Effect of sesame oil feeding on performance, plasma lipids and ruminal fermentation of growing lambs

BACKGROUND: In recent years, dietary fat supplementation has become a common practice and fat supplemented diets have had variable effects on animal performance and carcass characteristics.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine the effect of increasing the levels of sesame oil on performance, rumen parameters and plasma lipid profile in finishing Chal lambs.

METHODS: Eighteen male lambs were fed with control [C; without sesame oil] and the diets contained low level [LSO; 2.5%] and high level [HSO; 5%] of sesame oil.

RESULTS: The addition of fat had no effect on dry matter intake [DMI], average daily gain [ADG], feed conversion ratio [FCR] and carcass weight. Treatments with sesame oil had no effect on rumen ammonia concentration and total protozoal count. Ruminal pH was numerically smaller [p=0.14] for control compared to lambs fed diets containing 2.5 and 5% sesame oil. Treatments had no effect on total VFA, acetate, butyrate, valerate and isovalerate concentrations. The propionate concentration decreased [p=0.04] by supplementation of sesame oil compared with the control. Total cholesterol [TC] and HDL increased and the tendency for VLDL and triglyceride [p=0.13] to increase was observed by treatment groups when compared with the control. Glucose concentration and LDL were not affected by treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: Sesame oil had no effect on the performance and carcass weight of lambs but there was decrease in blood cholesterol concentration.

[ effect of four medicinal plants on performance and concentration of serum lipids in broiler chicks]

The usage of "growth promoter" antibiotics has been banned recently. This is due to the possibility of bacterial resistance and the risk of transferring to consumers. Herbs with antimicrobial and hypolipidemic properties can suggest as proper alternatives for antibiotic. Comparative investigation of growth promoting effect of four medicinal plants [Cuminum L., Mentha piperita L., Achillea L., Teucrium Polium L.] on performance and concentration of serum lipids of broiler. Total 280 day-old male Ross broiler chicks were used in a CRD design with 5 treatments, and 4 replicates and 56 birds per each treatment. Cuminum, Mentha piperita, Achillea and Teucrium Polium was added to diets in levels of 1.5, 0.3, 0.2 and 0.2 percent, respectively. A treatment without any additive was considered as control group. Feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio were recorded weekly. Total cholesterol, Triglycerides, LDL and HDL were measured at 35 days of age. Among the medicinal plants that used in this study, inclusion Mentha piperita in finisher diets increased feed intake [2196.4 g] and weight gain [1005.3 g], significantly [p < 0.05]. At total rearing period, addition of Teucrium Polium to diets decreased weight gain [1821.3 g] of chicks compared to control [1963.7 g], decreased total cholesterol [151.33 mg/dl] and LDL [29.06 mg/dl]; but it increased HDL [120.16 mg/dl] of serum [p < 0.05]. The results of this experiment suggest that Mentha piperita L., in diet, improves broiler performance compared to control and it can be used as growth promoter in broiler nutrition

impact of a bacterial inoculant on chemical composition, aerobic stability and in sacco degradability of corn silage and the subsequent performance of dairy cows

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of bacterial inoculation on the fermentation and aerobic stability of corn silage and on the dry matter degradability and milk composition when fed to sheep or cows. Four male sheep were selected to measure dry matter degradability of uninoculated [UCS] and inoculated [ICS] corn silage. Milk composition was measured for 22 Holstein cows, separated into two treatment groups and fed with either UCS or ICS diets. Similar lactic acid concentrations but higher propionic and lower acetic acid concentrations were recorded for ICS diets compared to UCS diets [p < 0.05]. Aerobic stability was 12 h and 32 h for UCS and ICS, respectively. Values of in sacco dry matter loss were higher for ICS than for UCS [p < 0.05]. Lactose and solid non-fat content was higher in the milk of cows fed with ICS than UCS [p < 0.05]. We conclude that the Lalsil bacterial inoculant containing propioni bacterium acidipropionici andLactobacillusplantarum can be used as an additive due to its positive effect on fermentation, aerobic stability and dry matter degradability of corn silage. The slight positive effect of inoculcation on the nutritional value of silage appears to be limited to milk production improvement in dairy cows

Osteoarthritis among women in Bahrain: a public health audit

This study aims to train students on public health survey; correlate risk factors of osteoarthritis and to identify modifiable risk factors. Osteoarthritis survey was carried out among 420 Bahraini women, above 40 years of age, diagnosed of osteoarthritis, attending ministry of health facilities. Most cases in the study were from the age group of 50- 59 years with a mean age of 57. Osteoarthritis: of major joints alone was 74%; of generalized was 21% and of small joints of hands and feet alone was 5%. Within major osteoarthritis: 48% were knees alone; 51% were knee and hip and 2% were hip alone. Combinations of co-morbidities were found among 43%. History of diagnosed: diabetes in 10%, hypertension among 13% and hypercholesterolemia in 5% of cases. Half of the cases in the study were obese and 30% were overweight. Osteoarthritis of the Knee and the combination of the osteoarthritis of knee and hip was highest among obese followed by overweight cases. Menopause was found among 68%of patients. Patients on medication accounted for 85% and 75% were on Physiotherapy. Half of the sample had family history of osteoarthritis. While over 90% were less educated with odds ratio for being housewives at 3.085. The multivariate analysis of ordinal regression returned pseudo R2 of 30% for the model with the following significant variables: age, BMI, menopause status, exercise, chronic morbidities and family history of osteoarthritis. Overall, the proportion of major osteoarthritis of the weight bearing joints is very high. The modifiable risk factors identified from this study are sedentary lifestyle, obesity and overweight, as well as chronic morbidities

Prediction of diabetes using logic regression

Detection of population at risk of type II diabetes, as a multi-factorial disease, is an important issue because of its individual and social impacts. To date, several studies have been conducted to predict the incidence of diabetes, using different statistical methods. However, despite its clinical importance, it is highly difficult to consider all interactions among risk factors, in ordinary statistical models. This study aimed to extract appropriate logic combination of type 2 diabetes risk factors employing the recently introduced method, Logic regression. The study population was selected from a cohort of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study [TLGS]. Data for 3523 participants, aged 20 years and over [57.8% female and 42.2% male] were entered into analysis, for which logistic logic regression method was used. The model parameters were estimated using the Annealing algorithm. To avoid overestimation, the optimal number of logic combinations was determined by the cross-validation method. Deviance, sensitivity and specificity measures were computed to evaluate the logic model and its comparison to ordinary logistic regression; the latter accommodated only the main effects. The prediction power of the two models was compared by Area under ROC curve. R software version 2.8.1 was employed for analyses. Logistic logic regression with the 4 Boolean combination including 5 variables was fitted using the Annealing algorithm and resulted in in deviance of 1203.30. This model had better fit compared to other logic models and also ordinary logistic regression with forward procedure [deviance=1206.88]. The Boolean combination of the above model included impaired fasting glucose [OR=5.53, 95%CI: 4.03-7.59], IGT [OR=5.54, 95%CI: 3.96-7.49], family history of diabetes [OR=1.89, 95%CI: 1.38-2.63], and interaction of high triglycerides or abnormal waist circumference [OR=2.4, 95%CI: 1.73-3.32]; all p-values <0.001. The area under ROC curve for the model was 0.843 [95%CI: 0.813-0.874]. This study showed that the logic regression as a newly introduced method has the ability of recognizing and modelling the interactions between different risk factors. Therefore, it is recommended as an appropriate tool for screening of the multi-factorial diseases such as diabetes

Dental extractions in patients maintained on oral anticoagulant therapy: comparison of International Normalized Ratio [INR] value with occurrence of postoperative bleeding

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of postoperative bleeding in patients treated with oral anticoagulant medication undergone dental extraction without interruption of medication and to compare the incidence of postoperative bleeding with International Normalized Ratio [INR] value. This study was a cross sectional study and the data collecting method was direct observation. A total of 362 patients undergone 703 dental extractions without interruption of oral anticoagulant medication were studied. For all patients INR value was measured on the day of surgery and based on INR value, the patients were divided into three groups: Group I with INR of 1.5-2.49, Group2 with INR of 2.5-3.49, and Group 3 with INR of> 3.5. Dental extraction was carried out by two surgeon and if necessary, local hemostatic agents were applied [gelfoam and multiple silk sutures]. The data were analyzed using SPSS 11.5 statistical software [Willcoxan and Mann-Whitney tests]. Of the 360 patients undergone oral anticoagulant medication, in 30 patients postoperative bleeding occurred. 11 patients [7.43%] in group one, 10 patients [8.62%] in group two and 9 patients [9.18%] in group three, developed postoperative bleeding. The incidence of postoperative bleeding was not significantly different in three groups. Thus simple dental extractions can be performed without modification of oral anticoagulant therapy. Local hemostasis using gelfoam and sutures would be sufficient to control postoperative bleeding