Research and Development of Essentials for Silage Preparation, Transport and Storage in Flexible Containers of Optimal Volume

The research purpose was to develop the basics for silage preparation by vacuuming with the use of flexible polymer containers and estimating silage quality. The analysis of modern systems used for silage preparation and storage showed that the main disadvantages include the high storage and preparation costs, and losses of silage weight and nutrients by 3–25% after opening of storage facilities. To eliminate these disadvantages, the basics for preparing the silage by vacuuming in flexible polymer containers that can be transported and stored with optimum volume have been studied and developed. The study pursuits its goals by observing the changes in density and degree of silage compaction caused by the vacuum pressure and deadweight. A comparative estimation of silage quality indices was conducted by means of chemical analysis of silage specimens. The results show graphical dependencies of changes in silage volume and density at vacuum pressure up to 60 kPa. Moreover, a comparative assessment of quality indices of silage specimens prepared by vacuuming in soft containers, and traditional method using trenches was conducted. The reliability of results for silage storing quality in a vacuum container was achieved by fivefold test repetition within 2 years. Comparison of silage quality indices obtained using vacuum technology and traditional method showed improvement in favour of the proposed method: dry matter by 2.05%; protein by a factor of 1.47; nitrogenous substances by 1.37; starch by 1.56; calcium by 1.83; phosphorus by 2; digestible protein by 1.24; feed unit by 1.31; exchange energy by 1.16, which was achieved thanks to the elimination of succus leakage.

Upper body strength endurance evaluation: A comparison between the handgrip strength and three body weight tests

BACKGROUND: The hand-grip strength test has been widely adopted to evaluate upper limb strength. Other field based tests as push-ups and pull-ups are commonly used for the same purpose. It is however unclear if these may be used interchangeably for upper body strength evaluation. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate strength endurance of the upper body and understand which test could be the most appropriate for upper body evaluation. METHODS: Thirty-eight healthy young male participants were tested with three tests comprised of: 1) push-ups (PS), 2) pull-ups (PL) and 3) parallel dips (PD) performed to exhaustion. Grip strength (GS), total number of repetitions, time-to-complete the test, repetition cadence and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) were also retrieved for investigation. RESULTS: Repetitions, time-to-complete the test and repetition cadence significantly differed across the three tests (p< 0.001). No difference in the RPE was present. No correlation was present between GS and the other tests. No correlation was present between RPE and performance values and time-to-complete the tests. BMI was positively correlated to RPE in all tests. All tests strongly correlate to each other (PS vs. PL r= 0.55; PS vs. PD r= 0.64; PL vs. PD r= 0.70) and to time-to-complete the test (PS r= 0.79; PL r= 0.69; PD r= 0.66). Only the results of the PD correlate to their respective repetition cadence (r= 0.66). CONCLUSIONS: GS is not suitable to evaluate strength endurance. PS, PL and PD are all suitable to evaluate strength endurance. However, PD may be preferred to evaluate the upper body, if velocity also needs to be taken into account.

Macroprolactin: an overlooked reason of hyperprolactinemia

Background Immunoassays show variability in the detection of macroprolactin. The aim of this study was to detect the frequency of macroprolactinemia in hyperprolactinemic patients and the problems encountered in routine clinical practice. Methods The screening of macroprolactinemia was performed by precipitation with polyethylene glycol (PEG) in 900 patient samples with hyperprolactinemia over a period of approximately 6 months. Recovery values of less than 40% and greater than 60% were considered as macroprolactinemia and predominantly monomeric prolactin (PRL), respectively. Results A total of 900 (17.9%) of the 5007 PRL results were out of reference range. Thirty-one (3.4%) of the patients had less than 40% recovery after screening of all patients with hyperprolactinemia. However, the macroprolactin test was requested by clinics from only 171 patients and seven of these patients had less than 40% recovery. We also detected predominantly macroprolactin in 24 samples, overlooked in routine practice. The patients with PRL above 100 ng/mL had no macroprolactinemia. Conclusions The screening for macroprolactinemia of hyperprolactinemic patients who have <100 ng/mL and also with unexplained hyperprolactinemia should be the first approach before any further research or treatment is initiated. Thus, unnecessary test repetition, investigation and inappropriate treatment can be avoided. Each laboratory should inform clinicians about the frequency of macroprolactinemia.

Repeated assessment of key clinical walking measures can induce confounding practice effects

Accurate functional outcome measures are critical for both clinical trials and routine patient assessments. Many functional outcomes improve with test repetition, a phenomenon that can confound the findings of longitudinal assessments. In this viewpoint, we tackle the poorly considered issue of practice effects in prevailing clinical walking tests based on current literature, while also presenting the original data from our own work, in which we investigated practice effects in the timed 25-foot walk (T25FW), timed-up and go (TUG), and 2-minute walk test (2MWT). In these tests, performed on 3 consecutive days in 10 patients with multiple sclerosis and 40 healthy controls, we observed significant practice effects in several established walking outcomes, including a 9.0% improvement in patients’ TUG performance ( p = 0.0146). Pre-training in these walking tests prior to baseline measurement may mitigate practice effects, thereby improving the accuracy and value of their repeated use in research and clinical settings.

PENGGUNAAN STRATEGI NUMBERED HEADS TOGETHER (NHT) UNTUK MENINGKATKAN HASILBELAJAR MATEMATIKAUNTUK SISWA KELAS XII MIPA 1 SMA NEGERI 1 BANGKINANG KOTA

Classroom action research has been done in SMA Negeri 1 Bangkinang Kota in Mathematics subjects with research object of XII class MIPA 1 students in odd semester of academic year 2015/2016. This research is conducted as an effort to improve the learning result of Mathematics. The Numbered Heads Together (NHT) learning model is chosen to be applied after the observation and reflection done by the researcher. The researcher plans the action based on the observation and reflection that has been done through the compilation of learning tools based on the learning of Numbered Heads Together (NHT) consisting of test questions (repetition), observation sheet and lesson plan and other supporting learning tools. The Numbered Heads Together (NHT) learning model consists of 3 main stages: asking students to create a group of 4 members given head number 1, 2, 3, and 4. Then the question is asked to the group. The group worked together to answer the question so that all members got a turn to answer the question. This study can be completed in 2 cycles 4 meetings and two daily replications. The result of the research is the observation and recapitulation data of the test result and the completeness of the learning recapitulation showed that there has been an increase of positive student learning activity in the classroom and the increase of test average (repetition) and the increase of classical completeness from cycle 1 to cycle 2. Student activity during the process learning is observed by observers as data for evaluation and reflection. Average recapitulation of test (repetition) and learning completeness obtained from daily test value I and daily test II. Based on the result of this research, it can be concluded that the implementation of the Numbered Heads Together (NHT) learning model in class XII MIPA 1 SMA Negeri 1 Bangkinang Kota can improve the learning result of Mathematics subjects which is indicated by the average of test (repetition) and classical completeness in every cycle.

Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Bahasa Indonesia melalui Model Kooperatif STAD untuk Siswa Kelas XI MIA4 SMA Negeri 2 Bangkinang Kota Tahun Pelajaran 2016/2017

Classroom action research has been done in SMA Negeri 2 Bangkinang Kota on Indonesian Language subjects with research object of class XI MIA 4 in odd semester 2016/2017. This study was conducted as an effort to improve the learning ability of Indonesian for students of class XI MIA 4. STAD type was chosen to be applied after through observation and reflection conducted by the researcher. Researchers plan actions based on observations and reflections that have been done through the preparation of STAD type learning based learning tools consisting of Cycle I / test questions, and Cycle II test/test, observation sheet and lesson plan and other supporting learning tools. The implementation of STAD type cooperative learning in the learning process through the preparation stage, class presentation, group activities, carry out evaluation, group awards and recalculate basic scores and group changes. This study can be completed in 2 cycles 6 meetings, at meeting 3 and 6 meeting conducted test / repeat and complete recapitulation of learning showed that there has been an increase of positive student learning activity in class and increasing of test mean (repetition) and also increase of classical completeness from cycle I with cycle II. Student activity during the learning process is observed by the observer as data for evaluation and reflection. Average recapitulation of test (repetition) and learning completeness obtained from the value of the test in cycle 1 and the value of tests in cycle 2. Based on the results of research can be concluded that the application of learning with STAD type in class XI MIA 4 SMA Negeri 2 Bangkinang City able to improve learning outcomes subjects Indonesian language is indicated by the average test (repetition) and classical completeness in every cycle.

Validating a Rapid, Automated Test of Spatial Release From Masking

Purpose To evaluate the test–retest reliability of a headphone-based spatial release from a masking task with two maskers (referred to here as the SR2) and to describe its relationship to the same test done over loudspeakers in an anechoic chamber (the SR2A). We explore what thresholds tell us about certain populations (such as older individuals or individuals with hearing impairment) and discuss how the SR2 might be useful in the clinic. Method Fifty-four participants completed speech intelligibility tests in which a target phrase and two masking phrases from the Coordinate Response Measure corpus (Bolia, Nelson, Ericson, & Simpson, 2000) were presented either via earphones using a virtual spatial array or via loudspeakers in an anechoic chamber. For the SR2, the target sentence was always at 0° azimuth angle, and the maskers were either colocated at 0° or positioned at ± 45°. For the SR2A, the target was located at 0°, and the maskers were colocated or located at ± 15°, ± 30°, ± 45°, ± 90°, or ± 135°. Spatial release from masking was determined as the difference between thresholds in the colocated condition and each spatially separated condition. All participants completed the SR2 at least twice, and 29 of the individuals who completed the SR2 at least twice also participated in the SR2A. In a second experiment, 40 participants completed the SR2 8 times, and the changes in performance were evaluated as a function of test repetition. Results Mean thresholds were slightly better on the SR2 after the first repetition but were consistent across 8 subsequent testing sessions. Performance was consistent for the SR2A, regardless of the number of times testing was repeated. The SR2, which simulates 45° separations of target and maskers, produced spatially separated thresholds that were similar to thresholds obtained with 30° of separation in the anechoic chamber. Over headphones and in the anechoic chamber, pure-tone average was a strong predictor of spatial release, whereas age only reached significance for colocated conditions. Conclusions The SR2 is a reliable and effective method of testing spatial release from masking, suitable for screening abnormal listening abilities and for tracking rehabilitation over time. Future work should focus on developing and validating rapid, automated testing to identify the ability of listeners to benefit from high-frequency amplification, smaller spatial separations, and larger spectral differences among talkers.