Enriched Form Research Articles

Finite element formulation of a homogenized beam for reticulated structure dynamics

This paper presents a finite element formulation of an existing homogenized beam-like model for the description of reticulated structures transverse dynamics. This work deals with elastic periodic lattice structures such as foams, crystals, honeycombs, or multi-story buildings, whose unit cell is made of interconnected beams or plates and repeats itself in one direction. The studied model is a one-dimensional enriched form of the fourth-order Timoshenko beam equation, and the motion is described by a sixth-order differential equation. The higher differential equation order is attributed to an additional kinematic mechanism that may appear under large stiffness contrasts between the cell elements. In this context, the construction of an original finite element approximate solution is proposed. Weak formulations lead to generalized elementary stiffness and mass matrices. Through the analysis of a realistic building in the linear elasticity framework, it is shown that this homogenized beam finite element solution recovers the analytical results and is close to the full detailed finite element structural model. This new formulation simplifies the implementation of the beam-like model in complex configurations, enables parametric studies, and could be easily used for a wide range of applications in structural dynamics, other than free vibration analysis, at reduced computational costs.

Effect of Environmental and Dietary Enrichment on Production Performance, Digestive Process and Some Physiological Parameters in chickens

Improving the habitat of farmed chickens through environmental enrichment is considered advantageous compared to barecages, sincean outdoor or free-range environment enables and encourages chickens to express their behaviour. In addition, chickens that are kept outdoors or in a free-range environment can incidentally ingest sand, especially if they frequently bath in soil or sand. As a result, the daily diet of chickens fed outdoors or in free-range housing contains an average of 10–20% sand. In the field of poultry science, various enrichment strategies (visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile) have been applied. In this study, sand and perch structures were used as environmental enrichment because (1) they are less expensive than other forms of enrichment, (2) they are mainly made of local materials, and (3) they can form the basis for a comprehensive system of environmental enrichment for chickens. Thus, in our studies, experiments were carried out in 3 stages to determine the effect of environmental enrichment methods on the well-being of chicken breeds reeds specialized for egg production. In the first stage, when the he living environment of chickens was enriched with sand and per perch structure, basic microbiological variables and physico-chemical blood parameters (blood count, haemoglobin, visc viscosity, erythrocytes sedimentation rate, and pH) were improvimproved (p=0,05). The second stage of our experiment consisted of four treatment: 1-sand (S), 2-perch (P), 3 both -sand and a perch (SP), and 4 control (C) condition with no enrichment. We determined the ratio of heterophils to lymphocyte in chickens chickens aged 22, 30 and 38 weeks, and we also observed that total egg production was increased by the experimental conditions (p=(p=0.05). In the third stage, the effect of chicken breeds in the he egg direction on productivity (egg production, egg mamass) and nutrient absorption in laying-breed chickens was detetermined (p=0.01).

An Evaluation of Social Bridging and Bonding Mechanisms in the Association of Social Networks and Cognitive Function

Widowhood is associated with decreased emotional well-being, particularly increased depression. Religiosity may help improve mental health among widowed individuals. However, longitudinal studies exploring the role of religiosity on emotional well-being among widowed older adults is lacking, as are studies which examine this relationship using different dimensions of religiosity. This study analyzed data from the 2006-2016 waves of the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Trajectories of depression among older adults >50 years (N=5,486) were examined to explore patterns of depression among those entering widowhood and the potential impact of religiosity on depressive symptoms during widowhood. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis was used to examine the association between widowhood and depression as well as the role of religiosity as a moderator of this association. Older adults experienced an increase in depressive symptomology after the onset of widowhood, and although the levels of depressive symptomology decrease post-widowhood, they do not return to their pre-widowhood levels. Additionally, high religious service attendance and higher intrinsic religiosity were both associated with lower depressive symptomology. High religious service attendance moderated the relationship between widowhood and depression. The relationship between high religious service attendance and depression was stronger among widowed older adults living alone. This study highlights the long-term effects of widowhood on depressive symptomology among older adults. The findings also suggest that higher religious service attendance can lessen the effects of widowhood on depressive symptoms, especially for those living alone. These findings may inform intervention development around increased screening and treatment for depression.

An Evaluation of Social Bridging and Bonding Mechanisms in the Association of Social Networks and Cognitive Function

Background and Objectives: Substantial evidence links social connectedness prospectively to cognitive aging outcomes, but there is little agreement about the social processes or mechanisms that drive this relationship. This study evaluated nine measures of social connectedness, focusing on two distinct forms of social enrichment – access to an expansive and diverse set of loosely connected individuals (i.e., social bridging) and integration in a supportive network of close ties (i.e., social bonding). Research Design and Methods: This study used egocentric social network and clinical cognitive data from 311 older adults in the first wave of the Social Networks in Alzheimer Disease (SNAD) study. Linear regressions adjusting for gender, age, education, and depression symptoms were used to estimate the association between nine measures of social connectedness and global cognitive function, verbal memory, and attention. Results: Measures indicative of social bridging (larger network size, lower density, presence of weak ties, and proportion non-kin) were consistently associated with better cognitive outcomes, while measures of social bonding largely produced null effects. Discussion and Implications: These findings suggest that the protective benefits of social connectedness for cognitive function and memory may operate primarily through a cognitive reserve mechanism that is driven by irregular contact with a larger and more diverse group of peripheral others. Population-level interventions that promote the cultivation of social bridging relationships and activities may have benefits for cognition later in life.

One out of Four: Kinetic Resolution of Stereoisomeric Mixtures of Secondary Alcohols with a Quaternary Carbon Atom in the β-Position by Cu-H-Catalyzed Enantioselective Silylation.

An enantio- and diastereoselective Cu-H-catalyzed silylation of acyclic secondary alcohols with a vicinal quaternary stereocenter is reported. The reaction kinetically selects one out of four stereoisomers, affording the fastest-reacting stereoisomer as the silyl ether in enantio- and diastereomerically enriched form. The obtained motif with a quaternary carbon atom in the β-position of the hydroxy group is otherwise not easy to access.

PENGARUH PERSEPSI SISWA TENTANG APLIKASI PEMBELAJARAN ONLINE DAN BELIEF MATHEMATIC TERHADAP HASIL BELAJAR MATEMATIKA PADA MASA PANDEMI COVID-19

The Covid-19 pandemic forced the learning system requires online-based learning which has several challenges not only for teachers but also students and their parents. This pandemic makes students tend to be degraded in terms of mentality, confidence in their abilities and accessibility in the use of appropriate learning applications. Hence, this study aims to determine the partial and simultaneous effect of students' perceptions on the mathematics learning outcomes of fifth graders using ex-post facto method. The research population is all students of SDN in Malili District. Then a sample of 80 students was drawn by cluster random sampling. The research instrument used was a test instrument for learning outcomes and a mathematical belief questionnaire as well as a student perception questionnaire about online learning applications which analyzed descriptively and inferentially using multiple tests. The results of this study indicate that students' perceptions of online learning applications and Mathematics students' beliefs have a positive effect on students' mathematics learning outcomes at SDN Malili District with a determination of 42.7% and 51.8%, respectively. Students' perceptions of online learning applications and mathematical beliefs simultaneously have a positive effect on students' mathematics learning outcomes with a determination of 61.8%. As a result of this research, there should be further development in complementary dimensions in the form of learning enrichment and remedial applications.

Do chimpanzees enjoy a virtual forest? A pilot investigation of the use of interactive art as a form of environmental enrichment for zoo-housed chimpanzees.

Environmental enrichment is essential for the well-being of zoo animals. Recent advances in sensor and video technologies may contribute to improvements in enrichment in terms of their flexibilities and time constraints. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether interactive movie art can be used as a form of environmental enrichment. We implemented interactive movies designed by a professional artist, a visual art aiming to reflect naturalistic forest habitat, in an indoor chimpanzee enclosure at Kyoto City Zoo in Japan. Motion-tracking sensors embedded in buoys were installed at several locations around the indoor enclosure; the chimpanzees could change the movie contents by physically interacting with these objects. We recorded behaviors by observing entire troop of chimpanzees (six) between March 16 and 20, 2020 (control condition), then recorded behaviors when the interactive movie was presented (experimental condition) between March 21 and 29, 2020. Behaviors were recorded via direct observations and video recordings to examine any changes after the installation of interactive art. The chimpanzees spent more time in the indoor enclosures during the experimental condition than during the control condition. Activity budgets did not change substantially during the study period. There was no evidence of habituation to the movie during the study period. Three chimpanzees, including two young chimpanzees, interacted with the movie more frequently than the others; these young chimpanzees occasionally showed playful expressions when interacting with the movie and exhibited different reactivities to the movie scenes. These results demonstrate, first, that the interactive art did not negatively affect chimpanzee behavior, and second, that some of the chimpanzees indeed showed positive responses to the art. This study, therefore, introduces a novel possibility for environmental enrichment in zoos, involving a collaboration between science and art.

Selenium Geochemical Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Paddy Fields in Du'an County, Guangxi

This study used 21 rock samples and 193 sets of paddy soil and rice grain samples collected form Baiwang Town, an area of clastic sedimentary rocks in Guangxi, China, to evaluate the potential for selenium-rich agriculture. We analyzed the concentrations of selenium and heavy metals in the soil and rice samples, and discuss the influencing factors by means of statistics and correlation analysis. The results showed that the selenium-rich rate of paddy soil and rice grain in Baiwang Town were 67.4% and 64.8%, respectively, but the content of cadmium in the selenium-rich soil samples was generally higher than the baseline value for China and the background value for Guangxi. In comparison to the screening value of soil pollution risk for agricultural land(GB 15618-2018), the over-standard rate of cadmium was 46.1%, while the over-standard rates of other heavy metals were negligible. The comparison shows that the selenium-rich rate of rice was 61.1% in the southern area of Baiwang Town with a negligible heavy metal content, and the advantages of green selenium-rich rice planting were clear. The correlation analysis showed that secondary enrichment was the main form of selenium enrichment in the study area. The soil pH and texture of the root-zone soil also affected the selenium content of the soil. The selenium content of rice seeds was mainly affected by the selenium content, active selenium content, pH, and aluminum oxide content of the root-zone soil. The risk assessment showed that the level of dietary exposure to cadmium is generally within safe limits, but it is still necessary to strengthen the monitoring of cadmium in rice and control cadmium pollution to reduce the levels of dietary exposure, especially in the central region of Baiwang Town.

Visible‐Light‐Driven Catalytic Deracemization of Secondary Alcohols

AbstractDeracemization of racemic chiral compounds is an attractive approach in asymmetric synthesis, but its development has been hindered by energetic and kinetic challenges. Here we describe a catalytic deracemization method for secondary benzylic alcohols which are important synthetic intermediates and end products for many industries. Driven by visible light only, this method is based on sequential photochemical dehydrogenation followed by enantioselective thermal hydrogenation. The combination of a heterogeneous dehydrogenation photocatalyst and a chiral molecular hydrogenation catalyst is essential to ensure two distinct pathways for the forward and reverse reactions. These reactions convert a large number of racemic aryl alkyl alcohols into their enantiomerically enriched forms in good yields and enantioselectivities.

Visible-Light-Driven Catalytic Deracemization of Secondary Alcohols.

Deracemization of racemic chiral compounds is an attractive approach in asymmetric synthesis, but its development has been hindered by energetic and kinetic challenges. Here we describe a catalytic deracemization method for secondary benzylic alcohols which are important synthetic intermediates and end products for many industries. Driven by visible light only, this method is based on sequential photochemical dehydrogenation followed by enantioselective thermal hydrogenation. The combination of a heterogeneous dehydrogenation photocatalyst and a chiral molecular hydrogenation catalyst is essential to ensure two distinct pathways for the forward and reverse reactions. These reactions convert a large number of racemic aryl alkyl alcohols into their enantiomerically enriched forms in good yields and enantioselectivities.

Assessment of animal management and habitat characteristics associated with social behavior in bottlenose dolphins across zoological facilities.

Bottlenose dolphins are a behaviorally complex, social species that display a variety of social behaviors. Because of this, it is important for zoological facilities to strive to ensure animals display species-appropriate levels of social behavior. The current study is part of the multi-institutional study entitled “Towards understanding the welfare of cetaceans in zoos and aquariums” commonly referred to as the Cetacean Welfare Study. All participating facilities were accredited by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums and/or the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Behavioral data were collected on 47 bottlenose dolphins representing two subspecies, Tursiops truncatus and Tursiops aduncus, at 25 facilities. The social behaviors of group related activity (group active) as well as interacting with conspecifics (interact with conspecific) were examined for their relationships to both animal management factors and habitat characteristics. The behavioral state of group active and the rate of interact with conspecific were both positively related to the frequency of receiving new forms of environmental enrichment. Both were inversely related to the random scheduling of environmental enrichment. Additional results suggested interact with conspecific was inversely related with daytime spatial experience and that males displayed group active more than females. Overall, the results suggested that animal management techniques such as the type and timing of enrichment may be more important to enhance social behavior than habitat characteristics or the size of the habitat. Information gained from this study can help facilities with bottlenose dolphins manage their enrichment programs in relation to social behaviors.

Pendampingan Guru Pendidikan Jasmani dalam Meningkatkan Kompetensi Pedagogi melalui Lesson Study

Mata pelajaran pendidikan jasmani merupakan mata pelajaran wajib yang diberikan kepada peserta didik mulai dari jenjang pendidikan dasar hingga pendidikan menengah. Hasil wawancara dan observasi terhadap guru PJOK di SMP Negeri Garawangi Kabupaten Kuningan, terdapat temuan bahwa masih adanya kesulitan bagi guru PJOK dalam mengembangkan perangkat pembelajaran seperti merancang pembelajaran yang inovatif, sehingga berimplikasi terhadap hasil belajar peserta didik. Tujuan dari kegiatan pengabdian ini untuk menguatkan kompetensi pedagogi guru pada mata pelajaran PJOK melalui lesson study. Kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat yang kami lakukan berupa pengayaan kepada MGMP Pendidikan Jasmani Olahraga dan Kesehatan (PJOK) SMP gugus Kecamatan Garawangi Kabupaten Kuningan yang dilaksanakan pada tanggal 13 – 14 Maret 2018. Teknik pengumpulan data berupa observasi lapangan kegiatan pembelajaran yang dilakukan oleh guru model dan peserta didik. Alat dan bahan yang digunakan lapangan sepakbola, rancangan pembelajaran (chapter design), ruangan untuk focus group discussion (FGD) refleksi guru dan observer, dan lembar observasi. Hasil pengabdian adalah; 1) peserta didik melaksanakan pembelajaran dengan berpikir kritis, kreatif, kolaboratif, dan komunikatif. 2) kegiatan pembelajaran terdiri dari pendahuluan, inti, dan penutup. 3) refleksi atau evaluasi hasil pembelajaran. Kesimpulan dalam kegiatan pengabdian ini diantaranya; 1) guru bersama merancang perencanaan pengajaran (chapter design), guru dan peserta didik melaksanakan pembelajaran (Do), dan refleksi hasil pembelajaran (See). Physical education subjects are compulsory subjects given to students ranging from elementary school to university education. The results of interviews and observations of physical education teachers at SMP Negeri Garawangi, Kuningan Regency, said that they still had difficulties in developing learning tools such as designing innovative learning, so that it had implications for student learning outcomes. The purpose of this service activity is to share knowledge in strengthening teacher pedagogical competencies in physical education subjects through lesson study. Community service activities that we carried out were in the form of enrichment to the MGMP of Physical Education, Sports and Health (PJOK) of the SMP group Garawangi District, Kuningan Regency which was held on March 13-14 2018. The data collection technique was in the form of field observations of learning activities carried out by model teachers and students. The tools and materials used are the football field, the lesson plan (chapter design), the room for focus group discussion (FGD) for teacher and observer reflection, and observation sheets. The results of service are; 1) students carry out learning by thinking critically, creatively, collaboratively, and communicatively. 2) learning activities consist of introduction, core, and closing. 3) reflection or evaluation of learning outcomes. Conclusions in this service activity include; 1) the teacher together designs the teaching plan (chapter design), the teacher and students carry out the learning (Do), and the reflection of the learning outcomes (See).

Curiosity-Based Interventions Increase Everyday Functioning Score But Not Serum BDNF Levels in a Cohort of Healthy Older Adults.

An enriched environment is effective in stimulating learning and memory in animal models as well as in humans. Environmental enrichment increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in aged rats and reduces levels of Alzheimer-related proteins in the blood, including amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides and misfolded toxic forms of tau. To address whether stimulation of curiosity, which is a form of enrichment, may provide a buffer against Alzheimer’s disease (AD), we measured levels of biomarkers associated with AD at baseline and after a 6-week intervention in older adults (>65 years of age) randomized to one of three different intervention conditions. Specifically, in this pilot study, we tested the effectiveness of a traditional, structured learning environment compared to a self-motivated learning environment designed to stimulate curiosity. There were no significant differences from baseline to post-intervention in any of the groups for Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio or t-tau (total-tau) plasma levels. Serum BDNF levels decreased significantly in the control group. Interestingly, individuals who had the lowest serum BDNF levels at baseline experienced significantly higher increases in BDNF over the course of the 6-week intervention compared to individuals with higher serum BDNF levels at baseline. As expected, older individuals had lower MoCA scores. Years of education correlated negatively with Aβ levels, suggesting a protective effect of education on levels of this toxic protein. ECog scores were negatively correlated with BDNF levels, suggesting that better performance on the ECog questionnaire was associated with higher BDNF levels. Collectively, these findings did not suggest that a 6-week cognitive training intervention focused on curiosity resulted in significant alterations in blood biomarkers but showed interesting correlations between cognitive scores and BDNF levels, further supporting the role of this trophic factor in brain health in older adults.

Social Networks and Cognitive Function: An Evaluation of Social Bridging and Bonding Mechanisms.

Social connectedness has been linked prospectively to cognitive aging, but there is little agreement about the social mechanisms driving this relationship. This study evaluated 9 measures of social connectedness, focusing on 2 forms of social enrichment-access to an expansive and diverse set of loosely connected individuals (i.e., social bridging) and integration in a supportive network of close ties (i.e., social bonding). This study used egocentric network and cognitive data from 311 older adults in the Social Networks in Alzheimer Disease study. Linear regressions were used to estimate the association between social connectedness and global cognitive function, episodic memory, and executive function. Measures indicative of social bridging (larger network size, lower density, presence of weak ties, and proportion of non-kin) were consistently associated with better cognitive outcomes, while measures of social bonding (close ties, multiplex support, higher frequency of contact, better relationship quality, and being married) largely produced null effects. These findings suggest that the protective benefits of social connectedness for cognitive function and memory may operate primarily through a cognitive reserve mechanism that is driven by irregular contact with a larger and more diverse group of peripheral others.

In search of the optimal enrichment program for zoo‐housed animals

Zoo-housed animals are regularly exposed to new forms of environmental enrichment to make their lives less predictable. However, providing new enrichment can have unpredictable effects. We evaluated the effectiveness of two enrichment regimes: (1) providing only new enrichments - "Novelty" and (2) only familiar enrichments - "Familiar."In this case study, enrichment efficacy was assessed using activity budget analysis and novel object tests. The subjects were two focal animals: the golden jackal (Canis aureus) and the European badger (Meles meles). Our results suggest that both assessment methods provided similar conclusions about the animal's welfare. The "Familiar" treatment significantly increased activity and decreased abnormal behavior in the jackal's activity budget, who avoided novel objects in her baseline novel object test. The Novelty treatment resulted in the growth of time the jackal spent in the moat instead of the main enclosure, and an increase in avoidance and abnormal behaviors. In contrast, the badger demonstrated a high intensity of exploratory behavior in the baseline novel object test, and both regimes led to an increase in the activity budget of the badger. We propose that a stable, but complex enrichment can be an effective robust tool to increase animal welfare, but its efficacy depends on the novelty preference of individual animals. A novel object test can be a rapid tool to assess individual animals' novelty preferences, and this information may help to choose optimal enrichment regimes for individual animals.

Effect of Novel Deep Eutectic Solvents on the Endo/Exo Ratio of Diels-Alder Reactions at Room Temperature.

The Diels–Alder reaction is a prototypical example of a thermally allowed [4 + 2] cycloaddition with good control over the regio- and stereochemical outcomes. Therefore, Diels–Alder reactions in which adjacent stereocenters are generated at the two ends of the newly formed single bonds imply two different possible stereochemical outcomes. In cases where the dienophile has a single electron-withdrawing substituent, the outcome can often be predicted by applying the known “endo rule”. Furthermore, the use of chiral eutectic solvents in asymmetric synthesis has become a novel tool to maintain sustainability in organic synthesis. In the present work, a set of recyclable and sustainable bio-based deep eutectic solvents (DESs) was designed using hydrogen bond acceptors (HBAs) with a chiral center. These compounds were used in their racemic and enantiomerically enriched forms to prepare DESs with lactic acid (LA), glycerol (Gly), and ethylene glycol, which act as hydrogen bond donors (HBDs) in the corresponding eutectic mixture. These DESs were used as solvents to study the reaction between cyclopentadiene and ethyl acrylate or butyl acrylate in typical [4 + 2] cycloadditions. The best yields and endo-selectivity were achieved using LA as the HBD in the eutectic mixtures. The results and adduct ratios obtained show that these DESs were able to improve both reaction yields and selectivity when compared to those observed in organic solvents or ionic liquids. Moreover, the reaction products (adducts) were easily recovered with diethyl ether from the reaction mixture, where they appeared as an upper layer.

Central auditory processing in bilinguals

Background and Aim: The majority of the world’s population is bilingual. Bilingualism is a form of sensory enrichment that translates to gains in cognitive abilities; these cognitive gains in attention and memory are known to modulate subcortical processing of auditory stimuli. Sec­ond language acquisition has a broad impact on various psychological, cognitive, memory, and linguistic processes. Central auditory processing (CAP) is the perceptual processing of auditory information. Due to its importance in bilingu­alism, this study aimed to review the CAP of bilinguals. Recent Findings: The CAP was studied in three areas: dichotic listening, temporal processing, and speech in noise perception. Regarding dicho­tic listening, studies have shown that bilinguals have better performance in staggered spondaic word (SSW) test, consonant-vowel dichotic test, dichotic digits test (DDT), and disyllable dichotic test than monolinguals, although similar results have also been reported in SSW and DDT. Reg­arding temporal processing, the results of bilin­guals do not differ from those of monolinguals, although in some cases, it is better in bilinguals. Regarding speech in noise perception, the results between bilinguals and monolinguals are varied depending on the amount of linguistic infor­mation available in the stimuli. Conclusion: Bilingualism has a positive effect on dichotic processing, no effect on temporal processing, and varied effect on speech in noise perception. Bilinguals have poor performance using meaningful speech and better performance using meaningless speech. Keywords: Central auditory processing; bilingual; dichotic listening; temporal processing; speech in noise perception

Angular momentum without rotation: Turbocharging relationalism

Rotation is a challenging riddle for the relationalist. In early versions of the absolute-relational debate for example, Newton’s rotating bucket poured cold water on the relationalist position. While the parameters of the debate have changed, a more recent analysis in 1999 by Belot proclaimed rotation to be “the downfall of relationalism.”In this paper, we provide a relational response to the riddle of rotation. We present a theory that, contrary to orthodoxy, can account for all rotational effects without introducing, as the absolutist does, a fixed standard of rotation. Instead, our theory posits a universal SO(3) charge that plays the role of global angular momentum and couples to inter-particle relations via terms commonly seen in standard gauge theories such as electromagnetism and the Standard Model of particle physics.Our theory makes use of an enriched form of relationalism: it adds an SO(3) structure to the traditional relational description. Our construction is made possible by the modern tools of gauge theory, which reveal a simple relational law describing rotational effects. In this way, we can save all the phenomena of Newtonian mechanics using conserved charges and relationalism. In a second paper, we will further explore the ontological and explanatory implications of the theory developed here.

Public Feeding Interactions as Enrichment for Three Zoo-Housed Elephants.

Simple SummaryHuman–animal interactions are an important focus of modern animal welfare research. A subset of this interest includes animal–visitor interactions that occur in zoos. One understudied aspect of animal–visitor interactions involves public feedings, where visitors can directly feed the zoo animals. We examined the effects of public feedings compared with nonpublic feed days on the general activity of three zoo-housed elephants. In addition, we examined the general activity of the elephants in the months prior to public feedings, as well as their general activity on public feed days before, during, and after a public feeding. Public feedings were effective at increasing social activity and decreasing stereotypies for two of the elephants when compared with nonpublic feed days. Additionally, all three elephants showed increased foraging and decreased inactivity following a public feeding. Our results suggest that public feedings can be an effective form of environmental enrichment for zoo-housed elephants.The past few decades have seen increased interest in studies examining the welfare of elephants and animal–visitor interactions. One understudied area for both pursuits is the impact of public feeding interactions. Our study examined the effects of public feedings on the general activity of three zoo-housed elephants. Prior to public feedings, we developed and assessed a 21-behavior ethogram split into six classes of behavior. Comparisons between the elephants demonstrated that only one of the elephants engaged in stereotypies with regularity (>30%), and that the stereotypies occurred in place of most foraging. During public feedings, we compared the general activity of each elephant independently and across both public feeding and nonpublic feeding days, as well as the general activity before, during, and after a public feeding. Public feedings increased social activity and decreased stereotypies when compared with nonpublic feeding days for two of the elephants. In addition, all three elephants showed increased foraging and decreased inactivity in the period after a public feeding session. These results demonstrate that public feedings can be a useful tool for enriching the welfare of zoo-housed elephants and are among the first sets of data to demonstrate positive welfare outcomes associated with public feedings.

Oral Pharmacokinetics of Enriched Secoisolariciresinol Diglucoside and Its Polymer in Rats.

Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) is the principal lignan of flaxseed and precursor of its aglycone, secoisolariciresinol (SECO), and the mammalian lignans enterolactone (EL) and enterodiol (ED), the putative bioactive forms of oral administration of SDG. SDG is present in the seed hull as an ester-linked polymer. Although extraction and purification of SDG monomer is costly, the use of naturally occurring SDG in polymer form may offer a more economical approach for delivery of this precursor. The extent of SDG release from the polymer and subsequent bioavailability of SDG metabolites are unknown. To understand the relative bioavailability of SDG polymer, this study examined the comparative bioavailability of enriched SDG and SDG polymer in rats after a single oral SDG equivalent dose (40 mg/kg). A validated LC-MS/MS method quantified SDG and its metabolites in rat plasma following serial blood collections. SDG remained undetectable in rat plasma samples. Unconjugated SECO was detected in plasma after 0.25 h. Unconjugated ED was observed after 8 h (3.4 ± 3.3 ng/mL) and 12 h (6.2 ± 3.3 ng/mL) for enriched SDG and SDG polymer, respectively. Total (conjugated and unconjugated) ED and EL resulting from enriched SDG and SDG polymer reached similar maximal concentrations between 11 and 12 h and demonstrated similar total body exposures (AUC values). These data suggest a similar pharmacokinetic profile between the enriched and polymer form of SDG, providing support for the use of SDG polymer as a more economical precursor for SECO, ED, and EL in applications of chronic disease management.