Construction of a novel phagemid to produce custom DNA origami scaffolds.

DNA origami, a method for constructing nanoscale objects, relies on a long single strand of DNA to act as the 'scaffold' to template assembly of numerous short DNA oligonucleotide 'staples'. The ability to generate custom scaffold sequences can greatly benefit DNA origami design processes. Custom scaffold sequences can provide better control of the overall size of the final object and better control of low-level structural details, such as locations of specific base pairs within an object. Filamentous bacteriophages and related phagemids can work well as sources of custom scaffold DNA. However, scaffolds derived from phages require inclusion of multi-kilobase DNA sequences in order to grow in host bacteria, and those sequences cannot be altered or removed. These fixed-sequence regions constrain the design possibilities of DNA origami. Here, we report the construction of a novel phagemid, pScaf, to produce scaffolds that have a custom sequence with a much smaller fixed region of 393 bases. We used pScaf to generate new scaffolds ranging in size from 1512 to 10 080 bases and demonstrated their use in various DNA origami shapes and assemblies. We anticipate our pScaf phagemid will enhance development of the DNA origami method and its future applications

Effect dietary energy levels and feeding rates on growth and body composition of fingerling rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Growth, feed conversion ratio and fillet composition of rainbow trout (initial weight of 9.99±0.109)were investigated in a 6x2 factorial design experiment employing two levels of digestible energy (DE) (2900 and 3500kcal.kg-1) and six feeding rates (1.0%, 2.0%, 3.0%, 4.0%,5.0% of the body weight,(BW) day-1 and to satiation) for 60 days. Specific growth rate (SGR) was highest at 5.0% ration in both levels of digestible energy and decreased in the satiation ration. Regardless of feeding rate, rainbow trout grew more by 35% in DE 3500 kcal kg-1, There was a significant (p<0.05) interactive effect of feeding rates and DE on weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR). The highest FCR was found in fish fed to satiation (19- 21%), while the lowest FCRs, were found in 4%, 3% rations in DE levels of 2900 and 3500 kcal kg-1, respectively. There was a significant increase in protein and fat levels and decrease in moisture content of fish fillet (p<0.05) as feeding rate and DE increased (p<0.05). Condition factor increased when feeding rate and DE increased (14-15%). Feeding rate and DE level proved to be the main differentiating factors in growth, FCR and fillet composition parameters. Values of SGR and FCR plotted against feeding rates allowed the optimum and maximum feeding levels to be determined, which were found to be at 4% and 3%kcal day-1 in DE levels of 2900 and 3500kcal kg-1, respectively, for the rainbow trout of 109average weight

Enhancement of flexibility in multi-energy microgrids considering voltage and congestion improvement: Robust thermal comfort against reserve calls

In recent years, multi-energy microgrid (MEM) has gained increasing interest, which could use clean and efficient electro-thermal resources, multi-energy storages (MESs) and demand response potential to improve the flexibility of MEM. However, maximizing the flexibility potential of MEM and alongside managing the electrical parameters (EPs) is a challenging modeling problem. In this paper, a probabilistic nonlinear model is presented to maximize the flexibility with all the power grid constraints taking into account EPs constraints using power flow. To this end, voltage profile and congestion improvement, robust thermal comfort provision during reserve call and MESs utilization are the key properties of the proposed model. The outcome of suggested model ensures sustainability in the MEM performance, which is an essential feature in modern smart cities. The presented model is applied to a distribution network in the UK and results illustrate how equipment scheduling and demand response leads to observe the EPs limitation and maximizes MEM flexibility. The achieved results show a decrease in MEM revenue (decrease of 34% and 24% without and with reserve commitment, respectively) and in contrast, a significant increase in flexibility compared to non-compliance with EPs constraints

Optimal placement of fuses and switches in active distribution networks using value-based MINLP

Contingency conditions in distribution networks create financial losses for different parts of the system including electricity customers, electricity retailers, distributed generation (DG) units, etc. Therefore, protective device allocation methods have been introduced in recent years to enhance the reliability of the power system. In this study, a new formulation is proposed to find the optimal places of sectionalizing switches and fuses while taking the financial loss of both electricity customers and DG units into account. The current method has the flexibility to consider DG effect on any location of the network and its islanded operation in case of contingencies. Moreover, the uncertainty in load and renewable generation is taken into account using stochastic programming. The results demonstrate that the DG units and their financial loss can change the results of switch and fuse placement dramatically when there are no tie switches in the network. Furthermore, it is found that this method can decrease the total reliability costs by 3.86% when high penetration of DG units is introduced into a modified Roy Billinton test system (RBTS). The problem is modeled as a mixed-integer nonlinear (MINLP) formulation and is handled using BARON solver in GAMS environment

CRUSTAL DEFORMATION IN NW IRAN: INSIGHTS FROM DIFFERENT INVARIANT AND VARIANT COMPONENTS OF GEODETIC STRAIN RATE TENSORS

Northwest of Iran, as a tectonically active region, has experienced numerous devastating earthquakes. That is why it is so important to study the earth deformation in this area and to provide more precise insights. So far, most researchers have had the preference of using the invariant component of strain rate tensor for investigating the Earth's shape deformation in the region. However, to examine the efficiency of the variant components of the geodesic strain rate tensor in interpreting deformations of north-western Iran, we have in this article maps of variant components of the geodetic strain rate tensor (normal strain rate along north and eastbound). Using the velocity field gathered from a previous article, and also using a simple and straightforward method, the strain rate tensors were calculated. The obtained contraction along the north direction (from the normal strain along this axis) confirms the Eurasia-Arabia collision. Besides, the obtained extension along the east direction and the derived expansion of the dilatation, show the effect of Anatolian motion to the west and eastward movement of the central Iran plateau on the tectonic structure of the studied area. These two results showed that the variant component of strain rate tensor also provides us with useful information about a region shape deformation

Effects of intermittent feeding on compensatory growth, feed intake and body composition in Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer)

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of various starvation and refeeding periods on growth, feed utilization and body composition in Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer) with an average initial weight of 30.26±1.4 g (mean±SE). The fish were exposed to three different regimes: the control group fed twice daily to apparent satiation throughout the experiment (C), the first group starved for 4 days and refed for 16 days, this cycle was repeated two times (T1) and the second group starved for 8 days and refed for 32 days (T2). At the end of experiment, there were not any significant differences in growth and feeding performance among different treatments (p>0.05). Daily feed intake was significantly higher in the deprived fish than in the control fish (p0.05). Starvation had a significant effect on protein content on one sampling date during the experimental period; protein content in T2 on day 8 was significantly lower compared to the control (p<0.05). Sea bass showed complete compensation indicating a high ability of the deprived fish to grow sufficiently to fully compensate for weight loss during starvation. The results suggested that the feeding schedule involving starvation-refeeding cycles could be a promising feed management option for the culture of this species

Effects of dietary probiotic (Lactobacillus plantarum) on body composition, serum biochemical parameters and liver enzymes of Asian sea bass (Lates calcalifer, Bloch 1790)

In the current study, the effects of different levels of probiotics, Lactobacillus plantarum in the diet of Asian sea bass, Lates calcarifer on body composition, serum biochemical parameters (glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride and albumin) and liver enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase) were investigated. This experiment was carried out with three treatments and a control group for a period of four weeks. The treatments were included 0, 1×106, 2×106, 3×106 colony forming unit (CFU) gram probiotic in each gram of basic diet. Fish with an average weight of 50.26 ±0.89 grams were randomly distributed in tanks and in each tank stocked 20 pieces of fish. Feeding was done twice a day. The obtained results indicated that the use of different levels of probiotic in diet of Asian sea bass had no significant effects on serum biochemical parameters and liver enzymes. The different levels of probiotic did not affect protein, ash and moisture values between the treatments and the control group (P> 0.05). Moreover, fat value in the fish T2 and T3 was significantly higher (P< 0.05) than the fish control and T1. Also, nitrogen free extract (NFE) value varied significantly (P < 0/05) between the control and the fish T3. Overall, this study indicated that this probiotic had no significant effect on some blood biochemical parameters and liver enzyme, but at the high level can positively influence on body composition of Asian sea bass

Measurement of peripheral dose to the pelvic region and the associated risk for cancer development after breast intraoperative electron radiation therapy

This study aimed to measure the received dose to the pelvic region of patients during breast intraoperative electron radiation therapy (IOERT). Furthermore, we compared the findings with those of external beam radiation therapy. Finally, secondary ovarian and uterus cancer risks following breast IOERT were estimated. In the current study, the received dose to the pelvic surface of 18 female patients during breast IOERT boosts were measured by thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD-100) chips. All patients were treated with 12 Gy given in a single fraction. To estimate the dose to the ovary and uterus of the patients, conversion coefficients for depth from the surface dose were obtained in a Rando phantom. Given the received dose to the pelvic region of the patients, secondary ovarian and uterus cancer risks following breast IOERT were estimated. The received doses to the ovary and uterus surface of the patients were 0.260 ±0.155 mGy to 31.460 ±6.020 mGy and 0.485 ±0.122 mGy to 22.387 ±15.476 mGy, respectively. Corresponding intra-pelvic (ovary and uterus) regional doses were 0.012 ±0.007 mGy to 1.479 ±0.283 mGy and 0.027 ±0.001 mGy to 1.164 ±0.805 mGy, respectively. Findings demonstrated that the ratio of the received dose by the pelvic surface to the regional dose during breast IOERT was much less than external beam radiation therapy. The mean of the secondary cancer risks for the ovary in 8 and 10 MeV electron beam energies were 135.722 ±117.331 �10 -6 and 69.958 ±28.072 �10 -6 , and for the uterus were 17.342 ±10.583 �10 -6 and 2.971 ±3.604 �10 -6 , respectively. According to our findings, the use of breast IOERT in pregnant patients can be considered as a safe radiotherapeutic technique, because the received dose to the fetus was lower than 50 mGy. Furthermore, IOERT can efficiently reduce the unnecessary dose to the pelvic region and lowers the risk of secondary ovarian and uterus cancer following breast irradiation. © 2019 Society for Radiological Protection. Published on behalf of SRP by IOP Publishing Limited. All rights reserved

The Janus Nature of Human Rights in Iran: Understanding Progress and Setbacks on Human Rights Protections since the Revolution

There have been serious concerns raised both internally and externally about human rights violations in Iran over the past 30 years. Is there any reason to believe there will be an improvement in the protection of human rights in the future? Risse and Sikkink have suggested that states can be socialized to improve at least part of their human rights record. They argue that Western states, advocacy networks, and international norms can have a positive impact on rights of personal integrity in most if not all non-Western developing countries. Will Iran be socialized to improve its human rights record? This chapter examines both the progress on and the violations of human rights in Iran over the past 30 years. I want to explain why the Islamic regime has restricted the basic rights of its citizens, as well as what accounts for the progress made on some second generation rights. To see further improvements in the protection of human rights this chapter suggests that minimizing threats is a necessary step for further progress. Therefore, this chapter examines Iran’s human rights record in the framework of the interplay of international human rights norms and perceived threats

Investigation of the influence of different level of plant protein (30, 50 and 70 percent) in Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp diet, with 38 percent protein

The influence of different percent’s of plant protein (30, 50 and 70) in the diet of white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) with 38 percent protein, in comparison with a commercial shrimp diet (Fenneropenaeus indicus) with 39 percent protein (contain20 percent plant protein) was studied. Initial weight of shrimp was 10±1 gram. The average increase of shrimp weight in the end of culture period in experimental treatment 1 (contain 30 percent plant protein and 70 percent animal protein), 5.89±0.06 gram, experimental treatment 2 (contain 50 percent plant protein and 50 percent animal protein), 6.22±0.25 gram, experimental treatment 3 (contain 70 percent plant protein and 30 percent animal protein) 6/19±0/24 gram and in the control treatment (contain 20 percent plant protein and 80 percent animal protein) 6/42±0/40 were measured. Generally in the study of influence of experimental diets and control diet on the growth rate(GR), food conversion rate (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), specific growth rate (SGR), average daily gain (ADG), demonstrate that, mentioned parameters in the control treatment is better than experimental treatments. But no significant difference measured between them (p>0/05). Also results showed that, application of diets contain 50 percent of plant protein (with 22 percent soybean meal), and 70 percent of plant protein (with 72 percent soybean meal), can decrease costs of diet preparation and therefore shrimp production