Integration and expression of Bluetongue VP2 gene in somatic embryos of peanut through particle bombardment method

After pre-culture and treatment of osmosis, zygotic embryos of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) were transformed via particle bombardment with a plasmid containing a Bluetongue VP2 gene (BTVP2) comprising neutralizing epitopes. Selection for Kanamycin resistant calluses and somatic embryos was initiated at 12th day post-bombardment on medium containing 25 mg/L Kanamycin. Under continuous selection, 12.38 Kanamycin resistant plantlets were regenerated from bombarded somatic embryos. The presence and integration of BTVP2 DNA in regenerated Kanamycin resistant plants were confirmed by southern hybridization assay using non-radioactive Digoxiginin BTVP2 probe. β-Glucuronidase (GUS) enzyme activity was detected in transgenic somatic embryos but not from control, non-transformed embryos. The expression of the BTVP2 protein was confirmed through RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) using the RNA isolated from the transgenic callus employing BTVP2-specific primers. The production of transgenic peanut was mainly focused on evaluating a newly improved somatic embryogenesis regeneration system as well as the gene transfer method and to produce the Bluetongue outer coat protein that comprises the neutralizing epitopes. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Identification of plasma lipid biomarkers for prostate cancer by lipidomics and bioinformatics

Background: Lipids have critical functions in cellular energy storage, structure and signaling. Many individual lipid molecules have been associated with the evolution of prostate cancer; however, none of them has been approved to be used as a biomarker. The aim of this study is to identify lipid molecules from hundreds plasma apparent lipid species as biomarkers for diagnosis of prostate cancer. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using lipidomics, lipid profiling of 390 individual apparent lipid species was performed on 141 plasma samples from 105 patients with prostate cancer and 36 male controls. High throughput data generated from lipidomics were analyzed using bioinformatic and statistical methods. From 390 apparent lipid species, 35 species were demonstrated to have potential in differentiation of prostate cancer. Within the 35 species, 12 were identified as individual plasma lipid biomarkers for diagnosis of prostate cancer with a sensitivity above 80%, specificity above 50% and accuracy above 80%. Using top 15 of 35 potential biomarkers together increased predictive power dramatically in diagnosis of prostate cancer with a sensitivity of 93.6%, specificity of 90.1% and accuracy of 97.3%. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) demonstrated that patient and control populations were visually separated by identified lipid biomarkers. RandomForest and 10-fold cross validation analyses demonstrated that the identified lipid biomarkers were able to predict unknown populations accurately, and this was not influenced by patient's age and race. Three out of 13 lipid classes, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), ether-linked phosphatidylethanolamine (ePE) and ether-linked phosphatidylcholine (ePC) could be considered as biomarkers in diagnosis of prostate cancer. Conclusions/Significance: Using lipidomics and bioinformatic and statistical methods, we have identified a few out of hundreds plasma apparent lipid molecular species as biomarkers for diagnosis of prostate cancer with a high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy

Method for simulating the performance of a boundary layer ingesting propulsion system at design and off-design

Boundary layer ingestion has emerged as a potential propulsion concept on novel aircraft configurations for the future. As these concepts progress, preliminary design tools are required that enable the simulation of these aircraft and the rapid analysis of multiple configurations. Simulation tools for boundary layer ingesting propulsion systems tend to focus on proving performance benefits at design point. However, the simulation of aircraft configurations that utilise boundary layer ingestion requires a method to simulate the propulsion system at a range of flight conditions other than design point. A tool is therefore required to enable simulations at off-design. This research presents a work flow to simulate a boundary layer ingesting propulsion system at design and off-design. The process is intended as a tool for design space exploration and the rapid analysis of concepts at the conceptualisation phase. Boundary layer calculations have been combined with conventional 1-D gas turbine performance methods to predict performance of a propulsion system at design point. This method is then extended to enable simulations at off-design conditions for a range of flight conditions or propulsion system power settings. The formulation provides a thrust-drag representation that supports conventional aircraft simulation tools. A case study of an aircraft configuration which utilises an array of boundary layer ingesting propulsors is used to demonstrate the process. The performance of individual propulsors in the array is compared at off-design. Simulations found that, although each propulsor was sized for the same propulsive force at design point, off-design performance diverged depending on operating conditions. In addition, the performance of the propulsor array as a whole was predicted as a function of altitude and Mach number. The case study is used to draw general conclusions on the performance characteristics of a boundary layer ingesting propulsor

Techno economic and environmental assessment of wind assisted marine propulsion systems

In recent years, the increase in marine fuel prices coupled with stricter regulations on pollutant emissions set by the International Maritime Organization have promoted the research in new propulsion technologies and the utilisation of cleaner fuels. This paper describes a novel methodology to enable quantifying and evaluating the environmental and economic benefits that new technologies and fuels could allow in the marine sector. The proposed techno economic and environmental analysis approach enables consistent assessment of different traditional propulsion systems (diesel engine and gas turbine) when operated in conjunction with a novel environmental friendly technology, such as a vertical axis wind turbine. The techno-economic and environmental assessment is focused on the potential reduction in fuel consumption and pollutant emissions that may be accrued while operating on typical Sea Lines Of Communication (Mediterranean, North Sea, Atlantic). The study demonstrates the benefits of the installation of two vertical axis wind turbines on the deck of a ship in conjunction with conventional power plants. The analysis indicates that the performance of the wind turbines and the corresponding benefits strongly depend on the routes and environment in which they operate (therefore favourable wind conditions) allowing fuel savings from 14% (in the gas turbine case) to 16% (in the diesel engine case). The study also indicates that possible benefits may diminish for weak wind conditions. The results reported in this paper establish the economic benefits of installing vertical axis wind turbines in conjunction with conventional technology (Diesel and Gas Turbine Power plants) when installed on a ship travelling through the Atlantic Ocean. The primary purpose of this study is to introduce a methodology to demonstrate the application, performance and economic benefits of the technology at a preliminary design phase and further form a foundation for more elaborate analysis on the subject in the future

Distinct Mechanisms for Induction and Tolerance Regulate the Immediate Early Genes Encoding Interleukin 1β and Tumor Necrosis Factor α

Interleukin-1β and Tumor Necrosis Factor α play related, but distinct, roles in immunity and disease. Our study revealed major mechanistic distinctions in the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling-dependent induction for the rapidly expressed genes (IL1B and TNF) coding for these two cytokines. Prior to induction, TNF exhibited pre-bound TATA Binding Protein (TBP) and paused RNA Polymerase II (Pol II), hallmarks of poised immediate-early (IE) genes. In contrast, unstimulated IL1B displayed very low levels of both TBP and paused Pol II, requiring the lineage-specific Spi-1/PU.1 (Spi1) transcription factor as an anchor for induction-dependent interaction with two TLR-activated transcription factors, C/EBPβ and NF-κB. Activation and DNA binding of these two pre-expressed factors resulted in de novo recruitment of TBP and Pol II to IL1B in concert with a permissive state for elongation mediated by the recruitment of elongation factor P-TEFb. This Spi1-dependent mechanism for IL1B transcription, which is unique for a rapidly-induced/poised IE gene, was more dependent upon P-TEFb than was the case for the TNF gene. Furthermore, the dependence on phosphoinositide 3-kinase for P-TEFb recruitment to IL1B paralleled a greater sensitivity to the metabolic state of the cell and a lower sensitivity to the phenomenon of endotoxin tolerance than was evident for TNF. Such differences in induction mechanisms argue against the prevailing paradigm that all IE genes possess paused Pol II and may further delineate the specific roles played by each of these rapidly expressed immune modulators. © 2013 Adamik et al

Genome-Wide Identification of R2R3-MYB Genes and Expression Analyses During Abiotic Stress in

The R2R3-MYB is one of the largest families of transcription factors, which have been implicated in multiple biological processes. There is great diversity in the number of R2R3-MYB genes in different plants. However, there is no report on genome-wide characterization of this gene family in cotton. In the present study, a total of 205 putative R2R3-MYB genes were identified in cotton D genome (Gossypium raimondii), that are much larger than that found in other cash crops with fully sequenced genomes. These GrMYBs were classified into 13 groups with the R2R3-MYB genes from Arabidopsis and rice. The amino acid motifs and phylogenetic tree were predicted and analyzed. The sequences of GrMYBs were distributed across 13 chromosomes at various densities. The results showed that the expansion of the G. Raimondii R2R3-MYB family was mainly attributable to whole genome duplication and segmental duplication. Moreover, the expression pattern of 52 selected GrMYBs and 46 GaMYBs were tested in roots and leaves under different abiotic stress conditions. The results revealed that the MYB genes in cotton were differentially expressed under salt and drought stress treatment. Our results will be useful for determining the precise role of the MYB genes during stress responses with crop improvement

Preliminary design framework for the power gearbox in a contra-rotating open rotor

This study introduces an innovative approach to sizing a differential planetary gearbox for a counter-rotating open rotor application. An updated methodology is proposed for the design of maximum load capacity gears based on the power transmitted, durability and space-envelope requirements of the application. The reported methodology has been validated by comparing the results to published data, demonstrating a maximum difference of 0.6% in geometry. Parametric analyses have also been performed to assess the impact of the design assumptions on gearbox dimensional trends. The proposed methodology enables the assessment of the impact of the preliminary transmission system design on engine performance and general arrangement. The characteristics of the gearset lead to an unequal torque split between output shafts (i.e. the propeller shafts). Given the design assumptions made, the study indicates that valid torque ratios would lie between 1.1 and 1.33. The impact of the torque ratio on the size of the gearbox has been analysed for equal rotational speeds and for different speeds between the output shafts. The study established that the transmission system design needs to be considered prior to selection of the torque ratio at engine design leve

Abating CO2 and non-CO2 emissions with hydrogen propulsion

This contribution focuses on the abatement with hydrogen of CO2 and non-CO2 emissions. It is agenda-setting in two respects. Firstly, it challenges the globally accepted hydrocarbon sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) pathway to sustainability and recommends that our industry accelerates along the hydrogen pathway to ‘green’ aviation. Secondly, it reports a philosophical and analytical investigation of appropriate accuracy on abatement strategies for nitrogen oxides and contrails of large hydrogen airliners. For the second contribution, a comparison is made of nitrogen oxide emissions and contrail avoidance options of two hydrogen airliners and a conventional airliner of similar passenger capacity. The hydrogen aircraft are representative of the first and second innovation waves where the main difference is the weight of the hydrogen tanks. Flights of 1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 nautical miles are explored. Cranfield’s state of the art simulators for propulsion system integration and gas turbine performance (Orion and Turbomatch) were used for this. There are two primary contributions to knowledge. The first is a new set of questions to be asked of SAF and hydrogen decarbonising features. The second is the quantification of the benefits from hydrogen on non-CO2 emissions. For the second generation of long-range hydrogen-fuelled aircraft having gas turbine propulsion, lighter tanks (needing less thrust and lower gas temperatures) are anticipated to reduce NOx emissions by over 20%; in the case of contrails, the preliminary findings indicate that regardless of the fuel, contrails could largely be avoided with fuel-burn penalties of a few per cent. Mitigating action is only needed for a small fraction of flights. For conventional aircraft this penalty results in more CO2, while for hydrogen aircraft the additional emission is water vapour. The conclusion is that our research community should continue to consider hydrogen as the key ‘greening’ option for aviation, notwithstanding the very significant costs of transition

Analysis of Common and Specific Mechanisms of Liver Function Affected by Nitrotoluene Compounds

BACKGROUND: Nitrotoluenes are widely used chemical manufacturing and munitions applications. This group of chemicals has been shown to cause a range of effects from anemia and hypercholesterolemia to testicular atrophy. We have examined the molecular and functional effects of five different, but structurally related, nitrotoluenes on using an integrative systems biology approach to gain insight into common and disparate mechanisms underlying effects caused by these chemicals. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Sprague-Dawley female rats were exposed via gavage to one of five concentrations of one of five nitrotoluenes [2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene (2ADNT) 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoulene (4ADNT), 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4DNT) and 2,6-dinitrotoluene (2,6DNT)] with necropsy and tissue collection at 24 or 48 h. Gene expression profile results correlated well with clinical data and liver histopathology that lead to the concept that hematotoxicity was followed by hepatotoxicity. Overall, 2,4DNT, 2,6DNT and TNT had stronger effects than 2ADNT and 4ADNT. Common functional terms, gene expression patterns, pathways and networks were regulated across all nitrotoluenes. These pathways included NRF2-mediated oxidative stress response, aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling, LPS/IL-1 mediated inhibition of RXR function, xenobiotic metabolism signaling and metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450. One biological process common to all compounds, lipid metabolism, was found to be impacted both at the transcriptional and lipid production level. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: A systems biology strategy was used to identify biochemical pathways affected by five nitroaromatic compounds and to integrate data that tie biochemical alterations to pathological changes. An integrative graphical network model was constructed by combining genomic, gene pathway, lipidomic, and physiological endpoint results to better understand mechanisms of liver toxicity and physiological endpoints affected by these compounds