Effects of probiotic supplement ( and ) on feed efficiency, growth performance, and microbial population of weaning rabbits

Objective This study aimed to investigate the effects of single or/and double strains of probiotic supplement on feed efficiency, growth performance, and microbial population in distal gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of weaning rabbits. Methods Sixty-four weaning (28 days old) New Zealand White rabbits were randomly distributed into four groups with treatments including: basal diet without probiotic supplement (control) or supplemented as follows: 1×106 cfu/g B. subtilis (BS group), 1×107 cfu/g L. acidophilus (LA group), or 0.5×106 cfu/g B. subtilis plus 0.5×107 cfu/g L. acidophilus (BL group). During the research, the male and female rabbits were fed separately. Body weight of the rabbits was recorded at 28, 42, and 70 d of age. Results There was an increase (p<0.05) in body weight gain for the LA group at 42 d. Rabbits fed BL responsed with a greater growth (p<0.05) and better feed conversion ratio (p<0.05) than those fed with no probiotic. Digestibility coefficients of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and gross energy were higher (p<0.05) in LA and BL groups than those in the control group. Male rabbits had higher (p<0.05) Bacilli spp. and Coliformis spp. in the ileum than female rabbits. Rabbits supplemented with BS had greater (p<0.05) numbers of bacilli in all intestinal segments than those receiving no probiotic, whereas intestinal Lactobacilli populations were greater (p<0.001) in the LA and BL diets compared to control. Average intestinal coliform populations were lowest (p<0.05) in the rabbits supplemented with LA as compared to those fed the control and BS. Conclusion Supplementation of L. acidophilus alone or in combination with B. subtilis at a half of dose could enhance number of gut beneficial bacteria populations, nutrient digestibility, cecal fermentation, feed efficiency, and growth performance, but rabbits receiving only B. subtilis alone were not different from the controls without probiotic

Solar cell based on PEO, inorganic cations and ionic liquids

Quasi solid state dye sensitized solar cells DSSCs based on polyethylene oxide PEO , I2 and inorganic iodides LiI, KI, NaI, NH4I and or ionic liquids [DMIm]I, [EMIm]I, [MPIm]I, [HMIm]I were prepared and investigated at AM1 5 10 and AM1 5 illumination conditions. Results revealed highest energy conversion efficiencies for the PEO I2 LiI [EMIm]I 60 wt quasi solid state electrolyte of 5 9 and 3 6 at AM1 5 10 and AM1 5, respectively. Moreover, it was shown within fluctuations of the solar cells performance that the short circuit current density ISC decreased with increasing open circuit voltage VOC for electrolytes with inorganic cations; however, in the case of the solar cells prepared with ionic liquids, the ISC increased with increasing VOC. Limiting factors and reasons for fluctuations in the performance of quasi solid state DSSCs are discusse