Factors influencing the price paid for bulls at central test stations in Kansas from 1988-1992

Results of 13 sales of Angus (n=185) and Simmental (n=544) bulls at central bull tests in Kansas from 1988 through 1992 were analyzed to determine the relationship between performance and the price received. The Kansas bull test index (based 50% on weight per- day-of-age and 50% on test ADG) was the most significant single factor determining price in both Angus and Simmental bulls. Birth weight, final weight, and frame score were other major contributors to price in Angus bulls, whereas weaning weight ratio, birth weight, and being polled were important in Simmental bulls. Expected progeny differences made small but significant (P<.05) contributions in Angus bulls but not in Simmental bulls

Effects of dietary energy on reproductive function and production in suckled beef cows

Twenty-eight Hereford x Angus cows were utilized to determine the effects of dietary energy level before and after calving on reproductive function and production in suckled beef cows. Low levels of dietary energy before calving resulted in losses of body composition prior to calving, reduced calf birth weight, lengthened intervals from calving to ovulation, and decreased milk production and calf weight at 70 d of age (P\u3c.05). Low levels of dietary energy after calving decreased measures of body composition after calving, reduced the percentage of cows that ovulated following calving, and decreased cow milk production and calf weight at 70 d of age (P\u3c .05). We conclude that dietary energy before and after calving impacts the reproductive function and production of suckled beef cows

What are the resourcing requirements for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care research project?

Objective and importance: To explore the role of resourcing during an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care research project. Study type: Process evaluation using grounded theory approaches of a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research project (N = 500) named Getting it Right: the validation study. Methods: Qualitative semistructured interviews with 36 primary health care staff and 4 community members from 9 of 10 primary health care services involved in the research project. Interviews included questions about the resources needed to conduct the research project, including fexible reimbursement to participating services (allocated within services), human resources and reimbursement to research participants (vouchers). Qualitative data were triangulated with participant feedback, study administrative data and feld notes kept by the interviewer. Results: Three themes were identifed: 1) the infuence of reimbursement on participating services and the research project; 2) the infuence of human resources on the research project at participating services; and 3) the consequences of offering vouchers to reimburse research participants. Reimbursement was allocated to research expenses (human resources and logistics) or non-research expenses (service operations, equipment and conference attendance costs). Most services opted to offer vouchers to compensate participants for their time, which staff considered was appropriate recognition of participants’ contributions and facilitated recruitment. Some staff described some potential unintended negative consequences from offering vouchers, including creating a welfare mentality or creating problematic expectations. Conclusion: Primary health care research should have suffcient resourcing available, including human resource capacity, to achieve research targets. Research planning should include consideration of the existing commitments, priorities and human capacity needs of services and patients.Sara Farnbacha, Graham Geec, Anne-Marie Eadesa, John Robert Evanse, Jamie Fernandog, Belinda Hammond, Matty Simms, Karrina DeMasi, Nick Glozier, Maree L Hackett, on behalf of the Getting it Right Investigator

Psychosocial Treatment of Children in Foster Care: A Review

A substantial number of children in foster care exhibit psychiatric difficulties. Recent epidemiologi-cal and historical trends in foster care, clinical findings about the adjustment of children in foster care, and adult outcomes are reviewed, followed by a description of current approaches to treatment and extant empirical support. Available interventions for these children can be categorized as either symptom-focused or systemic, with empirical support for specific methods ranging from scant to substantial. Even with treatment, behavioral and emotional problems often persist into adulthood, resulting in poor functional outcomes. We suggest that self-regulation may be an important mediat-ing factor in the appearance of emotional and behavioral disturbance in these children

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

Performance and carcass characteristics of cull beef cows implanted with growth promotants and fed a high concentrate ration

Open, cull beef cows fed a high concentrate ration for 28 or 56 days and implanted with Finaplix-H®, Synovex-H®, or both had improved gain and feed efficiency compared to controls (nonimplanted cows). Changes in ultrasound-measured backfat (12th rib) of implanted cows and controls were similar in both feeding periods. Marbling, fat color, and tenderness, as measured by Warner-Bratzler shear force, were not improved by feeding cows for 56 days compared to 28 days. However, lean color, dressing percent, and ribeye area were improved by feeding for 56 days. Numerical yield grade was lower (P<.05) in 28-day fed cows. Implanting with Synovex-H or Finaplix-H resulted in leaner carcasses with lower yield grades compared to controls. Ribeye area was increased by using Synovex-H compared to controls and Finaplix- H. These data indicate that the benefits in gain, feed efficiency, and carcass traits from implanting cull cows can be obtained by using either Synovex-H or Finaplix-H alone