Implications of genotype and amino acid sup-ply on pork quality

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different feeding regimes and genotypes on growth performance, carcass characteristics, composition and eating quality of pork under organic framework conditions. 198 individually housed pigs of 4 genotypes were allocated to three dietary treatments. Feeding regimes differed in relation to the supply of limiting amino acids (AA). The genotypes used were Pi x (DL x DE); Du x DL, Pi x German Swabian Hall (Pi x SH) and pure SH breed. While Pi x (DL x DE) pigs showed the highest carcass yields, pigs of the genotype Du x DL achieved higher values in dlwg and in meat composition compared to the other genotypes. Performance traits were significantly influenced by the feeding regime. Lean meat percentage and area of M.l.d. were significantly lower when a diet reduced in limited amino acids compared to the control treat-ment was fed. Backfat thickness was not influenced by the feeding regime. However, intramuscular fat content clearly increased when a diet without AA supplementation was fed. The results indicate that the limited availability of high quality feedstuffs in organic farming does not impair but improve the preconditions to produce pork of high eating quality

Evidence for silicate dissolution on Mars from the Nakhla meteorite

Veins containing carbonates, hydrous silicates and sulphates that occur within and between grains of augite and olivine in the Nakhla meteorite are good evidence for the former presence of liquid water in the Martian crust. Aqueous solutions gained access to grain interiors via narrow fractures, and those fractures within olivine whose walls were oriented close to (001) were preferentially widened by etching along [001]. This orientation selective dissolution may have been due to the presence within olivine of shock-formed [001](100) and [001]{110} screw dislocations. The duration of etching is likely to have been brief, possibly less than a year, and the solutions responsible were sufficiently cool and reducing that laihunite is absent and Fe liberated from the olivine was not immediately oxidised. The pores within olivine were mineralised in sequence by siderite, nanocrystalline smectite, a Fe-Mg phyllosilicate, and then gypsum, whereas only the smectite occurs within augite. The nanocrystalline smectite was deposited as sub-micrometre thick layers on etched vein walls, and solution compositions varied substantially between and sometimes during precipitation of each layer. Together with microcrystalline gypsum the Fe-Mg phyllosilicate crystallised as water briefly returned to some of the veins following desiccation fracturing of the smectite. These results show that etching of olivine enhanced the porosity and permeability of the nakhlite parent rock and that dissolution and secondary mineralization took place within the same near-static aqueous system

Sequential induction of effector function, tissue migration and cell death during polyclonal activation of mouse regulatory T-cells

The ability of CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T-cells (Treg) to produce interleukin (IL)-10 is important for the limitation of inflammation at environmental interfaces like colon or lung. Under steady state conditions, however, few Tregs produce IL-10 ex vivo. To investigate the origin and fate of IL-10 producing Tregs we used a superagonistic mouse anti-mouse CD28 mAb (CD28SA) for polyclonal in vivo stimulation of Tregs, which not only led to their numeric expansion but also to a dramatic increase in IL-10 production. IL-10 secreting Tregs strongly upregulated surface receptors associated with suppressive function as compared to non-producing Tregs. Furthermore, polyclonally expanding Tregs shifted their migration receptor pattern after activation from a CCR7+CCR52 lymph node-seeking to a CCR72CCR5+ inflammationseeking phenotype, explaining the preferential recruitment of IL-10 producers to sites of ongoing immune responses. Finally, we observed that IL-10 producing Tregs from CD28SA stimulated mice were more apoptosis-prone in vitro than their IL-10 negative counterparts. These findings support a model where prolonged activation of Tregs results in terminal differentiation towards an IL-10 producing effector phenotype associated with a limited lifespan, implicating built-in termination of immunosuppression

The survivability of phyllosilicates and carbonates impacting Stardust Al foils: Facilitating the search for cometary water

Comet 81P/Wild 2 samples returned by NASA's Stardust mission provide an unequalled opportunity to study the contents of, and hence conditions and processes operating on, comets. They can potentially validate contentious interpretations of cometary infrared spectra and in situ mass spectrometry data: specifically the identification of phyllosilicates and carbonates. However, Wild 2 dust was collected via impact into capture media at ~6 km s−1, leading to uncertainty as to whether these minerals were captured intact, and, if subjected to alteration, whether they remain recognizable. We simulated Stardust Al foil capture conditions using a two‐stage light‐gas gun, and directly compared transmission electron microscope analyses of pre‐ and postimpact samples to investigate survivability of lizardite and cronstedtite (phyllosilicates) and calcite (carbonate). We find the phyllosilicates do not survive impact as intact crystalline materials but as moderately to highly vesiculated amorphous residues lining resultant impact craters, whose bulk cation to Si ratios remain close to that of the impacting grain. Closer inspection reveals variation in these elements on a submicron scale, where impact‐induced melting accompanied by reducing conditions (due to the production of oxygen scavenging molten Al from the target foils) has resulted in the production of native silicon and Fe‐ and Fe‐Si‐rich phases. In contrast, large areas of crystalline calcite are preserved within the calcite residue, with smaller regions of vesiculated, Al‐bearing calcic glass. Unambiguous identification of calcite impactors on Stardust Al foil is therefore possible, while phyllosilicate impactors may be inferred from vesiculated residues with appropriate bulk cation to Si ratios. Finally, we demonstrate that the characteristic textures and elemental distributions identifying phyllosilicates and carbonates by transmission electron microscopy can also be observed by state‐of‐the‐art scanning electron microscopy providing rapid, nondestructive initial mineral identifications in Stardust residues

A comprehensive study of noble gases and nitrogen in Hypatia, a diamond-rich pebble from SW Egypt

This is a follow-up study of a work by Kramers et al. (2013) on an unusual diamond-rich rock found in the SW side of the Libyan Desert Glass strewn field. This pebble, called Hypatia, is composed of almost pure carbon. Transmission Electron Microscopy and X-ray diffraction results reveal that Hypatia is made of defect-rich diamond containing lonsdaleite and deformation bands. These characteristics are compatible with an impact origin on Earth and/or in space. We analyzed concentrations and isotopic compositions of all five noble gases and nitrogen in several mg sized Hypatia samples. These data confirm that Hypatia is extra-terrestrial. The sample is rich in trapped noble gases with an isotopic composition close to the meteoritic Q component. 40Ar/36Ar ratios in individual steps are as low as 0.4. Concentrations of cosmic-ray produced 21Ne correspond to a nominal cosmic-ray exposure age of ca. 0.1 Myr if produced in a typical m-sized meteoroid. Such an atypically low nominal exposure age suggests high shielding in a considerably larger body. In addition to the Xe-Q composition, an excess of radiogenic 129Xe (from the decay of extinct 129I) is observed (129Xe/132Xe = 1.18 +/- 0.03). Two N components are present, an isotopically heavy component ({\delta}15N = +20 permil) released at low temp. and a major light component ({\delta}15N = -110 permil) at higher temp. This disequilibrium in N suggests that the diamonds in Hypatia were formed in space. Our data are broadly consistent with concentrations and isotopic compositions of noble gases in at least three different types of carbon-rich meteoritic materials. However, Hypatia does not seem to be related to any of these materials, but may have sampled a similar cosmochemical reservoir. Our study does not confirm the presence of exotic noble gases that led Kramers et al. to propose that Hypatia is a remnant of a comet that impacted the Earth

Cloaked contact grids for perovskite-silicon tandem solar modules

Photovoltaik (PV) spielt eine wichtige Rolle bei der Transformation des globalen Energiesystems von fossilen Brennstoffen hin zu erneuerbaren Energiequellen, die ein Schlüssel zu einer nachhaltigen Zukunft des Planeten Erde ist. Eine solche Transformation wird jedoch hauptsächlich durch die wirtschaftliche Wettbewerbsfähigkeit einer Technologie getrieben, für die die Stromgestehungskosten ein entscheidender Faktor sind. In den letzten Jahren sind die Preise für Solarmodule drastisch gesunken, so dass die weitere Steigerung des Wirkungsgrades (PCE) und des Energieertrags (EY) von PV-Anlagen von zunehmender Bedeutung ist, um die wirtschaftliche Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der PV zu verbessern. Einer der limitierenden Faktoren moderner Solarmodule ist die Verlustleistung aufgrund inaktiver Flächen, die zur Minimierung der resistiven Verluste während des Ladungstransports über die großen Abmessungen eines Solarmoduls erforderlich sind. Optische Tarnkonzepte haben die Fähigkeit, Licht von inaktiven Bereichen hin zu den aktiven Flächen eines Solarmoduls zu leiten, wodurch die entsprechende Verlustleistung reduziert wird. Unter den verschiedenen optischen Tarnkonzepten sind Freiformoberflächen (FFS) als Tarnkappen eine interessante Technologie, die omnidirektionales Tarnen von inaktiven Flächen verspricht. Diese Dissertation konzentriert sich auf die Entwicklung und Herstellung von FFS mit der anvisierten Anwendung auf Perowskit/Silizium-Tandem-Solarmodulen, die ihrerseits sowohl für die Forschung als auch für die Industrie von höchstem Interesse sind, da die Kombination zweier Absorbermaterialien das theoretische Limit der PCE von 29 % für Einfachsolarzellen auf 46 % für Tandemsolarzellen erhöht. Eine detaillierte Untersuchung der optischen Verluste mittels optischer Simulation und EY-Modellierung von zwei- (2T) und vier-poligen (4T) Perowskit/Silizium-Tandemsolarmodulen in dieser Arbeit zeigt, dass Leistungsverluste durch inaktive Flächen – neben der parasitären Absorption – einer der größten optischen Verlustmechanismen von Perowskit/Silizium-Tandemsolarmodulen sind. Auch wenn FFS in einem idealen Design eine perfekte Tarnung von inaktiven Flächen aufweisen, sind sie nicht mit der herkömmlichen Architektur von Solarmodulen kompatibel, da sie eine nicht planare, für Verschmutzung anfälligere Oberfläche aufweisen. Um Verschmutzungen zu vermeiden, wird die Einbettung von FFS unter einer Glasabdeckung untersucht und hierfür zwei optimierte Designs von Freiformoberflächen vorgeschlagen, die unter Berücksichtigung eines geometrischen Füllfaktors (GFF) von inaktiven Flächen von 4 % die Einstrahlungsleistung auf die aktive Fläche theoretisch um 3.5 % erhöhen. Die Fähigkeit des omnidirektionalen Tarnen wird jedoch durch die vorgeschlagenen Designs beeinträchtigt, was zu einem etwas geringeren Anstieg des EY unter realistischen Einstrahlungsbedingungen von 2.4 % jährlich führt. Die effektive Tarnung inaktiver Flächen verschiebt zudem den optimalen Abstand und die optimale Dicke der Frontelektrode. Unter einer zusätzlichen Optimierung der Frontkontaktierung, erhöht sich der Anstieg in EY durch den Einsatz von eingebetteten FFS weiter auf 3.1 %. Prototypen von Einfachsolarzellen aus CuIn$_{\text{x}}$Ga$_{\text{1-x}}$Se$_{\text{2}}$ (CIGS) und kristallinem Silizium (c-Si) zeigen zwei mögliche Ansätze zur Einbettung von FFS in die vorderen Verkapselungsschichten konventioneller Solarmodule auf: (1) Prägen von FFS in das polymere Verkapselungsmaterial und Einbetten unter einer Glasabdeckung, was zu einer Erhöhung der Kurzschlussstromdichte $J_{\text{SC}}$ eines CIGS-Solarmoduls um 4.1 % bei einem GFF inaktiver Flächen von 4.7 % führt, und (2) Einbetten von FFS-Cloaks direkt in das Deckglas durch Anwendung der Flüssigglastechnik, die den $J_{\text{SC}}$ von c-Si-Solarzellen um 3.8 % bei einem GFF von 4.4 % erhöht. Beide Ansätze stellen eine praktikable Option für die Anwendung von FFS in 2T Perowskit/c-Si-Tandemsolarmodulen dar. Für 4T Perowskit/c-Si-Tandemsolarmodule ist die Abscheidung der Perowskitsolarzelle (PSC) direkt auf der Glasabdeckung vorzuziehen, da sie Frontschichten höherer optischer Qualität ermöglicht. Um eine Oberflächenqualität zu erreichen, die die Abscheidung der konformen dünnen Schichten einer PSC unterstützt, wird die mit der Flüssigglastechnik hergestellte Glasabdeckung mechanisch poliert. Die Herstellung von funktionierenden Perowskitsolarzellen ist jedoch noch nicht erfolgreich. Die optische Charakterisierung bestätigt jedoch das effiziente Tarnen von inaktiven Flächen mittels diesen Ansatzes, unterstreicht aber auch die starke Abhängigkeit von optischen Tarnkonzepten von ihrer Ausrichtung bezüglich der inaktiven Flächen. Im Hinblick auf die zukünftige Entwicklung bleiben die erfolgreiche Abscheidung von PSCs auf Glasabdeckungen, die mit der Flüssigglastechnik hergestellt werden, die Verbesserung der Ausrichtung und die Aufskalierung der Technologie offene Herausforderungen

Construction and immunogenicity evaluation of recombinant influenza A viruses containing chimeric hemagglutinin genes derived from genetically divergent influenza A H1N1 subtype viruses

Citation: McCormick, K., Jiang, Z., Zhu, L., Lawson, S. R., Langenhorst, R., Ransburgh, R., . . . Fang, Y. (2015). Construction and immunogenicity evaluation of recombinant influenza A viruses containing chimeric hemagglutinin genes derived from genetically divergent influenza A H1N1 subtype viruses. Plos One, 10(6). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0127649Background and Objectives: Influenza A viruses cause highly contagious diseases in a variety of hosts, including humans and pigs. To develop a vaccine that can be broadly effective against genetically divergent strains of the virus, in this study we employed molecular breeding (DNA shuffling) technology to create a panel of chimeric HA genes. Methods and Results: Each chimeric HA gene contained genetic elements from parental swine influenza A viruses that had a history of zoonotic transmission, and also from a 2009 pandemic virus. Each parental virus represents a major phylogenetic clade of influenza A H1N1 viruses. Nine shuffled HA constructs were initially screened for immunogenicity in mice by DNA immunization, and one chimeric HA (HA-129) was expressed on both a A/Puerto Rico/8/34 backbone with mutations associated with a live, attenuated phenotype (PR8LAIV- 129) and a A/swine/Texas/4199-2/98 backbone (TX98-129). When delivered to mice, the PR8LAIV- 129 induced antibodies against all four parental viruses, which was similar to the breadth of immunity observed when HA-129 was delivered as a DNA vaccine. This chimeric HA was then tested as a candidate vaccine in a nursery pig model, using inactivated TX98-129 virus as the backbone. The results demonstrate that pigs immunized with HA-129 developed antibodies against all four parental viruses, as well as additional primary swine H1N1 influenza virus field isolates. Conclusion: This study established a platform for creating novel genes of influenza viruses using a molecular breeding approach, which will have important applications toward future development of broadly protective influenza virus vaccines. © 2015 McCormick et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Comparisons of Current Practices of Computer Use and Training by Industry Type of Small Businesses in the Portland Area

The problem was to determine what are the current computer uses, and training practices for small businesses in the Portland area. Comparisons were made by industry type