413 research outputs found
Comparison of lucerne silage and ventilated hay in maize silage-based rations for dairy cows for the production of milk destined for Grana cheese
No full textThree experiments were carried out to study the effects of feeding lucerne silage (wilted to give different dry-matter (DM) contents) and ventilated hay to dairy cows on milk production, milk quality, milk-renneting properties, clostridial spore content and the quality of cheese prepared from the milk. The lucerne, cut at vegetative or early-bud stages of maturity, was harvested from alternate windrows and conserved as silage or artificially dried hay. The lucerne was wilted until it reached different DM contents of 550, 360 and 432 g kg-1 in the three experiments, harvested, chopped with a self-loading forage wagon and ensiled in low and narrow clamps made up of transferable prefabricated walls. The organic acid content, pH, yeast and mould counts of the lucerne silage suggested that there was no aerobic deterioration. In each experiment, fifty Italian Friesian lactating cows were divided into two groups and fed two maize silage-based rations for 6 weeks, which only differed in the lucerne forage [silage (S) vs. ventilated hay (H)], in a cross-over experimental design. The lucerne in the rations represented 35%, 23% and 24% of the DM of the rations for the three experiments. The microbiological profiles of the ration were influenced more by the maize silage than by the lucerne silage. Individual daily DM intakes were similar for the two treatments in Experiments 1 and 3 (on average 18.7 kg in Experiment 1 and 20.3 kg in Experiment 3) and slightly lower for S cows in comparison to H cows in Experiment 2 (18.0 vs. 19.0 kg). Milk yields of S and H cows were 21.0 and 20.8, 20.0 and 20.6 (P < 0.01), and 28.4 and 27.9 kg d-1 in Experiments 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Milk composition was similar for all the experiments for the two treatments, except that the protein content was lower and the fat content was higher in the silage treatment than in the hay. The renneting properties and microbiology of the milk were not influenced by the introduction of lucerne silage into the rations, although the season in which it was consumed had a greater effect on the microbiological content, in terms of standard bacterial counts, proteolytic, coli and lactic acid bacteria, and clostridia spores. The clostridial spore counts were always very low (< 400 per litre), thus fulfilling the requirements for top-quality milk for Grana cheese production. In the third experiment, the quality of Grana Padano cheese produced was examined, and no differences between treatments were observed after 12 months of maturation. These results show that lucerne silage can be included in the ration of dairy cows instead of ventilated lucerne hay, which is considered to be the top-quality hay available for the production of milk destined for Grana cheese, without any negative effects on milk and cheese quality
Effect of ensiling alfalfa at low and high dry matter on production of milk used to make Grana cheese
No full textThe effect of alfalfa ensiled in bunker silos at high moisture [HM, 34% dry matter (DM)] and low moisture (LM, 56% DM) content on milk production and Grana Padano cheese quality was studied. Forty Italian Friesian lactating cows were allotted to two groups and fed, in a crossover design experiment, two corn silage-based diets containing 27% of the total DM as HM or LM. Each of the two periods included 10 d of adaptation and 3 experimental weeks. Forage was cut in the mid-vegetative stage with, on average, 34% neutral detergent fiber and 19% crude protein (DM basis). The two alfalfa silages showed a different fermentation pattern with 4.04 and 1.25% of lactic acid, 1.95 and 0.42% of acetic acid, 9.1 and 4.8% of total N ammonia-N for HM and LM, respectively. No butyric acid was found. Clostridial spores and yeast showed no growth in both silages except in the first 2 wk of the experiment where slight aerobic deterioration occurred. The HM treatment resulted in slightly lower DM intake (19.3 vs. 19.9 kg/d) and milk protein content (3.33 vs. 3.38%), higher milk fat content (3.56 vs. 3.37%), and 4% fat-corrected milk (25.7 vs. 24.4 kg/d). Totally, 38 cheeses obtained from over 19 tons of milk with an average yield efficiency of 6.8%, were produced. The milk renneting and microbiological properties and the cheese quality were not significantly different between treatments. However, both treatments had on average 40% of low quality (butyric fermentation) cheeses observed mainly in the first 2 wk of the experiment, when the number of clostridial spores found in alfalfa silages was significantly higher than in the subsequent weeks. The data obtained suggest that the microbial quality of milk depends more on careful management and monitoring all of the steps in milk production, from silage harvest through to cheese making, than on the moisture level of alfalfa silage, provided that the latter is in a range of 35 to 55% DM
TNM staging system of colorectal carcinoma : a critical appraisal of challenging issues
No full textContext.-Colorectal cancer is the leading cause of morbidity and death among gastrointestinal tumors and ranks fourth after lung, breast, and ovarian cancers. Despite a continuous refinement of the T (tumor), N (node), and M (metastasis) staging system to express disease extent and define prognosis, and eventually to guide treatment, the outcome of patients with colorectal cancer may vary considerably even within the same tumor stage. Therefore, the need for new factors, either morphologic or molecular, that could more precisely stratify patients into different risk categories is clearly warranted. Objectives.-To present the state of the art with regard to the colorectal cancer staging system and to discuss confusing and/or challenging issues, including the assessment of peritoneal membrane involvement, vascular invasion, tumor deposits, and pathologic tumor response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Data Sources.-Literature review of relevant articles indexed in PubMed (US National Library of Medicine) and primary material from the authors' institutions. Conclusions.-Two emerging needs exist for the TNM system, namely, further stratification of patients with the same tumor stage and incorporation of nonanatomic factors, the latter including molecular and treatment factors. The identification and classification of morphologic features encountered in the pathologic examination of colorectal cancer specimens may be difficult and a source of subjective variability. Enhanced pathologic analysis, agreed-upon standard protocols, and standardization should improve the completeness and accuracy of pathology reports
Tannin treated lucerne silage in dairy cow feeding
No full textThe effects of the addition of tannins to lucerne silage were investigated. At ensiling, chestnut hydrolyzable tannins were added to lucerne forage (T=tannins treated lucerne silage vs C=control lucerne silage). Fifty lactating Holstein cows, fed two diets different for lucerne silage treatment (C or T), were used in a cross-over design. In situ rumen soluble protein fraction (%CP) was higher for C (67.9 vs 59.4; P<0.01), whereas potentially rumen degradable protein (%CP) was lower (24.5 vs 32.1 for C and T; P<0.01). Intestinal rumen escape protein digestibility (%) was numerically higher for T (48.3 vs 54.3). Dry matter intake (21.5 kg/d for both diets) and milk yield (29.8 and 30.2 kg/d for C and T) were not affected by dietary treatment, whereas FCM was slightly higher for T diet (27.5 vs 27.9 kg/d for C and T; P<0.10). Adding tannins to lucerne silage is effective in shifting part of N utilization from the rumen to the intestine, leading to similar productive performance in lactating cows
EDTA and Taurolidine Affect Pseudomonas aeruginosa Virulence In Vitro-Impairment of Secretory Profile and Biofilm Production onto Peritoneal Dialysis Catheters
No full textPeritoneal catheter-associated biofilm infection is reported to be the main cause of refractory peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients. The application of antimicrobial lock therapy, based on results on central venous catheters, may be a promising option for treatment of biofilm-harboring peritoneal catheters. This study investigated the effects of two lock solutions, EDTA and taurolidine, on an in vitro model of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm-related peritoneal catheter infection. Silicone peritoneal catheters were incubated for 24 h with a bioluminescent strain of P. aeruginosa. Then, serial dilutions of taurolidine and/or EDTA were applied (for 24 h) once or twice onto the contaminated catheters, and P. aeruginosa viability/persistence were evaluated in real time up to 120 h using a Fluoroskan reader. On selected supernatants, high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analysis was performed to measure the production of autoinducers (AI), phenazines, and pyocyianines. Taurolidine alone or in combination with EDTA caused a significant decrease of bacterial load and biofilm persistence on the contaminated catheters. The treatment did not lead to the sterilization of the devices, yet it resulted in a substantial destructuration of the catheter-associated P. aeruginosa biofilm. HPLC-MS analysis showed that the treatment of biofilm-harboring catheters with taurolidine and EDTA also affected the secretory activity of the pathogen. EDTA and taurolidine affect P. aeruginosa biofilm produced on peritoneal catheters and profoundly compromise the microbial secretory profile. Future studies are needed to establish whether such lock solutions can be used to render peritoneal catheterrelated infections more susceptible to antibiotic treatment
Influence of diet composition on the carbon, nitrogen and oxygen stable isotope ratios of animal feed and milk
No full textInfluence of dietary composition on the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope ratios of milk
No full textProcedura di analisi del territorio basata su indici statistici per la suddivisione in zone acusticamente omogenee
No full text- …
