Interaction of protein percent with caloric density and protein source for lactating cows

Experiment 1 was to test effect of three ratios of energy to protein in complete mixed diets for 36 lactating cows in three, 28-d periods. Energy was varied with cottonseed hulls, pelleted ground corrugated boxes, and a mixture of the two. Crude protein was varied with soybean meal to give energy:crude protein of 5.7, 5.0, and 4.6 for each energy amount. Cottonseed meal was compared with soybean meal in corrugated box diets. Feed intake was much higher with cottonseed hulls, and appreciable feedlot bloat resulted from pelleted ground corrugated box diets. Data adjusted to equal feed intake showed significant effect of energy to crude protein ratio on milk yield and improved digestion of organic matter with soybean meal vs. cottonseed meal. Experiment 2 tested the hypothesis that lactating cows consuming high-protein alfalfa may benefit from supplemental protein. Diets were 50% forage. Six diets were 14 or 18% crude protein in three ratios of alfalfa hay to corn silage (0:100, 50:50, 100:0). Additional corn silage diets were to compare: 14 versus 18% protein from distiller's dried grains with solubles only and with .5 or .9% urea (four diets); two 14% protein diets compared .6% added potassium chloride with or without .5% urea. Thirty-six Holstein cows in early lactation received one of the 12 diets in each of three 28-d periods. Distiller's grains with solubles markedly depressed milk yield (2.2 kg/d) and milk protein (.22%); heat damage of distiller's grains was evident. Protein interacted with alfalfa so gain in milk from 18 versus 14% increased from .55 to 1.36 to 2.66 kg/d as alfalfa changed from 0 to 50 to 100%. Thus, crude protein of alfalfa was not as effective as that from soybean meal in supporting milk yield.     

Optimization of metal-based multilayers for transparent heat mirrors

Multilayer calculations by conventional matrix methods for dielectricum/noble metal/dielectricum systems on glass have been performed. The aim has been to maximize the integrated parameters for solar transmission, T_sol, and transmission of visible light, T_eye We have found that Ag is superior for maximizing the transmittance over the narrow visible wavelength range owing to the low internal absorptance. When solar energy transmission is considered multilayers based on Au are the best choice for metal film thicknesses above 15 nm. For thinner films, Ag is still to be preferred.     

Purification and Properties of β-Glucuronidase from the Muscle of Bombay Duck (Harpodon Nehereus)

Bombay duck muscle β-glucuronidase purified 4200-fold had molecular weight of 160,000 as estimated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. The glycoprotein enzyme exhibited dimeric structure on SDS-PAGE and had a pI of 5.0. The enzyme was optimally active at pH 5.2 when phenolphthalein β-D-glucuronide was used as the substrate while with p-nitrophenyl glucuronide the pH optimum was 4.6. Saccharo-1,4-lactone was a potent competitive inhibitor of the enzyme. Heavy metalic ions such as Hg²⁺, Cd²⁺ and Ag⁺ also proved to be inhibitory to the enzyme. Radiation inactivation of the enzyme could be protected in the presence of mercaptoethanol. Sodium chloride activated the enzyme while sodium tripolyphosphate inhibited it.     

The amylose and lipid contents,dimensions, and gelatinisation characteristics of some wheat starches and their A- and B-granule fractions

Starches isolated from 23 bread wheats (Triticum aestivum) and 26 durum wheats (T. durum) contained 26.3-30.6% (mean 29.1%) total amylose, 19.3–25.1% (mean 22.9%) apparent amylose and 783–1144mg 100g^?1 (mean 977 mg 100g^?1) lysophos-pholipids. Gelatinisation temperatures were 57.3–64.9°C (mean 61.8°C) and enthalpies 6.4–11.8 Jg^?1 (mean 9.7Jg^?1) in excess water, measured by differential scanning calorimetry. There were no correlations between any of these parameters. Starch granule size distributions were determined with a Coulter Counter and 100–channel analyser. A-granule mean volumes were 1235–2585μm³ (av. 1778), modal volumes 863–1804μm³ (av. 1264), mean diameters 13.9–16.0μm (av. 13.99), and specific surface areas 0.236–0.302m²g^?1. B-granule mean volumes were 35.4–100.4μm³ (av. 55.9), modal volumes 16.5–54.5μm³ (av. 27.7), mean diameters 3.66–5.07μm (av. 4.09), and specific surface areas 0.684–0.920m²g^?1. The B-granule contents of the starches were 12.8–34.6% (av. 27.3) by weight (sedimentation method) and 13.0–37.3% (av. 24.0) by volume (Coulter method), the latter being the more accurate method.     

Fluorescence Anisotropy of Cellular NADH as a Tool to Study Different Metabolic Properties of Human Melanocytes and Melanoma Cells

In this study, we wanted to see if fluorescence anisotropy could be used to detect changes in metabolism in cells with significant light scattering and absorption properties. Fluorescence anisotropy measurements of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) were performed with human melanocytes and melanoma cell lines. To demonstrate the feasibility of using fluorescence anisotropy for detecting metabolic changes, the electron transport chain was blocked using rotenone, inducing an accumulation of intracellular NADH. Total fluorescence increased in all cells as a result of rotenone treatment. Fluorescence anisotropy decreased in the rotenone-treated cells relative to the controls, suggesting an increased ratio of free to protein-bound NADH in the treated cells. In general, the fluorescence anisotropy of the melanocytes was significantly higher than that of the melanoma cell lines. Reflectance spectroscopy showed that the differences in fluorescence anisotropy between the cell types were not due to differences in scattering and absorption properties. Intrinsic cellular NADH fluorescence was experimentally extracted by ratioing polarized fluorescence to polarized reflectance. NADH binding, measured as the ratio of fluorescence intensity at 430 and 465 nm, showed more protein-bound NADH in the melanocytes than in the melanoma cells, consistent with the fluorescence anisotropy measurements.     

The forward muon detector of the DELPHI experiment at LEP

The layout and construction of the muon drift chambers equipping the end caps of the DELPHI detector are described. The performance of this forward muon detection system, determined from cosmic ray tests and data collected during the first year of LEP operation, is presented.