Urea Concentration Research Articles

Nickel metal particles encapsulated in carbon shells as efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for urea-assisted hydrogen production

Urea oxidation reaction (UOR) is considered an ideal water splitting reaction with the potential to replace oxygen evolution reaction (OER), as it lowers the anodic potential and utilizes urea as a renewable and abundant resource. However, creating stable, effective bifunctional catalysts is still challenging. In this work, we report a novel bifunctional catalyst of core-shell structure Ni-500 Nano-particle. The carbon coating not only offers numerous active sites and facilitates rapid charge transfer but also shields the nickel core from corrosion. Moreover, By replenishing the urea concentration, the current density can be recovered and sustained for 50 h with only an 8 % decrease. It is significantly less than pure water electrolysis that the urea-assisted water electrolyzer with Ni-500 as both cathode and anode achieves cell-voltage of 1.55 V at 100 mA cm−2. This work demonstrates the potential of Ni-500 as a inexpensive and effective catalyst for urea-based hydrogen production, and offers new perspectives into the design and optimization for core-shell structure electrocatalyst.

SKŁAD MLEKA KRÓW W ZALEŻNOŚCI OD WIEKU, FAZY LAKTACJI I PASZY GENETYCZNIE MODYFIKOWANEJ

The aim of the presented study was to analyze changes in milk composition depending on presence of genetically modified (GM) components in feed and according to cows’ age and lactation phase. The research was carried out with Polish Holstein-Friesian black and white cows (n = 50) housed in tie stall system at one farm. The genetically modified feed was a supplementary feed mixture. Data reports from milking trials with milk chemical composition, number of somatic cells and urea content were collected. The collected data concerned groups: primiparous (P) cows and multiparous (M) cows during 2nd and 3rd lactation. In each age group, two subgroups were distinguished: cows from 1st to 4th month of lactation (I) and cows from 5th to 8th month of lactation (II). The above subgroups were divided according to feed with GM components (G) and feed with non-GM components (N). It was found that use of feed with the addition of GM plants contributes to lowering the level of casein and an increase of lactose in milk. Presence of GM components in feed did not affect the level of fat, total protein, fat to protein content, urea levels, somatic cell counts in milk and cow yield. It can be concluded that the withdrawal of feed additives based on GM components does not adversely affect the technological quality of milk.

Structural and thermodynamic characterization of a highly amyloidogenic dimer of transthyretin involved in a severe cardiomyopathy

Transthyretin (TTR) is a homotetrameric protein involved in the transport of thyroxine. More than 150 different mutations have been described in the TTR gene, several of them associated with familial amyloid cardiomyopathy (FAC). Recently, our group described a new variant of TTR in Brazil, namely A39D-TTR, which causes a severe cardiac condition. Position 39 is in the AB loop, a region of the protein that is located within the thyroxine-binding channels and is involved in tetramer formation. In the present study we solved the structure and characterize the thermodynamic stability of this new variant of TTR using urea and high hydrostatic pressure (HHP). Interestingly, during the process of purification, A39D-TTR turned out to be a dimer and not a tetramer, a variation that might be explained by the close contact of the four aspartic acids at position 39, where they face each other inside the thyroxine channel. In the presence of sub-denaturing concentrations of urea, bis-ANS binding and dynamic light scattering revealed A39D-TTR in the form of a molten-globule dimer. Co-expression of A39D and WT isoforms in the same bacterial cell did not produce heterodimers or heterotetramers, suggesting that somehow a negative charge at the AB loop precludes tetramer formation. A39D-TTR proved to be highly amyloidogenic, even at mildly acidic pH values where WT-TTR does not aggregate. Interestingly, despite being a dimer, aggregation of A39D-TTR was inhibited by diclofenac, which binds to the thyroxine channel in the tetramer, suggesting the existence of other pockets in A39D-TTR able to accommodate this molecule.

Flexible urea biosensor based on CuS/Bioglass 45S5.TiO2 Nps thin films

Chronic renal insufficiency has been a high-incidence disease around the world in recent years. With the lack of devices to detect these illnesses opportunely, developing urea biosensors is imperative. This work reports the application of copper sulfide (CuS) thin films deposited via a chemical bath and Bioglass 45S5/titanium dioxide nanoparticles thin films in a urea flexible biosensor. The Bioglass 45S5 was deposited over CuS and applied onto polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates. The systems PEN/CuS/Bioglass 45S5.TiO2 NpS and PET/ITO/CuS/ Bioglass 45S5.TiO2 were characterized optically by UV-Vis. The CuS presented an absorption border around 600 nm and a decrease in transmittance percentage by adding Bioglass. Scanning Electron Microscopy carried out the microstructural characterization; both systems displayed a porous morphology featuring channels suitable for immobilizing the enzyme. The sensors showed a resistive behavior based on the current-voltage curve. The urease enzyme was immobilized by adsorption. The optical changes after adding urease were measured by UV-Vis, obtaining ammonia from the reaction between urease and urea, showing an absorption border around 850 nm. Changes in urea concentrations between 1 and 10 mM caused an increase in resistivity in both samples, obtaining a sensitivity of 12.887 kΩ/sq/mM and 12.411 kΩ/sq/mM, and a linearity of 0.9946 % and 0.9601 % for the samples deposited over PEN and PET ITO, respectively. A Cole-Cole plot showed a behavior corresponding to an equivalent circuit composed of a parallel combination of a resistor and a capacitor in series with a phase constant element; this latter could be attributed to the measurement electrodes. Each sensor was implemented in a Wheatstone bridge. A voltage decrease was obtained for the sample deposited over PET ITO, with a sensitivity of −102.7 mV/mM, and a voltage increase was obtained in the sample deposited over PEN, with a sensitivity of 30.5 mV/mM.

Fattening Pigs with Tannin-Rich Source (Ceratonia siliqua L.) and High Doses of Vitamin E: Effects on Growth Performance, Economics, Digestibility, Physiology, and Behaviour.

This study aimed to assess the impact on growth, economic results, apparent nutrient digestibility (CTTAD), physiological variables, and animal behaviour when 214 fattening pigs (78 ± 8.5 kg of initial body weight and 130 ± 4.5 days of age) of both sexes (gilts and boars) were fed two levels of carob pulp (Cp, 0 vs. 20%) and two doses of vitamin E (Vit E, 30 vs. 300 IU/kg) for 40 days. No interaction effects between factors studied (Cp, Vit E, and sex) were observed on the variables. Most productive traits were unaffected by Cp or Vit E inclusion. However, the Cp increased the feed conversion ratio during the first 20 days. The Cp group showed a higher CTTAD of ether extract and hemicellulose but lower CTTAD of crude protein. Pigs fed Cp had a lower plasmatic urea content than the control group. The high Vit E doses increased the CTTAD of every nutrient and the plasmatic α-tocopherol content. The pigs fed Cp tended to spend more time eating in the early morning, likely to mitigate tannins' astringent effects. Dietary inclusion of 20% Cp in finishing high-conformation pigs is possible without affecting overall performance though it reduces nutrient CTTAD and increases feeding cost. Supra-nutritional doses of Vit E do not affect pig performance but increase the α-tocopherol deposition with potential antioxidant effects.

Influence of the season on the main components of cow milk in Ukraine

The quality of dairy products depends on the safety and quality of raw materials, therefore, the analysis of physicochemical and sanitary indicators of raw cow milk is of great importance. The composition of bulk milk of three technological groups of cows: early lactation (5–60 days in milk), primiparous cows and all other cows starting from the second lactation was studied according to seasons. Regardless of the group of animals, the fat content in bulk milk was significantly lower in summer than in other seasons of the year, and the highest in winter. In each group of animals, the lowest somatic cell count was observed in the fall, while the highest indicator of the study of bulk milk of cows in early lactation and primiparous was determined in the winter, and in the spring of cows from the second lactation. The lowest milk urea content in all groups of animals was noted in summer. The lowest protein level was observed in autumn (3.27 ± 0.11%), and the highest in winter (3.39 ± 0.11%) in the bulk milk of cows in early lactation. The ratio of fat to protein in summer 1.12 ± 0.03 was significantly lower compared to other seasons of the year. The highest level of somatic cells was recorded in this group in winter (290 ± 82 * 103 cells/mL), which was twice as much as in autumn (141 ± 54 * 103 cells/mL), and by 56.8% more than in summer (185 ± 39 * 103 cells/mL). The milk urea content in the summer was 194.0 ± 17.6 mg/kg, which is significantly lower than the indicators in other seasons of the year in the group of early lactation. In the summer period, the lowest protein content (3.23 ± 0.06%) in the bulk milk of primiparous cows was observed compared to other seasons of the year. The winter was characterized by the highest level of somatic cell count in milk (221 ± 49 * 103 cells/mL), which was almost twice as high as the autumn period (116 ± 31 * 103 cells/mL). The highest urea content in the milk of primiparous cows was found in autumn (228.6 ± 21.9 mg/kg), which exceeded the summer figure by 14.5%. The lowest protein content (3.29 ± 0.06%) and the highest in winter (3.44 ± 0.09%) was observed in the bulk milk of cows of the second lactation and older. The somatic cell count in milk in autumn (160 ± 69 * 103 cells/mL) was lower than the winter and spring indicators by 37.5% and 49.3%, respectively. The milk urea content in the summer (198 ± 22 mg/kg) was significantly lower than the autumn and winter indicators. In further studies, to improve the sanitary quality of milk, it is planned to use different hygienic means for processing the udder of cows depending on the season.

Effect of regular winter swimming on blood morphological, rheological, and biochemical indicators and activity of antioxidant enzymes in males

BackgroundExposure of the human body to cold water triggers numerous beneficial physiological changes. The study aimed to assess the impact of regular winter swimming on blood morphological, rheological, and biochemical indicators and activity of antioxidant enzymes in males.MethodsThe study involved 10 male winter swimmers (the same participants examined before the season and after the season) and 13 males (not winter swimming, leading a sedentary lifestyle) in the control group. Fasting blood was collected twice: in November and in March of the following year. Basic blood morphological indicators, red cell elongation index (EI) and aggregation index (AI), concentrations of testosterone, cortisol, urea, and creatinine, as well as plasma activity of antioxidant enzymes of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were determined.ResultsThe data were collected from the same winter swimmers at the beginning and end of the season. Winter swimming resulted in a significant increase of EI values at a shear stress of 0.30 (p = 0.40), 0.58 (p < 0.001), 4.24 (p = 0.021), 8.23 (p = 0.001), 15.59 (p = 0.001), 30.94 (p = 0.004), and 60.00 Pa (p = 0.043); haemoglobin was lower than before the season (p < 0.027). No significant changes were observed in AI, AMP, T1/2, the levels of urea, creatinine, eGFR, testosterone, cortisol, or the activity of CAT or SOD. There was a statistically significant increase in GPx activity (p = 0.014) and increase in testosterone concentration (p = 0.035) in the group of winter swimmers examined before the season as compared with the control group. No statistically significant differences were found for the mean values of blood morphological indicators and other parameters.ConclusionsWinter swimming can prove to be a health-promoting factor in males, as indicated by a rise in the deformability of red blood cells in the blood vessel system after a full season of winter swimming, leading to better body oxygenation, and improves the antioxidant defence and testosterone concentration (within standard limits) in the group of winter swimmers examined before the season as compared with the control group. Winter swimming helps maintain appropriate levels of blood rheological indicators, urea, creatinine, eGFR, cortisol, testosterone, and activity of antioxidant enzymes.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT06223087, 15.01.2024.

Kidney function, but not nitrogen excretion, differs between Brown Swiss and Holstein dairy cows

Brown Swiss (BS) cows have greater urea concentrations in milk and blood compared with Holstein (HO) cows. We tested the hypothesis that BS and HO cows differ in kidney function and nitrogen excretion. Blood, saliva, urine, and feces were sampled in 31 multiparous BS and 46 HO cows kept under identical feeding and management conditions. Samples were collected at different lactational stages after the monthly DHIA control test-day. To test the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and urea excretion, concentrations of creatinine and urea were measured in serum, urine, and saliva. As an additional marker to estimate GFR, we determined symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) in serum. Feces were analyzed for dry matter content and nitrogen concentration. Data on milk urea and protein concentrations, and daily milk yield were obtained from the monthly DHIA test-day records. The effects of breed, time, and parity number on blood, saliva, urine, feces, and milk parameters were evaluated with the GLM procedure with breed, time, and parity number as fixed effects. Differences between BS and HO were assessed by the Tukey-corrected t-test at P < 0.05. Concentrations of urea, creatinine, and SDMA in serum, were greater in BS than in HO cows (P < 0.01): 5.46 ± 0.19 vs 4.72 ± 0.13 mmol/L (urea), 105.96 ± 2.23 vs 93.07 ± 1.50 mmol/l (creatinine), and 16.78 ± 0.69 vs 13.39 ± 0.44 µg/dL (SDMA). We observed a greater urea concentration in BS cows (25.8 ± 0.7 vs 21.8 ± 0.7 mg/dL) and protein content in milk (3.70 ± 0.08 vs 3.45 ± 0.07%) than in HO cows (P < 0.01). Urea and creatinine concentrations in urine and saliva did not differ among breeds. No differences between BS and HO were observed for milk yield, fecal DM, and fecal nitrogen content. Dry matter intake and body weight were similar in BS and HO cows (P > 0.05). Despite greater urea, creatinine, and SDMA concentrations in blood as well as a higher milk urea content in BS compared with HO, respective concentrations in urine did not differ between breeds. In conclusion, our results demonstrate a lower renal GFR in BS compared with HO cows, thereby contributing to the greater plasma urea concentration in BS cows. However, estimation of nitrogen excretion via milk, urine, and feces does not entirely reflect nitrogen turnover within the animal.

Effect of Dietary Addition of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) Seed on Growth Performance, Haemato-Biochemical Profile and Faecal Microbiota of Kankrej Calves

The experiment was conducted during the month of February and March, 2023 at Livestock Research Station, Kamdhenu University, Sardarkrushinagar, Gujarat, India to evaluate the effect of dietary addition of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seed on growth performance, haemato-biochemical profile and faecal microbiota of Kankrej calves. Eighteen Kankrej calves were randomly divided into three treatment groups, viz. Basal diet (control), Basal diet+5 g animal-1 day-1 of fennel seed powder supplementation and Basal diet+10 g animal-1 day-1 of fennel seed powder supplementation for a period of 60 days. Results revealed that there was numerically higher body weight gains were observed in groups fed 5 and 10 g of fennel seed daily than the control, the difference was statistically not significant (p&gt;0.05) among the treatment groups. The mean faecal counts (log10 cfu g-1 in fresh faeces) of lactobacillus were increased, while coliform were reduced in groups fed 5 and 10 g of fennel seed daily as compared to control group. There was no effect (p&gt;0.05) on the haemoglobin, haematocrit, total erythrocytes count and total leucocytes count among the treatment groups. No difference (p&gt;0.05) was found in serum levels of total proteins, albumin, globulin, urea, triglycerides, cholesterol, ALT and AST concentrations among the treatment groups. It may be concluded that dietary fennel seed powder supplementation in calves improved growth performance and had beneficial effect on faecal microbiota with higher faecal lactobacillus count and lower faecal coliform count. Fennel seed supplementation did not affect haemato-biochemical profile of calves.

Iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) coated urea application enhances nitrogen (N) status and bulb yield of onion (A. cepa) through prolonged urea-N stay in alkaline calcareous soil

Onion (A. cepa) is an important horticulture crop which is sensitive to nutrient limitations worldwide. Urea hydrolysis to ammonia (NH3) and carbon dioxide (CO2), due to soil urease activity, causes urea-N loss. Comparative to several commercial products, the potential use of micronutrient coated urea to reduce urea hydrolysis based NH3-volatilization losses is novel to-date. In this study, boron (B), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) were coated on urea at their full or half recommended rates as (B)-half, (Fe)-half, (Zn)-half, (Cu)-half, (B)-full, (Fe)-full, (Zn)-full, (Cu)-full, (B+Fe)-half, (B+Zn)-half, (B+Cu)-half, (Fe+Zn)-half, (Fe+Cu)-half, (Zn+Cu)-half, (B+Fe)-full, (B+Zn)-full, (B+Cu)-full, (Fe+Zn)-full, (Fe+Cu)-full and (Zn+Cu)-full having gum-only coated urea as an internal control. Parallel to these, p-Phenylenediamine (PPD-0.2 %, 0.4 %, 0.6 %, 0.8 % and 1.0 %) and hydroquinone (HQ-0.5 %, 1.0 % and 2 %) coated urea treatments were also used with acetone-only coated urea as an internal control. Whereas the uncoated urea treatment was taken as an overall control. In pot experiment, the soil residual urea concentrations were increased by 2, 0.5, 1.85, 2.69 and 3.15 folds at 8 days after incubation (DAI), by 5.6, 1.89, 5.97, 0.54 and 6.23 folds at 12 DAI and by 119, 123, 155, 84 and 87 folds at 16 DAI under (B)-full, (B+Zn)-full, (Fe+Zn)-full, PPD-0.8 % and PPD-1.0 % coated urea treatments, respectively, as compared to uncoated urea. Among these five coating combinations, 54.26 % and 44.82 % bulb yield increments were observed under (Fe+Zn)-full and PPD-1 % coated urea, respectively, in comparison to uncoated urea in field experiment. However, the 33.33 % increment in nitrogen agronomic efficiency (NAE) and subsequent economic gains proved (Fe+Zn)-full coated urea application as a solution to address N losses in alkaline calcareous soils.

Effect of Adding Yeast Cultures to High-Grain Conditions on Production Performance, Rumen Fermentation Profile, Microbial Abundance, and Immunity in Goats.

It is a common practice among farmers to utilize high-grain diets with the intention of promoting ruminant growth. However, this approach bears the risk of inducing rumen disorders and nutrient metabolism diseases. Yeast culture (YC) showed advantages in ruminant applications. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of adding two different types of YC to high-grain conditions on production performance, rumen fermentation profile, microbial abundance, and immunity in goats. A total of 30 male goats with similar body condition were randomly distributed into 3 dietary treatments with 10 replicates per treatment as follows: basic diet group (CON); basic diet + 0.5% yeast culture 1 (YC1) group; basic diet + 0.5% yeast culture 2 (YC2) group. The trial lasted for 36 days. The results demonstrated that dietary YC supplementation led to an increase in the average daily gain and a reduction in feed intake and weight gain ratio in goats. It increased the apparent digestibility of crude protein, NDF, and ADF (p < 0.05). The serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α in the control group were significantly higher than those of the YC groups (p < 0.05). The serum concentrations of Immunoglobulin (Ig)A and IgG in the control group were significantly lower than those in the YC groups (p < 0.05). The rumen concentration of microbial protein (MCP) in the control group was significantly lower than that in the YC groups (p < 0.05). There was a negative correlation between the concentration of IL-10 and Bacteroidota, Spirochaetota, and Succinivibrio, while there was a positive correlation between concentrations of IL-10 and Firmicutes. Nevertheless, discrepancies were observed in the impact of the two different types of YC on the physiological and biochemical indicators of the animals. The concentration of triglyceride in the YC1 group was significantly higher than that of the CON and YC2 groups, while the concentration of urea in the YC2 group was significantly higher than that of the CON and YC1 groups (p < 0.05). At the phylum level, the addition of YC2 to the diet significantly increased the relative abundance of Bacteroidota and Fibrobacterota and significantly decreased Firmicutes compared to the control. At the genus level, the addition of YC1 to the HGD significantly reduced the relative abundance of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, while the addition of YC2 to the HGD significantly increased the relative abundance of Prevotellace-ae_UCG-001, Fibrobacter, and Prevotellaceae_UCG-003 (p < 0.05). The addition of YC significantly improved growth performance, increased nutrient digestibility, beneficially manipulated ruminal fermentation and microbial diversity, and improved immune function. The choice of yeast cultures can be customized according to specific production conditions.

Impact of adding zeolite to broilers' diet and litter on growth, blood parameters, immunity, and ammonia emission

This work was designed to assess the impact of varying zeolite concentrations in diet and litter to enhance broiler's growth performance, immunity, and litter quality. A complete random arrangement was used for distributing 525 unsexed "Cobb 500" broiler chicks into seven treatments (75 chick / treatment), each treatment divided into 3 replicates (25 chicks / replicate). The 1st group (control one) received the recommended basal diet. Zeolite has been introduced to the basal diet (ZD) of the second, third, and fourth groups at concentrations of 5, 10, and 15 g/kg, respectively. The 5th, 6th and 7th groups used zeolite mixed with litter (ZL) at 0.5, 1, and 1.5 kg/m2 of litter, respectively. Due to the obtained results, adding zeolite with levels 15 g/kg of diet and 1.5 kg/1 m2 of litter, a significant improvement occurred in live body weight (LBW), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and European production efficiency factor (EPEF). Also, transaminase enzymes (ALT and AST), creatinine, white blood cells (WBCs) and different Immunoglobulins were significantly increased with different zeolite levels, except urea concentrations which showed reduced due to different zeolite treatments. In addition, spleen relative weight hasn't been affected by zeolite treatments, even though thymus and bursa relative weights had been affected significantly. Moreover, the antibodies' production to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and Avian influenza virus (AIV) had increased significantly with adding zeolite with levels 10 g/kg of diet and 1.5 kg/1m2 of litter. Litter quality traits (NH3 concentration, pH values, and Moisture content) were improved with zeolite addition. So, zeolite could be employed in both feed and litter of broilers to maximize their production, immunity and improve farm's climate.

Reversible color-changing polymer hydrogels mediated by urea-urease clock reaction for temporary information display

Inspired by the natural world's fascinating capacity for color change, researchers have developed various responsive hydrogels that shift colors. Among these, hydrogels that react to pH changes are particularly notable for their unique properties. The urea-urease autocatalytic reaction, a key pH clock reaction, is especially effective in temporarily adjusting these hydrogels' properties and enabling color changes in response to stimuli. In this study, we synergize the urea-urease clock reaction with the pH-sensitive color transformation of neutral red (NR), thereby establishing an NR-urea-urease clock reaction system. This system exhibits a dynamic color cycle from yellow to red and back to yellow. By incorporating this color transition mechanism into polymer hydrogels, we successfully initiate a pH change within the system. This innovation paves the way for a smart material capable of displaying temporary information through enzymatic reactions. The temporal variation in information display is finely tuned by adjusting the urea and urease concentrations. Such reversible color-changing hydrogels hold promising prospects for applications in secure information transmission and dynamic camouflage, marking a significant step forward in systems chemistry and materials science.

Investigating the Acute Toxic Effects of Urea Fertilizer on Juvenile Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

The research aimed to assess the acute toxicity of urea fertilizer on juveniles of Oreochromis niloticus. The findings indicated a correlation between increasing concentrations of urea fertilizer and higher mortality rates among the test organisms, with an LC50 value determined at 500 mg/l. Additionally, a rise in total dissolved solids was observed with higher concentrations of urea. Parameters such as temperature, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen and pH showed statistically significant (P &lt; 0.05) changes as the concentrations of urea increases. Behavioural responses during the exposure phase included heightened excitability, vigorous swimming behaviours, loss of equilibrium, culminating in mortality. These results unequivocally demonstrate that urea fertilizer at acute concentrations poses significant toxic risks to juvenile Oreochromis niloticus.

WPŁYW ZRÓZNICOWANEJ ZAWARTO ˙ SCI BIAŁKA I MOCZNIKA W MLEKU, JAKO BIOMERKERÓW ´ ENERGETYCZNO-BIAŁKOWEGO ZBILANSOWANIA DAWEK POKARMOWYCH, NA POZIOM WYBRANYCH CECH UZYTKOWO ˙ SCI MLECZNEJ KRÓW RASY POLSKIEJ ´ HOLSZTYNSKO-FRYZYJSKIEJ

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of varied levels of milk protein and urea content on selected milk production traits of Polish Holstein-Friesian cows. The research included 34,397 data sets related to daily milk production of Polish Holstein-Friesian cows. These animals were kept in 15 cattle herds located in the Mazovian and Podlasie voivodeships. In the first stage of the research, the animals were differentiated based on the level of urea in their milk and the percentage of protein. According to the adopted assumptions, the energy and protein balance level of feed rations was determined based on the concentration of urea and protein in the milk. Due to the level of urea, three cow groups were distinguished: &lt;150, 150–250, and &gt;250 mg · L-1. Depending on the concentration of protein in the milk, the following three groups of animals were determined: &lt;3.2%, 3.2–3.6%, and &gt;3.6%. The assessment of the impact of varied energy and protein balance levels in feed rations on selected milk production traits of cows was conducted in subsequent lactation periods, production level and fat to protein (F/P) groups. Four lactation periods were distinguished, which covered successive months of lactation: 1–3, 4–6, 7–10, and 11–18, three production groups, determined based on the following levels of daily milk yield: &lt;20, 20–30, and &gt;30 kg and as well three groups of cows with different F/P ratio in milk were distinguished: &lt;1.2, 1.2–1.6, &gt;1.6. In the next stage of the study, a detailed assessment was conducted on the impact of varied levels of energy and protein balance in feed rations on the analyzed milk production traits. The analyzed population of cows was divided into 9 groups based on the level of urea content (mg · L-1) and protein concentration (%), with varying levels of coverage of the protein and energy requirements of cows. The interdependencies between milk performance traits of cows fed diets with balanced levels of energy and protein and their peers, for whom the nutritional diets were differentiated based on energy-protein balance, were determined using Pearson correlation coefficients and linear regression. When assessing the energy supply of cows, the study showed that too low energy levels in diets lead to a decrease in the chemical composition of milk, while too high levels lead to a decrease in milk yield compared to peers fed optimally balanced diets. Milk from cows with inadequate energy and protein nutrition contained less fat and protein by 0.54% and 0.59%, respectively, compared to milk from cows fed optimally. On the other hand, excessive energy supply was accompanied by an increase in fat (+0.66%) and protein (+0.57%) concentration with a decrease in daily milk yield (-4,1 kg). When evaluating the level of protein coverage for cows, the study showed that an excess of protein in feed led to an increase in urea levels in milk. The level of urea in milk from cows fed with excess protein in their feed (&gt;250 mg · L-1 and &lt;3.2%; &gt;250 mg · L-1 and &gt;3.6%; &gt;250 mg · L-1 and 3.2–3.6%) contained more urea per liter compared to milk from cows fed a balanced diet, with increases of 127, 107, and 109 mg, respectively.

A study of Some Factors Affecting the Prevalence of Renal Disease in Children

The current study was carried out in the period from 1 to 25 November 2023. It included sixty-two pediatric patients in the age range of (1-12) years and male and female children: twenty-six pediatric patients with chronic renal failure and thirty-six pediatric patients with nephrotic syndrome, who were outpatients and inpatients in the renal diseases unit and dialysis unit of both Al-Mansour Pediatric Teaching Hospital and Child's Central Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. The control group consisted of twenty-six children in the same age range as the sick groups of males and females. Blood samples were collected from patients and controls. Then renal function was evaluated by applying the laboratory tests as urea and creatinine levels were measured in serum, besides blood group and Rh factor tests. Factors that may affect renal disease incidence and progress were recorded, such as socioeconomic status, residence (North, Middle, and South), and family history. The results explained the significant increase in both urea and creatinine concentrations (P&lt;0.001) in serum compared with controls. The blood group and Rh factor had no significant differences among children of both sick groups. The entire affected factors had no significant association with renal disease incidence or progress in the current study. The age and gender of each child patient had no significant effect on the type of renal disease (at P value ≤ 0.01).

High-performance optical fiber differential urea sensing system for trace urea concentration detection with enhanced sensitivity using liquid crystals

A compact optical fiber differential sensing system consisting of microfiber interferometer (MFI) functionalized urease combined with stearic acid (SA)-doped 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) and two fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) for urea detection has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The SA-doped 5CB plays an important role of sensing signal amplification in urease specific recognition of urea. The hydrolysis reaction between urea and urease at the microfiber surface causes the deprotonation and self-assembly of SA, which further induces the reorientation of 5CB from planar alignment to homeotropic alignment. This process can be captured and transduced into the macroscopic wavelength shift of the MFI and power difference of two FBGs in the differential sensing system. The experimental results show that the differential sensing system can effectively detect urea in artificial urine, where the sensitivity of MFI is 3.85 nm/mM with a detection limit of 0.03 mM and the power difference sensitivity of two FBGs is 15.05 dB/mM with a detection limit of 0.01 mM within low concentration range of 0.01–0.1 mM. Furthermore, the differential sensing system has good selectivity, affordability, and temperature self-compensation. Therefore, the differential sensing system can be used as a sensitive method for urea detection and has potential applications in human health detection.

Effects of Sweet and Forge Sorghum Silages Compared to Maize Silage without Additional Grain Supplement on Lactation Performance and Digestibility of Lactating Dairy Cows.

This study investigated the effects of replacing maize silage (MZS) with high-sugar sorghum silage (HSS) or forage sorghum silage (FSS) without additional grain supplement in the diets of dairy cows on nutrient digestibility, milk composition, nitrogen (N) use, and rumen fermentation. Twenty-four Chinese Holstein cows (545 ± 42.8 kg; 21.41 ± 0.62 kg milk yield; 150 ± 5.6 days in milk) were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments (n = 8 cows/treatment). The cows were fed ad libitum total mixed rations containing (dry matter basis) either 40% MZS (MZS-based diet), 40% HSS (HSS-based diet), or 40% FSS (FSS-based diet). The study lasted for 42 days, with 14 days devoted to adaptation, 21 days to daily feed intake and milk production, and 7 days to the sampling of feed, refusals, feces, urine, and rumen fluid. Milk production was measured twice daily, and digestibility was estimated using the method of acid-insoluble ash. The data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA in SPSS 22.0 according to a completely randomized design. Dietary treatments were used as fixed effects and cows as random effects. The results indicate that MZS and HSS had greater crude protein but less neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), and a lower pH than FSS (p ≤ 0.04). High starch contents in MZS and water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) contents in HSS were observed (p < 0.01). While the highest starch intake was observed for the MZS-based diet, the highest WSC intake was noted for the HSS-based diet, and the highest NDF, ADF, ADL intake was observed for the FSS-based diet (p ≤ 0.05). The diets, including MZS and HSS, had greater digestibility than that of FSS (p ≤ 0.03). Feeding MZS- and HSS-based diets increased the yield, fat, and protein content of the milk, as well as feed conversion efficiency (p ≤ 0.03). However, feeding the MZS- and HSS-based diets decreased the contents of milk urea N, urinary urea N, and urinary N excretion more than the FSS-based diet (p ≤ 0.05). The N use efficiency tended to increase relative to diets containing MZS and HSS compared with FSS (p = 0.06 and p = 0.09). Ruminal ammonia-N and pH were lower, but total volatile fatty acids, acetate, and propionate were higher in cows fed the HSS- and MZS-based diets compared to those fed the FSS-based diet (p ≤ 0.03). It appears as though replacing MZS with HSS in the diet of cows without additional grain supplements has no negative influence on feed intake, milk yield, N utilization, or ruminal fermentation.

Assessment of Testosterone Levels, Kidney Function and Alkaline Phosphatase in Patients with Benign Prostatic Enlargement in Kirkuk City/Iraq

The present study is designed to evaluate the concentration of Testosterone, Creatinine, Urea urea, and alkaline phosphatase levels in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. This study was conducted for the period from the beginning of October 2023 to the end of February 2024 at Kirkuk Hospital. General and specialized medical clinics in the city of Kirkuk. The study included (70) males with benign prostatic hyperplasia, ages (45-75) years, and average weight (82) kg. In addition to 20 samples of healthy people with the same rate of ages and weights of patients, study samples were distributed as follows: The first group: the control group and included (20) healthy males, and the second group: the patient group and distributed to three groups according to the age groups first category ( 45-55) years and included 25 patients, the second age group (56-65) years and included 20 patients, the third age group (66-75) years and included 25 patients. The results of the current study showed a significant increase (p ≤ 0.05) in the concentration of urea, creatinine and alkaline phosphatase enzyme in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia compared to healthy people, and the current study showed a significant decrease (P ≤ 0.05) in testosterone concentration in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia compared to healthy people. According to age groups, the results showed no significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) in the concentrations of urea, creatinine and alkaline phosphatase enzyme in patients with prostatic hyperplasia, and the results showed a significant decrease (p≤ 0.05) in the concentration of testosterone according to the age groups of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Effects of different concentrate levels in AGRI-002E sorghum silage-based diets on nutrient intake and digestibility, ruminal pH and ammonia concentration, ruminal degradability, and microbial efficiency in beef cattle

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of increasing concentrate levels in AGRI-002E sorghum silage (SS)-based diets on nutrient intake and digestibility, ruminal pH and ammonia concentration, Nitrogen (N) balance, efficiency of microbial protein synthesis, and in situ degradability of complete diets. Five rumen-cannulated Nellore bulls (age = 8 ± 1.0 months; initial BW = 242 ± 5 kg) received five dietary treatments in a 5×5 Latin square experimental design. The dietary treatments consisted of five concentrate levels (0, 200, 400, 600, and 800 g of concentrate/kg on a DM basis) in SS-based diets. The experiment lasted 120 d, with five periods of 24 d. Each period consisted of 17 d for dietary adaptation, and 7 d for data collection. In situ degradability assays were conducted to estimate ruminal degradability. Total feces and urine collection were performed to estimate nutrient intake and digestibility and estimate N balance. Omasal and ruminal digesta collection were performed to estimate ruminal digestibility and ruminal parameters. Increasing concentrate levels in SS-based diets led to linear increases (P<0.001) in the intake of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and ether extract (EE). Neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein contamination (apNDF) and starch intake showed quadratic responses (P≤0.008). Ruminal digestibility of DM, OM and CP responded quadratically (P≤0.040), while apNDF exhibited linear decrease (P=0.003). Starch ruminal digestibility exhibited a cubic effect (P=0.016). Apparent total-tract digestibility of DM, OM, and EE increased linearly (P≤0.001), whereas apNDF, and CP digestibility decreased linearly (P≤0.012), and starch presented a quadratic effect (P=0.029). In situ ruminal degradation parameters increased linearly with higher concentrate levels (P<0.001). Ruminal pH exhibited a quadratic pattern (P=0.006), ammonia concentration linearly decreased (P=0.003). Total volatile fatty acids, and butyrate showed linear increases (P<0.001), acetate and propionate had quadratic effects (P<0.001), while the ratio Acetate to Propionate decreased linearly (P<0.001). N intake, fecal N excretion, retained N, total digestible nutrients, digestible organic matter, and microbial production increased linearly (P<0.001), although urine N excretion, urinary urea, and blood urea concentration decreased linearly (P<0.028). Therefore, increasing concentrate levels in AGRI-002E sorghum silage-based diets improve TDN intake, microbial protein synthesis efficiency, in situ ruminal degradability parameters, and nitrogen utilization. Moreover, our findings indicate that AGRI-002E sorghum silage demonstrates potential as a fiber source for high-concentrate diets. However, its effectiveness is limited without concentrate supplementation, emphasizing the importance of balanced dietary composition for optimal utilization in beef cattle.