Cent Of Weight Research Articles

Effects of dietary protein levels on the growth performance, digestive capacity and amino acid metabolism of juvenile Jian carp (Cyprinus carpiovar. Jian)

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of protein levels on the growth performance, digestive capacity and amino acid metabolism of juvenile Jian carp. Brown fish meal was used as the sole protein source in the present study. Six isoenergetic experimental diets containing 14.4 MJ kg−1 of digestible energy and 220–495 g crude protein kg−1 diets were fed to triplicate groups of 50 fish with a mean initial weight of 16.67 ± 0.01 g for 45 days. Per cent weight gain (PWG) and feed efficiency ratio (FER) improved with an increase in the dietary protein levels up to 330 g kg−1 diet. The condition factor, relative gut length, intestinal folds height, hepatopancreas and intestine protein content improved with an increase in the protein levels up to 330–385 g kg−1 diet. Trypsin, creatinkinase, Na+, K+-ATPase and alkaline phosphatase activities generally followed the same tendency as that of growth parameters. Amylase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) activities were negatively correlated with increasing protein levels from 220 to 330 g kg−1 diet, and no differences were found thereafter. Lipase activity was unaffected by protein levels. Lactobacillus amount was increased with protein levels up to 275 g kg−1 diet, while Aeromonas amount followed the opposite pattern. Escherichia coli amount was not influenced by dietary protein levels. Glutamate–oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) activities in the hepatopancreas and plasma ammonia concentration (PAC) were not influenced by protein levels between 220 and 275 g kg−1 diet, but significantly increased with increasing protein levels from 275 to 440 g kg−1 diet, and remained similar thereafter. Glutamate–pyruvate transaminase (GPT) activities significantly increased with protein levels >275 g kg−1 diet. Based on the broken-line model, the dietary protein requirement for PWG of Jian carp (16.7–55.0 g) was estimated to be 341 g kg−1 diet with a digestible energy of 14.4 MJ kg−1 diet.

Growth, digestive capacity and intestinal microflora of juvenile Jian carp (Cyprinus carpiovar. Jian) fed graded levels of dietary inositol

A 60-day feeding trial was carried out with juvenile Jian carp (Cyprinus carpio var. Jian) to study the effects of myo-inositol (MI) on the growth, digestive enzyme and intestinal microbial population. Diets with seven levels of inositol (163.5, 232.7, 384.2, 535.8, 687.3, 838.8 and 990.3 mg MI kg−1 diet) were fed to Jian carp (initial weight 22.28±0.07 g). Per cent weight gain (PWG) was improved with increasing inositol levels up to 535.8 mg MI kg−1 diet (P 0.05). The protein production value, lipid production value and ash production value were increased with increasing dietary inositol levels up to 384.2, 838.8 and 838.8 mg MI kg−1 diet respectively (P 0.05), chymotrypsin, lipase and amylase activities in intestine were the lowest for fish fed the MI-unsupplemented diet (P<0.05). Alkaline phosphatase, Na+, K+-ATPase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and creatinkinase activities in the intestine were increased with an increase in the inositol levels up to 384.2–687.3 mg MI kg−1 diet (P<0.05). Intestinal Aeromonas hydrophila and Escherichia coli decreased with an increase in the levels of dietary inositol up to 232.7 and 687.3 mg MI kg−1 diet respectively (P<0.05), while Lactobacillus in the intestine increased with an increase in inositol levels up to 990.3 mg MI kg−1 diet (P<0.05). In conclusion, inositol improved growth, digestive capacity and intestinal microbial population of juvenile Jian carp, and the dietary inositol requirement for PWG of juvenile Jian carp is 518.0 mg MI kg−1 diet.

Diet of Tetrapturus belone (Istiophoridae) in the central Mediterranean Sea

The stomach contents of 69 Mediterranean spearfish Tetrapturus belone collected in the Strait of Messina, central Mediterranean Sea were examined. Of the total specimens, caught by harpoon, only three stomachs were empty. Their diet consisted mainly of pelagic fish and cephalopods. The most important piscine prey belonged to the families of Belonidae, Clupeidae and Scomberesocidae. Cephalopods were mainly represented by Tremoctopus violaceus in terms of per cent weight and by Illex coindetii in terms of per cent frequency of occurrence. Tetrapturus belone is an active predator on epipelagic fast-moving prey and school-forming species. Its ecological role is similar to that of other large pelagic species which share the same environment.

Low-cost carbon-fibre-based automotive body panel systems: A performance and manufacturing cost comparison

Carbon—;fibre—;based composite manufacturing processes have been considered for automotive body panel applications. A full—;scale front wing—fender component was produced using two composite manufacturing processes (a semi—;impregnated (semi—;preg) system and a novel directed fibre preforming—resin transfer moulding process) and compared with an existing stamped steel component for mechanical properties, weight saving, and cost, using a technical—;cost—;modelling procedure. Mechanical testing demonstrates that the carbon fibre composite solutions can provide 40—50 per cent weight saving for an equivalent bending stiffness to steel panels and greatly improved dent resistance. For the part studied, carbon fibre semi—;preg systems offered the lowest cost process up to around 500 parts/annum and directed fibre preforming technologies were cheaper between 500 and 9000 parts/annum. The steel component was seen to be more cost effective at volumes above around 9000 parts/annum.

Limb-loss in pond-reared blue swimmer crabs Portunus pelagicus (L.): effect on growth in an indoor shedding system

Limb-loss in crustaceans can reduce moult increment and delay or advance the timing of moulting, both aspects that are likely to impact upon soft-shell crab production. Pond-reared blue swimmer crabs Portunus pelagicus were harvested and maintained in a crab shedding system. The wet weight, carapace width (CW) and the occurrence of limb-loss were assessed before stocking in the shedding system and after each of the next three moults. Many of the crabs were initially missing one or two limbs and these did not grow as much as the crabs that were intact at the start of the trial. Despite its strong correlation with wet weight, CW changes proved to be misleading. Limb-loss reduced the %CW increment but not the per cent weight increment (where the later is calculated from the actual pre-moult weight). Pre-moult weight explained much of the variation in post-moult weight, with crabs moulting to approximately double their weight. Limb-loss reduced ‘growth’ and production from the pond because it reduced pre-moult weight but limb-loss did not alter the weight change on shedding a given weight of crabs, although some of that change now included regeneration of limbs. One can hypothesize that much of the size variation seen in pond-reared crabs may be due to accumulated effects of repeated limb-loss, rather than genetic variation.

Measurement of semi-volatiles in used natural gas engine oil using thermogravimetric analysis

Semi-volatile in internal combustion engine lubricating oil may be responsible for limiting service life and can lead to in-cylinder deposit formation. In order to measure semivolatile content, a new thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) procedure has been adapted from existing soot procedures to determine the levels of semi-volatile compounds in progressively aged lubricating oil samples from a natural gas engine dynamometer test cell run. The per cent weight remaining at 550 °C, while heated at a constant rate in an inert atmosphere, varied linearly with running time, viscosity, and oxidation and nitration. The method yielded reproducible run-to-run results and showed good agreement between helium and argon atmospheres. Mass spectroscopy data confirmed increased levels of high molecular weight species during engine operation. This method may be applicable to diesel engine oil samples.

Evaluation of Bacillus subtilis as a probiotic to Indian major carp Labeo rohita (Ham.)

Bacillus subtilis, a Gram-positive, aerobic, endosporeforming bacterium, was evaluated for its probiotic potential in Indian major carp, Labeo rohita. Labeo rohita (15 � 2 g) were fed a feed containing B. subtilis in three concentrations for 2 weeks, e.g., 0.5 (T2), 1.0 (T3) and 1.5 (T4) � 10 7 CFU g � 1 feed. The control group (T1) was fed feed without B. subtilis for the same period. Haematological and serum parameters were monitored at weekly intervals. The response variables were total erythrocyte count, total leucocyte count (TLC), haemoglobin, total protein, albumin, globulin, albumin^globulin ratio, alkaline phosphatase activity, alanine aminotransferase activity and aspartate aminotransferase activity. Fish were challenged intraperitoneally with a virulent strain of Aeromonas hydrophila after 2 weeks of feeding to the treatment groups and positive control group, while the negative control group was challenged with phosphate-buiered saline only. Clinical signs and symptoms, and mortality/survival percentage were noted in each group. The haematological and serum parameters were monitored each week and during post challenge on the third and tenth day. The B. subtilis-treated ¢sh (T4,1.5 � 10 7 CFU g � 1 feed) showed maximum per cent survival (87.50%), weight gain (35.5%), TLCs (3.23 � 10 4 cells mm � 3 ), haemoglobin content (7.4 g%), total protein (2.37 g dL � 1 ) and globulin content (1.28 g dL � 1 )d uring the pre-challenge. Enzymes showed higher activities during post challenge (Po0.05). The result suggests that B. subtilis can be used eiectively as a commercial product for use in aquaculture.

Effect of Drying Conditions and Embedding Materials on Post-Harvest Quantitative Parameters in China Aster (Callistephus chinensis) Flowers

The study was undertaken to optimize conditions for dry flower production in China aster flowers. The experiment was conducted with eight treatment combinations consisting of two drying conditions viz., room drying (C1) and sun drying (C2) and four media viz. Sand (M1), Sand:Borax (1:1) (M2), Borax (M3) and Silicagel (M4) with factorial concept in completely randomized design. Per cent weight loss and moisture loss were signiflcantly higher under sun drying and silicagel during the entire process of drying from first day to fourth day. Moisture content was higher under room drying and borax from first day to fourth day.

Paediatric training on breastfeeding

Paediatric training on breastfeeding

Feed utilization efficiency and growth performance in rohu, Labeo rohita (Hamilton, 1822), fingerlings fed yeast extract powder supplemented diets

evaluated. Materials and methods. Rohu fingerlings (mean individual weight 1.76 ± 0.15 g) were fed, twice daily, fish meal-based 35% protein diets supplemented with YEP (0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, and 0.5% on dry matter basis) for 75 days at 3% of body weight, in triplicate. Fish performance in terms of growth, apparent nutrient digestibility, and whole body composition was studied. The intestinal protease and amylase activities were also determined in rohu fingerlings fed YEP-supplemented diets. Microbial cultures of the intestinal mucosa of the fish in all dietary treatments were carried out after the feeding trial in soybean-casein digest agar (TSA), gelatin-peptone (GP), starch (ST) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) plates, separately, to determine the protease-, amylase, and cellulase-producing capacities (qualitative) of the isolated organisms. Results. The fish fed YEP-supplemented diets exhibited better growth than the control up to 0.2% level. YEP at 0.1% level resulted in the best performance of the fish in terms of per cent weight gain, SGR, FCR, and PER, followed by the 0.2% level. YEP led to higher deposition of protein and lower deposition of lipid in the carcass. The intestinal protease activity was highest in the fish fed 0.1% yeast, followed by 0.2%. Protease-producing capacity of the intestinal bacterial flora in the in vitro cultures followed the same trend. Conclusion. It appears therefore that YEP in the diets might have some effect on the gut microflora by supplying additional digestive enzymes leading to better nutrient utilization.

Impregnation of Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) wood by hydrophobic oil and dispersion patterns in different tissues

Summary Wood from Norway spruce ( Picea abies L. Karst.) is biologically degraded in exposed conditions. It also has anatomical features that make it diffi cult to impregnate with preservatives by currently available industrial processes. In the study reported here, we used the new Linotech process to impregnate Norway spruce wood with hydrophobic linseed oil and then quantifi ed its uptake and dispersal in anatomically distinct wood tissues. We also investigated the effects of the wood moisture content on the results of the impregnation. Samples (500 × 25 × 25 mm) were taken from 15 trees in a coniferous forest in northern Sweden (64° 10 ׳ N, 160 – 320 m a.s.l.). The parameters for the Linotech process were 2 – 3 h treatment time at 0.8 – 1.4 MPa and 60 – 140°C. To determine the level of uptake, the linseed oil was extracted from the impregnated wood using methyl-tertiarybutyl-ether. The uptake was quantitatively analysed by comparing X-ray microdensitometry values obtained following impregnation both before and after oil removal. In earlywood, initial moisture content had an obvious effect on the impregnation result. Six times more oil was taken up when the moisture content was greater than ~ 150 per cent than when it was less than 30 per cent. Theoretical calculations, based on density levels, suggest that the water-fi lled porosity of the wood (water volume divided by porosity volume) was positively correlated with the linseed oil uptake, and more strongly correlated in earlywood than in latewood. There were also signifi cant differences in uptake between different wood tissues; heartwood/mature wood and heartwood/juvenile wood showed 10 – 20 per cent weight increases due to linseed oil uptake, compared with 30 – 50 per cent in sapwood/mature wood. Examination by scanning electron microscopy confi rmed these uptake patterns. The moisture content after impregnation was about 5 per cent, irrespective of the Linotech process parameters, tissue type and initial moisture content. In conclusion, the impregnation process used here results in high levels of well-dispersed linseed oil uptake and should facilitate drying.

The effects of subclinical malnutrition and refeeding on the healing of experimental colonic anastomoses.

The effects of dietary protein deprivation on he healing of colonic anastomosis in the rat have been investigated. Nutritional status was assessed both before and after operation using body weight, nitrogen balance studies and serum albumin estimations. Healing of colonic anastomosis was assessed by bursting pressure measurements. Rats fed a protein-depleted diet throughout the study were compared both with rats restored to a full diet after surgery and rats receiving a full diet throughout. Although protein depletion caused a 12.5 per cent weight loss and a negative nitrogen balance, serum albumin remained normal in all rats at the time of operation. After operation, all rats were in negative nitrogen balance, although this was greater in the protein-depleted group. Similarly, in comparison to control animals, the protein-depleted group had significantly lower colonic bursting pressures and significantly lower serum albumin concentrations. Rats returned to a full diet after operation had smaller losses of nitrogen and normal colonic bursting pressures. The results indicate that a commonly encountered degree of malnutrition, insufficient to affect nutritional indices used in clinical assessment, may interfere with colonic healing. Early re-introduction of nutrition in the postoperative period may be able to reverse this effect.

Combining optimizer and metamodelling for railcar structural optimization

Stress constraint is a hard issue for structural topology optimization, especially for large-scale structures, e.g. railcars. Another technique is proposed to combine a sizing optimizer with metamodelling for topology optimization. At the lower level, for each topology design sampled within the topology design space, a sizing optimizer finds feasible and optimal solutions in terms of sizing variables (plate thickness in continuum structures). All performance constraints such as stress, displacement, and stability, are handled only at this level. At the upper level, a metamodel is built to fit all the optimal solutions found at the lower level and is optimized for topology design. The only constraints left at the upper level are topological constraints and topological variable bounds. Only the objective function (e.g. weight) versus topological variables, and not the constraints, is approximated. The number of topology design variables is much smaller than those used in many other topology optimization approaches. Thus it may be able to handle large-scale structural systems. It was applied to two boxcar design projects, resulting in 18 per cent and 36 per cent weight savings and significant reductions in manufacturing cost and total cost.

Alternating Current All-electrical Gun Control System in Tanks

The ac all-electrical gun control system is composed of permanent magnetic synchronous machine-drive control systems and the ball-screw by replacing the complicated electrohydraulic systems. At the same time, the variable-structure system with sliding modes makes the gun control systems to have higher performances using the only rate flexure gyroscope. Thereby, vehicle hull gyroscope and angular gyroscope are left out.The new ac all-electrical gun control systems developed are reduced by 40 per cent in weight, decreased by 30 per cent in volume, increased by 35 per cent in efficiency, and enhanced by three times in service life as compared to the current gun control systems.

Effect of feeding Lactobacillus-based probiotics on the gut microflora, growth and survival of postlarvae of Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man)

The present study was conducted to study probiotics treatment in the post-larval diet of Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Three hundred postlarvae (average weight, 114^118 mg � 0.11) were divided in ¢ve experimental groups each with four replicates. The experiment was conducted for 60 days. Experimental diets were identical in all the aspects except for variation in the probiotics strain. T1 and T2 groups were fed Lactobacillus acidophilus (140 � 10 11 CFU 100 g � 1 )a ndL. sporogenes (24 � 10 7 CFU 100 g � 1 ) respectively. The T3 group was fed L. sporogenes bioencapsulated in Artemia nauplii. T4 was the control group (without probiotic) whereas T5 was fed Artemia along with control diet. The bacteriological study indicated that the gut micro£ora of postlarvae are devoid of lactic acid bacteria. The probiotic strains were found to have inhibitory eiects against the gram-negative bacterial £ora present in the gut. Growth of the probiotic fed groups was signi¢cantly higher (Po0.05) than the control group. Signi¢cantly higher growth (Po0.05), per cent weight gain (132.5%), speci¢c growth rate (1.41%), feed e⁄ciency ratio (FER) (0.45), protein e⁄ciency ratio (1.29) and protein gain (161.6%) were recorded in T3 group fed Artemia bioencapsulated L. sporogenes over the control group (Po0.05). Although insigni¢cant (P40.05), growth-promoting eiects of L. sporogenes were found to be higher than L. acidophillus. Survival of the postlarvae was not aiected by probiotics in the diet.

Efficiency of Compensatory Growth of Borana Bulls (Bos indicus) Following Different Levels of Feed Restriction

Tolla, N., Mirkena, T. and Yimegnuhal, A. 2002. Efficiency of compensatory growth of Borana (Bos indicus) bulls following different levels of feed restriction. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 22: 129–136. To study the efficiency of compensatory growth following different levels of feed restriction, 25 Borana bulls were blocked by weight and randomly allocated to five dietary treatments of ad libitum feeding for the entire period (control), maintenance feeding for 91 days (maintenance), 15per cent weight loss in 91 days (-15%), 20per cent weight loss in 91 days (-20%) and 25per cent weight loss in 91 days (-25%) followed by 105 days of ad libitum (compensatory) feeding. The feed restriction imposed for treatments—15per cent, −20per cent and −25per cent during the initial period resulted in weight losses of -15 per cent, −19 per cent and −23 per cent, respectively. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference among treatments on feed intake during compensatory feeding period. Daily gain (ADG) for the restricted animals was directly proportional to the level of feed restriction. There was also significant (P<0.05) treatment effect on dressing percentage and proportion of fat in carcass. Animals subjected to weight losses of −15 per cent, −20 per cent and −25 per cent had lower yield of these carcass characteristics than the control and maintenance treatments. This study revealed that Borana bulls may not achieve complete compensation in 105 days of compensatory feeding, after 91 days of feed restriction below their daily maintenance requirement.

Optimum dietary protein level for maximum growth of juvenile olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus (Temminck et Schlegel)

This experiment was conducted to determine the optimum dietary protein level for juvenile olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus (Temminck et Schlegel) fed a white fish meal and casein-based diets for 8 weeks. Olive flounder with an initial body weight of 4.1 ± 0.02 g (mean ± SD) were fed one of the six isocaloric diets containing 35%, 45%, 50%, 55% and 65% crude protein (CP) at a feeding rate of 4–5% of wet body weight on a dry-matter basis to triplicate groups of 20 fish per aquarium. After 8 weeks of feeding, per cent weight gain (WG) and feed efficiency ratios of fish fed the 55% CP diet were not significantly higher than those from fish fed the 50% and 65% CP diets, but significantly higher than those from fish fed the 35% and 45% CP diets. Fish fed the 50%, 55% and 65% CP diets had significant higher specific growth rates than did fish fed the 35% and 45% CP diets; however, there was no significant difference among fish fed the 50%, 55% and 65% CP diets. The protein efficiency ratio was inversely related to the dietary protein level; that is, maximum efficiency occurred at the lowest dietary protein level. Broken-line model analysis indicated that the optimum dietary protein level was 51.2 ± 1.8% for maximum weight gain in juvenile olive flounder. The second-order polynomial regression analysis showed that the maximum WG occurred at 57.7% and it revealed that the minimum range of protein requirement was between 44.2% and 46.4%. These findings suggest that the optimum dietary protein level for maximum growth could be greater than 46.4%, but less than 51.2% CP in fish meal and casein-based diets containing 17.0 kJ g−1 energy for juvenile olive flounder.

Neonatal outcomes at a subdistrict hospital in north India.

Subdistrict hospitals form the first referral level facilities for essential newborn care services. However, there is a paucity of information on the pattern of neonatal admission and outcomes at this level. The objective of this study was to describe the spectrum of neonatal mortality at a subdistrict hospital. The study was conducted at a 50-bed hospital at Ballabgarh in northern India. The data of the neonates born in this hospital (inborns) and those admitted with sickness after being delivered at home (outborns) were separately analysed for the period 1994-1999. The main outcomes of interests were incidence, distribution, and primary causes of neonatal mortality. Of 6746 inborns and 385 outborns admitted (total 7,137) there were 56 deaths (0.8 per cent) and 38 (0.6 per cent) referrals among inborn and 70 deaths (18.2 per cent) and 37 (9.6 per cent) referrals among outborns. The deaths or referral rates among inborn for different weight groups were 27.7 per cent for < 1,500 g, 7.2 per cent for 1500-1999 g, 1.2 per cent for 2,000-2,499 g, and 0.6 per cent for weight > or = 2,500 g. Most deaths under 7 days of age were related to prematurity [41 per cent (28/69)] and birth asphyxia [38 per cent (26/68)], while those aged between 7 and 27 days were mostly due to sepsis [91 per cent (42/46)]. The results of this study indicate that babies with a birthweight above 1,500 g have a good outcome at this level. Deaths under 7 days of age were mostly due to birth asphyxia and prematurity, while those after 7 days were almost entirely due to sepsis. Referral is an important outcome at this level of service.

Embryonic Growth, Hatching Time and Hatchability Performance of Meat Breeder Eggs Incubated under Continuous Green Light

The effects of dark-control (D) and continuous green light (GL) exposure of incubated meat-type breeder eggs (Hybro) on embryonic growth from 5 to 15 days of age, hatching time, hatchability per cent and chick hatching weight were investigated in three consecutive experiments at 33, 38, and 41 weeks of age. A total of 798 eggs were used in this study. Eggs were set in an incubator on trays either in the D or under two tubes of 20-watt green fluorescent light during the first 18 days of incubation. Eggs from both treatments were transferred to the dark hatching compartment at 19 days of incubation. The light intensity was in the range of 1,340 to 1,730 lux at the surface of the eggs. GL incubation of eggs significantly (p<0.01) increased weight (expressed as an absolute value) and daily weight gain of embryos at 11 and continued to 15 days of age, hatchability per cent by 4.8%, reduced dead embryos per cent and chick weight at hatch by 37 and 2%, respectively and accelerated hatching time by about 24 h when compared with the D-control incubation. Chicks hatched at 504 h of incubation had significantly (p<0.01) higher body weight, expressed as an absolute value or as a percentage of egg weight, than those hatched earlier at 456 h of incubation. It was concluded that the GL incubation of meat breeder eggs reduced incubation period and chick weight at hatch and increased embryonic growth and hatchability per cent. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2002. Vol 15, No. 12 : 1702-1707)

Effect of cobalt nitrate, penshibao and Fantac on flowering and yield of musk melon (Cucumis medo L.)

The investigation carried out on musk melon revealed that pre treatment of seeds with Cobalt Nitrate at I ppm showed significant influence on vegetative, flowering and yield characters. Seed treatment with 100 ppm Penshibao had significant influence in delaying the emergence of male flower at higher nodes Whereas foliar application of Penshibao at the same concentration had significant influence only on yield characters. The foliar application of Fantac (500 ppm) showed significant influence on leaf area, fruit set per cent and fruit weight. Plants raised from seeds treated in Cobalt Nitrate 1.0 ppm and received three applications of Fantac (500 ppm) gave the highest yield per vine (3.47 kg). This increase in yield was attributed to more leaf area, advancement of female flowering, increased pistillate flower production, narrow sex ratio, increased fruit set per cent, bigger sized fruits and fruit weight.