Jacqueline Rodriguez

Several studies have explored differences between North American and European doctor patient relationships. They have focused primarily on differences in philosophical traditions and historic and socioeconomic factors between these two regions that might lead to differences in behaviour, as well as divergent concepts in and justifications of medical practice. However, few empirical intercultural studies have been carried out to identify in practice these cultural differences. This lack of standard comparative empirical studies led us to compare differences between France and the USA regarding end-of-life decision-making. We tested certain assertions put forward by bioethicists concerning the impact of culture on the acceptance of advance directives in such decisions. In particular, we compared North American and French intensive care professional's attitudes toward: (1) advance directives, and (2) the role of the family in decisions to withhold or withdraw life-support

Supplemental zinc in fattening lambs improves their health, performance, and meat quality. However, the Zn effect on grazing animals combined with different levels of concentrate should be known unknown. The objective was to evaluate the Zn-organic effect in the diet of grazing lambs supplemented with two levels of concentrate on growth, dry matter (DM) intake, carcass traits, body composition, meat quality, and fatty acid profile in Longissimus dorsi muscle. Twenty-eight lambs were used in a factorial arrangement of two levels of concentrate (C) feed intake (C-0.75 and C-1.5% of live weight) and two Zn-Met levels (0 and 80 ppm Zn kg−1 DM) on the grazing of Lolium perenne L. Digestibility and dry matter intake, weight gain, and productive performance were measured. At the end of the fattening period (90 d), the lambs were slaughtered and the carcass traits, body composition, instrumental quality, and lipid profile of meat were evaluated. The effect of treatment (T), measurement period (P), and T × P interaction was observed (p < 0.05) for dry matter intake (DMI). For the final live weight (FLW) and daily weight gain (DWG), there was an effect (p < 0.05) of T and P, with Zn-80 ppm + C-1.5% treatment being greater. The live weight at slaughter (LWS) and leg length (LL) showed an effect (p < 0.05) of C × Zn. Zn-80 ppm + C-1.5% treatment was higher in the kidney fat, empty body weight, carcass fat, fat and retained energy but lower in protein content (p < 0.05). The physicochemical characteristics and fatty acid content of meat were not affected (p > 0.05). It can be concluded that the concentrated-organic zinc synergy in grazing lambs improved the performance, weight gain, and body composition, which resulted in heavier carcasses with greater amounts of fat, protein, and energy deposited. Furthermore, the physical and chemical meat traits were not affected, but the n-3 fatty acid content and n-3/n-6 ratio in Longissimus dorsi was affected by the Zn level supplemented.

The use of omega fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation could be a beneficial strategy to improve health and production in ruminants. In this study, the effect of the dietary addition of c9, t11 and t10, c12 isomers of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in pure soybean oil (T1) was compared with pure soybean oil (T2) and soybean oil discarded after frying fish (Centropomus undecimalis, Pagrus pagrus, and Caranx crysos; T3) on the fatty acid profile in ewe milk and the tissues of their lambs. Forty-five multiparous ewes (East Friesian × Katahdin), 32 to 35 months old, 70 days pregnant, were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental diets. The fatty acid profile, total solids, fat, protein, and lactose in milk were determined 14 days postpartum. Fifteen lambs from each treatment were sacrificed at 70 days of age, and the fatty acid profiles in perirenal fat, muscle, and brain were determined. In milk, fat and total solids content were lower with T1. On the other hand, linoleic acid content, the sum of omega-6 and DHA were higher in T1 compared to other groups (p < 0.05). In the brain, stearic acid and linoleic acid concentration increased with T1; eicosapentaenoic acid decreased and omega-3s increased with T3, while DHA was lower in T2 (p < 0.05). The addition of CLA isomers or discarded soybean oil in ewe diet from pregnancy to lactation is advantageous for the ewe since less energy in the form of milk fat is lost. In addition, increasing the concentration of omega fatty acids in ewe diet to improve omega fatty acids in lamb’s brain could be a feed strategy to increase their productivity and health.