Search results for: genetic diversity and viral proteins

Authors: Saleh Alkarri, Melinda Frame, Dimple Sharma, John Cairney, Lee Maddan, Jin H. Kim, Jonathan O. Rayner, Teresa M. Bergholz, Muhammad Rabnawaz

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Reported herein is an investigation of anti-bacterial and anti-virus properties, mode of action of Mg(OH)₂ and copper-infused Mg(OH)₂ nanoplatelets (NPs) on melt-compounded and thermally embossed polypropylene (PP) surfaces. The anti-viral activity for the NPs was studied in aqueous liquid suspensions against SARS-CoV-2, and the mode of action was investigated on neat NPs and PP samples that were thermally embossed with NPs. Anti-bacterial studies for melt-compounded NPs in PP confirmed approximately 1 log reduction of E. coli populations in 24 h, while for thermally embossed NPs, an 8 log reduction of E. coli populations was observed. In addition, the NPs exhibit anti-viral activity against SARS-CoV-2. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that reactive oxygen species (ROS) is the main mode of action through which Mg(OH)₂ and Cu-Infused Mg(OH)₂act against microbes. Plastics with anti-microbial surfaces from where biocides are non-leachable are highly desirable. This work provides a general fabrication strategy for developing anti-microbial plastic surfaces.

Keywords: anti-microbial activity, E. coli K-12 MG1655, anti-viral activity, SARS-CoV-2, copper-infused magnesium hydroxide, non-leachable, ROS, compounding, surface embossing, dyes

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Authors: Mehdi Rostamzadeh

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Genetic Algorithms (GAs) are an adaptive heuristic search algorithm premised on the evolutionary ideas of natural selection and genetic. In this study, we apply GAs for fundamental and technical models of exchange rate determination in exchange rate market. In this framework, we estimated absolute and relative purchasing power parity, Mundell-Fleming, sticky and flexible prices (monetary models), equilibrium exchange rate and portfolio balance model as fundamental models and Auto Regressive (AR), Moving Average (MA), Auto-Regressive with Moving Average (ARMA) and Mean Reversion (MR) as technical models for Iranian Rial against European Union’s Euro using monthly data from January 1992 to December 2014. Then, we put these models into the genetic algorithm system for measuring their optimal weight for each model. These optimal weights have been measured according to four criteria i.e. R-Squared (R2), mean square error (MSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and root mean square error (RMSE).Based on obtained Results, it seems that for explaining of Iranian Rial against EU Euro exchange rate behavior, fundamental models are better than technical models.

Keywords: exchange rate, genetic algorithm, fundamental models, technical models

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Authors: M. A. Rubio, A. Urquia

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Genetic algorithms (GA) are applied to the solution of high-dimensional optimization problems. Additionally, sensitivity analysis (SA) is usually carried out to determine the effect on optimal solutions of changes in parameter values of the objective function. These two analyses (i.e., optimization and sensitivity analysis) are computationally intensive when applied to high-dimensional functions. The approach presented in this paper consists in performing the SA during the GA execution, by statistically analyzing the data obtained of running the GA. The advantage is that in this case SA does not involve making additional evaluations of the objective function and, consequently, this proposed approach requires less computational effort than conducting optimization and SA in two consecutive steps.

Keywords: optimization, sensitivity, genetic algorithms, model calibration

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Authors: Elif Tugce Aksun Tumerkan

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Fluorescent proteins (FPs) have become very popular since green fluorescent protein discovered from crystal jellyfish. It is known that Anthozoa species have a wide range of chromophore organisms, and the initial crystal structure for non-fluorescent chromophores obtained from the reef-building coral has been determined. There are also differently coloured pigments in non-bioluminescent Anthozoa zooxanthellate and azooxanthellate which are frequently members of the GFP-like protein family. The development of fluorescent proteins (FPs) and their applications is an outstanding example of basic science leading to practical biotechnological and medical applications. Fluorescent proteins have several applications in science and are used as important indicators in molecular biology and cell-based research. With rising interest in cell biology, FPs have used as biosensor indicators and probes in pharmacology and cell biology. Using fluorescent proteins in genetically encoded metabolite sensors has many advantages than chemical probes for metabolites such as easily introduced into any cell or organism in any sub-cellular localization and giving chance to fixing to fluoresce of different colours or characteristics. There are different factors effects to signalling mechanism when they used as a biosensor. While there are wide ranges of research have been done on the significance and applications of fluorescent proteins, the cell signalling response of FPs and target cell are less well understood. In this study, it was aimed to clarify the response of adaptive mechanisms of coral species such as pH, temperature and symbiotic relationship and target cells properties on the signalling capacity. Corals are a rich natural source of fluorescent proteins that change with environmental conditions such as light, heat stress and injury. Adaptation mechanism of coral species to these types of environmental variations is important factor due to FPs properties have affected by this mechanism. Since fluorescent proteins obtained from nature, their own ecological property like the symbiotic relationship is observed very commonly in coral species and living conditions have the impact on FPs efficiency. Target cell properties also have an effect on signalling and visualization. The dynamicity of detector that used for reading fluorescence and the level of background fluorescence are key parameters for the quality of the fluorescent signal. Among the factors, it can be concluded that coral species adaptive characteristics have the strongest effect on FPs signalling capacity.

Keywords: biosensor, cell biology, environmental conditions, fluorescent protein, sea anemone

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Authors: M. Elanchezhian, C. Gunasekaran, A. Agnes Deepa, M. Salahudeen

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In recent years climate change is one of the most emerging threats facing by biodiversity both the animals and plants species. Elevated carbon dioxide and ozone concentrations, extreme temperature, changes in rainfall patterns, insects-plant interaction are the main criteria that affect biodiversity. In the present study, which emphasis the climate change and its effects on terrestrial insect diversity in Mukuruthi National Park a protected areas of Western Ghats in India. Sampling was done seasonally at the three areas using pitfall traps, over the period of January to December 2013. The statistical findings were done by Shannon wiener diversity index (H). A significant seasonal variation pattern was detected for total insect’s diversity at the different study areas. Totally nine orders of insects were recorded. Diversity and abundance of terrestrial insects shows much difference between the Natural, Shoal forest and the Grasslands.

Keywords: biodiversity, climate change, mukuruthi national park, terrestrial invertebrates

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Authors: Charles Bijjah Nkhata, Memory Nekati Mvula, Milton Masautso Kalongonda, Martha Masamba, Isaac Thom Shawa

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Viral Hepatitis is a serious public health concern globally with deaths estimated at 1.4 million annually due to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis B and C are the most common viruses that cause liver damage. However, the majority of infected individuals are unaware of their serostatus. Viral Hepatitis has contributed to maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. There is no updated data on the Epidemiology of hepatitis B and C among pregnant mothers in Malawi. To assess the epidemiology of Hepatitis B and C viruses among pregnant women at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital. Specific Objectives • To determine sero-prevalence of HBsAg and Anti-HCV in pregnant women at QECH. • To investigate risk factors associated with HBV and HCV infection in pregnant women. • To determine the distribution of HBsAg and Anti-HCV infection among pregnant women of different age group. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women at QECH in last quarter of 2021. Of the 114 pregnant women, 96 participants were consented and enrolled using a convenient sampling technique. 12 participants were dropped due to various reasons; therefore 84 completed the study. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and behavior characteristics to assess the risk of exposure. Serum was processed from venous blood samples and tested for HBsAg and Anti-HCV markers utilizing Rapid screening assays for screening and Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay for confirmatory. A total of 84 pregnant consenting pregnant women participated in the study, with 1.2% (n=1/84) testing positive for HBsAg and nobody had detectable anti-HCV antibodies. There was no significant link between HBV and HCV in any of the socio-demographic data or putative risk variables. The findings indicate a viral hepatitis prevalence lower than the set range by the WHO. This suggests that HBV and HCV are rare in pregnant women at QECH. Nevertheless, accessible screening for all pregnant women should be provided. The prevention of MTCT is key for reduction and prevention of the global burden of chronic viral Hepatitis.

Keywords: viral hepatitis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, pregnancy, malawi, liver disease, mother to child transmission

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Authors: R. Gounina-Allouane, N. Ouali, F. Z. Berrabah, A. Bentaleb

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For a long time, the Gram-positive spore-forming bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has been widely used in biological control against devastating and disease vectors insects. This is due to the insecticidal activity of its crystalline parasporal inclusion (crystals) predominantly comprised of one or more proteins (Cry and Cyt proteins) also called δ-endotoxins, produced during sporulation. The shape and composition of Bt crystals vary among strains and crystalline proteins are extremely varied (more than 475 cry gene were discovered). The insecticidal activity of Bt crystals is very well studied, thus their insecticidal mode of action is well established, however, their antimicrobial effect is largely unknown. The lack of data on the antimicrobial effect of crystalline proteins of Bt and the need for searching new antimicrobial molecules encouraged us to carried out this study. The antibacterial effect of δ-endotoxines produced by two Bt stains; a strain isolated from soil at northern of Algeria (Bt 7.2.B), and a strain isolated from a bioinsecticide (Bacillus thuringiensis var aizawai), activated by proteolysis, was assayed on clinical bacterial strains and ATCC collection ones respectively. Gram positive and negative clinical bacterial strains (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonaie, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus) were sensitive to activated Bt 72B endotoxins. Similarly, bacterial strains from ATCC collection (Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aerugenosa ATCC 27853, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923) were sensitive to activated B. thuringiensis var aizawai δ-endotoxines. The activated δ-endotoxins were separated by SDS-PAGE.

Keywords: Bacillus thuringiensis, crystals, cry proteins, δ-endotoxins, antibacterial activity

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Authors: Qazi Salman Khalid, Muhammad Khalid, Shahid Maqsood

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This paper presents a solution for optimizing the cycle time in an assembly line with human-robot collaboration and diverse operators. A genetic algorithm with tailored parameters is used to address the assembly line balancing problem in the automobile sector. A mathematical model is developed, depicting the problem. Currently, the firm runs on the largest candidate rule; however, it causes a lag in orders, which ultimately gets penalized. The results of the study show that the proposed GA is effective in providing efficient solutions and that the cycle time has significantly impacted productivity.

Keywords: line balancing, cycle time, genetic algorithm, productivity

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Authors: Zoe Goldberger, Priscilla S. Briquez, Jeffrey A. Hubbell

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Tumor cells have mutations resulting from genetic instability that the immune system can actively recognize. Immune checkpoint immunotherapy (ICI) is commonly used in the clinic to re-activate immune reactions against mutated proteins, called neoantigens, resulting in tumor remission in cancer patients. However, only around 20% of patients show durable response to ICI. While tumor mutational burden (TMB) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a criterion for ICI therapy, the relevance of the subcellular localizations of the mutated proteins within the tumor cell has not been investigated. Here, we hypothesized that localization of mutations impacts the effect of immune responsiveness to ICI. We analyzed publicly available tumor mutation sequencing data of ICI treated patients from 3 independent datasets. We extracted the subcellular localization from the UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot database and quantified the proportion of membrane, cytoplasmic, nuclear, or secreted mutations per patient. We analyzed this information in relation to response to ICI treatment and overall survival of patients showing with 1722 ICI-treated patients that high mutational burden localized at the membrane (mTMB), correlate with ICI responsiveness, and improved overall survival in multiple cancer types. We anticipate that our results will ameliorate predictability of cancer patient response to ICI with potential implications in clinical guidelines to tailor ICI treatment. This would not only increase patient survival for those receiving ICI, but also patients’ quality of life by reducing the number of patients enduring non-effective ICI treatments.

Keywords: cancer, immunotherapy, membrane neoantigens, efficacy prediction, biomarkers

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Authors: Debbarma Asis, Guha Chandan

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Tumor Protein-53 (P53) is one of the tumor suppressor proteins. P53 regulates the cell cycle that conserves stability by preventing genome mutation. It is named so as it runs as 53-kilodalton (kDa) protein on Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis although the actual mass is 43.7 kDa. Experimental evidence has indicated that P53 cancer mutants loses tumor suppression activity and subsequently gain oncogenic activities to promote tumourigenesis. Tumor-specific DNA has recently been detected in the plasma of breast cancer patients. Detection of tumor-specific genetic materials in cancer patients may provide a unique and valuable tumor marker for diagnosis and prognosis. Commercially available MDA-468 breast cancer cell line was used for the proposed study.

Keywords: tumor protein (P53), cancer mutants, MDA-468, tumor suppressor gene

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Authors: Jennifer Natalya Fink

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Since the racial reckoning of 2020, almost every major educational institution has incorporated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles into its administrative, hiring, and pedagogical practices. Yet these DEI principles rarely incorporate explicit language or critical thinking about disability. Despite the fact that according to the World Health Organization, one in five people worldwide is disabled, making disabled people the larger minority group in the world, disability remains the neglected stepchild of DEI. Drawing on disability studies and crip theory frameworks, the underlying causes of this exclusion of disability from DEI, such as stigma, shame, invisible disabilities, institutionalization/segregation/delineation from family, and competing models and definitions of disability are examined. This paper explores both the ideological and practical shifts necessary to include disability in university DEI initiatives. It offers positive examples as well as conceptual frameworks such as 'divers ability' for so doing. Using Georgetown University’s 2020-2022 DEI initiatives as a case study, this paper describes how curricular infusion, accessibility, identity, community, and diversity administration infused one university’s DEI initiatives with concrete disability-inclusive measures. It concludes with a consideration of how the very framework of DEI itself might be challenged and transformed if disability were to be included.

Keywords: diversity, equity, inclusion, disability, crip theory, accessibility

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Authors: Danika Pieters

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Due to changing societal and economic demands, organizational change has become increasingly prevalent in work life. While a long time change research has focused on the effects of single discrete change events on different employee outcomes such as job satisfaction and organizational commitment, a nascent research stream has begun to look into the potential cumulative effects of change in the context of continuous intense reforms. This case study of a large Belgian public organization aims to add to this growing literature by examining how the frequency and diversity of past changes impact employees’ appraisals of a newly introduced change. Twelve hundred survey results were analyzed using standard ordinary least squares regression. Results showed a correlation between high past change frequency and diversity and a negative appraisal of the new change. Implications for practitioners and future research are discussed.

Keywords: change frequency, change diversity, organizational changes, change appraisal, change evaluation

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Authors: Laura M. Hovsepyan, Gayane S. Ghazaryan, Hasmik V. Zanginyan

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Hypertension (HD) is the most common cardiovascular pathology that causes disability and mortality in the working population. Most often, heart failure (HF), which is based on myocardial remodeling, leads to death in hypertension. Recently, endothelial dysfunction (EDF) or a violation of the functional state of the vascular endothelium has been assigned a significant role in the structural changes in the myocardium and the occurrence of heart failure in patients with hypertension. It has now been established that tissues affected by inflammation form increased amounts of superoxide radical and NO, which play a significant role in the development and pathogenesis of various pathologies. They mediate inflammation, modify proteins and damage nucleic acids. The aim of this work was to study the processes of oxidative modification of proteins (OMP) and the production of nitric oxide in hypertension. In the experimental work, the blood of 30 donors and 33 patients with hypertension was used. For the quantitative determination of OMP products, the based on the reaction of the interaction of oxidized amino acid residues of proteins and 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) with the formation of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones, the amount of which was determined spectrophotometrically. The optical density of the formed carbonyl derivatives of dinitrophenylhydrazones was recorded at different wavelengths: 356 nm - aliphatic ketone dinitrophenylhydrazones (KDNPH) of neutral character; 370 nm - aliphatic aldehyde dinirophenylhydrazones (ADNPH) of neutral character; 430 nm - aliphatic KDNFG of the main character; 530 nm - basic aliphatic ADNPH. Nitric oxide was determined by photometry using Grace's solution. Adsorption was measured on a Thermo Scientific Evolution 201 SF at a wavelength of 546 nm. Thus, the results of the studies showed that in patients with arterial hypertension, an increased level of nitric oxide in the blood serum is observed, and there is also a tendency to an increase in the intensity of oxidative modification of proteins at a wavelength of 270 nm and 363 nm, which indicates a statistically significant increase in aliphatic aldehyde and ketone dinitrophenylhydrazones. The increase in the intensity of oxidative modification of blood plasma proteins in the studied patients, revealed by us, actually reflects the general direction of free radical processes and, in particular, the oxidation of proteins throughout the body. A decrease in the activity of the antioxidant system also leads to a violation of protein metabolism. The most important consequence of the oxidative modification of proteins is the inactivation of enzymes.

Keywords: hypertension (HD), oxidative modification of proteins (OMP), nitric oxide (NO), oxidative stress

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Authors: Natalia Strobel, Jan Kratzer

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In this paper, we test whether different types of research and development (R&D) alliances positively impact the radical innovation performance of firms. We differentiate between the R&D alliances without extern R&D orders and embeddedness in knowledge source network. We test the differences between the domestically diversified R&D alliances and R&D alliances diversified abroad. Moreover, we test how non-price competition influences the impact of domestically diversified R&D alliances, and R&D alliance diversified abroad on radical innovation performance. Our empirical analysis is based on the comprehensive Swiss innovation panel, which allowed us to study 3520 firms between the years between 1996 and 2011 in 3 years intervals. We analyzed the data with a linear estimation with Swamy-Aurora transformation using plm package in R software. Our results show as hypothesized a positive impact of R&D alliances diversity abroad as well as domestically on radical innovation performance. The effect of non-price interaction is in contrast to our hypothesis, not significant. This suggests that diversity of R&D alliances is highly advantageous independent of non-price competition.

Keywords: R&D alliances, partner diversity, knowledge source diversity, non-price competition, absorptive capacity

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Authors: Martina Faika Harianja, Zahtamal, Indah Nuraini, Septi Mutia Handayani, R. C. Hidayat Soesilohadi

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Tobacco is a valuable commodity that supports economic growth in Indonesia. Soil surface insects are important components that influence productivity of tobacco. Thus, diversity of soil surface insects needs to be studied in order to acquire information about specific roles of each species in ecosystem. This research aimed to study the soil surface insect diversity of tobacco agricultural ecosystem in Imogiri, Bantul District of Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia. Samples were collected by pitfall-sugar bait trap in August 2015. Result showed 5 orders, 8 families, and 17 genera of soil surface insects were found. The diversity category of soil surface insects in tobacco agricultural ecosystem was poor. Dominant genus was Monomorium with dominance index score 0.07588. Percentages of insects’ roles were omnivores 43%, detritivores 24%, predators 19%, and herbivores 14%.

Keywords: diversity, Indonesia, soil surface insect, tobacco

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Authors: Anish Shah, Steve A. Wakelin, Derrick Moot, Aurélie Laugraud, Hayley J. Ridgway

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A mixed pasture system of ryegrass-clover is used in New Zealand, where clovers are generally inoculated with commercially available strains of rhizobia. The community of rhizobia living in the soil and the way in which they interact with the plant are affected by different biotic and abiotic factors. In general, bacterial richness and diversity in soil varies by soil pH. pH also affects cell physiology and acts as a master variable that controls the wider soil physiochemical conditions such as P availability, Al release and micronutrient availability. As such, pH can have both primary and secondary effects on soil biology and processes. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of soil pH on the genetic diversity and metabolic profile of Rhizobium leguminosarum strains nodulating clover. Soils were collected from 12 farms across New Zealand which had a pH(water) range of between 4.9 and 7.5, with four acidic (pH 4.9 – 5.5), four ‘neutral’ (5.8 – 6.1) and four alkaline (6.5 – 7.5) soils. Bacteria were recovered from nodules of Trifolium repens (white clover) and T. subterraneum (subterranean clover) grown in the soils. The strains were cultured and screened against a range of pH-amended media to demonstrate whether they were adapted to pH levels similar to their native soils. The strains which showed high relative growth at a given pH (~20% of those isolated) were selected for metabolic and taxonomic profiling. The Omnilog (Biolog Inc., Hayward, CA) phenotype array was used to perform assays on carbon (C) utilisation for selected strains. DNA was extracted from the strains which had differing C utilisation profiles and PCR products for both forward and reverse primers were sequenced for the following genes: 16S rRNA, recA, nodC, nodD and nifH (symbiotic).

Keywords: bacterial diversity, clover, metabolic and taxonomic profiling, pH adaptation, rhizobia

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Authors: Yue Yang, Qiang Wu, Xingyu Gao

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"Organized research units" have always been an important part of academia. According to the type of organization, there are public research units, university research units, and corporate research units. Existing research has explored the research unit in some depth from several perspectives. However, there is a research gap on the closer interaction between the three from a network perspective and the impact of this interaction on their performance as well as originality. Cliques are a special kind of structure under the concept of cohesive subgroups in the field of social networks, representing particularly tightly knit teams in a network. This study develops the concepts of the diversity of clique types and the diversity of clique geography based on cliques, starting from the diversity of collaborative activities characterized by them. Taking research units as subjects and assigning values to their power in cliques based on occupational age, we explore the impact of clique diversity and clique power on their performance as well as originality and the moderating role of clique relationship strength and structural holes in them. By collecting 9094 articles published in the field of quantum communication at WoSCC over the 15 years 2007-2021, we processed them to construct annual collaborative networks between a total of 533 research units and measured the network characteristic variables using Ucinet. It was found that the type and geographic diversity of cliques promoted the performance and originality of the research units, and the strength of clique relationships positively moderated the positive effect of the diversity of clique types on performance and negatively affected the promotional relationship between the geographic diversity of cliques and performance. It also negatively affected the positive effects of clique-type diversity and clique-geography diversity on originality. Structural holes positively moderated the facilitating effect of both types of factional diversity on performance and originality. Clique power promoted the performance of the research unit, but unfavorably affected its performance on novelty. Faction relationship strength facilitated the relationship between faction rights and performance and showed negative insignificance for clique power and originality. Structural holes positively moderated the effect of clique power on performance and originality.

Keywords: research unit, social networks, clique structure, clique power, diversity

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Authors: Jihad S. Daba, J. P. Dubois, Yvette Antar

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With the exponential growth of cellular users, a new generation of cellular networks is needed to enhance the required peak data rates. The co-channel interference between neighboring base stations inhibits peak data rate increase. To overcome this interference, multi-cell cooperation known as coordinated multipoint transmission is proposed. Such a solution makes use of multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems under two different structures: Micro- and macro-diversity. In this paper, we study the capacity and bit error rate in cellular networks using MIMO technology. We analyse both micro- and macro-diversity schemes and develop a hybrid model that switches between macro- and micro-diversity in the case of hard handoff based on a cut-off range of signal-to-noise ratio values. We conclude that our hybrid switched micro-macro MIMO system outperforms classical MIMO systems at the cost of increased hardware and software complexity.

Keywords: cooperative multipoint transmission, ergodic capacity, hard handoff, macro-diversity, micro-diversity, multiple-input-multiple output systems, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing

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Authors: Elsheikh Asser

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Time and cost are the main goals of the construction project management. The first schedule developed may not be a suitable schedule for beginning or completing the project to achieve the target completion time at a minimum total cost. In general, there are trade-offs between time and cost (TCT) to complete the activities of a project. This research presents genetic algorithms (GAs) multi-objective model for project scheduling considering different scenarios such as least cost, least time, and target time.

Keywords: genetic algorithms, time-cost trade-off, multi-objective model, project scheduling

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Authors: Young-Min Ko, Dong-Hyun Ha, Chang-Bin Ha, Hyoung-Kyu Song

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In recent years, a multi-antenna system is actively used to improve the performance of the communication. A MIMO-OFDM system can provide multiplexing gain or diversity gain. These gains are obtained in proportion to the increase of the number of antennas. In order to provide the optimal gain of the MIMO-OFDM system, various transmission and reception schemes are presented. This paper aims to propose a hybrid scheme that base station provides both diversity gain and multiplexing gain at the same time.

Keywords: DFE, diversity gain, hybrid, MIMO, multiplexing gain.

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Authors: R. Sulakshana, R. Lakshmi

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Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, CRISPR associate (CRISPR/Cas) is an adaptive immunity system found in bacteria and archaea. It has been modified to serve as a potent gene editing tool. Moreover, it has found widespread use in the field of genome research because of its accessibility and low cost. Several bioinformatics methods have been created to aid in the construction of specific single guide RNA (sgRNA), which is highly active and crucial to CRISPR/Cas performance. Various Cas proteins, including Cas1, Cas2, Cas9, and Cas12, have been used to create genome engineering tools because of their programmable sequence specificity. Class 1 and 2 CRISPR/Cas systems, as well as the processes of all known Cas proteins (including Cas9 and Cas12), are discussed in this review paper. In addition, the various CRISPR methodologies and their tools so far discovered are discussed. Finally, the challenges and issues in the CRISPR system along with future works, are presented.

Keywords: gene editing tool, Cas proteins, CRISPR, guideRNA, programmable sequence

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Authors: M. G. Gopisankar, A. Surendiran, M. Hemachandren

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The dose requirement of warfarin to achieve target INR range varies in patients with prosthetic heart valve. This variation in is affected by both genetic and non-genetic factors. Earlier studies have identified role of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genetic polymorphisms on warfarin dose requirement. Warfarin being a substrate for drug transporter, P-glycoprotein coded by ABCB1 gene, may also be influenced by its genetic polymorphisms. This study was aimed to study the effect of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), ABCB1 2677G > T on warfarin maintenance dose requirement in patients with steady-state International Normalized Ratio (INR). The median dose requirement was significantly different between the genotype groups GG vs. GT (35 ± 20; 42.5 ± 18, p < 0.05), GG vs. TT (35 ± 20; 41.25 ± 25, p<0.05). There was no significant difference between GT vs. TT. In conclusion, patients with variant allele require a higher weekly maintenance dose of warfarin compared to patients without variant allele.

Keywords: warfarin pharamcogenetics, pharmacogenomics of warfarin, ABCB1 and warfarin, pglycoprotein and warfarin

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Authors: Sher Mohammed, Purushottam Lal, Pawan K. Kasera

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The Thar Desert of Rajasthan covers a wide geographical area spreading between 23.3° to 30.12°, North latitude and 69.3◦ to 76◦ Eastern latitudes; having a unique spectrum of arid zone vegetation. This desert is spreading over 12 districts having a rich source of economically important/threatened plant diversity interacting and growing with adverse climatic conditions of the area. Due to variable geological, physiographic, climatic, edaphic and biotic factors, the arid zone medicinal flora exhibit a wide collection of angiosperm families. The herbal diversity of this arid region is medicinally important in household remedies among tribal communities as well as in traditional systems. The on-going increasing disturbances in natural ecosystems are due to climatic and biological, including anthropogenic factors. The unique flora and subsequently dependent faunal diversity of the desert ecosystem is losing its biotic potential. A large number of plants have no future unless immediate steps are taken to arrest the causes, leading to their biological improvement. At present the potential loss in ecological amplitude of various genera and species is making several plant species as red listed plants of arid zone vegetation such as Commmiphora wightii, Tribulus rajasthanensis, Calligonum polygonoides, Ephedra foliata, Leptadenia reticulata, Tecomella undulata, Blepharis sindica, Peganum harmala, Sarcostoma vinimale, etc. Mostly arid zone species are under serious pressure against prevailing ecosystem factors to continuation their life cycles. Genetic, molecular, cytological, biochemical, metabolic, reproductive, germination etc. are the several points where the floral diversity of the arid zone area is facing severe ecological influences. So, there is an urgent need to conserve them. There are several opportunities in the field to carry out remarkable work at particular levels to protect the native plants in their natural habitat instead of only their in vitro multiplication.

Keywords: ecology, evaluation, xerophytes, economically, threatened plants, conservation

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Authors: Sundus Mona, Atif Adnan, Babar Ali, Fareeha Arshad, Allah Rakha

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Molecular diversity is the variation in the abundance of species. Forensic entomology is a neglected field in Pakistan. Insects collected from the crime scene should be handled by forensic entomologists who are currently virtually non-existent in Pakistan. Correct identification of insect specimen along with knowledge of their biodiversity can aid in solving many problems related to complicated forensic cases. Inadequate morphological identification and insufficient thermal biological studies limit the entomological utility in Forensic Medicine. Recently molecular identification of entomological evidence has gained attention globally. DNA barcoding is the latest and established method for species identification. Only proper identification can provide a precise estimation of postmortem intervals. Arthropods are known to be the first tourists scavenging on decomposing dead matter. The objective of the proposed study was to identify species by molecular techniques and analyze their phylogenetic importance with barcoded necrophagous insect species of early succession on human cadavers. Based upon this identification, the study outcomes will be the utilization of established DNA bar codes to identify carrion feeding insect species for concordant estimation of post mortem interval. A molecular identification method involving sequencing of a 658bp ‘barcode’ fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene from collected specimens of unknown dipteral species from cadavers of Lahore was evaluated. Nucleotide sequence divergences were calculated using MEGA 7 and Arlequin, and a neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree was generated. Three species were identified, Chrysomya megacephala, Chrysomya saffranea, and Chrysomya rufifacies with low genetic diversity. The fixation index was 0.83992 that suggests a need for further studies to identify and classify forensically relevant insects in Pakistan. There is an exigency demand for further research especially when immature forms of arthropods are recovered from the crime scene.

Keywords: molecular diversity, DNA barcoding, species identification, forensically relevant

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Authors: Abdu Qayyum, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Mamoona Hanif, Etrat Noor, Waqas Malik, Shoaib Liaqat

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Salinity is extremely serious problem that has a drastic effect on maize crop, environment and causes economic losses of country. An advance technique to overcome salinity is to develop salt tolerant geno types which require screening of huge germ plasm to start a breeding program. Therefore, present study was undertaken to screen out 25 maize hybrids of different origin for salinity tolerance at seedling stage under three levels of salt stress 250 and 300 mM NaCl including one control. The existence of variation for tolerance to enhanced NaCl salinity levels at seedling stage in maize proved that hybrids had differing ability to grow under saline environment and potential variability within specie. Almost all the twenty five maize hybrids behaved varyingly in response to different salinity levels. However, the maize hybrids H6, H13, H21, H23 and H24 expressed better performance under salt stress in terms of all six characters and proved to be as highly tolerant while H22, H17 H20, H18, H4, H9, and H8 were identified as moderately tolerant. Hybrids H14, H5, H11 and H3 H12, H2, were expressed as most sensitive to salinity suggesting that screening is an effective tool to exploit genetic variation among maize hybrids and salt tolerance in maize can be enhanced through selection and breeding procedure.

Keywords: salinity, hybrids, maize, variation

Procedia PDF Downloads 691

Authors: George Kamil Kamal Abdelnor

Abstract:

Every major educational institution has incorporated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles into its administrative, hiring, and pedagogical practices. Yet these DEI principles rarely incorporate explicit language or critical thinking about disability. Despite the fact that according to the World Health Organization, one in five people worldwide is disabled, making disabled people the larger minority group in the world, disability remains the neglected stepchild of DEI. Drawing on disability studies and crip theory frameworks, the underlying causes of this exclusion of disability from DEI, such as stigma, shame, invisible disabilities, institutionalization/segregation/delineation from family, and competing models and definitions of disability are examined. This paper explores both the ideological and practical shifts necessary to include disability in university DEI initiatives. It offers positive examples as well as conceptual frameworks such as 'divers ability' for so doing. Using Georgetown University’s 2020-2022 DEI initiatives as a case study, this paper describes how curricular infusion, accessibility, identity, community, and diversity administration infused one university’s DEI initiatives with concrete disability-inclusive measures. It concludes with a consideration of how the very framework of DEI itself might be challenged and transformed if disability were to be included.

Keywords: cognitive disability, cognitive diversity, disability, higher education disability, Standardized Index of Diversity of Disability (SIDD), differential and diversity in disability, 60+ population diversity, equity, inclusion, crip theory, accessibility

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Authors: Parisa Farzaneh, Azade Harati

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Mushrooms, or macro-fungi, as an important superfood, contain many bioactive compounds, particularly bio-peptides. In this research, mushroom proteins were extracted by buffer or buffer plus salt (0.15 M), along with an ultrasound bath to extract the intercellular protein. As a result, the highest amount of proteins in mushrooms were categorized into albumin. Proteins were also hydrolyzed and changed into peptides through endogenous and exogenous proteases, including gastrointestinal enzymes. The potency of endogenous proteases was also higher in Agaricus bisporus than Terfezia claveryi, as their activity ended at 75 for 15 min. The blanching process, endogenous enzymes, the mixture of gastrointestinal enzymes (pepsin-trypsin-α-chymotrypsin or trypsin- α-chymotrypsin) produced the different antioxidant and antibacterial hydrolysates. The peptide fractions produced with different cut-off ultrafilters also had various levels of radical scavenging, lipid peroxidation inhibition, and antibacterial activities. The bio-peptides with superior bioactivities (less than 3 kD of T. claveryi) were resistant to various environmental conditions (pH and temperatures). Therefore, they are good options to be added to nutraceutical and pharmaceutical preparations or functional foods, even during processing.

Keywords: bio-peptide, mushrooms, gastrointestinal enzymes, bioactivity

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Authors: José A. Menezes, Giordano Cabral, Bruno T. Gomes

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Choosing good features is an essential part of machine learning. Recent techniques aim to automate this process. For instance, feature learning intends to learn the transformation of raw data into a useful representation to machine learning tasks. In automatic audio classification tasks, this is interesting since the audio, usually complex information, needs to be transformed into a computationally convenient input to process. Another technique tries to generate features by searching a feature space. Genetic algorithms, for instance, have being used to generate audio features by combining or modifying them. We find this approach particularly interesting and, despite the undeniable advances of feature learning approaches, we wanted to take a step forward in the use of genetic algorithms to find audio features, combining them with more conventional methods, like PCA, and inserting search control mechanisms, such as constraints over a confusion matrix. This work presents the results obtained on particular audio classification problems.

Keywords: feature generation, feature learning, genetic algorithm, music information retrieval

Procedia PDF Downloads 404

Authors: Aliyu Aminu Baba, Yahaya Danjuma, Ahmad Sule Liman-Katagum

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This paper examines the effects of the board of directors’ diversity on firm performance. We investigate the relationship between the number of women directors on the board and important board committees and financial performance measured as return on assets. Our statistical analysis supports the theoretical position of the effect diversity on financial performance. These studies enhanced the previous studies on the board of director’s gender diversity, board committees, and its impacts on firm financial performance. The study uses data from eighteen (18) Nigerian commercial banks. The study finds that banks with a higher number of females directors on board and board committees have higher Earning per share(EPS)) and Return on Assets (ROA). It also finds that some banks did not even have a single female on its corporate board. Evidence imply that decisions concerning the appointment of women to corporate boards should be on criteria and financial performance. It is recommended that banks can enhance their financial performance by having more female directors on their corporate board.

Keywords: board of directors, gender diversity, board committees, financial performance

Procedia PDF Downloads 291

Authors: Sergio Alejandro Cuevas, Catherine Etchebest, Fernando Luis Barroso Da Silva

Abstract:

The flavivirus genus has several organisms responsible for generating various diseases in humans. Special in Brazil, Zika (ZIKV), Dengue (DENV) and Yellow Fever (YFV) viruses have raised great health concerns due to the high number of cases affecting the area during the last years. Diagnostic is still a difficult issue since the clinical symptoms are highly similar. The understanding of their common structural/dynamical and biomolecular interactions features and differences might suggest alternative strategies towards differential serological diagnostics and therapeutic intervention. Due to their immunogenicity, the primary focus of this study was on the ZIKV, DENV and YFV non-structural proteins 1 (NS1) protein. By means of computational studies, we calculated the main physical chemical properties of this protein from different strains that are directly responsible for the biomolecular interactions and, therefore, can be related to the differential infectivity of the strains. We also mapped the electrostatic differences at both the sequence and structural levels for the strains from Uganda to Brazil that could suggest possible molecular mechanisms for the increase of the virulence of ZIKV. It is interesting to note that despite the small changes in the protein sequence due to the high sequence identity among the studied strains, the electrostatic properties are strongly impacted by the pH which also impact on their biomolecular interactions with partners and, consequently, the molecular viral biology. African and Asian strains are distinguishable. Exploring the interfaces used by NS1 to self-associate in different oligomeric states, and to interact with membranes and the antibody, we could map the strategy used by the ZIKV during its evolutionary process. This indicates possible molecular mechanisms that can explain the different immunological response. By the comparison with the known antibody structure available for the West Nile virus, we demonstrated that the antibody would have difficulties to neutralize the NS1 from the Brazilian strain. The present study also opens up perspectives to computationally design high specificity antibodies.

Keywords: zika, biomolecular interactions, electrostatic interactions, molecular mechanisms

Procedia PDF Downloads 102