Constructing the digitalized sporting body: black and white masculinity in NBA/NHL internet memes

In this article, I examine the ways sport fans construct and circulate discourses of race and masculinity in cyberspace. I do this through an examination of a set of Internet memes that juxtapose the bodies of National Hockey League players with National Basketball Association players in one single image. I argue these memes celebrate White masculinity, while at the same time constructing African American athletes as individualistic, selfish, and unwilling to sacrifice their bodies for the greater good of the team. More so, I argue that these memes construct a form of racial ideology that is representative of White backlash politics

Research Update: Formulating Diets for Lactating Cattle Using Multiple Pools of NDF Digestibility

This information was presented at the 2015 Cornell Nutrition Conference for Feed Manufacturers, organized by the Department of Animal Science In the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. Softcover copies of the entire conference proceedings may be purchased at http://ansci.cals.cornell.edu/extension-outreach/adult-extension/dairy-management/order-proceedings-resources

Cinética de Degradação de Alguns Volumosos Usados na Alimentação de Cabras Leiteiras por Intermédio da Técnica de Produção de Gases sob Diferentes Níveis de pH Degradation Kinetics of Forages Fed to Dairy Goats by Using the Gas Production Approach under Different pH levels

Os objetivos do presente estudo foram a caracterização e a determinação das estimativas dos parâmetros relativos à cinética de degradação ruminal dos carboidratos contidos nas amostras dos volumosos feno de alfafa, capim-elefante, feno de Tifton 85 e silagem de milho em cabras submetidas a diferentes relações volumoso:concentrado. Os parâmetros cinéticos da degradação ruminal da matéria seca e da fibra em detergente neutro destes volumosos, submetidos a diferentes níveis de pH, foram estimados por meio de incubações anaeróbicas, usando as técnicas da produção cumulativa de gases e de subtração de curvas e contrastado com os resultados obtidos por intermédio das técnicas in sito e in vitro, para os parâmetros de degradabilidade específica (DE) e taxa de digestão da fração insolúvel potencialmente digerível (c). A interpretação cinética foi feita pelo modelo logístico V(t) = Vf /(1+exp(2+4c(L-T))). No ensaio de digestibilidade, utilizou-se o tampão de McDougall, adaptado por Gonzáles, ajustado com solução de ácido cítrico 1 M, para os pHs observados nos animais, conforme a relação volumoso:concentrado (100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60 e 20:80). Observou-se comportamento similar nas curvas da degradabilidade específica, bem como para a taxa de digestão da fração insolúvel potencialmente digerível, o que confirma a interferência do nível do pH sobre os parâmetros relativos à cinética de degradação ruminal dos carboidratos. As leituras de produção de gás resultaram em menores coeficientes de variação para a cinética de degradação da MS, mas apresentaram valores inferiores aos obtidos pelas técnicas in situ e in vitro. Já para a FDN, mostraram valores e comportamento bem próximos dos obtidos pelas outras técnicas. Conclui-se que as estimativas das taxas de degradação ruminal da FDN podem ser realizadas precisamente pela técnica da produção de gás.<br>The objectives of the present study were to characterize and estimate parameters of kinetics of carbohydrate degradation using alfalfa hay, elephant grass, tifton 85, and corn silage, fed to dairy goats under different forage: concentrate ratio. Kinetic parameters of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber degradation at different pH values were estimated by using cumulative gas production technique and their values contrasted with those obtained by both in vitro and in situ studies. Kinetic interpretation for specific degradability, rate of degradation and the potentially digestible insoluble fraction was done by using the logistic model V(t) = Vf / (1+exp(2+4c(L-T))). A modified McDougall buffer was used for the in vitro assay to adjust pH to the values observed in the animals, by adding 1M of citric acid solution according to the roughage to concentrate ratio studied of 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60 e 20:80. Similar pattern was found for extent and rate of degradation of the potentially digestible insoluble fraction which confirm the interference of pH on kinetic parameter of carbohydrates in the rumen. Gas production approach yielded the lowest variation coefficient for the values of dry matter degradation but lower figures were found as compared to both in situ and in vitro techniques. Similar values were found for NDF as the three approaches were compared and it was suggested that they can be used interchangeably to precisely estimate NDF degradation

In Vitro Rumen Fermentation Characteristics of Some Naturally Occurring and Synthetic Sugars

Soluble sugars are thought to play an important role in the fermentation processes of the rumen but their actual fermentation rate has not been fully assessed. Some sugars are also used as markers to assess gut permeability in monogastrics but their use in ruminants can be compromised by the hydrolytic activity of rumen microflora. This study aimed to evaluate the fermentability of some naturally occurring and synthetic soluble sugars. The synthetic soluble sugars were included to verify their possible use as markers for studies of gut permeability in ruminants. In vitro gas and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production from glucose, fructose, xylose, galactose, sucrose, lactose, arabinose mannitol, lactulose and sucralose were measured in a 24 h-incubation trial using ruminal fluid from heifers adapted or not-adapted to additional sugars in the diet, and with caecal content as inocula. Gas production from the same sugars was further evaluated in a 72 h-incubation trial with not-adapted rumen fluid only. Gas and VFA production were not affected by feeding additional sugars, but significant effects of inocula (ruminal vs caecal), sugars and their interaction were observed. Caecal inoculum produced less gas but higher VFA than ruminal inocula. Fructose and glucose had the highest rates of gas production (10.57% h-1 and 10.42% h-1, respectively), and lactulose and mannitol the lowest (3.47% h-1 and 4.63% h-1, respectively) when fermented with ruminal fluid. Sucralose seemed to have a negative effect on microbial fermentations. Our results indicate that lactulose and mannitol might largely escape rumen fermentation, suggesting their possible use as markers to test gut permeability also in ruminants. This needs to be verified in vivo