Impact of fiber source and feed particle size on swine manure properties related to spontaneous foam formation during anaerobic decomposition

Foam accumulation in deep-pit manure storage facilities is of concern for swine producers because of the logistical and safety-related problems it creates. A feeding trial was performed to evaluate the impact of feed grind size, fiber source, and manure inoculation on foaming characteristics. Animals were fed: (1) C–SBM (corn–soybean meal): (2) C–DDGS (corn–dried distiller grains with solubles); and (3) C–Soybean Hull (corn–soybean meal with soybean hulls) with each diet ground to either fine (374 μm) or coarse (631 μm) particle size. Two sets of 24 pigs were fed and their manure collected. Factors that decreased feed digestibility (larger grind size and increased fiber content) resulted in increased solids loading to the manure, greater foaming characteristics, more particles in the critical particle size range (2–25 μm), and a greater biological activity/potential

Development of Regional Supply Functions and a Least-Cost Model for Allocating Water Resources in Utah: A Parametric Linear Programming Approach

The development and allocation of the water resourcse within a state require water planners to prepare plans far in advance of the actual time new facilities are required. It is not easy to identify and evaluate all the possible alternatives for providing water which incorporate broad objectives such as economic efficiency, social welfare, regional development, recreation benefits, and conservation of environment. Water resources development entails the modification of a natural hydrologic system to better meet man\u27s needs. The interrelationships among elements of the hydrologic system to better meet man\u27s needs. The interrelationships among elements of the hydrologic system are relatively simple in comparison to the social, legal, economic, and institutional interdependencies involved. The relationships are so complex as to require that planning of water resource development be accomplished on a systems basis. It has become apparent that water resource planning must consider mass transfer of water encompassing areas which have potential for economic growth competing with other areas already highly developed economically. The wisest political decisions and the greatest benefit to the public will result if a method is used to explore the probable consequences of alternative water resources development and management policies and plans. The objective of this study is to extend the capability of systems analysis and operations research to the problem of interregional planning of water resources allocation for the State of Utah. The hydrologic characteristics and cost of water in each of the ten hydrologic study units of the state were determined. Hydrolgoci data from hydrologic inventories and estimates from the Utah Division of Water Resources were used to determine availability, reservoir storage-draft relationships, evaporation loss from reservoirs, agricultural use return flow, and municipal and industrial use return flow. Cost data were developed for storage facilities, diversion and canal works, artificial recharge facilties, treatment of waste water, and treatment of municipal supply. Supply functions for water in each of the ten hydrologic study units of the state were determined. Two sets of functions were developed--one for agricultural use and one for municipal and industrical use. Parametric linear programming was employed to develop a function map of the shadow price (marginal cost) of water for each of the two uses. The shadow price of imported water (value) to each of the study units was also determined to show the possible economic consequences of inter-basin transfers. In general, imported water was of little or no value if water presently being evaporated from Great Salt Lake is available for diversion upstream. A statewide model was developed to determine a least-cost allocation of water resources to meet projected requirements. This linear programming allocation model was developed subject to constraints such as hydrologic characteristics, limits on inter-basin transfers, limits on artificial groundwater recharge, and existing water requirements. Parametric programming was utilized to determine the impact of changing availability which reflects policies regarding inflow requirements of the Great Salt Lake and interstate agreemetns, increased agricultural use and municiapl and industrical use which reflects population increases projected for the future and changing groundwater availability which reflects legal constraints. The primary facotr affecting inter-basin transfer of Colorado River water is the degree to which evaporation from Great Salt Lake is reduced

Nanodiamonds carrying quantum emitters with almost lifetime-limited linewidths

Nanodiamonds (NDs) hosting optically active defects are an important technical material for applications in quantum sensing, biological imaging, and quantum optics. The negatively charged silicon vacancy (SiV) defect is known to fluoresce in molecular sized NDs (1 to 6 nm) and its spectral properties depend on the quality of the surrounding host lattice. This defect is therefore a good probe to investigate the material properties of small NDs. Here we report unprecedented narrow optical transitions for SiV colour centers hosted in nanodiamonds produced using a novel high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) technique. The SiV zero-phonon lines were measured to have an inhomogeneous distribution of 1.05 nm at 5 K across a sample of numerous NDs. Individual spectral lines as narrow as 354 MHz were measured for SiV centres in nanodiamonds smaller than 200 nm, which is four times narrower than the best SiV line previously reported for nanodiamonds. Correcting for apparent spectral diffusion yielded a homogeneous linewith of about 200 MHz, which is close to the width limit imposed by the radiative lifetime. These results demonstrate that the direct HPHT synthesis technique is capable of producing nanodiamonds with high crystal lattice quality, which are therefore a valuable technical material

Pulmonary perfusion with oxygenated blood or custodiol HTK solution during cardiac surgery for postoperative pulmonary function in COPD patients: a trial protocol for the randomized, clinical, parallel group, assessor and data analyst blinded Pulmonary Protection Trial

BACKGROUND: Five to thirty percent of patients undergoing cardiac surgery present with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and have a 2- to 10-fold higher 30-day mortality risk. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) creates a whole body systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) that could impair pulmonary function. Impaired pulmonary function can, however, be attenuated by pulmonary perfusion with oxygenated blood or custodiol HTK (histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate) solution. METHODS/DESIGN: The Pulmonary Protection Trial (PP-Trial) randomizes 90 patients undergoing CPB-dependent cardiac surgery to evaluate whether pulmonary perfusion with oxygenated blood or custodiol HTK solution reduces postoperative pulmonary dysfunction in COPD patients. Further, we aim for a non-randomized evaluation of postoperative pulmonary function after transcatheter aortic-valve implantation (TAVI). The primary outcome measure is the oxygenation index measured from anesthesia induction to the end of surgery and until 24 hours after anesthesia induction for a total of six evaluations. DISCUSSION: Patients with COPD may be impaired by hypoxemia and SIRS. Thus, prolonged recovery and even postoperative complications and death may be reflected by the degree of hypoxemia and SIRS. The limited sample size does not aim for confirmatory conclusions on mortality, cardiovascular complications or risk of pneumonia and sepsis, but the PP-Trial is considered an important feasibility trial paving the road for a multicenter confirmatory trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01614951

Transient accumulation and bidirectional movement of KIF13B in primary cilia.

Primary cilia are microtubule-based sensory organelles whose assembly and function rely on the conserved bidirectional intraflagellar transport (IFT) system, which is powered by anterograde kinesin-2 and retrograde cytoplasmic dynein-2 motors. Nematodes additionally employ a cell-type-specific kinesin-3 motor, KLP-6, which moves within cilia independently of IFT and regulates ciliary content and function. Here, we provide evidence that a KLP-6 homolog, KIF13B, undergoes bursts of bidirectional movement within primary cilia of cultured immortalized human retinal pigment epithelial (hTERT-RPE1) cells. Anterograde and retrograde intraciliary velocities of KIF13B were similar to those of IFT (as assayed using IFT172–eGFP), but intraciliary movement of KIF13B required its own motor domain and appeared to be cell-type specific. Our work provides the first demonstration of motor-driven, intraciliary movement by a vertebrate kinesin other than kinesin-2 motors.post-print449 K