Determination of standardised ileal digestibility of amino acids in high-fibre feedstuffs and additivity of apparent and standardised ileal amino acids digestibility of diets containing mixtures of maize, sorghum, and soybean meal

1. Two experiments were conducted to determine the coefficients of standardised ileal amino acid digestibility for selected high-fibre feedstuffs (Expt.1) and to assess the additivity of coefficients of apparent (cAIAAD) and standardised (cSIAAD) ileal amino acid digestibility for diets containing combinations of sorghum, maize and soybean meal.2. In Expt. 1, broiler chickens (324) were allocated to 54 metabolism cages (nine diets with six replicates). In Expt. 2, broiler chickens (315) were allocated to 63 metabolism cages (seven diets with nine replicates). The diets in Expt. 1 were a nitrogen-free diet plus eight semi-purified diets in which soybean meal (SBM), low-protein SBM (LPSBM), soybean hull, wheat bran, maize bran, rice bran, dried sugarbeet pulp or maize gluten feed were the only sources of protein in the respective diets. In Expt. 2, the seven diets were a nitrogen-free diet, and six semi-purified diets consisting of individual feedstuffs (SBM, maize, or sorghum) or combinations (maize and SBM; sorghum and SBM; or maize, sorghum, and SBM) as the only sources of protein.3. In both experiments, all the broiler chickens received the same maize-SBM diet formulated to meet nutrient requirements according to the breeder's recommendations from d 0 to 16. Allocated experimental diets were provided on d 16, and ileal digesta were collected on d 21.4. In Expt. 1, SBM and LPSBM had greater (P < 0.01) cSIAAD for indispensable and dispensable amino acids than the other feedstuffs. The rice bran had greater (P<0.01) cSIAAD values than wheat bran and maize bran, except for Leu, Cys, and Pro.5. In Expt. 2, predicted cAIAAD values for maize-SBM and maize-sorghum-SBM were generally lower (P<0.01) than actual values. The actual and predicted cSIAAD values for maize-SBM, sorghum-SBM and maize-sorghum-SBM combinations were not significantly different.6. It was concluded that the standardised amino acid digestibility of sorghum, when combined with other feedstuffs, was additive and that approximately three-quarters of total amino acids in the assayed high-fibre feedstuffs, except for dried sugarbeet pulp and maize gluten feed, were digestible.

Influence on the Apparent Luminescent Lifetime of Rare-Earth Upconversion Nanoparticles by Quenching the Sensitizer's Excited State for Hypochlorous Acid Detection and Bioimaging

Lanthanide-ion-doped upconversion materials have been widely used in biological detection, bioimaging, displays, and anticounterfeiting due to their abilities of real-time readings, high spatial resolution, and deep tissue penetration. The typically long fluorescence lifetimes of rare-earth nanoparticles, in the microsecond to millisecond range, make them useful in interference-free lifetime detection imaging. Most detection systems are accompanied by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), in which the lifetime of the luminescence center can be used as a signal to reveal the degree of FRET. Due to the complex energy level structure and complex energy transfer processes, the apparent lifetimes of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) do not simply equal the decay time of the corresponding energy level, inducing an insignificant lifetime change in the upconversion detection system. In this study, the relationship between the apparent luminescence lifetime of upconversion and the decay rate of each energy level was studied by numerical simulations. It was proved that the apparent lifetime of the emission at 540 nm was mainly affected by the decay rate of Yb³⁺. We then constructed a nanocomposite with Rh1000 fluorophores loaded onto the surface of UCNPs to quench the sensitizer Yb³⁺. We found that the lifetime of the emission at 540 nm from Er³⁺ was affected to a large extent by the number of attached Rh1000 molecules, proving the greater influence on the apparent luminescent lifetime of Er³⁺ at 540 nm caused by quenching the Yb³⁺ excited state. The qualitative detection of hypochlorous acid (HClO) in vivo was also achieved using the luminescent lifetime as the signal.

Frequency & factors associated with apparent resistant hypertension among Ghanaians in a multicenter study

Apparent resistant hypertension (ARH) is rife among people living with hypertension and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. There is however paucity of data from sub-Saharan Africa on the burden of ARH. We sought to report on the frequency and factors associated with ARH among a cohort of Ghanaians with hypertension. A cross-sectional study involving 2912 participants with hypertension enrolled at five health facilities in Ghana. ARH was defined as either office BP ≥ 140/90 mm Hg on 3 or more antihypertensive medications or on 4 or more antihypertensive medications regardless of BP. Factors associated with ARH were evaluated in a multivariate logistic regression model. We found 550 out of 2,912 (18.9%) of study participants had ARH. Out of these 550 subjects, 511 (92.9%) were on 3 or more antihypertensive medications with BP ≥ 140/90 mm Hg and 39 (7.1%) were on 4 or more antihypertensive medications with BP ≥ 140/90 mm Hg. The prevalence of ARH was 15.5% among elderly aged 75 + years (n = 341), 20.7% among 65-74 years (n = 588), and 18.9% among those ≤ 64 years (n = 1983). The adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) of factors independently associated with ARH was duration of hypertension, 1.05 (1.03-1.06) for each year rise; eGFR < 60 mL/min, 1.73 (1.33-2.25); and diabetes mellitus, 0.59 (0.46-0.76). Attaining secondary level education and residence in a peri-urban setting were significantly associated with ARH though not in a dose-dependent manner. ARH is rife among Ghanaians and may negatively impact on cardiovascular outcomes in the long term.

Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients With Multifactorial Perceived Limb Length Discrepancy

BACKGROUND

Patients with advanced hip arthritis can present with multifactorial limb length discrepancies (LLDs) owing to bony shortening from growth arrest, proximal hip migration, soft-tissue contractures, and pelvic obliquity. The patient perceives an LLD that is a combination of true LLD and apparent LLD.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 7 cases with multifactorial mean perceived LLD of 7.7 cm (range, 3.6-11 cm) that underwent primary total hip arthroplasty and auxiliary soft-tissue procedures. Perceived LLD, true LLD, and apparent LLD were defined and were compared before and after surgery in this cohort of patients with a mean follow-up of 57.4 months.

RESULTS

The mean perceived LLD at final follow-up was 1.0 ± 0.9 cm compared with that of 7.7 ± 2.6 cm preoperatively (P < .05). Postoperative true LLD was 0.7 ± 0.8 cm compared with that of 3.2 ± 0.8 cm preoperatively (P < .05). At final follow-up, all 7 patients were ambulating without any assistive devices and were satisfied with their surgical outcome.

CONCLUSION

With careful preoperative clinical and radiographic assessments as well as planning for multifactorial perceived LLD, this can be adequately corrected with primary total hip arthroplasty and auxiliary soft-tissue procedures resulting in good radiologic and functional outcomes.