bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Metabolic characteristics associated with normal or abnormal progesterone profiles during the postpartum period of dairy cows
Authors: Pushpakumara P.G.A. , Gardner N.H. , Reynolds C.K. , Beever D.E. , Wathes D.C. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractPrevious studies have shown that 35 — 40 % ofmodern dairy cows experience ovarian disturbances during early lactation. Even though negative energy balance (NEB) has been implicated as a regulator of ovarian function, the exact metabolite(s) or hormone(s), which mediate this effect is still not clear. In this study, we investigated the relationship between blood metabolites (NEFA, BHB and glucose) and plasma insulin like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and ovarian dysfunction. Thirty three Holstein-Friesian cows were fed a lactational ration ad libtium and were inseminated at observed oestrus starting from 56 days post calving. Three times weekly milk samples and weekly blood samples were collected from cows from calving until confirmed pregnant. Cows were placed into “NORMAL” or “ABNORMAL” categories of ovarian activity based on their milk progesterone profiles. The days to first service were 71 ± 2 in “NORMAL” and 78 ± 6 in “ABNORMAL” animals. The calving to conception interval (days open) was shorter in the “NORMAL “ than the “ABNORMAL” group (90 ± 8.7 vs 119 ± 15.2 days). IGF-I levels were significantly lower in the “ABNORMAL” group from 2 until 7 weeks after calving (P<0.02) and NEFA concentrations were higher in the “ABNORMAL” cows in the early postpartum period (P<0.03). There was no significant difference in either plasma BHB or glucose. This study confirms that elevated plasma NEFA concentrations are associated with “ABNORMAL” ovarian activity. The most significant difference was in plasma IGF-I concentrations, which stayed lower for nearly 2 months in the “ABNORMAL” animals.
The effects of time of disease occurrence, milk yield, and body condition on conception rates in dairy cows
Authors: Loeffler S.H. , de Vries M.J. , Schukken Y.H. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe associations between occurrence of diseases, milk yield, and body condition score on conception risk after first artificial insemination were analysed in an observational study of 43 farms participating in a herd health program. Data were taken from 9369 lactations, from 4382 cows inseminated between 20 and 180 days in milk in the period 1990 to 1996. Two logistic regression models, one containing data from all lactations and a subset containing data from 1762 lactations with body condition scoring were used to determine pregnancy risk at first AI. A 1-point loss in body condition score during the 100 days after calving resulted in a 20 percent reduction in the risk of conception. Relative within herd kg milk yield had a significant and linear negative association with fertility. Increases and decreases in the percentage milk fat (or milk fat to protein ratios) from the monthly test days near to AI date are significantly (P < 0.01) predictive of AI outcome. Metritis, cystic ovarian disease, lameness, and mastitis gave odds ratios of for pregnancy risk ranging from 0.35 to 1.15, largely dependent on the interval in days from final disease occurrence to first AI. The advantages of coding diseases for linear or non-linear time-dependency were examined. Other diseases with significant effects associations to pregnancy risk were displaced abomasum, milk fever and retained foetal membranes. These diseases showed little relationship between fertility and the number of days since last occurrence. Results of this study confirm the negative effects of milk yield, body score condition loss, and disease on dairy cow fertility. The effects of some diseases on first service conception are strongly dependent on the interval since last disease occurrence. This is especially valid for clinical mastitis which has an extremely weak effect on conception if occurring prior to AI and is associated with > 50 percent reduction in pregnancy risk if occurring in the 3 wk period directly after AI.
Protein and energy metabolism in the pre-implantation cattle embryo
Authors: Morris D.G. , Humpherson P. , Leese H.J. , Sreenan J.M. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThere is no information on the metabolism of the cattle embryo during the period from day 8 to 16 a period of greatest embryonic loss. In this study the rate of protein synthesis and phosphorylation was measured in 13 to 15 day old cattle embryos. The rate of glucose utilisation and amino acid uptake/efflux by day 14 to 16 embryos was also measured. Protein synthesis and phosphorylation activity when expressed per unit of protein decreased with increasing embryo size and age. Similarly the rate of glucose utilisation was greatest for the earlier day 14 embryos. Embryos differed in their requirement for different amino acids. The pattern of uptake/efflux was similar to that of the earlier day 7 embryo. This study suggests that the metabolic rate of cattle embryos expressed per unit of protein content tends to decrease with increasing age and size from the initial burst of activity at day 13 around the time that expansion of the embryo begins.
Comparison of reproductive responses after PGF2α and GnRH-PGF2α oestrous synchronisation schemes in Holstein cows
Authors: Cox J.F. , Saravia F. , Torrealba O. , Zavala A. , Lobos A. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractControlled breeding schemes for oestrous detection constitutes a proactive technical response that balances the infrastructural requirement for a profitable dairy operation and the demands for optimal animal performance. The present study compared (a) the reproductive response of a treatment based on a short vs longer-acting PGF2α analogue (tiaprost vs luprostiol), and (b) the reproductive response after a treatment of GnRH-PGF2α vs PGF2α alone for synchronizing dairy cows. Holstein-Friesian cows averaging 9000 kg milk/lactation and fed according to their requirements were used in the study. Cows were cyclic, at least 60 days post partum and were clinically sound before being considered for the experiments. In Experiment 1, animals were synchronised using an i.m. injection of either 15 mg of luprostiol or 0.75 mg of tiaprost, based on ultrasonic diagnosis of a corpus luteum. Animals were inseminated at observed oestrus. In Experiment 2, cows were synchronised, at random, by either an injection of 10pg ofbuserelin (day 0) followed by 0.75 mg of tiaprost at day 7 (GnRH-PGF2α) orjust 0.75 mg of tiaprost (PGF2α). For both treatments only cows with an ultrasonically detected corpus luteum were treated. Animals were inseminated at oestrus. At the time of treatment and again 3 days later, milk samples were collected and assayed for progesterone by RIA. Cows with progesterone concentrations >1 ng/ml were considered to have corpus luteum. Luteolysis was considered to have occurred when concentrations of progesterone were > 1 ng/ml at day 0 and <0.8 ng/ml at day 3. In Experiment 1, both analogues gave similar results in terms of induced luteolysis [luprostiol: 36/39 (92.3%) vs tiaprost: 36/41 (87.8%)], oestrous detection efficiency [luprostiol: 26/36 (72.2%) vs tiaprost: 30/36 (83.3%], oestrous distribution [day 2, 3 and 4, respectively: luprostiol: 26.9%, 50.0%, 19.2% vs tiaprost: 36.7%, 50.0%, 13.3%], and conception rates [luprostiol: 12/25 (48.0%) vs tiaprost: 14/28 (50.0%); P>0.05]. In Experiment 2, oestrous detection efficiency, interval to oestrus and conception rate were similar between treatments [97/149 (65.1%), 71.1 h, 43/95 (45.3%) for PGF2α vs 130/188 (69.1%), 68.2h, 65/126 (51.6%) for GnRH-PGF2α, respectively]. However the oestrous distribution was more concentrated in GnRH-PGF2α treated animals (P<0.01).
Comparisons between fertility and survival of strains of Holstein-Friesian cows, Jersey cows and their crosses in New Zealand
Authors: Harris B. L. , Holmes C. W. , Winkelman A. M. , Xu Z. Z. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe survival and fertility of strains of Holstein-Friesian (HF) cows, Jersey cows and their crosses was investigated. Parametric survival analysis was used to model the number of days between first calving and last known herd test. The analysis was stratified by breed and included explanatory variables for production and nonproduction traits and proportion of overseas (i.e. not of New Zealand origin) HF genetics. Linear model analyses were used to investigate the genetics of fertility measures of first—lactation cows and their associations with production, live weight and survival. The HFJersey crossbred cows had a lower risk of culling than the parental breeds. The risk of culling increased with the proportion of overseas HF genes in both the HF and HFJersey crossbred cows. The heritabilities for the fertility traits ranged from 1.3% to 5.4% with days from start of mating to first mating (DFM) having the highest value. Antagonistic relationships, in terms of genetic correlations, between fertility and production were largest for DFM. DFM was negatively correlated with survival. Declining fertility and survival were found as the proportion of overseas HF increased.
Differential physiological sensitivity to child compliance behaviors in abusing, neglectful, and non-maltreating mothers
Authors: Norman Wells Jessica , Skowron Elizabeth A. , Scholtes Carolyn M. , DeGarmo David S. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractWe examined time-ordered associations between children's compliance behavior and maternal respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) in a sample of 127 child-maltreating (physical abuse, physical neglect, emotional abuse) and 94 non-maltreating mothers and their preschool-aged children. Child prosocial and aversive compliance behaviors and maternal RSA were continuously collected during a joint challenge task. Child behavior and mother RSA were longitudinally nested within-person and subjected to multilevel modeling (MLM), with between-person child maltreatment subtype and level of inconsistent parenting modeled as moderators. Both child maltreatment type and inconsistent parenting moderated the effects of child compliance on maternal RSA. Increases in children's prosocial compliance behaviors led to decreasing RSA in physically abusive mothers 30s later (i.e., increasing arousal), but predicted increases in non-maltreating mothers’ RSA (i.e., increasing calm). Inconsistent parenting (vacillating between autonomy-support and strict control) also moderated the effects of children's compliance behavior on maternal physiology, weakening the effects of child prosocial compliance on subsequent maternal RSA. These findings highlight variations in mothers’ physiological sensitivity to their children's prosocial behavior that may play a role in the development of coercive cycles, and underscore the need to consider individual differences in parents’ physiological sensitivity to their children to effectively tailor interventions across the spectrum of risk.
The Effect of Moulage on Immersion, Realism, and Learning in a Traffic Accident Training Scenario for Police, Rescue Service, and Ambulance Students
Authors: Prytz Erik , Jacobsson Ann , Jonson Carl-Oscar 
Published: May 2019

Introduction:Moulage is the art of creating faked injuries on actors for training purposes. Moulage is commonly used in disaster and emergency medicine training, as it is believed to improve learning through enhanced realism.Aim:The aim of the current study was to test the effect of moulage on perceived realism and learning during a joint exercise featuring students from the police, rescue service, and ambulance service.Methods:The scenario was a car accident with two victims. Students (n = 135) were divided into 12 groups. Moulage was applied to the victim actors for half the groups (n = 67), whereas the other half (n = 68) experienced the scenario without moulage. Victim cards were used in both scenarios. Immersion, realism, and learning was measured on a 100-point scale immediately post-scenario using a questionnaire.Results:Two (moulage group) by three (student population and police, rescue service, or ambulance) ANOVAS on realism, immersion, and learning found no effects on realism or immersion (all p>0.10). There was an effect of student group on learning, F(2, 92) = 3.518, p = 0.034, partial eta square = 0.071, such that the rescue service students had overall lower scores on learning (M = 53.87, SD = 28.29) compared to the police (M = 66.07, SD = 27.55) and ambulance students (M = 74.99, SD = 24.51). Cohen’s ds for moulage effect was calculated to 0.144 for immersion, 0.112 for realism, and 0.003 for learning.Discussion:The current study did not find any effects of moulage on immersion, realism, or learning. The effect sizes indicate that any effect of moulage on realism and immersion, should it exist, is in the approximate size of 2-3 points on a 100-point scale. The lack of effect may be due to limitations in the study design, but may also indicate that the use of moulage in addition to victim cards is not necessarily beneficial for novice students’ learning.
It’s Hot Today, Eh? Montreal’s 2018 Heat Wave from Urgences-santé’s Perspective
Authors: D’ulisse Nicola 
Published: May 2019

Introduction:A heatwave hit the Greater Montreal area during the week of July 1 to July 8. The Urgences-santé Corporation (USC), Quebec’s largest emergency medical service (EMS), saw its crews struggling to respond to a record-breaking number of emergency calls while going door-to-door to make sure the at-risk population was not overburdened by the heat.Aim:USC’s mission was to ensure its population’s emergency medical care and safety under extenuating conditions. In conjunction with our municipal partners and the public health services, we deployed an aggressive communication strategy, urging people to only call 911 in the case of a life-threatening emergency, with the aim of limiting ambulance transports.Methods:Ambulance resources were increased (> 20% compared to the same period in 2017). More than 60 media interviews were given. Paramedic supervisors were sent to emergency departments to contain the offload delays. USC’s community response team was going door-to-door in pre-identified urban heat islands (UHI), bringing medical attention directly to those in need.Results:Despite our communications efforts, a record-breaking 1,568 calls (> 37% compared to the same period in 2017) were received in a 24 hour period. Through the door-to-door campaign, 12 people in need received medical attention. More than 90 people are suspected to have died as a result of a July heat wave in Quebec, with figures showing that 60 deaths in the cities of Montreal and Laval alone may be linked to elevated temperatures.Discussion:Through strong collaboration with our municipal and provincial partners, and the public health services, an important communication strategy and additional resources were deployed. Crews were able to prevent additional deaths. With the observed increase in extreme weather events, this strategy will definitely be useful in the future.
Forecasting Fed Cattle, Feeder Cattle, and Corn Cash Price Volatility: The Accuracy of Time Series, Implied Volatility, and Composite Approaches
Authors: Manfredo Mark R. , Leuthold Raymond M. , Irwin Scott H. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractEconomists and others need estimates of future cash price volatility to use in risk management evaluation and education programs. This paper evaluates the performance of alternative volatility forecasts for fed cattle, feeder cattle, and corn cash price returns. Forecasts include time series (e.g. GARCH), implied volatility from options on futures contracts, and composite specifications. The overriding finding from this research, consistent with the existing volatility forecasting literature, is that no single method of volatility forecasting provides superior accuracy across alternative data sets and horizons. However, evidence is provided suggesting that risk managers and extension educators use composite methods when both time series and implied volatilities are available.
Predictors of functional response and remission with desvenlafaxine 50 mg and 100 mg: a pooled analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled studies in patients with major depressive disorder
Authors: Soares Claudio N. , Wajsbrot Dalia B. , Boucher Matthieu 
Published: May 2019

Objective.The value of early functional improvement at week 2 for predicting subsequent functional outcomes at week 8 was assessed in a pooled analysis of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) treated with desvenlafaxine (50 or 100 mg/d) or placebo.Methods.Data were pooled from eight double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of desvenlafaxine 50 mg/d or 100 mg/d for the treatment of MDD. Optimal week-2 improvement thresholds in Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) score, which best predicted week-8 treatment success, were determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Four definitions of treatment success were established: (1) functional response, (2) functional/depression response, (3) functional remission, and (4) functional/depression remission. Odds ratios (ORs) of early improvement for prediction (based on thresholds determined in the ROC analysis) of week-8 treatment success were computed using logistic regression models.Results.Functional early improvement thresholds of 17%–32% were predictive of week-8 treatment success across treatment groups and definitions of treatment success. Optimal thresholds were higher for more stringent definitions. Negative predictive value exceeded positive predictive value, indicating that failure to achieve early functional improvement was more informative about later treatment success than was the achievement of early functional improvement. Early change in SDS was a highly significant predictor of functional response/remission (ORs, 4.981–8.737; all p < 0.0001); the interaction between treatment and early functional improvement was not significant.Conclusion.Early improvement in SDS total score was predictive of functional outcomes for patients treated with desvenlafaxine 50 mg, desvenlafaxine 100 mg, or placebo.
Responses to selection for lean growth in sheep
Authors: Simm G. , Lewis R.M. , Grundy B. , Dingwall W.S. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThis paper reports the selection responses achieved, and related results, following 9 years of index selection for lean growth in Suffolk sheep. The breeding goal of the index used comprised carcass lean weight and carcass fat weight at a constant age, with relative economic values of + 3 and –1 per kg. The selection criteria were live weight (LWT), ultrasonic fat depth (UFD) and ultrasonic muscle depth (UMD) adjusted to a constant age of 150 days. By year 9, responses in LWT, UFD and UMD in both sexes, as judged by the divergence between selection and control line performance, amounted to 4·88 kg, -1·1 mm and 2·8 mm respectively; these responses are between 7 and 15% of the overall means of the traits concerned. Although selection was originally on index scores based on phenotypic records, the retrospective analyses reported here used the mixed model applications of residual maximum likelihood to estimate parameters and best linear unbiased prediction to predict breeding values. The statistical model comprised fixed effects plus random effects accounting for direct additive, maternal additive and temporary environmental variation. Estimated genetic trends obtained by regressing estimated breeding values on year of birth were similar to annual responses estimated by comparing selection and control line means. Estimates of direct heritabilities were 0·054, 0·177, 0·286, 0·561 and 0·410 for birth weight (BWT), weaning weight (WWT), LWT, UFD and UMD respectively. Corresponding estimates of maternal heritabilities were 0·287, 0·205, 0·160, 0·083 and 0·164. Phenotypic correlations between all pairs of traits were positive and usually moderately high. There were low negative direct additive correlations between BWT and WWT, and between BWT and LWT, but higher positive maternal additive correlations between all other pairs of weight traits.
Comparison of enzymatic and mechanical methods for the collection of bovine preantral follicles
Authors: Saha S. , Shimizu M. , Geshi M. , Izaike Y. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractA comparison was made of various devices to obtain preantral follicles from bovine ovaries. The most productive collection methods in terms of number of follicles obtained were the tissue chopper and the grinder method, with an average number of 122·25 (s.e. 5·06) and 120·45 (s.e. 6·89) preantral follicles, respectively. These were followed by ficoll gradation (119·90, s.e. 7·95), mincer (101·75, s.e. 3·98), cell dissociation sieve (100·50, s.e. 3·42) and homogenizer (95·75, s.e. 6·38). For enzymatic digestion, more time was needed and the method was less productive. Microdissection could supply good quality (80% live when collected), larger sized follicles (120 to 220 µm) but with the lowest yield (10·65, s.e. 0·94) per ovary. The isolated follicles did not show any difference (P > 0·05) in viability until day 7 of in-vitro culture irrespective of method used to harvest follicles. Accordingly the new grinding device can be recommended as a replacement for the existing mechanical devices as it can yield the same percentage (47%) of live preantral follicles but of a wider diameter range (40 to 180 µm) per ovary.
Rumen microbial counts and in vivo digestibility in buffaloes and cattle given different diets
Authors: Puppo S. , Bartocci S. , Terramoccia S. , Grandoni F. , Amici A. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractRuminal bacterial counts and in vivo digestibility were determined on four Mediterranean buffalo bulls and four Friesian bulls, all fistulated at the rumen, and given at maintenance level (50 g/kg M0·75 per day of dry matter) four different diets with the same crude protein content (N ✕ 6·25 = 140 g/kg dry matter) and with forage: concentrate ratios as follows: diet D12·5 = 0·875: 0·125; diet D25·0 = 0·75: 0·25; diet D37·5 = 0·625: 0·375; diet D50·0 = 0·5: 0·5. All the animals received the diets during four consecutive periods in a Latin-square design. Buffaloes had higher total microbial counts (10·78 v. 10·08 log10cells per g dry rumen content, P < 0·01) as compared with cattle; differences in total ruminal bacterial counts among the diets were only observed within the buffalo species (diet D12·5 v. diets D25·0, D37·5, D50·0: 10·04 v. 10·92, 10·98, 11·17 log10cells per g dry rumen content, P 0·01) and when comparing the two species for each diet, significantly higher values for bacterial counts in buffaloes were found for diets D25·0: 10·92 v. 10·28 (P 0·05), D37·5: 10·98 v. 10·08 (P 0·01) and D50·0: 11·17 v. 9·76 (P 0·01) log10cells per g dry rumen content. Cattle showed significantly higher digestibility values for: organic matter (0·696 v. 0·676, P 0·05), neutral-detergent fibre (NDF; 0·548 v. 0·511, P 0·05) and cellulose (0·621 v. 0 · 509, P 0·01), while the crude protein digestibility (CPD) values were similar (0·667 and 0·671). Comparing the two species for each diet, cattle showed significantly higher digestibility values for organic matter in diet D50·0 only (0·714 v. 0·688, P 0·01), for NDF in diet D12·5 only (0·578 v. 0·531, P 0·05) and for cellulose in all diets (0·660 v. 0·546, 0·630 v. 0·525, 0·605 v. 0·505, 0·588 v. 0·460, P 0·01); in contrast buffaloes showed higher values of the CPD for diet D12·5 (0·662 v. 0·632, P 0·05).