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Using The N-Alkane Technique To Estimate The Herbage Intake And Diet Composition Of Cattle Grazing A Miscanthus Sinensis Grassland, Y. Zhang, Y. Togamura, K. Otsuki

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Plant wax alkanes are now widely used as marker substances (Dove & Mayes 1991) for the estimation of forage intake and diet composition of grazing herbivores. The objective of this study was to evaluate this method with cattle grazing a M. sinensis grassland in Japan.

Reasons For The Premature Decline In Astragalus Adsurgens Stands In Kerqin Sandy Land, Qizhong Sun, Z. L. Wang, J. G. Han, Y. W. Wang, G. R. Liu

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Diseases partly account for reductions in Astragalus adsurgens stand longevity. The effect of some cultural practices on the control of pests and diseases have been reported (Hou, 1986; Nan, 1996), but few reports have detailed the relationship among soil fertiliser status, diseases and premature stand decline. This study was conducted to investigate these relationships in order to extend the longevity of Astragalus adsurgens stands.

Selecting Grassland Species For Saline Environments, M. E. Rogers, A. D. Craig, T. D. Colmer, R. Munns, S. J. Hughes, P. M. Evans, P. G. H. Nichols, R. Snowball, D. Henry, J. Deretic, B. Dear, M. Ewing

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In Australia, around 5.7 million hectares of agricultural land are currently affected by dryland salinity or at risk from shallow water tables and this figure is expected to increase over the next 50 years (LWRA, 2001). Most improved grassland species cannot tolerate the combined effects of salt and waterlogging and, therefore, the productivity of sown grasslands in salt-affected areas is low. However, there is potential to overcome the lack of suitably adapted fodder species by introducing new, salt and waterlogging-tolerant species and by diversifying the gene pool of proven species. Potential species include exotic, naturalised and native Australian grass, legumes, …

Effects Of The Stage Of Growth And Inoculation On Proteolysis In Field Pea Silage, L. Cavallarin, G. Borreani, S. Antoniazzi, E. Tabacco

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Ensiling legumes is a good way of providing home-grown protein in dairy farms but severe protein degradation can occur when conserving legumes. Peas (Pisum sativum L.) are legumes with a high crude protein and starch content, that provide a high forage yield in a short growing period. Very little information is available on the protein value of field pea silage. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of stage of maturity and inoculant application on proteolysis in field pea silage in the Po Valley, NW Italy.

Grass Silage: Factors Affecting Efficiency Of N Utilisation In Milk Production, P. Huhtanen, K. J. Shingfield

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Low efficiency of N utilisation for milk production in cows fed grass silage-based diets is mainly due to excessive N losses in the rumen.
2. The type and extent of in silo fermentation can alter the balance of absorbed nutrients.
3. There is very little experimental evidence that the capture of N in the rumen can be improved by a better synchrony between energy and N release in the rumen. Nitrogen losses in the rumen can be reduced by decreasing the ratio between rumen degradable N and fermentable energy.
4. Rapeseed meal has increased milk protein output more than isonitrogenous soybean …

Decision Support For Grassland Systems In Developing Countries, P. K. Thornton

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Key points

1. Information flows in complex systems are often themselves highly complex, and decision support approaches based on linear input-output processes may have only limited impact.

2. How decisions are made, and how they can be appropriately supported, is often incompletely understood, in part because of inadequate understanding of the objectives and attitudes of all the decision makers involved.

3. Much of the developing world faces daunting problems in the coming 30 years, and appropriate information could play a critical role in dealing with these.

4. System complexity, household variability, and institutional intricacies have to be embraced rather than …

Covid-19 Viral Infection Presenting With Diabetic Ketoacidosis, Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic Syndrome, Or Mixed Hyperglycemic Crisis: A Case Series, Dhruv Patel, Brooke Kania, Ahmed Salem, Wadah Akroush, Minha Naseer, David Mcnamara, Carlos Perez

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Cardiovascular disease, COPD, and diabetes (DM) are associated with increased complications with COVID-19. A correlation between COVID-19 and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic Syndrome (HHS) has been suggested; however, the precise mechanism remains unclear. We present a case series of six patients with COVID-19 infections who were found to have DKA, HHS, or mixed picture. We describe an association between COVID-19 and hyperglycemic emergencies. Six patients (50% male, 50% female, mean age 47.667 +/- 18.747) were identified from November 2021 to February 2022. Comorbidities included DM (83.3%), HTN (50%), as well as ESRD, A-Fib, ISLD, HIV, and dementia (each …

The Spanish Flu Of 1918: A Historical Reflection And Lessons, Jonathan Kopel

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

A catastrophic Spanish flu epidemic spread throughout the world throughout 1918 and part of 1919. In the spring of 1918, an army training center at the Fort Riley Kansas found the first cases of Spanish influenza in the United States. The first incidence of the virus in Kansas was quite moderate, with low-fever, nausea, headache, and fatigue. The Spanish grip took an ominous turn in the fall of 1918. The moderate United States (U.S.) strain traveled on troops and several ferrying boats to Europe. The injured and the ill were sent back home, spreading freely throughout the U.S. the dangerous …

Recurrent Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: A Case Of Triple Trouble, Sumit Khurana, Jessica Kaushal, Dhruv Markan, John C. Wang, Antony Kaliyadan, Christopher Haas, Amrit Devkota

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

SCAD (Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection) is a rare disorder which rarely recurs. It is increasingly diagnosed as a cause for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with limited insight into its pathophysiology and treatment. Lack of randomized trials and consensus guidelines make this a unique and challenging disease to manage. We describe a complex case of recurrent idiopathic SCAD with prior history of NSTE-ACS (Non-ST elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome) and discuss its management based on current clinical practices.

A Classic Pattern Of Wellens Syndrome On Ecg: A Case Report, Jesus Romero, Shruti Jesani, Ana L. Romero, Sherif Elkattawy, Jonathan Sookdeo, Harshwardhan Khandait

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Wellens syndrome is usually diagnosed in asymptomatic patients with normal or only slightly elevated cardiac enzymes. There are two different ECG patterns (Type A and Type B) described in the literature. Earlier studies demonstrated that the appearance of the Wellens pattern had a specificity of 89% and a positive predictive value of 86% for severe stenosis of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) hence a timely recognition and therapeutic approach may prevent fatal outcomes in the patients. Here we are presenting a case of a 69-year-old gentleman with chest pain and Type A Wellens Syndrome pattern on ECG who was …

Pyoderma Gangrenosum As A Harbinger Of Adult T-Cell Leukemia-Lymphoma, Syed Hamza Bin Waqar, Biplov Adhikari, Navid Salahi, Sara Ahmed, Isabel Mcfarlane

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATLL) is a malignancy of mature T lymphocytes caused by chronic human T-lymphotropic virus, type I (HTLV-I) infection. Up to one third of cases of ATLL can present with skin involvement—oftentimes there may only be skin involvement. Rare cutaneous presentations can further obscure the diagnosis, create diagnostic dilemma, and delay the institution of appropriate therapy. We present a case of ATLL where the initial lesion at presentation was pyoderma gangrenosum (PG). To our knowledge, there are no reported cases of ATLL presenting as PG.

Constrictive Pericarditis From An Atraumatic Hemopericardium After Systemic Thrombolysis For A Massive Pulmonary Embolism, Muhammad Asad Hanif, Biraj Shrestha, Hira Hanif, Aamir Shahzad, Amar Suwal, Smit Shah, Oreoluwa Oladiran, Michael Macciocca, Anthony A. Donato

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Constrictive pericarditis most commonly results from fibrosis and adhesions of the parietal and visceral pericardium due to long-standing inflammation. Common etiologies include idiopathic, post-surgical, radiation injury and infectious etiologies including tuberculosis. Traumatic hemopericardium is a rare cause of constrictive pericarditis but atraumatic hemopericardium causing constrictive pericarditis has not been reported in the literature to date. We present a case of constrictive pericarditis from an atraumatic hemopericardium after systemic thrombolysis for a massive pulmonary embolism.

A Case Report On Eosinophilic Cellulitis, Muhammad Shahmir Abbasi, Samantha Ouellette, Babar K Rao

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

No abstract provided.

Spontaneous Retroperitoneal Hematoma In Vitamin C Deficiency, Indira Acharya, Ashik Pokharel, David S. Weisman

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Retroperitoneal hematoma is rare but potentially life-threatening. It is commonly caused by traumatic or iatrogenic vascular injury, retroperitoneal neoplasm, coagulopathy, chronic anticoagulation, or fibrinolytic therapy. However, retroperitoneal hematoma due to vitamin C deficiency is rare. Here, we report a case of 40 years old man who developed retroperitoneal hematoma in context of very low vitamin C. To our knowledge, this is the second described case of retroperitoneal hematoma from vitamin C deficiency.

A Case Of Candida Empyema In A Patient With Esophagopleural Fistula, Ramez Alyacoub

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Fungal empyema is a rare entity, particularly in immunocompetent patients. It has been noted to occur in a patient with esophageal perforation. Esophageal perforation has a wide range of clinical presentations and associated complications depending on the size and site of perforation. Although the classic presentation of esophageal perforation, also known as Boerhaave syndrome, is often dramatic with hemodynamic instability and mediastinitis. Smaller perforations and esophageopleural fistula can lead to more indolent presentation in the form of complications such as necrotizing pneumonia and pleural effusions. Here we present a 42-year-old patient with alcohol withdrawal and aspiration pneumonia, later found to …

Disseminated Cryptococcosis In An Immunocompromised Patient With Altered Mental Status And A Lung Nodule, Dena H. Tran, Avelino C. Verceles, Ellen T. Marciniak

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Introduction: Disseminated cryptococcosis is an opportunistic infection that commonly affects the central nervous and respiratory systems and is often fatal in immunocompromised patients. Diagnosing disseminated cryptococcosis is challenging at times due to the nonspecific presentation, resulting in delayed treatment and increased mortality. Case Presentation: A 48-year-old man presented with altered mental status and shortness of breath requiring intubation. Medical history was significant for rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, sarcoidosis, and polymyalgia rheumatica. Home medications included prednisone, methotrexate, and tocilizumab. Computed tomography chest revealed multifocal pneumonia with a cavitary nodule with halo sign. One week after extubation, the patient …

Rheumatoid Vasculitis Presenting With Incidental Renal Infarcts: Case Report And Literature Review, Fatima Halilu, Howard Hauptman

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Rheumatoid vasculitis is a rare and late complication of rheumatoid arthritis, affecting small to medium sized vessels. Inflammation in the vessel wall produces an occlusive vasculopathy with downstream infarction. We present the case of a 70-year-old female with long standing stable RA status post recent COVID-19 vaccination admitted with community acquired Legionnaires disease found to have an incidental renal infarct on chest imaging without a clear etiology. She improved from a respiratory standpoint but then had a fever spike with repeat imaging showing a second renal infarct and CT angiography showing extensive beading with aneurysmal dilation in the bilateral hepatic …

A Challenging Situation: Empirical Treatment With Therapeutic Plasma Exchange In A Patient With Sickle Cell Disease, Arielle Aiken, Brooke Kania, Riddhi Amin, Moutaz Ghrewati, Patrick Michael

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Sickle Cell Disease (SSD) can present with acute painful crises, most commonly manifesting as diffuse bony pain; however, rare presentations of acute coronary syndrome, acute papillary necrosis, or multi-organ failure may also present in these patients. TTP has been rarely described in conjunction with sickle cell pain crisis (SS crisis). In both TTP and sickle cell crises, widespread platelet activation is present with thrombocytopenia as a result. Thrombocytopenia can be utilized as a poor prognostic indicator in patients with SS crisis. Multi-organ failure may appear similar to TTP and patients may benefit from similar therapy. Here, we present a 27-year-old …

Case Report Of Acute Q Fever With Hepatitis Progressing To Chronic Q Fever With Endocarditis, Abbas B. Jama, Jessica L. Sheehy, Hassan Mohamed, Noura Attallah, Esraa Hassan, Anwar Khedr, Hisham Mushtaq, Omar Y. Mousa, James J. Milavetz, Ali Sadik, Mohamad El Labban, Nitesh Jain, Salim Surani, Eric O. Gomez Urena, Syed Anjum Khan

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

A 35-year-old male greenhouse worker presented with myalgia, fatigue, and fever. Initially, he was thought to have an unspecified viral infection and was treated with conservative therapy. However, the patient’s symptoms persisted, and he reported additional symptoms of mild abdominal pain and headaches. Laboratory evaluation was significant for elevated liver enzymes. Due to concern for acute hepatitis and persistent fever the patient was hospitalized. During his hospital course, no infectious etiology was found to explain his symptoms. After discharge from the hospital, additional testing showed positive serology for Q fever IgG phase II antibody (1:8192) and phase II antibody IgM …

Clinical And Echocardiographic Predictors Of Recovery Of Moderate-To-Severe Sepsis-Associated Acute Kidney Injury In Critically Ill Patients, Osama Mukhtar, Amos Lal, Meir Tabi, Jacob Jentzer, Kianoush Kashani

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with significant short- and long-term morbidity and mortality. In critically ill patients with sepsis, AKI tends to be more severe, more likely to require kidney replacement therapy (KRT), with less chance of recovery. Consequently, critically ill patients with sepsis-associated AKI (SA-AKI) have extended intensive care unit (ICU) stays and higher mortality rates. This study evaluated the predictive value of clinical and transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) parameters for recovery from moderate-to-severe SA-AKI in critically ill patients. Methods: This single-center historical cohort study was conducted at a tertiary academic medical center. We analyzed the data of …

Regional Disparities Of Cardiovascular Risk Factors And Major Cardiovascular Events In Non-Electively Hospitalized Young Adults, Brian J Brereton, Rupak Desai, Siva Naga S. Yarrarapu, Jose Gregorio Matos Urena, Akhil Jain

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Background: Cardiovascular diseases contribute to considerable morbidity and mortality in the USA. We sought to establish regional disparities across the nation contributing to cardiovascular disease (CVD) among non-elective young adult hospitalizations. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample (2019) was utilized to identify the incidence of non-elective hospitalizations among young adults (18-44 yrs) and analyze the burden of CVD risk factors and outcomes (MACCE; all-cause mortality, AMI, cardiac arrest and stroke) in different US regions. Results: A total of 5,833,930 (median age 32 [26-37] years) non-elective admissions were recorded; plurality from the south (39.6%). Most admissions were white (51.4%) and female (65.5%) …

Polyvinylpyrrolidone-Passivated Fluorescent Iron Oxide Quantum Dots For Turn-Off Detection Of Tetracycline In Biological Fluids, Sri Sudewi, Lutfi Chabib, Muhammad Zulfajri, Gangaraju Gedda, Genin Gary Huang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Tetracycline is an antibiotic that has been prescribed for COVID-19 treatment, raising concerns about antibiotic resistance after long-term use. This study reported fluorescent polyvinylpyrrolidone-passivated iron oxide quantum dots (IO QDs) for detecting tetracycline in biological fluids for the first time. The as-prepared IO QDs have an average size of 2.84 nm and exist a good stability under different conditions. The IO QDs’ tetracycline detection performance could be attributed to a combination of static quenching and inner filter effect. The IO QDs displayed high sensitivity and selectivity toward tetracycline and achieved a good linear relationship with the corresponding detection limit being …

Chemical Transformation Of Cannabidiol Into Psychotropic Cannabinoids Under Acidic Reaction Conditions: Identification Of Transformed Products By Gc-Ms, Minsun Jeong, Sangin Lee, Chaeyoung Seo, Eunjeong Kwon, Soohyang Rho, Mansoo Cho, Moon Yeon Kim, Wonwoong Lee, Yong Sup Lee, Jongki Hong

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Recently, cannabidiol (CBD), one of the major components of the Cannabis species, has been a focus in the cannabis industry due to its various pharmacological effects. Interestingly, CBD can be converted into several psychoactive cannabinoids, such as 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC) and its structural isomers, under acidic reaction conditions. In this study, chemical transformation of CBD in ethanol solution was conducted with variation in pH at 2.0, 3.5, and 5.0 by addition of 0.1 M hydrochloric acid (HCl). These resulting solutions were derivatized with trimethylsilyl (TMS) reagent and analyzed using GC/MS-scan mode. Time profiles of CBD degradation and transformation of …

Development Of A Metabolomics-Based Data Analysis Approach For Identifying Drug Metabolites Based On High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry, Hsiao-Hsien Ting, Yi-Shiou Chiou, Tien-Yi Chang, Guan-Yu Lin, Pei-Jhen Li, Chia-Lung Shih

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

A metabolomics-based approach to data analysis is required for drug metabolites to be identified quickly. This study developed such an approach based on high-resolution mass spectrometry. Our approach is a two-stage one that combines a time-course experiment with stable isotope tracing. Pioglitazone (PIO) was used to improve glycemic management for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Consequently, PIO was taken as a model drug for identifying metabolites. During Stage I of data analysis, 704 out of 26626 ions exhibited a positive relationship between ion abundance ratio and incubation time in a time-course experiment. During Stage II, 25 isotope pairs were identified among …

Untargeted Metabolomics Analysis Assisted By Signal Selection For Comprehensively Identifying Metabolites Of New Psychoactive Substances: 4-Meo-Α-Pvp As An Example, Hsin-Yi Wu, Yuan-Chih Chen, Jing-Fang Hsu, Hsiang-Ting Lu, Yu-Yi Pan, Mi-Chia Ma, Pao-Chi Liao

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

New psychoactive substances (NPS) have been rapidly emerged as legal alternatives to controlled drugs, which raised severe public health issue. The detection and monitoring of its intake by complete metabolic profiling is an urgent and vital task. Untargeted metabolomics approach has been applied for several NPS metabolites studies. Although the number of such works is relatively limited but with a rapidly growing need. The present study aimed to propose a procedure that includes liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) analysis and a signal selection software, MetaboFinder, programed as a web tool. The comprehensive metabolites profile of one kind of NPS, …

Guilu Erxian Jiao Enhances Protein Synthesis, Glucose Homeostasis, Mitochondrial Biogenesis And Slow-Twitch Fibers In The Skeletal Muscle, Wei-Yu Fang, Wan-Hsuan Chang, Yi-Hong Tsai, Hung-Te Hsu, Fang-Rong Chang, Chih-Lung Lin, Yi-Ching Lo

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Guilu Erxian Jiao (GEJ) is a commonly used nutritional supplement due to its rich content of amino acids. It is also a traditional herbal medicine for improving degenerative joint. This study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of GEJ water extract (GEJ-WE) on skeletal muscle in C2C12 myotubes and C57BL/6J mice. Analysis of GEJ-WE were performed by high-performance liquid chromatography fingerprinting with chemical standards. Protein expression, mRNA level, glycogen content, mitochondria activity and ATP level were evaluated by western blots, real-time PCR, PAS staining, MTT and ATP bioluminescence assay, respectively. Skeletal muscle strength was evaluated by grip strength. Skeletal …

High-Resolution 1h Nmr Analysis Of Continuous And Discontinuous Thermo-Oxidative Susceptibility Of Culinary Oils During Frying At 180℃, Gilbert Ampem, Adam Le Gresley, Martin Grootveld, Declan P Naughton

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Lipid oxidations products (LOPs) are reactive mutagenic and carcinogenic species known to be generated in thermally stressed culinary oils. Mapping the evolution of LOPs in culinary oils exposed to standard frying practices – both continuous and discontinuous thermo-oxidation – at 180℃ is vital to our understanding of these processes, and to the development of scientific solutions for their effective suppression. Modifications in the chemical compositions of the thermo-oxidised oils were analysed using a high-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) technique. Research findings acquired showed that polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-rich culinary oils were the most susceptible to thermo-oxidation. …

Investigation Of Monacolin K, Yellow Pigments, And Citrinin Production Capabilities Of Monascus Purpureus And Monascus Ruber (Monascus Pilosus), Tzu-Shing Lin, Shih-Hau Chiu, Chien-Chi Chen, Chih-Hui Lin

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Red mold rice (RMR) is a traditional Chinese medicine prepared using Monascus fermentation. M. ruber (pilosus) and M. purpureus have a long history of use as food and medicine. As an economically important starter culture, the relationship between the taxonomy of Monascus and production capabilities of secondary metabolites is crucial for the Monascus food industry. In this study, monacolin K, monascin, ankaflavin, and citrinin production by M. purpureus and M. ruber were genomically and chemically investigated. Our findings suggest that M. purpureus can produce monascin and ankaflavin in a correlated manner, whereas M. ruber produces monascin with minimum …

Determination Of 24 Sulfonamide Antibiotics In Instant Pastries By Modified Quechers Coupled With Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Shuo Li, Can Zhang, Hui-Xin Tang, Yue Gu, Ai-Jing Guo, Ke Wang, Kao-Qi Lian

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

There were few reports about antibiotic residues in egg-containing products. In the study, an effective method for the simultaneous determination of 24 sulfonamide antibiotics in two instant pastries based on a modified QuEChERS sample preparation technique coupled with ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed. The results show that the average recoveries of the SAs at 5, 10, and 50 µg·kg^-1 levels were 67.6%-103.8%, with relative standard deviations (RSD) of 0.80-9.23%. The limit of detections (LODs) and limit of quantitations (LOQs) were 0.01-0.14 µg∙kg^-1 and 0.02-0.45 µg∙kg^-1, respectively. This method was suitable for analysis of …

Simultaneous Determination Of 24 Congeners Of 2- And 3‑Monochloropropanediol Esters And 7 Congeners Of Glycidyl Esters Using Direct Multi-Residue Analytical Lc-Ms/Ms Methods In Various Food Matrices, Ching-Chang Lee, Bo-Lun Lin, Yi-Wen Huang, Ning-Syuan Hsu, Wei-Hsiang Chang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Glycidyl esters (GEs) and 2- and 3-monochloropropanediol esters (MCPDEs) are emerging process-generated food contaminants known as possible carcinogens. Herein, a direct method is developed and validated for the first time to simultaneously quantify seven GEs and twenty-four MCPDE congeners of processed foods using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in a single sequence without ester cleavage or derivatisation, thereby allowing for the simultaneous analysis of numerous food matrices with high accuracy and precision. Our results show levels of GEs varying from