The effect of dietary forage to concentrate ratio and forage type on milk fatty acid composition and milk fat globule size of lactating cows

We examined the effects of 2 grass silage-based diets differing in forage:concentrate (FC) ratio and those of a red clover silage-based diet on intake, milk production, ruminal fatty acid (FA) biohydrogenation, milk FA composition, and milk fat globule (MFG) size distribution. Ten multiparous Nordic Red cows received the following treatments: grass silage-based diets containing high (70:30, HG) or low (30:70, LG) FC ratio or a red clover silage-based diet with an FC ratio of 50:50 (RC) on a dry matter basis. Determinations of MFG were performed from fresh milk samples without addition of EDTA so the results of fat globules >1 µm in diameter are emphasized instead of the entire globule population. Lower FC ratio in grass silage-based diets increased milk production with no effect on daily fat yield, leading to 13% lower milk fat concentration. The effect of FC ratio on MFG size was moderate. It did not affect the volume-weighted diameter in grass silage-based diets, although LG lowered the volume-surface diameter of MFG in the size class >1 µm compared with HG. Compared with HG, feeding LG moderately decreased the biohydrogenation of 18:2n-6, leading to a higher level of polyunsaturated fatty acids in milk fat. Feeding RC lowered milk fat concentration and daily milk fat yield compared with grass silage-based diets. The volume-weighted diameter of MFG in the size class >1 µm was smaller in RC milk compared with grass silage-based diets. Feeding RC increased the flow of 18:3n-3 at the omasum by 2.4-fold and decreased the apparent ruminal 18:3n-3 biohydrogenation compared with grass silage-based diets despite similar intake of 18:3n-3. It also resulted in the lowest amount of saturated FA and the highest amounts of cis-9 18:1, 18:3n-3, and polyunsaturated FA in milk. In conclusion, LG decreased milk fat content and induced minor changes in MFG size distribution compared with HG, whereas RC lowered milk fat production, altered milk FA composition to nutritionally more beneficial direction, and led to smaller MFG compared with grass silage-based diets.     

Chemical analysis and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effect of anthocyanin-rich red leaf tea (cv. Sunrouge)

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of leaf order or crop season on anthocyanins and other chemicals in the anthocyanin‐rich tea cultivar ‘Sunrouge’ (Camellia sinensis x C. taliensis) by using high‐performance liquid chromatography, and to study the effect of ‘Sunrouge’ extract on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in human neuroblastoma SK‐N‐SH cells. RESULTS: The total anthocyanin content was higher in the third (3.09 mg g^?1) than in the second (2.24 mg g^?1) or first crop season (1.79 mg g^?1). The amount of anthocyanins contained in the stem was high (1.61 mg g^?1). In the third crop season, the concentrations of delphinidin‐3‐O‐β‐D ‐(6‐(E)‐p‐coumaroyl)galactopyranoside (DCGa), cyanidin‐3‐O‐β‐D ‐(6‐(E)‐p‐coumaroyl)galactopyranoside, delphinidin‐3‐O‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside, delphinidin‐3‐O‐β‐D ‐(6‐O‐(Z)‐p‐coumaroyl)galactopyranoside, cyanidin‐3‐O‐β‐D ‐galactoside, and delphinidin‐3‐O‐β‐D ‐glucoside were 1.57 mg g^?1, 0.52 mg g^?1, 0.40 mg g^?1, 0.22 mg g^?1, 0.14 mg g^?1, and 0.11 mg g^?1, respectively. DCGa accounted for about 50% of the anthocyanins present. The suppressive effect of ‘Sunrouge’ water extract on AChE activity in human neuroblastoma SK‐N‐SH cells was the strongest among the three tea cultivars (‘Sunrouge’, ‘Yabukita’ and ‘Benifuuki’). CONCLUSION: These results suggested that ‘Sunrouge’ might protect humans from humans from AChE‐related diseases by suppressing AChE activity. To obtain sufficient amounts of anthocyanins, catechins and/or caffeine for a functional food material, ‘Sunrouge’ from the third crop season should be used. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of heating process on the formation of nanoparticles of elastin model polypeptide, (GVGVP)251, by gamma-ray crosslinking

Nanoparticles were prepared by the thermosensitive aggregation of the elastin model polypeptide, (GVGVP)₂₅₁, and gamma-ray crosslinking. Three different heating processes, “slow heating,” “fast heating,” and “heat shock,” were used for the aggregation of the peptide, followed by gamma-ray crosslinking. Only the “heat shock” process successfully yielded stable nanoparticles with diameters of less than ca. 150 nm and a narrow size distribution. Circular dichroism (CD) spectrometry showed that this polypeptide formed a type-II β-turn structure when the temperature was increased to above the cloudy point in the case of the “heat shock” process; suggesting that this structure might contribute to stable nanoparticle formation by gamma-rays. CD spectrometry also suggested that this structure would be affected during the formation of stable crosslinked particles.     

Control of grain size and -orientation in multi-crystalline silicon ingots

Two different cooling rates have been imposed during the early solidification of two multi-crystalline silicon ingots with 250mm diameter and 100mm height in a pilot scale directional solidification furnace. This has been done by opening a variable heat leak system below the crucible in order to achieve a high initial cooling rate in one of the ingots. The grain-structure and -orientation of these two ingots have been investigated by light microscopy (LM) and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), and their electrical properties by quasi-steady state photo-conductance (QSSPC) and surface photovoltage (SPV) method. The ingot with the high initial cooling rate shows predominantly grains which are significantly larger than what is usually found in mc-Si. The minority carrier diffusion lengths measured on the large grains in the ingot with high cooling rate show higher values than those measured on the ingot with smaller grains. These results indicate that principles of grain size and -orientation control in mc-Si ingots can be applied to a pilot scale furnace, and the potential for up-scaling to industrial ingots with improved electrical properties and, thus, higher solar cell conversion efficiency.     

Role of microbes in controlling the speciation of arsenic and production of arsines in contaminated soils

The influence of microbes on the speciation of arsenic and production of arsines in contaminated soils was investigated under laboratory conditions. Microbes were able to carry out reactions that resulted in changes in the speciation of arsenic in soil. The transformation of soil dominating species, arsenate [As(V)], under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions to arsenite [As(III)], monomethylarsonic acid [MMAA], dimethylarsinic acid [DMAA] and to volatile trimethylarsine [TMA] was, however, less than 0.5%, of which the production of TMA represented 0.02-0.3%. The volatilization process was also verified in the field, in the soil of a dumping area. The 'life-time' of arsines in air was, however, short and they were rapidly converted back to water soluble species, As(V) and trimethyl arsine oxide (TMAO).     

Coupled model for the nonlinear analysis of sections made of anisotropic materials, subjected to general 3D loading. Part 2: Implementation and validation

A numerical model for the coupled analysis of cross-sections made of anisotropic materials under general combined loading was formulated in an accompanying paper (1). In this paper, additional aspects concerning its implementation and the scheme for nonlinear analysis are discussed. The model is validated by analyzing several isotropic and anisotropic elastic problems; excellent accuracy was obtained compared to closed-form solutions. Further, the case of a RC section presenting crack-induced anisotropy is investigated. The capability of the model to capture interactions between tangent and normal forces is proved. The conclusion drawn is that the developed model is a suitable sectional constitutive equation for 3D beam elements for realistic structural analysis.     

Process of extrusion in the unit of special design

Extrusion of paste materials is a means of processing powder materials to a granulated form. A powder material is mixed with a liquid and transformed to the form of paste. The paste has to have the appropriate flow properties to be able to be extruded. This is very important especially in the area of reduction between the barrel and die. There is the place where the paste has to deform itself and to flow into the holes of die that have a smaller cross section than is in the barrel. It is the zone where the rheology properties of paste and its speed have the biggest influence on the extrusion pressure. It can even happen that the paste can be dewatered under the pressure gradient in this place. If the rotor with blades is situated in this zone it has a positive influence on the process of extrusion. This element has an influence on the rate of shear strain and decreasing of the apparent viscosity with a following drop in the extrusion pressure. This paper describes research of the process of extrusion in equipment with separated drives of the screw and a rotor that is placed in the input zone in the hole of matrix. First influence of the operating speeds of screw and rotor on extrusion pressure is studied here, then it is compared with the torque that is needed for the drive of the rotor. According to the results it is evident that the extrusion pressure increases with the accrual of the speed of flowing paste and decreases with the increase of the rotors operating speed. The influence of flowing paste on the torque is complicated. There is an interval where the torque goes up and then an interval in which the torque decreases. The results of experiments confirmed that the rotor has a positive influence on the process of extrusion.We would like to thank the Grant Agency of the Slovak Republic for supporting our research work performed in the frame of Grant Project No.1/8092/01.     

Polyalkylphosphazenes as solid proton conducting electrolytes

Several polydialkylphosphazenes, [P(RR) = N] _n , R and R = Me, Et, Pr; Bu, hexyl, were considered for the fabrication of solid proton conducting electrolytes due to their capacity to be protonated at the chain N atom. Protonated polydipropylphosphazene (PDPrP·nH⁺) was found the most suitable to this purpose. The solid state proton conducting properties and structural stability of PDPrP·nH⁺at 1H₃PO₄/N mole ratio in composite materials with polyphenylensulfide (Ryton® were studied by conductivity measurements in the 29–79°C temperature (T) and 0–33% relative humidity (RH) ranges, and by thermal analysis and NMR spectroscopy. The conductivity was found to increase upon increasing T and RH. Conductivity at 33% RH was in the same range of values reported for other polymers containing sulphonic or phosphonic acid groups. Conductivity in the dry state was in the range of values reported for polymers containing imidazole rings. NMR and conductivity data showed that upon aging in the above experimental conditions the polymer undergoes structural changes and exhibits higher conductivity.     

Design of bandstop filters by reactance transformation

The usual method for designing bandstop filters is the reactance transformation from a lowpass prototype. When the filter specifications do not satisfy geometrical symmetry, the choice of stopband central frequency constitutes an interesting problem. This letter shows that the mean square of the stopband edges is the stopband central frequency that leads to the lowest selectivity parameter of the prototype.     

Three-component competitive adsorption model for flow-through PAC systems. 1. Model development and verification with a PAC/membrane system

Natural organic matter (NOM) interferes with the adsorption of trace organic compounds on porous adsorbents such as powdered activated carbon (PAC) by pore blockage and direct competition for adsorption sites. The competitive effect of NOM in flow-through systems in which the retention time of the PAC is greater than the hydraulic retention time of the system can be magnified because NOM from the influent water can continue to adsorb on the PAC retained in the system. As a result, the adsorption capacity and the diffusion coefficient of trace compounds can decrease as NOM from the influent water accumulates. In this study, a dynamic three-component adsorption model was developed to quantitatively describe the removal of a trace compound from water in flow-through PAC processes. The system was simplified by using p-dichlorobenzene (p-DCB) to represent the NOM fraction that competes directly with the target trace organic atrazine for adsorption sites and by using poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS-1.8k) to represent large, pore-blocking NOM. The model was based on the homogeneous surface diffusion assumption with the adsorption capacity of atrazine being gradually adjusted using a simplified version of the ideal adsorbed solution theory model developed in this study. The surface diffusion coefficients of atrazine and p-DCB were modeled as a function of the surface concentration of the pore-blocking compound, PSS-1.8k. The model was verified experimentally with a PAC/microfiltration (MF) system. The use of single-solute adsorption parameters obtained from batch isotherm and kinetic tests resulted in good model predictions for the adsorption of atrazine and the two model compounds under operating conditions typical of PAC/MF systems. The model will be applied to study various operating conditions and other system parameters of PAC/membrane systems in part 2 of this study.