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Sample records for hybridization histochemistry revealed

  1. On the future contents of a small journal of histochemistry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Pellicciari

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available In the last three years, more than 70,000 scientific articles have been published in peer reviewed journals on the application of histochemistry in the biomedical field: most of them did not appear in strictly histochemical journals, but in others dealing with cell and molecular biology, medicine or biotechnology. This proves that histochemistry is still an active and innovative discipline with relevance in basic and applied biological research, but also demonstrates that especially the small histochemical Journals should likely reconsider their scopes and strategies to preserve their authorship. A review of the last three years volumes of the European Journal of Histochemistry, taken as an example of a long-time established small Journal, confirmed that the published articles were widely heterogeneous in their topics and experimental models, as in this Journal’s tradition. This strongly suggests that a Journal of histochemistry should keep its role as a forum open to an audience as broad as possible, publishing papers on cell and tissue biology in a wide variety of models. This will improve knowledge of the basic mechanisms of development and differentiation, while helping to increase the number of potential authors since scientists who generally do not use histochemistry in their research will find hints for the applications of histochemical techniques to novel still unexplored subjects.

  2. Histochemistry in Biology and Medicine: A Message From the Citing Journals

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    Especially in recent years, biomedical research has taken advantage of the progress in several disciplines, among which microscopy and histochemistry. To assess the influence of histochemistry in the biomedical field, the articles published during the period 2011-2015 have been selected from different databases and grouped by subject categories. As expected, biological and biomedical studies where histochemistry has been used as a major experimental approach include a wide range of basic and applied researches on both humans and other animal or plant organisms. To better understand the impact of histochemical publications onto the different biological and medical disciplines, it was useful to look at the journals where the articles published in a multidisciplinary journal of histochemistry have been cited: it was observed that, in the five-years period considered, 20% only of the citations were in histochemical periodicals, the remaining ones being in journals of Cell & Tissue biology, general and experimental Medicine, Oncology, Biochemistry & Molecular biology, Neurobiology, Anatomy & Morphology, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Reproductive biology, Veterinary sciences, Physiology, Endocrinology, Tissue engineering & Biomaterials, as well as in multidisciplinary journals. It is easy to foresee that also in the future the histochemical journals will be an attended forum for basic and applied scientists in the biomedical field. It will be crucial that these journals be open to an audience as varied as possible, publishing articles on the application of refined techniques to very different experimental models: this will stimulate non-histochemist scientists to approach histochemistry whose application horizon could expand to novel and possibly exclusive subjects. PMID:26708189

  3. Histochemistry in biology and medicine: a message from the citing journals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlo Pellicciari

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Especially in recent years, biomedical research has taken advantage of the progress in several disciplines, among which microscopy and histochemistry. To assess the influence of histochemistry in the biomedical field, the articles published during the period 2011-2015 have been selected from different databases and grouped by subject categories: as expected, biological and biomedical studies where histochemistry has been used as a major experimental approach include a wide of basic and applied researches on both humans and other animal or plant organisms. To better understand the impact of histochemical publications onto the different biological and medical disciplines, it was useful to look at the journals where the articles published in a multidisciplinary journal of histochemistry have been cited: it was observed that, in the five-years period considered, 20% only of the citations were in histochemical periodicals, the remaining ones being in journals of Cell & Tissue biology,  general and experimental Medicine, Oncology, Biochemistry & Molecular biology, Neurobiology, Anatomy & Morphology, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Reproductive biology, Veterinary sciences, Physiology, Endocrinology, Tissue engineering & Biomaterials,  as well as in multidisciplinary journals.It is easy to foresee that also in the future the histochemical journals will be an attended forum for basic and applied scientists in the biomedical field. It will be crucial that these journals be open to an audience as varied as possible, publishing articles on the application of refined techniques to very different experimental models: this will stimulate non-histochemist scientists to approach histochemistry whose application horizon could expand to novel and possibly exclusive subjects.

  4. Immunolabelling, histochemistry and in situ hybridisation in human skeletal muscle fibres to detect myosin heavy chain expression at the protein and mRNA level

    Science.gov (United States)

    SERRANO, A. L.; PÉREZ, MARGARITA; LUCÍA, A.; CHICHARRO, J. L.; QUIROZ-ROTHE, E.; RIVERO, J. L. L.

    2001-01-01

    The distribution of muscle fibres classified on the basis of their content of different myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms was analysed in vastus lateralis muscle biopsies of 15 young men (with an average age of 22 y) by correlating immunohistochemistry with specific anti-MHC monoclonal antibodies, myofibrillar ATPase (mATPase) histochemistry and in situ hybridisation with probes specific for MHC β-slow, MHC-IIA and MHC-IIX. The characterisation of a large number of individual fibres was compared and correlated on a fibre-to-fibre basis. The panel of monoclonal antibodies used in the study allowed classification of human skeletal muscle fibres into 5 categories according to the MHC isoform they express at the protein level, types I, I+IIA, IIA, IIAX and IIX. Hybrid fibres coexpressing two isoforms represented a considerable proportion of the fibre composition (about 14%) and were clearly underestimated by mATPase histochemistry. For a very high percentage of fibres there was a precise correspondence between the MHC protein isoforms and mRNA transcripts. The integrated methods used demonstrate a high degree of precision of the immunohistochemical procedure used for the identification and quantification of human skeletal muscle fibre types. The monoclonal antibody S5-8H2 is particularly useful for identifying hybrid IIAX fibres. This protocol offers new prospects for muscle fibre classification in human experimental studies. PMID:11554510

  5. Histochemistry and translational medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MG Manfredi Romanini

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available This issue of the Journal is mainly devoted to a specific, crucial topic in the field of histochemical research: how in situ technologies can be exploited to study tissue samples from patients with specific diseases. The final goal is on one hand a more accurate diagnosis; on the other, the identification of specific features that can: i be followed and compared at different time points ii provide hints on the natural history of the disease and iii represent surrogate end-points for targeted molecular treatments. The European Journal of Histochemistry has always been particularly concerned with the molecular study of diseases in different tissues, and we had the privilege to publish recently several cuttingedge reports dealing with such a subject (Boniotto et al., 2003; Lanni et al., 2003; Maraldi et al., 2003; Munoz et al., 2003; Benkoel et al., 2004; Cremer et al., 2004; Rambotti et al., 2004;Trovato et al., 2004;Waltregny et al., 2004;Woodall and Graham, 2004

  6. Histochemistry for the research in veterinary science: the legacy of Giuseppe Aureli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A Lauria

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Twenty years ago, on April 24th 1984, Giuseppe Aureli, Founding Member and President of the Italian Society of Histochemistry from 1971 to 1973, Director of the Institute of Anatomy of Domestic Animals, Histology and Embryology and Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Milan, died suddenly and before his time. Following in the footsteps of Carlo Bignardi, he started from the time he was a student, to deal with the research approaches of Maffo Vialli, founder of histochemistry in Italy Head in Milan of a skilled group of scientists, he developed a sound and reliable research school mainly based on the use of ever more advanced histochemical and cytochemical techniques to study, in the extensive area of veterinary science, different problems aimed at developing either basic knowledge or animal production.

  7. Genome-wide mapping in a house mouse hybrid zone reveals hybrid sterility loci and Dobzhansky-Muller interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Leslie M; Harr, Bettina

    2014-12-09

    Mapping hybrid defects in contact zones between incipient species can identify genomic regions contributing to reproductive isolation and reveal genetic mechanisms of speciation. The house mouse features a rare combination of sophisticated genetic tools and natural hybrid zones between subspecies. Male hybrids often show reduced fertility, a common reproductive barrier between incipient species. Laboratory crosses have identified sterility loci, but each encompasses hundreds of genes. We map genetic determinants of testis weight and testis gene expression using offspring of mice captured in a hybrid zone between M. musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus. Many generations of admixture enables high-resolution mapping of loci contributing to these sterility-related phenotypes. We identify complex interactions among sterility loci, suggesting multiple, non-independent genetic incompatibilities contribute to barriers to gene flow in the hybrid zone.

  8. Enzyme Histochemistry for Functional Histology in Invertebrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cima, Francesca

    2017-01-01

    In invertebrates, enzyme histochemistry has recently found a renaissance regarding its applications in morphology and ecology. Many enzyme activities are useful for the morphofunctional characterization of cells, as biomarkers of biological and pathologic processes, and as markers of the response to environmental stressors. Here, the adjustments to classic techniques, including the most common enzymes used for digestion, absorption, transport, and oxidation, as well as techniques for azo-coupling, metal salt substitution and oxidative coupling polymerization, are presented in detail for various terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates. This chapter also provides strategies to solve the problems regarding anesthesia, small body size, the presence of an exo- or endoskeleton and the search for the best fixative in relation to the internal fluid osmolarity. These techniques have the aim of obtaining good results for both the pre- and post-embedding labeling of specimens, tissue blocks, sections, and hemolymph smears using both light and transmission electron microscopy.

  9. Location of gene expression in CNS using hybridization histochemistry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Penschow, J.D.; Haralambidis, J.; Aldred, P.; Tregear, G.W.; Coghlan, J.P.

    1986-01-01

    The pursuit of improvements in sensitivity, specificity, and resolution has resulted in a myriad of published procedures designed for a variety of applications and of seemingly increasing complexity. The choice of technique now available, through significant recent technological advances, includes nonisotopic cDNA probe labels, single-stranded RNA (Riboprobe), and synthetic oligonucleotides as probes, in addition to the now familiar radiolabeled cDNA probes. The authors' aim is to simplify this choice by describing a convenient method applicable to the location of specific mRNA in brain and other tissues by either cDNA or synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotide probes. The procedure is based on a /sup 32/P probe label which enables detection of the mRNA-DNA hybrids on X-ray fail autoradiographs of frozen sections within 48 hr of tissue collection. Single, labeled cells can be located in heterogeneous tissues in subsequent short exposure liquid emulsion autoradiographs. This technique has been used successfully over a period of 5 years on tissues as diverse as whole small animals, sheep brain, rat thyroid, and human tumors. Deproteination procedures employed with other methods, which have been found to be unnecessary for /sup 32/P, are not included, thus simplifying the procedure. The use of synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotides is emphasized as their choice of probes for the reasons outlined. Apart from providing an escape route from dependence on a molecular biology laboratory, discriminating sequences of similar gene products can be synthesized and localized so that single cells within small groups can be further characterized by their biosynthetic function

  10. Similarities and differences between the brain networks underlying allocentric and egocentric spatial learning in rat revealed by cytochrome oxidase histochemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubio, S; Begega, A; Méndez, M; Méndez-López, M; Arias, J L

    2012-10-25

    The involvement of different brain regions in place- and response-learning was examined using a water cross-maze. Rats were trained to find the goal from the initial arm by turning left at the choice point (egocentric strategy) or by using environmental cues (allocentric strategy). Although different strategies were required, the same maze and learning conditions were used. Using cytochrome oxidase histochemistry as a marker of cellular activity, the function of the 13 diverse cortical and subcortical regions was assessed in rats performing these two tasks. Our results show that allocentric learning depends on the recruitment of a large functional network, which includes the hippocampal CA3, dentate gyrus, medial mammillary nucleus and supramammillary nucleus. Along with the striatum, these last three structures are also related to egocentric spatial learning. The present study provides evidence for the contribution of these regions to spatial navigation and supports a possible functional interaction between the two memory systems, as their structural convergence may facilitate functional cooperation in the behaviours guided by more than one strategy. In summary, it can be argued that spatial learning is based on dynamic functional systems in which the interaction of brain regions is modulated by task requirements. Copyright © 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Exclusive neuronal expression of SUCLA2 in the human brain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dobolyi, Arpád; Ostergaard, Elsebet; Bagó, Attila G

    2015-01-01

    associated with SUCLA2 mutations, the precise localization of SUCLA2 protein has never been investigated. Here, we show that immunoreactivity of A-SUCL-β in surgical human cortical tissue samples was present exclusively in neurons, identified by their morphology and visualized by double labeling...... was absent in glial cells, identified by antibodies directed against the glial markers GFAP and S100. Furthermore, in situ hybridization histochemistry demonstrated that SUCLA2 mRNA was present in Nissl-labeled neurons but not glial cells labeled with S100. Immunoreactivity of the GTP-forming β subunit (G......-SUCL-β) encoded by SUCLG2, or in situ hybridization histochemistry for SUCLG2 mRNA could not be demonstrated in either neurons or astrocytes. Western blotting of post mortem brain samples revealed minor G-SUCL-β immunoreactivity that was, however, not upregulated in samples obtained from diabetic versus non...

  12. Histology, Histochemistry And Ultrastructure Of The Oviducts And Seminal Receptacle Of Tropidurus Itambere (rodrigues, 1987) (reptilia: Tropiduridae)

    OpenAIRE

    Ferreira A.; Dolder H.

    2007-01-01

    The present study found new information regarding the histology, histochemistry and ultrastructure of the oviduct of Tropidurus itambere, an inhabitant of the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Three differentiated histological regions constitute the oviduct: the infundibulum, as its main characteristic, has many tubuloalveolar glands; the uterine region is remarkable for many mucous glands, just below the epithelium; the vagina, near to the cloacal opening, is characterized by an epithelium with inf...

  13. The chromosomal constitution of fish hybrid lineage revealed by 5S rDNA FISH.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chun; Ye, Lihai; Chen, Yiyi; Xiao, Jun; Wu, Yanhong; Tao, Min; Xiao, Yamei; Liu, Shaojun

    2015-12-03

    The establishment of the bisexual fertile fish hybrid lineage including the allodiploid and allotetraploid hybrids, from interspecific hybridization of red crucian carp (Carassius auratus red var. 2n = 100, 2n = AA) (♀) × common carp (Cyprinus carpio L. 2n = 100, 2n = BB) (♂), provided a good platform to investigate genetic relationship between the parents and their hybrid progenies. The chromosomal inheritance of diploid and allotetraploid hybrid progenies in successive generations, was studied by applying 5S rDNA fluorescence in situ hybridization. Signals of 5S rDNA distinguished the chromosomal constitution of common carp (B-genome) from red crucian carp (A-genome), in which two strong signals were observed on the first submetacentric chromosome, while no major signal was found in common carp. After fish hybridization, one strong signal of 5S rDNA was detected in the same locus on the chromosome of diploid hybrids. As expected, two strong signals were observed in 4nF3 tetraploid hybrids offspring and it is worth mentioning that two strong signals were detected in a separating bivalent of a primary spermatocyte in 4nF3. Furthermore, the mitosis of heterozygous chromosomes was shown normal and stable with blastular tissue histological studies. We revealed that 5S rDNA signal can be applied to discern A-genome from B-genome, and that 5S rDNA bearing chromosomes can be stably passed down in successive generations. Our work provided a significant method in fish breeding and this is important for studies in fish evolutionary biology.

  14. Chlorosis caused by two recessively interacting genes reveals a role of RNA helicase in hybrid breakdown in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plötner, Björn; Nurmi, Markus; Fischer, Axel; Watanabe, Mutsumi; Schneeberger, Korbinian; Holm, Svante; Vaid, Neha; Schöttler, Mark Aurel; Walther, Dirk; Hoefgen, Rainer; Weigel, Detlef; Laitinen, Roosa A E

    2017-07-01

    Hybrids often differ in fitness from their parents. They may be superior, translating into hybrid vigour or heterosis, but they may also be markedly inferior, because of hybrid weakness or incompatibility. The underlying genetic causes for the latter can often be traced back to genes that evolve rapidly because of sexual or host-pathogen conflicts. Hybrid weakness may manifest itself only in later generations, in a phenomenon called hybrid breakdown. We have characterized a case of hybrid breakdown among two Arabidopsis thaliana accessions, Shahdara (Sha, Tajikistan) and Lövvik-5 (Lov-5, Northern Sweden). In addition to chlorosis, a fraction of the F 2 plants have defects in leaf and embryo development, and reduced photosynthetic efficiency. Hybrid chlorosis is due to two major-effect loci, of which one, originating from Lov-5, appears to encode an RNA helicase (AtRH18). To examine the role of the chlorosis allele in the Lövvik area, in addition to eight accessions collected in 2009, we collected another 240 accessions from 15 collections sites, including Lövvik, from Northern Sweden in 2015. Genotyping revealed that Lövvik collection site is separated from the rest. Crosses between 109 accessions from this area and Sha revealed 85 cases of hybrid chlorosis, indicating that the chlorosis-causing allele is common in this area. These results suggest that hybrid breakdown alleles not only occur at rapidly evolving loci, but also at genes that code for conserved processes. © 2017 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. [The muscular lesion in myasthenia gravis: study of 17 cases with muscular histochemistry].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Werneck, L C

    1982-03-01

    A study of 17 muscle biopsies from patients with myasthenia gravis was done, using freshfrozen section and histochemistry tecnics. It was found 15 abnormal muscle biopsies. The most common abnormality were small dark angular fibers, excess of lipids droplets outside the muscle membrane, changes in fiber size and type II fiber atrophy. These findings suggested denervation in 11 biopsies, type II fiber atrophy in 7, linfocyte infiltration in 4, fiber necrosis with fagocitosis in 1 and 2 were normal. Was noted a direct correlation between the disease duration and the severity of the histological abnormality. Two patients had tymoma. Congenital myasthenia gravis, rheumatoid arthritis, intersticial hypertrophic neuritis, Hashimoto tireoiditis and concomitance of myasthenic syndrome was found once in different patients.

  16. Interspecies introgressive hybridization in spiny frogs Quasipaa (Family Dicroglossidae) revealed by analyses on multiple mitochondrial and nuclear genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qi-Peng; Hu, Wen-Fang; Zhou, Ting-Ting; Kong, Shen-Shen; Liu, Zhi-Fang; Zheng, Rong-Quan

    2018-01-01

    Introgression may lead to discordant patterns of variation among loci and traits. For example, previous phylogeographic studies on the genus Quasipaa detected signs of genetic introgression from genetically and morphologically divergent Quasipaa shini or Quasipaa spinosa . In this study, we used mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data to verify the widespread introgressive hybridization in the closely related species of the genus Quasipaa , evaluate the level of genetic diversity, and reveal the formation mechanism of introgressive hybridization. In Longsheng, Guangxi Province, signs of asymmetrical nuclear introgression were detected between Quasipaa boulengeri and Q. shini . Unidirectional mitochondrial introgression was revealed from Q. spinosa to Q. shini . By contrast, bidirectional mitochondrial gene introgression was detected between Q. spinosa and Q. shini in Lushan, Jiangxi Province. Our study also detected ancient hybridizations between a female Q. spinosa and a male Q. jiulongensis in Zhejiang Province. Analyses on mitochondrial and nuclear genes verified three candidate cryptic species in Q. spinosa , and a cryptic species may also exist in Q. boulengeri . However, no evidence of introgressive hybridization was found between Q. spinosa and Q. boulengeri . Quasipaa exilispinosa from all the sampling localities appeared to be deeply divergent from other communities. Our results suggest widespread introgressive hybridization in closely related species of Quasipaa and provide a fundamental basis for illumination of the forming mechanism of introgressive hybridization, classification of species, and biodiversity assessment in Quasipaa .

  17. A Comparative Analysis of Perinatal Development of Barrel Cortex in Rat, Mouse and Guinea Pig Using Acetylcholinesterase Histochemistry

    OpenAIRE

    ŞENDEMİR, Erdoğan

    2014-01-01

    The role of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the developing neocortex was reexamined by comparing its expression in rats, mice and guinea pigs, following the protocol for acetylcholinesterase histochemistry (described in Sendemir et al., 1996) in order to determine the suitability of the breeding colony at UludaÛ University for use as an animal model. A total of 103 pups as well as two adult animals of each species were used. In the rat pups, acetylcholinesterase-rich patches were d...

  18. Submicroscopic deletions at the WAGR locus, revealed by nonradioactive in situ hybridization.

    OpenAIRE

    Fantes, J A; Bickmore, W A; Fletcher, J M; Ballesta, F; Hanson, I M; van Heyningen, V

    1992-01-01

    Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with biotin-labeled probes mapping to 11p13 has been used for the molecular analysis of deletions of the WAGR (Wilms tumor, aniridia, genitourinary abnormalities, and mental retardation) locus. We have detected a submicroscopic 11p13 deletion in a child with inherited aniridia who subsequently presented with Wilms tumor in a horseshoe kidney, only revealed at surgery. The mother, who has aniridia, was also found to carry a deletion including both the ...

  19. Patterns of hybrid loss of imprinting reveal tissue- and cluster-specific regulation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher D Wiley

    Full Text Available Crosses between natural populations of two species of deer mice, Peromyscus maniculatus (BW, and P. polionotus (PO, produce parent-of-origin effects on growth and development. BW females mated to PO males (bwxpo produce growth-retarded but otherwise healthy offspring. In contrast, PO females mated to BW males (POxBW produce overgrown and severely defective offspring. The hybrid phenotypes are pronounced in the placenta and include POxBW conceptuses which lack embryonic structures. Evidence to date links variation in control of genomic imprinting with the hybrid defects, particularly in the POxBW offspring. Establishment of genomic imprinting is typically mediated by gametic DNA methylation at sites known as gDMRs. However, imprinted gene clusters vary in their regulation by gDMR sequences.Here we further assess imprinted gene expression and DNA methylation at different cluster types in order to discern patterns. These data reveal POxBW misexpression at the Kcnq1ot1 and Peg3 clusters, both of which lose ICR methylation in placental tissues. In contrast, some embryonic transcripts (Peg10, Kcnq1ot1 reactivated the silenced allele with little or no loss of DNA methylation. Hybrid brains also display different patterns of imprinting perturbations. Several cluster pairs thought to use analogous regulatory mechanisms are differentially affected in the hybrids.These data reinforce the hypothesis that placental and somatic gene regulation differs significantly, as does that between imprinted gene clusters and between species. That such epigenetic regulatory variation exists in recently diverged species suggests a role in reproductive isolation, and that this variation is likely to be adaptive.

  20. Fine Mapping and Transcriptome Analysis Reveal Candidate Genes Associated with Hybrid Lethality in Cabbage (Brassica Oleracea).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Zhiliang; Hu, Yang; Zhang, Xiaoli; Xue, Yuqian; Fang, Zhiyuan; Yang, Limei; Zhang, Yangyong; Liu, Yumei; Li, Zhansheng; Liu, Xing; Liu, Zezhou; Lv, Honghao; Zhuang, Mu

    2017-06-05

    Hybrid lethality is a deleterious phenotype that is vital to species evolution. We previously reported hybrid lethality in cabbage ( Brassica oleracea ) and performed preliminary mapping of related genes. In the present study, the fine mapping of hybrid lethal genes revealed that BoHL1 was located on chromosome C1 between BoHLTO124 and BoHLTO130, with an interval of 101 kb. BoHL2 was confirmed to be between insertion-deletion (InDels) markers HL234 and HL235 on C4, with a marker interval of 70 kb. Twenty-eight and nine annotated genes were found within the two intervals of BoHL1 and BoHL2 , respectively. We also applied RNA-Seq to analyze hybrid lethality in cabbage. In the region of BoHL1 , seven differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and five resistance (R)-related genes (two in common, i.e., Bo1g153320 and Bo1g153380 ) were found, whereas in the region of BoHL2 , two DEGs and four R-related genes (two in common, i.e., Bo4g173780 and Bo4g173810 ) were found. Along with studies in which R genes were frequently involved in hybrid lethality in other plants, these interesting R-DEGs may be good candidates associated with hybrid lethality. We also used SNP/InDel analyses and quantitative real-time PCR to confirm the results. This work provides new insight into the mechanisms of hybrid lethality in cabbage.

  1. Histochemistry of lectin-binding sites in Halicryptus spinulosus (Priapulida).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Busch, A; Schumacher, U; Storch, V

    2001-02-01

    Priapulida represent one of the phylogenetically oldest multicellular animal groups. In multicellular animals (Metazoa) cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix interactions are often mediated by carbohydrate residues of glycoconjugates. To analyze the carbohydrate composition of a phylogenetically old species, lectin histochemistry was employed on 5 specimens of the priapulid Halicryptus spinulosus. Many lectins bound to the chitin-containing cuticle, including those specific for carbohydrates other than N-acetylglucosamine, the principle building block of chitin. The connective tissue of the animals contained both N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylgalactosamine. Mannose residues were widely distributed with the exception of the cuticle, but complex type carbohydrates were not present in the entire animal. Sialic acid residues were only detected in the cuticle and brush border of the intestinal epithelium, while fucose was limited to the cuticle. Thus, the lectin-binding pattern indicated that sugars typical for the linking region of both N- and O-glycoproteins in mammals are also present in H. spinulosus. Carbohydrate residues that are typical for the complex type of N-linked glycans in vertebrates are not present as are carbohydrate residues typical for the termination of O-linked carbohydrate chains. Hence, a truncated form of both N- and O-linked glycosylation is present in H. spinulosus indicating that more complex patterns of glycosylation developed later during evolution.

  2. Shared features of S100B immunohistochemistry and cytochrome oxidase histochemistry in the ventroposterior thalamus and lateral habenula in neonatal rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muneoka, Katsumasa; Funahashi, Hisayuki; Ogawa, Tetsuo; Whitaker-Azmitia, Patricia M; Shioda, Seiji

    2012-10-01

    The ventroposterior thalamus and the habenular nuclei of the epithalamus are relevant to the monoaminergic system functionally and anatomically. The glia-derived S100B protein plays a critical role in the development of the nervous system including the monoaminergic systems. In this study, we performed an immunohistochemical study of glia-related proteins including S100B, serotonin transporter, and microtubule-associated protein 2, as well as cytochrome oxidase histochemistry in neonatal rats. Results showed the same findings for S100B immunohistochemistry between the ventroposterior thalamus and the lateral habenula at postnatal day 7: intense staining in cell bodies of astrocytes, diffusely spread immunoproduct in the intercellular space, and S100B-free areas as well as a strong reaction to cytochrome oxidase histochemistry. Further common features were the scarcity of glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes and the few apoptotic cells observed. The results of the cytochrome oxidase reaction suggested that S100B is released actively into intercellular areas in restricted brain regions showing high neuronal activity at postnatal day 7. Pathology of the ventroposterior thalamus and the habenula is suggested in mental disorders, and S100B might be a key factor for investigations in these areas. Copyright © 2012 ISDN. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Anatomy and Histochemistry of Roots and Shoots in Wild Rice (Zizania latifolia Griseb.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chaodong Yang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Wild rice (Zizania latifolia Griseb. is a famous, perennial, emergent vegetable in China. The current work explores the anatomy and histochemistry of roots, stems, and leaves and the permeability of apoplastic barriers of wild rice. The adventitious roots in wild rice have suberized and lignified endodermis and adjacent, thick-walled cortical layers and suberized and lignified hypodermis, composed of a uniseriate sclerenchyma layer (SC underlying uniseriate exodermis; they also have lysigenous aerenchyma. Stems have a thickened epidermal cuticle, a narrow peripheral mechanical ring (PMR, an outer ring of vascular bundles, and an inner ring of vascular bundles embedded in a multiseriate sclerenchyma ring (SCR. There is evidence of suberin in stem SCR and PMR sclerenchyma cells. Sheathing leaves are characterized by thick cuticles and fibrous bundle sheath extensions. Air spaces in stems and leaves consist of mostly lysigenous aerenchyma and pith cavities in stems. Apoplastic barriers are found in roots and stems.

  4. The Histochemistry and Cell Biology omnium-gatherum: the year 2015 in review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taatjes, Douglas J; Roth, Jürgen

    2016-03-01

    We provide here our annual review/synopsis of all of the articles published in Histochemistry and Cell Biology (HCB) for the preceding year. In 2015, HCB published 102 articles, representing a wide variety of topics and methodologies. For ease of access to these differing topics, we have created categories, as determined by the types of articles presented to provide a quick index representing the general areas covered. This year, these categories include: (1) advances in methodologies; (2) molecules in health and disease; (3) organelles, subcellular structures, and compartments; (4) the nucleus; (5) stem cells and tissue engineering; (6) cell cultures: properties and capabilities; (7) connective tissues and extracellular matrix; (8) developmental biology; (9) nervous system; (10) musculoskeletal system; (11) respiratory and cardiovascular system; (12) liver and gastrointestinal tract; and (13) male and female reproductive systems. Of note, the categories proceed from methods development, to molecules, intracellular compartments, stem cells and cell culture, extracellular matrix, developmental biology, and finishing with various organ systems, hopefully presenting a logical journey from methods to organismal molecules, cells, and whole tissue systems.

  5. Relationship between CNS metabolism and cytoarchitecture: a review of 14C-deoxyglucose studies with correlation to cytochrome oxidase histochemistry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Di Rocco, R.J.; Kageyama, G.H.; Wong-Riley, M.T.

    1989-01-01

    Since the inception of the 14 C-deoxyglucose method and its extension to in vivo imaging of regional cerebral glucose metabolism in humans by positron emission tomography, uncertainty has persisted concerning the type of work to which regional metabolism is coupled, as well as the distribution of this work within the neuron. 14 C-deoxyglucose studies indicate that functionally-coupled neural metabolism is more apparent in axon terminals and perhaps dendrites than neuronal perikarya. Moreover, it appears that most of the metabolism in axon terminals is accounted for by Na+-K+-ATPase activity. Nevertheless, cytochrome oxidase histochemistry reveals the presence of intensely reactive mitochondria in soma-dendrite regions opposite presynaptic axon terminals, thereby indicating that continuous temporal and spatial summation of postsynaptic graded potentials is associated with increased metabolism. While the situation concerning the relative postsynaptic metabolic prices of EPSP's and IPSP's remains uncertain, the presence of elevated levels of cytochrome oxidase activity within certain classes of presynaptic terminals indicates that active excitation and inhibition is associated with increases in presynaptic metabolism. This observation has been confirmed in 14 C-deoxyglucose studies. Nevertheless, studies of neonatal hippocampus indicate that, before metabolic activity shifts to dendritic and telodendritic regions of electrophysiological activity, metabolism is high in somal foci of biosynthesis. 51 references

  6. Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA analysis reveals that hybridization between Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica occurred in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ichikawa-Seki, Madoka; Peng, Mao; Hayashi, Kei; Shoriki, Takuya; Mohanta, Uday Kumar; Shibahara, Toshiyuki; Itagaki, Tadashi

    2017-02-01

    The well-known pathogens of fasciolosis, Fasciola hepatica (Fh) and Fasciola Gigantica (Fg), possess abundant mature sperms in their seminal vesicles, and thus, they reproduce bisexually. On the other hand, aspermic Fasciola flukes reported from Asian countries, which have no sperm in their seminal vesicles, probably reproduce parthenogenetically. The aim of this study was to reveal the origin of aspermic Fasciola flukes. The nuclear single copy markers, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and DNA polymerase delta, were employed for analysis of Fasciola species from China. The hybrid origin of aspermic Fasciola flukes was strongly suggested by the presence of the Fh/Fg type, which includes DNA fragments of both F. hepatica and F. gigantica. China can be regarded as the cradle of the interspecific hybridization because F. hepatica and F. gigantica were detected in the northern and southern parts of China, respectively, and hybrids flukes were distributed between the habitats of the two species. The Chinese origin was supported by the fact that a larger number of mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) haplotypes was detected in Chinese aspermic Fasciola populations than in aspermic populations from the neighbouring countries. Hereafter, 'aspermic' Fasciola flukes should be termed as 'hybrid' Fasciola flukes.

  7. Morphology, histochemistry and glycosylation of the placenta and associated tissues in the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jones, Carolyn J P; Carter, A M; Allen, W R

    2016-01-01

    glycosylated. Yolk sac inner and outer endoderm expressed similar glycans except for N-acetylgalactosamine residues in endodermal acini. DISCUSSION: New features of near-term hedgehog placenta and associated tissues are presented, including their glycosylation, and novel yolk sac acinar structures......INTRODUCTION: There are few descriptions of the placenta and associated tissues of the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) and here we present findings on a near-term pregnant specimen. METHODS: Tissues were examined grossly and then formalin fixed and wax-embedded for histology...... and immunocytochemistry (cytokeratin) and resin embedded for lectin histochemistry. RESULTS: Each of four well-developed and near term hoglets displayed a discoid, haemochorial placenta with typical labyrinth and spongy zones. In addition there was a paraplacenta incorporating Reichert's membrane and a largely detached...

  8. Leaf histochemistry analysis of four medicinal species from Cerrado

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinícius C. Kuster

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Chemical components act in plant defense and protection, but many of them are extracted and used medicinally. For Cerrado, active chemical components are used in the treatment of diseases, which strengthens the necessity for pharmacological studies of plants of that environment. The objective was to evaluate the histochemistry of the leaf blade of Byrsonima verbascifolia (L. DC., Malpighiaceae, Campomanesia adamantium (Cambess. O.Berg, Myrtaceae, Roupala montana Aubl., Proteaceae, and Solanum lycocarpum A. St.-Hil., Solanaceae, species that have been reported as producers of secondary metabolites for pharmacological use. The 3rd node leaves (median, intercostal and margin regions were collected, fixed, included in Paraplast® or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, sectioned in microtome, stained and photographed on microscope. This analysis aimed to find leaf regions which produced chemical compounds. For histochemical tests, intercostal areas were selected from median region leaf of the 3rd node. Samples fresh and newly collected and fixed and embedded in Paraplast® were used. Tests were conducted for lipids, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, sugars and proteins. Alkaloids were observed only in R. montana, as well as the results for phenolic compounds. Flavonoids are present in B. verbascifolia and R. montana. The lipid composition was showed for the chemical compounds of B. verbascifolia and C. adamantium, which proved to be part of the essential oils or resins oils in C. adamantium idioblasts. The chemical compounds of B. verbascifolia, C. adamantium and R. montana are present mainly in idioblasts among the parenchyma and epidermal cells. C. adamantium has secretory cavities, but only with lipid content. The identification of chemical compounds has not been possible in mature leaves of S. lycocarpum.

  9. Effects of Piper hispidinervum on spermatogenesis and histochemistry of ovarioles of Spodoptera frugiperda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alves, T J S; Cruz, G S; Wanderley-Teixeira, V; Teixeira, A A C; Oliveira, J V; Correia, A A; Câmara, C A G; Cunha, F M

    2014-05-01

    The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), not only damages crops, but controlling its population also requires synthetic insecticides, which leads to selection of resistant populations and environmental contamination. Essential oils are an alternative for controlling this insect. There are few studies of the effects of these oils on the insect's reproductive system. We evaluated the effects of the long pepper, Piper hispidinervum, essential oil on the gonads of the armyworm and tested its possible influence on the fertility of this insect. Dosages of 30 and 50 mg/ml were tested in 3(rd) instar caterpillars using the leaf immersion method. Testes and ovarioles were collected, fixed with 10% formalin and embedded in Historesin. The sections were stained with toluidine blue and Mallory trichrome to detect connective tissue, periodic acid-Schiff to detect neutral carbohydrates, and bromophenol blue to detect proteins. We found that the long pepper essential oil affected negatively the spermatogenesis and altered the histochemistry of the ovarioles of S. frugiperda. The effects of long pepper oil suggest that it is a promising tool for controlling the armyworm pest.

  10. Plastid DNA analysis reveals cryptic hybridization in invasive dalmatian toadflax populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrew Boswell; Sharlene E. Sing; Sarah M. Ward

    2016-01-01

    Gene flow between Dalmatian toadflax (DT) and yellow toadflax (YT), both aggressive invaders throughout the Intermountain West, is creating hybrid populations potentially more invasive than either parent species. To determine the direction of gene flow in these hybrid populations, species-diagnostic cytoplasmic markers were developed. Markers were based on...

  11. Genomic markers reveal introgressive hybridization in the Indo-West Pacific mangroves: a case study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mei Sun

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Biodiversity of mangrove ecosystems is difficult to assess, at least partly due to lack of genetic verification of morphology-based documentation of species. Natural hybridization, on the one hand, plays an important role in evolution as a source of novel gene combinations and a mechanism of speciation. However, on the other hand, recurrent introgression allows gene flow between species and could reverse the process of genetic differentiation among populations required for speciation. To understand the dynamic evolutionary consequences of hybridization, this study examines genomic structure of hybrids and parental species at the population level. In the Indo-West Pacific, Bruguiera is one of the dominant mangrove genera and species ranges overlap extensively with one another. Morphological intermediates between sympatric Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Bruguiera sexangula have been reported as a variety of B. sexangula or a new hybrid species, B. × rhynchopetala. However, the direction of hybridization and extent of introgression are unclear. A large number of species-specific inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR markers were found in B. gymnorrhiza and B. sexangula, and the additive ISSR profiling of B. × rhynchopetala ascertained its hybrid status and identified its parental origin. The varying degree of scatterness among hybrid individuals in Principal Coordinate Analysis and results from NewHybrids analysis indicate that B. × rhynchopetala comprises different generations of introgressants in addition to F(1s. High genetic relatedness between B. × rhynchopetala and B. gymnorrhiza based on nuclear and chloroplast sequences suggests preferential hybrid backcrosses to B. gymnorrhiza. We conclude that B. × rhynchopetala has not evolved into an incipient hybrid species, and its persistence can be explained by recurrent hybridization and introgression. Genomic data provide insights into the hybridization dynamics of mangrove plants. Such information

  12. Application of Photoshop and Scion Image analysis to quantification of signals in histochemistry, immunocytochemistry and hybridocytochemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tolivia, Jorge; Navarro, Ana; del Valle, Eva; Perez, Cristina; Ordoñez, Cristina; Martínez, Eva

    2006-02-01

    To describe a simple method to achieve the differential selection and subsequent quantification of the strength signal using only one section. Several methods for performing quantitative histochemistry, immunocytochemistry or hybridocytochemistry, without use of specific commercial image analysis systems, rely on pixel-counting algorithms, which do not provide information on the amount of chromogen present in the section. Other techniques use complex algorithms to calculate the cumulative signal strength using two consecutive sections. To separate the chromogen signal we used the "Color range" option of the Adobe Photoshop program, which provides a specific file for a particular chromogen selection that could be applied on similar sections. The measurement of the chromogen signal strength of the specific staining is achieved with the Scion Image software program. The method described in this paper can also be applied to simultaneous detection of different signals on the same section or different parameters (area of particles, number of particles, etc.) when the "Analyze particles" tool of the Scion program is used.

  13. Reticulate evolution: frequent introgressive hybridization among chinese hares (genus lepus revealed by analyses of multiple mitochondrial and nuclear DNA loci

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wu Shi-Fang

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Interspecific hybridization may lead to the introgression of genes and genomes across species barriers and contribute to a reticulate evolutionary pattern and thus taxonomic uncertainties. Since several previous studies have demonstrated that introgressive hybridization has occurred among some species within Lepus, therefore it is possible that introgressive hybridization events also occur among Chinese Lepus species and contribute to the current taxonomic confusion. Results Data from four mtDNA genes, from 116 individuals, and one nuclear gene, from 119 individuals, provides the first evidence of frequent introgression events via historical and recent interspecific hybridizations among six Chinese Lepus species. Remarkably, the mtDNA of L. mandshuricus was completely replaced by mtDNA from L. timidus and L. sinensis. Analysis of the nuclear DNA sequence revealed a high proportion of heterozygous genotypes containing alleles from two divergent clades and that several haplotypes were shared among species, suggesting repeated and recent introgression. Furthermore, results from the present analyses suggest that Chinese hares belong to eight species. Conclusion This study provides a framework for understanding the patterns of speciation and the taxonomy of this clade. The existence of morphological intermediates and atypical mitochondrial gene genealogies resulting from frequent hybridization events likely contribute to the current taxonomic confusion of Chinese hares. The present study also demonstrated that nuclear gene sequence could offer a powerful complementary data set with mtDNA in tracing a complete evolutionary history of recently diverged species.

  14. Lectin histochemistry of goblet cell sugar residues in the gut of the chick embryo and of the newborn.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryk, S G; Sgambati, E; Gheri Bryk, G

    1999-04-01

    The anlage of duodenum, ileum and colon were removed from chick embryos of day 8-21 of incubation and from 1-day-old chicks. A battery of seven different horseradish peroxidase-conjugated lectins (PNA, SBA, DBA, Con A, WGA, LTA and UEAI) was used to study the carbohydrate residues of the glycoconjugates in the goblet cells of the three parts of the intestine. The main results can be summarized as follows: differences in lectin binding were absent in the proximal and distal parts of the duodenum, ileum and colon. Lectin histochemistry showed differences among the three intestinal segments for the time of appearance of the oligosaccharides in the goblet mucus. In the colonic goblet cells of 1-day-old chicks, LTA and UEAI lectins showed two different types of linkage of alpha-L-fucose. This is the first demonstration of UEAI reactive sites in Gallus domesticus.

  15. Phylogenetic tests of a Cercopithecus monkey hybrid reveal X ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A captive Cercopithecus nictitans × C. cephus male was examined at loci on the X- and Y-chromosomes as a test of previously described phylogenetic methods for identifying hybrid Cercopithecus monkeys. The results confirm the reliability of such assays, indicating that they can be of immediate utility for studies of wild ...

  16. Genomic Analyses Reveal the Influence of Geographic Origin, Migration, and Hybridization on Modern Dog Breed Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heidi G. Parker

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available There are nearly 400 modern domestic dog breeds with a unique histories and genetic profiles. To track the genetic signatures of breed development, we have assembled the most diverse dataset of dog breeds, reflecting their extensive phenotypic variation and heritage. Combining genetic distance, migration, and genome-wide haplotype sharing analyses, we uncover geographic patterns of development and independent origins of common traits. Our analyses reveal the hybrid history of breeds and elucidate the effects of immigration, revealing for the first time a suggestion of New World dog within some modern breeds. Finally, we used cladistics and haplotype sharing to show that some common traits have arisen more than once in the history of the dog. These analyses characterize the complexities of breed development, resolving longstanding questions regarding individual breed origination, the effect of migration on geographically distinct breeds, and, by inference, transfer of trait and disease alleles among dog breeds.

  17. Expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha after focal cerebral ischaemia in the rat

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buttini, M; Appel, K; Sauter, A; GebickeHaerter, PJ; Boddeke, HWGM

    Induction of tumor necrosis factor alpha was studied in the brain of rats after focal cerebral ischaemia by occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery. Using a specific antisense riboprobe for in situ hybridization histochemistry, cells positive for tumor necrosis factor alpha messenger RNA were

  18. Molecular data reveal complex hybridization and a cryptic species of neotropical wild cat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trigo, Tatiane C; Schneider, Alexsandra; de Oliveira, Tadeu G; Lehugeur, Livia M; Silveira, Leandro; Freitas, Thales R O; Eizirik, Eduardo

    2013-12-16

    Hybridization among animal species has recently become more recognized as an important phenomenon, especially in the context of recent radiations. Here we show that complex hybridization has led to contrasting patterns of genomic composition among closely related species of the Neotropical cat genus Leopardus. We show strong evidence of ancient hybridization and introgression between the pampas cat (L. colocolo) and northeastern populations of tigrina (L. tigrinus), leading to remarkable cytonuclear discordance in the latter. In contrast, southern tigrina populations show recent and continuing hybridization with Geoffroy's cat (L. geoffroyi), leading to extreme levels of interspecific admixture at their contact zone. Finally, we demonstrate that two seemingly continuous Brazilian tigrina populations show no evidence of ongoing gene flow between them, leading us to support their formal recognition as distinct species, namely L. tigrinus in the northeast and L. guttulus in the south. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. A screen for F1 hybrid male rescue reveals no major-effect hybrid lethality loci in the Drosophila melanogaster autosomal genome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuykendall, Tawny N; Satyaki, P; Ji, Shuqing; Clay, Derek M; Edelman, Nathaniel B; Kimchy, Alexandra; Li, Ling-Hei; Nuzzo, Erin A; Parekh, Neil; Park, Suna; Barbash, Daniel A

    2014-10-27

    Hybrid sons between Drosophila melanogaster females and D. simulans males die as 3rd instar larvae. Two genes, D. melanogaster Hybrid male rescue (Hmr) on the X chromosome, and D. simulans Lethal hybrid rescue (Lhr) on chromosome II, interact to cause this lethality. Loss-of-function mutations in either gene suppress lethality, but several pieces of evidence suggest that additional factors are required for hybrid lethality. Here we screen the D. melanogaster autosomal genome by using the Bloomington Stock Center Deficiency kit to search for additional regions that can rescue hybrid male lethality. Our screen is designed to identify putative hybrid incompatibility (HI) genes similar to Hmr and Lhr which, when removed, are dominant suppressors of lethality. After screening 89% of the autosomal genome, we found no regions that rescue males to the adult stage. We did, however, identify several regions that rescue up to 13% of males to the pharate adult stage. This weak rescue suggests the presence of multiple minor-effect HI loci, but we were unable to map these loci to high resolution, presumably because weak rescue can be masked by genetic background effects. We attempted to test one candidate, the dosage compensation gene male specific lethal-3 (msl-3), by using RNA interference with short hairpin microRNA constructs targeted specifically against D. simulans msl-3 but failed to achieve knockdown, in part due to off-target effects. We conclude that the D. melanogaster autosomal genome likely does not contain additional major-effect HI loci. We also show that Hmr is insufficient to fully account for the lethality associated with the D. melanogaster X chromosome, suggesting that additional X-linked genes contribute to hybrid lethality. Copyright © 2014 Cuykendall et al.

  20. Induction of interleukin-1β mRNA after focal cerebral ischaemia in the rat

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buttini, M.; Sauter, A.; Boddeke, H.W.G.M.

    1994-01-01

    The expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) mRNA in the brain in response to cerebral ischaemia in rats was examined using in situ hybridization histochemistry. Focal cerebral ischaemia was induced in spontaneously hypertensive rats by permanent occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery (MCAO).

  1. INDUCTION OF INTERLEUKIN-1-BETA MESSENGER-RNA AFTER FOCAL CEREBRAL-ISCHEMIA IN THE RAT

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    BUTTINI, M; SAUTER, A; BODDEKE, HWGM

    The expression of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) mRNA in the brain in response to cerebral ischaemia in rats was examined using in situ hybridization histochemistry. Focal cerebral ischaemia was induced in spontaneously hypertensive rats by permanent occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery

  2. PERIPHERAL LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE STIMULATION INDUCES INTERLEUKIN-1-BETA MESSENGER-RNA IN RAT-BRAIN MICROGLIAL CELLS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    BUTTINI, M; BODDEKE, H

    The inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 acts as an endogenous pyrogen in organisms affected by infectious diseases and has been shown to influence the activity of the central nervous system. Using in situ hybridization histochemistry, we have examined the cellular source of interleukin-1 beta in rat

  3. Genomic islands of differentiation in two songbird species reveal candidate genes for hybrid female sterility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mořkovský, Libor; Janoušek, Václav; Reif, Jiří; Rídl, Jakub; Pačes, Jan; Choleva, Lukáš; Janko, Karel; Nachman, Michael W; Reifová, Radka

    2018-02-01

    Hybrid sterility is a common first step in the evolution of postzygotic reproductive isolation. According to Haldane's Rule, it affects predominantly the heterogametic sex. While the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility in organisms with heterogametic males has been studied for decades, the genetic basis of hybrid female sterility in organisms with heterogametic females has received much less attention. We investigated the genetic basis of reproductive isolation in two closely related avian species, the common nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) and the thrush nightingale (L. luscinia), that hybridize in a secondary contact zone and produce viable hybrid progeny. In accordance with Haldane's Rule, hybrid females are sterile, while hybrid males are fertile, allowing gene flow to occur between the species. Using transcriptomic data from multiple individuals of both nightingale species, we identified genomic islands of high differentiation (F ST ) and of high divergence (D xy ), and we analysed gene content and patterns of molecular evolution within these islands. Interestingly, we found that these islands were enriched for genes related to female meiosis and metabolism. The islands of high differentiation and divergence were also characterized by higher levels of linkage disequilibrium than the rest of the genome in both species indicating that they might be situated in genomic regions of low recombination. This study provides one of the first insights into genetic basis of hybrid female sterility in organisms with heterogametic females. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Differential distribution of calcineurin Aα isoenzyme mRNA's in rat brain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buttini, M.; Limonta, S.; Luyten, M.; Boddeke, H.

    1993-01-01

    Specific antisense oligonucleotide probes for the α isoforms of the catalytic subunit (A-subunit) of calcineurin were prepared and the distribution of Aα1 and Aα2 mRNA's has been studied in rat brain using in situ hybridization histochemistry. Clear regional differences have been observed for the

  5. Effector stage CC chemokine receptor-1 selective antagonism reduces multiple sclerosis-like rat disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eltayeb, Sana; Sunnemark, Dan; Berg, Anna-Lena; Nordvall, Gunnar; Malmberg, Asa; Lassmann, Hans; Wallström, Erik; Olsson, Tomas; Ericsson-Dahlstrand, Anders

    2003-09-01

    We have studied the role of the chemokine receptor CCR1 during the effector stage of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in DA rats. In situ hybridization histochemistry revealed local production of the CCR1 ligands CCL3 (MIP-1 alpha) and CCL5 (RANTES), as well as large numbers of CCR1 and CCR5 expressing cells within inflammatory brain lesions. A low-molecular weight CCR1 selective antagonist potently abrogated both clinical and histopathological disease signs during a 5-day treatment period, without signs of peripheral immune compromise. Thus, we demonstrate therapeutic targeting of CCR1-dependent leukocyte recruitment to the central nervous system in a multiple sclerosis (MS)-like rat model.

  6. Genetics of hybrid male sterility between drosophila sibling species: a complex web of epistasis is revealed in interspecific studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palopoli, M F; Wu, C I

    1994-10-01

    To study the genetic differences responsible for the sterility of their male hybrids, we introgressed small segments of an X chromosome from Drosophila simulans into a pure Drosophila mauritiana genetic background, then assessed the fertility of males carrying heterospecific introgressions of varying size. Although this analysis examined less than 20% of the X chromosome (roughly 5% of the euchromatic portion of the D. simulans genome), and the segments were introgressed in only one direction, a minimum of four factors that contribute to hybrid male sterility were revealed. At least two of the factors exhibited strong epistasis: males carrying either factor alone were consistently fertile, whereas males carrying both factors together were always sterile. Distinct spermatogenic phenotypes were observed for sterile introgressions of different lengths, and it appeared that an interaction between introgressed segments also influenced the stage of spermatogenic defect. Males with one category of introgression often produced large quantities of motile sperm and were observed copulating, but never inseminated females. Evidently these two species have diverged at a large number of loci which have varied effects on hybrid male fertility. By extrapolation, we estimate that there are at least 40 such loci on the X chromosome alone. Because these species exhibit little DNA-sequence divergence at arbitrarily chosen loci, it seems unlikely that the extensive functional divergence observed could be due mainly to random genetic drift. Significant epistasis between conspecific genes appears to be a common component of hybrid sterility between recently diverged species of Drosophila. The linkage relationships of interacting factors could shed light on the role played by epistatic selection in the dynamics of the allele substitutions responsible for reproductive barriers between species.

  7. Differential stress response of Saccharomyces hybrids revealed by monitoring Hsp104 aggregation and disaggregation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kempf, Claudia; Lengeler, Klaus; Wendland, Jürgen

    2017-07-01

    Proteotoxic stress may occur upon exposure of yeast cells to different stress conditions. The induction of stress response mechanisms is important for cells to adapt to changes in the environment and ensure survival. For example, during exposure to elevated temperatures the expression of heat shock proteins such as Hsp104 is induced in yeast. Hsp104 extracts misfolded proteins from aggregates to promote their refolding. We used an Hsp104-GFP reporter to analyze the stress profiles of Saccharomyces species hybrids. To this end a haploid S. cerevisiae strain, harboring a chromosomal HSP104-GFP under control of its endogenous promoter, was mated with stable haploids of S. bayanus, S. cariocanus, S. kudriavzevii, S. mikatae, S. paradoxus and S. uvarum. Stress response behaviors in these hybrids were followed over time by monitoring the appearance and dissolution of Hsp104-GFP foci upon heat shock. General stress tolerance of these hybrids was related to the growth rate detected during exposure to e.g. ethanol and oxidizing agents. We observed that hybrids were generally more resistant to high temperature and ethanol stress compared to their parental strains. Amongst the hybrids differential responses regarding the appearance of Hsp104-foci and the time required for dissolving these aggregates were observed. The S. cerevisiae/S. paradoxus hybrid, combining the two most closely related strains, performed best under these conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  8. Controlled chaos: three-dimensional kinematics, fiber histochemistry, and muscle contractile dynamics of autotomized lizard tails.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higham, Timothy E; Lipsett, Kathryn R; Syme, Douglas A; Russell, Anthony P

    2013-01-01

    The ability to shed an appendage occurs in both vertebrates and invertebrates, often as a tactic to avoid predation. The tails of lizards, unlike most autotomized body parts of animals, exhibit complex and vigorous movements once disconnected from the body. Despite the near ubiquity of autotomy across groups of lizards and the fact that this is an extraordinary event involving the self-severing of the spinal cord, our understanding of why and how tails move as they do following autotomy is sparse. We herein explore the histochemistry and physiology of the tail muscles of the leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius), a species that exhibits vigorous and variable tail movements following autotomy. To confirm that the previously studied tail movements of this species are generally representative of geckos and therefore suitable for in-depth muscle studies, we quantified the three-dimensional kinematics of autotomized tails in three additional species. The movements of the tails of all species were generally similar and included jumps, flips, and swings. Our preliminary analyses suggest that some species of gecko exhibit short but high-frequency movements, whereas others exhibit larger-amplitude but lower-frequency movements. We then compared the ATPase and oxidative capacity of muscle fibers and contractile dynamics of isolated muscle bundles from original tails, muscle from regenerate tails, and fast fibers from an upper limb muscle (iliofibularis) of the leopard gecko. Histochemical analysis revealed that more than 90% of the fibers in original and regenerate caudal muscles had high ATPase but possessed a superficial layer of fibers with low ATPase and high oxidative capacity. We found that contraction kinetics, isometric force, work, power output, and the oscillation frequency at which maximum power was generated were lowest in the original tail, followed by the regenerate tail and then the fast fibers of the iliofibularis. Muscle from the original tail exhibited

  9. Distribution of 45S rDNA in Modern Rose Cultivars (Rosa hybrida), Rosa rugosa, and Their Interspecific Hybrids Revealed by Fluorescence in situ Hybridization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Xiao-Liu; Xu, Ting-Liang; Wang, Jing; Luo, Le; Yu, Chao; Dong, Gui-Min; Pan, Hui-Tang; Zhang, Qi-Xiang

    2016-01-01

    To elucidate the evolutionary dynamics of the location and number of rDNA loci in the process of polyploidization in the genus Rosa, we examined 45S rDNA sites in the chromosomes of 6 modern rose cultivars (R. hybrida), 5 R. rugosa cultivars, and 20 hybrid progenies by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Variation in the number of rDNA sites in parents and their interspecific hybrids was detected. As expected, 4 rDNA sites were observed in the genomes of 4 modern rose cultivars, while 3 hybridization sites were observed in the 2 others. Two expected rDNA sites were found in 2 R. rugosa cultivars, while in the other 3 R. rugosa cultivars 4 sites were present. Among the 20 R. hybrida × R. rugosa offspring, 13 carried the expected number of rDNA sites, and 1 had 6 hybridization sites, which exceeded the expected number by far. The other 6 offspring had either 2 or 3 hybridization sites, which was less than expected. Differences in the number of rDNA loci were observed in interspecific offspring, indicating that rDNA loci exhibit instability after distant hybridization events. Abnormal chromosome pairing may be the main factor explaining the variation in rDNA sites during polyploidization. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  10. Revealing the distinct habitat ranges and hybrid zone of genetic sub-populations within Pseudo-nitzschia pungens (Bacillariophyceae) in the West Pacific area.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jin Ho; Wang, Pengbin; Park, Bum Soo; Kim, Joo-Hwan; Patidar, Shailesh Kumar; Han, Myung-Soo

    2018-03-01

    Genetic sub-populations (clades) of cosmopolitan marine diatom Pseudo-nitzschia pungens might have distinct habitats, and their hybrid zone is suspected in higher latitude area of the West Pacific area, however, it is still unrevealed because of technical difficulties and lack of evidences in natural environments. The aim of this study is to investigate the habitat characteristics of each clade of P. pungens on geographical distribution with the habitat temperature ranges of each clade and to reveal their hybrid zone in the West Pacific area. We employed the 137 number of nucleotide sequences of P. pungens and its sampling data (spatial and temporal scale) originated from the West Pacific area, and used field application of qPCR assay for intra-specific level of P. pungens. Only two genotypes, clade I and III, were identified in the West Pacific area. Clade I was distributed from 39 to 32.3°N, and clade III were from 1.4 to 34.4°N. The estimated habitat temperature for the clade I and clade III ranges were 8.1-26.9 °C and 24.2-31.2 °C, respectively. The latitudinal distributions and temperature ranges of each clade were significantly different. The qPCR assay employed, and results suggested that the hybrid zone for clade I and III has been observed in the southern Korean coasts, and clade III might be introduced from the Southern Pacific area. The cell abundances of clade III were strongly related with the higher seawater temperature and warm current force. This study has defined distinct habitat characteristics of genetically different sub-populations of P. pungens, and revealed its hybrid zone in natural environment for the first time. We also provided strong evidences about dispersion of the population of clade III to higher latitude in the West Pacific area. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Effects of Caloric Restriction and Exercise Training on Skeletal Muscle Histochemistry in Aging Fischer 344 Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David T. Lowenthal

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of calorie restriction and exercise on hindlimb histochemistry and fiber type in Fischer 344 rats as they advanced from adulthood through senescence. At 10 months of age, animals were divided into sedentary fed ad libitum, exercise (18 m/min, 8% grade, 20 min/day, 5 days/week fed ad libitum, and calorie restricted by alternate days of feeding. Succinic dehydrogenase, myosin adenosine triphosphatase (mATPase at pH 9.4, nicotine adenonine dinucleotide reductase, and Periodic Acid Shiff histochemical stains were performed on plantaris and soleus muscles. The results indicated that aging resulted in a progressive decline in plantaris Type I muscle fiber in sedentary animals, while exercise resulted in maintenance of these fibers. The percent of plantaris Type II fibers increased between 10 and 24 months of age. Exercise also resulted in a small, but significant, increase in the percentage of plantaris Type IIa fibers at 24 months of age. The soleus fiber distribution for Type I fibers was unaffected by increasing age in all groups of animals. The implications of these results suggest the implementation of exercise as a lifestyle modification as early as possible.

  12. A general model of distant hybridization reveals the conditions for extinction in Atlantic salmon and brown trout.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quilodrán, Claudio S; Currat, Mathias; Montoya-Burgos, Juan I

    2014-01-01

    Interspecific hybridization is common in nature but can be increased in frequency or even originated by human actions, such as species introduction or habitat modification, which may threaten species persistence. When hybridization occurs between distantly related species, referred to as "distant hybridization," the resulting hybrids are generally infertile or fertile but do not undergo chromosomal recombination during gametogenesis. Here, we present a model describing this frequent but poorly studied interspecific hybridization to assess its consequences on parental species and to anticipate the conditions under which they can reach extinction. Our general model fully incorporates three important processes: density-dependent competition, dominance/recessivity inheritance of traits and assortative mating. We demonstrate its use and flexibility by assessing population extinction risk between Atlantic salmon and brown trout in Norway, whose interbreeding has recently increased due to farmed fish releases into the wild. We identified the set of conditions under which hybridization may threaten salmonid species. Thanks to the flexibility of our model, we evaluated the effect of an additional risk factor, a parasitic disease, and showed that the cumulative effects dramatically increase the extinction risk. The consequences of distant hybridization are not genetically, but demographically mediated. Our general model is useful to better comprehend the evolution of such hybrid systems and we demonstrated its importance in the field of conservation biology to set up management recommendations when this increasingly frequent type of hybridization is in action.

  13. A General Model of Distant Hybridization Reveals the Conditions for Extinction in Atlantic Salmon and Brown Trout

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quilodrán, Claudio S.; Currat, Mathias; Montoya-Burgos, Juan I.

    2014-01-01

    Interspecific hybridization is common in nature but can be increased in frequency or even originated by human actions, such as species introduction or habitat modification, which may threaten species persistence. When hybridization occurs between distantly related species, referred to as “distant hybridization,” the resulting hybrids are generally infertile or fertile but do not undergo chromosomal recombination during gametogenesis. Here, we present a model describing this frequent but poorly studied interspecific hybridization to assess its consequences on parental species and to anticipate the conditions under which they can reach extinction. Our general model fully incorporates three important processes: density-dependent competition, dominance/recessivity inheritance of traits and assortative mating. We demonstrate its use and flexibility by assessing population extinction risk between Atlantic salmon and brown trout in Norway, whose interbreeding has recently increased due to farmed fish releases into the wild. We identified the set of conditions under which hybridization may threaten salmonid species. Thanks to the flexibility of our model, we evaluated the effect of an additional risk factor, a parasitic disease, and showed that the cumulative effects dramatically increase the extinction risk. The consequences of distant hybridization are not genetically, but demographically mediated. Our general model is useful to better comprehend the evolution of such hybrid systems and we demonstrated its importance in the field of conservation biology to set up management recommendations when this increasingly frequent type of hybridization is in action. PMID:25003336

  14. A general model of distant hybridization reveals the conditions for extinction in Atlantic salmon and brown trout.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudio S Quilodrán

    Full Text Available Interspecific hybridization is common in nature but can be increased in frequency or even originated by human actions, such as species introduction or habitat modification, which may threaten species persistence. When hybridization occurs between distantly related species, referred to as "distant hybridization," the resulting hybrids are generally infertile or fertile but do not undergo chromosomal recombination during gametogenesis. Here, we present a model describing this frequent but poorly studied interspecific hybridization to assess its consequences on parental species and to anticipate the conditions under which they can reach extinction. Our general model fully incorporates three important processes: density-dependent competition, dominance/recessivity inheritance of traits and assortative mating. We demonstrate its use and flexibility by assessing population extinction risk between Atlantic salmon and brown trout in Norway, whose interbreeding has recently increased due to farmed fish releases into the wild. We identified the set of conditions under which hybridization may threaten salmonid species. Thanks to the flexibility of our model, we evaluated the effect of an additional risk factor, a parasitic disease, and showed that the cumulative effects dramatically increase the extinction risk. The consequences of distant hybridization are not genetically, but demographically mediated. Our general model is useful to better comprehend the evolution of such hybrid systems and we demonstrated its importance in the field of conservation biology to set up management recommendations when this increasingly frequent type of hybridization is in action.

  15. Radiation hybrid mapping of human chromosome 18

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Francke, U.; Moon, A.J.; Chang, E.; Foellmer, B.; Strauss, B.; Haschke, A.; Chihlin Hsieh; Geigl, E.M.; Welch, S.

    1990-01-01

    The authors have generated a Chinese hamster V79/380-6 HPRT minus x human leukocyte hybrid cell line (18/V79) with chromosome 18 as the only human chromosome that is retained at high frequency without specific selection. Hybrid cells were selected in HAT medium, and 164 individual colonies were isolated. Of 110 colonies screened for human DNA by PCR amplification using a primer specific for human Alu repeats 67 (61%) were positive. These were expanded in culture for large-scale DNA preparations. Retesting expanded clones by PCR with Alu and LINE primers has revealed unique patterns of amplification products. In situ hybridization of biotin labelled total human DNA to metaphase spreads from various hybrids revealed the presence of one or more human DNA fragments integrated in hamster chromosomes. The authors have generated a resource that should allow the construction of a radiation map, to be compared with the YAC contig map also under construction in their laboratory

  16. Ultrafast optical snapshots of hybrid perovskites reveal the origin of multiband electronic transitions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Appavoo, Kannatassen; Nie, Wanyi; Blancon, Jean-Christophe; Even, Jacky; Mohite, Aditya D.; Sfeir, Matthew Y.

    2017-11-01

    Connecting the complex electronic excitations of hybrid perovskites to their intricate organic-inorganic lattice structure has critical implications for energy conversion and optoelectronic technologies. Here we detail the multiband, multivalley electronic structure of a halide hybrid perovskite by measuring the absorption transients of a millimeter-scale-grain thin film as it undergoes a thermally controlled reversible tetragonal-to-orthogonal phase transition. Probing nearly single grains of this hybrid perovskite, we observe an unreported energy splitting (degeneracy lifting) of the high-energy 2.6 eV band in the tetragonal phase that further splits as the rotational degrees of freedom of the disordered C H3N H3 + molecules are reduced when the sample is cooled. This energy splitting drastically increases during an extended phase-transition coexistence region that persists from 160 to 120 K, becoming more pronounced in the orthorhombic phase. By tracking the temperature-dependent optical transition energies and using symmetry analysis that describes the evolution of electronic states from the tetragonal phase to the orthorhombic phase, we assign this energy splitting to the nearly degenerate transitions in the tetragonal phase from both the R - and M -point-derived states. Importantly, these assignments explain how momentum conservation effects lead to long hot-carrier lifetimes in the room-temperature tetragonal phase, with faster hot-carrier relaxation when the hybrid perovskite structurally transitions to the orthorhombic phase due to enhanced scattering at the Γ point.

  17. Managing hybrid marketing systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moriarty, R T; Moran, U

    1990-01-01

    As competition increases and costs become critical, companies that once went to market only one way are adding new channels and using new methods - creating hybrid marketing systems. These hybrid marketing systems hold the promise of greater coverage and reduced costs. But they are also hard to manage; they inevitably raise questions of conflict and control: conflict because marketing units compete for customers; control because new indirect channels are less subject to management authority. Hard as they are to manage, however, hybrid marketing systems promise to become the dominant design, replacing the "purebred" channel strategy in all kinds of businesses. The trick to managing the hybrid is to analyze tasks and channels within and across a marketing system. A map - the hybrid grid - can help managers make sense of their hybrid system. What the chart reveals is that channels are not the basic building blocks of a marketing system; marketing tasks are. The hybrid grid forces managers to consider various combinations of channels and tasks that will optimize both cost and coverage. Managing conflict is also an important element of a successful hybrid system. Managers should first acknowledge the inevitability of conflict. Then they should move to bound it by creating guidelines that spell out which customers to serve through which methods. Finally, a marketing and sales productivity (MSP) system, consisting of a central marketing database, can act as the central nervous system of a hybrid marketing system, helping managers create customized channels and service for specific customer segments.

  18. Natural hybridization between Phlomis lycia D. Don x P. bourgaei Boiss., (Lamiaceae) revealed by RAPD markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yüzbaşioğlu, Ertuğrul; Dadandi, Mehmet Yaşar; Ozcan, Sebahattin

    2008-05-01

    Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA markers (RAPD) were used to assess the hybrid identity of individuals sampled as Phlomis x termessi Davis. Out of 95 primers screened, 11 primers produced reproducible amplification patterns used for discrimination of P. x termessi and their parents. Eleven primers produced 81 bands. Forty two percent of the RAPD bands existed in parents. Of the 54 bands found in P. lycia, 19 were found only in this species and 7 of these were monomorphic. Similarly, of 57 RAPD bands observed in P. bourgaei, 18 were found only in P. bourgaei and 6 of these were monomorphic. Among hybrid individuals, 35 of the 73 markers were monomorphic. Fifteen of these existed in individual parents showing that parents were homozygous for these markers. Of the 35 monomorphic bands observed among hybrid individuals, 5 were present in the samples of one of the parents and completely absent from the samples of the other; therefore, additive inheritance is indicated. Of the 5 additive bands, 1 was inherited from P. bourgaei and 4 were inherited from P. lycia. Among 38 polymorhic markers observed in hybrid individuals, 9 were new and hybrid-specific. Pollen fertility was also investigated. Mean pollen fertility for P. lycia and P. bourgaei was 93% and 97% respectively. However, mean pollen fertility for hybrids was 65% (+/-10.5).

  19. Secretory structure and histochemistry test of some Zingiberaceae plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Indriyani, Serafinah

    2017-11-01

    A secretory structure is a structure that produces a plant's metabolite substances. Secretory structures are grouped into an internal and external. Zingiberaceae plants are known as traditional medicine plants and as spice plants due to secretory structures in their tissues. The objective of the research were to describe the secretory structure of Zingiberaceae plants and to discover the qualitatively primary metabolite substances in plant's tissues via histochemistry test. The research was conducted by observation descriptive design, quantitative data including the density of secretory cells per mm². The quantitative data were analyzed by ANOVA and continued by Duncan at α = 5 %. The results showed that the secretory structures in leaves, rhizome, and the root of 14 species of Zingiberaceae plants are found in the mesophyll of leaves and cortex, and also pith in rhizome and roots. The type of secretory structure is internal. Within the root of Zingiber cassumunar Roxb.(bengle), Curcuma domestica Val. (kunyit), Curcuma zedoaria (Berg.) Roscoe (kunyit putih), Zingiber zerumbet (L.) J.E. Smith (lempuyang), Alpiniapurpurata K. Schum (lengkuas merah), and Curcuma aeruginosa Val. (temu ireng) were found amylum grains, while in Kaemferia galanga L. (kencur), Boesen bergiapandurata L. (temu kunci), and Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb. (temulawak) there were no amylum grains in the root as well as in the leaves. The roots of bengle had the greatest density of amylum grain, it had 248.1 ± 9.8 secretory cells of amylum grains per mm². Lipids (oil droplets) were found in the root of bengle, Zingiber officinale Roxb. Var. emprit (jahe emprit), Zingiber officinale Roxb. Var. Gajah (jahe gajah), Zingiber officinale Roxb. Var. Rubrum (jahe merah), Keampferia angustifolia L. (kunci pepet), kunyit, kunyit putih, lempuyang, lengkua smerah, Curcuma aeruginosa Val. (temu ireng), and Curcuma mangga Val. and van Zijp (temu mangga); the root of lempuyang had the greatest density of oil

  20. Diverse mechanisms of plant resistance to cauliflower mosaic virus revealed by leaf skeleton hybridization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melcher, U; Brannan, C M; Gardner, C O; Essenberg, R C

    1992-01-01

    Plants not hosts for cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) may prevent systemic CaMV infection by interfering with dissemination of infection through the plant or by preventing viral replication and maturation. Leaf skeleton hybridization allows distinction between these two barriers. The technique assesses the spatial distribution of CaMV in an inoculated leaf by hybridization of a skeleton of the leaf with a CaMV DNA probe. Leaves or leaflets of soybean, cucumber, peanut, tomato, lettuce, spinach, pepper, onion, wheat, maize and barley, inoculated with CaMV DNA or CaMV virions were processed for leaf skeleton hybridization either immediately after inoculation or two weeks thereafter. Autoradiographic images of soybean and cucumber skeletons had many dark spots suggesting that CaMV DNA replication and local spread had occurred. Images of onion leaf skeletons prepared two weeks after inoculation with CaMV DNA had fewer spots. To test whether these spots resulted from CaMV replication, DNA was extracted from inoculated onion leaves and analyzed by electrophoresis, blotting and hybridization. Molecules recovered two weeks after inoculation resembled those inoculated, indicating absence of replication. For the other species, we found no evidence of local spread of CaMV infections. Thus, many plant species resist systemic CaMV infection by preventing replication or local spread of CaMV, while others solely prevent systemic movement of infection.

  1. The interleukin 2 gene is expressed in the syncytiotrophoblast of the human placenta

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boehm, K.D.; Kelley, M.F.; Ilan, J.; Ilan, J.

    1989-01-01

    The lymphokine interleukin 2 is an important immune system regulatory glycopolypeptide. It is produced by antigen- or mitogen-stimulated T lymphocytes and is required for the proliferation or clonal expansion of activated T lymphocytes. In this report, it is demonstrated by RNA transfer blot hybridization that the poly(A) + RNA population of the human placenta contains a 0.85-kilobase RNA transcript that specifically hybridizes to a human interleukin 2 cDNA probe. By using hybridization histochemistry in situ, it is further shown that interleukin 2 RNA transcripts are localized, primarily, to the syncytial (syncytiotrophoblast) layer of the human placenta. Possible roles for syncytiotrophoblast-produced interleukin 2 are suggested and discussed

  2. Selection against recombinant hybrids maintains reproductive isolation in hybridizing Populus species despite F1 fertility and recurrent gene flow.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christe, Camille; Stölting, Kai N; Bresadola, Luisa; Fussi, Barbara; Heinze, Berthold; Wegmann, Daniel; Lexer, Christian

    2016-06-01

    Natural hybrid zones have proven to be precious tools for understanding the origin and maintenance of reproductive isolation (RI) and therefore species. Most available genomic studies of hybrid zones using whole- or partial-genome resequencing approaches have focused on comparisons of the parental source populations involved in genome admixture, rather than exploring fine-scale patterns of chromosomal ancestry across the full admixture gradient present between hybridizing species. We have studied three well-known European 'replicate' hybrid zones of Populus alba and P. tremula, two widespread, ecologically divergent forest trees, using up to 432 505 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) sequencing. Estimates of fine-scale chromosomal ancestry, genomic divergence and differentiation across all 19 poplar chromosomes revealed strikingly contrasting results, including an unexpected preponderance of F1 hybrids in the centre of genomic clines on the one hand, and genomically localized, spatially variable shared variants consistent with ancient introgression between the parental species on the other. Genetic ancestry had a significant effect on survivorship of hybrid seedlings in a common garden trial, pointing to selection against early-generation recombinants. Our results indicate a role for selection against recombinant genotypes in maintaining RI in the face of apparent F1 fertility, consistent with the intragenomic 'coadaptation' model of barriers to introgression upon secondary contact. Whole-genome resequencing of hybridizing populations will clarify the roles of specific genetic pathways in RI between these model forest trees and may reveal which loci are affected most strongly by its cyclic breakdown. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH) reveals a neo-X chromosome and biased gene movement in stalk-eyed flies (genus Teleopsis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Richard H; Wilkinson, Gerald S

    2010-09-16

    Chromosomal location has a significant effect on the evolutionary dynamics of genes involved in sexual dimorphism, impacting both the pattern of sex-specific gene expression and the rate of duplication and protein evolution for these genes. For nearly all non-model organisms, however, knowledge of chromosomal gene content is minimal and difficult to obtain on a genomic scale. In this study, we utilized Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH), using probes designed from EST sequence, to identify genes located on the X chromosome of four species in the stalk-eyed fly genus Teleopsis. Analysis of log(2) ratio values of female-to-male hybridization intensities from the CGH microarrays for over 3,400 genes reveals a strongly bimodal distribution that clearly differentiates autosomal from X-linked genes for all four species. Genotyping of 33 and linkage mapping of 28 of these genes in Teleopsis dalmanni indicate the CGH results correctly identified chromosomal location in all cases. Syntenic comparison with Drosophila indicates that 90% of the X-linked genes in Teleopsis are homologous to genes located on chromosome 2L in Drosophila melanogaster, suggesting the formation of a nearly complete neo-X chromosome from Muller element B in the dipteran lineage leading to Teleopsis. Analysis of gene movement both relative to Drosophila and within Teleopsis indicates that gene movement is significantly associated with 1) rates of protein evolution, 2) the pattern of gene duplication, and 3) the evolution of eyespan sexual dimorphism. Overall, this study reveals that diopsids are a critical group for understanding the evolution of sex chromosomes within Diptera. In addition, we demonstrate that CGH is a useful technique for identifying chromosomal sex-linkage and should be applicable to other organisms with EST or partial genomic information.

  4. Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH reveals a neo-X chromosome and biased gene movement in stalk-eyed flies (genus Teleopsis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard H Baker

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Chromosomal location has a significant effect on the evolutionary dynamics of genes involved in sexual dimorphism, impacting both the pattern of sex-specific gene expression and the rate of duplication and protein evolution for these genes. For nearly all non-model organisms, however, knowledge of chromosomal gene content is minimal and difficult to obtain on a genomic scale. In this study, we utilized Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH, using probes designed from EST sequence, to identify genes located on the X chromosome of four species in the stalk-eyed fly genus Teleopsis. Analysis of log(2 ratio values of female-to-male hybridization intensities from the CGH microarrays for over 3,400 genes reveals a strongly bimodal distribution that clearly differentiates autosomal from X-linked genes for all four species. Genotyping of 33 and linkage mapping of 28 of these genes in Teleopsis dalmanni indicate the CGH results correctly identified chromosomal location in all cases. Syntenic comparison with Drosophila indicates that 90% of the X-linked genes in Teleopsis are homologous to genes located on chromosome 2L in Drosophila melanogaster, suggesting the formation of a nearly complete neo-X chromosome from Muller element B in the dipteran lineage leading to Teleopsis. Analysis of gene movement both relative to Drosophila and within Teleopsis indicates that gene movement is significantly associated with 1 rates of protein evolution, 2 the pattern of gene duplication, and 3 the evolution of eyespan sexual dimorphism. Overall, this study reveals that diopsids are a critical group for understanding the evolution of sex chromosomes within Diptera. In addition, we demonstrate that CGH is a useful technique for identifying chromosomal sex-linkage and should be applicable to other organisms with EST or partial genomic information.

  5. Hybrid Fuel Cell Technology Overview

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None available

    2001-05-31

    For the purpose of this STI product and unless otherwise stated, hybrid fuel cell systems are power generation systems in which a high temperature fuel cell is combined with another power generating technology. The resulting system exhibits a synergism in which the combination performs with an efficiency far greater than can be provided by either system alone. Hybrid fuel cell designs under development include fuel cell with gas turbine, fuel cell with reciprocating (piston) engine, and designs that combine different fuel cell technologies. Hybrid systems have been extensively analyzed and studied over the past five years by the Department of Energy (DOE), industry, and others. These efforts have revealed that this combination is capable of providing remarkably high efficiencies. This attribute, combined with an inherent low level of pollutant emission, suggests that hybrid systems are likely to serve as the next generation of advanced power generation systems.

  6. Fine mapping of dominant X-linked incompatibility alleles in Drosophila hybrids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matute, Daniel R; Gavin-Smyth, Jackie

    2014-04-01

    Sex chromosomes have a large effect on reproductive isolation and play an important role in hybrid inviability. In Drosophila hybrids, X-linked genes have pronounced deleterious effects on fitness in male hybrids, which have only one X chromosome. Several studies have succeeded at locating and identifying recessive X-linked alleles involved in hybrid inviability. Nonetheless, the density of dominant X-linked alleles involved in interspecific hybrid viability remains largely unknown. In this report, we study the effects of a panel of small fragments of the D. melanogaster X-chromosome carried on the D. melanogaster Y-chromosome in three kinds of hybrid males: D. melanogaster/D. santomea, D. melanogaster/D. simulans and D. melanogaster/D. mauritiana. D. santomea and D. melanogaster diverged over 10 million years ago, while D. simulans (and D. mauritiana) diverged from D. melanogaster over 3 million years ago. We find that the X-chromosome from D. melanogaster carries dominant alleles that are lethal in mel/san, mel/sim, and mel/mau hybrids, and more of these alleles are revealed in the most divergent cross. We then compare these effects on hybrid viability with two D. melanogaster intraspecific crosses. Unlike the interspecific crosses, we found no X-linked alleles that cause lethality in intraspecific crosses. Our results reveal the existence of dominant alleles on the X-chromosome of D. melanogaster which cause lethality in three different interspecific hybrids. These alleles only cause inviability in hybrid males, yet have little effect in hybrid females. This suggests that X-linked elements that cause hybrid inviability in males might not do so in hybrid females due to differing sex chromosome interactions.

  7. Noise suppress or express exponential growth for hybrid Hopfield neural networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Song; Shen Yi; Chen Guici

    2010-01-01

    In this Letter, we will show that noise can make the given hybrid Hopfield neural networks whose solution may grows exponentially become the new stochastic hybrid Hopfield neural networks whose solution will grows at most polynomially. On the other hand, we will also show that noise can make the given hybrid Hopfield neural networks whose solution grows at most polynomially become the new stochastic hybrid Hopfield neural networks whose solution will grows at exponentially. In other words, we will reveal that the noise can suppress or express exponential growth for hybrid Hopfield neural networks.

  8. Carboxylated nitrile butadiene rubber/hybrid filler composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmad Mousa

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The surface properties of the OSW and NLS are measured with the dynamic contact-angle technique. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS of the OSW reveals that the OSW possesses various reactive functional groups namely hydroxyl groups (OH. Hybrid filler from NLS and OSW were incorporated into carboxylated nitrile rubber (XNBR to produce XNBR hybrid composites. The reaction of OH groups from the OSW with COOH of the XNBR is checked by attenuated total reflectance spectra (ATR-IR of the composites. The degree of curing ΔM (maximum torque-minimum torque as a function of hybrid filler as derived from moving die rheometer (MDR is reported. The stress-strain behavior of the hybrid composites as well as the dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA is studied. Bonding quality and dispersion of the hybrid filler with and in XNBR are examined using scanning-transmission electron microscopy (STEM in SEM.

  9. Anticorrosive organic/inorganic hybrid coatings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Tongzhai

    Organic/inorganic hybrid coating system was developed for anticorrosion applications using polyurea, polyurethane or epoxide as the organic phase and polysiloxane, formed by sol-gel process, as the inorganic phase. Polyurea/polysiloxane hybrid coatings were formulated and moisture cured using HDI isocyanurate, alkoxysilane-functionalized HDI isocyanurate, and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) oligomers. Two urethanes were prepared using the same components as abovementioned in addition to the oligoesters derived from either cyclohexane diacids (CHDA) and 2-butyl-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol (BEPD) or adipic acid (AA), isophthalic acid (IPA), 1,6-hexanediol (HD), and trimethylol propane (TMP). Accelerated weathering and outdoor exposure were performed to study the weatherability of the polyurethane/polysiloxane hybrid coating system. FTIR and solid-state 13C NMR revealed that the degradation of the hybrid coatings occurred at the urethane and ester functionalities of the organic phase. DMA and DSC analyses showed the glass transition temperature increased and broadened after weathering. SEM was employed to observe the change of morphology of the hybrid coatings and correlated with the gloss variation after weathering. Rutile TiO2 was formulated into polyurethane/polysiloxane hybrid coatings in order to investigate the effect of pigmentation on the coating properties and the sol-gel precursor. Chemical interaction between the TiO2 and the sol-gel precursor was investigated using solid-state 29Si NMR and XPS. The morphology, mechanical, viscoelastic, thermal properties of the pigmented coatings were evaluated as a function of pigmentation volume concentration (PVC). Using AFM and SEM, the pigment were observed to be well dispersed in the polymer matrix. The thermal stability, the tensile modulus and strength of the coatings were enhanced with increasing PVC, whereas the pull-off adhesion and flexibility were reduced with increasing PVC. Finally, the pigmented coatings were

  10. Hybrid-electric propulsion for automotive and aviation applications

    OpenAIRE

    Friedrich, C; Robertson, Paul Andrew

    2014-01-01

    In parallel with the automotive industry, hybrid-electric propulsion is becoming a viable alternative propulsion technology for the aviation sector and reveals potential advantages including fuel savings, lower pollution, and reduced noise emission. Hybrid-electric propulsion systems can take advantage of the synergy between two technologies by utilizing both internal combustion engines and electric motors together, each operating at their respective optimum conditions...

  11. Genetic molecular analysis of Coffea arabica (Rubiaceae hybrids using SRAP markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manoj Kumar Mishra

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available In Coffea arabica (arabica coffee, the phenotypic as well as genetic variability has been found low because of the narrow genetic basis and self fertile nature of the species. Because of high similarity in phenotypic appearance among the majority of arabica collections, selection of parental lines for inter-varietals hybridization and identification of resultant hybrids at an early stage of plant growth is difficult. DNA markers are known to be reliable in identifying closely related cultivars and hybrids. Sequence Related Amplified Polymorphism (SRAP is a new molecular marker technology developed based on PCR. In this paper, sixty arabica-hybrid progenies belonging to six crosses were analyzed using 31 highly polymorphic SRAP markers. The analysis revealed seven types of SRAP marker profiles which are useful in discriminating the parents and hybrids. The number of bands amplified per primer pair ranges from 6.13 to 8.58 with average number of seven bands. Among six hybrid combinations, percentage of bands shared between hybrids and their parents ranged from 66.29% to 85.71% with polymorphic bands varied from 27.64% to 60.0%. Percentage of hybrid specific fragments obtained in various hybrid combinations ranged from 0.71% to 10.86% and ascribed to the consequence of meiotic recombination. Based on the similarity index calculation, it was observed that F1 hybrids share maximum number of bands with the female parent compared to male parent. The results obtained in the present study revealed the effectiveness of SRAP technique in cultivar identification and hybrid analysis in this coffee species. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (2: 607-617. Epub 2011 June 01.

  12. Exploring the tensile strain energy absorption of hybrid modified epoxies containing soft particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abadyan, M.; Bagheri, R.; Kouchakzadeh, M.A.; Hosseini Kordkheili, S.A.

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → Two epoxy systems have been modified by combination of fine and coarse modifiers. → While both hybrid systems reveal synergistic K IC , no synergism is observed in tensile test. → It is found that coarse particles induce stress concentration in hybrid samples. → Stress concentration leads to fracture of samples at lower energy absorption levels. -- Abstract: In this paper, tensile strain energy absorption of two different hybrid modified epoxies has been systematically investigated. In one system, epoxy has been modified by amine-terminated butadiene acrylonitrile (ATBN) and hollow glass spheres as fine and coarse modifiers, respectively. The other hybrid epoxy has been modified by the combination of ATBN and recycled Tire particles. The results of fracture toughness measurement of blends revealed synergistic toughening for both hybrid systems in some formulations. However, no evidence of synergism is observed in tensile test of hybrid samples. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission optical microscope (TOM) and finite element (FEM) simulation were utilized to study deformation mechanisms of hybrid systems in tensile test. It is found that coarse particles induce stress concentration in hybrid samples. This produces non-uniform strain localized regions which lead to fracture of hybrid samples at lower tensile loading and energy absorption levels.

  13. Biological and mechanical evaluation of a Bio-Hybrid scaffold for autologous valve tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jahnavi, S [Stem Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, TN 600036 (India); Tissue Culture Laboratory, Biomedical Technology Wing, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Poojappura, Trivandrum, Kerala 695012 (India); Saravanan, U [Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, TN 600036 (India); Arthi, N [Stem Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, TN 600036 (India); Bhuvaneshwar, G S [Department of Engineering Design, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, TN 600036 (India); Kumary, T V [Tissue Culture Laboratory, Biomedical Technology Wing, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Poojappura, Trivandrum, Kerala 695012 (India); Rajan, S [Madras Medical Mission, Institute of Cardio-Vascular Diseases, Mogappair, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600037 (India); Verma, R S, E-mail: vermars@iitm.ac.in [Stem Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, TN 600036 (India)

    2017-04-01

    Major challenge in heart valve tissue engineering for paediatric patients is the development of an autologous valve with regenerative capacity. Hybrid tissue engineering approach is recently gaining popularity to design scaffolds with desired biological and mechanical properties that can remodel post implantation. In this study, we fabricated aligned nanofibrous Bio-Hybrid scaffold made of decellularized bovine pericardium: polycaprolactone-chitosan with optimized polymer thickness to yield the desired biological and mechanical properties. CD44{sup +}, αSMA{sup +}, Vimentin{sup +} and CD105{sup −} human valve interstitial cells were isolated and seeded on these Bio-Hybrid scaffolds. Subsequent biological evaluation revealed interstitial cell proliferation with dense extra cellular matrix deposition that indicated the viability for growth and proliferation of seeded cells on the scaffolds. Uniaxial mechanical tests along axial direction showed that the Bio-Hybrid scaffolds has at least 20 times the strength of the native valves and its stiffness is nearly 3 times more than that of native valves. Biaxial and uniaxial mechanical studies on valve interstitial cells cultured Bio-Hybrid scaffolds revealed that the response along the axial and circumferential direction was different, similar to native valves. Overall, our findings suggest that Bio-Hybrid scaffold is a promising material for future development of regenerative heart valve constructs in children. - Highlights: • We report detailed biological and mechanical investigations of a Bio-Hybrid scaffold. • Optimized polymer thickness yielded desired biological and mechanical properties. • Bio-Hybrid scaffold revealed hVIC proliferation with dense ECM deposition. • Biaxial testing indicated that Bio-Hybrid scaffolds are mechanically stronger than native valves. • Bio-Hybrid scaffold is a promising material for autologous valve tissue engineering.

  14. Bucking the trend in wolf-dog hybridization: first evidence from europe of hybridization between female dogs and male wolves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hindrikson, Maris; Männil, Peep; Ozolins, Janis; Krzywinski, Andrzej; Saarma, Urmas

    2012-01-01

    Studies on hybridization have proved critical for understanding key evolutionary processes such as speciation and adaptation. However, from the perspective of conservation, hybridization poses a concern, as it can threaten the integrity and fitness of many wild species, including canids. As a result of habitat fragmentation and extensive hunting pressure, gray wolf (Canis lupus) populations have declined dramatically in Europe and elsewhere during recent centuries. Small and fragmented populations have persisted, but often only in the presence of large numbers of dogs, which increase the potential for hybridization and introgression to deleteriously affect wolf populations. Here, we demonstrate hybridization between wolf and dog populations in Estonia and Latvia, and the role of both genders in the hybridization process, using combined analysis of maternal, paternal and biparental genetic markers. Eight animals exhibiting unusual external characteristics for wolves - six from Estonia and two from Latvia - proved to be wolf-dog hybrids. However, one of the hybridization events was extraordinary. Previous field observations and genetic studies have indicated that mating between wolves and dogs is sexually asymmetrical, occurring predominantly between female wolves and male dogs. While this was also the case among the Estonian hybrids, our data revealed the existence of dog mitochondrial genomes in the Latvian hybrids and, together with Y chromosome and autosomal microsatellite data, thus provided the first evidence from Europe of mating between male wolves and female dogs. We discuss patterns of sexual asymmetry in wolf-dog hybridization.

  15. Expression analysis of carbohydrate antigens in ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast by lectin histochemistry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Korourian, Soheila; Siegel, Eric; Kieber-Emmons, Thomas; Monzavi-Karbassi, Behjatolah

    2008-01-01

    The number of breast cancer patients diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) continues to grow. Laboratory and clinical data indicate that DCIS can progress to invasive disease. Carbohydrate-mediated cell-cell adhesion and tumor-stroma interaction play crucial roles in tumorigenesis and tumor aggressive behavior. Breast carcinogenesis may reflect quantitative as well as qualitative changes in oligosaccharide expression, which may provide a useful tool for early detection of breast cancer. Because tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACA) are implicated in tumor invasion and metastasis, the purpose of this study was to assess the expression of selected TACA by lectin histochemistry on DCIS specimens from the archival breast cancer tissue array bank of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. For detection of TACA expression, specimens were stained with Griffonia simplicifolia lectin-I (GS-I) and Vicia vilosa agglutinin (VVA). We studied associations of lectin reactivity with established prognostic factors, such as tumor size, tumor nuclear grade, and expression of Her-2/neu, p53 mutant and estrogen and progesterone receptors. We observed that both lectins showed significant associations with nuclear grade of DCIS. DCIS specimens with nuclear grades II and III showed significantly more intense reactivity than DCIS cases with nuclear grade I to GS-1 (Mean-score chi-square = 17.60, DF = 2; P = 0.0002) and VVA (Mean-score chi-square = 15.72, DF = 2; P = 0.0004). The results suggest that the expression of VVA- and GS-I-reactive carbohydrate antigens may contribute to forming higher grade DCIS and increase the recurrence risk

  16. Multifaceted, cross-generational costs of hybridization in sibling Drosophila species.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erin M Myers

    Full Text Available Maladaptive hybridization, as determined by the pattern and intensity of selection against hybrid individuals, is an important factor contributing to the evolution of prezygotic reproductive isolation. To identify the consequences of hybridization between Drosophila pseudoobscura and D. persimilis, we estimated multiple fitness components for F1 hybrids and backcross progeny and used these to compare the relative fitness of parental species and their hybrids across two generations. We document many sources of intrinsic (developmental and extrinsic (ecological selection that dramatically increase the fitness costs of hybridization beyond the well-documented F1 male sterility in this model system. Our results indicate that the cost of hybridization accrues over multiple generations and reinforcement in this system is driven by selection against hybridization above and beyond the cost of hybrid male sterility; we estimate a fitness loss of >95% relative to the parental species across two generations of hybridization. Our findings demonstrate the importance of estimating hybridization costs using multiple fitness measures from multiple generations in an ecologically relevant context; so doing can reveal intense postzygotic selection against hybridization and thus, an enhanced role for reinforcement in the evolution of populations and diversification of species.

  17. Multifaceted, cross-generational costs of hybridization in sibling Drosophila species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myers, Erin M; Harwell, Tiffany I; Yale, Elizabeth L; Lamb, Abigail M; Frankino, W Anthony

    2013-01-01

    Maladaptive hybridization, as determined by the pattern and intensity of selection against hybrid individuals, is an important factor contributing to the evolution of prezygotic reproductive isolation. To identify the consequences of hybridization between Drosophila pseudoobscura and D. persimilis, we estimated multiple fitness components for F1 hybrids and backcross progeny and used these to compare the relative fitness of parental species and their hybrids across two generations. We document many sources of intrinsic (developmental) and extrinsic (ecological) selection that dramatically increase the fitness costs of hybridization beyond the well-documented F1 male sterility in this model system. Our results indicate that the cost of hybridization accrues over multiple generations and reinforcement in this system is driven by selection against hybridization above and beyond the cost of hybrid male sterility; we estimate a fitness loss of >95% relative to the parental species across two generations of hybridization. Our findings demonstrate the importance of estimating hybridization costs using multiple fitness measures from multiple generations in an ecologically relevant context; so doing can reveal intense postzygotic selection against hybridization and thus, an enhanced role for reinforcement in the evolution of populations and diversification of species.

  18. Electrokinetic acceleration of DNA hybridization in microsystems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lei, Kin Fong; Wang, Yun-Hsiang; Chen, Huai-Yi; Sun, Jia-Hong; Cheng, Ji-Yen

    2015-06-01

    In this work, electrokinetic acceleration of DNA hybridization was investigated by different combinations of frequencies and amplitudes of actuating electric signals. Because the frequencies from low to high can induce different kinds of electrokinetic forces, i.e., electroosmotic to electrothermal forces, this work provides an in-depth investigation of electrokinetic enhanced hybridization. Concentric circular Cr/Au microelectrodes of 350 µm in diameter were fabricated on a glass substrate and probe DNA was immobilized on the electrode surface. Target DNA labeled with fluorescent dyes suspending in solution was then applied to the electrode. Different electrokinetic forces were induced by the application of different electric signals to the circular microelectrodes. Local microfluidic vortexes were generated to increase the collision efficiency between the target DNA suspending in solution and probe DNA immobilized on the electrode surface. DNA hybridization on the electrode surface could be accelerated by the electrokinetic forces. The level of hybridization was represented by the fluorescent signal intensity ratio. Results revealed that such 5-min dynamic hybridization increased 4.5 fold of signal intensity ratio as compared to a 1-h static hybridization. Moreover, dynamic hybridization was found to have better differentiation ability between specific and non-specific target DNA. This study provides a strategy to accelerate DNA hybridization in microsystems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Rin4 causes hybrid necrosis and race-specific resistance in an interspecific lettuce hybrid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeuken, Marieke J W; Zhang, Ningwen W; McHale, Leah K; Pelgrom, Koen; den Boer, Erik; Lindhout, Pim; Michelmore, Richard W; Visser, Richard G F; Niks, Rients E

    2009-10-01

    Some inter- and intraspecific crosses may result in reduced viability or sterility in the offspring, often due to genetic incompatibilities resulting from interactions between two or more loci. Hybrid necrosis is a postzygotic genetic incompatibility that is phenotypically manifested as necrotic lesions on the plant. We observed hybrid necrosis in interspecific lettuce (Lactuca sativa and Lactuca saligna) hybrids that correlated with resistance to downy mildew. Segregation analysis revealed a specific allelic combination at two interacting loci to be responsible. The allelic interaction had two consequences: (1) a quantitative temperature-dependent autoimmunity reaction leading to necrotic lesions, lethality, and quantitative resistance to an otherwise virulent race of Bremia lactucae; and (2) a qualitative temperature-independent race-specific resistance to an avirulent race of B. lactucae. We demonstrated by transient expression and silencing experiments that one of the two interacting genes was Rin4. In Arabidopsis thaliana, RIN4 is known to interact with multiple R gene products, and their interactions result in hypersensitive resistance to Pseudomonas syringae. Site-directed mutation studies on the necrosis-eliciting allele of Rin4 in lettuce showed that three residues were critical for hybrid necrosis.

  20. Design, analysis and modeling of a novel hybrid powertrain system based on hybridized automated manual transmission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Guang; Dong, Zuomin

    2017-09-01

    Hybrid electric vehicles are widely accepted as a promising short to mid-term technical solution due to noticeably improved efficiency and lower emissions at competitive costs. In recent years, various hybrid powertrain systems were proposed and implemented based on different types of conventional transmission. Power-split system, including Toyota Hybrid System and Ford Hybrid System, are well-known examples. However, their relatively low torque capacity, and the drive of alternative and more advanced designs encouraged other innovative hybrid system designs. In this work, a new type of hybrid powertrain system based hybridized automated manual transmission (HAMT) is proposed. By using the concept of torque gap filler (TGF), this new hybrid powertrain type has the potential to overcome issue of torque gap during gearshift. The HAMT design (patent pending) is described in details, from gear layout and design of gear ratios (EV mode and HEV mode) to torque paths at different gears. As an analytical tool, mutli-body model of vehicle equipped with this HAMT was built to analyze powertrain dynamics at various steady and transient modes. A gearshift was decomposed and analyzed based basic modes. Furthermore, a Simulink-SimDriveline hybrid vehicle model was built for the new transmission, driveline and vehicle modular. Control strategy has also been built to harmonically coordinate different powertrain components to realize TGF function. A vehicle launch simulation test has been completed under 30% of accelerator pedal position to reveal details during gearshift. Simulation results showed that this HAMT can eliminate most torque gap that has been persistent issue of traditional AMT, improving both drivability and performance. This work demonstrated a new type of transmission that features high torque capacity, high efficiency and improved drivability.

  1. What controls the hybridization thermodynamics of spherical nucleic acids?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randeria, Pratik S; Jones, Matthew R; Kohlstedt, Kevin L; Banga, Resham J; Olvera de la Cruz, Monica; Schatz, George C; Mirkin, Chad A

    2015-03-18

    The hybridization of free oligonucleotides to densely packed, oriented arrays of DNA modifying the surfaces of spherical nucleic acid (SNA)-gold nanoparticle conjugates occurs with negative cooperativity; i.e., each binding event destabilizes subsequent binding events. DNA hybridization is thus an ever-changing function of the number of strands already hybridized to the particle. Thermodynamic quantification of this behavior reveals a 3 orders of magnitude decrease in the binding constant for the capture of a free oligonucleotide by an SNA conjugate as the fraction of pre-hybridized strands increases from 0 to ∼30%. Increasing the number of pre-hybridized strands imparts an increasing enthalpic penalty to hybridization that makes binding more difficult, while simultaneously decreasing the entropic penalty to hybridization, which makes binding more favorable. Hybridization of free DNA to an SNA is thus governed by both an electrostatic barrier as the SNA accumulates charge with additional binding events and an effect consistent with allostery, where hybridization at certain sites on an SNA modify the binding affinity at a distal site through conformational changes to the remaining single strands. Leveraging these insights allows for the design of conjugates that hybridize free strands with significantly higher efficiencies, some of which approach 100%.

  2. Relative biocompatibility of micro-hybrid and nano-hybrid light-activated composite resins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olabisi Arigbede, Abiodun; Folasade Adeyemi, Bukola; Femi-Akinlosotu, Omowumi

    2017-01-01

    Background. In vitro studies have revealed a direct association between resin content and cytotoxicity of composite resins; however, implantation studies in this regard are sparse. This study investigates the relationship between filler content of composite resins and biocompatibility. Methods. This research employed twelve 180‒200-gr male Wistar rats, 1 nano-hybrid (Prime-Dent Inc.) and 1 micro-hybrid (Medental Inc.) composite resins containing 74% and 80‒90% filler content, respectively. The samples were assessed on the 2nd, 14th and 90th day of implantation. Four rats were allocated to each day in this experimental study. A section of 1.5mm long cured nano-hybrid and micro-hybrid materials were implanted into the right and left upper and lower limbs of the rats, respectively. Eight samples were generated on each day of observation. Inflammation was graded according to the criteria suggested by Orstavik and Major. Pearson's chi-squared test was employed to determine the relationship between the tissue responses of the two materials. Statistical significance was set at P resin had a score of 3.0 for cellular inflammation. On the 14th day, the micro-hybrid resin also exhibited a lower average grade for cellular inflammation. On the 90th day, the micro-hybrid resin had a higher grade of inflammation (0.9) compared to 0.3 recorded for nano-hybrid. The composite resins with higher filler content elicited a significantly lower grade of inflammation irrespective of the duration (χ=20.000, df=8, P=0.010) while the composite resins with lower filler content elicited a significantly lower inflammatory response on the 90th day (χ=4.000, df=1, P=0.046). Conclusion. The composite resins with higher filler content generally elicited significantly lower grades of inflammation, and the composite resins with lower filler content exhibited significantly lower inflammatory response on the 90th day of implantation.

  3. Performance estimation of photovoltaic–thermoelectric hybrid systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Jin; Xuan, Yimin; Yang, Lili

    2014-01-01

    A theoretical model for evaluating the efficiency of concentrating PV–TE (photovoltaic–thermoelectric) hybrid system is developed in this paper. Hybrid systems with different photovoltaic cells are studied, including crystalline silicon photovoltaic cell, silicon thin-film photovoltaic cell, polymer photovoltaic cell and copper indium gallium selenide photovoltaic cell. The influence of temperature on the efficiency of photovoltaic cell has been taken into account based on the semiconductor equations, which reveals different efficiency temperature characteristic of polymer photovoltaic cells. It is demonstrated that the polycrystalline silicon thin-film photovoltaic cell is suitable for concentrating PV–TE hybrid system through optimization of the convection heat transfer coefficient and concentrating ratio. The polymer photovoltaic cell is proved to be suitable for non-concentrating PV–TE hybrid system. - Highlights: • Performances of four types of photovoltaic–thermoelectric hybrid systems are studied. • Temperature is one of dominant factors of affecting the conversion efficiency of PV–TE systems. • One can select a proper PV–TE assembly system according to given operating conditions

  4. Genomic constitution of Festuca x Lolium hybrids revealed by the DArTFest array

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kopecký, David; Bartoš, Jan; Christelová, Pavla; Černoch, V.; Kilian, A.; Doležel, Jaroslav

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 122, č. 2 (2011), s. 355-363 ISSN 0040-5752 R&D Projects: GA MZe QH71267; GA ČR GP521/07/P479 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : IN-SITU HYBRIDIZATION * GENETIC-LINKAGE MAP * PRATENSIS HUDS Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 3.297, year: 2011

  5. Rin4 Causes Hybrid Necrosis and Race-Specific Resistance in an Interspecific Lettuce Hybrid[W

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeuken, Marieke J.W.; Zhang, Ningwen W.; McHale, Leah K.; Pelgrom, Koen; den Boer, Erik; Lindhout, Pim; Michelmore, Richard W.; Visser, Richard G.F.; Niks, Rients E.

    2009-01-01

    Some inter- and intraspecific crosses may result in reduced viability or sterility in the offspring, often due to genetic incompatibilities resulting from interactions between two or more loci. Hybrid necrosis is a postzygotic genetic incompatibility that is phenotypically manifested as necrotic lesions on the plant. We observed hybrid necrosis in interspecific lettuce (Lactuca sativa and Lactuca saligna) hybrids that correlated with resistance to downy mildew. Segregation analysis revealed a specific allelic combination at two interacting loci to be responsible. The allelic interaction had two consequences: (1) a quantitative temperature-dependent autoimmunity reaction leading to necrotic lesions, lethality, and quantitative resistance to an otherwise virulent race of Bremia lactucae; and (2) a qualitative temperature-independent race-specific resistance to an avirulent race of B. lactucae. We demonstrated by transient expression and silencing experiments that one of the two interacting genes was Rin4. In Arabidopsis thaliana, RIN4 is known to interact with multiple R gene products, and their interactions result in hypersensitive resistance to Pseudomonas syringae. Site-directed mutation studies on the necrosis-eliciting allele of Rin4 in lettuce showed that three residues were critical for hybrid necrosis. PMID:19855048

  6. High rates of hybridisation reveal fragile reproductive barriers between endangered Australian sea snakes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sanders, Kate L; Redsted Rasmussen, Arne; Guinea, Michael L.

    2014-01-01

    designations, but revealed high frequencies of hybrids on all four reefs and individuals of pure A. fuscus ancestry only at Scott and (historically) Ashmore. Most unexpectedly, 95% of snakes sampled at Hibernia were hybrids that resembled A. laevis in phenotype, revealing a collapse of reproductive barriers...... (‘reverse speciation’) at this reef. These results have dire implications for the conservation status of A. fuscus, and highlight the fragility of reproductive barriers in a recent marine radiation....

  7. Expression analysis of carbohydrate antigens in ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast by lectin histochemistry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kieber-Emmons Thomas

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The number of breast cancer patients diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS continues to grow. Laboratory and clinical data indicate that DCIS can progress to invasive disease. Carbohydrate-mediated cell-cell adhesion and tumor-stroma interaction play crucial roles in tumorigenesis and tumor aggressive behavior. Breast carcinogenesis may reflect quantitative as well as qualitative changes in oligosaccharide expression, which may provide a useful tool for early detection of breast cancer. Because tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACA are implicated in tumor invasion and metastasis, the purpose of this study was to assess the expression of selected TACA by lectin histochemistry on DCIS specimens from the archival breast cancer tissue array bank of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Methods For detection of TACA expression, specimens were stained with Griffonia simplicifolia lectin-I (GS-I and Vicia vilosa agglutinin (VVA. We studied associations of lectin reactivity with established prognostic factors, such as tumor size, tumor nuclear grade, and expression of Her-2/neu, p53 mutant and estrogen and progesterone receptors. Results We observed that both lectins showed significant associations with nuclear grade of DCIS. DCIS specimens with nuclear grades II and III showed significantly more intense reactivity than DCIS cases with nuclear grade I to GS-1 (Mean-score chi-square = 17.60, DF = 2; P = 0.0002 and VVA (Mean-score chi-square = 15.72, DF = 2; P = 0.0004. Conclusion The results suggest that the expression of VVA- and GS-I-reactive carbohydrate antigens may contribute to forming higher grade DCIS and increase the recurrence risk.

  8. Differential expression of mRNAs for protein kinase inhibitor isoforms in mouse brain.

    OpenAIRE

    Seasholtz, A F; Gamm, D M; Ballestero, R P; Scarpetta, M A; Uhler, M D

    1995-01-01

    Many neurotransmitters are known to regulate neuronal cell function by means of activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and phosphorylation of neuronal substrate proteins, including transcription factors and ion channels. Here, we have characterized the gene expression of two isoforms of a protein kinase inhibitor (PKI) specific for PKA in mouse brain by RNase protection and in situ hybridization histochemistry. The studies demonstrate that the PKI alpha isoform is abundant in many ...

  9. ‘Some strange monster of the isle’: l’hybride dans The Tempest ‘Some strange monster of the isle’: the Hybrid in Perspective in The Tempest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pascale Drouet

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available This article focuses on the hybrid and how it is put into perspective on Prospero’s island. First Caliban is examined as both a biological and cultural hybrid pervading the imaginary field and as the touchstone of the related dialectics of rejection and appropriation. Then, from a metaphorical point of view, Prospero’s island is regarded as a cabinet of curiosities in which hybrid creatures—of which Caliban is one—fill the castaways with either wonder or horror; Prospero’s project and that of creators of cabinets as “encyclopaedias of the visible world” (Evans’ phrase may hence be paralleled. Finally, the hybrid as revealing hubris, Prospero’s “Promethean attitude” (Hadot’s term and the irreducible quality of the hybrid are examined.

  10. Zebrafish syntenic relationship to human/mouse genomes revealed by radiation hybrid mapping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samonte, Irene E.

    2007-01-01

    Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an excellent model system for vertebrate developmental analysis and a new model for human disorders. In this study, however, zebrafish was used to determine its syntenic relationship to human/mouse genomes using the zebrafish-hamster radiation hybrid panel. The focus was on genes residing on chromosomes 6 and 17 of human and mouse, respectively, and some other genes of either immunologic or evolutionary importance. Gene sequences of interest and zebrafish expressed sequence tags deposited in the GenBank were used in identifying zebrafish homologs. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, cloning and subcloning, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis were done to confirm the homology of the candidate genes in zebrafish. The promising markers were then tested in the 94 zebrafish-hamster radiation hybrid panel cell lines and submitted for logarithm of the odds (LOD) score analysis to position genes on the zebrafish map. A total of 19 loci were successfully mapped to zebrafish linkage groups 1, 14, 15, 19, and 20. Four of these loci were positioned in linkage group 20, whereas, 3 more loci were added in linkage group 19, thus increasing to 34 loci the number of human genes syntenic to the group. With the sequencing of the zebrafish genome, about 20 more MHC genes were reported linked on the same group. (Author)

  11. Fluorescence in situ hybridization karyotyping reveals the presence of two distinct genomes in the taxon Aegilops tauschii

    OpenAIRE

    Zhao, Laibin; Ning, Shunzong; Yi, Yingjin; Zhang, Lianquan; Yuan, Zhongwei; Wang, Jirui; Zheng, Youliang; Hao, Ming; Liu, Dengcai

    2018-01-01

    Background Aegilops tauschii is the donor of the bread wheat D genome. Based on spike morphology, the taxon has conventionally been subdivided into ssp. tauschii and ssp. strangulata. The present study was intended to address the poor match between this whole plant morphology-based subdivision and genetic relationships inferred from genotyping by fluorescence in situ hybridization karyotyping a set of 31 Ae. tauschii accessions. Results The distribution of sites hybridizing to the two probes ...

  12. Properties of halloysite nanotube-epoxy resin hybrids and the interfacial reactions in the systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu Mingxian; Guo Baochun; Du Mingliang; Cai Xiaojia; Jia Demin [Department of Polymer Materials and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

    2007-11-14

    A naturally occurred microtubullar silicate, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), was co-cured with epoxy/cyanate ester resin to form organic-inorganic hybrids. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the hybrids with low HNT concentration was found to be substantially lower than that of the plain cured resin. The moduli of the hybrids in the glassy state and rubbery state were significantly higher than those for the plain cured resin. The dispersion of HNTs in the resin matrix was very uniform as revealed by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results. The interfacial reactions between the HNTs and cyanate ester (CE) were revealed by the results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The substantially increased properties of the hybrids were attributed to the covalent bonding between the nanotubes and the matrix.

  13. Properties of halloysite nanotube-epoxy resin hybrids and the interfacial reactions in the systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Mingxian; Guo Baochun; Du Mingliang; Cai Xiaojia; Jia Demin

    2007-01-01

    A naturally occurred microtubullar silicate, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), was co-cured with epoxy/cyanate ester resin to form organic-inorganic hybrids. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the hybrids with low HNT concentration was found to be substantially lower than that of the plain cured resin. The moduli of the hybrids in the glassy state and rubbery state were significantly higher than those for the plain cured resin. The dispersion of HNTs in the resin matrix was very uniform as revealed by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results. The interfacial reactions between the HNTs and cyanate ester (CE) were revealed by the results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The substantially increased properties of the hybrids were attributed to the covalent bonding between the nanotubes and the matrix

  14. Effect of surface modification and hybridization on dynamic ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Epoxy; Roystonea regia; glass; surface modification; hybridization; dynamic mechanical ... other advantages such as light weight, low cost, high specific ... ful technique to study the mechanical behaviour of mate- ... The test reveals response.

  15. Self-organizing bioinspired oligothiophene–oligopeptide hybrids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexey K. Shaytan

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available In this minireview, we survey recent advances in the synthesis, characterization, and modeling of new oligothiophene–oligopeptide hybrids capable of forming nanostructured fibrillar aggregates in solution and on solid substrates. Compounds of this class are promising for applications because their self-assembly and stimuli-responsive properties, provided by the peptide moieties combined with the semiconducting properties of the thiophene blocks, can result in novel opportunities for the design of advanced smart materials. These bio-inspired molecular hybrids are experimentally shown to form stable fibrils as visualized by AFM and TEM. While the experimental evidence alone is not sufficient to reveal the exact molecular organization of the fibrils, theoretical approaches based on quantum chemistry calculations and large-scale atomistic molecular dynamics simulations are attempted in an effort to reveal the structure of the fibrils at the nanoscale. Based on the combined theoretical and experimental analysis, the most likely models of fibril formation and aggregation are suggested.

  16. Nonadditive protein accumulation patterns in Maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids during embryo development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcon, Caroline; Schützenmeister, André; Schütz, Wolfgang; Madlung, Johannes; Piepho, Hans-Peter; Hochholdinger, Frank

    2010-12-03

    Heterosis describes the superior performance of heterozygous F(1)-hybrid plants compared to their homozygous parental inbred lines. In the present study, heterosis was detected for length, weight, and the time point of seminal root primordia initiation in maize (Zea mays L.) embryos of the reciprocal F(1)-hybrids UH005xUH250 and UH250xUH005. A two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) proteome survey of the most abundant proteins of the reciprocal hybrids and their parental inbred lines 25 and 35 days after pollination revealed that 141 of 597 detected proteins (24%) exhibited nonadditive accumulation in at least one hybrid. Approximately 44% of all nonadditively accumulated proteins displayed an expression pattern that was not distinguishable from the low parent value. Electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) analyses and subsequent functional classification of the 141 proteins revealed that development, protein metabolism, redox-regulation, glycolysis, and amino acid metabolism were the most prominent functional classes among nonadditively accumulated proteins. In 35-day-old embryos of the hybrid UH250xUH005, a significant up-regulation of enzymes related to glucose metabolism which often exceeded the best parent values was observed. A comparison of nonadditive protein accumulation between rice and maize embryo data sets revealed a significant overlap of nonadditively accumulated proteins suggesting conserved organ- or tissue-specific regulatory mechanisms in monocots related to heterosis.

  17. Hybrid mimics and hybrid vigor in Arabidopsis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Li; Greaves, Ian K.; Groszmann, Michael; Wu, Li Min; Dennis, Elizabeth S.; Peacock, W. James

    2015-01-01

    F1 hybrids can outperform their parents in yield and vegetative biomass, features of hybrid vigor that form the basis of the hybrid seed industry. The yield advantage of the F1 is lost in the F2 and subsequent generations. In Arabidopsis, from F2 plants that have a F1-like phenotype, we have by recurrent selection produced pure breeding F5/F6 lines, hybrid mimics, in which the characteristics of the F1 hybrid are stabilized. These hybrid mimic lines, like the F1 hybrid, have larger leaves than the parent plant, and the leaves have increased photosynthetic cell numbers, and in some lines, increased size of cells, suggesting an increased supply of photosynthate. A comparison of the differentially expressed genes in the F1 hybrid with those of eight hybrid mimic lines identified metabolic pathways altered in both; these pathways include down-regulation of defense response pathways and altered abiotic response pathways. F6 hybrid mimic lines are mostly homozygous at each locus in the genome and yet retain the large F1-like phenotype. Many alleles in the F6 plants, when they are homozygous, have expression levels different to the level in the parent. We consider this altered expression to be a consequence of transregulation of genes from one parent by genes from the other parent. Transregulation could also arise from epigenetic modifications in the F1. The pure breeding hybrid mimics have been valuable in probing the mechanisms of hybrid vigor and may also prove to be useful hybrid vigor equivalents in agriculture. PMID:26283378

  18. Expression of a serine protease (motopsin PRSS12) mRNA in the mouse brain: in situ hybridization histochemical study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iijima, N; Tanaka, M; Mitsui, S; Yamamura, Y; Yamaguchi, N; Ibata, Y

    1999-03-20

    Serine proteases are considered to play several important roles in the brain. In an attempt to find novel brain-specific serine proteases (BSSPs), motopsin (PRSS-12) was cloned from a mouse brain cDNA library by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the postnatal 10-day mouse brain contained the most amount of motopsin mRNA. At this developmental stage, in situ hybridization histochemistry showed that motopsin mRNA was specifically expressed in the following regions: cerebral cortical layers II/III, V and VIb, endopiriform cortex and the limbic system, particularly in the CA1 region of the hippocampal formation. In addition, in the brainstem, the oculomotor nucleus, trochlear nucleus, mecencephalic and motor nuclei of trigeminal nerve (N), abducens nucleus, facial nucleus, nucleus of the raphe pontis, dorsoral motor nucleus of vagal N, hypoglossal nucleus and ambiguus nucleus showed motopsin mRNA expression. Expression was also found in the anterior horn of the spinal cord. The above findings strongly suggest that neurons in almost all motor nuclei, particularly in the brainstem and spinal cord, express motopsin mRNA, and that motopsin seems to have a close relation to the functional role of efferent neurons. Copyright 1999 Elsevier Science B.V.

  19. Patterns of Limnohabitans Microdiversity across a Large Set of Freshwater Habitats as Revealed by Reverse Line Blot Hybridization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jezbera, Jan; Jezberová, Jitka; Kasalický, Vojtěch; Šimek, Karel; Hahn, Martin W.

    2013-01-01

    Among abundant freshwater Betaproteobacteria, only few groups are considered to be of central ecological importance. One of them is the well-studied genus Limnohabitans and mainly its R-BT subcluster, investigated previously mainly by fluorescence in situ hybridization methods. We designed, based on sequences from a large Limnohabitans culture collection, 18 RLBH (Reverse Line Blot Hybridization) probes specific for different groups within the genus Limnohabitans by targeting diagnostic sequences on their 16 S–23 S rRNA ITS regions. The developed probes covered in sum 92% of the available isolates. This set of probes was applied to environmental DNA originating from 161 different European standing freshwater habitats to reveal the microdiversity (intra-genus) patterns of the Limnohabitans genus along a pH gradient. Investigated habitats differed in various physicochemical parameters, and represented a very broad range of standing freshwater habitats. The Limnohabitans microdiversity, assessed as number of RLBH-defined groups detected, increased significantly along the gradient of rising pH of habitats. 14 out of 18 probes returned detection signals that allowed predictions on the distribution of distinct Limnohabitans groups. Most probe-defined Limnohabitans groups showed preferences for alkaline habitats, one for acidic, and some seemed to lack preferences. Complete niche-separation was indicated for some of the probe-targeted groups. Moreover, bimodal distributions observed for some groups of Limnohabitans, suggested further niche separation between genotypes within the same probe-defined group. Statistical analyses suggested that different environmental parameters such as pH, conductivity, oxygen and altitude influenced the distribution of distinct groups. The results of our study do not support the hypothesis that the wide ecological distribution of Limnohabitans bacteria in standing freshwater habitats results from generalist adaptations of these bacteria

  20. Patterns of Limnohabitans microdiversity across a large set of freshwater habitats as revealed by Reverse Line Blot Hybridization.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan Jezbera

    Full Text Available Among abundant freshwater Betaproteobacteria, only few groups are considered to be of central ecological importance. One of them is the well-studied genus Limnohabitans and mainly its R-BT subcluster, investigated previously mainly by fluorescence in situ hybridization methods. We designed, based on sequences from a large Limnohabitans culture collection, 18 RLBH (Reverse Line Blot Hybridization probes specific for different groups within the genus Limnohabitans by targeting diagnostic sequences on their 16 S-23 S rRNA ITS regions. The developed probes covered in sum 92% of the available isolates. This set of probes was applied to environmental DNA originating from 161 different European standing freshwater habitats to reveal the microdiversity (intra-genus patterns of the Limnohabitans genus along a pH gradient. Investigated habitats differed in various physicochemical parameters, and represented a very broad range of standing freshwater habitats. The Limnohabitans microdiversity, assessed as number of RLBH-defined groups detected, increased significantly along the gradient of rising pH of habitats. 14 out of 18 probes returned detection signals that allowed predictions on the distribution of distinct Limnohabitans groups. Most probe-defined Limnohabitans groups showed preferences for alkaline habitats, one for acidic, and some seemed to lack preferences. Complete niche-separation was indicated for some of the probe-targeted groups. Moreover, bimodal distributions observed for some groups of Limnohabitans, suggested further niche separation between genotypes within the same probe-defined group. Statistical analyses suggested that different environmental parameters such as pH, conductivity, oxygen and altitude influenced the distribution of distinct groups. The results of our study do not support the hypothesis that the wide ecological distribution of Limnohabitans bacteria in standing freshwater habitats results from generalist adaptations of

  1. Heteroplasmon hybridization in stacked complementary plasmo-photonic crystals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwanaga, Masanobu; Choi, Bongseok

    2015-03-11

    We constructed plasmo-photonic crystals in which efficient light-trapping, plasmonic resonances couple with photonic guided resonances of large density of states and high-quality factor. We have numerically and experimentally shown that heteroplasmon hybrid modes emerge in stacked complementary (SC) plasmo-photonic crystals. The resonant electromagnetic-field distributions evidence that the two hybrid modes originate from two different heteroplasmons, exhibiting a large energy splitting of 300 meV. We further revealed a series of plasmo-photonic modes in the SC crystals.

  2. Astrocyte cultures derived from human brain tissue express angiotensinogen mRNA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Milsted, A.; Barna, B.P.; Ransohoff, R.M.; Brosnihan, K.B.; Ferrario, C.M.

    1990-01-01

    The authors have identified human cultured cell lines that are useful for studying angiotensinogen gene expression and its regulation in the central nervous system. A model cell system of human central nervous system origin expressing angiotensinogen has not previously been available. Expression of angiotensinogen mRNA appears to be a basal property of noninduced human astrocytes, since astrocytic cell lines derived from human glioblastomas or nonneoplastic human brain tissue invariably produced angiotensinogen mRNA. In situ hybridization histochemistry revealed that angiotensinogen mRNA production was not limited to a subpopulation of astrocytes because >99% of cells in these cultures contained angiotensinogen mRNA. These cell lines will be useful in studies of the molecular mechanisms controlling angiotensin synthesis and the role of biologically active angiotensin in the human brain by allowing the authors to examine regulation of expression of the renin-angiotensin system in human astrocyte cultures

  3. Toxicology of organic-inorganic hybrid molecules: bio-organometallics and its toxicology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujie, Tomoya; Hara, Takato; Kaji, Toshiyuki

    2016-01-01

    Bio-organometallics is a research strategy of biology that uses organic-inorganic hybrid molecules. The molecules are expected to exhibit useful bioactivities based on the unique structure formed by interaction between the organic structure and intramolecular metal(s). However, studies on both biology and toxicology of organic-inorganic hybrid molecules have been incompletely performed. There can be two types of toxicological studies of bio-organometallics; one is evaluation of organic-inorganic hybrid molecules and the other is analysis of biological systems from the viewpoint of toxicology using organic-inorganic hybrid molecules. Our recent studies indicate that cytotoxicity of hybrid molecules containing a metal that is nontoxic in inorganic forms can be more toxic than that of hybrid molecules containing a metal that is toxic in inorganic forms when the structure of the ligand is the same. Additionally, it was revealed that organic-inorganic hybrid molecules are useful for analysis of biological systems important for understanding the toxicity of chemical compounds including heavy metals.

  4. Stabilization process in Saccharomyces intra and interspecific hybrids in fermentative conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Través, Laura; Lopes, Christian A; Barrio, Eladio; Querol, Amparo

    2014-12-01

    We evaluated the genetic stabilization of artificial intra- (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and interspecific (S. cerevisiae × S. kudriavzevii) hybrids under wine fermentative conditions. Large-scale transitions in genome size and genome reorganizations were observed during this process. Interspecific hybrids seem to need fewer generations to reach genetic stability than intraspecific hybrids. The largest number of molecular patterns recovered among the derived clones was observed for intraspecific hybrids, particularly for those obtained by rare-mating. Molecular marker analyses revealed that unstable clones could change during the industrial process to obtain active dry yeast. When no changes in molecular markers and ploidy were observed after this process, no changes in genetic composition were confirmed by comparative genome hybridization, considering the clone as a stable hybrid. According to our results, under these conditions, fermentation steps 3 and 5 (30-50 generations) would suffice to obtain genetically stable interspecific and intraspecific hybrids, respectively. Copyright© by the Spanish Society for Microbiology and Institute for Catalan Studies.

  5. Long-range hybrid ridge and trench plasmonic waveguides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bian, Yusheng [State Key Laboratory for Mesoscopic Physics, Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Gong, Qihuang, E-mail: qhgong@pku.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Mesoscopic Physics, Department of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing 100871 (China)

    2014-06-23

    We report a class of long-range hybrid plasmon polariton waveguides capable of simultaneously achieving low propagation loss and tight field localization at telecommunication wavelength. The symmetric (quasi-symmetric) hybrid configurations featuring high-refractive-index-contrast near the non-uniform metallic nanostructures enable significantly improved optical performance over conventional hybrid waveguides, exhibiting considerably longer propagation distances and dramatically enhanced figure of merits for similar degrees of confinement. Compared to their traditional long-range plasmonic counterparts, the proposed hybrid waveguides put much less stringent requirements on index-matching conditions, demonstrating nice performance under a wide range of physical dimensions and robust characteristics against certain fabrication imperfections. Studies concerning crosstalk between adjacent identical waveguides further reveal their potential for photonic integrations. In addition, alternative configurations with comparable guiding properties to the structures in our case studies are also proposed, which can potentially serve as attractive prototypes for numerous high-performance nanophotonic components.

  6. Design and measuring of a tunable hybrid metamaterial absorber for terahertz frequencies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Min; Liu, Shui Jie; Xu, Bang Li; Wang, Jie; Huang, Hua Qing

    2018-04-01

    A tunable hybrid metamaterial absorber is designed and experimentally produced in THz band. The hybrid metamaterial absorber contains two dielectric layers: SU-8 and VO2 layers. An absorption peak reaching to 83.5% is achieved at 1.04 THz. The hybrid metamaterial absorber exhibits high absorption when the incident angle reaches to 45°. Measured results indicate that the absorption amplitude and peak frequency of the hybrid metamaterial absorber is tunable in experiments. It is due to the insulator-to-metal phase transition is achieved when the measured temperature reaches to 68 °C. Moreover, the hybrid metamaterial absorber reveals high figure of merit (FOM) value when the measured temperature reaches to 68 °C.

  7. Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Growth-Related Genes in Juvenile Chinese Sea Cucumber, Russian Sea Cucumber, and Their Hybrids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhicheng; Cui, Jun; Song, Jian; Wang, Haoze; Gao, Kailun; Qiu, Xuemei; Gou, Meng; Li, Xin; Hu, Ziwen; Wang, Xiuli; Chang, Yaqing

    2018-04-01

    Heterosis is important for sea cucumber breeding, but its molecular mechanism remains largely unexplored. In this study, parental lines of Apostichopus japonicus from Russia (R) and China (C) were used to construct hybrids (CR and RC) by reciprocal crossing. We examined the transcriptional profiles of the hybrids (CR and RC) and the purebreds (CC and RR) at different developmental times. A total of 60.27 Gb of clean data was obtained, and 176,649 unigenes were identified, of which 50,312 unigenes were annotated. A total of 414,536 SNPs were identified. A total of 7011 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained between the purebreds and hybrids at 45 days after fertilization (DAF), and a total of 8218 DEGs were obtained between the purebreds and hybrids at 75 DAF. In addition, a total of 7652 DEGs were obtained between 45 DAF and 75 DAF. The significant DEGs were mainly involved in the MAPK and FOXO signaling pathways, especially in the Ras-Raf-MEK1/2-ERK module, which may be a key regulator of development and growth in juvenile A. japonicus. In addition, we also identified key growth-related genes, such as fgfs, igfs, megfs and hgfs, which were upregulated in the hybrids (RC and CR); these genes may play important roles in heterosis in A. japonicus. Our study provides fundamental information on the molecular mechanisms underlying heterosis in sea cucumber and might suggest strategies for the selection of rapidly growing strains of sea cucumber in aquaculture.

  8. Calretinin immunohistochemistry versus improvised rapid Acetylcholinesterase histochemistry in the evaluation of colorectal biopsies for Hirschsprung disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lokendra Yadav

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Acetylcholinesterase (AChE histochemistry on rectal mucosal biopsies accurately diagnoses Hirschsprung disease (HD, but is not widely employed as it requires special tissue handling and pathologist expertise. Calretinin immunohistochemistry (IHC has been reported to be comparable to AChE staining with the loss of expression correlating with aganglionosis. Aim: The aim was to evaluate calretinin IHC as a primary diagnostic tool in comparison to the improvised rapid AChE technique in the diagnosis of HD. Materials and Methods: A total of 74 rectal biopsies (18 fresh frozen - 18 cases, 56 formalin fixed - 33 cases from 51 cases of suspect HD were evaluated with hematoxylin and eosin/AChE/Calretinin. Ten biopsies each from ganglionated and aganglionated segments served as positive and negative controls. Ileal (3, appendiceal (3 and ring bowel (2 biopsies were also included. Two pathologists blinded to the clinical details evaluated the histomorphology with AChE and calretinin. Observations were statistically analyzed and Cohen′s k coefficient employed to assess agreement between two pathologists and calretinin and the AChE. Results: The study confirmed HD in 26 and non-HD in 25 cases. There were 7 neonates, 5 low level biopsies and 14 "inadequate" biopsies. The results of calretinin were comparable with AChE with a statistically significant measure of agreement of k = 0.973 between the two. One false-positive case of HD was noted with calretinin. The advantages and disadvantages of calretinin versus AChE are discussed. Conclusion: Calretinin is a reliable single immune marker for ruling out HD by its specific positive mucosal staining of formalin fixed rectal biopsy. The improvised AChE staining remains indispensable to confirm HD on fresh biopsies and thus, along with calretinin IHC maximizes the diagnostic accuracy of HD in difficult cases.

  9. A simple genetic incompatibility causes hybrid male sterility in mimulus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweigart, Andrea L; Fishman, Lila; Willis, John H

    2006-04-01

    Much evidence has shown that postzygotic reproductive isolation (hybrid inviability or sterility) evolves by the accumulation of interlocus incompatibilities between diverging populations. Although in theory only a single pair of incompatible loci is needed to isolate species, empirical work in Drosophila has revealed that hybrid fertility problems often are highly polygenic and complex. In this article we investigate the genetic basis of hybrid sterility between two closely related species of monkeyflower, Mimulus guttatus and M. nasutus. In striking contrast to Drosophila systems, we demonstrate that nearly complete hybrid male sterility in Mimulus results from a simple genetic incompatibility between a single pair of heterospecific loci. We have genetically mapped this sterility effect: the M. guttatus allele at the hybrid male sterility 1 (hms1) locus acts dominantly in combination with recessive M. nasutus alleles at the hybrid male sterility 2 (hms2) locus to cause nearly complete hybrid male sterility. In a preliminary screen to find additional small-effect male sterility factors, we identified one additional locus that also contributes to some of the variation in hybrid male fertility. Interestingly, hms1 and hms2 also cause a significant reduction in hybrid female fertility, suggesting that sex-specific hybrid defects might share a common genetic basis. This possibility is supported by our discovery that recombination is reduced dramatically in a cross involving a parent with the hms1-hms2 incompatibility.

  10. Post-Impact and Open Hole Tensile Of Kenaf Hybrid Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yunus, S.; Salleh, Z.; Masdek, N. R. N. M.; Taib, Y. M.; Azhar, I. I. S.; Hyie, K. M.

    2018-03-01

    Nowadays, kenaf hybrid glass composites has been used for a vast field of study throughout the globe. There are several compositions and orientation of kenaf hybrid glass composites that has been studied. With regards to the study that has been done, this study will be focussing on a 90FG/0/90/90/0/90FG orientation of kenaf hybrid glass composites. Polyester resin is used as a matrix to these hybrid composites. Impacted and open hole specimens were then analyzed through tensile test. All specimens were fabricated by using the cold press hand lay-up technique. The results revealed that the hybrid composites were hardly affected by the impact up to 6J. After 6J the impacted specimens experienced a significant damage for both strength and modulus. The same goes to open hole specimens where the same trend of tensile properties were observed as impacted specimens.

  11. Quantification of intensive hybrid coastal reclamation for revealing its impacts on macrozoobenthos

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, Jiaguo; Cui, Baoshan; Zheng, Jingjing; Xie, Tian; Wang, Qing; Li, Shanze

    2015-01-01

    Managing and identifying the sources of anthropogenic stress in coastal wetlands requires an in-depth understanding of relationships between species diversity and human activities. Empirical and experimental studies provide clear evidence that coastal reclamation can have profound impacts on marine organisms, but the focus of such studies is generally on comparative or laboratory research. We developed a compound intensity index (reclamation intensity index, RI) on hybrid coastal reclamation, to quantify the impacts of reclamation on coastal ecosystems. We also made use of mean annual absolute changes to a number of biotic variables (biodiversity, species richness, biomass of total macrozoobenthos, and species richness and biomass of Polychaeta, Mollusca, Crustacea, and Echinodermata) to determine Hedges’d index, which is a measure of the potential effects of coastal reclamation. Our results showed that there was significant difference of coastal reclamation intensity between Yellow Sea, East China Sea and South China Sea, the biological changes in effect sizes of the three regions differed greatly over time. Our modelling analyses showed that hybrid coastal reclamation generally had significant negative impacts on species diversity and biomass of macrozoobenthos. These relationships varied among different taxonomic groups and included both linear and nonlinear relationships. The results indicated that a high-intensity of coastal reclamation contributed to a pronounced decline in species diversity and biomass, while lower-intensity reclamation, or reclamation within certain thresholds, resulted in a small increase in species diversity and biomass. These results have important implications for biodiversity conservation and the ecological restoration of coastal wetlands in face of the intensive reclamation activities. (letter)

  12. Evidence of Natural Hybridization and Introgression between Vasconcellea Species (Caricaceae) from Southern Ecuador Revealed by Chloroplast, Mitochondrial and Nuclear DNA Markers

    Science.gov (United States)

    VAN DROOGENBROECK, B.; KYNDT, T.; ROMEIJN-PEETERS, E.; VAN THUYNE, W.; GOETGHEBEUR, P.; ROMERO-MOTOCHI, J. P.; GHEYSEN, G.

    2006-01-01

    • Background and Aims Vasconcellea × heilbornii is believed to be of natural hybrid origin between V. cundinamarcensis and V. stipulata, and is often difficult to discriminate from V. stipulata on morphological grounds. The aim of this paper is to examine individuals of these three taxa and of individuals from the closely related species V. parviflora and V. weberbaueri, which all inhabit a hybrid zone in southern Ecuador. • Methods Molecular data from mitochondrial, chloroplast and nuclear DNA from 61 individuals were analysed. • Key Results Molecular analysis confirmed occasional contemporary hybridization between V. stipulata, V. cundinamarcensis and V. × heilbornii and suggested the possible involvement of V. weberbaueri in the origin of V. × heilbornii. In addition, the molecular data indicated unidirectional introgression of the V. cundinamarcensis nuclear genome into that of V. stipulata. Several of the individuals examined with morphology similar to that of V. stipulata had genetic traces of hybridization with V. cundinamarcensis, which only seems to act as pollen donor in interspecific hybridization events. Molecular analyses also strongly suggested that most of the V. × heilbornii individuals are not F1 hybrids but instead are progeny of repeated backcrosses with V. stipulata. • Conclusions The results of the present study point to the need for re-evaluation of natural populations of V. stipulata and V. × heilbornii. In general, this analysis demonstrates the complex patterns of genetic and morphological diversity found in natural plant hybrid zones. PMID:16500954

  13. Rapid movement and instability of an invasive hybrid swarm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glotzbecker, Gregory J; Walters, David M; Blum, Michael J

    2016-07-01

    Unstable hybrid swarms that arise following the introduction of non-native species can overwhelm native congeners, yet the stability of invasive hybrid swarms has not been well documented over time. Here, we examine genetic variation and clinal stability across a recently formed hybrid swarm involving native blacktail shiner (Cyprinella venusta) and non-native red shiner (C. lutrensis) in the Upper Coosa River basin, which is widely considered to be a global hot spot of aquatic biodiversity. Examination of phenotypic, multilocus genotypic, and mitochondrial haplotype variability between 2005 and 2011 revealed that the proportion of hybrids has increased over time, with more than a third of all sampled individuals exhibiting admixture in the final year of sampling. Comparisons of clines over time indicated that the hybrid swarm has been rapidly progressing upstream, but at a declining and slower pace than rates estimated from historical collection records. Clinal comparisons also showed that the hybrid swarm has been expanding and contracting over time. Additionally, we documented the presence of red shiner and hybrids farther downstream than prior studies have detected, which suggests that congeners in the Coosa River basin, including all remaining populations of the threatened blue shiner (Cyprinella caerulea), are at greater risk than previously thought.

  14. Molecular Evidence for Natural Hybridization between Cotoneaster dielsianus and C. glaucophyllus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingwan Li

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Hybridization accompanied by polyploidization and apomixis has been demonstrated as a driving force in the evolution and speciation of many plants. A good example to study the evolutionary process of hybridization associated with polyploidy and apomixis is the genus Cotoneaster (Rosaceae, which includes approximately 150 species, most of which are polyploid apomicts. In this study, we investigated all Cotoneaster taxa distributed in a small region of Malipo, Yunnan, China. Based on the morphological characteristics, four Cotoneaster taxa were identified and sampled: C. dielsianus, C. glaucophyllus, C. franchetii, and a putative hybrid. Flow cytometry analyses showed that C. glaucophyllus was diploid, while the other three taxa were tetraploid. A total of five low-copy nuclear genes and six chloroplast regions were sequenced to validate the status of the putative hybrid. Sequence analyses showed that C. dielsianus and C. glaucophyllus are distantly related and they could be well separated using totally 50 fixed nucleotide substitutions and four fixed indels at the 11 investigated genes. All individuals of the putative hybrid harbored identical sequences: they showed chromatogram additivity for all fixed differences between C. dielsianus and C. glaucophyllus at the five nuclear genes, and were identical with C. glaucophyllus at the six chloroplast regions. Haplotype analysis revealed that C. dielsianus possessed nine haplotypes for the 11 genes, while C. glaucophyllus had ten, and there were no shared haplotypes between the two species. The putative hybrid harbored two haplotypes for each nuclear gene: one shared with C. dielsianus and the other with C. glaucophyllus. They possessed the same chloroplast haplotype with C. glaucophyllus. Our study provided convincing evidence for natural hybridization between C. dielsianus and C. glaucophyllus, and revealed that all hybrid individuals were derivatives of one initial F1 via apomixes. C. glaucophyllus

  15. Genomic networks of hybrid sterility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Leslie M; White, Michael A; Tautz, Diethard; Payseur, Bret A

    2014-02-01

    Hybrid dysfunction, a common feature of reproductive barriers between species, is often caused by negative epistasis between loci ("Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibilities"). The nature and complexity of hybrid incompatibilities remain poorly understood because identifying interacting loci that affect complex phenotypes is difficult. With subspecies in the early stages of speciation, an array of genetic tools, and detailed knowledge of reproductive biology, house mice (Mus musculus) provide a model system for dissecting hybrid incompatibilities. Male hybrids between M. musculus subspecies often show reduced fertility. Previous studies identified loci and several X chromosome-autosome interactions that contribute to sterility. To characterize the genetic basis of hybrid sterility in detail, we used a systems genetics approach, integrating mapping of gene expression traits with sterility phenotypes and QTL. We measured genome-wide testis expression in 305 male F2s from a cross between wild-derived inbred strains of M. musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus. We identified several thousand cis- and trans-acting QTL contributing to expression variation (eQTL). Many trans eQTL cluster into eleven 'hotspots,' seven of which co-localize with QTL for sterility phenotypes identified in the cross. The number and clustering of trans eQTL-but not cis eQTL-were substantially lower when mapping was restricted to a 'fertile' subset of mice, providing evidence that trans eQTL hotspots are related to sterility. Functional annotation of transcripts with eQTL provides insights into the biological processes disrupted by sterility loci and guides prioritization of candidate genes. Using a conditional mapping approach, we identified eQTL dependent on interactions between loci, revealing a complex system of epistasis. Our results illuminate established patterns, including the role of the X chromosome in hybrid sterility. The integrated mapping approach we employed is applicable in a broad

  16. Quadratic integrand double-hybrid made spin-component-scaled

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brémond, Éric, E-mail: eric.bremond@iit.it; Savarese, Marika [CompuNet, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, I-16163 Genoa (Italy); Sancho-García, Juan C.; Pérez-Jiménez, Ángel J. [Departamento de Química Física, Universidad de Alicante, E-03080 Alicante (Spain); Adamo, Carlo [CompuNet, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, I-16163 Genoa (Italy); Chimie ParisTech, PSL Research University, CNRS, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris IRCP, F-75005 Paris (France); Institut Universitaire de France, 103 Boulevard Saint Michel, F-75005 Paris (France)

    2016-03-28

    We propose two analytical expressions aiming to rationalize the spin-component-scaled (SCS) and spin-opposite-scaled (SOS) schemes for double-hybrid exchange-correlation density-functionals. Their performances are extensively tested within the framework of the nonempirical quadratic integrand double-hybrid (QIDH) model on energetic properties included into the very large GMTKN30 benchmark database, and on structural properties of semirigid medium-sized organic compounds. The SOS variant is revealed as a less computationally demanding alternative to reach the accuracy of the original QIDH model without losing any theoretical background.

  17. Speciation driven by hybridization and chromosomal plasticity in a wild yeast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leducq, Jean-Baptiste; Nielly-Thibault, Lou; Charron, Guillaume; Eberlein, Chris; Verta, Jukka-Pekka; Samani, Pedram; Sylvester, Kayla; Hittinger, Chris Todd; Bell, Graham; Landry, Christian R

    2016-01-11

    Hybridization is recognized as a powerful mechanism of speciation and a driving force in generating biodiversity. However, only few multicellular species, limited to a handful of plants and animals, have been shown to fulfil all the criteria of homoploid hybrid speciation. This lack of evidence could lead to the interpretation that speciation by hybridization has a limited role in eukaryotes, particularly in single-celled organisms. Laboratory experiments have revealed that fungi such as budding yeasts can rapidly develop reproductive isolation and novel phenotypes through hybridization, showing that in principle homoploid speciation could occur in nature. Here, we report a case of homoploid hybrid speciation in natural populations of the budding yeast Saccharomyces paradoxus inhabiting the North American forests. We show that the rapid evolution of chromosome architecture and an ecological context that led to secondary contact between nascent species drove the formation of an incipient hybrid species with a potentially unique ecological niche.

  18. Amperometric glucose biosensor based on glucose oxidase dispersed in multiwalled carbon nanotubes/graphene oxide hybrid biocomposite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palanisamy, Selvakumar; Cheemalapati, Srikanth; Chen, Shen-Ming

    2014-01-01

    An amperometric glucose biosensor based on enhanced and fast direct electron transfer (DET) of glucose oxidase (GOx) at enzyme dispersed multiwalled carbon nanotubes/graphene oxide (MWCNT/GO) hybrid biocomposite was developed. The fabricated hybrid biocomposite was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman and infrared spectroscopy (IR). The TEM image of hybrid biocomposite reveals that a thin layer of GOx was covered on the surface of MWCNT/GO hybrid composite. IR results validate that the hybrid biocomposite was formed through the electrostatic interactions between GOx and MWCNT/GO hybrid composite. Further, MWCNT/GO hybrid composite has also been characterized by TEM and UV-visible spectroscopy. A pair of well-defined redox peak was observed for GOx immobilized at the hybrid biocomposite electrode than that immobilized at the MWCNT modified electrode. The electron transfer rate constant (Ks) of GOx at the hybrid biocomposite was calculated to be 11.22s(-1). The higher Ks value revealed that fast DET of GOx occurred at the electrode surface. Moreover, fabricated biosensor showed a good sensitivity towards glucose oxidation over a linear range 0.05-23.2mM. The limit of detection (LOD) was estimated to be 28μM. The good features of the proposed biosensor could be used for the accurate detection of glucose in the biological samples. © 2013.

  19. Stability analysis of maize hybrids across north west of Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rahman, H.; Durreshawar; Ali, S.; Iftikhar, F.; Khalil, I.H.; Shah, S.M.A.; Ahmad, H.

    2010-01-01

    Stability analysis was carried out to study stability in performance and genotype x environment interactions for 18 maize hybrids across three locations of NWFP i.e., Agricultural University Peshawar (AUP), Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Baffa, (Mansehra) and Cereal Crops Research Institute (CCRI), Pirsabak (Nowshera), during 2006. Data were recorded on different morphological and yield parameters. Analysis of variance indicated significant differences among the three locations for all the traits studied. Hybrids showed significant differences for all parameters except anthesis silking interval (ASI) and ear height, which were non significant across the three locations. The hybrid x location interactions also revealed significant differences for days to 50% silking, days to 50% anthesis, ASI, grain moisture at harvest and grain yield per hectare while non significant differences were observed for plant height and ear height. Based on yield performance of hybrids across the three locations, Baffa ranked first as compared to the other two locations. Hybrid DK-1 x EV-9806 was the highest yielding across the three locations followed by hybrid AGB-108, while the lowest yield was observed for hybrid CSCY. Stability in performance was evident for hybrid CS-2Y2 with regard to days required for silking and anthesis. Stability in anthesis silking interval (ASI) was manifested for hybrid CS-222. Hybrid AGB-108 was comparatively stable for grain yield across the tested locations. Remaining hybrids seemed to be considerably influenced by Genotype x environment interactions encountered at the tested locations and location specific selection has to be made while selecting a maize hybrid for a particular location. (author)

  20. Hybrid Propulsion Demonstration Program 250K Hybrid Motor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Story, George; Zoladz, Tom; Arves, Joe; Kearney, Darren; Abel, Terry; Park, O.

    2003-01-01

    The Hybrid Propulsion Demonstration Program (HPDP) program was formed to mature hybrid propulsion technology to a readiness level sufficient to enable commercialization for various space launch applications. The goal of the HPDP was to develop and test a 250,000 pound vacuum thrust hybrid booster in order to demonstrate hybrid propulsion technology and enable manufacturing of large hybrid boosters for current and future space launch vehicles. The HPDP has successfully conducted four tests of the 250,000 pound thrust hybrid rocket motor at NASA's Stennis Space Center. This paper documents the test series.

  1. Morphology and histochemistry of glandular trichomes of Orobanche alba Stephan ex Willd

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aneta Sulborska

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Orobanche alba Stephan ex Willd is an achlorophyllous root parasite rare in Poland. It prefers dry and sunny slopes, xerothermic grasslands and pastures, mountain pastures, light scrubs, and rock fissures and ledges. The hosts of O. alba include Thymus polytrichus A. ern. ex Borbás, Clinopodium vulgare L. and Origanum vulgare L. The tick and fleshy 10-70 cm high stem in this species bears an inflorescence composed of zygomorphic, white or yellow “spotted” flowers covered by purple glandular trichomes. Glandular trichomes of this type are also borne on other parts of the plant, i.e. on the stem, scaly leaves, sepals, filaments, and the style. The secondary metabolites secreted by the glandular trichomes are related to defense of plants against the attack of herbivores and pathogens or act as attractants to pollinators or for fruit dispersal. The micromorphology and histochemistry of the glandular trichomes in O. alba were examined using scanning electron and light microscopes. In order to determine the type of secondary metabolites produced by the trichomes, the flowing histochemical assays were used: Sudan III and neutral red for detection of lipophilic compounds, IKI for detection of starch, and FeCl3 for detection of phenolic compounds. The peltate glandular trichomes of O. alba were characterised by a varied length (0.15‑0.48 mm and different activity phases. The trichome was composed of one larger basal epidermal cell, 1-3 hyaline stalk cells with a striated cuticle, a neck cell with a smooth cuticle on the surface, and a globose head formed of 8-18 secretory cells arranged in a circle. Many stalk cells of the trichomes, particularly those located on the corolla, contained anthocyanins, which give the trichomes dark carmine colour. In turn, the colour of the heads was dependent on trichome age: the heads were brown in older trichomes and yellow in younger hairs. Secretion was produced by both young and older trichomes. It penetrated

  2. Biological and mechanical evaluation of a Bio-Hybrid scaffold for autologous valve tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jahnavi, S; Saravanan, U; Arthi, N; Bhuvaneshwar, G S; Kumary, T V; Rajan, S; Verma, R S

    2017-04-01

    Major challenge in heart valve tissue engineering for paediatric patients is the development of an autologous valve with regenerative capacity. Hybrid tissue engineering approach is recently gaining popularity to design scaffolds with desired biological and mechanical properties that can remodel post implantation. In this study, we fabricated aligned nanofibrous Bio-Hybrid scaffold made of decellularized bovine pericardium: polycaprolactone-chitosan with optimized polymer thickness to yield the desired biological and mechanical properties. CD44 + , αSMA + , Vimentin + and CD105 - human valve interstitial cells were isolated and seeded on these Bio-Hybrid scaffolds. Subsequent biological evaluation revealed interstitial cell proliferation with dense extra cellular matrix deposition that indicated the viability for growth and proliferation of seeded cells on the scaffolds. Uniaxial mechanical tests along axial direction showed that the Bio-Hybrid scaffolds has at least 20 times the strength of the native valves and its stiffness is nearly 3 times more than that of native valves. Biaxial and uniaxial mechanical studies on valve interstitial cells cultured Bio-Hybrid scaffolds revealed that the response along the axial and circumferential direction was different, similar to native valves. Overall, our findings suggest that Bio-Hybrid scaffold is a promising material for future development of regenerative heart valve constructs in children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Close Look at Hybrid Vehicle Loyalty and Ownership

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hwang, Ho-Ling [ORNL; Chin, Shih-Miao [ORNL; Wilson, Daniel W [ORNL; Oliveira Neto, Francisco Moraes [ORNL; Taylor, Rob D [ORNL

    2013-01-01

    In a news release dated April 9, 2012, Polk stated that only 35% of hybrid owners bought a hybrid again when they returned to market in 2011. These findings were based on an internal study conducted by Polk. The study also indicated that if repurchase behavior among the high volume audience of Toyota Prius owners wasn t factored in; hybrid loyalty would drop to under 25%. This news release has generated a lot of interest and concern by the automobile industry as well as consumers, since it was published, and caused many to think about the idea of hybrid loyalty as well as factors that influence consumers. Most reactions to the 35% hybrid loyalty dealt with concerns of the viability of hybrid technology as part of the solution to address transportation energy challenges. This paper attempts to shed more light on Polk s hybrid loyalty study as well as explore several information sources concerning hybrid loyalty status. Specifically, major factors that might impact the selection and acquisition of hybrid vehicles are addressed. This includes investigating the associations between hybrid market shares and influencing factors like fuel price and hybrid incentives, as well as the availability of hybrid models and other highly fuel efficient vehicle options. This effort is not in-depth study, but rather a short study to see if Polk s claim could be validated. This study reveals that Polk s claim was rather misleading because its definition of loyalty was very narrow. This paper also suggests that Polk s analysis failed to account for some very important factors, raising the question of whether it is fair to compare a vehicle drive train option (which hybrids are) with a vehicle brand in terms of loyalty and also raises the question of whether hybrid loyalty is even a valid point to consider. This report maintains that Polk s study does not prove that hybrid owners were dissatisfied with their vehicles, which was a common theme among reporting news agencies when Polk

  4. Advances on research epigenetic change of hybrid and polyploidy ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    MERCY

    2011-09-07

    Sep 7, 2011 ... evolution is speculated as a simulation of the evolutionary steps that .... Molecular studies indicate that epigenetic events are important in ...... Patterns of hybrid loss of imprinting reveal tissue- and cluster-specific regulation.

  5. Destination bonding: Hybrid cognition using Instagram

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arup Kumar Baksi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Empirical research has identified the phenomenon of destination bonding as a result of summated physical and emotional values associated with the destination. Physical values, namely natural landscape & other physical settings and emotional values, namely the enculturation processes, have a significant role to play in portraying visitors’ cognitive framework for destination preference. The physical values seemed to be the stimulator for bonding that embodies action or behavior tendencies in imagery. The emotional values were the conditions that lead to affective bonding and are reflected in attitudes for a place which were evident in text narratives. Social networking on virtual platforms offers the scope for hybrid cognitive expression using imagery and text to the visitors. Instagram has emerged as an application-window to capture these hybrid cognitions of visitors. This study focuses on assessing the relationship between hybrid cognition of visitors expressed via Instagram and their bond with the destination. Further to this, the study attempts to examine the impact of hybrid cognition of visitors on the behavioral pattern of prospective visitors to the destination. The study revealed that sharing of visual imageries and related text by the visitors is an expression of the physico-emotional bonding with the destination. It was further established that hybrid cognition strongly asserts destination bonding and has been also found to have moderating impact on the link between destination bonding and electronic-word-of-mouth.

  6. Immunohistochemical Detection and Localization of Somatostatin Receptor Subtypes in Prostate Tissue from Patients with Bladder Outlet Obstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodolfo Montironi

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and Aim of the Study: Scant information on the cellular distribution of the five somatostatin receptor (SSTR subtypes in the normal prostate and in neoplasms of the prostate has been reported in very few studies in which techniques, such as in situ hybridization histochemistry, autoradiography, and more recently immunohistochemistry, have been applied. The aim of the study was to examine immunohistochemically the distribution and localization of these 5 subtypes in the various tissue components in normal prostate.

  7. Amperometric glucose biosensor based on glucose oxidase dispersed in multiwalled carbon nanotubes/graphene oxide hybrid biocomposite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Palanisamy, Selvakumar; Cheemalapati, Srikanth; Chen, Shen-Ming

    2014-01-01

    An amperometric glucose biosensor based on enhanced and fast direct electron transfer (DET) of glucose oxidase (GOx) at enzyme dispersed multiwalled carbon nanotubes/graphene oxide (MWCNT/GO) hybrid biocomposite was developed. The fabricated hybrid biocomposite was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman and infrared spectroscopy (IR). The TEM image of hybrid biocomposite reveals that a thin layer of GOx was covered on the surface of MWCNT/GO hybrid composite. IR results validate that the hybrid biocomposite was formed through the electrostatic interactions between GOx and MWCNT/GO hybrid composite. Further, MWCNT/GO hybrid composite has also been characterized by TEM and UV–visible spectroscopy. A pair of well-defined redox peak was observed for GOx immobilized at the hybrid biocomposite electrode than that immobilized at the MWCNT modified electrode. The electron transfer rate constant (K s ) of GOx at the hybrid biocomposite was calculated to be 11.22 s −1 . The higher K s value revealed that fast DET of GOx occurred at the electrode surface. Moreover, fabricated biosensor showed a good sensitivity towards glucose oxidation over a linear range 0.05–23.2 mM. The limit of detection (LOD) was estimated to be 28 μM. The good features of the proposed biosensor could be used for the accurate detection of glucose in the biological samples. - Highlights: • An amperometric glucose biosensor has been developed at MWCNT/GO hybrid biocomposite. • Enhanced and fast direct electron transfer kinetics of glucose oxidase has been achieved at hybrid biocomposite. • Hybrid biocomposite has been characterized by TEM, IR and Raman spectroscopy. • Highly sensitive and selective for glucose determination

  8. Amperometric glucose biosensor based on glucose oxidase dispersed in multiwalled carbon nanotubes/graphene oxide hybrid biocomposite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Palanisamy, Selvakumar; Cheemalapati, Srikanth; Chen, Shen-Ming, E-mail: smchen78@ms15.hinet.net

    2014-01-01

    An amperometric glucose biosensor based on enhanced and fast direct electron transfer (DET) of glucose oxidase (GOx) at enzyme dispersed multiwalled carbon nanotubes/graphene oxide (MWCNT/GO) hybrid biocomposite was developed. The fabricated hybrid biocomposite was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman and infrared spectroscopy (IR). The TEM image of hybrid biocomposite reveals that a thin layer of GOx was covered on the surface of MWCNT/GO hybrid composite. IR results validate that the hybrid biocomposite was formed through the electrostatic interactions between GOx and MWCNT/GO hybrid composite. Further, MWCNT/GO hybrid composite has also been characterized by TEM and UV–visible spectroscopy. A pair of well-defined redox peak was observed for GOx immobilized at the hybrid biocomposite electrode than that immobilized at the MWCNT modified electrode. The electron transfer rate constant (K{sub s}) of GOx at the hybrid biocomposite was calculated to be 11.22 s{sup −1}. The higher K{sub s} value revealed that fast DET of GOx occurred at the electrode surface. Moreover, fabricated biosensor showed a good sensitivity towards glucose oxidation over a linear range 0.05–23.2 mM. The limit of detection (LOD) was estimated to be 28 μM. The good features of the proposed biosensor could be used for the accurate detection of glucose in the biological samples. - Highlights: • An amperometric glucose biosensor has been developed at MWCNT/GO hybrid biocomposite. • Enhanced and fast direct electron transfer kinetics of glucose oxidase has been achieved at hybrid biocomposite. • Hybrid biocomposite has been characterized by TEM, IR and Raman spectroscopy. • Highly sensitive and selective for glucose determination.

  9. Hybrid male sterility between the fresh- and brackish-water types of ninespine stickleback Pungitius pungitius (Pisces, Gasterosteidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Hiroshi; Nagai, Terumi; Goto, Akira

    2005-01-01

    Two ecologically distinct forms, fresh- and brackish-water types, of ninespine stickleback co-exist in several freshwater systems on the coast of eastern Hokkaido. Recent genetic analyses of 13 allozyme loci revealed genetic separation between the two types even though their spawning grounds were in close proximity. On the other hand, there is only a small difference in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence between the two types suggesting that they diverged quite recently or that mtDNA introgression occurred between them. To test for postzygotic reproductive isolating mechanisms and hybrid mediated gene flow, we examined the viability and reproductive performance of reciprocal F1 hybrids. The hybrids grew to the adult size normally and both sexes expressed secondary sexual characters in the reciprocal crosses. The female hybrids were reciprocally fertile, while the male hybrids were reciprocally sterile. Histological and flow-cytometric analyses of the hybrid testis revealed that the sterility pattern was classified as 'gametic sterility,' with gonads of normal size but abnormal spermatogenesis. To our knowledge, the present finding is a novel example of one sex hybrid sterility in the stickleback family (Gasterosteidae).

  10. Travelling in time with networks: Revealing present day hybridization versus ancestral polymorphism between two species of brown algae, Fucus vesiculosus and F. spiralis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pearson Gareth A

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Hybridization or divergence between sympatric sister species provides a natural laboratory to study speciation processes. The shared polymorphism in sister species may either be ancestral or derive from hybridization, and the accuracy of analytic methods used thus far to derive convincing evidence for the occurrence of present day hybridization is largely debated. Results Here we propose the application of network analysis to test for the occurrence of present day hybridization between the two species of brown algae Fucus spiralis and F. vesiculosus. Individual-centered networks were analyzed on the basis of microsatellite genotypes from North Africa to the Pacific American coast, through the North Atlantic. Two genetic distances integrating different time steps were used, the Rozenfeld (RD; based on alleles divergence and the Shared Allele (SAD; based on alleles identity distances. A diagnostic level of genotype divergence and clustering of individuals from each species was obtained through RD while screening for exchanges through putative hybridization was facilitated using SAD. Intermediate individuals linking both clusters on the RD network were those sampled at the limits of the sympatric zone in Northwest Iberia. Conclusion These results suggesting rare hybridization were confirmed by simulation of hybrids and F2 with directed backcrosses. Comparison with the Bayesian method STRUCTURE confirmed the usefulness of both approaches and emphasized the reliability of network analysis to unravel and study hybridization

  11. Comparative Genomic Hybridization of Human Malignant Gliomas Reveals Multiple Amplification Sites and Nonrandom Chromosomal Gains and Losses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schròck, Evelin; Thiel, Gundula; Lozanova, Tanka; du Manoir, Stanislas; Meffert, Marie-Christine; Jauch, Anna; Speicher, Michael R.; Nürnberg, Peter; Vogel, Siegfried; Janisch, Werner; Donis-Keller, Helen; Ried, Thomas; Witkowski, Regine; Cremer, Thomas

    1994-01-01

    Nine human malignant gliomas (2 astrocytomas grade III and 7 glioblastomas) were analyzed using comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). In addition to the amplification of the EGFR gene at 7p12 in 4 of 9 cases, six new amplification sites were mapped to 1q32, 4q12, 7q21.1, 7q21.2-3, 12p, and 22q12. Nonrandom chromosomal gains and losses were identified with overrepresentation of chromosome 7 and underrepresentation of chromosome 10 as the most frequent events (1 of 2 astrocytomas, 7 of 7 glioblastomas). Gain of a part or the whole chromosome 19 and losses of chromosome bands 9pter-23 and 22q13 were detected each in five cases. Loss of chromosome band 17p13 and gain of chromosome 20 were revealed each in three cases. The validity of the CGH data was confirmed using interphase cytogenetics with YAC clones, chromosome painting in tumor metaphase spreads, and DNA fingerprinting. A comparison of CGH data with the results of chromosome banding analyses indicates that metaphase spreads accessible in primary tumor cell cultures may not represent the clones predominant in the tumor tissue ImagesFigure 1Figure 4Figure 6 PMID:8203461

  12. Expression and localization of a novel phosducin-like protein from amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saren, Gaowa; Zhao, Yonggang

    2009-05-01

    A full length amphioxus cDNA, encoding a novel phosducin-like protein ( Amphi-PhLP), was identified for the first time from the gut cDNA library of Branchiostoma belcheri. It is comprised of 1 550 bp and an open reading frame (ORF) of 241 amino acids, with a predicted molecular mass of approximately 28 kDa. In situ hybridization histochemistry revealed a tissue-specific expression pattern of Amphi-PhLP with the high levels in the ovary, and at a lower level in the hind gut and testis, hepatic caecum, gill, endostyle, and epipharyngeal groove, while it was absent in the muscle, neural tube and notochord. In the Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells transfected with the expression plasmid pEGFP-N1/ Amphi-PhLP, the fusion protein was targeted in the cytoplasm of CHO cells, suggesting that Amphi-PhLP is a cytosolic protein. This work may provide a framework for further understanding of the physiological function of Amphi-PhLP in B. belcheri.

  13. A model for particle acceleration in lower hybrid collapse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Retterer, J.M.

    1997-01-01

    A model for particle acceleration during the nonlinear collapse of lower hybrid waves is described. Using the Musher-Sturman wave equation to describe the effects of nonlinear processes and a velocity diffusion equation for the particle velocity distribution, the model self-consistently describes the exchange of energy between the fields and the particles in the local plasma. Two-dimensional solutions are presented for the modulational instability of a plane wave and the collapse of a cylindrical wave packet. These calculations were motivated by sounding rocket observations in the vicinity of auroral arcs in the Earth close-quote s ionosphere, which have revealed the existence of large-amplitude lower-hybrid wave packets associated with ions accelerated to energies of 100 eV. The scaling of the sizes of these wave packets is consistent with the theory of lower-hybrid collapse and the observed lower-hybrid field amplitudes are adequate to accelerate the ionospheric ions to the observed energies

  14. Cluster synchronization in community network with hybrid coupling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Lixin; Jiang, Jun; Liu, Xiaojun

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A community network model with hybrid coupling is proposed. • Control scheme is designed via combining adaptive external coupling strength and feedback control. • The influence of topology structure on synchronization of community network is discussed. - Abstract: A general model of community network with hybrid coupling is proposed in this paper. In the community network model with hybrid coupling, the inner connections are in the same type of coupling within the same community and in different types of coupling in different communities. The connections between different pair of communities are also nonidentical. Cluster synchronization of community network with hybrid coupling is investigated via adaptive couplings control scheme. Effective controllers are designed for constructing an effective control scheme and adjusting automatically the adaptive external coupling strength by taking external coupling strength as adaptive variables on a small fraction of network edges. Moreover, the impact of the topology on the synchronizability of community network is investigated. The numerical results reveal that the number of links between communities and the degree of the connector nodes have significant effects on the synchronization performance.

  15. Novel Thiol-Ene Hybrid Coating for Metal Protection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mona Taghavikish

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available A novel hybrid anticorrosion coating with dual network of inorganic (Si–O–Si and organic bonds (C–S–C was prepared on metal through an in situ sol-gel and thiol-ene click reaction. This novel interfacial thin film coating incorporates (3-mercaptopropyl trimethoxysilane (MPTS and 1,4-di(vinylimidazolium butane bisbromide based polymerizable ionic liquid (PIL to form a thiol-ene based photo-polymerized film, which on subsequent sol-gel reaction forms a thin hybrid interfacial layer on metal surface. On top of this PIL hybrid film, a self-assembled nanophase particle (SNAP coating was employed to prepare a multilayer thin film coating for better corrosion protection and barrier performance. The novel PIL hybrid film was characterised for structure and properties using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA. The corrosion protection performance of the multilayer coating was examined using potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS. The results reveal that this novel double layer coating on metal offers excellent protection against corrosion and has remarkably improved the barrier effect of the coating.

  16. Hybridization thermodynamics of DNA bound to gold nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lang, Brian

    2010-01-01

    Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) was used to study the thermodynamics of hybridization on DNA-functionalized colloidal gold nanoparticles. When compared to the thermodynamics of hybridization of DNA that is free in solution, the differences in the values of the Gibbs free energy of reaction, Δ r G o , the enthalpy, Δ r H o , and entropy, Δ r S o , were small. The change in Δ r G o between the free and bound states was always positive but with statistical significance outside the 95% confidence interval, implying the free DNA is slightly more stable than when in the bound state. Additionally, ITC was also able to reveal information about the binding stoichiometry of the hybridization reactions on the DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles, and indicates that there is a significant fraction of the DNA on gold nanoparticle surface that is unavailable for DNA hybridization. Furthermore, the fraction of available DNA is dependent on the spacer group on the DNA that is used to span the gold surface from that to the probe DNA.

  17. Enzymatic synthesis of lignin-siloxane hybrid functional polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasetyo, Endry Nugroho; Kudanga, Tukayi; Fischer, Roman; Eichinger, Reinhard; Nyanhongo, Gibson S; Guebitz, Georg M

    2012-02-01

    This study combines the properties of siloxanes and lignin polymers to produce hybrid functional polymers that can be used as adhesives, coating materials, and/or multifunctionalized thin-coating films. Lignin-silica hybrid copolymers were synthesized by using a sol-gel process. Laccases from Trametes hirsuta were used to oxidize lignosulphonates to enhance their reactivity towards siloxanes and then were incorporated into siloxane precursors undergoing a sol-gel process. In vitro copolymerization studies using pure lignin monomers with aminosilanes or ethoxytrimethylsilane and analysis by ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopy revealed hybrid products. Except for kraft lignin, an increase in lignin concentration positively affected the tensile strength in all samples. Similarly, the viscosity generally increased in all samples with increasing lignin concentration and also affected the curing time. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Expression pattern of glycoconjugates in the Bidderian and ovarian follicles of the Brazilian toad Bufo ictericus analyzed by lectin histochemistry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. F. Farias

    Full Text Available The Bidder's organ and ovary of the Brazilian toad Bufo ictericus were studied by light microscopy, using hematoxylin-eosin (HE and periodic acid Schiff (PAS staining. The expression and distribution of carbohydrate moieties was analyzed by lectin histochemistry, using 8 lectins with different carbohydrate specificities: Ulex europaeus (UEA I, Lens culinaris (LCA, Erythrina cristagalli (ECA, Arachis hypogaea (PNA, Ricinus communis (RCA I, Aleuria aurantia (AAA, Triticum vulgaris (WGA, and Glycine maximum (SBA. The results showed that the Bidderian zona pellucida presented alpha-mannose, alpha-L-fucose, beta-D-galactose, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, and alpha/beta-N-acetyl-galactosamine residues. The Bidderian follicular cells showed the presence of beta-D-galactose and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. In the extracellular matrix, alpha-mannose and alpha/beta-N-acetyl-galactosamine residues were detected. The ovarian zona pellucida showed alpha-L-fucose, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, alpha/beta-N-acetyl-galactosamine residues, and alpha-mannose and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues were detected in the follicular cells. Thus, the zona pellucida in both organs contains N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, and alpha/beta-N-acetyl-galactosamine residues. alpha-L-fucose residues were detected in the zona pellucida of both organs, using different lectins. Considering that beta-D-galactose residue was absent from ovary but present in the Bidder's organ, this sugar residue may play an important role in follicle development, blocking the Bidderian follicles and preventing further development of the Bidder's organ into a functional ovary.

  19. Obtaining of interspecific hybrids for pea introgressive breeding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergey Vasilevich Bobkov

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Background. Overcoming of reproductive isolation, identification and transfer of agronomic value genes from wild relatives into cultivated pea genomes is an important task for pea introgressive breeding. Materials and methods. Reciprocal hybridization of cultivated pea with wide set of P. fulvum accessions was conducted. Identification of hybrids was carried out with use of biochemical and morphological markers. Identification of unique protein was conducted with use of electrophoretic spectra of mature seeds. Results. Pea interspecific hybrids were obtained in two reciprocal directions of crosses. Cross efficiency in Р. sativum × P. fulvum and P. fulvum × Р. sativum combinations was 36 % and 7 %, respectively. All tested seeds in crosses Р. sativum × P. fulvum were hybrids. Crosses in direction P. fulvum × Р. sativum led to formation of puny seeds restricted in embryo growth. Protein markers of one seed derived in cross P. fulvum × Р. sativum proved its hybrid nature. Morphological markers demonstrated that plant derived from another cross was also a hybrid. Culture of immature embryos was developed for recovering plants in interspecific crosses. Morphogenic calli and regenerated plants were obtained in culture of immature embryos P. fulvum (И592589 × Р. sativum (Aest. Identification of unique protein 7 of P. fulvum was conducted. Inheritance of that protein was proved as monogenic dominant. Conclusion. Efficiency of hybridization in combination P. fulvum × Р. sativum was significantly less in compare to reciprocal one. All products of that cross combination were tested as hybrids. Unique protein 7 of P. fulvum was revealed as a result of mature seed electrophoretic spectra analysis. Inheritance of that protein was determined as monogenic dominant.

  20. Origin and cross-century dynamics of an avian hybrid zone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morales-Rozo, Andrea; Tenorio, Elkin A; Carling, Matthew D; Cadena, Carlos Daniel

    2017-12-15

    Characterizations of the dynamics of hybrid zones in space and time can give insights about traits and processes important in population divergence and speciation. We characterized a hybrid zone between tanagers in the genus Ramphocelus (Aves, Thraupidae) located in southwestern Colombia. We evaluated whether this hybrid zone originated as a result of secondary contact or of primary differentiation, and described its dynamics across time using spatial analyses of molecular, morphological, and coloration data in combination with paleodistribution modeling. Models of potential historical distributions based on climatic data and genetic signatures of demographic expansion suggested that the hybrid zone likely originated following secondary contact between populations that expanded their ranges out of isolated areas in the Quaternary. Concordant patterns of variation in phenotypic characters across the hybrid zone and its narrow extent are suggestive of a tension zone, maintained by a balance between dispersal and selection against hybrids. Estimates of phenotypic cline parameters obtained using specimens collected over nearly a century revealed that, in recent decades, the zone appears to have moved to the east and to higher elevations, and may have become narrower. Genetic variation was not clearly structured along the hybrid zone, but comparisons between historical and contemporary specimens suggested that temporal changes in its genetic makeup may also have occurred. Our data suggest that the hybrid zone likey resulted from secondary contact between populations. The observed changes in the hybrid zone may be a result of sexual selection, asymmetric gene flow, or environmental change.

  1. Genomic structural variation-mediated allelic suppression causes hybrid male sterility in rice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Rongxin; Wang, Lan; Liu, Xupeng; Wu, Jiang; Jin, Weiwei; Zhao, Xiucai; Xie, Xianrong; Zhu, Qinlong; Tang, Huiwu; Li, Qing; Chen, Letian; Liu, Yao-Guang

    2017-11-03

    Hybrids between divergent populations commonly show hybrid sterility; this reproductive barrier hinders hybrid breeding of the japonica and indica rice (Oryza sativa L.) subspecies. Here we show that structural changes and copy number variation at the Sc locus confer japonica-indica hybrid male sterility. The japonica allele, Sc-j, contains a pollen-essential gene encoding a DUF1618-domain protein; the indica allele, Sc-i, contains two or three tandem-duplicated ~ 28-kb segments, each carrying an Sc-j-homolog with a distinct promoter. In Sc-j/Sc-i hybrids, the high-expression of Sc-i in sporophytic cells causes suppression of Sc-j expression in pollen and selective abortion of Sc-j-pollen, leading to transmission ratio distortion. Knocking out one or two of the three Sc-i copies by CRISPR/Cas9 rescues Sc-j expression and male fertility. Our results reveal the gene dosage-dependent allelic suppression as a mechanism of hybrid incompatibility, and provide an effective approach to overcome the reproductive barrier for hybrid breeding.

  2. The effects of hybridization on divergent venom phenotypes: Characterization of venom from Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus × Crotalus oreganus helleri hybrids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Cara Francesca; Mackessy, Stephen P

    2016-09-15

    sex-influenced development of metalloprotease activity, as seen in the ontogenetic shifts of the hybrid female, may influence the levels of expression of both type I and type II characteristics in hybrid venoms. Ultimately, the chronological analysis of this known hybrid system reveals the most distinct characteristics that can be used in determining successful hybridization between snakes that follow the type I-type II trend in rattlesnake venom composition, namely the presence of metalloprotease activity and Mojave toxin. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  3. Genetic engineering with tobacco protoplasts. [Hybridization by fusion of leaf protoplasts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, H H

    1976-01-01

    Interspecific hybridization by fusion of leaf protoplasts of Nicotiana glauca (GG) and N. langsdorffii (LL) was confirmed and extended. Enzymatic digestion of leaf tissues to obtain protoplats was followed by fusion with the aid of polyethylene glycol. The hybrid calli were selected by their better growth on defined culture media. Mature hybrid plants were identified by their morphology and tumor formation. Cytological examination revealed a range in chromosome numbers from 56 to 64 rather than the amphiploid GGLL number of 42. About 75 percent of the hybrids were fertile. The potential range in combining widely disparate genotypes by somatic cell fusion was demonstrated by fusing tobacco GGLL protoplasts with human HeLa cells. The HeLa nucleus was observed inside the plant protoplasts, thus forming an interkingdom heterokaryon.

  4. Mixing of maize and wheat genomic DNA by somatic hybridization in regenerated sterile maize plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szarka, B.; Göntér, I.; Molnár-Láng, M.; Mórocz, S.; Dudits, D.

    2002-07-01

    Intergeneric somatic hybridization was performed between albino maize ( Zea mays L.) protoplasts and mesophyll protoplasts of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) by polyethylene glycol (PEG) treatments. None of the parental protoplasts were able to produce green plants without fusion. The maize cells regenerated only rudimentary albino plantlets of limited viability, and the wheat mesophyll protoplasts were unable to divide. PEG-mediated fusion treatments resulted in hybrid cells with mixed cytoplasm. Six months after fusion green embryogenic calli were selected as putative hybrids. The first-regenerates were discovered as aborted embryos. Regeneration of intact, green, maize-like plants needed 6 months of further subcultures on hormone-free medium. These plants were sterile, although had both male and female flowers. The cytological analysis of cells from callus tissues and root tips revealed 56 chromosomes, but intact wheat chromosomes were not observed. Using total DNA from hybrid plants, three RAPD primer combinations produced bands resembling the wheat profile. Genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) using total wheat DNA as a probe revealed the presence of wheat DNA islands in the maize chromosomal background. The increased viability and the restored green color were the most-significant new traits as compared to the original maize parent. Other intermediate morphological traits of plants with hybrid origin were not found.

  5. Restriction endonuclease analysis of chloroplast DNA in interspecies somatic Hybrids of Petunia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, A; Cocking, E C; Bovenberg, W A; Kool, A J

    1982-12-01

    Restriction endonuclease cleavage pattern analysis of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) of three different interspecific somatic hybrid plants revealed that the cytoplasms of the hybrids contained only cpDNA of P. parodii. The somatic hybrid plants analysed were those between P. parodii (wild type) + P. hybrida (wild type); P. parodii (wild type)+P. inflata (cytoplasmic albino mutant); P. parodii (wild type) + P. parviflora (nuclear albino mutant). The presence of only P. parodii chloroplasts in the somatic hybrid of P. parodii + P. inflata is possibly due to the stringent selection used for somatic hybrid production. However, in the case of the two other somatic hybrids P. parodii + P. hybrida and P. parodii + P. parviflora it was not possible to determine whether the presence of only P. parodii chloroplasts in these somatic hybrid plants was due to the nature of the selection schemes used or simply occurred by chance. The relevance of such somatic hybrid material for the study of genomic-cytoplasmic interaction is discussed, as well as the use of restriction endonuclease fragment patterns for the analysis of taxonomic and evolutionary inter-relationships in the genus Petunia.

  6. Biomimetic synthesis of hybrid nanocomposite scaffolds by freeze

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The aim of this study is to biomimetically synthesize hydroxyapatite–hydrophilic polymer scaffolds for biomedical applications. This organic–inorganic hybrid has been structurally characterized and reveals a good microstructural control as seen by the SEM analysis and the nanosize of the particulates is confirmed by AFM ...

  7. Confinement Effects in Low-Dimensional Lead Iodide Perovskite Hybrids

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kamminga, Machteld E.; Fang, Honghua; Filip, Marina R.; Giustino, Feliciano; Baas, Jacobus; Blake, Graeme R.; Loi, Maria Antonietta; Palstra, Thomas T. M.

    2016-01-01

    We use a layered solution crystal growth technique to synthesize high-quality single crystals of phenylalkylammonium lead iodide organic/inorganic hybrid compounds. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals low-dimensional structures consisting of inorganic sheets separated by bilayers of the organic

  8. Raman Spectra of Luminescent Graphene Oxide (GO-Phosphor Hybrid Nanoscrolls

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janardhanan. R. Rani

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Graphene oxide (GO-phosphor hybrid nanoscrolls were synthesized using a simple chemical method. The GO-phosphor ratio was varied to find the optimum ratio for enhanced optical characteristics of the hybrid. A scanning electron microscope analysis revealed that synthesized GO scrolls achieved a length of over 20 μm with interior cavities. The GO-phosphor hybrid is extensively analyzed using Raman spectroscopy, suggesting that various Raman combination modes are activated with the appearance of a low-frequency radial breathing-like mode (RBLM of the type observed in carbon nanotubes. All of the synthesized GO-phosphor hybrids exhibit an intense luminescent emission around 540 nm along with a broad emission at approximately 400 nm, with the intensity ratio varying with the GO-phosphor ratio. The photoluminescence emissions were gauged using Commission Internationale d'Eclairage (CIE coordinates and at an optimum ratio. The coordinates shift to the white region of the color spectra. Our study suggests that the GO-phosphor hybrid nanoscrolls are suitable candidates for light-emitting applications.

  9. Genomic networks of hybrid sterility.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leslie M Turner

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Hybrid dysfunction, a common feature of reproductive barriers between species, is often caused by negative epistasis between loci ("Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibilities". The nature and complexity of hybrid incompatibilities remain poorly understood because identifying interacting loci that affect complex phenotypes is difficult. With subspecies in the early stages of speciation, an array of genetic tools, and detailed knowledge of reproductive biology, house mice (Mus musculus provide a model system for dissecting hybrid incompatibilities. Male hybrids between M. musculus subspecies often show reduced fertility. Previous studies identified loci and several X chromosome-autosome interactions that contribute to sterility. To characterize the genetic basis of hybrid sterility in detail, we used a systems genetics approach, integrating mapping of gene expression traits with sterility phenotypes and QTL. We measured genome-wide testis expression in 305 male F2s from a cross between wild-derived inbred strains of M. musculus musculus and M. m. domesticus. We identified several thousand cis- and trans-acting QTL contributing to expression variation (eQTL. Many trans eQTL cluster into eleven 'hotspots,' seven of which co-localize with QTL for sterility phenotypes identified in the cross. The number and clustering of trans eQTL-but not cis eQTL-were substantially lower when mapping was restricted to a 'fertile' subset of mice, providing evidence that trans eQTL hotspots are related to sterility. Functional annotation of transcripts with eQTL provides insights into the biological processes disrupted by sterility loci and guides prioritization of candidate genes. Using a conditional mapping approach, we identified eQTL dependent on interactions between loci, revealing a complex system of epistasis. Our results illuminate established patterns, including the role of the X chromosome in hybrid sterility. The integrated mapping approach we employed is

  10. Longitudinal fluorescence in situ hybridization reveals cytogenetic evolution in myeloma relapsing after autologous transplantation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merz, Maximilian; Jauch, Anna; Hielscher, Thomas; Mai, Elias K.; Seckinger, Anja; Hose, Dirk; Bertsch, Uta; Neben, Kai; Raab, Marc S.; Salwender, Hans; Blau, Igor W.; Lindemann, Hans-Walter; Schmidt-Wolf, Ingo; Scheid, Christof; Haenel, Mathias; Weisel, Katja; Goldschmidt, Hartmut; Hillengass, Jens

    2017-01-01

    To investigate cytogenetic evolution after upfront autologous stem cell transplantation for newly diagnosed myeloma we retrospectively analyzed fluorescence in situ hybridization results of 128 patients with paired bone marrow samples from the time of primary diagnosis and at relapse. High-risk cytogenetic abnormalities (deletion 17p and/or gain 1q21) occurred more frequently after relapse (odds ratio: 6.33; 95% confidence interval: 1.86–33.42; P<0.001). No significant changes were observed for defined IGH translocations [t(4;14); t(11;14); t(14;16)] or hyperdiploid karyotypes between primary diagnosis and relapse. IGH translocations with unknown partners occurred more frequently at relapse. New deletion 17p and/or gain 1q21 were associated with cytogenetic heterogeneity, since some de novo lesions with different copy numbers were present only in subclones. No distinct baseline characteristics were associated with the occurrence of new high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities after progression. Patients who relapsed after novel agent-based induction therapy had an increased risk of developing high-risk aberrations (odds ratio 10.82; 95% confidence interval: 1.65–127.66; P=0.03) compared to those who were treated with conventional chemotherapy. Survival analysis revealed dismal outcomes regardless of whether high-risk aberrations were present at baseline (hazard ratio, 3.53; 95% confidence interval: 1.53–8.14; P=0.003) or developed at relapse only (hazard ratio, 3.06; 95% confidence interval: 1.09–8.59; P=0.03). Our results demonstrate cytogenetic evolution towards high-risk disease after autologous transplantation and underline the importance of repeated genetic testing in relapsed myeloma (EudraCT number of the HD4 trial: 2004-000944-26). PMID:28495913

  11. Hybrid discrete choice models: Gained insights versus increasing effort

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mariel, Petr, E-mail: petr.mariel@ehu.es [UPV/EHU, Economía Aplicada III, Avda. Lehendakari Aguire, 83, 48015 Bilbao (Spain); Meyerhoff, Jürgen [Institute for Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, Technical University of Berlin, D-10623 Berlin, Germany and The Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Duesternbrooker Weg 120, 24105 Kiel (Germany)

    2016-10-15

    Hybrid choice models expand the standard models in discrete choice modelling by incorporating psychological factors as latent variables. They could therefore provide further insights into choice processes and underlying taste heterogeneity but the costs of estimating these models often significantly increase. This paper aims at comparing the results from a hybrid choice model and a classical random parameter logit. Point of departure for this analysis is whether researchers and practitioners should add hybrid choice models to their suite of models routinely estimated. Our comparison reveals, in line with the few prior studies, that hybrid models gain in efficiency by the inclusion of additional information. The use of one of the two proposed approaches, however, depends on the objective of the analysis. If disentangling preference heterogeneity is most important, hybrid model seems to be preferable. If the focus is on predictive power, a standard random parameter logit model might be the better choice. Finally, we give recommendations for an adequate use of hybrid choice models based on known principles of elementary scientific inference. - Highlights: • The paper compares performance of a Hybrid Choice Model (HCM) and a classical Random Parameter Logit (RPL) model. • The HCM indeed provides insights regarding preference heterogeneity not gained from the RPL. • The RPL has similar predictive power as the HCM in our data. • The costs of estimating HCM seem to be justified when learning more on taste heterogeneity is a major study objective.

  12. Hybrid discrete choice models: Gained insights versus increasing effort

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mariel, Petr; Meyerhoff, Jürgen

    2016-01-01

    Hybrid choice models expand the standard models in discrete choice modelling by incorporating psychological factors as latent variables. They could therefore provide further insights into choice processes and underlying taste heterogeneity but the costs of estimating these models often significantly increase. This paper aims at comparing the results from a hybrid choice model and a classical random parameter logit. Point of departure for this analysis is whether researchers and practitioners should add hybrid choice models to their suite of models routinely estimated. Our comparison reveals, in line with the few prior studies, that hybrid models gain in efficiency by the inclusion of additional information. The use of one of the two proposed approaches, however, depends on the objective of the analysis. If disentangling preference heterogeneity is most important, hybrid model seems to be preferable. If the focus is on predictive power, a standard random parameter logit model might be the better choice. Finally, we give recommendations for an adequate use of hybrid choice models based on known principles of elementary scientific inference. - Highlights: • The paper compares performance of a Hybrid Choice Model (HCM) and a classical Random Parameter Logit (RPL) model. • The HCM indeed provides insights regarding preference heterogeneity not gained from the RPL. • The RPL has similar predictive power as the HCM in our data. • The costs of estimating HCM seem to be justified when learning more on taste heterogeneity is a major study objective.

  13. Role of hybrid ratio in microstructural, mechanical and sliding wear properties of the Al5083/Graphitep/Al2O3p a surface hybrid nanocomposite fabricated via friction stir processing method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mostafapour Asl, A.; Khandani, S.T.

    2013-01-01

    Hybrid ratio of each reinforcement phase in hybrid composite can be defined as proportion of its volume to total reinforcement volume of the composite. The hybrid ratio is an important factor which controls the participation extent of each reinforcement phase in overall properties of hybrid composites. Hence, in the present work, surface hybrid nanocomposites of Al5083/Graphite p /Al 2 O 3p with different hybrid ratios were fabricated by friction stir processing method. Subsequently, effect of hybrid ratio on microstructural, mechanical and tribological properties of the nanocomposite was investigated. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were utilized to perform microstructural observation on the samples. Hardness value measurements, tensile and pin on disk dry sliding wear tests were carried out to investigate effect of hybrid ratio on mechanical and tribological properties of the nanocomposites. Microstructural investigations displayed better distribution with less agglomeration of reinforcement for lower volume fraction of reinforcement for both alumina and graphite particles. Hardness value, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and wear rate of the nanocomposites revealed a two stage form along with hybrid ratio variation. The results are discussed based on microstructural observations of the nanocomposites and worn surface analyses.

  14. Interspecific differentiation and hybridization in vanilla species (Orchidaceae)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Lene Rostgaard; Siegismund

    1999-01-01

    Vanilla claviculata, V. barbellata and V. dilloniana are distributed throughout the Caribbean islands and are all found in Puerto Rico. The vegetative parts of the species are similar; however, their conspicuous flowers easily distinguish them. Electrophoresis of seven polymorphic enzymes reveale...... coexist. This suggests that the species may hybridize....

  15. Hybrid2 - The hybrid power system simulation model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baring-Gould, E.I.; Green, H.J.; Dijk, V.A.P. van [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States); Manwell, J.F. [Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States)

    1996-12-31

    There is a large-scale need and desire for energy in remote communities, especially in the developing world; however the lack of a user friendly, flexible performance prediction model for hybrid power systems incorporating renewables hindered the analysis of hybrids as options to conventional solutions. A user friendly model was needed with the versatility to simulate the many system locations, widely varying hardware configurations, and differing control options for potential hybrid power systems. To meet these ends, researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the University of Massachusetts (UMass) developed the Hybrid2 software. This paper provides an overview of the capabilities, features, and functionality of the Hybrid2 code, discusses its validation and future plans. Model availability and technical support provided to Hybrid2 users are also discussed. 12 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs.

  16. Quantitative study of fruit flavonoids in citrus hybrids of King (C. nobilis) and Mukaku Kishu (C. kinokuni).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawaii, S; Tomono, Y; Katase, E; Ogawa, K; Nonomura-Nakano, M; Nesumi, H; Yoshida, T; Sugiura, M; Yano, M

    2001-08-01

    Twenty-four Citrus hybrids of King (C. nobilis) and Mukaku Kishu (C. kinokuni) were examined for their flavonoid profiles of the edible part by reversed-phase HPLC analysis. Two hybrids (G-155 and G-156) contained higher amounts of natsudaidain than their parents, whereas the remainder of the hybrids had a character intermediate between those of King and Mukaku Kishu on the basis of polymethoxylated flavone composition. Principal component analysis revealed the distribution of the hybrids by quantifying 23 flavonoid contents.

  17. Marine Fish Hybridization

    KAUST Repository

    He, Song

    2017-04-01

    Natural hybridization is reproduction (without artificial influence) between two or more species/populations which are distinguishable from each other by heritable characters. Natural hybridizations among marine fishes were highly underappreciated due to limited research effort; it seems that this phenomenon occurs more often than is commonly recognized. As hybridization plays an important role in biodiversity processes in the marine environment, detecting hybridization events and investigating hybridization is important to understand and protect biodiversity. The first chapter sets the framework for this disseration study. The Cohesion Species Concept was selected as the working definition of a species for this study as it can handle marine fish hybridization events. The concept does not require restrictive species boundaries. A general history and background of natural hybridization in marine fishes is reviewed during in chapter as well. Four marine fish hybridization cases were examed and documented in Chapters 2 to 5. In each case study, at least one diagnostic nuclear marker, screened from among ~14 candidate markers, was found to discriminate the putative hybridizing parent species. To further investigate genetic evidence to support the hybrid status for each hybrid offspring in each case, haploweb analysis on diagnostic markers (nuclear and/or mitochondrial) and the DAPC/PCA analysis on microsatellite data were used. By combining the genetic evidences, morphological traits, and ecological observations together, the potential reasons that triggered each hybridization events and the potential genetic/ecology effects could be discussed. In the last chapter, sequences from 82 pairs of hybridizing parents species (for which COI barcoding sequences were available either on GenBank or in our lab) were collected. By comparing the COI fragment p-distance between each hybridizing parent species, some general questions about marine fish hybridization were discussed: Is

  18. Lectin histochemistry as a tool to identify apoptotic cells in the seminiferous epithelium of Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) subjected to short photoperiod.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seco-Rovira, V; Beltrán-Frutos, E; Ferrer, C; Sánchez-Huertas, M M; Madrid, J F; Saez, F J; Pastor, L M

    2013-12-01

    Lectins have been widely used to study the pattern of cellular glycoconjugates in numerous species. In the process of cellular apoptosis, it has been observed that changes occur in the membrane sugar sequences of these apoptotic cells. The aim of our work was to identify which lectins, out of an extensive battery of the same (PNA, SBA, HPA, LTA, Con-A, UEA-I, WGA, DBA, MAA, GNA, AAA, SNA), show affinity for germinal cells in apoptosis, at what stage of cell death they do so and in which germinal cell types they can be detected. For this, we studied testis sections during testicular regression in Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) subjected to short photoperiod. Several lectins showed an affinity for the glycoconjugate residues of germ cells in apoptosis: Gal β1,3-GalNAcα1, α-d-mannose, N-acetylgalactosamine and l-fucose. Furthermore, lectin specificity was observed for some specific germinal cells and in certain stages of apoptosis. It was also observed that one of these lectins (PNA) showed affinity for Sertoli cells undergoing apoptosis. Therefore, we conclude that the use of lectin histochemistry could be a very useful tool for studying apoptosis in the seminiferous epithelium because of the specificity shown towards germinal cells in pathological or experimentally induced epithelial depletion models. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  19. Characterization of Polylactic Acid/ Microcrystalline Cellulose/ Montmorillonite Hybrid Composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reza Arjmandi; Azman Hassan; Haafiz, M.K.M.; Zainoha Zakaria; Inuwa, I.M.

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of montmorillonite (MMT)/ microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) hybrid fillers on mechanical properties and morphological characteristics of polylactic acid (PLA) composites. PLA/ MMT nano composites and PLA/ MMT/ MCC hybrid composites were prepared by solution casting method. Morphology and tensile properties of PLA composites were investigated using Field emission scanning electron microscopy and Instron tensile testing machine. The maximum tensile strength of PLA/ MMT nano composites was obtained with 5 phr contents of MMT, which corresponding to 30.75 MPa. Based on optimized formulation of PLA/ MMT nano composites (5 phr MMT contents), various amounts of MCC (0 to 7 phr) were added into optimum formulation of PLA/ MMT in order to produce PLA/ MMT/ MCC hybrid composites. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed some level of interaction between PLA and both MMT and MCC in the hybrid composites. However, the percent elongation at break of the hybrid composites was generally higher than PLA/ MMT nano composites. Additionally, Young's modulus of the PLA/ MMT/ MCC hybrid composites increased gradually with increasing of MCC contents and was higher than PLA/ MMT at all compositions. The present results are the first among a series of experiments that have been designed in order to probe the effect of MMT and MCC in the PLA. (author)

  20. Analysis of differentially expressed genes in two immunologically distinct strains of Eimeria maxima using suppression subtractive hybridization and dot-blot hybridization

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background It is well known that different Eimeria maxima strains exhibit significant antigenic variation. However, the genetic basis of these phenotypes remains unclear. Methods Total RNA and mRNA were isolated from unsporulated oocysts of E. maxima strains SH and NT, which were found to have significant differences in immunogenicity in our previous research. Two subtractive cDNA libraries were constructed using suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and specific genes were further analyzed by dot-blot hybridization and qRT-PCR analysis. Results A total of 561 clones were selected from both cDNA libraries and the length of the inserted fragments was 0.25–1.0 kb. Dot-blot hybridization revealed a total of 86 differentially expressed clones (63 from strain SH and 23 from strain NT). Nucleotide sequencing analysis of these clones revealed ten specific contigs (six from strain SH and four from strain NT). Further analysis found that six contigs from strain SH and three from strain NT shared significant identities with previously reported proteins, and one contig was presumed to be novel. The specific differentially expressed genes were finally verified by RT-PCR and qRT-PCR analyses. Conclusions The data presented here suggest that specific genes identified between the two strains may be important molecules in the immunogenicity of E. maxima that may present potential new drug targets or vaccine candidates for coccidiosis. PMID:24894832

  1. Carbon nanotube TiO2 hybrid films for detecting traces of O2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Llobet, E.; Espinosa, E. H.; Sotter, E.; Ionescu, R.; Vilanova, X.; Torres, J.; Felten, A.; Pireaux, J. J.; Ke, X.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Renaux, F.; Paint, Y.; Hecq, M.; Bittencourt, C.

    2008-09-01

    Hybrid titania films have been prepared using an adapted sol-gel method for obtaining well-dispersed hydrogen plasma-treated multiwall carbon nanotubes in either pure titania or Nb-doped titania. The drop-coating method has been used to fabricate resistive oxygen sensors based on titania or on titania and carbon nanotube hybrids. Morphology and composition studies have revealed that the dispersion of low amounts of carbon nanotubes within the titania matrix does not significantly alter its crystallization behaviour. The gas sensitivity studies performed on the different samples have shown that the hybrid layers based on titania and carbon nanotubes possess an unprecedented responsiveness towards oxygen (i.e. more than four times higher than that shown by optimized Nb-doped TiO2 films). Furthermore, hybrid sensors containing carbon nanotubes respond at significantly lower operating temperatures than their non-hybrid counterparts. These new hybrid sensors show a strong potential for monitoring traces of oxygen (i.e. beverage industry.

  2. Synthesis and hyperthermia property of hydroxyapatite-ferrite hybrid particles by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inukai, Akihiro; Sakamoto, Naonori; Aono, Hiromichi; Sakurai, Osamu; Shinozaki, Kazuo; Suzuki, Hisao; Wakiya, Naoki

    2011-01-01

    Biocompatible hybrid particles composed of hydroxyapatite (Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 6 (OH) 2 , HAp) and ferrite (γ-Fe 2 O 3 and Fe 3 O 4 ) were synthesized using a two-step procedure. First, the ferrite particles were synthesized by co-precipitation. Second, the suspension, which was composed of ferrite particles by a co-precipitation method, Ca(NO 3 ) 2 , and H 3 PO 4 aqueous solution with surfactant, was nebulized into mist ultrasonically. Then the mist was pyrolyzed at 1000 o C to synthesize HAp-ferrite hybrid particles. The molar ratio of Fe ion and HAp was (Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ )/HAp=6. The synthesized hybrid particle was round and dimpled, and the average diameter of a secondary particle was 740 nm. The cross section of the synthesized hybrid particles revealed two phases: HAp and ferrite. The ferrite was coated with HAp. The synthesized hybrid particles show a saturation magnetization of 11.8 emu/g. The net saturation magnetization of the ferrite component was calculated as 32.5 emu/g. The temperature increase in the AC-magnetic field (370 kHz, 1.77 kA/m) was 9 o C with 3.4 g (the ferrite component was 1.0 g). These results show that synthesized hybrid particles are biocompatible and might be useful for magnetic transport and hyperthermia studies. - Research Highlights: → Biocompatible hybrid particles composed of hydroxyapatite (Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 6 (OH) 2 , HAp) and ferrite (γ-Fe 2 O 3 and Fe 3 O 4 ) were synthesized using a two-step synthesis, which is comprised of co-precipitation and ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. → Cross sectional TEM observation and X-ray diffraction revealed that synthesized hybrid particles showed two phases (HAp and ferrite), and the ferrite was coated with HAp. → The saturation magnetization of ferrite in the HAp-ferrite hybrid was 32.49 emu/g. → The increased temperature in the AC-magnetic field (370 kHz, 1.77 kA/m) was 9 o C with 3.4 g (the ferrite component was 1.0 g).

  3. A populational survey of 45S rDNA polymorphism in the Jefferson salamander Ambystoma jeffersonianum revealed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinzhong FU

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available The chromosomal localization of 45S ribosomal RNA genes in Ambystoma jeffersonianum was determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization with 18S rDNA fragment as a probe (FISH-rDNA. Our results revealed the presence of rDNA polymorphism among A.jeffersonianum populations in terms of number, location and FISH signal intensity on the chromosomes. Nine rDNA cytotypes were found in ten geographically isolated populations and most of them contained derivative rDNA sites. Our preliminary study provides strong indication of karyotypic diversification of A.jeffersonianum that is demonstrated by intraspecific variation of 45S rDNA cytotypes. rDNA cytotype polymorphism has been described in many other caudate amphibians. We predict that habitat isolation, low dispersal ability and decline of effective population size could facilitate the fixation and accumulation of variable rDNA cytotypes during their chromosome evolution.

  4. Determination of the cell tropism of serotype 1 feline infectious peritonitis virus using the spike affinity histochemistry in paraffin-embedded tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cham, Tat-Chuan; Chang, Yen-Chen; Tsai, Pei-Shiue; Wu, Ching-Ho; Chen, Hui-Wen; Jeng, Chian-Ren; Pang, Victor Fei; Chang, Hui-Wen

    2017-08-01

    Unlike for serotype II feline coronaviruses (FCoV II), the cellular receptor for serotype I FCoV (FCoV I), the most prevalent FCoV serotype, is unknown. To provide a platform for assessing the pattern by which FCoV I attaches to its host receptor(s), HEK293 cell lines that stably express the ectodomains of the spike (S) proteins derived from a FCoV I feline enteric coronavirus strain UU7 (FECV UU7) and a feline infectious peritonitis virus strain UU4 (FIPV UU4) were established. Using the recombinant S proteins as probes to perform S protein affinity histochemistry in paraffin-embedded tissues, although no tissue or enteric binding of FECV UU7 S protein was detected, it was found that by immunohistochemistry that the tissue distribution of FIPV UU4 S protein-bound cells correlated with that of FIPV antigen-positive cells and lesions associated with FIP and that the affinity binding of FIPV UU4 S protein on macrophages was not affected by enzymatic removal of host cell-surface sialic acid with neuraminidase. These findings suggest that a factor(s) other than sialic acid contribute(s) to the macrophage tropism of FIPV strain UU4. This approach allowed obtaining more information about both virus-host cell interactions and the biological characteristics of the unidentified cellular receptor for FCoV I. © 2017 The Societies and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  5. Intuitionistic hybrid logic

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Braüner, Torben

    2011-01-01

    Intuitionistic hybrid logic is hybrid modal logic over an intuitionistic logic basis instead of a classical logical basis. In this short paper we introduce intuitionistic hybrid logic and we give a survey of work in the area.......Intuitionistic hybrid logic is hybrid modal logic over an intuitionistic logic basis instead of a classical logical basis. In this short paper we introduce intuitionistic hybrid logic and we give a survey of work in the area....

  6. Comprehensive Analysis of ETS Family Members in Melanoma by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Reveals Recurrent ETV1 Amplification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehra, Rohit; Dhanasekaran, Saravana M; Palanisamy, Nallasivam; Vats, Pankaj; Cao, Xuhong; Kim, Jung H; Kim, David SL; Johnson, Timothy; Fullen, Douglas R; Chinnaiyan, Arul M

    2013-01-01

    E26 transformation-specific (ETS) transcription factors are known to be involved in gene aberrations in various malignancies including prostate cancer; however, their role in melanoma oncogenesis has yet to be fully explored. We have completed a comprehensive fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)-based screen for all 27 members of the ETS transcription factor family on two melanoma tissue microarrays, representing 223 melanomas, 10 nevi, and 5 normal skin tissues. None of the melanoma cases demonstrated ETS fusions; however, 6 of 114 (5.3%) melanomas were amplified for ETV1 using a break-apart FISH probe. For the six positive cases, locus-controlled FISH probes revealed that two of six cases were amplified for the ETV1 region, whereas four cases showed copy gains of the entire chromosome 7. The remaining 26 ETS family members showed no chromosomal aberrations by FISH. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed an average 3.4-fold (P value = .00218) increased expression of ETV1 in melanomas, including the FISH ETV1-amplified cases, when compared to other malignancies (prostate, breast, and bladder carcinomas). These data suggest that a subset of melanomas overexpresses ETV1 and amplification of ETV1 may be one mechanism for achieving high gene expression. PMID:23908683

  7. On the Likely Utility of Hybrid Weights Optimized for Variances in Hybrid Error Covariance Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Satterfield, E.; Hodyss, D.; Kuhl, D.; Bishop, C. H.

    2017-12-01

    Because of imperfections in ensemble data assimilation schemes, one cannot assume that the ensemble covariance is equal to the true error covariance of a forecast. Previous work demonstrated how information about the distribution of true error variances given an ensemble sample variance can be revealed from an archive of (observation-minus-forecast, ensemble-variance) data pairs. Here, we derive a simple and intuitively compelling formula to obtain the mean of this distribution of true error variances given an ensemble sample variance from (observation-minus-forecast, ensemble-variance) data pairs produced by a single run of a data assimilation system. This formula takes the form of a Hybrid weighted average of the climatological forecast error variance and the ensemble sample variance. Here, we test the extent to which these readily obtainable weights can be used to rapidly optimize the covariance weights used in Hybrid data assimilation systems that employ weighted averages of static covariance models and flow-dependent ensemble based covariance models. Univariate data assimilation and multi-variate cycling ensemble data assimilation are considered. In both cases, it is found that our computationally efficient formula gives Hybrid weights that closely approximate the optimal weights found through the simple but computationally expensive process of testing every plausible combination of weights.

  8. Bigger hybrid loader on the drawing board : Mining Technologies International hybrid gets rave reviews for power and comfort

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tollinsky, N.

    2010-12-01

    This article presented a hybrid loader that reduces diesel emissions in underground mining. Sudbury-based Mining Technologies International (MTI) plans to build a 4 cubic yard loader in 2011, following the successful trial of a smaller 1.5 cubic yard machine at the CANMET experimental mine in Val d'Or, Quebec. The prototype hybrid loader was equipped with a metal hydride battery pack and a 2-cylinder, 35 hp Deutz engine. Performance testing revealed that the machine is capable of providing much more torque than originally expected and that it has more power compared to a mechanical drive machine. Operators at the CANMET mine also gave the hybrid loader high marks for comfort. The MTI loaders are equipped with a load sensing hydraulics system to eliminate jarring movement. The prototype experienced some premature failures in the flex coupling, which was subsequently replaced at the MTI shop in Sudbury. The primary reason for building the hybrid loader was to reduce diesel emissions underground in anticipation of stricter emission standards planned by the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the United States Environmental Protection Agency and CANMET for 2014. Compared to a conventional machine, there is virtually no exhaust from the hybrid loader. It is an ideal machine for a mine with very limited ventilation. Since the loader runs off the battery, MTI is currently looking at battery technologies other than metal hydrides to obtain a much higher energy density. Diesel is used to recharge the loader, and eliminates the need to plug in the unit between shifts. 1 ref., 2 figs.

  9. Inheritance of brewing-relevant phenotypes in constructed Saccharomyces cerevisiae × Saccharomyces eubayanus hybrids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krogerus, Kristoffer; Seppänen-Laakso, Tuulikki; Castillo, Sandra; Gibson, Brian

    2017-04-21

    Interspecific hybridization has proven to be a potentially valuable technique for generating de novo lager yeast strains that possess diverse and improved traits compared to their parent strains. To further enhance the value of hybridization for strain development, it would be desirable to combine phenotypic traits from more than two parent strains, as well as remove unwanted traits from hybrids. One such trait, that has limited the industrial use of de novo lager yeast hybrids, is their inherent tendency to produce phenolic off-flavours; an undesirable trait inherited from the Saccharomyces eubayanus parent. Trait removal and the addition of traits from a third strain could be achieved through sporulation and meiotic recombination or further mating. However, interspecies hybrids tend to be sterile, which impedes this opportunity. Here we generated a set of five hybrids from three different parent strains, two of which contained DNA from all three parent strains. These hybrids were constructed with fertile allotetraploid intermediates, which were capable of efficient sporulation. We used these eight brewing strains to examine two brewing-relevant phenotypes: stress tolerance and phenolic off-flavour formation. Lipidomics and multivariate analysis revealed links between several lipid species and the ability to ferment in low temperatures and high ethanol concentrations. Unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid, and ergosterol were shown to positively influence growth at high ethanol concentrations. The ability to produce phenolic off-flavours was also successfully removed from one of the hybrids, Hybrid T2, through meiotic segregation. The potential application of these strains in industrial fermentations was demonstrated in wort fermentations, which revealed that the meiotic segregant Hybrid T2 not only didn't produce any phenolic off-flavours, but also reached the highest ethanol concentration and consumed the most maltotriose. Our study demonstrates the

  10. Assessing hybrid sterility in Oryza glaberrima x O. sativa hybrid progenies by PCR marker analysis and crossing with wide compatibility varieties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heuer, Sigrid; Miézan, Kouamé M

    2003-09-01

    Interspecific crossing of the African indigenous rice Oryza glaberrima with Oryza sativa cultivars is hindered by crossing barriers causing 100% spikelet sterility in F(1) hybrids. Since hybrids are partially female fertile, fertility can be restored by back crossing (BC) to a recurrent male parent. Distinct genetic models on spikelet sterility have been developed predicting, e.g., the existence of a gamete eliminator and/or a pollen killer. Linkage of sterility to the waxy starch synthase gene and the chromogen gene C, both located on chromosome 6, have been demonstrated. We selected a segregating BC(2)F(3) population of semi-sterile O. glaberrima x O. sativa indica hybrid progenies for analyses with PCR markers located at the respective chromosome-6 region. These analyses revealed that semi-sterile plants were heterozygous for a marker (OSR25) located in the waxy promoter, whereas fertile progenies were homozygous for the O. glaberrima allele. Adjacent markers showed no linkage to spikelet sterility. Semi-sterility of hybrid progenies was maintained at least until the F(4) progeny generation, suggesting the existence of a pollen killer in this plant material. Monitoring of reproductive plant development showed that spikelet sterility was at least partially due to an arrest of pollen development at the microspore stage. In order to address the question whether genes responsible for F(1) sterility in intraspecific hybrids ( O. sativa indica x japonica) also cause spikelet sterility in interspecific hybrids, crossings with wide compatibility varieties (WCV) were performed. WCV accessions possess "neutral" S-loci ( S(n)) improving fertility in intraspecific hybrids. This experiment showed that the tested S(n)-loci had no fertility restoring effect in F(1) interspecific hybrids. Pollen development was completely arrested at the microspore stage and grains were never obtained after selfing. This suggests that distinct or additional S-loci are responsible for sterility

  11. Morphological and genetic diversity in Callithrix hybrids in an anthropogenic area in southeastern Brazil (Primates: Cebidae: Callitrichinae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrielle M. Cezar

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Two species of Callithrix, C. jacchus (Linnaeus, 1758 and C. penicillata (É. Geoffroy, 1812, are considered invasive in Rio de Janeiro. This study determined the genetic and morphological diversity and verified the species involved in the hybridization of 10 individuals from the municipalities of Silva Jardim (N = 9 and Rio das Ostras (N = 1. We compared the external morphology and skull of C. jacchus (N = 15 and C. penicillata (N = 14 specimens deposited in the collection of the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro (MN- UFRJ. Phylogenetic (maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference and phylogeographical analyses (network analysis were performed based on cytochrome b sequences. These analyses included hybrids from the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro (N = 3, C. penicillata (N = 2, C. jacchus (N = 2, C. geoffroyi (N = 2, C. kuhlii (N = 2, C. aurita (N = 1, and as outgroups, Mico emiliae (N = 1 and Saguinus mystax (N = 1. The pelage and skull characters of most hybrids were more closely related to C. jacchus. Skull morphometric analysis revealed an intermediate state for the hybrids. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a high similarity between the hybrids and C. penicillata. Six haplotypes of hybrids were identified. Network analysis including them and C. penicillata recovered the topology generated by phylogenetic analysis. The results corroborate that C. jacchus and C. penicillata participate in the hybridization process. There was no geographic structure between hybrids from the coastal lowlands and from the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro.

  12. Effect of Environmental Degradation on Mechanical Properties of Kenaf/Polyethylene Terephthalate Fiber Reinforced Polyoxymethylene Hybrid Composite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamad Zaki Abdullah

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The main objective of this research is to investigate the effect of environmental degradation on the mechanical properties of kenaf/PET fiber reinforced POM hybrid composite. Kenaf and PET fibers were selected as reinforcements because of their good mechanical properties and resistance to photodegradation. The test samples were produced by compression molding. The samples were exposed to moisture, water spray, and ultraviolet penetration in an accelerated weathering chamber for 672 hours. The tensile strength of the long fiber POM/kenaf (80/20 composite dropped by 50% from 127.8 to 64.8 MPa while that of the hybrid composite dropped by only 2% from 73.8 to 72.5 MPa. This suggests that the hybrid composite had higher resistance to tensile strength than the POM/kenaf composite. Similarly, the results of flexural and impact strengths also revealed that the hybrid composite showed less degradation compared to the kenaf fiber composite. The results of the investigation revealed that the hybrid composite had better retention of mechanical properties than that of the kenaf fiber composites and may be suitable for outdoor application in the automotive industry.

  13. In situ biosynthesis of bacterial nanocellulose-CaCO3 hybrid bionanocomposite: One-step process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohammadkazemi, Faranak; Faria, Marisa; Cordeiro, Nereida

    2016-01-01

    In this work, a simple and green route to the synthesis of the bacterial nanocellulose-calcium carbonate (BNC/CaCO 3 ) hybrid bionanocomposites using one-step in situ biosynthesis was studied. The CaCO 3 was incorporated in the bacterial nanocellulose structure during the cellulose biosynthesis by Gluconacetobacter xylinus PTCC 1734 bacteria. Hestrin-Schramm (HS) and Zhou (Z) culture media were used to the hybrid bionanocomposites production and the effect of ethanol addition was investigated. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, inverse gas chromatography and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the samples. The experimental results demonstrated that the ethanol and culture medium play an important role in the BNC/CaCO 3 hybrid bionanocomposites production, structure and properties. The BNC/CaCO 3 biosynthesized in Z culture medium revealed higher O/C ratio and amphoteric surface character, which justify the highest CaCO 3 content incorporation. The CaCO 3 was incorporated into the cellulosic matrix decreasing the bacterial nanocellulose crystallinity. This work reveals the high potential of in situ biosynthesis of BNC/CaCO 3 hybrid bionanocomposites and opens a new way to the high value-added applications of bacterial nanocellulose. - Graphical Abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • BNC/CaCO 3 hybrid bionanocomposites were produced using in situ biosynthesis process. • Ethanol and culture medium play an important role in the production and properties. • Z-BNC/CaCO 3 bionanocomposites revealed higher O/C ratio and amphoteric surface character. • CaCO 3 incorporated into the BNC decreased crystallinity.

  14. Energy Efficiency Comparison between Hydraulic Hybrid and Hybrid Electric Vehicles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jia-Shiun Chen

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Conventional vehicles tend to consume considerable amounts of fuel, which generates exhaust gases and environmental pollution during intermittent driving cycles. Therefore, prospective vehicle designs favor improved exhaust emissions and energy consumption without compromising vehicle performance. Although pure electric vehicles feature high performance and low pollution characteristics, their limitations are their short driving range and high battery costs. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs are comparatively environmentally friendly and energy efficient, but cost substantially more compared with conventional vehicles. Hydraulic hybrid vehicles (HHVs are mainly operated using engines, or using alternate combinations of engine and hydraulic power sources while vehicles accelerate. When the hydraulic system accumulator is depleted, the conventional engine reengages; concurrently, brake-regenerated power is recycled and reused by employing hydraulic motor–pump modules in circulation patterns to conserve fuel and recycle brake energy. This study adopted MATLAB Simulink to construct complete HHV and HEV models for backward simulations. New European Driving Cycles were used to determine the changes in fuel economy. The output of power components and the state-of-charge of energy could be retrieved. Varying power component models, energy storage component models, and series or parallel configurations were combined into seven different vehicle configurations: the conventional manual transmission vehicle, series hybrid electric vehicle, series hydraulic hybrid vehicle, parallel hybrid electric vehicle, parallel hydraulic hybrid vehicle, purely electric vehicle, and hydraulic-electric hybrid vehicle. The simulation results show that fuel consumption was 21.80% lower in the series hydraulic hybrid vehicle compared to the series hybrid electric vehicle; additionally, fuel consumption was 3.80% lower in the parallel hybrid electric vehicle compared to the

  15. Model Predictive Control for Connected Hybrid Electric Vehicles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaijiang Yu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a new model predictive control system for connected hybrid electric vehicles to improve fuel economy. The new features of this study are as follows. First, the battery charge and discharge profile and the driving velocity profile are simultaneously optimized. One is energy management for HEV for Pbatt; the other is for the energy consumption minimizing problem of acc control of two vehicles. Second, a system for connected hybrid electric vehicles has been developed considering varying drag coefficients and the road gradients. Third, the fuel model of a typical hybrid electric vehicle is developed using the maps of the engine efficiency characteristics. Fourth, simulations and analysis (under different parameters, i.e., road conditions, vehicle state of charge, etc. are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the method to achieve higher fuel efficiency. The model predictive control problem is solved using numerical computation method: continuation and generalized minimum residual method. Computer simulation results reveal improvements in fuel economy using the proposed control method.

  16. Removal of Cadmium and Lead from Aqueous Solution by Hydroxyapatite/Chitosan Hybrid Fibrous Sorbent: Kinetics and Equilibrium Studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soyeon Park

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Hydroxyapatite (HAp/chitosan composites were prepared by a coprecipitation method, dropping a mixture of chitosan solution and phosphoric acid solution into a calcium hydroxide solution. Using the HAp/chitosan composites prepared, HAp/chitosan hybrid fibers with various HAp contents were prepared by a wet spinning method. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analyses revealed that HAp particles were coated onto the surface of the fiber, and the surface roughness increased with increasing the HAp contents in the fiber. In order to evaluate the heavy metal removal characteristics of the HAp/chitosan hybrid fiber, adsorption tests were conducted and the results were compared with those of bare chitosan fibers. The results showed better performance in heavy metal ion removal for the HAp/chitosan hybrid fiber than the chitosan fiber. As the HAp content in the hybrid fiber increased, the removal efficiency of heavy metal ions also increased due to the increase of the specific surface area of the HAp/chitosan hybrid fiber. Adsorption kinetic and isotherm tests revealed that Pb2+ and Cd2+ adsorption to the hybrid fiber follows pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir-type adsorption, respectively.

  17. Development and Characterization of Somatic Hybrids of Ulva reticulata Forsskål (× Monostroma oxyspermum (Kutz.Doty

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vishal eGupta

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Ulvophycean species with diverse trait characteristics provide an opportunity to create novel allelic recombinant variants. The present study reports the development of seaweed variants with improved agronomic traits through protoplast fusion between Monostroma oxyspermum (Kutz. Doty and Ulva reticulata Forsskål. A total of 12 putative hybrids were screened based on the variations in morphology and total DNA content over the fusion partners. DNA-fingerprinting by inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP analysis confirmed genomic introgression in the hybrids. The DNA fingerprint revealed sharing of parental alleles in regenerated hybrids and a few alleles that were unique to hybrids. The epigenetic variations in hybrids estimated in terms of DNA methylation polymorphism also revealed sharing of methylation loci with both the fusion partners. The functional trait analysis for growth showed a hybrid with heterotic trait (DGR%= 36.7±1.55% over the fusion partners U. reticulata (33.2±2.6% and M. oxyspermum (17.8±1.77%, while others were superior to the mid-parental value (25.2±2.2% (p<0.05. The fatty acid (FA analysis of hybrids showed notable variations over fusion partners. Most hybrids showed increased polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs compared to saturated FAs (SFAs and mainly includes the nutritionally important linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, oleic acid, stearidonic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid. The other differences observed include superior cellulose content and antioxidative potential in hybrids over fusion partners. The hybrid varieties with superior traits developed in this study unequivocally demonstrate the significance of protoplast fusion technique in developing improved varients of macroalgae.

  18. Development and Characterization of Somatic Hybrids of Ulva reticulata Forsskål (×) Monostroma oxyspermum (Kutz.)Doty

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Vishal; Kumari, Puja; Reddy, CRK

    2015-01-01

    Ulvophycean species with diverse trait characteristics provide an opportunity to create novel allelic recombinant variants. The present study reports the development of seaweed variants with improved agronomic traits through protoplast fusion between Monostroma oxyspermum (Kutz.) Doty and Ulva reticulata Forsskål. A total of 12 putative hybrids were screened based on the variations in morphology and total DNA content over the fusion partners. DNA-fingerprinting by inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis confirmed genomic introgression in the hybrids. The DNA fingerprint revealed sharing of parental alleles in regenerated hybrids and a few alleles that were unique to hybrids. The epigenetic variations in hybrids estimated in terms of DNA methylation polymorphism also revealed sharing of methylation loci with both the fusion partners. The functional trait analysis for growth showed a hybrid with heterotic trait (DGR% = 36.7 ± 1.55%) over the fusion partners U. reticulata (33.2 ± 2.6%) and M. oxyspermum (17.8 ± 1.77%), while others were superior to the mid-parental value (25.2 ± 2.2%) (p < 0.05). The fatty acid (FA) analysis of hybrids showed notable variations over fusion partners. Most hybrids showed increased polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) compared to saturated FAs (SFAs) and mainly includes the nutritionally important linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, oleic acid, stearidonic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid. The other differences observed include superior cellulose content and antioxidative potential in hybrids over fusion partners. The hybrid varieties with superior traits developed in this study unequivocally demonstrate the significance of protoplast fusion technique in developing improved varients of macroalgae. PMID:25688248

  19. Interspecific somatic hybrid plants between eggplant (Solanum melongena) and Solanum torvum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guri, A; Sink, K C

    1988-10-01

    Mesophyll protoplasts of eggplant (cv Black Beauty) and of Solanum torvum (both 2n=2x=24) were fused using a modification of the Menczel and Wolfe PEG/DMSO procedure. Protoplasts post-fusion were plated at 1 × 10(5)/ml in modified KM medium, which inhibited division of S. torvum protoplasts. One week prior to shoot regeneration, ten individual calluses had a unique light-green background and were verified as cell hybrids by the presence of the dimer isozyme patterns for phosphoglucoisomerase (PGI) and glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT). Hybridity was also confirmed at the plant stage by DNA-DNA hybridization to a pea 45S ribosomal RNA gene probe. The ten somatic hybrid plants were established in the greenhouse and exhibited intermediate morphological characteristics such as leaf size and shape, flower size, shape, color and plant stature. Their chromosome number ranged from 46-48 (expected 2n=4x=48) and pollen viability was 5%-70%. In vitro shoots taken from the ten hybrid plants exhibited resistance to a verticillium wilt extract. Total DNA from the ten hybrids was restricted and hybridized with a 5.9 kb Oenothera chloroplast cytochrome f gene probe, a 2.4 kb EcoRI clone encoding mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit II from maize and a 22.1 kb Sal I mitochondrial clone from Nicotiana sylvestris. Southern blot hybridization patterns showed that eight of ten somatic hybrids contained the eggplant cpDNA, while two plants contained the cpDNA hybridization patterns of both parents. The mtDNA analysis revealed the presence of novel bands, loss of some specific parental bands and mixture of specific bands from both parents in the restriction hybridization profiles of the hybrids.

  20. Hybrid perovskite solar cells: In situ investigation of solution-processed PbI2 reveals metastable precursors and a pathway to producing porous thin films

    KAUST Repository

    Barrit, Dounya

    2017-04-17

    The successful and widely used two-step process of producing the hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite CH3NH3PbI3, consists of converting a solution deposited PbI2 film by reacting it with CH3NH3I. Here, we investigate the solidification of PbI2 films from a DMF solution by performing in situ grazing incidence wide angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) measurements. The measurements reveal an elaborate sol–gel process involving three PbI2⋅DMF solvate complexes—including disordered and ordered ones—prior to PbI2 formation. The ordered solvates appear to be metastable as they transform into the PbI2 phase in air within minutes without annealing. Morphological analysis of air-dried and annealed films reveals that the air-dried PbI2 is substantially more porous when the coating process produces one of the intermediate solvates, making this more suitable for subsequent conversion into the perovskite phase. The observation of metastable solvates on the pathway to PbI2 formation open up new opportunities for influencing the two-step conversion of metal halides into efficient light harvesting or emitting perovskite semiconductors.

  1. Study of male–mediated gene flow across a hybrid zone in the common shrew (Sorex araneus using Y chromosome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrei V. Polyakov

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Despite many studies, the impact of chromosome rearrangements on gene flow between chromosome races of the common shrew (Sorex araneus Linnaeus, 1758 remains unclear. Interracial hybrids form meiotic chromosome complexes that are associated with reduced fertility. Nevertheless comprehensive investigations of autosomal and mitochondrial markers revealed weak or no barrier to gene flow between chromosomally divergent populations. In a narrow zone of contact between the Novosibirsk and Tomsk races hybrids are produced with extraordinarily complex configurations at meiosis I. Microsatellite markers have not revealed any barrier to gene flow, but the phenotypic differentiation between races is greater than may be expected if gene flow was unrestricted. To explore this contradiction we analyzed the distribution of the Y chromosome SNP markers within this hybrid zone. The Y chromosome variants in combination with race specific autosome complements allow backcrosses to be distinguished and their proportion among individuals within the hybrid zone to be evaluated. The balanced ratio of the Y variants observed among the pure race individuals as well as backcrosses reveals no male mediated barrier to gene flow. The impact of reproductive unfitness of backcrosses on gene flow is discussed as a possible mechanism of the preservation of race-specific morphology within the hybrid zone.

  2. Hybride textuelle Strukturen und hybride textuelle Einheiten. Ein ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    carrying set of all hybrid hierarchical structures are element-heterogeneous whilst the structure- carrying set of all ... grams of hierarchical hybrid article structures, the nodes for those text segments that establish the hybrid status of .... der; d ∈ ArtA ⊣ G|WAr (= Artikelangabe, anhand derer das Genus (= G) und zugleich die ...

  3. Preparation and fluorescent recognition properties for fluoride of a nanostructured covalently bonded europium hybrid material

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    余旭东; 李景印; 李亚娟; 耿丽君; 甄小丽; 于涛

    2015-01-01

    A novel covalently bonded Eu3+-based silica hybrid material was designed and its spectrophotometric anion sensing prop-erty was studied. The fluorescent receptor (europium complex) was covalently grafted to the silica matrix via a sol-gel approach. FTIR, UV-vis spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescent spectra were characterized, and the results revealed that the hybrid material with nanosphere structure displayed excellent photophysical property. In addition, the selective anion sensing property of the hybrid material was studied by UV-vis and fluorescence spectra. The results showed that the hybrid material exhibited a smart response with fluoride anions.

  4. Quantitative evaluation of orbital hybridization in carbon nanotubes under radial deformation using π-orbital axis vector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masato Ohnishi

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available When a radial strain is applied to a carbon nanotube (CNT, the increase in local curvature induces orbital hybridization. The effect of the curvature-induced orbital hybridization on the electronic properties of CNTs, however, has not been evaluated quantitatively. In this study, the strength of orbital hybridization in CNTs under homogeneous radial strain was evaluated quantitatively. Our analyses revealed the detailed procedure of the change in electronic structure of CNTs. In addition, the dihedral angle, the angle between π-orbital axis vectors of adjacent atoms, was found to effectively predict the strength of local orbital hybridization in deformed CNTs.

  5. Orbital hybridization, crystal structure and anomalous resistivity of ultrathin CrZrx alloy films on polymeric substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evans, Drew; Zuber, Kamil; Merkens, Kerstin; Murphy, Peter

    2012-01-01

    The orbital hybridization and crystal structure are experimentally explored for ultrathin chrome zirconium (CrZr x ) alloy films co-sputtered on precoated polymeric substrates. We determine the level of orbital hybridization and crystal structure using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron diffraction. Body-centred cubic and Ω-hexagonally close-packed phases are observed to coexist in the sputtered Cr-based films. Experiments reveal the orbital hybridization and crystal structure combine to produce anomalous resistivity for these ultrathin films.

  6. Synthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity of hybrid chitosan-cerium oxide nanoparticles: As a bionanomaterials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Senthilkumar, R P; Bhuvaneshwari, V; Ranjithkumar, R; Sathiyavimal, S; Malayaman, V; Chandarshekar, B

    2017-11-01

    The hybrid chitosan cerium oxide nanoparticles were prepared for the first time by green chemistry approach using plant leaf extract. The intense peak observed around 292nm in the UV-vis spectrum indicate the formation of cerium oxide nanoparticles. The XRD pattern revealed that the hybrid chitosan-cerium oxide nanoparticles have a polycrystalline structure with cubic fluorite phase. The FTIR spectrum of prepared samples showed the formation of Ce-O bonds and chitosan main chains COC and CO. The FESEM image of hybrid chitosan cerium oxide nanoparticles revealed that the particles are spherical in shape with grains size varying from 23.12nm to 89.91nm. EDAX analysis confirmed the presence of Ce, O, C and N elements in the prepared sample. TEM images showed that the prepared hybrid chitosan-cerium oxide nanoparticles are predominantly uniform in size and most of the particles are spherical in shape with less agglomeration and the particles size varies from 3.61nm to 24.40nm. The prepared chitosan cerium oxide nanoparticles of 50μL concentration showed good antibacterial properties against test pathogens, which was confirmed by the FESEM analysis. The prepared small particle size facilitate that these hybrid ChiCO 2 NPs could effectively be used in biomedical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. A putative hybrid swarm within Oonopsis foliosa (Asteraceae: Astereae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hughes, J.F.; Brown, G.K.

    2004-01-01

    Oo??nopsis foliosa var. foliosa and var. monocephala are endemic to short-grass steppe of southeastern Colorado and until recently were considered geographically disjunct. The only known qualitative feature separating these 2 varieties is floral head type; var. foliosa has radiate heads, whereas var. monocephala heads are discoid. Sympatry between these varieties is restricted to a small area in which a range of parental types and intermediate head morphologies is observed. We used distribution mapping, morphometric analyses, chromosome cytology, and pollen stainability to characterize the sympatric zone. Morphometrics confirms that the only discrete difference between var. foliosa and var. monocephala is radiate versus discoid heads, respectively. The outer florets of putative hybrid individuals ranged from conspicuously elongated yet radially symmetric disc-floret corollas, to elongated radially asymmetric bilabiate- or deeply cleft corollas, to stunted ray florets with appendages remnant of corolla lobes. Chromosome cytology of pollen mother cells from both putative parental varieties and a series of intermediate morphological types collected at the sympatric zone reveal evidence of translocation heterozygosity. Pollen stainability shows no significant differences in viability between the parental varieties and putative hybrids. The restricted distribution of putative hybrids to a narrow zone of sympatry between the parental types and the presence of meiotic chromosome-pairing anomalies in these intermediate plants are consistent with a hybrid origin. The high stainability of putative-hybrid pollen adds to a growing body of evidence that hybrids are not universally unfit.

  8. Micropatterned 2D Hybrid Perovskite Thin Films with Enhanced Photoluminescence Lifetimes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamminga, Machteld E; Fang, Hong-Hua; Loi, Maria Antonietta; Ten Brink, Gert H; Blake, Graeme R; Palstra, Thomas T M; Ten Elshof, Johan E

    2018-04-18

    The application of luminescent materials in display screens and devices requires micropatterned structures. In this work, we have successfully printed microstructures of a two-dimensional (2D), orange-colored organic/inorganic hybrid perovskite ((C 6 H 5 CH 2 NH 3 ) 2 PbI 4 ) using two different soft lithography techniques. Notably, both techniques yield microstructures with very high aspect ratios in the range of 1.5-1.8. X-ray diffraction reveals a strong preferential orientation of the crystallites along the c-axis in both patterned structures, when compared to nonpatterned, drop-casted thin films. Furthermore, (time-resolved) photoluminescence (PL) measurements reveal that the optical properties of (C 6 H 5 CH 2 NH 3 ) 2 PbI 4 are conserved upon patterning. We find that the larger grain sizes of the patterned films with respect to the nonpatterned film give rise to an enhanced PL lifetime. Thus, our results demonstrate easy and cost-effective ways to manufacture patterns of 2D organic/inorganic hybrid perovskites, while even improving their optical properties. This demonstrates the potential use of color-tunable 2D hybrids in optoelectronic devices.

  9. Adaptability of grades and hybrids of tangerine in a subtropical zone of Russia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julia Abilphazova

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Results of researches of various cultivars and hybrids of tangerine growing in the conditions of the humid subtropics of Russia and possessing valuable physiological and biochemical markers are presented in article. The stress factors limiting cultivation of tangerine culture in Krasnodar region are defined. The assessment of the water saving and enzymes activity in tangerine leaves is given. Changes of physiological parameters at influence of a stressful factor are shown. The analysis of water deficiency is revealed existence of essential distinctions between cultivars and hybrids. Change of thickness of a leaf blade of tangerine is the important diagnostic characteristic testifying the ability of leaf tissues to accumulate and keep water. Researches are showing that difference between catalase action of cultivars and hybrids are insignificant. Strengthening of enzyme activity can testify to bigger violation of a functional state of plant cultivars in comparison with the hybrides. Water deficiency and drought resistance coefficient can be used for diagnostics of stability of tangerine to hydrothermal factors. Correlation coefficients between the studied markers were calculated and regression models of their interrelation were given. So, there was a high correlation between thickness of a leaf blade and water deficiency index; close correlation between water deficiency and thickness of a leaf blade, as well as dependence of average degree on water deficiency and catalase activity were noted. There were revealed tangerine cultivars and hybrids which are stable in in the changing environmental conditions and have high biochemical value of fruits.

  10. Invasive hybridization in a threatened species is accelerated by climate change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muhlfeld, Clint C.; Kovach, Ryan P.; Jones, Leslie A.; Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Boyer, Matthew C.; Leary, Robb F.; Lowe, Winsor H.; Luikart, Gordon; Allendorf, Fred W.

    2014-01-01

    Climate change will decrease worldwide biodiversity through a number of potential pathways, including invasive hybridization (cross-breeding between invasive and native species). How climate warming influences the spread of hybridization and loss of native genomes poses difficult ecological and evolutionary questions with little empirical information to guide conservation management decisions. Here we combine long-term genetic monitoring data with high-resolution climate and stream temperature predictions to evaluate how recent climate warming has influenced the spatio-temporal spread of human-mediated hybridization between threatened native westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) and non-native rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), the world’s most widely introduced invasive fish. Despite widespread release of millions of rainbow trout over the past century within the Flathead River system, a large relatively pristine watershed in western North America, historical samples revealed that hybridization was prevalent only in one (source) population. During a subsequent 30-year period of accelerated warming, hybridization spread rapidly and was strongly linked to interactions between climatic drivers—precipitation and temperature—and distance to the source population. Specifically, decreases in spring precipitation and increases in summer stream temperature probably promoted upstream expansion of hybridization throughout the system. This study shows that rapid climate warming can exacerbate interactions between native and non-native species through invasive hybridization, which could spell genomic extinction for many species.

  11. Invasive hybridization in a threatened species is accelerated by climate change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muhlfeld, Clint C.; Kovach, Ryan P.; Jones, Leslie A.; Al-Chokhachy, Robert; Boyer, Matthew C.; Leary, Robb F.; Lowe, Winsor H.; Luikart, Gordon; Allendorf, Fred W.

    2014-07-01

    Climate change will decrease worldwide biodiversity through a number of potential pathways, including invasive hybridization (cross-breeding between invasive and native species). How climate warming influences the spread of hybridization and loss of native genomes poses difficult ecological and evolutionary questions with little empirical information to guide conservation management decisions. Here we combine long-term genetic monitoring data with high-resolution climate and stream temperature predictions to evaluate how recent climate warming has influenced the spatio-temporal spread of human-mediated hybridization between threatened native westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) and non-native rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), the world's most widely introduced invasive fish. Despite widespread release of millions of rainbow trout over the past century within the Flathead River system, a large relatively pristine watershed in western North America, historical samples revealed that hybridization was prevalent only in one (source) population. During a subsequent 30-year period of accelerated warming, hybridization spread rapidly and was strongly linked to interactions between climatic drivers--precipitation and temperature--and distance to the source population. Specifically, decreases in spring precipitation and increases in summer stream temperature probably promoted upstream expansion of hybridization throughout the system. This study shows that rapid climate warming can exacerbate interactions between native and non-native species through invasive hybridization, which could spell genomic extinction for many species.

  12. Hybrid platform. Economical hybrid drive for commercial vehicles; Hybrid Plattform. Wirtschaftlicher Hybridantrieb fuer Nutzfahrzeuge

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wallner, S.; Lamke, M.; Mohr, M.; Sedlacek, M.; Speck, F.D. [ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Friedrichshafen (Germany)

    2011-07-01

    Up to now, hybrid systems have been adapted to their specific requirements in the various applications for trucks, buses as well as mobile and building machines. From a technical point of view, this does indeed result in optimized hybrid drives for each single vehicle application, but due to small volumes, such single developments are critical from a business point of view. ZF Friedrichshafen AG is providing a solution to the technical and economical requirements of the cost-sensitive CV segment in the form of a modular CV parallel hybrid platform composed of a hybrid module system, an inverter, a battery system, and a hybrid software integrated into the overall vehicle. Thanks to the intelligent combination of assemblies and the use of as many identical parts as possible, platforms are realized which cover power ranges between 60 and 120 kW, voltage ranges between 350 and 650 V, and battery capacities between 2 and 4 kWh. The dimensions of the platform elements are such that integration into the diverse commercial vehicle applications is made easy. The hybrid software required for the vehicle-specific functions is also configurable for the mentioned CV applications. (orig.)

  13. Fusion-fission hybrid reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greenspan, E.

    1984-01-01

    This chapter discusses the range of characteristics attainable from hybrid reactor blankets; blanket design considerations; hybrid reactor designs; alternative fuel hybrid reactors; multi-purpose hybrid reactors; and hybrid reactors and the energy economy. Hybrid reactors are driven by a fusion neutron source and include fertile and/or fissile material. The fusion component provides a copious source of fusion neutrons which interact with a subcritical fission component located adjacent to the plasma or pellet chamber. Fissile fuel and/or energy are the main products of hybrid reactors. Topics include high F/M blankets, the fissile (and tritium) breeding ratio, effects of composition on blanket properties, geometrical considerations, power density and first wall loading, variations of blanket properties with irradiation, thermal-hydraulic and mechanical design considerations, safety considerations, tokamak hybrid reactors, tandem-mirror hybrid reactors, inertial confinement hybrid reactors, fusion neutron sources, fissile-fuel and energy production ability, simultaneous production of combustible and fissile fuels, fusion reactors for waste transmutation and fissile breeding, nuclear pumped laser hybrid reactors, Hybrid Fuel Factories (HFFs), and scenarios for hybrid contribution. The appendix offers hybrid reactor fundamentals. Numerous references are provided

  14. Development of novel biocompatible hybrid nanocomposites based on polyurethane-silica prepared by sol gel process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rashti, Ali [Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Yahyaei, Hossein [Department of Polymer Engineering and Color Technology, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Firoozi, Saman [Department of Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ramezani, Sara [Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Rahiminejad, Ali [Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Karimi, Roya [Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Science, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Farzaneh, Khadijeh [Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mohseni, Mohsen [Department of Polymer Engineering and Color Technology, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ghanbari, Hossein, E-mail: hghanbari@tums.ac.ir [Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Medical Biomaterials Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2016-12-01

    Due to high biocompatibility, polyurethane has found many applications, particularly in development of biomedical devices. A new nanocomposite based on thermoset polyurethane and silica nanoparticles was synthesized using sol-gel method. Sol-gel process was fulfilled in two acidic and basic conditions by using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and trimethoxyisocyanatesilane as precursors. The hybrid films characterized for mechanical and surface properties using tensile strength, contact angle, ATR-FTIR and scanning electron microscopy. Biocompatibility and cytotoxicity of the hybrids were assessed using standard MTT, LDH and TUNEL assays. The results revealed that incorporation of silica nanoparticles was significantly improved tensile strength and mechanical properties of the hybrids. Based on the contact angle results, silica nanoparticles increased hydrophilicity of the hybrids. Biocompatibility by using human lung epithelial cell line (MRC-5) demonstrated that the hybrids were significantly less cytotoxic compared to pristine polymer as tested by MTT and LDH assays. TUNEL assay revealed no signs of apoptosis in all tested samples. The results of this study demonstrated that incorporation of silica nanoparticles into polyurethane lead to the enhancement of biocompatibility, indicating that these hybrids could potentially be used in biomedical field in particular as a new coating for medical implants. - Highlights: • Nanocomposites based on polyurethane and nanosilica prepared by sol-gel method fabricated • Addition of inorganic phase improved mechanical properties. • Nanosilica prepared by sol-gel method increased hydrophilicity. • By adding nanosilica to polyurethane biocompatibility increased significantly.

  15. Interspecific introgression in cetaceans: DNA markers reveal post-F1 status of a pilot whale.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Miralles

    Full Text Available Visual species identification of cetacean strandings is difficult, especially when dead specimens are degraded and/or species are morphologically similar. The two recognised pilot whale species (Globicephala melas and Globicephala macrorhynchus are sympatric in the North Atlantic Ocean. These species are very similar in external appearance and their morphometric characteristics partially overlap; thus visual identification is not always reliable. Genetic species identification ensures correct identification of specimens. Here we have employed one mitochondrial (D-Loop region and eight nuclear loci (microsatellites as genetic markers to identify six stranded pilot whales found in Galicia (Northwest Spain, one of them of ambiguous phenotype. DNA analyses yielded positive amplification of all loci and enabled species identification. Nuclear microsatellite DNA genotypes revealed mixed ancestry for one individual, identified as a post-F1 interspecific hybrid employing two different Bayesian methods. From the mitochondrial sequence the maternal species was Globicephala melas. This is the first hybrid documented between Globicephala melas and G. macrorhynchus, and the first post-F1 hybrid genetically identified between cetaceans, revealing interspecific genetic introgression in marine mammals. We propose to add nuclear loci to genetic databases for cetacean species identification in order to detect hybrid individuals.

  16. Carbon nanotube-TiO(2) hybrid films for detecting traces of O(2).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Llobet, E; Espinosa, E H; Sotter, E; Ionescu, R; Vilanova, X; Torres, J; Felten, A; Pireaux, J J; Ke, X; Van Tendeloo, G; Renaux, F; Paint, Y; Hecq, M; Bittencourt, C

    2008-09-17

    Hybrid titania films have been prepared using an adapted sol-gel method for obtaining well-dispersed hydrogen plasma-treated multiwall carbon nanotubes in either pure titania or Nb-doped titania. The drop-coating method has been used to fabricate resistive oxygen sensors based on titania or on titania and carbon nanotube hybrids. Morphology and composition studies have revealed that the dispersion of low amounts of carbon nanotubes within the titania matrix does not significantly alter its crystallization behaviour. The gas sensitivity studies performed on the different samples have shown that the hybrid layers based on titania and carbon nanotubes possess an unprecedented responsiveness towards oxygen (i.e. more than four times higher than that shown by optimized Nb-doped TiO(2) films). Furthermore, hybrid sensors containing carbon nanotubes respond at significantly lower operating temperatures than their non-hybrid counterparts. These new hybrid sensors show a strong potential for monitoring traces of oxygen (i.e. ≤10 ppm) in a flow of CO(2), which is of interest for the beverage industry.

  17. Carbon nanotube-TiO2 hybrid films for detecting traces of O2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Llobet, E; Espinosa, E H; Sotter, E; Ionescu, R; Vilanova, X; Torres, J; Felten, A; Pireaux, J J; Ke, X; Tendeloo, G Van; Renaux, F; Paint, Y; Hecq, M; Bittencourt, C

    2008-01-01

    Hybrid titania films have been prepared using an adapted sol-gel method for obtaining well-dispersed hydrogen plasma-treated multiwall carbon nanotubes in either pure titania or Nb-doped titania. The drop-coating method has been used to fabricate resistive oxygen sensors based on titania or on titania and carbon nanotube hybrids. Morphology and composition studies have revealed that the dispersion of low amounts of carbon nanotubes within the titania matrix does not significantly alter its crystallization behaviour. The gas sensitivity studies performed on the different samples have shown that the hybrid layers based on titania and carbon nanotubes possess an unprecedented responsiveness towards oxygen (i.e. more than four times higher than that shown by optimized Nb-doped TiO 2 films). Furthermore, hybrid sensors containing carbon nanotubes respond at significantly lower operating temperatures than their non-hybrid counterparts. These new hybrid sensors show a strong potential for monitoring traces of oxygen (i.e. ≤10 ppm) in a flow of CO 2 , which is of interest for the beverage industry

  18. Primary gamma ray selection in a hybrid timing/imaging Cherenkov array

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Postnikov E.B.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This work is a methodical study on hybrid reconstruction techniques for hybrid imaging/timing Cherenkov observations. This type of hybrid array is to be realized at the gamma-observatory TAIGA intended for very high energy gamma-ray astronomy (> 30 TeV. It aims at combining the cost-effective timing-array technique with imaging telescopes. Hybrid operation of both of these techniques can lead to a relatively cheap way of development of a large area array. The joint approach of gamma event selection was investigated on both types of simulated data: the image parameters from the telescopes, and the shower parameters reconstructed from the timing array. The optimal set of imaging parameters and shower parameters to be combined is revealed. The cosmic ray background suppression factor depending on distance and energy is calculated. The optimal selection technique leads to cosmic ray background suppression of about 2 orders of magnitude on distances up to 450 m for energies greater than 50 TeV.

  19. Vegetative and adaptive traits predict different outcomes for restoration using hybrids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philip Crystal

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract – Hybridization has been implicated as a driver of speciation, extinction, and invasiveness, but can also provide resistant breeding stock following epidemics. However, evaluating the appropriateness of hybrids for use in restoration programs is difficult. Past the F1 generation, the proportion of a progenitor’s genome can vary widely, as can the combinations of parental genomes. Detailed genetic analysis can reveal this information, but cannot expose phenotypic alterations due to heterosis, transgressive traits, or changes in metabolism or development. In addition, because evolution is often driven by extreme individuals, decisions based on phenotypic averages of hybrid classes may have unintended results. We demonstrate a strategy to evaluate hybrids for use in restoration by visualizing hybrid phenotypes across selected groups of traits relative to both progenitor species. Specifically, we used discriminant analysis to differentiate among butternut (Juglans cinerea L., black walnut (J. nigra L., and Japanese walnut (J. ailantifolia Carr. var. cordiformis using vegetative characters and then with functional adaptive traits associated with seedling performance. When projected onto the progenitor trait space, naturally occurring hybrids (J. ×bixbyi Rehd. between butternut and Japanese walnut showed introgression towards Japanese walnut at vegetative characters but exhibited a hybrid swarm at functional traits. Both results indicate that hybrids have morphological and ecological phenotypes that distinguish them from butternut, demonstrating a lack of ecological equivalency that should not be carried into restoration breeding efforts. Despite these discrepancies, some hybrids were projected into the space occupied by butternut seedlings’ 95% confidence ellipse, signifying that some hybrids were similar at the measured traits. Determining how to consistently identify these individuals is imperative for future breeding and species

  20. Study of flax hybrid preforms reinforced epoxy composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muralidhar, B. A

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • We examine the thermal, viscoelastic and mechanical behaviour of flax preform hybrid composites. • The thermal stability of the matrix decrease with increasing volume fraction of flax preforms. • The effect of number of preform layers and the lay-up architecture were studied.. • Morphological study on the fractured surface of the composite laminate is carried out. - Abstracts: This study investigates the thermal, mechanical and thermomechanical properties of flax hybrid preform reinforced epoxy composites. Flax plain weave fabric and 1 × 1 weft rib knitted structures were together used as reinforcements and the composites were produced using hand lay-up technique. Specimen preparation and testing were carried out as per ASTM standards. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicates a decrease in thermal stability of the matrix polymer with the incorporation of flax hybrid preform. The dynamic mechanical analysis revealed a shift in the T g with the addition of flax hybrid preforms. Mechanical data obtained showed that tensile strength and stiffness is a product of the fibre/matrix synergy, whereas the compressive strength and stiffness are contributed by the reinforcing matrix. Additionally, investigation show that laminate with knitted preform as skin layer exhibits superior mechanical properties. However, improved tensile properties at lower fibre volume fraction, reinforces the opinion that hybrid preform composites can offer significant benefits in terms of performance, weight and overall cost. The failure mechanism was analysed, by scanning electron microscope (SEM)

  1. In situ biosynthesis of bacterial nanocellulose-CaCO{sub 3} hybrid bionanocomposite: One-step process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mohammadkazemi, Faranak, E-mail: f_mkazemi@sbu.ac.ir [Department of Cellulose and Paper Technology, Faculty of New Technologies Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Science and Research Campus, Zirab, Savadkooh, Mazandaran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Faria, Marisa; Cordeiro, Nereida [Faculty of Exact Science and Engineering, University of Madeira, Funchal (Portugal)

    2016-08-01

    In this work, a simple and green route to the synthesis of the bacterial nanocellulose-calcium carbonate (BNC/CaCO{sub 3}) hybrid bionanocomposites using one-step in situ biosynthesis was studied. The CaCO{sub 3} was incorporated in the bacterial nanocellulose structure during the cellulose biosynthesis by Gluconacetobacter xylinus PTCC 1734 bacteria. Hestrin-Schramm (HS) and Zhou (Z) culture media were used to the hybrid bionanocomposites production and the effect of ethanol addition was investigated. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, inverse gas chromatography and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the samples. The experimental results demonstrated that the ethanol and culture medium play an important role in the BNC/CaCO{sub 3} hybrid bionanocomposites production, structure and properties. The BNC/CaCO{sub 3} biosynthesized in Z culture medium revealed higher O/C ratio and amphoteric surface character, which justify the highest CaCO{sub 3} content incorporation. The CaCO{sub 3} was incorporated into the cellulosic matrix decreasing the bacterial nanocellulose crystallinity. This work reveals the high potential of in situ biosynthesis of BNC/CaCO{sub 3} hybrid bionanocomposites and opens a new way to the high value-added applications of bacterial nanocellulose. - Graphical Abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • BNC/CaCO{sub 3} hybrid bionanocomposites were produced using in situ biosynthesis process. • Ethanol and culture medium play an important role in the production and properties. • Z-BNC/CaCO{sub 3} bionanocomposites revealed higher O/C ratio and amphoteric surface character. • CaCO{sub 3} incorporated into the BNC decreased crystallinity.

  2. Body Fat Percentage Prediction Using Intelligent Hybrid Approaches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuehjen E. Shao

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Excess of body fat often leads to obesity. Obesity is typically associated with serious medical diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Accordingly, knowing the body fat is an extremely important issue since it affects everyone’s health. Although there are several ways to measure the body fat percentage (BFP, the accurate methods are often associated with hassle and/or high costs. Traditional single-stage approaches may use certain body measurements or explanatory variables to predict the BFP. Diverging from existing approaches, this study proposes new intelligent hybrid approaches to obtain fewer explanatory variables, and the proposed forecasting models are able to effectively predict the BFP. The proposed hybrid models consist of multiple regression (MR, artificial neural network (ANN, multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS, and support vector regression (SVR techniques. The first stage of the modeling includes the use of MR and MARS to obtain fewer but more important sets of explanatory variables. In the second stage, the remaining important variables are served as inputs for the other forecasting methods. A real dataset was used to demonstrate the development of the proposed hybrid models. The prediction results revealed that the proposed hybrid schemes outperformed the typical, single-stage forecasting models.

  3. Hybrid reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moir, R.W.

    1980-01-01

    The rationale for hybrid fusion-fission reactors is the production of fissile fuel for fission reactors. A new class of reactor, the fission-suppressed hybrid promises unusually good safety features as well as the ability to support 25 light-water reactors of the same nuclear power rating, or even more high-conversion-ratio reactors such as the heavy-water type. One 4000-MW nuclear hybrid can produce 7200 kg of 233 U per year. To obtain good economics, injector efficiency times plasma gain (eta/sub i/Q) should be greater than 2, the wall load should be greater than 1 MW.m -2 , and the hybrid should cost less than 6 times the cost of a light-water reactor. Introduction rates for the fission-suppressed hybrid are usually rapid

  4. Corporate Hybrid Bonds

    OpenAIRE

    Ahlberg, Johan; Jansson, Anton

    2016-01-01

    Hybrid securities do not constitute a new phenomenon in the Swedish capital markets. Most commonly, hybrids issued by Swedish real estate companies in recent years are preference shares. Corporate hybrid bonds on the other hand may be considered as somewhat of a new-born child in the family of hybrid instruments. These do, as all other hybrid securities, share some equity-like and some debt-like characteristics. Nevertheless, since 2013 the interest for the instrument has grown rapidly and ha...

  5. Strontium eluting graphene hybrid nanoparticles augment osteogenesis in a 3D tissue scaffold

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Sachin; Chatterjee, Kaushik

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this work was to prepare hybrid nanoparticles of graphene sheets decorated with strontium metallic nanoparticles and demonstrate their advantages in bone tissue engineering. Strontium-decorated reduced graphene oxide (RGO_Sr) hybrid nanoparticles were synthesized by the facile reduction of graphene oxide and strontium nitrate. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy revealed that the hybrid particles were composed of RGO sheets decorated with 200-300 nm metallic strontium particles. Thermal gravimetric analysis further confirmed the composition of the hybrid particles as 22 wt% of strontium. Macroporous tissue scaffolds were prepared by incorporating RGO_Sr particles in poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL). The PCL/RGO_Sr scaffolds were found to elute strontium ions in aqueous medium. Osteoblast proliferation and differentiation was significantly higher in the PCL scaffolds containing the RGO_Sr particles in contrast to neat PCL and PCL/RGO scaffolds. The increased biological activity can be attributed to the release of strontium ions from the hybrid nanoparticles. This study demonstrates that composites prepared using hybrid nanoparticles that elute strontium ions can be used to prepare multifunctional scaffolds with good mechanical and osteoinductive properties. These findings have important implications for designing the next generation of biomaterials for use in tissue regeneration.The objective of this work was to prepare hybrid nanoparticles of graphene sheets decorated with strontium metallic nanoparticles and demonstrate their advantages in bone tissue engineering. Strontium-decorated reduced graphene oxide (RGO_Sr) hybrid nanoparticles were synthesized by the facile reduction of graphene oxide and strontium nitrate. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy revealed that the hybrid particles were composed of RGO sheets decorated with 200-300 nm metallic strontium

  6. Field weakening performance of flux-switching machines for hybrid/electric vehicles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tang, Y.; Paulides, J.J.H.; Lomonova, E.A.

    2015-01-01

    Flux-switching machines (FSMs) are a viable candidate for electric propulsion of hybrid/electric vehicles. This paper investigates the field weakening performance of FSMs. The investigation starts with general torque and voltage expressions, which reveal the relationships between certain parameters

  7. Polyetheretherketone Hybrid Composites with Bioactive Nanohydroxyapatite and Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Fillers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen Liu

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Polyetheretherketone (PEEK hybrid composites reinforced with inorganic nanohydroxyapatite (nHA and multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT were prepared by melt-compounding and injection molding processes. The additions of nHA and MWNT to PEEK were aimed to increase its elastic modulus, tensile strength, and biocompatibility, rendering the hybrids suitable for load-bearing implant applications. The structural behavior, mechanical property, wettability, osteoblastic cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization of the PEEK/nHA-MWNT hybrids were studied. X-ray diffraction and SEM observation showed that both nHA and MWNT fillers are incorporated into the polymer matrix of PEEK-based hybrids. Tensile tests indicated that the elastic modulus of PEEK can be increased from 3.87 to 7.13 GPa by adding 15 vol % nHA and 1.88 vol % MWNT fillers. The tensile strength and elongation at break of the PEEK/(15% nHA-(1.88% MWNT hybrid were 64.48 MPa and 1.74%, respectively. Thus the tensile properties of this hybrid were superior to those of human cortical bones. Water contact angle measurements revealed that the PEEK/(15% nHA-(1.88% MWNT hybrid is hydrophilic due to the presence of nHA. Accordingly, hydrophilic PEEK/(15% nHA-(1.88% MWNT hybrid promoted the adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization of murine MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts on its surface effectively on the basis of cell culture, fluorescence microscopy, MTT assay, WST-1 assay, alkaline phosphatase activity, and Alizarin red staining tests. Thus the PEEK/(15% nHA-(1.88% MWNT hybrid has the potential to be used for fabricating load-bearing bone implants.

  8. Heterosis and correlation in interspecific and intraspecific hybrids of cotton.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munir, S; Hussain, S B; Manzoor, H; Quereshi, M K; Zubair, M; Nouman, W; Shehzad, A N; Rasul, S; Manzoor, S A

    2016-06-24

    Interspecific and intraspecific hybrids show varying degrees of heterosis for yield and yield components. Yield-component traits have complex genetic relationships with each other. To determine the relationship of yield-component traits and fiber traits with seed cotton yield, six lines (Bt. CIM-599, CIM-573, MNH-786, CIM-554, BH-167, and GIZA-7) and three test lines (MNH-886, V4, and CIM-557) were crossed in a line x tester mating design. Heterosis was observed for seed cotton yield, fiber traits, and for other yield-component traits. Heterosis in interspecific hybrids for seed cotton yield was more prominent than in intraspecific hybrids. The interspecific hybrid Giza-7 x MNH-886 had the highest heterosis (114.77), while among intraspecific hybrids, CIM-554 x CIM-557 had the highest heterosis (61.29) for seed cotton yield. A major trait contributing to seed cotton yield was bolls/plant followed by boll weight. Correlation studies revealed that bolls/plant, boll weight, lint weight/boll, lint index, seed index, lint/seed, staple length, and staple strength were significantly and positively associated with seed cotton yield. Selection based on boll weight, boll number, lint weight/boll, and lint index will be helpful for improving cotton seed yield.

  9. Hybrid composite thin films composed of tin oxide nanoparticles and cellulose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahadeva, Suresha K; Nayak, Jyoti; Kim, Jaehwan

    2013-01-01

    This paper reports the preparation and characterization of hybrid thin films consisting of tin oxide (SnO 2 ) nanoparticles and cellulose. SnO 2 nanoparticle loaded cellulose hybrid thin films were fabricated by a solution blending technique, using sodium dodecyl sulfate as a dispersion agent. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy studies revealed uniform dispersion of the SnO 2 nanoparticles in the cellulose matrix. Reduction in the crystalline melting transition temperature and tensile properties of cellulose was observed due to the SnO 2 nanoparticle loading. Potential application of these hybrid thin films as low cost, flexible and biodegradable humidity sensors is examined in terms of the change in electrical resistivity of the material exposed to a wide range of humidity as well as its response–recovery behavior. (paper)

  10. Natural variation for a hybrid incompatibility between two species of Mimulus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweigart, Andrea L; Mason, Amanda R; Willis, John H

    2007-01-01

    Understanding the process by which hybrid incompatibility alleles become established in natural populations remains a major challenge to evolutionary biology. Previously, we discovered a two-locus Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibility that causes severe hybrid male sterility between two inbred lines of the incompletely isolated wildflower species, Mimulus guttatus and M. nasutus. An interspecific cross between these two inbred lines revealed that the M. guttatus (IM62) allele at hybrid male sterility 1 (hms1) acts dominantly in combination with recessive M. nasutus (SF5) alleles at hybrid male sterility 2 (hms2) to cause nearly complete hybrid male sterility. In this report, we extend these genetic analyses to investigate intraspecific variation for the hms1-hms2 incompatibility in natural populations of M. nasutus and M. guttatus, performing a series of interspecific crosses between individuals collected from a variety of geographic locales. Our results suggest that hms2 incompatibility alleles are common and geographically widespread within M. nasutus, but absent or rare in M. guttatus. In contrast, the hms1 locus is polymorphic within M. guttatus and the incompatibility allele appears to be extremely geographically restricted. We found evidence for the presence of the hms1 incompatibility allele in only two M. guttatus populations that exist within a few kilometers of each other. The restricted distribution of the hms1 incompatibility allele might currently limit the potential for the hms1-hms2 incompatibility to act as a species barrier between sympatric populations of M. guttatus and M. nasutus. Extensive sampling within a single M. guttatus population revealed that the hms1 locus is polymorphic and that the incompatibility allele appears to segregate at intermediate frequency, a pattern that is consistent with either genetic drift or natural selection.

  11. Furosemide Loaded Silica-Lipid Hybrid Microparticles: Formulation Development, in vitro and ex vivo Evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sambaraj, Swapna; Ammula, Divya; Nagabandi, Vijaykumar

    2015-09-01

    The main objective of the current research work was to formulate and evaluate furosemide loaded silica lipid hybrid microparticles for improved oral delivery. A novel silica-lipid hybrid microparticulate system is used for enhancing the oral absorption of low solubility and low permeability of (BCS Class IV) drugs. Silica-lipid hybrid microparticles include the drug solubilising effect of dispersed lipids and stabilizing effect of hydrophilic silica particles to increase drug solubilisation, which leads to enhanced oral bioavailability. The slica lipid hybrid (SLH) microparticles were composed of poorly soluble drug (furosemide), dispersion of oil phase (Soya bean oil and miglyol) in lecithin (Phospholipoid 90H), non-ionic surfactant (Polysorbate 80) and adsorbent (Aerosol 380). Saturation solubility studies were performed in different oils and surfactants with increased concentration of drug revealed increased solubility of furosemide. In vitro dissolution studies conducted under simulated gastric medium revealed 2-4 fold increase in dissolution efficiencies for SLH microparticles compared to that of pure drug (furosemide) and marketed formulation Lasix®. Ex vivo studies showed enhanced lipid digestibility, which improved drug permeability. Solid-state characterization of SLH microparticles by X-ray powder diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis confirmed non-crystalline nature and more compatibility of furosemide in silica-lipid hybrid microparticles. It can be concluded that the role of lipids and hydrophilic silica based carrier highlighted in enhancing solubility and permeability, and hence the oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.

  12. PARTICULARITIES OF WHITE HEAD CABBAGE F1 HYBRID BREEDING FOR PRIDNESTROVIAN MOLDAVIAN REPUBLIC CONDITIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. I. Shpak

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A model of late maturing F1 hybrid of white head cabbage for long-term storing and suitable for national recipe “golubci” have been developed based on requirements for varieties and F1 hybrids grown in the South in the conditions of drought, high temperatures and low air humidity. Combining ability of seven self-incompatible inbred lines of white head cabbage was studied by the system of full diallel crosses in conditions of Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. These lines were developed on the base of heat tolerant varieties ‘Biruchekutskaya’, ‘Volna’, ‘Lada’, ‘Moldavanka’ and ‘Kharkovskaya Zimnyaya’ bred in the south. Out of 42 hybrid combinations studied 15 significantly surpassed in productivity the variety ‘Zavadovskaya’ that is traditionally grown by local farmers for pickling and recipe “golubci”. High GCA effects for productivity showed the following breeding lines: Bu1, Ml3 and Kl5. Polygenes, controlling the high yield ability, mainly were dominant and single-directed, however the correlation betweenyield ability and GCA effect was middle, r=0.63±0.35. No correlation was observed inbreeding line between GCA effect and truly heterosis effect in hybrid combinations (r=0.19. Disease resistance analysis revealed lines Bu1 and Kl5 that had shown resistance to Fusarium yellows. Two hybrid combination Kl5xBu1 and Ml3xBu1 were highly tolerant to thrips attacks according to analysis of all promising hybrid combinations, carried out in natural infection background. Weak correlation was observed between the number of damaged leaves in cabbage head and dry matter content, r=0.41±0.21, and also there is no correlation revealed with sugar contents, ascorbic acid and nitrate content. High tolerance of hybrids with participation of line Bu1 explained the partial dominance nature of the trait. Hybrid combinations Kl5xBu1 and Ml3xBu1 called ‘Batal’ and ‘Shedevr’, respectively, included in registry of Moldova and

  13. X chromosome control of meiotic chromosome synapsis in mouse inter-subspecific hybrids.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tanmoy Bhattacharyya

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Hybrid sterility (HS belongs to reproductive isolation barriers that safeguard the integrity of species in statu nascendi. Although hybrid sterility occurs almost universally among animal and plant species, most of our current knowledge comes from the classical genetic studies on Drosophila interspecific crosses or introgressions. With the house mouse subspecies Mus m. musculus and Mus m. domesticus as a model, new research tools have become available for studies of the molecular mechanisms and genetic networks underlying HS. Here we used QTL analysis and intersubspecific chromosome substitution strains to identify a 4.7 Mb critical region on Chromosome X (Chr X harboring the Hstx2 HS locus, which causes asymmetrical spermatogenic arrest in reciprocal intersubspecific F1 hybrids. Subsequently, we mapped autosomal loci on Chrs 3, 9 and 13 that can abolish this asymmetry. Combination of immunofluorescent visualization of the proteins of synaptonemal complexes with whole-chromosome DNA FISH on pachytene spreads revealed that heterosubspecific, unlike consubspecific, homologous chromosomes are predisposed to asynapsis in F1 hybrid male and female meiosis. The asynapsis is under the trans- control of Hstx2 and Hst1/Prdm9 hybrid sterility genes in pachynemas of male but not female hybrids. The finding concurred with the fertility of intersubpecific F1 hybrid females homozygous for the Hstx2(Mmm allele and resolved the apparent conflict with the dominance theory of Haldane's rule. We propose that meiotic asynapsis in intersubspecific hybrids is a consequence of cis-acting mismatch between homologous chromosomes modulated by the trans-acting Hstx2 and Prdm9 hybrid male sterility genes.

  14. X chromosome control of meiotic chromosome synapsis in mouse inter-subspecific hybrids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharyya, Tanmoy; Reifova, Radka; Gregorova, Sona; Simecek, Petr; Gergelits, Vaclav; Mistrik, Martin; Martincova, Iva; Pialek, Jaroslav; Forejt, Jiri

    2014-02-01

    Hybrid sterility (HS) belongs to reproductive isolation barriers that safeguard the integrity of species in statu nascendi. Although hybrid sterility occurs almost universally among animal and plant species, most of our current knowledge comes from the classical genetic studies on Drosophila interspecific crosses or introgressions. With the house mouse subspecies Mus m. musculus and Mus m. domesticus as a model, new research tools have become available for studies of the molecular mechanisms and genetic networks underlying HS. Here we used QTL analysis and intersubspecific chromosome substitution strains to identify a 4.7 Mb critical region on Chromosome X (Chr X) harboring the Hstx2 HS locus, which causes asymmetrical spermatogenic arrest in reciprocal intersubspecific F1 hybrids. Subsequently, we mapped autosomal loci on Chrs 3, 9 and 13 that can abolish this asymmetry. Combination of immunofluorescent visualization of the proteins of synaptonemal complexes with whole-chromosome DNA FISH on pachytene spreads revealed that heterosubspecific, unlike consubspecific, homologous chromosomes are predisposed to asynapsis in F1 hybrid male and female meiosis. The asynapsis is under the trans- control of Hstx2 and Hst1/Prdm9 hybrid sterility genes in pachynemas of male but not female hybrids. The finding concurred with the fertility of intersubpecific F1 hybrid females homozygous for the Hstx2(Mmm) allele and resolved the apparent conflict with the dominance theory of Haldane's rule. We propose that meiotic asynapsis in intersubspecific hybrids is a consequence of cis-acting mismatch between homologous chromosomes modulated by the trans-acting Hstx2 and Prdm9 hybrid male sterility genes.

  15. X Chromosome Control of Meiotic Chromosome Synapsis in Mouse Inter-Subspecific Hybrids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharyya, Tanmoy; Reifova, Radka; Gregorova, Sona; Simecek, Petr; Gergelits, Vaclav; Mistrik, Martin; Martincova, Iva; Pialek, Jaroslav; Forejt, Jiri

    2014-01-01

    Hybrid sterility (HS) belongs to reproductive isolation barriers that safeguard the integrity of species in statu nascendi. Although hybrid sterility occurs almost universally among animal and plant species, most of our current knowledge comes from the classical genetic studies on Drosophila interspecific crosses or introgressions. With the house mouse subspecies Mus m. musculus and Mus m. domesticus as a model, new research tools have become available for studies of the molecular mechanisms and genetic networks underlying HS. Here we used QTL analysis and intersubspecific chromosome substitution strains to identify a 4.7 Mb critical region on Chromosome X (Chr X) harboring the Hstx2 HS locus, which causes asymmetrical spermatogenic arrest in reciprocal intersubspecific F1 hybrids. Subsequently, we mapped autosomal loci on Chrs 3, 9 and 13 that can abolish this asymmetry. Combination of immunofluorescent visualization of the proteins of synaptonemal complexes with whole-chromosome DNA FISH on pachytene spreads revealed that heterosubspecific, unlike consubspecific, homologous chromosomes are predisposed to asynapsis in F1 hybrid male and female meiosis. The asynapsis is under the trans- control of Hstx2 and Hst1/Prdm9 hybrid sterility genes in pachynemas of male but not female hybrids. The finding concurred with the fertility of intersubpecific F1 hybrid females homozygous for the Hstx2Mmm allele and resolved the apparent conflict with the dominance theory of Haldane's rule. We propose that meiotic asynapsis in intersubspecific hybrids is a consequence of cis-acting mismatch between homologous chromosomes modulated by the trans-acting Hstx2 and Prdm9 hybrid male sterility genes. PMID:24516397

  16. High-performance solid-state supercapacitors based on graphene-ZnO hybrid nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zijiong; Zhou, Zhihua; Yun, Gaoqian; Shi, Kai; Lv, Xiaowei; Yang, Baocheng

    2013-11-01

    In this paper, we report a facile low-cost synthesis of the graphene-ZnO hybrid nanocomposites for solid-state supercapacitors. Structural analysis revealed a homogeneous distribution of ZnO nanorods that are inserted in graphene nanosheets, forming a sandwiched architecture. The material exhibited a high specific capacitance of 156 F g-1 at a scan rate of 5 mV.s-1. The fabricated solid-state supercapacitor device using these graphene-ZnO hybrid nanocomposites exhibits good supercapacitive performance and long-term cycle stability. The improved supercapacitance property of these materials could be ascribed to the increased conductivity of ZnO and better utilization of graphene. These results demonstrate the potential of the graphene-ZnO hybrid nanocomposites as an electrode in high-performance supercapacitors.

  17. Localization of the glucocorticoid receptor mRNA in cartilage and bone cells of the rat. An in situ hybridization study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G Silvestrini

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available The in vivo localization of glucocorticoid receptor (GR mRNA expression was studied in the cartilage and bone cells of the femur of young adult rats to compare its distribution with that of the GR protein, which had previously been shown histochemically in the same areas. To achieve this, we used a synthetic oligodeoxynucleotide as a probe, in line with the published human GR (hGR cDNA sequence. The probe was coupled to fluorescein (FL, applying a rapid Fast-Tag TM FL nucleic acid labeling method. Negative controls were achieved by using sense sequences of the hGR oligoprobe, similarly coupled by using the Fast-Tag TM FL labeling kit. Dewaxed sections were treated for in situ hybridization (ISH histochemistry with the antisense and sense oligoprobes. The ISH reaction product was more intense in the cytoplasm of proliferative and maturative chondrocytes of the growth plate cartilage than in that shown in the hypertrophic ones. In the metaphyseal secondary ossification zone, osteoblasts (OBs and osteocytes (OCs were variably labeled, whereas osteoclasts (OCLs were always intensely stained. The labeling was also visible in some bone marrow cells, in articular chondrocytes, in the cells of tendon-bone junctions, and in the perichondrium and periosteal cells. Our results confirm a cellular co-location of GR protein and mRNA. In agreement with GR immunolocalization, the variability of labeling appeared to be related to the cell cycle, the stage of differentiation and cell-type differences.

  18. Hybrid Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks: Controlling Framework Porosity and Functionality by Mixed-Linker Synthesis

    KAUST Repository

    Thompson, Joshua A.

    2012-05-22

    Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) are a subclass of nanoporous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that exhibit zeolite-like structural topologies and have interesting molecular recognition properties, such as molecular sieving and gate-opening effects associated with their pore apertures. The synthesis and characterization of hybrid ZIFs with mixed linkers in the framework are described in this work, producing materials with properties distinctly different from the parent frameworks (ZIF-8, ZIF-90, and ZIF-7). NMR spectroscopy is used to assess the relative amounts of the different linkers included in the frameworks, whereas nitrogen physisorption shows the evolution of the effective pore size distribution in materials resulting from the framework hybridization. X-ray diffraction shows these hybrid materials to be crystalline. In the case of ZIF-8-90 hybrids, the cubic space group of the parent frameworks is continuously maintained, whereas in the case of the ZIF-7-8 hybrids there is a transition from a cubic to a rhombohedral space group. Nitrogen physisorption data reveal that the hybrid materials exhibit substantial changes in gate-opening phenomena, either occurring at continuously tunable partial pressures of nitrogen (ZIF-8-90 hybrids) or loss of gate-opening effects to yield more rigid frameworks (ZIF-7-8 hybrids). With this synthetic approach, significant alterations in MOF properties may be realized to suit a desired separation or catalytic process. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

  19. [Super sweet corn hybrids adaptability for industrial processing. I freezing].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alfonzo, Braunnier; Camacho, Candelario; Ortiz de Bertorelli, Ligia; De Venanzi, Frank

    2002-09-01

    With the purpose of evaluating adaptability to the freezing process of super sweet corn sh2 hybrids Krispy King, Victor and 324, 100 cobs of each type were frozen at -18 degrees C. After 120 days of storage, their chemical, microbiological and sensorial characteristics were compared with a sweet corn su. Industrial quality of the process of freezing and length and number of rows in cobs were also determined. Results revealed yields above 60% in frozen corns. Length and number of rows in cobs were acceptable. Most of the chemical characteristics of super sweet hybrids were not different from the sweet corn assayed at the 5% significance level. Moisture content and soluble solids of hybrid Victor, as well as total sugars of hybrid 324 were statistically different. All sh2 corns had higher pH values. During freezing, soluble solids concentration, sugars and acids decreased whereas pH increased. Frozen cobs exhibited acceptable microbiological rank, with low activities of mesophiles and total coliforms, absence of psychrophiles and fecal coliforms, and an appreciable amount of molds. In conclusion, sh2 hybrids adapted with no problems to the freezing process, they had lower contents of soluble solids and higher contents of total sugars, which almost doubled the amount of su corn; flavor, texture, sweetness and appearance of kernels were also better. Hybrid Victor was preferred by the evaluating panel and had an outstanding performance due to its yield and sensorial characteristics.

  20. Mechanisms Underlying Mammalian Hybrid Sterility in Two Feline Interspecies Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Brian W; Seabury, Christopher M; Brashear, Wesley A; Li, Gang; Roelke-Parker, Melody; Murphy, William J

    2015-10-01

    The phenomenon of male sterility in interspecies hybrids has been observed for over a century, however, few genes influencing this recurrent phenotype have been identified. Genetic investigations have been primarily limited to a small number of model organisms, thus limiting our understanding of the underlying molecular basis of this well-documented "rule of speciation." We utilized two interspecies hybrid cat breeds in a genome-wide association study employing the Illumina 63 K single-nucleotide polymorphism array. Collectively, we identified eight autosomal genes/gene regions underlying associations with hybrid male sterility (HMS) involved in the function of the blood-testis barrier, gamete structural development, and transcriptional regulation. We also identified several candidate hybrid sterility regions on the X chromosome, with most residing in close proximity to complex duplicated regions. Differential gene expression analyses revealed significant chromosome-wide upregulation of X chromosome transcripts in testes of sterile hybrids, which were enriched for genes involved in chromatin regulation of gene expression. Our expression results parallel those reported in Mus hybrids, supporting the "Large X-Effect" in mammalian HMS and the potential epigenetic basis for this phenomenon. These results support the value of the interspecies feline model as a powerful tool for comparison to rodent models of HMS, demonstrating unique aspects and potential commonalities that underpin mammalian reproductive isolation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. Cardiac hybrid imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gaemperli, Oliver [University Hospital Zurich, Cardiac Imaging, Zurich (Switzerland); University Hospital Zurich, Nuclear Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center, Zurich (Switzerland); Kaufmann, Philipp A. [University Hospital Zurich, Cardiac Imaging, Zurich (Switzerland); Alkadhi, Hatem [University Hospital Zurich, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Zurich (Switzerland)

    2014-05-15

    Hybrid cardiac single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT imaging allows combined assessment of anatomical and functional aspects of cardiac disease. In coronary artery disease (CAD), hybrid SPECT/CT imaging allows detection of coronary artery stenosis and myocardial perfusion abnormalities. The clinical value of hybrid imaging has been documented in several subsets of patients. In selected groups of patients, hybrid imaging improves the diagnostic accuracy to detect CAD compared to the single imaging techniques. Additionally, this approach facilitates functional interrogation of coronary stenoses and guidance with regard to revascularization procedures. Moreover, the anatomical information obtained from CT coronary angiography or coronary artery calcium scores (CACS) adds prognostic information over perfusion data from SPECT. The use of cardiac hybrid imaging has been favoured by the dissemination of dedicated hybrid systems and the release of dedicated image fusion software, which allow simple patient throughput for hybrid SPECT/CT studies. Further technological improvements such as more efficient detector technology to allow for low-radiation protocols, ultra-fast image acquisition and improved low-noise image reconstruction algorithms will be instrumental to further promote hybrid SPECT/CT in research and clinical practice. (orig.)

  2. Hybrid silica luminescent materials based on lanthanide-containing lyotropic liquid crystal with polarized emission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Selivanova, N.M., E-mail: natsel@mail.ru [Kazan National Research Technological University, 68 Karl Marx Str., Kazan 420015 (Russian Federation); Vandyukov, A.E.; Gubaidullin, A.T. [A.E. Arbuzov Institute of Organic and Physical Chemistry of the Kazan Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 8 Acad. Arbuzov Str., Kazan 420088 (Russian Federation); Galyametdinov, Y.G. [Kazan National Research Technological University, 68 Karl Marx Str., Kazan 420015 (Russian Federation)

    2014-11-14

    This paper represents the template method for synthesis of hybrid silica films based on Ln-containing lyotropic liquid crystal and characterized by efficient luminescence. Luminescence films were prepared in situ by the sol–gel processes. Lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) mesophases C{sub 12}H{sub 25}O(CH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}O){sub 10}H/Ln(NO{sub 3}){sub 3}·6H{sub 2}O/H{sub 2}O containing Ln (III) ions (Dy, Tb, Eu) were used as template. Polarized optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and FT-IR-spectroscopy were used for characterization of liquid crystal mesophases and hybrid films. The morphology of composite films was studied by the atomic force microscopy method (AFM). The optical properties of the resulting materials were evaluated. It was found that hybrid silica films demonstrate significant increase of their lifetime in comparison with an LLC system. New effects of linearly polarized emission revealed for Ln-containing hybrid silica films. Polarization in lanthanide-containing hybrid composites indicates that silica precursor causes orientation of emitting ions. - Highlights: • We suggest a new simple approach for creating luminescence hybrid silica films. • Ln-containing hybrid silica films demonstrate yellow, green and red emissions. • Tb(III)-containing hybrid film have a high lifetime. • We report effects of linearly polarized emission in hybrid film.

  3. Phenotypic and Genotypic Analysis of Newly Obtained Interspecific Hybrids in the Campanula Genus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna-Catharina Röper

    Full Text Available Interspecific hybridisation creates new phenotypes within several ornamental plant species including the Campanula genus. We have employed phenotypic and genotypic methods to analyse and evaluate interspecific hybridisation among cultivars of four Campanula species, i.e. C. cochleariifolia, C. isophylla, C. medium and C. formanekiana. Hybrids were analysed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP, flow cytometry and biometrical measurements. Results of correlation matrices demonstrated heterogeneous phenotypes for the parental species, which confirmed our basic premise for new phenotypes of interspecific hybrids. AFLP assays confirmed the hybridity and identified self-pollinated plants. Limitation of flow cytometry analysis detection was observed while detecting the hybridity status of two closely related parents, e.g. C. cochleariiafolia × C. isophylla. Phenotypic characteristics such as shoot habitus and flower colour were strongly influenced by one of the parental species in most crosses. Rooting analysis revealed that inferior rooting quality occurred more often in interspecific hybrids than in the parental species. Only interspecific hybrid lines of C. formanekiana 'White' × C. medium 'Pink' showed a high rooting level. Phenotype analyses demonstrated a separation from the interspecific hybrid lines of C. formanekiana 'White' × C. medium 'Pink' to the other clustered hybrids of C. formanekiana and C. medium. In our study we demonstrated that the use of correlation matrices is a suitable tool for identifying suitable cross material. This study presents a comprehensive overview for analysing newly obtained interspecific hybrids. The chosen methods can be used as guidance for analyses for further interspecific hybrids in Campanula, as well as in other ornamental species.

  4. Coagulation-Adsorption Hybrid Process for the Treatment of Dyes and Pigments Wastewater

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdul Karim Shah

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The study aimed to improve the effectiveness of dyes and pigments wastewater treatment. Hybrid system of adsorption and coagulation was applied for the reduction of COD, color, turbidity and TSS. Activated carbon adsorbent was prepared from a waste of sugar industry boiler. It was processed through physicochemical treatment with sulfuric acid following grinding, sieving, washing and drying unit operations. Combined wastewater of dyes and pigments manufacturing plant was treated with a hybrid process of coagulation and adsorption. FeCl 3, FeSO 4and Alum coagulants were tested individually and found them less effective. It was revealed that FeCl 3 coagulation, adsorption and hybrid process reduced COD (41, 51 and 54%, Color (67, 70 and 89%, turbidity (69, 71 and 90% and TSS (82, 93 and 97% respectively. Combination of FeCl3 -SBFA (Sugarcane Bagasse Fly Ash proved 90% efficient in removal than coagulation as an individual process. 4g adsorbent dose was optimized for this hybrid process

  5. Combining stated and revealed choice research to simulate the neighbor effect: The case of hybrid-electric vehicles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Axsen, Jonn [Institute of Transportation Studies, Univ. of California at Davis, 2028 Academic Surge, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Mountain, Dean C. [DeGroote School of Business, McMaster Univ., 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M4 (Canada); Jaccard, Mark [School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser Univ., 8888 Univ. Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6 (Canada)

    2009-08-15

    According to intuition and theories of diffusion, consumer preferences develop along with technological change. However, most economic models designed for policy simulation unrealistically assume static preferences. To improve the behavioral realism of an energy-economy policy model, this study investigates the ''neighbor effect'', where a new technology becomes more desirable as its adoption becomes more widespread in the market. We measure this effect as a change in aggregated willingness to pay under different levels of technology penetration. Focusing on hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs), an online survey experiment collected stated preference (SP) data from 535 Canadian and 408 Californian vehicle owners under different hypothetical market conditions. Revealed preference (RP) data was collected from the same respondents by eliciting the year, make and model of recent vehicle purchases from regions with different degrees of HEV popularity: Canada with 0.17% new market share, and California with 3.0% new market share. We compare choice models estimated from RP data only with three joint SP-RP estimation techniques, each assigning a different weight to the influence of SP and RP data in coefficient estimates. Statistically, models allowing more RP influence outperform SP influenced models. However, results suggest that because the RP data in this study is afflicted by multicollinearity, techniques that allow more SP influence in the beta estimates while maintaining RP data for calibrating vehicle class constraints produce more realistic estimates of willingness to pay. Furthermore, SP influenced coefficient estimates also translate to more realistic behavioral parameters for CIMS, allowing more sensitivity to policy simulations. (author)

  6. Combining stated and revealed choice research to simulate the neighbor effect: The case of hybrid-electric vehicles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Axsen, Jonn; Mountain, Dean C.; Jaccard, Mark

    2009-01-01

    According to intuition and theories of diffusion, consumer preferences develop along with technological change. However, most economic models designed for policy simulation unrealistically assume static preferences. To improve the behavioral realism of an energy-economy policy model, this study investigates the ''neighbor effect'', where a new technology becomes more desirable as its adoption becomes more widespread in the market. We measure this effect as a change in aggregated willingness to pay under different levels of technology penetration. Focusing on hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs), an online survey experiment collected stated preference (SP) data from 535 Canadian and 408 Californian vehicle owners under different hypothetical market conditions. Revealed preference (RP) data was collected from the same respondents by eliciting the year, make and model of recent vehicle purchases from regions with different degrees of HEV popularity: Canada with 0.17% new market share, and California with 3.0% new market share. We compare choice models estimated from RP data only with three joint SP-RP estimation techniques, each assigning a different weight to the influence of SP and RP data in coefficient estimates. Statistically, models allowing more RP influence outperform SP influenced models. However, results suggest that because the RP data in this study is afflicted by multicollinearity, techniques that allow more SP influence in the beta estimates while maintaining RP data for calibrating vehicle class constraints produce more realistic estimates of willingness to pay. Furthermore, SP influenced coefficient estimates also translate to more realistic behavioral parameters for CIMS, allowing more sensitivity to policy simulations. (author)

  7. Recent hybridization between Taenia asiatica and Taenia saginata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamane, Kanako; Suzuki, Yumi; Tachi, Eiko; Li, Tiaoying; Chen, Xingwang; Nakao, Minoru; Nkouawa, Agathe; Yanagida, Testuya; Sako, Yasuhito; Ito, Akira; Sato, Hiroshi; Okamoto, Munehiro

    2012-06-01

    Five Taenia tapeworms collected from humans in Tibetan Plateau, Sichuan, China, where three species of human Taenia are sympatrically endemic, were examined for the mitochondrial cox1 gene and two nuclear genes, ef1 and elp. Phylogenetic analyses of these genes revealed that two adult worms showed nuclear-mitochondrial discordance, suggesting that they originated from hybridization between Taenia saginata and Taenia asiatica. One of two worms had T. asiatica-type mtDNA, whereas another worm had T. saginata-type mtDNA, indicating that reciprocal hybridization between T. saginata and T. asiatica could occur. The worm having T. asiatica-type mtDNA was heterozygous at both nuclear loci with T. saginata-type alleles and T. asiatica-type alleles. In another worm, the ef1 locus was heterozygous with a T. saginata-type alleles and T. asiatica-type alleles, while the elp locus was homozygous with T. saginata-type alleles. Self-fertilization is the main reproductive method of the genus Taenia. Since self-fertilization represents a type of inbreeding, each locus in the offspring would become homozygous over generations with genetic drift. The fact that some nuclear loci are still heterozygous means that hybridization might have occurred recently. Hybridization between T. asiatica and T. saginata is probably an ongoing event in many areas in which they are sympatrically endemic. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Preparation of an amide group-connected graphene-polyaniline nanofiber hybrid and its application in supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jianhua, Liu; Junwei, An; Yecheng, Zhou; Yuxiao, Ma; Mengliu, Li; Mei, Yu; Songmei, Li

    2012-06-27

    Polyaniline (PANI) nanofiber is grafted onto graphene to obtain a novel graphene-polyaniline (GP) hybrid. Graphene is activated using SOCl2 and reacts with PANI to form an amide group that intimately connects graphene and PANI. The existence of the amide group and its anchoring effect in the GP hybrid are confirmed and characterized by SEM, TEM, FT-IR, Raman, XPS and quantum chemistry analyses. Electrochemical tests reveal that the GP hybrid has high capacitance performances of 579.8 and 361.9 F g(-1) at current densities of 0.3 and 1 A g(-1). These values indicate superiority to materials interacted by van der Waals force. Long-term charge/discharge tests at high current densities show that the GP hybrid preserves 96% of its initial capacitance, demonstrating good electrochemical stability. The improved electrochemical performance suggests promising application of the GP hybrid in high-performance supercapacitors.

  9. A Hybrid 2D/3D User Interface for Radiological Diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandalika, Veera Bhadra Harish; Chernoglazov, Alexander I; Billinghurst, Mark; Bartneck, Christoph; Hurrell, Michael A; Ruiter, Niels de; Butler, Anthony P H; Butler, Philip H

    2018-02-01

    This paper presents a novel 2D/3D desktop virtual reality hybrid user interface for radiology that focuses on improving 3D manipulation required in some diagnostic tasks. An evaluation of our system revealed that our hybrid interface is more efficient for novice users and more accurate for both novice and experienced users when compared to traditional 2D only interfaces. This is a significant finding because it indicates, as the techniques mature, that hybrid interfaces can provide significant benefit to image evaluation. Our hybrid system combines a zSpace stereoscopic display with 2D displays, and mouse and keyboard input. It allows the use of 2D and 3D components interchangeably, or simultaneously. The system was evaluated against a 2D only interface with a user study that involved performing a scoliosis diagnosis task. There were two user groups: medical students and radiology residents. We found improvements in completion time for medical students, and in accuracy for both groups. In particular, the accuracy of medical students improved to match that of the residents.

  10. Heavy metals adsorption by novel EDTA-modified chitosan-silica hybrid materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Repo, Eveliina; Warchoł, Jolanta K; Bhatnagar, Amit; Sillanpää, Mika

    2011-06-01

    Novel adsorbents were synthesized by functionalizing chitosan-silica hybrid materials with (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) EDTA ligands. The synthesized adsorbents were found to combine the advantages of both silica gel (high surface area, porosity, rigid structure) and chitosan (surface functionality). The Adsorption potential of hybrid materials was investigated using Co(II), Ni(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II) as target metals by varying experimental conditions such as pH, contact time, and initial metal concentration. The kinetic results revealed that the pore diffusion process played a key role in adsorption kinetics, which might be attributed to the porous structure of synthesized adsorbents. The obtained maximum adsorption capacities of the hybrid materials for the metal ions ranged from 0.25 to 0.63 mmol/g under the studied experimental conditions. The adsorbent with the highest chitosan content showed the best adsorption efficiency. Bi-Langmuir and Sips isotherm model fitting to experimental data suggested the surface heterogeneity of the prepared adsorbents. In multimetal solutions, the hybrid adsorbents showed the highest affinity toward Pb(II). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Mechanisms of Transmission Ratio Distortion at Hybrid Sterility Loci Within and Between Mimulus Species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel E. Kerwin

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Hybrid incompatibilities are a common correlate of genomic divergence and a potentially important contributor to reproductive isolation. However, we do not yet have a detailed understanding of how hybrid incompatibility loci function and evolve within their native species, or why they are dysfunctional in hybrids. Here, we explore these issues for a well-studied, two-locus hybrid incompatibility between hybrid male sterility 1 (hms1 and hybrid male sterility 2 (hms2 in the closely related yellow monkeyflower species Mimulus guttatus and M. nasutus. By performing reciprocal backcrosses with introgression lines (ILs, we find evidence for gametic expression of the hms1-hms2 incompatibility. Surprisingly, however, hybrid transmission ratios at hms1 do not reflect this incompatibility, suggesting that additional mechanisms counteract the effects of gametic sterility. Indeed, our backcross experiment shows hybrid transmission bias toward M. guttatus through both pollen and ovules, an effect that is particularly strong when hms2 is homozygous for M. nasutus alleles. In contrast, we find little evidence for hms1 transmission bias in crosses within M. guttatus, providing no indication of selfish evolution at this locus. Although we do not yet have sufficient genetic resolution to determine if hybrid sterility and transmission ratio distortion (TRD map to the same loci, our preliminary fine-mapping uncovers a genetically independent hybrid lethality system involving at least two loci linked to hms1. This fine-scale dissection of TRD at hms1 and hms2 provides insight into genomic differentiation between closely related Mimulus species and reveals multiple mechanisms of hybrid dysfunction.

  12. Mechanisms of Transmission Ratio Distortion at Hybrid Sterility Loci Within and Between Mimulus Species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kerwin, Rachel E; Sweigart, Andrea L

    2017-11-06

    Hybrid incompatibilities are a common correlate of genomic divergence and a potentially important contributor to reproductive isolation. However, we do not yet have a detailed understanding of how hybrid incompatibility loci function and evolve within their native species, or why they are dysfunctional in hybrids. Here, we explore these issues for a well-studied, two-locus hybrid incompatibility between hybrid male sterility 1 ( hms1 ) and hybrid male sterility 2 ( hms2 ) in the closely related yellow monkeyflower species Mimulus guttatus and M. nasutus By performing reciprocal backcrosses with introgression lines (ILs), we find evidence for gametic expression of the hms1-hms2 incompatibility. Surprisingly, however, hybrid transmission ratios at hms1 do not reflect this incompatibility, suggesting that additional mechanisms counteract the effects of gametic sterility. Indeed, our backcross experiment shows hybrid transmission bias toward M. guttatus through both pollen and ovules, an effect that is particularly strong when hms2 is homozygous for M. nasutus alleles. In contrast, we find little evidence for hms1 transmission bias in crosses within M. guttatus , providing no indication of selfish evolution at this locus. Although we do not yet have sufficient genetic resolution to determine if hybrid sterility and transmission ratio distortion (TRD) map to the same loci, our preliminary fine-mapping uncovers a genetically independent hybrid lethality system involving at least two loci linked to hms1 This fine-scale dissection of TRD at hms1 and hms2 provides insight into genomic differentiation between closely related Mimulus species and reveals multiple mechanisms of hybrid dysfunction. Copyright © 2017 Kerwin and Sweigart.

  13. Revealing the cerebral regions and networks mediating vulnerability to depression: oxidative metabolism mapping of rat brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harro, Jaanus; Kanarik, Margus; Kaart, Tanel; Matrov, Denis; Kõiv, Kadri; Mällo, Tanel; Del Río, Joaquin; Tordera, Rosa M; Ramirez, Maria J

    2014-07-01

    The large variety of available animal models has revealed much on the neurobiology of depression, but each model appears as specific to a significant extent, and distinction between stress response, pathogenesis of depression and underlying vulnerability is difficult to make. Evidence from epidemiological studies suggests that depression occurs in biologically predisposed subjects under impact of adverse life events. We applied the diathesis-stress concept to reveal brain regions and functional networks that mediate vulnerability to depression and response to chronic stress by collapsing data on cerebral long term neuronal activity as measured by cytochrome c oxidase histochemistry in distinct animal models. Rats were rendered vulnerable to depression either by partial serotonergic lesion or by maternal deprivation, or selected for a vulnerable phenotype (low positive affect, low novelty-related activity or high hedonic response). Environmental adversity was brought about by applying chronic variable stress or chronic social defeat. Several brain regions, most significantly median raphe, habenula, retrosplenial cortex and reticular thalamus, were universally implicated in long-term metabolic stress response, vulnerability to depression, or both. Vulnerability was associated with higher oxidative metabolism levels as compared to resilience to chronic stress. Chronic stress, in contrast, had three distinct patterns of effect on oxidative metabolism in vulnerable vs. resilient animals. In general, associations between regional activities in several brain circuits were strongest in vulnerable animals, and chronic stress disrupted this interrelatedness. These findings highlight networks that underlie resilience to stress, and the distinct response to stress that occurs in vulnerable subjects. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. The plus-hybrid effect on the grain yield of two ZP maize hybrids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Božinović Sofija

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The combined effect of cytoplasmic male sterility and xenia on maize hybrid traits is referred to as the plus-hybrid effect. Two studied ZP hybrids differently responded to this effect for grain yield. All plus-hybrid combinations of the firstly observed hybrid had a higher yield than their fertile counterparts, but not significantly, while only one combination of the second hybrid positively responded, also without statistical significance. It seems that the observed effect mostly depended on the genotype of the female component.

  15. High-performance solid-state supercapacitors based on graphene-ZnO hybrid nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    In this paper, we report a facile low-cost synthesis of the graphene-ZnO hybrid nanocomposites for solid-state supercapacitors. Structural analysis revealed a homogeneous distribution of ZnO nanorods that are inserted in graphene nanosheets, forming a sandwiched architecture. The material exhibited a high specific capacitance of 156 F g−1 at a scan rate of 5 mV.s−1. The fabricated solid-state supercapacitor device using these graphene-ZnO hybrid nanocomposites exhibits good supercapacitive performance and long-term cycle stability. The improved supercapacitance property of these materials could be ascribed to the increased conductivity of ZnO and better utilization of graphene. These results demonstrate the potential of the graphene-ZnO hybrid nanocomposites as an electrode in high-performance supercapacitors. PMID:24215772

  16. Hybrid waste filler filled bio-polymer foam composites for sound absorbent materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rus, Anika Zafiah M.; Azahari, M. Shafiq M.; Kormin, Shaharuddin; Soon, Leong Bong; Zaliran, M. Taufiq; Ahraz Sadrina M. F., L.

    2017-09-01

    Sound absorption materials are one of the major requirements in many industries with regards to the sound insulation developed should be efficient to reduce sound. This is also important to contribute in economically ways of producing sound absorbing materials which is cheaper and user friendly. Thus, in this research, the sound absorbent properties of bio-polymer foam filled with hybrid fillers of wood dust and waste tire rubber has been investigated. Waste cooking oil from crisp industries was converted into bio-monomer, filled with different proportion ratio of fillers and fabricated into bio-polymer foam composite. Two fabrication methods is applied which is the Close Mold Method (CMM) and Open Mold Method (OMM). A total of four bio-polymer foam composite samples were produce for each method used. The percentage of hybrid fillers; mixture of wood dust and waste tire rubber of 2.5 %, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10% weight to weight ration with bio-monomer. The sound absorption of the bio-polymer foam composites samples were tested by using the impedance tube test according to the ASTM E-1050 and Scanning Electron Microscope to determine the morphology and porosity of the samples. The sound absorption coefficient (α) at different frequency range revealed that the polymer foam of 10.0 % hybrid fillers shows highest α of 0.963. The highest hybrid filler loading contributing to smallest pore sizes but highest interconnected pores. This also revealed that when highly porous material is exposed to incident sound waves, the air molecules at the surface of the material and within the pores of the material are forced to vibrate and loses some of their original energy. This is concluded that the suitability of bio-polymer foam filled with hybrid fillers to be used in acoustic application of automotive components such as dashboards, door panels, cushion and etc.

  17. The use of hybrid constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment with special attention to nitrogen removal: a review of a recent development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vymazal, Jan

    2013-09-15

    The hybrid systems were developed in the 1960s but their use increased only during the late 1990 s and in the 2000s mostly because of more stringent discharge limits for nitrogen and also more complex wastewaters treated in constructed wetlands (CWs). The early hybrid CWs consisted of several stages of vertical flow (VF) followed by several stages of horizontal flow (HF) beds. During the 1990 s, HF-VF and VF-HF hybrid systems were introduced. However, to achieve higher removal of total nitrogen or to treat more complex industrial and agricultural wastewaters other types of hybrid constructed wetlands including free water surface (FWS) CWs and multistage CWs have recently been used as well. The survey of 60 hybrid constructed wetlands from 24 countries reported after 2003 revealed that hybrid constructed wetlands are primarily used on Europe and in Asia while in other continents their use is limited. The most commonly used hybrid system is a VF-HF constructed wetland which has been used for treatment of both sewage and industrial wastewaters. On the other hand, the use of a HF-VF system has been reported only for treatment of municipal sewage. Out of 60 surveyed hybrid systems, 38 have been designed to treat municipal sewage while 22 hybrid systems were designed to treat various industrial and agricultural wastewaters. The more detailed analysis revealed that VF-HF hybrid constructed wetlands are slightly more efficient in ammonia removal than hybrid systems with FWS CWs, HF-VF systems or multistage VF and HF hybrid CWs. All types of hybrid CWs are comparable with single VF CWs in terms of NH4-N removal rates. On the other hand, CWs with FWS units remove substantially more total nitrogen as compared to other types of hybrid constructed wetlands. However, all types of hybrid constructed wetlands are more efficient in total nitrogen removal than single HF or VF constructed wetlands. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Environmentally responsive optical microstructured hybrid actuator assemblies and applications thereof

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aizenberg, Joanna; Aizenberg, Michael; Kim, Philseok

    2016-01-05

    Microstructured hybrid actuator assemblies in which microactuators carrying designed surface properties to be revealed upon actuation are embedded in a layer of responsive materials. The microactuators in a microactuator array reversibly change their configuration in response to a change in the environment without requiring an external power source to switch their optical properties.

  19. Hybrid methyl green/cobalt-polyoxotungstate nanostructured films: Self-assembly, electrochemical and electrocatalytic properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Novais, Hugo C.; Fernandes, Diana M., E-mail: diana.fernandes@fc.up.pt; Freire, Cristina, E-mail: acfreire@fc.up.pt

    2015-08-30

    Graphical abstract: Hybrid {MG/Co(PW9)2}{sub n} multilayer films were successfully prepared and exhibit W-based electrocatalytic activity towards reduction of nitrite and iodate anions. - Highlights: • Layer-by-layer hybrid films {MG/Co(PW_9)_2}{sub n} were sucessfully prepared. • UV–vis was used to monitor film build-up and showed regular stepwise film growth. • XPS confirmed sucessfull {MG/Co(PW_9)_2}{sub n} film fabrication. • Films showed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards nitrite and iodate reduction. - Abstract: Hybrid multilayer films were prepared by alternately depositing cationic dye methyl green (MG) and anionic sandwich-type polyoxometalate K{sub 10}[Co{sub 4}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2}(PW{sub 9}O{sub 34}){sub 2}] (Co(PW{sub 9}){sub 2}) via electrostatic layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly method. Film build-up was monitored by UV–vis spectroscopy which showed a regular stepwise growth. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data confirmed the successful fabrication of the hybrid films with MG-Co(PW{sub 9}){sub 2} composition and scanning electron microscopy images revealed a completely covered surface with a non-uniform distribution of the molecular species. Electrochemical characterization of films by cyclic voltammetry revealed two tungsten-based reduction processes in the potential range between −0.9 and −0.5 V due to W{sup VI} → W{sup V} in Co(PW{sub 9}){sub 2}. Studies with the redox probes, [Fe(CN){sub 6}]{sup 3−/4−} and [Ru(NH{sub 3}){sub 6}]{sup 3+/2+}, revealed that not only the electrostatic attractions or repulsions have effects on the kinetics of the probe reactions, but also the film thickness. Additionally, the {MG/Co(PW_9)_2}{sub n} multilayer films exhibit efficient W-based electrocatalytic activity towards reduction of nitrite and iodate.

  20. Toronto hybrid taxi pilot

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stevens, M.; Marans, B.

    2009-10-01

    This paper provided details of a hybrid taxi pilot program conducted to compare the on-road performance of Toyota Camry hybrid vehicles against conventional vehicles over a 1-year period in order to determine the business case and air emission reductions associated with the use of hybrid taxi cabs. Over 750,000 km worth of fuel consumption was captured from 10 Toyota Camry hybrids, a Toyota Prius, and 5 non-hybrid Camry vehicles over an 18-month period. The average real world fuel consumption for the taxis demonstrated that the Toyota Prius has the lowest cost of ownership, while the non-hybrid Camry has the highest cost of ownership. Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) reductions associated with the 10 Camry hybrid taxis were calculated at 236 tonnes over a 7-year taxi service life. Results suggested that the conversion of Toronto's 5680 taxis would yield annual CO 2 emission reductions of over 19,000 tonnes. All hybrid purchasers identified themselves as highly likely to purchase a hybrid again. 5 tabs., 9 figs.

  1. Toronto hybrid taxi pilot

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stevens, M. [CrossChasm Technologies, Cambridge, ON (Canada); Marans, B. [Toronto Atmospheric Fund, ON (Canada)

    2009-10-15

    This paper provided details of a hybrid taxi pilot program conducted to compare the on-road performance of Toyota Camry hybrid vehicles against conventional vehicles over a 1-year period in order to determine the business case and air emission reductions associated with the use of hybrid taxi cabs. Over 750,000 km worth of fuel consumption was captured from 10 Toyota Camry hybrids, a Toyota Prius, and 5 non-hybrid Camry vehicles over an 18-month period. The average real world fuel consumption for the taxis demonstrated that the Toyota Prius has the lowest cost of ownership, while the non-hybrid Camry has the highest cost of ownership. Carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) reductions associated with the 10 Camry hybrid taxis were calculated at 236 tonnes over a 7-year taxi service life. Results suggested that the conversion of Toronto's 5680 taxis would yield annual CO{sub 2} emission reductions of over 19,000 tonnes. All hybrid purchasers identified themselves as highly likely to purchase a hybrid again. 5 tabs., 9 figs.

  2. Identification of hybrid node and link communities in complex networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Dongxiao; Jin, Di; Chen, Zheng; Zhang, Weixiong

    2015-03-02

    Identifying communities in complex networks is an effective means for analyzing complex systems, with applications in diverse areas such as social science, engineering, biology and medicine. Finding communities of nodes and finding communities of links are two popular schemes for network analysis. These schemes, however, have inherent drawbacks and are inadequate to capture complex organizational structures in real networks. We introduce a new scheme and an effective approach for identifying complex mixture structures of node and link communities, called hybrid node-link communities. A central piece of our approach is a probabilistic model that accommodates node, link and hybrid node-link communities. Our extensive experiments on various real-world networks, including a large protein-protein interaction network and a large network of semantically associated words, illustrated that the scheme for hybrid communities is superior in revealing network characteristics. Moreover, the new approach outperformed the existing methods for finding node or link communities separately.

  3. Identification of hybrid node and link communities in complex networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Dongxiao; Jin, Di; Chen, Zheng; Zhang, Weixiong

    2015-03-01

    Identifying communities in complex networks is an effective means for analyzing complex systems, with applications in diverse areas such as social science, engineering, biology and medicine. Finding communities of nodes and finding communities of links are two popular schemes for network analysis. These schemes, however, have inherent drawbacks and are inadequate to capture complex organizational structures in real networks. We introduce a new scheme and an effective approach for identifying complex mixture structures of node and link communities, called hybrid node-link communities. A central piece of our approach is a probabilistic model that accommodates node, link and hybrid node-link communities. Our extensive experiments on various real-world networks, including a large protein-protein interaction network and a large network of semantically associated words, illustrated that the scheme for hybrid communities is superior in revealing network characteristics. Moreover, the new approach outperformed the existing methods for finding node or link communities separately.

  4. Carbon nanotube-TiO{sub 2} hybrid films for detecting traces of O{sub 2}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Llobet, E; Espinosa, E H; Sotter, E; Ionescu, R; Vilanova, X [MINOS, EMaS, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007 Tarragona (Spain); Torres, J [Research Department, Carburos Metalicos, MATGAS, Campus UAB, 08193 Cerdanyola del Valles (Spain); Felten, A; Pireaux, J J [LISE, University of Namur, B-5000 Namur (Belgium); Ke, X; Tendeloo, G Van [EMAT, University of Antwerp, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Renaux, F; Paint, Y; Hecq, M; Bittencourt, C [LCIA, University of Mons-Hainaut, B-7000, Mons (Belgium)

    2008-09-17

    Hybrid titania films have been prepared using an adapted sol-gel method for obtaining well-dispersed hydrogen plasma-treated multiwall carbon nanotubes in either pure titania or Nb-doped titania. The drop-coating method has been used to fabricate resistive oxygen sensors based on titania or on titania and carbon nanotube hybrids. Morphology and composition studies have revealed that the dispersion of low amounts of carbon nanotubes within the titania matrix does not significantly alter its crystallization behaviour. The gas sensitivity studies performed on the different samples have shown that the hybrid layers based on titania and carbon nanotubes possess an unprecedented responsiveness towards oxygen (i.e. more than four times higher than that shown by optimized Nb-doped TiO{sub 2} films). Furthermore, hybrid sensors containing carbon nanotubes respond at significantly lower operating temperatures than their non-hybrid counterparts. These new hybrid sensors show a strong potential for monitoring traces of oxygen (i.e. {<=}10 ppm) in a flow of CO{sub 2}, which is of interest for the beverage industry.

  5. Local hybrid functionals with orbital-free mixing functions and balanced elimination of self-interaction error

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, Piotr de; Corminboeuf, Clémence

    2015-01-01

    The recently introduced density overlap regions indicator (DORI) [P. de Silva and C. Corminboeuf, J. Chem. Theory Comput. 10(9), 3745–3756 (2014)] is a density-dependent scalar field revealing regions of high density overlap between shells, atoms, and molecules. In this work, we exploit its properties to construct local hybrid exchange-correlation functionals aiming at balanced reduction of the self-interaction error. We show that DORI can successfully replace the ratio of the von Weizsäcker and exact positive-definite kinetic energy densities, which is commonly used in mixing functions of local hybrids. Additionally, we introduce several semi-empirical parameters to control the local and global admixture of exact exchange. The most promising of our local hybrids clearly outperforms the underlying semi-local functionals as well as their global hybrids

  6. Rapid hybridization of nucleic acids using isotachophoresis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bercovici, Moran; Han, Crystal M.; Liao, Joseph C.; Santiago, Juan G.

    2012-01-01

    We use isotachophoresis (ITP) to control and increase the rate of nucleic acid hybridization reactions in free solution. We present a new physical model, validation experiments, and demonstrations of this assay. We studied the coupled physicochemical processes of preconcentration, mixing, and chemical reaction kinetics under ITP. Our experimentally validated model enables a closed form solution for ITP-aided reaction kinetics, and reveals a new characteristic time scale which correctly predicts order 10,000-fold speed-up of chemical reaction rate for order 100 pM reactants, and greater enhancement at lower concentrations. At 500 pM concentration, we measured a reaction time which is 14,000-fold lower than that predicted for standard second-order hybridization. The model and method are generally applicable to acceleration of reactions involving nucleic acids, and may be applicable to a wide range of reactions involving ionic reactants. PMID:22733732

  7. Continuity controlled Hybrid Automata

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bergstra, J.A.; Middelburg, C.A.

    We investigate the connections between the process algebra for hybrid systems of Bergstra and Middelburg and the formalism of hybrid automata of Henzinger et al. We give interpretations of hybrid automata in the process algebra for hybrid systems and compare them with the standard interpretation

  8. Mitotic and meiotic irregularities in somatic hybrids of Lycopersicon esculentum and Solanum tuberosum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolters, A M; Schoenmakers, H C; Kamstra, S; Eden, J; Koornneef, M; Jong, J H

    1994-10-01

    Chromosome numbers were determined in metaphase complements of root-tip meristems of 107 tomato (+) potato somatic hybrids, obtained from five different combinations of parental genotypes. Of these hybrids 79% were aneuploid, lacking one or two chromosomes in most cases. All four hybrids that were studied at mitotic anaphase of root tips showed laggards and bridges, the three aneuploids in a higher frequency than the single euploid. Hybrid K2H2-1C, which showed the highest percentage of aberrant anaphases, possessed 46 chromosomes. Fluorescence in situ hybridization with total genomic DNA showed that this hybrid contained 23 tomato, 22 potato, and 1 recombinant chromosome consisting of a tomato chromosome arm and a potato chromosome arm. The potato parent of K2H2-1C was aneusomatic in its root tips with a high frequency of monosomic and trisomic cells and a relatively high frequency of cells with one fragment or telosome. Meiotic analyses of three tomato (+) potato somatic hybrids revealed laggards, which occurred most frequently in the triploid hybrids, and bridges, which were frequently present in pollen mother cells (PMCs) at anaphase I of hypotetraploid K2H2-1C. We observed putative trivalents in PMCs at diakinesis and metaphase I of eutriploid A7-82A and quadrivalents in part of the PMCs of hypotetraploid K2H2-1C, suggesting that homoeologous recombination between tomato and potato chromosomes occurred in these hybrids. All three hybrids showed a high percentage of first division restitution, giving rise to unreduced gametes. However, shortly after the tetrad stage all microspores completely degenerated, resulting in exclusively sterile pollen.

  9. Thermal resistance analysis and optimization of photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yin, Ershuai; Li, Qiang; Xuan, Yimin

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A detailed thermal resistance analysis of the PV-TE hybrid system is proposed. • c-Si PV and p-Si PV cells are proved to be inapplicable for the PV-TE hybrid system. • Some criteria for selecting coupling devices and optimal design are obtained. • A detailed process of designing the practical PV-TE hybrid system is provided. - Abstract: The thermal resistance theory is introduced into the theoretical model of the photovoltaic-thermoelectric (PV-TE) hybrid system. A detailed thermal resistance analysis is proposed to optimize the design of the coupled system in terms of optimal total conversion efficiency. Systems using four types of photovoltaic cells are investigated, including monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic cell, polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic cell, amorphous silicon photovoltaic cell and polymer photovoltaic cell. Three cooling methods, including natural cooling, forced air cooling and water cooling, are compared, which demonstrates a significant superiority of water cooling for the concentrating photovoltaic-thermoelectric hybrid system. Influences of the optical concentrating ratio and velocity of water are studied together and the optimal values are revealed. The impacts of the thermal resistances of the contact surface, TE generator and the upper heat loss thermal resistance on the property of the coupled system are investigated, respectively. The results indicate that amorphous silicon PV cell and polymer PV cell are more appropriate for the concentrating hybrid system. Enlarging the thermal resistance of the thermoelectric generator can significantly increase the performance of the coupled system using amorphous silicon PV cell or polymer PV cell.

  10. Physical, structural and thermomechanical properties of oil palm nano filler/kenaf/epoxy hybrid nanocomposites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saba, N., E-mail: naheedchem@gmail.com [Laboratory of Biocomposite Technology, Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products(INTROP), Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Paridah, M.T. [Laboratory of Biocomposite Technology, Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products(INTROP), Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Abdan, K. [Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang Selangor (Malaysia); Ibrahim, N.A. [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia)

    2016-12-01

    The present research study deals with the fabrication of kenaf/epoxy hybrid nanocomposites by the incorporation of oil palm nano filler, montmorillonite (MMT) and organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) at 3% loading, through hand lay-up technique. Effect of adding different nano fillers on the physical (density), structural [X-ray diffraction (XRD)] and thermomechanical analysis (TMA) of kenaf/epoxy composites were carried out. Density results revealed that the incorporation of nano filler in the kenaf/epoxy composites increases the density which in turn increases the hardness of the hybrid nanocomposites. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of nano fillers in the structure of their respective fabricated hybrid nanocomposites. All hybrid nanocomposites displayed lower coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) with respect to kenaf/epoxy composites. Overall results predicted that the properties improvement in nano OPEFB/kenaf/epoxy was quite comparable to MMT/kenaf/epoxy but relatively lesser to OMMT/kenaf/epoxy hybrid nanocomposites and higher with respect to kenaf/epoxy composites. The improvement ascribed due to improved interfacial bonding or cross linking between kenaf fibers and epoxy matrix by addition of nano filler. - Highlights: • Nano OPEFB/kenaf/epoxy hybrid nanocomposites were fabricated by hand lay-up. • Effect of nano OPEFB on density & structure of kenaf/epoxy were investigated. • Thermal expansion coefficients of kenaf/epoxy and hybrid nanocomposites evaluated. • Comparative studies were made with MMT and OMMT kenaf/epoxy hybrid nanocomposites.

  11. Physical, structural and thermomechanical properties of oil palm nano filler/kenaf/epoxy hybrid nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saba, N.; Paridah, M.T.; Abdan, K.; Ibrahim, N.A.

    2016-01-01

    The present research study deals with the fabrication of kenaf/epoxy hybrid nanocomposites by the incorporation of oil palm nano filler, montmorillonite (MMT) and organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) at 3% loading, through hand lay-up technique. Effect of adding different nano fillers on the physical (density), structural [X-ray diffraction (XRD)] and thermomechanical analysis (TMA) of kenaf/epoxy composites were carried out. Density results revealed that the incorporation of nano filler in the kenaf/epoxy composites increases the density which in turn increases the hardness of the hybrid nanocomposites. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of nano fillers in the structure of their respective fabricated hybrid nanocomposites. All hybrid nanocomposites displayed lower coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) with respect to kenaf/epoxy composites. Overall results predicted that the properties improvement in nano OPEFB/kenaf/epoxy was quite comparable to MMT/kenaf/epoxy but relatively lesser to OMMT/kenaf/epoxy hybrid nanocomposites and higher with respect to kenaf/epoxy composites. The improvement ascribed due to improved interfacial bonding or cross linking between kenaf fibers and epoxy matrix by addition of nano filler. - Highlights: • Nano OPEFB/kenaf/epoxy hybrid nanocomposites were fabricated by hand lay-up. • Effect of nano OPEFB on density & structure of kenaf/epoxy were investigated. • Thermal expansion coefficients of kenaf/epoxy and hybrid nanocomposites evaluated. • Comparative studies were made with MMT and OMMT kenaf/epoxy hybrid nanocomposites.

  12. Hybrid ligand-alkylating agents targeting telomeric G-quadruplex structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doria, Filippo; Nadai, Matteo; Folini, Marco; Di Antonio, Marco; Germani, Luca; Percivalle, Claudia; Sissi, Claudia; Zaffaroni, Nadia; Alcaro, Stefano; Artese, Anna; Richter, Sara N; Freccero, Mauro

    2012-04-14

    The synthesis, physico-chemical properties and biological effects of a new class of naphthalene diimides (NDIs) capable of reversibly binding telomeric DNA and alkylate it through an electrophilic quinone methide moiety (QM), are reported. FRET and circular dichroism assays showed a marked stabilization and selectivity towards telomeric G4 DNA folded in a hybrid topology. NDI-QMs' alkylating properties revealed a good reactivity on single nucleosides and selectivity towards telomeric G4. A selected NDI was able to significantly impair the growth of melanoma cells by causing telomere dysfunction and down-regulation of telomerase expression. These findings points to our hybrid ligand-alkylating NDIs as possible tools for the development of novel targeted anticancer therapies. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012

  13. Hybrid systems, optimal control and hybrid vehicles theory, methods and applications

    CERN Document Server

    Böhme, Thomas J

    2017-01-01

    This book assembles new methods showing the automotive engineer for the first time how hybrid vehicle configurations can be modeled as systems with discrete and continuous controls. These hybrid systems describe naturally and compactly the networks of embedded systems which use elements such as integrators, hysteresis, state-machines and logical rules to describe the evolution of continuous and discrete dynamics and arise inevitably when modeling hybrid electric vehicles. They can throw light on systems which may otherwise be too complex or recondite. Hybrid Systems, Optimal Control and Hybrid Vehicles shows the reader how to formulate and solve control problems which satisfy multiple objectives which may be arbitrary and complex with contradictory influences on fuel consumption, emissions and drivability. The text introduces industrial engineers, postgraduates and researchers to the theory of hybrid optimal control problems. A series of novel algorithmic developments provides tools for solving engineering pr...

  14. In situ biosynthesis of bacterial nanocellulose-CaCO3 hybrid bionanocomposite: One-step process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammadkazemi, Faranak; Faria, Marisa; Cordeiro, Nereida

    2016-08-01

    In this work, a simple and green route to the synthesis of the bacterial nanocellulose-calcium carbonate (BNC/CaCO3) hybrid bionanocomposites using one-step in situ biosynthesis was studied. The CaCO3 was incorporated in the bacterial nanocellulose structure during the cellulose biosynthesis by Gluconacetobacter xylinus PTCC 1734 bacteria. Hestrin-Schramm (HS) and Zhou (Z) culture media were used to the hybrid bionanocomposites production and the effect of ethanol addition was investigated. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, inverse gas chromatography and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the samples. The experimental results demonstrated that the ethanol and culture medium play an important role in the BNC/CaCO3 hybrid bionanocomposites production, structure and properties. The BNC/CaCO3 biosynthesized in Z culture medium revealed higher O/C ratio and amphoteric surface character, which justify the highest CaCO3 content incorporation. The CaCO3 was incorporated into the cellulosic matrix decreasing the bacterial nanocellulose crystallinity. This work reveals the high potential of in situ biosynthesis of BNC/CaCO3 hybrid bionanocomposites and opens a new way to the high value-added applications of bacterial nanocellulose. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Continuity Controlled Hybrid Automata

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bergstra, J.A.; Middelburg, C.A.

    2004-01-01

    We investigate the connections between the process algebra for hybrid systems of Bergstra and Middelburg and the formalism of hybrid automata of Henzinger et al. We give interpretations of hybrid automata in the process algebra for hybrid systems and compare them with the standard interpretation of

  16. Continuity controlled hybrid automata

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bergstra, J.A.; Middelburg, C.A.

    2004-01-01

    We investigate the connections between the process algebra for hybrid systems of Bergstra and Middelburg and the formalism of hybrid automata of Henzinger et al. We give interpretations of hybrid automata in the process algebra for hybrid systems and compare them with the standard interpretation of

  17. Continuity controlled hybrid automata

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bergstra, J.A.; Middelburg, C.A.

    2006-01-01

    We investigate the connections between the process algebra for hybrid systems of Bergstra and Middelburg and the formalism of hybrid automata of Henzinger et al. We give interpretations of hybrid automata in the process algebra for hybrid systems and compare them with the standard interpretation of

  18. Hybrid photovoltaic–thermal solar collectors dynamic modeling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amrizal, N.; Chemisana, D.; Rosell, J.I.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► A hybrid photovoltaic/thermal dynamic model is presented. ► The model, once calibrated, can predict the power output for any set of climate data. ► The physical electrical model includes explicitly thermal and irradiance dependences. ► The results agree with those obtained through steady-state characterization. ► The model approaches the junction cell temperature through the system energy balance. -- Abstract: A hybrid photovoltaic/thermal transient model has been developed and validated experimentally. The methodology extends the quasi-dynamic thermal model stated in the EN 12975 in order to involve the electrical performance and consider the dynamic behavior minimizing constraints when characterizing the collector. A backward moving average filtering procedure has been applied to improve the model response for variable working conditions. Concerning the electrical part, the model includes the thermal and radiation dependences in its variables. The results revealed that the characteristic parameters included in the model agree reasonably well with the experimental values obtained from the standard steady-state and IV characteristic curve measurements. After a calibration process, the model is a suitable tool to predict the thermal and electrical performance of a hybrid solar collector, for a specific weather data set.

  19. Anatomy and histochemistry of spread-wing posture in birds. 2. Gliding flight in the California gull, Larus californicus: a paradox of fast fibers and posture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyers, R A; Mathias, E

    1997-09-01

    Gliding flight is a postural activity which requires the wings to be held in a horizontal position to support the weight of the body. Postural behaviors typically utilize isometric contractions in which no change in length takes place. Due to longer actin-myosin interactions, slow contracting muscle fibers represent an economical means for this type of contraction. In specialized soaring birds, such as vultures and pelicans, a deep layer of the pectoralis muscle, composed entirely of slow fibers, is believed to perform this function. Muscles involved in gliding posture were examined in California gulls (Larus californicus) and tested for the presence of slow fibers using myosin ATPase histochemistry and antibodies. Surprisingly small numbers of slow fibers were found in the M. extensor metacarpi radialis, M. coracobrachialis cranialis, and M. coracobrachialis caudalis, which function in wrist extension, wing protraction, and body support, respectively. The low number of slow fibers in these muscles and the absence of slow fibers in muscles associated with wing extension and primary body support suggest that gulls do not require slow fibers for their postural behaviors. Gulls also lack the deep belly to the pectoralis found in other gliding birds. Since bird muscle is highly oxidative, we hypothesize that fast muscle fibers may function to maintain wing position during gliding flight in California gulls.

  20. Regeneration of somatic hybrids in relation to the nuclear and cytoplasmic genomes of wheat and Setaria italica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiang, Fengning; Xia, Guangmin; Zhi, Daying; Wang, Jing; Nie, Hui; Chen, Huimin

    2004-08-01

    Somatic hybridization via PEG (Polyethylene 6000)-mediated protoplast fusion was achieved between two different wheat culture lines (Triticum aestivum L., "Jinan"177, T1 and T2) and Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv. The T1 recipient originated from non-regenerable long-term cell suspensions, while T2 was derived from embryogenic calli with a high regeneration capacity. Donor protoplasts were obtained from embryogenic calli of S. italica (S) (with low regeneration capacity) irradiated with different doses of ultraviolet light. Twenty-three putative hybrid cell lines were produced in fusion combinations with the donor protoplasts treated with UV light for 30 s (combination I) and 1 min (combination II), but only one (from combination II) differentiated into green plants. Three cell lines from combination I and five cell lines from combination II possessed the nuclear genomes of T1, T2, and S. italica as revealed by cytological, isozyme, RAPD, and 5S rDNA spacer sequence analyses. Genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) analysis showed that most hybrid cell lines had 22-36 wheat chromosomes, 0-2 S. italica chromosomes, and 1-6 wheat - S. italica recombinant chromosomes, whereas the regenerable cell line had 44-56 wheat chromosomes and 3-6 recombinant chromosomes, but no intact S. italica chromosomes. RFLP analysis of organellar DNA revealed that mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA of both parents coexisted in all hybrid cell lines and recombined in most hybrid cell lines. These results indicate that the regeneration of hybrid plants involves not only the integration of S. italica nuclear and organellar DNA, but also the genome complementation of T1 and T2.

  1. Hybrid functional pseudopotentials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jing; Tan, Liang Z.; Rappe, Andrew M.

    2018-02-01

    The consistency between the exchange-correlation functional used in pseudopotential construction and in the actual density functional theory calculation is essential for the accurate prediction of fundamental properties of materials. However, routine hybrid density functional calculations at present still rely on generalized gradient approximation pseudopotentials due to the lack of hybrid functional pseudopotentials. Here, we present a scheme for generating hybrid functional pseudopotentials, and we analyze the importance of pseudopotential density functional consistency for hybrid functionals. For the PBE0 hybrid functional, we benchmark our pseudopotentials for structural parameters and fundamental electronic gaps of the Gaussian-2 (G2) molecular dataset and some simple solids. Our results show that using our PBE0 pseudopotentials in PBE0 calculations improves agreement with respect to all-electron calculations.

  2. Hybrids of ethylene vinyl acetate with Na-montmorillonite and titania: preparation and characterization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ashfaq, M.

    2010-01-01

    Hybrids of Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) with Na-montmorillonite and titania were formed. Montmorillonite was organically modified by two different modifiers: Pyridinium ions and 4. 4-oxydianilinium ions. X-ray diffraction results revealed that Pyridinium ions increased the .interlayer spacing by 0.33 nm and 4, 4-oxydianilinium by 0.55 nm approximately. These modified organo-clays were successfully exfoliated in EVA using melt blending. These hybrids showed improvement in mechanical and thermal properties. 4, 4-oxydianilinium ions were degraded at higher temperature due to which thermal degradation was enhanced in EVA. In addition to this, EVA/titania hybrids were also prepared using sot-gel technique and modified by triethoxy vinyl silane and (3-aminopropyI)- triethoxy silane to increase their compatibility with EVA. Some portion of unmodified titania was heat treated to 600 degree C to obtain particulate titania. The hybrid of particulate titania and modified titania improved the mechanical properties and thermal properties. Especially in case of modified titania toughness was almost doubled. (author)

  3. Biotemplated preparation of CdS nanoparticles/bacterial cellulose hybrid nanofibers for photocatalysis application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Jiazhi; Yu, Junwei; Fan, Jun; Sun, Dongping; Tang, Weihua; Yang, Xuejie

    2011-01-01

    In this work, we describe a novel facile and effective strategy to prepare micrometer-long hybrid nanofibers by deposition of CdS nanoparticles onto the substrate of hydrated bacterial cellulose nanofibers (BCF). Hexagonal phase CdS nanocrystals were achieved via a simple hydrothermal reaction between CdCl 2 and thiourea at relatively low temperature. The prepared pristine BCF and the CdS/BCF hybrid nanofibers were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-vis absorption spectroscopy (UV-vis), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results reveal that the CdS nanoparticles were homogeneously deposited on the BCF surface and stabilized via coordination effect. The CdS/BCF hybrid nanofibers demonstrated high-efficiency photocatalysis with 82% methyl orange (MO) degradation after 90 min irradiation and good recyclability. The results indicate that the CdS/BCF hybrid nanofibers are promising candidate as robust visible light responsive photocatalysts.

  4. Biotemplated preparation of CdS nanoparticles/bacterial cellulose hybrid nanofibers for photocatalysis application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jiazhi; Yu, Junwei; Fan, Jun; Sun, Dongping; Tang, Weihua; Yang, Xuejie

    2011-05-15

    In this work, we describe a novel facile and effective strategy to prepare micrometer-long hybrid nanofibers by deposition of CdS nanoparticles onto the substrate of hydrated bacterial cellulose nanofibers (BCF). Hexagonal phase CdS nanocrystals were achieved via a simple hydrothermal reaction between CdCl(2) and thiourea at relatively low temperature. The prepared pristine BCF and the CdS/BCF hybrid nanofibers were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-vis absorption spectroscopy (UV-vis), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results reveal that the CdS nanoparticles were homogeneously deposited on the BCF surface and stabilized via coordination effect. The CdS/BCF hybrid nanofibers demonstrated high-efficiency photocatalysis with 82% methyl orange (MO) degradation after 90 min irradiation and good recyclability. The results indicate that the CdS/BCF hybrid nanofibers are promising candidate as robust visible light responsive photocatalysts. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Biotemplated preparation of CdS nanoparticles/bacterial cellulose hybrid nanofibers for photocatalysis application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Jiazhi; Yu, Junwei [Key Laboratory of Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials (Ministry of Education), Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China); Fan, Jun [School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Sun, Dongping [Key Laboratory of Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials (Ministry of Education), Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China); Tang, Weihua [Key Laboratory of Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials (Ministry of Education), Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China); Yang, Xuejie [Key Laboratory of Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials (Ministry of Education), Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China)

    2011-05-15

    In this work, we describe a novel facile and effective strategy to prepare micrometer-long hybrid nanofibers by deposition of CdS nanoparticles onto the substrate of hydrated bacterial cellulose nanofibers (BCF). Hexagonal phase CdS nanocrystals were achieved via a simple hydrothermal reaction between CdCl{sub 2} and thiourea at relatively low temperature. The prepared pristine BCF and the CdS/BCF hybrid nanofibers were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-vis absorption spectroscopy (UV-vis), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results reveal that the CdS nanoparticles were homogeneously deposited on the BCF surface and stabilized via coordination effect. The CdS/BCF hybrid nanofibers demonstrated high-efficiency photocatalysis with 82% methyl orange (MO) degradation after 90 min irradiation and good recyclability. The results indicate that the CdS/BCF hybrid nanofibers are promising candidate as robust visible light responsive photocatalysts.

  6. Hybrid electric vehicles and electrochemical storage systems — a technology push-pull couple

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutmann, Günter

    In the advance of fuel cell electric vehicles (EV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) can contribute to reduced emissions and energy consumption of personal cars as a short term solution. Trade-offs reveal better emission control for series hybrid vehicles, while parallel hybrid vehicles with different drive trains may significantly reduce fuel consumption as well. At present, costs and marketing considerations favor parallel hybrid vehicles making use of small, high power batteries. With ultra high power density cells in development, exceeding 1 kW/kg, high power batteries can be provided by adapting a technology closely related to consumer cell production. Energy consumption and emissions may benefit from regenerative braking and smoothing of the internal combustion engine (ICE) response as well, with limited additional battery weight. High power supercapacitors may assist the achievement of this goal. Problems to be solved in practice comprise battery management to assure equilibration of individual cell state-of-charge for long battery life without maintenance, and efficient strategies for low energy consumption.

  7. Quality parameters and RAPD-PCR differentiation of commercial baker's yeast and hybrid strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Fiky, Zaki A; Hassan, Gamal M; Emam, Ahmed M

    2012-06-01

    Baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a key component in bread baking. Total of 12 commercial baker's yeast and 2 hybrid strains were compared using traditional quality parameters. Total of 5 strains with high leavening power and the 2 hybrid strains were selected and evaluated for their alpha-amylase, maltase, glucoamylase enzymes, and compared using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). The results revealed that all selected yeast strains have a low level of alpha-amylase and a high level of maltase and glucoamylase enzymes. Meanwhile, the Egyptian yeast strain (EY) had the highest content of alpha-amylase and maltase enzymes followed by the hybrid YH strain. The EY and YH strains have the highest content of glucoamylase enzyme almost with the same level. The RAPD banding patterns showed a wide variation among commercial yeast and hybrid strains. The closely related Egyptian yeast strains (EY and AL) demonstrated close similarity of their genotypes. The 2 hybrid strains were clustered to Turkish and European strains in 1 group. The authors conclude that the identification of strains and hybrids using RAPD technique was useful in determining their genetic relationship. These results can be useful not only for the basic research, but also for the quality control in baking factories. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

  8. Hybrid gait training with an overground robot for people with incomplete spinal cord injury: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del-Ama, Antonio J; Gil-Agudo, Angel; Pons, José L; Moreno, Juan C

    2014-01-01

    Locomotor training has proved to provide beneficial effect in terms of mobility in incomplete paraplegic patients. Neuroprosthetic technology can contribute to increase the efficacy of a training paradigm in the promotion of a locomotor pattern. Robotic exoskeletons can be used to manage the unavoidable loss of performance of artificially driven muscles. Hybrid exoskeletons blend complementary robotic and neuro-prosthetic technologies. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the effects of hybrid gait training in three case studies with persons with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) in terms of locomotion performance during assisted gait, patient-robot adaptations, impact on ambulation and assessment of lower limb muscle strength and spasticity. Participants with iSCI received interventions with a hybrid bilateral exoskeleton for 4 days. Assessment of gait function revealed that patients improved the 6 min and 10 m walking tests after the intervention, and further improvements were observed 1 week after the intervention. Muscle examination revealed improvements in knee and hip sagittal muscle balance scores and decreased score in ankle extensor balance. It is concluded that improvements in biomechanical function of the knee joint after the tested overground hybrid gait trainer are coherent with improvements in gait performance.

  9. Revealing the synergetic effects in Ni nanoparticle-carbon nanotube hybrids by scanning transmission X-ray microscopy and their application in the hydrolysis of ammonia borane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Guanqi; Zhong, Jun; Wang, Jian; Sham, Tsun-Kong; Sun, Xuhui; Lee, Shuit-Tong

    2015-06-07

    The hybrids of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and the supported Ni nanoparticles (NPs) have been studied by scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) and tested by the hydrolysis reaction of ammonia borane (AB, NH3BH3). Data clearly showed the existence of a strong interaction between Ni NPs and thin CNTs (C-O-Ni bonds), which favored the tunable (buffer) electronic structure of Ni NPs facilitating the catalytic process. The hydrolysis process of AB confirmed the hypothesis that the hybrids with a strong interfacial interaction would show superior catalytic performance, while the hybrids with a weak interfacial interaction show poor performance. Our results provide a wealth of detailed information regarding the electronic structure of the NP-CNT hybrids and provide guidance towards the rational design of high-performance catalysts for energy applications.

  10. Testing a Cloud Provider Network for Hybrid P2P and Cloud Streaming Architectures

    OpenAIRE

    Cerviño Arriba, Javier; Rodríguez, Pedro; Trajkovska, Irena; Mozo Velasco, Alberto; Salvachúa Rodríguez, Joaquín

    2011-01-01

    The number of online real-time streaming services deployed over network topologies like P2P or centralized ones has remarkably increased in the recent years. This has revealed the lack of networks that are well prepared to respond to this kind of traffic. A hybrid distribution network can be an efficient solution for real-time streaming services. This paper contains the experimental results of streaming distribution in a hybrid architecture that consist of mixed connections among P2P and Clou...

  11. From hybrid swarms to swarms of hybrids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stohlgren, Thomas J.; Szalanski, Allen L; Gaskin, John F.; Young, Nicholas E.; West, Amanda; Jarnevich, Catherine S.; Tripodi, Amber

    2014-01-01

    Science has shown that the introgression or hybridization of modern humans (Homo sapiens) with Neanderthals up to 40,000 YBP may have led to the swarm of modern humans on earth. However, there is little doubt that modern trade and transportation in support of the humans has continued to introduce additional species, genotypes, and hybrids to every country on the globe. We assessed the utility of species distributions modeling of genotypes to assess the risk of current and future invaders. We evaluated 93 locations of the genus Tamarix for which genetic data were available. Maxent models of habitat suitability showed that the hybrid, T. ramosissima x T. chinensis, was slightly greater than the parent taxa (AUCs > 0.83). General linear models of Africanized honey bees, a hybrid cross of Tanzanian Apis mellifera scutellata and a variety of European honey bee including A. m. ligustica, showed that the Africanized bees (AUC = 0.81) may be displacing European honey bees (AUC > 0.76) over large areas of the southwestern U.S. More important, Maxent modeling of sub-populations (A1 and A26 mitotypes based on mDNA) could be accurately modeled (AUC > 0.9), and they responded differently to environmental drivers. This suggests that rapid evolutionary change may be underway in the Africanized bees, allowing the bees to spread into new areas and extending their total range. Protecting native species and ecosystems may benefit from risk maps of harmful invasive species, hybrids, and genotypes.

  12. Exciton emission from bare and hybrid plasmonic GaN nanorods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammadi, Fatemesadat; Kunert, Gerd; Hommel, Detlef; Ge, Jingxuan; Duscher, Gerd; Schmitzer, Heidrun; Wagner, Hans Peter

    We study the exciton emission of hybrid gold nanoparticle/Alq3 (aluminiumquinoline)/wurtzite GaN nanorods. GaN nanorods of 1.5 μm length and 250 nm diameter were grown by plasma assisted MBE. Hybrid GaN nanorods were synthesized by organic molecular beam deposition. Temperature and power dependent time integrated (TI) and time resolved (TR) photoluminescence (PL) measurements were performed on bare and hybrid structures. Bare nanorods show donor (D0,X) and acceptor bound (A0,X) exciton emission at 3.473 eV and at 3.463 eV, respectively. TR-PL trace modeling reveal lifetimes of 240 ps and 1.4 ns for the (D0,X) and (A0,X) transition. 10 nm gold coated GaN nanorods show a significant PL quenching and (D0,X) lifetime shortening which is tentatively attributed to impact ionization of (D0,X) due to hot electron injection from the gold nanoparticles. This is supported by electron energy loss spectroscopy that shows a redshift of a midgap state transition indicating a reduction of a preexisting band-bending at the nanorod surface due to positive charging of the gold nanoparticles. Inserting a nominally 5 nm thick Alq3 spacer between the nanorod and the gold reduces the PL quenching and lifetime shortening. Plasmonic nanorods with a 30 nm thick Alq3 spacer reveal lifetimes which are nearly identical to uncoated GaN nanorods.

  13. A bottom-up approach for the synthesis of highly ordered fullerene-intercalated graphene hybrids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dimitrios eGournis

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Much of the research effort on graphene focuses on its use as a building block for the development of new hybrid nanostructures with well-defined dimensions and properties suitable for applications such as gas storage, heterogeneous catalysis, gas/liquid separations, nanosensing and biomedicine. Towards this aim, here we describe a new bottom-up approach, which combines self-assembly with the Langmuir Schaefer deposition technique to synthesize graphene-based layered hybrid materials hosting fullerene molecules within the interlayer space. Our film preparation consists in a bottom-up layer-by-layer process that proceeds via the formation of a hybrid organo-graphene oxide Langmuir film. The structure and composition of these hybrid fullerene-containing thin multilayers deposited on hydrophobic substrates were characterized by a combination of X-ray diffraction, Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies, atomic force microscopy and conductivity measurements. The latter revealed that the presence of C60 within the interlayer spacing leads to an increase in electrical conductivity of the hybrid material as compared to the organo-graphene matrix alone.

  14. Hybride textuelle Strukturen und hybride textuelle Einheiten. Ein Beitrag zur Theorie der Wörterbuchform

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Herbert Ernst Wiegand

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available

    ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: In diesem Beitrag wird die Bildung, Darstellung und Leistung von hybriden textuellen Strukturen, die akzessive Einträge aufweisen, am Beispiel von Wörterbuchartikeln behandelt sowie erklärt, welche Eigenschaften hybride textuelle Einheiten haben. Ein Wörterbuchartikel eines Printwörterbuchs weist immer dann neben einer hierarchischen reinen eine hierarchische hybride Textkonstituentenstruktur auf, wenn in ihm mindestens ein funktionaler Angabezusatz auftritt, z.B. ein oben oder unten erweiternder oder ein binnenerweiternder. Da funktionale Angabezusätze Textsegmente mit Angabefunktion aber ohne Textkonstituentenstatus sind, werden sie durch nichtfunktionale Segmentation ermittelt, so dass neben funktionalen auch nichtfunktionale Textsegmente gegeben sind, die dann bei der Strukturbildung in die Trägermengen eingehen, so dass die Trägermengen aller hybriden hierarchischen Strukturen elementenheterogen, während die Trägermengen aller hierarchischen reinen Strukturen elementenhomogen sind. In den Strukturgraphen für hierarchische hybride Artikelstrukturen sind dann die Knoten für diejenigen Textsegmente, die den Hybridstatus der Strukturen bewirken, entweder durch Pfeilkanten für die textarchitektonischen oberhalb/unterhalb-Relationen mit den Knoten für die Textkonstituenten verbunden, so dass die Strukturgraphen architektonisch angereichert sind, oder durch besonders markierte Kanten, die die Knoten für die nichtfunktionalen Textsegmente und die für die binnenerweiternden funktionalen Angabezusätze mit den Knoten für die Textkonstituenten verbinden. Zu jedem Typ von hierarchischer reiner Artikelstruktur gehören mehrere Typen von hybriden Artikelstrukturen; entsprechendes gilt für hierarchische reine Angabestrukturen. Nur eine Auswahl aus den Typologien der hybriden Artikel- und Angabestrukturen wird behandelt sowie eine kleine Auswahl von hybriden textuellen Einheiten, die kriteriale Eigenschaften von zwei

  15. Hybrid Polymer-Network Hydrogels with Tunable Mechanical Response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastian Czarnecki

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Hybrid polymer-network gels built by both physical and covalent polymer crosslinking combine the advantages of both these crosslinking types: they exhibit high mechanical strength along with excellent fracture toughness and extensibility. If these materials are extensively deformed, their physical crosslinks can break such that strain energy is dissipated and irreversible fracturing is restricted to high strain only. This mechanism of energy dissipation is determined by the kinetics and thermodynamics of the physical crosslinking contribution. In this paper, we present a poly(ethylene glycol (PEG based material toolkit to control these contributions in a rational and custom fashion. We form well-defined covalent polymer-network gels with regularly distributed additional supramolecular mechanical fuse links, whose strength of connectivity can be tuned without affecting the primary polymer-network composition. This is possible because the supramolecular fuse links are based on terpyridine–metal complexation, such that the mere choice of the fuse-linking metal ion adjusts their kinetics and thermodynamics of complexation–decomplexation, which directly affects the mechanical properties of the hybrid gels. We use oscillatory shear rheology to demonstrate this rational control and enhancement of the mechanical properties of the hybrid gels. In addition, static light scattering reveals their highly regular and well-defined polymer-network structures. As a result of both, the present approach provides an easy and reliable concept for preparing hybrid polymer-network gels with rationally designed properties.

  16. Clinical utility of an array comparative genomic hybridization analysis for Williams syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yagihashi, Tatsuhiko; Torii, Chiharu; Takahashi, Reiko; Omori, Mikimasa; Kosaki, Rika; Yoshihashi, Hiroshi; Ihara, Masahiro; Minagawa-Kawai, Yasuyo; Yamamoto, Junichi; Takahashi, Takao; Kosaki, Kenjiro

    2014-11-01

    To reveal the relation between intellectual disability and the deleted intervals in Williams syndrome, we performed an array comparative genomic hybridization analysis and standardized developmental testing for 11 patients diagnosed as having Williams syndrome based on fluorescent in situ hybridization testing. One patient had a large 4.2-Mb deletion spanning distally beyond the common 1.5-Mb intervals observed in 10/11 patients. We formulated a linear equation describing the developmental age of the 10 patients with the common deletion; the developmental age of the patient with the 4.2-Mb deletion was significantly below the expectation (developmental age = 0.51 × chronological age). The large deletion may account for the severe intellectual disability; therefore, the use of array comparative genomic hybridization may provide practical information regarding individuals with Williams syndrome. © 2014 Japanese Teratology Society.

  17. Human hybrid hybridoma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tiebout, R.F.; van Boxtel-Oosterhof, F.; Stricker, E.A.M.; Zeijlemaker, W.P.

    1987-11-15

    Hybrid hybridomas are obtained by fusion of two cells, each producing its own antibody. Several authors have reported the construction of murine hybrid hybridomas with the aim to obtain bispecific monoclonal antibodies. The authors have investigated, in a model system, the feasibility of constructing a human hybrid hybridoma. They fused two monoclonal cell lines: an ouabain-sensitive and azaserine/hypoxanthine-resistant Epstein-Barr virus-transformed human cell line that produces an IgG1kappa antibody directed against tetanus toxiod and an azaserine/hypoxanthine-sensitive and ouabain-resistant human-mouse xenohybrid cell line that produces a human IgG1lambda antibody directed against hepatitis-B surface antigen. Hybrid hybridoma cells were selected in culture medium containing azaserine/hypoxanthine and ouabain. The hybrid nature of the secreted antibodies was analyzed by means of two antigen-specific immunoassay. The results show that it is possible, with the combined use of transformation and xenohybridization techniques, to construct human hybrid hybridomas that produce bispecific antibodies. Bispecific antibodies activity was measured by means of two radioimmunoassays.

  18. Identification of novel CYP2D7-2D6 hybrids: non-functional and functional variants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Gaedigk

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Polymorphic expression of CYP2D6 contributes to the wide range of activity observed for this clinically important drug metabolizing enzyme. In this report we describe novel CYP2D7/2D6 hybrid genes encoding non-functional and functional CYP2D6 protein and a CYP2D7 variant that mimics a CYP2D7/2D6 hybrid gene. Five kb long PCR products encompassing the novel genes were entirely sequenced. A quantitative assay probing in different gene regions was employed to determine CYP2D6 and 2D7 copy number variations and the relative position of the hybrid genes within the locus was assessed by long-range PCR. In addition to the previously known CYP2D6*13 and *66 hybrids, we describe three novel non-functional CYP2D7-2D6 hybrids with gene switching in exon 2 (CYP2D6*79, intron 2 (CYP2D6*80 and intron 5 (CYP2D6*67. A CYP2D7-specific T-ins in exon 1 causes a detrimental frame shift. One subject revealed a CYP2D7 conversion in the 5’-flanking region of a CYP2D6*35 allele, was otherwise unaffected (designated CYP2D6*35B. Finally, three DNAs revealed a CYP2D7 gene with a CYP2D6-like region downstream of exon 9 (designated CYP2D7[REP6]. Quantitative copy number determination, sequence analyses and long-range PCR mapping were in agreement and excluded the presence of additional gene units. Undetected hybrid genes may cause over-estimation of CYP2D6 activity (CYP2D6*1/*1 vs *1/hybrid, etc, but may also cause results that may interfere with the genotype determination. Detection of hybrid events, ‘single’ and tandem, will contribute to more accurate phenotype prediction from genotype data.

  19. Patterns of Limnohabitans microdiversity across a large set of freshwater habitats as revealed by reverse line blot hybridization

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Jezbera, Jan; Jezberová, Jitka; Kasalický, Vojtěch; Šimek, Karel; Hahn, M.W.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 8, č. 3 (2013), e58527 E-ISSN 1932-6203 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP504/10/0566; GA ČR(CZ) GEEEF/10/E011 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Limnohabitans * microdiversity * habitats * hybridization Subject RIV: DA - Hydrology ; Limnology Impact factor: 3.534, year: 2013

  20. Rational design of multifunctional devices based on molybdenum disulfide and graphene hybrid nanostructures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lim, Yi Rang; Lee, Young Bum; Kim, Seong Ku; Kim, Seong Jun [Thin Film Materials Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Yuseong, Post Office Box 107, Daejeon 305-600 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yooseok; Jeon, Cheolho [Nano-Surface Research Group, Korea Basic Science Institute, Daejeon, 302-333 (Korea, Republic of); Song, Wooseok, E-mail: wssong@krict.re.kr [Thin Film Materials Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Yuseong, Post Office Box 107, Daejeon 305-600 (Korea, Republic of); Myung, Sung; Lee, Sun Sook; An, Ki-Seok [Thin Film Materials Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Yuseong, Post Office Box 107, Daejeon 305-600 (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Jongsun, E-mail: jslim@krict.re.kr [Thin Film Materials Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Yuseong, Post Office Box 107, Daejeon 305-600 (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-01-15

    Highlights: • We fabricated MoS{sub 2}-graphene hybrid thin films for multifunctional applications. • Large-area, uniform multilayer MoS{sub 2} was synthesized on TCVD-grown graphene. • The mobility and photocurrent of the hybrid devices were improved significantly. - Abstract: We rationally designed a new type of hybrid materials, molybdenum disulfide (MoS{sub 2}) synthesized by Mo pre-deposition followed by subsequent sulfurization process directly on thermal chemical vapor deposition (TCVD)-grown graphene, for applications in a multifunctional device. The synthesis of stoichiometric and uniform multilayer MoS{sub 2} and high-crystalline monolayer graphene was evaluated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. To examine the electrical transport and photoelectrical properties of MoS{sub 2}-graphene hybrid films, field effect transistors (FETs) and visible-light photodetectors based on MoS{sub 2}-graphene were both fabricated. As a result, the extracted mobility for MoS{sub 2}-graphene hybrid FETs was two times higher than that of MoS{sub 2} FETs. In addition, the MoS{sub 2}-graphene photodetectors revealed a significant photocurrent with abrupt switching behavior under periodic illumination.

  1. Performance evaluation of commercial maize hybrids across diverse Terai environments during the winter season in Nepal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahendra Prasad Tripathi

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The hybrid maize cultivars of multinational seed companies are gradually being popular among the farmers in Nepal. This paper reports on research finding of 117 maize hybrids of 20 seed companies assessed for grain yield and other traits at three sites in winter season of 2011 and 2012. The objective of the study was to identify superior maize hybrids suitable for winter time planting in eastern, central and inner Terai of Nepal. Across site analysis of variance revealed that highly significant effect of genotype and genotype × environment interaction (GEI on grain yield of commercial hybrids. Overall, 47 genotypes of 16 seed companies identified as high yielding and stable based on superiority measures. The statistical analysis ranked topmost three genotypes among tested hybrids as P3856 (10515 kg ha-1, Bisco prince (8763 kg ha-1 as well as Shaktiman (8654 kg ha-1 in the first year; and 3022 (8378 kg ha-1, Kirtiman manik (8323 kg ha-1 as well as Top class (7996 kg ha-1 in the second year. It can be concluded that stable and good performing hybrids identified as potential commercial hybrids for general cultivation on similar environments in Nepal.

  2. Exploring the potential of Saccharomyces eubayanus as a parent for new interspecies hybrid strains in winemaking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magalhães, Frederico; Krogerus, Kristoffer; Castillo, Sandra; Ortiz-Julien, Anne; Dequin, Sylvie; Gibson, Brian

    2017-08-01

    Yeast cryotolerance brings some advantages for wine fermentations, including the improved aromatic complexity of white wines. Naturally cold-tolerant strains are generally less adept at wine fermentation but fermentative fitness can potentially be improved through hybridization. Here we studied the potential of using hybrids involving Saccharomyces eubayanus and a S. cerevisiae wine strain for low-temperature winemaking. Through screening the performance in response to variable concentrations of sugar, nitrogen and temperature, we isolated one hybrid strain that exhibited the superior performance. This hybrid strain was propagated and dried in pilot scale and tested for the fermentation of Macabeu and Sauvignon blanc grape musts. We obtained highly viable active dry yeast, which was able to efficiently ferment the grape musts with superior production of aroma active volatiles, in particular, 2-phenylethanol. The genome sequences of the hybrid strains revealed variable chromosome inheritance among hybrids, particularly within the S. cerevisiae subgenome. With the present paper, we expand the knowledge on the potentialities of using S. eubayanus hybrids in industrial fermentation at beverages other than lager beer. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. Effect of photocurrent enhancement in porphyrin–graphene covalent hybrids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang, Jianguo; Niu, Lin; Liu, Jixian; Wang, Yao; Huang, Zhen; Xie, Shiqiang; Huang, Linjun; Xu, Qingsong; Wang, Yuan; Belfiore, Laurence A.

    2014-01-01

    Graphene oxide (GO) sheets were covalently functionalized with 5-p-aminophenyl-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin (NH 2 TPP) by an amidation reaction between the amino group in NH 2 TPP and carboxyl groups in GO. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, scanning and transmission electron microscopies reveal that NH 2 TPP covalent bonds form on the double surface of graphene oxide sheets, generating a unique nano-framework, i.e., NH 2 TPP-graphene-NH 2 TPP. Its UV–visible spectroscopy reveals that the absorption spectrum is not a linear superposition of the spectra of NH 2 TPP and graphene oxide, because a 59 nm red shift of the strong graphene oxide absorption is observed from 238 to 297 nm, with significant spectral broadening between 300 and 700 nm. Fluorescence emission spectroscopy indicates efficient quenching of NH 2 TPP photoluminescence in this hybrid material, suggesting that photo-induced electron transfer occurs at the interface between NH 2 TPP and GO. A reversible on/off photo-current density of 47 mA/cm 2 is observed when NH 2 TPP-graphene-NH 2 TPP hybrid sandwiches are subjected to pulsed white-light illumination. Covalently-bound porphyrins decrease the optical HOMO/LUMO band gap of graphene oxide by ≈ 1 eV, according to UV–visible spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry predicts a small HOMO/LUMO band gap of 0.84 eV for NH 2 TPP-graphene-NH 2 TPP hybrid sandwiches, which is consistent with efficient electron transfer and fluorescence quenching. - Highlights: • Porphyrins are covalently bound to sheets of graphene oxide via an amidation reaction. • The formed hetero-junction interface decreases the optical band gap of graphene oxide. • Cyclic voltammetry predicts a graphene oxide band gap of 0.84 eV, which is easily photo-excited. • Its on/off photo-current density of 46 μA/cm 2 is 5-fold larger than that for physically stacked hybrid

  4. Asymmetry and polymorphism of hybrid male sterility during the early stages of speciation in house mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Good, Jeffrey M; Handel, Mary Ann; Nachman, Michael W

    2008-01-01

    House mice offer a powerful system for dissecting the genetic basis of phenotypes that isolate species in the early stages of speciation. We used a series of reciprocal crosses between wild-derived strains of Mus musculus and M. domesticus to examine F(1) hybrid male sterility, one of the primary phenotypes thought to isolate these species. We report four main results. First, we found significantly smaller testes and fewer sperm in hybrid male progeny of most crosses. Second, in some crosses hybrid male sterility was asymmetric and depended on the species origin of the X chromosome. These observations confirm and extend previous findings, underscoring the central role that the M. musculus X chromosome plays in reproductive isolation. Third, comparisons among reciprocal crosses revealed polymorphism at one or more hybrid incompatibilities within M. musculus. Fourth, the spermatogenic phenotype of this polymorphic interaction appears distinct from previously described hybrid incompatibilities between these species. These data build on previous studies of speciation in house mice and show that the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility is fairly complex, even at this early stage of divergence.

  5. Tensile and Compressive Properties of Woven Kenaf/Glass Sandwich Hybrid Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohaiman J. Sharba

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Monotonic (tensile and compression properties of woven kenaf/glass reinforced unsaturated polyester sandwich hybrid composites have been experimentally investigated. Five types of composites laminates were fabricated using a combination of hand lay-up and cold press techniques, postcured for two hours at 80°C and left for 48 hours at room temperature. The hybrid composites contained fixed six layers of glass as a shell, three on each side, whereas the number of core kenaf layers was changed in three stages to get S1, S2, and S3 hybrid composites. Composites specimens with pure glass and kenaf were also fabricated for comparison. It was found that one kenaf layer replaced about 20% of total fiber weight fraction of the composite; this leads to reducing the density of final hybrid composite by 13%. Besides, in mechanical properties perspective, there are less than 1% reduction in compression strength and 40% in tensile strength when compared to pure glass composite. Generally, the results revealed that the best performance was observed in S1, which showed a good balance of all mechanical properties determined in this work.

  6. Transfer of bacterial blight resistance from Oryza meyeriana to O.Sativa L.by asymmetric somatic hybridization

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    ZHU Yongsheng; CHEN Baotang; YU Shunwu; ZHANG Duanpin; ZHANG Xueqin; YAN Qiusheng

    2004-01-01

    Asymmetric somatic hybrid plants were produced between cultivated rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wild species [O. Meyeriana (Zoll. etMor, exSteud.)] with high resistance to rice bacterial blight. X-ray-irradiated protoplasts of the wild species were used as donor and chemically fused with iodoacetamide-inactivated protoplasts of rice cv. 02428to produce hybrids. Seventy-two plants were regenerated from 623 calli based on metabolic complementation. The morphological characters of the plants closely resembled that of the rice. Simple sequence repeats were employed to identify their hybridity. Cytological analysis of root-tips revealed that their chromosome number varied in the range of 27-38. The somatic hybrids were inoculated with strains of Xanthamonas oryzae pv. Oryzae at adult growth stage and demonstrated the resistance to bacterial blight introgression from the O. Meyeriana.

  7. Efficient photovoltaic conversion of graphene–carbon nanotube hybrid films grown from solid precursors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gan, Xin; Lv, Ruitao; Bai, Junfei; Zhang, Zexia; Wei, Jinquan; Huang, Zheng-Hong; Zhu, Hongwei; Kang, Feiyu; Terrones, Mauricio

    2015-01-01

    Large-area (e.g. centimeter size) graphene sheets are usually synthesized via pyrolysis of gaseous carbon precursors (e.g. methane) on metal substrates like Cu using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), but the presence of grain boundaries and the residual polymers during transfer deteriorates significantly the properties of the CVD graphene. If carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be covalently bonded to graphene, the hybrid system could possess excellent electrical conductivity, transparency and mechanical strength. In this work, conducting and transparent CNT–graphene hybrid films were synthesized by a facile solid precursor pyrolysis method. Furthermore, the synthesized CNT–graphene hybrid films display enhanced photovoltaic conversion efficiency when compared to devices based on CNT membranes or graphene sheets. Upon chemical doping, the graphene–CNT/Si solar cells reveal power conversion efficiencies up to 8.50%. (paper)

  8. Hybrid membranes of polyamide applied in treatment of waste water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Medeiros, Keila Machado de; Araujo, Edcleide Maria; Lira, Helio de Lucena; Lima, Diego de Farias; Lima, Carlos Antonio Pereira de

    2017-01-01

    In this work, it was prepared hybrid membranes of polyamide6 (PA6) with montmorillonite (MMT) and porogenic agent (CaCl 2 ). The hybrid membranes with CaCl 2 were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), porosimetry by mercury intrusion (PMI), flux measurements and rejection. By means of X-ray diffraction, it was revealed that the hybrid membranes with CaCl 2 have an exfoliated and/or partially exfoliated structure. For FTIR and DSC of hybrid membranes with CaCl 2 , it was found that the spectra and the crystalline melting temperature remained virtually unchanged compared to PA6 membrane. From the SEM images, it was observed that the addition of the MMT and the CaCl 2 in the membrane of PA6 caused an increase in the amount of pores the surface and cross section of these membranes. By PMI, it was observed that the presence of MMT and CaCl 2 in the membrane caused an increase in the average diameters of pores. The water-oil separation tests, indicated a significant reduction of oil in the permeate, allowing treatment of wastewater contaminated with oil. (author)

  9. Hybrid membranes of polyamide applied in treatment of waste water

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Medeiros, Keila Machado de; Araujo, Edcleide Maria; Lira, Helio de Lucena, E-mail: keilamachadodemedeiros@gmail.com [Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), PB (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais; Lima, Diego de Farias; Lima, Carlos Antonio Pereira de [Universidade Estadual da Paraiba (UEPB), Campina Grande, PB (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia Sanitaria e Ambiental

    2017-03-15

    In this work, it was prepared hybrid membranes of polyamide6 (PA6) with montmorillonite (MMT) and porogenic agent (CaCl{sub 2} ). The hybrid membranes with CaCl{sub 2} were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), porosimetry by mercury intrusion (PMI), flux measurements and rejection. By means of X-ray diffraction, it was revealed that the hybrid membranes with CaCl{sub 2} have an exfoliated and/or partially exfoliated structure. For FTIR and DSC of hybrid membranes with CaCl{sub 2} , it was found that the spectra and the crystalline melting temperature remained virtually unchanged compared to PA6 membrane. From the SEM images, it was observed that the addition of the MMT and the CaCl{sub 2} in the membrane of PA6 caused an increase in the amount of pores the surface and cross section of these membranes. By PMI, it was observed that the presence of MMT and CaCl{sub 2} in the membrane caused an increase in the average diameters of pores. The water-oil separation tests, indicated a significant reduction of oil in the permeate, allowing treatment of wastewater contaminated with oil. (author)

  10. Genomic Diversity of Burkholderia pseudomallei Clinical Isolates: Subtractive Hybridization Reveals a Burkholderia mallei-Specific Propage in B. pseudomallei 1026b

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    DeShazer, David

    2004-01-01

    .... pseudomallei, 1026b and K96243. Numerous mobile genetic elements, including a temperate bacteriophage designated phi1026b, were identified among the 1026b-specific suppression subtractive hybridization products...

  11. Henkin and Hybrid Logic

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blackburn, Patrick Rowan; Huertas, Antonia; Manzano, Maria

    2014-01-01

    Leon Henkin was not a modal logician, but there is a branch of modal logic that has been deeply influenced by his work. That branch is hybrid logic, a family of logics that extend orthodox modal logic with special proposition symbols (called nominals) that name worlds. This paper explains why...... Henkin’s techniques are so important in hybrid logic. We do so by proving a completeness result for a hybrid type theory called HTT, probably the strongest hybrid logic that has yet been explored. Our completeness result builds on earlier work with a system called BHTT, or basic hybrid type theory...... is due to the first-order perspective, which lies at the heart of Henin’s best known work and hybrid logic....

  12. Hybrid breeding in wheat: technologies to improve hybrid wheat seed production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitford, Ryan; Fleury, Delphine; Reif, Jochen C; Garcia, Melissa; Okada, Takashi; Korzun, Viktor; Langridge, Peter

    2013-12-01

    Global food security demands the development and delivery of new technologies to increase and secure cereal production on finite arable land without increasing water and fertilizer use. There are several options for boosting wheat yields, but most offer only small yield increases. Wheat is an inbred plant, and hybrids hold the potential to deliver a major lift in yield and will open a wide range of new breeding opportunities. A series of technological advances are needed as a base for hybrid wheat programmes. These start with major changes in floral development and architecture to separate the sexes and force outcrossing. Male sterility provides the best method to block self-fertilization, and modifying the flower structure will enhance pollen access. The recent explosion in genomic resources and technologies provides new opportunities to overcome these limitations. This review outlines the problems with existing hybrid wheat breeding systems and explores molecular-based technologies that could improve the hybrid production system to reduce hybrid seed production costs, a prerequisite for a commercial hybrid wheat system.

  13. Experimental Investigation on Mechanical Properties of Hemp/E-Glass Fabric Reinforced Polyester Hybrid Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M R SANJAY

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This research work has been focusing on Hemp fibers has an alternative reinforcement for fiber reinforced polymer composites due to its eco-friendly and biodegradable characteristics. This work has been carried out to evaluate the mechanical properties of hemp/E-glass fabrics reinforced polyester hybrid composites. Vacuum bagging method was used for the preparation of six different kinds of hemp/glass fabrics reinforced polyester composite laminates as per layering sequences. The tensile, flexural, impact and water absorption tests of these hybrid composites were carried out experimentally according to ASTM standards. It reveals that an addition of E-glass fabrics with hemp fabrics can increase the mechanical properties of composites and decrease the water absorption of the hybrid composites.

  14. Coulomb Mediated Hybridization of Excitons in Coupled Quantum Dots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ardelt, P-L; Gawarecki, K; Müller, K; Waeber, A M; Bechtold, A; Oberhofer, K; Daniels, J M; Klotz, F; Bichler, M; Kuhn, T; Krenner, H J; Machnikowski, P; Finley, J J

    2016-02-19

    We report Coulomb mediated hybridization of excitonic states in optically active InGaAs quantum dot molecules. By probing the optical response of an individual quantum dot molecule as a function of the static electric field applied along the molecular axis, we observe unexpected avoided level crossings that do not arise from the dominant single-particle tunnel coupling. We identify a new few-particle coupling mechanism stemming from Coulomb interactions between different neutral exciton states. Such Coulomb resonances hybridize the exciton wave function over four different electron and hole single-particle orbitals. Comparisons of experimental observations with microscopic eight-band k·p calculations taking into account a realistic quantum dot geometry show good agreement and reveal that the Coulomb resonances arise from broken symmetry in the artificial semiconductor molecule.

  15. Experimental investigation of cyclic hygrothermal aging of hybrid composite

    KAUST Repository

    El Yagoubi, Jalal

    2013-04-05

    This work provides an experimental investigation of the cyclic hygrothermal aging of a hybrid composites. We aimed to propose a general framework in the view to further optimize polymer-based composites. It reports experimental data and relevant observations collected during an aging campaign (up to 2000 cycles) where anhydride-cured epoxy samples as well as composites samples are exposed to environmental conditions. The data gathered during the whole campaign reveals that (1) the polymer displays a non-classical sorption behavior (2) the volume change is correlated to the mass uptake (3) the elastic modulus is correlated to the glass transition temperature. Matrix and interface degradation of the hybrid composite is monitored by means of microstructural observations. © 2013 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Experimental investigation of cyclic hygrothermal aging of hybrid composite

    KAUST Repository

    El Yagoubi, Jalal; Lubineau, Gilles; Saghir, Shahid; Selvakumaran, Lakshmi; Askari, Abe H.; Brown, Arlene M.

    2013-01-01

    This work provides an experimental investigation of the cyclic hygrothermal aging of a hybrid composites. We aimed to propose a general framework in the view to further optimize polymer-based composites. It reports experimental data and relevant observations collected during an aging campaign (up to 2000 cycles) where anhydride-cured epoxy samples as well as composites samples are exposed to environmental conditions. The data gathered during the whole campaign reveals that (1) the polymer displays a non-classical sorption behavior (2) the volume change is correlated to the mass uptake (3) the elastic modulus is correlated to the glass transition temperature. Matrix and interface degradation of the hybrid composite is monitored by means of microstructural observations. © 2013 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Hybrid incompatibilities in the parasitic wasp genus Nasonia: negative effects of hemizygosity and the identification of transmission ratio distortion loci.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koevoets, T; Niehuis, O; van de Zande, L; Beukeboom, L W

    2012-03-01

    The occurrence of hybrid incompatibilities forms an important stage during the evolution of reproductive isolation. In early stages of speciation, males and females often respond differently to hybridization. Haldane's rule states that the heterogametic sex suffers more from hybridization than the homogametic sex. Although haplodiploid reproduction (haploid males, diploid females) does not involve sex chromosomes, sex-specific incompatibilities are predicted to be prevalent in haplodiploid species. Here, we evaluate the effect of sex/ploidy level on hybrid incompatibilities and locate genomic regions that cause increased mortality rates in hybrid males of the haplodiploid wasps Nasonia vitripennis and Nasonia longicornis. Our data show that diploid F(1) hybrid females suffer less from hybridization than haploid F(2) hybrid males. The latter not only suffer from an increased mortality rate, but also from behavioural and spermatogenic sterility. Genetic mapping in recombinant F(2) male hybrids revealed that the observed hybrid mortality is most likely due to a disruption of cytonuclear interactions. As these sex-specific hybrid incompatibilities follow predictions based on Haldane's rule, our data accentuate the need to broaden the view of Haldane's rule to include species with haplodiploid sex determination, consistent with Haldane's original definition.

  18. Hybridization Capture Reveals Evolution and Conservation across the Entire Koala Retrovirus Genome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishida, Yasuko; Cui, Pin; Vielgrader, Hanna; Helgen, Kristofer M.; Roca, Alfred L.; Greenwood, Alex D.

    2014-01-01

    The koala retrovirus (KoRV) is the only retrovirus known to be in the midst of invading the germ line of its host species. Hybridization capture and next generation sequencing were used on modern and museum DNA samples of koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) to examine ca. 130 years of evolution across the full KoRV genome. Overall, the entire proviral genome appeared to be conserved across time in sequence, protein structure and transcriptional binding sites. A total of 138 polymorphisms were detected, of which 72 were found in more than one individual. At every polymorphic site in the museum koalas, one of the character states matched that of modern KoRV. Among non-synonymous polymorphisms, radical substitutions involving large physiochemical differences between amino acids were elevated in env, potentially reflecting anti-viral immune pressure or avoidance of receptor interference. Polymorphisms were not detected within two functional regions believed to affect infectivity. Host sequences flanking proviral integration sites were also captured; with few proviral loci shared among koalas. Recently described variants of KoRV, designated KoRV-B and KoRV-J, were not detected in museum samples, suggesting that these variants may be of recent origin. PMID:24752422

  19. Hybridization capture reveals evolution and conservation across the entire Koala retrovirus genome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyriakos Tsangaras

    Full Text Available The koala retrovirus (KoRV is the only retrovirus known to be in the midst of invading the germ line of its host species. Hybridization capture and next generation sequencing were used on modern and museum DNA samples of koala (Phascolarctos cinereus to examine ca. 130 years of evolution across the full KoRV genome. Overall, the entire proviral genome appeared to be conserved across time in sequence, protein structure and transcriptional binding sites. A total of 138 polymorphisms were detected, of which 72 were found in more than one individual. At every polymorphic site in the museum koalas, one of the character states matched that of modern KoRV. Among non-synonymous polymorphisms, radical substitutions involving large physiochemical differences between amino acids were elevated in env, potentially reflecting anti-viral immune pressure or avoidance of receptor interference. Polymorphisms were not detected within two functional regions believed to affect infectivity. Host sequences flanking proviral integration sites were also captured; with few proviral loci shared among koalas. Recently described variants of KoRV, designated KoRV-B and KoRV-J, were not detected in museum samples, suggesting that these variants may be of recent origin.

  20. Genetic basis to hybrid inviability is more complex than hybrid male sterility in Caenorhabditis nematodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bundus, Joanna D; Wang, Donglin; Cutter, Asher D

    2018-04-07

    Hybrid male sterility often evolves before female sterility or inviability of hybrids, implying that the accumulation of divergence between separated lineages should lead hybrid male sterility to have a more polygenic basis. However, experimental evidence is mixed. Here, we use the nematodes Caenorhabditis remanei and C. latens to characterize the underlying genetic basis of asymmetric hybrid male sterility and hybrid inviability. We demonstrate that hybrid male sterility is consistent with a simple genetic basis, involving a single X-autosome incompatibility. We also show that hybrid inviability involves more genomic compartments, involving diverse nuclear-nuclear incompatibilities, a mito-nuclear incompatibility, and maternal effects. These findings demonstrate that male sensitivity to genetic perturbation may be genetically simple compared to hybrid inviability in Caenorhabditis and motivates tests of generality for the genetic architecture of hybrid incompatibility across the breadth of phylogeny.

  1. Effects of Hybrid Coat on shear bond strength of five cements: an in vitro study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Yue; Zhou, Hou-De; Feng, Yun-Zhi

    2017-12-01

    To evaluate the sealing performance of Hybrid Coat and its influence on the shear bond strength of five dentin surface cements. Six premolars were pretreated to expose the dentin surface prior to the application of Hybrid Coat. The microscopic characteristics of the dentinal surfaces were examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Then, 40 premolars were sectioned longitudinally, and 80 semi-sections were divided into a control group (untreated) and a study group (treated by Hybrid Coat). Alloy restoration was bonded to the teeth specimen using five different cements. Shear bond strength was measured by the universal testing machine. The fracture patterns and the adhesive interface were observed using astereomicroscope. SEM revealed that the lumens of dentinal tubules were completely occluded by Hybrid Coat. The Hybrid Coat significantly improved the shear bond strength of resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) and resin cement (RC) but weakened the performance of zinc phosphate cement (ZPC), zinc polycarboxylate cement (ZPCC) and glass ionomer cement (GIC). Hybrid Coat is an effective dentinal tubule sealant, and therefore its combined use with resin or resin-modified glass ionomer cements can be applied for the prostheses attachment purpose.

  2. Fusion-fission hybrids: environmental aspects and their role in hybrid rationale

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holdren, J.P.

    1981-01-01

    The rationale for developing hybrids depends on real or perceived liabilities of relying on pure fission to do the same job. Quite possibly the main constraint on expanded use of fission will be neither lack of fuel nor high costs, but perceived environmental liabilities - radioactive wastes, reactor safety, and links to nuclear weaponry. The environmental characteristics of hybrid systems and pure-fisson systems are compared here in detail. The findings are that significant environmental advantages for hybrids cannot now be demonstrated and may not exist. Therefore, if environmental drawbacks constrain the application of pure fission, hybrids probably also will be thus constrained

  3. S 400 BlueHYBRID. First hybrid vehicle with Li-ion technology; S 400 BlueHYBRID. Erstes Hybridfahrzeug mit Li-Ionen-Technologie

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vollrath, Oliver; Armstrong, Neil; Schenk, Juergen; Bitsche, Otmar; Lamm, Arnold [Daimler AG, Stuttgart (Germany)

    2009-07-01

    Mercedes Benz advances the electrification of the drive strand in all performance classes and in all models from the start-stop system till to the full hybrid. Thereby, the S 400 BlueHYBRID presents the first Mercedes-Benz hybrid. Equipped with the characteristics of a start-stop system, with a recovery of the brake energy and with an electrical support of the drive, this hybrid obtains a saving of the consumption of approximately 20 %. By means of the design of the components and by means of the selection of a standard installation size, all hybrid-specific construction units in the vehicle porch could be arranged. Here, a special role comes to the used battery technology, since it became possible to arrange the hybrid battery in the size and the building area of a conventional starter battery accordingly.

  4. Hybrid type I-type II superconducting behavior in magnesium diboride

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kunchur, M.N.; Saracila, G.; Arcos, D.A.; Cui, Y.; Pogrebnyakov, A.; Orgiani, P.; Xi, X.X.

    2006-01-01

    In traditional type-II superconductors, an applied magnetic field depresses the transition temperature and introduces magnetic flux vortices that cause resistive losses accompanied by a broadening of the transition. High-field high-pulsed-current measurements have revealed a new hybrid behavior in disordered magnesium diboride films: The superconductivity survives high magnetic fields by entering a mixed state with vortices (like a type II superconductor) but holds its vortices nearly motionless and avoids dissipation (like a type I superconductor). A study of this phenomenon in magnesium diboride films with varying degrees of scattering indicate that the hybrid type I-type II behavior arises from the two-band nature of the superconductivity and the different degrees of influence that disorder exerts on its different bands. (author)

  5. Principal Component and Cluster Analysis as a Tool in the Assessment of Tomato Hybrids and Cultivars

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Evgenidis

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Determination of germplasm diversity and genetic relationships among breeding materials is an invaluable aid in crop improvement strategies. This study assessed the breeding value of tomato source material. Two commercial hybrids along with an experimental hybrid and four cultivars were assessed with cluster and principal component analyses based on morphophysiological data, yield and quality, stability of performance, heterosis, and combining abilities. The assessment of commercial hybrids revealed a related origin and subsequently does not support the identification of promising offspring in their crossing. The assessment of the cultivars discriminated them according to origin and evolutionary and selection effects. On the Principal Component 1, the largest group with positive loading included, yield components, heterosis, general and specific combining ability, whereas the largest negative loading was obtained by qualitative and descriptive traits. The Principal Component 2 revealed two smaller groups, a positive one with phenotypic traits and a negative one with tolerance to inbreeding. Stability of performance was loaded positively and/or negatively. In conclusion, combing ability, yield components, and heterosis provided a mechanism for ensuring continued improvement in plant selection programs.

  6. Initial experience in hybrid PET-MRI for evaluation of refractory focal onset epilepsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Hae W; Jewells, Valerie; Sheikh, Arif; Zhang, Jingwen; Zhu, Hongtu; An, Hongyu; Gao, Wei; Shen, Dinggang; Hadar, Eldad; Lin, Weili

    2015-09-01

    We aim to evaluate the utility/improved accuracy of hybrid PET/MR compared to current practice separate 3T MRI and PET-CT imaging for localization of seizure foci. In a pilot study, twenty-nine patients undergoing epilepsy surgery evaluation were imaged using PET/MR. This subject group had 29 previous clinical 3T MRI as well as 12 PET-CT studies. Prior clinical PET and MR images were read sequentially while the hybrid PET/MR was concurrently read. The median interval between hybrid PET/MR and prior imaging studies was 5 months (range 1-77 months). In 24 patients, there was no change in the read between the clinical exams and hybrid PET/MR while new anatomical or functional lesions were identified by hybrid PET/MR in 5 patients without significant clinical change. Four new anatomical MR lesions were seen with concordant PET findings. The remaining patient revealed a new abnormal PET lesion without an MR abnormality. All new PET/MR lesions were clinically significant with concordant EEG and/or SPECT results as potential epileptic foci. Our initial hybrid PET-MRI experience increased diagnostic yields for detection of potential epileptic lesions. This may be due to the unique advantage of improved co-registration and simultaneous review of both structural and functional data. Copyright © 2015 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. A novel hybrid algorithm of GSA with Kepler algorithm for numerical optimization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soroor Sarafrazi

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available It is now well recognized that pure algorithms can be promisingly improved by hybridization with other techniques. One of the relatively new metaheuristic algorithms is Gravitational Search Algorithm (GSA which is based on the Newton laws. In this paper, to enhance the performance of GSA, a novel algorithm called “Kepler”, inspired by the astrophysics, is introduced. The Kepler algorithm is based on the principle of the first Kepler law. The hybridization of GSA and Kepler algorithm is an efficient approach to provide much stronger specialization in intensification and/or diversification. The performance of GSA–Kepler is evaluated by applying it to 14 benchmark functions with 20–1000 dimensions and the optimal approximation of linear system as a practical optimization problem. The results obtained reveal that the proposed hybrid algorithm is robust enough to optimize the benchmark functions and practical optimization problems.

  8. Predominant Expression of Hybrid N-Glycans Has Distinct Cellular Roles Relative to Complex and Oligomannose N-Glycans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Kristen Hall

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Glycosylation modulates growth, maintenance, and stress signaling processes. Consequently, altered N-glycosylation is associated with reduced fitness and disease. Therefore, expanding our understanding of N-glycans in altering biological processes is of utmost interest. Herein, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/caspase9 (CRISPR/Cas9 technology was employed to engineer a glycosylation mutant Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO cell line, K16, which expresses predominantly hybrid type N-glycans. This newly engineered cell line enabled us to compare N-glycan effects on cellular properties of hybrid type N-glycans, to the well-established Pro−5 and Lec1 cell lines, which express complex and oligomannose types of N-glycans, respectively. Lectin binding studies revealed the predominant N-glycan expressed in K16 is hybrid type. Cell dissociation and migration assays demonstrated the greatest strength of cell–cell adhesion and fastest migratory rates for oligomannose N-glycans, and these properties decreased as oligomannose type were converted to hybrid type, and further decreased upon conversion to complex type. Next, we examined the roles of three general types of N-glycans on ectopic expression of E-cadherin, a cell–cell adhesion protein. Microscopy revealed more functional E-cadherin at the cell–cell border when N-glycans were oligomannose and these levels decreased as the oligomannose N-glycans were processed to hybrid and then to complex. Thus, we provide evidence that all three general types of N-glycans impact plasma membrane architecture and cellular properties.

  9. An Improved Iris Recognition Algorithm Based on Hybrid Feature and ELM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Juan

    2018-03-01

    The iris image is easily polluted by noise and uneven light. This paper proposed an improved extreme learning machine (ELM) based iris recognition algorithm with hybrid feature. 2D-Gabor filters and GLCM is employed to generate a multi-granularity hybrid feature vector. 2D-Gabor filter and GLCM feature work for capturing low-intermediate frequency and high frequency texture information, respectively. Finally, we utilize extreme learning machine for iris recognition. Experimental results reveal our proposed ELM based multi-granularity iris recognition algorithm (ELM-MGIR) has higher accuracy of 99.86%, and lower EER of 0.12% under the premise of real-time performance. The proposed ELM-MGIR algorithm outperforms other mainstream iris recognition algorithms.

  10. Hybrid quantum-classical master equations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diósi, Lajos

    2014-01-01

    We discuss hybrid master equations of composite systems, which are hybrids of classical and quantum subsystems. A fairly general form of hybrid master equations is suggested. Its consistency is derived from the consistency of Lindblad quantum master equations. We emphasize that quantum measurement is a natural example of exact hybrid systems. We derive a heuristic hybrid master equation of time-continuous position measurement (monitoring). (paper)

  11. Hybrid gait training with an overground robot for people with incomplete spinal cord injury: a pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio J del-Ama

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Locomotor training has proved to provide beneficial effect in terms of mobility in incomplete paraplegic patients. Neuroprosthetic technology can contribute to increase the efficacy of a training paradigm in the promotion of a locomotor pattern. Robotic exoskeletons can be used to manage the unavoidable loss of performance of artificially-driven muscles. Hybrid exoskeletons blend complementary robotic and neuro-prosthetic technologies. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the effects of hybrid gait training in three case studies with persons with incomplete spinal cord injury in terms of locomotion performance during assisted gait, patient-robot adaptations, impact on ambulation and assessment of lower limb muscle strength and spasticity. Participants with incomplete Spinal Cord Injury (SCI received interventions with a hybrid bilateral exoskeleton for 4 days. Assessment of gait function revealed that patients improved the 6 minutes and 10 meters walking tests after the intervention, and further improvements were observed one week after the intervention. Muscle examination revealed improvements in knee and hip sagittal muscle balance scores and decreased score in ankle extensor balance. It is concluded that improvements in biomechanical function of the knee joint after the tested overground hybrid gait trainer are coherent with improvements in gait performance.

  12. Mesoscale hybrid calibration artifact

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, Hy D.; Claudet, Andre A.; Oliver, Andrew D.

    2010-09-07

    A mesoscale calibration artifact, also called a hybrid artifact, suitable for hybrid dimensional measurement and the method for make the artifact. The hybrid artifact has structural characteristics that make it suitable for dimensional measurement in both vision-based systems and touch-probe-based systems. The hybrid artifact employs the intersection of bulk-micromachined planes to fabricate edges that are sharp to the nanometer level and intersecting planes with crystal-lattice-defined angles.

  13. Hybrid Action Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ronkko, Mauno; Ravn, Anders P.

    1997-01-01

    a differential action, which allows differential equations as primitive actions. The extension allows us to model hybrid systems with both continuous and discrete behaviour. The main result of this paper is an extension of such a hybrid action system with parallel composition. The extension does not change...... the original meaning of the parallel composition, and therefore also the ordinary action systems can be composed in parallel with the hybrid action systems....

  14. Assessing the bioconfinement potential of a Nicotiana hybrid platform for use in plant molecular farming applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, J Hollis; Mundell, Richard E; Millwood, Reginald J; Chambers, Orlando D; Stewart, C Neal; Davies, H Maelor

    2013-08-06

    The introduction of pharmaceutical traits in tobacco for commercial production could benefit from the utilization of a transgene bioconfinement system. It has been observed that interspecific F1Nicotiana hybrids (Nicotiana tabacum × Nicotiana glauca) are sterile and thus proposed that hybrids could be suitable bioconfined hosts for biomanufacturing. We genetically tagged hybrids with green fluorescent protein (GFP), which was used as a visual marker to enable gene flow tracking and quantification for field and greenhouse studies. GFP was used as a useful proxy for pharmaceutical transgenes. Analysis of DNA content revealed significant genomic downsizing of the hybrid relative to that of N. tabacum. Hybrid pollen was capable of germination in vitro, albeit with a very low frequency and with significant differences between plants. In two field experiments, one each in Tennessee and Kentucky, we detected outcrossing at only one location (Tennessee) at 1.4%. Additionally, from 50 hybrid plants at each field site, formation of 84 and 16 seed was observed, respectively. Similar conclusions about hybrid fertility were drawn from greenhouse crosses. In terms of above-ground biomass, the hybrid yield was not significantly different than that of N. tabacum in the field. N. tabacum × N. glauca hybrids show potential to contribute to a bioconfinement- and biomanufacturing host system. Hybrids exhibit extremely low fertility with no difference of green biomass yields relative to N. tabacum. In addition, hybrids are morphologically distinguishable from tobacco allowing for identity preservation. This hybrid system for biomanufacturing would optimally be used where N. glauca is not present and in physical isolation of N. tabacum production to provide total bioconfinement.

  15. Hybridization and genome evolution I: The role of contingency during hybrid speciation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabrice EROUKHMANOFF, Richard I. BAILEY, Glenn-Peter SæTRE

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Homoploid hybrid speciation (HHS involves the recombination of two differentiated genomes into a novel, functional one without a change in chromosome number. Theoretically, there are numerous ways for two parental genomes to recombine. Hence, chance may play a large role in the formation of a hybrid species. If these genome combinations can evolve rapidly following hybridization and sympatric situations are numerous, recurrent homoploid hybrid speciation is a possibility. We argue that three different, but not mutually exclusive, types of contingencies could influence this process. First, many of these “hopeful monsters” of recombinant parent genotypes would likely have low fitness. Only specific combinations of parental genomic contributions may produce viable, intra-fertile hybrid species able to accommodate potential constraints arising from intragenomic conflict. Second, ecological conditions (competition, geography of the contact zones or the initial frequency of both parent species might favor different outcomes ranging from sympatric coexistence to the formation of hybrid swarms and ultimately hybrid speciation. Finally, history may also play an important role in promoting or constraining recurrent HHS if multiple hybridization events occur sequentially and parental divergence or isolation differs along this continuum. We discuss under which conditions HHS may occur multiple times in parallel and to what extent recombination and selection may fuse the parent genomes in the same or different ways. We conclude by examining different approaches that might help to solve this intriguing evolutionary puzzle [Current Zoology 59 (5: 667-674, 2013]. 

  16. Synthesis of organic motif tailored hybrid nanoframes: Exploiting in vitro bioactivity and heavy metal ion extraction applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tayade, Kundan C. [School of Environmental and Earth Sciences, North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, MS (India); Kuwar, Anil S. [School of Chemical Sciences, North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, MS (India); Ingle, Sopan T. [School of Environmental and Earth Sciences, North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, MS (India); Attarde, Sanjay B., E-mail: sb.attarde@yahoo.co.in [School of Environmental and Earth Sciences, North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, MS (India)

    2017-02-15

    Hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) were designed by adsorbing a (13E,19E)-N{sub 1}′,N{sub 3}′-bis[4-(diethylamino)-2-hydroxybenzylidene]malonohydrazide (L) motif, on Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@SiO{sub 2} distorted hexagonal and cubic NPs. Electronic images of the synthesized hybrid NPs revealed distorted topographies with size of ∼50–70 nm. We exploited key in vitro features, topographies, thermal behaviours, spectroscopic data, magnetic properties and heavy metal ion extraction efficiencies of the prepared hybrids. Additionally, the discrete discussion on the surface areas of the synthesized NPs tackled with BET, are introduced. Characterization with FT-IR, SEM, TEM, XRD, BET, VSM, TGA, particle size analysis and Raman spectroscopic techniques revealed that the organic scaffold L is attached to the prepared Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@SiO{sub 2} NPs surface via adsorption or covalent interactions or some sort of charge/proton transfer. Antibacterial tests depicted that, L and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@SiO{sub 2} NPs exhibited moderate to good antifungal activity against C. albicans, while synthesized key hybrids has shown good to high antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacterium, S. aureus, two Gram-negative bacteria's, E. coli and P. aeruginosa, and antifungal activity against C. albicans. Also, the Zn{sup 2+} ion extraction efficiency of the key hybrids was tackled and validated with commercial pharmaceutical tablet analysis. - Highlights: • New hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) shown good to high antibacterial activity. • NPs showed barely compromised magnetism and thermal stability. • Macroporous NPs depicted harmonious Zn(II) ion extraction efficiency. • Extraction of Zn(II) ions by NPs exhibited no matrix interference.

  17. Identification of hybrids of painted and milky storks using FTA card-collected blood, molecular markers, and morphologies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yee, Elsie Yoke Sim; Zainuddin, Zainal Zahari; Ismail, Ahmad; Yap, Chee Kong; Tan, Soon Guan

    2013-10-01

    Suspicious hybrids of painted storks and milky storks were found in a Malaysian zoo. Blood of these birds was sampled on FTA cards for DNA fingerprinting. Of 44 optimized primers, 6 produced diagnostic markers that could identify hybrids. The markers were based on simple, direct PCR-generated multilocus banding patterns that provided two sets of genetic data, one for each of the two stork species and another for the hybrids. It also revealed that large DNA fragments (3,000 bp) could be amplified from blood collected on FTA cards. When the results of each individual bird's DNA fingerprint were compared with plumage characters, the hybrids were found to express a range of intermediate phenotypic traits of the pure breeds with no dominant plumage characteristic from either parental species.

  18. Electrical potential-assisted DNA hybridization. How to mitigate electrostatics for surface DNA hybridization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tymoczko, Jakub; Schuhmann, Wolfgang; Gebala, Magdalena

    2014-12-24

    Surface-confined DNA hybridization reactions are sensitive to the number and identity of DNA capture probes and experimental conditions such as the nature and the ionic strength of the electrolyte solution. When the surface probe density is high or the concentration of bulk ions is much lower than the concentration of ions within the DNA layer, hybridization is significantly slowed down or does not proceed at all. However, high-density DNA monolayers are attractive for designing high-sensitivity DNA sensors. Thus, circumventing sluggish DNA hybridization on such interfaces allows a high surface concentration of target DNA and improved signal/noise ratio. We present potential-assisted hybridization as a strategy in which an external voltage is applied to the ssDNA-modified interface during the hybridization process. Results show that a significant enhancement of hybridization can be achieved using this approach.

  19. Predicting Hybrid Performances for Quality Traits through Genomic-Assisted Approaches in Central European Wheat

    KAUST Repository

    Liu, Guozheng

    2016-07-06

    Bread-making quality traits are central targets for wheat breeding. The objectives of our study were to (1) examine the presence of major effect QTLs for quality traits in a Central European elite wheat population, (2) explore the optimal strategy for predicting the hybrid performance for wheat quality traits, and (3) investigate the effects of marker density and the composition and size of the training population on the accuracy of prediction of hybrid performance. In total 135 inbred lines of Central European bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and 1,604 hybrids derived from them were evaluated for seven quality traits in up to six environments. The 135 parental lines were genotyped using a 90k single-nucleotide polymorphism array. Genome-wide association mapping initially suggested presence of several quantitative trait loci (QTLs), but cross-validation rather indicated the absence of major effect QTLs for all quality traits except of 1000-kernel weight. Genomic selection substantially outperformed marker-assisted selection in predicting hybrid performance. A resampling study revealed that increasing the effective population size in the estimation set of hybrids is relevant to boost the accuracy of prediction for an unrelated test population.

  20. Predicting Hybrid Performances for Quality Traits through Genomic-Assisted Approaches in Central European Wheat.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guozheng Liu

    Full Text Available Bread-making quality traits are central targets for wheat breeding. The objectives of our study were to (1 examine the presence of major effect QTLs for quality traits in a Central European elite wheat population, (2 explore the optimal strategy for predicting the hybrid performance for wheat quality traits, and (3 investigate the effects of marker density and the composition and size of the training population on the accuracy of prediction of hybrid performance. In total 135 inbred lines of Central European bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. and 1,604 hybrids derived from them were evaluated for seven quality traits in up to six environments. The 135 parental lines were genotyped using a 90k single-nucleotide polymorphism array. Genome-wide association mapping initially suggested presence of several quantitative trait loci (QTLs, but cross-validation rather indicated the absence of major effect QTLs for all quality traits except of 1000-kernel weight. Genomic selection substantially outperformed marker-assisted selection in predicting hybrid performance. A resampling study revealed that increasing the effective population size in the estimation set of hybrids is relevant to boost the accuracy of prediction for an unrelated test population.

  1. Predicting Hybrid Performances for Quality Traits through Genomic-Assisted Approaches in Central European Wheat

    KAUST Repository

    Liu, Guozheng; Zhao, Yusheng; Gowda, Manje; Longin, C. Friedrich H.; Reif, Jochen C.; Mette, Michael F.

    2016-01-01

    Bread-making quality traits are central targets for wheat breeding. The objectives of our study were to (1) examine the presence of major effect QTLs for quality traits in a Central European elite wheat population, (2) explore the optimal strategy for predicting the hybrid performance for wheat quality traits, and (3) investigate the effects of marker density and the composition and size of the training population on the accuracy of prediction of hybrid performance. In total 135 inbred lines of Central European bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and 1,604 hybrids derived from them were evaluated for seven quality traits in up to six environments. The 135 parental lines were genotyped using a 90k single-nucleotide polymorphism array. Genome-wide association mapping initially suggested presence of several quantitative trait loci (QTLs), but cross-validation rather indicated the absence of major effect QTLs for all quality traits except of 1000-kernel weight. Genomic selection substantially outperformed marker-assisted selection in predicting hybrid performance. A resampling study revealed that increasing the effective population size in the estimation set of hybrids is relevant to boost the accuracy of prediction for an unrelated test population.

  2. Predicting Hybrid Performances for Quality Traits through Genomic-Assisted Approaches in Central European Wheat

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Guozheng; Zhao, Yusheng; Gowda, Manje; Longin, C. Friedrich H.; Reif, Jochen C.; Mette, Michael F.

    2016-01-01

    Bread-making quality traits are central targets for wheat breeding. The objectives of our study were to (1) examine the presence of major effect QTLs for quality traits in a Central European elite wheat population, (2) explore the optimal strategy for predicting the hybrid performance for wheat quality traits, and (3) investigate the effects of marker density and the composition and size of the training population on the accuracy of prediction of hybrid performance. In total 135 inbred lines of Central European bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and 1,604 hybrids derived from them were evaluated for seven quality traits in up to six environments. The 135 parental lines were genotyped using a 90k single-nucleotide polymorphism array. Genome-wide association mapping initially suggested presence of several quantitative trait loci (QTLs), but cross-validation rather indicated the absence of major effect QTLs for all quality traits except of 1000-kernel weight. Genomic selection substantially outperformed marker-assisted selection in predicting hybrid performance. A resampling study revealed that increasing the effective population size in the estimation set of hybrids is relevant to boost the accuracy of prediction for an unrelated test population. PMID:27383841

  3. Use of Hybridization Chain Reaction-Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization To Track Gene Expression by Both Partners during Initiation of Symbiosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikolakakis, K; Lehnert, E; McFall-Ngai, M J; Ruby, E G

    2015-07-01

    The establishment of a productive symbiosis between Euprymna scolopes, the Hawaiian bobtail squid, and its luminous bacterial symbiont, Vibrio fischeri, is mediated by transcriptional changes in both partners. A key challenge to unraveling the steps required to successfully initiate this and many other symbiotic associations is characterization of the timing and location of these changes. We report on the adaptation of hybridization chain reaction-fluorescent in situ hybridization (HCR-FISH) to simultaneously probe the spatiotemporal regulation of targeted genes in both E. scolopes and V. fischeri. This method revealed localized, transcriptionally coregulated epithelial cells within the light organ that responded directly to the presence of bacterial cells while, at the same time, provided a sensitive means to directly show regulated gene expression within the symbiont population. Thus, HCR-FISH provides a new approach for characterizing habitat transition in bacteria and for discovering host tissue responses to colonization. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  4. First-Order Hybrid Logic

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Braüner, Torben

    2011-01-01

    Hybrid logic is an extension of modal logic which allows us to refer explicitly to points of the model in the syntax of formulas. It is easy to justify interest in hybrid logic on applied grounds, with the usefulness of the additional expressive power. For example, when reasoning about time one...... often wants to build up a series of assertions about what happens at a particular instant, and standard modal formalisms do not allow this. What is less obvious is that the route hybrid logic takes to overcome this problem often actually improves the behaviour of the underlying modal formalism....... For example, it becomes far simpler to formulate proof-systems for hybrid logic, and completeness results can be proved of a generality that is simply not available in modal logic. That is, hybridization is a systematic way of remedying a number of known deficiencies of modal logic. First-order hybrid logic...

  5. Research on Hybrid Vehicle Drivetrain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Zhongzhi

    Hybrid cars as a solution to energy saving, emission reduction measures, have received widespread attention. Motor drive system as an important part of the hybrid vehicles as an important object of study. Based on the hybrid electric vehicle powertrain control system for permanent magnet synchronous motor as the object of study. Can be applied to hybrid car compares the characteristics of traction motors, chose permanent magnet synchronous Motors as drive motors for hybrid vehicles. Building applications in hybrid cars in MATLAB/Simulink simulation model of permanent-magnet synchronous motor speed control system and analysis of simulation results.

  6. Graphene-cobaltite-Pd hybrid materials for use as efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts in alkaline direct methanol fuel cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Chandra Shekhar; Awasthi, Rahul; Singh, Ravindra Nath; Sinha, Akhoury Sudhir Kumar

    2013-12-14

    Hybrid materials comprising of Pd, MCo2O4 (where M = Mn, Co or Ni) and graphene have been prepared for use as efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts in alkaline direct methanol fuel cells. Structural and electrochemical characterizations were carried out using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, chronoamperometry and cyclic, CO stripping, and linear sweep voltammetries. The study revealed that all the three hybrid materials are active for both methanol oxidation (MOR) and oxygen reduction (ORR) reactions in 1 M KOH. However, the Pd-MnCo2O4/GNS hybrid electrode exhibited the greatest MOR and ORR activities. This active hybrid electrode has also outstanding stability under both MOR and ORR conditions, while Pt- and other Pd-based catalysts undergo degradation under similar experimental conditions. The Pd-MnCo2O4/GNS hybrid catalyst exhibited superior ORR activity and stability compared to even Pt in alkaline solutions.

  7. Performance evaluation and parametric optimum design of a molten carbonate fuel cell-thermophotovoltaic cell hybrid system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Zhimin; Liao, Tianjun; Zhou, Yinghui; Lin, Guoxing; Chen, Jincan

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A molten carbonate fuel cell-thermophotovoltaic cell hybrid system is established. • The performance characteristics of the hybrid system are systematically evaluated. • The optimal regions of the power output density and efficiency are determined. • The values of key parameters at the maximum power output density are calculated. • The proposed system is proved to have advantages over other hybrid systems. - Abstract: A new model of the hybrid system composed of a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) and a thermophotovoltaic cell (TPVC) is proposed to recovery the waste heat produced by the MCFC. Expressions for the power output and the efficiency of the hybrid system are analytically derived. The performance characteristics of the hybrid system are evaluated. It is found that when the current density of the MCFC, voltage output of the TPVC, electrode area ratio of the MCFC to the TPVC, and energy gap of the material in the photovoltaic cell are optimally chosen, the maximum power output density of the hybrid system is obviously larger than that of the single MCFC. Moreover, the improved percentages of the maximum power output density of the proposed model relative to that of the single MCFC are calculated for differently operating temperatures of the MCFC and are compared with those of some MCFC-based hybrid systems reported in the literature, and consequently, the advantages of the MCFC-TPVC hybrid system are revealed.

  8. One-step synthesis of hierarchically porous hybrid TiO2 hollow spheres with high photocatalytic activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ruiping; Ren, Feng; Yang, Jinlin; Su, Weiming; Sun, Zhiming; Zhang, Lei; Wang, Chang-an

    2016-03-01

    Hierarchically porous hybrid TiO2 hollow spheres were solvothermally synthesized successfully by using tetrabutyl titanate as titanium precursor and hydrated metal sulfates as soft templates. The as-prepared TiO2 spheres with hierarchically pore structures and high specific surface area and pore volume consisted of highly crystallized anatase TiO2 nanocrystals hybridized with a small amount of metal oxide from the hydrated sulfate. The proposed hydrated-sulfate assisted solvothermal (HAS) synthesis strategy was demonstrated to be widely applicable to various systems. Evaluation of the hybrid TiO2 hollow spheres for the photo-decomposition of methyl orange (MO) under visible-light irradiation revealed that they exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity and durability.

  9. A hybrid method for forecasting the energy output of photovoltaic systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramsami, Pamela; Oree, Vishwamitra

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • We propose a novel hybrid technique for predicting the daily PV energy output. • Multiple linear regression, FFNN and GRNN artificial neural networks are used. • Stepwise regression is used to select the most relevant meteorological parameters. • SR-FFNN reduces the average dispersion and overall bias in prediction errors. • Accuracy metrics of hybrid models are better than those of single-stage models. - Abstract: The intermittent nature of solar energy poses many challenges to renewable energy system operators in terms of operational planning and scheduling. Predicting the output of photovoltaic systems is therefore essential for managing the operation and assessing the economic performance of power systems. This paper presents a new technique for forecasting the 24-h ahead stochastic energy output of photovoltaic systems based on the daily weather forecasts. A comparison of the performances of the hybrid technique with conventional linear regression and artificial neural network models has also been reported. Initially, three single-stage models were designed, namely the generalized regression neural network, feedforward neural network and multiple linear regression. Subsequently, a hybrid-modeling approach was adopted by applying stepwise regression to select input variables of greater importance. These variables were then fed to the single-stage models resulting in three hybrid models. They were then validated by comparing the forecasts of the models with measured dataset from an operational photovoltaic system. The accuracy of the each model was evaluated based on the correlation coefficient, mean absolute error, mean bias error and root mean square error values. Simulation results revealed that the hybrid models perform better than their corresponding single-stage models. Stepwise regression-feedforward neural network hybrid model outperformed the other models with root mean square error, mean absolute error, mean bias error and

  10. Simulations of the Fuel Economy and Emissions of Hybrid Transit Buses over Planned Local Routes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gao, Zhiming [ORNL; LaClair, Tim J [ORNL; Daw, C Stuart [ORNL; Smith, David E [ORNL; Franzese, Oscar [ORNL

    2014-01-01

    We present simulated fuel economy and emissions city transit buses powered by conventional diesel engines and diesel-hybrid electric powertrains of varying size. Six representative city drive cycles were included in the study. In addition, we included previously published aftertreatment device models for control of CO, HC, NOx, and particulate matter (PM) emissions. Our results reveal that bus hybridization can significantly enhance fuel economy by reducing engine idling time, reducing demands for accessory loads, exploiting regenerative braking, and shifting engine operation to speeds and loads with higher fuel efficiency. Increased hybridization also tends to monotonically reduce engine-out emissions, but trends in the tailpipe (post-aftertreatment) emissions involve more complex interactions that significantly depend on motor size and drive cycle details.

  11. Phosphorous digestibility and activity of intestinal phytase in hybrid tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus X O. aureus

    Science.gov (United States)

    La Vorgna, M.W.; Hafez, Y.; Hughes, S.G.; Handwerker, T.

    2003-01-01

    Experiments were conducted to determine the degree to which phytate-bound phosphorus from plant protein sources could be used by hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus X O. aureus). Utilizing an inert marker technique with chromic oxide, hybrid tilapia in our study were effective at utilizing both inorganic and phytate phosphorus as evidenced by average apparent digestibility values of 93.2% and 90.0% for total and phytate phosphorus, respectively. Analysis of the intestinal brush border membrane of the tilapia revealed enzyme activity that was capable of hydrolyzing phytic acid. The presence of phytic acid hydrolyzing enzyme activity in the intestinal brush border provides a probable mechanism by which these hybrid tilapia are able to utilize phytate phosphorus effectively. ?? 2003 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Genome reorganization in Nicotiana asymmetric somatic hybrids analysed by in situ hybridization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parokonny, A.S.; Kenton, A.Y.; Gleba, Y.Y.; Bennett, M.D.

    1992-01-01

    In situ hybridization was used to examine genome reorganization in asymmetric somatic hybrids between Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and Nicotiana sylvestris obtained by fusion of gamma-irradiated protoplasts from one of the parents (donor) with non-irradiated protoplasts from the other (recipient). Probing with biotinylated total genomic DNA from either the donor or the recipient species unequivocally identified genetic material from both parents in 31 regenerant plants, each originating from a different nuclear hybrid colony. This method, termed genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), allowed intergenomic translocations containing chromosome segments from both species to be recognized in four regenerants. A probe homologous to the consensus sequence of the Arabidopsis thaliana telomeric repeat (5'-TTTAGGG-3')n, identified telomeres on all chromosomes, including 'mini-chromosomes' originating from the irradiated donor genome. Genomic in situ hybridization to plant chromosomes provides a rapid and reliable means of screening for recombinant genotypes in asymmetric somatic hybrids. Used in combination with other DNA probes, it also contributes to a greater understanding of the events responsible for genomic recovery and restabilization following genetic manipulation in vitro

  13. Generalized syntheses of nanocrystal-graphene hybrids in high-boiling-point organic solvents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pang, Danny Wei-Ping; Yuan, Fang-Wei; Chang, Yan-Cheng; Li, Guo-An; Tuan, Hsing-Yu

    2012-08-07

    Nanocrystal-graphene have been proposed as a new kind of promising hybrid for a wide range of application areas including catalysts, electronics, sensors, biomedicine, and energy storage, etc. Although a variety of methods have been developed for the preparation of hybrids, a facile and general synthetic approach is still highly required. In this study, nanocrystal-graphene hybrids were successfully synthesized in high-boiling-point organic solvents. Graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets were modified by oleylamine (OLA) to form a OLA-GO complex in order to be readily incorporated into hydrophobic synthesis. A rich library of highly crystalline nanocrystals, with types including noble metal, metal oxide, magnetic material and semiconductor were successfully grown on chemically converted graphene (CCG), which is simultaneously reduced from GO during the synthesis. High boiling-point solvents afford sufficient thermal energy to assure the high-quality crystalline nature of NCs, therefore the post-annealing process is obviated. Controlled experiments revealed that OLA-GO triggers heterogeneous nucleation and serves as excellent nuclei anchorage media. The protocol developed here brings one step closer to achieve "unity in diversity" on the preparation of nanocrystal-graphene hybrids.

  14. The fate of W chromosomes in hybrids between wild silkmoths, Samia cynthia ssp.: no role in sex determination and reproduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshido, A; Marec, F; Sahara, K

    2016-05-01

    Moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera) have sex chromosome systems with female heterogamety (WZ/ZZ or derived variants). The maternally inherited W chromosome is known to determine female sex in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. However, little is known about the role of W chromosome in other lepidopteran species. Here we describe two forms of the W chromosome, W and neo-W, that are transmitted to both sexes in offspring of hybrids from reciprocal crosses between subspecies of wild silkmoths, Samia cynthia. We performed crosses between S. c. pryeri (2n=28, WZ/ZZ) and S. c. walkeri (2n=26, neo-Wneo-Z/neo-Zneo-Z) and examined fitness and sex chromosome constitution in their hybrids. The F1 hybrids of both reciprocal crosses had reduced fertility. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed not only the expected sex chromosome constitutions in the backcross and F2 hybrids of both sexes but also females without the W (or neo-W) chromosome and males carrying the W (or neo-W) chromosome. Furthermore, crosses between the F2 hybrids revealed no association between the presence or absence of W (or neo-W) chromosome and variations in the hatchability of their eggs. Our results clearly suggest that the W (or neo-W) chromosome of S. cynthia ssp. plays no role in sex determination and reproduction, and thus does not contribute to the formation of reproductive barriers between different subspecies.

  15. Deep sequencing of amplicons reveals widespread intraspecific hybridization and multiple origins of polyploidy in big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata, Asteraceae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryce A. Richardson; Justin T. Page; Prabin Bajgain; Stewart C. Sanderson; Joshua A. Udall

    2012-01-01

    Premise of the study: Hybridization has played an important role in the evolution and ecological adaptation of diploid and polyploid plants. Artemisia tridentata (Asteraceae) tetraploids are extremely widespread and of great ecological importance. These tetraploids are often taxonomically identified as A. tridentata subsp. wyomingensis or as autotetraploids of diploid...

  16. Hybrid Radio/Free-Space Optical Design for Next Generation Backhaul Systems

    KAUST Repository

    Douik, Ahmed

    2016-04-22

    The deluge of date rate in today\\'s networks imposes a cost burden on the backhaul network design. Developing cost-efficient backhaul solutions becomes an exciting, yet challenging, problem. Traditional technologies for backhaul networks, including either radio-frequency (RF) backhauls or optical fibers (OF). While RF is a cost-effective solution as compared with OF, it supports the lower data rate requirements. Another promising backhaul solution is the free-space optics (FSO) as it offers both a high data rate and a relatively low cost. The FSO, however, is sensitive to nature conditions, e.g., rain, fog, and line-of-sight. This paper combines both the RF and FSO advantages and proposes a hybrid RF/FSO backhaul solution. It considers the problem of minimizing the cost of the backhaul network by choosing either OF or hybrid RF/FSO backhaul links between the base stations, so as to satisfy data rate, connectivity, and reliability constraints. It shows that under a specified realistic assumption about the cost of OF and hybrid RF/FSO links, the problem is equivalent to a maximum weight clique problem, which can be solved with moderate complexity. Simulation results show that the proposed solution shows a close-to-optimal performance, especially for reasonable prices of the hybrid RF/FSO links. They further reveal that the hybrid RF/FSO is a cost-efficient solution and a good candidate for upgrading the existing backhaul networks. © 2016 IEEE.

  17. Genomewide variation in an introgression line of rice-Zizania revealed by whole-genome re-sequencing.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhen-Hui Wang

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Hybridization between genetically diverged organisms is known as an important avenue that drives plant genome evolution. The possible outcomes of hybridization would be the occurrences of genetic instabilities in the resultant hybrids. It remained under-investigated however whether pollination by alien pollens of a closely related but sexually "incompatible" species could evoke genomic changes and to what extent it may result in phenotypic novelties in the derived progenies. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study, we have re-sequenced the genomes of Oryza sativa ssp. japonica cv. Matsumae and one of its derived introgressant RZ35 that was obtained from an introgressive hybridization between Matsumae and Zizanialatifolia Griseb. in general, 131 millions 90 base pair (bp paired-end reads were generated which covered 13.2 and 21.9 folds of the Matsumae and RZ35 genomes, respectively. Relative to Matsumae, a total of 41,724 homozygous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs and 17,839 homozygous insertions/deletions (indels were identified in RZ35, of which 3,797 SNPs were nonsynonymous mutations. Furthermore, rampant mobilization of transposable elements (TEs was found in the RZ35 genome. The results of pathogen inoculation revealed that RZ35 exhibited enhanced resistance to blast relative to Matsumae. Notably, one nonsynonymous mutation was found in the known blast resistance gene Pid3/Pi25 and real-time quantitative (q RT-PCR analysis revealed constitutive up-regulation of its expression, suggesting both altered function and expression of Pid3/Pi25 may be responsible for the enhanced resistance to rice blast by RZ35. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results demonstrate that introgressive hybridization by Zizania has provoked genomewide, extensive genomic changes in the rice genome, and some of which have resulted in important phenotypic novelties. These findings suggest that introgressive hybridization by alien pollens of even a

  18. Hybrid vehicle potential assessment. Volume 7: Hybrid vehicle review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leschly, K. O.

    1979-01-01

    Review of hybrid vehicles built during the past ten years or planned to be built in the near future is presented. An attempt is made to classify and analyze these vehicles to get an overall picture of their key characteristics. The review includes onroad hybrid passenger cars, trucks, vans, and buses.

  19. Status analysis of keyhole bottom in laser-MAG hybrid welding process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lin; Gao, Xiangdong; Chen, Ziqin

    2018-01-08

    The keyhole status is a determining factor of weld quality in laser-metal active gas arc (MAG) hybrid welding process. For a better evaluation of the hybrid welding process, three different penetration welding experiments: partial penetration, normal penetration (or full penetration), and excessive penetration were conducted in this work. The instantaneous visual phenomena including metallic vapor, spatters and keyhole of bottom surface were used to evaluate the keyhole status by a double high-speed camera system. The Fourier transform was applied on the bottom weld pool image for removing the image noise around the keyhole, and then the bottom weld pool image was reconstructed through the inverse Fourier transform. Lastly, the keyhole bottom was extracted from the de-noised bottom weld pool image. By analyzing the visual features of the laser-MAG hybrid welding process, mechanism of the closed and opened keyhole bottom were revealed. The results show that the stable opened or closed status of keyhole bottom is directly affected by the MAG droplet transition in the normal penetration welding process, and the unstable opened or closed status of keyhole bottom would appear in excessive penetration welding and partial penetration welding. The analysis method proposed in this paper could be used to monitor the keyhole stability in laser-MAG hybrid welding process.

  20. Generation of auroral kilometric radiation in upper hybrid wave-lower hybrid soliton interaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pottelette, R.; Dubouloz, N.; Treumann, R.A.

    1992-01-01

    Sporadic bursts of auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) associated with strong bursty electrostatic turbulence in the vicinity of the lower hybrid frequency have been frequently recorded in the AKR source region by the Viking satellite. The variation time scale of these emissions is typically 1 s, long enough for lower hybrid waves to grow to amplitudes of several hundred millivolts per meter and to evolve nonlinearly into solitons. On the basis on these observations it is suggested that formation of lower hybrid solitons may play a role in the generation of AKR. A theoretical model is proposed which is based on the direct acceleration of electrons in the combined lower hybrid soliton and upper hybrid wave fields. The solitons act as sporadic, localized antennas allowing for efficient conversions of the electrostatic energy stored in upper hybrid waves into electromagnetic radiation at a frequency above the X mode cutoff. Excitation of lower hybrid waves is due to the presence of energetic electron beams in the auroral zone found to be associated with steep plasma density gradients. Upper hybrid waves can be excited by a population of energetic electrons with loss cone distributions. The power of the electromagnetic radiation obtained is only noticeable in regions where the plasma frequency is less than the electron gyrofrequency. The theory predicts spectral power densities of the order of 10 -11 to 10 -9 W m -2 Hz -1 in the source region, in good agreement with the Viking observations. The sporadic nature of the radiation derives from lower hybrid soliton collapses which occur on ∼1-s time scales

  1. Tyrosinase inhibitor activity of coumarin-resveratrol hybrids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fais, Antonella; Corda, Marcella; Era, Benedetta; Fadda, M Benedetta; Matos, Maria Joao; Quezada, Elias; Santana, Lourdes; Picciau, Carmen; Podda, Gianni; Delogu, Giovanna

    2009-07-13

    In the present work we report on the contribution of the coumarin moiety to tyrosinase inhibition. Coumarin-resveratrol hybrids 1-8 have been resynthesized to investigate the structure-activity relationships and the IC(50) values of these compounds were measured. The results showed that these compounds exhibited tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Compound 3-(3',4',5'-trihydroxyphenyl)-6,8-dihydroxycoumarin (8)is the most potentcompound (0.27 mM), more so than umbelliferone (0.42 mM), used as reference compound. The kinetic studies revealed that compound 8 caused non-competitive tyrosinase inhibition.

  2. Craniomandibular form and body size variation of first generation mouse hybrids: A model for hominin hybridization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warren, Kerryn A; Ritzman, Terrence B; Humphreys, Robyn A; Percival, Christopher J; Hallgrímsson, Benedikt; Ackermann, Rebecca Rogers

    2018-03-01

    Hybridization occurs in a number of mammalian lineages, including among primate taxa. Analyses of ancient genomes have shown that hybridization between our lineage and other archaic hominins in Eurasia occurred numerous times in the past. However, we still have limited empirical data on what a hybrid skeleton looks like, or how to spot patterns of hybridization among fossils for which there are no genetic data. Here we use experimental mouse models to supplement previous studies of primates. We characterize size and shape variation in the cranium and mandible of three wild-derived inbred mouse strains and their first generation (F 1 ) hybrids. The three parent taxa in our analysis represent lineages that diverged over approximately the same period as the human/Neanderthal/Denisovan lineages and their hybrids are variably successful in the wild. Comparisons of body size, as quantified by long bone measurements, are also presented to determine whether the identified phenotypic effects of hybridization are localized to the cranium or represent overall body size changes. The results indicate that hybrid cranial and mandibular sizes, as well as limb length, exceed that of the parent taxa in all cases. All three F 1 hybrid crosses display similar patterns of size and form variation. These results are generally consistent with earlier studies on primates and other mammals, suggesting that the effects of hybridization may be similar across very different scenarios of hybridization, including different levels of hybrid fitness. This paper serves to supplement previous studies aimed at identifying F 1 hybrids in the fossil record and to introduce further research that will explore hybrid morphologies using mice as a proxy for better understanding hybridization in the hominin fossil record. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Hybrid male sterility in rice is due to epistatic interactions with a pollen killer locus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kubo, Takahiko; Yoshimura, Atsushi; Kurata, Nori

    2011-11-01

    In intraspecific crosses between cultivated rice (Oryza sativa) subspecies indica and japonica, the hybrid male sterility gene S24 causes the selective abortion of male gametes carrying the japonica allele (S24-j) via an allelic interaction in the heterozygous hybrids. In this study, we first examined whether male sterility is due solely to the single locus S24. An analysis of near-isogenic lines (NIL-F(1)) showed different phenotypes for S24 in different genetic backgrounds. The S24 heterozygote with the japonica genetic background showed male semisterility, but no sterility was found in heterozygotes with the indica background. This result indicates that S24 is regulated epistatically. A QTL analysis of a BC(2)F(1) population revealed a novel sterility locus that interacts with S24 and is found on rice chromosome 2. The locus was named Epistatic Factor for S24 (EFS). Further genetic analyses revealed that S24 causes male sterility when in combination with the homozygous japonica EFS allele (efs-j). The results suggest that efs-j is a recessive sporophytic allele, while the indica allele (EFS-i) can dominantly counteract the pollen sterility caused by S24 heterozygosity. In summary, our results demonstrate that an additional epistatic locus is an essential element in the hybrid sterility caused by allelic interaction at a single locus in rice. This finding provides a significant contribution to our understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms underlying hybrid sterility and microsporogenesis.

  4. Basal levels of metabolic activity are elevated in Genetic Absence Epilepsy Rats from Strasbourg (GAERS): measurement of regional activity of cytochrome oxidase and lactate dehydrogenase by histochemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dufour, Franck; Koning, Estelle; Nehlig, Astrid

    2003-08-01

    The Genetic Absence Epilepsy Rats from Strasbourg (GAERS) are considered an isomorphic, predictive, and homologous model of human generalized absence epilepsy. It is characterized by the expression of spike-and-wave discharges in the thalamus and cortex. In this strain, basal regional rates of cerebral glucose utilization measured by the quantitative autoradiographic [(14)C]2-deoxyglucose technique display a widespread consistent increase compared to a selected strain of genetically nonepileptic rats (NE). In order to verify whether these high rates of glucose metabolism are paralleled by elevated activities of the enzymes of the glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid cycle pathways, we measured by histochemistry the regional activity of the two key enzymes of glucose metabolism, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) for the anaerobic pathway and cytochrome oxidase (CO) for the aerobic pathway coupled to oxidative phosphorylation. CO and LDH activities were significantly higher in GAERS than in NE rats in 24 and 28 of the 30 brain regions studied, respectively. The differences in CO and LDH activity between both strains were widespread, affected all brain systems studied, and ranged from 12 to 63%. The data of the present study confirm the generalized increase in cerebral glucose metabolism in GAERS, occurring both at the glycolytic and at the oxidative step. However, they still do not allow us to understand why the ubiquitous mutation(s) generates spike-and-wave discharges only in the thalamocortical circuit.

  5. Course on hybrid calculation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weill, J.; Tellier; Bonnemay; Craigne; Chareton; Di Falco

    1969-02-01

    After a definition of hybrid calculation (combination of analogue and digital calculation) with a distinction between series and parallel hybrid computing, and a description of a hybrid computer structure and of task sharing between computers, this course proposes a description of hybrid hardware used in Saclay and Cadarache computing centres, and of operations performed by these systems. The next part addresses issues related to programming languages and software. The fourth part describes how a problem is organised for its processing on these computers. Methods of hybrid analysis are then addressed: resolution of optimisation problems, of partial differential equations, and of integral equations by means of different methods (gradient, maximum principle, characteristics, functional approximation, time slicing, Monte Carlo, Neumann iteration, Fischer iteration)

  6. Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    EPA and the United Parcel Service (UPS) have developed a hydraulic hybrid delivery vehicle to explore and demonstrate the environmental benefits of the hydraulic hybrid for urban pick-up and delivery fleets.

  7. STEM image simulation with hybrid CPU/GPU programming

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yao, Y.; Ge, B.H.; Shen, X.; Wang, Y.G.; Yu, R.C.

    2016-01-01

    STEM image simulation is achieved via hybrid CPU/GPU programming under parallel algorithm architecture to speed up calculation on a personal computer (PC). To utilize the calculation power of a PC fully, the simulation is performed using the GPU core and multi-CPU cores at the same time to significantly improve efficiency. GaSb and an artificial GaSb/InAs interface with atom diffusion have been used to verify the computation. - Highlights: • STEM image simulation is achieved by hybrid CPU/GPU programming under parallel algorithm architecture to speed up the calculation in the personal computer (PC). • In order to fully utilize the calculation power of the PC, the simulation is performed by GPU core and multi-CPU cores at the same time so efficiency is improved significantly. • GaSb and artificial GaSb/InAs interface with atom diffusion have been used to verify the computation. The results reveal some unintuitive phenomena about the contrast variation with the atom numbers.

  8. STEM image simulation with hybrid CPU/GPU programming

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yao, Y., E-mail: yaoyuan@iphy.ac.cn; Ge, B.H.; Shen, X.; Wang, Y.G.; Yu, R.C.

    2016-07-15

    STEM image simulation is achieved via hybrid CPU/GPU programming under parallel algorithm architecture to speed up calculation on a personal computer (PC). To utilize the calculation power of a PC fully, the simulation is performed using the GPU core and multi-CPU cores at the same time to significantly improve efficiency. GaSb and an artificial GaSb/InAs interface with atom diffusion have been used to verify the computation. - Highlights: • STEM image simulation is achieved by hybrid CPU/GPU programming under parallel algorithm architecture to speed up the calculation in the personal computer (PC). • In order to fully utilize the calculation power of the PC, the simulation is performed by GPU core and multi-CPU cores at the same time so efficiency is improved significantly. • GaSb and artificial GaSb/InAs interface with atom diffusion have been used to verify the computation. The results reveal some unintuitive phenomena about the contrast variation with the atom numbers.

  9. A hybrid plasmonic waveguide terahertz quantum cascade laser

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Degl' Innocenti, Riccardo, E-mail: rd448@cam.ac.uk; Shah, Yash D.; Wallis, Robert; Klimont, Adam; Ren, Yuan; Jessop, David S.; Beere, Harvey E.; Ritchie, David A. [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J. J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE (United Kingdom)

    2015-02-23

    We present the realization of a quantum cascade laser emitting at around 2.85 THz, based on a hybrid plasmonic waveguide with a low refractive index dielectric cladding. This hybrid waveguide design allows the performance of a double-metal waveguide to be retained, while improving the emission far-field. A set of lasers based on the same active region material were fabricated with different metal layer thicknesses. A detailed characterization of the performance of these lasers revealed that there is an optimal trade-off that yields the best far-field emission and the maximum temperature of operation. By exploiting the pure plasmonic mode of these waveguides, the standard operation conditions of a double-metal quantum cascade laser were retrieved, such that the maximum operating temperature of these devices is not affected by the process. These results pave the way to realizing a class of integrated devices working in the terahertz range which could be further exploited to fabricate terahertz on-chip circuitry.

  10. Mirror hybrid reactor optimization studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bender, D.J.

    1976-01-01

    A system model of the mirror hybrid reactor has been developed. The major components of the model include (1) the reactor description, (2) a capital cost analysis, (3) various fuel management schemes, and (4) an economic analysis that includes the hybrid plus its associated fission burner reactors. The results presented describe the optimization of the mirror hybrid reactor, the objective being to minimize the cost of electricity from the hybrid fission-burner reactor complex. We have examined hybrid reactors with two types of blankets, one containing natural uranium, the other thorium. The major difference between the two optimized reactors is that the uranium hybrid is a significant net electrical power producer, whereas the thorium hybrid just about breaks even on electrical power. Our projected costs for fissile fuel production are approximately 50 $/g for 239 Pu and approximately 125 $/g for 233 U

  11. Household preferences of hybrid home heating systems – A choice experiment application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruokamo, Enni

    2016-01-01

    The residential heating sector presents considerable energy savings potential, as numerous heating solutions for reducing electricity consumption and utilizing renewable energy sources are available in the market. The aim of this paper is to examine determinants of household heating system choices and to use this information for policy planning purposes. This paper investigates residential homeowner attitudes regarding innovative hybrid home heating systems (HHHS) with choice experiment. Heating system scenarios are designed to represent the most relevant primary and supplementary heating alternatives currently available in Finland. The choice sets include six main heating alternatives (district heat, solid wood, wood pellet, electric storage heating, ground heat pump and exhaust air heat pump) that are described by five attributes (supplementary heating systems, investment costs, operating costs, comfort of use and environmental friendliness). The results imply that HHHSs generally appear to be accepted among households; however, several factors affect perceptions of these technologies. The results reveal differing household attitudes toward the main heating alternatives and show that such views are affected by socio-demographic characteristics (age, living environment, education, etc.). The results suggest that households view supplementary heating systems (especially solar-based) favorably. The other attributes studied also play a significant role in decision making. - Highlights: •Study of hybrid heating where supplementary and main heating systems are combined. •Choice experiment is applied to study the determinants of hybrid heating adoption. •Hybrid heating appears to be generally accepted among households. •Households exhibit differing attitudes toward hybrid heating. •Policy makers should not underestimate the potential of hybrid heating.

  12. Genome scan for nonadditive heterotic trait loci reveals mainly underdominant effects in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laiba, Efrat; Glikaite, Ilana; Levy, Yael; Pasternak, Zohar; Fridman, Eyal

    2016-04-01

    The overdominant model of heterosis explains the superior phenotype of hybrids by synergistic allelic interaction within heterozygous loci. To map such genetic variation in yeast, we used a population doubling time dataset of Saccharomyces cerevisiae 16 × 16 diallel and searched for major contributing heterotic trait loci (HTL). Heterosis was observed for the majority of hybrids, as they surpassed their best parent growth rate. However, most of the local heterozygous loci identified by genome scan were surprisingly underdominant, i.e., reduced growth. We speculated that in these loci adverse effects on growth resulted from incompatible allelic interactions. To test this assumption, we eliminated these allelic interactions by creating hybrids with local hemizygosity for the underdominant HTLs, as well as for control random loci. Growth of hybrids was indeed elevated for most hemizygous to HTL genes but not for control genes, hence validating the results of our genome scan. Assessing the consequences of local heterozygosity by reciprocal hemizygosity and allele replacement assays revealed the influence of genetic background on the underdominant effects of HTLs. Overall, this genome-wide study on a multi-parental hybrid population provides a strong argument against single gene overdominance as a major contributor to heterosis, and favors the dominance complementation model.

  13. Comments On Clock Models In Hybrid Automata And Hybrid Control Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Virginia Ecaterina OLTEAN

    2001-12-01

    Full Text Available Hybrid systems have received a lot of attention in the past decade and a number of different models have been proposed in order to establish mathematical framework that is able to handle both continuous and discrete aspects. This contribution is focused on two models: hybrid automata and hybrid control systems with continuous-discrete interface and the importance of clock models is emphasized. Simple and relevant examples, some taken from the literature, accompany the presentation.

  14. Unicystic ameloblastoma with diverse mural proliferation - a hybrid lesion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahadesh, Jyothi; Rayapati, Dilip Kumar; Maligi, Prathima M; Ramachandra, Prashanth

    2011-01-01

    A 46-year-old man was referred to our hospital for treatment, complaining of swelling on the right mandibular molar region. Radiographic examination revealed a well defined multilocular radiolucent lesion with root resorption of right lower anteriors and molars. Following biopsy, a diagnosis of unicystic ameloblastoma of mural type was made and hemimandibulectomy was performed under general anesthesia. Histopathological examination of the surgical specimen exhibited a unicystic ameloblastoma of luminal, intraluminal, and mural type. Intraluminal proliferation was of plexiform pattern and mural proliferation showed unusual histopathological findings, which revealed follicular, acanthomatous areas coexisted with desmoplastic areas. This mural picture was similar to the so-called 'hybrid lesion of ameloblastoma', whose biological profile is not elicited due to the lack of adequate published reports. Two years follow up till date has not revealed any signs of recurrence.

  15. Unicystic ameloblastoma with diverse mural proliferation - a hybrid lesion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mahadesh, Jyothi [Sri Siddhartha Dental College and Hospital, (India); Rayapati, Dilip Kumar; Maligi, Prathima M; Ramachandra, Prashanth [Dayananda Sagar College of Dental Sciences, Bengaluru (India)

    2011-03-15

    A 46-year-old man was referred to our hospital for treatment, complaining of swelling on the right mandibular molar region. Radiographic examination revealed a well defined multilocular radiolucent lesion with root resorption of right lower anteriors and molars. Following biopsy, a diagnosis of unicystic ameloblastoma of mural type was made and hemimandibulectomy was performed under general anesthesia. Histopathological examination of the surgical specimen exhibited a unicystic ameloblastoma of luminal, intraluminal, and mural type. Intraluminal proliferation was of plexiform pattern and mural proliferation showed unusual histopathological findings, which revealed follicular, acanthomatous areas coexisted with desmoplastic areas. This mural picture was similar to the so-called 'hybrid lesion of ameloblastoma', whose biological profile is not elicited due to the lack of adequate published reports. Two years follow up till date has not revealed any signs of recurrence.

  16. Evaluation of reproductive barriers contributes to the development of novel interspecific hybrids in the Kalanchoë genus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kuligowska, Katarzyna; Lütken, Henrik Vlk; Christensen, Brian

    2015-01-01

    BackgroundInterspecific hybridization is a useful tool in ornamental breeding to increase genetic variability and introduce new valuable traits into existing cultivars. The successful formation of interspecific hybrids is frequently limited by the presence of pre- and post-fertilization barriers....... In the present study, we investigated the nature of hybridization barriers occurring in crosses between Kalancho? species and evaluated possibilities of obtaining interspecific hybrids.ResultsThe qualitative and quantitative analyses of pollen tube growth in situ were performed following intra- and interspecific...... pollinations. They revealed occurrence of pre-fertilization barriers associated with inhibition of pollen germination on the stigma and abnormal growth of pollen tubes. Unilateral incongruity related to differences in pistil length was also observed. The pollen quality was identified as a strong factor...

  17. Phylogeographic analyses of the pampas cat (Leopardus colocola; Carnivora, Felidae) reveal a complex demographic history

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Silva Santos, Anelisie; Trigo, Tatiane Campos; de Oliveira, Tadeu Gomes; Silveira, Leandro

    2018-01-01

    Abstract The pampas cat is a small felid that occurs in open habitats throughout much of South America. Previous studies have revealed intriguing patterns of morphological differentiation and genetic structure among its populations, as well as molecular evidence for hybridization with the closely related L. tigrinus. Here we report phylogeographic analyses encompassing most of its distribution (focusing particularly on Brazilian specimens, which had been poorly sampled in previous studies), using a novel dataset comprising 2,143 bp of the mitogenome, along with previously reported mtDNA sequences. Our data revealed strong population strutucture and supported a west-to-east colonization process in this species’ history. We detected two population expansion events, one older (ca. 200 thousand years ago [kya]) in western South America and another more recent (ca. 60-50 kya) in eastern areas, coinciding with the expansion of savanna environments in Brazil. Analyses including L. tigrinus individuals bearing introgressed mtDNA from L. colocola showed a complete lack of shared haplotypes between species, indicating that their hybridization was ancient. Finally, we observed a close relationship between Brazilian/Uruguayan L. colocola haplotypes and those sampled in L. tigrinus, indicating that their hybridization was likely related to the demographic expansion of L. colocola into eastern South America. PMID:29668017

  18. Hybrid Bloch brane

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bazeia, D.; Lima, Elisama E.M.; Losano, L. [Universidade Federal da Paraiba, Departamento de Fisica, Joao Pessoa, PB (Brazil)

    2017-02-15

    This work reports on models described by two real scalar fields coupled with gravity in the five-dimensional spacetime, with a warped geometry involving one infinite extra dimension. Through a mechanism that smoothly changes a thick brane into a hybrid brane, one investigates the appearance of hybrid branes hosting internal structure, characterized by the splitting on the energy density and the volcano potential, induced by the parameter which controls interactions between the two scalar fields. In particular, we investigate distinct symmetric and asymmetric hybrid brane scenarios. (orig.)

  19. First principles study of vibrational dynamics of ceria-titania hybrid clusters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Majid, Abdul, E-mail: abdulmajid40@yahoo.com; Bibi, Maryam [University of Gujrat, Department of Physics (Pakistan)

    2017-04-15

    Density functional theory based calculations were performed to study vibrational properties of ceria, titania, and ceria-titania hybrid clusters. The findings revealed the dominance of vibrations related to oxygen when compared to those of metallic atoms in the clusters. In case of hybrid cluster, the softening of normal modes related to exterior oxygen atoms in ceria and softening/hardening of high/low frequency modes related to titania dimmers are observed. The results calculated for monomers conform to symmetry predictions according to which three IR and three Raman active modes were detected for TiO{sub 2}, whereas two IR active and one Raman active modes were observed for CeO{sub 2}. The comparative analysis indicates that the hybrid cluster CeTiO{sub 4} contains simultaneous vibrational fingerprints of the component dimmers. The symmetry, nature of vibrations, IR and Raman activity, intensities, and atomic involvement in different modes of the clusters are described in detail. The study points to engineering of CeTiO{sub 4} to tailor its properties for technological visible region applications in photocatalytic and electrochemical devices.

  20. Gonad morphogenesis defects drive hybrid male sterility in asymmetric hybrid breakdown of Caenorhabditis nematodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dey, Alivia; Jin, Qi; Chen, Yen-Chu; Cutter, Asher D

    2014-01-01

    Determining the causes and evolution of reproductive barriers to gene flow between populations, speciation, is the key to understanding the origin of diversity in nature. Many species manifest hybrid breakdown when they intercross, characterized by increasingly exacerbated problems in later generations of hybrids. Recently, Caenorhabditis nematodes have emerged as a genetic model for studying speciation, and here we investigate the nature and causes of hybrid breakdown between Caenorhabditis remanei and C. latens. We quantify partial F1 hybrid inviability and extensive F2 hybrid inviability; the ~75% F2 embryonic arrest occurs primarily during gastrulation or embryonic elongation. Moreover, F1 hybrid males exhibit Haldane's rule asymmetrically for both sterility and inviability, being strongest when C. remanei serves as maternal parent. We show that the mechanism by which sterile hybrid males are incapable of transferring sperm or a copulatory plug involves defective gonad morphogenesis, which we hypothesize results from linker cell defects in migration and/or cell death during development. This first documented case of partial hybrid male sterility in Caenorhabditis follows expectations of Darwin's corollary to Haldane's rule for asymmetric male fitness, providing a powerful foundation for molecular dissection of intrinsic reproductive barriers and divergence of genetic pathways controlling organ morphogenesis. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Recovery act. Development of design and simulation tool for hybrid geothermal heat pump system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Shaojie [ClimateMaster, Inc., Oklahoma City, OK (United States); Ellis, Dan [ClimateMaster, Inc., Oklahoma City, OK (United States)

    2014-05-29

    The ground source heat pump (GSHP) system is one of the most energy efficient HVAC technologies in the current market. However, the heat imbalance may degrade the ability of the ground loop heat exchanger (GLHX) to absorb or reject heat. The hybrid GSHP system, which combines a geothermal well field with a supplemental boiler or cooling tower, can balance the loads imposed on the ground loop heat exchangers to minimize its size while retaining superior energy efficiency. This paper presents a recent simulation-based study with an intention to compare multiple common control strategies used in hybrid GSHP systems, including fixed setpoint, outside air reset, load reset, and wetbulb reset. A small office in Oklahoma City conditioned by a hybrid GSHP system was simulated with the latest version of eQUEST 3.7[1]. The simulation results reveal that the hybrid GSHP system has the excellent capability to meet the cooling and heating setpoints during the occupied hours, balance thermal loads on the ground loop, as well as improve the thermal comfort of the occupants with the undersized well field.

  2. Electrocatalytic behaviour of hybrid cobalt–manganese hexacyanoferrate film on glassy carbon electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vinu Mohan, A.M.; Rambabu, Gutru; Aswini, K.K.; Biju, V.M.

    2014-01-01

    A thin film of hybrid cobalt–manganese hexacyanoferrate (CoMnHCF), a redox mediator was electrodeposited on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode and was employed as an amperometric sensor towards L-Tryptophan (L-Trp). The hybrid film was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), scanning electron microscope–energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDAX), and electrochemical techniques. The atomic absorption spectroscopic analysis provided the stoichiometry of the hybrid film to be K 1.74-y Co y Mn 0.78 [Fe(CN) 6 ], y ≤ 0.68. The electrochemical impedance study revealed the excellent charge transfer properties of GC/CoMnHCF electrode. The voltammetric investigations demonstrated exceptional electrocatalytic properties of the hybrid film modified electrode when compared to that of bare GC, GC/CoHCF and GC/MnHCF electrodes, towards the L-Trp oxidation. The kinetic parameters such as electron transfer coefficient, the electron transfer rate constant, the diffusion coefficient and the catalytic rate constant for the electrooxidation process of L-Trp were investigated. The amperometric detection of L-Trp employing GC/CoMnHCF electrode possessed a good sensitivity of 10 × 10 −2 A M −1 cm −2 in a wide range of detection (2–200 μM) at a reduced overpotential of 680 mV. In addition, the proposed amperometric method was applied to the detection of L-Trp in commercial milk samples with reproducible results. - Highlights: • A hybrid cobalt–manganese hexacyanoferrate film was prepared. • The hybrid film possesses excellent charge transfer properties. • The hybrid film exhibits excellent electrocatalytic properties towards Tryptophan. • Tryptophan detection is possible from commercial milk samples

  3. Policaprolactone/polyvinylpyrrolidone/siloxane hybrid materials: Synthesis and in vitro delivery of diclofenac and biocompatibility with periodontal ligament fibroblasts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peña, José A. [Departamento de Química, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá D.C. (Colombia); Gutiérrez, Sandra J., E-mail: s.gutierrez@javeriana.edu.co [Centro de investigaciones Odontológicas, Facultad de Odontología, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá (Colombia); Villamil, Jean C. [Centro de investigaciones Odontológicas, Facultad de Odontología, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá (Colombia); Agudelo, Natalia A. [Instituto de Química, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin (Colombia); Pérez, León D., E-mail: ldperezp@unal.edu.co [Grupo de Macromoléculas, Departamento de Química, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45 No 26–85, edificio 451 of. 449, Bogotá D.C. Colombia (Colombia)

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, we report the synthesis of polycaprolactone (PCL) based hybrid materials containing hydrophilic domains composed of N-vinylpyrrolidone (VP), and γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS). The hybrid materials were obtained by RAFT copolymerization of N-vinylpyrrolidone and MPS using a pre-formed dixanthate-end-functionalized PCL as macro-chain transfer agent, followed by a post-reaction crosslinking step. The composition of the samples was determined by elemental and thermogravimetric analyses. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction indicated that the crystallinity of PCL decreases in the presence of the hydrophilic domains. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the samples present an interconnected porous structure on the swelling. Compared to PCL, the hybrid materials presented low water contact angle values and higher elastic modulus. These materials showed controlled release of diclofenac, and biocompatibility with human periodontal ligament fibroblasts. - Highlights: • Synthesis of Policaprolactone/polyvinylpyrrolidone/siloxane hybrid materials • Moderated hydrophilic materials with high swelling resistance • Organic–inorganic hybrid materials were biocompatible.

  4. A hybrid system using a regenerative electrochemical cycle to harvest waste heat from the proton exchange membrane fuel cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Long, Rui; Li, Baode; Liu, Zhichun; Liu, Wei

    2015-01-01

    A new hybrid system consisting of a PEMFC (proton exchange membrane fuel cell) subsystem and a TREC (thermally regenerative electrochemical cycle) subsystem is proposed to convert the waste heat produced by the PEMFC system into electricity. The performance of the hybrid system and its corresponding subsystems is analyzed. Results reveal that there exists optimal current densities of the PEMFC and TREC systems leading to the maximum power output of the hybrid system. With the maximum power output as the objective function, an optimization of the hybrid system based on genetic algorithm method is conducted under different operating temperatures of the PEMFC subsystem. The power output of the hybrid system is 6.85%–20.59% larger than that of the PEMFC subsystem. And the total electrical efficiency is improved by 2.74%–8.27%. The corresponding electrical efficiency of the TREC is 4.56%–13.81%. The hybrid system proposed in this paper could contribute to utilizing the fuel energy more efficiently and sufficiently. - Highlights: • A hybrid power system consisting of a PEMFC and a TREC subsystems is proposed. • Parameters' impacts on performance of the hybrid system have been analyzed. • The maximum power output of the hybrid system is investigated based on genetic algorithm. • Total power output of the hybrid system is 7.63%–18.84% larger than that of the PEMFC subsystem.

  5. Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH-Based Karyotyping Reveals Rapid Evolution of Centromeric and Subtelomeric Repeats in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris and Relatives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aiko Iwata-Otsubo

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH-based karyotyping is a powerful cytogenetics tool to study chromosome organization, behavior, and chromosome evolution. Here, we developed a FISH-based karyotyping system using a probe mixture comprised of centromeric and subtelomeric satellite repeats, 5S rDNA, and chromosome-specific BAC clones in common bean, which enables one to unambiguously distinguish all 11 chromosome pairs. Furthermore, we applied the karyotyping system to several wild relatives and landraces of common bean from two distinct gene pools, as well as other related Phaseolus species, to investigate repeat evolution in the genus Phaseolus. Comparison of karyotype maps within common bean indicates that chromosomal distribution of the centromeric and subtelomeric satellite repeats is stable, whereas the copy number of the repeats was variable, indicating rapid amplification/reduction of the repeats in specific genomic regions. In Phaseolus species that diverged approximately 2–4 million yr ago, copy numbers of centromeric repeats were largely reduced or diverged, and chromosomal distributions have changed, suggesting rapid evolution of centromeric repeats. We also detected variation in the distribution pattern of subtelomeric repeats in Phaseolus species. The FISH-based karyotyping system revealed that satellite repeats are actively and rapidly evolving, forming genomic features unique to individual common bean accessions and Phaseolus species.

  6. Male sex interspecies divergence and down regulation of expression of spermatogenesis genes in Drosophila sterile hybrids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sundararajan, Vignesh; Civetta, Alberto

    2011-01-01

    Male sex genes have shown a pattern of rapid interspecies divergence at both the coding and gene expression level. A common outcome from crosses between closely-related species is hybrid male sterility. Phenotypic and genetic studies in Drosophila sterile hybrid males have shown that spermatogenesis arrest is postmeiotic with few exceptions, and that most misregulated genes are involved in late stages of spermatogenesis. Comparative studies of gene regulation in sterile hybrids and parental species have mainly used microarrays providing a whole genome representation of regulatory problems in sterile hybrids. Real-time PCR studies can reject or reveal differences not observed in microarray assays. Moreover, differences in gene expression between samples can be dependant on the source of RNA (e.g., whole body vs. tissue). Here we survey expression in D. simulans, D. mauritiana and both intra and interspecies hybrids using a real-time PCR approach for eight genes expressed at the four main stages of sperm development. We find that all genes show a trend toward under expression in the testes of sterile hybrids relative to parental species with only the two proliferation genes (bam and bgcn) and the two meiotic class genes (can and sa) showing significant down regulation. The observed pattern of down regulation for the genes tested can not fully explain hybrid male sterility. We discuss the down regulation of spermatogenesis genes in hybrids between closely-related species within the contest of rapid divergence experienced by the male genome, hybrid sterility and possible allometric changes due to subtle testes-specific developmental abnormalities.

  7. A Hybrid and Flipped Version of an Introductory Mathematics Course for Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salinas Martínez, N. Patricia; Quintero Rodríguez, Eliud

    2018-01-01

    This in practice paper describes the experience of seven lecturers in a hybrid and flipped version of an introductory mathematics course for higher education. In a Mexican university, lecturers adapted to this innovation supported by an adjusted Massive Open Online Course. The experience revealed the relevance of leaving conventional assessment…

  8. Regional assignment of seven genes on chromosome 1 of man by use of man-Chinese hamster somatic cell hybrids. I. Results obtained after hybridization of human cells carrying reciprocal translocations involving chromosome 1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jongsma, A P; Burgerhout, W G

    1977-01-01

    Regional localization studies of genes coding for human PGD, PPH1, PGM1, UGPP, GuK1, Pep-C, and FH, which have been assigned to chromosome 1, were performed with man-Chinese hamster somatic cell hybrids, Informative hybrids that retained fragments of the human chromosome 1 were produced by fusion of hamster cells with human cells carrying reciprocal translocations involving chromosome 1. Analysis of the hybrids that retained one of the translocation chromosomes or de novo rearrangements involving the human 1 revealed the following gene positions: PGD and PPH1 in 1pter leads to 1p32, PGM1 in 1p32 leads to 1p22, UGPP and GuK1 in 1q21 leads to 1q42, FH in 1qter leads to 1q42, and Pep-C probably in 1q42.

  9. New hybrid systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bernardin, B.

    2001-01-01

    New hybrid systems are made up of a subcritical core, a spallation target and a proton accelerator. The neutrons that are produced in the target by the flux of protons are necessary to maintain the chain reaction of fission. Some parameters that are important for a classical nuclear reactor like doppler coefficient or delayed neutron fraction do not matter in a hybrid system. In a PWR-type reactor or in a fast reactor the concentration of actinides has a bad impact on these 2 parameters, so it is justified to study hybrid systems as actinide transmuters. The hybrid system, because of its external source of neutrons can put aside an important reactivity margin. This reactivity margin can be used to design safer nuclear reactors (particularly in some situations of reactivity accidents) or to irradiate fuel elements containing high concentrations of minor actinides that could not be allowed in a classical reactor. This article reviews various ways of integrating hybrid systems in a population of already existing nuclear reactors in order to manage quantities of plutonium, of minor actinides or of long-life fission products. (A.C.)

  10. Epitaxial growth of hybrid nanostructures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Chaoliang; Chen, Junze; Wu, Xue-Jun; Zhang, Hua

    2018-02-01

    Hybrid nanostructures are a class of materials that are typically composed of two or more different components, in which each component has at least one dimension on the nanoscale. The rational design and controlled synthesis of hybrid nanostructures are of great importance in enabling the fine tuning of their properties and functions. Epitaxial growth is a promising approach to the controlled synthesis of hybrid nanostructures with desired structures, crystal phases, exposed facets and/or interfaces. This Review provides a critical summary of the state of the art in the field of epitaxial growth of hybrid nanostructures. We discuss the historical development, architectures and compositions, epitaxy methods, characterization techniques and advantages of epitaxial hybrid nanostructures. Finally, we provide insight into future research directions in this area, which include the epitaxial growth of hybrid nanostructures from a wider range of materials, the study of the underlying mechanism and determining the role of epitaxial growth in influencing the properties and application performance of hybrid nanostructures.

  11. A Novel of Hybrid Maintenance Management Models for Industrial Applications

    OpenAIRE

    Tahir, Zulkifli

    2010-01-01

    It is observed through empirical studies that the effectiveness of industrial process have been increased by a well organized of machines maintenance structure. In current research, a novel of maintenance concept has been designed by hybrid several maintenance management models with Decision Making Grid (DMG), Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Fuzzy Logic. The concept is designed for maintenance personnel to evaluate and benchmark the maintenance operations and to reveal important maintena...

  12. Alterations in the extracellular matrix organization associated with the reexpression of tumorigenicity in human cell hybrids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Der, C J; Stanbridge, E J

    1980-10-15

    The expression of fibronectin on the cell surface was evaluated on a series of intraspecific human cell hybrids formed between HeLa and normal fibroblast strains. Although these hybrids continued to express many of the in vitro transformation properties of their corresponding tumorigenic HeLa parent, they were now unable to form tumors when inoculated into athymic nude mice. From these suppressed hybrid populations, rare tumorigenic segregant subpopulations arose which had regained their tumorigenic capacity. A comparison of the expression of fibronectin on the cell surface was made between these tumorigenic segregant cell lines and their corresponding non-tumorigenic HeLa/fibroblast hybrid. Following specific immunofluorescent staining for fibronectin, a striking alteration in the cell surface organization was observed to correspond with the reexpression of tumorigenicity in these hybrids. Tumorigenic HeLa/fibroblast hybrids were also significantly altered in both their cellular and colonial morphology. Double immunofluorescent staining to simultaneously visualize both surface fibronectin and collagen revealed that these two extracellular matrix proteins displayed an extensive degree of codistribution and expressed a coordinate shift in organization which correlated with the appearance of tumorigenic segregant hybrid populations. These observations are in agreement with the apparently close structural association between fibronectin and collagen and suggest that the organization of these two components in the extracellular matrix may be an important determinant for in vivo growth potential.

  13. Hybrid laser-arc welding

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hybrid laser-arc welding (HLAW) is a combination of laser welding with arc welding that overcomes many of the shortfalls of both processes. This important book gives a comprehensive account of hybrid laser-arc welding technology and applications. The first part of the book reviews...... the characteristics of the process, including the properties of joints produced by hybrid laser-arc welding and ways of assessing weld quality. Part II discusses applications of the process to such metals as magnesium alloys, aluminium and steel as well as the use of hybrid laser-arc welding in such sectors as ship...... building and the automotive industry. With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Hybrid laser-arc welding, will be a valuable source of reference for all those using this important welding technology. Professor Flemming Ove Olsen works in the Department of Manufacturing...

  14. The use of yellow fluorescent hybrids to indicate mating in Trypanosoma brucei

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferris Vanessa

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Trypanosoma brucei undergoes genetic exchange in its insect vector, the tsetse fly, by an unknown mechanism. The difficulties of working with this experimental system of genetic exchange have hampered investigation, particularly because the trypanosome life cycle stages involved cannot be cultured in vitro and therefore must be examined in the insect. Searching for small numbers of hybrid trypanosomes directly in the fly has become possible through the incorporation of fluorescent reporter genes, and we have previously carried out a successful cross using a reporter-repressor strategy. However, we could not be certain that all fluorescent trypanosomes observed in that cross were hybrids, due to mutations of the repressor leading to spontaneous fluorescence, and we have therefore developed an alternative strategy. Results To visualize the production of hybrids in the fly, parental trypanosome clones were transfected with a gene encoding Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP or Red Fluorescent Protein (RFP. Co-infection of flies with red and green fluorescent parental trypanosomes produced yellow fluorescent hybrids, which were easily visualized in the fly salivary glands. Yellow trypanosomes were not seen in midgut or proventricular samples and first appeared in the glands as epimastigotes as early as 13 days after fly infection. Cloned progeny originating from individual salivary glands had yellow, red, green or no fluorescence and were confirmed as hybrids by microsatellite, molecular karyotype and kinetoplast (mitochondrial DNA analyses. Hybrid clones showed biparental inheritance of both nuclear and kinetoplast genomes. While segregation and reassortment of the reporter genes and microsatellite alleles were consistent with Mendelian inheritance, flow cytometry measurement of DNA content revealed both diploid and polyploid trypanosomes among the hybrid progeny clones. Conclusion The strategy of using production of yellow hybrids

  15. Hybrid intelligent monironing systems for thermal power plant trips

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barsoum, Nader; Ismail, Firas Basim

    2012-11-01

    Steam boiler is one of the main equipment in thermal power plants. If the steam boiler trips it may lead to entire shutdown of the plant, which is economically burdensome. Early boiler trips monitoring is crucial to maintain normal and safe operational conditions. In the present work two artificial intelligent monitoring systems specialized in boiler trips have been proposed and coded within the MATLAB environment. The training and validation of the two systems has been performed using real operational data captured from the plant control system of selected power plant. An integrated plant data preparation framework for seven boiler trips with related operational variables has been proposed for IMSs data analysis. The first IMS represents the use of pure Artificial Neural Network system for boiler trip detection. All seven boiler trips under consideration have been detected by IMSs before or at the same time of the plant control system. The second IMS represents the use of Genetic Algorithms and Artificial Neural Networks as a hybrid intelligent system. A slightly lower root mean square error was observed in the second system which reveals that the hybrid intelligent system performed better than the pure neural network system. Also, the optimal selection of the most influencing variables performed successfully by the hybrid intelligent system.

  16. Ultra-thin silicon/electro-optic polymer hybrid waveguide modulators

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qiu, Feng; Spring, Andrew M. [Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Sato, Hiromu [Department of Molecular and Material Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Maeda, Daisuke; Ozawa, Masa-aki; Odoi, Keisuke [Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd., 2-10-1 Tuboi Nishi, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8507 (Japan); Aoki, Isao; Otomo, Akira [National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, 588-2 Iwaoka, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2492 (Japan); Yokoyama, Shiyoshi, E-mail: s-yokoyama@cm.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Department of Molecular and Material Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan)

    2015-09-21

    Ultra-thin silicon and electro-optic (EO) polymer hybrid waveguide modulators have been designed and fabricated. The waveguide consists of a silicon core with a thickness of 30 nm and a width of 2 μm. The cladding is an EO polymer. Optical mode calculation reveals that 55% of the optical field around the silicon extends into the EO polymer in the TE mode. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) modulator was prepared using common coplanar electrodes. The measured half-wave voltage of the MZI with 7 μm spacing and 1.3 cm long electrodes is 4.6 V at 1550 nm. The evaluated EO coefficient is 70 pm/V, which is comparable to that of the bulk EO polymer film. Using ultra-thin silicon is beneficial in order to reduce the side-wall scattering loss, yielding a propagation loss of 4.0 dB/cm. We also investigated a mode converter which couples light from the hybrid EO waveguide into a strip silicon waveguide. The calculation indicates that the coupling loss between these two devices is small enough to exploit the potential fusion of a hybrid EO polymer modulator together with a silicon micro-photonics device.

  17. Detection of mutations related to drug resistance in M. tuberculosis by dot blot hybridization and spoligotyping using specific radiolabelled probes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Maghraby, T.K.; Abdelazeim, O.

    2002-01-01

    The present work has been conducted to determine the mutations related to drug resistance in M. tuberculosis in 63 Egyptian isolates using dot blot hybridization and spoligotyping. The PCR was done for amplification rpoB and katG genes in isolates. Dot blot hybridization were done to PCR products by using specific radiolabelled probes. Moreover, spoligotyping was done to know about the different strains found in Egypt. The results revealed that 58% from isolates had drug resistance to one or more of antituberculosis drugs. The results of spoligotyping have revealed that some Egyptian isolates are identical with the international code while the rest has not been identified yet. DNA sequencing was done to identify the mutation that not clear in dot blot hybridization. Early diagnosis of geno typing resistance to antituberculosis drugs is important as well as allow appropriate early patients management with few days of TB diagnosis. Using such strategy for early diagnosis of TB drug resistance allow and fast and potent patient's management

  18. The novel BTB/POZ and zinc finger factor Zbtb45 is essential for proper glial differentiation of neural and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Södersten, Erik; Lilja, Tobias; Hermanson, Ola

    2010-01-01

    Understanding the regulatory mechanisms controlling the fate decisions of neural stem cells (NSCs) is a crucial issue to shed new light on mammalian central nervous system (CNS) development in health and disease. We have investigated a possible role for the previously uncharacterized BTB/POZ-doma......Understanding the regulatory mechanisms controlling the fate decisions of neural stem cells (NSCs) is a crucial issue to shed new light on mammalian central nervous system (CNS) development in health and disease. We have investigated a possible role for the previously uncharacterized BTB....../POZ-domain containing zinc finger factor Zbtb45 in the differentiation of NSCs and postnatal oligodendrocyte precursors. In situ hybridization histochemistry and RT-qPCR analysis revealed that Zbtb45 mRNA was ubiquitously expressed in the developing CNS in mouse embryos at embryonic day (E) 12.5 and 14.5. Zbtb45 m......RNA knockdown in embryonic forebrain NSCs by siRNA resulted in a rapid decrease in the expression of oligodendrocyte-characteristic genes after mitogen (FGF2) withdrawal, whereas the expression of astrocyte-associated genes such as CD44 and GFAP increased compared to control. Accordingly, the number...

  19. Hybrid quantum information processing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Furusawa, Akira [Department of Applied Physics, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo (Japan)

    2014-12-04

    I will briefly explain the definition and advantage of hybrid quantum information processing, which is hybridization of qubit and continuous-variable technologies. The final goal would be realization of universal gate sets both for qubit and continuous-variable quantum information processing with the hybrid technologies. For that purpose, qubit teleportation with a continuousvariable teleporter is one of the most important ingredients.

  20. HYBRID VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Dvadnenko

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The hybrid vehicle control system includes a start–stop system for an internal combustion engine. The system works in a hybrid mode and normal vehicle operation. To simplify the start–stop system, there were user new possibilities of a hybrid car, which appeared after the conversion. Results of the circuit design of the proposed system of basic blocks are analyzed.

  1. Strongly coupled inorganic/nanocarbon hybrid materials for advanced electrocatalysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Yongye; Li, Yanguang; Wang, Hailiang; Dai, Hongjie

    2013-02-13

    Electrochemical systems, such as fuel cell and water splitting devices, represent some of the most efficient and environmentally friendly technologies for energy conversion and storage. Electrocatalysts play key roles in the chemical processes but often limit the performance of the entire systems due to insufficient activity, lifetime, or high cost. It has been a long-standing challenge to develop efficient and durable electrocatalysts at low cost. In this Perspective, we present our recent efforts in developing strongly coupled inorganic/nanocarbon hybrid materials to improve the electrocatalytic activities and stability of inorganic metal oxides, hydroxides, sulfides, and metal-nitrogen complexes. The hybrid materials are synthesized by direct nucleation, growth, and anchoring of inorganic nanomaterials on the functional groups of oxidized nanocarbon substrates including graphene and carbon nanotubes. This approach affords strong chemical attachment and electrical coupling between the electrocatalytic nanoparticles and nanocarbon, leading to nonprecious metal-based electrocatalysts with improved activity and durability for the oxygen reduction reaction for fuel cells and chlor-alkali catalysis, oxygen evolution reaction, and hydrogen evolution reaction. X-ray absorption near-edge structure and scanning transmission electron microscopy are employed to characterize the hybrids materials and reveal the coupling effects between inorganic nanomaterials and nanocarbon substrates. Z-contrast imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy at single atom level are performed to investigate the nature of catalytic sites on ultrathin graphene sheets. Nanocarbon-based hybrid materials may present new opportunities for the development of electrocatalysts meeting the requirements of activity, durability, and cost for large-scale electrochemical applications.

  2. Techno-economic comparison of series hybrid, plug-in hybrid, fuel cell and regular cars

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Vliet, O.P.R.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/288519361; Kruithof, T.; Turkenburg, W.C.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/073416355; Faaij, A.P.C.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/10685903X

    2010-01-01

    We examine the competitiveness of series hybrid compared to fuel cell, parallel hybrid, and regular cars. We use public domain data to determine efficiency, fuel consumption, total costs of ownership and greenhouse gas emissions resulting from drivetrain choices. The series hybrid drivetrain can be

  3. Microarray-based whole-genome hybridization as a tool for determining procaryotic species relatedness

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, L.; Liu, X.; Fields, M.W.; Thompson, D.K.; Bagwell, C.E.; Tiedje, J. M.; Hazen, T.C.; Zhou, J.

    2008-01-15

    The definition and delineation of microbial species are of great importance and challenge due to the extent of evolution and diversity. Whole-genome DNA-DNA hybridization is the cornerstone for defining procaryotic species relatedness, but obtaining pairwise DNA-DNA reassociation values for a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of procaryotes is tedious and time consuming. A previously described microarray format containing whole-genomic DNA (the community genome array or CGA) was rigorously evaluated as a high-throughput alternative to the traditional DNA-DNA reassociation approach for delineating procaryotic species relationships. DNA similarities for multiple bacterial strains obtained with the CGA-based hybridization were comparable to those obtained with various traditional whole-genome hybridization methods (r=0.87, P<0.01). Significant linear relationships were also observed between the CGA-based genome similarities and those derived from small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequences (r=0.79, P<0.0001), gyrB sequences (r=0.95, P<0.0001) or REP- and BOX-PCR fingerprinting profiles (r=0.82, P<0.0001). The CGA hybridization-revealed species relationships in several representative genera, including Pseudomonas, Azoarcus and Shewanella, were largely congruent with previous classifications based on various conventional whole-genome DNA-DNA reassociation, SSU rRNA and/or gyrB analyses. These results suggest that CGA-based DNA-DNA hybridization could serve as a powerful, high-throughput format for determining species relatedness among microorganisms.

  4. Polymerizable Ionic Liquid Crystals Comprising Polyoxometalate Clusters toward Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Solid Electrolytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takeru Ito

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Solid electrolytes are crucial materials for lithium-ion or fuel-cell battery technology due to their structural stability and easiness for handling. Emergence of high conductivity in solid electrolytes requires precise control of the composition and structure. A promising strategy toward highly-conductive solid electrolytes is employing a thermally-stable inorganic component and a structurally-flexible organic moiety to construct inorganic-organic hybrid materials. Ionic liquids as the organic component will be advantageous for the emergence of high conductivity, and polyoxometalate, such as heteropolyacids, are well-known as inorganic proton conductors. Here, newly-designed ionic liquid imidazolium cations, having a polymerizable methacryl group (denoted as MAImC1, were successfully hybridized with heteropolyanions of [PW12O40]3− (PW12 to form inorganic-organic hybrid monomers of MAImC1-PW12. The synthetic procedure of MAImC1-PW12 was a simple ion-exchange reaction, being generally applicable to several polyoxometalates, in principle. MAImC1-PW12 was obtained as single crystals, and its molecular and crystal structures were clearly revealed. Additionally, the hybrid monomer of MAImC1-PW12 was polymerized by a radical polymerization using AIBN as an initiator. Some of the resulting inorganic-organic hybrid polymers exhibited conductivity of 10−4 S·cm−1 order under humidified conditions at 313 K.

  5. Hybrid optical-fibre/geopolymer sensors for structural health monitoring of concrete structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, M.; Saafi, M.; Fusiek, G.; Niewczas, P.

    2015-04-01

    In this work, we demonstrate hybrid optical-fibre/geopolymer sensors for monitoring temperature, uniaxial strain and biaxial strain in concrete structures. The hybrid sensors detect these measurands via changes in geopolymer electrical impedance, and via optical wavelength measurements of embedded fibre Bragg gratings. Electrical and optical measurements were both facilitated by metal-coated optical fibres, which provided the hybrid sensors with a single, shared physical path for both voltage and wavelength signals. The embedded fibre sensors revealed that geopolymer specimens undergo 2.7 mɛ of shrinkage after one week of curing at 42 °C. After curing, an axial 2 mɛ compression of the uniaxial hybrid sensor led to impedance and wavelength shifts of 7 × 10-2 and -2 × 10-4 respectively. The typical strain resolution in the uniaxial sensor was 100 μ \\varepsilon . The biaxial sensor was applied to the side of a concrete cylinder, which was then placed under 0.6 mɛ of axial, compressive strain. Fractional shifts in impedance and wavelength, used to monitor axial and circumferential strain, were 3 × 10-2 and 4 × 10-5 respectively. The biaxial sensor’s strain resolution was approximately 10 μ \\varepsilon in both directions. Due to several design flaws, the uniaxial hybrid sensor was unable to accurately measure ambient temperature changes. The biaxial sensor, however, successfully monitored local temperature changes with 0.5 °C resolution.

  6. The Hybrid Advantage: Graduate Student Perspectives of Hybrid Education Courses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Sarah; Villareal, Donna

    2015-01-01

    Hybrid courses combine online and face-to-face learning environments. To organize and teach hybrid courses, instructors must understand the uses of multiple online learning tools and face-toface classroom activities to promote and monitor the progress of students. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the perspectives of…

  7. Hybrid dwarfness in crosses between wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rye (Secale cereale L.): a new look at an old phenomenon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tikhenko, N; Rutten, T; Tsvetkova, N; Voylokov, A; Börner, A

    2015-03-01

    The existence of hybrid dwarfs from intraspecific crosses in wheat (Triticum aestivum) was described 100 years ago, and the genetics underlying hybrid dwarfness are well understood. In this study, we report a dwarf phenotype in interspecific hybrids between wheat and rye (Secale cereale). We identified two rye lines that produce hybrid dwarfs with wheat and have none of the hitherto known hybrid dwarfing genes. Genetic analyses revealed that both rye lines carry a single allelic gene responsible for the dwarf phenotype. This gene was designated Hdw-R1 (Hybrid dwarf-R1). Application of gibberellic acid (GA3 ) to both intraspecific (wheat-wheat) and interspecific (wheat-rye) hybrids showed that hybrid dwarfness cannot be overcome by treatment with this phytohormone. Histological analysis of shoot apices showed that wheat-rye hybrids with the dwarf phenotype at 21 and 45 days after germination failed to develop further. Shoot apices of dwarf plants did not elongate, did not form new primordia and had a dome-shaped appearance in the seed. The possible relationship between hybrid dwarfness and the genes responsible for the transition from vegetative to generative growth stage is discussed. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  8. Influence of miscibility phenomenon on crystalline polymorph transition in poly(vinylidene fluoride)/acrylic rubber/clay nanocomposite hybrid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abolhasani, Mohammad Mahdi; Naebe, Minoo; Jalali-Arani, Azam; Guo, Qipeng

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, intercalation of nanoclay in the miscible polymer blend of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and acrylic rubber(ACM) was studied. X-ray diffraction was used to investigate the formation of nanoscale polymer blend/clay hybrid. Infrared spectroscopy and X-ray analysis revealed the coexistence of β and γ crystalline forms in PVDF/Clay nanocomposite while α crystalline form was found to be dominant in PVDF/ACM/Clay miscible hybrids. Flory-Huggins interaction parameter (B) was used to further explain the miscibility phenomenon observed. The B parameter was determined by combining the melting point depression and the binary interaction model. The estimated B values for the ternary PVDF/ACM/Clay and PVDF/ACM pairs were all negative, showing both proper intercalation of the polymer melt into the nanoclay galleries and the good miscibility of PVDF and ACM blend. The B value for the PVDF/ACM blend was almost the same as that measured for the PVDF/ACM/Clay hybrid, suggesting that PVDF chains in nanocomposite hybrids interact with ACM chains and that nanoclay in hybrid systems is wrapped by ACM molecules.

  9. Immobilization of carbon nanotubes on functionalized graphene film grown by chemical vapor deposition and characterization of the hybrid material

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prashanta Dhoj Adhikari

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We report the surface functionalization of graphene films grown by chemical vapor deposition and fabrication of a hybrid material combining multi-walled carbon nanotubes and graphene (CNT–G. Amine-terminated self-assembled monolayers were prepared on graphene by the UV-modification of oxidized groups introduced onto the film surface. Amine-termination led to effective interaction with functionalized CNTs to assemble a CNT–G hybrid through covalent bonding. Characterization clearly showed no defects of the graphene film after the immobilization reaction with CNT. In addition, the hybrid graphene material revealed a distinctive CNT–G structure and p–n type electrical properties. The introduction of functional groups on the graphene film surface and fabrication of CNT–G hybrids with the present technique could provide an efficient, novel route to device fabrication.

  10. Revealing the properties of defects formed by CH3NH2 molecules in organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite MAPbBr3

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ji; Zhang, Ao; Yan, Jun; Li, Dan; Chen, Yunlin

    2017-03-01

    The properties of defects in organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite are widely studied from the first-principles calculation. However, the defects of methylamine (methylamine = CH3NH2), which would be easily formed during the preparation of the organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite, are rarely investigated. Thermodynamic properties as well as defect states of methylamine embedded MAPbX3 (MA = methyl-ammonium = CH3NH3, X = Br, I) are studied based on first-principles calculations of density functional theory. It was found that there is a shallow defect level near the highest occupied molecular orbital, which induced by the interstitial methylamine defect in MAPbBr3, will lead to an increase of photoluminescence. The calculation results showed that interstitial defect states of methylamine may move deeper due to the interaction between methylamine molecules and methyl-ammonium cations. It was also showed that the interstitial methylamine defect is stable at room temperature, and the defect can be removed easily by annealing.

  11. Expression of μ, κ, and δ opioid receptor messenger RNA in the human CNS: a 33P in situ hybridization study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peckys, D.; Landwehrmeyer, G.B.

    1999-01-01

    The existence of at least three opioid receptor types, referred to as μ, κ, and δ, is well established. Complementary DNAs corresponding to the pharmacologically defined μ, κ, and δ opioid receptors have been isolated in various species including man. The expression patterns of opioid receptor transcripts in human brain has not been established with a cellular resolution, in part because of the low apparent abundance of opioid receptor messenger RNAs in human brain. To visualize opioid receptor messenger RNAs we developed a sensitive in situ hybridization histochemistry method using 33 P-labelled RNA probes. In the present study we report the regional and cellular expression of μ, κ, and δ opioid receptor messenger RNAs in selected areas of the human brain. Hybridization of the different opioid receptor probes resulted in distinct labelling patterns. For the μ and κ opioid receptor probes, the most intense regional signals were observed in striatum, thalamus, hypothalamus, cerebral cortex, cerebellum and certain brainstem areas as well as the spinal cord. The most intense signals for the δ opioid receptor probe were found in cerebral cortex. Expression of opioid receptor transcripts was restricted to subpopulations of neurons within most regions studied demonstrating differences in the cellular expression patterns of μ, κ, and δ opioid receptor messenger RNAs in numerous brain regions. The messenger RNA distribution patterns for each opioid receptor corresponded in general to the distribution of opioid receptor binding sites as visualized by receptor autoradiography. However, some mismatches, for instance between μ opioid receptor receptor binding and μ opioid receptor messenger RNA expression in the anterior striatum, were observed. A comparison of the distribution patterns of opioid receptor messenger RNAs in the human brain and that reported for the rat suggests a homologous expression pattern in many regions. However, in the human brain, κ

  12. A general method for identifying major hybrid male sterility genes in Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, L W; Singh, R S

    1995-10-01

    The genes responsible for hybrid male sterility in species crosses are usually identified by introgressing chromosome segments, monitored by visible markers, between closely related species by continuous backcrosses. This commonly used method, however, suffers from two problems. First, it relies on the availability of markers to monitor the introgressed regions and so the portion of the genome examined is limited to the marked regions. Secondly, the introgressed regions are usually large and it is impossible to tell if the effects of the introgressed regions are the result of single (or few) major genes or many minor genes (polygenes). Here we introduce a simple and general method for identifying putative major hybrid male sterility genes which is free of these problems. In this method, the actual hybrid male sterility genes (rather than markers), or tightly linked gene complexes with large effects, are selectively introgressed from one species into the background of another species by repeated backcrosses. This is performed by selectively backcrossing heterozygous (for hybrid male sterility gene or genes) females producing fertile and sterile sons in roughly equal proportions to males of either parental species. As no marker gene is required for this procedure, this method can be used with any species pairs that produce unisexual sterility. With the application of this method, a small X chromosome region of Drosophila mauritiana which produces complete hybrid male sterility (aspermic testes) in the background of D. simulans was identified. Recombination analysis reveals that this region contains a second major hybrid male sterility gene linked to the forked locus located at either 62.7 +/- 0.66 map units or at the centromere region of the X chromosome of D. mauritiana.

  13. Optimal Design for Hybrid Ratio of Carbon/Basalt Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Resin Matrix Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    XU Hong

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The optimum hybrid ratio range of carbon/basalt hybrid fiber reinforced resin composites was studied. Hybrid fiber composites with nine different hybrid ratios were prepared before tensile test.According to the structural features of plain weave, the unit cell's performance parameters were calculated. Finite element model was established by using SHELL181 in ANSYS. The simulated values of the sample stiffness in the model were approximately similar to the experimental ones. The stress nephogram shows that there is a critical hybrid ratio which divides the failure mechanism of HFRP into single failure state and multiple failure state. The tensile modulus, strength and limit tensile strain of HFRP with 45% resin are simulated by finite element method. The result shows that the tensile modulus of HFRP with 60% hybrid ratio increases by 93.4% compared with basalt fiber composites (BFRP, and the limit tensile strain increases by 11.3% compared with carbon fiber composites(CFRP.

  14. Promoting Student Autonomy and Competence Using a Hybrid Model for Teaching Physical Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christine Bachman

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available For approximately twenty-years, Web-enhanced learning environments have been popular in higher education. Much research has examined how best practices can integrate technology, pedagogical theories, and resources to enhance learning. Numerous studies of hybrid teaching have revealed mostly positive effects. Yet, very little research has examined how to teach a successful physical activity course using a hybrid format. Review of the literature: We reviewed the research regarding the design and implementation of a Web-enhanced physical activity course in a college population using pedagogical principles of learning and the10 self-determination theory. Method: Data were collected from students at the beginning and end of the course. The hybrid course consisted of completing weekly online activities, and selecting and participating in a face-to-face physical activity based on student’s choice. Conclusion: The authors propose this template as a model to assist faculty in designing and implementing a blended physical activity course.

  15. Tyrosinase Inhibitor Activity of Coumarin-Resveratrol Hybrids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giovanna Delogu

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available In the present work we report on the contribution of the coumarin moiety to tyrosinase inhibition. Coumarin-resveratrol hybrids 1-8 have been resynthesized to investigate the structure-activity relationships and the IC50 values of these compounds were measured. The results showed that these compounds exhibited tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Compound 3-(3’,4’,5’-trihydroxyphenyl-6,8-dihydroxycoumarin (8is the most potentcompound (0.27 mM, more so than umbelliferone (0.42 mM, used as reference compound. The kinetic studies revealed that compound 8 caused non-competitive tyrosinase inhibition.

  16. Hybridization in geese

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ottenburghs, Jente; Hooft, van Pim; Wieren, van Sipke E.; Ydenberg, Ronald C.; Prins, Herbert H.T.

    2016-01-01

    The high incidence of hybridization in waterfowl (ducks, geese and swans) makes this bird group an excellent study system to answer questions related to the evolution and maintenance of species boundaries. However, knowledge on waterfowl hybridization is biased towards ducks, with a large

  17. Hybrid Shipboard Microgrids

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Othman @ Marzuki, Muzaidi Bin; Anvari-Moghaddam, Amjad; Guerrero, Josep M.

    2017-01-01

    Strict regulation on emissions of air pollutants imposed by the maritime authorities has led to the introduction of hybrid microgrids to the shipboard power systems (SPSs) which acts toward energy efficient ships with less pollution. A hybrid energy system can include different means of generation...

  18. Construction of radiation-reduced hybrids and their use in mapping of microclones from chromosome 10p11.2-q11.2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujita, Shoichi; Shin, Eisei; Nakamura, Tsutomu; Kurahashi, Hiroki; Mori, Takesada; Takai, Shin-ichiro; Nishisho, Isamu; Kaneda, Yasufumi; Tanaka, Kiyoji.

    1993-01-01

    Radiation-reduced hybrids for mapping of DNA markers in the pericentromeric region of chromosome 10 were developed. A Chinese hamster/human somatic cell hybrid (762-8A) carrying chromosomes 10 and Y as the only human material were exposed to 40,000 rads of irradiation and then rescued by fusion with non-irradiated recipient Chinese hamster cells (GM459). Southern hybridization analyses revealed that 10 of 128 HAT-resistant clones contained human chromosomal fragments corresponding to at least one marker locus between FNRB (10p11.2) and RBP3 (10q11.2). These hybrids were then used to map microdissection clones previously isolated and roughly mapped to this chromosomal region by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Two of the six microclones studies could be mapped to the proximity of the D10S102 locus. These radiation hybrids are useful for the construction of refined genetic maps of the pericentromeric region of chromosome 10. (author) 50 refs

  19. Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals carbohydrate and lipid metabolism blocks in Brassica napus L. male sterility induced by the chemical hybridization agent monosulfuron ester sodium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhanjie; Cheng, Yufeng; Cui, Jianmin; Zhang, Peipei; Zhao, Huixian; Hu, Shengwu

    2015-03-17

    Chemical hybridization agents (CHAs) are often used to induce male sterility for the production of hybrid seeds. We previously discovered that monosulfuron ester sodium (MES), an acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor of the herbicide sulfonylurea family, can induce rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) male sterility at approximately 1% concentration required for its herbicidal activity. To find some clues to the mechanism of MES inducing male sterility, the ultrastructural cytology observations, comparative transcriptome analysis, and physiological analysis on carbohydrate content were carried out in leaves and anthers at different developmental stages between the MES-treated and mock-treated rapeseed plants. Cytological analysis revealed that the plastid ultrastructure was abnormal in pollen mother cells and tapetal cells in male sterility anthers induced by MES treatment, with less material accumulation in it. However, starch granules were observed in chloroplastids of the epidermis cells in male sterility anthers. Comparative transcriptome analysis identified 1501 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) in leaves and anthers at different developmental stages, most of these DETs being localized in plastid and mitochondrion. Transcripts involved in metabolism, especially in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and cellular transport were differentially expressed. Pathway visualization showed that the tightly regulated gene network for metabolism was reprogrammed to respond to MES treatment. The results of cytological observation and transcriptome analysis in the MES-treated rapeseed plants were mirrored by carbohydrate content analysis. MES treatment led to decrease in soluble sugars content in leaves and early stage buds, but increase in soluble sugars content and decrease in starch content in middle stage buds. Our integrative results suggested that carbohydrate and lipid metabolism were influenced by CHA-MES treatment during rapeseed anther development, which might

  20. Role of direct covalent bonding in enhanced heat dissipation property of flexible graphene oxide–carbon nanotube hybrid film

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwang, Yongseon; Kim, Myeongjin; Kim, Jooheon

    2013-01-01

    The thermal conductivity of graphene oxide/multiwalled carbon nanotube (GO/MWCNT) hybrid films with and without covalent bonding is examined in this study. To fabricate chemically bonded GO/MWCNT hybrid films, chlorinated GO and amino-functionalized MWCNTs are bonded covalently. The mixtures of surface modified GO and MWCNT were filtered and then subjected to hot pressing to fabricate stacked films. Examination of these chemically bonded hybrid films reveal that chlorine-doped GO exhibits enhanced electrical properties because it creates hole charge carriers by attracting the electrons in GO towards chlorine. Enhanced electrical conductivity and low sheet resistance are observed also with increasing MWCNT loadings. On comparing the through-plane thermal properties, the chemically bonded hybrid films were found to exhibit higher thermal conductivity than do the physically bonded hybrid films because of the synergetic interaction of functional groups in GO and MWCNTs in the former films. However, excess addition of MWCNTs to the films leads to an increasing phonon scattering density and a decreased thermal conductivity. - Highlights: • Graphene oxide/carbon nanotube (GO/CNT) films are bonded covalently. • GO/CNT hybrid films are prepared through filtering and hot-pressing method. • Chemically bonded hybrid films exhibit enhanced electrical and thermal properties. • Enhanced thermal conductivity is explained according to increasing CNT contents

  1. Somatostatin receptor 2 knockout/lacZ knockin mice show impaired motor coordination and reveal sites of somatostatin action within the striatum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Jeremy P; Hathway, Gareth J; Clarke, Neil J; Jowett, Mike I; Topps, Stephanie; Kendrick, Keith M; Humphrey, Patrick P A; Wilkinson, Lawrence S; Emson, Piers C

    2003-05-01

    The peptide somatostatin can modulate the functional output of the basal ganglia. The exact sites and mechanisms of this action, however, are poorly understood, and the physiological context in which somatostatin acts is unknown. Somatostatin acts as a neuromodulator via a family of five 7-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors, SSTR1-5, one of which, SSTR2, is known to be functional in the striatum. We have investigated the role of SSTR2 in basal ganglia function using mice in which Sstr2 has been inactivated and replaced by the lacZ reporter gene. Analysis of Sstr2lacZ expression in the brain by beta-galactosidase histochemistry demonstrated a widespread pattern of expression. By comparison to previously published in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical data, Sstr2lacZ expression was shown to accurately recapitulate that of Sstr2 and thus provided a highly sensitive model to investigate cell-type-specific expression of Sstr2. In the striatum, Sstr2 expression was identified in medium spiny projection neurons restricted to the matrix compartment and in cholinergic interneurons. Sstr2 expression was not detected in any other nuclei of the basal ganglia except for a sparse number of nondopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Microdialysis in the striatum showed Sstr2-null mice were selectively refractory to somatostatin-induced dopamine and glutamate release. In behavioural tests, Sstr2-null mice showed normal levels of locomotor activity and normal coordination in undemanding tasks. However, in beam-walking, a test of fine motor control, Sstr2-null mice were severely impaired. Together these data implicate an important neuromodulatory role for SSTR2 in the striatum.

  2. Effect of sample storage time on detection of hybridization signals in Checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    do Nascimento, Cássio; Muller, Katia; Sato, Sandra; Albuquerque Junior, Rubens Ferreira

    2012-04-01

    Long-term sample storage can affect the intensity of the hybridization signals provided by molecular diagnostic methods that use chemiluminescent detection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different storage times on the hybridization signals of 13 bacterial species detected by the Checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization method using whole-genomic DNA probes. Ninety-six subgingival biofilm samples were collected from 36 healthy subjects, and the intensity of hybridization signals was evaluated at 4 different time periods: (1) immediately after collecting (n = 24) and (2) after storage at -20 °C for 6 months (n = 24), (3) for 12 months (n = 24), and (4) for 24 months (n = 24). The intensity of hybridization signals obtained from groups 1 and 2 were significantly higher than in the other groups (p  0.05). The Checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization method was suitable to detect hybridization signals from all groups evaluated, and the intensity of signals decreased significantly after long periods of sample storage.

  3. Hybrid radiator cooling system

    Science.gov (United States)

    France, David M.; Smith, David S.; Yu, Wenhua; Routbort, Jules L.

    2016-03-15

    A method and hybrid radiator-cooling apparatus for implementing enhanced radiator-cooling are provided. The hybrid radiator-cooling apparatus includes an air-side finned surface for air cooling; an elongated vertically extending surface extending outwardly from the air-side finned surface on a downstream air-side of the hybrid radiator; and a water supply for selectively providing evaporative cooling with water flow by gravity on the elongated vertically extending surface.

  4. Hybrid quantum computation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sehrawat, Arun; Englert, Berthold-Georg; Zemann, Daniel

    2011-01-01

    We present a hybrid model of the unitary-evolution-based quantum computation model and the measurement-based quantum computation model. In the hybrid model, part of a quantum circuit is simulated by unitary evolution and the rest by measurements on star graph states, thereby combining the advantages of the two standard quantum computation models. In the hybrid model, a complicated unitary gate under simulation is decomposed in terms of a sequence of single-qubit operations, the controlled-z gates, and multiqubit rotations around the z axis. Every single-qubit and the controlled-z gate are realized by a respective unitary evolution, and every multiqubit rotation is executed by a single measurement on a required star graph state. The classical information processing in our model requires only an information flow vector and propagation matrices. We provide the implementation of multicontrol gates in the hybrid model. They are very useful for implementing Grover's search algorithm, which is studied as an illustrative example.

  5. Combined amplification and hybridization techniques for genome scanning in vegetatively propagated crops

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kahl, G.; Ramser, J.; Terauchi, R.; Lopez-Peralta, C.; Asemota, H.N.; Weising, K.

    1998-01-01

    A combination of PCR- and hybridization-based genome scanning techniques and sequence comparisons between non-coding chloroplast DNA flanking tRNA genes has been employed to screen Dioscorea species for intra- and interspecific genetic diversity. This methodology detected extensive polymorphisms within Dioscorea bulbifera L., and revealed taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships among cultivated Guinea yams varieties and their potential wild progenitors. Finally, screening of yam germplasm grown in Jamaica permitted reliable discrimination between all major cultivars. Genome scanning by micro satellite-primed PCR (MP-PCR) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis in combination with the novel random amplified micro satellite polymorphisms (RAMPO) hybridization technique has shown high potential for the genetic analysis of yams, and holds promise for other vegetatively propagated orphan crops. (author)

  6. Security in hybrid cloud computing

    OpenAIRE

    Koudelka, Ondřej

    2016-01-01

    This bachelor thesis deals with the area of hybrid cloud computing, specifically with its security. The major aim of the thesis is to analyze and compare the chosen hybrid cloud providers. For the minor aim this thesis compares the security challenges of hybrid cloud as opponent to other deployment models. In order to accomplish said aims, this thesis defines the terms cloud computing and hybrid cloud computing in its theoretical part. Furthermore the security challenges for cloud computing a...

  7. Hybrid-Based Dense Stereo Matching

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chuang, T. Y.; Ting, H. W.; Jaw, J. J.

    2016-06-01

    Stereo matching generating accurate and dense disparity maps is an indispensable technique for 3D exploitation of imagery in the fields of Computer vision and Photogrammetry. Although numerous solutions and advances have been proposed in the literature, occlusions, disparity discontinuities, sparse texture, image distortion, and illumination changes still lead to problematic issues and await better treatment. In this paper, a hybrid-based method based on semi-global matching is presented to tackle the challenges on dense stereo matching. To ease the sensitiveness of SGM cost aggregation towards penalty parameters, a formal way to provide proper penalty estimates is proposed. To this end, the study manipulates a shape-adaptive cross-based matching with an edge constraint to generate an initial disparity map for penalty estimation. Image edges, indicating the potential locations of occlusions as well as disparity discontinuities, are approved by the edge drawing algorithm to ensure the local support regions not to cover significant disparity changes. Besides, an additional penalty parameter 𝑃𝑒 is imposed onto the energy function of SGM cost aggregation to specifically handle edge pixels. Furthermore, the final disparities of edge pixels are found by weighting both values derived from the SGM cost aggregation and the U-SURF matching, providing more reliable estimates at disparity discontinuity areas. Evaluations on Middlebury stereo benchmarks demonstrate satisfactory performance and reveal the potency of the hybrid-based dense stereo matching method.

  8. Hybrid ellipsoidal fuzzy systems in forecasting regional electricity loads

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pai, Ping-Feng [Department of Information Management, National Chi Nan University, 1 University Road, Puli, Nantou 545, Taiwan (China)

    2006-09-15

    Because of the privatization of electricity in many countries, load forecasting has become one of the most crucial issues in the planning and operations of electric utilities. In addition, accurate regional load forecasting can provide the transmission and distribution operators with more information. The hybrid ellipsoidal fuzzy system was originally designed to solve control and pattern recognition problems. The main objective of this investigation is to develop a hybrid ellipsoidal fuzzy system for time series forecasting (HEFST) and apply the proposed model to forecast regional electricity loads in Taiwan. Additionally, a scaled conjugate gradient learning method is employed in the supervised learning phase of the HEFST model. Subsequently, numerical data taken from the existing literature is used to demonstrate the forecasting performance of the HEFST model. Simulation results reveal that the proposed model has better forecasting performance than the artificial neural network model and the regression model. Thus, the HEFST model is a valid and promising alternative for forecasting regional electricity loads. (author)

  9. Hybrid intermediaries

    OpenAIRE

    Cetorelli, Nicola

    2014-01-01

    I introduce the concept of hybrid intermediaries: financial conglomerates that control a multiplicity of entity types active in the "assembly line" process of modern financial intermediation, a system that has become known as shadow banking. The complex bank holding companies of today are the best example of hybrid intermediaries, but I argue that financial firms from the "nonbank" space can just as easily evolve into conglomerates with similar organizational structure, thus acquiring the cap...

  10. Synthesis, characterization and flocculation activity of novel Fe(OH)3-polyacrylamide hybrid polymer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Huilong; Cui Jinyan; Jiang Wenfeng

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → The preparation of a novel Fe(OH) 3 -PAM hybrid polymer flocculant is achieved via free radical solution polymerization. → Flocculation of kaolin suspensions using this novel Fe(OH) 3 -PAM hybrid polymer flocculant is revealed in this study. → The statistical model was first applied for calculating the thermodynamic parameters for the kaolin flocculating process. - Abstract: A novel Fe(OH) 3 -polyacrylamide inorganic-organic hybrid polymer (FHPAM) was synthesized via free radical solution polymerization initiated by a redox initiation system ((NH 4 ) 2 S 2 O 8 -NaHSO 3 ) in an aqueous medium. Reaction parameters influencing the intrinsic viscosity and the yield of the hybrid polymer, such as initiator concentration, monomer mass fraction, temperature and reaction time were investigated and optimized. The results show that the maximum intrinsic viscosity and up to 94% yields of the hybrid polymer can be achieved using initiator concentration of 0.3% with acrylamide monomer mass fraction of 20% under solution polymerization at 40 deg. C for 7 h. The physicochemical properties of this hybrid flocculant were characterized with TEM, FTIR spectra, TGA, and conductivity. It was found that a chemical bond exists between Fe(OH) 3 colloid and polyacrylamide chains in the FHPAM. The application of the hybrid polymer for the treatment of 2.5 g L -1 kaolin suspension indicates that it had an excellent flocculation capacity and its flocculation efficiency was much better than that of commercial available polyacrylamide (PAM) and polymeric ferric sulfate (PFS). The optimal conditions for the flocculation treatment of kaolin suspension were the FHPAM dosage of 40 mg L -1 at pH 7.0. The thermodynamic parameters for the flocculation process were calculated based on a statistical model. Interpretation of the results was given.

  11. Diurnal rhythmicity of the clock genes Per1 and Per2 in the rat ovary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fahrenkrug, Jan; Georg, Birgitte; Hannibal, Jens; Hindersson, Peter; Gräs, Søren

    2006-08-01

    Circadian rhythms are generated by endogenous clocks in the central brain oscillator, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, and peripheral tissues. The molecular basis for the circadian clock consists of a number of genes and proteins that form transcriptional/translational feedback loops. In the mammalian gonads, clock genes have been reported in the testes, but the expression pattern is developmental rather than circadian. Here we investigated the daily expression of the two core clock genes, Per1 and Per2, in the rat ovary using real-time RT-PCR, in situ hybridization histochemistry, and immunohistochemistry. Both Per1 and Per2 mRNA displayed a statistically significant rhythmic oscillation in the ovary with a period of 24 h in: 1) a group of rats during proestrus and estrus under 12-h light,12-h dark cycles; 2) a second group of rats representing a mixture of all 4 d of the estrous cycle under 12-h light,12-h dark conditions; and 3) a third group of rats representing a mixture of all 4 d of estrous cycle during continuous darkness. Per1 mRNA was low at Zeitgeber time 0-2 and peaked at Zeitgeber time 12-14, whereas Per2 mRNA was delayed by approximately 4 h relative to Per1. By in situ hybridization histochemistry, Per mRNAs were localized to steroidogenic cells in preantral, antral, and preovulatory follicles; corpora lutea; and interstitial glandular tissue. With newly developed antisera, we substantiated the expression of Per1 and Per2 in these cells by single/double immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, we visualized the temporal intracellular movements of PER1 and PER2 proteins. These findings suggest the existence of an ovarian circadian clock, which may play a role both locally and in the hypothalamo-pituitary-ovarian axis.

  12. Hybrid Ventilation Air Flow Process

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Heiselberg, Per Kvols

    The scope of this annex is therefore to obtain better knowledge of the use of hybrid ventilation technologies. The annex focus on development of control strategies for hybrid ventilation, on development of methods to predict hybrid ventilation performance in office buildings and on implementation...

  13. Compositional Modelling of Stochastic Hybrid Systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Strubbe, S.N.

    2005-01-01

    In this thesis we present a modelling framework for compositional modelling of stochastic hybrid systems. Hybrid systems consist of a combination of continuous and discrete dynamics. The state space of a hybrid system is hybrid in the sense that it consists of a continuous component and a discrete

  14. Genomic Prediction of Barley Hybrid Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norman Philipp

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Hybrid breeding in barley ( L. offers great opportunities to accelerate the rate of genetic improvement and to boost yield stability. A crucial requirement consists of the efficient selection of superior hybrid combinations. We used comprehensive phenotypic and genomic data from a commercial breeding program with the goal of examining the potential to predict the hybrid performances. The phenotypic data were comprised of replicated grain yield trials for 385 two-way and 408 three-way hybrids evaluated in up to 47 environments. The parental lines were genotyped using a 3k single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP array based on an Illumina Infinium assay. We implemented ridge regression best linear unbiased prediction modeling for additive and dominance effects and evaluated the prediction ability using five-fold cross validations. The prediction ability of hybrid performances based on general combining ability (GCA effects was moderate, amounting to 0.56 and 0.48 for two- and three-way hybrids, respectively. The potential of GCA-based hybrid prediction requires that both parental components have been evaluated in a hybrid background. This is not necessary for genomic prediction for which we also observed moderate cross-validated prediction abilities of 0.51 and 0.58 for two- and three-way hybrids, respectively. This exemplifies the potential of genomic prediction in hybrid barley. Interestingly, prediction ability using the two-way hybrids as training population and the three-way hybrids as test population or vice versa was low, presumably, because of the different genetic makeup of the parental source populations. Consequently, further research is needed to optimize genomic prediction approaches combining different source populations in barley.

  15. Novel Platinum (Pt)-Vandetanib Hybrid Compounds: Design, Synthesis and Investigation of Anti-cancer Activity and Mechanism of Action

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fei, Rong

    of them formed mono-dentate adducts. Moreover, hybrid compounds exhibited low toxicity in human normal kidney cells. Compounds maintained the inhibition selectivity towards EGFR from the results of kinase inhibition profiling and cell-free kinase inhibition assay. Hybrids formed strong H-bond at D800 on EGFR. Pt-vandetanib hybrids were highly effective against HCC827 cells harboring sensitizing EGFR mutation. Importantly, relative resistant rate of hybrids were much smaller than vandetanib in H1975 cells. Western blot analysis results revealed that the hybrid compounds could efficiently inhibit EGFR phosphorylation in a dose dependent manner in HCC827. While, inhibition of p-EGFR was not as good as the original TKI in H1975 cells. However, the hybrid compounds induced DNA damage and caused apoptosis of the NSCLC cells. Both of the two pathways were contributed to cancer cell death and overcome vandetanib resistance. Pt-vandetanib hybrids showed little resistance in cisplatin resistant cell line KB-CP20. Drug accumulation evaluation revealed that cisplatin accumulation in CP20 cells decreased to one eighth of that in the parental KB3.1 cells. While hybrids maintained similar drug accumulation extent in both cells lines. Mechanistic study showed that hybrid compounds could induce DNA damage and cause apoptosis, whereas cisplatin failed to cause DNA damage in KB-CP20 cells. Oncoprotein CIP2A was overexpressed in CP20 cell and was ascribed to CDDP resistance. The hybrids inhibited CIP2A expression and downstream AKT phosphorylation. It was hypothesized that downregulation of CIP2A contributed to circumvention platinum resistance. Conclusion: Novel Pt-vandetanib hybrid compounds were able to overcome vandetanib resistance in H1975 cells by maintaining inhibition to the EGFR and inducing DNA damage and apoptosis. Moreover, Pt-vandetanib hybrid compounds behaved low toxicity and overcome cisplatin resistance by being "non-substrate" to efflux transporter and successfully

  16. Cytogenetics of Festulolium (Festuca x Lolium hybrids).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kopecký, D; Lukaszewski, A J; Dolezel, J

    2008-01-01

    Grasses are the most important and widely cultivated crops. Among them, ryegrasses (Lolium spp.) and fescues (Festuca spp.) provide high quality fodder for livestock, are used for turf and amenity purposes, and play a fundamental role in environment protection. Species from the two genera display complementary agronomic characteristics and are often grown in mixtures. Breeding efforts to combine desired features in single entities culminated with the production of Festuca x Lolium hybrids. The so called Festuloliums enjoy a considerable commercial success with numerous cultivars registered all over the world. They are also very intriguing from a strictly cytogenetic point of view as the parental chromosomes recombine freely in hybrids. Until a decade ago this phenomenon was only known in general quantitative terms. The introduction of molecular cytogenetic tools such as FISH and GISH permitted detailed studies of intergeneric chromosome recombination and karyotyping of Festulolium cultivars. These tools were also invaluable in revealing the origin of polyploid fescues, and facilitated the development of chromosome substitution and introgression lines and physical mapping of traits of interest. Further progress in this area will require the development of a larger set of cytogenetic markers and high-resolution cytogenetic maps. It is expected that the Lolium-Festuca complex will continue providing opportunities for breeding superior grass cultivars and the complex will remain an attractive platform for fundamental research of the early steps of hybrid speciation and interaction of parental genomes, as well as the processes of chromosome pairing, elimination and recombination. 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel

  17. Nanoscale Organic Hybrid Electrolytes

    KAUST Repository

    Nugent, Jennifer L.

    2010-08-20

    Nanoscale organic hybrid electrolytes are composed of organic-inorganic hybrid nanostructures, each with a metal oxide or metallic nanoparticle core densely grafted with an ion-conducting polyethylene glycol corona - doped with lithium salt. These materials form novel solvent-free hybrid electrolytes that are particle-rich, soft glasses at room temperature; yet manifest high ionic conductivity and good electrochemical stability above 5V. © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Nanoscale Organic Hybrid Electrolytes

    KAUST Repository

    Nugent, Jennifer L.; Moganty, Surya S.; Archer, Lynden A.

    2010-01-01

    Nanoscale organic hybrid electrolytes are composed of organic-inorganic hybrid nanostructures, each with a metal oxide or metallic nanoparticle core densely grafted with an ion-conducting polyethylene glycol corona - doped with lithium salt. These materials form novel solvent-free hybrid electrolytes that are particle-rich, soft glasses at room temperature; yet manifest high ionic conductivity and good electrochemical stability above 5V. © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Distribution and ecological preferences of the freshwater lineage LimA (genus Limnohabitans) revealed by a new double hybridization approach

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Shabarova, Tatiana; Kasalický, Vojtěch; Šimek, Karel; Nedoma, Jiří; Znachor, Petr; Posch, T.; Pernthaler, J.; Salcher, Michaela M.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 19, č. 3 (2017), s. 1296-1309 ISSN 1462-2912 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA13-00243S; GA ČR GA15-12197S; GA ČR GA15-09721S Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : dissolved organic-matter * in-situ hybridization * bacterial community composition * polynucleobacter-necessarius Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology OBOR OECD: Microbiology Impact factor: 5.395, year: 2016

  20. Prediction of Currency Volume Issued in Taiwan Using a Hybrid Artificial Neural Network and Multiple Regression Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuehjen E. Shao

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Because the volume of currency issued by a country always affects its interest rate, price index, income levels, and many other important macroeconomic variables, the prediction of currency volume issued has attracted considerable attention in recent years. In contrast to the typical single-stage forecast model, this study proposes a hybrid forecasting approach to predict the volume of currency issued in Taiwan. The proposed hybrid models consist of artificial neural network (ANN and multiple regression (MR components. The MR component of the hybrid models is established for a selection of fewer explanatory variables, wherein the selected variables are of higher importance. The ANN component is then designed to generate forecasts based on those important explanatory variables. Subsequently, the model is used to analyze a real dataset of Taiwan's currency from 1996 to 2011 and twenty associated explanatory variables. The prediction results reveal that the proposed hybrid scheme exhibits superior forecasting performance for predicting the volume of currency issued in Taiwan.

  1. Optimal control of hybrid vehicles

    CERN Document Server

    Jager, Bram; Kessels, John

    2013-01-01

    Optimal Control of Hybrid Vehicles provides a description of power train control for hybrid vehicles. The background, environmental motivation and control challenges associated with hybrid vehicles are introduced. The text includes mathematical models for all relevant components in the hybrid power train. The power split problem in hybrid power trains is formally described and several numerical solutions detailed, including dynamic programming and a novel solution for state-constrained optimal control problems based on Pontryagin’s maximum principle.   Real-time-implementable strategies that can approximate the optimal solution closely are dealt with in depth. Several approaches are discussed and compared, including a state-of-the-art strategy which is adaptive for vehicle conditions like velocity and mass. Two case studies are included in the book: ·        a control strategy for a micro-hybrid power train; and ·        experimental results obtained with a real-time strategy implemented in...

  2. One-Pot Facile Methodology to Synthesize Chitosan-ZnO-Graphene Oxide Hybrid Composites for Better Dye Adsorption and Antibacterial Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anandhavelu Sanmugam

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Novel chitosan–ZnO–graphene oxide hybrid composites were prepared using a one-pot chemical strategy, and their dye adsorption characteristics and antibacterial activity were demonstrated. The prepared chitosan and the hybrids such as chitosan–ZnO and chitosan–ZnO–graphene oxide were characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The thermal and mechanical properties indicate a significant improvement over chitosan in the hybrid composites. Dye adsorption experiments were carried out using methylene blue and chromium complex as model pollutants with the function of dye concentration. The antibacterial properties of chitosan and the hybrids were tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species, which revealed minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs of 0.1 µg/mL.

  3. Identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at candidate genes involved in abiotic stress in two Prosopis species of hybrids

    OpenAIRE

    Maria F. Pomponio; Susana Marcucci Poltri; Diego Lopez Lauenstein; Susana Torales

    2014-01-01

    Aim of the study: Identify and compare SNPs on candidate genes related to abiotic stress in Prosopis chilensis, Prosopis flexuosa and interspecific hybridsArea of the study: Chaco árido, Argentina. Material and Methods: Fragments from 6 candidate genes were sequenced in 60 genotypes. DNA polymorphisms were analyzed.Main Results: The analysis revealed that the hybrids had the highest rate of polymorphism, followed by P. flexuosa and P. chilensis, the values found are comparable to other forest...

  4. Highly Electrically Conducting Glass-Graphene Nanoplatelets Hybrid Coatings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, E; Nistal, A; Khalifa, A; Essa, Y; Martín de la Escalera, F; Osendi, M I; Miranzo, P

    2015-08-19

    Hybrid coatings consisting of a heat resistant Y2O3-Al2O3-SiO2 (YAS) glass containing 2.3 wt % of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were developed by flame spraying homogeneous ceramic powders-GNP granules. Around 40% of the GNPs survived the high spraying temperatures and were distributed along the splat-interfaces, forming a percolated network. These YAS-GNP coatings are potentially interesting in thermal protection systems and electromagnetic interference shields for aerospace applications; therefore silicon carbide (SiC) materials at the forefront of those applications were employed as substrates. Whereas the YAS coatings are nonconductive, the YAS-GNP coatings showed in-plane electrical conductivity (∼10(2) S·m(-1)) for which a low percolation limit (below 3.6 vol %) is inferred. Indentation tests revealed the formation of a highly damaged indentation zone showing multiple shear displacements between adjacent splats probably favored by the graphene sheets location. The indentation radial cracks typically found in brittle glass coatings are not detected in the hybrid coatings that are also more compliant.

  5. Hybrid solar lighting distribution systems and components

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muhs, Jeffrey D [Lenoir City, TN; Earl, Dennis D [Knoxville, TN; Beshears, David L [Knoxville, TN; Maxey, Lonnie C [Powell, TN; Jordan, John K [Oak Ridge, TN; Lind, Randall F [Lenoir City, TN

    2011-07-05

    A hybrid solar lighting distribution system and components having at least one hybrid solar concentrator, at least one fiber receiver, at least one hybrid luminaire, and a light distribution system operably connected to each hybrid solar concentrator and each hybrid luminaire. A controller operates all components.

  6. PV-hybrid and mini-grid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2010-07-01

    Within the 5th European PV-hybrid and mini-grid conference 29th and 30th April, 2010 in Tarragona (Spain) the following lectures were held: (1) Overview of IEA PVPS Task 11 PV-hybrid systems within mini grids; (2) Photovoltaic revolution for deployment in developing countries; (3) Legal and financial conditions for the sustainable operation of mini-grids; (4) EU instruments to promote renewable energies in developing countries; (5) PV hybridization of diesel electricity generators: Conditions of profitability and examples in differential power and storage size ranges; (6) Education suit of designing PV hybrid systems; (7) Sustainable renewable energy projects for intelligent rural electrification in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam; (8) Techno-economic feasibility of energy supply of remote villages in Palestine by PV systems, diesel generators and electric grid (Case studies: Emnazeil and Atouf villages); (9) Technical, economical and sustainability considerations of a solar PV mini grid as a tool for rural electrification in Uganda; (10) Can we rate inverters for rural electrification on the basis of energy efficiency?; (11) Test procedures for MPPT charge controllers characterization; (12) Energy storage for mini-grid stabilization; (13) Redox flow batteries - Already an alternative storage solution for hybrid PV mini-grids?; (14) Control methods for PV hybrid mini-grids; (15) Partial AC-coupling in mini-grids; (15) Normative issues of small wind turbines in PV hybrid systems; (16) Communication solutions for PV hybrid systems; (17) Towards flexible control and communication of mini-grids; (18) PV/methanol fuel cell hybrid system for powering a highway security variable message board; (19) Polygeneration smartgrids: A solution for the supply of electricity, potable water and hydrogen as fuel for transportation in remote Areas; (20) Implementation of the Bronsbergen micro grid using FACDS; (21) A revisited approach for the design of PV wind hybrid systems; (22

  7. Hybridization masks speciation in the evolutionary history of the Galápagos marine iguana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacLeod, Amy; Rodríguez, Ariel; Vences, Miguel; Orozco-terWengel, Pablo; García, Carolina; Trillmich, Fritz; Gentile, Gabriele; Caccone, Adalgisa; Quezada, Galo; Steinfartz, Sebastian

    2015-06-22

    The effects of the direct interaction between hybridization and speciation-two major contrasting evolutionary processes--are poorly understood. We present here the evolutionary history of the Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) and reveal a case of incipient within--island speciation, which is paralleled by between-island hybridization. In-depth genome-wide analyses suggest that Amblyrhynchus diverged from its sister group, the Galápagos land iguanas, around 4.5 million years ago (Ma), but divergence among extant populations is exceedingly young (less than 50,000 years). Despite Amblyrhynchus appearing as a single long-branch species phylogenetically, we find strong population structure between islands, and one case of incipient speciation of sister lineages within the same island--ostensibly initiated by volcanic events. Hybridization between both lineages is exceedingly rare, yet frequent hybridization with migrants from nearby islands is evident. The contemporary snapshot provided by highly variable markers indicates that speciation events may have occurred throughout the evolutionary history of marine iguanas, though these events are not visible in the deeper phylogenetic trees. We hypothesize that the observed interplay of speciation and hybridization might be a mechanism by which local adaptations, generated by incipient speciation, can be absorbed into a common gene pool, thereby enhancing the evolutionary potential of the species as a whole. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  8. Hybridization masks speciation in the evolutionary history of the Galápagos marine iguana

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacLeod, Amy; Rodríguez, Ariel; Vences, Miguel; Orozco-terWengel, Pablo; García, Carolina; Trillmich, Fritz; Gentile, Gabriele; Caccone, Adalgisa; Quezada, Galo; Steinfartz, Sebastian

    2015-01-01

    The effects of the direct interaction between hybridization and speciation—two major contrasting evolutionary processes—are poorly understood. We present here the evolutionary history of the Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) and reveal a case of incipient within-island speciation, which is paralleled by between-island hybridization. In-depth genome-wide analyses suggest that Amblyrhynchus diverged from its sister group, the Galápagos land iguanas, around 4.5 million years ago (Ma), but divergence among extant populations is exceedingly young (less than 50 000 years). Despite Amblyrhynchus appearing as a single long-branch species phylogenetically, we find strong population structure between islands, and one case of incipient speciation of sister lineages within the same island—ostensibly initiated by volcanic events. Hybridization between both lineages is exceedingly rare, yet frequent hybridization with migrants from nearby islands is evident. The contemporary snapshot provided by highly variable markers indicates that speciation events may have occurred throughout the evolutionary history of marine iguanas, though these events are not visible in the deeper phylogenetic trees. We hypothesize that the observed interplay of speciation and hybridization might be a mechanism by which local adaptations, generated by incipient speciation, can be absorbed into a common gene pool, thereby enhancing the evolutionary potential of the species as a whole. PMID:26041359

  9. In Situ Hybridization Method Reveals (Pro)renin Receptor Expressing Cells in the Pituitary Gland of Rats: Correlation with Anterior Pituitary Hormones.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Kazuhiro; Yatabe, Megumi; Fujiwara, Ken; Hirose, Takuo; Totsune, Kazuhito; Yashiro, Takashi

    2013-02-28

    Expression of (pro)renin receptor ((P)RR), a specific receptor for renin and prorenin, was studied in rat pituitary gland. In situ hybridization showed that cells expressing (P)RR mRNA were widely distributed in the anterior lobe and intermediate lobe of the pituitary gland. Double-staining using in situ hybridization for (P)RR mRNA and immunohistochemistry for the pituitary hormones showed that (P)RR mRNA was expressed in most of the GH cells and ACTH cells in the anterior lobe. (P)RR mRNA was also expressed in a few prolactin cells and TSH cells, but not in LH cells. The present study has shown for the first time the distribution of (P)RR mRNA expressing cells in the rat pituitary gland. These findings suggest that (P)RR plays physiological roles in the pituitary gland, such as the modulation of the pituitary hormone secretion.

  10. In Situ Hybridization Method Reveals (Pro)renin Receptor Expressing Cells in the Pituitary Gland of Rats: Correlation with Anterior Pituitary Hormones

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takahashi, Kazuhiro; Yatabe, Megumi; Fujiwara, Ken; Hirose, Takuo; Totsune, Kazuhito; Yashiro, Takashi

    2013-01-01

    Expression of (pro)renin receptor ((P)RR), a specific receptor for renin and prorenin, was studied in rat pituitary gland. In situ hybridization showed that cells expressing (P)RR mRNA were widely distributed in the anterior lobe and intermediate lobe of the pituitary gland. Double-staining using in situ hybridization for (P)RR mRNA and immunohistochemistry for the pituitary hormones showed that (P)RR mRNA was expressed in most of the GH cells and ACTH cells in the anterior lobe. (P)RR mRNA was also expressed in a few prolactin cells and TSH cells, but not in LH cells. The present study has shown for the first time the distribution of (P)RR mRNA expressing cells in the rat pituitary gland. These findings suggest that (P)RR plays physiological roles in the pituitary gland, such as the modulation of the pituitary hormone secretion

  11. Analysis on heavy quarkonia transitions with pion emission in terms of the QCD multipole expansion and determination of mass spectra of hybrids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ke, Hong-Wei; Tang, Jian; Hao, Xi-Qing; Li, Xue-Qian

    2007-01-01

    One of the most important tasks in high energy physics is the search for the exotic states, such as glueball, hybrid, and multiquark states. The transitions ψ(ns)→ψ(ms)+ππ and Υ(ns)→Υ(ms)+ππ attract great attention because they may reveal characteristics of hybrids. In this work, we analyze those transition modes in terms of the theoretical framework established by Yan and Kuang. It is interesting to notice that the intermediate states between the two gluon emissions are hybrids, therefore by fitting the data, we are able to determine the mass spectra of hybrids. The ground hybrid states are predicted as 4.23 GeV (for charmonium) and 10.79 GeV (for bottonium) which do not correspond to any states measured in recent experiments, thus it may imply that, very possibly, hybrids mix with regular quarkonia to constitute physical states. Comprehensive comparisons of the potentials for hybrids whose parameters are obtained in this scenario with the lattice results are presented

  12. Identification of superior parents and hybrids from diallel crosses of bread wheat (triticum aestivum l.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baloch, M.J.; Rajper, T.A.; Jatoi, W.A.

    2013-01-01

    Five parents of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) viz. TD-1, SKD-1, Marvi, Moomal and Mehran were crossed in a half diallel design; hence 10 F 1 hybrids were developed. Parents alongwith hybrids were evaluated for combining ability and heterosis for tillers/plant, spike length, spike density, grains/spike, grain yield/plant and seed index. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four replications at Botanical Garden, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Sindh Agriculture University,Tandojam, during 2010. The analysis of variance due to genotypes, parents, hybrids and parents vs. hybrids was significant for all the characters which revealed presence of significant amount of genetic variability in the material. The results also indicated significant differences among the parents for their general combining ability (GCA) and hybrids for specific combining ability (SCA) suggesting the importance of both additive and non-additive genes in the expression of traits studied. The greater magnitude of SCA variances over GCA were recorded for tillers/plant, grains/spike and grain yield/plant which indicated the importance of additive gene action while the involvement of non-additive genes was evident in the inheritance of spike length, spike density and seed index. Among the parents, generally TD-I, Mehran, Moomal and Marvi were the best general combiners for tillers/plant, spike length, spike density, grains/spike, grain yield/plant and seed index. Whereas, the hybrids like SKD-1 x Mehran, Marvi x Mehran, Marvix Moomal and TD-I x SKD-I were the best specific combiners for majority of yield traits. Positive heterosis was expressed by the hybrid SKD-1 x Moomal for tillers per plant; TD-I x Moomal for spike length; TD-1 x SKD-I for grains per spike; Marvi x Mehran for spike density and Marvi x Moomal for seed index. The best parents and hybrids could be effectively utilized in hybridization and selection programmes and also for hybrid crop

  13. A histochemical study of the posterior silk glands of Bombyx mori during metamorphosis from larvae to pupae using frozen sections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawamoto, K; Kawamoto, T; Shiba, H; Hosono, K

    2014-02-01

    The fine structures of the whole bodies and the posterior silk glands of Bombyx mori during metamorphosis from larvae to pupae in the cocoon were preserved virtually without damage when frozen sections were prepared using an adhesive plastic film. We used frozen sections for histochemical and enzyme histochemistry to characterize the metamorphosis of the posterior silk glands. Frozen sections were stained with DAPI to observe nuclear changes, examined using the TUNEL method to detect DNA fragments, and investigated using in situ hybridization to detect B. mori caspase expression. Both DNA fragments and expression of B. mori caspase increased with progressing metamorphosis. The degeneration of the posterior silk gland during metamorphosis appears to be an apoptotic event.

  14. Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Basics | NREL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Basics Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Basics Imagine being able to one that's in a standard hybrid electric vehicle. The larger battery pack allows plug-in hybrids to between fill-ups) that's very similar to the range of a conventional vehicle. A plug-in hybrid vehicle's

  15. Study of PDMS conformation in PDMS-based hybrid materials prepared by gamma irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lancastre, J.J.H.; Fernandes, N.; Margaça, F.M.A.; Miranda Salvado, I.M.; Ferreira, L.M.; Falcão, A.N.; Casimiro, M.H.

    2012-01-01

    Polydimethylsiloxane-silicate based hybrid materials have recognized properties (high flexibility, low elastic modulus or high mechanical strength) for which there are a large number of applications in development, such as for the bioapplications field. The hybrids addressed in the present study were prepared by gamma irradiation of a mixture of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and zirconium propoxide (PrZr) without addition of any solvent or other product. The materials are homogeneous, transparent, monolithic and flexible. The structure dependence on the PrZr content is addressed. A combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Infrared Spectroscopy (IR) was used. The results reveal that the polymer in the hybrids prepared with PrZr, in a content≤5 wt%, shows a structure similar to that in the irradiated pure polymer sample. In these samples the presence of ordered polymer regions is clearly found. For samples prepared with higher content of Zr almost no ordered polymer regions are observed. The addition of PrZr plays an important role on polymer conformation in these hybrid materials. - Highlights: ► PDMS-based hybrid materials were prepared by γ-irradiation. ► FTIR, ATR/FT-IR and XRD techniques were used to characterize the materials. ► Changes in FTIR bands reflect growth of crosslinking network. ► Above certain Zr concentration regions of Zr-silicate oxide are formed. ► Zr content determines conformation of the polymer chain network.

  16. Hybridization and management of oak populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliver Gailing

    2017-01-01

    Hybridization can result in the transfer of adaptations among species and may contribute to speciation processes. On the other hand, hybridization can also result in a loss of species diversity due to asymmetric gene flow between species (genetic swamping) and in low hybrid fitness. An understanding of the outcomes of interspecific hybridization is crucial for the...

  17. Hybridization of powertrain and downsizing of IC engine - A way to reduce fuel consumption and pollutant emissions - Part 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katrasnik, Tomaz

    2007-01-01

    The aim of this two part paper is to present the results of extensive simulation and analytical analysis of the energy conversion efficiency in parallel hybrid powertrains. The simulation approach is based on an accurate and fast forward facing simulation model of a parallel hybrid powertrain and a conventional internal combustion engine powertrain. The model of the ICE is based on a verified dynamic model that provides sufficiently small time steps to model adequately the dynamics of electric systems during transient test cycles. Models of the electrical devices enable computation of the instantaneous energy consumption, production and storage as well as computation of the instantaneous energy losses and component efficiencies. Moreover, the paper offers an analytical approach based on the energy balance in order to analyze and predict the energy conversion efficiency of hybrid powertrains. The analysis covers a broad range of parallel hybrid powertrain configurations from mild to full hybrids. Combined simulation and analytical analysis enables deep insight into the energy conversion phenomena in hybrid powertrains. The paper reveals the conditions and influences that lead to improved fuel economy of hybrid powertrains with the emphasis on determining the optimum hybridization ratio. The theoretical background, simulation program and brief analysis of one test cycle are presented in Part 1, whereas the extensive analysis and parametric study is presented in the companion paper, Part 2

  18. Synthesis, Characterizations of Superparamagnetic Fe3O4-Ag Hybrid Nanoparticles and Their Application for Highly Effective Bacteria Inactivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tung, Le Minh; Cong, Nguyen Xuan; Huy, Le Thanh; Lan, Nguyen Thi; Phan, Vu Ngoc; Hoa, Nguyen Quang; Vinh, Le Khanh; Thinh, Nguyen Viet; Tai, Le Thanh; Ngo, Duc-The; Mølhave, Kristian; Huy, Tran Quang; Le, Anh-Tuan

    2016-06-01

    In recent years, outbreaks of infectious diseases caused by pathogenic micro-organisms pose a serious threat to public health. In this work, Fe3O4-Ag hybrid nanoparticles were synthesized by simple chemistry method and these prepared nanoparticles were used to investigate their antibacterial properties and mechanism against methicilline-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pathogen. The formation of dimer-like nanostructure of Fe3O4-Ag hybrid NPs was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and High-resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy. Our biological analysis revealed that the Fe3O4-Ag hybrid NPs showed more noticeable bactericidal activity than that of plain Fe3O4 NPs and Ag-NPs. We suggest that the enhancement in bactericidal activity of Fe3O4-Ag hybrid NPs might be likely from main factors such as: (i) enhanced surface area property of hybrid nanoparticles; (ii) the high catalytic activity of Ag-NPs with good dispersion and aggregation stability due to the iron oxide magnetic carrier, and (iii) large direct physical contacts between the bacterial cell membrane and the hybrid nanoparticles. The superparamagnetic hybrid nanoparticles of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles decorated with silver nanoparticles can be a potential candidate to effectively treat infectious MRSA pathogen with recyclable capability, targeted bactericidal delivery and minimum release into environment.

  19. Partial Replacement of Glass Fiber by Woven Kenaf in Hybrid Composites and its Effect on Monotonic and Fatigue Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohaiman Jaffar Sharba

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Natural–synthetic fiber hybrid composites offer a combination of high mechanical properties from the synthetic fibers and the advantages of renewable fibers to produce a material with highly specific and determined properties. In this study, plain-woven kenaf/glass reinforced unsaturated polyester (UP hybrid composites were fabricated using the hand lay-up method with a cold hydraulic press in a sandwich-configuration laminate. The glass was used as a shell with kenaf as a core, with an approximate total fiber content of 40%. Three glass/kenaf weight ratios percentages of (70/30% (H1, (55/45% (H2, and (30/70% (H3 were used to fabricate hybrid composites. Also pure glass/UP and kenaf/UP were fabricated for comparison purposes. Monotonic tests, namely tensile, compression, and flexural strengths of the composites, were performed. The morphological properties of tensile and compression failure of kenaf and hybrid composites were studied. In addition, uniaxial tensile fatigue life of hybrid composites were conducted and evaluated. The results revealed that the hybrid composite (H1 offered a good balance and the best static properties, but in tensile fatigue loading (H3 displayed low fatigue sensitivity when compared with the other hybrid composites.

  20. The Role of Structural Enthalpy in Spherical Nucleic Acid Hybridization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fong, Lam-Kiu; Wang, Ziwei; Schatz, George C; Luijten, Erik; Mirkin, Chad A

    2018-05-23

    DNA hybridization onto DNA-functionalized nanoparticle surfaces (e.g., in the form of a spherical nucleic acid (SNA)) is known to be enhanced relative to hybridization free in solution. Surprisingly, via isothermal titration calorimetry, we reveal that this enhancement is enthalpically, as opposed to entropically, dominated by ∼20 kcal/mol. Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the observed enthalpic enhancement results from structurally confining the DNA on the nanoparticle surface and preventing it from adopting enthalpically unfavorable conformations like those observed in the solution case. The idea that structural confinement leads to the formation of energetically more stable duplexes is evaluated by decreasing the degree of confinement a duplex experiences on the nanoparticle surface. Both experiment and simulation confirm that when the surface-bound duplex is less confined, i.e., at lower DNA surface density or at greater distance from the nanoparticle surface, its enthalpy of formation approaches the less favorable enthalpy of duplex formation for the linear strand in solution. This work provides insight into one of the most important and enabling properties of SNAs and will inform the design of materials that rely on the thermodynamics of hybridization onto DNA-functionalized surfaces, including diagnostic probes and therapeutic agents.

  1. Photoresponsive lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for controlled doxorubicin release

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Cuiping; Wu, Ming; Zhang, Cecheng; Lin, Xinyi; Wei, Zuwu; Zheng, Youshi; Zhang, Da; Zhang, Zhenxi; Liu, Xiaolong

    2017-06-01

    Currently, photoresponsive nanomaterials are particularly attractive due to their spatial and temporal controlled drug release abilities. In this work, we report a photoresponsive lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticle for remote controlled delivery of anticancer drugs. This hybrid nanoparticle comprises three distinct functional components: (i) a poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) core to encapsulate doxorubicin; (ii) a soybean lecithin monolayer at the interface of the core and shell to act as a molecular fence to prevent drug leakage; (iii) a photoresponsive polymeric shell with anti-biofouling properties to enhance nanoparticle stability, which could be detached from the nanoparticle to trigger the drug release via a decrease in the nanoparticle’s stability under light irradiation. In vitro results revealed that this core-shell nanoparticle had excellent light-controlled drug release behavior (76% release with light irradiation versus 10% release without light irradiation). The confocal microscopy and flow cytometry results also further demonstrated the light-controlled drug release behavior inside the cancer cells. Furthermore, a CCK8 assay demonstrated that light irradiation could significantly improve the efficiency of killing cancer cells. Meanwhile, whole-animal fluorescence imaging of a tumor-bearing mouse also confirmed that light irradiation could trigger drug release in vivo. Taken together, our data suggested that a hybrid nanoparticle could be a novel light controlled drug delivery system for cancer therapy.

  2. Hydrothermal stability of silica, hybrid silica and Zr-doped hybrid silica membranes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    ten Hove, Marcel; Luiten-Olieman, Mieke W.J.; Huiskes, Cindy; Nijmeijer, Arian; Winnubst, Louis

    2017-01-01

    Hybrid silica membranes have demonstrated to possess a remarkable hydrothermal stability in pervaporation and gas separation processes allowing them to be used in industrial applications. In several publications the hydrothermal stability of pure silica or that of hybrid silica membranes are

  3. Editorial: Hybrid Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olderog, Ernst-Rüdiger; Ravn, Anders Peter

    2007-01-01

    An introduction to three papers in a special issue on Hybrid Systems. These paper were first presented at an IFIP WG 2.2 meeting in Skagen 2005.......An introduction to three papers in a special issue on Hybrid Systems. These paper were first presented at an IFIP WG 2.2 meeting in Skagen 2005....

  4. The situation of hybrid vehicles in Japan; Le point sur les vehicules hybrides au Japon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Perran, Th.

    2000-01-01

    Among the different competitors of the race on hybrid vehicles development, Honda was the fastest with its Insight model presented in November 1, 1999. This mass production hybrid vehicle can reach performances of 35 km/l. This new record could be obtained thanks to the development of more efficient weak mixture internal combustion engines and to the lightening of vehicles thanks to the massive use of aluminium. Today, each Japanese car manufacturer has his own hybrid vehicle prototype and one can expect a wave of performing hybrid vehicles on the automotive market in 2001. Toyota remains at the top with its second model, the future 6 places HV-M4 model which will be the very first four wheel drive mono-space hybrid vehicle. (J.S.)

  5. Synthesis and Characterization of Salicylate-zinc Layered Hydroxide Nano hybrid for Antiinflammatory Active Delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohd Zobir Hussein; Mohd Zobir Hussein; Munirah Ramli; Khatijah Yusoff

    2011-01-01

    The emergence of nano technology has prompted much advancement in various areas of research that includes cellular delivery systems, particularly those dealing with delivery of compounds with therapeutic effects. This study aimed at investigating the use of a layered nano material for formation of a new organic-inorganic nano hybrid material. In this work, a compound of zinc layered hydroxide (ZLH) used as a host for a guest, anti-inflammatory agent salicylate (SA) was synthesized. Through simple, direct reaction of SA solution at various concentrations with commercial zinc oxide, SA was found to be intercalated between the ZLH inorganic layers. Powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD) patterns revealed that the basal spacing of the nano hybrid is around 16.14 Angstrom. Further characterizations also confirmed that SA was successfully intercalated into the interlayers of the nano hybrid. Results generated from this work provide information beneficial for development of a new delivery system for therapeutic compounds consisting of antiinflammatory agents. (author)

  6. Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) analysis of stage 4 neuroblastoma reveals high frequency of 11q deletion in tumors lacking MYCN amplification

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Plantaz, D.; Vandesompele, J.; van Roy, N.; Lastowska, M.; Bown, N.; Combaret, V.; Favrot, M. C.; Delattre, O.; Michon, J.; Bénard, J.; Hartmann, O.; Nicholson, J. C.; Ross, F. M.; Brinkschmidt, C.; Laureys, G.; Caron, H.; Matthay, K. K.; Feuerstein, B. G.; Speleman, F.

    2001-01-01

    We have studied the occurrence and association of 11q deletions with other chromosomal imbalances in Stage 4 neuroblastomas. To this purpose we have performed comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) analysis on 50 Stage 4 neuroblastomas and these data were analyzed together with those from 33

  7. Hybrid functional calculation of electronic and phonon structure of BaSnO3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Bog G.; Jo, J.Y.; Cheong, S.W.

    2013-01-01

    Barium stannate, BaSnO 3 (BSO), with a cubic perovskite structure, has been highlighted as a promising host material for the next generation transparent oxide electrodes. This study examined theoretically the electronic structure and phonon structure of BSO using hybrid density functional theory based on the HSE06 functional. The electronic structure results of BSO were corrected by extending the phonon calculations based on the hybrid density functional. The fundamental thermal properties were also predicted based on a hybrid functional calculation. Overall, a detailed understanding of the electronic structure, phonon modes and phonon dispersion of BSO will provide a theoretical starting-point for engineering applications of this material. - Graphical Abstract: (a) Crystal structure of BaSnO 3 . The center ball is Ba and small (red) ball on edge is oxygen and SnO 6 octahedrons are plotted as polyhedron. (b) Electronic band structure along the high symmetry point in the Brillouin zone using the HSE06 hybrid functional. (c) The phonon dispersion curve calculated using the HSE06 hybrid functional (d) Zone center lowest energy F 1u phonon mode. Highlights: ► We report the full hybrid functional calculation of not only the electronic structure but also the phonon structure for BaSnO 3 . ► The band gap calculation of HSE06 revealed an indirect gap with 2.48 eV. ► The effective mass at the conduction band minimum and valence band maximum was calculated. ► In addition, the phonon structure of BSO was calculated using the HSE06 functional. ► Finally, the heat capacity was calculated and compared with the recent experimental result.

  8. A large set of newly created interspecific Saccharomyces hybrids increases aromatic diversity in lager beers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mertens, Stijn; Steensels, Jan; Saels, Veerle; De Rouck, Gert; Aerts, Guido; Verstrepen, Kevin J

    2015-12-01

    Lager beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world. Its production process is marked by a fermentation conducted at low (8 to 15°C) temperatures and by the use of Saccharomyces pastorianus, an interspecific hybrid between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the cold-tolerant Saccharomyces eubayanus. Recent whole-genome-sequencing efforts revealed that the currently available lager yeasts belong to one of only two archetypes, "Saaz" and "Frohberg." This limited genetic variation likely reflects that all lager yeasts descend from only two separate interspecific hybridization events, which may also explain the relatively limited aromatic diversity between the available lager beer yeasts compared to, for example, wine and ale beer yeasts. In this study, 31 novel interspecific yeast hybrids were developed, resulting from large-scale robot-assisted selection and breeding between carefully selected strains of S. cerevisiae (six strains) and S. eubayanus (two strains). Interestingly, many of the resulting hybrids showed a broader temperature tolerance than their parental strains and reference S. pastorianus yeasts. Moreover, they combined a high fermentation capacity with a desirable aroma profile in laboratory-scale lager beer fermentations, thereby successfully enriching the currently available lager yeast biodiversity. Pilot-scale trials further confirmed the industrial potential of these hybrids and identified one strain, hybrid H29, which combines a fast fermentation, high attenuation, and the production of a complex, desirable fruity aroma. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  9. Russia and hybrid warfare: identifying critical elements in successful applications of hybrid tactics

    OpenAIRE

    Neville, Seth B.

    2015-01-01

    Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited With the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, hybrid war became a buzzword within political and academic circles. This thesis examines hybrid warfare applications using contemporary and historical examples. The analysis seeks to determine why a country was or was not successful in its execution of hybrid war, and it assesses the geo-political context of cost, benefit, and risk for an aggressor state contributing to its decision to eng...

  10. Genetic incompatibility dampens hybrid fertility more than hybrid viability: yeast as a case study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meibo Xu

    Full Text Available Genetic incompatibility is believed to be the major cause of postzygotic reproductive isolation. Despite huge efforts seeking for speciation-related incompatibilities in the past several decades, a general understanding of how genetic incompatibility evolves in affecting hybrid fitness is not available, primarily due to the fact that the number of known incompatibilities is small. Instead of further mapping specific incompatible genes, in this paper we aimed to know the overall effects of incompatibility on fertility and viability, the two aspects of fitness, by examining 89 gametes produced by yeast S. cerevisiae-S. paradoxus F1 hybrids. Homozygous F2 hybrids formed by autodiploidization of F1 gametes were subject to tests for growth rate and sporulation efficiency. We observed much stronger defects in sporulation than in clonal growth for every single F2 hybrid strain, indicating that genetic incompatibility affects hybrid fertility more than hybrid viability in yeast. We related this finding in part to the fast-evolving nature of meiosis-related genes, and proposed that the generally low expression levels of these genes might be a cause of the observation.

  11. Influence of Miscibility Phenomenon on Crystalline Polymorph Transition in Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride)/Acrylic Rubber/Clay Nanocomposite Hybrid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abolhasani, Mohammad Mahdi; Naebe, Minoo; Jalali-Arani, Azam; Guo, Qipeng

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, intercalation of nanoclay in the miscible polymer blend of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and acrylic rubber(ACM) was studied. X-ray diffraction was used to investigate the formation of nanoscale polymer blend/clay hybrid. Infrared spectroscopy and X-ray analysis revealed the coexistence of β and γ crystalline forms in PVDF/Clay nanocomposite while α crystalline form was found to be dominant in PVDF/ACM/Clay miscible hybrids. Flory-Huggins interaction parameter (B) was used to further explain the miscibility phenomenon observed. The B parameter was determined by combining the melting point depression and the binary interaction model. The estimated B values for the ternary PVDF/ACM/Clay and PVDF/ACM pairs were all negative, showing both proper intercalation of the polymer melt into the nanoclay galleries and the good miscibility of PVDF and ACM blend. The B value for the PVDF/ACM blend was almost the same as that measured for the PVDF/ACM/Clay hybrid, suggesting that PVDF chains in nanocomposite hybrids interact with ACM chains and that nanoclay in hybrid systems is wrapped by ACM molecules. PMID:24551141

  12. Influence of miscibility phenomenon on crystalline polymorph transition in poly(vinylidene fluoride/acrylic rubber/clay nanocomposite hybrid.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Mahdi Abolhasani

    Full Text Available In this paper, intercalation of nanoclay in the miscible polymer blend of poly(vinylidene fluoride (PVDF and acrylic rubber(ACM was studied. X-ray diffraction was used to investigate the formation of nanoscale polymer blend/clay hybrid. Infrared spectroscopy and X-ray analysis revealed the coexistence of β and γ crystalline forms in PVDF/Clay nanocomposite while α crystalline form was found to be dominant in PVDF/ACM/Clay miscible hybrids. Flory-Huggins interaction parameter (B was used to further explain the miscibility phenomenon observed. The B parameter was determined by combining the melting point depression and the binary interaction model. The estimated B values for the ternary PVDF/ACM/Clay and PVDF/ACM pairs were all negative, showing both proper intercalation of the polymer melt into the nanoclay galleries and the good miscibility of PVDF and ACM blend. The B value for the PVDF/ACM blend was almost the same as that measured for the PVDF/ACM/Clay hybrid, suggesting that PVDF chains in nanocomposite hybrids interact with ACM chains and that nanoclay in hybrid systems is wrapped by ACM molecules.

  13. Optimal behavior of responsive residential demand considering hybrid phase change materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shafie-khah, M.; Kheradmand, M.; Javadi, S.; Azenha, M.; Aguiar, J.L.B. de; Castro-Gomes, J.; Siano, P.; Catalão, J.P.S.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • An operational model of HEM system incorporating with a hybrid PCM is proposed in this paper. • Incorporation of hybrid PCM mortar had a complementary effect on the proposed HEM system. • The proposed model ensures the technical and economic limits of batteries and electrical appliances. • The customer’s electricity cost can be reduced up to 48% by utilizing the proposed model. - Abstract: Due to communication and technology developments, residential consumers are enabled to participate in Demand Response Programs (DRPs), control their consumption and decrease their cost by using Household Energy Management (HEM) systems. On the other hand, capability of energy storage systems to improve the energy efficiency causes that employing Phase Change Materials (PCM) as thermal storage systems to be widely addressed in the building applications. In this paper, an operational model of HEM system considering the incorporation of more than one type of PCM in plastering mortars (hybrid PCM) is proposed not only to minimize the customer’s cost in different DRPs but also to guaranty the habitants’ satisfaction. Moreover, the proposed model ensures the technical and economic limits of batteries and electrical appliances. Different case studies indicate that implementation of hybrid PCM in the buildings can meaningfully affect the operational pattern of HEM systems in different DRPs. The results reveal that the customer’s electricity cost can be reduced up to 48% by utilizing the proposed model.

  14. Excellent electrochemical performance of graphene-silver nanoparticle hybrids prepared using a microwave spark assistance process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shanmugharaj, A.M.; Ryu, Sung Hun

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► A simple synthesis route is explored in preparing graphene-metal nanoparticle hybrids using cost effective microwave radiation process. ► Electrochemical performance of the synthesized graphene-silver nanoparticle hybrids have been compared with graphite and silver nanoparticle based anode materials. ► Graphene-silver nanoparticle hybrid exhibits stable charge/discharge characteristics of 714 mAh g −1 and it is significantly higher compared to natural graphite and silver based electrodes. - Abstract: A simple method is described for the synthesis of graphene-silver nanoparticle hybrids from graphite and silver precursors using microwave spark ignition process. Adding ecofriendly free radical initiators, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide solution leads to the expansion of graphite to graphene nanosheets. Simultaneously, silver ions intercalated between the graphene layers are reduced to silver nanocrystals leading to the development of graphene-silver nanoparticle hybrids. Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies reveal the successful formation of graphene-silver nanoparticle hybrids. X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows that the silver nanoparticles formed on the graphene surfaces are face centered cubic crystals. The surface composition and functional groups present on the graphene-silver nanoparticle hybrids are corroborated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The lithium storage capacity of the synthesized material, when used as an anode material for rechargeable lithium secondary batteries is investigated. Its first specific discharge capacity is observed to be 580 mAh g −1 and this has been increased to 827 mAh g −1 , by incorporating the silver nanoparticles between the graphene platelets. The reversible capacity of the graphene-silver nanoparticle hybrids is observed to be 714 mAh g −1 , which is significantly higher compared to that of graphene (420 mAh g −1

  15. Synthesis and electrochemical properties of Li4Ti5O12 spheres and its application for hybrid supercapacitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deng, SiXu; Li, JingWen; Sun, ShiBing; Wang, Hao; Liu, JingBing; Yan, Hui

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (LTO) spheres are prepared by molten-salt and TiO 2 spheres as template. • The LTO spheres are potential for using as anode for AC//LTO hybrid capacitor. • The AC//LTO hybrid supercapacitor presents good electrochemical performance. - Abstract: There is a growing demand for hybrid supercapacitor systems to combine the advantages of both lithium-ion battery and supercapacitors for the application of electric vehicles. We describe in this paper one kind of hybrid supercapacitor comprising spherical Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 as negative electrode and activated carbon (AC) as positive electrode in the non-aqueous electrolyte. The Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 spheres were synthesized using a LiCl-KCl molten-salt method and TiO 2 spheres as the template. The Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 spheres revealed high discharge capacity (168 mAh g −1 at 0.2 C), and a good capacity retention with high coulombic efficiency after cycling, which can be potential anode material for lithium ion batteries and negative material for hybrid supercapacitor. The AC//LTO hybrid supercapacitor exhibits excellent capacity retention of 93% after 500 cycles and offers higher energy density and power density than the AC//AC symmetric supercapacitor. The presented AC//LTO hybrid supercapacitor could be a competitive candidate for the promising energy storage devices

  16. Production of intertribal somatic hybrids between Brassica napus L. and Lesquerella fendleri (Gray) Wats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skarzhinskaya, M.; Landgren, M.; Glimelius, K.

    1996-01-01

    Intertribal Brassica napus (+) Lesquerella fendleri hybrids have been produced by polyethylene glycol-induced fusions of B. napus hypocotyl and L. fendleri mesophyll protoplasts. Two series of experiments were performed. In the first, symmetric fusion experiments, protoplasts from the two materials were fused without any pretreatments. In the second, asymmetric fusion experiments, X-ray irradiation at doses of 180 and 200 Gy were used to limit the transfer of the L. fendleri genome to the hybrids. X-ray irradiation of L. fendleri mesophyll protoplasts did not suppress the proliferation rate and callus formation of the fusion products but did significantly decrease growth and differentiation of non-fused L. fendleri protoplasts. In total, 128 regenerated plants were identified as intertribal somatic hybrids on the basis of morphological criteria. Nuclear DNA analysis performed on 80 plants, using species specific sequences, demonstrated that 33 plants from the symmetric fusions and 43 plants from the asymmetric fusions were hybrids. Chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA analysis revealed a biased segregation that favoured B. napus organelles in the hybrids from the symmetric fusion experiments. The bias was even stronger in the hybrids from the asymmetric fusion experiments where no hybrids with L. fendleri organelles were found. X-ray irradiation of L. fendleri protoplasts increased the possibility of obtaining mature somatic hybrid plants with improved fertility. Five plants from the symmetric and 24 plants from the asymmetric fusion experiments were established in the greenhouse. From the symmetric fusions 2 plants could be fertilised and set seeds after cross-pollination with B. napus. From the asymmetric fusions 9 plants could be selfed as well as fertilised when backcrossed with B. napus. Chromosome analysis was performed on all of the plants but 1 that were transferred to the greenhouse. Three plants from the symmetric fusions contained 50 chromosomes, which

  17. Combined amplification and hybridization techniques for genome scanning in vegetatively propagated crops

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kahl, G; Ramser, J; Terauchi, R [Biocentre, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main (Germany); Lopez-Peralta, C [IRGP, Colegio de Postgraduados, Montecillo, Edo. de Mexico, Texcoco (Mexico); Asemota, H N [Biotechnology Centre, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston (Jamaica); Weising, K [School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland (New Zealand)

    1998-10-01

    A combination of PCR- and hybridization-based genome scanning techniques and sequence comparisons between non-coding chloroplast DNA flanking tRNA genes has been employed to screen Dioscorea species for intra- and interspecific genetic diversity. This methodology detected extensive polymorphisms within Dioscorea bulbifera L., and revealed taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships among cultivated Guinea yams varieties and their potential wild progenitors. Finally, screening of yam germplasm grown in Jamaica permitted reliable discrimination between all major cultivars. Genome scanning by micro satellite-primed PCR (MP-PCR) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis in combination with the novel random amplified micro satellite polymorphisms (RAMPO) hybridization technique has shown high potential for the genetic analysis of yams, and holds promise for other vegetatively propagated orphan crops. (author) 46 refs, 3 figs, 3 tabs

  18. Mirror fusion--fission hybrids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, J.D.

    1978-01-01

    The fusion-fission concept and the mirror fusion-fission hybrid program are outlined. Magnetic mirror fusion drivers and blankets for hybrid reactors are discussed. Results of system analyses are presented and a reference design is described

  19. Triplex in-situ hybridization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fresco, Jacques R.; Johnson, Marion D.

    2002-01-01

    Disclosed are methods for detecting in situ the presence of a target sequence in a substantially double-stranded nucleic acid segment, which comprises: a) contacting in situ under conditions suitable for hybridization a substantially double-stranded nucleic acid segment with a detectable third strand, said third strand being capable of hybridizing to at least a portion of the target sequence to form a triple-stranded structure, if said target sequence is present; and b) detecting whether hybridization between the third strand and the target sequence has occured.

  20. Hybrid electric vehicles TOPTEC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1994-06-21

    This one-day TOPTEC session began with an overview of hybrid electric vehicle technology. Updates were given on alternative types of energy storage, APU control for low emissions, simulation programs, and industry and government activities. The keynote speech was about battery technology, a key element to the success of hybrids. The TOPEC concluded with a panel discussion on the mission of hybrid electric vehicles, with a perspective from industry and government experts from United States and Canada on their view of the role of this technology.

  1. Synthesis of hybrid chitosan/calcium aluminosilicate using a sol-gel method for optical applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Elnahrawy, Amany Mohamed [Department of Solid State, Physics Division, National Research Center (NRC), Giza 12622, Cairo (Egypt); Kim, Yong Soo, E-mail: yskim2@ulsan.ac.kr [Department of Physics and Energy Harvest-Storage Research Center (EHSRC), University of Ulsan, Ulsan 44610 (Korea, Republic of); Ali, Ahmed I., E-mail: Ahmed_ali_2010@helwan.edu.eg [Department of Physics and Energy Harvest-Storage Research Center (EHSRC), University of Ulsan, Ulsan 44610 (Korea, Republic of); Basic Science Department, Faculty of Industrial Education & Technology, Helwan University, Cairo 11281 (Egypt)

    2016-08-15

    Hybrid chitosan (CS)/calcium aluminosilicate nanocomposites thin films and membranes were prepared using a sol–gel method with three different concentrations of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (5, 7 and 10 mol. %). The prepared nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The optical properties of the prepared samples were analyzed by UV/Vis spectrophotometry and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The optical parameters revealed an increase in both the refractive index and band gap of the nanocomposites with increasing Al concentration. In addition, the PL spectra revealed a blue shift that was consistent with an increase in the optical band gap. These results suggest that CS/calcium aluminosilicate in two different forms can be a good candidate for optical sensors applications. - Highlights: • We show a large specific surface area of hybrid CS/calcium aluminosilicate thin films and membranes using sol-gel method. • Inorganic SiO{sub 2}-based phase are perfectly embedded onto chitosan matrix has a reliable stability. • CS/calcium aluminosilicate could be usable for optical sensors, planar waveguide, and bio-sensing.

  2. Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicle Publications | Transportation Research | NREL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicle Publications Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicle Publications The following technical papers and fact sheets provide information about NREL's hydraulic hybrid fleet vehicle evaluations . Refuse Trucks Project Startup: Evaluating the Performance of Hydraulic Hybrid Refuse Vehicles. Bob

  3. Synthesis, characterization and flocculation activity of novel Fe(OH){sub 3}-polyacrylamide hybrid polymer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Huilong; Cui Jinyan [Department of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023 (China); Jiang Wenfeng, E-mail: dlutjiangwf@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023 (China)

    2011-11-01

    Highlights: {yields} The preparation of a novel Fe(OH){sub 3}-PAM hybrid polymer flocculant is achieved via free radical solution polymerization. {yields} Flocculation of kaolin suspensions using this novel Fe(OH){sub 3}-PAM hybrid polymer flocculant is revealed in this study. {yields} The statistical model was first applied for calculating the thermodynamic parameters for the kaolin flocculating process. - Abstract: A novel Fe(OH){sub 3}-polyacrylamide inorganic-organic hybrid polymer (FHPAM) was synthesized via free radical solution polymerization initiated by a redox initiation system ((NH{sub 4}){sub 2}S{sub 2}O{sub 8}-NaHSO{sub 3}) in an aqueous medium. Reaction parameters influencing the intrinsic viscosity and the yield of the hybrid polymer, such as initiator concentration, monomer mass fraction, temperature and reaction time were investigated and optimized. The results show that the maximum intrinsic viscosity and up to 94% yields of the hybrid polymer can be achieved using initiator concentration of 0.3% with acrylamide monomer mass fraction of 20% under solution polymerization at 40 deg. C for 7 h. The physicochemical properties of this hybrid flocculant were characterized with TEM, FTIR spectra, TGA, and conductivity. It was found that a chemical bond exists between Fe(OH){sub 3} colloid and polyacrylamide chains in the FHPAM. The application of the hybrid polymer for the treatment of 2.5 g L{sup -1} kaolin suspension indicates that it had an excellent flocculation capacity and its flocculation efficiency was much better than that of commercial available polyacrylamide (PAM) and polymeric ferric sulfate (PFS). The optimal conditions for the flocculation treatment of kaolin suspension were the FHPAM dosage of 40 mg L{sup -1} at pH 7.0. The thermodynamic parameters for the flocculation process were calculated based on a statistical model. Interpretation of the results was given.

  4. Overview of hybrid electric vehicle trend

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Haomiao; Yang, Weidong; Chen, Yingshu; Wang, Yun

    2018-04-01

    With the increase of per capita energy consumption, environmental pollution is worsening. Using new alternative sources of energy, reducing the use of conventional fuel-powered engines is imperative. Due to the short period, pure electric vehicles cannot be mass-produced and there are many problems such as imperfect charging facilities. Therefore, the development of hybrid electric vehicles is particularly important in a certain period. In this paper, the classification of hybrid vehicle, research status of hybrid vehicle and future development trends of hybrid vehicles is introduced. It is conducive to the public understanding of hybrid electric vehicles, which has a certain theoretical significance.

  5. Laser driven fusion fission hybrids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hansen, L.F.; Maniscalco, J.A.

    1977-11-01

    The role of the fusion-fission hybrid reactor (FFHR) as a fissile fuel and/or power producer is discussed. As long range options to supply the world energy needs, hybrid-fueled thermal-burner reactors are compared to liquid metal fast breeder reactors (LMFBR). A discussion of different fuel cycles (thorium, depleted uranium, and spent fuel) is presented in order to compare the energy multiplication, the production of fissile fuel, the laser efficiency and pellet gain requirements of the hybrid reactor. Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) has collaborated with Bechtel Corporation and with Westinghouse in two engineering design studies of laser fusion driven hybrid power plants. The hybrid designs which have resulted from these two studies are briefly described and analyzed by considering operational parameters, such as energy multiplication, power density, burn-up and plutonium production as a function time

  6. rDNA genetic imbalance and nucleolar chromatin restructuring is induced by distant hybridization between Raphanus sativus and Brassica alboglabra.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong Long

    Full Text Available The expression of rDNA in hybrids inherited from only one progenitor refers to nucleolar dominance. The molecular basis for choosing which genes to silence remains unclear. We report genetic imbalance induced by distant hybridization correlates with formation of rDNA genes (NORs in the hybrids between Raphanus sativus L. and Brassica alboglabra Bailey. Moreover, increased CCGG methylation of rDNA in F1 hybrids is concomitant with Raphanus-derived rDNA gene silencing and rDNA transcriptional inactivity revealed by nucleolar configuration restriction. Newly formed rDNA gene locus occurred through chromosomal in F1 hybrids via chromosomal imbalance. NORs are gained de novo, lost, and/or transposed in the new genome. Inhibition of methyltransferases leads to changes in nucleolar architecture, implicating a key role of methylation in control of nucleolar dominance and vital nucleolar configuration transition. Our findings suggest that gene imbalance and methylation-related chromatin restructuring is important for rDNA gene silencing that may be crucial for synthesis of specific proteins.

  7. Systematic spatial bias in DNA microarray hybridization is caused by probe spot position-dependent variability in lateral diffusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steger, Doris; Berry, David; Haider, Susanne; Horn, Matthias; Wagner, Michael; Stocker, Roman; Loy, Alexander

    2011-01-01

    The hybridization of nucleic acid targets with surface-immobilized probes is a widely used assay for the parallel detection of multiple targets in medical and biological research. Despite its widespread application, DNA microarray technology still suffers from several biases and lack of reproducibility, stemming in part from an incomplete understanding of the processes governing surface hybridization. In particular, non-random spatial variations within individual microarray hybridizations are often observed, but the mechanisms underpinning this positional bias remain incompletely explained. This study identifies and rationalizes a systematic spatial bias in the intensity of surface hybridization, characterized by markedly increased signal intensity of spots located at the boundaries of the spotted areas of the microarray slide. Combining observations from a simplified single-probe block array format with predictions from a mathematical model, the mechanism responsible for this bias is found to be a position-dependent variation in lateral diffusion of target molecules. Numerical simulations reveal a strong influence of microarray well geometry on the spatial bias. Reciprocal adjustment of the size of the microarray hybridization chamber to the area of surface-bound probes is a simple and effective measure to minimize or eliminate the diffusion-based bias, resulting in increased uniformity and accuracy of quantitative DNA microarray hybridization.

  8. Impact strength and flexural properties enhancement of methacrylate silane treated oil palm mesocarp fiber reinforced biodegradable hybrid composites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eng, Chern Chiet; Ibrahim, Nor Azowa; Zainuddin, Norhazlin; Ariffin, Hidayah; Yunus, Wan Md Zin Wan

    2014-01-01

    Natural fiber as reinforcement filler in polymer composites is an attractive approach due to being fully biodegradable and cheap. However, incompatibility between hydrophilic natural fiber and hydrophobic polymer matrix restricts the application. The current studies focus on the effects of incorporation of silane treated OPMF into polylactic acid (PLA)/polycaprolactone (PCL)/nanoclay/OPMF hybrid composites. The composites were prepared by melt blending technique and characterize the composites with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). FTIR spectra indicated that peak shifting occurs when silane treated OPMF was incorporated into hybrid composites. Based on mechanical properties results, incorporation of silane treated OPMF enhances the mechanical properties of unmodified OPMF hybrid composites with the enhancement of flexural and impact strength being 17.60% and 48.43%, respectively, at 10% fiber loading. TGA thermogram shows that incorporation of silane treated OPMF did not show increment in thermal properties of hybrid composites. SEM micrographs revealed that silane treated OPMF hybrid composites show good fiber/matrix adhesion as fiber is still embedded in the matrix and no cavity is present on the surface. Water absorption test shows that addition of less hydrophilic silane treated OPMF successfully reduces the water uptake of hybrid composites.

  9. Genomic and transcriptomic alterations following intergeneric hybridization and polyploidization in the Chrysanthemum nankingense×Tanacetum vulgare hybrid and allopolyploid (Asteraceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Xiangyu; Wang, Haibin; Song, Aiping; Jiang, Jiafu; Chen, Sumei; Chen, Fadi

    2018-01-01

    Allopolyploid formation involves two major events: interspecific hybridization and polyploidization. A number of species in the Asteraceae family are polyploids because of frequent hybridization. The effects of hybridization on genomics and transcriptomics in Chrysanthemum nankingense×Tanacetum vulgare hybrids have been reported. In this study, we obtained allopolyploids by applying a colchicine treatment to a synthesized C. nankingense × T. vulgare hybrid. Sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP), methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP), and high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technologies were used to investigate the genomic, epigenetic, and transcriptomic alterations in both the hybrid and allopolyploids. The genomic alterations in the hybrid and allopolyploids mainly involved the loss of parental fragments and the gain of novel fragments. The DNA methylation level of the hybrid was reduced by hybridization but was restored somewhat after polyploidization. There were more significant differences in gene expression between the hybrid/allopolyploid and the paternal parent than between the hybrid/allopolyploid and the maternal parent. Most differentially expressed genes (DEGs) showed down-regulation in the hybrid/allopolyploid relative to the parents. Among the non-additive genes, transgressive patterns appeared to be dominant, especially repression patterns. Maternal expression dominance was observed specifically for down-regulated genes. Many methylase and methyltransferase genes showed differential expression between the hybrid and parents and between the allopolyploid and parents. Our data indicate that hybridization may be a major factor affecting genomic and transcriptomic changes in newly formed allopolyploids. The formation of allopolyploids may not simply be the sum of hybridization and polyploidization changes but also may be influenced by the interaction between these processes.

  10. An investigation of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) based on supercapacitor and liquid nitrogen hybridization system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Xinjing; Xue, Haobai; Xu, Yujie; Chen, Haisheng; Tan, Chunqing

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • A hybrid UPS based on supercapacitor and liquid nitrogen engine is proposed. • The dynamic modelling of the hybrid UPS system is conducted. • The dynamic working performance is obtained and analysed based on the simulation. • The hybrid UPS enjoys environmental benignity, long life and easy maintenance. • It is a highly possible solution to replace conventional UPS systems. - Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system based on supercapacitor and liquid nitrogen (LN 2 ) hybridization is first introduced in this paper. Of the newly designed UPS, the supercapacitor reacts instantaneously once the main supply fails, and it also starts the LN 2 power system to produce continuing electricity for the customer. This hybrid UPS system is of environment cleanness, long life time, easy maintenaince, etc. A 10 kW model is analyzed in this study. A two-stage nitrogen expander is designed with the rated speed of 900 rpm as the long time power generation device of the LN 2 cycle. The UPS starting process calculation is carried out. The results reveal that commercial supercapacitors could fulfill this request. This UPS could be a competent choice for the UPS application. Further discussion indicates the LN 2 power system could be used widely from UPS to low carbon vehicles

  11. Systems for hybrid cars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bitsche, Otmar; Gutmann, Guenter

    Not only sharp competition but also legislation are pushing development of hybrid drive trains. Based on conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, these drive trains offer a wide range of benefits from reduced fuel consumption and emission to multifaceted performance improvements. Hybrid electric drive trains may also facilitate the introduction of fuel cells (FC). The battery is the key component for all hybrid drive trains, as it dominates cost and performance issues. The selection of the right battery technology for the specific automotive application is an important task with an impact on costs of development and use. Safety, power, and high cycle life are a must for all hybrid applications. The greatest pressure to reduce cost is in soft hybrids, where lead-acid embedded in a considerate management presents the cheapest solution, with a considerable improvement in performance needed. From mild to full hybridization, an improvement in specific power makes higher costs more acceptable, provided that the battery's service life is equivalent to the vehicle's lifetime. Today, this is proven for the nickel-metal hydride system. Lithium ion batteries, which make use of a multiple safety concept, and with some development anticipated, provide even better prospects in terms of performance and costs. Also, their scalability permits their application in battery electric vehicles—the basis for better performance and enhanced user acceptance. Development targets for the batteries are discussed with a focus on system aspects such as electrical and thermal management and safety.

  12. Hybrid Management in Hospitals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Byrkjeflot, Haldor; Jespersen, Peter Kragh

    2010-01-01

    Artiklen indeholder et litteraturbaseret studium af ledelsesformer i sygehuse, hvor sundhedsfaglig ledelse og generel ledelse mikses til hybride ledelsesformer......Artiklen indeholder et litteraturbaseret studium af ledelsesformer i sygehuse, hvor sundhedsfaglig ledelse og generel ledelse mikses til hybride ledelsesformer...

  13. An in-depth assessment of hybrid solar–geothermal power generation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Cheng; Doroodchi, Elham; Moghtaderi, Behdad

    2013-01-01

    brine flow rate of 50 kg/s revealed that under Australian climatic conditions (with a typical ambient temperature of 31 °C in summer) a hybrid plant would outperform stand-alone geothermal and solar power plants if at least 68% of its energy input is met by solar energy (i.e. a solar energy fraction of ≈68%). This figure drops to about 19% for reservoir temperatures greater than 170 °C. Case studies also showed that, for a mid-range reservoir temperature of 150 °C, the cost of electricity production can be reduced by 20% when a hybrid plant is used instead of the stand-alone Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS)

  14. An in-depth assessment of hybrid solar–geothermal power generation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Cheng [Priority Research Centre for Energy, Discipline of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308 (Australia); Doroodchi, Elham [Priority Research Centre for Advanced Particle Processing and Transport, Discipline of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308 (Australia); Moghtaderi, Behdad [Priority Research Centre for Energy, Discipline of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308 (Australia)

    2013-10-15

    brine flow rate of 50 kg/s revealed that under Australian climatic conditions (with a typical ambient temperature of 31 °C in summer) a hybrid plant would outperform stand-alone geothermal and solar power plants if at least 68% of its energy input is met by solar energy (i.e. a solar energy fraction of ≈68%). This figure drops to about 19% for reservoir temperatures greater than 170 °C. Case studies also showed that, for a mid-range reservoir temperature of 150 °C, the cost of electricity production can be reduced by 20% when a hybrid plant is used instead of the stand-alone Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS)

  15. Electrochemical supercapacitors based on novel hybrid materials made of carbon nanotubes and polyoxometalates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cuentas-Gallegos, Ana Karina; Martinez-Rosales, Rosa; Rincon, Marina E. [Centro de Investigacion en Energia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Priv. Xochicalco s/n, Col. Centro, C.P. 62580 Temixco, Mor (Mexico); Baibarac, Mihaela; Gomez-Romero, Pedro [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Barcelona, CSIC, Campus de la UAB, 08193 Bellaterra (Spain)

    2007-08-15

    We have characterized symmetric solid-state supercapacitors in swagelok cells using film electrodes made of novel hybrid materials based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNT) and phosphomolybdate polyanion (Cs-PMo12) with PVA as binder. These hybrid materials were carried out by Cs-PMo12 adhesion onto previously functionalized CNT, in order to disperse both components at a molecular level and use Cs-PMo12 as energy density enhancer in supercapacitor cells. Our results show high capacitance values (up to 285 F/g at I = 200 mA/g) due to the contribution of Cs-PMo12, which was revealed on the higher energy density values compared to pure CNT electrodes. Additionally, good stability was observed during 500 charge-discharge cycles for most hybrid electrodes. These preliminary results show a new approach to enhance energy density of double layer supercapacitor cells through the introduction of Cs-PMo12, whereas from a material science point of view these materials are innovative, and open the way to search for diverse applications aside from supercapacitors (sensors, catalysts, photovoltaic cells, etc.). (author)

  16. Completeness in Hybrid Type Theory

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Areces, Carlos; Blackburn, Patrick Rowan; Huertas, Antonia

    2014-01-01

    We show that basic hybridization (adding nominals and @ operators) makes it possible to give straightforward Henkin-style completeness proofs even when the modal logic being hybridized is higher-order. The key ideas are to add nominals as expressions of type t, and to extend to arbitrary types th......-style intensional models; we build, as simply as we can, hybrid logicover Henkin’s logic...

  17. A battery-fuel cell hybrid auxiliary power unit for trucks: Analysis of direct and indirect hybrid configurations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samsun, Remzi Can; Krupp, Carsten; Baltzer, Sidney; Gnörich, Bruno; Peters, Ralf; Stolten, Detlef

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A battery-fuel cell hybrid auxiliary power unit for heavy duty vehicles is reported. • Comparison of direct and indirect hybrids using representative load profiles. • Evaluation based on validated fuel cell system and battery models. • Indirect hybrid with constant fuel cell load yields 29.3% hybrid system efficiency. • Fuel cell should be pre-heated using waste heat from the diesel engine during drive. - Abstract: The idling operation of engines in heavy duty vehicles to cover electricity demand during layovers entails significant fuel consumption and corresponding emissions. Indeed, this mode of operation is highly inefficient and a noteworthy contributor to the transportation sector’s aggregate carbon dioxide emissions. Here, a potential solution to this wasteful practice is outlined in the form of a hybrid battery-fuel cell system for application as an auxiliary power unit for trucks. Drawing on experimentally-validated fuel cell and battery models, several possible hybrid concepts are evaluated and direct and indirect hybrid configurations analyzed using a representative load profile. The results indicate that a direct hybrid configuration is only applicable if the load demand profile does not deviate strongly from the assumed profile. Operation of an indirect hybrid with a constant fuel cell load yields the greatest hybrid system efficiency, at 29.3%, while battery size could be reduced by 87% if the fuel cell is operated at the highest dynamics. Maximum efficiency in truck applications can be achieved by pre-heating the system prior to operation using exhaust heat from the motor, which increased system efficiency from 25.3% to 28.1%, including start-up. These findings confirm that hybrid systems could offer enormous fuel savings and constitute a sizeable step on the path toward energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly heavy duty vehicles that does not necessitate a fuel switch.

  18. Hybrid systems with constraints

    CERN Document Server

    Daafouz, Jamal; Sigalotti, Mario

    2013-01-01

    Control theory is the main subject of this title, in particular analysis and control design for hybrid dynamic systems.The notion of hybrid systems offers a strong theoretical and unified framework to cope with the modeling, analysis and control design of systems where both continuous and discrete dynamics interact. The theory of hybrid systems has been the subject of intensive research over the last decade and a large number of diverse and challenging problems have been investigated. Nevertheless, many important mathematical problems remain open.This book is dedicated mainly to

  19. Amorphous Mn oxide-ordered mesoporous carbon hybrids as a high performance electrode material for supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nam, Inho; Kim, Nam Dong; Kim, Gil-Pyo; Park, Junsu; Yi, Jongheop

    2012-07-01

    A supercapacitor has the advantages of both the conventional capacitors and the rechargeable batteries. Mn oxide is generally recognized one of the potential materials that can be used for a supercapacitor, but its low conductivity is a limiting factor for electrode materials. In this study, a hybrid of amorphous Mn oxide (AMO) and ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) was prepared and characterized using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, N2/77 K sorption techniques, and electrochemical analyses. The findings indicate that the electrochemical activities of Mn oxide were facilitated when it was in the hybrid state because OMC acted as a pathway for both the electrolyte ions and the electrons due to the characteristics of the ordered mesoporous structure. The ordered mesoporous structure of OMC was well maintained even after hybridization with amorphous Mn oxide. The electrochemical-activity tests revealed that the AMO/OMC hybrid had a higher specific capacitance and conductivity than pure Mn oxide. In the case where the Mn/C weight ratio was 0.75, the composite showed a high capacitance of 153 F/g, which was much higher than that for pure Mn oxide, due to the structural effects of OMC.

  20. Development of cytoplasmic-nuclear male sterility, its inheritance, and potential use in hybrid pigeonpea breeding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saxena, Kul B; Ravikoti, V Kumar; Dalvi, Vijay A; Pandey, Lalji B; Gaddikeri, Guruprasad

    2010-01-01

    Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] is a unique food legume because of its partial (20-30%) outcrossing nature, which provides an opportunity to breed commercial hybrids. To achieve this, it is essential to have a stable male-sterility system. This paper reports the selection of a cytoplasmic-nuclear male-sterility (CMS) system derived from an interspecific cross between a wild relative of pigeonpea (Cajanus sericeus Benth. ex. Bak.) and a cultivar. This male-sterility source was used to breed agronomically superior CMS lines in early (ICPA 2068), medium (ICPA 2032), and late (ICPA 2030) maturity durations. Twenty-three fertility restorers and 30 male-sterility maintainers were selected to develop genetically diverse hybrid combinations. Histological studies revealed that vacuolation of growing tetrads and persistence of tetrad wall were primary causes of the manifestation of male sterility. Genetic studies showed that 2 dominant genes, of which one had inhibitory gene action, controlled fertility restoration in the hybrids. The experimental hybrids such as TK 030003 and TK 030009 in early, ICPH 2307 and TK 030625 in medium, and TK 030861 and TK 030851 in late maturity groups exhibited 30-88% standard heterosis in multilocation trials.

  1. Hybrid light transport model based bioluminescence tomography reconstruction for early gastric cancer detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xueli; Liang, Jimin; Hu, Hao; Qu, Xiaochao; Yang, Defu; Chen, Duofang; Zhu, Shouping; Tian, Jie

    2012-03-01

    Gastric cancer is the second cause of cancer-related death in the world, and it remains difficult to cure because it has been in late-stage once that is found. Early gastric cancer detection becomes an effective approach to decrease the gastric cancer mortality. Bioluminescence tomography (BLT) has been applied to detect early liver cancer and prostate cancer metastasis. However, the gastric cancer commonly originates from the gastric mucosa and grows outwards. The bioluminescent light will pass through a non-scattering region constructed by gastric pouch when it transports in tissues. Thus, the current BLT reconstruction algorithms based on the approximation model of radiative transfer equation are not optimal to handle this problem. To address the gastric cancer specific problem, this paper presents a novel reconstruction algorithm that uses a hybrid light transport model to describe the bioluminescent light propagation in tissues. The radiosity theory integrated with the diffusion equation to form the hybrid light transport model is utilized to describe light propagation in the non-scattering region. After the finite element discretization, the hybrid light transport model is converted into a minimization problem which fuses an l1 norm based regularization term to reveal the sparsity of bioluminescent source distribution. The performance of the reconstruction algorithm is first demonstrated with a digital mouse based simulation with the reconstruction error less than 1mm. An in situ gastric cancer-bearing nude mouse based experiment is then conducted. The primary result reveals the ability of the novel BLT reconstruction algorithm in early gastric cancer detection.

  2. Cytogenetics and stripe rust resistance of wheat-Thinopyrum elongatum hybrid derivatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Daiyan; Long, Dan; Li, Tinghui; Wu, Yanli; Wang, Yi; Zeng, Jian; Xu, Lili; Fan, Xing; Sha, Lina; Zhang, Haiqin; Zhou, Yonghong; Kang, Houyang

    2018-01-01

    Amphidiploids generated by distant hybridization are commonly used as genetic bridge to transfer desirable genes from wild wheat species into cultivated wheat. This method is typically used to enhance the resistance of wheat to biotic or abiotic stresses, and to increase crop yield and quality. Tetraploid Thinopyrum elongatum exhibits strong adaptability, resistance to stripe rust and Fusarium head blight, and tolerance to salt, drought, and cold. In the present study, we produced hybrid derivatives by crossing and backcrossing the Triticum durum-Th. elongatum partial amphidiploid ( Trititrigia 8801, 2 n  = 6 ×  = 42, AABBEE) with wheat cultivars common to the Sichuan Basin. By means of cytogenetic and disease resistance analyses, we identified progeny harboring alien chromosomes and measured their resistance to stripe rust. Hybrid progenies possessed chromosome numbers ranging from 40 to 47 (mean = 42.72), with 40.0% possessing 42 chromosomes. Genomic in situ hybridization revealed that the number of alien chromosomes ranged from 1 to 11. Out of the 50 of analyzed lines, five represented chromosome addition (2 n  = 44 = 42 W + 2E) and other five were chromosome substitution lines (2 n  = 42 = 40 W + 2E). Importantly, a single chromosome derived from wheat- Th. elongatum intergenomic Robertsonian translocations chromosome was occurred in 12 lines. Compared with the wheat parental cultivars ('CN16' and 'SM482'), the majority (70%) of the derivative lines were highly resistant to strains of stripe rust pathogen known to be prevalent in China. The findings suggest that these hybrid-derivative lines with stripe rust resistance could potentially be used as germplasm sources for further wheat improvement.

  3. Hybrid Electric Vehicle Testing | Transportation Research | NREL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hybrid Electric Vehicle Evaluations Hybrid Electric Vehicle Evaluations How Hybrid Electric Vehicles Work Hybrid electric vehicles combine a primary power source, an energy storage system, and an is used to propel the vehicle during normal drive cycles. The batteries supply additional power for

  4. Hybrid Electric Vehicle Publications | Transportation Research | NREL

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hybrid Electric Vehicle Publications Hybrid Electric Vehicle Publications The following technical papers, conference papers, and fact sheets provide information about NREL's hybrid electric fleet vehicle Class 8 Hybrid Electric Delivery Trucks. Mike Lammert. (2011) FedEx Delivery Trucks In-Use and Vehicle

  5. [Hybrids of human and monkey adenoviruses (adeno-adeno hybrids) that can reproduce in monkey cells: biological and molecular genetic peculiarities].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grinenko, N F; Savitskaia, N V; Pashvykina, G V; Al'tshteĭn, A D

    2003-06-01

    A highly oncogenic monkey adenovirus SA7(C8) facilitates the reproduction of human adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) in monkey cells. Upon mixed infection of monkey cells with both viruses, these viruses recombine producing defective adeno-adeno hybrids Ad2C8 serologically identical to Ad2 and capable of assisting Ad2 to reproduce in monkey cells. Ad2C8 and Ad2 form an intercomplementary pair inseparable in monkey cells. Unlike oncogenic SA7(C8), Ad2C8 is a nononcogenic virus for hamsters but is able to induce tumor antigens of this virus (T and TSTA). Molecular genetic analysis of 68 clones of adeno-adeno hybrids revealed that the left part of their genome consists of Ad2 DNA, and the right part contains no less than 40% of the viral SA7(C8) genome where E2A, E3, and E4 genes are located. Apparently, the products of these genes contribute to the composition of adenoviral tumor antigens, while the E4 gene is involved in complementation of monkey and human adenoviruses and makes a contribution to host range determination of these viruses.

  6. Novel kaolin/polysiloxane based organic-inorganic hybrid materials: Sol-gel synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    dos Reis, Glaydson Simões; Lima, Eder Cláudio; Sampaio, Carlos Hoffmann; Rodembusch, Fabiano Severo; Petter, Carlos Otávio; Cazacliu, Bogdan Grigore; Dotto, Guillherme Luiz; Hidalgo, Gelsa Edith Navarro

    2018-04-01

    New hybrid materials using kaolin and the organosilicas methyl-polysiloxane (MK), methyl-phenyl-polysiloxane (H44), tetraethyl-ortho-silicate (TEOS) and 3-amino-propyl-triethoxysilane (APTES) were obtained by sol-gel process. These materials presented specific surfaces areas (SBET) in the range of 20-530 m2 g-1. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed remarkable differences between the kaolin and hybrid structures. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that the hybrid materials presented higher thermal stability when compared with their precursors. The electronic properties of the materials were also studied by Ultraviolet-Visible Diffuse Reflectance Absorption (DRUV) and Diffuse Reflectance spectroscopy (DR), where a new absorption band was observed located around 400-660 nm. In addition, these materials exhibit a decrease in DR from 30% to 70% in the blue-cyan green region and are significantly more transparent in the UV region than the kaolin, which could be useful for photocatalysis applications. These results show that the electronic structure of the final material was changed, indicating a significant interaction between the kaolin and the respective silica derivative. These findings support the main idea of the hybridization afforded by pyrolysis between kaolin and organosilica precursors. In addition, as a proof of concept, these hybrid materials were successfully employed as photocatalyst in the photoreduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III).

  7. Photoelectrochemical Cell of Hybrid Regioregular POLY(3-HEXYLTHIOPHENE-2,5-DIYL) and Molybdenum Disulfide Film

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdelmola, Fatmaelzahraa M.; Ram, Manoj K.; Takshi, Arash; Stafanakos, Elias; Kumar, Ashok; Goswami, D. Yogi

    The photoelectrochemical cell attracts attention worldwide due to conversion of optical energy into electricity, production of hydrogen through water splitting and use in photodetector and photo-sensor applications. We have been working on the photochemical cell based on regioregular polyhexylthiophenes hybrid-structured films for photoelectrochemical and photovoltaic applications. This paper discusses the hybrid film studies on regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) with 2D molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) for photoelectrochemical cell. The hybrid P3HT/MoS2 films deposited over indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass plate or n-type silicon substrates were characterized using FTIR, UV/vis, electrochemical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The optical measurements showed a higher absorption magnitude with low reflection properties of P3HT/MoS2 hybrid films revealing a superior photocurrent compared to both P3HT and MoS2 films. The P3HT/MoS2 hybrid-based photoelectrochemical cell yielded a short-circuit current (Isc) of 183.16μAṡcm-2, open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.92V, fill factor (FF) of 25% and power conversion efficiency (η) of 0.18% under the light intensity of 242Wṡm-2. The estimated power conversion efficiency and fill factor are comparable to organic-based photovoltaic devices.

  8. Hybrid scaffold bearing polymer-siloxane Schiff base linkage for bone tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nair, Bindu P., E-mail: bindumelekkuttu@gmail.com; Gangadharan, Dhanya; Mohan, Neethu; Sumathi, Babitha; Nair, Prabha D., E-mail: pdnair49@gmail.com

    2015-07-01

    Scaffolds that can provide the requisite biological cues for the fast regeneration of bone are highly relevant to the advances in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In the present article, we report the fabrication of a chitosan–gelatin–siloxane scaffold bearing interpolymer-siloxane Schiff base linkage, through a single-step dialdehyde cross-linking and freeze-drying method using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane as the siloxane precursor. Swelling of the scaffolds in phosphate buffered saline indicates enhancement with increase in siloxane concentration, whereas compressive moduli of the wet scaffolds reveal inverse dependence, owing to the presence of siloxane, rich in silanol groups. It is suggested that through the strategy of dialdehyde cross-linking, a limiting siloxane loading of 20 wt.% into a chitosan-gelatin matrix should be considered ideal for bone tissue engineering, because the scaffold made with 30 wt.% siloxane loading degrades by 48 wt.%, in 21 days. The hybrid scaffolds bearing Schiff base linkage between the polymer and siloxane, unlike the stable linkages in earlier reports, are expected to give a faster release of siloxanes and enhancement in osteogenesis. This is verified by the in vitro evaluation of the hybrid scaffolds using rabbit adipose mesenchymal stem cells, which revealed osteogenic cell-clusters on a polymer-siloxane scaffold, enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity and the expression of bone-specific genes, whereas the control scaffold without siloxane supported more of cell-proliferation than differentiation. A siloxane concentration dependent enhancement in osteogenic differentiation is also observed. - Highlights: • A hybrid scaffold bearing interpolymer-siloxane Schiff base linkage • A limiting siloxane loading of 20 wt.% into chitosan–gelatin matrix • A siloxane concentration dependent enhancement in osteogenic differentiation.

  9. Keggin type inorganic-organic hybrid material containing Mn(II) monosubstituted phosphotungstate and S-(+)-sec-butyl amine: Synthesis and characterization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Patel, Ketan [Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara 390 002 (India); Patel, Anjali, E-mail: aupatel_chem@yahoo.com [Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara 390 002 (India)

    2012-02-15

    Graphical abstract: A new organic-inorganic hybrid material containing Keggin type manganese substituted phosphotungstate and S-(+)-sec-butyl amine was synthesized and systematically characterized. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer New hybrid material comprising Mn substituted phosphotungstate (PW{sub 11}Mn) and S-(+)-sec-butyl amine (SBA) was synthesized. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The spectral studies reveal the attachment of SBA to the PW{sub 11}Mn without any distortion of structure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The synthesized material comprises chirality. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The synthesized hybrid material can be used as a heterogeneous catalyst for carrying out asymmetric synthesis. -- Abstract: A new inorganic-organic POM-based hybrid material comprising Keggin type mono manganese substituted phosphotungstate and enantiopure S-(+)-sec-butyl amine was synthesized in an aqueous media by simple ligand substitution method. The synthesized hybrid material was systematically characterized in solid as well as solution by various physicochemical techniques such as elemental analysis, TGA, UV-vis, FT-IR, ESR and multinuclear solution NMR ({sup 31}P, {sup 1}H, {sup 13}C). The presence of chirality in the synthesized material was confirmed by CD spectroscopy and polarimeter. The above study reveals the attachment of S-(+)-sec-butyl amine to Keggin type mono manganese substituted phosphotungstate through N {yields} Mn bond. It also indicates the retainment of Keggin unit and presence of chirality in the synthesized material. An attempt was made to use the synthesized material as a heterogeneous catalyst for carrying out aerobic asymmetric oxidation of styrene using molecular oxygen. The catalyst shows the potential of being used as a stable recyclable catalytic material after simple regeneration without significant loss in conversion.

  10. Alternative Fuels Data Center: Hybrid Electric Vehicles

    Science.gov (United States)

    . A wide variety of hybrid electric vehicle models is currently available. Although HEVs are often -go traffic), further improving fuel economy. Mild hybrid systems cannot power the vehicle using Hybrid Electric Vehicles to someone by E-mail Share Alternative Fuels Data Center: Hybrid Electric

  11. Effects of natural hybrid and non-hybrid Epichloë endophytes on the response of Hordelymus europaeus to drought stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oberhofer, Martina; Güsewell, Sabine; Leuchtmann, Adrian

    2014-01-01

    Interspecific hybrid endophytes of the genus Epichloë (Ascomycota, Clavicipitaceae) are prevalent in wild grass populations, possibly because of their larger gene variation, resulting in increased fitness benefits for host plants; however, the reasons are not yet known. We tested hypotheses regarding niche expansion mediated by hybrid endophytes, population-dependent interactions and local co-adaptation in the woodland grass Hordelymus europaeus, which naturally hosts both hybrid and non-hybrid endophyte taxa. Seedlings derived from seeds of four grass populations made endophyte free were re-inoculated with hybrid or non-hybrid endophyte strains, or left endophyte free. Plants were grown in the glasshouse with or without drought treatment. Endophyte infection increased plant biomass and tiller production by 10-15% in both treatments. Endophyte types had similar effects on growth, but opposite effects on reproduction: non-hybrid endophytes increased seed production, whereas hybrid endophytes reduced or prevented it completely. The results are consistent with the observation that non-hybrid endophytes in H. europaeus prevail at dry sites, but cannot explain the prevalence of hybrid endophytes. Thus, our results do not support the hypothesis of niche expansion of hybrid-infected plants. Moreover, plants inoculated with native relative to foreign endophytes yielded higher infections, but both showed similar growth and survival, suggesting weak co-adaptation. © 2013 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2013 New Phytologist Trust.

  12. Mechanical and thermal design of hybrid blankets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schultz, K.R.

    1978-01-01

    The thermal and mechanical aspects of hybrid reactor blanket design considerations are discussed. This paper is intended as a companion to that of J. D. Lee of Lawrence Livermore Laboratory on the nuclear aspects of hybrid reactor blanket design. The major design characteristics of hybrid reactor blankets are discussed with emphasis on the areas of difference between hybrid reactors and standard fusion or fission reactors. Specific examples are used to illustrate the design tradeoffs and choices that must be made in hybrid reactor design. These examples are drawn from the work on the Mirror Hybrid Reactor

  13. A highly conductive, non-flammable polymer–nanoparticle hybrid electrolyte

    KAUST Repository

    Agrawal, Akanksha

    2015-01-01

    © 2015 The Royal Society of Chemistry. We report on the physical properties of lithium-ion conducting nanoparticle-polymer hybrid electrolytes created by dispersing bidisperse mixtures of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-functionalized silica nanoparticles in an aprotic liquid host. At high particle contents, we find that the ionic conductivity is a non-monotonic function of the fraction of larger particles xL in the mixtures, and that for the nearly symmetric case xL ≈ 0.5 (i.e. equal volume fraction of small and large particles), the room temperature ionic conductivity is nearly ten-times larger than in similar nanoparticle hybrid electrolytes comprised of the pure small (xL ≈ 0) or large (xL ≈ 1) particle components. Complementary trends are seen in the activation energy for ion migration and effective tortuosity of the electrolytes, which both exhibit minima near xL ≈ 0.5. Characterization of the electrolytes by dynamic rheology reveals that the maximum conductivity coincides with a distinct transition in soft glassy properties from a jammed to partially jammed and back to jammed state, as the fraction of large particles is increased from 0 to 1. This finding implies that the conductivity enhancement arises from purely entropic loss of correlation between nanoparticle centers arising from particle size dispersity. As a consequence of these physics, it is now possible to create hybrid electrolytes with MPa elastic moduli and mS cm-1 ionic conductivity levels at room temperature using common aprotic liquid media as the electrolyte solvent. Remarkably, we also find that even in highly flammable liquid media, the bidisperse nanoparticle hybrid electrolytes can be formulated to exhibit low or no flammability without compromising their favorable room temperature ionic conductivity and mechanical properties.

  14. [F-18]FDG imaging of head and neck tumors: comparison of hybrid PET, dedicated PET and CT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dresel, S.; Brinkbaeumer, K.; Schmid, R.; Poepperl, G.; Hahn, K.; Szeimies, U.

    2001-01-01

    Aim: Aim of the study was to evaluate [F-18]FDG imaging of head and neck tumors using a Hybrid-PET device of the 2nd or 3rd generation. Examinations were compared to dedicated PET and Spiral-CT. Methods: 54 patients suffering from head and neck tumors were examined using dedicated PET and Hybrid-PET after injection of 185-350 MBq [F-18]FDG. Examinations were carried out on the dedicated PET first followed by a scan on the Hybrid-PET. Dedicated PET was acquired in 3D mode, Hybrid-PET was performed in list mode using an axial filter. Reconstruction of data was performed iteratively on both, dedicated PET and Hybrid-PET. All patients received a CT scan in multislice technique. All finding have been verified by the goldstandard histology or in case of negative histology by follow up. Results: Using dedicated PET the primary or recurrent lesion was correctly diagnosed in 47/48 patients, using Hybrid-PET in 46/48 patients and using CT in 25/48 patients. Metastatic disease in cervical lymph nodes was diagnosed in 17/18 patients with dedicated PET, in 16/18 patients with Hybrid-PET and in 15/18 with CT. False positive results with regard to lymph node metastasis were seen with one patient for dedicated PET and Hybrid-PET, respectively, and with 18 patients for CT. In a total of 11 patients unknown metastastic lesions were seen with dedicated PET and with Hybrid-PET elsewhere in the body. Additional malignant disease other than the head and neck tumor was found in 4 patients. Conclusion: Using Hybrid-PET for [F-18]FDG imaging reveals a loss of sensitivity and specificity of about 1-5% as compared to dedicated PET in head and neck tumors. [F-18]FDG PET with both, dedicated PET and Hybrid-PET is superior to CT in the diagnosis of primary or recurrent lesions as well as in the assessment of lymph node involvement. (orig.) [de

  15. Deriving simulators for hybrid Chi models

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beek, van D.A.; Man, K.L.; Reniers, M.A.; Rooda, J.E.; Schiffelers, R.R.H.

    2006-01-01

    The hybrid Chi language is formalism for modeling, simulation and verification of hybrid systems. The formal semantics of hybrid Chi allows the definition of provably correct implementations for simulation, verification and realtime control. This paper discusses the principles of deriving an

  16. Hybrid Universities in Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Molly; Wan, Chang Da; Sirat, Morshidi

    2017-01-01

    Are Asian universities different from those in Western countries? Premised on the hypothesis that Asian universities are different because of hybridization between Western academic models and local traditional cultures, this paper investigates the hybrid characteristics in Malaysian universities resulting from interaction between contemporary…

  17. Covalent immobilization of lipase onto chitosan-mesoporous silica hybrid nanomaterials by carboxyl functionalized ionic liquids as the coupling agent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiang, Xinran; Suo, Hongbo; Xu, Chao; Hu, Yi

    2018-05-01

    Chitosan-mesoporous silica SBA-15 hybrid nanomaterials (CTS-SBA-15) were synthesized by means of carboxyl functionalized ionic liquids as the coupling agent. The as-prepared CTS-SBA-15 support was characterized by TEM, FTIR, TG and nitrogen adsorption-desorption techniques. Porcine pancreas lipase (PPL) was then bound to the hybrid nanomaterials by using the cross-linking reagent glutaraldehyde (GA). Further, the parameters like cross-linking concentration, time and ratio of supports to enzyme were optimized. The property of immobilized lipase were tested in detail by enzyme activity assays. The results indicated that the hybrid nanomaterials could form three-dimensional (3D) structure with homogeneous mesoporous structures and immobilized PPL revealed excellent enzymatic performance. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Detection of hepatitis A virus by hybridization with single-stranded RNA probes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xi, J.; Estes, M.K.; Metcalf, T.G.

    1987-01-01

    An improved method of dot-blot hybridization to detect hepatitis A virus (HAV) was developed with single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) probes. Radioactive and nonradioactive ssRNA probes were generated by in vitro transcription of HAV templates inserted into the plasmid pGEM-1. 32 P-labeled ssRNA probes were at least eightfold more sensitive than the 32 P-labeled double-stranded cDNA counterparts, whereas biotin-labeled ssRNA probes showed a sensitivity comparable with that of the 32 P-labeled double-stranded cDNA counterparts. Hybridization of HAV with the ssRNA probes at high stringency revealed specific reactions with a high signal-to-noise ratio. The differential hybridization reactions seen with probes of positive and negative sense (compared with HAV genomic RNA) were used to detect HAV in clinical and field samples. A positive/negative ratio was introduced as an indicator that permitted an semiquantitative expression of a positive HAV reaction. Good agreement of this indicator was observed with normal stool samples and with HAV-seeded samples. By using this system, HAV was detected in estuarine and freshwater samples collected from a sewage-polluted bayou in Houston and a saltwater tributary of Galveston Bay

  19. Interspecific somatic hybrids between Cyclamen persicum and C. coum, two sexually incompatible species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prange, Anika Nadja Sabine; Bartsch, Melanie; Meiners, Julia; Serek, Margrethe; Winkelmann, Traud

    2012-04-01

    By applying polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated protoplast fusion, the first somatic hybrids were obtained between Cyclamen persicum (2n = 2x = 48) and C. coum (2n = 2x = 30)-two species that cannot be combined by cross breeding. Heterofusion was detected by double fluorescent staining with fluorescein diacetate and scopoletin. The highest heterofusion frequencies (of about 5%) resulted from a protocol using a protoplast density of 1 × 10(6)/mL and 40% PEG. The DNA content of C. coum was estimated for the first time by propidium iodide staining to be 14.7 pg/2C and was 4.6 times higher than that of C. persicum. Among 200 in vitro plantlets regenerated from fusion experiments, most resembled the C. coum parent, whereas only 5 plants showed typical C. persicum phenotypes and 46 had a deviating morphology. By flow cytometry, six putative somatic hybrids were identified. A species-specific DNA marker was developed based on the sequence of the 5.8S gene in the ribosomal nuclear DNA and its flanking internal transcribed spacers ITS1 and ITS2. The hybrid status of only one plant could be verified by the species-specific DNA marker as well as sequencing of the amplification product. RAPD markers turned out to be less informative and applicable for hybrid identification, as no clear additivity of the parental marker bands was observed. Chromosome counting in root tips of four hybrids revealed the presence of the 30 C. coum chromosomes and 2-41 additional ones indicating elimination of C. persicum chromosomes. © Springer-Verlag 2011

  20. Battery control system for hybrid vehicle and method for controlling a hybrid vehicle battery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bockelmann, Thomas R [Battle Creek, MI; Hope, Mark E [Marshall, MI; Zou, Zhanjiang [Battle Creek, MI; Kang, Xiaosong [Battle Creek, MI

    2009-02-10

    A battery control system for hybrid vehicle includes a hybrid powertrain battery, a vehicle accessory battery, and a prime mover driven generator adapted to charge the vehicle accessory battery. A detecting arrangement is configured to monitor the vehicle accessory battery's state of charge. A controller is configured to activate the prime mover to drive the generator and recharge the vehicle accessory battery in response to the vehicle accessory battery's state of charge falling below a first predetermined level, or transfer electrical power from the hybrid powertrain battery to the vehicle accessory battery in response to the vehicle accessory battery's state of charge falling below a second predetermined level. The invention further includes a method for controlling a hybrid vehicle powertrain system.