Photoperiod effects on carcass traits, meat quality, and stress response in heart and lung of broilers

This study evaluated effects of photoperiod treatments on slaughter and carcass traits, meat quality, indicators of oxidative stress, and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) levels of lung and heart tissues in broilers. Five hundred Ross 308 broiler chicks were used. The treatments consisted of 23 hours of continuous light and one hour of darkness (23L1D), four hours of light followed by two hours of darkness (4L2D), eight hours of light and four hours of darkness (8L4D), and 16 hours of light and eight hours of darkness (16L8D). After 42 days, two birds from each replicate were slaughtered. Birds that had been subjected to 16L8D had lower slaughter, carcass, and breast weights than the other treatments. Significant correlations were observed for slaughter, carcass and breast weights and white stripe. At 10 min post mortem, the pH of the breast was the highest in 23L1D. Breasts from birds subjected to 23L1D and 16L8D had most fat and least protein, while white striping was not different among treatments. The 4L2D treatment resulted in the highest lung glutathione (GSH) concentration. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and GSH concentrations in the heart tissues of broilers from 8L4D and 4L2D were greater than those from 23L1D and 16:8. Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase concentrations were greatest for birds subjected to 16L8D. Heat shock protein 70 was lowest in lung and heart from birds subjected to 8L4D. Thus, shorter and more frequent periods of darkness can be recommended for welfare with little compromise in performance. Keywords: carcass quality, heat shock protein 70, oxidative stress, white strip

Exact Solutions of the Duffin Kemmer Petiau Equation for the Deformed Hulthen Potential

Using the Nikiforov Uvarov method, an application of the relativistic Duffin Kemmer Petiau equation in the presence of a deformed Hulthen potential is presented for spin zero particles. We derived the first order coupled differential radial equations which enable the energy eigenvalues as well as the full wavefunctions to be evaluated by using of the Nikiforov Uvarov method that can be written in terms of the hypergeometric polynomials.Comment: 8 pages. submitted to Physica Script

Special Functions Related to Dedekind Type DC-Sums and their Applications

In this paper we construct trigonometric functions of the sum T_{p}(h,k), which is called Dedekind type DC-(Dahee and Changhee) sums. We establish analytic properties of this sum. We find trigonometric representations of this sum. We prove reciprocity theorem of this sums. Furthermore, we obtain relations between the Clausen functions, Polylogarithm function, Hurwitz zeta function, generalized Lambert series (G-series), Hardy-Berndt sums and the sum T_{p}(h,k). We also give some applications related to these sums and functions

Topological insulator based locally resonant phononic crystals: Wave propagation and acoustic band gaps

ABSTRACT: In the present work the acoustic band structure of a two-dimensional phononic crystal (PC) containing an organic ferroelectric (PVDF- polyvinylidene fluoride) and topological insulator (Bi2Te3) were investigated by the plane-wave-expansion (PWE) method. Two-dimensional PC with square lattices composed of Bi2Te3 cylindrical rods embedded in the PVDF matrix are studied to find the existence of stop bands for the waves of certain energy. Phononic band diagram ω = ω(k) for a 2D PC along the Г-X-M-Г path in the square Brillouin zone show four stop bands in the frequency range 0.01–8.0 kHz. © 2016 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Creating quantitative scenario projections for the UK shared socioeconomic pathways

The Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) were developed as a framework for exploring alternative futures with challenges for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Whilst originally developed at the global scale, the SSPs have been increasingly interpreted at the national scale in order to inform national level climate change policy and impact assessments, including mitigation and adaptation actions. Here, we present a set of quantitative SSP scenario projections, based on narratives and semi-quantitative trends, for the UK (the UK-SSPs) for a wide range of sectors that are relevant to the UK climate research, policy and business communities. We show that a mixed-methods approach that combines computational modelling with an interpretation of stakeholder storylines and empirical data is an effective way of generating a comprehensive range of quantitative indicators across sectors and geographic areas in a specific national context. The global SSP assumptions of low challenges to climate adaptation lead to similar socioeconomic outcomes in UK-SSP1 and UK-SSP5, although based on very different dynamics and underlying drivers. Convergence was also identified in indicators related to more efficient natural resource use in the scenarios with low challenges to climate change mitigation (UK-SSP1 and UK-SSP4). Alternatively, societal inequality played a strong role in scenarios with high challenges to adaptation leading to convergence in indicator trends (UK-SSP3 and UK-SSP4)

Band gap and optical transmission in the Fibonacci type one-dimensional A5B6C7 based photonic crystals

In this work, we present an investigation of the optical properties and band structure calculations for the photonic crystal structures (PCs) based on one-dimensional (1D) photonic crystal. Here we use 1D A5B6C7(A:Sb; B:S,Se; C:I) based layers in air background. We have theoretically calculated photonic band structure and optical properties of A5B6C7(A:Sb; B:S,Se; C:I) based PCs. In our simulation, we employed the finite-difference time domain (FDTD) technique and the plane wave expansion method (PWE) which implies the solution of Maxwell equations with centered finite-difference expressions for the space and time derivatives. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Dynamic nonlinear optical processes in some oxygen-octahedra ferroelectrics: First principle calculations

The nonlinear optical properties and electro-optic effects of some oxygen-octahedra ferroelectrics are studied by the density functional theory (DFT) in the local density approximation (LDA) expressions based on first principle calculations without the scissor approximation. We present calculations of the frequency- dependent complex dielectric function and the second harmonic generation response coefficient over a large frequency range in tetragonal and rhombohedral phases. The electronic linear electro-optic susceptibility is also evaluated below the band gap. These results are based on a series of the LDA calculation using DFT. The results for are in agreement with the experiment below the band gap and those for are compared with the experimental data where available. © 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

A cost effectiveness analysis of salt reduction policies to reduce coronary heart disease in four Eastern Mediterranean countries.

BACKGROUND: Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is rising in middle income countries. Population based strategies to reduce specific CHD risk factors have an important role to play in reducing overall CHD mortality. Reducing dietary salt consumption is a potentially cost-effective way to reduce CHD events. This paper presents an economic evaluation of population based salt reduction policies in Tunisia, Syria, Palestine and Turkey. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Three policies to reduce dietary salt intake were evaluated: a health promotion campaign, labelling of food packaging and mandatory reformulation of salt content in processed food. These were evaluated separately and in combination. Estimates of the effectiveness of salt reduction on blood pressure were based on a literature review. The reduction in mortality was estimated using the IMPACT CHD model specific to that country. Cumulative population health effects were quantified as life years gained (LYG) over a 10 year time frame. The costs of each policy were estimated using evidence from comparable policies and expert opinion including public sector costs and costs to the food industry. Health care costs associated with CHDs were estimated using standardized unit costs. The total cost of implementing each policy was compared against the current baseline (no policy). All costs were calculated using 2010 PPP exchange rates. In all four countries most policies were cost saving compared with the baseline. The combination of all three policies (reducing salt consumption by 30%) resulted in estimated cost savings of $235,000,000 and 6455 LYG in Tunisia;$39,000,000 and 31674 LYG in Syria; $6,000,000 and 2682 LYG in Palestine and$1,3000,000,000 and 378439 LYG in Turkey. CONCLUSION: Decreasing dietary salt intake will reduce coronary heart disease deaths in the four countries. A comprehensive strategy of health education and food industry actions to label and reduce salt content would save both money and lives

Any l-state improved quasi-exact analytical solutions of the spatially dependent mass Klein-Gordon equation for the scalar and vector Hulthen potentials

We present a new approximation scheme for the centrifugal term to obtain a quasi-exact analytical bound state solutions within the framework of the position-dependent effective mass radial Klein-Gordon equation with the scalar and vector Hulth\'{e}n potentials in any arbitrary $D$ dimension and orbital angular momentum quantum numbers $l.$ The Nikiforov-Uvarov (NU) method is used in the calculations. The relativistic real energy levels and corresponding eigenfunctions for the bound states with different screening parameters have been given in a closed form. It is found that the solutions in the case of constant mass and in the case of s-wave ($l=0$) are identical with the ones obtained in literature.Comment: 25 pages, 1 figur