Genetic evaluation of sport horses in Britain

The genetic evaluation of sport horses is common practice on the Continent and in Ireland but, until now, has not been carried out in Great Britain. The aim of this project was to derive models for predicting breeding values for British bred sport horses and hence develop procedures for their evaluation. The research consisted predominantly of the estimation o f genetic and phenotypic parameters from two datasets; results from the Young Horse Evaluation Series (Y H E), which assesses 4 year old potential sport horses, and competition data on UK eventing horses. Eleven traits were measured in the YHE, including a veterinary score, conformation, paces and jumping ability. A small dataset led to some problems and meant that heritabilities could not be predicted, how ever, the predicted repeatabilities were sufficient in magnitude and precision to indicate that the Y HE may prove useful as a test o f individuals. A much larger and m ore comprehensive dataset was available for U K eventing horses. Penalty points from each of the three phases - dressage, show jumping and cross country - and overall com petition w ere converted to normal scores for analysis. Each phase was separated into 4 different grades of com petition - pre novice, novice, intermediate and advanced. Results show ed heritabilities significantly different from zero for all phases (0.02-0.23). Correlations between the grades for each phase w ere high, suggesting that it should be possible to predict a horse’s performance at advanced level by its performance at novice or pre novice level. For the first time, the proportions o f variance attributed to the rider, permanent environmental effect and genetics o f the horse w ere estimated separately. These estimates showed that for m ost grades and phases the m ost important component was the perm anent environmental effect, with the rider and genetics becoming more important as the grades become more challenging. This analysis allowed the successful prediction of estimated breeding values (EBVs), horse values (H V s) and rider values (RVs). Using these values, the intensity o f selection on sires, horses and riders progressing from the pre novice to advanced grades in each of the phases of eventing competition was investigated. The highest selection intensities were observed between intermediate and advanced grade (0.634-1.163). The lowest selection intensities w ere observed between pre novice and novice (0.018-0.352).The main aim of this research was to create a model for the prediction of breeding values for British bred sport horses, an objective that was successfully achieved. Genetic and phenotypic parameters were estimated for the traits analysed and these w ere consistent with those contained in the literature. There were a number of novel aspects to this study, such as the separation of horse and rider in the model, allowing values to be assigned to each. This led on to another novel aspect o f the research which was the analysis o f within generation selection of sires, horses and riders moving through the grades of eventing competition. This study has met its objectives and also provided a platform for the launch o f further research into sport horse breeding in Britai

War and deforestation in Sierra Leone

The impact of armed conflict on the environment is of major public policy importance. We use a geographically disaggregated dataset of civil war violence together with satellite imagery of land cover to test whether war facilitated or prevented forest loss in Sierra Leone. The conflict data set allows us to establish where rebel groups were stationed and where battles and attacks occurred. The satellite data enables to us to monitor the change in forest cover (total, primary, and secondary) in all of Sierra Leone's 151 chiefdoms, between 1990 (prior to the war) and 2000 (just prior to its end). The results suggest that conflict in Sierra Leone acted as a brake on local deforestation: conflict-ridden areas experienced significantly less forest loss relative to their more conflict-free counterparts

Predator recognition and differential behavioural responses of adult Wood Warblers Phylloscopus sibilatrix

This is the final version of the article. Available from Springer Verlag via the DOI in this record.Birds often engage in nest defence against predators to improve breeding success, but defence efficiency requires the capability to assess the threat level posed by potential predators. For species with low breeding-site tenacity, which may encounter varying occurrence and density of predators in different areas, threat recognition could be compromised due to naivety, and so predator recognition may focus on broad key features to diminish the risk of misidentification. We experimentally tested this hypothesis by recording behavioural reactions of the nomadic wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix to objects reflecting various levels of threat: least weasel and Eurasian jay taxidermy mounts, an inanimate object and an empty display mount. To assess actual nest predators, we used remote cameras to record predation events at wood warbler nests. As in other studies in Western Europe, Eurasian jay was found to be the main nest predator, with occasional predation by least weasel. The reaction of adult warblers to the models was generally to remain silent and on nests during the incubation stage presumably due to the need to maintain efficient nest camouflage and concealment. During the nestling stage, behavioural responses of adult warblers, calling and suspended feeding of young, showed the strongest effects from the jay taxidermy mount, moderate to the weasel and weakest to the inanimate object and empty mount. As the reaction of wood warblers reflected the degree of genuine threat posed by the predators depicted by the models, we conclude that predator recognition may be present in this species.We thank John Mallord, Chris Orsman and Andrew Cristinacce for monitoring nests in the wider study area as part of a project jointly funded by RSPB and Natural England within the Action for Birds in England partnership, Louise and Gary Clewey for assistance in the field and landowners Natural England, Woodland Trust, National Trust and Devon Wildlife Trust

Understanding diversion programmes as an intervention for women with mental health issues: A realist review

Purpose: Women in prisons are known to suffer with more mental health difficulties and many experience challenges prior to incarceration. Diversion programmes are initiatives designed to divert people with pre-existing mental illness from the criminal justice system into mental health services. The variability of effectiveness of interventions makes realist approaches particularly appropriate for diversion programmes, and this paper presents the first realist review to be undertaken across the breadth of this topic. This realist review aimed to explain the successes, failures and partial successes of these programmes as an intervention to improve the outcomes of women offenders with mental health issues.// Methods: We conducted a realist review of published literature explaining the impact of diversion programmes on participants with mental health issues. Consultations with six specialists in the field were conducted to validate the principles and hypotheses about key dynamics for effective programmes. // Results: The review included 69 articles. We identified four essential principles, developed through thematic groupings of context-mechanism-outcome configurations, to articulate key drivers of the effectiveness of diversion programmes: coordination between services; development and maintenance of relationships; addressing major risk factors; and stabilisation through diversion programmes. // Conclusions: The behaviour of women offenders is driven by need, and the complex needs of this group require individualised plans that incorporate relationships as vehicles for support and change. Although there is a role for gender-specific interventions, it is not fully understood and further research is required. Implications for future interventions are discussed

Military Sexual Trauma: A Current Analysis of Disability Claims Adjudication Under Veterans Benefits Law

According to the 2018 Report of the Department of Veterans Office of Inspector General, military sexual trauma (“MST”) is on the rise, increasing 10% from the previous year. The Inspector General also found that the Department of Veteran Affairs (“VA”) improperly processed 49% of MST claims in the six-month time period reviewed. During this same time period, veterans’ benefits appeals took an average of seven years to complete, with one in four-teen veterans dying while the appeal was pending. These grim statistics, combined with an adjudication process described as an administrative “hamster wheel,” are untenable in a benefits system statutorily designed to be non-adversarial and veteran friendly. The advocate’s job is to help the veteran receive the full extent of allow-able compensation and to do so as expeditiously as possible. This article is intended to guide the veteran’s advocate through the administrative claims process, highlighting the major components of the process and the core legal concepts applicable to cases involving MST. The article will also identify the myriad of disabilities that can arise from MST, which are not limited to only mental health issues, so that veterans are properly rated for each and every symptom related to the trauma. Our hope is that this article provides a workable roadmap for the advocate, leading to better quality VA decision-making earlier in the VA adjudication process and better representation for veterans suffering from lasting effects of MST

The emergence of resistance to the benzimidazole anthlemintics in parasitic nematodes of livestock is characterised by multiple independent hard and soft selective sweeps

Anthelmintic resistance is a major problem for the control of parasitic nematodes of livestock and of growing concern for human parasite control. However, there is little understanding of how resistance arises and spreads or of the “genetic signature” of selection for this group of important pathogens. We have investigated these questions in the system for which anthelmintic resistance is most advanced; benzimidazole resistance in the sheep parasites Haemonchus contortus and Teladorsagia circumcincta. Population genetic analysis with neutral microsatellite markers reveals that T. circumcincta has higher genetic diversity but lower genetic differentiation between farms than H. contortus in the UK. We propose that this is due to epidemiological differences between the two parasites resulting in greater seasonal bottlenecking of H. contortus. There is a remarkably high level of resistance haplotype diversity in both parasites compared with drug resistance studies in other eukaryotic systems. Our analysis suggests a minimum of four independent origins of resistance mutations on just seven farms for H. contortus, and even more for T. circumincta. Both hard and soft selective sweeps have occurred with striking differences between individual farms. The sweeps are generally softer for T. circumcincta than H. contortus, consistent with its higher level of genetic diversity and consequent greater availability of new mutations. We propose a model in which multiple independent resistance mutations recurrently arise and spread by migration to explain the widespread occurrence of resistance in these parasites. Finally, in spite of the complex haplotypic diversity, we show that selection can be detected at the target locus using simple measures of genetic diversity and departures from neutrality. This work has important implications for the application of genome-wide approaches to identify new anthelmintic resistance loci and the likelihood of anthelmintic resistance emerging as selection pressure is increased in human soil-transmitted nematodes by community wide treatment programs

Antimicrobial use practices and opinions of beef farmers in England and Wales

© British Veterinary Association. Background Limited research exists on antimicrobial use practices of beef farmers. This study aimed to investigate antimicrobial practices and perceptions of beef farmers in England and Wales, and identify drivers of higher antimicrobial use for treatment of bovine pneumonia. Methods A survey was sent out in 2017 to beef farmers in England and Wales who supply to two abattoirs. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. A logistic regression model was built to determine factors associated with treating greater than 5 per cent of the predominant group in the herd with antimicrobials for pneumonia. Results There were a total of 171 useable responses. Most farmers reported using antimicrobials in less than 5 per cent of their herd for the treatment of common diseases. Most farmers (90 per cent) reported that they understood what antimicrobial resistance means, but only 55 per cent were aware of critically important antimicrobials and 9 per cent could name at least one critically important antimicrobial. Having a calf-rearing enterprise and not considering Johne's disease when buying in cattle were associated with using antimicrobials to treat pneumonia in greater than 5 per cent of the predominant group in the herd. Conclusion Self-reported antimicrobial use appears to be low in beef farms. However, some gaps in understanding aspects of antimicrobial stewardship by farmers were identified

Comparison of the effectiveness of traditional nursing medication administration with the Color Coding Kids system in a sample of undergraduate nursing students

The problem of medication errors in hospitals and the vulnerability of pediatric patients to adverse drug events (ADE) was investigated and well substantiated. The estimated additional cost of inpatient care for ADE’s in the hospital setting alone was conservatively estimated at an annual rate per incident of 400,000 preventable events each incurring an extra cost of approximately $5,857. The purpose of the researcher was to compare the effectiveness of traditional nursing medication administration with the Color Coding Kids (CCK) system (developed by Broselow and Luten for standardizing dosages) to reduce pediatric medication errors. A simulated pediatric rapid response scenario was used in a randomized clinical study to measure the effects of the CCK system to the traditional method of treatment using last semester nursing students. Safe medication administration, workflow turnaround time and hand-off communication were variables studied. A multivariate analysis of variance was used to reveal a significant difference between the groups on safe medication administration. No significant difference between the groups on time and communication was found. The researcher provides substantial evidence that the CCK system of medication administration is a promising technological breakthrough in the prevention of pediatric medication errors

The effects of a college preparatory program on social capital, student achievement, and college matriculation

With an unstable economy and non-diverse populations in STEM-related majors and fields, the United States of America is faced with unprecedented challenges in meeting the growing demands of a technical society. The lack of minorities in STEM- related fields yields untapped human resources for solving many of society’s challenges. Diversity in the workforce provides different perspectives, methods, and cognitive abilities for addressing many cultural, social, economic, and technical challenges that are present in today’s global world. Social capital represents a convergence of social networks and resources that is a worthy paradigm of continued exploration within the context of STEM educational outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a college preparatory program on social capital and student achievement as secondary students prepare for college. This study investigated the following: the reliability and validity of the survey used to collect social capital and demographic data; whether there was a difference in social capital for students who participate in a pre- college program versus students with similar backgrounds who do not participate in the program; and if there is a relationship between social capital and student achievement. The findings supported the literature. The survey was a reliable and valid instrument. Students who participated in a pre-college program had higher levels of social capital than non-participants. No significant results were found linking social capital and student achievement