Desired Growth Rate Research Articles

High Amylose Starch with Low In Vitro Digestibility Stimulates Hindgut Fermentation and Has a Bifidogenic Effect in Weaned Pigs1–

Background: Dietary amylose resists enzymatic digestion, thereby providing a substrate for microbial fermentation that stimulates proliferation of beneficial microbiota and production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the large intestine of pigs and humans. However, the effect of increasing dietary amylose in pigs immediately postweaning on growth, nutrient digestibility and flow, and intestinal microbial and SCFA profiles has not been studied and can be used as a model for newly weaned human infants.Objective: We studied the effects of increasing dietary amylose on growth, nutrient digestibility, and intestinal microbial and metabolite profiles in weaned pigs.Methods: Weaned pigs (n = 32) were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 diets containing 67% starch with 0%, 20%, 28%, or 63% amylose for 21 d. Subsequently, pigs were killed to collect feces and digesta for measuring starch digestion and microbial and metabolite profiles.Results: Feeding weaned pigs 63% compared with 0%, 20%, and 28% amylose decreased (P < 0.05) feed intake by 5% and growth by ≥12%. Ileal digestibility of dry matter decreased (P < 0.05) by 10% and starch by 9%, thereby increasing (P < 0.05) hindgut fermentation, cecal and colonic total SCFAs, and colonic Bacteroides, and lowering (P < 0.01) ileal, cecal, and colonic pH in pigs consuming 63% compared with 0%, 20%, and 28% amylose. Cecal and colonic Bifidobacteria spp. increased by 14–30% (P < 0.05) and Clostridium clusters IV and XIVa were decreased (P < 0.01) in pigs consuming 63% compared with 0%, 20%, and 28% amylose.Conclusion: Increasing dietary amylose in pigs immediately postweaning stimulated hindgut fermentation and Bifidobacteria spp., thereby manipulating the gut environment, but also reduced intake and growth. An optimum dietary amylose concentration should be determined, which would maintain desired growth rate and gut environment in weaned pigs.

Establishment of American chestnuts (Castanea dentata) bred for blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) resistance: influence of breeding and nursery grading

European and American chestnut species (Castanea) have been decimated by exotic species, most notably chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica), since the early nineteenth century. Backcross breeding programs that transfer blight disease resistance from Chinese chestnut (C. mollissima) into American chestnut (C. dentata) offer promise for chestnut restoration, particularly for the American chestnut which was a keystone species in eastern North America. Nursery prescriptions and conformity to desired American chestnut traits following planting must be tested, however, before blight resistance can even be evaluated. We tested early field performance of American and Chinese chestnut and hybrid seedlings from the third backcross generation (e.g., BC3F3) in two-aged regeneration harvests on highly productive sites in the southern Appalachians, USA. We also tested a common nursery prescription of grading seedlings by size prior to planting. BC3F3 seedlings had similar 4-year survival to American chestnut seedlings, but generally had smaller stem heights and ground-line diameters (GLD). Although blight had not yet substantially challenged some sites, the BC3F3 seedlings had blight incidence similar to the Chinese chestnut which was lower than the American chestnut. Visual seedling grading affected planting shock and stem height and GLD by the end of year 4. Large size-class seedlings had more stem dieback and 5 % lower survival compared to small size-class seedlings, but larger trees exhibited the same height in year 3 as small trees in year 4. Advanced breeding material (BC3F3) was successfully established during the stand initiation phase of forest development on highly productive sites, but deviations in desired growth rate of the American chestnut was evident. Visual grading of seedlings affected establishment of breeding material, and should be considered in the restoration process.

Dynamic Pricing with Multiple Products and Partially Specified Demand Distribution

We study a dynamic pricing problem with multiple products and infinite inventories. The demand for these products depends on the selling prices and on parameters unknown to the seller. Their value can be learned from accumulating sales data using statistical estimation techniques. The quality of the parameter estimates is influenced by the amount of price dispersion; however, a large amount of variation in the selling prices can be costly since it means that suboptimal prices are used. The seller thus needs to balance optimizing the quality of the parameter estimates and optimizing instant revenue, i.e., exploitation and exploration.In this study we propose a pricing policy for this dynamic pricing problem. The key idea is to use at each time period the price that is optimal with respect to current parameter estimates, with an additional constraint that ensures sufficient price dispersion. We measure the price dispersion by the smallest eigenvalue of the design matrix and show how a desired growth rate of this eigenvalue can be achieved by a simple quadratic constraint in the price-optimization problem. We study the performance of our pricing policy by providing bounds on the regret, which measures the expected revenue loss caused by using suboptimal prices.

Directed Axonal Outgrowth Using a Propagating Gradient of IGF‐1

The temporospatial regulation of axon outgrowth is useful for guiding de novo connectivity or re-connectivity of neurons in neurological injury or disease. Here we report the successful construction of a biocompatible guidance device, in which a linear propagation of IGF-1 gradient sequentially directs axon outgrowth. We observe the extensive in vitro axonal extension over 5 mm with a desired growth rate of ∼ 1 mm/day.

Productive efficiency of the urban informal manufacturing sector in Assam

The paper analyses the productivity growth pattern in the urban informal manufacturing sector of Assam in India. The productivity of the urban informal manufacturing sector of the state is calculated and compared to the national average by using both partial and total factor productivity measures. Total factor productivity growth is taken as the difference between the growth rate in value added and a weighted sum of capital, and labour growth rates, the weights being the share of labour and capital in value added respectively. The index of efficiency of labour is computed for the state and compared to the national levels and is calculated as the difference between the actual growth rate and the desired growth rate of labour productivity. The study finds that positive total factor productivity growth of this sector both at the state as well as at the national level which is an encouraging signal.

Decentralized Control with Minimum Dissolved Oxygen Guaranties in Aerobic Fed-Batch Cultivations

In this work, a control strategy to guarantee a minimum dissolved oxygen concentration in aerobic fed-batch bioprocesses is proposed. The strategy is equally applicable to avoid low oxygen concentrations that might be detrimental for metabolites production, to prevent metabolic changes and to maintain an oxygen level in the culture compatible with the desired growth rate during the growing phase of the process. It essentially consists in adapting the set-point of the feeding controller to cope with faults and saturation in the oxygen regulation subsystem. The idea behind this adaptation is to manipulate, when necessary, the oxygen consumption in such a way that the oxygen in the culture is maintained above a prescribed threshold. The algorithm is based on sliding mode techniques, and its main features are as follows: simplicity, robustness to process uncertainties, easy implementation, and versatility to be combined with different dissolved oxygen and feeding controllers. The method is assessed numericall...

Modelling growing space of four valuable broadleaved tree species in southern China

We present management tools for growing four valuable broadleaved tree species, indigenous to subtropical southern China. Crown diameter (CD) of the species studied can be predicted very well by using a model that is solely a linear function of diameter at breast height (DBH). The addition of tree age (AGE) and yield class (YC) to this model did not significantly improve its predictive capacity. We used species-specific crown diameter models to calculate the amount of growing space and subsequently stand density that each species needs to achieve desired stem radial growth rates. Furthermore we used this information to calculate a “distance factor”, a rule of thumb that roughly estimates the distance between two neighboring trees needed to achieve a desired future target diameter. These tools facilitate the planning of thinning regimes by using crown diameter models combined with annual radial growth rates to calculate the number of crop trees per hectare required to reach a desired target stem diameter.

The Future of National Manufacturing Policy

over the issue of the correct growth strategy. A critical dimension of this debate has been the role the government should play in achieving desired growth rates. Nowhere has this struggle been more pronounced than in the debate over rationales for government support of the domestic manufacturing sector. Philosophies vary from a broadly activist government role to complete laissez faire. The optimal government role depends completely on the underlying economics. In this regard, leading economies have succeeded over time by investing in a set of assets and learning how to manage those assets effectively. The first industrial revolution (1750 to 1850) began as a rudimentary factory system in which small businesses used emerging crude machines and locally available supplies of power to manufacture a fairly limited range of products. By the second industrial revolution (approximately 1860 to 1910), production technologies based on numerous scientific developments had expanded to a wide range of product categories. The critical processing technology characteristics were mass production, interchangeable parts (i.e., standardization), and the assembly line. In the United States, massive investments in new types of infrastructure such as a national transportation network (particularly railroads), electricity, and an expanded and consolidated financial market were critical to the so-called Gilded Age of the late 19 century. The driver of advancement in process technology was the growing mechanization, not only of individual industries but also of entire supply chains, which created cheaper ways of making products. The key metric was achieving economies of scale. Machines were designed, plants were organized, and labor skills were specified in order to produce large volumes of undifferentiated products. As Henry Ford famously stated, “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black.” Economic historians will eventually pass judgment on the characteristics of the current drivers of manufacturing: information technology, nanoscience, and systems engineering. Still, regardless of when this information age is determined to

Okuns Law Revisited: Evidence From OECD Countries

Okuns law is one of the most enduring stylistic facts in macroeconomics. The inverse relationship between the unemployment rate and the growth rate of real output, known as Okuns law, has important implications for macroeconomic policy, particularly in determining the optimal and desirable growth rate of output. This paper examines this relationship within an error correction modelling framework which tests the relationship as a long-run relationship while allowing short-run deviations from long-run equilibrium to take place. Using quarterly data for 13 OECD countries covering the period from 1988.I to 2007:IV, we find overwhelming support for Okuns law.

English

One of the fundamental aims of economic policies is to increase capital accumulation in terms of investment that is necessary to maintain a desirable and sustainable growth rate in the developing countries. The majority of empirical studies show that per capita GDP growth, foreign trade, capital flows, external debt, public sector borrowing requirements, inflation and interest rate are the main determinants of investment rate. Recently, there is an increasing emphasis on the role of the financial sector in this process, since a financial system, in essence, mobilizes saving to investment. In particular, it can be argued that a well-functioning and developed financial system may efficiently mobilize available resources for investment. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate whether financial development has contributed to an increase in investment in Turkey. To reach an empirical and firm conclusion, an investment function, including the traditional potential determinants along with financial development, is estimated by utilizing the developments in the time series econometrics in terms of unit root tests that allow structural breaks and co-integration for the period 1970-2009 in Turkey.

Growth regulator losses from cotton plants due to rainfall

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) applied to cotton plants (Gossypium hirsutum L.) can be washed off by rainfall. It is expected that the closer the rainfall to spraying time, the higher the product loss and the higher the amount of product to be reapplied to reach the desired growth rate. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of time between rainfall and application of either mepiquat chloride or chlormequat chloride to cotton on plant growth, as well as, estimate the need for PGR reapplication. Cotton was grown in 12-L pots with soil in a greenhouse. PGRs were applied forty days after seedling emergence, when 50% of plants had one pinhead square. Rainfall was simulated 1, 2, 4, 6, or 24 h after spraying. Plant height was measured just before PGR application and then at 3-d intervals for 30 d. At harvest, the number of reproductive branches and structures were counted before dry matter phytomass determination. Both growth regulators reduced cotton dry matter yields regardless of rainfall interval. PGRs controlled excessive plant growth; however, their efficiency was reduced as the time elapsed until rainfall was shorter. Product losses were detected after all rainfall intervals, which, in field conditions would require PGR reapplication. Mepiquat chloride rates to be reapplied after rain were on average 17% higher than chlormequat chloride rates.

Highly conformal film growth by chemical vapor deposition. I. A conformal zone diagram based on kinetics

The authors present a unified description of conformal film growth in recessed features by low pressure chemical vapor deposition. Experimental data on step coverage and growth rate are interpreted in terms of a kinetic model for the elementary surface processes. This model is combined with the continuity equation for gas transport and consumption to predict the values of the precursor pressure and substrate temperature (p,T) that are necessary for conformal coverage to occur for a given precursor. They introduce a conformal zone diagram that considers the gas phase limitations (maximum precursor pressure and onset of secondary reactions), the surface limitations (minimum reaction temperature, precursor adsorption and desorption rates, and film growth rate), and the aspect ratio of the feature to be coated; the allowed intersection between the resulting boundaries defines the (p,T) zone for conformal growth. Sufficient precursor pressure is identified as a major requirement for conformal film growth, one that is not met by many commercially available molecules. Finally, they derive an approximate analytical solution to the inverse problem: what are the experimental conditions necessary to afford a desired degree of step coverage on a given aspect ratio feature at a desired growth rate. The solution depends on a set of rate constants in the kinetic model that can be extracted from measurements of the film growth rate as a function of precursor pressure and substrate temperature on trench or planar substrates.

Modeling and optimization of the growth rate for ZnO thin films using neural networks and genetic algorithms

The process modeling for the growth rate in pulsed laser deposition (PLD)-grown ZnO thin films was investigated using neural networks (NNets) based on the back-propagation (BP) algorithm and the process recipes was optimized via genetic algorithms (GAs). Two input factors were examined with respect to the growth rate as the response factor. D-optimal experimental design technique was performed and the growth rate was characterized by NNets based on the BP algorithm. GAs was then used to search the desired recipes for the desired growth rate on the process. The statistical analysis for those results was then used to verify the fitness of the nonlinear process model. Based on the results, this modeling methodology can explain the characteristics of the thin film growth mechanism varying with process conditions.

Effect of business growth on software project management issues in Indian IT industry

Indian software industry has attracted considerable global attention in recent times primarily because of its phenomenal growth in the last decade. The industry's big firms are growing at a decent rate. However, a software company's growing business, associates with it, many challenges to the management. Challenges lie mainly in sustaining and furthering the growth rate. In order to keep pace with the desired growth rate, many issues related to management of project development could suffer, which might have a telling effect on the firm's long-term business prospects. This paper attempts to investigate the effect of this business growth on project management issues with the help of System Dynamics (SD) modelling.

South Africa: Macroeconomic challenges after a decade of success1

More than halfway through the new decade, the South African economy has done very well. Growth has been high since 2004, the budget is relatively healthy, and inflation rates and interest rates are low. As democracy continues to consolidate, there are plenty of grounds for optimism; in fact business confidence indicators and private investment are at an all time high. This report asks the question whether such achievements provide grounds for complacency. In particular it discusses the current account challenge in light of the ASGI-SA program. Our assessment is that a cautionary note on the need to reduce the external imbalances of the economy is needed. We also provide policy recommendations to minimize the negative impact of a possible sudden stop of capital inflows. On the consistency of ASGI-SA program, we note that, although successful growth accelerations are typically based on productivity bursts and not on capital accumulation, nevertheless a large investment program is required to deliver the desired growth rates, given South African employment andproductivity performance. In our view this imposes a large burden on public investment and on the current account itself.

South Africa: Macroeconomic Challenges after a Decade of Success

More than halfway through the decade, the South African economy has done very well. This report asks whether such achievements provide grounds for complacency. In particular it discusses the current account challenge in light of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGI-SA) program. Our assessment is that a cautionary note on the need to reduce external imbalances is needed. We provide policy recommendations to minimize the negative impact of a possible sudden stop of capital inflows. On the consistency of ASGI-SA program, we note that, given South Africa's recent employment and productivity performance a large investment program would be required to deliver the desired growth rates. In our view this imposes a large burden on public investment and on the current account itself.

Nutrient Optimization and Computerized Decision Support Program in Recirculating Integrated Aquaculture System

There are many research activities to improve sustainable aquaculture and agriculture production in the wide world. Sustainable aquaculture is referred to as production of aquatic commodities through farming activities with social, economic and environmental sustainability. A series of experiments were conducted to compare different inorganic and organic fertilizers to improve production of Macrobrachium rosenbergii and to make a decision support program in an artificial sustainable aquaculture-agriculture system. Simply, nutrient wastes from culture tanks were used to fertilize hydroponics or terrestrial plants production via irrigation water. The sustainability and success functioning of the whole system were involved to manage and optimize the use of supplemented minerals, diet and desirable environment for each compartment (prawn, plant and microorganisms).The first experiment was made to evaluate the tolerance of M. rosenbergii in different levels of inorganic fertilizer (EC) formulated in nutrient film technique (NFT) vegetable production system. Results of the first experiment indicated that desirable growth rate of M. rosenbergii was obtained using 0.1 to 0.5EC of supplemental liquid fertilizer. High concentration of potassium (117-177 mg l-1), ammonia (0.72-1.05 mg l-1) and copper (0.04-0.06 mg l-1) inhibited the growth rate of M. rosenbergii in integrated culture system. The second experiment was carried out to assess the effects of different nutrient and stocking density on different population of M. rosenbergii in polyculture system. A different range of inorganic and organic fertilizer was used in the polyculture of plant and freshwater prawn species. Overall results indicated that essential concentration of nutrients, source and M. rosenbergii stocking density have played a major role in the effectiveness of suitable range of minerals in integrated production system. The results also demonstrated that 0.5 EC liquid inorganic fertilizer was not suitable to provide optimum nutrients and chicken manure is still an important fertilizer even in indoor integrated culture system. Finally, a comparative study was conducted to evaluate the optimum level of chicken manure and formulated inorganic nutrients in an artificial integrated culture system. The results indicated that high density culture of M. rosenbergii juveniles (380-400 individual m-2) in fiberglass tanks is possible by the installation of artificial substrate and controlling of nutrient concentration in system. Moreover the addition of aeration tank significantly improved the quality of water (DO and pH) and freshwater prawn growth (1343.0 g/tank) in recirculated polyculture system. The application of 70 g m-3 chicken manure alone encouraged growth of benthic and periphyton algae in culture tanks. The overall observation illustrated the desirable combination of supplemental liquid fertilizer and chicken manure is essential to obtain best growth for each compartment in sustainable polyculture system. A visual expert program (IAAS) was adopted to improve managing and develop technical operation in an artificial integrated culture system. The operation of the polyculture system required the specific knowledge, developing and application of computer systems to excellent operation, control of water quality variables, dissolved nutrients and feed to avoid the production of toxic substance and increase self efficiency and sustainability of the culture system. The accuracy of IAAS expert program was evaluated by polynomial and linear regression techniques through additional experiment. The comparison of results (yield and survival) in expert and real culture system represents higher variation of survival, prawn and plant yields in abnormal culture system. Moreover the evaluation processes demonstrated succeed performance of IAAS expert program in prediction results of optimized integrated culture system (with low variation). In aquaculture, the success estimation of production depends largely on the state of physical and chemical parameters which define optimal culture conditions.

The peak sidelobe level of families of binary sequences

A numerical investigation is presented for the peak sidelobe level (PSL) of Legendre sequences, maximal length shift register sequences (m-sequences), and Rudin-Shapiro sequences. The PSL gives an alternative to the merit factor for measuring the collective smallness of the aperiodic autocorrelations of a binary sequence. The growth of the PSL of these infinite families of binary sequences is tested against the desired growth rate o(/spl radic/nlnn) for sequence length n. The claim that the PSL of m-sequences grows like O(/spl radic/n), which appears frequently in the radar literature, is concluded to be unproven and not currently supported by data. Notable similarities are uncovered between the PSL and merit factor behavior under cyclic rotations of the sequences.

Behaviour and welfare of broiler breeders fed qualitatively restricted diets during rearing: Are there viable alternatives to quantitative restriction?

This study investigated whether feeding female broiler breeders on qualitatively, rather than quantitatively, restricted diets during rearing could improve their welfare while also achieving desired growth rates. There were six treatments, each with four replicate pens of 12 birds. From 1 to 20 weeks of age, birds in a control treatment (T1) received a quantitatively restricted amount of a standard mash diet while birds in five additional treatments (T2–T6) had ad libitum access to experimental diets. The latter were based on standard mash and contained supplements of calcium propionate (CaP, an appetite suppressant), or oat hulls (OH, a dietary diluent), or both, that were increased with bird age. Birds received diets with either increasing CaP (T2), low protein and increasing CaP (T3), OH and increasing CaP (T4), CaP and increasing OH (T5), or increasing both CaP and OH (T6). Effects of treatment on body weight, behaviour, response to a feeding motivation test, and blood indices of stress were recorded. Results showed that different qualitative restriction treatments can limit growth rate close to target. T4, with 40% OH and increasing CaP, limited body weight closest to the desired level. Between 6 and 20 weeks of age, control birds (T1) spent 47–54% of their time in object pecking, which was almost absent (<1%) in all experimental treatment groups. Time spent inactive (sitting) and total time observed in all oral behaviours differed little between treatments. In a feeding motivation test, T1 birds consumed more food in 2 min after 2 or 4 h of food deprivation than did birds in any experimental treatment group. Treatment had no effect on the ratio of heterophils to lymphocytes or on the frequencies of other white blood cells. Plasma corticosterone level was raised in T5 birds, whose mean body weight was suppressed to below the commercial target for most of the study, but was otherwise unaffected by treatment. The results suggest that appropriate appetite suppression, with or without dietary dilution, can be an effective method of controlling broiler breeder growth rate. However, although there was some indication that such dietary treatments may be beneficial for bird welfare (e.g. the absence of abnormal pecking at non-food objects), other behaviours and physiological indices of stress did not differ consistently between experimental and control birds.

Behaviour of food restricted broilers during rearing and lay—effects of an alternative feeding method

Broiler breeders are subjected to quantitative food restriction in order to control their growth, and this restriction is particularly severe during rearing. While such restriction improves some welfare problems associated with ad libitum feeding, it causes others: birds routinely show abnormal oral behaviours and have elevated plasma corticosterone concentration (PCC) and changes in white blood cell counts (WBCs). The aim of this study was to examine if feeding birds qualitatively restricted diets ad libitum during rearing could reduce signs of impaired welfare, as judged by behaviour and blood indices of stress, while also meeting commercially desired growth rates and uniformity. Furthermore, we examined what carry-over effects such a feeding method had on birds in the laying phase when all birds were fed on a conventional quantitative restriction regime. During rearing (1–20 weeks of age), pens of birds were either fed limited amounts of standard basal diets (Control, i.e. quantitative restriction), or ad libitum diets consisting of standard basal diets with gradually increasing levels of calcium propionate (CaP) and a constant level of oat hulls (OH), designated CaP + OH (i.e. qualitative restriction). Results showed that, during rearing, weights and weight uniformity were similar for the two groups. During feeding motivation tests, Control birds always consumed more food than CaP + OH birds. This suggests that Control birds were more highly motivated to feed than CaP + OH birds, although care has to be taken in interpreting these results. Treatment did not affect PCCs or WBCs, but there was a general decline in PCCs with bird age. All reported behaviours differed significantly between treatment groups during rearing, but disappeared during lay when all birds were fed a similar amount of food. Control birds spent up to 50% of time in object pecking during rearing periods, but this behaviour was virtually non-existent in birds in the qualitative feeding regime. Overall, the results indicate that broiler breeders can be successfully limited in growth rates by qualitative food restriction and this results in significant changes of behaviour that suggest improvements to bird welfare.