Effects of supplementing an active dry yeast product on rumen microbial community composition and on subsequent rumen fermentation of lactating cows in the mid-to-late lactation period.

The effects of supplementing feed of cows in mid-to-late lactation with an active yeast product (Actisaf Sc 47) were evaluated using 15 Holstein cows in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design. The animals were fed a mixed ration with 33% neutral detergent fiber, consisting of timothy hay (29.8%), a commercial concentrate (70.0%) and commercial calcium triphosphate (0.2%), twice daily to meet 105% of their energy requirement. Yeast supplement was set at 0, 5 and 10 g per day over 21-day periods, each of which consisted of 14 days for adaptation followed by 7 days of data collection. Milking performance, plasma metabolite parameters, rumen volatile fatty acids, lipopolysaccharide and microbial properties were measured. Although there were no significant differences in feeding and milking performance or blood parameters associated with supplementation, the acetate to propionate ratio in the rumen fluid tended to decrease (P = 0.08). The population of Bacteroidetes tended to be less prominent (P = 0.07) and the fibrolytic bacterium Fibrobacter significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the rumen fluid of the yeast 10 g group compared with that of the control. These data suggest that effects of supplementing live yeast to cows in mid-to-late lactation may be limited to microbial composition and fermentation characteristics in the rumen.

Observation of polarized luminescence from Jahn-Teller split states of self-trapped excitons in PbWO4 by time-resolved spectroscopy.

Time-resolved luminescence spectra of oriented PbWO(4) crystals have been measured for polarizations with the electric vector parallel to the crystallographic c axis (E is parallel to c) and perpendicular to it (E is perpendicular to c). All the three emission bands (I, II and III) due to the Jahn-Teller split states of a self-trapped exciton (STE) located on the (WO(4))(2-) complex anion are found to exhibit significant polarizations in the ac plane. The main band II peaking at 425 nm is polarized with E is parallel to c at low temperatures (T<100 K), but changes its polarization from E is parallel to c to E is perpendicular to c at T>150 K. Band III at 450 nm is polarized with E is perpendicular to c at T = 230 and 300 K. The degree of polarization of these two bands does not depend on the polarization of excitation light. On the other hand, band I at 407 nm is polarized with E is perpendicular to c (E is parallel to c) under the photoexcitation polarized parallel (perpendicular) to the c axis, in the temperature range of T = 150-300 K. The observed polarization characteristics of three emission bands invoke further lowering of symmetry of tetrahedral (WO(4))(2-) ions due to the uniaxially compressive crystal field, in addition to the Jahn-Teller distortion. The sublevels of the STEs responsible for the PbWO(4) luminescence are assigned on the basis of a group-theoretical consideration.

Infrared absorption change in single-walled carbon nanotubes observed by combination spectroscopy of synchrotron radiation and laser.

The Drude tail due to photo-excited carriers in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has been observed in the mid-infrared region by using combination spectroscopy of synchrotron radiation and Ti:sapphire laser. It is found that the density of photo-excited carriers increases as the sample temperature is raised from 12 to 300 K, and their lifetime is of the order of minutes at 300 K. These facts suggest that the movement of photo-excited carriers is largely affected by some extrinsic defect, thus resulting in the long-lasting Drude reflection in SWNTs.

Two-photon spectroscopy of core excitons in barium fluoride using synchrotron radiation and laser light.

We have conducted two-photon spectroscopy of core excitons in BaF(2). Synchrotron radiation and laser light were used for 5p core-electron excitation and Auger-free luminescence was detected as the signal. Two-photon excitation enables access to f and p orbitals that cannot be reached by one-photon excitation of electrons in p orbitals. It has been found that the spin-orbit splittings of 4f and 6p states of the Ba ion in BaF(2) are 0.7 +/- 0.1 and 1.4 +/- 0.1 eV, respectively.

Self-assembly patterning of colloidal crystals constructed from opal structure or NaCl structure.

We developed a novel self-assembly process to fabricate an orderly array of particle wires constructed from a close-packed colloidal crystal without preparation of patterned templates. A substrate was immersed vertically into a SiO2 colloidal solution, and the liquid surface moved downward upon evaporation of solution. Particles formed a mono-/multiparticle layer, which was cut by the periodic drop-off of solution. The orderly array of particle wires was successfully fabricated, showing the suitability of the self-assembly process for the fabrication of nano-/microstructures constructed from nano-/microparticles or blocks. The mechanism of the assembly process and control of thickness, width, and interval of particle wires were further discussed. Moreover, an array of particle wires constructed not from close-packed face-centered cubic (or hexagonal close packed) structure but from two kinds of particles was realized to fabricate an array of particle wires with NaCl structure by this self-assembly process.

Time-resolved Auger decay in CsBr using high harmonics.

The temperature-dependent decay dynamics of innershell holes in CsBr was measured by using high harmonics. The measured lifetime was as short as 1.5 ps at 340 K due to increasing the Auger-allowed final state density in the Urbach exciton tail, whereas it is 1.1 ns at 10 K, determined by radiative recombination. The temperature-dependent Auger lifetime extrapolated to a high temperature corresponds to the fully energy-allowed Auger decay. In the model to be presented, this yields an interatomic Auger decay lifetime of 2.4+3.8/-1.5 fs, in line with a theoretical calculation for NaF.

Effects of running exercise with increasing loads on tibialis anterior muscle fibres in mice.

Cross-sectional areas and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activities of type identified fibres in the deep, middle and superficial regions of the tibialis anterior muscle in mice were examined after 4 weeks of voluntary running exercise with increasing loads. Nineteen-week-old male mice were assigned randomly to either a control or exercise group. The mean cross-sectional areas of all types (IIa, IIx and IIb) of fibres in the superficial region of the muscle were greater in the exercise group than in the control group. The mean SDH activities of type IIx and type IIb fibres in the middle region and of all types (IIa, IIx and IIb) of fibres in the superficial region of the muscle were greater in the exercise group than in the control group. These results suggest that voluntary running exercise with increasing loads causes hypertrophy and/or an increase in the SDH activity of fibres in the specific muscle region where fibres with a high threshold and a low-oxidative enzyme activity are distributed, and these fibres are recruited to adapt to changes in exercise conditions.

Secular trends in physique and physical fitness in Japanese students during the last 20 years.

The secular trend of increase in physical size of children has often been reported. Children today are bigger than before, but there is a question whether their physical fitness has improved as well. Methodological differences make it difficult to compare older and newer data. Data are presented from the tests and measurements of physical fitness of collage students measured once a year from 1964 to 1987. Identical methods of measurement were used throughout. Sample sizes are of about 500-2,300 for each year, and year to year changes are discussed. Height, weight and chest grith measurements increased from 1964 to 1987 by 4.4 cm, 5.3 kg, and 3.7 cm, respectively, and their regression coefficients for the years are .15, .24, and .15, respectively. The rate of increase of height is greater in the first half of these years. Vital capacity, standing broad jump, and 100 m dash records improved, but both right and left grip strength decreased. Back strength, ball throwing, and push-up performance did not change significantly. The results show that the size of young adults has increased, but that their physical fitness does not always follow a similar course.