Characteristics of Sawdust and Cocopeat Beddings, and Their Usefulness According to the Fan and Pen Location for Rearing Hanwoo Cattle

This study was designed to examine the characteristics of sawdust and cocopeat bedding materials, including physicochemical properties (Exp. I) and on-farm trial (Exp. II). In Exp. I, the proportion of particle size was in the order of sawdust> cocopeat India>cocopeat Vietnam (pcocopeat Vietnam>sawdust (p<0.05), thus cocopeat treatments showed 4.4 times higher bedding cost than sawdust. The water absorption rates were 702.0% in cocopeat India, 678.3% in cocopeat Vietnam, and 444.0% in sawdust, showing cocopeat had approximately 1.5 times higher water absorption rate than sawdust. Moisture evaporation rates after 12 h of air blowing (2.00 m/s) were higher (p<0.05) in cocopeat Vietnam (80.4%) than sawdust (71.2%) and cocopeat India (72.8%). In vitro ammonia emissions were higher (p<0.05) in sawdust (2.71 mg/m2/h) than cocopeat India (1.59 mg/m2/h) and Vietnam (1.22 mg/m2/h), and total ammonia emissions were higher (p<0.05) in sawdust (37.02 mg/m2) than cocopeat India (22.51 mg/m2) and Vietnam (13.60 mg/m2). In Exp. II, an on-farm trial was conducted with 48 Hanwoo cattle in 16 pens using the same bedding materials as in Exp. I, with fan (blowing 2.00 m/s) and no fan treatments, and feed bunk side (FB) and water supply side (WS) within a pen (4.5 m, width×9.0 m, length). Beddings were replaced with fresh bedding materials when moisture concentrations were over 65%. No interactions among treatments were detected for moisture concentration and increment rates, and ammonia concentrations, but a significant effect was observed (p<0.01) for each of the treatments. Both concentrations and increment rate of moisture were higher (p<0.01) in the beddings without fan than with fan. Moisture concentrations and increment rate within a pen were also higher (p<0.01) in FB than WS. Thus, the whole no-fan-FB and sawdust-fan-FB were replaced with fresh bedding material between 4 to 5 experimental weeks. The ammonia concentrations and pH of beddings were not significantly different among treatments. Therefore, using cocopeat bedding with a blowing fan can extend twice the bedding utilization period, and WS within a pen showed twice the bedding-life compared to FB. Despite the outstanding characteristics of cocopeat compared with sawdust, using cocopeat as an alternative for sawdust bedding is not recommended for cattle management, considering it has 4.4 times higher bedding cost and a dust production problem

Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation by Metal-Doped Bismuth Vanadate Photoanode with Iron Oxyhydroxide Electrocatalyst

Intensive attention has been currently focused on the discovery of semiconductor and proficient cocatalysts for eventual applications to the photoelectrochemical water splitting system. A W-Mo-doped BiVO4 semiconductor was prepared by the surfactant-assisted thermal decomposition method on a fluorine-doped tin oxide conductive film. The W-Mo-doped BiVO4 films showed a porous morphology with the grain sizes of about 270 nm. Because the hole diffusion length of BiVO4 is about 100 nm, the W-Mo-doped BiVO4 film in this study is an ideal candidate for the photoelectrochemical water oxidation. Iron oxyhydroxide (FeOOH) electrocatalyst was chemically deposited on the W-Mo-doped BiVO4 to investigate the effect of the electrocatalyst on the semiconductor. The W-Mo-doped BiVO4/FeOOH composite electrode showed enhanced activity compared to the pristine W-Mo-doped BiVO4 electrode for water oxidation reaction. The chemical deposition is a promising method for the deposition of FeOOH on semiconductor

Decreased health-related quality of life in disease-free survivors of differentiated thyroid cancer in Korea

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Concern regarding the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of long-term survivors of thyroid cancer has risen due to the rapid increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer, which generally has an excellent prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the status of HRQOL in disease-free survivors of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) and to evaluate the important determinants of HRQOL.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a cross-sectional study in which we interviewed consecutive disease-free survivors of DTC. Three different validated questionnaires ("EORTC QLQ-C30" for various functional domains, the "brief fatigue inventory (BFI)" and the "hospital anxiety and depression scale" (HADS)) were used. Data from a large, population based survey of 1,000 people were used as a control.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The response rate for the questionnaires was 78.9% (316/401). Disease-free survivors of DTC showed a decreased HRQOL in all five functional domains (physical, role, cognitive, emotional, and social) on the EORTC QLQ-C30 compared with controls (<it>P </it>< 0.01). BFI and HADS-anxiety scores also showed greater distress in disease-free survivors of DTC than in controls (<it>P </it>< 0.05). A multiple regression analysis for the determinants of HRQOL showed that the HADS-anxiety, HADS-depression, and BFI scores were the most significant components of decreased HRQOL.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although disease-free survivors of DTC are expected to have disease-specific survival comparable to the general population, they experience a significantly decreased HRQOL. Anxiety, depression, and fatigue were the major determinants of the decreased HRQOL. Supportive psychological care should be integrated into the management of long-term survivors of DTC.</p

Development of the Phosphorus Recovery System (PRS) Utilizing Ultrasonic Wave in Incinerated Sewage Sludge Ash (ISSA)

This study was performed to develop a Phosphorus Recovery System(PRS) for the recovery of phosphorus from incinerated sewage sludge ash using struvite precipitation. Fly ash generated at the Seonam Sewage Treatment Plant(SSTP) has a high P2O5 content (13.9%). We developed a PRS consisting of an ultrasonic extractor, solid-liquid separator, mixing tank, and phosphorus recovery tank. The ultrasonic extractor had a 28 kHz vibrator for high speed and efficiency, which could perform the extraction in one-quarter of the time required in the conventional stirring method. Results of tests on the ultrasonic extractor showed that up to 0.044 g of P per gram of ash could be extracted with 1 N NaOH at an L/S ratio of 10 mL/g and an ultrasonic output of 500 Wh for 0.5 hr. The PRS is needed to improve the operation method and economic analysis to commercialize the technology and its application through further studies

A Gartner duct cyst of the vagina causing dysuria and dyschezia in a Yorkshire Terrier

A 5 year-old, intact female Yorkshire terrier was referred for dysuria and dyschezia. The radiographic and ultrasound examination showed a round shaped mass caudal to the urinary bladder that contained anechoic fluid within the thin walls. During surgery, the cyst was noted to be attached to the outer wall of the vagina, not connected to the vaginal lumen. Cystic fluid was removed and the cystic wall was resected. Then the remaining cystic wall was omentalized to prevent a recurrence