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PURPOSE: Infection with COVID-19 during pregnancy has been associated with a hypercoagulable state. It is unknown if maternal COVID-19 infection results in congenital anomalies secondary to intrauterine vascular accidents. This study sought to determine if the rate of in-utero vascular complications (intestinal atresia and limb abnormalities) that may be attributable to the hypercoagulable states associated with COVID-19 and pregnancy increased after the onset of the pandemic. METHODS: Pregnancy, neonatal, and congenital defect data from a single academic medical center and the partner's children's hospital were collected and compared to the period prior to onset of the pandemic. A subanalysis including pregnant woman 18 years or greater with documented COVID-19 infection during gestation between March 2020-2021 was performed. RESULTS: Rates of intestinal atresia did not differ prior to or after the onset of the pandemic (3.78% vs 7.23%, p = 0.21) nor did rates of limb deficiency disorders (4.41% vs 9.65%, p = 0.09). On subanalysis, there were 194 women with COVID-19 infection included in analysis: 135 (69.6%) were positive during delivery admission and 59 (30.4%) were positive earlier in their pregnancy. There was one infant born with intestinal atresia. CONCLUSION: We report a low incidence of congenital anomalies in infants born to mothers with COVID-19 infection. It remains unclear if the impact of COVID-19 on the coagulative state augments the normal pro-thrombotic state of pregnancy; ongoing surveillance is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is absence knowledge about the effects of lactation trimester and parity on eating behavior, production and efficiency of dairy cows. Objective of this study was to identify and characterize in 340 dairy cows, the 20% high efficient (HE), 20% low efficient (LE) and 60% mid efficient (ME) cows according to their individual residual feed intake (RFI) values, within and between lactation trimesters and between 1st and 2nd parities. Efficiency effect within each lactation trimester, was exhibited in daily dry matter intake (DMI), eating rate and meal size, that were the highest in LE cows, moderate in the ME cows and lowest in the HE group. Daily eating time, meal frequency, yields of milk and energy-corrected milk (ECM) and BW were similar in the three efficiency groups within each trimester. The lower efficiency of the LE cows in each trimester attributes to their larger metabolic energy intake, heat production and energy losses. In subgroup of 52 multiparous cows examined along their 1st and 2nd trimesters, milk and ECM production, DMI, eating behavior and efficiency traits were similar with high Pearson's correlation (r =0.78 to 0.89) between trimesters. In another subgroup of 42 multiparous cows measured at their 2nd and 3rd trimesters, milk and ECM yield, DMI and eating time were reduced (P <0.01) at the 3rd trimester, but eating rate, meal frequency and meal size remained similar with high Pearson's correlation (r =0.74 to 0.88) between trimesters. In subgroup of 26 cows measured in 1st and 2nd parities, DMI, BW, milk and ECM yield, and ECM/DMI increased in the 2nd lactation, but eating behavior and RFI traits were similar in both parities. These findings encourage accurate prediction of DMI based on a model that includes eating behavior parameters, together with individual measurement of ECM production. This can be further used to identify HE cows in commercial herd, a step necessary for potential genetic selection program aimed to improve herd efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a study which detailed an analysis of the majority carrier diffusion coefficients behavior in degenerately doped silicon. Factor associated with the carrier diffusion coefficient in silicon; Function of the total doping concentration in silicon; Step taken to estimate the variation of majority-carrier diffusion coefficients with the doping level.

This study investigated the possible mechanisms for explaining interanimal variation in efficiency of feed utilization in intact male Holstein calves. Additionally, we examined whether the feed efficiency (FE) ranking of calves (n = 26) changed due to age and/or diet quality. Calves were evaluated during three periods (P1, P2, and P3) while fed a high-quality diet (calculated mobilizable energy [ME] of 11.8 MJ/kg DM) during P1 and P3, and a low-quality diet (calculated ME of 7.7 MJ/kg DM) during P2. The study periods were 84, 119, and 127 d, respectively. Initial ages of the calves in P1, P2, and P3 were 7, 11, and 15 mo, respectively, and initial body weight (BW) were 245, 367, and 458 kg, respectively. Individual dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), diet digestibility, and heat production (HP) were measured in all periods. The measured FE indexes were: residual feed intake (RFI), the gain-to-feed ratio (G:F), residual gain (RG), residual gain and intake (RIG), the ratio of HP-to-ME intake (HP/ MEI), and residual heat production (RHP). For statistical analysis, animals' performance data in each period, were ranked by RFI, and categorized into high-, medium-, and low-RFI groups (H- RFI, M-RFI, and L-RFI). RFI was not correlated with in vivo digestibility, age, BW, BCS, or ADG in all three periods. The L-RFI group had lowest DMI, MEI, HP, retained energy (RE), and RE/ ADG. Chemical analysis of the longissimus dorsi muscle shows that the L-RFI group had a higher percentage of protein and a lower percentage of fat compared to the H-RFI group. We suggested that the main mechanism separating L- from H-RFI calves is the protein-to-fat ratio in the deposited tissues. When efficiency was related to kg/day (DMI and ADG) and not to daily retained energy, the selected efficient L-RFI calves deposited more protein and less fat per daily gain than less efficient H-RFI calves. However, when the significant greater heat increment and maintenance energy requirement of protein compared to fat deposition in tissue were considered, we could not exclude the hypothesis that variation in efficiency is partly explained by efficient energy utilization. The ranking classification of calves to groups according to their RFI efficiency was independent of diet quality and age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate in lactating cows the effect of either chopping or ensiling of wheat roughage on: intake, digestibility, lactation performance and animal behavior. Three groups of 14 lactating cows each, were fed total mixed rations (TMRs) based on either long wheat hay (HL), short wheat hay (HS) or wheat silage (SI), as the sole roughage source (30% of TMR dry matter (DM)). Parameters examined: sorting behavior, DM intake, milk yield and composition, rumination, recumbence, average daily rumen pH, digesta passage rate, and in-vivo digestibility. Performance data was summarized by day and analyzed using a proc-mixed model. The content of physically effective neutral detergent fiber (peNDF) was similar in the HL and SI and lower in the HS, resulting in similar differences among the three corresponding TMRs. In vitro DM digestibility of wheat silage was higher than that of the two hays (65.6% v. 62.8%) resulting in higher in vitro DM digestibility of the SI-TMR compared with the hay-based TMRs (79.3 v. 77.0%). HS-TMR was better than HL- or SI-TMRs at preventing feed sorting by cows after 12 or 24 h eating of the diets. Cows fed HS-TMR consumed more DM and NDF but less peNDF than the other two groups. Average daily rumen pH was similar in the three groups, but daily rumination time was highest in the cows fed HS-TMR. Rumen retention time was longest in cows fed HL-TMR. DM digestibility in cows fed SI-TMR was higher than that of HS and HL groups (65.2%, 61.8% and 62.4%, respectively), but NDF digestibility was similar in the three treatments. The highest intake of digestible DM was observed in cows fed SI-TMR, HS cows were intermediate and HL cows were the lowest. Consequently, cows fed SI-TMR had higher yields of milk, 4% fat corrected milk and energy-corrected milk (47.1, 42.9 and 43.2 kg/day, respectively) than cows fed HS-TMR (45.7, 41.0 and 41.0 kg/day, respectively) or HL-TMR (44.1, 40.3 and 40.3 kg/day, respectively). Net energy production (NEL+M+gain) per kg DM intake was highest in the SI-TMR, lowest in the HS-TMR and intermediate in the HL-TMR (1.52, 1.40 and 1.45, respectively). Animal welfare, as expressed in daily recumbence time and BW gain was similar in the SI and HS groups and higher than the HL cows. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Moringa oleifera is a rich source of antioxidants and a promising feed for livestock, due to significant amounts of protein, vitamins, carotenoids and polyphenols, and negligible amounts of anti-nutritional factors. The current study tested whether ensiling would preserve the antioxidant capacity of M. oleifera plants, and assessed whether Moringa silage, fed as a substitute for maize silage, would confer health-promoting traits and affect milk production in dairy cows. To this end, hand-harvested M. oleifera plants were ensiled, with or without molasses and inoculants, in anaerobic jars at room temperature (25 °C) for 37 days. At the end of the storage period the silages were analysed for pH, lactic acid and acetic acid concentrations, aerobic stability, antioxidant capacity, polyphenols and protein content, and tocopherols and carotenoids concentrations. Moringa silages exhibited higher antioxidant capacity compared with fresh and dried Moringa plants, not related to polyphenol content but presumably attributed to accumulation of amino acids and low molecular weight peptides. Based on these findings, a large-scale ensiling protocol was implemented, followed by a feeding trial for dairy cows, in which Moringa silage replaced 263 g maize silage/kg in the diet. Cows fed Moringa silage had higher milk yield and antioxidant capacity and lower milk somatic cell counts compared with controls, during some stages of lactation. These findings imply that ensiling M. oleifera is an appropriate practice by which health and production of dairy cows can be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study examined the effects on intake, diurnal rumen pH changes, rumination and digestibility of feeding ruminally cannulated non-lactating cows in a Latin square design (four cows×four periods) with four total mixed rations (TMRs) typical for lactating cows. TMRs were based on: long wheat hay or short wheat hay, wheat silage or wheat silage+1.5% NaHCO3 buffer, as the sole roughage source (30% of TMR dry matter (DM)). The level of physically effective NDF remaining above the 8 mm screen (peNDF) was similar in the long hay and silage-based TMRs (9.45% to 9.64% of DM) and lower in the short hay TMR (7.47% of DM). The four TMRs were offered individually at 95% of ad libitum intake to avoid orts within 24 h. Cows fed long hay consumed less DM than the short hay and silage groups (9.6 v. 10.5 and 10.8 kg/day, respectively) and sorted against large hay particles at 12 h post-feeding. Under the limitations of this study (non-lactating cows fed at restricted intake) short hay TMR prevented sorting within 12 h post-feeding, encouraged rumination per kg peNDF ingested, and had higher average rumen pH (6.24), whereas preventing sub acute ruminal acidosis (SARA, defined as pH<5.8 for at least 5 h/day). In contrast, the long hay and silage-based groups were under SARA. In vitro methane production of rumen fluid was higher in the hay-fed cows than in their silage-fed counterparts, and in all treatments lower at 1 h pre-feeding than at 6 h post-feeding. In vivo DM and NDF digestibility were similar for the short hay and silage TMRs, and higher than those of the long hay TMR. Under the conditions of this study, addition of 1.5% buffer to the wheat silage TMR had no effect on intake, rumen pH, creation of SARA and digestibility. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Discusses a study which analyzed the effective intrinsic concentration dependence on impurity concentration in degenerately doped silicon. Role of the intrinsic carrier density in silicon; Operation of silicon bipolar devices; Capability of the Fermi-Dirac statistics related to the semiconductor degeneracy.

Low-cost feeding-behavior sensors will soon be available for commercial use in dairy farms. The aim of this study was to develop a feed intake model for the individual dairy cow that includes feeding behavior. In a research farm, the individual cows' voluntary feed intake and feeding behavior were monitored at every meal. A feed intake model was developed based on data that exist in commercial modern farms: 'BW,' 'milk yield' and 'days in milking' parameters were applied in this study. At the individual cow level, eating velocity seemed to be correlated with feed intake (R² = 0.93 to 0.94). The eating velocity coefficient varied among individuals, ranging from 150 to 230 g/min per cow. The contribution of feeding behavior (0.28) to the dry matter intake (DMI) model was higher than the contribution of BW (0.20), similar to the contribution of fat-corrected milk (FCM)/BW (0.29) and not as large as the contribution of FCM (0.49). Incorporating feeding behavior into the DMI model improved its accuracy by 1.3 (38%) kg/cow per day. The model is ready to be implemented in commercial farms as soon as companies introduce low-cost feeding-behavior sensors on commercial level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The enteric microbiome is known to play a major role in healthy gut homeostasis and several disease states. It may also contribute to both the intestinal recovery and complications that occur in patients with short bowel syndrome. The extent and nature of alterations to the gut microbiota following intestinal resection, however, are not well studied in a controlled setting. The purpose of this investigation is to characterize the effects of massive small bowel resection on the murine enteric microflora. Methods: Wild-type C57BL6 mice, following a week of acclamation to a liquid rodent diet, underwent either 50 % proximal small bowel resection (SBR) or a sham operation. Mice were sacrificed, and enteric contents from the small bowel, cecum, and stool were harvested at 7 and 90 days post-operatively. DNA was isolated, and the V3-V5 regions of the 16s rRNA gene amplified and pyrosequenced on a Roche 454 platform. Sequences were clustered into operation taxonomic units and classified. Communities were then analyzed for diversity and phylogenic composition. Results: In the long-term group, the microbes inhabiting the ileum of mice undergoing SBR and sham operation differed significantly at the genus level ( p < 0.001). Small bowel contents collected before and after SBR also differed significantly ( p = 0.006). This was driven by an increase in Lactobacillus and decrease in Enterobacteriaceae species in mice undergoing SBR. No difference was seen in the long-term stool or in stool, cecal, or ileal contents in the short-term. No difference in microbial community diversity was found in any group. Conclusion: Bowel resection induces long-term changes in the microbial community of the murine ileum, but not at more distal sites of the gastrointestinal tract. The increase in Lactobacillus encountered small bowel of resected mice correlates with limited previous studies. These changes may reflect an adaptive response of the microbiota to maximize energy extraction, but further studies are needed to establish the role played by this altered community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the potential for applying an automatic milking system (AMS) to the management of high-yielding cows offered a total mixed ration (TMR). The null hypothesis was that it is desirable to maintain even in AMS, the TMR feeding management practice recommended for high-yielding cows and therefore it can be attained by 'reducing the concentrate allocation in the robot without reducing the number of milkings'. Two feeding regimes were used : the 'candy concept', with only 1·2 kg of food concentrate - the minimum to attract the cow - provided at each visit to the milking robot; and the provision of a maximum of 7 kg of food concentrate per day. Approximately 100 cows were subjected to one or other of these two treatments. Although the cows in the first treatment consumed approximately 3·5 kg of concentrate per day and those in the second treatment approximately 5 kg per day, no significant differences were observed in the numbers of voluntary milkings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To compare the subcellular distribution of glycanase-related components between wild-type Ruminococcus albus SY3 and an adhesion-defective mutant, to identify their possible contribution to the adhesion process, and to determine their association with cellulosome-like complexes. Methods and Results: Cell fractionation revealed that most of the cellulases and xylanases were associated with capsular and cell-wall fractions. SDS-PAGE and gel filtration indicated that most of the bacterial enzyme activity was not integrated into cellulosome-like complexes. The adhesion-defective mutant produced significantly less (5- to 10-fold) overall glycanase activity, and the ‘true cellulase activity’ appeared to be entirely confined to the cell membrane fractions. Antibodies specific for the cellulosomal scaffoldin of Clostridium thermocellum recognized a single 240 kDa band in R. albus SY3. Conclusions: The adhesion-defective mutant appeared to be blocked in exocellular transport of enzymes involved in true cellulase activity. A potential cellulosomal scaffoldin candidate was identified in R. albus SY3. Significance and Impact of the Study: Several glycanase-related proteins and more than one mechanism appear to be involved in the adhesion of R. albus SY3 to cellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose-binding proteins (CBP) isolated from cell envelopes of the cellulolytic bacterium Fibrobacter intestinalis strain DR7 were studied in order to investigate the adhesion mechanism. The proteins were examined for their reaction with antibodies that specifically block bacterial adhesion, response to glycosylation staining and monosaccharide composition. To this end, the effect of some monosaccharides (CBP components) on blocking of DR7 adhesion to cellulose was determined. Previous study had shown the occurrence of 16 CBP in the outer membrane and periplasm of DR7, of which 6 had endoglucanase activity (Miron and Forsberg 1998). Data from the present study show that most of the 16 CBP of DR7, except for the 38-, 90- and 180-kDa proteins, are glycosylated. Rabbit antibodies that specifically block DR7 adhesion were prepared by affinity preabsorption of antiserum against wild-type DR7 with bacterial cells of its adherence-defective mutant (DR7-M). The preabsorbed antibodies reacted positively in Western blotting with glycosylated CBP of 225, 200, 150, 70, 45 and <38 kDa from the DR7 outer membrane, and reacted weakly with CBP of DR7-M. Modification of glycosidic residues attached to the CBP of DR7 by periodate oxidation prevented any reaction with the preabsorbed antibodies. Monosaccharide analysis by HPLC of isolated CBP from the outer membrane and periplasm of DR7 cells, showed that galactosamine, glucosamine, galacturonic acid, and glucuronic acid were the predominant monosaccharide components of CBP that can block the adhesion of DR7 cells to cellulose. It is suggested that some glycosylated residues of CBP may have a predominant role in the adhesion of DR7 to cellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses analytical relations expressing the influence of electric field strength prevailing in the heavily-doped quasi-neutral layer of ultra-shallow silicon junctions on the emitter component of the reverse saturation current density. Additional field-based current term that appeared in the Shockley relation for the emitter component; Values of drift velocities.

A detailed analysis of the majority carriers diffusion coefficients (D[sub n] and D[sub p]) behaviour in degenerately-doped n-type and p-type silicon, respectively, was performed. Simple analytical expressions showing that for electron (n) and hole (p) concentrations equal to or larger than the corresponding density of states in the conduction (N[sub c]) and valence (N[sub v]) bands, respectively (i.e., n ≥ N[sub c] and p ≥ N[sub v]), the ratio of the majority carriers diffusion coefficient-to-drift mobility (D/μ) increases with the power of (2/3) of the corresponding majority carriers concentration are derived for the first time in the literature. Based upon all available experimental dependences of drift mobilities μ on impurity concentration, it is shown in this work that the majority carriers diffusion coefficient D in degenerately-doped silicon increases sharply with the dopant level in the 10[sup 19] to 5 × 10[sup 21] cm[sup -3] range of the latter, regardless of the ambient temperature T. Exact values of diffusion coefficients in phosphorus-, arsenic- and boron-doped silicon are presented up to carrier densities one order of magnitude higher than the solid solubility. The main implications of the presented results for the physics of silicon-based electron devices are also outlined in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work looks at the relationship between the majority carrier (built-in or electrostatic) and minority carrier fields in very shallow, heavily doped, strongly asymmetric silicon junctions under thermodynamic equilibrium conditions. The analysis and quantitative assessments are aimed at furthering the accuracy of carrier transport models used in various junction devices (solar cells, optical sensors, bipolar transistors, etc.). The results of this work show the following: (1) The electric-field-free models are inadequate to describe the minority carrier transport phenomena in the heavily doped layers of very shallow junctions. (2) The actual minority carrier field distribution in such layers is much closer to the built-in field distribution than predicted by existing models, a fact pointing to the prominence of drift-controlled motion of minority carriers in strongly doped emitters. (3) The joint action of the majority and minority carrier flux shapes a single, unifying electric field strength in the heavily doped layers of shallow junctions, the magnitude of this field being roughly equal to the majority carrier (built-in) field of the respective junctions. The main implications of the results for the fundamental physics and performance of bipolar devices are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental device that quantifies the diffusional properties of polysaccharides solution, in a simple and reproducible way, and an equation relating these properties to solute concentration, is proposed. Using this model to analyse the kinetic profile of the hydrolysis of starch with glucoamylase, is substrate inhibition completely reduced to phenomena that depends on the reological properties of the reacting mixture. The experimental device and kinetic model can be applied to contrast hypothetical substrate inhibitions in any enzymatic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat straw (WS) was treated with 5% sodium hydroxide, ozone and 5% sulfur dioxide at 70°C for 72 h, and the effect of treatments on monosaccharide composition and in vitro degradability by rumen microorganisms was studied. The major sugars, glucose and xylose, comprising about 90% of the total monosaccharides in the untreated WS were mainly confined to the cell walls. SO exerted the greatest solubilizing effect, followed by ozone and NaOH; the respective values for the solubilized cell wall polysaccharides were: 26, 12 and 4.4%. One third of the total phenolics was oxidized by ozone, whereas, SO exerted mostly a solubilizing effect on this fraction, converting 75% of it into soluble phenolics. In the NaOH treated WS 41% of the total phenolics were soluble, as compared to 22% in the untreated. The in vitro digestibility of monosaccharides in the untreated WS were initially high: 50% and 58% for xylose and glucose, respectively and 63% to 80% for the minor sugars. The SO treatment resulted in an overall increase in digestibility of monosaccharides with values lying in the range of 90%. Sodium hydroxide was more efficient than ozone in enhancing the degradability of xylan and total sugars. The digestibility of cell wall sugars was increased from 52.4% to 84.4%, 63.4% and 72.3% by SO, O and NaOH treatments respectively. Based on the present findings, it appears that wheat straw cell wall components are more sensitive to hydrolytic than to oxidative processes aimed at increasing its degradability by rumen microorganisms. SO exerted on WS a multi-effect which was particularly suitable for increasing the digestibility of monosaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure cultures of the cellulolytic rumen bacterial strains Bacteroides succinogenes S85, Ruminococcus flavefaciens FD1 and Ruminococcus albus 7 were grown on lucerne cell walls (CW) or on cellobiose as the sole added carbohydrate substrate. Scanning electron microscopy visualization using cationized-feritin pretreatment have shown that cell surface topology of these strains grown on and attached to CW particles was specified by a dense coat of characteristic protuberant structures. In contrast, when grown on cellobiose, the surface topology of these bacterial strains was smoother, and contained fewer protuberant structures. The ability of these bacterial strains to attach to cellulose was higher for bacteria previously adapted to lucerne CW compared to cellobiose adaptation. Bacteroides succinogenes S85 was the best digester of lucerne CW (46.5%) and also had the best adhesion capability (65.6%) after adaption to grow on CW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rumen bacterial strains Fibrobacter succinogenes BL2 and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens D1, were grown in monocultures and pair combination on cell walls (CW) of two tropical hays: Panicum (grass) and vetch (legume), and their ability to solubilize and utilize CW structural carbohydrate was determined. With respect to both substrates, F. succinogenes BL2 was a better solubilizer of CW carbohydrate than B. fibrisolvens D1. However, the solubilization of Panicum constituents by any bacterial monoculture and co-culture was higher than that of vetch. Complementary interaction between B. fibrisolvens D1 and F. succinogenes BL2 was identified only with respect to carbohydrate utilization, but not with the extent of CW solubilization, which was determined mainly by the F. succinogenes strain. In both substrates, utilization of solubilized cellulose by BL2 monocultures was high (86.4-97.5%), whereas that of solubilized xylan and hemicellulose was much lower (35.2-41.6%). Under scanning electron microscopy visualization, the BL2 bacterial cell mass attached to and colonized on CW particles was characterized by the appearance of protuberant structures known as 'polycellulosome complexes' on their surface topology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell walls (CW) of untreated wheat straw and sulphur-dioxide (SO)-treated wheat straw were used as model substrates for the hydrolysis and utilization of CW carbohydrates by pure cultures or pair-combinations of defined rumen bacterial strains. Fibrobacter succinogenes S85 and BL2 strains and their co-cultures with D1 were the best degraders of CW among ruminal cultures, solubilizing 37.2-39.6% of CW carbohydrates of untreated straw and 62.2-74.5% of SO-treated straw. Complementary action between Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens D1 and the F. succinogenes strains was identified with respect to co-culture growth and carbohydrate utilization. However, the extent of CW solubilization was determined mainly by the F. succinogenes strains. In both substrates, utilization of solubilized cellulose by F. succinogenes S85 and BL2 monocultures was higher than that of xylan and hemicellulose: 96.5-98.3%, 34.4-40.5% and 33.5-36.2%, respectively. Under scanning electron microscopy visualization, S85 and BL2 cells of the co-cultures comprised the most dense layer of bacterial cell mass attached to and colonized on straw stems and leaves, whereas D1 cells were always nearby. Stems and leaves of the untreated straw were less crowded by attached bacteria than that of the SO-treated straw. In both materials, the cell surface topography of S85 and BL2 bacteria attached to CW particles was specified by a coat of characteristic protuberant structures, 'polycellulosome complexes'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past several decades, in Canada as elsewhere, governments have sought to provide decent, affordable housing for every household. However, viewed in aggregate, the size and extent of the affordability problem in Canada may well have worsened. This paper argues that changes in housing affordability are linked to the changing pace and character of household formation and that household formation has been responsive to a variety of public policies generally, and to housing programs in particular. Over the last four decades or so, changes in household formation have reflected policy inducements, price movements and income growth, and the substantial elasticity of demand for separate living arrangements. Even worsening indicators of affordability may actually indicate the success of modern housing policy, although this raises questions about the appropriateness of the measures, about the goals of housing programs, and about the ultimate costs of eliminating the affordability problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological progress enables individual cow's temperatures to be measured in real time, using a bolus sensor inserted into the rumen (reticulorumen). However, current cooling systems often work at a constant schedule based on the ambient temperature and not on monitoring the animal itself. This study hypothesized that tailoring the cooling management to the cow's thermal reaction can mitigate heat stress. We propose a dynamic cooling system based on in vivo temperature sensors (boluses). Thus, cooling can be activated as needed and is thus most efficacious. A total of 30 lactating cows were randomly assigned to one of two groups; the groups received two different evaporative cooling regimes. A control group received cooling sessions on a preset time-based schedule, the method commonly used in farms; and an experimental group, which received the sensor-based (SB) cooling regime. Sensor-based was changed weekly according to the cow's reaction, as reflected in the changes in body temperatures from the previous week, as measured by reticulorumen boluses. The two treatment groups of cows had similar milk yields (44.7 kg/d), but those in the experimental group had higher milk fat (3.65 vs 3.43%), higher milk protein (3.23 vs 3.13%), higher energy corrected milk (ECM, 42.84 vs 41.48 kg/d), higher fat corrected milk 4%; (42.76 vs 41.34 kg/d), and shorter heat stress duration (5.03 vs 9.46 h/day) comparing to the control. Dry matter intake was higher in the experimental group. Daily visits to the feed trough were less frequent, with each visit lasting longer. The sensor-based cooling regime may be an effective tool to detect and ease heat stress in high-producing dairy cows during transitional seasons when heat load can become severe in arid and semi-arid zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feed is usually the costliest input in lactating cow's farms. Therefore, the developing of methods for a better adjustment of feed intake to cow's energetic needs in order to improve efficiency is desired. The aim of this study was to improve feed efficiency of low-efficient (LE) cows through a moderate increase in diet forage-to-concentrate ratio. We studied the effects of replacing 8.2% corn grains in a control low-fiber (LF) diet that contained 17.5% forage neutral detergent fiber (NDF) with 7.5% wheat straw + 0.7% soybean meal for a high-fiber (HF) diet that contained 23.4% forage NDF. Based on efficiency data of individual cows from the Agricultural Research Organization's herd measured in our previous study, 15 pairs of pre-classified LE multiparous mid-lactating Israeli Holstein dairy cows were selected, each pair with similar performance, intake, and efficiency data; each member of a pair was then adapted for 2 weeks to one or the other dietary treatment. Traits examined during the 5 weeks of the experiment were DM intake (DMI), eating behavior, milk production, in vivo digestibility, and estimation of feed efficiency [energy-corrected milk (ECM)/DMI and energy balance]. Cows fed the HF diet showed slower eating rate, smaller visit and meal sizes, longer daily eating time, higher visit frequency, and longer meal duration, compared to those fed the LF diet. The DMI of cows fed the HF diet was 9.1% lower, their DM digestibility decreased from 65.7 to 62.2%, and their ECM yield was 7.0% lower than in cows fed the LF diet. Feed efficiency, measured as net energy captured/digestible energy intake, improved in the cows fed the HF vs. LF diet while feed efficiency measured as ECM/DMI remained similar. Our results thus show the potential of improving feed efficiency for milk production in LE cows by increasing the forage-to-concentrate ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]