The role of objective and subjective evaluation in the production and marketing of goats for meat

Objective and subjective evaluations of goats for meat production are related to important determinants of production and profitability. The most important attributes in assessment of goats for market are: live weight; body condition score; and the age of goats. As goats grow, their carcass and body organs increase in weight in proportion to the empty body weight. For farmers and field workers the linear regression approach for estimating carcass weight by measuring live weight is the most suitable as it accounts for 88 to 97% of the variation in carcass, offal and boneless meat weight. Live weight scales or heart girth tapes should be used and the risks and errors associated with these methods are summarized. The proportion of a live goat that is the carcass, known as dressing percentage, increases from 35% to about 50% as goats grow. The usefulness and errors associated with dressing percentage in field estimation are discussed. A valuable subjective method for estimating the nutritional status of goats is the use of body condition scoring as it accounts for 60 to 67% of the variation in live weight change, carcass weight and fat reserves of goats. A method for body condition scoring and a similar fat scoring system are explained. Body condition score is also associated with mortality risk and reproductive performance of goats. The number of permanent incisors in the lower jaw of goats is a method of estimating the age of goats but is biased by differences in live weights of goats. The value and role of ultrasound scanning the carcasses of goats is summarized. For the marketing of kid meat no permanent incisors should have erupted. Other useful practices for the successful marketing of goat meat are discussed including: knowing market specifications and chemical withholding periods; animal health; prevention of bruising; identification of goats; size of consignments; timeliness; provision of paperwork. A checklist is provided. The use of subjective and objective assessment techniques in evaluating goats for meat production will provide the best results. Where only subjective assessment techniques are available they will provide satisfactory performance provided the skills have been learnt and are applied.

Sex-dependent selection differentially shapes genetic variation on and off the guppy Y chromosome

Because selection is often sex-dependent, alleles can have positive effects on fitness in one sex and negative effects in the other, resulting in intralocus sexual conflict. Evolutionary theory predicts that intralocus sexual conflict can drive the evolution of sex limitation, sex-linkage, and sex chromosome differentiation. However, evidence that sex-dependent selection results in sex-linkage is limited. Here, we formally partition the contribution of Y-linked and non-Y-linked quantitative genetic variation in coloration, tail, and body size of male guppies (Poecilia reticulata)—traits previously implicated as sexually antagonistic. We show that these traits are strongly genetically correlated, both on and off the Y chromosome, but that these correlations differ in sign and magnitude between both parts of the genome. As predicted, variation in attractiveness was found to be associated with the Y-linked, rather than with the non-Y-linked component of genetic variation in male ornamentation. These findings show how the evolution of Y-linkage may be able to resolve sexual conflict. More generally, they provide unique insight into how sex-specific selection has the potential to differentially shape the genetic architecture of fitness traits across different parts of the genome.

Home hemodialysis : a successful option for obese and bariatric people with end-stage kidney disease

The increasing prevalence of obesity in developed countries is reflected in the chronic kidney disease, dialysis, and transplant populations. The added risk factor of obesity increases the risk of vascular events, inflammation, insulin resistance, blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and mortality risk. Nephrology center policies may exclude obese people from transplantation programs resulting in many years of dialysis. The case of a 215-kg Australian male who has successfully dialyzed at home for more than 8 years will be used to illustrate the important considerations and clinical support that these people require for successful home dialysis treatment. The aim of this paper is to report on a program that has successfully trained 23 obese (body mass index >30) people who commenced on home hemodialysis between 2001 and 2009. Body weight ranged between 94.0 and 215 kg (mean 126, SD 26.19) and body mass index ranged between 34.9 and 71 (mean 43.38, SD 9.99) at the start of home training. During the 8.5 years of follow-up, average time on home dialysis was 43.7 months. Home hemodialysis is a feasible treatment for obese people to facilitate longer and more frequent dialysis, resulting in improved hemodynamic stability and improved quality of life. For obese people with end-stage kidney disease, home hemodialysis has shown to be cost-effective and can result in greater treatment efficacy than in-center hospital dialysis.

Come play with me : an argument to link autism spectrum disorders and anorexia nervosa through early childhood pretend play

This article builds on the argument of a link between behaviours observed in persons with autism spectrum disorders and persons with anorexia nervosa. In describing these behaviours, a link is made between deficits in social cognition, lack of flexible and creative thinking, theory of mind, and deficits in early pretend play ability. Early pretend play ability is a strong avenue to the development and strengthening of social cognition, problem solving, language, logical sequential thought, and understanding social situations. Currently, there is no literature on the pretend play ability of persons who develop anorexia nervosa. This article argues for research into this area which may potentially contribute to developments in new intervention strategies for these persons.

A re-examination of the benefits of exercise for state body satisfaction: Considerationof individual difference factors

Although the link between exercise and body image is well documented, the considerable inter-individual variability in this relationship has been largely ignored. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to test the contributions of key body image and exercise-related moderators (age, body mass index (BMI), exercise frequency, trait body dissatisfaction, internalisation of appearance standards, and body surveillance tendencies) in predicting variability in the exercise-body satisfaction relationship. Thirty-seven undergraduate women completed a questionnaire containing the above trait-based measures and then carried a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) for a 7-day period. Participants were instructed to use the PDA to self-report their state body satisfaction immediately following an exercise session and also when the PDA signalled at each of six random intervals throughout the day. Multilevel modelling revealed a bi-directional relationship between exercise and state body satisfaction. Moreover, post-exercise increases in state body satisfaction were strongest for individuals who were younger and engaged in regular exercise, and weakest for individuals with high BMI and/or the tendency to compare their appearance with others. These findings highlight potential limits on the efficacy of exercise-based therapy for body image disturbances.

Leptin resistance in a polygenic, hyperleptinemic animal model of obesity and NIDDM : Psammomys obesus

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of leptin administration to Psammomys obesus, a polygenic animal model of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

DESIGN: Longitudinal intervention study utilising three separate leptin treatment protocols lasting 7-14 d.

MEASUREMENTS: Body weight and food intake were measured daily, body fat and muscle content were estimated by carcass analysis on completion of the study. Blood glucose, plasma insulin, leptin, triglycerides and cholesterol were measured at baseline and twice each week during the study.

RESULTS: Relatively high doses of leptin were required to significantly reduce food intake and body fat content in lean Psammomys obesus, but had no discernible effect on their obese littermates.

CONCLUSION: As a species, Psammomys obesus appear to be relatively insensitive to the effects of leptin administration, compared with other rodents. Obese Psammomys obesus are leptin resistant relative to their lean littermates.

Associations between measures of adiposity over 10 years and patella cartilage in population-based asymptomatic women

Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) most commonly affects the patellofemoral compartment of the knee, and is a major cause of pain and disability. Structural changes that evolve prior to the onset of symptoms can be visualised using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). There is little known information about the role of adiposity on the early structural changes in the patella cartilage in younger, asymptomatic adult females.

Methods: One hundred and sixty asymptomatic women (20–49 years) participating in the Geelong Osteoporosis Study underwent knee MRI (2006–8). Weight and body mass index (BMI) were measured 10 years prior (1994–7, baseline) and at the time of MRI (current), with change over the period calculated (current–baseline). Relationships between measures of adiposity and patella cartilage volume and defects were examined.

Results: After adjustment for age and patella bone volume, there was a reduction of 13 ml (95% confidence interval (95% CI), −25.7, −0.55) in patella cartilage volume for every 1 unit increase in current BMI, and a reduction of 27 ml (95% CI −52.6, −1.5) per BMI unit increase over 10 years (P=0.04 for both). No significant association was observed between baseline BMI and patella cartilage volume (P=0.16). Increased baseline and current weight and BMI were associated with increased prevalence of patella cartilage defects (all P<0.001).

Conclusions: Adiposity and weight gain during midlife are associated with detrimental structural change at the patella in young to middle-aged healthy non-osteoarthritic women. Maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding weight gain in younger asymptomatic women may be important in the prevention of patellofemoral OA.

Death and life at the cinematic beach

In this article, I will examine the ways in which the beach and its shoreline is designated as both a mortal and immortal location in cinema. On the one hand, I will suggest that the beach and the shoreline can bring death to those who visit it temporarily or who go there to claim it as a permanent home of their own. The beach creates a set of narrative and aesthetic possibilities for tragic endings, murderous encounters, physical and existential suicides, and spectacular battles between opposing forces to take place. The dangerous beach, then, is locatable as a site that participates in, and helps enact, loss and the death wishes of those who come to contemplate endings, kill or fight on its shifting sands, watery edges and lost horizons. On the other hand, the beach and its shoreline will be understood as a liminal place and space, where regeneration possibilities are enacted. In cinema, death at the beach and its shoreline may not always be the end but a new start beyond the life of the frame. At the beach, within the coastal water, mortality becomes immortality, flesh and body becomes transcendence and spirit, and the death of one self can lead to the (re)birth of another.

Acculturation and obesity among migrant populations in high income countries - a systematic review

Background:
There is evidence to suggest that immigrant populations from low or medium-income countries to high income countries show a significant change in obesogenic behaviors in the host society, and that these changes are associated with acculturation. However, the results of studies vary depending on how acculturation is measured. The objective of this study is to systematically review the evidence on the relationship between acculturation - as measured with a standardized acculturation scale - and overweight/obesity among adult migrants from low/middle countries to high income countries.

Methods:

Does the burden of the experience sampling method undermine data quality in state based body image research?

Despite growing popularity of experience sampling methodology (ESM) for evaluations of state-based components of body image, there have been concerns that the frequent repeated measurement might encourage problematic responding resulting in low data quantity and/or quality. Using a sample of 105 women (mean age = 24.84), this study used multilevel modelling to investigate whether (a) there were changes in compliance or response variability across a 7-day period, and (b) whether such changes are explained by participant characteristics. Present findings suggest that demands of ESM protocol undermine quantity more so than quality of obtained data. Decline in procedural compliance across the testing period correlated with BMI and body shame, whereas reduced variability in state-based assessments did not adversely impact the strength of association between state body satisfaction ratings and other variables in the dataset. The authors make several recommendations for ensuring the quality of ESM-based data in future studies.

Sizing the association between lifestyle behaviours and fatness in a large, heterogeneous sample of youth of multiple ethnicities from 4 countries

Background: 

Reproductive investment and optimum clutch size of Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta)

(1) Data for loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta L.) nesting on the Greek island of Cephalonia were used to develop a model which predicted the optimum clutch size. (2) There was a positive linear relationship between the number of clutches into which eggs could be divided and the total time spent by a nesting turtle on the beach, and hence a negative relationship between the time invested on the beach per egg and clutch size. (3) A previous study indicated that energy expenditure for nesting turtles on land is very high, so there may be a selective pressure to maximize clutch size in order to minimize the energy expended per egg laid. As there appeared to be no counterselective pressures favouring small clutches, clutch size should be constrained by a female's egg-carryingc apacity,w hich in turn could be expected to be related to her body size. Hence, a positive relationship between clutch size and body size was predicted, and was found in the population under study.

Effect of weighted vest suit worn during daily activities on running speed, jumping power, and agility in young men

Effect of weighted vest suit worn during daily activities on running speed, jumping power, and agility in young men. J Strength Cond Res 26(11): 3030-3035, 2012-Previous weighted vest interventions using exercise in addition to hypergravity have been successful in improving postural balance and power production capacity. The purpose of this study was to investigate if hypergravity alone in daily activities excluding sporting activities is effective in improving neuromuscular performance in young adults. Eight male subjects (age = 32 [SD: 6] years, height = 178 [5] cm, and body mass = 81 [8] kg) wore weighted vests 3 d.wk-1 for 3 weeks during waking hours, excluding sporting activities. Control group comprised 9 male subjects (age = 32 [6] years, height = 179 [5] cm, and body mass = 83 [9] kg). Performance was assessed with countermovement jump (body mass normalized peak power), figure-of-8 running test (running time), and running velocity test at baseline and at the end of the intervention. At baseline, the groups did not differ from each other (multivariate analysis of variance [MANOVA] p = 0.828). A significant group × time interaction (MANOVA F = 5.1, p = 0.015) was observed for performance variables. Analysis of covariance indicated that the intervention improved the figureof- 8 running time (p = 0.016) (22.2 vs. 0.5%), whereas normalized peak power (0.0 vs. 1.6%) and running velocity (1.3 vs. 0.1%) were unaffected (p ≥ 0.095). Wearing weighted vests was effective in slightly improving agility-related performance in young men. Because the effect was small, applying hypergravity only during exercise probably suffices. It appears that a proper volume and intensity of hypergravity could be in the order of 5-10% body weight vest worn during up to 50% of the training sessions for a period of 3-4 weeks.

Embodying principles - properties - potential in dance

Thi article explores outcomes of practice-led research. Discusses application of somatic movement, dance education and Body-Mind Centering® practice principles for physical preparation of dancers, contact improvisation, choreographic research and dance pedagogy.

IUGR in the absence of postnatal 'catch-up' growth leads to improved whole body insulin sensitivity in rat offspring

A suboptimal in utero environment leads to fetal adaptations to ensure short-term survival but in the long-term may lead to disease when the postnatal growth does not reflect that in utero. This study examined the effect of IUGR on whole body insulin sensitivity and metabolic activity in adult rats. Female Wistar-Kyoto rats were fed either a normal protein diet (NPD 20% casein) or a low protein diet (LPD; 8.7% casein) during pregnancy and 2 wk of lactation. In offspring at 32 wk of age, indirect calorimetry and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) were performed to assess metabolic activity and body composition. Insulin sensitivity was assessed using a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp. At 3 d of age, male and female LPD offspring were 23 and 27% smaller than controls, respectively. They remained significantly smaller throughout the experimental period (~10% smaller at 32 wk). Importantly, there was increased insulin sensitivity in LPD offspring (47% increase in males and 38% increase in females); pancreatic insulin content was normal. Body composition, O2 consumption, respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and locomotor activity were not different to controls. These findings suggest that in the absence of “catch-up” growth IUGR programs for improved insulin sensitivity.