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Combined Interaction (combined + interaction)
Selected AbstractsSuperhydrophobic 3D Microstructures Assembled From 1D Nanofibers of PolyanilineMACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS, Issue 3 2008Ying Zhu Abstract Superhydrophobic dandelion-like 3D microstructures self-assembled from 1D nanofibers of PANI were prepared by a self-assembly process in the presence of perfluorosebacic acid (PFSEA) as a dopant. The dandelion-like microspheres (about 5 µm) are composed of uniform Y-shaped junction nanofibers of about 210 nm average diameter and several micrometers in length, as measured by SEM. The dandelion-like microstructure is coreless with a hollow cavity, and the shell thickness is about one third of the sphere diameter, as measured by TEM. Since PFESA dopant has a low surface energy perfluorinated carbon chain and two hydrophilic COOH end groups, it has dopant, is a "soft-template" and brings about superhydrophobic functions at the same time. Moreover, it is proposed that the self-assembly of PANI 1D nanofibers, driven by a combined interaction of hydrogen bonding, ,-, stacking and hydrophobic interactions, leads to the formation of the 3D microstructures. [source] Male and Female Effects on the In Vitro Production of Bovine EmbryosANATOMIA, HISTOLOGIA, EMBRYOLOGIA, Issue 5 2004G. A. Palma Summary A 3-year study was carried out to evaluate male and female effects on the efficiency of an in vitro fertilization (IVF) programme. The semen of different bulls used for artificial insemination was tested for the in vitro production of transferable blastocysts. The fertilization capacity was recorded for each bull. Bovine oocytes were matured in vitro, fertilized with frozen/thawed semen of 63 individual bulls and cultured during 8 days. The semen of one bull was used as control. The percentage of cleavage (36.3,93.4%) and blastocysts on day 7 (6.9,51.2%) varied from bull to bull. Despite high variability, blastocysts were produced with the semen of all bulls in the first trial. Moreover, oocytes fertilized with 85% of tested bulls reached a blastocyst rate not different to the control bull. The correlation coefficients of six bulls showed no significant male effect but an influence of oocytes on the cleavage rate (F -value 0.38, P > 0.05, and 12.4, P < 0.001, respectively). The development to blastocysts on day 7 was significantly influenced by sperms and also oocytes and session (P < 0.01), but no combined interaction was observed between female and male. It is concluded that transferable embryos can be produced in vitro in the first trial with frozen/thawed semen of 63 tested bulls. The results show different capacities of bulls to produce embryos and high male and female effects on the efficiency of an IVF programme. [source] Differences in sino-atrial and atrio-ventricular function with age and sex attributable to the Scn5a+/, mutation in a murine cardiac modelACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 1 2010K. Jeevaratnam Abstract Aim:, To investigate the interacting effects of age and sex on electrocardiographic (ECG) features of Scn5a+/, mice modelling Brugada syndrome. Methods:, Recordings were performed on anaesthetized wild-type (WT) and Scn5a+/, mice and differences attributable to these risk factors statistically stratified. Results:,Scn5a+/, exerted sex-dependent effects upon sino-atrial function that only became apparent with age. RR intervals were greater in old male than in old female Scn5a+/,. Atrio-ventricular (AV) conduction was slower in young female mice, whether WT and Scn5a+/,, than the corresponding young male WT and Scn5a+/,. However, PR intervals lengthened with age in male but not in female Scn5a+/, giving the greatest PR intervals in old male Scn5a+/, compared with either old male WT or young male Scn5a+/, mice. In contrast, PR intervals were similar in old female Scn5a+/, and in old female WT. QTc was prolonged in Scn5a+/, compared with WT, and female Scn5a+/, compared with female WT. Age-dependent alterations in durations of ventricular repolarization relative to WT affected male but not female Scn5a+/,. Thus, T-wave durations were greater in old male Scn5a+/, compared with old male WT, but indistinguishable between old female Scn5a+/, and old female WT. Finally, analysis for combined interactions of genotype, age and sex demonstrated no effects on P wave and QRS durations and QTc intervals. Conclusion:, We demonstrate for the first time that age, sex and genotype exert both independent and interacting ECG effects. The latter suggest alterations in cardiac pacemaker function, atrio-ventricular conduction and ventricular repolarization greatest in ageing male Scn5a+/,. [source] Combined effects of fisheries and climate on a migratory long-lived marine predatorJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2008V. Rolland Summary 1The impact of climate on marine ecosystems is now well documented, but remains complex. Climate change may interact with human activities to effect population dynamics. In addition, in migratory species conditions are different between the breeding and wintering grounds, resulting in more complex dynamics. All these possible effects should be considered to predict the future of endangered species, but very few studies have investigated such combined interactions. 2As a case study, we assessed the relative impact of fisheries and of oceanographic conditions in breeding and wintering sites on adult survival and breeding success of a population of the endangered black-browed albatross Thalassarche melanophrys in the Kerguelen Islands, Southern Indian Ocean. This study was based on long-term monitoring of individually marked individuals (1979,2005) and identification by tracking studies and band recoveries of the oceanic feeding zones used during breeding and non-breeding seasons. 3Breeding success was variable until 1997 and then declined gradually, from 0·88 to 0·48 chicks per egg laid. It was favoured by positive sea-surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) and trawl fishery during the breeding period, whereas it was negatively affected by positive SSTA around Tasmania, where the species winters. Adult survival was 0·918 ± 0·004 on average and increased with SSTA during incubation, but decreased significantly with high tuna longlining effort in the wintering zone. 4Our analyses show that demographic parameters were influenced by both climate and fisheries in both breeding and wintering grounds, but with different effect size. Black-browed albatross breeding success was more favoured by trawlers' offal and discards than by any of the seasonally/spatially oceanographic conditions, whereas their survival was equally affected by tuna longline fishery through incidental by-catch and spring SSTA. 5Synthesis and applications. Our work underlines that a comprehensive knowledge of the life history of a species in all the habitats used is important to disentangle the respective roles of environmental conditions and human factors on population dynamics. Identification of these effects is required when proposing effective conservation measures, because the conservation of threatened species may depend on their wintering country's exclusive economic zones. [source] | ||||||||||