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Introduction: Patients with kidney failure undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD) therapy are routinely counseled to reduce dietary sodium intake to ameliorate sodium retention, volume overload, and hypertension. However, low‐sodium diet trials in HD are sparse and indicate that dietary education and behavioral counseling are ineffective in reducing sodium intake. This study aimed to determine whether 4 weeks of low‐sodium, home‐delivered meals in HD patients reduces interdialytic weight gain (IDWG). Secondary outcomes included changes in dietary sodium intake, thirst, xerostomia, blood pressure, volume overload, and muscle sodium concentration. Methods: Twenty HD patients (55 ± 12 years, body mass index [BMI] 40.7 ± 16.6 kg/m2) were enrolled in this study. Participants followed a usual (control) diet for the first 4 weeks followed by 4 weeks of three low‐sodium, home‐delivered meals per day. We measured IDWG, hydration status (bioimpedance), standardized blood pressure (BP), food intake (3‐day dietary recall), and muscle sodium (magnetic resonance imaging) at baseline (0 M), after the 4‐week period of usual diet (1 M), and after the meal intervention (2 M). Findings: The low‐sodium meal intervention significantly reduced IDWG when compared to the control period (−0.82 ± 0.14 kg; 95% confidence interval, −0.55 to −1.08 kg; P < 0.001). There were also 1 month (1 M) to 2 month (2 M) reductions in dietary sodium intake (−1687 ± 297 mg; P < 0.001); thirst score (−4.4 ± 1.3; P = 0.003), xerostomia score (−6.7 ± 1.9; P = 0.002), SBP (−18.0 ± 3.6 mmHg; P < 0.001), DBP (−5.9 ± 2.0 mmHg; P = 0.008), and plasma phosphorus −1.55 ± 0.21 mg/dL; P = 0.005), as well as a 0 M to 2 M reduction in absolute volume overload (−1.08 ± 0.33 L; P = 0.025). However, there were no significant changes in serum or tissue sodium (all P > 0.05). Discussion: Low‐sodium, home‐meal delivery appears to be an effective method for improving volume control and blood pressure in HD patients. Future studies with larger sample sizes are needed to examine the long‐term effects of home‐delivered meals on these outcomes and to assess cost‐effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies have shown that fluoroquinolones, specifically, enrofloxacin and its active metabolite (ciprofloxacin), cross the equine placenta without causing gross or histological lesions in the first and third trimester fetuses or resulting foal. However, it is possible that in utero exposure to fluoroquinolones may cause subtle lesions not detectable by standard means; thus, a more in‐depth assessment of potential toxicity is warranted. Objectives: To use quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI), biomechanical testing, and chondrocyte gene expression to evaluate the limbs of foals exposed to enrofloxacin during the third trimester of pregnancy. Study design: In vivo and control terminal experiment. Methods: Healthy mares at 280 days gestation were assigned into three groups: untreated (n = 5), recommended therapeutic (7.5 mg/kg enrofloxacin, PO, SID, n = 6) or supratherapeutic (15 mg/kg, PO, SID, n = 6) doses for 14 days. Mares carried and delivered to term and nursed their foals for ~30 days. Two additional healthy foals born from untreated mares were treated post‐natally with enrofloxacin (10 mg/kg PO, SID, for 5 days). By 30 days, foal stifles, hocks, elbows, and shoulders were radiographed, foals were subjected to euthanasia, and foal limbs were analysed by quantitative MRI, structural MRI, biomechanical testing and chondrocyte gene expression. Results: Osteochondral lesions were detected with both radiography and structural MRI in foals from both enrofloxacin‐treated and untreated mares. Severe cartilage erosions, synovitis and joint capsular thickening were identified in foals treated with enrofloxacin post‐natally. Median cartilage T2 relaxation times differed between joints but did not differ between treatment groups. Main limitations: A small sample size was assessed and there was no long‐term follow‐up. Conclusion: While further research is needed to address long‐term foal outcomes, no differences were seen in advanced imaging, biomechanical testing or gene expression by 30 days of age, suggesting that enrofloxacin may be a safe and useful antibiotic for select bacterial infections in pregnant mares. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annual willingness-to-pay (WTP) for snowmobile recreation in Idaho is estimated using the travel cost method (TCM). On-site snow conditions are important and erratic, thus we collect two measures of the annual trip count, an in-season survey of the expected count, and a post-season survey of the actual count. Two variants of the TCM model are estimated. Using the post-season actual trip count data and the 'traditional' TCM model, WTP increases from $41 to $91 per person per trip as the fraction of the wage rate that is used to value the opportunity cost of travel time is increased from 1/4 to one. Using the preferred short-run decision TCM model, WTP increases from $53 to $194 as the snowmobiler ratings of off-trail snow conditions vary from worst to best. WTP estimates using the in-season expected trip count data and the traditional TCM model are much higher (triple) than those found using the post-season actual trip count data, and the confidence intervals are much larger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental and theoretical results have established that the range of the attraction plays a critical role in determining whether a particle system exhibits a stable liquid phase. Changes to the range of the repulsions can similarly affect the existence of a stable liquid phase; however, these effects have not been clearly elucidated. We demonstrate that an increase in the range of repulsions can either enhance or decrease the stability of the liquid phase, depending on the form of the interaction potential. For either case, the critical variable that controls the stability of the liquid phase is the ratio of the representative energies of the liquid and solid phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]