A cohort study of the associations between udder conformation, milk somatic cell count, and lamb weight in suckler ewes

A cohort study of 67 suckler ewes from 1 farm was carried out from January to May 2010 to investigate associations between udder conformation, udder half milk somatic cell count (SCC), and lamb weight. Ewes and lambs were observed at lambing. Ewe health and teat condition and lamb health and weight were recorded on 4 to 5 further occasions at 14-d intervals. At each observation, a milk sample was collected from each udder half for somatic cell counting. Two weeks after lambing, ewe udder conformation and teat placement were scored. Low lamb weight was associated with ewe SCC >400,000 cells/mL (−0.73kg), a new teat lesion 14 d previously (−0.91kg), suboptimal teat position (−1.38kg), rearing in a multiple litter (−1.45kg), presence of diarrhea at the examination (−1.19kg), and rearing by a 9-yr-old ewe compared with a 6-yr-old ewe (−2.36kg). High lamb weight was associated with increasing lamb age (0.21kg/d), increasing birth weight (1.65kg/kg at birth), and increasing number of days the ewe was given supplementary feed before lambing (0.06kg/d). High udder half SCC was associated with pendulous udders (9.6% increase in SCC/cm of drop) and greater total cross-sectional area of the teats (7.2% increase of SCC/cm2). Low SCC were associated with a heavier mean litter weight (6.7% decrease in SCC/kg). Linear, quadratic, and cubic terms for days in lactation were also significant. We conclude that poor udder and teat conformation are associated with high levels of intramammary infection, as indicated by increased SCC and that both physical attributes of the udder and SCC are linked to lamb growth, suggesting that selection of suckler ewes with better udder and teat conformation would reduce intramammary infection and increase lamb growth rate

Poisson Multi-Bernoulli Mapping Using Gibbs Sampling

This paper addresses the mapping problem. Using a conjugate prior form, we derive the exact theoretical batch multi-object posterior density of the map given a set of measurements. The landmarks in the map are modeled as extended objects, and the measurements are described as a Poisson process, conditioned on the map. We use a Poisson process prior on the map and prove that the posterior distribution is a hybrid Poisson, multi-Bernoulli mixture distribution. We devise a Gibbs sampling algorithm to sample from the batch multi-object posterior. The proposed method can handle uncertainties in the data associations and the cardinality of the set of landmarks, and is parallelizable, making it suitable for large-scale problems. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated on synthetic data and is shown to outperform a state-of-the-art method.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure

The alimentary impact of the hemp seed

Hemp seed and hemp seed oil can supply us with many important substances. Their essential fatty acid compositions are favourable, but they may contain non-psychotropic cannabinoids. Emerging data show that these components can influence the health status of the population beneficially. Some data also showed trace amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol in seed oils, the main psychotropic cannabinoid that is contraindicated.Our aim was to examine cannabinoids and fatty acid composition as well as metal and non-metal element compositions in products, like hemp seed oil and chopped hemp seed capsule.The cannabinoids were separated by thin layer chromatography. Fatty acid composition was determined with gas chromatography, and elements (Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Si, Sn, Sr, V, and Zn) were measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometric method. Selenium was determined with polarographic analyser.Cannabinoids were not detectable by thin layer chromatography, so hemp seed oil, as well as the capsule, have no psychotropic adverse effect. Our data showed that hemp seed contains essential fatty acids close to the recommended ratio. The B and Se concentrations of the oils and the P concentration of the capsule are also relevant

Bridging the Gap:Reporting Baseline Characteristics, Process and Outcome Parameters in Hirschsprung's Disease. A Systematic Review

Introduction: The variation in standardized, well-defined parameters in Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) research hinders overarching comparisons and complicates evaluations of care quality across healthcare settings. This review addresses the significant variability observed in these parameters as reported in recent publications. The goal is to compile a list of commonly described baseline characteristics, process and outcome measures, and to investigate disparities in their utilization and definitions. Materials and Methods: A systematic review of literature on the primary care process for HSCR was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Relevant literature published between 2015 and 2021 was obtained by combining the search term Hirschsprung's disease with treatment outcome, complications, mortality, morbidity, survival in Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library. We extracted study characteristics, reported process and outcome parameters, and patient and disease characteristics. Results: We extracted 1026 parameters from 200 publications and categorized these into patient characteristics (n=226), treatment and care process characteristics (n=199), and outcomes (n=601). 116 parameters were reported in more than 5% of publications. The most frequently reported characteristics were sex (88%), age at surgery (66%), postoperative Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis (64%), type of repair (57%), fecal incontinence (54%), and extent of aganglionosis (51%). Conclusion: This review underscores the pronounced variation in reported parameters within HSCR studies, highlighting the necessity for consistent, well-defined measures and reporting systems in order to foster improved data interpretability. Moreover, it advocates for the use of these findings in the development of a Core Indicator Set, complementing the recently developed Core Outcome Set. This will facilitate quality assessments across pediatric surgical centers throughout Europe.</p

Predicted vitamin D status during pregnancy in relation to offspring forearm fractures in childhood: a study from the Danish National Birth Cohort

In a prospective cohort study, the association between maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy and offspring forearm fractures during childhood and adolescence was analysed in 30 132 mother and child pairs recruited to the Danish National Birth Cohort between 1996 and 2002. Data on characteristics, dietary factors and lifestyle factors were collected on several occasions during pregnancy. We analysed the association between predicted vitamin D status, based on a subsample with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) biomarker measurements (n 1497) from gestation week 25, and first-time forearm fractures among offspring between birth and end of follow-up. Diagnoses were extracted from the Danish National Patient Register. Multivariable Cox regression models using age as the underlying time scale indicated no overall association between predicted vitamin D status (based on smoking, season, dietary and supplementary vitamin D intake, tanning bed use and outdoor physical activity) in pregnancy and offspring forearm fractures. Likewise, measured 25(OH)D, tanning bed use and dietary vitamin D intake were not associated with offspring forearm fractures. In mid-pregnancy, 91 % of the women reported intake of vitamin D from dietary supplements. Offspring of women who took >10 µg/d in mid-pregnancy had a significantly increased risk for fractures compared with the reference level of zero intake (hazard ratios (HR) 1·31; 95 % CI 1·06, 1·62), but this was solely among girls (HR 1·48; 95 % CI 1·10, 2·00). Supplement use in the peri-conceptional period exhibited similar pattern, although not statistically significant. In conclusion, our data indicated no protective effect of maternal vitamin D status with respect to offspring forearm fractures

relation between ribosomal rna genes and the dna satellites of phaseolus coccineus

The main band DNA of Phaseolus coccineus has a buoyant density of 1.692 g/ml. In roots, shoots, integuments and suspensors there is a DNA satellite with a buoyant density of 1.700 g/ml. The satellite of the roots, shoots and integuments represents approximately 28.2 %, 29.4 % and 34.7 % respectively of the total DNA. In suspensors, where polyteny occurs, besides the 1.700 g/ml satellite there is a second one at 1.696 g/ml. They represent about 32.9 % and 13.1 % of the total DNA. H3-25S and H3-18S ribosomal RNA of Phaseolus coccineus were hybridized separately with DNA of shoots from CsCl gradient fractions. In both hybridizations the peak of labelling coincides with the position of the DNA satellite with a buoyant density of 1.700 g/ml. Thus the genes for 25S and 18S are mainly located in this DNA component. Hybridization experiments at saturation inputs of H3-25S ribosomal RNA with DNA of shoots, integuments, roots and suspensors give saturation values of 0.72 %, 0.64 %, 0.51 % and 0.42 % respectively. The lower saturation value in the suspensors may indicate an underreplication of ribosomal genes in this tissue. This is partly cancelled out by the amplification in another DNA: that of the second satellite at 1.696 g/ml which does not seem to be part of the ribosomal DNA

Pentagrams and paradoxes

Klyachko and coworkers consider an orthogonality graph in the form of a pentagram, and in this way derive a Kochen-Specker inequality for spin 1 systems. In some low-dimensional situations Hilbert spaces are naturally organised, by a magical choice of basis, into SO(N) orbits. Combining these ideas some very elegant results emerge. We give a careful discussion of the pentagram operator, and then show how the pentagram underlies a number of other quantum "paradoxes", such as that of Hardy.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

The Neuroimmune Response to Surgery – An Exploratory Study of Trauma-Induced Changes in Innate Immunity and Heart Rate Variability

Surgery triggers a systemic inflammatory response that ultimately impacts the brain and associates with long-term cognitive impairment. Adequate regulation of this immune surge is pivotal for a successful surgical recovery. We explored the temporal immune response in a surgical cohort and its associations with neuroimmune regulatory pathways and cognition, in keeping with the growing body of evidence pointing towards the brain as a regulator of peripheral inflammation. Brain-to-immune communication acts through cellular, humoral and neural pathways. In this context, the vagal nerve and the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) have been shown to modify peripheral immune cell activity in both acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. However, the relevance of neuroimmune regulatory mechanisms following a surgical trauma is not yet elucidated. Twenty-five male patients undergoing elective laparoscopic abdominal surgery were included in this observational prospective study. Serial blood samples with extensive immune characterization, assessments of heart rate variability (HRV) and cognitive tests were performed before surgery and continuing up to 6 months post-surgery. Temporal immune responses revealed biphasic reaction patterns with most pronounced changes at 5 hours after skin incision and 14 days following surgery. Estimations of cardiac vagal nerve activity through HRV recordings revealed great individual variations depending on the pre-operative HRV baseline. A principal component analysis displayed distinct differences in systemic inflammatory biomarker trajectories primarily based on pre-operative HRV, with potiential consequences for long-term surgical outcomes. In conclusion, individual pre-operative HRV generates differential response patterns that associate with distinct inflammatory trajectories following surgery. Long-term surgical outcomes need to be examined further in larger studies with mixed gender cohorts

Angle of Incidence Effects on Far-Field Positive and Negative Phase Blast Parameters

The blast overpressure acting on a rigid target is known to vary between the normally reflected overpressure and the incident overpressure as a function of the angle between the target and the direction of travel of the blast wave. Literature guidance for determining the exact effects of angle of incidence are unclear, particularly when considering the negative phase. This paper presents the results from a series of well controlled experiments where pressure transducers are used to record the pressure-time history acting on the face of a large, rigid target at various angles of incidence for varying sizes of hemispherical PE4 charge and stand-off distances. The test data demonstrated remarkable repeatability, and excellent agreement with semi-empirical predictions for normally reflected overpressures. The oblique results show that peak overpressure, impulse and duration are highly dependent on angle of incidence for the positive phase, and are invariant of angle of incidence for the negative phase