Maximum and minimum degree energies of p-splitting and p-shadow graphs

Let vi and vj be two vertices of a graph G. The maximum degree matrix of G is given in [2] by dij = {max {di, dj} if vi and vj are adjacent 0 otherwise. Similarly the (i, j)-th entry of the minimum degree matrix is defined by taking the minimum degree instead of the maximum degree above, [1]. In this paper, we have elucidated a relation between maximum degree energy of p−shadow graphs with the maximum degree energy of its underlying graph. Similarly, a relation has been derived for minimum degree energy also. We disprove the results EM(S0 (G)) = 2EM(G) and Em(S0 (G)) = 2Em(G) given by Zheng-Qing Chu et al. [3] by giving some counterexamples.Publisher's Versio

A caspase-3 'death-switch' in colorectal cancer cells for induced and synchronous tumor apoptosis in vitro and in vivo facilitates the development of minimally invasive cell death biomarkers

Novel anticancer drugs targeting key apoptosis regulators have been developed and are undergoing clinical trials. Pharmacodynamic biomarkers to define the optimum dose of drug that provokes tumor apoptosis are in demand; acquisition of longitudinal tumor biopsies is a significant challenge and minimally invasive biomarkers are required. Considering this, we have developed and validated a preclinical 'death-switch' model for the discovery of secreted biomarkers of tumour apoptosis using in vitro proteomics and in vivo evaluation of the novel imaging probe [ 18 F]ML-10 for non-invasive detection of apoptosis using positron emission tomography (PET). The 'death-switch' is a constitutively active mutant caspase-3 that is robustly induced by doxycycline to drive synchronous apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells in vitro or grown as tumor xenografts. Deathswitch induction caused caspase-dependent apoptosis between 3 and 24 hours in vitro and regression of 'death-switched' xenografts occurred within 24 h correlating with the percentage of apoptotic cells in tumor and levels of an established cell death biomarker (cleaved cytokeratin-18) in the blood. We sought to define secreted biomarkers of tumor apoptosis from cultured cells using Discovery Isobaric Tag proteomics, which may provide candidates to validate in blood. Early after caspase-3 activation, levels of normally secreted proteins were decreased (e.g. Gelsolin and Midkine) and proteins including CD44 and High Mobility Group protein B1 (HMGB1) that were released into cell culture media in vitro were also identified in the bloodstream of mice bearing death-switched tumors. We also exemplify the utility of the death-switch model for the validation of apoptotic imaging probes using [ 18 F]ML-10, a PET tracer currently in clinical trials. Results showed increased tracer uptake of [ 18 F]ML-10 in tumours undergoing apoptosis, compared with matched tumour controls imaged in the same animal. Overall, the death-switch model represents a robust and versatile tool for the discovery and validation of apoptosis biomarkers. © 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved

Djelovanje različitih razrjeđivača na svojstva spermija i plodnost križanih svinja u sjevernoistočnoj Indiji.

The study was conducted to deduce the efficacy and suitability of three extenders: Beltsville thawing solution (BTS), Kiev and Modena extenders, on the preservation and fertility of boar semen. Semen ejaculates with more than 70% sperm motility from six Hampshire boars were used and preserved at 17 °C. The extended semen was evaluated for motility, viability, acrosomal and plasma membrane integrity from day 0 to 5 of preservation. There was a significant (P<0.01) reduction in sperm motility and viability between days 0 to 4, but no significant difference between day 0 and 2. BTS and Modena maintained significantly (P<0.05) higher sperm motility and viability as compared to Kiev. Plasma membrane integrity did not differ significantly up to day 2, but was significantly reduced on days 3 (P<0.05) and 4 (P<0.01). BTS and Modena extenders had significantly (P<0.05) higher plasma membrane integrity. By day 5, the percentage of mean sperm with intact acrosome was 80.4 ± 2.5, 81.2 ± 2.3 and 75.7 ± 2.7, in BTS, Modena and Kiev, respectively, with significant (P<0.05) increases in acrosomal damage after two days of storage, irrespective of all extenders. Farrowing rate and litter size did not differ significantly during the initial period of storage, but there was a significant difference after day 3 (P<0.05) in all extenders used. BTS and Modena maintained a farrowing rate of more than 60% on day 5, in contrast to 50% with the Kiev extender. The study concluded that both BTS and Modena are better extenders for short term storage of boar liquid semen as compared to the Kiev extender, and could be used efficiently in crossbreeding of pigs of north-eastern India.Istraživanje je provedeno kako bi se utvrdila učinkovitost i prikladnost beltsvilskog (BTS), kijevskog i modenskog razrjeđivača za očuvanje i plodnost nerastova sjemena. Upotrijebljeni su ejakulati sjemena od 6 hempširskih nerastova s pokretljivošću spermija većom od 70%, koji su sačuvani na 17 °C. Razrijeđeno sjeme procjenjivano je od 0. do 5. dana s obzirom na pokretljivost, živost te cjelovitost akrosomalne i plazmine membrane. Tijekom razdoblja od 0. do 4. dana došlo je do signifikantnog (P<0,01) sniženja pokretljivosti i živosti spermija, no signifikantne razlike između nultog i drugog dana nisu utvrđene. U usporedbi s kijevskim razrjeđivačem, BTS i modenski razrjeđivači su održavali signifikantno (P<0,05) višu pokretljivost i životnost spermija. Cjelovitost plazmine membrane nije se signifikantno razlikovala do 2. dana, ali je signifikantno snižena tijekom 3. dana (P<0,05) i 4. dana (P<0,01). Cjelovitost plazmine membrane bila je signifikantno veća (P<0,05) pri uporabi BTS i modenskog razrjeđivača. Do 5. dana, prosječni postotak spermija s nepromijenjenim akrosomom iznosio je kod BTS razrjeđivača 80,4 ± 2,5, kod modenskog razrjeđivača 81,2 ± 2,3, a kod kijevskog razrjeđivača 75,7 ± 2,7. Pri tome je, bez obzira na razrjeđivač, od 2. dana utvrđen signifikantni porast (P<0,05) spermija s oštećenim akrosomima. U početnom razdoblju stopa prasenja i veličina legla nisu se signifikantno razlikovale, no nakon 3. dana kod svih upotrijebljenih razrjeđivača razlike su bile signifikantne (P<0,05). Peti dan stopa prasenja kod BTS i modenskog razrjeđivača održala se preko 60% za razliku od kijevskog razrjeđivača kod kojeg je stopa prasivosti iznosila 50%. Istraživanjem se zaključuje da BTS i modenski razrjeđivači mogu, u odnosu na kijevski razrjeđivač, bolje poslužiti za kratkotrajno pohranjivanje nerastovog tekućeg sjemena, te kao takvi biti i učinkovitiji u križanjima svinja sjevernoistočne Indije

Mapping of Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Resistance to Brown Planthopper in Rice by Means of a Doubled Haploid Population

ABSTRACT these major genes The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stå l) (Homotive resistance should be more durabl

Porcine ovarian biometry, oocyte retrieval and quality of oocytes under different seasons in north east hill region

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different seasons on porcine ovarian biometry and centred, oocyte retrieval and quality of oocytes in north east hill region of India. Porcine ovaries (1886) were collected over a period of 12 months from local abattoirs. The morphological studies revealed mulberry shaped multi- lobulated ovaries with an average weight of 4.435 ± 0.622 The average number of GF and CL were significantly higher in winter than monsoon) but not significantly different from pre-monsoon/summer. The number of CA was significantly higher in winter than monsoon and summer. The number of recovered oocyte from the visible follicles in oocyte collection medium had significantly higher number in winter than other two seasons. The oocyte percentage of grade-I, grade-II, grade-III and grade-IV were found to be 24, 36, 23 and 17%, respectively. The culturable oocytes were significantly higher during winter than summer and monsoon seasons. The season had significant effect on quality and quantity of porcine ovaries which could be well utilized in-vitro maturation and fertilization by the research in field of reproduction and biotechnology

Effect of Presuperovulatory Treatment of Buserelin on Superovulatory Response and Embryo Recovery in Cattle under Subtropical Conditions of Meghalaya

ABSTRACT An experiment was conducted with 24 healthy cyclic cows between 2 nd to 5 th lactation by under intensive system of rearing. The animals were randomly divided into Control (C) and Experiment (E) groups with 12 animals in each The control and experiment groups were again further subdivided in groups C 1 and C 2 &amp; E 1 and E 2 comprising six in each. Onset of oestrus was considered as day 0 for superovulatory treatment. The animals of groups C 1 and C 2 &amp; E 1 and E 2 were injected with 5 ml NSS (i/ml) &amp; 21μg GnRH (i/m) (Buserelin acetate) on day 8 of the oestrous cycle, respectively. Each of the experimental animals of groups C 1 and E 1 was superovulated with 400 mg FSH (i/m) in divided and equal doses at 12 h intervals for four days on day 10 to 13 of the oestrous cycle and consequently, each of the experimental animals of groups C 2 and E 2 was also superovulated with 2000 I.U.PMSG injection (i/m) as single dose on day 10 of the oestrous cycle. PGF 2 α 2ml was injected (i/m) at morning time on day 12 of oestrous cycle. At the superovulatory oestrus, all the animals were bred three times at 12 h intervals using frozen semen. The animals were examined per rectally on day 6 of the induced oestrus after first insemination to detect the superovulatory response. Flushing was performed on day 7 of induced oestrus to retrieve embryos from the superovulated cows. In the present experiment, superovulatory response in GnRH treated groups of cows (groups E 1 and E 2 ) were found to be better as compared to that of the animals of control groups but the duration of induced oestrus (h) recorded in groups C 2 (49.02 ± 0.07 h) and E 2 (50.40 ± 0.27 h) were found to be significantly higher (P&lt;0.05) than the value recorded in groups C 1 and E 1

Impact of long-term quorum sensing inhibition on uropathogenic Escherichia coli.

BACKGROUND: Quorum sensing is an extracellular bacterial communication system used in the density-dependent regulation of gene expression and development of biofilms. Biofilm formation has been implicated in the establishment of catheter-associated urinary tract infections and therefore quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs) have been suggested as anti-biofilm catheter coating agents. The long-term effects of QSIs in uropathogens is, however, not clearly understood. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the effects of repeated exposure to the QSIs cinnamaldehyde, (Z)-4-bromo-5(bromomethylene)-2(5H)-furanone-C30 (furanone-C30) and 4-fluoro-5-hydroxypentane-2,3-dione (F-DPD) on antimicrobial susceptibility, biofilm formation and relative pathogenicity in eight uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) isolates. METHODS: MICs, MBCs and minimum biofilm eradication concentrations and antibiotic susceptibility were determined. Biofilm formation was quantified using crystal violet. Relative pathogenicity was assessed in a Galleria mellonella model. To correlate changes in phenotype to gene expression, transcriptomic profiles were created through RNA sequencing and variant analysis of genomes was performed in strain EC958. RESULTS: Cinnamaldehyde and furanone-C30 led to increases in susceptibility in planktonic and biofilm-associated UPEC. Relative pathogenicity increased after cinnamaldehyde exposure (4/8 isolates), decreased after furanone-C30 exposure (6/8 isolates) and varied after F-DPD exposure (one increased and one decreased). A total of 9/96 cases of putative antibiotic cross-resistance were generated. Exposure to cinnamaldehyde or F-DPD reduced expression of genes associated with locomotion, whilst cinnamaldehyde caused an increase in genes encoding fimbrial and afimbrial-like adhesins. Furanone-C30 caused a reduction in genes involved in cellular biosynthetic processes, likely though impaired ribonucleoprotein assembly. CONCLUSIONS: The multiple phenotypic adaptations induced during QSI exposure in UPEC should be considered when selecting an anti-infective catheter coating agent

Relearning old lessons for the future of food—by bread alone no longer: diversifying diets with fruit and vegetables

Diversifying diets and agricultural enterprises with fruit and vegetables is a potent weapon in the current global battle against malnutrition and poverty. Agricultural science can contribute substantially to enhance the development prospects and health of not only disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals at one end of the spectrum but also the growth and equity of national economies at the other. Moreover, with relatively simple applied research, new crop species and technologies can rapidly enter the development pathway to benefi t even the poorest people or nations. More upstream research can help to guard fruit and vegetable production against the vagaries of potential climatic uncertainty, which is projected to become more prominent over future decades. However, historical and continuing widespread underinvestment in fruit and vegetable research and development from the national to the global level may severely compromise the world’s ability to use such highvalue species for crop diversifi cation and as a major engine of development growth to ensure global food and nutritional security

Revolutionizing Crop Production: The Imperative of Speed Breeding Technology in Modern Crop Improvement

Speed breeding (SB) technology is an innovative solution to shorten the breeding cycle and accelerate crop improvement. The key factors of plant growth and development, including photoperiod, light intensity and quality, temperature, relative humidity, planting density and plant nutrition are manipulated in such a way as to stimulate flowering and seed set under controlled conditions. The development of SB technology may be challenging as crops tend to vary in their response to physiological manipulations. Therefore, crop-specific optimization is highly critical to developing successful SB technology in crops. The SB technology can also be synergistically integrated with cutting edge genomics and marker-assisted selection technologies to enhance genetic gain in crop breeding programmes. In this review, various aspects concerning the science and techniques underpinning SB technology, the successful implementation of SB technology in different crops, the inherent challenges faced, and the potential opportunities to integrate SB technology with cutting-edge genomics technologies towards accelerating crop improvement are discussed