What Roughage for Dairy Calves

A good-quality, mixed legume-grass hay has generally been recommended Iowa State College results show that high-quality roughage is important with a good starter. Calves did well on timothy but better on alfalfa

Comparison of haematological parameters determined by the Sysmex KX - 2IN automated haematology analyzer and the manual counts

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study was designed to determine the correlation between heamatological parameters by Sysmex KX-21N automated hematology analyzer with the manual methods.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Sixty (60) subjects were randomly selected from both apparently healthy subjects and those who have different blood disorders from the University of Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria. Three (3)mls of venous blood sample was collected aseptically from each subject into tri-potassium ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid (K₃EDTA) for the analysis of haematological parameters using the automated and the manual methods.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The blood film report by the manual method showed that 50% of the subjects were normocytic-normochromic while the other 50% revealed different abnormal blood pictures. Also, there were statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in mean cell hemoglobin concentrations (MCHC) between the two methods. Similarly, the mean (S.E) values of hemoglobin, packed cell volume, platelet and total white cell counts demonstrated statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) and correlated positively when both methods were compared.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>From the present study, it can be concluded that the automated hematology analyzer readings correlated well with readings by the standard manual method, although the latter method gave additional diagnostic information on the blood pictures. While patients' care and laboratory operations could be optimized by using manual microscopic examination as a reflective substitute for automated methods, usage of automated method would ease our workload and save time for patients.</p

Aldosterone and the mineralocorticoid receptor in renal injury: A potential therapeutic target in feline chronic kidney disease

There is a growing body of experimental and clinical evidence supporting mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activation as a powerful mediator of renal damage in laboratory animals and humans. Multiple pathophysiological mechanisms are proposed, with the strongest evidence supporting aldosterone‐induced vasculopathy, exacerbation of oxidative stress and inflammation, and increased growth factor signalling promoting fibroblast proliferation and deranged extracellular matrix homeostasis. Further involvement of the MR is supported by extensive animal model experiments where MR antagonists (such as spironolactone and eplerenone) abrogate renal injury, including ischaemia‐induced damage. Additionally, clinical trials have shown MR antagonists to be beneficial in human chronic kidney disease (CKD) in terms of reducing proteinuria and cardiovascular events, though current studies have not evaluated primary end points which allow conclusions to made about whether MR antagonists reduce mortality or slow CKD progression. Although differences between human and feline CKD exist, feline CKD shares many characteristics with human disease including tubulointerstitial fibrosis. This review evaluates the evidence for the role of the MR in renal injury and summarizes the literature concerning aldosterone in feline CKD. MR antagonists may represent a promising therapeutic strategy in feline CKD

Negative pressure wound therapy: Potential publication bias caused by lack of access to unpublished study results data

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is widely applied, although the evidence base is weak. Previous reviews on medical interventions have shown that conclusions based on published data alone may no longer hold after consideration of unpublished data. The main objective of this study was to identify unpublished randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on NPWT within the framework of a systematic review.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>RCTs comparing NPWT with conventional wound therapy were identified using MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and The Cochrane Library. Every database was searched from inception to May 2005. The search was updated in December 2006. Reference lists of original articles and systematic reviews, as well as congress proceedings and online trial registers, were screened for clues to unpublished RCTs. Manufacturers of NPWT devices and authors of conference abstracts were contacted and asked to provide study information. Trials were considered nonrandomised if concealment of allocation to treatment groups was classified as "inadequate". The study status was classified as "completed", "discontinued", "ongoing" or "unclear". The publication status of completed or discontinued RCTs was classified as "published" if a full-text paper on final study results (completed trials) or interim results (discontinued trials) was available, and "unpublished" if this was not the case. The type of sponsorship was also noted for all trials.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 28 RCTs referring to at least 2755 planned or analysed patients met the inclusion criteria: 13 RCTs had been completed, 6 had been discontinued, 6 were ongoing, and the status of 3 RCTs was unclear. Full-text papers were available on 30% of patients in the 19 completed or discontinued RCTs (495 analysed patients in 10 published RCTs vs. 1154 planned patients in 9 unpublished RCTs). Most information about conference abstracts and unpublished study information referring to trials that were unpublished at the time these documents were generated was obtained from the manufacturer Kinetic Concepts Inc. (KCI) (19 RCTs), followed by The Cochrane Library (18) and a systematic review (15). We were able to obtain some information on the methods of unpublished RCTs, but results data were either not available or requests for results data were not answered; the results of unpublished RCTs could therefore not be considered in the review. One manufacturer, KCI, sponsored the majority of RCTs (19/28; 68%). The sponsorship of the remaining trials was unclear.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Multi-source comprehensive searches identify unpublished RCTs. However, lack of access to unpublished study results data raises doubts about the completeness of the evidence base on NPWT.</p

The Self-Selection of Democracies into Treaty Design: Insights from International Environmental Agreements

Generally, democratic regime type is positively associated with participating in international environmental agreements. In this context, this study focuses on the legal nature of an agreement, which is linked to audience costs primarily at the domestic level that occur in case of non-compliance and are felt especially by democracies. Eventually, more legalized (\hard-law") treaties make compliance potentially more challenging and democratic leaders may anticipate the corresponding audience costs, which decreases the likelihood that democracies select themselves into such treaties. The empirical implication of our theory follows that environmental agreements with a larger share of democratic members are less likely to be characterized by hard law. This claim is tested using quantitative data on global environmental treaties. The results strongly support our argument, shed new light on the relationship between participation in international agreements and the form of government, and also have implications for the \words-deeds" debate in international environmental policy-making

Bypass versus Angioplasty in Severe Ischaemia of the Leg (BASIL) trial: An intention-to-treat analysis of amputation-free and overall survival in patients randomized to a bypass surgery-first or a balloon angioplasty-first revascularization strategy

BackgroundA 2005 interim analysis of the Bypass versus Angioplasty in Severe Ischaemia of the Leg (BASIL) trial showed that in patients with severe lower limb ischemia (SLI; rest pain, ulceration, gangrene) due to infrainguinal disease, bypass surgery (BSX)-first and balloon angioplasty (BAP)-first revascularization strategies led to similar short-term clinical outcomes, although BSX was about one-third more expensive and morbidity was higher. We have monitored patients for a further 2.5 years and now report a final intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis of amputation-free survival (AFS) and overall survival (OS).MethodsOf 452 enrolled patients in 27 United Kingdom hospitals, 228 were randomized to a BSX-first and 224 to a BAP-first revascularization strategy. All patients were monitored for 3 years and more than half for >5 years.ResultsAt the end of follow-up, 250 patients were dead (56%), 168 (38%) were alive without amputation, and 30 (7%) were alive with amputation. Four were lost to follow-up. AFS and OS did not differ between randomized treatments during the follow-up. For those patients surviving 2 years from randomization, however, BSX-first revascularization was associated with a reduced hazard ratio (HR) for subsequent AFS of 0.85 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5-1.07; P = .108) and for subsequent OS of 0.61 (95% CI, 0.50-0.75; P = .009) in an adjusted, time-dependent Cox proportional hazards model. For those patients who survived for 2 years after randomization, initial randomization to a BSX-first revascularization strategy was associated with an increase in subsequent restricted mean overall survival of 7.3 months (95% CI, 1.2-13.4 months, P = .02) and an increase in restricted mean AFS of 5.9 months (95% CI, 0.2-12.0 months, P = .06) during the subsequent mean follow-up of 3.1 years (range, 1-5.7 years).ConclusionsOverall, there was no significant difference in AFS or OS between the two strategies. However, for those patients who survived for at least 2 years after randomization, a BSX-first revascularization strategy was associated with a significant increase in subsequent OS and a trend towards improved AFS

Essays in education and health economics

This thesis is comprised of three independent chapters. The first chapter identifies the effect of peer ability on a student\u27s effort choice and academic performance, while the second chapter identifies how the between and across effects of peer ability on academic performance varies. The third chapter identifies the effect that unemployment benefits have on individual\u27s alcohol use and abuse following job loss. In the first chapter, I identify the effect that peer ability has not only on a student\u27s academic performance but also on their effort choice as measured by hours of study; the latter of which is absent from the literature. The paper estimates these effects for exogenous peer group changes arising from school consolidations that create a set of non-carryover peers. We find the average effect of a change in the ability of non-carryover peers to be significantly positive on both a student\u27s academic performance and hours studied per week. Unlike previous literature this paper emphasizes theoretically and empirically the how the relative ability position impacts the effect of peer ability. Consistent with the theoretical predictions the effect of peer ability on academic performance is found to be positive for students of any relative ability position, but greatest for those closest to their median peer, and decreasing as their relative ability moves away from this position. Also consistent with the theoretical predictions the effect of peer ability on hours studied is found to be negative for student\u27s of the lowest relative ability, and greatest for those of the highest relative ability, which is a finding that is absent from the previous literature. In the second chapter, the effect of the ability of different racial groups on a student\u27s academic performance, and how this varies with the student\u27s own race is identified. Results show that a student\u27s academic performance is affected more by same race peers as opposed to different race peers. Furthermore, this paper identifies how inter and intra race effects of peer ability are impacted by the racial composition of the school or peer group, which is not present in the current literature. Estimates show that that effect of peer ability from same race peers is greater when the student belongs to a racial group that is the minority of the student\u27s school or peer group. Additionally, effects become even more pronounced for students belonging to a minority group in an environment with a strong majority. The results highlight the role race plays between peers, and suggests that instructors and administrators should be aware of the dynamics that exist between racial groups within the classroom. The final essay, written jointly with Brittany Teahan, investigates potential unintended consequences of unemployment insurance (UI) policy on alcohol use and abuse. Using NLSY data supplemented with Geocode data, we estimate the effect of benefit replacement rates on changes in individual alcohol consumption following job loss. Identification relies on variation in replacement rates across states and over time. We find evidence that income effects from increased benefits dominate potential stress reducing benefits of UI. Moreover, we find that increased benefits increase the likelihood an individual abuses alcohol following job loss. Individuals\u27 responsiveness to changes in replacement rates varies based on drinking history. We find that individuals with no history of alcohol abuse are the most sensitive to changes in UI policy