bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Oestrus in relation to peak oestradiol levels in ovariectomized Galloway cows
Authors: Darwash A. O. , Lamming G. E. , L. M. Hicking  
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe objective of the present study was to characterize the variation in oestrous behaviour among ovariectomized cows in response to a measured dose of oestradiol benzoate (OB) . In study 1, nine ovariectomized Galloway cows, approximately 10 years old, were challenged with an intramuscular injection of either 0·25, 0·5 or 1·0 mg of OB. Following this, 0·5 mg OB was chosen as the appropriate dose required to induce oestrous behaviour in ovariectomized Galloway cows. In study 2, nine cows injected with 0·5 mg OB were monitored for oestrous behaviour using KAMAR® heat mount detectors. Blood samples for plasma oestradiol-17β (E2) assay were taken every 4 h between 0 to 72 h and once at 96 h, following OB administration. The plasma E2 concentrations between 0 to 96 h following OB administration differed significantly ( P < 0·001) among cows. The interval to peak E2 concentrations averaged 17·42 (s.e. 2·21) h and the mean peak E2 concentration was 5·86 (s.e. 0·57) ng/l. The mean interval from OB administration until onset of mounting activity was 24·57 (s.e.2·38) h and the duration of oestrus averaged 10·5 (s.e. 1·99) h . In all cows, mounting activity occurred following peak E2 concentrations after an average interval of 7·73 (s.e. 1·84) h. There was no significant association between peak E2 concentrations and the interval to onset of mounting activity or its duration. Since the variation among Galloway cows in the manifestation of behavioural oestrus was independent of systemic E2 concentrations, it implies that there are inherent differences between individuals in the sensitivity of the hypothalamus to physiological E2 thresholds. This may help to explain the incidence of silent ovulation in some animals and the occurrence of overt oestrus associated with follicular activity during the luteal phase of the cycle or during the various stages of pregnancy, in the presence of high plasma progesterone concentrations.
Toward a flexible and adaptive wireless hub by embedding power amplifier thinned silicon chip and antenna in a polymer foil
Authors: Alavi Golzar , Özbek Sefa , Rasteh Mahsa , Grözing Markus , Berroth Manfred , Hesselbarth Jan , Burghartz Joachim N. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractA flexible and adaptive energy-efficient high-speed wireless hub is developed in polymer foil as a Hybrid System-in-Foil (HySiF) using Chip-Film Patch (CFP) technology. In this matter, the SiGe BiCMOS silicon chips (2.39 × 1.65 mm2) are thinned down to 45 μm and are embedded face-up inside a two-polymer CFP carrier. The active pads of the embedded silicon chips inside foil are extended to the surface of the foil to interconnect to the antenna on the foil. The integrated hybrid system has a signal transmission at 5–6 GHz frequency band. The overall thickness of the system is below 100 μm and its bendability is down to 4 mm radius of curvature. The designed and fabricated PA silicon chips operate at 50 mA with a 1.5 V supply voltage. Therefore, in addition to the high lateral thermal resistance of the thinned chip, self-heating loop inside polymer due to the low thermal conductivity of the embedding polymer raises the system temperature. Consequently, the thermal behavior and RF performance of the PA chip under different conditions are investigated. Moreover, the antenna with the required carrier frequency is simulated, fabricated, and measured on top of the polymer foil as a stand-alone system in the flexible CFP.
Neogene Kinematic Evolution and Exhumation of the NW India Himalaya: Zircon Geo‐ and Thermochronometric Insights From the Fold‐Thrust Belt and Foreland Basin
Authors: Colleps C. L. , Stockli D. F. , McKenzie N. R. , Webb A. A. G. , Horton B. K. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe kinematic and exhumational evolution of the Lesser Himalaya (LH) remains a topic of debate. In NW India, the stratigraphically diverse LH is separated into the inner LH (iLH) of late Paleo‐Mesoproterozoic rocks and the outer LH (oLH) of Cryogenian to Cambrian rocks. Contradictory models regarding the age and structural affinity of the Tons thrust—a prominent structure bounding the oLH and iLH—are grounded in conflicting positions of the oLH prior to Himalayan orogenesis. This study presents new zircon (U‐Th)/He and U‐Pb ages from the thrust belt and foreland basin of NW India that refine the kinematic and exhumational evolution of the LH. Combined cooling ages and foreland provenance data support emplacement and unroofing of the oLH via southward in‐sequence propagation of the Tons thrust by middle Miocene time. This requires that, before India–Asia collision, the oLH was positioned as the southernmost succession of Neoproterozoic–Cambrian strata along the north Indian margin. This is further supported by detrital zircon U‐Pb ages from Cretaceous–Paleogene strata (Singtali Formation) unconformably overlying the oLH, which yield diagnostic Cretaceous detrital zircons correlative with coeval strata in the frontal Himalaya of Nepal. A pulse of rapid exhumation along the Tons thrust front at ~16 Ma was followed by east‐to‐west development of a midcrustal ramp at ~12 Ma which facilitated diachronous iLH duplexing. This duplexing shifted the locus of maximum exhumation northward, eroding away Main Central Thrust hanging wall rocks until the iLH breached the surface at ~9–11 Ma near Nepal and by ~3–7 Ma within the Kullu‐Rampur window.
High‐Resolution Ensemble Simulations of Intense Tropical Cyclones and Their Internal Variability During the El Niños of 1997 and 2015
Authors: Yamada Y. , Kodama C. , Satoh M. , Nakano M. , Nasuno T. , Sugi M. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractExtreme El Niño events affect the number of intense tropical cyclones (ITCs) over the western North Pacific (WNP). In 1997 and 2015, both extreme El Niño years, ITC numbers were above normal in the WNP. In order to clarify how, and to what extent, sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) distributions control the ITCs genesis, the authors conducted 50‐member ensemble simulations using a high‐resolution global nonhydrostatic model that explicitly simulates ITCs. The ensemble simulations showed a clear relationship between the number of ITCs and their genesis locations in the WNP. However, the authors found that the simulated numbers of ITCs in the WNP were also closely related to the strength of the monsoon trough, which varies under given SSTA conditions. This indicates that reliable seasonal forecasting of ITCs depends on our ability to accurately reproduce the monsoon trough, whose strength is modulated mainly by internal atmospheric variability but also by SSTA.
Initial Breakdown Pulses Accompanied by VHF Pulses During Negative Cloud‐to‐Ground Lightning Flashes
Authors: Kolmasova Ivana , Marshall Thomas , Bandara Sampath , Karunarathne Sumedhe , Stolzenburg Maribeth , Karunarathne Nilmini , Siedlecki Raymond 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThis study compares waveforms recorded by “broadband” very low frequency/low‐frequency/medium‐frequency (VLF/LF/MF) electric field change sensors (bandwidth ~0–2.5 MHz) and very high frequency (VHF) sensors (bandwidth 186–192 MHz) during the initiation of 20 negative cloud‐to‐ground lightning flashes. In the first 2 ms of each flash, initial breakdown (IB) pulses are detected with the VLF/LF/MF sensors. Comparison shows that all classical IB pulses are accompanied by VHF pulses, where classical IB pulses are defined herein as bipolar with duration >10 μs and amplitude >25% of the largest IB pulse amplitude in the flash. There are on average 47% of IB pulses (of all amplitudes and durations) that are accompanied by VHF pulses within ±1 μs. There are also many VHF pulses with no associated IB pulses. These observations indicate that the initial in‐cloud lightning channel extension process (es) occurs very fast and at multiple length scales, since substantial electromagnetic radiation is emitted in the VLF/LF/MF and VHF bands.
Remote Measurement of Sea Ice Dynamics With Regularized Optimal Transport
Authors: Parno M. D. , West B. A. , Song A. J. , Hodgdon T. S. , O'Connor D. T. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractAs Arctic conditions rapidly change, human activity in the Arctic will continue to increase and so will the need for high‐resolution observations of sea ice. While satellite imagery can provide high spatial resolution, it is temporally sparse and significant ice deformation can occur between observations. This makes it difficult to apply feature tracking or image correlation techniques that require persistent features to exist between images. With this in mind, we propose a technique based on optimal transport, which is commonly used to measure differences between probability distributions. When little ice enters or leaves the image scene, we show that regularized optimal transport can be used to quantitatively estimate ice deformation. We discuss the motivation for our approach and describe efficient computational implementations. Results are provided on a combination of synthetic and satellite imagery to demonstrate the ability of our approach to estimate dynamics properties at the original image resolution.
Characteristics of the Quiet‐Time Hot Spot Gravity Waves Observed by GOCE Over the Southern Andes on 5 July 2010
Authors: Vadas Sharon L. , Xu Shuang , Yue Jia , Bossert Katrina , Becker Erich , Baumgarten Gerd 
Published: May 2019

AbstractWe analyze quiet‐time data from the Gravity Field and Ocean Circulation Explorer satellite as it overpassed the Southern Andes at z≃275 km on 5 July 2010 at 23 UT. We extract the 20 largest traveling atmospheric disturbances from the density perturbations and cross‐track winds using Fourier analysis. Using gravity wave (GW) dissipative theory that includes realistic molecular viscosity, we search parameter space to determine which hot spot traveling atmospheric disturbances are GWs. This results in the identification of 17 GWs having horizontal wavelengths λH = 170–1,850 km, intrinsic periods τIr = 11–54 min, intrinsic horizontal phase speeds cIH = 245–630 m/s, and density perturbations
0.03–7%. We unambiguously determine the propagation direction for 11 of these GWs and find that most had large meridional components to their propagation directions. Using reverse ray tracing, we find that 10 of these GWs must have been created in the mesosphere or thermosphere. We show that mountain waves (MWs) were observed in the stratosphere earlier that day and that these MWs saturated at z∼ 70–75 km from convective instability. We suggest that these 10 Gravity Field and Ocean Circulation Explorer hot spot GWs are likely tertiary (or higher‐order) GWs created from the dissipation of secondary GWs excited by the local body forces created from MW breaking. We suggest that the other GW is likely a secondary or tertiary (or higher‐order) GW. This study strongly suggests that the hot spot GWs over the Southern Andes in the quiet‐time middle winter thermosphere cannot be successfully modeled by conventional global circulation models where GWs are parameterized and launched in the troposphere or stratosphere.
Switching the activity of Cas12a using guide RNA strand displacement circuits
Authors: Oesinghaus Lukas , Simmel Friedrich C. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe CRISPR effector protein Cas12a has been used for a wide variety of applications such as in vivo gene editing and regulation or in vitro DNA sensing. Here, we add programmability to Cas12a-based DNA processing by combining it with strand displacement-based reaction circuits. We first establish a viable strategy for augmenting Cas12a guide RNAs (gRNAs) at their 5′ end and then use such 5′ extensions to construct strand displacement gRNAs (SD gRNAs) that can be activated by single-stranded RNA trigger molecules. These SD gRNAs are further engineered to exhibit a digital and orthogonal response to different trigger RNA inputs—including full length mRNAs—and to function as multi-input logic gates. We also demonstrate that SD gRNAs can be designed to work inside bacterial cells. Using such in vivo SD gRNAs and a DNase inactive version of Cas12a (dCas12a), we demonstrate logic gated transcriptional control of gene expression in E. coli.
Pancreatic islet chromatin accessibility and conformation reveals distal enhancer networks of type 2 diabetes risk
Authors: Greenwald William W. , Chiou Joshua , Yan Jian , Qiu Yunjiang , Dai Ning , Wang Allen , Nariai Naoki , Aylward Anthony , Han Jee Yun , Kadakia Nikita , Regue Laura , Okino Mei-Lin , Drees Frauke , Kramer Dana , Vinckier Nicholas , Minichiello Liliana , Gorkin David , Avruch Joseph , Frazer Kelly A. , Sander Maike , Ren Bing , Gaulton Kyle J. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractGenetic variants affecting pancreatic islet enhancers are central to T2D risk, but the gene targets of islet enhancer activity are largely unknown. We generate a high-resolution map of islet chromatin loops using Hi-C assays in three islet samples and use loops to annotate target genes of islet enhancers defined using ATAC-seq and published ChIP-seq data. We identify candidate target genes for thousands of islet enhancers, and find that enhancer looping is correlated with islet-specific gene expression. We fine-map T2D risk variants affecting islet enhancers, and find that candidate target genes of these variants defined using chromatin looping and eQTL mapping are enriched in protein transport and secretion pathways. At IGF2BP2, a fine-mapped T2D variant reduces islet enhancer activity and IGF2BP2 expression, and conditional inactivation of IGF2BP2 in mouse islets impairs glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Our findings provide a resource for studying islet enhancer function and identifying genes involved in T2D risk.
Engineering atomic-level complexity in high-entropy and complex concentrated alloys
Authors: Oh Hyun Seok , Kim Sang Jun , Odbadrakh Khorgolkhuu , Ryu Wook Ha , Yoon Kook Noh , Mu Sai , Körmann Fritz , Ikeda Yuji , Tasan Cemal Cem , Raabe Dierk , Egami Takeshi , Park Eun Soo 
Published: May 2019

AbstractQuantitative and well-targeted design of modern alloys is extremely challenging due to their immense compositional space. When considering only 50 elements for compositional blending the number of possible alloys is practically infinite, as is the associated unexplored property realm. In this paper, we present a simple property-targeted quantitative design approach for atomic-level complexity in complex concentrated and high-entropy alloys, based on quantum-mechanically derived atomic-level pressure approximation. It allows identification of the best suited element mix for high solid-solution strengthening using the simple electronegativity difference among the constituent elements. This approach can be used for designing alloys with customized properties, such as a simple binary NiV solid solution whose yield strength exceeds that of the Cantor high-entropy alloy by nearly a factor of two. This study provides general design rules that enable effective utilization of atomic level information to reduce the immense degrees of freedom in compositional space without sacrificing physics-related plausibility.
Cartography of rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptors across vertebrate genomes
Authors: Rinne Maiju , Tanoli Zia-Ur-Rehman , Khan Asifullah , Xhaard Henri 
Published: May 2019

AbstractWe conduct a cartography of rhodopsin-like non-olfactory G protein-coupled receptors in the Ensembl database. The most recent genomic data (releases 90–92, 90 vertebrate genomes) are analyzed through the online interface and receptors mapped on phylogenetic guide trees that were constructed based on a set of ~14.000 amino acid sequences. This snapshot of genomic data suggest vertebrate genomes to harbour 142 clades of GPCRs without human orthologues. Among those, 69 have not to our knowledge been mentioned or studied previously in the literature, of which 28 are distant from existing receptors and likely new orphans. These newly identified receptors are candidates for more focused evolutionary studies such as chromosomal mapping as well for in-depth pharmacological characterization. Interestingly, we also show that 37 of the 72 human orphan (or recently deorphanized) receptors included in this study cluster into nineteen closely related groups, which implies that there are less ligands to be identified than previously anticipated. Altogether, this work has significant implications when discussing nomenclature issues for GPCRs.
Convergence and divergence of songs suggests ongoing, but annually variable, mixing of humpback whale populations throughout the North Pacific
Authors: Darling James D. , Acebes Jo Marie V. , Frey Oscar , Jorge Urbán R. , Yamaguchi Manami 
Published: May 2019

AbstractAll humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) males in a population sing fundamentally the same version of a complex, progressively changing, series of sounds at any one time – the song. The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship of humpback whale populations across the North Pacific based on song composition. Songs were collected from Philippines, Japan, Hawaii and Mexico in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The presence and proportion of 11 phrase types were compared within and between populations to investigate song similarity and change. Results included: shared song phrases across the North Pacific; variable, temporary, regional song differences; varying rate of song change; and distance a factor, but not predictor in degree of similarity. Shared phrases indicate ongoing mixing of populations throughout the North Pacific. Year to year differences in degree of similarity suggest variability in these interactions. Songs appear to diverge as populations split up and converge when they amalgamate. Song studies complicate current US management policy designating four distinct populations in the North Pacific. North and South Pacific humpback whale population structure may be comparable, although song dynamics may be different. The fluidity of song composition suggests it provides acoustic definition or identity to changing associations of whales.
Modeling integrin and plasma-polymerized pyrrole interactions: chemical diversity relevance for cell regeneration
Authors: Serratos Iris N. , Olayo Roberto , Millán-Pacheco César , Morales-Corona Juan , Vicente-Escobar Jonathan Osiris , Soto-Estrada Ana María , Córdoba-Herrera José Gilberto , Uribe Omar , Gómez-Quintero Teresa , Arroyo-Ornelas Miguel Ángel , Godínez-Fernández Rafael 
Published: May 2019

AbstractProtein-engineered biomaterials represent a powerful approach to increase biofunctional activity like tissue repair and celular proliferation. Among these materials, integrins and the development of their specific interactions with plasma-polymerized pyrrole (PPPy) are promising biomaterial for tissue regeneration. In this paper, we studied the molecular recognition in the active site of three integrins (α5β1, αvβ3 and αIIbβ3) with PPPy using the structure proposed by Kumar et al. PPPy molecule has three sites to incorporate different species, we worked mainly with the functional groups, –NH2 and –OH groups according to our IR spectroscopic results. We carried out docking studies to find the better conformational couplings and to determine electrostatic (ΔGelec) and non-electrostatic (ΔGnon-elec) contributions to the binding free energy (ΔGb) of these complexes we used Adaptive Poisson-Bolztmann program (APBS). Our results indicated that when incorporating -1H-azirine, -NH2 or –OH group in PPPy structure, interactions with integrins were favorable, as indicated by correspondent ΔGb values. These interactions were mainly triggered by Coulomb interactions, an important term in the electrostatic component. Furthermore, our studies suggest that some residues of integrins α5β1, αvβ3 and αIIbβ3 like aspartates are important for the binding to PPPy structures. Detailed interactions between integrin α5β1 and PPPy structures were revealed by molecular dynamics simulations. We used this particular integrin structure because of its favorable ΔGb as well as its major cellular receptor for the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin. Clustering analysis allowed us to carry out focused docking studies and to determine the time evolution of the ΔGb values. By incorporating -NH2 into PPPy structure, ΔGb values were very favorable during the course of the dynamics simulations by the establishment of hydrogen bonds with Asn224 and/orAsp227 residues, which are part of the integrin α5β1 pocket. However, for the integrin α5β1-PPPy-1H-azirine complex and the rest of the functional groups, the ΔGb values were less favorable, although PPPy was found at a distance of less than 5 Å from the active site residues. This work is complementary to the previous studies made employing PPPy nanoparticles for a variety of tissue engineering applications, and were done to enlighten the role played by the amino group of the PPPy in its integrin recognition process.
Solvent-free bulk polymerization of lignin-polycaprolactone (PCL) copolymer and its thermoplastic characteristics
Authors: Park In-Kyung , Sun Hanna , Kim Sung-Hoon , Kim Youngjun , Kim Go Eun , Lee Youngkwan , Kim Taesung , Choi Hyouk Ryeol , Suhr Jonghwan , Nam Jae-Do 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe pristine lignin molecules contain multiple reactive hydroxyl [OH] groups, some of which undergo limited polymerization depending on their configuration (aromatic or aliphatic) or conformation. The key issue in lignin-polymerization is to quantify the number of hydroxyl groups in the pristine molecules for subsequent activation to specific lignin-polymer chain lengths or degree of grafting. In this study, using ε-caprolactone (CL) as a reactive solvent, we successfully polymerized CL on the [OH] sites in the kraft lignin macromonomers (LM, Mw = 1,520 g mol−1), which resulted in a thermoplastic lignin-polycaprolactone (PCL) grafted copolymer. We found that the average number of [OH] groups in the LM was 15.3 groups mol−1, and further detected 40–71% of the [OH] groups in the CL bulk polymerization. The degree of polymerization of PCL grown on each [OH] site ranged between 7 and 26 depending on the reaction conditions ([CL]/[OH] and reaction-time) corresponding to 4,780 and 32,600 g mol−1 of PCL chains per a LM. The thermoplastic characteristics of the synthesized lignin-PCL copolymers were established by the melt viscosity exhibiting a shear-thinning behavior, e.g., 921 Pa.s at 180 °C. The thermal stability was remarkable providing a Tid (2% of weight loss) of 230 °C of the copolymers, compared with 69 °C for the pristine lignin.