Genetic characterization of the silkworm Bombyx mori by simple sequence repeat (SSR)-anchored PCR

Thirteen diverse strains of the silkworm Bombyx mori were analysed using the simple sequence repeat anchored polymerase chain reaction (SSR-anchored PCR) or Inter-SSR-PCR (ISSR-PCR). A set of four 5'-anchored and two 3'-anchored repeat primers amplified a total of 239 bands out of which 184 (77%) were polymorphic. The 5'-anchored primers revealed more distinct polymorphic markers than the 3'-anchored primers and the ISSR-PCR method showed greater variability than RAPDs. The strain-specific pattern was shown to be inherited and segregated in a Mendelian fashion. A dendrogram constructed using the UPGMA method revealed two distinct groups, one comprising nondiapausing and one comprising diapausing strains. These results suggest that the ISSR-PCR method is potentially useful for genetic fingerprinting of silkworm genotypes and as a mapping tool in the silkworm

Hand surgery for Multicentric Reticulohistiocytosis: A new avenue of treatment and review of the literature

AbstractINTRODUCTIONMulticentric Reticulohistiocytosis (MRH) is a rare non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis characterised by destructive polyarthritis and violaceous skin papules.PRESENTATION OF CASEIn 2010, a 70-year-old woman with Palindromic Rheumatism was diagnosed with MRH. Within a few months, she developed ankylosis of the small joints of both hands which resulted in severe fixed flexion deformities of the fingers and thumbs. The joint disease failed to respond to medical therapies and the palmar skin of her left hand was becoming increasingly macerated. Therefore, she elected to undergo arthrodesis of the metacarpophalangeal joints to allow hand hygiene.DISCUSSIONTo-date, this is the first report of a surgical intervention for this rare condition and represents a novel avenue of potential therapy. Medical therapies for MRH are usually ineffective in preventing the debilitating small joint disease which often develops and there is on-going research into newer agents and alternative surgical techniques.CONCLUSIONOnce medical therapies are exhausted, clinicians should consider the input of Hand Surgeons in managing the inevitable and mutilating joint disease of this rare condition

Response of Composite Panels with Stiffness Gradients Due to Stiffener Terminations and Cutouts

The results of an analytical and experimental study of stiffened graphite-epoxy compression panels with terminated stiffeners are presented. The local stress gradients at the stiffener termination location are determined by finite element analysis. Three stiffener termination concepts are evaluated by analysis to determine the stiffener and skin laminate parameters that affect the panel response and failure. The effects of changing local skin laminate definitions, skin reinforcement details, and stiffener termination details on local stress gradients and load-path eccentricities are discussed. Analytical and test results are presented for panels with one terminated stiffener and for panels with one terminated stiffener and two unterminated stiffeners. The effects of a cutout in the skin of a panel with a terminated stiffener is also evaluated to determine the interaction between the stress gradients in the panel due to the cutout and those due to the terminated stiffener. The results of the study indicate that the critical failure modes of the panels initiate at the skin-stiffener interface near the end of the terminated stiffener

Technology integration box beam failure study

Composite structures have the potential to be cost-effective, structurally efficient primary aircraft structures. The Advanced Composites Technology (ACT) Program has the goal to develop the technology to exploit this potential for heavily loaded aircraft structures. As part of the ACT Program, Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Company completed the design and fabrication of the Technology Integration Box Beam (TIBB). The TIBB is an advanced composite prototype structure for the center wing section of the C-130 aircraft. Lockheed subjected the TIBB to downbending, upbending, torsion and combined upbending and torsion load conditions to verify the design. The TIBB failed at 83 percent of design ultimate load for the combined upbending and torsion load condition. The objective of this paper is to describe the mechanisms that led to the failure of the TIBB. The results of a comprehensive analytical and experimental study are presented. Analytical results include strain and deflection results from both a global analysis of the TIBB and a local analysis of the failure region. These analytical results are validated by experimental results from the TIBB tests. The analytical and experimental results from the TIBB tests are used to determine a sequence of events that resulted in failure of the TIBB. A potential cause of failure is high stresses in a stiffener runout region. Analytical and experimental results are also presented for a stiffener runout specimen that was used to simulate the TIBB failure mechanisms

Genetic parameters, diversity and character association studies in germplasm lines of castor (Ricinus communis L.)

Castor is an important non-edible oilseed crop having huge industrial and export potential. It is used as an efficient lubricant for high-speed engines and as an ingredient in several commodities. There is a critical need to identify or to improve the germplasm lines with desirable characters. In the present study, 82 germplasm lines were evaluated in augmented design to estimate the genetic parameters viz., PCV, GCV, heritability and genetic advance as per cent of mean, principal component analysis and correlation studies. Results showed that the difference between PCV and GCV was low indicating less impact of environment on trait expression. Heritability (broad sense) and genetic advance as per cent of mean values were high for all the traits thus role of additive gene action is found important in governing the traits. Cluster analysis studies revealed that all the genotypes were grouped into eight clusters and cluster VIII documented the highest mean values for hundred seed weight and plant yield. The entries PRC-2 and PCS-337 recorded higher hundred seed weights of 56.5 and 48.6 g, respectively and in turn higher yield. These lines can be utilized as parents in the hybrid development programme for yield improvement. Correlation studies revealed that plant yield showed a significant positive association with all the characters except for days to 50% flowering. Thus selection for these traits viz., primary spike length, effective primary spike length, the number of effective spikes per plant, the number of capsules per spike and hundred seed weight will be advantageous in attaining higher yields

National, regional, and state-level all-cause and cause-specific under-5 mortality in India in 2000-15: a systematic analysis with implications for the Sustainable Development Goals.

BACKGROUND: India had the largest number of under-5 deaths of all countries in 2015, with substantial subnational disparities. We estimated national and subnational all-cause and cause-specific mortality among children younger than 5 years annually in 2000-15 in India to understand progress made and to consider implications for achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) child survival targets. METHODS: We used a multicause model to estimate cause-specific mortality proportions in neonates and children aged 1-59 months at the state level, with causes of death grouped into pneumonia, diarrhoea, meningitis, injury, measles, congenital abnormalities, preterm birth complications, intrapartum-related events, and other causes. AIDS and malaria were estimated separately. The model was based on verbal autopsy studies representing more than 100 000 neonatal deaths globally and 16 962 deaths among children aged 1-59 months at the subnational level in India. By applying these proportions to all-cause deaths by state, we estimated cause-specific numbers of deaths and mortality rates at the state, regional, and national levels. FINDINGS: In 2015, there were 25·121 million livebirths in India and 1·201 million under-5 deaths (under-5 mortality rate 47·81 per 1000 livebirths). 0·696 million (57·9%) of these deaths occurred in neonates. There were disparities in child mortality across states (from 9·7 deaths [Goa] to 73·1 deaths [Assam] per 1000 livebirths) and regions (from 29·7 deaths [the south] to 63·8 deaths [the northeast] per 1000 livebirths). Overall, the leading causes of under-5 deaths were preterm birth complications (0·330 million [95% uncertainty range 0·279-0·367]; 27·5% of under-5 deaths), pneumonia (0·191 million [0·168-0·219]; 15·9%), and intrapartum-related events (0·139 million [0·116-0·165]; 11·6%), with cause-of-death distributions varying across states and regions. In states with very high under-5 mortality, infectious-disease-related causes (pneumonia and diarrhoea) were among the three leading causes, whereas the three leading causes were all non-communicable in states with very low mortality. Most states had a slower decline in neonatal mortality than in mortality among children aged 1-59 months. Ten major states must accelerate progress to achieve the SDG under-5 mortality target, while 17 are not on track to meet the neonatal mortality target. INTERPRETATION: Efforts to reduce vaccine-preventable deaths and to reduce geographical disparities should continue to maintain progress achieved in 2000-15. Enhanced policies and programmes are needed to accelerate mortality reduction in high-burden states and among neonates to achieve the SDG child survival targets in India by 2030. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation