Investigating compliance with cow comfort and mastitis control recommendations on mastitis outcomes in smallholder dairy farms in Central Kenya.

A randomized controlled trial was conducted in Kenya in 2020 with the objectives being to assess compliance of smallholder dairy farmers (SDF) with farm-specific mastitis and cow comfort recommendations, to determine factors associated with compliance, and to determine the impact of these recommendations in reducing cases of subclinical mastitis. A total of 114 SDFs (124 cows) were recruited into the study and randomly allocated into intervention (74 farms) and control (40 farms) groups during the first farm visit. Existing farm-level mastitis control and cow comfort strategies were assessed in both intervention and control farms.

Temporal patterns of bovine leukemia virus infection in dairy herds in Atlantic Canada.

Objective: The primary objective was to determine the youngest age group where bovine leukemia virus (BLV)-infected dairy animals were identified. The secondary objective was to investigate associations between age-specific management practices and BLV infection status of different age groups of dairy calves and heifers.

Procedure: For enrolled herds, BLV status was determined using blood samples from pre-weaned calves, weaned calves, and breeding-age heifers; and bulk tank milk from the adult herd.

Comparing Healthcare Needs in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants With NEC and Spontaneous Intestinal Perforation.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) affect 6-8% of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. SIP has lower mortality than NEC, but with similar short-term morbidity in length of stay, growth failure, and supplemental oxygen requirements. Comparative long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes have not been clarified.

Impacts of preweaning colostrum feeding practices and health measures on dairy cow production, while accounting for genetic potential.

Calf management and health are essential for setting up the foundation of a productive cow. The objectives of this study were to estimate the impact of preweaning practices on milk production parameters while accounting for an animal's genetic potential in New Brunswick, Canada. A retrospective cohort study was performed on 220 heifer calves from eight herds born in 2014-2015.

Factors associated with D-lactic acidosis in pediatric intestinal failure: A case-control study.

Background: D-lactic acidosis (DLA) is a serious complication of short bowel syndrome (SBS) in children with intestinal failure (IF). Malabsorbed carbohydrates are metabolized by bacteria in the intestine to D-lactate which can lead to metabolic acidosis and neurologic symptoms.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed in children ≤18 years old with SBS who had one of the following criteria: unexplained metabolic acidosis, neurologic signs or symptoms, history of antibiotic therapy for small bowel bacterial overgrowth, or high clinical suspicion of DLA.

Predictors of Mortality in Very Low Birth Weight Neonates With Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.

Background: Limited data exists regarding the mortality of very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). This study aims to quantify and determine predictors of mortality in VLBW neonates with CDH.

Methods: This analysis of 829 U.

Association between neurodevelopmental outcomes and concomitant presence of NEC and IVH in extremely low birth weight infants.

Objective: To quantify the association between necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and neurodevelopmental disability (NDI) in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH).

Study Design: ELBW survivors born 2011-2017 and evaluated at 16-26 months corrected age in the Vermont Oxford Network (VON) ELBW Follow-Up Project were included. Logistic regression determined the adjusted relative risk (aRR) of severe NDI in medical or surgical NEC compared to no NEC, stratified by severity of IVH.

Coastal erosion and climate change: A review on coastal-change process and modeling.

Coastal erosion is a normal process of nature. However, the rate of coastal erosion, and the frequency and intensity of coastal flooding events, are now on the rise around the world due to the changing climate. Current responses to coastal erosion are primarily determined by site-specific factors, such as coastal elevation, coastal slope, coastal features, and historical coastline change rate, without a systematic understanding of the coastal-change processes in the context of climate change, including spatiotemporal changes in sea level, regional changes in wave climate, and sea ice coverage.

Factors Associated With Chronic Intestinal Inflammation Resembling Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Pediatric Intestinal Failure: A Matched Case-Control Study.

Background And Aims: There is a subset of intestinal failure patients with associated chronic intestinal inflammation resembling inflammatory bowel disease. This study aimed to evaluate factors associated with chronic intestinal inflammation in pediatric intestinal failure.

Methods: This was a single-center retrospective case-control study of children <18 years old with intestinal failure.

Diagnosing Intramammary Infection: Meta-Analysis and Mapping Review on Frequency and Udder Health Relevance of Microorganism Species Isolated from Bovine Milk Samples.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry provides accurate species-level identification of many, microorganisms retrieved from bovine milk samples. However, not all those microorganisms are pathogenic. Our study aimed to: (1) determine the species-specific prevalence of microorganisms identified in bovine milk of apparently healthy lactating quarters vs.

High Rate of Venous Thromboembolism in Severe Pediatric Intestinal Failure.

Objective: To quantify the rate of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with pediatric intestinal failure and identify associated risk factors.

Study Design: We performed a retrospective cohort study in pediatric patients (<21 years old) with severe pediatric intestinal failure (≥90 consecutive days of parenteral nutrition) secondary to short bowel syndrome who were treated from 2014 to 2021 at an interdisciplinary intestinal rehabilitation program. The primary outcome was the incidence of VTE.

Hamiltonian Engineering with Multicolor Drives for Fast Entangling Gates and Quantum Crosstalk Cancellation.

Quantum computers built with superconducting artificial atoms already stretch the limits of their classical counterparts. While the lowest energy states of these artificial atoms serve as the qubit basis, the higher levels are responsible for both a host of attractive gate schemes as well as generating undesired interactions. In particular, when coupling these atoms to generate entanglement, the higher levels cause shifts in the computational levels that lead to unwanted ZZ quantum crosstalk.

Autoimmune Thyroiditis and Risk of Malignancy in Children with Thyroid Nodules.

It is uncertain whether the presence of autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) increases the risk of thyroid cancer in children with thyroid nodules. This study evaluated the association between AIT and thyroid cancer in pediatric patients with thyroid nodules. A cross-sectional study was performed of pediatric patients (<19 years old) with a thyroid nodule (≥1 cm) who underwent fine-needle aspiration in an academic pediatric thyroid center.

Development of a predictive model for bovine leukemia virus proviral load.

Background: There is currently no commercially available method in Canada to identify bovine leukemia virus (BLV)-positive cows with high proviral load (PVL).

Objectives: First, develop a model to predict PVL using common, commercially available, cost-effective diagnostic tests. Second, investigate the relationship between lymphocyte count and PVL in BLV-positive cows.

Impact of concomitant necrotizing enterocolitis on mortality in very low birth weight infants with intraventricular hemorrhage.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) on mortality in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH).

Study Design: Data were collected on VLBW infants born 2014-2018 at Vermont Oxford Network (VON) centers. NEC and IVH were categorized by severity.

Antibiotic Therapy for Culture-Proven Bacterial Overgrowth in Children With Intestinal Failure Results in Improved Symptoms and Growth.

Objectives: To evaluate symptoms, enteral tolerance, growth, and antibiotic regimens in pediatric intestinal failure (IF) patients after treated with antibiotic therapy for small bowel bacterial overgrowth (SBBO).

Methods: Single-center retrospective review of children 0-18 years with IF with endoscopic cultures demonstrating >10 5 CFU/mL from 2010 to 2017. Symptoms, enteral tolerance, growth, and antibiotic regimens were evaluated at the time of endoscopy and 6 months later.

High-performance superconducting quantum processors via laser annealing of transmon qubits.

Scaling the number of qubits while maintaining high-fidelity quantum gates remains a key challenge for quantum computing. Presently, superconducting quantum processors with >50 qubits are actively available. For these systems, fixed-frequency transmons are attractive because of their long coherence and noise immunity.

Current outcomes of infants with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula: A multicenter analysis.

Objective: This study aims to quantify mortality rates and hospital lengths of stay (LOS) in neonates with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF), and to characterize the effects of birth weight (BW) and associated congenital anomalies upon these.

Methods: Data regarding patients with EA/TEF were prospectively collected (2013-2019) at 298 North American centers. The primary outcome was mortality and secondary outcome was LOS.

Morbidity associated with laparotomy-confirmed spontaneous intestinal perforation: A prospective multicenter analysis.

Background: Differences in morbidities between spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) are unknown.

Methods: Prospectively collected multicenter data regarding very low birth weight (VLBW) infants 2015-2019 were analyzed. Diagnosis of SIP or NEC was laparotomy-confirmed in all patients.

Puberty and growth in patients with pediatric intestinal failure.

Background: Pediatric intestinal failure (PIF) affects nutrition, metabolism, and endocrine development, but its downstream impact on puberty is unknown.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of patients age >8 years with PIF managed at an intestinal rehabilitation program. Outcomes of interest were peak height velocity (PHV), age at PHV, and age at pubertal onset (Tanner stage 2).

Dairy producer satisfaction and knowledge transfer with the veterinary-administered risk assessment and management plan in a voluntary Johne's disease control program.

The Atlantic Johne's Disease Initiative (AJDI) aims to control Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis infection by using veterinary-administered risk assessments to identify high-risk management practices and prompt changes in management behavior. Objectives for this study were to measure producer satisfaction with the veterinary-administered risk assessment and management plan (RAMP) process in a voluntary Johne's disease (JD) control program, compare RAMP-specific satisfaction results based on herd JD status, and measure knowledge transfer from certified veterinarians to producers during the RAMP.

Communication skills training and assessment of food animal production medicine veterinarians: A component of a voluntary Johne's disease control program.

In food animal production medicine (FAPM), the success of control programs for infectious diseases that have serious animal health and economic consequences frequently rely on the veterinarian's effective communication and producer adherence to veterinary recommendations. However, little research has been conducted on communication skills of practicing FAPM veterinarians. During this study, we developed a communication training workshop intervention to support the Atlantic Johne's Disease Initiative.

Long-term assessment of bilirubin and transaminase trends in pediatric intestinal failure patients during the era of hepatoprotective parenteral nutrition.

Purpose: This study aimed to characterize the relationship between hepatoprotective parenteral nutrition (PN) dependence and long-term serum liver tests in children with intestinal failure (IF).

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of children with severe IF (> 90 consecutive days of PN) who were followed from 2012 to 2019 at a multidisciplinary intestinal rehabilitation program. Patients were stratified into three groups based on level of PN dependence at most recent follow up: EN (achieved enteral autonomy), mixed (parenteral and enteral nutrition), and PN (> 75% of caloric intake from PN).

Demonstration of a High-Fidelity cnot Gate for Fixed-Frequency Transmons with Engineered ZZ Suppression.

Improving two-qubit gate performance and suppressing cross talk are major, but often competing, challenges to achieving scalable quantum computation. In particular, increasing the coupling to realize faster gates has been intrinsically linked to enhanced cross talk due to unwanted two-qubit terms in the Hamiltonian. Here, we demonstrate a novel coupling architecture for transmon qubits that circumvents the standard relationship between desired and undesired interaction rates.

Tunable Coupling Architecture for Fixed-Frequency Transmon Superconducting Qubits.

Implementation of high-fidelity 2-qubit operations is a key ingredient for scalable quantum error correction. In superconducting qubit architectures, tunable buses have been explored as a means to higher-fidelity gates. However, these buses introduce new pathways for leakage.