Dual learning processes underlying human decision-making in reversal learning tasks: functional significance and evidence from the model fit to human behavior

PubMed Central

Bai, Yu; Katahira, Kentaro; Ohira, Hideki

2014-01-01

Humans are capable of correcting their actions based on actions performed in the past, and this ability enables them to adapt to a changing environment. The computational field of reinforcement learning (RL) has provided a powerful explanation for understanding such processes. Recently, the dual learning system, modeled as a hybrid model that incorporates value update based on reward-prediction error and learning rate modulation based on the surprise signal, has gained attention as a model for explaining various neural signals. However, the functional significance of the hybrid model has not been established. In the present study, we used computer simulation in a reversal learning task to address functional significance in a probabilistic reversal learning task. The hybrid model was found to perform better than the standard RL model in a large parameter setting. These results suggest that the hybrid model is more robust against the mistuning of parameters compared with the standard RL model when decision-makers continue to learn stimulus-reward contingencies, which can create abrupt changes. The parameter fitting results also indicated that the hybrid model fit better than the standard RL model for more than 50% of the participants, which suggests that the hybrid model has more explanatory power for the behavioral data than the standard RL model. PMID:25161635

Customization and design of directed self-assembly using hybrid prepatterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Joy; Doerk, Gregory S.; Rettner, Charles T.; Singh, Gurpreet; Tjio, Melia; Truong, Hoa; Arellano, Noel; Balakrishnan, Srinivasan; Brink, Markus; Tsai, Hsinyu; Liu, Chi-Chun; Guillorn, Michael; Sanders, Daniel P.

2015-03-01

Diminishing error tolerance renders the customization of patterns created through directed self-assembly (DSA) extremely challenging at tighter pitch. A self-aligned customization scheme can be achieved using a hybrid prepattern comprising both organic and inorganic regions that serves as a guiding prepattern to direct the self-assembly of the block copolymers as well as a cut mask pattern for the DSA arrays aligned to it. In this paper, chemoepitaxy-based self-aligned customization is demonstrated using two types of organic-inorganic prepatterns. CHEETAH prepattern for "CHemoepitaxy Etch Trim using a self-Aligned Hardmask" of preferential hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ, inorganic resist), non-preferential organic underlayer is fabricated using electron beam lithography. Customized trench or hole arrays can be achieved through co-transfer of DSA-formed arrays and CHEETAH prepattern. Herein, we also introduce a tone-reversed version called reverse-CHEETAH (or rCHEETAH) in which customized line segments can be achieved through co-transfer of DSA-formed arrays formed on a prepattern wherein the inorganic HSQ regions are nonpreferential and the organic regions are PMMA preferential. Examples of two-dimensional self-aligned customization including 25nm pitch fin structures and an 8-bar "IBM" illustrate the versatility of this customization scheme using rCHEETAH.

Reversible Negative Resistive Switching in an Individual Fe@Al2O3 Hybrid Nanotube for Nonvolatile Memory.

PubMed

Ye, Yalong; Zhao, Jie; Xiao, Li; Cheng, Baochang; Xiao, Yanhe; Lei, Shuijin

2018-06-06

Hybrid nanostructures can show enormous potential in different areas because of their unique structural configurations. Herein, Fe@Al 2 O 3 hybrid nanotubes are constructed via a homogeneous coprecipitation method followed by subsequent annealing in a reducing atmosphere. The introduction of zero band gap Fe nanocrystals in the wall of ultrawide band gap Al 2 O 3 insulator nanotubes results in the formation of charge trap centers, and correspondingly a single hybrid nanotube-based two-terminal device can show reversible negative resistive switching (RS) characteristics with symmetrical negative differential resistance (NDR) at relatively high operation bias voltages. At a large bias voltage, holes and electrons can be injected into traps at two ends from electrodes, respectively, and then captured. The bias voltage dependence of asymmetrical filling of charges can lead to a reversible variation of built-in electromotive force, and therefore the symmetrical negative RS with NDR arises from two reversible back-to-back series bipolar RS. At a low readout voltage, the single Fe@Al 2 O 3 hybrid nanotube can show an excellent nonvolatile memory feature with a relatively large switching ratio of ∼30. The bias-governed reversible negative RS with superior stability, reversibility, nondestructive readout, and remarkable cycle performance makes it a potential candidate in next-generation erasable nonvolatile resistive random access memories.

Ubiquity of Polynucleobacter necessarius subspecies asymbioticus results from ecological diversification

PubMed Central

Jezbera, Jan; Jezberová, Jitka; Brandt, Ulrike; Hahn, Martin W

2011-01-01

The subspecies Polynucleobacter necessarius asymbioticus (> 99% 16S rRNA similarity) has a cosmopolitan distribution and a ubiquitous occurrence in lentic freshwater habitats. We tested if the observed ubiquity of these free-living planktonic freshwater bacteria results from a euryoecious (generalist) adaptation of P. n. asymbioticus strains, or from ecological diversification within the subspecies. We developed a reverse line blot hybridization assay enabling the cultivation-independent detection of 13 groups within the subspecies in environmental samples. A set of 121 lentic freshwater habitats, spanning a broad variety of habitat types (e.g. pH levels ranging from 3.8 to 8.5) was investigated for the presence of these 13 P. n. asymbioticus groups. Statistical analyses of the reverse line blot hybridization detections revealed pronounced differences in habitat preferences of several of the groups. Their preferences differed regarding pH, conductivity, dissolved organic carbon and oxygen concentration of habitats. For some groups, differences in environmental preferences resulted even in complete niche separation between them. The revealed differences in habitat preferences suggest that the previously reported ubiquity of P. n. asymbioticus results from ecological diversification within the taxon and not from generalist adaptation of strains. PMID:21208356

A Line Impedance Conditioner for Saturation Mitigation of Zigzag Transformer in Hybrid AC/DC Transmission System Considering Line Unbalances

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Bo; Shi, Xiaojie M.; Li, Yalong

Hybrid ac/dc transmission extends the power transfer capacity of existing long ac lines closer to their thermal limit, by superposing the dc current onto three-phase ac lines through a zigzag transformer. However, this transformer could suffer saturation under unbalanced line impedance conditions. This paper introduces the concept of hybrid line impedance conditioner (HLIC) as a cost-effective approach to compensate for the line unbalance and therefore avoid saturation. The topology and operation principle are presented. The two-level control strategy is described, which enables autonomous adaptive regulation without the need of system-level control. Design and implementation are also analyzed, including dc-link capacitancemore » as one of the key line conditioner components, HLIC installation, and protection under fault conditions. The cost study on this HLIC-based hybrid system is also performed to reveal the benefits of the solution. In conclusion, simulation results and experimental results based on a down-scaled prototype are provided to verify the feasibility of the proposed approach.« less

A Line Impedance Conditioner for Saturation Mitigation of Zigzag Transformer in Hybrid AC/DC Transmission System Considering Line Unbalances

DOE PAGES

Liu, Bo; Shi, Xiaojie M.; Li, Yalong; ...

2016-09-13

Hybrid ac/dc transmission extends the power transfer capacity of existing long ac lines closer to their thermal limit, by superposing the dc current onto three-phase ac lines through a zigzag transformer. However, this transformer could suffer saturation under unbalanced line impedance conditions. This paper introduces the concept of hybrid line impedance conditioner (HLIC) as a cost-effective approach to compensate for the line unbalance and therefore avoid saturation. The topology and operation principle are presented. The two-level control strategy is described, which enables autonomous adaptive regulation without the need of system-level control. Design and implementation are also analyzed, including dc-link capacitancemore » as one of the key line conditioner components, HLIC installation, and protection under fault conditions. The cost study on this HLIC-based hybrid system is also performed to reveal the benefits of the solution. In conclusion, simulation results and experimental results based on a down-scaled prototype are provided to verify the feasibility of the proposed approach.« less

Phase structures and morphologies of tempered CA6NM stainless steel welded by hybrid laser-arc process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mirakhorli, F., E-mail: Fatemeh.mirakhorli.1@ens.e

The post-weld tempered microstructure of hybrid laser-arc welded CA6NM, a cast low carbon martensitic stainless steel, was investigated. The microstructural evolutions from the fusion zone to the base metal were characterized in detail using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and microhardness techniques. The fusion zone, in its post-weld tempered condition, consisted of tempered lath martensite, residual delta-ferrite with various morphologies, reversed austenite and chromium carbides. The reversed austenite, which can be detected through both EBSD and XRD techniques, was found to be finely dispersed along the martensite lath boundaries, particularly at triplemore » junctions. Based on the EBSD analysis, the orientation relationship between the reversed austenite and the adjacent martensite laths seemed to follow the Kurdjumov-Sachs (K-S) model. The results also revealed the presence of the reversed austenite in the different regions of the heat affected zone after post-weld tempering. The microindentation hardness distribution was measured, and correlated to the evolution of the corresponding microstructure across the welds. - Highlights: •The EBSD analysis was performed on hybrid laser-arc welded CA6NM. •The FZ consisted of tempered lath martensite, reversed austenite, carbides and δ ferrite after tempering. •The reversed γ was formed along the α′ lath boundaries, particularly at triple junctions.« less

Patterns of Limnohabitans Microdiversity across a Large Set of Freshwater Habitats as Revealed by Reverse Line Blot Hybridization

PubMed Central

Jezbera, Jan; Jezberová, Jitka; Kasalický, Vojtěch; Šimek, Karel; Hahn, Martin W.

2013-01-01

Among abundant freshwater Betaproteobacteria, only few groups are considered to be of central ecological importance. One of them is the well-studied genus Limnohabitans and mainly its R-BT subcluster, investigated previously mainly by fluorescence in situ hybridization methods. We designed, based on sequences from a large Limnohabitans culture collection, 18 RLBH (Reverse Line Blot Hybridization) probes specific for different groups within the genus Limnohabitans by targeting diagnostic sequences on their 16 S–23 S rRNA ITS regions. The developed probes covered in sum 92% of the available isolates. This set of probes was applied to environmental DNA originating from 161 different European standing freshwater habitats to reveal the microdiversity (intra-genus) patterns of the Limnohabitans genus along a pH gradient. Investigated habitats differed in various physicochemical parameters, and represented a very broad range of standing freshwater habitats. The Limnohabitans microdiversity, assessed as number of RLBH-defined groups detected, increased significantly along the gradient of rising pH of habitats. 14 out of 18 probes returned detection signals that allowed predictions on the distribution of distinct Limnohabitans groups. Most probe-defined Limnohabitans groups showed preferences for alkaline habitats, one for acidic, and some seemed to lack preferences. Complete niche-separation was indicated for some of the probe-targeted groups. Moreover, bimodal distributions observed for some groups of Limnohabitans, suggested further niche separation between genotypes within the same probe-defined group. Statistical analyses suggested that different environmental parameters such as pH, conductivity, oxygen and altitude influenced the distribution of distinct groups. The results of our study do not support the hypothesis that the wide ecological distribution of Limnohabitans bacteria in standing freshwater habitats results from generalist adaptations of these bacteria. Instead, our observations suggest that the genus Limnohabitans, as well as its R-BT subgroup, represent ecologically heterogeneous taxa, which underwent pronounced ecological diversification. PMID:23554898

MoO2-ordered mesoporous carbon hybrids as anode materials with highly improved rate capability and reversible capacity for lithium-ion battery.

PubMed

Chen, Ailian; Li, Caixia; Tang, Rui; Yin, Longwei; Qi, Yongxin

2013-08-28

A novel hybrid of MoO2-ordered mesoporous carbon (MoO2-OMC) was prepared through a two-step solvothermal chemical reaction route. The electrochemical performances of the mesoporous MoO2-OMC hybrids were examined using galvanostatical charge-discharge, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The MoO2-OMC hybrid exhibits significantly improved electrochemical performance of high reversible capacity, high-rate capability, and excellent cycling performance as an anode electrode material for Li ion batteries. It is revealed that the MoO2-OMC hybrid could deliver the first discharge capacity of 1641.8 mA h g(-1) with an initial Coulombic efficiency of 63.6%, and a reversible capacity as high as 1049.1 mA h g(-1) even after 50 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g(-1), much higher than the theoretical capacity of MoO2 (838 mA h g(-1)) and OMC materials. The MoO2-OMC hybrid demonstrates an excellent high rate capability with capacity of ∼600 mA h g(-1) even at a charge current density of 1600 mA g(-1) after 50 cycles, which is approximately 11.1 times higher than that of the OMC (54 mA h g(-1)) materials. The improved rate capability and reversible capacity of the MoO2-OMC hybrid are attributed to a synergistic reaction between the MoO2 nanoparticles and mesoporous OMC matrices. It is noted that the electrochemical performance of the MoO2-OMC hybrid is evidently much better than the previous MoO2-based hybrids.

Is reverse hybrid hip replacement the solution?

PubMed

Lindalen, Einar; Havelin, Leif I; Nordsletten, Lars; Dybvik, Eva; Fenstad, Anne M; Hallan, Geir; Furnes, Ove; Høvik, Oystein; Röhrl, Stephan M

2011-12-01

Reverse hybrid hip replacement uses a cemented all-polyethylene cup and an uncemented stem. Despite increasing use of this method in Scandinavia, there has been very little documentation of results. We have therefore analyzed the results from the Norwegian Arthroplasty Register (NAR), with up to 10 years of follow-up. The NAR has been collecting data on total hip replacement (THR) since 1987. Reverse hybrid hip replacements were used mainly from 2000. We extracted data on reverse hybrid THR from this year onward until December 31, 2009, and compared the results with those from cemented implants over the same period. Specific cup/stem combinations involving 100 cases or more were selected. In addition, only combinations that were taken into use in 2005 or earlier were included. 3,963 operations in 3,630 patients were included. We used the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis for estimation of prosthesis survival and relative risk of revision. The main endpoint was revision for any cause, but we also performed specific analyses on different reasons for revision. We found equal survival to that from cemented THR at 5 years (cemented: 97.0% (95% CI: 96.8-97.2); reverse hybrid: 96.7% (96.0-97.4)) and at 7 years (cemented: 96.0% (95.7-96.2); reverse hybrid: 95.6% (94.4-96.7)). Adjusted relative risk of revision of the reverse hybrids was 1.1 (0.9-1.4). In patients under 60 years of age, we found similar survival of the 2 groups at 5 and 7 years, with an adjusted relative risk of revision of reverse hybrids of 0.9 (0.6-1.3) compared to cemented implants. With a follow-up of up to 10 years, reverse hybrid THRs performed well, and similarly to all-cemented THRs from the same time period. The reverse hybrid method might therefore be an alternative to all-cemented THR. Longer follow-up time is needed to evaluate whether reverse hybrid hip replacement has any advantages over all-cemented THR.

Yield-enhancing heterotic QTL transferred from wild species to cultivated rice Oryza sativa L.

PubMed

Gaikwad, Kiran B; Singh, Naveen; Bhatia, Dharminder; Kaur, Rupinder; Bains, Navtej S; Bharaj, Tajinder S; Singh, Kuldeep

2014-01-01

Utilization of "hidden genes" from wild species has emerged as a novel option for enrichment of genetic diversity for productivity traits. In rice we have generated more than 2000 lines having introgression from 'A' genome-donor wild species of rice in the genetic background of popular varieties PR114 and Pusa44 were developed. Out of these, based on agronomic acceptability, 318 lines were used for developing rice hybrids to assess the effect of introgressions in heterozygous state. These introgression lines and their recurrent parents, possessing fertility restoration ability for wild abortive (WA) cytoplasm, were crossed with cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) line PMS17A to develop hybrids. Hybrids developed from recurrent parents were used as checks to compare the performance of 318 hybrids developed by hybridizing alien introgression lines with PMS17A. Seventeen hybrids expressed a significant increase in yield and its component traits over check hybrids. These 17 hybrids were re-evaluated in large-size replicated plots. Of these, four hybrids, viz., ILH299, ILH326, ILH867 and ILH901, having introgressions from O. rufipogon and two hybrids (ILH921 and ILH951) having introgressions from O. nivara showed significant heterosis over parental introgression line, recurrent parents and check hybrids for grain yield-related traits. Alien introgressions were detected in the lines taken as male parents for developing six superior hybrids, using a set of 100 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Percent introgression showed a range of 2.24 from in O. nivara to 7.66 from O. rufipogon. The introgressed regions and their putative association with yield components in hybrids is reported and discussed.

Hybrid reconstruction of field-reversed configurations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinhauer, Loren; TAE Team

2016-10-01

Field-reversed configurations (FRC) are poorly represented by fluid-based models and require instead an ion-distribution function. Two such populations are needed since ``core'' ions are roughly restricted to the region inside the separatrix, whereas ``periphery'' ions can escape along open field lines. The Vlasov equation governs the distribution, the general solution to which is an arbitrary function of the constants of motion (Hamiltonian, canonical angular momentum). Only a small subset of such distributions are realistic in view of collisions, which smooth the distribution, and instabilities, which reorganize the field structure. Collisions and end loss are included if the distribution is a solution to the Fokker-Planck (FP) equation. Vlasov and FP solutions are nearly identical in weakly-collisional plasmas. Numerical construction of such equilibria requires solving both Ampere's law for the magnetic flux variable and the ponderous task of a full velocity-space integration at each point. The latter can be done analytically by expressing the distribution as the superposition of simple basis elements. This procedure allows rapid reconstruction of evolving equilibria based on limited diagnostic observables in FRC experiments.

Reversible Conversion of Dominant Polarity in Ambipolar Polymer/Graphene Oxide Hybrids

PubMed Central

Zhou, Ye; Han, Su-Ting; Sonar, Prashant; Ma, Xinlei; Chen, Jihua; Zheng, Zijian; Roy, V. A. L.

2015-01-01

The possibility to selectively modulate the charge carrier transport in semiconducting materials is extremely challenging for the development of high performance and low-power consuming logic circuits. Systematical control over the polarity (electrons and holes) in transistor based on solution processed layer by layer polymer/graphene oxide hybrid system has been demonstrated. The conversion degree of the polarity is well controlled and reversible by trapping the opposite carriers. Basically, an electron device is switched to be a hole only device or vice versa. Finally, a hybrid layer ambipolar inverter is demonstrated in which almost no leakage of opposite carrier is found. This hybrid material has wide range of applications in planar p-n junctions and logic circuits for high-throughput manufacturing of printed electronic circuits. PMID:25801827

Preparation and optical characteristics of layered perovskite-type lead-bromide-incorporated azobenzene chromophores

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sasai, Ryo, E-mail: rsasai@riko.shimane-u.ac.jp; Shinomura, Hisashi

Lead bromide-based layered perovskite powders with azobenzene derivatives were prepared by a homogeneous precipitation method. From the diffuse reflectance (DR) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the hybrid powder materials, the present hybrids exhibited sharp absorption and PL peaks originating from excitons produced in the PbBr{sub 4}{sup 2-} layer. When the present hybrid powder was irradiated with UV light at 350 nm, the absorption band from the trans-azobenzene chromophore, observed around 350 nm, decreased, while the absorption band from the cis-azobenzene chromophore, observed around 450 nm, increased. These results indicate that azobenzene chromophores in the present hybrid materials exhibit reversible photoisomerization.more » Moreover, it was found that the PL intensity from the exciton also varied due to photoisomerization of the azobenzene chromophores in the present hybrid. Thus, for the first time we succeeded in preparing the azobenzene derivative lead-bromide-based layered perovskite with photochromism before and after UV light irradiation. - Graphical abstract: For the first time, we succeeded in preparing the azobenzene derivative lead-bromide-based layered perovskite with photochromism before and after UV light irradiation. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PbBr-based layered perovskite with azobenezene derivatives could be synthesized by a homogeneous precipitation method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Azobenzene derivatives incorporated the present hybrid that exhibited reversible photoisomerization under UV and/or visible light irradiation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PL property of the present hybrid could also be varied by photoisomerization.« less

Interchromosomal insertional translocation at Xq26.3 alters SOX3 expression in an individual with XX male sex reversal.

PubMed

Haines, Bryan; Hughes, James; Corbett, Mark; Shaw, Marie; Innes, Josie; Patel, Leena; Gecz, Jozef; Clayton-Smith, Jill; Thomas, Paul

2015-05-01

46,XX male sex reversal occurs in approximately 1: 20 000 live births and is most commonly caused by interchromosomal translocations of the Y-linked sex-determining gene, SRY. Rearrangements of the closely related SOX3 gene on the X chromosome are also associated with 46,XX male sex reversal. It has been hypothesized that sex reversal in the latter is caused by ectopic expression of SOX3 in the developing urogenital ridge where it triggers male development by acting as an analog of SRY. However, altered regulation of SOX3 in individuals with XX male sex reversal has not been demonstrated. Here we report a boy with SRY-negative XX male sex reversal who was diagnosed at birth with a small phallus, mixed gonads, and borderline-normal T. Molecular characterization of the affected individual was performed using array comparative genomic hybridization, fluorescent in situ hybridization of metaphase chromosomes, whole-genome sequencing, and RT-PCR expression analysis of lymphoblast cell lines. The affected male carries ∼774-kb insertion translocation from chromosome 1 into a human-specific palindromic sequence 82 kb distal to SOX3. Importantly, robust SOX3 expression was identified in cells derived from the affected individual but not from control XX or XY cells, indicating that the translocation has a direct effect on SOX3 regulation. This is the first demonstration of altered SOX3 expression in an individual with XX male sex reversal and suggests that SOX3 can substitute for SRY to initiate male development in humans.

Reversible conversion of dominant polarity in ambipolar polymer/graphene oxide hybrids

DOE PAGES

Zhou, Ye; Han, Su -Ting; Sonar, Prashant; ...

2015-03-24

The possibility to selectively modulate the charge carrier transport in semiconducting materials is extremely challenging for the development of high performance and low-power consuming logic circuits. Systematical control over the polarity (electrons and holes) in transistor based on solution processed layer by layer polymer/graphene oxide hybrid system has been demonstrated. The conversion degree of the polarity is well controlled and reversible by trapping the opposite carriers. Basically, an electron device is switched to be a hole only device or vice versa. Finally, a hybrid layer ambipolar inverter is demonstrated in which almost no leakage of opposite carrier is found. Wemore » conclude that this hybrid material has wide range of applications in planar p-n junctions and logic circuits for high-throughput manufacturing of printed electronic circuits.« less

Epidemiology of Babesia, Anaplasma and Trypanosoma species using a new expanded reverse line blot hybridization assay.

PubMed

Paoletta, Martina Soledad; López Arias, Ludmila; de la Fournière, Sofía; Guillemi, Eliana Carolina; Luciani, Carlos; Sarmiento, Néstor Fabián; Mosqueda, Juan; Farber, Marisa Diana; Wilkowsky, Silvina Elizabeth

2018-02-01

Vector-borne hemoparasitic infections are a major problem that affects livestock industries worldwide, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. In this work, a reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization assay was developed for the simultaneous detection and identification of Anaplasma, Babesia and bovine trypanosomes, encompassing in this way the most relevant hemoparasites that affect cattle. A total of 186 bovine blood samples collected from two different ecoepidemiological regions of northeast Argentina, with and without tick control, were analyzed with this new RLB. High diversity of parasites, such as Babesia bovis, B. bigemina, Anaplasma marginale and three different Trypanosoma species, was found. High rates of coinfections were also detected, and significant differences were observed not only in the prevalence of parasites but also in the level of coinfections between the two analyzed areas. Regarding the Trypanosoma genus, we provide molecular evidence of the presence of T. vivax and T. theileri for the first time in Argentina. Besides, since the RLB is a prospective tool, it allowed the identification of a yet unknown bovine trypanosome which could not be assigned to any of the bovine species known so far. In the present study we provide new insights on the prevalence of several pathogens that directly impact on livestock production in Argentina. The RLB assay developed here allows to identify simultaneously numerous pathogenic species which can also be easily expanded to detect other blood borne pathogens. These characteristics make the RLB hybridization assay an essential tool for epidemiological survey of all vector-borne pathogens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The epidemiology of tick-borne haemoparasites as determined by the reverse line blot hybridization assay in an intensively studied cohort of calves in western Kenya

PubMed Central

Njiiri, Nyawira E.; Bronsvoort, B. Mark deC.; Collins, Nicola E.; Steyn, Helena C.; Troskie, Milana; Vorster, Ilse; Thumbi, S.M.; Sibeko, Kgomotso P.; Jennings, Amy; van Wyk, Ilana Conradie; Mbole-Kariuki, Mary; Kiara, Henry; Poole, E. Jane; Hanotte, Olivier; Coetzer, Koos; Oosthuizen, Marinda C.; Woolhouse, Mark; Toye, Philip

2015-01-01

The development of sensitive surveillance technologies using PCR-based detection of microbial DNA, such as the reverse line blot assay, can facilitate the gathering of epidemiological information on tick-borne diseases, which continue to hamper the productivity of livestock in many parts of Africa and elsewhere. We have employed a reverse line blot assay to detect the prevalence of tick-borne parasites in an intensively studied cohort of indigenous calves in western Kenya. The calves were recruited close to birth and monitored for the presence of infectious disease for up to 51 weeks. The final visit samples from 453 calves which survived for the study period were analyzed by RLB. The results indicated high prevalences of Theileria mutans (71.6%), T. velifera (62.8%), Anaplasma sp. Omatjenne (42.7%), A. bovis (39.9%), Theileria sp. (sable) (32.7%), T. parva (12.9%) and T. taurotragi (8.5%), with minor occurrences of eight other haemoparasites. The unexpectedly low prevalence of the pathogenic species Ehrlichia ruminantium was confirmed by a species-specific PCR targeting the pCS20 gene region. Coinfection analyses of the seven most prevalent haemoparasites indicated that they were present as coinfections in over 90% of the cases. The analyses revealed significant associations between several of the Theileria parasites, in particular T. velifera with Theileria sp. sable and T. mutans, and T. parva with T. taurotragi. There was very little coinfection of the two most common Anaplasma species, although they were commonly detected as coinfections with the Theileria parasites. The comparison of reverse line blot and serological results for four haemoparasites (T. parva, T. mutans, A. marginale and B. bigemina) indicated that, except for the mostly benign T. mutans, indigenous cattle seem capable of clearing infections of the three other, pathogenic parasites to below detectable levels. Although the study site was located across four agroecological zones, there was little restriction of the parasites to particular zones. PMID:25858115

Reversible electrical-field control of magnetization and anomalous Hall effect in Co/PMN-PT hybrid heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J.; Huang, Q. K.; Lu, S. Y.; Tian, Y. F.; Chen, Y. X.; Bai, L. H.; Dai, Y.; Yan, S. S.

2018-04-01

Room-temperature reversible electrical-field control of the magnetization and the anomalous Hall effect was reported in hybrid multiferroic heterojunctions based on Co/Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)0.7Ti0.3O3 (PMN-PT). We demonstrate herein that electrical-field-induced strain and oxygen-ion migration in ZnO/Co/PMN-PT junctions exert opposing effects on the magnetic properties of the Co sublayer, and the competition between these effects determines the final magnitude of magnetization. This proof-of-concept investigation opens an alternative way to optimize and enhance the electrical-field effect on magnetism through the combination of multiple electrical manipulation mechanisms in hybrid multiferroic devices.

Regional gene mapping using mixed radiation hybrids and reverse chromosome painting.

PubMed

Lin, J Y; Bedford, J S

1997-11-01

We describe a new approach for low-resolution physical mapping using pooled DNA probe from mixed (non-clonal) populations of human-CHO cell hybrids and reverse chromosome painting. This mapping method is based on a process in which the human chromosome fragments bearing a complementing gene were selectively retained in a large non-clonal population of CHO-human hybrid cells during a series of 12- to 15-Gy gamma irradiations each followed by continuous growth selection. The location of the gene could then be identified by reverse chromosome painting on normal human metaphase spreads using biotinylated DNA from this population of "enriched" hybrid cells. We tested the validity of this method by correctly mapping the complementing human HPRT gene, whose location is well established. We then demonstrated the method's usefulness by mapping the chromosome location of a human gene which complemented the defect responsible for the hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation in CHO irs-20 cells. This method represents an efficient alternative to conventional concordance analysis in somatic cell hybrids where detailed chromosome analysis of numerous hybrid clones is necessary. Using this approach, it is possible to localize a gene for which there is no prior sequence or linkage information to a subchromosomal region, thus facilitating association with known mapping landmarks (e.g. RFLP, YAC or STS contigs) for higher-resolution mapping.

Size-Sorting Combined with Improved Nanocapillary-LC-MS for Identification of Intact Proteins up to 80 kDa

PubMed Central

Vellaichamy, Adaikkalam; Tran, John C.; Catherman, Adam D.; Lee, Ji Eun; Kellie, John F.; Sweet, Steve M.M.; Zamdborg, Leonid; Thomas, Paul M.; Ahlf, Dorothy R.; Durbin, Kenneth R.; Valaskovic, Gary A.; Kelleher, Neil L.

2010-01-01

Despite the availability of ultra-high resolution mass spectrometers, methods for separation and detection of intact proteins for proteome-scale analyses are still in a developmental phase. Here we report robust protocols for on-line LC-MS to drive high-throughput top-down proteomics in a fashion similar to bottom-up. Comparative work on protein standards showed that a polymeric stationary phase led to superior sensitivity over a silica-based medium in reversed-phase nanocapillary-LC, with detection of proteins >50 kDa routinely accomplished in the linear ion trap of a hybrid Fourier-Transform mass spectrometer. Protein identification was enabled by nozzle-skimmer dissociation (NSD) and detection of fragment ions with <5 ppm mass accuracy for highly-specific database searching using custom software. This overall approach led to identification of proteins up to 80 kDa, with 10-60 proteins identified in single LC-MS runs of samples from yeast and human cell lines pre-fractionated by their molecular weight using a gel-based sieving system. PMID:20073486

CMOS compatible on-chip telecom-band to mid-infrared supercontinuum generation in dispersion-engineered reverse strip/slot hybrid Si3N4 waveguide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hui, Zhanqiang; Zhang, Lingxuan; Zhang, Wenfu

2018-01-01

A silicon nitride (Si3N4)-based reverse strip/slot hybrid waveguide with single vertical silica slot is proposed to acquire extremely low and flat chromatic dispersion profile. This is achieved by design and optimization of the geometrical structural parameters of the reverse hybrid waveguide. The flat dispersion varying between ±10 ps/(nm.km) is obtained over 610 nm bandwidth. Both the effective area and nonlinear coefficient of the waveguide across the entire spectral range of interest are investigated. This led to design of an on-chip supercontinuum (SC) source with -30 dB bandwidth of 2996 nm covering from 1.209 to 4.205 μm. Furthermore, we discuss the output signal spectral and temporal characteristic as a function of the pump power. Our waveguide design offers a CMOS compatible, low-cost/high yield (no photolithography or lift-off processes are necessary) on-chip SC source for near- and mid-infrared nonlinear applications.

Fusion of CCL21 non-migratory active breast epithelial and breast cancer cells give rise to CCL21 migratory active tumor hybrid cell lines.

PubMed

Berndt, Benjamin; Haverkampf, Sonja; Reith, Georg; Keil, Silvia; Niggemann, Bernd; Zänker, Kurt S; Dittmar, Thomas

2013-01-01

The biological phenomenon of cell fusion has been linked to tumor progression because several data provided evidence that fusion of tumor cells and normal cells gave rise to hybrid cell lines exhibiting novel properties, such as increased metastatogenic capacity and an enhanced drug resistance. Here we investigated M13HS hybrid cell lines, derived from spontaneous fusion events between M13SV1-EGFP-Neo breast epithelial cells exhibiting stem cell characteristics and HS578T-Hyg breast cancer cells, concerning CCL21/CCR7 signaling. Western Blot analysis showed that all cell lines varied in their CCR7 expression levels as well as differed in the induction and kinetics of CCR7 specific signal transduction cascades. Flow cytometry-based calcium measurements revealed that a CCL21 induced calcium influx was solely detected in M13HS hybrid cell lines. Cell migration demonstrated that only M13HS hybrid cell lines, but not parental derivatives, responded to CCL21 stimulation with an increased migratory activity. Knockdown of CCR7 expression by siRNA completely abrogated the CCL21 induced migration of hybrid cell lines indicating the necessity of CCL21/CCR7 signaling. Because the CCL21/CCR7 axis has been linked to metastatic spreading of breast cancer to lymph nodes we conclude from our data that cell fusion could be a mechanism explaining the origin of metastatic cancer (hybrid) cells.

Fusion of CCL21 Non-Migratory Active Breast Epithelial and Breast Cancer Cells Give Rise to CCL21 Migratory Active Tumor Hybrid Cell Lines

PubMed Central

Reith, Georg; Keil, Silvia; Niggemann, Bernd; Zänker, Kurt S.; Dittmar, Thomas

2013-01-01

The biological phenomenon of cell fusion has been linked to tumor progression because several data provided evidence that fusion of tumor cells and normal cells gave rise to hybrid cell lines exhibiting novel properties, such as increased metastatogenic capacity and an enhanced drug resistance. Here we investigated M13HS hybrid cell lines, derived from spontaneous fusion events between M13SV1-EGFP-Neo breast epithelial cells exhibiting stem cell characteristics and HS578T-Hyg breast cancer cells, concerning CCL21/CCR7 signaling. Western Blot analysis showed that all cell lines varied in their CCR7 expression levels as well as differed in the induction and kinetics of CCR7 specific signal transduction cascades. Flow cytometry-based calcium measurements revealed that a CCL21 induced calcium influx was solely detected in M13HS hybrid cell lines. Cell migration demonstrated that only M13HS hybrid cell lines, but not parental derivatives, responded to CCL21 stimulation with an increased migratory activity. Knockdown of CCR7 expression by siRNA completely abrogated the CCL21 induced migration of hybrid cell lines indicating the necessity of CCL21/CCR7 signaling. Because the CCL21/CCR7 axis has been linked to metastatic spreading of breast cancer to lymph nodes we conclude from our data that cell fusion could be a mechanism explaining the origin of metastatic cancer (hybrid) cells. PMID:23667660

"Chemical transformers" from nanoparticle ensembles operated with logic.

PubMed

Motornov, Mikhail; Zhou, Jian; Pita, Marcos; Gopishetty, Venkateshwarlu; Tokarev, Ihor; Katz, Evgeny; Minko, Sergiy

2008-09-01

The pH-responsive nanoparticles were coupled with information-processing enzyme-based systems to yield "smart" signal-responsive hybrid systems with built-in Boolean logic. The enzyme systems performed AND/OR logic operations, transducing biochemical input signals into reversible structural changes (signal-directed self-assembly) of the nanoparticle assemblies, thus resulting in the processing and amplification of the biochemical signals. The hybrid system mimics biological systems in effective processing of complex biochemical information, resulting in reversible changes of the self-assembled structures of the nanoparticles. The bioinspired approach to the nanostructured morphing materials could be used in future self-assembled molecular robotic systems.

[Whole cDNA sequence cloning and expression of chicken L-FABP gene and its relationship with lipid deposition of hybrid chickens].

PubMed

Yu, Ying; Wang, Dong; Sun, Dong-Xiao; Xu, Gui-Yun; Li, Jun-Ying; Zhang, Yuan

2011-07-01

Liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) is closely related to intracellular transportation and deposition of lipids. A positive differential displayed fragment was found in the liver tissue among Silkie (CC), CAU-brown chicken (CD), and their reciprocal hybrids (CD and DC) at 8 weeks-old using differential display RT-PCR techniques (DDRT-PCR). Through recycling, sequencing, and alignment analysis, the fragment was identified as chicken liver fatty acid-binding protein gene (L-FABP, GenBank accession number AY321365). Reverse Northern dot blot and semi-quantitative RT-PCR revealed that the avian L-FABP gene was over-expressed in the liver tissue of the reciprocal hybrids (CD and DC) compared to their parental lines (CC and DD), which was consistent with the fact that higher abdomen fat weight and wider inter-muscular fat width observed in the reciprocal hybrids. Considering the higher expression of L-FABP may contribute to the increased lipid deposition in the hybrid chickens, the functional study of avian L-FABP is warranted in future.

Pseudoislet of hybrid cellular spheroids from commercial cell lines.

PubMed

Jo, Y H; Nam, B M; Kim, B Y; Nemeno, J G; Lee, S; Yeo, J E; Yang, W; Park, S H; Kim, Y S; Lee, J I

2013-10-01

Investigators conducting diabetes-related research have focused on islet transplantation as a radical therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus. Pancreatic islet isolation, an essential process, is a very demanding work because of the proteolytic enzymes, species, treatment time, and individual difference. Replacement of primary isolated pancreatic islets must be carried out continuously for various in vitro tests, making primary isolated islets a useful tool for cell transplantation research. Hence, we sought to develop pseudoislets from commercial pancreas-derived cell lines. In this study, we used RIN-5F and RIN-m cells, which secrete insulin, somatostatin, or glucagon. To manufacture hybrid cellular spheroids, the cells were cultured under hanging drop plate and nonadhesive plate methods. We observed that hybrid cellular pseudoislets exhibited an oval shape, with sizes ranging from 590 to 1200 μm. Their morphology was similar to naïve islets. Cell line pseudoislets secreted and expressed insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin, as confirmed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immunohistochemistry analyses. Thus, the current artificially manufactured biomimetic pseudoislets resembled pancreatic islets of the endocrine system, appearing as cellular aggregates that secreted insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin. Enhanced immunoisolation techniques may lead to the development of new islet sources for pancreatic transplantation through this pseudoislet strategy. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Retrospective Study of Hemoparasites in Cattle in Southern Italy by Reverse Line Blot Hybridization

PubMed Central

CECI, Luigi; IARUSSI, Fabrizio; GRECO, Beatrice; LACINIO, Rosanna; FORNELLI, Stefania; CARELLI, Grazia

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Tick-borne diseases are widespread in tropical and temperate regions and are responsible for important economic losses in those areas. In order to assess the presence and prevalence of various pathogens in southern Italy, we retrospectively analyzed cattle blood samples collected for a previous study in 2000 using reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization. The study had been carried out in three regions of southern Italy on 1,500 randomly selected and apparently healthy adult cattle. RLB showed that 43.7% of the cattle were positive for nine different species of hemoparasites with either a single infection or a mixed infection. Theileria buffeli was the most common species found, being present in 27.3% of the animals, followed by Anaplasma marginale in 18.1%, Anaplasma centrale in 13.8%, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma bovis in 4.2%, Anaplasma phagocytophilum in 1.7%, Babesia bovis in 1.6%, Babesia major in 0.2% and Babesia divergens in 0.1%. Complete blood counts showed different degrees of anemia in 363 animals (24.2%) and of these, 169 were RLB-positive for at least one pathogen. Among the ticks that were collected from the cattle, the following species were identified: Rhipicephalus bursa, Ixodes ricinus, Hyalomma marginatum, Boophilus annulatus, Dermacentor marginatus and Haemaphysalis (sulcata, parva, inermis and punctata). The results obtained confirmed the spread of endemic tick-borne pathogens in the regions studied. PMID:24614604

Retrospective study of hemoparasites in cattle in southern Italy by reverse line blot hybridization.

PubMed

Ceci, Luigi; Iarussi, Fabrizio; Greco, Beatrice; Lacinio, Rosanna; Fornelli, Stefania; Carelli, Grazia

2014-06-01

Tick-borne diseases are widespread in tropical and temperate regions and are responsible for important economic losses in those areas. In order to assess the presence and prevalence of various pathogens in southern Italy, we retrospectively analyzed cattle blood samples collected for a previous study in 2000 using reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization. The study had been carried out in three regions of southern Italy on 1,500 randomly selected and apparently healthy adult cattle. RLB showed that 43.7% of the cattle were positive for nine different species of hemoparasites with either a single infection or a mixed infection. Theileria buffeli was the most common species found, being present in 27.3% of the animals, followed by Anaplasma marginale in 18.1%, Anaplasma centrale in 13.8%, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma bovis in 4.2%, Anaplasma phagocytophilum in 1.7%, Babesia bovis in 1.6%, Babesia major in 0.2% and Babesia divergens in 0.1%. Complete blood counts showed different degrees of anemia in 363 animals (24.2%) and of these, 169 were RLB-positive for at least one pathogen. Among the ticks that were collected from the cattle, the following species were identified: Rhipicephalus bursa, Ixodes ricinus, Hyalomma marginatum, Boophilus annulatus, Dermacentor marginatus and Haemaphysalis (sulcata, parva, inermis and punctata). The results obtained confirmed the spread of endemic tick-borne pathogens in the regions studied.

Quasi-steady-state high confinement at high density by lower hybrid waves in the HT-6M tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jiangang; Luo, Jiarong; Wan, Baonian; Wan, Yuanxi; Liu, Yuexiu; Yin, Finxian; Gong, Xianzu; Li, Duochuan; Liu, Shen; Jie, Yinxian; Gao, Xiang; Luo, Nancang; Jiang, Jiaguang; Han, Yuqing; Wu, Mingjun; Wang, Guangxin; Liang, Yunfeng; Yao, Ailing; Wu, Zhenwei; Zhang, Shouyin; Mao, Jiansan; Cui, Lingzhuo; Xu, Yuhong; Meng, Yuedong; Zhao, Junyu; Ding, Bolong; Li, Guiming; Xu, Xiangdong; Lin, Bili; Wei, Meishen; Yie, Weiwei

2000-03-01

The quasi-steady-state (tH > 10 τEoh) H mode with high plasma density (ELMy and ELM free) was routinely obtained by the injection of lower hybrid wave heating and lower hybrid current drive with a power threshold of 50 kW. The antenna spectrum was scanned over a wide range and τE was about 1.5-2.0 times that of the L mode scaling. The density increases by almost a factor of 3 during the H phase by gas puffing and the particle confinement time increases by more than this factor even with a line averaged density of 3 × 1013cm-3, which is about 60% of the Greenwald density limit. A hollow Te profile was achieved in the high density case. The experimental results reproducibly show a good agreement with the theoretical prediction for the LH off-axis power deposition profile. When a certain fraction of the plasma current is non-inductively sustained by the LH waves, a hollow current density profile is formed and the magnetic shear is reversed. This off-axis hollow profile and enhanced confinement improvement are attributed to a strong reduction of the electron thermal diffusivity in the reversed shear region.

Hybrid pig versus Gottingen minipig-derived cartilage and chondrocytes show pig line-dependent differences.

PubMed

Müller, Claudia; Marzahn, Ulrike; Kohl, Benjamin; El Sayed, Karym; Lohan, Anke; Meier, Carola; Ertel, Wolfgang; Schulze-Tanzil, Gundula

2013-11-01

Minipigs are widely used as a large animal model for cartilage repair. However, many in vitro studies are based on porcine chondrocytes derived from abundantly available premature hybrid pigs. It remains unclear whether pig line-dependent differences exist which could limit the comparability between in vitro and in vivo results using either hybrid or miniature pig articular chondrocytes. Porcine knee joint femoral cartilage was isolated from 3- to 5-month-old hybrid pigs and Göttingen minipigs. Cartilage from both pig lines was analysed for thickness, zonality, cell content, size and proteoglycan deposition. Cultured articular chondrocytes from both pig lines were investigated for gene and/or protein expression of cartilage-specific proteins such as type II collagen, aggrecan, the chondrogenic transcription factor Sox9, non-specific type I collagen and the cell-matrix receptor β1-integrin. Cartilage was significantly thinner in the miniature pig compared to the hybrid pig, but the differences between the medial and lateral femur condyles did not reach a significant level. Knee joint cartilage zone formation started only in the minipig, whereas cellularity and cell diameters were comparable in both pig lines. Blood vessels could be detected in the hybrid pig but not the minipig cartilage. Sulphated proteoglycan deposition was more pronounced in cartilage zones II-IV of both pig lines. Minipig chondrocytes expressed type II and I collagen, Sox9 and β1-integrin at a higher level than hybrid pig chondrocytes. These distinct line-dependent differences should be considered when using hybrid pig-derived chondrocytes for tissue engineering and Göttingen minipigs as a large animal model.

Suppression or knockout of SaF/SaM overcomes the Sa-mediated hybrid male sterility in rice.

PubMed

Xie, Yongyao; Niu, Baixiao; Long, Yunming; Li, Gousi; Tang, Jintao; Zhang, Yaling; Ren, Ding; Liu, Yao-Guang; Chen, Letian

2017-09-01

Hybrids between the indica and japonica subspecies of rice (Oryza sativa) are usually sterile, which hinders utilization of heterosis in the inter-subspecific hybrid breeding. The complex locus Sa comprises two adjacently located genes, SaF and SaM, which interact to cause abortion of pollen grains carrying the japonica allele in japonica-indica hybrids. Here we showed that silencing of SaF or SaM by RNA interference restored male fertility in indica-japonica hybrids with heterozygous Sa. We further used clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9-based genome editing to knockout the SaF and SaM alleles, respectively, of an indica rice line to create hybrid-compatible lines. The resultant artificial neutral alleles did not affect pollen viability and other agricultural traits, but did break down the reproductive barrier in the hybrids. We found that some rice lines have natural neutral allele Sa-n, which was compatible with the typical japonica or indica Sa alleles in hybrids. Our results demonstrate that SaF and SaM are required for hybrid male sterility, but are not essential for pollen development. This study provides effective approaches for the generation of hybrid-compatible lines by knocking out the Sa locus or using the natural Sa-n allele to overcome hybrid male sterility in rice breeding. © 2017 The Authors. Bioelectromagnetics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Production and molecular characterization of somatic hybrids between Pleurotus florida and Lentinula edodes.

PubMed

Mallick, Pijush; Sikdar, Samir Ranjan

2014-08-01

Nine inter-generic somatic hybrids named as pfle were produced through PEG-mediated protoplast fusion between Pleurotus florida and Lentinula edodes using double selection method. Hybridity of the newly developed strains was established on the basis of colony morphology, mycelial growth, hyphal traits, fruit-body productivity and inter single sequence repeat (ISSR) marker profiling. Hybrid population was assessed with different phenotypic variables by one-way analysis of variance. Principal component matrices were analyzed for the six phenotypic variables in scatter plot showing maximum positive correlation between each variable for all strains examined. Six ISSR primers generated 66 reproducible fragments with 98.48 % polymorphism. The dendrogram thus created based on unweighted pair-group method with mathematic averages method of clustering and Euclidean distance which exhibited three major groups between the parents and pfle hybrids. Though P. florida parent remained in one group but it showed different degrees of genetic distance with all the hybrid lines belonging to the other two groups while L. edodes was most distantly related to all the hybrid lines. L. edodes specific sequence-rich ISSR amplicon was recorded in all the hybrid lines and in L. edodes but not in P. florida. All the fruit body generating pfle hybrid lines could produce basidiocarp on paddy straw in sub-tropical climate and showed phenotypic resemblance to the P. florida parent.

Detection and identification of Theileria infection in sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) in China.

PubMed

He, Lan; Khan, Muhanmad Kasib; Zhang, Wen-Jie; Zhang, Qing-Li; Zhou, Yan-Qin; Hu, Min; Zhao, Junlong

2012-06-01

The sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) is a first-grade state-protected animal in China and designated a threatened species by the World Conservation Union. To detect hemoparasite infection of sika deer, blood samples were collected from 24 animals in the Hubei Province Deer Center. Genomic DNA was extracted, and the V4 hypervariable region encoding 18S rRNA was analyzed by reverse line blot hybridization assay. PCR products hybridized with Babesia / Theileria genus-specific probes but failed to hybridize with any of the Babesia or Theileria species-specific probes, suggesting the presence of a novel, or variant, species. Here 18S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genes were amplified, cloned, and sequenced from 7 isolates. Alignment and BlastN of the cloned sequences revealed high similarities to the homologous 18S rRNA genes and ITS genes of Theileria cervi (AY735122), Theileria sp. CNY1A (AB012194), and Theileria sp. ex Yamaguchi (AF529272). Phylogenetic analysis based on the 18S rRNA gene and ITS sequences showed that all cloned sequences were grouped within the Theileria clade. Phylogeny based on the 18S rRNA gene divided the organisms into 2 groups. Group 1 was closest to Theileria sp. ex Yamaguchi (AF529272), and group 2 was distinct from all other identified Theileria and Babesia species. These results suggest the existence of Theileria sp. infection in sika deer in China. To our knowledge, this is the first report of cervine Theileria sp. in China.

3D-Printable Photochromic Molecular Materials for Reversible Information Storage.

PubMed

Wales, Dominic J; Cao, Qun; Kastner, Katharina; Karjalainen, Erno; Newton, Graham N; Sans, Victor

2018-06-01

The formulation of advanced molecular materials with bespoke polymeric ionic-liquid matrices that stabilize and solubilize hybrid organic-inorganic polyoxometalates and allow their processing by additive manufacturing, is effectively demonstrated. The unique photo and redox properties of nanostructured polyoxometalates are translated across the scales (from molecular design to functional materials) to yield macroscopic functional devices with reversible photochromism. These properties open a range of potential applications including reversible information storage based on controlled topological and temporal reduction/oxidation of pre-formed printed devices. This approach pushes the boundaries of 3D printing to the molecular limits, allowing the freedom of design enabled by 3D printing to be coupled with the molecular tuneability of polymerizable ionic liquids and the photoactivity and orbital engineering possible with hybrid polyoxometalates. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Genome Properties and Prospects of Genomic Prediction of Hybrid Performance in a Breeding Program of Maize

PubMed Central

Technow, Frank; Schrag, Tobias A.; Schipprack, Wolfgang; Bauer, Eva; Simianer, Henner; Melchinger, Albrecht E.

2014-01-01

Maize (Zea mays L.) serves as model plant for heterosis research and is the crop where hybrid breeding was pioneered. We analyzed genomic and phenotypic data of 1254 hybrids of a typical maize hybrid breeding program based on the important Dent × Flint heterotic pattern. Our main objectives were to investigate genome properties of the parental lines (e.g., allele frequencies, linkage disequilibrium, and phases) and examine the prospects of genomic prediction of hybrid performance. We found high consistency of linkage phases and large differences in allele frequencies between the Dent and Flint heterotic groups in pericentromeric regions. These results can be explained by the Hill–Robertson effect and support the hypothesis of differential fixation of alleles due to pseudo-overdominance in these regions. In pericentromeric regions we also found indications for consistent marker–QTL linkage between heterotic groups. With prediction methods GBLUP and BayesB, the cross-validation prediction accuracy ranged from 0.75 to 0.92 for grain yield and from 0.59 to 0.95 for grain moisture. The prediction accuracy of untested hybrids was highest, if both parents were parents of other hybrids in the training set, and lowest, if none of them were involved in any training set hybrid. Optimizing the composition of the training set in terms of number of lines and hybrids per line could further increase prediction accuracy. We conclude that genomic prediction facilitates a paradigm shift in hybrid breeding by focusing on the performance of experimental hybrids rather than the performance of parental lines in testcrosses. PMID:24850820

Analysis and Assessment of Operation Risk for Hybrid AC/DC Power System based on the Monte Carlo Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xiaojing; Li, Qiang; Zhang, Hao; Guo, Ziming; Zhao, Kun; Li, Xinpeng

2018-06-01

Based on the Monte Carlo method, an improved risk assessment method for hybrid AC/DC power system with VSC station considering the operation status of generators, converter stations, AC lines and DC lines is proposed. According to the sequential AC/DC power flow algorithm, node voltage and line active power are solved, and then the operation risk indices of node voltage over-limit and line active power over-limit are calculated. Finally, an improved two-area IEEE RTS-96 system is taken as a case to analyze and assessment its operation risk. The results show that the proposed model and method can intuitively and directly reflect the weak nodes and weak lines of the system, which can provide some reference for the dispatching department.

Life cycle cost of a hybrid forward osmosis - low pressure reverse osmosis system for seawater desalination and wastewater recovery.

PubMed

Valladares Linares, R; Li, Z; Yangali-Quintanilla, V; Ghaffour, N; Amy, G; Leiknes, T; Vrouwenvelder, J S

2016-01-01

In recent years, forward osmosis (FO) hybrid membrane systems have been investigated as an alternative to conventional high-pressure membrane processes (i.e. reverse osmosis (RO)) for seawater desalination and wastewater treatment and recovery. Nevertheless, their economic advantage in comparison to conventional processes for seawater desalination and municipal wastewater treatment has not been clearly addressed. This work presents a detailed economic analysis on capital and operational expenses (CAPEX and OPEX) for: i) a hybrid forward osmosis - low-pressure reverse osmosis (FO-LPRO) process, ii) a conventional seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination process, and iii) a membrane bioreactor - reverse osmosis - advanced oxidation process (MBR-RO-AOP) for wastewater treatment and reuse. The most important variables affecting economic feasibility are obtained through a sensitivity analysis of a hybrid FO-LPRO system. The main parameters taken into account for the life cycle costs are the water quality characteristics (similar feed water and similar water produced), production capacity of 100,000 m(3) d(-1) of potable water, energy consumption, materials, maintenance, operation, RO and FO module costs, and chemicals. Compared to SWRO, the FO-LPRO systems have a 21% higher CAPEX and a 56% lower OPEX due to savings in energy consumption and fouling control. In terms of the total water cost per cubic meter of water produced, the hybrid FO-LPRO desalination system has a 16% cost reduction compared to the benchmark for desalination, mainly SWRO. Compared to the MBR-RO-AOP, the FO-LPRO systems have a 7% lower CAPEX and 9% higher OPEX, resulting in no significant cost reduction per m(3) produced by FO-LPRO. Hybrid FO-LPRO membrane systems are shown to have an economic advantage compared to current available technology for desalination, and comparable costs with a wastewater treatment and recovery system. Based on development on FO membrane modules, packing density, and water permeability, the total water cost could be further reduced. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Triblock Copolymer Design Leads to Robust Hybrid Hydrogels for High-Performance Flexible Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Zhang, Guangzhao; Chen, Yunhua; Deng, Yonghong; Wang, Chaoyang

2017-10-18

We report here an intriguing hybrid conductive hydrogel as electrode for high-performance flexible supercapacitor. The key is using a rationally designed water-soluble ABA triblock copolymer (termed as IAOAI) containing a central poly(ethylene oxide) block (A) and terminal poly(acrylamide) (PAAm) block with aniline moieties randomly incorporated (B), which was synthesized by reversible additional fragment transfer polymerization. The subsequent copolymerization of aniline monomers with the terminated aniline moieties on the IAOAI polymer generates a three-dimensional cross-linking hybrid network. The hybrid hydrogel electrode demonstrates robust mechanical flexibility, remarkable electrochemical capacitance (919 F/g), and cyclic stability (90% capacitance retention after 1000 cycles). Moreover, the flexible supercapacitor based on this hybrid hydrogel electrode presents a large specific capacitance (187 F/g), superior to most reported conductive hydrogel-based supercapacitors. With the demonstrated additional favorable cyclic stability and excellent capacitive and rate performance, this hybrid hydrogel-based supercapacitor holds great promise for flexible energy-storage device.

Reversible Structural Swell-Shrink and Recoverable Optical Properties in Hybrid Inorganic-Organic Perovskite.

PubMed

Zhang, Yupeng; Wang, Yusheng; Xu, Zai-Quan; Liu, Jingying; Song, Jingchao; Xue, Yunzhou; Wang, Ziyu; Zheng, Jialu; Jiang, Liangcong; Zheng, Changxi; Huang, Fuzhi; Sun, Baoquan; Cheng, Yi-Bing; Bao, Qiaoliang

2016-07-26

Ion migration in hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites has been suggested to be an important factor for many unusual behaviors in perovskite-based optoelectronics, such as current-voltage hysteresis, low-frequency giant dielectric response, and the switchable photovoltaic effect. However, the role played by ion migration in the photoelectric conversion process of perovskites is still unclear. In this work, we provide microscale insights into the influence of ion migration on the microstructure, stability, and light-matter interaction in perovskite micro/nanowires by using spatially resolved optical characterization techniques. We observed that ion migration, especially the migration of MA(+) ions, will induce a reversible structural swell-shrink in perovskites and recoverably affect the reflective index, quantum efficiency, light-harvesting, and photoelectric properties. The maximum ion migration quantity in perovskites was as high as approximately 30%, resulting in lattice swell or shrink of approximately 4.4%. Meanwhile, the evidence shows that ion migration in perovskites could gradually accelerate the aging of perovskites because of lattice distortion in the reversible structural swell-shrink process. Knowledge regarding reversible structural swell-shrink and recoverable optical properties may shed light on the development of optoelectronic and converse piezoelectric devices based on perovskites.

New hybrid reverse differential pulse position width modulation scheme for wireless optical communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Renbo; Liu, Hongzhan; Qiao, Yaojun

2014-05-01

In order to improve the power efficiency and reduce the packet error rate of reverse differential pulse position modulation (RDPPM) for wireless optical communication (WOC), a hybrid reverse differential pulse position width modulation (RDPPWM) scheme is proposed, based on RDPPM and reverse pulse width modulation. Subsequently, the symbol structure of RDPPWM is briefly analyzed, and its performance is compared with that of other modulation schemes in terms of average transmitted power, bandwidth requirement, and packet error rate over ideal additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels. Based on the given model, the simulation results show that the proposed modulation scheme has the advantages of improving the power efficiency and reducing the bandwidth requirement. Moreover, in terms of error probability performance, RDPPWM can achieve a much lower packet error rate than that of RDPPM. For example, at the same received signal power of -28 dBm, the packet error rate of RDPPWM can decrease to 2.6×10-12, while that of RDPPM is 2.2×10. Furthermore, RDPPWM does not need symbol synchronization at the receiving end. These considerations make RDPPWM a favorable candidate to select as the modulation scheme in the WOC systems.

Multigenerational outbreeding effects in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha).

PubMed

Lehnert, Sarah J; Love, Oliver P; Pitcher, Trevor E; Higgs, Dennis M; Heath, Daniel D

2014-08-01

Outbreeding, mating between genetically divergent individuals, may result in negative fitness consequences for offspring via outbreeding depression. Outbreeding effects are of notable concern in salmonid research as outbreeding can have major implications for salmon aquaculture and conservation management. We therefore quantified outbreeding effects in two generations (F1 hybrids and F2 backcrossed hybrids) of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) derived from captively-reared purebred lines that had been selectively bred for differential performance based on disease resistance and growth rate. Parental lines were crossed in 2009 to create purebred and reciprocal hybrid crosses (n = 53 families), and in 2010 parental and hybrid crosses were crossed to create purebred and backcrossed hybrid crosses (n = 66 families). Although we found significant genetic divergence between the parental lines (FST = 0.130), reciprocal F1 hybrids showed no evidence of outbreeding depression (hybrid breakdown) or favorable heterosis for weight, length, condition or survival. The F2 backcrossed hybrids showed no outbreeding depression for a suite of fitness related traits measured from egg to sexually mature adult life stages. Our study contributes to the current knowledge of outbreeding effects in salmonids and supports the need for more research to better comprehend the mechanisms driving outbreeding depression.

Detection and genotyping of human papilloma virus in cervical cancer specimens from Saudi patients.

PubMed

Al-Badawi, Ismail A; Al-Suwaine, Abdulrahman; Al-Aker, Murad; Asaad, Lina; Alaidan, Alwaleed; Tulbah, Asma; Fe Bohol, Marie; Munkarah, Adnan R

2011-07-01

To determine the rates and types of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in cervical cancer specimens from Saudi patients. One hundred specimens were randomly selected and retrieved from the achieved samples stored in the pathology department accessioned under the diagnosis of cervical cancer and carcinoma in situ between the years 1997 and 2007. Human papilloma virus in the clinical samples was detected using polymerase chain reaction amplification methods. Two primer systems are commonly used: the MY09-MY11 primers and the GP5+-GP6+ that amplify a wide range of HPV genotypes. Human papilloma virus isolates were genotyped using DNA sequencing and reverse line blot hybridization assay to identify the high-risk HPV genotypes. Ninety cases fulfilled the diagnostic criteria and were analyzed. The rate of HPV genotype detection among cervical cancer samples was 95.5%. The most common HPV genotype detected by both methods was HPV-16 (63.4%), followed by HPV-18 (11.1%), HPV-45 (4.5%), HPV-33 (3.3%), and HPV-31, HPV-52, HPV-53, HPV-58, HPV-59, and HPV-66 with 2.2% prevalence rate each. Prevalence of HPV genotypes among patients with cervical cancer in Saudi Arabia is comparable to the international rates. The use of the reverse line blot hybridization assay genotyping method could be useful for classifying oncogenic HPV-positive women. It is relatively inexpensive and reliable and can be performed in routine practice or epidemiological study compared with the available standard commercial kits.

On-chip optical mode conversion based on dynamic grating in photonic-phononic hybrid waveguide

PubMed Central

Chen, Guodong; Zhang, Ruiwen; Sun, Junqiang

2015-01-01

We present a scheme for reversible and tunable on-chip optical mode conversion based on dynamic grating in a hybrid photonic-phononic waveguide. The dynamic grating is built up through the acousto-optic effect and the theoretical model of the optical mode conversion is developed by considering the geometrical deformation and refractive index change. Three kinds of mode conversions are able to be realized using the same hybrid waveguide structure in a large bandwidth by only changing the launched acoustic frequency. The complete mode conversion can be achieved by choosing a proper acoustic power under a given waveguide length. PMID:25996236

Reciprocal Genetics: Identifying QTL for General and Specific Combining Abilities in Hybrids Between Multiparental Populations from Two Maize (Zea mays L.) Heterotic Groups.

PubMed

Giraud, Héloïse; Bauland, Cyril; Falque, Matthieu; Madur, Delphine; Combes, Valérie; Jamin, Philippe; Monteil, Cécile; Laborde, Jacques; Palaffre, Carine; Gaillard, Antoine; Blanchard, Philippe; Charcosset, Alain; Moreau, Laurence

2017-11-01

Several plant and animal species of agricultural importance are commercialized as hybrids to take advantage of the heterosis phenomenon. Understanding the genetic architecture of hybrid performances is therefore of key importance. We developed two multiparental maize ( Zea mays L.) populations, each corresponding to an important heterotic group (dent or flint) and comprised of six connected biparental segregating populations of inbred lines (802 and 822 lines for each group, respectively) issued from four founder lines. Instead of using "testers" to evaluate their hybrid values, segregating lines were crossed according to an incomplete factorial design to produce 951 dent-flint hybrids, evaluated for four biomass production traits in eight environments. QTL detection was carried out for the general-combining-ability (GCA) and specific-combining-ability (SCA) components of hybrid value, considering allelic effects transmitted from each founder line. In total, 42 QTL were detected across traits. We detected mostly QTL affecting GCA, 31% (41% for dry matter yield) of which also had mild effects on SCA. The small impact of dominant effects is consistent with the known differentiation between the dent and flint heterotic groups and the small percentage of hybrid variance due to SCA observed in our design (∼20% for the different traits). Furthermore, most (80%) of GCA QTL were segregating in only one of the two heterotic groups. Relative to tester-based designs, use of hybrids between two multiparental populations appears highly cost efficient to detect QTL in two heterotic groups simultaneously. This presents new prospects for selecting superior hybrid combinations with markers. Copyright © 2017 by the Genetics Society of America.

Establishment of a rat hepatoma-derived cell line proliferating in D-phenylalanine medium and expressing D-amino-acid oxidase.

PubMed

Yoda, N; Konno, R; Nagashima, S

2001-01-01

A cell line (R-Y121B.DF) has been established from a cell line (R-Y121B) derived from a rat hepatoma line (H4-II-E). The R-Y121B.DF cells have been continuously cultured in a serum-free modified Eagle's minimum essential medium in which L-phenylalanine was replaced by D-phenylalanine. They had D-amino-acid oxidase (DAO) activity which is essential for the growth in the medium containing D-amino acids. The enzyme activity of the R-Y121B.DF cells was approximately one-fourth of that of the rat liver. Northern hybridization using a DAO cDNA probe detected a hybridizing signal in the R-Y121B.DF cells and the rat liver but not in the parental R-Y121B and H4-II-E cells. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using DAO-specific primers amplified a DNA fragment of the expected size in the R-Y121B.DF cells but not in the R-Y121B and H4-II-E cells. This fragment was confirmed to be DAO cDNA by nucleotide sequencing. Western blotting showed that DAO protein was present in the R-Y121B.DF cells and the rat liver but not in the R-Y121B and H4-II-E cells. Southern hybridization showed that the DAO gene structure was not different among the R-Y121B.DF cells, R-Y121B cells, H4-II-E cells, and the rat liver. These results indicate that the R-Y121B.DF is a unique cell line which proliferates in the medium containing D-phenylalanine and explicitly expresses DAO. This line is useful for the study of DAO in vitro.

Small RNA-based prediction of hybrid performance in maize.

PubMed

Seifert, Felix; Thiemann, Alexander; Schrag, Tobias A; Rybka, Dominika; Melchinger, Albrecht E; Frisch, Matthias; Scholten, Stefan

2018-05-21

Small RNA (sRNA) sequences are known to have a broad impact on gene regulation by various mechanisms. Their performance for the prediction of hybrid traits has not yet been analyzed. Our objective was to analyze the relation of parental sRNA expression with the performance of their hybrids, to develop a sRNA-based prediction approach, and to compare it to more common SNP and mRNA transcript based predictions using a factorial mating scheme of a maize hybrid breeding program. Correlation of genomic differences and messenger RNA (mRNA) or sRNA expression differences between parental lines with hybrid performance of their hybrids revealed that sRNAs showed an inverse relationship in contrast to the other two data types. We associated differences for SNPs, mRNA and sRNA expression between parental inbred lines with the performance of their hybrid combinations and developed two prediction approaches using distance measures based on associated markers. Cross-validations revealed parental differences in sRNA expression to be strong predictors for hybrid performance for grain yield in maize, comparable to genomic and mRNA data. The integration of both positively and negatively associated markers in the prediction approaches enhanced the prediction accurary. The associated sRNAs belong predominantly to the canonical size classes of 22- and 24-nt that show specific genomic mapping characteristics. Expression profiles of sRNA are a promising alternative to SNPs or mRNA expression profiles for hybrid prediction, especially for plant species without reference genome or transcriptome information. The characteristics of the sRNAs we identified suggest that association studies based on breeding populations facilitate the identification of sRNAs involved in hybrid performance.

Programmable display of DNA-protein chimeras for controlling cell-hydrogel interactions via reversible intermolecular hybridization.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhaoyang; Li, Shihui; Chen, Niancao; Yang, Cheng; Wang, Yong

2013-04-08

Extensive studies have been recently carried out to achieve dynamic control of cell-material interactions primarily through physicochemical stimulation. The purpose of this study was to apply reversible intermolecular hybridization to program cell-hydrogel interactions in physiological conditions based on DNA-antibody chimeras and complementary oligonucleotides. The results showed that DNA oligonucleotides could be captured to and released from the immobilizing DNA-functionalized hydrogels with high specificity via DNA hybridization. Accordingly, DNA-antibody chimeras were captured to the hydrogels, successfully inducing specific cell attachment. The cell attachment to the hydrogels reached the plateau at approximately half an hour after the functionalized hydrogels and the cells were incubated together. The attached cells were rapidly released from the bound hydrogels when triggering complementary oligonucleotides were introduced to the system. However, the capability of the triggering complementary oligonucleotides in releasing cells was affected by the length of intermolecular hybridization. The length needed to be at least more than 20 base pairs in the current experimental setting. Notably, because the procedure of intermolecular hybridization did not involve any harsh condition, the released cells maintained the same viability as that of the cultured cells. The functionalized hydrogels also exhibited the potential to catch and release cells repeatedly. Therefore, this study demonstrates that it is promising to regulate cell-material interactions dynamically through the DNA-programmed display of DNA-protein chimeras.

FISH-Based Markers Enable Identification of Chromosomes Derived From Tetraploid Thinopyrum elongatum in Hybrid Lines.

PubMed

Li, Daiyan; Li, Tinghui; Wu, Yanli; Zhang, Xiaohui; Zhu, Wei; Wang, Yi; Zeng, Jian; Xu, Lili; Fan, Xing; Sha, Lina; Zhang, Haiqin; Zhou, Yonghong; Kang, Houyang

2018-01-01

Tetraploid Thinopyrum elongatum , which has superior abiotic stress tolerance characteristics, and exhibits resistance to stripe rust, powdery mildew, and Fusarium head blight, is a wild relative of wheat and a promising source of novel genes for wheat improvement. Currently, a high-resolution Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) karyotype of tetraploid Th. elongatum is not available. To develop chromosome-specific FISH-based markers, the hexaploid Trititrigia 8801 and two accessions of tetraploid Th. elongatum were characterized by different repetitive sequences probes. We found that all E-genome chromosomes could be unambiguously identified using a combination of pSc119.2, pTa535, pTa71, and pTa713 repeats, and the E-genome chromosomes of the wild accessions and the partial amphiploid failed to exhibit any significant variation in the probe hybridization patterns. To verify the validation of these markers, the chromosome constitution of eight wheat- Th. elongatum hybrid derivatives were analyzed. We revealed that these probes could quickly detect wheat and tetraploid Th. elongatum chromosomes in hybrid lines. K16-712-1-2 was a 1E (1D) chromosome substitution line, K16-681-4 was a 2E disomic chromosome addition line, K16-562-3 was a 3E, 4E (3D, 4D) chromosome substitution line, K15-1033-8-2 contained one 4E, two 5E, and one 4ES⋅1DL Robertsonian translocation chromosome, and four other lines carried monosomic 4E, 5E, 6E, and 7E chromosome, respectively. Furthermore, the E-genome specific molecular markers analysis corresponded perfectly with the FISH results. The developed FISH markers will facilitate rapid identification of tetraploid Th. elongatum chromosomes in wheat improvement programs and allow appropriate alien chromosome transfer.

Determination of tetraalkyllead compounds in gasoline by liquid chromatography-atomic absorption spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Messman, J.D.; Rains, T.C.

1981-01-01

A liquid chromatography-atomic absorption spectrometry (LC-AAS) hybrid analytical technique is presented for metal speciation measurements on complex liquid samples. The versatility and inherent metal selectivity of the technique are Illustrated by the rapid determination of five tetraalkyllead compounds in commercial gasoline. Separation of the individual tetraalkyllead species is achieved by reversed-phase liquid chromatography using an acetonitrile/water mobile phase. The effluent from the liquid Chromatograph Is introduced directly into the aspiration uptake capillary of the nebulizer of an air/acetylene flame atomic absorption spectrometer. Spectral interferences due to coeluting hydrocarbon matrix constituents were not observed at the 283.3-nm resonance line of lead used for analysis. Detection limits of this LC-AAS hydrid analytical technique, based on a 20-??L injection, are approximately 10 ng Pb for each tetraalkyllead compound.

On the use of reverse Brownian motion to accelerate hybrid simulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bakarji, Joseph; Tartakovsky, Daniel M., E-mail: tartakovsky@stanford.edu

Multiscale and multiphysics simulations are two rapidly developing fields of scientific computing. Efficient coupling of continuum (deterministic or stochastic) constitutive solvers with their discrete (stochastic, particle-based) counterparts is a common challenge in both kinds of simulations. We focus on interfacial, tightly coupled simulations of diffusion that combine continuum and particle-based solvers. The latter employs the reverse Brownian motion (rBm), a Monte Carlo approach that allows one to enforce inhomogeneous Dirichlet, Neumann, or Robin boundary conditions and is trivially parallelizable. We discuss numerical approaches for improving the accuracy of rBm in the presence of inhomogeneous Neumann boundary conditions and alternative strategiesmore » for coupling the rBm solver with its continuum counterpart. Numerical experiments are used to investigate the convergence, stability, and computational efficiency of the proposed hybrid algorithm.« less

Organised surfactant assemblies in analytical atomic spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanz-Medel, Alfredo; Fernandez de la Campa, Maria del Rosario; Gonzalez, Elisa Blanco; Fernandez-Sanchez, Maria Luisa

1999-02-01

The use of surfactant-based organised assemblies in analytical atomic spectroscopy is extensively and critically reviewed along three main lines: first, the ability of organised media to enhance detection of atomic spectroscopic methods by favourable manipulation of physical and chemical properties of the sample solution second, the extension of separation mechanisms by resorting to organised media and third a discussion of synergistic combinations of liquid chromatography separations and atomic detectors via the use of vesicular mobile phases. Changes in physical properties of sample solutions aspirated in atomic spectrometry by addition of surfactants can be advantageously used in at least four different ways: (i) to improve nebulisation efficiency; (ii) to enhance wettability of solid surfaces used for atomisation; (iii) to improve compatibility between aqueous and organic phases; and (iv) to achieve good dispersion of small particles in "slurry" techniques. Controversial results and statements published so far are critically discussed. The ability of surfactant-based organised assemblies, such as micelles and vesicles, to organise reactants at the molecular level has also been applied to enhance the characteristics of chemical generation of volalite species of metals and semi-metals (e.g., hydride or ethylide generation of As, Pb, Cd, Se, Sn, and cold vapour Hg generation) used in atomic methods. Enhancements in efficiency/transport of volatile species, increases in the reaction kinetics, stabilisation of some unstable species and changes in the selectivity of the reactions by surfactants are dealt with. Non-chromatographic cloud-point separations to design pre-concentration procedures with subsequent metal determination by atomic methods are addressed along with chromatographic separations of expanded scope by addition of surfactants to the conventional aqueous mobile phases of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Finally, the synergistic effect of using vesicles to improve both the separation capabilities of reversed-phase HPLC and the detectability of atomic detectors by on-line vesicular hydride generation is described. In particular, the possible separation mechanisms responsible for micellar and vesicular mobile phases in reversed-phase chromatographies are analysed and compared. The possible effect of modification of stationary phases by monomers of the surfactants should also be taken into account. The application of such on-line couplings to develop new hybrid approaches to tackle modern problems of trace element speciation for As, Hg, Se, and Cd completes this revision of the present interface between analytical atomic spectroscopy and surfactant-based organised assemblies.

Evaluation of a reverse-hybridization StripAssay for the detection of genetic polymorphisms leading to acenocoumarol sensitivity.

PubMed

Gialeraki, Argyri; Markatos, Christos; Grouzi, Elisabeth; Merkouri, Efrosyni; Travlou, Anthi; Politou, Marianna

2010-04-01

Acenocoumarol is mainly catabolized by CYP2C9 isoform of cytochrome P450 (CYP) liver complex and exerts its anticoagulant effect through the inhibition of Vitamin K Epoxide Reductase (VKOR). The most important genetic polymorphisms which lead to an impaired enzymatic activity and therefore predispose to acenocoumarol sensitivity, are considered to be CYP2C9*2 (Arg144Cys), CYP2C9*3 (Ile359Leu) and VKORC1-1639G>A, respectively. In this study we compared the results of the PGXThrombo StripAssay kit (ViennaLab Diagnostics,Vienna, Austria) with direct DNA sequencing and in house Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLP) for the detection of the aforementioned Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). The reverse hybridization StripAssay was found to be equally effective with RFLP and direct DNA sequencing for the detection of CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3 polymorphisms, respectively. The comparison of the RFLP reference method with the reverse hybridization StripAssay for the detection of VKORC1-1639 G>A polymorphism showed that the reverse hybridization StripAsssay might misclassify some A/A homozygotes as heterozygotes. Optimization of the hybridization procedures may eliminate the extra low signal band observed in some samples at the reverse hybridization StripAssay and improve its diagnostic value.

Genome properties and prospects of genomic prediction of hybrid performance in a breeding program of maize.

PubMed

Technow, Frank; Schrag, Tobias A; Schipprack, Wolfgang; Bauer, Eva; Simianer, Henner; Melchinger, Albrecht E

2014-08-01

Maize (Zea mays L.) serves as model plant for heterosis research and is the crop where hybrid breeding was pioneered. We analyzed genomic and phenotypic data of 1254 hybrids of a typical maize hybrid breeding program based on the important Dent × Flint heterotic pattern. Our main objectives were to investigate genome properties of the parental lines (e.g., allele frequencies, linkage disequilibrium, and phases) and examine the prospects of genomic prediction of hybrid performance. We found high consistency of linkage phases and large differences in allele frequencies between the Dent and Flint heterotic groups in pericentromeric regions. These results can be explained by the Hill-Robertson effect and support the hypothesis of differential fixation of alleles due to pseudo-overdominance in these regions. In pericentromeric regions we also found indications for consistent marker-QTL linkage between heterotic groups. With prediction methods GBLUP and BayesB, the cross-validation prediction accuracy ranged from 0.75 to 0.92 for grain yield and from 0.59 to 0.95 for grain moisture. The prediction accuracy of untested hybrids was highest, if both parents were parents of other hybrids in the training set, and lowest, if none of them were involved in any training set hybrid. Optimizing the composition of the training set in terms of number of lines and hybrids per line could further increase prediction accuracy. We conclude that genomic prediction facilitates a paradigm shift in hybrid breeding by focusing on the performance of experimental hybrids rather than the performance of parental lines in test crosses. Copyright © 2014 by the Genetics Society of America.

Development of an optimized protocol for the detection of classical swine fever virus in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues by seminested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and comparison with in situ hybridization.

PubMed

Ha, S-K; Choi, C; Chae, C

2004-10-01

An optimized protocol was developed for the detection of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues obtained from experimentally and naturally infected pigs by seminested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The results for seminested RT-PCR were compared with those determined by in situ hybridization. The results obtained show that the use of deparaffinization with xylene, digestion with proteinase K, extraction with Trizol LS, followed by seminested RT-PCR is a reliable detection method. An increase in sensitivity was observed as amplicon size decreased. The highest sensitivity for RT-PCR on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues RNA was obtained with amplicon sizes less than approximately 200 base pairs. An hybridization signal for CSFV was detected in lymph nodes from 12 experimentally and 12 naturally infected pigs. The sensitivity of seminested RT-PCR compared with in situ hybridization was 100% for CSFV. When only formalin-fixed tissues are available, seminested RT-PCR and in situ hybridization would be useful diagnostic methods for the detection of CSFV nucleic acid.

The environment strongly affects estimates of heterosis in hybrid sweet sorghum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) has potential as a biofuel feedstock but hybrid cultivars are needed to support an industry based on this crop. The purpose of this study was to compare five inbred sweet sorghum lines and 15 hybrids derived from them, and to determine the extent of envir...

Resistive Switching in All-Printed, Flexible and Hybrid MoS2-PVA Nanocomposite based Memristive Device Fabricated by Reverse Offset

PubMed Central

Rehman, Muhammad Muqeet; Siddiqui, Ghayas Uddin; Gul, Jahan Zeb; Kim, Soo-Wan; Lim, Jong Hwan; Choi, Kyung Hyun

2016-01-01

Owing to the increasing interest in the nonvolatile memory devices, resistive switching based on hybrid nanocomposite of a 2D material, molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is explored in this work. As a proof of concept, we have demonstrated the fabrication of a memory device with the configuration of PET/Ag/MoS2-PVA/Ag via an all printed, hybrid, and state of the art fabrication approach. Bottom Ag electrodes, active layer of hybrid MoS2-PVA nanocomposite and top Ag electrode are deposited by reverse offset, electrohydrodynamic (EHD) atomization and electrohydrodynamic (EHD) patterning respectively. The fabricated device displayed characteristic bistable, nonvolatile and rewritable resistive switching behavior at a low operating voltage. A decent off/on ratio, high retention time, and large endurance of 1.28 × 102, 105 sec and 1000 voltage sweeps were recorded respectively. Double logarithmic curve satisfy the trap controlled space charge limited current (TCSCLC) model in high resistance state (HRS) and ohmic model in low resistance state (LRS). Bendability test at various bending diameters (50-2 mm) for 1500 cycles was carried out to show the mechanical robustness of fabricated device. PMID:27811977

Preparation and optical characteristics of layered perovskite-type lead-bromide-incorporated azobenzene chromophores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasai, Ryo; Shinomura, Hisashi

2013-02-01

Lead bromide-based layered perovskite powders with azobenzene derivatives were prepared by a homogeneous precipitation method. From the diffuse reflectance (DR) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the hybrid powder materials, the present hybrids exhibited sharp absorption and PL peaks originating from excitons produced in the PbBr42- layer. When the present hybrid powder was irradiated with UV light at 350 nm, the absorption band from the trans-azobenzene chromophore, observed around 350 nm, decreased, while the absorption band from the cis-azobenzene chromophore, observed around 450 nm, increased. These results indicate that azobenzene chromophores in the present hybrid materials exhibit reversible photoisomerization. Moreover, it was found that the PL intensity from the exciton also varied due to photoisomerization of the azobenzene chromophores in the present hybrid. Thus, for the first time we succeeded in preparing the azobenzene derivative lead-bromide-based layered perovskite with photochromism before and after UV light irradiation.

Hybrid grammar-based approach to nonlinear dynamical system identification from biological time series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKinney, B. A.; Crowe, J. E., Jr.; Voss, H. U.; Crooke, P. S.; Barney, N.; Moore, J. H.

2006-02-01

We introduce a grammar-based hybrid approach to reverse engineering nonlinear ordinary differential equation models from observed time series. This hybrid approach combines a genetic algorithm to search the space of model architectures with a Kalman filter to estimate the model parameters. Domain-specific knowledge is used in a context-free grammar to restrict the search space for the functional form of the target model. We find that the hybrid approach outperforms a pure evolutionary algorithm method, and we observe features in the evolution of the dynamical models that correspond with the emergence of favorable model components. We apply the hybrid method to both artificially generated time series and experimentally observed protein levels from subjects who received the smallpox vaccine. From the observed data, we infer a cytokine protein interaction network for an individual’s response to the smallpox vaccine.

An investigation of desalination by nanofiltration, reverse osmosis and integrated (hybrid NF/RO) membranes employed in brackish water treatment.

PubMed

Talaeipour, M; Nouri, J; Hassani, A H; Mahvi, A H

2017-01-01

As an appropriate tool, membrane process is used for desalination of brackish water, in the production of drinking water. The present study aims to investigate desalination processes of brackish water of Qom Province in Iran. This study was carried out at the central laboratory of Water and Wastewater Company of the studied area. To this aim, membrane processes, including nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO), separately and also their hybrid process were applied. Moreover, water physical and chemical parameters, including salinity, total dissolved solids (TDS), electric conductivity (EC), Na +1 and Cl -1 were also measured. Afterward, the rejection percent of each parameter was investigated and compared using nanofiltration and reverse osmosis separately and also by their hybrid process. The treatment process was performed by Luna domestic desalination device, which its membrane was replaced by two NF90 and TW30 membranes for nanofiltration and reverse osmosis processes, respectively. All collected brackish water samples were fed through membranes NF90-2540, TW30-1821-100(RO) and Hybrid (NF/RO) which were installed on desalination household scale pilot (Luna water 100GPD). Then, to study the effects of pressure on permeable quality of membranes, the simulation software model ROSA was applied. Results showed that percent of the salinity rejection was recorded as 50.21%; 72.82 and 78.56% in NF, RO and hybrid processes, respectively. During the study, in order to simulate the performance of nanofiltartion, reverse osmosis and hybrid by pressure drive, reverse osmosis system analysis (ROSA) model was applied. The experiments were conducted at performance three methods of desalination to remove physic-chemical parameters as percentage of rejections in the pilot plant are: in the NF system the salinity 50.21, TDS 43.41, EC 43.62, Cl 21.1, Na 36.15, and in the RO membrane the salinity 72.02, TDS 60.26, EC 60.33, Cl 43.08, Na 54.41. Also in case of the rejection in hybrid system of those parameters and ions included salinity 78.65, TDS 76.52, EC 76.42, Cl 63.95, and Na 70.91. Comparing rejection percent in three above-mentioned methods, it could be concluded that, in reverse osmosis process, ions and non-ion parameters rejection ability were rather better than nanofiltration process, and also better in hybrid compared to reverse osmosis process. The results reported in this paper indicate that the integration of membrane nanofiltration with reverse osmosis (hybrid NF/RO) can be completed by each other probably to remove salinity, TDS, EC, Cl, and Na.

Combination of reversible male sterility and doubled haploid production by targeted inactivation of cytoplasmic glutamine synthetase in developing anthers and pollen.

PubMed

Ribarits, Alexandra; Mamun, A N K; Li, Shipeng; Resch, Tatiana; Fiers, Martijn; Heberle-Bors, Erwin; Liu, Chun-Ming; Touraev, Alisher

2007-07-01

Reversible male sterility and doubled haploid plant production are two valuable technologies in F(1)-hybrid breeding. F(1)-hybrids combine uniformity with high yield and improved agronomic traits, and provide self-acting intellectual property protection. We have developed an F(1)-hybrid seed technology based on the metabolic engineering of glutamine in developing tobacco anthers and pollen. Cytosolic glutamine synthetase (GS1) was inactivated in tobacco by introducing mutated tobacco GS genes fused to the tapetum-specific TA29 and microspore-specific NTM19 promoters. Pollen in primary transformants aborted close to the first pollen mitosis, resulting in male sterility. A non-segregating population of homozygous doubled haploid male-sterile plants was generated through microspore embryogenesis. Fertility restoration was achieved by spraying plants with glutamine, or by pollination with pollen matured in vitro in glutamine-containing medium. The combination of reversible male sterility with doubled haploid production results in an innovative environmentally friendly breeding technology. Tapetum-mediated sporophytic male sterility is of use in foliage crops, whereas microspore-specific gametophytic male sterility can be applied to any field crop. Both types of sterility preclude the release of transgenic pollen into the environment.

New Method for Simultaneous Species-Specific Identification of Equine Strongyles (Nematoda, Strongylida) by Reverse Line Blot Hybridization▿

PubMed Central

Traversa, Donato; Iorio, Raffaella; Klei, Thomas R.; Kharchenko, Vitaliy A.; Gawor, Jakub; Otranto, Domenico; Sparagano, Olivier A. E.

2007-01-01

The ability of a reverse line blot (RLB) assay to identify 13 common species of equine small strongyles (cyathostomins) and to discriminate them from three Strongylus spp. (large strongyles) was demonstrated. The assay relied on the specific hybridization of PCR-amplified intergenic spacer DNA fragments of the nuclear ribosomal DNA to membrane-bound species-specific probes. All cyathostomins examined were unequivocally identified and simultaneously discriminated from each other and from three large strongyles (Strongylus edentatus, Strongylus equinus, and Strongylus vulgaris). This assay will enable the accurate and rapid identification of equine cyathostomins irrespective of their life cycle stage, opening important avenues for a better understanding of their biology and epidemiology and of the pathogenesis of cyathostomin-associated disease. In particular, this RLB method promises to be a powerful diagnostic tool to determine the roles of individual species in the pathogenesis of mixed infections and to elucidate some aspects of cyathostominosis. Also, it could represent a basic step toward the development of a rapid and simple molecular test for the early detection of drug-resistant genotypes of horse strongyle species. PMID:17626168

Reversible photo-chem-electrotriggered three-state luminescence switching based on core-shell nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Yanling; Zhu, Zhijun; Zhu, Chengzhou; Zhu, Jinbo; Ren, Jiangtao; Wang, Erkang; Dong, Shaojun

2013-05-01

Reversible three-state fluorescence switches triggered by light, electricity and chemical inputs based on ``sponges'' of Pyronin Y-doped silica nanoparticles (PYDS) and polyoxometalate K14[Na(H2O)P5W30O110] (Na-POMs) core-shell nanostructures were realized. Under one or two signal inputs, the system exhibited distinct three-state interconvertible automaton, achieving reversible ``on'' and ``off'' luminescence switches via the related luminescence quenching effect. The features of the system correspond to the equivalent circuitry of an IMPLICATION logic gate performing the Boolean operation by using potential and chemical as inputs. Such a multi-chromic device with novel structure possesses several advantages, such as relative low operation voltage, large reproducibility and reversibility, apparent fluorescence contrast, and long-time stability, which make it a suitable candidate for nonvolatile memory devices. In addition, the current protocol for the hybrid film fabrication can be easily extended from the polyoxometalate and organic dyes to other novel nanostructures matched multifunctional stimulus-responsive species and fluorescence materials in the future.Reversible three-state fluorescence switches triggered by light, electricity and chemical inputs based on ``sponges'' of Pyronin Y-doped silica nanoparticles (PYDS) and polyoxometalate K14[Na(H2O)P5W30O110] (Na-POMs) core-shell nanostructures were realized. Under one or two signal inputs, the system exhibited distinct three-state interconvertible automaton, achieving reversible ``on'' and ``off'' luminescence switches via the related luminescence quenching effect. The features of the system correspond to the equivalent circuitry of an IMPLICATION logic gate performing the Boolean operation by using potential and chemical as inputs. Such a multi-chromic device with novel structure possesses several advantages, such as relative low operation voltage, large reproducibility and reversibility, apparent fluorescence contrast, and long-time stability, which make it a suitable candidate for nonvolatile memory devices. In addition, the current protocol for the hybrid film fabrication can be easily extended from the polyoxometalate and organic dyes to other novel nanostructures matched multifunctional stimulus-responsive species and fluorescence materials in the future. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details and instrumentation; electrochemical, fluorescence and absorption spectra characterizations of hybrid films. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr00254c

Reversible Modulation of DNA-Based Hydrogel Shapes by Internal Stress Interactions.

PubMed

Hu, Yuwei; Kahn, Jason S; Guo, Weiwei; Huang, Fujian; Fadeev, Michael; Harries, Daniel; Willner, Itamar

2016-12-14

We present the assembly of asymmetric two-layer hybrid DNA-based hydrogels revealing stimuli-triggered reversibly modulated shape transitions. Asymmetric, linear hydrogels that include layer-selective switchable stimuli-responsive elements that control the hydrogel stiffness are designed. Trigger-induced stress in one of the layers results in the bending of the linear hybrid structure, thereby minimizing the elastic free energy of the systems. The removal of the stress by a counter-trigger restores the original linear bilayer hydrogel. The stiffness of the DNA hydrogel layers is controlled by thermal, pH (i-motif), K + ion/crown ether (G-quadruplexes), chemical (pH-doped polyaniline), or biocatalytic (glucose oxidase/urease) triggers. A theoretical model relating the experimental bending radius of curvatures of the hydrogels with the Young's moduli and geometrical parameters of the hydrogels is provided. Promising applications of shape-regulated stimuli-responsive asymmetric hydrogels include their use as valves, actuators, sensors, and drug delivery devices.

Reversible structural transformation and enhanced performance of PEDOT:PSS-based hybrid solar cells driven by light intensity.

PubMed

Thomas, Joseph Palathinkal; Srivastava, Saurabh; Zhao, Liyan; Abd-Ellah, Marwa; McGillivray, Donald; Kang, Jung Soo; Rahman, Md Anisur; Moghimi, Nafiseh; Heinig, Nina F; Leung, Kam Tong

2015-04-15

Hybrid solar cells made of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) ( PSS) and appropriate amounts of a cosolvent and a fluorosurfactant on planar n-type silicon substrates showed a photoconversion efficiency (PCE) of above 13%. These cells also exhibited stable, reproducible, and high external quantum efficiency (EQE) that was not sensitive to light-bias intensity (LBI). In contrast, solar cells made of pristine PSS showed low PCE and high EQE only under certain measurement conditions. The EQE was found to degrade with increasing LBI. Here we report that the LBI-sensitive variation of EQE of the low-PCE cells is related to a reversible structural transformation from a quinoid to a benzoid structure of PEDOT.

Electro-optic chaotic system based on the reverse-time chaos theory and a nonlinear hybrid feedback loop.

PubMed

Jiang, Xingxing; Cheng, Mengfan; Luo, Fengguang; Deng, Lei; Fu, Songnian; Ke, Changjian; Zhang, Minming; Tang, Ming; Shum, Ping; Liu, Deming

2016-12-12

A novel electro-optic chaos source is proposed on the basis of the reverse-time chaos theory and an analog-digital hybrid feedback loop. The analog output of the system can be determined by the numeric states of shift registers, which makes the system robust and easy to control. The dynamical properties as well as the complexity dependence on the feedback parameters are investigated in detail. The correlation characteristics of the system are also studied. Two improving strategies which were established in digital field and analog field are proposed to conceal the time-delay signature. The proposed scheme has the potential to be used in radar and optical secure communication systems.

MYC RNAi-PT Combination Nanotherapy for Metastatic Prostate Cancer Treatment

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

We further demonstrate MYC silencing in BMPC cell line-based allograft tumors by the hybrid NPs. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Nanotechnology , nanoparticle...3 2. KEYWORDS Nanotechnology , lipid, polymer, hybrid nanoparticle, siRNA delivery, platinum, MYC, prostate cancer, drug resistance, mouse

Heterosis and correlation in interspecific and intraspecific hybrids of cotton.

PubMed

Munir, S; Hussain, S B; Manzoor, H; Quereshi, M K; Zubair, M; Nouman, W; Shehzad, A N; Rasul, S; Manzoor, S A

2016-06-24

Interspecific and intraspecific hybrids show varying degrees of heterosis for yield and yield components. Yield-component traits have complex genetic relationships with each other. To determine the relationship of yield-component traits and fiber traits with seed cotton yield, six lines (Bt. CIM-599, CIM-573, MNH-786, CIM-554, BH-167, and GIZA-7) and three test lines (MNH-886, V4, and CIM-557) were crossed in a line x tester mating design. Heterosis was observed for seed cotton yield, fiber traits, and for other yield-component traits. Heterosis in interspecific hybrids for seed cotton yield was more prominent than in intraspecific hybrids. The interspecific hybrid Giza-7 x MNH-886 had the highest heterosis (114.77), while among intraspecific hybrids, CIM-554 x CIM-557 had the highest heterosis (61.29) for seed cotton yield. A major trait contributing to seed cotton yield was bolls/plant followed by boll weight. Correlation studies revealed that bolls/plant, boll weight, lint weight/boll, lint index, seed index, lint/seed, staple length, and staple strength were significantly and positively associated with seed cotton yield. Selection based on boll weight, boll number, lint weight/boll, and lint index will be helpful for improving cotton seed yield.

A comparison of DNA extraction protocols from blood spotted on FTA cards for the detection of tick-borne pathogens by Reverse Line Blot hybridization.

PubMed

Hailemariam, Zerihun; Ahmed, Jabbar Sabir; Clausen, Peter-Henning; Nijhof, Ard Menzo

2017-01-01

An essential step in the molecular detection of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in blood is the extraction of DNA. When cooled storage of blood under field conditions prior to DNA extraction in a dedicated laboratory is not possible, the storage of blood on filter paper forms a promising alternative. We evaluated six DNA extraction methods from blood spotted on FTA Classic ® cards (FTA cards), to determine the optimal protocol for the subsequent molecular detection of TBPs by PCR and the Reverse Line Blot hybridization assay (RLB). Ten-fold serial dilutions of bovine blood infected with Babesia bovis, Theileria mutans, Anaplasma marginale or Ehrlichia ruminantium were made by dilution with uninfected blood and spotted on FTA cards. Subsequently, DNA was extracted from FTA cards using six different DNA extraction protocols. DNA was also isolated from whole blood dilutions using a commercial kit. PCR/RLB results showed that washing of 3mm discs punched from FTA cards with FTA purification reagent followed by DNA extraction using Chelex ® resin was the most sensitive procedure. The detection limit could be improved when more discs were used as starting material for the DNA extraction, whereby the use of sixteen 3mm discs proved to be most practical. The presented best practice method for the extraction of DNA from blood spotted on FTA cards will facilitate epidemiological studies on TBPs. It may be particularly useful for field studies where a cold chain is absent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Efficient hybrid non-equilibrium molecular dynamics--Monte Carlo simulations with symmetric momentum reversal.

PubMed

Chen, Yunjie; Roux, Benoît

2014-09-21

Hybrid schemes combining the strength of molecular dynamics (MD) and Metropolis Monte Carlo (MC) offer a promising avenue to improve the sampling efficiency of computer simulations of complex systems. A number of recently proposed hybrid methods consider new configurations generated by driving the system via a non-equilibrium MD (neMD) trajectory, which are subsequently treated as putative candidates for Metropolis MC acceptance or rejection. To obey microscopic detailed balance, it is necessary to alter the momentum of the system at the beginning and/or the end of the neMD trajectory. This strict rule then guarantees that the random walk in configurational space generated by such hybrid neMD-MC algorithm will yield the proper equilibrium Boltzmann distribution. While a number of different constructs are possible, the most commonly used prescription has been to simply reverse the momenta of all the particles at the end of the neMD trajectory ("one-end momentum reversal"). Surprisingly, it is shown here that the choice of momentum reversal prescription can have a considerable effect on the rate of convergence of the hybrid neMD-MC algorithm, with the simple one-end momentum reversal encountering particularly acute problems. In these neMD-MC simulations, different regions of configurational space end up being essentially isolated from one another due to a very small transition rate between regions. In the worst-case scenario, it is almost as if the configurational space does not constitute a single communicating class that can be sampled efficiently by the algorithm, and extremely long neMD-MC simulations are needed to obtain proper equilibrium probability distributions. To address this issue, a novel momentum reversal prescription, symmetrized with respect to both the beginning and the end of the neMD trajectory ("symmetric two-ends momentum reversal"), is introduced. Illustrative simulations demonstrate that the hybrid neMD-MC algorithm robustly yields a correct equilibrium probability distribution with this prescription.

Efficient hybrid non-equilibrium molecular dynamics - Monte Carlo simulations with symmetric momentum reversal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yunjie; Roux, Benoît

2014-09-01

Hybrid schemes combining the strength of molecular dynamics (MD) and Metropolis Monte Carlo (MC) offer a promising avenue to improve the sampling efficiency of computer simulations of complex systems. A number of recently proposed hybrid methods consider new configurations generated by driving the system via a non-equilibrium MD (neMD) trajectory, which are subsequently treated as putative candidates for Metropolis MC acceptance or rejection. To obey microscopic detailed balance, it is necessary to alter the momentum of the system at the beginning and/or the end of the neMD trajectory. This strict rule then guarantees that the random walk in configurational space generated by such hybrid neMD-MC algorithm will yield the proper equilibrium Boltzmann distribution. While a number of different constructs are possible, the most commonly used prescription has been to simply reverse the momenta of all the particles at the end of the neMD trajectory ("one-end momentum reversal"). Surprisingly, it is shown here that the choice of momentum reversal prescription can have a considerable effect on the rate of convergence of the hybrid neMD-MC algorithm, with the simple one-end momentum reversal encountering particularly acute problems. In these neMD-MC simulations, different regions of configurational space end up being essentially isolated from one another due to a very small transition rate between regions. In the worst-case scenario, it is almost as if the configurational space does not constitute a single communicating class that can be sampled efficiently by the algorithm, and extremely long neMD-MC simulations are needed to obtain proper equilibrium probability distributions. To address this issue, a novel momentum reversal prescription, symmetrized with respect to both the beginning and the end of the neMD trajectory ("symmetric two-ends momentum reversal"), is introduced. Illustrative simulations demonstrate that the hybrid neMD-MC algorithm robustly yields a correct equilibrium probability distribution with this prescription.

Repression of hTERT transcription by the introduction of chromosome 3 into human oral squamous cell carcinoma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nishio, Sachiyo; Department of Biomedical Science, Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biofunction, Graduate School of Medical Science, Tottori University, Yonago, Tottori, 683-8503; Ohira, Takahito

Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein enzyme that maintains telomere length. Telomerase activity is primarily attributed to the expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT). It has been reported that introduction of an intact human chromosome 3 into the human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line HSC3 suppresses the tumorigenicity of these cells. However, the mechanisms that regulate tumorigenicity have not been elucidated. To determine whether this reduction in tumorigenicity was accompanied by a reduction in telomerase activity, we investigated the transcriptional activation of TERT in HSC3 microcell hybrid clones with an introduced human chromosome 3 (HSC3#3). HSC#3 cells showed inhibition of hTERT transcriptionmore » compared to that of the parental HSC3 cells. Furthermore, cell fusion experiments showed that hybrids of HSC3 cells and cells of the RCC23 renal carcinoma cell line, which also exhibits suppression of TERT transcription by the introduction of human chromosome 3, also displayed suppressed TERT transcription. These results suggested that human chromosome 3 may carry functionally distinct, additional TERT repressor genes. - Highlights: • hTERT mRNA expression level decreased in the chromosome 3 introduced HSC3 clones. • hTERT mRNA expression level was tend to suppressed in HSC3 and RCC23 hybrid cells. • We provide evidence that human chromosome 3 carries at least two distinct hTERT regulatory factors.« less

Manipulation of novel nano-prodrug composed of organic pigment-based hybrid network and its optical uses.

PubMed

Zhou, Zhan; Zheng, Yuhui; Cheng, Cheng Zhang; Wen, Jiajia; Wang, Qianming

2017-01-01

Here we developed the first case of pyropheophorbide-a-loaded PEGylated-hybrid carbon nanohorns (CNH-Pyro) to study tumor targeting therapy. During incubation with living cells, CNH-Pyro exhibited very intense red emissions. The intracellular imaging results were carried out by flow cytometry based on four different kinds of cell lines (including three adherent cell lines and one suspension cell line). Compared with free pyropheophorbide-a, CNH-Pyro demonstrated enhanced photodynamic tumor ablation efficiency during in vitro experiments due to improved biocompatibility of the hybrid nanomaterial and the photothermal therapy effect derived from carbon-network structure. Trypan blue staining experiments supported that the cell fate was dependent on the synergistic effects of both CNH-Pyro and laser irradiations. These results indicated that the chlorin-entrapped carbon nanohorns could provide powerful delivery vehicles for increasing photodynamic efficacy and possess early identification of the disease. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficient Development of High Fidelity Structured Volume Grids for Hypersonic Flow Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alter, Stephen J.

2003-01-01

A new technique for the control of grid line spacing and intersection angles of a structured volume grid, using elliptic partial differential equations (PDEs) is presented. Existing structured grid generation algorithms make use of source term hybridization to provide control of grid lines, imposing orthogonality implicitly at the boundary and explicitly on the interior of the domain. A bridging function between the two types of grid line control is typically used to blend the different orthogonality formulations. It is shown that utilizing such a bridging function with source term hybridization can result in the excessive use of computational resources and diminishes robustness. A new approach, Anisotropic Lagrange Based Trans-Finite Interpolation (ALBTFI), is offered as a replacement to source term hybridization. The ALBTFI technique captures the essence of the desired grid controls while improving the convergence rate of the elliptic PDEs when compared with source term hybridization. Grid generation on a blunt cone and a Shuttle Orbiter is used to demonstrate and assess the ALBTFI technique, which is shown to be as much as 50% faster, more robust, and produces higher quality grids than source term hybridization.

Metabolic robustness in young roots underpins a predictive model of maize hybrid performance in the field.

PubMed

de Abreu E Lima, Francisco; Westhues, Matthias; Cuadros-Inostroza, Álvaro; Willmitzer, Lothar; Melchinger, Albrecht E; Nikoloski, Zoran

2017-04-01

Heterosis has been extensively exploited for yield gain in maize (Zea mays L.). Here we conducted a comparative metabolomics-based analysis of young roots from in vitro germinating seedlings and from leaves of field-grown plants in a panel of inbred lines from the Dent and Flint heterotic patterns as well as selected F 1 hybrids. We found that metabolite levels in hybrids were more robust than in inbred lines. Using state-of-the-art modeling techniques, the most robust metabolites from roots and leaves explained up to 37 and 44% of the variance in the biomass from plants grown in two distinct field trials. In addition, a correlation-based analysis highlighted the trade-off between defense-related metabolites and hybrid performance. Therefore, our findings demonstrated the potential of metabolic profiles from young maize roots grown under tightly controlled conditions to predict hybrid performance in multiple field trials, thus bridging the greenhouse-field gap. © 2017 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

MYC RNAi-PT Combination Nanotherapy for Metastatic Prostate Cancer Treatment

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

MYC silencing in BMPC cell line-based allograft tumors by the hybrid NPs. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Nanotechnology , nanoparticle, siRNA delivery, platinum...KEYWORDS Nanotechnology , lipid, polymer, hybrid nanoparticle, siRNA delivery, platinum, MYC, prostate cancer, drug resistance, mouse model, pathology

Dynamic hybrid materials for constitutional self-instructed membranes.

PubMed

Cazacu, Adinela; Legrand, Yves-Marie; Pasc, Andreea; Nasr, Gihane; Van der Lee, Arie; Mahon, Eugene; Barboiu, Mihail

2009-05-19

Constitutional self-instructed membranes were developed and used for mimicking the adaptive structural functionality of natural ion-channel systems. These membranes are based on dynamic hybrid materials in which the functional self-organized macrocycles are reversibly connected with the inorganic silica through hydrophobic noncovalent interactions. Supramolecular columnar ion-channel architectures can be generated by reversible confinement within scaffolding hydrophobic silica mesopores. They can be structurally determined by using X-ray diffraction and morphologically tuned by alkali-salts templating. From the conceptual point of view, these membranes express a synergistic adaptive behavior: the simultaneous binding of the fittest cation and its anion would be a case of "homotropic allosteric interactions," because in time it increases the transport efficiency of the pore-contained superstructures by a selective evolving process toward the fittest ion channel. The hybrid membranes presented here represent dynamic constitutional systems evolving over time to form the fittest ion channels from a library of molecular and supramolecular components, or selecting the fittest ion pairs from a mixture of salts demonstrating flexible adaptation.

Hybrid of Co(3)Sn(2)@Co nanoparticles and nitrogen-doped graphene as a lithium ion battery anode.

PubMed

Mahmood, Nasir; Zhang, Chenzhen; Liu, Fei; Zhu, Jinghan; Hou, Yanglong

2013-11-26

A facile strategy was designed for the fabrication of hybrid of Co3Sn2@Co nanoparticles (NPs) and nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) sheets through a hydrothermal synthesis, followed by annealing process. Core-shell architecture of Co3Sn2@Co pin on NG is designed for the dual encapsulation of Co3Sn2 with adaptable ensembles of Co and NG to address the structural and interfacial stability concerns facing tin-based anodes. In the resulted unique architecture of Co3Sn2@Co-NG hybrid, the sealed cobalt cover prevents the direct exposer of Sn with electrolyte because of encapsulated structure and keeps the structural and interfacial integrity of Co3Sn2. However, the elastically strong, flexible and conductive NG overcoat accommodates the volume changes and therefore brings the structural and electrical stabilization of Co3Sn2@Co NPs. As a result, Co3Sn2@Co-NG hybrid exhibits extraordinary reversible capacity of 1615 mAh/g at 250 mA/g after 100 cycles with excellent capacity retention of 102%. The hybrid bears superior rate capability with reversible capacity of 793.9 mAh/g at 2500 mA/g and Coulombic efficiency nearly 100%.

SSHscreen and SSHdb, generic software for microarray based gene discovery: application to the stress response in cowpea

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Suppression subtractive hybridization is a popular technique for gene discovery from non-model organisms without an annotated genome sequence, such as cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp). We aimed to use this method to enrich for genes expressed during drought stress in a drought tolerant cowpea line. However, current methods were inefficient in screening libraries and management of the sequence data, and thus there was a need to develop software tools to facilitate the process. Results Forward and reverse cDNA libraries enriched for cowpea drought response genes were screened on microarrays, and the R software package SSHscreen 2.0.1 was developed (i) to normalize the data effectively using spike-in control spot normalization, and (ii) to select clones for sequencing based on the calculation of enrichment ratios with associated statistics. Enrichment ratio 3 values for each clone showed that 62% of the forward library and 34% of the reverse library clones were significantly differentially expressed by drought stress (adjusted p value < 0.05). Enrichment ratio 2 calculations showed that > 88% of the clones in both libraries were derived from rare transcripts in the original tester samples, thus supporting the notion that suppression subtractive hybridization enriches for rare transcripts. A set of 118 clones were chosen for sequencing, and drought-induced cowpea genes were identified, the most interesting encoding a late embryogenesis abundant Lea5 protein, a glutathione S-transferase, a thaumatin, a universal stress protein, and a wound induced protein. A lipid transfer protein and several components of photosynthesis were down-regulated by the drought stress. Reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR confirmed the enrichment ratio values for the selected cowpea genes. SSHdb, a web-accessible database, was developed to manage the clone sequences and combine the SSHscreen data with sequence annotations derived from BLAST and Blast2GO. The self-BLAST function within SSHdb grouped redundant clones together and illustrated that the SSHscreen plots are a useful tool for choosing anonymous clones for sequencing, since redundant clones cluster together on the enrichment ratio plots. Conclusions We developed the SSHscreen-SSHdb software pipeline, which greatly facilitates gene discovery using suppression subtractive hybridization by improving the selection of clones for sequencing after screening the library on a small number of microarrays. Annotation of the sequence information and collaboration was further enhanced through a web-based SSHdb database, and we illustrated this through identification of drought responsive genes from cowpea, which can now be investigated in gene function studies. SSH is a popular and powerful gene discovery tool, and therefore this pipeline will have application for gene discovery in any biological system, particularly non-model organisms. SSHscreen 2.0.1 and a link to SSHdb are available from http://microarray.up.ac.za/SSHscreen. PMID:20359330

Magnetic field diffusion and dissipation in reversed-field plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drake, J. F.; Gladd, N. T.; Huba, J. D.

1981-01-01

A diffusion equation is derived which describes the evolution of a magnetic field in a plasma of arbitrary beta and resistivity. The equation is valid for a one-dimensional slab geometry, assumes the plasma remains in quasi-equilibrium throughout its evolution and does not include thermal transport. Scaling laws governing the rate of change of the magnetic energy, particle drift energy, and magnetic flux are calculated. It is found that the magnetic free energy can be substantially larger than the particle drift energy and can be an important energy reservoir in driving plasma instabilities (e.g., the lower-hybrid-drift instability). In addition, the effect of a spatially varying resistivity on the evolution of a reversed-field plasma is studied. The resistivity model used is based upon the anomalous transport properties associated with the nonlocal mode structure of the lower-hybrid-drift instability. The relevance of this research to laboratory plasmas (e.g., theta pinches, reversed-field theta pinches) and space plasmas (e.g., the earth's magnetotail) is discussed.

Photoconductivity enhancement and charge transport properties in ruthenium-containing block copolymer/carbon nanotube hybrids.

PubMed

Lo, Kin Cheung; Hau, King In; Chan, Wai Kin

2018-04-05

Functional polymer/carbon nanotube (CNT) hybrid materials can serve as a good model for light harvesting systems based on CNTs. This paper presents the synthesis of block copolymer/CNT hybrids and the characterization of their photocurrent responses by both experimental and computational approaches. A series of functional diblock copolymers was synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerizations for the dispersion and functionalization of CNTs. The block copolymers contain photosensitizing ruthenium complexes and modified pyrene-based anchoring units. The photocurrent responses of the polymer/CNT hybrids were measured by photoconductive atomic force microscopy (PCAFM), from which the experimental data were analyzed by vigorous statistical models. The difference in photocurrent response among different hybrids was correlated to the conformations of the hybrids, which were elucidated by molecular dynamics simulations, and the electronic properties of polymers. The photoresponse of the block copolymer/CNT hybrids can be enhanced by introducing an electron-accepting block between the photosensitizing block and the CNT. We have demonstrated that the application of a rigorous statistical methodology can unravel the charge transport properties of these hybrid materials and provide general guidelines for the design of molecular light harvesting systems.

A meta-GGA level screened range-separated hybrid functional by employing short range Hartree-Fock with a long range semilocal functional.

PubMed

Jana, Subrata; Samal, Prasanjit

2018-03-28

The range-separated hybrid density functionals are very successful in describing a wide range of molecular and solid-state properties accurately. In principle, such functionals are designed from spherically averaged or system averaged as well as reverse engineered exchange holes. In the present attempt, the screened range-separated hybrid functional scheme has been applied to the meta-GGA rung by using the density matrix expansion based semilocal exchange hole (or functional). The hybrid functional proposed here utilizes the spherically averaged density matrix expansion based exchange hole in the range separation scheme. For slowly varying density correction the range separation scheme is employed only through the local density approximation based exchange hole coupled with the corresponding fourth order gradient approximate Tao-Mo enhancement factor. The comprehensive testing and performance of the newly constructed functional indicates its applicability in describing several molecular properties. The most appealing feature of this present screened hybrid functional is that it will be practically very useful in describing solid-state properties at the meta-GGA level.

The abundance of homoeologue transcripts is disrupted by hybridization and is partially restored by genome doubling in synthetic hexaploid wheat.

PubMed

Hao, Ming; Li, Aili; Shi, Tongwei; Luo, Jiangtao; Zhang, Lianquan; Zhang, Xuechuan; Ning, Shunzong; Yuan, Zhongwei; Zeng, Deying; Kong, Xingchen; Li, Xiaolong; Zheng, Hongkun; Lan, Xiujin; Zhang, Huaigang; Zheng, Youliang; Mao, Long; Liu, Dengcai

2017-02-10

The formation of an allopolyploid is a two step process, comprising an initial wide hybridization event, which is later followed by a whole genome doubling. Both processes can affect the transcription of homoeologues. Here, RNA-Seq was used to obtain the genome-wide leaf transcriptome of two independent Triticum turgidum × Aegilops tauschii allotriploids (F1), along with their spontaneous allohexaploids (S1) and their parental lines. The resulting sequence data were then used to characterize variation in homoeologue transcript abundance. The hybridization event strongly down-regulated D-subgenome homoeologues, but this effect was in many cases reversed by whole genome doubling. The suppression of D-subgenome homoeologue transcription resulted in a marked frequency of parental transcription level dominance, especially with respect to genes encoding proteins involved in photosynthesis. Singletons (genes where no homoeologues were present) were frequently transcribed at both the allotriploid and allohexaploid plants. The implication is that whole genome doubling helps to overcome the phenotypic weakness of the allotriploid, restoring a more favourable gene dosage in genes experiencing transcription level dominance in hexaploid wheat.

HES6 reverses nuclear reprogramming of insulin-producing cells following cell fusion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ball, Andrew J.; Abrahamsson, Annelie E.; Tyrberg, Bjoern

2007-04-06

To examine the mechanism by which growth-stimulated pancreatic {beta}-cells dedifferentiate, somatic cell fusions were performed between MIN6, a highly differentiated mouse insulinoma, and {beta}lox5, a cell line derived from human {beta}-cells which progressively dedifferentiated in culture. MIN6/{beta}lox5 somatic cells hybrids underwent silencing of insulin expression and a marked decline in PDX1, NeuroD, and MafA, indicating that {beta}lox5 expresses a dominant transacting factor(s) that represses {beta}-cell differentiation. Expression of Hes1, which inhibits endocrine differentiation was higher in hybrid cells than in parental MIN6 cells. Hes6, a repressor of Hes1, was highly expressed in primary {beta}-cells as well as MIN6, but wasmore » repressed in hybrids. Hes6 overexpression using a retroviral vector led to a decrease in Hes1 levels, an increase in {beta}-cell transcription factors and partial restoration of insulin expression. We conclude that the balance of Notch activators and inhibitors may play an important role in maintaining the {beta}-cell differentiated state.« less

Marker-assisted introgression of opaque2 allele for rapid conversion of elite hybrids into quality protein maize.

PubMed

Hossain, Firoz; Muthusamy, Vignesh; Pandey, Neha; Vishwakarma, Ashish K; Baveja, Aanchal; Zunjare, Rajkumar U; Thirunavukkarasu, Nepolean; Saha, Supradip; Manjaiah, Kanchikeri M Manjaiah; Prasanna, Boddupalli M; Gupta, Hari S

2018-03-01

Maize is a valuable source of food and feed worldwide. Maize endosperm protein is, however nutritionally poor due to the reduced levels of two essential amino acids, lysine and tryptophan. In this study, recessive opaque2 (o2) allele that confers enhanced endosperm lysine and tryptophan, was introgressed using marker-assisted backcross breeding into three normal inbred lines (HKI323, HKI1105 and HKI1128). These are the parental lines of three popular medium-maturing single cross hybrids (HM4, HM8 and HM9) in India. Gene-based simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers (umc1066 and phi057) were successfully deployed for introgression of o2 allele. Background selection using genome-based SSRs helped in recovering > 96% of recurrent parent genome. The newly developed quality protein maize (QPM) inbreds showed modified kernels (25-50% opaqueness) coupled with high degree of phenotypic resemblance to the respective recipient lines, including grain yield. In addition, endosperm protein quality showed increased lysine and tryptophan in the inbreds to the range of 52-95% and 47-118%, respectively. The reconstituted QPM hybrids recorded significant enhancement of endosperm lysine (48-74%) and tryptophan (55-100%) in the endosperm. The QPM hybrids exhibited high phenotypic similarity with the original hybrids for morphological and yield contributing traits along with responses to some major diseases like turcicum leaf blight and maydis leaf blight. The grain yield of QPM hybrids was at par with their original versions under multilocation testing. These elite, high-yielding QPM hybrids with improved protein quality have been released and notified for commercial cultivation, and hold significant promise for improving nutritional security.

Establishment of an AAV Reverse Infection-Based Array

PubMed Central

Wang, Gang; Dong, Zheyue; Shen, Wei; Zheng, Gang; Wu, Xiaobing; Xue, Jinglun; Wang, Yue; Chen, Jinzhong

2010-01-01

Background The development of a convenient high-throughput gene transduction approach is critical for biological screening. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are broadly used in gene therapy studies, yet their applications in in vitro high-throughput gene transduction are limited. Principal Findings We established an AAV reverse infection (RI)-based method in which cells were transduced by quantified recombinant AAVs (rAAVs) pre-coated onto 96-well plates. The number of pre-coated rAAV particles and number of cells loaded per well, as well as the temperature stability of the rAAVs on the plates, were evaluated. As the first application of this method, six serotypes or hybrid serotypes of rAAVs (AAV1, AAV2, AAV5/5, AAV8, AAV25 m, AAV28 m) were compared for their transduction efficiencies using various cell lines, including BHK21, HEK293, BEAS-2BS, HeLaS3, Huh7, Hepa1-6, and A549. AAV2 and AAV1 displayed high transduction efficiency; thus, they were deemed to be suitable candidate vectors for the RI-based array. We next evaluated the impact of sodium butyrate (NaB) treatment on rAAV vector-mediated reporter gene expression and found it was significantly enhanced, suggesting that our system reflected the biological response of target cells to specific treatments. Conclusions/Significance Our study provides a novel method for establishing a highly efficient gene transduction array that may be developed into a platform for cell biological assays. PMID:20976058

Hybrid Stochastic Search Technique based Suboptimal AGC Regulator Design for Power System using Constrained Feedback Control Strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibraheem, Omveer, Hasan, N.

2010-10-01

A new hybrid stochastic search technique is proposed to design of suboptimal AGC regulator for a two area interconnected non reheat thermal power system incorporating DC link in parallel with AC tie-line. In this technique, we are proposing the hybrid form of Genetic Algorithm (GA) and simulated annealing (SA) based regulator. GASA has been successfully applied to constrained feedback control problems where other PI based techniques have often failed. The main idea in this scheme is to seek a feasible PI based suboptimal solution at each sampling time. The feasible solution decreases the cost function rather than minimizing the cost function.

Functional characterization of cell hybrids generated by induced fusion of primary porcine mesenchymal stem cells with an immortal murine cell line.

PubMed

Islam, M Q; Ringe, J; Reichmann, E; Migotti, R; Sittinger, M; da S Meirelles, L; Nardi, N B; Magnusson, P; Islam, K

2006-10-01

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) integrate into various organs and contribute to the regeneration of diverse tissues. However, the mechanistic basis of the plasticity of MSC is not fully understood. The change of cell fate has been suggested to occur through cell fusion. We have generated hybrid cell lines by polyethylene-glycol-mediated cell fusion of primary porcine MSC with the immortal murine fibroblast cell line F7, a derivative of the GM05267 cell line. The hybrid cell lines display fibroblastic morphology and proliferate like immortal cells. They contain tetraploid to hexaploid porcine chromosomes accompanied by hypo-diploid murine chromosomes. Interestingly, many hybrid cell lines also express high levels of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase, which is considered to be a marker of undifferentiated embryonic stem cells. All tested hybrid cell lines retain osteogenic differentiation, a few of them also retain adipogenic potential, but none retain chondrogenic differentiation. Conditioned media from hybrid cells enhance the proliferation of both early-passage and late-passage porcine MSC, indicating that the hybrid cells secrete diffusible growth stimulatory factors. Murine F7 cells thus have the unique property of generating immortal cell hybrids containing unusually high numbers of chromosomes derived from normal cells. These hybrid cells can be employed in various studies to improve our understanding of regenerative biology. This is the first report, to our knowledge, describing the generation of experimentally induced cell hybrids by using normal primary MSC.

Novel menadione hybrids: Synthesis, anticancer activity, and cell-based studies.

PubMed

Prasad, Chakka Vara; Nayak, Vadithe Lakshma; Ramakrishna, Sistla; Mallavadhani, Uppuluri Venkata

2018-01-01

A series of novel menadione-based triazole hybrids were designed and synthesized by employing copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). All the synthesized hybrids were characterized by their spectral data ( 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, IR, and HRMS). The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their anticancer activity against five selected cancer cell lines including lung (A549), prostate (DU-145), cervical (Hela), breast (MCF-7), and mouse melanoma (B-16) using MTT assay. The screening results showed that majority of the synthesized compounds displayed significant anticancer activity. Among the tested compounds, the triazoles 5 and 6 exhibited potent activity against all cell lines. In particular, compound 6 showed higher potency than the standard tamoxifen and parent menadione against MCF-7 cell line. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that compound 6 arrested cell cycle at G0/G1 phase and induced apoptotic cell death which was further confirmed by Hoechst staining, measurement of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and Annexin-V-FITC assay. Thus, compound 6 can be considered as lead molecule for further development as potent anticancer therapeutic agent. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Simultaneous Detection of Bovine Theileria and Babesia Species by Reverse Line Blot Hybridization

PubMed Central

Gubbels, J. M.; de Vos, A. P.; van der Weide, M.; Viseras, J.; Schouls, L. M.; de Vries, E.; Jongejan, F.

1999-01-01

A reverse line blot (RLB) assay was developed for the identification of cattle carrying different species of Theileria and Babesia simultaneously. We included Theileria annulata, T. parva, T. mutans, T. taurotragi, and T. velifera in the assay, as well as parasites belonging to the T. sergenti-T. buffeli-T. orientalis group. The Babesia species included were Babesia bovis, B. bigemina, and B. divergens. The assay employs one set of primers for specific amplification of the rRNA gene V4 hypervariable regions of all Theileria and Babesia species. PCR products obtained from blood samples were hybridized to a membrane onto which nine species-specific oligonucleotides were covalently linked. Cross-reactions were not observed between any of the tested species. No DNA sequences from Bos taurus or other hemoparasites (Trypanosoma species, Cowdria ruminantium, Anaplasma marginale, and Ehrlichia species) were amplified. The sensitivity of the assay was determined at 0.000001% parasitemia, enabling detection of the carrier state of most parasites. Mixed DNAs from five different parasites were correctly identified. Moreover, blood samples from cattle experimentally infected with two different parasites reacted only with the corresponding species-specific oligonucleotides. Finally, RLB was used to screen blood samples collected from carrier cattle in two regions of Spain. T. annulata, T. orientalis, and B. bigemina were identified in these samples. In conclusion, the RLB is a versatile technique for simultaneous detection of all bovine tick-borne protozoan parasites. We recommend its use for integrated epidemiological monitoring of tick-borne disease, since RLB can also be used for screening ticks and can easily be expanded to include additional hemoparasite species. PMID:10325324

Hybrid algorithms for fuzzy reverse supply chain network design.

PubMed

Che, Z H; Chiang, Tzu-An; Kuo, Y C; Cui, Zhihua

2014-01-01

In consideration of capacity constraints, fuzzy defect ratio, and fuzzy transport loss ratio, this paper attempted to establish an optimized decision model for production planning and distribution of a multiphase, multiproduct reverse supply chain, which addresses defects returned to original manufacturers, and in addition, develops hybrid algorithms such as Particle Swarm Optimization-Genetic Algorithm (PSO-GA), Genetic Algorithm-Simulated Annealing (GA-SA), and Particle Swarm Optimization-Simulated Annealing (PSO-SA) for solving the optimized model. During a case study of a multi-phase, multi-product reverse supply chain network, this paper explained the suitability of the optimized decision model and the applicability of the algorithms. Finally, the hybrid algorithms showed excellent solving capability when compared with original GA and PSO methods.

Hybrid Algorithms for Fuzzy Reverse Supply Chain Network Design

PubMed Central

Che, Z. H.; Chiang, Tzu-An; Kuo, Y. C.

2014-01-01

In consideration of capacity constraints, fuzzy defect ratio, and fuzzy transport loss ratio, this paper attempted to establish an optimized decision model for production planning and distribution of a multiphase, multiproduct reverse supply chain, which addresses defects returned to original manufacturers, and in addition, develops hybrid algorithms such as Particle Swarm Optimization-Genetic Algorithm (PSO-GA), Genetic Algorithm-Simulated Annealing (GA-SA), and Particle Swarm Optimization-Simulated Annealing (PSO-SA) for solving the optimized model. During a case study of a multi-phase, multi-product reverse supply chain network, this paper explained the suitability of the optimized decision model and the applicability of the algorithms. Finally, the hybrid algorithms showed excellent solving capability when compared with original GA and PSO methods. PMID:24892057

Stimulus-Responsive Micro-Supercapacitors with Ultrahigh Energy Density and Reversible Electrochromic Window.

PubMed

Zhang, Panpan; Zhu, Feng; Wang, Faxing; Wang, Jinhui; Dong, Renhao; Zhuang, Xiaodong; Schmidt, Oliver G; Feng, Xinliang

2017-02-01

Stimulus-responsive micro-supercapacitors (SR-MSCs) with ultrahigh volumetric energy density and reversible electrochromic effect are successfully fabricated by employing a vanadium pentoxide and electrochemical exfoliated graphene-based hybrid nanopaper and viologen as electrode and stimulus-responsive material, respectively. The fabricated high-performance SR-MSCs offer new opportunities for intuitively observing the working state of energy devices without the aid of extra equipment and techniques. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A high-voltage rechargeable magnesium-sodium hybrid battery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Yifei; An, Qinyou; Cheng, Yingwen

2017-04-01

Growing global demand of safe and low-cost energy storage technology triggers strong interests in novel battery concepts beyond state-of-art Li-ion batteries. Here we report a high-voltage rechargeable Mg–Na hybrid battery featuring dendrite-free deposition of Mg anode and Na-intercalation cathode as a low-cost and safe alternative to Li-ion batteries for large-scale energy storage. A prototype device using a Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode, a Mg anode, and a Mg–Na dual salt electrolyte exhibits the highest voltage (2.60 V vs. Mg) and best rate performance (86% capacity retention at 10C rate) among reported hybrid batteries. Synchrotron radiation-based X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), atomic-pair distributionmore » function (PDF), and high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) studies reveal the chemical environment and structural change of Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode during the Na ion insertion/deinsertion process. XANES study shows a clear reversible shift of vanadium K-edge and HRXRD and PDF studies reveal a reversible two-phase transformation and V–O bond length change during cycling. The energy density of the hybrid cell could be further improved by developing electrolytes with a higher salt concentration and wider electrochemical window. This work represents a significant step forward for practical safe and low-cost hybrid batteries.« less

MTBDRplus and MTBDRsl Assays: Absence of Wild-Type Probe Hybridization and Implications for Detection of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Georghiou, Sophia B.; Catanzaro, Donald; Rodrigues, Camilla; Crudu, Valeriu; Victor, Thomas C.; Garfein, Richard S.; Catanzaro, Antonino; Rodwell, Timothy C.

2016-01-01

Accurate identification of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis is imperative for effective treatment and subsequent reduction in disease transmission. Line probe assays rapidly detect mutations associated with resistance and wild-type sequences associated with susceptibility. Examination of molecular-level performance is necessary for improved assay result interpretation and for continued diagnostic development. Using data collected from a large, multisite diagnostic study, probe hybridization results from line probe assays, MTBDRplus and MTBDRsl, were compared to those of sequencing, and the diagnostic performance of each individual mutation and wild-type probe was assessed. Line probe assay results classified as resistant due to the absence of wild-type probe hybridization were compared to those of sequencing to determine if novel mutations were inhibiting wild-type probe hybridization. The contribution of absent wild-type probe hybridization to the detection of drug resistance was assessed via comparison to a phenotypic reference standard. In our study, mutation probes demonstrated significantly higher specificities than wild-type probes and wild-type probes demonstrated marginally higher sensitivities than mutation probes, an ideal combination for detecting the presence of resistance conferring mutations while yielding the fewest number of false-positive results. The absence of wild-type probe hybridization without mutation probe hybridization was determined to be primarily the result of failure of mutation probe hybridization and not the result of novel or rare mutations. Compared to phenotypic culture-based drug susceptibility testing, the absence of wild-type probe hybridization without mutation probe hybridization significantly contributed to the detection of phenotypic rifampin and fluoroquinolone resistance with negligible increases in false-positive results. PMID:26763971

Characterizing and marker-assisting a novel chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) yellow bud mutant with cytoplasmic male sterility.

PubMed

Sun, G S; Dai, Z L; Bosland, P W; Wang, Q; Sun, C Q; Zhang, Z C; Ma, Z H

2017-02-23

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in pepper is a better way to produce hybrid seeds compared to manual production. We used the two sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers (CRF-SCAR and CMS-SCAR 130 ) in CMS pepper, to identify the genotype. We assembled two CMS yellow bud mutants (YBM; YBM12-A and YBM12-B). This mutation in leaf color is controlled by a single dominant nuclear gene. The aim was to create a new hybrid seed production method that reduces the costs and increases F 1 hybrid seed purity. The results suggest that the CRF-SCAR and CMS-SCAR 130 markers can be used together in multiple generations to screen for restorer or maintainer genes. We found the marker linked to the restorer gene (Rf) in the C-line and F 1 hybrids, as well as partially in the F 2 generation, whereas it was not found in the sterile YBM12-A or the maintainer line YBM12-B. In the F 2 population, sterility and fertility segregated at a 3:1 ratio based on the CRF-SCAR marker. A 130 bp fragment was produced in the YBM12-A, F 1 , and F 2 populations, suggesting that these lines contained sterile cytoplasm. A 140 bp fragment present in the YBM12-B and C-line indicated that these lines contained normal cytoplasm. In addition, we identified some morphological characters distinguishing sterile and fertile buds and flowers that may be linked to the sterility gene. If more restorer lines are identified, CMS expressing the YBM trait can be used in hybrid seed production.

Karyotype variability in tropical maize sister inbred lines and hybrids compared with KYS standard line

PubMed Central

Mondin, Mateus; Santos-Serejo, Janay A.; Bertäo, Mônica R.; Laborda, Prianda; Pizzaia, Daniel; Aguiar-Perecin, Margarida L. R.

2014-01-01

Maize karyotype variability has been extensively investigated. The identification of maize somatic and pachytene chromosomes has improved with the development of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using tandemly repeated DNA sequences as probes. We identified the somatic chromosomes of sister inbred lines that were derived from a tropical flint maize population (Jac Duro [JD]), and hybrids between them, using FISH probes for the 180-bp knob repeat, centromeric satellite (CentC), centromeric satellite 4 (Cent4), subtelomeric clone 4-12-1, 5S ribosomal DNA and nucleolus organizing region DNA sequences. The observations were integrated with data based on C-banded mitotic metaphases and conventional analysis of pachytene chromosomes. Heterochromatic knobs visible at pachynema were coincident with C-bands and 180-bp FISH signals on somatic chromosomes, and most of them were large. Variation in the presence of some knobs was observed among lines. Small 180-bp knob signals were invariant on the short arms of chromosomes 1, 6, and 9. The subtelomeric 4-12-1 signal was also invariant and useful for identifying some chromosomes. The centromere location of chromosomes 2 and 4 differed from previous reports on standard maize lines. Somatic chromosomes of a JD line and the commonly used KYS line were compared by FISH in a hybrid of these lines. The pairing behavior of chromosomes 2 and 4 at pachytene stage in this hybrid was investigated using FISH with chromosome-specific probes. The homologues were fully synapsed, including the 5S rDNA and CentC sites on chromosome 2, and Cent4 and subtelomeric 4-12-1 sites on chromosome 4. This suggests that homologous chromosomes could pair through differential degrees of chromatin packaging in homologous arms differing in size. The results contribute to current knowledge of maize global diversity and also raise questions concerning the meiotic pairing of homologous chromosomes possibly differing in their amounts of repetitive DNA. PMID:25352856

PV-Diesel Hybrid SCADA Experiment Network Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalu, Alex; Durand, S.; Emrich, Carol; Ventre, G.; Wilson, W.; Acosta, R.

1999-01-01

The essential features of an experimental network for renewable power system satellite based supervisory, control and data acquisition (SCADA) are communication links, controllers, diagnostic equipment and a hybrid power system. Required components for implementing the network consist of two satellite ground stations, to satellite modems, two 486 PCs, two telephone receivers, two telephone modems, two analog telephone lines, one digital telephone line, a hybrid-power system equipped with controller and a satellite spacecraft. In the technology verification experiment (TVE) conducted by Savannah State University and Florida Solar Energy Center, the renewable energy hybrid system is the Apex-1000 Mini-Hybrid which is equipped with NGC3188 for user interface and remote control and the NGC2010 for monitoring and basic control tasks. This power system is connected to a satellite modem via a smart interface, RS232. Commands are sent to the power system control unit through a control PC designed as PC1. PC1 is thus connected to a satellite model through RS232. A second PC, designated PC2, the diagnostic PC is connected to both satellite modems via separate analog telephone lines for checking modems'health. PC2 is also connected to PC1 via a telephone line. Due to the unavailability of a second ground station for the ACTS, one ground station is used to serve both the sending and receiving functions in this experiment. Signal is sent from the control PC to the Hybrid system at a frequency f(sub 1), different from f(sub 2), the signal from the hybrid system to the control PC. f(sub l) and f(sub 2) are sufficiently separated to avoid interference.

Loss of Wild-Type ATRX Expression in Somatic Cell Hybrids Segregates with Activation of Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres

PubMed Central

Cole, Sara L.; Dagg, Rebecca A.; Lau, Loretta M. S.; Duncan, Emma L.; Moy, Elsa L.; Reddel, Roger R.

2012-01-01

Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT) is a non-telomerase mechanism of telomere lengthening that occurs in about 10% of cancers overall and is particularly common in astrocytic brain tumors and specific types of sarcomas. Somatic cell hybridization analyses have previously shown that normal telomerase-negative fibroblasts and telomerase-positive immortalized cell lines contain repressors of ALT activity, indicating that activation of ALT results from loss of one or more unidentified repressors. More recently, ATRX or DAXX was shown to be mutated both in tumors with telomere lengths suggestive of ALT activity and in ALT cell lines. Here, an ALT cell line was separately fused to each of four telomerase-positive cell lines, and four or five independent hybrid lines from each fusion were examined for expression of ATRX and DAXX and for telomere lengthening mechanism. The hybrid lines expressed either telomerase or ALT, with the other mechanism being repressed. DAXX was expressed normally in all parental cell lines and in all of the hybrids. ATRX was expressed normally in each of the four telomerase-positive parental cell lines and in every telomerase-positive hybrid line, and was abnormal in the ALT parental cells and in all but one of the ALT hybrids. This correlation between ALT activity and loss of ATRX expression is consistent with ATRX being a repressor of ALT. PMID:23185534

Simple structured hybrid WOLEDs based on incomplete energy transfer mechanism: from blue exciplex to orange dopant.

PubMed

Zhang, Tianyou; Zhao, Bo; Chu, Bei; Li, Wenlian; Su, Zisheng; Yan, Xingwu; Liu, Chengyuan; Wu, Hairuo; Gao, Yuan; Jin, Fangming; Hou, Fuhua

2015-05-15

Exciplex is well known as a charge transfer state formed between electron-donating and electron-accepting molecules. However, exciplex based organic light emitting diodes (OLED) often performed low efficiencies relative to pure phosphorescent OLED and could hardly be used to construct white OLED (WOLED). In this work, a new mechanism is developed to realize efficient WOLED with extremely simple structure by redistributing the energy of triplet exciplex to both singlet exciplex and the orange dopant. The micro process of energy transfer could be directly examined by detailed photoluminescence decay measurement and time resolved photoluminescence analysis. This strategy overcomes the low reverse intersystem crossing efficiency of blue exciplex and complicated device structure of traditional WOLED, enables us to achieve efficient hybrid WOLEDs. Based on this mechanism, we have successfully constructed both exciplex-fluorescence and exciplex-phosphorescence hybrid WOLEDs with remarkable efficiencies.

Simple structured hybrid WOLEDs based on incomplete energy transfer mechanism: from blue exciplex to orange dopant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Tianyou; Zhao, Bo; Chu, Bei; Li, Wenlian; Su, Zisheng; Yan, Xingwu; Liu, Chengyuan; Wu, Hairuo; Gao, Yuan; Jin, Fangming; Hou, Fuhua

2015-05-01

Exciplex is well known as a charge transfer state formed between electron-donating and electron-accepting molecules. However, exciplex based organic light emitting diodes (OLED) often performed low efficiencies relative to pure phosphorescent OLED and could hardly be used to construct white OLED (WOLED). In this work, a new mechanism is developed to realize efficient WOLED with extremely simple structure by redistributing the energy of triplet exciplex to both singlet exciplex and the orange dopant. The micro process of energy transfer could be directly examined by detailed photoluminescence decay measurement and time resolved photoluminescence analysis. This strategy overcomes the low reverse intersystem crossing efficiency of blue exciplex and complicated device structure of traditional WOLED, enables us to achieve efficient hybrid WOLEDs. Based on this mechanism, we have successfully constructed both exciplex-fluorescence and exciplex-phosphorescence hybrid WOLEDs with remarkable efficiencies.

Simple structured hybrid WOLEDs based on incomplete energy transfer mechanism: from blue exciplex to orange dopant

PubMed Central

Zhang, Tianyou; Zhao, Bo; Chu, Bei; Li, Wenlian; Su, Zisheng; Yan, Xingwu; Liu, Chengyuan; Wu, Hairuo; Gao, Yuan; Jin, Fangming; Hou, Fuhua

2015-01-01

Exciplex is well known as a charge transfer state formed between electron-donating and electron-accepting molecules. However, exciplex based organic light emitting diodes (OLED) often performed low efficiencies relative to pure phosphorescent OLED and could hardly be used to construct white OLED (WOLED). In this work, a new mechanism is developed to realize efficient WOLED with extremely simple structure by redistributing the energy of triplet exciplex to both singlet exciplex and the orange dopant. The micro process of energy transfer could be directly examined by detailed photoluminescence decay measurement and time resolved photoluminescence analysis. This strategy overcomes the low reverse intersystem crossing efficiency of blue exciplex and complicated device structure of traditional WOLED, enables us to achieve efficient hybrid WOLEDs. Based on this mechanism, we have successfully constructed both exciplex-fluorescence and exciplex-phosphorescence hybrid WOLEDs with remarkable efficiencies. PMID:25975371

Reverse spontaneous laser line sweeping in ytterbium fiber laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navratil, P.; Peterka, P.; Honzatko, P.; Kubecek, V.

2017-03-01

Self-induced laser line sweeping of various regimes of sweep direction is reported for an experimental ytterbium fiber laser. The regimes involve sweeping from shorter to longer wavelengths (1076~\\text{nm}\\to 1083 nm)—so-called normal self-sweeping; from longer to shorter wavelengths (1079~\\text{nm}\\to 1073 nm)—so-called reverse self-sweeping; and a mixed regime in which a precarious balance of the normal and reverse sweeping exists and the sweep direction can change between consecutive sweeps. The regimes of sweeping were selected by changing the pump wavelength only. A detailed explanation of this sweep direction dynamics is presented based on a semi-empirical model. This model also provides a way to predict the sweep direction of fiber lasers based on other rare-earth-doped laser media.

A Magnesium-Activated Carbon Hybrid Capacitor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoo, HD; Shterenberg, I; Gofer, Y

2013-12-11

Prototype cells of hybrid capacitor were developed, comprising activated carbon (AC) cloth and magnesium (Mg) foil as the positive and negative electrodes, respectively. The electrolyte solution included ether solvent (TBF) and a magnesium organo-halo-aluminate complex 0.25 M Mg2Cl3+-Ph2AlCl2-. In this solution Mg can be deposited/dissolved reversibly for thousands of cycles with high reversibility (100% cycling efficiency). The main barrier for integrating porous AC electrodes with this electrolyte solution was the saturation of the pores with the large ions in the AC prior to reaching the potential limit. This is due to the existence of bulky Mg and Al based ionicmore » complexes consisting Cl, alkyl or aryl (R), and THF ligands. This problem was resolved by adding 0.5 M of lithium chloride (LiCl), thus introducing smaller ionic species to the solution. This Mg hybrid capacitor system demonstrated a stable cycle performance for many thousands of cycles with a specific capacitance of 90 Fg(-1) for the AC positive electrodes along a potential range of 2.4 V. (C) 2014 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.« less

Dynamic hybrid materials for constitutional self-instructed membranes

PubMed Central

Cazacu, Adinela; Legrand, Yves-Marie; Pasc, Andreea; Nasr, Gihane; Van der Lee, Arie; Mahon, Eugene; Barboiu, Mihail

2009-01-01

Constitutional self-instructed membranes were developed and used for mimicking the adaptive structural functionality of natural ion-channel systems. These membranes are based on dynamic hybrid materials in which the functional self-organized macrocycles are reversibly connected with the inorganic silica through hydrophobic noncovalent interactions. Supramolecular columnar ion-channel architectures can be generated by reversible confinement within scaffolding hydrophobic silica mesopores. They can be structurally determined by using X-ray diffraction and morphologically tuned by alkali-salts templating. From the conceptual point of view, these membranes express a synergistic adaptive behavior: the simultaneous binding of the fittest cation and its anion would be a case of “homotropic allosteric interactions,” because in time it increases the transport efficiency of the pore-contained superstructures by a selective evolving process toward the fittest ion channel. The hybrid membranes presented here represent dynamic constitutional systems evolving over time to form the fittest ion channels from a library of molecular and supramolecular components, or selecting the fittest ion pairs from a mixture of salts demonstrating flexible adaptation. PMID:19416909

Chromosome identification by new molecular markers and genomic in situ hybridization in the Triticum-Secale-Thinopyrum trigeneric hybrids.

PubMed

Dai, Yi; Duan, Yamei; Chi, Dawn; Liu, Huiping; Huang, Shuai; Cao, Wenguang; Gao, Yong; Fedak, George; Chen, Jianmin

2017-08-01

It is very important to use chromosome-specific markers for identifying alien chromosomes in advanced generations of distant hybridization. The chromosome-specific markers of rye and Thinopyrum elongatum, as well as genomic in situ hybridization, were used to identify the alien chromosomes in eight lines that were derived from the crossing between Triticum trititrigia (AABBEE) and triticale (AABBRR). The results showed that four lines contained all rye chromosomes but no Th. elongatum chromosomes. The line RE36-1 contained all of the rye chromosomes except for chromosome 2R. The lines RE33-2 and RE62-1 contained all rye chromosomes and 1E and 5E translocated chromosome, respectively. The line RE24-4 contained 12 rye chromosomes plus a 7E chromosome or 12 rye chromosomes plus one R-E translocated chromosome. Chromosome identification in the above lines was consistent using chromosome-specific markers and genomic in situ hybridization. These chromosome-specific markers provide useful tools for detecting alien chromosomes in trigeneric hybrids, and these lines could be utilized as valuable germplasm in wheat improvement.

Letter box line blackener for the HDTV/conventional-analog hybrid system

DOEpatents

Wysocki, Frederick J.; Nickel, George H.

2006-07-18

A blackener for letter box lines associated with a HDTV/conventional-analog hybrid television transmission where the blackener counts horizontal sync pulses contained in the HDTV/conventional-analog hybrid television transmission and determines when the HDTV/conventional-analog hybrid television transmission is in letter-box lines: if it is, then the blackener sends substitute black signal to an output; and if it is not, then the blackener sends the HDTV/conventional-analog hybrid television transmission to the output.

PIF4-controlled auxin pathway contributes to hybrid vigor in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Wang, Li; Wu, Li Min; Greaves, Ian K; Zhu, Anyu; Dennis, Elizabeth S; Peacock, W James

2017-04-25

F1 hybrids in Arabidopsis and crop species are uniform and high yielding. The F2 generation loses much of the yield advantage and the plants have heterogeneous phenotypes. We generated pure breeding hybrid mimic lines by recurrent selection and also selected a pure breeding small phenotype line. The hybrid mimics are almost completely homozygous with chromosome segments from each parent. Four particular chromosomal segments from C24 and 8 from L er were present in all of the hybrid mimic lines, whereas in the F6 small phenotype line, the 12 segments were each derived from the alternative parent. Loci critical for promoting hybrid vigor may be contained in each of these 12 conserved segments. We have identified genes with similar altered expression in hybrid mimics and F1 plants but not in the small phenotype line. These genes may be critical for the generation of hybrid vigor. Analysis of transcriptomes indicated that increased expression of the transcription factor PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR (PIF4) may contribute to hybrid vigor by targeting the auxin biosynthesis gene YUCCA8 and the auxin signaling gene IAA29 A number of auxin responsive genes promoting leaf growth were up-regulated in the F1 hybrids and hybrid mimics, suggesting that increased auxin biosynthesis and signaling contribute to the hybrid phenotype. The hybrid mimic seeds had earlier germination as did the seeds of the F1 hybrids, indicating cosegregation of the genes for rosette size and the germination trait. Early germination may be an indicator of vigorous hybrids.

Hybrid mimics and hybrid vigor in Arabidopsis

PubMed Central

Wang, Li; Greaves, Ian K.; Groszmann, Michael; Wu, Li Min; Dennis, Elizabeth S.; Peacock, W. James

2015-01-01

F1 hybrids can outperform their parents in yield and vegetative biomass, features of hybrid vigor that form the basis of the hybrid seed industry. The yield advantage of the F1 is lost in the F2 and subsequent generations. In Arabidopsis, from F2 plants that have a F1-like phenotype, we have by recurrent selection produced pure breeding F5/F6 lines, hybrid mimics, in which the characteristics of the F1 hybrid are stabilized. These hybrid mimic lines, like the F1 hybrid, have larger leaves than the parent plant, and the leaves have increased photosynthetic cell numbers, and in some lines, increased size of cells, suggesting an increased supply of photosynthate. A comparison of the differentially expressed genes in the F1 hybrid with those of eight hybrid mimic lines identified metabolic pathways altered in both; these pathways include down-regulation of defense response pathways and altered abiotic response pathways. F6 hybrid mimic lines are mostly homozygous at each locus in the genome and yet retain the large F1-like phenotype. Many alleles in the F6 plants, when they are homozygous, have expression levels different to the level in the parent. We consider this altered expression to be a consequence of transregulation of genes from one parent by genes from the other parent. Transregulation could also arise from epigenetic modifications in the F1. The pure breeding hybrid mimics have been valuable in probing the mechanisms of hybrid vigor and may also prove to be useful hybrid vigor equivalents in agriculture. PMID:26283378

PIF4-controlled auxin pathway contributes to hybrid vigor in Arabidopsis thaliana

PubMed Central

Wang, Li; Wu, Li Min; Greaves, Ian K.; Zhu, Anyu; Dennis, Elizabeth S.; Peacock, W. James

2017-01-01

F1 hybrids in Arabidopsis and crop species are uniform and high yielding. The F2 generation loses much of the yield advantage and the plants have heterogeneous phenotypes. We generated pure breeding hybrid mimic lines by recurrent selection and also selected a pure breeding small phenotype line. The hybrid mimics are almost completely homozygous with chromosome segments from each parent. Four particular chromosomal segments from C24 and 8 from Ler were present in all of the hybrid mimic lines, whereas in the F6 small phenotype line, the 12 segments were each derived from the alternative parent. Loci critical for promoting hybrid vigor may be contained in each of these 12 conserved segments. We have identified genes with similar altered expression in hybrid mimics and F1 plants but not in the small phenotype line. These genes may be critical for the generation of hybrid vigor. Analysis of transcriptomes indicated that increased expression of the transcription factor PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR (PIF4) may contribute to hybrid vigor by targeting the auxin biosynthesis gene YUCCA8 and the auxin signaling gene IAA29. A number of auxin responsive genes promoting leaf growth were up-regulated in the F1 hybrids and hybrid mimics, suggesting that increased auxin biosynthesis and signaling contribute to the hybrid phenotype. The hybrid mimic seeds had earlier germination as did the seeds of the F1 hybrids, indicating cosegregation of the genes for rosette size and the germination trait. Early germination may be an indicator of vigorous hybrids. PMID:28396418

The ATPG Attack for Reverse Engineering of Combinational Hybrid Custom-Programmable Circuits

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-23

The ATPG Attack for Reverse Engineering of Combinational Hybrid Custom- Programmable Circuits Raza Shafiq Hamid Mahmoodi Houman Homayoun Hassan... programmable circuits. While functionality of programmable cells are only known to trusted parties, effective techniques for activation and propagation...of the cells are introduced. The ATPG attack carefully studies dependency of programmable cells to develop their (partial) truth tables. Results

DEFINING THE PLAYERS IN HIGHER-ORDER NETWORKS: PREDICTIVE MODELING FOR REVERSE ENGINEERING FUNCTIONAL INFLUENCE NETWORKS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McDermott, Jason E.; Costa, Michelle N.; Stevens, S.L.

A difficult problem that is currently growing rapidly due to the sharp increase in the amount of high-throughput data available for many systems is that of determining useful and informative causative influence networks. These networks can be used to predict behavior given observation of a small number of components, predict behavior at a future time point, or identify components that are critical to the functioning of the system under particular conditions. In these endeavors incorporating observations of systems from a wide variety of viewpoints can be particularly beneficial, but has often been undertaken with the objective of inferring networks thatmore » are generally applicable. The focus of the current work is to integrate both general observations and measurements taken for a particular pathology, that of ischemic stroke, to provide improved ability to produce useful predictions of systems behavior. A number of hybrid approaches have recently been proposed for network generation in which the Gene Ontology is used to filter or enrich network links inferred from gene expression data through reverse engineering methods. These approaches have been shown to improve the biological plausibility of the inferred relationships determined, but still treat knowledge-based and machine-learning inferences as incommensurable inputs. In this paper, we explore how further improvements may be achieved through a full integration of network inference insights achieved through application of the Gene Ontology and reverse engineering methods with specific reference to the construction of dynamic models of transcriptional regulatory networks. We show that integrating two approaches to network construction, one based on reverse-engineering from conditional transcriptional data, one based on reverse-engineering from in situ hybridization data, and another based on functional associations derived from Gene Ontology, using probabilities can improve results of clustering as evaluated by a predictive model of transcriptional expression levels.« less

Crystalline Microporous Organosilicates with Reversed Functionalities of Organic and Inorganic Components for Room-Temperature Gas Sensing.

PubMed

Fabbri, Barbara; Bonoldi, Lucia; Guidi, Vincenzo; Cruciani, Giuseppe; Casotti, Davide; Malagù, Cesare; Bellussi, Giuseppe; Millini, Roberto; Montanari, Luciano; Carati, Angela; Rizzo, Caterina; Montanari, Erica; Zanardi, Stefano

2017-07-26

A deepened investigation on an innovative organic-inorganic hybrid material, referred to as ECS-14 (where ECS = Eni carbon silicates), revealed the possibility to use them as gas sensors. Indeed, among ECS phases, the crystalline state and the hexagonal microplateletlike morphology characteristic of ECS-14 seemed favorable properties to obtain continuous and uniform films. ECS-14 phase was used as functional material in screen-printable compositions and was thus deposited by drop coating for morphological, structural, thermal, and electrical characterizations. Possible operation at room temperature was investigated as technological progress, offering intrinsic safety in sensors working in harsh or industrial environments and avoiding high power consumption of most common sensors based on metal oxide semiconductors. Electrical characterization of the sensors based on ECS-14 versus concentrations of gaseous analytes gave significant results at room temperature in the presence of humidity, thereby demonstrating fundamental properties for a good quality sensor (speed, reversibility, and selectivity) that make them competitive with respect to systems currently in use. Remarkably, we observed functionality reversal of the organic and inorganic components; that is, in contrast to other hybrids, for ECS-14 the functional site has been ascribed to the inorganic phase while the organic component provided structural stability to the material. The sensing mechanism for humidity was also investigated.

“Rocking-Chair”-Type Metal Hybrid Supercapacitors

DOE PAGES

Yoo, Hyun Deog; Han, Sang-Don; Bayliss, Ryan D.; ...

2016-10-24

Hybrid supercapacitors that follow a “rocking-chair”-type mechanism were developed by coupling divalent metal and activated carbon electrodes in nonaqueous electrolytes. Conventional supercapacitors require a large amount of electrolyte to provide a sufficient quantity of ions to the electrodes, due to their Daniell-type mechanism that depletes the ions from the electrolyte while charging. The alternative “rocking-chair”-type mechanism effectively enhances the energy density of supercapacitors by minimizing the necessary amount of electrolyte, because the ion is replenished from the metal anode while it is adsorbed to the cathode. Newly developed nonaqueous electrolytes for Mg and Zn electrochemistry, based on bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (TFSI) salts,more » made the metal hybrid supercapacitors possible by enabling reversible deposition on the metal anodes and reversible adsorption on an activated carbon cathode. Factoring in gains through the cell design, the energy density of the metal hybrid supercapacitors is projected to be a factor of 7 higher than conventional devices thanks to both the “rocking-chair”-type mechanism that minimizes total electrolyte volume and the use of metal anodes, which have substantial merits in capacity and voltage. Self-discharge was also substantially alleviated compared to conventional supercapacitors. This concept offers a route to build supercapacitors that meet dual criteria of power and energy densities with a simple cell design.« less

"Rocking-Chair"-Type Metal Hybrid Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Yoo, Hyun Deog; Han, Sang-Don; Bayliss, Ryan D; Gewirth, Andrew A; Genorio, Bostjan; Rajput, Nav Nidhi; Persson, Kristin A; Burrell, Anthony K; Cabana, Jordi

2016-11-16

Hybrid supercapacitors that follow a "rocking-chair"-type mechanism were developed by coupling divalent metal and activated carbon electrodes in nonaqueous electrolytes. Conventional supercapacitors require a large amount of electrolyte to provide a sufficient quantity of ions to the electrodes, due to their Daniell-type mechanism that depletes the ions from the electrolyte while charging. The alternative "rocking-chair"-type mechanism effectively enhances the energy density of supercapacitors by minimizing the necessary amount of electrolyte, because the ion is replenished from the metal anode while it is adsorbed to the cathode. Newly developed nonaqueous electrolytes for Mg and Zn electrochemistry, based on bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (TFSI) salts, made the metal hybrid supercapacitors possible by enabling reversible deposition on the metal anodes and reversible adsorption on an activated carbon cathode. Factoring in gains through the cell design, the energy density of the metal hybrid supercapacitors is projected to be a factor of 7 higher than conventional devices thanks to both the "rocking-chair"-type mechanism that minimizes total electrolyte volume and the use of metal anodes, which have substantial merits in capacity and voltage. Self-discharge was also substantially alleviated compared to conventional supercapacitors. This concept offers a route to build supercapacitors that meet dual criteria of power and energy densities with a simple cell design.

Reverse osmosis desalination of chitosan cross-linked graphene oxide/titania hybrid lamellar membranes.

PubMed

Deng, Hui; Sun, Penzhan; Zhang, Yingjiu; Zhu, Hongwei

2016-07-08

With excellent mass transport properties, graphene oxide (GO)-based lamellar membranes are believed to have great potential in water desalination. In order to quantify whether GO-based membranes are indeed suitable for reverse osmosis (RO) desalination, three sub-micrometer thick GO-based lamellar membranes: GO-only, reduced GO (RGO)/titania (TO) nanosheets and RGO/TO/chitosan (CTS) are prepared, and their RO desalination performances are evaluated in a home-made RO test apparatus. The photoreduction of GO by TO improves the salt rejection, which increases slowly with the membrane thickness. The RGO/TO/CTS hybrid membranes exhibit higher rejection rates of only about 30% (greater than threefold improvement compared with a GO-only membrane) which is still inferior compared to other commercial RO membranes. The low rejection rates mainly arise from the pressure-induced weakening of the ion-GO interlayer interactions. Despite the advantages of simple, low-cost preparation, high permeability and selectivity of GO-based lamellar membranes, as the current desalination performances are not high enough to afford practical application, there still remains a great challenge to realize high performance separation membranes for water desalination applications.

Dense electro-optic frequency comb generated by two-stage modulation for dual-comb spectroscopy.

PubMed

Wang, Shuai; Fan, Xinyu; Xu, Bingxin; He, Zuyuan

2017-10-01

An electro-optic frequency comb enables frequency-agile comb-based spectroscopy without using sophisticated phase-locking electronics. Nevertheless, dense electro-optic frequency combs over broad spans have yet to be developed. In this Letter, we propose a straightforward and efficient method for electro-optic frequency comb generation with a small line spacing and a large span. This method is based on two-stage modulation: generating an 18 GHz line-spacing comb at the first stage and a 250 MHz line-spacing comb at the second stage. After generating an electro-optic frequency comb covering 1500 lines, we set up an easily established mutually coherent hybrid dual-comb interferometer, which combines the generated electro-optic frequency comb and a free-running mode-locked laser. As a proof of concept, this hybrid dual-comb interferometer is used to measure the absorption and dispersion profiles of the molecular transition of H 13 CN with a spectral resolution of 250 MHz.

TiO2 Nanowires/Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) Based Hybrid Photodetector: Improved Light Detection.

PubMed

Saha, S; Mondal, A; Choudhur, B; Goswami, T; Sarkar, M B; Chattopadhyay, K K

2016-03-01

Hybrid photodetector with a maximum external quantum efficiency of ~3.08% in the UV region at 370 nm, was fabricated by spin-coated poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer onto glancing angle deposited (GLAD) vertically aligned TiO2 nanowire (NW) arrays. The TiO2 NWs/PMMA detector shows excellent rectification and constant 1.3 times photo-responsivity in the reverse bias condition from -1 V to -10 V. The photodiode possesses a low ideality factor of 5.1 as compared to bared TiO2 NWs device of 7.1. The hybrid device produces sharp turn-on of -0.8 s and turn-off transient of -0.9 s respectively.

A modified reverse one-hybrid screen identifies transcriptional activation in Phyochrome-Interacting Factor 3

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Transcriptional activation domains (TAD) are difficult to predict and identify, since they are not conserved and have little consensus. Here, we describe a yeast-based screening method that is able to identify individual amino acid residues involved in transcriptional activation in a high throughput...

New hybrid conjugate gradient methods with the generalized Wolfe line search.

PubMed

Xu, Xiao; Kong, Fan-Yu

2016-01-01

The conjugate gradient method was an efficient technique for solving the unconstrained optimization problem. In this paper, we made a linear combination with parameters β k of the DY method and the HS method, and putted forward the hybrid method of DY and HS. We also proposed the hybrid of FR and PRP by the same mean. Additionally, to present the two hybrid methods, we promoted the Wolfe line search respectively to compute the step size α k of the two hybrid methods. With the new Wolfe line search, the two hybrid methods had descent property and global convergence property of the two hybrid methods that can also be proved.

Heterotic patterns in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.): I. Crosses between spring and Chinese semi-winter lines.

PubMed

Qian, W; Sass, O; Meng, J; Li, M; Frauen, M; Jung, C

2007-06-01

Chinese semi-winter rapeseed is genetically diverse from Canadian and European spring rapeseed. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of semi-winter rapeseed for spring rapeseed hybrid breeding, to assess the genetic effects involved, and to estimate the correlation of parental genetic distance (GD) with hybrid performance, heterosis, general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) in crosses between spring and semi-winter rapeseed lines. Four spring male sterile lines from Germany and Canada as testers were crossed with 13 Chinese semi-winter rapeseed lines to develop 52 hybrids, which were evaluated together with their parents and commercial hybrids for seed yield and oil content in three sets of field trials with 8 environments in Canada and Europe. The Chinese parental lines were not adapted to local environmental conditions as demonstrated by poor seed yields per se. However, the hybrids between the Chinese parents and the adapted spring rapeseed lines exhibited high heterosis for seed yield. The average mid-parent heterosis was 15% and ca. 50% of the hybrids were superior to the respective hybrid control across three sets of field trials. Additive gene effects mainly contributed to hybrid performance since the mean squares of GCA were higher as compared to SCA. The correlation between parental GD and hybrid performance and heterosis was found to be low whereas the correlation between GCA((f + m)) and hybrid performance was high and significant in each set of field trials, with an average of r = 0.87 for seed yield and r = 0.89 for oil content, indicating that hybrid performance can be predicted by GCA((f + m)). These results demonstrate that Chinese semi-winter rapeseed germplasm has a great potential to increase seed yield in spring rapeseed hybrid breeding programs in Canada and Europe.

Tissue culture-induced genetic and epigenetic alterations in rice pure-lines, F1 hybrids and polyploids

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Genetic and epigenetic alterations can be invoked by plant tissue culture, which may result in heritable changes in phenotypes, a phenomenon collectively termed somaclonal variation. Although extensive studies have been conducted on the molecular nature and spectrum of tissue culture-induced genomic alterations, the issue of whether and to what extent distinct plant genotypes, e.g., pure-lines, hybrids and polyploids, may respond differentially to the tissue culture condition remains poorly understood. Results We investigated tissue culture-induced genetic and epigenetic alterations in a set of rice genotypes including two pure-lines (different subspecies), a pair of reciprocal F1 hybrids parented by the two pure-lines, and a pair of reciprocal tetraploids resulted from the hybrids. Using two molecular markers, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP), both genetic and DNA methylation alterations were detected in calli and regenerants from all six genotypes, but genetic alteration is more prominent than epigenetic alteration. While significant genotypic difference was observed in frequencies of both types of alterations, only genetic alteration showed distinctive features among the three types of genomes, with one hybrid (N/9) being exceptionally labile. Surprisingly, difference in genetic alteration frequencies between the pair of reciprocal F1 hybrids is much greater than that between the two pure-line subspecies. Difference also exists in the pair of reciprocal tetraploids, but is to a less extent than that between the hybrids. The steady-state transcript abundance of genes involved in DNA repair and DNA methylation was significantly altered in both calli and regenerants, and some of which were correlated with the genetic and/or epigenetic alterations. Conclusions Our results, based on molecular marker analysis of ca. 1,000 genomic loci, document that genetic alteration is the major cause of somaclonal variation in rice, which is concomitant with epigenetic alterations. Perturbed expression by tissue culture of a set of 41 genes encoding for enzymes involved in DNA repair and DNA methylation is associated with both genetic and epigenetic alterations. There exist fundamental differences among distinct genotypes, pure-lines, hybrids and tetraploids, in propensities of generating both genetic and epigenetic alterations under the tissue culture condition. Parent-of-origin has a conspicuous effect on the alteration frequencies. PMID:23642214

Tissue culture-induced genetic and epigenetic alterations in rice pure-lines, F1 hybrids and polyploids.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoran; Wu, Rui; Lin, Xiuyun; Bai, Yan; Song, Congdi; Yu, Xiaoming; Xu, Chunming; Zhao, Na; Dong, Yuzhu; Liu, Bao

2013-05-05

Genetic and epigenetic alterations can be invoked by plant tissue culture, which may result in heritable changes in phenotypes, a phenomenon collectively termed somaclonal variation. Although extensive studies have been conducted on the molecular nature and spectrum of tissue culture-induced genomic alterations, the issue of whether and to what extent distinct plant genotypes, e.g., pure-lines, hybrids and polyploids, may respond differentially to the tissue culture condition remains poorly understood. We investigated tissue culture-induced genetic and epigenetic alterations in a set of rice genotypes including two pure-lines (different subspecies), a pair of reciprocal F1 hybrids parented by the two pure-lines, and a pair of reciprocal tetraploids resulted from the hybrids. Using two molecular markers, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP), both genetic and DNA methylation alterations were detected in calli and regenerants from all six genotypes, but genetic alteration is more prominent than epigenetic alteration. While significant genotypic difference was observed in frequencies of both types of alterations, only genetic alteration showed distinctive features among the three types of genomes, with one hybrid (N/9) being exceptionally labile. Surprisingly, difference in genetic alteration frequencies between the pair of reciprocal F1 hybrids is much greater than that between the two pure-line subspecies. Difference also exists in the pair of reciprocal tetraploids, but is to a less extent than that between the hybrids. The steady-state transcript abundance of genes involved in DNA repair and DNA methylation was significantly altered in both calli and regenerants, and some of which were correlated with the genetic and/or epigenetic alterations. Our results, based on molecular marker analysis of ca. 1,000 genomic loci, document that genetic alteration is the major cause of somaclonal variation in rice, which is concomitant with epigenetic alterations. Perturbed expression by tissue culture of a set of 41 genes encoding for enzymes involved in DNA repair and DNA methylation is associated with both genetic and epigenetic alterations. There exist fundamental differences among distinct genotypes, pure-lines, hybrids and tetraploids, in propensities of generating both genetic and epigenetic alterations under the tissue culture condition. Parent-of-origin has a conspicuous effect on the alteration frequencies.

Ultrafast Reverse Recovery Time Measurement for Wide-Bandgap Diodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mauch, Daniel L.; Zutavern, Fred J.; Delhotal, Jarod J.

A system is presented that is capable of measuring sub-nanosecond reverse recovery times of diodes in wide-bandgap materials over a wide range of forward biases (0 – 1 A) and reverse voltages (0 – 10 kV). The system utilizes the step recovery technique and comprises a cable pulser based on a silicon (Si) Photoconductive Semiconductor Switch (PCSS) triggered with an Ultra Short Pulse Laser (USPL), a pulse charging circuit, a diode biasing circuit, and resistive and capacitive voltage monitors. The PCSS based cable pulser transmits a 130 ps rise time pulse down a transmission line to a capacitively coupled diode,more » which acts as the terminating element of the transmission line. The temporal nature of the pulse reflected by the diode provides the reverse recovery characteristics of the diode, measured with a high bandwidth capacitive probe integrated into the cable pulser. Furthermore, this system was used to measure the reverse recovery times (including the creation and charging of the depletion region) for two Avogy gallium nitride (GaN) diodes; the initial reverse recovery time was found to be 4 ns and varied minimally over reverse biases of 50 – 100 V and forward current of 1 – 100 mA.« less

Ultrafast Reverse Recovery Time Measurement for Wide-Bandgap Diodes

DOE PAGES

Mauch, Daniel L.; Zutavern, Fred J.; Delhotal, Jarod J.; ...

2017-03-01

A system is presented that is capable of measuring sub-nanosecond reverse recovery times of diodes in wide-bandgap materials over a wide range of forward biases (0 – 1 A) and reverse voltages (0 – 10 kV). The system utilizes the step recovery technique and comprises a cable pulser based on a silicon (Si) Photoconductive Semiconductor Switch (PCSS) triggered with an Ultra Short Pulse Laser (USPL), a pulse charging circuit, a diode biasing circuit, and resistive and capacitive voltage monitors. The PCSS based cable pulser transmits a 130 ps rise time pulse down a transmission line to a capacitively coupled diode,more » which acts as the terminating element of the transmission line. The temporal nature of the pulse reflected by the diode provides the reverse recovery characteristics of the diode, measured with a high bandwidth capacitive probe integrated into the cable pulser. Furthermore, this system was used to measure the reverse recovery times (including the creation and charging of the depletion region) for two Avogy gallium nitride (GaN) diodes; the initial reverse recovery time was found to be 4 ns and varied minimally over reverse biases of 50 – 100 V and forward current of 1 – 100 mA.« less

Reversible Phase Transition with Ultralarge Dielectric Relaxation Behaviors in Succinimide Lithium(I) Hybrids.

PubMed

Tang, Yun-Zhi; Wang, Bin; Zhou, Hai-Tao; Chen, Shao-Peng; Tan, Yu-Hui; Wang, Chang-Feng; Yang, Chang-Shan; Wen, He-Rui

2018-02-05

Dielectric relaxations have widely applied on high permittivity capacitors, dielectric switches, ferroelectrics, pyroelectrics, and electrical insulating materials. However, few investigations of large dielectric relaxation behaviors on organic-inorganic hybrid materials have been documented before. Here we present a novel two-dimensional succinimide lithium(I) hybrid compound, [Li(PDD) 2 ClO 4 ] n , 1, (PDD = 2,5-pyrrolidinedione = succinimide) which shows reversible phase transition behavior in the vicinity of 228 K accompanied by an unusual symmetry breaking from I4 1 /amd to C2/c. X-ray single crystal diffractions analysis indicates the twist motion of pyrrolidine heterocycles, and order-disorder motion of ClO 4 - anions triggered the reversible phase transition. By means of an intuitive crystallographic model (rattling ion model), we further illustrated the mechanism of the interesting reversible phase transition. Particularly, 1 shows ultralarge dielectric relaxation behavior in the vicinity of the phase transition by its dielectric constant dependence on temperatures and frequencies as well as its Cole-Cole relation.

Gold Nano Popcorn Attached SWCNT Hybrid Nanomaterial for Targeted Diagnosis and Photothermal Therapy of Human Breast Cancer Cells

PubMed Central

Beqa, Lule; Fan, Zhen; Singh, Anant Kumar; Senapati, Dulal; Ray, Paresh Chandra

2011-01-01

Breast cancer presents greatest challenge in health care in today’s world. The key to ultimately successful treatment of breast cancer disease is an early and accurate diagnosis. Current breast cancer treatments are often associated with severe side effects. Driven by the need, we report the design of novel hybrid nanomaterial using gold nano popcorn-attached single wall carbon nanotube for targeted diagnosis and selective photothermal treatment. Targeted SK-BR-3 human breast cancer cell sensing have been performed in 10 cancer cells/mL level, using surface enhanced Raman scattering of single walls carbon nanotube’s D and G bands. Our data show that S6 aptamer attached hybrid nanomaterial based SERS assay is highly sensitive to targeted human breast cancer SK-BR-3 cell line and it will be able to distinguish it from other non targeted MDA-MB breast cancer cell line and HaCaT normal skin cell line. Our results also show that 10 minutes of photothermal therapy treatment by 1.5 W/cm2 power, 785 nm laser is enough to kill cancer cells very effectively using S6 aptamer attached hybrid nanomaterials. Possible mechanisms for targeted sensing and operating principle for highly efficient photothermal therapy have been discussed. Our experimental results reported here open up a new possibility for using aptamers modified hybrid nanomaterial for reliable diagnosis and targeted therapy of cancer cell lines quickly. PMID:21842867

Gold nano-popcorn attached SWCNT hybrid nanomaterial for targeted diagnosis and photothermal therapy of human breast cancer cells.

PubMed

Beqa, Lule; Fan, Zhen; Singh, Anant Kumar; Senapati, Dulal; Ray, Paresh Chandra

2011-09-01

Breast cancer presents greatest challenge in health care in today's world. The key to ultimately successful treatment of breast cancer disease is an early and accurate diagnosis. Current breast cancer treatments are often associated with severe side effects. Driven by the need, we report the design of novel hybrid nanomaterial using gold nano popcorn-attached single wall carbon nanotube for targeted diagnosis and selective photothermal treatment. Targeted SK-BR-3 human breast cancer cell sensing have been performed in 10 cancer cells/mL level, using surface enhanced Raman scattering of single walls carbon nanotube's D and G bands. Our data show that S6 aptamer attached hybrid nanomaterial based SERS assay is highly sensitive to targeted human breast cancer SK-BR-3 cell line and it will be able to distinguish it from other non targeted MDA-MB breast cancer cell line and HaCaT normal skin cell line. Our results also show that 10 min of photothermal therapy treatment by 1.5 W/cm(2) power, 785 nm laser is enough to kill cancer cells very effectively using S6 aptamer attached hybrid nanomaterials. Possible mechanisms for targeted sensing and operating principle for highly efficient photothermal therapy have been discussed. Our experimental results reported here open up a new possibility for using aptamers modified hybrid nanomaterial for reliable diagnosis and targeted therapy of cancer cell lines quickly.

Integration of Multiplexed Microfluidic Electrokinetic Concentrators with a Morpholino Microarray via Reversible Surface Bonding for Enhanced DNA Hybridization.

PubMed

Martins, Diogo; Wei, Xi; Levicky, Rastislav; Song, Yong-Ak

2016-04-05

We describe a microfluidic concentration device to accelerate the surface hybridization reaction between DNA and morpholinos (MOs) for enhanced detection. The microfluidic concentrator comprises a single polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel onto which an ion-selective layer of conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) ( PSS) was directly printed and then reversibly surface bonded onto a morpholino microarray for hybridization. Using this electrokinetic trapping concentrator, we could achieve a maximum concentration factor of ∼800 for DNA and a limit of detection of 10 nM within 15 min. In terms of the detection speed, it enabled faster hybridization by around 10-fold when compared to conventional diffusion-based hybridization. A significant advantage of our approach is that the fabrication of the microfluidic concentrator is completely decoupled from the microarray; by eliminating the need to deposit an ion-selective layer on the microarray surface prior to device integration, interfacing between both modules, the PDMS chip for electrokinetic concentration and the substrate for DNA sensing are easier and applicable to any microarray platform. Furthermore, this fabrication strategy facilitates a multiplexing of concentrators. We have demonstrated the proof-of-concept for multiplexing by building a device with 5 parallel concentrators connected to a single inlet/outlet and applying it to parallel concentration and hybridization. Such device yielded similar concentration and hybridization efficiency compared to that of a single-channel device without adding any complexity to the fabrication and setup. These results demonstrate that our concentrator concept can be applied to the development of a highly multiplexed concentrator-enhanced microarray detection system for either genetic analysis or other diagnostic assays.

[Optimization and assessment of a reverse hybridization system for the detection of HBV drug-resistant mutations].

PubMed

Liu, Yan-chen; Huang, Ai-long; Hu, Yuan; Hu, Jie-li; Lai, Guo-qi; Zhang, Wen-lu

2011-12-01

To establish a detection method for HBV drug-resistant mutations related to lamivudine, adefovir and entecavir by optimization and assessment of reverse hybridization system. 26 degenerated probes covering 10 drug-resistant hotspots of 3 drugs were synthesized and immobilized on the same positively charged nylon membrane. PCR products labeled with digoxigenin were hybridized with corresponding probes. To improve the sensitivity and specificity, 4 reaction steps of reverse hybridization were optimized including the number of labeled digoxigenin, the energy intensity of UV cross-linking, hybridization and stringency wash conditions. To prove the feasibility, the specificity, sensitivity and accuracy of this system were assessed respectively. Sensitive and specific results are obtained by the optimization of the following 4 reaction steps: the primers labeled with 3 digoxigenin, energy intensity of UV cross-linking for 1500 x 0.1 mJ/cm², hybridization at 42 degrees C and stringency wash with 0.5 x SSC and 0.1% SDS solution at 44 degrees C for 30 min. In the assessment of system, the majority of probes have high specificity. The quantity of PCR product with a concentration of 10 ng/μl or above can be detected by this method. The concordant rate between reverse hybridization and direct sequencing is 93.9% in the clinical sample test. Though the specificity of several probes needs to be improved further, it is a simple, rapid and sensitive method which can detect HBV resistant mutations related to lamivudine, adefovir and entecavir simultaneously. Due to the short distance between 180 and 181, likewise 202 and 204, the sequence of the same probe covers two codon positions, and hybridization will be interfered by each other. To avoid such interference, the possible solution is that probes are designed by arranging and combining various forms of two near codons.

A Hybrid Stochastic-Neuro-Fuzzy Model-Based System for In-Flight Gas Turbine Engine Diagnostics

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-04-05

Margin (ADM) and (ii) Fault Detection Margin (FDM). Key Words: ANFIS, Engine Health Monitoring , Gas Path Analysis, and Stochastic Analysis Adaptive Network...The paper illustrates the application of a hybrid Stochastic- Fuzzy -Inference Model-Based System (StoFIS) to fault diagnostics and prognostics for both...operational history monitored on-line by the engine health management (EHM) system. To capture the complex functional relationships between different

Hybrid wheat: quantitative genetic parameters and consequences for the design of breeding programs.

PubMed

Longin, Carl Friedrich Horst; Gowda, Manje; Mühleisen, Jonathan; Ebmeyer, Erhard; Kazman, Ebrahim; Schachschneider, Ralf; Schacht, Johannes; Kirchhoff, Martin; Zhao, Yusheng; Reif, Jochen Christoph

2013-11-01

Commercial heterosis for grain yield is present in hybrid wheat but long-term competiveness of hybrid versus line breeding depends on the development of heterotic groups to improve hybrid prediction. Detailed knowledge of the amount of heterosis and quantitative genetic parameters are of paramount importance to assess the potential of hybrid breeding. Our objectives were to (1) examine the extent of midparent, better-parent and commercial heterosis in a vast population of 1,604 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) hybrids and their parental elite inbred lines and (2) discuss the consequences of relevant quantitative parameters for the design of hybrid wheat breeding programs. Fifteen male lines were crossed in a factorial mating design with 120 female lines, resulting in 1,604 of the 1,800 potential single-cross hybrid combinations. The hybrids, their parents, and ten commercial wheat varieties were evaluated in multi-location field experiments for grain yield, plant height, heading time and susceptibility to frost, lodging, septoria tritici blotch, yellow rust, leaf rust, and powdery mildew at up to five locations. We observed that hybrids were superior to the mean of their parents for grain yield (10.7 %) and susceptibility to frost (-7.2 %), leaf rust (-8.4 %) and septoria tritici blotch (-9.3 %). Moreover, 69 hybrids significantly (P < 0.05) outyielded the best commercial inbred line variety underlining the potential of hybrid wheat breeding. The estimated quantitative genetic parameters suggest that the establishment of reciprocal recurrent selection programs is pivotal for a successful long-term hybrid wheat breeding.

Hybrid incompatibilities are affected by dominance and dosage in the haplodiploid wasp Nasonia

PubMed Central

Beukeboom, Leo W.; Koevoets, Tosca; Morales, Hernán E.; Ferber, Steven; van de Zande, Louis

2015-01-01

Study of genome incompatibilities in species hybrids is important for understanding the genetic basis of reproductive isolation and speciation. According to Haldane's rule hybridization affects the heterogametic sex more than the homogametic sex. Several theories have been proposed that attribute asymmetry in hybridization effects to either phenotype (sex) or genotype (heterogamety). Here we investigate the genetic basis of hybrid genome incompatibility in the haplodiploid wasp Nasonia using the powerful features of haploid males and sex reversal. We separately investigate the effects of heterozygosity (ploidy level) and sex by generating sex reversed diploid hybrid males and comparing them to genotypically similar haploid hybrid males and diploid hybrid females. Hybrid effects of sterility were more pronounced than of inviability, and were particularly strong in haploid males, but weak to absent in diploid males and females, indicating a strong ploidy level but no sex specific effect. Molecular markers identified a number of genomic regions associated with hybrid inviability in haploid males that disappeared under diploidy in both hybrid males and females. Hybrid inviability was rescued by dominance effects at some genomic regions, but aggravated or alleviated by dosage effects at other regions, consistent with cytonuclear incompatibilities. Dosage effects underlying Bateson–Dobzhansky–Muller (BDM) incompatibilities need more consideration in explaining Haldane's rule in diploid systems. PMID:25926847

McGISH identification and phenotypic description of leaf rust and yellow rust resistant partial amphiploids originating from a wheat × Thinopyrum synthetic hybrid cross.

PubMed

Kruppa, Klaudia; Türkösi, Edina; Mayer, Marianna; Tóth, Viola; Vida, Gyula; Szakács, Éva; Molnár-Láng, Márta

2016-11-01

A Thinopyrum intermedium × Thinopyrum ponticum synthetic hybrid wheatgrass is an excellent source of leaf and stem rust resistance produced by N.V.Tsitsin. Wheat line Mv9kr1 was crossed with this hybrid (Agropyron glael) in Hungary in order to transfer its advantageous agronomic traits into wheat. As the wheat parent was susceptible to leaf rust, the transfer of resistance was easily recognizable in the progenies. Three different partial amphiploid lines with leaf rust resistance were selected from the wheat/Thinopyrum hybrid derivatives by multicolour genomic in situ hybridization. Chromosome counting on the partial amphiploids revealed 58 chromosomes (18 wheatgrass) in line 194, 56 (14 wheatgrass) in line 195 and 54 (12 wheatgrass) in line 196. The wheat chromosomes present in these lines were identified and the wheatgrass chromosomes were characterized by fluorescence in situ hybridization using the repetitive DNA probes Afa-family, pSc119.2 and pTa71. The 3D wheat chromosome was missing from the lines. Molecular marker analysis showed the presence of the Lr24 leaf rust resistance gene in lines 195 and 196. The morphological traits were evaluated in the field during two consecutive seasons in two different locations.

Preparation and characterization of flexible asymmetric supercapacitors based on transition-metal-oxide nanowire/single-walled carbon nanotube hybrid thin-film electrodes.

PubMed

Chen, Po-Chiang; Shen, Guozhen; Shi, Yi; Chen, Haitian; Zhou, Chongwu

2010-08-24

In the work described in this paper, we have successfully fabricated flexible asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) based on transition-metal-oxide nanowire/single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) hybrid thin-film electrodes. These hybrid nanostructured films, with advantages of mechanical flexibility, uniform layered structures, and mesoporous surface morphology, were produced by using a filtration method. Here, manganese dioxide nanowire/SWNT hybrid films worked as the positive electrode, and indium oxide nanowire/SWNT hybrid films served as the negative electrode in a designed ASC. In our design, charges can be stored not only via electrochemical double-layer capacitance from SWNT films but also through a reversible faradic process from transition-metal-oxide nanowires. In addition, to obtain stable electrochemical behavior during charging/discharging cycles in a 2 V potential window, the mass balance between two electrodes has been optimized. Our optimized hybrid nanostructured ASCs exhibited a superior device performance with specific capacitance of 184 F/g, energy density of 25.5 Wh/kg, and columbic efficiency of approximately 90%. In addition, our ASCs exhibited a power density of 50.3 kW/kg, which is 10-fold higher than obtained in early reported ASC work. The high-performance hybrid nanostructured ASCs can find applications in conformal electrics, portable electronics, and electrical vehicles.

PCR-free Quantification of Multiple Splice Variants in Cancer Gene by Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Sun, Lan; Irudayaraj, Joseph

2009-01-01

We demonstrate a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) based array platform to monitor gene expression in cancer cells in a multiplex and quantitative format without amplification steps. A strategy comprising of DNA/RNA hybridization, S1 nuclease digestion, and alkaline hydrolysis was adopted to obtain DNA targets specific to two splice junction variants Δ(9, 10) and Δ(5) of the breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) from MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. These two targets were identified simultaneously and their absolute quantities were estimated by a SERS strategy utilizing the inherent plasmon-phonon Raman mode of gold nanoparticle probes as a self-referencing standard to correct for variability in surface enhancement. Results were then validated by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). Our proposed methodology could be expanded to a higher level of multiplexing for quantitative gene expression analysis of any gene without any amplification steps. PMID:19780515

Bt-transgenic oilseed rape hybridization with its weedy relative, Brassica rapa.

PubMed

Halfhill, Matthew D; Millwood, Reginald J; Raymer, Paul L; Stewart, C Neal

2002-10-01

The movement of transgenes from crops to weeds and the resulting consequences are concerns of modern agriculture. The possible generation of "superweeds" from the escape of fitness-enhancing transgenes into wild populations is a risk that is often discussed, but rarely studied. Oilseed rape, Brassica napus (L.), is a crop with sexually compatible weedy relatives, such as birdseed rape (Brassica rapa (L.)). Hybridization of this crop with weedy relatives is an extant risk and an excellent interspecific gene flow model system. In laboratory crosses, T3 lines of seven independent transformation events of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) oilseed rape were hybridized with two weedy accessions of B. rapa. Transgenic hybrids were generated from six of these oilseed rape lines, and the hybrids exhibited an intermediate morphology between the parental species. The Bt transgene was present in the hybrids, and the protein was synthesized at similar levels to the corresponding independent oilseed rape lines. Insect bioassays were performed and confirmed that the hybrid material was insecticidal. The hybrids were backcrossed with the weedy parent, and only half the oilseed rape lines were able to produce transgenic backcrosses. After two backcrosses, the ploidy level and morphology of the resultant plants were indistinguishable from B. rapa. Hybridization was monitored under field conditions (Tifton, GA, USA) with four independent lines of Bt oilseed rape with a crop to wild relative ratio of 1200:1. When B. rapa was used as the female parent, hybridization frequency varied among oilseed rape lines and ranged from 16.9% to 0.7%.

Single molecule fluorescence microscopy for ultra-sensitive RNA expression profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hesse, Jan; Jacak, Jaroslaw; Regl, Gerhard; Eichberger, Thomas; Aberger, Fritz; Schlapak, Robert; Howorka, Stefan; Muresan, Leila; Frischauf, Anna-Maria; Schütz, Gerhard J.

2007-02-01

We developed a microarray analysis platform for ultra-sensitive RNA expression profiling of minute samples. It utilizes a novel scanning system for single molecule fluorescence detection on cm2 size samples in combination with specialized biochips, optimized for low autofluorescence and weak unspecific adsorption. 20 μg total RNA was extracted from 10 6 cells of a human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) and reversely transcribed in the presence of Alexa647-aha-dUTP. 1% of the resulting labeled cDNA was used for complex hybridization to a custom-made oligonucleotide microarray representing a set of 125 different genes. For low abundant genes, individual cDNA molecules hybridized to the microarray spots could be resolved. Single cDNA molecules hybridized to the chip surface appeared as diffraction limited features in the fluorescence images. The à trous wavelet method was utilized for localization and counting of the separated cDNA signals. Subsequently, the degree of labeling of the localized cDNA molecules was determined by brightness analysis for the different genes. Variations by factors up to 6 were found, which in conventional microarray analysis would result in a misrepresentation of the relative abundance of mRNAs.

Enhancement of conduction noise absorption by hybrid absorbers composed of indium-tin-oxide thin film and magnetic composite sheet on a microstrip line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sun-Hong; Kim, Sung-Soo

2014-05-01

In order to develop wide-band noise absorbers with a focused design for low frequency performance, this study investigates hybrid absorbers that are composed of conductive indium-tin-oxide (ITO) thin film and magnetic composite sheets. The ITO films prepared via reactive sputtering exhibit a typical value of electrical resistivity of ≃10-4 Ω m. Rubber composites with flaky Fe-Si-Al particles are used as the magnetic sheet with a high permeability and high permittivity. For the ITO film with a low surface resistance and covered by the magnetic sheet, approximately 90% power absorption can be obtained at 1 GHz, which is significantly higher than that of the original magnetic sheet or ITO film. The high power absorption of the hybrid absorber is attributed to the enhanced ohmic loss of the ITO film through increased electric field strength bounded by the upper magnetic composite sheet. However, for the reverse layering sequence of the ITO film, the electric field experienced by ITO film is very weak due to the electromagnetic shielding by the under layer of magnetic sheet, which does not result in enhanced power absorption.

Development of a novel allele-specific Rfo marker and creation of Ogura CMS fertility-restored interspecific hybrids in Brassica oleracea.

PubMed

Yu, Hai-Long; Fang, Zhi-Yuan; Liu, Yu-Mei; Yang, Li-Mei; Zhuang, Mu; Lv, Hong-Hao; Li, Zhan-Sheng; Han, Feng-Qing; Liu, Xiao-Ping; Zhang, Yang-Yong

2016-08-01

A novel allele-specific Rfo marker was developed and proved to be effective for MAS of Rfo gene in B. oleracea background and six Ogu-CMS fertility-restored interspecific hybrids were created for the first time. Ogura cytoplasmic male sterility (Ogu-CMS) has been extensively used for Brassica oleracea hybrid production. However, because of maternal inheritance, all the hybrids produced by CMS lines are male sterile and cannot be self-pollinated, which prohibits germplasm maintenance and innovation. This problem can be overcome by using the Ogu-CMS restorer line, but restorer material is absent in B. oleracea crops. Here, Rfo, a fertility-restored gene of Ogu-CMS, was transferred from rapeseed restorer lines into a Chinese kale Ogu-CMS line using interspecific hybridization combined with embryo rescue. Nine interspecific, triploid plant progenies were identified at morphological and ploidy level, with phenotypes intermediate between those of rapeseed and Chinese kale. Because the Rfo marker (Hu et al., Mol Breeding 22:663-674, 2008) cannot distinguish the Rfo and its homologies under a B. oleracea background, a novel allele-specific Rfo marker was developed based on the BLAST analysis of highly homologous Rfo sequences in B. oleracea. Screening using the novel Rfo marker found that six interspecific hybrids carrying Rfo were also fertile, although fertility varied during different flowering periods. Furthermore, BC1 offsprings with the Rfo gene were selected with the allele-specific Rfo marker and showed restored fertility. These results indicated that the novel allele-specific marker could be used for the MAS of Rfo gene in B. oleracea, and this study lays the foundation for the development of Ogu-CMS restorer material in cabbage and its related other subspecies.

A framework to quantify karyotype variation associated with CHO cell line instability at a single-cell level.

PubMed

Baik, Jong Youn; Lee, Kelvin H

2017-05-01

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, the major mammalian host cells for biomanufacturing of therapeutic proteins, have been extensively investigated to enhance productivity and product quality. However, cell line instability resulting in unexpected changes in productivity or product quality continues to be a challenge. Based on previous reports about causes and characteristics of production instability, we hypothesized that chromosomal rearrangements due to genomic instability are associated with production instability and that these events can be characterized. We developed a production instability model using secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP)-expressing CHO cells (CHO-SEAP) as well as a framework to quantify chromosomal rearrangements by karyotyping. In the absence of methotrexate (MTX), CHO-SEAP cells exhibited a slightly increased growth rate, a significantly decreased specific productivity, and changes in the chromosomal rearrangement ratio of seven chromosomes. In contrast, when MTX was re-introduced, the growth rate and SEAP productivity reversed to the initial values, demonstrating the reversibility of production instability in CHO-SEAP cells. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis identified that the SEAP genes were incorporated in the chromosomal rearrangement (insertion) part of the der(Z9) chromosome. Karyotype analysis indicated that the insertion ratio of the der(Z9) chromosome decreased in the CHO-SEAP cells grown without MTX, demonstrating a correlation between chromosomal rearrangement and production instability. Our results support a mechanism for production instability, wherein a randomly generated chromosomal rearrangement (or genotype) results in cells with a growth advantage that is also associated with non (or low)-producing traits. As a result, the non-producing cells grow faster and thereby outgrow the producing population. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1045-1053. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Building of Reusable Reverse Logistics Model and its Optimization Considering the Decision of Backorder or Next Arrival of Goods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jeong-Eun; Gen, Mitsuo; Rhee, Kyong-Gu; Lee, Hee-Hyol

This paper deals with the building of the reusable reverse logistics model considering the decision of the backorder or the next arrival of goods. The optimization method to minimize the transportation cost and to minimize the volume of the backorder or the next arrival of goods occurred by the Just in Time delivery of the final delivery stage between the manufacturer and the processing center is proposed. Through the optimization algorithms using the priority-based genetic algorithm and the hybrid genetic algorithm, the sub-optimal delivery routes are determined. Based on the case study of a distilling and sale company in Busan in Korea, the new model of the reusable reverse logistics of empty bottles is built and the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified.

A hybrid approach for text detection in natural scenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Runmin; Sang, Nong; Wang, Ruolin; Kuang, Xiaoqin

2013-10-01

In this paper, a hybrid approach is proposed to detect texts in natural scenes. It is performed by the following steps: Firstly, the edge map and the text saliency region are obtained. Secondly, the text candidate regions are detected by connected components (CC) based method and are identified by an off-line trained HOG classifier. And then, the remaining CCs are grouped into text lines with some heuristic strategies to make up for the false negatives. Finally, the text lines are broken into separate words. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated on the location detection database of ICDAR 2003 robust reading competition. Experimental results demonstrate the validity of our approach and are competitive with other state-of-the-art algorithms.

Proteomic analysis reveals strong mitochondrial involvement in cytoplasmic male sterility of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.).

PubMed

Guo, Jinju; Wang, Peng; Cheng, Qing; Sun, Limin; Wang, Hongyu; Wang, Yutong; Kao, Lina; Li, Yanan; Qiu, Tuoyu; Yang, Wencai; Shen, Huolin

2017-09-25

Although cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is widely used for developing pepper hybrids, its molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we used a high-throughput proteomics method called label-free to compare protein abundance across a pepper CMS line (A-line) and its isogenic maintainer line (B-line). Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD006104. Approximately 324 differentially abundant protein species were identified and quantified; among which, 47 were up-accumulated and 140 were down-accumulated in the A-line; additionally, 75 and 62 protein species were specifically accumulated in the A-line and B-line, respectively. Protein species involved in pollen exine formation, pyruvate metabolic processes, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, the mitochondrial electron transport chain, and oxidative stress response were observed to be differentially accumulated between A-line and B-line, suggesting their potential roles in the regulation of pepper pollen abortion. Based on our data, we proposed a potential regulatory network for pepper CMS that unifies these processes. Artificial emasculation is a major obstacle in pepper hybrid breeding for its high labor cost and poor seed purity. While the use of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in hybrid system is seriously frustrated because a long time is needed to cultivate male sterility line and its isogenic restore line. Transgenic technology is an effective and rapid method to obtain male sterility lines and its widely application has very important significance in speeding up breeding process in pepper. Although numerous studies have been conducted to select the genes related to male sterility, the molecular mechanism of cytoplasmic male sterility in pepper remains unknown. In this study, we used the high-throughput proteomic method called "label-free", coupled with liquid chromatography-quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), to perform a novel comparison of expression profiles in a CMS pepper line and its maintainer line. Based on our results, we proposed a potential regulated protein network involved in pollen development as a novel mechanism of pepper CMS. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Acoustic reverse-time migration using GPU card and POSIX thread based on the adaptive optimal finite-difference scheme and the hybrid absorbing boundary condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Xiaohui; Liu, Yang; Ren, Zhiming

2018-06-01

Reverse-time migration (RTM) is a powerful tool for imaging geologically complex structures such as steep-dip and subsalt. However, its implementation is quite computationally expensive. Recently, as a low-cost solution, the graphic processing unit (GPU) was introduced to improve the efficiency of RTM. In the paper, we develop three ameliorative strategies to implement RTM on GPU card. First, given the high accuracy and efficiency of the adaptive optimal finite-difference (FD) method based on least squares (LS) on central processing unit (CPU), we study the optimal LS-based FD method on GPU. Second, we develop the CPU-based hybrid absorbing boundary condition (ABC) to the GPU-based one by addressing two issues of the former when introduced to GPU card: time-consuming and chaotic threads. Third, for large-scale data, the combinatorial strategy for optimal checkpointing and efficient boundary storage is introduced for the trade-off between memory and recomputation. To save the time of communication between host and disk, the portable operating system interface (POSIX) thread is utilized to create the other CPU core at the checkpoints. Applications of the three strategies on GPU with the compute unified device architecture (CUDA) programming language in RTM demonstrate their efficiency and validity.

A Novel Hybrid Error Criterion-Based Active Control Method for on-Line Milling Vibration Suppression with Piezoelectric Actuators and Sensors

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xingwu; Wang, Chenxi; Gao, Robert X.; Yan, Ruqiang; Chen, Xuefeng; Wang, Shibin

2016-01-01

Milling vibration is one of the most serious factors affecting machining quality and precision. In this paper a novel hybrid error criterion-based frequency-domain LMS active control method is constructed and used for vibration suppression of milling processes by piezoelectric actuators and sensors, in which only one Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is used and no Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) is involved. The correction formulas are derived by a steepest descent procedure and the control parameters are analyzed and optimized. Then, a novel hybrid error criterion is constructed to improve the adaptability, reliability and anti-interference ability of the constructed control algorithm. Finally, based on piezoelectric actuators and acceleration sensors, a simulation of a spindle and a milling process experiment are presented to verify the proposed method. Besides, a protection program is added in the control flow to enhance the reliability of the control method in applications. The simulation and experiment results indicate that the proposed method is an effective and reliable way for on-line vibration suppression, and the machining quality can be obviously improved. PMID:26751448

Regeneration of somatic hybrids in relation to the nuclear and cytoplasmic genomes of wheat and Setaria italica.

PubMed

Xiang, Fengning; Xia, Guangmin; Zhi, Daying; Wang, Jing; Nie, Hui; Chen, Huimin

2004-08-01

Somatic hybridization via PEG (Polyethylene 6000)-mediated protoplast fusion was achieved between two different wheat culture lines (Triticum aestivum L., "Jinan"177, T1 and T2) and Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv. The T1 recipient originated from non-regenerable long-term cell suspensions, while T2 was derived from embryogenic calli with a high regeneration capacity. Donor protoplasts were obtained from embryogenic calli of S. italica (S) (with low regeneration capacity) irradiated with different doses of ultraviolet light. Twenty-three putative hybrid cell lines were produced in fusion combinations with the donor protoplasts treated with UV light for 30 s (combination I) and 1 min (combination II), but only one (from combination II) differentiated into green plants. Three cell lines from combination I and five cell lines from combination II possessed the nuclear genomes of T1, T2, and S. italica as revealed by cytological, isozyme, RAPD, and 5S rDNA spacer sequence analyses. Genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) analysis showed that most hybrid cell lines had 22-36 wheat chromosomes, 0-2 S. italica chromosomes, and 1-6 wheat - S. italica recombinant chromosomes, whereas the regenerable cell line had 44-56 wheat chromosomes and 3-6 recombinant chromosomes, but no intact S. italica chromosomes. RFLP analysis of organellar DNA revealed that mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA of both parents coexisted in all hybrid cell lines and recombined in most hybrid cell lines. These results indicate that the regeneration of hybrid plants involves not only the integration of S. italica nuclear and organellar DNA, but also the genome complementation of T1 and T2.

88 kilowatt automotive inverter with new 900 Volt silicon carbide MOSFET technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Casady, Jeffrey; Olejniczak, Kraig; McNutt, Ty

This final report is on the design and experimental verification of a 200 kVA traction inverter using three 900 V, 2.5 mΩ, SiC MOSFET-based half-bridge power modules comprising the power stage. Each dual power module contains four 900 V, 10 mΩ SiC MOSFETs per switch position and uses synchronous conduction to achieve high average and peak efficiencies over its entire operating region to meet the demands of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and extended-range electrified vehicle architectures. Significant performance improvement, via conduction, switching, and reverse-recovery loss metrics, from this SiC MOSFET-based inverter—especially at light load conditions—will be discussed.

Rhombic micro-displacement amplifier for piezoelectric actuator and its linear and hybrid model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jinglong; Zhang, Chunlin; Xu, Minglong; Zi, Yanyang; Zhang, Xinong

2015-01-01

This paper proposes rhombic micro-displacement amplifier (RMDA) for piezoelectric actuator (PA). First, the geometric amplification relations are analyzed and linear model is built to analyze the mechanical and electrical properties of this amplifier. Next, the accurate modeling method of amplifier is studied for important application of precise servo control. The classical Preisach model (CPM) is generally implemented using a numerical technique based on the first-order reversal curves (FORCs). The accuracy of CPM mainly depends on the number of FORCs. However, it is generally difficult to achieve enough number of FORCs in practice. So, Support Vector Machine (SVM) is employed in the work to circumvent the deficiency of the CPM. Then the hybrid model, which is based on discrete CPM and SVM is developed to account for hysteresis and dynamic effects. Finally, experimental validation is carried out. The analyzed result shows that this amplifier with the hybrid model is suitable for control application.

Elevated ozone reduces photosynthetic carbon gain by accelerating leaf senescence of inbred and hybrid maize in a genotype-specific manner.

PubMed

Yendrek, Craig R; Erice, Gorka; Montes, Christopher M; Tomaz, Tiago; Sorgini, Crystal A; Brown, Patrick J; McIntyre, Lauren M; Leakey, Andrew D B; Ainsworth, Elizabeth A

2017-12-01

Exposure to elevated tropospheric ozone concentration ([O 3 ]) accelerates leaf senescence in many C 3 crops. However, the effects of elevated [O 3 ] on C 4 crops including maize (Zea mays L.) are poorly understood in terms of physiological mechanism and genetic variation in sensitivity. Using free air gas concentration enrichment, we investigated the photosynthetic response of 18 diverse maize inbred and hybrid lines to season-long exposure to elevated [O 3 ] (~100 nl L -1 ) in the field. Gas exchange was measured on the leaf subtending the ear throughout the grain filling period. On average over the lifetime of the leaf, elevated [O 3 ] led to reductions in photosynthetic CO 2 assimilation of both inbred (-22%) and hybrid (-33%) genotypes. There was significant variation among both inbred and hybrid lines in the sensitivity of photosynthesis to elevated [O 3 ], with some lines showing no change in photosynthesis at elevated [O 3 ]. Based on analysis of inbred line B73, the reduced CO 2 assimilation at elevated [O 3 ] was associated with accelerated senescence decreasing photosynthetic capacity and not altered stomatal limitation. These findings across diverse maize genotypes could advance the development of more O 3 tolerant maize and provide experimental data for parameterization and validation of studies modeling how O 3 impacts crop performance. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Combined in vitro transcription and reverse transcription to amplify and label complex synthetic oligonucleotide probe libraries.

PubMed

Murgha, Yusuf; Beliveau, Brian; Semrau, Kassandra; Schwartz, Donald; Wu, Chao-Ting; Gulari, Erdogan; Rouillard, Jean-Marie

2015-06-01

Oligonucleotide microarrays allow the production of complex custom oligonucleotide libraries for nucleic acid detection-based applications such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). We have developed a PCR-free method to make single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) fluorescent probes through an intermediate RNA library. A double-stranded oligonucleotide library is amplified by transcription to create an RNA library. Next, dye- or hapten-conjugate primers are used to reverse transcribe the RNA to produce a dye-labeled cDNA library. Finally the RNA is hydrolyzed under alkaline conditions to obtain the single-stranded fluorescent probes library. Starting from unique oligonucleotide library constructs, we present two methods to produce single-stranded probe libraries. The two methods differ in the type of reverse transcription (RT) primer, the incorporation of fluorescent dye, and the purification of fluorescent probes. The first method employs dye-labeled reverse transcription primers to produce multiple differentially single-labeled probe subsets from one microarray library. The fluorescent probes are purified from excess primers by oligonucleotide-bead capture. The second method uses an RNA:DNA chimeric primer and amino-modified nucleotides to produce amino-allyl probes. The excess primers and RNA are hydrolyzed under alkaline conditions, followed by probe purification and labeling with amino-reactive dyes. The fluorescent probes created by the combination of transcription and reverse transcription can be used for FISH and to detect any RNA and DNA targets via hybridization.

Symmetry-Enforced Line Nodes in Unconventional Superconductors [Nodal-Line Superconductors and Band-Sticking

DOE PAGES

Micklitz, T.; Norman, M. R.

2017-05-18

We classify line nodes in superconductors with strong spin-orbit interactions and time-reversal symmetry, where the latter may include nonprimitive translations in the magnetic Brillouin zone to account for coexistence with antiferromagnetic order. We find four possible combinations of irreducible representations of the order parameter on high-symmetry planes, two of which allow for line nodes in pseudospin-triplet pairs and two that exclude conventional fully gapped pseudospin-singlet pairs. We show that the former can only be realized in the presence of band-sticking degeneracies, and we verify their topological stability using arguments based on Clifford algebra extensions. Lastly, our classification exhausts all possiblemore » symmetry protected line nodes in the presence of spin-orbit coupling and a (generalized) time-reversal symmetry. Implications for existing nonsymmorphic and antiferromagnetic superconductors are discussed.« less

Genetic relatedness of artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) hybrids using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting.

PubMed

Sharaf-Eldin, M A; Al-Tamimi, A; Alam, P; Elkholy, S F; Jordan, J R

2015-12-28

The artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) is an important food and medicinal crop that is cultivated in Mediterranean countries. Morphological characteristics, such as head shape and diameter, leaf shape, and bract shape, are mainly affected by environmental conditions. A molecular marker approach was used to analyze the degree of polymorphism between artichoke hybrid lines. The degree of genetic difference among three artichoke hybrids was evaluated using random amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR (RAPD-PCR). In this study, the DNA fingerprints of three artichoke lines (A13-010, A11-018, and A12-179) were generated, and a total of 10 decamer primers were applied for RAPD-PCR analyses. Polymorphism  (16.66 to 62.50%) was identified using eight arbitrary decamers and total genomic DNA extracted from the hybrids. Of the 59 loci detected, there were 25 polymorphic and 34 monomorphic loci. Jaccard's similarity index (JSI) ranged between 1.0 and 0.84. Based on the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) similarity matrix and dendrogram, the results indicated that two hybrids (A13-010 and A11-018) were closely related to each other, and the A12-179 line showed more divergence. When identifying correct accessions, consideration of the genetic variation and genetic relationships among the genotypes are required. The RAPD-PCR fingerprinting of artichoke lines clearly showed that it is possible to analyze the RAPD patterns for correlation between genetic means and differences or resemblance between close accessions (A13-010 and A11- 018) at the genomic level.

Global Hybrid Simulations of The Magnetopause Boundary Layers In Low- and High-latitude Magnetic Reconnections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Y.; Perez, J. D.

A 2-D global hybrid simulation is carried out to study the structure of the dayside mag- netopause in the noon-midnight meridian plane associated with magnetic reconnec- tion. In the simulation the bow shock, magnetosheath, and magnetopause are formed self-consistently by supersonic solar wind passing the geomagnetic field. The recon- nection events at high- and low-latitudes are simulated for various IMF conditions. The following results will be presented. (1) Large-amplitude rotational discontinuities and Alfvén waves are present in the quasi-steady reconnection layer. (2) The rotational discontinuity possesses an electron sense, or right-hand polarization in the magnetic field as the discontinuity forms from the X line. Later, however, the rotational dis- continuity tends to evolve to a structure with a smallest field rotational angle and thus may reverse its sense of the field rotation. The Walén relation is tested for elec- tron and ion flows in the magnetopause rotational discontinuities with left-hand and right-hand polarizations. (3) The structure of the magnetopause discontinuities and that of the accelerated/decelerated flows are modified significantly by the presence of the local magnetosheath flow. (4) Field-aligned currents are generated in the magne- topause rotational discontinuities. Part of the magnetopause currents propagate with Alfvén waves along the field lines into the polar ionosphere, contributing to the field- aligned current system in the high latitudes. The generation of the parallel currents under northward and southward IMF conditions is investigated. (5) Finally, typical ion velocity distributions will be shown at various locations across the magnetopause northward and southward of the X lines. The ion distributions associated with single or multiple X lines will be discussed.

Improving panicle exsertion of rice cytoplasmic male sterile line by combination of artificial microRNA and artificial target mimic.

PubMed

Chen, Hao; Jiang, Shan; Zheng, Jie; Lin, Yongjun

2013-04-01

The adoption of hybrid rice caused the second leap in rice yield after the 'green revolution' and contributes substantially to food security of China and the world. However, almost all cytoplasmic male sterile lines (A lines) as females of hybrid rice have a natural deficiency of 'panicle enclosure', which blocks pollination between the A line and the fertility restorer line as the male (R line) of hybrid rice and decreases seed yield. In hybrid rice seed production, exogenous '920' (the active ingredient is gibberellin A3 ) must be applied to eliminate or alleviate panicle enclosure of the A line; however, this not only increases production cost and pollutes the environment, it also decreases seed quality. In this study, we designed a transgenic approach to improve plant height and panicle exsertion of the A line to facilitate hybrid rice production and maintain the semi-dwarf plant type of the hybrid. This approach comprising two components-artificial microRNA (amiRNA) and artificial target mimicry-can manipulate the differential expression of the endogenous Eui1 gene that is associated with rice internode elongation in the A line and the hybrid. amiRNA is a recently developed gene silencing method with high specificity, while target mimicry is a natural mechanism inhibiting the miRNA function that was also recently characterized. This approach provides a paradigm to tune the expression of endogenous genes to achieve the desired phenotype by combining amiRNA and artificial target mimicry technologies. © 2012 The Authors Plant Biotechnology Journal © 2012 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Photoacoustic tomography using a fiber based Fabry-Perot interferometer as an integrating line detector and image reconstruction by model-based time reversal method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grün, H.; Paltauf, G.; Haltmeier, M.; Burgholzer, P.

2007-07-01

Photoacoustic imaging is based on the generation of acoustic waves in a semitransparent sample (e.g. soft tissue) after illumination with short pulses of light or radio waves. The goal is to recover the spatial distribution of absorbed energy density inside the sample from acoustic pressure signals measured outside the sample (photoacoustic inverse problem). If the acoustic pressure outside the illuminated sample is measured with a large-aperture detector, the signal at a certain time is given by an integral of the generated acoustic pressure distribution over an area that is determined by the shape of the detector. For example a planar detector measures the projections of the initial pressure distribution over planes parallel to the detector plane, which is the Radon transform of the initial pressure distribution. Stable and exact three-dimensional imaging with planar integrating detector requires measurements in all directions of space and so the receiver plane has to be rotated to cover the entire detection surface. We have recently presented a simpler set-up for exact imaging which requires only a single rotation axis and therefor the fragmentation of the area detector into line detectors perpendicular to the rotation axis. Using a two-dimensional reconstruction method and applying the inverse two-dimensional Radon transform afterwards gives an exact reconstruction of the three-dimensional sample with this set-up. In order to achieve high resolution, a fiber based Fabry-Perot interferometer is used. It is a single mode fiber with two fiber bragg gratings on both ends of the line detector. Thermal shifts and vibrations are compensated by frequency locking of the laser. The high resolution and the good performance of this integrating line detector has been demonstrated by photoacoustic measurements with line grid samples and phantoms using a model-based time reversal method for image reconstruction. The time reversed pressure field can be calculated directly by retransmitting the measured pressure on the detector positions in a reversed temporal order.

Porous silicon-VO{sub 2} based hybrids as possible optical temperature sensor: Wavelength-dependent optical switching from visible to near-infrared range

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Antunez, E. E.; Salazar-Kuri, U.; Estevez, J. O.

Morphological properties of thermochromic VO{sub 2}—porous silicon based hybrids reveal the growth of well-crystalized nanometer-scale features of VO{sub 2} as compared with typical submicron granular structure obtained in thin films deposited on flat substrates. Structural characterization performed as a function of temperature via grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and micro-Raman demonstrate reversible semiconductor-metal transition of the hybrid, changing from a low-temperature monoclinic VO{sub 2}(M) to a high-temperature tetragonal rutile VO{sub 2}(R) crystalline structure, coupled with a decrease in phase transition temperature. Effective optical response studied in terms of red/blue shift of the reflectance spectra results in a wavelength-dependent optical switching withmore » temperature. As compared to VO{sub 2} film over crystalline silicon substrate, the hybrid structure is found to demonstrate up to 3-fold increase in the change of reflectivity with temperature, an enlarged hysteresis loop and a wider operational window for its potential application as an optical temperature sensor. Such silicon based hybrids represent an exciting class of functional materials to display thermally triggered optical switching culminated by the characteristics of each of the constituent blocks as well as device compatibility with standard integrated circuit technology.« less

Thermostability analysis of line-tension-associated nucleation at a gas-liquid interface.

PubMed

Singha, Sanat Kumar; Das, Prasanta Kumar; Maiti, Biswajit

2017-01-01

The influence of line tension on the thermostability of a droplet nucleated from an oversaturated vapor at the interface of the vapor and another immiscible liquid is investigated. Along with the condition of mechanical equilibrium, the notion of extremization of the reversible work of formation is considered to obtain the critical parameters related to heterogeneous nucleation. From the energetic formulation, the critical reversible work of formation is found to be greater than that of homogeneous nucleation for high value of the positive line tension. On the other hand, for high value of the negative line tension, the critical reversible work of formation becomes negative. Therefore, these thermodynamic instabilities under certain substrate wettability situations necessitate a free-energetics-based stability of the nucleated droplet, because the system energy is not minimized under these conditions. This thermostability is analogous to the transition-based stability proposed by Widom [B. Widom, J. Phys. Chem. 99, 2803 (1995)]10.1021/j100009a041 in the case of partial wetting phenomena along with the positive line tension. The thermostability analysis limits the domain of the solution space of the present critical-value problem as the thermodynamic transformation in connection with homogeneous and workless nucleation is considered. Within the stability range of the geometry-based wetting parameters, three limiting modes of nucleation, i.e., total-dewetting-related homogeneous nucleation, and total-wetting-associated and total-submergence-associated workless nucleation scenarios, are identified. Either of the two related limiting wetting scenarios of workless nucleation, namely, total wetting and total submergence, is found to be favorable depending on the geometry-based wetting conditions. The line-tension-associated nucleation on a liquid surface can be differentiated from that on a rigid substrate, as in the former, the stability based on mechanical equilibrium and a typical case of workless nucleation with complete submergence are observed.

A handy motion driven hybrid energy harvester: dual Halbach array based electromagnetic and triboelectric generators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salauddin, M.; Park, J. Y.

2016-11-01

In this work, we have proposed and experimentally validated of hybrid electromagnetic and triboelectric energy harvester using dual Halbach magnets array excited by human handy motion. Hybrid electromagnetic (EM) and triboelectric (TE) generator that can deliver an output performance much higher than that of the individual energy-harvesting unit due to the combination operation of EM and TE mechanisms under the same mechanical movements. A Halbach array concentrates the magnetic flux lines on one side of the array while suppressing the flux lines on the other side. Dual Halbach array allows the concentrated magnetic flux lines to interact with the same coil in a way where maximum flux linkage occurs. When an external mechanical vibration is applied to the hybrid structure in the axial direction of the harvester, the suspended mass (two sided dual-Halbach-array frame) starts to oscillate within the magnetic springs and TEG part. Therefore, the TEG part, the Al film and microstructure PDMS film are collected into full contact with each other, generating triboelectric charges due to the various triboelectricities between them. A prototype of the hybrid harvester has been fabricated and tested. The EMG is capable of delivering maximum 11.5mW peak power at 32.5Ω matching load resistance and the TEG delivering 88μW peak power at 10MΩ load resistance.

Local observation of reverse-domain superconductivity in a superconductor-ferromagnet hybrid.

PubMed

Fritzsche, J; Moshchalkov, V V; Eitel, H; Koelle, D; Kleiner, R; Szymczak, R

2006-06-23

Nanoscale magnetic and superconducting properties of the superconductor-ferromagnet Nb/PbFe12O19 hybrid were studied as a function of applied magnetic fields. Low-temperature scanning laser microscopy (LTSLM) together with transport measurements were carried out in order to reveal local variations of superconductivity induced by the magnetic field template produced by the ferromagnetic substrate. Room temperature magnetic force microscopy (MFM) was performed and magnetization curves were taken at room and low temperature to investigate the magnetic properties of the hybrid. Comparative analysis of the LTSLM and the MFM images has convincingly demonstrated the presence of the reverse-domain superconductivity.

A DNA microarray-based methylation-sensitive (MS)-AFLP hybridization method for genetic and epigenetic analyses.

PubMed

Yamamoto, F; Yamamoto, M

2004-07-01

We previously developed a PCR-based DNA fingerprinting technique named the Methylation Sensitive (MS)-AFLP method, which permits comparative genome-wide scanning of methylation status with a manageable number of fingerprinting experiments. The technique uses the methylation sensitive restriction enzyme NotI in the context of the existing Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) method. Here we report the successful conversion of this gel electrophoresis-based DNA fingerprinting technique into a DNA microarray hybridization technique (DNA Microarray MS-AFLP). By performing a total of 30 (15 x 2 reciprocal labeling) DNA Microarray MS-AFLP hybridization experiments on genomic DNA from two breast and three prostate cancer cell lines in all pairwise combinations, and Southern hybridization experiments using more than 100 different probes, we have demonstrated that the DNA Microarray MS-AFLP is a reliable method for genetic and epigenetic analyses. No statistically significant differences were observed in the number of differences between the breast-prostate hybridization experiments and the breast-breast or prostate-prostate comparisons.

Quantum key distribution using gaussian-modulated coherent states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grosshans, Frédéric; Van Assche, Gilles; Wenger, Jérôme; Brouri, Rosa; Cerf, Nicolas J.; Grangier, Philippe

2003-01-01

Quantum continuous variables are being explored as an alternative means to implement quantum key distribution, which is usually based on single photon counting. The former approach is potentially advantageous because it should enable higher key distribution rates. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate a quantum key distribution protocol based on the transmission of gaussian-modulated coherent states (consisting of laser pulses containing a few hundred photons) and shot-noise-limited homodyne detection; squeezed or entangled beams are not required. Complete secret key extraction is achieved using a reverse reconciliation technique followed by privacy amplification. The reverse reconciliation technique is in principle secure for any value of the line transmission, against gaussian individual attacks based on entanglement and quantum memories. Our table-top experiment yields a net key transmission rate of about 1.7 megabits per second for a loss-free line, and 75 kilobits per second for a line with losses of 3.1dB. We anticipate that the scheme should remain effective for lines with higher losses, particularly because the present limitations are essentially technical, so that significant margin for improvement is available on both the hardware and software.

Proton-Fueled, Reversible DNA Hybridization Chain Assembly for pH Sensing and Imaging.

PubMed

Liu, Lan; Liu, Jin-Wen; Huang, Zhi-Mei; Wu, Han; Li, Na; Tang, Li-Juan; Jiang, Jian-Hui

2017-07-05

Design of DNA self-assembly with reversible responsiveness to external stimuli is of great interest for diverse applications. We for the first time develop a pH-responsive, fully reversible hybridization chain reaction (HCR) assembly that allows sensitive sensing and imaging of pH in living cells. Our design relies on the triplex forming sequences that form DNA triplex with toehold regions under acidic conditions and then induce a cascade of strand displacement and DNA assembly. The HCR assembly has shown dynamic responses in physiological pH ranges with excellent reversibility and demonstrated the potential for in vitro detection and live-cell imaging of pH. Moreover, this method affords HCR assemblies with highly localized fluorescence responses, offering advantages of improving sensitivity and better selectivity. The proton-fueled, reversible HCR assembly may provide a useful approach for pH-related cell biology study and disease diagnostics.

Construction of a male sterility system for hybrid rice breeding and seed production using a nuclear male sterility gene

PubMed Central

Chang, Zhenyi; Chen, Zhufeng; Wang, Na; Xie, Gang; Lu, Jiawei; Yan, Wei; Zhou, Junli; Tang, Xiaoyan; Deng, Xing Wang

2016-01-01

The breeding and large-scale adoption of hybrid seeds is an important achievement in agriculture. Rice hybrid seed production uses cytoplasmic male sterile lines or photoperiod/thermo-sensitive genic male sterile lines (PTGMS) as female parent. Cytoplasmic male sterile lines are propagated via cross-pollination by corresponding maintainer lines, whereas PTGMS lines are propagated via self-pollination under environmental conditions restoring male fertility. Despite huge successes, both systems have their intrinsic drawbacks. Here, we constructed a rice male sterility system using a nuclear gene named Oryza sativa No Pollen 1 (OsNP1). OsNP1 encodes a putative glucose–methanol–choline oxidoreductase regulating tapetum degeneration and pollen exine formation; it is specifically expressed in the tapetum and miscrospores. The osnp1 mutant plant displays normal vegetative growth but complete male sterility insensitive to environmental conditions. OsNP1 was coupled with an α-amylase gene to devitalize transgenic pollen and the red fluorescence protein (DsRed) gene to mark transgenic seed and transformed into the osnp1 mutant. Self-pollination of the transgenic plant carrying a single hemizygous transgene produced nontransgenic male sterile and transgenic fertile seeds in 1:1 ratio that can be sorted out based on the red fluorescence coded by DsRed. Cross-pollination of the fertile transgenic plants to the nontransgenic male sterile plants propagated the male sterile seeds of high purity. The male sterile line was crossed with ∼1,200 individual rice germplasms available. Approximately 85% of the F1s outperformed their parents in per plant yield, and 10% out-yielded the best local cultivars, indicating that the technology is promising in hybrid rice breeding and production. PMID:27864513

Construction of a male sterility system for hybrid rice breeding and seed production using a nuclear male sterility gene.

PubMed

Chang, Zhenyi; Chen, Zhufeng; Wang, Na; Xie, Gang; Lu, Jiawei; Yan, Wei; Zhou, Junli; Tang, Xiaoyan; Deng, Xing Wang

2016-12-06

The breeding and large-scale adoption of hybrid seeds is an important achievement in agriculture. Rice hybrid seed production uses cytoplasmic male sterile lines or photoperiod/thermo-sensitive genic male sterile lines (PTGMS) as female parent. Cytoplasmic male sterile lines are propagated via cross-pollination by corresponding maintainer lines, whereas PTGMS lines are propagated via self-pollination under environmental conditions restoring male fertility. Despite huge successes, both systems have their intrinsic drawbacks. Here, we constructed a rice male sterility system using a nuclear gene named Oryza sativa No Pollen 1 (OsNP1). OsNP1 encodes a putative glucose-methanol-choline oxidoreductase regulating tapetum degeneration and pollen exine formation; it is specifically expressed in the tapetum and miscrospores. The osnp1 mutant plant displays normal vegetative growth but complete male sterility insensitive to environmental conditions. OsNP1 was coupled with an α-amylase gene to devitalize transgenic pollen and the red fluorescence protein (DsRed) gene to mark transgenic seed and transformed into the osnp1 mutant. Self-pollination of the transgenic plant carrying a single hemizygous transgene produced nontransgenic male sterile and transgenic fertile seeds in 1:1 ratio that can be sorted out based on the red fluorescence coded by DsRed Cross-pollination of the fertile transgenic plants to the nontransgenic male sterile plants propagated the male sterile seeds of high purity. The male sterile line was crossed with ∼1,200 individual rice germplasms available. Approximately 85% of the F1s outperformed their parents in per plant yield, and 10% out-yielded the best local cultivars, indicating that the technology is promising in hybrid rice breeding and production.

Enzyme-free and isothermal detection of microRNA based on click-chemical ligation-assisted hybridization coupled with hybridization chain reaction signal amplification.

PubMed

Oishi, Motoi

2015-05-01

An enzyme-free and isothermal microRNA (miRNA) detection method has been developed based on click-chemical ligation-assisted hybridization coupled with hybridization chain reaction (HCR) on magnetic beads (MBs). The click-chemical ligation between an azide-modified probe DNA and a dibenzocyclooctyne-modified probe DNA occurred through the hybridization of target miRNA (miR-141). HCR on MBs was performed by the addition of DNA hairpin monomers (H1 and H2). After magnetic separation and denaturation/rehybridization of HCR products ([H1/H2] n ), the resulting HCR products were analyzed by the fluorescence emitted from an intercalative dye, allowing amplification of the fluorescent signal. The proposed assay had a limit of detection of 0.55 fmol, which was 230-fold more sensitive than that of the HCR on the MBs coupled with a conventional sandwich hybridization assay (without click-chemical ligation) (limit of detection 127 fmol). Additionally, the proposed assay could discriminate between miR-141 and other miR-200 family members. In contrast to quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction techniques using enzymes and thermal cycling, this is an enzyme-free assay that can be conducted under isothermal conditions and can specifically detect miR-141 in fetal bovine serum.

Genetic analysis of indefinite division in human cells: Evidence for a cell senescence-related gene(s) on human chromosome 4

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yi Ning; Ledbetter, D.H.; Smith, J.R.

1991-07-01

Earlier studies had demonstrated that fusion of normal with immortal human cells yielded hybrids having limited division potential. This indicated that the phenotype of limited proliferation (cellular senescence) is dominant and that immortal cells result from recessive changes in normal growth-regulatory genes. In additional studies, the authors exploited the fact that the immortal phenotype is recessive and, by fusing various immortal human cell lines with each other, identified four complementation groups for indefinite division. Assignment of cell lines to specific groups allowed us to take a focused approach to identify the chromosomes and genes involved in growth regulation that havemore » been modified in immortal cells. They report here that introduction of a normal human chromosome 4 into three immortal cell lines (HeLa, J82, T98G) assigned to complementation group B resulted in loss of proliferation and reversal of the immortal phenotype. No effect on the proliferation potential of cell lines representative of the other complementation groups was observed. This result suggests that a gene(s) involved in cellular senescence and normal growth regulation resides on chromosome 4.« less

Fingerprinting and genetic purity assessment of F1 barley hybrids and their salt-tolerant parental lines using nSSR molecular markers.

PubMed

Ben Romdhane, Mériam; Riahi, Leila; Jardak, Rahma; Ghorbel, Abdelwahed; Zoghlami, Nejia

2018-01-01

Hybridity and the genuineness of hybrids are prominent characteristics for quality control of seeds and thereby for varietal improvement. In the current study, the cross between two local barley genotypes (Ardhaoui: female; Testour: male) previously identified as susceptible/tolerant to salt stress in Tunisia was achieved. The hybrid genetic purity of the generated F 1 putative hybrids and the fingerprinting of the parents along with their offspring were assessed using a set of 17 nuclear SSR markers. Among the analyzed loci, 11 nSSR were shown polymorphic among the parents and their offspring. Based on the applied 11 polymorphic SSR loci, a total of 28 alleles were detected with an average of 2.54 alleles per locus. The locus HVM33 presented the highest number of alleles. The highest polymorphism information content value was detected for the locus HVM33 (0.6713) whereas the lowest PIC value (0.368) was revealed by the loci BMAC0156 , EBMAC0970 and BMAG0013 with a mean value of 0.4619. The probabilities of identical genotypes PI for the 11 microsatellite markers were 8.63 × 10 -7 . Banding patterns among parents and hybrids showed polymorphic fragments. The 11 SSR loci had produced unique fingerprints for each analyzed genotype and segregate between the two parental lines and their four hybrids. Parentage analysis confirms the hybrid purity of the four analyzed genotypes. Six Tunisian barley accessions were used as an outgroup in the multivariate analysis to confirm the efficiency of the employed 11 nSSR markers in genetic differentiation among various barley germplasms. Thus, neighbor joining and factorial analysis revealed clearly the discrimination among the parental lines, the four hybrids and the outgroup accessions. Out of the detected polymorphic 11 nuclear SSR markers, a set of five markers ( HVM33 , WMC1E8 , BMAC0154 , BMAC0040 and BMAG0007 ) were shown to be sufficient and informative enough to discriminate among the six genotypes representing the two parental lines and the four hybrids from each others. These five nSSR markers presented the highest number of alleles per locus ( A n ), expected heterozygosity ( H e ), PIC values and the lowest probabilities of identity (PI). These nSSR loci may be used as referral SSR markers for unambiguous discrimination and genetic purity assessment in barley breeding programs.

Hybrid adaptive radiotherapy with on-line MRI in cervix cancer IMRT.

PubMed

Oh, Seungjong; Stewart, James; Moseley, Joanne; Kelly, Valerie; Lim, Karen; Xie, Jason; Fyles, Anthony; Brock, Kristy K; Lundin, Anna; Rehbinder, Henrik; Milosevic, Michael; Jaffray, David; Cho, Young-Bin

2014-02-01

Substantial organ motion and tumor shrinkage occur during radiotherapy for cervix cancer. IMRT planning studies have shown that the quality of radiation delivery is influenced by these anatomical changes, therefore the adaptation of treatment plans may be warranted. Image guidance with off-line replanning, i.e. hybrid-adaptation, is recognized as one of the most practical adaptation strategies. In this study, we investigated the effects of soft tissue image guidance using on-line MR while varying the frequency of off-line replanning on the adaptation of cervix IMRT. 33 cervical cancer patients underwent planning and weekly pelvic MRI scans during radiotherapy. 5 patients of 33 were identified in a previous retrospective adaptive planning study, in which the coverage of gross tumor volume/clinical target volume (GTV/CTV) was not acceptable given single off-line IMRT replan using a 3mm PTV margin with bone matching. These 5 patients and a randomly selected 10 patients from the remaining 28 patients, a total of 15 patients of 33, were considered in this study. Two matching methods for image guidance (bone to bone and soft tissue to dose matrix) and three frequencies of off-line replanning (none, single, and weekly) were simulated and compared with respect to target coverage (cervix, GTV, lower uterus, parametrium, upper vagina, tumor related CTV and elective lymph node CTV) and OAR sparing (bladder, bowel, rectum, and sigmoid). Cost (total process time) and benefit (target coverage) were analyzed for comparison. Hybrid adaptation (image guidance with off-line replanning) significantly enhanced target coverage for both 5 difficult and 10 standard cases. Concerning image guidance, bone matching was short of delivering enough doses for 5 difficult cases even with a weekly off-line replan. Soft tissue image guidance proved successful for all cases except one when single or more frequent replans were utilized in the difficult cases. Cost and benefit analysis preferred (soft tissue) image guidance over (frequent) off-line replanning. On-line MRI based image guidance (with combination of dose distribution) is a crucial element for a successful hybrid adaptive radiotherapy. Frequent off-line replanning adjuvantly enhances adaptation quality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Poor Prognosis Associated With Human Papillomavirus α7 Genotypes in Cervical Carcinoma Cannot Be Explained by Intrinsic Radiosensitivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hall, John S.; Iype, Rohan; Armenoult, Lucile S.C.

2013-04-01

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype and outcome after radiation therapy and intrinsic radiosensitivity. Methods and Materials: HPV genotyping was performed on cervix biopsies by polymerase chain reaction using SPF-10 broad-spectrum primers, followed by deoxyribonucleic acid enzyme immunoassay and genotyping by reverse hybridization line probe assay (LiPA{sub 25}) (version 1) (n=202). PapilloCheck and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were used to genotype cervix cancer cell lines (n=16). Local progression-free survival after radiation therapy alone was assessed using log-rank and Cox proportionate hazard analyses. Intrinsic radiosensitivity was measured as surviving fraction at 2 Gy (SF2) using clonogenicmore » assays. Results: Of the 202 tumors, 107 (53.0%) were positive for HPV16, 29 (14.4%) for HPV18, 9 (4.5%) for HPV45, 23 (11.4%) for other HPV genotypes, and 22 (10.9%) were negative; 11 (5.5%) contained multiple genotypes, and 1 tumor was HPV X (0.5%). In 148 patients with outcome data, those with HPVα9-positive tumors had better local progression-free survival compared with α7 patients in univariate (P<.004) and multivariate (hazard ratio 1.54, 95% confidence interval 1.11-1.76, P=.021) analyses. There was no difference in the median SF2 of α9 and α7 cervical tumors (n=63). In the cell lines, 9 were α7 and 4 α9 positive and 3 negative. There was no difference in SF2 between α9 and α7 cell lines (n=14). Conclusion: The reduced radioresponsiveness of α7 cervical tumors is not related to intrinsic radiosensitivity.« less

Development of Elite BPH-Resistant Wide-Spectrum Restorer Lines for Three and Two Line Hybrid Rice.

PubMed

Fan, Fengfeng; Li, Nengwu; Chen, Yunping; Liu, Xingdan; Sun, Heng; Wang, Jie; He, Guangcun; Zhu, Yingguo; Li, Shaoqing

2017-01-01

Hybrid rice has contributed significantly to the world food security. Breeding of elite high-yield, strong-resistant broad-spectrum restorer line is an important strategy for hybrid rice in commercial breeding programs. Here, we developed three elite brown planthopper (BPH)-resistant wide-spectrum restorer lines by pyramiding big-panicle gene Gn8.1 , BPH-resistant genes Bph6 and Bph9 , fertility restorer genes Rf3, Rf4, Rf5 , and Rf6 through molecular marker assisted selection. Resistance analysis revealed that the newly developed restorer lines showed stronger BPH-resistance than any of the single-gene donor parent Luoyang-6 and Luoyang-9. Moreover, the three new restorer lines had broad spectrum recovery capabilities for Honglian CMS, Wild abortive CMS and two-line GMS sterile lines, and higher grain yields than that of the recurrent parent 9,311 under nature field conditions. Importantly, the hybrid crosses also showed good performance for grain yield and BPH-resistance. Thus, the development of elite BPH-resistant wide-spectrum restorer lines has a promising future for breeding of broad spectrum BPH-resistant high-yield varieties.

In vitro detection of canine distemper virus nucleic acid with a virus-specific cDNA probe by dot-blot and in situ hybridization.

PubMed

Oglesbee, M; Jackwood, D; Perrine, K; Axthelm, M; Krakowka, S; Rice, J

1986-11-01

A cDNA library was prepared from canine distemper viral (CDV) messenger RNA (mRNA) derived from Vero cells lytically infected with the Onderstepoort strain (Ond) of CDV. A 300 base pair insert was identified which, by Northern blot analysis and Sanger sequence data, was shown to be specific to the nucleocapsid gene. The nucleocapsid (NC) clone was radiolabelled with 32P using nick translation and used to detect viral RNA in both dot-blot and in situ preparations of Vero cells lytically infected with Onderstepoort CDV (Ond-CDV) and immortalized mink lung cells persistently infected with racoon origin CDV (CCL64-RCDV). Dot-blot hybridization results paralleled immunofluorescent results in the lytically infected cells. In 18 persistently infected cell lines from the RCDV-CCL64 parental stock, 13 lines were positive and two were negative on both immunofluorescence and dot-blot hybridization analysis for CDV antigen and RNA, respectively. Viral nucleic acid was detected in these persistently infected cells, where as few as 1.9% of the members of a line were positive on immunofluorescence. A dot-blot autoradiographic signal was obtained in three lines which were negative for CDV antigen. CDV RNA was detected in both lytically and persistently infected cell lines by in situ hybridization, where decreasing probe length was important in increasing the sensitivity of this assay. Viral RNA was detected in over 90% of the lytically infected cells, where only 70% were positive for viral antigen by immunofluorescence.

SunLine Transit Agency Advanced Technology Fuel Cell Bus Evaluation: Fourth Results Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eudy, L.; Chandler, K.

2013-01-01

SunLine Transit Agency, which provides public transit services to the Coachella Valley area of California, has demonstrated hydrogen and fuel cell bus technologies for more than 10 years. In May 2010, SunLine began demonstrating the advanced technology (AT) fuel cell bus with a hybrid electric propulsion system, fuel cell power system, and lithium-based hybrid batteries. This report describes operations at SunLine for the AT fuel cell bus and five compressed natural gas buses. The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working with SunLine to evaluate the bus in real-world service to document the results and helpmore » determine the progress toward technology readiness. NREL has previously published three reports documenting the operation of the fuel cell bus in service. This report provides a summary of the results with a focus on the bus operation from February 2012 through November 2012.« less

A metallo-DNA nanowire with uninterrupted one-dimensional silver array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondo, Jiro; Tada, Yoshinari; Dairaku, Takenori; Hattori, Yoshikazu; Saneyoshi, Hisao; Ono, Akira; Tanaka, Yoshiyuki

2017-10-01

The double-helix structure of DNA, in which complementary strands reversibly hybridize to each other, not only explains how genetic information is stored and replicated, but also has proved very attractive for the development of nanomaterials. The discovery of metal-mediated base pairs has prompted the generation of short metal-DNA hybrid duplexes by a bottom-up approach. Here we describe a metallo-DNA nanowire—whose structure was solved by high-resolution X-ray crystallography—that consists of dodecamer duplexes held together by four different metal-mediated base pairs (the previously observed C-Ag-C, as well as G-Ag-G, G-Ag-C and T-Ag-T) and linked to each other through G overhangs involved in interduplex G-Ag-G. The resulting hybrid nanowires are 2 nm wide with a length of the order of micrometres to millimetres, and hold the silver ions in uninterrupted one-dimensional arrays along the DNA helical axis. The hybrid nanowires are further assembled into three-dimensional lattices by interactions between adenine residues, fully bulged out of the double helix.

Optical chaos and hybrid WDM/TDM based large capacity quasi-distributed sensing network with real-time fiber fault monitoring.

PubMed

Luo, Yiyang; Xia, Li; Xu, Zhilin; Yu, Can; Sun, Qizhen; Li, Wei; Huang, Di; Liu, Deming

2015-02-09

An optical chaos and hybrid wavelength division multiplexing/time division multiplexing (WDM/TDM) based large capacity quasi-distributed sensing network with real-time fiber fault monitoring is proposed. Chirped fiber Bragg grating (CFBG) intensity demodulation is adopted to improve the dynamic range of the measurements. Compared with the traditional sensing interrogation methods in time, radio frequency and optical wavelength domains, the measurand sensing and the precise locating of the proposed sensing network can be simultaneously interrogated by the relative amplitude change (RAC) and the time delay of the correlation peak in the cross-correlation spectrum. Assisted with the WDM/TDM technology, hundreds of sensing units could be potentially multiplexed in the multiple sensing fiber lines. Based on the proof-of-concept experiment for axial strain measurement with three sensing fiber lines, the strain sensitivity up to 0.14% RAC/με and the precise locating of the sensors are achieved. Significantly, real-time fiber fault monitoring in the three sensing fiber lines is also implemented with a spatial resolution of 2.8 cm.

DOP-PCR based painting of rye chromosomes in a wheat background.

PubMed

Deng, Chuanliang; Bai, Lili; Li, Shufen; Zhang, Yingxin; Li, Xiang; Chen, Yuhong; Wang, Richard R-C; Han, Fangpu; Hu, Zanmin

2014-09-01

To determine the appropriateness of chromosome painting for identifying genomic elements in rye, we microdissected the 1R and 1RS chromosomes from rye (Secale cereale L. var. King II) and wheat-rye addition line 1RS, respectively. Degenerate oligonucleotide primed - polymerase chain reaction (DOP-PCR) amplification of 1R and 1RS products from dissected chromosomes were used as probes to hybridize to metaphase chromosomes of rye, wheat-rye addition lines 1R and 1RS, translocation line 1RS.1BL, and allohexaploid triticale. The results showed that (i) the hybridization signal distribution patterns on rye chromosomes using 1R-derived DOP-PCR products as the probe were similar to those using 1RS-derived DOP-PCR products as the probe; (ii) 1R and (or) 1RS could not be distinguished from other rye chromosomes solely by the hybridization patterns using 1R- and (or) 1RS-derived DOP-PCR products as the probe; (iii) rye chromosomes and (or) rye chromosome fragments could be clearly identified in wheat-rye hybrids using either 1R- or 1RS-derived DOP-PCR products as the probe and could be more accurate in the nontelomeric region than using genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). Our results suggested that 1R- and (or) 1RS-derived DOP-PCR products contain many repetitive DNA sequences, are similar on different rye chromosomes, are R-genome specific, and can be used to identify rye chromosomes and chromosome fragments in wheat-rye hybrids. Our research widens the application range of chromosome painting in plants.

Evaluation of the agronomic performance of atrazine-tolerant transgenic japonica rice parental lines for utilization in hybrid seed production.

PubMed

Zhang, Luhua; Chen, Haiwei; Li, Yanlan; Li, Yanan; Wang, Shengjun; Su, Jinping; Liu, Xuejun; Chen, Defu; Chen, Xiwen

2014-01-01

Currently, the purity of hybrid seed is a crucial limiting factor when developing hybrid japonica rice (Oryza sativa L.). To chemically control hybrid seed purity, we transferred an improved atrazine chlorohydrolase gene (atzA) from Pseudomonas ADP into hybrid japonica parental lines (two maintainers, one restorer), and Nipponbare, by using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. We subsequently selected several transgenic lines from each genotype by using PCR, RT-PCR, and germination analysis. In the presence of the investigated atrazine concentrations, particularly 150 µM atrazine, almost all of the transgenic lines produced significantly larger seedlings, with similar or higher germination percentages, than did the respective controls. Although the seedlings of transgenic lines were taller and gained more root biomass compared to the respective control plants, their growth was nevertheless inhibited by atrazine treatment compared to that without treatment. When grown in soil containing 2 mg/kg or 5 mg/kg atrazine, the transgenic lines were taller, and had higher total chlorophyll contents than did the respective controls; moreover, three of the strongest transgenic lines completely recovered after 45 days of growth. After treatment with 2 mg/kg or 5 mg/kg of atrazine, the atrazine residue remaining in the soil was 2.9-7.0% or 0.8-8.7% respectively, for transgenic lines, and 44.0-59.2% or 28.1-30.8%, respectively, for control plants. Spraying plants at the vegetative growth stage with 0.15% atrazine effectively killed control plants, but not transgenic lines. Our results indicate that transgenic atzA rice plants show tolerance to atrazine, and may be used as parental lines in future hybrid seed production.

Origin of Reversible Photoinduced Phase Separation in Hybrid Perovskites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bischak, Connor G.; Hetherington, Craig L.; Wu, Hao; Aloni, Shaul; Ogletree, D. Frank; Limmer, David T.; Ginsberg, Naomi S.

2017-02-01

Nonequilibrium processes occurring in functional materials can significantly impact device efficiencies and are often difficult to characterize due to the broad range of length and time scales involved. In particular, mixed halide hybrid perovskites are promising for optoelectronics, yet the halides reversibly phase separate when photo-excited, significantly altering device performance. By combining nanoscale imaging and multiscale modeling, we elucidate the mechanism underlying this phenomenon, demonstrating that local strain induced by photo-generated polarons promotes halide phase separation and leads to nucleation of light-stabilized iodide-rich clusters. This effect relies on the unique electromechanical properties of hybrid materials, characteristic of neither their organic nor inorganic constituents alone. Exploiting photo-induced phase separation and other nonequilibrium phenomena in hybrid materials, generally, could enable new opportunities for expanding the functional applications in sensing, photoswitching, optical memory, and energy storage.

Design of the 1.5 MW, 30-96 MHz ultra-wideband 3 dB high power hybrid coupler for Ion Cyclotron Resonance Frequency (ICRF) heating in fusion grade reactor.

PubMed

Yadav, Rana Pratap; Kumar, Sunil; Kulkarni, S V

2016-01-01

Design and developmental procedure of strip-line based 1.5 MW, 30-96 MHz, ultra-wideband high power 3 dB hybrid coupler has been presented and its applicability in ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) in tokamak is discussed. For the high power handling capability, spacing between conductors and ground need to very high. Hence other structural parameters like strip-width, strip thickness coupling gap, and junction also become large which can be gone upto optimum limit where various constrains like fabrication tolerance, discontinuities, and excitation of higher TE and TM modes become prominent and significantly deteriorates the desired parameters of the coupled lines system. In designed hybrid coupler, two 8.34 dB coupled lines are connected in tandem to get desired coupling of 3 dB and air is used as dielectric. The spacing between ground and conductors are taken as 0.164 m for 1.5 MW power handling capability. To have the desired spacing, each of 8.34 dB segments are designed with inner dimension of 3.6 × 1.0 × 40 cm where constraints have been significantly realized, compensated, and applied in designing of 1.5 MW hybrid coupler and presented in paper.

Design of the 1.5 MW, 30-96 MHz ultra-wideband 3 dB high power hybrid coupler for Ion Cyclotron Resonance Frequency (ICRF) heating in fusion grade reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Rana Pratap; Kumar, Sunil; Kulkarni, S. V.

2016-01-01

Design and developmental procedure of strip-line based 1.5 MW, 30-96 MHz, ultra-wideband high power 3 dB hybrid coupler has been presented and its applicability in ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) in tokamak is discussed. For the high power handling capability, spacing between conductors and ground need to very high. Hence other structural parameters like strip-width, strip thickness coupling gap, and junction also become large which can be gone upto optimum limit where various constrains like fabrication tolerance, discontinuities, and excitation of higher TE and TM modes become prominent and significantly deteriorates the desired parameters of the coupled lines system. In designed hybrid coupler, two 8.34 dB coupled lines are connected in tandem to get desired coupling of 3 dB and air is used as dielectric. The spacing between ground and conductors are taken as 0.164 m for 1.5 MW power handling capability. To have the desired spacing, each of 8.34 dB segments are designed with inner dimension of 3.6 × 1.0 × 40 cm where constraints have been significantly realized, compensated, and applied in designing of 1.5 MW hybrid coupler and presented in paper.

On the persistence of reproductive barriers in Eucalyptus: the bridging of mechanical barriers to zygote formation by F1 hybrids is counteracted by intrinsic post-zygotic incompatibilities.

PubMed

Larcombe, Matthew J; Costa E Silva, João; Tilyard, Paul; Gore, Peter; Potts, Brad M

2016-09-01

Many previous studies conclude that pre-zygotic barriers such as mechanical isolation account for most reproductive isolation between pairs of taxa. However, the inheritance and persistence of barriers such as these after the first generation of hybridization is rarely quantified, even though it is a vital consideration in understanding gene flow potential. There is an asymmetrical pre-zygotic mechanical barrier to hybridization between Eucalyptus nitens and Eucalyptus globulus, which completely prevents small-flowered E. nitens pollen from mating with large E. globulus flowers, while the reverse cross is possible. We aimed to determine the relative importance of pre- and post-zygotic barriers in preventing gene flow following secondary contact between E. nitens and E. globulus, including the inheritance of barriers in advanced-generation hybrids. Experimental crossing was used to produce outcrossed E. nitens, E. globulus and their F1, F2, BCg and BCn hybrids. The strength and inheritance of a suite of pre- and post-zygotic barriers were assessed, including 20-year survival, growth and reproductive capacity. The mechanical barrier to hybridization was lost or greatly reduced in the F1 hybrid. In contrast, intrinsic post-zygotic barriers were strong and persistent. Line-cross analysis indicated that the outbreeding depression in the hybrids was best explained by epistatic loss. The removal of strong mechanical barriers between E. nitens and E. globulus allows F1 hybrids to act as a bridge for bi-directional gene flow between these species. However, strong and persistent post-zygotic barriers exist, meaning that wherever F1 hybridization does occur, intrinsic post-zygotic barriers will be responsible for most reproductive isolation in this system. This potential transient nature of mechanical barriers to zygote formation due to additive inheritance in hybrids appears under-appreciated, and highlights the often important role that intrinsic post-mating barriers play in maintaining species boundaries at zones of secondary contact. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A new flat sheet membrane bioreactor hybrid system for advanced treatment of effluent, reverse osmosis pretreatment and fouling mitigation.

PubMed

Hosseinzadeh, Majid; Bidhendi, Gholamreza Nabi; Torabian, Ali; Mehrdadi, Naser; Pourabdullah, Mehdi

2015-09-01

This paper introduces a new hybrid electro membrane bioreactor (HEMBR) for reverse osmosis (RO) pretreatment and advanced treatment of effluent by simultaneously integrating electrical coagulation (EC) with a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and its performance was compared with conventional MBR. Experimental results and their statistical analysis showed removal efficiency for suspended solids (SS) of almost 100% for both reactors. HEMBR removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) improved by 4% and membrane fouling was alleviated according to transmembrane pressure (TMP). The average silt density index (SDI) of HEMBR permeate samples was slightly better indicating less RO membrane fouling. Moreover, based on the SVI comparison of two reactor biomass samples, HEMBR showed better settling characteristics which improved the dewaterability and filterability of the sludge. Analysis the change of membrane surfaces and the cake layer formed over them through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF) were also discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A combined endovascular and open ''reverse hybrid'' technique for repair of complex juxtarenal inflammatory aortic aneurysms.

PubMed

Rigberg, David; Jimenez, Juan Carlos; Lawrence, Peter; Gelabert, Hugh

2009-01-01

Inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms (IAAA) can present significant challenges to surgeons, especially in the juxtarenal location where they may not be amenable to endovascular repair. The dense, inflammatory component of these lesions can encase adjacent structures including the duodenum, ureters, and inferior vena cava putting them at risk for injury during open exposure. We report a novel ''reverse hybrid'' technique using a combined endovascular and open approach for repair of large, juxtarenal IAAA's.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Yunping; Zheng, Ran; Han, Zhangang, E-mail: hanzg116@126.com

Two supramolecular hybrids [Ni(mbpy){sub 3}]{sub 2}[V{sub 2}W{sub 4}O{sub 19}]·6H{sub 2}O (1) and [Ni(mbpy){sub 3}]{sub 2}[VW{sub 12}O{sub 40}] (2) (mbpy=4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridyl) had been synthesized and characterized. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that the anionic moieties in two hybrids belong to typical Lindqvist and α-Keggin-type structures, respectively. The counter ion [Ni(mbpy){sub 3}]{sup 2+} units were anchored to the polyanions via non-covalent intermolecular interactions. These supramolecular hybrids exhibit reversible adsorption–desorption performance for organic dye methylene blue (MB). Hybrid 2 shows a fast adsorption behavior towards MB and a relatively high value can be reached within 5 min in dark. Both 1 and 2more » are structurally stable and can be easily separated from the reaction system for reuse. - Graphical abstract: Supramolecular hybrids of polytungstates have been synthesized and characterized, which exhibit the reversible adsorption–desorption performance for organic dye methylene blue.« less

Disruption of a Rice Pentatricopeptide Repeat Protein Causes a Seedling-Specific Albino Phenotype and Its Utilization to Enhance Seed Purity in Hybrid Rice Production1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Su, Ning; Hu, Mao-Long; Wu, Dian-Xing; Wu, Fu-Qing; Fei, Gui-Lin; Lan, Ying; Chen, Xiu-Ling; Shu, Xiao-Li; Zhang, Xin; Guo, Xiu-Ping; Cheng, Zhi-Jun; Lei, Cai-Lin; Qi, Cun-Kou; Jiang, Ling; Wang, Haiyang; Wan, Jian-Min

2012-01-01

The pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) gene family represents one of the largest gene families in higher plants. Accumulating data suggest that PPR proteins play a central and broad role in modulating the expression of organellar genes in plants. Here we report a rice (Oryza sativa) mutant named young seedling albino (ysa) derived from the rice thermo/photoperiod-sensitive genic male-sterile line Pei'ai64S, which is a leading male-sterile line for commercial two-line hybrid rice production. The ysa mutant develops albino leaves before the three-leaf stage, but the mutant gradually turns green and recovers to normal green at the six-leaf stage. Further investigation showed that the change in leaf color in ysa mutant is associated with changes in chlorophyll content and chloroplast development. Map-based cloning revealed that YSA encodes a PPR protein with 16 tandem PPR motifs. YSA is highly expressed in young leaves and stems, and its expression level is regulated by light. We showed that the ysa mutation has no apparent negative effects on several important agronomic traits, such as fertility, stigma extrusion rate, selfed seed-setting rate, hybrid seed-setting rate, and yield heterosis under normal growth conditions. We further demonstrated that ysa can be used as an early marker for efficient identification and elimination of false hybrids in commercial hybrid rice production, resulting in yield increases by up to approximately 537 kg ha−1. PMID:22430843

Potential for bias in using hybrids between common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and goldfish (Carassius auratus) in endocrine studies: a first report of hybrids in Lake Mead, Nevada, U.S.A

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goodbred, Steven L.; Patino, Reynaldo; Orsak, Erik; Sharma, Prakash; Ruessler, Shane

2013-01-01

During a 2008 study to assess endocrine and reproductive health of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Lake Mead, Nevada (U.S.A.) we identified two fish, one male and one female, as hybrids with goldfish (Carassius auratus) based on morphology, lateral line scale count, and lack of anterior barbels. Gross examination of the female hybrid ovaries indicated presence of vitellogenic ovarian follicles; whereas histological evaluation of the male hybrid testes showed lobule-like structures with open lumens but without germ cells, suggesting it was sterile. Because common carp/goldfish hybrids are more susceptible to gonadal tumors and may have different endocrine profiles than common carp, researchers using common carp as a model for endocrine/reproductive studies should be aware of the possible presence of hybrids.

Comparative proteome analysis of drought-sensitive and drought-tolerant rapeseed roots and their hybrid F1 line under drought stress.

PubMed

Mohammadi, Payam Pour; Moieni, Ahmad; Komatsu, Setsuko

2012-11-01

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), which is the third leading source of vegetable oil, is sensitive to drought stress during the early vegetative growth stage. To investigate the initial response of rapeseed to drought stress, changes in the protein expression profiles of drought-sensitive (RGS-003) and drought-tolerant lines (SLM-003), and their F1 hybrid, were analyzed using a proteomics approach. Seven-day-old rapeseed seedlings were treated with drought stress by restricting water for 7 days, and proteins were extracted from roots and separated by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In the sensitive rapeseed line, 35 protein spots were differentially expressed under drought stress, and proteins related to metabolism, energy, disease/defense, and transport were decreased. In the tolerant line, 32 protein spots were differentially expressed under drought stress, and proteins involved in metabolism, disease/defense, and transport were increased, while energy-related proteins were decreased. Six protein spots in F1 hybrid were common among expressed proteins in the drought-sensitive and -tolerant lines. Notably, tubulin beta-2 and heat shock protein 70 were decreased in the drought-sensitive line and hybrid F1 plants, while jasmonate-inducible protein and 20S proteasome subunit PAF1 were increased in the F1 hybrids and drought-tolerant line. These results indicate that (1) V-type H(+) ATPase, plasma-membrane associated cation-binding protein, HSP 90, and elongation factor EF-2 have a role in the drought tolerance of rapeseed; (2) The decreased levels of heat shock protein 70 and tubulin beta-2 in the drought-sensitive and hybrid F1 lines might explain the reduced growth of these lines in drought conditions.

Phenology, sterility and inheritance of two environment genic male sterile (EGMS) lines for hybrid rice.

PubMed

El-Namaky, R; van Oort, P A J

2017-12-01

There is still limited quantitative understanding of how environmental factors affect sterility of Environment-conditioned genic male sterility (EGMS) lines. A model was developed for this purpose and tested based on experimental data from Ndiaye (Senegal) in 2013-2015. For the two EGMS lines tested here, it was not clear if one or more recessive gene(s) were causing male sterility. This was tested by studying sterility segregation of the F2 populations. Daylength (photoperiod) and minimum temperatures during the period from panicle initiation to flowering had significant effects on male sterility. Results clearly showed that only one recessive gene was involved in causing male sterility. The model was applied to determine the set of sowing dates of two different EGMS lines such that both would flower at the same time the pollen would be completely sterile. In the same time the local popular variety (Sahel 108, the male pollen donor) being sufficiently fertile to produce the hybrid seeds. The model was applied to investigate the viability of the two line breeding system in the same location with climate change (+2oC) and in two other potential locations: in M'Be in Ivory Coast and in the Nile delta in Egypt. Apart from giving new insights in the relation between environment and EGMS, this study shows that these insights can be used to assess safe sowing windows and assess the suitability of sterility and fertility period of different environments for a two line hybrid rice production system.

Self-regenerating and hybrid irreversible/reversible PDMS microfluidic devices.

PubMed

Shiroma, Letícia S; Piazzetta, Maria H O; Duarte-Junior, Gerson F; Coltro, Wendell K T; Carrilho, Emanuel; Gobbi, Angelo L; Lima, Renato S

2016-05-16

This paper outlines a straightforward, fast, and low-cost method to fabricate polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chips. Termed sandwich bonding (SWB), this method requires only a laboratory oven. Initially, SWB relies on the reversible bonding of a coverslip over PDMS channels. The coverslip is smaller than the substrate, leaving a border around the substrate exposed. Subsequently, a liquid composed of PDMS monomers and a curing agent is poured onto the structure. Finally, the cover is cured. We focused on PDMS/glass chips because of their key advantages in microfluidics. Despite its simplicity, this method created high-performance microfluidic channels. Such structures featured self-regeneration after leakages and hybrid irreversible/reversible behavior. The reversible nature was achieved by removing the cover of PDMS with acetone. Thus, the PDMS substrate and glass coverslip could be detached for reuse. These abilities are essential in the stages of research and development. Additionally, SWB avoids the use of surface oxidation, half-cured PDMS as an adhesive, and surface chemical modification. As a consequence, SWB allows surface modifications before the bonding, a long time for alignment, the enclosure of sub-micron channels, and the prototyping of hybrid devices. Here, the technique was successfully applied to bond PDMS to Au and Al.

Self-regenerating and hybrid irreversible/reversible PDMS microfluidic devices

PubMed Central

Shiroma, Letícia S.; Piazzetta, Maria H. O.; Duarte-Junior, Gerson F.; Coltro, Wendell K. T.; Carrilho, Emanuel; Gobbi, Angelo L.; Lima, Renato S.

2016-01-01

This paper outlines a straightforward, fast, and low-cost method to fabricate polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chips. Termed sandwich bonding (SWB), this method requires only a laboratory oven. Initially, SWB relies on the reversible bonding of a coverslip over PDMS channels. The coverslip is smaller than the substrate, leaving a border around the substrate exposed. Subsequently, a liquid composed of PDMS monomers and a curing agent is poured onto the structure. Finally, the cover is cured. We focused on PDMS/glass chips because of their key advantages in microfluidics. Despite its simplicity, this method created high-performance microfluidic channels. Such structures featured self-regeneration after leakages and hybrid irreversible/reversible behavior. The reversible nature was achieved by removing the cover of PDMS with acetone. Thus, the PDMS substrate and glass coverslip could be detached for reuse. These abilities are essential in the stages of research and development. Additionally, SWB avoids the use of surface oxidation, half-cured PDMS as an adhesive, and surface chemical modification. As a consequence, SWB allows surface modifications before the bonding, a long time for alignment, the enclosure of sub-micron channels, and the prototyping of hybrid devices. Here, the technique was successfully applied to bond PDMS to Au and Al. PMID:27181918

Exogenous selection rather than cytonuclear incompatibilities shapes asymmetrical fitness of reciprocal Arabidopsis hybrids.

PubMed

Muir, Graham; Ruiz-Duarte, Paola; Hohmann, Nora; Mable, Barbara K; Novikova, Polina; Schmickl, Roswitha; Guggisberg, Alessia; Koch, Marcus A

2015-04-01

Reciprocal crosses between species often display an asymmetry in the fitness of F1 hybrids. This pattern, referred to as isolation asymmetry or Darwin's corollary to Haldane's rule, is a general feature of reproductive isolation in plants, yet factors determining its magnitude and direction remain unclear. We evaluated reciprocal species crosses between two naturally hybridizing diploid species of Arabidopsis to assess the degree of isolation asymmetry at different postmating life stages. We found that pollen from Arabidopsis arenosa will usually fertilize ovules from Arabidopsis lyrata; the reverse receptivity being less complete. Maternal A. lyrata parents set more F1 hybrid seed, but germinate at lower frequency, reversing the asymmetry. As predicted by theory, A. lyrata (the maternal parent with lower seed viability in crosses) exhibited accelerated chloroplast evolution, indicating that cytonuclear incompatibilities may play a role in reproductive isolation. However, this direction of asymmetrical reproductive isolation is not replicated in natural suture zones, where delayed hybrid breakdown of fertility at later developmental stages, or later-acting selection against A. arenosa maternal hybrids (unrelated to hybrid fertility, e.g., substrate adaptation) may be responsible for an excess of A. lyrata maternal hybrids. Exogenous selection rather than cytonuclear incompatibilities thus shapes the asymmetrical postmating isolation in nature.

Microsecond resolved single-molecule FRET time series measurements based on the line confocal optical system combined with hybrid photodetectors.

PubMed

Oikawa, Hiroyuki; Takahashi, Takumi; Kamonprasertsuk, Supawich; Takahashi, Satoshi

2018-01-31

Single-molecule (sm) fluorescence time series measurements based on the line confocal optical system are a powerful strategy for the investigation of the structure, dynamics, and heterogeneity of biological macromolecules. This method enables the detection of more than several thousands of fluorescence photons per millisecond from single fluorophores, implying that the potential time resolution for measurements of the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) efficiency is 10 μs. However, the necessity of using imaging photodetectors in the method limits the time resolution in the FRET efficiency measurements to approximately 100 μs. In this investigation, a new photodetector called a hybrid photodetector (HPD) was incorporated into the line confocal system to improve the time resolution without sacrificing the length of the time series detection. Among several settings examined, the system based on a slit width of 10 μm and a high-speed counting device made the best of the features of the line confocal optical system and the HPD. This method achieved a time resolution of 10 μs and an observation time of approximately 5 ms in the sm-FRET time series measurements. The developed device was used for the native state of the B domain of protein A.

Model training across multiple breeding cycles significantly improves genomic prediction accuracy in rye (Secale cereale L.).

PubMed

Auinger, Hans-Jürgen; Schönleben, Manfred; Lehermeier, Christina; Schmidt, Malthe; Korzun, Viktor; Geiger, Hartwig H; Piepho, Hans-Peter; Gordillo, Andres; Wilde, Peer; Bauer, Eva; Schön, Chris-Carolin

2016-11-01

Genomic prediction accuracy can be significantly increased by model calibration across multiple breeding cycles as long as selection cycles are connected by common ancestors. In hybrid rye breeding, application of genome-based prediction is expected to increase selection gain because of long selection cycles in population improvement and development of hybrid components. Essentially two prediction scenarios arise: (1) prediction of the genetic value of lines from the same breeding cycle in which model training is performed and (2) prediction of lines from subsequent cycles. It is the latter from which a reduction in cycle length and consequently the strongest impact on selection gain is expected. We empirically investigated genome-based prediction of grain yield, plant height and thousand kernel weight within and across four selection cycles of a hybrid rye breeding program. Prediction performance was assessed using genomic and pedigree-based best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP and PBLUP). A total of 1040 S 2 lines were genotyped with 16 k SNPs and each year testcrosses of 260 S 2 lines were phenotyped in seven or eight locations. The performance gap between GBLUP and PBLUP increased significantly for all traits when model calibration was performed on aggregated data from several cycles. Prediction accuracies obtained from cross-validation were in the order of 0.70 for all traits when data from all cycles (N CS  = 832) were used for model training and exceeded within-cycle accuracies in all cases. As long as selection cycles are connected by a sufficient number of common ancestors and prediction accuracy has not reached a plateau when increasing sample size, aggregating data from several preceding cycles is recommended for predicting genetic values in subsequent cycles despite decreasing relatedness over time.

Self-Healing Natural Rubber with Tailorable Mechanical Properties Based on Ionic Supramolecular Hybrid Network.

PubMed

Xu, Chuanhui; Cao, Liming; Huang, Xunhui; Chen, Yukun; Lin, Baofeng; Fu, Lihua

2017-08-30

In most cases, the strength of self-healing supramolecular rubber based on noncovalent bonds is in the order of KPa, which is a challenge for their further applications. Incorporation of conventional fillers can effectively enhance the strength of rubbers, but usually accompanied by a sacrifice of self-healing capability due to that the filler system is independent of the reversible supramolecular network. In the present work, in situ reaction of methacrylic acid (MAA) and excess zinc oxide (ZnO) was realized in natural rubber (NR). Ionic cross-links in NR matrix were obtained by limiting the covalent cross-linking of NR molecules and allowing the in situ polymerization of MAA/ZnO. Because of the natural affinity between Zn 2+ ion-rich domains and ZnO, the residual nano ZnO participated in formation of a reversible ionic supramolecular hybrid network, thus having little obstructions on the reconstruction of ionic cross-links. Meanwhile, the well dispersed residual ZnO could tailor the mechanical properties of NR by changing the MAA/ZnO molar ratios. The present study thus provides a simple method to fabricate a new self-healing NR with tailorable mechanical properties that may have more potential applications.

Speciation reversal and biodiversity dynamics with hybridization in changing environments.

PubMed

Seehausen, Ole; Takimoto, Gaku; Roy, Denis; Jokela, Jukka

2008-01-01

A considerable fraction of the world's biodiversity is of recent evolutionary origin and has evolved as a by-product of, and is maintained by, divergent adaptation in heterogeneous environments. Conservationists have paid attention to genetic homogenization caused by human-induced translocations (e.g. biological invasions and stocking), and to the importance of environmental heterogeneity for the ecological coexistence of species. However, far less attention has been paid to the consequences of loss of environmental heterogeneity to the genetic coexistence of sympatric species. Our review of empirical observations and our theoretical considerations on the causes and consequences of interspecific hybridization suggest that a loss of environmental heterogeneity causes a loss of biodiversity through increased genetic admixture, effectively reversing speciation. Loss of heterogeneity relaxes divergent selection and removes ecological barriers to gene flow between divergently adapted species, promoting interspecific introgressive hybridization. Since heterogeneity of natural environments is rapidly deteriorating in most biomes, the evolutionary ecology of speciation reversal ought to be fully integrated into conservation biology.

A Multi-Stage Reverse Logistics Network Problem by Using Hybrid Priority-Based Genetic Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jeong-Eun; Gen, Mitsuo; Rhee, Kyong-Gu

Today remanufacturing problem is one of the most important problems regarding to the environmental aspects of the recovery of used products and materials. Therefore, the reverse logistics is gaining become power and great potential for winning consumers in a more competitive context in the future. This paper considers the multi-stage reverse Logistics Network Problem (m-rLNP) while minimizing the total cost, which involves reverse logistics shipping cost and fixed cost of opening the disassembly centers and processing centers. In this study, we first formulate the m-rLNP model as a three-stage logistics network model. Following for solving this problem, we propose a Genetic Algorithm pri (GA) with priority-based encoding method consisting of two stages, and introduce a new crossover operator called Weight Mapping Crossover (WMX). Additionally also a heuristic approach is applied in the 3rd stage to ship of materials from processing center to manufacturer. Finally numerical experiments with various scales of the m-rLNP models demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our approach by comparing with the recent researches.

Molecular characterizations of somatic hybrids developed between Pleurotus florida and Lentinus squarrosulus through inter-simple sequence repeat markers and sequencing of ribosomal RNA-ITS gene.

PubMed

Mallick, Pijush; Chattaraj, Shruti; Sikdar, Samir Ranjan

2017-10-01

The 12 pfls somatic hybrids and 2 parents of Pleurotus florida and Lentinus s quarrosulus were characterized by ISSR and sequencing of rRNA-ITS genes. Five ISSR primers were used and amplified a total of 54 reproducible fragments with 98.14% polymorphism among all the pfls hybrid populations and parental strains. UPGMA-based cluster exhibited a dendrogram with three major groups between the parents and pfls hybrids. Parent P . florida and L . squarrosulus showed different degrees of genetic distance with all the hybrid lines and they showed closeness to hybrid pfls 1m and pfls 1h , respectively. ITS1(F) and ITS4(R) amplified the rRNA-ITS gene with 611-867 bp sequence length. The nucleotide polymorphisms were found in the ITS1, ITS2 and 5.8S rRNA region with different number of bases. Based on rRNA-ITS sequence, UPGMA cluster exhibited three distinct groups between L. squarrosulus and pfls 1p , pfls 1m and pfls 1s , and pfls 1e and P. florida .

Tnt1 Retrotransposon Mutagenesis: A Tool for Soybean Functional Genomics1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Cui, Yaya; Barampuram, Shyam; Stacey, Minviluz G.; Hancock, C. Nathan; Findley, Seth; Mathieu, Melanie; Zhang, Zhanyuan; Parrott, Wayne A.; Stacey, Gary

2013-01-01

Insertional mutagenesis is a powerful tool for determining gene function in both model and crop plant species. Tnt1, the transposable element of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cell type 1, is a retrotransposon that replicates via an RNA copy that is reverse transcribed and integrated elsewhere in the plant genome. Based on studies in a variety of plants, Tnt1 appears to be inactive in normal plant tissue but can be reactivated by tissue culture. Our goal was to evaluate the utility of the Tnt1 retrotransposon as a mutagenesis strategy in soybean (Glycine max). Experiments showed that the Tnt1 element was stably transformed into soybean plants by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Twenty-seven independent transgenic lines carrying Tnt1 insertions were generated. Southern-blot analysis revealed that the copy number of transposed Tnt1 elements ranged from four to 19 insertions, with an average of approximately eight copies per line. These insertions showed Mendelian segregation and did not transpose under normal growth conditions. Analysis of 99 Tnt1 flanking sequences revealed insertions into 62 (62%) annotated genes, indicating that the element preferentially inserts into protein-coding regions. Tnt1 insertions were found in all 20 soybean chromosomes, indicating that Tnt1 transposed throughout the soybean genome. Furthermore, fluorescence in situ hybridization experiments validated that Tnt1 inserted into multiple chromosomes. Passage of transgenic lines through two different tissue culture treatments resulted in Tnt1 transposition, significantly increasing the number of insertions per line. Thus, our data demonstrate the Tnt1 retrotransposon to be a powerful system that can be used for effective large-scale insertional mutagenesis in soybean. PMID:23124322

Endogenous New World primate type C viruses isolated from owl monkey (Aotus trivirgatus) kidney cell line.

PubMed Central

Todaro, G J; Sherr, C J; Sen, A; King, N; Daniel, M D; Fleckenstein, B

1978-01-01

A type C virus (OMC-1) detected in a culture of owl monkey kidney cells resembled typical type C viruses morphologically, but was slightly larger than previously characterized mammalian type C viruses. OMC-1 can be transmitted to bat lung cells and cat embryo fibroblasts. The virions band at a density of 1.16 g/ml in isopycnic sucrose density gradients and contain reverse transcriptase and a 60-65S RNA genome composed of approximately 32S subunits. The reverse transcriptase is immunologically and biochemically distinct from the polymerases of othe retroviruses. Radioimmunoassays directed to the interspecies antigenic determinants of the major structure proteins of other type C viruses do not detect a related antigen in OMC-1. Nucleic acid hybridization experiments using labeled viral genomic RNA or proviral cDNA transcripts to normal cellular DNA of different species show that OMC-1 is an endogenous virus with multiple virogene copies (20-50 per haploid genome) present in normal owl monkey cells and is distinct from previously isolated type C and D viruses. Sequences related to the OMC-1 genome can be detected in other New World monkeys. Thus, similar to the Old World primates (e.g., baboons as a prototype), the New World monkeys contain endogenous type C viral genes that appear to have been transmitted in the primate germ line. Images PMID:76312

Evaluation of comprehensive multidimensional separations using reversed-phase, reversed-phase liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry for shotgun proteomics.

PubMed

Nakamura, Tatsuji; Kuromitsu, Junro; Oda, Yoshiya

2008-03-01

Two-dimensional liquid-chromatographic (LC) separation followed by mass spectrometric (MS) analysis was examined for the identification of peptides in complex mixtures as an alternative to widely used two-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by MS analysis for use in proteomics. The present method involves the off-line coupling of a narrow-bore, polymer-based, reversed-phase column using an acetonitrile gradient in an alkaline mobile phase in the first dimension with octadecylsilanized silica (ODS)-based nano-LC/MS in the second dimension. After the first separation, successive fractions were acidified and dried off-line, then loaded on the second dimension column. Both columns separate peptides according to hydrophobicity under different pH conditions, but more peptides were identified than with the conventional technique for shotgun proteomics, that is, the combination of a strong cation exchange column with an ODS column, and the system was robust because no salts were included in the mobile phases. The suitability of the method for proteomics measurements was evaluated.

Development of an improved PCR-ICT hybrid assay for direct detection of Legionellae and Legionella pneumophila from cooling tower water specimens.

PubMed

Horng, Yu-Tze; Soo, Po-Chi; Shen, Bin-Jon; Hung, Yu-Li; Lo, Kai-Yin; Su, Hsun-Pi; Wei, Jun-Rong; Hsieh, Shang-Chen; Hsueh, Po-Ren; Lai, Hsin-Chih

2006-06-01

A novelly improved polymerase chian reaction and immunochromatography test (PCR-ICT) hybrid assay comprising traditional multiplex-nested PCR and ICT, (a lateral-flow device) was developed for direct detection of Legionella bacteria from environmental cooling tower samples. The partial 16S rDNA (specific for Legionella spp.) and dnaJ (specific for Legionella pneumophila) genes from Legionella chromosome were first specifically amplified by multiplex-nested PCR, respectively, followed by detection using ICT strip. Reading of results was based on presence or absence of the two test lines on the strips. Presence of test line 1 indicated existence of Legionella spp. specific 16S rDNA and identified Legionella spp. Presence of test line 2 further indicated existence of dnaJ and thus specifically identified L. pneumophila. In contrast, for non-Legionellae bacteria no test line formation was observed. Results of direct detection of Legionella bacteria and L. pneumophila from water tower specimens by this assay showed 100% sensitivity, and 96.6% and 100% specificity, respectively compared with traditional culture, biochemical and serological identification methods. The PCR-ICT hybrid assay does not require sophisticated equipment and was proved to be practically useful in rapid and direct Legionellae detection from environmental water samples.

Development of novel biocompatible hybrid nanocomposites based on polyurethane-silica prepared by sol gel process.

PubMed

Rashti, Ali; Yahyaei, Hossein; Firoozi, Saman; Ramezani, Sara; Rahiminejad, Ali; Karimi, Roya; Farzaneh, Khadijeh; Mohseni, Mohsen; Ghanbari, Hossein

2016-12-01

Due to high biocompatibility, polyurethane has found many applications, particularly in development of biomedical devices. A new nanocomposite based on thermoset polyurethane and silica nanoparticles was synthesized using sol-gel method. Sol-gel process was fulfilled in two acidic and basic conditions by using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and trimethoxyisocyanatesilane as precursors. The hybrid films characterized for mechanical and surface properties using tensile strength, contact angle, ATR-FTIR and scanning electron microscopy. Biocompatibility and cytotoxicity of the hybrids were assessed using standard MTT, LDH and TUNEL assays. The results revealed that incorporation of silica nanoparticles was significantly improved tensile strength and mechanical properties of the hybrids. Based on the contact angle results, silica nanoparticles increased hydrophilicity of the hybrids. Biocompatibility by using human lung epithelial cell line (MRC-5) demonstrated that the hybrids were significantly less cytotoxic compared to pristine polymer as tested by MTT and LDH assays. TUNEL assay revealed no signs of apoptosis in all tested samples. The results of this study demonstrated that incorporation of silica nanoparticles into polyurethane lead to the enhancement of biocompatibility, indicating that these hybrids could potentially be used in biomedical field in particular as a new coating for medical implants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhanced Energy Localization in Hyperthermia Treatment Based on Hybrid Electromagnetic and Ultrasonic System: Proof of Concept with Numerical Simulations.

PubMed

Nizam-Uddin, N; Elshafiey, Ibrahim

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a hybrid hyperthermia treatment system, utilizing two noninvasive modalities for treating brain tumors. The proposed system depends on focusing electromagnetic (EM) and ultrasound (US) energies. The EM hyperthermia subsystem enhances energy localization by incorporating a multichannel wideband setting and coherent-phased-array technique. A genetic algorithm based optimization tool is developed to enhance the specific absorption rate (SAR) distribution by reducing hotspots and maximizing energy deposition at tumor regions. The treatment performance is also enhanced by augmenting an ultrasonic subsystem to allow focused energy deposition into deep tumors. The therapeutic faculty of ultrasonic energy is assessed by examining the control of mechanical alignment of transducer array elements. A time reversal (TR) approach is then investigated to address challenges in energy focus in both subsystems. Simulation results of the synergetic effect of both modalities assuming a simplified model of human head phantom demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed hybrid technique as a noninvasive tool for thermal treatment of brain tumors.

Enhanced Energy Localization in Hyperthermia Treatment Based on Hybrid Electromagnetic and Ultrasonic System: Proof of Concept with Numerical Simulations

PubMed Central

Elshafiey, Ibrahim

2017-01-01

This paper proposes a hybrid hyperthermia treatment system, utilizing two noninvasive modalities for treating brain tumors. The proposed system depends on focusing electromagnetic (EM) and ultrasound (US) energies. The EM hyperthermia subsystem enhances energy localization by incorporating a multichannel wideband setting and coherent-phased-array technique. A genetic algorithm based optimization tool is developed to enhance the specific absorption rate (SAR) distribution by reducing hotspots and maximizing energy deposition at tumor regions. The treatment performance is also enhanced by augmenting an ultrasonic subsystem to allow focused energy deposition into deep tumors. The therapeutic faculty of ultrasonic energy is assessed by examining the control of mechanical alignment of transducer array elements. A time reversal (TR) approach is then investigated to address challenges in energy focus in both subsystems. Simulation results of the synergetic effect of both modalities assuming a simplified model of human head phantom demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed hybrid technique as a noninvasive tool for thermal treatment of brain tumors. PMID:28840125

Molecular-aided selection of male sterility for hybrid development in onion

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Maintainer lines are used to seed propagate male-sterile lines for the development of hybrid-onion cultivars. Selection of maintainer lines is more efficient using molecular markers that distinguish cytoplasms and genotypes at the nuclear male-fertility restoration (Ms) locus. Onion cytoplasms can b...

Ka-Band Waveguide Hybrid Combiner for MMIC Amplifiers With Unequal and Arbitrary Power Output Ratio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simons, Rainee N.; Chevalier, Christine T.; Wintucky, Edwin G.; Freeman, Jon C.

2009-01-01

The design, simulation and characterization of a novel Ka-band (32.05 +/- 0.25 GHz) rectangular waveguide branch-line hybrid unequal power combiner is presented. The manufactured combiner was designed to combine input signals, which are in phase and with an amplitude ratio of two. The measured return loss and isolation of the branch-line hybrid are better than 22 and 27 dB, respectively. The application of the branch-line hybrid for combining two MMIC power amplifiers with output power ratio of two is demonstrated. The measured combining efficiency is approximately 93 percent over the above frequency band.

Development of Cytoplasmic Male Sterile IR24 and IR64 Using CW-CMS/Rf17 System.

PubMed

Toriyama, Kinya; Kazama, Tomohiko

2016-12-01

A wild-abortive-type (WA) cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) has been almost exclusively used for breeding three-line hybrid rice. Many indica cultivars are known to carry restorer genes for WA-CMS lines and cannot be used as maintainer lines. Especially elite indica cultivars IR24 and IR64 are known to be restorer lines for WA-CMS lines, and are used as male parents for hybrid seed production. If we develop CMS IR24 and CMS IR64, the combination of F1 pairs in hybrid rice breeding programs will be greatly broadened. For production of CMS lines and restorer lines of IR24 and IR64, we employed Chinese wild rice (CW)-type CMS/Restorer of fertility 17 (Rf17) system, in which fertility is restored by a single nuclear gene, Rf17. Successive backcrossing and marker-assisted selection of Rf17 succeeded to produce completely male sterile CMS lines and fully restored restorer lines of IR24 and IR64. CW-cytoplasm did not affect agronomic characteristics. Since IR64 is one of the most popular mega-varieties and used for breeding of many modern varieties, the CW-CMS line of IR64 will be useful for hybrid rice breeding.

Organic-inorganic hybrid resists for EUVL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Vikram; Kalyani, Vishwanath; Satyanarayana, V. S. V.; Pradeep, Chullikkattil P.; Ghosh, Subrata; Sharma, Satinder; Gonsalves, Kenneth E.

2014-03-01

Herein, we describe preliminary results on organic-inorganic hybrid photoresists, capable of showing line patterns up to 16 nm under e-beam exposure studies, prepared by incorporating polyoxometalates (POMs) clusters into organic photoresist materials. Various Mo and W based clusters such as (TBA)2[Mo6O19], (TBA)5(H)[P2V3W15O62] and (TBA)4[P2Mo18O61] (where TBA = tetrabutyl ammonium counter ion) have been incorporated into PMMA matrix by mixing POM solutions and standard PMMA polymer in anisole (MW ~ 95000, MicroChem) in 1:33 w/v ratio. E-beam exposure followed by development with MIBK solutions showed that these new organic-inorganic hybrid photoresists show good line patterns upto 16 nm, which were not observed in the case of control experiments done on pure PMMA polymer resist. The observed enhancement of resist properties in the case of hybrid resists could possibly be due to a combination of features imparted to the resist by the POM clusters such as increased sensitivity, etch resistance and thermal stability.

Effective hybrid teaching-learning-based optimization algorithm for balancing two-sided assembly lines with multiple constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Qiuhua; Li, Zixiang; Zhang, Liping; Floudas, C. A.; Cao, Xiaojun

2015-09-01

Due to the NP-hardness of the two-sided assembly line balancing (TALB) problem, multiple constraints existing in real applications are less studied, especially when one task is involved with several constraints. In this paper, an effective hybrid algorithm is proposed to address the TALB problem with multiple constraints (TALB-MC). Considering the discrete attribute of TALB-MC and the continuous attribute of the standard teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO) algorithm, the random-keys method is hired in task permutation representation, for the purpose of bridging the gap between them. Subsequently, a special mechanism for handling multiple constraints is developed. In the mechanism, the directions constraint of each task is ensured by the direction check and adjustment. The zoning constraints and the synchronism constraints are satisfied by teasing out the hidden correlations among constraints. The positional constraint is allowed to be violated to some extent in decoding and punished in cost function. Finally, with the TLBO seeking for the global optimum, the variable neighborhood search (VNS) is further hybridized to extend the local search space. The experimental results show that the proposed hybrid algorithm outperforms the late acceptance hill-climbing algorithm (LAHC) for TALB-MC in most cases, especially for large-size problems with multiple constraints, and demonstrates well balance between the exploration and the exploitation. This research proposes an effective and efficient algorithm for solving TALB-MC problem by hybridizing the TLBO and VNS.

Electroactive SWNT/PEGDA hybrid hydrogel coating for bio-electrode interface.

PubMed

He, Lei; Lin, Demeng; Wang, Yanping; Xiao, Yinghong; Che, Jianfei

2011-10-15

Electric interface between neural tissue and electrode plays a significant role in the development of implanted devices for continuous monitoring and functional stimulation of central nervous system in terms of electroactivity, biocompatibility and long-term stability. To engineer an interface that possesses these merits, a polymeric hydrogel based on poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were employed to fabricate a hybrid hydrogel via covalent anchoring strategy, i.e., self-assembly of cysteamine (Cys) followed by Michael addition between Cys and PEGDA. XPS characterization proves that the Cys molecules are linked to gold surface via the strong S-Au bond and that the PEGDA macromers are covalently bonded to Cys. FTIR spectra indicate the formation of hybrid hydrogel coating during photopolymerization. Electrochemical measurements using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and impedance spectrum clearly show the enhancement of electric properties to the hydrogel by the SWNTs. The charge transfer of the hybrid hydrogel-based electrode is quasi-reversible and charge transfer resistance decreases to the tenth of that of the pure hydrogel due to electron hopping along the SWNTs. Additionally, this hybrid hydrogel provides a favorable biomimetic microenvironment for cell attachment and growth due to its inherent biocompatibility. Combination of these merits yields hybrid hydrogels that can be good candidates for application to biosensors and biomedical devices. More importantly, the hybrid hydrogel coatings fabricated via the current strategy have good adhesion to the electrode substrate which is highly desired for chronically implantable devices. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Human hybrid hybridoma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tiebout, R.F.; van Boxtel-Oosterhof, F.; Stricker, E.A.M.

1987-11-15

Hybrid hybridomas are obtained by fusion of two cells, each producing its own antibody. Several authors have reported the construction of murine hybrid hybridomas with the aim to obtain bispecific monoclonal antibodies. The authors have investigated, in a model system, the feasibility of constructing a human hybrid hybridoma. They fused two monoclonal cell lines: an ouabain-sensitive and azaserine/hypoxanthine-resistant Epstein-Barr virus-transformed human cell line that produces an IgG1kappa antibody directed against tetanus toxiod and an azaserine/hypoxanthine-sensitive and ouabain-resistant human-mouse xenohybrid cell line that produces a human IgG1lambda antibody directed against hepatitis-B surface antigen. Hybrid hybridoma cells were selected in culture mediummore » containing azaserine/hypoxanthine and ouabain. The hybrid nature of the secreted antibodies was analyzed by means of two antigen-specific immunoassay. The results show that it is possible, with the combined use of transformation and xenohybridization techniques, to construct human hybrid hybridomas that produce bispecific antibodies. Bispecific antibodies activity was measured by means of two radioimmunoassays.« less

Construction of optical glucose nanobiosensor with high sensitivity and selectivity at physiological pH on the basis of organic-inorganic hybrid microgels.

PubMed

Wu, Weitai; Zhou, Ting; Aiello, Michael; Zhou, Shuiqin

2010-08-15

A new class of optical glucose nanobiosensors with high sensitivity and selectivity at physiological pH is described. To construct these glucose nanobiosensors, the fluorescent CdS quantum dots (QDs), serving as the optical code, were incorporated into the glucose-sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-acrylamide-2-acrylamidomethyl-5-fluorophenylboronic acid) copolymer microgels, via both in situ growth method and "breathing in" method, respectively. The polymeric gel can adapt to surrounding glucose concentrations, and regulate the fluorescence of the embedded QDs, converting biochemical signals into optical signals. The gradual swelling of the gel would lead to the quenching of the fluorescence at the elevated glucose concentrations. The hybrid microgels displayed high selectivity to glucose over the potential primary interferents of lactate and human serum albumin in the physiologically important glucose concentration range. The stability, reversibility, and sensitivity of the organic-inorganic hybrid microgel-based biosensors were also systematically studied. These general properties of our nanobiosensors are well tunable under appropriate tailor on the hybrid microgels, in particular, simply through the change in the crosslinking degree of the microgels. The optical glucose nanobiosensors based on the organic-inorganic hybrid microgels have shown the potential for a third generation fluorescent biosensor. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DNA double-strand breaks caused by new and contemporary endodontic sealers.

PubMed

Eldeniz, A U; Shehata, M; Högg, C; Reichl, F X

2016-12-01

To investigate the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of a new silicate-based BioRoot RCS ® sealer in comparison with contemporary sealers. A periodontal ligament cell line using lentiviral gene transfer of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) was used and exposed to subtoxic concentrations of 24-h eluates from two epoxy resin-based (AH Plus Jet ® and Acroseal ® ), four various methacrylate-based endodontic sealers (EndoREZ ® , RealSeal ® , RealSeal SE ® and Hybrid Root SEAL ® ) and three silicate-based sealers (BioRoot RCS ® , iRootSP ® and MTA Fillapex ® ). The XTT-based cell viability assay was used for cytotoxicity screening of materials. The γ-H2AX assay was used for genotoxicity screening. In the γ-H2AX immunofluorescence assay, PDL-hTERT cells were exposed to eluates of the substances for 6 h and DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) were detected microscopically. Induced foci represented DSBs, which can induce ATM-dependent phosphorylation of the histone H2AX. The statistical significance of the differences between the experimental groups was compared using the Student's t-test (P < 0.05). The cytotoxicity of the 24-h eluates could be ranked in the following order: Hybrid Root SEAL ® >RealSeal ® >Acroseal ® >RealSeal SE ® ≥ AH Plus Jet ® > EndoREZ ® >MTA Fillapex ® > iRoot SP ® >BioRoot RCS ® . In negative controls (cells which received medium only) 4.08 ± 0.53 DSB foci (mean ± SEM) whilst in positive controls 10.76 ± 4.05 DSB foci/cell were found. BioRoot RCS ® and RealSeal SE ® exhibited significant differences in foci formation at 1/3 EC50 compared with their 1/10 EC50 concentration (P < 0.05). Both concentrations (1/10 and 1/3 of EC50) of AH Plus Jet ® , Acroseal ® , RealSeal ® and MTA Fillapex ® sealers were not significantly different when compared with the medium control (P < 0.05). New BioRoot RCS ® was not toxic whilst Hybrid Root SEAL ® demonstrated more toxicity and DNA double-strand breaks when compared with other resin- and silicate-based root canal sealers. © 2015 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

In vitro evaluation of human hybrid cell lines generated by fusion of B-lymphoblastoid cells and ex vivo tumour cells as candidate vaccines for haematological malignancies.

PubMed

Mohamed, Yehia S; Dunnion, Debbie; Teobald, Iryna; Walewska, Renata; Browning, Michael J

2012-10-12

Fusions of dendritic cells (DCs) and tumour cells have been shown to induce protective immunity to tumour challenge in animal models, and to represent a promising approach to cancer immunotherapy. The broader clinical application of this approach, however, is potentially constrained by the lack of replicative capacity and limited standardisation of fusion cell preparations. We show here that fusion of ex vivo tumour cells isolated from patients with a range of haematological malignancies with the human B-lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL), HMy2, followed by chemical selection of the hybridomas, generated stable, self-replicating human hybrid cell lines that grew continuously in tissue culture, and survived freeze/thawing cycles. The hybrid cell lines expressed HLA class I and class II molecules, and the major T-cell costimulatory molecules, CD80 and CD86. All but two of 14 hybrid cell lines generated expressed tumour-associated antigens that were not expressed by HMy2 cells, and were therefore derived from the parent tumour cells. The hybrid cell lines stimulated allogeneic T-cell proliferative responses and interferon-gamma release in vitro to a considerably greater degree than their respective parent tumour cells. The enhanced T-cell stimulation was inhibited by CTLA4-Ig fusion protein, and by blocking antibodies to MHC class I and class II molecules. Finally, all of five LCL/tumour hybrid cell lines tested induced tumour antigen-specific cytotoxic T-cell responses in vitro in PBL from healthy, HLA-A2+ individuals, as detected by HLA-A2-peptide pentamer staining and cellular cytotoxicity. These data show that stable hybrid cell lines, with enhanced immunostimulatory properties and potential for therapeutic vaccination, can be generated by in vitro fusion and chemical selection of B-LCL and ex vivo haematological tumour cells. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Study on active constituents of traditional Chinese medicine reversing multidrug resistance of tumor cells in vitro].

PubMed

Zhang, H; Yang, L; Liu, S; Ren, L

2001-09-01

To screen drugs reversing multidrug resistance of tumor cells from active constituents of traditional Chinese medicine and to study the reversal action. The kill effects of the drugs on tumor cell lines in vitro were determined with MTT method. The Jin's formula was used to analyse the effect of drug combination. 5 micrograms/ml rhynchophylline, 2 micrograms/ml jatrorrhizine and 1.25 micrograms/ml indirulin could reverse multidrug resistance for vincristine on KBv200 cell line by 16.8, 5.1 and 4 fold respectively. 1.56-12.5 micrograms/ml curcumine combining with vincristine could sensitize antitumor effect both on KB and KBv200 cell lines. All rhynchophylline, jatrorrhizine and indirulin could reverse multidrug resistance for vincristine on KBv200 cell line. Curcumine combinating vincristine could sensitize antitumor effect both on kB and kBv200 cell lines.

Natural reversal of left-right gut/gonad asymmetry in C. elegans males is independent of embryonic chirality.

PubMed

Callander, Davon C; Alcorn, Melissa R; Birsoy, Bilge; Rothman, Joel H

2014-06-01

Anatomical left-right (L/R) asymmetry in C. elegans is established in the four-cell embryo as a result of anteroposterior skewing of transverse mitotic spindles with a defined handedness. This event creates a chiral embryo and ultimately an adult body plan with fixed L/R positioning of internal organs and components of the nervous system. While this "dextral" configuration is invariant in hermaphrodites, it can be reversed by physical manipulation of the early embryo or by mutations that interfere with mitotic spindle orientation, which leads to viable, mirror-reversed (sinistral) animals. During normal development of the C. elegans male, the gonad develops on the right of the midline, with the gut bilaterally apposed on the left. However, we found that in males of the laboratory N2 strain and Hawaiian ("Hw") wild isolate, the gut/gonad asymmetry is frequently reversed in a temperature-dependent manner, independent of normal embryonic chirality. We also observed sporadic errors in gonad migration occurring naturally during early larval stages of these and other wild strains; however, the incidence of such errors does not correlate with the frequency of L/R gut/gonad reversals in these strains. Analysis of N2/Hw hybrids and recombinant inbred advanced intercross lines (RIAILs) indicate that the L/R organ reversals are likely to result from recessively acting variations in multiple genes. Thus, unlike the highly reproducible L/R asymmetries of most structures in hermaphrodites, the L/R asymmetry of the male C. elegans body plan is less rigidly determined and subject to natural variation that is influenced by a multiplicity of genes. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Nucleic Acid Chaperone Activity of the ORF1 Protein from the Mouse LINE-1 Retrotransposon

PubMed Central

Martin, Sandra L.; Bushman, Frederic D.

2001-01-01

Non-LTR retrotransposons such as L1 elements are major components of the mammalian genome, but their mechanism of replication is incompletely understood. Like retroviruses and LTR-containing retrotransposons, non-LTR retrotransposons replicate by reverse transcription of an RNA intermediate. The details of cDNA priming and integration, however, differ between these two classes. In retroviruses, the nucleocapsid (NC) protein has been shown to assist reverse transcription by acting as a “nucleic acid chaperone,” promoting the formation of the most stable duplexes between nucleic acid molecules. A protein-coding region with an NC-like sequence is present in most non-LTR retrotransposons, but no such sequence is evident in mammalian L1 elements or other members of its class. Here we investigated the ORF1 protein from mouse L1 and found that it does in fact display nucleic acid chaperone activities in vitro. L1 ORF1p (i) promoted annealing of complementary DNA strands, (ii) facilitated strand exchange to form the most stable hybrids in competitive displacement assays, and (iii) facilitated melting of an imperfect duplex but stabilized perfect duplexes. These findings suggest a role for L1 ORF1p in mediating nucleic acid strand transfer steps during L1 reverse transcription. PMID:11134335

High resolution crustal image of South California Continental Borderland: Reverse time imaging including multiples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bian, A.; Gantela, C.

2014-12-01

Strong multiples were observed in marine seismic data of Los Angeles Regional Seismic Experiment (LARSE).It is crucial to eliminate these multiples in conventional ray-based or one-way wave-equation based depth image methods. As long as multiples contain information of target zone along travelling path, it's possible to use them as signal, to improve the illumination coverage thus enhance the image quality of structural boundaries. Reverse time migration including multiples is a two-way wave-equation based prestack depth image method that uses both primaries and multiples to map structural boundaries. Several factors, including source wavelet, velocity model, back ground noise, data acquisition geometry and preprocessing workflow may influence the quality of image. The source wavelet is estimated from direct arrival of marine seismic data. Migration velocity model is derived from integrated model building workflow, and the sharp velocity interfaces near sea bottom needs to be preserved in order to generate multiples in the forward and backward propagation steps. The strong amplitude, low frequency marine back ground noise needs to be removed before the final imaging process. High resolution reverse time image sections of LARSE Lines 1 and Line 2 show five interfaces: depth of sea-bottom, base of sedimentary basins, top of Catalina Schist, a deep layer and a possible pluton boundary. Catalina Schist shows highs in the San Clemente ridge, Emery Knoll, Catalina Ridge, under Catalina Basin on both the lines, and a minor high under Avalon Knoll. The high of anticlinal fold in Line 1 is under the north edge of Emery Knoll and under the San Clemente fault zone. An area devoid of any reflection features are interpreted as sides of an igneous plume.

Genetic Variation and Combining Ability Analysis of Bruising Sensitivity in Agaricus bisporus

PubMed Central

Gao, Wei; Baars, Johan J. P.; Dolstra, Oene; Visser, Richard G. F.; Sonnenberg, Anton S. M.

2013-01-01

Advanced button mushroom cultivars that are less sensitive to mechanical bruising are required by the mushroom industry, where automated harvesting still cannot be used for the fresh mushroom market. The genetic variation in bruising sensitivity (BS) of Agaricus bisporus was studied through an incomplete set of diallel crosses to get insight in the heritability of BS and the combining ability of the parental lines used and, in this way, to estimate their breeding value. To this end nineteen homokaryotic lines recovered from wild strains and cultivars were inter-crossed in a diallel scheme. Fifty-one successful hybrids were grown under controlled conditions, and the BS of these hybrids was assessed. BS was shown to be a trait with a very high heritability. The results also showed that brown hybrids were generally less sensitive to bruising than white hybrids. The diallel scheme allowed to estimate the general combining ability (GCA) for each homokaryotic parental line and to estimate the specific combining ability (SCA) of each hybrid. The line with the lowest GCA is seen as the most attractive donor for improving resistance to bruising. The line gave rise to hybrids sensitive to bruising having the highest GCA value. The highest negative SCA possibly indicates heterosis effects for resistance to bruising. This study provides a foundation for estimating breeding value of parental lines to further study the genetic factors underlying bruising sensitivity and other quality-related traits, and to select potential parental lines for further heterosis breeding. The approach of studying combining ability in a diallel scheme was used for the first time in button mushroom breeding. PMID:24116171

Fast ion transport at solid-solid interfaces in hybrid battery anodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, Zhengyuan; Choudhury, Snehashis; Zachman, Michael J.; Wei, Shuya; Zhang, Kaihang; Kourkoutis, Lena F.; Archer, Lynden A.

2018-04-01

Carefully designed solid-electrolyte interphases are required for stable, reversible and efficient electrochemical energy storage in batteries. We report that hybrid battery anodes created by depositing an electrochemically active metal (for example, Sn, In or Si) on a reactive alkali metal electrode by a facile ion-exchange chemistry lead to very high exchange currents and stable long-term performance of electrochemical cells based on Li and Na electrodes. By means of direct visualization and ex situ electrodeposition studies, Sn-Li anodes are shown to be stable at 3 mA cm-2 and 3 mAh cm-2. Prototype full cells in which the hybrid anodes are paired with high-loading LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2(NCA) cathodes are also reported. As a second demonstration, we create and study Sn-Na hybrid anodes and show that they can be cycled stably for more than 1,700 hours with minimal voltage divergence. Charge storage at the hybrid anodes is reported to involve a combination of alloying and electrodeposition reactions.

Design of the 1.5 MW, 30-96 MHz ultra-wideband 3 dB high power hybrid coupler for Ion Cyclotron Resonance Frequency (ICRF) heating in fusion grade reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yadav, Rana Pratap, E-mail: ranayadav97@gmail.com; Kumar, Sunil; Kulkarni, S. V.

2016-01-15

Design and developmental procedure of strip-line based 1.5 MW, 30-96 MHz, ultra-wideband high power 3 dB hybrid coupler has been presented and its applicability in ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) in tokamak is discussed. For the high power handling capability, spacing between conductors and ground need to very high. Hence other structural parameters like strip-width, strip thickness coupling gap, and junction also become large which can be gone upto optimum limit where various constrains like fabrication tolerance, discontinuities, and excitation of higher TE and TM modes become prominent and significantly deteriorates the desired parameters of the coupled lines system. Inmore » designed hybrid coupler, two 8.34 dB coupled lines are connected in tandem to get desired coupling of 3 dB and air is used as dielectric. The spacing between ground and conductors are taken as 0.164 m for 1.5 MW power handling capability. To have the desired spacing, each of 8.34 dB segments are designed with inner dimension of 3.6 × 1.0 × 40 cm where constraints have been significantly realized, compensated, and applied in designing of 1.5 MW hybrid coupler and presented in paper.« less

Enhancing dissolved oxygen control using an on-line hybrid fuzzy-neural soft-sensing model-based control system in an anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process.

PubMed

Huang, Mingzhi; Wan, Jinquan; Hu, Kang; Ma, Yongwen; Wang, Yan

2013-12-01

An on-line hybrid fuzzy-neural soft-sensing model-based control system was developed to optimize dissolved oxygen concentration in a bench-scale anaerobic/anoxic/oxic (A(2)/O) process. In order to improve the performance of the control system, a self-adapted fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm and adaptive network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) models were employed. The proposed control system permits the on-line implementation of every operating strategy of the experimental system. A set of experiments involving variable hydraulic retention time (HRT), influent pH (pH), dissolved oxygen in the aerobic reactor (DO), and mixed-liquid return ratio (r) was carried out. Using the proposed system, the amount of COD in the effluent stabilized at the set-point and below. The improvement was achieved with optimum dissolved oxygen concentration because the performance of the treatment process was optimized using operating rules implemented in real time. The system allows various expert operational approaches to be deployed with the goal of minimizing organic substances in the outlet while using the minimum amount of energy.

Chromosomal Distribution of Endogenous Jaagsiekte Sheep Retrovirus Proviral Sequences in the Sheep Genome

PubMed Central

Carlson, Jonathan; Lyon, Monique; Bishop, Jeanette; Vaiman, Anne; Cribiu, Edmond; Mornex, Jean-François; Brown, Susan; Knudson, Dennis; DeMartini, James; Leroux, Caroline

2003-01-01

A family of endogenous retroviruses (enJSRV) closely related to Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) is ubiquitous in domestic and wild sheep and goats. Southern blot hybridization studies indicate that there is little active replication or movement of the enJSRV proviruses in these species. Two approaches were used to investigate the distribution of proviral loci in the sheep genome. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to metaphase chromosome spreads using viral DNA probes was used to detect loci on chromosomes. Hybridization signals were reproducibly detected on seven sheep chromosomes and eight goat chromosomes in seven cell lines. In addition, a panel of 30 sheep-hamster hybrid cell lines, each of which carries one or more sheep chromosomes and which collectively contain the whole sheep genome, was examined for enJSRV sequences. DNA from each of the lines was used as a template for PCR with JSRV gag-specific primers. A PCR product was amplified from 27 of the hybrid lines, indicating that JSRV gag sequences are found on at least 15 of the 28 sheep chromosomes, including those identified by FISH. Thus, enJSRV proviruses are essentially randomly distributed among the chromosomes of sheep and goats. FISH and/or Southern blot hybridization on DNA from several of the sheep-hamster hybrid cell lines suggests that loci containing multiple copies of enJSRV are present on chromosomes 6 and 9. The origin and functional significance of these arrays is not known. PMID:12915578

Unilateral compatibility and genotypic difference in crossability in interspecific hybridization between Dianthus caryophyllus L. and Dianthus japonicus Thunb.

PubMed

Nimura, M; Kato, J; Mii, M; Morioka, K

2003-05-01

Reciprocal interspecific crosses were carried out between six lines of Dianthus caryophyllus L. and one line of Dianthus japonicus Thunb. Although no seed was set when D. japonicus was used as the seed parent, six seedlings were successfully obtained from 2,380 immature ovules by applying the embryo-rescue technique. However, they showed seed parent-like morphology and no evidence for the hybridity by flow cytometry and RAPD analyses. When six lines of D. caryophyllus were used as seed parents, a total of 192 seedlings were successfully obtained without using the embryo-rescue technique. Among these seedlings, 12 out of 25 progenies obtained from the carnation line '98sp1651' were confirmed to be the hybrids. The remaining 13 progenies of this line, and the total 167 progenies obtained from the other carnation lines, had carnation-like morphology without any evidence of hybridity by flow cytometry and RAPD analyses. The progenies confirmed as hybrids had intermediate characters of the parents with respect to leaf width and flower size, but they had a uniform flower color, reddish purple, which was different from that of either parent. Since the hybrids obtained in the present study have some profitable characters such as vigorous growth in summer time, upright robust stem, broad leaves and early flowering, they are expected to be used for the breeding of carnation which is suitable for growing under the Japanese climate.

Hybrid soliton solutions in the (2+1)-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Meidan; Li, Biao

2017-11-01

Rational solutions and hybrid solutions from N-solitons are obtained by using the bilinear method and a long wave limit method. Line rogue waves and lumps in the (2+1)-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation are derived from two-solitons. Then from three-solitons, hybrid solutions between kink soliton with breathers, periodic line waves and lumps are derived. Interestingly, after the collision, the breathers are kept invariant, but the amplitudes of the periodic line waves and lumps change greatly. For the four-solitons, the solutions describe as breathers with breathers, line rogue waves or lumps. After the collision, breathers and lumps are kept invariant, but the line rogue wave has a great change.

Construction of a multicontrol sterility system for a maize male-sterile line and hybrid seed production based on the ZmMs7 gene encoding a PHD-finger transcription factor.

PubMed

Zhang, Danfeng; Wu, Suowei; An, Xueli; Xie, Ke; Dong, Zhenying; Zhou, Yan; Xu, Liwen; Fang, Wen; Liu, Shensi; Liu, Shuangshuang; Zhu, Taotao; Li, Jinping; Rao, Liqun; Zhao, Jiuran; Wan, Xiangyuan

2018-02-01

Although hundreds of genetic male sterility (GMS) mutants have been identified in maize, few are commercially used due to a lack of effective methods to produce large quantities of pure male-sterile seeds. Here, we develop a multicontrol sterility (MCS) system based on the maize male sterility 7 (ms7) mutant and its wild-type Zea mays Male sterility 7 (ZmMs7) gene via a transgenic strategy, leading to the utilization of GMS in hybrid seed production. ZmMs7 is isolated by a map-based cloning approach and encodes a PHD-finger transcription factor orthologous to rice PTC1 and Arabidopsis MS1. The MCS transgenic maintainer lines are developed based on the ms7-6007 mutant transformed with MCS constructs containing the (i) ZmMs7 gene to restore fertility, (ii) α-amylase gene ZmAA and/or (iii) DNA adenine methylase gene Dam to devitalize transgenic pollen, (iv) red fluorescence protein gene DsRed2 or mCherry to mark transgenic seeds and (v) herbicide-resistant gene Bar for transgenic seed selection. Self-pollination of the MCS transgenic maintainer line produces transgenic red fluorescent seeds and nontransgenic normal colour seeds at a 1:1 ratio. Among them, all the fluorescent seeds are male fertile, but the seeds with a normal colour are male sterile. Cross-pollination of the transgenic plants to male-sterile plants propagates male-sterile seeds with high purity. Moreover, the transgene transmission rate through pollen of transgenic plants harbouring two pollen-disrupted genes is lower than that containing one pollen-disrupted gene. The MCS system has great potential to enhance the efficiency of maize male-sterile line propagation and commercial hybrid seed production. © 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Quantitative study of fruit flavonoids in citrus hybrids of King (C. nobilis) and Mukaku Kishu (C. kinokuni).

PubMed

Kawaii, S; Tomono, Y; Katase, E; Ogawa, K; Nonomura-Nakano, M; Nesumi, H; Yoshida, T; Sugiura, M; Yano, M

2001-08-01

Twenty-four Citrus hybrids of King (C. nobilis) and Mukaku Kishu (C. kinokuni) were examined for their flavonoid profiles of the edible part by reversed-phase HPLC analysis. Two hybrids (G-155 and G-156) contained higher amounts of natsudaidain than their parents, whereas the remainder of the hybrids had a character intermediate between those of King and Mukaku Kishu on the basis of polymethoxylated flavone composition. Principal component analysis revealed the distribution of the hybrids by quantifying 23 flavonoid contents.

A Non-specific Setaria italica Lipid Transfer Protein Gene Plays a Critical Role under Abiotic Stress.

PubMed

Pan, Yanlin; Li, Jianrui; Jiao, Licong; Li, Cong; Zhu, Dengyun; Yu, Jingjuan

2016-01-01

Lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) are a class of cysteine-rich soluble proteins having small molecular weights. LTPs participate in flower and seed development, cuticular wax deposition, also play important roles in pathogen and abiotic stress responses. A non-specific LTP gene ( SiLTP ) was isolated from a foxtail millet ( Setaria italica ) suppression subtractive hybridization library enriched for differentially expressed genes after abiotic stress treatments. A semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR analysis showed that SiLTP was expressed in all foxtail millet tissues. Additionally, the SiLTP promoter drove GUS expression in root tips, stems, leaves, flowers, and siliques of transgenic Arabidopsis . Quantitative real-time PCR indicated that the SiLTP expression was induced by NaCl, polyethylene glycol, and abscisic acid (ABA). SiLTP was localized in the cytoplasm of tobacco leaf epidermal cells and maize protoplasts. The ectopic expression of SiLTP in tobacco resulted in higher levels of salt and drought tolerance than in the wild type (WT). To further assess the function of SiLTP, SiLTP overexpression (OE) and RNA interference (RNAi)-based transgenic foxtail millet were obtained. SiLTP -OE lines performed better under salt and drought stresses compared with WT plants. In contrast, the RNAi lines were much more sensitive to salt and drought compared than WT. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and yeast one-hybrids indicated that the transcription factor ABA-responsive DRE-binding protein (SiARDP) could bind to the dehydration-responsive element of SiLTP promoter in vitro and in vivo , respectively. Moreover, the SiLTP expression levels were higher in SiARDP -OE plants compared than the WT. These results confirmed that SiLTP plays important roles in improving salt and drought stress tolerance of foxtail millet, and may partly be upregulated by SiARDP. SiLTP may provide an effective genetic resource for molecular breeding in crops to enhance salt and drought tolerance levels.

Origin of Reversible Photoinduced Phase Separation in Hybrid Perovskites.

PubMed

Bischak, Connor G; Hetherington, Craig L; Wu, Hao; Aloni, Shaul; Ogletree, D Frank; Limmer, David T; Ginsberg, Naomi S

2017-02-08

The distinct physical properties of hybrid organic-inorganic materials can lead to unexpected nonequilibrium phenomena that are difficult to characterize due to the broad range of length and time scales involved. For instance, mixed halide hybrid perovskites are promising materials for optoelectronics, yet bulk measurements suggest the halides reversibly phase separate upon photoexcitation. By combining nanoscale imaging and multiscale modeling, we find that the nature of halide demixing in these materials is distinct from macroscopic phase separation. We propose that the localized strain induced by a single photoexcited charge interacting with the soft, ionic lattice is sufficient to promote halide phase separation and nucleate a light-stabilized, low-bandgap, ∼8 nm iodide-rich cluster. The limited extent of this polaron is essential to promote demixing because by contrast bulk strain would simply be relaxed. Photoinduced phase separation is therefore a consequence of the unique electromechanical properties of this hybrid class of materials. Exploiting photoinduced phase separation and other nonequilibrium phenomena in hybrid materials more generally could expand applications in sensing, switching, memory, and energy storage.

Repression of P Element-Mediated Hybrid Dysgenesis in Drosophila Melanogaster

PubMed Central

Simmons, M. J.; Raymond, J. D.; Rasmusson, K. E.; Miller, L. M.; McLarnon, C. F.; Zunt, J. R.

1990-01-01

Inbred lines derived from a strain called Sexi were analyzed for their abilities to repress P element-mediated gonadal dysgenesis. One line had high repression ability, four had intermediate ability and two had very low ability. The four intermediate lines also exhibited considerable within-line variation for this trait; furthermore, in at least two cases, this variation could not be attributed to recurring P element movement. Repression of gonadal dysgenesis in the hybrid offspring of all seven lines was due primarily to a maternal effect; there was no evidence for repression arising de novo in the hybrids themselves. In one of the lines, repression ability was inherited maternally, indicating the involvement of cytoplasmic factors. In three other lines, repression ability appeared to be determined by partially dominant or additive chromosomal factors; however, there was also evidence for a maternal effect that reduced the expression of these factors in at least two of the lines. In another line, repression ability seemed to be due to recessive chromosomal factors. All seven lines possessed numerous copies of a particular P element, called KP, which has been hypothesized to produce a polypeptide repressor of gonadal dysgenesis. This hypothesis, however, does not explain why the inbred Sexi lines varied so much in their repression abilities. It is suggested that some of this variation may be due to differences in the chromosomal position of the KP elements, or that other nonautonomous P elements are involved in the repression of hybrid dysgenesis in these lines. PMID:2155854

Building America Case Study: Assessment of a Hybrid Retrofit Gas Water Heater

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

M. Hoeschele, E. Weitzel, C. Backman

This project completed a modeling evaluation of a hybrid gas water heater that combines a reduced capacity tankless unit with a downsized storage tank. This product would meet a significant market need by providing a higher efficiency gas water heater solution for retrofit applications while maintaining compatibility with the half-inch gas lines and standard B vents found in most homes. The TRNSYS simulation tool was used to model a base case 0.60 EF atmospheric gas storage water, a 0.82 EF non-condensing gas tankless water heater, an existing (high capacity) hybrid unit on the market, and an alternative hybrid unit withmore » lower storage volume and reduced gas input requirements.« less

High static gain single-phase PFC based on a hybrid boost converter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores Cortez, Daniel; Maccarini, Marcello C.; Mussa, Samir A.; Barbi, Ivo

2017-05-01

In this paper, a single-phase unity power factor rectifier, based on a hybrid boost converter, resulting from the integration of a conventional dc-dc boost converter and a switched-capacitor voltage doubler is proposed, analysed, designed and tested. The high-power rectifier is controlled by two feedback loops with the same control strategy employed in the conventional boost-based rectifier. The main feature of the proposed rectifier is its ability to output a dc voltage larger than the double of the peak value of the input line voltage, while subjecting the power switches to half of the dc-link voltage, which contributes to reducing the cost and increasing the efficiency. Experimental data were obtained from a laboratory prototype with an input voltage of 220 Vrms, line frequency of 60 Hz, output voltage of 800 Vdc, load power of 1000 W and switching frequency of 50 kHz. The efficiency of the prototype, measured in the laboratory, was 96.5% for full load and 97% for half load.

De-optical-line-terminal hybrid access-aggregation optical network for time-sensitive services based on software-defined networking orchestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Wei; Yang, Hui; Xiao, Hongyun; Yu, Ao; He, Linkuan; Zhang, Jie; Li, Zhen; Du, Yi

2017-11-01

With the increase in varieties of services in network, time-sensitive services (TSSs) appear and bring forward an impending need for delay performance. Ultralow-latency communication has become one of the important development goals for many scenarios in the coming 5G era (e.g., robotics and driverless cars). However, the conventional methods, which decrease delay by promoting the available resources and the network transmission speed, have limited effect; a new breakthrough for ultralow-latency communication is necessary. We propose a de-optical-line-terminal (De-OLT) hybrid access-aggregation optical network (DAON) for TSS based on software-defined networking (SDN) orchestration. In this network, low-latency all-optical communication based on optical burst switching can be achieved by removing OLT. For supporting this network and guaranteeing the quality of service for TSSs, we design SDN-driven control method and service provision method. Numerical results demonstrate the proposed DAON promotes network service efficiency and avoids traffic congestion.

The electrorheological performance of polyaniline-based hybrid particles suspensions in silicone oil: influence of the dispersing medium viscosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roman, C.; García-Morales, M.; Goswami, S.; Marques, A. C.; Cidade, M. T.

2018-07-01

The potential of electrorheological (ER) suspensions based on polarizable particles in simple liquids relies on the particles arrangements which turn their quasi Newtonian behavior into gel-like. However, minor attention has been paid to the effect provoked by the liquid viscosity on the ease of orientation and assembly of the particles. With this aim, a study on the ER behavior, at 25 °C, of 1 wt% suspensions of polyaniline (PANI)-based hybrid particles (—graphene or —tungstene oxide) in silicone oil with varying viscosities (20, 50 and 100 cSt) was carried out. The electric field effect was higher for the PANI-graphene particles suspension in the less viscous silicone oil. However, two drawbacks were observed: (a) higher leakage current flows; and (b) reduced reversibility upon the electric field was turned off. The use of silicone oil with higher viscosity solved these issues.

The Corail stem as a reverse hybrid - survivorship and x-ray analysis at 10 years.

PubMed

Wangen, Helge; Nordsletten, Lars; Boldt, Jens G; Fenstad, Anne M; Beverland, David E

2017-07-25

The use of a cemented cup together with an uncemented stem in total hip arthroplasty (THA) has become popular in Norway and Sweden during the last decade. The results of this prosthetic concept, reverse hybrid THA have been sparsely described.We report our experience of reverse hybrid THA, using the Elite plus polyethylene cemented cup together with the Corail fully hydroxyapatite-coated uncemented stem and a 28-mm alumina ceramic head. 132 consecutive reverse hybrid hip arthroplasties were performed from January 2000 to December 2003 in 126 patients with a mean age of 54.3 years (28-65). All patients were routinely reviewed at 3 months, 1, 5, 7 and 10 years postoperatively. At each follow-up patients were seen either by a consultant orthopaedic surgeon or a senior trainee. Anteroposterior pelvic and lateral x-rays of the hip were taken at each visit. To estimate the survival of the THAs we used the Kaplan-Meier method with 95% confidence interval (CI). Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine which factors affected the presence of radiolucency around the femoral stem. The mean follow-up was 11.1 years (9.0-14.2). 1 patient was lost to follow-up, and 7 patients were deceased at the time of 10-year follow up. At 10 years 7 patients have had further surgery. 5 for infection, 1 periprosthetic femoral fracture and 1 heterotopic bone formation. All stems were classified as well fixed. 2 cups were defined as loose at 10 years. 1 patient is scheduled for revision the other refused revision. The clinical outcome and radiological findings were assessed in 123 hips. The mean Harris Hip Score was 94 (35-100) at 10 years and the mean WOMAC score was 89 (30.2-100). We report good results with respect to clinical outcome and survival of the reverse hybrid concept in patients younger than 65. A successful outcome depends on meticulous preoperative planning, use of modern cementing techniques in the acetabulum and experience in implanting an uncemented stem.

Integrated analysis of mRNA and miRNA expression profiling in rice backcrossed progenies (BC2F12) with different plant height

PubMed Central

Cao, Aqin; Jin, Jie; Li, Shaoqing

2017-01-01

Inter-specific hybridization and backcrossing commonly occur in plants. The use of progeny generated from inter-specific hybridization and backcrossing has been developed as a novel model system to explore gene expression divergence. The present study investigated the analysis of gene expression and miRNA regulation in backcrossed introgression lines constructed from cultivated and wild rice. High-throughput sequencing was used to compare gene and miRNA expression profiles in three progeny lines (L1710, L1817 and L1730), with different plant heights resulting from the backcrossing of introgression lines (BC2F12) and their parents (O. sativa and O. longistaminata). A total of 25,387 to 26,139 mRNAs and 379 to 419 miRNAs were obtained in these rice lines. More differentially expressed genes and miRNAs were detected in progeny/O. longistaminata comparison groups than in progeny/O. sativa comparison groups. Approximately 80% of the genes and miRNAs showed expression level dominance to O. sativa, indicating that three progeny lines were closer to the recurrent parent, which might be influenced by their parental genome dosage. Approximately 16% to 64% of the differentially expressed miRNAs possessing coherent target genes were predicted, and many of these miRNAs regulated multiple target genes. Most genes were up-regulated in progeny lines compared with their parents, but down-regulated in the higher plant height line in the comparison groups among the three progeny lines. Moreover, certain genes related to cell walls and plant hormones might play crucial roles in the plant height variations of the three progeny lines. Taken together, these results provided valuable information on the molecular mechanisms of hybrid backcrossing and plant height variations based on the gene and miRNA expression levels in the three progeny lines. PMID:28859136

Hydrogen Bonded Squaramide-Based Foldable Module Induces Both β- and α-Turns in Hairpin Structures of α-Peptides in Water.

PubMed

Martínez, Luís; Martorell, Gabriel; Sampedro, Ángel; Ballester, Pablo; Costa, Antoni; Rotger, Carmen

2015-06-19

A novel tertiary squaramido-based reverse-turn module SQ is reported, and its conformational properties are evaluated. This module is easily incorporated into a α-peptide sequence by conventional solid-phase peptide synthesis. The structure characterization of the hybrid squaramido-peptide 4 is described, showing that the turn segment induces the formation of hairpin structures in water through the formation of both αSQ- and βSQ-turns.

A Clash of Bottom-Up and Top-Down Processes in Visual Search: The Reversed Letter Effect Revisited

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhaoping, Li; Frith, Uta

2011-01-01

It is harder to find the letter "N" among its mirror reversals than vice versa, an inconvenient finding for bottom-up saliency accounts based on primary visual cortex (V1) mechanisms. However, in line with this account, we found that in dense search arrays, gaze first landed on either target equally fast. Remarkably, after first landing,…

Comparison of Highly Resolved Model-Based Exposure ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Human exposure to air pollution in many studies is represented by ambient concentrations from space-time kriging of observed values. Space-time kriging techniques based on a limited number of ambient monitors may fail to capture the concentration from local sources. Further, because people spend more time indoors, using ambient concentration to represent exposure may cause error. To quantify the associated exposure error, we computed a series of six different hourly-based exposure metrics at 16,095 Census blocks of three Counties in North Carolina for CO, NOx, PM2.5, and elemental carbon (EC) during 2012. These metrics include ambient background concentration from space-time ordinary kriging (STOK), ambient on-road concentration from the Research LINE source dispersion model (R-LINE), a hybrid concentration combining STOK and R-LINE, and their associated indoor concentrations from an indoor infiltration mass balance model. Using a hybrid-based indoor concentration as the standard, the comparison showed that outdoor STOK metrics yielded large error at both population (67% to 93%) and individual level (average bias between −10% to 95%). For pollutants with significant contribution from on-road emission (EC and NOx), the on-road based indoor metric performs the best at the population level (error less than 52%). At the individual level, however, the STOK-based indoor concentration performs the best (average bias below 30%). For PM2.5, due to the relatively low co

Stabilization of lower hybrid drift modes by finite parallel wavenumber and electron temperature gradients in field-reversed configurations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farengo, R.; Guzdar, P. N.; Lee, Y. C.

1989-08-01

The effect of finite parallel wavenumber and electron temperature gradients on the lower hybrid drift instability is studied in the parameter regime corresponding to the TRX-2 device [Fusion Technol. 9, 48 (1986)]. Perturbations in the electrostatic potential and all three components of the vector potential are considered and finite beta electron orbit modifications are included. The electron temperature gradient decreases the growth rate of the instability but, for kz=0, unstable modes exist for ηe(=T'en0/Ten0)>6. Since finite kz effects completely stabilize the mode at small values of kz/ky(≂5×10-3), magnetic shear could be responsible for stabilizing the lower hybrid drift instability in field-reversed configurations.

A Structural Model Decomposition Framework for Hybrid Systems Diagnosis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daigle, Matthew; Bregon, Anibal; Roychoudhury, Indranil

2015-01-01

Nowadays, a large number of practical systems in aerospace and industrial environments are best represented as hybrid systems that consist of discrete modes of behavior, each defined by a set of continuous dynamics. These hybrid dynamics make the on-line fault diagnosis task very challenging. In this work, we present a new modeling and diagnosis framework for hybrid systems. Models are composed from sets of user-defined components using a compositional modeling approach. Submodels for residual generation are then generated for a given mode, and reconfigured efficiently when the mode changes. Efficient reconfiguration is established by exploiting causality information within the hybrid system models. The submodels can then be used for fault diagnosis based on residual generation and analysis. We demonstrate the efficient causality reassignment, submodel reconfiguration, and residual generation for fault diagnosis using an electrical circuit case study.

A reversible ratiometric sensor for intracellular Cu2+ imaging: metal coordination-altered FRET in a dual fluorophore hybrid.

PubMed

Chen, Yuncong; Zhu, Chengcheng; Cen, Jiajie; Li, Jing; He, Weijiang; Jiao, Yang; Guo, Zijian

2013-09-07

ICT fluorophore benzoxadiazole with its electron-donating group modified as a Cu(2+) chelator was conjugated with coumarin to construct a new ratiometric sensor with reversible intracellular Cu(2+) imaging ability.

Time-Reversal Based Range Extension Technique for Ultra-wideband (UWB) Sensors and Applications in Tactical Communications and Networking

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-16

the transmitted waveform, then spectral mask, notch line of Arbitrary Notch Filter , the designed waveforms and multipath impulse response represented...400 Frequence (MHz) Figure 5.4: Spectral mask, notch line of Arbitrary Notch Filter , the designed waveforms and multipath impulse response...600 Frequence (MHz) Figure 5.7: Spectral mask, notch line of Arbitrary Notch Filter , the designed waveforms and multipath impulse response

Role of Water in the Reversible Optoelectronic Degradation in Hybrid Perovskites at Low Pressure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hall, Genevieve N.; Stuckelberger, Michael; Nietzold, Tara

There is no doubt about the potential offered by the low-cost fabrication and high efficiency of hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite solar cells. However, the service lifetimes of these devices must be increased from months to years to capitalize on their potential. The archetypal hybrid perovskite for solar cells, methylammonium lead iodide (CH 3NH 3PbI 3, abbreviated MAPI), readily degrades in ambient atmosphere under standard operating conditions. Understanding the origin and effects of this degradation can pave the way to better engineer photovoltaic devices and the perovskite material itself. Herein we present the effects of varying pressure on the electrical performance ofmore » MAPI solar cells. Solar cell parameters, especially open circuit voltage, are significantly affected by the total ambient pressure and present an unexpected reversible behavior upon pressure cycling. We complement photoluminescence studies as a function of ambient atmosphere and temperature with first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results suggest that the reversible intercalation of water in MAPI is a necessary component underlying this behavior.« less

Role of Water in the Reversible Optoelectronic Degradation in Hybrid Perovskites at Low Pressure

DOE PAGES

Hall, Genevieve N.; Stuckelberger, Michael; Nietzold, Tara; ...

2017-10-10

There is no doubt about the potential offered by the low-cost fabrication and high efficiency of hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite solar cells. However, the service lifetimes of these devices must be increased from months to years to capitalize on their potential. The archetypal hybrid perovskite for solar cells, methylammonium lead iodide (CH 3NH 3PbI 3, abbreviated MAPI), readily degrades in ambient atmosphere under standard operating conditions. Understanding the origin and effects of this degradation can pave the way to better engineer photovoltaic devices and the perovskite material itself. Herein we present the effects of varying pressure on the electrical performance ofmore » MAPI solar cells. Solar cell parameters, especially open circuit voltage, are significantly affected by the total ambient pressure and present an unexpected reversible behavior upon pressure cycling. We complement photoluminescence studies as a function of ambient atmosphere and temperature with first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results suggest that the reversible intercalation of water in MAPI is a necessary component underlying this behavior.« less

Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization–Based Karyotyping of Soybean Translocation Lines

PubMed Central

Findley, Seth D.; Pappas, Allison L.; Cui, Yaya; Birchler, James A.; Palmer, Reid G.; Stacey, Gary

2011-01-01

Soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) is a major crop species and, therefore, a major target of genomic and genetic research. However, in contrast to other plant species, relatively few chromosomal aberrations have been identified and characterized in soybean. This is due in part to the difficulty of cytogenetic analysis of its small, morphologically homogeneous chromosomes. The recent development of a fluorescence in situ hybridization –based karyotyping system for soybean has enabled our characterization of most of the chromosomal translocation lines identified to date. Utilizing genetic data from existing translocation studies in soybean, we identified the chromosomes and approximate breakpoints involved in five translocation lines. PMID:22384324

Ultra-Small Dualband Dualmode Microstrip Antenna Based on Novel Hybrid Resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Ji-Xu; Bai, Peng; Zheng, Hao-Zhong

2016-11-01

A novel hybrid resonator consists of right handed patch+composite right and left handed transmission line (RH+CRLH) is proposed for the first time aiming at both compactness and frequency manipulation. A demonstration with theoretical dispersion relations and EM simulation is provided for the correctness and efficiency. According to the new method, an ultra-small and dualband antenna operating around 2.4 GHz (n=0, Bluetooth band) and 3.5 GHz (n=+1, Wimax band) is designed, fabricated and measured, whose occupied area is only of 0.158 λ_0. Numerical and experimental results indicate that the antenna exhibits a good impendence match, low cross-polarization and comparable radiation gains in both bands. Excellent performances of the antennas based on hybrid resonators predict promising applications in multifunction wireless communication systems.

Discovery of piperidin-4-yl-aminopyrimidine derivatives as potent non-nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

PubMed

Wan, Zheng-Yong; Yao, Jin; Tao, Yuan; Mao, Tian-Qi; Wang, Xin-Long; Lu, Yi-Pei; Wang, Hai-Feng; Yin, Hong; Wu, Yan; Chen, Fen-Er; De Clercq, Erik; Daelemans, Dirk; Pannecouque, Christophe

2015-06-05

A novel series of piperidin-4-yl-aminopyrimidine derivatives were designed fusing the pharmacophore templates of etravirine-VRX-480773 hybrids our group previously described and piperidine-linked aminopyrimidines. Most compounds displayed significantly improved activity against wild-type HIV-1 with EC50 values in single-digit nanomolar concentrations compared to etravirine-VRX-480773 hybrids. Selected compounds were also evaluated for activity against reverse transcriptase, and had lower IC50 values than that of nevirapine. The improved potency observed in this in vitro model of HIV RNA replication partly validates the mechanism by which this class of allosteric pyrimidine derivatives inhibits reverse transcriptase, and represents a remarkable step forward in the development of AIDS therapeutics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Cytoplasmic male sterility-associated chimeric open reading frames identified by mitochondrial genome sequencing of four Cajanus genotypes.

PubMed

Tuteja, Reetu; Saxena, Rachit K; Davila, Jaime; Shah, Trushar; Chen, Wenbin; Xiao, Yong-Li; Fan, Guangyi; Saxena, K B; Alverson, Andrew J; Spillane, Charles; Town, Christopher; Varshney, Rajeev K

2013-10-01

The hybrid pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) breeding technology based on cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is currently unique among legumes and displays major potential for yield increase. CMS is defined as a condition in which a plant is unable to produce functional pollen grains. The novel chimeric open reading frames (ORFs) produced as a results of mitochondrial genome rearrangements are considered to be the main cause of CMS. To identify these CMS-related ORFs in pigeonpea, we sequenced the mitochondrial genomes of three C. cajan lines (the male-sterile line ICPA 2039, the maintainer line ICPB 2039, and the hybrid line ICPH 2433) and of the wild relative (Cajanus cajanifolius ICPW 29). A single, circular-mapping molecule of length 545.7 kb was assembled and annotated for the ICPA 2039 line. Sequence annotation predicted 51 genes, including 34 protein-coding and 17 RNA genes. Comparison of the mitochondrial genomes from different Cajanus genotypes identified 31 ORFs, which differ between lines within which CMS is present or absent. Among these chimeric ORFs, 13 were identified by comparison of the related male-sterile and maintainer lines. These ORFs display features that are known to trigger CMS in other plant species and to represent the most promising candidates for CMS-related mitochondrial rearrangements in pigeonpea.

Cytoplasmic Male Sterility-Associated Chimeric Open Reading Frames Identified by Mitochondrial Genome Sequencing of Four Cajanus Genotypes

PubMed Central

Tuteja, Reetu; Saxena, Rachit K.; Davila, Jaime; Shah, Trushar; Chen, Wenbin; Xiao, Yong-Li; Fan, Guangyi; Saxena, K. B.; Alverson, Andrew J.; Spillane, Charles; Town, Christopher; Varshney, Rajeev K.

2013-01-01

The hybrid pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) breeding technology based on cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is currently unique among legumes and displays major potential for yield increase. CMS is defined as a condition in which a plant is unable to produce functional pollen grains. The novel chimeric open reading frames (ORFs) produced as a results of mitochondrial genome rearrangements are considered to be the main cause of CMS. To identify these CMS-related ORFs in pigeonpea, we sequenced the mitochondrial genomes of three C. cajan lines (the male-sterile line ICPA 2039, the maintainer line ICPB 2039, and the hybrid line ICPH 2433) and of the wild relative (Cajanus cajanifolius ICPW 29). A single, circular-mapping molecule of length 545.7 kb was assembled and annotated for the ICPA 2039 line. Sequence annotation predicted 51 genes, including 34 protein-coding and 17 RNA genes. Comparison of the mitochondrial genomes from different Cajanus genotypes identified 31 ORFs, which differ between lines within which CMS is present or absent. Among these chimeric ORFs, 13 were identified by comparison of the related male-sterile and maintainer lines. These ORFs display features that are known to trigger CMS in other plant species and to represent the most promising candidates for CMS-related mitochondrial rearrangements in pigeonpea. PMID:23792890

Planar slot coupled microwave hybrid

DOEpatents

Petter, Jeffrey K.

1991-01-01

A symmetrical 180.degree. microwave hybrid is constructed by opening a slot line in a ground plane below a conducting strip disposed on a dielectric substrate, creating a slot coupled conductor. Difference signals propagating on the slot coupled conductor are isolated on the slot line leaving sum signals to propagate on the microstrip. The difference signal is coupled from the slot line onto a second microstrip line for transmission to a desired location. The microstrip branches in a symmetrical fashion to provide the input/output ports of the 180.degree. hybrid. The symmetry of the device provides for balance and isolation between sum and difference signals, and provides an advantageous balance between the power handling capabilities and the bandwidth of the device.

Accelerated Senescence and Enhanced Disease Resistance in Hybrid Chlorosis Lines Derived from Interspecific Crosses between Tetraploid Wheat and Aegilops tauschii

PubMed Central

Tosa, Yukio; Yoshida, Kentaro; Park, Pyoyun; Takumi, Shigeo

2015-01-01

Hybrid chlorosis, a type of hybrid incompatibility, has frequently been reported in inter- and intraspecific crosses of allopolyploid wheat. In a previous study, we reported some types of growth abnormalities such as hybrid necrosis and observed hybrid chlorosis with mild or severe abnormalities in wheat triploids obtained in crosses between tetraploid wheat cultivar Langdon and four Ae. tauschii accessions and in their derived synthetic hexaploids. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying hybrid chlorosis are not well understood. Here, we compared cytology and gene expression in leaves to characterize the abnormal growth in wheat synthetics showing mild and severe chlorosis. In addition, we compared disease resistance to wheat blast fungus. In total 55 and 105 genes related to carbohydrate metabolism and 53 and 89 genes for defense responses were markedly up-regulated in the mild and severe chlorosis lines, respectively. Abnormal chloroplasts formed in the mesophyll cells before the leaves yellowed in the hybrid chlorosis lines. The plants with mild chlorosis showed increased resistance to wheat blast and powdery mildew fungi, although significant differences only in two, third internode length and maturation time, out of the examined agricultural traits were found between the wild type and plants showing mild chlorosis. These observations suggest that senescence might be accelerated in hybrid chlorosis lines of wheat synthetics. Moreover, in wheat synthetics showing mild chlorosis, the negative effects on biomass can be minimized, and they may show substantial fitness under pathogen-polluted conditions. PMID:25806790

The generalized accessibility and spectral gap of lower hybrid waves in tokamaks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takahashi, Hironori

1994-03-01

The generalized accessibility of lower hybrid waves, primarily in the current drive regime of tokamak plasmas, which may include shifting, either upward or downward, of the parallel refractive index (n{sub {parallel}}), is investigated, based upon a cold plasma dispersion relation and various geometrical constraint (G.C.) relations imposed on the behavior of n{sub {parallel}}. It is shown that n{sub {parallel}} upshifting can be bounded and insufficient to bridge a large spectral gap to cause wave damping, depending upon whether the G.C. relation allows the oblique resonance to occur. The traditional n{sub {parallel}} upshifting mechanism caused by the pitch angle of magneticmore » field lines is shown to lead to contradictions with experimental observations. An upshifting mechanism brought about by the density gradient along field lines is proposed, which is not inconsistent with experimental observations, and provides plausible explanations to some unresolved issues of lower hybrid wave theory, including generation of {open_quote}seed electrons.{close_quote}« less

Development of a novel Sinapis arvensis disomic addition line in Brassica napus containing the restorer gene for Nsa CMS and improved resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and pod shattering.

PubMed

Wei, Wenhui; Li, Yunchang; Wang, Lijun; Liu, Shengyi; Yan, Xiaohong; Mei, Desheng; Li, Yinde; Xu, Yusong; Peng, Pengfei; Hu, Qiong

2010-04-01

An allo-cytoplasmic male sterile line, which was developed through somatic hybridization between Brassica napus and Sinapis arvensis (thus designated as Nsa CMS line), possesses high potential for hybrid production of rapeseed. In order to select for restorer lines, fertile plants derived from the same somatic hybridization combination were self-pollinated and testcrossed with the parental Nsa CMS line for six generations. A novel disomic alien addition line, B. napus-S. arvensis, has been successfully developed. GISH analysis showed that it contains one pair of chromosomes from S. arvensis and 19 pairs from B. napus, and retains stable and regular mitotic and meiotic processes. The addition line displays very strong restoration ability to Nsa CMS line, high resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and a low incidence of pod shattering. Because the addition line shares these very important agricultural characters, it is a valuable restorer to Nsa CMS line, and is named NR1 here (Nsa restorer no. 1).

Characterization and identification of ISSR markers associated with oil content in sea buckthorn berries.

PubMed

Ding, J; Ruan, C J; Guan, Y; Shan, J Y; Li, H; Bao, Y H

2016-08-19

Bioactive oils extracted from sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) berries contain highly nutritional and medicinal compounds; however, the oil contents of sea buckthorn berries are very low. Thirteen inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers were used to identify markers associated with oil content of dry pulp in 51 cultivars and lines, which clustered into three major groups based on 137 polymorphic markers. Dry pulp oil contents in 45 cultivars and lines in Group I ranged from 6.6 to 33.1%; these accessions belonged to H. rhamnoides ssp mongolica and its hybrids with H. rhamnoides ssp sinensis. Three lines (H. rhamnoides ssp mongolica) in Group II had high dry pulp oil contents (33.7 to 37.5%), whereas three lines of hybrids in Group III had low dry pulp oil contents (10.9 to 17.5%). The dry pulp oil content of H. rhamnoides ssp mongolica (27.2 ± 0.9%) was higher than that of hybrids (12.0 ± 1.2%) (P < 0.01). Four ISSR markers (881 340 , 825 1000 , 817 380 , and 807 1100 ) had positive association with high dry pulp oil content (P < 0.01) using stepwise multiple regression analysis. The use of these ISSR markers is a potential strategy to select genotypes with high dry pulp oil content and suitable parental combinations for improvement of sea buckthorn berries.

Purification of lignans from Fructus Arctii using off-line two-dimensional supercritical fluid chromatography/reversed-phase liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Yang, Bichao; Xin, Huaxia; Wang, Feier; Cai, Jianfeng; Liu, Yanfang; Fu, Qing; Jin, Yu; Liang, Xinmiao

2017-08-01

As a common traditional Chinese medicine, Fructus Arctii has important clinical medical values. Its main components are lignans, which are difficult to separate and analyze because of the complex composition, similar chemical structures, and close properties. In this study, an off-line two-dimensional supercritical fluid chromatography/reversed-phase liquid chromatography method, as well as an effective sample pretreatment method based on hydrophilic interaction chromatography material, was developed to enrich the minor lignan fractions and obtain high-purity compounds. In total, 12 high-purity compounds were isolated from Fructus Arctii. Their structures were identified by using high-resolution mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which showed that all were lignans and that most of them were isomers. The results demonstrated the effective off-line two-dimensional supercritical fluid chromatography/reversed-phase liquid chromatography method for the purification of lignans from Fructus Arctii. The separation protocol established here will be beneficial for the separation of complex samples from other kinds of natural products. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Meiotic behavior as a selection tool in silage corn breeding.

PubMed

Souza, V F; Pagliarini, M S; Scapim, C A; Rodovalho, M; Faria, M V

2010-10-19

In breeding programs, commercial hybrids are frequently used as a source of inbred lines to obtain new hybrids. Considering that maize production is dependent on viable gametes, the selection of populations to obtain inbred lines with high meiotic stability could contribute to the formation of new silage corn hybrids adapted to specific region. We evaluated the meiotic stability of five commercial hybrids of silage corn used in southern Brazil with conventional squashing methods. All of them showed meiotic abnormalities. Some abnormalities, such as abnormal chromosome segregation and absence of cytokinesis, occurred in all the genotypes, while others, including cytomixis and abnormal spindle orientation, were found only in some genotypes. The hybrid SG6010 had the lowest mean frequency of abnormal cells (21.27%); the highest frequency was found in the hybrid P30K64 (44.43%). However, the frequency of abnormal meiotic products was much lower in most genotypes, ranging from 7.63% in the hybrid CD304 to 43.86% in Garra. Taking into account the percentage of abnormal meiotic products and, hence, meiotic stability, only the hybrids CD304, P30K64, SG6010, and P30F53 are recommended to be retained in the breeding program to obtain inbred lines to create new hybrids.

Detection and differentiation of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in broiler chicken samples using a PCR/DNA probe membrane based colorimetric detection assay.

PubMed

O'Sullivan, N A; Fallon, R; Carroll, C; Smith, T; Maher, M

2000-02-01

Campylobacter enteritis in humans has been linked to consumption of poultry meat. Surveys show that 30-100% of poultry harbour Campylobacter as normal flora of the digestive tract which indicates a need to identify prevalent organism types in flocks and trace their epidemiology. In this study we describe a Campylobacter genus specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, amplifying the 16 S-23 S rRNA intergenic spacer region with an internal Campylobacter genus specific DNA probe and species specific probes for Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli designed for confirmation of the amplified PCR products by Southern blot and colorimetric reverse hybridization assays. The specificity of this assay was established by testing a range of food pathogens. Broiler chicken samples were tested following presumptive positive identification by the Malthus System V analyser (Malthus Instruments, UK). The combined PCR and colorimetric reverse hybridization assay is easy to perform and faster than conventional methods for confirmation and identification of Campylobacter species. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Carbon-Nanotube-Supported Bio-Inspired Nickel Catalyst and Its Integration in Hybrid Hydrogen/Air Fuel Cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gentil, Solène; Lalaoui, Noémie; Dutta, Arnab

A biomimetic nickel bis-diphosphine complex incorporating the amino-acid arginine in the outer coordination sphere, was immobilized on modified single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) through electrostatic interactions. The sur-face-confined catalyst is characterized by a reversible 2-electron/2-proton redox process at potentials close to the equibrium potential of the H+/H2 couple. Consequently, the functionalized redox nanomaterial exhibits reversible electrocatalytic activity for the H2/2H+ interconversion over a broad range of pH. This system exhibits catalytic bias, analogous to hydrogenases, resulting in high turnover frequencies at low overpotentials for electrocatalytic H2 oxida-tion between pH 0 and 7. This allowed integrating such bio-inspired nanomaterial together with amore » multicopper oxi-dase at the cathode side in a hybrid bioinspired/enzymatic hydrogen fuel cell. This device delivers ~2 mW cm–2 with an open-circuit voltage of 1.0 V at room temperature and pH 5, which sets a new efficiency record for a bio-related hydrogen fuel cell with base metal catalysts.« less

Optimum allocation of test resources and comparison of breeding strategies for hybrid wheat.

PubMed

Longin, C Friedrich H; Mi, Xuefei; Melchinger, Albrecht E; Reif, Jochen C; Würschum, Tobias

2014-10-01

The use of a breeding strategy combining the evaluation of line per se with testcross performance maximizes annual selection gain for hybrid wheat breeding. Recent experimental studies confirmed a high commercial potential for hybrid wheat requiring the design of optimum breeding strategies. Our objectives were to (1) determine the optimum allocation of the type and number of testers, the number of test locations and the number of doubled haploid lines for different breeding strategies, (2) identify the best breeding strategy and (3) elaborate key parameters for an efficient hybrid wheat breeding program. We performed model calculations using the selection gain for grain yield as target variable to optimize the number of lines, testers and test locations in four different breeding strategies. A breeding strategy (BS2) combining the evaluation of line per se performance and general combining ability (GCA) had a far larger annual selection gain across all considered scenarios than a breeding strategy (BS1) focusing only on GCA. In the combined strategy, the production of testcross seed conducted in parallel with the first yield trial for line per se performance (BS2rapid) resulted in a further increase of the annual selection gain. For the current situation in hybrid wheat, this relative superiority of the strategy BS2rapid amounted to 67 % in annual selection gain compared to BS1. Varying a large number of parameters, we identified the high costs for hybrid seed production and the low variance of GCA in hybrid wheat breeding as key parameters limiting selection gain in BS2rapid.

Experimental observation of Fano effect in Ag nanoparticle-CdTe quantum dot hybrid system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurung, Sabina; Jayabalan, J.; Singh, Asha; Khan, Salahuddin; Chari, Rama

2018-04-01

We have experimentally measured the optical properties of Ag nanoparticle-CdTe quantum dot hybrid system and compared it with that of bare CdTe quantum dot colloid. It has been shown that the photoluminescence line shape of CdTe quantum dots becomes asymmetric in presence of Ag nanoparticles. The observed changes in the PL spectrum closely match the expected changes in the line shape due to Fano interaction between discrete level and continuum levels. Our experiment shows that a very small fraction of metal nanoparticles in the metal-semiconductor hybrid is sufficient to induce such changes in line shape which is in contrary to the earlier reported theoretical prediction on metal-semiconductor hybrid.

11th International Conference "Correlation Optics": Propolis films for hybrid biomaterial-inorganic electronics and optoelectronics.

PubMed

Brus, Viktor V; Pidkamin, Leonid J; Ilashchuk, Maria I; Maryanchuk, Pavlo D

2014-04-01

We report on the analysis of optical, polarimetric, and electrical properties of propolis films and hybrid biomaterial-inorganic heterojunctions based on them. It was shown that the material of the propolis films belongs to wide-bandgap optically active substances with the light-scattering centers, which possess complex optical properties. The values of the specific resistance ρ(P)=1.9·10⁷ Ω·cm and dielectric constant ε(P)=19.5 of the propolis film were determined from the spectral distribution of the real and imaginary components of its impedance at room temperature, respectively. The dominating current transport mechanisms through the hybrid bioinorganic heterojunction propolis/p-CdTe were established to be the interface-states-assisted generation-recombination within the depletion region via deep energy levels at forward bias as well as the leakage current through the shunt resistance at reverse bias.

Novel Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Electrolyte to Enable LiFePO4 Quasi-Solid-State Li-Ion Batteries Performed Highly around Room Temperature.

PubMed

Tan, Rui; Gao, Rongtan; Zhao, Yan; Zhang, Mingjian; Xu, Junyi; Yang, Jinlong; Pan, Feng

2016-11-16

A novel type of organic-inorganic hybrid polymer electrolytes with high electrochemical performances around room temperature is formed by hybrid of nanofillers, Y-type oligomer, polyoxyethylene and Li-salt (PBA-Li), of which the T g and T m are significantly lowered by blended heterogeneous polyethers and embedded nanofillers with benefit of the dipole modification to achieve the high Li-ion migration due to more free-volume space. The quasi-solid-state Li-ion batteries based on the LiFePO 4 /15PBA-Li/Li-metal cells present remarkable reversible capacities (133 and 165 mAh g -1 @0.2 C at 30 and 45 °C, respectively), good rate ability and stable cycle performance (141.9 mAh g -1 @0.2 C at 30 °C after 150 cycles).

Enzymatic Reaction with Unnatural Substrates: DNA Photolyase (Escherichia coli) Recognizes and Reverses Thymine [2+2] Dimers in the DNA Strand of a DNA/PNA Hybrid Duplex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramaiah, Danaboyina; Kan, Yongzhi; Koch, Troels; Orum, Henrik; Schuster, Gary B.

1998-10-01

Peptide nucleic acids (PNA) are mimics with normal bases connected to a pseudopeptide chain that obey Watson--Crick rules to form stable duplexes with itself and natural nucleic acids. This has focused attention on PNA as therapeutic or diagnostic reagents. Duplexes formed with PNA mirror some but not all properties of DNA. One fascinating aspect of PNA biochemistry is their reaction with enzymes. Here we show an enzyme reaction that operates effectively on a PNA/DNA hybrid duplex. A DNA oligonucleotide containing a cis, syn-thymine [2+2] dimer forms a stable duplex with PNA. The hybrid duplex is recognized by photolyase, and irradiation of the complex leads to the repair of the thymine dimer. This finding provides insight into the enzyme mechanism and provides a means for the selective repair of thymine photodimers.

Investigations on photolon-and porphyrin-doped sol-gel fiberoptic coatings for laser-assisted applications in medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bindig, U.; Ulatowska-Jarza, A.; Kopaczynska, M.; Müller, G.; Podbielska, H.

2008-01-01

In view of laser-assisted medical applications, the construction of silica-based sol-gel fiberoptic sensors based on photolon (Ph) and protoporphyrin IX (PP IX) is discussed. Electron microscopy and AFM were used to characterize the silica sol-gel coatings. AFM measurements indicate a change in the surface porosity. The PP IX-based sensors were constructed as a one-layer optode as well as a multilayered structure. An additional hybrid sensor made up of alternate layers of PP IX-and Ph-doped sol-gel was also constructed and examined. Sol-gel matrices were prepared from silicate precursor tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) mixed with ethanol in acid-catalyzed hydrolysis. The carrier matrices of photosensitive dyes were produced with factor R = 20, where R denotes the ratio of solvent moles (ethanol) to the number of TEOS moles. A multilayered coating was built up using the reverse-dipping technique. The overall coating thickness was determined by electron microscopy. Doped sol-gels with different PP IX concentrations were used to produce fiberoptic coatings. The film optodes with a different number of layers were examined by fluorescence spectroscopy. It was found that photolon and protoporphyrin IX entrapped in sol-gel preserve their chemical reactivity and have contact with the external environment. The hybrid sensor demonstrated clear fluorescence and a reversible behavior in gaseous environments.

Time-Reversal Symmetry-Breaking Nematic Insulators near Quantum Spin Hall Phase Transitions.

PubMed

Xue, Fei; MacDonald, A H

2018-05-04

We study the phase diagram of a model quantum spin Hall system as a function of band inversion and band-coupling strength, demonstrating that when band hybridization is weak, an interaction-induced nematic insulator state emerges over a wide range of band inversion. This property is a consequence of the long-range Coulomb interaction, which favors interband phase coherence that is weakly dependent on momentum and therefore frustrated by the single-particle Hamiltonian at the band inversion point. For weak band hybridization, interactions convert the continuous gap closing topological phase transition at inversion into a pair of continuous phase transitions bounding a state with broken time-reversal and rotational symmetries. At intermediate band hybridization, the topological phase transition proceeds instead via a quantum anomalous Hall insulator state, whereas at strong hybridization interactions play no role. We comment on the implications of our findings for InAs/GaSb and HgTe/CdTe quantum spin Hall systems.

Time-Reversal Symmetry-Breaking Nematic Insulators near Quantum Spin Hall Phase Transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Fei; MacDonald, A. H.

2018-05-01

We study the phase diagram of a model quantum spin Hall system as a function of band inversion and band-coupling strength, demonstrating that when band hybridization is weak, an interaction-induced nematic insulator state emerges over a wide range of band inversion. This property is a consequence of the long-range Coulomb interaction, which favors interband phase coherence that is weakly dependent on momentum and therefore frustrated by the single-particle Hamiltonian at the band inversion point. For weak band hybridization, interactions convert the continuous gap closing topological phase transition at inversion into a pair of continuous phase transitions bounding a state with broken time-reversal and rotational symmetries. At intermediate band hybridization, the topological phase transition proceeds instead via a quantum anomalous Hall insulator state, whereas at strong hybridization interactions play no role. We comment on the implications of our findings for InAs/GaSb and HgTe/CdTe quantum spin Hall systems.

HYBRIDIZATION PROPERTIES OF DNA SEQUENCES DIRECTING THE SYNTHESIS OF MESSENGER RNA AND HETEROGENEOUS NUCLEAR RNA

PubMed Central

Greenberg, Jay R.; Perry, Robert P.

1971-01-01

The relationship of the DNA sequences from which polyribosomal messenger RNA (mRNA) and heterogeneous nuclear RNA (NRNA) of mouse L cells are transcribed was investigated by means of hybridization kinetics and thermal denaturation of the hybrids. Hybridization was performed in formamide solutions at DNA excess. Under these conditions most of the hybridizing mRNA and NRNA react at values of Dot (DNA concentration multiplied by time) expected for RNA transcribed from the nonrepeated or rarely repeated fraction of the genome. However, a fraction of both mRNA and NRNA hybridize at values of Dot about 10,000 times lower, and therefore must be transcribed from highly redundant DNA sequences. The fraction of NRNA hybridizing to highly repeated sequences is about 1.7 times greater than the corresponding fraction of mRNA. The hybrids formed by the rapidly reacting fractions of both NRNA and mRNA melt over a narrow temperature range with a midpoint about 11°C below that of native L cell DNA. This indicates that these hybrids consist of partially complementary sequences with approximately 11% mismatching of bases. Hybrids formed by the slowly reacting fraction of NRNA melt within 4°–6°C of native DNA, indicating very little, if any, mismatching of bases. Hybrids of the slowly reacting components of mRNA, formed under conditions of sufficiently low RNA input, have a high thermal stability, similar to that observed for hybrids of the slowly reacting NRNA component. However, when higher inputs of mRNA are used, hybrids are formed which have a strikingly lower thermal stability. This observation can be explained by assuming that there is sufficient similarity among the relatively rare DNA sequences coding for mRNA so that under hybridization conditions, in which these DNA sequences are not truly in excess, reversible hybrids exhibiting a considerable amount of mispairing are formed. The fact that a comparable phenomenon has not been observed for NRNA may mean that there is less similarity among the relatively rare DNA sequences coding for NRNA than there is among the rare sequences coding for mRNA. PMID:4999767

Available Transfer Capability Determination Using Hybrid Evolutionary Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jirapong, Peeraool; Ongsakul, Weerakorn

2008-10-01

This paper proposes a new hybrid evolutionary algorithm (HEA) based on evolutionary programming (EP), tabu search (TS), and simulated annealing (SA) to determine the available transfer capability (ATC) of power transactions between different control areas in deregulated power systems. The optimal power flow (OPF)-based ATC determination is used to evaluate the feasible maximum ATC value within real and reactive power generation limits, line thermal limits, voltage limits, and voltage and angle stability limits. The HEA approach simultaneously searches for real power generations except slack bus in a source area, real power loads in a sink area, and generation bus voltages to solve the OPF-based ATC problem. Test results on the modified IEEE 24-bus reliability test system (RTS) indicate that ATC determination by the HEA could enhance ATC far more than those from EP, TS, hybrid TS/SA, and improved EP (IEP) algorithms, leading to an efficient utilization of the existing transmission system.

Formation, spin-up, and stability of field-reversed configurations

DOE PAGES

Omelchenko, Yuri A.

2015-08-24

Formation, spontaneous spin-up and stability of theta-pinch formed field-reversed configurations are studied self-consistently in three dimensions with a multiscale hybrid model that treats all plasma ions as full-orbit collisional macro-particles and the electrons as a massless quasineutral fluid. The end-to-end hybrid simulations for the first time reveal poloidal profiles of implosion-driven fast toroidal plasma rotation and demonstrate three well-known discharge regimes as a function of experimental parameters: the decaying stable configuration, the tilt unstable configuration and the nonlinear evolution of a fast growing tearing mode.

Analytical Approach to the Characterization of Military Lubricants

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-03-01

Continue on reverse side It necessary and Identity by block number) As an integral part of the Army’s overall power train lubrication research! effort...favorable results. Technology has progressed to where it is now possible to qualitatively analyze and quantitate the major base stock components in hybrid...lubricant component to equipment performance, and identify sources of new, used, synthetic and re-refined lubricants, power train and hydraulic

Explaining Polarization Reversals in STEREO Wave Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breneman, A.; Cattell, C.; Wygant, J.; Kersten, K.; Wilson, L, B., III; Dai, L.; Colpitts, C.; Kellogg, P. J.; Goetz, K.; Paradise, A.

2012-01-01

Recently Breneman et al. reported observations of large amplitude lightning and transmitter whistler mode waves from two STEREO passes through the inner radiation belt (L<2). Hodograms of the electric field in the plane transverse to the magnetic field showed that the transmitter waves underwent periodic polarization reversals. Specifically, their polarization would cycle through a pattern of right-hand to linear to left-hand polarization at a rate of roughly 200 Hz. The lightning whistlers were observed to be left-hand polarized at frequencies greater than the lower hybrid frequency and less than the transmitter frequency (21.4 kHz) and right-hand polarized otherwise. Only righthand polarized waves in the inner radiation belt should exist in the frequency range of the whistler mode and these reversals were not explained in the previous paper. We show, with a combination of observations and simulated wave superposition, that these polarization reversals are due to the beating of an incident electromagnetic whistler mode wave at 21.4 kHz and linearly polarized, symmetric lower hybrid sidebands Doppler-shifted from the incident wave by +/-200 Hz. The existence of the lower hybrid waves is consistent with the parametric decay mechanism of Lee and Kuo whereby an incident whistler mode wave decays into symmetric, short wavelength lower hybrid waves and a purely growing (zero-frequency) mode. Like the lower hybrid waves, the purely growing mode is Doppler-shifted by 200 Hz as observed on STEREO. This decay mechanism in the upper ionosphere has been previously reported at equatorial latitudes and is thought to have a direct connection with explosive spread F enhancements. As such it may represent another dissipation mechanism of VLF wave energy in the ionosphere and may help to explain a deficit of observed lightning and transmitter energy in the inner radiation belts as reported by Starks et al.

Nitrogen doped graphene - Silver nanowire hybrids: An excellent anode material for lithium ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nair, Anju K.; Elizabeth, Indu; S, Gopukumar; Thomas, Sabu; M. S, Kala; Kalarikkal, Nandakumar

2018-01-01

We present an in-situ polyol assisted synthesis approach for the preparation of silver nanowires (AgNW) over the nitrogen doped graphene (NG) sheets and has been tested as a viable LIBs anode material for the first time. The use of NG serves as nucleation sites, thereby facilitating the growth of AgNWs. The specific material design of the as-prepared NG-AgNW hybrids involves some advantages, including a continuous AgNW-graphene conducting network. Since AgNWs are electrically conductive, it provides an electrical contact with NG sheets which can effectively help the charge transport process and limit the variations in volume during the lithiation/de-lithiation processes. Apart from this, the insertion of metallic Ag nanowires into a percolated NG network increases the interlayer distance of NG sheets and prevent its restacking. Moreover, the more porous nature of the hybrid structure accommodating the large volume changes of AgNWs. As an anode material for LIBs, the NG-AgNW hybrid displays a remarkable initial discharge capacity of 1215 mAh g-1 and attains a stable capacity of 724 mAh g-1 at a current density of 100 mA g-1 after 50 cycles. The electrode exhibits a stable reversible capacity of 714, 634, 550 and 464 mA h g-1 at 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1 Ag-1 respectively. The reversible capacity (710 mAh g-1) at 0.1 Ag-1 is recovered after the cycling at various current densities confirming outstanding rate performance of the material. In addition, the coulombic efficiency, the NG-AgNW anode retains nearly 99% after the second cycle, further indicating its excellent reversibility. The hybrid material exhibits better cycling stability, greater rate capability, capacity retention and superior reversible capacity than that of bare AgNW and NG sheets. Our smart design will pave way for the development of efficient electrode materials for high capacity and long cycle life LIBs.

Development of chemiluminescent probe hybridization, RT-PCR and nucleic acid cycle sequencing assays of Sabin type 3 isolates to identify base pair 472 Sabin type 3 mutants associated with vaccine associated paralytic poliomyelitis.

PubMed

Old, M O; Logan, L H; Maldonado, Y A

1997-11-01

Sabin type 3 polio vaccine virus is the most common cause of poliovaccine associated paralytic poliomyelitis. Vaccine associated paralytic poliomyelitis cases have been associated with Sabin type 3 revertants containing a single U to C substitution at bp 472 of Sabin type 3. A rapid method of identification of Sabin type 3 bp 472 mutants is described. An enterovirus group-specific probe for use in a chemiluminescent dot blot hybridization assay was developed to identify enterovirus positive viral lysates. A reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay producing a 319 bp PCR product containing the Sabin type 3 bp 472 mutation site was then employed to identify Sabin type 3 isolates. Chemiluminescent nucleic acid cycle sequencing of the purified 319 bp PCR product was then employed to identify nucleic acid sequences at bp 472. The enterovirus group probe hybridization procedure and isolation of the Sabin type 3 PCR product were highly sensitive and specific; nucleic acid cycle sequencing corresponded to the known sequence of stock Sabin type 3 isolates. These methods will be used to identify the Sabin type 3 reversion rate from sequential stool samples of infants obtained after the first and second doses of oral poliovirus vaccine.

Reverse breeding: a novel breeding approach based on engineered meiosis.

PubMed

Dirks, Rob; van Dun, Kees; de Snoo, C Bastiaan; van den Berg, Mark; Lelivelt, Cilia L C; Voermans, William; Woudenberg, Leo; de Wit, Jack P C; Reinink, Kees; Schut, Johan W; van der Zeeuw, Eveline; Vogelaar, Aat; Freymark, Gerald; Gutteling, Evert W; Keppel, Marina N; van Drongelen, Paul; Kieny, Matthieu; Ellul, Philippe; Touraev, Alisher; Ma, Hong; de Jong, Hans; Wijnker, Erik

2009-12-01

Reverse breeding (RB) is a novel plant breeding technique designed to directly produce parental lines for any heterozygous plant, one of the most sought after goals in plant breeding. RB generates perfectly complementing homozygous parental lines through engineered meiosis. The method is based on reducing genetic recombination in the selected heterozygote by eliminating meiotic crossing over. Male or female spores obtained from such plants contain combinations of non-recombinant parental chromosomes which can be cultured in vitro to generate homozygous doubled haploid plants (DHs). From these DHs, complementary parents can be selected and used to reconstitute the heterozygote in perpetuity. Since the fixation of unknown heterozygous genotypes is impossible in traditional plant breeding, RB could fundamentally change future plant breeding. In this review, we discuss various other applications of RB, including breeding per chromosome.

Reverse breeding: a novel breeding approach based on engineered meiosis

PubMed Central

Dirks, Rob; van Dun, Kees; de Snoo, C Bastiaan; van den Berg, Mark; Lelivelt, Cilia L C; Voermans, William; Woudenberg, Leo; de Wit, Jack P C; Reinink, Kees; Schut, Johan W; van der Zeeuw, Eveline; Vogelaar, Aat; Freymark, Gerald; Gutteling, Evert W; Keppel, Marina N; van Drongelen, Paul; Kieny, Matthieu; Ellul, Philippe; Touraev, Alisher; Ma, Hong; de Jong, Hans; Wijnker, Erik

2009-01-01

Reverse breeding (RB) is a novel plant breeding technique designed to directly produce parental lines for any heterozygous plant, one of the most sought after goals in plant breeding. RB generates perfectly complementing homozygous parental lines through engineered meiosis. The method is based on reducing genetic recombination in the selected heterozygote by eliminating meiotic crossing over. Male or female spores obtained from such plants contain combinations of non-recombinant parental chromosomes which can be cultured in vitro to generate homozygous doubled haploid plants (DHs). From these DHs, complementary parents can be selected and used to reconstitute the heterozygote in perpetuity. Since the fixation of unknown heterozygous genotypes is impossible in traditional plant breeding, RB could fundamentally change future plant breeding. In this review, we discuss various other applications of RB, including breeding per chromosome. PMID:19811618

A real-time control system for the control of suspended interferometers based on hybrid computing techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acernese, Fausto; Barone, Fabrizio; De Rosa, Rosario; Eleuteri, Antonio; Milano, Leopoldo; Pardi, Silvio; Ricciardi, Iolanda; Russo, Guido

2004-09-01

One of the main requirements of a digital system for the control of interferometric detectors of gravitational waves is the computing power, that is a direct consequence of the increasing complexity of the digital algorithms necessary for the control signals generation. For this specific task many specialized non standard real-time architectures have been developed, often very expensive and difficult to upgrade. On the other hand, such computing power is generally fully available for off-line applications on standard Pc based systems. Therefore, a possible and obvious solution may be provided by the integration of both the real-time and off-line architecture resulting in a hybrid control system architecture based on standards available components, trying to get both the advantages of the perfect data synchronization provided by the real-time systems and by the large computing power available on Pc based systems. Such integration may be provided by the implementation of the link between the two different architectures through the standard Ethernet network, whose data transfer speed is largely increasing in these years, using the TCP/IP, UDP and raw Ethernet protocols. In this paper we describe the architecture of an hybrid Ethernet based real-time control system prototype we implemented in Napoli, discussing its characteristics and performances. Finally we discuss a possible application to the real-time control of a suspended mass of the mode cleaner of the 3m prototype optical interferometer for gravitational wave detection (IDGW-3P) operational in Napoli.

Free-standing three-dimensional graphene/manganese oxide hybrids as binder-free electrode materials for energy storage applications.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiaoli; Zhang, Peng; Xu, Shan; Yan, Xingbin; Xue, Qunji

2014-07-23

Novel three-dimensional (3D) hybrid materials, i.e., free-standing 3D graphene-supported MnO2 nanosheets, are prepared by a simple and controllable solution-phase assembly process. Characterization results show that MnO2 nanosheets are uniformly anchored on a 3D graphene framework with strong adhesion and the integral hybrids show desirable mechanical strength. Such unique structure of 3D graphene/MnO2 hybrids thus provides the right characteristics of binder-free electrode materials and could enable the design of different kinds of high-performance energy storage devices. Especially, an advanced asymmetric supercapacitor is built by using a 3D graphene/MnO2 hybrid and a 3D graphene as two electrodes, and it is able to work reversibly in a full operation voltage region of 0-3.5 V in an ionic liquid electrolyte and thus exhibits a high energy density of 68.4 Wh/kg. As the cathode materials for Li-O2 and Li-MnO2 batteries, the 3D graphene/MnO2 hybrids exhibit outstanding performances, including good catalytic capability, high reversible capacity and desirable cycling stability. The results presented here may pave a way for new promising applications of such 3D graphene/MnO2 hybrids in advanced electrochemical energy storage devices.

Al-C hybrid nanoclustered anodes for lithium ion batteries with high electrical capacity and cyclic stability.

PubMed

Park, Ji Hun; Hudaya, Chairul; Kim, A-Young; Rhee, Do Kyung; Yeo, Seon Ju; Choi, Wonchang; Yoo, Pil J; Lee, Joong Kee

2014-03-18

Structurally regulated and hybridized Al-C nanoclusters are prepared from C60 and Al precursors by thermal evaporation-combined plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition. The resulting Al-C hybrid nanoclustered anodes for Li-ion batteries exhibit a high reversible capacity of >900 mA h g(-1) at an optimized current density of 6 A g(-1) for over 100 cycles.

Facile preparation of a stable and functionalizable hybrid monolith via ring-opening polymerization for capillary liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Lin, Hui; Ou, Junjie; Tang, Shouwan; Zhang, Zhenbin; Dong, Jing; Liu, Zhongshan; Zou, Hanfa

2013-08-02

An organic-inorganic hybrid monolith was prepared by a single-step ring-opening polymerization of octaglycidyldimethylsilyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) with poly(ethylenimine) (PEI). The obtained hybrid monoliths possessed high ordered 3D skeletal microstructure with dual retention mechanism that exhibits reversed-phase (RP) mechanism under polar mobile phase and hydrophilic-interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) retention mechanism under less polar mobile phase. The high column efficiencies of 110,000N/m can be achieved for separation of alkylbenzenes in capillary reversed-phase liquid chromatography (cLC). Due to the robust property of hybrid monolith and the rich primary and secondary amino groups on its surface, the resulting hybrid monolith was easily modified with γ-gluconolactone and physically coated with cellulose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) (CDMPC), respectively. The former was successfully applied for HILIC separation of neutral, basic and acidic polar compounds as well as small peptides, and the latter for enantioseparation of racemates in cLC. The high column efficiencies were achieved in all of those separations. These results demonstrated that the hybrid monolith (POSS-PEI) possessed high stability and good surface tailorbility, potentially being applied for other research fields. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sociodemographic characteristics and sexual behavior as risk factors for human papillomavirus infection in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alhamlan, F S; Khayat, H H; Ramisetty-Mikler, S; Al-Muammar, T A; Tulbah, A M; Al-Badawi, I A; Kurdi, W I; Tulbah, M I; Alkhenizan, A A; Hussain, A N; Ahmed, M; Al-Ahdal, M N

2016-05-01

To determine the prevalence and the sociodemographic characteristics and sexual behavior risk factors for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in a hospital-based cohort of women in Saudi Arabia. Cervical specimens and questionnaire data were collected from women attending clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Cervical specimens were examined for abnormal cytology using a standard Pap test and for the presence of HPV-DNA using PCR and reverse line blot hybridization tests. Approximately 73% of the 400 women tested were Saudi nationals. Nearly 50% were under 40 years old (range 22-80 years, mean±standard deviation 41.20±10.43 years). Approximately 17% of the women were HPV-positive. The most commonly detected HPV types were HPV-18 (34%) and HPV-16 (19%), with multiple infections detected in 10% of positive specimens. Multivariate analyses revealed that smoking and multiple partners were significant risk factors for HPV infection (p<0.01). Because of societal challenges and an unsubstantiated assumption of low HPV prevalence, few studies have examined sociodemographic characteristics or sexual behaviors associated with HPV in Saudi women. However, a high prevalence of HPV infection was found, with smoking and multiple partners as significant risk factors, in this hospital-based cohort of predominantly Saudi women. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of Bioactive Chlorogenic Acid-Silica Hybrid Materials via the Sol–Gel Route and Evaluation of Their Biocompatibility

PubMed Central

Pacifico, Severina

2017-01-01

Natural phenol compounds are gaining a great deal of attention because of their potential use as prophylactic and therapeutic agents in many diseases, as well as in applied science for their preventing role in oxidation deterioration. With the aim to synthetize new phenol-based materials, the sol–gel method was used to embed different content of the phenolic antioxidant chlorogenic acid (CGA) within silica matrices to obtain organic-inorganic hybrid materials. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurements were used to characterize the prepared materials. The new materials were screened for their bioactivity and antioxidant potential. To this latter purpose, direct DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazolin-6-sulfonic acid) methods were applied: radical scavenging capability appeared strongly dependent on the phenol amount in investigated hybrids, and became pronounced, mainly toward the ABTS radical cation, when materials with CGA content equal to 15 wt% and 20 wt% were analyzed. The in vitro biocompatibility of the synthetized materials was estimated by using the MTT assay towards fibroblast NIH 3T3 cells, human keratinocyte HaCaT cells, and the neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line. As cell viability and morphology of tested cell lines seemed to be unaffected by new materials, the attenuated total reflectance (ATR)-FTIR method was applied to deeply measure the effects of the hybrids in the three different cell lines. PMID:28773198

Synthesis of Bioactive Chlorogenic Acid-Silica Hybrid Materials via the Sol-Gel Route and Evaluation of Their Biocompatibility.

PubMed

Catauro, Michelina; Pacifico, Severina

2017-07-21

Natural phenol compounds are gaining a great deal of attention because of their potential use as prophylactic and therapeutic agents in many diseases, as well as in applied science for their preventing role in oxidation deterioration. With the aim to synthetize new phenol-based materials, the sol-gel method was used to embed different content of the phenolic antioxidant chlorogenic acid (CGA) within silica matrices to obtain organic-inorganic hybrid materials. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurements were used to characterize the prepared materials. The new materials were screened for their bioactivity and antioxidant potential. To this latter purpose, direct DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazolin-6-sulfonic acid) methods were applied: radical scavenging capability appeared strongly dependent on the phenol amount in investigated hybrids, and became pronounced, mainly toward the ABTS radical cation, when materials with CGA content equal to 15 wt% and 20 wt% were analyzed. The in vitro biocompatibility of the synthetized materials was estimated by using the MTT assay towards fibroblast NIH 3T3 cells, human keratinocyte HaCaT cells, and the neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line. As cell viability and morphology of tested cell lines seemed to be unaffected by new materials, the attenuated total reflectance (ATR)-FTIR method was applied to deeply measure the effects of the hybrids in the three different cell lines.

Elaboration of ammonia gas sensors based on electrodeposited polypyrrole--cobalt phthalocyanine hybrid films.

PubMed

Patois, Tilia; Sanchez, Jean-Baptiste; Berger, Franck; Fievet, Patrick; Segut, Olivier; Moutarlier, Virginie; Bouvet, Marcel; Lakard, Boris

2013-12-15

The electrochemical incorporation of a sulfonated cobalt phthalocyanine (sCoPc) in conducting polypyrrole (PPy) was done, in the presence or absence of LiClO4, in order to use the resulting hybrid material for the sensing of ammonia. After electrochemical deposition, the morphological features and structural properties of polypyrrole/phthalocyanine hybrid films were investigated and compared to those of polypyrrole films. A gas sensor consisting in platinum microelectrodes arrays was fabricated using silicon microtechnologies, and the polypyrrole and polypyrrole/phthalocyanine films were electrochemically deposited on the platinum microelectrodes arrays of this gas sensor. When exposed to ammonia, polymer-based gas sensors exhibited a decrease in conductance due to the electron exchange between ammonia and sensitive polymer-based layer. The characteristics of the gas sensors (response time, response amplitude, reversibility) were studied for ammonia concentrations varying from 1 ppm to 100 ppm. Polypyrrole/phthalocyanine films exhibited a high sensitivity and low detection limit to ammonia as well as a fast and reproducible response at room temperature. The response to ammonia exposition of polypyrrole films was found to be strongly enhanced thanks to the incorporation of the phthalocyanine in the polypyrrole matrix. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dry writing of highly conductive electrodes on papers by using silver nanoparticle-graphene hybrid pencils.

PubMed

Park, Jun-Ho; Park, Myung-Joo; Lee, Jang-Sik

2017-01-05

The development of paper electronics would enable realization of extremely cheap devices for portable, disposable, and environmentally-benign electronics. Here, we propose a simple dry-writing tool similar to a pencil, which can be used to draw electrically conducting lines on paper for use in paper-based electronic devices. The fabricated pencil is composed of silver nanoparticles decorated on graphene layers to construct layered hybrid nanostructures. This pencil can draw highly conductive lines that are flexible and foldable on conventional papers. Electrodes drawn using this pencil on conventional copy paper are stable during repetitive mechanical folding and highly resistant to moisture/chemicals. This pencil can draw a conductive line where its resistance can be tuned by changing the amount of nanoparticles. A nonvolatile memory device is realized on papers by hand written lines with different resistance. All memory elements are composed of carbons on papers, so complete data security can be achieved by burning the memory papers. This work will provide a new opportunity to fabricate electronic devices on real papers with good conductivity as well as robust mechanical/chemical stability.

UV-crosslinkable and thermo-responsive chitosan hybrid hydrogel for NIR-triggered localized on-demand drug delivery.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Li, Baoqiang; Xu, Feng; Xu, Zheheng; Wei, Daqing; Feng, Yujie; Wang, Yaming; Jia, Dechang; Zhou, Yu

2017-10-15

Innovative drug delivery technologies based on smart hydrogels for localized on-demand drug delivery had aroused great interest. To acquire smart UV-crosslinkable chitosan hydrogel for NIR-triggered localized on-demanded drug release, a novel UV-crosslinkable and thermo-responsive chitosan was first designed and synthesized by grafting with poly N-isopropylacrylamide, acetylation of methacryloyl groups and embedding with photothermal carbon. The UV-crosslinkable unit (methacryloyl groups) endowed chitosan with gelation via UV irradiation. The thermo-responsive unit (poly N-isopropylacrylamide) endowed chitosan hydrogel with temperature-triggered volume shrinkage and reversible swelling/de-swelling behavior. The chitosan hybrid hydrogel embedded with photothermal carbon exhibited distinct NIR-triggered volume shrinkage (∼42% shrinkage) in response to temperature elevation as induced by NIR laser irradiation. As a demonstration, doxorubicin release rate was accelerated and approximately 40 times higher than that from non-irradiated hydrogels. The UV-crosslinkable and thermal-responsive hybrid hydrogel served as in situ forming hydrogel-based drug depot is developed for NIR-triggered localized on-demand release. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reversible Self-Actuated Thermo-Responsive Pore Membrane

PubMed Central

Park, Younggeun; Gutierrez, Maria Paz; Lee, Luke P.

2016-01-01

Smart membranes, which can selectively control the transfer of light, air, humidity and temperature, are important to achieve indoor climate regulation. Even though reversible self-actuation of smart membranes is desirable in large-scale, reversible self-regulation remains challenging. Specifically, reversible 100% opening/closing of pore actuation showing accurate responsiveness, reproducibility and structural flexibility, including uniform structure assembly, is currently very difficult. Here, we report a reversible, thermo-responsive self-activated pore membrane that achieves opening and closing of pores. The reversible, self-actuated thermo-responsive pore membrane was fabricated with hybrid materials of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide), (PNIPAM) within polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to form a multi-dimensional pore array. Using Multiphysics simulation of heat transfer and structural mechanics based on finite element analysis, we demonstrated that pore opening and closing dynamics can be self-activated at environmentally relevant temperatures. Temperature cycle characterizations of the pore structure revealed 100% opening ratio at T = 40 °C and 0% opening ratio at T = 20 °C. The flexibility of the membrane showed an accurate temperature-responsive function at a maximum bending angle of 45°. Addressing the importance of self-regulation, this reversible self-actuated thermo-responsive pore membrane will advance the development of future large-scale smart membranes needed for sustainable indoor climate control. PMID:27991563

Reversible Self-Actuated Thermo-Responsive Pore Membrane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Younggeun; Gutierrez, Maria Paz; Lee, Luke P.

2016-12-01

Smart membranes, which can selectively control the transfer of light, air, humidity and temperature, are important to achieve indoor climate regulation. Even though reversible self-actuation of smart membranes is desirable in large-scale, reversible self-regulation remains challenging. Specifically, reversible 100% opening/closing of pore actuation showing accurate responsiveness, reproducibility and structural flexibility, including uniform structure assembly, is currently very difficult. Here, we report a reversible, thermo-responsive self-activated pore membrane that achieves opening and closing of pores. The reversible, self-actuated thermo-responsive pore membrane was fabricated with hybrid materials of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide), (PNIPAM) within polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to form a multi-dimensional pore array. Using Multiphysics simulation of heat transfer and structural mechanics based on finite element analysis, we demonstrated that pore opening and closing dynamics can be self-activated at environmentally relevant temperatures. Temperature cycle characterizations of the pore structure revealed 100% opening ratio at T = 40 °C and 0% opening ratio at T = 20 °C. The flexibility of the membrane showed an accurate temperature-responsive function at a maximum bending angle of 45°. Addressing the importance of self-regulation, this reversible self-actuated thermo-responsive pore membrane will advance the development of future large-scale smart membranes needed for sustainable indoor climate control.

Genotype x environment interaction and its implication in identification of common bean populations with high calcium content.

PubMed

Fernandes, S B; Abreu, A F B; Ramalho, M A P

2016-06-24

The common bean is a food with high mineral content. Of the various types of beans cultivated in Brazil, carioca type beans are the most consumed. The aim of this study was to identify promising common bean populations with an emphasis toward the selection of carioca type bean lines with high calcium content. We also aimed to verify whether and how the crop season and the genotype (parental line and hybrid populations) x crop season interaction affect calcium content. A group of 3 lines of good agronomic characteristics were crossed with a group of 4 lines with high calcium content in a 3 x 4 partial diallel design. Great variability was identified among both the parental lines and the hybrid populations derived from the diallel crosses among the parental lines. We found significant interactions between crop season and both parental line and hybrid population. In the diallel analysis, only the general combining ability was significant, explaining 89.4% of the sum of squares. The RP-1, CNF05, and Safira lines exhibited the greatest calcium contents and a positive GCA. RP-1 is a line that presents high calcium content, in addition to having carioca type beans and an upright plant with high yield. To further increase the calcium content of the RP-1 line, we suggest crossing it with the CNF05 and Safira lines. Although there was a hybrid population x crop season interaction, it was possible to identify populations that performed best in terms of calcium content in both crop seasons.

Hybrid-denovo: a de novo OTU-picking pipeline integrating single-end and paired-end 16S sequence tags.

PubMed

Chen, Xianfeng; Johnson, Stephen; Jeraldo, Patricio; Wang, Junwen; Chia, Nicholas; Kocher, Jean-Pierre A; Chen, Jun

2018-03-01

Illumina paired-end sequencing has been increasingly popular for 16S rRNA gene-based microbiota profiling. It provides higher phylogenetic resolution than single-end reads due to a longer read length. However, the reverse read (R2) often has significant low base quality, and a large proportion of R2s will be discarded after quality control, resulting in a mixture of paired-end and single-end reads. A typical 16S analysis pipeline usually processes either paired-end or single-end reads but not a mixture. Thus, the quantification accuracy and statistical power will be reduced due to the loss of a large amount of reads. As a result, rare taxa may not be detectable with the paired-end approach, or low taxonomic resolution will result in a single-end approach. To have both the higher phylogenetic resolution provided by paired-end reads and the higher sequence coverage by single-end reads, we propose a novel OTU-picking pipeline, hybrid-denovo, that can process a hybrid of single-end and paired-end reads. Using high-quality paired-end reads as a gold standard, we show that hybrid-denovo achieved the highest correlation with the gold standard and performed better than the approaches based on paired-end or single-end reads in terms of quantifying the microbial diversity and taxonomic abundances. By applying our method to a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) data set, we demonstrated that hybrid-denovo captured more microbial diversity and identified more RA-associated taxa than a paired-end or single-end approach. Hybrid-denovo utilizes both paired-end and single-end 16S sequencing reads and is recommended for 16S rRNA gene targeted paired-end sequencing data.

Novel hybrid materials for preparation of bone tissue engineering scaffolds.

PubMed

Lewandowska-Łańcucka, Joanna; Fiejdasz, Sylwia; Rodzik, Łucja; Łatkiewicz, Anna; Nowakowska, Maria

2015-09-01

The organic-inorganic hybrid systems based on biopolymer hydrogels with dispersed silica nanoparticles were obtained and characterized in terms of their physicochemical properties, cytocompatibility and bioactivity. The hybrid materials were prepared in a form of collagen and collagen-chitosan sols to which the silica nanoparticles of two different sizes were incorporated. The ability of these materials to undergo in situ gelation under physiological temperature was assessed by microviscosity and gelation time determination based on steady-state fluorescence anisotropy measurements. The effect of silica nanoparticles addition on the physicochemical properties (surface wettability, swellability) of hybrid materials was analyzed and compared with those characteristic for pristine collagen and collagen-chitosan hydrogels. Biological studies indicate that surface wettability determined in terms of contact angle for all of the hybrids prepared is optimal and thus can provide satisfactory adhesion of fibroblasts. Cytotoxicity test results showed high metabolic activity of mouse as well as human fibroblast cell lines cultured on hybrid materials. The composition of hybrids was optimized in terms of concentration of silica nanoparticles. The effect of silica on the formation of bone-like mineral structures on exposition to simulated body fluid was determined. SEM images revealed mineral phase formation not only at the surfaces but also in the whole volumes of all hybrid materials developed suggesting their usefulness for bone tissue engineering. EDS and FTIR analyses indicated that these mineral phases consist of apatite-like structures.

The relationship of leaf rust resistance gene Lr13 and hybrid necrosis gene Ne2m on wheat chromosome 2BS.

PubMed

Zhang, Peng; Hiebert, Colin W; McIntosh, Robert A; McCallum, Brent D; Thomas, Julian B; Hoxha, Sami; Singh, Davinder; Bansal, Urmil

2016-03-01

Genetic and mutational analyses of wheat leaf rust resistance gene Lr13 and hybrid necrosis gene Ne2 m indicated that they are the same gene. Hybrid necrosis in wheat characterized by chlorosis and eventual necrosis of plant tissues in certain wheat hybrids is controlled by the interaction of complementary dominant genes Ne1 and Ne2 located on chromosome arms 5BL and 2BS, respectively. Multiple alleles at each locus can be identified by differences in necrotic phenotypes when varieties are crossed with a fixed accession of the other genotype. Some of at least five Ne2 alleles were described as s (strong), m (medium) and w (weak); alleles of Ne1 were similarly described. Ne2m causes moderate necrosis in hybrids with genotypes having Ne1s. Ne2 is located on chromosome arm 2BS in close proximity to Lr13. Most wheat lines with Ne2m carry Lr13, and all wheat lines with Lr13 appear to carry Ne2m. To further dissect the relationship between Lr13 and Ne2m, more than 350 crosses were made between cv. Spica (Triticum aestivum) or Kubanka (T. durum) carrying Ne1s and recombinant inbred lines or doubled haploid lines from three crosses segregating for Lr13. F1 plants from lines carrying Lr13 crossed with Spica (Ne1s) always showed progressive necrosis; those lacking Lr13 did not. Four wheat cultivars/lines carrying Lr13 were treated with the mutagen EMS. Thirty-five susceptible mutants were identified; eight were distinctly less glaucous and late maturing indicative of chromosome 2B or sub-chromosome loss. Hybrids of phenotypically normal Lr13 mutant plants crossed with Spica did not produce symptoms of hybrid necrosis. Thus, Lr13 and one particular Ne2m allele may be the same gene.

MYC RNAi-Pt Combination Nanotherapy for Metastatic Prostate Cancer Treatment

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

cell line-based allograft tumors by the hybrid NPs. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Nanotechnology , nanoparticle, siRNA delivery, platinum, MYC, prostate cancer...co-investigators (Dr. Srinivasan Yegnasubramanian from JHU and Dr. Jinjun Shi from BWH/HMS). 3 2. KEYWORDS Nanotechnology , lipid, polymer

Preparation of psoralen polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles and their reversal of multidrug resistance in MCF-7/ADR cells.

PubMed

Huang, Qingqing; Cai, Tiange; Li, Qianwen; Huang, Yinghong; Liu, Qian; Wang, Bingyue; Xia, Xi; Wang, Qi; Whitney, John C C; Cole, Susan P C; Cai, Yu

2018-11-01

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is the leading cause of failure for breast cancer in the clinic. Thus far, polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles (PLN) loaded chemotherapeutic agents has been used to overcome MDR in breast cancer. In this study, we prepared psoralen polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles (PSO-PLN) to reverse drug resistant MCF-7/ADR cells in vitro and in vivo. PSO-PLN was prepared by the emulsification evaporation-low temperature solidification method. The formulation, water solubility and bioavailability, particle size, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency, and in vitro release experiments were optimized in order to improve the activity of PSO to reverse MDR. Optimal formulation: soybean phospholipids 50 mg, poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) 15 mg, PSO 3 mg, and Tween-80 1%. The PSO-PLN possessed a round appearance, uniform size, exhibited no adhesion. The average particle size was 93.59 ± 2.87 nm, the dispersion co-efficient was 0.249 ± 0.06, the zeta potential was 25.47 ± 2.84 mV. In vitro analyses revealed that PSO resistance index was 3.2, and PSO-PLN resistance index was 5.6, indicating that PSO-PLN versus MCF-7/ADR reversal effect was significant. Moreover, PSO-PLN is somewhat targeted to the liver, and has an antitumor effect in the xenograft model of drug-resistant MCF-7/ADR cells. In conclusion, PSO-PLN not only reverses MDR but also improves therapeutic efficiency by enhancing sustained release of PSO.

Hybrid maize breeding with doubled haploids: II. Optimum type and number of testers in two-stage selection for general combining ability.

PubMed

Longin, C Friedrich H; Utz, H Friedrich; Melchinger, Albrecht E; Reif, Jochen C

2007-02-01

Optimum allocation of test resources is of crucial importance for the efficiency of breeding programs. Our objectives were to (1) determine the optimum allocation of the number of lines, test locations, as well as number and type of testers in hybrid maize breeding using doubled haploids with two breeding strategies for improvement of general combining ability (GCA), (2) compare the maximum selection gain (DeltaG) achievable under both strategies, and (3) give recommendations for the optimum implementation of doubled haploids in commercial hybrid maize breeding. We calculated DeltaG by numerical integration for two two-stage selection strategies with evaluation of (1) testcross performance in both stages (BS1) or (2) line per se performance in the first stage followed by testcross performance in the second stage (BS2). Different assumptions were made regarding the budget, variance components (VCs), and the correlation between line per se performance and GCA. Selection gain for GCA increased with a broader genetic base of the tester. Hence, testers combining a large number of divergent lines are advantageous. However, in applied breeding programs, the use of single- or double-cross testers in the first and inbred testers in the second selection stage may be a good compromise between theoretical and practical requirements. With a correlation between line per se performance and GCA of 0.50, DeltaG for BS1 is about 5% higher than for BS2, if an economic weight of line per se performance is neglected. With increasing economic weight of line per se performance, relative efficiency of BS2 increased rapidly resulting in a superiority of BS2 over BS1 already for an economic weight for line per se performance larger than 0.1. Considering the importance of an economic seed production, an economic weight larger than 0.1 seems realistic indicating the necessity of separate breeding strategies for seed and pollen parent heterotic groups.

[Maintenance of Pure Lines and Hybridization.] Student Materials. V.A. III. [IV-A-1 through IV-A-2].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas A and M Univ., College Station. Vocational Instructional Services.

Part of a series of eight student learning modules in vocational agriculture, this booklet deals with plant reproduction. Topics covered include the pure line theory and its history, pure line selection, the effect of inbreeding on vitality, the definition of and reasons for hybridization in plants, and techniques for producing hybirds; a list of…

Stall/surge dynamics of a multi-stage air compressor in response to a load transient of a hybrid solid oxide fuel cell-gas turbine system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azizi, Mohammad Ali; Brouwer, Jacob

2017-10-01

A better understanding of turbulent unsteady flows in gas turbine systems is necessary to design and control compressors for hybrid fuel cell-gas turbine systems. Compressor stall/surge analysis for a 4 MW hybrid solid oxide fuel cell-gas turbine system for locomotive applications is performed based upon a 1.7 MW multi-stage air compressor. Control strategies are applied to prevent operation of the hybrid SOFC-GT beyond the stall/surge lines of the compressor. Computational fluid dynamics tools are used to simulate the flow distribution and instabilities near the stall/surge line. The results show that a 1.7 MW system compressor like that of a Kawasaki gas turbine is an appropriate choice among the industrial compressors to be used in a 4 MW locomotive SOFC-GT with topping cycle design. The multi-stage radial design of the compressor enhances the ability of the compressor to maintain air flow rate during transient step-load changes. These transient step-load changes are exhibited in many potential applications for SOFC/GT systems. The compressor provides sustained air flow rate during the mild stall/surge event that occurs due to the transient step-load change that is applied, indicating that this type of compressor is well-suited for this hybrid application.

Electron transport in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons/boron nitride hybrid structures: density functional theory combined with the nonequilibrium Green's function.

PubMed

Panahi, S F K S; Namiranian, Afshin; Soleimani, Maryam; Jamaati, Maryam

2018-02-07

We investigate the electronic transport properties of two types of junction based on single polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and PAHs embedded in boron nitride (h-BN) nanoribbons, using nonequilibrium Green's functions (NEGF) and density functional theory (DFT). In the PAH junctions, a Fano resonance line shape at the Fermi energy in the transport feature can be clearly seen. In hybrid junctions, structural asymmetries enable interactions between the electronic states, leading to observation of interface-based transport. Our findings reveal that the interface of PAH/h-BN strongly affects the transport properties of the structures.

A simple method used to evaluate phase-change materials based on focused-ion beam technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Cheng; Wu, Liangcai; Rao, Feng; Song, Zhitang; Lv, Shilong; Zhou, Xilin; Du, Xiaofeng; Cheng, Yan; Yang, Pingxiong; Chu, Junhao

2013-05-01

A nanoscale phase-change line cell based on focused-ion beam (FIB) technique has been proposed to evaluate the electrical property of the phase-change material. Thanks to the FIB-deposited SiO2 hardmask, only one etching step has been used during the fabrication process of the cell. Reversible phase-change behaviors are observed in the line cells based on Al-Sb-Te and Ge-Sb-Te films. The low power consumption of the Al-Sb-Te based cell has been explained by theoretical calculation accompanying with thermal simulation. This line cell is considered to be a simple and reliable method in evaluating the application prospect of a certain phase-change material.

A hybrid algorithm for the segmentation of books in libraries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Zilong; Tang, Jinshan; Lei, Liang

2016-05-01

This paper proposes an algorithm for book segmentation based on bookshelves images. The algorithm can be separated into three parts. The first part is pre-processing, aiming at eliminating or decreasing the effect of image noise and illumination conditions. The second part is near-horizontal line detection based on Canny edge detector, and separating a bookshelves image into multiple sub-images so that each sub-image contains an individual shelf. The last part is book segmentation. In each shelf image, near-vertical line is detected, and obtained lines are used for book segmentation. The proposed algorithm was tested with the bookshelf images taken from OPIE library in MTU, and the experimental results demonstrate good performance.

Prediction of industrial tomato hybrids from agronomic traits and ISSR molecular markers.

PubMed

Figueiredo, A S T; Resende, J T V; Faria, M V; Da-Silva, P R; Fagundes, B S; Morales, R G F

2016-05-13

Heterosis is a highly relevant phenomenon in plant breeding. This condition is usually established in hybrids derived from crosses of highly divergent parents. The success of a breeder in obtaining heterosis is directly related to the correct identification of genetically contrasting parents. Currently, the diallel cross is the most commonly used methodology to detect contrasting parents; however, it is a time- and cost-consuming procedure. Therefore, new tools capable of performing this task quickly and accurately are required. Thus, the purpose of this study was to estimate the genetic divergence in industrial tomato lines, based on agronomic traits, and to compare with estimates obtained using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) molecular markers. The genetic divergence among 10 industrial tomato lines, based on nine morphological characters and 12 ISSR primers was analyzed. For data analysis, Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated between the genetic dissimilarity measures estimated by Mahalanobis distance and Jaccard's coefficient of genetic dissimilarity from the heterosis estimates, combining ability, and means of important traits of industrial tomato. The ISSR markers efficiently detected contrasting parents for hybrid production in tomato. Parent RVTD-08 was indicated as the most divergent, both by molecular and morphological markers, that positively contributed to increased heterosis and by the specific combining ability in the crosses in which it participated. The genetic dissimilarity estimated by ISSR molecular markers aided the identification of the best hybrids of the experiment in terms of total fruit yield, pulp yield, and soluble solids content.

Antimicrobial Activity of Novel Synthetic Peptides Derived from Indolicidin and Ranalexin against Streptococcus pneumoniae

PubMed Central

Jindal, Hassan Mahmood; Le, Cheng Foh; Mohd Yusof, Mohd Yasim; Velayuthan, Rukumani Devi; Lee, Vannajan Sanghiran; Zain, Sharifuddin Md; Isa, Diyana Mohd; Sekaran, Shamala Devi

2015-01-01

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics in order to defeat multidrug-resistant bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. In this study, thirteen antimicrobial peptides were designed based on two natural peptides indolicidin and ranalexin. Our results revealed that four hybrid peptides RN7-IN10, RN7-IN9, RN7-IN8, and RN7-IN6 possess potent antibacterial activity against 30 pneumococcal clinical isolates (MIC 7.81-15.62µg/ml). These four hybrid peptides also showed broad spectrum antibacterial activity (7.81µg/ml) against S. aureus, methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and E. coli. Furthermore, the time killing assay results showed that the hybrid peptides were able to eliminate S. pneumoniae within less than one hour which is faster than the standard drugs erythromycin and ceftriaxone. The cytotoxic effects of peptides were tested against human erythrocytes, WRL-68 normal liver cell line, and NL-20 normal lung cell line. The results revealed that none of the thirteen peptides have cytotoxic or hemolytic effects at their MIC values. The in silico molecular docking study was carried out to investigate the binding properties of peptides with three pneumococcal virulent targets by Autodock Vina. RN7IN6 showed a strong affinity to target proteins; autolysin, pneumolysin, and pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) based on rigid docking studies. Our results suggest that the hybrid peptides could be suitable candidates for antibacterial drug development. PMID:26046345

V2O5-C-SnO2 Hybrid Nanobelts as High Performance Anodes for Lithium-ion Batteries

PubMed Central

Zhang, Linfei; Yang, Mingyang; Zhang, Shengliang; Wu, Zefei; Amini, Abbas; Zhang, Yi; Wang, Dongyong; Bao, Shuhan; Lu, Zhouguang; Wang, Ning; Cheng, Chun

2016-01-01

The superior performance of metal oxide nanocomposites has introduced them as excellent candidates for emerging energy sources, and attracted significant attention in recent years. The drawback of these materials is their inherent structural pulverization which adversely impacts their performance and makes the rational design of stable nanocomposites a great challenge. In this work, functional V2O5-C-SnO2 hybrid nanobelts (VCSNs) with a stable structure are introduced where the ultradispersed SnO2 nanocrystals are tightly linked with glucose on the V2O5 surface. The nanostructured V2O5 acts as a supporting matrix as well as an active electrode component. Compared with existing carbon-V2O5 hybrid nanobelts, these hybrid nanobelts exhibit a much higher reversible capacity and architectural stability when used as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. The superior cyclic performance of VCSNs can be attributed to the synergistic effects of SnO2 and V2O5. However, limited data are available for V2O5-based anodes in lithium-ion battery design. PMID:27677326

V2O5-C-SnO2 Hybrid Nanobelts as High Performance Anodes for Lithium-ion Batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Linfei; Yang, Mingyang; Zhang, Shengliang; Wu, Zefei; Amini, Abbas; Zhang, Yi; Wang, Dongyong; Bao, Shuhan; Lu, Zhouguang; Wang, Ning; Cheng, Chun

2016-09-01

The superior performance of metal oxide nanocomposites has introduced them as excellent candidates for emerging energy sources, and attracted significant attention in recent years. The drawback of these materials is their inherent structural pulverization which adversely impacts their performance and makes the rational design of stable nanocomposites a great challenge. In this work, functional V2O5-C-SnO2 hybrid nanobelts (VCSNs) with a stable structure are introduced where the ultradispersed SnO2 nanocrystals are tightly linked with glucose on the V2O5 surface. The nanostructured V2O5 acts as a supporting matrix as well as an active electrode component. Compared with existing carbon-V2O5 hybrid nanobelts, these hybrid nanobelts exhibit a much higher reversible capacity and architectural stability when used as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. The superior cyclic performance of VCSNs can be attributed to the synergistic effects of SnO2 and V2O5. However, limited data are available for V2O5-based anodes in lithium-ion battery design.

Design and development of ultra-wideband 3 dB hybrid coupler for Ion cyclotron resonance frequency heating in tokamak.

PubMed

Yadav, Rana Pratap; Kumar, Sunil; Kulkarni, S V

2014-04-01

Design and development of a high power ultra-wideband, 3 dB tandem hybrid coupler is presented and its application in ICRF heating of the tokamak is discussed. In order to achieve the desired frequency band of 38-112 MHz and 200 kW power handling capability, the 3 dB hybrid coupler is developed using two 3-element 8.34 ± 0.2 dB coupled lines sections in tandem. In multi-element coupled lines, junctions are employed for the joining of coupled elements that produce the undesirable reactance called junction discontinuity effect. The effect becomes prominent in the high power multi-element coupled lines for high frequency (HF) and very high frequency(VHF) applications because of larger structural dimensions. Junction discontinuity effect significantly deteriorates coupling and output performance from the theoretical predictions. For the analysis of junction discontinuity effect and its compensation, a theoretical approach has been developed and generalized for n-element coupled lines section. The theory has been applied in the development of the 3 dB hybrid coupler. The fabricated hybrid coupler has been experimentally characterized using vector network analyzer and obtained results are found in good agreement with developed theory.

Tough Self-Healing Elastomers by Molecular Enforced Integration of Covalent and Reversible Networks.

PubMed

Wu, Jinrong; Cai, Li-Heng; Weitz, David A

2017-10-01

Self-healing polymers crosslinked by solely reversible bonds are intrinsically weaker than common covalently crosslinked networks. Introducing covalent crosslinks into a reversible network would improve mechanical strength. It is challenging, however, to apply this concept to "dry" elastomers, largely because reversible crosslinks such as hydrogen bonds are often polar motifs, whereas covalent crosslinks are nonpolar motifs. These two types of bonds are intrinsically immiscible without cosolvents. Here, we design and fabricate a hybrid polymer network by crosslinking randomly branched polymers carrying motifs that can form both reversible hydrogen bonds and permanent covalent crosslinks. The randomly branched polymer links such two types of bonds and forces them to mix on the molecular level without cosolvents. This enables a hybrid "dry" elastomer that is very tough with fracture energy 13500 Jm -2 comparable to that of natural rubber. Moreover, the elastomer can self-heal at room temperature with a recovered tensile strength 4 MPa, which is 30% of its original value, yet comparable to the pristine strength of existing self-healing polymers. The concept of forcing covalent and reversible bonds to mix at molecular scale to create a homogenous network is quite general and should enable development of tough, self-healing polymers of practical usage. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Molecular identification and characterization of piroplasm species in Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis), Japan.

PubMed

Elbaz, Elzahara; Moustafa, Mohamed Abdallah Mohamed; Lee, Kyunglee; Mohamed, Wessam Mohamed Ahmed; Nakao, Ryo; Shimozuru, Michito; Sashika, Mariko; Younis, Emad Elsayed Ahmed; El-Khodery, Sabry Ahmed; Tsubota, Toshio

2017-08-01

Babesia and Theileria species are tick-borne protozoan parasites that have a veterinary and zoonotic importance. In order to investigate the prevalence and genetic diversity of these parasites, a total of 269 sika deer blood DNA samples collected from Hokkaido, Japan, were examined for Babesia and Theileria species by touch-down PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene. Reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization was then used to detect 12 piroplasm species. The results revealed that 95.5% (257/269), 94.1% (253/269), 14.1% (38/269), 87.7% (236/269) and 11.5% (31/269) of the examined PCR products hybridized with the probes which were designed to detect all Babesia and Theileria spp., all Theileria spp., all Babesia spp., Theileria sp. Thrivae and Babesia divergens-like, respectively. The 18S rRNA gene partial sequences were divided into Theileria sp. Thrivae, T. capreoli, B. divergens-like and an undescribed Babesia species. This study showed the first detection of the undescribed Babesia sp. from Japan. Therefore, more studies are required to understand the ecology of the newly detected tick-borne pathogens in Hokkaido. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Crustal structure of the Southern Rio Grande rift determined from seismic refraction profiling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sinno, Y. A.; Keller, G. R.; Harder, S. H.; Daggett, P. H.; Morgan, P.

1986-01-01

As part of a major cooperative seismic experiment, a series of seismic refraction profiles have been recorded in south-central New Mexico with the goal of determining the crustal structure in the southern Rio Grande rift. The data gathered greatly expand the seismic data base in the area, and consist of three interlocking regional profiles: a reversed E-W line across the rift, an unreversed N-S axial line, and an unreversed SW-SE line. The reversed E-W line shows no significant dip along the Moho (32 km thick crust) and a 7.7 km/s Pn velocity. Results from the N-S axial line and the NW-SE line indicate an apparent Pn velocity of 7.95 km/s and significant dip along the Moho with crustal thinning toward the south and southeast. When interpreted together, these data indicate a crustal thinning in the southern rift of 4-6 km with respect to the northern rift and the adjacent Basin and Range province, and establish the regional Pn velocity to be approximately 7.7 km/s. These results suggest that the Rio Grande rift can be identified as a crustal feature separate and distinct from the Basin and Range province.

Nano-functionalized filamentous fungus hyphae with fast reversible macroscopic assembly & disassembly features.

PubMed

Wang, Haiying; Li, Xiaorui; Chai, Liyuan; Zhang, Liyuan

2015-05-18

A uniform decoration of hyphae by polyaniline nanoparticles (PANI NPs) was achieved here. This novel hybrid structure can be effectively assembled into a film by filtration and disassembled in water by shaking. This reversible process is very fast, which promises applications in nanomaterials including adsorption.

Hybrid techniques for the digital control of mechanical and optical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acernese, Fausto; Barone, Fabrizio; De Rosa, Rosario; Eleuteri, Antonio; Milano, Leopoldo; Pardi, Silvio; Ricciardi, Iolanda; Russo, Guido

2004-07-01

One of the main requirements of a digital system for the control of interferometric detectors of gravitational waves is the computing power, that is a direct consequence of the increasing complexity of the digital algorithms necessary for the control signals generation. For this specific task many specialised non standard real-time architectures have been developed, often very expensive and difficult to upgrade. On the other hand, such computing power is generally fully available for off-line applications on standard Pc based systems. Therefore, a possible and obvious solution may be provided by the integration of both the the real-time and off-line architecture resulting in a hybrid control system architecture based on standards available components, trying to get both the advantages of the perfect data synchronization provided by the real-time systems and by the large computing power available on Pc based systems. Such integration may be provided by the implementation of the link between the two different architectures through the standard Ethernet network, whose data transfer speed is largely increasing in these years, using the TCP/IP and UDP protocols. In this paper we describe the architecture of an hybrid Ethernet based real-time control system protoype we implemented in Napoli, discussing its characteristics and performances. Finally we discuss a possible application to the real-time control of a suspended mass of the mode cleaner of the 3m prototype optical interferometer for gravitational wave detection (IDGW-3P) operational in Napoli.

Dynamics of Multiple lin Gene Expression in Sphingomonas paucimobilis B90A in Response to Different Hexachlorocyclohexane Isomers

PubMed Central

Suar, Mrutyunjay; van der Meer, Jan Roelof; Lawlor, Kirsten; Holliger, Christof; Lal, Rup

2004-01-01

Sphingomonas paucimobilis B90A is able to degrade the α-, β-, γ-, and δ-isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH). It contains the genes linA, linB, linC, linD, linE, and linR, which have been implicated in HCH degradation. In this study, dynamic expression of the lin genes was measured in chemostat-grown S. paucimobilis B90A by RNA dot blot hybridization and real-time reverse transcriptase PCR upon exposure to a pulse of different HCH isomers. Irrespective of the addition of HCH, linA, linB, and linC were all expressed constitutively. In contrast, linD and linE were induced with α-HCH (2 mg/liter) and γ-HCH (7 mg/liter). A sharp increase in mRNA levels for linD and linE was observed from 10 to 45 min after the addition of α- or γ-HCH. Induction of linD and linE was not detectable upon the addition of 0.7 mg of γ-HCH per liter, although the compound was degraded by the cells. The addition of β-HCH (5 mg/liter) or δ-HCH (20 mg/liter) did not lead to linE and linD induction, despite the fact that 50% of the compounds were degraded. This suggests that degradation of β- and δ-HCH proceeds by a different pathway than that of α- and γ-HCH. PMID:15528530

Hybrid pulse anodization for the fabrication of porous anodic alumina films from commercial purity (99%) aluminum at room temperature.

PubMed

Chung, C K; Zhou, R X; Liu, T Y; Chang, W T

2009-02-04

Most porous anodic alumina (PAA) or anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) films are fabricated using the potentiostatic method from high-purity (99.999%) aluminum films at a low temperature of approximately 0-10 degrees C to avoid dissolution effects at room temperature (RT). In this study, we have demonstrated the fabrication of PAA film from commercial purity (99%) aluminum at RT using a hybrid pulse technique which combines pulse reverse and pulse voltages for the two-step anodization. The reaction mechanism is investigated by the real-time monitoring of current. A possible mechanism of hybrid pulse anodization is proposed for the formation of pronounced nanoporous film at RT. The structure and morphology of the anodic films were greatly influenced by the duration of anodization and the type of voltage. The best result was obtained by first applying pulse reverse voltage and then pulse voltage. The first pulse reverse anodization step was used to form new small cells and pre-texture concave aluminum as a self-assembled mask while the second pulse anodization step was for the resulting PAA film. The diameter of the nanopores in the arrays could reach 30-60 nm.

Hybrid threshold adaptable quantum secret sharing scheme with reverse Huffman-Fibonacci-tree coding.

PubMed

Lai, Hong; Zhang, Jun; Luo, Ming-Xing; Pan, Lei; Pieprzyk, Josef; Xiao, Fuyuan; Orgun, Mehmet A

2016-08-12

With prevalent attacks in communication, sharing a secret between communicating parties is an ongoing challenge. Moreover, it is important to integrate quantum solutions with classical secret sharing schemes with low computational cost for the real world use. This paper proposes a novel hybrid threshold adaptable quantum secret sharing scheme, using an m-bonacci orbital angular momentum (OAM) pump, Lagrange interpolation polynomials, and reverse Huffman-Fibonacci-tree coding. To be exact, we employ entangled states prepared by m-bonacci sequences to detect eavesdropping. Meanwhile, we encode m-bonacci sequences in Lagrange interpolation polynomials to generate the shares of a secret with reverse Huffman-Fibonacci-tree coding. The advantages of the proposed scheme is that it can detect eavesdropping without joint quantum operations, and permits secret sharing for an arbitrary but no less than threshold-value number of classical participants with much lower bandwidth. Also, in comparison with existing quantum secret sharing schemes, it still works when there are dynamic changes, such as the unavailability of some quantum channel, the arrival of new participants and the departure of participants. Finally, we provide security analysis of the new hybrid quantum secret sharing scheme and discuss its useful features for modern applications.

Hybrid threshold adaptable quantum secret sharing scheme with reverse Huffman-Fibonacci-tree coding

PubMed Central

Lai, Hong; Zhang, Jun; Luo, Ming-Xing; Pan, Lei; Pieprzyk, Josef; Xiao, Fuyuan; Orgun, Mehmet A.

2016-01-01

With prevalent attacks in communication, sharing a secret between communicating parties is an ongoing challenge. Moreover, it is important to integrate quantum solutions with classical secret sharing schemes with low computational cost for the real world use. This paper proposes a novel hybrid threshold adaptable quantum secret sharing scheme, using an m-bonacci orbital angular momentum (OAM) pump, Lagrange interpolation polynomials, and reverse Huffman-Fibonacci-tree coding. To be exact, we employ entangled states prepared by m-bonacci sequences to detect eavesdropping. Meanwhile, we encode m-bonacci sequences in Lagrange interpolation polynomials to generate the shares of a secret with reverse Huffman-Fibonacci-tree coding. The advantages of the proposed scheme is that it can detect eavesdropping without joint quantum operations, and permits secret sharing for an arbitrary but no less than threshold-value number of classical participants with much lower bandwidth. Also, in comparison with existing quantum secret sharing schemes, it still works when there are dynamic changes, such as the unavailability of some quantum channel, the arrival of new participants and the departure of participants. Finally, we provide security analysis of the new hybrid quantum secret sharing scheme and discuss its useful features for modern applications. PMID:27515908

Tuberculate fruit gene Tu encodes a C2 H2 zinc finger protein that is required for the warty fruit phenotype in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.).

PubMed

Yang, Xuqin; Zhang, Weiwei; He, Huanle; Nie, Jingtao; Bie, Beibei; Zhao, Junlong; Ren, Guoliang; Li, Yue; Zhang, Dabing; Pan, Junsong; Cai, Run

2014-06-01

Cucumber fruits that have tubercules and spines (trichomes) are known to possess a warty (Wty) phenotype. In this study, the tuberculate fruit gene Tu was identified by map-based cloning, and was found to encode a transcription factor (TF) with a single C2 H2 zinc finger domain. Tu was identified in all 38 Wty lines examined, and was completely absent from all 56 non-warty (nWty) lines. Cucumber plants transgenic for Tu (TCP) revealed that Tu was required for the Wty fruit phenotype. Subcellular localization showed that the fusion protein GFP-Tu was localized mainly to the nucleus. Based on analyses of semi-quantitative and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and mRNA in situ hybridization, we found that Tu was expressed specifically in fruit spine cells during development of fruit tubercules. Moreover, cytokinin (CTK) content measurements and cytological observations in Wty and nWty fruits revealed that the Wty fruit phenotype correlated with high endogenous CTK concentrations. As a result of further analyses on the transcriptomic profile of the nWty fruit epidermis and TCP fruit warts, expression of CTK-associated genes, and hormone content in nWty fruit epidermis, Wty fruit warts and epidermis, and TCP fruit warts and epidermis, we found that Tu probably promoted CTK biosynthesis in fruit warts. Here we show that Tu could not be expressed in the glabrous and tubercule-free mutant line gl that contained Tu, this result that futher confirmed the epistatic effect of the trichome (spine) gene Gl over Tu. Taken together, these data led us to propose a genetic pathway for the Wty fruit trait that could guide future mechanistic studies. © 2014 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Measurements of temperature profiles at the exit of small rockets.

PubMed

Griggs, M; Harshbarger, F C

1966-02-01

The sodium line reversal technique was used to determine the reversal temperature profile across the exit of small rockets. Measurements were made on one 73-kg thrust rocket, and two 23-kg thrust rockets with different injectors. The large rocket showed little variation of reversal temperature across the plume. However, the 23-kg rockets both showed a large decrease of reversal temperature from the axis to the edge of the plume. In addition, the sodium line reversal technique of temperature measurement was compared with an infrared technique developed in these laboratories.

Recovery of infectious classical swine fever virus (CSFV) from full-length genomic cDNA clones by a swine kidney cell line expressing bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase.

PubMed

van Gennip, H G; van Rijn, P A; Widjojoatmodjo, M N; Moormann, R J

1999-03-01

A new method for the recovery of infectious classical swine fever virus (CSFV) from full-length genomic cDNA clones of the C-strain was developed. Classical reverse genetics is based on transfection of in vitro transcribed RNA to target cells to recover RNA viruses. However, the specific infectivity of such in vitro transcribed RNA in swine kidney cells is usually low. To improve reverse genetics for CSFV, a stable swine kidney cell line was established that expresses cytoplasmic bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase (SK6.T7). A 200-fold increased virus titre was obtained from SK6.T7 cells transfected with linearized full-length cDNA compared to in vitro transcribed RNA, whereas transfection of circular full-length cDNA resulted in 20-fold increased virus titres. Viruses generated on the SK6.T7 cells are indistinguishable from the viruses generated by the classical reverse genetic procedures. These results show the improved recovery of infectious CSFV directly from full-length cDNAs. Furthermore, the reverse genetic procedures are simplified to a faster, one step protocol. We conclude that the SK6.T7 cell line will be a valuable tool for recovering mutant CSFV and will contribute to future pestivirus research.

Workable male sterility systems for hybrid rice: Genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and utilization.

PubMed

Huang, Jian-Zhong; E, Zhi-Guo; Zhang, Hua-Li; Shu, Qing-Yao

2014-12-01

The exploitation of male sterility systems has enabled the commercialization of heterosis in rice, with greatly increased yield and total production of this major staple food crop. Hybrid rice, which was adopted in the 1970s, now covers nearly 13.6 million hectares each year in China alone. Various types of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and environment-conditioned genic male sterility (EGMS) systems have been applied in hybrid rice production. In this paper, recent advances in genetics, biochemistry, and molecular biology are reviewed with an emphasis on major male sterility systems in rice: five CMS systems, i.e., BT-, HL-, WA-, LD- and CW- CMS, and two EGMS systems, i.e., photoperiod- and temperature-sensitive genic male sterility (P/TGMS). The interaction of chimeric mitochondrial genes with nuclear genes causes CMS, which may be restored by restorer of fertility (Rf) genes. The PGMS, on the other hand, is conditioned by a non-coding RNA gene. A survey of the various CMS and EGMS lines used in hybrid rice production over the past three decades shows that the two-line system utilizing EGMS lines is playing a steadily larger role and TGMS lines predominate the current two-line system for hybrid rice production. The findings and experience gained during development and application of, and research on male sterility in rice not only advanced our understanding but also shed light on applications to other crops.

Hybrid Defect Phase Transition: Renormalization Group and Monte Carlo Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaufman, Miron; Diep, H. T.

2010-03-01

For the q-state Potts model with 2 < q <= 4 on the square lattice with a defect line, the order parameter on the defect line jumps discontinuously from zero to a nonzero value while the defect energy varies continuously with the temperature at the critical temperature. Monte-Carlo simulations (H. T. Diep, M. Kaufman, Phys Rev E 2009) of the q-state Potts model on a square lattice with a line of defects verify the renormalization group prediction (M. Kaufman, R. B. Griffiths, Phys Rev B 1982) on the occurrence of the hybrid transition on the defect line. This is interesting since for those q values the bulk transition is continuous. This hybrid (continuous - discontinuous) defect transition is induced by the infinite range correlations at the bulk critical point.

Acquisition of high metastatic capacity after in vitro fusion of a nonmetastatic tumor line with a bone marrow-derived macrophage

PubMed Central

1984-01-01

A low metastatic, thioguanine-resistant murine T lymphoma line (EbTGR) was hybridized in vitro, with the help of polyethylene glycol, with syngeneic bone marrow-derived macrophages. Two HAT-resistant hybrid lines (Eb-F1 and Eb-F2) were obtained from independent fusion cultures. A cytogenetic analysis revealed that most of the macrophage chromosomes except No. 12 had segregated or become rearranged 60 d after fusion, a time at which the cell lines had become stabilized in culture. Syngeneic mice inoculated subcutaneously with the tumor macrophage hybrid lines developed, very quickly, visceral metastases and died after less than 2 wk, while those inoculated with the parental line lived for greater than 6 wk and developed only localized, large primary tumors. The metastatic hybridomas expressed a similar tumor antigen as a spontaneous, in vivo derived, high metastatic variant (ESb) of the same tumor. This suggests that ESb cells might have arisen from a spontaneous fusion with a host macrophage. PMID:6491605

Electrochemical detection of microRNAs via gap hybridization assay.

PubMed

Pöhlmann, Christopher; Sprinzl, Mathias

2010-06-01

MicroRNAs have recently been associated with cancer development by acting as tumor suppressors or oncogenes and could therefore be applied as molecular markers for early diagnosis of cancer. In this work, we established a rapid, selective, and sensitive gap hybridization assay for detection of mature microRNAs based on four components DNA/RNA hybridization and electrochemical detection using esterase 2-oligodeoxynucleotide conjugates. Complementary binding of microRNA to a gap built of capture and detector oligodeoxynucleotide, the reporter enzyme is brought to the vicinity of the electrode and produces enzymatically an electrochemical signal. In the absence of microRNA, the gap between capture and detector oligodeoxynucleotide is not filled, and missing base stacking energy destabilizes the hybridization complex. The gap hybridization assay demonstrates selective detection of miR-16 within a mixture of other miRNAs, including the feasibility of single mismatch discrimination. Applying the biosensor assay, a detection limit of 2 pM or 2 amol of miR-16 was obtained. Using isolated total RNA from human breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells, the assay detected specifically miR-21 and miR-16 in parallel, and higher expression of oncogene miR-21 compared to miR-16 was demonstrated. Including RNA isolation, the gap hybridization assay was developed with a total assay time of 60 min and without the need for reverse transcription PCR amplification of the sample. The characteristics of the assay developed in this work could satisfy the need for rapid and easy methods for early cancer marker detection in clinical diagnostics.

Identification of IL11RA and MELK amplification in gastric cancer by comprehensive genomic profiling of gastric cancer cell lines

PubMed Central

Calcagno, Danielle Queiroz; Takeno, Sylvia Santomi; Gigek, Carolina Oliveira; Leal, Mariana Ferreira; Wisnieski, Fernanda; Chen, Elizabeth Suchi; Araújo, Taíssa Maíra Thomaz; Lima, Eleonidas Moura; Melaragno, Maria Isabel; Demachki, Samia; Assumpção, Paulo Pimentel; Burbano, Rommel Rodriguez; Smith, Marília Cardoso

2016-01-01

AIM To identify common copy number alterations on gastric cancer cell lines. METHODS Four gastric cancer cell lines (ACP02, ACP03, AGP01 and PG100) underwent chromosomal comparative genome hybridization and array comparative genome hybridization. We also confirmed the results by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis using the bacterial artificial chromosome clone and quantitative real time PCR analysis. RESULTS The amplification of 9p13.3 was detected in all cell lines by both methodologies. An increase in the copy number of 9p13.3 was also confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. Moreover, the interleukin 11 receptor alpha (IL11RA) and maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) genes, which are present in the 9p13.3 amplicon, revealed gains of the MELK gene in all the cell lines studied. Additionally, a gain in the copy number of IL11RA and MELK was observed in 19.1% (13/68) and 55.9% (38/68) of primary gastric adenocarcinoma samples, respectively. CONCLUSION The characterization of a small gain region at 9p13.3 in gastric cancer cell lines and primary gastric adenocarcinoma samples has revealed MELK as a candidate target gene that is possibly related to the development of gastric cancer. PMID:27920471

Improved selectivity towards NO₂ of phthalocyanine-based chemosensors by means of original indigo/nanocarbons hybrid material.

PubMed

Brunet, J; Pauly, A; Dubois, M; Rodriguez-Mendez, M L; Ndiaye, A L; Varenne, C; Guérin, K

2014-09-01

A new and original gas sensor-system dedicated to the selective monitoring of nitrogen dioxide in air and in the presence of ozone, has been successfully achieved. Because of its high sensitivity and its partial selectivity towards oxidizing pollutants (nitrogen dioxide and ozone), copper phthalocyanine-based chemoresistors are relevant. The selectivity towards nitrogen dioxide results from the implementation of a high efficient and selective ozone filter upstream the sensing device. Thus, a powdered indigo/nanocarbons hybrid material has been developed and investigated for such an application. If nanocarbonaceous material acts as a highly permeable matrix with a high specific surface area, immobilized indigo nanoparticles are involved into an ozonolysis reaction with ozone leading to the selective removal of this analytes from air sample. The filtering yields towards each gas have been experimentally quantified and establish the complete removal of ozone while having the concentration of nitrogen dioxide unchanged. Long-term gas exposures reveal the higher durability of hybrid material as compared to nanocarbons and indigo separately. Synthesis, characterizations by many complementary techniques and tests of hybrid filters are detailed. Results on sensor-system including CuPc-based chemoresistors and indigo/carbon nanotubes hybrid material as in-line filter are illustrated. Sensing performances will be especially discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Economic Evaluation of a Hybrid Desalination System Combining Forward and Reverse Osmosis

PubMed Central

Choi, Yongjun; Cho, Hyeongrak; Shin, Yonghyun; Jang, Yongsun; Lee, Sangho

2015-01-01

This study seeks to evaluate the performance and economic feasibility of the forward osmosis (FO)–reverse osmosis (RO) hybrid process; to propose a guideline by which this hybrid process might be more price-competitive in the field. A solution-diffusion model modified with film theory was applied to analyze the effects of concentration polarization, water, and salt transport coefficient on flux, recovery, seawater concentration, and treated wastewater of the FO process of an FO-RO hybrid system. A simple cost model was applied to analyze the effects of flux; recovery of the FO process; energy; and membrane cost on the FO-RO hybrid process. The simulation results showed that the water transport coefficient and internal concentration polarization resistance are very important factors that affect performance in the FO process; however; the effect of the salt transport coefficient does not seem to be large. It was also found that the flux and recovery of the FO process, the FO membrane, and the electricity cost are very important factors that influence the water cost of an FO-RO hybrid system. This hybrid system can be price-competitive with RO systems when its recovery rate is very high, the flux and the membrane cost of the FO are similar to those of the RO, and the electricity cost is expensive. The most important thing in commercializing the FO process is enhancing performance (e.g.; flux and the recovery of FO membranes). PMID:26729176

Vaccination of sex reversed hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus X O. aureus) with an inactivated Vibrio vulnificus vaccine

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Vibrio vulnificus causes disease in economically important aquaculture raised fish and is an opportunistic human pathogen. This study reports on the isolation of V. vulnificus from diseased hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus X O. aureus) cultured in a North American water reuse facility. Our ob...

Environmentally responsive optical microstructured hybrid actuator assemblies and applications thereof

DOEpatents

Aizenberg, Joanna; Aizenberg, Michael; Kim, Philseok

2016-01-05

Microstructured hybrid actuator assemblies in which microactuators carrying designed surface properties to be revealed upon actuation are embedded in a layer of responsive materials. The microactuators in a microactuator array reversibly change their configuration in response to a change in the environment without requiring an external power source to switch their optical properties.

A common deletion in two gamma ray induced rat pulmonary tumor cell lines.

PubMed

Van Klaveren, P; De Bruijne, J; Van der Winden, H; Kal, H B; Bentvelzen, P

1994-01-01

Subtraction hybridization was performed on normal WAG/Rij rat DNA with DNA from a syngeneic Ir-192 induced pulmonary tumor cell line L37. The residual DNA was amplified by means of sequence-independent PCR. This procedure yielded a sequence, of which multiple copies are present in normal rat DNA. In the tumor line L37 two restriction fragments hybridizing with this repeat sequence are lacking. In another Ir-192 induced pulmonary tumor line, L33, one of these fragments was also lacking. This indicates a common deletion in the two tumor lines.

Facile Synthesis of Coaxial CNTs/MnOx-Carbon Hybrid Nanofibers and Their Greatly Enhanced Lithium Storage Performance.

PubMed

Yang, Zunxian; Lv, Jun; Pang, Haidong; Yan, Wenhuan; Qian, Kun; Guo, Tailiang; Guo, Zaiping

2015-12-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/MnOx-Carbon hybrid nanofibers have been successfully synthesized by the combination of a liquid chemical redox reaction (LCRR) and a subsequent carbonization heat treatment. The nanostructures exhibit a unique one-dimensional core/shell architecture, with one-dimensional CNTs encapsulated inside and a MnOx-carbon composite nanoparticle layer on the outside. The particular porous characteristics with many meso/micro holes/pores, the highly conductive one-dimensional CNT core, as well as the encapsulating carbon matrix on the outside of the MnOx nanoparticles, lead to excellent electrochemical performance of the electrode. The CNTs/MnOx-Carbon hybrid nanofibers exhibit a high initial reversible capacity of 762.9 mAhg(-1), a high reversible specific capacity of 560.5 mAhg(-1) after 100 cycles, and excellent cycling stability and rate capability, with specific capacity of 396.2 mAhg(-1) when cycled at the current density of 1000 mAg(-1), indicating that the CNTs/MnOx-Carbon hybrid nanofibers are a promising anode candidate for Li-ion batteries.

Facile Synthesis of Coaxial CNTs/MnOx-Carbon Hybrid Nanofibers and Their Greatly Enhanced Lithium Storage Performance

PubMed Central

Yang, Zunxian; Lv, Jun; Pang, Haidong; Yan, Wenhuan; Qian, Kun; Guo, Tailiang; Guo, Zaiping

2015-01-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/MnOx-Carbon hybrid nanofibers have been successfully synthesized by the combination of a liquid chemical redox reaction (LCRR) and a subsequent carbonization heat treatment. The nanostructures exhibit a unique one-dimensional core/shell architecture, with one-dimensional CNTs encapsulated inside and a MnOx-carbon composite nanoparticle layer on the outside. The particular porous characteristics with many meso/micro holes/pores, the highly conductive one-dimensional CNT core, as well as the encapsulating carbon matrix on the outside of the MnOx nanoparticles, lead to excellent electrochemical performance of the electrode. The CNTs/MnOx-Carbon hybrid nanofibers exhibit a high initial reversible capacity of 762.9 mAhg−1, a high reversible specific capacity of 560.5 mAhg−1 after 100 cycles, and excellent cycling stability and rate capability, with specific capacity of 396.2 mAhg−1 when cycled at the current density of 1000 mAg−1, indicating that the CNTs/MnOx-Carbon hybrid nanofibers are a promising anode candidate for Li-ion batteries. PMID:26621615

Development of male sterile Eruca sativa carrying a Raphanus sativus/Brassica oleracea cybrid cytoplasm.

PubMed

Nothnagel, Thomas; Klocke, Evelyn; Schrader, Otto; Linke, Bettina; Budahn, Holger

2016-02-01

Alloplasmic male sterile breeding lines of Eruca sativa were developed by intergeneric hybridization with CMS- Brassica oleracea, followed by recurrent backcrosses and determination of the breeding value. Male sterile breeding lines of rocket salad (Eruca sativa) were developed by intergeneric hybridization with cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) followed by recurrent backcrosses. Five amphidiploid F1 plants (2n = 2x = 20, CE), achieved by manual crosses and embryo rescue, showed an intermediate habit. The plants were completely male sterile and lacked seed set after pollination with the Eruca parent. Allotetraploid F1-hybrid plants (4n = 4x = 40, CCEE) obtained after colchicine treatment were backcrossed six times with pollen of the Eruca parent to select alloplasmic diploid E. sativa lines. The hybrid status and the nucleo-cytoplasmic constellation were continuously controlled by RAPD and Southern analysis during subsequent backcrosses. The ploidy level was investigated by flow cytometry and chromosome analysis. Premeiotic (sporophytic) and postmeiotic (pollen abortive) defects during the anther development were observed in the alloplasmic E. sativus plants in comparison to the CMS-cauliflower donor. No further incompatibilities were noticed between the CMS-inducing cybrid cytoplasm and the E. sativa nuclear genome. The final alloplasmic E. sativa lines were diploid with 2n = 2x = 22 chromosomes and revealed complete male sterility and restored female fertility. Plant vigor and yield potential of the CMS-E. sativa BC5 lines were comparable to the parental E. sativus line. In conclusion, the employed cybrid-cytoplasm has been proven as a vital source of CMS for E. sativa. The developed lines are directly applicable for hybrid breeding of rocket salad.

Survey of twenty-six hybrid poplar lines for poplar borer

Treesearch

W. Doug Stone; T. Keith Beatty; T. Evan Nebeker

2006-01-01

An insect survey was completed on 26 lines of hybrid poplar (Populus nigra x P. maximowiczii) that had the Roundup® Ready and Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) genes. The survey was conducted in Kentucky in cooperation with MeadWestvaco. A total of 260 trees were evaluated. Survival rate averaged...

Genome instability in Novel Lolium multiflorum x L. arundinaceum hybrids

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We have identified a method whereby Lolium multiflorum (Lm) or L. arundinaceum (Fa) genomes are preferentially eliminated through a mitotic loss behavior in interspecific Lm x Fa F1 hybrids,generating either dihaploid Lm lines or Fa lines. The genome instability has been visualized phenotypically an...

Progress in development of male sterile germplasm for hybrid rice breeding

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Currently, there are two types of male sterility mainly commercialized in hybrid rice production, three-line type or cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and two-line type or environmental male sterility (EMS). The great majority belongs to the CMS and there are four strategies that have been proven suc...

Molecular and cellular characteristics of hybrid vigour in a commercial hybrid of Chinese cabbage.

PubMed

Saeki, Natsumi; Kawanabe, Takahiro; Ying, Hua; Shimizu, Motoki; Kojima, Mikiko; Abe, Hiroshi; Okazaki, Keiichi; Kaji, Makoto; Taylor, Jennifer M; Sakakibara, Hitoshi; Peacock, W James; Dennis, Elizabeth S; Fujimoto, Ryo

2016-02-17

Heterosis or hybrid vigour is a phenomenon in which hybrid progeny exhibit superior performance compared to their parental inbred lines. Most commercial Chinese cabbage cultivars are F1 hybrids and their level of hybrid vigour is of critical importance and is a key selection criterion in the breeding system. We have characterized the heterotic phenotype of one F1 hybrid cultivar of Chinese cabbage and its parental lines from early- to late-developmental stages of the plants. Hybrid cotyledons are larger than those of the parents at 4 days after sowing and biomass in the hybrid, determined by the fresh weight of leaves, is greater than that of the larger parent line by approximately 20% at 14 days after sowing. The final yield of the hybrid harvested at 63 days after sowing is 25% greater than the yield of the better parent. The larger leaves of the hybrid are a consequence of increased cell size and number of the photosynthetic palisade mesophyll cells and other leaf cells. The accumulation of plant hormones in the F1 was within the range of the parental levels at both 2 and 10 days after sowing. Two days after sowing, the expression levels of chloroplast-targeted genes in the cotyledon cells were upregulated in the F1 hybrid relative to their mid parent values. Shutdown of chlorophyll biosynthesis in the cotyledon by norflurazon prevented the increased leaf area in the F1 hybrid. In the cotyledons of F1 hybrids, chloroplast-targeted genes were upregulated at 2 days after sowing. The increased activity levels of this group of genes suggested that their differential transcription levels could be important for establishing early heterosis but the increased transcription levels were transient. Inhibition of the photosynthetic process in the cotyledon reduced heterosis in later seedling stages. These observations suggest early developmental events in the germinating seedling of the hybrid may be important for later developmental vigour and yield advantage.

Ka-Band Waveguide Two-Way Hybrid Combiner for MMIC Amplifiers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simons, Rainee N.; Chevalier, Christine T.; Wintucky, Edwin G.; Freeman, Jon C.

2010-01-01

The design, simulation, and characterization of a novel Ka-band (32.05 0.25 GHz) rectangular waveguide two-way branch-line hybrid unequal power combiner (with port impedances matched to that of a standard WR-28 waveguide) has been created to combine input signals, which are in phase and with an amplitude ratio of two. The measured return loss and isolation of the branch-line hybrid are better than 22 and 27 dB, respectively. The measured combining efficiency is 92.9 percent at the center frequency of 32.05 GHz. This circuit is efficacious in combining the unequal output power from two Ka-band GaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (pHEMT) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) power amplifiers (PAs) with high efficiency. The component parts include the branch-line hybrid-based power combiner and the MMIC-based PAs. A two-way branch-line hybrid is a four-port device with all ports matched; power entering port 1 is divided in phase, and into the ratio 2:1 between ports 3 and 4. No power is coupled to port 2. MMICs are a type of integrated circuit fabricated on GaAs that operates at microwave frequencies, and performs the function of signal amplification. The power combiner is designed to operate over the frequency band of 31.8 to 32.3 GHz, which is NASA's deep space frequency band. The power combiner would have an output return loss better than 20 dB. Isolation between the output port and the isolated port is greater than 25 dB. Isolation between the two input ports is greater than 25 dB. The combining efficiency would be greater than 90 percent when the ratio of the two input power levels is two. The power combiner is machined from aluminum with E-plane split-block arrangement, and has excellent reliability. The flexibility of this design allows the combiner to be customized for combining the power from MMIC PAs with an arbitrary power output ratio. In addition, it allows combining a low-power GaAs MMIC with a high-power GaN MMIC. The arbitrary port impedance allows matching the output impedance of the MMIC PA directly to the waveguide impedance without transitioning first into a transmission line with characteristic impedance of 50 ohms. Thus, by eliminating the losses associated with a transition, the overall SSPA efficiency is enhanced. For reducing the cost and weight when required in very large quantities, such as in the beam-forming networks of phased-array antenna systems, the combiner can be manufactured using metal-plated plastic. Two hybrid unequal power combiners can be cascaded to realize a non-binary combiner (for e.g., a three-way) and can be synergistically optimized for low VSWR (voltage standing wave ratio), low insertion loss, high isolation, and wide bandwidth using commercial off-the-shelf electromagnetic software design tools.

Mixed-Mode Operation of Hybrid Phase-Change Nanophotonic Circuits.

PubMed

Lu, Yegang; Stegmaier, Matthias; Nukala, Pavan; Giambra, Marco A; Ferrari, Simone; Busacca, Alessandro; Pernice, Wolfram H P; Agarwal, Ritesh

2017-01-11

Phase change materials (PCMs) are highly attractive for nonvolatile electrical and all-optical memory applications because of unique features such as ultrafast and reversible phase transitions, long-term endurance, and high scalability to nanoscale dimensions. Understanding their transient characteristics upon phase transition in both the electrical and the optical domains is essential for using PCMs in future multifunctional optoelectronic circuits. Here, we use a PCM nanowire embedded into a nanophotonic circuit to study switching dynamics in mixed-mode operation. Evanescent coupling between light traveling along waveguides and a phase-change nanowire enables reversible phase transition between amorphous and crystalline states. We perform time-resolved measurements of the transient change in both the optical transmission and resistance of the nanowire and show reversible switching operations in both the optical and the electrical domains. Our results pave the way toward on-chip multifunctional optoelectronic integrated devices, waveguide integrated memories, and hybrid processing applications.

Versatile Gene-Specific Sequence Tags for Arabidopsis Functional Genomics: Transcript Profiling and Reverse Genetics Applications

PubMed Central

Hilson, Pierre; Allemeersch, Joke; Altmann, Thomas; Aubourg, Sébastien; Avon, Alexandra; Beynon, Jim; Bhalerao, Rishikesh P.; Bitton, Frédérique; Caboche, Michel; Cannoot, Bernard; Chardakov, Vasil; Cognet-Holliger, Cécile; Colot, Vincent; Crowe, Mark; Darimont, Caroline; Durinck, Steffen; Eickhoff, Holger; de Longevialle, Andéol Falcon; Farmer, Edward E.; Grant, Murray; Kuiper, Martin T.R.; Lehrach, Hans; Léon, Céline; Leyva, Antonio; Lundeberg, Joakim; Lurin, Claire; Moreau, Yves; Nietfeld, Wilfried; Paz-Ares, Javier; Reymond, Philippe; Rouzé, Pierre; Sandberg, Goran; Segura, Maria Dolores; Serizet, Carine; Tabrett, Alexandra; Taconnat, Ludivine; Thareau, Vincent; Van Hummelen, Paul; Vercruysse, Steven; Vuylsteke, Marnik; Weingartner, Magdalena; Weisbeek, Peter J.; Wirta, Valtteri; Wittink, Floyd R.A.; Zabeau, Marc; Small, Ian

2004-01-01

Microarray transcript profiling and RNA interference are two new technologies crucial for large-scale gene function studies in multicellular eukaryotes. Both rely on sequence-specific hybridization between complementary nucleic acid strands, inciting us to create a collection of gene-specific sequence tags (GSTs) representing at least 21,500 Arabidopsis genes and which are compatible with both approaches. The GSTs were carefully selected to ensure that each of them shared no significant similarity with any other region in the Arabidopsis genome. They were synthesized by PCR amplification from genomic DNA. Spotted microarrays fabricated from the GSTs show good dynamic range, specificity, and sensitivity in transcript profiling experiments. The GSTs have also been transferred to bacterial plasmid vectors via recombinational cloning protocols. These cloned GSTs constitute the ideal starting point for a variety of functional approaches, including reverse genetics. We have subcloned GSTs on a large scale into vectors designed for gene silencing in plant cells. We show that in planta expression of GST hairpin RNA results in the expected phenotypes in silenced Arabidopsis lines. These versatile GST resources provide novel and powerful tools for functional genomics. PMID:15489341

Frequency-dependent failure mechanisms of nanocrystalline gold interconnect lines under general alternating current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, X. M.; Zhang, B.; Zhang, G. P.

2014-09-01

Thermal fatigue failure of metallization interconnect lines subjected to alternating currents (AC) is becoming a severe threat to the long-term reliability of micro/nanodevices with increasing electrical current density/power. Here, thermal fatigue failure behaviors and damage mechanisms of nanocrystalline Au interconnect lines on the silicon glass substrate have been investigated by applying general alternating currents (the pure alternating current coupled with a direct current (DC) component) with different frequencies ranging from 0.05 Hz to 5 kHz. We observed both thermal fatigue damages caused by Joule heating-induced cyclic strain/stress and electromigration (EM) damages caused by the DC component. Besides, the damage formation showed a strong electrically-thermally-mechanically coupled effect and frequency dependence. At lower frequencies, thermal fatigue damages were dominant and the main damage forms were grain coarsening with grain boundary (GB) cracking/voiding and grain thinning. At higher frequencies, EM damages took over and the main damage forms were GB cracking/voiding of smaller grains and hillocks. Furthermore, the healing effect of the reversing current was considered to elucidate damage mechanisms of the nanocrystalline Au lines generated by the general AC. Lastly, a modified model was proposed to predict the lifetime of the nanocrystalline metal interconnect lines, i.e., that was a competing drift velocity-based approach based on the threshold time required for reverse diffusion/healing to occur.

Chromosomal distribution of pTa-535, pTa-86, pTa-713, 35S rDNA repetitive sequences in interspecific hexaploid hybrids of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spelt (Triticum spelta L.)

PubMed Central

Duba, Adrian; Kwiatek, Michał; Wiśniewska, Halina; Wachowska, Urszula; Wiwart, Marian

2018-01-01

Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) relies on fluorescent-labeled probes to detect specific DNA sequences in the genome, and it is widely used in cytogenetic analyses. The aim of this study was to determine the karyotype of T. aestivum and T. spelta hybrids and their parental components (three common wheat cultivars and five spelt breeding lines), to identify chromosomal aberrations in the evaluated wheat lines, and to analyze the distribution of polymorphisms of repetitive sequences in the examined hybrids. The FISH procedure was carried out with four DNA clones, pTa-86, pTa-535, pTa-713 and 35S rDNA used as probes. The observed polymorphisms between the investigated lines of common wheat, spelt and their hybrids was relatively low. However, differences were observed in the distribution of repetitive sequences on chromosomes 4A, 6A, 1B and 6B in selected hybrid genomes. The polymorphisms observed in common wheat and spelt hybrids carry valuable information for wheat breeders. The results of our study are also a valuable source of knowledge about genome organization and diversification in common wheat, spelt and their hybrids. The relevant information is essential for common wheat breeders, and it can contribute to breeding programs aimed at biodiversity preservation. PMID:29447228

Chromosomal distribution of pTa-535, pTa-86, pTa-713, 35S rDNA repetitive sequences in interspecific hexaploid hybrids of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spelt (Triticum spelta L.).

PubMed

Goriewa-Duba, Klaudia; Duba, Adrian; Kwiatek, Michał; Wiśniewska, Halina; Wachowska, Urszula; Wiwart, Marian

2018-01-01

Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) relies on fluorescent-labeled probes to detect specific DNA sequences in the genome, and it is widely used in cytogenetic analyses. The aim of this study was to determine the karyotype of T. aestivum and T. spelta hybrids and their parental components (three common wheat cultivars and five spelt breeding lines), to identify chromosomal aberrations in the evaluated wheat lines, and to analyze the distribution of polymorphisms of repetitive sequences in the examined hybrids. The FISH procedure was carried out with four DNA clones, pTa-86, pTa-535, pTa-713 and 35S rDNA used as probes. The observed polymorphisms between the investigated lines of common wheat, spelt and their hybrids was relatively low. However, differences were observed in the distribution of repetitive sequences on chromosomes 4A, 6A, 1B and 6B in selected hybrid genomes. The polymorphisms observed in common wheat and spelt hybrids carry valuable information for wheat breeders. The results of our study are also a valuable source of knowledge about genome organization and diversification in common wheat, spelt and their hybrids. The relevant information is essential for common wheat breeders, and it can contribute to breeding programs aimed at biodiversity preservation.

Study of Opacity Effects on Emission Lines at EXTRAP T2R RFP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stancalie, Viorica; Rachlew, Elisabeth

We have investigated the influence of opacity on hydrogen (H-α and Ly-β) and Li-like oxygen emission lines from the EXTRAP T2R reversed field pinch. We used the Atomic Data Analysis System (AzDAS) based on the escape factor approximation for radiative transfer to calculate metastable and excited population densities via a collisional-radiative model. Population escape factor, emergent escape factor and modified line profiles are plotted vs. optical depth. The simulated emission line ratios in the density/temperature plane are in good agreement with experimental data for electron density and temperature measurements.

All-fiber variable optical delay line for applications in optical coherence tomography: feasibility study for a novel delay line.

PubMed

Choi, Eunseo; Na, Jihoon; Ryu, Seon; Mudhana, Gopinath; Lee, Byeong

2005-02-21

We have implemented an all-fiber optical delay line using two linearly chirped fiber Bragg gratings cascaded in reverse order and all-fiber optics components. The features of the proposed all-fiber based technique for variable delay line are discussed theoretically and demonstrated experimentally. The non-invasive cross-sectional images of biomedical samples as well as a transparent glass plate obtained with implemented all-fiber delay line having the axial resolution of 100 mum and the dynamic range of 50dB are presented to validates the imaging performance and demonstrate the feasibility of the delay line for optical coherence tomography.

Molecular identification of different Theileria and Babesia species infecting sheep in Sudan.

PubMed

El Imam, Ahmed H; Hassan, Shawgi M; Gameel, Ahmed A; El Hussein, Abdelrahim M; Taha, Khalid M; Oosthuizen, Marinda C

2016-01-01

The epidemiological aspects of sheep piroplasmosis in Sudan are poorly studied, and further investigations using sensitive and precise techniques are required. In this study, the Reverse Line Blot (RLB) hybridization assay was used to detect and simultaneously differentiate between Theileria and Babesia species. DNA was extracted from blood collected on filter paper (n=219) from apparently healthy sheep from six different geographical localities in Sudan. Results indicated that Theileria ovis (88.6%), T. separata (20.1%), T. lestoquardi (16.4%) and T. annulata (16.4%) DNA could be detected in the blood samples. Single and mixed Theileria infections were detected in 74 (33.8%) and 124 (56.6%) respectively and T. ovis being the most prevalent species in the country. T. ovis and T. separata were reported for the first time in sheep in Sudan.

Surface Chemistry and Precursor Material Effects on the Performance of Pyrolyzed Nanofibers as Anodes for Lithium-ion Batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loebl, Andrew James

Next-generation lithium-ion batteries to meet consumer demands and new applications require the development of new electrode materials. Electrospinning of polymers is a simple and effective method to create one-dimensional, self-supporting materials, with no inactive components after pyrolysis. Composites of these nanofibers and high-capacity lithium materials have been demonstrated to possess superior reversible capacity than state-of-the-art commercial anodes. Despite impressive reversible discharge capacities polyacrylonitrile-based composites are not ready for adoption in commercial applications. These materials suffer from irreversible losses of Li to formation on the electrode of the solid electrolyte interphase during the first charge of the cell. This thesis work has taken two approaches to engineer high-performing nanofiber-based electrodes. First, the chemistry at the interface of the electrode and the electrolyte has been changed by depositing new surfaces. Attempts to create a graphitic fiber surface via plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition did not result in an improvement of the irreversible losses. However, the experiments did demonstrate the growth of large surface area carbon nanowalls on the pyrolyzed electrospun fibers, creating a material which could serve as a substrate in catalysis or as an electrode for composite ultra-capacitors. Additionally, passivation surfaces were deposited by atomic layer deposition and molecular layer deposition. These new surfaces were employed to reduce the irreversible consumption of lithium by moving the charge transfer reaction to the interface of the carbon and the new material. The removal the lithium from the solvent prior to charge transfer limits the irreversible reduction of solvent by metallic lithium. Alumina films grown by atomic layer deposition reduced lithium losses to the solid electrolyte interphase by up to 42% for twenty deposition cycles. This large improvement in irreversible capacity resulted in a nearly 50% reduction in reversible lithium storage. Thinner coatings of alumina had a less dramatic effect on both the irreversible capacity losses and the reversible discharge capacity. A coating of ten cycles of alumina at a temperature of 150 °C resulted in a 17% reduction in irreversible capacity with negligible impact on the reversible capacity. Hybrid aluminum-organic films grown by molecular layer deposition also reduced irreversible lithium losses. The largest reduction was 23% for electrodes coated with 40 cycles of the alucone material. For all thicknesses studied these hybrid films delivered less improvement than the alumina grown by atomic layer deposition, with poor reversible lithium storage capacity available at high charging and discharging currents. Second, polyacrylonitrile has served as the precursor for electrospun composite electrodes because of its ease of processing and well-known carbonization process. Polyimides represent a family of polymers for which the material properties can be tailored by careful monomer selection. These polymers were used as the non-woven matrix to create materials capable of delivering a larger percentage of their maximum reversible capacities at high currents when compared to polyacrylonitrile-based electrodes. These materials had a more graphitic structure based on Raman spectroscopy, and resulted in lower irreversible capacity losses than polyacrylonitrile-based fibers for fibers based on pyromellitic dianhydride and p-phenylene diamine.

Familial 46,XY sex reversal without campomelic dysplasia caused by a deletion upstream of the SOX9 gene

PubMed Central

Layman, Lawrence C.; Ullmann, Reinhard; Shen, Yiping; Ha, Kyungsoo; Rehman, Khurram; Looney, Stephen; McDonough, Paul G.; Kim, Hyung-Goo; Carr, Bruce R.

2014-01-01

Background 46,XY sex reversal is a rare disorder and familial cases are even more rare. The purpose of the present study was to determine the molecular basis for a family with three affected siblings who had 46,XY sex reversal. Methods DNA was extracted from three females with 46,XY sex reversal, two normal sisters, and both unaffected parents. All protein coding exons of the SRY and NR5A1 genes were subjected to PCR-based DNA sequencing. In addition, array comparative genomic hybridization was performed on DNA from all seven family members. A deletion was confirmed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Expression of SOX9 gene was quantified using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Results A 349kb heterozygous deletion located 353kb upstream of the SOX9 gene on the long arm of chromosome 17 was discovered in the father and three affected siblings, but not in the mother. The expression of SOX9 was significantly decreased in the affected siblings. Two of three affected sisters had gonadoblastomas. Conclusion This is the first report of 46,XY sex reversal in three siblings who have a paternally inherited deletion upstream of SOX9 associated with reduced SOX9 mRNA expression. PMID:24907458

Genetics of the connective tissue proteins: Assignment of the gene for human type I procollagen to chromosome 17 by analysis of cell hybrids and microcell hybrids*

PubMed Central

Raj, Cholappadi V. Sundar; Church, Robert L.; Klobutcher, Lawrence A.; Ruddle, Frank H.

1977-01-01

Somatic cell hybrids between mouse and human cell lines have been used to identify the specific chromosome that governs the synthesis of type I procollagen. Fourteen hybrid clones and subclones were derived independently from crosses between mouse parents [LM (thymidine kinase-negative) or A9 (hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase-negative)] and human cells (human diploid lung fibroblasts WI-38 or diploid skin fibroblasts GM5, GM17, and GM9). The cultures were labeled with [3H]proline in modified Eagle's medium without serum. Radioactive procollagens were purified from the medium by the method of Church et al. [(1974) J. Mol. Biol. 86, 785-799]. DEAE-cellulose chromatography was used to separate collagen and type I and type III procollagen. Human type I procollagen was assayed by double immunodiffusion analysis with type I procollagen antibodies prepared by immunizing rabbits with purified human type I procollagen. These analyses combined with karyology and isozyme analyses of each hybrid line have produced evidence for the assignment of the gene for human type I procollagen to chromosome 17. A human microcell-mouse hybrid cell line containing only human chromosome 17 was positive for human type I procollagen, lending further support to the assignment of the human type I procollagen gene to chromosome 17. Finally, by using a hybrid line containing only the long arm of human chromosome 17 translocated onto a mouse chromosome, the type I procollagen gene can be assigned more specifically to the long arm of chromosome 17. Images PMID:412188

Triggering nanoparticle surface ligand rearrangement via external stimuli: light-based actuation of biointerfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Zhenghua; Lim, Chang-Keun; Palafox-Hernandez, J. Pablo; Drew, Kurt L. M.; Li, Yue; Swihart, Mark T.; Prasad, Paras N.; Walsh, Tiffany R.; Knecht, Marc R.

2015-08-01

Bio-molecular non-covalent interactions provide a powerful platform for material-specific self-organization in aqueous media. Here, we introduce a strategy that integrates a synthetic optically-responsive motif with a materials-binding peptide to enable remote actuation. Specifically, we linked a photoswitchable azobenzene moiety to either terminus of a Au-binding peptide. We employed these hybrid molecules as capping agents for synthesis of Au nanoparticles. Integrated experiments and molecular simulations showed that the hybrid molecules maintained both of their functions, i.e. binding to Au and optically-triggered reconfiguration. The azobenzene unit was optically switched reversibly between trans and cis states while adsorbed on the particle surface. Upon switching, the conformation of the peptide component of the molecule also changed. This highlights the interplay between the surface adsorption and conformational switching that will be pivotal to the creation of actuatable nanoparticle bio-interfaces, and paves the way toward multifunctional peptide hybrids that can produce stimuli responsive nanoassemblies.Bio-molecular non-covalent interactions provide a powerful platform for material-specific self-organization in aqueous media. Here, we introduce a strategy that integrates a synthetic optically-responsive motif with a materials-binding peptide to enable remote actuation. Specifically, we linked a photoswitchable azobenzene moiety to either terminus of a Au-binding peptide. We employed these hybrid molecules as capping agents for synthesis of Au nanoparticles. Integrated experiments and molecular simulations showed that the hybrid molecules maintained both of their functions, i.e. binding to Au and optically-triggered reconfiguration. The azobenzene unit was optically switched reversibly between trans and cis states while adsorbed on the particle surface. Upon switching, the conformation of the peptide component of the molecule also changed. This highlights the interplay between the surface adsorption and conformational switching that will be pivotal to the creation of actuatable nanoparticle bio-interfaces, and paves the way toward multifunctional peptide hybrids that can produce stimuli responsive nanoassemblies. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Additional modeling analysis, QCM analysis, UV-vis and CD spectroscopy data. See DOI: 10.1039/C5NR02311D

Yeast Two-Hybrid: State of the Art

PubMed Central

Beyaert, Rudi

1999-01-01

Genome projects are approaching completion and are saturating sequence databases. This paper discusses the role of the two-hybrid system as a generator of hypotheses. Apart from this rather exhaustive, financially and labour intensive procedure, more refined functional studies can be undertaken. Indeed, by making hybrids of two-hybrid systems, customised approaches can be developed in order to attack specific function-related problems. For example, one could set-up a "differential" screen by combining a forward and a reverse approach in a three-hybrid set-up. Another very interesting project is the use of peptide libraries in two-hybrid approaches. This could enable the identification of peptides with very high specificity comparable to "real" antibodies. With the technology available, the only limitation is imagination. PMID:12734586

One- and two-photon states for quantum information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, Nicholas A.

To find expression stability among transgenic lines, the Recombinase Mediated Transgene Integration (RMTI) technology using the Cre/ lox-mediated site-specific gene integration system was used. The objectives were to develop an efficient method of site-specific transgene integration and to test the effectiveness of this method by assaying transgene expression in the RMTI lines. The RMTI technology allows the precise integration of a transgene in a previously placed target genomic location containing a lox site. The efficiency of CRE-mediated site-specific integration in rice by particle bombardment was found to vary from 3 to 28% in nine different experiments. Some hemizygous site-specific integration plants that were derived from homozygous target locus were found to undergo CRE-mediated reversion of the integration locus. No reversion was observed in callus; however, reverting cells may have been excluded due to selection pressure. The expression of the transgene gus was studied in all 40 callus lines, 12 regenerated T0 plants and the T1 and T2 progenies of 5 lines. The isogenic SC lines had an average expression level based on the activity of beta-glucuronidase of 158 +/- 9 units/mg protein (mean +/- SEM; n=3; variance within SC lines are expressed as standard error of the mean SEM) indicating a significantly higher level of expression, as compared to MC lines that had a much lower expression level 44 +/- 8 units/mg protein (mean +/- SEM; n=3) and the imprecise lines that had 22 +/- 8 units/mg protein (mean +/- SEM; n=3). Transgene expression in the callus cells of precise single copy lines varied by ˜3 fold, whereas that in multi-copy lines varied by ˜30 fold. Furthermore, precise single copy lines, on an average, contained ˜3.5 fold higher expression than multi-copy lines. Transgene expression in the plants of precise single-copy lines was highly variable, which was found to be due to the loss of the integration because of CRE-mediated reversion in the locus. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Palmprint authentication using multiple classifiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Ajay; Zhang, David

2004-08-01

This paper investigates the performance improvement for palmprint authentication using multiple classifiers. The proposed methods on personal authentication using palmprints can be divided into three categories; appearance- , line -, and texture-based. A combination of these approaches can be used to achieve higher performance. We propose to simultaneously extract palmprint features from PCA, Line detectors and Gabor-filters and combine their corresponding matching scores. This paper also investigates the comparative performance of simple combination rules and the hybrid fusion strategy to achieve performance improvement. Our experimental results on the database of 100 users demonstrate the usefulness of such approach over those based on individual classifiers.

Polyoxometalate-Based Organic-Inorganic Hybrids as Antitumor Drugs.

PubMed

Fu, Lei; Gao, Hanqin; Yan, Mei; Li, Shouzhu; Li, Xinyu; Dai, Zhifei; Liu, Shaoqin

2015-06-24

Polyoxometalates (POMs) have shown encouraging antitumor activity. However, their cytotoxicity in normal cells and unspecific interactions with biomolecules are two major obstacles that impede the practical applications of POMs in clinical cancer treatment. Derivatization of POMs with more biocompatible organic ligands is expected to cause a synergetic effect and achieve improved bioactivity and biospecificity. Herein, the synthesis of an amphiphilic organic-inorganic hybrid is reported by grafting a long-chain organoalkoxysilane lipid onto a POM. The amphiphilic POM hybrid could spontaneously assemble into the vesicles and exhibits enhanced antitumor activity for human colorectal cancer cell lines (HT29) compared to that of parent POMs. This detailed study reveals that the amphiphilic nature of POM hybrids enables the as-formed vesicles to easily bind to the cell membranes and then be uptaken by the cells, thus leading to a substantial increase in antitumor activity. Such prominent antitumor action is mostly accomplished via cell apoptosis, which ultimately results in cell death. Our finding demonstrates that novel POM hybrids-based drugs with increased bioactivity could be obtained by decorating POMs with selective organic ligands. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

An Ag-grid/graphene hybrid structure for large-scale, transparent, flexible heaters.

PubMed

Kang, Junmo; Jang, Yonghee; Kim, Youngsoo; Cho, Seung-Hyun; Suhr, Jonghwan; Hong, Byung Hee; Choi, Jae-Boong; Byun, Doyoung

2015-04-21

Recently, carbon materials such as carbon nanotubes and graphene have been proposed as alternatives to indium tin oxide (ITO) for fabricating transparent conducting materials. However, obtaining low sheet resistance and high transmittance of these carbon materials has been challenging due to the intrinsic properties of the materials. In this paper, we introduce highly transparent and flexible conductive films based on a hybrid structure of graphene and an Ag-grid. Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) jet printing was used to produce a micro-scale grid consisting of Ag lines less than 10 μm wide. We were able to directly write the Ag-grid on a large-area graphene/flexible substrate due to the high conductivity of graphene. The hybrid electrode could be fabricated using hot pressing transfer and EHD jet printing in a non-vacuum, maskless, and low-temperature environment. The hybrid electrode offers an effective and simple route for achieving a sheet resistance as low as ∼4 Ω per square with ∼78% optical transmittance. Finally, we demonstrate that transparent flexible heaters based on the hybrid conductive films could be used in a vehicle or a smart window system.

The development of HEPT-type HIV non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and its implications for DABO family.

PubMed

Chen, Wenmin; Zhan, Peng; Wu, Jingde; Li, Zhenyu; Liu, Xinyong

2012-01-01

1-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]-6-(phenylthio)thymine (HEPT) was discovered as the first HIV-1 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) in 1989. The research on HEPT derivatives (HEPTs) has been lasted for more than 20 years and HEPT family is probably the most investigated NNRTI. Extensive molecular modifications on HEPT have led to many highly potent compounds with broad-resistance spectrum and optimal pharmacokinetic profiles. Moreover, X-crystallographic studies of HEPTs/RT complexes revealed the binding mode of HEPTs and the action mechanism of NNRTI, which has greatly facilitated the design of novel NNRTIs. Recently, the development of HEPTs was accelerated by the application of the "follow-on"-based chemical evolution strategies, such as designed multiple ligands (DMLs) and molecular hybridization (MH). Herein, this article will provide an insight into the development of HEPTs, including structural modifications, crystal structure of RT complexed with HEPTs and its structure-activity relationship (SAR). Additionally, this review also covers the emerging HEPT related dual inhibitors and HEPT-pyridinone hybrids, as well as the contributions of HEPTs to the development of dihydro-alkoxy-benzyl-oxopyrimidine (DABO) family, thus highlighting the importance of HEPTs on the development of NNRTIs.

Hiding Electronic Patient Record (EPR) in medical images: A high capacity and computationally efficient technique for e-healthcare applications.

PubMed

Loan, Nazir A; Parah, Shabir A; Sheikh, Javaid A; Akhoon, Jahangir A; Bhat, Ghulam M

2017-09-01

A high capacity and semi-reversible data hiding scheme based on Pixel Repetition Method (PRM) and hybrid edge detection for scalable medical images has been proposed in this paper. PRM has been used to scale up the small sized image (seed image) and hybrid edge detection ensures that no important edge information is missed. The scaled up version of seed image has been divided into 2×2 non overlapping blocks. In each block there is one seed pixel whose status decides the number of bits to be embedded in the remaining three pixels of that block. The Electronic Patient Record (EPR)/data have been embedded by using Least Significant and Intermediate Significant Bit Substitution (ISBS). The RC4 encryption has been used to add an additional security layer for embedded EPR/data. The proposed scheme has been tested for various medical and general images and compared with some state of art techniques in the field. The experimental results reveal that the proposed scheme besides being semi-reversible and computationally efficient is capable of handling high payload and as such can be used effectively for electronic healthcare applications. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Reversible Gating of Plasmonic Coupling for Optical Signal Amplification.

PubMed

Khoury, Christopher G; Fales, Andrew M; Vo-Dinh, Tuan

2016-07-20

Amplification of optical signals is useful for a wide variety of applications, ranging from data signal transmission to chemical sensing and biomedical diagnostics. One such application in chemical sensing is surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), an important technique for increasing the Raman signal using the plasmonic effect of enhanced electromagnetic fields associated with metallic nanostructures. One of the most important limitations of SERS-based amplification is the difficulty to reproducibly control the SERS signal. Here, we describe the design and implementation of a unique hybrid system capable of producing reversible gating of plasmonic coupling for Raman signal amplification. The hybrid system is composed of two subsystems: (1) colloidal magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles for SERS enhancement and (2) a micromagnet substrate with an externally applied magnetic field to modulate the colloidal nanoparticles. For this proof of concept demonstration, the nanoparticles were labeled with a Raman-active dye, and it was shown that the detected SERS signal could be reproducibly modulated by controlling the externally applied magnetic field. The developed system provides a simple, robust, inexpensive, and reusable device for SERS signal modulation. These properties will open up new possibilities for optical signal amplification and gating as well for high-throughput, reproducible SERS detection.

Temperature-triggered reversible dielectric and nonlinear optical switch based on the one-dimensional organic-inorganic hybrid phase transition compound [C6H11NH3]2CdCl4.

PubMed

Liao, Wei-Qiang; Ye, Heng-Yun; Fu, Da-Wei; Li, Peng-Fei; Chen, Li-Zhuang; Zhang, Yi

2014-10-20

The one-dimensional organic-inorganic hybrid compound bis(cyclohexylammonium) tetrachlorocadmate(II) (1), in which the adjacent infinite [CdCl4]n(-) chains are connected to each other though Cd···Cl weak interactions to form perovskite-type layers of corner-sharing CdCl6 octahedra separated by cyclohexylammonium cation bilayers, was synthesized. It undergoes two successive structural phase transitions, at 215 and 367 K, which were confirmed by systematic characterizations including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements, variable-temperature structural analyses, and dielectric and second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements. A precise structural analysis discloses that the phase transition at 215 K is induced by the disorder-order transition of cyclohexylammonium cations, while the phase transition at 367 K derives from changes in the relative location of Cd atoms. Emphatically, both the dielectric constant and SHG intensity of 1 show a striking change between low and high states at around 367 K, which reveals that 1 might be considered as a potential dielectric and nonlinear optical (NLO) switch with high-temperature response characterization, excellent reversibility, and obvious change of states.

Identification of misexpressed genetic elements in hybrids between Drosophila-related species.

PubMed

Lopez-Maestre, Hélène; Carnelossi, Elias A G; Lacroix, Vincent; Burlet, Nelly; Mugat, Bruno; Chambeyron, Séverine; Carareto, Claudia M A; Vieira, Cristina

2017-01-16

Crosses between close species can lead to genomic disorders, often considered to be the cause of hybrid incompatibility, one of the initial steps in the speciation process. How these incompatibilities are established and what are their causes remain unclear. To understand the initiation of hybrid incompatibility, we performed reciprocal crosses between two species of Drosophila (D. mojavensis and D. arizonae) that diverged less than 1 Mya. We performed a genome-wide transcriptomic analysis on ovaries from parental lines and on hybrids from reciprocal crosses. Using an innovative procedure of co-assembling transcriptomes, we show that parental lines differ in the expression of their genes and transposable elements. Reciprocal hybrids presented specific gene categories and few transposable element families misexpressed relative to the parental lines. Because TEs are mainly silenced by piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), we hypothesize that in hybrids the deregulation of specific TE families is due to the absence of such small RNAs. Small RNA sequencing confirmed our hypothesis and we therefore propose that TEs can indeed be major players of genome differentiation and be implicated in the first steps of genomic incompatibilities through small RNA regulation.

Identification of misexpressed genetic elements in hybrids between Drosophila-related species

PubMed Central

Lopez-Maestre, Hélène; Carnelossi, Elias A. G.; Lacroix, Vincent; Burlet, Nelly; Mugat, Bruno; Chambeyron, Séverine; Carareto, Claudia M. A.; Vieira, Cristina

2017-01-01

Crosses between close species can lead to genomic disorders, often considered to be the cause of hybrid incompatibility, one of the initial steps in the speciation process. How these incompatibilities are established and what are their causes remain unclear. To understand the initiation of hybrid incompatibility, we performed reciprocal crosses between two species of Drosophila (D. mojavensis and D. arizonae) that diverged less than 1 Mya. We performed a genome-wide transcriptomic analysis on ovaries from parental lines and on hybrids from reciprocal crosses. Using an innovative procedure of co-assembling transcriptomes, we show that parental lines differ in the expression of their genes and transposable elements. Reciprocal hybrids presented specific gene categories and few transposable element families misexpressed relative to the parental lines. Because TEs are mainly silenced by piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), we hypothesize that in hybrids the deregulation of specific TE families is due to the absence of such small RNAs. Small RNA sequencing confirmed our hypothesis and we therefore propose that TEs can indeed be major players of genome differentiation and be implicated in the first steps of genomic incompatibilities through small RNA regulation. PMID:28091568

Simultaneous detection of viruses and Toxoplasma gondii in cerebrospinal fluid specimens by multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based reverse hybridization assay.

PubMed

Del Prete, Raffaele; Di Taranto, Anna Maria; Lipsi, Maria Rosaria; Natalicchio, Maria Iole; Antonetti, Raffaele; Miragliotta, Giuseppe

2009-04-01

The lack of rapidity and the low sensitivity and specificity of traditional laboratory methods limits their usefulness in the laboratory diagnosis of viral central nervous system (CNS) infections. This study describes the use of a commercially available multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR)-based reverse hybridization assay (RHA) for the simultaneous detection of the genomes of 8 viruses and Toxoplasma gondii in cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) from 181 patients suspected of having viral meningitis. Twenty-two/181 (12.15%) CSF samples resulted positive by mPCR. Eighteen/22 were positive for 1 viral pathogen, whereas a dual infection was detected in 4/22 samples. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was the most commonly detected virus (6/22), followed by herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) (5/22) and -2 (HSV-2) (4/22). Cytomegalovirus (CMV), human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were detected in 1 specimen each. Two CSF samples were co-infected by HSV-1/HSV-2, 1 sample by HHV-6/T. gondii, and 1 sample by EBV/EV, respectively. Our data support the usefulness of mPCR as a rapid molecular method for the simultaneous detection of major viral pathogens and T. gondii in aseptic meningitis also to allow the earlier application of specific antiviral therapy.

Sequence heterogeneity in the 18S rRNA gene in Theileria equi from horses presented in Switzerland.

PubMed

Liu, Qin; Meli, Marina L; Zhang, Yi; Meili, Theres; Stirn, Martina; Riond, Barbara; Weibel, Beatrice; Hofmann-Lehmann, Regina

2016-05-15

A reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization assay was adapted and applied for equine blood samples collected at the animal hospital of the University of Zurich to determine the presence of piroplasms in horses in Switzerland. A total of 100 equine blood samples were included in the study. The V4 hypervariable region of the 18S rRNA gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and analyzed using the RLB assay. Samples from seven horses hybridized to a Theileria/Babesia genus-specific and a Theileria genus-specific probe. Of these, two hybridized also to the Theileria equi-specific probe. The other five positive samples did not hybridize to any of the species-specific probes, suggesting the presence of unrecognized Theileria variants or genotypes. The 18S rRNA gene of the latter five samples were sequenced and found to be closely related to T. equi isolated from horses in Spain (AY534822) and China (KF559357) (≥98.4% identity). Four of the seven horses that tested positive had a documented travel history (France, Italy, and Spain) or lived abroad (Hungary). The present study adds new insight into the presence and sequence heterogeneity of T. equi in Switzerland. The results prompt that species-specific probes must be designed in regions of the gene unique to T. equi. Of note, none of the seven positive horses were suspected of having Theileria infection at the time of presentation to the clinic. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of equine piroplasma infections outside of endemic areas and in horses without signs of piroplasmosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Damping of lower hybrid waves by low-frequency drift waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krall, Nicholas A.

1989-11-01

The conditions under which a spectrum of lower hybrid drift waves will decay into low-frequency drift waves (LFD) are calculated. The purpose is to help understand why lower hybrid drift waves are not seen in all field-reversed configuration (FRC) experiments in which they are predicted. It is concluded that if there is in the plasma a LFD wave amplitude above a critical level, lower hybrid waves will decay into low-frequency drift waves. The critical level required to stabilize TRX-2 [Phys. Fluids 30, 1497 (1987)] is calculated and found to be reasonably consistent with theoretical estimates.

Genetic characterization of Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) breeding and hybrid lines with different geographic origins.

PubMed

Furdui, Emilia M; Mărghitaş, Liviu A; Dezmirean, Daniel S; Paşca, Ioan; Pop, Iulia F; Erler, Silvio; Schlüns, Ellen A

2014-01-01

The domesticated silkworm Bombyx mori L. comprises a large number of geographical breeds and hybrid lines. Knowing the genetic structure of those may provide information to improve the conservation of commercial lines by estimating inbreeding over generations and the consequences of excessive use of those lineages. Here, we analyzed the genetic diversity of seven breeds and eight hybrid lines from Eastern Europe and Asia using highly polymorphic microsatellites markers to determine its genetical impact on their use in global breeding programs. No consistent pattern of deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was found for most breed and hybrids; and the absence of a linkage disequilibrium also suggests that the strains are in equilibrium. A principal coordinate analysis revealed a clear separation of two silkworm breeds from the rest: one (IBV) originated from India and the other one (RG90) from Romania/Japan. The tendency of the other breeds from different geographic origins to cluster together in a general mix might be due to similar selection pressures (climate and anthropogenic factors) in different geographic locations. Phylogenetic analyses grouped the different silkworm breeds but not the hybrids according to their geographic origin and confirmed the pattern found in the principal coordinate analysis. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.

Genetic Characterization of Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) Breeding and Hybrid Lines With Different Geographic Origins

PubMed Central

Furdui, Emilia M.; Mărghitaş, Liviu A.; Dezmirean, Daniel S.; Paşca, Ioan; Pop, Iulia F.; Erler, Silvio; Schlüns, Ellen A.

2014-01-01

Abstract The domesticated silkworm Bombyx mori L. comprises a large number of geographical breeds and hybrid lines. Knowing the genetic structure of those may provide information to improve the conservation of commercial lines by estimating inbreeding over generations and the consequences of excessive use of those lineages. Here, we analyzed the genetic diversity of seven breeds and eight hybrid lines from Eastern Europe and Asia using highly polymorphic microsatellites markers to determine its genetical impact on their use in global breeding programs. No consistent pattern of deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was found for most breed and hybrids; and the absence of a linkage disequilibrium also suggests that the strains are in equilibrium. A principal coordinate analysis revealed a clear separation of two silkworm breeds from the rest: one (IBV) originated from India and the other one (RG 90 ) from Romania/Japan. The tendency of the other breeds from different geographic origins to cluster together in a general mix might be due to similar selection pressures (climate and anthropogenic factors) in different geographic locations. Phylogenetic analyses grouped the different silkworm breeds but not the hybrids according to their geographic origin and confirmed the pattern found in the principal coordinate analysis. PMID:25502023

Responsive polymer-fluorescent carbon nanoparticle hybrid nanogels for optical temperature sensing, near-infrared light-responsive drug release, and tumor cell imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hui; Ke, Fuyou; Mararenko, Anton; Wei, Zengyan; Banerjee, Probal; Zhou, Shuiqin

2014-06-01

Fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (FCNPs) have been successfully immobilized into poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide) [poly(NIPAM-AAm)] nanogels based on one-pot precipitation copolymerization of NIPAM monomers with hydrogen bonded FCNP-AAm complex monomers in water. The resultant poly(NIPAM-AAm)-FCNP hybrid nanogels can combine functions from each building block for fluorescent temperature sensing, cell imaging, and near-infrared (NIR) light responsive drug delivery. The FCNPs in the hybrid nanogels not only emit bright and stable photoluminescence (PL) and exhibit up-conversion PL properties, but also increase the loading capacity of the nanogels for curcumin drug molecules. The reversible thermo-responsive swelling/shrinking transition of the poly(NIPAM-AAm) nanogel can not only modify the physicochemical environment of the FCNPs to manipulate the PL intensity for sensing the environmental temperature change, but also regulate the releasing rate of the loaded anticancer drug. In addition, the FCNPs embedded in the nanogels can convert the NIR light to heat, thus an exogenous NIR irradiation can further accelerate the drug release and enhance the therapeutic efficacy. The hybrid nanogels can overcome cellular barriers to enter the intracellular region and light up the mouse melanoma B16F10 cells upon laser excitation. The demonstrated hybrid nanogels with nontoxic and optically active FCNPs immobilized in responsive polymer nanogels are promising for the development of a new generation of multifunctional materials for biomedical applications.Fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (FCNPs) have been successfully immobilized into poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide) [poly(NIPAM-AAm)] nanogels based on one-pot precipitation copolymerization of NIPAM monomers with hydrogen bonded FCNP-AAm complex monomers in water. The resultant poly(NIPAM-AAm)-FCNP hybrid nanogels can combine functions from each building block for fluorescent temperature sensing, cell imaging, and near-infrared (NIR) light responsive drug delivery. The FCNPs in the hybrid nanogels not only emit bright and stable photoluminescence (PL) and exhibit up-conversion PL properties, but also increase the loading capacity of the nanogels for curcumin drug molecules. The reversible thermo-responsive swelling/shrinking transition of the poly(NIPAM-AAm) nanogel can not only modify the physicochemical environment of the FCNPs to manipulate the PL intensity for sensing the environmental temperature change, but also regulate the releasing rate of the loaded anticancer drug. In addition, the FCNPs embedded in the nanogels can convert the NIR light to heat, thus an exogenous NIR irradiation can further accelerate the drug release and enhance the therapeutic efficacy. The hybrid nanogels can overcome cellular barriers to enter the intracellular region and light up the mouse melanoma B16F10 cells upon laser excitation. The demonstrated hybrid nanogels with nontoxic and optically active FCNPs immobilized in responsive polymer nanogels are promising for the development of a new generation of multifunctional materials for biomedical applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Fig. S1-S5. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr01030b

Draft assembly of elite inbred line PH207 provides insights into genomic and transcriptome diversity in maize

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Intense artificial selection over the last 100 years has produced elite maize (Zea mays) inbred lines that combine to produce high-yielding hybrids. To further our understanding of how genome and transcriptome variation contribute to the production of high-yielding hybrids, we generated a draft geno...

Silica, hybrid silica, hydride silica and non-silica stationary phases for liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Borges, Endler M

2015-04-01

Free silanols on the surface of silica are the "villains", which are responsible for detrimental interactions of those compounds and the stationary phase (i.e., bad peak shape, low efficiency) as well as low thermal and chemical stability. For these reasons, we began this review describing new silica and hybrid silica stationary phases, which have reduced and/or shielded silanols. At present, in liquid chromatography for the majority of analyses, reversed-phase liquid chromatography is the separation mode of choice. However, the needs for increased selectivity and increased retention of hydrophilic bases have substantially increased the interest in hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC). Therefore, stationary phases and this mode of separation are discussed. Then, non-silica stationary phases (i.e., zirconium oxide, titanium oxide, alumina and porous graphitized carbon), which afford increased thermal and chemical stability and also selectivity different from those obtained with silica and hybrid silica, are discussed. In addition, the use of these materials in HILIC is also reviewed. © Crown copyright 2014.

Multiple chimeric antigen receptors successfully target chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 in several different cancer histologies and cancer stem cells

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The development of immunotherapy has led to significant progress in the treatment of metastatic cancer, including the development of genetic engineering technologies that redirect lymphocytes to recognize and target a wide variety of tumor antigens. Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) are hybrid proteins combining antibody recognition domains linked to T cell signaling elements. Clinical trials of CAR-transduced peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) have induced remission of both solid organ and hematologic malignancies. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4) is a promising target antigen that is overexpressed in multiple cancer histologies including melanoma, triple-negative breast cancer, glioblastoma, mesothelioma and sarcoma. Methods CSPG4 expression in cancer cell lines was assayed using flow cytometry (FACS) and reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR). Immunohistochemistry was utilized to assay resected melanomas and normal human tissues (n = 30) for CSPG4 expression and a reverse-phase protein array comprising 94 normal tissue samples was also interrogated for CSPG4 expression. CARs were successfully constructed from multiple murine antibodies (225.28S, TP41.2, 149.53) using second generation (CD28.CD3ζ) signaling domains. CAR sequences were cloned into a gamma-retroviral vector with subsequent successful production of retroviral supernatant and PBL transduction. CAR efficacy was assayed by cytokine release and cytolysis following coculture with target cell lines. Additionally, glioblastoma stem cells were generated from resected human tumors, and CSPG4 expression was determined by RT-PCR and FACS. Results Immunohistochemistry demonstrated prominent CSPG4 expression in melanoma tumors, but failed to demonstrate expression in any of the 30 normal human tissues studied. Two of 94 normal tissue protein lysates were positive by protein array. CAR constructs demonstrated cytokine secretion and cytolytic function after co-culture with tumor cell lines from multiple different histologies, including melanoma, breast cancer, mesothelioma, glioblastoma and osteosarcoma. Furthermore, we report for the first time that CSPG4 is expressed on glioblastoma cancer stem cells (GSC) and demonstrate that anti-CSPG4 CAR-transduced T cells recognize and kill these GSC. Conclusions The functionality of multiple different CARs, with the widespread expression of CSPG4 on multiple malignancies, suggests that CSPG4 may be an attractive candidate tumor antigen for CAR-based immunotherapies using appropriate technology to limit possible off-tumor toxicity. PMID:25197555

Cytogenetics and stripe rust resistance of wheat-Thinopyrum elongatum hybrid derivatives.

PubMed

Li, Daiyan; Long, Dan; Li, Tinghui; Wu, Yanli; Wang, Yi; Zeng, Jian; Xu, Lili; Fan, Xing; Sha, Lina; Zhang, Haiqin; Zhou, Yonghong; Kang, Houyang

2018-01-01

Amphidiploids generated by distant hybridization are commonly used as genetic bridge to transfer desirable genes from wild wheat species into cultivated wheat. This method is typically used to enhance the resistance of wheat to biotic or abiotic stresses, and to increase crop yield and quality. Tetraploid Thinopyrum elongatum exhibits strong adaptability, resistance to stripe rust and Fusarium head blight, and tolerance to salt, drought, and cold. In the present study, we produced hybrid derivatives by crossing and backcrossing the Triticum durum-Th. elongatum partial amphidiploid ( Trititrigia 8801, 2 n  = 6 ×  = 42, AABBEE) with wheat cultivars common to the Sichuan Basin. By means of cytogenetic and disease resistance analyses, we identified progeny harboring alien chromosomes and measured their resistance to stripe rust. Hybrid progenies possessed chromosome numbers ranging from 40 to 47 (mean = 42.72), with 40.0% possessing 42 chromosomes. Genomic in situ hybridization revealed that the number of alien chromosomes ranged from 1 to 11. Out of the 50 of analyzed lines, five represented chromosome addition (2 n  = 44 = 42 W + 2E) and other five were chromosome substitution lines (2 n  = 42 = 40 W + 2E). Importantly, a single chromosome derived from wheat- Th. elongatum intergenomic Robertsonian translocations chromosome was occurred in 12 lines. Compared with the wheat parental cultivars ('CN16' and 'SM482'), the majority (70%) of the derivative lines were highly resistant to strains of stripe rust pathogen known to be prevalent in China. The findings suggest that these hybrid-derivative lines with stripe rust resistance could potentially be used as germplasm sources for further wheat improvement.

HST-COS Observations of Hydrogen, Helium, Carbon, and Nitrogen Emission from the SN 1987A Reverse Shock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

France, Kevin; McCray, Richard; Penton, Steven V.; Kirshner, Robert P.; Challis, Peter; Laming, J. Martin; Bouchet, Patrice; Chevalier, Roger; Garnavich, Peter M.; Fransson, Claes; Heng, Kevin; Larsson, Josefin; Lawrence, Stephen; Lundqvist, Peter; Panagia, Nino; Pun, Chun S. J.; Smith, Nathan; Sollerman, Jesper; Sonneborn, George; Sugerman, Ben; Wheeler, J. Craig

2011-12-01

We present the most sensitive ultraviolet observations of Supernova 1987A to date. Imaging spectroscopy from the Hubble Space Telescope-Cosmic Origins Spectrograph shows many narrow (Δv ~ 300 km s-1) emission lines from the circumstellar ring, broad (Δv ~ 10-20 × 103 km s-1) emission lines from the reverse shock, and ultraviolet continuum emission. The high signal-to-noise ratio (>40 per resolution element) broad Lyα emission is excited by soft X-ray and EUV heating of mostly neutral gas in the circumstellar ring and outer supernova debris. The ultraviolet continuum at λ > 1350 Å can be explained by H I two-photon (2s 2 S 1/2-1s 2 S 1/2) emission from the same region. We confirm our earlier, tentative detection of N V λ1240 emission from the reverse shock and present the first detections of broad He II λ1640, C IV λ1550, and N IV] λ1486 emission lines from the reverse shock. The helium abundance in the high-velocity material is He/H = 0.14 ± 0.06. The N V/Hα line ratio requires partial ion-electron equilibration (Te /Tp ≈ 0.14-0.35). We find that the N/C abundance ratio in the gas crossing the reverse shock is significantly higher than that in the circumstellar ring, a result that may be attributed to chemical stratification in the outer envelope of the supernova progenitor. The N/C abundance may have been stratified prior to the ring expulsion, or this result may indicate continued CNO processing in the progenitor subsequent to the expulsion of the circumstellar ring. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained from the data archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute. STScI is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization-based karyotyping of soybean translocation lines

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is a major crop species and a target of a substantial investment of genomic and genetic studies; yet, in contrast to other plant species, relatively few chromosomal aberrations have been identified and characterized in soybean. This is due in part to the difficulty ...

Morphological characterization of a new and easily recognizable nuclear male sterile mutant of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor).

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

All commercial sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) hybrids are produced using A1 cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) lines. However, this homogenous cytoplasm could predispose sorghum to devastating diseases. Furthermore, it is expensive to develop and maintain the CMS-based breeding system, because it...

Simultaneous DC and three phase output using hybrid converter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surenderanath, S.; Rathnavel, P.; Prakash, G.; Rayavel, P.

2018-04-01

This Paper introduces new hybrid converter topologies which can supply simultaneously three phase AC as well as DC from a single DC source. The new Hybrid Converter is derived from the single switch controlled Boost converter by replacing the controlled switch with voltage source inverter (VSI). This new hybrid converter has the advantages like reduced number of switches as compared with conventional design having separate converter for supplying three phase AC and DC loads, provide DC and three AC outputs with an increased reliability, resulting from the inherent shoot through protection in the inverter stage. The proposed converter, studied in this paper, is called Boost-Derived Hybrid Converter (BDHC) as it is obtained from the conventional boost topology. A DSPIC based feedback controller is designed to regulate the DC as well as AC outputs. The proposed Converter can supply DC and AC loads at 95 V and 35 V (line to ground) respectively from a 48 V DC source.

Data-based hybrid tension estimation and fault diagnosis of cold rolling continuous annealing processes.

PubMed

Liu, Qiang; Chai, Tianyou; Wang, Hong; Qin, Si-Zhao Joe

2011-12-01

The continuous annealing process line (CAPL) of cold rolling is an important unit to improve the mechanical properties of steel strips in steel making. In continuous annealing processes, strip tension is an important factor, which indicates whether the line operates steadily. Abnormal tension profile distribution along the production line can lead to strip break and roll slippage. Therefore, it is essential to estimate the whole tension profile in order to prevent the occurrence of faults. However, in real annealing processes, only a limited number of strip tension sensors are installed along the machine direction. Since the effects of strip temperature, gas flow, bearing friction, strip inertia, and roll eccentricity can lead to nonlinear tension dynamics, it is difficult to apply the first-principles induced model to estimate the tension profile distribution. In this paper, a novel data-based hybrid tension estimation and fault diagnosis method is proposed to estimate the unmeasured tension between two neighboring rolls. The main model is established by an observer-based method using a limited number of measured tensions, speeds, and currents of each roll, where the tension error compensation model is designed by applying neural networks principal component regression. The corresponding tension fault diagnosis method is designed using the estimated tensions. Finally, the proposed tension estimation and fault diagnosis method was applied to a real CAPL in a steel-making company, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Chemical bonding between antimony and ionic liquid-derived nitrogen-doped carbon for sodium-ion battery anode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xin; Si, Ling; Zhou, Xiaosi; Tu, Fengzhang; Zhu, Xiaoshu; Bao, Jianchun

2017-05-01

Antimony has received a great deal of attention as a promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity of 660 mAh g-1. However, this application is significantly hampered by inherent large volume change and sluggish kinetics. To address these issues, an antimony-cyano-based ionic liquid-derived nitrogen-doped carbon (Sbsbnd CNC) hybrid is proposed and synthesized by ball-milling and subsequent pyrolysis treatment. As an anode material for SIBs, the as-synthesized Sbsbnd CNC hybrid delivers reversible capacities of 475 mAh g-1 at a current density of 100 mA g-1 and 203 mAh g-1 at 5000 mA g-1, and a 92.4% capacity retention based on the first-cycle capacity after 150 cycles at 100 mA g-1. Using ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and elemental mapping techniques, we attribute the good structural integrity to the formation of Sbsbnd Nsbnd C bonds between Sb and the cyano-based ionic liquid-derived N-doped carbon matrix. Moreover, the presence of N-doped carbon network in the hybrid material serves as a robust protective cover and an electrical highway, buffering the substantial volume expansion of Sb nanoparticles and ensuring the fast electron transport for stable cycling operation.

Current and future management of treatment failure in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Boyd, Mark A

2010-01-01

Access to second-line therapy in low- and middle-income countries has been limited to date. The WHO predicts that between 500 000 and 800 000 HIV-infected people on first-line combination antiretroviral therapy will require switch to second-line therapy by 2010. This paper aims to describe and review access to second-line therapy in low- and middle-income countries at present and examine future possibilities. The majority of HIV-infected patients failing first-line combination antiretroviral therapy is identified by way of routine monitoring of clinical and immunological status as a surrogate for virological monitoring. Evidence suggests that immunological and clinical monitoring lack both sensitivity and specificity for virological failure. Consequently, at treatment failure, patients have often selected a degree of resistance within the nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor class that questions the efficacy of using nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors in a second-line regimen. There is a paucity of good-quality evidence on which to base guidelines and policy. Optimally, a second-line regimen would be simple, potent, tolerable and lend itself to provision according to the successful 'public health' approach. Provision of second-line therapy to HIV-infected individuals failing first-line therapy is a major challenge to the ongoing success of access to HIV care programmes in low- and middle-income countries. The optimal second-line combination antiretroviral therapies are unknown. Research trials to help define best practice are in advanced stages of development and implementation.

Encapsulated Vanadium-Based Hybrids in Amorphous N-Doped Carbon Matrix as Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Long, Bei; Balogun, Muhammad-Sadeeq; Luo, Lei; Luo, Yang; Qiu, Weitao; Song, Shuqin; Zhang, Lei; Tong, Yexiang

2017-11-01

Recently, researchers have made significant advancement in employing transition metal compound hybrids as anode material for lithium-ion batteries and developing simple preparation of these hybrids. To this end, this study reports a facile and scalable method for fabricating a vanadium oxide-nitride composite encapsulated in amorphous carbon matrix by simply mixing ammonium metavanadate and melamine as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. By tuning the annealing temperature of the mixture, different hybrids of vanadium oxide-nitride compounds are synthesized. The electrode material prepared at 700 °C, i.e., VM-700, exhibits excellent cyclic stability retaining 92% of its reversible capacity after 200 cycles at a current density of 0.5 A g -1 and attractive rate performance (220 mAh g -1 ) under the current density of up to 2 A g -1 . The outstanding electrochemical properties can be attributed to the synergistic effect from heterojunction form by the vanadium compound hybrids, the improved ability of the excellent conductive carbon for electron transfer, and restraining the expansion and aggregation of vanadium oxide-nitride in cycling. These interesting findings will provide a reference for the preparation of transition metal oxide and nitride composites as well. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Genome-Wide Prediction of the Performance of Three-Way Hybrids in Barley.

PubMed

Li, Zuo; Philipp, Norman; Spiller, Monika; Stiewe, Gunther; Reif, Jochen C; Zhao, Yusheng

2017-03-01

Predicting the grain yield performance of three-way hybrids is challenging. Three-way crosses are relevant for hybrid breeding in barley ( L.) and maize ( L.) adapted to East Africa. The main goal of our study was to implement and evaluate genome-wide prediction approaches of the performance of three-way hybrids using data of single-cross hybrids for a scenario in which parental lines of the three-way hybrids originate from three genetically distinct subpopulations. We extended the ridge regression best linear unbiased prediction (RRBLUP) and devised a genomic selection model allowing for subpopulation-specific marker effects (GSA-RRBLUP: general and subpopulation-specific additive RRBLUP). Using an empirical barley data set, we showed that applying GSA-RRBLUP tripled the prediction ability of three-way hybrids from 0.095 to 0.308 compared with RRBLUP, modeling one additive effect for all three subpopulations. The experimental findings were further substantiated with computer simulations. Our results emphasize the potential of GSA-RRBLUP to improve genome-wide hybrid prediction of three-way hybrids for scenarios of genetically diverse parental populations. Because of the advantages of the GSA-RRBLUP model in dealing with hybrids from different parental populations, it may also be a promising approach to boost the prediction ability for hybrid breeding programs based on genetically diverse heterotic groups. Copyright © 2017 Crop Science Society of America.

Chemical and morphological characterization of Costa Rican papaya (Carica papaya L.) hybrids and lines with particular focus on their genuine carotenoid profiles.

PubMed

Schweiggert, Ralf M; Steingass, Christof B; Esquivel, Patricia; Carle, Reinhold

2012-03-14

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) F1 hybrids and inbred lines grown in Costa Rica were screened for morphological and nutritionally relevant fruit traits. The qualitative composition of carotenoids showed great similarity, being mostly composed of free and esterified β-cryptoxanthins accompanied by β-carotene, lycopene, and biosynthetic precursors. High levels of (all-E)-lycopene and its isomers were distinctive for red-fleshed hybrids, whereas yellow-fleshed fruits were virtually devoid of lycopenes. Because carotenoid levels among the investigated hybrids and lines differed significantly, this study supports the hypothesis of an exploitable genetic variability, and a potential heterotic effect regarding carotenoid expression may be instrumental in papaya-breeding programs. Due to significantly higher levels of provitamin A carotenoids and coinciding high levels of total lycopene, particularly red-fleshed hybrids might represent prospective sources of these compounds. Furthermore, the nutritional value of some genotypes was boosted by substantial amounts of ascorbic acid (up to 73 mg/100 g of fresh weight), which correlated to total soluble solids (R(2) = 0.86).

Novel non-cytotoxic, bioactive and biodegradable hybrid materials based on polyurethanes/TiO2 for biomedical applications.

PubMed

González-García, Dulce M; Téllez Jurado, L; Jiménez-Gallegos, R; Rodríguez-Lorenzo, Luis M

2017-06-01

Titanium compounds have demonstrated great interfacial properties with biological tissues whereas a wide variety of polyurethanes have also been successfully probed in medical applications. However, studies about hybrids based on polyurethanes/TiO 2 for medical applications are scarce. The aim of this work is to design novel biodegradable hybrid materials based on polyurethanes/TiO 2 (80% organic-20% inorganic) and to perform a preliminary study of the potential applications in bone regeneration. The hybrids have been prepared by a sol-gel reaction using titanium isopropoxide as precursor of the inorganic component and polyurethane as the organic one. A series of polyurethanes has been prepared using different polyesters glycol succinate as soft segment, and 1,6-diisocyanatohexane (HDI) and butanediol (BD) as linear hard segment. The spectroscopy techniques used allow to confirm the formation of the required polyurethanes by the identification of bands related to carboxylic groups (COOH), and the amine groups (NH), and also the TiOH bonds and the bonds related to the interconnected network between the inorganic and the organic components from hybrids. The results from SEM/EDS show a homogeneous distribution of the inorganic component into the organic matrix. The nontoxic character of the hybrid (H400) was probed using MG-63 cell line with over 90% of cell viability. Finally, the formation of a hydroxyapatite layer in the material surface after 21days of soaking in SBF shows the bioactive character. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Growing a National Learning Environments and Resources Network for Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education: Current Issues and Opportunities for the NSDL Program; Open Linking in the Scholarly Information Environment Using the OpenURL Framework; The HeadLine Personal Information Environment: Evaluation Phase One.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zia, Lee L.; Van de Sompel, Herbert; Beit-Arie, Oren; Gambles, Anne

2001-01-01

Includes three articles that discuss the National Science Foundation's National Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education Digital Library (NSDL) program; the OpenURL framework for open reference linking in the Web-based scholarly information environment; and HeadLine (Hybrid Electronic Access and Delivery in the Library Networked…

Application of Model Based Parameter Estimation for Fast Frequency Response Calculations of Input Characteristics of Cavity-Backed Aperture Antennas Using Hybrid FEM/MoM Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reddy C. J.

1998-01-01

Model Based Parameter Estimation (MBPE) is presented in conjunction with the hybrid Finite Element Method (FEM)/Method of Moments (MoM) technique for fast computation of the input characteristics of cavity-backed aperture antennas over a frequency range. The hybrid FENI/MoM technique is used to form an integro-partial- differential equation to compute the electric field distribution of a cavity-backed aperture antenna. In MBPE, the electric field is expanded in a rational function of two polynomials. The coefficients of the rational function are obtained using the frequency derivatives of the integro-partial-differential equation formed by the hybrid FEM/ MoM technique. Using the rational function approximation, the electric field is obtained over a frequency range. Using the electric field at different frequencies, the input characteristics of the antenna are obtained over a wide frequency range. Numerical results for an open coaxial line, probe-fed coaxial cavity and cavity-backed microstrip patch antennas are presented. Good agreement between MBPE and the solutions over individual frequencies is observed.

A Hybrid Readout Solution for GaN-Based Detectors Using CMOS Technology.

PubMed

Padmanabhan, Preethi; Hancock, Bruce; Nikzad, Shouleh; Bell, L Douglas; Kroep, Kees; Charbon, Edoardo

2018-02-03

Gallium nitride (GaN) and its alloys are becoming preferred materials for ultraviolet (UV) detectors due to their wide bandgap and tailorable out-of-band cutoff from 3.4 eV to 6.2 eV. GaN based avalanche photodiodes (APDs) are particularly suitable for their high photon sensitivity and quantum efficiency in the UV region and for their inherent insensitivity to visible wavelengths. Challenges exist however for practical utilization. With growing interests in such photodetectors, hybrid readout solutions are becoming prevalent with CMOS technology being adopted for its maturity, scalability, and reliability. In this paper, we describe our approach to combine GaN APDs with a CMOS readout circuit, comprising of a linear array of 1 × 8 capacitive transimpedance amplifiers (CTIAs), implemented in a 0.35 µm high voltage CMOS technology. Further, we present a simple, yet sustainable circuit technique to allow operation of APDs under high reverse biases, up to ≈80 V with verified measurement results. The readout offers a conversion gain of 0.43 µV/e - , obtaining avalanche gains up to 10³. Several parameters of the CTIA are discussed followed by a perspective on possible hybridization, exploiting the advantages of a 3D-stacked technology.

Interdiffusion Reaction-Assisted Hybridization of Two-Dimensional Metal-Organic Frameworks and Ti3C2Tx Nanosheets for Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution.

PubMed

Zhao, Li; Dong, Biliang; Li, Shaozhou; Zhou, Lijun; Lai, Linfei; Wang, Zhiwei; Zhao, Shulin; Han, Min; Gao, Kai; Lu, Min; Xie, Xiaoji; Chen, Bo; Liu, Zhengdong; Wang, Xiangjing; Zhang, Hao; Li, Hai; Liu, Juqing; Zhang, Hua; Huang, Xiao; Huang, Wei

2017-06-27

Two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets have been recently regarded as the model electrocatalysts due to their porous structure, fast mass and ion transfer through the thickness, and large portion of exposed active metal centers. Combining them with electrically conductive 2D nanosheets is anticipated to achieve further improved performance in electrocatalysis. In this work, we in situ hybridized 2D cobalt 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate (CoBDC) with Ti 3 C 2 T x (the MXene phase) nanosheets via an interdiffusion reaction-assisted process. The resulting hybrid material was applied in the oxygen evolution reaction and achieved a current density of 10 mA cm -2 at a potential of 1.64 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode and a Tafel slope of 48.2 mV dec -1 in 0.1 M KOH. These results outperform those obtained by the standard IrO 2 -based catalyst and are comparable with or even better than those achieved by the previously reported state-of-the-art transition-metal-based catalysts. While the CoBDC layer provided the highly porous structure and large active surface area, the electrically conductive and hydrophilic Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets enabled the rapid charge and ion transfer across the well-defined Ti 3 C 2 T x -CoBDC interface and facilitated the access of aqueous electrolyte to the catalytically active CoBDC surfaces. The hybrid nanosheets were further fabricated into an air cathode for a rechargeable zinc-air battery, which was successfully used to power a light-emitting diode. We believe that the in situ hybridization of MXenes and 2D MOFs with interface control will provide more opportunities for their use in energy-based applications.

Anticorrosive, Ultralight, and Flexible Carbon-Wrapped Metallic Nanowire Hybrid Sponges for Highly Efficient Electromagnetic Interference Shielding.

PubMed

Wan, Yan-Jun; Zhu, Peng-Li; Yu, Shu-Hui; Sun, Rong; Wong, Ching-Ping; Liao, Wei-Hsin

2018-05-30

Metal-based materials with exceptional intrinsic conductivity own excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance. However, high density, corrosion susceptibility, and poor flexibility of the metal severely restrict their further applications in the areas of aircraft/aerospace, portable and wearable smart electronics. Herein, a lightweight, flexible, and anticorrosive silver nanowire wrapped carbon hybrid sponge (Ag@C) is fabricated and employed as ultrahigh efficiency EMI shielding material. The interconnected Ag@C hybrid sponges provide an effective way for electron transport, leading to a remarkable conductivity of 363.1 S m -1 and superb EMI shielding effectiveness of around 70.1 dB in the frequency range of 8.2-18 GHz, while the density is as low as 0.00382 g cm -3 , which are among the best performances for electrically conductive sponges/aerogels/foams by far. More importantly, the Ag@C sponge surprisingly exhibits super-hydrophobicity and strong corrosion resistance. In addition, the hybrid sponges possess excellent mechanical resilience even with a large strain (90% reversible compressibility) and an outstanding cycling stability, which is far better than the bare metallic aerogels, such as silver nanowire aerogels and copper nanowire foams. This strategy provides a facile methodology to fabricate lightweight, flexible, and anticorrosive metal-based sponge for highly efficient EMI shielding applications. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Genomic models with genotype × environment interaction for predicting hybrid performance: an application in maize hybrids.

PubMed

Acosta-Pech, Rocío; Crossa, José; de Los Campos, Gustavo; Teyssèdre, Simon; Claustres, Bruno; Pérez-Elizalde, Sergio; Pérez-Rodríguez, Paulino

2017-07-01

A new genomic model that incorporates genotype × environment interaction gave increased prediction accuracy of untested hybrid response for traits such as percent starch content, percent dry matter content and silage yield of maize hybrids. The prediction of hybrid performance (HP) is very important in agricultural breeding programs. In plant breeding, multi-environment trials play an important role in the selection of important traits, such as stability across environments, grain yield and pest resistance. Environmental conditions modulate gene expression causing genotype × environment interaction (G × E), such that the estimated genetic correlations of the performance of individual lines across environments summarize the joint action of genes and environmental conditions. This article proposes a genomic statistical model that incorporates G × E for general and specific combining ability for predicting the performance of hybrids in environments. The proposed model can also be applied to any other hybrid species with distinct parental pools. In this study, we evaluated the predictive ability of two HP prediction models using a cross-validation approach applied in extensive maize hybrid data, comprising 2724 hybrids derived from 507 dent lines and 24 flint lines, which were evaluated for three traits in 58 environments over 12 years; analyses were performed for each year. On average, genomic models that include the interaction of general and specific combining ability with environments have greater predictive ability than genomic models without interaction with environments (ranging from 12 to 22%, depending on the trait). We concluded that including G × E in the prediction of untested maize hybrids increases the accuracy of genomic models.

Reversed Frozen Elephant Trunk Technique to Treat a Type II Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

PubMed

Debus, E Sebastian; Kölbel, Tilo; Wipper, Sabine; Diener, Holger; Reiter, Beate; Detter, Christian; Tsilimparis, Nikolaos

2017-04-01

To describe a hybrid technique of reversed frozen elephant trunk to treat thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA) through an abdominal only approach. The technique is demonstrated in a 29-year-old Marfan patient with a chronic type B aortic dissection previously treated with a thoracic stent-graft who presented with a thoracoabdominal false lumen aneurysm. Through an open distal retroperitoneal approach to the abdominal aorta, a frozen elephant trunk graft was implanted over a super-stiff wire upside down with the stent-graft component in the thoracic aorta. Following deployment of the stent-graft proximally and preservation of renovisceral perfusion in a retrograde manner, the renovisceral vessels were sequentially anastomosed to the elephant trunk graft branches, thus reducing the ischemia time of the end organs. The aortic sac was then opened, and the distal part of the hybrid graft was anastomosed with a further bifurcated graft to the iliac vessels. The reversed frozen elephant trunk technique is feasible for hybrid treatment of TAAAs via an abdominal approach only. This has the benefit of substantially reducing the trauma of thoracic exposure, thus preserving major benefits of open thoracoabdominal surgery, such as the presence of short bypasses to the renovisceral vessels and reimplantation of lumbar arteries to reduce spinal cord ischemia.

Immortalized Human Hepatic Cell Lines for In Vitro Testing and Research Purposes.

PubMed

Ramboer, Eva; Vanhaecke, Tamara; Rogiers, Vera; Vinken, Mathieu

2015-01-01

The ubiquitous shortage of primary human hepatocytes has urged the scientific community to search for alternative cell sources, such as immortalized hepatic cell lines. Over the years, several human hepatic cell lines have been produced, whether or not using a combination of viral oncogenes and human telomerase reverse transcriptase protein. Conditional approaches for hepatocyte immortalization have also been established and allow generation of growth-controlled cell lines. A variety of immortalized human hepatocytes have already proven useful as tools for liver-based in vitro testing and fundamental research purposes. The present chapter describes currently applied immortalization strategies and provides an overview of the actually available immortalized human hepatic cell lines and their in vitro applications.

System and method for deriving a process-based specification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinchey, Michael Gerard (Inventor); Rouff, Christopher A. (Inventor); Rash, James Larry (Inventor)

2009-01-01

A system and method for deriving a process-based specification for a system is disclosed. The process-based specification is mathematically inferred from a trace-based specification. The trace-based specification is derived from a non-empty set of traces or natural language scenarios. The process-based specification is mathematically equivalent to the trace-based specification. Code is generated, if applicable, from the process-based specification. A process, or phases of a process, using the features disclosed can be reversed and repeated to allow for an interactive development and modification of legacy systems. The process is applicable to any class of system, including, but not limited to, biological and physical systems, electrical and electro-mechanical systems in addition to software, hardware and hybrid hardware-software systems.

Evaluation of Bt Corn with Pyramided Genes on Efficacy and Insect Resistance Management for the Asian Corn Borer in China.

PubMed

Jiang, Fan; Zhang, Tiantao; Bai, Shuxiong; Wang, Zhenying; He, Kanglai

2016-01-01

A Bt corn hybrid (AcIe) with two Bt genes (cry1Ie and cry1Ac) was derived by breeding stack from line expressing Cry1Ie and a line expressing Cry1Ac. Efficacy of this pyramided Bt corn hybrid against the Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis, was evaluated. We conducted laboratory bioassays using susceptible and resistant ACB strains fed on artificial diet or fresh plant tissues. We also conducted field trials with artificial infestations of ACB neonates at the V6 and silk stages. The toxin-diet bioassay data indicated that mixtures of Cry1Ac and Cry1Ie proteins had synergistic insecticidal efficacy. The plant tissue bioassay data indicated that Bt corn hybrids expressing either a single toxin (Cry1Ac or Cry1Ie) or two toxins had high efficacy against susceptible ACB. Damage ratings in the field trials indicated that the Bt corn hybrids could effectively protect against 1st and the 2nd generation ACB in China. The hybrid line with two Bt genes showed a higher efficacy against ACB larvae resistant to Cry1Ac or CryIe than the hybrid containing one Bt gene, and the two gene hybrid would have increased potential for managing or delaying the evolution of ACB resistance to Bt corn plants.

Regeneration of asymmetric somatic hybrid plants from the fusion of two types of wheat with Russian wildrye.

PubMed

Li, Cuiling; Xia, Guangmin; Xiang, Fengning; Zhou, Chuanen; Cheng, Aixia

2004-12-01

Two types of protoplasts of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Jinan 177) were used in fusion experiments--cha9, with a high division frequency, and 176, with a high regeneration frequency. The fusion combination of either cha9 or 176 protoplasts with Russian wildrye protoplasts failed to produce regenerated calli. When a mixture of cha9 and 176 protoplasts were fused with those of Russian wildrye, 14 fusion-derived calli were produced, of which seven differentiated into green plants and two differentiated into albinos. The morphology of all hybrid plants strongly resembled that of the parental wheat type. The hybrid nature of the cell lines was confirmed by cytological, isozyme, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) analyses. GISH analysis revealed that only chromosome fragments of Russian wildrye were transferred to the wheat chromosomes of hybrid calli and plants. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) analysis of the chloroplast genome of the hybrids with seven pairs of wheat-specific chloroplast microsatellite primers indicated that all of the cell lines had band patterns identical to wheat. Our results show that highly asymmetric somatic hybrid calli and plants can be produced via symmetric fusion in a triparental fusion system. The dominant effect of two wheat cell lines on the exclusion of Russian wildrye chromosomes is discussed.

Utilization of flow cytometry to identify chimeral sectors in leaf tissue of Lolium multiflorum x L. arundinaceum hybrids

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We have identified a method whereby Lolium multiflorum (Lm) or L. arundinaceum (Fa) genomes are preferentially eliminated through a mitotic loss behavior in interspecific Lm x Fa F1 hybrids, generating either dihaploid Lm lines or Fa lines. Flow cytometry, a method for rapidly characterizing optical...

Excision of Nucleopolyhedrovirus Form Transgenic Silkworm Using the CRISPR/Cas9 System.

PubMed

Dong, Zhanqi; Dong, Feifan; Yu, Xinbo; Huang, Liang; Jiang, Yaming; Hu, Zhigang; Chen, Peng; Lu, Cheng; Pan, Minhui

2018-01-01

The CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering has been shown to efficiently suppress infection by disrupting genes of the pathogen. We recently constructed transgenic lines expressing CRISPR/Cas9 and the double sgRNA target Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) immediate early-1 ( ie-1 ) gene in the silkworm, respectively, and obtained four transgenic hybrid lines by G1 generation hybridization: Cas9(-)/sgRNA(-), Cas9(+)/sgRNA(-), Cas9(-)/sgRNA(+), and Cas9(+)/sgRNA(+). We demonstrated that the Cas9(+)/sgRNA(+) transgenic lines effectively edited the target site of the BmNPV genome, and large fragment deletion was observed after BmNPV infection. Further antiviral analysis of the Cas9(+)/sgRNA(+) transgenic lines shows that the median lethal dose (LD50) is 1,000-fold higher than the normal lines after inoculation with occlusion bodies. The analysis of economic characters and off-target efficiency of Cas9(+)/sgRNA(+) transgenic hybrid line showed no significant difference compared with the normal lines. Our findings indicate that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering more effectively targets the BmNPV genomes and could be utilized as an insect antiviral treatment.

Excision of Nucleopolyhedrovirus Form Transgenic Silkworm Using the CRISPR/Cas9 System

PubMed Central

Dong, Zhanqi; Dong, Feifan; Yu, Xinbo; Huang, Liang; Jiang, Yaming; Hu, Zhigang; Chen, Peng; Lu, Cheng; Pan, Minhui

2018-01-01

The CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering has been shown to efficiently suppress infection by disrupting genes of the pathogen. We recently constructed transgenic lines expressing CRISPR/Cas9 and the double sgRNA target Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) immediate early-1 (ie-1) gene in the silkworm, respectively, and obtained four transgenic hybrid lines by G1 generation hybridization: Cas9(-)/sgRNA(-), Cas9(+)/sgRNA(-), Cas9(-)/sgRNA(+), and Cas9(+)/sgRNA(+). We demonstrated that the Cas9(+)/sgRNA(+) transgenic lines effectively edited the target site of the BmNPV genome, and large fragment deletion was observed after BmNPV infection. Further antiviral analysis of the Cas9(+)/sgRNA(+) transgenic lines shows that the median lethal dose (LD50) is 1,000-fold higher than the normal lines after inoculation with occlusion bodies. The analysis of economic characters and off-target efficiency of Cas9(+)/sgRNA(+) transgenic hybrid line showed no significant difference compared with the normal lines. Our findings indicate that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering more effectively targets the BmNPV genomes and could be utilized as an insect antiviral treatment. PMID:29503634

A hybrid Boundary Element Unstructured Transmission-line (BEUT) method for accurate 2D electromagnetic simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simmons, Daniel; Cools, Kristof; Sewell, Phillip

2016-11-01

Time domain electromagnetic simulation tools have the ability to model transient, wide-band applications, and non-linear problems. The Boundary Element Method (BEM) and the Transmission Line Modeling (TLM) method are both well established numerical techniques for simulating time-varying electromagnetic fields. The former surface based method can accurately describe outwardly radiating fields from piecewise uniform objects and efficiently deals with large domains filled with homogeneous media. The latter volume based method can describe inhomogeneous and non-linear media and has been proven to be unconditionally stable. Furthermore, the Unstructured TLM (UTLM) enables modelling of geometrically complex objects by using triangular meshes which removes staircasing and unnecessary extensions of the simulation domain. The hybridization of BEM and UTLM which is described in this paper is named the Boundary Element Unstructured Transmission-line (BEUT) method. It incorporates the advantages of both methods. The theory and derivation of the 2D BEUT method is described in this paper, along with any relevant implementation details. The method is corroborated by studying its correctness and efficiency compared to the traditional UTLM method when applied to complex problems such as the transmission through a system of Luneburg lenses and the modelling of antenna radomes for use in wireless communications.

Design of underwater robot lines based on a hybrid automatic optimization strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyu, Wenjing; Luo, Weilin

2014-09-01

In this paper, a hybrid automatic optimization strategy is proposed for the design of underwater robot lines. Isight is introduced as an integration platform. The construction of this platform is based on the user programming and several commercial software including UG6.0, GAMBIT2.4.6 and FLUENT12.0. An intelligent parameter optimization method, the particle swarm optimization, is incorporated into the platform. To verify the strategy proposed, a simulation is conducted on the underwater robot model 5470, which originates from the DTRC SUBOFF project. With the automatic optimization platform, the minimal resistance is taken as the optimization goal; the wet surface area as the constraint condition; the length of the fore-body, maximum body radius and after-body's minimum radius as the design variables. With the CFD calculation, the RANS equations and the standard turbulence model are used for direct numerical simulation. By analyses of the simulation results, it is concluded that the platform is of high efficiency and feasibility. Through the platform, a variety of schemes for the design of the lines are generated and the optimal solution is achieved. The combination of the intelligent optimization algorithm and the numerical simulation ensures a global optimal solution and improves the efficiency of the searching solutions.

A hybrid Boundary Element Unstructured Transmission-line (BEUT) method for accurate 2D electromagnetic simulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simmons, Daniel, E-mail: daniel.simmons@nottingham.ac.uk; Cools, Kristof; Sewell, Phillip

Time domain electromagnetic simulation tools have the ability to model transient, wide-band applications, and non-linear problems. The Boundary Element Method (BEM) and the Transmission Line Modeling (TLM) method are both well established numerical techniques for simulating time-varying electromagnetic fields. The former surface based method can accurately describe outwardly radiating fields from piecewise uniform objects and efficiently deals with large domains filled with homogeneous media. The latter volume based method can describe inhomogeneous and non-linear media and has been proven to be unconditionally stable. Furthermore, the Unstructured TLM (UTLM) enables modelling of geometrically complex objects by using triangular meshes which removesmore » staircasing and unnecessary extensions of the simulation domain. The hybridization of BEM and UTLM which is described in this paper is named the Boundary Element Unstructured Transmission-line (BEUT) method. It incorporates the advantages of both methods. The theory and derivation of the 2D BEUT method is described in this paper, along with any relevant implementation details. The method is corroborated by studying its correctness and efficiency compared to the traditional UTLM method when applied to complex problems such as the transmission through a system of Luneburg lenses and the modelling of antenna radomes for use in wireless communications. - Graphical abstract:.« less

Ka-Band Waveguide Hybrid Combiner for MMIC Amplifiers with Unequal and Arbitrary Power Output Ratio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simons, Rainee N.; Chevalier, Christine T.; Wintucky, Edwin G.; Freeman, Jon C.

2009-01-01

The design, simulation and characterization of a novel Ka-band (32.05 +/- 0.25 GHz) rectangular waveguide branchline hybrid unequal power combiner is presented. The manufactured combiner was designed to combine input signals, which are nearly in phase and with an amplitude ratio of two. The measured return loss and isolation of the branch-line hybrid are better than 22 and 27 dB, respectively. The application of the branch-line hybrid for combining two monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) power amplifiers with output power ratio of two is demonstrated. The measured combining efficiency is 92.9% at the center frequency of 32.05 GHz.

Mapping of bovine prolactin and rhodopsin genes in hybrid somatic cells.

PubMed

Hallerman, E M; Theilmann, J L; Beckmann, J S; Soller, M; Womack, J E

1988-01-01

The genes encoding bovine prolactin and rhodopsin were assigned to syntenic groups on the basis of hybridization of DNA from a panel of bovine-hamster hybrid somatic cell lines with cloned prolactin and rhodopsin gene probes. Prolactin was found to be syntenic with previously mapped glyoxalase, BoLA and 21-hydroxylase genes, establishing a syntenic conservation with human chromosome 6. The presence of bovine rhodopsin sequences among the various hybrid cell lines was not concordant with any gene previously assigned to one of the 23 defined autosomal syntenic groups. Thus, rhodopsin marks a new bovine syntenic group, U24, leaving only five cattle autosomes unmarked by at least one biochemical or molecular marker.

Methyl Vitamin B12 but not methylfolate rescues a motor neuron-like cell line from homocysteine-mediated cell death

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hemendinger, Richelle A., E-mail: richelle.hemendinger@carolinashealthcare.org; Armstrong, Edward J.; Brooks, Benjamin Rix

Homocysteine is an excitatory amino acid implicated in multiple diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Information on the toxicity of homocysteine in motor neurons is limited and few studies have examined how this toxicity can be modulated. In NSC-34D cells (a hybrid cell line derived from motor neuron-neuroblastoma), homocysteine induces apoptotic cell death in the millimolar range with a TC{sub 50} (toxic concentration at which 50% of maximal cell death is achieved) of 2.2 mM, confirmed by activation of caspase 3/7. Induction of apoptosis was independent of short-term reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Methyl Vitamin B12 (MeCbl) and methyl tetrahydrofolatemore » (MTHF), used clinically to treat elevated homocysteine levels, were tested for their ability to reverse homocysteine-mediated motor neuron cell death. MeCbl in the micromolar range was able to provide neuroprotection (2 h pretreatment prior to homocysteine) and neurorescue (simultaneous exposure with homocysteine) against millimolar homocysteine with an IC{sub 50} (concentration at which 50% of maximal cell death is inhibited) of 0.6 {mu}M and 0.4 {mu}M, respectively. In contrast, MTHF (up to 10 {mu}M) had no effect on homocysteine-mediated cell death. MeCbl inhibited caspase 3/7 activation by homocysteine in a time- and dose-dependent manner, whereas MTHF had no effect. We conclude that MeCbl is effective against homocysteine-induced cell death in motor neurons in a ROS-independent manner, via a reduction in caspase activation and apoptosis. MeCbl decreases Hcy induced motor neuron death in vitro in a hybrid cell line derived from motor neuron-neuroblastoma and may play a role in the treatment of late stage ALS where HCy levels are increased in animal models of ALS.« less

Hybrid dwarfness in crosses between wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rye (Secale cereale L.): a new look at an old phenomenon.

PubMed

Tikhenko, N; Rutten, T; Tsvetkova, N; Voylokov, A; Börner, A

2015-03-01

The existence of hybrid dwarfs from intraspecific crosses in wheat (Triticum aestivum) was described 100 years ago, and the genetics underlying hybrid dwarfness are well understood. In this study, we report a dwarf phenotype in interspecific hybrids between wheat and rye (Secale cereale). We identified two rye lines that produce hybrid dwarfs with wheat and have none of the hitherto known hybrid dwarfing genes. Genetic analyses revealed that both rye lines carry a single allelic gene responsible for the dwarf phenotype. This gene was designated Hdw-R1 (Hybrid dwarf-R1). Application of gibberellic acid (GA3 ) to both intraspecific (wheat-wheat) and interspecific (wheat-rye) hybrids showed that hybrid dwarfness cannot be overcome by treatment with this phytohormone. Histological analysis of shoot apices showed that wheat-rye hybrids with the dwarf phenotype at 21 and 45 days after germination failed to develop further. Shoot apices of dwarf plants did not elongate, did not form new primordia and had a dome-shaped appearance in the seed. The possible relationship between hybrid dwarfness and the genes responsible for the transition from vegetative to generative growth stage is discussed. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Structural tunability and switchable exciton emission in inorganic-organic hybrids with mixed halides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Shahab; Baumberg, Jeremy J.; Vijaya Prakash, G.

2013-12-01

Room-temperature tunable excitonic photoluminescence is demonstrated in alloy-tuned layered Inorganic-Organic (IO) hybrids, (C12H25NH3)2PbI4(1-y)Br4y (y = 0 to 1). These perovskite IO hybrids adopt structures with alternating stacks of low-dimensional inorganic and organic layers, considered to be naturally self-assembled multiple quantum wells. These systems resemble stacked monolayer 2D semiconductors since no interlayer coupling exists. Thin films of IO hybrids exhibit sharp and strong photoluminescence (PL) at room-temperature due to stable excitons formed within the low-dimensional inorganic layers. Systematic variation in the observed exciton PL from 510 nm to 350 nm as the alloy composition is changed, is attributed to the structural readjustment of crystal packing upon increase of the Br content in the Pb-I inorganic network. The energy separation between exciton absorption and PL is attributed to the modified exciton density of states and diffusion of excitons from relatively higher energy states corresponding to bromine rich sites towards the lower energy iodine sites. Apart from compositional fluctuations, these excitons show remarkable reversible flips at temperature-induced phase transitions. All the results are successfully correlated with thermal and structural studies. Such structural engineering flexibility in these hybrids allows selective tuning of desirable exciton properties within suitable operating temperature ranges. Such wide-range PL tunability and reversible exciton switching in these novel IO hybrids paves the way to potential applications in new generation of optoelectronic devices.

A novel strategy to prepare Ge@C/rGO hybrids as high-rate anode materials for lithium ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Bangrun; Wen, Zhaoyin; Jin, Jun; Hong, Xiaoheng; Zhang, Sanpei; Rui, Kun

2017-02-01

Germanium is considered as a promising anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high-capacity. However, owing to the huge volume variation during cycling, the batteries based on germanium anodes usually show poor cyclability and inferior rate capability. Herein, we demonstrated a novel strategy to uniformly anchor the core-shell structured germanium@carbon (Ge@C) on the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets by the strong adhesion of dopamine. In the resulting Ge@C/rGO hybrid, the amorphous carbon layer and rGO nanosheets can effectively reduce the agglomeration of germanium and provide buffer matrix for the volume change in electrochemical lithium reactions. When used as anode materials for LIBs, Ge@C/rGO hybrids deliver a reversible capacity of 1074.4 mA h g-1 at 2C after 600 cycles (with capacity retention of 96.5%) and high rate capability of 436 mA h g-1 at 20C after 200 cycles. The encouraging electrochemical performance clearly demonstrates that Ge@C/rGO hybrids could be a potential anode material with high capacity, excellent rate capability, and good cycling stability for LIBs.

Yogic exercises and health--a psycho-neuro immunological approach.

PubMed

Kulkarni, D D; Bera, T K

2009-01-01

Relaxation potential of yogic exercises seems to play a vital role in establishing psycho-physical health in reversing the psycho-immunology of emotions under stress based on breath and body awareness. However, mechanism of yogic exercises for restoring health and fitness components operating through psycho-neuro-immunological pathways is unknown. Therefore, a hybrid model of human information processing-psycho-neuroendocrine (HIP-PNE) network has been proposed to reveal the importance of yogic information processing. This study focuses on two major pathways of information processing involving cortical and hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) interactions with a deep reach molecular action on cellular, neuro-humoral and immune system in reversing stress mediated diseases. Further, the proposed HIP-PNE model has ample of experimental potential for objective evaluation of yogic view of health and fitness.

A terahertz performance of hybrid single walled CNT based amplifier with analytical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Sandeep; Song, Hanjung

2018-01-01

This work is focuses on terahertz performance of hybrid single walled carbon nanotube (CNT) based amplifier and proposed for measurement of soil parameters application. The proposed circuit topology provides hybrid structure which achieves wide impedance bandwidth of 0.33 THz within range of 1.07-THz to 1.42-THz with fractional amount of 28%. The single walled RF CNT network executes proposed ambition and proves its ability to resonant at 1.25-THz with analytical approach. Moreover, a RF based microstrip transmission line radiator used as compensator in the circuit topology which achieves more than 30 dB of gain. A proper methodology is chosen for achieves stability at circuit level in order to obtain desired optimal conditions. The fundamental approach optimizes matched impedance condition at (50+j0) Ω and noise variation with impact of series resistances for the proposed hybrid circuit topology and demonstrates the accuracy of performance parameters at the circuit level. The chip fabrication of the proposed circuit by using RF based commercial CMOS process of 45 nm which reveals promising results with simulation one. Additionally, power measurement analysis achieves highest output power of 26 dBm with power added efficiency of 78%. The succeed minimum noise figure from 0.6 dB to 0.4 dB is outstanding achievement for circuit topology at terahertz range. The chip area of hybrid circuit is 0.65 mm2 and power consumption of 9.6 mW.

Quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical and docking study of the novel analogues based on hybridization of common pharmacophores as potential anti-breast cancer agents

PubMed Central

Asadi, Parvin; Khodarahmi, Ghadamali; Farrokhpour, Hossein; Hassanzadeh, Farshid; Saghaei, Lotfollah

2017-01-01

In an attempt to identify some new potential leads as anti-breast cancer agents, novel hybrid compounds were designed by molecular hybridization approach. These derivatives were structurally derived from hybrid benzofuran–imidazole and quinazolinone derivatives, which had shown good cytotoxicity against the breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Since aromatase enzyme (CYP19) is highly expressed in the MCF-7 cell line, the binding of these novel hybrid compounds to aromatase was investigated using the docking method. In this study, due to the positive charge on the imidazole ring of the designed ligands and also, the presence of heme iron in the active site of the enzyme, it was decided to optimize the ligand inside the protein to obtain more realistic atomic charges for it. Quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) method was used to obtain more accurate atomic charges of ligand for docking calculations by considering the polarization effects of CYP19 on ligands. It was observed that the refitted charge improved the binding energy of the docked compounds. Also, the results showed that these novel hybrid compounds were adopted properly within the aromatase binding site, thereby suggesting that they could be potential inhibitors of aromatase. The main binding modes in these complexes were through hydrophobic and H bond interactions showing agreement with the basic physicochemical features of known anti aromatase compounds. Finally, the complex structures obtained from the docking study were used for single point QM/MM calculations to obtain more accurate electronic interaction energy, considering the electronic polarization of the ligand by its protein environment. PMID:28626481

Ultrasensitive NO2 gas sensors using hybrid heterojunctions of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and on-chip grown SnO2 nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyet, Quan Thi Minh; Van Duy, Nguyen; Manh Hung, Chu; Hoa, Nguyen Duc; Van Hieu, Nguyen

2018-04-01

Hybrid heterojunction devices are designed for ultrahigh response to NO2 toxic gas. The devices were constructed by assembling multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on a microelectrode chip bridged bare Pt-electrode and a Pt-electrode with pre-grown SnO2 nanowires (NWs). All heterojunction devices were realized using different types of MWCNTs, which exhibit ultrahigh response to sub-ppm NO2 gas at 50 °C operated in the reverse bias mode. The response to 1 ppm NO2 gas reaches 11300, which is about 100 times higher than that of a back-to-back heterojunction device fabricated from SnO2 NWs and MWCNTs. In addition, the present device exhibits an ultralow detection limit of about 0.68 ppt. The modulation of trap-assisted tunneling current under reverse bias is the main gas-sensing mechanism. This principle device presents a concept for developing gas sensors made of a hybrid between semiconductor metal oxide NWs and CNTs.

A hybrid regenerative water recovery system for lunar/Mars life support applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verostko, Charles E.; Edeen, Marybeth A.; Packham, Nigel J. C.

1992-01-01

Long-duration manned space missions will require integrated biological and physicochemical processes for recovery of resources from wastes. This paper discusses a hybrid regenerative biological and physicochemical water recovery system designed and built at NASA's Crew and Thermal Systems Division at Johnson Space Center. The system is sized for a four-person crew and consists of a two-stage, aerobic, trickling filter bioreactor; a reverse osmosis system; and a photocatalytic oxidation system. The system was designed to accommodate high organic and inorganic loadings and a low hydraulic loading. The bioreactor was designed to oxidize organics to carbon dioxide and water; the reverse osmosis system reduces inorganic content to potable quality; and the photocatalytic oxidation unit removes residual organic impurities (part per million range) and provides in situ disinfection. The design and performance of the hybrid system for producing potable/hygiene water is described. Aspects of the system such as closure, automation and integration are discussed and preliminary results presented.

Ultrafast web inspection with hybrid dispersion laser scanner.

PubMed

Chen, Hongwei; Wang, Chao; Yazaki, Akio; Kim, Chanju; Goda, Keisuke; Jalali, Bahram

2013-06-10

We report an ultrafast web inspector that operates at a 1000 times higher scan rate than conventional methods. This system is based on a hybrid dispersion laser scanner that performs line scans at nearly 100 MHz. Specifically, we demonstrate web inspection with detectable resolution of 48.6 μm/pixel (scan direction) × 23 μm (web flow direction) within a width of view of 6 mm at a record high scan rate of 90.9 MHz. We demonstrate the identification and evaluation of particles on silicon wafers. This method holds great promise for speeding up quality control and hence reducing manufacturing costs.

Equilibrium-line altitude during the Antarctic Cold Reversal at Río Tranquilo glacier (47°S), Central Patagonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sagredo, E. A.; Ward, D.; Gonzalez, M. A.; Lowell, T. V.; Kelly, M. A.; Aravena, J. C.

2013-12-01

Documenting the magnitude of former glacial fluctuations is critical for understanding the mechanisms and climate signals underlying these glacial events. Here, we estimate the equilibrium line altitudes (ELA) associated with the most prominent glacial advance occurred during the Last Glacial Termination (T1) at Tranquilo glacier (47°S). Geomorphic evidence suggest that, following the Last Glacial Maximum, several small glaciers, which today occupy the headwalls of Río Tranquilo valley, expanded and coalesced, forming the extended version of the Tranquilo glacier at least three different times. 10Be ages suggest that the most prominent of these glacial advances occurred ~13 kyr BP, at the end of the Antarctic Cold Reversal (ACR). Based on glacial geomorphic mapping and the application of a glaciological model (GC2D), we reconstruct the former glacial surface at Tranquilo glacier and estimate the ELA for this major glacial advance. Preliminary data show that the equilibrium line altitude at Tranquilo glacier during the ACR could have been up to 500 m lower than the present. This study represents the first effort to quantify the ELA during the Antarctic Cold Reversal in Patagonia, and provides a baseline to decipher the climatic signals driving this glacial event.

Simultaneous Detection and Identification of Aspergillus and Mucorales Species in Tissues Collected from Patients with Fungal Rhinosinusitis▿

PubMed Central

Zhao, Zuotao; Li, Lili; Wan, Zhe; Chen, Wei; Liu, Honggang; Li, Ruoyu

2011-01-01

Rapid detection and differentiation of Aspergillus and Mucorales species in fungal rhinosinusitis diagnosis are desirable, since the clinical management and prognosis associated with the two taxa are fundamentally different. We describe an assay based on a combination of broad-range PCR amplification and reverse line blot hybridization (PCR/RLB) to detect and differentiate the pathogens causing fungal rhinosinusitis, which include five Aspergillus species (A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, A. terreus, and A. nidulans) and seven Mucorales species (Mucor heimalis, Mucor racemosus, Mucor cercinelloidea, Rhizopus arrhizus, Rhizopus microsporus, Rhizomucor pusillus, and Absidia corymbifera). The assay was validated with 98 well-characterized clinical isolates and 41 clinical tissue specimens. PCR/RLB showed high sensitivity and specificity, with 100% correct identifications of 98 clinical isolates and no cross-hybridization between the species-specific probes. Results for five control isolates, Candida albicans, Fusarium solani, Scedosporium apiospermum, Penicillium marneffei, and Exophiala verrucosa, were negative as judged by PCR/RLB. The analytical sensitivity of PCR/RLB was found to be 1.8 × 10−3 ng/μl by 10-fold serial dilution of Aspergillus genomic DNA. The assay identified 35 of 41 (85.4%) clinical specimens, exhibiting a higher sensitivity than fungal culture (22 of 41; 53.7%) and direct sequencing (18 of 41; 43.9%). PCR/RLB similarly showed high specificity, with correct identification 16 of 18 specimens detected by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing and 16 of 22 detected by fungal culture, but it also has the additional advantage of being able to detect mixed infection in a single clinical specimen. The PCR/RLB assay thus provides a rapid and reliable option for laboratory diagnosis of fungal rhinosinusitis. PMID:21325541

Simultaneous detection and identification of Aspergillus and mucorales species in tissues collected from patients with fungal rhinosinusitis.

PubMed

Zhao, Zuotao; Li, Lili; Wan, Zhe; Chen, Wei; Liu, Honggang; Li, Ruoyu

2011-04-01

Rapid detection and differentiation of Aspergillus and Mucorales species in fungal rhinosinusitis diagnosis are desirable, since the clinical management and prognosis associated with the two taxa are fundamentally different. We describe an assay based on a combination of broad-range PCR amplification and reverse line blot hybridization (PCR/RLB) to detect and differentiate the pathogens causing fungal rhinosinusitis, which include five Aspergillus species (A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger, A. terreus, and A. nidulans) and seven Mucorales species (Mucor heimalis, Mucor racemosus, Mucor cercinelloidea, Rhizopus arrhizus, Rhizopus microsporus, Rhizomucor pusillus, and Absidia corymbifera). The assay was validated with 98 well-characterized clinical isolates and 41 clinical tissue specimens. PCR/RLB showed high sensitivity and specificity, with 100% correct identifications of 98 clinical isolates and no cross-hybridization between the species-specific probes. Results for five control isolates, Candida albicans, Fusarium solani, Scedosporium apiospermum, Penicillium marneffei, and Exophiala verrucosa, were negative as judged by PCR/RLB. The analytical sensitivity of PCR/RLB was found to be 1.8 × 10(-3) ng/μl by 10-fold serial dilution of Aspergillus genomic DNA. The assay identified 35 of 41 (85.4%) clinical specimens, exhibiting a higher sensitivity than fungal culture (22 of 41; 53.7%) and direct sequencing (18 of 41; 43.9%). PCR/RLB similarly showed high specificity, with correct identification 16 of 18 specimens detected by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing and 16 of 22 detected by fungal culture, but it also has the additional advantage of being able to detect mixed infection in a single clinical specimen. The PCR/RLB assay thus provides a rapid and reliable option for laboratory diagnosis of fungal rhinosinusitis.

Performance comparison of a new hybrid conjugate gradient method under exact and inexact line searches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghani, N. H. A.; Mohamed, N. S.; Zull, N.; Shoid, S.; Rivaie, M.; Mamat, M.

2017-09-01

Conjugate gradient (CG) method is one of iterative techniques prominently used in solving unconstrained optimization problems due to its simplicity, low memory storage, and good convergence analysis. This paper presents a new hybrid conjugate gradient method, named NRM1 method. The method is analyzed under the exact and inexact line searches in given conditions. Theoretically, proofs show that the NRM1 method satisfies the sufficient descent condition with both line searches. The computational result indicates that NRM1 method is capable in solving the standard unconstrained optimization problems used. On the other hand, the NRM1 method performs better under inexact line search compared with exact line search.

Levofloxacin-based and clarithromycin-based triple therapies as first-line and second-line treatments for Helicobacter pylori infection: a randomised comparative trial with crossover design.

PubMed

Liou, Jyh-Ming; Lin, Jaw-Town; Chang, Chi-Yang; Chen, Mei-Jyh; Cheng, Tsu-Yao; Lee, Yi-Chia; Chen, Chien-Chuan; Sheng, Wang-Huei; Wang, Hsiu-Po; Wu, Ming-Shiang

2010-05-01

The efficacy of a levofloxacin-based regimen as the first-line treatment and a clarithromycin-based regimen as the second-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection remains unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the eradication rates of these two regimens using different administration sequences. Eligible patients were randomised to receive LAL: levofloxacin (750 mg once a day), amoxicillin (1000 mg twice a day) and lansoprazole (30 mg twice a day) for 7 days, or CAL: clarithromycin (500 mg twice a day), amoxicillin (1000 mg twice a day) and lansoprazole (30 mg twice a day) for 7 days. Patients with positive [(13)C]urea breath test after treatment were retreated with the rescue regimen in a crossover manner for 10 days. When used as first-line treatment (n=432), the eradication rates of LAL (n=217) and CAL (n=215) were 74.2 and 83.7% (p=0.015) in the intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis, and 80.1 and 87.4% (p=0.046) in the per-protocol (PP) analysis, respectively. When used as second-line treatment, the eradication rates of LAL (n=26) and CAL (n=40) were 76.9 and 60% (p=0.154) in the ITT analysis, and 80 and 61.5% (p=0.120) in the PP analysis, respectively. The overall eradication rates of CAL followed by LAL were better than the reverse sequence in both the ITT analysis (93% vs 85.3%, p=0.01) and the PP analysis (97.6% vs 92.5%, p=0.019). The eradication rate was significantly lower in the presence of levofloxacin resistance in the LAL group (50% vs 84.4%, p=0.018) and clarithromycin resistance in the CAL group (44.4% vs 90.7%, p=0.002). CAL achieved a higher eradication rate than LAL as the first-line treatment, but not as the second-line treatment. The strategy of using CAL as the initial treatment and LAL as the rescue regimen achieved higher eradication rates than the reverse sequence.

Introduction of Thinopyrum intermedium ssp. trichophorum chromosomes to wheat by trigeneric hybridization involving Triticum, Secale and Thinopyrum genera.

PubMed

Li, Jianbo; Lang, Tao; Li, Bin; Yu, Zhihui; Wang, Hongjin; Li, Guangrong; Yang, Ennian; Yang, Zujun

2017-06-01

Fluorescence in situ hybridization and molecular markers have confirmed that several chromosomes from Thinopyrum intermedium ssp. trichophorum have been added to a wheat background, which originated from a cross between a wheat- Thinopyrum partial amphiploid and triticale. The lines displayed blue grains and resistance to wheat stripe rust. Thinopyrum intermedium has been used as a valuable resource for improving the disease resistance and yield potential of wheat. With the aim to transfer novel genetic variation from Th. intermedium species for sustainable wheat breeding, a new trigeneric hybrid was produced by crossing an octoploid wheat-Th. intermedium ssp. trichophorum partial amphiploid with hexaploid triticale. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed that Thinopyrum chromosomes were transmitted preferably and the number of rye chromosomes tended to decrease gradually in the selfed derivatives of the trigeneric hybrids. Four stable wheat-Th. intermedium chromosome substitution, addition and translocation lines were selected, and a 2J S addition line, two substitution lines of 4J S (4B) and 4J(4B), and a small 4J.4B translocation line were identified by FISH and molecular markers. It was revealed that the gene(s) responsible for blue grains may located on the FL0.60-1.00 of long arm of Th. intermedium-derived 4J chromosome. Disease resistance screenings indicated that chromosomes 4J S and 2J S appear to enhance the resistance to stripe rust in the adult plant stage. The new germplasm with Th. intermedium introgression shows promise for utilization of Thinopyrum chromosome segments in future wheat improvement.

Genetics of Hybrid Incompatibility Between Lycopersicon esculentum and L. hirsutum

PubMed Central

Moyle, Leonie C.; Graham, Elaine B.

2005-01-01

We examined the genetics of hybrid incompatibility between two closely related diploid hermaphroditic plant species. Using a set of near-isogenic lines (NILs) representing 85% of the genome of the wild species Lycopersicon hirsutum (Solanum habrochaites) in the genetic background of the cultivated tomato L. esculentum (S. lycopersicum), we found that hybrid pollen and seed infertility are each based on 5–11 QTL that individually reduce hybrid fitness by 36–90%. Seed infertility QTL act additively or recessively, consistent with findings in other systems where incompatibility loci have largely been recessive. Genetic lengths of introgressed chromosomal segments explain little of the variation for hybrid incompatibility among NILs, arguing against an infinitesimal model of hybrid incompatibility and reinforcing our inference of a limited number of discrete incompatibility factors between these species. In addition, male (pollen) and other (seed) incompatibility factors are roughly comparable in number. The latter two findings contrast strongly with data from Drosophila where hybrid incompatibility can be highly polygenic and complex, and male sterility evolves substantially faster than female sterility or hybrid inviability. The observed differences between Lycopersicon and Drosophila might be due to differences in sex determination system, reproductive and mating biology, and/or the prevalence of sexual interactions such as sexual selection. PMID:15466436

Biotin-Pt (IV)-indomethacin hybrid: A targeting anticancer prodrug providing enhanced cancer cellular uptake and reversing cisplatin resistance.

PubMed

Hu, Weiwei; Fang, Lei; Hua, Wuyang; Gou, Shaohua

2017-10-01

A Pt(IV) prodrug (2) composed of cancer-targeting biotin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin in the axial positions of the six-coordinated octahedral geometry derived from cisplatin was developed, which could be highly accumulated in cancer cells more than normal ones and activated by endogenous reducing molecules to release cisplatin and indomethacin moieties simultaneously to inhibit tumor progression synergistically. In vitro assays revealed that 2 exhibited significantly selective inhibition to the tested cancer cell lines and sensitivity to cisplatin resistant cancer cells. Moreover, 2 presented cyclooxygenases inhibition properties to reduce tumor-associated inflammation, reduced the invasiveness of the highly aggressive PC-3 cells, and disrupted capillary-like tube formation in EA.hy926 cells. In all, this study offers a new strategy to enhance sensitivity and reduce toxicity of cisplatin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On the electrical characterization of platinum octaethylporphyrin (PtOEP)/Si hybrid device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abuelwafa, A. A.; El-Denglawey, A.; Dongol, M.; El-Nahass, M. M.; Ebied, M. S.; Soga, T.

2018-01-01

The electrical properties of Au/PtOEP/p-Si/Al and Au/PtOEP/n-Si/Al devices were studied in terms of current-voltage I- V characteristics at different temperatures ranging from 308 to 388 K. The two diodes were fabricated with the same qualifications. They showed a rectification behavior. The conduction mechanisms at forward and reverse bias and diode parameters as a function of the temperature for these devices were determined and discussed. The variation of the C -2- V characteristics for two diodes exhibited a straight line fit which supports the abrupt diode type. The interface state density N ss was determined from the I- V and C- V data using Card and Rhoderick's model. Also, the impedance spectroscopy plots for the two diodes and suitable equivalent circuit model were established to evaluate the details of interface carrier transfer and recombination processes.

Improving the efficiency of dissolved oxygen control using an on-line control system based on a genetic algorithm evolving FWNN software sensor.

PubMed

Ruan, Jujun; Zhang, Chao; Li, Ya; Li, Peiyi; Yang, Zaizhi; Chen, Xiaohong; Huang, Mingzhi; Zhang, Tao

2017-02-01

This work proposes an on-line hybrid intelligent control system based on a genetic algorithm (GA) evolving fuzzy wavelet neural network software sensor to control dissolved oxygen (DO) in an anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process for treating papermaking wastewater. With the self-learning and memory abilities of neural network, handling the uncertainty capacity of fuzzy logic, analyzing local detail superiority of wavelet transform and global search of GA, this proposed control system can extract the dynamic behavior and complex interrelationships between various operation variables. The results indicate that the reasonable forecasting and control performances were achieved with optimal DO, and the effluent quality was stable at and below the desired values in real time. Our proposed hybrid approach proved to be a robust and effective DO control tool, attaining not only adequate effluent quality but also minimizing the demand for energy, and is easily integrated into a global monitoring system for purposes of cost management. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alternative reproductive tactics and the propensity of hybridization.

PubMed

Tynkkynen, K; Raatikainen, K J; Häkkilä, M; Haukilehto, E; Kotiaho, J S

2009-12-01

One explanation for hybridization between species is the fitness benefits it occasionally confers to the hybridizing individuals. This explanation is possible in species that have evolved alternative male reproductive tactics: individuals with inferior tactics might be more prone to hybridization provided it increases their reproductive success and fitness. Here we experimentally tested whether the propensity of hybridization in the wild depends on male reproductive tactic in Calopteryx splendens damselflies. Counter to our expectation, it was males adopting the superior reproductive tactic (territoriality) that had greatest propensity to hybridize than males adopting the inferior tactics (sneakers and floaters). Moreover, among the territorial males, the most ornamented males had greatest propensity to hybridize whereas the pattern was reversed in the sneaker males. Our results suggest that there is fluctuating selection on male mate discrimination against heterospecific females depending on both ornament size and the male's reproductive tactic.

Fiber optofluidic biosensor for the label-free detection of DNA hybridization and methylation based on an in-line tunable mode coupler.

PubMed

Gao, Ran; Lu, Dan-Feng; Cheng, Jin; Jiang, Yi; Jiang, Lan; Xu, Jian-Dong; Qi, Zhi-Mei

2016-12-15

An optical fiber optofluidic biosensor for the detection of DNA hybridization and methylation has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated. An in-line fiber Michelson interferometer was formed in the photonic crystal fiber. A micrhole in the collapsed region, which combined the tunable mode coupler and optofluidic channel, was fabricated by using femtosecond laser micromachining. The mode field diameter of the guided light is changed with the refractive index in the optofluidic channel, which results in the tunable coupling ratio. Label-free detections of the DNA hybridization and methylation have been experimentally demonstrated. The probe single stranded DNA (ssDNA) was bound with the surface of the optofluidic channel through the Poly-l-lysine layer, and the hybridization between a short 22-mer probe ssDNA and a complementary target ssDNA was carried out and detected by interrogating the fringe visibility of the reflection spectrum. Then, the DNA methylation was also detected through the binding between the methylated DNA and the 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) monoclonal antibody. The experiments results demonstrate that the limit of detection of 5nM is achieved, establishing the tunable mode coupler as a sensitive and versatile biosensor. The sensitive optical fiber optofluidic biosensor possesses high specificity and low temperature cross-sensitivity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tenofovir-based regimens associated with less drug resistance in HIV-1-infected Nigerians failing first-line antiretroviral therapy.

PubMed

Etiebet, Mary-Ann A; Shepherd, James; Nowak, Rebecca G; Charurat, Man; Chang, Harry; Ajayi, Samuel; Elegba, Olufunmilayo; Ndembi, Nicaise; Abimiku, Alashle; Carr, Jean K; Eyzaguirre, Lindsay M; Blattner, William A

2013-02-20

In resource-limited settings, HIV-1 drug resistance testing to guide antiretroviral therapy (ART) selection is unavailable. We retrospectively conducted genotypic analysis on archived samples from Nigerian patients who received targeted viral load testing to confirm treatment failure and report their drug resistance mutation patterns. Stored plasma from 349 adult patients on non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) regimens was assayed for HIV-1 RNA viral load, and samples with more than 1000 copies/ml were sequenced in the pol gene. Analysis for resistance mutations utilized the IAS-US 2011 Drug Resistance Mutation list. One hundred and seventy-five samples were genotyped; the majority of the subtypes were G (42.9%) and CRF02_AG (33.7%). Patients were on ART for a median of 27 months. 90% had the M184V/I mutation, 62% had at least one thymidine analog mutation, and 14% had the K65R mutation. 97% had an NNRTI resistance mutation and 47% had at least two etravirine-associated mutations. In multivariate analysis tenofovir-based regimens were less likely to have at least three nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) mutations after adjusting for subtype, previous ART, CD4, and HIV viral load [P < 0.001, odds ratio (OR) 0.04]. 70% of patients on tenofovir-based regimens had at least two susceptible NRTIs to include in a second-line regimen compared with 40% on zidovudine-based regimens (P = 0.04, OR = 3.4). At recognition of treatment failure, patients on tenofovir-based first-line regimens had fewer NRTI drug-resistant mutations and more active NRTI drugs available for second-line regimens. These findings can inform strategies for ART regimen sequencing to optimize long-term HIV treatment outcomes in low-resource settings.

A comparison of the levels of oil, carotenoids, and lipolytic enzyme activities in modern lines and hybrids of grain sorghum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Thirteen modern commercial grain sorghum hybrids and five sorghum lines were extracted and the levels of oil and carotenoids were analyzed and compared. The same samples were also evaluated for lipolytic enzyme activity. The oil content in all eighteen samples ranged from 3.21 to 4.29 wt%. Beta c...

Study of the mechanical properties of hybrid composite basalt / alumina / shells for brake lining pads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adi Atmika, I. K.; Ary Subagia, IDG.; Surata, I. W.; Sutantra, I. N.

2017-05-01

Brake lining pad as one of the active safety components in motor vehicles has been studied thoroughly. Asbestos is the main material forming the brake in addition to other alloy materials that have a negative impact on health and the environment. This paper explain the behavior of hybrid composites phenolic resin with basalt/alumina/clamshell powder reinforced on brake lining pad. This materials has been manufactured use compaction and sintering process through any steps, that an emphasis of 2,000 kg for 30 minutes at a constant temperature of 150° C. The research aims to investigate hardness characteristic of hybrid composite that test using the vickers according to standard ASTM E-384. The reinforced materials and phenolic resin composition is 60%: 40%. The results show for the average hardness VHN to 24.18, 25.11, 26.34, 27.21 and 28.83. The average hardness hybrid composite shows the hardness harder than asbestos materials.

Detection and quantification of Epstein-Barr virus EBER1 in EBV-infected cells by fluorescent in situ hybridization and flow cytometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stowe, R. P.; Cubbage, M. L.; Sams, C. F.; Pierson, D. L.; Barrett, A. D.

1998-01-01

A rapid and highly sensitive fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assay was developed to detect Epstein Barr virus (EBV)-infected cells in peripheral blood. Multiple fluorescein-labeled antisense oligonucleotide probes were designed to hybridize to the EBER1 transcript, which is highly expressed in latently infected cells. After a rapid (30 min) hybridization, the cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. EBER1 was detected in several positive control cell lines that have variable numbers of EBV genome copies. No EBER1 was detected in two known EBV-negative cell lines. Northern blot analyses confirmed the presence and quantity of EBER1 transcripts in each cell line. This method was used to quantify the number of EBV-infected cells in peripheral blood from a patient with chronic mononucleosis. These results indicate that EBV-infected cells can be detected at the single cell level, and that this assay can be used to quantify the number of EBV-infected cells in clinical samples.

Transcription and translation in an RNA world

PubMed Central

Taylor, William R

2006-01-01

The RNA world hypothesis requires a ribozyme that was an RNA-directed RNA polymerase (ribopolymerase). If such a replicase makes a reverse complementary copy of any sequence (including itself), in a simple RNA world, there is no mechanism to prevent self-hybridization. It is proposed that this can be avoided through the synthesis of a parallel complementary copy. The logical consequences of this are pursued and developed in a computer simulation, where the behaviour of the parallel copy is compared to the conventional reverse complementary copy. It is found that the parallel copy is more efficient at higher temperatures (up to 90°C). A model for the ribopolymerase, based on the core of the large subunit (LSU) of the ribosome, is described. The geometry of a potential active site for this ribopolymerase suggests that it contained a cavity (now occupied by the aminoacyl-tRNA) and that an amino acid binding in this might have ‘poisoned’ the ribopolymerase by cross-reacting with the nucleoside-triphosphate before polymerization could occur. Based on a similarity to the active site components of the class-I tRNA synthetase enzymes, it is proposed that the amino acid could become attached to the nascent RNA transcript producing a variety of aminoacylated tRNA-like products. Using base-pairing interactions, some of these molecules might cross-link two ribopolymerases, giving rise to a precursor of the modern ribosome. A hybrid dimer, half polymerase and half proto-ribosome, could account for mRNA translocation before the advent of protein elongation factors. PMID:17008216

Hybrid supercapacitors for reversible control of magnetism

PubMed Central

Molinari, Alan; Leufke, Philipp M.; Reitz, Christian; Dasgupta, Subho; Witte, Ralf; Kruk, Robert; Hahn, Horst

2017-01-01

Electric field tuning of magnetism is one of the most intensely pursued research topics of recent times aiming at the development of new-generation low-power spintronics and microelectronics. However, a reversible magnetoelectric effect with an on/off ratio suitable for easy and precise device operation is yet to be achieved. Here we propose a novel route to robustly tune magnetism via the charging/discharging processes of hybrid supercapacitors, which involve electrostatic (electric-double-layer capacitance) and electrochemical (pseudocapacitance) doping. We use both charging mechanisms—occurring at the La0.74Sr0.26MnO3/ionic liquid interface to control the balance between ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic phases of La1−xSrxMnO3 to an unprecedented extent. A magnetic modulation of up to ≈33% is reached above room temperature when applying an external potential of only about 2.0 V. Our case study intends to draw attention to new, reversible physico-chemical phenomena in the rather unexplored area of magnetoelectric supercapacitors. PMID:28489078

Reversible air-induced optical and electrical modulation of methylammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr3) single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Huotian; Liu, Yiting; Lu, Haizhou; Deng, Wan; Yang, Kang; Deng, Zunyi; Zhang, Xingmin; Yuan, Sijian; Wang, Jiao; Niu, Jiaxin; Zhang, Xiaolei; Jin, Qingyuan; Feng, Hongjian; Zhan, Yiqiang; Zheng, Lirong

2017-09-01

The photoluminescence (PL) variations of organic-inorganic hybrid lead halide perovskites in different atmospheres are well documented, while the fundamental mechanism still lacks comprehensive understandings. This study reports the reversible optical and electrical properties of methylammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr3 or CH3NH3PbBr3) single crystals caused by air infiltration. With the change in the surrounding atmosphere from air to vacuum, the PL intensity of perovskite single crystals decreases, while the conductivity increases. By means of first-principles computational studies, the shallow trap states are considered as key elements in PL and conductivity changes. These results have important implications for the characterization and application of organic-inorganic hybrid lead halide perovskites in vacuum.

A high-voltage rechargeable magnesium-sodium hybrid battery

DOE PAGES

Li, Yifei; An, Qinyou; Cheng, Yingwen; ...

2017-02-13

There is a growing global demand for safe and low-cost energy storage technology which triggers strong interests in novel battery concepts beyond state-of-art Li-ion batteries. We report a high-voltage rechargeable Mg–Na hybrid battery featuring dendrite-free deposition of Mg anode and Na-intercalation cathode as a low-cost and safe alternative to Li-ion batteries for large-scale energy storage. A prototype device using a Na 3V 2(PO 4) 3 cathode, a Mg anode, and a Mg–Na dual salt electrolyte exhibits the highest voltage (2.60 V vs. Mg) and best rate performance (86% capacity retention at 10 C rate) among reported hybrid batteries. Synchrotron radiation-basedmore » X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), atomic-pair distribution function (PDF), and high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) studies reveal the chemical environment and structural change of Na 3V 2(PO 4) 3 cathode during the Na ion insertion/deinsertion process. XANES study shows a clear reversible shift of vanadium K-edge and HRXRD and PDF studies reveal a reversible two-phase transformation and V–O bond length change during cycling. The energy density of the hybrid cell could be further improved by developing electrolytes with a higher salt concentration and wider electrochemical window. Our work represents a significant step forward for practical safe and low-cost hybrid batteries.« less

Pervasive antagonistic interactions among hybrid incompatibility loci

PubMed Central

Josway, Sarah

2017-01-01

Species barriers, expressed as hybrid inviability and sterility, are often due to epistatic interactions between divergent loci from two lineages. Theoretical models indicate that the strength, direction, and complexity of these genetic interactions can strongly affect the expression of interspecific reproductive isolation and the rates at which new species evolve. Nonetheless, empirical analyses have not quantified the frequency with which loci are involved in interactions affecting hybrid fitness, and whether these loci predominantly interact synergistically or antagonistically, or preferentially involve loci that have strong individual effects on hybrid fitness. We systematically examined the prevalence of interactions between pairs of short chromosomal regions from one species (Solanum habrochaites) co-introgressed into a heterospecific genetic background (Solanum lycopersicum), using lines containing pairwise combinations of 15 chromosomal segments from S. habrochaites in the background of S. lycopersicum (i.e., 95 double introgression lines). We compared the strength of hybrid incompatibility (either pollen sterility or seed sterility) expressed in each double introgression line to the expected additive effect of its two component single introgressions. We found that epistasis was common among co-introgressed regions. Interactions for hybrid dysfunction were substantially more prevalent in pollen fertility compared to seed fertility phenotypes, and were overwhelmingly antagonistic (i.e., double hybrids were less unfit than expected from additive single introgression effects). This pervasive antagonism is expected to attenuate the rate at which hybrid infertility accumulates among lineages over time (i.e., giving diminishing returns as more reproductive isolation loci accumulate), as well as decouple patterns of accumulation of sterility loci and hybrid incompatibility phenotypes. This decoupling effect might explain observed differences between pollen and seed fertility in their fit to theoretical predictions of the accumulation of isolation loci, including the ‘snowball’ effect. PMID:28604770

Controlled release of bupivacaine using hybrid thermoresponsive nanoparticles activated via photothermal heating.

PubMed

Alejo, Teresa; Andreu, Vanesa; Mendoza, Gracia; Sebastian, Victor; Arruebo, Manuel

2018-08-01

Near-infrared (NIR) responsive nanoparticles are of great interest in the biomedical field as antennas for photothermal therapy and also as triggers for on-demand drug delivery. The present work reports the preparation of hollow gold nanoparticles (HGNPs) with plasmonic absorption in the NIR region covalently bound to a thermoresponsive polymeric shell that can be used as an on-demand drug delivery system for the release of analgesic drugs. The photothermal heating induced by the nanoparticles is able to produce the collapse of the polymeric shell thus generating the release of the local anesthetic bupivacaine in a spatiotemporally controlled way. Those HGNPs contain a 10 wt.% of polymer and present excellent reversible heating under NIR light excitation. Bupivacaine released at physiological temperature (37 °C) showed a pseudo-zero order release that could be spatiotemporally modified on-demand after applying several pulses of light/temperature above and below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the polymeric shell. Furthermore, the nanomaterials obtained did not displayed detrimental effects on four mammalian cell lines at doses up to 0.2 mg/mL. From the results obtained it can be concluded than this type of hybrid thermoresponsive nanoparticle can be used as an externally activated on-demand drug delivery system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Assessment of HPV detection assays for use in cervical cancer screening programs].

PubMed

Cañadas, M Paz; Lloveras, Belén; Lorincz, Attila; Ejarque, Maijo; Font, Rebeca; Bosch, F Xavier; de Sanjosé, Silvia

2006-01-01

Detection of high-risk human papillomavirus types (HPV) infection is an important tool in the screening of cervical cancer and triage of cytological abnormalities. The different techniques for detection of this cancer need to be contrasted and validated for use in population screening. Cervical cell samples were collected from 166 women attending a dermatology clinic in Oviedo (Spain). We evaluated the performance of three different assays for VPH detection. The methods utilized were 1) In-house PCR-EIA using LI consensus primers MY09/ MY11, 2) A PCR-reverse line blot hybridization (PCR-LBH) that uses LI consensus PGMY primers. 3) Hybrid Capture 2. All assays were performed blinded. The kappa statistic was used to test for global agreement between assay pairs. HPV DNA was detected in 24,7%, 25,3% and 29,5% of the women, respective to the assay. The overall agreement between the in-house PCR, PCR-LBH and HC2 was (73.5%) with all kappa values between assay pairs exceeding 0.56 (p<0.001). The three HPV assays were equally accurate in estimating high-risk HPV prevalence and HPV-related lesions. The method for HPV detection must be decided depending on the goals of the search (screening, follow-up or molecular studies).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, Z. X.; Tynan, G.; Center for Momentum Transport and Flow Organization and Center for Astrophysics and Space Science, University of California, San Diego, California 92093

Intrinsic torque, which can be generated by turbulent stresses, can induce toroidal rotation in a tokamak plasma at rest without direct momentum injection. Reversals in intrinsic torque have been inferred from the observation of toroidal velocity changes in recent lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) experiments. This work focuses on understanding the cause of LHCD-induced intrinsic torque reversal using gyrokinetic simulations and theoretical analyses. A new mechanism for the intrinsic torque reversal linked to magnetic shear (s{sup ^}) effects on the turbulence spectrum is identified. This reversal is a consequence of the ballooning structure at weak s{sup ^}. Based on realisticmore » profiles from the Alcator C-Mod LHCD experiments, simulations demonstrate that the intrinsic torque reverses for weak s{sup ^} discharges and that the value of s{sup ^}{sub crit} is consistent with the experimental results s{sup ^}{sub crit}{sup exp}≈0.2∼0.3 [Rice et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 125003 (2013)]. The consideration of this intrinsic torque feature in our work is important for the understanding of rotation profile generation at weak s{sup ^} and its consequent impact on macro-instability stabilization and micro-turbulence reduction, which is crucial for ITER. It is also relevant to internal transport barrier formation at negative or weakly positive s{sup ^}.« less

Cu2+ Dual-Doped Layer-Tunnel Hybrid Na0.6Mn1- xCu xO2 as a Cathode of Sodium-Ion Battery with Enhanced Structure Stability, Electrochemical Property, and Air Stability.

PubMed

Chen, Ting-Ru; Sheng, Tian; Wu, Zhen-Guo; Li, Jun-Tao; Wang, En-Hui; Wu, Chun-Jin; Li, Hong-Tai; Guo, Xiao-Dong; Zhong, Ben-He; Huang, Ling; Sun, Shi-Gang

2018-03-28

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have been regarded as a promising candidate for large-scale renewable energy storage system. Layered manganese oxide cathode possesses the advantages of high energy density, low cost and natural abundance while suffering from limited cycling life and poor rate capacity. To overcome these weaknesses, layer-tunnel hybrid material was developed and served as the cathode of SIB, which integrated high capacity, superior cycle ability, and rate performance. In the current work, the doping of copper was adopted to suppress the Jahn-Teller effect of Mn 3+ and to affect relevant structural parameters. Multifunctions of the Cu 2+ doping were carefully investigated. It was found that the structure component ratio is varied with the Cu 2+ doping amount. Results demonstrated that Na + /vacancy rearrangement and phase transitions were suppressed during cycling without sacrificing the reversible capacity and enhanced electrochemical performances evidenced with 96 mA h g -1 retained after 250 cycles at 4 C and 85 mA h g -1 at 8 C. Furthermore, ex situ X-ray diffraction has demonstrated high reversibility of the Na 0.6 Mn 0.9 Cu 0.1 O 2 cathode during Na + extraction/insertion processes and superior air stability that results in better storage properties. This study reveals that the Cu 2+ doping could be an effective strategy to tune the properties and related performances of Mn-based layer-tunnel hybrid cathode.

Surface modification of polyamide reverse osmosis membrane with organic-inorganic hybrid material for antifouling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yang; Wan, Ying; Pan, Guoyuan; Yan, Hao; Yao, Xuerong; Shi, Hongwei; Tang, Yujing; Wei, Xiangrong; Liu, Yiqun

2018-03-01

A series of thin-film composite reverse osmosis membranes based on polyamide have been modified by coating the polyvinyl alcohol and 3-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane aqueous solution prepared by a sol-gel process on the membrane surface, followed by thermal crosslinking treatment. In order to improve the hydrophilicity of the modified TFC membranes, the membranes were then immersed into H2O2 aqueous solution to convert -SH into -SO3H. The resulting TFC membranes were characterized by SEM, AFM, ATR-FTIR, streaming potential, XPS as well as static contact angle. After surface modification with the organic-inorganic hybrid material, the TFC membranes show increased NaCl rejection and decreased water flux with increasing 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane content in coating solution. The optimal modification membrane (PA-SMPTES-0.8) exhibits a NaCl rejection of 99.29%, higher than that (97.20%) of the virgin PA membrane, and a comparable water flux to virgin PA membrane (41.7 L/m2 h vs 47.9 L/m2 h). More importantly, PA-SMPTES-0.8 membrane shows much more improved fouling resistance to BSA than virgin PA and PVA modified PA (PA-PVA-1.0) membranes. PA-SMPTES-0.8 membrane loses about 13% of the initial flux after BSA fouling for 12 h, which is lower than that of virgin PA and PA-PVA-1.0 membranes (42% and 18%). Furthermore, the flux recovery of PA-SMPTES-0.8 membrane reaches 94% after cleaning. Thus the TFC membranes modified by this organic-inorganic hybrid technology show potential applications as antifouling RO membrane for desalination and purification.

Prominence plasma and magnetic field structure - A coordinated observation with IRIS, Hinode and THEMIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmieder, Brigitte; Labrosse, Nicolas; Levens, Peter; Lopez Ariste, Arturo

2016-07-01

During an international campaign in 2014, utilising both space-based (IRIS and Hinode) and ground-based (THEMIS) instruments, we focused on observing prominences. We compare IRIS observations with those of Hinode (EIS and SOT) in order to build a more complete picture of the prominence structure for a quiescent prominence observed on 15 July 2014, identified to have tornado-like structure. THEMIS provides valuable information on the orientation and strength of the internal magnetic field. Here we find there is almost ubiquitously horizontal field with respect to the local limb, with possibly a turbulent component. The Mg II lines form the majority of our IRIS analysis, with a mixture of reversed and non-reversed profiles present in the prominence spectra. Comparing the differences between the Mg II data from IRIS and the Ca II images from Hinode/SOT provides an intriguing insight into the prominence legs in these channels. We present plasma diagnostics from IRIS, with line of sight velocities of around 10 km/s in either direction along the magnetic loops of material in the front of the prominence, and line widths comparable to those found for prominences by previous authors (e.g. Schmieder et al. 2014). We also take a look into the lines formed at higher, coronal plasma temperatures, as seen by Hinode/EIS, to compare plasma structures at a full range of temperatures.

Electron–phonon coupling in hybrid lead halide perovskites

PubMed Central

Wright, Adam D.; Verdi, Carla; Milot, Rebecca L.; Eperon, Giles E.; Pérez-Osorio, Miguel A.; Snaith, Henry J.; Giustino, Feliciano; Johnston, Michael B.; Herz, Laura M.

2016-01-01

Phonon scattering limits charge-carrier mobilities and governs emission line broadening in hybrid metal halide perovskites. Establishing how charge carriers interact with phonons in these materials is therefore essential for the development of high-efficiency perovskite photovoltaics and low-cost lasers. Here we investigate the temperature dependence of emission line broadening in the four commonly studied formamidinium and methylammonium perovskites, HC(NH2)2PbI3, HC(NH2)2PbBr3, CH3NH3PbI3 and CH3NH3PbBr3, and discover that scattering from longitudinal optical phonons via the Fröhlich interaction is the dominant source of electron–phonon coupling near room temperature, with scattering off acoustic phonons negligible. We determine energies for the interacting longitudinal optical phonon modes to be 11.5 and 15.3 meV, and Fröhlich coupling constants of ∼40 and 60 meV for the lead iodide and bromide perovskites, respectively. Our findings correlate well with first-principles calculations based on many-body perturbation theory, which underlines the suitability of an electronic band-structure picture for describing charge carriers in hybrid perovskites. PMID:27225329

Left-handed compact MIMO antenna array based on wire spiral resonator for 5-GHz wireless applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alqadami, Abdulrahman Shueai Mohsen; Jamlos, Mohd Faizal; Soh, Ping Jack; Rahim, Sharul Kamal Abdul; Narbudowicz, Adam

2017-01-01

A compact coplanar waveguide-fed multiple-input multiple-output antenna array based on the left-handed wire loaded spiral resonators (SR) is presented. The proposed antenna consists of a 2 × 2 wire SR with two symmetrical microstrip feed lines, each line exciting a 1 × 2 wire SR. Left-handed metamaterial unit cells are placed on its reverse side and arranged in a 2 × 3 array. A reflection coefficient of less than -16 dB and mutual coupling of less than -28 dB are achieved at 5.15 GHz WLAN band.

Biochip-Based Detection of KRAS Mutation in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

PubMed Central

Kriegshäuser, Gernot; Fabjani, Gerhild; Ziegler, Barbara; Zöchbauer-Müller, Sabine; End, Adelheid; Zeillinger, Robert

2011-01-01

This study is aimed at evaluating the potential of a biochip assay to sensitively detect KRAS mutation in DNA from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissue samples. The assay covers 10 mutations in codons 12 and 13 of the KRAS gene, and is based on mutant-enriched PCR followed by reverse-hybridization of biotinylated amplification products to an array of sequence-specific probes immobilized on the tip of a rectangular plastic stick (biochip). Biochip hybridization identified 17 (21%) samples to carry a KRAS mutation of which 16 (33%) were adenocarcinomas and 1 (3%) was a squamous cell carcinoma. All mutations were confirmed by DNA sequencing. Using 10 ng of starting DNA, the biochip assay demonstrated a detection limit of 1% mutant sequence in a background of wild-type DNA. Our results suggest that the biochip assay is a sensitive alternative to protocols currently in use for KRAS mutation testing on limited quantity samples. PMID:22272089

Hybrid chromophore/template nanostructures: a customizable platform material for solar energy storage and conversion.

PubMed

Kolpak, Alexie M; Grossman, Jeffrey C

2013-01-21

Challenges with cost, cyclability, and/or low energy density have largely prevented the development of solar thermal fuels, a potentially attractive alternative energy technology based on molecules that can capture and store solar energy as latent heat in a closed cycle. In this paper, we present a set of novel hybrid photoisomer/template solar thermal fuels that can potentially circumvent these challenges. Using first-principles computations, we demonstrate that these fuels, composed of organic photoisomers bound to inexpensive carbon-based templates, can reversibly store solar energy at densities comparable to Li-ion batteries. Furthermore, we show that variation of the template material in combination with the photoisomer can be used to optimize many of the key performance metrics of the fuel-i.e., the energy density, the storage lifetime, the temperature of the output heat, and the efficiency of the solar-to-heat conversion. Our work suggests that the solar thermal fuels concept can be translated into a practical and highly customizable energy storage and conversion technology.

Genomic architecture of heterosis for yield traits in rice.

PubMed

Huang, Xuehui; Yang, Shihua; Gong, Junyi; Zhao, Qiang; Feng, Qi; Zhan, Qilin; Zhao, Yan; Li, Wenjun; Cheng, Benyi; Xia, Junhui; Chen, Neng; Huang, Tao; Zhang, Lei; Fan, Danlin; Chen, Jiaying; Zhou, Congcong; Lu, Yiqi; Weng, Qijun; Han, Bin

2016-09-29

Increasing grain yield is a long-term goal in crop breeding to meet the demand for global food security. Heterosis, when a hybrid shows higher performance for a trait than both parents, offers an important strategy for crop breeding. To examine the genetic basis of heterosis for yield in rice, here we generate, sequence and record the phenotypes of 10,074 F 2 lines from 17 representative hybrid rice crosses. We classify modern hybrid rice varieties into three groups, representing different hybrid breeding systems. Although we do not find any heterosis-associated loci shared across all lines, within each group, a small number of genomic loci from female parents explain a large proportion of the yield advantage of hybrids over their male parents. For some of these loci, we find support for partial dominance of heterozygous locus for yield-related traits and better-parent heterosis for overall performance when all of the grain-yield traits are considered together. These results inform on the genomic architecture of heterosis and rice hybrid breeding.

Cytogenetic and molecular identification of three Triticum aestivum-Leymus racemosus translocation addition lines.

PubMed

Wang, Le; Yuan, Jianhua; Bie, Tongde; Zhou, Bo; Chen, Peidu

2009-06-01

Chromosome 2C from Aegilops cylindrica has the ability to induce chromosome breakage in common wheat (Tritivum aestivum). In the BC(1)F(3) generation of the T. aestivum cv. Chinese Spring and a hybrid between T. aestivum-Leymus racemosus Lr.7 addition line and T. aestivum-Ae. cylindrica 2C addition line, three disomic translocation addition lines (2n = 44) were selected by mitotic chromosome C-banding and genomic in situ hybridization. We further characterized these T. aestivum-L. racemosus translocation addition lines, NAU636, NAU637 and NAU638, by chromosome C-banding, in situ hybridization using the A- and D-genome-specific bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones 676D4 and 9M13; plasmids pAs1 and pSc119.2, and 45S rDNA; as well as genomic DNA of L. racemosus as probes, in combination with double ditelosomic test cross and SSR marker analysis. The translocation chromosomes were designated as T3AS-Lr7S, T6BS-Lr7S, and T5DS-Lr7L. The translocation line T3AS-Lr7S was highly resistant to Fusarium head blight and will be useful germplasm for resistance breeding.

The Influence of the Polymer Amount on the Biological Properties of PCL/ZrO2 Hybrid Materials Synthesized via Sol-Gel Technique

PubMed Central

Tranquillo, Elisabetta; Illiano, Michela; Sapio, Luigi; Spina, Annamaria; Naviglio, Silvio

2017-01-01

Organic/inorganic hybrid materials are attracting considerable attention in the biomedical area. The sol-gel process provides a convenient way to produce many bioactive organic–inorganic hybrids. Among those, poly(e-caprolactone)/zirconia (PCL/ZrO2) hybrids have proved to be bioactive with no toxic materials. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of these materials on the cellular response as a function of the PCL content, in order to evaluate their potential use in the biomedical field. For this purpose, PCL/ZrO2 hybrids containing 6, 12, 24, and 50 wt % of PCL were synthesized by the sol-gel method. The effects of their presence on the NIH-3T3 fibroblast cell line carrying out direct cell number counting, MTT, cell damage assays, flow cytometry-based analysis of cell-cycle progression, and immunoblotting experiments. The results confirm and extend the findings that PCL/ZrO2 hybrids are free from toxicity. The hybrids containing 12 and 24 wt % PCL, (more than 6 and 50 wt % ones) enhance cell proliferation when compared to pure ZrO2 by affecting cell cycle progression. The finding that the content of PCL in PCL/ZrO2 hybrids differently supports cell proliferation suggests that PCL/ZrO2 hybrids could be useful tools with different potential clinical applications. PMID:29039803

Marker-assisted pyramiding of opaque2 and novel opaque16 genes for further enrichment of lysine and tryptophan in sub-tropical maize.

PubMed

Sarika, Konsam; Hossain, Firoz; Muthusamy, Vignesh; Zunjare, Rajkumar U; Baveja, Aanchal; Goswami, Rajat; Bhat, Jayant S; Saha, Supradip; Gupta, Hari S

2018-07-01

The improvement of protein quality in maize so far has been based on recessive opaque2 (o2) mutant that along with endosperm-modifiers led to development of quality protein maize (QPM). Recent discovery of nutritional benefits of recessive opaque16 (o16) mutant was of immense significance for further improvement of protein quality. In the present study, o16 was introgressed into o2-based parental inbreds (HKI161, HKI193-1, HKI193-2 and HKI163) of four commercial QPM hybrids (HQPM-1, HQPM-4, HQPM-5 and HQPM-7) released in India, using marker-assisted backcross breeding. Background selection led to high recovery of recurrent parent genome (RPG) to maximum of 95%, and introgressed progenies showed considerable phenotypic resemblance for plant-, ear- and grain- characteristics to their respective recurrent parents. Selection of markers for o2 and o16 led to development of pyramided lines (o2o2/o16o16) that possessed as high as 76% and 91% more lysine and tryptophan over the recurrent parents, respectively. Reconstituted hybrids showed an average enhancement of 49% and 60% in lysine and tryptophan over the original hybrids, with highest enhancement amounting 64% and 86%, respectively. This is first report of enhancement of both lysine and tryptophan by o16 in maize genotypes adaptable to sub-tropics. Moderate variation in lysine and tryptophan was also observed in pyramided lines. Multi-location evaluation of reconstituted hybrids revealed similar grain yield and attributing traits to their original versions. This study signified the role of o16 as supplementary to o2 for nutritional quality enhancement in maize, and improved elite inbreds and hybrids developed here hold great significance in maize biofortification programme. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Time to Switch to Second-line Antiretroviral Therapy in Children With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Europe and Thailand.

PubMed

2018-02-01

Data on durability of first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) in children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are limited. We assessed time to switch to second-line therapy in 16 European countries and Thailand. Children aged <18 years initiating combination ART (≥2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors [NRTIs] plus nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor [NNRTI] or boosted protease inhibitor [PI]) were included. Switch to second-line was defined as (i) change across drug class (PI to NNRTI or vice versa) or within PI class plus change of ≥1 NRTI; (ii) change from single to dual PI; or (iii) addition of a new drug class. Cumulative incidence of switch was calculated with death and loss to follow-up as competing risks. Of 3668 children included, median age at ART initiation was 6.1 (interquartile range (IQR), 1.7-10.5) years. Initial regimens were 32% PI based, 34% nevirapine (NVP) based, and 33% efavirenz based. Median duration of follow-up was 5.4 (IQR, 2.9-8.3) years. Cumulative incidence of switch at 5 years was 21% (95% confidence interval, 20%-23%), with significant regional variations. Median time to switch was 30 (IQR, 16-58) months; two-thirds of switches were related to treatment failure. In multivariable analysis, older age, severe immunosuppression and higher viral load (VL) at ART start, and NVP-based initial regimens were associated with increased risk of switch. One in 5 children switched to a second-line regimen by 5 years of ART, with two-thirds failure related. Advanced HIV, older age, and NVP-based regimens were associated with increased risk of switch. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Novel RNA hybridization method for the in situ detection of ETV1, ETV4, and ETV5 gene fusions in prostate cancer.

PubMed

Kunju, Lakshmi P; Carskadon, Shannon; Siddiqui, Javed; Tomlins, Scott A; Chinnaiyan, Arul M; Palanisamy, Nallasivam

2014-09-01

The genetic basis of 50% to 60% of prostate cancer (PCa) is attributable to rearrangements in E26 transformation-specific (ETS) (ERG, ETV1, ETV4, and ETV5), BRAF, and RAF1 genes and overexpression of SPINK1. The development and validation of reliable detection methods are warranted to classify various molecular subtypes of PCa for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. ETS gene rearrangements are typically detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction methods. Recently, monoclonal antibodies against ERG have been developed that detect the truncated ERG protein in immunohistochemical assays where staining levels are strongly correlated with ERG rearrangement status by fluorescence in situ hybridization. However, specific antibodies for ETV1, ETV4, and ETV5 are unavailable, challenging their clinical use. We developed a novel RNA in situ hybridization-based assay for the in situ detection of ETV1, ETV4, and ETV5 in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from prostate needle biopsies, prostatectomy, and metastatic PCa specimens using RNA probes. Further, with combined RNA in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry we identified a rare subset of PCa with dual ETS gene rearrangements in collisions of independent tumor foci. The high specificity and sensitivity of RNA in situ hybridization provides an alternate method enabling bright-field in situ detection of ETS gene aberrations in routine clinically available PCa specimens.

Characterization of transformation related genes in oral cancer cells.

PubMed

Chang, D D; Park, N H; Denny, C T; Nelson, S F; Pe, M

1998-04-16

A cDNA representational difference analysis (cDNA-RDA) and an arrayed filter technique were used to characterize transformation-related genes in oral cancer. From an initial comparison of normal oral epithelial cells and a human papilloma virus (HPV)-immortalized oral epithelial cell line, we obtained 384 differentially expressed gene fragments and arrayed them on a filter. Two hundred and twelve redundant clones were identified by three rounds of back hybridization. Sequence analysis of the remaining clones revealed 99 unique clones corresponding to 69 genes. The expression of these transformation related gene fragments in three nontumorigenic HPV-immortalized oral epithelial cell lines and three oral cancer cell lines were simultaneously monitored using a cDNA array hybridization. Although there was a considerable cell line-to-cell line variability in the expression of these clones, a reliable prediction of their expression could be made from the cDNA array hybridization. Our study demonstrates the utility of combining cDNA-RDA and arrayed filters in high-throughput gene expression difference analysis. The differentially expressed genes identified in this study should be informative in studying oral epithelial cell carcinogenesis.

Antiretroviral therapy in children: recent advances.

PubMed

Lodha, Rakesh; Manglani, Mamta

2012-12-01

Availability and successful use of various antiretroviral drugs has transformed HIV/AIDS from an incurable to a treatable chronic condition. The antiretroviral therapy can successfully suppress viral replication and preserve the immune system for many years. The implementation of antiretroviral therapy program in resource limited settings using the 'public health approach' of the World Health Organization has had a dramatic impact on the lives of millions of HIV infected individuals. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) in children has many challenges: use of appropriate formulations, regular need for modification of doses as the child grows, adherence issues, etc. To reduce the high morbidity and mortality in HIV infected children, it is currently recommended that all HIV infected children less than 24 mo should receive ART; in older children the indications are based on clinical and/or immunological criteria. Highly active antiretroviral therapy regimens include at least 3 antiretroviral drugs. The first line therapy recommended for children is a combination of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Infants who have had exposure to nevirapine should receive a combination of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and a protease inhibitor; the protease inhibitor of choice is ritonavir boosted lopinavir. The success of therapy is dependent on >95 % adherence. The second line regimen, used when the first line therapy fails, is based on a protease inhibitor. The ongoing research focuses on simplification of regimen, discovery of more potent drugs, availability of more pediatric formulations, treatment of drug resistant strains etc. The optimal indications for initiation of therapy in children, are also being studied.

Hybrid electroluminescent devices

DOEpatents

Shiang, Joseph John; Duggal, Anil Raj; Michael, Joseph Darryl

2010-08-03

A hybrid electroluminescent (EL) device comprises at least one inorganic diode element and at least one organic EL element that are electrically connected in series. The absolute value of the breakdown voltage of the inorganic diode element is greater than the absolute value of the maximum reverse bias voltage across the series. The inorganic diode element can be a power diode, a Schottky barrier diode, or a light-emitting diode.

Effect of Fluorocarbon and Hydrocarbon Chain Lengths in Hybrid Surfactants for Supercritical CO2.

PubMed

Sagisaka, Masanobu; Ono, Shinji; James, Craig; Yoshizawa, Atsushi; Mohamed, Azmi; Guittard, Frédéric; Rogers, Sarah E; Heenan, Richard K; Yan, Ci; Eastoe, Julian

2015-07-14

Hybrid surfactants containing both fluorocarbon (FC) and hydrocarbon (HC) chains have recently been shown to solubilize water and form elongated reversed micelles in supercritical CO2. To clarify the most effective FC and HC chain lengths, the aggregation behavior and interfacial properties of hybrid surfactants FCm-HCn (FC length m/HC length n = 4/2, 4/4, 6/2, 6/4, 6/5, 6/6, and 6/8) were examined in W/CO2 mixtures as functions of pressure, temperature, and water-to-surfactant molar ratio (W0). The solubilizing power of hybrid surfactants for W/CO2 microemulsions was strongly affected by not only the FC length but also by that of the HC. Although the surfactants having short FC and/or HC tails (namely, m/n = 4/2, 4/4, and 6/2) did not dissolve in supercritical CO2 (even at ∼17 mM, ≤400 bar, temperature ≤ 75 °C, and W0 = 0-40), the other hybrid surfactants were able to yield transparent single-phase W/CO2 mixtures identified as microemulsions. The solubilizing power of FC6-HCm surfactants reached a maximum (W0 ∼ 80 at 45 °C and 350 bar) with a hydrocarbon length, m, of 4. The W0 value of 80 is the highest for a HC-FC hybrid surfactant, matching the highest value reported for a FC surfactant which contained more FC groups. High-pressure small-angle neutron scattering measurements from FCm-HCn/D2O/CO2 microemulsions were consistent with growth of the microemulsion droplets with increasing W0. In addition, not only spherical reversed micelles but also nonspherical assemblies (rodlike or ellipsoidal) were found for the systems with FC6-HCn (n = 4-6). At fixed surfactant concentration and W0 (17 mM and W0 = 20), the longest reversed micelles were obtained for FC6-HC6 where a mean aspect ratio of 6.3 was calculated for the aqueous cores.

Immortalized human hepatic cell lines for in vitro testing and research purposes

PubMed Central

Ramboer, Eva; Vanhaecke, Tamara; Rogiers, Vera; Vinken, Mathieu

2015-01-01

Summary The ubiquitous shortage of primary human hepatocytes has urged the scientific community to search for alternative cell sources, such as immortalized hepatic cell lines. Over the years, several human hepatic cell lines have been produced, whether or not using a combination of viral oncogenes and human telomerase reverse transcriptase protein. Conditional approaches for hepatocyte immortalization have also been established and allow generation of growth-controlled cell lines. A variety of immortalized human hepatocytes have already proven useful as tools for liver-based in vitro testing and fundamental research purposes. The present chapter describes currently applied immortalization strategies and provides an overview of the actually available immortalized human hepatic cell lines and their in vitro applications. PMID:26272134

The impact of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase polymorphisms on responses to first-line nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based therapy in HIV-1-infected adults.

PubMed

Mackie, Nicola E; Dunn, David T; Dolling, David; Garvey, Lucy; Harrison, Linda; Fearnhill, Esther; Tilston, Peter; Sabin, Caroline; Geretti, Anna M

2013-09-10

HIV-1 genetic variability may influence antiretroviral therapy (ART) outcomes. The study aim was to determine the impact of polymorphisms in regions known to harbor major nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) resistance mutations (codons 90-108, 135-138, 179-190, 225-348) on virologic responses to first-line NNRTI-based ART. Reverse transcriptase sequences from ART-naive individuals who commenced efavirenz (EFV) or nevirapine (NVP) with at least two nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) without major drug resistance mutations were analyzed. The impact of polymorphisms on week 4 viral load decrease and time to virologic failure was measured over a median 97 weeks. Among 4528 patients, most were infected with HIV-1 subtype B (67%) and commenced EFV-based ART (84%). Overall, 2598 (57%) had at least one polymorphism, most frequently at codons 90, 98, 101, 103, 106, 135, 138, 179, and 238. Virologic failure rates were increased in patients with two (n = 597) or more than two (n = 72) polymorphisms [adjusted hazard ratio 1.43; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.92; P = 0.016]. Polymorphisms associated with virologic failure occurred at codons 90 (mostly V90I), 98 (mostly A98S), and 103 (mostly K103R), with adjusted hazard ratios of 1.78 (1.15-2.73; P = 0.009), 1.55 (1.16-2.08; P = 0.003), and 1.75 (1.00-3.05: P = 0.049), respectively. Polymorphisms at codon 179, especially V179D/E/T, predicted reduced week 4 responses (P = 0.001) but not virologic failure. The occurrence of multiple polymorphisms, though uncommon, was associated with a small increase in the risk of NNRTI treatment failure; significant effects were seen with polymorphisms at codon 90, 98, and 103. The mechanisms underlying the slower suppression seen with V179D/E/T deserve further investigation.

Blending protein separation and peptide analysis through real-time proteolytic digestion.

PubMed

Slysz, Gordon W; Schriemer, David C

2005-03-15

Typical liquid- or gel-based protein separations require enzymatic digestion as an important first step in generating protein identifications. Traditional protocols involve long-term proteolytic digestion of the separated protein, often leading to sample loss and reduced sensitivity. Previously, we presented a rapid method of proteolytic digestion that showed excellent digestion of resistant and low concentrations of protein without requiring reduction and alkylation. Here, we demonstrate on-line, real-time tryptic digestion in conjunction with reversed-phase protein separation. The studies were aimed at optimizing pH and ionic strength and the size of the digestion element, to produce maximal protein digestion with minimal effects on chromatographic integrity. Upon establishing optimal conditions, the digestion element was attached downstream from a capillary C4 reversed-phase column. A four-protein mixture was processed through the combined system, and the resulting peptides were analyzed on-line by electrospray mass spectrometry. Extracted ion chromatograms for protein chromatography based on peptide elution were generated. These were shown to emulate ion chromatograms produced in a subsequent run without the digestion element, based on protein elution. The methodology will enable rapid and sensitive analysis of liquid-based protein separations using the power of bottom-up proteomics methodologies.

Marker-assisted identification of restorer gene(s) in iso-cytoplasmic restorer lines of WA cytoplasm in rice and assessment of their fertility restoration potential across environments.

PubMed

Kumar, Amit; Bhowmick, Prolay Kumar; Singh, Vikram Jeet; Malik, Manoj; Gupta, Ashish Kumar; Seth, R; Nagarajan, M; Krishnan, S Gopala; Singh, Ashok Kumar

2017-10-01

Iso-cytoplasmic restorers possess the same male sterile cytoplasm as the cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines, thereby minimizing the potential cyto-nuclear conflict in the hybrids. Restoration of fertility of the wild abortive CMS is governed by two major genes namely, Rf3 and Rf4 . Therefore, assessing the allelic status of these restorer genes in the iso-cytoplasmic restorers using molecular markers will not only help in estimating the efficiency of these genes either alone or in combination, in fertility restoration in the hybrids in different environments, but will also be useful in determining the efficacy of these markers. In the present study, the efficiency of molecular markers in identifying genotypes carrying restorer allele of the gene(s) Rf3 and Rf4, restoring male fertility of WA cytoplasm in rice was assessed in a set of 100 iso-cytoplasmic rice restorers using gene linked as well as candidate gene based markers. In order to validate the efficacy of markers in identifying the restorers, a sub-set of selected 25 iso-cytoplasmic rice restorers were crossed with four different cytoplasmic male sterile lines namely, IR 79156A, IR 58025A, Pusa 6A and RTN 12A, and the pollen and spikelet fertility of the F 1 s were evaluated at three different locations. Marker analysis showed that Rf4 was the predominant fertility restorer gene in the iso-cytoplasmic restorers and Rf3 had a synergistic effect on fertility restoration. The efficiency of gene based markers, DRCG-RF4-14 and DRRM-RF3-10 for Rf4 (87%) and Rf3 (84%) genes was higher than respective gene-linked SSR markers RM6100 (80%) and RM3873 (82%). It is concluded that the gene based markers can be effectively used in identifying fertility restorer lines obviating the need for making crosses and evaluating the F 1 s. Though gene based markers are more efficient, there is a need to identify functional polymorphisms which can provide 100% efficiency. Three iso-cytoplasmic restorers namely, PRR 300, PRR 363 and PRR 396 possessing both Rf4 and Rf3 genes and good fertility restoration have been identified which could be used further in hybrid rice breeding.

Design, Synthesis and In Vitro Anti-microbial Evaluation of Ethylene/ Propylene-1H-1,2,3-Triazole-4-Methylene-tethered Isatin-coumarin Hybrids.

PubMed

Jin, Xiaohong; Xu, Yan; Yang, Xuhong; Chen, Xiuling; Wu, Minghu; Guan, Jianguo; Feng, Lianshun

2017-01-01

A new class of ethylene/propylene-1H-1,2,3-triazole-4-methylene-tethered isatincoumarin hybrids 8a-j, integrating three anti-tuberculosis pharmacophores coumarin, isatin and 1,2,3- triazole was designed and synthesized. These hybrids were assessed for their in vitro anti-TB activity against MTB H37Rv and MDRTB, as well as anti-bacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains, and cytotoxicity in VERO cell line. The results showed that all hybrids with acceptable cytotoxicity (CC50: 64-512 µg/mL) exhibited weak to moderate anti-microbial activity. The most active hybrid 8i with MIC of 50 µg/mL against MTB H37Rv and MDR-TB, also has excellent cytotoxicity profile (CC50: 128 µg/mL). The resistance index of hybrid 8i was 1, indicating that hybrid 8i has no cross-resistance with the first-line anti-TB agent. Thus, hybrid 8i could act as a lead for further optimization. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Monochromosomal hybrid cell assay for evaluating the genotoxicity of environmental chemicals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sandhu, S.S.; Gudi, R.D.; Athwal, R.S.

1988-12-01

The development and utilization of a monochromosomal hybrid cell assay for detecting aneuploidy and chromosomal aberrations are described. The monochromosomal hybrid cell lines were produced by a two-step process involving transfer of a marker bacterial gene to a human chromosome and then by integration of that human chromosome into a mouse complement of chromosomes through microcell fusion. For chemically induced aneuploidy, the segregation of a single human chromosome among mouse chromosomes is used as a cytogenetic marker. The genetic assay for aneuploidy is based on the ability of the cells to grow in a medium that selects for the lossmore » of the human chromosome. The assay for clastogenicity is based on survival of the cells after treatment with the chemicals in medium that selects for retention of the human chromosome but loss of its segment containing diphtheria toxin locus. The assays greatly simplify the detection of chromosomal aberrations induced by environmental factors at low-dose levels.« less

Electrical test prediction using hybrid metrology and machine learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breton, Mary; Chao, Robin; Muthinti, Gangadhara Raja; de la Peña, Abraham A.; Simon, Jacques; Cepler, Aron J.; Sendelbach, Matthew; Gaudiello, John; Emans, Susan; Shifrin, Michael; Etzioni, Yoav; Urenski, Ronen; Lee, Wei Ti

2017-03-01

Electrical test measurement in the back-end of line (BEOL) is crucial for wafer and die sorting as well as comparing intended process splits. Any in-line, nondestructive technique in the process flow to accurately predict these measurements can significantly improve mean-time-to-detect (MTTD) of defects and improve cycle times for yield and process learning. Measuring after BEOL metallization is commonly done for process control and learning, particularly with scatterometry (also called OCD (Optical Critical Dimension)), which can solve for multiple profile parameters such as metal line height or sidewall angle and does so within patterned regions. This gives scatterometry an advantage over inline microscopy-based techniques, which provide top-down information, since such techniques can be insensitive to sidewall variations hidden under the metal fill of the trench. But when faced with correlation to electrical test measurements that are specific to the BEOL processing, both techniques face the additional challenge of sampling. Microscopy-based techniques are sampling-limited by their small probe size, while scatterometry is traditionally limited (for microprocessors) to scribe targets that mimic device ground rules but are not necessarily designed to be electrically testable. A solution to this sampling challenge lies in a fast reference-based machine learning capability that allows for OCD measurement directly of the electrically-testable structures, even when they are not OCD-compatible. By incorporating such direct OCD measurements, correlation to, and therefore prediction of, resistance of BEOL electrical test structures is significantly improved. Improvements in prediction capability for multiple types of in-die electrically-testable device structures is demonstrated. To further improve the quality of the prediction of the electrical resistance measurements, hybrid metrology using the OCD measurements as well as X-ray metrology (XRF) is used. Hybrid metrology is the practice of combining information from multiple sources in order to enable or improve the measurement of one or more critical parameters. Here, the XRF measurements are used to detect subtle changes in barrier layer composition and thickness that can have second-order effects on the electrical resistance of the test structures. By accounting for such effects with the aid of the X-ray-based measurements, further improvement in the OCD correlation to electrical test measurements is achieved. Using both types of solution incorporation of fast reference-based machine learning on nonOCD-compatible test structures, and hybrid metrology combining OCD with XRF technology improvement in BEOL cycle time learning could be accomplished through improved prediction capability.

One-step synthesis of graphene nanoribbon-MnO2 hybrids and their all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Mingkai; Tjiu, Weng Weei; Pan, Jisheng; Zhang, Chao; Gao, Wei; Liu, Tianxi

2014-03-01

Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical hybrid nanomaterials (GNR-MnO2) of graphene nanoribbons (GNR) and MnO2 nanoparticles have been prepared via a one-step method. GNR, with unique features such as high aspect ratio and plane integrity, has been obtained by longitudinal unzipping of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). By tuning the amount of oxidant used, different mass loadings of MnO2 nanoparticles have been uniformly deposited on the surface of GNRs. Asymmetric supercapacitors have been fabricated with the GNR-MnO2 hybrid as the positive electrode and GNR sheets as the negative electrode. Due to the desirable porous structure, excellent electrical conductivity, as well as high rate capability and specific capacitances of both the GNR and GNR-MnO2 hybrid, the optimized GNR//GNR-MnO2 asymmetric supercapacitor can be cycled reversibly in an enlarged potential window of 0-2.0 V. In addition, the fabricated GNR//GNR-MnO2 asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits a significantly enhanced maximum energy density of 29.4 W h kg-1 (at a power density of 12.1 kW kg-1), compared with that of the symmetric cells based on GNR-MnO2 hybrids or GNR sheets. This greatly enhanced energy storage ability and high rate capability can be attributed to the homogeneous dispersion and excellent pseudocapacitive performance of MnO2 nanoparticles and the high electrical conductivity of the GNRs.Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical hybrid nanomaterials (GNR-MnO2) of graphene nanoribbons (GNR) and MnO2 nanoparticles have been prepared via a one-step method. GNR, with unique features such as high aspect ratio and plane integrity, has been obtained by longitudinal unzipping of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). By tuning the amount of oxidant used, different mass loadings of MnO2 nanoparticles have been uniformly deposited on the surface of GNRs. Asymmetric supercapacitors have been fabricated with the GNR-MnO2 hybrid as the positive electrode and GNR sheets as the negative electrode. Due to the desirable porous structure, excellent electrical conductivity, as well as high rate capability and specific capacitances of both the GNR and GNR-MnO2 hybrid, the optimized GNR//GNR-MnO2 asymmetric supercapacitor can be cycled reversibly in an enlarged potential window of 0-2.0 V. In addition, the fabricated GNR//GNR-MnO2 asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits a significantly enhanced maximum energy density of 29.4 W h kg-1 (at a power density of 12.1 kW kg-1), compared with that of the symmetric cells based on GNR-MnO2 hybrids or GNR sheets. This greatly enhanced energy storage ability and high rate capability can be attributed to the homogeneous dispersion and excellent pseudocapacitive performance of MnO2 nanoparticles and the high electrical conductivity of the GNRs. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr06650a

Cadmium accumulation characteristics of low-cadmium rice (Oryza sativa L.) line and F1 hybrids grown in cadmium-contaminated soils.

PubMed

Li, Kun; Yu, Haiying; Li, Tingxuan; Chen, Guangdeng; Huang, Fu

2017-07-01

Cadmium (Cd) pollution has threatened severely to food safety and human health. A pot experiment and a field experiment were conducted to investigate the difference of Cd accumulation between rice (Oryza sativa L.) lines and F 1 hybrids in Cd-contaminated soils. The adverse effect on biomass of rice lines was greater than that of F 1 hybrids under Cd treatments in the pot experiment. The variations of Cd concentration among rice cultivars in different organs were smaller in stem and leaf, but larger in root and ear. Average proportion of Cd in root of F 1 hybrids was 1.39, 1.39, and 1.16 times higher than those of rice lines at the treatment of 1, 2, and 4 mg Cd kg -1 soil, respectively. Cd concentrations in ear of F 1 hybrids were significantly lower than rice lines with the reduction from 29.24 to 50.59%. Cd concentrations in brown rice of all F 1 hybrids were less than 0.2 mg kg -1 at 1 mg Cd kg -1 soil, in which Lu98A/YaHui2816, 5406A/YaHui2816, and C268A/YaHui2816 could be screened out as cadmium-safe cultivars (CSCs) for being safe even at 2 mg Cd kg -1 soil. C268A/YaHui2816 showed the lowest Cd concentration in root among F 1 hybrids, while Lu98A/YaHui2816 and 5406A/YaHui2816 showed lower capability of Cd translocation from root to shoot under Cd exposure, which eventually caused the lower Cd accumulation in brown rice. The lower level of Cd translocation contributed to reducing the accumulation of Cd in brown rice had been validated by the field experiment. Thus, Lu98A/YaHui2816, 5406A/YaHui2816, and C268A/YaHui2816 could be considered as potential CSCs to cultivate in Cd-contaminated soils (<2 mg Cd kg -1 soil).

Ribosomal Binding Site Switching: An Effective Strategy for High-Throughput Cloning Constructions

PubMed Central

Li, Yunlong; Zhang, Yong; Lu, Pei; Rayner, Simon; Chen, Shiyun

2012-01-01

Direct cloning of PCR fragments by TA cloning or blunt end ligation are two simple methods which would greatly benefit high-throughput (HTP) cloning constructions if the efficiency can be improved. In this study, we have developed a ribosomal binding site (RBS) switching strategy for direct cloning of PCR fragments. RBS is an A/G rich region upstream of the translational start codon and is essential for gene expression. Change from A/G to T/C in the RBS blocks its activity and thereby abolishes gene expression. Based on this property, we introduced an inactive RBS upstream of a selectable marker gene, and designed a fragment insertion site within this inactive RBS. Forward and reverse insertions of specifically tailed fragments will respectively form an active and inactive RBS, thus all background from vector self-ligation and fragment reverse insertions will be eliminated due to the non-expression of the marker gene. The effectiveness of our strategy for TA cloning and blunt end ligation are confirmed. Application of this strategy to gene over-expression, a bacterial two-hybrid system, a bacterial one-hybrid system, and promoter bank construction are also verified. The advantages of this simple procedure, together with its low cost and high efficiency, makes our strategy extremely useful in HTP cloning constructions. PMID:23185557

One-pot synthesis of pH-responsive hybrid nanogel particles for the intracellular delivery of small interfering RNA

PubMed Central

Parodi, Alessandro; Evangelopoulos, Michael; Corbo, Claudia; Scaria, Shilpa; Hu, Ye; Haddix, Seth G.; Corradetti, Bruna; Salvatore, Francesco; Tasciotti, Ennio

2016-01-01

This report describes a novel, one-pot synthesis of hybrid nanoparticles formed by a nanostructured inorganic silica core and an organic pH-responsive hydrogel shell. This easy-to-perform, oil-in-water emulsion process synthesizes fluorescently-doped silica nanoparticles wrapped within a tunable coating of cationic poly(2-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) hydrogel in one step. Transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering analysis demonstrated that the hydrogel-coated nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed in the aqueous phase. The formation of covalent chemical bonds between the silica and the polymer increases the stability of the organic phase around the inorganic core as demonstrated by thermogravimetric analysis. The cationic nature of the hydrogel is responsible for the pH buffering properties of the nanostructured system and was evaluated by titration experiments. Zeta-potential analysis demonstrated that the charge of the system was reversed when transitioned from acidic to basic pH and vice versa. Consequently, small interfering RNA (siRNA) can be loaded and released in an acidic pH environment thereby enabling the hybrid particles and their payload to avoid endosomal sequestration and enzymatic degradation. These nanoparticles, loaded with specific siRNA molecules directed towards the transcript of the membrane receptor CXCR4, significantly decreased the expression of this protein in a human breast cancer cell line (i.e., MDA-MB-231). Moreover, intravenous administration of siRNA-loaded nanoparticles demonstrated a preferential accumulation at the tumor site that resulted in a reduction of CXCR4 expression. PMID:26901429

OPERA - First Beam Results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nakamura, M.

2008-02-21

OPERA is a long base-line neutrino oscillation experiment to detect tau-neutrino appearance and to prove that the origin of the atmospheric muon neutrino deficit observed by Kamiokande is the neutrino oscillation. A Hybrid emulsion detector, of which weight is about 1.3 kton, has been installed in Gran Sasso laboratory. New muon neutrino beam line, CNGS, has been constructed at CERN to send neutrinos to Gran Sasso, 730 km apart from CERN. In 2006, first neutrinos were sent from CERN to LNGS and were detected by the OPERA detector successfully as planned.

Hybrid approach for robust diagnostics of cutting tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramamurthi, K.; Hough, C. L., Jr.

1994-03-01

A new multisensor based hybrid technique has been developed for robust diagnosis of cutting tools. The technique combines the concepts of pattern classification and real-time knowledge based systems (RTKBS) and draws upon their strengths; learning facility in the case of pattern classification and a higher level of reasoning in the case of RTKBS. It eliminates some of their major drawbacks: false alarms or delayed/lack of diagnosis in case of pattern classification and tedious knowledge base generation in case of RTKBS. It utilizes a dynamic distance classifier, developed upon a new separability criterion and a new definition of robust diagnosis for achieving these benefits. The promise of this technique has been proven concretely through an on-line diagnosis of drill wear. Its suitability for practical implementation is substantiated by the use of practical, inexpensive, machine-mounted sensors and low-cost delivery systems.

One-step synthesis of graphene nanoribbon-MnO₂ hybrids and their all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors.

PubMed

Liu, Mingkai; Tjiu, Weng Weei; Pan, Jisheng; Zhang, Chao; Gao, Wei; Liu, Tianxi

2014-04-21

Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical hybrid nanomaterials (GNR-MnO₂) of graphene nanoribbons (GNR) and MnO₂ nanoparticles have been prepared via a one-step method. GNR, with unique features such as high aspect ratio and plane integrity, has been obtained by longitudinal unzipping of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). By tuning the amount of oxidant used, different mass loadings of MnO₂ nanoparticles have been uniformly deposited on the surface of GNRs. Asymmetric supercapacitors have been fabricated with the GNR-MnO₂ hybrid as the positive electrode and GNR sheets as the negative electrode. Due to the desirable porous structure, excellent electrical conductivity, as well as high rate capability and specific capacitances of both the GNR and GNR-MnO₂ hybrid, the optimized GNR//GNR-MnO₂ asymmetric supercapacitor can be cycled reversibly in an enlarged potential window of 0-2.0 V. In addition, the fabricated GNR//GNR-MnO₂ asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits a significantly enhanced maximum energy density of 29.4 W h kg(-1) (at a power density of 12.1 kW kg(-1)), compared with that of the symmetric cells based on GNR-MnO₂ hybrids or GNR sheets. This greatly enhanced energy storage ability and high rate capability can be attributed to the homogeneous dispersion and excellent pseudocapacitive performance of MnO₂ nanoparticles and the high electrical conductivity of the GNRs.

Network motifs that stabilize the hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal phenotype

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jolly, Mohit Kumar; Jia, Dongya; Tripathi, Satyendra; Hanash, Samir; Mani, Sendurai; Ben-Jacob, Eshel; Levine, Herbert

Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and its reverse - MET - are hallmarks of cancer metastasis. While transitioning between E and M phenotypes, cells can also attain a hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal (E/M) phenotype that enables collective cell migration as a cluster of Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs). These clusters can form 50-times more tumors than individually migrating CTCs, underlining their importance in metastasis. However, this hybrid E/M phenotype has been hypothesized to be only a transient one that is attained en route EMT. Here, via mathematically modeling, we identify certain `phenotypic stability factors' that couple with the core three-way decision-making circuit (miR-200/ZEB) and can maintain or stabilize the hybrid E/M phenotype. Further, we show experimentally that this phenotype can be maintained stably at a single-cell level, and knockdown of these factors impairs collective cell migration. We also show that these factors enable the association of hybrid E/M with high stemness or tumor-initiating potential. Finally, based on these factors, we deduce specific network motifs that can maintain the E/M phenotype. Our framework can be used to elucidate the effect of other players in regulating cellular plasticity during metastasis. This work was supported by NSF PHY-1427654 (Center for Theoretical Biological Physics) and the CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research of the State of Texas at Rice University.

A Robust Hybrid Zn-Battery with Ultralong Cycle Life.

PubMed

Li, Bing; Quan, Junye; Loh, Adeline; Chai, Jianwei; Chen, Ye; Tan, Chaoliang; Ge, Xiaoming; Hor, T S Andy; Liu, Zhaolin; Zhang, Hua; Zong, Yun

2017-01-11

Advanced batteries with long cycle life and capable of harnessing more energies from multiple electrochemical reactions are both fundamentally interesting and practically attractive. Herein, we report a robust hybrid zinc-battery that makes use of transition-metal-based redox reaction (M-O-OH → M-O, M = Ni and Co) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) to deliver more electrochemical energies of comparably higher voltage with much longer cycle life. The hybrid battery was constructed using an integrated electrode of NiCo 2 O 4 nanowire arrays grown on carbon-coated nickel foam, coupled with a zinc plate anode in alkaline electrolyte. Benefitted from the M-O/M-O-OH redox reactions and rich ORR active sites in NiCo 2 O 4 , the battery has concurrently exhibited high working voltage (by M-O-OH → M-O) and high energy density (by ORR). The good oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity of the electrode and the reversible M-O ↔ M-O-OH reactions also enabled smooth recharging of the batteries, leading to excellent cycling stabilities. Impressively, the hybrid batteries maintained highly stable charge-discharge voltage profile under various testing conditions, for example, almost no change was observed over 5000 cycles at a current density of 5 mA cm -2 after some initial stabilization. With merits of higher working voltage, high energy density, and ultralong cycle life, such hybrid batteries promise high potential for practical applications.

Development and characterization of high-resolution neutron pixel detectors based on Timepix read-out chips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krejci, F.; Zemlicka, J.; Jakubek, J.; Dudak, J.; Vavrik, D.; Köster, U.; Atkins, D.; Kaestner, A.; Soltes, J.; Viererbl, L.; Vacik, J.; Tomandl, I.

2016-12-01

Using a suitable isotope such as 6Li and 10B semiconductor hybrid pixel detectors can be successfully adapted for position sensitive detection of thermal and cold neutrons via conversion into energetic light ions. The adapted devices then typically provides spatial resolution at the level comparable to the pixel pitch (55 μm) and sensitive area of about few cm2. In this contribution, we describe further progress in neutron imaging performance based on the development of a large-area hybrid pixel detector providing practically continuous neutron sensitive area of 71 × 57 mm2. The measurements characterising the detector performance at the cold neutron imaging instrument ICON at PSI and high-flux imaging beam-line Neutrograph at ILL are presented. At both facilities, high-resolution high-contrast neutron radiography with the newly developed detector has been successfully applied for objects which imaging were previously difficult with hybrid pixel technology (such as various composite materials, objects of cultural heritage etc.). Further, a significant improvement in the spatial resolution of neutron radiography with hybrid semiconductor pixel detector based on the fast read-out Timepix-based detector is presented. The system is equipped with a thin planar 6LiF convertor operated effectively in the event-by-event mode enabling position sensitive detection with spatial resolution better than 10 μm.

Establishment and characterization of a novel Hodgkin lymphoma cell line, AM-HLH, carrying the Epstein-Barr virus genome integrated into the host chromosome.

PubMed

Hayashida, Masahiko; Daibata, Masanori; Tagami, Erika; Taguchi, Takahiro; Maekawa, Fumiyo; Takeoka, Kayo; Fukutsuka, Katsuhiro; Shimomura, Daiki; Hayashi, Takamasa; Iwatani, Yoshinori; Ohno, Hitoshi

2017-12-01

We describe the establishment and characterization of a cell line, AM-HLH, obtained from a patient with Epstein-Barr virus-positive (EBV + ) nodular sclerosis-type Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). The cells were positive for CD2 and CD30 and negative for CD15. The immunoglobulin heavy- and κ light-chain genes were rearranged. The karyotype was of the triploid range. Southern blotting using the EBV terminal repeat probe detected 3 hybridizing bands that were identical to those of the parental HL material. The cells expressed EBV-encoded RNAs as well as latent genes (EBNA1, EBNA2, LMP1, and LMP2A) and lytic genes (BZLF1 and BALF2). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with the cosmid pJB8 clone containing a fragment of EBV DNA as a probe revealed multiple hybridization signals at a marker chromosome. Additional FISH using whole chromosome painting and centromere probes in combination with multicolor FISH determined that multiple EBV copies were clustered within the chromosome 20 materials of the marker chromosome. Culture supernatants of AM-HLH contained IL-10 as measured by the bead-based immunoassay. It is possible that an integrated EBV genome and cellular genes on chromosome 20 were coamplified, leading to the enhanced expression of genes involved in cell growth control. The AM-HLH cell line will be useful to clarify the role of cytokines in the development of EBV + HL. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Hybrid On-line Verification Method of Relay Setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Wangyuan; Chen, Qing; Si, Ji; Huang, Xin

2017-05-01

Along with the rapid development of the power industry, grid structure gets more sophisticated. The validity and rationality of protective relaying are vital to the security of power systems. To increase the security of power systems, it is essential to verify the setting values of relays online. Traditional verification methods mainly include the comparison of protection range and the comparison of calculated setting value. To realize on-line verification, the verifying speed is the key. The verifying result of comparing protection range is accurate, but the computation burden is heavy, and the verifying speed is slow. Comparing calculated setting value is much faster, but the verifying result is conservative and inaccurate. Taking the overcurrent protection as example, this paper analyses the advantages and disadvantages of the two traditional methods above, and proposes a hybrid method of on-line verification which synthesizes the advantages of the two traditional methods. This hybrid method can meet the requirements of accurate on-line verification.

Hybrid chemistry. Part 4: Discovery of etravirine-VRX-480773 hybrids as potent HIV-1 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

PubMed

Wan, Zheng-Yong; Tao, Yuan; Wang, Ya-Feng; Mao, Tian-Qi; Yin, Hong; Chen, Fen-Er; Piao, Hu-Ri; De Clercq, Erik; Daelemans, Dirk; Pannecouque, Christophe

2015-08-01

A novel series of etravirine-VRX-480773 hybrids were designed using structure-guided molecular hybridization strategy and fusing the pharmacophore templates of etravirine and VRX-480773. The anti-HIV-1 activity and cytotoxicity was evaluated in MT-4 cell cultures. The most active hybrid compound in this series, N-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-((4-(4-cyano-2,6-dimethylphenoxy)pyrimidin-2-yl)thio)acetamide 3d (EC50=0.24 , SI>1225), was more potent than delavirdine (EC50=0.66 μM, SI>67) in the anti-HIV-1 in vitro cellular assay. Studies of structure-activity relationships established a correlation between anti-HIV activity and the substitution pattern of the acetanilide group. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Complex roles of hybrid lipids in the composition, order, and size of lipid membrane domains.

PubMed

Hassan-Zadeh, Ebrahim; Baykal-Caglar, Eda; Alwarawrah, Mohammad; Huang, Juyang

2014-02-11

Hybrid lipids (HL) are phospholipids with one saturated chain and one unsaturated chain. HL are hypothesized to act as linactants (i.e., 2D surfactants) in cell membranes, reducing line tension and creating nanoscopic lipid domains. Here we compare three hybrid lipids of different chain unsaturation (16:0-18:1PC (POPC), 16:0-18:2PC (PLPC), and 16:0-20:4PC (PAPC)) in their abilities to alter the composition, line tension, order, and compactness of lipid domains. We found that the liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (Ld) lipid domains in PAPC/di18:0PC(DSPC)/cholesterol and PLPC/DSPC/cholesterol mixtures are micrometer-sized, and only the POPC/DSPC/cholesterol system has nanoscopic domains. The results indicate that some HLs with polyunsaturated chains are not linactants, and the monounsaturated POPC displays both properties of weak linactants and "Ld-phase" lipids such as di18:1PC (DOPC). The obtained phase boundaries from giant unilamellar vesicles (GUV) show that both POPC and PLPC partition well in the Lo phases. Our MD simulations reveal that these hybrid lipids decrease the order and compactness of Lo domains. Thus, hybrid lipids distinguish themselves from other lipid groups in this combined "partitioning and loosening" ability, which could explain why the Lo domains of GUVs, which often do not contain HL, are more compact than the raft domains in cell membranes. Our line tension measurement and Monte Carlo simulation both show that even the monounsaturated POPC is a weak linactant with only modest ability to occupy domain boundaries and reduce line tension. A more important property of HLs is that they can reduce physical property differences of Lo and Ld bulk domains, which also reduces line tension at domain boundaries.

Characterization of Human Cancer Cell Lines by Reverse-phase Protein Arrays* | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

Cancer cell lines are major model systems for mechanistic investigation and drug development. However, protein expression data linked to high-quality DNA, RNA, and drug-screening data have not been available across a large number of cancer cell lines. Using reverse-phase protein arrays, we measured expression levels of ∼230 key cancer-related proteins in >650 independent cell lines, many of which have publically available genomic, transcriptomic, and drug-screening data.

Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of two diastereomeric lignan amides serving as dimeric caffeic acid-l-DOPA hybrids.

PubMed

Magoulas, George E; Rigopoulos, Andreas; Piperigkou, Zoi; Gialeli, Chrysostomi; Karamanos, Nikos K; Takis, Panteleimon G; Troganis, Anastassios N; Chrissanthopoulos, Athanassios; Maroulis, George; Papaioannou, Dionissios

2016-06-01

Two new diastereomeric lignan amides (4 and 5) serving as dimeric caffeic acid-l-DOPA hybrids were synthesized. The synthesis involved the FeCl3-mediated phenol oxidative coupling of methyl caffeate to afford trans-diester 1a as a mixture of enantiomers, protection of the catechol units, regioselective saponification, coupling with a suitably protected l-DOPA derivative, separation of the two diastereomers thus obtained by flash column chromatography and finally global chemoselective deprotection of the catechol units. The effect of hybrids 4 and 5 and related compounds on the proliferation of two breast cancer cell lines with different metastatic potential and estrogen receptor status (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and of one epithelial lung cancer cell line, namely A-549, was evaluated for concentrations ranging from 1 to 256μM and periods of treatment of 24, 48 and 72h. Both hybrids showed interesting and almost equipotent antiproliferative activities (IC50 64-70μM) for the MDA-MB-231 cell line after 24-48h of treatment, but they were more selective and much more potent (IC50 4-16μM) for the MCF-7 cells after 48h of treatment. The highest activity for both hybrids and both breast cancer lines was observed after 72h of treatment (IC50 1-2μM), probably as the result of slow hydrolysis of their methyl ester functions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Controlling transgene expression in subcutaneous implants using a skin lotion containing the apple metabolite phloretin.

PubMed

Gitzinger, Marc; Kemmer, Christian; El-Baba, Marie Daoud; Weber, Wilfried; Fussenegger, Martin

2009-06-30

Adjustable control of therapeutic transgenes in engineered cell implants after transdermal and topical delivery of nontoxic trigger molecules would increase convenience, patient compliance, and elimination of hepatic first-pass effect in future therapies. Pseudomonas putida DOT-T1E has evolved the flavonoid-triggered TtgR operon, which controls expression of a multisubstrate-specific efflux pump (TtgABC) to resist plant-derived defense metabolites in its rhizosphere habitat. Taking advantage of the TtgR operon, we have engineered a hybrid P. putida-mammalian genetic unit responsive to phloretin. This flavonoid is contained in apples, and, as such, or as dietary supplement, regularly consumed by humans. The engineered mammalian phloretin-adjustable control element (PEACE) enabled adjustable and reversible transgene expression in different mammalian cell lines and primary cells. Due to the short half-life of phloretin in culture, PEACE could also be used to program expression of difficult-to-produce protein therapeutics during standard bioreactor operation. When formulated in skin lotions and applied to the skin of mice harboring transgenic cell implants, phloretin was able to fine-tune target genes and adjust heterologous protein levels in the bloodstream of treated mice. PEACE-controlled target gene expression could foster advances in biopharmaceutical manufacturing as well as gene- and cell-based therapies.

Controlling transgene expression in subcutaneous implants using a skin lotion containing the apple metabolite phloretin

PubMed Central

Gitzinger, Marc; Kemmer, Christian; El-Baba, Marie Daoud; Weber, Wilfried; Fussenegger, Martin

2009-01-01

Adjustable control of therapeutic transgenes in engineered cell implants after transdermal and topical delivery of nontoxic trigger molecules would increase convenience, patient compliance, and elimination of hepatic first-pass effect in future therapies. Pseudomonas putida DOT-T1E has evolved the flavonoid-triggered TtgR operon, which controls expression of a multisubstrate-specific efflux pump (TtgABC) to resist plant-derived defense metabolites in its rhizosphere habitat. Taking advantage of the TtgR operon, we have engineered a hybrid P. putida–mammalian genetic unit responsive to phloretin. This flavonoid is contained in apples, and, as such, or as dietary supplement, regularly consumed by humans. The engineered mammalian phloretin-adjustable control element (PEACE) enabled adjustable and reversible transgene expression in different mammalian cell lines and primary cells. Due to the short half-life of phloretin in culture, PEACE could also be used to program expression of difficult-to-produce protein therapeutics during standard bioreactor operation. When formulated in skin lotions and applied to the skin of mice harboring transgenic cell implants, phloretin was able to fine-tune target genes and adjust heterologous protein levels in the bloodstream of treated mice. PEACE-controlled target gene expression could foster advances in biopharmaceutical manufacturing as well as gene- and cell-based therapies. PMID:19549857

Power Converters Secure Electronics in Harsh Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2013-01-01

In order to harden power converters for the rigors of space, NASA awarded multiple SBIR contracts to Blacksburg, Virginia-based VPT Inc. The resulting hybrid DC-DC converters have proven valuable in aerospace applications, and as a result the company has generated millions in revenue from the product line and created four high-tech jobs to handle production.

Innovative sponge-based moving bed-osmotic membrane bioreactor hybrid system using a new class of draw solution for municipal wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Nguyen, Nguyen Cong; Chen, Shiao-Shing; Nguyen, Hau Thi; Ray, Saikat Sinha; Ngo, Huu Hao; Guo, Wenshan; Lin, Po-Hsun

2016-03-15

For the first time, an innovative concept of combining sponge-based moving bed (SMB) and an osmotic membrane bioreactor (OsMBR), known as the SMB-OsMBR hybrid system, were investigated using Triton X-114 surfactant coupled with MgCl2 salt as the draw solution. Compared to traditional activated sludge OsMBR, the SMB-OsMBR system was able to remove more nutrients due to the thick-biofilm layer on sponge carriers. Subsequently less membrane fouling was observed during the wastewater treatment process. A water flux of 11.38 L/(m(2) h) and a negligible reverse salt flux were documented when deionized water served as the feed solution and a mixture of 1.5 M MgCl2 and 1.5 mM Triton X-114 was used as the draw solution. The SMB-OsMBR hybrid system indicated that a stable water flux of 10.5 L/(m(2) h) and low salt accumulation were achieved in a 90-day operation. Moreover, the nutrient removal efficiency of the proposed system was close to 100%, confirming the effectiveness of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification in the biofilm layer on sponge carriers. The overall performance of the SMB-OsMBR hybrid system using MgCl2 coupled with Triton X-114 as the draw solution demonstrates its potential application in wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Facile construction of macroporous hybrid monoliths via thiol-methacrylate Michael addition click reaction for capillary liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Lin, Hui; Ou, Junjie; Liu, Zhongshan; Wang, Hongwei; Dong, Jing; Zou, Hanfa

2015-01-30

A facile approach based on thiol-methacrylate Michael addition click reaction was developed for construction of porous hybrid monolithic materials. Three hybrid monoliths were prepared via thiol-methacrylate click polymerization by using methacrylate-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) (cage mixture, n=8, 10, 12, POSS-MA) and three multi-thiol crosslinkers, 1,6-hexanedithiol (HDT), trimethylolpropane tris(3-mercaptopropionate) (TPTM) and pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate) (PTM), respectively, in the presence of porogenic solvents (n-propanol and PEG 200) and a catalyst (dimethylphenylphosphine, DMPP). The obtained monoliths possessed high thermal and chemical stabilities. Besides, they all exhibited high column efficiencies and excellent separation abilities in capillary liquid chromatography (cLC). The highest column efficiency could reach ca. 195,000N/m for butylbenzene on the monolith prepared with POSS-MA and TPTM (monolith POSS-TPTM) in reversed-phase (RP) mode at 0.64mm/s. Good chromatographic performance were all achieved in the separations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phenols, anilines, EPA 610 as well as bovine serum albumin (BSA) digest. The high column efficiencies in the range of 51,400-117,000N/m (achieved on the monolith POSS-PTM in RP mode) convincingly demonstrated the high separation abilities of these thiol-methacrylate based hybrid monoliths. All the results demonstrated the feasibility of the phosphines catalyzed thiol-methacrylate Michael addition click reaction in fabrication of monolithic columns with high efficiency for cLC applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Production of a maternal-zygotic medaka mutant using hybrid sterility.

PubMed

Shimada, Atsuko; Takeda, Hiroyuki

2008-08-01

Taking advantage of the characteristics that make hybrids between Japanese and Chinese medaka grow well, albeit sterile, we have developed a method of germ-line replacement in which these hybrids are used as hosts for the production of a maternal-zygotic mutant. The protocol is described herein.

Two-dimensional hybrid Monte Carlo–fluid modelling of dc glow discharges: Comparison with fluid models, reliability, and accuracy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eylenceoğlu, E.; Rafatov, I., E-mail: rafatov@metu.edu.tr; Kudryavtsev, A. A.

2015-01-15

Two-dimensional hybrid Monte Carlo–fluid numerical code is developed and applied to model the dc glow discharge. The model is based on the separation of electrons into two parts: the low energetic (slow) and high energetic (fast) electron groups. Ions and slow electrons are described within the fluid model using the drift-diffusion approximation for particle fluxes. Fast electrons, represented by suitable number of super particles emitted from the cathode, are responsible for ionization processes in the discharge volume, which are simulated by the Monte Carlo collision method. Electrostatic field is obtained from the solution of Poisson equation. The test calculations weremore » carried out for an argon plasma. Main properties of the glow discharge are considered. Current-voltage curves, electric field reversal phenomenon, and the vortex current formation are developed and discussed. The results are compared to those obtained from the simple and extended fluid models. Contrary to reports in the literature, the analysis does not reveal significant advantages of existing hybrid methods over the extended fluid model.« less

ATLAS: An advanced PCR-method for routine visualization of telomere length in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Zubko, Elena I; Shackleton, Jennifer L; Zubko, Mikhajlo K

2016-12-01

Measuring telomere length is essential in telomere biology. Southern blot hybridization is the predominant method for measuring telomere length in the genetic model Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have further developed and refined a telomere PCR approach, which was rarely used previously (mainly in specific telomeric projects), into a robust method allowing direct visualisation of telomere length differences in routine experiments with S. cerevisiae, and showing a strong correlation of results with data obtained by Southern blot hybridization. In this expanded method denoted as ATLAS (A-dvanced T-elomere L-ength A-nalysis in S. cerevisiae), we have introduced: 1) set of new primers annealing with high specificity to telomeric regions on five different chromosomes; 2) new approach for designing reverse telomere primers that is based on the ligation of an adaptor of a fixed size to telomeric ends. ATLAS can be used at the scale of individual assays and high-throughput approaches. This simple, time/cost-effective and reproducible methodology will complement Southern blot hybridization and facilitate further progress in telomere research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.