Colostrum yield and litter performance in multiparous sows subjected to farrowing induction

The consumption of colostrum at a low level can compromise the survival and growth of piglets. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of farrowing induction on colostrum yield, IgG concentration and the survival and performance of piglets until the weaning. Sows of parity 3 to 7 were assigned into two groups: Control (n = 48), sows with spontaneous farrowing; and induction (n = 48), sows induced to farrow on day 114 of gestation with a PGF₂ analogue. Colostrum and blood samples were collected from the sows, at farrowing and 24 hr later. Blood samples from the piglets were collected at 24 hr after birth. The performance of the piglets was evaluated in a subsample of 28 litters from each group. All piglets were weighed at 7, 14 and 20 days of age. The farrowing length, the number of piglets born alive, stillborn piglets, weight at birth, litter weight at birth and colostrum yield were not significantly affected (p > .05) by farrowing induction. There was no difference between the groups (p > .05) in the percentage of sows with obstetric interventions. Serum IgG concentration, in both sows and piglets, and colostrum IgG concentration were similar between the groups (p > .05). Furthermore, survival rate, piglet weight and litter weight at 7, 14 and 20 days of age were also similar between the groups (p > .05). Therefore, it can be concluded that the farrowing induction performed on day 114 of gestation does not affect the colostrum yield, the IgG concentration in colostrum and serum of piglets, and the litter performance until the weaning.     

A tunable kondo effect in quantum dots

A tunable Kondo effect has been realized in small quantum dots. A dot can be switched from a Kondo system to a non-Kondo system as the number of electrons on the dot is changed from odd to even. The Kondo temperature can be tuned by means of a gate voltage as a single-particle energy state nears the Fermi energy. Measurements of the temperature and magnetic field dependence of a Coulomb-blockaded dot show good agreement with predictions of both equilibrium and nonequilibrium Kondo effects.     

Studies on Aftertaste of Tea

Aftertaste is a taste perceiption after a food or beverage is either swallowed or spat out.The primary taste processing area located in the insula was considered to be involved in aftertaste perception.The changes in chemical compositions lead to the changes in aftertaste of tea.Tea fermentation,in which tea catechins are transformed into thearubigins,lead to a strong,distinctive flavor but a plain aftertaste.Theanine has a sweet taste,with little or no aftertaste.The bitter aftertaste of transglucosylated steviosides was reduced when they were converted through transglucosylation of stevioside by α-amylase.Characteristics of aftertaste include quality,intensity,and duration.Foods that have lingering aftertastes typically have long sensation durations.A surface plasmon resonance （SPR） system immobilized β-cyclodextrin indicated larger responses for the gallate-type catechins in comparison to the non-gallate-type catechins.The β-cyclodextrin/SPR system can sense the bitter-astringent taste intensity of the green tea.The SPR system detected the stability of the complex between the gallate-type catechins and β-cyclodextrin,which can be interpreted as the aftertaste produced in humans by the gallate-type catechins.     

Development of smallholder dairy units in Malaysia

In experiments conducted over a four-year period the effect of pasture type (Setaria sphacelata and a Brachiaria decumbens/Leucaena leucocephala mixture), management system (rotational grazing and cut and carry) and level of concentrate supplement (0, 4 and 6 kg fresh weight/cow per day) on milk production in smallholder dairy units was examined. All units were 1 ha in size and stocked with five Sahiwal X Friesian cows. Milk yields/ha were higher from rotational grazing and the brachiaria/leucaena pasture when compared with the cut and carry system and the setaria pasture respectively. In subsequent experiments smallholder units were based on brachiaria/leucaena and rotational grazing. A supplement of 4 kg fresh weight of concentrate (11 MJ/kg DM and 150 g/kg DM CP) increased milk yield/ha from 7,760 to 13,045 kg while in a third trial milk yield/ha was further increased from 14,148 to 16,760 kg when concentrate level was raised from 4 to 6 kg fresh weight/day. The results indicate that smallholder dairy units in Malaysia could be economically viable and competitive with other agricultural enterprises such as rubber and oil palm.     

Disposition of 3H-selamectin and 3H-ivermectin in the brain of the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis felis using micro-image analysis

In addition to intrinsic potency and metabolic stability, the disposition of an antiparasitic drug within the target parasite plays a major role in determining drug activity. A novel technique that allows the disposition of radiolabelled drugs to be visualised within the body of the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis felis) is described. The concentrations of two macrocyclic lactones, (3)H-selamectin and (3)H-ivermectin, within the supra- and sub-oesophageal ganglia of the flea brain following in vitro feeding of fleas on different doses of drug solubilised in calf blood have been measured. Drug disposition was visualised in cryostat sections of fleas using a micro-image analysis (MIA). A relationship between the concentration of radioactivity in the ganglia and the dose of drug in the blood meal was obtained. The concentration of selamectin in the ganglia was significantly higher than ivermectin at all doses investigated. The enhanced concentration of selamectin, at a site rich in glutamate-gated chloride channels may, in part, explain the higher potency of selamectin against fleas compared to ivermectin.