1. The study was conducted to investigate the effects of different dietary levels of an unsaturated or saturated fat source and the effects of different dietary energy levels in laying hen diets on the carotenoid content of the egg yolk.2. Seventy-two ISA Brown laying hens aged 22 weeks old were allocated, for a 10 week period, to three treatments: control diet (HE group) with a 3.4% supplemented fat containing 2.1% soybean and 1.3% palm oil as fat sources and a ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acid (u/s) of 3.33; a lowered energy diet with 2.4% supplemented fat containing 1.4% soybean and 1.0% palm oil and u/s of 3.41 (LE+high u/s); a lowered energy diet with 2.4% supplemented fat containing 0.5% soybean and 1.9% palm oil and a u/s of 2.39 (LE+low u/s). A marigold plant extract supplement was used as a source of lutein.3. Performance parameters (feed consumption, feed conversion, body weight), egg production rate and egg quality parameters were similar between treatments. Dietary fat digestibility at the middle of the study period was not different. Egg yolk total fat content was similar in all treatments at the middle and at the end of the study period.4. Lutein, zeaxanthin, cis-lutein and total carotenoids content were significantly lower in eggs produced from the LE+low u/s group compared to those from the HE and the LE+high u/s groups (P < 0.01 for all parameters).5. It was concluded that feeding laying hens with a diet containing 1% less supplemented fat and a lower u/s ratio compared to a control diet and to a diet with 1% less supplemented fat with a higher u/s ratio resulted in a significant reduction of carotenoid expression in the egg yolk at the end of experimental period. Performance and egg quality parameters were not affected by treatments.
The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the effects of Punica granatum L. and Allium cepa L. peels aqueous and cyclodextrin extracts on broiler chicks’ performance and welfare status, as well as on the meat chemical composition and oxidative stability. A total of 120 one-day-old male Ross-308 chicks were randomly allocated to three treatments with four replicate pens (10 chicks per pen). Broiler chicks in the control group were fed typical commercial rations in mash form, based on maize and soybean meal. The rations of the other two treatments were further supplemented with the mixture of Punica granatum and Allium cepa aqueous and cyclodextrin extracts at the level of 0.1% of the feed, respectively. At the end of the trial (day 35), tissue samples were collected for analysis. Body weight (BW), feed intake (FI), average daily gain (ADG) and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the period of 1–10 days, 11–24 days, 25–35 days and 1–35 days were evaluated. Litter score, dry matter in litter, pododermatitis and feather score were also assessed at the end of the trial. Data were analyzed with ANOVA using SPSS v25 software. The results showed that BW, FI and FCR values did not differ among the groups. Scoring of pododermatitis, diarrhea, feather, fecal moisture, wooden breast and white stripping did not differ (p ≥ 0.05) among the groups. Punica granatum and Allium cepa aqueous and cyclodextrin extracts favorably affected (p < 0.05) meat composition, color parameters, TBARS and protein carbonyls. Diet supplementation also increased (p < 0.05) ∑n-3 fatty acids as well as ∑n-6 fatty acids in the thigh meat. The cis-4,7,10,13,16,19-Docosahexaenoic acid fatty acids in the breast meat of broilers fed with diets supplemented with the aqueous pomegranate and onion peel extracts were found to be higher (p < 0.05), while these fatty acids in the thigh meat were found increased (p < 0.05) in the cyclodextrin group. Aqueous and cyclodextrin pomegranate and onion peel extracts may provide a promising additive to the broilers diet with functional properties, in the absence of stressful conditions.
In the last years, materializations of neuromorphic circuits based on nanophotonic arrangements have been proposed, which contain complete optical circuits, laser, photodetectors, photonic crystals, optical fibers, flat waveguides, and other passive optical elements of nanostructured materials, which eliminate the time of simultaneous processing of big groups of data, taking advantage of the quantum perspective and thus highly increasing the potentials of contemporary intelligent computational systems. This article is an effort to record and study the research that has been conducted concerning the methods of development and materi-alization of neuromorphic circuits of Neural Networks of nanophotonic arrangements. In particular, an investigative study of the methods of developing nanophotonic neuromorphic processors, their originality in neuronic architectural structure, their training methods and their optimization has been realized along with the study of special issues such as optical activation functions and cost functions.
The present study aimed to investigate whether n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) incorporate into erythrocyte membranes of peripartal sows in a dose-responsive manner and whether the altered fatty acid profile affects the cell membrane characteristics. At day 109 of gestation (day 0), 51 sows were divided into five treatment groups. Each group received a diet with a different ratio of fish oil to pork lard for nine consecutive days. Blood samples were taken at day 0 and 10 days later. The fatty acid profile of erythrocytes was determined, as well as the osmotic fragility and oxidative stability of erythrocytes. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) were determined in plasma samples. Finally, reproductive and performance parameters of both sows and piglets were recorded until weaning. Supplementation of fish oil during the peripartal period changed the fatty acid profile of erythrocyte membranes in a dose-responsive manner. Although the n-3 PUFA content of erythrocyte membranes increased with increasing amounts of fish oil in the diet, no significant effect on erythrocyte osmotic fragility could be recorded. In contrast, oxidative stability of erythrocytes decreased linearly with increasing amounts of fish oil in the diet. Similarly, both TBARS and FRAP linearly increased with increasing percentages of fish oil in the diet. Neither piglet nor sow performance was influenced by dietary treatments, except for a decrease of both piglet survival and weaning weight with increasing quantities of fish oil supplemented. It is concluded that changes in dietary lipid sources can affect the membrane's fatty acid profile within days, and mainly influences oxidative stability of the cells.
The present study investigated the effect of a moderate substitution of inorganic mineral sources with chelated mineral sources from four weeks prior to parturition throughout lactation on sow and litter performance. In addition, the aims were to determine whether the mineral source and litter performance affect mineral status and accretion in piglets at birth and at weaning. Forty gestating sows in a commercial pig herd were selected and randomly assigned to two experimental groups, with part of the Cu, Mn, Zn and Fe content of the feed added as either an inorganic mineral source or a chelated mineral source. From each sow, one piglet was randomly selected at birth and at weaning for total body mineral analysis. Neither the performance of the sows and the piglets nor the total body mineral concentrations of the piglets at birth and at weaning were significantly different between the two diet groups (P > 0.05). Fe, Na and P content of piglets at birth were inversely correlated with birth weight (r = -0.447, P = 0.004 for Fe; r = -0.431, P = 0.005 for Na; r = -0.340, P = 0.032 for P). Daily accretion rate of K and Ca of piglets was positively correlated with piglet growth performance during the entire lactation period (r = 0.469, P = 0.008 for K; r = 0.581, P < 0.001 for Ca), and negatively correlated with number of liveborn piglets (r = -0.424, P = 0.014 for K, and r = -0.405, P = 0.027 for Ca). In conclusion, the study documented that partial substitution of inorganic minerals with a chelated mineral source failed to exert significant effects on performance and total body mineral concentrations. The importance of the influence of sow milk production on mineral body stores in piglets warrants further investigation.
African swine fever (ASF) poses a major threat to swine health and welfare worldwide. After several European countries have reported cases of ASF, Greece confirmed officially the first positive case on 5 February 2020. The owner of a backyard farm in Nikoklia, a village in Serres regional unit, Central Macedonia, reported a loss of appetite, weakness, dyspnea, and the sudden death of 6 domestic pigs. Necropsy was performed in one gilt and findings were compatible with acute to subacute septicemic disease. Predominantly, hyperemic enlargement of spleen and lymph node enlargement and/or hemorrhage were observed. Description of vague clinical signs by the farmer suggested a limited resemblance to ASF-acute infection. However, the disease could not be ruled out once septicemic condition including splenomegaly, was diagnosed macroscopically at necropsy. In addition, considering the farm’s location near to ASF protection zones, a further diagnostic investigation followed. Confirmation of the disease was obtained using a series of diagnostic tests on several tissue samples. Further clinical, molecular, and epidemiologic evaluation of the farm was performed. According to the contingency plan, authorities euthanized all 31 pigs on the farm, whilst blood testing revealed ASF virus infection. Further emergency measures were implemented to contain the spread of the disease.
A total of 283 pigs (PIC TR4 x 1050, initially 77.2 ± 1.4 lb BW) were used to compare phase feeding with blending finishing diets by using the FeedPro system (Feedlogic Corporation, Willmar, MN). There were 3 experimental treatments: (1) a standard 4-phase complete feed program, (2) blending high- and low-lysine complete diets over the entire experiment, and (3) blending ground corn and a separate complete supplement within each phase. FeedPro is an integrated feed dispensing system that can deliver and blend 2 separate diets while dispensing. The 4 phases were 77 to 120, 120 to 175, 175 to 221, and 221 to 278 lb. Each treatment had 12 replicate pens and 8 pigs per pen. Overall (77 to 278 lb), ADG and ADFI were similar (P > 0.24) across treatments. However, pigs fed the ground corn-supplement blend had poorer (P < 0.01) F/G than pigs fed diets blended in multiple phases and tended to have poorer (P < 0.09) F/G than pigs fed the standard phase diets. There were no differences (P > 0.70) in HCW, percentage yield, and loin depth across treatments. Pigs fed using phase feeding of the ground corn-supplement blend had greater (P < 0.02) percentage lean and lower (P < 0.04) fat depth than pigs fed using phase feeding of complete diets or diet blending. There were no (P > 0.28) statistical differences in total revenue and income over feed costs (IOFC) across treatments. However, the highest IOFC was obtained from diet blending, which had a numeric advantage of $1.44 to $2.32/pig over other treatments. In conclusion, the FeedPro system blended separate complete diets and a ground corn-supplement combination without adversely affecting growth performance and carcass characteristics.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 18, 2010
Today's era is characterized as the "digital transformation era".Digital processes and information systems are used in every aspect of social and business activity.The use of information technology over the internet is so extensive that we interact with it daily without even recognizing it.The technological advances can offer a plethora of improvements for the supply chain processes, especially in the field of distribution planning and execution.At the same time, the development of advanced information systems for usage in urban freight transportation operations is still at an early stage.The scope of this paper is to present the technological content of an advanced routing and scheduling system for transportation and delivery of goods.The system focuses on the routing and scheduling problem in urban areas, as city logistics have become a complex environment for companies to deliver their goods.The presented system deals with both static and dynamic routing and scheduling problems.More specifically, the system can create initial routing plans based on orders, available vehicles, time windows, and traffic forecasting data.Afterward, during the execution of the plans, the system can monitor the fleet, detect deviations from the original plans, and finally, perform rerouting operations when needed.After a brief presentation of the system's modules and functionality, the paper describes thoroughly the technologies used to develop the system.The technological elements of the system are integrated into a cloud environment offering a system that is easy to maintain and can effectively support logistics companies' distribution activities.The system is provided as a Software as a Service with data being maintained on a central host and processed on the cloud.Therefore, logistics companies that decide to implement it can achieve faster, more accurate and more cost-efficient distribution activities while ensuring better customer service.
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