94 research outputs found
Application of comparative genomics in developing molecular markers tightly linked to the virus resistance gene Rsv4 in soybean
No full textThe Rsv4 gene confers resistance to all the known strain groups of soybean mosaic virus in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). To construct a fine genetic map near Rsv4 in soybean, we employed a comparative genomics approach that used genome sequence information of the model legume Lotus japonicus. Sequences of the soybean expressed sequence tags (ESTs) AI856415 and BF070293 mapping to one side of the Rsv4 gene showed high similarity with gene sequences of the transformation-competent artificial chromosome (TAC) clone LjT32P24 of Lotus. LjT32P24 is tightly linked to another sequenced TAC clone, LjT26I01, in Lotus. A new marker, AW307114A, developed from soybean EST AW307114, which is homologous to a Lotus gene within LjT26I01, was mapped to the other side of the Rsv4 gene. The identification of the microsyntenic relationship facilitated the development of additional 2 EST markers between BF070293-S and AW307114A bracketing the Rsv4 gene. Several other markers developed in this study were mapped to putative homoeologous or duplicated chromosomal regions in soybean. Alignment between the soybean maps indicated that Rsv4 is located near a local chromosomal rearrangement. This targeted comparative mapping serves to provide a foundation for marker-assisted selection and cloning of the Rsv4 gene.open
Can we improve the prediction of hip fracture by assessing bone structure using shape and appearance modelling?
No full textCopyright 2013 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Peer reviewe
Feed restriction regime in a rabbit line selected for growth rate alters oocyte maturation manifested by alteration in msy2 gene expression
No full text[EN] Young rabbit females selected for growth rate may have nutritional needs, which may not be met with the common practice of feed restriction during rearing in commercial rabbit production. The aim of this study was to analyse whether two different feeding programmes: ad libitum or restricted (130 g/day) feeding, applied in young rabbit females for 1 month at the end of rearing, could modulate the origin of ovulation process and the quality of the oocytes. At 16 weeks of age, 34 females were randomly assigned to restricted or ad libitum feeding, maintaining these conditions for a month. Then, in an initial experiment, transcriptional profiling of hypothalamus-hypophysis tissue was performed to assess failure to ovulate. In the second experiment, the gene expression analysis of some candidate genes related to oocytes quality was performed. Our results demonstrated that neither of the two feeding programmes modified the transcription of hypothalamus-hypophysis tissue, while the only differences in MSYR expression were found in in vivo mature oocytes ready for successful fertilization. Specifically, MSYR was over-expressed in oocytes from females fed ad libitum. MSYR is one of the most abundant proteins in the oocyte and has proven to be a key regulator of maternal RNA transcription and translation. This finding suggests that MSYR gene is a promising gene in our understanding of the relationship between high growth rate and reproductive performance decline.This work was supported by the Spanish Research Projects AGL2014-53405-C2-P and AGL2011-30170-C02-01 (CICYT). Carmen Naturil was supported by a research grant from the Education Ministry of the Valencian Regional Government (programme VALi+d. ACIF/2013/296).Naturil Alfonso, C.; Peñaranda, D.; Vicente Antón, JS.; Marco-Jiménez, F. (2017). Feed restriction regime in a rabbit line selected for growth rate alters oocyte maturation manifested by alteration in msy2 gene expression. Reproduction in Domestic Animals. 52(6):976-984. https://doi.org/10.1111/rda.13006S976984526Alexander, B. M., Kiyma, Z., McFarland, M., Van Kirk, E. A., Hallford, D. M., Hawkins, D. E., … Moss, G. E. (2007). Influence of short-term fasting during the luteal phase of the estrous cycle on ovarian follicular development during the ensuing proestrus of ewes. Animal Reproduction Science, 97(3-4), 356-363. doi:10.1016/j.anireprosci.2006.01.012Armstrong, D. G., McEvoy, T. G., Baxter, G., Robinson, J. J., Hogg, C. O., Woad, K. J., … Sinclair, K. D. (2001). Effect of Dietary Energy and Protein on Bovine Follicular Dynamics and Embryo Production In Vitro: Associations with the Ovarian Insulin-Like Growth Factor System1. Biology of Reproduction, 64(6), 1624-1632. doi:10.1095/biolreprod64.6.1624Ashworth, C. J., Beattie, L., & Antipatis, C. (1999). Effects of pre- and post-mating nutritional status on hepatic function, progesterone concentration, uterine protein secretion and embryo survival in Meishan pigs. Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 11(1), 67. doi:10.1071/rd99007Ashworth, C. J., Beattie, L., Antipatis, C., & Vallet, J. L. (1999). Effects of pre- and post-mating feed intake on blastocyst size, secretory function and glucose metabolism in Meishan gilts. Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 11(6), 323. doi:10.1071/rd99040Balasubramanian, P., Jagannathan, L., Mahaley, R. E., Subramanian, M., Gilbreath, E. T., MohanKumar, P. S., & MohanKumar, S. M. J. (2012). High Fat Diet Affects Reproductive Functions in Female Diet-Induced Obese and Dietary Resistant Rats. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 24(5), 748-755. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2826.2011.02276.xBoland, M. P., Lonergan, P., & O’Callaghan, D. (2001). Effect of nutrition on endocrine parameters, ovarian physiology, and oocyte and embryo development. Theriogenology, 55(6), 1323-1340. doi:10.1016/s0093-691x(01)00485-xBrecchia, G., Bonanno, A., Galeati, G., Federici, C., Maranesi, M., Gobbetti, A., … Boiti, C. (2006). Hormonal and metabolic adaptation to fasting: Effects on the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian axis and reproductive performance of rabbit does. Domestic Animal Endocrinology, 31(2), 105-122. doi:10.1016/j.domaniend.2005.09.006Daoud, N. M., Mahrous, K. F., & Ezzo, O. H. (2012). Feed restriction as a biostimulant of the production of oocyte, their quality and GDF-9 gene expression in rabbit oocytes. Animal Reproduction Science, 136(1-2), 121-127. doi:10.1016/j.anireprosci.2012.09.011De la Fuente, L. F., & Rosell, J. M. (2012). Body weight and body condition of breeding rabbits in commercial units1. Journal of Animal Science, 90(9), 3252-3258. doi:10.2527/jas.2011-4764Estany, J., Camacho, J., Baselga, M., & Blasco, A. (1992). Selection response of growth rate in rabbits for meat production. Genetics Selection Evolution, 24(6), 527. doi:10.1186/1297-9686-24-6-527Ferguson, E., Ashworth, C., Edwards, S., Hawkins, N., Hepburn, N., & Hunter, M. (2003). Effect of different nutritional regimens before ovulation on plasma concentrations of metabolic and reproductive hormones and oocyte maturation in gilts. Reproduction, 61-71. doi:10.1530/rep.0.1260061García-García, R. M., Rebollar, P. G., Arias-Álvarez, M., Sakr, O. G., Bermejo-Álvarez, P., Brecchia, G., … Lorenzo, P. L. (2011). Acute fasting before conception affects metabolic and endocrine status without impacting follicle and oocyte development and embryo gene expression in the rabbit. Reproduction, Fertility and Development, 23(6), 759. doi:10.1071/rd10298Gerke, V., Creutz, C. E., & Moss, S. E. (2005). Annexins: linking Ca2+ signalling to membrane dynamics. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 6(6), 449-461. doi:10.1038/nrm1661Gerstner, J. R., & Landry, C. F. (2006). Expression of the Transcriptional Coactivator CITED1 in the Adult and Developing Murine Brain. Developmental Neuroscience, 29(3), 203-212. doi:10.1159/000096389Gil, S. Y., Youn, B.-S., Byun, K., Huang, H., Namkoong, C., Jang, P.-G., … Kim, M.-S. (2013). Clusterin and LRP2 are critical components of the hypothalamic feeding regulatory pathway. Nature Communications, 4(1). doi:10.1038/ncomms2896Gu, W., Tekur, S., Reinbold, R., Eppig, J. J., Choi, Y.-C., Zheng, J. Z., … Hecht, N. B. (1998). Mammalian Male and Female Germ Cells Express a Germ Cell-Specific Y-Box Protein, MSY21. Biology of Reproduction, 59(5), 1266-1274. doi:10.1095/biolreprod59.5.1266Haider, S., & Knöfler, M. (2009). Human Tumour Necrosis Factor: Physiological and Pathological Roles in Placenta and Endometrium. Placenta, 30(2), 111-123. doi:10.1016/j.placenta.2008.10.012Han, J., & Townes-Anderson, E. (2012). Cell Specific Post-Translational Processing of Pikachurin, A Protein Involved in Retinal Synaptogenesis. PLoS ONE, 7(12), e50552. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0050552Jung, U., & Choi, M.-S. (2014). Obesity and Its Metabolic Complications: The Role of Adipokines and the Relationship between Obesity, Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Dyslipidemia and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 15(4), 6184-6223. doi:10.3390/ijms15046184Kiyma, Z., Alexander, B. M., Van Kirk, E. A., Murdoch, W. J., Hallford, D. M., & Moss, G. E. (2004). Effects of feed restriction on reproductive and metabolic hormones in ewes. Journal of Animal Science, 82(9), 2548-2557. doi:10.2527/2004.8292548xLabrecque, R., Vigneault, C., Blondin, P., & Sirard, M.-A. (2014). Gene expression analysis of bovine oocytes at optimal coasting time combined with GnRH antagonist during the no-FSH period. Theriogenology, 81(8), 1092-1100. doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2014.01.037Leali, D., Inforzato, A., Ronca, R., Bianchi, R., Belleri, M., Coltrini, D., … Presta, M. (2012). Long Pentraxin 3/Tumor Necrosis Factor-Stimulated Gene-6 Interaction. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 32(3), 696-703. doi:10.1161/atvbaha.111.243998Llobat, L., Marco-Jiménez, F., Peñaranda, D., Saenz-de-Juano, M., & Vicente, J. (2011). Effect of Embryonic Genotype on Reference Gene Selection for RT-qPCR Normalization. Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 47(4), 629-634. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0531.2011.01934.xMartin, B., Golden, E., Carlson, O. D., Egan, J. M., Mattson, M. P., & Maudsley, S. (2008). Caloric restriction: Impact upon pituitary function and reproduction. Ageing Research Reviews, 7(3), 209-224. doi:10.1016/j.arr.2008.01.002Martínez-Paredes, E., Ródenas, L., Pascual, J. J., Blas, E., Brecchia, G., Boiti, C., & Cervera, C. (2015). Effects of rearing feeding programme on the young rabbit females’ behaviour and welfare indicators. World Rabbit Science, 23(3), 197. doi:10.4995/wrs.2015.3987McEvoy, T. G., Robinson, J. J., Aitken, R. P., Findlay, P. A., Palmer, R. 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Effects of Chronic Bromocriptine Treatment on Tyrosine Hydroxylase (TH) mRNA Expression, TH Activity and Median Eminence Dopamine Concentrations in Ageing Rats
No full textChronic Exposure to Low Levels of Oestradiol‐17β Affects Oestrous Cyclicity, Hypothalamic Norepinephrine and Serum Luteinising Hormone in Young Intact Rats
No full text[Cu(N^N)(P^P)]+ complexes with 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine ligands as the N^N domain
No full textThe first examples of [Cu(N^N)(POP)]+ complexes (POP = bis(2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl)ether) in which the N^N domain is a 2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (tpy) ligand have been prepared and characterized; N^N = tpy, 5,5′′-dimethyl-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (1), 4′-(4-tolyl)-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (2), 4′-(4-npropoxyphenyl)-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (3) and 4′-(4-nbutoxyphenyl)-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (4). In solution, the tpy domain in each [Cu(N^N)(POP)][PF6] complex is C2-symmetric, consistent with either tridentate coordination or a low energy dynamic process involving bidentate ligands; for [Cu(2)(POP)][PF6] and [Cu(4)(POP)][PF6], the 1H NMR spectra showed negligible change between 295 and 210 K. The single crystal structures of [Cu(tpy)(POP)][PF6] and [Cu(4)(POP)][PF6] are presented. The asymmetric unit of [Cu(tpy)(POP)][PF6] contains two independent cations; in one the tpy ligand is tridentate and in the other, it is bidentate with the non-coordinated pyridine ring facing the Cu atom (Cu⋯N = 3.146(1) Å). In contrast, the solid-state structure of [Cu(4)(POP)][PF6] features a [Cu(4)(POP)]+ cation containing a bidentate tpy-domain with the non-coordinated pyridine ring oriented with the N-atom facing away from the Cu atom; this conformation may be associated with inter-cation N⋯HC non-classical hydrogen bonds. The photophysical properties of [Cu(N^N)(POP)][PF6] with N^N = tpy or 1–4 are described. In the solid state at room temperature, the compounds are poorly emissive. In solution, the emission behaviour is consistent with ligand dissociation. This is supported by 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopic data which show POP and [Cu(POP)2]+ in solutions of aged samples; mass spectrometric data are consistent with the formation of [Cu(N^N)2]2+ in these samples
Branched-Chain Amino Acids Are Linked with Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Pathology and Cognitive Deficits
No full textAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disorder with a complex pathophysiology. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a strong risk factor for AD that shares similar abnormal features including metabolic dysregulation and brain pathology such as amyloid and/or Tau deposits. Emerging evidence suggests that circulating branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are associated with T2D. While excess BCAAs are shown to be harmful to neurons, its connection to AD is poorly understood. Here we show that individuals with AD have elevated circulating BCAAs and their metabolites compared to healthy individuals, and that a BCAA metabolite is correlated with the severity of dementia. APPSwe mouse model of AD also displayed higher plasma BCAAs compared to controls. In pursuit of understanding a potential causality, BCAA supplementation to HT-22 neurons was found to reduce genes critical for neuronal health while increasing phosphorylated Tau. Moreover, restricting BCAAs from diet delayed cognitive decline and lowered AD-related pathology in the cortex and hippocampus in APP/PS1 mice. BCAA restriction for two months was sufficient to correct glycemic control and increased/restored dopamine that were severely reduced in APP/PS1 controls. Treating 5xFAD mice that show early brain pathology with a BCAA-lowering compound recapitulated the beneficial effects of BCAA restriction on brain pathology and neurotransmitters including norepinephrine and serotonin. Collectively, this study reveals a positive association between circulating BCAAs and AD. Our findings suggest that BCAAs impair neuronal functions whereas BCAA-lowering alleviates AD-related pathology and cognitive decline, thus establishing a potential causal link between BCAAs and AD progression
Variation in the Morphological Characters of the Hill and Plain Populations of Indian Honey Bee, Apis cerana indica (Fab.) in Tamil Nadu, India
No full textThe present study investigates the morphological differences between the hill and plain populations of the Indian honey bee, Apis cerana indica Fabricius, collected from six different locations in Tamil Nadu, India: Coimbatore, Karumandhurai, Coonoor, Madurai, Dindigul, and Chidambaram during 2023-2024. Significant differences were found between the two populations based on a comprehensive morphometric analysis of 29 characters. The hill populations from TNAU Insectary (Marudhamalai hills), Karumandhurai (Kalvarayan hills), and Coonoor (Nilgiri hills), the mean altitude of the locations being 1207 m a.s.l. exhibited significantly higher values in several morphometric traits than the plain populations from Madurai, Dindigul, and Chidambaram, with a mean altitude of 124 m above MSL (P<0.05). Component loading analysis highlighted the key morphometric characters contributing to the first and second components of both ecotypes. In the plain population, breadth of the radial cell, breadth of the forewing, and length of the radial cell demonstrated strong positive correlations with the first principal component, explaining 16.4% of the variance. The second principal component, influenced by characters such as the length of the femur and breadth of the metatarsus, showed 12.2% of the variance. In the hill population, the length of the radial cell, length of vein R.L., and length of the hindwing were the most influential traits for the first principal component, explaining 28.0% of the variance. In contrast, the second component, which included the breadth of the forewing and length of vein I.L., explained 12.3% of the variance. Further, the cubital index, a critical morphometric parameter, also showed a statistically significant difference, with the hill population (3.55) showing a higher value than the plain population (3.29). The significant morphometric differences observed between the hill and plain populations of A. cerana indica may suggest that they have undergone morphological divergence, likely due to adaptations to their specific environmental conditions
Heuristic algorithms based optimal tuning of FOLQI controller for quadruple tank process under disturbance conditions
No full textDesign of centralised disturbance rejection controllers for an highly interacting MIMO quadruple tank process is tedious. Recently, centralised disturbance rejection Fractional Order LQI (FOLQI) controller is designed for such system to meet the desired specifications with better performance than various disturbance rejection controllers that are available in the literature. In this paper, an optimisation problem is formulated to obtain the optimal parameters of FOLQI controller providing minimum control effort by applying various widely used heuristic methods like Cuckoo Search (CS), Accelerated Particle Swarm Optimisation (APSO) and FireFly (FF) algorithms. A detailed simulation study is carried out to compare the performance of the FOLQI and Integer Order LQI (IOLQI) controllers obtained by these heuristic algorithms under disturbance and parameter uncertainty conditions. From the simulation study it is inferred that (i) FOLQI controller provides better time domain specifications % M p , t s and J in comparison to IOLQI controllers and (ii) FF tuned FOLQI and IOLQI controllers provide better robustness characteristics compared to CS and APSO tuned controllers
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