Egg production forecasting: Determining efficient modeling approaches

Several mathematical or statistical and artificial intelligence models were developed to compare egg production forecasts in commercial layers. Initial data for these models were collected from a comparative layer trial on commercial strains conducted at the Poultry Research Farms, Auburn University. Simulated data were produced to represent new scenarios by using means and SD of egg production of the 22 commercial strains. From the simulated data, random examples were generated for neural network training and testing for the weekly egg production prediction from wk 22 to 36. Three neural network architectures-back-propagation-3, Ward-5, and the general regression neural network-were compared for their efficiency to forecast egg production, along with other traditional models. The general regression neural network gave the best-fitting line, which almost overlapped with the commercial egg production data, with an R(2) of 0.71. The general regression neural network-predicted curve was compared with original egg production data, the average curves of white-shelled and brown-shelled strains, linear regression predictions, and the Gompertz nonlinear model. The general regression neural network was superior in all these comparisons and may be the model of choice if the initial overprediction is managed efficiently. In general, neural network models are efficient, are easy to use, require fewer data, and are practical under farm management conditions to forecast egg production.     

Sawdust: Cost Effective Scavenger for the Removal of Chromium(III) Ions from Aqueous Solutions

Cr(III) ions sorption onto sawdust of spruce (Picea smithiana) has been studied thoroughly using radiotracer technique. Maximum sorption (94%) of Cr(III) ions (8.98×10^?5 M) onto sorbent surface is achieved from deionized water in 20 min agitation time using 200 mg of sawdust. The sorption data followed the Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) and Langmuir isotherms. Freundlich constants l/n = 0.86 ± 0.07 and C _e = 85.0 ± 25.8 mmole g^?1 have been estimated. Sorption capacity, X _m = 0.82± 0.3 mmole g^?1, β = ?0.00356± 0.00017 kJ² mole^?2 and energy, E = 11.9± 0.3 kJ mole^?1 have been evaluated using D-R isotherm. The Langmuir constants Q = 5.8± 0.2 μmole g^?1 and b = (7.4± 0.5)×10⁴ dm³ mole^?1 have been calculated. The variation of sorption with temperature yields thermodynamic parameters Δ H = ?11.6± 0.3 kJ mole^?1, Δ S = ?16.2± 0.9 J mole^?1 K^?1 and Δ G = ?6.8± 0.3 kJ mole^?1 at 298 K. The negative value of enthalpy and free energy reflect the exothermic and spontaneous nature of sorption respectively. Among the anions studied oxalate, citrate, carbonate and borate have reduced the sorption. The cations Y(III), Ce(II) and Ca(II) suppressed sorption. The sawdust column can be used to separate Cr(III) ion from Cs(I), I(I),Tc (VII) and Se (IV).     

Development of Empirical Formulae to Determine Emission Rate from Various Opencast Coal Mining Operations

All major mining activities, particularly opencast coal mining,directly or indirectly contribute to the problem of air pollution.Therefore, air quality assessment and prediction arerequired to prevent and minimize the air quality deteriorationdue to various opencast coal mining operations. Determination ofemission rates for these activities is the first and foremostconcern. In view of the above, this study was undertaken to determinate emission rates and to develop empericalformulae to calculate emission rates of various opencast coalmining activities.To achieve the objectives, seven coal mining sites were selectedto generate site-specific emission data by considering miningpractices, method of working, geographical location,accessibility and above all resourceavailability. The study covers various mining activities andlocations including drilling, overburden loading and unloading,coal loading and unloading, the coal handling plant, the exposedoverburden dump, the stock yard, the workshop, the exposed pit surface roadsand haul roads.Based on the study, a set of twelve emperical formulae have beendeveloped for calculation of suspended particulate matter (SPM)emission rates from various opencast coal mining activities. Theemission of gaseous pollutants (sulphur dioxide and nitrogenoxide) has been found negligible for various mining activities.Therefore, observation for gaseous pollutants has been consideredfor overall mine activities and empirical formulae have subsequently beendeveloped.The developed empirical formulae were calculatedby a field study at another coal mine. The measured andcalculated values of emission rate were compared for eachactivity. Average correlation between the measured andcalculated values for different activities was estimated to be 85.6–99.9%, which indicates fairly good accuracy.Validation of the study was also carried out by means of thefugitive dust model (FDM) using the calculated emissionrate data from the empirical formulae for each mining activity of amine, meteorological data and other details as input.The average accuracy between measured and predictedvalues of concentration of SPM at certain receptor locations wasfound to be 79%. A user-friendly emission software called`EmissCalc' was developed to calculate emission rate, whichcan be used as input for different air quality models.     

Thiamine (vitamin B1) seed treatment enhances germination and seedling growth of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) exposed to soaking injury

Seed treatment with thiamine mononitrate significantly increased germination rate of bean (Phasenius vulgaris L.) seedlings germinated at high soil moisture levels and low night-temperature (5° C). Beneficial effects of thiamine applications on germination were also observed in soil-free germination tests when the seeds were submerged in water for 1–4 d at 18°C. Optimum response was achieved at thiamine concentrations of 3 mM, applied during the first 24 h of imbibition. As an early response to the thiamine treatment, vital staining with triphenyltetrazolium chloride revealed a lower proportion of damaged tissue of the embryonic axes. In later stages of seedling development, thiamine seed treatment resulted in a lower proportion of abnormal seedlings with malformations of the shoot apex and of the primary leaves. The beneficial effect of thiamine was more pronounced when the temperature during submergence was kept at 25° C compared to 5° C. There was no response to thiamine applications when the germinating seeds were exposed to low temperature treatments only. The thiamine effect could be mimicked by raising the osmotic potential of the incubation medium, indicating a relationship to soaking injuries. The results suggest that normal seedling development may be impaired by thiamine deficiency in the embryonic tissue induced by soaking injury, whereas low temperatures are not involved as a stress-factor.     

Elevated CO2 Improves Growth and Phosphorus Utilization Efficiency in Cereal Species Under Sub-Optimal Phosphorus Supply

Cultivars of Triticum aestivum, T. durum, and Secale cereale were grown at low (2 μM) and sufficient (500 μM) phosphorus (P) under ambient carbon dioxide (380 μmol mol^?1; aCO₂) and elevated CO₂ (700 μmol mol^?1, eCO₂) to study responses of cereal species in terms of growth and P utilization efficiency (PUE) under P x CO₂ interaction. Dry matter accumulation increased under eCO₂ with sufficient P. Nevertheless, dry matter accumulated at eCO₂ with low-P was similar to that obtained at aCO₂ with sufficient P. Leaf area was 43% higher under eCO₂ with sufficient P. Significant increase in lateral root density, length and surface area were noted at low-P under eCO₂. Phosphorus use efficience (PUE) increased by 59% in response to eCO_2­ in low-P plants. Thus, eCO₂ can partly compensate effect of low-P supply because of improved utilization efficiency. Among cereals, durum wheat was more suitable in terms of PUE under high CO₂ and limiting P supply.     

Capillary column gas chromatographic determination of trace residues of the herbicide chlorsulfuron in agricultural runoff water

A capillary column gas chromatographic method is described for determining parts-per-trillion (ppt) levels of chlorsulfuron in agricultural runoff water. The water sample is acidified with acetic acid and extracted with methylene chloride. The chlorsulfuron in the extracts derivatized to its monomethyl derivative. After Florisil column cleanup, the methylated chlorsulfuron is determined by electron-capture gas chromatography. Recovery of chlorsulfuron from fortified water samples is greater than 80%. Detection limit of the method is 25 ng chlorsulfuron/L water (25 ppt). There are 2 reaction sites on the chlorsulfuron molecule, both of which are susceptible to methylation leading to monomethyl chlorsulfuron and dimethyl chlorsulfuron. A procedure is described to methylate selectively the sulfonamide nitrogen of chlorsulfuron.     

One-step extraction and cleanup procedure for determination of p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD, and p,p'-DDE in fish

A simplified method that combines extraction, partitioning, and cleanup in a single step for measuring p,p'-DDT and its metabolites in fish is described. Minced fish samples are emulsified with disodium hydrogen orthophosphate and trisodium citrate, ground with sodium sulfate, and eluted from a chromatographic column prepacked with alumina and silicic acid. The fats and fatty acids are solubilized and easily extracted from the tissues and retained by the column, while p,p'-DDT and its metabolites are quantitatively eluted with 40 mL n-hexane. The eluate is directly applied to a gas chromatographic column. Average recoveries of p,p'-DDT and its metabolites added to fish in vitro are 81%. The average coefficient of variation for recoveries of p,p'-DDT and its metabolites is less than 6.5% and the detection limit is 0.001 micrograms/g for p,p'-DDE, thus making this method very suitable for residue analysis.     

Differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell into germ-like cell under effect of co-culture with testicular cell tissue

Supplements produced by mouse testicular cells (mTCs) and the interaction between cells can increase the differentiation rate of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) into the germ-like cells. We studied the differentiation rate of hUCMSCs into the germ-like cells under effect of mTCs co-culturing. Isolated hUCMSCs from postpartum human umbilical cords were cultured. Then, the expression of mesenchymal (CD73, CD90 and CD105) and haematopoietic (CD34 and CD45) markers of hUCMSCs were confirmed by flow cytometry. Then, the hUCMSCs were cultured in four distinct groups: (a) control, (b) co-culture until D0, (c) co-culture until D5 and (d) co-culture until D10, in order to differentiate into the germ-like cells. After 10 days, the expression of OCT4, VASA, Fragilis and SYCP3 genes were examined by Real-Time qPCR. The flow cytometry indicated a high expression of mesenchymal markers and a low expression of haematopoietic markers (CD73:98.6%, CD90: 99.1%, CD105: 99.5%, CD34: 4.22% and CD45: 2.54%). The expression of OCT4 decreased during the time while the expression of VASA, Fragilis and SYCP3 markers increased in the co-culture with testicular cells (p value <.05). Co-culture with mTCs may be used as an effective method to differentiate hUCMSCs into germ-like cells.     

Salinity tolerance of wild barley Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum

Salinity tolerance of 47 wild barley genotypes and six barley cultivars was evaluated under control and salinity stress (300 mM NaCl) conditions. Shoot and root dry weight (DW), plant height, membrane stability index (MSI), relative water content, survival rate, leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline contents, root and leaf Na, K, Ca and K/Na ratio, and chlorophyll a fluorescence were measured. Salinity stress caused significant increase in the MDA, proline content, Na and Ca concentrations of the roots and leaves, but resulted in a decrease in the other traits. H. spontaneum genotypes were considerably less affected by the salinity than the genotypes of H. vulgare. Plant survivability was negatively correlated with the Na concentration (r =−.66) but positively correlated with the leaf K/Na ratio (r = .67) and MSI (r = .68). Tolerance mechanisms such as ion exclusion (Na) were likely to be present in the wild barley causing K/Na homeostasis as well as the much lower root and shoot Na, resulting in the higher survival rate.     

Evaluation of bone healing in canine tibial defects filled with cortical autograft,commercial-DBM,calf fetal DBM,omentum and omentum-calf fetal DBM

The present study was conducted to compare the effects of xenogenic bovine fetal demineralized bone matrix (DBM), commercial DBM, omentum, omentum-calf fetal DBM, cortical autograft and xenogenic cartilage powder on the healing of tibial defects in a dog model to determine the best material for bone healing. Seven male adult mongrel dogs, weighing 26.2 ± 2.5 kg, were used in this study. Seven holes with a diameter of 4-mm were created and then filled with several biomaterials. Radiographs were taken postoperatively on day 1 and weeks 2, 4, 6, 8. The operated tibias were removed on the 56th postoperative day and histopathologically evaluated. On postoperative days 14, 42 and 56, the lesions of the control group were significantly inferior to those in the other group (p < 0.05). On the 28th postoperative day, the autograft group was significantly superior to the control and omentum groups (p < 0.05). Moreover, calf fetal DBM was significantly superior to the control group. There was no significant difference between the histopathological sections of all groups. Overall, the omentum and omentum-DBM groups were superior to the control group, but inferior to the autograft, commercial-DBM, calf fetal DBM and calf fetal cartilage groups.