Nitrogen Flow to Duodenum of Steers Grazing on Orchardgrass and Meadowfescue Pastures

This experiment was conducted to evaluate nitrogen flow to the duodenum of steers grazing on orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L., OG) or meadowfescue (Festuca elatior L., MF) pasture. Holstein steers fitted with cannulas in the rumen and duodenum were used. Nitrogen content and in vitro dry matter digestibility of herbage did not differ between OG and MF pastures. Herbage nitrogen intake of steers grazing on OG and MF pastures averaged 229 and 271 g/day, respectively. Nitrogen flows to the duodenum of steers grazing on orchardgrass and meadowfescue pastures averaged 187 and 195g/d, respectively. Microbial nitrogen flow to the duodenum also did not differ between OG and MF pastures. Efficiencies of nitrogen utilization for microbial protein synthesis per kg organic matter apparently digested in the rumen of steers grazing on OG and MF pastures averaged 31.4 and 29.0g, respectively. There was no significant difference in nitrogen absorption from the intestine between steers grazing on OG and MF pastures. In both pastures, steers were supplied with more than 3.5 times metabolizable protein as much as required for maintenance without supplements

Effect of Potato Pulp Silage Supplementation on Milk Production in Cows Grazing Temperate Pasture

In a dairy farming system based on pasture in Japan, maize grain is generally used as an energy source for milking cows, with almost all grain been imported. Potato-pulp is one of the agricultural by-products derived from the starch industry in the northern island of Japan. In our previous study (Aibibula et al., 2004), it was demonstrated that potato pulp could be preserved for a long time by ensiling without additives, and that the digestible energy value of potato pulp silage (13 MJ/kg DM) was almost the same as beet pulp. From these results, it is possible that some part of the maize grain fed to grazing cows could be substituted with potato pulp silage (PPS). The objective of this study was to compare PPS with rolled-maize as an energy source for cows grazing on temperate pasture

Improving the Feeding Value of Cotton Stalk, Wheat Straw and Rice Straw with Ozonation

The experiment was conducted to study the effect of ozone treatment on the feed value of cotton stalk, wheat straw and rice straw. These feeds were cut into 2 cm and 4 cm lengths, and rolled before ozonizing. The ozonizing periods were 30 min. 60min and. 120 min. The Acid Detergent Lignin (ADL) concentration of the feeds decreased with ozone treatment. Except for rice straw, the short cutting treatment (2cm) decreased the concentration of ADL and Cellulose of the ozonized cotton stalk and wheat straw. Rolling and ozone treatment were effective in decreasing the ADL concentration of cotton stalk. IVDMD (In Vitro Dry Matter Digestibility) of feeds rose 17 points in the cotton stalk, 4 points in the wheat straw and the rice straw with ozonizing. The short cut (2cm) cotton stalk and the wheat straw showed an increase in IVDMD but the rice straw showed no change. Rolled and ozonized cotton stalk was the only feed to show a rise in IVDMD. The concentration of ADL and Hemicellulose of all feeds decreased with ozonation but the IVDMD was related to the decrease in the contents of ADL of feeds. The higher ADL concentration in the feeds, higher the ozonation effect

Association between hospital acquired disability and post-discharge mortality in patients after living donor liver transplantation

Background: Hospital-acquired disability (HAD) in patients who undergo living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is expected to worsen physical functions due to inactivity during hospitalization. The aim of this study was to explore whether a decline in activities of daily living from hospital admission to discharge is associated with prognosis in LDLT patients, who once discharged from a hospital.Methods: We retrospectively examined the relationship between HAD and prognosis in 135 patients who underwent LDLT from June 2008 to June 2018, and discharged from hospital once. HAD was defined as a decline of over 5 points in the Barthel Index as an activity of daily living assessment. Additionally, LDLT patients were classified into four groups: low or high skeletal muscle index (SMI) and HAD or non-HAD. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between HAD and survival.Results: HAD was identified in 47 LDLT patients (34.8%). The HAD group had a significantly higher all-cause mortality than the non-HAD group (log-rank: p < 0.001), and in the HAD/low SMI group, all-cause mortality was highest between the groups (log-rank: p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, HAD was an independent risk factor for allcause mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 16.54; P < 0.001) and HAD/low SMI group (HR: 16.82; P = 0.002).Conclusion: HAD was identified as an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality suggesting that it could be a key component in determining prognosis after LDLT. Future larger-scale studies are needed to consider the overall new strategy of perioperative rehabilitation, including enhancement of preoperative physiotherapy programs to improve physical function

Comparative study of the effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and oral administration of branched-chain amino acid on preventing sarcopenia in patients after living-donor liver transplantation: study protocol for an open-label randomized controlled trial

Background: Liver cirrhosis is the irreversible fibrosis of the liver and causes refractory ascites and hepatic encephalopathy, which might not respond to treatment. Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is an effective treatment for patients with cirrhosis. However, post-LDLT patients are prone to muscle atrophy and sarcopenia. Therefore, physiotherapy of post-LDLT patients is essential for preventing the progression of sarcopenia. Recently, rehabilitation using neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been reported to be useful for preventing the progression of sarcopenia. Similarly, nutrition therapy is essential for post-LDLT patients because these patients frequently experience malnutrition. However, the effects of combined NMES and nutrition therapy on post-LDLT patients remain unknown. Methods/design: This open-label, randomized, parallel-group study will compare the effects of combined therapy with NMES and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) with those of NMES alone in patients with decompensated cirrhosis after LDLT. After LDLT, 50 patients with decompensated cirrhosis will be randomly assigned to receive NMES with BCAA or NMES without BCAA. The duration of the intervention will be 3 months. To analyze the change in skeletal muscle mass, InBody 770 body composition and body water analysis and ultrasonography will be performed before LDLT and 4 weeks and 12 weeks post-LDLT. The primary endpoint is changes in the skeletal muscle mass from baseline to 3 months. Important secondary endpoints are the changes in the skeletal muscle mass from baseline to 1 month and changes in the quadriceps strength from baseline to 1 month. Discussion: The results of this study are expected to provide evidence regarding the effect of NMES combined with BCAA therapy on the skeletal muscle of post-LDLT patients. Trial registration: Japan Registry of Clinical Research jRCTs071190051. Registered on February 26, 2020