Medication adherence in patients with myotonic dystrophy and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy

Myotonic dystrophy (DM) and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) are the two most common adult muscular dystrophies and have progressive and often disabling manifestations. Higher levels of medication adherence lead to better health outcomes, especially important to patients with DM and FSHD because of their multisystem manifestations and complexity of care. However, medication adherence has not previously been studied in a large cohort of DM type 1 (DM1), DM type 2 (DM2), and FSHD patients. The purpose of our study was to survey medication adherence and disease manifestations in patients enrolled in the NIH-supported National DM and FSHD Registry. The study was completed by 110 DM1, 49 DM2, and 193 FSHD patients. Notable comorbidities were hypertension in FSHD (44 %) and DM2 (37 %), gastroesophageal reflux disease in DM1 (24 %) and DM2 (31 %) and arrhythmias (29 %) and thyroid disease (20 %) in DM1. Each group reported high levels of adherence based on regimen complexity, medication costs, health literacy, side effect profile, and their beliefs about treatment. Only dysphagia in DM1 was reported to significantly impact medication adherence. Approximately 35 % of study patients reported polypharmacy (taking 6 or more medications). Of the patients with polypharmacy, the DM1 cohort was significantly younger (mean 55.0 years) compared to DM2 (59.0 years) and FSHD (63.2 years), and had shorter disease duration (mean 26 years) compared to FSHD (26.8 years) and DM2 (34.8 years). Future research is needed to assess techniques to ease pill swallowing in DM1 and to monitor polypharmacy and potential drug interactions in DM and FSHD

Effect of Adding Urea to Finishing Diets Containing Two Different Inclusions of Distillers Grains on Steer Performance and Carcass Characteristics

The effects of adding urea to a dry rolled corn based finishing diet containing low inclusions of distillers grains was evaluated. Treatments were designed as a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement with factors consisting of wet distillers inclusion (either 12 or 20% of diet DM) and urea inclusion (0, 0.4, 0.8, 1.2% of diet DM). There were no significant interactions observed between distillers inclusion and urea inclusion in the diet. Increasing inclusion of distillers grains improved carcass adjusted average daily gain and feed conversion and reduced dry matter intake. Increasing distillers inclusion also increased 12th rib fat and had a tendency to increase hot carcass weight. There were no significant linear or quadratic responses for increasing urea inclusion in the diet. These data suggest that when feeding at least 12% distillers in the diet, supplemental urea has minimal impact on animal performance

Effects of Urea and Distillers Inclusion in Finishing Diets on Steer Performance and Carcass Characteristics

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplemental urea in dry rolled corn based finishing diets containing low inclusions of distillers grains. Treatments were set up in a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement. The first factor was wet distillers inclusion at either 10, 15, or 20% of diet DM. The second factor was urea inclusion at either 0, 0.5, or 1.0% of diet dry matter. Increasing inclusion of distillers linearly improved feed conversion and linearly reduced dry matter intake. An interaction for feed efficiency was observed where there was no effect of added urea when 10% or 20% distillers was fed and a quadratic effect was observed when 15% distillers grains was fed where 0.5% urea appeared to be optimum. Added urea in a finishing diet with 20 or 10% distillers has minimal impact on finishing performance; however, feeding 0.5% urea in a 15% distillers diet may be beneficial

Influence of Corn Hybrid Traits and Processing Method on Nutrient Digestibility

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of corn hybrid and processing method on the site and extent of nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation. Treatments consisted of 2 processing methods, dry-rolled corn (DRC) and high-moisture corn (HMC), and 3 hybrids, H-8562 (1), 33P67 (2), and H-9230 (3), in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. In Exp. 1, six ruminally cannulated crossbred steers (436 ± 8 kg) were used in a 6 × 6 Latin square design. Total tract DM, OM, and starch digestibility (STD) were greater (P \u3c 0.10) for HMC compared with DRC. A hybrid × processing method interaction (P \u3c 0.10) was observed for propionate concentration and the acetate-to-propionate ratio. In Exp. 2, two ruminally and duodenally fistulated steers were used to determine the site and extent of nutrient digestion using the mobile bag technique at 2 ruminal incubation times. Ruminal STD was not different (P = 0.14) among hybrids but was greater (P \u3c 0.01) for HMC compared with DRC. Postruminal and total tract STD were greater (P \u3c 0.01) for hybrids 1 and 3 than for hybrid 2, and were greater (P \u3c 0.01) for HMC than DRC. In both experiments the geometric mean diameter and geometric SD were influenced (P \u3c 0.05) by both hybrid and processing method. More intense processing methods or selection of hybrids with softer kernels will result in greater digestibility and ruminal propionate concentrations. Digestibility of corn samples can be characterized using the mobile bag technique but particle size can influence results

Effects of Wet Corn Gluten Feed and Roughage Inclusion Levels in Finishing Diets Containing Modified Distillers Grains Plus Solubles

A finishing trial evaluated wet corn gluten feed (WCGF) and roughage inclusion levels in diets containing 30% modified distillers grains plus solubles (MDGS, DM basis) using a 3 x 3 factorial treatment structure. No significant WCGF x roughage level interactions were observed. There was a quadratic response due to WCGF level for dry matter intake (DMI) and average daily gain (ADG), which were lowest for cattle fed 30% WCGF; however, feed-gain ratio (F:G) increased linearly with increasing WCGF. Gain responded quadratically and was lowest for cattle fed 0% corn silage. F:G and DMI increased linearly with increasing corn silage. Feedlot performance was improved by feeding 0% or 15% WCGF compared to 30% WCGF in finishing diets containing 30% MDGS. The optimal level was 7.5% corn silage in diets containing 30% MDGS with or without WCGF

Effect of Dietary Cation-Anion Difference on Feedlot Performance, Nitrogen Mass Balance and Manure pH in Open Feedlot Pens

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) at two levels (-16 and +20 mEq) on feedlot performance and nutrient mass balance in open feedlots. Decreasing DCAD did not negatively impact cattle performance or carcass characteristics. Feeding negative DCAD diets resulted in lower manure pH in both the winter and summer experiments. Final soil core pH was reduced only in the winter experiment. Percentage of N lost was not influenced by DCAD in either experiment. The decrease in manure pH is likely not enough to reduce the amount of N lost in open feedlot pens

Effect of CRINA RUMINANTS AF, a Mixture of Essential Oil Compounds, on Ruminal Fermentation and Digestibility

Eight ruminally fistulated steers were used in a metabolism experiment to determine effects of an essential oil feed additive in altering steer ruminal fermentation characteristics and nutrient digestibilities. Yearling steers were fed three treatments: 1) Control (CON) 2) CRINA RUMINANTS AF (CRINA) and 3) Rumensin® (RUM). There were no differences in DMI, OM intake, total tract DM and OM digestibilities, or pH among treatments. Steers receiving the CRINA treatment consumed 24.5% fewer meals than CON. Ruminal acetate was greatest and total VFA concentrations tended to be greatest for CRINA treatment. Acetate:propionate was 1.68, 1.49, and 1.43 for CON, CRINA, and RUM, respectively, suggesting addition of CRINA RUMINANTS AF favorably alters rumen fermentation end products without negatively affecting intake or rumen pH

Feeding Fiber from Wet Corn Gluten Feed and Corn Silage in Feedlot Diets Containing Wet Distillers Grains Plus Solubles

A feedlot experiment evaluated the effect of increasing fiber in distillers grains diets on ADG, F:G, and nutrient mass balance. The treatments consisted of 1) 30% modified distillers grains plus solubles, no roughage (MDGS), and 2) 30% modified distillers grains plus solubles, 30% wet corn gluten feed, and 15% corn silage (MDGS+fiber). The remainder of each diet consisted of a 1:1 ratio of high moisture corn and dry rolled corn and 5% supplement. Feeding MDGS+fiber increased (P \u3c 80.02) ADG, DMI, and HCW; however, it did not improve F:G compared to MDGS. By increasing the fiber content of the diet, more organic matter (OM) and N remained in the manure. Percentage N loss was not different between dietary treatments; however, amount of N lost increased with MDGS + fiber due to the greater N intake and excretion

Evaluation of Revalor-XH for beef heifers fed different days on feed

Heifers were treated with either no implant, an initial implant of Revalor-200 and re-implanted with Revalor-200, or Revalor-XH and assigned to one of four serial slaughter harvests at 151, 165, 179, and 193 days on feed to determine the effects on feedlot performance and carcass characteristics. Implanting heifers increased final BW, ADG and HCW while decreasing marbling score and improving feed efficiency compared to non-implanted heifers. Increasing days on feed decreased ADG while increasing feed efficiency, HCW, fat thickness, marbling score, and calculated yield grade. By increasing HCW sold, implanting revenue can be maximized, assuming added risk for YG discounts

Site and Extent of Digestion of Finishing Diets Containing Syngenta Enhanced Feed Corn

Four ruminally and duodenally fistulated steers were utilized to evaluate the effects of Syngenta Enhanced Feed Corn™ containing an alpha amylase enzyme trait (SYT- EFC) compared to the isoline parental control corn without the alpha amylase enzyme trait (Negative Isoline) on site and extent of digestion in finishing diets. Cattle fed SYT- EFC dry rolled corn had numerically greater postruminal starch digestibility, excreted lower fecal starch, and had greater total tract starch digestibility compared to cattle fed Negative Isoline corn. These data would suggest that cattle are able to utilize more starch from corn containing the SYT- EFC trait, which has resulted in greater gains and efficiencies