Reducing Particle Size Enhances Chemical Treatment in Finishing Diets

Three hundred-sixty calf-fed steers were fed either treated or untreated corn stover that was previously ground through a 1-in or 3–in screen. Treated stover diets improved ADG and F:G compared to untreated. Reducing particle size improved ADG and F:G but did not influence DMI. Compared to a control diet with 5% roughage and 15 percentage units more corn, diets with 20% treated corn stover had similar F:G, ADG, DMI, and carcass quality. Up to 15% additional corn can be replaced with treated corn stover when diets contain wet distillers grains, and may be further enhanced by reducing particle size before chemical treatment

Reducing Particle Size Enhances Chemical Treatment in Finishing Diets

Three hundred-sixty calf-fed steers were fed either treated or untreated corn stover that was previously ground through a 1-in or 3–in screen. Treated stover diets improved ADG and F:G compared to untreated. Reducing particle size improved ADG and F:G but did not influence DMI. Compared to a control diet with 5% roughage and 15 percentage units more corn, diets with 20% treated corn stover had similar F:G, ADG, DMI, and carcass quality. Up to 15% additional corn can be replaced with treated corn stover when diets contain wet distillers grains, and may be further enhanced by reducing particle size before chemical treatment

Study of astronaut capabilities to perform extravehicular maintenance and assembly functions in weightless conditions

Analysis of astronaut capabilities to perform extravehicular maintenance and assembly functions under simulated weightlessnes

Repair results of 2-tendon rotator cuff tears utilizing the transosseous equivalent technique

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the healing rate of 2-tendon rotator cuff tears repaired by the use of a transosseous-equivalent (TOE) suture bridge technique. Materials and methods: Forty-three patients with combined supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendon tears underwent arthroscopic repair using TOE technique. Forty of these patients were then evaluated by MRI and clinical exam at a minimum of 1-year follow-up to determine the rate of healing of the repair and clinical outcomes associated with healing. Results: Eighty-three percent of the repairs demonstrated intact rotator cuff repairs at a mean of 16 months post-op. Larger tears (3.5 vs 2.8 cm) were associated with failure (P ¼ .01), as was more advanced fatty infiltration (Goutallier 1.3 vs 0.3, P ¼ .01). Age was not different between intact and nonintact tendons. Strength was the only clinical finding that differed between intact and nonintact tendons. Conclusion: Two-tendon tears of the rotator cuff can heal at a high rate with the use of TOE suture bridge repair technique. Furthermore, tear size and Goutallier grading were negatively correlated with postoperative healing. The incremental improvement in the rate of observed rotator cuff healing still does not translate to statistical differences in the objective shoulder scoring systems. Level of evidence: Level IV, Case Series, Treatment Study

A New Classification System for the Actions of IRS Chemicals Traditionally Used For Malaria Control

Knowledge of how mosquitoes respond to insecticides is of paramount importance in understanding how an insecticide functions to prevent disease transmission. A suite of laboratory assays was used to quantitatively characterize mosquito responses to toxic, contact irritant, and non-contact spatial repellent actions of standard insecticides. Highly replicated tests of these compounds over a range of concentrations proved that all were toxic, some were contact irritants, and even fewer were non-contact repellents. Of many chemicals tested, three were selected for testing in experimental huts to confirm that chemical actions documented in laboratory tests are also expressed in the field. The laboratory tests showed the primary action of DDT is repellent, alphacypermethrin is irritant, and dieldrin is only toxic. These tests were followed with hut studies in Thailand against marked-released populations. DDT exhibited a highly protective level of repellency that kept mosquitoes outside of huts. Alphacypermethrin did not keep mosquitoes out, but its strong irritant action caused them to prematurely exit the treated house. Dieldrin was highly toxic but showed no irritant or repellent action. Based on the combination of laboratory and confirmatory field data, we propose a new paradigm for classifying chemicals used for vector control according to how the chemicals actually function to prevent disease transmission inside houses. The new classification scheme will characterize chemicals on the basis of spatial repellent, contact irritant and toxic actions

A New Prognostic Model in Patients with Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma Treated with First-line Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

BackgroundWhile immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are approved in the first-line (1L) setting for cisplatin-unfit patients with programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)-high tumors or for platinum (cisplatin/carboplatin)-unfit patients, response rates remain modest and outcomes vary with no clinically useful biomarkers (except for PD-L1).ObjectiveWe aimed to develop a prognostic model for overall survival (OS) in patients receiving 1L ICIs for advanced urothelial cancer (aUC) in a multicenter cohort study.Design, setting, and participantsPatients treated with 1L ICIs for aUC across 24 institutions and five countries (in the USA and Europe) outside clinical trials were included in this study.Outcome measurements and statistical analysisWe used a stepwise, hypothesis-driven approach using clinician-selected covariates to develop a new risk score for patients receiving ICIs in the 1L setting. Demographics, clinicopathologic data, treatment patterns, and OS were collected uniformly. Univariate Cox regression was performed on 18 covariates hypothesized to be associated with OS based on published data. Variables were retained for multivariate analysis (MVA) if they correlated with OS (p < 0.2) and were included in the final model if p < 0.05 on MVA. Retained covariates were assigned points based on the beta coefficient to create a risk score. Stratified median OS and C-statistic were calculated.Results and limitationsAmong 984 patients, 357 with a mean age of 71 yr were included in the analysis, 27% were female, 68% had pure UC, and 13% had upper tract UC. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≥2, albumin <3.5 g/dl, neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio >5, and liver metastases were significant prognostic factors on MVA and were included in the risk score. C index for new 1L risk score was 0.68 (95% confidence interval 0.65-0.71). Limitations include retrospective nature and lack of external validation.ConclusionsWe developed a new 1L ICI risk score for OS based on data from patients with aUC treated with ICIs in the USA and Europe outside of clinical trials. The score components highlight readily available factors related to tumor biology and treatment response. External validation is being pursued.Patient summaryWith multiple new treatments under development and approved for advanced urothelial carcinoma, it can be difficult to identify the best treatment sequence for each patient. The risk score may help inform treatment discussions and estimate outcomes in patients treated with first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors, while it can also impact clinical trial design and endpoints. TAKE  HOME MESSAGE: A new risk score was developed for advanced urothelial carcinoma treated with first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors. The score assigned Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≥2, albumin <3.5 g/dl, neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio >5, and liver metastases each one point, with a higher score being associated with worse overall survival

Effect of 300 or 400 mg Daily of Ractopamine Hydrochloride on Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Finishing Steers During the Last 14, 28, or 42 Days

The effects of ractopamine hydrochloride (Optaflexx®) dosage (0, 300, and 400 mg/head/day) and duration (14, 28, or 42 days) on growth performance were evaluated in feedlot finishing diets. Feeding 300 mg of Optaflexx for 28 or 42 days increased live final BW by 13 and 29 lb, while feeding Optaflexx at 400 mg resulted in 27 or 24 lb increases relative to 0 mg steers, respectively. Feeding 300 mg of Optaflexx for 28 or 42 days would suggest 11.1 or 16.6 lb improvements in HCW, while feeding 400 mg of Optaflexx would suggest 19.7 or 20.7 lb heavier carcasses compared to steers fed 0 mg Optaflexx, respectively

Distress and type 2 diabetes-treatment adherence: A mediating role for perceived control

To better understand independent pathways linking emotional distress, medication adherence, and glycemic control in adults with Type 2 diabetes, as well as the potential mediating effects of perceived control over illness and self-efficacy. Adults with Type 2 diabetes (N = 142) were recruited for an intervention study evaluating cognitive-behavioral therapy for adherence and depression. Depressive symptom severity was assessed via semistructured interview. Validated self-reports assessed diabetes-related distress, perceived control over diabetes (perceived control), self-efficacy for diabetes self-management, and medication adherence. Glycemic control was evaluated by hemoglobin A1C. Only baseline data were included in correlational and linear regression analyses. Perceived control was an important mediator of emotional distress for both medication adherence and A1C outcomes. Specifically, regression analyses demonstrated that diabetes distress, but not depression severity, was significantly related to medication adherence and A1C. Self-efficacy and perceived control were also independently associated with medication adherence and A1C. Mediation analyses demonstrated a significant indirect effect for diabetes distress and medication adherence through perceived control and self-efficacy. The relationship between distress and A1C was accounted for by an indirect effect through perceived control. Results demonstrated that diabetes-related emotional distress is associated with poorer treatment adherence and glycemic control among adults with Type 2 diabetes; these relationships were partially mediated through perceived control over diabetes. Perceptions of one's personal ability to influence the course of diabetes may be important in understanding the pathway between emotional distress and poor diabetes-treatment outcomes