Abnormal chronotropic reserve and heart rate recovery in patients with SLE: a case-control study.

Abnormal heart-rate (HR) response during or after a graded exercise test has been recognized as a strong and an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in healthy and diseased subjects. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the HR response during exercise in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this case-control study, 22 women with SLE (age 29.5 ± 1.1 years) were compared with 20 gender-, BMI-, and age-matched healthy subjects (age 26.5 ± 1.4 years). A treadmill cardiorespiratory test was performed and HR response during exercise was evaluated by the chronotropic reserve (CR). HR recovery (ΔHRR) was defined as the difference between HR at peak exercise and at both first (ΔHRR1) and second (ΔHRR2) minutes after exercising. SLE patients presented lower peak VO(2) when compared with healthy subjects (27.6 ± 0.9 vs. 36.7 ± 1.1 ml/kg/min, p = 0.001, respectively). Additionally, SLE patients demonstrated lower CR (71.8 ± 2.4 vs. 98.2 ± 2.6%, p = 0.001), ΔHRR1 (22.1 ± 2.5 vs. 32.4 ± 2.2%, p = 0.004) and ΔHRR2 (39.1 ± 2.9 vs. 50.8 ± 2.5%, p = 0.001) than their healthy peers. In conclusion, SLE patients presented abnormal HR response to exercise, characterized by chronotropic incompetence and delayed ΔHRR.

Performance of broilers fed diets with different dietary electrolyte balance under summer conditions

The aim of this study was to compare performance and carcass characteristics of broilers fed diets with different Dietary Electrolyte balances (DEB) during the summer season. A total of 1,280 one-day-old Ross sexed chicks were distributed in 32 experimental units according to a randomized block design in a 4x2 factorial arrangement (4 levels and 2 sexes) and 4 replicates per treatment (40 birds per replicate). Feed program consisted of 3 phases (1-21, 22-42, 43-49 days of age). Experimental diets were formulated based on corn and soybean meal and adjusted to 210, 250, 290 and 330 mEq/kg of Na + K - Cl through the addition of sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and ammonium chloride. Weekly measurements of body weight gain and feed intake were done, and at 49 days, birds were slaughtered to evaluate the dressing percentage and parts yield. Weight gain during the starter phase increased linearly (p 0.01) as DEB increased. Different DEB levels did not affect feed intake or mortality. Carcass characteristics were not affected by treatments. Dietary electrolytic balance influenced weight gain and feed gain ratio from 1 to 21 days, and best results were observed when diets contained 290 and 330 mEq/kg.

Performance of broilers fed diets with different dietary electrolyte balance under summer conditions

The aim of this study was to compare performance and carcass characteristics of broilers fed diets with different Dietary Electrolyte balances (DEB) during the summer season. A total of 1,280 one-day-old Ross sexed chicks were distributed in 32 experimental units according to a randomized block design in a 4x2 factorial arrangement (4 levels and 2 sexes) and 4 replicates per treatment (40 birds per replicate). Feed program consisted of 3 phases (1-21, 22-42, 43-49 days of age). Experimental diets were formulated based on corn and soybean meal and adjusted to 210, 250, 290 and 330 mEq/kg of Na + K - Cl through the addition of sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and ammonium chloride. Weekly measurements of body weight gain and feed intake were done, and at 49 days, birds were slaughtered to evaluate the dressing percentage and parts yield. Weight gain during the starter phase increased linearly (p 0.01) as DEB increased. Different DEB levels did not affect feed intake or mortality. Carcass characteristics were not affected by treatments. Dietary electrolytic balance influenced weight gain and feed gain ratio from 1 to 21 days, and best results were observed when diets contained 290 and 330 mEq/kg.

Performance of broilers fed with different levels of methionine hydroxy analogue and DL-methionine

One-day-old male Ross chicks were used in an experiment designed to compare two methionine sources, DL-methionine and methionine hydroxy analogue free acid (MHA-FA), and four different levels: 0.41; 0.47; 0.53; 0.59% (starter diet); 0.35; 0.41; 0.47; 0.53% (grower diet); and 0.30; 0.36; 0.42; 0.48% (finisher diet). One thousand two hundred and eighty chicks were housed in 32 experimental floor-pens (40 birds each) and fed 8 experimental diets based on corn and soybean meal for 47 days. The effects of methionine sources and levels were evaluated by performance data, carcass and cut yields, feather yield and abdominal fat content. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design in a 2x4 factorial arrangement (2 sources and 4 levels), with 8 treatments and 4 repetitions. Analysis of variance was performed using PROC GLM of SAS©. Data indicated DL-methionine to be more effective in promoting growth than MHA-FA, and weight gain increased numerically in response to increasing levels of methionine in all phases.

Performance of broilers fed with different levels of methionine hydroxy analogue and DL-methionine

One-day-old male Ross chicks were used in an experiment designed to compare two methionine sources, DL-methionine and methionine hydroxy analogue free acid (MHA-FA), and four different levels: 0.41; 0.47; 0.53; 0.59% (starter diet); 0.35; 0.41; 0.47; 0.53% (grower diet); and 0.30; 0.36; 0.42; 0.48% (finisher diet). One thousand two hundred and eighty chicks were housed in 32 experimental floor-pens (40 birds each) and fed 8 experimental diets based on corn and soybean meal for 47 days. The effects of methionine sources and levels were evaluated by performance data, carcass and cut yields, feather yield and abdominal fat content. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design in a 2x4 factorial arrangement (2 sources and 4 levels), with 8 treatments and 4 repetitions. Analysis of variance was performed using PROC GLM of SAS©. Data indicated DL-methionine to be more effective in promoting growth than MHA-FA, and weight gain increased numerically in response to increasing levels of methionine in all phases.