Publications by authors named "Z C McKay"

Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess how diversifying grass swards and reducing nitrogen fertilizer affect dairy cow performance over three years on different pasture types (monoculture, mixed with clover, and multispecies).
  • Results showed no major differences in overall pasture production or sward nutritive value among the different types, but the multispecies sward led to higher milk and milk solids yield compared to the nitrogen-heavy monoculture.
  • The breed of cows also played a role, with Jersey crossbreds producing less milk but with higher fat and protein content compared to pure Holsteins, resulting in more efficient milk solids production based on body weight.
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Early lactation is a critical period for dairy cows, as energy requirements rapidly increase with the onset of lactation; however, early-lactation DMI in pasture-based systems are under measured. The objectives of this study were (1) to measure and profile total DMI (TDMI) and animal performance of dairy cows during early lactation in a pasture-based system, (2) to investigate early-lactation energy balance in pasture-based systems, and (3) to examine production efficiencies, including TDMI and milk solids production per 100 kg of BW. Eighty spring-calving dairy cows were allocated to a grazing group as they calved over a 2-yr period (2021 and 2022).

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Multiple pattern recognition receptors sense vRNAs and initiate downstream innate signaling: endosomal Toll-like receptors (TLRs) 3, 7, and 8 and cytoplasmic RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) RIG-I, and MDA5. They engage distinct signaling scaffolds: mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (RLR), MyD88, and TLR-adaptor interacting with SLC15A4 on the lysosome (TLR7 and TLR8) and toll/IL-1R domain-containing adaptor inducing IFN (TLR3). By virtue of their unusual vRNA structure and direct host cell entry path, the innate response to EVs uniquely is orchestrated by MDA5.

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Background: Antitumor mechanisms of CD4 T cells remain crudely defined, and means to effectively harness CD4 T-cell help for cancer immunotherapy are lacking. Pre-existing memory CD4 T cells hold potential to be leveraged for this purpose. Moreover, the role of pre-existing immunity in virotherapy, particularly recombinant poliovirus immunotherapy where childhood polio vaccine specific immunity is ubiquitous, remains unclear.

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Background: Outcomes of recurrent paediatric high-grade glioma are poor, with a median overall survival of less than 6 months. Viral immunotherapy, such as the polio-rhinovirus chimera lerapolturev, is a novel approach for treatment of recurrent paediatric high-grade glioma and has shown promise in adults with recurrent glioblastoma. The poliovirus receptor CD155 is ubiquitously expressed in malignant paediatric brain tumours and is a treatment target in paediatric high-grade glioma.

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