllers’ configuration, software and control have been analysed.

  12. Design and control of multifunctional sorting and training platform based on PLC control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wan, Hongqiang; Ge, Shuai; Han, Peiying; Li, Fancong; Zhang, Simiao

    2018-05-01

    Electromechanical integration, as a multi-disciplinary subject, has been paid much attention by universities and is widely used in the automation production of enterprises. Aiming at the problem of the lack of control among enterprises and the lack of training among colleges and universities, this paper presents a design of multifunctional sorting training platform based on PLC control. Firstly, the structure of the platform is determined and three-dimensional modeling is done. Then design the platform's aerodynamic control and electrical control. Finally, realize the platform sorting function through PLC programming and configuration software development. The training platform can be used to design the practical training experiment, which has a strong advance and pertinence in the electromechanical integration teaching. At the same time, the platform makes full use of modular thinking to make the sorting modules more flexible. Compared with the traditional training platform, its teaching effect is more significant.

  13. Automation of Underground Cable Laying Equipment Using PLC and Hmi

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mal Kothari, Kesar; Samba, Vishweshwar; Tania, Kinza; Udayakumar, R., Dr; Karthikeyan, Ram, Dr

    2018-04-01

    Underground cable laying is an alternative for overhead cable laying of telecommunication and power transmission lines. It is becoming very popular in recent times because of some of its advantages over overhead cable laying. This type of cable laying is mostly practiced in developed countries because it is more expensive than overhead cable laying. Underground cable laying is more suitable when land is not available, and it also increases the aesthetics. This paper implements the automation on a manually operated cable pulling winch machine using programmable logic controller (PLC). Winch machines are useful in underground cable laying. The main aim of the project is to replace all the mechanical functions with electrical controls which are operated through a touch screen (HMI). The idea is that the machine should shift between parallel and series circuit automatically based on the pressure sensed instead of manually operating the solenoid valve. Traditional means of throttling the engine using lever and wire is replaced with a linear actuator. Sensors such as proximity, pressure and load sensor are used to provide the input to the system. The HMI used will display the speed, length and tension of the rope being winded. Ladder logic is used to program the PLC.

  14. Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin mediates general and cell type-specific changes in metabolite concentrations of immortalized human airway epithelial cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philipp Gierok

    Full Text Available Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin (Hla is a potent pore-forming cytotoxin that plays an important role in the pathogenesis of S. aureus infections, including pneumonia. The impact of Hla on the dynamics of the metabolome in eukaryotic host cells has not been investigated comprehensively. Using 1H-NMR, GC-MS and HPLC-MS, we quantified the concentrations of 51 intracellular metabolites and assessed alterations in the amount of 25 extracellular metabolites in the two human bronchial epithelial cell lines S9 and 16HBE14o- under standard culture conditions and after treatment with sub-lethal amounts (2 µg/ml of recombinant Hla (rHla in a time-dependent manner. Treatment of cells with rHla caused substantial decreases in the concentrations of intracellular metabolites from different metabolic pathways in both cell lines, including ATP and amino acids. Concomitant increases in the extracellular concentrations were detected for various intracellular compounds, including nucleotides, glutathione disulfide and NAD+. Our results indicate that rHla has a major impact on the metabolome of eukaryotic cells as a consequence of direct rHla-mediated alterations in plasma membrane permeability or indirect effects mediated by cellular signalling. However, cell-specific changes also were observed. Glucose consumption and lactate production rates suggest that the glycolytic activity of S9 cells, but not of 16HBE14o- cells, is increased in response to rHla. This could contribute to the observed higher level of resistance of S9 cells against rHla-induced membrane damage.

  15. The interaction of DNA gyrase with the bacterial toxin CcdB

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kampranis, S C; Howells, A J; Maxwell, A

    1999-01-01

    CcdB is a bacterial toxin that targets DNA gyrase. Analysis of the interaction of CcdB with gyrase reveals two distinct complexes. An initial complex (alpha) is formed by direct interaction between GyrA and CcdB; this complex can be detected by affinity column and gel-shift analysis, and has...... of this initial complex with ATP in the presence of GyrB and DNA slowly converts it to a second complex (beta), which has a lower rate of ATP hydrolysis and is unable to catalyse supercoiling. The efficiency of formation of this inactive complex is dependent on the concentrations of ATP and CcdB. We suggest...

  16. Alpha radioactivity in tobacco leaves: Effect of fertilizers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nain, Mahabir [Department of Physics, Government College Karnal, Haryana 132001 (India)], E-mail: mnain@rediffmail.com; Chauhan, R.P. [Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra 136119 (India); Chakarvarti, S.K. [Department of Applied Physics, NIT, Kurukshetra 136119 (India)

    2008-08-15

    The link between cigarette smoke and cancer has long been established. Smokers are 10 times at a greater risk of developing lung cancer than that of non-smokers. The toxicity in tobacco is considered mainly due to the presence of chemi-toxins like nicotine, tar, aromatic hydrocarbons, sterols and many other materials leading to mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. There are many reports on the presence of naturally occurring radionuclides viz., {sup 210}Po and {sup 210}Pb in tobacco. Investigations on alpha-emitting radionuclides, especially on {sup 210}Po have gained significant importance as alpha interactions with chromosomes of cells may contribute to early arteriosclerosis developments in tobacco smokers. Due to relatively high activity concentration of {sup 210}Po and {sup 210}Pb that are found in tobacco and its product cigarette can increase the internal intake of both the radionuclides and their concentrations in lung tissues. This causes an increase in the internal radiation dose which enhances the instances of lung cancer. Many workers have tried to explain the role of {sup 210}Po in tobacco in the epidemiological investigation of cancer and tumour formation. In the present work, the estimation of alpha radioactivity in tobacco leaves taken from tobacco plants grown using different types of chemical fertilizers like diammonium phosphate (DAP), zinc sulphate, potash, super phosphate, urea etc. in varying amounts before the plantation of the seedlings has been made. For these measurements we used {alpha}-sensitive LR-115 type II plastic track detectors. The results indicate an increase in alpha radioactivity with the use of some fertilizers.

  17. A biallelic RFLP of the human. alpha. 2-C4 adrenergic receptor gene (ADRA2RL2) localized on the short arm of chromosome 4 and encoding the putative. alpha. 2B receptor is identified with Bsu 36 L using a 1. 5 kb probe (p ADRA2RL2)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hoeche, M.R.; Berrettini, W.H. (Clinical Neurogenetics Branch, Bethesda, MD (USA)); Regan, J.W. (Duke Univ. Medical Center, Durham, NC (USA))

    1989-12-11

    A 1.5 kb Eco RI cDNA fragment representing the human alpha2-C4 adrenergic receptor (AR) gene encoding the putative alpha2B-AR, containing approximately 1270 bp of the coding and 240 bp of the 3{prime}flanking region, inserted into pSP65, was used as a probe (p ADRA2RL2). This clone was obtained by screening a human kidney lambda GT10 cDNA library with the 0.95 kb Pst I restriction fragment derived from the coding block of the gene for the human platelet alpha2-AR. Hybridization of human genomic DNA digested with Bsu 36 I identifies a two allele polymorphism with bands at 12 kb and 5.8 kb. 20 unrelated North American caucasian subjects were evaluated with frequencies of: A allele, 0.45; B allele, 0.55, heterozygosity (obs), 0.5. This alpha2-AR gene has been mapped in a separation effort in 59 CEPH reference pedigrees to the tip of the short arm of chromosome 4 just proximal to GB (4p 16.3) reported to be linked to the Huntingston's disease gene. Codominant inheritance was observed in seven families with two and three generations, respectively. The number of meioses scored was 95.

  18. Generic requirements specification for qualifying a commercially available PLC for safety-related applications in nuclear power plants. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ostenso, A.; May, R.

    1996-12-01

    This is a specification for qualifying a commercially available PLC for application to safety systems in nuclear power plants. The specifications are suitable for evaluating a particular PLC product line as a platform for safety-related applications, establishing a suitable qualification test program, and confirming that the manufacturer has a quality assurance program that is adequate for safety-related applications or is sufficiently complete that, with a reasonable set of compensatory actions, it can be brought into conformance. The specification includes requirements for: (1) quality assurance measures applied to the qualification activities, (2) documentation to support the qualification, and (3) documentation to provide the information needed for applying the qualified PLC platform to a specific application. The specifications are designed to encompass a broad range of safety applications; however, qualifying a particular platform for a different range of applications can be accomplished by appropriate adjustments to the requirements

  19. Plant Insecticidal Toxins in Ecological Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sébastien Ibanez

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Plant secondary metabolites play a key role in plant-insect interactions, whether constitutive or induced, C- or N-based. Anti-herbivore defences against insects can act as repellents, deterrents, growth inhibitors or cause direct mortality. In turn, insects have evolved a variety of strategies to act against plant toxins, e.g., avoidance, excretion, sequestration and degradation of the toxin, eventually leading to a co-evolutionary arms race between insects and plants and to co-diversification. Anti-herbivore defences also negatively impact mutualistic partners, possibly leading to an ecological cost of toxin production. However, in other cases toxins can also be used by plants involved in mutualistic interactions to exclude inadequate partners and to modify the cost/benefit ratio of mutualism to their advantage. When considering the whole community, toxins have an effect at many trophic levels. Aposematic insects sequester toxins to defend themselves against predators. Depending on the ecological context, toxins can either increase insects’ vulnerability to parasitoids and entomopathogens or protect them, eventually leading to self-medication. We conclude that studying the community-level impacts of plant toxins can provide new insights into the synthesis between community and evolutionary ecology.

  20. Plant insecticidal toxins in ecological networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibanez, Sébastien; Gallet, Christiane; Després, Laurence

    2012-04-01

    Plant secondary metabolites play a key role in plant-insect interactions, whether constitutive or induced, C- or N-based. Anti-herbivore defences against insects can act as repellents, deterrents, growth inhibitors or cause direct mortality. In turn, insects have evolved a variety of strategies to act against plant toxins, e.g., avoidance, excretion, sequestration and degradation of the toxin, eventually leading to a co-evolutionary arms race between insects and plants and to co-diversification. Anti-herbivore defences also negatively impact mutualistic partners, possibly leading to an ecological cost of toxin production. However, in other cases toxins can also be used by plants involved in mutualistic interactions to exclude inadequate partners and to modify the cost/benefit ratio of mutualism to their advantage. When considering the whole community, toxins have an effect at many trophic levels. Aposematic insects sequester toxins to defend themselves against predators. Depending on the ecological context, toxins can either increase insects' vulnerability to parasitoids and entomopathogens or protect them, eventually leading to self-medication. We conclude that studying the community-level impacts of plant toxins can provide new insights into the synthesis between community and evolutionary ecology.