Allelic polymorphism of 'Makoei' sheep myostatin gene identified by polymerase chain reaction and single strand conformation polymorphism

Myostatin, a transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-) super family member, has been well documented as a negative regulator of muscle growth and development. Myostatin with 376 amino acids is synthesized as a precursor protein. In this study, polymorphism of myostatin gene in Iranian 'Makoei' sheep breeds was investigated by polymerase chain reaction and single strand conformation polymorphism technique (PCR–SSCP). Genomic DNA was isolated from the blood of 92 sheep. A 417 bp myostatin intron 1 segment was amplified by standard PCR, using the locus specific primers. Four different SSCP patterns, representing four different genotypes, were identified. The frequencies of the observed genotypes were , 0.293, 0.130, and 0.163 for AD, AC, AE, and BC, respectively. Allele frequencies were 0.4185, 0.0815, 0.2283, 0.2065 and 0.0652 for A, B, C, D and E. Observed heterozygosity (Hobs) value was 0.7192. The chi-square test showed significant (P<0.05) deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for this locus in studied population.Key words: Myostatin gene, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), single strand conformation polymorphism technique (SSCP), Ovis aries

Surface modification of rhodium-doped strontium titanate by adsorption of cobalt clathrochelates for water photodissociation

Paper presented to the 3rd Southern African Solar Energy Conference, South Africa, 11-13 May, 2015.Photo-electrochemical water splitting was first put into evidence and investigated by Honda and Fujishima in 1972. Since then, a large variety of semi-conducting materials, that can absorb either UV or visible light and that have appropriate band edge features, have been synthesized and characterized. The purpose of this communication is to report on the photodissociation of water using Strontium Titanate as photomaterial. Rhodium doping has been used to modify the band structure of the perovskite and extend its light absorption range towards visible light. Methanol has been used as sacrificial agent (the overall reaction under investigation is the endergonic methanol steam photo-reforming reaction). Experiments have been performed at close-to-room temperature under visible light irradiation. The rates of water photo-reduction into hydrogen and methanol oxidation into carbon dioxide have been determined by gas chromatography analysis. Negligible amounts of hydrogen and carbon dioxide were found to form on pristine samples. However, the kinetics of the reaction was found to increase by surface deposition of metallic platinum nano-particles that act as surface co-catalyst for either water reduction into hydrogen or methanol oxidation reaction, or both. This is an indication that charge transfer processes at the semi-conductor/electrolyte interface can be considered (at least partly) as rate-determining. In addition to hydrogen and carbon dioxide, other oxidation by-products have been detected but not carbon monoxide, a poison that could potentially adsorb on Pt surfaces and inhibit reaction sites. In order to gain a better understanding of co-catalytic phenomena, we also investigated the co-catalytic effect of cobalt-clathrochelates that are known to be efficient electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction but poor electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation. It is found that that the presence of cobalt complexes has also a positive catalytic effect on the kinetics of the reaction but a loss of performance has been observed with time. This can be attributed to either inhibition of methanol oxidation or surface contamination by photo-degradation products.cf201

A Typology of Digital Sharing Business Models: A Design Science Research Approach

The digitally enabled sharing economy, also called the “digital sharing economy” (DSE), has changed patterns of consumption by introducing new choices and channels for provision and receipt of services. The DSE encompasses sharing systems whose business models may vary distinctly from platform to platform. Although business models in the context of the sharing economy have been studied so far, we have observed that the current literature does not provide an approach that covers all the possible business models (in the broadest sense of the term) that (potentially) exist within the scope of the DSE. The present paper, therefore, aims to propose a typology of business models in the DSE that covers a wide space of models – even those which may not involve “business” in the commercial sense. This is achieved through an iterative inductive process based on a design science research approach. The typology can assist in positioning the current and future sharing systems in the DSE by systematically classifying their business models. It is intended to serve as a guiding tool for the sustainability assessment of platforms from both resource and socio-economic perspectives. The present study can also enable researchers and practitioners to capture and systematically analyse digital sharing business models based on a structured, actionable approach

Molecular identification of viral pathogens in SPF (Specific pathogen free) shrimp

After the outbreak of various viral diseases, specifically white spot syndrome (WSS) in farmed Litopenaeus vannamei in the past few years, this non-native shrimp species in Iran requires a generator-builder with specific a pathogen-free approach. This Research was done by the Iran Shrimp Research Center (ISRC) to access accurate information regarding specific pathogen-free shrimp production and avoid using shrimp broodstock production through foreign investors. This research was part of the molecular viral study. For this trial, selected shrimps in farms were sampled and screened for main viruses (OIE list). Shrimps without infection were brought to the quarantine system for one month and at the end of the quarantine they were screened again. In addition, in winter spending, before and after spawning, it’s offspring in F1 and F2 were also screened for viral pathogens by IQ2000 kit at the Iran Shrimp Research Center lab and Iranian veterinary organization lab. All shrimp products such as fresh and consumed food were tested for OIE list at all stages during project performance and the result of tests were negative. Sequenced and molecular tests with specific primers were used to determine the presence of infected samples carrying the virus in any of the products, such as shrimp and consumed food, the infected samples. The result of all the tests during last three years, shows that all the shrimp and their food products were pathogen-free and safe to use

Assessment the Economic Damage of Inter-Basin Water Transfer on Cropping Pattern and Farmers’ Income Situation in the Origin Basin (Case Study: Water Transfer of Alamoutrood to Qazvin Plain)

Introduction: Sustainable management of water resources is one of the most important disturbances of current century and many scientists and investigators have already started to pay attention to it from last decade and early 21st century. Iran is in the semi-arid region and thus disproportionate distribution of water resources, so atmospheric precipitation and soil in the country, along with factors such as climate change, drought, environmental protection, ecological special situation, maintain the current pattern of population distribution provides various challenges. Industry and agriculture sectors create a regional balance tailored to the development needs on the one hand and focusing on distribution balanced and optimal management of water resources on the other hand. Transfer of water between river basins (watersheds, catchments), which is basically a hydrological category, different from the notion of transferring water over political boundaries, usually called transboundary water transfer. Interbasin water transfer usually implies large hydraulic engineering structures, conduits, canals, dams, pumping stations, and consequently shares the mistrust which meets large scale infrastructural solutions in water management, often criticized and opposed with the argument that one should first try to reduce water wastage, before embarking into costly investments. Inter-basin water transfer in fact is physical transfer of water from one basin to another basin. This transfer (Inter-basin water transfer) despite the elimination of shortcomings in the transmission destination areas, can the source of many changes in the cropping pattern, and farmers gross profit. Natural environment, migration, reduction of dependency to agriculture, small industries in the origin basins all requires assessments before the implementation of the water transfer projects. In Iran also water transfer from regions with high rainfall to arid regions has been performed by building the dam, canals, streams and aqueducts. Even today, many projects are implemented in Iran that water transfer project of Alamoutrood to Qazvin plain is one of the most important of these projects. According to reports of Regional Water Company of Qazvin province and the specifications of inter-basin water transfer project of Alamoutrood to Qazvin plain will be out from the farmers availability of Alamut region about 370 million cubic meters of irrigation water. This issue has the huge impacts on cropping pattern and farmers economic and livelihood condition in the origin basin (Alamout region). Therefore, in this study a hydrological-economic modeling system to analysis the effects of water transfer project of Alamoutrood to Qazvin plain on cropping pattern, farmers gross profit and economic value of irrigation water in the Alamut region (origin basin) was used. Materials and Methods: Nowadays different methods to analysis of the issues related to the management of water resources and agriculture are used. One of the most important of these methods is mathematical programming that in recent years are in use to solve problems of water resource management sector and analysis of the agricultural policies. In this study a hydrological-economic modeling system consists of the Positive Mathematical Programming (PMP) and product function with Constant Elasticity of Substitution (CES) to analysis of the effects of inter-basin water transfer on land use, farmers income situation and economic value of irrigation water in the origin basin (Alamout region) was used. The first time PMP model developed by Howitt (1995) to calibrate agricultural supply models have been used to link biophysical and economic information in an integrated biophysical and economic modelling framework and to assess impacts of agricultural policies and scenarios. These models are also accepted for analysing the impact of water resources management policies and scenarios. PMP model used in this paper is a three-step procedure which in it a non-linear (Quadratic) cost function is calibrated to observed values of inputs applied in agricultural production. In the basic formulation, the first step is a linear program providing marginal values that are used in the second step to estimate the parameters for a non-linear cost function and a production function. In the third step, the calibrated production and cost functions are used in a non-linear optimisation program. The solution to this non-linear program calibrates to observed values of production inputs and output. The required data in this study are related to the cropping year of 2013-2014 of Qazvin province. Results and Discussion: The obtained results in this study showed that inter-basin water transfer of Alamoutrood to Qazvin plain resulted in using 10 to 40 percent the supply of irrigation water leads to reduction of cropping pattern from 1/71 to 5/52 percent in Eastern Alamut Rodbar and from 2/17 to 6/32 percent in Western Alamut Rodbar. The above restriction after inter-basin water transfer of Alamoutrood to Qazvin plain leads to reduction of farmers gross profit from 2/58 to 8/21 percent in Eastern Alamut Rodbar and from 3/18 to 9/82 percent in Western Alamut Rodbar. In addition, the results of this study showed that inter-basin water transfer of Alamoutrood to Qazvin plain affects the economic value of each cubic meter of irrigation water in the origin basin (Alamout region) and leads to increase it from 3/23 to 31/1 percent in Eastern Alamut Rodbar and from 4/09 to 14/0 percent in Western Alamut Rodbar. Moreover, the results of this study showed that farmers irrigation water demand function in Alamout region changes after inter-basin water transfer of Alamoutrood to Qazvin plain and farmers are compelled to buy every cubic meter of irrigation water at higher price compared to the current situation (before inter-basin transfer of water). Increasing of the rural people emigration, urbanization development, reducing tourism and disturbance in the ecosystem origin basin are the potential consequences of inter-basin water transfer of Alamoutrood to Qazvin plain. Conclusion: Implementation of Inter-basin water transfer projects is responsive to resolve the water shortage problems in destination basins in short-time periods and the situation in the long time will be repeated as before. Therefore, it is recommended that instead of inter-basin water transfer project from Alamoutrood to Qazvin plain (despite the high cost for implementation of project and creating the detrimental problems in the origin basin) other appropriate methods in the field of water resources management (such as equipping of lands to modern irrigation systems, use of deficit irrigation techniques, modification of cropping pattern by products with low water requirement, increase the irrigation efficiency by repairing and equipping of water transfer channels) to solve the problem of water shortage in the destination basin (Qazvin plain) to be used. The results of this study showed that inter-basin water transfer of Alamoutrood to Qazvin plain leads to reduction of cropping pattern and farmers’ gross profit. Therefore implementation of this project by considering of economic, social and environmental considerations in the origin basin (Alamout region) was recommended

Hydriding Reaction of LaNi5: Correlations between Thermodynamic States and Sorption Kinetics during Activation

This research work concerns the hydriding reaction of LaNi5 during the first hydriding cycles (activation process). Step-by-step sorption isotherms (Δ[H/M]≈0.03) were measured at 298 K, in the composition range 0<H/M<2.0, at the beginning (first hydriding cycle, where hysteresis is maximum) and at the end (tenth hydriding cycle, where hysteresis is minimum) of the activation process, offering the possibility to correlate thermodynamic states (pressure-composition data points) to sorption kinetics. Using pneumatochemical impedance spectroscopy (PIS), experimental impedance diagrams were obtained for each data point of the isotherms. Microscopic rate parameters such as surface resistance and hydrogen diffusion coefficient were obtained as a function of composition, by fitting appropriate model equations to experimental impedances. It is found that the high-frequency pneumatochemical resistance significantly decreases during activation. This is correlated with the surface increase of the solid-gas interface area. The hydrogen diffusion coefficient is found to be larger at the beginning of the activation process and lower on a fully activated sample

Waste management beyond the COVID-19 pandemic: Bibliometric and text mining analyses

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased the demand for personal protective equipment, in particular face masks, thus leading to a huge amount of healthcare waste generated worldwide. Consequently, such an unprecedented amount of newly emerged waste has posed significant challenges to practitioners, policy-makers, and municipal authorities involved in waste management (WM) systems. This research aims at mapping the COVID-19-related scientific production to date in the field of WM. In this vein, the performance indicators of the target literature were analyzed and discussed through conducting a bibliometric analysis. The conceptual structure of COVID-19-related WM research, including seven main research themes, were uncovered and visualized through a text mining analysis as follows: (1) household and food waste, (2) personnel safety and training for waste handling, (3) sustainability and circular economy, (4) personal protective equipment and plastic waste, (5) healthcare waste management practices, (6) wastewater management, and (7) COVID-19 transmission through infectious waste. Finally, a research agenda for WM practices and activities in the post-COVID-19 era was proposed, focusing on the following three identified research gaps: (i) developing a systemic framework to properly manage the pandemic crisis implications for WM practices as a whole, following a systems thinking approach, (ii) building a circular economy model encompassing all activities from the design stage to the implementation stage, and (iii) proposing incentives to effectively involve informal sectors and local capacity in decentralizing municipal waste management, with a specific focus on developing and less-developed countries

Bicyclic peptides: types, synthesis and applications

Bicyclic peptides form one of the most promising platforms for drug development owing to their biocompatibility, similarity and chemical diversity to proteins, and they are considered as a possible practical tool in various therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Bicyclic peptides are known to have the capability of being employed as an effective alternative to complex molecules, such as antibodies, or small molecules. This review provides a summary of the recent progress on the types, synthesis and applications of bicyclic peptides. More specifically, natural and synthetic bicyclic peptides are introduced with their different production methods and relevant applications, including drug targeting, imaging and diagnosis. Their uses as antimicrobial agents, as well as the therapeutic functions of different bicyclic peptides, are also discussed. © 2019 Elsevier Lt