The use of digital technology for portfolio creation, management and utilization

The purpose of this study was to create a digital portfolio that was practical and effective for both teachers and parents.

Physical and perceived noise levels within the neonatal intensive care unit of St. Louis Children's Hospital

This paper studies the success of the renovation of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. Louis Children's Hospital in reducing noise levels and improving the work environment.

Apparent digestibility and nitrogen utilization of diets based on maize silage harvested at three stages of maturity and fed to steers

Advancing maize crop maturity is associated with changes in ear-to-stover ratio which may have consequences for the digestibility of the ensiled crop. The apparent digestibility and nitrogen retention of three diets (Early, Mid and Late) containing maize silages made from maize of advancing harvest date [dry matter (DM) contents of the maize silages were 273, 314 and 367 g kg(-1) for the silages in the Early, Mid and Late diets respectively], together with a protein supplement offered in sufficient quantities to make the diets isonitrogenous, were measured in six Holstein-Friesian steers in an incomplete Latin square design with four periods. Dry-matter intake of maize silage tended to be least for the Early diet and greatest for the Medium diet (P=0(.)182). Apparent digestibility of DM and organic matter did not differ between diets. Apparent digestibility of energy was lowest in the Late diet (P = 0(.)057) and the metabolizable energy concentrations of the three silages were calculated as 11(.)0, 11(.)1 and 10(.)6 MJ kg(-1) DM for the Early, Medium and Late diets respectively (P = 0(.)068). No differences were detected between diets in starch digestibility but the number of undamaged grains present in the faeces of animals fed the Late diet was significantly higher than with the Early and Mid diets (P = 0(.)006). The apparent digestibility of neutral-detergent fibre of the diets reduced significantly as silage DM content increased (P = 0(.)012) with a similar trend for the apparent digestibility of acid-detergent fibre (P = 0(.)078). Apparent digestibility of nitrogen (N) was similar for the Early and Mid diets, both being greater than the Late diet (P = 0(.)035). Nitrogen retention did not differ between diets. It was concluded that delaying harvest until the DM content is above 300 g kg(-1) can negatively affect the nutritive value of maize silage in the UK.

Fungicide and cultivar affect post-anthesis patterns of nitrogen uptake, remobilization and utilization efficiency in wheat

Three successive field experiments (2000/01-2002/03) assessed the effect of wheat cultivar (Consort.. Hereward and Shamrock) and fungicide (epoxiconazole and azoxystrobin) applied at and after flag leaf emergence on the nitrogen in the above-ground crop (Total N) and grain (Grain N), net nitrogen remobilization from non-grain tissues (Remobilized N). grain dry matter (Grain Dill), and nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUtE(g) = Grain DM/Total N). Ordinary logistic curves were fitted to the accumulation of Grain N, Grain DM and Remobilized N against thermal time after anthesis and used to simultaneously derive fits for Total N and NUtE(g). When disease was controlled, Consort achieved the greatest Grain DM, Total N, Grain N and NUtEg; in each case due mostly to longer durations, rather than quicker rates, of accumulation. Fungicide application increased final Grain Dill.. Grant N, Total N and Remobilized N, also mostly through effects on duration rather than rate of accumulation. Completely senesced leaf laminas retained less nitrogen when fungicide had been applied compared with leaf laminas previously infected severely with brown rust (Puccinia recondita) and Septoria tritici, or with just S. tritici. Late movement of nitrogen out of fungicide-treated laminas contributed to extended duration of both nitrogen remobilization and grain N filling, and meant that increases in NUtE(g) could occur without simultaneous reductions in grain N concentration.

A model of net amino acid absorption and utilization by the portal-drained viscera of the lactating dairy cow

A more complete understanding of amino acid ( AA) metabolism by the various tissues of the body is required to improve upon current systems for predicting the use of absorbed AA. The objective of this work was to construct and parameterize a model of net removal of AA by the portal-drained viscera (PDV). Six cows were prepared with arterial, portal, and hepatic catheters and infused abomasally with 0, 200, 400, or 600 g of casein daily. Casein infusion increased milk yield quadratically and tended to increase milk protein yield quadratically. Arterial concentrations of a number of essential AA increased linearly with respect to infusion amount. When infused casein was assumed to have a true digestion coefficient of 0.95, the minimum likely true digestion coefficient for noninfused duodenal protein was found to be 0.80. Net PDV use of AA appeared to be linearly related to total supply (arterial plus absorption), and extraction percentages ranged from 0.5 to 7.25% for essential AA. Prediction errors for portal vein AA concentrations ranged from 4 to 9% of the observed mean concentrations. Removal of AA by PDV represented approximately 33% of total postabsorptive catabolic use, including use during absorption but excluding use for milk protein synthesis, and was apparently adequate to support endogenous N losses in feces of 18.4 g/d. As 69% of this use was from arterial blood, increased PDV catabolism of AA in part represents increased absorption of AA in excess of amounts required by other body tissues. Based on the present model, increased anabolic use of AA in the mammary and other tissues would reduce the catabolic use of AA by the PDV.

Effect of energy and protein supplementation on phosphorus utilization in lactating dairy cows

Two experiments were undertaken in which grass silage was used in conjunction with a series of different concentrate types designed to examine the effect of carbohydrate source, protein level and degradability on total dietary phosphorus (P) utilization with emphasis on P pollution. Twelve Holstein-Friesian dairy cows in early to mid-lactation were used in an incomplete changeover design with four periods consisting of 4 weeks each. Phosphorus intake ranged from 54 to 80 g/day and faecal P represented the principal route by which ingested P was disposed of by cows, with insignificant amounts being voided in urine. A positive linear relationship between faecal P and P intake was established. In Experiment 1, P utilization was affected by dietary carbohydrate type, with an associated output of 3.3 g faecal P/g milk P produced for all treatments except those utilizing low degradable starch and low protein supplements, where a mean value of 2.8 g faecal P/g milk P was observed. In Experiment 2, where two protein levels and three protein degradabilities were examined, the efficiency of P utilization for milk P production was not affected by either level or degradability of crude protein (CP) but a significant reduction in faecal P excretion due to lower protein and P intake was observed. In general, P utilization in Experiment 2 was substantially improved compared to the Experiment 1, with an associated output of 1.8 g faecal P/g milk P produced. The improved utilization of P in Experiment 2 could be due to lower P content of the diets offered and higher dry matter (DM) intake. For dairy cows weighing 600 kg, consuming 17-18 kg DM/day and producing about 25 kg milk, P excretion in faeces and hence P pollution to the environment might be minimized without compromising lactational performance by formulating diets to supply about 68 g P/day, which is close to recent published recommended requirements for P.