Effects of ambient temperature, plumage condition, and housing system on energy partitioning and performance in laying hens

Environmental factors, e.g. temperature (T), feather cover (FC), and housing system (HS) affect energy requirements of laying hens. Interaction effects of T (11°C, 16°C, 21°C), FC (100% vs. 50%) and HS (cage vs. floor) on energy partitioning and performance of laying hens were investigated. Six batches of 70 brown layers per batch were applied. Heat production (HP) was determined by indirect calorimetry. ME-intake increased by 1% for each degree reduction in T. HP was not affected by T in hens with 100% FC, whereas in hens with 50% FC HP linearly increased if T decreased. In floor housing, HP at 16°C and 11°C was 5.8% and 3.0% higher, respectively, than in cages. NE for production (NEp) was 25.7% higher in cages compared to floor housing. In cages, 24.7% of NEp was spent on body fat deposition, whereas in floor housing 9.0% of NEp was released from body fat reserves. ME-intake (kJ/d) was predicted by: 586 BW0.75 – 7.94 T + 26.84 Daily gain + 11.36 Egg mass – 0.993 FC – 36.2 HS (0 = cages, 1 = floor; R2 = 0.75). Despite considerable differences among treatments, egg performances were not affected, indicating the adaptive capacity of layers to a broad range of environmental conditions

Different Vancomycin Immunoassays Contribute to the Variability in Vancomycin Trough Measurements in Neonates

Substantial interassay variability (up to 20%) has been described for vancomycin immunoassays in adults, but the impact of neonatal matrix is difficult to quantify because of blood volume constraints in neonates. However, we provide circumstantial evidence for a similar extent of variability. Using the same vancomycin dosing regimens and confirming similarity in clinical characteristics, vancomycin trough concentrations measured by PETINIA (2011-2012, n = 400) were 20% lower and the mean difference was 1.93 mg/L compared to COBAS (2012-2014, n = 352) measurements. The impact of vancomycin immunoassays in neonatal matrix was hereby suggested, supporting a switch to more advanced techniques (LC-MS/MS)

Preferences and beliefs of Dutch orthopaedic surgeons and patients reduce the implementation of "Choosing Wisely" recommendations in degenerative knee disease

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess which factors were associated with the implementation of “Choosing Wisely” recommendations to refrain from routine MRI and arthroscopy use in degenerative knee disease. Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were sent to 123 patients (response rate 95%) and 413 orthopaedic surgeons (response rate 62%) fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with implementation of “Choosing Wisely” recommendations. Results: Factors reducing implementation of the MRI recommendation among patients included explanation of added value by an orthopaedic surgeon [OR 0.18 (95% CI 0.07–0.47)] and patient preference for MRI [OR 0.27 (95% CI 0.08–0.92)]. Factors reducing implementation among orthopaedic surgeons were higher valuation of own MRI experience than existing evidence [OR 0.41 (95% CI 0.19–0.88)] and higher estimated patients’ knowledge to participate in shared decision-making [OR 0.38 (95% CI 0.17–0.88)]. Factors reducing implementation of the arthroscopy recommendation among patients were orthopaedic surgeons’ preferences for an arthroscopy [OR 0.03 (95% CI 0.00–0.22)] and positive experiences with arthroscopy of friends/family [OR 0.03 (95% CI 0.00–0.39)]. Factors reducing implementation among orthopaedic surgeons were higher valuation of own arthroscopy experience than existing evidence [OR 0.17 (95% CI 0.07–0.46)] and belief in the added value [OR 0.28 (95% CI 0.10–0.81)]. Conclusions: Implementation of “Choosing Wisely” recommendations in degenerative knee disease can be improved by strategies to change clinician beliefs about the added value of MRIs and arthroscopies, and by patient-directed strategies addressing patient preferences and underlying beliefs for added value of MRI and arthroscopies resulting from experiences of people in their environment. Level of evidence: IV

Global citizenship as the completion of cosmopolitanism

A conception of global citizenship should not be viewed as separate from, or synonymous with, the cosmopolitan moral orientation, but as a primary component of it. Global citizenship is fundamentally concerned with individual moral requirements in the global frame. Such requirements, framed here as belonging to the category of individual cosmopolitanism, offer guidelines on right action in the context of global human community. They are complementary to the principles of moral cosmopolitanism – those to be used in assessing the justice of global institutions and practices – that have been emphasised by cosmopolitan political theorists. Considering principles of individual and moral cosmopolitanism together can help to provide greater clarity concerning individual duties in the absence of fully global institutions, as well as clarity on individual obligations of justice in relation to emerging and still-developing trans-state institutions

Incidence of cancer in the area around Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in 1988–2003: a population-based ecological study

BACKGROUND: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is a major source of complaints about aircraft noise, safety risks and concerns about long term adverse health effects, including cancer. We investigated whether residents of the area around Schiphol are at higher risk of developing cancer than the general Dutch population. METHODS: In a population-based study using the regional cancer registry, we estimated the cancer incidence during 1988–2003 in residents of the area surrounding Schiphol. We defined a study area based on aircraft noise contours and 4-digit postal code areas, since historical data on ambient air pollution were not available and recent emission data did not differ from the background urban air quality. RESULTS: In residents of the study area 13 207 cancer cases were diagnosed, which was close to the expected number, using national incidence rates as a reference (standardized incidence ratio [SIR] 1.02). We found a statistically significantly increased incidence of hematological malignancies (SIR 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05, 1.19), mainly due to high rates for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR 1.22, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.33) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (SIR 1.34, 95% CI: 0.95, 1.83). The incidence of cancer of the respiratory system was statistically significantly decreased (SIR 0.94, 95% CI: 0.90, 0.99), due to the low rate in males (SIR 0.89). In the core zone of the study area, cancer incidence was slightly higher than in the remaining ring zone (rate ratio of the core zone compared to the ring zone 1.05, 95% CI 1.01, 1.10). This was caused by the higher incidence of cancer of the respiratory system, prostate and the female genital organs in the core zone in comparison to the ring zone. CONCLUSION: The overall cancer incidence in the Schiphol area was similar to the national incidence. The moderately increased risk of hematological malignancies could not be explained by higher levels of ambient air pollution in the Schiphol area. This observation warrants further research, for example in a study with focus on substances in urban ambient air pollution, as similar findings were observed in Greater Amsterdam

Early inhaled budesonide for the prevention of bronchopulmonary dysplasia

BACKGROUND Systemic glucocorticoids reduce the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia among extremely preterm infants, but they may compromise brain development. The effects of inhaled glucocorticoids on outcomes in these infants are unclear. METHODS We randomly assigned 863 infants (gestational age, 23 weeks 0 days to 27 weeks 6 days) to early (within 24 hours after birth) inhaled budesonide or placebo until they no longer required oxygen and positive-pressure support or until they reached a postmenstrual age of 32 weeks 0 days. The primary outcome was death or bronchopulmonary dysplasia, confirmed by means of standardized oxygen-saturation monitoring, at a postmenstrual age of 36 weeks. RESULTS A total of 175 of 437 infants assigned to budesonide for whom adequate data were available (40.0%), as compared with 194 of 419 infants assigned to placebo for whom adequate data were available (46.3%), died or had bronchopulmonary dysplasia (relative risk, stratified according to gestational age, 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.75 to 1.00; P = 0.05). The incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia was 27.8% in the budesonide group versus 38.0% in the placebo group (relative risk, stratified according to gestational age, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.91; P = 0.004); death occurred in 16.9% and 13.6% of the patients, respectively (relative risk, stratified according to gestational age, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.91 to 1.69; P = 0.17). The proportion of infants who required surgical closure of a patent ductus arteriosus was lower in the budesonide group than in the placebo group (relative risk, stratified according to gestational age, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.83; P = 0.004), as was the proportion of infants who required reintubation (relative risk, stratified according to gestational age, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.96; P = 0.03). Rates of other neonatal illnesses and adverse events were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Among extremely preterm infants, the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia was lower among those who received early inhaled budesonide than among those who received placebo, but the advantage may have been gained at the expense of increased mortality

Unidirectional relationship between heroin self-administration and impulsive decision-making in rats

Rationale: There is growing clinical evidence for a strong relationship between drug addiction and impulsivity. However, it is not fully clear whether impulsivity is a pre-existing trait or a consequence of drug abuse. Recent observations in the animal models show that pre-existing levels of impulsivity predict cocaine and nicotine seeking. Whether such relationships also exist with respect to non-stimulant drugs is largely unknown. Objective: We studied the relationship between impulsive choice and vulnerability to heroin taking and seeking. Materials and methods: Rats were selected in the delayed reward task based on individual differences in impulsive choice. Subsequently, heroin intravenous self-administration behaviour was analysed, including acquisition of heroin intake, motivation, extinction and drug- and cue-induced reinstatement. Throughout the entire experiment, changes in impulsive choice were monitored weekly. Results and discussion: High impulsivity did not predict measures of heroin taking. Moreover, high impulsive rats did not differ from low impulsive rats in extinction rates or heroin- and cue-induced reinstatement. However, both groups became more impulsive as heroin self-administration continued. During abstinence, impulsivity levels returned towards baseline (pre-heroin) levels. Our results indicate that, in contrast to psychostimulants, impulsive choice does not predict vulnerability to heroin seeking and taking. Conclusion: These data implicate that different neural mechanisms may underlie the vulnerability to opiate and psychostimulant dependence. Moreover, our data suggest that elevated impulsivity levels as observed in heroin-dependent subjects are a consequence of heroin intake rather than a pre-existing vulnerability trait. © 2011 The Author(s)

HMG-CoA reductase is a potential therapeutic target for migraine:a mendelian randomization study

Statins are thought to have positive effects on migraine but existing data are inconclusive. We aimed to evaluate the causal effect of such drugs on migraines using Mendelian randomization. We used four types of genetic instruments as proxies for HMG-CoA reductase inhibition. We included the expression quantitative trait loci of the HMG-CoA reductase gene and genetic variation within or near the HMG-CoA reductase gene region. Variants were associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and total cholesterol. Genome-wide association study summary data for the three lipids were obtained from the UK Biobank. Comparable data for migraine were obtained from the International Headache Genetic Consortium and the FinnGen Consortium. Inverse variance weighting method was used for the primary analysis. Additional analyses included pleiotropic robust methods, colocalization, and meta-analysis. Genetically determined high expression of HMG-CoA reductase was associated with an increased risk of migraines (OR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.30–1.84, P = 6.87 × 10−7). Similarly, three genetically determined HMG-CoA reductase-mediated lipids were associated with an increased risk of migraine. These conclusions were consistent across meta-analyses. We found no evidence of bias caused by pleiotropy or genetic confounding factors. These findings support the hypothesis that statins can be used to treat migraine.</p