131 research outputs found
Genetic analysis of carcass traits of steers adjusted to age, weight, or fat thickness slaughter endpoints
Carcass measurements from 1,664 steers from the Germ Plasm Utilization project at U.S. Meat Animal Research Center were used to estimate heritabilities (h2) of, and genetic correlations (rg) among, 14 carcass traits adjusted to different endpoints (age, carcass weight, and fat thickness): HCW (kg), dressing percent (DP), adjusted fat thickness (AFT, cm), LM area (LMA, cm2), KPH (%), marbling score (MS), yield grade (YG), predicted percentage of retail product (PRP), retail product weight (RPW, kg), fat weight (FW, kg), bone weight (BNW, kg), actual percentage retail product (RPP), fat percent (FP), and bone percent. Fixed effects in the model included breed group, feed energy level, dam age, birth year, significant (P \u3c 0.05) interactions, covariate for days on feed, and the appropriate covariate for endpoint nested (except age) within breed group. Random effects in the model were additive genetic effect of animal and total maternal effect of dam. Parameters were estimated by REML. For some traits, estimates of h2 and phenotypic variance changed with different endpoints. Estimates of h2 for HCW,DP, RPW, and BNW at constant age, weight, or fat thickness were 0.27, â, and 0.41; 0.19, 0.26, and 0.18; 0.42, 0.32, and 0.50; and 0.43, 0.32, and 0.48, respectively. Magnitude and/or sign of rg also changed across endpoints for 54 of the 91 trait pairs. Estimates for HCW-LMA, AFTRPW, LMA-YG, LMA-PRP, LMA-FW, LMA-RPP, and LMA-FP at constant age, weight, or fat thickness were 0.32, â, and 0.51; â0.26, â0.77, and â; â0.71, â0.89, and â0.66; 0.68, 0.85, and 0.63; â0.16, â0.51, and 0.22; 0.47, 0.57, and 0.27; and â0.44, â0.43, and â0.18, respectively. Fat thickness was highly correlated with YG (0.86 and 0.85 for common age and weight) and PRP (â0.85 and â0.82 for common age and weight), indicating that selection for decreased fat thickness would improve YG and PRP. Carcass quality, however, would be affected negatively because of moderate rg (0.34 and 0.35 for common age and weight) between MS and AFT. Estimates of h2 and phenotypic variance indicate that enough genetic variation exists to change measures of carcass merit by direct selection. For some carcass traits, however, magnitude of change would depend on effect of endpoint on h2 and phenotypic variance. Correlated responses to selection would differ depending on endpoint
Does opening a milk bank in a neonatal unit change infant feeding practices? A before and after study
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Donor human milk banks are much more than simple centers for collection, storage, processing, and distribution of donor human milk, as they cover other aspects and represent a real opportunity to promote and support breastfeeding. The aim of our study is to assess the impact that opening a human milk bank has had on the proportion of infants receiving exclusive breast milk at discharge and other aspects related to feeding children with birth weight < or = 1500 g or < 32 weeks gestation admitted to the neonatal unit.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study included babies of < or = 1500 g or < 32 weeks gestation. Fifty infants born from February to July in 2006, before the opening of the human milk bank, and 54 born from February to July in 2008, after its opening, met inclusive criteria. We collected data about days of hospital stay, hours of life when feeding was started, hours of life when full enteral feeding was attained, the type of milk received during admission, and the type of feeding on discharge.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Children born in 2008 commenced feeding 16 hours earlier than those born in 2006 (p = 0.00). The proportion of infants receiving exclusive breast milk at discharge was 54% in 2006 and 56% in 2008 (p = 0.87). The number of days they received their mother's own milk during the first 28 days of life was 24.2 days in 2006, compared to 23.7 days in 2008 (p = 0.70). In 2006, 60% of infants received infant formula at least once in the first 28 days of life, compared to 37% in 2008 (p = 0.01).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The opening of a donor human milk bank in a neonatal unit did not reduce the proportion of infants exclusively fed with breast milk at discharge, but did reduce the proportion of infants that received infant formula during the first four weeks of life. Also, having donor human milk available enables commencement of enteral feeding earlier.</p
Direct constraint on the distance of y2 Velorum from AMBER/VLTI observations
In this work, we present the first AMBER observations, of the Wolf-Rayet and
O (WR+O) star binary system y2 Velorum. The AMBER instrument was used with the
telescopes UT2, UT3, and UT4 on baselines ranging from 46m to 85m. It delivered
spectrally dispersed visibilities, as well as differential and closure phases,
with a resolution R = 1500 in the spectral band 1.95-2.17 micron. We interpret
these data in the context of a binary system with unresolved components,
neglecting in a first approximation the wind-wind collision zone flux
contribution. We show that the AMBER observables result primarily from the
contribution of the individual components of the WR+O binary system. We discuss
several interpretations of the residuals, and speculate on the detection of an
additional continuum component, originating from the free-free emission
associated with the wind-wind collision zone (WWCZ), and contributing at most
to the observed K-band flux at the 5% level. The expected absolute separation
and position angle at the time of observations were 5.1±0.9mas and
66±15° respectively. However, we infer a separation of
3.62+0.11-0.30 mas and a position angle of 73+9-11°. Our analysis thus
implies that the binary system lies at a distance of 368+38-13 pc, in agreement
with recent spectrophotometric estimates, but significantly larger than the
Hipparcos value of 258+41-31 pc
Near-Infrared interferometry of Eta Carinae with high spatial and spectral resolution using the VLTI and the AMBER instrument
We present the first NIR spectro-interferometry of the LBV Eta Carinae. The K
band observations were performed with the AMBER instrument of the ESO Very
Large Telescope Interferometer using three 8.2m Unit Telescopes with baselines
from 42 to 89m. The aim of this work is to study the wavelength dependence of
Eta Car's optically thick wind region with a high spatial resolution of 5 mas
(11 AU) and high spectral resolution. The medium spectral resolution
observations (R=1,500) were performed in the wavelength range around both the
HeI 2.059 micron and the Br gamma 2.166 micron emission lines, the high
spectral resolution observations (R=12,000) only in the Br gamma line region.
In the K-band continuum, a diameter of 4.0 +/-0.2 mas (Gaussian FWHM, fit range
28-89m) was measured for Eta Car's optically thick wind region. If we fit
Hillier et al. (2001) model visibilities to the observed AMBER visibilities, we
obtain 50 % encircled-energy diameters of 4.2, 6.5 and 9.6mas in the 2.17
micron continuum, the HeI, and the Br gamma emission lines, respectively. In
the continuum near the Br gamma line, an elongation along a position angle of
120+/-15 degrees was found, consistent with previous VLTI/VINCI measurements by
van Boekel et al. (2003). We compare the measured visibilities with predictions
of the radiative transfer model of Hillier et al. (2001), finding good
agreement. Furthermore, we discuss the detectability of the hypothetical hot
binary companion. For the interpretation of the non-zero differential and
closure phases measured within the Br gamma line, we present a simple geometric
model of an inclined, latitude-dependent wind zone. Our observations support
theoretical models of anisotropic winds from fast-rotating, luminous hot stars
with enhanced high-velocity mass loss near the polar regions.Comment: 22 pages, 14 figures, 2 tables; A&A in pres
Use of twitter data for waste minimisation in beef supply chain
Approximately one third of the food produced is discarded or lost, which accounts for 1.3 billion tons per annum. The waste is being generated throughout the supply chain viz. farmers, wholesalers/processors, logistics, retailers and consumers. The majority of waste occurs at the interface of retailers and consumers. Many global retailers are making efforts to extract intelligence from customerâs complaints left at retail store to backtrack their supply chain to mitigate the waste. However, majority of the customers donât leave the complaints in the store because of various reasons like inconvenience, lack of time, distance, ignorance etc. In current digital world, consumers are active on social media and express their sentiments, thoughts, and opinions about a particular product freely. For example, on an average, 45,000 tweets are tweeted daily related to beef products to express their likes and dislikes. These tweets are large in volume, scattered and unstructured in nature. In this study, twitter data is utilised to develop waste minimization strategies by backtracking the supply chain. The execution process of proposed framework is demonstrated for beef supply chain. The proposed model is generic enough and can be applied to other domains as well
Whole genome scan reveals the genetic signature of African Ankole cattle breed and potential for higher quality beef
BACKGROUND: Africa is home to numerous cattle breeds whose diversity has been shaped by subtle combinations of human and natural selection. African Sanga cattle are an intermediate type of cattle resulting from interbreeding between Bos taurus and Bos indicus subspecies. Recently, research has asserted the potential of Sanga breeds for commercial beef production with better meat quality as compared to Bos indicus breeds. Here, we identified meat quality related gene regions that are positively selected in Ankole (Sanga) cattle breeds as compared to indicus (Boran, Ogaden, and Kenana) breeds using cross-population (XP-EHH and XP-CLR) statistical methods. RESULTS: We identified 238 (XP-EHH) and 213 (XP-CLR) positively selected genes, of which 97 were detected from both statistics. Among the genes obtained, we primarily reported those involved in different biological process and pathways associated with meat quality traits. Genes (CAPZB, COL9A2, PDGFRA, MAP3K5, ZNF410, and PKM2) involved in muscle structure and metabolism affect meat tenderness. Genes (PLA2G2A, PARK2, ZNF410, MAP2K3, PLCD3, PLCD1, and ROCK1) related to intramuscular fat (IMF) are involved in adipose metabolism and adipogenesis. MB and SLC48A1 affect meat color. In addition, we identified genes (TIMP2, PKM2, PRKG1, MAP3K5, and ATP8A1) related to feeding efficiency. Among the enriched Gene Ontology Biological Process (GO BP) terms, actin cytoskeleton organization, actin filament-based process, and protein ubiquitination are associated with meat tenderness whereas cellular component organization, negative regulation of actin filament depolymerization and negative regulation of protein complex disassembly are involved in adipocyte regulation. The MAPK pathway is responsible for cell proliferation and plays an important role in hyperplastic growth, which has a positive effect on meat tenderness. CONCLUSION: Results revealed several candidate genes positively selected in Ankole cattle in relation to meat quality characteristics. The genes identified are involved in muscle structure and metabolism, and adipose metabolism and adipogenesis. These genes help in the understanding of the biological mechanisms controlling beef quality characteristics in African Ankole cattle. These results provide a basis for further research on the genomic characteristics of Ankole and other Sanga cattle breeds for quality beef. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12863-016-0467-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users
Infectious and non-infectious diseases burden among Haitian immigrants in Chile: a cross-sectional study
IndexaciĂłn ScopusChile has become a popular destination for migrants from South America and the Caribbean (low- and middle-income countries migration). Close to 200.000 Haitian migrants have arrived in Chile. Infectious and non-infectious disease burden among the Haitian adult population living in Chile is unknown. This study aimed to acquire the basic health information (selected transmissible and non-transmissible conditions) of the Haitian adult population living in Chile. A cross-sectional survey was performed, inviting Haitian-born residents in Chile older than 18 years old. Common conditions and risk factors for disease were assessed, as well as selected transmissible conditions (HIV, HBV, and HCV). 498 participants (60.4% female) from 10 communities in two regions of Chile were surveyed. Most subjects had never smoked (91.5%), and 80% drank less than one alcohol unit per month. The mean BMI was 25.6, with 45% of participants having a normal BMI (20â25). Hypertension was present in 31.5% (33% in the 25â44 age group). Prevalence of HIV was 2.4% (95 CI 1.3â4.2%), hepatitis B (HBsAg positive) was 3.4% (95 CI 2.1â5.5%), and hepatitis C was 0% (95 CI 0.0â0.9%). Quality of life showed a significant prevalence of depression and anxiety markers, particularly in those arriving in Chile less than 1 year ago. Low prevalence of obesity, diabetes, smoking, and drinking and estimated cardiovascular risk were found. Nonetheless, hypertension at a younger age, disproportionately higher prevalence of HIV and HBV infection and frequent markers of anxiety and depression were also found. Public policies for detecting and treating hypertension, HIV, and HBV screening, offering HBV vaccination, and organizing mental health programs for Haitian immigrants, are urgently needed. © 2020, The Author(s).https://www-nature-com.recursosbiblioteca.unab.cl/articles/s41598-020-78970-
Constraining the wind launching region in Herbig Ae stars: AMBER/VLTI spectroscopy of HD 104237
This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from EDP Sciences via the DOI in this record.Aims. We investigate the origin of the BrÎł emission of the Herbig Ae star HD 104237 on Astronomical Unit (AU) scales.
Methods. Using AMBER/VLTI at a spectral resolution R = 1500 we spatially resolve the emission in both the BrÎł line and the adjacent continuum.
Results. The visibility does not vary between the continuum and the BrÎł line, even though the line is strongly detected in the spectrum, with a peak
intensity 35% above the continuum. This demonstrates that the line and continuum emission have similar size scales. We assume that the K-band
continuum excess originates in a âpuffed-upâ inner rim of the circumstellar disk, and discuss the likely origin of BrÎł.
Conclusions. We conclude that this emission most likely arises from a compact disk wind, launched from a region 0.2â0.5 AU from the star, with
a spatial extent similar to that of the near infrared continuum emission region, i.e., very close to the inner rim location.This work has been partly supported by the
MIUR COFIN grant 2003/027003-001 and 025227/2004 to the INAFOsservatorio
Astrofisico di Arcetri. This project has benefited from
funding from the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
(CNRS) through the Institut National des Sciences de lâUnivers
(INSU) and its Programmes Nationaux (ASHRA, PNPS). The authors
from the French laboratories would like to thank the successive
directors of the INSU/CNRS directors. C. Gil work was supported
in part by the FundacžËao para a CiËencia e a Tecnologia through
project POCTI/CTE-AST/55691/2004 from POCTI,with funds from
the European program FEDER
Interferometric data reduction with AMBER/VLTI. Principle, estimators, and illustration
This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from EDP Sciences via the DOI in this record.Aims. In this paper, we present an innovative data reduction method for single-mode interferometry. It has been specifically developed for the
AMBER instrument, the three-beam combiner of the Very Large Telescope Interferometer, but it can be derived for any single-mode interferometer.
Methods. The algorithm is based on a direct modelling of the fringes in the detector plane. As such, it requires a preliminary calibration of the
instrument in order to obtain the calibration matrix that builds the linear relationship between the interferogram and the interferometric observable,
which is the complex visibility. Once the calibration procedure has been performed, the signal processing appears to be a classical least-square
determination of a linear inverse problem. From the estimated complex visibility, we derive the squared visibility, the closure phase, and the
spectral differential phase.
Results. The data reduction procedures have been gathered into the so-called amdlib software, now available for the community, and are presented
in this paper. Furthermore, each step in this original algorithm is illustrated and discussed from various on-sky observations conducted with the
VLTI, with a focus on the control of the data quality and the effective execution of the data reduction procedures. We point out the present limited
performances of the instrument due to VLTI instrumental vibrations which are difficult to calibrate.The AMBER project4 was founded by the French Centre
National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the Max Planck Institute fĂŒr
Radioastronomie (MPIfR) in Bonn, the Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri
(OAA) in Firenze, the French Region âProvence Alpes CĂŽte DâAzurâ and
the European Southern Observatory (ESO). The CNRS funding has been
made through the Institut National des Sciences de lâUnivers (INSU) and its
Programmes Nationaux (ASHRA, PNPS, PNP).
The OAA co-authors acknowledge partial support from MIUR grants to the
Arcetri Observatory: A LBT interferometric arm, and analysis of VLTI interferometric
data and From Stars to Planets: accretion, disk evolution and
planet formation and from INAF grants to the Arcetri Observatory Stellar and
Extragalactic Astrophysics with Optical Interferometry. C. Gil work was supported
in part by the Fundação para a CiĂȘncia e a Tecnologia through project
POCTI/CTE-AST/55691/2004 from POCTI, with funds from the European program
FEDER
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