Wood processing by-products treated with the lignin-based conditioner as mulch for soil protection

Wood processing by-products such as bark of different wood species and hydrolysis lignin were applied as soil mulch. The lignin-based soil conditioner (LSC) representing a lignin-based polyelectrolyte complex with the different composition (a lignin/polymer mass ratio) was obtained under laboratory conditions and was intended to protect sandy soil from erosion by simultaneous application of a soil conditioner as an adhesive, mulch and plant seeds by hydroseeding. The study revealed the pronounced dependence of the properties of the treated wood-originated mulch on the wood species as well as on the composition, the applied concentration and the application rate of LSC. A comparison of the obtained results showed that the treated hydrolysis lignin was characterised by higher compressive strength, higher water resistance and lower moisture losses from sandy soil for a given LSC composition and application rate than the bark-based mulch. The conditioner concentrations don't have negative impact on the germination of seeds plants of the coastal dune zone. First published online: 21 Oct 201

Different Methods for Modelling Severe Hypoglycaemic Events : Implications for Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness Analyses

ObjectivesPublished clinical trials report severe hypoglycaemic events in different ways. Some report number of patients who suffered at least one event out of total number randomised and others report number of events for a given total exposure. The different data types can be modelled in different ways; therefore, three models have been used in published Bayesian Network Meta Analyses (NMAs) of hypoglycaemic events; models with a binomial likelihood reporting odds ratios (using a logit link) or hazard ratios (using the complementary log log link) and models with a Poisson likelihood reporting hazard ratios. The objective of this paper is to establish the impact of using different models on effectiveness estimates and the outputs from cost-effectiveness models.MethodsWe analysed a dataset used in a recent NMA conducted to inform NICE guideline recommendations regarding insulin choice for patients with type 1 diabetes using the three previously used models, plus a shared parameter model combining different types of data.ResultsThe relative treatment effects are similar regardless of which model or scale is used. Differences were seen when the probability of having an event on the baseline treatment was calculated using the different models with the logit model giving a baseline probability of 0.07, the clog-log 0.17 and the Poisson 0.29. These translate into differences of up to £110 in the cost of a hypoglycaemic event and 0.004 in associated disutility when calculating the absolute probabilities of an event to use in an economic model.ConclusionsWhile choice of outcome measure may not have a significant impact on relative effects for this outcome, care should be taken to ensure that the baseline probabilities used in an economic model are realistic and accurate to avoid over or underestimating costs and effects

Muscle protein metabolism in neonatal alloxan-administered rats: effects of continuous and intermittent swimming training

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study aimed to examine the effects of intermittent and continuous swimming training on muscle protein metabolism in neonatal alloxan-administered rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Wistar rats were used and divided into six groups: sedentary alloxan (SA), sedentary control (SC), continuous trained alloxan (CA), intermittent trained alloxan (IA), continuous trained control (CC) and intermittent trained control (IC). Alloxan (250 mg/kg body weight) was injected into newborn rats at 6 days of age. The continuous training protocol consisted of 12 weeks of swimming training in individual cylinder tanks while supporting a load that was 5% of body weight; uninterrupted swimming for 1 h/day, five days a week. The intermittent training protocol consisted of 12 weeks of swimming training in individual cylinder tanks while supporting a load that was 15% of body weight; 30 s of activity interrupted by 30 s of rest for a total of 20 min/day, five days a week.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At 28 days, the alloxan animals displayed higher glycemia after glucose overload than the control animals. No differences in insulinemia among the groups were detected. At 120 days, no differences in serum albumin and total protein among the groups were observed. Compared to the other groups, DNA concentrations were higher in the alloxan animals that were subjected to continuous training, whereas the DNA/protein ratio was higher in the alloxan animals that were subjected to intermittent training.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It was concluded that continuous and intermittent training sessions were effective in altering muscle growth by hyperplasia and hypertrophy, respectively, in alloxan-administered animals.</p