bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genetic parameters for semen production traits in Swiss dairy bulls
Authors: Burren Alexander , Joerg Hannes , Erbe Malena , Gilmour Arthur R. , Witschi Ulrich , Schmitz‐Hsu Fritz 
Published: June 2019

AbstractVariance components (VC) were estimated for the semen production trait ejaculate volume, sperm concentration and sperm motility in the Swiss cattle breeds Brown Swiss (BS), Original Braunvieh (OB), Holstein (HO), Red‐Factor‐Carrier (RF), Red Holstein (RH), Swiss Fleckvieh (SF) and Simmental (SI). For this purpose, semen production traits from 2,617 bulls with 124,492 records were used. The data were collected in the years 2000–2012. The model for genetic parameter estimation across all breeds included the fixed effects age of bull at collection, year of collection, month of collection, number of collection per bull and day, interval between consecutive collections, semen collector, bull breed as well as a random additive genetic component and a permanent environmental effect. The same model without a fixed breed effect was used to estimate VC and repeatabilities separately for each of the breeds BS, HO, RH, SF and SI. Estimated heritabilities across all breeds were 0.42, 0.25 and 0.09 for ejaculate volume, sperm concentration and sperm motility, respectively. Different heritabilities were estimated for ejaculate volume (0.42; 0.45; 0.49; 0.40; 0.10), sperm concentration (0.34; 0.30; 0.20; 0.07; 0.23) and number of semen portions (0.18; 0.30; 0.04; 0.14; 0.04) in BS, HO, RH, SF and SI breed, respectively. The phenotypic and genetic correlations across all breeds between ejaculate volume and sperm concentration were negative (−0.28; −0.56). The other correlations across all breeds were positive. The phenotypic and genetic correlations were 0.01 and 0.19 between sperm motility and ejaculate volume, respectively. Between sperm motility and sperm concentration, the phenotypic and genetic correlations were 0.20 and 0.36, respectively. The results are consistent with other analyses and show that genetic improvement through selection is possible in bull semen production traits.
Industrial development in Malaysia and Singapore: Empirical analysis with multiple‐cone Heckscher–Ohlin Model
Authors: Suzuki Kensuke , Doi Yasuhiro 
Published: June 2019

AbstractThis paper employs the multiple‐cone Heckscher–Ohlin model to analyze industrial development in Malaysia and Singapore. In particular, we focus on industrial upgrading along with capital accumulation as a key determinant for the cross‐country difference in production technology and income. By pooling two countries’ data on factor endowment and sectoral output in manufacturing from 1990 to 2008, we estimate the common industrial development paths of the two‐cone Heckscher–Ohlin model, the Rybczynski linear relationship between capital–labor ratio and sectoral output per capita. Our results demonstrate that, after controlling for quality of workers (by educational attainment), the two countries resided in different cones during our sample period, implying that Singapore succeeded in accumulating capital steadily with the support of foreign investment and upgrading its industry mix to make it more capital‐intensive. The separation of cones is also consistent with the observed gap in gross domestic product per capita between the two countries. Furthermore, we implement a factor‐augmenting productivity test to see the gaps in efficiency of capital and human‐capital‐augmented labor and confirm no significant difference between the two countries.
Foreign direct investment and the correlation between cost and revenue
Authors: Bar‐Ilan Avner , Borodko Ivan 
Published: June 2019

AbstractThis paper studies irreversible investment in the presence of uncertain revenue and uncertain cost of production. Using methodology of real options, we find the threshold markup of price over cost that triggers investment. When the processes for revenue and cost are negatively correlated, the standard result that uncertainty delays investment always holds. However, when these two processes are positively correlated, greater uncertainty of revenue or cost might accelerate investment. As less correlated cost and revenue, vertical FDI is less desirable than producing at home, but horizontal FDI that brings production to the output market is an advantage.
Examining accelerometer validity for estimating physical activity in pre‐schoolers during free‐living activity
Authors: Dobell Alexandra P. , Eyre Emma L. J. , Tallis Jason , Chinapaw Marijke J. M. , Altenburg Teatske M. , Duncan Michael J. 
Published: June 2019

The present study examined the efficacy of accelerometers for the assessment of free play physical activity (PA) in pre–school‐aged children with consideration of epoch length and wear location. Following ethics approval, parental informed consent, and child assent, 66 pre‐schoolers aged 3‐4 years (30 females and 36 males) wore an accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3X; sampling at 100 Hz) on their non‐dominant wrist and their right hip during 1 hour of free play. Concurrently, direct observation, using the OSRAC‐P, was used to determine sedentary behavior (SB), light (LPA), or moderate‐to‐vigorous (MVPA) intensity PA. For the ActiGraph, vertical axis counts and summed vector magnitude (VM) for hip, and VM for wrist, were downloaded using 5‐, 10‐, 15‐, and 30‐second epoch lengths. Accelerometer counts were averaged over each 30 seconds to match the observation periods. Receiver operating curve analysis was used to evaluate the ability of the ActiGraph to predict SB, LPA, and MVPA. SB and MVPA obtained from wrist‐ and hip‐worn accelerometers demonstrated fair agreement with direct observation (AUC => 0.7). LPA determined by accelerometer had poor agreement with observed LPA, for both the hip and wrist placement (AUC = 0.53‐0.56), with weak levels of specificity (0.34‐0.43), although sensitivity was fair (0.74‐0.84). This study is the first to examine accelerometer validity, considering wear location and epoch in pre‐schoolers during free play, and suggests that the ActiGraph is a fair measure for SB and MVPA in pre‐school children. Neither placement performed predominantly better irrespective of epochs or used count data (vertical axis, VM).
Change in physical activity and health‐related quality of life in old age—A 10‐year follow‐up study
Authors: Jantunen Hanna , Wasenius Niko , Salonen Minna K. , Kautiainen Hannu , von Bonsdorff Mikaela B. , Kajantie Eero , Eriksson Johan G. 
Published: June 2019

The aim of the study was to examine the association between change in leisure‐time physical activity (LTPA) and change in health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) and symptoms of depression during a 10‐year follow‐up. This prospective study included 1036 men and women (mean age at baseline = 61.2 years) from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Leisure‐time physical activity was measured with a questionnaire, HRQoL with SF36 and depression symptoms with Beck's depression inventory (BDI). The association between the change in LTPA and change in HRQoL and BDI were investigated with sex‐stratified general linear models adjusted for age, smoking, educational attainment, comorbidity score, and baseline value of outcomes. One standard deviation (SD) increase in LTPA was associated with increase in physical summary component of HRQoL in women (B = 0.7 unit, 95% CI = 0.1‐1.3, P = 0.032) and in men (B = 0.8 unit, 95% CI = 0.2‐1.5, P = 0.014). In women, the 1SD increase in LTPA was also associated with an increase in mental summary component score (B = 1.0, 95% CI = 0.3‐1.7, P = 0.005) and a reduction in depressive symptoms (B = −0.7, 95% CI = −1.1 to −0.2, P = 0.003). In conclusion, increase in the volume of LTPA over a 10‐year period in late adulthood was associated with improved HRQoL in both men and women, and also diminished depressive symptoms in women. The findings support the promotion of physical activity in later years to enhance HRQoL and mental well‐being.
Effects of 24‐week exergame intervention on physical function under single‐ and dual‐task conditions in fibromyalgia: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Martín‐Martínez Juan Pedro , Villafaina Santos , Collado‐Mateo Daniel , Pérez‐Gómez Jorge , Gusi Narcis 
Published: June 2019

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of 24‐week exergame intervention in the physical fitness of women with fibromyalgia in both single‐ and dual‐task conditions.DesignSingle‐blinded, randomized controlled trial.SettingUniversity facilities.ParticipantsFifty‐five women with fibromyalgia, recruited from the local fibromyalgia association, were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: exercise group and control group.InterventionThe exercise group completed 24 weeks of supervised and group‐based exergame protocol, divided into two sessions of 60 minutes. The intervention was focused on mobility, postural control, upper and lower limbs coordination, aerobic fitness, and strength.Main outcome measuresThe strength of the upper limbs was measured using the arm curl test. The mobility skill was assessed through the timed‐up and go test, and the flexibility of both upper and lower limbs was measured using the back scratch and the sit and reach tests, respectively.ResultsFifty participants completed the study. In the single‐task condition, exergame intervention led to significantly higher effects in the arm curl test (P = 0.008), sit and reach test (P = 0.033), and timed‐up and go test (P = 0.021). Moreover, under dual‐task condition, exergames led to significant effects in all the physical fitness tests (arm curl test, timed‐up and go test, back scratch test, and sit and reach test) compared to the control group.ConclusionsExergame is an effective tool to improve the physical fitness in women with fibromyalgia under single or dual‐task conditions.
Soil loss and run‐off characteristics under different soil amendments and cropping systems in the semi‐deciduous forest zone of Ghana
Authors: Bashagaluke Janvier Bigabwa , Logah Vincent , Opoku Andrews , Tuffour Henry Oppong , Sarkodie‐Addo Joseph , Quansah Charles 
Published: June 2019

AbstractSoil erosion is a major constraint to crop production on smallholder arable lands in Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Although different agronomic and mechanical measures have been proposed to minimize soil loss in the region and elsewhere, soil management practices involving biochar‐inorganic inputs interactions under common cropping systems within the framework of climate‐smart agriculture, have been little studied. This study aimed to assess the effect of different soil and crop management practices on soil loss characteristics under selected cropping systems, typical of the sub‐region. A two‐factor field experiment was conducted on run‐off plots under different soil amendments over three consecutive cropping seasons in the semi‐deciduous forest zone of Ghana. The treatments, consisting of three soil amendments (inorganic fertilizer, biochar, inorganic fertilizer + biochar and control) and four cropping systems (maize, soyabean, cowpea, maize intercropped with soyabean) constituted the sub‐plot and main plot factors, respectively. A bare plot was included as a soil erosion check. Seasonal soil loss was greater on the bare plots, which ranged from 9.75–14.5 Mg ha−1. For individual crops grown alone, soil loss was 31%–40% less under cowpea than under maize. The soil management options, in addition to their direct role in plant nutrition, contributed to significant (p < 0.05) reductions in soil loss. The least soil loss (1.23–2.66 Mg ha−1) was observed under NPK fertilizer + biochar treatment (NPK + BC) over the three consecutive cropping seasons. Biochar in combination with NPK fertilizer improved soil moisture content under cowpea crops and produced considerably smaller bulk density values than most other treatments. The NPK + BC consistently outperformed the separate mineral fertilizer and biochar treatments in biomass yield under all cropping systems. Biochar associated with inorganic fertilizers gave economic returns with value–cost ratio (VCR) > 2 under soyabean cropping system but had VCR < 2 under all other cropping systems. The study showed that biochar/NPK interactions could be exploited in minimizing soil loss from arable lands in SSA.
High‐resolution analysis of the HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐C and ‐DRB1 alleles and national and regional haplotype frequencies based on 120 926 volunteers from the Italian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
Authors: Sacchi Nicoletta , Castagnetta Mauro , Miotti Valeria , Garbarino Lucia , Gallina Annamaria 
Published: June 2019

HLA genes are highly polymorphic and structurally complex. They are located in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on chromosome 6, and the frequency of alleles and haplotypes varies widely among human populations.In this paper, we calculated the allele and haplotype frequencies using the HLA data of more than 120 000 Italian unrelated bone marrow donors enrolled in the national registry (IBMDR) and typed them with a high‐resolution (HR) method for the HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐C and ‐DRB1 alleles. The allele frequency data were obtained by manual counting; haplotype frequencies were calculated using the expectation maximisation (EM) algorithm. The total numbers of observed alleles were 226 for HLA‐A, 343 for HLA‐B, 201 for HLA‐C and 210 for HLA‐DRB1, which account for 5.4%, 6.7%, 5.2% and 8.5%, respectively, of each locus allele (IPD‐IMGT/HLA Database Release 3.32, April 2018). The three most frequent Italian haplotypes were HLA‐A*01:01~B*08:01~C*07:01~DRB1*03:01 (2.5%), A*02:01~B*18:01~C*07:01~DRB1*11:04 (1.1%) and A*30:01~B*13:02~C*06:02~DRB1*07:01 (1.1%). Moreover, for a relevant subset of the examined population (>100 000 individuals), the birthplace was available, and thus, we grouped the frequency data based on the corresponding Italian geographic areas, describing the HLA specificity of the Italian regional populations. The haplotype frequencies were also compared between national and regional data, and we observed remarkable differences in the regional haplotype frequencies, particularly in Sardinia. This study represents a valid tool to identify a more efficient haematopoietic stem cell unrelated donor recruitment and selection strategy, as well as for population genetic and HLA‐disease association fields.
Timing of the Erlangping back‐arc basin in the Qinling orogen, central China and its tectonic significance
Authors: Hu Pan , Wu Yuanbao , Zhang Wenxiang , He Yu 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBack‐arc basins hold the key in understanding the geodynamics of orogenic processes. The Qinling–Dabie orogenic belt in central China is one of the most important orogenic belts constraining the tectonic framework of eastern Asia. However, its Palaeozoic accretionary processes remain equivocal, mainly derived from the age uncertainty of the back‐arc basin in the Qinling orogen. We carried out zircon U–Pb geochronology for two pyroclastic volcanic rocks intercalated within the Erlangping back‐arc basin basalts. They yield U–Pb ages of 435.8 ± 4.2 Ma and 435.7 ± 3.8 Ma, which precisely constrain the timing of the back‐arc basin opening. The opening of the Erlangping back‐arc basin might have been triggered by the rollback of the Proto‐Tethyan oceanic slab due to the southward migration of arc magmatism at ca. 440 Ma. The Palaeozoic tectonic evolution and orogen‐scale geodynamic processes of the Qinling orogen are thus reconstructed.
Neuronal ribonucleoprotein granules: Dynamic sensors of localized signals
Authors: Formicola Nadia , Vijayakumar Jeshlee , Besse Florence 
Published: June 2019

AbstractMembrane‐less organelles, because of their capacity to dynamically, selectively and reversibly concentrate molecules, are very well adapted for local information processing and rapid response to environmental fluctuations. These features are particularly important in the context of neuronal cells, where synapse‐specific activation, or localized extracellular cues, induce signaling events restricted to specialized axonal or dendritic subcompartments. Neuronal ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particles, or granules, are nonmembrane bound macromolecular condensates that concentrate specific sets of mRNAs and regulatory proteins, promoting their long‐distance transport to axons or dendrites. Neuronal RNP granules also have a dual function in regulating the translation of associated mRNAs: while preventing mRNA translation at rest, they fuel local protein synthesis upon activation. As revealed by recent work, rapid and reversible switches between these two functional modes are triggered by modifications of the networks of interactions underlying RNP granule assembly. Such flexible properties also come with a cost, as neuronal RNP granules are prone to transition into pathological aggregates in response to mutations, aging, or cellular stresses, further emphasizing the need to better understand the mechanistic principles governing their dynamic assembly and regulation in living systems.
The roles of Centrin 2 and Dynein Light Chain 8a in apical secretory organelles discharge of Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: Lentini Gaëlle , Dubois David J. , Maco Bohumil , Soldati‐Favre Dominique , Frénal Karine 
Published: June 2019

AbstractTo efficiently enter host cells, apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii rely on an apical complex composed of tubulin‐based structures as well as two sets of secretory organelles named micronemes and rhoptries. The trafficking and docking of these organelles to the apical pole of the parasite is crucial for the discharge of their contents. Here, we describe two proteins typically associated with microtubules, Centrin 2 (CEN2) and Dynein Light Chain 8a (DLC8a), that are required for efficient host cell invasion. CEN2 localizes to four different compartments, and remarkably, conditional depletion of the protein occurs in stepwise manner, sequentially depleting the protein pools from each location. This phenomenon allowed us to discern the essential function of the apical pool of CEN2 for microneme secretion, motility, invasion and egress. DLC8a localizes to the conoid, and its depletion also perturbs microneme exocytosis in addition to the apical docking of the rhoptry organelles, causing a severe defect in host cell invasion. Phenotypic characterization of CEN2 and DLC8a indicates that while both proteins participate in microneme secretion, they likely act at different steps along the cascade of events leading to organelle exocytosis.
Foreign direct investment productivity premium and foreign affiliates' heterogeneity: A comparison between advanced and emerging market overseas investments in the EU
Authors: Pittiglio Rosanna , Reganati Filippo 
Published: June 2019

AbstractThis paper aims to investigate the existence of productivity heterogeneity among foreign‐owned firms (FOFs) based in the European Union (EU). Using firm‐level data for a sample of FOFs investing in the EU over the period 2006–14, we find that foreign affiliates from advanced countries (AFOFs) show a positive productivity gap compared to foreign affiliates from emerging countries (EFOFs). However, when we consider the type and the motivation of foreign direct investment, our results reveal that, while AFOFs always seem to be more productive than EFOFs in manufacturing sectors, EFOFs appear to enjoy a productivity premium compared to AFOFs in the services, when their activity occurs in the same industry as their parent and they operate in less knowledge‐intensive market sectors.
Muscle metaboreflex activation increases ventilation and heart rate during dynamic exercise in humans
Authors: Lam Elliot , Greenhough Evelyn , Nazari Parsa , White Michael J. , Bruce Richard M. 
Published: June 2019

New Findings
What is the central question of this study?
Classically, the stimulation of thin‐fibre skeletal muscle afferents, via the application of postexercise circulatory occlusion (PECO) at rest, fails to generate ventilatory responses. We used a new experimental protocol to examine whether the involvement of these metabosensitive afferents in ventilatory control can only be revealed during exercise, when other potentially synergistic inputs that increase central respiratory drive are activated.

What is the main finding and its importance?
We found that PECO of one leg augmented the ventilatory and heart rate responses to single‐legged exercise of the contralateral leg, suggesting that metaboreceptive muscle afferents contribute to the control of the exercise hyperpnoea.

AbstractInhibition of thin‐fibre skeletal muscle afferent neurotransmission attenuates ventilatory and cardiovascular responses to exercise. However, stimulation of muscle metaboreceptive afferents at rest, via postexercise circulatory occlusion (PECO), classically fails to generate increases in ventilation or heart rate. It is possible that the involvement of muscle afferent feedback in ventilatory control can only be revealed during exercise, when other potentially synergistic inputs that increase central respiratory drive are activated. Therefore, we assessed the cardiorespiratory responses to single‐legged cycling exercise with or without PECO of the contralateral leg. Thirteen healthy participants performed left‐legged cycling exercise (40 or 60 W) followed by either: (i) no PECO (Con trial); or (ii) PECO (PECO trial) of the left leg for 3 min. During this 3 min period, right‐legged cycling exercise was performed at the same workload as the preceding left‐legged exercise (40 or 60 W). During 60 W right‐legged cycling, ventilation relative to baseline was significantly higher in the PECO versus Con trial (22.9 ± 2 versus 18.7 ± 1.8 l min−1; P < 0.05), but there was no difference between the trials performed at 40 W. The change in heart rate was significantly greater during right‐legged cycling in the PECO versus Con trial in the 40 (41.2 ± 4 versus 34.1 ± 3.1 beats min−1; P < 0.05) and 60 W trials (49.7 ± 2.7 versus 43.4 ± 3.7 beats min−1; P < 0.05). There were no differences in oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide production and ratings of perceived exertion between trials. These findings suggest that stimulation of muscle metaboreceptive afferents can drive increases in ventilation and heart rate during dynamic exercise.