Origin of the Jews and the Arabs: Date of their Most Recent Common Ancestor is Written in their Y-Chromosomes - However, There Were Two of Them

A pattern of Y-chromosomal mutations in 37 and 67 marker haplotypes of the Jews and the Arabs indicates that their most recent common ancestor in haplogroup J1 (subclade J1e*) and that (a different one) in haplogroup J2 (subclade J2a*) lived 4300+/-500 years before present (ybp) and 4175+/-510 ybp, respectively, that is practically at the same time. Then a split between the Jewish and the Arabic lineages in both J1 and J2 haplogroups occurred, which is clearly visible on the respective haplotype trees. The data show that a common ancestor of Cohanim (Jewish High Priests) of haplogroup J1 lived 1070+/-170 ybp, while a common ancestor of Cohanim in haplogroup J2 lived 3300+/-400 ybp

DNA Genealogy, Mutation Rates, and Some Historical Evidences Written in Y-Chromosome

Origin of peoples in a context of DNA genealogy is an assignment of them to a particular tribe (all members of which belong to a certain haplogroup) or its branch (a lineage), initiated in a genealogical sense by a common ancestor and an estimation of a time span between the common ancestor and its current descendants. We have developed an approach to kinetics of haplotype mutations in non-recombinant segments of the Y-chromosome and illustrated it with a number of haplotype series related to various populations (timespans to common ancestors shown as years before the present): Basques R1b1b2 (4,050), near thirty of European countries R1a1 (between 4,100 and 4,825), India R1a1 (3,675), the Arabian Peninsula R1a1 (3,750), South India Chenchu R1a1 (3,200 and 350, two lineages), bearers of so-called Cohen Modal Haplotype (CMH) J1 (4,000 and 1,050, two lineages), and CMH J2 (1,400), Arabian CMH J1 (9,000), Bulgarian and Croatian Gypsies H1 (575 and 1,125, respectively), Polynesians C2 (800), South African Lemba (625), the oldest Balkan R1a1 population (11,600), and Native Americans Q (16,000). Some of these findings are supported by independent estimates

Neural network analysis of the productivity of biogas plants for small agricultural enterprises

The article is devoted to the problem of assessing the productivity of biogas plants. The aim of the work is to build intelligent tools for evaluating the performance of biogas plants by determining the output of biogas depending on the properties of raw materials based on the fuzzy inference method according to the Sugeno algorithm. First of all, the output of biogas is influenced by the chemical composition of the raw materials used. The chemical composition indicators were obtained by the authors in the framework of experimental studies. To carry out the analysis, a knowledge base was built on the following parameters: humidity, crude ash content, crude fat content, crude protein content, crude fiber content, nitrogen-free extractive substances content. The fuzzification of its vertices in the section of 2- and 3-term sets has been carried out. Membership functions of fuzzy sets for each parameter are constructed. The fuzzification of the root is defined in 5 categories. A system of rules was compiled based on experimental data, and the biogas yield was calculated depending on the initial parameters. The results obtained can be used in the organization of biogas plants

Some Properties of Composite Panels Made from Wood Flour and Recycled Polyethylene

This study investigated the effect of board type (unmodified vs. MAPE modified) on the surface quality and thickness swelling-water absorption properties of recycled high density polyethylene (HDPE) based wood plastic composites. Additionally, two commercially available coatings (cellulosic coating and polyurethane lacquer coating) were also applied to composite surfaces and their adhesion strength, abrasion and scratch resistance, and gloss values were determined. This study showed that modification of the composites with MAPE coupling agent increased the surface smoothness and reduced the water absorption and thickness swelling of the panels. Abrasion resistance of the composites was also improved through MAPE modification. Regardless of board type, higher scratch resistance and gloss values were observed for polyurethane lacquer coated samples compared to those of cellulosic varnish coated ones. Improvement of adhesion strength was also seen on SEM micrographs

Multicriteria fuzzy statistical analysis of biogas energy systems dependability

The work is devoted to the problems of assessing the dependability of autonomous energy systems with biogas type of electrical generation. The purpose of the work is to develop an intelligent tool for multi-criteria dependability assessment, taking into account the statistical uncertainty of individual indicators. A three-level hierarchy (according to the degree of generalization) of dependability indicators, represented by statistical (at the lower level) and fuzzy linguistic (starting from the second level) variables, has been developed. It is proposed to implement the transition from statistical values of lower-level indicators to numerical values of second-level indicators using an artificial neural network. Fuzzification of second-level indicators was carried out using L. Zadeh’s z-number apparatus, which allows taking into account statistical uncertainty. To determine the integral dependability indicator (top of the hierarchy) based on second-level indicators, it is proposed to use the Mamdani fuzzy inference algorithm. The constructed procedure for determining the level of dependability allows us to obtain data for making scientifically based decisions when operating biogas energy systems

The carbohydrate-binding domain on galectin-1 is more extensive for a complex glycan than for simple saccharides: implications for galectin–glycan interactions at the cell surface

gal-1 (galectin-1) mediates cell–cell and cell–extracellular matrix adhesion, essentially by interacting with β-galactoside-containing glycans of cell-surface glycoconjugates. Although most structural studies with gal-1 have investigated its binding to simple carbohydrates, in particular lactose and N-acetyl-lactosamine, this view is limited, because gal-1 functions at the cell surface by interacting with more complex glycans that are heterogeneous in size and composition. In the present study we used NMR spectroscopy to investigate the interaction of human gal-1 with a large (120 kDa) complex glycan, GRG (galactorhamnogalacturonate glycan), that contains non-randomly distributed mostly terminal β(1→4)-linked galactose side chains. We used 15N–1H-HSQC (heteronuclear single quantum coherence) NMR experiments with 15N-enriched gal-1 to identify the GRG-binding region on gal-1 and found that this region covers a large surface area on gal-1 that includes the quintessential lactose-binding site and runs from that site through a broad valley or cleft towards the dimer interface. HSQC and pulsed-field-gradient NMR diffusion experiments also show that gal-1 binds GRG with a gal-1:GRG stoichiometry of about 5:1 (or 6:1) and with average macroscopic and microscopic equilibrium dissociation constants (Kd) of 8×10−6 M and 40×10−6 M (or 48×10−6 M) respectively, indicating stronger binding than to lactose (Kd=520×10−6 M). Although gal-1 may bind GRG in various ways, the glycan can be competed for by lactose, suggesting that there is one major mode of interaction. Furthermore, even though terminal motifs on GRG are Gal-β(1→4)-Gal rather than the traditional Gal-β(1→4)-Glc/GlcNAc (where GlcNAc is N-acetylglucosamine), we show that the disaccharide Gal-β(1→4)-Gal can bind gal-1 at the lactose-binding domain. In addition, gal-1 binding to GRG disrupts inter-glycan interactions and decreases glycan-mediated solution viscosity, a glycan decongestion effect that may help explain why gal-1 promotes membrane fluidity and lateral diffusion of glycoconjugates within cell membranes. Overall, our results provide an insight into the function of galectin in situ and have potential significant biological consequences

Development and characterization of green composites from bio-based polyethylene and peanut shell

This is the accepted version of the following article: Garcia-Garcia, D., Carbonell-Verdu, A., Jordá-Vilaplana, A., Balart, R. and Garcia-Sanoguera, D. (2016), Development and characterization of green composites from bio-based polyethylene and peanut shell. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 43940 doi: 10.1002/app.43940, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/app.43940[EN] In the present work, different compatibilizers, namely polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA), polypropylene-graftmaleic anhydride (PP-g-MA), and polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene-graft-maleic anhydride (SEBS-g-MA) were used on green composites derived from biobased polyethylene and peanut shell (PNS) flour to improve particle polymer interaction. Composites of high-density polyethylene/peanut shell powder (HDPE/PNS) with 10 wt % PNS flour were compatibilized with 3 wt % of the abovementioned compatibilizers. As per the results, PP-g-MA copolymer lead to best optimized properties as evidenced by mechanical characterization. In addition, best particle matrix interface interactions with PP-g-MA were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Subsequently HDPE/PNS composites with varying PNS flour content in the 5 30 wt % range with PP-g-MA compatibilizer were obtained by melt extrusion and compounding followed by injection molding and were characterized by mechanical, thermal, and morphological techniques. The results showed that PNS powder, leads to an increase in mechanical resistant properties (mainly, flexural modulus, and strength) while a decrease in mechanical ductile properties, that is, elongation at break and impact absorbed energy is observed with increasing PNS flour content. Furthermore, PNS flour provides an increase in thermal stability due to the natural antioxidant properties of PNS. In particular, composites containing 30 wt % PNS powder present a flexural strength 24% and a flexural modulus 72% higher than the unfilled polyethylene and the thermo-oxidative onset degradation temperature is increased from 232 8C up to 2548C thus indicating a marked thermal stabilization effect. Resultant composites can show a great deal of potential as base materials for wood plastic composites.This research was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness -MINECO, Ref: MAT2014-59242-C2-1-R. Authors also thank to "Conselleria d'Educacio, Cultura i Esport" - Generalitat Valenciana, Ref: GV/2014/008 for financial support. A. Carbonell-Verdu wants to thank Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for financial support through an FPI grant. D. Garcia-Garcia wants to thanks the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports for the financial support through an FPU grant (FPU13/06011).García García, D.; Carbonell Verdú, A.; Jorda-Vilaplana, A.; Balart Gimeno, RA.; García Sanoguera, D. (2016). Development and characterization of green composites from bio-based polyethylene and peanut shell. Journal of Applied Polymer Science. 133(37):1-12. https://doi.org/10.1002/APP.43940S1121333

Studies on the interaction of the carbohydrate binding module 3 from the Clostridium thermocellum CipA scaffolding protein with cellulose and paper fibres

The adsorption of a carbohydrate binding module (CBM3) from the Clostridium thermocellum scaffolding protein (CipA) to cellulose was analysed in this work. The effect of CBM-PEG on the drainability of E. globulus and P. sylvestris pulps and on the physical properties of the respective papersheets was also studied. The CBM binding to cellulose is often described as “irreversible”, but this classification does not fully characterize this interaction. Indeed, the results obtained demonstrate that, although the adsorption on cellulose is rather stable, CBM inter-fibre mobility may be observed. The results also showed that the CBM-PEG conjugate improves the drainability of E. globulus and P. sylvestris pulps without affecting the physical properties of the papersheets.This research was supported by Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia under grant POCTI/BIO/45356/2002

In Search of the jüdische Typus: A Proposed Benchmark to Test the Genetic Basis of Jewishness Challenges Notions of “Jewish Biomarkers”

The debate as to whether Jewishness is a biological trait inherent from an “authentic” “Jewish type” (jüdische Typus) ancestor or a system of beliefs has been raging for over two centuries. While the accumulated biological and anthropological evidence support the latter argument, recent genetic findings, bolstered by the direct-to-consumer genetic industry, purport to identify Jews or quantify one’s Jewishness from genomic data. To test the merit of claims that Jews and non-Jews are genetically distinguishable, we propose a benchmark where genomic data of Jews and non-Jews are hybridized over two generations and the observed and predicted Jewishness of the terminal offspring according to either the Orthodox religious law (Halacha) or the Israeli Law of Return are compared. Members of academia, the public, and 23andMe were invited to use the benchmark to test claims that Jews are genetically distinct from non-Jews. Here, we report the findings from these trials. We also compare the genomic similarity of ∼300 individuals from nearly thirty Afro-Eurasian Jewish communities to a simulated jüdische Typus population. The results are discussed in light of modern trends in the genetics of Jews and related fields and provide a tentative answer to the ageless question “who is a Jew?