RALBA: a computation-aware load balancing scheduler for cloud computing

Cloud computing serves as a platform for remote users to utilize the heterogeneous resources in data-centers to compute High-Performance Computing jobs. The physical resources are virtualized in Cloud to entertain user services employing Virtual Machines (VMs). Job scheduling is deemed as a quintessential part of Cloud and efficient utilization of VMs by Cloud Service Providers demands an optimal job scheduling heuristic. An ideal scheduling heuristic should be efficient, fair, and starvation-free to produce a reduced makespan with improved resource utilization. However, static heuristics often lead to inefficient and poor resource utilization in the Cloud. An idle and underutilized host machine in Cloud still consumes up to 70% of the energy required by an active machine (Ray, in Indian J Comput Sci Eng 1(4):333–339, 2012). Consequently, it demands a load-balanced distribution of workload to achieve optimal resource utilization in Cloud. Existing Cloud scheduling heuristics such as Min–Min, Max–Min, and Sufferage distribute workloads among VMs based on minimum job completion time that ultimately causes a load imbalance. In this paper, a novel Resource-Aware Load Balancing Algorithm (RALBA) is presented to ensure a balanced distribution of workload based on computation capabilities of VMs. The RABLA framework comprises of two phases: (1) scheduling based on computing capabilities of VMs, and (2) the VM with earliest finish time is selected for jobs mapping. The outcomes of the RALBA have revealed that it provides substantial improvement against traditional heuristics regarding makespan, resource utilization, and throughput.     

Biotin-decorated anti-cancer nucleotide theranostic conjugate of human serum albumin: Where the seed meets the soil?

Human serum albumin is playing an increasing role as a drug carrier in clinical settings. Biotin molecules are often used as suitable tags in targeted anti-tumor drug delivery systems. We report on the synthesis and properties of a new multimodal theranostic conjugate based on an anti-cancer fluorinated nucleotide conjugated with a biotinylated dual-labeled albumin. Interestingly, in vitro and in vivo study revealed stronger anti-tumor activity of the non-tagged theranostic conjugate than that of the biotin-tagged conjugate, which can be explained by decreased binding of the biotin-tagged conjugate to cellular receptors. Our study sheds light on the importance of site-specific albumin modification for the design of albumin-based drugs with desirable pharmaceutical properties.     

Investigating the interaction of anticancer drug temsirolimus with human transferrin: Molecular docking and spectroscopic approach

In our present study, binding between an important anti renal cancer drug temsirolimus and human transferrin (hTF) was investigated employing spectroscopic and molecular docking approach. In the presence of temsirolimus, hyper chromaticity is observed in hTF in UV spectroscopy suggestive of complex formation between hTF and temsirolimus. Fluorescence spectroscopy revealed the occurrence of quenching in hTF in the presence of temsirolimus implying complex formation taking place between hTF and temsirolimus. Further, the mode of interaction between hTF and temsirolimus was revealed to be static by fluorescence quenching analysis at 3 different temperatures. Binding constant values obtained employing fluorescence spectroscopy depicts strong interaction between hTF and temsirolimus; temsirolimus binds to hTF at 298 K with a binding constant of .32 × 10⁴ M^?1 implying the strength of this interaction. The negative Gibbs free energy obtained through quenching experiments is evident of the fact that the binding is spontaneous. CD spectra of hTF also showed a downward shift in the presence of temsirolimus as compared with free hTF implying complex formation between hTF and temsirolimus. Molecular docking was performed with a view to find out which residues are key players in this interaction. The importance of our study stems from the fact it will provide an insight into binding pattern of commonly administered renal cancer drug with an important protein that plays a pivotal role in many physiological processes.     

Phosphorylation of Wat1, human Lst8 homolog is critical for the regulation of TORC2 –Gad8 dependent pathway in fission yeast Schizosacchromyces pombe

Mammalian Lst8 interacts with the kinase domain of mTOR and stabilizes its interaction with Raptor regulating cell growth through the mTOR-S6K1 signalling pathway. Fission yeast Wat1, an ortholog of mammalian Lst8 is also an essential component of TOR complex 1 (TORC1) and TOR Complex 2 (TORC2) that control protein kinases essential for metabolic pathways. Here, we show that in response to osmotic stress, the Wat1 protein undergoes hyper-phosphorylation at S116 position. Wat1 interacts with the C-terminal region of Tor1 that also contain kinase domain. Co-immunoprecipitation and molecular modelling studies suggest that Wat1-Tor1 interaction is stabilized by FATC domain of Tor1 protein present at the C-terminal region. We have also demonstrated a physical interaction of Wat1 with Gad8, an AGC family protein kinase that is dependent on phosphorylation of Wat1 at S116 residue. Wat1 phosphorylation is required for the maintenance of vacuolar integrity and sexual differentiation. Collectively, our study reveals Wat1 phosphorylation regulates Gad8 function in a manner dependent on Tor1 interaction.     

Spectral lights trigger biomass accumulation and production of antioxidant secondary metabolites in adventitious root cultures of Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.)

Stevia rebaudiana (S. rebaudiana) is the most important therapeutic plant species and has been accepted as such worldwide. It has a tendency to accumulate steviol glycosides, which are 300 times sweeter than marketable sugar. Recently, diabetic patients commonly use this plant as a sugar substitute for sweet taste. In the present study, the effects of different spectral lights were investigated on biomass accumulation and production of secondary metabolites in adventitious root cultures of S. rebaudiana. For callus development, leaf explants were excised from seed-derived plantlets and inoculated on a Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing the combination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2, 4-D, 2.0 mg/l) and 6-benzyladenine (BA, 2.0 mg/l), while 0.5 mg/l naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) was used for adventitious root culture. Adventitious root cultures were exposed to different spectral lights (blue, green, violet, red and yellow) for a 30-day period. White light was used as control. The growth kinetics was studied for 30 days with 3-day intervals. In this study, the violet light showed the maximum accumulation of fresh biomass (2.495 g/flask) as compared to control (1.63 g/flask), while red light showed growth inhibition (1.025 g/flask) as compared to control. The blue light enhanced the highest accumulation of phenolic content (TPC; 6.56 mg GAE/g DW), total phenolic production (TPP; 101 mg/flask) as compared to control (5.44 mg GAE/g DW; 82.2 mg GAE/g DW), and exhibited a strong correlation with dry biomass. Blue light also improved the accumulation of total flavonoid content (TFC; 4.33 mg RE/g DW) and total flavonoid production (TFP; 65 mg/flask) as compared to control. The violet light showed the highest DPPH inhibition (79.72%), while the lowest antioxidant activity was observed for control roots (73.81%). Hence, we concluded that the application of spectral lights is an auspicious strategy for the enhancement of the required antioxidant secondary metabolites in adventitious root cultures of S. rebaudiana and of other medicinal plants.     

Corrugation Architecture Enabled Ultraflexible Wafer‐Scale High‐Efficiency Monocrystalline Silicon Solar Cell

Advanced classes of modern application require new generation of versatile solar cells showcasing extreme mechanical resilience, large‐scale, low cost, and excellent power conversion efficiency. Conventional crystalline silicon‐based solar cells offer one of the most highly efficient power sources, but a key challenge remains to attain mechanical resilience while preserving electrical performance. A complementary metal oxide semiconductor‐based integration strategy where corrugation architecture enables ultraflexible and low‐cost solar cell modules from bulk monocrystalline large‐scale (127 × 127 cm²) silicon solar wafers with a 17% power conversion efficiency. This periodic corrugated array benefits from an interchangeable solar cell segmentation scheme which preserves the active silicon thickness of 240 µm and achieves flexibility via interdigitated back contacts. These cells can reversibly withstand high mechanical stress and can be deformed to zigzag and bifacial modules. These corrugation silicon‐based solar cells offer ultraflexibility with high stability over 1000 bending cycles including convex and concave bending to broaden the application spectrum. Finally, the smallest bending radius of curvature lower than 140 µm of the back contacts is shown that carries the solar cells segments.     

Precise editing of CLAVATA genes in Brassica napus L. regulates multilocular silique development

Multilocular silique is a desirable agricultural trait with great potential for the development of high‐yield varieties of Brassica. To date, no spontaneous or induced multilocular mutants have been reported in Brassica napus, which likely reflects its allotetraploid nature and the extremely low probability of the simultaneous random mutagenesis of multiple gene copies with functional redundancy. Here, we present evidence for the efficient knockout of rapeseed homologues of CLAVATA3 (CLV3) for a secreted peptide and its related receptors CLV1 and CLV2 in the CLV signalling pathway using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and achieved stable transmission of the mutations across three generations. Each BnCLV gene has two copies located in two subgenomes. The multilocular phenotype can be recovered only in knockout mutations of both copies of each BnCLV gene, illustrating that the simultaneous alteration of multiple gene copies by CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis has great potential in generating agronomically important mutations in rapeseed. The mutagenesis efficiency varied widely from 0% to 48.65% in T₀ with different single‐guide RNAs (sgRNAs), indicating that the appropriate selection of the sgRNA is important for effectively generating indels in rapeseed. The double mutation of BnCLV3 produced more leaves and multilocular siliques with a significantly higher number of seeds per silique and a higher seed weight than the wild‐type and single mutant plants, potentially contributing to increased seed production. We also assessed the efficiency of the horizontal transfer of Cas9/gRNA cassettes by pollination. Our findings reveal the potential for plant breeding strategies to improve yield traits in currently cultivated rapeseed varieties.     

Rapid plant regeneration,validation of genetic integrity by ISSR markers and conservation of Reseda pentagyna an endemic plant growing in Saudi Arabia

Reseda pentagyna is the only endemic species among the seven species of the genera Reseda found in Saudi Arabia. Probably no information is available on regeneration by conventional method of regeneration through seeds or cuttings. Therefore, alternative method of tissue culture was attempted to regenerate and multiply the plant. High shoot regeneration (14.44 shoots/explant) was obtained after four weeks, when shoot cuttings cultured on MS containing BA at 1.0 µM. Other cytokinins e.g., Kn, 2iP and TDZ found to be less effective in bud induction and shoot multiplication. Individual shoots were rooted on MS medium supplemented with various auxins at 0.5–5.0 µM concentrations. The IBA (1.5 µM) supplemented MS media induced maximum (83.3%) rooting. The plantlets were acclimatized and hardened under greenhouse conditions in plastic pots containing soil and farm yard manure with 95.0% success. The protocol developed would help to multiply the plant as well as conserve them in natural habitat. This can also be utilized to obtain active constituents for pharmaceutics and genetic manipulations.