bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genetic parameters for clinical mastitis in Holstein-Friesians in the United Kingdom: a Bayesian analysis
Authors: Kadarmideen H. N. , Rekaya R. , Gianola D. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractA Bayesian threshold-liability model with Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques was used to infer genetic parameters for clinical mastitis records collected on Holstein-Friesian cows by one of the United Kingdom’s national recording schemes. Four data sets were created to investigate the effect of data sampling methods on genetic parameter estimates for first and multi-lactation cows, separately. The data sets were: (1) cows with complete first lactations only (8671 cows); (2) all cows, with first lactations whether complete or incomplete (10 967 cows); (3) cows with complete multi-lactations (32 948 records); and (4) all cows with multiple lactations whether complete or incomplete (44 268 records). A Gaussian mixed linear model with sire effects was adopted for liability. Explanatory variables included in the model varied for each data set. Analyses were conducted using Gibbs sampling and estimates were on the liability scale. Posterior means of heritability for clinical mastitis were higher for first lactations (0·11 and 0·10 for data sets 1 and 2, respectively) than for multiple lactations (0·09 and 0·07, for data sets 3 and 4, respectively). For multiple lactations, estimates of permanent environmental variance were higher for complete than incomplete lactations. Repeatability was 0·21 and 0·17 for data sets 3 and 4, respectively. This suggests the existence of effects, other than additive genetic effects, on susceptibility to mastitis that are common to all lactations. In first or multi-lactation data sets, heritability was proportionately 0·10 to 0·19 lower for data sets with all records (in which case the models had days in milk as a covariate) than for data with only complete lactation records (models without days in milk as a covariate). This suggests an effect of data sampling on genetic parameter estimates. The regression of liability on days in milk differed from zero, indicating that the probability of mastitis is higher for longer lactations, as expected. Results also indicated that a regression on days in milk should be included in a model for genetic evaluation of sires for mastitis resistance based on records in progress.
Effect of double-muscling in Belgian Blue young bulls on the intramuscular fatty acid composition with emphasis on conjugated linoleic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids
Authors: Raes K. , Smet S. de , Demeyer D. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThe effect of double-muscling (DM) genotype (double-muscling, mh/mh; heterozygous, mh/+; normal, +/+) of Belgian Blue (BB) young bulls on the intramuscular fatty acid composition, in particular conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was examined in five different muscles. The relative fatty acid composition showed only minor differences between muscles within genotypes. However, the DM genotype had a large effect on both the intramuscular total fatty acid content and on the relative fatty acid composition. Across muscles, the mh/mh animals had a lower total fatty acid content compared with the +/+animals (907 v: 2656 mg/100 g muscle;P< 0·01) and a higher PUFA proportion in total fatty acids (27·5 v 11·3 g/100 g total fatty acids;P< 0001), resulting in a higher PUFA/saturated fatty acid ratio (0·55 v 0·18;P< 0·01) and a lower n-6/n-3 ratio (5·34 v. 6·17;P< 0·01). The heterozygous genotype was intermediate between the two homozygous genotypes. The relative CLA content was similar in the mh/mh and +/+ genotypes and approximated 0·4 to 0·5 g/100 g total fatty acids. From the data it is further suggested that differences in the metabolism of the n-3 and n-6 fatty acids could exist between DM genotypes.
The porcine glucocorticoid receptor: sequencing a 2.1 kb cDNA fragment and raising specific polyclonal antibodies for western blotting, immunoprecipitation and immunohistochemistry
Authors: Gutscher M. , Eder S. , Müller M. , Claus R. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractGlucocorticoids and their tissue receptors are involved in many metabolic and developmental processes. Until now only two short fragments with a total length of 200 amino acids were known from the glucocorticoid receptor of the pig. Therefore we sequenced the main part (2.1 kb) of the porcine receptor. In addition, we subcloned a cDNA fragment of this sequence coding for 135 aa of the modulatory region in a pET expression vector. The protein fragment was expressed in E. coli as a his-tag fusion protein. In the SDS-PAGE, the crude E. coli extracts showed an enrichment of a 15 kDa protein which corresponds to the estimated molecular weight for the receptor fragment.After lysis and Ni-NTA affinity chromatography under denaturing conditions the protein was further purified either by dialysis (native protein) or by SDS-PAGE (linearized form). Both forms were emulsified together in adjuvant and used for rabbit immunization.The resulting antibodies were characterized by western blot analysis, immunoprecipitation, and additionally by immunohistochemistry. Western blot analysis confirmed the binding of the denatured protein by the antiserum and revealed a high binding affinity. Immunoprecipitation demonstrated that both the occupied and unoccupied forms of the receptor are detected. The specificity of the antiserum for pGCR was additionally demonstrated by immunohistochemistry.
Microbial activities of faeces from unweaned and adult pigs, in relation to selected fermentable carbohydrates
Authors: Bauer E. , Williams B. A. , Voigt C. , Mosenthin R. , Verstegen M. W. A. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractA comparison of in vitro microbial activity was made between inocula from faeces of adult and unweaned pigs, using a range of carbohydrate-rich substrates. The substrates tested were classified into groups (fibre-rich, grains, gums, pectin, saccharides, storage carbohydrates, and miscellaneous). Proximate and fibre analyses were determined for all substrates tested. Fermentation kinetics were measured according to the cumulative gas production technique. End-point products such as gas, volatile fatty acids and ammonia were also determined. The faeces from the adult pigs (ATF) were collected from four castrated finisher pigs (Dutch Landrace×Great Yorkshire). These were offered a diet based on highly digestible maize starch and fish meal, so as to be as free as possible of fermentable carbohydrates. The unweaned piglet faeces were collected from 19 unweaned piglets (male and female) which were 27 to 30 days old. The parameters were tested for significance by an analysis of variance using the Tukey's studentized range test of multiple comparisons. There were significant differences in the fermentation patterns both due to source of substrate and inoculum. It would appear that the metabolic activity of the microflora does differ significantly between adult and weanling pigs, though this varied for the different carbohydrates tested. Suggestions are made as to how to select potential carbohydrate ingredients for an in vivo experiment, based on their in vitro fermentation characteristics.
Size distribution of bovine steroidogenic luteal cells during pregnancy
Authors: Arikan Ş , Yigit A. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThis study was designed to investigate the size distribution of bovine steroidogenic luteal cells throughout pregnancy. Corpora lutea collected from three different stages of pregnancy were used. Luteal tissue was dissociated into single-cell suspension by enzyme treatments. Cells were stained for 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) activity a marker for steroidogenic cells. The steroidogenic cells covered a wide spectrum of size ranging from 10 to 60 µm in diameter. There was a significant increase in mean cell diameter (P > 0·05) as pregnancy progressed. Mean diameter of 3β-HSD positive cells increased from 17·03 (s.e. 1·3) µm in the corpus luteum of early pregnancy to 33·38 (s.e. 2·4) µm in the corpus luteum of advanced pregnancy. The ratio of large (>22 µm in diameter) to small (10 to 22 µm in diameter) luteal cells was 0·32 : 1·0 in the early pregnancy, with the 10 to 22 µm cell size class predominant. However, the ratio of large to small luteal cells was increased to 6·49 : 1·0 µm as pregnancy advanced and 23 to 42 µm cell sizes become predominant. It is likely that small luteal cells develop into large cells as gestation progresses. Development of pregnancy is associated with an increase in size of steroidogenic luteal cells.
The relationships between leptin and vitamin A levels in plasma of fattening cattle supplemented with vitamin A
Authors: Tokuda T. , Kono S. , Fujihara T. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractThe objective of this study was to examine the effect of dietary vitamin A (retinol) on leptin in cattle. The relationship between plasma leptin and insulin was also examined. The experiment studies 16 9-month-old steers over the following 20-month fattening period. Four treatment diets were given to four steers in each of four groups. Cattle in treatment A were given a diet high in vitamin A (9000 to 10500 µg/day) throughout the experiment. Cattle in treatment B were given a diet low in vitamin A (300 to 4500 µg/day) for 0 to 10 months, after that they were given the high vitamin A diet during the period 10 to 20 months. Cattle in treatment C were given the low vitamin A diet for 0 to 14 months, after that they were given the high vitamin A diet for the period 14 to 20 months. Cattle in treatment D were given the low vitamin A diet throughout the experiment. Plasma samples were collected at 2-month intervals during the experiment to determine the plasma leptin, insulin and vitamin A concentrations. Plasma leptin concentration significantly increased over the fattening period (P< 0·001) but did not differ between the treatments (P> 0·05). Plasma leptin concentration was positively correlated with insulin concentration (r = 0·44,P< 0·001), although it was not correlated with plasma vitamin A concentration (r = –0·01,P> 0·05). It was concluded that dietary vitamin A in cattle does not affect plasma leptin concentration.
The effect of feeding salmon oil to sows throughout pregnancy on pre-weaning mortality of piglets
Authors: Rooke J.A. , Sinclair A.G. , Edwards S.A. , Cordoba R. , Pkiyach S. , Penny P.C. , Penny P. , Finch A.M. , Horgan G.W. 
Published: August 2016

AbstractSalmon oil (16·5 kg /t), a source of long-chain polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids, was included in diets offered to multiparous sows during pregnancy and lactation to measure responses in pre-weaning mortality and performance of piglets in two studies. The first study, carried out under commercial conditions, included 196 sows which were offered salmon oil and control diets from immediately post service until weaning. The same diets were also offered to 10 sows per treatment from day 58 of pregnancy in a controlled nutritional study which measured the effects of salmon oil on piglet tissue fatty acid composition. Offering salmon oil to the sow significantly increased gestation length and decreased individual piglet birth weight but had no effect on litter size at birth. Overall, salmon oil reduced pre-weaning mortality from 11·7% to 10·2% mainly by reducing the incidence of deaths from crushing by the sow. More detailed analysis of mortality using a general linear mixed model and 2294 piglet records, demonstrated that the incidence of pre-weaning mortality was significantly decreased with increasing individual piglet birth weight and by inclusion of salmon oil in the diet; the incidence of mortality increased with average piglet birth weight in a litter. Salmon oil inclusion had no effect on weight of litter weaned, sow lactation food intake or subsequent reproductive performance. In both studies, dietary salmon oil increased the proportions of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in colostrum to a similar extent. In the nutritional study, inclusion of salmon oil reduced the proportions of 20: 4 n-6 in piglet liver and brain at birth and increased the proportions of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, despite reducing piglet birth weight, offering sows salmon oil reduced pre-weaning mortality of piglets. The nutritional study showed that the amount and type of marine oil used may not have been optimal.
Something More About De Moivre's Formula
Authors: Gray P. 
Published: August 2016

Mr. Baron Maseres, in the preface to his cumbrous work on the Principles of the Doctrine of Life Annuities (1783, quarto), at p. xi., after referring to and commending for its utility the method for finding the value of an annuity on (x) in terms of that of an annuity on (x + 1), has the following:—“This method was first communicated to me by Dr. Price, but it was published in the year 1779, by Mr. William Morgan, the actuary to the Society for Equitable Assurances, near Blackfriars Bridge, in his Treatise on the Doctrine of Annuities and Assurances on Lives, pp. 56, 57; and it had been published before by Dr Price himself, in his Treatise on Reversionary Payments, Note 0 of the Appendix, and likewise by Mr. Thomas Simpson, in his book on Life Annuities, Prob. 1, Coroll. 7; which last book was published so long ago as the year 1742.
On a method of distributing the surplus among the assured in a life assurance office
Authors: Sprague T. B. 
Published: August 2016

Suppose that the portion of surplus allotted to a particular policy at the division of profits, is applied so as to relieve the assured from the annual payments after arriving at an age to he determined by the amount of that portion or cash bonus, the other conditions of the policy remaining the same; or again, suppose that the cash bonus is so applied as to convert the assurance into an endowment assurance, payable at an age to be determined:–it is proposed to investigate formulæ to apply to these two cases.In the first case, the cash bonus must be equal to the present value at the time of division of profits of a deferred annuity, of which the annual payments are equal to the premium for the assurance, the number of years for which the annuity is deferred being unknown; and the problem, in fact, is to find the number of years.
Decimal Numeration and Decimal Coinage
Authors: Thomson William Thomas 
Published: August 2016

The Report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons on the subject of “Decimal Coinage,” of 1st August 1853, sets entirely at rest any doubt or question as to the great advantages and facilities which would be afforded by the adoption of a system of decimal numeration and decimal coinage.That the change will accordingly be made, I feel confident; and as the basis of the new arrangement, as well as the method of carrying it out, are of vast importance to the public at large, and in business generally, I have considered it a fit subject of deliberation for this Institute. It may be said that we should have taken an earlier and more prominent part in originating and promoting a change of system, of the importance of which we had individually, I may safely assume, been long convinced; but I am inclined to think that we have wisely reserved our opinions, and that they will be more valuable in the present stage of the discussion (now that the Report of the Select Committee, and the evidence taken before them, has been published), than they would have been earlier in the day.
On the Expectation of Life
Authors: Willich Charles M. 
Published: August 2016

No law has hitherto been discovered, by which a correct table of mortality could be constructed, but attempts have been made by De Moivre and others to obtain an approximation.If, in conformity with the opinion now generally entertained, and in which I concur, we adopt the Carlisle Table of Mortality, as formed by Milne from the observations made by Dr. Heysham, as a nearer approximation to the actual duration of human life than any other table of mortality hitherto in use, it is remarkable that the following simple hypothesis should enable us to obtain the expectation of life almost identical with Milne's table for a long series of years up to the age of 60.
Negative Policy Values
Authors: Deuchar J. J. W. 
Published: August 2016

The subject of Negative Policy Values has recently been touched upon, more than once, in actuarial discussions, and its bearing upon the general question of insolvency is now beginning to be realized.That the reserve made by many companies is reduced, by the appearance of some of their policy values as assets instead of as liabilities, is a fact well known, and difference of opinion no doubt exists as to the propriety of such a state of affairs. Although I believe it may be assumed, that the general opinion of competent judges is, that so long as a company is popular, and its valuations otherwise strong, the existence of a moderate amount of negative values among its assets is of small importance,—it is important to bear in mind that these negative values can only be realized under favorable circumstances, and at the first symptoms of unpopularity in a company they begin to disappear. Whenever, therefore, the popularity of an office is on the wane, the extent of negative policy values taken credit for by it, in its reserve, becomes a matter of vital importance. Or, in other words, to those companies which do not require assistance from such a source, credit may be given for negative values; but to those companies which do require such assistance in showing sufficient funds, it is at least doubtful whether such credit should be given; and this, because the realization of negative values depends so entirely on the credit of the office.
Position Fixing in Aircraft During Long Distance Flights Over the Sea
Authors: Baker T. Y. , Filon L. N. G. 
Published: August 2016

Air navigation has so far been only by dead reckoning; with long distance flights overseas such methods are no longer adequate.—Methods of position fixing by astronomical observations.—Difficulties of taking sights in the air.— Visibility of the horizon.—Cloud horizons.—“Dip.”—The Baker Air Sextant.— Gravity controlled vertical for sight taking.Difficulties of working out the observations in the air.—The navigation machine.—Curves of constant altitude and constant position angle.—The equations of their mercator projections.—The radii of curvature.—Error of declination treated as a correction to altitude.—Special slide rule.—Star curves.—Chronometers for air work.—Practical construction of altitude and position angle curves.—Checks upon the accuracy.Run between sights.—Theoretical case.
Dynamic clonal equilibrium and predetermined cancer risk in Barrett’s oesophagus
Authors: Martinez Pierre , Timmer Margriet R. , Lau Chiu T. , Calpe Silvia , Sancho-Serra Maria del Carmen , Straub Danielle , Baker Ann-Marie , Meijer Sybren L. , Kate Fiebo J. W. ten , Mallant-Hent Rosalie C. , Naber Anton H. J. , van Oijen Arnoud H. A. M. , Baak Lubbertus C. , Scholten Pieter , Böhmer Clarisse J. M. , Fockens Paul , Bergman Jacques J. G. H. M. , Maley Carlo C. , Graham Trevor A. , Krishnadath Kausilia K 
Published: August 2016

AbstractSurveillance of Barrett’s oesophagus allows us to study the evolutionary dynamics of a human neoplasm over time. Here we use multicolour fluorescence in situ hybridization on brush cytology specimens, from two time points with a median interval of 37 months in 195 non-dysplastic Barrett's patients, and a third time point in a subset of 90 patients at a median interval of 36 months, to study clonal evolution at single-cell resolution. Baseline genetic diversity predicts progression and remains in a stable dynamic equilibrium over time. Clonal expansions are rare, being detected once every 36.8 patient years, and growing at an average rate of 1.58 cm2 (95% CI: 0.09–4.06) per year, often involving the p16 locus. This suggests a lack of strong clonal selection in Barrett’s and that the malignant potential of ‘benign’ Barrett’s lesions is predetermined, with important implications for surveillance programs.
Néel-like domain walls in ferroelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 single crystals
Authors: Wei Xian-Kui , Jia Chun-Lin , Sluka Tomas , Wang Bi-Xia , Ye Zuo-Guang , Setter Nava 
Published: August 2016

AbstractIn contrast to the flexible rotation of magnetization direction in ferromagnets, the spontaneous polarization in ferroelectric materials is highly confined along the symmetry-allowed directions. Accordingly, chirality at ferroelectric domain walls was treated only at the theoretical level and its real appearance is still a mystery. Here we report a Néel-like domain wall imaged by atom-resolved transmission electron microscopy in Ti-rich ferroelectric Pb(Zr1−xTix)O3 crystals, where nanometre-scale monoclinic order coexists with the tetragonal order. The formation of such domain walls is interpreted in the light of polarization discontinuity and clamping effects at phase boundaries between the nesting domains. Phase-field simulation confirms that the coexistence of both phases as encountered near the morphotropic phase boundary promotes the polarization to rotate in a continuous manner. Our results provide a further insight into the complex domain configuration in ferroelectrics, and establish a foundation towards exploring chiral domain walls in ferroelectrics.
Divergent synthesis and identification of the cellular targets of deoxyelephantopins
Authors: Lagoutte Roman , Serba Christelle , Abegg Daniel , Hoch Dominic G. , Adibekian Alexander , Winssinger Nicolas 
Published: August 2016

AbstractHerbal extracts containing sesquiterpene lactones have been extensively used in traditional medicine and are known to be rich in α,β-unsaturated functionalities that can covalently engage target proteins. Here we report synthetic methodologies to access analogues of deoxyelephantopin, a sesquiterpene lactone with anticancer properties. Using alkyne-tagged cellular probes and quantitative proteomics analysis, we identified several cellular targets of deoxyelephantopin. We further demonstrate that deoxyelephantopin antagonizes PPARγ activity in situ via covalent engagement of a cysteine residue in the zinc-finger motif of this nuclear receptor.
Targeting VEGF-A in myeloid cells enhances natural killer cell responses to chemotherapy and ameliorates cachexia
Authors: Klose Ralph , Krzywinska Ewelina , Castells Magali , Gotthardt Dagmar , Putz Eva Maria , Kantari-Mimoun Chahrazade , Chikdene Naima , Meinecke Anna-Katharina , Schrödter Katrin , Helfrich Iris , Fandrey Joachim , Sexl Veronika , Stockmann Christian 
Published: August 2016

AbstractChemotherapy remains a mainstay of cancer treatment but its use is often limited by the development of adverse reactions. Severe loss of body weight (cachexia) is a frequent cause of death in cancer patients and is exacerbated by chemotherapy. We show that genetic inactivation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A in myeloid cells prevents chemotherapy-induced cachexia by inhibiting skeletal muscle loss and the lipolysis of white adipose tissue. It also improves clearance of senescent tumour cells by natural killer cells and inhibits tumour regrowth after chemotherapy. The effects depend on the chemoattractant chemerin, which is released by the tumour endothelium in response to chemotherapy. The findings define chemerin as a critical mediator of the immune response, as well as an important inhibitor of cancer cachexia. Targeting myeloid cell-derived VEGF signalling should impede the lipolysis and weight loss that is frequently associated with chemotherapy, thereby substantially improving the therapeutic outcome.