Sources of Error for Ultrasonic Measurements of Steer Compositional Traits in Grazing Studies

Real-time ultrasound technology has potential use for measuring compositional traits in grazing studies. Sources of error with this application must be identified for designing experiments with adequate precision to determine treatment effects. A study was conducted to evaluate breed type (Angus x Brahman, AB; Simmental x [Angus x Brahman], SAB; Simmental x [Brahman x Hereford], SBH), initial body weight, and initial ultrasonic measures as sources of experimental error in the analyses of external fat (EF) depths and longissimus dorsi (ribeye) areas (LDA). Steers were ultrasonically scanned at the initiation and conclusion of a grazing study that examined stocking rate effects on average daily gain (ADG) and body condition of steers grazing a mixture of rye (Secale cereale L.) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.). Breed type did not affect (P \u3e 0.10) final or increases in EF, and curvilinear trends of increased EF with increasing ADG (P \u3e 0.10) among the breed types over the range of ADG (0.03 kg d-1 to 1.62 kg d-1). The three breed types showed curvilinear increases in LDA as ADG increased, but the trends were different (P \u3c 0.05) for SBH than for the other two types. Final LDA and magnitude of increases in EF and LDA over the experimental period were influenced (P \u3c 0.05) by initial body weight. Results indicated that allotting cattle to pastures based on a combination of breed type and body weight should improve precision in detecting treatment effects

Helping Students Create Their Own Books the Dialogic Way

This article explores one technique that is consistent with the student-centered paradigm in language education: student-generated books. First, benefits of student-generated are dis-cussed. Then, the article explores the crucial area of maintaining student ownership of their own books. The next topic explained in the article is why dialog is important as the students are developing their books. Finally, it is suggested that book creation works for students of all ages and levels, with examples given of students at the early childhood level and of second language students at university level

Forage Allowance and Daily Gain Relationships on Rye-Ryegrass Pastures at Different Stocking Rates With Continuous and Rotational Stocking

‘Maton’ cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) and ‘TAM-90’ annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) are used for winter annual pastures to background stocker cattle in the southeastern US. Rye and ryegrass were sod-seeded into bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] pastures and fixed-stocked at different rates under continuous and 8-paddock rotation methods during each of 7 years to: 1) compare stocking methods for daily gain per animal (ADG) and gain/ha; and 2) quantify relationships of ADG with forage mass and forage allowance. Each of 3 levels of stocking rate, 4.9, 6.4, and 8.6 hd/ha, significantly affected ADG at 1.24, 1.04, and 0.74 kg/d, and gain/ha at 821, 991, and 794 kg/ha, respectively. There were no effects of stocking method on ADG at 1 kg/ha or gain/ha at 870 kg/ha. There was a 2-stage linear relationship for ADG and forage mass with the join point for maximum gain at 1850 kg/ha forage mass and 16 cm forage height. The 2-stage join point for forage allowance was 1.0 forage dry matter : animal body weight. The primary management strategy for rye + annual ryegrass pastures is that of stocking rate. During this 7-year period, stocker ADG ranged from 0.33 kg/d to 1.38 kg/d with gain/ha ranging from 388 kg/ha to 1291 kg/ha. Stocking strategies must be flexible with climatic changes to obtain optimum economic returns per unit land area. Rotational stocking method becomes a management choice to adjust forage mass options without expectations for increased ADG or gain/ha

Performance Analysis of Resistive Superconducting Fault Current Limiter Using LN2 and GHe Cooling

Large-scale electric aircraft is a disruptive technology to address the environmental impact of air travel. Fault current limitation is crucial to realise the safety and reliability of the electric aircraft, in particular for large-scale electric aircraft using DC distribution network. This paper investigates the behavior of the resistive SFCL under different cryogenic cooling systems including liquid nitrogen and helium gas circulation cooling systems for the electric aircraft DC distribution network. Electromagnetic and thermoelectric models were used to predict the characteristics of resistive SFCL. The simulation results demonstrate that it is promising to design resistive SFCL using liquid nitrogen cooling as well as helium gas circulation cooling systems, which offer flexibility for SFCL cryogenic cooling system for electric aircraft applications.<br/

Performance Analysis of Resistive Superconducting Fault Current Limiter Using LN2 and GHe Cooling

Large-scale electric aircraft is a disruptive technology to address the environmental impact of air travel. Fault current limitation is crucial to realise the safety and reliability of the electric aircraft, in particular for large-scale electric aircraft using DC distribution network. This paper investigates the behavior of the resistive SFCL under different cryogenic cooling systems including liquid nitrogen and helium gas circulation cooling systems for the electric aircraft DC distribution network. Electromagnetic and thermoelectric models were used to predict the characteristics of resistive SFCL. The simulation results demonstrate that it is promising to design resistive SFCL using liquid nitrogen cooling as well as helium gas circulation cooling systems, which offer flexibility for SFCL cryogenic cooling system for electric aircraft applications.<br/

Ultrasonic Measures of Backfat Depth and Ribeye Area for Steers Grazing Rye-Ryegrass at Three Stocking Rates

Last updated: 6/12/200

Grazing growth rate effects on subsequent feedlot and carcass traits in Braunvieh cross steers

Last updated: 6/12/200

Prognostic Factors of Survival in Repeat Liver Resection for Recurrent Colorectal Metastases: Review of Sixty-Two Cases Treated at a Single Institution

PURPOSE: Liver metastases develop in 50 percent of patients with colorectal carcinoma. Recurrent liver disease is usual. Repeat liver resection remains the only curative treatment. The aim of this study was to review our data on repeat hepatectomy and to analyze potential prognostic factors of survival.METHOD: Patients who underwent repeat liver resection for metastases of colorectal carcinoma between January 1992 and August 2007 were identified from a prospective database and their medical records were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 62 patients who underwent a second hepatectomy, 15 underwent a third hepatectomy, and two underwent a fourth hepatectomy. There was no perioperative mortality. Morbidity was less than 20 percent for the first and second hepatectomies. Overall 5-year survival rate after first hepatectomy was 40 percent. Univariate analysis identified three risk factors confirmed by log-rank test and multivariate Cox regression analysis: serum carcinoembryonic antigen concentrations &gt;5 ng/ml at first hepatectomy (HR = 2.265; CI = 1.140-4.497; P = 0.020), anatomic resection (HR = 2.124; CI = 1.069-4.218; P = 0.031), and tumors ≥3 cm at the second resection (HR = 2.039; CI = 1.013-4.103; P = 0.046). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that repeat hepatectomy for liver metastases of colorectal carcinoma may be performed with low mortality and morbidity. Preoperative concentration of carcinoembryonic antigen at first hepatectomy, tumor size, and type of anatomic resection are independent prognostic factors

Propagation of social representations

Based on a minimal formalism of social representations as a set of associated cognems, a simple model of propagation of representations is presented. Assuming that subjects share the constitutive cognems, the model proposes that mere focused attention on the set of cognems in the field of common conscience may replicate the pattern of representation from context into subjects, or, from subject to subject, through actualization by language, where cognems are represented by verbal signs. Limits of the model are discussed, and evolutionist perspectives are presented with the support of field data

Control of gdhR Expression in Neisseria gonorrhoeae via Autoregulation and a Master Repressor (MtrR) of a Drug Efflux Pump Operon

ABSTRACT The MtrCDE efflux pump of Neisseria gonorrhoeae contributes to gonococcal resistance to a number of antibiotics used previously or currently in treatment of gonorrhea, as well as to host-derived antimicrobials that participate in innate defense. Overexpression of the MtrCDE efflux pump increases gonococcal survival and fitness during experimental lower genital tract infection of female mice. Transcription of mtrCDE can be repressed by the DNA-binding protein MtrR, which also acts as a global regulator of genes involved in important metabolic, physiologic, or regulatory processes. Here, we investigated whether a gene downstream of mtrCDE , previously annotated gdhR in Neisseria meningitidis , is a target for regulation by MtrR. In meningococci, GdhR serves as a regulator of genes involved in glucose catabolism, amino acid transport, and biosynthesis, including gdhA , which encodes an l -glutamate dehydrogenase and is located next to gdhR but is transcriptionally divergent. We report here that in N. gonorrhoeae , expression of gdhR is subject to autoregulation by GdhR and direct repression by MtrR. Importantly, loss of GdhR significantly increased gonococcal fitness compared to a complemented mutant strain during experimental murine infection. Interestingly, loss of GdhR did not influence expression of gdhA , as reported for meningococci. This variance is most likely due to differences in promoter localization and utilization between gonococci and meningococci. We propose that transcriptional control of gonococcal genes through the action of MtrR and GdhR contributes to fitness of N. gonorrhoeae during infection. IMPORTANCE The pathogenic Neisseria species are strict human pathogens that can cause a sexually transmitted infection ( N. gonorrhoeae ) or meningitis or fulminant septicemia ( N. meningitidis ). Although they share considerable genetic information, little attention has been directed to comparing transcriptional regulatory systems that modulate expression of their conserved genes. We hypothesized that transcriptional regulatory differences exist between these two pathogens, and we used the gdh locus as a model to test this idea. For this purpose, we studied two conserved genes ( gdhR and gdhA ) within the locus. Despite general conservation of the gdh locus in gonococci and meningococci, differences exist in noncoding sequences that correspond to promoter elements or potential sites for interacting with DNA-binding proteins, such as GdhR and MtrR. Our results indicate that implications drawn from studying regulation of conserved genes in one pathogen are not necessarily translatable to a genetically related pathogen