168 research outputs found
Freezing Properties of Disaccharide Solutions: Inhibition of Hexagonal Ice Crystal Growth and Formation of Cubic Ice
Identification of a second gene associated with variation in vertebral number in domestic pigs
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The number of vertebrae in pigs varies and is associated with body size. Wild boars have 19 vertebrae, but European commercial breeds for pork production have 20 to 23 vertebrae. We previously identified two quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for number of vertebrae on <it>Sus scrofa </it>chromosomes (SSC) 1 and 7, and reported that an orphan nuclear receptor, <it>NR6A1</it>, was located at the QTL on SSC1. At the <it>NR6A1 </it>locus, wild boars and Asian local breed pigs had the wild-type allele and European commercial-breed pigs had an allele associated with increased numbers of vertebrae (number-increase allele).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, we performed a map-based study to define the other QTL, on SSC7, for which we detected genetic diversity in European commercial breeds. Haplotype analysis with microsatellite markers revealed a 41-kb conserved region within all the number-increase alleles in the present study. We also developed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 450-kb region around the QTL and used them for a linkage disequilibrium analysis and an association study in 199 independent animals. Three haplotype blocks were detected, and SNPs in the 41-kb region presented the highest associations with the number of vertebrae. This region encodes an uncharacterized hypothetical protein that is not a member of any other known gene family. Orthologs appear to exist not only in mammals but also birds and fish. This gene, which we have named <it>vertnin </it>(<it>VRTN</it>) is a candidate for the gene associated with variation in vertebral number. In pigs, the number-increase allele was expressed more abundantly than the wild-type allele in embryos. Among candidate polymorphisms, there is an insertion of a SINE element (PRE1) into the intron of the Q allele as well as the SNPs in the promoter region.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Genetic diversity of <it>VRTN </it>is the suspected cause of the heterogeneity of the number of vertebrae in commercial-breed pigs, so the polymorphism information should be directly useful for assessing the genetic ability of individual animals. The number-increase allele of swine <it>VRTN </it>was suggested to add an additional thoracic segment to the animal. Functional analysis of <it>VRTN </it>may provide novel findings in the areas of developmental biology.</p
Characterization of monocyte/macrophage subsets in the skin and peripheral blood derived from patients with systemic sclerosis
Enhancement of superconducting properties in FeSe wires using a quenching technique
Enhancements of superconducting properties were observed in FeSe wires using
a quenching technique. Zero resistivity was achieved at about 10 K in quenched
wires, which is about 2 K higher than that of polycrystalline FeSe bulk.
Furthermore, transport Jc of quenched wires showed three times higher than that
of furnace-cooled wires. In contrast, the quenched polycrystalline FeSe bulks
did not show the enhancement of Tc. The quenching technique is a greatly
promising for fabricating FeSe wires with high Tc and high Jc, and quenched
FeSe wires have high potential for superconducting wire applications
Evolution of superconductivity in isovalent Te-substituted KxFe2-ySe2 crystals
We report the evolution of superconductivity and the phase diagram of the
KxFe2-ySe2-zTez (z=0-0.6) crystals grown by a simple one-step synthesis. No
structural transition is observed in any crystals, while lattice parameters
exhibit a systematic expansion with Te content. The Tc exhibits a gradual
decrease with increasing Te content from Tconset = 32.9 K at z = 0 to Tconset =
27.9 K at z = 0.5, followed by a sudden suppression of superconductivity at z =
0.6. Upon approaching a Te concentration of 0.6, the shielding volume fraction
decreases and eventually drops to zero. Simultaneously, hump positions in r-T
curve shift to lower temperatures. These results suggest that isovalent
substitution of Te for Se in KxFe2-ySe2 crystals suppresses the
superconductivity in this system.Comment: 10 pages, 1 table, 8 figure
- …