Biochemical profile of heifers with spontaneous humeral fractures suggest that protein-energy malnutrition could be an important factor in the pathology of this disease.

CAUL Read and Publish Agreement.CASE HISTORY: Serum and liver samples from 35, 2-year-old dairy heifers that had fractured one or both humeri post-calving between July and December 2019 were submitted to a diagnostic laboratory for analysis. Serum samples were analysed for albumin, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), creatinine, Ca, Mg, phosphate, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and serum Cu concentration. Liver samples were analysed for liver Cu concentration. Data were compared to published reference intervals. Data values for heifers that prior to fracture had grazed fodder beet were also compared to values for those that had grazed pasture. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Sixty-nine percent of heifers with humeral fracture had serum creatinine concentrations below the lower value of the reference range (55-130 µmol/L). In 3/32 (9%) heifers, serum NEFA concentrations were increased above the reference value indicating body fat mobilisation (≥1.2 mmol/L for peri-partum cows) and in 20/35 (57%) heifers BHB serum concentrations were above the reference value indicating subclinical ketosis (≥1.1 mmol/L for peri-partum cows). In 24/35 (69%) heifers, liver Cu concentration was low (≤ 44 µmol/kg) or marginal (45-94 µmol/kg). The concentration of Cu in serum was low (≤ 4.5 µmol/L) in 2/33 (6%) heifers and marginal (4.6-7.9 µmol/L) in 5/33 (15%) heifers. There was moderate positive correlation between the logged concentrations of Cu in paired liver and serum samples, r(31) = 0.43; (95% CI = 0.1-0.79; p = 0.014). One heifer had a serum phosphate concentration below the lower limit of the reference range (< 1.10 mmol/L). For all heifers, the concentrations of albumin, Ca, and Mg in serum were within the reference intervals (23-38 g/L, 2.00-2.60 mmol/L, and 0.49-1.15 mmol/L respectively). Over winter, 15/35 (43%) heifers grazed predominantly pasture, 14/35 (40%) grazed fodder beet and 6/35 (17%) had a mixed diet. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In some of these heifers with humeral fractures, there was evidence for protein and/or energy malnutrition in the form of elevated NEFA and BHB concentrations and low creatinine concentrations in serum. Liver Cu concentrations were also reduced in most affected heifers. However, the absence of a control group means it is not possible to determine if these are risk factors for fracture or features common to all periparturient heifers. Clinical trials and molecular studies are needed to determine the true contribution of Cu and protein-energy metabolism to the pathogenesis of spontaneous humeral fractures in dairy heifers. ABBREVIATIONS: BHB: ß-hydroxybutyrate; NEFA: Non-esterified fatty acids.Publishe

Bone quality changes as measured by Raman and FTIR spectroscopy in primiparous cows with humeral fracture from New Zealand.

The occurrence of spontaneous humeral fractures in primiparous dairy cows from New Zealand prompted the study of bone material from affected cows to further characterize this condition and to outline a likely pathogenesis. Previous studies indicate that these cows developed osteoporosis due to periods of suboptimal bone formation followed by increased bone resorption during the period of lactation complicated by copper deficiency. We hypothesized that there are significant differences in the chemical composition/bone quality in bones from cows with spontaneous humeral fracture compared to cows without humeral fractures. In this study, Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy band ratios were, for the first time, measured, calculated, and compared in bone samples from 67 primiparous dairy cows that suffered a spontaneous fracture of the humerus and 14 age-matched post-calving cows without humeral fractures. Affected bone showed a significantly reduced mineral/matrix ratio, increased bone remodeling, newer bone tissue with lower mineralization and, lower carbonate substitution, and reduced crystallinity. As such, is likely that these have detrimentally impacted bone quality and strength in affected cows.Published onlin

Fully-Unintegrated Parton Distribution and Fragmentation Functions at Perturbative k_T

We define and study the properties of generalized beam functions (BFs) and fragmenting jet functions (FJFs), which are fully-unintegrated parton distribution functions (PDFs) and fragmentation functions (FFs) for perturbative k_T. We calculate at one loop the coefficients for matching them onto standard PDFs and FFs, correcting previous results for the BFs in the literature. Technical subtleties when measuring transverse momentum in dimensional regularization are clarified, and this enables us to renormalize in momentum space. Generalized BFs describe the distribution in the full four-momentum k_mu of a colliding parton taken out of an initial-state hadron, and therefore characterize the collinear initial-state radiation. We illustrate their importance through a factorization theorem for pp -> l^+ l^- + 0 jets, where the transverse momentum of the lepton pair is measured. Generalized FJFs are relevant for the analysis of semi-inclusive processes where the full momentum of a hadron, fragmenting from a jet with constrained invariant mass, is measured. Their significance is shown for the example of e^+ e^- -> dijet+h, where the perpendicular momentum of the fragmenting hadron with respect to the thrust axis is measured.Comment: Journal versio

Metabonomics and Intensive Care

This article is one of ten reviews selected from the Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency medicine 2016. Other selected articles can be found online at http://www.biomedcentral.com/collections/annualupdate2016. Further information about the Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine is available from http://www.springer.com/series/8901

No Detectable Fertility Benefit from a Single Additional Mating in Wild Stalk-Eyed Flies

Background: Multiple mating by female insects is widespread, and the explanation(s) for repeated mating by females has been the subject of much discussion. Females may profit from mating multiply through direct material benefits that increase their own reproductive output, or indirect genetic benefits that increase offspring fitness. One particular direct benefit that has attracted significant attention is that of fertility assurance, as females often need to mate multiply to achieve high fertility. This hypothesis has never been tested in a wild insect population.Methodology/Principal Findings: Female Malaysian stalk-eyed flies (Teleopsis dalmanni) mate repeatedly during their lifetime, and have been shown to be sperm limited under both laboratory and field conditions. Here we ask whether receiving an additional mating alleviates sperm limitation in wild females. In our experiment one group of females received a single additional mating, while a control group received an interrupted, and therefore unsuccessful, mating. Females that received an additional mating did not lay more fertilised eggs in total, nor did they lay proportionately more fertilised eggs. Female fertility declined significantly through time, demonstrating that females were sperm limited. However, receipt of an additional mating did not significantly alter the rate of this decline.Conclusions/Significance: Our data suggest that the fertility consequences of a single additional mating were small. We discuss this effect (or lack thereof), and suggest that it is likely to be attributed to small ejaculate size, a high proportion of failed copulations, and the presence of X-linked meiotic drive in this species

Interpolated sequences and critical LL-values of modular forms

Recently, Zagier expressed an interpolated version of the Ap\'ery numbers for $\zeta(3)$ in terms of a critical $L$-value of a modular form of weight 4. We extend this evaluation in two directions. We first prove that interpolations of Zagier's six sporadic sequences are essentially critical $L$-values of modular forms of weight 3. We then establish an infinite family of evaluations between interpolations of leading coefficients of Brown's cellular integrals and critical $L$-values of modular forms of odd weight.Comment: 23 pages, to appear in Proceedings for the KMPB conference: Elliptic Integrals, Elliptic Functions and Modular Forms in Quantum Field Theor

Long term time variability of cosmic rays and possible relevance to the development of life on Earth

An analysis is made of the manner in which the cosmic ray intensity at Earth has varied over its existence and its possible relevance to both the origin and the evolution of life. Much of the analysis relates to the 'high energy' cosmic rays ($E>10^{14}eV;=0.1PeV$) and their variability due to the changing proximity of the solar system to supernova remnants which are generally believed to be responsible for most cosmic rays up to PeV energies. It is pointed out that, on a statistical basis, there will have been considerable variations in the likely 100 My between the Earth's biosphere reaching reasonable stability and the onset of very elementary life. Interestingly, there is the increasingly strong possibility that PeV cosmic rays are responsible for the initiation of terrestrial lightning strokes and the possibility arises of considerable increases in the frequency of lightnings and thereby the formation of some of the complex molecules which are the 'building blocks of life'. Attention is also given to the well known generation of the oxides of nitrogen by lightning strokes which are poisonous to animal life but helpful to plant growth; here, too, the violent swings of cosmic ray intensities may have had relevance to evolutionary changes. A particular variant of the cosmic ray acceleration model, put forward by us, predicts an increase in lightning rate in the past and this has been sought in Korean historical records. Finally, the time dependence of the overall cosmic ray intensity, which manifests itself mainly at sub-10 GeV energies, has been examined. The relevance of cosmic rays to the 'global electrical circuit' points to the importance of this concept.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figures, accepted by 'Surveys in Geophysics

A morphometric analysis of the infant calvarium and dura

Literature addressing the anatomic development of the dura and calvarium during childhood is limited. Nevertheless, histological features of a subdural neomembrane (NM), including its thickness and vascularity, developing in response to an acute subdural hematoma (SDH) have been compared to the dura of adults to estimate when an injury occurred. Therefore, we measured the morphometric growth of the calvarium and dura and the vascular density within the dura during infancy. The mean thicknesses of the calvarium and dura as a function of occipitofrontal circumference (OFC), as well as the mean number of vessels per 25× field, were determined from the right parasagittal midparietal bone lateral to the sagittal suture of 128 infants without a history of head trauma. Our results showed that as OFC increased, the mean thicknesses of the calvarium and dura increased while the vascular density within the dura decreased. Our morphometric data may assist in the interpretation of subdural NM occurring during infancy. We recommend future investigations to confirm and extend our present data, especially by evaluating cases during later infancy and beyond as well as by sampling other anatomic sites from the calvarium. We also recommend morphometric evaluation of subdural NM associated with SDH in infancy and childhood

On a theorem of Y. Miyashita

Background: Portion size is an important driver of larger meals. However, effects on food choice remain unclear. Objective: Our aim was to identify how portion size influences the effect of palatability and expected satiety on choice. Methods: In Study 1, adult participants (n = 24, 87.5% women) evaluated the palatability and expected satiety of 5 lunchtime meals and ranked them in order of preference. Separate ranks were elicited for equicaloric portions from 100 to 800 kcal (100-kcal steps). In Study 2, adult participants (n = 24, 75% women) evaluated 9 meals and ranked 100–600 kcal portions in 3 contexts (scenarios), believing that 1) the next meal would be at 1900, 2) they would receive only a bite of one food, and 3) a favorite dish would be offered immediately afterwards. Regression analysis was used to quantify predictors of choice. Results: In Study 1, the extent to which expected satiety and palatability predicted choice was highly dependent on portion size (P < 0.001). With smaller portions, expected satiety was a positive predictor, playing a role equal to palatability (100-kcal portions: expected satiety, β: 0.42; palatability, β: 0.46). With larger portions, palatability was a strong predictor (600-kcal portions: β: 0.53), and expected satiety was a poor or negative predictor (600-kcal portions: β: −0.42). In Study 2, this pattern was moderated by context (P = 0.024). Results from scenario 1 replicated Study 1. However, expected satiety was a poor predictor in both scenario 2 (expected satiety was irrelevant) and scenario 3 (satiety was guaranteed), and palatability was the primary driver of choice across all portions. Conclusions: In adults, expected satiety influences food choice, but only when small equicaloric portions are compared. Larger portions not only promote the consumption of larger meals, but they encourage the adoption of food choice strategies motivated solely by palatability

Force-Controlled Balance Perturbations Associated with Falls in Older People: A Prospective Cohort Study

Balance recovery from an unpredictable postural perturbation can be a challenging task for many older people and poor recovery could contribute to their risk of falls. This study examined associations between responses to unpredictable perturbations and fall risk in older people. 242 older adults (80.064.4 years) underwent assessments of stepping responses to multi-directional force-controlled waist-pull perturbations. Participants returned monthly falls calendars for the subsequent 12 months. Future falls were associated with lower force thresholds for stepping in the posterior and lateral but not anterior directions. Those with lower posterior force thresholds for stepping were 68% more likely to fall at home than those with higher force thresholds for stepping. These results suggest that amount of force that can be withstood following an unpredictable balance perturbation predicts future falls in community-dwelling older adults. Perturbations in the posterior direction best discriminated between future fallers and non-fallers