Fertility in seasonal-calving pasture-based lactating dairy cows following timed artificial insemination or timed embryo transfer with fresh or frozen in vitro-produced embryos

The objective was to compare pregnancy per service event (P/S) in lactating dairy cows following timed artificial insemination (AI) or timed embryo transfer (ET) using either fresh or frozen in vitro-produced embryos. Oocytes were collected once per week for up to 9 wk using transvaginal ovum pick-up from elite dairy donors (ET-DAIRY; n = 40; Holstein-Friesian and Jersey) and elite beef donors (ET-ELITE-BEEF; n = 21; Angus). Both ET-DAIRY and ET-ELITE-BEEF donors consisted of heifers and cows. In addition, oocytes were collected from the ovaries of beef heifers of known pedigree following slaughter at a commercial abattoir (ET-COMM-BEEF; n = 119). Following in vitro maturation and fertilization, presumptive zygotes were cultured in vitro to the blastocyst stage. Grade 1 blastocysts were either transferred fresh or frozen for on-farm thawing and direct transfer. A total of 1,106 recipient cows (all lactating, predominantly Holstein-Friesian) located on 16 herdlets were blocked based on parity, calving date, and Economic Breeding Index, and randomly assigned to receive AI (n = 243) or ET (n = 863) after estrous synchronization with a 10-d Progesterone-synch protocol. Cows assigned to ET were further randomized to receive fresh (n = 187) or frozen (n = 178) ET-ELITE-BEEF embryos, fresh (n = 169) or frozen (n = 162) ET-DAIRY embryos, or fresh (n = 80) or frozen (n = 87) ET-COMM-BEEF embryos. Pregnancy was diagnosed using transrectal ultrasound on d 32 to 35 after synchronized ovulation and confirmed on d 62 to 65, at which time fetal sex was determined. Pregnancy per service event at d 32 was not different between AI (48.8%) and ET (48.9%) and did not differ between dairy and beef embryos (50.3% vs. 48.1%, respectively). However, P/S was less on d 32 following transfer of frozen embryos (41.6%) compared with fresh embryos (56.1%). Pregnancy loss between d 32 and 62 was greater for ET (15.1%) compared with AI (4.7%), with greater losses observed for frozen beef (18.5%), fresh beef (17.3%), and frozen dairy (19.2%) compared with fresh dairy (6.0%) embryos. Serum progesterone (P4) concentration on d 7 was associated with P/S at d 32 and 62. Cows in the quartile with the least serum P4 concentrations (quartile 1) had less probability of being pregnant on d 32 (33.4%) compared with cows in the 3 upper quartiles for serum P4 (45.7%, 55.6%, and 61.2% for quartile 2, quartile 3, and quartile 4, respectively). Sex ratio (male:female) at d 62 was skewed toward more male fetuses following ET (61.1:38.9) compared with AI (43.2:56.8) and was consistent with the sex ratio among in vitro blastocysts (61.2:38.8). In conclusion, P/S was similar for AI and ET, although pregnancy loss between d 32 and 62 was greater for ET than for AI.

Pre-asthma: a useful concept for prevention and disease-modification? A EUFOREA paper. Part 1-allergic asthma

Asthma, which affects some 300 million people worldwide and caused 455,000 deaths in 2019, is a significant burden to suffers and to society. It is the most common chronic disease in children and represents one of the major causes for years lived with disability. Significant efforts are made by organizations such as WHO in improving the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of asthma. However asthma prevention has been less studied. Currently there is a concept of pre- diabetes which allows a reduction in full blown diabetes if diet and exercise are undertaken. Similar predictive states are found in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. In this paper we explore the possibilities for asthma prevention, both at population level and also investigate the possibility of defining a state of pre-asthma, in which intensive treatment could reduce progression to asthma. Since asthma is a heterogeneous condition, this paper is concerned with allergic asthma. A subsequent one will deal with late onset eosinophilic asthma.

[Indicative prevention programs for mental health promotion in preschool and primary school age: Willingness of pediatricians and families to participate in an innovative care chain]

BACKGROUND

Mental health problems usually have their onset in childhood. Undiagnosed, they may progress into mental disorders. Despite their effectiveness, existing preventive programs have been rarely used. We aimed to examine to what extent the establishment of a care chain can identify children at high risk at an early stage and assign them to preventive interventions. In addition, prevention program participation was assessed.

METHODS

In a prospective implementation study, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was administered as a screening instrument to families during regular pediatric health examinations (U9-U11, child age 5-10 years). Families received feedback directly from the pediatrician, and in the case of borderline abnormal emotional or behavioral problems, a recommendation for an indicative prevention program. Program indication was additionally determined in an entry examination prior to program participation.

RESULTS

In the area of Dresden (Germany), n = 46 (38.7%) pediatricians participated in the project. In n = 28 pediatric practices, n = 3231 (86.4%) families participated in the screening and n = 864 (26.7%) children received a prevention recommendation. Of the families, n = 118/864 (13.7%) self-registered for the prevention programs, n = 215/624 (35.5%) showed interest after being contacted by the study teamn. Through other pathways, n = 139 families requested participation. Clinical evaluation interviews to assess prevention indication were conducted in n = 337 children (n = 461; via all entry pathways). Finally, n = 237 (n = 337) children participated in an indicated prevention program.

CONCLUSION

Expanding screening to mental health problems during regular health checkups is feasible, useful, and widely accepted. In order to implement a care chain, a supply structure should be established to enable referral to and uptake of preventive interventions.

Use of transcranial low-intensity focused ultrasound for targeted delivery of stem cell-derived exosomes to the brain

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) presents a significant challenge for targeted drug delivery. A proposed method to improve drug delivery across the BBB is focused ultrasound (fUS), which delivers ultrasound waves to a targeted location in the brain and is hypothesized to open the BBB. Furthermore, stem cell-derived exosomes have been suggested as a possible anti-inflammatory molecule that may have neural benefits, if able to pass the BBB. In the present study, transcranial low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU), without the use of intravenous microbubbles, was assessed for both (1) its ability to influence the BBB, as well as (2) its ability to increase the localization of intravenously administered small molecules to a specific region in the brain. In vivo rat studies were conducted with a rodent-customized 2 MHz LIFU probe (peak pressure = 1.5 MPa), and injection of labeled stem cell-derived exosomes. The results suggested that LIFU (without microbubbles) did not appear to open the BBB after exposure times of 20, 40, or 60 min; instead, there appeared to be an increase in transcytosis of the dextran tracer. Furthermore, the imaging results of the exosome study showed an increase in exosome localization in the right hippocampus following 60 min of targeted LIFU.

Intimate partner violence: A clinical update

ABSTRACT

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health issue associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. NPs are ideally positioned to screen for and intervene in IPV, thereby mitigating the health risks IPV carries for women, infants, and young children. Safety planning and appropriate referrals to community-based resources are critical components of addressing IPV.

EUFOREA summit in Brussels 2023: inspiring the future of allergy & respiratory care

In March 2023, the European Forum for Research and Education in Allergy and Airways diseases (EUFOREA) organized its bi-annual Summit in Brussels with expert panel members of EUFOREA, representatives of the EUFOREA patient advisory board, and the EUFOREA board and management teams. Its aim was to define the research, educational and advocacy initiatives to be developed by EUFOREA over the next 2 years until the 10th anniversary in 2025. EUFOREA is an international non-for-profit organization forming an alliance of all stakeholders dedicated to reducing the prevalence and burden of chronic allergic and respiratory diseases via research, education, and advocacy. Based on its medical scientific core competency, EUFOREA offers an evidence-supported platform to introduce innovation and education in healthcare leading to optimal patient care, bridging the gap between latest scientific evidence and daily practice. Aligned with the mission of improving health care, the expert panels of asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR), chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) & European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps (EPOS), allergen immunotherapy (AIT) and paediatrics have proposed and elaborated a variety of activities that correspond to major unmet needs in the allergy and respiratory field. The current report provides a concise overview of the achievements, ambitions, and action plan of EUFOREA for the future, allowing all stakeholders in the allergy and respiratory field to be up-dated and inspired to join forces in Europe and beyond.

App-Based Mindfulness Meditation Training and an Audiobook Intervention Reduce Symptom Severity but Do Not Modify Backward Inhibition in Adolescent Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Evidence from an EEG Study

(1) Background: 1–2% of children and adolescents are affected by Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The rigid, repetitive features of OCD and an assumed disability to inhibit recent mental representations are assumed to have led to a paradoxical advantage in that the Backward Inhibition (BI) effect was recently found to be lower in adolescents with OCD as compared to healthy controls. It was hypothesized that app-based mindfulness meditation training could reduce the disability to inhibit recent mental representations and thus increase the BI-effect by adapting cognitive flexibility and inhibition abilities according to healthy controls. (2) Methods: 58 adolescents (10–19 years) with OCD were included in the final sample of this interviewer-blind, randomized controlled study. Participants were allocated to an intervention group (app-based mindfulness meditation training) or an (active) control group (app-based audiobook) for eight weeks. Symptom (CY-BOCS), behavioral (reaction times and mean accuracy), and neurophysiological changes (in EEG) of the BI-effect were analyzed in a pre-post design. (3) Results: The intervention and the control group showed an intervention effect (Reliable Change Index: 67%) with a significant symptom reduction. Contrary to the hypothesis, the BI-effect did not differ between pre vs. post app-based mindfulness meditation training. In addition, as expected the audiobook application showed no effects. Thus, we observed no intervention-specific differences with respect to behavioral (reaction times and mean accuracy) or with respect to neurophysiological (perceptual [P1], attentional [N1], conflict monitoring [N2] or updating and response selection [P3]) processes. However, in an exploratory approach, we revealed that the BI-effect decreased in participants who did not benefit from using an app, regardless of group. (4) Conclusions: Both listening to an app-based mindfulness meditation training and to an audiobook reduce symptom severity in adolescent OCD as measured by the CY-BOCS; however, they have no specific effect on BI. The extent of the baseline BI-effect might be considered as an intra-individual component to predict the benefit of both mindfulness meditation training and listening to an audiobook.

Experiences of racism and perinatal depression: Findings from the pregnancy risk assessment monitoring system, 2018

AIM

To estimate the association between feeling upset by experiences of racism and self-reported depression during pregnancy among non-Hispanic Black women using a large population-based sample from the United States.

DESIGN

We conducted a secondary analysis of nationally representative cross-sectional survey data with retrospective measures.

METHODS

Analysis of Phase 8 (2018) data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System survey included 7328 non-Hispanic Black respondents with a recent live birth from 11 states and New York City. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between self-report of feeling upset due to experience of racism during the year prior to delivery and self-reported depression during pregnancy, controlling for potential confounders.

RESULTS

The prevalence of feeling upset due to experiences of racism was 11.4% and the prevalence of depression during pregnancy was 11.4%. Respondents who reported feeling upset due to the experience of racism had over two-fold higher odds (OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.67, 3.37) of experiencing depression during pregnancy compared to respondents who did not report feeling upset due to the experience of racism, adjusted for maternal age, educational attainment, marital status, pre-pregnancy insurance type, region, and pre-pregnancy depression.

CONCLUSION

Respondents who felt upset due to the experience of racism in the year prior to delivery experienced significantly higher odds of depression during pregnancy, and thus are at an increased risk for adverse maternal outcomes.

IMPACT

Stress from racism and racial discrimination during the perinatal period may contribute to maternal morbidity, including perinatal depression, among Black women.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

The data in this study were collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. To our knowledge, the conduct of the study did not include patient or public contribution. Neither did the analysis, interpretation, nor manuscript preparation include patient or public contribution because we did not have funding to support the study or their involvement.

Influence of sire fertility status on conceptus-induced transcriptomic response of the bovine endometrium

The aim was to examine the effect of sire fertility status on conceptus-induced changes in the bovine endometrial transcriptome. To generate elongated conceptuses, Day 7 blastocysts produced in vitro using frozen-thawed sperm from Holstein Friesian bulls (3 High fertility, HF and 3 Low fertility, LF) were transferred in groups of 5–10 into synchronized heifers (n = 7 heifers per bull) and recovered following slaughter on Day 15. Day 15 endometrial explants recovered from the uterine horn ipsilateral to the corpus luteum were recovered from synchronized cyclic heifers (n = 4). Explants from each heifer were co-cultured for 6 h in RPMI medium alone (Control) or with 100 ng/ml ovine recombinant interferon tau (IFNT) or with a single conceptus from each HF or LF bull. After 6 h, explants were snap frozen and stored at −80°C. Extracted mRNA was subjected to RNA-seq and the resulting data were analyzed with R software. The numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEG; FDR<0.05) were: HF vs. Control: 956; LF vs. Control: 1021; IFNT vs. Control: 1301; HF vs. LF: 2. Unsurprisingly, the majority of DEG (658) were common to all comparisons and were related to IFNT-induced changes in the endometrium. Prior to applying the adjusted p-value, there were 700 DEG between HF and LF, with 191 and 509 genes more expressed in HF or LF, respectively (p < 0.05). Overrepresentation analysis of KEGG pathways (FDR<0.05), revealed that DEG with higher expression in LF were involved in cell cycle and proteolysis, while those upregulated DEG by HF conceptuses were strongly associated with immune process pathways, such as TNF, NF-kappa B, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and TLR signaling. These pathways were also enriched by DEG upregulated by IFNT compared to the Control. Furthermore, only the HF, and not the LF group, affected the expression of most genes in these pathways (p < 0.05) according to a negative binomial regression model. Finally, a weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed two clusters of co-expressed genes associated with the HF conceptuses (p < 0.05), which were also enriched for the aforementioned pathways. In conclusion, HF conceptuses, similar to IFNT treatment, stimulated multiple pathways involved in immune response, which were apparently not affected by LF conceptuses.

A Review of Treatments and Clinical Guidelines for Perinatal Depression

Perinatal depression occurs in approximately 1 in 7 women and is considered the most common complication of pregnancy and childbearing. Management of perinatal depression may include a combination of nonpharmacological and pharmacological therapies depending on the severity of symptoms, the stage of gestation, and maternal preference. Healthcare providers are recommended to review current guidelines and provide information to women during pregnancy and postpartum regarding the risks and benefits of nonpharmacological and pharmacological treatment options for perinatal depression. In addition, healthcare providers should consider common barriers to treatment including inadequate screening and social stigma. This article reviews common treatments of perinatal depression as well as the clinical guidelines provided by the American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the American Psychiatric Association (APA), and the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Discussion of nonpharmacological therapies includes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT). Pharmacological treatments are reviewed by drug class and include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), norepinephrine/dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs), and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). Adjunctive treatments of severe depression, including second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs), are also discussed.

Student outcomes of an international learning collaborative to develop patient safety and quality competencies in nursing

Background

Patient harm is a global crisis fueling negative outcomes for patients around the world. Working together in an international learning collaborative fostered learning with, from and about each other to develop evidence-based strategies for developing quality and safety competencies in nursing.

Aims

To report student outcomes from an international learning collaborative focused on patient safety using the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses competency framework.

Methods

A global consortium of nursing faculty created an international learning collaborative and designed educational strategies for an online pre-workshop and a 10-day in-person experience for 21 undergraduate and graduate nursing students from six countries. A retrospective pre-test post-test survey measured participants' confidence levels of patient safety competence using the health professional education in patient safety survey and content analysis of daily reflective writings.

Results

Statistical analysis revealed student confidence levels improved across all eight areas of safe practice comparing-pre and post-education (significance, alpha of P < 0.05). Two overarching themes, reactions to shared learning experiences and shared areas of learning and development, reflected Quality and Safety Education for Nurses competencies and a new cultural understanding.

Conclusions

The international learning collaborative demonstrated that cross-border learning opportunities can foster global development of quality and safety outcome goals.

Embracing diversity: measuring the impact of an international immersion learning experience on nursing students’ cultural beliefs and values

Objectives

An international Nursing Leadership Collaborative covened in Japan to hold a patient safety and quality workshop for nursing students from six countries. The purpose was to measure students’ self reported beliefs reflecting sensitivity and openness to cultural diversity before and after the international experience.

Methods

A pre-post-test design was used and the Beliefs, Events, and Values Inventory was administered to international undergraduate and graduate nursing students.

Results

The group aggregate data analysis indicate that prior to the start of the workshop, the group presented itself as quite introspective and after the workshop the group reported being more sophisticated in making causal explanations about why the world works in the way it does.

Conclusions

Nursing students experienced an expanded awareness of their beliefs and values that reflect a greater degree of intercultural sensitivity for acceptance of inclusivity and diversity after the experience.

Mapping the intracluster medium temperature in the era of NIKA2 and MUSTANG-2

We present preliminary results from an on-going program that aims at mapping the intracluster medium (ICM) temperature of high redshift galaxy clusters from the MaDCoWS sample using a joint analysis of shallow X-ray data obtained by Chandra and high angular resolution Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (SZ) observations realized with the NIKA2 and MUSTANG-2 cameras. We also present preliminary results from an on-going Open Time program within the NIKA2 collaboration that aims at mapping the ICM temperature of a galaxy cluster at z = 0.45 from the resolved detection of the relativistic corrections to the SZ spectrum. These studies demonstrate how high angular resolution SZ observations will play a major role in the coming decade to push the investigation of ICM dynamics and non-gravitational processes to high redshift before the next generation X-ray observatories come into play.

139 OLDER PERSONS REHABILITATION: A SIX MONTH PATIENT PROFILE

Background

For quality improvement to be assessed in a healthcare setting, understanding the specific patient profile is vital. Only then can system performance and service development be reviewed accurately. The purpose of this review was to analyse the patient profile of a 20 bed older persons rehabilitation unit.

Methods

Data was collected weekly for patients admitted and discharged to a sub-acute rehabilitation unit over a six month period (January to June 2021) by a multi-disciplinary team (MDT). Information collected included; age, clinical frailty scale (CFS, revised 2008, Rockwood et al., 2005), MDT involvement, care needs on discharge, onward community referrals and length of stay.

Results

62 patients were included (25 males and 37 females) with an average age of 81 (range 61–99). The CFS was measured for 58 patients and ranged from 1 to 7. On examination, 9% of patients had a CFS of 1–2, 38% a CFS of 3–4, 46% a CFS of 5–6 and 7% a CFS of 7.

Of the 62 patients included, all received physiotherapy and occupational therapy, 28 speech and language therapy, 25 dietetics and 48 medical social work.

The average length of stay was 42 days (range 10–162).

On discharge 42% of patients went home with existing supports, 50% went home with increased supports and 8% went to a residential care facility. Referrals to community services were sent for 65% of patients.

Conclusion

53% of patients admitted to an older person rehabilitation unit had a CFS of 5 or more, indicating they were at least mildly frail. The average length of stay was six weeks and all patients required a minimum of two MDT members during their stay. This highlights the presence of frailty and the importance of effective MDT working in the sub-acute rehabilitation setting.

151 THERAPY OUTCOME MEASURES IN AN OLDER PERSONS REHABILITATION UNIT

Background

The mission of an older person’s sub-acute rehabilitation unit is to improve the individual’s function and quality of life. This is achieved through patient and multidisciplinary team (MDT) collaboration. The MDT collect Therapy Outcome Measure (TOM) (Enderby and John 2015) data to measure the effectiveness of rehabilitation and facilitate analysis of patient and service outcomes. This abstract will present 6 months of data collection with the aim of evaluating the impact of MDT intervention from January 2021.

Methods

The MDT meet weekly to jointly record patient TOM scores on admission and discharge. The TOM scales used are; multifactorial conditions, stroke and neurological disorder. The patient is scored from 0–5 in four domains; impairment, activity, participation and well-being. There are 11 parts to the scale with 0.5 scores permitted (Enderby and John 2015).

Results

Data was analysed on 62 patients. Across an episode of rehabilitation an increase of 0.5 or more on the TOM is a clinically significant (positive) change. 84% of patients had an overall improvement in the total TOM score. There was an average overall increase of 2.6 points on the scale which equates to a 25% overall change. 63% improved in the domain of impairment, 77% in activity, 73% in participation and 66% in wellbeing. 100% of patients post-stroke, 81% with multifactorial conditions and 75% with neurological conditions experienced an overall improvement.

Conclusion

The data objectively shows positive patient outcomes in older persons rehabilitation. Individuals experienced the most positive change in their activity and participation function and high levels of change are also evident in impairment levels and well-being. Overall, TOM is a very useful MDT outcome measure tool. It has been successfully implemented and maintained in the service and facilitates the ongoing analysis of individual and service outcomes to understand the impact of intervention.

Sire contribution to fertilization failure and early embryo survival in cattle

Despite passing routine laboratory tests of semen quality, bulls used in artificial insemination (AI) exhibit a significant range in field fertility. The objective of this study was to determine whether subfertility in AI bulls is due to issues of sperm transport to the site of fertilization, fertilization failure, or failure of early embryo or conceptus development. In experiment 1, Holstein-Friesian bulls (3 high fertility, HF, and 3 low fertility, LF) were selected from the national population of AI bulls based on adjusted fertility scores from a minimum of 500 inseminations (HF: +4.37% and LF: -12.7%; mean = 0%). Superovulated beef heifers were blocked based on estimated number of follicles at the time of AI and inseminated with semen from HF or LF bulls (n = 3-4 heifers per bull; total 19 heifers). Following slaughter 7 d later, the number of corpora lutea was counted and the uteri were flushed. Recovered structures (oocytes/embryos) were classified according to developmental stage and stained with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole to assess number of cells and accessory sperm. Overall recovery rate (total structures recovered/total corpora lutea) was 52.6% and was not different between groups. Mean (± standard error of the mean) number of embryos recovered per recipient was 8.7 ± 5.2 and 9.4 ± 5.5 for HF and LF, respectively. Overall fertilization rate of recovered structures was not different between groups. However, more embryos were at advanced stages of development (all blastocyst stages combined), reflected in a greater mean embryo cell number on d 7 for HF versus LF bulls. Number of accessory sperm was greater for embryos derived from HF than for LF bulls. The aim of experiment 2 was to evaluate the effect of sire fertility on survival of bovine embryos to d 15. Day 7 blastocysts were produced in vitro using semen from the same HF (n = 3) and LF (n = 3) bulls and transferred in groups of 5-10 to synchronized heifers (n = 7 heifers per bull; total 42 heifers). Conceptus recovery rate on d 15 was higher in HF (59.4%,) versus LF (45.0%). Mean length of recovered conceptuses for HF bulls was not affected by fertility status. In conclusion, while differences in field fertility among AI sires used in this study were not reflected in fertilization rate, differences in embryo quality were apparent as early as d 7. These differences likely contributed to the higher proportion of conceptuses surviving to d 15 in HF bulls.

101 Heifer plane of nutrition during the prepubertal phase modifies reproductive development in male fetuses

Maternal nutritional perturbation during gestation influences fetal development which, in turn, can affect postnatal growth, gonad development, gamete quality, and health of the offspring. The objective of this study was to determine whether maternal diet during the pre-pubertal phase would induce modifications in future male fetal reproductive development. Angus×Holstein-Friesian heifers (n=80) with a mean (±s.d.) age of 141±8d and bodyweight (BW) of 119±23kg had unrestricted access to a perennial ryegrass dominated sward supplemented with either 0.5kg of concentrate daily to achieve an average daily gain (ADG) of 0.50kg (moderate, MOD) or concentrate ad libitum to achieve an ADG of &gt;1.0kg (high, HI). Heifers were offered these divergent dietary regimens from 4.5 to 8.5 months of age, after which they were all offered a moderate plane of nutrition. Heifers were bred to a synchronised oestrus at a mean age of 502±8.2d and mean BW of 360±46.7kg using semen from a single proven sire. Transrectal uterine ultrasonography was carried out 63 days post-AI to determine pregnancy and fetal sex; a cohort of heifers reflective of group average BW and age and carrying male fetuses were slaughtered on Day 100 of gestation (HI: n=10; MOD: n=12). Fetal crown–rump length and weight were recorded. One testis was snap frozen for RNA sequencing and the other was processed for stereology. Mean (±s.d.) fetal crown–rump length and weight were 19.5±0.69cm and 314.6±33.6g, respectively, and did not differ between groups. RNA sequencing revealed 45 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between groups, 44 of which were upregulated in the HI group. A total of 29 biochemical pathways were identified as significantly enriched (P&lt;0.05), six of which were predicted to be involved in the development of the reproductive tract based on several DEGs. Histological analysis revealed greater (P&lt;0.05) fetal testicular interstitial tissue density in the MOD group and a strong tendency towards increased seminiferous tubule density (P=0.06) in the HI group. In conclusion, offering a high plane of nutrition during the prepubertal period not only increases the rate of sexual development in the heifer but also induces latent in utero modifications to the testicular development of their subsequent male progeny. The consequences for postnatal development of male progeny remain to be elucidated. This research was supported by Science Foundation Ireland (16/IA/4474).

Impact of a dry inoculum deposition on the efficacy of copper-based antimicrobial surfaces

BACKGROUND

The introduction of antimicrobial surfaces into healthcare environments is believed to impact positively on the rate of healthcare-associated infections by significantly decreasing pathogen presence on surfaces.

AIM

To report on a novel efficacy test that uses a dry bacterial inoculum to measure the microbicidal efficacy of antimicrobial surfaces.

METHODS

An aerosolized dry inoculum of Staphylococcus aureus or Acinetobacter baumannii was deposited on copper alloy surfaces or a hospital-grade stainless-steel surface. Surviving bacteria were enumerated following incubation of the inoculated surfaces at an environmentally relevant temperature and relative humidity. Damage caused to bacteria by the aerosolization process and by the different surfaces was investigated.

FINDINGS

Dry inoculum testing showed a <2-log₁₀ reduction in S. aureus or A. baumannii on the copper alloy surfaces tested after 24 h at 20°C and 40% relative humidity. Potential mechanisms of action included membrane damage, DNA damage and arrested cellular respiration. The aerosolization process caused some damage to bacterial cells. Once this effect was taken into account, the antimicrobial activity of copper surfaces was evident.

CONCLUSIONS

Our test provided a realistic deposition of a bacterial inoculum to a surface and, as such, a realistic protocol to assess the efficacy of dry antimicrobial environmental surfaces in vitro.

Biallelic variants in PPP1R13L cause paediatric dilated cardiomyopathy

Childhood dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a leading cause of heart failure requiring cardiac transplantation and approximately 5% of cases result in sudden death. Knowledge of the underlying genetic cause can aid prognostication and clinical management and enables accurate recurrence risk counselling for the family. Here we used genomic sequencing to identify the causative genetic variant(s) in families with children affected by severe DCM. In an international collaborative effort facilitated by GeneMatcher, biallelic variants in PPP1R13L were identified in seven children with severe DCM from five unrelated families following exome or genome sequencing and inheritance-based variant filtering. PPP1R13L encodes inhibitor of apoptosis-stimulating protein of p53 protein (iASPP). In addition to roles in apoptosis, iASPP acts as a regulator of desmosomes and has been implicated in inflammatory pathways. DCM presented early (mean: 2 years 10 months; range: 3 months-9 years) and was progressive, resulting in death (n = 3) or transplant (n = 3), with one child currently awaiting transplant. Genomic sequencing technologies are valuable for the identification of novel and emerging candidate genes. Biallelic variants in PPP1R13L were previously reported in a single consanguineous family with paediatric DCM. The identification here of a further five families now provides sufficient evidence to support a robust gene-disease association between PPP1R13L and severe paediatric DCM. The PPP1R13L gene should be included in panel-based genetic testing for paediatric DCM.

Mapping the gas thermodynamic properties of the massive cluster merger MOO J1142+1527 at z = 1.2

We present the results of the analysis of the very massive cluster MOO J1142+1527 at a redshift z = 1.2 based on high angular resolution NIKA2 Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (SZ) andChandraX-ray data. This multi-wavelength analysis enables us to estimate the shape of the temperature profile with unprecedented precision at this redshift and to obtain a map of the gas entropy distribution averaged along the line of sight. The comparison between the cluster morphological properties observed in the NIKA2 andChandramaps together with the analysis of the entropy map allows us to conclude that MOOJ1142+1527 is an on-going merger hosting a cool-core at the position of the X-ray peak. This work demonstrates how the addition of spatially-resolved SZ observations to low signal-to-noise X-ray data can bring valuable insights on the intracluster medium thermodynamic properties atz>1.

4 Sperm, but not seminal plasma, elicit changes in the bovine endometrial transcriptome after natural mating

Studies in mice and pigs have shown that seminal plasma (SP) can modulate the uterine environment, leading to an increase in embryo survival and implantation. However, in cattle, conflicting evidence has resulted from studies in which SP was infused into the uterus. In contrast to mice and pigs, it is questionable whether any SP reaches the bovine uterus during natural mating. However, sperm could act as vehicle for SP proteins that bind to their plasma membrane at ejaculation. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyse the effect of exposure to SP, in the presence or absence of sperm, on the endometrial transcriptome. Beef heifers were oestrus synchronized and mated after being seen in standing oestrus with intact bulls (which ejaculate sperm and SP, n=7) or vasectomized bulls (VX, which only ejaculate SP, n=8) or left unmated (control, n=7). To reduce a potential bull effect, 3 vasectomized and 2 intact Holstein bulls were used. Each heifer was mounted once to one intact or VX bull. Heifers were slaughtered 24h (±6h) after mating, and their reproductive tracts were recovered. Endometrial tissue from the base of the uterine horn ipsilateral to the ovulatory follicle was processed for RNA sequencing. Surprisingly, mating with a VX bull resulted in no differentially expressed genes (DEG) in the endometrium compared with unmated controls. In contrast, mating with intact bulls resulted in 22 DEG (10 down regulated and 12 upregulated) compared with unmated controls and 24 DEG (6 downregulated and 18 upregulated) compared with VX samples. The upregulated genes in intact versus VX samples included several that may have a potential role in implantation: CX3CL1, C4BPA, VCAM1-like, and IL17F. Gene CX3CL1 promotes trophoblast migration in women and has been described as a potential bovine embryokine. In addition, decreased levels of C4BPA have been correlated with implantation failure and unexplained recurrent abortions in women. Further, VCAM1 is involved in bovine conceptus implantation and is downregulated in women with unexplained infertility. In mice, SP regulates inflammation of IL17F in the uterus through the γδT/IL-17 pathway. On the other hand, the immune-related genes PRSS2 and CEBPD were downregulated in intact versus control samples, and BOLA-DQB was downregulated in intact versus VX samples. Gene PRSS2, involved in tissue remodelling, is upregulated in the endometrium of repeated breeder cows. Gene CEBPD, is a transcription factor that enhances IL6 expression, whereas BOLA-DQB is involved in antigen presentation. Interestingly, the gene coding for the α-chain of this protein is also downregulated in high fertility cows. In conclusion, these results do not support a direct effect of SP in regulating pregnancy success in cattle. However, sperm can elicit modest endometrial transcriptomic changes related to implantation and immune system regulation. Further research is needed to elucidate the role of intrinsic sperm proteins, or SP proteins transported by these cells, in the modulation of the uterine environment. This work was supported by EU Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie (No. 792212).

43 Effect of early life nutrition on endometrial gland development and endometrial gene expression in heifers

In cattle, uterine gland development (adenogenesis) occurs postnatally, beginning immediately after birth, and is normally complete by approximately 2 months of age. Normal development of uterine glands is essential for subsequent fertility. Early life plane of nutrition can impact age at puberty, but the impact of early postnatal nutrition on adenogenesis is unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of enhanced nutrition during the first 21 weeks of life on heifer reproductive organ growth, endometrial gland development, and endometrial gene expression. To this end, Angus×Holstein-Friesian heifer calves with a mean (±s.d.) age and body weight of 19 (±5) days and 51.2 (±7.8) kg, respectively, were assigned to either a high (HIGH; n=16; targeted average daily gain, ADG, 1.2 kg/d) or a moderate plane of nutrition (MOD; n=16; targeted ADG 0.5 kg/d). Calves were slaughtered at five months of age, and their reproductive tracts were collected and dissected for analysis. To assess endometrial gland number, a cross-section of the midpoint of one horn (n=8 per group) was fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, embedded, and processed for histology. Slides were stained with haematoxylin-eosin. Five pictures were randomly taken on each slide using a stereomicroscope at 40× magnification and the number of glands was counted using ImageJ (https://imagej.nih.gov/ij/) software. In addition, endometrial tissue samples were collected and snap frozen for subsequent quantitative RT-PCR analysis. At the time of slaughter, calves on the HIGH and MOD diets presented a body weight of 189.6 and 110.2kg, respectively (P&lt;0.001), indicating an ADG of 1.18 kg/d for the HIGH group and 0.50 kg/d for the MOD group (P&lt;0.001). Calves in the HIGH group had a greater (P&lt;0.001) total reproductive tract (mean±s.d.; 114.01±35.56g v. 52.67±14.29g), isolated cervix (33.17±9.35g v. 16.14±5.27g), uterus (59.35±25.78g v. 27.46±10.61g), and ovarian (14.80±11.38g v. 5.40±1.94g) tissue weights compared with those in the MOD group. This difference was also present when organ weight was expressed on a per unit of body weight basis (P&lt;0.05). However, no differences were found in the number of endometrial glands between groups (HIGH: 453.50±94.18v. MOD: 482.38±124.69). In accordance with this result, transcript abundance of six paracrine mediators of gland development (ESR1, IGF1, IGFBP1, WNT5A, WNT7A, and FGF10) was not affected by diet. In conclusion, enhanced early-life plane of nutrition increased the size of the reproductive tract in heifer calves but did not affect endometrial gland development. Future studies will compare the global endometrial transcriptome between groups to explore other putative effects of diet on uterine development. Research was supported by EU, Horizon 2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie, REPBIOTECH 675526, Science Foundation Ireland 13/IA/1983, and São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) 2017/21415-5.