Distribution of plasma alpha-1-B-glycoprotein (A1BG) polymorphism in several populations of the Indian subcontinent

ANN.HUM.BIOL.215443-44

Polymorphisms of alpha-1-acid (orosomucoid), alpha-2-HS- glycoproteins and alpha-1-B among the Parsis of India

Human Heredity426367-371HUHE

Role Of Family Planning Practices In The Control And Prevention of Uterine Cervical Cancer- A Multivariate Analysis

Research Question: Does acceptance of family planning reduce the risk of uterine cervical cancer? Objective: To study the association between usage of contraceptive methods and cervical carcinogenesis. Study design: Case control study. Settings: Urban Area â€" Hospital Based. Participants: 160 women having different degrees of dysplasia and 173 women having normal pap smears. Statistical Analysis: Multivariate Analysis. Results: None of the three widely prevalent Family Planning practices viz. IUD condoms and tubectomy turned out to be significant in the development of dysplasia, however, age at consummation of marriage before 18 years and illiteracy were significant. Use of IUD offered protection against carcinoma in situ (CIS) and disease of invasive nature. Non- users of condoms were also at risk marginally failing to attain statistical significance

Size reduction of poplar wood using a lathe for biofuel manufacturing: effects of biomass crystallinity on sugar yield

Poplar wood can be used as a feedstock for manufacturing cellulosic biofuel (ethanol) as an alternative to petroleum-based liquid transportation fuel. Producing biofuel from poplar wood involves reducing poplar wood into small particles (known as size reduction), hydrolyzing cellulose inside poplar particles to fermentable sugars, and converting these sugars to ethanol biofuel. Size reduction is usually done by wood chipping and biomass milling. In the literature, there are inconsistent reports about effects of particle size and biomass crystallinity on sugar yield (proportional to ethanol yield). An important reason for this inconsistence is that effects of these two biomass structural features (particle size and biomass crystallinity) on sugar yield are confounded with current size reduction methods. In this study, a lathe was used to produce poplar wood particles with (statistically) the same particle size (thickness) but different levels of biomass crystallinity, making it possible to investigate effects of biomass crystallinity on sugar yield without being confounded with effects of particle size. Results from this study show that, for the three levels of biomass crystallinity tested, sugar yield increased as biomass crystallinity decreased

Análise de polimorfismos do gene da kapa-caseína em fêmeas da raça Nelore e efeito sobre o peso à desmama de suas progênies Polimorphism analysis of kappa -casein gene on Nelore females and effect on weaning weight of the calves

Informações sobre peso à desmama de um rebanho Nelore, após ajuste para idade padrão de 205 dias, sexo da cria, idade da mãe, touro e mês de desmama, foram utilizadas para separar as reprodutrizes em dois grupos, cujos produtos diferiam em peso. As médias ajustadas pelo método dos quadrados mínimos e erros-padrão para os grupos pesado (P) e leve (L) foram 163,21±2,18kg e 134,44±2,18kg, respectivamente, com 41 animais em cada grupo. Colheram-se amostras de sangue das reprodutrizes para o estudo de polimorfismos do gene da kapa-caseína, pela técnica de polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. A análise de um segmento do éxon IV do gene da kapa-caseína identificou os genótipos 71AA, 10AB e 1BB, com as freqüências de 0,92 e 0,08 para os alelos A e B, respectivamente. Os pesos à desmama dos produtos dos genótipos AA e AB foram, respectivamente, 147,73±2,38kg e 156,76±6,35kg. Os grupos P e L não diferiram entre si quanto às freqüências alélicas apresentadas para esse gene. O genótipo das reprodutrizes não afetou o peso à desmama de suas crias, existindo, portanto, outros efeitos genéticos e não genéticos de maior magnitude.<br>Data from a Nelore herd were used after adjustment of the weaning weight for 205 days of age, sex, age of dam, sire and month of weaning resulting two groups of cows that differed in weaning weight of their calves. The least square means (LSM) and standard error (SE) were 163.21±2.18kg and 134.44±2.18kg, for heavy (H) and light (L) groups, with 41 animals each one. These animals were genotyped for DNA polymorphisms of kappa-casein gene, using PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism). The segment analysis of kappa-casein IV exon identified the genotypes 71AA, 10AB and 1BB, with frequencies of 0.92 and 0.08 for A and B alleles, respectively. The LSM±SE for weaning weight were 147.73±2.38kg and 156.76± 6.35kg for calves of AA and AB genotype cows. Heavy and light groups were similar for the allelic frequencies for this gene. The dam’s genotype did not affect the weaning weight of the calves. This suggests the existence of another genetic or non-genetic factors with major magnitude

Evolution of Microstructures During Austempering of Ductile Irons Alloyed with Manganese and Copper

The influences of relatively high manganese (0.45 through 1.0 wt pct) and copper (0.56 through 1.13 wt pct) contents on microstructure development and phase transformation in three austempered ductile irons have been studied. The experimental ductile irons alloyed with copper and manganese are found to be practically free from intercellular manganese segregation. This suggests that the positive segregation of manganese is largely neutralized by the negative segregation of copper when these alloying elements are added in appropriate proportions. The drop in unreacted austenite volume (UAV) with increasing austempering temperature and time is quite significant in irons alloyed with copper and manganese. The ausferrite morphology also undergoes a transition from lenticular to feathery appearance of increasing coarseness with the increasing austempering temperature and time. SEM micrographs of the austempered samples from the base alloy containing manganese only, as well as copper plus manganese-alloyed irons, clearly reveal the presence of some martensite along with retained austenite and ferrite. X-ray diffraction analysis also confirms the presence of these phases. SEM examination further reveals the presence of twinned martensite in the copper plus manganese-alloyed samples. The possibility of strain-induced transformation of austenite to martensite during austempering heat treatment is suggested

Conservation genetics of an endangered Catalonian cattle breed ("Alberes")

We biochemically analyzed and characterized the genetic structure of a population in danger of extinction ,"Alberes", a local cattle breed of the Catalonian Pyrenees (Spain and France). Ninety-two individuals were analyzed for five polymorphic genetic loci (Hb, Alb, Tf, Gc and Ptf2). The animals were grouped according to coat color: Fagina Alberes variety (N = 39) and Black Alberes variety (N = 53). The genetic structures and relationships between these subpopulations and one "outgroup" breed ("Bruna dels Pirineus") were analyzed and compared by using F-statistics. We determined that inbreeding in the Alberes breed is not significant, since negative and nonsignificant FIT and FIS values were obtained. The average genetic differentiation between subpopulations within the Alberes breed was 1.5% (FST = 0.015; P < 0.05), with an effective number of 4.1 individuals exchanged between subpopulations per generation (gene flow). The results obtained in this study corroborate the potential danger of extinction of the breed. The Black Alberes variety is proposed as the principal nucleus of genetic conservation for this breed, as it seems to show a higher degree of genetic isolation from other foreign populations.<br>A estrutura génetica de uma população de Alberes, uma raça de gado dos Pirineus catalônicos (Espanha e França) em risco de extinção, foi analisada e caracterizada bioquimicamente. Noventa e dois indivíduos foram analisados para 5 loci genéticos polimórficos (Hb, Alb, Tf, Gc e Ptf2). Os animais foram agrupados de acordo com a cor do pêlo: variedade Fagina Alberes (N = 39) e Black Alberes (N = 53). As estruturas genéticas e as relações entre estas subpopulações e uma raça extra ("Bruna dels Pirineus") foram analisadas e comparadas pela estatística F. A endogamia na raça Alberes não foi significante, pois foram obtidos valores FIT e FIS negativos e não significantes. A diferenciação genética média entre as subpopulações dentro da raça Alberes foi 1,5% (FST = 0,015; P < 0,05), com um número efetivo de 4,1 indivíduos trocados entre as subpopulações por geração (fluxo de gene). Os resultados obtidos neste estudo confirmaram o perigo potencial de extinção da raça. A variedade Black Alberes é sugerida como o principal núcleo de conservação genética para esta raça, pois parece mostrar maior grau de isolamento genético em relação a outras populações estrangeiras