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Purpose: Mitigating coupling effects between coil elements represents a continuing challenge. Here, we present a 16‐bowtie slot volume coil arranged in eight independent dual‐slot modules without the use of any decoupling circuits. Methods: Two electrically short "bowtie" slot antennas were used to form a "module." A bowtie configuration was chosen because electromagnetic modeling results show that bowtie slots exhibit improved B1+Pin$$ \frac{B_1^{+}}{\sqrt{P_{in}}} $$ efficiency when compared to thin rectangular slots. An eight‐module volume coil was evaluated through electromagnetic modeling, bench tests, and MRI experiments at 4.7 T. Results: Bench tests indicate that worst‐case coupling between modules did not exceed −14.5 dB. MR images demonstrate well‐localized patterns about single excited modules confirming the low coupling between modules. Homogeneous MR images were acquired from a synthesized quadrature birdcage transmit mode. MRI experiments show that the RF power requirements for the proposed coil are 9.2 times more than a birdcage coil. Whereas from simulations performed to assess the proposed coil losses, the total power dissipated in the phantom was 1.1 times more for the birdcage. Simulation results at 7 T reveal an equivalent B1+ homogeneity when compared with an eight‐dipole coil. Conclusion: Although exhibiting higher RF power requirements, as a transmit coil when the power availability is not a restriction, the inherently low coupling between electrically short slots should enable the use of many slot elements around the imaging volume. The slot module described in this paper should be useful in the design of multi‐channel transmit coils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Layer industries that are still using cage housing systems should encourage the provision of appropriate farm enrichments, especially at an early stage. Farm environmental enrichments such as litter, sand, alfalfa bales, chick papers, pecking stones, pecking strings, perches, slopes, elevated platforms, aviaries and outdoor access reduce feather and skin damage, as well as abdominal fat content. Additionally, they promote the development of the brain and musculoskeletal systems and improve biological function, productivity and product quality with lifelong benefits for hens by continuously exposing them to free access to forage, dust baths and free locomotion. In this review, we summarize several common and effective methods of farm environmental enrichments, including different manipulable materials, structural equipment, and outdoor access, moreover, the competence of the farm staff is a requirement to achieve useful utilization of these farm environmental enrichments that aim to reduce stress and improve the welfare and productivity of layers. Proper farm environmental enrichments benefit the wellbeing of caged birds. Currently, cage housing is regarded as a global mainstream production system for laying hens. However, limited living space and confinement of birds in cages cause welfare and health problems, such as feather pecking, osteoporosis, obesity, and premature aging. Many studies have been conducted to alleviate layer welfare problems by providing farm environmental enrichments such as litter, sand, alfalfa bales, chick papers, pecking stones, pecking strings, perches, slopes, elevated platforms, aviaries and outdoor access with a trend towards complex enrichments. The provision of appropriate enrichments continuously attracts layers towards pecking, foraging, dust bathing, and locomotion, thereby giving lifelong benefits to laying hens. Hence, raising chicks and pullets under such conditions may reduce feather and skin damage, as well as accumulation of abdominal fat, and improve several biological features such as health, productivity, quality products, and docility of laying hens. Therefore, providing enrichment during the first few days of the layer's life without any interruption is crucial. In addition, due to different farm conditions, environmental enrichment should be managed by well-trained farm staff. For example, in preventing feather pecking among the birds, litter materials for foraging are superior to dust bath materials or new items. However, a limited supply of litter creates competition and challenges among birds. Therefore, providing farm environmental enrichment for layers requires proper handling, especially in commercial layer farms. Hence, improving the welfare of chicks and pullets through optimizing on-farm environmental enrichments is essential for production systems practicing cage housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel analytical solution for the designing of the birdcage RF coil has been demonstrated in this paper. A new concept of dominant resonance path has been introduced in this paper which is used to identify the specific closed current loop in the birdcage RF coil which is responsible for the dominant resonance frequency mode. This concept is used to determine the precise numerical values of the lumped capacitance deployed in the legs and/or end-rings of the birdcage RF coil for its proper operation at the desired resonance frequency. The analytical solution presented in this paper has been established by performing the two-port network based equivalent circuit modeling of the birdcage RF coil. The proposed analytical solution uses T-matrix theory and develops a relationship between the input impedance of the birdcage coil and the impedances of its leg and end-ring segments. The proposed analytical solution provides the information about the resonance frequency spectrum of the birdcage RF coil and solves the issue of its interfacing with external circuits without affecting its resonance characteristics. Based upon the proposed analysis and designing strategy presented in this paper, the low pass, high pass and band pass configurations of the birdcage RF coil were successfully implemented with FPCB (Flexible Printed Circuit board) technique for small volume NMR imaging applications at 1.5 T and 3.0 T MRI system. The results obtained for the implemented birdcage coils using the proposed analysis and designing technique are in closed agreement with already established methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Field Ornithology is the property of Resilience Alliance and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

One of the challenges of philosophy is explanation of the relationship between the soul and the body. As it is difficult to understand this relationship, various allegories have been used in philosophy to express that relationship. Allegory is one of the most influential ways of conveying deep meanings and explaining sensible affairs. Since the transcendental knowledge and trans-sensory notions lie beyond the reach of the human senses, allegory can play an important role in getting such meanings across. They are expressed from different perspectives as follows: 1) God Almighty-world relationship; 2) captain-ship relationship; 3) form-matter relationship; 4) architect-building relationship; 5) rider-ridee relationship; 6) bird-cage relationship; 7) treefruit relationship; 8) fetus-uterus relationship; and 9) light-shadow relationship. Some philosophical allegories are not strong and appropriate to express the soul-body relationship, while some others can express this relationship properly. Each of the above-mentioned allegories has a special feature and they are not the same in terms of power of creation. Some similes express the point of resemblance more accurately. The greater the point of resemblance between the tenor and the vehicle is, the more powerful the allegory will be and the smaller that point is, the less influential the allegory will be. Differences in principles and viewpoints affect the type of allegory. The analogy of the soul and the body to the tree and fruit rests on the principles of transcendent wisdom. This analogy is at odds with other views. Allegories, such as captain and ship, architect and building, and bird and cage are more compatible with the Masha (peripatetic) perspective toward the soulbody relationship. In each of these analogies, each one of the tenors and vehicles has an independent and separate existence and there is a contingent rather than intrinsic relationship between them. This idea has no place in MullaSadra's approach, according to which the soul’s belonging to the body is intrinsic to the soul and the soul’s existence rests on its connection to the body. A variety of allegories about the soul-body relationship have been mentioned in religious teachings, such as the allegories of word and meaning, soul and wind, gem and coffer, soul and thin cloth, environment and body, knowledge and action, piled up garment, and value and action. Each of the philosophical and religious allegories has common implications including: a) acceptance of otherness and duality of the soul and the body; b) originality of the soul in relation to the body; c) trans-sensory and metaphysical nature of the soul; and d) longitudinal relationship of the soul and the body. This paper explains and analyzes these allegories and distinguishes between the strong and weak ones. Among the main features of religious allegories is attention to the invisible, metaphysical, and trans-sensory nature of the body. This feature has been considered in most religious allegories, such as meaning and word, soul and wind, knowledge and action, piled up garment, and value and action, but it has not been regarded in many philosophical allegories, such as captain and ship, form and matter, architect and building, shadow and under shadow, etc. although it is accepted in philosophy. One of the major shortcomings of philosophical allegories is that they highlight maximum duality between the soul and the body. At this maximum duality, the duality between the soul and the body becomes more pronounced. The soul and the body are transformed from a single interconnected truth into two independent and interconnected entities. There is maximum duality between the tenor and vehicle in allegories, such as captain and ship, form and matter, architect and building, and rider and ridee, while they are not suitable examples to express the relationship between the soul and the body. ….. The trans-sensory aspect of the soul is often evident in religious allegories and the communicative aspect possessed by a trans-sensory being is seen in the similes. Accordingly, they do not have such maximum dualistic allegories as some philosophical allegories do. Among religious similes, all, except the second one, have this feature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a helicon-wave-sustained plasma generated by a novel birdcage antenna with cosine azimuthal current distribution. The resonant birdcage source maintains a stable intense plasma column from low (300 W) to high (10 kW) steady-state RF power in hydrogen or argon, enabling plasma diagnostic measurements over the whole volume. The plasma density, 1018 to 1019 m−3, and uniform static magnetic field, 200–800 G, are typical of high density, low B-field helicon sources where the RF excitation frequency, 13.56 MHz here, is far above the ion cyclotron frequency and much lower than the electron cyclotron and plasma frequencies. Magnetic field measurements of the unbounded plasma column show a helicon wave propagating from the birdcage source to the target 1.5 m away. The axial wavelength, measured for a range of plasma density and magnetic field, is described by the whistler dispersion relation; it is not determined by the antenna length but varies smoothly as a function of electron density irrespective of the gas type, and shows no discontinuous transitions. This wavelength was compared with semi-analytical and purely numerical models, showing a good fit with the m = +1 helicon eigenvalue of shortest axial wavelength. The birdcage resonant antenna is a suitable source for continuous helicon-sustained plasma experiments, from fundamental wave studies up to high power applications in hydrogen or deuterium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research on collaboration activities between designers and craftsmen has been frequently carried out. Starting from its focus on developing craft products aligning with the market needs, efforts to investigate mutual learning processes between designers and crafts in their everyday life, to the investigation of the co-designing process in making craft products. However, previous research has merely focused on the micro-scale activities without attending to the sociocultural influences surrounding the craft and design practices. Therefore, in this paper, we delve into the collaborative activities of the crafters and a designer in one of the biggest birdcage-maker villages in West Java Province, Indonesia, and look at the social infrastructure that supports the daily activities of the birdcage crafters in influencing design directions. We also investigate how the traditions that exist in the everyday life of craftsmen can persistently challenge and impact the process of collaboration, design, and innovation produced by craftsmen and designers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses Pierre Bourdieu's term symbolic goods (1930-2002) through an Israeli case study, Netta Barzilai. An Israeli performer and songwriter, winner of the Eurovision 2018 with the song "TOY" which became the anthem of the Me-Too movement. Netta as a symbolic good was packaged, marketed and distributed to the public, and the Netta phenomenon has spread throughout the world. Based on interviews with Netta, through listening to the songs and watching the clips that came after "TOY", "Bassa Sababa" (2019), "Nana Banana" (2019) and "Ricki Lake" (2020), I examine how and if Netta continues to maintain her status as a symbolic good, as an example and role model for many, and whether she continues to convey her message - self-love and self-acceptance - through shattering cultural and social stereotypes. It seems that Netta's next three songs introduced a powerful big size Netta but also a vengeful, vicious, narcissistic and lazy Netta. The fresh message she carried at the beginning was swallowed up in an ocean of shallow commercial images. A trend that led Netta's fans to lose interest and Netta to reinvent herself in her latest song, "Cuckoo" (2020). Through sincerity, directness and cleanliness of her message, Netta like a bird in a cage seeks to break free from the evil loop in which she was imprisoned and not only love herself but also love others and let others love her. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Border-crossing involves migrants' context-specific bodily performances. • Domestic employment requires and sustains gendered and racialized bodies. • Cross-border bodily circulation is based on the appropriateness of specific bodies. • Migrant bodies can be used as resources for improving living and working conditions. • Migrant marginalization abroad and (expected) privilege at home exist side by side. In migration scholarship, the migrant body has recently begun to gain recognition as a productive analytical scale for exploring politics of mobility: the highly differentiated ways in which migration is accessed and lived. However, a tendency to treat bodies as sites of gendered and racialized suffering can obscure migrant agency and differentiation as well as the ways in which migrant bodies can also be seen as sites of resistance and achievement. This paper aims to contribute to our understanding of the ways in which mobility politics shape divergent migrant trajectories by putting forward a translocal embodiment perspective. The paper argues that migrant bodies constitute key sites of struggle over mobility, and that looking at migrant embodied practice in translocal context can further unravel the differentiations that shape migrant trajectories across space and time. The paper's argument builds on theoretical notions of intersectionality, embodied cultural capital and translocality to enrich the discussion of mobility politics. Empirically, it draws on multi-sited ethnographic research with Nicaraguan families, focusing on female Nicaraguan migrants working in informal domestic employment in Spain, to explore how bodies and embodied practices matter throughout these migrants' trajectories. In particular, the paper intends to do justice to migrant agency by exploring how bodies that are often victimized can also be considered as stratified resources of translocal negotiation. The translocal embodiment perspective put forward in the paper shows that migrant bodies constitute a multi-faceted, non-erasable component of the unsettled yet situated mobility politics that shape divergent trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a design, analysis and optimization of birdcage resonators employed in a novel radiofrequency plasma source. Three resonators were simulated and fabricated. The resonators differ in their design and in the different materials of used dielectric - polyimide and polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE). The resonance frequency of fabricated samples possesses a maximal error of 2.2% compared to the simulated values. The performance in plasma excitation is related to the electrical parameters, while the best performing resonator (PTFE-based) exhibits the maximum real impedance of 644.3 Ωt the resonance frequency and the 799.5 V/m electric field strength. This resonator shows the best power efficiency in a plasma ignition experiment. The resonator ignited the discharge at ca. 1 Pa of ambient air atmosphere with only 0.34 W of input radiofrequency power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study expected crop management and climatic factors to significantly influence the nutrient composition and amino acid digestibility of tannin-free sorghum grain determined in broilers of 3 wks of age. Using data from six tannin-free sorghum samples harvested across the southeast USA, Pearson correlations were analyzed (r ≥ |0.8|; p < 0.05). Standardized ileal amino acid digestibility (SIAD) was determined in a previous study using eight replicate cages with 13 birds per sorghum sample. SIAD values were correlated with nitrogen fertilization, yield, seeding rate, and climatic data obtained by surveying the crop growers and from weather stations. Nitrogen fertilization positively correlated with dry matter and starch. Yield was positively associated with SIAD, while seeding rate was negatively correlated with dry matter and Lys. Fiber, particular neutral detergent fiber, showed an inverse relationship with SIAD. No significant correlations with climatic factors were found, which was likely due to the close proximity of growing locations (r ≤ |0.8|; p > 0.05). Despite the limitations of a small sample size (n = 6) and genetic variability within and between each sorghum sample, these findings provide preliminary insights into managing sorghum cultivation to enhance its nutritional value for poultry. Future research should explore larger datasets, from further locations apart, and standardized data collection measurements to be able develop predictive models for grain quality improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there are no guidelines on housing or recommendations for practical environmental enrichments for chickens used for research and teaching purposes. This study was conducted to identify optimal enrichment programs to improve the health and welfare of caged hens used for teaching and research purposes. The 24-week-old Hy-line Brown laying hens (n = 168) were allocated at random to six enrichment programs/treatments with 14 replicate cages of two birds per cage during a 5-week experiment. Hens had physical access to the following treatments: no enrichment provided (control); round, wooden perches provided (perch); scratch pads made of wood and covered with sandpaper provided (scratch pad); hanging CDs provided (hanging CD); all three enrichment forms provided (complex environment); and each enrichment form provided on a 2-week rotation (novelty). While the egg quality was consistent, the complex group had a significantly lower feed intake (p < 0.001) but similar egg mass; thus, they also had a lower feed conversion ratio (p < 0.001). Additionally, hens in the complex treatment group had the leanest average body weight at week 5 (p < 0.01). It should be noted that while some measures of welfare did show significant differences, the biological or practical difference may be negligible, as in the case of the body condition score in this study. The results show that providing three different forms of environmental enrichment had positive effects on the welfare, health condition, and laying performance of laying hens relative to no enrichment or only one enrichment item. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The relative importance of the early vs. adult environment on the adult phenotype is not fully mapped for all traits. We, therefore, tested the effect of the early (aviary vs. cage) and adult environments (standard vs. additionally enriched furnished cages) on the stress hormone response to restraint in birds that were 35 weeks into lay. Due to the association between stress, fearfulness and feather pecking, we also assessed their plumage condition. No effect of the early environment on stress hormone response to an acute stressor could be detected 35 weeks into lay, but adult enrichment had a favourable effect on overall corticosterone levels. Contrary to prediction, the enriched group had a slightly worse feather score on their bellies, but this did not seem to be associated with feather pecking. These findings add to the body of evidence showing the importance of environmental enrichment and also indicate that while important, early life experience is not always readily detectable in adult responses to challenges. The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis responsivity is influenced by early life experience and also modified by the environment an individual experiences as an adult. Because laying hens are transferred from rearing to laying farms at 16–18 weeks of age, they are well suited to study the interaction effect between early (rearing) and adult (laying) environments on physiology and behaviour. In the European Union, there is a move towards cage-free systems for laying hens, but globally, the majority of layers are kept in conventional or furnished cages. Conventional cages have no enrichment, whereas furnished cages have little enrichment. Both cage types limit the movement of birds and the expression of highly motivated behaviours. Lack of enrichment may lead to under-stimulated birds that are more sensitive to stress and fear-inducing challenges later in life. Fearfulness has been linked to feather pecking, which has negative consequences for animal welfare and productivity. Previous research has shown that birds reared in cages are more fearful and perform more poorly in a test of spatial cognition than birds reared in aviaries when tested within five weeks after transition to adult housing. However, recent results suggest that these effects might not be long-lasting. We, therefore, tested the effect of the early (rearing) (aviary vs. cage) and adult (laying) environments (standard vs. additionally enriched furnished cages) on the corticosterone response to restraint in birds that were 35 weeks into lay (i.e., 52 weeks of age) and assessed their plumage condition. We hypothesised that a lower level of enrichment, both during rearing and adulthood, would represent a lower level of stimulation, resulting in a stronger corticosterone response to restraint and poorer feather cover. Both stressed (restrained) and control birds increased their corticosterone levels from the first (baseline) to second sample (p < 0.01 for both), but the increase in the restrained group was significantly higher than in the control group (F1, 111 = 9.51; p = 0.003). There was no effect of the early environment, but birds housed in standard furnished cages as adults had overall higher corticosterone levels than birds housed in enriched furnished cages regardless of their early life environment (F1, 51 = 4.12; p = 0.048). Neither early nor adult housing influenced the feather score except for on the belly, where birds housed in enriched cages as adults had a poorer feather score, contrary to our prediction. In conclusion, no effect of the early environment on HPA axis responsivity to an acute stressor could be detected at 52 weeks of age, but adult enrichment had a favourable effect on overall corticosterone levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Livestock Science & Technologies (JLST) is the property of Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman & Iranian Society of Animal Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Circular orientation cages have been used for several decades to record the migratory orientation of passerine migrants, and have been central to the investigation of the functional characteristics of the biological compasses used for orientation. The use of these cages offers unique possibilities to study the migratory behaviour of songbirds, but suffers from statistical limitations in evaluating the directions of the activity recorded in the cages. The migratory activity has been reported to vary, including complex multimodal orientation of migratory passerines tested in orientation cages irrespective of species studied. The currently applied circular statistical methods fail to describe orientation responses differing from unimodal and axial distributions. We propose for the first time a modelling procedure enabling the analysis of multimodal distributions at either an individual or a group level. In this paper we compare the results of conventional methods and the recommended modelling approach. Migratory routes may be more complex than a simple migratory direction, and multimodal behaviour in migratory species at the individual and population levels can be advantageous. Individuals may select the expected migratory direction, but may also return to safer sites en route, i.e. sites already known, which provide food and/or shelter in reverse directions. In individual birds, several directions may be expressed in the same test hour. At the species level, multimodal orientation may give an opportunity to expand the range or may refer to differential migration route preferences in different populations of birds. A conflicting experimental situation may also result in a different preferential orientation. In this paper we suggest a statistical solution to deal with these types of variations in orientation preference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Avian Diseases is the property of American Association of Avian Pathologists, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: The purpose of this work was to design and build a coil for quadri‐nuclear MRI of the human brain at 7 T. Methods: We built a transmit/receive triple‐tuned (45.6 MHz for 2$$ {}^2 $$H, 78.6 MHz for 23$$ {}^{23} $$Na, and 120.3 MHz for 31$$ {}^{31} $$P) quadrature four‐rod birdcage that was geometrically interleaved with a transmit/receive four‐channel dipole array (297.2 MHz for 1$$ {}^1 $$H). The birdcage rods contained passive, two‐pole resonant circuits that emulated capacitors required for single‐tuning at three frequencies. The birdcage assembly also included triple‐tuned matching networks, baluns, and transmit/receive switches. We assessed the performance of the coil with quality factor (Q) and signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) measurements, and performed in vivo multinuclear MRI and MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI). Results: Q measurements showed that the triple‐tuned birdcage efficiency was within 33% of that of single‐tuned baseline birdcages at all three frequencies. The quadri‐tuned coil SNR was 78%, 59%, 44%, and 48% lower than that of single or dual‐tuned reference coils for 1$$ {}^1 $$H, 2$$ {}^2 $$H, 23$$ {}^{23} $$Na, and 31$$ {}^{31} $$P, respectively. Quadri‐nuclear MRI and MRSI was demonstrated in brain in vivo in about 30 min. Conclusion: While the SNR of the quadruple tuned coil was significantly lower than dual‐ and single‐tuned reference coils, it represents a step toward truly simultaneous quadri‐nuclear measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored feeding recycled food waste-based diets for gut health, nutrient digestibility, bone morphology, and bone mineral level in laying hens. Hy-Line Brown laying hens (n = 150) were randomly allocated to three experimental treatments consisting of a commercial control diet, a recycled food waste-based diet, and a 50:50 blend of the control and food waste-based diets, with 50 replicates of a single bird per cage per treatment from 24 to 63 weeks of age. Egg production was recorded daily and feed intake was measured weekly. The gut pH, jejunal and ileal morphology, nutrient digestibility, bone morphology, and mineral composition were measured at 63 weeks of age. Hens on the food waste-based treatment had similar egg production but lower feed conversion ratio (FCR, 1.948 vs. 2.172 kg feed/kg egg, p < 0.001) and higher ileal pH (p < 0.001) and bone ash content (p < 0.001) compared to birds on the control treatment. Moreover, hens fed the food waste-based diets had higher ileal digestible energy (p < 0.001); ileal energy digestibility (p < 0.01); tibia S, Fe, Mn, and Zn levels (p < 0.05); and Mg, K, S, Mn, and Mo digestibility (p < 0.05) compared to hens fed the control diets. Hens offered the 50:50 blend diets had higher tibia P, Mg, and Mo levels (p < 0.05) and higher Ca digestibility (p < 0.05) compared to those fed the control diets. Thus, feeding recycled food waste-based diets is effective to improve laying performance, nutrient digestibility, and bone mineralization in laying hens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this experiment was to evaluate effect of level lauric acid (LA) combined with feed fiber (FF) in ration on serum lipid profile of broiler. A total of 360 unsex 1-d old broiler chicks were obtain from broiler breeding company. They were kept in brooding cage with temperature 23-33oC on a light/dark cycle until 7-d. After 7-d adjustment period, all bird randomly assigned to 12 treatments combination. Each group having three replicate cages with 30 birds was fed diet according experimental design. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with a 3 x 4 factorial arrangement. The first factor was level of LA consisted of 3 levels i.e. 1.30%; 1.95%; and 2.60%, while the second was level of FF i.e. 5%, 6%, 7%, and 8% in the diet. Each treatment was given diet from 21 to 35 day of age during the experimental period. Effect of treatment on serum lipid consists of total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDLcholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol was determined at the end of experiment (35-d of age). The conclusion of this study indicated that the used of 1.95% LA and 8% FF level on the diet would have an optimize serum lipid profile of broiler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Canaries, which have various songs and colors, play an important role in the pet industry as cage birds. Artificial insemination is a very important process to provide canaries with the desired genetic characteristics for the sector. Therefore, sperm quality should be improved. Improving sperm quality mainly depends on the preservation of lipids in the spermatozoa structure from oxidation. The lipids in the spermatozoa cell membrane can be easily oxidized, which can negatively affect the quality of the sperm. Natural and synthetic antioxidants are used to prevent lipid oxidation. In recent years, natural antioxidants have attracted considerable attention. In this study, the in vitro antioxidant content of wheat, which was germinated at different times (first, third, and fifth days), was determined, and sperm quality was examined by feeding this germinated wheat (germinated for 5 days) to Gloster canaries. It was revealed that the motility (%) and viability rates (%) increased in sperm samples obtained from canaries fed using germinated wheat. Given the results achieved, it is thought that germinated wheat can be used as a natural antioxidant source to improve some sperm quality parameters in canaries. The present study was carried out to determine the effects of germinated wheat on some spermatological parameters (motility, abnormal spermatozoa, hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST), and viability) in male Gloster canaries. For this purpose, the canaries were divided into two groups, each consisting of six canaries, one control (C), and the other experimental group (GW). Group C was fed commercial canary feed. The GW group was fed germinated wheat (germinated for 5 days) and commercial canary feed. The canaries were kept individually in four-storey cages (60 cm × 50 cm × 40 cm). In this study, which lasted 2 months, feed/water was provided ad libitum and lighting was applied daily for 16 h (turned on at 05:30 and turned off at 21:30). At the end of the experiment, the sperm samples obtained from the canaries were examined in terms of the aforementioned parameters. The effects of germination time × concentration, germination time, and solvent rate on DPPH radical scavenging activity and phenolic compounds in germinated wheat were significant (p < 0.001). The highest DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl) radical scavenging activity (86.06%) and phenolic content (316.25 mg GAE/g) in germinated wheats were obtained on the fifth day (90% solvent rate) of germination. It was determined that germinated wheat did not significantly affect abnormal sperm and HOST values (p > 0.05). However, it significantly affected the motility and viable sperm rates (p < 0.05). As a result, it is thought that germinated wheat can be used as a natural antioxidant source to increase motility and vitality in canary sperm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The “chilly” science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) climate in undergraduate settings has been widely documented, as women in STEM majors frequently face discrimination, microaggressions, and implicit bias from their professors and peers. While undergraduate research experiences can help women in STEM overcome some of the barriers they face, these opportunities are not always accessible and inclusive. Although there is a breadth of literature on this topic, many studies utilize traditional quantitative and qualitative methods and do not take the authentic, individualized voices of these women into account. The present study integrates two arts-based participatory methodologies—Photovoice and collage inquiry—to explore the following questions: (1) What are the experiences of women in STEM majors at a large midwestern researchintensive university? (2) How do these women experience conducting and/or seeking research opportunities? Four themes emerged from the analysis of the triangulated data: (1) lack of equity in STEM, (2) lack of awareness of opportunities, (3) confidence in STEM abilities, and (4) passion for STEM. While the first two themes encompass barriers that women in STEM face, the second two themes demonstrate the strengths of women in STEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gout represent a metabolic disease that occurs as complication of nephritis and it is caused by the accumulation of uric acid in various tissues, joints and serous. In cage birds the main causes of gout and nephritis are consisting in excessive nutrition with diets containing increased amount of protein and deficiency in vitamins, especially of A vitamin. The most common cases are seen in older budgerigar and nymphs, as well in those water deprived. The aim of this paper consists in showing suggestive clinical symptoms of this pathology that were identified in cage birds submitted to Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Iaşi. Following the physical examination, the main clinical signs were consisting in white-greyish uric acid deposits on leg's skin, which caused deformation of affected joints. The necropsy and histopathology were performed in order to reveal organic lesions and skin and kidney microscopic lesions, respectively. By histopathology was confirmed the occurrence of intracellular acid uric deposits. In kidneys, lesions of total or partial necrosis of urinary tubes were observed. The skin showed areas of hyperkeratosis with a multitude of keratin fibers. Gout treatment is long-lasting, difficult to apply and with low chances of success, mostly depending on lesions severity and on the moment when bird was presented to physician. It is recommended to rebalance the food diet with the introduction of green food, supplementation with A vitamin and specific medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A volume coil with squared slots-end ring was developed to attain improved sensitivity for imaging of rat's brain at 7 T. Material and Methods: The principles of the high cavity resonator for the low-pass case and the law of Biot-Savart were used to derive a theoretical expression of B 1 / i . The slotted-end ring resonator showed a theoretical 2.22-fold sensitivity improvement over the standard birdcage coil with similar dimensions. Numerical studies were carried out for the electromagnetic fields and specific absorption rates for our coil and a birdcage coil loaded with a saline-filled spherical phantom and a digital brain of a rat. Results: An improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) can be observed for the slotted volume coil over the birdcage regardless of the load used in the electromagnetic simulations. The specific absorption rate simulations show a decrement for the digital brain and quite similar values with the saline solution phantom. Phantom and rat's brain images were acquired at 7 T to prove the viability of the coil design. The experimental noise figure of our coil design was four times less than the standard birdcage with similar dimensions, which showed a 44.5% increase in experimental SNR. Discussion: There is remarkable agreement among the theoretical, numerical and experimental sensitivity values, which all demonstrate that the coil performance for MR imaging of small rodents can be improved using slotted end-rings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The regression method was used to estimate the utilisation of energy (Experiment 1) and phosphorus (Experiments 2 and 3) in two field peas (FP) cultivars fed to broiler chickens. 2. On d 17 post hatching, 240 birds were assigned to one of five experimental diets in a randomised complete block design with body weight (BW) as a blocking factor in Experiment 1. Whereas, 192 birds were allotted to one of three experimental diets on d 19 post-hatching in Experiments 2 and 3. There were eight replicate cages per diet, with six birds per cage in Experiment 1 and eight birds per cage in Experiments 2 and 3. 3. Field pea cultivars Hampton (FPH) or 4010 (FP4) was incorporated at either 150 or 300 g/kg into a maize-soybean meal-based reference diet in Experiment 1. Using semi-purified diets, FPH was included at 200, 400, or 600 g/kg in Experiment 2, whereas FP4 was included at 215, 430 or 645 g/kg in Experiment 3. 4. In Experiment 1 a linear decrease (P < 0.01) was observed in metabolisable energy (ME) and nitrogen-corrected ME (MEn) with inclusion of FPH in the diets, whereas both linear and quadratic effects (P < 0.05) were observed with inclusion of FP4. The regression-determined ileal digestible energy, ME and MEn were 13.70, 12.69 and 11.93 MJ/kg DM in FPH and 12.63, 13.20 and 12.52 MJ/kg DM in FP4, respectively. The ileal digestible and retainable P intakes were linearly increased (P < 0.01) with higher inclusion of FPH and FP4 in Experiments 2 and 3, respectively. The respective true ileal digestibility and true total tract utilisation of P in FPH were 74.6% and 68.3% and for FP4 were 74.3% and 61.7%, respectively. In conclusion, the estimated energy and P utilisation values could be used in diet formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large scale egg production in cages has been practiced worldwide for many years. However, recently consumer preferences have been shifting towards eggs produced in non-cage environments. In the March 2015 issue of Poultry Science a series of papers were presented from a comparative study of three production systems: conventional cages, enriched cages and aviary systems. Among the many issues reported we paid attention to floor eggs that is of no interest in cages but plays a role in enriched cages and in particular in aviary systems. The researchers called on attention to the cost of collecting floor eggs in the aviary systems and to the fact that floor eggs were more contaminated. In the Scandinavian Selection and Crossbreeding Experiment (SSCE) in 1980, birds were kept both in cages as well as in aviary systems for 5 generations. In this presentation we demonstrate that the frequency of floor eggs over 5 generations was reduced to 55% compared to the control line, and this was statistical significant. Although not being able to estimate the heritability it can be stated that some degree of heritability exists. In the meantime an electronically controlled nest has been developed. This would make it much easier for breeders to monitor individual egg laying behaviour of laying hens kept in aviary/floor management without the laborious work when using trap nests. By doing this, a more exact estimation of the genetic basis of laying floor eggs would be possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Considering the shortage of conventional feeds, such as corn and soybeans, researchers have gradually started to develop and apply unconventional feed resources. As an unconventional feed resource, Amaranthus hypochondriacus is a potential high-quality feed resource. Hence, this study applied different proportions of Amaranthus hypochondriacus stem and leaf powder in experimental diets to assess its nutritional value for broilers. This experiment aimed to study the effects of different proportions of Amaranthus hypochondriacus stem and leaf powder (AHSL) on the growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, carcass traits, meat quality, and blood biochemical parameters of broilers from day 1 to day 42. The experiment utilized a single-factor experimental design, with a total of 216 one-day-old male broilers (Ross 308) randomly assigned to three dietary treatment groups (eight replicate cages of nine birds per cage). The dietary treatments included a control diet, a 3% AHSL diet and a 6% AHSL diet for days 0–21. Then, the 3% and 6% AHSL diets were changed to 5% and 10% AHSL for days 22–42. The results showed that the inclusion levels of AHSL did not affect growth performance, carcass traits, or meat quality on days 21 and 42 (p > 0.05). However, the inclusion levels of AHSL decreased the apparent nutrient digestibility (AND) of dry matter (DM) (p ˂ 0.001) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (p ˂ 0.001) and increased the serum concentration of phosphorus (p ˂ 0.001) on day 21. On day 42, the inclusion levels of AHSL decreased the AND of DM (p = 0.025) and NDF content (p ˂ 0.001), but increased the AND of crude protein (CP) (p = 0.004). In particular, the diet containing 10% AHSL significantly increased the serum enzyme activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (p = 0.046) and the serum concentration of total protein (TP) (p ˂ 0.001) on day 42. Overall, AHSL can be used as a new and effective feed ingredient in broiler diets. It can replace part of the corn–soybean meal diet without any adverse effects, which is beneficial for conserving feed resources. Additionally, AHSL can be included at a level of up to 10% during the broiler growth period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The inevitable basal endogenous loss of nutrients from the body is closely associated with the animal's metabolic functions. A purified diet formulated with highly refined feed ingredients lacking phosphorus is commonly used to determine the basal endogenous loss of phosphorus. However, such diets may alter metabolic functions, thereby affecting the basal endogenous loss of phosphorus. Moreover, feeding a purified diet for a long period of time may cause abnormal gut health, resulting in a decrease in empty gut weight and shorter intestinal segments. To the best of our knowledge, information on the effect of the feeding duration of a phosphorus-free diet on the basal endogenous loss of phosphorus is limited. We found that feeding broiler chickens a phosphorus-free diet for up to 4 days did not affect the amount of basal endogenous loss of phosphorus. The study investigated the effects of feeding duration on the length and weight of the ileum, and basal endogenous loss (BEL) of phosphorus (P) on broiler chickens fed a P-free diet (PFD). A standard starter diet was fed to 384 birds for 15 days. On day 15, they were weighed and randomly allocated to one of three treatment groups in a randomized complete block design, with eight replicate cages per treatment and 16 birds per cage. The birds in each treatment group were fed the PFD for 2, 3, or 4 days. There was an increase in growth performance (p < 0.05) as the PFD feeding duration increased from 2 to 4 days. Although the relative dry weight of the ileum (mg/100 g of body weight) decreased linearly (p < 0.05) as the PFD feeding duration increased, the amount of dried ileal digesta (g/bird) was not affected. The BEL of P was 110.2, 128.2, and 133.6 mg/kg of dry matter intake in birds fed the PFD for 2, 3, and 4 days, respectively. Feeding a PFD to broiler chickens for 2, 3, or 4 days did not change P BEL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In an era of increasingly complex global trade, continual evolution of production practices, and emerging threats from antibiotic resistance, new strategies for maintaining the health and performance of poultry flocks remain critical along with reducing risk from foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella Enteritidis (SE). Natural feed-additive technologies, often referred to as antibiotic alternatives, may play a key role. In this study, layer pullets were fed a control diet with or without a postbiotic feed additive and subsequently challenged directly or indirectly with SE at 16 weeks of age to evaluate the effect of the postbiotic for preventing or reducing SE colonization loads in birds directly or indirectly exposed to the pathogen. Within birds indirectly exposed to the SE inoculation, the postbiotic was associated with a significant reduction of SE-positive individual birds and their associated SE loads when compared to the control birds 7 days after inoculation, with non-significant yet explorable outcomes after 14 days post-challenge. These data support previous research findings in the literature indicating the postbiotic feed additive may aid in reducing SE in poultry production and may therefore be a candidate component of a comprehensive pre-harvest food-safety management plan. Determining the efficacy of feed-additive technologies utilized as pre-harvest food-safety interventions against Salmonella enterica may be influenced by factors including, but not limited to, mechanism of action, experimental design variables, Salmonella serovar(s), exposure dose, route, or duration in both controlled research and real-world field observations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dietary inclusion of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation-derived postbiotic (SCFP) additive (Diamond V, Original XPC®) on the colonization of cecal and ovarian tissues of commercial pullets directly and indirectly exposed to Salmonella Enteritidis (SE). Four hundred and eighty commercial, day-of-age W-36 chicks were randomly allotted to 60 cages per treatment in two identical BSL-2 isolation rooms (Iowa State University) with four birds per cage and fed control (CON) or treatment (TRT) diets for the duration of study. At 16 weeks, two birds per cage were directly challenged via oral gavage with 1.1 × 109 CFU of a nalidixic-acid-resistant SE strain. The remaining two birds in each cage were thus horizontally exposed to the SE challenge. At 3, 7, and 14 days post-challenge (DPC), 20 cages per group were harvested and sampled for SE prevalence and load. No significant differences were observed between groups for SE prevalence in the ceca or ovary tissues of directly challenged birds. For the indirectly exposed cohort, SE cecal prevalence at 7 DPC was significantly lower for TRT (50.0%) vs. CON (72.5%) (p = 0.037) and, likewise, demonstrated significantly lower mean SE cecal load (1.69 Log10) vs. CON (2.83 Log10) (p = 0.005). At 14 DPC, no significant differences were detected but ~10% fewer birds remained positive in the TRT group vs. CON (p > 0.05). These findings suggest that diets supplemented with SCFP postbiotic may be a useful tool for mitigating SE colonization in horizontally exposed pullets and may support pre-harvest food-safety strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on an aviary discovered from a royal house in Stupinigi, Italy in 17th century. Various topics discussed include architectural description of the house, paper label on the cage, rediscovery of lost birds from the cage and its preservation at the Elegant Gallery in Italy. It further discusses literary works on the aviary and its birds.

This study was carried out to evaluate how broiler chickens respond to corn-soybean meal-based diets enriched with creatine monohydrate (CMH). The effects of CMH at protein levels were observed on performance, nutrients retention, meat water holding capacity (WHC) and blood biochemical parameters in broiler chickens. Three hundred twenty-day-old chicks (Ross 308) were organized in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design, having 4 replicates and 10 birds in each cage (repeat). Diets formulated for two levels of protein (at an amount recommended for Ross 308 and also an amount being 10% higher than the recommendation catalog Ross 308, 2019). Four levels of CMH were used, amounting to 0, 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5% of the diet. In all of the experiment periods the performance results showed that the highest bodyweight gain and the lowest feed conversion ratio were observed in high levels of CMH (0.3 and 0.5%) (P<0.05). Feeding the birds with a diet containing protein (high level) led to the highest growth performance (P<0.05). Regarding N loss and nitrogen retention (g bird-1 day-1), the interaction between CMH and protein was significant. Apparent metabolizable energy (AME), N intake (g bird-1 day-1) and N retention (% intake) were affected by protein (P<0.05). The highest WHC was observed in birds that were fed on a diet containing higher amount of protein (P<0.05). Birds fed with 0.3% or 0.5% CMH showed an increase in blood creatinine (P<0.05), as compared to birds fed with 0 or 0.1% CMH. In conclusion, the growth performance of broilers improved by adding 0.3% CMH to the diet, and also birds fed to protein (high level) increased their growth performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Development of a novel quadrature inductively driven transceive wireless coil for breast MRI at 1.5 T. Methods: A quadrature wireless coil (HHMM‐coil) design has been developed as a combination of two linearly polarized coils: a pair of 'metasolenoid' coils (MM‐coil) and a pair of Helmholtz‐type coils (HH‐coil). The MM‐coil consisted of an array of split‐loop resonators. The HH‐coil design included two electrically connected flat spirals. All the wireless coils were coupled to a whole‐body birdcage coil. The HHMM‐coil was studied and compared to the linear coils in terms of transmit and SAR efficiencies via numerical simulations. A prototype of HHMM‐coil was built and tested on a 1.5 T scanner in a phantom and healthy volunteer. We also proposed an extended design of the HHMM‐coil and compared its performance to a dedicated breast array. Results: Numerical simulations of the HHMM‐coil with a female voxel model have shown more than a 2.5‐fold increase in transmit efficiency and a 1.7‐fold enhancement of SAR efficiency compared to the linearly polarized coils. Phantom and in vivo imaging showed good agreement with the numerical simulations. Moreover, the HHMM‐coil provided good image quality, visualizing all areas of interest similar to a multichannel breast array with a 32% reduction in signal‐to‐noise ratio. Conclusion: The proposed quadrature HHMM‐coil allows the B1+$$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$‐field to be significantly better focused in the region‐of‐interest compared to the linearly polarized coils. Thus, the HHMM‐coil provides high‐quality breast imaging on a 1.5 T scanner using a whole‐body birdcage coil for transmit and receive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth performance, apparent retention (AR) of amino acids (AA), blood, and meat quality parameters were determined in grower Jumbo quail-fed diets containing raw or heat-treated marama bean (Tylosema esculentum) meal (MBM). The experimental diets were formulated to contain 99.98 g/kg of raw (MBMR), cooked (MBMC), autoclaved (MBMA), and toasted MBM (MBMT) in a standard grower diet (CON). A total of 306, 7-d-old Jumbo quail chicks (30.97 ± 1.79 g live weight) were placed in 35 cages (8/9 birds per cage). The five diets were allocated to the cages to give seven replicates per diet. The diets had varied responses (P  < 0.05) on AR of lysine, methionine, and threonine, among others. The CON diet promoted the highest (P  < 0.05) overall feed intake (FI) followed by MBMC and MBMA, and the lowest overall FI was from MBMR and MBMT. Quail-fed MBMR and MBMT diets had the least (P  < 0.05) overall body weight gain and final body weights than those fed with the CON, MBMC, and MBMA diets. Moreover, quail on MBMR diet had the lowest (P  < 0.05) overall gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) than those reared on the other diets, whose G:F values were statistically similar (P  > 0.05). Similarly, quail on MBMR diet had the highest (P  < 0.05) concentration of serum lipase and the heaviest gizzard than quail fed the other diets. However, quail-fed MBMT diet had heavier (P  < 0.05) relative proventriculus weight compared to quail-fed other diets. Heavier (P  < 0.05) relative spleen weights were observed for the MBMT and MBMR groups compared to the other groups. The CON diet had higher (P  < 0.05) hematocrits and 1-h breast meat redness compared to the other diets. However, CON, MBMC, and MBMA diets increased (P  < 0.05) 24-h breast meat redness than MBMR and MBMT diets. In conclusion, feeding diets with cooked or autoclaved marama bean meal resulted in an improvement in AA utilization, growth performance, and indices of carcass quality. However, raw and toasted marama beans had negative effects on performance parameters suggesting that optimal thermal treatment is critical for marama bean utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study determined the effect of introducing 50% of protein from the protein feed pool derived from raw chickpea seeds (CPR) instead of 50% of soybean meal (SBM) in the rearing period from day 22 to 42 on the coefficients of nutrient digestibility, growth performance, selected carcass traits, the hematological and metabolic profile of blood, and the quality of femur bones in male Ross 308 broilers. The study was carried out on 200 22-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks (initial weight of 756 g) randomly assigned to two groups (n=100 in each group; 5 cages with 20 birds each). All birds were reared for 42 days. They were fed isonitrogenous and isoenergetic pre-experimental starter diet (day 1 to 21) in crumble form and experimental grower-finisher diets (day 22 to 42) in pelleted form. From rearing day 22, SBM male broilers (grower/finisher) were fed diets with 100% SBM as a protein source. In the diet for the CPR group (grower and finisher), the SBM protein was replaced with 50% of CPR-derived protein. During the grower and finisher stage and between days 22 and 42, the CPR group exhibited significant (P=0.032) reductions in feed intake (FI), higher (P=0.043) slaughter yields, high (P=0.044) % share of breast muscles, and reduced (P=0.003) abdominal fat content. The addition of CPR influenced some blood parameters. The level of total protein, urea, and Mg decreased, whereas the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and aspartate transaminase (ALT) increased. In the CPR group, an increase in the physical, morphometric, and some strength parameters of the femur (maximum elastic strength – Wy, yielding deformation – dy, bone density index – BDI, and Young's modulus) was observed. Therefore, CPR may be a promising partial substitute of SBM in broiler nutrition, as it enhances production performance and has a beneficial effect on bone quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caging aims at constraining objects like a bird cage. It does not need force closure and contacts, and therefore is robust to perception noises. This paper considers these merits of caging and proposes an efficient approach to find the optimized finger positions for robust grasping under perception noises by measuring the quality of caging. It initially uses two quality models (the quality model of translational constraint and the quality model of rotational constraint) to combinatorically represent the quality of caging and finds the optimized finger positions (finger positions that have large robustness to perception noises) by maximizing the margins to caging breaking. Meanwhile, it employs Genetic Algorithm (GA) to accelerate the combinatorial optimization of the two quality models. The encoding rules, the initial procedure, and the stopping criterion of the GA are designed carefully towards the quality models to improve its computational efficiency. Experiments with various object shapes show that with the help of multi-model optimization and GA acceleration, the proposed approach is not only robustness to perception noises but also efficient in computation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of a body‐sized, bore‐mounted, radiofrequency (RF) body coil for ultrahigh field (UHF) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the major drawbacks of UHF, hampering the clinical potential of the technology. Transmit field (B1) nonuniformity and low specific absorption rate (SAR) efficiencies in UHF MRI are two challenges to be overcome. To address these problems, and ultimately provide a pathway for the full clinical potential of the modality, we have designed and simulated two‐dimensional cylindrical high‐pass ladder (2D c‐HPL) architectures for clinical bore‐size dimensions, and demonstrated a simplified proof of concept with a head‐sized prototype at 7 T. A new dispersion relation has been derived and electromagnetic simulations were used to verify coil modes. The coefficient of variation (CV) for brain, cerebellum, heart, and prostate tissues after B1+ shimming in silico is reported and compared with previous works. Three prototypes were designed in simulation: a head‐sized, body‐sized, and long body‐sized coil. The head‐sized coil showed a CV of 12.3%, a B1+ efficiency of 1.33 μT/√W, and a SAR efficiency of 2.14 μT/√(W/kg) for brain simulations. The body‐sized 2D c‐HPL coil was compared with same‐sized transverse electromagnetic (TEM) and birdcage coils in silico with a four‐port circularly polarized mode excitation. Improved B1+ uniformity (26.9%) and SAR efficiency (16% and 50% better than birdcage and TEM coils, respectively) in spherical phantoms was observed. We achieved a CV of 12.3%, 4.9%, 16.7%, and 2.8% for the brain, cerebellum, heart, and prostate, respectively. Preliminary imaging results for the head‐sized coil show good agreement between simulation and experiment. Extending the 1D birdcage coil concept to 2D c‐HPLs provides improved B1+ uniformity and SAR efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate specific absorption rate (SAR) and temperature distributions resulting from pediatric exposure to a 7T head coil. Methods: Exposure from a 297‐MHz birdcage head transmit coil (CP mode single‐channel transmission) was simulated in several child models (ages 3–14, mass 13.9–50.4 kg) and one adult, using time‐domain electromagnetic and thermal solvers. Position variability, age‐related changes in dielectric properties, and differences in thermoregulation were also considered. Results: Age‐adjusted dielectric properties had little effect in this population. Head average SAR (hdSAR) was the limiting factor for all models centered in the coil. The value of hdSAR (normalized to net power) was found to decrease linearly with increasing mass (R2 = 0.86); no equivalent relationship for peak‐spatial 10g averaged SAR (psSAR10g) was identified. Relatively small (< 10%) variability was observed in hdSAR for position shifts of ±25 mm in each orthogonal direction when normalized to net power; accounting for B1+$$ {\mathrm{B}}_1^{+} $$ efficiency can lead to much larger variability. Position sensitivity of psSAR10g was greater, but in most cases hdSAR remained the limiting quantity. For thermal simulations, if blood temperature is fixed (i.e., asserting good thermoregulation), maximum temperatures are compliant with International Electrotechnical Commission limits during 60‐min exposure at the SAR limit. Introducing variable blood temperature leads to core temperature changes proportional to whole‐body averaged SAR, exceeding guideline limits for all child models. Conclusions: Children experienced higher SAR than adults for the 297‐MHz head transmit coil examined in this work. Thermal simulations suggest that core temperature changes could occur in smaller subjects, although experimental data are needed for validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Nowadays, keeping animals in cage systems is controversial. Regulations and increased consumer awareness are causing cage systems to lose ground in many countries. In the case of Japanese quails bred for both egg and meat production, their maintenance in a non-cage system is very difficult and uneconomical; therefore, they are kept in cages, and, unlike egg-laying hens, the regulations only regulate the basic parameters, such as cage size and access to food and water. Taking this into account, studies have been conducted that indicate that keeping quails in enriched cages improves the birds' welfare. The aim of this study was to evaluate the indicators of the behavioural and physiological welfare of Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) as possible responses to the enrichment of the birds' habitat. The study sample consisted of 280 Japanese quails (224 ♀ and 56 ♂, respectively). Birds of 5 weeks of age were randomly divided into seven equally sized groups and then divided into replication subgroups (four per group, 10 birds in each replication). Birds were maintained in 0.5 m2 cages with unrestricted access to water and food. The experimental factor was the presence or absence of enrichment of the birds' cages: the nest box, scratcher, plastic corrugated pipe (tunnel), limestone cubes, sandbathing box and feeder box with a drilled cover. Quails were subjected to behavioural tests (tonic immobility and open field tests) and, after 6 weeks, blood samples were taken from them to determine their biochemical indices as well as their cortisol and corticosterone levels. An additional element was the assessment of fertility indices. The presence of enrichment was shown to reduce behavioural disturbances in Japanese quails. This study also found that the colour and shape of an object were very important regarding the birds' interest in it. Additionally, individuals kept in enriched cages, who were allowed to exhibit their natural behavioural patterns, had lower stress levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of novel Cookson's birdcage-annulated thiacrowns as well as noncage oligomers with an incorporated 1,2,3-triazole moiety are described. The title compounds were pre-pared applying a click alkyne-azide cycloaddition reaction in the fi-nal macrocyclization step. Using this methodology a series of oligomers containing oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur were prepared. The effective cycloaddition process was carried out under nonaque-ous conditions in the presence of a catalytic amount of copper(I) io-dide and N,N-diisopropylethylamine; the yields of oligomers were moderate to good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three experiments were conducted to determine the metabolizable energy (ME) and nitrogen-corrected ME (MEn) contents of hydrolyzed feather meal (HFM) and flash-dried poultry protein (FDPP) for broiler chickens and to determine their digestible energy (DE) and ME for pigs. The energy-yielding ingredients in a reference diet (RD) were replaced at 0, 75, or 150 g/kg by HFM in experiment (Exp.) 1; at 0, 75, or 150 g/kg by FDPP in Exp. 2; and at 0, 150 g/kg HFM, or 150 g/kg FDPP in Exp. 3. Birds were fed a standard broiler starter diet from hatch to days 18 and 17 for respective Exp. 1 and 2, following which 144 birds (8 replicate cages of 6 birds per cage) were assigned to the three experimental diets in a randomized complete block design with body weight as the blocking factor. Experimental diets were fed for 5 d, and excreta were collected during the last 3 d. Twenty-four 20-kg barrows, individually housed in metabolic crates equipped with a feeder and drinker, were used in Exp. 3. The barrows were assigned to the three experimental diets in a randomized complete block design with body weight as a blocking factor. Following a 5-d adaptation period, feces and urine were collected for 5 d in a total collection method. Data were used to determine the regression-derived ME and MEn of HFM and FDPP for broiler chickens in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively. The DE and ME of HFM and FDPP for pigs in Exp. 3 were determined using the difference procedure. In Exp. 1, the inclusion of HFM linearly increased (P < 0.05) ME from 3,231 to 3,368 kcal/kg DM for 0 to 150 g/kg replacement of RD. The total tract retention of DM and metabolizability of energy linearly increased (P < 0.05) as replacement of RD with FDPP increased from 0 to 150 g/kg in Exp. 2. Inclusion of FDPP linearly increased (P < 0.01) ME from 3,425 to 3,591 kcal/kg DM. In Exp. 3, the diets containing 150 g/kg HFM or FDPP induced greater (P < 0.05) fecal DM and energy losses than the RD; however, the digestibility of energy across the three experimental diets was not different. The respective regression-derived ME and MEn of hydrolyzed feather meal for broiler chickens in the current study were 4,250 and 3,745 kcal/kg DM with corresponding values of 4,710 and 4,081 kcal/kg DM for flash-dried poultry protein. In pigs, 4,783 and 4,405 kcal/kg DM were the respective DE and ME of hydrolyzed feather meal, and 4,553 and 4,320 kcal/kg DM were the corresponding estimates for flash-dried poultry protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is increasing use of open‐bore vertical MR systems that consist of two planar RF coils. A recent study showed that the RF‐induced heating of a neuromodulation device was much lower in the open‐bore system at the brain and the chest imaging landmarks. This study focused on the hip and knee implants and compared the specific absorption rate (SAR) distribution in human models in a 1.2T open‐bore coil with that of a 1.5T conventional birdcage coil. Methods: Computational modeling results were compared against the measurement values using a saline phantom. The differences in RF exposure were examined between a 1.2T open‐bore coil and a 1.5T conventional birdcage coil using SAR in an anatomical human model. Results: Modeling setups were validated. The body placed closed to the coil elements led to high SAR values in the birdcage system compared with the open‐bore system. Conclusion: Our computational modeling showed that the 1.2T planar system demonstrated a lower intensity of SAR distribution adjacent to hip and knee implants compared with the 1.5T conventional birdcage system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To test an integrated "AC/DC" array approach at 7T, where B0 inhomogeneity poses an obstacle for functional imaging, diffusion‐weighted MRI, MR spectroscopy, and other applications. Methods: A close‐fitting 7T 31‐channel (31‐ch) brain array was constructed and tested using combined Rx and ΔB0 shim channels driven by a set of rapidly switchable current amplifiers. The coil was compared to a shape‐matched 31‐ch reference receive‐only array for RF safety, signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), and inter‐element noise correlation. We characterize the coil array's ability to provide global and dynamic (slice‐optimized) shimming using ΔB0 field maps and echo planar imaging (EPI) acquisitions. Results: The SNR and average noise correlation were similar to the 31‐ch reference array. Global and slice‐optimized shimming provide 11% and 40% improvements respectively compared to baseline second‐order spherical harmonic shimming. Birdcage transmit coil efficiency was similar for the reference and AC/DC array setups. Conclusion: Adding ΔB0 shim capability to a 31‐ch 7T receive array can significantly boost 7T brain B0 homogeneity without sacrificing the array's rdiofrequency performance, potentially improving ultra‐high field neuroimaging applications that are vulnerable to off‐resonance effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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1. The ileal digestible energy (IDE), metabolisable energy (ME) and nitrogen-corrected ME (MEn) of dry fat (DF) and stabilised rice bran (SRB) were determined in two experiments with broiler chickens using the regression method. 2. Chickens were fed a common broiler starter diet from d 0 to 17 and experimental diets from d 17 to 22 post hatching. Three diets were prepared; a maize-soybean meal reference diet (RD) and two test diets containing either DF at 50 or 100 g/kg replacement (Experiment 1) or SRB at 100 or 200 g/kg replacement (Experiment 2) of the energy-contributing ingredients in the RD. In each experiment, 192 chickens were randomly allocated to one of three dietary treatments in a randomised complete block design, comprising eight replicate cages with eight birds per cage. 3. In Experiment 1, the IDE, ME and MEn linearly increased (P < 0.001) with increasing DF concentrations, while in Experiment 2, the IDE, ME and MEn of the diets were not affected by dietary supplemental SRB. The regression-derived IDE concentration for DF and SRB were 25.30 and 14.88 MJ/kg DM, respectively. The respective ME and MEn estimates (MJ/kg DM) were 25.32 and 24.78 for DF; 14.38 and 13.36 for SRB. 4. In conclusion, the current data showed that broiler chickens utilised between 77% and 79% and 68% to 76% of the gross energy (GE) in DF and SRB, respectively, and this suggested a strong potential for these ingredients as dietary energy sources for broiler chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]