Dietary supplementation of Ficus hookeri leaves as herbal feed additive affects nutrient utilization and growth performances in growing crossbred calves

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of Da qing shu (Ficus hookeri) leaf meal as herbal feed additive on nutrients utilization and growth performance of growing crossbred calves. Ten Jersey male cross-bred calves (~ 4 months of age) were divided equally into two groups (G1 and G2) and were fed ad lib. under stall feeding on a paddy straw based mixed ration consisting of 50% paddy straw and 50% concentrate mixture for a duration of 140 days. Two types (C1 and C2) of iso-nitrogenous concentrate mixtures were prepared. Four per cent (w/w) wheat bran in concentrate mixture (C2) of test group (G2) was replaced by sun dried ground Ficus hookeri leaf meal. Experimental calves of test group (G2) were fed Ficus hookeri leaf meal @ 2% of the diet. Daily dry matter intake (g/d) was similar among the calves of two experimental groups. Apparent digestibility of DM, OM, NDF, ADF and cellulose improved in the Ficus hookeri leaf meal fed calves (G2). DCP value of the ration was similar while, TDN value of the ration was higher in the calves of Ficus hookeri leaf meal supplemented group (G2). However, plane of nutrition among the calves of both experimental groups was similar. Average finishing body weight, daily body weight gain, feed conversion efficiency and blood glucose level were higher in Ficus hookeri leaf fed calves (G2). Therefore, it may be concluded from the results of the study that dietary supplementation of Da qing shu (Ficus hookeri) leaf meal as herbal feed additive @ 2% of total mixed diet significantly improved the fibre digestibility, average daily body weight gain and feed conversion efficiency in growing Jersey male crossbred calves

Ficus hookeri tree leaves as herbal feed additives to enhance ruminal fermentation and reduced protozoal population in growing crossbred cattle

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of Ficus hookeri leaf meal as herbal feed additive on rumen protozoal population, enzyme profile and fermentation characteristics in growing crossbred calves. Ten growing male crossbred (Jersey × Tharparker) calves with similar initial body weight of 91.8+1.37 kg, were randomly divided into two equal groups (T1 and T2) and fed individually under stall feeding for 140 days on a mixed ration containing rice straw and concentrate mixture in 50:50 ratio. Two types (C1 and C2) of iso-nitrogenous concentrate mixtures were prepared. Wheat bran in concentrate mixture (C2) of test group (T2) was partially replaced (4 parts w/w) with Ficus hookeri leaf meal. Daily dry matter intake between two experimental groups was similar. Rumen pH, NH3-N concentration and total rumen protozoal population decreased while ruminal TVFA and propionic acid production increased due to dietary supplementation of Ficus hookeri leaf meal as herbal feed additive. Activity of carboxymethyl cellulase, xylanase and b-glucosidase enzymes were significantly higher in the rumen liquor of calves fed Ficus hookeri leaf meal. It could be concluded that dietary supplementation of Ficus hookeri leaf meals as herbal feed additive have a potential for reducing rumen protozoal population and ammonia nitrogen concentration with improving ruminal TVFA and propionate production in growing crossbred calves

Improved control strategy of DFIG-based wind turbines using direct torque and direct power control techniques

This paper presents different control strategies for a variable-speed wind energy conversion system (WECS), based on a doubly fed induction generator. Direct Torque Control (DTC) with Space-Vector Modulation is used on the rotor side converter. This control method is known to reduce the fluctuations of the torque and flux at low speeds in contrast to the classical DTC, where the frequency of switching is uncontrollable. The reference for torque is obtained from the maximum power point tracking technique of the wind turbine. For the grid-side converter, a fuzzy direct power control is proposed for the control of the instantaneous active and reactive power. Simulation results of the WECS are presented to compare the performance of the proposed and classical control approaches.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Implementation of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) testing for Plasmodium vivax case management, a mixed method study from Cambodia

Plasmodium vivax remains a challenge for malaria elimination since it forms dormant liver stages (hypnozoites) that can reactivate after initial infection. 8-aminoquinolone drugs kill hypnozoites but can cause severe hemolysis in individuals with Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. The STANDARD G6PD test (Biosensor) is a novel point-of-care diagnostic capable of identifying G6PD deficiency prior to treatment. In 2021, Cambodia implemented the Biosensor to facilitate radical cure treatment for vivax malaria. To assess the Biosensor’s implementation after its national rollout, a mixed-methods study was conducted in eight districts across three provinces in Cambodia. Interviews, focus group discussions, and observations explored stakeholders’ experiences with G6PD testing and factors influencing its implementation. Quantitative data illustrative of test implementation were gathered from routine surveillance forms and key proportions derived. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The main challenge to implementing G6PD testing was that only 49.2% (437/888) of eligible patients reached health centers for G6PD testing following malaria diagnosis by community health workers. Factors influencing this included road conditions and long distances to the health center, compounded by the cost of seeking further care and patients’ perceptions of vivax malaria and its treatment. 93.9% (790/841) of eligible vivax malaria patients who successfully completed referral (429/434) and directly presented to the health center (360/407) were G6PD tested. Key enabling factors included the test’s acceptability among health workers and their understanding of the rationale for testing. Only 36.5% (443/1213) of eligible vivax episodes appropriately received primaquine. 70.5% (165/234) of female patients and all children under 20 kilograms never received primaquine. Our findings suggest that access to radical cure requires robust infrastructure and income security, which would likely improve referral rates to health centers enabling access. Bringing treatment closer to patients, through community health workers and nuanced community engagement, would improve access to curative treatment of vivax malaria

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PATIENTS WITH SHOULDER PROBLEMS

Amaç: Omuz ekleminden ve özellikle de eklem çevresindeki yumuşak dokulardan kökenalan problemler üst ekstremite ağrılarının en önemli nedenini oluşturur. Çalışmamızın amacıomuz ağrısı yakınması ile başvuran hastaların klinik özelliklerinin değerlendirilmesidir.Gereç ve yöntem: Omuz ağrısı yakınması ile başvuran 709 hastanın 744 omuzuretrospektif olarak değerlendirildi.Bulgular: Hastaların yaş ortalaması 55,16  10,88 yıl idi ve 395 hastada sağ, 279 hastadasol ve 35 hastada her iki omuz etkilenmişti. Vakaların %35,4'ünde travma öyküsü mevcuttu.Klinik ve radyolojik olarak yapılan değerlendirmelerde hastaların %45'inde subakromiyalsıkışma sendromu, %39,4'ünde rotator kaf rüptürü, %1,5'inde bisipital tendinit, %6,5'indeakromioklavikuler eklem dejenerasyonu, %2,2'sinde kalsifik tendinit, %5'inde donuk omuzve %0,4'ünde glenohumeral eklem artrozu saptandı. Subakromiyal sıkışma sendromu olanhastalar ile rotator kaf rüptürü olan hastaların karşılaştırılmasında rüptürü olan hastalarınyaş ortalamalarının daha yüksek ve "American Shoulder Elbow Score" (ASES) skorlarınındaha düşük olduğu ancak "Constant" skorları arasında herhangi bir fark olmadığı görüldü.Bu iki grup etiolojideki travma açısından değerlendirildiğinde rotator kaf rüptürü olan gruptatravma öyküsünün subakromiyal sıkışma sendromlu hastalara göre anlamlı olarak dahafazla olduğu ve travma öyküsünün rotator kafta rüptür riskini 2,9 kat arttırdığı görüldü.Sonuç: Omuz ağrısı nedenleri arasında rotator kaf sorunları çok önemli bir yer tutmaktadır.Travma ve yaş rotator kafta rüptür insidansını arttırmaktadır.Objective: Problems originating from the shoulder joint and periarticular soft tissues arethe most important causes of upper limb pain. The aim of this study was to investigate theclinical charactersitic patients.Material and method: Seven hundred forty-four shoulders 709 patients wereretrospectively studied.Results: The mean age of the patients was 55.16  10.88 years. Right shoulder wasinvolved in 395 patients, left in 279, and both shoulders in 35 patients. Thirty-five percenthad a history of trauma. According to clinical and radiological assessments, 45 % of patientswere diagnosed as subacromial impingement syndrome, 39.4 % roator cuff tears, 1.5 %bicipital tendinitis, 6.5 % degeneration of the acromioclavicular joint, 2.2 % calcific tendinitis,5 % frozen shoulder, and 0.4 % osteoarthritis of the glenohumeral joint. When the patientswith subacromial impingement syndrome were compared with the patients with rotator cuff tears, the mean age of the patients with rotator cuff tears was significantly higher andAmerican Shoulder Elbow Scores (ASES) were lower than the patients with subacromialimpingement syndrome. There were no significant differences between the Constant scores.Significantly more patients with rotator cuff tears had a history of trauma than patients withsubacromial impingement syndrome, and trauma increased the risk of rotator cuff tears 2.9times.Conclusion: Rotator cuff problems is one of the most common causes of shoulder painand functional limitations. Trauma and age are risk factors for rotator cuff rupture

Spread of artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

BACKGROUND: Artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum has emerged in Southeast Asia and now poses a threat to the control and elimination of malaria. Mapping the geographic extent of resistance is essential for planning containment and elimination strategies. METHODS: Between May 2011 and April 2013, we enrolled 1241 adults and children with acute, uncomplicated falciparum malaria in an open-label trial at 15 sites in 10 countries (7 in Asia and 3 in Africa). Patients received artesunate, administered orally at a daily dose of either 2 mg per kilogram of body weight per day or 4 mg per kilogram, for 3 days, followed by a standard 3-day course of artemisinin-based combination therapy. Parasite counts in peripheral-blood samples were measured every 6 hours, and the parasite clearance half-lives were determined. RESULTS: The median parasite clearance half-lives ranged from 1.9 hours in the Democratic Republic of Congo to 7.0 hours at the Thailand-Cambodia border. Slowly clearing infections (parasite clearance half-life >5 hours), strongly associated with single point mutations in the "propeller" region of the P. falciparum kelch protein gene on chromosome 13 (kelch13), were detected throughout mainland Southeast Asia from southern Vietnam to central Myanmar. The incidence of pretreatment and post-treatment gametocytemia was higher among patients with slow parasite clearance, suggesting greater potential for transmission. In western Cambodia, where artemisinin-based combination therapies are failing, the 6-day course of antimalarial therapy was associated with a cure rate of 97.7% (95% confidence interval, 90.9 to 99.4) at 42 days. CONCLUSIONS: Artemisinin resistance to P. falciparum, which is now prevalent across mainland Southeast Asia, is associated with mutations in kelch13. Prolonged courses of artemisinin-based combination therapies are currently efficacious in areas where standard 3-day treatments are failing. (Funded by the U.K. Department of International Development and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01350856.)

The temporal dynamics and infectiousness of subpatent Plasmodium falciparum infections in relation to parasite density

Malaria infections occurring below the limit of detection of standard diagnostics are common in all endemic settings. However, key questions remain surrounding their contribution to sustaining transmission and whether they need to be detected and targeted to achieve malaria elimination. In this study we analyse a range of malaria datasets to quantify the density, detectability, course of infection and infectiousness of subpatent infections. Asymptomatically infected individuals have lower parasite densities on average in low transmission settings compared to individuals in higher transmission settings. In cohort studies, subpatent infections are found to be predictive of future periods of patent infection and in membrane feeding studies, individuals infected with subpatent asexual parasite densities are found to be approximately a third as infectious to mosquitoes as individuals with patent (asexual parasite) infection. These results indicate that subpatent infections contribute to the infectious reservoir, may be long lasting, and require more sensitive diagnostics to detect them in lower transmission settings