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Abstract Background We have developed a model of stratified exercise therapy that distinguishes three knee osteoarthritis (OA) subgroups (‘high muscle strength subgroup’, ‘low muscle strength subgroup’, ‘obesity subgroup’), which are provided subgroup-specific exercise therapy (supplemented by a dietary intervention for the ‘obesity subgroup’). In a large clinical trial, this intervention was found to be no more effective than usual exercise therapy. The present qualitative study aimed to explore experiences from users of this intervention, in order to identify possible improvements. Methods Qualitative research design embedded within a cluster randomized controlled trial in a primary care setting. A random sample from the experimental arm (i.e., 15 patients, 11 physiotherapists and 5 dieticians) was interviewed on their experiences with receiving or applying the intervention. Qualitative data from these semi-structured interviews were thematically analysed. Results We identified four themes: one theme regarding the positive experiences with the intervention and three themes regarding perceived barriers. Although users from all 3 perspectives (patients, physiotherapists and dieticians) generally perceived the intervention as having added value, we also identified several barriers, especially for the ‘obesity subgroup’. In this ‘obesity subgroup’, physiotherapists perceived obesity as difficult to address, dieticians reported that more consultations are needed to reach sustainable weight loss and both physiotherapists and dieticians reported a lack of interprofessional collaboration. In the ‘high muscle strength subgroup’, the low number of supervised sessions was perceived as a barrier by some patients and physiotherapists, but as a facilitator by others. A final theme addressed barriers to knee OA treatment in general, with lack of motivation as the most prominent of these. Conclusion Our qualitative study revealed a number of barriers to effective application of the stratified exercise therapy, especially for the ‘obesity subgroup’. Based on these barriers, the intervention and its implementation could possibly be improved. Moreover, these barriers are likely to account at least partly for the lack of superiority over usual exercise therapy. Trial registration The Netherlands National Trial Register (NTR): NL7463 (date of registration: 8 January 2019).

Background Sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors reduce hospitalizations for heart failure and cardiovascular death, although the underlying mechanisms have not been resolved. The SIMPLE trial (The Effects of Empagliflozin on Myocardial Flow Reserve in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus) investigated the effects of empagliflozin on myocardial flow reserve (MFR) reflecting microvascular perfusion, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus at high cardiovascular disease risk. Methods and Results We randomized 90 patients to either empagliflozin 25 mg once daily or placebo for 13 weeks, as add‐on to standard therapy. The primary outcome was change in MFR at week 13, quantified by Rubidium‐82 positron emission tomography/computed tomography. The secondary key outcomes were changes in resting rate‐pressure product adjusted MFR, changes to myocardial flow during rest and stress, and reversible cardiac ischemia. Mean baseline MFR was 2.21 (95% CI, 2.08–2.35). There was no change from baseline in MFR at week 13 in either the empagliflozin: 0.01 (95% CI, −0.18 to 0.21) or placebo groups: 0.06 (95% CI, −0.15 to 0.27), with no treatment effect −0.05 (95% CI, −0.33 to 0.23). No effects on the secondary outcome parameters by Rubidium‐82 positron emission tomography/computed tomography was observed. Treatment with empagliflozin reduced hemoglobin A1c by 0.76% (95% CI, 1.0–0.5; P

Black and White dual-purpose cattle (DSN) are kept in diverse production systems, but the same set of genetic parameters is used for official national genetic evaluations, neglecting the herd or production system characteristics. The aim of the present study was to infer genetic (co)variance components within and across defined herd descriptor groups or clusters, considering only herds keeping the local and endangered DSN breed. The study considered 3659 DSN and 2324 Holstein Friesian (HF) cows from parities one to three. The 46 herds always kept DSN cows, but in most cases, herds were ‘mixed’ herds (Mixed), including both genetic lines HF and DSN. In order to study environmental sensitivity, we had a focus on the naturally occurring negative energy balance in the early lactation period. In consequence, traits were records from the 1st official test-day after calving for milk yield (Milk-kg), somatic cell score (SCS) and fat-to-protein ratio (FPR). Genetic parameters were estimated in bivariate runs (separate runs for the three genetic lines Mixed, HF and DSN), defining the same trait from different herd groups or clusters as different traits. Additive-genetic variances and heritabilities were larger in herd groups that indicated superior herd management, implying that cow records from these herds allow a better genetic differentiation. Superior herd management included larger herds, low calving age, high herd production levels and low intra-herd somatic cell count. Herd descriptor group differences in additive-genetic variances for Milk-kg were stronger in HF than in DSN, indicating environmental sensitivity for DSN. Similar variance components and heritabilities across groups, clusters and genetic lines were found for data stratification according to geographical descriptors altitude and latitude. Considering 72 bivariate herd group runs, 29 genetic correlations were very close to 1 (mostly for Milk-kg). Somatic cell score was the trait showing the smallest genetic correlations, especially in the DSN analyses, and when stratifying herds according to genetic line compositions (rg=0.11), or according to the percentage of natural service sires (rg=0.08). For estimations based on the results of a cluster analysis considering several herd descriptors simultaneously, indications for genotype × environment interactions could be found for SCS, but genetic correlations were larger than 0.80 for Milk-kg and FPR. In conclusion, we suggest multiple-trait animal model applications in genetic evaluations, in order to select the best sires for specific herd environments or herd clusters.

Genetic diversity was investigated among four Sudanese domesticated guinea fowl populations collected in different regions of Sudan: the states of Blue Nile (BL), Gezira and Khartoum (G), Kassala and Gedaref (KG), and West and North Kordofan (N). In addition, one wild population from Dinder National Park (D) was included. From 25 microsatellites chosen, 10 were informative and used for the current study. A total of 107 alleles were found with observed heterozygosity between 0.364 and 0.494. The populations kept on farms showed high genetic identity with values between 0.9269 and 0.9601. Neighbor-joining tree analysis and STRUCTURE modeling showed that the wild population clearly differs from the populations kept on farms.

The objectives of this study were to analyze whether dry matter intake (DMI), water intake (WI) and BW were influenced by estrus. A second objective was to determine whether correlations exist among these traits in non-estrous days. Data collection included 34 Holstein-Friesian cows from the research farm ‘Haus Riswick’ of the Agricultural Chamber North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. On an individual basis, daily DMI and daily WI were measured automatically by a scale in the feeding trough and a WI monitoring system, respectively. BW was determined by a walk-through scale fitted with two gates – one in front and one behind the scale floor. Data were analyzed around cow’s estrus with day 0 (the day of artificial insemination leading to conception). Means during the reference period, defined as days −3 to −1 and 1 to 3, were compared with the means during estrus (day 0). DMI, WI and BW were affected by estrus. Of all cows, 85.3% and 66.7% had reduced DMI and WI, respectively, on day 0 compared with the reference period. Lower BW was detected in 69.2% of all cows relative to the reference period. During the reference period, average DMI, WI and BW were 23.0, 86.6 and 654.8 kg. A minimum DMI of 20.4 kg and a minimum BW of 644.2 kg were detected on the day of estrus, whereas the minimum WI occurred on the day before estrus. After estrus, DMI, WI and BW returned to baseline values. Intake of concentrated feed did not seem to be influenced by estrus. Positive correlations existed between daily DMI and daily WI (r=0.63) as well as between cows’ daily BW and daily WI (r=0.23). The results warrant further investigations to determine whether monitoring of DMI, WI and BW may assist in predicting estrus.

Paratuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) causes economic losses and is present in dairy herds worldwide. Different studies used different diagnostic tests to detect infection status and are the basis of genome-wide association (GWA) studies with inconsistent results. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify and compare genomic regions associated with MAP susceptibility in the same cohort of cattle using different diagnostic tests. The GWA study was performed in German Holsteins within a case-control assay using 305 cows tested for MAP by fecal culture and additional with four different commercial ELISA-tests. Genotyping was performed with the Illumina Bovine SNP50 BeadChip. The results using fecal culture or ELISA test led to the identification of different genetic loci. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms showed significant association with the ELISA-status. However, no significant association for MAP infection could be confirmed. Our results show that the definition of the MAP-phenotype has an important impact on the outcome of GWA studies for paratuberculosis.

One of the most important factors for economic losses as result of infection with Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the decrease in milk yield. Different phenotyping methods for MAP lead to an inconsistent impact of MAP infection on milk parameters. It was the aim of the study to analyse the effect of the MAP status on milk yield, milk fat and milk protein (in kilograms), as well as on the calving interval and milk kilograms per day of life in German Holstein cattle. A dataset of 9 367 faecal culture tested animals from 14 farms in Thuringia (Germany) were available. The MAP status of the animals affected milk yield and the milk parameters. Beside the effects of farm, lactation number and MAP status, the interaction between MAP status and farm on the milk parameters was significant. The latter result is a possible explanation for the inconsistent results from recent studies. For milk kg per day of life, the interaction between lactation number and MAP status also showed significance.

The demand for special breeding programmes for organic pig meat production is based on the assumption that pigs kept under organic conditions need different biological properties compared with conventionally kept pigs in order to achieve a good performance. This would mean that genotype–environment interactions exist. Therefore, 682 pigs of seven different genotypes were tested for growth performance and carcass quality under conventional and organic environments at two testing stations to verify genotype–environment interactions. All genotypes achieved significantly better results within the conventional environment and there were significant interactions between genotype and environment for all the criteria of growth performance and carcass quality. The interactions are mainly caused by varying differences between organic and conventional systems within genotypes, but for all traits, except weight gain, no major shift of the ranking order within environment between genotypes. Although statistically significant genotype–environment interactions exist, the modern genotypes selected under conventional conditions are also superior to indigenous breeds under organic conditions in economically important traits. Hence, it can be concluded from these results that no special breeding programme is necessary for organic production systems.

In this work, by making use of the large software and database resources made available through online facilities such as the ASI Science Data Center (ASDC), we present a novel approach to the modelling of blazar emission whereby the multi-epoch SED for Mkn 421 is modelled considering, in a self-consistent way, the temporal lags between bands (both in short and long-timescales). These are obtained via a detailed cross-correlation analysis, spanning data from radio to VHE gamma-rays from 2008 to 2015. In addition to that, long-term optical polarisation data is used to aid and complement our physical interpretation of the state and evolution of the source. Blazar studies constitute a clear example that astrophysics is becoming increasingly dominated by “big data”. Specific questions, such as the interpretation of polarimetric information—namely the evolution of the polarisation degree (PD) and specially the polarisation angle (PA) of a source—are very sensitive to the density of data coverage. Improving data accessibility and integration, in order to respond to these necessities, is thus extremely important and has a potentially large impact for blazar science. For this reason, we present also the project to create an open-access database for optical polarimetry, aiming to circumvent the issues raised above, by integrating long-term optical polarisation information on a number sources from several observatories and data providers in a consistent way. The platform, to be launched by the end of 2017 is built as part of the Brazilian Science Data Center (BSDC), a project hosted at CBPF, in Rio de Janeiro, and developed with the support of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and ICRANet. The BSDC is Virtual Observatory-compliant and is built in line with “Open Universe”, a global space science open-data initiative to be launched in November under the auspices of the United Nations.

The behaviour of beef cattle is important for the safety and welfare of stockmen and animals. Ten microsatellites spanning BTA29 and, in addition, the candidate gene, dopamine receptor D4 gene, were analysed in 545 German Angus calves of six sires and included in a quantitative trait locus (QTL) study on the basis of three different behaviour tests. A putative QTL for the score while entering the scale (ScE) was detected at BMS764. The DRD4 fragment was mapped in the distal region of BTA29 15.3 cM distal of ILSTS081. The results clearly indicate that BTA29 with a putative QTL in the proximal part and the candidate gene, DRD4, in the distal part plays an important role in the regulation of temperament. During the study one of the sires was detected to be a blood chimera.

Data from pure breeds, as well as reciprocal crosses of German Angus (GA) and Simmental (SIM) beef cattle, were used to estimate genetic parameters and to evaluate the suitability for crossbreeding in terms of increasing productivity. Traits of interest were calving difficulty, birth weight (BWT), weaning weight (WWT), and ADG from birth to weaning. Data were collected over a period of 7 yr from 1997 and 1998 until 2003 and 2004, whereas crossbreeding was carried out in 2002 and 2003, and 2003 and 2004 only. Variance components and differences between breeds, individual heterosis, and maternal breed effects were analyzed based on 1,441 purebred and 329 crossbred records for BWT and 1,319 purebred and 316 crossbred records for WWT and ADG, respectively. Mean calving difficulty scores were greater in SIM than in GA (P < 0.001). For BWT, WWT, and ADG both reciprocal crosses fell between the purebreds, and for all 3 traits SIM showed greater average values compared with GA. The estimated heritabilities were 0.23 for BWT and 0.12 for WWT. Values for the maternal effect and the correlation between additive and maternal effect were 0.18 for BWT, 0.08 for WWT, 0.32 for BWT, and 0.50 for WWT, respectively. Individual heterosis was only significant for BWT (3.7%; P < 0.01). Superior mothering ability of SIM was implicated by greater WWT and ADG of SIM as dam against the reciprocal cross (P <0.001). The results provide information about the ex tent of individual heterosis and maternal breed effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]