Analysis of genetic diversity and estimation of inbreeding coefficient within Caspian horse population using microsatellite markers

The present study was undertaken to genetically evaluate Caspian horses for genetic diversity and to asses whether they have experienced recent population bottlenecks. A total of 100 individuals were characterized for within breed diversity using 16 microsatellite markers. The estimated mean number of alleles was 8.69 per locus, with a total of 139 alleles in the genotyped sample. The mean effective number of alleles in the Caspian horse population was 5.86, ranging from 3.49 to 8.49. The average observed heterozygosity in the present study (0.52) was lower than to the expected heterozygosity (0.82), which may reflect the narrow genetic base of the current population of this breed. All marker lociemployed in this study were very informative with an average of 0.80. The Chi-square and likelihood ratio tests performed to examine population for HWE showed some highly significant deviations from HWE. Estimated values of Wright’s fixation index, FIS (0.367) indicates a certain level of heterozygote deficiency. A significant heterozygote excess on the basis of different models, as revealed from Sign and Wilcoxon rank test suggested that Caspian horse population is not in mutation-drift equilibrium.But, the Mode-shift indicator test showed a normal ‘L’ shaped distribution for allelic class and proportion of alleles, thus indicating the absence of bottleneck events in the recent history of this breed. The present work is a contribution to the knowledge of population structure and to theassessment of genetic diversity that may be helpful to horse breeders in designing and managing breeding or conservation strategies for the Caspian horse breed

Common fixed-point theorems and c-distance in ordered cone metric spaces

We present a generalization of several fixed and common fixed point theorems on c -distance in ordered cone metric spaces. In this way, we improve and generalize various results existing in the literature.Наведено узагальнення деяких теорем про нерухому точку та спільну нерухому точку для с-відстані в упорядкованих конічних метричних просторах. Таким чином, покращено та узагальнено різноманітні результати, що наведені в літературі

Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in IGFI, IGF-II and IGFBP-II with production traits in breeder hens of Mazandaran native fowls breeding station

The purpose of this study was to detect the polymorphism in IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-II marker loci and their association with body weight at 8 weeks, average egg weight and total number of eggs laid during first 12 weeks after flocks maturity in breeder hens of native fowls. Blood samples were collected randomly from 160 individuals and genomic DNA was extracted using modified salting out method. A set of specific primer pairs were used for amplification of target genomic DNA at each marker loci and polymorphisms were detected using PCR-RFLP method. For IGF-I and IGFBP-II marker loci, allele B was the most frequent allele and ranged from 0.61 to 0.63 while, allele A was identified as a dominant allele in IGF-I marker site due to the highest frequency (0.57). The frequency of AA homozygous genotype was the lowest among all marker loci (0.08), whereas, AB genotype showed the highest frequency (0.61). Analysis of phenotypic data showed that the average egg weight and total number of eggs laid during first 12 weeks after flocks maturity were significantly affected by IGF-II and IGF-I marker loci respectively. No significant associations were observed between IGFBP-II genotypes and production traits. Comparison between detected alleles in the present study with reported allele by other research groups revealed a new allelic pattern for the analyzed marker loci in breeder hens of Mazandaran native fowls breeding station

Lateral variation of crust and upper mantle structures in NW Iran derived from surface wave analysis

To obtain the shear velocity structure across North-West of Iran and surrounding areas to a depth of 160 km, we performed a namely Hedgehog nonlinear inversion on Rayleigh wave group velocity dispersion curves in the period range from 7 to 60 s. The distributed dispersion curves are the results of our surface waves dispersion tomography using the data of 280 local and regional seismic events, recorded by the medium and broad band seismic stations in the region. We outline different crust and upper mantle structures for the study area based on calculated group and shear velocities. Our results reveal relatively low velocities at the shorter periods (7 - 10 s) in the presence of sedimentary basins (e.g. South Caspian Basin) and for eastern Anatolia and relatively high velocities along the Sanandaj-Sirjan Metamorphic zone, Alborz, Talesh and the Lesser Caucasus Mountains. By depth inversion of group velocities, we observed a 14 km thick sediments in South Caspian Basin and Kura Depression. Based on our maps at 20 s, we outline different crustal models for the region and highlight the differences between South Caspian Basin and NW Iran, on one side, and the similarities between the South Caspian Basin and Kura Depression, that extend beneath Talesh, Alborz and Lesser Caucasus, on the other. Comparing the shear velocity of lower crust in South Caspian Basin and Kura Depression with that of NW Iran proves different origination of lower crust in the basin, probably oceanic source, because of its significant higher shear velocity rather than NW Iran. The extension of lower crust beneath Talesh is more than middle crust while in Alborz and Lesser Caucasus the amount of extension for middle and lower crust is the same The analysis of group velocities at longer periods ( 65 35 s) and obtained shear velocity models allows us to outline different lithospheric structures and crustal depth in the region. The high group velocities in Talesh, South Caspian Sea and Lesser Caucasus on one side and Zagros Folding and Thrust Belt on the other, beside the result of shear velocity models suggest the presence of a stable and thick mantle lid that seems to be thin or absent in the eastern Anatolia and much of NW Iran. The shallowest Moho and Lithosphere Asthenosphere boundary depth of 37 and 63 km, were observed in Easter Anatolian Accretionary Complex. The thin mantle lid in this region has affected the whole crust in such a way that we observed the lowest shear velocities inside the crust in this region. We observed a significant thickening of both crust and lithosphere in Sanandaj-Sirjan Metamorphic zone comparing to Urmieh Dokhtar Magmatic Arc and Zagros Folding and Thrust Belt on its two sides

Yield Onset of Thermo-Mechanical Loading of FGM Thick Walled Cylindrical Pressure Vessels

In this paper, thick walled Cylindrical tanks or tubes made of functionally graded material under internal pressure and temperature gradient are studied. Material parameters have been considered as power functions. They play important role in the elastoplastic behavior of these materials. To clarify their role, different materials with different parameters have been used under temperature gradient. Finally, their effect and loading effect have been determined in first yield point. Also, the important role of temperature gradient was also shown. At the end the study has been results obtained from changes in the elastic modulus and yield stress. Also special attention is also given to the effects of this internal pressure and temperature gradient in the creation of tensile and compressive stresses

Final results from the EU project AVATAR: aerodynamic modelling of 10 MW wind turbines

This paper presents final results from the EU project AVATAR in which aerodynamic models are improved and validated for wind turbines on a scale of 10 MW and more. Special attention is paid to the improvement of low fidelity engineering (BEM based) models with higher fidelity (CFD) models but also with intermediate fidelity free vortex wake (FVW) models. The latter methods were found to be a good basis for improvement of induction modelling in engineering methods amongst others for the prediction of yawed cases, which in AVATAR was found to be one of the most challenging subjects to model. FVW methods also helped to improve the prediction of tip losses. Aero-elastic calculations with BEM based and FVW based models showed that fatigue loads for normal production cases were over predicted with approximately 15% or even more. It should then be realised that the outcome of BEM based models does not only depend on the choice of engineering add-ons (as is often assumed) but it is also heavily dependent on the way the induced velocities are solved. To this end an annulus and element approach are discussed which are assessed with the aid of FVW methods. For the prediction of fatigue loads the so-called element approach is recommended but the derived yaw models rely on an annulus approach which pleads for a generalised solution method for the induced velocities

Evaluation of different methods of determining the angle of attack on wind turbine blades under yawed inflow conditions

As part of the AVATAR and Mexnext projects, this study compares several methods used to derive lifting line variables from CFD simulations of the MEXICO rotor in yawed inflow. The results from six partners within the AVATAR/Mexnext consortium using five different methods of extraction were compared. Overall comparison of the induced velocities at the mid and tip parts of blade shows fairly good agreement between the tested methods, where the derived angle of attack differs within 1°, within the linear range this accounts to ˂ 10% uncertainty on the aerodynamic forces. The presented comparison shows inadequate agreement between the methods for application towards the root

Controlling surface statistical properties using bias voltage: Atomic force microscopy and stochastic analysis

The effect of bias voltages on the statistical properties of rough surfaces has been studied using atomic force microscopy technique and its stochastic analysis. We have characterized the complexity of the height fluctuation of a rough surface by the stochastic parameters such as roughness exponent, level crossing, and drift and diffusion coefficients as a function of the applied bias voltage. It is shown that these statistical as well as microstructural parameters can also explain the macroscopic property of a surface. Furthermore, the tip convolution effect on the stochastic parameters has been examined.Comment: 8 pages, 11 figures

Measurement of genetic parameters within and between breeder flocks of Arian broiler lines using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers

The present study was carried out in an attempt to detect the genetic variation within and between four populations of commercial broiler lines using RAPD markers. Thirteen out of twenty random markers which were amplified and generating stable and reproducible bands were selected for genotyping of birds in each broiler lines. The average number of diagnostic bands per primer was 8.08 with an average number of 6.96 polymorphic bands across all breed groups. The highest (94%) and the lowest (73.5%) percentage of polymorphic bands were found within sampled birds of Arian C and D lines, respectively. Among the studied broiler lines, the highest genetic uniformity was found in line A, while the greatest within population genetic diversity was found in line C. Estimation of polymorphic loci, Nei’s gene diversity and intra-population uniformity indices suggested that genetic diversities within Arian commercial lines is high. The four strains of broiler lines clustered into two main groups using UPGMA procedure. In the first main group, the closest genetic distance was found between A and B strains, which were first clustered together and then with birds of C strain. The second main group includes birds from D strain. The mean coefficient of gene differentiation (Gst = 0.368) value reflected a high level of population differences. In total, sixty three RAPD bands were found to be strain dependent specific. Therefore, in order to design new diagnostic primers more effective in genetic discrimination among studied lines, unique bands should be cloned and sequenced.Key words: Genetic variation, broiler lines, polymorphism, random amplified polymorphic DNA markers

The structure of the world pharmaceutical market: Prioritizing Iran�s target export markets

Iran�s pharmaceutical products market has faced fluctuations over time. Suitable market selection is necessary for stability of pharmaceutical exports. This study aimed to determine the structure of the world pharmaceutical market and to identify the target of Iranian pharmaceutical export. T do so, concentration ratios and Herfindahl index were used to address the world pharmaceutical market from 2001 to 2012. Also, a composite index was used to identify the target markets of Iran�s pharmaceutical industry. The results showed that the export side of world pharmaceutical trade has shifted to open oligopoly, thereby decreasing the monopolistic power of exporters. The import side, however, follows monopolistic competition. It has been observed that the structure of Iran�s pharmaceutical export is shifting to open oligopoly; though, pharmaceutical importers from Iran have not been stable. Moreover, 27 countries were identified as target markets. Due to significant differences between the current and potential export destinations of Iran�s pharmaceutical products, exporters should choose suitable strategies in order to diversify export markets. Such mechanisms as setting preferential tariffs on the basis of bilateral agreements, following effective advertisment, and paying attention to global consumers�preferences can be used to develop Iran�s pharmaceutical export to target countries. © 2019, Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. All rights reserved