Hydrothermal Carbonization of Biomass: Major Organic Components of the Aqueous Phase

Process waters obtained from hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of wheat straw, a biogas digestate derived thereof, and four woody biomass feedstocks were quantified regarding the total organic carbon (TOC) and selected organic compounds. HTC runs revealed that TOC loads were largely unaffected by process severity or type of feedstock whereas the C₂–C₆ fatty acids, determined by GC, displayed clear effects of temperature and feedstock. HPLC demonstrated simultaneously the initial increase and subsequent consumption of cellulose‐derived furfural and 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural as well as the increase of the lignin‐derived 2‐methoxyphenol. 2‐Methylbenzofuran, an example for a substance potentially harmful to aquatic biota, was observed in high concentration in the HTC liquor from wheat straw‐based feedstocks.     

Reframing Pinterest: Information Literacy for Interior Design Students

This article discusses providing information literacy to interior design students, specifically how over a few years, and several assignment iterations, we moved from a more traditional one-shot library instruction session to a creative Association of College and Research Libraries Framework-inspired assignment using Pinterest as the medium for the students' professionally relevant research project. The outcome of our instruction relied on flexible assignment planning, collaboration as faculty and librarians changed roles, and a focus on information literacy skills needed by professional designers.     

Using conscious reflection,group processes,and AI to facilitate development of expertise

Three experiments investigated procedures derived from research on knowledge acquisition, group processes, and artificial intelligence for facilitating the development of expertise. In each experimental session, subjects learned to control a simulated sugar production factory. Then they formulated written policies for controlling sugar production either alone as individuals or in small groups. An adaptive AI system provided feedback on policy quality. The research also investigated the use of forced reflective practice in which learners attempted to predict what their policy would do while performing the task. The AI system provided feedback about what their policy would have done in each situation and the outcome based on their policy's response or their suggested alternative response. Results indicated that group interaction and feedback from the AI system improved policy quality. However, only when all three procedures were employed, group interaction, AI feedback, and forced reflective practice, was the development of individual expertise on the task enhanced.     

Breeding goal traits accounting for feed intake capacity and roughage or concentrate intake separately

Current breeding tools aiming to improve feed efficiency use definitions based on total dry matter intake (DMI); for example, residual feed intake or feed saved. This research aimed to define alternative traits using existing data that differentiate between feed intake capacity and roughage or concentrate intake, and to investigate the phenotypic and genetic relationships among these traits. The data set contained 39,017 weekly milk yield, live weight, and DMI records of 3,164 cows. The 4 defined traits were as follows: (1) Feed intake capacity (FIC), defined as the difference between how much a cow ate and how much she was expected to eat based on diet satiety value and status of the cow (parity and lactation stage); (2) feed saved (FS), defined as the difference between the measured and the predicted DMI, based on the regression of DMI on milk components within experiment; (3) residual roughage intake (RRI), defined as the difference between the measured and the predicted roughage intake, based on the regression of roughage intake on milk components and concentrate intake within experiment; and (4) residual concentrate intake (RCI), defined as the difference between the measured and the predicted concentrate intake, based on the regression of concentrate intake on milk components and roughage intake within experiment. The phenotypic correlations were ?0.72 between FIC and FS, ?0.84 between FS and RRI, and ?0.53 between FS and RCI. Heritability of FIC, FS, RRI, and RCI were estimated to be 0.21, 0.12, 0.15, and 0.03, respectively. The genetic correlations were ?0.81 between FS and FIC, ?0.96 between FS and RRI, and ?0.25 between FS and RCI. Concentrate intake and RCI had low heritability. Genetic correlation between DMI and FIC was 0.98. Although the defined traits had moderate phenotypic correlations, the genetic correlations between DMI, FS, FIC, and RRI were above 0.79 (in absolute terms), suggesting that these traits are genetically similar. Therefore, selecting for FIC is expected to simply increase DMI and RRI, and there seems to be little advantage in separating concentrate and roughage intake in the genetic evaluation, because measured concentrate intake was determined by the feeding system in our data and not by the genetics of the cow.     

Differences in seasonal distribution of wild and stocked juvenile lake trout by depth and temperature in Lake Champlain

Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) reared in hatcheries are exposed to an environment and feeding regime that is different from wild lake trout, and are stocked at substantially larger sizes with higher lipid reserves. In addition to differences in diet and growth, this early experience may alter habitat use compared to the wild cohort. We used seasonal data on the depth and temperature distribution of wild and stocked juvenile lake trout to test for differences in habitat use and inform sampling strategies to evaluate annual recruitment. Bottom trawling was conducted from 2015 to 2019 in the central basin of Lake Champlain every two to four weeks during the ice-free season. Differences in distribution of wild and stocked lake trout were most pronounced during thermal stratification, when wild juveniles were more abundant than stocked juveniles at shallower depths and warmer temperatures and stocked juveniles were more abundant at deeper depths and colder temperatures. Temperature preferences may be a consequence of different early rearing environments; wild lake trout are acclimated to lake temperatures and forage, whereas stocked fish entered the lake with high lipid content and little foraging experience. Unbiased assessment of the proportion of wild lake trout and growth and survival of the entire juvenile lake trout population using bottom trawl sampling should either take place in the pre- and post-stratification seasons when wild and stocked fish are at the same depths, or include the full range of depths and temperatures that wild and stocked fish occupy during the stratified period.     

Blood parameters of young calves at abattoirs are related to distance transported and farm of origin

Nonreplacement dairy calves, or bobby calves, are fasted and transported to abattoirs from as young as 5 d of age in Australia. The aims of this cross-sectional observational study were (1) to assess the welfare status, as measured by blood parameters, of bobby calves in the commercial supply chain after transport and lairage, and (2) to assess whether distance and duration of transport are risk factors for poor bobby calf welfare, as measured by blood parameters. We hypothesized that bobby calves transported greater distances would be more likely to show evidence of compromised welfare, as measured by blood indicators of hydration, energy status, and muscle fatigue or damage. We also hypothesized that there would be a large amount of variability in indicators of energy status between calves from different farms. We analyzed blood samples collected at slaughter over a spring and an autumn calving period from 4,484 Australian bobby calves aged approximately 5 to 14 d old from 3 different states, after transport, fasting, and lairage. Packed cell volume (PCV), plasma glucose, and serum urea, total protein, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), and creatine kinase (CK) were measured. Radio frequency identification ear tag data were used to estimate the distance that the calves were transported and to identify the farm of origin. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models, except for BHB, which was analyzed using a Goodman-Kruskal gamma test due to left censoring of the data. Twelve percent of calves showed evidence of anemia (PCV less than 0.23 L/L), and 11% had urea concentrations consistent with dehydration (urea more than 7.7 mmol/L). Thirty-six percent of calves had CK activity above normal resting values, and 1% of calves had CK >2,000 U/L, indicating muscle fatigue or damage. Distance transported had significant effects on all blood variables except urea and BHB. With increasing distance transported, calves were more likely to show evidence of a negative energy balance (low plasma glucose) or dehydration (high PCV or total protein). The estimated effect of distance overall was small, but for calves transported more than 500 km, plasma glucose concentration declined more per kilometer. The calves' farm of origin accounted for a reasonable amount of the random variation between calves for plasma glucose (20%). Our results suggest that longer transport distances may increase the risk of poor calf welfare (dehydration, negative energy balance) after transport, and on-farm calf management (e.g., nutrition, timing of feeding before transport) may affect transported calves' energy status; improving this area could result in better energy availability during fasting.     

Influence of Temperature on the Dynamic Tensile Behavior of Zirconium

The influence of temperature on the dynamic tensile behavior of Zr has been investigated. Bullet-shaped Zr samples with two different textures were dynamically extruded at room temperature and 523 K (250 °C). A higher ductility was measured for samples deformed at elevated temperature as compared to those extruded at room temperature. This difference in ductility is discussed in terms of zirconium’s ability to accommodate plastic deformation via thermally enhanced slip activity, as evidenced by examination of the deformed microstructures.