1,757 research outputs found

    A Study of the Life History of the Forked Fungus Beetle, Bolitotherus Cornutus (Panzer) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

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    Author Institution: Department of Zoology and Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus 1

    Comparing the Effects of Conventional and Pastured Poultry Production Systems on the Stress Levels of Broilers

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    Abstract The objective of this study was to measure stress levels in broilers raised on a pasture production system (PPS) and a conventional production system (CPS) by evaluating lymphoid organ weights, white blood cell profiles (WBCP), total white blood cell counts (TWBC), and heterophil to lymphocyte ratios (HLR). Broilers were brooded indoors for 3 weeks then divided into 2 groups; one placed on pasture while the other remained indoors. Blood was collected at weeks 3, 5, and 7 via brachial venipuncture. After 49 days, birds were slaughtered and lymphoid organs harvested. Results showed no differences between treatments for lymphoid organs, TWBC, or WBCP. Eosinophils were higher (P \u3c 0.05) in CPS (333.33) compared to PPS birds (148.00) at week 5. The HLR was lower (P \u3c 0.05) in PPS broilers at week 5 (0.40) than weeks 3 (0.44) and 7 (0.43). The PPS broilers experienced less stress overall than CPS birds. Keywords: Conventional Production System, Broilers, Pasture Production System, Stres

    Selection of Thermal Worst-Case Orbits via Modified Efficient Global Optimization

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    Efficient Global Optimization (EGO) was used to select orbits with worst-case hot and cold thermal environments for the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III. The SAGE III system thermal model changed substantially since the previous selection of worst-case orbits (which did not use the EGO method), so the selections were revised to ensure the worst cases are being captured. The EGO method consists of first conducting an initial set of parametric runs, generated with a space-filling Design of Experiments (DoE) method, then fitting a surrogate model to the data and searching for points of maximum Expected Improvement (EI) to conduct additional runs. The general EGO method was modified by using a multi-start optimizer to identify multiple new test points at each iteration. This modification facilitates parallel computing and decreases the burden of user interaction when the optimizer code is not integrated with the model. Thermal worst-case orbits for SAGE III were successfully identified and shown by direct comparison to be more severe than those identified in the previous selection. The EGO method is a useful tool for this application and can result in computational savings if the initial Design of Experiments (DoE) is selected appropriately

    Evaluating the Economic Feasibility of Producing Broilers on Pasture and in a Conventional Production System

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    The demand for pasture raised poultry is increasing because of the perception that it is healthier and tastier than conventionally raised poultry. In order to meet this demand, some producers are considering switching from the conventional to the pasture system to take advantage of this niche market. Therefore, the objective of the study was to determine the economic viability of rearing broilers in a pastured poultry system (PPS) versus a conventional poultry system (CPS). Each of these systems was replicated three times with 60 birds per treatment in a study lasting seven weeks. Data were collected on costs of inputs, and others estimated. The mean net returns for PPS and CPS were, respectively, 56.44and56.44 and -92.02. The break-even prices were, respectively, 10.89forPPSand10.89 for PPS and 11.87 for CPS. Also, the benefit/cost ratio was 1.103 for PPS and 0.845 for CPS. The paired t-test for the benefit/cost ratios indicated a significant difference (p< 0.05) between PPS and CPS. PPS was deemed more feasible than CPS. Hence, it was recommended that the former system is more appropriate for small and limited resource producers, and that technical assistance should be provided to them regarding PPS. Keywords: Pastured poultry, Conventional poultry, Economic feasibility, Broiler

    Structures of tribenzylmethanol and 1,2,3-triphenyl-2-propanol

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    The tribenzylmethanol molecule, (PhCH2)3COH, has approximate threefold symmetry in the solid state. The hydroxyl H atom is disordered unequally over three orientations and is not involved in hydrogen bonding. The 1,2,3-triphenyl-2-propanol molecule, Ph(PhCH2)2COH, crystallizes with two molecules per asymmetric unit which differ slightly in conformation. In one of the molecules the hydroxyl H atom is disordered equally over two sites, whereas in the other molecule there is no disorder. As in the tribenzylmethanol molecule, there is no intermolecular O--H...O hydrogen bonding, presumably because of the steric bulk of the molecules and their packing which prevents the close approach of the O atoms of adjacent molecules

    Total Marginality: Cumulative Marginality among African American Students at a Predominantly White Institution

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    This study examines the cumulative nature of marginality felt by African American undergraduates attending a Predominantly White institution (PWI). In-depth semi-structured interviews with ten African American college upperclassmen revealed the need for conceptualization of student marginality at PWIs. The participants detailed their exposure to varying levels of marginality in campus spaces, classrooms, course curriculum, residence halls, the community surrounding the institution, elements of their home environment, and interracial and intraracial interactions with students. This study moves beyond descriptive analyses (Feagin, Vera, & Imani 1996; Davis, Dias-Bowie, Greenberg, Klukken, Pollio, Thomas, & Thompson, 2004; Lewis, Ginsberg, Davis, & Smith, 2004) and offers total marginality as an emergent theory affirming the collective weight of marginality on student development. Recommendations for redressing total marginality are provided

    The Impact of Locoregional Therapy in Nonmetastatic Inflammatory Breast Cancer: A Population-Based Study

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    Background. Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare but most aggressive breast cancer subtype. The impact of locoregional therapy on survival in IBC is controversial. Methods. Patients with nonmetastatic IBC between 1988 and 2013 were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry. Results. We identified 7,304 female patients with nonmetastatic inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) who underwent primary tumor surgery. Most patients underwent total mastectomy with only 409 (5.6%) undergoing a partial mastectomy. In addition, 4,559 (62.4%) were also treated with radiation therapy. The patients who underwent mastectomy had better survival compared to partial mastectomy (49% versus 43%, p = 0.003). The addition of radiation therapy was also associated with improved 5-year survival (55% versus 40%, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that black race HR (1.22, 95% CI 1.18-1.35), ER negative status (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.16-1.28), and higher grade (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.07-1.20) were associated with poor outcome. Cox proportional hazards model showed that total mastectomy (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.65-0.85) and radiation (HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.61-0.69) were associated with improved survival. Conclusions. Optimal locoregional therapy for women with nonmetastatic IBC continues to be mastectomy and radiation therapy. These data reinforce the prevailing treatment algorithm for nonmetastatic IBC
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