Electromagnetic wave diffraction by periodic planar metamaterials with nonlinear constituents

We present a theory which explains how to achieve an enhancement of nonlinear effects in a thin layer of nonlinear medium by involving a planar periodic structure specially designed to bear a trapped-mode resonant regime. In particular, the possibility of a nonlinear thin metamaterial to produce the bistable response at a relatively low input intensity due to a large quality factor of the trapped-mode resonance is shown. Also a simple design of an all-dielectric low-loss silicon-based planar metamaterial which can provide an extremely sharp resonant reflection and transmission is proposed. The designed metamaterial is envisioned for aggregating with a pumped active medium to achieve an enhancement of quantum dots luminescence and to produce an all-dielectric analog of a 'lasing spaser'.Comment: 18 pages, 13 figure

Sequential analysis of global gene expression profiles in immature and in vitro matured bovine oocytes: potential molecular markers of oocyte maturation

Abstract Background Without intensive selection, the majority of bovine oocytes submitted to in vitro embryo production (IVP) fail to develop to the blastocyst stage. This is attributed partly to their maturation status and competences. Using the Affymetrix GeneChip Bovine Genome Array, global mRNA expression analysis of immature (GV) and in vitro matured (IVM) bovine oocytes was carried out to characterize the transcriptome of bovine oocytes and then use a variety of approaches to determine whether the observed transcriptional changes during IVM was real or an artifact of the techniques used during analysis. Results 8489 transcripts were detected across the two oocyte groups, of which ~25.0% (2117 transcripts) were differentially expressed (p < 0.001); corresponding to 589 over-expressed and 1528 under-expressed transcripts in the IVM oocytes compared to their immature counterparts. Over expression of transcripts by IVM oocytes is particularly interesting, therefore, a variety of approaches were employed to determine whether the observed transcriptional changes during IVM were real or an artifact of the techniques used during analysis, including the analysis of transcript abundance in oocytes in vitro matured in the presence of α-amanitin. Subsets of the differentially expressed genes were also validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and the gene expression data was classified according to gene ontology and pathway enrichment. Numerous cell cycle linked (CDC2, CDK5, CDK8, HSPA2, MAPK14, TXNL4B), molecular transport (STX5, STX17, SEC22A, SEC22B), and differentiation (NACA) related genes were found to be among the several over-expressed transcripts in GV oocytes compared to the matured counterparts, while ANXA1, PLAU, STC1and LUM were among the over-expressed genes after oocyte maturation. Conclusion Using sequential experiments, we have shown and confirmed transcriptional changes during oocyte maturation. This dataset provides a unique reference resource for studies concerned with the molecular mechanisms controlling oocyte meiotic maturation in cattle, addresses the existing conflicting issue of transcription during meiotic maturation and contributes to the global goal of improving assisted reproductive technology

In vitro assessment of sperm from bulls of high and low field fertility

The aim of this study was to investigate the reasons for differences in field fertility of bulls following insemination with frozen-thawed semen. The study was carried out in two separate parts over two years and comparisons were made between 5 high and 4 low fertility Holstein Friesian bulls as determined by their either 90 day non-return rate (Year 1) or calving rate (Year 2). Two high fertility Limousin bulls were included in Year 1 for comparative purposes. The ability of sperm from each bull to penetrate artificial mucus was assessed (Year 1 = 7 replicates; Year 2 = 5 replicates). Glass capillary tubes (2 per bull per replicate) were filled with artificial mucus and incubated with sperm stained in 1% Hoechst 33342 for 30 min at 37 degrees C. The number of sperm were subsequently counted at 10 mm intervals along the tube between 40 and 80 mm markers. Sperm mitochondria( activity of each bull was assessed by the MIT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide) assay (4 replicates in each year). Sperm were incubated with MTT for 1 h at 37 degrees C following which the absorbance of formazan was read using a spectrophotometer. Sperm viability after thawing was assessed for each bull using a live/dead sperm viability kit (Year 1 = 3 replicates; Year 2 = 4 replicates). A minimum of 250 cells were assessed per bull in each replicate and classified as either live or dead. Finally, the ability of sperm to fertilize oocytes in vitro and their ability to develop to blastocyst stage embryos were assessed (5 replicates in each year involving 220 to 306 oocytes per bull). Data transformation to normalize residuals was required for mucus sperm penetration (square root) and IVF (cleavage and blastocyst rate) results (arcsin). The mean number of sperm counted at each 10 mm mark between 40 and 80 mm was higher in the high fertility (56.0; 95% CI 39.5 to 75.3) compared to the low fertility (42.9; 95% CI 29.3 to 59.1) Holstein Friesian bulls but the difference did not reach formal significance (P = 0.09). Fertility status had no effect on the ability of sperm to reduce MTT to fomuzan (mean absorbance 0.34 +/- 0.051 and 0.30 +/- 0.044) or on the percentage of live sperm per straw (mean 47.3 +/- 5.47 and 32.4 +/- 4.66) for high and low fertility Holstein Friesian bulls respectively. Oocyte cleavage rate following insemination with sperm from high fertility Holstein Friesian bulls was significantly higher than with sperm from low fertility Holstein Friesian bulls [76.7% (95% CI 60.9 to 89.4) and 55.3 (95% CI 40.4 to 69.7) respectively, P = 0.04]. There was no significant effect of bull fertility on blastocyst rate [34.7% (95% CI 21.1 to 49.6) and 24.2 % (95% CI 14.1 to 36.0) for the high and low fertility Holstein Friesian bulls, respectively; P = 0.2]. In conclusion, sperm from high fertility bulls tended to be more effective in penetrating artificial mucus and to have an increased ability to fertilize oocytes in vitro; however, once fertilization occurred subsequent embryo development was not significantly affected by fertility status. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Microstructural characterizations and mechanical properties in friction stir welding technique of dissimilar (Al-Cu) sheets

In this study, dissimilar sheets of commercially available pure aluminium and copper, were butt joined by friction stir welding (FSW) with a thickness of 3mm to explore the effect of tool rotational speeds on microstructures and mechanical properties experimentally. Three rotational speeds of 1000, 1750 and 2000 rpm were applied. The transverse speed and the axial force were kept constant at 30 mm/min and 7.5 KN, respectively. The cylindrical shoulder and conical pin tool was used to produce the joints. Macrostructures, microstructures, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Vickers microhardness and tensile strength were investigated at these different rotational speeds. The joint welded at 1750 rpm was compared with their counterparts and observed significantly better. The formation of relatively hard brittle intermetallic compounds (Al2Cu and Al4Cu9) were observed with the joint fabricated at rotational speed of 2000 rpm. The results of microhardness (HV) at the nugget zone (NZ) were superior to those of thermomechanically affected zone (TMAZ), heat affected zones (HAZ) and the base metal (BM). At the rotational speed of 1750 rpm, the tensile strength was higher than other joints. The examination of fractural surface showed that when the dissimilar joints were affected with increasing rotational speeds or heat input; the fracture mode had a tendency to change from ductile to brittle mode

Effects of human chorionic gonadotrophin administration on Day 5 after oestrus on corpus luteum characteristics, circulating progesterone and conceptus elongation in cattle

The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that elevated concentrations of progesterone (P 4) resulting from the induction of an accessory corpus luteum (CL) by human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) administration on Day 5 after oestrus would lead to advanced conceptus elongation on Day 14 following embryo transfer on Day 7. The oestrous cycles of cross-bred beef heifers were synchronised and animals were randomly assigned to receive either of two treatments (1) intramuscular injection of 3000 IU hCG on Day 5 after oestrus (n≤14); or (2) intramuscular injection of saline on Day 5 after oestrus (n≤13). Ovaries were scanned daily by transrectal ultrasonography to assess CL development. Serum concentrations of P 4 were determined from daily blood samples collected from the jugular vein. In vitro-produced bovine blastocysts were transferred to synchronised recipients on Day 7 after oestrus (n≤15 blastocysts per recipient). Heifers were killed on Day 14 after oestrus and the uterus was flushed to recover the embryos. Injection of hCG on Day 5 induced ovulation of the dominant follicle in all treated heifers and increased the total area of luteal tissue on the ovary, which was associated with a significant increase (P&lt;0.001) in serum concentrations of P 4 from Day 7 to Day 14. Positive associations were detected between circulating P 4 with CL area (within-day correlations ranging from r≤0.45 to r≤0.67) and total area of luteal tissue (within-day correlations ranging from r≤0.65 to r≤0.86) Administration of hCG did not affect the proportion of Day 14 conceptuses recovered. However, compared with the control group, hCG-treated heifers had increased conceptus length (3.91±1.23 vs 5.57±1.02mm, respectively; P=0.06), width (1.00±0.06 vs 1.45±0.05mm, respectively; P=0.002) and area (5.71P≤00.97 vs 8.31P≤00.83, respectively; P=0.02). Although numerically greater, mean interferon-(IFNT) production in vitro did not differ significantly (P=0.54) between embryos recovered from hCG-treated and control heifers. In contrast, there was a strong positive correlation between individual embryo length (r=0.76; P&lt;0.001) and individual embryo area (r=0.72; P=0.001) and IFNT production. In conclusion, administration of hCG on Day 5 after oestrus resulted in the formation of an accessory CL and hypertrophy of the original CL, the result of which was an increase in P 4 concentrations from Day 7 onwards. These elevated P 4 concentrations were associated with an increased conceptus area. Furthermore, conceptus size was highly correlated with IFNT secretion in vitro. © 2012 CSIRO