Productive traits and meat fatty acid profile of broiler chickens fed diets containing micronized fava beans (Vicia faba L. var. minor) as the main protein source

SUMMARY A trial was conducted to assess the effect of diets containing fava beans (Vicia faba var. minor) on productive traits, carcass yields, and meat fatty acid profiles of broiler chickens. Hubbard strain broiler chicks, divided into 2 groups, received a durum wheat middlings-based diet containing soybean meal (190 g/kg) or dehulled-micronized fava beans (310 g/kg) as the main protein source from 14 d to slaughter age (49 d). Replacement of soybean meal with fava beans as the dietary protein source had no effect on broiler growth performance, carcass dressing percentage, and abdominal fat. In contrast, meat quality characteristics were affected (P < 0.05) by dietary inclusion of fava beans. Accordingly, breast and drumstick muscles of birds fed the fava bean diets had lower L* (lightness) and higher a* (redness) and b* (yellowness) values when compared with birds fed the soybean meal diets. Total collagen and water-holding capacity values were higher in the fava bean treatment. The polyunsaturated fatty acid concentration in breast and drumstick muscles was significantly increased with inclusion of the alternative protein source, whereas the saturated fatty acid concentration was similar among treatments. The n-6:n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio of the broiler muscles decreased significantly in the fava bean group. It was concluded that replacing soybean meal with dehulled-micronized fava beans at 31% of the diet had no adverse effect on broiler growth performance and meat quality

Amilaza za preradbu jabučnog soka: utjecaj pH, topline i kalcijevih iona

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the effects of pH, heat, and Ca2+ ions on the α-amylase activities in a commercial amylolytic enzyme (Tyazyme L300), used for apple juice processing. Kinetics of thermal inactivation was studied in acetate and citrate/phosphate buffers at different temperatures (55–70 °C) and enzyme concentrations (0.276 and 0.552 mL/100 mL). Maximum α-amylase activity was observed at pH=3.4 in both buffers. Effects of the addition of calcium chloride during and after thermal treatments were also investigated. α-amylase activities were measured by an iodometric method and thermal inactivation constants and D values (time for reducing 90 % of the enzymatic activity) were estimated. The enzyme was more sensible to pH changes and heat when citrate ions were present in the reaction medium. If Ca2+ in the enzyme structure is bound to citrate then the resistance of the enzyme to pH changes and heat is lowered. Kinetics obtained according to Arrhenius equation and two enzymatic fractions (thermo-labile and thermoresistant) were observed too. In citrate buffer the following relation was observed for thermo-labile fraction: log (D value) = -0.144 t/°C + 12.992. The level of thermal inactivation also depended on the enzyme concentration. Higher thermal inactivation rates were obtained by increasing the enzyme concentration in the case when citrate was present. It was also found that the addition of calcium chloride (1 g/L) after thermal treatment in median containing citrate reactivated the enzyme treated at 60 and 65 °C. The possible implications of these findings in apple juice processing were discussed.Svrha je rada utvrditi utjecaj pH, topline i kalcijevih iona na aktivnost α-amilaze u komercijalnom amilolitičkom enzimu (Tyazyme L300) koji se koristi u preradbi jabučnog soka. Proučavana je kinetika toplinske inaktivacije u acetatnom i citratnom/fosfatnom puferu pri raznim temperaturama (55–70 °C) i udjelima enzima (0,276 i 0,552 mL/100 mL). U oba pufera opažena je maksimalna α-amilazna aktivnost pri pH=3,4. Također je ispitivan utjecaj dodatka kalcijeva klorida tijekom i nakon toplinske obradbe. Aktivnost α-amilaze mjerena je jodometrijskim postupkom, a određene su i toplinske inaktivacijske konstante te D-vrijednosti (vrijeme za snizivanje 90 % enzimske aktivnosti). Enzim je bio puno osjetljiviji na promjene pH i na toplinu u prisutnosti citratnih iona u udjelu mediju. Kalcijev ion u strukturi enzima može biti vezan na citrat, a pritom se smanjuje otpornost enzima na promjene pH i utjecaj topline. Razmatrana je kinetika dobivena prema Arrheniusovoj jednadžbi, a opažene su i dvije enzimske frakcije (termolabilna i termootporna). Za termolabilnu frakciju u citratnom puferu dobivena je ova vrijednost: log D = –0,144 t/°C + 12,992. Razina toplinske inaktivacije ovisi i o udjelu enzima. Povećavajući udjel enzima u prisutnosti citrata, povećava se brzina toplinske inaktivacije. Ujedno je na|eno da dodatak kalcijeva klorida (1 g/L), nakon toplinske obradbe u mediju sa citratom, omogućava reaktivaciju enzima obrađenog pri 60 i 65 °C. U raspravi su razmotrene moguće primjene tih rezultata u obradbi jabučnog soka

Beyond Timber: forest management models for transforming conflict into cooperation

This Brief is based on a report prepared for the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry aiming at documenting outcomes achieved by the Program’s research activities.The competing needs of different groups who depend upon the Congo Basin rainforest can be met if innovative, new research-based models for multiple-use forest management are employed.The models, together with accompanying policy guidance, have been endorsed by the region’s forest administration body COMIFAC and offer the potential to alleviate both the conflict between groups and the pressures on the landscape, allowing livelihoods and forest to flourish. Underpinned by groundbreaking, multi-disciplinary, international research, the models embody combined insights into local people’s needs, the ecologica

The detailed mechanism of the eta production in pp scattering up to the Tlab = 4.5 GeV

Contrary to very early beliefs, the experimental cross section data for the eta production in proton-proton scattering are well described if pi and only eta meson exchange diagrams are used to calculate the Born term. The inclusion of initial and final state interactions is done in the factorization approximation by using the inverse square of the Jost function. The two body Jost functions are obtained from the S matrices in the low energy effective range approximation. The danger of double counting in the p-eta final state interaction is discussed. It is shown that higher partial waves in meson-nucleon amplitudes do not contribute significantly bellow excess energy of Q=100 MeV. Known difficulties of reducing the multi resonance model to a single resonance one are illustrated.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, corrected typos in relation (3), changed content (added section with differential cross sections

effect of feeding low fiber fraction of air classified sunflower helianthus annus l meal on laying hen productive performance and egg yolk cholesterol

Abstract The present study was designed to determine the effect on laying performance and egg quality resulting from total substitution of soybean meal (SBM) with low-fiber sunflower meal (SFM; Helianthus annus L.) meal in diet of hens. ISA Brown layers, 28 wk of age, were randomly allocated to 2 dietary treatments and fed for 10 wk. The hens were kept in a free-range environment and fed 2 wheat middling-based diets consisting of a control diet, which contained SBM (153 g/kg of diet), and a test diet containing low-fiber SFM (160 g/kg of diet) as the main protein source. Each dietary treatment was replicated 4 times. Low-fiber SFM was obtained by a combination of sieving and air classification processes. Feed consumption was recorded daily and egg production was calculated on a hen-day basis; eggs from each group were collected weekly to evaluate egg components and quality. The total substitution of SBM with low-fiber SFM had no adverse effect on growth performance of laying hens. Egg production and none of egg quality traits examined were influenced by dietary treatment, except for yolk color (

Migration on request, a practical technique for preservation

Maintaining a digital object in a usable state over time is a crucial aspect of digital preservation. Existing methods of preserving have many drawbacks. This paper describes advanced techniques of data migration which can be used to support preservation more accurately and cost effectively. To ensure that preserved works can be rendered on current computer systems over time, “traditional migration” has been used to convert data into current formats. As the new format becomes obsolete another conversion is performed, etcetera. Traditional migration has many inherent problems as errors during transformation propagate throughout future transformations. CAMiLEON’s software longevity principles can be applied to a migration strategy, offering improvements over traditional migration. This new approach is named “Migration on Request.” Migration on Request shifts the burden of preservation onto a single tool, which is maintained over time. Always returning to the original format enables potential errors to be significantly reduced

Interval training normalizes cCardiomyocyte function, diastolic Ca²⁺ control, and SR Ca²⁺ release synchronicity in a mouse model of diabetic cardiomyopathy

In the present study we explored the mechanisms behind excitation-contraction (EC)-coupling defects in cardiomyocytes from mice with type-2 diabetes (db/db), and determined whether 13-weeks of aerobic interval training could restore cardiomyocyte Ca2+ cycling and EC-coupling. Reduced contractility in cardiomyocytes isolated from sedentary db/db was associated with increased diastolic sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)-Ca2+ leak, reduced synchrony of Ca2+ release, reduced transverse (T)-tubule density, and lower peak systolic and diastolic Ca2+ and caffeine-induced Ca2+ release. Additionally, the rate of SR Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA2a)-mediated Ca2+ uptake during diastole was reduced, whereas a faster recovery from caffeine-induced Ca2+ release indicated increased Na+/Ca2+- exchanger (NCX) activity. The increased SR-Ca2+ leak was attributed to increased Ca2+-calmodulindependent protein kinase (CaMKII&#948;) phosphorylation, supported by the normalization of SR-Ca2+ leak upon inhibition of CaMKII&#948; (AIP). Exercise training restored contractile function associated with restored SR Ca2+ release synchronicity, T-tubule density, twitch Ca2+ amplitude, SERCA2a and NCX activities, and SR-Ca2+ leak. The latter was associated with reduced phosphorylation of cytosolic CaMKII&#948;. Despite normal contractile function and Ca2+ handling after the training period, phospholamban was hyperphosphorylated at Serine-16. Protein kinase A (PKA) inhibition (H-89) in cardiomyocytes from the exercised db/db group abolished the differences in SR-Ca2+ load when compared with the sedentary db/db mice. EC-coupling changes were observed without changes in serum insulin or glucose levels, suggesting that the exercise training-induced effects are not via normalization of the diabetic condition. These data demonstrate that aerobic interval training almost completely restored the contractile function of the diabetic cardiomyocyte to levels close to sedentary wild type (WT)

Multichannel Anomaly of the Resonance Pole Parameters Resolved

Inspired by anomalies which the standard scattering matrix pole-extraction procedures have produced in a mathematically well defined coupled-channel model, we have developed a new method based solely on the assumption of partial-wave analyticity. The new method is simple and applicable not only to theoretical predictions but to the empirical partial-wave data as well. Since the standard pole-extraction procedures turn out to be the lowest-order term of the proposed method the anomalies are understood and resolved.Comment: 5 page

Low-fiber alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) meal in the laying hen diet: Effects on productive traits and egg quality

Abstract This study was designed to determine the effects on laying performance and egg quality resulting from partial substitution of soybean meal (SBM) with low-fiber alfalfa (LFA; Medicago sativa L.) meal in the diet of early-phase laying hens. ISA Brown layers, 18 wk of age, were randomly allocated to 2 dietary treatments and fed for 10 wk. The hens were fed 2 wheat middling–based diets: a control diet, which contained SBM (15% of diet), and a test diet containing LFA (15% of diet) as the main protein source. Low-fiber alfalfa meal was obtained by a combination of sieving and air-classification processes. Feed intake was recorded daily, and egg production was calculated on a hen-day basis; eggs from each group were weekly collected to evaluate egg components and quality. The partial substitution of SBM with LFA had no adverse effect on growth performance of early-phase laying hens. Egg production and none of the egg-quality traits examined were influenced by dietary treatment, except for yolk color (

Pilot study of the relationship between deck level and journey duration on plasma cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels in italian heavy pigs

The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the relationship between journey duration, deck level and activation patterns of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPA) and sympathetic adrenal medullary system (SAM) in pigs. A total of 90 pigs were examined. The animals came from three different Italian farms associated with the same slaughterhouse located in Bari (Apulia region-Italy). A group of thirty animals was transported from Pordenone (11 h journey); a second group was transported from Terni (6.5 h journey); a third group was transported from Benevento (3 h journey). The animals were transported in the same vehicle, which complied with the structural characteristics indicated in the Council Regulation (EC) No. 1/2005. The truck was composed of a lorry and a trailer, each one divided into three decks. Only the animals transported in the trailer were tested for the study. Before transportation, blood samples were collected on each farm, at 6:00 a.m., from 30 pigs randomly selected out of 135 pigs ready to be transported. Blood samples were also collected during slaughter to evaluate plasma cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine, around 6:00 a.m. A journey duration of 11 h was associated with significantly higher plasma concentrations of stress hormones compared with shorter journeys. This increase was proportional to the journey duration, with the pigs travelling for 6.5 h displaying intermediate concentrations between those noticed after 3 h and 11 h journeys. The interaction between deck and journey distance was not significant on epinephrine, norepinephrine or cortisol levels collected at arrival. There was a significant effect of deck level on norepinephrine levels (p &lt; 0.0001), a tendency to influence epinephrine levels (p = 0.073) but no effect on cortisol levels (p = 0.945). Overall, we observed that an 11 h-long journey seemed to impact negatively on pigs\u2019 HPA-SAM activity, likely requiring the animals to spend more time in the lairage facilities to recover