Innovation in the Breeding of Common Bean Through a Combined Approach of in vitro Regeneration and Machine Learning Algorithms

Common bean is considered a recalcitrant crop for in vitro regeneration and needs a repeatable and efficient in vitro regeneration protocol for its improvement through biotechnological approaches. In this study, the establishment of efficient and reproducible in vitro regeneration followed by predicting and optimizing through machine learning (ML) models, such as artificial neural network algorithms, was performed. Mature embryos of common bean were pretreated with 5, 10, and 20 mg/L benzylaminopurine (BAP) for 20 days followed by isolation of plumular apice for in vitro regeneration and cultured on a post-treatment medium containing 0.25, 0.50, 1.0, and 1.50 mg/L BAP for 8 weeks. Plumular apice explants pretreated with 20 mg/L BAP exerted a negative impact and resulted in minimum shoot regeneration frequency and shoot count, but produced longer shoots. All output variables (shoot regeneration frequency, shoot counts, and shoot length) increased significantly with the enhancement of BAP concentration in the post-treatment medium. Interaction of the pretreatment × post-treatment medium revealed the need for a specific combination for inducing a high shoot regeneration frequency. Higher shoot count and shoot length were achieved from the interaction of 5 mg/L BAP × 1.00 mg/L BAP followed by 10 mg/L BAP × 1.50 mg/L BAP and 20 mg/L BAP × 1.50 mg/L BAP. The evaluation of data through ML models revealed that R2 values ranged from 0.32 to 0.58 (regeneration), 0.01 to 0.22 (shoot counts), and 0.18 to 0.48 (shoot length). On the other hand, the mean squared error values ranged from 0.0596 to 0.0965 for shoot regeneration, 0.0327 to 0.0412 for shoot count, and 0.0258 to 0.0404 for shoot length from all ML models. Among the utilized models, the multilayer perceptron model provided a better prediction and optimization for all output variables, compared to other models. The achieved results can be employed for the prediction and optimization of plant tissue culture protocols used for biotechnological approaches in a breeding program of common beans

Staying active under restrictions: Changes in type of physical exercise during the initial COVID-19 lockdown

Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated governmental restrictions suddenly changed everyday life and potentially affected exercise behavior. The aim of this study was to explore whether individuals changed their preference for certain types of physical exercise during the pandemic and to identify risk factors for inactivity. An international online survey with 13,881 adult participants from 18 countries/regions was conducted during the initial COVID-19 related lock-down (between April and May 2020). Data on types of exercise performed during and before the initial COVID-19 lockdown were collected, translated, and categorized (free-text input). Sankey charts were used to investigate these changes, and a mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to analyze risks for inactivity. Many participants managed to continue exercising but switched from playing games (e.g., football, tennis) to running, for example. In our sample, the most popular exercise types during the initial COVID-19 lockdown included endurance, muscular strength, and multimodal exercise. Regarding risk factors, higher education, living in rural areas, and physical activity before the COVID-19 lockdown reduced the risk for inactivity during the lockdown. In this relatively active multinational sample of adults, most participants were able to continue their preferred type of exercise despite restrictions, or changed to endurance type activities. Very few became physically inactive. It seems people can adapt quickly and that the constraints imposed by social distancing may even turn into an opportunity to start exercising for some. These findings may be helpful to identify individuals at risk and optimize interventions following a major context change that can disrupt the exercise routine

Preconcentration and electroanalysis of copper at glassy carbon electrode modified with poly(2-aminothiazole)

Conducting poly(2-aminothiazole), PAT, was synthesized in acetonitrile with tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate, TBAFB, as supporting electrolyte via constant potential electrolysis, CPE. Glassy carbon, GC, electrode was modified by immersing the electrode in a DMSO solution of PAT. Preconcentration of copper on polymer matrix was carried out at -0.7 V. The effects of preconcentration time and pH and Cu(II) concentration of the preconcentration solution on the stripping peak current of copper were studied

DİŞ YAPISI İLE İLİŞKİLİ GENETİK MALFORMASYONLAR [The Genetic Malformations Related with Tooth Structure]

ÖZET Son yıllarda genetik alanındaki ilerlemeler, diş gelişimi ile ilişkili genetik geçişe sahip anomaliler ve gen mutasyonlarının daha iyi anlaşılabilmesine olanak sağlamaktadır. Diş oluşumu sırasında belirli zamanlarda sentezlenen defektif genlere bağlı olarak, çeşitli diş malformasyonları görülmektedir. Diş gelişiminin kuron oluşum safhasında, ameloblastlar ve odontoblastlar tarafından sentezlenen genlerin, mine ve dentin yapı anomalileri ile ilişkili olduğu ortaya konulmuştur. Diş gelişimi sırasında ortaya çıkan defektler, tek (izole) olarak veya diğer organ ve dokularla birlikte (bir sendromla ilişkili olarak) meydana gelebilmektedir. Kalıtsal diş patolojileri ve normal diş gelişimi arasındaki ilişkinin anlaşılması, hastaların doğru ve etkili bir şekilde tedavi edilmesini ve dişsel anomalileri içeren bazı sendromların daha erken teşhis edilmesini sağlayacaktır. ABSTRACT Nowadays, improvement that has occurred about genetic studies allows to better understanding of genetic abnormalities and gene mutations associated with tooth development. Depending on the defective genes which are expressed during tooth formation at specific times, various tooth malformations can be seen. The genes expressed from odontoblasts/ameloblasts during crown formation, were presented to be associated with developmental defects of enamel and dentin. The defects in tooth formation process can be seen with other tissues, organs (related with a syndrome) or alone (isolated). Understanding the relationship between normal tooth formation and hereditary tooth pathologies will provide the early diagnosis of syndromes including tooth anomalies and effective treatment of those patients