bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An investigation of the key factors influencing reproductive performance in dairy herds in Northern Ireland
Authors: Mayne C.S. , Verner M. , McCaughey W.J. , McCoy M.A. , Lennox S.D. , Catney D.C. , Kennedy B. , Wylie A.R.G. , Gordon FJ.
Published: May 2019

Poor reproductive performance is a major problem on dairy farms across Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom (UK) as a whole, and recent studies suggest that the problem is increasing. In order to identify the key factors influencing reproductive performance at farm level, a major research initiative was established in 1998 with the objective of collating a comprehensive database on reproductive performance from 20 herds, representing over 2000 dairy cows, across Northern Ireland. Preliminary results for five herds from the first year of the study indicate a high heat detection rate (84%) across all farms. The mean intervals to first observed heat and to first service for cows calved within 19 days of the start of the breeding season were similar between herds (42.8 ± 14.0 days and 50.0 ± 11.0 days respectively). In contrast, the interval to first service for all recorded services was 89.8 ± 66.3 days and varied considerably between farms (69.9 to 112.7 days). Investigation of progesterone profiles indicates that 62.3% of cows had resumed normal cyclic activity by 40 days post calving. Of the cows with atypical ovarian patterns, 19.4% were classified as prolonged post-partum anoestrus with a further 12% exhibiting at least one post-partum prolonged luteal phase.
The relationship between body condition at calving, uterine performance postpartum and trends in selected blood metabolites postpartum in high yielding Californian dairy cows
Authors: Titterton M. , Weaver L.D.
Published: May 2019

The relationship between body condition at calving, uterine tone and discharge, time to first oestrus and changes in concentration of serum calcium and magnesium in early post partum was examined in 209 multiparous dairy cows located in four herds in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Body condition score (BCS) was graded from 0 to 5 and BCS at calving was estimated from BCS in the late dry period (LDBCS). Uterine tone and discharge were graded from l(best) to 3(worst) after rectal palpation at two weeks post partum. Concentrations of blood metabolites and levels of progesterone were determined from blood samples taken at selected stages of lactation from the late dry period to ten weeks post partum. Abnormal uterine discharges were strongly correlated with uterine tone. Uterine tone and discharge scores were significantly lower in cows that calved with body condition scores of 2.5 and 3.0 than in those which calved with body condition scores of < 2.5 and ≥ 3.5. Serum calcium and magnesium concentrations were higher at two weeks post partum in cows with scores of 2.5 and 3 than in cows with higher or lower scores. Serum calcium and magnesium concentrations appeared to be higher with decrease in grades of uterine discharge and tone but this was significant only in the case of serum calcium and uterine discharge. The number of days to first oestrus was significantly associated with uterine discharge and tone (P < 0.05) but not significantly associated with LDBCS. The number of days to second oestrus was not significantly associated with uterine discharge and tone but was significantly less in cows with LDBCS 3 (17.28 days) than cows with lower or higher LDBCS (P < 0.05). It is concluded that body condition at calving is associated with serum micromineral balance and subsequent uterine and ovarian health. Based on these measurable indicators, cows calving with body condition scores of 2.5 and 3 appeared to be in optimum condition for post partum reproductive performance.
The influence of β-carotene supplementation on β-carotene concentration in the corpus luteum and on hormone concentration in the plasma of heifers
Authors: Flachowsky G. , Schlenzig M. , Kirsche Brigitta , Lebzien P.
Published: May 2019

The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of different levels of β-carotene supplements on the β-carotene concentration in the corpus luteum and on hormone concentrations in the plasma of heifers. 32 heifers (average body weight: 371 kg) were fed a low carotene diet (< 1 mg per kg DM) for 120 days. The heifers were divided into four groups according to body weight and age and supplied with 0, 100, 200 or 300 mg β-carotene per animal and day. Heifers were artifically inseminated after day 60 of the experiment and were slaughtered after day 120 of the experiment. Carotene concentration in the corpus luteum (2.3, 27, 50 and 81 μg/g for 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg β-carotene per animal per day), in plasma and in ovary was significantly influenced with increased carotene supplements. LH-concentration of plasma decreased and β-oestradiol-concentration increased with carotene supplementation. High concentrations of β-carotene in the corpus luteum and ovaries of cattle seem to act as a depot which is available when high vitamin A requirements during ovulation have to be met.
Milk urea concentrations and pregnancy rate in dairy cows and a comparison of a dip-stick method and a laboratory method to measure milk urea concentrations
Authors: Ponter A.A. , Grimard B. , Ficheux C. , Beduneau J.-M. , Deletang F. , Mialot J.-P.
Published: May 2019

The first study was conducted to investigate the possible relationship between milk urea concentrations and pregnancy rate in dairy cows. A total of 173 dairy cows were used in the study. They had not experienced reproductive problems post partum, however they were treated for suboestrus between 60 to 90 d post partum with either PGF2α or GnRH, PGF2α and GnRH. Suboestrus cows were studied in this experiment in order to see whether, when ovulation is initiated, high milk urea concentrations were associated with a poorer response to treatment. Milk samples were collected on the day of AI, for the measurement of urea concentrations, and pregnancy diagnosis was performed by the assay of Pregnancy Specific Protein Binding (PSPB) 50 d post-AI. Peak milk production (P=0.06), the type of diet (P=0.05), the main forage type (P=0.07) and the concentrate distribution system (P=0.03) influenced milk urea concentrations. There was no difference in the concentrations of urea in the milk of pregnant and non-pregnant cows (P = 0.33, 0.25 g L-1 vs. 0.27 g L-1, respectively). Pregnancy rate was not influenced by the type of suboestrus treatment used. A second experiment showed that there was a linear relationship between milk urea concentrations measured by a dipstick method (Azotest) and a laboratory method (r=0.51, P<0.001, n=89)
Hormone and metabolite profiles as well as the onset of ovarian cyclicity in dairy cows suffering from various forms of ketosis
Authors: Huszenicza Gy. , Kulcsár M. , Dieleman S. J. , Kóródi P. , Bartyik J. , Rudas P. , Ribiczei-Szabó P. , Nikolic J. A. , Samanch H. , Ivanov I.
Published: May 2019

The involvement of adrenocortical and thyroid hormones in the pathogenesis of ketosis as well as the ovarian consequences of this metabolic disorder were studied in ≥2 parity cows (n=199) in 3 large scale dairy herds. To compare the plasma / serum concentrations of certain hormones [Cortisol, thyroxin (T4), triiodo-thyronine (T3), insulin, isulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-l)J and metabolites [glucose (G), acetoacetic acid (ACAC), βOH-butyrate (BHB), non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), trigliceride (TG), total cholesterol (TCh)J, and the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood samples were taken 1 to 3 days after calving and again at 7-day intervals on four other occasions. The ACTH-challenged Cortisol responsiveness and the TRH-induced T4/T3 increase were determined between days 1 to 3 and again between days 28 to 35. The resumption of ovarian cyclicity was followed up by individual progesterone (P4) profiles based on milk samples taken 3 times a week for about 80 to 85 days postpartum. A concentration of 1 mmol/l of BHB level was estimated as a border between hyper- (>1 mmol/l) and normal ketonaemic (<1 mmol/l) conditions. 5 different ketone patterns were distinguished: (1) non-ketotic (n=98; normal ketonaemia in all samples), (2) early type ketosis (n=45; hyperketonemia was detected only in the first week after calving), (3) late type (lacta-tional) ketosis (n=11; after a normal ketonaemic period increasing hyperketonaemia was detected in the 5th, or in the 4th and 5th weeks), (4) temporary ketosis (n=ll; hyperketonaemia was detected for 1-2 weeks in the 2nd and 3rd or in the 3rd and 4th weeks); (5) long-lasting ketosis (n=34; hyperketonaemia had been detected since calving for 4 to 5 weeks or until death or emergency slaughtering). Simultaneously with the hyperketonaemic stage increased NEFA, ACAC, depressed TCh, glucose and decreased insulin, IGF-1, T4 and T3 concentrations were detected in almost all the cases. Obvious metabolic and endocrine alterations were found, however, only in long-lasting ketosis. The TRH-stimulated T4 and T3 responses remained almost unaffected proving intact thyroid function in early and late type as well as in temporary ketosis. Depressed thyroid response and delayed onset of cyclic ovarian function were detected only in cases of long-lasting ketosis. The cows characterized by lower than normal (< mean-SD of non-ketotic cows) ACTH-stimulated cortisol response on days 1-3 after calving showed poorer chancefor spontaneous recovery. There was a significant negative correlation between the IGF-1 level in the 1st week after calving and the duration of the postpartum acyclic period. In late type (lactational) ketosis the cessation of ovarian cyclicity was the most characteristic genital malfunction.
Plasma leptin concentration and its interrelation with some blood metabolites, metabolic hormones and the resumption of cyclic ovarian function in postpartum dairy cows supplemented with monensin or inert fat in feed
Authors: Huszenicza Gy. , Kulcsar M. , Nikolic J. A. , Schmidt J. , Korodi P. , Katai L. , Dieleman S. , Ribiczei-Szabo P. , Rudas P.
Published: May 2019

The postpartum changes in plasma leptin levels of dairy cows ovulated within 35 days after calving were compared to of those with delayed onset of cyclicity in two experiments. The cows were sampled for leptin, insulin, IGF-1, thyroid hormones (T4, T3, rT3), Cortisol and also for some metabolites (glucose, NEFA, BHB and TCH) on day 1-3 after calving and again four times 7 days apart (Exp. 1), or in weeks 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 postpartum (Exp. 2). In Exp. 1 also the standard low dose ACTH-induced Cortisol response and TRH-stimulated T4/T3 responses were determined on days 1-3 and 28-35. In cows of Exp. 1 the leptin level varied within a wide range with a mean of about 4 ng/ml HE in the first samples. Up to week 5 it remained unchanged in cows ovulated within day 35 but reduced in those with delayed onset of cyclicity, resulting in significant difference between the two group means.

In cows of Exp. 2 the week 1 leptin levels were lower and less variable than that of Exp. 1. In weeks 2 and 3 a slightly increasing tendency of leptin pattern was seen in cows resuming their ovarian cyclicity within 35 days whereas in those with delayed onset of cyclicity the leptin level remained unchanged. Up to week 5 this tendency resulted in exactly the same leptin values as seen in Exp. 1 with significant differences between the group means in both of the weeks 5 and 10. It was concluded that the plasma leptin concentration in postpartum dairy cows may interfere with resumption of cyclic ovarian function, but its influence may be only permissive (e.g. a minimal concentration above a supposed threshold seems to be the prerequisite of the onset of cyclicity)
A comparison of two intrauterine antibiotic treatments for endometritis in dairy cows by means of survival analysis
Authors: Loeffler S.H. , de Zeeuw A.C.
Published: May 2019

A prospective cohort study was designed to compare the effects of two different intrauterine antibiotic treatments for endometritis on fertility in a multi-farm trial during a 4 year-period. Product A contained 1.5 million I.E. of Procaine Penicilline-G and 500 mg of Neomycine sulfate in 20 ml of an oil in water suspension with a gas-driven applicator (Ubrocelan®, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Germany) and product B (positive control) contained 2g of Oxytetracycline and 500.000 I.E. Colistine in a 20 ml oil in water suspension (Colicycline® , A. U. V., Cuyk, The Netherlands). Diagnosis was by field veterinarians during routine monthly visits. Pyometra, vaginitis, toxic endometritis and post-insemination uterine treatments were excluded from the study. Only cases of non-toxic endometritis prior to first insemination in the period from 1- 150 days after calving were included. Cows were allocated to treatment group based on ear tag number (even/uneven) at the time of diagnosis by the veterinarian. Cows received only a single treatment. Cases were coded as censored at 150 days if not yet inseminated and at 180 days if not yet pregnant. A total of 623 cases of endometritis in first or later parity cows on 13 farms were used in the analysis. The distribution of treatments among farms was unequal ( chi-square = 0.167) , but no farm had more than 70% of one treatment and farm was included as a correction factorin all models. A larger number of controls than cases also had no effect on study outcome. The effect oftreament on the interval (days) from from treatment to conception or censoring was analyzed with a Cox proportional hazards model. Other variables included in the models were season, parity, herd and time of treatment (late/early) with respect to calving. There was no effect of treatment on the number of days to breeding or days open. Early/late ( cutoff = 40 days) endometritis was a significant factor for the interval from treatment to first insemination and conception rate to first breeding. Early/late metritis, however, was not a factor for the interval from treatment to pregnancy. This study suggests that there is an equal treatment efficacy for intrauterine therapy of endometritis between the two products tested. The authors discuss the growing trend away from intrauterine treatments and the suitability of survival analysis techniques for multi-farm field studies of this type.
An investigation into the relationship between milk progesterone concentrations in fore-milk and composite milk samples
Authors: McCoy M.A. , Lennox S.D. , Mayne C.S. , McCaughey W.J. , Verner M. , Catney D.C. , Wylie A.R.G. , Kennedy B. , Gordon F.J.
Published: May 2019

Milk progesterone concentrations are generally estimated on a composite, “jar”, sample from the bulk milk collecting jar, with concentrations >3 ng/ml considered as indicative of the presence of luteal tissue. However, on a number of dairy farms composite sampling is not possible as they operate a direct pipeline milking system, without milk meters, and the only practical means of obtaining a milk sample is via fore-milk sampling. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between progesterone concentrations, as estimated by an ELISA procedure, in fore-milk strippings and composite milk samples. A significant relationship (r2 = 0.83) was obtained between the progesterone concentration in composite milk and fore-milk samples; y = 1.52 - 1.41(0.163)x, where y = log10(composite progesterone) and x = log10(fore-milk progesterone). A milk progesterone concentration of 3 ng/ml in composite milk corresponded to a milk progesterone concentration of 1.47 ng/ml in fore-milk. Using this relationship progesterone profiles may be compared between herds where milk samples have been obtained by either composite milk or fore-milk sampling. In addition, composite milk samples only should be used with qualitative on-farm assays.
Temporal-frequency tuning of cross-orientation suppression
in the cat striate cortex
Authors: ALLISON JOHN D. , SMITH KEVIN R. , BONDS A.B.
Published: May 2019

A sinusoidal mask grating oriented orthogonally to
and superimposed onto an optimally oriented base grating
reduces a cortical neuron's response amplitude. The spatial
selectivity of cross-orientation suppression (XOR) has been
described, so for this paper we investigated the temporal
properties of XOR. We recorded from single striate cortical
neurons (n = 72) in anesthetized and paralyzed cats.
After quantifying the spatial and temporal characteristics of
each cell's excitatory response to a base grating, we measured
the temporal-frequency tuning of XOR by systematically varying
the temporal frequency of a mask grating placed at a null
orientation outside of the cell's excitatory orientation
domain. The average preferred temporal frequency of the excitatory
response of the neurons in our sample was 3.8 (± 1.5
S.D.) Hz. The average cutoff frequency for the sample was 16.3
(± 1.7) Hz. The average preferred temporal frequency
(7.0 ± 2.6 Hz) and cutoff frequency (20.4 ± 6.9
Hz) of the XOR were significantly higher. The differences averaged
1.1 (± 0.6) octaves for the peaks and 0.3 (± 0.4)
octaves for the cutoffs. The XOR mechanism's preference
for high temporal frequencies suggests a possible extrastriate
origin for the effect and could help explain the low-pass
temporal-frequency response profile displayed by most striate
cortical neurons.
Hypoglycemia increases the sensitivity of the cat
electroretinogram to hypoxemia
Authors: DERWENT JENNIFER J. KANG , LINSENMEIER ROBERT A.
Published: May 2019

Kang Derwent and Linsenmeier (2000) reported that the a-
and b-waves of the cat electroretinogram (ERG) are
resistant to hypoxemia, at least for PaO2
above 40 mm Hg. The a-wave may be resistant because
the photoreceptor can increase glycolysis during hypoxemia.
This hypothesis was tested by making the animal hypoglycemic,
which should minimize the ability of the photoreceptor to switch
to glycolysis. The ERG of dark-adapted anesthetized cats was
recorded between an Ag/AgCl electrode in the vitreous humor
and a reference electrode near the eye. Responses to bright
flashes of diffuse white light were recorded at 3-min intervals
during hypoxic episodes at three levels of blood glucose. The
moderate hypoglycemia (50 to 70 mg/dl) had a relatively small
effect on the a-wave amplitude. Furthermore, the
a-wave amplitude increased transiently by 16 ±
7% within 30–40 min of the start of severe hypoglycemia
(20 to 40 mg/dl), before recovering to near normal. Severe
hypoglycemia alone decreased the b-wave amplitude by
15 ± 13%. Combined hypoxemia and hypoglycemia decreased
the b-wave amplitude more than the a-wave
amplitude. At all levels of blood glucose, b-wave
decreases began at a higher PaO2 than
the a-wave changes. For both the a- and
b-waves, hypoxemic effects began at higher
PaO2 when the animal was hypoglycemic.
The increased sensitivity to hypoxemia during severe hypoglycemia
suggests that a switch from oxidative to glycolytic metabolism
ordinarily protects the retina from moderate hypoxemia. Because
the a- and b-waves were affected to different
degrees and at different PaO2s, it is
unlikely that inner retinal changes are caused completely by
changes in the photoreceptor.
Processing in the probed-sinewave paradigm is likely retinal
Authors: WOLFSON S. SABINA , GRAHAM NORMA
Published: May 2019

In the probed-sinewave paradigm—used to study the dynamics
of light adaptation—a small probe of light is superimposed
on a sinusoidally flickering background. Detection threshold
for the probe is measured at various times with respect to the
flickering background. Here we present such stimuli using three
methods: monoptic (the probe and the flickering background are
presented to the same eye), dichoptic (the probe is presented
to one eye and the flickering background is presented to the
other eye), and binocular (the probe and the flickering background
are both presented to both eyes). The results suggest that the
processing associated with detecting the probe is primarily
in the retina (or any place with monocular input). However,
the results also suggest a slight amount of processing
in the cortex (or any place with binocular input), particularly
at the higher frequency of flickering background used here (9.4
Hz vs. 1.2 Hz). A simple schematic model with three
ocular-dominance channels is consistent with the results.
Production and Profitability Responses to Alternative Protein Sources and Levels in Broiler Rations
Authors: Costa Ecio F. , Miller Bill R. , Houston Jack E. , Pesti Gene M.
Published: May 2019

Profitability of using alternative protein sources in broiler feed is investigated through the development of a two-stage mathematical program that optimizes broiler production. A case study of peanut meal vs. soybean meal is examined. Value of marginal product concepts incorporated in this model permit analysis of demand adjustments before decisions on the production process occur. Given reported input and output prices, results indicate that soybean meal is generally more profitable than peanut meal. Peanut meal can be more profitable at higher dietary protein levels fed to broilers processed into whole carcass or at relatively higher prices for soybean meal.
The Keys to Preparing Successful Research Grant Proposals
Authors: Marchant Mary A.
Published: May 2019

This article seeks to demystify the competitive grant recommendation process of scientific peer review panels. The National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program (NRICGP) administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Cooperative State Research, Extension, and Education Service (USDA-CSREES) serves as the focus of this article. This article provides a brief background on the NRICGP and discusses the application process, the scientific peer review process, guidelines for grant writing, and ways to interpret reviewer comments if a proposal is not funded. The essentials of good grant writing discussed in this article are transferable to other USDA competitive grant programs.
Caecotrophes intake in growing rabbits estimated either from urinary excretion of purine derivatives or from direct measurement using animals provided with a neck collar: effect of type and level of dietary carbohydrate
Authors: Belenguer A. , Balcells J. , Fondevila M. , Torre C.
Published: May 2019

The present study compares estimates of caecotrophes production from urinary purine derivatives (PD) excretion with that from preventing caecotrophy by using a neck collar. A total of 64 New Zealand growing male rabbits were used to study the effect of diet composition on caecotrophes production. Diets were formulated using two sources of structural carbohydrates (fibre): alfalfa hay (AH) and sugar-beet pulp (SBP), mixed at two constant proportions, (0·75: 0·25) AH diets and (0·25: 0·75) SBP diets. Both diets included either barley or maize grain at two fibre: grain ratios (F/G, 80: 20 and 45: 55). Diets were given ad libitum. Growth rate, dry matter intake and digestibility were not modified by the grain source, although high F/G diets resulted in a lower growth rate (19·8 v. 26·4 g/day; P < 0·001). Between fibre sources, dry-matter intake and growth were higher in AH than in SBP diets (122·5 and 25·6 v. 101·6 and 20·4 g/day, respectively, P < 0·001 and P < 0·01). Rabbits given high F/G ratio and AH diets excreted more caecotrophes than those given low F/G ratio and SBP diets (19·5 and 20·9 v. 16·3 and 14·85 g/day, respectively). Microbial-N recycling through the caecotrophy process was higher when considering data from PD excretion (1·33 g/d) than when estimated by preventing caecotrophy (0·72 g/day).
Effect of calcium salts of fatty acids and calcium salt of methionine hydroxy analogue on reproductive responses and milk production in Holstein-Friesian cows
Authors: Fahey J. , Mee J.F. , O’Callaghan D. , Murphy J.J.
Published: May 2019

The effects of a dietary supplement with calcium salts of fatty acids and methionine hydroxy analogue on reproductive performance, blood metabolites, milk production, milk composition, body weight and body condition score was studied in lactating dairy cows. Autumn-calving, Holstein-Friesian cows (no. = 162) were assigned 1 week post calving to one of two diets: (1) unsupplemented maize-silage-based complete diet while housed before turn-out to perennial ryegrass pasture and (2) the same diet with 400 g per cow per day of a supplement with calcium salts of long-chain fatty acids and methionine hydroxy analogue (Megalac Plus, Volac Ltd). Eleven cows were removed from the study following randomization for reasons not related to the experiment leaving 151 cows on dietary treatments. The diets were offered until the end of the 18-week breeding period. Cows receiving supplement had higher milk yield and milk lactose production and lower milk protein and milk fat proportion (P < 0·05). Body weight and body condition scores were not different between treatments in the first 20 weeks of lactation (P > 0·05). Overall reproductive performance was not different between dietary treatments (P > 0·05). However, first lactation animals (no. = 33) receiving the dietary lipid and methionine supplement tended to have increased conception rates to first and second service (P < 0·09) which resulted in a shorter calving-to-conception interval in those animals (P < 0·06). Services per conception (P < 0·08), services per cow served (P < 0·05) and services per conception for pregnant cows (P < 0·05) in first lactation animals was reduced in the supplemented group. Although plasma cholesterol concentrations were increased following lipid and methionine supplementation (P < 0·01), plasma progesterone concentrations on day 5 and day 8 after artificial insemination were not different between dietary treatments (P > 0·05). In conclusion, a dietary supplement of calcium salts of fatty acids and methionine hydroxy analogue increased milk yield, milk lactose production and blood cholesterol concentration but did not improve reproductive performance, except in first lactation cows.
Genetic variances, trends and mode of inheritance for hip and elbow dysplasia in Finnish dog populations
Authors: Mäki1 K. , Groen A. F. , Liinamo A.-E. , Ojala M.
Published: May 2019

The aims of this study were to assess genetic variances, trends and mode of inheritance for hip and elbow dysplasia in Finnish dog populations. The influence of time-dependent fixed effects in the model when estimating the genetic trends was also studied. Official hip and elbow dysplasia screening records of 42 421 dogs from seven breeds were analysed with REML. To investigate the mode of inheritance of hip and elbow dysplasia, trait distributions, genetic variances and regressions of offspring phenotypes on parental predicted breeding values were studied separately in males and in females. Genetic trends for hip dysplasia between the years 1983 and 1998 were favourable only in the Rottweiler. In elbow dysplasia, the trends were favourable after the year 1992 in all the four breeds studied but the overall changes were small. The reason for this seemed to be negligible selection pressure against these traits. Time-dependent fixed effects in the model had an influence on the estimated genetic trends, resulting either in a more negative or more positive genetic trend compared with the model from which the time-dependent effects were removed. Mitochondrial or sex-linked inheritance did not seem likely in the expression of hip and elbow dysplasia in the populations studied. Regression coefficients of offspring phenotypes on estimated parental breeding values were approximately equal to their expected value in a situation with equal parental contribution. Furthermore, the phenotypic frequency distributions of hip and elbow dysplasia grades were similar among males and females in each breed studied. No indication of major genes was found in the offspring frequency distributions within individual sires. According to these Finnish data, mode of inheritance for both hip and elbow dysplasia is polygenic (quantitative) with equal expression of the genes from both parents, although the estimates of heritability for hip dysplasia in the Rough Collie and for elbow dysplasia in the German Shepherd and the Golden Retriever were somewhat different in males compared with females.
The effect of breed, parity and body fatness on the lipolytic response of dairy cows
Authors: Theilgaard P. , Friggens N. C. , Sloth K. H. , Ingvartsen K. L.
Published: May 2019

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of breed, parity and body fatness on the lipolytic response of dairy cows. The lipolytic response was estimated as the plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) response to an adrenergic challenge. Four challenges per lactation were carried out on 124 Danish Holsteins, 101 Danish Red and 82 Jerseys through consecutive lactations. Within breed, there were two genetic lines. Cows were equally distributed across two feeding treatments, a normal and a low energy total mixed ration. Diet composition was constant throughout lactation. The lipolytic response was significantly affected by breed, parity and stage of lactation. Lipolytic response was greater in early lactation than other stages in lactation (P 0·001). The larger breeds had a higher lipolytic response than Jerseys (P 0·05), and showed an increase in lipolytic response between first and second parity (P 0·05), but not between second and third lactation. Lipolytic response in Jerseys was not significantly affected by parity. No line or feeding treatment effects were observed on the lipolytic response. Ultrasound measurement of the area of subcutaneous backfat was used to estimate effect of body fatness on the lipolytic response. There was an increase in lipolytic response with increasing body fatness (P 0·05) in mid lactation and the dry period. The slope of this was not affected by breed or parity. It was concluded that the lipolytic response of dairy cows, and by implication the responsiveness of the lipid reserves, varies according to breed, parity and physiological state.
Oestrous synchronization under range conditions in dairy goats treated with different PGF2α doses during the transitional period in Greece
Authors: Lymberopoulos A. G. , Boscos C. M. , Dellis S. , Papia A. , Belibasaki S.
Published: May 2019

Efficacy of oestrous synchronization and post-treatment fertility was studied in a herd of 149 dairy goats (Swiss breed no. = 104, indigenous Greek breed no. = 45) kept under an extensive farming system. All does were synchronized during the transitional period (during July prior to the breeding season) using fluorogestone acetate (FGA) impregnated intra-vaginal sponges, equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) and different prostaglandin F2a (PGF2α) analogues. Four doses of prostaglandin F2a (group 1: 4·5 mg luprostiol; group 2: 2·25 mg luprostiol; group 3: 0·2 mg cloprostenol; group 4: 0·1 mg cloprostenol) were administered i. m. 48 h prior to the end of progestagen treatment and 400 IU eCG was administered at sponge removal. All does were inseminated with fresh semen (300 ✕ 106 spermatozoa per insemination) 42 to 44 h after sponge removal. There were no significant differences (P > 0·05) in the number of goats showing ovarian activity (blood progesterone concentration ³ 1 ng/ml) prior to oestrous synchronization between PGF2α treatment groups. No significant differences (P > 0·05) were observed for the kidding rates between the treatment groups. Our results indicate that goats with ovarian activity prior to sponge application who received high doses of PGF2α showed lower conception rates than those detected in anoestrus (P 0·05). No differences (P 0·05) were observed in conception rates between groups that received lower doses of PGF2α. July is considered to be a transitional period suitable for oestrous synchronization for both Swiss and indigenous dairy goats. Natural mating during the two subsequent cycles after artificial insemination improved kidding rate, but without any significant difference either between treated groups or between Swiss and indigenous breeds.
On the critical conditions for an assembly of interacting thermons
Authors: Gray B. F.
Published: May 2019

The interaction of a number of self-heating bodies depositing heat into a common finite heat bath and thereby influencing each other is a problem of great practical importance in many areas including storage and transport of self-heating materials, drums of chemicals, foodstuffs etc. Critical conditions for the complete assembly of interacting heat producers (thermons) are derived under various assumptions and modes of ignition are identified. These include cooperative modes as well as modes which are simply perturbations of ignition for single thermons.
On the heating of a two-dimensional slab in a microwave cavity: aperture effects
Authors: Marchant T. R. , Liu B.
Published: May 2019

The steady-state heating of a two-dimensional slab by the TE10 mode in a microwave cavity is considered. The cavity contains an iris with a variable aperture and is closed by a short. Resonance can occur in the cavity, which is dependent on the short position, the aperture width and the temperature of the heated slab.

The governing equations for the slab are steady-state versions of the forced heat equation and Maxwell's equations while fixed-temperature boundary conditions are used. An Arrhenius temperature dependency is assumed for both the electrical conductivity and the thermal absorptivity. Semi-analytical solutions, valid for small thermal absorptivity, are found for the steady-state temperature and the electric-field amplitude in the slab using the Galerkin method.

With no-iris (a semi-infinite waveguide) the usual S-shaped power versus temperature curve occurs. As the aperture width is varied however, the critical power level at which thermal runaway occurs and the temperature response on the upper branch of the S-shaped curve are both changed. This is due to the interaction between the radiation, the cavity and the heated slab. An example is presented to illustrate these aperture effects. Also, it is shown that an optimal aperture setting and short position exists which minimises the input power needed to obtain a given temperature.
The parameter dependent Sturm-Liouville eigenproblem with an interior simple or double pole
Authors: Acho Thomas M. , Clemence Dominic P.
Published: May 2019

Boundary value problems where resonance phenomena are studied are most often transformable to parameter dependent Sturm-Liouville (SL) eigenproblems with interior singularities. The parameter dependent Sturm-Liouville eigenproblem with interior poles is examined. Asymptotic approximations to the solutions are obtained using an extended Langer's method to take care of the resulting complex eigenvalues and eigenfunctions.
Solvability of some Abel-type integral equations involving the Gauss hypergeometric function as kernels in the spaces of summable functions
Authors: Raina R. K. , Srivastava H. M. , Kilbas A. A. , Saigo M.
Published: May 2019

This paper is devoted to the study of the solvability of certain one-and multidimensional Abel-type integral equations involving the Gauss hypergeometric function as their kernels in the space of summable functions. The multidimensional equations are considered over certain pyramidal domains and the results obtained are used to present the multidimensional pyramidal analogues of generalized fractional calculus operators and their properties.
Sand‐Mud Tidal Flat Morphodynamics Influenced by Alongshore Tidal Currents
Authors: Wang Yunwei , Wang Ya Ping , Yu Qian , Du Zhiyun , Wang Zheng Bing , Gao Shu
Published: May 2019

Tidal flats, where significant land‐ocean interactions take place, are often abstracted as a cross‐shore bed profile with sediment zonation from the lower sand flat to the upper mud flat. However, in addition to cross‐shore tidal currents, the impact of the alongshore components on cross‐shore sediment transport, morphological evolution, and sediment grain‐size change remains unclear. Here we investigated sand‐mud tidal flat morphodynamics in the absence of waves by combining approaches of field observations, numerical modeling, and analytical interpretations, based on the example of the tidal flat on the central Jiangsu coast, China. The results show that the morphodynamic processes are complicated by the interactions of cross‐shore and alongshore tidal currents, cross‐shore flat morphology, and sediment zonation. With amplified phase lags of the alongshore tidal level at the boundaries, alongshore currents become dominant over cross‐shore tidal currents on the lower flat, while the upper flat is always dominated by the cross‐shore currents. Therefore, bed profiles and mud content on the upper flat were independent of the alongshore tidal current magnitude, being convex‐up and consisting of mud. In contrast, the strong alongshore currents can erode mud on the lower flat and promote landward sand transport from the subtidal area to the lower flat, forming a sand flat. The maximum tidal bed shear stress is almost spatially uniform across the muddy area but pronouncedly elevated where the bed sediment coarsens on the lower flat. The contributions of the alongshore tidal currents and sand‐mud sorting processes should be appropriately addressed in similar coastal environments.
Long‐Term Mean Mass, Heat and Nutrient Flux Through the Indonesian Seas, Based on the Tritium Inventory in the Pacific and Indian Oceans
Authors: Xie Tengxiang , Newton Robert , Schlosser Peter , Du Chuanjun , Dai Minhan
Published: May 2019

The Indonesian Throughflow (ITF), the only oceanic tropical pathway linking the Pacific and Indian Oceans, plays a critical role in the redistribution of heat and mass, affecting both the regional and global climate systems. Based on the distributions and changes in the tritium inventories, and tritium budgets in and between the South Pacific and South Indian Oceans from the Geochemical Ocean Sections Study and World Ocean Circulation Experiment programs, the long‐term mean water mass transport of the ITF is estimated. The total throughflow of the ITF is estimated as 16.2 ± 3.5 Sv. The North Pacific contributes 14.1 ± 2.7 Sv to the total throughflow, of which the layers between 0–250, 250–650, and 650–1,000 m carry 7.3 ± 0.6, 5.4 ± 1.3, and 1.4 ± 3.0 Sv, respectively. Along with the water transport, the North Pacific component of the ITF transfers 0.84 ± 0.14 PW of heat into the Indian Ocean, of which almost 90% exits from the Indian Ocean at 30°S. The net nitrate flux into the photic zone associated with the ITF is 2.71 ± 2.60 mmol·m−2·d−1 in the Indonesian Seas, ~90% of which is induced by vertical diffusion.
The Proto‐Zagros Foreland Basin in Lorestan, Western Iran: Insights From Multimineral Detrital Geothermochronometric and Trace Elemental Provenance Analysis
Authors: Barber Douglas E. , Stockli Daniel F. , Galster Federico
Published: May 2019

Detrital zircon (DZ) U‐Pb geochronology is a widely used provenance tool that leverages bedrock age signatures of hinterland source terranes. However, complex sediment recycling of multicycle zircon and hinterland provinces with nondiagnostic U‐Pb ages represent possible pitfalls for provenance reconstructions. Additional biases pertain to source rock zircon fertilities and insensitivity to low‐ and medium‐grade tectonothermal events that do not result in zircon generation. To bridge these inherent biases and gaps in DZ U‐Pb provenance data sets and derive more comprehensive tectonic reconstruction, this study combined U‐Pb and trace element analyses on DZ, apatite, and rutile as well as zircon (U‐Th)/He analyses from the Proto‐Zagros foreland basin in western Iran to shed light on Late Cretaceous tectonic accretion along Arabia. Integrated multimineral, multimethod data sets record formation of a 110‐ to 85‐Ma island arc within Triassic mid‐oceanic ridge crust of the Neotethys ocean, simultaneous obduction starting in Santonian‐Early Campanian times, and inversion of the Arabian rift margin. Overall, integration of these techniques constrains provenance based on multiple independent criteria including crystallization age, cooling history, and petrogenic‐geodynamic environment. This approach not only more completely described provenance signatures but also helped avoid significant pitfalls. For example, while Triassic DZ U‐Pb ages might be mistaken as input from Eurasia, zircon trace element analysis reveals a MORB signature and attributes these DZ to Neotethyan oceanic rather than Eurasian continental origin, having fundamentally different paleogeographic/tectonic implications for the Arabia‐Eurasia collision. Moreover, detrital rutile and apatite resolve and characterize multiple Paleozoic‐Mesozoic thermotectonic events not recorded by DZ U‐Pb due to their largely amagmatic nature.
On resolving ambiguities in microbial community analysis of partial nitritation anammox reactors
Authors: Orschler Laura , Agrawal Shelesh , Lackner Susanne
Published: May 2019

PCR-based methods have caused a surge for integration of eco-physiological approaches into research on partial nitritation anammox (PNA). However, a lack of rigorous standards for molecular analyses resulted in widespread data misinterpretation and consequently lack of consensus. Data consistency and accuracy strongly depend on the primer selection and data interpretation. An in-silico evaluation of 16S rRNA gene eubacterial primers used in PNA studies from the last ten years unraveled the difficulty of comparing ecological data from different studies due to a variation in the coverage of these primers. Our 16S amplicon sequencing approach, which includes parallel sequencing of six 16S rRNA hypervariable regions, showed that there is no perfect hypervariable region for PNA microbial communities. Using qPCR analysis, we emphasize the significance of primer choice for quantification and caution with data interpretation. We also provide a framework for PCR based analyses that will improve and assist to objectively interpret and compare such results.
The Effect of Freezing on Non-invasive Prenatal Testing
Authors: Xie Xiaolei , Li Fuguang , Tan Weihe , Yin Weiguo , Chen Feiyan , Guo Xiaoyan
Published: May 2019

Plasma cryopreservation is unavoidable in China, due to technical specifications requiring storage of additional plasma at −80 degrees for three years. However, the effect of freezing on non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is still uncertain. We collected 144 euploid pregnant samples, 22 on trisomy 21, 4 on trisomy 13, and 3 on trisomy 18, by massively parallel sequencing before and after freezing. Compared with the success rate of 100% of fresh samples, the detection success rates of trisomy 21, trisomy 13 and euploidy in frozen samples by NIPT were 95.45%, 75% and 95.14%, respectively. Of these, 9 cases of frozen sample sequencing failed, with 8 cases being due to high GC content. The chromosome 21 (chr21) z-value of the frozen trisomy 21 samples was lower than that of fresh samples. Meanwhile, freezing reduced the male positive foetal cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fraction, which was accompanied by an increase in the Unimap-GC level in the massively parallel sequencing data and a decrease in the Unique reads/Total reads ratio. Laboratory freezing reduced the chr21 z-value of foetal trisomy 21, which can be explained by a reduction in the foetal cfDNA fraction and effective Unique reads for NIPT analysis. The Unimap-GC content of the serum samples after freezing was higher, which can lead to failure of NIPT detection.
Visualizing the cellular route of entry of a cystine-knot peptide with Xfect transfection reagent by electron microscopy
Authors: Gao Xinxin , De Mazière Ann , Iaea David B. , Arthur Christopher P. , Klumperman Judith , Ciferri Claudio , Hannoush Rami N.
Published: May 2019

Cystine-knot peptides are attractive templates in drug discovery due to a number of features they possess including their 3D conformation, physicochemical stability and synthetic tractability. Yet, their cellular uptake mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Recently, we demonstrated that the cystine-knot peptide EETI-II is internalized into cells and that its cellular uptake could be modulated by using a protein transfection reagent Xfect. However, the mechanism of Xfect-mediated cellular internalization of EETI-II remained unclear. Here, by using high resolution electron microscopy, we observe the formation of EETI-II-positive macropinosomes and clathrin-coated pits at early time points after treatment of cells with EETI-II/Xfect complexes. Internalized EETI-II subsequently accumulates in intracellular Xfect-induced detergent-resistant membrane compartments which appear to lack characteristic endosomal or lysosomal markers. Notably, Xfect enables the uptake of cell impermeable nuclear dyes into similar intracellular compartments that do not seem to deliver the cargo to the cytosol or nucleus. Altogether, our findings reveal mechanistic insights into the cellular uptake route of Xfect, and underscore the need for the development of effective tools to enhance the cytosolic delivery of cystine-knot peptides. Finally, our data illustrate that electron microscopy is a powerful approach for studying endocytic mechanisms of cell-penetrating peptides and their effects on cellular membranes.
Map-based cloning of QFhb.mgb-2A identifies a WAK2 gene responsible for Fusarium Head Blight resistance in wheat
Authors: Gadaleta Agata , Colasuonno Pasqualina , Giove Stefania Lucia , Blanco Antonio , Giancaspro Angelica
Published: May 2019

Fusarium graminearum is one of the most threating pathogen of wheat, responsible for Fusarium head blight (FHB) which annually leads to yield losses, grain quality decay and accumulation of harmful mycotoxins in kernels. Host resistance represents the most effective approach to limit disease damages; however, only a limited number of resistant loci have currently been detected in durum genotypes. In this work we report the map-based cloning of a FHB-QTL on 2A chromosome of durum wheat, introgressed from a resistant line derived from the Chinese wheat cv. Sumai-3. A marker enrichment of the QTL region was carried out leading to the inclusion of 27 new SNPs respect to the previous map. A wall-associated receptor-like kinase (WAK2) gene was identified in the region and sequenced, in the resistant parent (RP) one gene was predicted accounting for a genomic sequence of 5,613 structured into 6 exons, whereas two adjacent genes were predicted on the same DNA plus strand of the susceptible parent (SP).t The involvement of WAK2 gene in FHB resistance mechanism was assessed by gene expression comparison between resistant and susceptible wheat lines, and disease symptoms evaluation in 3 TILLING mutants for WAK protein function.
Blueprint for nanoscale NMR
Authors: Schwartz Ilai , Rosskopf Joachim , Schmitt Simon , Tratzmiller Benedikt , Chen Qiong , McGuinness Liam P. , Jelezko Fedor , Plenio Martin B.
Published: May 2019

Nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in diamond have been used as ultrasensitive magnetometers to perform nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of statistically polarized samples at 1–100 nm length scales. However, the spectral linewidth is typically limited to the kHz level, both by the NV sensor coherence time and by rapid molecular diffusion of the nuclei through the detection volume which in turn is critical for achieving long nuclear coherence times. Here we provide a blueprint supported by detailed theoretical analysis for a set-up that combines a sensitivity sufficient for detecting NMR signals from nano- to micron-scale samples with a spectral resolution that is limited only by the nuclear spin coherence, i.e. comparable to conventional NMR. Our protocol detects the nuclear polarization induced along the direction of an external magnetic field with near surface NV centers using lock-in detection techniques to enable phase coherent signal averaging. Using the NV centers in a dual role of NMR detector and optical hyperpolarization source to increase signal to noise, and in combination with Bayesian inference models for signal processing, nano/microscale NMR spectroscopy can be performed on sample concentrations in the micromolar range, several orders of magnitude better than the current state of the art.