Genetic analysis of morpho-physiological characteristics of sunflower under stress and Non-stress drought conditions

Estudar a combinabilidade geral e específica das linhas sob condições de irrigação favoráveis e limitadas é essencial para utilizar os pais na criação de novas variedades híbridas. Além disso, o tipo de tendências genéticas pode ser eficaz na determinação dos métodos corretivos adequados e na previsão da taxa de desenvolvimento genético derivada da escolha. Para alcançar o objetivo desejado, cinco linhas CMS e quatro linhas restauradoras (testador) foram cruzadas em uma linha × Esquema testador para analisar habilidades de combinação gerais e específicas e efeitos gênicos no girassol para algumas características agronômicas e fisiológicas. Os híbridos foram avaliados em um delineamento de blocos completos casualizados, com três repetições sob condições ótimas e limitadas de água nas estações de Agricultura, Khoy, Irã, durante 2017 e 2018. Os resultados da análise simples de variância em condições ótimas e limitadas para todas as características, incluindo o peso de 1000 sementes, % de massa de videira, rendimento de grãos, produção de óleo, foram significativos para todas as características. Além disso, os resultados da análise de variância combinada para diferentes características em condições ótimas mostraram que a média quadrática, exceto para as características de% RWC nas condições limitadas de altura de planta, diâmetro de cabeça, número de sementes por cabeça, peso de 1.000 sementes, prolina enzima catalase, enzima superóxido dismutase, clorofila a, clorofila b, rendimento de grãos e produção de óleo foram significativos. Os resultados da análise de variância dos dados indicaram que a combinação geral para linhas e testador foi significativa, bem como a capacidade de combinação específica (linha × testador) para a maioria das características. Com base na capacidade de combinação AGK30 e AGK44, os testadores RGHK25, RGHK50 e (RGHK50 × RGHK56) e (RGHK56 × AGK44) foram identificados como a linha mais adequada para o teste híbrido em ambas as condições.El estudio de la combinabilidad general y específica de las líneas en condiciones favorables y limitadas de irrigación es esencial para utilizar a los padres en la creación de nuevas variedades híbridas. Además, el tipo de tendencias genéticas puede ser eficaz para determinar los métodos correctivos adecuados y para pronosticar la tasa de desarrollo genético derivado de la elección. Para lograr el objetivo deseado, se cruzaron cinco líneas CMS y cuatro líneas restauradoras (probador) en un esquema línea x probador para analizar capacidades de combinación generales y específicas y efectos de genes en girasol para algunos rasgos agronómicos y fisiológicos. Los híbridos se evaluaron en un diseño de bloques completos al azar, con tres repeticiones en condiciones de agua óptimas y limitadas en la Estación de Investigación Agrícola, Khoy, Irán durante las temporadas de crecimiento de 2017 y 2018. Los resultados del análisis simple de la varianza en condiciones óptimas y limitadas para todas las características, incluido el peso de 1000 semillas,% RWC, rendimiento de grano, rendimiento de aceite fueron significativos para todas las características. Además, los resultados del análisis combinado de varianza para diferentes características en condiciones óptimas mostraron que el cuadrado medio, excepto el% de características de RWC en las condiciones limitadas para altura de planta, diámetro de la cabeza, número de semillas por cabeza, 1000 semillas de peso, prolina La enzima catalasa, la enzima superóxido dismutasa, la clorofila A, la clorofila B, el rendimiento de grano y el rendimiento de aceite fueron significativos. los resultados del análisis de varianza de los datos indicaron que la combinabilidad general para las líneas y el probador fue significativa, así como la capacidad de combinación específica (línea x probador) para la mayoría de los rasgos. Sobre la base de la capacidad de combinación AGK30 y AGK44, el probador RGHK25, RGHK50 y (RGHK50 × RGHK56) y (RGHK56 × AGK44) se identificaron como la línea más adecuada para la prueba híbrida en ambas condiciones.Studying the general and specific combinability of the lines under the favorable and limited irrigational conditions is essential to utilize the parents in creating new hybrid varieties. Furthermore, the type of genetic trends can be effective in determining the suitable corrective methods and in forecasting the rate of genetic development stemmed from the choicemade.To achieve the desired goal five CMS lines and four restorer lines (tester) were crossed in a line × tester scheme in order to analyze general and specific combining abilities and gene effects on sunflower for some agronomic and physiologic traits. Hybrids were evaluated in a randomized complete block design, with three replications under optimum and limited water conditions in the Agriculture Research Station, Khoy, Iran during 2017 and 2018growing seasons. The results of simple analysis of variance in optimum and limited conditions for all traits including 1000 seed weight, %RWC, grain yield, oil yield were significant for all traits. In addition, the results of combined analysis of variance for different traits in optimal conditions showed that the mean square, except for the %RWC traits in the limited conditions for plant height, head diameter, number of seeds per head, 1000 seed weight, proline, catalase enzyme, superoxide dismutase enzyme , Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, grain yield and oil yield were significant. results of data variance analysis indicated that the general combinability for lines and tester was significant, as well as the specific combining ability (line×tester) for most traits. Based on the AGK30 and AGK44 combining ability, the RGHK25, RGHK50 and (RGHK50 ×RGHK56) and the (RGHK56 × AGK44) tester were identified as the most suitable line for the hybrid test in both conditions

Predictors of Leisure Participation in 6 -14 Years Old Children with Cerebral Palsy: Structural Equation Modeling

AbstractObjective: The aim of this study was to test a model of child,family and environment and identify factors affecting intensity of leisure participation by children with cerebral palsy (CP).Materials & Methods: in this cross-sectional study,232 children with cerebral palsy (141 boys and 91 girls), age range 6 to 14 years and their parents were selected from 4 schools with special needs and 5 rehabilitation center through available sampling in Shiraz city. To evaluate leisure participation, we used the Persian version of Children’s Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) completed by participants. Demographic questionnaires, Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Family Environmental Scale (FES), SPARCLE cognitive level and parent's version of Gross Motor Function Classification System, Manual Ability Classification System and Communication Function Classification System were send to parents with some necessary explanations and completed. Structural equation modeling was used to test the model hypothesis. SPSS18 and AMOS16 were used for statistical data analysis. Results: Comparative fit index indicated a moderate to good fit model. The presented model explains 44% of the variance for intensity of participation. Constructs such as Family Activity Orientation with standardized total effect of (.31) and path coefficients P< .05 has shown most significant direct effect on participation, after that higher gross motor function (-.26), higher manual ability (-.19), communication function (-.17), higher cognitive level (-.16), more brothers and sisters in family (.15) and less emotional- behavioral problems (-.15) have shown direct effect on intensity of participation. Family Structures & Relationships (.17) and unsupportive environment constructs (-.14) have shown indirect but significant effect (P< .05). The relationship between family education level and income with participation were not significant (P>.05).Conclusion: Intensity of CP children participation is influenced by child, family and environmental factors. Parent's knowledge of recreational activities and their preferences to participation in leisure and recreations give children more opportunities to participate. higher gross motor function, manual ability, and communication function have an important role in participation. Family structure means family cohesion, roles organization, and conflicts between family members and also encountering physical, attitudinal and structural barriers in the home and community change children participation pattern indirectly. This study suggests therapists to support children’s behavior, family relationships and involvement in community activities and optimizing physical function for children who have limitations in self-mobility to enhance their participation

Students’ Knowledge Comprehension after Implementation of Live Conventional Demonstration, Video Teaching and Video-Assisted Instruction Methods in Endodontic Practice

Introduction: Video-assisted clinical instruction (VACID) has been found to be a beneficial teaching tool for various fields in dentistry. The aim of this interventional study was to compare the efficacy of live conventional demonstration (CD), video teaching, and VACID (video with explanation) methods in teaching of root canal treatment to undergraduate dental students. Methods and Materials: Forty-two undergraduate senior dental students participated in this study. The students experienced this course for the first time and were randomly divided into three groups (n=14). Group A attended live CD on a patient; group B watched a professionally produced demonstration video without any verbal explanation during 1 h; and finally group C watched the same video alongside live explanation by a mentor during the 1.5 h (VACID). The whole process was performed by an experienced endodontist on maxillary central incisors. All of The students carried out a multiple choice question exam to evaluate their comprehension. The mean score of the experimental groups were compared using ANOVA test and multiple comparisons were carried out with Tamhane test. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: There was significant difference among three groups according to the ANOVA test (P<0.05). Group VACID had the highest mean scores. There was significant difference between the groups VACID and VT (P=0.011); no significant differences were found in other inter-group comparisons. Conclusion: According to the results, VACID may improve the quality of endodontic training in undergraduate dental students.Keywords: Conventional Education; Endodontic Treatment; Knowledge; Performance; Video-Assisted Clinical Instructio

Integer Fine-tuning of Transformer-based Models

Transformer based models are used to achieve state-of-the-art performance on various deep learning tasks. Since transformer-based models have large numbers of parameters, fine-tuning them on downstream tasks is computationally intensive and energy hungry. Automatic mixed-precision FP32/FP16 fine-tuning of such models has been previously used to lower the compute resource requirements. However, with the recent advances in the low-bit integer back-propagation, it is possible to further reduce the computation and memory foot-print. In this work, we explore a novel integer training method that uses integer arithmetic for both forward propagation and gradient computation of linear, convolutional, layer-norm, and embedding layers in transformer-based models. Furthermore, we study the effect of various integer bit-widths to find the minimum required bit-width for integer fine-tuning of transformer-based models. We fine-tune BERT and ViT models on popular downstream tasks using integer layers. We show that 16-bit integer models match the floating-point baseline performance. Reducing the bit-width to 10, we observe 0.5 average score drop. Finally, further reduction of the bit-width to 8 provides an average score drop of 1.7 points

Surface modification of MWCNT and its influence on properties of paraffin/MWCNT nanocomposites as phase change material

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were modified by an organo-silane in order to improve their dispersion state and stability in paraffin wax. A family of paraffin-based phase change material (PCM) composites filled with MWCNTs was prepared with different loadings (0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 wt%) of pristine MWCNTs and organo-silane modified MWCNTs (Si-MWCNT). Structural analyses were performed by means of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and rheological studies using temperature sweeps. Moreover, phase change transition temperatures and heat of fusion as well as thermal and electrical conductivities of the developed PCM nanocomposites were determined. The SEM micrographs and FTIR absorption bands appearing at approximately 1038 and 1112 cm−1 confirmed the silane modification. Differential scanning calorimetery (DSC) results indicate that the presence of Si-MWCNTs leads to slightly favorable enhancement in the energy storage capacity at the maximum loading. It was also shown that the thermal conductivity of the PCM nanocomposites, in both solid and liquid phases, increased with increasing the MWCNT content independent of the kind of MWCNTs by up to about 30% at the maximum loading of MWCNTs. In addition, the modification of MWCNTs made the samples completely electrically nonconductive, and the electrical surface resistivity of the PCMs containing pristine MWCNTs decreased with increasing MWCNTs loading. Furthermore, the rheological assessment under consecutive cyclic phase change demonstrated that the samples containing modified MWCNTs are more stable compared to the PCM containing pristine MWCNTs. © 2019 Wile

Identification of candidate Glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes in Sunn pest, Eurygaster integriceps Put. (Hem.: Scutelleridae), using RNA-seq analysis

Glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes control vital traits for metabolism of the variety of toxins that expose insects to the environment (insecticide) or plant defense systems. Sunn pest is the most important pest of wheat and barley in the Middle East where it threats food security throughout the region. Sequencing the sunn pest's RNA provides an opportunity to identify the structure and function of the different gene families. To our knowledge, this is the first study to identify 43 GST candidate genes in sunn pest using bioinformatics tools. The identified candidate genes clustered in 5 cytosolic GST (Delta, Theta, Zeta, Omega, and Sigma) and Microsomal GST using phylogenetic analysis. The Sigma subclass was identified as the biggest subclass with 22 candidate genes, while microsomal GST  found to be the smallest group with one candidate gene. Given the role of GST in the interactions among the insect, toxins, and environment, our results facilitate future investigations on insecticide resistance and their utilization in pest management programs against sunn pest

Differential Response of Sunflower Maintainer and Restorer Inbred Lines to Salt Stress

In order to identify of salt tolerant sunflower inbred lines a set of 24 inbred lines were evaluated as a randomized block design with three replications in Isfahan and Zabol in 2017. Salt stress was imposed following seedlings establishment 20 days after planting as irrigation with two (fresh water) and 8 ds.m-2 electrical conductivity. According to the results, there were significant differences among locations and also salt treatment for all measured traits except for flowering time and oil content. There were also significant differences among inbred lines for all of the characteristics which could be used a source for improvement of salt tolerance in sunflower. Salt stress had a negative impact on agronomic futures of the inbred lines. Achene and oil yield had suffered more than other traits with 34 and 31%25 reduction respectively. Phenological traits were affected less than agronomic traits. The inbred lines BGK259 and RGK38 had the highest and lowest achene and oil yield respectively. Three lines BGK259, BGK369 and BGK375 with higher STI expressed as more salt tolerant lines. All 12 maintainer lines had a higher STI than all the 12 restorer lines and were more tolerant. Among the restorers RGK22, RGK15 and RGK2 were more salt tolerant than others. In accordance with STI, TOL and GM indices, principal component analysis differentiated BGK259, BGK369 and BGK375 as the most salt tolerant inbred lines

The Effectiveness of the Harm Reduction Group Therapy Based on Bandura's Self-Efficacy Theory on Risky Behaviors of Drug-Dependent Sex Worker Women

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the harm reduction group therapy based on Bandura's self-efficacy theory on risky behaviors of sex workers in Kerman, Iran.Methods: A quasi-experimental two-group design (a random selection with pre-test and post-test) was used. A risky behaviors questionnaire was used to collect. The sample was selected among sex workers referring to drop-in centers in Kerman. Subjects were allocated to two groups and were randomly classified into two experimental and control groups. The sample group consisted of 56 subjects. The experimental design was carried out during 12 sessions, and the post-test was performed one month and two weeks after the completion of the sessions. The results were analyzed statistically.Findings: By reducing harm based on Bandura's self-efficacy theory, the risky behaviors of the experimental group, including injection behavior, sexual behavior, violence, and damage to the skin, were significantly reduced in the pre-test compared to the post-test (P < 0.010).Conclusion: The harm reduction group therapy based on Bandura's self-efficacy theory can reduce the risky behaviors of sex workers

Isolation and Characterization of Novel Microsatellite Markers in Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) has been cultivated from ancient times for its economic, ornamental and medicinal properties globally. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of 12 polymorphic microsatellite markers from a repeat-enriched genomic library of Punica granatum L. The genetic diversity of these loci was assessed in 60 genotypes of Punica granatum L. All loci were variable: the number of polymorphic alleles per locus ranged from two to five (average 2.9). The observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.15 to 0.87 and 0.29 to 0.65, respectively. The polymorphic information content ranged from 0.26 to 0.61 (average: 0.43). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that polymorphic microsatellite markers have been reported for P. granatum L. These new markers should allow studies of the population structure and genetic diversity of pomegranate to be performed in the future