Effect of method of application of a fibrolytic enzyme product on digestive processes and milk production in Holstein-Friesian cows

Four multiparous cows with cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum were used in early lactation in a 4 x 4 Latin square experiment to investigate the effect of method of application of a fibrolytic enzyme product on digestive processes and milk production. The cows were given ad libitum a total mixed ration (TMR) composed of 57% (dry matter basis) forage (3:1 corn silage:grass silage) and 43% concentrates. The TMR contained (g/kg dry matter): 274 neutral detergent fiber, 295 starch, 180 crude protein. Treatments were TMR alone or TMR with the enzyme product added (2 kg/1000 kg TMR dry matter) either sprayed on the TMR 1 h before the morning feed (TMR-E), sprayed only on the concentrate the day before feeding (Concs-E), or infused into the rumen for 14 h/d (Rumen-E). There Was no significant effect on either feed intake or milk yield but both were highest on TMR-E. Rumen digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and starch was unaffected by the enzyme. Digestibility of NDF was lowest on TMR-E in the rumen but highest postruminally. Total Tract digestibility was highest on TMR-E for dry matter, organic matter, and starch but treatment differences were nonsignificant for neutral detergent fiber: Corn silage stover retention time in the rumen was reduced by all enzyme treatments but postruminal transit time vas increased so the decline in total tract retention. time with enzymes was not significant. It is suggested that the tendency for enzymes to reduce particle retention time in the rumen may, by reducing the time available for fibrolysis to occur, at least partly explain the variability in the reported responses to enzyme treatment.

An evaluation of a Bayesian method of dose escalation based on bivariate binary responses

Recently, various approaches have been suggested for dose escalation studies based on observations of both undesirable events and evidence of therapeutic benefit. This article concerns a Bayesian approach to dose escalation that requires the user to make numerous design decisions relating to the number of doses to make available, the choice of the prior distribution, the imposition of safety constraints and stopping rules, and the criteria by which the design is to be optimized. Results are presented of a substantial simulation study conducted to investigate the influence of some of these factors on the safety and the accuracy of the procedure with a view toward providing general guidance for investigators conducting such studies. The Bayesian procedures evaluated use logistic regression to model the two responses, which are both assumed to be binary. The simulation study is based on features of a recently completed study of a compound with potential benefit to patients suffering from inflammatory diseases of the lung.

Stopping clinical trials because of treatment ineffectiveness: a comparison of a futility design with a method of stochastic curtailment

This paper introduces a simple futility design that allows a comparative clinical trial to be stopped due to lack of effect at any of a series of planned interim analyses. Stopping due to apparent benefit is not permitted. The design is for use when any positive claim should be based on the maximum sample size, for example to allow subgroup analyses or the evaluation of safety or secondary efficacy responses. A final frequentist analysis can be performed that is valid for the type of design employed. Here the design is described and its properties are presented. Its advantages and disadvantages relative to the use of stochastic curtailment are discussed. Copyright (C) 2003 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.

A method of synthesis of silicious inorganic ordered materials (MCM-41-SBA-1) employing polyacrylic acid-C(n)TAB-TEOS nanoassemblies

In this work we describe the synthesis of a variety of MCM-41 type hexagonal and SBA-1 type cubic mesostructures and mesoporous silicious materials employing a novel synthesis concept based on polyacrylic acid (Pac)-C(n)TAB complexes as backbones of the developing structures. The ordered porosity of the solids was established by XRD and TEM techniques. The synthesis concept makes use of Pac-C(n)TAB nanoassemblies as a preformed scaffold, formed by the gradual increase of pH. On this starting matrix the inorganic precursor species SiO2 precipitate via hydrolysis of TEOS under the influence of increasing pH. The molecular weight (MW) of Pac, as well as the length of carbon chain in C,TAB, determine the physical and structural characteristics of the obtained materials. Longer chain surfactants (C(16)TAB) lead to the formation of hexagonal phase, while shorter chain surfactants (C(14)TAB, C(12)TAB) favor the SBA-1 phase. Lower MW of Pac (approximate to2000) leads to better-organized structures compared to higher MW ( 450,000), which leads to worm-like mesostructures. Cell parameters and pore size increase with increasing polyelectrolyte and/or surfactant chain, while at the same time SEM photography reveals that the particle size decreases. Conductivity experiments provide some insight into the proposed self-assembling pathway. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simple general method of generating non-oxo, non-amavadine model octacoordinated vanadium(IV) complexes of some tetradentate ONNO chelating ligands from various oxovanadium(IV/V) compounds and structural characterization of one of them

A simple general route of obtaining very stable octacoordinated non-oxovanadium( IV) complexes of the general formula VL2 (where H2L is a tetradentate ONNO donor) is presented. Six such complexes (1-6) are adequately characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, and various spectroscopic techniques. One of these compounds (1) has been structurally characterized. The molecule has crystallographic 4 symmetry and has a dodecahedral structure existing in a tetragonal space group P4n2. The non-oxo character and VL2 stoichiometry for all of the complexes are established from analytical and mass spectrometric data. In addition, the non-oxo character is clearly indicated by the complete absence of the strong nu(v=o) band in the 925-1025 cm(-1) region, which is a signature of all oxovanadium species. The complexes are quite stable in open air in the solid state and in solution, a phenomenon rarely observed in non-oxovanadium(IV) or bare vanadium(IV) complexes.

A method of weighting indicators in building energy efficiency assessment

This paper identifies the indicators of energy efficiency assessment in residential building in China through a wide literature review. Indicators are derived from three main sources: 1) The existing building assessment methods; 2)The existing Chinese standards and technology codes in building energy efficiency; 3)Academia research. As a result, we proposed an indicator list by refining the indicators in the above sources. Identified indicators are weighted by the group analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method. Group AHP method is implemented following key steps: Step 1: Experienced experts are selected to form a group; Step 2: A survey is implemented to collect the individual judgments on the importance of indicators in the group; Step 3: Members’ judgments are synthesized to the group judgments; Step 4: Indicators are weighted by AHP on the group judgments; Step 5: Investigation of consistency estimation shows that the consistency of the judgment matrix is accepted. We believe that the weighted indicators in this paper will provide important references to building energy efficiency assessment.

Method of plant tissue culture and regeneration

Plants may be regenerated from stomatal cells or protoplasts of such cells. Prior to regeneration the cells or protoplasts may be genetically transformed by the introduction of hereditary material most preferably by a DNA construct which is free of genes which specify resistance to antibiotics. The regeneration step may include callus formation on a hormone-free medium. The method is particularly suitable for sugar beet.

A simple method of calculating eigenvalues and resonances in domains with infinite regular ends

A new approach is presented for the solution of spectral problems on infinite domains with regular ends, which avoids the need to solve boundary-value problems for many trial values of the spectral parameter. We present numerical results both for eigenvalues and for resonances, comparing with results reported by Aslanyan, Parnovski and Vassiliev.