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Abstract Optical Skyrmions have many important properties that make them ideal units for high-density data applications, including the ability to carry digital information through a discrete topological number and the independence of spatially varying polarization to other dimensions. More importantly, the topological nature of the optical Skyrmion heuristically suggests a strong degree of robustness to perturbations, which is crucial for reliably carrying information in noisy environments. However, the study of the topological robustness of optical Skyrmions is still in its infancy. Here, we quantify this robustness precisely by proving that the topological nature of the Skyrmion arises from its structure on the boundary and, by duality, is resilient to spatially varying perturbations provided they respect the relevant boundary conditions of the unperturbed Skyrmion. We then present experimental evidence validating this robustness in the context of paraxial Skyrmion beams against complex polarization aberrations. Our work provides a framework for handling various perturbations of Skyrmion fields and offers guarantees of robustness in a general sense. This, in turn, has implications for applications of the Skyrmion where their topological nature is exploited explicitly, and, in particular, provides an underpinning for the use of optical Skyrmions in communications and computing.

Abstract Replicating the microstructural basis and the near 100% excitation energy transfer efficiency in naturally occurring light‐harvesting complexes (LHCs) remains challenging in synthetic energy‐harvesting devices. Biological photosynthesis regulates active ensembles of light‐absorbing and funneling chlorophylls in proteins in response to fluctuating sunlight. Here, use of long‐range liquid crystal (LC) ordering to tailor chain orientation and packing structure in liquid crystalline conjugated polymer (LCCP) layers for bio‐mimicry of certain structural basis and light‐harvesting properties of LHCs is reported. It is found that long‐range orientational ordering in an LC phase of poly(9,9‐dioctylfluorene‐co‐benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) copolymer stabilizes a small fraction of randomly‐oriented F8BT nanocrystals dispersed in an amorphous matrix of F8BT chains, resembling a self‐doped host–guest system whereby excitation energy funneling and photoluminescence quantum efficiencies are enhanced significantly by triggering 3D donor‐to‐acceptor Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and dominant intrachain emission in the nano‐crystal acceptor. Further, photoalignment of nematic F8BT layers is combined with LC orientational ordering to fabricate large‐area‐extended monodomains exhibiting >60% crystallinity and ≈20 nm‐long interchain packing order. Remarkably, these monodomains demonstrate strong linearly polarized emission, whilst also promoting a new band‐edge absorption species and an extra emissive interchain excited state as compared to the non‐aligned films.

To overcome yearly efforts and costs for the production of seasonal influenza vaccines, new approaches for the induction of broadly protective and long-lasting immune responses have been developed in the past decade. To warrant safety and efficacy of the emerging crossreactive vaccine candidates, it is critical to understand the evolution of influenza viruses in response to these new immune pressures. Here we applied unique molecular identifiers in next generation sequencing to analyze the evolution of influenza quasispecies under in vivo antibody pressure targeting the hemagglutinin (HA) long alpha helix (LAH). Our vaccine targeting LAH of hemagglutinin elicited significant seroconversion and protection against homologous and heterologous influenza virus strains in mice. The vaccine not only significantly reduced lung viral titers, but also induced a well-known bottleneck effect by decreasing virus diversity. In contrast to the classical bottleneck effect, here we showed a significant increase in the frequency of viruses with amino acid sequences identical to that of vaccine targeting LAH domain. No escape mutant emerged after vaccination. These results not only support the potential of a universal influenza vaccine targeting the conserved LAH domains, but also clearly demonstrate that the well-established bottleneck effect on viral quasispecies evolution does not necessarily generate escape mutants.

It is not uncommon for randomised trials in education to have the performance of sample members in national examinations as their primary outcome. In many cases, examination results are available as summary measures only. Taking the example of GCSE examination results in England, this paper shows that using summary measures of an underlying score or mark, such as exam grade, complicates the design of trials and can lead to underpowered studies. Simple simulations are used to explore the consequences of powering trials to detect a difference assuming grade or summary measures are the only outcome metric available, where the effects of an intervention are primarily captured in the unknown mark or score distribution. The analysis draws on data that relate the entire distribution of marks in English language and mathematics examinations to grades. Recommendations are made in order to address this problem.

Abstract Lasers possess many attractive features (e.g., high brightness, narrow linewidth, well-defined polarization) that make them the ideal illumination source for many different scientific and technological endeavors relating to imaging and the display of high-resolution information. However, their high-level of coherence can result in the formation of noise, referred to as speckle, that can corrupt and degrade images. Here, we demonstrate a new electro-optic technology for combatting laser speckle using a chiral nematic liquid crystal (LC) dispersed with zwitterionic dopants. Results are presented that demonstrate when driven at the optimum electric field conditions, the speckle noise can be reduced by >90% resulting in speckle contrast (C) values of C = 0.07, which is approaching that required to be imperceptible to the human eye. This LC technology is then showcased in an array of different display and imaging applications, including a demonstration of speckle reduction in modern vectorial laser-based imaging.

With the development of conformable photonic platforms, particularly those that could be interfaced with the human body or integrated into wearable technology, there is an ever-increasing need for mechanically flexible optical photonic elements in soft materials. Here, we realize mechanically flexible liquid crystal (LC) waveguides using a combination of ultrafast direct laser writing and ultraviolet (UV) photo-polymerization. Results are presented that demonstrate that these laser-written waveguides can be either electrically switchable (by omitting the bulk UV polymerization step) or mechanically flexible. Characteristics of the waveguide are investigated for different fabrication conditions and geometrical configurations, including the dimensions of the waveguide and laser writing power. Our findings reveal that smaller waveguide geometries result in reduced intensity attenuation. Specifically, for a 10-μm-wide laser-written channel in a 14-μm-thick LC layer, a loss factor of −1.8 dB/mm at λ = 650 nm was observed. Following the UV polymerization step and subsequent delamination of the glass substrates, we demonstrate a free-standing flexible LC waveguide, which retains waveguide functionality even when bent, making it potentially suitable for on-skin sensors and other photonic devices that could interface with the human body. For the flexible LC waveguides fabricated in this study, the loss in a straight waveguide with a cross-sectional area of 20 μm × 20 μm was recorded to be −0.2 dB/mm. These results highlight the promising potential of electrically responsive and mechanically moldable optical waveguides using laser writing and UV-assisted polymer network formation.

Abstract Polarization-independent phase modulators based upon liquid crystals (LCs) with a simple device architecture have long been desired for a range of optical applications. Recently, researchers have demonstrated a novel fabrication procedure using cholesteric LCs as a primer for achieving low polarization dependence coupled with a large phase modulation depth.

Abstract Background Oil palm is a tropical crop with worldwide plantings approaching 20 million ha and large areas in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The plantations are readily managed as silvopastoral systems incorporating cattle grazing (Oil Palm Silvopastoral System for Cattle, OPSC) but there is a need for analytical tools and data to understand system herbage supply and feed conversion efficiency (FCE). Methods Metabolic energy budgeting was used to estimate herbage harvested by cattle in three OPSC subsystems, 9 and 12 years after oil palm establishment, and FCE of the subsystems was determined. Understorey herbage was also analysed for nutritive value, botanical composition and herbage accumulation within one grazing‐regrowth cycle. Results The herbage‐harvested estimate was 2.0−2.4 t dry matter (DM) ha−1 year−1 for 9 year old subsystems and 1.4−1.7 t DM ha−1 year−1 for a 12 year old subsystem. Herbage metabolisable energy (ME) was 8.3−8.5 MJ kg−1 DM and crude protein (CP) was 15%−16% DM. FCE values for subsystems ranged from 32 to 94 kg DM kg−1 liveweight‐gain. Conclusions Herbage DM yield is declining, while herbage ME is marginal but CP is adequate. FCE is suboptimal but can be optimised by defining the trajectory of declining herbage production with canopy closure as plantations age and matching stocking rate to herbage supply using a comparative‐stocking‐rate‐type statistic.

Identifying facile means with which to tune the pitch of, and therefore the reflected colour from, chiral nematic liquid crystals (CLC) is of interest for many different photonics applications including optical filters, coloured displays, and mirrorless lasers. Precise control of the pitch of the helix, however, can be challenging. Here, we demonstrate the ability to tune the pitch, and consequently the reflection band, by depositing picolitre volumes of nematic LC into printed CLC droplets with a short pitch. Results are presented that demonstrate mixing of the nematic LC and CLC droplets such that the pitch elongates causing the reflection band located at blue wavelengths (430 nm) to redshift to longer wavelengths. The magnitude of the redshift can be controlled by varying the number of nematic LC droplets deposited into each CLC droplet. We consider the process of diffusion of these two separate mixtures using inkjet printing and showcase how this process of tuning the pitch can be employed to create coloured images in the form of an alphanumeric logo.

We present extended capabilities in simple liquid crystal-based devices that are applicable to adaptive optics and other related fields requiring wavefront manipulation. The laser-written devices can provide complex phase profiles, but are extremely simple to operate, requiring only a single electrode pair tuned between 0 and 10 V RMS. Furthermore, the devices operate in the transmissive mode for easy integration into the optical path. We present here as examples three such devices: the first device reproduces the defocus Zernike polynomial; the second device reproduces a seventh-order Zernike polynomial, tertiary coma; and the last example is of a primary spherical aberration. All devices offer wavelength-scale wavefront manipulation up to more than 2π radians peak-to-peak phase at a wavelength of 660 nm. The coma correction device is significantly more complex, reproducing a mode two orders higher than previous demonstrations, while the spherical device is nearly a full order of magnitude larger, measuring 2 mm in diameter.

This study investigated the relationship of the length of time spent grazing and ruminating with the performance parameters of spring-calved grazing dairy cows (n = 162) over the lactation period for three lactation seasons (n = 54 per season). The cows were Holstein Friesian (HFR), Jersey (JE), and a crossbreed of Holstein Friesian/Jersey (KiwiCross), with 18 cows from each breed. The cows were either in their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th lactation year, and had different breeding worth (BW) index values (103 < BW > 151). The cows were managed through a rotational grazing scheme with once-a-day milking in the morning at 05:00 h. The cows were mainly fed on grazed pastures consisting of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), red clover (Trifolium pretense), and white clover (Trifolium repens), and received additional feeds on various days in the summer and autumn seasons. This study used an automated AfiCollar device to continuously record the grazing time and rumination time (min/h) of the individual cows throughout the lactation period (~270 days) for three consecutive years (Year-1, Year-2, and Year-3). The milk yield, milk fat, milk protein, milk solids, liveweight, and body condition score data of the individual animals for the study years were provided by the farm. PROC CORR was used in SAS to determine the correlation coefficients (r) between the behaviour and production parameters. A general linear model fitted with breed × lactation year, individual cows, seasons, feed within the season, grazing time, rumination time, as well as their interactions, was assessed to test the differences in milk yield, milk fat, milk protein, milk solids, liveweight, and body condition score. The type I sum of squares values were used to quantify the magnitude of variance explained by each of the study factors and their interactions in the study variables. Grazing time exhibited positive associations with MY (r = 0.34), MF (r = 0.43), MP (r = 0.22), MS (r = 0.39), LW (r = −0.47), and BCS (r = −0.24) throughout the study years. Rumination time was associated with MY (r = 0.64), MF (r = 0.57), MP (r = 0.52), and MS (r = 0.57) in all study years, while there were no effects of rumination time on LW (r = 0.26) and BCS (r = −0.26). Grazing time explained up to 0.32%, 0.49%, 0.17%, 0.31%, 0.2%, and 0.02%, and rumination time explained up to 0.39%, 6.73%, 4.63%, 6.53%, 0.44%, and 0.17% of the variance in MY, MF, MP, MS, LW, and BCS, respectively.

Luminescent optical concentrators are thin films containing fluorescent dyes that enable light collection over a wide field of view without the need to track the path of the Sun. However, a disadvantage when using luminescent concentrators is that the performance is often impeded by surface losses through these films. Liquid-crystal (LC) hosts are attractive for luminescent concentrators, as they impart, at the very least, an orientational ordering to the transition dipole moment of the dyes dispersed within these films. This enables the directivity of both the absorption and emission and can reduce surface losses by, for example, adopting the homeotropic alignment of the LC director. This article reviews the developments and applications of LCs to luminescent optical concentrators and describes the strategies that have been introduced to further combat losses by decoupling the absorption and emission processes through Förster energy transfer, the approaches employed to enhance the chemical structures of the dyes, and the methods of using alternative LC phases and external configurations. The review presents a comprehensive summary of the material combinations and the techniques that have been considered in the development of LC-based concentrator films and concludes with a discussion about the future perspectives for these exciting optical concentrators.

The wave-impacted waters off exposed sandy beaches support marine megafauna, including dolphins, whales, sharks, rays and turtles. To characterise variation in megafaunal assemblages in this challenging habitat, we used drone-based remote sensing to survey marine megafauna off 23 beaches along 1050 km of the New South Wales (NSW, Australia) coast from 2017 to 2020. The surveys occurred from September to May and included 17,085 drone flights, with megafaunal abundances standardised by flight hours. In total, we identified 3838 individual animals from 16 taxa, although no megafauna was observed off 5 of the 23 beaches surveyed. Bottlenose dolphins were the most commonly sighted taxa and accounted for 82.3% of total megafaunal abundance. Cownose (6.7%) and eagle (3.4%) rays were the next most abundant taxa, with potentially dangerous sharks being rarely sighted (

Approximately 42% of the total calves born in New Zealand’s dairy industry are either euthanized on farms or commercially slaughtered as so-called bobby calves within 2 weeks of age. These practices have perceived ethical issues and are considered a waste of resources because these calves could be grown on and processed for beef. Young beef cattle harvested between 8 and 12 months of age would represent a new class of beef production for New Zealand and would allow for a greater number of calves to be utilized for beef production, reducing bobby calf numbers in New Zealand. However, the acceptance of such a system in competition with existing sheep and beef cattle production systems is unknown. Therefore, the current study employed an agent-based model (ABM) developed for dairy-origin beef cattle production systems to understand price levers that might influence the acceptance of young beef production systems on sheep and beef cattle farms in New Zealand. The agents of the model were the rearer, finisher, and processor. Rearers bought in 4-days old dairy-origin calves and weaned them at approximately 100 kg live weight before selling them to finishers. Finishers managed the young beef cattle until they were between 8 and 12 months of age in contrast to 20 to 30 months for traditional beef cattle. Processing young beef cattle in existing beef production systems without any price premium only led to an additional 5% of cattle being utilized compared to the traditional beef cattle production system in New Zealand. This increased another 2% when both weaner cattle and young beef were sold at a price premium of 10%. In this scenario, Holstein Friesian young bull contributed more than 65% of total young beef cattle. Further premium prices for young beef cattle production systems increased the proportion of young beef cattle (mainly as young bull beef), however, there was a decrease in the total number of dairy-origin cattle processed, for the given feed supply, compared to the 10% premium price. Further studies are required to identify price levers and other alternative young beef production systems to increase the number of young beef cattle as well the total number of dairy-origin beef cattle for beef on sheep and beef cattle farms. Some potential options for investigation are meat quality, retailer and consumer perspectives, and whether dairy farmers may have to pay calf rearers to utilize calves with lower growth potential.

Abstract The artefact known as speckle can plague numerous imaging applications where the narrow linewidth of laser light is required, which includes laser projection and medical imaging. Here, we report on the use of thin-film chiral nematic liquid crystal (LC) devices that can be used to mitigate the influence of speckle when subjected to an applied electric field. Results are presented which show that the speckle contrast (a quantitative measure of the presence of speckle) can be significantly reduced by decreasing the pitch of the chiral nematic LC from 2700 to 244 nm. Further reduction in the speckle contrast can be observed by operating the diffuser technology at a temperature close to the chiral nematic to isotropic transition. At such temperatures, we observe a simultaneous improvement in the transmission of light through the device and a decrease in the electric field amplitude required for the minimum speckle contrast value. We conclude by presenting a laser projected image of the 1951 USAF target with and without the LC device to demonstrate the visual improvement as a result of the speckle reduction.

Abstract Background Due to the lack of proven therapies, we evaluated the effects of early administration of tocilizumab for COVID-19. By inhibition of the IL-6 receptor, tocilizumab may help to mitigate the hyperinflammatory response associated with progressive respiratory failure from SARS-CoV-2. Methods A retrospective, observational study was conducted on hospitalized adults who received intravenous tocilizumab for COVID-19 between March 23, 2020 and April 10, 2020. Results Most patients were male (66.7%), Hispanic (63.3%) or Black (23.3%), with a median age of 54 years. Tocilizumab was administered at a median of 8 days (range 1–21) after initial symptoms and 2 days (range 0–12) after hospital admission. Within 30 days from receiving tocilizumab, 36 patients (60.0%) demonstrated clinical improvement, 9 (15.0%) died, 33 (55.0%) were discharged alive, and 18 (30.0%) remained hospitalized. Successful extubation occurred in 13 out of 29 patients (44.8%). Infectious complications occurred in 16 patients (26.7%) at a median of 10.5 days. After tocilizumab was administered, there was a slight increase in PaO2/FiO2 and an initial reduction in CRP, but this effect was not sustained beyond day 10. Conclusions Majority of patients demonstrated clinical improvement and were successfully discharged alive from the hospital after receiving tocilizumab. We observed a rebound effect with CRP, which may suggest the need for higher or subsequent doses to adequately manage cytokine storm. Based on our findings, we believe that tocilizumab may have a role in the early treatment of COVID-19, however larger randomized controlled studies are needed to confirm this.

Defects in liquid crystals (LCs) find application in self-assembly of nanomaterials, optical-vortex generation and in tunable plasmonic metamaterials but methods for flexible and tailored fabrication of defects are scarce. Here, the authors demonstrate fabrication and stabilisation of electrically-tunable defects in an LC device using two-photon polymerisation, revealing interesting electro-optic behaviour.

When future historians look back upon the current political climate in the U.S., it is likely that they will view the severe state of political polarization between liberals and conservatives as being one of its defining characteristics. While some have suggested that a difference in general levels of empathy among liberals and conservatives could be playing a role in shaping their differing political attitudes, psychologist Paul Bloom has forcefully argued against any such difference in his book “Against Empathy”. In this commentary I set out to counter Bloom’s claim that there is no significant relationship between the capacity to experience empathy and political ideology. To this end, I discuss how a growing collection of empirical research indicates that an individual’s propensity to experience empathy correlates with one’s general political attitudes (including party affiliation) as well as with which specific policy positions one takes. More specifically, this research suggests that a strong connection exists between empathy and liberal political views. In light of this research, I suggest that empathy can help account for the differences in political attitudes among liberals and conservatives in the U.S. and may even help explain why such attitudes have become increasingly polarized. The analysis provided in this essay aims to further our understanding of how personality traits can be used to predict voter attitudes in the U.S. and beyond.

This study investigated the variation in daily time spent grazing and rumination in spring-calved grazing dairy cows (n = 162) of three breeds, Holstein-Friesian (HFR), Jersey (JE), and KiwiCross (KC) with different breeding worth index, and in different years of lactation (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th). The cows were managed through a rotational grazing system and milked once a day at 05:00 a.m. The cows grazed mainly pasture and received supplementary feeds depending on the season. Automated AfiCollar device continuously monitored and recorded grazing time and rumination time of the individual cows throughout the lactation period for three study years (Year-1, Year-2, Year-3) with 54 cows per year. A general linear mixed model fitted with breed × lactation year with days in milk (DIM), breeding worth (BW) index value, individual cow, season, and feed, and their interactions was performed in SAS. Variance partitioning was used to quantify the effect size of study factors and their interactions. Individual cows, DIM, and BW (except Year-3) had effects on grazing and rumination times throughout the study years. Grazing time and rumination time were different for different seasons due to varying supplementary feeds. Grazing time varied among breeds in Year-2 and Year-3, and among lactation years only in Year-1. Although rumination time differed among breeds in Year-3, it remained the same within different lactation years. Grazing time and rumination time had a negative relationship with each other, and their regression lines varied for different seasons. The total variance explained by the model in grazing time was 36–39%, mainly contributed by the individual cow (12–20%), season (5–12%), supplementary feed (2–6%), breed (1–5%), and lactation year (1–6%). The total variance explained in rumination was 40–41%, mainly contributed by the individual cow (16–24%), season (2–17%), supplementary feed (1–2%), breed (2–8%), and lactation year (~1%). These findings could contribute to improving the measures for feed resource management during different seasons over the lactation period for a mixed herd comprising JE, HFR and KC breeds in different years of lactation.

Agent-based modeling (ABM) enables an in silico representation of complex systems and captures agent behavior resulting from interaction with other agents and their environment. This study developed an ABM to represent a pasture-based beef cattle finishing systems in New Zealand (NZ) using attributes of the rearer, finisher, and processor, as well as specific attributes of dairy-origin beef cattle. The model was parameterized using values representing 1% of NZ dairy-origin cattle, and 10% of rearers and finishers in NZ. The cattle agent consisted of 32% Holstein-Friesian, 50% Holstein-Friesian–Jersey crossbred, and 8% Jersey, with the remainder being other breeds. Rearers and finishers repetitively and simultaneously interacted to determine the type and number of cattle populating the finishing system. Rearers brought in four-day-old spring-born calves and reared them until 60 calves (representing a full truck load) on average had a live weight of 100 kg before selling them on to finishers. Finishers mainly attained weaners from rearers, or directly from dairy farmers when weaner demand was higher than the supply from rearers. Fast-growing cattle were sent for slaughter before the second winter, and the remainder were sent before their third winter. The model finished a higher number of bulls than heifers and steers, although it was 4% lower than the industry reported value. Holstein-Friesian and Holstein-Friesian–Jersey-crossbred cattle dominated the dairy-origin beef finishing system. Jersey cattle account for less than 5% of total processed beef cattle. Further studies to include retailer and consumer perspectives and other decision alternatives for finishing farms would improve the applicability of the model for decision-making processes.

There is still limited information about the diversity, distribution, and abundance of sharks in and around the surf zones of ocean beaches. We used long-term and large-scale drone surveying techniques to test hypotheses about the relative abundance and occurrence of sharks off ocean beaches of New South Wales, Australia. We quantified sharks in 36,384 drone flights across 42 ocean beaches from 2017 to 2021. Overall, there were 347 chondrichthyans recorded, comprising 281 (81.0%) sharks, with observations occurring in Carcharhinus spp.) had the highest number of observations (n = 158) recorded. There were 34 individuals observed for both white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) and critically endangered greynurse sharks (Carcharias taurus). Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas), leopard sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum) and hammerhead species (Sphyrna spp.) recorded 29, eight and three individuals, respectively. Generalised additive models were used to identify environmental drivers for detection probability of white, bull, greynurse, and whaler sharks. Distances to the nearest estuary, headland, and island, as well as water temperature and wave height, were significant predictors of shark occurrence; however, this varied among species. Overall, we provide valuable information for evidence-based species-specific conservation and management strategies for coastal sharks.

Direct laser writing (DLW) in liquid crystals (LCs) enables a range of new stimuli-responsive functionality to be realized. Here, a method of fabricating mechanically tunable diffraction gratings in stretchable LC gels is demonstrated using a combination of two-photon polymerization direct laser writing (TPP-DLW) and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Results are presented that demonstrate the fabrication of a diffraction grating that is written using TPP-DLW in the presence of an electric field in order to align and lock-in the LC director in a homeotropic configuration. The electric field is subsequently removed and the surrounding regions of the LC layer are then exposed to UV light to freeze-in a different alignment so as to ensure that there is a phase difference between the laser written and UV illuminated polymerized regions. It is found that there is a change in the period of the diffraction grating when observed on a polarizing optical microscope as well as a change in the far-field diffraction pattern when the film is stretched or contracted. These experimental results are then compared with the results from simulations. The paper concludes with a demonstration of tuning of the far-field diffraction pattern of a 2-dimensional diffraction grating.

Herein, a large reduction in the speckle noise is observed using a thin electroresponsive film consisting of a chiral nematic liquid crystal (LC) that has been enhanced with the addition of a redox dopant. Two different redox dopants are investigated over a range of concentrations, one being an electron acceptor and the other being an electron donor redox dopant. Results are presented that show that the incorporation of either of these dopants leads to a greater reduction in the speckle contrast than that observed using just the chiral nematic LC host when subjected to electrohydrodynamic instabilities. Furthermore, it is found that the permanent electrochemical reactions typically observed when ionic dopants, such as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, are used are not observed for these devices, resulting in a considerable improvement in terms of the operating lifetime of the speckle reducer technology. To conclude, results that show that the speckle contrast can be reduced to C = 0.11 ± 0.02 at a temperature of 30 ºC are presented and the improvement of the quality of an image generated using a modified commercial projector fitted with a monochromatic laser source is demonstrated.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains an important cause of morbidity in the general population and risk for ASCVD is increased approximately 2-fold in persons living with HIV infection (PLWH). This risk is linked to elevated CD8 T cell counts that are abundant in atherosclerotic plaques and have been implicated in disease pathogenesis yet the mechanisms driving T cell recruitment to and activation within plaques are poorly defined. Here we investigated the role of CD8 T cells in atherosclerosis in a non-human primate model of HIV infection and in the HIV-uninfected elderly; we sought to identify factors that promote the activation, function, and recruitment to endothelium of CX3CR1+ CD8 T cells. We measured elevated expression of CX3CL1 and IL-15, and increased CD8 T cell numbers in the aortas of rhesus macaques infected with SIV or SHIV, and demonstrated similar findings in atherosclerotic vessels of HIV-uninfected humans. We found that recombinant TNF enhanced the production and release of CX3CL1 and bioactive IL-15 from aortic endothelial cells, but not from aortic smooth muscle cells. IL-15 in turn promoted CX3CR1 surface expression on and TNF synthesis by CD8 T cells, and IL-15-treated CD8 T cells exhibited enhanced CX3CL1-dependent chemoattraction toward endothelial cells in vitro. Finally, we show that CD8 T cells in human atherosclerotic plaques have an activated, resident phenotype consistent with in vivo IL-15 and CX3CL1 exposure. In this report, we define a novel model of CD8 T cell involvement in atherosclerosis whereby CX3CL1 and IL-15 operate in tandem within the vascular endothelium to promote infiltration by activated CX3CR1+ memory CD8 T cells that drive further endothelial activation via TNF. We propose that these interactions are prevalent in aging and in PLWH, populations where circulating activated CX3CR1+ CD8 T cell numbers are often expanded.

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis and pharyngeal perforation are uncommon complications of pharyngitis that are associated with high morbidity and mortality. This case report describes a previously healthy 18-year-old male who presented to the emergency room with 5 days of severe sore throat, intermittent fevers, and vomiting and was found to have extensive posterior pharyngeal and mediastinal air along with extravasation of contrast on computed tomography, consistent with perforation of the left aryepiglottic fold as well as descending necrotizing mediastinitis. The patient had a complicated hospital course including multiple operative interventions, abscess formation, and development of pericardial and pleural effusions. Successful treatment required swift resuscitation including broad-spectrum antibiotics and significant coordination of emergent operative intervention between otolaryngology and cardiothoracic surgery. It is important to recognize descending necrotizing mediastinitis as a clinical entity that may result from oropharyngeal infections as early intervention significantly decreases subsequent complications and mortality. Furthermore, pharyngeal perforation is an extremely rare complication which requires either CT with oral contrast or esophagram for diagnosis.

Approximately two thirds of the annual beef kill in New Zealand originates from the dairy industry. The recent increase in Jersey genetics in the dairy herd will inevitably result in an increase in Jersey genetics entering the beef herd from retention of dairy-origin calves for finishing. Limited literature is available on the effect of dam breed on the performance of beef-cross-dairy-breed progeny. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dam breed from dams with varying proportions of Friesian and Jersey genetics on growth traits and carcass characteristics of their 24-month-old beef-cross-dairy-breed heifer and steer progeny. Liveweights of 142 heifers and 203 steers from Friesian (F), Friesian-cross (FX), Friesian–Jersey (FJ) and Jersey-cross (JX) dams were recorded at birth, weaning, as yearlings and at slaughter. Carcass characteristics were also recorded. At each point measured, liveweight was greatest for calves born to F dams. Calves born to F dams took 93 days to reach a weaning weight of 100 kg, whereas those from FX, FJ and JX dams took 99, 101 and 102 days, respectively. Carcass weight was greatest for progeny of F dams (286 kg, compared with 279, 275 and 276 for progeny of FX, FJ and JX dams, respectively). The progeny of JX dams had yellower fat than all other dam breed groups and a greater incidence of excessively yellow fat (fat score ≥ 5).

Research has shown that enhancing finishing performance in beef cows is feasible; however, any adverse impact of selection strategies for finishing performance on the performance of the maternal herd should be taken into account. The aim of this research was to examine the inheritance of growth, ultrasound and carcass traits in finishing beef cattle and to evaluate their correlations with maternal performance traits. Data were collected from a nationwide progeny test on commercial New Zealand hill country farms comprising a total of 4473 beef cows and their progeny. Most finishing traits were moderately to highly heritable (0.28–0.58) with the exception of meat or fat colour and ossification (0.00–0.12). Ultrasound scan traits had high genetic correlations with corresponding traits measured at slaughter (rg = 0.53–0.95) and may be used as a selection tool for improved genetic merit of the beef carcass. Fat content determined via ultrasound scanning in the live animal or at slaughter in finishing cattle is positively genetically correlated with rebreeding performance (rg = 0.22–0.39) in female herd replacements and negatively correlated with mature cow live weight (rg = −0.40 to −0.19). Low-magnitude associations were observed between the genetic merit for carcass fat traits with body condition in mature cows.

In New Zealand, surplus dairy-origin calves not needed as replacement or for beef cattle farms requirements for finishing are commercially slaughtered within two weeks of age. This system has perceived ethical issues which can potentially negatively affect the dairy industry. Therefore, a young beef cattle production system to maximize the use of excess calves within the land size constraint is considered as an alternative to a traditional 18 to 33-months slaughtering system. The current study examined the effects of young beef cattle production with slaughter ages at 8 to 14 months on pasture utilization, farm profitability and selling policy on class 5, intensive finishing sheep and beef cattle farms in New Zealand. A linear programming model that had previously been developed for this farm class (optimized traditional beef cattle system) was modified to include a young beef cattle slaughter system and identified the carrying capacity for young and traditional beef cattle and the selling policy required to optimize pasture utilization and farm profitability. Systems with young beef cattle slaughtered at 8, 10, 12 or 14-months of age were simulated without (Scenario I) or with (Scenario II) decreasing the number of traditional beef cattle. Daily per head energy demand for maintenance and live weight change was estimated and converted to kg DM/head on a bimonthly basis. Carcasses from young beef cattle were processed as one class under manufacturing beef price (NZ$4.50). The modified young and traditional beef cattle slaughtering system maintained an extra 6% and 35% beef cattle in Scenario I and Scenario II respectively, and finished 90% and 84% of traditional beef cattle before the second winter. Pasture supplied 98% of the feed demand for the beef cattle activities and 79–83% of that was consumed. Mixed young and traditional beef cattle finishing scenarios returned 2% less gross farm revenue per hectare (GFR/ha). However, earnings before tax per hectare (ETB/ha) in Scenario I and Scenario II were 15–25% greater than that of the optimized traditional beef cattle system, respectively. Young beef cattle production increased pasture utilization and farm profitability and increased selling options for finished beef cattle. Therefore, the young beef cattle system is a viable option for farmers and will help to reduce the need to slaughter calves within two weeks of age.

This study evaluated the accuracy of a sensor-based device (AfiCollar) to automatically monitor and record grazing and rumination behaviours of grazing dairy cows on a real-time basis. Multiparous spring-calved dairy cows (n = 48) wearing the AfiCollar were selected for the visual observation of their grazing and rumination behaviours. The total observation period was 36 days, divided into four recording periods performed at different times of the year, using 12 cows in each period. Each recording period consisted of nine daily observation sessions (three days a week for three consecutive weeks). A continuous behaviour monitoring protocol was followed to visually observe four cows at a time for each daily observation session, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Overall, 144 observations were collected and the data were presented as behaviour activity per daily observation session. The behaviours visually observed were also recorded through an automated AfiCollar device on a real-time basis over the observation period. Automatic recordings and visual observations were compared with each other using Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r), Concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), and linear regression. Compared to visual observation (VO), AfiCollar (AC) showed slightly higher (10%) grazing time and lower (4%) rumination time. AC results and VO results had strong associations with each other for grazing time (r = 0.91, CCC = 0.71) and rumination time (r = 0.89, CCC = 0.80). Regression analysis showed a significant linear relationship between AC and VO for grazing time (R2 = 0.83, p < 0.05) and rumination time (R2 = 0.78, p < 0.05). The relative prediction error (RPE) values for grazing time and rumination time were 0.17 and 0.40, respectively. Overall, the results indicated that AfiCollar is a reliable device to accurately monitor and record grazing and rumination behaviours of grazing dairy cows, although, some minor improvements can be made in algorithm calibrations to further improve its accuracy.

Barley grass (Hordeum spp.) is a short-lived annual weed which competes with preferred crop and pasture species and frequently contaminates wool and carcasses, and irritates the ears, eyes and noses of sheep. Barley grass, annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum L.) and wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L.) are annual winter crop weeds which reduce grain yield through competition. In three consecutive years (2015 to 2017) cereal, legume and cereal/legume forage crops were grown and harvested in early October, late October or early November consistent with an early silage harvest (ES), late silage harvest (LS) or hay cut (H). A spring wheat cultivar was sown over each site in the following year (2016 to 2018). Weed density was recorded during the forage crop and wheat phases. Forage crop weed populations varied between years. Late paddock preparation for sowing in 2015 effectively eradicated barley grass from all forage crops; however, the competitiveness of legume and cereal/legume crops against annual ryegrass was reduced. In contrast, legume and cereal/legume mixtures tended to have higher barley grass densities than cereal crops in 2016 and 2017, when paddock preparation was earlier. Cutting in October 2015 reduced annual ryegrass and wild radish populations in 2016 wheat by 92.0% and 86.7%, respectively. In 2017 and 2018, regrowth and subsequent seed set following cutting appeared to negate cutting time effects for all crop and crop/legume combinations. Late paddock preparation, an early October forage harvest and effective regrowth control provided the best opportunity for barley grass, annual ryegrass and wild radish control in a single year.

Maternal performance is a major driver of profitability in cow-calf beef cattle enterprises. The aim of this research was to evaluate the inheritance of maternal performance traits and examine the intercorrelation among reproduction, live weight, hip height, body condition and maternal contribution to calf weaning weight in 15-month-old heifers, 2-year-old cows and mature cows in New Zealand beef herds. Data were collected on a total of 14,241 cows and their progeny on five commercial New Zealand hill country farms. Heritabilities were low for reproductive traits in heifers and mature cows (0–0.06) but were greater in 2-year-old cows (0.12–0.21). Body condition scores were lowly (0.15–0.26) and live weights (0.42–0.48) and hip heights (0.47–0.65) highly heritable in heifers, 2-year-old cows and mature cows. Results indicate that 2-year-old cows with higher genetic potential for rebreeding ability may have greater genetic merit for live weight, hip height and body condition as heifers (rg = 0.19–0.54) but are unlikely to be larger cows at maturity (rg = −0.27–−0.10). The maternal genetic effect on weaning weight had a heritability of 0.20 and was negatively genetically correlated with body condition score in lactating cows (rg = −0.55–−0.40) but positively genetically correlated with rebreeding performance (rg = 0.48).

Mammary cistern size was positively correlated with milk yield of mature dairy ewes, but the association in ewe lambs is unknown. This experiment aimed to examine the associations between mammary ultrasound measurements and the milk yield of ewe lambs at one year of age and to determine the accuracy of using maternal mammary ultrasound to predict single lamb growth rates. Single-bearing ewe lambs (n = 45) were randomly selected and 30 were milked once at weeks three (W3), five (W5), and seven (W7) of lactation. Mammary ultrasound scans were performed at day 110 of pregnancy, W3, W5, W7, and weaning (L69). Single lambs (n = 30) were weighed at birth and at each mammary scanning event. Udder measurements explained 26.8%, 21.4%, and 38.4% of the variation in milk yield at W3, W5 and W7, respectively, and 63.5% and 36.4% of the variation in single lamb growth to W3 and to L69. This ultrasound technique was more accurate in predicting single lamb growth to W3 than milk yield and may enable the identification of pregnant ewe lambs whose progeny would have greater growth rates. More research is needed to identify accurate indicators of superior milk yield and determine whether ultrasound could be used to select ewe lambs.

Background: Mucosa-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are a recently identified class of innate-like T cells that are involved in the mucosal immune response. MAIT cells are characterized by expression of TCR Va7.2 and CD161. In HIV infection, there is a profound early loss of MAIT cells from the circulation that never fully recovers, even after prolonged viral control with antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods: We analyzed PBMCs from fresh whole blood from HIV-negative or ART-treated HIV-positive donors with full (Immune Success) or impaired (Immune Failure) CD4+ T- cell recovery by flow cytometry for T-cell markers, TCR Va7.2, and CD161. The PBMCs were cultured with or without TCR-mediated stimulation, and CD161 expression was assessed on Va7.2+ T cells. Interferon-g (IFNg) production was assessed by intracellular cytokine staining. Results: We found a decrease in the percentage of CD3+ T cells that expressed CD161 and the percentage of Va7.2+ T cells that expressed CD161, in HIV-infected individuals. We also found a significant increase in the percentage of T cells that were Va7.2+CD161- in immune failure compared to controls, accompanied by an increase in the percentage of Va7.2+CD161- T cells that express CD8+ in donors with immune failure, but not immune success. After TCR stimulation in vitro, Va7.2+ T cells reduced expression of CD161, yet Va7.2+ CD161- cells from immune failure donors retained the ability to express IFNg on stimulation. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that in immune failure patients, the reduction in peripheral MAIT cells is due, at least in part, to a loss in CD161 expression, and is not merely the result of trafficking into mucosal tissues or cell death. These CD161- cells retain their function.

Memory devices are key building blocks of image sensing circuitry. Here, the authors demonstrate a MoS2monolayer optoelectronic memory device based on charge trapping and subsequent optically-induced charge release, capable of 12-bit operation.

A linear programming optimization tool is useful to assist farmers with optimizing resource allocation and profitability. This study developed a linear programming profit optimization model with a silage supplement scenario. Utilizable kilograms of pasture dry matter (kg DM) of the total pasture mass was derived using minimum and maximum pasture mass available for beef cattle and sheep and herbage utilization percentage. Daily metabolizable energy (MJ ME/head) requirements for the various activities of beef cattle and sheep were estimated and then converted to kg DM/head on a bi-monthly basis. Linear programming was employed to identify the optimum carrying capacity of beef cattle and sheep, the most profitable slaughtering ages of beef cattle, the number of prime lambs (sold to meat processing plants), and sold store lambs (sold to other farmers for finishing). Gross farm revenue (GFR) and farm earnings before tax (EBT) per hectare and per stock unit, as well as total farm expenditure (TFE), were calculated and compared to the average value of Taranaki-Manawatu North Island intensive finishing sheep and beef Class 5 farming using Beef and Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) data. The modeled farm ran 46% more stock units (a stock unit consumed 550 kg DM/year) than the average value of Class 5 farms. At this stocking rate, 83% of the total feed supplied for each species was consumed, and pasture supplied 95% and 98% of beef cattle and sheep feed demands, respectively. More than 70% of beef cattle were finished before the second winter. This enabled the optimized system to return 53% and 188% higher GFR/ha and EBT/ha, respectively, compared to the average values for a Class 5 farm. This paper did not address risk, such as pasture growth and price fluctuations. To understand this, several additional scenarios could be examined using this model. Further studies to include alternative herbages and crops for feed supply during summer and winter are required to expand the applicability of the model for different sheep and beef cattle farm systems.

Metabolic energy budgeting (MEB) was used to evaluate evolution over 30 years (1980–1981 to 2010–2011) in New Zealand southern North Island ‘hill country’ sheep and beef cattle systems. MEB calculates energy required by animals for body weight maintenance, weight gain or loss, pregnancy, and lactation to estimate the system feed demand and thereby provide a basis for calculating feed conversion efficiency. Historic production systems were reconstructed and modeled using averaged data from industry surveys and data from owners’ diaries of three case-study farms and reviewed for patterns of change over time. The modeling indicated that pasture productivity was 11% lower and herbage harvested was 14% lower in 2010–2011 than in the early 1980s. This productivity decline is attributable to warmer, drier summer weather in recent years. However, primarily through increased lambing percentage, feed conversion efficiency based on industry data improved over the study period from 25 to 19 kg feed consumed per kg lamb weaned, while meat production rose from 137 to 147 kg per ha per year. Similar improvements were observed for the three case farms. The New Zealand MEB model was found effective for analysis of tropical beef production systems in Sabah, Malaysia.

Sheep liveweight and liveweight change are vital tools both for commercial and research farm management. However, they can be unreliable when collection procedures are not standardized or when there are varying time delays between sheep removal from grazing and weighing. This study had two stages with different objectives: (1) A liveweight loss study to determine the effect of herbage availability (Low and High) on the rate of liveweight loss of ewes at different pregnancy stages (approximately 100 days of pregnancy: P100 and 130 days: P130) and ranks (single and twin); (2) A follow-up liveweight loss study to develop and validate correction equations for delayed liveweights by applying them to data sets collected under commercial conditions. Results from each stage showed that the rate of liveweight loss varied by herbage availability and stage of pregnancy (p < 0.05) but not pregnancy-rank (p > 0.05). Further, the rate of liveweight loss differed by farm (p < 0.05). Applying liveweight correction equations increased the accuracy of without delay liveweight estimates in P100 ewes by 56% and 45% for single-bearing and twin-bearing ewes, respectively, when offered the Low-level diet. In ewes offered the High-level diet, accuracies of without delay liveweight estimates were increased by 53% and 67% for single-bearing and twin-bearing ewes, respectively. Among P130 ewes, accuracy was increased by 43% and 37% for single-bearing and twin-bearing ewes, respectively, when offered the Low herbage level and by 60% and 50% for single-bearing and twin-bearing ewes, respectively, when offered the High herbage level. In conclusion, a short-term delay of up to 8 hours prior to weighing, which is commonly associated with practical handling operations, significantly reduced the liveweight recorded for individual sheep. Using delayed liveweights on commercial farms and in research can have consequences for management practices and research results; thus, liveweight data should be collected without delay. However, when this is not feasible, delayed ewe liveweights should be corrected and, in the absence of locally devised correction equations, the ones generated in the current study could be applied on farms with similar management conditions and herbage type.

Hoggets (ewe lambs aged 4 to 16 months) can be bred from approximately 8 months of age for potentially increased flock production and profit, however most New Zealand hoggets are not presented for breeding and their reproductive success is highly variable. Bio-economic modelling was used to analyse flock productivity and profit in four sets of scenarios for ewe flocks with varying mature ewe (FWR) and hogget (HWR) weaning rate combinations. Firstly, hogget breeding was identified to become profitable when break-even HWRs of 26% and 28% were achieved for flocks with FWRs of 135% and 150%, respectively. Secondly, relatively smaller improvements in FWR were identified to increase profit to the same level as larger improvements in HWR. Thirdly, a high performing flock with FWR and HWR both ≥ the 90th percentile currently achieved commercially, was the most profitable flock modelled. Fourthly, a FWR was identified with which a farmer not wishing to breed hoggets could have the same profit as a farmer with a flock achieving current industry average FWR and HWR. Overall, the relative profit levels achieved by the modelled flocks suggest that more farmers should consider breeding their hoggets, though improvements in FWRs should be prioritised.

The experiment aimed to examine the impacts of an increased growth rate of ewes between three and seven months of age on udder development using ultrasound and to establish whether ultrasonography could be used to identify ewe mammary structures that may be indirect indicators of singleton growth to weaning. Udder dimensions, depths of gland cistern (GC), parenchyma (PAR) and fat pad (FP) were measured in late pregnancy (P107), early lactation (L29), and at weaning (L100) in 59 single-bearing yearling ewes selected from two treatments. The ‘heavy’ group (n = 31) was preferentially fed prior to breeding achieving an average breeding live-weight of 47.9 ± 0.38 kg at seven months of age. The ‘control’ group (n = 28) had an average breeding live-weight of 44.9 ± 0.49 kg. Udder dimensions, GC, PAR and FP did not differ between treatments. Lamb growth to L100 was positively associated (p < 0.05) with PAR at P107 and GC at L29. There was no evidence of negative effects of the live-weight gain treatments on udder development of yearling ewes as measured by ultrasonography. The results suggest that this ultrasound method has the potential to identify pregnant yearling ewes which would wean heavier singletons.

Body condition score (BCS) in sheep (Ovis aries) is a widely used subjective measure of the degree of soft tissue coverage. Body condition score and liveweight are statistically related in ewes; therefore, it was hypothesized that BCS could be accurately predicted from liveweight using machine learning models. Individual ewe liveweight and body condition score data at each stage of the annual cycle (pre-breeding, pregnancy diagnosis, pre-lambing and weaning) at 43 to 54 months of age were used. Nine machine learning (ML) algorithms (ordinal logistic regression, multinomial regression, linear discriminant analysis, classification and regression tree, random forest, k-nearest neighbors, support vector machine, neural networks and gradient boosting decision trees) were applied to predict BCS from a ewe’s current and previous liveweight record. A three class BCS (1.0–2.0, 2.5–3.5, >3.5) scale was used due to high-class imbalance in the five-scale BCS data. The results showed that using ML to predict ewe BCS at 43 to 54 months of age from current and previous liveweight could be achieved with high accuracy (>85%) across all stages of the annual cycle. The gradient boosting decision tree algorithm (XGB) was the most efficient for BCS prediction regardless of season. All models had balanced specificity and sensitivity. The findings suggest that there is potential for predicting ewe BCS from liveweight using classification machine learning algorithms.

Sheep (Ovis aries) liveweight and liveweight change can contain errors when collection procedures are not standardized, or when there are varying time delays between removal from grazing and weighing. A two-stage study was conducted to determine the effect of herbage availability and season of year on the rate of liveweight loss during fasting and to develop and validate correction equations applied to sets of delayed liveweights collected under commercial conditions. Results showed that ewe lambs offered the Low herbage availability lost up to 1.7 kg and those offered the Medium or High herbage availability lost 2.4 kg during 8 h of delayed weighing without access to feed or drinking water. The rate of liveweight loss varied by season, herbage availability and farm (p < 0.05). Applying correction equations on matching liveweight data collected under similar conditions, provided more accurate estimates (33–55%) of without delay liveweight than using the delayed liveweight. In conclusion, a short-term delay prior to weighing commonly associated with practical handling operations significantly reduced the liveweight recorded for individual sheep. Using delayed liveweights on commercial farms and in research can have significant consequences for management practices and research results globally, therefore, liveweight data should be collected without delay. However, when this is not feasible delayed liveweights should be corrected, and in the absence of locally formulated correction equations, the ones presented in this paper could be used.

The distinctive shape of an icicle is the outcome of a highly non-equilibrium process involving heat and mass transport in the presence of fluid flowing over an evolving topography. It has previously been shown that the ripple patterns with a near universal wavelength that are observed on many icicles are correlated with small levels of impurities in the feed water. Models of icicle shape evolution, and of the origin of the ripple pattern, require a detailed understanding of how liquid water flows over a growing icicle. The impurity effect is not accounted for by any existing model of ripple formation. Here, we explore this flow dynamics using laboratory-grown icicles with a fluorescent dye as an impurity. Contrary to previous models, we find that the ice is incompletely wetted by the liquid phase, and that the whole process is much more stochastic than has been previously assumed. In addition, the presence of impurities modifies the wetting properties of the ice surface, while the emerging topography interacts with the liquid distribution. There is evidence for mixed-phase ice. These observations must inform any successful model of an impurity-driven rippling instability. Our results have general implications for the morphological evolution of many natural, gravity-driven, wet ice growth processes.