Effects of Nitrogen and Phosphorus fertilization on productivity and nutrient utilization by Cynodon IB. 8

No abstract

Beef Production on Rotationally Grazed F1 Pennisetum Hybrid and Elephant Grass (Pennisetum Purpureum Schum.) Pastures

Comparative studies of elephant grass and the F1 hybrids between the 'maiwa' cultivar of millet (Pennisetum americanum) and elephant grass (P. purpureum) indicated a superiority in quality of the hybrids. To ascertain this potential superiority animal performance was measured by estimating beef production on F1 Pennisetum hybrid and elephant grass pastures consisting of random mixtures of genotypes which were grazed from July 28 to December 6, 1972 (132 days) by 18 to 24 months old White Fulani (Bunaji) Zebu heifers. Each pasture was divided into six 0.07-ha paddocks which were grazed in intervening rest periods of 30 to 35 days. Total liveweight gains per hectare, of animals grazing F1 Pennisetum hybrid and elephant grass pastures were 246.71 and 171.77 kg respetively. Mean daily liveweight gain per 100 kg body weight of animals on the F1 Pennisetum hybrid pasture was 0.18 kg of animals grazing elephant grass. Dry matter (DM) utilisation and average daily intake of the F1 hybrids and elephant grass were respectively, 46 and 35% and 2.2 and 2.0% of body weight while 11.71 kg and 15.85 kg of F1 Pennisetum hybrids and elephant grass, respectively, were consumed per kg of liveweight gain. The superior performance of animals grazing F1 Pennisetum hybrids was attributed to the higher intake and more efficient conversion of the hybrids. Stand mortality of F1 Pennisetum hybrids and elephant grass at the end of the study were 25 and 15%, respectively. greater animal output can be expected from F1 Pennisetum hybrids selected for improved DM production quality and plant persistence

Immune Approaches for the Prevention of Breast Milk Transmission of HIV-1

Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV-1 infection remains a significant cause of new HIV-1 infections, despite the increasing implementation of prevention strategies using antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the resulting decline in infections across the developing world. In 2009, the UNAIDS global report estimated 370,000 children under the age of 15 years were newly infected with HIV-1 (refer UNAIDS Report on the global AIDS epidemic, 2010 http://www.unaids.org/globalreport/Global-report.htm), most of whom acquired the infection from their mothers in low- and middle-income countries. Even with substantial progress, challenges remain for poor countries in providing comprehensive screening programs for pregnant women and implementing the full range of prevention services for those identified as HIV-1-infected. Although antiretroviral regimens and risk reduction counseling have been successfully used for pregnant women and their infants in many parts of the developing world, full implementation of these programs remains a challenge in many countries, especially where antenatal clinical attendance and HIV-1 screening is not yet widespread. In addition, potential toxicities of and development of drug resistance to ART in both mother and child are concerns. Therefore, the development of a safe effective immunoprophylaxis regimen begun at birth and continuing during breastfeeding, perhaps alongside neonatal chemoprophylaxis, remains an area of active research interest. An ideal pediatric vaccine for prevention of MTCT (PMTCT) would combine the immediacy of passive immunization designed to protect the infant during the first vulnerable weeks of life with the durability of active immunization to protect against the repeated low-dose homologous virus exposure delivered multiple times a day via breastfeeding. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York