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Reproduction, especially impregnation, is a critical aspect of dairy cow management that directly influences herd milk productivity. We conducted a noninvasive hair mineral assay to compare the mineral profiles of two dairy cow groups: reproducible and repeat breeder, by investigating the levels of 11 essential minerals (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Cr, Se, and P) and 6 toxic elements (Hg, Pb, Cd, Al, As, and Ni) in both groups. We also conducted principal component and correlation matrix analyses to compare hair mineral patterns between the groups. Compared to their reproducible counterparts, repeat breeder cows had lower levels of Na, K, and Se. However, Fe, Cd, Al, and As levels were higher in repeat breeders than in their reproducible counterparts. The correlation matrix showed notable correlation patterns for each group. Ca, K, and Na levels were positively correlated in reproducible cows, whereas repeat breeder cows showed positive correlations only between Ca and K levels. Se showed positive correlations with Zn only in the reproducible cow group. Negative correlations were not found in the reproducible group, whereas the repeat breeder group exhibited 7 negative correlations. Despite the limitations of hair mineral analysis, this study provided useful insights into the reproductive potential of dairy cows. These findings aid in easing the prediction of repeat breeder occurrences in herds and are expected to facilitate timely mineral supplementation and other interventions to improve overall herd reproduction in dairy farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study examines the role of a university and academics in improving the learning experiences of BAME students, drawing on student-led participatory action research with Social Sciences BAME students at Bournemouth University (BU henceforth) between 2018-2020. The paper seeks to illuminate the critical role of the university by focusing on three inter-related facets at macro, meso and micro levels (Bronfenbrenner, 1979): financial and temporal/spatial support for students; collaboration between academic staff at departmental and faculty levels to address any issues that arose from student meetings; and its consequential impact on student wellbeing, self-worth and their overall engagement in their learning. I argue that to achieve the utmost improvement in BAME students' learning experiences, these different levels of the support system need to work together. I further argue that maximising the potentiality of 'ethnic capital' (Modood, 2004) could be a powerful resource that could bring significant changes to the experiences of BAME students and subsequent outcomes of their learning during and after university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research contributes to the development of migration theories by examining the challenges and opportunities faced by UK-resident migrants from North Korea in maintaining transnational family ties. Particularly, it reflects critically on the role played by 'place' as a regulatory apparatus in shaping the migrants' experiences of family relationships in a transnational social space. The findings are drawn from thematic analysis of data from life history interviews with 14 North Korean defectors. In the light of the prevalence of back-and-forth stepwise migration for the defectors and their families across multiple nation states, I propose the concept of 'traversing' to describe the strenuous transnational familial experiences and complex mobility trajectories of North Korean escapees, which goes beyond a linear journey from the sending to the host place. While existing migration research has capitalized on the host place in selectively enabling and stratifying migrants' access to transnational family rights, I argue that, instead of assuming forced migrants have free access to their home countries, it is important to consider the interplay between multiple places in understanding the challenges for vulnerable migrants to access essential family rights and maintain transnational family relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the longevity effects of hispidol, a 6,4′‐dihydroxyaurone, using the Caenorhabditis elegans model system. Our lifespan assay data revealed that hispidol could prolong the lifespan of wild‐type worms under normal culture condition. Moreover, hispidol increased the survival rate of the worms against a heat stress condition through up‐regulated expressions of HSP‐16.2. Similarly, hispidol protected worms from paraquat‐induced oxidative stress. We also found that the hispidol elevated the activities of antioxidant enzymes, thereby attenuating the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species. These results suggest that the enhancement of lifespan and stress resistance by the hispidol treatment might be attributed to its strong in vivo antioxidant capacity and regulation of stress proteins. Further tests on the aging‐related factors revealed that hispidol could regulate the speed of pharyngeal pumping, indicating the association of dietary restriction with the hispidol‐mediated longevity. However, there were no significant alterations in the body length of the worms between the groups. We then investigated the effects of hispidol on body movement and lipofuscin accumulation in aged worms. Interestingly, these healthspan parameters were strongly improved by the hispidol treatment. Our genetic studies showed no significant change in the lifespan of the daf‐16 null mutants by hispidol supplementation. In addition, enhanced nuclear translocation of DAF‐16 was observed in the hispidol‐fed DAF‐16::GFP fused transgenic mutants, suggesting the requirement of DAF‐16/FOXO activation for the longevity effect of hispidol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oriental tobacco budworm, H elicoverpa assulta, is a specialist herbivore feeding on a few plants of the Solanaceae family including tobacco. Larval performance and adult oviposition of H . assulta were investigated in a non-host plant, P haseolus vulgaris (Fabaceae) in comparison with two solanaceous host plants, N icotiana tabacum and D atura stramonium. Larvae provided with the P . vulgaris leaf died off at day 15, whereas 50% and 40% of larval populations fed on the leaves of N. tabacum and D. stramonium, respectively, survived at day 15. Larval growth upon feeding showed significant difference between the non-host plant ( P . vulgaris) and the host plants ( N . tabacum and D . stramonium), but it was not significantly different between the two host plants. In the no-choice experiment of oviposition, gravid females laid more eggs in N . tabacum and D . stramonium than in P . vulgaris. When the most likely acceptable host plant, N . tabacum, and the non-host plant, P . vulgaris, were subjected to the choice experiment of oviposition, H . assulta females preferred to lay eggs in N . tabacum, where eggs were continuously laid during the whole experiment period. However, eggs in P . vulgaris were hardly detected throughout the period. This study showed that the non-host plant, P . vulgaris, had a negative influence on the larval performance and adult oviposition of H . assulta, implying neonate stage is critical for larval survivorship, and ovipositional preference by the female is highly specialized to host plants. Further investigation is required to identify non-host factors, which could be applied to the development of alternative pest management strategy against H . assulta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holstein is known to provide higher milk yields than most other cattle breeds, and the dominant position of Holstein today is the result of various selection pressures. Holstein cattle have undergone intensive selection for milk production in recent decades, which has left genome-wide footprints of domestication. To further characterize the bovine genome, we performed whole-genome resequencing analysis of 10 Holstein and 11 Hanwoo cattle to identify regions containing genes as outliers in Holstein, including CSN1S1, CSN2, CSN3, and KIT whose products are likely involved in the yield and proteins of milk and their distinctive black-and-white markings. In addition, genes indicative of positive selection were associated with cardiovascular disease, which is related to simultaneous propagation of genetic defects, also known as inbreeding depression in Holstein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Dairy cattle nutrient requirement systems acknowledge amino acid (AAs) requirements in aggregate as metabolizable protein (MP) and assume fixed efficiencies of MP used for milk protein. Regulation of mammary protein synthesis may be associated with AA input and milk protein output. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nanoemulsified methionine and cysteine on the in-vitro expression of milk protein (casein) in bovine mammary epithelial cells (MAC-T cells)., Methods: Methionine and cysteine were nonionized using Lipoid S 75 by high-speed homogenizer. The nanoemulsified AA particle size and polydispersity index were determined by dynamic light scattering correlation spectroscopy using a high-performance particle sizer instrument. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was performed to determine the cytotoxicity effect of AAs with and without nanoionization at various concentrations (100 to 500 μg/mL) in mammary epithelial cells. MAC-T cells were subjected to 100% of free AA and nanoemulsified AA concentration in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium/nutrient mixture F-12 (DMEM/F12) for the analysis of milk protein (casein) expression by the quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method., Results: The AA-treated cells showed that cell viability tended to decrease (80%) in proportion to the concentration before nanogenesis, but cell viability increased as much as 90% after nanogenesis. The analysis of the expression of genetic markers related to milk protein indicated that; αs2-casein increased 2-fold, κ-casein increased 5-fold, and the amount of unchanged β-casein expression was nearly doubled in the nanoemulsified methionine-treated group when compared with the free-nanoemulsified methionine-supplemented group. On the contrary, the non-emulsified cysteine-administered group showed higher expression of genetic markers related to milk protein αs2-casein, κ-casein, and β-casein, but all the genetic markers related to milk protein decreased significantly after nanoemulsification., Conclusion: Detailed knowledge of factors, such nanogenesis of methionine, associated with increasing cysteine and decreasing production of genetic markers related to milk protein (casein) will help guide future recommendations to producers for maximizing milk yield with a high level of milk protein casein.