Genetic parameters were estimated with the aim of identifying useful predictor traits for the genetic evaluation of fertility. For this study, data included calving interval (CI), days from calving ...to first service (CFS), pregnancy diagnosis, lactation length (LL), daily milk yield close to 90d of lactation (milk yield), and survival to second lactation on Australian Holstein and Jersey cows. The effect of level of fertility, measured here as CI, on correlations among traits was investigated by dividing the Holstein herds into those that managed short CI (proxy for seasonal-calving herds) and long CI (proxy for herds that practice extended lactations). In all cases, genetic correlations of CI with CFS, pregnancy, and LL were high (>0.7). Genetic correlations between fertility and predictor traits were generally similar in the 2 Holstein herd groups and in Jerseys. However, some differences in both the direction and strength of correlations were observed. In Jerseys, the genetic correlation between CI and survival was positive, but in Holstein herds, this correlation was negative. Particularly in low mean CI herds, the correlation suggests that cows with a genetic potential for longer CI were more likely to be culled. The genetic correlation of CI with survival was intermediate in high mean CI Holstein herds. Furthermore, Jersey cows with a high genetic potential for milk yield had a higher chance of surviving than those with low genetic potential. In contrast, the genetic correlation between milk yield and survival in low mean CI Holstein herds was near zero. The high genetic correlation between CI and LL suggests that LL could be used as proxy for CI in cows that do not calve again. Although the phenotypic variance for CI in high mean CI herds was nearly twice that in Jerseys and low mean CI herds, we found no bull reranking for CI due to having daughters in low or high mean CI herds. However, the ranges in estimated breeding values (EBV) were narrower in low mean CI herds than in high mean CI herds. The genetic trend in cows and bulls showed that CI EBV were increasing by 0.3 to 0.8d/yr in both Holstein and Jersey. Phenotypically, CI was increasing by 2d/yr in high mean CI Holstein herds and by 1d/yr in Jersey and low mean CI Holstein herds. However, in recent years, both phenotypic and genetic trends have stabilized. In summary, if the main trait for genetic evaluation of fertility is CI, predictor traits such as milk yield, survival, LL, and other fertility traits can be used in joint analyses to increase reliability of bull EBV. If the genetic evaluation is to be carried out simultaneously for Holstein and Jersey using the same variance-covariance matrix, survival should not be used as a predictor because its correlation with CI is different in Jersey than in Holstein. On the other hand, LL could be used instead of CI for cows that do not calve again in both breeds and herd groups.
We present new radio continuum observations of NGC 253 from the Murchison Widefield Array at frequencies between 76 and 227 MHz. We model the broadband radio spectral energy distribution for the ...total flux density of NGC 253 between 76 MHz and 11 GHz. The spectrum is best described as a sum of a central starburst and extended emission. The central component, corresponding to the inner 500 pc of the starburst region of the galaxy, is best modeled as an internally free-free absorbed synchrotron plasma, with a turnover frequency around 230 MHz. The extended emission component of the spectrum of NGC 253 is best described as a synchrotron emission flattening at low radio frequencies. We find that 34% of the extended emission (outside the central starburst region) at 1 GHz becomes partially absorbed at low radio frequencies. Most of this flattening occurs in the western region of the southeast halo, and may be indicative of synchrotron self-absorption of shock-reaccelerated electrons or an intrinsic low-energy cutoff of the electron distribution. Furthermore, we detect the large-scale synchrotron radio halo of NGC 253 in our radio images. At 154-231 MHz the halo displays the well known X-shaped/horn-like structure, and extends out to ∼8 kpc in the z-direction (from the major axis).
Multifunctional macromers based on poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(vinyl alcohol) were photopolymerized to form degradable hydrogel networks. The degradation behavior of the highly swollen gels was ...characterized by monitoring changes in their mass loss, degree of swelling, and compressive modulus. Experimental results show that the modulus decreases exponentially with time, while the volumetric swelling ratio increases exponentially. A degradation mechanism assuming pseudo first-order hydrolysis kinetics and accounting for the structure of the crosslinked networks successfully predicted the experimentally observed trends in these properties with degradation. Once verified, the proposed degradation mechanism was extended to correlate network degradation kinetics, and subsequent changes in network structure, with release behavior of bioactive molecules from these dynamic systems. A theoretical model utilizing a statistical approach to predict the cleavage of crosslinks within the network was used to predict the complex erosion profiles produced by these hydrogels. Finally, the application of these macromers as in situ forming hydrogel constructs for cartilage tissue engineering is demonstrated.
Midlife adults (age 35 to 65) and college undergraduates provided lengthy, open-ended narrative accounts of personally meaningful episodes from the past, such as life-story high points, low points, ...turning points, and earliest memories. The oral (adult) and written (student) narratives were coded for redemption and contamination imagery. In the midlife sample, adults scoring high on self-report measures of generativity showed significantly higher levels of redemption and lower levels of contamination sequences. In both samples, redemption sequences in life narrative accounts were positively associated with self-report measures of psychological well-being, whereas contamination sequences predicted low levels of well-being among midlife adults. In addition, redemption sequence scores were a stronger predictor of well-being than were ratings of the overall affective quality of life-narrative accounts. The results are discussed with respect to the empirical literature of benefit-finding in the face of adversity and in the context of the recent upsurge of interest in the collection and interpretation of life narratives.
A Gram-negative bacterium, designated LA31B(T), was isolated from water collected from a hypersaline lagoon on Laysan Atoll in the north-western Hawaiian Islands. Single cells of LA31B(T) were ...slightly curved but became helical as their length increased. Preliminary characterization based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that LA31B(T) shared 96.0 % identity with an Arcobacter sp. isolated from a cyanobacterial mat in hypersaline Lake Sinai, and 94 % identity with Arcobacter nitrofigilis, the type species of the genus Arcobacter. A polyphasic taxonomic study was conducted and confirmed the phylogenetic affiliation of strain LA31B(T) to the genus Arcobacter. However, LA31B(T) was found to be distinct from all recognized Arcobacter species, by a comprehensive biochemical test analysis, whole-cell fatty acid profiling, DNA G + C content (35 mol% in LA31B(T)) and degree of DNA-DNA reassociation. Most notably, LA31B(T) was found to be an obligate halophile, a hitherto undescribed feature among recognized Arcobacter species. These data indicate that LA31B(T) should be considered to represent a novel species in the genus Arcobacter, for which the name Arcobacter halophilus sp. nov. is proposed. This is the first obligately halophilic member of the genus. The type strain is LA31B(T) (=ATCC BAA-1022(T) = CIP 108450(T)).
To test the hypothesis that older women with antiepileptic drug (AED) use have increased rates of bone loss.
AED use was ascertained and calcaneal and hip bone mineral density (BMD) measured in a ...cohort of 9,704 elderly community-dwelling women enrolled in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures, and they were followed prospectively for changes in BMD. Current use of AED was assessed by interview, with verification of use from medication containers at baseline and follow-up examinations. Women were classified as continuous users, partial (intermittent) users, or nonusers. Rates of change in BMD were measured at the total hip and two subregions (average 4.4 years between examinations) and at the calcaneus (average 5.7 years between examinations).
After adjustment for confounders, the average rate of decline in total hip BMD steadily increased from -0.70%/year in nonusers to -0.87%/year in partial AED users to -1.16%/year in continuous AED users (p value for trend = 0.015). Higher rates of bone loss were also observed among continuous AED users at subregions of the hip and at the calcaneus. In particular, continuous phenytoin users had an adjusted 1.8-fold greater mean rate of loss at the calcaneus compared with nonusers of AED (-2.68 vs -1.46%/year; p < 0.001) and an adjusted 1.7-fold greater mean rate of loss at the total hip compared with nonusers of AED (-1.16 vs -0.70%/year; p = 0.069).
Continuous AED use in elderly women is associated with increased rates of bone loss at the calcaneus and hip. If unabated, the rate of hip bone loss among continuous AED users is sufficient to increase the risk of hip fracture by 29% over 5 years among women age 65 years and older.
A variety of potential inhibitors were tested for the first time for the suppression of
Erwinia amylovora
, the causal agent of fire blight in apples and pears. Strain variability was evident in ...susceptibility to inhibitors among five independently isolated virulent strains of
E. amylovora
. However, most strains were susceptible to culture supernatants from strains of
Bacillus
spp., and particularly to the recently described species
B. nakamurai
. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were 5–20% (vol/vol) of culture supernatant from
B. nakamurai
against all five strains of
E. amylovora
. Although
Bacillus
species have been previously reported to produce lipopeptide inhibitors of
E. amylovora,
matrix-assisted laser desorption time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and column chromatography indicated that the inhibitor from
B. nakamurai
was not a lipopeptide, but rather a novel inhibitor.
Abstract
We report the discovery of one super-Earth- (TOI-1749b) and two sub-Neptune-sized planets (TOI-1749c and TOI-1749d) transiting an early M dwarf at a distance of 100 pc, which were first ...identified as planetary candidates using data from the TESS photometric survey. We have followed up this system from the ground by means of multiband transit photometry, adaptive optics imaging, and low-resolution spectroscopy, from which we have validated the planetary nature of the candidates. We find that TOI-1749b, c, and d have orbital periods of 2.39, 4.49, and 9.05 days, and radii of 1.4, 2.1, and 2.5
R
⊕
, respectively. We also place 95% confidence upper limits on the masses of 57, 14, and 15
M
⊕
for TOI-1749b, c, and d, respectively, from transit timing variations. The periods, sizes, and tentative masses of these planets are in line with a scenario in which all three planets initially had a hydrogen envelope on top of a rocky core, and only the envelope of the innermost planet has been stripped away by photoevaporation and/or core-powered mass-loss mechanisms. These planets are similar to other planetary trios found around M dwarfs, such as TOI-175b,c,d and TOI-270b,c,d, in the sense that the outer pair has a period ratio within 1% of 2. Such a characteristic orbital configuration, in which an additional planet is located interior to a near 2:1 period-ratio pair, is relatively rare around FGK dwarfs.
Gymnodinium catenatumis an introduced toxic dinoflagellate that blooms intermittently and causes shellfish farm closure in the Huon Estuary, Tasmania, Australia. Seventy-five bacteria isolated from ...the estuary were tested for algicidal activity against this and other toxic and non-toxic algal species. Five isolates produced algicidal extracellular exudates. These algicidal species were aPseudoalteromonassp. (ACEM 4), a novelZobelliasp. (ACEM 20), a strain ofCellulophaga lytica(ACEM 21) and 2 Firmicutes: a novelPlanomicrobiumsp. (ACEM 22) and a strain ofBacillus cereus(ACEM 32). This study is the first time Gram-positive bacteria have been associated with algicidal activities. Further data are presented on an algicidalPseudoalteromonasspecies previously isolated from the Huon Estuary (Strain y). Supernatant produced by all 5 strains caused cell lysis and death inG. catenatumvegetative cells. No change or reversible ecdysis was noted for 2 other endemic dinoflagellate species. Algicidal or inhibitory activity was not activated via homoserine lactones, but bacterial quorum sensing for the isolates was shown by means of the AI-2 mechanism. Algicidal activity from field isolates was also influenced by strain or environmental variation. Bacteria were capable of losing or switching off their algicidal ability indicating that the presence of an algicidal species in the environment may not necessarily signify that they are currently algicidal. Concentrations of algicidal compounds required for algal lysis in laboratory experiments indicate that the 5 bacterial species can be effective againstG. catenatumvegetative cells if they dominate the bacterial population in the estuary, particularly when attached to particles.
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