Dietary Self-Selection by Laying Hens Offered Choices of Feed

A short telm dietary self-selection experiment (28 days) was conducted with laying hens fed three treatments (Tl-T3) consisting of a commercially available layer feed (1'1, single choice), commercially available layer feed and oyster shell grit offered separately (T2, two choices) and a com mixture, soyabean meal mixture and oyster shell grit offered sejJarately (T3, three choices). Measurement of feed intake was divided into three feeding periods, from 0800-1200h, 1200-1600h and 1600-0800h. Feed and water' were available ad Ii bitum. Hens were raised under' 15 hour Photo period. Feed, energy and protein intakes were significantly better' on the commercial diet and lower in the other' two treatments. Calcium intake was significantly lower on the single choice and three choice diets. In all treatments, the hens tended to consume more feed during the pel10d between 1600-0800h (40.8-45.8% feed consumed), that is very late in the evening and very early in the morning. Similar amounts of feed (26.2-29.7% of feed consumed) were consumed between 0800-1200h and 1200-1600h. egg production, egg mass and feed conversion were significantly better' on the two and three-choice diets as compared to the single diet. There was no difJeI'ence in egg weight among the three treatments

Role of MRI and ultrasonography in evaluation of multifidus muscle in chronic low back pain patients

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a condition that will affect 60-80% of the population at some stage in their life. Epidemiological studies have shown that simple backache has point prevalence and a 1-month prevalence of 15-30% and 30-40% respectively. Studies that have been performed state that LBP is a self-limiting condition, but many people who have suffered from LBP will experience recurring episodes, which could lead to the development of chronic LBP. The objective of the study was to assess the role of MRI and USG in evaluating degenerative changes in multifidus muscle in chronic low back pain patients.Methods: A Cross-sectional Observational study was done in 30 patients. Adult patients of either sex who presented with low back pain for 6 weeks or more and Grade 1 and grade 2 degenerative intervertebral disc changes as seen on plain skiagrams of L-S spine, A-P and lateral views were subjected to MRI and Ultrasound.Results: Multifidus and paraspinal muscle atrophy and fatty degeneration should be considered in association with the clinical presentation and other abnormalities seen in MRI examination.Conclusions: Whether LBP duration, severity and associated functional disability affect the degree of paraspinal muscle degenerative changes remains unclear. Possible reasons underlying the discrepant findings include variations among the age and symptoms of duration of the studied populations and small sample size

Diurnal and seasonal variations of <i>hm</i>F2 deduced from digitalionosonde over New Delhi and its comparison with IRI 2001

International audienceUsing digital ionosonde observations at a low mid-latitude station, New Delhi (28.6°N, 77.2°E, dip 42.4°N), we have derived hourly monthly values of hmF2 (the real height corresponding to the peak electron density in the F2-region), employing both the Dudeney (1983) and Bilitza (1990) empirical formulations for the period from January 2001 to August 2002. The diurnal and seasonal variations of hmF2 are analyzed. Further, to assess the predictability of the latest available model, International Reference Ionosphere, (IRI-2001), we have obtained the median values of hmF2 derived from M(3000)F2 for each hour during different seasons and compare these with the model. Our results show that both the Dudeney (1983) and Bilitza (1990) formulations reveal more or less a similar diurnal trend of hmF2, with higher values around midnight and lower during sunrise, in all the seasons. It is also noted that the hmF2 shows a larger variability around midnight than by daytime, in all the seasons. Further, the study shows that median values of observed hmF2, using both formulations, are somewhat larger than those predicted by the IRI, in all seasons and at all local times. During summer, the IRI values agree comparatively well with the observations, especially during daytime. Major discrepancies occur when the IRI underestimates observed hmF2 for local times from about 14:00 LT to 18:00 LT and 04:00 LT to 05:00 LT during winter and equinox, where the percentage deviation of the observed hmF2 values with respect to the IRI model varies from 15 to 25%. The difference between the model and observations, outside this time period, remains less than 20% during all the seasons. Key words. Ionosphere (modelling and forecasting; equatorial ionosphere

Clinicopathological study of benign ovarian tumuors

Background: The incidence of ovarian tumor amongst gynecological admissions have been reported to vary from 1-3 %. About 75% of these tumors have been found to be benign. Ovarian malignancies represent the greatest clinical challenge of all the gynecological malignancies. During the reproductive years most of the ovarian tumors encountered are benign. About 2/3 of the ovarian tumors are encountered in this group only. The chance that an ovarian tumor is malignant in a patient younger than 45 years is 1 in 15. The differentiation of the benign from malignant tumors can go wrong even with imaging modalities.CA125 along with ultrasound are useful in differentiating benign from malignant tumors. Histopathological examination is gold standard for diagnosis of ovarian neoplasm.Methods: The present study includes consecutive cases of histopathologically proven ovarian tumors of 3 years from June 2010 to May 2013 reported by the Department of Pathology of our tertiary care center. It includes total 150 cases. After careful study of gross findings, appropriate bits were taken from received ovarian specimen, followed by routine paraffin processing to make H and E stained slides. Special stains were used wherever needed.Results: Majority of the cases 91 (60.67%) were benign, 53 (35.33%) were malignant and 6 (4.0%) were borderline. Surface epithelial tumours were the most common type (68.13%) of ovarian neoplasm in this study. Most of tumours in our study occurred in the age group of 21-40 years. Mucinous cystadenomas were most common benign surface epithelial tumour and most common benign tumors overall. There were 22 cases of benign germ cell tumor, all were mature teratoma. All the sex-cord stromal tumours were diagnosed in women older than 40 years. Most common benign lesion in our study is surface epithelial tumour and in age group of 21-40 years. 84% patients studied had symptoms at presentation, out of which 26% of patient presented with dull/dragging pain. Pan hysterectomy was the most common procedure for surgical management.Conclusions: Most of ovarian neoplasm are benign with mucinous cystadenoma being commonest entity. Commonest age group is 21-40 years. Commonest benign germ cell tumor is Mature cystic teratoma. Commonest clinical symptom is dull/dragging pain. Pan hysterectomy was the most common procedure for surgical management.