Polymorphism of Calpastatin Gene in Crossbreed Dalagh Sheep Using PCR-RFLP

In modern programs of animal breeding, the genetic polymorphisms of production traits can be used as marker systems. Calpastatin gene is located on ovine chromosome 5 and is polymorphic in many breeds of sheep. Calpastatin has a role in meat tenderness after slaughter. Blood samples were collected from 120 crossbreeds of Dalagh sheep located in Golistan province of Iran. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood sample. Gel monitoring and spectrophotometer methods were used to determine the quality and quantity of DNA. Intron I from L domain of the ovine calpastatin gene was amplified to produce a 565 bp fragment. The PCR products were digested by restriction endonucleases MspI. Digested products were separated by electrophoresis on 1.5% agarose gel and visualized after staining with ethidium bromide on UV transillumination. The MspI digestion of the PCR products produced digestion fragments of 306 and 259 bp. Data analysis was done using PopGen32 software. In this population, MM, MN and NN genotype were identified with 65.5, 29, 5.5% frequencies, respectively. The population was found to follow Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.Key words: Calpastatin gene, polymorphism, crossbreed, Dalagh sheep

Activation and Expansion of Natural Killer Cells for Cancer Immunotherapy With EX21 Exosomes

In the field of cancer immunotherapy, NK cells are recognized for their ability to provide a form of innate immunity against tumor cells. However, the average abundance of NK cells in the blood can be as low as 5% of the total lymphocyte population. As a result, it has been a focus to find novel therapies to expand NK cells in vitro while subsequently enhancing the cytotoxicity of these cells. Previously-defined methods include the minimal expansion of NK cells with high levels of cytokines such as IL-2 and IL-15, as well as co-culturing NK cells with feeder cell populations that are genetically modified to express NK-stimulating factors. Another method involves the use of artificially-derived plasma membrane nanoparticles (PM21) that express membrane-bound IL-21 (mb21) to successfully expand NK cells by a factor of 103 in 14 days. Exosomes, which are cell-derived vesicles naturally secreted by cancer cells, may reveal a novel way to expand NK cells and enhance their cytotoxicity by taking advantage of the exchange of genetic information within the tumor microenvironment. To test this hypothesis, NK cells have been cultured with varying concentrations of exosomes derived from modified K562-mb21-41BBl (a chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line) and shown to achieve 200-fold expansion of NK cells from other PBMCs in 14 days, a growth comparable to that of PM-21 particles. In vitro assays as well as co-culturing with various tumor cell lines will determine the cytotoxicity of these expanded cells. Potentially, exosomes may be applied as an in vivo therapy for NK cell expansion

STR-878: NUMERICAL MODELING FOR STRUCTURAL BEHAVIOR OF BRIDGE DECK BARRIERS MADE OF FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE

Nonlinear finite-element (NLFE) analysis was used to compare and optimize the load transfer and failure mode of bridge barriers subjected to static transverse loads. Concrete is a material that needs strengthening in tension in order to meet the structural requirements. Studies have shown that the addition of steel fibers in a concrete matrix improves all the mechanical properties of concrete, especially tensile strength, impact strength, and toughness. The resulting material possesses higher tensile strength, consolidated response and better ductility. Although fiber reinforcement is a method that has been in use over the last few decades, yet it is unfamiliar to some practices, and there is no common guideline for design using this method. It is now well established that one of the important properties of fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) is its superior resistance to cracking and crack propagation and also the fibers are able to hold the matrix together even after extensive cracking. In the present study, numerical finite-element analysis has been performed on selected bridge barriers with steel reinforcement, to compare the difference between barriers with normal and fiber reinforced concrete. The FE modeling was performed under static load testing with displacement control. The ultimate load carrying capacities for each barrier type was compared. The behaviors of FRC barriers with different amount of fibers were accurately simulated with NLFE models. Modifications were then made to FRC barriers to reduce the barrier wall thickness as well as the reinforcement arrangement. The present study shows reserved capacity of FRC barriers compared to their counterparts with normal concrete and steel reinforcement

Application of tcsc to restore directional overcurrent relay coordination in systems with distributed generation

ABSTRACT In this paper a new approach is proposed to mitigate the directional overcurrent relay coordination problem, which arises from connecting distributed generation (DG

Detection of polymorphism in booroola gene and growth differentiation factor 9 in Lori sheep breed

Purpose: This study was carried out for detection of possible polymorphisms in Booroola gene (FecB) and growth differentiation factor 9 [GDF9] in Lori sheep breed.Methods: Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of the sheep and their DNA content extracted using modified salting-out method. The quantity and quality of extracted DNA was examined by absorption spectrophotometry and gel electrophoresis. Using two pairs of specific primers, two DNA fragments were amplified from FecB (190 bp) and exon 1 of GDF9 (462 bp) genes. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products were digested using AvaII and HhaI restriction enzymes for FecB and GDF9 genes, respectively.Results: In FecB locus, two genotypes, viz, wild type (+/+) and carrier-mutants (B/+), were detected with genotype frequencies of 0.948 and 0.052, respectively. Also, at GDF9 locus, two genotypes, namely, wild type (+/+) and carrier-mutants (+/-), were detected with genotype frequencies of 0.67 and 0.33, respectively. Heterozygous genotype frequencies for both loci showed higher than homozygous genotypes. None of the sheep carried homozygous genotype for both of the FecB and GDF9 variants in this breed.Conclusion: The results of the present study reveal slight polymorphism in FecB and GDF9 loci of Lori sheep breed.Keywords: Polymorphism, Lori sheep, Booroola gene (FecB), Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9), Polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), Genotype, Mutants, Loc

Advanced Control of FACTS Devices for Improving Power Quality Regarding to Wind Farms

AbstractIn recent years, there has been a worldwide development in the utilization of wind farms. Because of enlarging wind generation, growing non-liner loads and competitive electricity markets the operation mechanism of power systems are facing some problems like voltage regulation, damping of power oscillation, etc. in shunt FACTS devices STATCOM and SVC have been identified as a good device and perfect compensators to solve these troubles. So control strategies for STATCOM are sequentially changing. The proposed paper is shown that the use of advanced control methods, such as the standard robust control method, in the control system of FACTS could improve their performance

Karyotype and C-banding analyses of haploid male chromosomes of Apis florea F.

Chromosomes, with detailed karyotype information (number, shape, total length, relative length, arm ratio and centromeric index) and C-banding patterns in the somatic division of haploid male of Apis florae in Iran are described. Samples were obtained from the colonies in south of Iran. Prior to the swarming season, drone-brood cells were added adjoining to the lower rows of the worker-brood cells. Testes from young larvae were removed, fixed in acetic acid methanol (1:3), and stored at -20°C. The slides pretreatment were made by usual air dry method. C-banding and staining was carried out by barium hydroxide and Giemsa solution. Sixteen chromosomes of this species were observed and divided into two groups, 4 metacentric (no.1, 4, 7, 11), 12 sub metacentric and sub telocentric

Genotypic frequency of calpastatin gene

Abstract-The effect of Calpains gene polymorphism on the analyzed meat quality traits are discussed in detail in another paper. Calpastatin is a natural occurring inhibitor of calpains and consequently the balance of calpain-calpastatin activity in muscles is believed to dictate the rate of tenderization in postmortem meat. In this study were collected blood samples from 100 Lori sheep. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood sample. Gel monitoring and spectrophotometer methods were used to determination quality and quantity of DNA. MspI enzyme was used for restricting of PCR products. Digested products were separated by electrophoresis on 2% agarose gel and visualized after staining with ethidium bromide on UV transillumination. The PCR product (622 bp) was digested by restriction endonucleases MspI. The MspI digestion of the PCR products produced digestion fragments of 336 bp and 286 bp. Data analysis was done using PopGen32 software (ver.1.32). In the total population of sheep was detected homozygous genotype AA, heterozygous genotype AB and Homozygous genotype BB has been observed for calpastatin gene in Lori sheep strain