Ethical considerations in the uptake of influenza vaccination by healthcare workers.

OBJECTIVES: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends annual seasonal influenza vaccination of healthcare workers (HCWs). Under the current voluntary scheme in England, uptake of vaccine in this group remains well below the 75% target. A mandatory scheme may improve rates, but raises the ethical issue of imposed vaccination. However, the existing voluntary scheme could also potentially infringe autonomy if those not wanting to join feel pressured or coerced into vaccination. The aim of this study was to explore HCW views and experiences with the current influenza vaccination programme. STUDY DESIGN: Questionnaire survey. METHODS: Between March 2015 and April 2016, a total of 140 questionnaires were completed across seven HCW groups, with the demographic, vaccination and opinion data statistically analysed using the chi-squared test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U-test as appropriate. RESULTS: No staff group met the national influenza vaccination target of 75% and vaccination rates varied between HCW groups. All groups reported some degree of external pressure to be vaccinated and there were mixed views on the concept of mandatory vaccination, with a lack of certainty over the vaccine's efficacy and/or a lack of information the most common reasons for not supporting it. CONCLUSION: The current voluntary influenza vaccination scheme has a number of flaws. Improvements in the quality and availability of information provided to employees may help Trusts increase vaccination rates, or achieve acceptance of any proposed mandatory programme.

Genome-wide association mapping for stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis F. sp. tritici) in US Pacific Northwest winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

KEY MESSAGE: Potential novel and known QTL for race-specific all-stage and adult plant resistance to stripe rust were identified by genome-wide association mapping in the US PNW winter wheat accessions. Stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis F. sp. tritici; also known as yellow rust) is a globally devastating disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and a major threat to wheat production in the US Pacific Northwest (PNW), therefore both adult plant and all-stage resistance have been introduced into the winter wheat breeding programs in the PNW. The goal of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) and molecular markers for these resistances through genome-wide association (GWAS) mapping in winter wheat accessions adapted to the PNW. Stripe rust response for adult plants was evaluated in naturally occurring epidemics in a total of nine environments in Washington State, USA. Seedling response was evaluated with three races under artificial inoculation in the greenhouse. The panel was genotyped with the 9K Illumina Wheat single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and additional markers linked to previously reported genes and QTL for stripe rust resistance. The population was grouped into three sub-populations. Markers linked to Yr17 and previously reported QTL for stripe rust resistance were identified on chromosomes 1B, 2A, and 2B. Potentially novel QTL associated with race-specific seedling response were identified on chromosomes 1B and 1D. Potentially novel QTL associated with adult plant response were located on chromosomes 2A, 2B, 3B, 4A, and 4B. Stripe rust was reduced when multiple alleles for resistance were present. The resistant allele frequencies were different among sub-populations in the panel. This information provides breeders with germplasm and closely linked markers for stripe rust resistance to facilitate the transfer of multiple loci for durable stripe rust resistance into wheat breeding lines and cultivars.

Identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for resistance to Fusarium crown rot (Fusarium pseudograminearum) in multiple assay environments in the Pacific Northwestern US.

Fusarium crown rot (FCR), caused by Fusarium pseudograminearum and F. culmorum, reduces wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yields in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the US by as much as 35%. Resistance to FCR has not yet been discovered in currently grown PNW wheat cultivars. Several significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) for FCR resistance have been documented on chromosomes 1A, 1D, 2B, 3B, and 4B in resistant Australian cultivars. Our objective was to identify QTL and tightly linked SSR markers for FCR resistance in the partially resistant Australian spring wheat cultivar Sunco using PNW isolates of F. pseudograminerarum in greenhouse and field based screening nurseries. A second objective was to compare heritabilities of FCR resistance in multiple types of disease assaying environments (seedling, terrace, and field) using multiple disease rating methods. Two recombinant inbred line (RIL) mapping populations were derived from crosses between Sunco and PNW spring wheat cultivars Macon and Otis. The Sunco/Macon population comprised 219 F(6):F(7) lines and the Sunco/Otis population comprised 151 F(5):F(6) lines. Plants were inoculated with a single PNW F. pseudograminearum isolate (006-13) in growth room (seedling), outdoor terrace (adult) and field (adult) assays conducted from 2008 through 2010. Crown and lower stem tissues of seedling and adult plants were rated for disease severity on several different scales, but mainly on a numeric scale from 0 to 10 where 0 = no discoloration and 10 = severe disease. Significant QTL were identified on chromosomes 2B, 3B, 4B, 4D, and 7A with LOD scores ranging from 3 to 22. The most significant and consistent QTL across screening environments was located on chromosome 3BL, inherited from the PNW cultivars Macon and Otis, with maximum LOD scores of 22 and 9 explaining 36 and 23% of the variation, respectively for the Sunco/Macon and Sunco/Otis populations. The SSR markers Xgwm247 and Xgwm299 flank these QTL and are being validated for use in marker-assisted selection for FCR resistance. This is the first report of QTL associated with FCR resistance in the US.

Chromosomes 3B and 4D are associated with several milling and baking quality traits in a soft white spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) population.

Wheat is marketed based on end-use quality characteristics and better knowledge of the underlying genetics of specific quality parameters is essential to enhance the breeding process. A set of 188 recombinant inbred lines from a 'Louise' by 'Penawawa' mapping population was grown in two crop years at two locations in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and data were collected on 17 end-use quality traits using established quality analysis protocols. Using an established genetic linkage map, composite interval mapping was used to identify QTL associated with 16 of the 17 quality traits. QTL were found on 13 of the 21 wheat chromosomes. A large number of QTL were located on chromosomes 3B and 4D and coincided with traits for milling quality and starch functionality. Chromosome 3B contained 10 QTL, which were localized to a 26.2 cM region. Chromosome 4D contained 7 QTL, all of which were located on an 18.8 cM region of this chromosome. The majority of the alleles for superior end-use quality were associated with the cultivar Louise. The identified QTL detected remained highly significant independent of grain yield and protein quantity. The identification of these QTL for end-use quality gives key insight into the relationship and complexity of end-use quality traits. It also improves our understanding of these relationships, thereby allowing plant breeders to make valuable gains from selection for these important traits.

Genetic and environmental effects on carcass characteristics of Southdown x Romney lambs: I. Growth rate, sex, and rearing effects.

Carcass data from more than 4,400 Southdown x Romney ewe and wether lambs collected over a 16-yr period were analyzed for the effects of sex, rearing status, and growth rate. Ewe lambs grew more slowly than wethers and had .78 kg less carcass weight at the same age. The carcass weight advantage for wethers was nearly all caused by heavier fat-free weight. Based on fat depths, the fat on ewe lambs was distributed in more anterior and ventral parts of the carcass relative to wether lambs. Lambs reared as twins had 1.73 kg less carcass weight and correspondingly reduced carcass measurements compared with lambs reared as singles. Sex and rearing status interacted for some traits. However, in no case was a significant sex difference reversed in single- and twin-related lambs. Growth rate effects were determined by regressing average change in carcass measurements on average carcass weight gain over a 5-wk period. When carcass weight remained constant over a 5-wk period, fat weight increased by .12 kg, fat-free weight and muscle measurements decreased, and bone lengths increased. For each kilogram of increase in 5-wk carcass weight gain, the marginal increase in fat weight was .41 kg and that of fat-free weight was .59 kg. At the average 5-wk carcass weight gain of 1.4 kg, fat and fat-free gains were As carcass weight gain increased above 1.4 kg, fat-free gain exceeded fat gain.

Genetic and environmental effects on carcass characteristics of Southdown x Romney lambs: II. Genetic and phenotypic variation.

Approximately 4,400 crossbred lambs from Southdown sires and Romney ewes were slaughtered at approximately 18, 23, and 28 wk of age over a 16-yr period. Live weights, carcass measurements, and chemical percentages were analyzed to estimate genetic and phenotypic parameters. Heritabilities of postweaning weights and gains were about .20. Heritabilities of fat and water percentages were about .35 adjusted for age. Heritability of kidney fat percentage was .53. Heritabilities of fat depth and muscle measurements ranged from .21 to .37. Crutch depth (h2 = .73) and cannon bone length (h2 = .74) were the most highly heritable carcass measurements. The genetic correlation between carcass fat and fat-free weight was .47 when lambs were slaughtered at a constant age. Fat-free weight was nearly uncorrelated with percentages of fat, water, and protein when lambs were slaughtered at the same age. Carcass measurements increased accuracy of selection for fat-free weight at a constant age very little compared with using only carcass weight. However, this does not mean that additional measurements are useless. The addition of carcass measurements to the selection criteria would result in correlated responses in chemical composition that more closely resembled direct selection for fat-free weight. Carcass weight would be of little value when used by itself to reduce fat weight adjusted for carcass weight. Direct measurement of carcass composition resulted in 1.6 to 2.6 times more predicted response for reduced fat weight than any combination of carcass weight and one fat depth measurement.

Birth weight, dystocia and calf mortality in some New Zealand beef breeding herds.

Calf mortality data were summarized from four experiments, including a total of 15,694 birth records over 39 herd-years. Two experiments at Waikite and Waikeria were long-term, straightbred Angus and Hereford selection trials and the other two, at Goudies and Tokanui stations, were comparisons of 11 sire breeds mated to Angus and Herefore cows. The objective of the analyses was to study the relationship between birth weight (BW) and calf mortality for both calf sexes and for different dam age or parity groups. Overall calf death rates from birth to weaning were greater (P less than .01) from 2-yr-old than from older dams at Waikite (13.4 vs 5.3%) and Waikeria (14.7 vs 5.2%). Sex differences in death rate within 2 d of birth were small for calves from older dams. Death rate of males vs females from 2-yr-old dams were 9.1 vs 3.2% (Waikite) and 17.7 vs 10.5% (Waikeria). Mature Angus dams at Goudies had 3.7% calf deaths at birth (4.9 vs 2.4% for males vs females), a further 1.8% calf deaths to weaning and 4.6% assisted births. The BW of calves at Waikite from Angus 2-yr-old vs older dams averaged, respectively, 6.8 and 6.5% of their dam's precalving live weights. Corresponding figures for Waikeria Angus were 7.8 and 6.6% and for Waikite Herefords, 7.3 and 6.9%. Quadratic regressions revealed that, on a whole-herd basis, a small increase in BW would have no effect on total mortality at Waikeria and would decrease total mortality at Waikite; regression lines were different in shape and minimum value for calves from the two dam age groups. Quadratic models also provided an adequate fit to data from Goudies and Tokanui. There was no particular threshold BW.

Direct and correlated responses to selection for weaning weight, post-weaning weight gain and six-week weight in mice.

Four lines of mice were formed from a common base population and selected for 37 generations for either increased 3-week weight (weaning weight), 6-week weight, 3-6 week gain, or maintained as a randomly bred control line. Realised heritability estimates for short-term (long-term) responses were 0.33±0.20 (0.07±0.10), 0.46±0.14 (0.26±0.09), 0.36±0.14 (0.24±0.11) for 3-week weight, 6-week weight and 3-6 week gain, respectively. Realised genetic correlations estimated from short-term (long-term) responses were 0.23±0.08 (0.35±0.10) between 3-week weight and 3-6 week gain; 0.82±0.04 (0.58±0.08) between 3-week weight and 6-week weight; and 0.81±0.04 (0.97±0.04) between 3-6 week gain and 6-week weight. The genetic correlation between 3-week weight and 6-week weight was asymmetric with a greater correlated response for 3-week weight when selecting for 6-week weight (1.06) than vice versa (0.63).