Effects of dietary mannanoligosaccharide on performance of Japanese quail affected by aflatoxicosis

The potential of the yeast component, mannanoligosaccharide (MOS) to ameliorate the effects of aflatoxicosis was examined in growing Japanese quail. The product was incorporated in the diet at 1 g/kg and was evaluated for its ability to reduce the deleterious effects of 2 mg total aflatoxin (AF; 82.30% AFB1, 2.06% AFB2, 7.68% AFG1 and 7.96% AFG2)/kg diet on Japanese quail chicks from 10 to 45 days of age. Forty 10-d old Japanese quail chicks were assigned in a 2x2 factorial arrangement of treatments to four groups (Control, AF, MOS, AF plus MOS), each consisting of 10 quails. The addition of AF alone significantly decreased feed consumption and body weight gain from the first week onwards. A significant adverse effect of AF on the feed conversion ratio was also observed from week 4 onwards. The addition of MOS to the AF-containing diet significantly reduced these adverse effects of AF on feed consumption, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. The cumulative body weight gain was 22.0% lower in the quails consuming a diet containing AF without MOS as compared to the control group. However, it was only 2.3% lower that the control in the birds fed the diet containing the AF plus MOS. Key Words: Aflatoxin, Mannanoligosaccharide, Quail, Preventive effect South African Journal of Animal Science Vol.34(3) 2004: 144-14

Outcome of a risk-related therapeutic strategy used prospectively in a population-based study of Hodgkin's lymphoma in adolescents

The aim was to assess outcome in a population-based cohort of adolescents with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) diagnosed in the UK's northern region over a 10-year period. Among a population of 3.09 million, 55 of 676 patients (8%) diagnosed with HL were aged 13–19. Seven had nodular lymphocyte-predominant HL, 48 classical HL (cHL). Of the latter, 36 were ⩾16 years. Application of the Scottish and Newcastle Lymphoma Group (SNLG) prognostic index meant 21 patients were considered high risk (index ⩾0.5). They received PVACEBOP multi-agent chemotherapy as primary therapy. Standard risk patients (SNLG index <0.5) were treated with standard ChlVPP or ABVD chemotherapy±radiotherapy. Scottish and Newcastle Lymphoma Group indexing is not valid for patients under 16. Twelve patients therefore received UKCCSG protocols (n=8), ABVD plus radiotherapy (n=2), or PVACEBOP (n=2). Forty-six patients with cHL (96%) achieved complete remission. Seven patients relapsed but all entered complete remission after salvage therapy. Five patients died: three of HL, one in an accident and one of disseminated varicella complicating cystic fibrosis. Five- and 10-year overall survival was 93 and 86%, respectively; disease-specific survival was 95 and 92%. The data suggest that older adolescents with high-risk HL require intensive protocols as primary therapy to secure optimal outcome

Variations between women and men in risk factors, treatments, cardiovascular disease incidence, and death in 27 high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries (PURE): A prospective cohort study

Some studies, mainly from high-income countries (HICs), report that women receive less care (investigations and treatments) for cardiovascular disease than do men and might have a higher risk of death. However, very few studies systematically report risk factors, use of primary or secondary prevention medications, incidence of cardiovascular disease, or death in populations drawn from the community. Given that most cardiovascular disease occurs in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), there is a need for comprehensive information comparing treatments and outcomes between women and men in HICs, middle-income countries, and low-income countries from community-based population studies. Methods: In the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiological study (PURE), individuals aged 35–70 years from urban and rural communities in 27 countries were considered for inclusion

Axillary mononeuropathy after herpes zoster infection misdiagnosed as neuropathic pain

PMID = 3078524

Infectious disease consultations and antibiotic usage in a Turkish university hospital

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the various features of infectious disease (ID) consultations and the usage of antibiotics in a Turkish university hospital