Multivariable analysis to determine risk factors associated with early pregnancy loss in thoroughbred broodmares

Early pregnancy loss (EPL) between days 15–65 after breeding has been shown to occur in 7.9% of equine pregnancies with substantial economical, welfare and safety implications. Whilst maternal age has been recognised as an important risk factor in relation to the incidence of EPL, few other risk factors have been conclusively identified. Further, multivariable data analysis of risk factors for EPL is sparse. A prospective cohort investigation of thoroughbred broodmares in the United Kingdom was conducted over the 2013 and 2014 breeding seasons. Information relating to 28 factors including mare, stallion, pregnancy and therapeutic interventions was collected using questionnaires and entered into a custom-designed Microsoft Access database. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for EPL, including ‘mare’ as a random effect to account for repeat pregnancies in the same mare. Stallion, stud and veterinarian were also evaluated as random effects. Variables with a p-value of <0.25 in univariable analysis were taken forward for consideration in the multivariable model which was built using a forward stepwise approach. Data were collected on 2245 pregnancies in 1753 mares. Increasing mare age (OR = 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04, 1.18, p = 0.001), having had one previous foal (OR = 3.52, 95% CI = 1.56, 7.95, p = 0.002) and presence of uterine cysts (OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.07, 2.91, p = 0.03) were all associated with increased odds of EPL following multivariable analysis. Increasing day 15/16 scan vesicle size (OR = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.16, 0.38, p < 0.001) and the use of ovulatory induction agents (OR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.17, 0.55, p < 0.001) were negatively associated with EPL. Stallion, stud and veterinarian were not significantly associated with EPL. Analysis of a subpopulation of 344 multiple (twin and triplet) pregnancies found that the use of flunixin meglumine at the time of manual reduction of a multiple pregnancy resulted in reduced odds of EPL (OR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.14, 0.84, p = 0.02). Results from this study can be used by stud farm personnel when assessing their broodmare population and by clinicians when deciding upon therapeutic strategies. Additional work can be focused around these risk factors to further our understanding of the pathophysiology of EPL

Dynamic changes in gene expression and signalling during trophoblast development in the horse

Equine chorionic girdle trophoblast cells play important endocrine and immune functions critical in supporting pregnancy. Very little is known about the genes and pathways that regulate chorionic girdle trophoblast development. Our aim was to identify genes and signalling pathways active in vivo in equine chorionic girdle trophoblast within a critical 7 days window. We exploited the late implantation of the equine conceptus to obtain trophoblast tissue. An Agilent equine 44K microarray was performed using RNA extracted from Chorionic Girdle and Chorion (control) from equine pregnancy days 27, 30, 31 and 34 (n=5), corresponding to the initiation of chorionic girdle trophoblast proliferation, differentiation and migration. Data was analysed using R packages limma and maSigPro, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and DAVID and verified using qRT-PCR, promoter analysis, western blotting and migration assays. Microarray analysis showed gene expression (absolute log FC > 2, FDR-adjusted P<0.05) was rapidly and specifically induced in the chorionic girdle between days 27 and 34 (compared to day 27, day 30=116, day 31=317, day 34=781 genes). Pathway analysis identified 35 pathways modulated during chorionic girdle development (e.g. FGF, Integrin, Rho GTPases, MAPK) including pathways that have limited description in mammalian trophoblast (e.g. IL-9, CD40 and CD28 signalling). Rho A and ERK/MAPK activity was confirmed as was a role for transcription factor ELF5 in regulation of the CGB promoter. The purity and accessibility of chorionic girdle trophoblast proved to be a powerful resource to identify candidate genes and pathways involved in early equine placental development

Psychometric Evidence of a Multidimensional Measure of Prosocial Behaviors for Spanish Adolescents

Prior theories and scholars rarely distinguished between distinct forms of prosocial behaviors (i.e., actions intended to benefit others) and most scholars operationalize prosocial behaviors as a global construct. Furthermore, stringent tests of psychometric properties of prosocial behavior measures are rare, especially in countries other than the United States. The present study was designed to examine the structure and functions of a multidimensional measure of prosocial behaviors in youth from Spain. Six hundred and 66 adolescents (46% girls; M age = 15.33 years, SD = 0.47 years) from Valencia, Spain, completed the Prosocial Tendencies Measure-Revised (PTM-R), measures of sympathy, perspective taking, and a global measure of prosocial behavior. Results showed that the hypothesized 6-factor structure of the PTM-R had good fit, the best fit model as compared to alternative models, and that there were several unique patterns of relations between specific forms of prosocial behaviors and sympathy, perspective taking, and the global measure of prosocial behavior. Furthermore, although there were significant gender differences in some forms of prosocial behaviors, the structure of the PTM-R was equivalent across gender. Discussion focuses on the implications for theories and measurement of prosocial behaviors

Quantum Electrodynamics at Extremely Small Distances

The asymptotics of the Gell-Mann - Low function in QED can be determined exactly, \beta(g)= g at g\to\infty, where g=e^2 is the running fine structure constant. It solves the problem of pure QED at small distances L and gives the behavior g\sim L^{-2}.Comment: Latex, 6 pages, 1 figure include

Study of the chlorfenvinphos pesticide removal under different anodic materials and different reactor configuration

The present manuscript focuses on the study of the electrochemical oxidation of the insecticide Chlorfenvinphos (CVP). The assays were carried out under galvanostatic conditions using boron-doped diamond (BDD) and lowcost tin dioxide doped with antimony (Sb-doped SnO2) as anodes. The influence of the operating variables, such as applied current density, presence or absence of a cation-exchange membrane and concentration of supporting electrolyte, was discussed. The results revealed that the higher applied current density the higher degradation and mineralization of the insecticide for both anodes. The presence of the membrane and the highest concentration of Na2SO4 studied (0.1 M) as a supporting electrolyte benefited the oxidation process of CVP using the BDD electrode, while with the ceramic anode the elimination of CVP was lower under these experimental conditions. Although the BDD electrode showed the best performance, ceramic anodes appear as an interesting alternative as they were able to degrade CVP completely for the highest applied current density values. Toxicity tests revealed that the initial solution of CVP was more toxic than the samples treated with the ceramic electrode, while using the BDD electrode the toxicity of the sample increased

Assembly and transport of nematic colloidal swarms above photo-patterned defects and surfaces

We investigate the dynamic assembly and swarm translocation of anisometric colloidal particles dispersed in a nematic liquid crystal and driven above a photosensitive surface. We use liquid crystal-enabled electrophoresis to propel these particles via an alternating electric field perpendicular to the sample cell. By manipulating the anchoring conditions on one surface of the experimental cell, we obtain a spatially extended spiral pattern of the liquid crystal orientation that induces the dynamic assembly of a rotating colloidal mill. This structure can be transported by translocating the topological defect above the photosensitive surface. We complement our findings with a theoretical model that captures the basic physics of the process, by formulating an analytic equation for the director field above the surface. Our reconfigurable nematic assemblies may be used as a test bed for complex swarming behaviour in biological and artificial microscale systems

A multiloop improvement of non-singlet QCD evolution equations

An approach is elaborated for calculation of "all loop" contributions to the non-singlet evolution kernels from the diagrams with renormalon chain insertions. Closed expressions are obtained for sums of contributions to kernels $P(z)$ for the DGLAP equation and $V(x,y)$ for the "nonforward" ER-BL equation from these diagrams that dominate for a large value of $b_0$, the first $\beta$-function coefficient. Calculations are performed in the covariant $\xi$-gauge in a MS-like scheme. It is established that a special choice of the gauge parameter $\xi=-3$ generalizes the standard "naive nonabelianization" approximation. The solutions are obtained to the ER-BL evolution equation (taken at the "all loop" improved kernel), which are in form similar to one-loop solutions. A consequence for QCD descriptions of hard processes and the benefits and incompleteness of the approach are briefly discussed.Comment: 13 pages, revtex, 2 figures are enclosed as eps-file, the text style and figures are corrected following version, accepted for publication to Phys. Rev.

Parental Expectations and Prosocial Behavior of Adolescents From Low-Income Backgrounds: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Between Three Countries¿Argentina, Colombia, and Spain

Parental expectations are influenced by cultural models, which in turn are subject to a great influence from historically fluctuating features of the socioeconomic background. Parental expectations seem to be linked to children¿s social and emotional development in terms of empathy and prosocial behavior. The current study aims to (a) compare low-income adolescents¿ perceptions of parental expectations of prosocial and antisocial behavior across three Latin countries (Argentina, Colombia, and Spain), (b) compare the empathy and prosocial behavior between the three countries, (c) compare the prosocial behavior between the three countries, and (d) study the effect of perceived parental expectations and empathy on the prosocial behavior of adolescents in all three of the countries studied in this research. The sample was made up of 446 Argentinean adolescents, 474 Colombian adolescents, and 632 Spanish adolescents. The Expected Parental Reactions Scale, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and Prosocial Behavior Questionnaire were used to measure the variables included in this study. Results reveal considerable differences between children¿s perceptions of parental expectations in different countries. Results also show the existence of significant differences between male and female adolescents. In all three countries, girls score more highly than boys in prosocial behavior and empathy. Furthermore, we find that low-income Argentinean adolescents score more highly than Spanish and Colombian adolescents in prosocial behavior measures. Finally, expected parental reactions toward prosocial behavior and empathy seem to have an influence on the adolescents¿ development of prosocial behavior in all three countries