Feed Quality Effects on Modern Heavy Broiler Performance

Commercial broilers are fed exclusively pelleted diets; this is due to research that has demonstrated numerous benefits to feeding pellets. The first objective was to investigate the effects of modest improvements in pellet quality on two modern broiler strains. Regardless of strain, feeding 80% pellets improved broiler performance from d 28 to 42. The second objective was to investigate the effects of feed form and liquid application method on feed augering segregation and subsequent broiler performance. In general, percent pellets steadily decreased across location throughout feed augering. Also, phytase segregation occurred throughout augering and was exacerbated in post-pellet liquid application diets. When the augered diets were fed to broilers, 75% pellets and post-pellet liquid application diets improved performance. The final objective was to investigate the change in percent pellets as feed was augered throughout an entire commercial poultry house. Ultimately, creating high-quality pellets decreases pellet attrition and improves broiler performance

Life Experiences of Black Student-Athletes in Revenue-Producing Sports: A Descriptive Empirical Analysis

Recent NCAA reform (Propositions 48 and 42) have made imperative a better understanding of the social and psychological factor affecting black student-athletes in revenue-producing sports. This study focused on the college experience of black student-athletes at 42 NCAA Division I schools in comparison to white student-athletes and other black college students in four areas: demographic and academic background; college life experience; mental health; and social support. Black student-athletes differed from both comparison groups across all four topic areas. Results of the comparison were discissed, and policy recommendations were presented. The present study examined data from a national representative sample of full-time undergraduate student-athletes at Division I institutions commissioned by the Presidents Commission of the NCAA. Forty-two of the 291 Division I institutions for 1987-1988 were randomly selected to participate. lnstitutions were relatively evenly distributed across the NCAA's geographic districts and regions and were representative on a variety of indicators of institutional and student body characteristics, as well as sports history and involvement. A total of 5123 student-athletes and students was sampled. This study focused on three subgroups within the sample: black student-athletes participating in revenue-producing sports n=847); white student-athletes participating in revenue-producing sports (n=1161); and a random sample of black students who were not members of an athletic team (n=511). The participants' informed consent was obtained. Questionnaires were administered in group of four or five students, with at least one data collector present. They had four categories: demographic and academic background, college life experiences, mental health status, and social support. Results suggested that black student-athletes enter the university with very different educational and socio-cultural backgrounds than both white student-athletes and other black students. Black student-athletes have significantly lower family income and less educated parents. Greater differences erre found when comparing black student-athletes with other black students than with white student-athletes. Black and white student-athletes do not differ in the importance they ascribe to earning a degree, their satisfaction in their relationship with coaches, and their overall satisfaction with life

Strong light-matter coupling in bulk GaN-microcavities with double dielectric mirrors fabricated by two different methods

Two routes for the fabrication of bulk GaN microcavities embedded between two dielectric mirrors are described, and the optical properties of the microcavities thus obtained are compared. In both cases, the GaN active layer is grown by molecular beam epitaxy on (111) Si, allowing use of selective etching to remove the substrate. In the first case, a three period Al0.2Ga0.8N / AlN Bragg mirror followed by a lambda/2 GaN cavity are grown directly on the Si. In the second case, a crack-free 2,mu m thick GaN layer is grown, and progressively thinned to a final thickness of lambda. Both devices work in the strong coupling regime at low temperature, as evidenced by angle-dependent reflectivity or transmission experiments. However, strong light-matter coupling in emission at room temperature is observed only for the second one. This is related to the poor optoelectronic quality of the active layer of the first device, due to its growth only 250 nm above the Si substrate and its related high defect density. The reflectivity spectra of the microcavities are well accounted for by using transfer matrix calculations. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3477450

The hidden burden of influenza: A review of the extra-pulmonary complications of influenza infection

Severe influenza infection represents a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality. Although influenza is primarily considered a viral infection that results in pathology limited to the respiratory system, clinical reports suggest that influenza infection is frequently associated with a number of clinical syndromes that involve organ systems outside the respiratory tract. A comprehensive MEDLINE literature review of articles pertaining to extra-pulmonary complications of influenza infection, using organ-specific search terms, yielded 218 articles including case reports, epidemiologic investigations, and autopsy studies that were reviewed to determine the clinical involvement of other organs. The most frequently described clinical entities were viral myocarditis and viral encephalitis. Recognition of these extra-pulmonary complications is critical to determining the true burden of influenza infection and initiating organ-specific supportive care