scholarly journals New Frontiers inSchistosomaGenomics and Transcriptomics

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laila A. Nahum ◽  
Marina M. Mourão ◽  
Guilherme Oliveira

Schistosomes are digenean blood flukes of aves and mammals comprising 23 species. Some species are causative agents of human schistosomiasis, the second major neglected disease affecting over 230 million people worldwide. Modern technologies including the sequencing and characterization of nucleic acids and proteins have allowed large-scale analyses of parasites and hosts, opening new frontiers in biological research with potential biomedical and biotechnological applications. Nuclear genomes of the three most socioeconomically important species (S. haematobium,S. japonicum, andS. mansoni) have been sequenced and are under intense investigation. Mitochondrial genomes of sixSchistosomaspecies have also been completely sequenced and analysed from an evolutionary perspective. Furthermore, DNA barcoding of mitochondrial sequences is used for biodiversity assessment of schistosomes. Despite the efforts in the characterization ofSchistosomagenomes and transcriptomes, many questions regarding the biology and evolution of this important taxon remain unanswered. This paper aims to discuss some advances in the schistosome research with emphasis on genomics and transcriptomics. It also aims to discuss the main challenges of the current research and to point out some future directions in schistosome studies.

Author(s):  
N. Pavithra ◽  
A.B. Aishwarya ◽  
A. Sahaya Pravin ◽  
V. John Sundar ◽  
A. Gnanamani

DNA based approaches have become widespread in recent times to identify the origin of samples when its phenotypic characteristics are not distinguishable. This, in particular, applies to the leather industry wherein with an increase in duplicated embossing of grain patterns; there is a need to detect the animal origin of  commercial leather articles. Thus, the characterization of molecular markers that enables rapid detection of the leather source helps us in precise species identification. The present study aims to generate definite sequences between the four major species in the Bovidae family (Buffalo, Cow, Goat, and Sheep), which are the major players in the manufacture of leather products, especially in India. Based on specific mitochondrial sequences, a specific fragment of the mitochondrial 12SrRNA gene was amplified by PCR as a marker for species-level identification. By the maximum homogeneity, from the NCBI and BOLD database, the BLAST analysis of the sequences of amplicons from unknown sources, distinguish closely related species of the subfamilies Bovinae (buffalo and Cow) and Caprinae (sheep and goat) and this 12SrRNA based PCR-BLAST analysis is a good tool to identify the origin and control the quality of leathers that are being manufactured. The present study has optimized an approach for the extraction and amplification of DNA from the finished leather, which is one of the most significant challenges because of the vigorous processes encountered during their manufacture. The findings of the study have commercial value at large scale.


Author(s):  
Fabrizio Ghiselli ◽  
André Gomes-dos-Santos ◽  
Coen M. Adema ◽  
Manuel Lopes-Lima ◽  
Joel Sharbrough ◽  
...  

The first animal mitochondrial genomes to be sequenced were of several vertebrates and model organisms, and the consistency of genomic features found has led to a ‘textbook description’. However, a more broad phylogenetic sampling of complete animal mitochondrial genomes has found many cases where these features do not exist, and the phylum Mollusca is especially replete with these exceptions. The characterization of full mollusc mitogenomes required considerable effort involving challenging molecular biology, but has created an enormous catalogue of surprising deviations from that textbook description, including wide variation in size, radical genome rearrangements, gene duplications and losses, the introduction of novel genes, and a complex system of inheritance dubbed ‘doubly uniparental inheritance’. Here, we review the extraordinary variation in architecture, molecular functioning and intergenerational transmission of molluscan mitochondrial genomes. Such features represent a great potential for the discovery of biological history, processes and functions that are novel for animal mitochondrial genomes. This provides a model system for studying the evolution and the manifold roles that mitochondria play in organismal physiology, and many ways that the study of mitochondrial genomes are useful for phylogeny and population biology. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue ‘Molluscan genomics: broad insights and future directions for a neglected phylum’.


2000 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 85-92
Author(s):  
MARGRET B. EINARSON ◽  
ERICA A. GOLEMIS

Einarson, Margret B., and Erica A. Golemis. Encroaching genomics: adapting large-scale science to small academic laboratories. Physiol Genomics 2: 85–92, 2000.—The process of conducting biological research is undergoing a profound metamorphosis due to the technological innovations and torrent of information resulting from the execution of multiple species genome projects. The further tasks of mapping polymorphisms and characterizing genome-wide protein-protein interaction (the characterization of the proteome) will continue to garner resources, talent, and public attention. Although some elements of these whole genome size projects can only be addressed by large research groups, consortia, or industry, the impact of these projects has already begun to transform the process of research in many small laboratories. Although the impact of this transformation is generally positive, laboratories engaged in types of research destined to be dominated by the efforts of a genomic consortium may be negatively impacted if they cannot rapidly adjust strategies in the face of new large-scale competition. The focus of this report is to outline a series of strategies that have been productively utilized by a number of small academic laboratories that have attempted to integrate such genomic resources into research plans with the goal of developing novel physiological insights.


Author(s):  
Simon Thomas

Trends in the technology development of very large scale integrated circuits (VLSI) have been in the direction of higher density of components with smaller dimensions. The scaling down of device dimensions has been not only laterally but also in depth. Such efforts in miniaturization bring with them new developments in materials and processing. Successful implementation of these efforts is, to a large extent, dependent on the proper understanding of the material properties, process technologies and reliability issues, through adequate analytical studies. The analytical instrumentation technology has, fortunately, kept pace with the basic requirements of devices with lateral dimensions in the micron/ submicron range and depths of the order of nonometers. Often, newer analytical techniques have emerged or the more conventional techniques have been adapted to meet the more stringent requirements. As such, a variety of analytical techniques are available today to aid an analyst in the efforts of VLSI process evaluation. Generally such analytical efforts are divided into the characterization of materials, evaluation of processing steps and the analysis of failures.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chem Int

The objective of this work is to study the ageing state of a used reverse osmosis (RO) membrane taken in Algeria from the Benisaf Water Company seawater desalination unit. The study consists of an autopsy procedure used to perform a chain of analyses on a membrane sheet. Wear of the membrane is characterized by a degradation of its performance due to a significant increase in hydraulic permeability (25%) and pressure drop as well as a decrease in salt retention (10% to 30%). In most cases the effects of ageing are little or poorly known at the local level and global measurements such as (flux, transmembrane pressure, permeate flow, retention rate, etc.) do not allow characterization. Therefore, a used RO (reverse osmosis) membrane was selected at the site to perform the membrane autopsy tests. These tests make it possible to analyze and identify the cause as well as to understand the links between performance degradation observed at the macroscopic scale and at the scale at which ageing takes place. External and internal visual observations allow seeing the state of degradation. Microscopic analysis of the used membranes surface shows the importance of fouling. In addition, quantification and identification analyses determine a high fouling rate in the used membrane whose foulants is of inorganic and organic nature. Moreover, the analyses proved the presence of a biofilm composed of protein.


Author(s):  
H.W. Ho ◽  
J.C.H. Phang ◽  
A. Altes ◽  
L.J. Balk

Abstract In this paper, scanning thermal conductivity microscopy is used to characterize interconnect defects due to electromigration. Similar features are observed both in the temperature and thermal conductivity micrographs. The key advantage of the thermal conductivity mode is that specimen bias is not required. This is an important advantage for the characterization of defects in large scale integrated circuits. The thermal conductivity micrographs of extrusion, exposed and subsurface voids are presented and compared with the corresponding topography and temperature micrographs.


Author(s):  
С. Л. Подвальный ◽  
О. А. Сотникова ◽  
Я. А. Золотухина

Постановка задачи. В настоящее время формирование современной комфортной городской среды приобретает особое социально-экономическое значение и выдвигается в число приоритетных государственных масштабных программ. В связи с этим необходимо разработать концепцию благоустройства ключевого общественного пространства, а именно: определить основные и сопутствующие функции данной территории, создать эскизное предложение проекта благоустройства с учетом всех необходимых норм и стандартов, внедрить современные технологии. Результаты. Выполнен эскизный дизайн-проект «Аллеи архитекторов» по ул. Орджоникидзе г. Воронеж, включающий в себя основные элементы по зонированию территории, проектированию акцентных объектов и внедрению инновационных технологий «умного города», позволяющих повысить уровень комфорта горожан. Выводы. Благоустройство населенных мест приобретает особое значение в условиях дискомфорта среды. С выполнением комплекса мероприятий, направленных на благоустройство, и с внедрением современных технологий значительно улучшается экологическое состояние, внешний облик города. Оздоровление и модернизация среды, которая окружает человека в городе, благотворно влияет на психофизическое состояние, что особенно важно в период интенсивного роста городов. Statement of the problem. Currently the formation of the modern comfortable urban environment is gaining a special social and economic value and moving forward in the priorities of state large-scale programs. The purpose of development of the concept of improvement of public space is definition of the main and accompanying functions of this territory, design of the outline offer of the project of improvement considering all necessary norms and standards and implementation of modern technologies. Results. The conceptual project of “Alley of Architects” includes the basic elements of territory zoning, design of accent objects and implementation of technologies of a “smart-city”. These elements allow one to increase the level of comfort of inhabitants. Conclusions. Improvement of the inhabited places is of particular importance in the conditions of discomfort of the environment. Carrying out a complex of the actions directed to gardening and improvement, introducing modern technologies, the ecological condition, the physical appearance of the city considerably improves. Improvement and modernization of the environment which surrounds the person in the city influences a psychophysical state well that especially important during intensive growth of the cities.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (31) ◽  
pp. 3350-3357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pooja Tripathi ◽  
Jyotsna Singh ◽  
Jonathan A. Lal ◽  
Vijay Tripathi

Background: With the outbreak of high throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS), the biological research of drug discovery has been directed towards the oncology and infectious disease therapeutic areas, with extensive use in biopharmaceutical development and vaccine production. Method: In this review, an effort was made to address the basic background of NGS technologies, potential applications of NGS in drug designing. Our purpose is also to provide a brief introduction of various Nextgeneration sequencing techniques. Discussions: The high-throughput methods execute Large-scale Unbiased Sequencing (LUS) which comprises of Massively Parallel Sequencing (MPS) or NGS technologies. The Next geneinvolved necessarily executes Largescale Unbiased Sequencing (LUS) which comprises of MPS or NGS technologies. These are related terms that describe a DNA sequencing technology which has revolutionized genomic research. Using NGS, an entire human genome can be sequenced within a single day. Conclusion: Analysis of NGS data unravels important clues in the quest for the treatment of various lifethreatening diseases and other related scientific problems related to human welfare.


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