TAXI : a new vehicle for the transfer of genes into monocotyledonous plants

Bibliography: leaves 90-103.The transfer of foreign genes into cereals followed by their correct expression in a tissue specific, developmentally regulated manner has become an important research focus. Based on the mechanism of Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation in dicots, a modified method to transform the monocotyledonous rye ( Secale cereale L. ) via A.tumefaciens mediated transformation was attempted. The induced bacterium culture was injected into rye seedlings, the transferred reporter gene, uid.A, was detected by PCR, and the expression of the gene was tested by histochemical assays. However, successful transformation and integration of the transgenes remained doubtful, because the frequency of kanamycin resistance in the progenies ( Rl , R2 and R3 ) did not increase. To achieve a real transformation and heritable transgenic rye, a new vehicle for gene transfer to plants was developed. A macromolecular complex, termed the TAXI, consisted of histone HI-protected single stranded DNA, containing a selectable marker gene (npt JI), linked either to a reporter gene (uidA) or a glutenin gene. The constructs were transferred by injection of rye seedlings. Molecular analyses demonstrated that all three genes were integrated and expressed in transformed rye and their progenies ( Rl and R2 ). TAXI mediated gene transfer to rye revealed an important advantage in that single or low numbers of transgenes were inserted into the transformed plant genome. However, the method of TAXI delivery to plants was not efficient. To improve this, a new approach, combining TAXI transformation and the biolistic process, was developed. A rapid regenerable callus line of a grass species, Digitaria sanguinalis, was established as a test system. TAXI coated gold particles, carrying a selectable marker gene (bar) and a reporter gene (uid.A), were used in bombardment experiments. The results of herbicide resistance and molecular analyses demonstrated that single copies or low numbers of the bar gene were inserted and expressed in regenerated transformed D. sanguinalis. Mendelian segregation in the Rl population was observed in four out of five transgenic lines

Methods of DNA methylation detection

The present invention provides for methods of DNA methylation detection. The present invention provides for methods of generating and detecting specific electronic signals that report the methylation status of targeted DNA molecules in biological samples.Two methods are described, direct and indirect detection of methylated DNA molecules in a nano transistor based device. In the direct detection, methylated target DNA molecules are captured on the sensing surface resulting in changes in the electrical properties of a nano transistor. These changes generate detectable electronic signals. In the indirect detection, antibody-DNA conjugates are used to identify methylated DNA molecules. RNA signal molecules are generated through an in vitro transcription process. These RNA molecules are captured on the sensing surface change the electrical properties of nano transistor thereby generating detectable electronic signals

Assessing cohesion of the rocks proposing a new intelligent technique namely group method of data handling

In this study, evaluation and prediction of rock cohesion is assessed using multiple regression as well as group method of data handling (GMDH). It is a well-known fact that cohesion is the most crucial rock shear strength parameter, which is a key parameter for the stability evaluation of some geotechnical structures such as rock slope. To fulfill the aim of this study, a database of three model input parameters, i.e., p wave velocity, uniaxial compressive strength and Brazilian tensile strength and one model output, which is cohesion of limestone samples was prepared and utilized by GMDH. Different GMDH models with neurons and layers and selection pressure were tested and assessed. It was found that GMDH model number 4 (with 8 layers) shows the best performance among all of tested models between the input and output parameters for the prediction and assessment of rock cohesion with coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.928 and 0.929, root mean square error values of 0.3545 and 0.3154 for training and testing datasets, respectively. Multiple regression analysis was also performed on the same database and R2 values were obtained as 0.8173 and 0.8313 between input and output parameters for the training and testing of the models, respectively. The GMDH technique developed in this study is introduced as a new model in field of rock shear strength parameters. © 2019, Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature

Tumor Tissue Detection using Blood-Oxygen-Level-Dependent Functional MRI based on Independent Component Analysis

Accurate delineation of gliomas from the surrounding normal brain areas helps maximize tumor resection and improves outcome. Blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI) has been routinely adopted for presurgical mapping of the surrounding functional areas. For completely utilizing such imaging data, here we show the feasibility of using presurgical fMRI for tumor delineation. In particular, we introduce a novel method dedicated to tumor detection based on independent component analysis (ICA) of resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) with automatic tumor component identification. Multi-center rs-fMRI data of 32 glioma patients from three centers, plus the additional proof-of-concept data of 28 patients from the fourth center with non-brain musculoskeletal tumors, are fed into individual ICA with different total number of components (TNCs). The best-fitted tumor-related components derived from the optimized TNCs setting are automatically determined based on a new template-matching algorithm. The success rates are 100%, 100% and 93.75% for glioma tissue detection for the three centers, respectively, and 85.19% for musculoskeletal tumor detection. We propose that the high success rate could come from the previously overlooked ability of BOLD rs-fMRI in characterizing the abnormal vascularization, vasomotion and perfusion caused by tumors. Our findings suggest an additional usage of the rs-fMRI for comprehensive presurgical assessment

Research on Sustainable Development Evaluation method of City Road-Network

Key : words Traffic engineering; sustainable development; analytic hierarchy process; city traffic Abstract. According to the spatial distribution characteristics of the network is divided into sections and intersections of City road-network , according to the distribution of traffic flow characteristics an reference of relevant standards at home and abroad, the city traffic sustainable development degree is divided into 5 grades, selected the city sustainable development indicators, using analytic hierarchy process to establish traffic sustainable development two level evaluation index system and the corresponding fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model, and finally to a specific network traffic can develop continuously undertook determining. The research results for the assessment of city traffic sustainable development provided a kind of effective quantitative analysis method. At present, the city traffic sustainable development quantitative description has no unified standards, mainly to saturation, speed, density or fleet retention length to judge, although these amount to a certain extent the road network traffic can develop continuously undertook certain expressions, they don't reflect the traffic sustainable development - what is the essence of the road traffic is a serious waste of resources, or imbalance of traffic order. Transport aims to make people and objects are efficient, fast, convenient moving, but regardless of is the saturation, or speed or density are not accurately, effectively describe network traffic sustainable development degree, then based on the concept of traffic congestion mitigation strategy is also not really solve the congestion problem ) 6 1 ( − . Therefore, it is important to Judge network traffic sustainable development research, it can provide traffic management departments by accurate traffic data. Appropriate to the outlet of network traffic sustainable development measures, can provide a meaningful reference, avoiding the city traffic construction expands blindly and money and waste of resources

Multi/Many-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm Based on Competition Mechanism

The recently proposed multiobjective particle swarm optimization algorithm based on competition mechanism algorithm cannot effectively deal with many-objective optimization problems, which is characterized by relatively poor convergence and diversity, and long computing runtime. In this paper, a novel multi/many-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm based on competition mechanism is proposed, which maintains population diversity by the maximum and minimum angle between ordinary and extreme individuals. And the recently proposed θ-dominance is adopted to further enhance the performance of the algorithm. The proposed algorithm is evaluated on the standard benchmark problems DTLZ, WFG, and UF1-9 and compared with the four recently proposed multiobjective particle swarm optimization algorithms and four state-of-the-art many-objective evolutionary optimization algorithms. The experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm has better convergence and diversity, and its performance is superior to other comparative algorithms on most test instances

Lessons Learned from Third-Party Solar PPA Development: Influences, Trends, and Implications for Georgia

Third-party solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) emerged in the 2000s and provided a new financing option for solar energy. Currently, third-party solar PPAs have been authorized in 25 states and DC in the U.S. and are successfully facilitating residential rooftop solar growth. Georgia recently legalized third-party solar PPAs through the Solar Power Free-Market Financing Act of 2015. This paper analyzes factors that impact third-party solar PPAs and evaluates those factors in the context of Georgia. We assessed solar resources, net metering, the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs), differentiated state-level incentives, the regulatory environment, and consumer preferences. We also considered some potential future policy and market trends, such as the Clean Power Plan and electric vehicles. Our analysis shows how regulatory supports significantly drive third-party solar PPA growth and can provide our client with an expectation of third-party solar PPA development in Georgia

Assessing cohesion of the rocks proposing a new intelligent technique namely group method of data handling

In this study, evaluation and prediction of rock cohesion is assessed using multiple regression as well as group method of data handling (GMDH). It is a well-known fact that cohesion is the most crucial rock shear strength parameter, which is a key parameter for the stability evaluation of some geotechnical structures such as rock slope. To fulfill the aim of this study, a database of three model input parameters, i.e., p wave velocity, uniaxial compressive strength and Brazilian tensile strength and one model output, which is cohesion of limestone samples was prepared and utilized by GMDH. Different GMDH models with neurons and layers and selection pressure were tested and assessed. It was found that GMDH model number 4 (with 8 layers) shows the best performance among all of tested models between the input and output parameters for the prediction and assessment of rock cohesion with coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.928 and 0.929, root mean square error values of 0.3545 and 0.3154 for training and testing datasets, respectively. Multiple regression analysis was also performed on the same database and R2 values were obtained as 0.8173 and 0.8313 between input and output parameters for the training and testing of the models, respectively. The GMDH technique developed in this study is introduced as a new model in field of rock shear strength parameters