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.

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.

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.

The long-distance relationship between Dirofilaria and the UK: case report and literature review

Over the last two decades, vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) have changed their distribution across the globe as a consequence of a variety of environmental, socioeconomic and geopolitical factors. Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens are perfect exemplars of European VBPs of One Health concern that have undergone profound changes in their distribution, with new hotspots of infection appearing in previously non-endemic countries. Some areas, such as the United Kingdom, are still considered non-endemic. However, a combination of climate change and the potential spread of invasive mosquito species may change this scenario, exposing the country to the risk of outbreaks of filarial infections. Only a limited number of non-autochthonous cases have been recorded in the United Kingdom to date. These infections remain a diagnostic challenge for clinicians unfamiliar with these "exotic" parasites, which in turn complicates the approach to treatment and management. Therefore, this review aims to (i) describe the first case of D. repens infection in a dog currently resident in Scotland, (ii) summarise the available literature on Dirofilaria spp. infections in both humans and animals in the United Kingdom and (iii) assess the suitability of the United Kingdom for the establishment of these new VBPs.

Molecular characterisation of Giardia duodenalis from human and companion animal sources in the United Kingdom using an improved triosephosphate isomerase molecular marker

Giardia duodenalis is a protozoan parasite known for its ability to cause gastrointestinal disease in human and non-human mammals. In the UK, the full impact of this parasite has yet to be fully explored, due to the limited testing which has been undertaken in humans and the low-resolution assemblage-typing methods currently available. Rather than being primarily a travel-associated condition, a recent study has highlighted that an endemic Giardia cycle is present in the UK, although the source of human disease is unclear in the majority of cases. This study focussed on the improvement of one of the commonly used assemblage-typing assays, a nested topoisomerase phosphate (tpi) PCR, to increase the amplification success rate across both human and companion animal samples. After comparing published primers to full Giardia reference genomes, this marker protocol was optimised and then deployed to test a substantial number of human (n ​= ​79) and companion animal (n ​= ​174) samples to gain an insight into the molecular epidemiology of Giardia in the UK. One assemblage A1 and eleven assemblage A2 genotypes were detected in humans, along with and 25 assemblage B genotypes. Assemblage A1 genotypes, known to be human-infective, were found in three feline and one canine sample, while one feline sample contained assemblage A2. Additionally, four feline samples contained assemblage B, which is recognised as potentially human-infective. This study demonstrates the presence of potentially human-infective Giardia genotypes circulating in the companion animal population, notably with 17.4% (8/46) of feline-derived Giardia strains being potentially zoonotic. Using a modified tpi-based genotyping assay, this work highlights the potential for domestic pets to be involved in the endemic transmission of giardiasis in the UK and underlines the need for appropriate hygiene measures to be observed when interacting with both symptomatic and asymptomatic animals. It also serves to underline the requirement for further studies to assess the zoonotic risk of Giardia associated with companion animals in high-income countries.

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.

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.

Antibody Responses in Cats Following Primary and Annual Vaccination against Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) with an Inactivated Whole-Virus Vaccine (Fel-O-Vax® FIV)

Although the antibody response induced by primary vaccination with Fel-O-Vax^® FIV (three doses, 2–4 weeks apart) is well described, the antibody response induced by annual vaccination with Fel-O-Vax^® FIV (single dose every 12 months after primary vaccination) and how it compares to the primary antibody response has not been studied. Residual blood samples from a primary FIV vaccination study (n = 11), and blood samples from cats given an annual FIV vaccination (n = 10), were utilized. Samples from all 21 cats were tested with a commercially available PCR assay (FIV RealPCR^TM), an anti-p24 microsphere immunoassay (MIA), an anti-FIV transmembrane (TM; gp40) peptide ELISA, and a range of commercially available point-of-care (PoC) FIV antibody kits. PCR testing confirmed all 21 cats to be FIV-uninfected for the duration of this study. Results from MIA and ELISA testing showed that both vaccination regimes induced significant antibody responses against p24 and gp40, and both anti-p24 and anti-gp40 antibodies were variably present 12 months after FIV vaccination. The magnitude of the antibody response against both p24 and gp40 was significantly higher in the primary FIV vaccination group than in the annual FIV vaccination group. The differences in prime versus recall post-vaccinal antibody levels correlated with FIV PoC kit performance. Two FIV PoC kits that detect antibodies against gp40, namely Witness^® and Anigen Rapid^®, showed 100% specificity in cats recently administered an annual FIV vaccination, demonstrating that they can be used to accurately distinguish vaccination and infection in annually vaccinated cats. A third FIV PoC kit, SNAP^® Combo, had 0% specificity in annually FIV-vaccinated cats, and should not be used in any cat with a possible history of FIV vaccination. This study outlines the antibody response to inactivated Fel-O-Vax^® FIV whole-virus vaccine, and demonstrates how best to diagnose FIV infection in jurisdictions where FIV vaccination is practiced.

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 >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<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<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).

The Diagnosis of Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) Infection in Owned and Group-Housed Rescue Cats in Australia

A field study was undertaken to (i) measure the prevalence of feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) exposure and FeLV infection in a cross-section of healthy Australian pet cats; and (ii) investigate the outcomes following natural FeLV exposure in two Australian rescue facilities. Group 1 (n = 440) consisted of healthy client-owned cats with outdoor access, predominantly from eastern Australia. Groups 2 (n = 38) and 3 (n = 51) consisted of a mixture of healthy and sick cats, group-housed in two separate rescue facilities in Sydney, Australia, tested following identification of index cases of FeLV infection in cats sourced from these facilities. Diagnostic testing for FeLV exposure/infection included p27 antigen testing using three different point-of-care FeLV kits and a laboratory-based ELISA, real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) testing to detect FeLV proviral DNA in leukocytes, real-time reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) testing to detect FeLV RNA in plasma, and neutralising antibody (NAb) testing. Cats were classified as FeLV-uninfected (FeLV-unexposed and presumptively FeLV-abortive infections) or FeLV-infected (presumptively regressive and presumptively progressive infections). In Group 1, 370 FeLV-unexposed cats (370/440, 84%), 47 abortive infections (47/440, 11%), nine regressive infections (9/440, 2%), and two progressive infections (2/440, 0.5%) were identified, and 12 FeLV-uninfected cats (12/440, 3%) were unclassifiable as FeLV-unexposed or abortive infections due to insufficient samples available for NAb testing. In Groups 2 and 3, 31 FeLV-unexposed cats (31/89, 35%), eight abortive infections (8/89, 9%), 22 regressive infections (22/89; 25%), and 19 progressive infections (19/89; 21%) were discovered, and nine FeLV-uninfected cats (9/89; 10%) were unclassifiable due to insufficient samples available for NAb testing. One of the presumptively progressively-infected cats in Group 3 was likely a focal FeLV infection. Two other presumptively progressively-infected cats in Group 3 may have been classified as regressive infections with repeated testing, highlighting the difficulties associated with FeLV diagnosis when sampling cats at a single time point, even with results from a panel of FeLV tests. These results serve as a reminder to Australian veterinarians that the threat of FeLV to the general pet cat population remains high, thus vigilant FeLV testing, separate housing for FeLV-infected cats, and FeLV vaccination of at-risk cats is important, particularly in group-housed cats in shelters and rescue facilities, where outbreaks of FeLV infection can occur.

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.

Crossover from the Ultracold to the Quasiclassical Regime in State-Selected Photodissociation

Processes that break molecular bonds are typically observed with molecules occupying a mixture of quantum states and successfully described with quasiclassical models, while a few studies have explored the distinctly quantum mechanical low-energy regime. Here, we use photodissociation of diatomic strontium molecules to demonstrate the crossover from the ultracold, quantum regime where photofragment angular distributions strongly depend on the kinetic energy to the quasiclassical regime. Using time-of-flight imaging for photodissociation channels with millikelvin reaction barriers, we explore photofragment energies in the 0.1-300 mK range experimentally and up to 3 K theoretically, and discuss the energy scale at which the crossover occurs. We find that the effects of quantum statistics can persist to high photodissociation energies.

A study of leading indicators for occupational health and safety management systems in healthcare

Background

In Ontario, Canada, approximately $2.5 billion is spent yearly on occupational injuries in the healthcare sector. The healthcare sector has been ranked second highest for lost-time injury rates among 16 Ontario sectors since 2009 with female healthcare workers ranked the highest among all occupations for lost-time claims. There is a great deal of focus in Ontario’s occupational health and safety system on compliance and fines, however despite this increased focus, the injury statistics are not significantly improving. One of the keys to changing this trend is the development of a culture of healthy and safe workplaces including the effective utilization of leading indicators within Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMSs). In contrast to lagging indicators, which focus on outcomes retrospectively, a leading indicator is associated with proactive activities and consists of selected OHSMSs program elements. Using leading indicators to measure health and safety has been common practice in high-risk industries; however, this shift has not occurred in healthcare. The aim of this project is to conduct a longitudinal study implementing six elements of the Ontario Safety Association for Community and Healthcare (OSACH) system identified as leading indicators and evaluating the effectiveness of this intervention on improving selected health and safety workplace indicators.

Methods

A quasi-experimental longitudinal research design will be used within two Ontario acute care hospitals. The first phase of the study will focus on assessing current OHSMSs using the leading indicators, determining potential facilitators and barriers to changing current OHSMSs, and identifying the leading indicators that could be added or changed to the existing OHSMS in place. Phase I will conclude with the development of an intervention designed to support optimizing current OHSMSs in participating hospitals based on identified gaps. Phase II will pilot test and evaluate the tailored intervention.

Discussion

By implementing specific elements to test leading indicators, this project will examine a novel approach to strengthening the occupational health and safety system. Results will guide healthcare organizations in setting priorities for their OHSMSs and thereby improve health and safety outcomes.