Climate change and land-use change impacts on future availability of forage grass species for Ethiopian dairy systems.

Forage grasses are central feed resources for livestock globally. In Ethiopian dairy systems, they serve as feed sources during both wet and dry seasons, yet escalating climate change could threaten forage supply. Here, we investigate projected climate change impacts on three forage grasses currently recommended for Ethiopian dairy systems.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of a Rhodes Grass () Collection.

Rhodes grass ( Kunth) is one of the most important forage grasses used throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Enhancing the conservation and use of genetic resources requires the development of knowledge and understanding about the existing global diversity of the species. In this study, 104 Rhodes grass accessions, held in trust in the ILRI forage genebank, were characterized using DArTSeq markers to evaluate the genetic diversity and population structure, and to develop representative subsets, of the collection.

Progress and Challenges in Ex Situ Conservation of Forage Germplasm: Grasses, Herbaceous Legumes and Fodder Trees.

Forages provide an important livestock feed resource globally, particularly for millions of smallholder farmers, and have important roles in natural resource management and carbon sequestration, reducing soil erosion and mitigating the effects of climate change. Forage germplasm remains the basis for the selection and development of new, higher-yielding and better adaptedgenotypes to meet the increasing demand for livestock feed. Rapid rates of genetic erosion of forage diversity due to land-use change from natural pastures and rangelands to crop production to meet the food security requirements of a growing global population, together with pressures from a changing climate, highlight the necessity for ex situ seed conservation of forage genetic resources to provide germplasm for use by future generations.

Author Correction: Genotyping by sequencing provides new insights into the diversity of Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus) and reveals variation in genome-wide LD patterns between collections.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Genotyping by sequencing provides new insights into the diversity of Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus) and reveals variation in genome-wide LD patterns between collections.

Napier grass is an important tropical forage-grass and of growing potential as an energy crop. One-hundred-five Napier grass accessions, encompassing two independent collections, were subjected to genotyping by sequencing which generated a set of high-density genome-wide markers together with short sequence reads. The reads, averaging 54 nucleotides, were mapped to the pearl millet genome and the closest genes and annotation information were used to select candidate genes linked to key forage traits.

Genetic diversity in Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) cultivars: implications for breeding and conservation.

Napier grass is an important forage crop for dairy production in the tropics; as such, its existing genetic diversity needs to be assessed for conservation. The current study assessed the genetic variation of Napier grass collections from selected regions in Eastern Africa and the International Livestock Research Institute Forage Germplasm-Ethiopia. The diversity of 281 cultivars was investigated using five selective amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers and classical population genetic parameters analysed using various software.

Caregivers of patients with cancer fatigue: a high level of symptom burden.

Fatigue is the problematic symptom identified by patients with cancer. However, fatigue has not been widely examined in caregivers of patients with cancer. In this study, 131 caregivers of patients diagnosed with advanced stage cancer and actively receiving radiotherapy reported experiencing the most difficulties with fatigue (mean 46.

Randomized controlled trial of maintaining quality of life during radiotherapy for advanced cancer.

Background: Psychosocial interventions often address only 1 domain of quality of life (QOL), are offered to patients with early-stage cancer, do not include the caregiver, and are delivered after cancer treatment has been completed.

Methods: In the current randomized controlled trial, 131 patients with advanced cancer who received radiotherapy and their caregivers were randomly assigned to either a 6-session, structured, multidisciplinary intervention arm or a standard care arm. The average age of the patients was 58 years, the majority were male (63%), and tumor types varied (gastrointestinal [37%], brain [22%], head and neck [16%], lung [13%], and other [12%]).

Hardware removal after fracture fixation procedures in the femur.

Background: The purpose of this study was to conduct an examination of internal fixation of femoral fractures in a large national database. The study aims were to determine the percentage of fixation procedures that result in hardware removal in a single year and to assess differences in the likelihood for hardware removal procedures using patient characteristics.

Methods: The 2007 Nationwide Inpatient Sample was used to quantify all patients who received an open reduction and internal fixation procedure for a fracture of the femur and all patients with a removal of implanted devices from the femur.

Instrumentation constructs in pediatric patients undergoing deformity correction correlated with Scoliosis Research Society scores.

Study Design: Data collected prospectively from the Prospective Pediatric Scoliosis Study (PPSS) were analyzed statistically to address the hypothesis that covered specific aspects of treatment and its outcome.

Objective: To assess and contrast Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) outcome scores for patients assigned to one of three types of spinal instrumentation constructs. The study hypothesis was that the instrumentation strategy that provides the best curve correction will be associated with the best SRS scores.

Complications and hardware removal after open reduction and internal fixation of humeral fractures.

Background: The purpose of this study was to review internal fixation of humerus fractures using a large national database and assess the incidence of implant removal procedures based on patient characteristics.

Methods: The 2007 Nationwide Inpatient Sample was used to identify two different sets of patients: (1) all patients who received an open internal fixation procedure for a fracture of the upper end, shaft, or lower end of the humerus; and (2) all patients with a removal of implanted devices from the humerus. Patient variables included age, gender, race/ethnicity, median household income, patient geographic region, metropolitan location, and primary expected payor.

National hardware removal rate associated with internal fixation of facial fractures.

Purpose: There has not been a broad national examination of complications and demographics of facial trauma reduction procedures. The literature has reported acceptable and unacceptable hardware removal rates in localized populations.

Materials And Methods: The 2007 Nationwide Inpatient Sample was used to determine all plate removal procedures associated with common complications from facial reductions.

Therapeutic exercise during outpatient radiation therapy for advanced cancer: Feasibility and impact on physical well-being.

Objective: To characterize the feasibility of delivering a structured physical therapy (PT) program as part of a multidisciplinary intervention to patients undergoing outpatient radiation therapy for advanced cancer.

Design: A single-blinded, randomized, controlled trial at a quaternary medical center outpatient clinic. One hundred three adults undergoing radiation therapy for advanced cancer with prognoses > or =6 mos and 5-yr survival estimates < or =50% were randomized to usual care or participation in eight 90-min, multidisciplinary interventional sessions with 30 mins of each session devoted to PT.

Role of a medical social worker in improving quality of life for patients with advanced cancer with a structured multidisciplinary intervention.

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Background: Patients with advanced cancer face multiple challenges to their quality of life (QOL). The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of participation in a multidisciplinary intervention, including a social service component, on improving the QOL of patients with advanced cancer undergoing radiation therapy.

Design: A total of 115 participants with newly diagnosed advanced stage cancer, who were receiving radiation therapy, were randomly assigned to either participate in an 8-session structured multidisciplinary intervention or to receive standard care.

Measuring spiritual quality of life in patients with cancer.

There is no one established approach to the measurement of spiritual quality of life (QOL). Available instruments are based on various theoretical components. We used a multi-instrument approach to measure the spiritual domain of QOL that adds to our understanding of a participant self-definition of spiritual QOL.

Improving the quality of life of geriatric cancer patients with a structured multidisciplinary intervention: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To examine the potential impact of elderly age on response to participation in a structured, multidisciplinary quality-of-life (QOL) intervention for patients with advanced cancer undergoing radiation therapy.

Methods: Study design was a randomized stratified, two group, controlled clinical trial in the setting of a tertiary care comprehensive cancer center. Subjects with newly diagnosed cancer and an estimated 5-year survival rate of 0%-50% who required radiation therapy were recruited and randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a standard care group.

Quality of life of caregivers of patients with advanced-stage cancer.

There has been much research documenting the impact of having a loved one diagnosed with advanced cancer, but little is known about how to reduce care-giver burden. In this randomized controlled trial, the authors examined the potential relationship of an advanced cancer patient's participation in an 8-session, structured, multidisciplinary intervention on the care-giver's burden and quality of life (QOL). Although the patients randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 54) demonstrated improved QOL compared to the control condition (n = 49) participants (P < .

Impacting quality of life for patients with advanced cancer with a structured multidisciplinary intervention: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a structured, multidisciplinary intervention targeted to maintain the overall quality of life (QOL), which is more comprehensive than psychosocial distress, of patients undergoing radiation therapy for advanced-stage cancer.

Patients And Methods: Radiation therapy patients with advanced cancer and an estimated 5-year survival rate of 0% to 50% were randomly assigned to either an eight-session structured multidisciplinary intervention arm or a standard care arm. The eight 90-minute sessions addressed the five domains of QOL including cognitive, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social functioning.