Utilizing Forages to Program Steer Growth Patterns to Achieve Consistent Quality Beef

Many options are available for programming stocker cattle growth patterns through forage selection. In semi-arid south Texas rapid growth rates can be achieved by grazing irrigated small grains (oats, wheat and ryegrass) and slow growth rates are possible grazing native range pastures. Ryegrass (RG) nutrient quality indicates potential gains greater than 1.0 kg/d for steers, while typical winter native range (NR) pasture indicates gains of 0.45 kg/d or less. The purpose of this experiment was to quantify the impact of different programmed growth patterns on beef retail product especially size, marbling and tenderness

Carcass Trait Effects from Environment, Growth Rate on Pasture, and Breedtypes

Last updated: 6/12/200

Introducing a trauma-informed capability approach in youth services

Trauma-informed practice has been developing for decades, though much remains unknown regarding how it is understood and practised. Drawing upon focus group data from an evaluation of a trauma-informed approach (TIA) implemented by an organisation in Southeast England, this paper provides a unique perspective of 31 staff members and 18 young people. Results indicate how choice and control, key elements of a TIA, align with the Capability Approach (CA). The CA is then used as a novel analytic framework to examine the data. A ‘Trauma-Informed Capabilities Approach’ is introduced as a holistic, person-centred way of conceptualising young trauma survivors’ wellbeing

Sexual exploitation in children: Nature, prevalence and distinguishing characteristics reported in young adulthood

The aim of this study was to explore the nature and extent of sexual exploitation in a university student sample, whilst being clear that sexual exploitation is sexual abuse. Overall, 47% of participants (96 out of 204) reported having been approached by an adult in a sexual manner when they were under the age of 16. The study predicted that a number of individual characteristics would increase a young person’s vulnerability for sexual exploitation. These included low self-esteem, external locus of control, social loneliness and insecure attachment. Results indicated lower levels of self-esteem among those who had been approached sexually, although it is not clear in terms of causality. There were no differences in scores for locus of control or loneliness. Relationship anxiety was significantly linked with children having engaged in sexual behaviours with an adult. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of emerging individual characteristics relating to a risk of sexual exploitation

Relationship Between Net Feed Intake, Performance Traits and Ultrasound Measures of Composition in Beef Steers

Last updated: 6/12/200

A double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over clinical trial of DONepezil In Posterior cortical atrophy due to underlying Alzheimer's Disease: DONIPAD study.

BACKGROUND: The study investigated whether donepezil exerts symptomatic benefit in patients with posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), an atypical variant of Alzheimer's disease. METHODS: A single-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over clinical trial was performed to assess the efficacy of donepezil in patients with PCA. Each patient received either donepezil (5 mg once daily in the first 6 weeks and 10 mg once daily in the second 6 weeks) or placebo for 12 weeks. After a 2-week washout period, each patient received the other treatment arm during the following 12 weeks followed by another 2-week washout period. The primary outcome was the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) at 12 weeks. Secondary outcome measures were five neuropsychological tests reflecting parieto-occipital function. Intention-to-treat analysis was used. For each outcome measure, carry-over effects were first assessed. If present, then analysis was restricted to the first 12-week period. Otherwise, the standard approach to the analysis of a 2 × 2 cross-over trial was used. RESULTS: Eighteen patients (13 females) were recruited (mean age 61.6 years). There was a protocol violation in one patient, who subsequently withdrew from the study due to gastrointestinal side effects. There was statistically significant (p 0.05). There were no statistically significant treatment effects on any of the five neuropsychological tests, except for digit span at 12 weeks (higher by 0.5 digits in favour of placebo, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.9). Gastrointestinal side effects occurred most frequently, affecting 13/18 subjects (72%), and were the cause of study discontinuation in one subject. Nightmares and vivid dreams occurred in 8/18 subjects (44%), and were statistically more frequent during treatment with donepezil. CONCLUSIONS: In this small study, there was no statistically significant treatment effect of donepezil on the primary outcome measure (MMSE score at 12 weeks) in PCA patients, who appear to be particularly susceptible to the development of nightmares and vivid dreams when treated. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN22636071 . Retrospectively registered 19 May 2010

Efficacy and safety of mavrilimumab in giant cell arteritis: a phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

OBJECTIVES: Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is implicated in pathogenesis of giant cell arteritis. We evaluated the efficacy of the GM-CSF receptor antagonist mavrilimumab in maintaining disease remission. METHODS: This phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled patients with biopsy-confirmed or imaging-confirmed giant cell arteritis in 50 centres (North America, Europe, Australia). Active disease within 6 weeks of baseline was required for inclusion. Patients in glucocorticoid-induced remission were randomly assigned (3:2 ratio) to mavrilimumab 150 mg or placebo injected subcutaneously every 2 weeks. Both groups received a 26-week prednisone taper. The primary outcome was time to adjudicated flare by week 26. A prespecified secondary efficacy outcome was sustained remission at week 26 by Kaplan-Meier estimation. Safety was also assessed. RESULTS: Of 42 mavrilimumab recipients, flare occurred in 19% (n=8). Of 28 placebo recipients, flare occurred in 46% (n=13). Median time to flare (primary outcome) was 25.1 weeks in the placebo group, but the median was not reached in the mavrilimumab group (HR 0.38; 95% CI 0.15 to 0.92; p=0.026). Sustained remission at week 26 was 83% for mavrilimumab and 50% for placebo recipients (p=0.0038). Adverse events occurred in 78.6% (n=33) of mavrilimumab and 89.3% (n=25) of placebo recipients. No deaths or vision loss occurred in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Mavrilimumab plus 26 weeks of prednisone was superior to placebo plus 26 weeks of prednisone for time to flare by week 26 and sustained remission in patients with giant cell arteritis. Longer treatment is needed to determine response durability and quantify the glucocorticoid-sparing potential of mavrilimumab. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT03827018, Europe (EUdraCT number: 2018-001003-36), and Australia (CT-2018-CTN-01 865-1)

A plan for play - An Eye View Series report

There is a simple, inexpensive and joyful way to address many of the major challenges facing society and its children; addressing the alarming mental health crisis and obesity epidemic and helping to prepare children for an ever-changing work force. The solution that is all too often overlooked and neglected is - play. The right to play is so important that it is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Research documents its importance to every aspect of child health, development and wellbeing. Yet many children have little or no access to high quality play opportunities. Play provision should be considered in relation to every aspect of children’s lives – the design of their neighbourhoods, as well as within the services they access, such as child care centres, schools, hospitals, recreation facilities, parks and adventure playgrounds. Play cannot be relegated to the places and context that adults decide are appropriate It should be woven into the fabric of every aspect of children’s lives and the communities they are part of. Equitable access to play means reducing the insidious gradient of inequity that impacts children’s lives even before they are born and continues across their lifespan. Schools are one important venue to ensure equitable access to play. For some children, it will be the only opportunity they have for this nourishing and necessary activity. Play comprises a quarter of the school year, yet teachers and support staff receive no proper training or support to ensure that children in their care – our society’s future – have fulfilling play time. We know that early life experiences set the stage for the future, and that early intervention saves unquantifiable and unnecessary suffering and costs later on – for children, families and society as a whole. We owe it to children and ourselves both now and tomorrow, to make a plan for play that sees every child in every place playing every day. This report makes that case