An Epidemiological and Genetic Study on Registered Diseases in Finnish Ayrshire Cattle

The epidemiology and genetic variability of the most common dairy cow diseases were examined. This paper describes the data set, lactation incidence rates and culling during lactation. The data set consisted of the lactation records of 73,368 Finnish Ayrshire dairy cows. Each cow was under observation for 2 days before and 305 days after calving. Lactational incidence rates (%) for the most common diseases were: ovulatory dysfunction 7.0, ketosis 6.0, acute mastitis 5.4, an oestrus and suboestrus 5.2, retained placenta 4.5, parturient paresis 3.8 and teat injury 2.6. Multiple logistic regression was utilized to investigate the possible effects of certain factors on culling. The model predicted the log odds for culling as an additive function of the explanatory factors. Using the estimated odds and forming the odds ratios it was possible to investigate, relative risks between any combination of groups of the explanatory factors. The risk of culling increased with parity after the second parturition, and with increasing herd milk yield. Mastitis and parturient paresis had positive associations with culling, while ketosis and infertility had negative associations. Heritability estimates for culling in various parity groups were from 2 % to 9 % on the binomial scale corresponding from 5 % to 14 % on the normal scale. There was a neagtive genetic correlation between culling and previous milk production.     

Transitions into and out of daylight saving time compromise sleep and the rest-activity cycles

Background  

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of transition out of and into daylight saving time on the rest-activity cycles and sleep. Rest-activity cycles of nine healthy participants aged 20 to 40 years were measured around transitions out of and into daylight saving time on fall 2005 and spring 2006 respectively. Rest-activity cycles were measured using wrist-worn accelerometers. The participants filled in the Morningness-Eveningness and Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaires before starting the study and kept a sleep diary during the study.     

A landsat study of the aquatic vegetation of the lake luodonjärvi reservoir,Western Finland

The hydrolittoral areas of the regulated Lake Luodonjärvi (63° 45′N lat., 22°50′E long.) on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Bothnia were studied by means of Landsat satellite imagery. It proved possible to detect spectral differences between different water areas. Seventeen aquatic complexes or types were classified separately on the basis of changes in water characteristics and depth, bottom quality and vegetational succession. The vegetation in summer 1983 was recorded in this way and reviewed against previous mappings in order to illustrate the multitemporal aspects of Landsat studies. Landsat classification could be used equally effectively in large area control, offering as it does the possibility of mapping the distribution of certain types of coastal environment over large areas by means of reflected radiation intensities.     

Cortisol decreases the cellular concentration of translatable procollagen mRNA species in cultured human skin fibroblasts

The effect of cortisol on the cellular concentration of translatable procollagen mRNAs was studied in cultured human skin fibroblasts. Cortisol selectively decreased the amount of procollagen mRNAs, in comparison to the total mRNA activity, when the cells were grown in enriched medium conditions, i.e., with 10% newborn calf serum. The selective decrease was first observed after 6 h exposure to 1 μM cortisol. In depleted medium conditions, i.e., with 2% newborn calf serum, the initial response was a stimulatory one, followed after about 12 h by a decrease in the procollagen mRNA activity. The results suggest that the selective inhibitory effect of cortisol on the cellular concentration of translatable procollagen mRNA species needs an optimal serum concentration. Furthermore, the results give support to the hypothesis that the decrease in the procollagen mRNA concentration after cortisol administration is a secondary response, preceeded by the induction of some intracellular regulation system.     

Modeling the Hydration Layer around Proteins: HyPred

Protein hydration plays an integral role in determining protein function and stability. We develop a simple method with atomic level precision for predicting the solvent density near the surface of a protein. A set of proximal radial distribution functions are defined and calculated for a series of different atom types in proteins using all-atom, explicit solvent molecular dynamic simulations for three globular proteins. A major improvement in predicting the hydration layer is found when the protein is held immobile during the simulations. The distribution functions are used to develop a model for predicting the hydration layer with sub-1-Ångstrom resolution without the need for additional simulations. The model and the distribution functions for a given protein are tested in their ability to reproduce the hydration layer from the simulations for that protein, as well as those for other proteins and for simulations in which the protein atoms are mobile. Predictions for the density of water in the hydration shells are then compared with high occupancy sites observed in crystal structures. The accuracy of both tests demonstrates that the solvation model provides a basis for quantitatively understanding protein solvation and thereby predicting the hydration layer without additional simulations.     

Application of landsat satellite data for mapping aquatic areas in north-eastern Finland

The application of the aquatic area research by computer-assisted Landsat MSS remote sensing is presented. Two lakes in northern Finland were mapped into spectrally identified classes.The open water classes depend mainly on the water quality and depth. The aquatic vegetation classes display the main life-forms (helophyte, nymphaeid, isoetid) and thus the amount of the chlorophyll above, on, or just below the water surface.