Blending gestation and lactation diets during the transition period reduces energy mobilization by sows in late gestation, with no impact on subsequent lactation performance.

Fifty-three gilts and fifty-three multiparous (MP) sows were used to evaluate a blended feeding program using gestation and lactation diets during the transition period on changes in sow back fat (BF) depth and BW, blood metabolites, and litter growth performance in the subsequent lactation period. A 2 × 2 factorial experimental design was generated including the factors of parity and feeding program. The MP sows and gilts were assigned to one of two feeding programs on day 104 ±â€…1 of gestation: 1) 2 kg/d of a standard lactation diet until farrowing when sows received step-up access to the lactation diet until ad libitum access was given on day 4 of lactation (CON) and 2) a dynamic blend of standard gestation and lactation diets that met estimated daily requirements for standardized ileal digestible Lys and net energy according to the NRC (2012) until day 4 of lactation where sows were provided ad libitum access to the lactation diet (TRAN). Litters were standardized to 13 ±â€…1 piglets within 24-h of birth. In gestation, ADFI was greatest for TRAN-MP sows (interaction; P < 0.05), with greater ADFI for TRAN versus CON sows (main effect; 2.95 vs. 2.13 ±â€…0.08 kg; P < 0.05). Feeding program did not influence ADFI in lactation, but MP sows had greater ADFI versus gilts (main effect; 5.96 vs. 4.47 ±â€…0.28 kg; P < 0.001). Immediately after farrowing, TRAN sows had greater BW and BF vs. CON sows, regardless of parity (main effect; 224.1 vs. 215.4 ±â€…4.1 kg and 17.3 vs. 16.2 ±â€…0.4 mm, respectively; P < 0.05). At weaning, no feeding program-related differences were observed for BW or BF, but MP sows had thicker BF compared to gilts (main effect; 14.4 vs. 13.4 ±â€…0.5 mm; P < 0.05). The TRAN-MP sows had heavier piglets at birth compared to all other groups (interaction; P < 0.05) and MP sows had greater litter birth weight and average piglet BW at birth versus gilts (main effect; P < 0.05). No effect of feeding program was observed for piglet BW at weaning. On lactation day 1, serum beta-hydroxybutyric acid and non-esterified fatty acid concentrations were lower for TRAN compared to CON sows (main effect; 12.0 vs. 19.4 ±â€…7.8 mmol/L and 0.35 vs. 0.57 ±â€…0.10 mmol/L, respectively; P < 0.05) and serum glucose concentration was greater for TRAN compared to CON sows (main effect; 4.41 vs. 3.88 ±â€…0.22 mmol/L; P < 0.05), but these differences were no longer detectable at weaning. Therefore, a simple transition feeding program using a blend of a standard gestation and lactation diets reduced energy mobilization by sows in late gestation, with no impact on subsequent lactation performance.

Rare Case of Tularemia With Preauricular Lymphadenopathy and Conjunctivitis in a 27-Year-Old Male Patient in Germany.

Tularemia is a rare disease but shows an approximately 10-fold increase in reported cases over the last 15 years in Germany. Clinical symptoms of acute tularemia infection are various, which often delays diagnosis. This case report gives an overview of the clinical manifestations of acute tularemia and shows the importance of interdisciplinary work to shorten the time from the onset of symptoms to effective treatment in infection with Francisella tularensis. Since some cases of tularemia are life-threatening, early diagnosis is vital. This case report serves as a reminder that rare diseases need to be considered in cervical lymphadenopathy.

Partial replacement of soybean meal with full-fat black soldier fly larvae meal in plant-based nursery diets did not influence fecal Escherichia coli colony forming units or improve fecal consistency when pigs were weaned into non-disinfected pens.

At weaning, one hundred pigs (21 d of age; 6.96 ±â€…0.23 kg BW) were used to determine the effect of partially replacing soybean meal (SBM) in corn- and SBM-based nursery diets on growth performance, fecal scores, Escherichia coli (E. coli) colony forming units (CFU), and cecal mucosal microbial profile when weaned into non-disinfected nursery pens. Pens were randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments (n = 5): high-complexity (contained highly digestible animal proteins and 10.8% SBM) with and without 3,000 ppm ZnO (HC + and HC-, respectively; representative of commercial diets), low-complexity (corn- and SBM-based; 31.8% SBM; LC), or LC with 30% inclusion of full-fat black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) to partially replace SBM (LCFL; 8.0% SBM). Diets were fed for 14 d (phase I), followed by 4 wk of a common corn-SBM diet (phase II). Fecal E. coli CFU and cecal mucosal microbial 16s rRNA community profiles were assessed 7 d after weaning. During phase I, pigs fed LC and LCFL had lower average daily gains (P < 0.05) than pigs fed HC + and HC-, which were not different. Average daily feed intake was not different for pigs fed LC and LCFL, but lower than for pigs fed HC- (P < 0.001); pigs fed HC + had greater feed intake in phase I vs. all other treatment groups (P < 0.001). Upon nursery exit, only pigs fed LCFL had lower BW than pigs fed HC- (P < 0.05), with intermediate values observed for HC + and LC. Day 3 fecal scores were greater for pigs fed LCFL vs. HC + (P < 0.05) and day 7 E. coli CFU were greater for all treatment groups vs. HC + (P < 0.001). Pigs fed HC- (P < 0.01), LC (P < 0.05), and LCFL (P < 0.05) had lower alpha diversity for cecal mucosal microbiota compared to HC+. At the genus level, pigs fed LC had lower Lactobacillus relative abundance vs. pigs fed HC + (P < 0.01). Therefore, BSFLM can partially replace SBM without sacrificing growth performance vs. nursery pigs fed corn- and SBM-based diets, but both groups had reduced phase I growth performance vs. pigs fed highly digestible diets containing animal proteins when weaned into non-disinfected pens. The BSFLM did not influence fecal E. coli CFU or improve fecal consistency after weaning and therefore, is less effective at minimizing digestive upsets vs. HC + diets.

The effect of month and breed on plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone concentrations in equids.

Use of plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentrations for the diagnosis of PPID in equids requires awareness of other factors that might influence ACTH concentrations, including breed and time of year. This study was designed to investigate effects of breed on plasma ACTH concentrations and potential interactions between breed and time of year. Ten breeds were selected from a laboratory database containing data on plasma ACTH concentrations. Breeds represented were Arabians, Cobs, Connemara ponies, donkeys, Irish Sports horses, New Forest ponies, Shetland ponies, Thoroughbreds, Warmbloods and Welsh breeds. Multivariable analysis was used to determine the effects of month and breed on plasma ACTH concentrations. A circannual pattern of ACTH concentration was documented, with a nadir in April and a peak in September. Arabian horses and donkeys had significantly higher ACTH concentrations than some other breeds, primarily from May to November, whereas in Shetland ponies and Welsh breeds, relatively higher ACTH concentrations only occurred from July to November. The annual increase in plasma ACTH appeared to commence in late April/early May in response to increasing daylight and decreased again promptly after the late September equinox as daylength fell below 12 h per day. Inter-breed differences in plasma ACTH were substantial and indicated that breed and time of year should be considered when interpreting plasma ACTH concentrations in equids suspected for PPID.

Kea, Nestor notabilis, achieve cooperation in dyads, triads, and tetrads when dominants show restraint.

Animal cooperation in the wild often involves multiple individuals that must tolerate each other in close proximity. However, most cooperation experiments in the lab are done with two animals, that are often also physically separated. Such experiments are useful for answering some pertinent questions, for example about the understanding of the role of the partner and strategies of partner control, but say little about factors determining successful cooperation with multiple partners in group settings. We explored the influence of dominance, rank distance, tolerance, affiliation, and coordination by testing kea parrots with a box requiring two, three, or four chains to be pulled simultaneously to access food rewards. The reward could be divided unevenly, but not monopolized completely. Eventually dyadic, triadic, and tetradic cooperation tasks were solved, showing that non-human animals are capable of tetradic cooperation in an experimental setup. Starting with two chains, we found that in a dyad monopolization of the box by the highest-ranking bird was the largest obstacle preventing successful cooperation. High-ranking birds learned to restrain themselves from monopolizing the box during a single session in which monopolization was hindered by the presence of a large number of birds. Thereafter, restraint by dominants remained the strongest factor determining success in the first trial in dyadic, triadic, and tetradic setups. The probability of success increased with the degree of restraint shown by all dominant subjects present. Previous experience with the task contributed to success in subsequent sessions, while increasing rank distance reduced success notably in the four-chain setup.

Individual and community socioeconomic factors related to the quality of antenatal care: a multilevel analysis of West and Central Africa.

Antenatal care (ANC) can improve maternal health. We examined associations of individual and community socioeconomic status (SES) with the quality of ANC in West and Central Africa. Data were from the 2009-2011 UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys for women in seven countries (n = 24,718). Individual SES variables included women's education and wealth; community SES was defined as low or high poverty index. ANC quality was defined as receiving six services: blood pressure monitoring, blood tests, urine tests, malaria prophylaxis, tetanus vaccine, and HIV screening, and coded low or high. We used multilevel logistic regression to estimate fixed and random effects of individual and community SES on ANC quality. Less than one-fourth of women received high-quality ANC. Only small percentages of women had malaria prophylaxis and were counseled and tested for HIV. In adjusted country-stratified results, living in a poor community was associated with reduced odds of receiving high-quality ANC in six countries (Central African Republic: odds ratio, OR = 0.76; 95% confidence interval, CI:0.58-0.98; Chad: OR = 0.48; CI:0.32-0.74; Ghana: OR = 0.86; CI:0.61-0.97; Nigeria: OR = 0.74; CI:0.61-0.92; Sierra Leone: OR = 0.71; CI:0.57-0.91; and Togo: OR = 0.80; CI:0.47-0.91). The health system may be missing important opportunities to provide high-quality ANC and, thereby, improve pregnancy outcomes in these settings.

[Necrotizing fasciitis in the head and neck region-three case reports and a review of the literature]. / Nekrotisierende Fasziitis der Kopf-Hals-Region ­ 3 Fallberichte und Literaturübersicht.

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a life-threatening, usually bacterial, soft tissue infection that rarely affects the head and neck region. Rapid progression and systemic illness are typical for the disease and complicate diagnosis. Immediate surgical and antimicrobial therapy is required. Three cases of cervicofacial NF are presented in this case report. All patients showed a rapidly progressing, painful swelling and redness in the cervicofacial region. After diagnosing NF based on clinical symptoms, laboratory parameters, and CT, the patients were treated with systemic antibiotics and multiple extensive debridements. Two of the three patients died within 48 h from systemic illness with septic organ failure; one patient was discharged after intensive care treatment and reconstruction of the tissue defects caused by debridement. NF is a fast-developing soft tissue infection associated with high mortality and morbidity, and is often recognized too late. Diagnosis is based on clinical signs such as progressive diffuse swelling, pain, erythema, and early systemic illness. Laboratory parameters (Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis [LRINEC] score) and imaging via CT or MRT are helpful. CT/MRT images can show soft tissue swelling with pathognomonic gas formation. Immediate surgical debridement and antimicrobial therapy are critical for survival. Intravenously administered immunoglobulins and hyperbaric pressure therapy should only be used as supplementary treatments.

Challenges in the comparative study of empathy and related phenomena in animals.

The aim of this review is to discuss recent arguments and findings in the comparative study of empathy. Based on a multidisciplinary approach including psychology and ethology, we review the non-human animal literature concerning theoretical frameworks, methodology, and research outcomes. One specific objective is to highlight discrepancies between theory and empirical findings, and to discuss ambiguities present in current data and their interpretation. In particular, we focus on emotional contagion and its experimental investigation, and on consolation and targeted helping as measures for sympathy. Additionally, we address the feasibility of comparing across species with behavioural data alone. One main conclusion of our review is that animal research on empathy still faces the challenge of closing the gap between theoretical concepts and empirical evidence. To advance our knowledge, we propose to focus more on the emotional basis of empathy, rather than on possibly ambiguous behavioural indicators, and we provide suggestions to overcome the limitations of previous research .

Effect of algae or fish oil supplementation and porcine maternal stress on the adrenal transcriptome of male offspring fed a low-quality protein diet.

Offspring adrenal function may be negatively affected in utero by maternal stressors such as microbial infection. Maternal supplementation with immunomodulatory compounds such as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) may help minimize the adverse effects of maternal stress on fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal development and improve offspring health. Presently, n-3 PUFA sources are primarily fish-based, but n-3 PUFA microalgae (AL) may be an alternative. Previously, it was determined that maternal AL or fish oil (FO) supplementation to sows, in addition to maternal stress induced by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge appeared to have a greater influence on the stress response of male offspring compared to females. To further elaborate on these findings, this study assessed the effects of maternal AL or FO supplementation combined with a maternal LPS challenge on adrenal gene expression in male offspring fed a nursery diet containing low-quality protein sources. Forty-eight sows were fed gestation diets starting on gestation day (gd) 75 containing either 3.12% AL, 3.1% FO, or a control diet containing 1.89% corn oil. On gd 112, half the sows in each treatment were administered 10 â€‹µg/kg LPS i.m. Piglets were weaned at 21 days of age onto a common low-quality plant-based protein diet, and one week after weaning, four piglets per sow were administered 40 â€‹µg/kg LPS i.m. Two hours later, the piglets were euthanized to obtain adrenal tissue, and total RNA was extracted to carry out transcriptome analysis using the Affymetrix GeneChip WT Plus assay and subsequent validation by real-time PCR. Analysis revealed that adrenal steroidogenesis, fatty acid metabolism and immune function were significantly influenced by maternal diet and stress. Increased expression of immune-related genes including lymphocyte antigen 96, TLR-2 and NF-κB suggests that maternal AL supplementation may increase offspring sensitivity to inflammation after weaning. Decreased expression of lymphocyte antigen 96 in male offspring from sows receiving maternal LPS challenge also suggests a possible role of maternal stress in diminishing the offspring immune response to immune stress challenge. Increased expression of the genes encoding the 11BHSD2 enzyme in offspring from sows fed FO may also reduce the magnitude of the stress response. These data provide insight to the immune and metabolic mechanisms that may be influenced by maternal diet and stress.

Microalgae supplementation to late gestation sows and its effects on the health status of weaned piglets fed diets containing high- or low-quality protein sources.

Maternal stress, such as a bacterial infection occurring in late gestation, may predispose offspring to a variety of diseases later in life. It may also alter programming of developing systems within the fetus, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and immune system. Dietary supplementation during the last trimester of pregnancy with immune-modulating compounds may be a means of reducing potential adverse effects of maternal stress on the developing fetus. Essential omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) such as docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentanoic acid are well-known for their immune-modulating and anti-inflammatory properties. Sources of these n-3 PUFA include fish products such as fish oil and microalgae, which may be a suitable alternative to fish-based products. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of supplementing gestating sow diets with n-3 PUFA and inducing an immune stress challenge in late gestation on piglet growth and immune responsiveness when placed on either a high- or low-quality protein diet after weaning. Forty-eight sows were fed gestation diets containing either 3.12% microalgae, 3.1% fish oil or a corn oil control diet containing 1.89% corn oil starting on gestation day (gd) 75. On gd112, half the sows in each treatment were immune stress challenged with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin (10 µg/kg administered i.m). After farrowing, piglet BW gain was monitored weekly during lactation and pigs were weaned at 21 days of age. One week after weaning, four piglets per sow were immune stress challenged with LPS (40 µg/kg administered i.m.). At the same time, four piglets per sow were vaccinated with the novel antigens chicken ovalbumin (OVA) and Candida cellular antigen (CAA) and received booster vaccinations two weeks later. Four weeks after the initial vaccination, a transdermal hypersensitivity immune challenge was performed using the same antigens. Blood samples were also collected to quantify IgG antibody responses to both antigens. PUFA enrichment in sow blood and piglet brain was detected after sows were on feed for 40 days. Piglet growth was increased in pigs fed a high-quality diet in nursery phase 1. Concentrations of the cytokines IL-1ra, IL-6 and IL-10 were elevated in pigs fed a high-quality protein diet following LPS immune challenge. Overall, it appears that in the current study piglet nursery diet quality was more important for determining piglet health and growth than maternal diet and immune stress.

2D THz spectroscopic investigation of ballistic conduction-band electron dynamics in InSb.

Using reflective cross-polarized 2D THz time-domain spectroscopy in the range of 1-12 THz, we follow the trajectory of the out-of-equilibrium electron population in the low-bandgap semiconductor InSb. The 2D THz spectra show a set of distinct features at combinations of the plasma-edge and vibration frequencies. Using finite difference time domain simulations combined with a tight binding model of the band structure, we assign these features to electronic nonlinearities and show that the nonlinear response in the first picoseconds is dominated by coherent ballistic motion of the electrons. We demonstrate that this technique can be used to investigate the landscape of the band curvature near the Γ-point, as illustrated by the observation of anisotropy in the (100)-plane.

Identification of macrolide- and rifampicin-resistant Rhodococcus equi in environmental samples from equine breeding farms in central Kentucky during 2018.

Rhodococcus equi causes severe pneumonia in foals and is most often recognized in people as an opportunistic pathogen. Longitudinal studies examining antimicrobial-resistant R. equi from environmental samples are lacking. We hypothesized that antimicrobial-resistant R. equi would be detectable in the ground (pasture soil or stall bedding) and air at breeding farms with previous documentation of foals infected with resistant isolates, and that concentrations of resistant isolates would increase over time during the foaling season. In this prospective cohort study, ground and air samples were collected from stalls and paddocks in January, March, May and July of 2018 at 10 horse-breeding farms with history of foal pneumonia attributed to macrolide- or Rifampicin-resistant R. equi. Environmental samples were cultured in the presence and absence of macrolides and Rifampicin to select for resistant organisms. Data were analyzed with linear mixed-effects and Hurdle models. Concentrations of total R. equi in bedding or air of stalls were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in January than other months. The proportion of resistant R. equi in soil samples from paddocks was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than stall bedding during all months. For each month, air samples from paddocks had a significantly (P < 0.05) higher proportion of resistant isolates than those from stalls. Fifty-five percent of resistant soil isolates and 34% of resistant air isolates were considered virulent by identification of the vapA gene. Concentrations of resistant R. equi isolates did not increase over time during the foaling season. Antimicrobial-resistant R. equi can persist in the environment at farms with a history of pneumonia caused by resistant R. equi infections, and exposure to resistant isolates in paddocks and stalls appears stable during the foaling season. Resistant isolates in the environment not only pose a risk for disease but also can serve as a repository for dissemination of resistance genes.

The ultrafast Einstein-de Haas effect.

The Einstein-de Haas effect was originally observed in a landmark experiment1 demonstrating that the angular momentum associated with aligned electron spins in a ferromagnet can be converted to mechanical angular momentum by reversing the direction of magnetization using an external magnetic field. A related problem concerns the timescale of this angular momentum transfer. Experiments have established that intense photoexcitation in several metallic ferromagnets leads to a drop in magnetization on a timescale shorter than 100 femtoseconds-a phenomenon called ultrafast demagnetization2-4. Although the microscopic mechanism for this process has been hotly debated, the key question of where the angular momentum goes on these femtosecond timescales remains unanswered. Here we use femtosecond time-resolved X-ray diffraction to show that most of the angular momentum lost from the spin system upon laser-induced demagnetization of ferromagnetic iron is transferred to the lattice on sub-picosecond timescales, launching a transverse strain wave that propagates from the surface into the bulk. By fitting a simple model of the X-ray data to simulations and optical data, we estimate that the angular momentum transfer occurs on a timescale of 200 femtoseconds and corresponds to 80 per cent of the angular momentum that is lost from the spin system. Our results show that interaction with the lattice has an essential role in the process of ultrafast demagnetization in this system.

Early thrombosis prophylaxis with enoxaparin is not associated with hematoma expansion in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Early pharmacological deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis is recommended by guidelines, but rarely started within 48 h. We aimed to analyze the effect of early (within 48 h) versus late (>48 h) DVT prophylaxis on hematoma expansion (HE) and outcome in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). METHODS: We analyzed 134 consecutive patients admitted to a tertiary neurointensive care unit with diagnosed spontaneous ICH, without previous anticoagulation, severe coagulopathy, hematoma evacuation, early withdrawal of therapy or ineligibility for DVT prophylaxis according to our institutional protocol. Significant late HE was defined as ≥6 mL increase of hematoma volume between neuroimaging within 48 h and day 3-6. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors for late HE, poor 3-month outcome (modified Rankin Scale score ≥ 4) and mortality. RESULTS: Patients had a median Glasgow Coma Scale score of 14 [interquartile range (IQR), 10-15], ICH volume of 11 (IQR, 5-24) mL and were 71 (IQR, 61-76) years old. A total of 56% (n = 76) received early DVT prophylaxis, 37% (n = 50) received late DVT prophylaxis and 8 (6%) had unknown bleeding onset. Patients with early DVT prophylaxis had smaller ICH volume [9.5 (IQR, 4-18.5) vs. 17.5 (IQR, 8-29) mL, P = 0.038] and were more often comatose (26% vs. 10%, P = 0.025). Significant late HE [n = 5/134 (3.7%)] was associated with larger initial ICH volume (P = 0.02) and lower thrombocyte count (P = 0.03) but not with early DVT prophylaxis (P = 0.36). Early DVT prophylaxis was not associated with worse outcome. CONCLUSION: Significant late HE is uncommon and DVT prophylaxis within 48 h of symptom onset may be safe in selected patients with ICH.

Tool making cockatoos adjust the lengths but not the widths of their tools to function.

The ability to innovatively use or even manufacture different tools depending on a current situation can be silhouetted against examples of stereotyped, inborn tool use/manufacture and is thus often associated to advanced cognitive processing. In this study we confronted non-specialized, yet innovative tool making birds, Goffin's cockatoos (Cacatua goffiniana), with an apparatus featuring an out-of-reach food reward that could be placed at different distances from a tool opening. Alternatively, the food stayed at a constant distance but the tool opening in the front of the apparatus had different diameters. We used a novel material for tool manufacture (cardboard) that demanded an incrementally increased manufacturing effort from the actor, depending on the length of the tool required. We found that our subjects used two strategies to succeed in this tasks: either by making carboard-stripe tools using the full length of the material sheets originally offered or by adjusting the lengths of their tools to different goal distances. Subjects also discarded cardboard stripes that were too short to reach the goal prior to use and discarded longer pieces when the goal was further away than when it was close. Nevertheless, likely due to morphological constraints, the birds failed to adjust the widths of their tools depending on the diameter of the tool opening.

The repeatability of cognitive performance: a meta-analysis.

Behavioural and cognitive processes play important roles in mediating an individual's interactions with its environment. Yet, while there is a vast literature on repeatable individual differences in behaviour, relatively little is known about the repeatability of cognitive performance. To further our understanding of the evolution of cognition, we gathered 44 studies on individual performance of 25 species across six animal classes and used meta-analysis to assess whether cognitive performance is repeatable. We compared repeatability (R) in performance (1) on the same task presented at different times (temporal repeatability), and (2) on different tasks that measured the same putative cognitive ability (contextual repeatability). We also addressed whether R estimates were influenced by seven extrinsic factors (moderators): type of cognitive performance measurement, type of cognitive task, delay between tests, origin of the subjects, experimental context, taxonomic class and publication status. We found support for both temporal and contextual repeatability of cognitive performance, with mean R estimates ranging between 0.15 and 0.28. Repeatability estimates were mostly influenced by the type of cognitive performance measures and publication status. Our findings highlight the widespread occurrence of consistent inter-individual variation in cognition across a range of taxa which, like behaviour, may be associated with fitness outcomes.This article is part of the theme issue 'Causes and consequences of individual differences in cognitive abilities'.

Emergence of coexisting ordered states in active matter systems.

Active systems can produce a far greater variety of ordered patterns than conventional equilibrium systems. In particular, transitions between disorder and either polar- or nematically ordered phases have been predicted and observed in two-dimensional active systems. However, coexistence between phases of different types of order has not been reported. We demonstrate the emergence of dynamic coexistence of ordered states with fluctuating nematic and polar symmetry in an actomyosin motility assay. Combining experiments with agent-based simulations, we identify sufficiently weak interactions that lack a clear alignment symmetry as a prerequisite for coexistence. Thus, the symmetry of macroscopic order becomes an emergent and dynamic property of the active system. These results provide a pathway by which living systems can express different types of order by using identical building blocks.

Contrasting plant height can improve the control of rain-borne diseases in wheat cultivar mixture: modelling splash dispersal in 3-D canopies.

Background and Aims: Growing cultivars differing by their disease resistance level together (cultivar mixtures) can reduce the propagation of diseases. Although architectural characteristics of cultivars are little considered in mixture design, they could have an effect on disease, in particular through spore dispersal by rain splash, which occurs over short distances. The objective of this work was to assess the impact of plant height of wheat cultivars in mixtures on splash dispersal of Zymoseptoria tritici, which causes septoria tritici leaf blotch. Methods: We used a modelling approach involving an explicit description of canopy architecture and splash dispersal processes. The dispersal model computed raindrop interception by a virtual canopy as well as the production, transport and interception of splash droplets carrying inoculum. We designed 3-D virtual canopies composed of susceptible and resistant plants, according to field measurements at the flowering stage. In numerical experiments, we tested different heights of virtual cultivars making up binary mixtures to assess the influence of this architectural trait on dispersal patterns of spore-carrying droplets. Key Results: Inoculum interception decreased exponentially with the height relative to the main inoculum source (lower diseased leaves of susceptible plants), and little inoculum was intercepted further than 40 cm above the inoculum source. Consequently, tall plants intercepted less inoculum than smaller ones. Plants with twice the standard height intercepted 33 % less inoculum than standard height plants. In cases when the height of suscpeptible plants was doubled, inoculum interception by resistant leaves was 40 % higher. This physical barrier to spore-carrying droplet trajectories reduced inoculum interception by tall susceptible plants and was modulated by plant height differences between cultivars of a binary mixture. Conclusions: These results suggest that mixture effects on spore dispersal could be modulated by an adequate choice of architectural characteristics of cultivars. In particular, even small differences in plant height could reduce spore dispersal.

Age at castration (surgical or immunological) impacts carcass characteristics and meat quality of male pigs.

In order to accurately estimate body composition at slaughter and to meet specific market targets, the influence of age at time of castration (surgical or immunological) on body composition and boar taint indicators must be determined for male pigs. In all, 48 males were randomly assigned to one of four management regimens: (1) entire male pigs (EM), (2) EM surgically castrated at ~40 kg BW and 10 weeks of age (late castrates; LC), (3) conventional, early surgical castrates (within 4 days of birth; EC) and (4) EM immunized with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog (primary dose at 30 kg BW and 8 weeks of age; booster dose at 70 kg and 14 weeks of age; IM). Pigs were fed corn and soybean meal-based diets that were not limiting in essential nutrients. Back fat was sampled on days -3, 8, 18 and 42, relative to administering the booster dose of GnRH analog at day 0, to determine androstenone concentrations (n=8 or 9/group). Fat androstenone concentrations in IM were lower than EM between days 8 and 42 after administering the booster dose (173 v. 863 ng/g, respectively; P<0.01), and were not different from surgically castrated males (EC and LC) after day 18. Slaughter occurred at ~115 kg BW, 42 days (6 weeks) after administering the booster dose for IM, and 10 and 20 weeks after surgical castration for LC and EC, respectively (n=8 or 9/group). At slaughter, live BW, liver weight as a percent of live BW, dissectible bone as a percent of cold carcass side, body protein and water contents and whole-body protein deposition decreased with time after surgical castration (linear; P<0.05), whereas dressing percentage, dissectible fat, probe fat depth and body fat content increased with time after surgical castration (linear; P<0.05). The IM had intermediate dressing percentage and dissected fat to EM and EC, whereas liver weight as a percent of live BW and body protein and lipid contents were not different from EM. Whole-body lipid deposition tended to be greater in IM than in EM between 14 and 20 weeks of age (373 v. 286 g/d; P=0.051). In conclusion, castration of male pigs after 6 weeks of age has a lasting effect on physical and chemical body composition. The relationship between time after castration and body composition may be developed to predict carcass composition and can be used to determine the ideal immunization schedule aimed at specific markets in the future.