Viscosity of dietary fibre in relation to lipid digestibility in broiler chickens

The aim of the thesis was to identify the physicochemical properties of nonstarch polysaccharides (NSPs) that are most relevant to the nutrition of the broiler chicken. More specifically, the mechanisms by which fibre viscosity can affect lipid digestibility in broiler chickens have been investigated in a series of experiments. The effect of fibre viscosity per se was investigated by using carboxymethylcelluloses (CMC) with varying viscosity. The CMC types were non-fermentable in vitro . Fibre viscosity per se depressed the digestibility of lipids, protein and starch in broiler chickens fed diets containing CMC with varying viscosity. The effect of fibre viscosity on lipid digestibility was dependent on the type of fat. The digestibility of animal fat that was predominantly composed of saturated long chain fatty acids was depressed, whereas there was no effect on the digestibility of soyabean oil or coconut oil. The reduction in lipid digestibility coincided with a reduced bile salt concentration and raised microbial numbers in the small intestine. CMC did not affect the condition of the small intestinal mucosa. The morphological parameters indicated that the condition of the mucosa was even improved in CMC fed birds. A study with germfree rats and rats with a specific pathogen free intestinal flora revealed that the effect of CMC on lipid digestibility is mediated, at least partially, by the intestinal flora. it was concluded that the small intestinal microflora can mediate the antinutritive effect of fibre viscosity on lipid digestibility in broiler chickens. Moreover, it was proposed that a reduction in bile salt concentration and bacterial transformation of bile salts reduces their efficacy to solubilise lipids. The results show that fibre viscosity is an important antinutritive property which should be taken into account in diet formulation for broiler chickens

Does windowhood affect memory performance of older persons?

BACKGROUND: The loss of a spouse has been found to have a negative effect on physical and mental health and leads to increased mortality. Whether conjugal bereavement also affects memory functioning has largely been unexamined. The present study investigates the effect of widowhood on memory functioning in older persons. METHOD: The sample consisted of 474 married women and 690 married men aged 60-85 years in 1992, followed up in 1995 and 1998. During the study 135 (28%) of the women and 69 (10%) of the men lost their spouse. Linear regression analysis was used to examine whether widowed men and women differed from those who had not been widowed in rate of memory change over 6 years. Cross-domain latent-change models were subsequently used to evaluate the extent to which changes in memory are related to changes in other domains of functioning that may be affected by widowhood. RESULTS: Older adults who lost a spouse during follow-up showed a greater decline in memory over 6 years than those who remained married. A higher level of depressive symptoms at baseline was related to lower levels of memory functioning and a greater decline. Memory decline was unrelated to changes in depressive symptoms and physical health. CONCLUSIONS: Loss of the spouse is related to a greater decline in memory in older adults. The absence of an association with physical functioning and the weak association with mental functioning suggest that losing a spouse has an independent effect on memory functionin

Met andere ogen: zorgverbetering en borging in het project Zorg voor Beter Regionaal

__Abstract__ Hoe kunnen we verbeteringen in de langdurende zorg borgen en verspreiden? Dat was een vraag die voortkwam uit de verbetertrajecten uit het landelijke verbeterprogramma voor de langdurende zorg Zorg voor Beter (ZvB). In het project ZvB Regionaal werd de ontwikkelde methode om valpreventie te verhogen in een regionale, door hbo-studenten ondersteunde opzet toegepast. Wij onderzochten hoe de toegevoegde strategieën uitwerkten en of en hoe zorgverbetering gerealiseerd is. Een van de belangrijkste uitkomsten is dat zorgmedewerkers leren valrisico’s van hun cliënten en risico’s in de woonomgeving van hun cliënten beter te zien. Zij leerden zelf toezicht te houden op hun werkpraktijk doordat zij gingen ‘kijken met andere ogen’

Sustainable care improvement programs supported by undergraduate health care education

Background: The Care for Better Region program was developed to achieve sustainable care improvement focusing onfall prevention. Key ingredients involved improvement teams developing and implementing a falls reduction plan, PracticeDevelopment; facilitation of improvement teams by lecturers and undergraduate health care students; an implementation phase.This study evaluates the impact of this program on: (1) the number of falls incidents, and (2) the sustainability

Phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 is associated to poor outcome on tamoxifen therapy in recurrent breast cancer

In a previous study, we detected a significant association between phosphoserine aminotransferase 1 (PSAT1) hyper-methylation and mRNA levels to outcome to tamoxifen treatment in recurrent disease. We here aimed to study the association of PSAT1 protein levels to outcome upon tamoxifen treatment and to obtain more insight in its role in tamoxifen resistance. A cohort of ER positive, hormonal therapy naïve primary breast carcinomas was immunohistochemically (IHC) stained for PSAT1. Staining was analyzed for association with patient's time to progression (TTP) and overall response on first-line tamoxifen for recurrent disease. PSAT1 mRNA levels were also assessed by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR; n = 161) and Affymetrix GeneChip (n = 155). Association of PSAT1 to biological pathways on tamoxifen outcome were assessed by global test. PSAT1 protein and mRNA levels were significantly associated to poor outcome to tamoxifen treatment. When comparing PSAT1

Does functional diversity increase effectiveness of community care teams?

As interprofessional collaboration becomes more commonplace in health and social care, both scholars and practitioners are searching for ways to make the most out of functionally diverse teams. Earlier research has shown that the presence of different functional backgrounds may lead teams to perform better, because they have a larger pool of knowledge and experience to draw from. Other studies show, however, that functional diversity increases categorization, reduces team cohesion, and complicates interpersonal communication, thereby reducing performance. It remains unclear under which conditions positive or negative outcomes may occur. The present research tested the influence of functional diversity on team identity, team performance, and client satisfaction, and examined factors which may moderate these relationships. Based on earlier studies in this specific context, we focused on three team processes as possible moderators: shared vision, interaction frequency, and team reflexivity. In a survey among health and social care professionals working in community care teams in the Netherlands (n = 167), all three are shown to moderate the relationship between functional diversity and team effectiveness. In the absence of these processes, functional diversity appears to reduce team outcomes, whereas when these processes are present, the relationships are positive. In sum, in order for community care teams to reap the benefits of functional diversity, it is essential that members develop a shared vision, interact frequently, and practice team reflexivity