Variants at the ASIP locus contribute to coat color darkening in Nellore cattle.

Background: Nellore cattle (Bos indicus) are well-known for their adaptation to warm and humid environments. Hair length and coat color may impact heat tolerance. The Nellore breed has been strongly selected for white coat, but bulls generally exhibit darker hair ranging from light grey to black on the head, neck, hump, and knees.

Improved genomic prediction of clonal performance in sugarcane by exploiting non-additive genetic effects.

Non-additive genetic effects seem to play a substantial role in the expression of complex traits in sugarcane. Including non-additive effects in genomic prediction models significantly improves the prediction accuracy of clonal performance. In the recent decade, genetic progress has been slow in sugarcane.

Comparison of Genetic Merit for Weight and Meat Traits between the Polled and Horned Cattle in Multiple Beef Breeds.

Breeding for polled animals is deemed the most practical solution to eradicate horns naturally and circumvent management costs and risks on health and welfare. However, there has been a historical reluctance by some farmers to select polled animals due to perceived lower productivity of their calves. This study has compared estimated breeding values (EBVs) between horned and polled animals (N = 2,466,785) for 12 production and carcass traits to assess historical (before 2000) and recent (2000-2018) genetic implications of poll breeding.

Assessment of Performance and Some Welfare Indicators of Cows in Vietnamese Smallholder Dairy Farms.

Smallholder dairy farms (SDFs) are distributed widely across lowland and highland regions in Vietnam, but data on the productivity and welfare status of these cows remains limited. This cross-sectional study was conducted to describe and compare the productivity and welfare status of SDF cows across contrasting regions. It was conducted in autumn 2017 on 32 SDFs randomly selected from four typical but contrasting dairy regions (eight SDFs per region); a south lowland, a south highland, a north lowland, and a north highland region.

Issues of Feeding Strategy for Lactating Cows in Vietnamese Smallholder Dairy Farms.

A limited literature suggests relatively simple feeding regimes and diet formulation strategies for dairy cows in Vietnamese smallholder dairy farms (SDFs). This study aimed to classify and compare feeding regimes and nutrient balance for lactating cows between four typical dairy regions (south lowland, south highland, north lowland, and north highland) in Vietnam and evaluate the possibility of systematic dietary imbalance. Eight SDFs from each of the four regions were visited for two adjacent milking periods per farm.

IGFBP-1 expression is reduced in human type 2 diabetic glomeruli and modulates β1-integrin/FAK signalling in human podocytes.

Aims/hypothesis: Podocyte loss or injury is one of the earliest features observed in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease (DKD), which is the leading cause of end-stage renal failure worldwide. Dysfunction in the IGF axis, including in IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs), is associated with DKD, particularly in the early stages of disease progression. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential roles of IGFBPs in the development of type 2 DKD, focusing on podocytes.

High avidity drives the interaction between the streptococcal C1 phage endolysin, PlyC, with the cell surface carbohydrates of Group A Streptococcus.

Endolysin enzymes from bacteriophage cause bacterial lysis by degrading the peptidoglycan cell wall. The streptococcal C1 phage endolysin PlyC, is the most potent endolysin described to date and can rapidly lyse group A, C, and E streptococci. PlyC is known to bind the Group A streptococcal cell wall, but the specific molecular target or the binding site within PlyC remain uncharacterized.

Explaining the popularity bias in online consumer choice.

When people choose products based on online reviews, they show a "popularity bias," overweighting review sample size relative to rated quality. We propose a novel account of this effect based on a causal attribution process, whereby people often interpret larger samples as a proxy for product quality. To test the account, participants in two experiments were asked to rate their product preference based on online reviews showing mean quality scores and review sample sizes for pairs of products.

Imputation accuracy to whole-genome sequence in Nellore cattle.

Background: A cost-effective strategy to explore the complete DNA sequence in animals for genetic evaluation purposes is to sequence key ancestors of a population, followed by imputation mechanisms to infer marker genotypes that were not originally reported in a target population of animals genotyped with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panels. The feasibility of this process relies on the accuracy of the genotype imputation in that population, particularly for potential causal mutations which may be at low frequency and either within genes or regulatory regions. The objective of the present study was to investigate the imputation accuracy to the sequence level in a Nellore beef cattle population, including that for variants in annotation classes which are more likely to be functional.

Investigating the Effect of Imputed Structural Variants from Whole-Genome Sequence on Genome-Wide Association and Genomic Prediction in Dairy Cattle.

Structural variations (SVs) are large DNA segments of deletions, duplications, copy number variations, inversions and translocations in a re-sequenced genome compared to a reference genome. They have been found to be associated with several complex traits in dairy cattle and could potentially help to improve genomic prediction accuracy of dairy traits. Imputation of SVs was performed in individuals genotyped with single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panels without the expense of sequencing them.

Accuracy of genomic prediction of complex traits in sugarcane.

Complex traits in sugarcane can be accurately predicted using genome-wide DNA markers. Genomic single-step prediction is an attractive method for genomic selection in commercial breeding programs. Sugarcane breeding programs have achieved up to 1% genetic gain in key traits such as tonnes of cane per hectare (TCH), commercial cane sugar (CCS) and Fibre content over the past decades.

Strategies and considerations for implementing genomic selection to improve traits with additive and non-additive genetic architectures in sugarcane breeding.

Simulations highlight the potential of genomic selection to substantially increase genetic gain for complex traits in sugarcane. The success rate depends on the trait genetic architecture and the implementation strategy. Genomic selection (GS) has the potential to increase the rate of genetic gain in sugarcane beyond the levels achieved by conventional phenotypic selection (PS).

Epicardial Surface Area of Infarction: A Stable Surrogate of Microvascular Obstruction in Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Microvascular obstruction (MO) is a pathophysiologic complication of acute myocardial infarction that portends poor prognosis; however, it is transient and disappears with infarct healing. Much remains unknown regarding its pathophysiology and whether there are predictors of MO that could function as stable surrogates. We tested for clinical and cardiovascular magnetic resonance predictors of MO to gain insight into its pathophysiology and to find a stable surrogate.

Characteristics of Cowsheds in Vietnamese Smallholder Dairy Farms and Their Associations with Microclimate-A Preliminary Study.

In smallholder dairy farms (SDFs), farmers often build cowsheds using local materials and based on self-accumulated experience without due consideration to reducing the risk of heat stress. This study aimed to characterise the heat stress abatement strategies and microclimate within SDF cowsheds from four typical dairy regions of Vietnam (south lowland, south highland, north lowland and north highland) and identify the housing parameters most associated with the microclimate. The study was conducted on 32 SDFs (eight SDFs per region) in autumn 2017.

Front-Line innovation: Rapid implementation of a nurse-driven protocol for care of outpatients with COVID-19.

Aims And Objectives: Our objective was to rapidly adapt and scale a registered nurse-driven Coordinated Transitional Care (C-TraC) programme to provide intensive home monitoring and optimise care for outpatient Veterans with COVID-19 in a large urban Unites States healthcare system.

Background: Our diffuse primary care network had no existing model of care by which to provide coordinated result tracking and monitoring of outpatients with COVID-19.

Design: Quality improvement implementation project.

Relationship of LVEF and Myocardial Scar to Long-Term Mortality Risk and Mode of Death in Patients With Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Nonischemic cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and is associated with high mortality risk from progressive heart failure and arrhythmias. Myocardial scar on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging is increasingly recognized as a risk marker for adverse outcomes; however, left ventricular dysfunction remains the basis for determining a patient's eligibility for primary prophylaxis with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. We investigated the relationship of LVEF and scar with long-term mortality and mode of death in a large cohort of patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy.

Progression of Myocardial Fibrosis in Nonischemic DCM and Association With Mortality and Heart Failure Outcomes.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess whether the presence and extent of fibrosis changes over time in patients with nonischemic, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) receiving optimal medical therapy and the implications of any such changes on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and clinical outcomes.

Background: Myocardial fibrosis on cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has emerged as important risk marker in patients with DCM.

Methods: In total, 85 patients (age 56 ± 15 years, 45% women) with DCM underwent serial CMR (median interval 1.

Feed Preference Response of Weaner Bull Calves to H57 Probiotic and Associated Volatile Organic Compounds in High Concentrate Feed Pellets.

This study tested the hypothesis that strain H57 (H57) improves preference by reducing the development of microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) in feed pellets. Sixteen bull calves were, for 4 weeks, provided equal access to a panel of 8 automated feed bunks in a single paddock with some hay. Each bunk contained pellets with (H57) or without (Control) the H57, each aged for 4 months at either ambient or chiller temperature.

The psychiatric sequelae of the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents, adults, and health care workers.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is the most serious global public health crisis since the 1918 influenza pandemic. This study is the first to assess its mental health impact across the lifespan in the United States in adolescents, adults, and health care workers.

Methods: We recruited 4909 participants through an online survey advertising on Facebook and Instagram to assess exposure to COVID-19 and psychiatric symptoms from April 27 to July 13.

Utility of Hypertonic Saline and Diazepam in COVID-19-Related Hydroxychloroquine Toxicity.

Background: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) poisoning is a life-threatening but treatable toxic ingestion. The scale of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (COVID-19) and the controversial suggestion that HCQ is a treatment option have led to a significant increase in HCQ use. HCQ poisoning should be at the top-of-mind for emergency providers in cases of toxic ingestion.