2,491 research outputs found
Effects of Label-Dose Permethrin Administration on Reproductive Function and Embryo Quality on Superovulated Beef Heifers
Commercial pyrethroid pour-ons are commonly appliedin cow-calf operations to eliminate the potential for insectborne diseases and to improve productivity. However,recent literature has focused on potential negativereproductive effects in the bull after exposure to pyrethroids.While the female bovine has been primarily neglected fromthe debated pyrethroid concern on reproduction, literature inmice and rats have reported potential endocrine disruptionof sex steroids resulting from pyrethroid exposure, withpotential detrimental effects on female fertility. Theobjective was to study the effects of a commercialpyrethroid-based pour-on product, permethrin, onreproductive performance in superovulated beef heifers byassessing steroid biosynthesis and embryo quality. It washypothesized that exposure to pyrethroid pour-on at labeldose would cause minimal effects on embryoquantity/quality and steroidogenesis in the female bovine.Results from this study revealed pyrethroid-treated heifershad a tendency for reduced progesterone, but embryoquantity and quality were not affected compared to control
Effects of Label Dose Permethrin Use in Yearling Angus Beef Bulls on Reproductive Function and Testicular Histopathology
To eliminate the potential for insect borne diseases and improve productivity in cow-calf operations, many producers use pour-on pyrethroids. However, popular press literature has identified potential links between use of pyrethroids and reproductive function failures in bulls. While literature in mice and rats have reported potential endocrine disruption of sex steroids resulting from pyrethroid exposure, effects of pyrethroid use on bull fertility is still questionable. The objective of this study was to measure reproductive parameters in peripubertal Angus bulls using a commonly used pyrethroid pour-on. We hypothesized that use of a pyrethroid pour-on at labeled dose would have limited effects on semen and testicular characteristics. Results from this study revealed pyrethroid-treated bulls had greater spermatozoa head and midpiece abnormalities compared to controls, resulting in higher primary morphological abnormalities. Although some morphological semen parameters appear to be negatively affected by use of pyrethroid administration in bulls, biological relevance of this result needs to be further elucidated as the ability to pass a breeding soundness exam was not affected. Moreover, further research should be conducted to determine the effects of pyrethroid pour-ons on fertility when used with other pyrethroids such fly tags or perimeter sprays. Based on these results, pour-on pyrethroid use in yearling bulls is still recommended for label dose administration
Nitrogen Fixation and Seeding Rates of Common vs. Hairy Vetch for Interseeding Into Established Switchgrass Stands
Interest in alternatives to synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizer sources for switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) production, such as interseeding with N- fixing legumes continues to increase. Common vetch (Vicia sativa) is a N-fixing legume that occurs naturally throughout the U.S. and has less hard seed than hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), making it potentially less invasive, and it may fix N at similar rates to that of hairy vetch. However, little data exist to substantiate this. In this study, N-fixation rates via the N-difference method were determined to be 59.3 and 43.3 kg N ha-1 for common and hairy vetch, respectively, when seeded at 6.7 kg ha-1. At these rates, neither common nor hairy vetch significantly affected switchgrass yields. Based on the N-fixation rates and vetch plant masses, we estimate that minimum seeding rates of 7.6 and 10.4 kg PLS ha-1 of common and hairy vetch, respectively are required to obtain plant stands needed to fix the current recommended rate of N for switchgrass biomass production
Evaluating Greenland surface-mass-balance and firn-densification data using ICESat-2 altimetry
peer reviewedAbstract. Surface-mass-balance (SMB) and firn-densification (FD)
models are widely used in altimetry studies as a tool to separate
atmospheric-driven from ice-dynamics-driven ice-sheet mass changes and to
partition observed volume changes into ice-mass changes and firn-air-content
changes. Until now, SMB models have been principally validated based on
comparison with ice core and weather station data or comparison with widely
separated flight radar-survey flight lines. Firn-densification models have
been primarily validated based on their ability to match net densification
over decades, as recorded in firn cores, and the short-term time-dependent
component of densification has rarely been evaluated at all. The advent of
systematic ice-sheet-wide repeated ice-surface-height measurements from
ICESat-2 (the Ice Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite, 2) allows us to
measure the net surface-height change of the Greenland ice sheet at
quarterly resolution and compare the measured surface-height differences
directly with those predicted by three FD–SMB models: MARv3.5.11 (Modèle
Atmosphérique Régional version 3.5.11) and GSFCv1.1 and GSFCv1.2 (the
Goddard Space Flight Center FD–SMB models version 1.1 and 1.2). By
segregating the data by season and elevation, and based on the timing and
magnitude of modelled processes in areas where we expect minimal
ice-dynamics-driven height changes, we investigate the models' accuracy in
predicting atmospherically driven height changes. We find that while all
three models do well in predicting the large seasonal changes in the
low-elevation parts of the ice sheet where melt rates are highest, two of
the models (MARv3.5.11 and GSFCv1.1) systematically overpredict, by around a
factor of 2, the magnitude of height changes in the high-elevation parts
of the ice sheet, particularly those associated with melt events. This
overprediction seems to be associated with the melt sensitivity of the
models in the high-elevation part of the ice sheet. The third model,
GSFCv1.2, which has an updated high-elevation melt parameterization, avoids
this overprediction
P. aeruginosa SGNH Hydrolase-Like Proteins AlgJ and AlgX Have Similar Topology but Separate and Distinct Roles in Alginate Acetylation
The O-acetylation of polysaccharides is a common modification used by pathogenic organisms to protect against external forces. Pseudomonas aeruginosa secretes the anionic, O-acetylated exopolysaccharide alginate during chronic infection in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients to form the major constituent of a protective biofilm matrix. Four proteins have been implicated in the O-acetylation of alginate, AlgIJF and AlgX. To probe the biological function of AlgJ, we determined its structure to 1.83 Ã… resolution. AlgJ is a SGNH hydrolase-like protein, which while structurally similar to the N-terminal domain of AlgX exhibits a distinctly different electrostatic surface potential. Consistent with other SGNH hydrolases, we identified a conserved catalytic triad composed of D190, H192 and S288 and demonstrated that AlgJ exhibits acetylesterase activity in vitro. Residues in the AlgJ signature motifs were found to form an extensive network of interactions that are critical for O-acetylation of alginate in vivo. Using two different electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) assays we compared the abilities of AlgJ and AlgX to bind and acetylate alginate. Binding studies using defined length polymannuronic acid revealed that AlgJ exhibits either weak or no detectable polymer binding while AlgX binds polymannuronic acid specifically in a length-dependent manner. Additionally, AlgX was capable of utilizing the surrogate acetyl-donor 4-nitrophenyl acetate to catalyze the O-acetylation of polymannuronic acid. Our results, combined with previously published in vivo data, suggest that the annotated O-acetyltransferases AlgJ and AlgX have separate and distinct roles in O-acetylation. Our refined model for alginate acetylation places AlgX as the terminal acetlytransferase and provides a rationale for the variability in the number of proteins required for polysaccharide O-acetylation
Phonon scattering mechanisms contributing to the low thermal conductivities of entropy stabilized oxides and high entropy carbides
The phonon thermal conductivity of solids is intimately related to any changes in atomic scale periodicity. As a classic example, the phonon thermal conductivity of alloys can be greatly reduced as compared to that of the corresponding non-alloy parent materials. However, the improved mechanical properties and environmental stability of alloyed materials makes these multi-atom solids ideal for a wide variety of applications. In this sense, entropy stabilized oxides and high entropy carbides are promising new materials that have potential to withstand extreme environments consisting of high temperatures and pressures. In these novel materials, thermal characterization is essential for understanding and predicting performance at elevated temperatures, as the presence of multi atomic species (5+ different atoms) in these solid solutions could lead to drastically modified phonon scattering rates and thermal conductivities. In this talk, we present recent measurements and molecular dynamics simulations on multiple atom alloys, including entropy stabilized oxides and high entropy diborides. We use time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR), and optical pump-probe technique, to measure the thermal conductivity of these various systems. We also demonstrate the ability to extend TDTR measurements to temperatures above 1000 deg. C. The TDTR measurements show drastic reductions in the thermal conductivity of these crystalline solid solution materials, approaching values of the amorphous phases. These reductions in thermal conductivity can not be explained by phonon-mass scattering alone. Thus, to investigate the nature of the reduction in thermal conductivity of these multi-atom solid solutions, we turn to classical molecular dynamics simulations. In agreement with the Klemens’ perturbation theory, the thermal conductivity reduction due to mass scattering alone is found to reach a critical point, whereby adding more impurity atoms in the solid solution does not reduce the thermal conductivity. A further decrease in thermal conductivity requires a change in local strain-field, which together with mass defect scattering can lead to ultralow thermal conductivities in solid solutions, which surpasses the theoretical minimum limit of the corresponding amorphous phases. These simulations qualitatively agree well with our experimental measurements, and add insight into the nature of phonon scattering in entropy stabilized materials.
This work is supported by the U.S. Office of Naval Research MURI program (grant No. N00014-15-1-2863
The Need for Laboratory Measurements and Ab Initio Studies to Aid Understanding of Exoplanetary Atmospheres
We are now on a clear trajectory for improvements in exoplanet observations
that will revolutionize our ability to characterize their atmospheric
structure, composition, and circulation, from gas giants to rocky planets.
However, exoplanet atmospheric models capable of interpreting the upcoming
observations are often limited by insufficiencies in the laboratory and
theoretical data that serve as critical inputs to atmospheric physical and
chemical tools. Here we provide an up-to-date and condensed description of
areas where laboratory and/or ab initio investigations could fill critical gaps
in our ability to model exoplanet atmospheric opacities, clouds, and chemistry,
building off a larger 2016 white paper, and endorsed by the NAS Exoplanet
Science Strategy report. Now is the ideal time for progress in these areas, but
this progress requires better access to, understanding of, and training in the
production of spectroscopic data as well as a better insight into chemical
reaction kinetics both thermal and radiation-induced at a broad range of
temperatures. Given that most published efforts have emphasized relatively
Earth-like conditions, we can expect significant and enlightening discoveries
as emphasis moves to the exotic atmospheres of exoplanets.Comment: Submitted as an Astro2020 Science White Pape
- …