Dietary consumption patterns in breast cancer survivors: Pilot evaluation of diet, supplements and clinical factors.

PURPOSE: Adherence to dietary intake guidelines is recommended for optimal nutrition and outcomes in breast cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was to examine dietary quality in a cohort of breast cancer survivors related to current guidelines, guiding further education-based research. METHODS: This exploratory evaluation examined compliance with current dietary guidelines. Data collected included demographics, medical histories and repeated, three-day 24-h dietary recalls. Women with early-stage breast cancer (n = 97) who completed breast cancer treatment between 6 and 24 months were recruited. Descriptive statistics and frequencies were calculated for demographic and lifestyle characteristics, reported fish consumption, body mass index categories, supplement consumption, and adequacy of macronutrient and micronutrient consumption (classified as below, meeting, or exceeding needs). RESULTS: In this cohort, 28.9% were classified as overweight and 35% were obese. The mean dietary macronutrient consumption was 44.3% (±8.9%) carbohydrates, 36.6% (±7.3%) fat, and 17.3% (±4.7%) protein. Additionally, 32.3% participants consumed >45 g sugar/d. The mean n-6 to n-3 ratio was 8.0 (±3.3):1. Further, 38% of survivors reported consuming less than 1 serving of fish per week. Participants consumed between 0 and 1.03 servings of fish per day, with an average consumption of 0.16 (±0.26) servings per day and 61.5% (n = 59) consuming 0 servings per day. The mean daily combined dietary and supplement consumption of multiple micronutrients was below the Recommended Daily Allowance for Vitamin D (30%), Calcium (52.6%), Magnesium (42.1%), and Vitamin E (80%). CONCLUSION: Breast cancer survivors 0.5-2 years post-treatment are not meeting recommended nutrition consumption guidelines for a number of nutrients. Findings suggested that nutrition therapy targeting weight loss through reduced sugar, total and saturated fat, while increasing foods rich in omega-3, and ensuring adequate micronutrient consumption would promote better nutritional consumption patterns and improve overall health during survivorship.

Acceptability, Effectiveness, and Roles of mHealth Applications in Supporting Cancer Pain Self-Management: Integrative Review.

BACKGROUND:  Cancer pain remains highly prevalent and persistent throughout survivorship, and it is crucial to investigate the potential of leveraging the advanced features of mobile health (mHealth) apps to empower individuals to self-manage their pain. OBJECTIVE:  This review aims to comprehensively understand the acceptability, users' experiences, and effectiveness of mHealth apps in supporting cancer pain self-management. METHODS:  We conducted an integrative review following Souza and Whittemore and Knafl's 6 review processes. Literature was searched in PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, PsycINFO, and Embase, from 2013 to 2023. Keywords including "cancer patients," "pain," "self-management," "mHealth applications," and relevant synonyms were used in the search. The Johns Hopkins research evidence appraisal tool was used to evaluate the quality of eligible studies. A narrative synthesis was conducted to analyze the extracted data. RESULTS:  A total of 20 studies were included, with the overall quality rated as high (n=15) to good (n=5). Using mHealth apps to monitor and manage pain was acceptable for most patients with cancer. The internal consistency of the mHealth in measuring pain was 0.96. The reported daily assessment or engagement rate ranged from 61.9% to 76.8%. All mHealth apps were designed for multimodal interventions. Participants generally had positive experiences using pain apps, rating them as enjoyable and user-friendly. In addition, 6 studies reported significant improvements in health outcomes, including enhancement in pain remission (severity and intensity), medication adherence, and a reduced frequency of breakthrough pain. The most frequently highlighted roles of mHealth apps included pain monitoring, tracking, reminders, education facilitation, and support coordination. CONCLUSIONS:  mHealth apps are effective and acceptable in supporting pain self-management. They offer a promising multi-model approach for patients to monitor, track, and manage their pain. These findings provide evidence-based insights for leveraging mHealth apps to support cancer pain self-management. More high-quality studies are needed to examine the effectiveness of digital technology-based interventions for cancer pain self-management and to identify the facilitators and barriers to their implementation in real-world practice.

Work-health balance of cancer survivors returning to work: A meta-ethnography.

PURPOSE: This meta-ethnography investigates the multifaceted health-related experiences of cancer survivors returning to work (RTW), recognizing the pivotal role of employment in overall well-being, particularly in the context of increasing cancer cases among working-age adults. METHOD: Following the methodology of Noblit and Hare, a comprehensive literature search was conducted from 2013 to 2023 in databases including PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Embase. Qualitative studies assessing cancer survivors' experiences, motivation, concern, resilience, and need in the process of RTW were identified. Eligible studies were assessed for quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program Checklist, and their findings were subsequently synthesized. RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included for analysis. The finding revealed five key themes: motivations (voluntary and involuntary), cancer-related concerns, resilience, needs for cancer healthcare support, and workplace accommodation. Voluntarily RTW was primarily linked to desires of normalcy, while involuntary RTW was often financially driven. Cancer survivors often face physical, psychological, and social challenges in the RTW process. Resilience played a crucial role in their readaptation to the workplace. Participants expressed the need for additional guidance from healthcare providers and tailored support from the workplace to facilitate a smoother RTW experience. CONCLUSION: Cancer survivors aspire to be actively engaged, have their specific needs addressed, and achieve success in their return-to-work endeavors. Occupational guidance and accommodation from healthcare providers and employers play a pivotal role in empowering survivors to balance cancer and work, facilitating the return-to-work process, and enhancing the quality of survivorship.

Use of a Supplemental Feeding Tube Device and Breastfeeding at 4 Weeks.

BACKGROUND: Mothers having difficulty breastfeeding their infants may use alternative supportive feeding methods. Although a supplemental feeding tube device is commonly used, efficacy for supporting sustained breastfeeding remains unknown. PURPOSE: To describe supplemental feeding tube device use by breastfeeding mothers as an alternative feeding method through exploration of associations between supplemental feeding tube device use and continued breastfeeding at 4 weeks of infant's age. METHOD: Forty mothers participated. They were interviewed during the birth hospitalization and at 4 weeks postpartum. Questions addressed use of supplemental feeding tube devices, breastfeeding issues, and continued breastfeeding relationships. We examined the relationship between LATCH scores at 2 to 3 days of life. RESULTS: Breastfeeding mothers who chose to supplement with bottle-feeding instead of use of a supplemental feeding tube device were 30% less likely to continue breastfeeding at a medium/high/exclusive level. CONCLUSION: Use of the supplemental feeding tube device may help avoid the potentially detrimental effect of bottle-feeding on continued breastfeeding.

Symptom Patterning Across the Cancer Care Trajectory for Patients Receiving Chemoradiation for Head and Neck Cancer: A Retrospective Longitudinal Study Using Latent Transition Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) experience a multitude of symptoms because of the tumor and its treatment. OBJECTIVE: To identify the symptom patterns present in cancer treatment and survivorship periods for patients with HNC using latent class analysis. METHODS: A retrospective longitudinal chart review was conducted to examine symptoms reported by patients who received concurrent chemoradiation for HNC in a regional Northeastern United States cancer institute. Latent class analysis was performed to identify the latent classes present across multiple timepoints during treatment and survivorship for the most commonly reported symptoms. RESULTS: In 275 patients with HNC, the latent transition analysis revealed 3 latent classes for both treatment and survivorship periods: (1) mild, (2) moderate, and (3) severe symptoms. Patients were more likely to report a greater number of symptoms in a more severe latent class. During treatment, moderate and severe classes had representation of all most common symptoms: pain, mucositis, taste alterations, xerostomia, dysphagia, and fatigue. Different symptom patterns emerged for survivorship, with prominence of taste alterations and xerostomia across all classes, and all symptoms present in the severe class. The probability of symptom expression varied more in the survivorship period compared with the treatment period. CONCLUSIONS: Patients reported numerous symptoms during active treatment persisting into survivorship. Patients tended to transition to more severe symptomatology as treatment progressed and to more moderate symptomatology as survivorship evolved. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Examining the trend of persistent moderate symptomatology into survivorship is useful to optimize symptom management.

Feasibility of Investigational Procedures and Efficacy of a Personalized Omega-3 Dietary Intervention in Alleviating Pain and Psychoneurological Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer survivors (BCS) are at risk for psychoneurological symptoms (PNS) and inflammation for years following cancer treatment. Fish, particularly salmon, provides a rich source of omega-3 long chain fatty acids (omega-3LC), which has an anti-inflammatory effect. However, the benefit of omega-3LC on PNS is not well-known. AIMS: This study evaluated the feasibility and the initial efficacy of a personalized meal plan with dietary omega-3LC in reducing PNS. METHODS: A prospective, randomized controlled trial design (n = 46) was used to evaluate the feasibility of a personalized meal plan using two omega-3LC dose levels (high and low omega-3LC) in reducing PNS including pain, depression, fatigue, sleep, and stress. RESULTS: The recruitment rate was 4.9% with overall retention rate of 74% and 67.1% adherence to personalized meal plan and dietary procedures. Of participants who completed the investigation, 94% completed fish adherence logs and consumed ≥70% of the assigned quantity of fish. Saliva collection was 97.8% at baseline and 100% at follow-up. BCS in the high omega-3LC group had a significant decrease in pain (p < .01), perceived stress (p < .05), sleep (p < .001), depression (p < .001), and fatigue (p < .01) over the course of intervention. There were trends of PNS improvement in the low omega-3LC group but the differences did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Our results support the feasibility of our investigational design, procedures, and intervention. The outcomes provide preliminary support for an expanded research effort using fish as a source of omega-3LC and personalized dietary planning as a vehicle for symptom self-management in BCS.

Self-Efficacy Survey Study of Pain Self-Management in Patients with Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cancer pain prevalence remains high, and variance in self-efficacy for managing pain may explain why some patients experience greater pain severity. AIM: This study explored perceptions of self-efficacy in relation to cancer pain severity and treatment related characteristics. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was administered to 50 cancer outpatients. Data analysis involved descriptive and correlational statistical analyses. RESULTS: Self-efficacy to manage pain was significantly associated with time since diagnosis and ability to deal with frustration, and inversely associated with pain severity level. A large proportion of patients reported low satisfaction self-managing their pain. Most patients reported independently self-managing their cancer pain; however, satisfaction with pain management was low for a large proportion of patients. Time since cancer diagnosis and ability to deal with frustration due to cancer pain were positively associated with cancer pain self-efficacy, whereas pain self-efficacy had a significant inverse correlation with cancer pain severity. CONCLUSIONS: Enhancing self-efficacy to self-manage under-treated cancer pain is important with implications for improving pain outcomes and quality of life. Further investigation on unmet needs and preferences for cancer pain self-management support is warranted.

A Descriptive Survey Study of Patient Needs and Preferences for Cancer Pain Self-Management Support.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize the needs and preferences for pain self-management support (SMS) among patients with cancer during the transition of cancer care from the hospital to the home setting. SAMPLE & SETTING: 38 participants with cancer pain at a research-intensive cancer center in New England. METHODS & VARIABLES: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey study was conducted to investigate relationships among preferred and received support, extent and management of transitional change, and pain outcomes. Pain intensity and interference were measured using the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form, transitional change was measured using the Measurement of Transitions in Cancer Scale, and SMS was measured using dichotomous questions. RESULTS: About half of participants reported concordance between preferred and received cancer pain SMS in the hospital and at home. The extent of transitional change in cancer care was found to be a significant predictor of average pain intensity in the hospital and pain interference at home. Satisfaction with cancer pain SMS was a significant predictor of pain intensity at home. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: The extent of change during care transitions should be considered when fulfilling patient needs and preferences for cancer pain SMS to optimize outcomes.

Sensory Consumer and Descriptive Analysis of Steaks from Beef Animals Selected from Tough and Tender Animal Genotypes: Genetic Meat Quality Traits Can Be Detected by Consumers.

The objective of the present study was to determine if animals who were genetically divergent in the predicted tenderness of their meat actually produced more tender meat, as well as what the implications were for other organoleptic properties of the meat. The parental average genetic merit for meat tenderness was used to locate 20 "Tough genotype" heifers and 17 "Tender genotype" heifers; M. longissimus thoracis steaks from all heifers were subjected to sensory affective analysis (140 consumers) and sensory profiling using two trained sensory panels. All sample steaks were treated identically regarding pre- and post-mortem handling, storage, cooking and presentation (i.e., randomised, blind coded). For the affective consumer study, eight steaks were sectioned from the same location of the striploin muscles from each of the heifers. In total, 108 steaks from the Tender genotype and 118 from the Tough genotype were tested in the consumer study to determine the preference or liking of these steaks for appearance, aroma, flavour, tenderness, juiciness and overall acceptability. The consumer study found that the Tender genotype scored higher (p < 0.0001) for liking of tenderness, juiciness, flavour and overall acceptability compared to the Tough genotype. Similar results were generally found for the separate consumer age cohorts (18-64 years) with lower sensory acuity in the 65+ age cohort. For the descriptive analysis, the Tender genotype scored numerically more tender, juicy and flavoursome, although the differences were only significant for one of the panels. The critical outcome from this study is that parental average genetic merit can be used to pre-select groups of animals for tenderness, which, in turn, can be detected by consumers.

Genetic and non-genetic factors associated with health and vitality traits in beef calves.

Awareness and interest in calf health and wellbeing is intensifying, prompting change in the management and breeding decisions of producers and associated policy-makers. The objectives of the present study were to 1) quantify the risk factors associated with subjectively measured scores of vigor and birth size as well as diagnoses of scour and pneumonia in a large national dataset of beef calves, and 2) to estimate the contribution of genetic variance to such phenotypic measures. After edits, the data consisted of health and birth size data subjectively scored by producers on 88,207 calves born in 6,126 Irish beef herds. Vigor was recorded on a scale of 1 (very poor) to 5 (very good). Birth size was also scored on a scale of 1 (very small) to 5 (very large). Scour and pneumonia were both scored independently based on the suspected number of occurrence of each (0 = no occurrence, 1 = one occurrence, or 2 = more than one occurrence). On average, 14.7% of calves were recorded as having had at least one occurrence of scour within the first 5 mo of life, whereas 6.4% of calves were recorded as having had at least one occurrence of pneumonia within the first 5 mo of life. Relative to female calves, male calves had a worse vigor score and a suspected greater incidence of both scour and pneumonia. Relative to singletons, twins were, on average, smaller at birth, they had a worse vigor score, and they were more prone to scour. Calves born in the later periods of the calving season (i.e., late and very late) had a greater incidence of scour relative to calves in the herd born earlier in the calving season. Heritability estimates for vigor, birth size, and pneumonia were 0.12 (0.02), 0.33 (0.03), and 0.08 (0.02), respectively; no genetic variance was detected for scour. Breeding for vigorous calves that are less susceptible to pneumonia could provide producers with an additional strategy to ensure consumer concerns regarding food quality, safety, and calf wellbeing are being met.

Exploring Cancer Pain Self-Management Needs and Preferences: A Meta-Ethnography.

Self-management of chronic disease and related symptoms provides a framework for understanding the contextual factors that influence self-management knowledge and skills that patients and families require to manage their condition on a day-to-day basis. The management of cancer pain is a significant issue for patients and families, and their experience can provide insight on cancer pain self-management support needs and preferences. A meta-synthesis of 20 qualitative research articles on self-management of cancer pain was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the self-management support needs of patients with cancer pain. Noblit and Hare's meta-ethnographic model was used. The meta-synthesis resulted in increased understanding of the needs and preferences for self-management support of cancer pain and the role of the health care practitioner. Practical implications are presented.

An Integrative Review of the Role of the Oral and Gut Microbiome in Oral Health Symptomatology During Cancer Therapy.

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION: Both chemotherapy and radiation therapy cause considerable symptom burden on patients' oral health, influencing nutritional status and quality of life. The role of the oral and gut microbiome in oral health alterations during cancer therapy is an emerging area of science in symptom management. LITERATURE SEARCH: PubMed®, CINAHL®, and Scopus® were searched for articles published from January 2000 through July 2020. DATA EVALUATION: Articles published in English that were focused on chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy were included in the review. SYNTHESIS: Of the 22 identified studies, 12 described oral health symptoms during chemotherapy and radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. Ten studies assessed symptoms during treatment for a variety of solid tumors and blood cancers, with four of these describing microbial interventions for the management of oral mucositis. Interventions varied, but the results supported the benefits of probiotics and synbiotics in reducing mucositis severity. Overall, less diverse oral and gut microbiome environments were associated with increased severity of oral health symptomatology. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Additional research is needed to determine how the oral and gut microbiome and microbial interventions may be used to improve oral health management during cancer treatment.

Needs Assessment to Inform and Improve Educational Practices Surrounding Omega-3 Consumption during Pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: Adequate dietary consumption of long chain omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) during pregnancy has been associated with better maternal and infant health outcomes. Given that the primary source of n-3 LCPUFA is fish and fish oils, concerns surrounding contamination and uncertainty of safe fish intake guidelines have negatively affected consumption of fish during pregnancy. Although obstetric healthcare providers are in a unique position to influence dietary intake patterns, a gap exists in their understanding the knowledge and practices surrounding n-3 LCPUFA. This needs assessment investigation evaluated knowledge, attitudes and prescribing/recommending practices of obstetric practitioners surrounding n-3 LCPUFA consumption and/or supplementation to generate evidence supporting the development of targeted educational initiatives. METHODS: A cross-sectional, needs assessment was conducted using anonymous online-survey of affiliate members of the American College of Nurse Midwives (N = 105). A 24-item, previously validated (α = 0.86) needs assessment survey (Obstetric Clinicians Omega-3 Survey, OCOS) was used to assess attitudes, knowledge, and prescribing practices surrounding n-3 LCPUFA. RESULTS: The total OCOS score representing attitudes, knowledge and prescribing patterns collectively was 69.48% (Mean = 79.90(± 12.44), score range = 24-115). Scores for the sub-domains included attitude 68.33% (Mean = 20.50(± 3.64), score range = 6-30); knowledge 71.40% (Mean = 30.70(± 5.43), score range = 9-43); and prescribing patterns 68.31% (Mean = 28.69(± 5.39), score range = 9-42). CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: Although the majority of respondents had fair-moderate n-3 LCPUFA knowledge, attitudes and prescribing/recommending, our results highlight an opportunity for additional research and educational outreach targeting improved n-3 LCPUFA knowledge and practices. Specific areas of educational interest included associated health outcomes, dosing and safe consumption guidelines.

Large variability in feeding behavior among crossbred growing cattle.

The purpose of this study was to define an extensive suite of feeding behavior traits in growing crossbred cattle and to investigate their phenotypic inter-relationships as well as relationships with other performance and efficiency traits. Time-series feeding behavior data, as well as feed intake and liveweight records, were available for 624 growing crossbred cattle, of which 445 were steers and 179 were heifers. Feeding behavior repeatability estimates were calculated using linear mixed models. Additionally, partial Spearman correlations were estimated among 14 feeding behavior traits, as well as between feeding behavior with both performance and feed efficiency traits, using residuals retained from linear mixed models. The marginal contribution of several feeding behavior traits to the variability in metabolizable energy intake (MEI) was also determined. Repeatability estimates of 0.57, 0.36, and 0.48 were calculated for the number of feed events per day, the total time spent feeding per day, and the feeding rate, respectively. Cattle that ate more frequently each day, ate at a faster rate and consumed less energy in each visit to the feed bunk. More efficient cattle fed less often per day and fed for a shorter duration per day; they also had a slower feeding rate and fed for longer in each visit to the feed bunk. Moreover, heavier cattle fed for a longer duration per day had a faster feeding rate, but fed less often per day; heavier animals also fed first in the pen after the fresh feed was offered. The number of feed events per day and feeding time per day together explained an additional 13.4 percentage points of the variability in MEI above that already explained by all of growth rate, liveweight, and backfat depth. The results from the present study suggest that several repeatable time-series-related feeding behavior traits, that are less resource intensive to measure, may have a role as useful predictor traits of important but relatively difficult to record traits, such as feed intake and efficiency.

Animal-level factors associated with the achievement of desirable specifications in Irish beef carcasses graded using the EUROP classification system.

Beef carcasses in Europe are classified on measures of carcass weight, conformation, and fat cover. These measurements provide the basis for payment to producers, with financial penalties for carcasses that do not conform to desirable characteristics. The objective of the present study was to identify animal-level factors associated with the achievement of a desirable carcass weight, conformation score, fat score, and age at harvest, as stipulated by Irish beef processors in accordance with the EUROP carcass classification system. The stipulated specifications were a EUROP conformation score ≥O=, a carcass weight between 270 and 380 kg, a EUROP fat score between 2+ and 4=, and an age at harvest ≤ 30 mo. In the present study, 59% of cattle failed to achieve at least one of these desired specifications. The logit of the probability of achieving the desired specifications was estimated using multivariable logistic regression and carcass data from 4,717,989 cattle finished and harvested in Ireland between the years 2003 and 2017. In comparison to beef-origin carcasses and after accounting for breed differences, the likelihood of dairy-origin carcasses achieving the desired age, conformation, fat, and weight specifications was 0.97, 0.88, 1.14, and 1.05, respectively. In comparison to heifer carcasses, the odds ratio (OR) of bull and steer carcasses simultaneously achieving all of the desired specifications (i.e. the overall specification) was 0.35 and 0.95, respectively. Additionally, after accounting for breed differences, heifers from the dairy herd were half as likely as heifers from the beef herd to achieve the overall specification, whereas the odds of dairy-origin bulls (OR = 3.46) and steers (OR = 2.41) achieving the overall specification was greater than that of their respective beef-origin counterparts. Finally, cattle with a greater breed proportion of Angus were most likely to achieve the overall specification. Results from the present study could provide a deeper understanding as to why animals fail to achieve desirable carcass specifications and could be implemented into the management decisions made on farm to ensure that the supply of beef carcasses that achieve the desired metrics is maximized.

The achievement of a given carcass specification is under moderate genetic control in cattle.

The objective of the present study was to estimate the genetic parameters associated with the achievement of desirable weight, conformation, and fat specifications, represented by a series of binary traits. The desired specifications were those stipulated by Irish beef processors, in accordance with the EUROP carcass grading system, and were represented by a carcass weight between 270 and 380 kg, a fat score between 2+ and 4= (between 6 and 11 on a 15-point scale), and a conformation score of O= or better (≥5 on a 15-point scale). Using data from 58,868 beef carcasses, variance components were estimated using linear mixed models for these binary traits, as well as their underlying continuous measures. Heritability estimates for the continuous traits ranged from 0.63 to 0.73; heritability estimates for the binary traits ranged from 0.05 to 0.19. An additional trait was defined to reflect if all desired carcass specifications were met. All genetic correlations between this trait and the individual contributing binary traits were positive (0.38 to 0.87), while all genetic correlations between this trait and the continuous carcass measures were negative (-0.87 to -0.07). The genetic parameters estimated in the present study signify that potential exists to breed cattle that more consistently achieve desirable carcass metrics at harvest.

Feed efficiency and carcass metrics in growing cattle1.

Some definitions of feed efficiency such as residual energy intake (REI) and residual gain (RG) may not truly reflect production efficiency. The energy sinks used in the derivation of the traits include metabolic live-weight; producers finishing cattle for slaughter are, however, paid on the basis of carcass weight, as opposed to live-weight. The objective of the present study was to explore alternative definitions of REI and RG which are more reflective of production efficiency, and quantify their relationship with performance, ultrasound, and carcass traits across multiple breeds and sexes of cattle. Feed intake and live-weight records were available on 5,172 growing animals, 2,187 of which also had information relating to carcass traits; all animals were fed a concentrate-based diet representative of a feedlot diet. Animal linear mixed models were used to estimate (co)variance components. Heritability estimates for all derived REI traits varied from 0.36 (REICWF; REI using carcass weight and carcass fat as energy sinks) to 0.50 (traditional REI derived with the energy sinks of both live-weight and ADG). The heritability for the RG traits varied from 0.24 to 0.34. Phenotypic correlations among all definitions of the REI traits ranged from 0.90 (REI with REICWF) to 0.99 (traditional REI with REI using metabolic preslaughter live-weight and ADG). All were different (P < 0.001) from one suggesting reranking of animals when using different definitions of REI to identify efficient cattle. The derived RG traits were either weakly or not correlated (P > 0.05) with the ultrasound and carcass traits. Genetic correlations between the REI traits with carcass weight, dressing difference (i.e., live-weight immediately preslaughter minus carcass weight) and dressing percentage (i.e., carcass weight divided by live-weight immediately preslaughter) implies that selection on any of the REI traits will increase carcass weight, lower the dressing difference and increase dressing percentage. Selection on REICW (REI using carcass weight as an energy sink), as opposed to traditional REI, should increase the carcass weight 2.2 times slower but reduce the dressing difference 4.3 times faster. While traditionally defined REI is informative from a research perspective, the ability to convert energy into live-weight gain does not necessarily equate to carcass gain, and as such, traits such as REICW and REICWF provide a better description of production efficiency for feedlot cattle.

A Mechanistic Model of Gut-Brain Axis Perturbation and High-Fat Diet Pathways to Gut Microbiome Homeostatic Disruption, Systemic Inflammation, and Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a highly prevalent metabolic disease, affecting nearly 10% of the American population. Although the etiopathogenesis of T2D remains poorly understood, advances in DNA sequencing technologies have allowed for sophisticated interrogation of the human microbiome, providing insight into the role of the gut microbiome in the development and progression of T2D. An emerging body of research reveals that gut-brain axis (GBA) perturbations and a high-fat diet (HFD), along with other modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors, contribute to gut microbiome homeostatic imbalance. Homeostatic imbalance or disruption increases gut wall permeability and facilitates translocation of endotoxins (lipopolysaccharides) into the circulation with resultant systemic inflammation. Chronic, low-grade systemic inflammation ensues with pro-inflammatory pathways activated, contributing to obesity, insulin resistance (IR), pancreatic ß-cell decline, and, thereby, T2D. While GBA perturbations and HFD are implicated in provoking these conditions, prior mechanistic models have tended to examine HFD and GBA pathways exclusively without considering their shared pathways to T2D. Addressing this gap, this article proposes a mechanistic model informed by animal and human studies to advance scientific understanding of (1) modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors for gut microbiome homeostatic disruption, (2) HFD and GBA pathways contributing to homeostatic disruption, and (3) shared GBA and HFD pro-inflammatory pathways to obesity, IR, ß-cell decline, and T2D. The proposed mechanistic model, based on the extant literature, proposes a framework for studying the complex relationships of the gut microbiome to T2D to advance study in this promising area of research.

Potential exists to change, through breeding, the yield of individual primal carcass cuts in cattle without increasing overall carcass weight1.

The ability to alter the morphology of cattle towards greater yields of higher value primal cuts has the potential to increase the value of animals at slaughter. Using weight records of 14 primal cuts from 31,827 cattle, the objective of the present study was to quantify the extent of genetic variability in these primal cuts; also of interest was the degree of genetic variability in the primal cuts adjusted to a common carcass weight. Variance components were estimated for each primal cut using animal linear mixed models. The coefficient of genetic variation in the different primal cuts ranged from 0.05 (bavette) to 0.10 (eye of round) with a mean coefficient of genetic variation of 0.07. When phenotypically adjusted to a common carcass weight, the coefficient of genetic variation of the primal cuts was lesser ranging from 0.02 to 0.07 with a mean of 0.04. The heritability of the 14 primal cuts ranged from 0.14 (bavette) to 0.75 (topside) with a mean heritability across all cuts of 0.48; the heritability estimates reduced, and ranged from 0.12 (bavette) to 0.56 (topside), when differences in carcass weight were accounted for in the statistical model. Genetic correlations between each primal cut and carcass weight were all ≥0.77; genetic correlations between each primal cut and carcass conformation score were, on average, 0.59 but when adjusted to a common carcass weight, the correlations weakened to, on average, 0.27. The genetic correlations among all 14 primal cut weights was, on average, strong (mean correlation of 0.72 with all correlations being ≥0.37); when adjusted to a common carcass weight, the mean of the genetic correlations among all primal cuts was 0.10. The ability of estimated breeding values for a selection of primal cuts to stratify animals phenotypically on the respective cut weight was demonstrated; the weight of the rump, striploin, and fillet of animals estimated to be in the top 25% genetically for the respective cut, were 10 to 24%, 12 to 24%, and 7 to 17% heavier than the weight of cuts from animals predicted to be in the worst 25% genetically for that cut. Significant exploitable genetic variability in primal carcass cuts was clearly evident even when adjusted to a common carcass weight. The high heritability of many of the primal cuts infers that large datasets are not actually required to achieve high accuracy of selection once the structure of the data and the number of progeny per sire is adequate.

Linear classification scores in beef cattle as predictors of genetic merit for individual carcass primal cut yields1.

Having access to early predictions of both the genetic merit and expected phenotypic performance of an individual or its progeny can contribute to more informed decision-making. The objective here was to evaluate the usefulness of routinely available subjectively scored linear conformation information on live animals to predict genetic merit for primal carcass cut yields of their relatives. Data on 6 muscular and 6 skeletal traits on 43,078 live animals were used; the weights of up to 14 primal cuts plus 3 groups of primal cuts of 31,827 cattle were also used. Genetic correlations between the linear scores and the primal cut weights were estimated using sire linear mixed models; correlations were estimated with or without phenotypic adjustment of the primal cut weights to a constant carcass weight. The genetic correlations between each of the muscular and skeletal linear type traits with each of the primal cut weights (not adjusted for carcass weight) were all positive with the exception of the correlations between both chest width and pelvic length with cuberoll. On average, the muscular type traits were more strongly correlated (on average 0.42) with the primal cut weights than the skeletal traits (on average 0.35). Moreover, the average of the genetic correlations between each of the 6 muscular traits with all 8 hindquarter traits was, on average, 10% to 18% stronger than the average of the genetic correlations between the same muscular traits with all 5 forequarter primal cuts. When adjusted for differences in carcass weight, the correlations between all linear scores and the carcass traits regressed to zero or became negative. The skeletal traits were, in general, weakly genetically correlated with the primal cuts adjusted to a common carcass weight. The average of the genetic correlation between the muscular type traits and the primal cuts adjusted for differences in carcass weight was only 0.09 with only 13 of the 84 pairwise correlations being stronger than 0.30; the genetic correlation between silverside with the muscular traits was all stronger than 0.30, whereas the majority of the muscular traits had a correlation stronger than 0.30 with the topside primal cut. In fact, the average of the genetic correlations between the topside and silverside cuts with all the muscular traits was 0.50 and 0.42, respectively, with none of the correlations being negative.