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NRLMSIS® 2.0 is an empirical atmospheric model that extends from the ground to the exobase and describes the average observed behavior of temperature, eight species densities, and mass density via a parametric analytic formulation. The model inputs are location, day of year, time of day, solar activity, and geomagnetic activity. NRLMSIS 2.0 is a major, reformulated upgrade of the previous version, NRLMSISE‐00. The model now couples thermospheric species densities to the entire column, via an effective mass profile that transitions each species from the fully mixed region below ~70 km altitude to the diffusively separated region above ~200 km. Other changes include the extension of atomic oxygen down to 50 km and the use of geopotential height as the internal vertical coordinate. We assimilated extensive new lower and middle atmosphere temperature, O, and H data, along with global average thermospheric mass density derived from satellite orbits, and we validated the model against independent samples of these data. In the mesosphere and below, residual biases and standard deviations are considerably lower than NRLMSISE‐00. The new model is warmer in the upper troposphere and cooler in the stratosphere and mesosphere. In the thermosphere, N2 and O densities are lower in NRLMSIS 2.0; otherwise, the NRLMSISE‐00 thermosphere is largely retained. Future advances in thermospheric specification will likely require new in situ mass spectrometer measurements, new techniques for species density measurement between 100 and 200 km, and the reconciliation of systematic biases among thermospheric temperature and composition data sets, including biases attributable to long‐term changes. Key Points: A major, reformulated upgrade to NRLMSISE‐00 is presented using extensive new data sets from the ground to ~100 km altitudeVertical structure of the atmosphere is now self‐consistently coupled; O density now extends down to 50 kmNew model is warmer in upper troposphere, cooler in stratosphere and mesosphere; thermospheric N2 and O densities are lower [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Real-world effects lower flare combustion efficiency (CE) and increase GHG emissions. • Inferring CE using hyperspectral imaging is ill-posed. • Can thermomechanical manifold reduction (TCMR) reduce ill-posedness? • TCMR connects temperature and combustion products in flare plume. • Improves CO 2 estimate, but must account for radiant losses from plume Obtaining the composition and concentration distribution of combustion products from spectroscopic data often amounts to solving an ill-posed problem, which impairs the accuracy of recovered parameters. This study evaluates the feasibility of using a thermochemical manifold reduction (TCMR) mechanism to reduce the number of unknown parameters, thereby decreasing the ill-posedness of the problem. The approach is demonstrated by recovering carbon dioxide and methane column densities within a flare plume using hyperspectral images. The results show marked improvement in retrieval accuracy for hyperspectral images in the case of carbon dioxide, but not for methane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted to investigate the impact of phytase source, citric acid, and wheat middlings (WM) on growth performance, bone strength, carcass yield, and P release in broilers fed marginally-deficient P diets from d 21 to 55. The experiment consisted of 13 dietary treatments, which were replicated five times, where each replicate consisted of 20 birds and utilized the standard-curve methodology using monobasic potassium phosphate (KH2PO4) as the standard. Treatments were as follows: diets 1 to 4) corn -soybean meal (C-SBM) basal (0.13% iP) supplemented with graded levels (0, 0.04, 0.08, 0.12%) of KH2PO4; diets 5 to 8) as in diet 1 with 500 FTU/kg of phytase (E. coli (EP) or fungal (FP)) and two levels of citric acid (0 or 3 %); diet 9) as in diet 1 with 10% corn replaced by WM; and diets 10 to 13) as in diet 9 supplemented with 500 FTU/kg of phytase (EP or FP) and two levels of citric acid (0 or 3 %). Reducing dietary IP had no impact on growth performance. Phytase had the main effect of increasing weight gain in the grower and withdrawal phases (P < 0.05); weight gain was greater in broilers fed the EP diets compared to those fed the FP diets during the grower phase (P < 0.05). When all the periods were combined only broilers fed the EP diets had weight gains and feed efficiencies that were greater than broilers fed no supplemental phytase (P < 0.05). The inclusion of phytase had the main effect of increasing adjusted bone breaking strength (ABBS) and tibia ash (P < 0.05) and released at least 0.083% P. Broilers fed the FP diets had lower carcass yield, whereas broilers fed the EP diets had lower wing yield (P < 0.05). Citric acid had the main effect of increasing feed efficiency, ABBS, and tibia ash (P <0.05) when all the periods were combined. Phytase and citric acid released at least 0.100% P, whereas the inclusion of WM alone released 0.051% P using ABBS data. The combination of phytase and WM increased P release by 67% (P <0.05), whereas phytase, citric acid, and WM released at least 0.148% P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase-feeding (PF) has been effective in maintaining broiler growth while reducing production cost, but the effect on different broiler strains grown in a small-bird production scenario has not been assessed. The objective of this study was to evaluate 3 commercial broiler strains typically used in a small-bird production scenario to assess the effect of various debone times and PF on yield and meat quality. Birds (n = 1,080) were fed either diets with average industry nutrient levels or diets with phased levels of amino acids. In total, 540 birds were commercially processed at 40 and 42 d of age. Breast fillets were harvested at 2, 4, and 6 h postmortem (PM). Muscle pH was measured at the time of debone and fillet dimensions, instrumental color (L*, a*, and b*), and pH were measured at 24 h PM. Fillets were cooked to 76°C and cook loss was calculated, followed by Meullenet-Owens Razor shear (MORS) analysis. Phase-feeding, strain, and sex had little effect on fillet yield, but deboning at 2 h PM resulted in a higher fillet yield compared with that of later debone times. Strain, sex, and debone hour had significant effects on fillet dimensions, with strain A producing longer and wider fillets than strains B and C. Males had larger fillets than females (longer and wider), whereas deboning early resulted in significantly thicker fillets compared with those of later deboning. There were no differences in fillet dimensions due to PF, however, uniformity was improved. The PF treatment did not affect pH, color, cook loss, or MORS energy. Deboning at 2 h PM resulted in higher MORS energy, indicating decreased tenderness in 2 of the strains, whereas in one strain, tenderness was not affect by debone time. Results of this study suggest PF does not adversely affect yield or meat quality of broilers in small-bird programs but strain, sex, and debone time can affect quality. Results also suggest that strain can effect tenderness of breast fillets when deboned prerigor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Habitual abuse of the wormwood spirit absinthe was described in the 19th and 20th centuries as a cause for the mental disorder “absinthism” including the symptoms hallucinations, sleeplessness and convulsions. A controversial discussion is going on if thujone, a characteristic component of the essential oil of the wormwood plant Artemisia absinthium L., is responsible for absinthism, or if it was merely caused by chronic alcohol intoxication or by other reasons such as food adulterations. To ascertain if thujone may have caused absinthism, absinthes were produced according to historic recipes of the 19th century. Commercial wormwood herbs of two different manufacturers, as well as self-cultivated ones, were used in a concentration of 6kg/100l spirit. In addition, an authentic vintage Pernod absinthe from Tarragona (1930), and two absinthes from traditional small distilleries of the Swiss Val-de-Travers were evaluated. A GC–MS procedure was applied for the analysis of α- and β-thujone with cyclodecanone as internal standard. The method was shown to be sensitive with a LOD of 0.08mg/l. The precision was between 1.6 and 2.3%, linearity was obtained from 0.1 to 40mg/l (r =1.000). After the recent annulment of the absinthe prohibition all analysed products showed a thujone concentration below the maximum limit of 35mg/l, including the absinthes produced according to historic recipes, which did not contain any detectable or only relatively low concentrations of thujone (mean: 1.3±1.6mg/l, range: 0–4.3mg/l). Interestingly, the vintage absinthe also showed a relatively low thujone concentration of 1.8mg/l. The Val-de-Travers absinthes contained 9.4 and 1.7mg/l of thujone. In conclusion, thujone concentrations as high as 260mg/l, reported in the 19th century, cannot be confirmed by our study. With regard to their thujone concentrations, the hallucinogenic potential of vintage absinthes can be assessed being rather low because the historic products also comply with today''s maximum limits derived to exclude such effects. It may be deduced that thujone plays none, or only a minor role in the clinical picture of absinthism. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

1. Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of relative deficiencies of methionine and threonine on the growth performance of 8- to 21-d-old chicks fed on isoenergetic diets containing a wide range of crude protein (CP) concentrations from dehulled soyabean meal (SBM). 2. Chicks fed on graded levels of SBM containing supplemental methionine and threonine (BAL) accreted whole-body protein more efficiently (P < 0·05) than those receiving graded levels of unsupplemented SBM (DEF), and superior (P < 0·05) growth performance was also obtained at lower CP levels when chicks were fed on the BAL diets. 3. Voluntary food intake increased between 30 and 220 g CP/kg in chicks fed on DEF diets, whereas food intake of chicks fed on BAL diets increased only between 30 and 100 g CP/kg, after which it decreased between 100 and 220 g CP/kg. 4. Protein efficiency ratio (g gain per g protein intake) decreased with each incremental increase in CP between 30 and 260 g CP/kg, regardless of whether diets were BAL or DEF. 5. These data indicate that maintaining a balanced ratio of amino acids is a preferable approach when poultry producers are interested in employing low CP diets for economic, physiological or environmental reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major challenge inherent to hot stamping aluminized 22MnB5 blanks involves the liquefaction of the protective Al-Si coating, followed by its transformation into an intermetallic Al-Fe-Si layer. The intermediate liquid state contaminates the furnace rollers and causes the blanks to migrate within the furnace, while the evolving surface topography of the intermetallic coating impacts the radiative properties of the blanks as well as the subsequent quenching rate. This study investigates how the heating profile and coating thickness impact the solidification process and surface roughness using in-situ laser-based reflectance measurements on blanks with two coating thicknesses. Temporally resolved reflectance measurements demonstrate that the duration over which the coating is liquid is approximately halved for blanks with the thinner coating. Moreover, in-situ light scattering measurements show that blanks with the thinner coating reach a higher maximum surface roughness of approximately 2.75 μm compared to 2.65 μm for blanks with the thicker coating. These results are also connected to ex-situ scanning electron microscope images and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy measurements, which depict the growth of iron-rich intermetallic compounds Al 4.5 FeSi, Al 7 Fe 2 Si, Al 5 Fe 2 , and Al 2 Fe during heating.- • Coating transformation of aluminized steel blanks affects hot stamping operations. • Liquefaction and resolidification is measured with laser reflectance in situ. • Laser-based speckle analysis used to infer roughness transformation in situ. • Assesses influence of coating weight and heating rate on roughness and liquefaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An N-bit successive approximation pipelined (SAP) analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) with a conversion rate equal to the clock frequency is presented. The ADC implements the successive approximation algorithm using parallelism and pipelining to sample the input and generate an N-bit digital output at each clock cycle. The latency is N clock cycles. The requirement for the residue circuit (high frequency analogue subtract and multiply) between pipeline stages in traditional pipelined ADCs is eliminated, which significantly reduces the sensitivity to comparator offset and component mismatch. The combination of energy efficient SAR sub-circuits with conversion rate greater than 1.0 GHz when implemented in CMOS nanotechnology makes the SAP ADC an attractive option for high performance wireless and wireline applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an abstract of the research paper "Impact of genotype on carcass, meat quality, and sensory attributes for turkeys raised with outdoor access," by J.F. Meullenet and colleagues.

The article presents an abstract of the research paper "Multi-Media Educational Tool for Poultry Meat and Egg Processing Instruction," by J.L. Emmert and colleagues.

Phase feeding (PF) has been effective at maintaining broiler growth while reducing production cost, but the effect on different broiler strains grown in a small-bird production scenario has not been assessed. Three strains of commercial broilers were fed a diet containing average industry nutrient levels from 0 to 18 d. From 18 to 32 d, birds were fed either diets with average industry nutrient levels or diets with phased levels of amino acids. For PF, diets were prepared that contained Lys, sulfur amino acids, and Thr levels matching the predicted requirements for birds at the beginning (high nutrient deiisity) and end (low nutrient density) of PF. Pelleted high and low nutrient-density diets were blended to produce rations containing amino acid levels that matched the predicted PF requirements over 2-d intervals, and diets were switched every other day during PF. Treatments were replicated in 6 pens; each pen contained 15 males and 15 females. Weight gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency were calculated. All birds were commercially processed; yield and fillet dimensions were calculated. Differences among strain BW were noted on d 0, 18, 32, and at processing. Males weighed more than females on d 18 (excluding strain C), 32, and the day of processing. Weight gain was affected by strain (P < 0.05) but not by feeding regimen in the overall growth period (18-39 d). Feed efficiency was improved by PF in strains B and C during the overall growth period. Fillet yield was improved with PF for strain B, and there were no significant differences between PF and industry fillet yields for the other 2 strains. Phase feeding had no effect on fillet dimensions, and there was little effect of strain. These results suggest that different strains may vary in their response to PF, although performance was similar or better in PF birds compared with birds fed the industry diet, regardless of strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase feeding (PF) has been effective at maintaining broiler growth while reducing production cost, but the effect on different broiler strains and sex has not been assessed. An experiment was conducted using 4 commercial broiler strains grown up to 63 d of age (n 1,440), comparing a PF approach to an industry-type diet. At d 17, birds began either the industry or PF regimen. The industry regimen consisted of average industry nutrient levels with periods from 17 to 32 d, 32 to 40 d, 40 to 49 d, and 49 d to the end of trial. For PF, diets were prepared that contained Lys, sulfur amino acids, and Thr levels matching the predicted requirements for birds at the beginning (high nutrient density) and end (low nutrient density) of PF. Pelleted high and low nutrient density diets were blended to produce rations containing amino acid levels that matched the predicted PF requirements over 2-d intervals. Weight gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency were calculated through d 58. Birds were commercially processed at 59, 61, or 63 d; yield and fillet dimensions were measured. Phase feeding did not effect weight gain or feed intake of broilers during the overall growth period (17-58 d). For most strains, PF did not effect final BW, yield, or fillet dimensions. However, strain and sex had greater effects on growth performance, yields, and fillet dimensions. Strains B and D had greater breast yield than strains A and C. Reduced feed costs ($0.01 to $0.04 per kilogram of gain, depending on strain) were observed for all strains with PF for the overall growth period (17-58 d). Therefore, potential savings on feed costs are possible for all strains used in this study with the incorporation of the PF regimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industry trend toward early deboning of chickens has led to the need to explore the effect on meat quality, including the effects of strain and sex. An experiment was conducted using broilers of 4 different high-yielding commercial strains chosen because of their common use in big-bird production. Of each strain, 360 birds were commercially processed at 59, 61, and 63 d of age in 2 replicates per day. Breast fillets were harvested at 2, 4, and 6 h postmortem (PM). Muscle pH and instrumental color (L*, a*, and b*) were measured at the time of deboning and at 24 h PM. Fillets were cooked to 76°C and cook loss was calculated, followed by Meullenet-Owens razor shear (MORS) analysis. Muscle pH significantly decreased over time as aging before deboning increased. Furthermore, L* values significantly increased as aging time increased, with the fillets deboned at 6 h PM having the highest L* value, followed by 4 h, and then 2 h PM. After 24 h, the fillets deboned at 6 h still had the highest L* compared with those deboned at 2 or 4 h PM. Fillets from strain B had the highest L* values. Fillets deboned at 2 h PM had significantly higher cook losses and MORS energy (indicating tougher fillets) than fillets deboned at 4 or 6 h PM, but there was no difference in cook loss due to strain at any deboning time. Fillets deboned at 4 h PM also had higher MORS energy than fillets deboned at 6 h PM, and differences in MORS energy among the strains were observed at 4 h PM. There was no difference in instrumental color values or cook loss due to sex. However, fillets of males had significantly greater MORS energy (tougher fillets) when deboned at 2, 4, and 6 h PM than those of females. Results of this study suggest that deboning time, sex, and strain can affect meat quality in big-bird market programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer interest in free-range and organic poultry is growing. An experiment was conducted to assess the impact of alternative genotype and production systems on the sensory attributes of chicken meat. Specifically, a slow-growing genotype and a fast-growing genotype were raised for 91 and 63 d. The slow-growing birds were placed before the fast-growing birds to achieve a similar final BW at processing. Each genotype was assigned to 4 pens of 20 birds each and raised in indoor floor pens in a conventional research facility; each genotype was also assigned to 4 floor pens in a small facility with outdoor access. The diet was formulated to be low in energy and protein for slow growth. Birds were commercially processed and deboned at 4 h postmortem. A descriptive analysis of breast and thigh meat was conducted on all treatments by a trained descriptive panel. A consumer analysis was also conducted on the breast and thigh meat from only 2 treatments: slow-growing birds raised with outdoor access and fast-growing birds raised indoors. A descriptive analysis indicated that the breast meat from birds with outdoor access was more cohesive than the meat from indoor birds (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences for most basic tastes; how- ever, both the breast meat and thigh meat of the fast-growing birds tasted saltier than that of the slow-growing birds (P <0.05). Meat of the slow-growing birds had more dark meat fat flavor than that of the fast-growing birds (P < 0.05). Results from the consumer panel showed no significant differences in overall liking, appearance, texture, or flavor of the breast meat or thigh meat. Just-About-Right distributions of consumer responses did not vary between slow-growing birds with outdoor access and fast-growing birds raised indoors for most attributes; however, more panelists found the breast meat of slow- growing birds with outdoor access too dry (P < 0.05). Although a descriptive panel detected some differences in texture and flavor among treatments, the consumer panel did not indicate differences in liking between conventional and specialty products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer interest in free-range and organic poultry is growing. Two concurrent experiments were conducted to assess 1) the impact of alternative genotype and production system and 2) the impact of genotype and diet on meat quality of chickens for specialty markets. Specifically, a slow-growing genotype (slow) and a fast-growing genotype (fast) were raised for 91 and 63 d (females), respectively, or 84 and 56 d in the case of the second trial (males). In each trial, the slow birds were placed before the fast birds to achieve a similar final BW at processing. Each genotype was assigned to 4 pens of 20 birds each and raised in indoor floor pens in a conventional poultry research facility; each genotype was also assigned to 4 floor pens in a small facility with outdoor access. A low-nutrient diet was used, formulated for a slower rate of production. Birds were commercially processed and deboned at 4 h postmortem. In the second trial, the diets compared were a conventional diet that met NRC requirements or the low-nutrient diet, and all birds were raised indoors. There was an interaction between genotype and production system for the color (b*; P < 0.05). The meat and skin of the slow birds became more yellow when the birds had outdoor access; however, this did not occur when the fast birds had outdoor access. The breast meat of the slow birds had more protein and α-tocopherol (P < 0.05) than the fast birds and half the amount of fat (P < 0.05). In addition, the meat of the outdoor birds had more protein than the indoor birds (P < 0.05). The slow birds had poorer water-holding capacity but were more tender than the fast birds (P < 0.05). The type of diet had little impact on meat quality. These data indicate that meat quality differences exist between genotypes with different growth rates and raised in alternative production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Three battery experiments were conducted with broiler chicks during the 2nd and 3rd week of life. Graded amounts of cholecalciferol (D3) were added to maize-soyabean meal diets that were designed to be (a) severely deficient in available phosphorus (P), (b) marginally deficient in calcium (Ca) or (c) adequate in both available P and Ca. 2. With diets containing 1.0 g available P and 6.3 g Ca/kg (assay 1), graded doses of D3 between 0 and 37.5 mu/kg produced linear (P 0.05) positive responses in both weight gain and tibia ash. With a D3 concentration of 1250 mug/kg, 250 times the requirement recommended by the NRC, bone ash was increased (P 0.05) over that of birds fed 37.5 mug/kg, and neither weight gain nor food intake were reduced. 3. With a P- adequate diet (4.5 g available P/kg) containing 8.5 g Ca/kg (assay 2), weight gain and bone ash increased linearly (P 0.05) upon supplementing the basal diet with 0, 2.5 and 5.0 mug D3/kg. Higher doses of D3 did not elicit further responses, and chicks fed on a diet containing 1250 mug D3/kg gained as fast and had bone ash values that did not differ from those of chicks receiving 5, 10, 20 or 40 mug D3/kg. 4. When the maize-soyabean meal basal diet was fortified with Ca and P to achieve adequate amounts of Ca (10.1 g/kg) and P (4.5 g available P/kg) in assay 3, dietary additions produced results similar to those obtained in assay 2 where P was adequate and Ca was slightly deficient. Again, chicks receiving a surfeit of D3 (1250 mug/kg) exhibited weight gains and bone ash values that were as great as those of chicks receiving 5, 10, 15 or 30 mug D3/kg. 5. It is apparent that young chicks have a high tolerance for excess D3, and chicks fed on diets that are severely deficient in available P continue to respond to D3 in excess of 37.5 mug/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broiler breast fillets are sometimes characterized grossly by white parallel striations in the direction of the muscle fibers, and the condition is referred to as white striping. Depending on the severity of white striping, fillets can be classified as normal (NORM), moderate (MOD), or severe (SEV). The present study was intended to determine the factors associated with the occurrence of white striping in broiler breast fillets. Broiler birds (59 to 63 d) of 4 different commercial high-yielding strains (both males and females) fed with industrial type or phase-feeding regimens, were processed and ready-to-cook carcass weight was recorded. The carcasses were deboned at either 4 or 6 h postmortem. Fillets were scored for the degree of white striping at 24 h postmortem, and dimensions of fillets (length, width, cranial thickness, and caudal thickness), pH, color (L*, a* and b* values), cook loss, and Meullenet- Owens razor shear energy (MORSE) values were determined. About 55.8% of the birds used in the study showed some degree of white striping with MOD and SEV categories as 47.5 and 8.3%, respectively. Higher degrees of white striping were significantly (P<0.05) related to higher cranial fillet thickness and ready-tocook weights. The occurrence of SEV degrees of white striping was accompanied with increased b* values or yellowness of the meat. The growth differences in strains could influence the incidence of this condition, but feeding regimens and chill hour during processing did not. In addition, the degree of white striping did not show any significant (P>0.05) relationship between various meat quality parameters such as pH, L*, a*, cook loss, and MORSE. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that there is a greater chance of higher degrees of white striping associated with heavier birds, but the condition is not related to any major changes in cooked meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an abstract of the study "The impact of phytase source, wheat middlings, and citric acid on broiler growth performance during the grower phase," by T. O'Connor-Dennie and colleagues.

The article presents an abstract of the research paper "Case report: Necropsy findings during a phytase research trial in broilers," by T.O. Conner-Dennie and colleagues.

The article presents an abstract of the research paper "Phase feeding in a small-bird production scenario: Impact on growth and uniformity," by V.B. Brewer and colleagues.

Two experiments were conducted to assess the effect of genotype, production system, and nutrition on performance and livability of meat chickens for niche markets. Slow-growing (SG) and fast-growing genotypes (FC) were raised for 91 and 63 d, respectively, in experiment 1 (females) or 84 and 56 d, respectively, in experiment 2 (males). In each trial, SC were placed before FG to achieve a similar BW at processing. In experiment 1, each genotype was assigned to 8 pens of 20 birds each, with 4 pens within each genotype raised indoors in a conventional research facility or in a small facility with outdoor access. All birds were fed a low-nutrient diet. In experiment 2, genotype assignment to pens was as in experiment 1; however, 4 pens within each genotype were fed a low-nutrient diet or a conventional diet, and birds were raised indoors. Birds were gait-scored and commercially processed; legs were examined for tibial dyschondroplasia lesions and scanned for bone mineral density. In experiment 1, FC gained more weight than SC (P < 0.05) even though they were placed later. Outdoor access increased feed intake, and feed efficiency was poorer (P < 0.05). Fast-growing genotypes had higher breast meat yield, whereas SC had higher wing and leg yields (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, the low-nutrient diet reduced (P < 0.05) gain of the SC; FC increased feed intake of the low-nutrient diet such that their gain was unaffected (P > 0.05). For FC, the low-nutrient diet resulted in a poorer (P < 0.05) feed efficiency. Although weight gain of the FC was maintained on the low-nutrient diet, breast yield was reduced (P < 0.05). Cenotype affected bone health in both experiments, with SC having better gait scores and less tibial dyschondroplasia (P < 0.05). Outdoor access and the low-nutrient diet also resulted in better gait score (P < 0.05). These data indicate differences among genotypes and provide information about the efficiency and potential for alternative poultry systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five experiments (EXP) were conducted to assess the efficacy of an Escherichia coli phytase compared with 2 commercially available fungal phytases. in EXP 1 and 2, male broiler chicks were fed experimental diets that included a P-deficient control (0.13% available P; 0.88% Ca) alone or with graded levels of KH2PO4 (0, 0.05, 0.10, or 0.15%) or phytase at levels of 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, or 4,000 phytase units/kg of E. coli phytase (EXP 1 and 2), fungal phytase 1 (EXP 2), or fungal phytase 2 (EXP 2). in EXP 1 and 2, weight gain and tibia ash (mg/chick and %) responded linearly (P < 0.05) to inorganic P addition. In EXP 2, each level of E. coli phytase released more P than either fungal phytases 1 or 2, whether based on tibia ash weight (mg/chick) or percentage. In EXP 3, 4, and 5, dietary treatments containing adequate or deficient levels of P were fed with or without supplemental F. coli phytase. In EXP 3, weight gain and tibia ash were reduced (P < 0.05) by P deficiency, but gain and tibia ash of chicks fed E. coli phytase (250, 500, or 1,000 phytase units/kg) did not differ (P> 0.05) from that of chicks fed the P-adequate diet. in addition, carcass yield of broilers fed E. coli phytase was not reduced (P > 0.05). In EXP 4, E. coli phytase effectively supported weight gain, tibia ash, breast yield, and leg yield compared with birds fed the P-adequate diet, but clavicle breakage during processing was increased in birds fed E. coli phytase. In EXP 5, E. coli phytase again effectively supported weight gain, and no differences (P> 0.05; compared with the P-adequate diet) were noted for clavicle ash, diameter, or breaking strength. No differences (P > 0.05) in bone breakage during processing were noted among treatments. These results indicate that the addition of E. coli phytase to P-deficient broiler diets improves growth, bone, and carcass performance and is more effective at releasing phytate-bound P than the other phytase products that were tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments were conducted to assess the effect of surfeit choline (CHOL) or betaine (BET) on growth performance and homocysteine (HCY) remethylation of young broilers fed graded levels of DL-Met (DLM) or 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanoic acid (HMB). In Experiment 1, a corn-peanut meal diet deficient in Met (0.25% digestible) and Cys (0.28% digestible) was fed; treatments were formulated to contain graded levels (0, 0.04, or 0.08%) of Met from DLM or 0.04% HMB (adjusted for 88% purity) that were fed in the presence or absence of surfeit isomethyl CHOL (0.25%) or BET (0.28%). In Experiment 2, identical treatments were used, but an additional level of HMB (0.08%) was fed, and the basal diet was adequate in Cys (0.43% digestible). There was no overall effect of CHOL or BET on growth performance in Experiments 1 and 2 (P > 0.05); a significant improvement (P < 0.05) in weight gain and feed efficiency did occur with CHOL and BET addition to the basal diet in Experiment 2. In both experiments, weight gain increased linearly (P < 0.05) with the addition of DLM or HMB. Slope ratio methodology was used to assess HMB efficacy in Experiment 2. In the presence of adequate Cys, HMB efficacy was 81.3%; addition of surfeit BET or CHOL had minimal effect on efficacy. The stable isotope study revealed that CHOL and BET addition to diets deficient in Met and Cys or Met alone increased HCY remethylation. It also showed that CHOL and BET have greater influence on folate-dependent remethylation of HCY (via Met synthase) than on BET-dependent remethylation (via BET-HCY methyltransferase) and that levels of CHOL and BET and type of S amino acid deficiency effect remethylation and HMB efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three experiments (Exp) were conducted to study the effect of reciprocating (i.e., back-and-forth) fluctuations in dietary Lys concentration on growth performance of male broiler chicks. The Lys, CP, and ME concentrations were fluctuated in Exp 1 by varying corn and soybean meal concentrations. Corn-peanut meal diets in Exp 2 and 3 contained a constant calorie-protein ratio, but Lys concentrations were fluctuated by varying supplemental ʟ-Lys-HC1. During 7-d feeding periods from d 8 to 43 posthatch, chicks fed the fluctuating regimen were provided diets with nutrient concentrations arranged in the following order (relative to control diets at any given point): excess-deficient-excess-deficient-adequate. In each Exp, differences in feed intake and gain:feed were observed during the first 7 d. Weight gain was never affected by dietary regimen. Overall, chicks fed the fluctuating regimen showed similar weight gain and feed intakes relative to chicks fed the control regimen. Additionally, efficiency of feed, Lys, CP, and ME utilization over the 35-d growth period of Exp 2 and 3 were not affected by dietary regimen. An increase in carcass yield (dressed, carcass weight as a percentage of live weight) of birds fed the fluctuating regimen was observed, but there were no differences in abdominal fat yield (as a percentage of dressed, carcass weight). These data support the conclusion that reciprocating 7-d periods of nutrient excess and deficiency do not affect overall growth performance of growing chicks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 1,040 birds from 5 common commercial genetic broiler strains were raised and processed to analyze the effect of strain and deboning time on meat quality. The birds were processed at either 6 or 7 wk of age in 4 replications each. Carcasses were deboned at either 2 or 4 h postmortem (PM; n = 52 birds per treatment). Carcass and breast weights were measured on each bird to calculate breast yield. Muscle pH was measured at time of deboning. Fillets deboned at 4 h PM were measured for length, width, and height to evaluate footprint analysis. At 24 h PM, fillets were weighed to calculate drip loss, and color (L*) was also measured. The fillets were then cooked to 76°C, and cook loss was calculated. Fillets were then subjected to shear analysis using the Meullenet-Owens razor shear method where shear energy (N·mm) was calculated to evaluate tenderness. The strains in this study were chosen for differences in yield; therefore, as expected, breast yield was significantly different among strains. Variation in meat quality attributes existed among strains deboned at 2 h PM, but there was no consistent relationship between meat quality and breast yield. However, at 4 h PM, fewer differences among strains existed in meat quality characteristics (tenderness, water holding capacity, and pH). As expected, deboning at 2 h PM resulted in higher shear energy, higher muscle pH, and lower L* value compared with deboning at 4 h PM in all but one strain. However, water-holding capacity was not affected by deboning time at either age interval. Footprint analysis showed that most differences among strains were in heights measured at the fillet midpoint and caudal end. These results suggest that early deboning may affect meat quality of broiler strains differently, resulting in greater variation within the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A technique was developed to record intracranial cerebrospinal fluid pressure (iCSFp) in chicks and mature chickens. Using that procedure, 2 methods were found to effect a significant elevation in intracranial pressure: 1) feeding a purified diet to roosters for 40 d containing 25% of the bird's requirement for vitamin A, and 2) ligating both jugular veins in birds. The purified diet significantly reduced plasma retinol levels from 1.080 to 0.046 μg/mL, and iCSFp was significantly elevated from 63.0 to 106.0 mmH2O (P ⩽ 0.05). Two limitations for using hypovitaminosis A diets were capillary fragility and a cisterna magna that did not develop to the size of that structure in birds of the same age fed control diets with adequate vitamin A content. The second procedure, a reversible surgical technique, showed that within 2.5 h from jugular vein ligation, intracranial pressure rose to 109.7 mmH2O, comparable with levels attained following feeding a vitamin A deficient diet to roosters. Bilateral clamping of the jugular veins overnight resulted in an elevation of iCSFp to 127 ± 8.86 mmH2O. Results suggest that the chicken may be a useful animal model to investigate intracranial hypertension and its accompanying headaches known to occur in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer interest in organic and natural poultry production is growing. An experiment was conducted to assess the impact of genotype and outdoor access on sensory attributes of broiler meat. One slow-growing genotype (S), 2 medium-growing genotypes (M1 and M2), and a commercial fast-growing genotype (F) were raised (straight-run) for 81, 67, or 53 d, respectively. The placement dates were staggered to achieve a similar final BW, and each genotype was processed on the same day. Each genotype was assigned to 3 pens of 24 birds each, and all birds were raised in indoor floor pens in a naturally ventilated facility. The S and F genotypes were also assigned to 2 floor pens with outdoor access (during daylight hours) containing 36 birds each. All birds were provided with the same starter, grower, and finisher feeds, and birds were commercially processed. Breast and thigh meat were evaluated for sensory attributes and acceptability by a consumer panel. The M1 and M2 breasts were more tender than other indoor genotypes (P < 0.05); however, all treatments scored ‘slightly to moderately tender.’ The thigh meat of the M2 birds was more flavorful than that of S birds (P < 0.05), and the flavor of the S thigh meat was less liked than other indoor genotypes (P < 0.05). Outdoor access did not impact flavor. These data indicate that differences in sensory attributes may exist among genotypes with different growth rates and reared with or without outdoor access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methionine is critical in amino acid nutrition for chickens, yet details of the flux of Met metabolites in the avian system are lacking. This study explored the interactions among dietary choline (CHO), betaine (BET), and sulfur amino acid levels on growth and hepatic homocysteine (HCY) remethylation. Graded levels (0, 0.07, 0.11, and 0.24%) of DL-Met were added to diets adequate in CR0 and deficient in sulfur amino acids (0.26% digestible Met, 0.26% digestible Cys). Each Met level was tested alone or with the addition of CHO (0.25%) or BET (0.28%). Broilers were reared from 8 to 22 d in raised wire floor battery cages, and the 12 dietary treatments were fed to 3 replicate pens containing 5 birds per pen. Weight gain and feed efficiency were maximized (P < 0.05) with addition of 0.11% supplemental Met, whereas feed intake was maximized (P < 0.05) with addition of 0.07% supplemental Met. Overall, growth parameters were not affected (P > 0.05) by CHO or BET addition. Hepatic tissue primed by the different dietary treatments was subjected to a newly developed stable isotope methodology and HPLC-mass spectrometry to quantify the impact of diet on HCY remethylation. Dietary Met level did not (P> 0.05) affect HCY remethylation, but remethylation through the Met synthase pathway was increased (P < 0.05) by addition of CHO or BET to diets containing deficient or excess levels of Met. Minimal changes in hepatic HCY remethylation through the betaine-homocysteine methyl transferase pathway occurred in response to dietary changes; therefore, data failed to support previous suggestions that BHMT might have a regulatory role when diets containing deficient or excess Met levels are fed. In contrast to previous suppositions based on enzyme activity, under most dietary conditions, the quantity of HCY remethylated by Met synthase appeared to exceed that remethylated by the alternate betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer interest in organic and natural poultry products raised with outdoor access is growing. An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of outdoor access and genotype on meat quality. One slow- growing genotype (5), 2 medium-growing genotypes (Ml and M2), and a commercial fast-growing genotype (F) were raised (straight-run) for 81, 67, or 53 d, respectively. The placement date was staggered in order to achieve a similar final body weight. Each genotype was assigned to 3 pens of 24 birds each and raised in indoor floor pens in a naturally ventilated facility; the S and F genotypes were also assigned to 2 floor pens with outdoor access containing 36 birds each. All birds were provided with the same starter, grower, and finisher feeds, and birds were commercially processed. Pectoralis samples were collected at 6 h postmortem for proximate analysis and evaluation of meat quality. The principal effect of outdoor access was to make the meat more yellow in the case of the S genotype (P < 0.05) although not the F genotype (P > 0.05). Drip loss and cook loss (%) were affected (P > 0.05) by genotype, with the highest losses occurring with the S genotype and the lowest losses occurring with the F and M genotypes. Tenderness was affected (P < 0.05) by gender as well as production system but only in the F birds. Pectoralis dry matter (%), fat (%), and ash (%) were largely unaffected (P> 0.05) by genotype or outdoor access. These data indicate that meat quality differences exist among genotypes with very different growth rates and reared with or without outdoor access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer interest in organic and free-range poultry production is growing. An experiment was conducted to assess the impact of genotype and outdoor access on growth rate and carcass yield. One slow-growing genotype (S), 2 medium-growing genotypes (M1 and M2), and a commercial fast-growing genotype (F) were raised (straight-run) for 81, 67, and 53 d, respectively. The placement date was staggered in order to achieve a similar final body weight and each genotype was processed on the same day. Each genotype was assigned to 3 pens of 24 birds each and raised in indoor floor pens in a curtain-sided house with ventilation fans; the S and F genotypes were also assigned to 2 floor pens with outdoor access (during daylight hours) containing 36 birds each. All birds were provided with the same starter, grower, and finisher feeds, and birds were commercially processed. Weight gain was similar (P > 0.05) among genotypes, but males gained more weight (P < 0.05) than females. The S and F genotypes had the highest and lowest (P < 0.05) feed intakes and, consequently, the lowest and highest (P < 0.05) feed efficiencies, respectively. The F genotype had the greatest (P < 0.05) breast yield (%) and the lowest (P < 0.05) wing yield (%). The S genotype exhibited the lowest (P < 0.05) breast yield (%) and the greatest leg quarter yield (%). Birds given outdoor access had greater (P < 0.05) bone strength in the tibia, and the F genotype had highest (P < 0.05) bone strength. These data indicate that substantial growth performance and yield differences exist among genotypes in alternative poultry systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A soy-protein isolate diet that was deficient in methionine (Met), zinc (Zn), riboflavin, vitamin B-6 and choline for chick growth (Assay 1) was used to study individual or multiple deficiencies of several of these nutrients. In all cases, adding all three deficient nutrients together resulted in growth responses that were superior to those resulting from supplementation with any pairs of deficient nutrients. In Assay 2, single addition of Zn but not of methionine or riboflavin produced a growth response, but the combination of either Zn and Met or Zn and riboflavin resulted in growth responses that were greater than the response elicited by Zn alone. Assay 3 involved individual or multiple deficiencies of choline, riboflavin and vitamin B-6, and individual additions suggested that choline was first limiting. Choline + riboflavin supplementation, however, produced marked growth and gain:food responses that were far greater than those resulting from supplemental choline or riboflavin alone. Moreover, the growth response to a combination of choline + pyridoxine (PN) was also greater than that obtained from any of the three nutrients fed alone; even PN + riboflavin (in the absence of choline) produced responses greater than those observed with the unsupplemented negative-control diet. In Assay 4, chicks responded to individual additions of riboflavin, PN or Met, and in Assay 5, to either riboflavin or PN; all two-way combinations resulted in growth rates that were far greater than those occurring with any single addition. The data from these experiments show that unlike the situation with three deficient amino acids, the expected responses to first-, second- and third-limiting B-vitamins or deficient vitamins combined with deficient levels of Zn or Met do not follow the expected pattern of response to first-, further response to first- and second- and an even further response to first-, second- and third-limiting nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the changes that are taking place in the upper surface of the atmosphere of Earth. However, the lower surface of the atmosphere has major impact of life on earth but the changes in the upper surface could also turn important. The depletion of the ozone layer is harmful to the life on earth. The ionized part of the upper atmosphere consists of the mesosphere and thermosphere. The thermosphere provides the operating environment for the satellites and the density of this part affects the operation of the satellites. The changes in the ionosphere affect the radio wave systems and hence the performance of the global positioning system and other space-based navigations are affected.