Effects of protein content and rumen-undegradable to rumen-degradable protein ratio in finely ground calf starters on growth performance, ruminal and blood parameters, and urinary purine derivatives.

This study investigated the effects of feeding finely ground starter diets containing either 18 or 22% crude protein (CP) content [dry matter (DM) basis] and high or low ratios of rumen-undegradable protein to rumen-degradable protein (RUP:RDP) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, blood metabolites, and urinary purine derivatives in dairy calves. A total of 48 three-day-old female Holstein dairy calves with 40.2 ± 2.

[Practical approach of insomnia in the elderly].

Elderly people often suffer from insomnia which is responsible for high comorbidity and lower quality of life in this population. Somatic and psychiatric pathologies must be screened as primary sleep disorders. Chronic sleep disorders and benzodiazepine abuse might be avoided by an early treatment of causal factors.

Vitamin D is not associated with cognitive status in a cohort of very old hospitalized patients.

Background/objective: The association between vitamin D levels and cognitive function remains a controversial issue especially in the very old, highly comorbid patients. We address the relative contribution of vitamin D when taking into account potential confounders well known to be involved in cognitive decline.

Methods: We investigated, in a prospective study of 428 very old inpatients from the Geneva geriatric hospital (mean age 85.