RECIPROCAL RECURRENT SELECTION FOR 21-DAY LITTER WEIGHT OF CROSSBRED GILTS. I. SELECTION APPLIED AND GENETIC CHANGE IN REPRODUCTION OF CROSSBRED GILTS

Six cycles of reciprocal recurrent selection (RRS) between Line 8 (Duroc) and Line 9 (Beltsville No. 1) were completed at the Fort Reno Livestock Research Center, E1 Reno, Oklahoma. A randomly mated control line was maintained. Each cycle of selection required three seasons. Selection of purebred pigs (born in the second season) was based on the mean 21-d litter weight of their maternal and paternal half-sib crossbred gilts that were born in the first season and farrowed in the third season (XB21DLWT). On the average, 5.8 maternal and paternal half-sib gilts contributed to the mean XB21DLWT for each purebred individual. The average potential selection differential for XB21DLWT was 5.64 kg, but only 70.2% of this value was realized in the initial selection (3.95 kg). Disease problems and unsoundness were the primary reasons for this discrepancy. The potential, initial, final and weighted final standardized selection differentials for females averaged 61, 60, 55 and 47%, respectively, of the corresponding differentials for males. Standardized selection differentials were similar for Line 8 and Line 9. The estimate of realized heritability for XB21DLWT was .076 ± .319 for the average of 8 x 9 and 9 x 8 gilts. Environmental trends, estimated from control data, were not significant for any of the traits evaluated. The genetic change in reproductive ability of 8 x 9, 9 x 8 and their unweighted average was estimated by regressing the deviation of the line mean from the control mean on generation number. In general, estimates of genetic change for litter size, litter weight and average pig weight/litter at 0, 21 and 42 d of age were not significant, but all estimates were favorable. The estimated genetic change for 21-d litter weight was 1.04 ± 1.25 kg/cycle of selection. Based on these results and considering the complexity of RRS, the increase in generation interval and the expected decline in purebred performance that theoretically should accompany successful RRS, it seems doubtful that RRS can be more beneficial than selection based on purebred performance as a method to improve productivity of crossbred gilts

RECIPROCAL RECURRENT SELECTION FOR 21-DAY LITTER WEIGHT OF CROSSBRED GILTS. II. REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF PUREBRED FEMALES PRODUCING PUREBRED AND TWO-WAY CROSS LITTERS AND PERFORMANCE OF PUREBRED AND CROSSBRED PIGS

This paper reports estimates of correlated genetic change in reproductive performance of purebred gilts producing two-way cross litters and purebred sows producing purebred litters as well as postweaning performance of two-way cross and purebred pigs produced during reciprocal recurrent selection (RRS) between Line 8 (Duroc) and Line 9 (Beltsville No. 1) for 21-d litter weight production of crossbred gilts. A randomly mated control line developed from a crossbred foundation was maintained to monitor environmental change. Data were adjusted for age of dam, inbreeding of dam, inbreeding of litter (or pig) and linear and quadratic effects of day born within season. The traits evaluated were: litter size, litter weight and average pig weight/litter at birth and weaning (42 d); postweaning average daily gain; age at 90.7 kg and backfat thickness at 90.7 kg. Two data sets were analyzed; the first set included seven seasons of data with purebred gilts producing two-way cross litters, and the second set included seven seasons of data with purebred sows producing purebred litters. No estimates of environmental trend were significant in either set of data. In the first data set, only the estimate of genetic change in backfat thickness of two-way cross pigs was significant and it was in the desired direction. All other estimates were small and did not approach significance. In the second data set, estimates of genetic trend were greater in Line 9 than in Line 8. Estimates of genetic trend in Line 9 were significant for average pig weight at birth, age at 90.7 kg and backfat probe at 90.7 kg, and approached significance for litter size at weaning and average daily gain. The estimates were undesirable for preweaning traits and desirable for postweaning traits. The estimates of genetic trend in Line 8 were of the same sign as those in Line 9, but only the estimate for backfat thickness was significant. The decrease in size of purebred litters in Line 9, and to some degree Line 8, suggests an accelerated accumulation of homozygosity beyond that accounted for by adjustment for pedigree inbreeding. The fact that Line 9 showed a greater decrease than Line 8 suggests that most of the increase in level of reproduction of crossbred gilts may have resulted from genetic change in Line 9 rather than Line 8, or that favorable alleles were being fixed in Line 8 and unfavorable alleles in Line 9

Delivery of antimicrobial stewardship competencies in UK pre-registration nurse education programmes: a national cross-sectional survey

Background: Registered nurses perform numerous functions critical to the success of antimicrobial stewardship but only 63% of pre-registration nursing programmes include any teaching about stewardship. Updated nursing standards highlight nurses require antimicrobial stewardship knowledge and skills. Aim: To explore the delivery of key antimicrobial stewardship competencies within updated pre-registration nursing programmes. Method: A cross-sectional survey design. Data was collected between March and June 2021. Findings: Lecturers from 35 universities responsible for teaching antimicrobial stewardship participated. The provision of antimicrobial stewardship teaching and learning was inconsistent across programmes with competencies in infection prevention and control, patient centred care, and interprofessional collaborative practice taking precedent over those pertaining to the use, management, and monitoring of antimicrobials. On-line learning and teaching surrounding hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, and immunisation theory was reported to have increased during the pandemic. Only a small number of respondents reported that students shared taught learning with other healthcare professional groups. Conclusion: There is a need to ensure consistency in antimicrobial stewardship across programmes, and greater knowledge pertaining to the use, management and monitoring of antimicrobials should be included. Programmes need to adopt teaching strategies and methods that allow nurses to develop interprofessional skill in order to practice collaboratively

Arctic quaternary ostracods and their use in paleoreconstructions

The paper deals with original and published data on fossil ostracodal assemblages from the Eurasian Arctic Kara, Laptev and Chuckchi seas. As a whole, six ecologically different assemblages were distinguished (freshwater, brackish water, marine of the inner, middle and outer shelves and upper continental slope), they replace each other upcore reflecting a gradual increase in water depth and distance from the coast. These assemblages are stable in the entire Arctic region and can be used for interpretation of environments in different Arctic areas

Beauty in Disability: An Aesthetics for Dance and for Life

To what extent does dance contribute to an ideal of beauty that can enrich human quality of life? To what extent are standards of beauty predicated on an ideal human body that has no disability? In this chapter, we show how conceptions of proportionality, perfection, and ethereality from the Ancient Greeks through the 19th century can still be seen today in some kinds of dance, particularly in ballet. Disability studies and disability-inclusive dance companies, however, have started to change this. The disabled person can be beautiful, we will show, in dance and in life, under a disability aesthetics that follows Edmund Burke (1730-1797) and that suggests an alternative standard of beauty, which we call “beauty-in-experience,” where beauty is perceived in the qualitative experience of abled and disabled dancers moving together in dance.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/books/1023/thumbnail.jp

Effect of physical activity intervention based on a pedometer on physical activity level and anthropometric measures after childbirth: a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pregnancy and childbirth are associated with weight gain in women, and retention of weight gained during pregnancy can lead to obesity in later life. Diet and physical activity are factors that can influence the loss of retained pregnancy weight after birth. Exercise guidelines exist for pregnancy, but recommendations for exercise after childbirth are virtually nonexistent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of physical activity intervention based on pedometer on physical activity level and anthropometric measures of women after childbirth.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a randomized controlled trial in which 66 women who had given birth 6 weeks to 6 months prior were randomly assigned to receive either a 12 week tailored program encouraging increased walking using a pedometer (intervention group, n = 32) or routine postpartum care (control group, n = 34). During the 12-week study period, each woman in the intervention group wore a pedometer and recorded her daily step count. The women were advised to increase their steps by 500 per week until they achieved the first target of 5000 steps per day and then continued to increase it to minimum of 10,000 steps per day by the end of 12^thweek. Assessed outcomes included anthropometric measures, physical activity level, and energy expenditure per week. Data were analyzed using the paired t-test, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney, chi-square, Wilcoxon, covariance analysis, and the general linear model repeated measures procedure as appropriate.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After 12 weeks, women in the intervention group had significantly increased their physical activity and energy expenditure per week (4394 vs. 1651 calorie, <it>p </it>< 0.001). Significant differences between-group in weight (<it>P </it>= 0.001), Body Mass Index (<it>P </it>= 0.001), waist circumference (<it>P </it>= 0.001), hip circumference (<it>P </it>= 0.032) and waist-hip ratio (<it>P </it>= 0.02) were presented after the intervention. The intervention group significantly increased their mean daily step count over the study period (from 3249 before, to 9960 after the intervention, <it>p </it>< 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A physical activity intervention based on pedometer is an effective means to increase physical activity; reducing retention of weight gained during pregnancy and can improve anthropometric measures in postpartum women.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ISRCTN: <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/IRCT201105026362N1">IRCT201105026362N1</a></p

An overview of the cutaneous porphyrias

This is an overview of the cutaneous porphyrias. It is a narrative review based on the published literature and my personal experience; it is not based on a formal systematic search of the literature. The cutaneous porphyrias are a diverse group of conditions due to inherited or acquired enzyme defects in the porphyrin–haem biosynthetic pathway. All the cutaneous porphyrias can have (either as a consequence of the porphyria or as part of the cause of the porphyria) involvement of other organs as well as the skin. The single commonest cutaneous porphyria in most parts of the world is acquired porphyria cutanea tarda, which is usually due to chronic liver disease and liver iron overload. The next most common cutaneous porphyria, erythropoietic protoporphyria, is an inherited disorder in which the accumulation of bile-excreted protoporphyrin can cause gallstones and, rarely, liver disease. Some of the porphyrias that cause blistering (usually bullae) and fragility (clinically and histologically identical to porphyria cutanea tarda) can also be associated with acute neurovisceral porphyria attacks, particularly variegate porphyria and hereditary coproporphyria. Management of porphyria cutanea tarda mainly consists of visible-light photoprotection measures while awaiting the effects of treating the underlying liver disease (if possible) and treatments to reduce serum iron and porphyrin levels. In erythropoietic protoporphyria, the underlying cause can be resolved only with a bone marrow transplant (which is rarely justifiable in this condition), so management consists particularly of visible-light photoprotection and, in some countries, narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy. Afamelanotide is a promising and newly available treatment for erythropoietic protoporphyria and has been approved in Europe since 2014