Prevalence of BoHV-1 seropositive and BVD virus positive bulls on Irish dairy farms and associations between bull purchase and herd status

peer-reviewedBackground BVD and IBR are contagious viral diseases highly prevalent in Irish cattle. Despite their significant reproductive and economic impact very little is known about the BVD and IBR status of stock bulls (a bull used for breeding purposes). There are still a high proportion of dairy farms in Ireland that rely on the use of a bull for breeding cattle and ensuring the fertility of the bulls is of paramount importance for the efficiency of the farms. The prevalence of BoHV-1 and BVD in stock bulls in Irish dairy herds has never been investigated. The objectives of this study therefore were: (i) to provide descriptive, observational data on the use of stock bulls on Irish dairy farms; (ii) to investigate the BVD and BoHV1 status of a sub-set of stock bulls; (iii) to investigate factors associated with BVD and BoHV1 status of stock bulls and (iv) to investigate factors associated with dairy herd status for BVD and BoHV1, including any associations with the use of stock bull. A total of 529 blood samples from bulls involved in the dairy breeding process were analysed for BVD virus using RT-PCR, and BoHV-1 antibodies by ELISA test. A total of 305 different dairy herds took part in the study and the overall BVD and BoHV-1 herd status was determined by ELISA using four bulk tank milk samples over the 2009 lactation. Logistic regression was used to investigate the associations between the stock bulls and BVD and BoHV-1 herd and individual status. Results Of the 305 total participating farms, 235 farms (77 %) had at least one bull and 167 farms had purchased bulls. Two bulls (0.4 %) out of 529 tested were found positive for BVD virus and 87 (16.7 %) tested seropositive for BoHV-1. Some significant associations were identified between the purchase of bulls and both viral diseases. Purchased bulls were three times more likely to be seropositive for BoHV-1 than homebred bulls. In the same way, herds with purchased bulls were three times more likely to be classified as seropositive for BVD and four times more likely to have evidence of recent BoHV-1 circulation than farms where all the bulls were homebred. Conclusions The prevalence of BoHV-1 and BVD in stock bulls in Irish dairy herds has never been investigated. This study highlights the widespread use of stock bulls in Irish dairy herds, as well as the high rate of exchange of bulls between farms. Significant associations were found between the origin of the bull and their serological BoHV-1 status. In keeping with these results, bulls with higher number movements between farms were more likely to be seropositive for BoHV-1

Engaging Disadvantaged Young People in the Course of Their Lives: The Importance of Staff/Student Relationships in Alternative Education

Students who drop out, or disengage, prior to completing secondary education are at an increased risk of a range of poor social and well-being outcomes, and in turn experience reduced opportunities over the course of their lives. Although there is a body of literature identifying strategies within educational settings to counter risk factors for young people dropping out, little is known about perceptions of students in receipt of these strategies. This paper reports on a study conducted within a high school in Melbourne, Australia. Most students attending the school are at high risk of dropping out due to socio-cultural, behavioral, or mental health issues. The school utilizes alternative education practices to provide a calm and therapeutic environment to re-engage students with education, while providing a curriculum that adheres to mainstream standards. This paper reports on findings from an online questionnaire conducted with 62 students attending the school. The findings suggest that the students disengaged from mainstream schools because of a lack of support from their teachers, bullying, or behavioral issues. Students described their reasons for re-engaging with this current school as being the culture and structure of the school as well as their relationships with staff. Based on these findings, it appears that positive staff/student relationships developed and maintained under the therapeutic approach may be an effective strategy for engaging young people in education

The family and romantic relationships of trans and gender diverse Australians: an exploratory survey

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in SEXUAL AND RELATIONSHIP THERAPY on 3 January 2015, available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/10.1080/14681994.2014.992409. Author version made available in accordance with the publisher's policy, under embargo for a period of 12 months from the date of publication.The present paper contributes an Australian focus to the growing body of research on trans and gender diverse people’s family and romantic relationships. A survey designed by the authors was completed by 160 trans or gender diverse Australians. A negative correlation was found between discrimination from families of origin and perceptions of support, and conversely a positive correlation was found between perceptions of support and emotional closeness. Analysis of open-ended responses suggested that support was primarily constituted by 1) emotional support, 2), utilising correct pronouns and names, and 3) financial support. Discrimination by families of origin was primarily constituted by 1) refusal to use correct pronouns and names, 2) exclusion from family events, and 3) pathologising responses. The findings in regards to romantic relationships suggest that trans women were more likely than trans men or gender diverse people to experience challenges in negotiating romantic relationships. A negative correlation was found between difficulties in negotiating romantic relationships and belief in the likelihood that an ‘ideal’ romantic relationship would occur in the future. Difficulties in negotiating romantic relationships were primarily described in terms of 1) anxiety over potential responses, 2) discrimination from potential partners, and 3) lack of self-acceptance. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for clinical practice

Movement, knowledge, emotion : gay activists and the Australian AIDS movement

This thesis examines community activism around HIV/AIDS in Australia. Specifically, it looks at the role that the gay community played in the social, medical and political response to the virus. Drawing conclusions about the cultural impact of social movements, the thesis argues that AIDS activism contributed to improving social attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. It also concludes that AIDS activism challenged some entrenched cultural patterns of the medical system in Australia, allowing greater scope for non-medical intervention into the domain of health and illness. The thesis draws on a range of sources, including archival documents and indepth interviews, to create a narrative history of the development of AIDS activism. Drawing from social movement theory, the thesis looks at the structure and form of the 'AIDS movement' to explain how it mobilised as it did. The narrative history approach enables the study to detail the rise of the AIDS movement in historical context, exploring it as a product of the history of homosexual discrimination and marginalisation in Australia. The thesis also highlights the role that emotions such as fear, anger and trust/mistrust played in both motivating and framing movement action. While the thesis is a study of the impact of a social movement, it does not attempt to measure, in a positivistic sense, the tangible outcomes of the AIDS movement. Rather, it looks for shifts in cultural codes or new knowledges that were produced by movement action - what has been termed the 'hidden efficacy' of a social movement. This approach draws on the sociology of knowledge, looking at the way AIDS activists interjected new 'ways of knowing' into existing social discourses about homosexuality as well about as public health and medicine. Part one of the thesis is about the history of homosexuality in Australia and the rise of the AIDS movement. It also details the way in which the AIDS movement was able to influence public attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. Part two of the thesis looks at the way in which the AIDS movement challenged the entrenched authority of western medical professionals in the public health sector by demonstrating an alternative, socially-oriented approach to HIV prevention. AIDS activists introduced an alternative framework of knowledge to the medical arena, emphasising the relevance of 'non-medical' knowledge to clinical decision making. Part three of the thesis looks at the way in which AIDS activists confronted the stigma and shame surrounding HIV/AIDS by creating memorials to people who had died from AIDS. These memorials deliberately sought to replace feelings of shame associated with HIV/AIDS by legitimising and paying respect to feelings of grief related to AIDS. This study shows how social movement action is co-currently emotionally, historically and intellectually derived - in this case a product of the fear, grief and anger associated with AIDS converging with the history and political capacity of gay men in Australia. The thesis concludes that a detailed historical reading of movement action can reveal the areas where movements have challenged conventional cultural, moral or social codes. Social movements contribute to the cultural stories and moral scripts that determine how we perceive the world

Gay men's experience of surrogacy clinics in India

Author version made available in accordance with publisher copyright policy.Abstract: While growing numbers of Australian gay men are entering into 'offshore' surrogacy arrangements in order to become parents, little empirical research has been conducted with this population. This paper reports on a qualitative analysis of interviews with 12 gay men who had entered into surrogacy arrangements in India. The findings outline both positive and negative experiences in terms of support pre-­‐conception, during the birth and post-­‐birth. Changes to legislation in India mean that gay men can no longer access surrogacy services there, but it is important to understand the experiences of men who had previously accessed those services. The paper concludes by highlighting aspects of the data that demonstrate the particular experiences of gay men who undertake offshore surrogacy arrangements, especially with regard to their need for support and involvement in all aspects of the process. A more thoroughly developed network of care may help to facilitate such support and this may further increase the positive outcomes reported by gay men who form families through surrogacy arrangements

Imagining parenthood: the possibilities and experiences of parenthood among transgender people

Abstract This paper reports on a qualitative study exploring the ways in which transgender adults imagine a place for parenthood in their lives, and/or the ways they have negotiated parenthood with their transgender identity. A total of 13 transgender adults (including parents and non-parents) were interviewed with respect to their thoughts and experiences about family, relationships and parenting. The study sought to understand the possibilities for parenthood that transgender people create, despite barriers imposed by restrictive laws, medical practices and cultural attitudes. Interview data showed how normative assumptions about gender and parenthood shape the way people imagined and desired parenthood. It also showed how participants re-appropriated and resisted normative cultural scripts by either reimagining parenthood in different terms (such as step-parenthood) or by creating different family forms, such as co-parented families. Participants reported a variety of experiences with healthcare providers when it came to conversations about fertility preservation and family building