EFFECT OF INCREASED MILKING FREQUENCY DURING EARLY LACTATION ON PERFORMANCE, METABOLISM, AND MAMMARY CELL PROLIFERATION OF DAIRY COWS

Researchers have been interested in increased milking frequency (IMF) during early lactation only as a management practice to increase lactational milk yield. Initial work suggested that effects of early lactation IMF on milk yield persisted after cows returned to a normal milking frequency scheme, although milk yield responses have been variable among studies. The first study (Chapter II) was designed to test the consistency of the milk yield responses to early lactation IMF under different management conditions on four commercial dairy farms. Cows (n=421) were enrolled in this study and assigned within farm at calving to either a 2x control treatment or a 4x IMF treatment for the first 21 d postpartum followed by a return to 2x milking. Cows milked 4x were milked at the beginning and end of each scheduled milking. This resulted in minimal milking intervals for the 4x cows of 3.5, 4, 5, 5.5, and 6 h for the four farms, respectively. Milk yield and component responses were evaluated on three of the farms across the first 7 monthly test days. Early lactation IMF increased overall milk yield by 2.1 kg/d on these farms (P < 0.01). Analysis by farm suggested that the magnitude of the response was farm-dependent and ranged from 4 to 10%. Early lactation IMF generally decreased milk component percentages but increased component yields. The treatment had no effect on BCS on any of the farms; however, circulating NEFA in serum samples collected during the period of IMF were increased in two farms and not affected in the other two, suggesting the influence of farm-specific factors. In the second experiment (Chapter III), metabolic responses to early lactation IMF and mammary cell dynamics were evaluated. Primiparous (n=30) and multiparous (n=30) Holstein cows at the Cornell University Dairy Teaching and Research Center were assigned at calving to one of 2 treatments. The control group was milked 2x for 119 d while the IMF group was milked 4x from d 2 postcalving until d 21 and 2x from d 22 until d 119. Overall responses of milk yield to early lactation IMF were not significant over the first 119 d postpartum; however, the interaction of treatment by week was significant in that IMF cows yielded 4.8 kg/d more milk than control cows during wk 2 and 3, but had comparable milk yields to controls thereafter. Milk component yields did not differ between treatments. Milk yield responses to IMF were apparent in primiparous cows when cows that did not receive mammary biopsies were analyzed separately. Early lactation IMF increased dry matter intake during the first 21 d postcalving but not the 119-d postpartum period. Early lactation IMF did not affect BCS or BW. Concentrations of plasma NEFA were increased in multiparous but not primiparous cows during the period of IMF, suggesting that energy status of multiparous cows may have limited their responses to early lactation IMF. Concentrations of plasma BHBA were not affected by treatment. Mammary tissue was collected by biopsy in a subset of cows (n=8 cows per lactation group and treatment) at calving and at 21 and 75 d postpartum and used for immunohistochemical localization of Ki-67. A treatment by day interaction existed for the percentage of labeled epithelial cells such that the IMF treated cows had a lower percentage of labeled epithelial cells on d 21 but a higher percentage at d 75. Further analysis is needed for determination of apoptosis rates to determine difference in cell turnover between treatments as well as cell activity in order to pinpoint possible mechanisms for the milk yield responses to early lactation IMF

Pension System Reform: The Mexican Case

The paper analyzes the Mexican pension reform of December 1995. Essentially, the reform substituted a defined-benefit pay-as-you-go system with a fully funded defined contribution system based" on individual accounts with a minimum pension guarantee provided by the government. Total contributions to the accounts will amount to 13.5 percent of the salary for the average worker plus 2.5 percent for disability and life insurance that will still be managed by the government's Social Security Institute (IMSS). The new system shares many common elements with other Latin American experiences. However, it shows some advantages and disadvantages with respect to them. Regarding the advantages, the new system completely substitutes the old system; administrative costs are reduced by limiting the number of transfers between pension fund managers to once per year; pension managers are allowed to operate several funds; the law does not establish a minimum guaranteed rate of return for pension funds; and there is a centralized contributions collector agency. Disadvantages include the prohibition of the funds from investing in foreign securities; the IMSS is the sole provider of disability and life insurance; the IMSS will be able to operate a pension fund manager; the housing subaccount offers low returns; there are market share limits; and the new system still faces some portability problems. Finally, we found that the fiscal cost of the transition to the new system is relatively low compared to similar reforms in other Latin American countries.

Critically short telomeres and toxicity of chemotherapy in early breast cancer

Cumulative toxicity from weekly paclitaxel (myalgia, peripheral neuropathy, fatigue) compromises long-term administration. Preclinical data suggest that the burden of critically short telomeres ( 21.9% CSTs) had 2-fold higher number of neuropathy (P = 0.04) or fatigue (P = 0.019) episodes and >3-fold higher number of myalgia episodes (P = 0.005). The average telomere length was unrelated to the incidence of side effects.The percentage of CSTs, but not the average telomere size, is associated with weekly paclitaxel-derived toxicity.This work was supported by the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria [FIS PI10/00288 and FIS PI13/00430]; AECC Scientific Foundation [Beca de Retorno-2010, to MQF]; Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness Projects [SAF2013-45111-R]; Madrid Regional Government Projects [S2010/BMD- 2303]; AXA Research Found; Fundación Botin; AVON Spain; and Boehringer-Ingelheim Spain.S

A concept for international societally relevant microbiology education and microbiology knowledge promulgation in society

Microbes are all pervasive in their distribution and influence on the functioning and well-being of humans, life in general and the planet. Microbially-based technologies contribute hugely to the supply of important goods and services we depend upon, such as the provision of food, medicines and clean water. They also offer mechanisms and strategies to mitigate and solve a wide range of problems and crises facing humanity at all levels, including those encapsulated in the sustainable development goals (SDGs) formulated by the United Nations. For example, microbial technologies can contribute in multiple ways to decarbonisation and hence confronting global warming, provide sanitation and clean water to the billions of people lacking them, improve soil fertility and hence food production and develop vaccines and other medicines to reduce and in some cases eliminate deadly infections. They are the foundation of biotechnology, an increasingly important and growing business sector and source of employment, and the centre of the bioeconomy, Green Deal, etc. But, because microbes are largely invisible, they are not familiar to most people, so opportunities they offer to effectively prevent and solve problems are often missed by decision-makers, with the negative consequences this entrains. To correct this lack of vital knowledge, the International Microbiology Literacy Initiative–the IMiLI–is recruiting from the global microbiology community and making freely available, teaching resources for a curriculum in societally relevant microbiology that can be used at all levels of learning. Its goal is the development of a society that is literate in relevant microbiology and, as a consequence, able to take full advantage of the potential of microbes and minimise the consequences of their negative activities. In addition to teaching about microbes, almost every lesson discusses the influence they have on sustainability and the SDGs and their ability to solve pressing problems of societal inequalities. The curriculum thus teaches about sustainability, societal needs and global citizenship. The lessons also reveal the impacts microbes and their activities have on our daily lives at the personal, family, community, national and global levels and their relevance for decisions at all levels. And, because effective, evidence-based decisions require not only relevant information but also critical and systems thinking, the resources also teach about these key generic aspects of deliberation. The IMiLI teaching resources are learner-centric, not academic microbiology-centric and deal with the microbiology of everyday issues. These span topics as diverse as owning and caring for a companion animal, the vast range of everyday foods that are produced via microbial processes, impressive geological formations created by microbes, childhood illnesses and how they are managed and how to reduce waste and pollution. They also leverage the exceptional excitement of exploration and discovery that typifies much progress in microbiology to capture the interest, inspire and motivate educators and learners alike. The IMiLI is establishing Regional Centres to translate the teaching resources into regional languages and adapt them to regional cultures, and to promote their use and assist educators employing them. Two of these are now operational. The Regional Centres constitute the interface between resource creators and educators–learners. As such, they will collect and analyse feedback from the end-users and transmit this to the resource creators so that teaching materials can be improved and refined, and new resources added in response to demand: educators and learners will thereby be directly involved in evolution of the teaching resources. The interactions between educators–learners and resource creators mediated by the Regional Centres will establish dynamic and synergistic relationships–a global societally relevant microbiology education ecosystem–in which creators also become learners, teaching resources are optimised and all players/stakeholders are empowered and their motivation increased. The IMiLI concept thus embraces the principle of teaching societally relevant microbiology embedded in the wider context of societal, biosphere and planetary needs, inequalities, the range of crises that confront us and the need for improved decisioning, which should ultimately lead to better citizenship and a humanity that is more sustainable and resilient. The biosphere of planet Earth is a microbial world: a vast reactor of countless microbially driven chemical transformations and energy transfers that push and pull many planetary geochemical processes, including the cycling of the elements of life, mitigate or amplify climate change (e.g., Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2019, 17, 569) and impact the well-being and activities of all organisms, including humans. Microbes are both our ancestors and creators of the planetary chemistry that allowed us to evolve (e.g., Life's engines: How microbes made earth habitable, 2023). To understand how the biosphere functions, how humans can influence its development and live more sustainably with the other organisms sharing it, we need to understand the microbes. In a recent editorial (Environmental Microbiology, 2019, 21, 1513), we advocated for improved microbiology literacy in society. Our concept of microbiology literacy is not based on knowledge of the academic subject of microbiology, with its multitude of component topics, plus the growing number of additional topics from other disciplines that become vitally important elements of current microbiology. Rather it is focused on microbial activities that impact us–individuals/communities/nations/the human world–and the biosphere and that are key to reaching informed decisions on a multitude of issues that regularly confront us, ranging from personal issues to crises of global importance. In other words, it is knowledge and understanding essential for adulthood and the transition to it, knowledge and understanding that must be acquired early in life in school. The 2019 Editorial marked the launch of the International Microbiology Literacy Initiative, the IMiLI. HERE, WE PRESENT our concept of how microbiology literacy may be achieved and the rationale underpinning it; the type of teaching resources being created to realise the concept and the framing of microbial activities treated in these resources in the context of sustainability, societal needs and responsibilities and decision-making; and the key role of Regional Centres that will translate the teaching resources into local languages, adapt them according to local cultural needs, interface with regional educators and develop and serve as hubs of microbiology literacy education networks. The topics featuring in teaching resources are learner-centric and have been selected for their inherent relevance, interest and ability to excite and engage. Importantly, the resources coherently integrate and emphasise the overarching issues of sustainability, stewardship and critical thinking and the pervasive interdependencies of processes. More broadly, the concept emphasises how the multifarious applications of microbial activities can be leveraged to promote human/animal, plant, environmental and planetary health, improve social equity, alleviate humanitarian deficits and causes of conflicts among peoples and increase understanding between peoples (Microbial Biotechnology, 2023, 16(6), 1091–1111). Importantly, although the primary target of the freely available (CC BY-NC 4.0) IMiLI teaching resources is schoolchildren and their educators, they and the teaching philosophy are intended for all ages, abilities and cultural spectra of learners worldwide: in university education, lifelong learning, curiosity-driven, web-based knowledge acquisition and public outreach. The IMiLI teaching resources aim to promote development of a global microbiology education ecosystem that democratises microbiology knowledge.http://www.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/mbt2hj2024BiochemistryGeneticsMicrobiology and Plant PathologySDG-01:No povertySDG-02:Zero HungerSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-beingSDG-04:Quality EducationSDG-06:Clean water and sanitationSDG-07:Affordable and clean energySDG-08:Decent work and economic growthSDG-12:Responsible consumption and productionSDG-13:Climate actionSDG-14:Life below wate

4to. Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad. Memoria académica

Este volumen acoge la memoria académica de la Cuarta edición del Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad, CITIS 2017, desarrollado entre el 29 de noviembre y el 1 de diciembre de 2017 y organizado por la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana (UPS) en su sede de Guayaquil. El Congreso ofreció un espacio para la presentación, difusión e intercambio de importantes investigaciones nacionales e internacionales ante la comunidad universitaria que se dio cita en el encuentro. El uso de herramientas tecnológicas para la gestión de los trabajos de investigación como la plataforma Open Conference Systems y la web de presentación del Congreso http://citis.blog.ups.edu.ec/, hicieron de CITIS 2017 un verdadero referente entre los congresos que se desarrollaron en el país. La preocupación de nuestra Universidad, de presentar espacios que ayuden a generar nuevos y mejores cambios en la dimensión humana y social de nuestro entorno, hace que se persiga en cada edición del evento la presentación de trabajos con calidad creciente en cuanto a su producción científica. Quienes estuvimos al frente de la organización, dejamos plasmado en estas memorias académicas el intenso y prolífico trabajo de los días de realización del Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad al alcance de todos y todas

Best Weaning Practices

This information was presented at the 2012 Calf Symposium organized by the PRO-DAIRY program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. This innovative conference is designed to provide progressive dairy producers and agriservice personnel the opportunity to increase their knowledge of dairy calf group housing systems and feeding technologies. Softcover copies of the entire conference proceedings may be purchased at http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/dm/proceedings_orders.html or by calling (607)255-4285

Early Life Nutrition Of Dairy Calves And Its Implications On Future Milk Production

The pre-weaning management of dairy calves over the last 30 years has focused on mortality, early weaning and rumen development. Recent data has demonstrated the potential to influence metabolic programming and consequently alter future performance of dairy cattle through nutrition and management during the first few months of life. Two main management practices have been identified as having the greatest impact in future performance: colostrum management and energy intake pre-weaning. Therefore, the first objective was to investigate the relationship between nutrient intake from milk replacer and pre and post-weaning growth rate with lactation performance. The evaluation of over 1,800 first lactations resulted in a strong relationship between average daily gain (ADG) pre-weaning and milk production so that for every additional kg of ADG pre-weaning first lactation milk production is increased by 850 kg. The relationship is equally strong when assessed by energy intake above maintenance from milk replacer during the pre-weaning period. The second objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of preweaning nutrition on mammary gland development. The mammary gland, especially the parenchymal mass were shown to be responsive to nutrient intake such that the parenchymal mass of calves that consumed more nutrients grew 5.6 times faster than that of control calves. This was significant because it demonstrated that allometric growth can be initiated from birth and that the mammary gland is very nutrient responsive, something not readily recognized in dairy cattle. The interaction of colostrum status and pre-weaning nutrient intake was also evaluated and the data suggests that the effects of colostrum management can be amplified or muted depending on nutritional status pre-weaning. Colostrum contains an array of different growth factors that can account for some of the long-term impacts on growth and efficiency; a preliminary study evaluating hormone levels post-colostrum feeding in newborn calves suggest that hormones present in colostrum may be directly absorbed by the calf and could impact metabolic programming through the "Lactocrine hypothesis". Protein synthesis and accretion is proposed as the primary signal that enhances future performance of pre-weaned cattle; however, milk protein sources are expensive and feeding high levels of such proteins may not always be cost effective. Therefore, alternative protein sources were evaluated as a way to reduce the cost of milk replacers. In this study, milk replacers containing whey based protein were the most effective milk replacers, with or without a modified amino acid profile

Auto-Feeders in Group-Housed Calf Systems

This information was presented at the 2012 Calf Symposium organized by the PRO-DAIRY program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. This innovative conference is designed to provide progressive dairy producers and agriservice personnel the opportunity to increase their knowledge of dairy calf group housing systems and feeding technologies. Softcover copies of the entire conference proceedings may be purchased at http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/dm/proceedings_orders.html or by calling (607)255-4285