Indeterminacy and nitrogen management in different cultivars of lentil in Saskatchewan

Non-Peer Reviewe

The SPAD chlorophyll meter: a potential rapid, nondestructive method of leaf N monitoring in lentil

Non-Peer ReviewedThe SPAD Chlorophyll Meter (SPAD) measures the chlorophyll content of leaves, and can be used to estimate the nitrogen status of plants as an alternative to the nitrate tissue test. The leaf nitrogen monitoring in experimental plots consists of sampling, drying, weighing, grinding and finally the N measurement of the leaves. Data obtained in some crops like wheat, maize, barley and peanut from the SPAD chlorophyll meter showed reasonable estimation of leaf nitrogen characters (LNCs): %leaf N, specific leaf weight (SLW) and specific leaf nitrogen (SLN). Leaf color and the resulting SPAD reading however, may vary by cultivar, soil and air temperature; planting date, leaf stage, leaf position, plant disease, nutrient deficiency and plant stress. In this study, we hypothesized that the SPAD reading in lentil leaves could estimate leaf nitrogen content

Obesity: when is specialist referral needed?

Obesity is a chronic progressive condition affecting 27% of the UK adult population. Obesity underlies much of primary care workload: 44% of type 2 diabetes (T2D) cases, 23% of ischaemic heart disease, and 41% of certain cancers are attributable to excess BMI.1 Worryingly, the number of adults with severe obesity, which significantly reduces life expectancy, has doubled to approximately 2.6 million over the past decade. Obesity and related illnesses lead to significant healthcare costs, estimated at £6.1 billion per year in the UK, with additional societal costs of £27 billion from reduced productivity secondary to obesity-related ill-health.

Defining the relationship between COPD and CVD: what are the implications for clinical practice?

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are arguably the most important comorbidities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). CVDs are common in people with COPD, and their presence is associated with increased risk for hospitalization, longer length of stay and all-cause and CVD-related mortality. The economic burden associated with CVD in this population is considerable and the cumulative cost of treating comorbidities may even exceed that of treating COPD itself. Our understanding of the biological mechanisms that link COPD and various forms of CVD has improved significantly over the past decade. But despite broad acceptance of the prognostic significance of CVDs in COPD, there remains widespread under-recognition and undertreatment of comorbid CVD in this population. The reasons for this are unclear; however institutional barriers and a lack of evidence-based guidelines for the management of CVD in people with COPD may be contributory factors. In this review, we summarize current knowledge relating to the prevalence and incidence of CVD in people with COPD and the mechanisms that underlie their coexistence. We discuss the implications for clinical practice and highlight opportunities for improved prevention and treatment of CVD in people with COPD. While we advocate more active assessment for signs of cardiovascular conditions across all age groups and all stages of COPD severity, we suggest targeting those aged under 65 years. Evidence indicates that the increased risks for CVD are particularly pronounced in COPD patients in mid-to-late-middle-age and thus it is in this age group that the benefits of early intervention may prove to be the most effective

Variability of lentil %Ndfa as affected by reference plant position

Non-Peer Reviewe

Development of algorithms for determining heart failure with reduced and preserved ejection fraction using nationwide electronic healthcare records in the UK

Background: Determining heart failure (HF) phenotypes in routine electronic health records (EHR) is challenging. We aimed to develop and validate EHR algorithms for identification of specific HF phenotypes, using Read codes in combination with selected patient characteristics. Methods: We used The Healthcare Improvement Network (THIN). The study population included a random sample of individuals with HF diagnostic codes (HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and non-specific HF) selected from all participants registered in the THIN database between 1 January 2015 and 30 September 2017. Confirmed diagnoses were determined in a randomly selected subgroup of 500 patients via GP questionnaires including a review of all available cardiovascular investigations. Confirmed diagnoses of HFrEF and HFpEF were based on four criteria. Based on these data, we calculated a positive predictive value (PPV) of predefined algorithms which consisted of a combination of Read codes and additional information such as echocardiogram results and HF medication records. Results: The final cohort from which we drew the 500 patient random sample consisted of 10 275 patients. Response rate to the questionnaire was 77.2%. A small proportion (18%) of the overall HF patient population were coded with specific HF phenotype Read codes. For HFrEF, algorithms achieving over 80% PPV included definite, possible or non-specific HF HFrEF codes when combined with at least two of the drugs used to treat HFrEF. Only in non-specific HF coding did the use of three drugs (rather than two) contribute to an improvement of the PPV for HFrEF. HFpEF was only accurately defined with specific codes. In the absence of specific coding for HFpEF, the PPV was consistently below 50%. Conclusions: Prescription for HF medication can reliably be used to find HFrEF patients in the UK, even in the absence of a specific Read code for HFrEF. Algorithms using non-specific coding could not reliably find HFpEF patients

Potential mechanisms underlying the effect of bariatric surgery on eating behaviour

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Reduced energy intake, resulting from favourable changes in eating behaviour, is the predominant driver of weight loss following bariatric surgery. Here we review the most recent studies examining the impact of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy, the two most common bariatric procedures, upon eating behaviour and the suggested underlying biological mechanisms. RECENT FINDINGS: Following RYGB or sleeve gastrectomy, most people report subjective changes in appetite, taste and food preference, with decreased high-fat preference most commonly reported. Objective postsurgery changes in taste and olfactory acuity occur. A new phenomenon, 'meal-size aversion', may contribute to reduced postoperative energy intake. Recent studies provide evidence for peptide YY3-36, glucagon-like peptide-1, ghrelin, neurotensin and oleoylethanolamide as mediators of postoperative eating behaviour changes. Factors modulating these changes include sex, type 2 diabetes status, genetics and bariatric procedure. New studies implicate central dopaminergic and opioid receptor signalling as key neural mediators driving altered eating behaviour. Brain neuroimaging studies show that obesity-associated changes in food-cue responses, brain connectivity and structural abnormalities are normalized following bariatric surgery. SUMMARY: Understanding the biological mechanisms mediating the eating behaviour changes engendered by bariatric surgery may lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for people with obesity

Intestinal digestive enzyme activity under the influence of different dietary supplements methionine and lysine in the diet of Sparidentex hasta

This study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary methionine and lysine supplementation on digestive enzymes activity in juvenile Sobaity, Sparidentex hasta. For this purpose, 180 juvenile fish with an initial average weight of 31.38 ± 1.4 g were distributed randomly in eighteen (300 L) polyethylene tanks. 6 experimental diets were prepared with different levels of methionine and lysine including control diet (without dietary methionine and lysine), Diet 1: 100% methionine; Diet 2: 75% methionine and 25% lysine; Diet 3: 50% methionine and 50% lysine; Diet 4: 25% methionine and 75% lysine; Diet 5: 100% lysine. During the experimental period, fish were fed to satiation thrice daily (8:00, 13:00 and 18:00 hours) for 8 weeks. At the end of the experiment, digestive enzymes (trypsin, chymotrypsin, alkaline phosphatase, amylase, lipase and total protease were affected by different dietary levels of methionine and lysine supplementations (P<0/05). Also, the activity of trypsin and chymotrypsin had shown an increasing trend with an increased amount of diet lysine while enzyme activity of alkaline phosphatase was higher in treatments contains the maximum amount of methionine supplementation. According to results, the increasing of lysine in diet reduced enzyme activity of lipase. The results, showed no significant differences between experimental treatments in amylase and total protease (P<0/05). Based on the results of evaluation digestive enzymes, amino acids supplements of lysine and methionine were changed the activity of digestive enzymes in juvenile Sobaity, (S. hasta). Finally, Diet 2 with 75% methionine and 25% lysine was suggested for used by Sobaity, as to the balance of dietary methionine and lysine supplementation

The burden of proof: the current state of atrial fibrillation prevention and treatment trials

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an age-related arrhythmia of enormous socioeconomic significance. In recent years, our understanding of the basic mechanisms that initiate and perpetuate AF has evolved rapidly, catheter ablation of AF has progressed from concept to reality, and recent studies suggest lifestyle modification may help prevent AF recurrence. Emerging developments in genetics, imaging, and informatics also present new opportunities for personalized care. However, considerable challenges remain. These include a paucity of studies examining AF prevention, modest efficacy of existing antiarrhythmic therapies, diverse ablation technologies and practice, and limited evidence to guide management of high-risk patients with multiple comorbidities. Studies examining the long-term effects of AF catheter ablation on morbidity and mortality outcomes are not yet completed. In many ways, further progress in the field is heavily contingent on the feasibility, capacity, and efficiency of clinical trials to incorporate the rapidly evolving knowledge base and to provide substantive evidence for novel AF therapeutic strategies. This review outlines the current state of AF prevention and treatment trials, including the foreseeable challenges, as discussed by a unique forum of clinical trialists, scientists, and regulatory representatives in a session endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society at the 12th Global CardioVascular Clinical Trialists Forum in Washington, DC, December 3–5, 2015