Using genetic tools to inform conservation of fragmented populations of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) across their range in China

A herd of 15 Chinese elephants attracted international attention during their 2021 northward trek, motivating the government to propose establishment of an Asian elephant national park. However, planning is hampered by a lack of genetic information on the remaining populations in China. We collected DNA from 497 dung samples from all 5 populations encompassing the entire range of elephants in China and used mitochondrial and microsatellite markers to investigate their genetic and demographic structure. We identified 237 unique genotypes (153 females, 84 males), representing 81% of the known population. However, the effective population size was small (28, range 25–32). Historic demographic contraction appeared to account for low haplotype diversity (H_d = 0.235), but moderate nucleotide and nuclear diversity (π = 0.6%, H_e = 0.55) was attributable to post-bottleneck recovery involving recent population expansion plus historical gene exchange with elephants in Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Vietnam. The 5 populations fell into 3 clusters, with Nangunhe elephants differing consistently from the other 4 populations (F_ST = 0.23); elephants from Mengyang, Simao, and Jiangcheng belonged to a single population (henceforth, MSJ), and differed from the Shangyong population (F_ST = 0.11). Interpopulation genetic variation reflected isolation by distance and female-biased dispersal. Chinese elephants should be managed as 2 distinct units: Nangunhe and another combining Shangyong and MSJ; their long-term viability will require restoring gene flow between Shangyong and MSJ, and between elephants in China and neighboring countries. Our results have the potential to inform conservation planning for an iconic megafaunal species.     

Genetic and non-genetic factors influencing KLH binding natural antibodies and specific antibody response to Newcastle disease in Kenyan chicken populations

This study aimed at investigating the influence of genetic and non-genetic factors on immune traits to inform on possibilities of genetic improvement of disease resistance traits in local chicken of Kenya. Immune traits such as natural and specific antibodies are considered suitable indicators of an individual's health status and consequently, used as indicator traits of disease resistance. In this study, natural antibodies binding to Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH-NAbs) was used to measure general disease resistance. Specific antibodies binding to Newcastle disease virus (NDV-IgG) post vaccination was used to measure specific disease resistance. Titers of KLH-NAbs isotypes (KLH-IgM, KLH-IgG and KLH-IgA) and NDV-IgG were measured in 1,540 chickens of different ages ranging from 12 to 56 weeks. A general linear model was fitted to determine the effect of sex, generation, population type, phylogenetic cluster, line, genotype and age on the antibody traits. A multivariate animal mixed model was fitted to estimate heritability and genetic correlations among the antibody traits. The model constituted of non-genetic factors found to have a significant influence on the antibody traits as fixed effects, and animal and residual effects as random variables. Overall mean (±SE) concentration levels for KLH-IgM, KLH-IgG, KLH-IgA and NDV-IgG were 10.33 ± 0.04, 9.08 ± 0.02, 6.00 ± 0.02 and 10.12 ± 0.03, respectively. Sex, generation and age (linear covariate) significantly (p < 0.05) influenced variation across all the antibody traits. Genotype effects (p < 0.05) were present in all antibody traits, apart from KLH-IgA. Interaction between generation and line was significant (p < 0.05) in KLH-IgM and NDV-IgG while nesting phylogenetic cluster within population significantly (p < 0.05) influenced all antibody traits, apart from KLH-IgA. Heritability estimates for KLH-IgM, KLH-IgG, KLH-IgA and NDV-IgG were 0.28 ± 0.08, 0.14 ± 0.06, 0.07 ± 0.04 and 0.31 ± 0.06, respectively. There were positive genetic correlations (0.40–0.61) among the KLH-NAbs while negative genetic correlations (−0.26 to −0.98) were observed between the KLH-NAbs and NDV-IgG. Results from this study indicate that non-genetic effects due to biological and environmental factors influence natural and specific antibodies and should be accounted for to reduce bias and improve accuracy when evaluating the traits. Subsequently, the moderate heritability estimates in KLH-IgM and NDV-IgG suggest selection possibilities for genetic improvement of general and specific immunity, respectively, and consequently disease resistance. However, the negative correlations between KLH-NAbs and NDV-IgG indicate the need to consider a suitable approach that can optimally combine both traits in a multiple trait selection strategies.     

PA-X基因的长度变化对H3N2犬流感病毒复制能力和致病性的影响

H3N2犬流感病毒(canine influenza virus, CIV)已在中国多地的犬群中流行,是禽流感跨宿主感染并形成新分支的近期案例。研究表明,PA-X基因与甲型流感病毒适应新宿主的能力相关,且其长度能够影响甲型流感病毒的复制及致病能力。为了解PA-X基因的长度变化对H3N2 CIV复制能力及致病力的影响,本研究利用H3N2 CIV的8质粒操作系统,拯救了三株重组H3N2 CIV毒株：PA-X基因表达大小为232个氨基酸多肽的亲本病毒CIV＿PA-X＿232;对PA编码区第191、192位氨基酸的密码子进行改造,PA-X基因不表达蛋白的重组病毒CIV＿PA-X＿Knock;对PA+1编码区第232位氨基酸进行突变,PA-X基因表达大小为252个氨基酸多肽的重组病毒CIV＿PA-X＿252。通过比较3株重组病毒的聚合酶活性,在MDCK细胞中的复制效率及对小鼠致病性的差异,来评价表达不同长度的PA-X基因对H3N2 CIV的影响。结果显示,CIV＿PA-X＿252和CIV＿PA-X＿Knock的聚合酶活性显著(P<0.05)高于CIV＿PA-X＿232,且CIV＿PA-X＿...     

龙牙百合的植株再生与遗传转化

以龙牙百合鳞片叶切块为外植体，通过多种培养基的比较试验，得出MS 2，4-D 2mg／L 6-BA 0．2mg／L是诱导愈伤的最佳培养基，MS 6-BA 1mg／L NAA 0．05mg／L是不定芽诱导及伸长的适宜培养基。MS N_AA2mg／L是生根的最佳培养基。本试验已建立了适用于龙牙百合遗传转化的快速高频再生系统。用携带有几丁质酶基因和β—1、3葡聚糖酶基因的工程菌，通过农杆菌介导法和基因枪转化法转化龙牙百合，经PCR和点杂交检测证明外源基因已经整合到植物染色体中。同时对农杆菌介导法和基因枪法进行比较，发现农杆菌介导法的转化率为16．7％，基因枪法的转化率为50％，因此可能基因枪转化法更适于龙牙百合的遗传转化。     

农杆菌介导的马铃薯茎段遗传转化体系优化研究

以甘肃主栽品种的茎段为外植体,研究了不同转化条件(菌液浓度、感染时间、预培养及共培养时间)对转化效率的影响,以及选择压和培养基对抗性出芽的影响,初步建立了马铃薯品种“陇薯3号”和“台湾红皮”的遗传转化体系并获得了转化植株。卡那霉素生根筛选和PCR鉴定结果表明,再生的转化植株假阳性率比较高,要获得预期的转基因植株群体需加大遗传转化工作中转基因植株的数量。     

Phase Transformation Diffusion Bonding of Titanium Alloy to Stainless Steel

Jointing of titanium alloy and stainless steel is very often in the fields like aviation, chemical plants etc. The combination of materials has the advantages of both titanium alloy and stainless steel and will reduce the consumption of titanium resource. The phase transformation diffusion bonding of TA17 titanium alloy to 0CriSNigTi stainless steel are carried out on Gleeble - 1500D. The effcet of maximum thermal cycle temperature, the tensile strength, the fracture surface and microstruture of the joints are investigated. The results show that TiFe and TiFe2 intermetallics and some solid solutions are formed along the interface, when maximum thermal cycle temperature increase, the area proportion of intermetallics in the fracture surface increase, which are detrimental to the mechanical properties of the transition joints.     

Automatic Generation of Curvilinear Grid for Finite Difference Method with Many Inner Objects

In this paper the partial differential equation of coordinate transformation is computed by the finite difference formulations and some examples were computed and illustrated in pictures.     

Distribution Network Structure Planning Based on Improved Immune Genetic Algorithm

Distribution Network Structure planning is a complex combinatorial optimization problem,which is difficult to solve properly by using traditional optimization methods.In order to solve this problem,Improved Immune Genetic Algorithm is introduced to the distribution network optimal planning. Improved Immune Genetic Algorithm draws into the immune diversity and antibody's density mechanism to maintain the individual's diversity and remains evolution algorithm's global stochastic searching ability,so it can promote diversity and the whole optimal-searching ability of genetic algorithm.The optimal module takes the minimum annual cost as its object,and the capacity and voltage drop of feeder and the radiation of distribution network as its restrictions.According to the require of radiation of distribution network,the spanning tree of the alternative network is taken as the initial solution to speed up the calculation.And the branch-exchange method is used in designing crossover operator and mutation operator to avoid the radiation checking and enhance the optimizing ability.This algorithm has been illustrated effectively by examples,at the same time,the calculation example demonstrates that,the algorithm has higher calculation speed than the traditional immune genetic algorithm.     

Improved Genetic Algorithm and Its Application in TSP

Crossover operator and mutation operator are basic operators of genetic algorithm , which play important roles in improving the quality of the solution populations. We propose the improved crossover operator , mutation operator and rotation operator on the basis of good point set with the traveling salesman problem , the experimental result shows these operators are very efficient.     

Automatic Fingerprint Classification by GA-Based Neural Network

Fingerprint classification can provide an important indexing mechanism in a fingerprint database. An accurate and consistent classification can greatly reduce fingerprint matching time for large database. In the paper, by combining genetic algorithm and neural network is presented a fingerprint classification algorithm which is able to achieve an accurate classification. By inputting the global feature represented by directional image to three layer neural network trained by genetic algorithm, the fingerprints were classified into six categories: whorl, right loop, left loop, arch, double loop and undiscerning type successfully.