Chronic Stress, Sense of Belonging, and Depression Among Survivors of Traumatic Brain Injury

To test whether chronic stress, interpersonal relatedness, and cognitive burden could explain depression after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design : A nonprobability sample of 75 mild-to-moderately injured TBI survivors and their significant others, were recruited from five TBI day-rehabilitation programs. All participants were within 2 years of the date of injury and were living in the community. Methods : During face-to-face interviews, demographic information, and estimates of brain injury severity were obtained and participants completed a cognitive battery of tests of directed attention and short-term memory, responses to the Perceived Stress Scale, Interpersonal Relatedness Inventory, Sense of Belonging Instrument, Neurobehavioral Functioning Inventory, and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale;. Findings : Chronic stress was significantly and positively related to post-TBI depression. Depression and postinjury sense of belonging were negatively related. Social support and results from the cognitive battery did not explain depression. Conclusions : Postinjury chronic stress and sense of belonging were strong predictors of post-injury depression and are variables amenable to interventions by nurses in community health, neurological centers, or rehabilitation clinics. Future studies are needed to examine how these variables change over time during the recovery process.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72593/1/j.1547-5069.2002.00221.x.pd

Effects of Morinda citrifolia on growth performance and health of high-risk calves

Bovine respiratory disease continues to be the most costly disease affecting productivity and profitability in the stocker segment. Long-acting injectable antimicrobials are presently used to reduce the incidence and severity of bovine respiratory disease. However, future use of antimicrobial treatment may be significantly curtailed in light of an increasing negative perception of antibiotic usage in food animals by consumers and governmental agencies. Consequently, preconditioning and enhanced nutrition programs that may include nutraceuticals could become more prevalent. MorindaMax (Morinda International, Provo, UT) is a natural product manufactured from the Morinda citrifolia fruit (i.e., Noni). Published literature suggests this plant extract has a broad range of immune-enhancing effects, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, and anti-tumor effects

Effects of prepartum ruminally protected choline supplementation on performance of beef cows and calves

Beef Cattle Research, 2011 is known as Cattlemen’s Day, 2011Prepartum supplementation of spring-calving beef cows is a vital part of cow-calf enterprises, often affecting subsequent reproductive success. Most research in the area of prepartum supplementation has focused on provision of either energy or protein; only modest attention has been given to the use of supplemental micronutrients. One such micronutrient is choline. Choline is classified generally as a B vitamin and is an essential nutrient. Phosphatidylcholine and other choline-containing lipids maintain the structural integrity of cellular membranes and play a vital role in metabolism of dietary fat. Choline-containing phospholipids are also important precursors for intracellular-messenger molecules and cell-signaling molecules critical to the reproductive process. Choline is commonly found in feedstuffs and forages but is highly degradable in the rumen. For choline supply to be increased effectively, it must be offered in a form that is resistant to ruminal digestion. This can be achieved by encapsulating choline in lipid. Therefore, the objective of our study was to evaluate the effect of prepartum ruminally protected choline supplementation on cow and calf performance