Effect of Supplemental Vitamin E and A on Reproductive Performance and Serological Profiles of Ewes Managed in Drylot

Forty Hampshire and 40 Suffolk ewes were allotted to one of four groups (VitA, VitE, VitA&E, Control) in a 2 x 2 factorial treatment arrangement to evaluate the effect of supplemental vitamin E (0 or 300 IU) and vitamin A (0 or 250,000 IU) on reproductive performance. Laparoscopy and ultrasonography were used to measure ovulation rate, embryonic loss, and fetal loss. Serum profiles of a-tocopherol (vitamin E) and retinol (vitamin A) also were monitored. There were no differences (P>.05) among treatment groups in any reproductive trait. Suffolk ewes exhibited a higher (P<.02) ovulation rate than Hampshire ewes, and yearling ewes incurred higher (P<.001) embryonic loss than other age groups, resulting in a lower (P<.001) litter size. Serum levels of a-tocopherol were higher (P<.05) for Hampshire than for Suffolk ewes and were lower (P<.001) in yearling ewes versus ewes two years of age and older. Serum levels of a-tocopherol declined (P<.01) throughout the study in VitA and Control ewes but remained unchanged in VitE and VitA&E ewes. Serum level of retinol remained unchanged in VitA ewes, whereas the level increased (P<.01) initially in VitE, VitA&E, and Control ewes before declining toward initial levels. Correlations were detected between ovulation rate and the change of pre-mating a-tocopherol serum level (r=-.29; P<.02), the change in pre-mating retinol serum level (r=-.50; P<.02) and the interval from vitamin A injection (r=-.60; P<.05). These data indicate significant influences of breed, age, and treatment on a-tocopherol and retinol serum levels in ewes and suggest that the timing of vitamin A administration may influence ovulation rate; however, vitamin supplementation, administered at random stages of the estrous cycle, was unable to alter flock reproductive performance.

Delaying mowing and leaving uncut refuges boosts orthopterans in extensively managed meadows: Evidence drawn from field-scale experimentation

Semi-natural grasslands are widely recognized for their high ecological value. They often count among the most species-rich habitats, especially in traditional cultural landscapes. Maintaining and/or restoring them is a top priority, but nevertheless represents a real conservation challenge, especially regarding their invertebrate assemblages. The main goal of this study was to experimentally investigate the influence of four different mowing regimes on orthopteran communities and populations: (1) control meadow (C-meadow): mowing regime according to the Swiss regulations for extensively managed meadows declared as ecological compensation areas, i.e. first cut not before 15 June; (2) first cut not before 15 July (delayed treatment, D-meadow); (3) first cut not before 15 June and second cut not earlier than 8 weeks from the first cut (8W-meadow); (4) refuges left uncut on 10–20% of the meadow area (R-meadow). Data were collected two years after the introduction of these mowing treatments. Orthopteran densities from spring to early summer were five times higher in D-meadows, compared to C-meadows. In R-meadows, densities were, on average, twice as high as in C-meadows, while mean species richness was 23% higher in R-meadows than in C-meadows. Provided that farmers were given the appropriate financial incentives, the D- and R-meadow regimes could be relatively easy to implement within agri-environment schemes. Such meadows could deliver substantial benefits for functional biodiversity, including sustenance to many secondary consumers dependent on field invertebrates as staple food.

Catch Rates, Composition and Fish Size from Reefs Managed with Periodically-Harvested Closures

Periodically-harvested closures are commonly employed within co-management frameworks to help manage small-scale, multi-species fisheries in the Indo-Pacific. Despite their widespread use, the benefits of periodic harvesting strategies for multi-species fisheries have, to date, been largely untested. We examine catch and effort data from four periodically-harvested reef areas and 55 continuously-fished reefs in Solomon Islands. We test the hypothesis that fishing in periodically-harvested closures would yield: (a) higher catch rates, (b) proportionally more short lived, fast growing, sedentary taxa, and (c) larger finfish and invertebrates, compared to catches from reefs continuously open to fishing. Our study showed that catch rates were significantly higher from periodically-harvested closures for gleaning of invertebrates, but not for line and spear fishing. The family level composition of catches did not vary significantly between open reefs and periodically-harvested closures. Fish captured from periodically-harvested closures were slightly larger, but Trochus niloticus were significantly smaller than those from continuously open reefs. In one case of intense and prolonged harvesting, gleaning catch rates significantly declined, suggesting invertebrate stocks were substantially depleted in the early stages of the open period. Our study suggests periodically-harvested closures can have some short term benefits via increasing harvesting efficiency. However, we did not find evidence that the strategy had substantially benefited multi-species fin-fisheries.

Family Preservation Services under Managed Care: Current Practices and Future Directions

Family preservation service agencies in the State of Kansas have undergone major changes since the implementation of a managed care model of service delivery in 1996. This qualitative study examines the successes and barriers experienced by agency directors in utilization of a managed care system. Outcome/ performance measures utilized by the State of Kansas are reviewed, and contributing factors to the successes and limitations of the program are discussed. Included in these reviews is an analysis and presentation of literature and research which has been used as support for the current program structure. Recommendations for further evolution of practice are proposed.

Comparison of cost and outcome of care in patients with low back pain who are managed by physicians or physical therapists in private practice

The purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences in the cost and outcome of care in patients with low back pain who were managed by physicians or physical therapists in private practice in the state of Arizona. A secondary purpose was to describe the current status of private practice physical therapy clinicians who treat patients with low back pain.^ A Survey on Practice was mailed to 194 physical therapists who were listed by the American Physical Therapy Association as being in private practice in Arizona. Eighty-three percent of the surveys were returned after three attempts. Of those which were returned, 72 were complete and included in the analysis.^ The 72 practices were screened to determine those eligible for the second phase of the study. Those eligible for the second phase numbered 52 clinics. Twenty-six practices agreed to participate; however, only 21 did participate. Clinics which participated were sent packets of information which were to be kept on each patient seen with a complaint of low back pain during a three month period. Packets contained a patient-oriented survey on functional activity to be completed before and after the physical therapy course of treatment, as well as a log which was completed by the physical therapist on the type of care given to the patient and an assessment of the outcome of treatment. The patient was asked to fill out a satisfaction survey relative to the care received from the physical therapist and physician, if applicable.^ Although 259 patients were entered into the study, 210 patient logs were available for analysis. Results indicated that generally, there was no difference in cost or outcome as measured by the final functional score, change between the initial and final functional scores, or the therapist-rated outcome between the patients who were managed by physicians or physical therapists when controlling for age and length of time the patient was experiencing pain. Patients were more satisfied with care received from physical therapists as compared to physicians. Age and length of pain were good predictors of the type of referral patients received according to a logistic regression procedure. The initial disability score (IRS) and the time spent in the facility predicted therapist-rated outcome, a good or poor final disability score (FRS), and a good or poor change score. In addition, age predicted FRS and change scores. The time that the therapist spent in direct contact with the patient also predicted the change score.^ These findings of no difference in the cost and outcome of care were discussed as they relate to the practice of medicine and physical therapy. ^

A novel clinical scoring system for outcome prediction in dogs with acute kidney injury managed by hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND No reliable tool to predict outcome of acute kidney injury (AKI) exists. HYPOTHESIS A statistically derived scoring system can accurately predict outcome in dogs with AKI managed with hemodialysis. ANIMALS One hundred and eighty-two client-owned dogs with AKI. METHODS Logistic regression analyses were performed initially on clinical variables available on the 1st day of hospitalization for relevance to outcome. Variables with P< or = .1 were considered for further analyses. Continuous variables outside the reference range were divided into quartiles to yield quartile-specific odds ratios (ORs) for survival. Models were developed by incorporating weighting factors assigned to each quartile based on the OR, using either the integer value of the OR (Model A) or the exact OR (Models B or C, when the etiology was known). A predictive score for each model was calculated for each dog by summing all weighting factors. In Model D, actual values for continuous variables were used in a logistic regression model. Receiver-operating curve analyses were performed to assess sensitivities, specificities, and optimal cutoff points for all models. RESULTS Higher scores were associated with decreased probability of survival (P < .001). Models A, B, C, and D correctly classified outcomes in 81, 83, 87, and 76% of cases, respectively, and optimal sensitivities/specificities were 77/85, 81/85, 83/90 and 92/61%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The models allowed outcome prediction that corresponded with actual outcome in our cohort. However, each model should be validated further in independent cohorts. The models may also be useful to assess AKI severity.

Can the green economy enhance sustainable mountain development? The potential role of awareness building

Mountain socio-ecological systems produce valuable but complex ecosystem services resulting from biomes stratified by altitude and gravity. These systems are often managed and shaped by smallholders whose marginalization is exacerbated by uncertainties and a lack of policy attention. Human–environment interfaces in mountains hence require holistic policies. We analyse the potential of the Global Mountain Green Economy Agenda (GMGEA) in building awareness and thus prompting cross-sectoral policy strategies for sustainable mountain development. Considering the critique of the green economy presented at the Rio + 20 conference, we argue that the GMGEA can nevertheless structure knowledge and inform regional institutions about the complexity of mountain socio-ecological systems, a necessary pre-condition to prompt inter-agency collaboration and cross-sectoral policy formulation. After reviewing the content of the GMGEA, we draw on two empirical cases in the Pakistani and Nepali Himalayas. First, we show that lack of awareness has led to a sequence of fragmented interventions with unanticipated, and unwanted, consequences for communities. Second, using a green economy lens, we show how fragmentation could have been avoided and cross-sectoral policies yielded more beneficial results. Project fragmentation reflects disconnected or layered policies by government agencies, which inherently keep specialized agendas and have no incentive to collaborate. Awareness makes agencies more likely to collaborate and adopt cross-sectoral approaches, allowing them to target more beneficiaries, be more visible, and raise more funds. Nevertheless, we also identify four factors that may currently still limit the effect of the GMGEA: high costs of inter-agency collaboration, lack of legitimacy of the green economy, insufficiently-secured smallholder participation, and limited understanding of the mechanisms through which global agendas influence local policy.

Prenatal care content and utilization among pregnant women enrolled in managed care programs in Harris County, Texas

This research study was conducted as a descriptive study of prenatal care experiences of women enrolled in public and private managed care programs. The study's aim was to describe the demographic characteristics of the women in the study and to analyze and compare their prenatal care experiences. ^ The objective of this study was to examine the research question: Do pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid Managed Care receive the same level of care as women enrolled in other Managed Care Programs in Harris County, Texas? ^ The study population was a convenience sample of pregnant women enrolled in managed care programs who presented to one of the two hospital study sites for delivery of their infant. The study utilized a self administered survey to measure adequacy and content of prenatal care received by the women during this pregnancy. Adequacy of prenatal care utilization was determined based on the Kessner Index criteria of timing of initiation of care and number of visits. Content of care was measured by the number of different medical services the women reported they had received and the number of health information topics the women reported on which they had received information. Demographic characteristics were described with univariate and bivariate statistics of frequencies and cross tabulations. Associations were evaluated using measures of linear correlations. ^ Results from the study showed there is an association between enrollment in Medicaid Managed Care (public) and prenatal care received compared to women enrolled in other Managed Care Programs (private). The results were derived from statistical tests on data the postpartum women gave when they completed the self-administered survey. Provider type was a moderate predictor of quality and quantity of prenatal care. The results also indicate that in the study population, minority ethnicity, income and lower educational status were associated with intermediate and inadequate prenatal care. ^

Predicting State Allocation of Funds: The Case of John Rowland and his Hometown of Waterbury, Connecticut.

This study attempts to analyze the underlying factors and motives influencing the allocation of discretionary state expenditures. The fact that some cities receive more money than other cities begs the question of what accounts for this variation. After framing the provision of state money within the theoretical framework of political patronage, a case study of Governor Rowland’s tenure in office and the accompanying expenditures to Connecticut’s 17 largest cities from 1995 to 2004 was conducted to evaluate whether a disproportionate amount of money was given to Rowland’s hometown of Waterbury, Connecticut. Besides employing a statistical analysis that determined that cities with similar characteristics received different amounts of money, interviewing was conducted to identify reasons for such variation. The results indicate that Waterbury received a greater amount of money than was predicted based on the city’s economic and demographic characteristics, and that non-objective and biased factors such as favoritism, the need to reward political support, or the desire to increase political loyalty sometimes take precedence over more objective factors.