Oxytocin injections in the postpartal period affect mammary tight junctions in sows

The potential impacts of injecting oxytocin (OXY) to sows in the early postpartum period on the quality of mammary tight junctions, milk composition, and immune status of sows and piglets were studied. Postparturient sows received i.m. injections of either saline (control [CTL]; = 10) or 75 IU of OXY ( = 10). Injections were given twice daily (0800 and 1630 h) starting on d 2 of lactation (i.e., between 12 and 20 h after birth of the last piglet), totaling 4 injections. Milk samples were obtained before the first injection (d 2 morning [AM]), before the second injection (d 2 afternoon [PM]), and on d 4 PM and d 5 PM. Blood samples were obtained from sows before milking on d 2 AM, d 2 PM, and d 5 PM. On d 5 of lactation, a blood sample was obtained from 3 piglets per litter. Circulating concentrations of prolactin, IGF-I, lactose, and IgA in sows did not differ between treatments at any time ( > 0.10), but OXY sows had less IgG than CTL sows ( 0.10). Injecting OXY to sows in the early postpartum period increased leakiness of the mammary tight junctions, improved composition of early milk, and may potentially affect immune status of neonatal piglets

The Construction and (Re)Construction of Mentoring Relations, Conversations, Observations and Cameras

The purpose of this study is to better understand mentoring as a relational process. Employing a constructionist form of Action Research called ‘Appreciative Inquiry’ (AI), twelve teachers, six pairs of Mentors and Newly Qualified Teachers explored through their joint actions with a digital camera, alternative forms of ‘observation’ and ‘feedback’ practices. The study took a fresh theoretical approach to mentoring, enabling the teachers to focus on the ‘positive’ aspects of their mentoring experiences. This approach provided constructionist tools with which to analyse the teachers’ experiences. These included ‘joint action’ (Shotter, 1993); the application of ‘in-vivo’ and ‘values’ coding (Saldana, 2009) and a form of discourse analysis known as ‘Interpretative Repertoires’ (Wetherell and Potter, 1988). Emerging themes showed how the teachers developed an understanding of how they co-constructed their observation and feedback practices; developed their teaching identities; and how filming enabled them to see how their practices connected or disconnected them to children’s learning; resources; the environment; and to the wider school and beyond. Findings show how co-constructed learning with a digital camera can support the professional development of both Mentors and Newly Qualified Teachers as part of the induction process, through everyday local mentoring practices. It also shows how mentoring practices can be more effectively aligned with the GTCS (2012) Standards. This small co-study addresses issues raised in key ‘policy’ texts shaping mentoring practices in Scottish education. For these continue to highlight the need for coherence in the language of ‘mentoring’; how ‘feedback’ might be more productive in supporting Newly Qualified Teachers; how training for Mentors is required and how pedagogical skills might be enhanced through the Mentoring Process (Evaluation of Teaching Scotland’s Future, Scottish Government, March 2016)

Comportement du Porc vis-à-vis du virus de Newcastle

Bück G., Quesnel J.-J., Ramambazafy H.-D. Comportement du Porc vis-à-vis du virus de Newcastle. In: Bulletin de l'Académie Vétérinaire de France tome 107 n°7, 1954. pp. 367-370

Final Report on the Consequences of LHC Civil Engineering for the SPS and LEP

The excavation of the shafts and caverns for the ATLAS and CMS experiments and the transfer lines between the SPS and LHC will start whilst LEP and the SPS are running. This will be during a period when LEP should be at its peak performance and the SPS will be providing beams for LEP, fixed target physics and LHC test beams. Simulations show that movements of the machine tunnels can be expected during the excavation and it is essential that this does not affect the performance of the SPS and LEP. The predicted movements are of sufficient amplitude to prevent machine operation if no precautions are taken. This report contains the conclusions of the working group which has been studying these problems

Ovarian Activity and Oestrous Signs among Group-Housed, Lactating Sows: Influence of Behaviour, Environment and Production

Animal welfare concerns require the development of housing systems that allow the animals to express their natural behaviour. One example of this is the group-housing system for lactating sows. The present study aimed at exploring ovarian activity in such a system. Thirty-eight sows farrowing individually outdoors during spring and summer, and indoors during autumn and winter, and group-housed in groups of four during weeks 3–7 of the lactation period, were monitored regarding reproductive functions, behaviour and production during their first to fourth lactation period. Average ovulation frequency during lactation was 47%. Only 50% of these ovulating cases were accompanied by a standing oestrus. Lactational ovulation frequency was higher in later parities (p < 0.001). Ovulation frequency was higher (p < 0.05) during winter (74%) and spring (69%), than during summer (10%) and autumn (23%). Occurrence of lactational ovulation was associated with some aspects of suckling behaviour and also with litter weight gain (p < 0.05). Forty-nine per cent of the lactational ovulations occurred during the seventh week of lactation. Timing of ovulation seemed positively (p = 0.08) associated with weight loss during lactation. Compared with the sows that were anoestrus during lactation, oestradiol-17β values were higher (p < 0.05) only in the week before occurrence of lactational ovulation. Weaning-to-oestrous interval was prolonged (p < 0.05) among the sows that ovulated during lactation. The present study identifies several factors influencing ovarian activity among group-housed sows, thereby providing tools for the control of lactational ovulation in group-housing systems

Preliminary Report on the Consequences of LHC Civil Engineering for the SPS and LEP

The excavation of the shafts and caverns for the ATLAS and CMS experiments of the LHC will start whilst LEP and the SPS are running. This will be at a period when LEP should be at its peak performance and the SPS will be providing beams for LEP, fixed target physics and LHC test beams. Simulations show that movements of the machine tunnels can be expected during the excavation and it is essential that this does not affect the performance of the SPS and LEP. These movements are of sufficient amplitude to prevent machine operation if no precautions are taken. This preliminary report outlines the problems and suggests what actions should be taken to ensure efficient operation of the SPS and LEP during the critical period

Sleep quality in middle-aged and elderly Chinese: distribution, associated factors and associations with cardio-metabolic risk factors

Background Poor sleep quality has been associated with increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and mortality. However, limited information exists on the distribution and determinants of sleep quality and its associations with cardio-metabolic risk factors in Chinese populations. We aimed to evaluate this in the current study. Methods A cross-sectional survey conducted in 2005 of 1,458 men and 1,831 women aged 50–70 years from urban and rural areas of Beijing and Shanghai. Using a questionnaire, sleep quality was measured in levels of well, common and poor. Comprehensive measures of socio-demographical and health factors and biomarkers of cardio-metabolic disease were recorded. These were evaluated in association with sleep quality using logistic regression models. Results Half of the population reported good sleep quality. After adjusting for potential confounders, women and Beijing residents had almost half the probability to report good sleep quality. Good physical and mental health (good levels of self-rated health (OR 2.48; 95%CI 2.08 to 2.96) and no depression (OR 4.05; 95%CI 3.12 to 5.26)) related to an increased chance of reporting good sleep quality, whereas short sleep duration (<7 hrs OR 0.10; 95%CI 0.07 to 0.14)) decreased it substantially. There were significant associations between levels of sleep quality and concentrations of plasma insulin, total and LDL cholesterol, and index of insulin resistance. Conclusion Levels of good sleep quality in middle-age and elderly Chinese were low. Gender, geographical location, self-rated health, depression and sleep quantity were major factors associated with sleep quality. Prospective studies are required to distil the factors that determine sleep quality and the effects that sleep patterns exert on cardio-metabolic health

Self-rated health in middle-aged and elderly Chinese : distribution, determinants and associations with cardio-metabolic risk factors

Background: Self-rated health (SRH) has been demonstrated to be an accurate reflection of a person's health and a valid predictor of incident mortality and chronic morbidity. We aimed to evaluate the distribution and factors associated with SRH and its association with biomarkers of cardio-metabolic diseases among middle-aged and elderly Chinese. Methods: Survey of 1,458 men and 1,831 women aged 50 to 70 years, conducted in one urban and two rural areas of Beijing and Shanghai in 2005. SRH status was measured and categorized as good (very good and good) vs. not good (fair, poor and very poor). Determinants of SRH and associations with biomarkers of cardio-metabolic diseases were evaluated using logistic regression. Results: Thirty two percent of participants reported good SRH. Males and rural residents tended to report good SRH. After adjusting for potential confounders, residence, physical activity, employment status, sleep quality and presence of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and depression were the main determinants of SRH. Those free from cardiovascular disease (OR 3.68; 95%CI 2.39; 5.66), rural residents (OR 1.89; 95% CI 1.47; 2.43), non-depressed participants (OR 2.50; 95% CI 1.67; 3.73) and those with good sleep quality (OR 2.95; 95% CI 2.22; 3.91) had almost twice or over the chance of reporting good SRH compared to their counterparts. There were significant associations -and trend- between SRH and levels of inflammatory markers, insulin levels and insulin resistance. Conclusion: Only one third of middle-aged and elderly Chinese assessed their health status as good or very good. Although further longitudinal studies are required to confirm our findings, interventions targeting social inequalities, lifestyle patterns might not only contribute to prevent chronic morbidity but as well to improve populations' perceived health