Learning end-to-end respiratory rate prediction of dairy cows from RGB videos.

Respiratory rate (RR) is an important indicator of the health and welfare status of dairy cows. In recent years, progress has been made in monitoring the RR of dairy cows using video data and learning methods. However, existing approaches often involve multiple processing modules, such as region of interest (ROI) detection and tracking, which can introduce errors that propagate through successive steps. The objective of this study was to develop an end-to-end computer vision method to predict RR of dairy cows continuously and automatically. The method leverages the capabilities of a state-of-the-art Transformer model, VideoMAE, which divides video frames into patches as input tokens, enabling the automated selection and featurization of relevant regions, such as a cow's abdomen, for predicting RR. The original encoder of VideoMAE was retained, and a classification head was added on top of it. Further, the weights of the first 11 layers of the pre-trained model were kept, while the weights of the final layer and classifier were fine-tuned using video data collected in a tie-stall barn from 6 dairy cows. Respiratory rates measured using a respiratory belt for individual cows were serving as the ground truth (GT). The evaluation of the developed model was conducted using multiple metrics, including mean absolute error (MAE) of 2.58 breaths per minute (bpm), root mean squared error (RMSE) of 3.52 bpm, root mean squared prediction error (RMSPE; as a proportion of observed mean) of 15.03%, and Pearson correlation (r) of 0.86. Compared with a conventional method involving multiple processing modules, the end-to-end approach performed better in terms of MAE, RMSE and RMSPE. These results suggest the potential to implement the developed computer vision method for an end-to-end solution, for monitoring RR of dairy cows automatically in a tie-stall setting. Future research on integrating this method with other behavioral detection and animal identification algorithms for animal monitoring in a free-stall dairy barn can be beneficial for a broader application.

[High expression of ATP5A1 in gastric carcinoma is correlated with a poor prognosis and enhanced glucose metabolism in tumor cells].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the expression level of ATP5A1 in gastric carcinoma and its influence on the prognosis of the patients and glucose metabolism in the tumor cells. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 115 patients undergoing radical resection of gastric carcinoma in our hospital from February, 2013 to November, 2016. ATP5A1 expression in the surgical specimens were detected using immunohistochemistry, and the long-term prognosis of the patients with high (n=58) and low ATP5A1 expression (n=57) were analyzed. In gastric carcinoma MGC803 cells, the effects of lentivirus-mediated ATP5A1 knockdown or overexpression on glucose metabolism were investigated. We also observed the growth and glucose metabolism of xenografts derived from MGC803 cells with ATP5A1 knockdown or overexpression in nude mice. RESULTS: ATP5A1 was significantly overexpressed in gastric carcinoma tissues in close correlation with blood CEA and CA19-9 levels, pathological grade, T stage and N stage (P < 0.05). ATP5A1 overexpression was an independent risk factor for a significantly lowered 5-year survival rate of patients with gastric carcinoma (P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis demonstrated the predictive value of high ATP5A1 expression for the patients'prognosis (P < 0.001). In MGC803 cells, ATP5A1 overexpression significantly upregulated cellular glucose uptake and lactate production and increased the protein levels of HK2, PFK1, and LDHA (P < 0.05), while ATP5A1 knockdown produced the opposite changes (P < 0.05). In the tumor-bearing mice, overexpression of ATP5A1 increased glucose metabolism of the tumor cells and promoted tumor growth (P < 0.05). Overexpression of ATP5A1 promoted the expressions of p-JNK and p-JUN in MGC803 cells (P < 0.05), and the JNK inhibitor SP600125 significantly inhibited the enhancement of cellular glucose metabolism induced by ATP5A1 overexpression (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: High ATP5A1 expression in gastric cancer is associated a poor long-term prognosis of the patients, and its effect is mediated at least partly by promoting glucose metabolism of the cells through the JNK/JUN pathway.

Modeling the effect of ambient temperature on reticulorumen temperature, and drinking and eating behaviors of late-lactation dairy cows during colder seasons.

Dairy cows may suffer thermal stress during the colder seasons especially due to their open-air housing systems. Free water temperature (FWT) and feed temperature (FT) are dependent on ambient temperature (AT) and can be critical for maintaining body and reticulorumen temperature (RT) in cold conditions. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of FWT and FT on RT fluctuations, and of AT on RT and drinking and eating behaviors in late-lactation cows during cold exposure. Data were collected from 16 multiparous lactating cows for four 6-d periods during the autumn and winter seasons. The cows (224 ± 36 days in milk; mean ± SD) had an average milk yield (MY) of 24.8 ± 4.97 kg/d and RT of 38.84 ± 0.163 °C. Daily average AT ranged from 4.38 to 17.25 °C. The effects of the temperature and amount of the ingested water or feed on RT change and recovery time, and the effect of the daily AT on RT, feed and water intake, and drinking, eating, and rumination behaviors were analyzed using the generalized additive mixed model framework. Reticulorumen temperature change and recovery time were affected by FWT (+0.0596 °C/°C and -1.27 min/°C, respectively), but not by FT. The amount of the ingested free water and feed affected RT change (-0.108 °C/kg drink size and -0.150 °C/kg meal size, respectively), and RT recovery time (+2.13 min/kg drink size and + 3.71 min/kg meal size, respectively). Colder AT decreased RT by 0.0151 °C/°C between 9.91 and 17.25 °C AT. Cows increased DM intake (DMI) by 0.365 kg/d per 1 °C drop in AT below 10.63 °C, but with no increase in MY. In fact, MY:DMI decreased by 0.0106/°C as AT dropped from 17.25 to 4.38 °C. Free water intake (FWI) was reduced by 0.0856 FWI:DMI/°C as AT decreased from 17.25 to 8.27 °C. Cold exposure influenced animal behavior with fewer drink and meal bouts (-0.432 and -0.290 bouts/d, respectively), larger drink sizes (+0.100 kg/bout), and shorter rumination time (-5.31 min/d) per 1 °C decrease in AT from 17.25 °C to 8.77, 12.53, 4.38, and 10.32 °C, respectively. In conclusion, exposure to low AT increased feed intake, reduced water intake, and changes in eating, drinking and rumination behaviors of dairy cows in late lactation. Additionally, the consequences of cold exposure on cows may be aggravated by ingestion of feed and free water at temperatures lower than the body, potentially impacting feed efficiency due to the extra energetic cost of thermoregulation.

Effects of 3-nitrooxypropanol (Bovaer10) and whole cottonseed on milk production and enteric methane emissions from dairy cows under Swiss management conditions.

The objective of this study was to determine the potential effect and interaction of 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP; Bovaer, DSM-Firmenich Nutrition Products Ltd.) and whole cottonseed (WCS) on lactational performance and enteric methane (CH4) emission of dairy cows. A total of 16 multiparous cows, including 8 Holstein Friesian (HF) and 8 Brown Swiss (BS; 224 ± 36 DIM, 26 ± 3.7 kg milk yield, mean ± SD), were used in a split-plot design, where the main plot was the breed of cows. Within each subplot, cows were randomly assigned to a treatment sequence in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with 2 × 2 factorial arrangements of treatments with four 24-d periods. The experimental treatments were as follows: (1) control (basal TMR), (2) 3-NOP (60 mg/kg TMR DM), (3) WCS (5% TMR DM), and (4) 3-NOP + WCS. The treatment diets were balanced for ether extract, crude protein, and NDF contents (4%, 16%, and 43% of TMR DM, respectively). The basal diets were fed twice daily at 0800 and 1800 h. Dry matter intake and milk yield were measured daily, and enteric gas emissions were measured (using the GreenFeed System, C-Lock Inc.) during the last 3 d of each 24-d experimental period when animals were housed in tiestalls. There was no difference in DMI on treatment level, whereas the WCS treatment increased ECM yield and milk fat yield. No interaction of 3-NOP and WCS occurred for any of the enteric gas emission parameters, but 3-NOP decreased CH4 production (g/d), CH4 yield (g/kg DMI), and CH4 intensity (g/kg ECM) by 13%, 14%, and 13%, respectively. Further, an unexpected interaction of breed by 3-NOP was observed for different enteric CH4 emission metrics: HF cows had a greater CH4 mitigation effect compared with BS cows for CH4 production (g/d; 18% vs. 8%), CH4 intensity (g/kg milk yield; 19% vs. 3%), and CH4 intensity (g/kg ECM; 19% vs. 4%). Hydrogen production was increased by 2.85-fold in HF and 1.53-fold in BS cows receiving 3-NOP. Further, a 3-NOP × time interaction occurred for both breeds. In BS cows, 3-NOP tended to reduce CH4 production by 18% at approximately 4 h after morning feeding, but no effect was observed at other time points. In HF cows, the greatest mitigation effect of 3-NOP (29.6%) was observed immediately after morning feeding, and it persisted at around 23% to 26% for 10 h until the second feed provision, and 3 h thereafter, in the evening. In conclusion, supplementing 3-NOP at 60 mg/kg DM to a high-fiber diet resulted in 18% to 19% reduction in enteric CH4 emission in Swiss HF cows. The lower response to 3-NOP by BS cows was unexpected and has not been observed in other studies. These results should be interpreted with caution due to the low number of cows per breed. Finally, supplementing WCS at 5% of DM improved ECM and milk fat yield but did not enhance the CH4 inhibition effect of 3-NOP of dairy cows.

[HVPG minimally invasive era: exploration based on forearm venous approach].

Objective: The transjugular or transfemoral approach is used as a common method for hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement in current practice. This study aims to confirm the safety and effectiveness of measuring HVPG via the forearm venous approach. Methods: Prospective recruitment was conducted for patients with cirrhosis who underwent HVPG measurement via the forearm venous approach at six hospitals in China and Japan from September 2020 to December 2020. Patients' clinical baseline information and HVPG measurement data were collected. The right median cubital vein or basilic vein approach for all enrolled patients was selected. The HVPG standard process was used to measure pressure. Research data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 statistical software. Quantitative data were used to represent medians (interquartile ranges), while qualitative data were used to represent frequency and rates. The correlation between two sets of data was analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis. Results: A total of 43 cases were enrolled in this study. Of these, 41 (95.3%) successfully underwent HVPG measurement via the forearm venous approach. None of the patients had any serious complications. The median operation time for HVPG detection via forearm vein was 18.0 minutes (12.3~38.8 minutes). This study confirmed that HVPG was positively closely related to Child-Pugh score (r = 0.47, P = 0.002), albumin-bilirubin score (r = 0.37, P = 0.001), Lok index (r = 0.36, P = 0.02), liver stiffness (r = 0.58, P = 0.01), and spleen stiffness (r = 0.77, P = 0.01), while negatively correlated with albumin (r = -0.42, P = 0.006). Conclusion: The results of this multi-centre retrospective study suggest that HVPG measurement via the forearm venous approach is safe and feasible.