1,721,020 research outputs found
Relationship between oxidative stress and the success of artificial insemination in dairy cows in a pasture-based system
No full textThis study was designed to evaluate whether the outcome of artificial insemination (AI) was affected by
the metabolic and oxidative status of dairy cows. Seventy-nine inseminations in 40 cows, were classified,
on the basis of blood progesterone (P4) and pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) concentrations and
clinical confirmation of pregnancy into, three categories: (1) positive (AI+, resulted in pregnancy, n = 26;
33%), (2) negative (AI, did not result in pregnancy, n = 49; 62%), and (3) embryonic mortality (EM, n = 4;
5%). Reactive oxygen metabolites, biological antioxidant potential, oxidative stress index, body condition
score, glucose, total proteins, albumin, urea, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), cholesterol, triglycerides,
haptoglobin and advanced oxidative protein products (AOPPs) were measured on the day of AI (day 0),
and 30 and 42 days later.
Cows with EM had lower BCS scores (2.5) than AI+ (2.8) and AI (2.9) cows (P < 0.05). During the postpartum
period, body condition score (BCS) increased and NEFAs decreased (P < 0.05) suggesting a recovery
from the negative energy balance (NEB). The only significant differences found were that the mean
concentration of AOPPs was higher and that of albumin lower in EM cows than in AI+ and AI
(P < 0.05) animals. Plasma concentration of reactive oxygen metabolites and biological antioxidant potential
were not related to AI outcome. Further studies are required to confirm this finding and to clarify the
role of oxidative status on cows’ fertility
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Changes in plasma oxidative stress biomarkers in dairy cows after oestrus synchronisation with controlled internal drug release (CIDR) and prostaglandinF2a (PGF2a)
No full textThis study was designed to evaluate the plasma profiles of oxidative stress biomarkers, progesterone and
ovarian follicle diameter in ovulatory versus an-ovulatory cows. Twenty cows were synchronised using controlled
internal drug release (CIDR) and prostaglandinF2a (PGF2a) protocol. Plasma samples were analysed for progesterone
(P4), oxidative stress (OS) biomarkers; reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), biological antioxidant potential (BAP),
oxidative stress index (OSI = ROMs/BAP · 100), advanced oxidation protein products, ceruloplasmin and glutathione
(GSH). Plasma P4 concentration was greater in ovulated cows 24 hours (h) after PGF2a treatment but lower 48 h after
PGF2a treatment compared with that of an-ovulated cows at those sampling sessions (P < 0.05). Ovulated cows were
diagnosed with greater ovarian follicle diameter compared with that of their herd mates not diagnosed for ovulation.
Significant interaction of time of PGF2a treatment and ovulation status (ovulatory versus an-ovulatory) with the plasma
concentrations of OSI, BAP and GSH were observed. Ovulated cows had significantly lower BAP compared with that of
an-ovulated cows (P < 0.05) 9 h, 48 h, 60 h and 128 h after PGF2a treatment. Plasma concentrations of GSH were
lower (P < 0.05) in ovulated cows than that of an-ovulated cows 60 h and 96 h after PGF2a treatment. However, OSI
was greater (P < 0.05) in ovulated cows than that of an-ovulated cows 9 h, 48 h, 60 h and 128 h after PGF2a treatment.
Significant associations were observed between OS status and sampling time. Oxidative stress status may have
important physiological role in facilitating the ovulation process in oestrus synchronised dairy cows
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
Enhancing Postgraduate Learning and Teaching: Postgraduate Summer School in Dairy Science
Full text linkDairy science is a multidisciplinary area of scientific investigation and Ph.D. students aiming to do research in the field of animal and/or veterinary sciences must be aware of this. Ph.D. students often have vast spectra of research interests, and it is quite challenging to satisfy the expectation of all of them. The aim of this study was to establish an international Ph.D. training program based on research collaboration between the University of Sydney and the University of Padova. The core component of this program was a two-week Postgraduate Summer School in Dairy Science, which was held at the University of Padova, for Ph.D. students of both universities. Therefore, we designed a program that encompassed seminars, workshops, laboratory practical sessions, and farm visits. Participants were surveyed using a written questionnaire. Overall, participants have uniformly praised the Summer School calling it a rewarding and valuable learning experience. The Ph.D. Summer School in Dairy Science provided its participants a positive learning experience, provided them the opportunity to establish an international network, and facilitated the development of transferable skills
koamabayili/VECTRON-author-checklist: VECTRON author checklist
No full textWe have done our best to complete the author checklist relating to the use of animals in the hut study. Note that the objective for the hut study was to evaluate the IRS treatment applications for residual efficacy against Anopheles mosquitoes, including the local An. coluzzii mosquito population. Cows were only used to attract mosquitoes into the huts and no tests were carried out directly on the cows. The author checklist is intended for use with studies where experiments are carried out on animals, which is why we have had such difficulty in completing this for the hut study, as many of the questions do not relate to how the cows were used
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