Nutritional evaluation of young bulls on tropical pasture receiving supplements with different protein:carbohydrate ratios

The objective of this work was to evaluate the nutritional parameters of young bulls supplemented with different ratios of protein: carbohydrate on tropical pastures from 4 until 18 months old. Fifty-five non-castrated beef calves (138.3±3.4 kg, 90 to 150 d of age) were used. The calves (young bulls) were subjected to a 430-d experimental period encompassing 4 seasons. The treatments were as follows: control, only mineral mixture; HPHC, high protein and high carbohydrate supplement; HPLC, high protein and low carbohydrate supplement; LPHC, low protein and high carbohydrate supplement; and LPLC, low protein and low carbohydrate supplement. The amount of supplement was adjusted every 28 d. Dry matter (DM) intake was higher in the dry-to-rainy transition and rainy seasons for all nutritional plans. Non-supplemented animals had lower intakes of DM and total digestible nutrients (TDN) than supplemented young bulls in all seasons. Although differences in DM intake were not observed between supplemented animals, the supplements with high carbohydrate (HPHC and LPHC) had lower forage intake during suckling (rainy-to-dry transition season) and in the rainy season. However, the HPHC treatment animals had higher intake and digestibility of neutral detergent fiber. It can be concluded that supplementation with high protein levels (supplying 50% of the crude protein requirement) provide the best nutritional parameters for grazing young bulls in most seasons, increasing intake and digestibility of diet, and these effects are more intense when associated with high carbohydrate levels level (supplying 30% TDN requirement).

The effects of the Columbia shuttle disaster on the daily lives of older adults: findings from the VA Normative Aging Study

During 2002-2003 the VA Normative Aging Study conducted an eight-day diary survey of stressors and well-being. A sub-sample of 19 men and 13 women (mean age = 71.78) completed daily questionnaires before and after the Columbia shuttle exploded on 1st February 2003, presenting a unique look into peoples' daily lives before and after a tragic event. Results indicated no significant changes in negative affect or physical symptoms, but people reported significant decreases in both positive affect and memory failures on days following the shuttle explosion. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Pollen and mold exposure impairs the work performance of employees with allergic rhinitis

BACKGROUND

Although quality of life studies suggest that allergic rhinitis has a substantial impact on work impairment, national survey estimates of the magnitude of this impairment have varied widely. Retrospective recall bias is likely to be a major cause of this variability.

OBJECTIVE

This study used a nationally representative daily diary sample to obtain prospective data that improve on previous estimates of the work impairment because of allergic rhinitis.

METHODS

The MacArthur Foundation National Survey of Daily Experience is a daily diary survey that included a nationally representative subsample of 739 employed people, each of whom provided daily reports on work performance for 1 randomly assigned week of the calendar year. National Allergy Bureau monitoring station data were merged with the survey data to study the association of time-space variation in pollen/mold exposure with impaired daily work quality and quantity.

RESULTS

National Allergy Bureau pollen/mold counts are significantly related to work impairments only among respondents with self-reported allergic rhinitis. The average estimated monthly salary-equivalent work impairment costs associated with pollen/mold exposure for each allergy sufferer is between $109 and $156, with an annualized national projection of between $5.4 billion and $7.7 billion.

CONCLUSIONS

The extent to which these costs can be recovered by increasing the proportion of allergy sufferers who are successfully treated remains unknown and can only be evaluated definitively in effectiveness trials.

Everyday stressors and gender differences in daily distress

This article examines gender differences in psychological distress by assessing men's and women's experience of daily stressors and psychological distress in a sample of 166 married couples. Respondents completed a structured daily diary each day over the course of 42 days. Results showed that women reported a higher prevalence of high distress days and a lower prevalence of distress-free days than men. Gender differences in daily distress were attributable largely to women experiencing more onsets of distress episodes rather than being more likely to continue in a distress state from one day to subsequent days. Results from hierarchical linear models (HLM) indicated that the significant gender differences diminished after respondents' daily stressors were taken into account. Implications of these findings for gender role and rumination theories are discussed.

Everyday stressors and gender differences in daily distress

This article examines gender differences in psychological distress by assessing men's and women's experience of daily stressors and psychological distress in a sample of 166 married couples. Respondents completed a structured daily diary each day over the course of 42 days. Results showed that women reported a higher prevalence of high distress days and a lower prevalence of distress-free days than men. Gender differences in daily distress were attributable largely to women experiencing more onsets of distress episodes rather than being more likely to continue in a distress state from one day to subsequent days. Results from hierarchical linear models (HLM) indicated that the significant gender differences diminished after respondents' daily stressors were taken into account. Implications of these findings for gender role and rumination theories are discussed.

Masculinity, femininity, and sex role attitudes in early adolescence: exploring gender intensification

This longitudinal study of 200 young adolescent girls and boys (mean age 11.6 years in sixth grade) investigated the hypothesis that differences in masculinity, femininity, and sex role attitudes would intensify across the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades (between 11 and 13 years of age) and that pubertal timing (early, on time, late) would play a role in this intensification. Analyses revealed that sex differences in masculinity and sex role attitudes increased across grades, but not sex differences in femininity. Pubertal timing was not associated with this gender divergence, although the evidence is equivocal for boys. The results provide support for gender intensification, but the role of pubertal timing may not be as strong as previously supposed.