Comparison of Grain Sources (Barley, White Corn, and Yellow Corn) for Swine Diets and Their Effects on Meat Quality and Production Traits

Efficient pork production is a necessity for an economically viable swine industry. Number two yellow corn is considered the primary energy source for swine diets in the Midwest. Despite the low protein content, corn is considered one of the most economical feed stuffs available to the swine production system. Barley is a high fiber that has approximately 89% of the energy content of corn. While barley contains a higher protein and amino acid level than corn, animal performance is expected to be depressed due to the high fiber content. Because barley lacks the carotene content that yellow corn possesses, it has been hypothesized that barley-fed pigs will yield higher meat and fat quality that is desired by export markets. White corn was used in this trial to determine its contribution to meat quality and growth traits. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of energy source on performance and carcass traits of pigs. Diet treatments (primary energy source) were: 1) yellow corn, 2) white corn, 3) 1/3 yellow corn, 2/3 white corn, 4) 2/3 yellow corn, 1/3 white corn, 5) barley. Pigs completing the trial were from two sires lines, Duroc (n=500) and Hamp x Duroc (n=499), that were mated to PIC 1055 females. Pigs were randomly allocated to pens based on genetic type and gender using a 2 x 2 x 5 factorial arrangement with two genetic types, two sexes (barrows and gilts) and five treatments. Animals fed these diets differing in energy source did not express a difference in average daily gain, average daily feed intake, feed-to-gain ratio, backfat depth or percent fat free lean. However, barley-fed pigs did have a smaller (p \u3c .05) loin muscle area than pigs fed corn-based diets. Diet did not have an effect on sensory panel traits for tenderness or chewiness and limited differences were observed for juiciness, flavor, and off-flavor. Percentage loin purge, and cooking loss did not differ among diets fed to the pigs with minimal difference noted for color values. Pigs fed barley diets did have lower iodine value content within the subcutaneous fat indicating that the fat is of firmer quality. Results of this trial suggest that barley does not have an advantage in meat quality traits when compared to traditional corn-based diets. Barley does however have a significant impact on the hardness of pork fat, but does not have a significant effect on subjective color values

Comparison of Grain Sources (Barley, White Corn, and Yellow Corn) for Swine Diets and Their Effect on Production and Carcass Traits

Energy sources differ in content, quality, and availability of nutrients. The objective of this study was to identify and compare differences in production and carcass traits in pigs fed different energy sources. While pigs fed a barley-based diet had a smaller loin muscle area, there was no difference among diets when comparing fat depth or percent fat-free lean. Barley based-diets and a diet containing one-third yellow corn and two-thirds white corn had a lower lean gain per day on test. There was no significant difference in average daily gain or feed-to-gain ratios

MOD-0A 200 kW wind turbine generator design and analysis report

The design, analysis, and initial performance of the MOD-OA 200 kW wind turbine generator at Clayton, NM is documented. The MOD-OA was designed and built to obtain operation and performance data and experience in utility environments. The project requirements, approach, system description, design requirements, design, analysis, system tests, installation, safety considerations, failure modes and effects analysis, data acquisition, and initial performance for the wind turbine are discussed. The design and analysis of the rotor, drive train, nacelle equipment, yaw drive mechanism and brake, tower, foundation, electricl system, and control systems are presented. The rotor includes the blades, hub, and pitch change mechanism. The drive train includes the low speed shaft, speed increaser, high speed shaft, and rotor brake. The electrical system includes the generator, switchgear, transformer, and utility connection. The control systems are the blade pitch, yaw, and generator control, and the safety system. Manual, automatic, and remote control are discussed. Systems analyses on dynamic loads and fatigue are presented

The MOD-OA 200 kilowatt wind turbine generator design and analysis report

The project requirements, approach, system description, design requirements, design, analysis, system tests, installation safety considerations, failure modes and effects analysis, data acquisition, and initial performance for the MOD-OA 200 kw wind turbine generator are discussed. The components, the rotor, driven train, nacelle equipment, yaw drive mechanism and brake, tower, foundation, electrical system, and control systems are presented. The rotor includes the blades, hub and pitch change mechanism. The drive train includes the low speed shaft, speed increaser, high speed shaft, and rotor brake. The electrical system includes the generator, switchgear, transformer, and utility connection. The control systems are the blade pitch, yaw, and generator control, and the safety system. Manual, automatic, and remote control and Dynamic loads and fatigue are analyzed

Evaluating HIV treatment as prevention in the European context

Executive summary The goal of this project is to gather evidence regarding the population-level, and to some extent, individual-level effects of the use of antiretroviral treatment (ART) to prevent HIV infection, and to relate this to current HIV treatment guidelines. To inform the project, formal literature reviews were performed for the three main areas of interest: the effect of antiretroviral therapy in adults on preventing sexual transmission of HIV, prevention of mother-to-child transmission (pMTCT) and post exposure prophylaxis (PEP). The strongest evidence with regard to the effect of treatment of HIV positive individuals to prevent onwards sexual transmission comes from the recent randomised controlled trial (RCT), HPTN052. This study demonstrated that early versus delayed ART led to a 96% relative reduction in onwards linked transmission. Several observational studies of HIV sero-discordant heterosexual couples have also reported that transmission is rare in patients on ART, particularly in those with low HIV-RNA concentrations. However, the findings of HPTN052 and these observational studies are mainly applicable to vaginal heterosexual sex. No direct empirical evidence regarding the relationship between ART use and the risk of HIV transmission through anal intercourse is currently available. Whilst the major HIV treatment guidelines do not explicitly recommend prescribing antiretroviral treatment to prevent onwards transmission, they do not rule out individuals starting ART at a high CD4 count on a case-by-case basis. However, one must also consider the impact of earlier treatment on the HIV positive individual with regard to side effects, and development of drug resistance. Early studies showed that pMTCT regimens containing a single antiretroviral agent (short course zidovudine or single dose nevirapine) or two antiretroviral agents (zidovudine and lamivudine with or without single dose nevirapine) led to clinically important reductions in MTCT rates. However, the most substantial reductions in MTCT rates occurred when combination antiretroviral regimens (more than three antiretroviral drugs) were introduced. These regimens involve the receipt of ART before the third trimester of pregnancy, intrapartum treatment, maternal post-partum treatment and some form of neonatal treatment. There is some evidence from RCTs and extensive evidence from observational studies of the efficacy of these combination regimens, with very low rates of transmission of around 0% to 6%, in settings with no or very little breastfeeding, and 1%-9% when breastfeeding occurs. Furthermore, in settings where avoidance of breastfeeding is not possible, there are a number of studies demonstrating that receipt of maternal and/or neonatal ART during the six months after birth can reduce the risk of perinatal transmissions. All treatment guidelines recommend that HIV-positive pregnant women should receive ART to prevent MTCT, although the exact timing of when ART should begin is not always explicit. Furthermore, where mentioned, use of neonatal ART is also recommended, regardless of whether infants are breastfed. Much of the data supporting the use of PEP are based on animal models, which suggest that PEP is most efficacious if commenced as soon as possible after exposure. When considering occupational exposure to HIV, human studies are limited, as no RCTs exist for ethical reasons. Evidence for efficacy is based on one case control study which demonstrated an 81% reduction in transmission of HIV through the use of zidovudine. Other studies have demonstrated that PEP following occupational exposure is not always effective and there are cases of PEP failure. Similarly, there are also no RCTs assessing the efficacy of PEP for prevention of HIV transmission after sexual exposure, and limited evidence from observational data. Most treatment guidelines agree that PEP is not always effective and PEP policies need to emphasise the importance of risk prevention in the first place in all settings where there is a risk of HIV transmission. Side effects are not uncommon when using PEP, so it is important to consider carefully whether an individual should receive PEP and some studies have suggested that increase in availability of PEP may lead to an increase in risky sex behaviour. Antiretroviral treatment has well documented benefits in reducing transmission of HIV and, in particular, has had a major population level impact on HIV acquisition in children from HIV positive mothers. Further research is needed to help us understand how we can best use ART to prevent HIV infections through other transmission routes, and to develop evidence-based policy recommendations, particularly in the European context

"It All Ended in an Unsporting Way": Serbian Football and the Disintegration of Yugoslavia, 1989-2006

Part of a wider examination into football during the collapse of Eastern European Communism between 1989 and 1991, this article studies the interplay between Serbian football and politics during the period of Yugoslavia's demise. Research utilizing interviews with individuals directly involved in the Serbian game, in conjunction with contemporary Yugoslav media sources, indicates that football played an important proactive role in the revival of Serbian nationalism. At the same time the Yugoslav conflict, twinned with a complex transition to a market economy, had disastrous consequences for football throughout the territories of the former Yugoslavia. In the years following the hostilities the Serbian game has suffered decline, major financial hardship and continuing terrace violence, resulting in widespread nostalgia for the pre-conflict era

Respiratory health status is impaired in UK HIV-positive adults with virologically suppressed HIV infection

OBJECTIVES: We sought to evaluate whether people living with HIV (PLWH) using effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) have worse respiratory health status than similar HIV-negative individuals. METHODS: We recruited 197 HIV-positive and 93 HIV-negative adults from HIV and sexual health clinics. They completed a questionnaire regarding risk factors for respiratory illness. Respiratory health status was assessed using the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) breathlessness scale. Subjects underwent spirometry without bronchodilation. RESULTS: PLWH had worse respiratory health status: the median SGRQ Total score was 12 [interquartile range (IQR) 6-25] in HIV-positive subjects vs. 6 (IQR 2-14) in HIV-negative subjects (P < 0.001); breathlessness was common in the HIV-positive group, where 47% compared with 24% had an MRC breathlessness score ≥ 2 (P = 0.001). Eighteen (11%) HIV-positive and seven (9%) HIV-negative participants had airflow obstruction. In multivariable analyses (adjusted for age, gender, smoking, body mass index and depression), HIV infection remained associated with higher SGRQ and MRC scores, with an adjusted fold-change in SGRQ Total score of 1.54 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14-2.09; P = 0.005] and adjusted odds ratio of having an MRC score of ≥ 2 of 2.45 (95% CI 1.15-5.20; P = 0.02). Similar findings were obtained when analyses were repeated including only HIV-positive participants with a viral load < 40 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Despite effective ART, impaired respiratory health appears more common in HIV-positive adults, and has a significant impact on health-related quality of life