Nutrient consumption and digestibility in Garut sheep fed with elephant grass and pollard bran

This study aimed to compare the nutrients consumption and digestibility between Garut rams and ewes fed with forage (elephant grass) and concentrate (pollard bran) with a ratio of 60:40 (based on the dry matter). The livestock used were 6 Garut rams and 6 Garut ewes. They were placed in metabolic cages and equipped with feces containers. This research was conducted 14 days for the adaptation period and 5 days for the collection period. During the collection period, feed, feed residue, and feces collection were carried out for analysis. The analysis consisted of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude fiber (CF), nitrogen-free extract (NFE), and total digestible nutrients (TDN). The data obtained were used to calculate nutrient consumption and digestibility. Based on the research, it was known that average consumption and digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude lipid (CL), crude fiber (CF), nitrogen-free extract (NFE), and total digestible nutrients (TDN) of Garut rams and ewes were not significantly different (P>0.05). All nutrients consumed by rams were higher than ewes, but the nutrients digestibility value in rams was lower than ewes.

Helminth fauna of Norops fuscoauratus (D’Orbigny, 1837) (Squamata: Dactyloidae) in the Atlantic Forest, northeastern Brazil

The composition of macro endoparasites associated with the lizard Norops fuscoauratus (Squamata) was analysed in two localities in the Atlantic Forest on the northeast of Brazil between December 2012 and July 2015. 74 specimens of N. fuscoauratus were examined and five species of helminths were reported, being: (a) for the population of Pernambuco: Cystacanth (Prevalence=37.5%), Physaloptera retusa Rudolphi, 1819 (Prevalence=4.16%), larva of flatworm (Prevalence=2.08%), Rhabdias sp. (Prevalence=2.08%) and Strongyluris oscari Travassos, 1923 (Prevalence=2.08%), and (b) of Alagoas: S. oscari (Prevalence=17.85%) and Rhabdias sp. (Prevalence=3.57%). The differences in the composition of endoparasites in the two populations are attributed to individualities of environments occupied by the lizards. The collection period does not influence the abundance of parasites, but when associated with sex, there was a positive correlation with the abundance of helminths, with more females than males being infected with parasites in the rainy season.

Analisis Potensi Interaksi Obat Pada Resep Spesialis Penyakit Kulit di Salah Satu Klinik di Yogyakarta

Skin diseases often occur in tropical countries, including Indonesia. Data from the Yogyakarta City Health Office showed that skin diseases were included in the top 10 diseases at the Yogyakarta City Health Center in 2020. Various types of drugs for the treatment of skin diseases, ranging from tablets, ointments, creams, pulvis and shampoos. One of the accuracy in drug selection is to avoid drug interactions. Drug-drug interaction (DDI) occurs when two or more drugs can interact in a way that affects the effectiveness of the drug. The purpose of this study is to determine the number and categories of drug interactions. This research was carried out retrospectively by taking medical data on skin diseases at one of the skin and genital clinics in the city of Yogyakarta. The data collection period is for 2 months, namely September and October 2020. The data taken are in the form of demographic data and drug use. The results showed that there were 33 cases of minor interactions. There were 21 cases of loratadine and steroids, 2 cases of ketoconazole and steroid interactions, and 10 cases of cefadroxil and acyclovir interactions. The conclusion is that offering drug combinations that allow drug interactions to occur can avoid drug combinations taken simultaneously and use only in special circumstances. It is recommended that pharmacists provide information on the rules for taking medication to maximize the effectiveness of the drug in curing the patient's illness.

A Comparison of CPU and GPU Implementations for the LHCb Experiment Run 3 Trigger

The Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) experiment at CERN is undergoing an upgrade in preparation for the Run 3 data collection period at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). As part of this upgrade, the trigger is moving to a full software implementation operating at the LHC bunch crossing rate. We present an evaluation of a CPU-based and a GPU-based implementation of the first stage of the high-level trigger. After a detailed comparison, both options are found to be viable. This document summarizes the performance and implementation details of these options, the outcome of which has led to the choice of the GPU-based implementation as the baseline.

Potentially addictive behaviours increase during the first six months of the Covid-19 pandemic

Background and aims In this study we aimed to assess multiple potentially addictive behaviours simultaneously for an extended period of time during the Covid-19 pandemic and their relation to distress. Methods Data were collected every three days from Amazon’s MTurk between 26.03.2020 and 02.10.2020 in repeated cross-sectional samples of 25 participants resulting in a total sample of 1430 US adults (60% men, mean age 36.6 years, SD = 11). General distress and Covid-19 related fear were assessed as well as self-reported frequency of eight potentially addictive behaviours: shopping (compulsive buying), alcohol, smoking, legal substances, illegal substances, gambling, gaming and overeating. Results We found a positive relationship between time and the frequency of each self-reported potentially addictive behaviour ( = 0.15–0.23, all P < 0.001), and their frequency is linearly related to the intensity of (Covid-19-related and general) distress ( = 0.12–0.28, all P < 0.001). Most popular activities were gaming and compulsive buying, and the relative frequency of the behaviours remained about the same during the data collection period. Discussion It is possible that people seek other maladaptive substitutes when other coping mechanisms (e.g. social recreation) are hindered depending on their level of distress. Conclusion Given the evidence for the increasing frequency of potentially addictive behaviours and their relevance to distress, special attention needs to be paid to reduce potential harmful effects of maladaptive coping during and after this demanding period.

Potential of Impedance Flow Cytometry to Assess the Viability and Quantity of Cannabis sativa L. Pollen

Over the last decade, efforts to breed new Cannabis sativa L. cultivars with high Cannabidiol (CBD) and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids with low tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels have increased. In this context, the identification of the viability and quantity of pollen, which represents the fitness of male gametophytes, to accomplish successful pollination is of high importance. The present study aims to evaluate the potential of impedance flow cytometry (IFC) for the assessment of pollen viability (PV) and total number of pollen cells (TPC) in two phytocannabinoid-rich cannabis genotypes, KANADA (KAN) and A4 treated with two different chemical solutions, silver thiosulfate solution (STS) and gibberellic acid (GA3). Pollen was collected over a period of 8 to 24 days after flowering (DAF) in a greenhouse experiment. Impedance flow cytometry (IFC) technology was used with Cannabis sativa to assess the viability and quantity of pollen. The results showed that the number of flowers per plant was highest at 24 DAF for both genotypes, A4 (317.78) and KAN (189.74). TPC induced by STS was significantly higher compared to GA3 over the collection period of 8 to 24 DAF with the highest mean TPC of 1.54 × 105 at 14 DAF. STS showed significantly higher viability of pollen compared to GA3 in genotype KAN, with the highest PV of 78.18% 11 DAF. Genotype A4 also showed significantly higher PV with STS at 8 (45.66%), 14 (77.88%), 18 (79.37%), and 24 (51.92%) DAF compared to GA3. Furthermore, counting the numbers of flowers did not provide insights into the quality and quantity of pollen; the results showed that PV was highest at 18 DAF with A4; however, the number of flowers per plant was 150.33 at 18 DAF and was thus not the maximum of produced flowers within the experiment. IFC technology successfully estimated the TPC and differentiated between viable and non-viable cells over a period of 8 to 24 DAF in tested genotypes of Cannabis sativa. IFC seems to be an efficient and reliable method to estimate PV, opening new chances for plant breeding and plant production processes in cannabis.

Longitudinal changes in Super League match locomotor and event characteristics: A league-wide investigation over three seasons in rugby league

The 2019 and 2020 Super League (SL) seasons included several competition rule changes. This study aimed to quantify the difference between the 2018, 2019 and 2020 SL seasons for duration, locomotor and event characteristics of matches. Microtechnology and match event data were analysed from 11 SL teams, comprising 124 players, from 416 competitive matches across a three-year data collection period. Due to an enforced suspension of league competition as a consequence of COVID-19 restrictions, and subsequent rule changes upon return to play, season 2020 was divided into season 2020a (i.e. Pre-COVID suspension) and season 2020b (i.e. Post-COVID suspension). Duration, locomotor variables, and match events were analysed per whole-match and ball-in-play (BIP) periods with differences between seasons determined using mixed-effects models. There were significant (ρ ≤ 0.05) reductions in whole-match and BIP durations for adjustables and backs in 2019 when compared to 2018; albeit the magnitude of reduction was less during BIP analyses. Despite reduced duration, adjustables reported an increased average speed suggesting reduced recovery time between bouts. Both forwards and adjustables also experienced an increase in missed tackles between 2018 and 2019 seasons. When comparing 2019 to 2020a, adjustables and backs increased their average speed and distance whilst all positional groups increased average acceleration both for whole-match and BIP analyses. When comparing 2020a to 2020b, all positional groups experienced reduced average speed and average acceleration for both whole-match and BIP analyses. Forwards experienced an increased number of tackles and carries, adjustables experienced an increased number of carries, and backs experienced an increased number of missed tackles when comparing these variables between season 2020a and 2020b. Rule changes have a greater effect on whole-match duration and locomotor characteristics than those reported during BIP periods which suggests the implemented rule changes have removed stagnant time from matches. Amendments to tackle related rules within matches (e.g., introduction of the ‘six-again’ rule) increases the number of collision related events such as carries and tackles.

A Qualitative Exploration of the Teaching- and Learning-Related Content Nursing Students Share to Social Media

Background: Social media have many applications in health professions education. The current literature focuses on how faculty members use social media to supplement their teaching; less is known about how the students themselves use social media to support their educational activities. In this study, this digital artifact collection qualitatively explored what educational content nursing students shared with their social media accounts. Methods: A total of 24 nursing students’ Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts were followed over 5 months. A modified directed content analysis was conducted weekly and at the end of the data collection period, using two cycles of inductive and deductive coding. Results: This study demonstrated that nursing students used social media to combat isolation, to consolidate course content, to share resources, and to better anticipate the transition to practice as a new nurse. Conclusions: Faculty members can capitalize on social media platforms to help nursing students explore nursing roles and identities while learning about and enacting professional online behaviours.

A Practical Validation of Uncooled Thermal Imagers for Small RPAS

Uncooled thermal imaging sensors in the LWIR (7.5 μm to 14 μm) have recently been developed for use with small RPAS. This study derives a new thermal imaging validation methodology via the use of a blackbody source (indoors) and real-world field conditions (outdoors). We have demonstrated this method with three popular LWIR cameras by DJI (Zenmuse XT-R, Zenmuse XT2 and, the M2EA) operated by three different popular DJI RPAS platforms (Matrice 600 Pro, M300 RTK and, the Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced). Results from the blackbody work show that each camera has a highly linearized response (R2 > 0.99) in the temperature range 5–40 °C as well as a small (<2 °C) temperature bias that is less than the stated accuracy of the cameras. Field validation was accomplished by imaging vegetation and concrete targets (outdoors and at night), that were instrumented with surface temperature sensors. Environmental parameters (air temperature, humidity, pressure and, wind and gusting) were measured for several hours prior to imaging data collection and found to either not be a factor, or were constant, during the ~30 min data collection period. In-field results from imagery at five heights between 10 m and 50 m show absolute temperature retrievals of the concrete and two vegetation sites were within the specifications of the cameras. The methodology has been developed with consideration of active RPAS operational requirements.

Firm Profitability And The Administration Of Working Capital: Delving Into A Case Of The Cement Sector Of Pakistan

This study endeavors to establish an association between the administration of working capital and firm returns in Pakistan’s cement sector. Ten companies listed in the cement industry of KSE 100 Index were taken from Pakistan Stock Exchange randomly. Financial data in secondary form was collected from the financial reports of cement firms of the country. The study employed return on assets as an explained variable and inventory turnover period in days, collection period in days, payment period, cash conversion cycle, sales in log, and liquidity ratios as explanatory variables while controlling for the influence offirm’s size and firm’s growth in terms of sales. It was found that the current ratio, log of sales, cash conversion cycle and inventory conversion period positively influenced the return of companies whereas size of the firm, collection period of receivables, payment period to creditors and the debt ratio of firms had a negative influence on it.