Embryonic Loss in Sows with Repeated Propensity for Small Litter Size

Information is lacking as to the timing and cause of sows that repeatedly have low litter size over several parities. Sows evaluated for the present study had at least two parities either small or=12 (NL) litter size. Following breeding of sows with contemporary boars, reproductive tracts were obtained on day 30 of gestation. There was no difference (p > 0.10) between SL and NL sows in the number of CL, embryo weight or placental length. The total number of embryos and embryonic survival tended to be lower (p < 0.10) in SL sows compared with NL sows, but there were 5.1 less viable embryos (p < 0.03) in SL. Results indicate that time of conceptus loss in SL sows was variable throughout gestation.     

评估调质时间和温度对猪颗粒饲料淀粉糊化度和维生素沉积的影响

本论文研究了饲料加工的两个关键参数(调质温度和时间)对育肥猪颗粒饲料淀粉糊化度和维生素沉积的影响。日粮配方为含30%干酒糟及其可溶物的玉米-豆粕型基础日粮。整个试验中配方保持不变。本试验采用2×3双因子设计,调质温度分别为77℃和88℃,调质时间分别15秒、30秒和60秒。此外,本试验还设置一个对照组,对照组饲料不采用调质制粒工艺,而是采用粉料饲喂。因此,本试验共有7个处理组。采集调质后制粒前(热干粉)、制粒后冷却前(热制粒)、以及制粒冷却后(冷制粒)的样品,并分析这三种样品的总淀粉率、淀粉糊化     

Assessing the influence of mechanical ventilation on blood gases and blood pressure in rattlesnakes

ObjectiveTo characterize the impact of mechanical positive pressure ventilation on heart rate (HR), arterial blood pressure, blood gases, lactate, glucose, sodium, potassium and calcium concentrations in rattlesnakes during anesthesia and the subsequent recovery period.Study designProspective, randomized trial.AnimalsTwenty one fasted adult South American rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus terrificus).MethodsSnakes were anesthetized with propofol (15 mg kg⁻¹) intravenously, endotracheally intubated and assigned to one of four ventilation regimens: Spontaneous ventilation, or mechanical ventilation at a tidal volume of 30 mL kg⁻¹ at 1 breath every 90 seconds, 5 breaths minute⁻¹, or 15 breaths minute⁻¹. Arterial blood was collected from indwelling catheters at 30, 40, and 60 minutes and 2, 6, and 24 hours following induction of anesthesia and analyzed for pH, PaO₂, PaCO₂, and selected variables. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and HR were recorded at 30, 40, 60 minutes and 24 hours.ResultsSpontaneous ventilation and 1 breath every 90 seconds resulted in a mild hypercapnia (PaCO₂ 22.4 ± 4.3 mmHg [3.0 ± 0.6 kPa] and 24.5 ± 1.6 mmHg [3.3 ± 0.2 kPa], respectively), 5 breaths minute⁻¹ resulted in normocapnia (14.2 ± 2.7 mmHg [1.9 ± 0.4 kPa]), while 15 breaths minute⁻¹ caused marked hypocapnia (8.2 ± 2.5 mmHg [1.1 ± 0.3 kPa]). Following recovery, blood gases of the four groups were similar from 2 hours. Anesthesia, independent of ventilation was associated with significantly elevated glucose, lactate and potassium concentrations compared to values at 24 hours (p < 0.0001). MAP increased significantly with increasing ventilation frequency (p < 0.001). HR did not vary among regimens.Conclusions and clinical relevanceMechanical ventilation had a profound impact on blood gases and blood pressure. The results support the use of mechanical ventilation with a frequency of 1–2 breaths minute⁻¹ at a tidal volume of 30 mL kg⁻¹ during anesthesia in fasted snakes.     

Gonadotropin‐induced Puberty Does Not Impair Reproductive Performance of Gilts over Three Parities

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproductive performance of three parities of gilts treated or not treated with gonadotropin to induce puberty. Sixty gilts received 600 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) followed by 2.5 mg of porcine luteinizing hormone (LH) 72 h later. Fifty‐nine other gilts were exposed only to a mature boar for 15 min twice daily. Artificial insemination (AI) was performed at 0, 12 and 24 h after the detection of oestrus, and gestation was confirmed by ultrasound after 35 days. Sows were inseminated at the first post‐weaning oestrus. The total numbers of piglets born, piglets born alive, stillborn, mummified foetuses, as well as pregnancy and farrowing rates were evaluated for each of the three parities. Culling rates, farrowing intervals and weaning‐to‐oestrous intervals (WEI) were also analysed. Mean age at puberty and oestrous manifestation were not significantly different between treatments (p = 0.0639; 179.20 ± 17.52 compared with 173.96 ± 16.94, 91.66% compared with 94.92%) across the experimental period. However, females that underwent puberty induction showed modest increases both in the number of total pigs born and in the number of piglets born alive. In conclusion, puberty induction through exogenous gonadotropin administration in field conditions did not induce a more concentrated first oestrous manifestation, but trended to a modest increase in the number of pigs born alive in the first parity and a reduced culling rate during the first gestation.     

A superconducting field-effect switch

We report here on a novel realization of a field-effect device that allows switching between insulating and superconducting states, which is the widest possible variation of electrical properties of a material. We chose C(60) as the active material because of its low surface state density and observed superconductivity in alkali metal-doped C(60). We induced three electrons per C(60) molecule in the topmost molecular layer of a crystal with the field-effect device, creating a superconducting switch operating up to 11 kelvin. An insulator was thereby transformed into a superconductor. This technique offers new opportunities for the study of superconductivity as a function of carrier concentration.     

Electrical Resistivity and Stoichiometry of CaxC60 and SrxC60 Films

The temperature- and concentration-dependent resistivities of annealed CaxC(60) and SrxC(60) films were measured near room temperature. Resistivity minima were observed at x = 2 and 5. The resistivities of these films were rho(min) approximately 1 ohm-centimeter for x = 2 and rho(min) approximately 10(-2) ohm-centimeter for x = 5. This latter value is comparable to the resistivities found in similar experiments on K(3)C(60) films. There is a maximum in the resistivity between x = 2 and 3, and another at x approximately 7. The conductivity is activated over the whole range of compositions, and the activation energy scales with the logarithm of the resistivity. The results suggest that the conductivity and superconductivity observed in Ca(5)C(60) are associated with the population of bands derived from the t(1g) level of C(6O).     

Resonating valence-bond ground state in a phenalenyl-based neutral radical conductor

An organic material composed of neutral free radicals based on the spirobiphenalenyl system exhibits a room temperature conductivity of 0.3 siemens per centimeter and a high-symmetry crystal structure. It displays the temperature-independent Pauli paramagnetism characteristic of a metal with a magnetic susceptibility that implies a density of states at the Fermi level of 15.5 states per electron volt per mole. Extended Hückel calculations indicate that the solid is a three-dimensional organic metal with a band width of approximately 0.5 electron volts. However, the compound shows activated conductivity (activation energy, 0.054 electron volts) and an optical energy gap of 0.34 electron volts. We argue that these apparently contradictory properties are best resolved in terms of the resonating valence-bond ground state originally suggested by Pauling, but with the modifications introduced by Anderson.