Detection of PLC-ζ from testis of Rattus argentiventer(rice-field rat) using RT-PCR and qRT-PCR

Rattus argentiventer (Rice Field Rat) is responsible for destruction of paddy. The mammal is known for its rapid reproductive potential which can be a target for biological control of this species. Phospholipase C-zeta (PLC ζ) is a specific enzyme found in sperm of mammals responsible for triggering calcium oscillations leading to egg activation during fertilization. It facilitates the first step of egg activation causing egg division and subsequent development into an embryo. The method used in this study was to identify PLC gene fragments from the testis of Rattus argentiventer using two-step Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and quantified with Real Time Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). Following that, sequencing of PLC was performed. The identified sequence was then keyed in into the BLAST portal in NCBI (National Centre of Bioinformatics) for comparison with a standard PLC sequence from Rattus norvegicus for sequence alignment. The result showed that PLCζ was present in Rattus argentiventer and qRTPCR could quantify the amount of PLCζ available.As such this would give additional information of detection and quantification techniques for rapid identification and detection of PLCζ to be carried out in the approach of controlling the rapid growth of Rattus argentiventer population

Topological Homogeneity for Electron Microscopy Images

In this paper, the concept of homogeneity is defined, from a topological perspective, in order to analyze how uniform is the material composition in 2D electron microscopy images. Topological multiresolution parameters are taken into account to obtain better results than classical techniques.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad MTM2016-81030-PMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad TEC2012-37868-C04-0

Ultraviolet emission of silicon quantum tips

Silicon tips used as field emitters have dimensions that are within the quantum confinement regime. Therefore they can be considered as freestanding silicon tips. In this letter, a photoluminescence spectrum of a 100×100100×100 array of silicon tips was taken at 10 K. Narrow ultraviolet luminescence peaks were observed. Using the empirical pseudopotential homojunction model, it is demonstrated that these luminescence peaks come from energy levels arising from quantum confinement. By fitting the theoretical result to the experimental result, we conclude that the luminescence peaks come from Si quantum tips of about 20 Å in width and that they are covered by silicon dioxide. © 1999 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/71101/2/APPLAB-74-3-386-1.pd

Quantum Hall effect in InAsSb quantum wells at elevated temperatures

We have characterized the electronic properties of a high-mobility two-dimensional electron system in modulation doped InAsSb quantum wells and compare them to InSb quantum wells grown in a similar fashion. Using temperature-dependent Shubnikov-de Haas experiments as well as FIR transmission we find an effective mass of $m^{\ast} \approx$ 0.022$m_{e}$, which is lower than in the investigated InSb quantum well, but due to a rather strong confinement still higher than in the corresponding bulk compound. The effective $g$-factor was determined to be $g^{\ast} \approx$ 21.9. These results are also corroborated by $k \cdot p$ band structure calculations. When spin polarizing the electrons in a tilted magnetic field, the $g$-factor is significantly enhanced by electron-electron interactions, reaching a value as large as $g^{\ast}$ = 60 at a spin polarization P = 0.75. Finally, we show that due to the low effective mass the quantum Hall effect in our particular sample can be observed up to a temperature of 60 K and we propose scenarios how to increase this temperature even further.Comment: 12 pages, 15 figure

Mapping the trajectories for women and their babies from births planned at home, in a birth centre or in a hospital in New South Wales, Australia, between 2000 and 2012

© 2019 The Author(s). Background: In New South Wales (NSW) Australia, women at low risk of complications can choose from three birth settings: home, birth centre and hospital. Between 2000 and 2012, around 6.4% of pregnant women planned to give birth in a birth centre (6%) or at home (0.4%) and 93.6% of women planned to birth in a hospital. A proportion of the woman in the home and birth centre groups transferred to hospital. However, their pathways or trajectories are largely unknown. Aim: The aim was to map the trajectories and interventions experienced by women and their babies from births planned at home, in a birth centre or in a hospital over a 13-year period in NSW. Methods: Using population-based linked datasets from NSW, women at low risk of complications, with singleton pregnancies, gestation 37-41 completed weeks and spontaneous onset of labour were included. We used a decision tree framework to depict the trajectories of these women and estimate the probabilities of the following: giving birth in their planned setting; being transferred; requiring interventions and neonatal admission to higher level hospital care. The trajectories were analysed by parity. Results: Over a 13-year period, 23% of nulliparous and 0.8% of multiparous women planning a home birth were transferred to hospital. In the birth centre group, 34% of nulliparae and 12% of multiparas were transferred to a hospital. Normal vaginal birth rates were higher in multiparous women compared to nulliparous women in all settings. Neonatal admission to SCN/NICU was highest in the planned hospital group for nulliparous women (10.1%), 7.1% for nulliparous women planning a birth centre birth and 5.1% of nulliparous women planning a homebirth. Multiparas had lower admissions to SCN/NICU for all thee settings (hospital 6.3%, BC 3.6%, home 1.6%, respectively). Conclusions: Women who plan to give birth at home or in a birth centre have high rates of vaginal birth, even when transferred to hospital. Evidence on the trajectories of women who choose to give birth at home or in birth centres will assist the planning, costing and expansion of models of care in NSW

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV) inhibitory activity screening of Momordica charantia, Taraxacum officinale and Trigonella foenum-graecumextracts in vitro

Diabetes, a globally popular disease which attracted the attention of many researches worldwide to discover a non-toxic and side effect free remedy for this disease. Inhibition of DPP IV enzymes has been adopted as one of the strategies in recent years in controlling diabetes. DPP IV inhibitor inhibits the dipeptidyl peptidase enzyme which degrades several incretin hormones that are vital in the production of insulin and managing the blood glucose level.Thus, the present study was designed to investigate the DPP IV inhibitory effects of plants having antidiabetic property. In vitro DPP IV inhibition was evaluated by the specific inhibitory activity of Momordica charantia (whole fruit), Taraxacum officinale (whole plant) and Trigonella foenum-graecum (seed) extracts prepared with heat treatment using petroleum ether, acetone, ethanol and water as solvents. Among the tested plants T. officinale and M. charantia acetone extracts exhibited strong DPP IV activity inhibition, with 78.88% and 54.13% respectively. The present study is the first report on screening of DPP IV inhibitory activity of T. officinale, M. charantiaand T. foenum-graecum extracts. This could provide a new insight into DPP IV inhibitors from plants that could be useful for treatment of type 2 diabetes