To assess the effects of feeding high-oil corn on carcass characteristics and meat quality, 60 yearling steers were fed high concentrate diets containing either control corn (82% of diet), high-oil ...corn (82% of diet), or high-oil corn at a concentration that was isocaloric with the control diet (74% of diet). After being fed for 84 d, steers were slaughtered. At 72 h postmortem, carcass data were collected and rib sections from five steers grading U.S. Choice and five steers grading U.S. Select from each treatment were collected, vacuum packaged, and aged for 14 d. Three steaks (2.54 cm thick) were removed from each rib for Warner-Bratzler shear force measurement, sensory appraisal, and fatty acid composition analyses. Data were analyzed with treatment as the main effect for the carcass data and treatment, quality grade, and two-way interaction in the model for the longissimus data. The two-way interaction was nonsignificant (P > 0.05) for all variables tested. No differences were detected (P > 0.05) in carcass measurements except for marbling scores and quality grades, both of which were greater (P < 0.05) for carcasses from steers fed the high-oil corn. Overall, 78% of steers fed the high-oil corn graded U.S. Choice compared with 47% for the control and 67% for isocaloric group. Shear force and sensory properties of the longissimus were not different (P > 0.05) among treatments. Steaks from U.S. Choice carcasses rated higher (P < 0.05) for tenderness and tended to rate higher (P < 0.10) for juiciness. Feeding the isocaloric and high-oil diets increased (P < 0.05) linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, and the total PUFA content of lipid extracted from the longissimus. Saturated fatty acid percentage was lowest (P < 0.05) for high-oil corn and highest (P < 0.05) for control, with isocaloric being intermediate. Feeding high-oil corn increased (P < 0.05) pentadecyclic acid, margaric acid, and total odd-chain fatty acid content. Feeding high-oil corn in finishing beef cattle diets enhanced intramuscular lipid deposition and increased unsaturation of fatty acids of the longissimus.
As complexity increases, model-based approaches have become standard in the systems engineering community. However, engineers from different domains approach the system/component development at ...different levels of abstraction. Information gaps are created because of their different perspectives. In addition, although systems have become more complex, requiring more attention to testing, system methodologies have not kept up. A new framework is needed to bridge the information gaps between the different domains. To take full advantage of both model-based approaches and testing, we propose a new framework, in the form of a new design structure matrix, for complex system development (CSD) that more effectively utilizes information flow from model-based testing (MBT). Toward the goal of being broadly applicable, the framework was designed to be fundamental, flexible, and scalable. A case study of a powertrain design demonstrates how the proposed framework bridges gaps in early development stages. The analysis of both simulation and field testing results has shown that utilization of feedback from MBT refines requirements by closing information gaps earlier. All the information loops in the framework match the information loops in the case study. Furthermore, the framework, because of CSD's iterative nature, has potential in improving information reuse.
Between 2005 and 2007, E. coli obtained from clinical diagnostic submissions from cattle, goats, pigs and sheep to government laboratories in England and Wales were tested for sensitivity to 16 ...antimicrobials. Resistance was most commonly observed against ampicillin, streptomycin, sulphonamides and tetracyclines. Resistance levels varied significantly between species, with isolates from cattle frequently showing the highest levels. Verocytotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) expressed less resistance than non-VTEC. Only 19·3% of non-VTEC and 43·5% of VTEC were susceptible to all antimicrobials, while 47·1% and 30·4%, respectively, were resistant to ⩾5 antimicrobials. The resistance phenotype SSuT was commonly observed, and isolates resistant to third-generation cephalosporins were also identified. We recommend judicious antimicrobial usage in the livestock industry in order to preserve efficacy.
A survey of Coxiella burnetii infection (Q fever) in sheep flocks and goat herds in Great Britain was undertaken. A total of 5791 sheep (384 flocks) and 522 goats (145 herds) were examined for C. ...burnetii antibodies using an ELISA. Overall, 53 sheep (37 flocks), and four goats (four herds), tested positive. Estimates of individual animal, between-flock/-herd and within-flock/-herd crude prevalences were 0·9%, 10·2% and 9·0%, respectively, for sheep, and 0·8%, 3% and 26·3%, respectively, for goats. With sheep, the likelihood of an animal testing positive increased with total flock size (P = 0·002) and number of breeding ewes in the flock (P = 0·021). It also increased with number of goats within a 10 km radius (P = 0·038). There was no evidence for spatial clustering of positive herds above that expected by chance alone. No analysis of risk factors was attempted for goats because of the paucity of positives.
A group B streptococcal (GBS) bacteriophage lysin gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified recombinant enzyme, calculated to have a molecular mass of 49 677 Da, lysed GBS ...cells. The susceptibility of GBS cells to lysis by the enzyme depended upon the growth stage at which they were harvested, with early exponential phase cells most sensitive. Calcium ions enhanced the activity of the enzyme. The enzyme also lysed other beta-haemolytic streptococci, including groups A, C, E and G streptococci, but not common oral streptococci, including Streptococcus mutans. The generation of both reducing activity and N-terminal alanine residues during lysis indicated that the lysin is a bifunctional enzyme, possessing both glycosidase and endopeptidase activities. This is consistent with the presence of two conserved sequence domains, an Acm (acetylmuramidase) domain associated with lysozyme activity, and a CHAP (cysteine, histidine-dependent amidohydrolases/peptidases) domain associated with endopeptidase activity. Site-directed mutagenesis of conserved cysteine and histidine residues in the CHAP domain and conserved aspartate and glutamate residues in the Acm domain confirmed their importance for lysozyme and endopeptidase activity respectively.
A series of lanthanide complexes have been synthesized from 1,4,7,10-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane. Crystallographic studies indicate that, in the solid phase, all of the ...lanthanide ions are 9-coordinate and are bound to eight N atoms from the donor ligand, with the ninth site being filled by a counterion or solvent molecule. In solution, time-resolved luminescence studies indicate that the luminescence exhibits contributions from two species corresponding to the nonhydrated and hydrated forms. The NMR spectra in protic media show the presence of two dominant isomers on the NMR time scale; furthermore, the spectra are very different from those obtained for 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N',N'',N''',N'''-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) and its derivatives. The different forms of the complex undergo slow conformational and enantiomeric exchange in solution, which has been measured by NMR. The exchange path has been mapped out by density functional theory calculations and shows multiple metastable conformations (with respect to the dihedral angles of the cyclen ring). This contrasts with the established NMR behavior of DOTA complexes, which has been described by a two-state solution equilibrium.
Ring around the amine: Reactions which give heterometallic CrxCuy rings can be controlled through choice of reaction times, and the mixed products can be separated and crystallized. These new ...compounds include Cr7Cu, Cr8Cu2, Cr12Cu2, and Cr11Cu2 rings (see structure; Cu orange, Cr green, F yellow, O red, N blue, C black). The last compound is the largest ring known with an odd number of metal atoms.
Electrofishing is a well‐established and widely used method for surveying fish populations. Nonetheless, its effectiveness is impacted by numerous factors, including water chemistry, habitat type and ...fish species. Both physiological and behavioural responses make bottom‐dwelling ‘benthic’ fish which lack swim bladders (e.g. European bullhead Cottus gobio) particularly difficult to survey by electrofishing.
We compare the performance and practicalities of electrofishing for benthic fish at a rocky northern English headwater stream with two sampling methods originally designed for crayfish surveys; the triple drawdown method which involves repeated dewatering of a site, and the Pritchard Trap method which involves sunken traps filled with natural substrate that samples a small, fixed (0.25 m2) area of river bed.
Both the Pritchard trapping and triple drawdown methods provided similar high‐density population density estimates for bullhead which were at least 2.5–5 times higher than predicted from electrofishing derived sweep depletion curves.
Electrofishing and the triple drawdown method are both resource‐intensive, requiring expensive equipment and a team of trained operatives. These approaches also pose a risk to fish and non‐target organisms. In contrast, Pritchard Traps provide a cost‐effective passive, low risk survey method requiring minimal training and only one operative. Pritchard traps, therefore, show particular promise for benthic fish surveying and monitoring.
The ‘Pritchard Trap’ (PT, left) presents a novel method to survey benthic fish. The method was tested in a rocky headwater in Northern England and was compared to the Triple Drawdown (TDD) technique and electrofishing. Whilst electrofishing severely underestimated the density of European bullhead (Cottus gobio italics right), the PT and TDD methods both generated robust quantitative population data including density and size structure. The PT presents a cost‐effective approach to benthic fish sampling, wih relatively low sampling effort.
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