Efficiency of utilisation of energy from maize- and broken rice-based diets in old White Leghorn and Rhode Island Red laying hens.

1. The efficiency of utilisation of metabolisable energy (ME) for maintenance (k(m)) from diets containing maize and broken rice (BR) at 500 g/kg was studied in old White Leghorn (WL) and Rhode Island Red (RIR) laying hens using the respiration calorimetry technique. The maize-based diet contained 180.8 g crude protein (CP)/kg and 16.4 MJ gross energy (GE)/kg while the BR-based diet contained 173.2 g CP/kg and 16.3 MJ GE/kg. Diets were fed for 10 d, while an energy and nitrogen metabolism study was conducted during 3 d on an ad libitum-fed diet followed by another 3 d on two-thirds of the ad libitum-fed quantity. 2. ME values for the maize- and BR-based diets for WL hens were 73.3% and 77.6% of the GE, whereas for the RIR hens these were 77.7% and 80.0%, respectively. 3. Fasting heat productions, determined at the end of 24 h fast for WL and RIR hens were 473.2 and 366.1 kJ/kg W0.75/d, respectively. During fasting WL and RIR hens utilised body energy reserves with efficiencies of 84.9% and 73.7%, respectively. 4. The k(m) of maize- and BR-based diets for the WL hens were 81.6% and 79.6%, whereas for the RIR hens these were 74.2% and 76.0%, respectively. 5. ME for maintenance of WL and RIR hens were 589 and 499.6 kJ/kg W0.75/d, respectively. 6. It is concluded that although WL and RIR hens differ significantly in energy metabolism, their efficiency of utilisation of energy from maize- and BR-based diets are similar.

EVALUATION OF THE ROLE OF VEGA-VIDHARAN (SUPPRESSION OF NATURAL URGES) IN THE AETIOLOGY OF PSYCHOSOMATIC DISEASES (With special reference to voluntary retention of Urine and Neurohumoral Physiological and clinical changes in human volunteers).

According to Ayurveda various diseases are caused by sepratlon of natural urges (Vega-vidhran), as testified by Susruta who has described 13 types of udavarta rogas. Here an attempt is made to study thy effects of voluntary retention of urine on a series of patients suffering from stress disorders in terms of Neurohumoral, biochemical and physiological changes. The study clearly validates the ancient concept of Ayurveda that wilful retention of natural urges is quite harmful.