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We describe photometry improvements in the La Silla-Quest RR Lyrae star (RRLS) survey that enable it to reach distances from the Sun (d ⊙) ∼140 kpc. We report the results of surveying ∼300 deg2 of sky around the large, low-surface-brightness Crater II dwarf spheroidal galaxy. At d ⊙ >80 kpc, we find a large overdensity of RRLS that extends beyond the traditional isophotal contours used for Crater II. The majority of these RRLS (34) have a linear distribution on the sky, extending over 15°, that runs through Crater II and is oriented along Crater II's proper motion vector. We hypothesize that this unlikely distribution traces extended tidal streams associated with Crater II. To test this, we search for other Crater II stellar populations that should be in the streams. Using Gaia proper motion data, we isolate ≈ 17 candidate stars outside of Crater II that are consistent with being luminous stars from the Crater II Red Giant Branch (RGB). Their spatial distribution is consistent with the RRLS one. The inferred streams are long, spanning a distance range ∼80–135 kpc from the Galactic Centre. They are oriented at a relatively small-angle relative to our line of sight (∼25°), which means some stream stars are likely projected onto the main body of the galaxy. Comparing the numbers of RRLS and RGB candidate stars found in the streams to those in the main galaxy, we estimate Crater II has lost |$\gtrsim 30~{{\rm per\ cent}}$| of its stellar mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface [C/N] ratios of evolved giants are strongly affected by the first dredge-up (FDU) of nuclear-processed material from stellar cores. C and N also have distinct nucleosynthetic origins and serve as diagnostics of mixing and mass-loss. We use subgiants to find strong trends in the birth [C/N] with [Fe/H], which differ between the low-α and high-α populations. We demonstrate that these birth trends have a strong impact on the surface abundances after the FDU. This effect is neglected in current stellar models, which use solar-scaled C and N. We map out the FDU as a function of evolutionary state, mass, and composition using a large and precisely measured asteroseismic data set in first-ascent red giant branch (RGB) and core He-burning, or red clump (RC), stars. We describe the domains where [C/N] is a useful mass diagnostic and find that the RC complements the RGB and extends the range of validity to higher mass. We find evidence for extra mixing on the RGB below [Fe/H] = −0.4, matching literature results, for high-α giants, but there is no clear evidence of mixing in the low-α giants. The predicted signal of mass-loss is weak and difficult to detect in our sample. We discuss implications for stellar physics and stellar population applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although stellar radii from asteroseismic scaling relations agree at the per cent level with independent estimates for main sequence and most first-ascent red giant branch (RGB) stars, the scaling relations over-predict radii at the tens of per cent level for the most luminous stars (⁠|$R \gtrsim 30 \, \mathrm{R}_{\odot }$|⁠). These evolved stars have significantly superadiabatic envelopes, and the extent of these regions increase with increasing radius. However, adiabaticity is assumed in the theoretical derivation of the scaling relations as well as in corrections to the large frequency separation. Here, we show that a part of the scaling relation radius inflation may arise from this assumption of adiabaticity. With a new reduction of Kepler asteroseismic data, we find that scaling relation radii and Gaia radii agree to within at least 2 per cent for stars with |$R \lesssim 30\, \mathrm{R}_{\odot }$|⁠ , when treated under the adiabatic assumption. The accuracy of scaling relation radii for stars with |$50\, \mathrm{R}_{\odot }\lesssim R \lesssim 100\, \mathrm{R}_{\odot }$|⁠ , however, is not better than |$10~{{\ \rm per \, cent}}-15~{{\ \rm per \, cent}}$| using adiabatic large frequency separation corrections. We find that up to one third of this disagreement for stars with |$R \approx 100\, \mathrm{R}_{\odot }$| could be caused by the adiabatic assumption, and that this adiabatic error increases with radius to reach 10 per cent at the tip of the RGB. We demonstrate that, unlike the solar case, the superadiabatic gradient remains large very deep in luminous stars. A large fraction of the acoustic cavity is also in the optically thin atmosphere. The observed discrepancies may therefore reflect the simplified treatment of convection and atmospheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In asteroseismology, the surface effect refers to a disparity between the observed and the modelled frequencies in stars with solar-like oscillations. It originates from improper modelling of the surface layers. Correcting the surface effect usually requires using functions with free parameters, which are conventionally fitted to the observed frequencies. On the basis that the correction should vary smoothly across the H–R diagram, we parameterize it as a simple function of surface gravity, effective temperature, and metallicity. We determine this function by fitting a wide range of stars. The absolute amount of the surface correction decreases with luminosity, but the ratio between it and νmax increases, suggesting the surface effect is more important for red giants than dwarfs. Applying the prescription can eliminate unrealistic surface correction, which improves parameter estimations with stellar modelling. Using two open clusters, we found a reduction of scatter in the model-derived ages for each star in the same cluster. As an important application, we provide a new revision for the Δν scaling relation that, for the first time, accounts for the surface correction. The values of the correction factor, f Δν, are up to 2 per cent smaller than those determined without the surface effect considered, suggesting decreases of up to 4 per cent in radii and up to 8 per cent in masses when using the asteroseismic scaling relations. This revision brings the asteroseismic properties into an agreement with those determined from eclipsing binaries. The new correction factor and the stellar models with the corrected frequencies are available at https://www.github.com/parallelpro/surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: length of lactation; marine mammals; milk composition; nursing behavior; pup growth rate EN length of lactation marine mammals milk composition nursing behavior pup growth rate 86 95 10 06/20/23 20230601 NES 230601 Implications Marine mammals produce a high fat (>25%-60%), energy rich milk that facilitates rapid growth of offspring. In contrast, fat content of pinniped milk ranges from 25% to 60% lipid compared with the 4% milk fat in cow or human milk. Conclusion The pinniped lactation triad offers a unique opportunity to investigate exceptional diversity in lactation strategies including varied lactation duration, milk composition including metabolic hormones and other bioactive compounds, provisioning patterns, and resulting pup growth. While lactose is undetectable in most pinniped milks direct analysis has revealed other carbohydrates of interest that likely have roles beyond basic nutrition source in pinniped milk discussed further in bioactive section below. Pinniped lactation adaptations, including high fat, energy dense milk, delivered rapidly to precocial offspring resulting in precipitous offspring growth, may illuminate new areas of research for exploration in both human and domestic animal lactation. [Extracted from the article]

Poor maternal nutrition (restricted- and overnutrition) during gestation negatively impacts offspring pre- and post-natal growth. Previous work has identified decreased muscle mass and increased adiposity, leading to poor quantity and quality of animal protein products. Alterations in oxidative status, such as the imbalance of antioxidant activity and the production of free radicals, can result in oxidative stress damaging lipid membranes, proteins, and DNA. Changes in oxidative status may contribute to the poor growth outcomes observed in offspring from poorly nourished dams. Therefore, the objective of this research was to determine the effects of poor maternal nutrition during gestation on the oxidative status in offspring skeletal muscle in sheep. We hypothesized that offspring of restricted- and over-fed ewes would have decreased antioxidant activity and increased products of oxidative stress in skeletal muscle. To test this hypothesis, multiparous Dorset ewes (n = 46) pregnant with twins were fed 100% (CON), 60% (RES), or 140% (OVER) of total nutrient requirements (NRC) from d 30 of gestation until parturition. Following parturition, ewes were fed a control diet throughout lactation. At d 282 of age semitendinosus (STN) samples were collected from rams at necropsy, and at d 284 of age muscle biopsies from STN were collected from ewes. Data were analyzed in SAS using PROC MIXED with fixed effects of maternal diet and offspring sex. Data were considered significant at P ≤ 0.05. The activity of the endogenous antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) was decreased by 45% and 33% in RES and OVER offspring, respectively, compared with CON (P ≤ 0.01). Offspring sex did not alter STN SOD activity (P = 0.35). Muscle glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity was decreased in RES offspring by 20% compared with CON (P ≤ 0.04), but neither differed from OVER offspring (P ≥ 0.24). Ewes had 34% greater GPx activity compared with rams (P < 0.0001). Offspring from RES and OVER ewes had 77% and 87% greater concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation, when compared with CON (P < 0.0001). Ewes had 29% greater MDA concentrations compared with rams (P = 0.05). Protein carbonyl (PC), a marker of protein oxidation, concentrations were 36% and 38% greater in RES and OVER offspring, respectively, compared with CON (P ≤ 0.01). The decrease in antioxidant activities and increase in products of protein and lipid oxidation in offspring from poorly nourished dams suggests dysregulation in skeletal muscle oxidative status that may contribute to the negative consequences observed in offspring. Future work should focus on determining the mechanistic role of skeletal muscle oxidative stress in the decreased quantity and quality of animal protein products and identifying potential strategies to mitigate alterations in oxidative status as a result of poor maternal nutrition during gestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restricted nutrition during gestation can reduce offspring productivity. Supplementation of betaine, a methyl donor, promotes fetal growth and liver function. We hypothesized that nutrient restriction during gestation impairs growth, including organ weights and muscle mass, while betaine supplementation would alleviate these negative effects. To determine if maternal betaine supplementation during gestation would improve growth of offspring of restricted-fed dams, multiparous Dorset ewes (n = 47) were estrus synchronized and bred to one of three rams. Ewes confirmed pregnant with twins (n = 32) and singletons (n = 15) were randomly assigned to one of four diets [100% NRC requirements (CON), 60% NRC (RES), CON+betaine (CON+BET; 2 g/d), and RES+BET] from d 30 to 130 of gestation. Among the twins, there were 27 males (CON-8, RES-5, CON+BET-5, and RES+BET-9) and 37 females (CON-8, RES-9, CON+BET-11, and RES+BET-9). Within singletons, there were 7 males (CON-2, RES-2, CON+BET-2, and RES+BET-1) and 8 females (CON-3, RES-1, CON+BET-1, and RES+BET-3). Dam body weight (BW) was measured weekly from d 30 to d 130 of gestation, and diet adjusted accordingly. Dams were euthanized at d 130 of gestation and fetal BW and tissue weights were collected. Data were analyzed using RStudio with P ≤ 0.05 considered significant and 0.05 < P ≤ 0.10 as tendency. At d 130, dams carrying twin fetuses in the CON group were 11.3% and 19.1% heavier than RES and RES+BET dams, respectively (P ≤ 0.05), and CON+BET dams were 18.4% and 10.5% heavier than RES and BET+RES dams, respectively (P ≤ 0.07). However, dams with singletons showed no significant difference in BW (P ≥ 0.37). Regarding fetal BW for singletons, RES fetuses (3.80 ± 0.28kg) were lighter than CON (4.60 ± 0.21kg), CON+BET (4.72 ± 0.27kg), and RES+BET (4.59 ± 0.24kg; P ≤ 0.03). Whereas in twins, RES+BET fetuses (3.19 ± 0.11kg) were lighter than CON (3.68 ± 0.12kg), RES (3.73 ± 0.14kg), and CON+BET (3.60 ± 0.13kg; P ≤ 0.02). In all fetuses, the livers of male RES (28.0 ± 1.49g) and male RES+BET (27.7 ± 1.44g) tended to be heavier than those of female RES+BET (24.5 ± 1.19g; P ≤ 0.07). In terms of muscle mass, female CON+BET (9.33 ± 0.43g) fetuses tended to have greater longissimus muscle (LM) mass compared with female CON (8.30 ± 0.35; P = 0.06), whereas male RES (9.06 ± 0.44g) tended to have heavier LM than male CON+BET (8.02 ± 0.43g; P = 0.09). There were no observed effects of diet, fetal sex, or fetal number on the weights of heart, kidney, perirenal fat, pancreas, semitendinosus muscle, and triceps brachii muscle (P ≥ 0.11). These findings suggest that betaine supplementation may have a significant role in improving fetal BW in singleton pregnancies, with variable effects in twins. Additionally, betaine supplementation may have sex-specific effects on muscle development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal diet influences offspring growth, but the impact of granddam diet on subsequent generations is less explored. We hypothesized that granddam diet would influence second parity F2 offspring growth. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of granddam diet on second parity F2 offspring growth, morphometric measurements, and organ weights. To determine the impact of poor maternal nutrition of F0 dams on second parity offspring of F1 ewes, multiparous Dorset ewes (F0, n = 46) were fed 100% (control), 60% (restricted), or 140% (over) of NRC requirements from d 30 of gestation until parturition. The F1 ewes (n = 37) were bred at 16 to 19 mo of age to one of two related Dorset rams to generate the first parity F2 generation. The following breeding season, F1 ewes (n = 30) were bred to the same rams to generate the second parity F2 generation offspring (n = 58; F2-2), which were identified as CON F2-2 (n = 6 ewes, 12 rams), RES F2-2 (n = 6 ewes, 12 rams), or OVER F2-2 (n = 9 ewes, 13 rams) corresponding to the diets of the F0 granddams. F2-2 offspring body weights (BW) were recorded weekly from birth (d 0) to d 28, every 14 d until d 126, and every 28 d until d 266 of age. Hip height (HH), crown rump length (CRL), heart girth (HG), and body condition score (BCS) were measured at d 0 and d 120 of age. Rams were necropsied at d 284 ± 0.23. Data were analyzed with R Studio with P ≤ 0.05 considered significant and 0.05 < P ≤ 0.10 considered a tendency. Granddam diet and offspring sex were included in the model with animal ID as a random effect where appropriate. On d 210 and d 238, CON F2-2 tended to weigh 6.8% and 6.3% less, respectively, than OVER F2-2 (P = 0.07) but were not different than RES F2-2 at d 210 (P = 0.55) or d 238 (P = 0.15). We did not detect an effect of granddam diet on HH (P = 0.28), CRL (P = 0.31), or HG (P = 0.62) at birth. At d 120, ewes had 3.1% shorter CRL (P = 0.07) and weighed 9.4% less (P = 0.003) than rams. Immediately before necropsy, CON F2-2 rams tended to have 5.9% less BCS compared with RES F2-2 rams (P = 0.07) and 5.6% less BCS than OVER F2-2 rams (P = 0.10). At necropsy, granddam diet did not influence organ weight. Overfed and restricted granddam diet may increase BW and BCS of second parity, second generation offspring, which provides evidence that maternal diet has multigenerational effects on offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal nutrition during gestation and resulting impacts on ram reproduction and epigenetics are poorly understood. We previously reported altered mRNA and epigenetic markers in F1 ram sperm due to poor maternal diet (restricted- and over-feeding) during gestation, yet the multigenerational effects on ram reproduction are unexplored. We hypothesized that F2 offspring born from restricted- and over-fed granddams would exhibit altered reproductive characteristics, and F1 and F2 offspring would display altered circulating concentrations of reproductive hormones. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of poor maternal diet on 1) the reproductive function of F2 ram offspring, and 2) key reproductive hormones in F1 and F2 offspring. To evaluate these objectives, multiparous Dorset ewes (F0, n = 46) were fed 100% (CON), 60% (RES), or 140% (OVER) of National Research Council requirements from d 30 of gestation through parturition and a control diet during lactation. Offspring are identified as CON-F1 (n = 10 ewes; 12 rams), RES-F1 (n = 13 ewes; 21 rams), and OVER-F1 (n = 16 ewes; 15 rams). The F1 ewes (n = 37) were maintained on a control diet throughout and were bred between 16 and 19 mo of age to establish the F2 generation. Resulting male offspring are referred to as CON-F2 (n = 6 rams), RES-F2 (n = 13 rams), and OVER-F2 (n = 9 rams) in correspondence to the diets of the granddam. Semen samples of F2 rams were collected via electroejaculation at d 248.4 ± 0.36 (collection 1) and d 255.4 ± 0.36 (collection 2). Semen quality (volume, pH, sperm motility, and sperm concentration) was evaluated at both collections using mCASA; iSperm, Aidmics Biotechnology Co., LTD. Scrotal circumference was measured at collection 2. Sperm morphology was determined by contrast microscopy. Testosterone (T) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured in F1 and F2 serum samples collected at d 256 ± 0.13 using commercially available kits. Data were analyzed using R Studio with P ≤ 0.05 considered significant and 0.05 < P ≤ 0.10 considered a tendency. An effect of granddam diet was not observed for F2 ram semen volume, pH, sperm motility, sperm concentration, scrotal circumference, nor histological sperm morphology (P ≥ 0.25). An effect of F0 diet was not observed for F1 or F2 offspring serum concentrations of T and FSH (P ≥ 0.28). In our model, F0 diet during gestation did not affect F2 male offspring sperm quality or circulating T and FSH in F1 and F2 generations. However, based on our previous reports that F0 diet altered F1 sperm epigenome, there may be an impact of maternal diet on epigenetic inheritance which warrants further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foals are born with little to no immunity and rely on maternal colostrum to develop adequate circulating immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations in the periparturient period. Colostrum directly impacts the health of the foal, and there are limited data assessing how maternal metabolism and body condition impacts IgG in colostrum and in the foal postnatally. To determine the influence of maternal body condition score (BCS) and cresty neck score (CNS) on glucose and insulin metabolism in the pregnant mare, colostrum composition, and colostrum and foal IgG concentrations, light breed mares (n = 6) were divided into two groups based on BCS and CNS at 315 ± 0.45 d of gestation. The groups were identified as moderately obese (MO; n = 3, BCS) and lean (LN; n = 3). Mares were fasted overnight and then underwent an intravenous (iv) glucose tolerance test at 315 ± 0.45 d gestation. Blood samples were collected at -30, -15 and 0 min and mares were administered dextrose iv [0.3 g/kg body weight (BW)] over 3.7 ± 0.17 min followed by an intravenous infusion of insulin (0.3 mU/kg BW) 20-min later. Additional blood samples were collected 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 45, 60, and 120 min after initiation of dextrose infusion. At parturition, a colostrum sample was collected before foals nursed and analyzed for protein and fat, and IgG concentration. A foal blood sample was collected 18 h after birth to determine passive transfer of IgG. Placental, mare, and foal weights were measured at birth. Data were analyzed using a t-test with significance at P ≤ 0.05 and a tendency at 0.05 < P ≤ 0.10. The MO group had greater BCS (P = 0.01) and CNS (P = 0.01) than the LN group. Moderately obese mares tended to have 9% greater glucose area under the curve (AUC) after dextrose (P = 0.10) and a 9% greater glucose AUC after insulin infusion (P = 0.10) than LN mares. Colostrum IgG concentrations, and protein and fat content (P ≥ 0.3) did not differ between groups. Foal serum IgG concentrations, foal BW, and placental weights were similar between groups (P ≥ 0.8). The ratios between foal BW and placenta weight, and between foal BW and mare BW were similar between groups (P ≥ 0.3). Moderately obese maternal BCS and CNS scores may decrease maternal glucose clearance during late gestation but did not impact colostrum quality or foal IgG concentrations within 24 h postpartum. As the equine fetus matures later in gestation than other livestock species and relies heavily on glucose uptake from the placenta, it is critical to increase our understanding of the impacts of maternal obesity and glucose clearance on foal development and pre- and post-natal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor maternal nutrition (under- or overfeeding) during gestation negatively impacts antioxidant activity and oxidative stress markers in first generation (F1) offspring. To determine if these alterations persist into subsequent generations, multiparous Dorset ewes (F0; n = 46) pregnant with twins were fed 100% (CON), 60% (RES), or 140% (OVER) of total nutrient requirements (NRC) from d 30 of gestation until parturition. At 16 to 19 mo of age, F1 ewes (n = 37) were maintained on a control diet and bred to generate second generation offspring (F2; CON-F2, RESF2, OVER-F2 corresponding to F0 diet). At 112 and 224 d of age, plasma samples were collected from F2 offspring, and at d 284 semitendinosus (STN) samples were collected from rams at necropsy and muscle biopsies in ewes. Data were analyzed in SAS using PROC MIXED where significance was determined at P ≤ 0.05. Circulating superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was decreased by 21% and 25% in RES-F2 and OVER-F2 offspring, respectively, compared with CON-F2 (P < 0.0001). Plasma SOD activity was 17% less at d 224 than d 112 (P < 0.0001). Ewes had 9% greater circulating SOD activity compared with rams (P = 0.03). Muscle SOD activity was 31% and 35% greater in CON-F2 compared with RES-F2 and OVER-F2 offspring, respectively (P ≤ 0.003). Rams had 26% greater STN SOD activity than ewes (P = 0.006). Plasma glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity was 14% greater in CON-F2 than RES-F2 and OVER-F2 offspring (P ≤ 0.003). Circulating GPx activity was 14% less at d 224 than d 112 (P < 0.0001). Muscle GPx activity was 39% and 35% greater in CON-F2 offspring compared with RES-F2 and OVER-F2, respectively (P < 0.0001). Ewes had 11% and 16% greater GPx activity in circulation and STN, respectively, than rams (P ≤ 0.005). Plasma concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) were 18% and 10% greater in RES-F2 and OVER-F2 offspring, respectively, than CON-F2 (P = 0.004). Circulating MDA concentrations were 20% greater at d 224 compared with d 112 (P < 0.0001). Concentrations of MDA in STN were increased in RES-F2 and OVER-F2 offspring by 36% and 50%, respectively, compared with CON-F2 (P ≤ 0.006). Ewes had 87% greater concentrations of MDA in STN compared with rams (P < 0.0001). Circulating protein carbonyl (PC) concentrations were 16% greater in RES-F2 offspring than CON-F2 and OVER-F2 (P ≤ 0.04). Plasma PC concentrations were 9% greater at d 224 compared with d 112 (P = 0.04). The concentrations of PC in STN were 81% and 69% greater in RES-F2 and OVER-F2 rams, respectively, compared with CON-F2 rams (P ≤ 0.0001). Alterations in oxidative status persist into the F2 generation and may impact muscle growth and metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the effects of poor maternal nutrition on the growth and metabolism of offspring into maturity, multiparous Dorset ewes pregnant with twins (n = 46) were fed to either 100% (control; n = 13), 60% (restricted; n = 17), or 140% (over; n = 16) of National Research Council requirements from day 30 ± 0.02 of gestation until parturition. Offspring of these ewes are referred to as CON (n = 10 ewes; 12 rams), RES (n = 13 ewes; 21 rams), or OVER (n = 16 ewes; 13 rams), respectively. Lamb body weights (BW) and blood samples were collected weekly from birth (day 0) to day 28 and then every 14 d until day 252. Intravenous glucose tolerance test (infusion of 0.25 g dextrose/kg BW) was performed at day 133 ± 0.25. At day 167 ± 1.42, individual daily intake was recorded over a 77 d feeding period to determine residual feed intake (RFI). Rams were euthanized at day 282 ± 1.82 and body morphometrics, loin eye area (LEA), back fat thickness, and organ weights were collected. The right leg was collected from rams at necropsy and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry was used to determine bone mineral density (BMD) and length. Averaged from day 0 until day 252, RES and OVER offspring weighed 10.8% and 6.8% less than CON offspring, respectively (P ≤ 0.02). When adjusted for BW, liver and testes weights tended to be increased and decreased, respectively, in RES rams compared with CON rams (P ≤ 0.08). Additionally, RES BMD and bone length were less than CON rams (P ≤ 0.06). Treatment did not influence muscle mass, LEA, or adipose deposition (P ≥ 0.41). Rams (−0.17) were more feed efficient than ewes (0.23; P < 0.01); however, no effect of maternal diet was observed (P ≥ 0.57). At 2 min post glucose infusion, glucose concentrations in OVER offspring were greater than CON and RES offspring (P = 0.04). Concentrations of insulin in CON rams tended to be greater than OVER and RES ewes at 5 min (P ≤ 0.07). No differences were detected in insulin:glucose or area under the curve (AUC) for glucose or insulin (P ≤ 0.29). Maternal diet did not impact offspring triglycerides or cholesterol (P ≤ 0.35). Pre-weaning leptin tended to be 70% greater in OVER offspring than CON (P ≤ 0.07). These data indicate that poor maternal nutrition impairs offspring growth throughout maturity but does not affect RFI. Changes in metabolic factors and glucose tolerance are minimal, highlighting the need to investigate other mechanisms that may contribute to negative impacts of poor maternal diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because dairies across the United States have rapidly adopted breeding to beef breed sires, the use of beef semen has increased dramatically in recent years. The objective of this survey was to gather information about the use of beef semen by dairy producers in the Northeast United States to generate beef × dairy cattle for beef markets. The survey was conducted using the services of the Center for Survey Research at the Pennsylvania State University—Harrisburg campus. Respondents had two options for returning their responses: 1) mail the paper survey to CSR in the postage-paid business-reply envelope included in the mailing, or 2) complete the survey online via an open-access web survey link. A total of 669 surveys were received and a final number of 617 surveys were included in the responses based on completeness and validity of the responses. Because of the broad electronic distribution, a true response rate cannot be calculated. Of these, 463 (75.0%) were completed via returned paper survey, and 154 (25.0%) were completed via web, between November 9, 2021 and February 16, 2022. Of the 617 respondents, 539 were from Pennsylvania. Due to the large variations in returned survey copies by state, results are reported without state separation. Across all respondents, 69.7% reported milking 100 or fewer cows and over 90% of collected responses reported Holsteins as the predominant dairy breed in the Northeast. Only 18.8% of the respondents did not currently, nor plan to, breed with beef semen. Deciding which beef bulls to use on Northeast dairy farms was primarily based on the recommendation of the semen sales representative (54.5%) and the price of the semen purchased (42.3%). In addition, 89.7% of respondents cited using Angus genetics in their beef bull selections. However, there was no difference in reported profitability of crossbreeding between respondents who indicated using other beef breeds vs. those who indicated just using Angus (P ≥ 0.19). In conclusion, using beef sires on dairy females, regardless of the breed of beef sire, adds value to the resulting progeny from dairy farms in the Northeast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the partial replacement of steam-flaked corn (SFC) with increasing dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) levels in growing-finishing diets for calf-fed Holstein steers. Two experiments were conducted. In trial 1, 100 Holstein calves (136 ± 7 kg) were used to evaluate the effect of DDGS as a metabolizable protein source on cattle growth performance, and dietary energetics of calf-fed Holstein steers during the initial 111 d growing phase. Four dietary levels of DDGS were evaluated (10, 15, 20, and 25%, dry matter basis), replacing SFC (flake density, 0.31 kg/L). In trial 2, four Holstein steers (368 ± 20 kg) with cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum were used to evaluate treatment effects on characteristics of ruminal and total tract digestion of organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber, nitrogen (N), and indispensable amino acid supply to the small intestine. The increasing level of DDGS did not affect (P ≥ 0.13) average daily gain, gain efficiency, and estimated dietary net energy values. Replacement of SFC with increasing levels of DDGS decreased (linear; P = 0.01) ruminal OM digestion. There was no treatment effect on the flow of microbial nitrogen to the small intestine (P = 0.34) and ruminal microbial efficiency (P = 0.79). However, increasing levels of DDGS in the diet increased (linear; P ≤ 0.04) flow of methionine, histidine, phenylalanine, threonine, leucine, isoleucine, and valine but did not affect (P = 0.74) intestinal supply of lysine. Increasing DDGS in the diet increased (linear, P < 0.01) flow of N to the small intestine but decreased (linear; P < 0.01) ruminal N efficiency. Replacing SFC with DDGS increased intake and amino acid leaving the abomasum. Still, this effect was not sufficient to increase the growth performance of calf-fed Holstein during the first 111 d on feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of supplemental flavomycin on cattle growth performance, carcass characteristics, diet digestibility, and ruminal fermentation characteristics of calf-fed Holstein steers. One hundred Holstein steers (123 ± 7 kg) were balanced by weight and assigned to 20 pens. Dietary treatments consisted of a steam flaked corn-based diet supplemented with (dry matter basis): 1) control, no feed additive; 2) 6.6 mg/kg flavomycin; 3) 13.2 mg/kg flavomycin, and 4) 30 mg/kg monensin (MON). There were no treatment effects (P ≥ 0.17) on live weight, average daily gain (ADG), and gain efficiency. Flavomycin did not affect dry matter intake (DMI; P ≥ 0.24). Flavomycin supplementation did not affect (P ≥ 0.37) the ratio of observed vs. expected DMI. However, MON decreased (P = 0.02) observed vs. expected DMI by 3.7%. There were no treatment effects (P ≥ 0.44) on ruminal pH or temperature. Flavomycin did not affect (P ≥ 0.13) carcass characteristics and liver abscess among steers. Four Holstein steers (463 ± 20 kg) with ruminal cannulas were used in 4 × 4 Latin square experiment to study treatment effects on site and extent of digestion, ruminal pH, and volatile fatty acid (VFA) molar proportions. Dietary treatments were the same as experiment 1. Flavomycin tended to increase (linear effect, P = 0.07) ruminal organic matter (OM) digestion, associated with increased (linear effect, P < 0.01) ruminal starch digestion. Supplementing flavomycin at 13.2 mg/kg decreased net microbial N synthesis (quadratic effect, P = 0.03). Compared with control, MON tended to increase (P = 0.10) ruminal neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestion and increased (P < 0.01) ruminal starch digestion. Monensin did not affect (P = 0.39) net microbial N synthesis, but decreased (P = 0.01) ruminal degradation of feed nitrogen (N). There were no treatment effects (P > 0.10) on total tract apparent digestion of DM, OM, NDF, and starch. Flavomycin decreased ruminal pH (quadratic effect, P < 0.01) measured 4 h postprandial. Compared with control, MON increased ruminal pH (P = 0.03). Flavomycin increased (linear effect, P = 0.03) ruminal propionate molar proportion and decreased (linear effect, P ≤ 0.04) ruminal molar proportions of acetate and butyrate, and decreased (linear effect, P = 0.02) acetate:propionate molar ratio and estimated methane production. We conclude that supplementing flavomycin at 6.6 or 13.2 mg/kg had no major effects on cattle growth performance, carcass characteristics, diet digestibility, and ruminal fermentation characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

K2 was a community-driven NASA mission where all targets were proposed through guest observer programmes. Here we provide an overview of one of the largest of these endeavours, the K2 Galactic Archaeology Programme (K2GAP), with about 25 per cent of the observed targets being allocated to this programme. K2GAP provides asteroseismic parameters for about 23 000 giant stars across the Galaxy, which together with spectroscopic stellar parameters can give age and masses of stars. We discuss in detail the target selection procedure and provide a python program that implements the selection function (github.com/sanjibs/k2gap). Broadly speaking, the targets were selected on 2MASS colour J − Ks > 0.5, with finely tuned adjustments for each campaign. We discuss the detection completeness of the asteroseismic parameters νmax and Δν. About 14 per cent of giants were found to miss νmax detections and it was difficult to detect Δν for RC stars. Making use of the selection function, we compare the observed distribution of asteroseismic masses to theoretical predictions. The median asteroseismic mass is higher by about 4 per cent compared to predictions. We provide a selection-function-matched mock catalogue of stars based on a synthetic model of the Galaxy for the community to use in subsequent analyses of the K2GAP data set (physics.usyd.edu.au/k2gap/download/). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor maternal nutrition during gestation can result in reduced offspring muscle growth and altered muscle metabolism. We hypothesized that over- or restricted-nutrition during gestation would alter the longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) proteome of offspring. Pregnant ewes were fed 60% (restricted), 100% (control), or 140% (over) of National Research Council requirements for total digestible nutrients from day 30 of gestation until parturition. Fetal (RES, CON, OVER) LM were collected at days 90 and 135 of gestation, or from offspring within 24 h of birth. Sarcoplasmic proteins were isolated, trypsin digested, and subjected to multiplexed, label-based quantitative mass spectrometry analysis integrating tandem mass tag technology. Differential expression of proteins was identified by ANOVA followed by Tukey's HSD post hoc tests, and regularized regression via the elastic net. Significance was set at P < 0.05. Over-represented pathways containing differentially expressed proteins were identified by Reactome and included metabolism of proteins, immune system, cellular response to stress/external stimuli, developmental biology, and infectious disease. As a result of maternal diet, a total of 312 proteins were differentially expressed (day 90 = 89 proteins; day 135 = 115 proteins; birth = 131 proteins). Expression of eukaryotic initiation factor (EIF) 2S3, EIF3L, and EIF4G2 was lower in OVER fetuses at day 90 of gestation (P < 0.05). Calcineurin A and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 were greater in RES fetuses at day 90 (P < 0.04). At day 135 of gestation, pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase A expression were greater in OVER fetuses than CON (P < 0.04). Thioredoxin expression was greater in RES fetuses relative to CON at day 135 (P = 0.05). At birth, proteins of the COP9 signalosome complex were greater in RES offspring relative to OVER (P < 0.05). Together, these data indicate that protein degradation and synthesis, metabolism, and oxidative stress are altered in a time and diet-specific manner, which may contribute to the phenotypic and metabolic changes observed during fetal development and postnatal growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of supplemental rumen-protected lysine and methionine (SMART) and ractopaminehydrochloride (RAC) on cattle growth performance and carcass characteristics of finishing calf-fed Holstein steers. Calf-fed Holstein steer calves [n = 96; body weight (BW) = 466 ± 29 kg] were used to evaluate the interaction of ractopamine and supplemental methionine and lysine on growth performance and carcass characteristics. Steers were blocked by initial off-truck BW and assigned within BW grouping to 16 pens (6 steers/pen). From d 1 to 67, all steers received the basal steam-flaked corn-based finishing diet. From d 68 to harvest (d 103), steers received experimental diets consisting of two levels of RAC (0 vs. 300 mg/hd/d; Optaflexx, Elanco US, Inc., Greenfield, IN) and two levels of supplemental SMART (0 vs. 0.67% DM basis, Smartamine ML Adisseo, Alpharetta, GA). There was an interaction (P = 0.04) between RAC and SMART supplementation, where cattle fed the combination of both supplements had an increase in dry matter intake (DMI) compared with cattle fed either RAC or SMART. However, there was no interaction (P ≥ 0.17) of treatments in other growth performance or carcass characteristic variables evaluated in the study. Carcass adjusted average daily gain (ADG) and energy efficiency of the diet increased (P ≤ 0.02) on cattle supplemented with SMART. Moreover, carcass-adjusted final BW and feed efficiency, as well as energy efficiency, increased (P ≤ 0.05) on cattle supplemented with RAC. However, neither SMART nor RAC supplementation affected (P ≥ 0.13) cattle DMI. Both SMART and RAC supplementation increased (P ≤ 0.03) carcass weight, with no effect (P ≥ 0.17) in other carcass characteristics. In conclusion, both SMART and RAC supplementation enhances cattle growth performance with no detrimental effects on carcass characteristics of calf-fed Holstein steers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of poor maternal nutrition (restricted- and over-feeding) during gestation on the reproductive efficiency of female offspring. We hypothesized that ewes born to restricted- and over-fed dams would have reduced fertility and decreased concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and progesterone (P4). Multiparous Dorset ewes (F0; n = 46) were fed one of three diets from d 30 of gestation until parturition according to NRC requirements for total digestible nutrients: control- (100%), restricted- (60%), or over- (140%) fed. Resulting female offspring (F1; n = 38) were raised on a control diet and are identified as CON (n = 10), RES (n = 12), or OVER (n = 16) corresponding to diets of their dam. Between 16 and 19 mo of age, the F1 ewes were estrous synchronized by vaginal insertion of a controlled intravaginal drug release device (CIDR) for a 12-d period, followed by a 2 mL (5 mg/mL) intramuscular injection of prostaglandin F2α, and then bred to one of two related rams. Day 0 of gestation was considered when a raddle mark was observed on the rump of the ewe. Time to pregnancy was calculated as the number of days from when the ewes were initially housed with the ram until d 0 of gestation. Based on ultrasounds on d 37 ± 0.77 of gestation, all F1 ewes were identified as pregnant on first service and number of fetuses was recorded and lambs born were counted at parturition. Data were analyzed using RStudio with a significance of P ≤ 0.05 and a tendency of 0.05 < P ≤ 0.10. Maternal diet did not significantly affect time to pregnancy, number of fetuses, or number of lambs born (P ≥ 0.13). Blood samples (10 mL) were collected via jugular venipuncture at four timepoints (d -14, -7, 0, 7) corresponding to d 0 of gestation and were analyzed for concentrations of FSH and P4 by enzyme-linked immunoassays in 29 ewes (CON: n = 8, RES: n = 8, OVER: n = 13). The CON ewes had 15.2% less FSH than OVER ewes (P = 0.05) and RES ewes tended to have 14.2% less FSH than OVER ewes (P = 0.08). Concentrations of P4 were not different in F1 ewes (P ≥ 0.14). However, concentrations of P4 in F1 ewes tended to increase (P = 0.08) by 12% from d-14 to d 0, which corresponds with a normal estrous cycle. The increased concentration of FSH in OVER ewes could be due to a dysregulation of FSH. However, those effects may be mitigated at some point in time later in gestation since there were no differences in time to pregnancy nor number of lambs born. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor maternal nutrition (restricted- and over-feeding) during gestation can negatively impact the efficiency of livestock production by generating offspring with decreased muscle mass, increased adiposity, and impaired metabolism. The mechanisms behind these altered phenotypes are not well-characterized. The effects of poor maternal nutrition during gestation on offspring growth and development begin in utero and contribute to metabolic dysregulation of offspring into maturity and across subsequent generations, demonstrating long-term negative effects on the livestock. Fetal programming results in epigenetic modifications that can involve changes in offspring gene expression and downstream function, with no alteration on the DNA sequence. Using a sheep model of poor maternal nutrition, we have previously shown that F1 offspring from restricted- and over-fed dams are smaller at 10 mo of age relative to offspring from control-fed dams. Additionally, we observed that this phenotype persisted in the F2 offspring from restrictedfed granddams, while F2 offspring from over- and control-fed granddams were of similar body weight. We have recently demonstrated that F1 offspring from poorly nourished ewes have differential methylation patterns and altered gene expression in liver tissue demonstrating a potential mechanism that contributes to persistent altered growth. We have also begun evaluating the effects of maternal nutrient restriction on the development of fetal small intestine, a key facilitator of nutrient transport. Poor maternal nutrition during gestation alters development of offspring small intestine and further understanding of developmental programming in key metabolic tissues can aid in the development of nutritional strategies to improve efficiency of livestock production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor maternal nutrition can negatively affect fetal and placental growth and development. However, the mechanism(s) that contribute to altered placenta growth and function are not well understood. We hypothesized that poor maternal diet would impact signaling through the C-X-C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL) 12-CXCL4 axis and/or placental expression of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis. Using our established sheep model of poor maternal nutrition, we examined the effects of restricted- and over-feeding on ewe placentome gene and protein expression. Specifically, ewes were fed a control (CON; 100%), restricted (RES; 60%), or over (OVER; 140%) diet beginning at day 30.2 ± 0.02 of gestation, and samples were collected at days 45, 90, and 135 of gestation, representing periods of active placentation, peak placental growth, and near term, respectively. Placentomes were separated into cotyledon and caruncle, and samples snap frozen. Protein was determined by western blot and mRNA expression by real-time PCR. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and significance determined at P ≤ 0.05. Ewes fed a RES diet had decreased CXCL12 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and increased tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α protein compared with CON ewes in caruncle at day 45 (P ≤0.05). In day 45 cotyledon, CXCR7 protein was increased and mTOR was decreased in RES relative to CON (P ≤0.05). At day 90, CXCR4 and CXCR7 were reduced in RES caruncle compared with CON, whereas VEGF was reduced and mTOR increased in cotyledon of RES ewes relative to CON (P ≤0.05). In OVER caruncle, at day 45 CXCR4 and VEGF were reduced and at day 90 CXCR4, CXCR7, and TNFα were reduced in caruncle compared with CON (P ≤0.05). There was no observed effect of OVER diet on protein abundance in the cotyledon (P > 0.05). Expression of IGF-II mRNA was increased in OVER at day 45 and IGFBP-3 was reduced in RES at day 90 in caruncle relative to CON (P ≤0.05). Maternal diet did not alter placentome diameter or weight (P > 0.05). These findings suggest that restricted- and over-feeding negatively impact protein and mRNA expression of key chemokines and growth factors implicated in proper placenta development and function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise asteroseismic parameters can be used to quickly estimate radius and mass distributions for large samples of stars. A number of automated methods are available to calculate the frequency of maximum acoustic power (νmax) and the frequency separation between overtone modes (Δν) from the power spectra of red giants. However, filtering through the results requires manual vetting, elaborate averaging across multiple methods or sharp cuts in certain parameters to ensure robust samples of stars free of outliers. Given the importance of ensemble studies for Galactic archaeology and the surge in data availability, faster methods for obtaining reliable asteroseismic parameters are desirable. We present a neural network classifier that vets Δν by combining multiple features from the visual Δν vetting process. Our classifier is able to analyse large numbers of stars, determining whether their measured Δν are reliable and thus delivering clean samples of oscillating stars with minimal effort. Our classifier is independent of the method used to obtain νmax and Δν, and therefore can be applied as a final step to any such method. Tests of our classifier's performance on manually vetted Δν measurements reach an accuracy of 95 per cent. We apply the method to giants observed by the K2 Galactic Archaeology Program and find that our results retain stars with astrophysical oscillation parameters consistent with the parameter distributions already defined by well-characterized Kepler red giants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In calf-fed Holstein steers, the early growing phase is characterized by very high relative dry matter intake (DMI) accompanied with lower-than-expected efficiency of energy utilization. Although fat is commonly supplemented in growing–finishing diets, the comparative feeding value has not been investigated during the initial receiving–growing period. Eighty-four Holstein calves (127.7 ± 2.1 kg body weight) were used to evaluate the effects of including 3.5% of supplemental yellow grease (YG) in the diet on characteristics of growth performance and dietary energy utilization of calves during the early growth phase. Morbidity and mortality were not affected by dietary treatments. Yellow grease supplementation did not affect DMI, but tended to increase average daily gain (4.6%; P = 0.07), and increased (P ≤ 0.03) gain efficiency (5.8%) and dietary net energy for maintenance (NEm) and gain (NEg) by 4.1% and 5.3%, respectively. Based on performance data, the estimated NE value of supplemental YG was 4.67 and 3.68 Mcal/kg for NEm and NEg, respectively. These values are consistent with current tabular values assigned for vegetable oils (4.75 and 3.51 Mcal/kg), but markedly less (16.6%) than NEm value assigned for YG (5.60 Mcal NEm/kg; NASEM, 2016. Nutrient requirements of beef cattle. 8th ed. Washington (DC): National Academy Press.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from the GALAH survey, we explore the dependence of elemental abundances on stellar age and metallicity among Galactic disc stars. We find that the abundance of most elements can be predicted from age and [Fe/H] with an intrinsic scatter of about 0.03 dex. We discuss the possible causes for the existence of the abundance–age–metallicity relations. Using a stochastic chemical enrichment scheme that takes the volume of supernovae remnants into account, we show the intrinsic scatter is expected to be small, about 0.05 dex or even smaller if there is additional mixing in the ISM. Elemental abundances show trends with both age and metallicity and the relationship is well described by a simple model in which the dependence of abundance ([X/Fe]) on age and [Fe/H] are additively separable. Elements can be grouped based on the direction of their abundance gradient in the (age,[Fe/H]) plane and different groups can be roughly associated with three distinct nucleosynthetic production sites, the exploding massive stars, the exploding white dwarfs, and the AGB stars. However, the abundances of some elements, like Co, La, and Li, show large scatter for a given age and metallicity, suggesting processes other than simple Galactic chemical evolution are at play. We also compare the abundance trends of main-sequence turn-off (MSTO) stars against that of giants, whose ages were estimated using asteroseismic information from the K 2 mission. For most elements, the trends of MSTO stars are similar to that of giants. The existence of abundance relations implies that we can estimate the age and birth radius of disc stars, which is important for studying the dynamic and chemical evolution of the Galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In experiment 1, 150 calf-fed Holstein steers (119 ± 6 kg) were used to evaluate the effects of level of supplemental condensed tannin (0, 14, and 28 g/kg diet DM) in a conventional steam-flaked corn-based growing-finishing diet on feedlot growth performance. There were no treatment effects on growth performance during the initial 56-d period. However, during the subsequent 56-d period, supplemental condensed tannin tended to increase average daily gain (ADG; linear effect, P = 0.09). The increase in ADG was consistent with the tendency for increased dry matter intake (DMI; linear effect, P = 0.08). Hence, differences in gain efficiency during the second 56-d period were not appreciably affected (P = 0.80). Supplemental condensed tannin did not affect overall (112-d) ADG, DMI, gain efficiency, or dietary NE. In a second experiment, six Holstein steers (179.4 ± 7.9 kg) with cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design to evaluate treatment effects on characteristics of ruminal and total tract digestion. Treatments were the same as in Trial 1. Tannin supplementation decreased (linear effect, P = 0.03) ruminal OM digestion and tended to decrease (linear effect, P = 0.06) ruminal feed N degradation. Tannin supplementation decreased (linear effect, P = 0.03) ruminal pH, but did not affect (P > 0.20) ruminal molar proportions of volatile fatty acids and estimated methane production. In current study, supplemental tannin had marginal effects on overall growth performance of calf-fed Holstein steers, but reduced ruminal, postruminal, and total tract nitrogen digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One hundred sixty-eight Holstein steer calves (133.4 ± 7.9 kg) were used to evaluate the influence of virginiamycin (VM) supplementation on cattle growth performance and liver abscess incidence, and the effect of feeding 100% vs. 87% of metabolizable protein (MP) requirements during the initial 112 d on growth performance, efficiency of energy utilization, and carcass characteristics. Steers were balanced by weight and assigned to 28 pens (6 steers/pen). During the initial 112-d feeding period, dietary treatments consisted of two levels of MP (100% vs. 87% of expected requirements) supplemented with or without 22.5 mg/kg VM in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. There were no VM × MP supplementation interactions (P  ≥ 0.14) on any of the parameters measured in both experiments. Calf-fed Holstein steers supplemented with VM increased (P  ≤ 0.03) overall average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency (G:F), observed/expected net energy (NE) values for maintenance and gain, and final body weight (BW). Cattle fed VM also increased (P  ≤ 0.04) carcass weight, dressing percent, and longissimus muscle area. However, there was no effect (P  ≥ 0.22) of VM supplementation on any other carcass characteristics. Calf-fed Holstein steers fed 100% MP requirements during the initial 112-d feeding period had greater (P  ≤ 0.02) ADG, G:F, observed/expected NE values for maintenance and gain, and live BW compared with steers fed 87% of the expected MP requirements. However, there was no effect (P  ≥ 0.17) of MP supply during the initial 112-d period on overall (342 d) growth performance measurements. The incidence of liver abscesses was low (averaging 7.7%) and not affected by dietary treatments. We conclude that, independent of MP supplies, supplemental VM enhances overall growth performance and efficiency of energy utilization of calf-fed Holstein steers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal nutrient restriction during gestation adversely affects offspring growth and development of liver and skeletal muscle tissues. Realimentation following nutrient restriction may alleviate these negative impacts on development but may alter metabolism and tissue composition. Forty-eight ewes, pregnant with singletons, were fed to meet 100% National Research Council (NRC) recommendations starting at the beginning of gestation. On day 50 of gestation, seven ewes were euthanized (BASE), and fetal liver, skeletal muscles, and blood samples were collected. The remaining animals were fed either 100% of NRC recommendations (CON) or 60% NRC recommendations (RES), a subset were euthanized at day 90 of gestation (n = 7/treatment), and fetal samples were collected. Remaining ewes were maintained on the current diet (CON-CON, n = 6; RES-RES, n = 7) or switched to the alternate diet (CON-RES, RES-CON; n = 7/treatment). On day 130 of gestation, the remaining ewes were euthanized, and fetal samples were collected. At day 130 of gestation, maternal nutrient restriction during late-gestation (RES-RES and CON-RES) decreased fetal liver weight (P < 0.01) and cross-sectional area in triceps brachii (P = 0.01; TB), longissimus dorsi (P = 0.02; LM), and semitendinosus (P = 0.05; STN) muscles. Maternal nutrient restriction during mid-gestation increased hepatocyte vacuole size at day 130 of gestation. Late-gestational maternal nutrient restriction increased mRNA expression of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein-1 (P < 0.01), glycogen synthase 2 (P = 0.01; GYS2), and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (P < 0.01; PDHK1) in the liver and IGF receptor 1 (P = 0.05) in the LM. Lipid concentration in the LM was decreased by late-gestational nutrient restriction (P = 0.01) and increased by mid-gestational nutrient restriction in STN (P = 0.03) and TB (P < 0.01). Principal component analysis of lipidomics data demonstrated clustering of principal components by day of gestation and elastic net regression identified 50, 44, and 29 lipids that classified the treatments in the fetal liver, LM, and blood, respectively. In conclusion, restricting maternal nutrition impacts fetal liver and muscle morphology, gene expression, and lipid metabolism, whereas realimentation attenuated some of these effects. Therefore, realimentation may be a viable strategy to reduce the impacts of nutrient restriction, but can lead to alterations in lipid metabolism in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents two school social workers in New Jersey who share their experiences in adapting their practice skills to support the mental health and academic needs of students and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics covered include the mental health needs of schools before the health crisis, the emerging practice techniques designed to maintain connectivity and visibility while conforming to lockdown orders, and a three-tiered intervention model that was developed by workers.

Poor maternal nutrition impairs F1 offspring growth independent of changes in feed efficiency and glucose tolerance. To determine if poor maternal nutrition in F0 ewes contributes to F2 offspring growth, feed efficiency, and glucose tolerance, multiparous Dorset ewes (F0; n = 46) pregnant with twins were fed 100% (control), 60% (restricted) or 140% (over) of NRC requirements from d 30 of gestation until parturition. At 16 to 19 mo of age, female F1 (n = 37) offspring were bred to one of two related Dorset rams to generate F2 offspring, identified as CON-F2 (n = 12 ewes; 6 rams), RES-F2 (n = 7 ewes; 13 rams), or OVER-F2 (n = 13 ewes; 9 rams), corresponding to diets of the granddam. F2 offspring body weight (BW) was measured weekly from birth (d 0) to d 28 and every 14 d until d 252. From d 0 to 70, granddam diet did not influence F2 BW (P = 0.18). However, from d 84 to d 154, RES-F2 tended to be 9.42% lighter than CON-F2 with OVER-F2 intermediate (P = 0.08), and from d 224 to d 252 RES-F2 tended to be 6.47% and 6.29% lighter than CON-F2 and OVER-F2, respectively (P = 0.07). Overall, F2 rams were 8.36 kg heavier than F2 ewes (P < 0.0001). At d 133 ± 0.28 an intravenous glucose tolerance test (0.25 g/kg BW of a 50% dextrose solution) was performed. Glucose and insulin concentrations were determined using commercial kits. Granddam diet did not influence glucose or insulin average or baseline concentrations, area under the curve, firstphase response, or ratio (P = 0.52). However, granddam diet influenced glucose peak response in rams, where CON-F2 rams (297 ± 16.5 mg/dL) had greater glucose peak compared with RES-F2 rams (239 ± 11.2 mg/dL; P = 0.05). At d 167 ± 0.33, daily intake of a complete pelleted feed was recorded using Super SmartFeeders over a 77-day feeding period. A treatment by sex interaction was detected for F2 offspring residual feed intake (RFI; P = 0.08) where CON-F2 ewes (0.31 ± 0.12 kg/d) tended to be less feed efficient than CONF2 rams (-0.45 ± 0.20 kg/d) and RES-F2 rams (-0.20 ± 0.13 kg/d). Alternately, OVER-F2 ewes (0.16 ± 0.13 kg/d), OVER-F2 rams (0.02 ± 0.15 kg/d), RES-F2 ewes (-0.06 ± 0.18 kg/d), and RES-F2 rams were all of similar (P = 0.34) feed efficiency. Rams were euthanized at d 285 ± 0.93 and body morphometrics, and organ weights were collected. No effect of granddam diet (P = 0.25) on F2 ram morphometric measurements, organ weights, or muscle weights (P = 0.15) were detected at time of necropsy. These data indicate that nutrient restriction during gestation decreases F2 offspring BW independent of RFI and glucose tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor maternal nutrition during gestation affects offspring pre- and post-natal growth, decreasing muscularity and increasing adiposity. Chronic inflammation may be a potential mechanism for the alterations reported. The objective of this research was to determine the effects of poor maternal nutrition during gestation on offspring inflammatory status. We hypothesized that offspring of restricted- and over-fed ewes would have an altered inflammatory status which would be dependent on offspring sex. To test this hypothesis, multiparous Dorset ewes (n = 45) pregnant with twins were fed 100% (CON), 60% (RES), or 140% (OVER) of National Research Council requirements from d 30 of gestation until parturition. At parturition, all ewes were fed a control diet, such that the nutritional insult only occurred during gestation. At d 120, whole blood was collected from offspring and RNA was isolated to evaluate 86 genes related to the innate and adaptive immune responses. Data were analyzed in SAS 9.4 using PROC MIXED with fixed effects of offspring sex, maternal diet, and the interaction. Maternal diet affected 7 genes. Bovine major histocompatibility complex, a gene in the innate immune response, was downregulated by 27% and 37% in OVER compared with CON and RES, respectively (P = 0.001). Cluster of differentiation 86, a marker of T cell activation, was upregulated by 17% in OVER compared with CON (P = 0.04). Lymphocyte antigen 96, critical in the response to pathogens, expression was 48% greater in RES compared with CON (P = 0.04). A transcription factor in cytokine signaling, Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 was upregulated in OVER and RES offspring by 19 and 21%, respectively, compared with CON (P = 0.02). Pattern recognition receptors Toll-like receptor-1 (TLR1), TLR4, and TLR8 were upregulated in RES and OVER compared with CON (P = 0.04). The interaction of offspring sex and maternal diet significantly altered gene expression in 2 genes. A regulator of T cell differentiation, GATA Binding Protein 3 was downregulated in OVER females by 21 to 43% compared with all other offspring and was upregulated in OVER males by 26 to 76% compared with all female offspring (P = 0.04). A gene related to cytokine signaling, Janus Kinase 2 was upregulated in RES and OVER males by 29 to 64% compared with all other offspring (P = 0.05). Sex altered gene expression of 54 genes (P = 0.05). Overall, maternal diet altered gene expression of the innate and adaptive immune responses in a sex-specific manner. Alterations in inflammatory status may contribute to altered body composition and may predispose offspring to impaired response to immune challenges. Future work should focus on the impacts of poor maternal nutrition during gestation on the response to an immune challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several sources of information are available to producers for guidance in managing their breeding flocks; however, it is unknown if sheep producers utilize any or all of these resources. Because maternal diet during gestation can have immediate and long-lasting negative effects on growth and health of offspring, it is important for producers to insure they are providing appropriate nutritional management to ewes during breeding and gestation. Historically, New England sheep producers have not been included in USDA surveys of sheep producers, and therefore, there is a lack of information about how New England producers manage their flocks, especially in terms of nutrition and gestation. The objective was to determine flock size, breeds, pregnancy detection methods, and feeding management practices of New England sheep producers. To meet this objective, a 12-question survey was developed and disseminated to New England sheep producers via Qualtrics using e-mail survey links, with a 33.2% response rate (n = 96 responses). Data were analyzed using SPSS. Of the respondents, 61.5% have flock sizes of 11 to 50 sheep, whereas 15.6% had 10 or less and 23% had greater than 50 sheep. Most respondents (63.5%) maintain one breed of sheep; however, larger flocks (>50 sheep) are more likely to maintain multiple breeds (P < 0.05). The largest percentage (40.6%) use their sheep for both meat and fiber production, 38.5% for meat only, and 20.8% manage sheep for fiber only. Spring (January to May) is the primary (59.4%) lambing season. The majority (76.0%) of New England sheep producers do not have their feed chemically analyzed for nutrient composition, which presents an opportunity for improving feeding management. There were associations (P < 0.05) between flock size and flock purpose, flock size and number of breeds owned, flock size and feed type, feed type and feed analysis, feed type and source of feed information, and source of feed information and state. In conclusion, New England sheep producers have flocks of varying size and purpose, and would likely benefit from outreach education on the value of diet analysis and formulation for their breeding flocks, especially during gestation. Furthermore, findings of this survey may represent the management needs of smaller flocks throughout the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proof-of-principle for large-scale engineering of edible muscle tissue, in vitro, was established with the product's introduction in 2013. Subsequent research and commentary on the potential for cell-based meat to be a viable food option and potential alternative to conventional meat have been significant. While some of this has focused on the biology and engineering required to optimize the manufacturing process, a majority of debate has focused on cultural, environmental, and regulatory considerations. Animal scientists and others with expertise in muscle and cell biology, physiology, and meat science have contributed to the knowledge base that has made cell-based meat possible and will continue to have a role in the future of the new product. Importantly, the successful introduction of cell-based meat that looks and tastes like conventional meat at a comparable price has the potential to displace and/or complement conventional meat in the marketplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: We introduce a selection model‐based multilevel imputation approach to be used within the fully conditional specification framework for multiple imputation. Concretely, we apply a censored bivariate probit model to describe binary variables assumed to be missing not at random. The first equation of the model defines the regression model for the missing data mechanism. The second equation specifies the regression model of the variable to be imputed. The non‐random selection of the binary data is mapped by correlations between the error terms of the two regression models. Hierarchical data structures are modelled by random intercepts in both equations. To fit the novel imputation model we use maximum likelihood and adaptive Gauss–Hermite quadrature. A comprehensive simulation study shows the overall performance of the approach. We test its usefulness for empirical research by applying it to a common problem in social scientific research: the emergence of educational aspirations. Our software is designed to be used in the R package mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of [Fe/H] and radial velocity are presented for 89 RR Lyrae (RRL) candidates within 6 kpc of the Sun. After the removal of two suspected non-RRLs, these stars were added to an existing data base, which yielded 464 RRLs with [Fe/H] on a homogeneous scale. Using data from the Gaia satellite (Data Release 2), we calculated the positions and space velocities for this sample. These data confirm the existence of a thin disc of RRL with [α/Fe] ∼ solar. The majority of the halo RRLs with large total energies have near-zero angular momenta about the Z- axis. Kinematically, these stars closely resemble the Gaia-Sausage/Gaia-Enceladus stars that others have proposed are debris from the merger of a large galaxy with the Milky Way. The metallicity and period distributions of the RRLs and their positions in the period–amplitude diagram suggest that this disrupted galaxy was as massive as the Large Magellanic Cloud and possibly greater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor maternal nutrition during gestation can have immediate and life-long negative effects on offspring growth and health. In livestock, this leads to reduced product quality and increased costs of production. Based on previous evidence that both restricted- and overfeeding during gestation decrease offspring muscle growth and alter metabolism postnatally, we hypothesized that poor maternal nutrition during gestation would reduce the growth and development of offspring muscle prenatally, reduce the number of myogenic progenitor cells, and result in changes in the global expression of genes involved in prenatal muscle development and function. Ewes were fed a control (100% NRC)-, restricted (60% NRC)-, or overfed (140% NRC) diet beginning on day 30 of gestation until days 45, 90, and 135 of gestation or until parturition. At each time point fetuses and offspring (referred to as CON, RES, and OVER) were euthanized and longissimus dorsi (LM), semitendinosus (STN), and triceps brachii (TB) were collected at each time point for histological and RNA-Seq analysis. In fetuses and offspring, we did not observe an effect of diet on cross-sectional area (CSA), but CSA increased over time (P < 0.05). At day 90, RES and OVER had reduced secondary:primary muscle fiber ratios in LM (P < 0.05), but not in STN and TB. However, in STN and TB percent PAX7-positive cells were decreased compared with CON (P < 0.05). Maternal diet altered LM mRNA expression of 20 genes (7 genes downregulated in OVER and 2 downregulated in RES compared with CON; 5 downregulated in OVER compared with RES; false discovery rate (FDR)-adj. P < 0.05). A diet by time interaction was not observed for any genes in the RNA-Seq analysis; however, 2,205 genes were differentially expressed over time between days 90 and 135 and birth (FDR-adj. P < 0.05). Specifically, consistent with increased protein accretion, changes in muscle function, and increased metabolic activity during myogenesis, changes in genes involved in cell cycle, metabolic processes, and protein synthesis were observed during fetal myogenesis. In conclusion, poor maternal nutrition during gestation contributes to altered offspring muscle growth during early fetal development which persists throughout the fetal stage. Based on muscle-type-specific effects of maternal diet, it is important to evaluate more than one type of muscle to fully elucidate the effects of maternal diet on offspring muscle development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through intensive breeding the modern dairy cow produces milk far in excess of the immediate requirements of its own offspring, and milk of dairy cows is an important source of high-quality nutrients for the human. Mammals are a unique class of animals where the females have mammary glands to produce milk for the sustenance and maternal care of their offspring. The synthesis, storage and delivery of milk to the offspring requires development of the mammary gland prepartum and the postpartum production of colostrum and milk. [Extracted from the article]

Asteroseismology is a promising tool to study Galactic structure and evolution because it can probe the ages of stars. Earlier attempts comparing seismic data from the Kepler satellite with predictions from Galaxy models found that the models predicted more low-mass stars compared to the observed distribution of masses. It was unclear if the mismatch was due to inaccuracies in the Galactic models, or the unknown aspects of the selection function of the stars. Using new data from the K2 mission, which has a well-defined selection function, we find that an old metal-poor thick disc, as used in previous Galactic models, is incompatible with the asteroseismic information. We use an importance-sampling framework, which takes the selection function into account, to fit for the metallicities of a population synthesis model using spectroscopic data. We show that spectroscopic measurements of [Fe/H] and [α/Fe] elemental abundances from the GALAH survey indicate a mean metallicity of log (Z/Z ⊙) = −0.16 for the thick disc. Here Z is the effective solar-scaled metallicity, which is a function of [Fe/H] and [α/Fe]. With the revised disc metallicities, for the first time, the theoretically predicted distribution of seismic masses show excellent agreement with the observed distribution of masses. This indirectly verifies that the asteroseismic mass scaling relation is good to within five per cent. Assuming the asteroseismic scaling relations are correct, we estimate the mean age of the thick disc to be about 10 Gyr, in agreement with the traditional idea of an old α-enhanced thick disc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor maternal nutrition, both restricted-feeding and overfeeding, during gestation can negatively affect offspring growth, body composition, and metabolism. The effects are observed as early as the prenatal period and often persist through postnatal growth and adulthood. There is evidence of multigenerational effects demonstrating the long-term negative impacts on livestock production. We and others have demonstrated that poor maternal nutrition impairs muscle growth, increases adipose tissue, and negatively affects liver function. In addition to altered growth, changes in key metabolic factors, increased glucose concentrations, insulin insensitivity, and hyperleptinemia are observed during the postnatal period. Furthermore, there is recent evidence of altered metabolism in specific tissues (e.g. muscle, adipose, and liver) and stem cells. The systemic and local changes in metabolism demonstrate the importance of determining the mechanism(s) by which maternal diet programs offspring growth and metabolism in an effort to develop novel management practices to improve the efficiency of growth and health in these offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased availability of female-sexed semen for the generation of replacement heifers within the dairy industry has expanded the opportunity for production of crossbred beef x dairy (BxD) calves. However, data evaluating feeding strategies for BxD calves are limited. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of two different milk replacers on muscle growth of BxD calves compared with dam-reared Angus calves. We hypothesized that both male and female BxD calves fed added fat and protein through milk replacer would have muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) similar to that of purebred Angus calves. SimAngus x Holstein calves (n = 40) were assigned to one of two treatments: a) additional 32.0% crude protein (CP), 30% crude fat (CF) milk replacer (ADD, n = 10 males, 10 females), or b) control 22% CP, 20% CF milk replacer (CON, n = 10 males, 10 females). BxD calves were fed milk replacer 3 times daily from 0 to week 8 of age. BxD calves received starter grain and hay ad libitum at ±3 days of age. Twenty Angus calves (n=10 males, 10 females) were group housed in cow-calf pairs with ad libitum access to maternal milk. Calves were weighed within 24 h of birth. Longissimus muscle biopsies were performed on week 2 and 8. Samples were cryosectioned, stained with wheat germ agglutinin, and analyzed for muscle fiber CSA. Body weight and CSA were analyzed with PROC MIXED of SAS with animal as the subject and fixed effects of treatment, breed, age, sex, and their interactions. Repeated measures analysis was used for CSA. At birth, Angus calves were 24% lighter than BxD (P < 0.0001). Females were 8% lighter than males for both breeds (P = 0.02). At week 2 of age, CSA of ADD BxD calves was 16% smaller than Angus or CON BxD calves (P = 0.07). At week 8 of age, relative to CON, Angus calves had 22% larger CSA (P = 0.02) and ADD BxD calves had 17 % larger CSA (P = 0.07). There was no difference detected in CSA between Angus and ADD calves (P = 0.54). In conclusion, feeding milk replacer with additional CF and CP may increase muscle growth in BxD calves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of tannin supplementation on cattle growth performance, energetic efficiency, and carcass characteristics of calf-fed steers. One hundred and sixty dairy steer calves with initial body weight (IBW) of 129.85 ± 3 kg, were blocked by IBW and randomly assigned to 40 pens (4 steers/pen; 10 pens per dietary treatment). Dietary treatments were: 1) Control (no additives); 2) MON (30 mg/kg monensin); 3) TAN (15 g/kg ByPRO; 70% condensed tannin; Silvateam USA, Tontitown, AR); and 4) MON+TAN (30 mg/kg monensin + 15 g/kg ByPRO). All steers were fed a similar steam-flaked corn-based diet (63.5% steam-flaked corn, 12.0% hay, 17.5% of dry distillers grains with solubles, 4.0% cane molasses, and 3.0% vitamin/mineral supplement). All cattle were slaughtered after 328 days of feed. There were no effects (P = 0.13) of dietary treatment on final BW (615 ± 22 kg), overall average daily gain (1.48 ± 0.07 kg/day), overall dry matter intake (7.93 ± 0.39 kg/day), overall gain to feed ratio (0.187 ± 0.07), and overall observed vs. expected net energy for maintenance and gain (1.00 ± 0.03 and 1.00 ± 0.04, respectively). However, cattle receiving MON or MON+TAN supplementation increased (P = 0.04) BW and gain to feed ratio in the first 112 days on feed compared with cattle in the control treatment. Moreover, cattle in the 2 dietary treatments receiving monensin supplementation tended (P = 0.09) to increase average daily gain and gain to feed ratio on the first 112 days on feed compared with cattle in the control treatment. There were no effects (P = 0.22) of feed additive supplementation on hot carcass weight (380.7 ± 14.7 kg), dressing percentage (61.83 ± 1.05%), kidney, pelvic, and heart fat (3.32 ± 0.19%), backfat thickness (0.73 ± 0.12 cm), longissimus muscle area (83 ± 4.83 cm2), marbling score (494 ± 48), and calculated yield grade (2.94 ± 0.24). Moreover, there were no effects (P = 0.55) of dietary treatment on percent of liver abscess incidence, regardless of diet, calf-fed steers in the current study had 3.75% of liver with abscess. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of cattle breed (Holstein vs Angus × Holstein) on growth performance, energetic efficiency, and carcass characteristics of calf-fed steers. Eighty Holstein (HOL), initial body weight (IBW) of 128.7 ± 3 kg, and 80 Angus × Holstein cross (CROS) with IBW of 127.1 ± 3 kg, were blocked by IBW and randomly assigned to 40 pens (4 steers/pen; 20 pens per breed). All steers were fed a similar steam-flaked corn-based diet (63.5% steam-flaked corn, 12.0% hay, 17.5% of dry distillers grains with solubles, 4.0% cane molasses, and 3.0% vitamin/mineral supplement). All cattle were slaughtered after 328 days of feeding. There was no effect (P = 0.13) of cattle breed on final body weight (615 ± 22 kg) and overall average daily gain (1.48 ± 0.07 kg/day). However, calf-fed HOL steers had greater (P = 0.04) overall dry matter intake compared with calf-fed CROS steers (8.06 vs. 7.79 ± 0.39 kg/day; respectively). Therefore, calf fed CROS steers had greater (P = 0.01) grain to feed ratio compared with calf-fed HOL steers (0.192 vs. 0.182 ± 0.005; respectively). Moreover, calffed CROS steers had greater (P < 0.01) utilization of dietary net energy for maintenance (2.29 vs. 2.29 ± 0.06 Mcal/kg; respectively) and gain (1.51 vs 1.61 ± 0.06 Mcal/kg; respectively) compared with calf-fed HOL steers. Calf-fed CROS steers had greater (P = 0.02) hot carcass weight (HCW; 386.3 vs. 375.2 ± 14.7 kg; respectively), dressing percentage (DP; 62.3 vs. 61.4 ± 1.05%; respectively), longissimus muscle area (LMA; 86.9 vs. 79.1 ± 4.83 cm2; respectively), backfat thickness (0.89 vs. 0.55 ± 0.12; respectively), and marbling score (538 vs. 449 ± 48; respectively). However, there was no effect (P = 0.26) of cattle breed on calculated USDA yield grade (2.94 ± 0.24). Moreover, there was no effect (P = 0.39) of cattle breed on incidence of liver abscesses. Therefore, cross breeding calf-fed Angus × Holstein increased HCW, DP, LMA, and marbling compared with purebred calf-fed Holstein steers. Moreover, regardless of cattle breed, calf-fed steers in the current study had only 3.75% of liver with abscess. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-quality colostrum and milk are critical for proper neonatal growth and immune system development. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is the predominant antibody class in colostrum and is vital for passive immune transfer in sheep. There is limited understanding of how poor maternal nutrition during gestation (restricted- and over-feeding) might influence colostrum and milk composition and colostrum IgG concentrations and how F1 offspring colostrum and milk are impacted as a result of F0 maternal diet. The objective of this experiment was to determine if poor maternal nutrition during gestation impacts F0 and F1 colostrum and milk composition, including IgG concentrations. We hypothesized that maternal restricted-feeding would decrease, and maternal over-feeding would increase total solids, fat, and protein during early and transitional lactation and that restricted-feeding would increase IgG concentrations and over-feeding would decrease IgG concentrations in F0 and F1 ewe colostrum. Multiparous Dorset ewes pregnant (n = 46) with twins were fed 100% (control; n = 13), 60% (restricted; n = 17) or 140% (over; n = 16) of National Research Council (NRC) requirements. After birth and during lactation, dams were fed 100% NRC for lactating ewes, so the nutritional insult only occurred during gestation. Resulting ewe offspring (n = 32) were raised on control diets and were bred between 16 and 19 mo of age. Colostrum samples were collected within 24 h of parturition and milk samples were collected at d 3 and d 21 postpartum. Colostrum and milk composition were evaluated using Brix Refractometry (total solids, g/dL) and spectrophotometry (crude fat, %; crude protein, %). Additionally, a radial immunodiffusion assay was used to determine IgG concentrations (mg/dL) in colostrum. A treatment by time interaction was observed for F0 colostrum crude fat where restricted-fed ewes had less fat than control-fed ewes (P ≤ 0.024). No interaction was detected for all other F0 and F1 composition variables (P ≥ 0.16). We did not detect a main effect of diet on F0 or F1 total solids, crude fat, and crude protein of colostrum nor milk (P ≥ 0.24). A main effect of time was observed for all variables where colostrum had greater total solids, crude fat, and crude protein compared with milk at d 3 and d 21 (P ≤ 0.0001). No effect of maternal diet on IgG concentrations were detected in F0 or F1 ewe colostrum (P ≥ 0.46). These data indicate that poor maternal diet has minimal effects on F0 and F1 ewe colostrum composition and IgG concentrations, and d 3 and d 21 milk composition. In addition, the impact of F0 diet on colostrum fat composition did not persist into the F1 generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor maternal nutrition during gestation is common in livestock production and includes both nutrient restriction and over-nutrition. Poor maternal nutrition affects offspring pre- and post-natal growth including decreases in muscularity and increases in adiposity which results in poor quantity and quality of animal products. Oxidative stress, when free radicals exceed the capacity of antioxidants, damages lipid membranes, proteins, and DNA. Oxidative stress may contribute to the poor growth outcomes observed in offspring from poorly nourished dams. Therefore, the objective of this research was to determine the effects of poor maternal nutrition during gestation on offspring circulating oxidative status in sheep. We hypothesized that offspring of restricted- and over-fed ewes would have an altered oxidative status in circulation. To test this hypothesis, multiparous Dorset ewes (n = 45) pregnant with twins were fed 100% (CON), 60% (RES), or 140% (OVER) of National Research Council requirements from d 30 of gestation until parturition. At parturition, ewes were fed a control diet such that the nutritional insult only occurred during gestation. Blood samples were collected from offspring by jugular venipuncture at d 112 and d 224 of age to evaluate oxidative status in circulation. Data were analyzed in SAS 9.4 using PROC MIXED with fixed effects of offspring sex and maternal diet with sampling timepoint as repeated measure. Data were considered significant at P < 0.05. In offspring plasma, superoxide dismutase, an endogenous antioxidant, activity was 17% greater in CON offspring compared with RES and OVER (P ≤ 0.04). Malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of lipid peroxidation, concentration was not different at d 112 but RES animals had 10% lesser concentration of MDA than CON at d 224 (P ≤ 0.02). Protein carbonyl (PC), a marker of protein oxidation, concentration was 9% greater in CON animals than RES and OVER (P = 0.01). Additionally, PC concentrations were 19% greater at d 224 compared with d 112 (P ≤ 0.001). These results indicate that at the chosen timepoints, RES and OVER offspring had less antioxidant activity but also less indication of oxidative damage. Overall, the alterations in antioxidant activity and oxidative damage suggest dysregulation in circulating oxidative status that may contribute to the negative consequences of poor maternal nutrition during gestation. Future work should focus on the impacts of poor maternal nutrition on oxidative stress in muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) is expected to yield ~107 light curves over the course of its mission, which will require a concerted effort in automated classification. Stochastic processes provide one means of quantitatively describing variability with the potential advantage over simple light-curve statistics that the parameters may be physically meaningful. Here, we survey a large sample of periodic, quasi-periodic and stochastic Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment-III variables using the damped random walk (DRW; CARMA(1,0)) and quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO; CARMA(2,1)) stochastic process models. The QPO model is described by an amplitude, a period and a coherence time-scale, while the DRWhas only an amplitude and a time-scale.We find that the periodic and quasi-periodic stellar variables are generally better described by a QPO than a DRW, while quasars are better described by the DRW model. There are ambiguities in interpreting the QPO coherence time due to non-sinusoidal light-curve shapes, signal-to-noise ratio, error mischaracterizations and cadence. Higher order implementations of the QPO model that better capture light-curve shapes are necessary for the coherence time to have its implied physical meaning. Independent of physical meaning, the extra parameter of the QPO model successfully distinguishes most of the classes of periodic and quasi-periodic variables we consider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]