Welfare and performance benefits of shade provision during summer for feedlot cattle in a temperate climatic zone.

There is increasing interest from cattle lot-feeders in the use of shade to mitigate the effects of a potential heat-stress event, though it is unclear whether the reported benefits of shade in previous studies conducted in more high-risk heat-stress zones are pertinent in cooler temperate zones. The objectives of this study were to measure the welfare and performance benefits of shade provision for lot-fed cattle at a commercial feedlot located in a mild heat-stress risk zone in Western Australia. Six blocks of black Angus (Bos taurus) steers were inducted into the feedlot over 6 time windows across a southern hemisphere summer, with 80 cattle per block housed in a partially shaded pen (providing 3.

Intramuscular fat % in the loin of Australian pork demonstrates a stronger relationship with computed tomography lean and fat % than abattoir measures of P2 and lean.

Intramuscular fat (IMF) % is an important measure of pork eating quality, with reduced IMF % linked to the selection of pigs with low backfat P2 thickness and more muscular genotypes over several decades. This experiment tested the association of IMF % from the M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum of 345 pigs at 3 abattoirs (sites) with computed tomography (CT) determined carcass composition (% lean or fat), accredited abattoir measures of P2 backfat (mm; Hennessy Grading Probe [HGP], AutoFom III, and PorkScan Lite) and the lean % output from abattoir devices (HGP, AutoFom III, and PorkScan Plus).

Synthetic phantoms enable calibration between abattoir based dual energy X-ray absorptiometers used for prediction of lamb carcass composition.

Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) devices were installed at two Australian abattoirs to predict computed tomography (CT) determined fat % and lean % of lamb carcasses. This study tested three algorithms developed for these devices, termed β1, β2 and β3, and assessed their accuracy and precision in predicting CT composition. Algorithm β3 included the use of a plastic phantom calibration block scanned by both DXA devices to adjust prediction equations, resulting in superior accuracy to the algorithms without phantom calibration (β1 and β2).

Quantification of hardware effects of an on-line Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry scanner when predicting lamb carcass composition.

An on-line Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scanner's tissue composition prediction precision and accuracy was tested across the entire height of the unit's detector, and the hardware was assessed for robustness by measuring X-ray photon intensity throughout production days. There was good precision when predicting the tissue composition of 5 different lamb fat and lean muscle mixtures across 3 different thicknesses (R = 0.93 to 0.

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry predicts lamb carcass composition at abattoir chain speed with high repeatability across varying processing factors.

An on-line Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scanner was used in an Australian abattoir to predict computed tomography (CT) determined composition % of fat, lean muscle and bone in lamb carcasses at chain speed. This study assessed the effect of spray-chilling on these estimates, as well as their repeatability over a 10-min period, and over a 72 h period. There was no prediction bias between the 15 spray-chilled and 15 non-spray-chilled carcasses.

Preliminary Findings on a Novel Behavioural Approach for the Assessment of Pain and Analgesia in Lambs Subject to Routine Husbandry Procedures.

The identification and assessment of pain in sheep under field conditions are important, but, due to their stoic nature, are fraught with many challenges. In Australia, various husbandry procedures that are documented to cause pain are routinely performed at lamb marking, including ear tagging, castration, mulesing, and tail docking. This study evaluated the validity of a novel methodology to assess pain in lambs: qualitative behavioural assessment (QBA) was used to compare the behavioural expression of control lambs (CONTROL) with that of lambs subject to these procedures that received either a saline placebo 15 min before procedures (PLACEBO), or were administered meloxicam 15 min before procedures in addition to the standard analgesic Tri-Solfen at the time of procedures, as per the manufacturer's recommendations (ANALGESIC TREATMENT; AT).

Lamb Age has Little Impact on Eating Quality.

There is an industry wide perception that new season lamb has better eating quality than old season lamb. This study aims to identify differences in consumer eating quality scores between two age classes in lamb. Consumer eating quality scores from eight cuts across the carcass were evaluated from new season (NS; = 120; average age = 240 days) and old season lambs (OS; = 121; average age = 328 days), sourced from four different flocks.

Remote Identification of Sheep with Flystrike Using Behavioural Observations.

Flystrike is a major problem affecting sheep in Australia. Identification of 'flystruck' individuals is crucial for treatment; but requires labour-intensive physical examination. As the industry moves toward more low-input systems; there is a need for remote methods to identify flystruck individuals.

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans accurately predict differing body fat content in live sheep.

Background: There is considerable interest in implementing mobile scanning technology for on-farm body composition analysis on live animals. These experiments evaluated the use of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as an accurate method of total body fat measurement in live sheep.

Results: In Exp.

Cryptosporidium infection is associated with reduced growth and diarrhoea in goats beyond weaning.

Cryptosporidium and Giardia are common parasites of ruminant livestock worldwide. These parasites are associated with diarrhoea outbreaks in young goats (pre-weaning), but the impacts on health and productivity for older goats (post-weaning) are not well understood. Here we show Cryptosporidium faecal shedding is associated with reduced growth and diarrhoea in goats aged approximately 9-15 months.

Using simulation to support doctors in difficulty.

Background: A small percentage of medical trainees will have performance concerns identified within their clinical practice. These trainees require specific interventions to address these concerns. The Postgraduate Ward Simulation Exercise (PgWSE) was developed as a joint collaboration between the University of Dundee and NHS Education for Scotland (NES).

Supporting trainees in difficulty: a new approach for Scotland.

National Health Service (NHS) Education for Scotland (NES) works with NHS and University employers, through the four Postgraduate Deaneries to provide education and training for medical trainees from graduation to completion of specialist and general practice training. Most trainees make good progress through the relevant curriculum supported by a managed system of supervision with regular appraisal and feedback. Similarly most trainees demonstrate their progression to Certificate of Completion of Training through the assessment process that is defined in each specialty curriculum.

Irregular respiration as a marker of wakefulness during titration of CPAP.

Study Objectives: Regularity of respiration is characteristic of stable sleep without sleep disordered breathing. Appearance of respiratory irregularity may indicate onset of wakefulness. The present study examines whether one can detect transitions from sleep to wakefulness using only the CPAP flow signal and automate this recognition.

White versus gray matter function as seen on neuropsychological testing following bone marrow transplant for acute leukemia in childhood.

Current theory suggests that neurocognitive late effects of treatments for childhood cancer such as difficulties with attention, processing speed and visual-motor ability are the result of white matter damage. Neuroimaging studies have produced a variety of white matter findings. However, although white matter is thought to be differentially affected, previous studies have not demonstrated a discrepancy between white and gray matter function.

Diffusion tensor imaging identifies deficits in white matter microstructure in subjects with type 1 diabetes that correlate with reduced neurocognitive function.

Objective: Long-standing type 1 diabetes is associated with deficits on neurocognitive testing that suggest central white matter dysfunction. This study investigated whether diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a type of magnetic resonance imaging that measures white matter integrity quantitatively, could identify white matter microstructural deficits in patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes and whether these differences would be associated with deficits found by neurocognitive tests.

Research Design And Methods: Twenty-five subjects with type 1 diabetes for at least 15 years and 25 age- and sex-matched control subjects completed DTI on a 3.

Neurocognitive late effects of chemotherapy in children: the past 10 years of research on brain structure and function.

Advances in the treatment of childhood cancers have greatly improved survivorship. Success has not come without cost, however, as survivors are at risk for late effects of treatment, including neurocognitive late effects (e.g.

Sequence and priming in 15 month-olds' reactions to brief arm restraint: evidence for a hierarchy of anger responses.

Brief, gentle arm restraint is widely used in experimental studies of children's anger, but the pattern of responses generated by such restraint has been incompletely described. We now describe a hierarchy of responses within trials as well as an escalation across trials that have both methodological and theoretical significance. Mothers of 87 15-month olds prevented them from playing with a toy by restraining their arms on two consecutive 30 sec trials.

Long-term follow-up of children who underwent hematopoeitic cell transplant (HCT) for AML or ALL at less than 3 years of age.

Background: Hematopoeitic cell transplantation (HCT) in childhood has been associated with late complications including endocrine, neurocognitive, and cardiopulmonary abnormalities. Little is known about the complications of transplantation in infants.

Procedure: Eligible subjects underwent HCT for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) at less than 3 years of age.

On-the-job assessment of practical skills performance: experiences from a feasibility study.

A pilot exercise throughout one deanery during a whole training year has shown that the on-the-job assessment of practical skills is both feasible and acceptable to the wider health-care team. There was, however, a lack of exposure by trainees to a small number of specific procedural skills.

Can a ward simulation exercise achieve the realism that reflects the complexity of everyday practice junior doctors encounter?

Recent changes in medical education have resulted in an increased focus on patient safety. It is vital that new doctors can recognize and manage acutely-ill patients, as well as work safely and effectively as a member of a multi-professional team. A ward simulation exercise has been developed to provide a safe, but authentic setting to support junior doctors with further practice and feedback.

PRHO views on the usefulness of a pilot ward simulation exercise.

There are concerns that pre-registration house officers (PRHOs) lack the expertise to initially manage acutely-ill patients. Simulation can support them in this role by providing a safe yet authentic setting. This paper shares PRHOs' views of a ward simulation exercise.

Synthesis of novel DNA cross-linking antitumour agents based on polyazamacrocycles.

We are seeking to develop more effective alkylating agents as antitumour agents. In previous work conformationally restricted nitrogen mustards were synthesised containing piperidine or pyrrolidine rings. The free bases were designed to be bifunctional alkylating agents via aziridinium ion formation and the effects of varying the distances between the two alkylating sites were studied.

A randomized crossover efficacy trial of oral CPAP (Oracle) compared with nasal CPAP in the management of obstructive sleep apnea.

Study Objectives: To determine the therapeutic efficacy and viability of a novel oral interface for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) compared with conventional nasal interfaces.

Design: A randomized single-blind crossover study.

Setting: Hospital-based sleep laboratory.