Search

The widespread use of genomic information in dairy cattle breeding programs has opened up the possibility to select for novel traits, especially for traits that are traditionally difficult to record in a progeny testing scheme. Feed intake and efficiency is such a difficult to measure trait. In February 2013, the co-authors discussed how information on DMI should be incorporated in the breeding decisions. The aim of this paper is to present the overall discussion and main positions taken by the group on four topics related to feed efficiency: i) breeding goal definition; ii) biological variation in feed utilisation; iii) optimal recording of feed intake and predictor traits; and iv) unwanted correlated responses and validation

Seventeen years ago, a graduate student of the Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering built the first Delft walking robot. Not a walking computer with heavy motors, but an energy-efficient autonomous robot. That quest into human walking has developed into the Delft Biorobotics Laboratory, where 15 researchers work on biologically inspired robots. New insights should contribute towards the treatment of people with walking disabilities. Whereas the first robot, Baps, could take a few steps, the latest robot, TUlip, must be able to play a bit of football. This infographic sets out the evolution of four walking robots developed as PhD projects. More information: www.dbl.tudelft.nl.

Recently, iron 2-ethylhexanoate (Fe-eh, 1) in combination with ascorbic acid 6-palmitate (AsA6p) has been reported as a good catalytic system for the oxidation of ethyl linoleate (EL), an unsaturated lipid. In response to the fascinating chemistry of this bio-inspired iron-based catalyst the structure of Fe-eh, and the effect of AsA6p on it, have been studied. Fe-eh was found to be a trinuclear oxido-centered iron(III) cluster of general formula . The Mössbauer spectra of 1 indicate that the trinuclear iron core is not symmetric as the spectra exhibit two equivalent iron(III) sites and one unique iron(III) site. Variable temperature magnetic measurements indicate that the three iron centers are antiferromagnetically coupled. Upon the addition of AsA6p to complex 1 a new species (2), which has not yet been completely identified, is formed. Mössbauer spectroscopy indicates, however, that 2 is a mixed-valence cluster which probably has an iron-core that differs in symmetry from 1. The reduction of 1 to 2 was also monitored in time by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, revealing that the reduction reaction is kinetically dependent on the molar ratio AsA6p/Fe-eh. Based on these results and other available information, a general mechanism for the oxidation of EL under the effect of the combination of AsA6p/Fe-eh is proposed

Met lit. opg

For a number of years surgeons have been using robotic arms to carry out precision operations. These technical appendages can operate without any tremors, and according to the manufacturers, they off er up to ten times the precision of the human hand. The downside is that surgeons using robot arms cannot feel what they are doing. Until now,that is. Countless research groups are looking into the possibilities of force feedback, i.e. transmitting the reaction force acting on the robot arm back to the surgeon. A lot of progress has already been made with soft structures, but hard structures remained a problem. Researchers at TU Delft have succeeded in building a fi rst prototype that can grasp both hard and soft structures while enabling the remotely operating surgeon to really feel what he is doing.

The invention pertains to a drier composition for air-drying alkyd-based coatings, inks, or floor coverings, comprising a combination of the following components: a) a transition metal salt with the formula: (Me )( X )m in which Me is the transition metal; X represents a coordinating ligand; and k- is the valence state of the transition metal and m is the number of ligands X. b) a reducing biomolecule. The reducing biomolecule is in particular ascorbic acid or a derivative thereof, including ascorbyl palmitate.

3 Wageningse onderzoekers onderzochten de prestaties van 5.000 koeien die in principe de kans hadden om 3 lactaties vol te maken. Met name is gekeken is naar de persistentie van de melkgift in de afzonderlijke lactaties en naar de erfelijkheidsgraad van de persistentie