Azzawi Dates (Phoenix dactylifera) as a Substitute for Corn as an Energy Source in Sheep Diet: In vitro Gas Production and Fermentation

In vitro gas production technique was used in the current study to evaluate Azzawi date (AD) as a substitute for corn grain (CG). The AD was used to replace corn grain at graded levels in the proportion: 0:100 (CG), 25:75 (AD25), 50:50 (AD50), 75:25 (AD75), and 100:0 (AD100). Gas production (GP) was continuously measured by incubating samples in buffered rumen fluid from cannulated sheep and it was recorded at 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48 and 72h of incubation. Cumulative GP, kinetics of GP (a, b and c), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentrations were determined, while metabolizable energy (ME), net energy (NE), organic matter digestibility (OMD), microbial protein (MP) were estimated. The gas volume was increased (P<0.05) at 12h with increasing the substitution levels of AD in the feed, the values ranged between 31.3 and 44.7 ml/200 mg DM. However, it was found to be decreased (P<0.05) at 48 and 72h with increasing substitution levels of AD. There were no differences in the gas production found at 24h. Data of VFA, NE, OMD and MP were similar (P>0.05) among the feeds. The energy (ME; MJ/kg DM) value of AD25 (10.4) and AD50 (10.3) were comparable to that of CG (10.5); however it was reduced (P<0.05) with AD75 and AD100. Data demonstrated that, Azzawi date at the level of 50 g/100g of substrate (i.e., AD50) may have similar energy contents as of corn grain, and it can be used as a source of energy in ruminant diets either alone or in combination with corn grain

Gene expression and maturation evaluation of sheep oocytes cultured in medium supplemented with natural antioxidant source

Any improvements in assisted reproduction techniques at experimental level are important in in vitro production of large animal and human embryos. The in vitro embryo production system includes three major steps, namely in vitro maturation of the primary oocytes, in vitro fertilization of the matured oocytes, and in vitro culture of presumptive embryos. The success of in vitro fertilization and embryo culture depends on the success of in vitro maturation. Fenugreek seed extract (FSE) is an important source of steroid hormones, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatories. This study aims to investigate the effect of FSE on the maturation progression, glutathione (GSH) concentration, and expression of certain genes controlling maturation such as growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9), transforming growth factor beta receptor 1 (TGFβR1), activin A receptor type II-like 1 (ACVRL1), hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2), C-Myc, B-cell leukaemia/lymphoma gene-2 (BCL-2), and BCL2-associated X protein (Bax) of matured sheep oocytes. To carry out this study, cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) aspirated from sheep ovaries were cultured in TCM-199 medium supplemented with various concentrations of FSE (0, 1 and 10 μg/mL). The results indicated that the mean values of matured oocytes were 65.2 compared with 47.8 in the control group. Concerning the candidate genes, expression was improved in oocytes matured with FSE when compared with oocytes cultured without extract. In conclusion, the addition of FSE to the maturation medium at 1 or 10 μg/mL concentrations improved the maturation of oocytes.Keywords: Fenugreek seed extract, in vitro maturation, maturation genes, oocytes, shee

Valorization of Caesalpinia coriaria Fruit Waste to Enhance the Ruminal Mitigation of Greenhouse Gases Production

La editorial tiene los derechos de autor y le solicito a hacer visibles la fecha técnica del artículo.The use of fruits waste from tanniniferous trees represents a new technology that aims to solve or mitigate greenhouse gases emission, and to increase the production of food of animal origin in an ecofriendly manner. This study aims to evaluate the production of methane and carbon dioxide, degradability by in vitro ruminal fermentation in goats diet supplemented with nuts (Caesalpinia coriaria Jacq. Willd.) for adoption by livestock farmers. Condensed tannins (CT) of C. coriaria inclusion rates were 0 (CT0 or control, no CT), 1.5 (CT1.5), 3.0 (CT3), 4.5 (CT4.5) and 6.0% (CT6) of the total mixed ration. All CT treatments reduced (linear, quadratic and cubic; P = 0.001) CH4, CO2 and H2 gases, and had some increasing effect on total biogas production. However, CT3 reduced greenhouse gases and had the highest biogas production. Addition of tannins from cascalote fruit waste (C. coriaria Jacq. Willd.) to goats diet at CT3 level reduced methane production, improved fermentation and ruminal degradability in vitro and has potential to be used as ecofriendly feed or feed additive

Solar Wind Turbulence and the Role of Ion Instabilities

International audienc

Self-help groups challenge health care systems in the US and UK

Purpose: This research considers how self-help groups (SHGs) and self- help organizations (SHOs) contribute to consumerist trends in two different societies: United States and United Kingdom. How do the health care systems and the voluntary sectors affect the kinds of social changes that SHGs/SHOs make? Methodology/approach: A review of research on the role of SHGs/SHOs in contributing to national health social movements in the UK and US was made. Case studies of the UK and the US compare the characteristics of their health care systems and their voluntary sector. Research reviews of two community level self-help groups in each country describe the kinds of social changes they made. Findings: The research review verified that SHGs/SHOs contribute to national level health social movements for patient consumerism. The case studies showed that community level SHGs/SHOs successfully made the same social changes but on a smaller scale as the national movements, and the health care system affects the kinds of community changes made. Research limitations: A limited number of SHGs/SHOs within only two societies were studied. Additional SHGs/SHOs within a variety of societies need to be studied. Originality/value of chapter Community SHGs/SHOs are often trivialized by social scientists as just inward-oriented support groups, but this chapter shows that local groups contribute to patient consumerism and social changes but in ways that depend on the kind of health care system and societal context

A search for the decay B+→K+ννˉB^+ \to K^+ \nu \bar{\nu}

We search for the rare flavor-changing neutral-current decay $B^+ \to K^+ \nu \bar{\nu}$ in a data sample of 82 fb$^{-1}$ collected with the {\sl BABAR} detector at the PEP-II B-factory. Signal events are selected by examining the properties of the system recoiling against either a reconstructed hadronic or semileptonic charged-B decay. Using these two independent samples we obtain a combined limit of ${\mathcal B}(B^+ \to K^+ \nu \bar{\nu})<5.2 \times 10^{-5}$ at the 90% confidence level. In addition, by selecting for pions rather than kaons, we obtain a limit of ${\mathcal B}(B^+ \to \pi^+ \nu \bar{\nu})<1.0 \times 10^{-4}$ using only the hadronic B reconstruction method.Comment: 7 pages, 8 postscript figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

High-reflectivity broadband distributed Bragg reflector lattice matched to ZnTe

We report on the realization of a high quality distributed Bragg reflector with both high and low refractive index layers lattice matched to ZnTe. Our structure is grown by molecular beam epitaxy and is based on binary compounds only. The high refractive index layer is made of ZnTe, while the low index material is made of a short period triple superlattice containing MgSe, MgTe, and ZnTe. The high refractive index step of Delta_n=0.5 in the structure results in a broad stopband and the reflectivity coefficient exceeding 99% for only 15 Bragg pairs.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010–19: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

BACKGROUND: Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. METHODS: The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk–outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. FINDINGS: Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4·45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4·01–4·94) deaths and 105 million (95·0–116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44·4% (41·3–48·4) of all cancer deaths and 42·0% (39·1–45·6) of all DALYs. There were 2·88 million (2·60–3·18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50·6% [47·8–54·1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1·58 million (1·36–1·84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36·3% [32·5–41·3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20·4% (12·6–28·4) and DALYs by 16·8% (8·8–25·0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34·7% [27·9–42·8] and 33·3% [25·8–42·0]). INTERPRETATION: The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden