Comparison of dried full-fat corn germ and tallow in finishing feedlot diets for heifers

A trial was conducted using 588 finishing beef heifers (705 lb initially) to compare tallow and dried full-fat corn germ as supplemental energy sources. Pens of 20 to 50 heifers were fed finishing diets containing 1) tallow or 2) corn germ. The tallow diet contained (dry basis) 46% steam-flaked corn, 35% wet corn gluten feed, 3% alfalfa hay, 1.5% soybean meal, and 4% tallow. The corn germ diet contained 41% steam-flaked corn, 35% wet corn gluten feed, 3% alfalfa hay, and 10% corn germ. Diets provided 300 mg monensin, 90 mg tylosin, and 0.5 mg MGA per heifer daily and were fed ad libitum once daily for 110 days. Gains of 2.99 lb/day for tallow and 2.95 lb/day for corn germ were not different (P>0.30), but dry matter intake tended to be greater for cattle fed corn germ than for those fed tallow (P=0.10; 16.7 vs 16.4 lb/day, respectively). Consequently, cattle fed germ were 3.4% less efficient than cattle fed tallow (P0.40) between treatments. Cattle fed corn germ had more carcasses grading prime (P=0.03), more carcasses grading average choice or higher (P<0.05), and tended to have more marbling (P=0.08) than cattle fed tallow. Incidence of liver abscesses was higher (P<0.02) for cattle fed corn germ than for those fed tallow (4.8% vs 1.8%, respectively). These results indicate that corn germ is a suitable substitute for tallow in finishing rations

Alfalfa hay and wet corn gluten feed levels in steam-flaked corn finishing diets

A 153-day finishing experiment was conducted using 631 heifers to determine optimum alfalfa hay and wet corn gluten feed (WCGF) combinations in steam-flaked, corn-based diets. Diets contained either 2 or 6% alfalfa hay and 25, 35, or 45% WCGF (dry basis). Performance was similar (P>0.16) for cattle fed 2 or 6% alfalfa hay. Gain efficiencies (P<0.05) and fat thickness (P<0.10) declined linearly with increasing amounts of WCGF. For heifers fed 2% alfalfa hay, ribeye area increased with increasing dietary WCGF. However for heifers fed 6% alfalfa hay, ribeye area decreased with increasing dietary WCGF. Liver abscesses were lowest for heifers fed 35% WCGF. Alfalfa hay fed at 2% of diet dry matter is sufficient for steam-flaked corn diets containing 25, 35 or 45% WCGF

MBE-4, a heavy ion multiple-beam experiment

MBE-4, a heavy-ion multiple beam induction linac being built at LBL in FY85/86, will model many features of a much longer device. It will accelerate four space-charge-dominated cesium ion beams from, for example, 0.2 MeV, 5 mA/beam, 3.0 ..mu..sec, 1.6 m length at injection to approx.0.8 MeV, 15 mA/beam, 1.0 ..mu..sec, 1.1 m length at the exit. It will permit study of simultaneous focussing, acceleration, current amplification and emittance growth of multiple space-charge-dominated ion beams. Some features of this accelerator are described. 11 refs., 5 figs

Anthropometric and Hormonal Risk Factors for Male Breast Cancer: Male Breast Cancer Pooling Project Results

The etiology of male breast cancer is poorly understood, partly because of its relative rarity. Although genetic factors are involved, less is known regarding the role of anthropometric and hormonally related risk factors. In the Male Breast Cancer Pooling Project, a consortium of 11 casecontrol and 10 cohort investigations involving 2405 case patients (n 1190 from casecontrol and n 1215 from cohort studies) and 52013 control subjects, individual participant data were harmonized and pooled. Unconditional logistic regression generated study designspecific (casecontrol/cohort) odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), with exposure estimates combined using fixed effects meta-analysis. All statistical tests were two-sided. Risk was statistically significantly associated with weight (highest/lowest tertile: OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.18 to 1.57), height (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.38), and body mass index (BMI; OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.51), with evidence that recent rather than distant BMI was the strongest predictor. Klinefelter syndrome (OR 24.7; 95% CI 8.94 to 68.4) and gynecomastia (OR 9.78; 95% CI 7.52 to 12.7) were also statistically significantly associated with risk, relations that were independent of BMI. Diabetes also emerged as an independent risk factor (OR 1.19; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.37). There were also suggestive relations with cryptorchidism (OR 2.18; 95% CI 0.96 to 4.94) and orchitis (OR 1.43; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.99). Although age at onset of puberty and histories of infertility were unrelated to risk, never having had children was statistically significantly related (OR 1.29; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.66). Among individuals diagnosed at older ages, a history of fractures was statistically significantly related (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.86). Consistent findings across casecontrol and cohort investigations, complemented by pooled analyses, indicated important roles for anthropometric and hormonal risk factors in the etiology of male breast cancer. Further investigation should focus on potential roles of endogenous hormones