Combined numerical and experimental approach to determine numerical model of abdominal scaffold.

A proper junction of the prosthesis and the abdominal wall is important in successful hernia repair. The number of tacks should be balanced to assure appropriate mesh fixation and not to induce post-operative pain. Numerical simulations help to find this balance.

The effect of a live Neospora caninum tachyzoite vaccine in naturally infected pregnant dairy cows.

Neosporosis, caused by the intracellular protozoan Neospora caninum, is a major cause of abortion and reproductive failure in cattle worldwide. The principal route of transmission of neosporosis is via in utero infection of the offspring. There is no effective prophylactic treatment or vaccine available against bovine neosporosis.

Hormonal treatment before and after artificial insemination differentially improves fertility in subpopulations of dairy cows during the summer and autumn.

Reduced conception rate (CR) during the hot summer and subsequent autumn is a well-documented phenomenon. Intensive use of cooling systems can improve summer and autumn reproductive performance, but is unable to increase CR to winter and spring levels. We examined whether combined hormonal treatments--to increase follicular turnover before artificial insemination (AI) and progesterone supplementation post-AI--might improve fertility of cooled cows during the summer and autumn.

Neosporosis in naturally infected pregnant dairy cattle.

Neosporosis caused by caused by the apicomplexan parasite Neospora caninum is one of the major causes of infectious abortion in bovines worldwide. A long-term prospective study was performed in a dairy herd endemic for N. caninum in order to analyze the impact of neosporosis on the proportion of aborting cows.

Induction of successive follicular waves by gonadotropin-releasing hormone and prostaglandin F(2α) to improve fertility of high-producing cows during the summer and autumn.

Reduced conception rate during the hot summer and subsequent autumn is a well-documented phenomenon. Evaporative cooling systems greatly increase milk production but only slightly improve reproductive performance; hence, additional approaches to improving fertility during the hot season are required. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the combination of an efficient cooling system and hormonal manipulation (GnRH+PGF(2α)) might improve fertility during the summer and autumn.