bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interfacial properties of binary azeotropic mixtures of simple fluids: Molecular dynamics simulation and density gradient theory
Authors: Staubach Jens , Stephan Simon
Published: September 2022

Interfacial properties of binary azeotropic mixtures of Lennard-Jones truncated and shifted fluids were studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and density gradient theory (DGT) in combination with an equation of state. Three binary mixtures were investigated, which differ in the energetic cross interaction parameter that yields different types of azeotropic behavior. This study covers a wide temperature and composition range. Mixture A exhibits a heteroazeotrope at low temperatures, which changes to a low-boiling azeotrope at high temperatures, mixture B exhibits a low-boiling azeotrope, and mixture C exhibits a high-boiling azeotrope. The phase behavior and fluid interfacial properties as well as their relation were studied. Vapor–liquid, liquid–liquid, and vapor–liquid–liquid equilibria and interfaces were considered. Density profiles, the surface tension, the interfacial thickness, as well as the relative adsorption and enrichment of the components at the interface were studied. The results obtained from the two independent methods (MD and DGT) are overall in good agreement. The results provide insights into the relation of the phase behavior, particularly the azeotropic behavior, of simple fluid mixtures and the corresponding interfacial properties. Strong enrichment was found for the mixture with a heteroazeotrope in the vicinity of the three-phase equilibrium, which is related to a wetting transition.
Effect of atomic types and concentration on the mechanical properties of CoNi-based concentrated solid-solution alloys
Authors: Zhang Chao , Wang Xinxin , Chen Shuai , Zhang Yong-Wei
Published: September 2022

Concentrated solid-solution alloys (CSAs) are a new type of alloy material with high strength, extreme hardness, remarkable corrosion resistance, and excellent radiation resistance. The mechanical properties of CSAs are strongly determined by the types and concentration of component elements, which provide a large space for design. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations were implemented to investigate the mechanical properties of CoNi-based CSAs. Our study showed that there is a significant effect of constituent types on the yield stress and Young's modulus of CoNi-based CSAs. The yield stress and Young's modulus of CoNiFeAlCu CSAs with equal atomic ratios were found to be 3.02  and 70.94 GPa, respectively. With the increase in the Fe concentration, the yield stress and Young's modulus of the CSAs decrease gradually; on the contrary, these properties increase gradually with an increase in the Al concentration. The CoNiFeCuAl6 CSA was found to exhibit high strength and good plastic deformation ability, which originates from the significant increase in the dislocation density. Hence, the large design space of CSAs presents a great opportunity to select CSAs with excellent mechanical properties for structural applications.
Improved methods for design of PLD and combinatorial PLD films
Authors: Lysne Hogne , Brakstad Thomas , Kildemo Morten , Reenaas Turid
Published: September 2022

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is a powerful technique for prototyping thin film materials, both single component (single composition) films and films with a varying composition (e.g., lateral continuous compositional spread, CCS). In this work, we improve one of the simulation methods used to design the deposition of PLD films: We extend the mathematical model for the material spread on the substrate, T1(x,y), for each laser pulse hitting the target, and we use a more accurate method to determine T1(x,y) experimentally. The deposition of the material on the substrate is simulated by repetitively adding T1(x,y), from one or more targets, at the selected location on the substrate. Using the new model, a high agreement between the simulated and grown films’ thickness and composition across the substrate was obtained. The basis for the high agreement is the use of variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry to carefully determine T1(x,y) by measuring at 794 locations on the 50.8 mm (2 in.) diameter substrates. Factors, such as variation in optical properties and porosity across the plume/calibration films, were considered in the determination of the thicknesses. As test cases, we simulated and deposited (single component) TiO2 thin films and (CCS) TiO2 films doped with Cr and N, deposited on 50.8 mm diameter Si wafers. The modeling and simulations are implemented in an open-source Python library, pyPLD.
Reducing temperature sensitivity of gas measurement using chirped-modulated photoacoustic spectroscopy
Authors: Wu Z. , Jiao Y. , Liu F. , Ai Z. , Zhang Q.
Published: September 2022

Resonance frequency drift caused by a change in temperature greatly limits the application of high-Q resonators with high temperature sensitivity in photoacoustic (PA) gas detection systems. In this work, a chirp-wavelength combined modulation method was designed by incorporating a real-time frequency scanning in wavelength-modulated PA spectroscopy to reduce the influence of temperature changes on measurement. Theoretical analysis shows that the chirp rate depends on the precision requirements and the cutoff frequency of the cascaded low-pass filter. Trace acetylene measurement experiment at varying temperature verified that the proposed method can significantly reduce the temperature sensitivity within a preset temperature range. Thus, this method can effectively reduce the temperature sensitivity of a high-Q resonator for improving the measurement accuracy and detection limit in trace gas detection.
Matrix coupling and generalized frustration in Kuramoto oscillators
Authors: Buzanello Guilhermo L. , Barioni Ana Elisa D. , de Aguiar Marcus A. M.
Published: September 2022

The Kuramoto model describes the synchronization of coupled oscillators that have different natural frequencies. Among the many generalizations of the original model, Kuramoto and Sakaguchi (KS) proposed a frustrated version that resulted in dynamic behavior of the order parameter, even when the average natural frequency of the oscillators is zero. Here, we consider a generalization of the frustrated KS model that exhibits new transitions to synchronization. The model is identical in form to the original Kuramoto model but written in terms of unit vectors and with the coupling constant replaced by a coupling matrix. The matrix breaks the rotational symmetry and forces the order parameter to point in the direction of the eigenvector with the highest eigenvalue, when the eigenvalues are real. For complex eigenvalues, the module of order parameter oscillates while it rotates around the unit circle, creating active states. We derive the complete phase diagram for the Lorentzian distribution of frequencies using the Ott–Antonsen ansatz. We also show that changing the average value of the natural frequencies leads to further phase transitions where the module of the order parameter goes from oscillatory to static.
Strange stars in f(ℛ) gravity palatini formalism and gravitational wave echoes from them
Authors: Bora Jyatsnasree , Gogoi Dhruba Jyoti , Dev Goswami Umananda
Published: September 2022

The compact stars are promising candidates associated with the generation of
gravitational waves (GWs). In this work, we study a special type of compact
stars known as strange stars in the f(ℛ) gravity Palatini
formalism. Here we consider three promising f(ℛ) gravity models
viz., Starobinsky, Hu-Sawicki and Gogoi-Goswami models in the domain of MIT
Bag model and linear equations of state (EoSs). We compute the stellar
structures numerically and constrained the f(ℛ) model parameters
with a set of probable strange star candidates. The study shows that the
consideration of stiffer MIT Bag model and linear EoSs within a favourable
set of f(ℛ) gravity model parameters may result in strange stars
with sufficient compactness to produce echoes of GWs. Thus, we have computed
the GWs echo frequencies and characteristic echo times for such stars. It is
found that in compliance with the experimentally obtained possible strange star
candidates, the obtained GW echo frequencies for all the models are in the
range of 65 - 85 kHz.
Closed-loop TMS-EEG reactivity with occipital alpha-phase synchronized
Authors: Ding Zhaohuan , Wang Yong , Li Jiaxi , Li Xiaoli
Published: September 2022

Objective. Transcranial magnetic stimulation-electroencephalogram (TMS-EEG) technology has played an increasingly important role in the field of neuroscience, and closed loop TMS has also been gradually concerned. However, the characteristics of closed-loop TMS-EEG were few discussed. To study the dependence of EEG reactivity on cortical oscillation phase under TMS stimulation, we explored in detail the TMS-EEG characteristics induced by closed-loop TMS contingent on occipital alpha phase. Approach. By collecting 30 healthy volunteers’ closed-loop TMS-EEG data, we verified the real-time accuracy of our closed-loop system and analyzed the inter-trial phase coherence (ITPC) value, the TMS-induced natural frequency, the N100 TMS-evoked potential and the spatial characteristics of TMS-EEG data. Main results. The ITPC value of closed-loop TMS-EEG was higher than that of open loop TMS-EEG, suggesting that our research improves the repeatability of TMS-EEG experiments; the alpha power induced by 0° TMS was higher than that induced by 180° stimulation in the central region and parietal/occipital lobe; the N100 amplitude of 90° (3.85 μV) stimulation was significantly higher than that of 270° (1.87 μV) stimulation, and the latency of the N100 of the 90° stimulation (mean 95.01 ms) was significantly less than that of the 270° stimulation (mean 113.94 ms); the topographical distributions of the N45-P70-N100 potential were significantly affected by the O1 alpha phase at the moment of TMS. Significance. Our experimental results provided support for the dependence of EEG reactivity on cortical oscillation phase under TMS stimulation.
Pseudo-phase transitions of Ising and Baxter–Wu models in two-dimensional finite-size lattices
Authors: Liu Wei , Wang Fangfang , Sun Pengwei , Wang Jincheng
Published: September 2022

This article offers a detailed analysis of pseudo-phase transitions of Ising and Baxter–Wu models in two-dimensional finite-size lattices. We carry out Wang–Landau sampling to obtain the density of states. Using microcanonical inflection-point analysis with microcanonical entropy, we obtain the order of the pseudo-phase transitions in the models. The microcanonical analysis results of the second-order transition for the Ising model and the first-order transition for the Baxter–Wu model are consistent with the traditional canonical results. In addition, the third-order transitions are found in both models, implying the universality of higher-order phase transitions.
Correlation between concurrence and mutual information
Authors: Kwon Yong , Baek Seung Ki , Um Jaegon
Published: September 2022

We investigate a two-qubit system to understand the relationship between concurrence and mutual information, where the former determines the amount of quantum entanglement, whereas the latter is its classical residue after performing local projective measurement. For a given ensemble of random pure states, in which the values of concurrence are uniformly distributed, we calculate the joint probability of concurrence and mutual information. Although zero mutual information is the most probable in the uniform ensemble, we find positive correlation between the classical information and concurrence. This result suggests that destructive measurement of classical information can be used to assess the amount of quantum information.
Ultra-thin corrugated metamaterial film as large-area transmission dynode
Authors: Chan H.W. , Prodanović V. , Theulings A.M.M.G. , ten Bruggencate T. , Hagen C.W. , Sarro P.M. , v.d. Graaf H.
Published: September 2022

Large-area transmission dynodes were fabricated by depositing an ultra-thin continuous film on a silicon wafer with a 3-dimensional pattern. After removing the silicon, a corrugated membrane with enhanced mechanical properties was formed. Mechanical metamaterials, such as this corrugated membrane, are engineered to improve its strength and robustness, which allows it to span a larger surface in comparison to flat membranes while the film thickness remains constant. The ultra-thin film consists of three layers (Al2O3/TiN/Al2O3) and is deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The encapsulated TiN layer provides in-plane conductivity, which is needed to sustain secondary electron emission. Two types of corrugated membranes were fabricated: a hexagonal honeycomb and an octagonal pattern. The latter was designed to match the square pitch of a CMOS pixel chip. The transmission secondary electron yield was determined with a collector-based method using a scanning electron microscope. The highest transmission electron yield was measured on a membrane with an octagonal pattern. A yield of 2.15 was achieved for 3.15 keV incident electrons for an Al2O3/TiN/Al2O3 tri-layer film with layer thicknesses of 10/5/15 nm. The variation in yield across the surface of the corrugated membrane was determined by constructing a yield map. The active surface for transmission secondary electron emission is near 100%, i.e. a primary electron generates transmission secondary electrons regardless of the point of impact on the corrugated membrane.
Heterogenous controls on lake color and trends across the high-elevation U.S. Rocky Mountain region
Authors: Oleksy Isabella A , Collins Sarah M , Sillen Samuel J , Topp Simon N , Austin Miles , Hall Edward K , O’Reilly Catherine M , Yang Xiao , Ross Matthew R V
Published: September 2022

Global change may contribute to ecological changes in high-elevation lakes and reservoirs, but a lack of data makes it difficult to evaluate spatiotemporal patterns. Remote sensing imagery can provide more complete records to evaluate whether consistent changes across a broad geographic region are occurring. We used Landsat surface reflectance data to evaluate spatial patterns of contemporary lake color (2010–2020) in 940 lakes in the U.S. Rocky Mountains, a historically understudied area for lake water quality. Intuitively, we found that most of the lakes in the region are blue (66%) and were found in steep-sided watersheds (>22.5°) or alternatively were relatively deep (>4.5 m) with mean annual air temperature (MAAT) <4.5°C. Most green/brown lakes were found in relatively shallow sloped watersheds with MAAT ⩾4.5°C. We extended the analysis of contemporary lake color to evaluate changes in color from 1984 to 2020 for a subset of lakes with the most complete time series (n= 527). We found limited evidence of lakes shifting from blue to green states, but rather, 55% of the lakes had no trend in lake color. Surprisingly, where lake color was changing, 32% of lakes were trending toward bluer wavelengths, and only 13% shifted toward greener wavelengths. Lakes and reservoirs with the most substantial shifts toward blue wavelengths tended to be in urbanized, human population centers at relatively lower elevations. In contrast, lakes that shifted to greener wavelengths did not relate clearly to any lake or landscape features that we evaluated, though declining winter precipitation and warming summer and fall temperatures may play a role in some systems. Collectively, these results suggest that the interactions between local landscape factors and broader climatic changes can result in heterogeneous, context-dependent changes in lake color.
Toward ultrahigh thermal conductivity graphene films
Authors: Guo Sihua , Chen Shujin , Nkansah Amos , Zehri Abdelhafid , Murugesan Murali , Zhang Yong , Zhang Yan , Yu Chen , Fu Yifeng , Enmark Markus , Chen Jin , Wu Xinfeng , Yu Wei , Liu Johan
Published: September 2022

With increasing demands of high-performance and functionality, electronics devices generate a great amount of heat. Thus, efficient heat dissipation is crucially needed. Owing to its extremely good thermal conductivity, graphene is an interesting candidate for this purpose. In this paper, a two-step temperature-annealing process to fabricate ultrahigh thermal conductive graphene assembled films (GFs) is proposed. The thermal conductivity of the obtained GFs was as high as 3826 ± 47 W m−1 K−1. Extending the time of high-temperature annealing significantly improved the thermal performance of the GF. Structural analyses confirmed that the high thermal conductivity is caused by the large grain size, defect-free stacking, and high flatness, which are beneficial for phonon transmission in the carbon lattice. The turbostratic stacking degree decreased with increasing heat treatment time. However, the increase in the grain size after long heat treatment had a more pronounced effect on the phonon transfer of the GF than that of turbostratic stacking. The developed GFs show great potential for efficient thermal management in electronics devices.
Preprint Highlight: Virtual screening for small molecule pathway regulators by image profile matching
Authors: Zaritsky Assaf
Published: September 2022

Similarity between cellular phenotypes in response to different perturbations is thought to indicate a common mechanism of action, but this notion lacks systematic validation, especially when seeking small molecule regulators for genes of interest. This study describes a “virtual screening” approach that integrates two public high-content image-based screens to predict mapping of chemical compounds to gene perturbations based on similarities of their induced phenotypes. The authors computationally matched compound-gene pairs that led to a similar phenotype. Retrospective analysis of known small molecule regulators successfully matched over 30% of their regulated genes. Prospective analysis with independent experimental systems, assays, and measurements validated novel predicted compounds of three gene targets. Virtual screening can enable rapid and inexpensive identification of compounds with desired phenotypic effects.
Preprint Highlight: Event-driven acquisition for content-enriched microscopy
Authors: Zaritsky Assaf
Published: September 2022

Biological processes act over a broad range of temporal scales. Imaging fast-occurring and rare events would benefit from an on-the-fly adaptation of the acquisition frame rate according to the biological process' dynamics. This study presents an event-driven acquisition framework, where real-time machine-learning recognition of the onset of specific biological events triggers faster image acquisition. This framework was applied to follow mitochondrial fissions and bacterial divisions, achieving better temporal resolution during the events of interest along with minimized photo damage. Open code and a Micro-Manager plugin are provided, enabling adaptation to different microscopes and biological systems. The integration of real-time detection of precursors to specific events followed by tailored image acquisition will enable the enhanced characterization of fast and transient biological processes.
Roles and functions
Authors: Zelden Charles L.
Published: September 2022

This chapter explores the roles served and the functions provided by American courts at each of the four levels of courts. Arguing that form follows function and function is linked to form, it describes in detail the services that each level of court provides, from trial courts of general jurisdiction’s emphasis on dispute resolution, law enforcement, administrative oversight, sanctioning powers, and procedural supervision to the error correcting and policymaking functions of appellate courts. Finally, it explores and answers the question of why it is that the United States, more so than other countries, depends so much on courts of law to provide essential legal functions.
Powers and motivations
Authors: Zelden Charles L.
Published: September 2022

This chapter explores the rules and procedures that shape judicial decision-making. Beginning with the limits on judicial decision-making that are built into the law and judicial structures themselves, it explores how and why courts can still make a transformative difference in peoples’ lives. It describes the different needs of litigants and explains how courts can meet those differing needs. It then moves on to explore various rules of judicial procedure—such as precedent and mootness, immunity and case or controversy, abstention and res judicata—and notes how these and similar rules shape both the scope and the extent of judicial action.
People
Authors: Zelden Charles L.
Published: September 2022

Courts are living institutions. While they abide by a range of guidelines, rules, procedures, and doctrines, courts are more than the sum of their rules and structures. To ignore the human element in courts is to misunderstand fundamentally one of the primary forces driving the courts. This chapter thus discusses the men and women who make up, operate, and manage the courts of the fifty-one judicial systems in America. It starts with the backgrounds, professional experiences, philosophies, and methods of selection and socialization of judges. Special emphasis is placed on the powerful impact that judges can have on the actions, reactions, and impacts of the American judicial system. This chapter then moves on to discuss the roles, motivations, functions, and impacts of lawyers, jurors, litigants, and the general public in the operation of courts.
The haunted factory
Authors: Todes Daniel P.
Published: September 2022

Pavlov from 1890 to 1903 closely supervised about 100 coworkers to conduct the investigations of digestion that he synthesized in his Lectures on the Work of the Main Digestive Glands (1897), for which he received the Nobel Prize in 1904. This research was guided by his metaphorical view of the digestive system as a “complex chemical factory” and conducted through experiments on surgically modified dogs. For Pavlov, the digestive system processed food in two stages: first, by a “psychic secretion” elicited by the pleasures of eating; then, by highly sensitive nerves that signaled digestive glands to produce precisely the amount and quality of secretions necessary for optimal digestion. In Lectures, Pavlov displayed “stereotypical secretory curves” to demonstrate the precise operation of his digestive factory. But he knew that one uncontrollable factor was constantly skewing his results—the dog’s personality, its psyche.
Epilogue
Authors: Todes Daniel P.
Published: September 2022

The chapter briefly reviews the fate of Pavlov’s scientific conclusions about digestion and conditional reflexes and of his faith in the civilizing power of science.
Frameworks of negotiation
Authors: Menkel-Meadow Carrie
Published: September 2022

This chapter provides four different frameworks for analyzing negotiations: Adversarial- Distributive-Competitive; Integrative-Collaborative; Accommodative-Sharing; and Mixed-Allocative. First one must assess what is at stake—the res (thing) subject matter of negotiation, then assess whether materiel is scarce, sharable, or capable of being enhanced or increased. Choices of how to behave in a negotiation depend on what is at stake, how many parties, whether one-off or ongoing relationship, and the timing of negotiation and effects on others. The chapter provides analysis of different modes of conflict resolution behavior, including competition, compromise, collaboration, accommodation, and avoidance, and suggests criteria for selection of appropriate behavioral choices to reach agreements. Many important terms are defined and illustrated, e.g. ZOPA (Zone of Possible Agreement), alternatives to negotiated agreements, target points and aspirations, reservation prices. The chapter suggests how to use various conceptual frames to develop creative solutions to complex problems.
Ethical and legal issues in negotiation
Authors: Menkel-Meadow Carrie
Published: September 2022

This chapter discusses major ethical issues in negotiation: at a macro-level, when should we not negotiate, when is any form of compromise or bargaining not warranted (e.g. in situations of unfairness or evil), when is compromise and agreement a morally good thing? The chapter then focuses on micro-behavioral ethical issues in negotiation—when is deception/lying permitted or prohibited in negotiation; the law of fraud and misrepresentation, what tactics are considered inappropriate in negotiation—e.g. taking advantage of other parties’ weaknesses, lack of resources, etc. What are the legal requirements for enforceable agreements, which are formally contracts or at the international level treaties. Are we responsible for the agreements we make with others that may affect others outside of our negotiations (e.g. future generations, employees, other family members)?
Community
Authors: Katz Mark
Published: September 2022

In the 21st century, with ever cheaper and smaller headphones and portable players, billions of people regularly listen to music by themselves. Given the ubiquity of solitary listening, we might think that technology has had an inevitably isolating effect on the way we experience music. And yet, technology has also been harnessed to bring people together. In a testament to the deeply rooted human need for community, an array of music technologies has been developed and deployed since the turn of the 20th century to serve our desire to create and experience music together. This chapter considers how technology has both facilitated community and challenged our concepts of community since the late 19th century, with case studies on telephone concerts and phonograph parties in the United States, radio exercise in Japan, karaoke in England and Brazil, and musical community online.
Five theses about music and technology
Authors: Katz Mark
Published: September 2022

The concluding chapter proposes five central takeaways from this volume in the form of five theses about music and technology. They are as follows: 1. All music is technological. 2. Our relationship with music technology is fundamentally collaborative. 3. All uses of musical technologies reveal power relationships. 4. The mass mediation of music has not eliminated cultural differences. 5. The study of music technology is the study of people. The five theses are illustrated through a diverse array of examples, including a comparison of the traditional piano and the player piano; the musical demands and possibilities of video games such as Guitar Hero; the use of radio in Nazi Germany; the emergence of the steel drum as a musical instrument in Trinidad; hip hop in Zimbabwe; and the musical handclapping and rope jumping games of African American girls.
A distinct intra-individual suppression subnetwork in the brain’s default mode network across cognitive tasks
Authors: Leonards Christine A , Harrison Ben J , Jamieson Alec J , Steward Trevor , Lux Silke , Philipsen Alexandra , Davey Christopher G
Published: September 2022

Suppression of the brain’s default mode network (DMN) during external goal-directed cognitive tasks has been consistently observed in neuroimaging studies. However, emerging insights suggest the DMN is not a monolithic “task-negative” network but is comprised of subsystems that show functional heterogeneity. Despite considerable research interest, no study has investigated the consistency of DMN activity suppression across multiple cognitive tasks within the same individuals. In this study, 85 healthy 15- to 25-year-olds completed three functional magnetic resonance imaging tasks that were designed to reliably map DMN suppression from a resting baseline. Our findings revealed a distinct suppression subnetwork across the three tasks that comprised traditional DMN and adjacent regions. Specifically, common suppression was observed in the medial prefrontal cortex, the dorsal-to-mid posterior cingulate cortex extending to the precuneus, and the posterior insular cortex and parietal operculum. Further, we found the magnitude of suppression of these regions were significantly correlated within participants across tasks. Overall, our findings indicate that externally oriented cognitive tasks elicit common suppression of a distinct subnetwork of the broader DMN. The consistency to which the DMN is suppressed within individuals suggests a domain-general mechanism that may reflect a stable feature of cognitive function that optimizes external goal-directed behavior.
RNA-targeted therapeutics in cardiovascular disease: the time is now
Authors: Krychtiuk Konstantin A , Rader Daniel J , Granger Christopher B
Published: September 2022

Ribonucleic acid (RNA)-targeted therapeutics, including antisense oligonucleotide technologies as well as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), represent a new class of medications that may overcome several of the disadvantages of small molecule drugs or monoclonal antibodies. Specifically, upstream targeting at the messenger RNA (mRNA) level renders any disease-related protein a potential target, even those pathways previously deemed ‘undruggable’. Additional advantages include the comparably simple and cost-effective way of manufacturing and the long dosing intervals. A few agents are already approved and a wide array of cardiovascular drugs is in development, aimed at hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension, myocardial storage diseases, and the coagulation system. Here, we provide an update on the current status of RNA-targeted therapeutics in the cardiovascular arena.
Sex differences in arterial hypertension
Authors: Gerdts Eva , Sudano Isabella , Brouwers Sofie , Borghi Claudio , Bruno Rosa Maria , Ceconi Claudio , Cornelissen Véronique , Diévart François , Ferrini Marc , Kahan Thomas , Løchen Maja-Lisa , Maas Angela H E M , Mahfoud Felix , Mihailidou Anastasia S , Moholdt Trine , Parati Gianfranco , de Simone Giovanni
Published: September 2022

There is strong evidence that sex chromosomes and sex hormones influence blood pressure (BP) regulation, distribution of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and co-morbidities differentially in females and males with essential arterial hypertension. The risk for CV disease increases at a lower BP level in females than in males, suggesting that sex-specific thresholds for diagnosis of hypertension may be reasonable. However, due to paucity of data, in particularly from specifically designed clinical trials, it is not yet known whether hypertension should be differently managed in females and males, including treatment goals and choice and dosages of antihypertensive drugs. Accordingly, this consensus document was conceived to provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge on sex differences in essential hypertension including BP development over the life course, development of hypertension, pathophysiologic mechanisms regulating BP, interaction of BP with CV risk factors and co-morbidities, hypertension-mediated organ damage in the heart and the arteries, impact on incident CV disease, and differences in the effect of antihypertensive treatment. The consensus document also highlights areas where focused research is needed to advance sex-specific prevention and management of hypertension.
NHR-23 and SPE-44 regulate distinct sets of genes duringCaenorhabditis elegansspermatogenesis
Authors: Ragle James Matthew , Morrison Kayleigh N , Vo An A , Johnson Zoe E , Hernandez Lopez Javier , Rechtsteiner Andreas , Shakes Diane C , Ward Jordan D
Published: September 2022

Spermatogenesis is the process through which mature male gametes are formed and is necessary for the transmission of genetic information. While much work has established how sperm fate is promoted and maintained, less is known about how the sperm morphogenesis program is executed. We previously identified a novel role for the nuclear hormone receptor transcription factor, NHR-23, in promoting Caenorhabditis elegans spermatogenesis. The depletion of NHR-23 along with SPE-44, another transcription factor that promotes spermatogenesis, caused additive phenotypes. Through RNA-seq, we determined that NHR-23 and SPE-44 regulate distinct sets of genes. The depletion of both NHR-23 and SPE-44 produced yet another set of differentially regulated genes. NHR-23-regulated genes are enriched in phosphatases, consistent with the switch from genome quiescence to post-translational regulation in spermatids. In the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum, MFP1 and MFP2 control the polymerization of Major Sperm Protein, the molecule that drives sperm motility and serves as a signal to promote ovulation. NHR-23 and SPE-44 regulate several MFP2 paralogs, and NHR-23 depletion from the male germline caused defective localization of MSD/MFP1 and NSPH-2/MFP2. Although NHR-23 and SPE-44 do not transcriptionally regulate the casein kinase gene spe-6, a key regulator of sperm development, SPE-6 protein is lost following NHR-23+SPE-44 depletion. Together, these experiments provide the first mechanistic insight into how NHR-23 promotes spermatogenesis and an entry point to understanding the synthetic genetic interaction between nhr-23 and spe-44.
The interruption of transmission of onchocerciasis in Kaduna, Kebbi and Zamfara states, Nigeria: another milestone achievement
Authors: Isiyaku Sunday , Igbe Michael , Madaki Suzie , Hamill Louise C , Ndongmo Patrick , Adamani William , Bush Simon , Shu'aibu Joy , Elhassan Elizabeth , Saka Yisa , Anyaike Chukwuma , Akpan Nse Michael , Joel Akilah , Nyior Audrey , Abdullahi Alhassan , Aleiro Attahiru , Labbo Abdullahi , Mafuyai Hayward Babale , Nwoke Bertram E B
Published: September 2022

Background

More than 40 million people live in onchocerciasis-endemic areas in Nigeria. For at least 19 y, mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin was implemented with at least 65% total population coverage in Kaduna, Kebbi and Zamfara states. Impact surveys done using skin biopsies yielded no infections. Serological and entomological assessments were undertaken to determine if onchocerciasis transmission had been interrupted and MDA could be stopped.

Methods

The presence of onchocerciasis-specific immunoglobulin G4 antibody was measured by enzyme=linked immunosorbent assay conducted on dried blood spots collected from 5- to 9-year-old children resident in each state. O-150 polymerase chain reaction testing of Simulium damnosum s.l. heads for Onchocerca volvulus DNA was done on black flies collected by human landing capture and Esperanza window traps.

Results

A total of 9078 children were surveyed across the three states. A total of 6139 vectors were collected from Kaduna state, 129 from Kebbi state and 2 from Zamfara state; all were negative. Kebbi and Zamfara states did thousands of hours of black fly catching and intensive river prospecting. The resulting low fly catch was due to a low fly population incapable of sustaining transmission.

Conclusion

Onchocerciasis transmission has been interrupted and the three states meet World Health Organization thresholds: seropositivity in children <0.1% and <1/2000 infective black flies with 95% confidence. The 2.2 million people in Kaduna state and 4 million in Kebbi and Zamfara states no longer need ivermectin for onchocerciasis.
Comparison of High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein vs C-reactive Protein for Cardiovascular Risk Prediction in Chronic Cardiac Disease
Authors: Han Emilie , Fritzer-Szekeres Monika , Szekeres Thomas , Gehrig Teresa , Gyöngyösi Mariann , Bergler-Klein Jutta
Published: September 2022

Background

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a biomarker used for risk prediction for cardiovascular disease by assessing low concentration of inflammation. Measurements of regular CRP have become very sensitive with a lower detection limit of 0.3 mg/L. This study aimed to compare and explore the association between CRP and hs-CRP.

Methods

Data from 607 consecutive patients referred for cardiovascular risk assessment with hs-CRP were reviewed retrospectively. In total, 570 patients were included in the analysis and classified into 3 (low-, medium-, and high-risk) groups (hs-CRP cutoff: <1, 1–3, >3 mg/L). Correlation between hs-CRP and CRP was assessed with the kappa statistic and visualized with a Bland–Altman plot. The association between hs-CRP and occurrence of the composite outcome (acute myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary intervention [percutaneous coronary intervention or bypass surgery], or death) was determined with Cox regression analysis and visualized with Kaplan–Meier curves.

Results

A total number reclassification occurred in 8.6% of the cases for CRP risk groups, which demonstrates an agreement of 91.4% (kappa 0.87; P < 0.001). The correlation between CRP and hs-CRP was significant (P < 0.001), Spearman regression R2 = 0.98. A Bland–Altman plot displayed an average difference of 0.19 mg/L (95%CI, 0.17 to 0.23) between the CRP and hs-CRP. Cardiovascular events were more likely to occur in patients who were older, with hs-CRP or CRP >3 mg/L and a history of coronary artery disease.

Conclusions

The usual laboratory tests for CRP values in the lower range highly correlate with the hs-CRP tests and can therefore replace the costlier hs-CRP measurements.
25 Sustainable Dairy Breeding: Working within the US National Evaluation System
Authors: Miles Asha
Published: September 2022

We define sustainable agriculture as a balance of practices protecting the natural environment, promoting economic vitality, and building healthy communities in the present without compromising the future. The dairy industry has been working for decades with these goals in mind, but under the brand of productive efficiency. This has resulted in tremendous gains in farm profitability and cow performance, though dairy systems are continually impacted by resource availability, advancing technology, and changing consumer values that all affect the environment in which cows must perform. As we redefine selection goals for sustainability we should prioritize overall fitness, encompassing a dairy cattle population that is genetically diverse, resilient, and adaptable. Greater genetic gains correspond to a faster rate of inbreeding, which has long been recognized as an antagonist to health and performance. Male genetic variation is very limited due to the marketability of high genetic merit sires and so conserving female genetic diversity must be a top priority. National genetic and genomic evaluations are delivered with the cooperation of key industry partners through a complex system of data sharing and management; incorporating new phenotypes (e.g., emissions) will require operating within the parameters of this system. Examples of changing industry trends include the rise in embryo transfer, increasing interest in evaluations for heat tolerance, higher frequency of robotic milkers in the United States, and the popularity of beef-on-dairy crossbreds as managers seek to sustain farm profits. Genetic improvement tools need to be just as dynamic as the dairy industry, but they all depend upon reliable and accurate data flow. Autonomous, sensor-based phenotyping represents a huge opportunity for genomic improvement, but translating this rapidly generated data into something that can be used for genomic selection will be a new challenge.
28 Problematizing Selection Mapping from an Animal Science Perspective
Authors: Johnsson Martin
Published: September 2022

Selection mapping is a family of methods that use genome-wide genetic data to detect signatures of selection in the genome. The methods used to quantify these signatures range from relatively simple diversity statistics to complicated population genetic models or machine learning classifiers. Selection mapping of domestic and feral animals have identified signatures of selection in regions of the genome known to be associated with simple traits, large-effect alleles for complex traits, but also many regions of unknown significance. Selection mapping can be thought of as part of a broader move towards "natural history of the genome". As large amounts of genomic data are becoming available, there is a space for descriptive accounts of genome-wide data that aid hypothesis-generation and draw attention to striking features of the genome. However, selection mapping gives a particular, biased view of selection, and has methodological issues including dependence on population genetic parameters that are often unknown, and a bewildering array of analysis options. Therefore, we would do well to think hard about how and why we apply it.
29 Mapping Recent and Ongoing Polygenic Selection in Beef Cattle Populations
Authors: Rowan Troy N , Schnabel Robert , Decker Jared E
Published: September 2022

Understanding the underlying effects of ongoing selection is of interest to livestock breeding programs. Commercial livestock genotyping has generated datasets well-suited to explore how strong artificial selection has impacted the genome over very short time periods. We have developed a method for mapping ongoing polygenic selection in populations with temporally stratified genomic data called Generation Proxy Selection Mapping (GPSM). GPSM utilizes a genome-wide linear mixed model to identify allelic associations with an animal's generation number or some proxy (i.e., birth date). We applied GPSM to two large contemporary beef cattle datasets from Red Angus (n = 46,454) and Simmental (n = 90,580) breeds, with 11,759,568 high-quality imputed variants per animal. This analysis identified 294 distinct loci actively under selection. Due to the high power of these datasets, we found that GPSM could detect very small and recent(< 10 years) allele frequency changes consistent with polygenic selection. These analyses identified variants within genomic regions associated with known breed characteristics, like fertility and maternal ability in Red Angus and carcass merit and coat color in Simmental. Over 60% of GPSM loci resided in or near (< 50kb) annotated genes. We leveraged the resolution of our imputed sequence variants to overlay known epigenetic marks and possibly functional regions. 36% of GPSM loci overlapped these putatively functional regions genomic intervals. In addition to GPSM, we used two other more traditional selective sweep methods, the number of segregating loci (nSL) and Raised Accuracy in Sweep Detecting (RAiSD), to detect selection in this data. We observed minimal overlap (< 10% of loci) between traditional selective sweep mapping and GPSM. This suggests that selection mapping with GPSM can complement traditional sweep mapping methods when temporal genomic data exists. In addition to better understanding the biological processes and features that underlie artificial selection, GPSM signatures might serve as important genomic annotations.
48 Supplementation of Condensed Tannins to Beef Heifers During Peripartum Period Affects Coccidia Parasite Load in Dam and Offspring
Authors: Pancini Stefania , Dias Nicholas W Wege , Goncherenko Guillermo , Varnell Hannah , Mercadante Vitor R G
Published: September 2022

Our objective was to explore the effects of condensed tannins peripartum supplementation of beef heifers on their offspring incidence of coccidiosis, diarrhea, and growth performance. A total of 30 beef heifers, diagnosed as pregnant were enrolled in the study. At approximately 60 d pre-partum, determined by breeding and expected calving dates, heifers were stratified by body weight (BW), coccidial oocyst counts per gram of feces (OPG) and randomly assigned one of two treatments: supplementation of 450g-1hd-1d corn gluten feed (Control; n=14); or supplementation of 450g-1hd-1d corn gluten feed and 20g-1hd-1d of condensed tannins (n=16; CT). Heifers received treatment using an automated feeding system (SmartFeed PRO, C-Lock Inc., Rapid City, SD) until 30d postpartum for a total of approximately 90d. Dam BW was determined every 30d, and offspring BW was determined at birth and 30d after. Fecal samples for OPG were collected every 30d from dams, and weekly from calves after birth. All animals were managed as a single group during the duration of the experiment. Initial BW (day -60 relative to calving; 446±7.5 kg), day -30 (480±8.1 kg) and day 30 (453±7.1) was similar (P>0.10) between treatments. Supplement individual daily intake was similar between treatments (395±15.8 and 448±18.2 g/d for CT and Control, respectively; P>0.10). Calf birth weight and at 30d were similar (P>0.10) between treatments (30.4±2.2 kg and 60.7±4.1 kg, respectively). Dam fecal OPG for Eimeria spp. was similar (P>0.10) at day -60 (161.5±8.5 OPG), and day 30 (107.5±9.4 OPG), but were greater (P< 0.05) on day -30 for Control than CT (140.9±8.5 and 54.2±16.2 OPG, respectively). Calf OPG was similar on week 2 (0.0±0.0 OPG), and week3 (283.1±25 OPG); however, it was greater (P< 0.05) for Control than CT calves on week4 (2,744.4±168.4 and 1,150.0±64.7 OPG, respectively). Supplementation of condensed tannins reduced coccidia load pre-calving for dams and their offspring postnatal.
50 Influence of Farrowing Assistance Intervals on Piglet, Sows and Workers
Authors: Vanheeswijk Heather N , Green-Miller Angela R
Published: September 2022

Farrowing assistance (FA) is a common on-farm intervention, also called sleeving on many farms. Assistance consists of reaching into the vaginal cavity of an actively farrowing sow for examination and removing any piglets or birthing tissues obstructing the birth canal. Motivations for FA focus on better care of the piglets and sows because complications are noticed and addressed faster, but too frequent of intervention could be detrimental to the sow and increase injury risk to workers. There is little published information on FA effects on the pigs or employees. The objective of this study was to systematically determine the impact of different FA intervals on the welfare of piglets, sows, and workers. Sows (330 total) in a commercial breeding farm were randomly assigned to one of three FA intervals commonly used on farms: FA every 20-min since last liveborn piglet; FA every 40-min; and FA every hour with visual evaluation every 40-min. Measures were gathered at 3 points: during farrowing, 24-h before weaning, and after giving birth to their next litter. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and GLM for normalized data and Kruskal-Wallis for non-parametric data. Results were significant for alpha< 0.05. Overall, there were few observed differences between treatments for piglets, sows, or workers. FA did not affect piglet survival for measures like mortality or weight, and did not influence the need for additional care for sows or future reproductive success. For workers, FA increases strenuous movements (p< 0.0001) of bending, kneeling, lying down and finger opposition from pulling piglets putting them at risk for injury. The results of this study did not support a benefit for the most frequent FA for piglet mortality. While there is merit to regularly observing the sows during farrowing, there does not appear to be a significant benefit to FA at every observation.