Porcine Body Composition as Influenced by Live Weight

One of the controversial issues confronting the swine industry is the correct market weight for hogs. When the market prices look favorable for the future the producer tends to put additional weight on his hogs to obtain a greater total return in terms of dollars and cents. The marketing weight is often dependent up the availability and cost of feed. The area extension worker and nutritionist usually encourage the farmer to market his product at weights which maximize feed efficiency and meat production. Lighter hogs tend to produce faster gain with less feed and produce a leaner, trimmer carcass with less waste. In addition, the carcass may yield a higher percent of lean meat and the lighter weight pigs yield a lighter weight carcass. The lean wholesale cuts from the light carcasses often sell for a premium because most consumers prefer lean pork. Despite the advantages for lighter market weights the packer is still reluctant to purchase light weight hogs because his slaughtering and processing costs are prorated on a per head basis and carcasses are sold by the pound. The packer is often working on a narrow profit margin on a per carcass basis. Therefore, the profit or loss received by the packer may depend upon the content and value of the offal. At times the profit per carcass in a packing operation may depend on the ability of the packer to utilize and/or merchandise the offal profitability. Most packers do not have reliable data which relate carcass weight to the value of the internal organs and their contents. This study was designed to elevate: (1) The influence of live animal weight on the weights of the offal and contents. (2) The relationships that may exist between offal weight and carcass composition. (3) The influence of live weight on carcass composition, particularly edible portion

A dynamic intron retention program enriched in RNA processing genes regulates gene expression during terminal erythropoiesis

Differentiating erythroblasts execute a dynamic alternative splicing program shown here to include extensive and diverse intron retention (IR) events. Cluster analysis revealed hundreds of developmentally-dynamic introns that exhibit increased IR in mature erythroblasts, and are enriched in functions related to RNA processing such as SF3B1 spliceosomal factor. Distinct, developmentally-stable IR clusters are enriched in metal-ion binding functions and include mitoferrin genes SLC25A37 and SLC25A28 that are critical for iron homeostasis. Some IR transcripts are abundant, e.g. comprising ∼50% of highly-expressed SLC25A37 and SF3B1 transcripts in late erythroblasts, and thereby limiting functional mRNA levels. IR transcripts tested were predominantly nuclear-localized. Splice site strength correlated with IR among stable but not dynamic intron clusters, indicating distinct regulation of dynamically-increased IR in late erythroblasts. Retained introns were preferentially associated with alternative exons with premature termination codons (PTCs). High IR was observed in disease-causing genes including SF3B1 and the RNA binding protein FUS. Comparative studies demonstrated that the intron retention program in erythroblasts shares features with other tissues but ultimately is unique to erythropoiesis. We conclude that IR is a multi-dimensional set of processes that post-transcriptionally regulate diverse gene groups during normal erythropoiesis, misregulation of which could be responsible for human disease

Exploring the Determinants of Scholarly Book Prices in the Fields of Science, Technology, and Medicine

This empirical study examines long-term and current book market trends and important factors affecting scholarly book prices in science, technology, and medicine (STM). It analyzes the market demand, supply, and prices of STM books and how they affect academic libraries' budgets. A semilogarithmic econometric model is formulated to explore the factors that affect STM book prices. Various product features, including book length, cover type, format, supplier types, and publication locations, are examined. The empirical results are mostly statistically significant, particularly for some key factors. The overall findings of this study have policy implications for academic libraries' books collections and acquisitions

Language Breathes Life -Barngarla Community Perspectives on the Wellbeing Impacts of Reclaiming a Dormant Australian Aboriginal Language

Traditional languages are a key element of Indigenous peoples\u27 identity, cultural expression, autonomy, spiritual and intellectual sovereignty, and wellbeing. While the links between Indigenous language loss and poor mental health have been demonstrated in several settings, little research has sought to identify the potential psychological benefits that may derive from language reclamation. The revival of the Barngarla language on the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, offers a unique opportunity to examine whether improvements in mental health and social and emotional wellbeing can occur during and following the language reclamation process. This paper presents findings from 16 semi-structured interviews conducted with Barngarla community members describing their own experienced or observed mental health and wellbeing impacts of language reclamation activities. Aligning with a social and emotional wellbeing framework from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective, key themes included connection to spirituality and ancestors; connection to Country; connection to culture; connection to community; connection to family and kinship; connection to mind and emotions; and impacts upon identity and cultural pride at an individual level. These themes will form the foundation of assessment of the impacts of language reclamation in future stages of the project

A dynamic alternative splicing program regulates gene expression during terminal erythropoiesis

Alternative pre-messenger RNA splicing remodels the human transcriptome in a spatiotemporal manner during normal development and differentiation. Here we explored the landscape of transcript diversity in the erythroid lineage by RNA-seq analysis of five highly purified populations of morphologically distinct human erythroblasts, representing the last four cell divisions before enucleation. In this unique differentiation system, we found evidence of an extensive and dynamic alternative splicing program encompassing genes with many diverse functions. Alternative splicing was particularly enriched in genes controlling cell cycle, organelle organization, chromatin function and RNA processing. Many alternative exons exhibited differentiation-associated switches in splicing efficiency, mostly in late-stage polychromatophilic and orthochromatophilic erythroblasts, in concert with extensive cellular remodeling that precedes enucleation. A subset of alternative splicing switches introduces premature translation termination codons into selected transcripts in a differentiation stage-specific manner, supporting the hypothesis that alternative splicing-coupled nonsense-mediated decay contributes to regulation of erythroid-expressed genes as a novel part of the overall differentiation program. We conclude that a highly dynamic alternative splicing program in terminally differentiating erythroblasts plays a major role in regulating gene expression to ensure synthesis of appropriate proteome at each stage as the cells remodel in preparation for production of mature red cells

Uterotonic agents for preventing postpartum haemorrhage:a network meta-analysis (Protocol)

Brathys e Trigynobrathys (88 e 59 representantes, respectivamente) são as duas maiores seções do gênero Hypericum que são distribuídos principalmente na América Central e América do Sul. Das mais de 100 espécies sul-americanas de Hypericum quase 65 são endêmicas dos Páramos, ecossistemas de alta altitude, caracterizados por uma vegetação composta principalmente de plantas de roseta gigantes, arbustos e gramíneas, nos quais Hypericum é um componente importante. Tendo em vista o escasso conhecimento da fitoquímica destas espécies de Hypericum, o presente estudo teve como objetivo estudar a composição fitoquímica e algumas bioatividades de seis espécies de Hypericum nativas do Peru (H. aciculare, H. andinum, H. brevistylum, H. decandrum, H. laricifolium e H. silenoides). O material vegetal, seco ao ar, das seis espécies (partes aéreas, caules, folhas e flores), e material vegetal subterrâneo de H. andinum (raízes e caules), foram moídas e extraídas por maceração à temperatura ambiente com n-hexano. Além disso, foram obtidos extrato etanólicos a partir de quatro espécies (H. andinum, H. brevistylum, H. laricifolium e H. silenoides). Os extratos n-hexano foram fracionados e as frações foram sometidas a processos cromatográficos obtendo-se cinco derivados de floroglucinol diméricos conhecidos, uliginosina A, uliginosina B, isouliginosina B, hiperbrasilol B e isohiperbrasilol B. Além disso, foram identificadas duas estruturas monoméricas e duas diméricas inéditas em H. andinum (raízes) e em H. laricifolium, andinina A, hiperlaricifolina A, laricifolina A e laricifolina B. Andinina A mostrou potencial atividade antidepressiva no teste de natação forçada. Do mesmo modo, a atividade antidepressiva dos extratos etanólicos foi avaliada. Estes quatro extratos apresentaram potencial atividade antidepressiva. As análises fitoquímicas por TLC, HPLC-DAD e UPLC-DAD/Q-TOF-MS revelaram que estes extratos são ricos em flavonoides, principalmente hiperosídeo. Os extratos n-hexano foram também analisados por um novo método de HPLC-DAD associado a LC-MS e UPLC-Q-TOF-MS . A presença de homólogos superiores M + 14 e regioisómeros foi determinada. A ocorrência natural destes cinco floroglucinois homólogos superiores M + 14 é descrita e a presença de outros compostos identificados pelo padrão de fragmentação MS é apresentada. Estes extratos e o seu principal componente foram capazes de inibir potencialmente a quimiotaxia induzida por LPS. Estes resultados sugerem que os extratos de espécies de Hypericum das seções Brathys e Trigynobrathys são fontes potenciais de novos anti-inflamatórios e antidepressivos.Brathys and Trigynobrathys (88 and 59 representatives, respectively) are the two largest sections of the genus Hypericum that are principally distributed in Central and South America. Of the more than 100 South American species of Hypericum almost 65 are endemic to the Páramos, high-altitude grassland ecosystems characterized by vegetation composed mainly of giant rosette plants, shrubs and grasses, in which Hypericum is a prominent component. In view of the scare knowledge on the phytochemistry of these Hypericum species, the present research aimed to study the phytochemical composition and some bioactivities of six Peruvian Hypericum species (H. aciculare, H. andinum, H. brevistylum, H. decandrum, H. laricifolium and H. silenoides). The air-dried aerial plant material of those six species (stems, leaves and flowers), and underground plant material of H. andinum (roots and stems), were ground and extracted by maceration at room temperature with n-hexane. Additionally crude ethanolic extracts were obtained from four species (H. andinum, H. brevistylum, H. laricifolium and H. silenoides). The n-hexane extracts were fractionated, and fractions were further processed by chromatographic procedures to yield five known dimeric acylphloroglucinol derivatives uliginosin A, uliginosin B, isouliginosin B, hyperbrasilol B and isohyperbrasilol B. In addition, two monomeric and two dimeric acylphloroglucinol structures were identified in H. andinum (roots extract) and H. laricifolium for the first time, andinin A, hyperlaricifolin A, laricifolin A and laricifolin B. Andinin A showed potential antidepressant-like activity in the forced swimming test. Similarly, the antidepressant-like activity of the crude ethanolic extracts was assessed. These four extracts possessed a potential antidepressant-like activity. The phytochemical analyses by TLC, HPLC-DAD and UPLCDAD/Q-TOF-MS revealed that the extracts were rich in flavonoids, principally hyperoside. The n-hexane extracts were also analyzed by a new HPLC-DAD fingerprint method associated with LC-MS and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. The presence of M + 14 higher homologues and regioisomers could be distinguished. The natural occurrence of these five M + 14 higher homologues is described and the presence of other compounds identified by their MS fragmentation pattern is presented. These extracts and their main dimeric acylphloroglucinol component were able to potently inhibit the LPS-induced chemotaxis on rat PMN. These results suggest that extracts of Hypericum species from sections Brathys and Trigynobrathys are potential sources of new anti-inflammatory and antidepressant molecules

Beyond Antagonism? The Discursive Construction of ‘New’ Teachers in the United Arab Emirates

The UAE, which celebrated independence in 1971, is a rapidly changing environment where aspects of traditional Bedouin culture co-exist with the immense changes being wrought by the forces of globalization and the wealth brought about by the development of the oil industry. Emirati nationals are a minority within the UAE, comprising approximately 20% of the population, and the majority of the schoolteachers are expatriates drawn from other Arabic speaking countries. Within this context, the Higher Colleges of Technology's Bachelor of Education degree in Teaching English to Young Learners prepares young UAE national women for English language teaching positions in local government schools. The research presented in this paper is drawn from this two-year study of student teachers and explores the discursive construction of the students' systems of knowledge and belief. The paper concludes with a critical consideration of the study's implications and some possible recommendations for teacher education in the UAE that may also have resonance for teacher education programs in other contexts

Uterotonic agents for preventing postpartum haemorrhage:A network meta-analysis

BackgroundPostpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. Prophylactic uterotonic drugs can prevent PPH, and are routinely recommended. There are several uterotonic drugs for preventing PPH but it is still debatable which drug is best.ObjectivesTo identify the most effective uterotonic drug(s) to prevent PPH, and generate a ranking according to their effectiveness and side-effect profile.Search methodsWe searched Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth's Trials Register (1 June 2015), ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) for unpublished trial reports (30 June 2015) and reference lists of retrieved studies.Selection criteriaAll randomised controlled comparisons or cluster trials of effectiveness or side-effects of uterotonic drugs for preventing PPH.Quasi-randomised trials and cross-over trials are not eligible for inclusion in this review.Data collection and analysisAt least three review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy. We estimated the relative effects and rankings for preventing PPH ≥ 500 mL and PPH ≥ 1000 mL as primary outcomes. We performed pairwise meta-analyses and network meta-analysis to determine the relative effects and rankings of all available drugs. We stratified our primary outcomes according to mode of birth, prior risk of PPH, healthcare setting, dosage, regimen and route of drug administration, to detect subgroup effects.The absolute risks in the oxytocin are based on meta-analyses of proportions from the studies included in this review and the risks in the intervention groups were based on the assumed risk in the oxytocin group and the relative effects of the interventions.Main resultsThis network meta-analysis included 140 randomised trials with data from 88,947 women. There are two large ongoing studies. The trials were mostly carried out in hospital settings and recruited women who were predominantly more than 37 weeks of gestation having a vaginal birth. The majority of trials were assessed to have uncertain risk of bias due to poor reporting of study design. This primarily impacted on our confidence in comparisons involving carbetocin trials more than other uterotonics.The three most effective drugs for prevention of PPH ≥ 500 mL were ergometrine plus oxytocin combination, carbetocin, and misoprostol plus oxytocin combination. These three options were more effective at preventing PPH ≥ 500 mL compared with oxytocin, the drug currently recommended by the WHO (ergometrine plus oxytocin risk ratio (RR) 0.69 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.57 to 0.83), moderate-quality evidence; carbetocin RR 0.72 (95% CI 0.52 to 1.00), very low-quality evidence; misoprostol plus oxytocin RR 0.73 (95% CI 0.60 to 0.90), moderate-quality evidence). Based on these results, about 10.5% women given oxytocin would experience a PPH of ≥ 500 mL compared with 7.2% given ergometrine plus oxytocin combination, 7.6% given carbetocin, and 7.7% given misoprostol plus oxytocin. Oxytocin was ranked fourth with close to 0% cumulative probability of being ranked in the top three for PPH ≥ 500 mL.The outcomes and rankings for the outcome of PPH ≥ 1000 mL were similar to those of PPH ≥ 500 mL. with the evidence for ergometrine plus oxytocin combination being more effective than oxytocin (RR 0.77 (95% CI 0.61 to 0.95), high-quality evidence) being more certain than that for carbetocin (RR 0.70 (95% CI 0.38 to 1.28), low-quality evidence), or misoprostol plus oxytocin combination (RR 0.90 (95% CI 0.72 to 1.14), moderate-quality evidence)There were no meaningful differences between all drugs for maternal deaths or severe morbidity as these outcomes were so rare in the included randomised trials.Two combination regimens had the poorest rankings for side-effects. Specifically, the ergometrine plus oxytocin combination had the higher risk for vomiting (RR 3.10 (95% CI 2.11 to 4.56), high-quality evidence; 1.9% versus 0.6%) and hypertension [RR 1.77 (95% CI 0.55 to 5.66), low-quality evidence; 1.2% versus 0.7%), while the misoprostol plus oxytocin combination had the higher risk for fever (RR 3.18 (95% CI 2.22 to 4.55), moderate-quality evidence; 11.4% versus 3.6%) when compared with oxytocin. Carbetocin had similar risk for side-effects compared with oxytocin although the quality evidence was very low for vomiting and for fever, and was low for hypertension.Authors' conclusionsErgometrine plus oxytocin combination, carbetocin, and misoprostol plus oxytocin combination were more effective for preventing PPH ≥ 500 mL than the current standard oxytocin. Ergometrine plus oxytocin combination was more effective for preventing PPH ≥ 1000 mL than oxytocin. Misoprostol plus oxytocin combination evidence is less consistent and may relate to different routes and doses of misoprostol used in the studies. Carbetocin had the most favourable side-effect profile amongst the top three options; however, most carbetocin trials were small and at high risk of bias.Amongst the 11 ongoing studies listed in this review there are two key studies that will inform a future update of this review. The first is a WHO-led multi-centre study comparing the effectiveness of a room temperature stable carbetocin versus oxytocin (administered intramuscularly) for preventing PPH in women having a vaginal birth. The trial includes around 30,000 women from 10 countries. The other is a UK-based trial recruiting more than 6000 women to a three-arm trial comparing carbetocin, oxytocin and ergometrine plus oxytocin combination. Both trials are expected to report in 2018.Consultation with our consumer group demonstrated the need for more research into PPH outcomes identified as priorities for women and their families, such as women's views regarding the drugs used, clinical signs of excessive blood loss, neonatal unit admissions and breastfeeding at discharge. To date, trials have rarely investigated these outcomes. Consumers also considered the side-effects of uterotonic drugs to be important but these were often not reported. A forthcoming set of core outcomes relating to PPH will identify outcomes to prioritise in trial reporting and will inform futures updates of this review. We urge all trialists to consider measuring these outcomes for each drug in all future randomised trials. Lastly, future evidence synthesis research could compare the effects of different dosages and routes of administration for the most effective drugs

LSST Science Book, Version 2.0

A survey that can cover the sky in optical bands over wide fields to faint magnitudes with a fast cadence will enable many of the exciting science opportunities of the next decade. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will have an effective aperture of 6.7 meters and an imaging camera with field of view of 9.6 deg^2, and will be devoted to a ten-year imaging survey over 20,000 deg^2 south of +15 deg. Each pointing will be imaged 2000 times with fifteen second exposures in six broad bands from 0.35 to 1.1 microns, to a total point-source depth of r~27.5. The LSST Science Book describes the basic parameters of the LSST hardware, software, and observing plans. The book discusses educational and outreach opportunities, then goes on to describe a broad range of science that LSST will revolutionize: mapping the inner and outer Solar System, stellar populations in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, the structure of the Milky Way disk and halo and other objects in the Local Volume, transient and variable objects both at low and high redshift, and the properties of normal and active galaxies at low and high redshift. It then turns to far-field cosmological topics, exploring properties of supernovae to z~1, strong and weak lensing, the large-scale distribution of galaxies and baryon oscillations, and how these different probes may be combined to constrain cosmological models and the physics of dark energy.Comment: 596 pages. Also available at full resolution at http://www.lsst.org/lsst/sciboo