The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of breed, breed and sex of the calf, farm, calving number (CN), type of calving, and their interactions on CI using records from four different beef breeds performing in the humid tropical environment of Mexico. The influence of these factors on CN was also evaluated. CI and CN varied with farm, breed of the dam, and with breed of the dam by calf breed interaction (P<0.001), while CI also varied with CN. Significant differences between Bos indicus and Bos taurus breeds for CI (432 vs. 488 days) and for CN (2.13 vs. 1.92) were observed (P<0.001). The interaction effects observed between breed of the dam by breed of the calf on CI and on CN were due to a favorable F(1) calf effect on CI observed only in Angus cows, although with an apparent unexpected negative impact on CN.

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Apolipoprotein a, is a high molecular weight glycoproteic component of Lp(a), a molecule associated with coronary arterial disease. Apo(a) exhibits considerable size heterogeneity due to variable repetitions of the carbohydrate-containing structural unit, termed kringle. There are five different kringle forms and 10 different kringle 4 types. Apo(a) polymorphism and molecular weight depend on the number of copies of kringle 4 type 2. In this paper we describe a modified 3.75% and 6% discontinuous polyacrylamide gel system and Western-blot technique that shortness the assay time and improves the identification of apo(a) isoforms with a theoretical error of less than 1 kringle. The assay uses a standard curve prepared with five different recombinant apo(a) molecules, detected up to 50 ng of protein in Lp(a), showed a maximal resolution of 2 kringles and, with the use of third degree polynominal regression analysis, had an error of 0.01275. The inter-assay coefficient of variation was 1.7, 2, and 1.4 for the 14 K, 18 K, and 22 K phenotypes, whereas the intra-assay coefficient of variation was 0.32%, 0.18%, and 0.17%, respectively. It is possible that this modified method will diminish the number of putative null alleles so far detected in various studies, but most of all, we are certain that it can be of use in epidemiological studies due to its ease of use, speed, low cost, and enhanced number of samples that can be tested.

Journals nowadays typically have an acceptance ratio for submitted technical reports at a rate less than 1 in 5 (20% acceptance for some journals, p=0.20). The purpose of this report is to determine how exactly the likelihood of success subsequently improves, with several sequential submissions, assuming random selection. More commonly for the very busy journals, the rate is less than 1 in 10 (p=0.10 "acceptance probability"). The likelihood of failure q=(1-p) will diminish according to a power law as (1-p) ^ N, where N is the number of sequential submissions. For journals that are not as busy, where the acceptance probability is higher, p=0.20, the statistics show that at least 3 submissions are required to achieve a 50% likelihood of success, and 10 submittals are required to achieve a 90% likelihood of success. In recent years, there have appeared completely new scientific and medical journal groups, not necessarily "predatory", with 10 or 20 different sub-specialities in each group. Beall (2016) discusses practical implications in terms of the so-called predatory journals.