Responses to Grass or Red Clover Silages Cut at Two Stages of Growth in Dairy Cows

Red clover has an important role in organic farming, and also potential to reduce dependence on N fertilisers in conventional farming. This experiment compared dairy cow responses to grass and red clover silages cut at two stages of growth

NDF Digestion in Dairy Cows Fed Grass or Red Clover Silages Cut at Two Stages of Growth

Increasing demand for organic dairy products has encouraged research on red clover, as it is an important plant species in organic farming systems. The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of plant species and growth stage on NDF digestion in dairy cows

Evaluating Canopy Spectral Invariants Derived from Imaging Spectroscopy Data : A Case Study on Southern Boreal Forests

As an alternative to complex 3D-modelling of structure, the canopy spectral invariants are a novel concept to describe the average behavior of photons in a vegetated canopy. The probabilities of canopy absorption and scattering can be summarized with only three parameters (?L, p and R): The green leaf single scattering albedo (?L) describes the wavelength-dependent probabilities of absorption for each time a photon interacts with a leaf. In the event of scattering, a photon’s probabilities of reinteraction (photon recollision probability p) and exiting the canopy in a given direction (directional escape factor R) can be described as independent of wavelength; as the size of the scattering elements is considerably larger than wavelengths in the shortwave radiation budget, p and R depend only upon the structural arrangement of the scattering elements. In this work, a recently published (2011) approach to infer remotely sensed (spaceborne) hyperspectral imagery (also referred to as imaging spectroscopy data) based on the canopy spectral invariants was tested in a case study on southern boreal forests at full leaf development. An atmospherically corrected image taken with the Hyperion imaging spectrometer aboard the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) spacecraft was interpreted with a single reference transformed green leaf scattering albedo. Transforming of a traditionally defined leaf albedo means correcting the measurements for the effect of surface reflectance, resulting in probabilities of leaf scattering and absorption given a photon interacts with the leaf internal constituents. Utilizing such transformed albedo as reference results in reference (canopy) spectral invariants describing the relative difference between the reference and the scattering properties of (theoretical) mean leaves at the scale of inference (pixel). The results of the study are parallel to those of previously published and ongoing research: In essence, even while the individual parameters p and R depend on the reference, the ratio R/(1–p) (directional escape factor to total escape probability) was found practically independent of the selection of the reference, thus implicating a possibility to develop a physically-based algorithm to infer hyperspectral imagery in vegetated areas. Moreover, the reference (canopy) spectral invariants were found as highly applicable in retrieval of forest structural properties such as dominant forest type (broadleaved, coniferous, mixed) and a quantitative estimate of the broadleaf fraction of a forest area.“Spectral invariants” -teorian mukaan metsikön rakenteen kuvaus voidaan yksinkertaistaen tiivistää kolmeen rakenteelliseen tunnuslukuun (?L, p and R) perustuen fotonien ja lehtien keskimääräisiin vuorovaikutussuhteisiin. Tällaista lähestymistapaa voidaan kaukokartoitussovelluksissa käyttää vaihtoehtona yksityiskohtaiselle, kolmiulotteiselle mallintamiselle. Aallonpituudelle herkkiä absorptio- ja sirontatodennäköisyyksiä kuvataan vihreän lehden albedolla (?L) eli sirontakertoimella. Mikäli fotoni siroaa osuessaan lehteen, se voi joko törmätä toiseen lehteen (photon recollision probability p) tai poistua latvuksesta satunnaiseen suuntaan (directional escape factor R). Koska fotoneja sirottavat latvuksen rakenneyksiköt (lehdet) ovat kooltaan paljon suurempia kuin lyhytaaltoisen sähkömagneettisen säteilyn aallonpituudet, tunnusluvut p ja R riippuvat ainoastaan rakenneyksiköiden tilajakaumasta, eivätkä aallonpituudesta. Tässä pro gradu -tutkielmassa on sovellettu vuonna 2011 julkaistua, spectral invariants -teoriaan perustuvaa kuvantavan spektroskopian keinoin kaukokartoitetun aineiston (tai hyperspektristen kaukokartoituskuvien) tulkintamenetelmää. Työ on toteutettu eteläboreaalisia metsiä käsittelevänä tapaustutkimuksena, jonka maasto-aineisto on kerätty Hyytiälästä, Keski-Suomesta. Kaukokartoitusaineistona on käytetty ilmakehäkorjattua Hyperion-kuvaa. (Hyperion, kuvantava spektrometri, on yksi Yhdysvaltain avaruushallinnon eli NASA:n EO-1-satelliitin kolmesta pääsensorista.) Hyperion-kuvan tulkinta on suoritettu perustuen yhteen vertailuspektrinä käytettävään, muunnettuun lehden albedoon. Albedon muuntaminen tarkoittaa mitatun albedon korjaamista lehden pintaheijastukseen perustuen siten, että muunnettu albedo kuvaa lehden sisäisistä rakenneosasista siroavan säteilyn osuutta. Käytettäessä vertailukohtana muunnettua sirontakerrointa, kuvaavat tulkinnan välivaiheena syntyvät vertailutunnusluvut p and R kyseisen muunnetun albedon sekä tulkintayksikkökohtaisten (pikselikohtaisten) latvuston (teoreettisten) keskiarvolehtien sirontaominaisuuksien suhteellista eroa. Työn tulokset ovat yhdenmukaisia aiemmin julkaistujen- sekä meneillään olevien tutkimusten tulosten kanssa: Vaikka vertailutunnusluvut p and R riippuvat valitusta vertailukohdasta, havaittiin niistä muodostetun suhdeluvun R/(1–p) olevan käytännössä vertailukohdasta riippumaton. Tämä antaa viitteitä siitä, että työssä sovelletun teorian pohjalta olisi mahdollista kehittää fysikaalisesti pätevä malli, jota voitaisiin soveltaa metsäkasvillisuuden tulkinnassa hyperspektrisiltä kaukokartoituskuvilta. Erityisen hyvin vertailutunnuslukuihin perustuvalla tulkinnalla näytettäisiin voitavan arvioida vallitseva metsikkötyyppi (lehtimetsä, havumetsä, sekametsä), sekä metsien lehti- ja havupuuosuudet

Influence of hyperoxia on muscle metabolic responses and the power-duration relationship during severe-intensity exercise in humans: a 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy study

addresses: School of Sport and Health Sciences, St Luke's Campus, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK.types: Journal Article; Randomized Controlled TrialThis is the author's post-print version of an article published in Experimental Physiology, 2010, Vol. 95, Issue 4, pp. 528 – 540 Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Blackwell /The Physiological Society. The definitive version is available at www3.interscience.wiley.comSevere-intensity constant-work-rate exercise results in the attainment of maximal oxygen uptake, but the muscle metabolic milieu at the limit of tolerance (T(lim)) for such exercise remains to be elucidated. We hypothesized that T(lim) during severe-intensity exercise would be associated with the attainment of consistently low values of intramuscular phosphocreatine ([PCr]) and pH, as determined using (31)P magnetic resonance spectroscopy, irrespective of the work rate and the inspired O(2) fraction. We also hypothesized that hyperoxia would increase the asymptote of the hyperbolic power-duration relationship (the critical power, CP) without altering the curvature constant (W). Seven subjects (mean +/- s.d., age 30 +/- 9 years) completed four constant-work-rate knee-extension exercise bouts to the limit of tolerance (range, 3-10 min) both in normoxia (N) and in hyperoxia (H; 70% O(2)) inside the bore of 1.5 T superconducting magnet. The [PCr] (approximately 5-10% of resting baseline) and pH (approximately 6.65) at the limit of tolerance during each of the four trials was not significantly different either in normoxia or in hyperoxia. At the same fixed work rate, the overall rate at which [PCr] fell with time was attenuated in hyperoxia (mean response time: N, 59 +/- 20 versus H, 116 +/- 46 s; P < 0.05). The CP was higher (N, 16.1 +/- 2.6 versus H, 18.0 +/- 2.3 W; P < 0.05) and the W was lower (N, 1.92 +/- 0.70 versus H, 1.48 +/- 0.31 kJ; P < 0.05) in hyperoxia compared with normoxia. These data indicate that T(lim) during severe-intensity exercise is associated with the attainment of consistently low values of muscle [PCr] and pH. The CP and W parameters of the power-duration relationship were both sensitive to the inspiration of hyperoxic gas

Species distribution modelling as basis for the ecosystem-based management: a case study for the Eastern Baltic Sea

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Review : Alternative and novel feeds for ruminants: nutritive value, product quality and environmental aspects

Ruminant-based food production faces currently multiple challenges such as environmental emissions, climate change and accelerating food-feed-fuel competition for arable land. Therefore, more sustainable feed production is needed together with the exploitation of novel resources. In addition to numerous food industry (milling, sugar, starch, alcohol or plant oil) side streams already in use, new ones such as vegetable and fruit residues are explored, but their conservation is challenging and production often seasonal. In the temperate zones, lipid-rich camelina (Camelina sativa) expeller as an example of oilseed by-products has potential to enrich ruminant milk and meat fat with bioactive trans-11 18:1 and cis-9,trans-11 18:2 fatty acids and mitigate methane emissions. Regardless of the lower methionine content of alternative grain legume protein relative to soya bean meal (Glycine max), the lactation performance or the growth of ruminants fed faba beans (Vicia faba), peas (Pisum sativum) and lupins (Lupinus sp.) are comparable. Wood is the most abundant carbohydrate worldwide, but agroforestry approaches in ruminant nutrition are not common in the temperate areas. Untreated wood is poorly utilised by ruminants because of linkages between cellulose and lignin, but the utilisability can be improved by various processing methods. In the tropics, the leaves of fodder trees and shrubs (e.g. cassava (Manihot esculenta), Leucaena sp., Flemingia sp.) are good protein supplements for ruminants. A food-feed production system integrates the leaves and the by-products of on-farm food production to grass production in ruminant feeding. It can improve animal performance sustainably at smallholder farms. For larger-scale animal production, detoxified jatropha (Jatropha sp.) meal is a noteworthy alternative protein source. Globally, the advantages of single-cell protein (bacteria, yeast, fungi, microalgae) and aquatic biomass (seaweed, duckweed) over land crops are the independence of production from arable land and weather. The chemical composition of these feeds varies widely depending on the species and growth conditions. Microalgae have shown good potential both as lipid (e.g. Schizochytrium sp.) and protein supplements (e.g. Spirulina platensis) for ruminants. To conclude, various novel or underexploited feeds have potential to replace or supplement the traditional crops in ruminant rations. In the short-term, N-fixing grain legumes, oilseeds such as camelina and increased use of food and/or fuel industry by-products have the greatest potential to replace or supplement the traditional crops especially in the temperate zones. In the long-term, microalgae and duckweed of high-yield potential as well as wood industry by-products may become economically competitive feed options worldwide.Peer reviewe

Effects of priming and pacing strategy on VO2 kinetics and cycling performance

Copyright © 2015 Human KineticsThis is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Human Kinetics via the DOI in this record.Purpose: To assess whether combining prior ‘priming’ exercise with an all-out pacing strategy was more effective at improving O2 uptake (VO2) kinetics and cycling performance than either intervention administered independently. Methods: Nine males completed target-work cycling performance trials using a self-paced or all-out pacing strategy with or without prior severe-intensity (70%Δ) priming exercise. Breath-by-breath pulmonary VO2 and cycling power output were measured during all trials. Results: Compared to the self-paced-unprimed control trial (22 ± 5 s), the VO2 mean response time (MRT) was shorter (VO2 kinetics was faster) with all-out pacing (17 ± 4 s) and priming (17 ± 3 s), with the lowest VO2 MRT observed when all-out pacing and priming were combined (15 ± 4 s) (P0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that combining an all-out start with severe-intensity priming exercise additively improves the VO2 MRT, but not total O2 consumption and cycling performance since these were improved by a similar magnitude in both primed trials relative to the self-paced-unprimed control condition. Therefore, these results support the use of priming exercise as a pre-competition intervention to improve oxidative metabolism and performance during short-duration high-intensity cycling exercise, independent of the pacing strategy adopted

Evidence for spared attention to faces in 7-month-old infants after prenatal exposure to antiepileptic drugs

Introduction: Prenatal antiepileptic drug (AED) exposure is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and autism spectrum disorders detected mainly at the age of two to six years. We examined whether the developitiental aberrations associated with prenatal AED exposure-could be-detected already in infancy and whether effects on visual attention can be observed at this early age. Material and methods: We compared a prospective cohort of infants with in utero exposure to AED (n = 56) with infants without drug exposures (n = 62). The assessments performed at the age of seven months included standardized neurodevelopmental scores (Griffiths Mental Developmental Scale and Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination) as well as a novel eye-tracking-based test for visual attention and orienting to faces. Background information included prospective collection of AED exposure data, pregnancy outcome, neuropsychological evaluation of the mothers, and information on maternal epilepsy type. Results: Carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, and valproate, but not lamotrigine or levetiracetam, were associated with impaired early language abilities at the age of seven months. The general speed of visuospatial orienting or attentional bias for faces measured by eye-tracker-based tests did not differ between AED-exposed and control infants. Discussion: Our findings support the idea that prenatal AED exposure may impair verbal abilities, and this effect may be detected already in infancy. In contrast, the early development of attention to faces was spared after in utero AED exposure. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe