Variation and Heritability in Hair Diameter and Curvature in an Australian Twin Sample

Hair diameter and curvature are two characteristics of human scalp hair used in forensic contexts. While previous data show that subjective categorization of hair curvature is highly heritable, the heritability of objectively measured curvature and diameter, and variability of hair characteristics within each individual have not yet been studied. The present study measured hair diameter and curvature using an optical fiber diameter analyzer in a sample of 2,332 twins and siblings. Heritability was estimated using maximum likelihood structural equation modeling. Results show sex differences in the magnitude of genetic influence for mean diameter and curvature, with the vast majority of the variance accounted for by genetic effects in males (diameter = 86%, curvature = 53%) and females (diameter = 77%, curvature = 61%). The consistency of diameter (variance within an individual) was also highly heritable, but did not show sex limitation, with 68% of the variance accounted for by genetic factors. Moderate phenotypic correlations were seen between diameter and consistency (r = 0.3) but there was little correlation between diameter and curvature (r = -0.13). A bivariate Cholesky analysis was used to estimate the genetic and environmental correlations between hair diameter and consistency, yielding genetic correlations of rgF = 0.27 for females and rgM = 0.25 for males.</jats:p

Does cognitive performance predict contest outcome in pigs?

Losing aggressive contests may impact survival, reproductive success and animal welfare. Previous experience plays an important role in shaping contest behaviour, but less is known about how individual variation in learning abilities influences contest dynamics and resource-holding potential. Here, we investigated whether learning performance (acquisition learning and reversal learning) in domestic pigs, Sus scrofa, predicts the outcome of a contest against an unfamiliar opponent. While acquisition learning speed did not predict contest outcome, pigs that successfully learned the reversal were more likely to win the contest than pigs that failed to learn the reversal. As expected, weight difference between opponents was also an important factor in predicting contest outcome. Our results suggest that cognitive flexibility may confer an advantage in contests, unless pigs already have a substantial weight advantage over their opponent. These findings advance our understanding of the role of cognitive processes in animal contests and suggest that promoting cognitive flexibility may reduce the potential welfare impacts arising from stressful social defeat. Further research is required to determine whether cognitive flexibility influences assessment strategy and allows pigs to resolve contests with fewer costs

PSXVI-19 Posture behavior and truck microclimate in a very long journey of unweaned dairy beef calves: A field study

The aim of this study was to characterize posture behavior and truck microclimate of 2 to 8-week-old unweaned calves (59.1 ± 6.72 kg body weight) during 10 transports between December and September (one/month) from an assembly center in Dalry, Scotland to Northern Spain via a control post in Northern Ireland and an assembly center in France (Cherbourg). Average journey time was 105.8 h. A subset of 20 calves per transport were fitted with collars carrying a HOBO environmental logger (HOBO U12) to record the temperature and humidity at calf’ head level and an accelerometer (Axivity AX3) to record accelerations to assess the calf posture (resting, standing or in transition). Data were analyzed with JMP. During the transport, 60% of the time animals were standing, 28% of the time lying and 12% transitioning. Specifically, when the truck was in motion calves spent 82.8% of the time standing, when stationary 68.8% standing, when the truck was on the ferry standing time was 48.4% and at the control post and assembly center standing time was 45.1%.Transports from June to September (n = 4) had an average of 11.96 h (min: 5.17 h; max: 18.8 h) of temperatures greater than 30°C, an average of 25 h (min: 0 h; max: 55 h) of mild heat conditions (72 < THI < 79), and an average of 3.5 h (min: 0 h; max: 23 h) of moderate heat conditions (80 < THI < 89). The exposure to mild and moderate heat conditions occurred mainly during the time that the truck was stationary (waiting at ports) and when calves rested at the control post. Results from this study supports the need to evaluate the impact summer months journeys where animals spend over 30% of the time under heat stress, and the long-standing times on animal welfare

Development of an Australia and New Zealand Lung Cancer Clinical Quality Registry: a protocol paper

Introduction: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality, comprising the largest national cancer disease burden in Australia and New Zealand. Regional reports identify substantial evidence-practice gaps, unwarranted variation from best practice, and variation in processes and outcomes of care between treating centres. The Australia and New Zealand Lung Cancer Registry (ANZLCR) will be developed as a Clinical Quality Registry to monitor the safety, quality and effectiveness of lung cancer care in Australia and New Zealand. Methods and analysis: Patient participants will include all adults >18 years of age with a new diagnosis of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), SCLC, thymoma or mesothelioma. The ANZLCR will register confirmed diagnoses using opt-out consent. Data will address key patient, disease, management processes and outcomes reported as clinical quality indicators. Electronic data collection facilitated by local data collectors and local, state and federal data linkage will enhance completeness and accuracy. Data will be stored and maintained in a secure web-based data platform overseen by registry management. Central governance with binational representation from consumers, patients and carers, governance, administration, health department, health policy bodies, university research and healthcare workers will provide project oversight. Ethics and dissemination: The ANZLCR has received national ethics approval under the National Mutual Acceptance scheme. Data will be routinely reported to participating sites describing performance against measures of agreed best practice and nationally to stakeholders including federal, state and territory departments of health. Local, regional and (bi)national benchmarks, augmented with online dashboard indicator reporting will enable local targeting of quality improvement efforts.</p

Ability of procalcitonin to discriminate infection from non-infective inflammation using two pleural disease settings.

Abstract Procalcitonin has been shown to be useful in separating infection from non-infective disorders. However, infection is often paralleled by tissue inflammation. Most studies supporting the use of procalcitonin were confounded by more significant inflammation in the infection group. Few studies have examined the usefulness of procalcitonin when adjusted for inflammation. Pleural inflammation underlies the development of most exudative effusions including pleural infection and malignancy. Pleurodesis, often used to treat effusions, involves provocation of intense aseptic pleural inflammation. We conducted a two-part proof-of-concept study to test the specificity of procalcitonin in differentiating infection using cohorts of patients with pleural effusions of infective and non-infective etiologies, as well as subjects undergoing pleurodesis. Methods We measured the blood procalcitonin level (i) in 248 patients with pleural infection or with non-infective pleural inflammation, matched for severity of systemic inflammation by C-reactive protein (CRP), age and gender; and (ii) in patients before and 24–48 hours after induction of non-infective pleural inflammation (from talc pleurodesis). Results 1) Procalcitonin was significantly higher in patients with pleural infection compared with controls with non-infective effusions (n = 32 each group) that were case-matched for systemic inflammation as measured by CRP [median (25–75%IQR): 0.58 (0.35–1.50) vs 0.34 (0.31–0.42) µg/L respectively, p = 0.003]. 2) Talc pleurodesis provoked intense systemic inflammation, and raised serum CRP by 360% over baseline. However procalcitonin remained relatively unaffected (21% rise). 3) Procalcitonin and CRP levels did not correlate. In 214 patients with pleural infection, procalcitonin levels did not predict the survival or need for surgical intervention. Conclusion Using a pleural model, this proof-of-principle study confirmed that procalcitonin is a biomarker specific for infection and is not affected by non-infective inflammation. Procalcitonin is superior to CRP in distinguishing infection from non-infective pleural diseases, even when controlled for the level of systemic inflammation