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We hypothesised that adding a combination of fibrolytic and amylolytic enzymes to the diet of early-lactation dairy cows would improve rumen enzyme activity and bacterial diversity, promote energy metabolism, and benefit milk production in cows. Twenty multiparous early-lactation (90 ± 5 d) Holstein cows with similar body conditions were randomly allocated to control (CON, n = 10) and experimental (EXP, n = 10) groups in a completely randomised single-factor design. The CON was fed only a basal total mixed ration diet, and the diet of the EXP was supplemented with a combination of fibrolytic and amylolytic enzymes at 70 g/cow/d (cellulase 3 500 CU/g, xylanase 2 000 XU/g, β-glucanase 17 500 GU/g, and amylase 37 000 AU/g). The experiment lasted 28 days, with 21 days for adaptation and 7 days for sampling. Enzyme addition increased the activity levels of α-amylase and xylanase, and the ammonia-N concentration (P < 0.05) tended to increase the activity of β-glucanase (P = 0.08) in rumen fluid. However, there was no significant difference in the rumen bacterial richness and diversity, phylum (richness > 0.1%) or genus (richness > 1%) composition between the CON and EXP groups (P > 0.05). A tendency of difference was found between CON and EXP (R = 0.22, P = 0.098) in principal component analysis. Ten genera showed different abundances across the CON and EXP groups (linear discriminant analysis effect size, linear discriminant analysis > 2). EXP increased the ratio of albumin to globulin and the concentrations of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.05) and tended to increase triglycerides (P = 0.09) in blood. Milk yield, 3.5% fat-corrected milk yield and energy-corrected milk yield increased with enzyme supplementation (P < 0.05). The production levels of milk fat and lactose increased, but the percentage of solids, not fat and protein, decreased in EXP (P < 0.05). Although the DM intake was not affected, the feed efficiency tended to increase (P = 0.07) in EXP. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with a mixture of fibrolytic and amylolytic enzymes on multiparous early-lactation dairy cows increased α-amylase and xylanase activity levels in rumen fluid, enhanced milk performance and tended to improve the feed efficiency in cows.

In this work, masses of octet baryons are evaluated in the framework of the perturbative chiral quark model (PCQM) with considering both the ground and excited states in the quark propagator, in which a Cornell-like potential is first constructed by letting the predetermined ground state quark wavefunction satisfy Dirac equation, and the excited quark states are derived by resolving Dirac equation with the extracted PCQM potential numerically employing Generalized Eigenvalue & Eigenstate Problem method. The results on the octet baryon masses are found in good agreement with the experimental data, and the study reveals that the contributions of the excited quark states are considerably influential in the octet baryon masses as expected.

A systematic density functional theory study is performed to investigate the mechanical stability, elastic moduli, Debye temperature, thermal conductivity and electronic structures of Gd 2- y Th y Zr 2 O 7 and Gd 2 Zr 2- y Th y O 7 . All the Th-doped Gd 2 Zr 2 O 7 compositions are found to be structurally and mechanically stable. As compared with the pure Gd 2 Zr 2 O 7 , Th incorporation into both Gd-site and Zr-site results in generally better ductility, lower Debye temperature, and reduced thermal conductivity. The reduction in thermal conductivity can be as high as 25–32%, depending on the content of the Th substituent. Our calculations suggest that Th-doped Gd 2 Zr 2 O 7 , especially Gd 2 Zr 2- y Th y O 7 , exhibits better mechanical and thermal properties that are beneficial to its application as thermal barrier coating material at high temperatures than the pure state.

Author(s): Zhang, S; Xiao, HY; Peng, SM; Yang, GX; Liu, ZJ; Zu, XT; Li, S; Singh, DJ; Martin, LW; Qiao, L | Abstract: Ferroelectric BiFeO3 is promising for photovoltaic applications, especially in regard to the exploitation of ferroelectric photovoltaic effects for charge separation. However, its large band gap limits efficient sunlight absorption. Here, we demonstrate a new strategy to effectively tune the band gap of tetragonal BiFeO3 via superlattice structuring with the ferroelectric BiCrO3. The (BiCrO3)m/(BiFeO3)n superlattices are found to exhibit conventional ferroelectric properties, but low fundamental band gaps, smaller than either of the parent materials. First-principles calculations reveal that the unexpected band-gap reduction is induced by charge reconstruction due to lattice strain, octahedral distortion, and polarization discontinuity at the BiCrO3-BiFeO3 interfaces. Ultimately, these results provide a new strategy, in the form of superlattice structuring, which could open the door to the creation of efficient ferroelectric photovoltaics.

The cost optimisation and control strategy of ozone production process and the experimental results are described in this paper. The model of ozone production process taking the lowest unit cost of ozone production as optimisation target is established and the relationship between ozone concentrations and the ozone production costs is ascertained. The experimental results prove that the fluctuation of ozone concentrations was less than 3% when the optimal control was implemented in the ozone production process, and the fluctuation of the controlled variables was less than 5% after the system was stable. The implementation of the optimal control can largely reduce the operating costs of ozone production.

Aiming to reduce computation complexity in studying crystal interaction by a level set method, we present a new method: the level set method by solving a single signed distance function with the aid of “colors”. In this method, the crystal is identified by its assigned color (respectively a number). The growth of a crystal can be captured by semi-Lagrangian method with the aid of coloring. The problem of evolving multiple crystal interfaces is reduced to track one level set variable (signed distance function) and determine the color of a newly solidification node point. The method is used to study the evolution of polymer crystallization under isothermal condition and during cooling stage with a multi-scale model which is proposed in this paper. Good agreement of the numerical results with the theoretical values and those predicted in literature is obtained. The method is easy to be implemented. Compared with the multiple level sets method, it has low computational complexity and low memory requirement. The method is also applicable for any system that displays nucleation and growth.

The meson cloud distributions in r-space are extracted from the nucleon electromagnetic and axial form factors which are derived in the perturbative chiral quark model. The theoretical results indicate that the magnetic charge and axial charge distributions of the three-quark core have the similar distributions in r-space, the magnetic charge distributions of the meson cloud and three-quark core are more or less in the same region and peak at distances of around 0.4 fm, which is in good agreement with the finding of works in the framework of chiral perturbation theory, but the axial charge meson cloud distributes mainly inside the three-quark core.

This study aimed to examine olfactory mucosal changes in a rat model of acute rhinosinusitis and to determine how acute rhinosinusitis induces dysosmia. Total 100 rats were divided into the experimental (N = 80) and control (N = 20) groups. An acute rhinosinusitis model was established in the experimental rats. From the experimental group, 20 rats each were sacrificed at 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks. The control group was sacrificed at 1 week without inoculation. Olfaction was tested by the buried food pellet test before killing the rats, and the duration until the pellet was recorded and analyzed by a statistical software program. Mature olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) and olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) were examined. The durations spent by the experimental group in the BFPT were 402.9 ± 9.3, 453.7 ± 7.3, 351.9 ± 8.9, and 278.7 ± 8.1 s at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks, respectively. These durations were greater than that of the control group (178.3 ± 6.6 s), and the difference was statistically significant (P0.01). A reduction in ORNs and thinning of the epithelium were detected in the experimental group, most notably in the 2nd week and less in the fourth week. OECs were reduced in the 1st week, increased in the 2nd week, and almost completely recovered in the fourth week. In addition, some growing OECs were detected in the experimental group. Acute rhinosinusitis decreased both the mature ORNs and OECs, but OECs increased faster than the ORNs.

Energy levels, oscillator strengths, and radiative rates have been calculated for 2 s 2 2 p 6 – 2 s 2 p 6 n p and 2 s 2 2 p 6 – 2 s 2 2 p 5 n d transitions with 4 ≤ n ≤ 20 in Cu XX ions. In the calculations, the Flexible Atomic Code has been used, and systematic analysis and evaluation of the accuracy of the calculated results for the two types of transitions are also given with different indicators. It is shown that the results for the transitions with a 2 s hole are greatly improved by using the present method comparing to those from RELAC code. Furthermore, our results show that the energy levels of the 2 s 2 p 6 ( n + 1 ) l and 2 s 2 2 p 5 ( n + 2 ) l configurations closely interact with those of the 2 s 2 p 6 n p series and it is essential to include the 2 s 2 2 p 5 ( n + 1 ) l configurations in the calculations for the 2 s 2 2 p 5 n d series.

In this paper, we present a method of measuring a freeform surface profile from a single image taken by a vision system consisting of a digital camera and a pattern projector. The measurement can be implemented without calibrating the camera’s parameters, provided that the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of the projector are known. The method enables the camera to have much more adaptability for measuring a stationary or moving object with complex shape of surface.

A non-critically phase-matched KTiOPO4 optical parametric oscillator (OPO) intracavity pumped by a laser diode end-pumped acousto-optically Q-switchedNd:YAG laser is experimentally demonstrated. The highest average power is obtained at the pulse repetition rate (PRR) of around 15 kHz, which is different from the widely reported Nd:YVO4 laser pumped OPO in which the highest average power is obtained at a very high PRR, e.g. 80 kHz. With an incident laser diode power of 6.93 W and a pulse repetition rate of 15 kHz, an average signal power of 0.72 W is obtained with a peak power of 7.7 kW and an optical-to-optical conversion efficiency of 10.4%.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of supplementation with Lys, Met, Thr to low-protein diets on growth performance and metabolic responses in growing barrows. Seventy crossbred barrows (Duroc × Yorkshine), with an average initial body weight of 16 kg, were fed diets containing five crude protein (CP) levels (18.2, 16.5, 15.5, 14.5, and 13.6%) and 0.83% true ileal digestible lysine. On d 17 of the trial, all pigs were fitted with an indwelling jugular catheter for blood collection. On d 18 and 53, blood samples were obtained at 4 h post feeding. Reducing dietary CP concentration linearly decreased ( P P P P r = 0.76, P r = − 0.64, P r = 0.91, P

Polyanthra[1,9,8-b,c,d,e][4,10,5-b,c,d,e]bis-[1,6,6a(6a-S)trithia]pentalene (PABTP) was prepared and investigated as cathode active material for lithium secondary batteries. The organic disulfide polymer was prepared by the direct sulfurization of anthracene and the oxidative coupling polymerization of the sulfide anthracene, characterized by FT-IR, Raman, elemental analysis, XPS and XRD. The polymer was used as cathode active material and the lithium secondary batteries were assembled and tested. The polymer had high specific capacity up to 1500 mAh g −1 , which remained the value of 800 mAh g −1 at the 77th cycle, and kept high charge–discharge efficiency of 85% in the whole test.

This investigation discovers a discrete metallic alloy layer containing Ni, Ti, and Ba between Ni and BaTiO 3 co-fired in reducing atmospheres at ∼1300 °C along with an oxygen-depleted zone in BaTiO 3 adjacent to the metallic layer. Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy, detailed structural and chemical analyses of the metallic layer are carried out. With complementary thermodynamic approximations, these observations render an assessment of the local effective oxygen partial pressure, which is considerably lower than the external, ambient processing environment. Through a set of model experiments on Ni–BaTiO 3 –carbon composites, we illustrate that the presence of carbon is sufficient to reduce locally BaTiO 3 and form the observed metallic layer at ∼1300 °C. A phase stability analysis indicates that the formation of the Ba and Ni–Ti liquid phases provides a kinetic path for the interfacial reaction.

A combination of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are used to establish that Ti-B-N films with different boron concentrations prepared by reactive unbalanced magnetron sputtering exhibit a two-phase nanocomposite microstructure, showing nanocrystalline Ti(N, B) grains embedded in amorphous (TiB2, BN) matrices. Using Monte Carlo simulations and based on a simple model employing a kinetic grain growth theory, we also investigate the effects of the amorphous TiB2-BN phase on the microstructure evolution and grain growth in nanocrystalline-Ti(N, B). Our study demonstrates that the formation of such an amorphous phase at the grain boundary could hinder the growth of Ti(N, B) grains and the mean grain size shows an exponential decay with boron concentration, in good agreement with our experimental observations.

We investigate the asymptotic properties of some statistics based on quadratic entropy (QE), a notion introduced by Rao (Sankrya A 44 (1992) 1–21) as a general measure of variability in a population. Sample QE based on i.i.d. observations from a distribution function is defined and its asymptotic distribution is derived. The use of QE in the place of variance in analysis of diversity of cross classified data provides a generalization of ANOVA. We call this method ANOQE (analysis of quadratic entropy). The ANOQE statistic for testing equality of populations based on one-way classified data is constructed and its asymptotic and bootstrap distributions are derived.

In this article the structure and the relationship of two individidual sample quantiles and their pooled sample quantile are discussed. An asymptotic normality result concerning the three related quantiles is established. It is shown that the pooled sample quantile can be asymptotically represented as linear combination of the two individual sample quantiles with a remainder of order O p (n − 3 4 ) .

In the present study, two isolates (SH-F1 and SH-F2) of Torque teno felis virus (feline TTV) were detected in 16 (12.5%) serum samples collected from cats in China. Their full length genomes were cloned and sequenced. The results showed that they were 2063bp in length and contained three open reading frames (ORFs) (ORF1: nt438-1748, ORF2: nt268-585 and ORF3: nt268-581, 1461-1842). Phylogenetic analysis showed that they were clustered with the strain of Japan (Fc-TTV4, AB076003) and the strain of France (PRA4, EF538878). Sequence analysis indicated that SH-F1 had high (97.5% and 93.3%) identity with the strain of Japan and the strain of France, and SH-F2 shared 94.5% and 92.1% homology with them, respectively. In conclusion, we demonstrated that feline TTV is present in China.

In this paper, we developed a new building extraction system applied on high resolution remote sensing imagery based on multi-scale object oriented classification and probabilistic Hough transform. This can be divided into two different phases: building roof extraction, and shape reconfiguration. For the first phase, the multispectral and panchromatic high resolution satellite imageries are firstly fused for spatial resolution improvement and color information enhancement. The multiresolution image segmentation is applied on the fused image, resulting in the formation of the different level of polygon primitives at different space scale, providing different view of the scene at different resolution. In addition to the spectral information, the tone, texture, shape, context information is evaluated in an object oriented manner. The classification is based on a fuzzy rule decision tree classifier. By fuzzy evaluating of the shape, texture, context and spectral information, building roofs are extracted by reconstruction and classification from an appropriate space scale of roof polygon primitives. For the shape reconfiguration phase, we adopt the probabilistic Hough transform to delineate the roof dominant line which shows the major orientation of the specific building roof. According to the dominant line, a building squaring algorithm is applied based on rectilinear fitting of the building boundary. It is shown by our experiment that most rectangular building roofs can be correctly detected, extracted and reconfigured, demonstrating the potential application of the method.

In this paper, we describe combined MLS and RSM approach for HDD spindle motor robust design by using digital simulation technique.

A neural network for generation scheduling in power systems is presented. The network consists of two levels which correspond to different types of variables in the generation scheduling problem. The first level is a neural net which solves economic dispatch, a sub-problem in the generation scheduling problem. Its outputs indicate the power generation of generating units. The second level is a Boltzmann machine, a stochastic neural net which determines the off/on status of units. Simulation on a 20 generating-unit system shows that fast and optimal solutions can be obtained using the proposed neural network. >

A method which combines finite element with analytical solutions for solving electromagnetic field problems in rotational electric machines is explored. The principle of this method and procedure of applying this hybrid method are presented with explicit equations. Two examples are given to show the effectiveness of the method proposed. >

Erasable phase change recording is an emerging technology for achieving high density data storage. In the case of phase change optical disks, recording and erasing are achieved by the crystllographic structure changes of thin films when the films are heated by laser irradiation. Reproduction of the recorded information is performed by detecting the reflectivity changes caused by the differences in optical constants between the crystalline and the amorphous states. The amorphous state is realized by heating the material film with sufficient laser irradiation power to melt the material over its melting point, and rapidly quenching it to room temperature. The crystalline state is achieved by annealing the film at a temperature between the crystallizing temperature and the melting point. Thus, the calculation of the temperature distribution and the determination of the influence of factors such as media composition, laser power, duty cycle and scanning speed, and disk layer structure are important issues to be considered when attempting to improve the quality of optical disk recordings.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the strong consistency of M-estimates in linear models under a general discrepancy function. In the model discussed in the chapter, β is a p-vector parameter to be estimated, and e i are iid random errors. The M-estimate of β in the model is the value of β which minimizes for a suitable choice of the function ψ, or a value of β satisfying the estimating equation for a suitable choice of the function ψ. In general, ψ need not be the derivative of a function and the equation can be set up directly by choosing a suitable ψ. There is considerable literature devoted to the asymptotic theory of M-estimation under some assumptions on the functions ρ and ψ. Instead of assuming ρ to be a convex function, we assume that ρ(0) = 0 and ρ is non-increasing in (-∞ 0] and non-decreasing in [0, ∞), which widens the choice of the discrepancy functions. The linear model considerec in the chapter, it is assumed that the true value of β is 0. And C is used to denote a constant which may take different values in different equations and I(·) is used to denote the indicator function.