Nisbah Sinkronisasi Suplai N-Protein Dan Energi Dalam Rumen Sebagai Basis Formulasi Ransum Ternak Ruminansia

The experiment was conducted to determine the optimum synchronization ratio of N-protein and fermented organic matter (OM) in the rumen for the purpose of ration formulation for ruminant animals, in order to improve efficiency of rumen microbial N synthesis and feed efficiency. Nylon bag technique was adopted to determine ruminal characteristic of protein and OM degradation of feedstuffs (forage and concentrate diet) for which the synchronized index of N-protein and fermented OM in the rumen might be determined. By randomized block design, twelve local cattle were arranged to four groups. Each group was fed three types of diet that was different in synchronization ratio of supplying N-protein and fermented OM in the rumen, namely 20 g N/kg OM (R20); 25 g N /kg OM (R25); and 30 g N /kg MO (R30). The diets had iso-energy and iso-protein contents and had the same synchronization index. The results showed that the type of diet had no effect (P>0.05) on intake and digestibility of nutrients, N retention, average daily gain (ADG), and feed efficiency. But R20 had better parameter values than those of R25 and R30. It might be concluded that the diet having a synchronization ratio of 20 g N/kg fermented OM in the rumen will generate more efficient protein synthesis of rumen microbes and feed efficiency

Physical and mental health of 40,000 older women in England during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021)

Background To assess factors associated with perceived changes in physical and mental health and with delays in seeking healthcare during the second and third COVID-19 lockdowns in England (2020–2021). Methods An online survey of Million Women Study participants collected data on 44,523 women, mean age 76 (SD = 4), October 2020—May 2021. These data were linked to data collected prospectively on Million Women Study participants at recruitment in median year 1998 and at re-surveys in 2011–2013, as well as to hospital admission data from 2017–2019. Results Of 40,821 participants with complete data on the outcomes of interest, 28% reported worse physical health and 26% worse mental health. After adjustment for age, region, education and survey period, poor/fair self-rated health (adjusted OR 2.71, 95% CI 2.52–2.91), having been told to shield (1.92, 1.79–2.05), obesity (2.17, 2.04–2.31) and other measures of poor health prior to the outbreak were all strongly related to worse physical health, as was being an informal carer (1.47, 1.38–1.56) and having a COVID-19 infection (1.64, 1.53–1.77). Depression (2.31, 2.06–2.58), poor/fair self-rated health (1.98, 1.84–2.13) and being an informal carer (1.69, 95% CI 1.58–1.80) were the factors most strongly related to worse mental health. Having poor/fair self-rated health (2.22, 2.05–2.40), obesity (1.58, 1.47–1.70) and being an informal carer (1.45, 1.34–1.56) were all strongly related to delaying seeking medical care. These associations remained essentially unchanged after exclusion of participants who had a COVID-19 infection. Conclusions In a large sample of older women in England, just over a quarter reported a deterioration in their physical and mental health during the national lockdowns. In addition to the expected effect of a COVID-19 infection on physical health, the groups who were most likely to report such a deterioration were those with pre-existing morbidity and those who were caring for others as informal carers

Charge Solitons in 1-D Arrays of Serially Coupled Josephson Junctions

We study a 1-D array of Josephson coupled superconducting grains with kinetic inductance which dominates over the Josephson inductance. In this limit the dynamics of excess Cooper pairs in the array is described in terms of charge solitons, created by polarization of the grains. We analyze the dynamics of these topological excitations, which are dual to the fluxons in a long Josephson junction, using the continuum sine-Gordon model. We find that their classical relativistic motion leads to saturation branches in the I-V characteristic of the array. We then discuss the semi-classical quantization of the charge soliton, and show that it is consistent with the large kinetic inductance of the array. We study the dynamics of a quantum charge soliton in a ring-shaped array biased by an external flux through its center. If the dephasing length of the quantum charge soliton is larger than the circumference of the array, quantum phenomena like persistent current and coherent current oscillations are expected. As the characteristic width of the charge soliton is of the order of 100 microns, it is a macroscopic quantum object. We discuss the dephasing mechanisms which can suppress the quantum behaviour of the charge soliton.Comment: 26 pages, LaTex, 7 Postscript figure

Nisbah Sinkronisasi Suplai N-Protein dan Energi dalam Rumen Sebagai Basis Formulasi Ransum Ternak Ruminansia

The experiment was conducted to determine the optimum synchronization ratio of N-protein and fermented organic matter (OM) in the rumen for the purpose of ration formulation for ruminant animals, in order to improve efficiency of rumen microbial N synthesis and feed efficiency. Nylon bag technique was adopted to determine ruminal characteristic of protein and OM degradation of feedstuffs (forage and concentrate diet) for which the synchronized index of N-protein and fermented OM in the rumen might be determined. By randomized block design, twelve local cattle were arranged to four groups. Each group was fed three types of diet that was different in synchronization ratio of supplying N-protein and fermented OM in the rumen, namely 20 g N/kg OM (R20); 25 g N /kg OM (R25); and 30 g N /kg MO (R30). The diets had iso-energy and iso-protein contents and had the same synchronization index. The results showed that the type of diet had no effect (P>0.05) on intake and digestibility of nutrients, N retention, average daily gain (ADG), and feed efficiency. But R20 had better parameter values than those of R25 and R30. It might be concluded that the diet having a synchronization ratio of 20 g N/kg fermented OM in the rumen will generate more efficient protein synthesis of rumen microbes and feed efficiency. Key words: synchronization index, microbial protein synthesis, ruminal characteristi

Menopausal hormone use and ovarian cancer risk: individual participant meta-analysis of 52 epidemiological studies.

BACKGROUND: Half the epidemiological studies with information about menopausal hormone therapy and ovarian cancer risk remain unpublished, and some retrospective studies could have been biased by selective participation or recall. We aimed to assess with minimal bias the effects of hormone therapy on ovarian cancer risk. METHODS: Individual participant datasets from 52 epidemiological studies were analysed centrally. The principal analyses involved the prospective studies (with last hormone therapy use extrapolated forwards for up to 4 years). Sensitivity analyses included the retrospective studies. Adjusted Poisson regressions yielded relative risks (RRs) versus never-use. FINDINGS: During prospective follow-up, 12 110 postmenopausal women, 55% (6601) of whom had used hormone therapy, developed ovarian cancer. Among women last recorded as current users, risk was increased even with <5 years of use (RR 1·43, 95% CI 1·31-1·56; p<0·0001). Combining current-or-recent use (any duration, but stopped <5 years before diagnosis) resulted in an RR of 1·37 (95% CI 1·29-1·46; p<0·0001); this risk was similar in European and American prospective studies and for oestrogen-only and oestrogen-progestagen preparations, but differed across the four main tumour types (heterogeneity p<0·0001), being definitely increased only for the two most common types, serous (RR 1·53, 95% CI 1·40-1·66; p<0·0001) and endometrioid (1·42, 1·20-1·67; p<0·0001). Risk declined the longer ago use had ceased, although about 10 years after stopping long-duration hormone therapy use there was still an excess of serous or endometrioid tumours (RR 1·25, 95% CI 1·07-1·46, p=0·005). INTERPRETATION: The increased risk may well be largely or wholly causal; if it is, women who use hormone therapy for 5 years from around age 50 years have about one extra ovarian cancer per 1000 users and, if its prognosis is typical, about one extra ovarian cancer death per 1700 users. FUNDING: Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK

Monola oil versus canola oil as a fish oil replacer in rainbow trout feeds: effects on growth, fatty acid metabolism and final eating quality

Monola oil, a high oleic acid canola cultivar, and canola oil were evaluated as replacers of 26 fish oil at three levels of inclusion (60, 75 and 90%) in rainbow trout diets. After a 27-week 27 grow-out cycle, the diet-induced effects on growth, fatty acid metabolism and final eating 28 quality were assessed. Overall, no effects were noted for growth, feed utilisation or fish 29 biometry, and the fatty acid composition of fish fillets mirrored that of the diets. Dietary 30 treatments affected fillet lipid oxidation (free malondialdehyde), pigmentation and flavour 31 volatile compounds, but only minor effects on sensorial attributes were detected. 32 Ultimately, both oils were demonstrated to possess, to differing extents, suitable qualities 33 to adequately replace fish oil from the perspective of fish performance and final product 34 quality. However, further research is required to alleviate on-going issues associated with 35 the loss of health promoting attributes (n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids) of final 36 farmed products

Macroscopic Quantum Tunneling of a Fluxon in a Long Josephson Junction

Macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) for a single fluxon moving along a long Josephson junction is studied theoretically. To introduce a fluxon-pinning force, we consider inhomogeneities made by modifying thickness of an insulating layer locally. Two different situations are studied: one is the quantum tunneling from a metastable state caused by a single inhomogeneity, and the other is the quantum tunneling in a two-state system made by two inhomogeneities. In the quantum tunneling from a metastable state, the decay rate is estimated within the WKB approximation. Dissipation effects on a fluxon dynamics are taken into account by the Caldeira-Leggett theory. We propose a device to observe quantum tunneling of a fluxon experimentally. Required experimental resolutions to observe MQT of a fluxon seem attainable within the presently available micro-fabrication technique. For the two-state system, we study quantum resonance between two stable states, i.e., macroscopic quantum coherence (MQC). From the estimate for dissipation coefficients due to quasiparticle tunneling, the observation of MQC appears to be possible within the Caldeira-Leggett theory.Comment: 30 pages LaTeX including 11 PS figures, using jpsj.sty. To be published on J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. Overestimates for damping amplitude is correcte

Body fatness and physical activity at young ages and the risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women

We examined the relationship between body fatness, sports participation and breast cancer risk in 1560 premenopausal cases and 1548 controls, from three related population-based case–control studies in the UK. Half of the women with breast cancer were aged less than 36 years at diagnosis. Women who perceived themselves as plump at age 10 years had a relative risk of 0.83 (95% confidence interval 0.69–0.99, P=0.03) as compared with those who perceived themselves as thin. Self-reported obesity compared with leanness at diagnosis was associated with a relative risk of 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.56–1.06, P=0.11). Women who reported having been plump at age 10 years and overweight or obese at diagnosis had a relative risk of 0.75 (95% confidence interval 0.56–1.01, P=0.06) as compared with those who reported being thin at age 10 years and at diagnosis. Findings for three related measures of body fatness suggested that obesity is associated with a reduced risk of premenopausal breast cancer. There was no association between sports participation and breast cancer risk in these premenopausal women. The relative risk for spending an average of more than 1 h per week in sports compared with less from ages 12 to 30 years was 1.00 (95% CI 0.86–1.16, P=0.98)

Josephson Coupling and Fiske Dynamics in Ferromagnetic Tunnel Junctions

We report on the fabrication of Nb/AlO_x/Pd_{0.82}Ni_{0.18}/Nb superconductor/insulator/ferromagnetic metal/superconductor (SIFS) Josephson junctions with high critical current densities, large normal resistance times area products, high quality factors, and very good spatial uniformity. For these junctions a transition from 0- to \pi-coupling is observed for a thickness d_F ~ 6 nm of the ferromagnetic Pd_{0.82}Ni_{0.18} interlayer. The magnetic field dependence of the \pi-coupled junctions demonstrates good spatial homogeneity of the tunneling barrier and ferromagnetic interlayer. Magnetic characterization shows that the Pd_{0.82}Ni_{0.18} has an out-of-plane anisotropy and large saturation magnetization, indicating negligible dead layers at the interfaces. A careful analysis of Fiske modes provides information on the junction quality factor and the relevant damping mechanisms up to about 400 GHz. Whereas losses due to quasiparticle tunneling dominate at low frequencies, the damping is dominated by the finite surface resistance of the junction electrodes at high frequencies. High quality factors of up to 30 around 200 GHz have been achieved. Our analysis shows that the fabricated junctions are promising for applications in superconducting quantum circuits or quantum tunneling experiments.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figure