Bayesian approach to estimate variance components and genetic parameters of average daily gains and Kleiber ratios in crossbred cattle.

The present study aimed to estimate variance components and genetic parameters of the average daily gains from birth to 3-months (ADG1), 3- to 6-months (ADG2), 6- to 9-months (ADG3) and 9- to 12-months (ADG4) of age and corresponding Kleiber ratios (KR1, KR2, KR3 and KR4, respectively) in Jersey crossbred calves. Data for this study were collected from National Dairy Research Institute, Eastern Regional Station, Kalyani, West Bengal, India during 2013 to 2021. Genetic parameters for the traits were estimated using Bayesian procedure through Gibbs sampling by fitting six animal models.

Elucidating the effect of heat stress on milk production and composition in Jersey crossbred cows using test day records integrated with NASA POWER satellite data.

The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of heat stress on milk production (test day milk yield) and compositional traits (fat%, protein%, fat yield, protein yield) as well as to observe the pattern of response to increasing heat load on these traits in Jersey crossbred cows, maintained at ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Eastern Regional Station, Kalyani, West Bengal, India. The weather information, obtained from the NASA POWER database based on the location of the farm latitude and longitude, was used to calculate the Temperature Humidity Index (THI). To analyze the data, a linear model was fitted to the milk production and compositional records, which were adjusted for additive genetic effect of animal, permanent environmental effect of animals and known environmental sources of variations.

Genetic analysis of body weight and growth curve parameters in Muzaffarnagari sheep of India.

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic effects on parameters of the Brody and Richards growth curves using body weight records from birth to 12 months of age on 2287 Muzaffarnagari lamb for a period of 29 years (1976-2004). Estimated growth curve parameters were analysed using six univariate animal models, and genetic correlations among and between the parameters of each function and between parameters of the functions and observed birth and yearling weights were estimated using bivariate analyses. Significant environmental factors including birth year, sex, season, birth status and dam parity were included as fixed effects in all models.

Precise and rapid point-of-care quantification of albumin levels in unspiked blood using organic field-effect transistors.

Nanowire-based field-effect transistors (FETs) are widely used to detect biomolecules precisely. However, the fabrication of such devices involves complex integration procedures of nanowires into the device and most are not easily scalable. In this work, we report a straightforward fabrication approach that utilizes the grain boundaries of the semiconducting film of organic FETs to fabricate biosensors for the detection of human serum albumin (HSA) with an enhanced sensitivity and detection range.

Genetic aspects of Wood's lactation curve parameters in Jersey crossbred cattle using Bayesian approach.

The study was undertaken to estimate the genetic parameters of lactation curve parameters of Wood's function in Jersey crossbred cattle using the Bayesian approach. Data on 33,906 fortnightly test day milk yields of 1,718 lactation records of Jersey crossbred cows, maintained at the ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute in West Bengal, were collected over a period of 40 years. The lactation curve parameters including '' (initial milk yield after calving), '' (ascending slope up to peak yield) and '' (descending slope after peak yield) and lactation curve traits, peak yield (), time of peak yield () and persistency of milk yield () of individual cow for each lactation were estimated using the incomplete gamma function (Wood's model) by fitting the Gauss-Newton algorithm as an iteration method using PROC NLIN procedure of SAS 9.

Genetic relationships between reproductive and production traits in Jersey crossbred cattle.

The study aimed to estimate the genetic parameters of different reproductive traits namely age at first calving (AFC), calving interval (CI), days open (DO) and number of service per conception (NSPC) and their associations with productive traits including 305-day milk yield (305DMY), total lactation milk yield (TLMY) and lactation length (LL) of Jersey crossbred cattle maintained at Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India. Genetic parameters of reproductive traits and their correlations with productive traits were estimated by Restricted Maximum Likelihood method and Bayesian approach. Using both analytical approaches, the estimates of heritability for AFC, CI, DO and NSPC ranged from 0.

MOF-Assimilated High-Sensitive Organic Field-Effect Transistors for Rapid Detection of a Chemical Warfare Agent.

The selective and rapid detection of trace amounts of highly toxic chemical warfare agents has become imperative for efficiently using military and civilian defense. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of inorganic-organic hybrid porous material that could be potential next-generation toxic gas sensors. However, the growth of a MOF thin film for efficiently utilizing the material properties for fabricating electronic devices has been challenging.

Diffusion-Induced Ingress of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 into the Charge Conducting Path of a Pentacene Channel for Efficient Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Saliva Samples.

Rapid and accurate identification of a pathogen is crucial for disease control and prevention of the epidemic of emerging infectious like SARS-CoV-2. However, no foolproof gold standard assay exists to date. Nucleic acid-based molecular diagnostic tests have been established for identifying COVID-19.

Bayesian approach for genetic analysis of production and reproduction traits in Jersey crossbred cattle.

The knowledge of genetic parameters of performance traits is crucial for any breeding programme in dairy animals. The present study was conducted to use a Bayesian approach for estimation of genetic parameters of production and reproduction traits in Jersey crossbred cattle. Data of Jersey crossbred cattle maintained at Eastern Regional Station, National Dairy Research Institute, West Bengal spread over a span of 41 years were utilized.

Genetic analysis of sexual dimorphism in growth of Jamunapari goats of India.

A genetic study of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in Jamunapari goats was carried out to identify differences between sexes in genetic control of body weight at birth and at 3 (weaning), 6, 9 and 12 months of age. A total of 6,687 kids out of 264 sires and 1,704 dams were used in the study. Estimates of SSD were derived from male:female body weight ratios.

Effect of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione reductase supplementation on cryopreservation of Black Bengal buck semen.

The present experiment was carried out with the objectives to study the effects of antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione reductase (GSH) on cryopreservation of Black Bengal buck semen. Semen ejaculates (n = 60) were collected from eight bucks by artificial vagina method and diluted with Tris citrate egg yolk glycerol extender. To study the effect of antioxidants, SOD was added @ 0, 100, and 150 IU/ml; CAT was added @ 0, 200, and 400 IU/ml while GSH was added @ 0, 1, and 2 mM of diluted semen.

Silver Nanodot Decorated Dendritic Copper Foam As a Hydrophobic and Mechano-Chemo Bactericidal Surface.

The present work investigates the time-dependent antibacterial activity of the silver nanodot decorated dendritic copper foam nanostructures against (Gram-negative) and (Gram-positive) bacteria. An advanced antibacterial and antifouling surface is fabricated utilizing the collective antibacterial properties of silver nanodots, chitosan, and dendritic copper foam nanostructures. The porous network of the Ag nanodot decorated Cu foam is made up of nanodendrites, which reduce the wettability of the surface.

Interface engineering of moisture-induced ionic albumen dielectric layers through self-crosslinking of cysteine amino acids for low voltage, high-performance organic field-effect transistors.

The interface roughness between the semiconducting and dielectric layers of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) plays a crucial role in the charge transport mechanism through the device. Here we report the interface engineering of a moisture induced ionic albumen material through systematic control of the temperature-dependent self-crosslinking of cysteine amino acids in the dielectric layer. The evolution of the surface morphologies of albumen and pentacene semiconducting films has been studied to achieve a smooth interface for enhanced charge transport.

Genetic diversity and population structure of Jamunapari goat in India using pedigree analysis.

Pedigree records of 6821 Jamunapari goats of India were collected from 1980 to 2011 and used to evaluate the population structure and genetic diversity in this flock. Animals born between 2009 and 2011 represented the current reference population. The average pedigree completeness index (PCI) and numbers of equivalent complete generations (EqG) were estimated for the entire (PCI = 0.

Evaluation of animal models to explore the influence of maternal genetic and maternal permanent environment effect on reproductive performance of Jersey crossbred cattle.

The present study was conducted on 1,002 reproductive records of 430 Jersey crossbred cattle, descended from 57 sires and 198 dams, maintained at the Eastern Regional Station of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Kalyani, Nadia, West Bengal, India to investigate the influence of direct genetic, maternal genetic and maternal permanent environmental effect on three most important reproductive traits viz., number of service per conception (NSPC), days open (DO) and calving interval (CI) of Jersey crossbred cattle. Six single-trait animal models (including or excluding maternal genetic or permanent environmental effects) were fitted to analyse these traits, and the best model was chosen after testing the significant increase in the log-likelihood values when additional parameters were added in the model.

Genetic analysis of sexual size dimorphism in Markhoz goat.

Genetic bases of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) in Markhoz goat (5268 kids descended from 242 sires and 1499 dams) were unraveled as it was thought that sex-specific genetic mechanism is in the place governing SSD of birth weight (BW), weaning weight at 90 days of age (WW_90d), and post-weaning weights at 6 (W6), 9 (W9), and 12 (W12) months of age. Male kids excelled for BW, WW_90d, W6, W9, and W12 than their female counterparts in the tune of 10, 17, 14, 17, and 23%, respectively. Estimates of sexual dimorphism levels (expressed as M/F) were 1.

Genetic analysis of persistency indices of milk yield in Jersey crossbred cattle.

The study reported in this Research Communication was conducted to estimate genetic parameters for different lactation persistency indices and their association with reproductive traits in Jersey crossbred cattle. Data on lactation traits (part lactation yields and 305-days milk yield) comprising all lactations as well as reproductive traits viz. calving interval, conception rate and gestation length of 378 Jersey crossbred cattle, maintained at National Dairy Research Institute, Kalyani, West Bengal, India, were collected over a period of 35 years (1982-2016).

Low Operating Voltage Organic Field-Effect Transistors with Gelatin as a Moisture-Induced Ionic Dielectric Layer: The Issues of High Carrier Mobility.

We have developed low-voltage (<2 V) flexible organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) with high carrier mobility using gelatin as a moisture-induced ionic gate dielectric system. Ionic concentration in the gelatin layer depends on the relative humidity condition during the measurement. The capacitance of the dielectric layer used for the calculation of field-effect carrier mobility for the OFETs crucially depends on the frequency at which the capacitance was measured.

Electrophoretic profile of seminal proteins and their correlation with sperm characters in Black Bengal buck semen.

Aim: This study aimed to study the electrophoretic properties of seminal plasma and sperm proteins of Black Bengal buck semen and their correlation with sperm characters and freezability.

Materials And Methods: Semen ejaculates from nine Black Bengal bucks were collected by artificial vagina (n=20/buck). Ejaculates were evaluated for sperm characters and electrophoretic profile of seminal protein.

Organic Field-Effect Transistor-Based Ultrafast, Flexible, Physiological-Temperature Sensors with Hexagonal Barium Titanate Nanocrystals in Amorphous Matrix as Sensing Material.

Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) with hexagonal barium titanate nanocrystals (h-BTNCs) in amorphous matrix as one of the bilayer dielectric systems have been fabricated on a highly flexible 10 μm thick poly(ethylene terephthalate) substrate. The device current and mobility remain constant up to a bending radius of 4 mm, which makes the substrate suitable for wearable e-skin applications. h-BTNC films are found to be highly temperature-sensitive, and the OFETs designed based on this material showed ultraprecision measurement (∼4.

Genetic and environmental causes of variation in gestation length of Jersey crossbred cattle.

Aim: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of genetic and non-genetic factors and estimate the genetic parameter for gestation length (GL) of Jersey crossbred cattle.

Materials And Methods: The data included the 986 parturition records on Jersey crossbred cattle maintained at the Eastern Regional Station of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Kalyani, West Bengal, India during 36 years (1978-2013). The data were analyzed applying mixed model least square technique considering the fixed effects of genetic group, season of calving, period of calving, parity of animal, birth weight, and sex of calf born from animal.

Mass culture strategy for bacterial yeast co-culture for degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in marine environment.

In the present study a metabolically versatile co-culture with two Bacilli and one yeast strain was developed using enrichment culture techniques. The developed co-culture had affinity to degrade both aliphatic and aromatic fractions of petroleum crude oil. Degradation kinetics was established for designing the fermentation protocol of the co-culture.