Diversity of methanogens in the hindgut of grower and finisher pigs

This study examined the diversity of the methanogens in the hindgut of two different weight groups of pigs and correlated it with the amount of digested organic carbon (OC) and various components of dietary fiber. Five grower (58.9 ± 1.15 kg) and five finisher (89.4 ± 0.85 kg) Duroc × Landrace × Large Yorkshire female pigs were allocated into two groups and individually housed in cages. During the experiment, feed intake and fecal output were recorded for determination of apparent digestibility of OC, crude fiber (CF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF). At the end of the digestibility trial, pigs were sacrificed, and the contents of five segments of hindgut were sterilely collected to determine diversity of methanogens. Total microbial DNA of the hindgut contents was used as template for amplification of the methanogen16S rRNA gene, and the PCR products were further subjected to denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis. Results show that the number of DGGE bands and Shannon diversity index for the 90 kg pigs were higher (P<0.05) than those for the 60 kg pigs. Methanogen communities did not alter along the different segments of the hindgut for the two weight groups. In addition, the amount of OC, CF, NDF and ADF digested (g/d) for the 90 kg pigs (1018.77, 23.11, 268.86 and 99.16, respectively) was higher (P<0.05) than the respective values for the 60 kg pigs (669.27, 13.77, 222.31 and 69.07), indicating that the higher diversity of  methanogens in the former group was related to the higher quantity of fiber materials fermented in the hindgut. The positive correlation (p<0.05) between number of DGGE bands and Shannon diversity index with quantity of digested OC and ADF further reaffirmed the above suggestion.Key words: Methanogen, pig, Shannon diversity index, polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE)

Locating acoustic emission with an amplitude-multiplexed acoustic sensor array based on a modified Mach-Zehnder interferometer

Author name used in this publication: Jianmin GongAuthor name used in this publication: J. M. K. MacAlpineAuthor name used in this publication: Yanbiao Liao2001-2002 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

In-fiber polarimeters based on hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers

Author name used in this publication: Min ZhangAuthor name used in this publication: Yanbiao Liao2009-2010 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Antigenic cross-reactivity between severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus and human coronaviruses 229E and OC43

Cross-reactivity between antibodies to different human coronaviruses (HCoVs) has not been systematically studied. By use of Western blot analysis, indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), antigenic cross-reactivity between severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and 2 HCoVs (229E and OC43) was demonstrated in immunized animals and human serum. In 5 of 11 and 10 of 11 patients with SARS, paired serum samples showed a ≥4-fold increase in antibody titers against HCoV-229E and HCoV-OC43, respectively, by IFA. Overall, serum samples from convalescent patients who had SARS had a 1-way cross-reactivity with the 2 known HCoVs. Antigens of SARS-CoV and HCoV-OC43 were more cross-reactive than were those of SARS-CoV and HCoV-229E. © 2005 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved.published_or_final_versio

Fourier analysis for hydrostatic pressure sensing in a polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fiber

Author name used in this publication: Yanbiao LiaoAuthor name used in this publication: Hwayaw TamAuthro name used in this publication: P. K. A. Wai2010-2011 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber polarizer

Author name used in this publication: H. F. XuanAuthor name used in this publication: W. JinAuthor name used in this publication: J. JuAuthor name used in this publication: Y. P. Wang2007-2008 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Multiplexing of polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fiber based Sagnac interferometric sensors

Author name used in this publication: P. A. ChildsAuthor name used in this publication: H. Y. TamAuthor name used in this publication: C. LuAuthor name used in this publication: P. K. A. Wai2009-2010 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Effect of laser remelting on microstructure and properties of WC reinforced Fe-based amorphous composite coatings by laser cladding

The WC reinforced Fe-based amorphous composite coatings were prepared by laser cladding with rectangular spot. The effect of laser remelting on the microstructure and properties of composite coatings was investigated. The results showed that laser remelting can reduce the cracks and porosities of the cladding coating and improve its surface quality. Large amounts of crystalline phases were precipitated at the top of the cladding and remelting coatings. However, the microstructure at the top of the remelting coating was finer compared to that at the top of the cladding coating. With increasing distance from the surface of substrate, the amorphous phase appeared within the remelting coating and large amounts of carbides rich in Fe and Mo, Fe23B6, gamma-Fe and Cr-9.1.Si-0.9 Slag phases were also precipitated in the remelting coating. As a result, the corrosion resistance of the remelting coating was higher than that of the cladding coating. The microhardness of the remelting coating was approximately 1.13 times higher than that of the cladding coating. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Research on testing the characteristics of hydrogel film by using a long-period fiber grating

Author name used in this publication: Min Zhang2008-2009 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Multiplexing of optical fiber gas sensors with a frequency-modulated continuous-wave technique

Author name used in this publication: W. JinAuthor name used in this publication: H. L. HoAuthor name used in this publicaiton: M. S. Demokan2000-2001 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe