Maize for silage II. The effect of urea and acid as preservative treament on rumen fermentations and on feeding values of silages

The rumen fermentations and N-balances of rumen fistulated sheep were studied on diets of silages treated with urea and acid preservative. The digestibilities and feeding values of the silages were also calculated. The experiment was performed according to 5 x 5 Latin-square design. The digestibilities were determined by total collection the collection period lasting seven days. The rumen samples were taken on the last two days during the collection periods before and 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 hours after feeding. Besides the silages the animals received mineral mixture and water ad libitum. Urea or acid treatment had no effect (P > 0.05) on the consumption of silage DM. The consumption ranged from 1.7 to 1.9 kg DM/100 kg liveweight. Urea did not have a clear effect on the VFA production in the rumen. It tended, however, to decrease the proportions of C3 and C4—C5 acids in the rumen. Acid preservative decreased the production of VFA and the proportion of C3-acid (P 0.05) were found between the energy values, which varied between 0,12—0.14 f.u./kg of silage. There were no differences in the N-balances of the animals on different diets. The balances were positive on all diets

Three-decade neurological and neurocognitive follow-up of HIV-1-infected patients on best-available antiretroviral therapy in Finland

Objectives: Is it possible to live without neurocognitive or neurological symptoms after being infected with HIV for a very long time? These study patients with decades-long HIV infection in Finland were observed in this follow-up study during three time periods: 1986-1990, in 1997 and in 2013. Setting: Patients from greater Helsinki area were selected from outpatient's unit of infectious diseases. Participants: The study included 80 HIV patients. Patients with heavy alcohol consumption, central nervous system disorder or psychiatric disease were excluded. Primary and secondary outcome measures: The patients underwent neurological and neuropsychological examinations, MRI of the brain and laboratory tests, including blood CD4 cells and plasma HIV-1 RNA. Neuropsychological examination included several measures: subtests of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised, list learning, Stroop and Trail-Making-B test. The Beck Depression Inventory and Fatigue Severity Scale were also carried out. The obtained data from the three time periods were compared with each other. Results: Owing to high mortality among the original 80 patients, eventually, 17 participated in all three examinations performed between 1986 and 2013. The time from the HIV diagnosis was 27 (23-30) years. Blood CD4 cells at the diagnosis were 610 (29-870) cells/mm(3), and the nadir CD4 168 (4-408) cells/mm(3). The time on combined antiretroviral treatment was 13 (5-17) years. 9 patients suffered from fatigue, 5 had polyneuropathy and 3 had lacunar cerebral infarcts. There was a subtle increase of brain atrophy in 2 patients. Mild depressive symptoms were common. The neuropsychological follow-up showed typical age-related cognitive changes. No HIV-associated dementia features were detected. Conclusions: Polyneuropathy, fatigue and mild depression were common, but more severe neurological abnormalities were absent. These long-term surviving HIV-seropositive patients, while on best-available treatment, showed no evidence of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder in neuropsychological and neuroradiological evaluations.Peer reviewe

Cognitive Neuropsychology of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders

Advances in the treatment of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have dramatically improved survival rates over the past 10 years, but HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) remain highly prevalent and continue to represent a significant public health problem. This review provides an update on the nature, extent, and diagnosis of HAND. Particular emphasis is placed on critically evaluating research within the realm of cognitive neuropsychology that aims to elucidate the component processes of HAND across the domains of executive functions, motor skills, speeded information processing, episodic memory, attention/working memory, language, and visuoperception. In addition to clarifying the cognitive mechanisms of HAND (e.g., impaired cognitive control), the cognitive neuropsychology approach may enhance the ecological validity of neuroAIDS research and inform the development of much needed novel, targeted cognitive and behavioral therapies

The 4Cs of adaptation tracking: consistency, comparability, comprehensiveness, coherency

Adaptation tracking seeks to characterize, monitor, and compare general trends in climate change adaptation over time and across nations. Recognized as essential for evaluating adaptation progress, there have been few attempts to develop systematic approaches for tracking adaptation. This is reflected in polarized opinions, contradictory findings, and lack of understanding on the state of adaptation globally. In this paper, we outline key methodological considerations necessary for adaptation tracking research to produce systematic, rigorous, comparable, and usable insights that can capture the current state of adaptation globally, provide the basis for characterizing and evaluating adaptations taking place, facilitate examination of what conditions explain differences in adaptation action across jurisdictions, and can underpin the monitoring of change in adaptation over time. Specifically, we argue that approaches to adaptation tracking need to (i) utilize a consistent and operational conceptualization of adaptation, (ii) focus on comparable units of analysis, (iii) use and develop comprehensive datasets on adaptation action, and (iv) be coherent with our understanding of what constitutes real adaptation. Collectively, these form the 4Cs of adaptation tracking (consistency, comparability, comprehensiveness, and coherency)

Assessing treatment outcomes in multiple sclerosis trials and in the clinical setting

Increasing numbers of drugs are being developed for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). Measurement of relevant outcomes is key for assessing the efficacy of new drugs in clinical trials and for monitoring responses to disease-modifying drugs in individual patients. Most outcomes used in trial and clinical settings reflect either clinical or neuroimaging aspects of MS (such as relapse and accrual of disability or the presence of visible inflammation and brain tissue loss, respectively). However, most measures employed in clinical trials to assess treatment effects are not used in routine practice. In clinical trials, the appropriate choice of outcome measures is crucial because the results determine whether a drug is considered effective and therefore worthy of further development; in the clinic, outcome measures can guide treatment decisions, such as choosing a first-line disease-modifying drug or escalating to second-line treatment. This Review discusses clinical, neuroimaging and composite outcome measures for MS, including patient-reported outcome measures, used in both trials and the clinical setting. Its aim is to help clinicians and researchers navigate through the multiple options encountered when choosing an outcome measure. Barriers and limitations that need to be overcome to translate trial outcome measures into the clinical setting are also discussed

Maize for silage. 1. Conservation of whole maize plant for silage with treatment of preservatives and urea before ensiling

vokkirjasto Aj-KMaissi säilörehun raaka-aineena I. Viherhapon ja urean käyttö maissisäilörehun säilöntäaineen

Preliminary studies on the conservation of whole sorghum and corn plant and sugar corn stover for silage

vokkirjasto Aj-KAlustava tutkimus koko hirssi ja maissikasvin sekä sokerimaissin lehti- ja varsiosan säilönnäst

Maissi säilörehun raaka-aineena II. Säilöntöaineena käytetyn Viherhapon ja urean vaikutus pötsin käymistapahtumiin ja säilörehun rehuarvoon

The rumen fermentations and N-balances of rumen fistulated sheep were studied on diets of silages treated with urea and acid preservative. The digestibilities and feeding values of the silages were also calculated. The experiment was performed according to 5 x 5 Latin-square design. The digestibilities were determined by total collection the collection period lasting seven days. The rumen samples were taken on the last two days during the collection periods before and 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 hours after feeding. Besides the silages the animals received mineral mixture and water ad libitum. Urea or acid treatment had no effect (P > 0.05) on the consumption of silage DM. The consumption ranged from 1.7 to 1.9 kg DM/100 kg liveweight. Urea did not have a clear effect on the VFA production in the rumen. It tended, however, to decrease the proportions of C3 and C4—C5 acids in the rumen. Acid preservative decreased the production of VFA and the proportion of C3-acid (P 0.05) were found between the energy values, which varied between 0,12—0.14 f.u./kg of silage. There were no differences in the N-balances of the animals on different diets. The balances were positive on all diets.Tutkimuksen toisessa osassa pyrittiin selvittämään säilöntäaineena käytetyn urean ja Viherhapon vaikutusta pötsikäymiseen säilörehudieeteillä sekä vaikutusta maissisäilörehujen rehuarvoon. Lisäksi määritettiin eläinten typpitase eri ruokinnoilla. Koekaaviona oli 5 x 5 latinalainen neliö ja säilörehujen sulavuus määritettiin kokonaiskeruumenetelmällä keruukauden ollessa 7 päivää. Pötsinäytteet otettiin keruukauden kahtena viimeisenä päivänä ennen ja 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 ja 6.0 tuntia jälkeen ruokinnan. Koe-eläimet olivat pötsifistelöityjä pässejä, jotka säilörehujen lisäksi saivat kivennäisseosta ja vettä vapaasti. Urea tai Viherhappo eivät vaikuttaneet säilörehujen maittavuuteen. Keskimäärin pässit söivät 1.7—1.9 kg säilörehun kuiva-ainetta 100 elopainokiloa kohti. Käytettäessä Viherhappoa VFA-määrä pötsissä ja C3-happojen osuus mooliprosentteina kokonais-VFA:sta alenivat (P < 0,05). Urea alensi C3 – ja C4 - C5-happojen osuutta pötsinesteessä joskaan muutos ei ollut aina selvä 1.5—6.0 tuntia ruokinnan jälkeen. Ureaa sisältävillä ruokinnoilla pötsin NH3-taso oli hyvin korkea. Ilmeisesti 14 päivän maittavuus- ja siirtokausi ei ollut riittävä totutukseen urea-ruokinnalle, kun siirryttiin eri urea-ruokinnoille koekaavion mukaan. Rehujen välillä ei ollut selviä eroja sulavuudessa. Raakarasvan sulavuus oli korkein 0.5 % urealla käsitellyssä rehussa ja typettömien uuteaineiden sulavuus Viherhapolla säilötyssä rehussa. Säilörehujen ry-arvot vaihtelivat 0.12 0.14 ry/kg. Urean lisäys kohotti säilörehujen srv-pitoisuuden 170—180 g srv/ry (0.5 % ureaa) ja 220 g srv/ry (1.0 % ureaa). Urea tai Viherhappo eivät vaikuttaneet eläinten typpitaseeseen. Säilörehujen srv-sisältö olisi riittänyt ilman ureaakin täyttämään lampaan srv-tarpeen ylläpitotasolla