Liver transplantation (LT) activities during the COVID-19 pandemic have been curtailed in many countries. The impact of various policies restricting LT on outcomes of potential LT candidates is unclear. We studied all patients on the nationwide LT waitlists in Hong Kong and Singapore between January 2016 and May 2020. We used continuous time Markov chains to model the effects of different scenarios and varying durations of disruption on LT candidates.

Desires matter. How are we to understand the intentionality of desire? According to the two classical views, desire is either a positive evaluation or a disposition to act: to desire a state is to positively evaluate it or to be disposed to act to realize it. This Ph.D. Dissertation examines these conceptions of desire and proposes a deontic alternative inspired by Meinong. On this view, desiring is representing a state of affairs as what ought to be or, if one prefers, (...) as what should be. Desire involves a deontic manner of representing: a norm of the ought-to-be type features in desire’s intentional mode, as opposed to content. The dissertation is structured in three parts. In order to defend this conception, I formulate three main desiderata for a promising theory of the intentionality of desire in the introduction (§0). The first concerns desire’s direction of fit, i.e. the intuition that the world should conform to our desires. The second concerns the death of desire principle, i.e. the intuition that one cannot desire what one represents as actual. The last pertains to desire’s role in psychological explanations, i.e. the intuition that desires can explain some mental states and be explained by other mental states. The first part examines the main conceptions of desire in light of these desiderata. I argue that the classical pictures of desire do not adequately meet our desiderata. The first chapter is devoted to the evaluative conception (§1), while the second examines the motivational approach (§2). Following these criticisms, I then present the deontic view of desire (§3). In the second part, I defend this conception with the help of three arguments. The main idea is that appealing to norms of the ought-to-be type can satisfy our chief desiderata: the world should conform to norms (world-to-mind direction of fit, §4), norms are grounded on values and in turn ground obligations (explanation, §5), and norms are about non-actual states of affairs (death of desire principle, §6). In the last part, I develop the deontic view to draw a cartography of the various types of desire. Some desires are correct, while others are inappropriate. This distinction is explained by the deontic conception, as it matches that between states of affairs that ought to obtain and states that should not obtain (§7). Two study cases are examined: caprice and the impermissibility of desire aggregation. Intuitively, hopes, wishes, or urges are types of desire. The next chapter presents a typology inspired by the deontic view and the type of norms there are (§8). The last chapter discusses the main objections to the deontic approach (§9). In conclusion, I show the relevance of the deontic view for several debates in philosophy of mind and ethics. Desires are crucial because they are the ‘eye’ of what should be. (shrink)

Background: Liver cancer is one of the malignant tumors worldwide, while the prevention and control situation is grim at present, and the diffusion of its early screening technology still faces some challenges. This study aims to investigate the influencing mechanism of perceived ease of use, organizational support mechanism, and industry competitive pressure on hepatic early screening technologies use by physicians, so as to promote the wider use of corresponding technologies. -/- Methods: Under the theoretical guidance of technology-organization-environment framework and (...) mindsponge theory, this study took hepatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound as an example, and conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire by randomly selecting physicians from Fujian and Jiangxi provinces in China with a high and low incidence of liver cancer, respectively. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the correlation among perceived ease of use, organizational support mechanism, and industry competitive pressure, as well as their impact on the physicians’ behavior toward contrast-enhanced ultrasound use. -/- Results: The hypothesis model fits well with the data (χ2/df = 1.863, GFI = 0.937, AGFI = 0.908, RMSEA = 0.054, NFI = 0.959, IFI = 0.980, CFI = 0.980). Under technology-organization-environment framework, the perceived ease of use (β = 0.171, p < 0.05), organizational support mechanism (β = 0.423, p < 0.01), industry competitive pressure (β = 0.159, p < 0.05) significantly influenced physicians’ use of hepatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Besides, perceived ease of use and organizational support mechanism (β = 0.216, p < 0.01), perceived ease of use and industry competitive pressure (β = 0.671, p < 0.01), organizational support mechanism and industry competitive pressure (β = 0.330, p < 0.01) were all associated significantly. -/- Conclusion: From the lens of information processing (mindsponge theory) and technology-organization-environment framework, this study clarified the social and psychological influencing mechanism of perceived ease of use, organizational support mechanism, and industry competitive pressure on physicians’ use of hepatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound. The results will directly propose recommendations for expanding hepatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound utilization and indirectly promoting other appropriate and effective health technologies diffusion within the integrated health system. (shrink)

The federal system for allocating donated livers in the United States is often criticized for allowing geographic disparities in access to livers. Critics argue that such disparities are unfair on the grounds that where one lives is morally arbitrary and so should not influence one's access to donated livers. They argue instead that livers should be allocated in accordance with the equal opportunity principle, according to which US residents who are equally sick should have the same opportunity to receive a (...) liver, regardless of where they live. In this paper, we examine a central premise of the argument for the equal opportunity principle, namely, that geographic location is a morally arbitrary basis for allocating livers. We raise some serious doubts regarding the truth of this premise, arguing that under certain conditions, factors closely associated with geographic location are relevant to the allocation of livers, and so that candidates' geographic location is sometimes a morally non-arbitrary basis for allocating livers. Geographic location is morally non-arbitrary, we suggest, since by taking it into account, the UNOS may better fulfill its central goals of facilitating the effective and efficient placement of organs for transplantation and increasing organ donation. (shrink)

Abstract: This study was aiming to determine the effect of the Vitamin A on paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity. Fifteen rats were randomly divided into five groups; (three rats each) control group, paracetamol (1000 mg/kg body weight) was used to induce hepatotoxicity in albino rats. Vitamin A (Retinyl palmtate) administered at the dose levels of 100, 500 and1000 IU/kg body weights orally for 7 days prior to paracetamol dose. Hepatic toxicity was observed in paracetamol group; aspartate aminotransaminase (AST) level was high as compared (...) with control group (p = 0.003). The significant hepatoprotective effect of Vitamin A was observed at doses 500 and 1000 IU/kg body weight, as there was significant reduction of serum AST when compared to paracetamol group (p = 0.01 and 0.003 respectivly), where 100 IU/Kg vitamin A not significantly decrease AST. Liver trace element determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) (K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn and Rb) in paracetamol-treated group were found to be higher than that of the control group, although the only significant increase was observed with Cu. Br shows slight decrease compared to the control group. There were no significant differences between Vitamin A groups (100 mg/kg 500mg/kg and 1000mg/kg) and PCM-treated group in the liver tissue content of Ca, K, Zn, Cu, Rb and Br where Fe concentrations were significantly decrease at doses 500 and 1000IU/l (P value 0.05 and 0.045 respectively). Vitamin A shows protective effect by regulating liver tissue Fe. We recommend to perform further investigation on the mechanisms of Vitamin A hepatoprotective mechanisms of action. (shrink)

The Zhuangzi begins with Peng, a soaring bird transformed from a bounded fish, which is the first metaphor that points beyond limited standpoints to a higher point of view. The transformation is one-way and symbolizes that there is a higher viewpoint to attain which affords mental freedom and the clarity and scope of great vision. Under the alternate thesis of constant transformation, values and understandings must ceaselessly transform and collapse. All cyclical transformations must collapse into skeptical relativism and confusion. But (...) Peng does not turn back into a fish, and the awakened sage does not fall into a slumber of ignorance and confusion. It is only the thesis of a one-way transformation that leaves the sage in a state of knowledge. (shrink)

The scarcity of livers available for transplants forces tough choices upon us. Lives for those not receiving a transplant are likely to be short. One large group of potential recipients needs a new liver because of alcohol consumption, while others suffer for reasons unrelated to their own behaviour. Should the former group receive lower priority when scarce livers are allocated? This discussion connects with one of the most pertinent issues in contemporary political philosophy; the role of personal responsibility in (...) distributive justice. One prominent theory of distributive justice, luck egalitarianism, assesses distributions as just if, and only if, people's relative positions reflect their exercises of responsibility. There is a principled luck egalitarian case for giving lower priority to those who are responsible for their need. Compared to the existing literature favouring such differentiation, luck egalitarianism provides a clearer rationale of fairness, acknowledges the need for individual assessments of responsibility, and requires initiatives both inside and outside of the allocation systems aimed at mitigating the influence from social circumstances. Furthermore, the concrete policies that luck egalitarians can recommend are neither too harsh on those who make imprudent choices nor excessively intrusive towards those whose exercises of responsibility are assessed. (shrink)

I develop an account of the role that biology plays in the Timaeus’ view of nous and other aspects of cognitive life. I begin by outlining the biology of human cognition. I then argue that these biological views shine an important light on different aspects of the soul. I then argue that the human body is particularly friendly to nous, paying special attention to the heart and the liver. I next consider the ways that the body fails to protect (...) our nous. I conclude by comparing human nous with the cognition of non-humans. (shrink)

In this paper an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model, for predicting the category of a tumor was developed and tested. Taking patients’ tests, a number of information gained that influence the classification of the tumor. Such information as age, sex, histologic-type, degree-of-diffe, status of bone, bone-marrow, lung, pleura, peritoneum, liver, brain, skin, neck, supraclavicular, axillar, mediastinum, and abdominal. They were used as input variables for the ANN model. A model based on the Multilayer Perceptron Topology was established and trained (...) using data set which its title is “primary tumor” and was obtained from the University Medical Centre, Institute of Oncology, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia Test data evaluation shows that the ANN model is able to correctly predict the tumor category with 76.67 % accuracy. (shrink)

The increasing application of artificial intelligence (AI) to healthcare raises both hope and ethical concerns. Some advanced machine learning methods provide accurate clinical predictions at the expense of a significant lack of explainability. Alex John London has defended that accuracy is a more important value than explainability in AI medicine. In this article, we locate the trade-off between accurate performance and explainable algorithms in the context of distributive justice. We acknowledge that accuracy is cardinal from outcome-oriented justice because it helps (...) to maximize patients’ benefits and optimizes limited resources. However, we claim that the opaqueness of the algorithmic black box and its absence of explainability threatens core commitments of procedural fairness such as accountability, avoidance of bias, and transparency. To illustrate this, we discuss liver transplantation as a case of critical medical resources in which the lack of explainability in AI-based allocation algorithms is procedurally unfair. Finally, we provide a number of ethical recommendations for when considering the use of unexplainable algorithms in the distribution of health-related resources. (shrink)

There is a widely acknowledged shortage of and an increasing demand for transplantable human organs and tissues (e.g., kidney, heart, lung, liver, cornea) in developed and developing countries around the world. In response to this need, Lott and Savulescu (2007) propose the creation of a human embryonic stem (hESC) bank to facilitate the equitable and efficient dissemination of human leukocyte anti- gen (HLA) matched tissues and organs to patients in need of replacement. Although not an unreasonable proposal, the authors (...) go on to make a much stronger claim. They argue that hESCs are such important tools for addressing the massive unmet global need for organs that it is ethically justified to require mandatory banking of spare embryos, and they argue for the use of financial (or other) inducements to procure embryos for the derivation of hESCs. (shrink)

The accumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) has raised public awareness due to harmful contamination to both human and marine creatures. This study was designed to determine the concentration of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and nickel (Ni) in the intestine, kidney, muscle, gill, and liver tissues of local commercial edible fish, fourfinger threadfin (Eleutheronema tetradactylum), and black pomfret (Parastromateus niger) collected from Morib (M) and Kuala Selangor (KS). Among the studied PTEs, Cu and Zn were essential elements (...) to regulate body metabolism with certain dosages required while Cd and Ni were considered as non-essential elements that posed chronic and carcinogenic risk. The concentration of PTEs in fish tissue samples was analyzed using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (F-AAS). By comparing the concentration of PTEs in fish tissues as a bioindicator, the environmental risk of Morib was more serious than Kuala Selangor because both fish species collected from Morib resulted in a higher PTEs concentration. For an average 62 kg adult with a fish ingestion rate (FIR) of 0.16 kg/person/day in Malaysia, the estimated weekly intake (EWI) of Cd from the consumption of E. tetradactylum (M: 0.0135 mg/kg; KS: 0.0134 mg/kg) and P. niger (M: 0.0140 mg/kg; KS: 0.0132 mg/kg) had exceeded the provisional tolerable weekly intake (Cd: 0.007 mg/kg) established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and oral reference dose (ORD) values of Cd (0.001 mg/kg/day) as provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regional screening level, thus it posed chronic risks for daily basis consumption. Besides, the value of the carcinogenic risk of Cd (0.7−3 to 0.8−3) and Ni (0.5−3 to 0.6−3) were in between the acceptable range (10−6 to 10−4) of the health index that indicates a relatively low possibility cancer occurrence to the consumers in both Morib and Kuala Selangor. This study recommended FIR to be 0.80 kg/person/day to reduce the possibility of posing chronic and carcinogenic risks while at the same time obtaining the essential nutrients from the fish. (shrink)

The organism is neither a discovery like the circulation of the blood or the glycogenic function of the liver, nor a particular biological theory like epigenesis or preformationism. It is rather a concept which plays a series of roles – sometimes overt, sometimes masked – throughout the history of biology, and frequently in very normative ways, also shifting between the biological and the social. Indeed, it has often been presented as a key-concept in life science and the ‘theorization’ of (...) Life, but conversely has also been the target of influential rejections: as just an instrument of transmission for the selfish gene, but also, historiographically, as part of an outdated ‘vitalism’. Indeed, the organism, perhaps because it is experientially closer to the ‘body’ than to the ‘molecule’, is often the object of quasi-affective theoretical investments presenting it as essential, sometimes even as the pivot of a science or a particular approach to nature, while other approaches reject or attack it with equal force, assimilating it to a mysterious ‘vitalist’ ontology of extra-causal forces, or other pseudo-scientific doctrines. This paper does not seek to adjudicate between these debates, either in terms of scientific validity or historical coherence; nor does it return to the well-studied issue of the organism-mechanism tension in biology. Recent scholarship has begun to focus on the emergence and transformation of the concept of organism, but has not emphasized so much the way in which organism is a shifting, ‘go-between’ concept – invoked as ‘natural’ by some thinkers to justify their metaphysics, but then presented as value-laden by others, over and against the natural world. The organism as go-between concept is also a hybrid, a boundary concept or an epistemic limit case, all of which partly overlap with the idea of ‘nomadic concepts’. Thereby the concept of organism continues to function in different contexts – as a heuristic, an explanatory challenge, a model of order, of regulation, etc. – despite having frequently been pronounced irrelevant and reduced to molecules or genes. Yet this perpetuation is far removed from any ‘metaphysics of organism’, or organismic biology. (shrink)

The Zhuangzi 莊子 depicts persons as surviving their deaths through the natural transformations of the world into very different forms—such as roosters, cart-wheels, rat livers, and so on. It is common to interpret these passages metaphorically. In this essay, however, I suggest employing a “Conventionalist” view of persons that says whether a person survives some event is not merely determined by the world, but is partly determined by our own attitudes. On this reading, Zhuangzi’s many teachings urging us to embrace (...) transformation are not merely a psychological aid for dealing with death, but also serve as a tool for literally surviving it. (shrink)

RESUMO A alimentação é o fator que mais onera um sistema de produção animal. Assim, a utilização de diferentes estratégias de alimentação dos animais ainda é o grande desafio da nutrição animal, principalmente, levando em consideração as exigências nutricionais de diferentes categorias de ruminantes, em especial bovinos em regiões tropicais, haja vista que a sazonalidade na produção de forragens afeta diretamente a produção bovina, promovendo inadequação no atendimento das exigências nutricionais dos animais principalmente em minerais e vitaminas. Uma alimentação que (...) não atenda as exigências nutricionais dos ruminantes gera prejuízos no sistema de produção, além de, em casos mais graves, ocasionar a perda do animal. Estudos que abordam o efeito e a importância de vitaminas e minerais na nutrição bovina são escassos e necessários. Recentemente a National Research Council (NRC) apresentou novos registros das exigências nutricionais das vitaminas e minerais. Essas alterações proporcionam um impacto econômico significativo em relação à nutrição animal. Nesse sentido, objetivou-se com esta revisão trazer informações acerca de vitaminas e minerais na nutrição de bovinos em pastejo. -/- Palavras-chave: Alimentação animal; forragem; pastagem; requerimentos nutricionais; ruminantes; vitaminas lipossolúveis (Source: AGROVOC). -/- ABSTRACT Animal feed is the factor that most burdens a production system. Thus, the use of different animal feeding strategies is still the great challenge of animal nutrition, taking into account the nutritional requirements of different categories of ruminants, especially cattle in tropical regions, given that seasonality in forage production directly affects cattle production, promoting inadequacy in meeting the nutritional requirements of animals, mainly in minerals and vitamins. A diet that does not meet the nutritional requirements of ruminants generates losses in the production system, in addition to, in more serious cases, causing the loss of the animal. Studies that address the effect and importance of vitamins and minerals in bovine nutrition are scarce and necessary. Recently the National Research Council (NRC) presented new records of the nutritional requirements of vitamins and minerals. These changes provide a significant economic impact on animal nutrition. In this sense, the objective of this review was to bring information about vitamins and minerals in the nutrition of grazing cattle. -/- Keywords: Animal feeding; fat soluble vitamins; forage; nutritional requirements; pasture feeding; ruminants (Source: AGROVOC). -/- REFERÊNCIAS BIBLIOGRÁFICAS -/- 1. Cavalcanti CPL, Silva e Macedo TJ, Gois GC, Menezes VG, Monte APO, Silva AD, Silva DJM, Silva EO, Araújo GGL, Rodrigues RTS, Wischral A, Matos MHT, Queiroz MAA. Licuri oil improves feedlot performance and modifies ruminal fauna of Santa Inês ewes. Liv Sci. 2022; 265:e105093. 2. Busato KC, Chizzotti ML, Rodrigues RTS, Silva TS, Silva IF, Queiroz MAA, Silva KT, Borges JC, Gois GC. Ingestive behavior and growth performance of boer crossbred and indigenous goat kids under different feeding levels in Semiarid Region in Brazil. Trop Agric Res. 2022; 33:299-309. 3. Patton J, Dineen M, Keady TWJ, McGee M, Waters S. Developments in nutrition for pasture-based cattle and sheep systems in Ireland. Irish J Agric Food Res. 2022; 61(1):12-37. 4. McAllister TA, Stanford K, Chaves AV, Evans PR, Figueiredo, EES, Ribeiro G. Nutrition, feeding and management of beef cattle in intensive and extensive production systems. Chapter 5. In: Bazer FW, Lamb GC, Wu G, editors. Animal Agriculture. Sustainability, Challenges and Innovations. 1st ed. Elsevier Inc.: Academic Press; 2020. 5. Byrne L, Murphy RA. Relative bioavailability of trace minerals in production animal nutrition: A review. Anim. 2022; 12:e1981. 6. Arthington JD, Ranches J. Trace mineral nutrition of grazing beef cattle. Anim. 2021; 11:e2767. 7. Silva NCD, Martins TLT, Borges I. Efeito dos microminerais na alimentação de ruminantes. Ci Anim. 2017; 27:75-98. 8. Tufarelli V, Ragni M, Laudadio V. Feeding forage in poultry: A promising alternative for the future of production systems. Agric. 2018; 8:1-10. 9. Elgersma A, Søegaard K, Jensen SK. Fatty acids, α-tocopherol, β-carotene, and lutein contents in forage legumes, forbs, and a grass–clover mixture. J Agric Food Chem. 2013; 61:11913–11920. 10. Collet SG, Demeda MA, Taffarel GV, Taffarel L, Girardini LK, Nesi CNH, et al. Efeito de um suplemento mineral traço e vitaminas A e E injetáveis sobre a produção e composição de leite em vacas Holandesas. Rev Ci Agrovet. 2017; 16:463-472. 11. Silva NCD, Martins TLT, Borges I. Macrominerais: Deficiências E Interações Com A Produção E Nutrição De Ruminantes. Scient Agr Paranaensis. 2018; 17:263-271. 12. Danieli B, Schogor ALB. Uso de aditivos na nutrição de ruminantes: revisão. Vet Zootec. 2020; 27:1-13. 13. Goff JP. Invited review: Mineral absorption mechanisms, mineral interactions that affect acid–base and antioxidant status, and diet considerations to improve mineral status. J Dairy Sci. 2018; 101:2763–2813. 14. NRC. National Research Council. Nutrient requirements of beef cattle. 8th ed.Washington, DC.: The National Academy Press; 2016. 15. Silva LFC, Valadares Filho SC, Engle TE, Rotta PP, Marcondes MI, Silva FAZ, et al. Macrominerals and trace element requirements for beef cattle. Plus One. 2015; 10:e0144464. 16. Miranda MMF, Ferrarezi Junior E, Cavichioli FA. Boas práticas agropecuárias: Os benefícios da suplementação alimentar em ruminantes. Int Tec. 2021; 18:455-465. 17. Bhanderi BM, Goswami A, Garg MR, Samanta S. Study on minerals status of dairy cows and their supplementation through área specific mineral mixture in the state of Jharkhand. J Anim Sci Techn. 2016; 58:1-8. 18. Rezende FV, Silva NCD, Florentino LA, Rezende AV. Minerais: fatores que interferem na biodisponibilidade de macro e microminerais para fêmeas ruminantes durante o período de gestação. Nucleus Anim. 2019; 11:123-136. 19. NRC. National Research Council. Nutrient requeriments of dairy cattle. 7th rev.ed. Washinton, DC.: The National Academy Press; 2001. 20. Marku A, Galli A, Marciani P, Dule N, Perego C, Castagna M. Iron metabolism in pancreatic beta-cell function and dysfunction. Cells. 2021; 10:e2841. 21. DA SILVA, Emanuel Isaque Cordeiro. Nutrição e Suplementação Mineral de Bovinos de Corte. Emanuel Isaque Cordeiro da Silva, 2021. 22. Suganya A, Saravanan A, Manivannan N. Role of zinc nutrition for increasing zinc availability, uptake, yield, and quality of maize (Zea mays L.) grains: An overview. Commun Soil Sci Plant An. 2020; 51:2001-2021. 23. Byrne L, Murphy RA. Relative bioavailability of trace minerals in production animal nutrition: A review. Anim. 2022. 12:e1981. 24. Valentim JK, Mendes JP, Przybulinski BB, Serpa FC, Barbosa DK, Castilho VAR, et al. Fatores nutricionais aplicados à reprodução de ruminantes. Rev Uniciên. 2019; 23:77-82. 25. Martins KPF, Fonseca TRS, Silva ES, Munhoz TCP, Dias, GHS, Glauco JN, et al. Bócio em bovino. Pesq Vet Bras. 2018; 38:1030-1037. 26. González-Montaña JR, Escalera-Valente F, Alonso AJ, Lomillos JM, Robles R, Alonso ME. Relationship between vitamin B12 and cobalt metabolism in domestic ruminant: An update. Anim. 2020; 10:e1855; 27. Ventura RA, Cuzzuol GD, Silva TB, Malegoni ACS, Roque LZ, OLiveira SFC, et al. Deficiência de cobalto em bovinos: Revisão. Pubvet. 2021; 15:1-4. 28. Lopes HOS. Suplementação de Baixo Custo para Bovinos Mineral e Alimentar. 1st ed. Brasília, DF: Embrapa Cerrados; 1998. 29. Paul SH, Usman AA, Gana IN, Manase A, Adeniyi OD, Olutoye MA. Comparative study of mineral and nutritional composition of a multifunctional flora composite formulated from seven medicinal plants and their applications to human health. Eng Techn Open Access J. 2018; 1:137-150. 30. Zhou J, Zhang J, Xue B, Yue S, Yang C, Xue B. Effects of premating calcium and phosphorus supplementation on reproduction efficiency of grazing yak heifers. Anim. 2021; 11:1-9. 31. Harder H, Khol-Parisini A, Metzler-Zebeli BU, Klevenhusen F, Zebeli Q. Treatment of grain with organic acids at 2 different dietary phosphorus levels modulates ruminal microbial community structure and fermentation patterns in vitro. J Dairy Sci. 2015; 98:8107–8120. 32. Jain RK, Mudgal V. Phosphorus deficiency influences rumen microbial activity: Review. Int J Zoo Anim Biol. 2021; 4:1-9. 33. Barreto JC, Branco AF, Santos GT, Magalhães VJA, Coneglian SMC, Teixeira S. Avaliação dos efeitos de fontes de fósforo na dieta sobre parâmetros do meio ruminal e eficiência de síntese microbiana, digestibilidade dos nutrientes e fósforo plasmático em bovinos. Rev Bras Zootec. 2009; 38:760-769. 34. Yamada S, Inaba M. Potassium metabolism and management in patients with CKD. Nutr. 2021; 13:1-19. 35. Martinsen TC, Fossmark R, Waldum HL. The phylogeny and biological function of gastric juice—Microbiological consequences of removing gastric acid. Int J Mol Sci. 2019; 20:1-22. 36. González FHD, Silva SC. Minerais e vitaminas no metabolismo animal. 1st ed. Porto Alegre: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; 2019. 37. Melo RR, Gonçalves SLS, Baccarin FJB, Vasconcelos WA, Miranda SC. Influência de altas dosagens de cloreto de potássio no desenvolvimento de espécies em cultivo hidropônico. Pubvet. 2020; 14:1-9. 38. Araújo WAG, Rostagno HS, Albino LFT, Carvalho TA, Ribeiro Neto AC. Potássio na nutrição animal. Rev Eletr Nutr. 2010; 7:1280-1291. 39. NRC. National Research Council. Nutrient requeriments of dairy cattle. 8th ed. Washinton, DC.: The National Academy Press; 2021. 40. Palomares RA. Trace Minerals Supplementation with Great Impact on Beef Cattle Immunity and Health. Anim. 2022; 12:e2839. 41. Tariq M, Abbas G, Ahmad S, Mustafa R, Sultan H, Abdullah M, Hussain I, Arshad M, Cheema UB, Hassan SU. Effect of supplementation of minerals on the productive and reproductive performance of lactating cattle and buffalo. Pakistan J Sci. 2022; 74:e425. 42. Pagno KCA Barbosa JD, Salvarani FM, Bomjardim HA, Faial KCF, Souza RS, Gava A, Perotta JH, Barros Filho IR. Micromineral concentrations (copper, cobalt, iron, molybdenum and zinc) in the liver of dairy cows from Campos Gerais Region, Paraná state, Brazil. Pesq Vet Bras. 2023; 43:e07137. 43. Jeong H, Vacanti NM. Systemic vitamin intake impacting tissue proteomes. Nut Met. 2020; 17:1-16. 44. Spears JW, Weiss WP. Invited Review: Mineral and vitamin nutrition in ruminants. Appl Anim Sci. 2014; 30:180-191. 45. Erickson PS, Kalscheur KF. Nutrition and feeding of dairy cattle. Chapter 9. (pp. 157-180). In: Bazer FW, Lamb GC, Wu G, editors. Animal Agriculture. Sustainability, Challenges and Innovations. 1st ed. Elsevier Inc.: Academic Press; 2020. 46. Kareem MM, Jabir MS. Vitamins. Chapter 3. In: Imran M, Imran A, editors. Malnutrition. 1st ed. London, UK.: IntechOpen; 2020. 47. Akram M, Munir N, Daniyal M, Egbuna C, Găman MA, Onyekere PF, et al. Vitamins and minerals: Types, sources and their functions. Chapter 9. (pp 149–172). In: Egbuna C, Tupas GD, editors. Functional foods and nutraceuticals. Switzerland, AG.: Springer, Cham; 2020. 48. Marino CT, Medeiros SR. Minerais e vitaminas na nutrição de bovinos de corte. Chapter 6. (pp. 79-93). In. Medeiros SR, Gomes RC, Bungenstab DJ, editors. Nutrição de bovinos de corte: fundamentos e aplicações. Brasília, DF: Embrapa; 2015. 49. Hodnik JJ, Ježek J, Starič J. A review of vitamin D and its importance to the health of dairy cattle. J Dairy Res. 2020; 87:84–87. 50. Alves EM, Pedreira MS, Santana CA, Silva FF. Nutrição vitamínica de vacas leiteiras. Pubvet. 2008; 2:1-17. 51. Jiang Q, Lin L, Xie F, Jin W, Zhu W, Wang M, et al. Metagenomic insights into the microbe-mediated B and K2 vitamin biosynthesis in the gastrointestinal microbiome of ruminants. Microb. 2022; 10:1-16. 52. Magan JB, O’Callaghan TF, Zheng J, Zhang L, Mandal R, Hennessy D, et al. Effect of diet on the vitamin B profile of bovine milk-based protein ingredients. Foods. 2020; 9:1-17. 53. Pinedo LA, Berenchtein B, Selem ASMA. Estudo dos processos bioquímicos da fermentação, degradação e absorção de nutrientes dos alimentos em ruminantes. Pubvet. 2008; 2:1-10. 54. DA SILVA, Emanuel Isaque Cordeiro. Formulação e Avaliação de Suplemento Mineral Para Caprinos. Instrução Técnica Para o Produtor Rural de Pernambuco, v. 3, n. 1, p. 1-4, 2023. 55. DA SILVA, Emanuel Isaque Cordeiro. Nutrição Sobre a Reprodução e Fertilidade dos Bovinos. Emanuel Isaque Cordeiro da Silva, 2021. 56. DA SILVA, Emanuel Isaque Cordeiro. Suplementação e formulação de sal mineral e mistura múltipla para bovinos. Revista Universitária Brasileira, v. 2, n. 1, 2024. (shrink)

Metformin is considered the first-line treatment as a monotherapy for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Emerging evidence suggests that metformin may have a renoprotective role; therefore, understanding the impact of metformin dose and therapy duration on renal function may significantly improve renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes patients. This study aims to investigate the renoprotective effects of metformin by analyzing its dose-dependent impacts on the estimated glomerular filtration rate in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A retrospective cross-sectional study (...) design was used from September 2022 to October 2023. Data from 302 type 2 diabetes patients were collected from patient files at the Benghazi Diabetic Center and the Aljabal Al-Alkdar Diabetic Center, including all with type 2 diabetes mellitus patients on varying doses of metformin. The collected data included age, gender, metformin dose, duration of metformin therapy, urea, and creatinine. Exclusion criteria included patients with significant comorbidities such as chronic kidney disease (other than diabetic nephropathy), liver disease, heart failure, or malignancy; those taking nephrotoxic medications; individuals with recent acute illnesses or surgical procedures; pregnant or lactating women; participants with inadequate medical records; and patients who were non-adherent to metformin therapy. Survival analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of different metformin doses on the estimated glomerular filtration rate. The study analyzed 302 diabetic patients, of whom 46.0% were male and 54.0% were female. The age was 58.3±11.9 years. The HbA1c was 7.7%±1.3%. The duration of diabetes was 11.4±8.1 years. The creatinine was 1.0±0.9 mg/dL, and the urea was 36.7±23.8 mg/dL. Data analysis revealed a statistically significant difference in survival distribution across the dose groups. Different metformin doses significantly impact the estimated glomerular filtration rate, suggesting that dosage plays a crucial role in maintaining renal function. (shrink)

The public health crisis is started with emergence of new coronavirus on 11 February 2020 which triggered as coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemics. The causative agent in COVID-19 is made up of positively wrapped single-stranded RNA viruses ~ 30 kb in size. The epidemiology, clinical features, pathophysiology, and mode of transmission have been documented well in many studies, with additional clinical trials are running for several antiviral agents. The spreading potential of COVID-19 is faster than its two previous families, the severe (...) acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Apart from clinical manifestation, comorbid status is playing key role for prevalence of COVID-19 infection and mortalities. The comorbid effects associated with COVID-19 are diabetes, cardiovascular, digestive, hepatitis-B, cerebrovascular, hypertension, liver injury, coronary heart disease, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and neurological impairment. Antimalarial drugs (chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine), remdesivir, Tocilizumab, clopinavir/ritonavir, convalescent plasma therapy, spike protein-angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) inhibitors, human monoclonal antibodies, mRNA-1273, mesenchymal stem cells, Indian and Chinese traditional medicine, small molecules antioxidant, natural products and dietary supplements, high doses of vitamin-E, -C, -D, minerals, flavonoids,and IFN-beta are therapeutic intervention running to develop treatment against COVID-19. Although clinical usage of these therapeutic agents against COVID-19 is well documented, cytokine storms, absence of appropriate animal model have limited its therapeutic use. This review explores the clinical information currently available on COVID-19 on the mechanisms of infection, prevention, management, comorbid status, and current drug treatment options. (shrink)

Abstract: The present review encompasses the contraception, methods of contraception, hormonal or chemical birth control pills and the herbal products having contraceptive activity with their merits and demerits. The commercially available birth control pills are detrimental to women health, might be life-threatening sometimes. The detrimental effects posed by such pills are: fat deposition in the liver, kidney and uterus, prevention of metabolism and further conception, disruption of the epithelial layer of the uterus, irregular and painful menstruation, breast cancer and (...) ultimately permanent infertility. This study will help us to view the undeniable baleful effects of the commercial birth control pills and thus will rush us to explore some herbal birth control pills that will be cheaper, having no side effects and might be effective for the sexes (male & female). A research work has already been conducted in this regard which might be an evolutionary step in this realm. (shrink)

The Ganga is one of the most sacred and worshipped river of India, is regarded as the cradle of Indian civilization. Uttar Pradesh the largest state of India is blessed with the most holy and important river in its region but due to increased urbanization and industrialization this river is under intimidation of high water pollution. The major objectives of the present study were to investigate heavy metal's concentration in water and sediments of the River Ganga. Water and sediments collected (...) from different locations were analyzed for Iron (Fe), Chromium (Cr), Lead (Pb),Nickel(Ni) and Zinc(Zn). The concentration of these heavy metals in the study area indicates that the river is highly polluted. The possible sources of these heavy metal pollutants are diverse, originated from natural or anthropogenic sources and point sources. The concentrations determined were more than the maximum admissible and desirable limit when compared with the National and International organizations like WHO, USEPA. Exposure to heavy metals has been linked to chronic and acute toxicity developing retardation, neurotoxicity, kidney damage, various cancers, liver damage, lung damage, and fragile bones and even death in instances of very high exposure. (shrink)

Background: Multi Drug Therapy approved by WHO is the best treatment option for Leprosy. There is a significant decline of mortality and morbidity after the introduction of multi drug therapy. But the adverse effects causing changes in clinical and laboratory parameters to multi drug therapy are the main limiting obstacle for the treatment course completion. Objective: The aim of this study is to find out the effects on routine laboratory parameters including hematological and biochemical changes before, during and after the (...) treatment of multi drug therapy in leprosy. Methodology: A descriptive cohort hospital based study on 85 multi drug therapy treated leprosy patients using standard laboratory tools for routine investigations for 18 months. Results: During the one year multidrug treatment period, most of the routine laboratory parameters showed mild to moderate change from normal level during the first 3 months with gradual recovery in the following months. Complete blood count assessment revealed mild decline in Hb, PCV, MCH, MCHC, and moderate decline in WBC and Platelet count. A mild increase in liver function tests (Bilirubin, AST, ALT, Alkaline phosphatase) and renal function tests (S.Creatinine, b. Urea) was observed. A moderate decline in S. Sodium with mild increase in S. Potassium was found on investigating S. Electrolytes. Patients were fully recovered from all hemato-biochemical adverse effects after 6 months of completion of the multi drug therapy. Conclusion: Despite of mild to moderate hematological and biochemical adverse reactions with multi drug therapy, recovery was excellent after 6 months of completion of therapy. (shrink)

Metabolizable energy levels affect the productive performance and carcass quality of meat quails, as well as impacting diet costs. The aim was to determine the metabolizable energy (ME) requirement for European quails (Coturnix coturnix coturnix) from 1 to 14 days of age and from 15 to 35 days of age, aiming to evaluate performance and influence on carcass composition. Five treatments with 6 replicates, 12 animals per replicate, totaling 360 animals in the experiment, were used, with energy levels in the (...) diet of 2700, 2800, 2900, 3000, and 3100 kcal from 1 to 14 days of age, and levels of 2850, 2950, 3050, 3150, and 3300 kcal from 15 to 35 days of age. Total carcass weight, breast, wing, back, fat, liver, heart, and gizzard weights were determined, both absolute and relative to the carcass (%). It was concluded that the best metabolizable energy level in the diet from 1 to 14 days of age is 3000 kcal/kg of ME and that the best metabolizable energy level in the diet from 15 to 35 days is 3150 kcal/kg of ME on diet. Keywords: performance; carcass; levels. (shrink)

In late Renaissance medicine, the example of digestion was frequently invoked to prove the elemental composition of the human body. Food was considered as being decomposed in its first elements by the stomach, and digested into a thick juice, which was assimilated by the liver and the body parts. Such a process points to the structure of the human body into four elements that are transformed into different types of humors during several stages of “concoction”. This chapter examines the (...) Galenic interpretation of digestion expounded by the French physician Jean Fernel (1497–1558) in his Physiologia (1567). In this treatise, Fernel states the body composition into elemental portions, while stressing the role of the “innate heat” as the physiological counterpart of the body’s essence or “substantial form”. He applies this view in his account of digestion, where he states that the conversion of food follows the rule of “mixture”. This chapter aims to explore how Fernel applies his interpretation of elements and innate heat to the process of digestion, as well as his sources in Galen’s De facultatibus naturalibus, Avicenna’s Canon and Aristotle’s Meteorologica. It first examines the role of the natural soul and its “nourishing” faculties in nutrition as a physiological function. It then considers the role of elements, humors and innate heat during the “concoction” of food in the stomach, liver and veins. (shrink)

Abstract: This paper presents an artificial neural network based approach for the diagnosis of hepatitis virus. A number of factors that may possibly influence the performance of patients were outlined. Such factors as age, sex, Steroid, Antivirals, Fatigue, Malaise, Anorexia, Liver Big, Liver Firm Splean Palpable, Spiders, Ascites, Varices, Bilirubin, Alk Phosphate, SGOT, Albumin, Protine and Histology, were then used as input variables for the ANN model . Test data evaluation shows that the ANN model is able to (...) correctly predict the diagnosis of more than 93% of prospective Patients. (shrink)

This volume offers very selected papers from the 2014 conference of the “International Association for Computing and Philosophy” (IACAP) - a conference tradition of 28 years. - - - Table of Contents - 0 Vincent C. Müller: - Editorial - 1) Philosophy of computing - 1 Çem Bozsahin: - What is a computational constraint? - 2 Joe Dewhurst: - Computing Mechanisms and Autopoietic Systems - 3 Vincenzo Fano, Pierluigi Graziani, Roberto Macrelli and Gino Tarozzi: - Are Gandy Machines really local? (...) - 4 Doukas Kapantais: - A refutation of the Church-Turing thesis according to some interpretation of what the thesis says - 5 Paul Schweizer: - In What Sense Does the Brain Compute? - 2) Philosophy of computer science & discovery - 6 Mark Addis, Peter Sozou, Peter C R Lane and Fernand Gobet: - Computational Scientific Discovery and Cognitive Science Theories - 7 Nicola Angius and Petros Stefaneas: - Discovering Empirical Theories of Modular Software Systems. An Algebraic Approach. - 8 Selmer Bringsjord, John Licato, Daniel Arista, Naveen Sundar Govindarajulu and Paul Bello: - Introducing the Doxastically Centered Approach to Formalizing Relevance Bonds in Conditionals - 9 Orly Stettiner: - From Silico to Vitro: - Computational Models of Complex Biological Systems Reveal Real-world Emergent Phenomena - 3) Philosophy of cognition & intelligence - 10 Douglas Campbell: - Why We Shouldn’t Reason Classically, and the Implications for Artificial Intelligence - 11 Stefano Franchi: - Cognition as Higher Order Regulation - 12 Marcello Guarini: - Eliminativisms, Languages of Thought, & the Philosophy of Computational Cognitive Modeling - 13 Marcin Miłkowski: - A Mechanistic Account of Computational Explanation in Cognitive Science and Computational Neuroscience - 14 Alex Tillas: - Internal supervision & clustering: - A new lesson from ‘old’ findings? - 4) Computing & society - 15 Vasileios Galanos: - Floridi/Flusser: - Parallel Lives in Hyper/Posthistory - 16 Paul Bello: - Machine Ethics and Modal Psychology - 17 Marty J. Wolf and Nir Fresco: - My Liver Is Broken, Can You Print Me a New One? - 18 Marty J. Wolf, Frances Grodzinsky and Keith W. Miller: - Robots, Ethics and Software – FOSS vs. Proprietary Licenses. (shrink)

Die deutschen Richtlinien zur Lebertransplantation sehen vor, dass Patient*innen mit alkoholbedingten Lebererkrankungen in der Regel eine sechsmonatige Karenz nachweisen müssen, bevor sie auf die Warteliste für eine Lebertransplantation aufgenommen werden können. Die international weit verbreitete Karenzregel wurde von Beginn an sehr kritisch diskutiert, da hiermit Patient*innen eine wirksame und potentiell lebensrettende Therapie zumindest vorübergehend vorenthalten wird. Sie kommt in der Praxis einer Eingrenzung der Indikation zur Lebertransplantation gleich. Aus der medizinischen Fachliteratur lassen sich vier Interpretationsrahmen rekonstruieren, die mittels Herausstellung bestimmter (...) Aspekte eine jeweils unterschiedliche Wahrnehmung und Konzeptualisierung der sechsmonatigen Karenzregel begründen. Diese sprachlich vermittelten Deutungsmuster werden von Akteur*innen zur Eingrenzung der Indikation zur Lebertransplantation genutzt. Innerhalb dieser Interpretationsrahmen wird die sechsmonatige Karenzzeit jeweils 1) als diagnostisches Werkzeug zur Bestimmung der Regenerationsfähigkeit der Leber, 2) als prognostisches Werkzeug zur Bestimmung der Erfolgsaussichten einer Transplantation, bzw. 3) zur Bestimmung des Trinkverhaltens nach Transplantation dargestellt. In einem weiteren Rahmen wird die Karenzregel 4) als Ausdruck einer Verpflichtung zur Vermeidung von gesundheitsschädlichem Verhalten interpretiert. Aus diesen vier Interpretationsrahmen ergeben sich unterschiedliche ethische Fragestellungen, die eine systematische ethische Beurteilung der Karenzregel ermöglichen. In den ersten drei Interpretationsrahmen wird wiederum selbst die Frage nach der medizinischen Indiziertheit der Karenzregel aufgeworfen. (shrink)