Fecundity reproductive cycle of a local population of Gammarus Pulex in Sepidan (Fars Province, Iran)

Abstract: Gammarus pulex reproductive was studied in Komehr spring, in Komehr village Fars province, South of Iran. Specimens were collected using a net with 1 mm mesh size. Water temperature, DO, PH, No2, No, Po4, Ec, K, Mg, Total hardens and TDS were measured. Biological parameters including length and wet weight of males and females, number of female having eggs, number of eggs presented in moraspum sac of female, sex ratio, egg size, fecundity and reproductive effort was studied. Mean length of both sex and mean wet weight of males increased in autumn, decreased in spring and increased again in summer. Number of eggs in marsopium sac, female's wet weight, fecundity, and reproductive effort increased from autumn toward summer and egg volume increased in autumn and winter and reduces a little with increasing in egg's number in spring and summer. All reproductive factors showed significant differences throughout the year

A study on fishing status and some reproductive characteristics of Klunzinger’s mullet (Lize klunzingeri) in coastal waters of Khuzestan province

Biological characteristics of Liza klunzingeri were studied in two coastal areas, Sajaphi and Bahrekan, of eastern Khuzestan during March to February 2007. Among total 1880 measured fish specimens, 947 specimens were analyzed. The mean value of Gonado-somatic Index (GSI) for the male and female fish were calculated as 0.96± 1.39 and 3.25 ± 3.26 respectively. The GSI value was highest in November and lowest in July. The mean value of condition factor (K) was 1.25± 0.14 in male and 1.21± 0.15 for female. The highest K value were observed in June and the lowest value in February. The lenght at first maturity regardless of sexuality, was found to be 14.5 cm and the time of spawning based on reproduction pattern were determined in Nov- Dec. The length-weight relationship were calculated as Y=0.024L^2.76 (n=226R2=0.72) for males, Y=0.011L^3.00 (n=444R2= 0.78) for females and Y=0.0208L^2.82 (n=670R2 =0.82) for total fishes and also it’s found significant in level length weight relationship in (P<0.05). According to biological characteristics and referring to American fisheries society (AFS) indices and Fuzzy logic expert system, Lize klunzingeri is classified as low vulnerable species

Revisiting inconsistency in large pharmacogenomic studies

In 2013, we published a comparative analysis of mutation and gene expression profiles and drug sensitivity measurements for 15 drugs characterized in the 471 cancer cell lines screened in the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) and Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE). While we found good concordance in gene expression profiles, there was substantial inconsistency in the drug responses reported by the GDSC and CCLE projects. We received extensive feedback on the comparisons that we performed. This feedback, along with the release of new data, prompted us to revisit our initial analysis. We present a new analysis using these expanded data, where we address the most significant suggestions for improvements on our published analysis - that targeted therapies and broad cytotoxic drugs should have been treated differently in assessing consistency, that consistency of both molecular profiles and drug sensitivity measurements should be compared across cell lines, and that the software analysis tools provided should have been easier to run, particularly as the GDSC and CCLE released additional data. Our re-analysis supports our previous finding that gene expression data are significantly more consistent than drug sensitivity measurements. Using new statistics to assess data consistency allowed identification of two broad effect drugs and three targeted drugs with moderate to good consistency in drug sensitivity data between GDSC and CCLE. For three other targeted drugs, there were not enough sensitive cell lines to assess the consistency of the pharmacological profiles. We found evidence of inconsistencies in pharmacological phenotypes for the remaining eight drugs. Overall, our findings suggest that the drug sensitivity data in GDSC and CCLE continue to present challenges for robust biomarker discovery. This re-analysis provides additional support for the argument that experimental standardization and validation of pharmacogenomic response will be necessary to advance the broad use of large pharmacogenomic screens

Stock assessment of zobaidy, Pampus argenteus, in the north of Persian Gulf

The project “Stock Assessment of Zobaidy, Pampus argenteus, in the North of Persian Gulf” started in April 2003 and completed by the end of April 2006 as a cooperative research project to assess the valuable stock of zobaidy shared between Kuwait and Iran in the North of Persian Gulf. The main objectives were to investigate and determine the basic biological parameters, the standing biomass, seasonal abundance, and the impact of regional fishery activities. These studies are necessary to recommend practical management policies and measures for long-term sustainability of the zobaidy stock. The sampling of fisheries data (catch, effort, fish length distributions, and biological data) was started in May 2003 and ended December 2006. Monthly length frequencies data were collected from both the drift gill net and shrimp trawl fisheries. Age determination was based on otolith sectioning, polishing, etching, and staining method. The age groups ranged from 0 to 10 yrs but the dominant age groups were 1-3 years and the estimated parameters for both sexes were L_∞ = 32.0-36.0 cm FL and K = 0.26-0.30 yr^-1, females grow faster than males. Sea survey on board of two dhow boats was carried out using swept area method. Higher abundance was always obtained in Kuwait Bay rather than the other areas surveyed in Kuwait and Khuzestan waters. The total estimated stock biomass in the surveyed areas varied from 42 t in January 2004 to 2,633 t in November 2004, while the Iranian biomass varied from as low as 19 t in October 2005 to 295 t in November 2003. The data indicated that Ras Al-Gaid, Bubiyan Island is the main nursery area in Kuwait waters, while Lifah, Busaif, and Bahrakan are important nursery areas in the Khuzestan waters. Kuwait Bay and Khor Musa are considered important spawning grounds and should be protected. Yield per recruit analysis showed that higher yield could be gained with increasing fish effort, which is not recommended under the present status of high exploitation rate. In contrast, virtual population analysis indicated that future catches will reduce if the fishery continues with present level fishing effort. A reduction of 50% would be required to maintain the present level of catches as well as to enhance the stock biomass. Formulation of a joint advisory management committee would be advisable approach to manage and monitor the zobaidy stock in the region. This will need commitment from the three countries in the region for data collection on regular basis on length frequency, statistics, and biological data. Copepods with high occurence of 64% - 88% is considered as the main item in the Pomfret fish, while jelly fish and other decapods crustaceans are considered as minor items. Observation of pre- flexion stage larvae of pampus genus among the specimens collected from Khuzestan coast water could be considered as an evidence for the spawning of this fish in this region. The occurrence of pampus larvae in Khuzestan coast during the months of June to October has been reported for several times. Examination of 101 specimens (38 from Kuwait, 63 from Iran) for molecular survey does not show any significant differences between Kuwait and Iran water stocks for this fish, so it is possible to hypothesize a unit population for zobidy stock in Persian Gulf and Oman Sea as whole

Public data and open source tools for multi-assay genomic investigation of disease

Molecular interrogation of a biological sample through DNA sequencing, RNA and microRNA profiling, proteomics and other assays, has the potential to provide a systems level approach to predicting treatment response and disease progression, and to developing precision therapies. Large publicly funded projects have generated extensive and freely available multi-assay data resources; however, bioinformatic and statistical methods for the analysis of such experiments are still nascent. We review multi-assay genomic data resources in the areas of clinical oncology, pharmacogenomics and other perturbation experiments, population genomics and regulatory genomics and other areas, and tools for data acquisition. Finally, we review bioinformatic tools that are explicitly geared toward integrative genomic data visualization and analysis. This review provides starting points for accessing publicly available data and tools to support development of needed integrative methods

Effect of salinity on spawning of yellow fin sea bream (Acanthopagrus latus) in spawning tanks

Salinity effects on brooders spawning, growth and survival rate of yellow fin sea bream (Acanthopagrus latus) fingerlings was studied in Khouzestan Marine Fishes Research Station (Bandar-e Imam) in 2002- 2003. More than 200 brooders were caught in Mahshar creeks using hook, and 6 males and 3 females of brooders were introduced to each 4 tons tank. The experiments were carried out using 3 salinity treatments (30±1, 35±1 and 40±1 ppt) in 3 replications. Survival rate of brooders in 4 tons tanks during late January to 4^th April was estimated more than %90 in all salinities and the maximum rate was observed in 30 ppt treatment. Spawned brooders percentage in 40 ppt was more than the two other salinities, and spawning occurred in all three replications of this treatment. In all treatment, spawning started from early march (late lunar month) at 19~'C and continued at 23°C. Duration and replication of spawnings in 40 ppt were more than other salinities, and last about 20 days. Released eggs (2461046), amount of eggs production per day (66413), average number of eggs per brooder (312914), and average eggs per kg body weight (649460) were found in 40 ppt more than other salinities. Floating eggs ratio was more than %90 in 40 ppt and it was significantly different to the others. Fertilization and hatching rates in 40 ppt treatment (86.7, 67 respectively) were more than 30 and 35 ppt but there was no significant difference. All spawnings cases , released eggs hatched

Study of tagging effects on surviving rate of Caspian trout (Salmo trutta caspius) fries before releasing to natural habitat

Study of tagging effects on survival rate of Caspian trout (Salmo trutta caspius) fries before releasing to natural habitat was a part of a large research plan on conservation and restoration of Caspian trout stocks in the Southern Caspian by Coldwater Fishes Research Center. Catching brooders, propagation, larvae and juvenile rearing were carried out in Southern coasts and rivers of Caspian sea and in shahid Bahonar propagation center in Kelardasht, Mazandaran (North of Iran) in autumn 2012. 150 fries for each treatment (5, 10 and 20 g fries and Plastic T tag, elastomer tag and control treatments) anesthetized, weighed (g), measured (mm), tagged, disinfected and introduced to cement ponds. Fries were kept and fed for 5 days and their behavior and responses to food, infection of wound and mortality were recorded. No mortality were observed in all treatments, fries were shocked for few hours after handling and did not take food but they started to feed from the first day after tagging and there was no infection in macroscopic observation of wound

Providing brood stocks of Caspian trout (Salmo trutta caspius) from Mazandaran Rivers and production of one hundred thousand fries

Caspian trout (Salmo trutta caspius) is one of valuable fishes of the Caspian sea for people living in the Northern coastal area of Iran. Since fish stock and natural resources protection is one the Iranian fisheries research objectives, the most activity on Caspian trout rehabilitation was focused on releasing thousands of smolts in the rivers discharge to Caspian Sea. Catch statistics of this species has declined over last decades thus this study on quality of provided brood stocks and producing fries with suitable quality can help rehabilitation and rearing of this valuable species. Several rivers were considered for providing brooders to keep genetic resources variety of sea stocks. In spawning season 25 (9 male, 16 female) and 30 (5 male, 25 female) brooders were collected from fishermen in Mazandaran rivers and Gyilan coasts provinces respectively. After propagation and larvae rearing, 11500 (10-15 g.) and 50000 (less than 10 g.) juveniles were released in Gyilan and Mazandaran rivers respectively

Community assessment to advance computational prediction of cancer drug combinations in a pharmacogenomic screen

The effectiveness of most cancer targeted therapies is short-lived. Tumors often develop resistance that might be overcome with drug combinations. However, the number of possible combinations is vast, necessitating data-driven approaches to find optimal patient-specific treatments. Here we report AstraZeneca’s large drug combination dataset, consisting of 11,576 experiments from 910 combinations across 85 molecularly characterized cancer cell lines, and results of a DREAM Challenge to evaluate computational strategies for predicting synergistic drug pairs and biomarkers. 160 teams participated to provide a comprehensive methodological development and benchmarking. Winning methods incorporate prior knowledge of drug-target interactions. Synergy is predicted with an accuracy matching biological replicates for >60% of combinations. However, 20% of drug combinations are poorly predicted by all methods. Genomic rationale for synergy predictions are identified, including ADAM17 inhibitor antagonism when combined with PIK3CB/D inhibition contrasting to synergy when combined with other PI3K-pathway inhibitors in PIK3CA mutant cells.Peer reviewe

Prediction of Pressure Drop of Al2O3-Water Nanofluid in Flat Tubes Using CFD and Artificial Neural Networks

In the present study, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) are used to predict the pressure drop value (Δp ) of Al2O3-water nanofluid in flat tubes. Δp  is predicted taking into account five input variables: tube flattening (H), inlet volumetric flow rate (Qi  ), wall heat flux (qnw  ), nanoparticle volume fraction (Φ) and nanoparticle diameter (dp ). The required output data for training the ANN are taken from the results of numerical simulations. The numerical simulations of nanofluid are performed using two phase mixture model by FORTRAN programming language. The flow regime and the wall boundary conditions are assumed to be laminar and constant heat flux respectively. The ANN results are compared with the numerical simulated one and excellent agreement is observed. To view the accuracy of ANN model, statistical measures R2 , RMSE and MAPE are used and it is seen that the ANN model has high accuracy in predicting the (Δp ) values