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Sodium–glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce progression of chronic kidney disease and the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in a wide range of patients. However, their effects on kidney disease progression in some patients with chronic kidney disease are unclear because few clinical kidney outcomes occurred among such patients in the completed trials. In particular, some guidelines stratify their level of recommendation about who should be treated with SGLT2 inhibitors based on diabetes status and albuminuria. We aimed to assess the effects of empagliflozin on progression of chronic kidney disease both overall and among specific types of participants in the EMPA-KIDNEY trial.

The EMPA-KIDNEY trial showed that empagliflozin reduced the risk of the primary composite outcome of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in patients with chronic kidney disease mainly through slowing progression. We aimed to assess how effects of empagliflozin might differ by primary kidney disease across its broad population.

Reductions of astroglia expressing glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) are consistently found in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of patients with depression and in rodent chronic stress models. Here, we examine the consequences of PFC GFAP+ cell depletion and cell activity enhancement on depressive-like behaviors in rodents. Using viral expression of diphtheria toxin receptor in PFC GFAP+ cells, which allows experimental depletion of these cells following diphtheria toxin administration, we demonstrated that PFC GFAP+ cell depletion induced anhedonia-like behavior within 2 days and lasting up to 8 days, but no anxiety-like deficits. Conversely, activating PFC GFAP+ cell activity for 3 weeks using designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) reversed chronic restraint stress-induced anhedonia-like deficits, but not anxiety-like deficits. Our results highlight a critical role of cortical astroglia in the development of anhedonia and further support the idea of targeting astroglia for the treatment of depression.

La pathologie connue sous le nom de Coronavirus Disease 2019(COVID-19) est responsable d’une pandémie mondiale et de nombreux décès. Ce contexte nécessite une adaptation des services sanitaires et du rôle de chacun des intervenants, dont le masseur-kinésithérapeute (MK).

Naturally occurring gaseous by‐products of ruminant production—carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O)—can negatively affect the environment. Along with enteric fermentation, manure on pasture is among the most significant contributors to non‐CO2emissions. Condensed tannins, a group of naturally occurring phenolic compounds, can alter the route of nutrient excretion and interact with microbes, suggesting they are a plausible feed additive for reducing excreta gas emissions. We evaluated how quebracho (Schinopsis balansae) tannin extract fed at 0, 15, 30, and 45 g kg−1of dry matter (DM) within a roughage‐based diet affected fecal gas emissions at multiple locations (College Station and Stephenville, TX) during two periods corresponding to winter and spring. During both periods, CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes were determined using the vented‐static chamber methodology over 39 d, and cumulative emissions were calculated. A random coefficients model with animal nested within dietary treatment and period as the random factor was analyzed by location due to the presence of collinearity with soil parameters within periods. Daily CO2flux was influenced by soil moisture and temperature (r= .34; P< .01), whereas CH4and N2O were associated with soil moisture. Cumulative gas production confirmed a dietary effect for CO2and gross CO2equivalent at the College Station site (P≤ .001), demonstrating a linear reduction as quebracho inclusion increased. Variance partitioning indicated that dietary treatment and seasonal period likely influenced animal digestive and metabolic parameters. Within specific environments, quebracho supplementation may assist in reducing fecal gas emissions.

Seismology records the presence of various heterogeneities throughout the lower mantle1,2, but the origins of these signals—whether thermal or chemical—remain uncertain, and therefore much of the information that they hold about the nature of the deep Earth is obscured. Accurate interpretation of observed seismic velocities requires knowledge of the seismic properties of all of Earth’s possible mineral components. Calcium silicate (CaSiO3) perovskite is believed to be the third most abundant mineral throughout the lower mantle. Here we simultaneously measure the crystal structure and the shear-wave and compressional-wave velocities of samples of CaSiO3perovskite, and provide direct constraints on the adiabatic bulk and shear moduli of this material. We observe that incorporation of titanium into CaSiO3perovskite stabilizes the tetragonal structure at higher temperatures, and that the material’s shear modulus is substantially lower than is predicted by computations3–5or thermodynamic datasets6. When combined with literature data and extrapolated, our results suggest that subducted oceanic crust will be visible as low-seismic-velocity anomalies throughout the lower mantle. In particular, we show that large low-shear-velocity provinces (LLSVPs) are consistent with moderate enrichment of recycled oceanic crust, and mid-mantle discontinuities can be explained by a tetragonal–cubic phase transition in Ti-bearing CaSiO3perovskite. Unexpectedly low seismic velocities of CaSiO3perovskite in deeply subducted oceanic crust can explain the properties of anomalous continent-sized regions in Earth’s lower mantle.

Bien que l’efficacité clinique de la ventilation non invasive (VNI) soit clairement démontrée, aucune étude française récente n’indique les conditions de prescription et d’utilisation de celle-ci selon les pathologies respiratoires. La fédération ANTADIR avec l’appui et en partenariat avec le Groupe assistance ventilatoire de la SPLF, a mis en place une cohorte observationnelle, prospective et multicentrique, d’envergure nationale. L’objectif principal de cette étude est d’analyser les données cliniques justifiant la prescription conventionnelle d’une VNI à domicile chez des patients insuffisants respiratoires chroniques. Les objectifs secondaires seront : d’étudier l’évolution des comorbidités ou leur survenue, les hospitalisations, les échecs de traitement, la survie. La population concernée est celle des insuffisants respiratoires nouvellement mis sous VNI, autant à l’état stable que suite à une exacerbation respiratoire nécessitant la poursuite d’une VNI au long cours. Les données d’inclusion comprendront : diagnostic et comorbidités, données descriptives (âge, indice de masse corporelle, sexe) biologiques (hématocrite, gaz du sang, CO2 total), fonctionnelles (VEMS, CV, CPT), résultats nocturnes (SaO2, PtcCO2), type et paramètres du ventilateur et type de masque. Les données de suivi sont recueillies à 4 mois, 1 an et 2 ans et comporteront : hospitalisations, éventuelles modifications de prescription, observance, éventuel désappareillage ou décès. Ce travail permettra d’obtenir des informations scientifiques nouvelles sur la réalité de la VNI au long cours en France, un des pays européens à l’origine de l’essor de la VNI et où la prévalence des patients sous VNI au long cours a été signalée comme la plus importante du continent européen.

Objectives:Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are dietary FODMAPs (fermentable carbohydrates) associated with triggering gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial aimed to assess whether oral α-galactosidase co-ingestion with foods high in GOS and low in other FODMAPs would reduce symptoms.Methods:Patients meeting the Rome III criteria for IBS who were hydrogen-producers on breath testing were recruited. Participants were treated with full-dose (300 GALU (galactosidic units) α-galactosidase) and half-dose enzyme (150 GALU α-galactosidase), and placebo (glucose) in a random order with ≤14 days washout between arms. Following a 3-day low FODMAP run-in period, participants consumed provided diets high in GOS for a further 3-days. Gastrointestinal symptoms were measured daily using a 100 mm visual-analogue-scale, and breath samples taken hourly on the second last day with hydrogen content analysed as area-under-the-curve.Results:Thirty-one patients with IBS (20 IBS-D, 4 IBS-C, 7 IBS-M) completed the study. The addition of high GOS foods resulted in a significant increase in overall symptoms with 21 patients exhibiting GOS-sensitivity (>10 mm increase for overall symptoms). Of those, full-dose enzyme reduced overall symptoms (median 24. 5(IQR 17.5–35.8) vs. 5.5(1.5–15.0) mm; P=0.006) and bloating (20.5(9.5–42.0) vs. 6.5(2.0–15.8); P=0.017). Breath hydrogen production was minimal with no differences seen between placebo and full-dose (P=0.597).Conclusions:Oral α-galactosidase taken with high GOS foods provides a clinically significant reduction in symptoms in GOS-sensitive individuals with IBS. This strategy can be translated into practice to improve tolerance to high GOS foods as an adjunct therapy to the low FODMAP diet.

Effects of using ground woody plants in Rambouillet wether lamb feedlot diets on growth performance, blood serum, and rumen parameters were evaluated. A randomized design study was used with 2 feeding periods (70% concentrate diet from d 0 to 27 [Period 1] and 86% concentrate diet from d 28 to 57 [Period 2]); the concentrate portion of the diets mainly consisted of dried distiller's grains with solubles and sorghum grain. Lambs were individually fed 6 diets that differed only by roughage source (n= 8 animals/treatment; 32.9 ± 3.2 kg initial BW): either cottonseed hulls (CSH; control) or ground wood consisting of redberry juniper (RED), blueberry juniper (BLUE), one-seeded juniper (ONE), or eastern red cedar (ERC) Juniperusspp. or honey mesquite (MESQ; Prosopis glandulosa). Using ground wood vs. CSH as the roughage source did not affect (P> 0.12) BW. There tended to be a treatment × day interaction (P= 0.07) for lamb DMI, attributed to Period 1 when DMI was greater (P< 0.05) for lambs fed CSH vs. RED, ONE, ERC, or MESQ during the first 14 d and greater (P< 0.05) during d 14 to 28 vs. lambs fed ERC. Overall, ADG was less for lambs fed ERC (P< 0.10) or MESQ (P< 0.05) vs. lambs fed CSH, but G:F was similar (P> 0.10) among all lambs. Dietary treatments did not affect (P> 0.15) ruminal pH, but treatment × day interactions (P< 0.05) were observed for rumen fluid ammonia N or molar proportions of propionate and butyrate; few differences were observed within day. However, overall, lambs fed RED or MESQ had greater (P< 0.05) total rumen VFA than lambs fed CSH. A treatment × day interaction (P= 0.04) was observed for the acetate:propionate ratio, but no differences (P> 0.10) were observed within day. Treatment × day interactions (P< 0.05) were observed for blood serum glucose, γ-glutamyl transferase, the albumin:globulin ratio, total bilirubin, β-hydroxybutyrate, P, Cl, and Mg, with most results being less for lambs fed the wood-based diets than for lambs fed the CSH diets. Results suggested that even though lamb DMI was reduced during the growing period when diets contained 30% ground woody products (RED, ONE, ERC, and MESQ), animal health and rumen fluid parameters were not negatively affected by ground woody plants.

This paper evaluates the potential of very high resolution multispectral (Worldview-3) satellite imagery for mapping yield parameters in avocado and macadamia orchards. An evaluation of 18 structural and pigment based vegetation indices (VIs) derived from Worldview-3 imagery identified a positive relationship to nut/ fruit weight (kg/tree) R2>0.69 for macadamia and R2>0.68 for avocado; and nut/ fruit number (per tree) R2>0.6 for macadamia and R2>0.61 for avocado. Using the algorithms derived between the optimal VI and the measured parameter, yield and nut/ fruit number maps were derived for each block. In the absence of a commercial yield monitor, the resulting yield maps offer significant benefit to growers for improving orchard management, harvest scheduling, and forward selling decisions.

Les conséquences hémodynamiques de la ventilation mécanique sont multiples et complexes et peuvent affecter tous les déterminants de la performance cardiaque que sont la fréquence cardiaque, la précharge, la contractilité et la postcharge. Ces conséquences concernent tant le cœur droit que le cœur gauche, d’autant plus qu’il existe une interdépendance entre le ventricule droit et le ventricule gauche.

La réhabilitation respiratoire est aujourd’hui incontournable dans le traitement des patients atteints de bronchopneumopathie chronique obstructive (BPCO). Certains patients présentent cependant une limitation respiratoire telle qu’il est parfois impossible d’atteindre un niveau de réentraînement suffisant pour obtenir des bénéfices physiologiques.

Rising feed costs and recurring feed shortages necessitate the investigation into alternative and underutilized feed resources. Nutritional characteristics of Juniperusspecies are either unknown or limited to leaves and ground material from small stems. Therefore, the objective was to quantify nutritional characteristics, 48-h true IVDMD (tIVDMD), microbial gas production, and secondary compound characteristics of entire woody plant material of 4 Juniperusspecies—Juniperus pinchotii, Juniperus monosperma, Juniperus ashei, and Juniperus virginiana—at immature and mature stages of growth. Immature plants had greater CP concentrations and lower NDF concentrations (P< 0.001) than mature plants regardless of species. Mature plants also had greater (P< 0.001) concentrations of ADF compared with immature plants with the exception of J. virginiana. In general, immature J. pinchotii, J. monosperma, and J. asheihad greater (P< 0.02) tIVDMD and total 48-h and asymptotic gas production than mature plants. Immature J. monospermaand J. pinchotiiplants were more digested (tIVDMD; P< 0.001) than immature J. virginianaand J. ashei, but tIVDMD did not differ in mature plant material across species. Condensed tannins (CT) were greater (P< 0.001) in immature J. pinchotiiand J. asheithan mature plants; differences in CT concentrations among immature species were also detected (P< 0.04). Volatile oil yields were similar across maturity and species with 1 exception: immature J. pinchotiiyielded more (P< 0.02) volatile oil than mature material. Volatile oil composition across species varied and contained a range of 65 to 70 terpene compounds. The dominant terpenes across species were generally greater (P< 0.05) in immature vs. mature plant material with the exception of J. virginiana. Labdane acids were negligible in J. pinchotii, J. ashei, and J. virginianaand greater in J. monosperma(P< 0.001). Ground material from mature juniper species, although inferior in nutritional quality compared with immature plants, is comparable to traditional low-quality roughage ingredients. Given that J. pinchotiihas been successfully fed in lamb feedlot diets, the similarities of J. pinchotii, J. asheiand J. monospermasuggest that all three species have potential to be effective roughage ingredients.

La ventilation non invasive est recommandée pour corriger l’hypoventilation alvéolaire nocturne et améliorer les symptômes des patients atteints du syndrome obésité-hypoventilation (SOH). Les bénéfices d’une ventilation par pressions fixes (technologie S/T) sont avérés mais limités en raison de la variabilité des besoins ventilatoires nocturnes. La nouvelle technologie AVAPS-AE (automaticEPAP) permet d’adapter les pressions pour délivrer un volume courant cible. Son efficacité n’a pas encore été évaluée. Nos objectifs sont d’évaluer premièrement, si l’AVAPS-AE optimise les bénéfices de la technologie ST sur l’architecture et la qualité du sommeil ; secondement, si ces bénéfices sont associés à une amélioration des échanges gazeux, de la symptomatologie, de la tolérance à l’effort, du niveau d’activités physiques et de la qualité de vie des patients SOH. Dans cet essai multicentrique, 60 patients nouvellement diagnostiqués SOH seront randomisés dans le groupe témoin (S/T) ou expérimental (AVAPS-AE). Une procédure standardisée de titration sera suivie pour le paramétrage des ventilateurs. Des évaluations fonctionnelles (polysomnographie, gaz du sang, impédancemétrie, test de marche), des questionnaires (activité physique, qualité de vie, qualité du sommeil et somnolence), des échelles visuelles (fatigue, céphalées) et un enregistrement d’actimétrie seront réalisées avant et après deux mois de ventilation.

Effects of using ground redberry juniper and dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) in Rambouillet lamb (n= 45) feedlot diets on growth, blood serum, fecal, and wool characteristics were evaluated. In a randomized design study with 2 feeding periods (Period 1 = 64% concentrate diet, 35 d; Period 2 = 85% concentrate diet, 56 d), lambs were individually fed 5 isonitrogenous diets: a control diet (CNTL) that contained oat hay but not DDGS or juniper or DDGS-based diets in which 0 (0JUN), 33 (33JUN), 66 (66JUN), or 100% (100JUN) of the oat hay was replaced by juniper. During Period 1, lambs fed CNTL had greater (P< 0.05) DMI and ADG and tended to have greater (P< 0.10) G:F than lambs fed 0JUN or lambs fed DDGS-based diets. Lamb DMI, ADG, and G:F quadratically increased (P< 0.008) as juniper increased in the DDGS-based diets. During Period 2, lambs fed CNTL had greater (P< 0.05) DMI than lambs fed 0JUN or lambs fed DDGS-based diets, but ADG was similar (P> 0.41). Compared to 0JUN, lambs fed CNTL had similar (P= 0.12) G:F and tended to have less G:F (P= 0.07) than lambs fed DDGS-based diets. Among lambs fed DDGS-based diets, DMI was similar (P> 0.19), ADG increased linearly (P= 0.03), and G:F tended to decrease quadratically (P= 0.06) as juniper increased in the diet. Serum IGF-1, serum urea N (SUN), and fecal N were greater (P< 0.05) and serum Ca and P and fecal P were similar (P> 0.13) for lambs fed CNTL vs. lambs fed DDGS-based diets (CNTL). Within lambs fed DDGS-based diets, SUN increased quadratically (P= 0.01) and fecal N increased linearly (P= 0.004), which can partially be attributed to increased dietary urea and condensed tannin intake. Most wool characteristics were not affected, but wool growth per kilogram of BW decreased quadratically (P= 0.04) as percentage of juniper increased in the DDGS-based diets. When evaluating the entire 91-d feeding trial, results indicated that replacing all of the ground oat hay with ground juniper leaves and stems in lamb growing and finishing diets is not detrimental to animal performance and that DDGS-based diets can reduce total feedlot costs, as compared to sorghum grain and cottonseed meal-based diets. However, compared to using juniper or oat hay as the sole roughage source, using both during the growing period (Period 1) enhanced growth performance and further reduced total feedlot costs.

Le but de cette étude est d’évaluer l’histoire pondérale récente chez des patients ayant un syndrome d’apnées-hypopnées obstructives du sommeil (SAHOS) nécessitant la pression positive continue (PPC).

Les infections respiratoires à Mycoplasma pneumoniaesont classiquement subaiguës et peu graves. Nous rapportons l’observation d’un homme âgé de 40ans hospitalisé pour une détresse respiratoire aiguë dans le cadre d’une infection aiguë à Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Le tableau radiologique et fonctionnel était celui d’une bronchiolite infectieuse aiguë.

Legumes have potential to transfer fixed N to nonlegume crops via grazing or decomposition as well as improve production, seasonal distribution, nutritive value, soil structure, and fertility in forage systems. This article summarizes the legume establishment, management, and grazing production experiments conducted in the southern Great Plains. It attempts to give perspective on the current state of producer adoption and the potential for future research to improve legume adoption. Several medics (Medicagospp.) and clovers (Trifoliumspp.) are compatible and can be established with tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus(Schreb.) Dumort]; however, due to limited precipitation, these have not reliably regenerated. Hairy vetch (Vicia villosaRoth) required annual establishment and was not as economical as N fertilizer in the perennial grass systems, but it was profitable and comparable to the annual system with 112 kg N ha−1by conventional fertilizer. Alfalfa (Medicago sativaL.) may have the greatest potential in the southern Great Plains with cool‐season perennial grass systems like tall fescue when planted in a checkerboard orientation. An alternative approach for utilizing legumes may be to limit grazing access in pure stands similar to a supplementation program during periods of limited forage production or quality. There is a need for greater research including germplasm and rhizobia evaluations, improved seed production, weed control, and grazing before producer adoption becomes widespread. Future research should address constraints including legume establishment, management practices that extend the life of legumes in forage systems, and appropriate economic analysis of proposed novel systems.

In this work we present an overview of the photo-reaction of ethanol over the surface of TiO2 (110) single crystal under photo-excitation and compare it to that over Au/TiO2nano-particle. Over rutile TiO2(110) surface ethanol is present mainly in ethoxide (CH3CH2O(a)) form at 300K as evidenced by the presence of XPS C1s peak at 286.5 eV due to the -CH2-O(a) function; (a) for adsorbed. DFT computation of the same system indicated that the surface coverage is 50% or less in line with previous experimental results [1]. Exposing a pre-dosed surface to UV light in presence of oxygen resulted in the formation of acetaldehyde (CH3CHO(g); (g) for gas phase) with the extent of reaction depending on the square root of the O2pressure in the 10-10- 10-6torr range. Over the Au/TiO2 powder system we have focused the attention on the production of hydrogen as the oxidation of ethanol of ethanol to acetaldehyde has been previously studied [2]. The reaction is found to be sensitive to the polymorph nature of TiO2with anatase showing two orders of magnitudes higher activity than rutile. We have also addressed the TiO2particle size effect on the reaction and found that the TiO2particles, in the 150 to 10 nm range, to have the same reactivity.

Native warm‐season grasses have the potential to provide summer grazing because of their adaptation and persistence. Little nutritive value information is available, however, on the effects of maturity and soil amendments for native North American warm‐season grasses during establishment. Multiflower false rhodesgrass (Chloris plurifloraE. Fourn.), pink pappusgrass (Pappophorum bicolorE. Fourn.), and plains bristlegrass [Setaria vulpiseta(Lam.) Roem. & Schult.] were harvested monthly during the first 2 yr after establishment on a Windthorst sandy loam soil and fertilized with 0 or 67 kg N and P ha−1yr−1Spring application of fertilizer resulted in early season herbage N concentrations 58 to 79% greater (p≤ 0.10) than unfertilized herbage and maintained N concentrations (p≤ 0.10) above the 11.2 g kg−1considered minimum for cattle maintenance through September for most entries. Multiflower false rhodesgrass had the least (p≤ 0.10) fiber and greatest N and in vitro organic matter disappearance (IVOMD). During Year 1 and early in Year 2, IVOMD was sometimes greater (p≤ 0.10) when goat rumen liquid was used compared to steer liquid. This relationship was nullified or even reversed as plants matured in Year 2, indicating that donor species of rumen liquid should be considered when interpreting IVOMD results for native warm‐season grasses.

Effects of replacing cottonseed hulls with dry redberry juniper leaves on performance and serum NEFA, urea N, and IGF-1 were investigated in Rambouillet lambs (n = 24, initial BW = 28.6 ± 4.94 kg). In a study with 2 feeding periods (period 1 = 65% concentrate ration, 28 d; period 2 = 85% concentrate ration, 49 d), lambs were individually fed ad libitum treatment diets containing cottonseed hulls (control; CSH), one-half of the cottonseed hulls replaced by dry juniper leaves (CSHJ), or all the cottonseed hulls replaced by dry juniper leaves (JUN). Lamb BW was similar on d 0 and 14, but increasing juniper in the diet linearly reduced (P= 0.04) BW on d 28. Differences in BW during period 1 are attributed to ADG and average daily DMI linearly decreasing (P< 0.001) with increasing concentrations of juniper, with lambs fed CSH, CSHJ, or JUN diets having ADG of 0.34, 0.30, and 0.14 kg, respectively. Differences in average daily DMI are attributed to secondary compounds in the cottonseed hulls and juniper and nutrient-toxin interactions. Lambs fed CSHJ diets had the greatest (P= 0.04) G:F compared with lambs fed CSH and JUN during period 1. Lambs fed JUN diets tended to have the greatest (P= 0.09) NEFA concentrations during period 1, and increasing juniper in the diet linearly reduced (P= 0.006) serum urea N and IGF-1 on d 14 and 28, respectively. During period 2, intake and growth of lambs fed JUN diet rapidly increased, resulting in all lambs having similar ADG, DMI, G:F, and BW. When period 2 began (d 33), serum NEFA and urea N were similar (P> 0.12) among lambs, but serum IGF-1 tended to be linearly reduced (P= 0.09) by increasing juniper in the diet. At times during period 2, lambs fed CSHJ had the greatest (P< 0.02) serum urea N (d 40 and 82) and IGF-1 (d 54) concentrations. Results were interpreted to indicate that air-dried redberry juniper leaves can replace all of the cottonseed hulls in lamb feedlot rations. Feeding 30% juniper in the diet for a longer period of time during the initial feeding period probably would have further reduced growth performance.

The regulation of Sertoli cell activin A and inhibin B secretion during inflammation was investigated in vitro.Adult rat Sertoli cells were incubated with the inflammatory mediators, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6 and the IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) over 48 h in culture. Activin A, inhibin B and IL-1α were measured in the culture medium by specific two-site ELISAs. Both IL-1β- and LPS-stimulated activin A and inhibited inhibin B secretion. LPS also stimulated the production of IL-1α in the cultures. In contrast to IL-1β, IL-6 had no effect on activin A, although it did have a significant inhibitory effect on inhibin B secretion. Ovine follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and the cAMP analogue dibutyryl cAMP opposed the actions of IL-1 and LPS by suppressing activin A and IL-1α secretion and by stimulating inhibin B. Blocking IL-1 activity in the cultures by addition of an excess of IL-1ra completely prevented the response of activin A to exogenous IL-1β, and reduced the response to LPS by 50%. In the presence of IL-1ra, basal secretion of inhibin B was increased, but IL-1ra was unable to reverse the suppression of inhibin B by LPS. These data indicate the importance of both IL-1 isoforms in regulating secretion of activin A and inhibin B by mature Sertoli cells during inflammation. The data also establish that inflammation exerts its effects on activin A and inhibin B secretion via other pathways in addition to those mediated by IL-1, and that hormonal stimulation by FSH and cAMP moderates the Sertoli cell response to inflammation. Interference with the complex interactions between these cytokines and hormones may contribute to the disruption of reproductive function that can accompany infection and illness in men.

Optimizing feedstock production from switchgrass (Panicum virgatumL.) requires careful matching of genotype to environment, especially for southern U.S. regions. Nine genotypes from four combinations of ecotype and morphological type were harvested once yearly in autumn for 3 or 4 yr at five locations across Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana that varied in latitude and precipitation. Genotypes were evaluated for dry matter yield (DMY), plant density, tiller density, lodging, and rust (caused by Pucciniaspp.) infection. Genotype × environment (G×E) interactions were identified for most traits. Biomass yield of all genotypes tended to increase with latitude, but lowland morphological types may have been more sensitive than upland morphological types to differences in moisture availability. Yield (5.82 vs. 14.97 Mg ha−1, respectively) and persistence (final stand density, 3.99 vs. 5.96 plants m−2) were lower for upland than for lowland genotypes, particularly at higher rainfall and more southern sites. Lowland genotypes were often able to compensate for stand thinning by increasing individual plant size, but upland genotypes were not. Lodging and rust scores were higher for upland than for lowland genotypes. Yield (13.65 vs. 9.75 Mg ha−1) and final plant density (5.58 vs. 4.95 plants m−2) were higher for southern than northern ecotypes. The southern‐lowland combination exhibited the best yield and persistence over the study region, and genotypes within this group exhibited variability in yield among sites. Therefore, development of switchgrass cultivars for biomass production in the southern USA should focus on the southern‐lowland genotypes.

Optimizing biofuel production and quality from switchgrass (Panicum virgatumL.) may require matching of ecotype and morphological type to environments, particularly in southern regions. Nine genotypes from four combinations of ecotype and morphological switchgrass type were harvested from 1998 to 2000 in five sites across Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana that varied in latitude and precipitation. An additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) method was used to evaluate genotype × environment interaction (G × E) patterns for traits important to biofuel production. Compared with upland genotypes across all site‐years, lowland genotypes had greater lignocellulose yields (3.26 vs. 7.40 Mg ha−1), greater removal rates of soil N (41 vs. 83 kg ha−1) and P (6 vs. 12 kg ha−1), greater concentrations of moisture (394 vs. 452 g kg−1) and cellulose (388 vs. 394 g kg−1), and lower concentrations of N (6.3 vs. 5.7 g kg−1) and ash (48 vs. 40 g kg−1). Compared with northern ecotypes, southern ecotypes had greater lignocellulose yields (4.95 vs. 6.85 Mg ha−1), greater removal rates of soil N (60 vs. 76 kg ha−1) and P (8 vs. 11 kg ha−1), greater moisture concentrations (417 vs. 445 g kg−1), and lower ash concentrations (45 vs. 40 g kg−1). Lignocellulose yield paralleled dry matter yield (DMY) patterns. Switchgrass biofuel production efforts in the south‐central USA should focus on improving DMY of southern lowland genotypes to maximize lignocellulose yields, but management factors may be more effective in optimizing moisture, ash, and mineral concentrations for combustion.

Introduced cool‐season perennial grasses may become an important complementary winter forage to dual‐use wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) in high‐risk semiarid environments of the southern Great Plains. Currently recommended, summer semidormant cultivars are not adapted to prolonged and severe summer drought and not productive in the autumn grazing season. In an experiment planted at Vernon, TX, on a Miles fine sandy loam (fine‐loamy, mixed, thermic Udic Paleustalfs) in October 2000, we evaluated productivity and plant survival of an obligatory summer‐dormant ‘Grasslands Flecha’ and summer semidormant ‘Georgia 5’, ‘Jesup’, and ‘Kentucky 31’ tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceaSchreb.); a highly summer semidormant ‘Grasslands Maru’ hardinggrass (Phalaris aquaticaL.); and summer semidormant ‘Grasslands Matua’ and ‘Grasslands Tango’ prairiegrass (Bromus wildenowiiKunth) under two defoliation intensities of 7.5 and 15 cm. Georgia 5, Jesup, and Grasslands Flecha were either infected with the novel Neotyphodium coenophialumGlenn, Bacon, and Hanlin endophyte strain AR542, with their endemic endophytes (except for Grasslands Flecha), or noninfected (E–). Only Grasslands Flecha and Grasslands Maru successfully survived summer droughts during 2001–2004. Prairiegrass behaved as an annual but did not reseed in 2003. Aboveground biomass was greater at 15‐ vs. 7.5‐cm defoliation height, except for 2004 growing season. In Grasslands Flecha, the novel endophyte increased tiller survival during summer drought by 150% (2001) and 121% (2002) when compared with E– plants. Obligatory and highly summer semidormant cultivars of perennial cool‐season grasses may be productive and persistent in the southern Great Plains and have the potential to complement forage from dual‐use wheat pastures.

There is growing awareness that pain and other symptoms are often poorly managed at the end of life. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to compare the quality of care provided to a convenience sample of 195 patients who died during a six-month period, using a retrospective chart review. Quality was defined by symptom documentation, use of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the final 48 hours of life, and determination of advance directives. Daily and total charges incurred by these patients were also captured. Symptom distress was common, and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures were widespread. These data suggest areas for improvement in clinical practice, in palliative care units, and in all settings where end-of-life care is provided. Also, the data can guide future research into the quality of care provided to dying persons.

Regulatory mandates have increased demand for best management practices (BMPs) that will reduce nutrient loading on watersheds impaired by excess manure P and N. Export of manure P and N in turfgrass sod harvests is one BMP under consideration. This study quantified amounts and percentages of P and N removed in a sod harvest for different rates of manure and inorganic P and N. Six treatments comprised an unfertilized control, two manure rates with and without supplemental inorganic N, and inorganic P and N only. The treatments were applied to ‘Tifway’ bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylonL. × C. transvaalensisBurtt‐Davey), ‘609’ buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides(Nutt.) Engelm.], and ‘Reveille’ bluegrass (Poa arachniferaTorr. × P. pratensisL.) under field conditions. Comparisons among treatments revealed small variations of P and N content in clippings and the plant component of sod, but large variations in the soil component of sod for each turf species. In addition, 2 to 10 times more P and 1.3 to 5 times more N was removed in soil than in plant components of sod for the two manure rates with and without added inorganic N. Percentages of applied P and N in harvested sod were similar for the two manure rates with and without added N for each species, but differed among turf species for each P (46 to 77%) and N (36 to 47%). The large amounts and percentages of manure P and N removed by sod harvest support the feasibility of this BMP in efforts to reduce nutrient loads on watersheds.

Context:There are many patients with terminal illness for whom hospice care would be appropriate, but they either never enroll or enroll very late. In a pre-hospice program designed to help patients make the transition into hospice, we observed that many patients did not make the transition.Objectives:To understand more about the transition to hospice and the functions of a pre-hospice program, this paper compares patients who enrolled in hospice with those who died in the pre-hospice program.Design, setting, and patients:Data were collected from a retrospective review of the charts of 123 consecutive patients who enrolled in a prehospice program between January 1, 1995, and December 31, 1996.Main outcome measures:The patient’s decision to transfer to home hospice or (perhaps, by not making a decision) to remain enrolled in the pre-hospice program until death.Results:At the end of the research period, 38 patients had transferred to hospice and 36 had died without transfer. The remaining 49 patients had uncertain outcomes at the end of the research period. Patients who transferred to hospice were older (P = .02) and more likely to have secondary insurance (P = .05). In addition, those who enrolled in hospice were more likely to live alone (P = .03) and have psychosocial concerns noted by staff on admission (P = .05).Conclusions:Many patients died in this program that was designed only for transition to hospice. We found statistically significant differences characterizing the groups associated with transferring to hospice. Further studies to find out why these differences exist will be important in order to provide excellent end-of-life care for more people.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that resistant starch (effective in producing butyrate and lowering possibly toxic ammonia) is rapidly fermented in the proximal colon; the distal colon especially would, however, benefit from these properties of resistant starch. AIMS: To determine whether wheat bran (a rich source of insoluble non-starch polysaccharides), known to hasten gastrointestinal transit, could carry resistant starch through to the distal colon and thus shift its site of fermentation. METHODS: Twenty four pigs were fed four human type diets: a control diet, or control diet supplemented with resistant starch, wheat bran, or both. Intestinal contents and faeces were collected after two weeks. RESULTS: Without wheat bran, resistant starch was rapidly fermented in the caecum and proximal colon. Supplementation with wheat bran inhibited the caecal fermentation of resistant starch, resulting in an almost twofold increase (from 12.9 (2.5) to 20.5 (2.1) g/day, p&lt;0.05) in resistant starch being fermented between the proximal colon and faeces. This resulted in higher butyrate (133%, p&lt;0.05) and lower ammonia (81%, p&lt;0.05) concentrations in the distal colonic regions. CONCLUSIONS: Wheat bran can shift the fermentation of resistant starch further distally, thereby improving the luminal conditions in the distal colonic regions where tumours most commonly occur. Therefore, the combined consumption of resistant starch and insoluble non-starch polysaccharides may contribute to the dietary modulation of colon cancer risk.

Despite the potential benefits and frequent favorable results in germplasm evaluations, only limited success has been attained in many areas with tropical pasture legumes. Lack of information regarding both germplasm adaptation and pasture management requirements has been a limitation. Five promising perennial species were evaluated for grazing tolerance and response to fall grazing deferment on an Immokalee fine sand (Sandy, siliceous, hyperthermic Arenic Haplaquod) at Ona, FL. Alysicarpus vaginalisDC; Desmanthus virgatus(L.) Willd.; Galactia elliottiiNuttall; G. volubilis(L.) Britton; Vigna adenantha(G. F. Meyer) Marechal, Mascherpa, and Stainier; and the standard ‘Florida’ carpon desmodium [Desmodium heterocarpon(L.) DC] were subjected to three treatments: (i) continuous grazing through the growing season (late May to mid‐December), (ii) continuous grazing with fall deferment (grazed late May to mid‐September), and (iii) an ungrazed control. Legume main plots, 5 by 15 m in a randomized complete block design, were split in a strip‐plot arrangement to give grazing treatment subplots of 5 by 5 m. Legumes were transplanted in 1986, grazed in 1987 and 1988, and evaluated for persistence through the summer of 1989. By December 1988, the prostrate A. vaginalishad the highest (P< 0.05) survival percentage under both grazed treatments. Survival of D. virgatus, G. elliottii, and V. adenanthawas generally highest in the ungrazed control. The Galactiaspecies demonstrated superior adaptation to drought during the spring of 1989. Fall deferment consistently increased survival of only G. volubilisand V. adenantha. Tolerance of continuous grazing was suggested only for A. vaginalisand carpon desmodium. Grazing management strategies involving periods of deferment from grazing during the growing season will apparently be necessary for persistence of stands of D. virgatusand G. elliottii.

Degeneration of the cholinergic magnocellular neurons in the basal forebrain and their cortical projections is a major feature of the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease. In the present study, two experiments examined the disruptive effects on visual attentional performance of two different manipulations that reduce central cholinergic function. In Expt. I, pharmacological manipulation of the cholinergic system was investigated using icv administration of hemicholinium (HC-3), a 9high affinity choline uptake blocker, administered either alone or in conjunction with the anticholinesterase, physostigmine. The results revealed impairments in the ability of the rats to localize brief visual targets in a serial reaction time task, as shown in particular by a reduction in choice accuracy and lengthening of the latency to respond correctly to the visual stimulus. Cholinergic specificity was supported by the reversal of these behavioural impairments by pre-treatment with the anticholinesterase, physostigmine. In Expt. II, quisqualateinduced lesions of the basal forebrain produced behavioural deficits at 3 weeks post-lesion surgery similar to those observed following icv infusion of HC-3. In an attempt to restore the extrinsic cortical cholinergic innervation by reinnervation of the deafferented cortex, embryonic basal forebrain cholinergic cells were transplanted into the cortex of lesioned animals. After three months recovery, impairments in performance on the baseline schedule of the task were no longer apparent in lesioned animals. However, behavioural deficits, observed predominantly as a lengthening of correct response latency, could be reinstated in the lesioned animals by interpolation of distracting bursts of white noise during each trial, and this deficit was ameliorated by the cholinergic grafts. Furthermore, a non-specific effect of both cholinergic and non-cholinergic grafts in controlling the increase in perseverative time-out responses which occurred as a result of the basal forebrain lesion was consistently observed. These results suggest that cholinergic dysfunction can produce deficits in visual attention which can be ameliorated by cholinergic treatments such as physostigmine or cholinergic-rich cortical grafts. These data provide support for a role for the basal forebrain-neocortical cholinergic projection in attentional function.

1. The aim of this study was to assess the contribution of retinal ganglion cells to the decline in contrast sensitivity during human ageing. 2. After determination of the appropriate refraction for each subject, younger subjects were arranged to be exposed to a display luminance which was suprathreshold by the same amount as in older subjects wearing a 4.0 mm diameter artificial pupil with a neutral density filter. 3. In fifty‐four subjects, aged 20‐99 years, contrast sensitivities measured in response to phase‐reversed grating patterns of 2, 5 and 8 cycles per degree declined significantly with increasing age at each spatial frequency studied. 4. Subjects were made psychophysically equivalent by setting the display contrast at x5 and x10 contrast threshold for each subject. The pattern electroretinogram (PERG) was recorded with a sterile silver thread (DLT) electrode placed in the lower canthus of one eye, with the indifferent electrode on the temple and the earth on the forehead. 5. For each contrast multiple at each spatial frequency, the PERG implicit time showed no significant change with age, indicating equivalence of the response across the age range. 6. Control experiments with two young and two elderly subjects established that the PERG implicit time decreased appreciably with increasing contrast, over a range of x2 to x20 contrast threshold. 7. Since the psychophysically equivalent stimulus displays had generated equivalent PERGs in terms of implicit time in young and elderly subjects, this was consistent with the equivalence of retinal ganglion cell function under these conditions. 8. Adverse changes within the retina were therefore inferred to play a major role in the decline in contrast sensitivity with age.

Acute massive pulmonary embolus (PE) when undiagnosed may lead to hemodynamic compromise and death. Echocardiography offers several clues to the diagnosis of PE. We describe how transesophageal echo was used in the diagnosis and management of two patients with this disorder.

Responses of the tropical legumes, Desmodium heterocarpon and Galactia elliottii, to inoculation with rhizobia and fertilization with N and P were evaluated in greenhouse experiments. Although inoculation with rhizobia was effective in some instances, improvements in plant growth were not obtained in the presence of naturally occurring microbial populations on the Florida Spodosol soil. Phosphorus at 50 kg P/ha increased herbage and root growth of G. elliottii, but not of D. heterocarpon. Seedling growth responses to N indicate that high rates of N fertilization (in combination with heavy grazing) might be effectively used to enhance seedling vigor of D. heterocarpon oversown on bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) pastures.

This paper used the standardized criteria proposed by Aylward et al I995 for diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease in individuals with learning disabilities to undertake a prospective, longitudinal study of 22 individuals with Down's syndrome. Results show that, after a period of up to 6 years, four individuals showed functional decline. A similar pattern of decline was found to that described in previous studies, although the mean age of onset was later. All four subjects met the criteria for probable Alzheimer's Disease.