Djelotvornost komercijalne biljne mješavine u liječenju i kontroli kokcidioze peradi

Coccidiosis, a protozoal disease caused by a species of the Eimeria genus, causes tremendous economic damage to the poultry industry. Numerous natural remedies have been developed to combat emerging drug-resistant Eimeria species and mitigate public concerns about anticoccidial drug residues in poultry products. In the current study, the anticoccidial efficacy was evaluated of a commercial mixed botanical product, administered in two concentrations, in the treatment and control of a mixed coccidian infection. In this respect, 120 newly hatched broiler chickens were randomly allocated into five equal groups: Cox500, Cox1000, Positive control (PC), Negative control (NC), and Control (C). The first three groups were exposed to oocysts of several Eimeria species, Cox500 and Cox1000, and then received the two concentrations of a botanical blend (500 and 1,000 ml of formula per 1,000 L of drinking water, respectively) for five consecutive days. The positive control also received toltrazuril (7 mg/kg of live weight) through drinking water for two consecutive days. The negative control and control were the challenged-unmedicated and unchallenged-unmedicated groups, respectively. The chicks were monitored for clinical signs, intestinal lesions, performance indices, and oocyst shedding. The results indicated that the tested botanical formula in both concentrations improved the growth performance of the birds. However, the higher concentration prompted lower oocyst shedding and, likewise, toltrazuril in the positive control, healed cecal lesions more rapidly. In summary, the blended botanical formula, particularly in the higher concentration (1,000 ml per 1,000 L of drinking water), could successfully be incorporated into therapeutic strategies against coccidiosis in broiler flocks.Kokcidioza, protozoarna bolest uzrokovana vrstom parazita iz roda Eimeria, uzrokuje veliku gospodarsku štetu u peradarskoj industriji. Razvijen je niz prirodnih pripravaka za borbu protiv novih vrsta Eimeria otpornih na lijekove i ublažavanje zabrinutosti javnosti u pogledu rezidua antikokcidijskih lijekova u proizvodima od peradi. U ovom istraživanju procijenjena je antikokcidijska djelotvornost komercijalne biljne mješavine, primijenjene u dvije koncentracije, za liječenje i kontrolu miješane infekcije kokcidijama. S tom svrhom, 120 novoizvaljenih brojlera nasumično je raspoređeno u pet jednakih skupina: Cox500, Cox1000, pozitivna kontrola (PC), negativna kontrola (NC) i kontrola (C). Prve dvije skupine, Cox500 i Cox1000, bile su izložene oocistima nekoliko vrsta Eimeria, a zatim su primile dvije koncentracije biljne mješavine (500 odnosno 1000 ml formule na 1000 L vode za piće) tijekom pet uzastopnih dana. PC skupina također je dobivala toltrazuril (7 mg/kg žive tjelesne mase) putem vode za piće, dva uzastopna dana. NC skupina je poslužila kao skupina s izazvanom-neliječenom kokcidiozom a C skupina kao skupina s neizazvanom-neliječenom kokcidiozom. Kod pilića su nadzirani klinički znakovi, crijevne lezije, pokazatelji proizvodnosti i izlučivanje oocista. Rezultati su pokazali da je testirana biljna formula u obje koncentracije poboljšala pokazatelje rasta pilića. Veća koncentracija potaknula je manje izlučivanje oocista, dok je toltrazuril u PC skupini ubrzao cijeljenje lezija crijeva. Istražena biljna mješavina mogla bi se, posebno u višoj koncentraciji (1000 ml na 1000 L vode za piće), uspješno ugraditi u terapijske strategije protiv kokcidioze u jatima brojlera

Dynamic Effects of Moving Loads on the Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement Responses

In this paper, to analyze the Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement (JPCP), a 3-D dynamic model of the pavement was modeled using ABAQUS. Moving load with different speed and interaction between the Dowel bar and concrete has been considered in this research. The output for the strain in the joints has been validated with accurate experimental results. Research has shown that the finite element analysis, is an accurate and efficient method to model the interaction between the dowel bar and surrounding concrete. The results showed that with increasing the speed of moving load, the maximum strain in joints decreases. Such reduction is about 18% for the 20 ton axial load and the speed of 120 km/hr. relative to the speed of 32 km/hr. In addition, with increasing the axial load, the maximum strain in the joints increases. This increase is more for the lower speeds. In addition, it is found that decreasing the loading speed and increasing the axial load will result in increasing the maximum strain and maximum stress in the connected area of dowel bar and surrounding concrete. Thus it may become more than the ultimate tensile strength and result in initiate cracking in the tensile area of concrete slab, especially in the joints. Furthermore, the results showed that changing the mechanical specification of concrete would not significantly affect the maximum strain in the JPCP, which using C50 instead of C25, the maximum strain would increase about 10%. However, the mechanical specification of JPCP could affect the cracking propagation and concrete durability

Diagnostic Accuracy of Abdominal wall Ultrasonography and Local Wound Exploration in Predicting the Need for Laparotomy following Stab Wound

Introduction: Screening of patients with anterior abdominal penetrating trauma in need for laparotomy is an important issue in management of these cases. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of abdominal wall ultrasonography (AWU) and local wound exploration (LWE) in this regard.Methods: This diagnostic accuracy study was conducted on ≥ 18 year-old patients presenting to emergency department with anterior abdominal stab wound and stable hemodynamics, to compare the characteristics of AWU and LWE in screening of patients in need of laparotomy.Results: 50 cases with the mean age of 28.44 ± 7.14 years were included (80% male). Sensitivity, specificity and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of AWU were 70.58 (95% CI: 44.04 – 88.62), 93.33 (95% CI: 76.49 – 98.83), and 81.96 (95% CI: 69.91 – 94.01), respectively. These measures were 88.23 (62.25 – 97.93), 93.33 (76.49 – 98.83), and 90.78 (95% CI: 81.67 – 99.89) for LWE, respectively. The difference in overall accuracy of the two methods was not statistically significant (p = 0.0641).Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, AWU and LWE had the same specificity but different sensitivities in screening of anterior abdominal stab wound patients in need of laparotomy. The overall accuracy of LWE was slightly higher (91.48% versus 85.1%)

Disentangling the relationship between falls, fear of falling, physical function and walking by applying a socioecological framework to the International Mobility in Aging Study

Introduction:The relationships between falls, fear of falling, poor mobility, and PA avoidance occur in a cyclic, multi-directional fashion. Aim: This study investigates the concomitant associations of fall history, fear of falling, and physical performance (SPPB) on physical activity using a cross-national sample of community-dwelling older adults from middle and high-income countries.Methods:Linear mixed-effects models looking at the influence of individual and environmental factors were used and participants were nested within each study site.Results:Estimated walking minutes was 52% lower for those with low SPPB compared to high SPPB, 20% lower for those with medium level fear of falling compared to low levels, and 50% lower for those with high level fear of falling compared to low levels.Conclusion:An individual’s fear of falling and physical performance may be important to consider when making PA recommendations to older adults regardless of sex, age, and environment

The final transformation of Étaín

Abstract Background Although serotonin (5-HT3) receptor antagonists are effective in reducing nausea and vomiting, they may be associated with increased cardiac risk. Our objective was to examine the comparative safety and effectiveness of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists (e.g., dolasetron, granisetron, ondansetron, palonosetron, tropisetron) alone or combined with steroids for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception until December 2015 for studies comparing 5-HT3 receptor antagonists with each other or placebo in chemotherapy patients. The search results were screened, data were abstracted, and risk of bias was appraised by pairs of reviewers, independently. Random-effects meta-analyses and network meta-analyses (NMAs) were conducted. Results After screening 9226 citations and 970 full-text articles, we included 299 studies (n = 58,412 patients). None of the included studies reported harms for active treatment versus placebo. For NMAs on the risk of arrhythmia (primary outcome; three randomized controlled trials [RCTs], 627 adults) and mortality (secondary outcome; eight RCTs, 4823 adults), no statistically significant differences were observed between agents. A NMA on the risk of QTc prolongation showed a significantly greater risk for dolasetron + dexamethasone versus ondansetron + dexamethasone (four RCTs, 3358 children and adults, odds ratio 2.94, 95% confidence interval 2.13–4.17). For NMAs on the number of patients without nausea (44 RCTs, 11,664 adults, 12 treatments), number of patients without vomiting (63 RCTs, 15,460 adults, 12 treatments), and number of patients without chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting (27 RCTs, 10,924 adults, nine treatments), all agents were significantly superior to placebo. For a NMA on severe vomiting (10 RCTs, 917 adults), all treatments decreased the risk, but only ondansetron and ramosetron were significantly superior to placebo. According to a rank-heat plot with the surface under the cumulative ranking curve results, palonosetron + steroid was ranked the safest and most effective agent overall. Conclusions Most 5-HT3 receptor antagonists were relatively safe when compared with each other, yet none of the studies compared active treatment with placebo for harms. However, dolasetron + dexamethasone may prolong the QTc compared to ondansetron + dexamethasone. All agents were effective for reducing risk of nausea, vomiting, and chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting. Trial registration This study was registered at PROSPERO: ( CRD42013003564 )

Characteristics and knowledge synthesis approach for 456 network meta-analyses: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND Network meta-analysis (NMA) has become a popular method to compare more than two treatments. This scoping review aimed to explore the characteristics and methodological quality of knowledge synthesis approaches underlying the NMA process. We also aimed to assess the statistical methods applied using the Analysis subdomain of the ISPOR checklist. METHODS Comprehensive literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from inception until April 14, 2015. References of relevant reviews were scanned. Eligible studies compared at least four different interventions from randomised controlled trials with an appropriate NMA approach. Two reviewers independently performed study selection and data abstraction of included articles. All discrepancies between reviewers were resolved by a third reviewer. Data analysis involved quantitative (frequencies) and qualitative (content analysis) methods. Quality was evaluated using the AMSTAR tool for the conduct of knowledge synthesis and the ISPOR tool for statistical analysis. RESULTS After screening 3538 citations and 877 full-text papers, 456 NMAs were included. These were published between 1997 and 2015, with 95% published after 2006. Most were conducted in Europe (51%) or North America (31%), and approximately one-third reported public sources of funding. Overall, 84% searched two or more electronic databases, 62% searched for grey literature, 58% performed duplicate study selection and data abstraction (independently), and 62% assessed risk of bias. Seventy-eight (17%) NMAs relied on previously conducted systematic reviews to obtain studies for inclusion in their NMA. Based on the AMSTAR tool, almost half of the NMAs incorporated quality appraisal results to formulate conclusions, 36% assessed publication bias, and 16% reported the source of funding. Based on the ISPOR tool, half of the NMAs did not report if an assessment for consistency was conducted or whether they accounted for inconsistency when present. Only 13% reported heterogeneity assumptions for the random-effects model. CONCLUSIONS The knowledge synthesis methods and analytical process for NMAs are poorly reported and need improvement