Impacts of Small Intestinal Enzyme Activity and Varying Corn Grain Processing Types on Feeding Behavior, and Growth Performance of Finishing Beef Steers

The objective of this study was to quantify the differences in activity of jejunal maltase and isomaltase between 2 groups of steers with average dry matter intake (DMI) and differing average daily gain (ADG). Dry matter intake and ADG were measured in crossbred steers (n = 69). Jejunal mucosal samples were collected from 8 steers with the greatest (high) or least (low) ADG and average DMI (± 0.55 standard deviation). Homogenates of jejunal mucosa were incubated with increasing amounts of maltose and isomaltose to determine the disaccharidase kinetics. Neither the Km of isomaltase (P = 0.15) or maltase (P = 0.43) differed between group. The isomaltase Vmax expressed per gram of protein (P = 0.11) or tissue (P = 0.18), respectively, did not differ between groups of steers. While previous studies have indicated that disaccharidase expression is associated with differences in ADG, data presented here indicate that differences in enzyme activity at the end of a feeding period are minimal. The objective of the second study was to evaluate the impact of corn-grain processing on feeding behavior and growth performance. There were 3 diets fed which differed in grain processing; wholeshelled corn-based diet (WSC); a blended corn-based diet containing a 50:50 wholeshelled corn and high-moisture corn (BLD); and a high-moisture corn-based diet (HMC). Meal duration, average meal size, and number of meals differed across treatments (P \u3c 0.01). For meal duration, HMC was greater (P \u3c 0.01) than WSC and BLD which did not differ (P \u3e 0.13). The average meal size was greatest for WSC which tended to differ (P = 0.07) from BLD, and differed (P \u3c 0.01) from HMC which had the least kg of intake at each meal. The HMC treatment consumed the greatest number of meals and differed from WSC and BLD (P \u3c 0.01); whereas, WSC had the least number of meals and tended to differ from BLD (P = 0.09). Though the growth performance resembled previous work, no differences in steer growth performance or DMI were detected in the current experiment

SB38-15/16: Resolution Amending Bylaws, KBGA

SB38-15/16: Amending Bylaws, KBGA. This resolution was passed by unanimous consent at the March 9, 2016 meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM)

Warm dusty discs: Exploring the A star 24um debris population

(Abridged) Studies of debris discs have shown that most systems are analogous to the EKB. In this study we aim to determine how many IRAS 25um excesses towards A stars are real, and investigate where the dust lies. We observe with TIMMI2, VISIR, Michelle and TReCS a sample of A and B-type main sequence stars reported as having mid-IR excess. We constrain the location of the debris through combined modelling of the emission spectrum and a modelling technique designed to constrain the radial extent of emission in mid-IR imaging. We independently confirm the presence of warm dust around 3 of the candidates: HD3003, HD80950 and eta Tel. For the binary HD3003 a stability analysis indicates the dust is either circumstellar and lying at ~4 AU with the binary orbiting at >14AU, or the dust lies in an unstable location; there is some evidence for temporal evolution of its excess emission on a ~20 year timescale. For 7 of the targets we present quantitative limits on the location of dust around the star. We demonstrate that the disc around HD71155 must have spatially distinct components at 2 and 60AU. We model the limits of current instrumentation and show that most of the known A star debris discs which could be readily resolved at 18um on 8m instruments have been resolved. Limits from unresolved imaging can help distinguish between competing models of the disc emission, but resolved imaging is key to the determination of the disc location. Modelling of the detection limits for extended emission can be useful for targeting future observational campaigns. MIRI on the JWST will be able to resolve most of the known A star debris disc population. METIS on the E-ELT will provide the opportunity to explore the hot disc population more thoroughly by detecting extended emission where calibration accuracy limits disc detection through photometry, reaching levels below 1 zodi for stars at <10pc.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Relationships Between Undigested And Physically Effective Fiber In Lactating Dairy Cow Diets

In recent years, economic, social, and environmental factors have encouraged higher forage diets to be fed to dairy cows. Consequently, a better understanding of both the chemical and physical properties of dietary forage fiber is needed. Undigested neutral detergent fiber after 240 hours of fermentation (uNDF240) is the fiber residue remaining after 240 hours of in vitro fermentation and has only recently been defined. Physically effective neutral detergent fiber (peNDF) was defined about two decades ago and is the fraction of dietary fiber with a particle size (i.e., ≥1.18-mm screen) that stimulates chewing behavior, forms the rumen digesta mat, and is resistant to passage from the rumen. To-date, the relationship between these two dietary fiber measurements has not been evaluated. The overall goal of this thesis research was to quantitate the relationship between dietary uNDF240 and peNDF on feed intake, lactational performance, chewing behavior, and the ruminal environment of lactating Holstein dairy cows. The focal study (Chapter 2) investigated the effects of dietary uNDF240 (low or high) and peNDF (low or high) on lactating dairy cows. The four treatments were: 1) low uNDF240, low peNDF (8.8%, 20.1%; LULP; 2) low uNDF240, high peNDF (8.9%, 21.8%; LUHP); 3) high uNDF240, low peNDF (11.4%, 18.6%; HULP); and 4) high uNDF240, high peNDF (11.6%, 22.0%; HUHP). Additionally, a new descriptive term, physically effective uNDF240 (peuNDF240) was calculated as the product of the dietary physical effectiveness factor (pef; % of particles retained on ≥1.18-mm screen with dry sieving) and uNDF240 as a percentage of dry matter (DM). This new descriptive term aimed to integrate the effects of dietary particle size and NDF (in)digestibility. The dietary peuNDF240 concentrations were 5.4% (LULP), 5.8% (LUHP), 5.9% (HULP), and 7.1% (HUHP). The LULP treatment resulted in greater dry matter intake (DMI) and energy corrected milk (ECM), as well as more favorable chewing behavior (i.e., no effect on rumination but less time spent eating) in comparison to the HUHP diet. When comparing the same two treatments, total volatile fatty acid concentration was greater, mean ruminal pH was lower, and NDF turnover rate tended to be greater for the LULP treatment. Milk fat percentage was influenced by dietary uNDF240 with the high uNDF240 diets having an elevated percentage. The LUHP and HULP treatments often did not differ in animal response variables, such as DMI, ECM, mean ruminal pH, and chewing behavior, reflecting their similar dietary peuNDF240 concentration. Importantly, by reducing peNDF of the high uNDF240 treatments, DMI increased to an amount similar to the low uNDF240 treatments. Animal responses were consistently different between the LULP and HUHP treatments as expected: the low uNDF240 diet, chopped more finely, encouraged greater DMI than the high uNDF240 diet chopped coarsely. However, the LUHP and HULP diets with similar peuNDF240 often resulted in similar cow responses, even though the peuNDF240 was obtained differently for each diet. With these diets fed to high-producing cows, it appears that the integration of particle size and indigestibility of fiber using a peuNDF240 measurement is highly related to DMI, ECM yield, chewing behavior, and ruminal environment. In the future, this relationship may prove useful in predicting DMI of lactating dairy cows fed a range of diets differing in uNDF240 and particle size

Parallel computing, benchmarking and ATLAS software on ARM

Includes bibliographical references,This thesis explores the use of the ARM architecture in high energy physics computing. ARM processors are predominantly found in smartphones and mobile tablets. Results from benchmarks which were performed on the armv7l architecture are presented. These provide qualitative data as well as confirmation that specialized high energy physics software does run on ARM. This thesis presents the first ever port of the ATLAS software stack to the ARM architecture, as well as the issues that ensued. A new framework, ANA, is introduced which facilitates the compilation of the ATLAS software stack on ARM

Gender Disparities in Access to HIV Testing and Antiretroviral Treatment Services

Throughout a six-week practicum period at TASO Mulago in Kampala, Uganda and St. Francis Naggalama Hospital in Naggalama, Uganda, the researcher aimed to find methods to increase male engagement in all facets of comprehensive HIV/AIDS care. Women and children generally receive most global attention on the issue of HIV/AIDS in Uganda but men are beginning to demand more attention. Antiretroviral treatment has been critical in allowing countless people to live functionally with HIV but many research projects have hypothesized that delayed access to HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention methods has resulted in men exhibiting higher mortality rates upon initiation of this treatment. The disparity in men’s reception to this treatment puts the effectiveness of this and many other aspects of comprehensive HIV/AIDS treatment into question. Through statistical analysis, observation, formal and informal interviews, and focus group discussions the researcher aimed to test the hypotheses that men are much more likely to die when they initiate antiretroviral treatment than women and that this higher mortality rate results from later initiation of treatment characterized by CD4 cell count and WHO disease stage number. Through statistical analysis the researcher established the mortality rate as 16.485 deaths per 1000 men and 11.13 deaths per women at TASO Mulago and 69.444 deaths per 1000 men and 23.809 deaths per 1000 women at St. Francis Naggalama Hospital, proving the hypothesis that men have a higher mortality rate upon initiation of ART. Significant differences in CD4 cell counts and WHO disease stage numbers proves the hypothesis that this higher mortality rate is a result of later initiation of ART. Through qualitative data the researcher found that women are required to test for HIV at early signs of pregnancy and through antenatal care but men have no similar avenue to test for HIV and as a result they only test for HIV as a result of grave illness brought about by a weakened immune system characteristic of high HIV prevalence. Men are also highly stigmatized by social forces that further exaggerate gender differences in access to HIV/AIDS care and support. The researcher proposes enhanced male circumcision programs to serve as avenues for men to engage in all facets of 5 comprehensive HIV/AIDS care. Through these programs men would gain education and encouragement to join in the fight against this epidemic