Review of Infections With Bovine Herpesvirus 1 in Slovenia

In the 1950s, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis/infectious pustular vulvovaginitis (IBR/IPV) disease was clinically detected and documented in cattle for the first time in Slovenia. The bovine herpes virus 1 (BoHV-1) was confirmed several times from infected herds by virus isolation on cell cultures. To keep the IC virus-free, high biosecurity measures were introduced. Before entering the IC, all calves are serologically tested and quarantined. Bulls in Slovenian insemination centres (IC) have been negative for IBR /IPV infection since 1979. From 1985 to 1991, few large-scale studies of the prevalence of IBR/IPV were carried out. In 1985, a high percentage (56.9%) of serologically positive animals were found in large state farms with Holstein Friesian cattle. Epidemiological studies in farm with bulls' mother herds were also carried out in the farms with Simmental and Brown cows. Antibodies against BoHV-1 were detected in the serum of 2.3% of Brown cattle and 3.5% of Simmental cattle. In the year 2000, 3.4% of bulk tank milk samples from 13,349 dairy farms were detected BoHV-1 antibodies positive. The highest percentage of positive animals was found in regions with an intensive grazing system (6.2% positive) and the lowest percentage in the east part of Slovenia (0.9% positive) on farms with mostly Simmental cattle. In 2006, a total 204,662 sera of cattle older than 24 months were tested for the presence of BoHV-1 antibodies and positive cattle were detected in 3.6% of tested farms. These farms kept 34,537 animals that were potential carriers of the BoHV-1. Most of the positive farms kept Holstein Friesian cattle, descendants from the state-owned farms, which were privatised or closed after 1990. In 2015, the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Food Safety, Veterinary and Plant Protection issued a rule that describes the conditions for granting and maintaining the status of BoHV-1 free holdings. The rule provides a voluntary control programme for breeders who want to obtain BoHV-1 free status and are willing to cover all the cost of acquiring and maintaining that status. There has been very little response from breeders.

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Genetics of milk yield and fertility traits in Holstein-Friesian cattle on large-scale Kenyan farms.

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.2527/2001.7971742x ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 79 (7) ◽

pp. 1742 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

J M Ojango ◽

G E Pollott

Keyword(s):

Milk Yield ◽

Large Scale ◽

Holstein Friesian ◽

Fertility Traits ◽

Friesian Cattle

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Comparison of service period and lactation milk yields in dairy cows with single- and twin-calving

Veterinarski glasnik ◽

10.2298/vetgl180208009d ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 72 (2) ◽

pp. 112-121

Author(s):

Maximiliane Dörstelmann ◽

Melinda Ari ◽

Zsolt Becskei ◽

László Gulyás ◽

András Gáspárdy

Keyword(s):

Milk Yield ◽

Fixed Effects ◽

Large Scale ◽

Contradictory Result ◽

Production Traits ◽

Length Of Service ◽

Service Period ◽

Holstein Friesian ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Friesian Cattle

Introduction. Twin-calving occurs in 3 to 5 % of Holstein Friesian cattle, and it is mostly followed by reproductive and economic problems. This evaluation will compare the service period and the milk yield in cows with single and twin births at a Hungarian large-scale farm. Materials and Methods. The data were collected from 4223 cows between 2000 and 2010. In Cox?s regression model (service period) and general linear model (milk production traits), the type of calving (single/twin), the construction code (referring to the Holstein Friesian blood proportion), the season and number of calvings were fixed effects, and furthermore, the year of calving was a covariate. Results and Conclusions. This analysis showed there was no significant difference in the length of service period (SP) between the two groups of cows. The total lactation milk yield produced a meaningful difference in performance: single-calving cows had greater milk yield (p=0.013), fat yield (p=0.030), and protein yield (p=0.028) than cows with twins. The standard lactation milk yield showed the same tendency at a stronger significance and a lower level of production. This unexpected and contradictory result in service period could be explained by the much longer period of open days in twinning cows, known from previous research. Regarding milk yield, an involuntary decrease for cows after twin calving was confirmed.

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The Processes of Adaptation and Employment of Migrants from the Republic of Tajikistan in the Russian Federation (1991-2019)

Izvestiya of Altai State University ◽

10.14258/izvasu(2020)3-14 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 90-95

Author(s):

S.F. Nazarshoeva ◽

Kh.M. Mirzamonzoda ◽

Kh.Kh. Davlatov

Keyword(s):

Russian Federation ◽

Large Scale ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Present Moment ◽

Positive Trend ◽

Labor Migrants ◽

The Status ◽

The Russian Federation ◽

The Republic ◽

The Government

The article is devoted to the processes of adaptation and employment of migrants from the Republic of Tajikistan in the Russian Federation from 1991up to 2019. The author applied the conditional division of this period into two stages — from 1991up to 2000 and from 2001 up to the present time — according to the quantitative and qualitative differences that characterize each stage. Within the frameworks of both stages, historical, sociocultural and legal factors that influence the processes of adaptation and employment of Tajik migrants in the Russian Federation are analyzed. At the end, it is concluded that from 1991 to the present moment these processes have undergone a complex evolution. A negative impact on these processes is noted, exerted by the lack of large-scale domestic proj ects and programs aimed at helping and supporting labor migrants, as well as by imperfections in the migration legislation of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Russian Federation. However, the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan understands the need for cooperation with the Russian Federation in order to streamline the status of labor migrants from the Republic of Tajikistan in the Russian Federation and their protection, readiness for this cooperation, the officially expressed position of the Government of the Russian Federation, active work carried out in this direction by the Russian Federation of Migrants, and also by Tajik public organizations and human rights defenders, in general, indicate a positive trend in the decision to problems that impede the processes of adaptation and employment of migrants from the Republic of Tajikistan on the territory of the Russian Federation.

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Allele and Genotype Frequencies of the Κappa-Casein (CSN3) Locus in Macedonian Holstein-Friesian Cattle

Macedonian Veterinary Review ◽

10.2478/macvetrev-2020-0013 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 45-54

Author(s):

Nikola Adamov ◽

Branko Atanasov ◽

Ksenija Ilievska ◽

Martin Nikolovski ◽

Monika Dovenska ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Laboratory Method ◽

Allele Frequencies ◽

Fixation Index ◽

Genotype Frequencies ◽

Holstein Friesian ◽

Target Dna ◽

The Republic ◽

Friesian Cattle ◽

Genotype And Allele Frequencies ◽

Cheese Production

AbstractThe bovine kappa-casein (κ-CN) is a phospho-protein with 169 amino acids encoded by the CSN3 gene. The two most common gene variants in the HF breed are CSN3*A and CSN3*B while CSN3*E has been found with lower frequency. The aim of this study was to optimize a laboratory method for genotyping of these three alleles as well as to determine their genotype and allele frequencies in the HF cattle population in the Republic of North Macedonia. Genomic DNA was extracted from full blood from 250 cows. The target DNA sequence was amplified with newly designed pair of primers and the products were subjected to enzymatic restriction with HindIII and HaeIII endonucleases. Genotype determination was achieved in all animals. The primers successfully amplified a fragment of 458 bp and the digestion of this fragment with both endonucleases enabled differentiation of five different genotypes with the following observed frequencies: AA (0.39), AB (0.29), BB (0.16), AE (0.10), and BE (0.06). The estimated allele frequencies were: CSN3*A (0.584), CSN3*B (0.336) and CSN3*E (0.08). The observed genotype frequencies differed significantly (P<0.01) from those that would be expected under HW equilibrium, while the fixation index (F=0.17) indicated moderate heterozygosity deficiency. Nevertheless, the CSN3*B allele was present with relatively high frequency which should be used to positively select for its carriers, since increasing its frequency could help to improve the rheological properties of the milk intended for cheese production.

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The Legal Status of Local Government in South Africa under the New Constitutional Dispensation

Southern African Public Law ◽

10.25159/2522-6800/2952 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Mbuzeni Mathenjwa

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Local Government ◽

Legal Status ◽

Case Law ◽

The Status ◽

History Of ◽

The Republic ◽

First Time

The history of local government in South Africa dates back to a time during the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910. With regard to the status of local government, the Union of South Africa Act placed local government under the jurisdiction of the provinces. The status of local government was not changed by the formation of the Republic of South Africa in 1961 because local government was placed under the further jurisdiction of the provinces. Local government was enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa arguably for the first time in 1993. Under the interim Constitution local government was rendered autonomous and empowered to regulate its affairs. Local government was further enshrined in the final Constitution of 1996, which commenced on 4 February 1997. The Constitution refers to local government together with the national and provincial governments as spheres of government which are distinctive, interdependent and interrelated. This article discusses the autonomy of local government under the 1996 Constitution. This it does by analysing case law on the evolution of the status of local government. The discussion on the powers and functions of local government explains the scheme by which government powers are allocated, where the 1996 Constitution distributes powers to the different spheres of government. Finally, a conclusion is drawn on the legal status of local government within the new constitutional dispensation.

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The Portuguese Astronomer Melo e Simas (1870–1934): Republican Ideals and Popularization of Science

Science in Context ◽

10.1017/s0269889713000380 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 49-77 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ana Simões ◽

Luís Miguel Carolino

Keyword(s):

Historical Analysis ◽

Active Role ◽

Institutional Setting ◽

Multiple Forms ◽

Professional Career ◽

Popularization Of Science ◽

The Status ◽

The Republic ◽

European Periphery ◽

Scientific Ethos

ArgumentThis paper analyses a process of co-construction of knowledge and its multiple forms of communication in a country of the European periphery in the early twentieth century. It focuses on Lieutenant Manuel Soares de Melo e Simas, a politically engaged Portuguese astronomer, who moved from amateur to professional during the political transition from the monarchy to the republic. Melo e Simas paralleled his professional career in continuous activity of communicating science to the public in the context of republicanism in a double way, by responding to the agenda of republicanism and by playing an active role in shaping it. He aimed at educating lay audiences in the various ways of astronomy, and he reached out to as many people as possible by exploring a multitude of communication channels, from lectures to articles in newspapers and journals. Voiced often within newly created republican institutions, the praxis and the ideas of Melo e Simas helped to mold the new republican scientific ethos. By going beyond mere emphasis on scientism and positivism, usually taken to be the defining characteristics of the new republican ethos, this paper argues that science and the specificities of its multiple forms of communication were central to the way Melo e Simas shaped the republican ideology. Furthermore, popularization of science was used to legitimize the status of professional scientists at the same time that it helped reinforce their institutional setting, still to be negotiated in the forthcoming decades through a complex process which deserves further historical analysis.

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Lack of an association between gallstone disease and bilirubin levels with risk of colorectal cancer: a Mendelian randomisation analysis

British Journal of Cancer ◽

10.1038/s41416-020-01211-x ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Richard Culliford ◽

Alex J. Cornish ◽

Philip J. Law ◽

Susan M. Farrington ◽

Kimmo Palin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Large Scale ◽

Causal Effect ◽

Gallstone Disease ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Mendelian Randomisation ◽

Linear Relationships ◽

Potential Risk Factors ◽

The Relationship ◽

Circulating Levels

Abstract Background Epidemiological studies of the relationship between gallstone disease and circulating levels of bilirubin with risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC) have been inconsistent. To address possible confounding and reverse causation, we examine the relationship between these potential risk factors and CRC using Mendelian randomisation (MR). Methods We used two-sample MR to examine the relationship between genetic liability to gallstone disease and circulating levels of bilirubin with CRC in 26,397 patients and 41,481 controls. We calculated the odds ratio per genetically predicted SD unit increase in log bilirubin levels (ORSD) for CRC and tested for a non-zero causal effect of gallstones on CRC. Sensitivity analysis was applied to identify violations of estimator assumptions. Results No association between either gallstone disease (P value = 0.60) or circulating levels of bilirubin (ORSD = 1.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.96–1.03, P value = 0.90) with CRC was shown. Conclusions Despite the large scale of this study, we found no evidence for a causal relationship between either circulating levels of bilirubin or gallstone disease with risk of developing CRC. While the magnitude of effect suggested by some observational studies can confidently be excluded, we cannot exclude the possibility of smaller effect sizes and non-linear relationships.

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Multimorbidity clusters in patients with chronic obstructive airway diseases in the EpiChron Cohort

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-83964-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jonás Carmona-Pírez ◽

Beatriz Poblador-Plou ◽

Ignatios Ioakeim-Skoufa ◽

Francisca González-Rubio ◽

Luis Andrés Gimeno-Feliú ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Chronic Conditions ◽

Large Scale ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

High Morbidity ◽

Airway Diseases ◽

Obstructive Sleep ◽

Obstructive Airway Diseases

AbstractChronic obstructive airway diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, rhinitis, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are amongst the most common treatable and preventable chronic conditions with high morbidity burden and mortality risk. We aimed to explore the existence of multimorbidity clusters in patients with such diseases and to estimate their prevalence and impact on mortality. We conducted an observational retrospective study in the EpiChron Cohort (Aragon, Spain), selecting all patients with a diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, asthma, COPD, and/or OSA. The study population was stratified by age (i.e., 15–44, 45–64, and ≥ 65 years) and gender. We performed cluster analysis, including all chronic conditions recorded in primary care electronic health records and hospital discharge reports. More than 75% of the patients had multimorbidity (co-existence of two or more chronic conditions). We identified associations of dermatologic diseases with musculoskeletal disorders and anxiety, cardiometabolic diseases with mental health problems, and substance use disorders with neurologic diseases and neoplasms, amongst others. The number and complexity of the multimorbidity clusters increased with age in both genders. The cluster with the highest likelihood of mortality was identified in men aged 45 to 64 years and included associations between substance use disorder, neurologic conditions, and cancer. Large-scale epidemiological studies like ours could be useful when planning healthcare interventions targeting patients with chronic obstructive airway diseases and multimorbidity.

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Determinants of alcohol consumption and marijuana use among young adults in the Republic of Palau

Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine ◽

10.1186/s12199-020-00928-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mizuki Sata ◽

Renzhe Cui ◽

Chifa Chiang ◽

Singeru Travis Singeo ◽

Berry Moon Watson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Age Groups ◽

Marijuana Use ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Education Levels ◽

The Status ◽

The Republic ◽

Republic Of Palau

Abstract Background This study aimed to describe the status of alcohol consumption and drug use among young adults as well as their determinants. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of 356 young adults (aged 18 to 24 years) living in Palau in 2013. The prevalence of self-reported alcohol and marijuana usage were compared within and between sexes, age groups, ethnicities, and education levels. Results The proportion of current drinking was higher in people aged 21–24 than in those aged 18–20 (73.2% vs. 60.9%, p = 0.09 in men and 48.3% vs. 30.0%, p = 0.02 in women), while that of marijuana use did not differ between the age groups. The proportions of current drinking and marijuana use were higher in Palauan than in other ethnicities (current drinking: 70.6% vs. 40.6%, p = 0.005 in men and 38.8% vs. 16.6%, p = 0.04 in women; lifetime marijuana use: 80.0% vs. 52.9%, p = 0.02 in men and 56.1% vs. 30.6%, p = 0.09 in women). The proportion of frequent (3 times or more) marijuana users was higher for the lower educated than for the higher educated (62.5% vs. 32.1%, p < 0.001 in men and 33.9% vs. 24.4%, p = 0.12 in women). Conclusions Sex, age, ethnicity, and education were significant determinants of alcohol and marijuana use.

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