Genetic variation at Exon2 of TLR4 gene and its association with resistant traits in chicken

This study was conducted to analyze the polymorphisms of chicken Toll-like receptors 4(TLR4) gene and aimed to provide a theoretical foundation for a further research on correlation between chicken TLR4 gene and disease resistance. Genetic variations at exon 2 of TLR4 gene in 14 chicken breeds and the red jungle fowl were detected by PCR-SSCP method and two alleles and three genotypes were found, Tibetan chicken and red jungle fowl only had BB genotype, while the others presented three genotypes of AA, BB and AB. Sequencing results showed two mutations, G114A and G142A, located at exon 2 of TLR4 gene. The results of Chi square test showed that all populations, except Xianju chicken, were in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium at this locus (P > 0.05). According to analysis of population genetic variation, all the populations were at moderate polymorphism (0.25 < PIC < 0.5) except red jungle fowl and Tibetan chicken (PIC = 0). The study demonstrated that there were differences of normal anti-disease ability in Chinese indigenous chicken breeds and appeared no significant correlation with body size, product type and geographical location. The associated analysis of results showed that the SNPs of TLR4 gene in the study were not linked with potential major loci or genes affecting some resistant traits.Key words: Chicken, TLR4 gene, polymorphism, resistant traits

An ABA triblock copolymer strategy for intrinsically stretchable semiconductors

A novel semiconductor-rubber-semiconductor (P3HT-PMA-P3HT) triblock copolymer has been designed and prepared according to the principle of thermoplastic elastomers. It behaves as a thermoplastic elastomer with a Young's modulus (E) of 6 MPa for an elongation at break of 140% and exhibits good electrical properties with a carrier mobility of 9 x 10(-4) cm(2) V-1 s(-1). This novel semiconductor may play an important role in low-cost and large-area stretchable electronics.open112223sciescopu

Protective composite silica/polyelectrolyte shell with enhanced tolerance to harsh acid and alkali conditions

Here we report a facile method to fabricate composite polymeric/inorgainc shells consisting of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH)/poly-(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) multilayers strengthed by the in situ formed silica (SiO₂) nanoparticles (NPs), achieving an enhanced stability under harsh acidic and basic conditions. While the unsiliconised PAH/PSS multilayers show a pH-dependent stability and permeability, the composite PAH/PSS/SiO₂ shells display significantly higher chemical tolerance towards a variety of harsh conditions (1 ≤ pH ≤ 13, high salinity). Upon treatment with either hydrochloric acid (HCl, pH = 1) or 0.2 M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt (EDTA, weak acid, chelator), the (PAH/PSS)₆/SiO₂ shells are able to maintain the integrity of most calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) particles, as the shells are tickened and densified by sufficient SiO₂ NPs. When treated with NaOH solution at pH = 13, the (PAH/PSS)₆/SiO₂ shells also display an intact morphology and maintain the ability to intercept rhodamin B (Rh-B) molecules, which is quite different to that observed with the unsiliconised (PAH/PSS)₆ shells. Ultrasound is proved to rapidly break the composite shells, hence can be used as a potential stimulus to trigger the release of encapsulated substances. All the results demonstrate the fact that the composite (PAH/PSS)₆/SiO₂ shells have a higher chemical stability, lower permeability for small molecules and a greater sensitivity to ultrasound, which is promising for many applications where protecting the activity of small molecules is required, such as the delivery of encapsulated drugs in an unhindered form to their specific destination within the human body

Spin-Imbalance in a One-Dimensional Fermi Gas

Superconductivity and magnetism generally do not coexist. Changing the relative number of up and down spin electrons disrupts the basic mechanism of superconductivity, where atoms of opposite momentum and spin form Cooper pairs. Nearly forty years ago Fulde and Ferrell and Larkin and Ovchinnikov proposed an exotic pairing mechanism (FFLO) where magnetism is accommodated by formation of pairs with finite momentum. Despite intense theoretical and experimental efforts, however, polarized superconductivity remains largely elusive. Here we report experimental measurements of density profiles of a two spin mixture of ultracold 6Li atoms trapped in an array of one dimensional (1D) tubes, a system analogous to electrons in 1D wires. At finite spin imbalance, the system phase separates with an inverted phase profile in comparison to the three-dimensional case. In 1D we find a partially polarized core surrounded by wings composed of either a completely paired BCS superfluid or a fully polarized Fermi gas, depending on the degree of polarization. Our observations are in quantitative agreement with theoretical calculations in which the partially polarized phase is found to be a 1D analogue of the FFLO state. This study demonstrates how ultracold atomic gases in 1D may be used to create non-trivial new phases of matter, and also paves the way for direct observation and further study of the FFLO phase.Comment: 30 pages, 7 figure

Finite temperature phase diagram of a polarised Fermi condensate

The two-component Fermi gas is the simplest fermion system displaying superfluidity, and as such finds applications ranging from the theory of superconductivity to QCD. Ultracold atomic gases provide an exceptionally clean realization of this system, where the interatomic interaction and the atom species population are both independent, tuneable parameters. This allows one to investigate the Fermi gas with imbalanced spin populations, which had previously been experimentally elusive, and this prospect has stimulated much theoretical activity. Here we show that the finite temperature phase diagram contains a region of phase separation between the superfluid and normal states that touches the boundary of second-order superfluid transitions at a tricritical point, reminiscent of the phase diagram of $^3$He-$^4$He mixtures. A variation of interaction strength then results in a line of tricritical points that terminates at zero temperature on the molecular Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) side. On this basis, we argue that tricritical points will play an important role in the recent experiments on polarised atomic Fermi gases.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. Manuscript extended and figures modified. For final version, see Nature Physic

Effects of systematic asymmetric discounting on physician-patient interactions: a theoretical framework to explain poor compliance with lifestyle counseling

BACKGROUND: This study advances the use of a utility model to model physician-patient interactions from the perspectives of physicians and patients. PRESENTATION OF THE HYPOTHESIS: In cases involving acute care, patient counseling involves a relatively straightforward transfer of information from the physician to a patient. The patient has less information than the physician on the impact the condition and its treatment have on utility. In decisions involving lifestyle changes, the patient may have more information than the physician on his/her utility of consumption; moreover, differences in discounting future health may contribute significantly to differences between patients' preferences and physicians' recommendations. TESTING THE HYPOTHESIS: The expectation of differences in internal discount rate between patients and their physicians is discussed. IMPLICATIONS OF THE HYPOTHESIS: This utility model provides a conceptual basis for the finding that educational approaches alone may not effect changes in patient behavior and suggests other economic variables that could be targeted in the attempt to produce healthier behavior

The role of GRIP1 and ephrin B3 in blood pressure control and vascular smooth muscle cell contractility

This work was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to J.W. (MOP57697, MOP69089 and MOP 123389), H.L. (MOP97829), and G.C. (CMI72323). It was also financed by grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (203906-2012), and the J.-Louis Levesque Foundation to J.W. This study was also made possible by a group grant from the National Sciences Foundation of China (#81361120264) to J.S., S.H. T.W. and J.W. The funders provided support in the form of salaries for authors [Y.W.; Z.W.; H.L.; J.P.; J.R.], and experimental costs, but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the “author contributions”. The authors thank Regeneron Pharmaceuticals for generously providing Efnb3 KO mice. The authors thank all the authors of the International Consortium for Blood Pressure Genome-Wide Association Studies for allow us to mine the study dataset

Generating Computational Models for Serious Gaming

Westera, W. (2013, 25 October). Generating computational models for serious gaming. Presentation at the GALA Serious Gaming Conference, Paris, France.Many serious games include computational models that simulate dynamic systems. These models promote enhanced interaction and responsiveness. Under the social web paradigm more and more usable game authoring tools become available that enable prosumers to create their own games, but the inclusion of dynamic simulations remains a specialist’s job involving knowledge of mathematics, numerical modeling and programming. This presentation explains a methodology for specifying and running a specific subset of computational models without the need of bothering with mathematical equations. The methodology comprises a knowledge elicitation procedure for identifying and specifying the required model components, whereupon the mathematical model is automatically generated. The approach is based on the fact that many games focus on optimisation problems that are covered by a general class of linear programming models. The presentation thus sketches the principles of a creativity tool that removes barriers for harvesting the creative potential of teachers and students

Shot noise in mesoscopic systems

This is a review of shot noise, the time-dependent fluctuations in the electrical current due to the discreteness of the electron charge, in small conductors. The shot-noise power can be smaller than that of a Poisson process as a result of correlations in the electron transmission imposed by the Pauli principle. This suppression takes on simple universal values in a symmetric double-barrier junction (suppression factor 1/2), a disordered metal (factor 1/3), and a chaotic cavity (factor 1/4). Loss of phase coherence has no effect on this shot-noise suppression, while thermalization of the electrons due to electron-electron scattering increases the shot noise slightly. Sub-Poissonian shot noise has been observed experimentally. So far unobserved phenomena involve the interplay of shot noise with the Aharonov-Bohm effect, Andreev reflection, and the fractional quantum Hall effect.Comment: 37 pages, Latex, 10 figures (eps). To be published in "Mesoscopic Electron Transport," edited by L. P. Kouwenhoven, G. Schoen, and L. L. Sohn, NATO ASI Series E (Kluwer Academic Publishing, Dordrecht