Predicting Feedlot Growth Performance over the Feeding Period Utilizing Steer Age and Body Weight

A pooled- analysis of UNL feedlot pens examined the effects of steer age and body weight on feedlot growth performance. For data analysis, pens were divided into 3 subclasses based on steer age (calf- fed, short yearling, or long yearling) and, grouped based upon initial body weight (500 to 1200 lb, in 100 lb increments) within each age class. As initial body weight increased, DMI (lb/d) for the whole feeding period increased quadratically in calf-fed steers and increased linearly in short and long yearlings. A quadratic increase in ADG was observed in calf- feds as initial body weight increased. No differences in ADG were observed for short and long yearlings due to initial body weight. As heavier cattle were placed within age group, feed conversion increased linearly. Predicting DMI is more consistent when expressed as % of body weight. Predicting intake and growth performance over the entire feeding period, in order to facilitate management decisions, is dependent upon steer age and initial weight when starting the finishing diet

Recent Advances in Photonic Devices for Optical Computing and the Role of Nonlinear Optics-Part II

The twentieth century has been the era of semiconductor materials and electronic technology while this millennium is expected to be the age of photonic materials and all-optical technology. Optical technology has led to countless optical devices that have become indispensable in our daily lives in storage area networks, parallel processing, optical switches, all-optical data networks, holographic storage devices, and biometric devices at airports. This chapters intends to bring some awareness to the state-of-the-art of optical technologies, which have potential for optical computing and demonstrate the role of nonlinear optics in many of these components. Our intent, in this Chapter, is to present an overview of the current status of optical computing, and a brief evaluation of the recent advances and performance of the following key components necessary to build an optical computing system: all-optical logic gates, adders, optical processors, optical storage, holographic storage, optical interconnects, spatial light modulators and optical materials

Ralgro-implanted bulls: Performance, carcass characteristics, longissimus palatability and carcass electrical stimulation

Twenty of 40 Angus bulls were implanted (I) five times with 36 mg of Ralgro| at average intervals of 106 d, beginning near birth. All bulls and their dams were on bluestem pasture initially and, at an average age of 320 d bulls were fed a concentrate diet until they were slaughtered, weighing either 454 or 499 kg. One side of each carcass was electrically stimulated. Average daily gain and feed efficiency of I bulls improved 6.5 to 10.4% and 7.9 to 8.1%, respectively, depending upon the end point comparison with nonimplanted (NI) bulls. Implanted bulls attained their slaughter weights 42 d sooner than did NI bulls. Implantation decreased (P<.05) penis weight and length, testicle weight, volume and density, but did not affect (P>.05) seminal vesicle and pituitary weights. Carcasses from I bulls had more (P<.05) skeletal ossification and were fatter than carcasses from NI bulls. Marbling scores, quality grades and longissimus cooking losses and juiciness scores were not affected (P>.05) by implantation. Taste panel flavor intensity and detectable connective tissue scores were higher (P<.05) for steaks from I bulls than from NI bulls. Longissimus steak tenderness evaluations were higher (P<.05) for both I slaughter groups than for the NI light-weight group and were higher (P<.05) for the I lightweight group than for the NI heavy-weight group. Longissimus tenderness tended (P = .11) to be higher for steaks from the I heavy-weight group than those from the NI heavy-weight group. Electrical stimulation produced (P<.05) a softer, coarser textured lean, but it did not affect lean color, marbling or quality grade. Steaks from electrically stimulated sides tended to have higher (P = .09) myofibrillar tenderness scores and lower (P = .06) flavor scores than steaks from nonstimulated sides

Digital Orthophoto Image Map, Villa Grove Quadrangle, Douglas County, Illinois

Relief shown by contoursIncludes text, 2 location maps, 2 ancillary maps, an index to adjoining 7.5-minute quadrangles, and 4 color photosIncludes bibliographical reference

The First Extrasolar Planet Discovered with a New Generation High Throughput Doppler Instrument

We report the detection of the first extrasolar planet, ET-1 (HD 102195b), using the Exoplanet Tracker (ET), a new generation Doppler instrument. The planet orbits HD 102195, a young star with solar metallicity that may be part of the local association. The planet imparts radial velocity variability to the star with a semiamplitude of $63.4\pm2.0$ m s$^{-1}$ and a period of 4.11 days. The planetary minimum mass ($m \sin i$) is $0.488\pm0.015$ $M_J$.Comment: 42 pages, 11 figures and 5 tables, Accepted for publication in Ap

Clinical Significance of Bronchodilator Responsiveness Evaluated by Forced Vital Capacity in COPD: SPIROMICS Cohort Analysis.

ObjectiveBronchodilator responsiveness (BDR) is prevalent in COPD, but its clinical implications remain unclear. We explored the significance of BDR, defined by post-bronchodilator change in FEV1 (BDRFEV1) as a measure reflecting the change in flow and in FVC (BDRFVC) reflecting the change in volume.MethodsWe analyzed 2974 participants from a multicenter observational study designed to identify varying COPD phenotypes (SPIROMICS). We evaluated the association of BDR with baseline clinical characteristics, rate of prospective exacerbations and mortality using negative binomial regression and Cox proportional hazards models.ResultsA majority of COPD participants exhibited BDR (52.7%). BDRFEV1 occurred more often in earlier stages of COPD, while BDRFVC occurred more frequently in more advanced disease. When defined by increases in either FEV1 or FVC, BDR was associated with a self-reported history of asthma, but not with blood eosinophil counts. BDRFVC was more prevalent in subjects with greater emphysema and small airway disease on CT. In a univariate analysis, BDRFVC was associated with increased exacerbations and mortality, although no significance was found in a model adjusted for post-bronchodilator FEV1.ConclusionWith advanced airflow obstruction in COPD, BDRFVC is more prevalent in comparison to BDRFEV1 and correlates with the extent of emphysema and degree of small airway disease. Since these associations appear to be related to the impairment of FEV1, BDRFVC itself does not define a distinct phenotype nor can it be more predictive of outcomes, but it can offer additional insights into the pathophysiologic mechanism in advanced COPD.Clinical trials registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01969344T4