Effects of restricted feed intake on finishing pigs weighing between 68 and 114 kilograms fed twice or 6 times daily.

In a previous study with limit-fed gestating gilts, we observed that gilts fed 6 times/d had greater ADG than those fed the same amount over 2 feedings. To confirm these earlier responses, we used finishing pigs as a model in two 42-d trials and two 28-d trials to evaluate the effects of restricted feed intake and feeding frequency (2 vs. 6 times/d, floor fed) on pig performance between 68 and 114 kg. In all experiments, pigs (10/pen) were housed in 1.8 × 3.1 m pens with a half-solid, half-slatted concrete floor. Pigs were fed a corn- and soybean meal-based diet formulated to 1.15% standardized ileal digestible Lys and 3,294 kcal of ME/kg. In Exp. 1 to 3, energy and Lys were supplied to pigs according to NRC (1998) calculations to target an ADG of 0.80 kg. In Exp. 4, the diet was supplied to pigs to target an ADG of 0.80 kg (low feed intake) or 0.95 kg (high feed intake) to determine if the amount of energy above the maintenance requirement and feeding frequency affected pig performance. Pigs were fed by dropping similar amounts of feed onto the solid concrete floor either 2 (0700 or 1400 h) or 6 times (3 meals within 2 h at the morning and afternoon feedings) per day with an Accu-Drop Feed Dispenser (AP Systems, Assumption, IL). In Exp. 1 and 2, pigs fed 6 times daily had increased (P < 0.02) ADG and G:F compared with pigs fed 2 times per day. Greater feeding frequency increased (P < 0.05) the duration of time spent feeding and standing and reduced the lying time. In Exp. 3, a third treatment was included to determine whether the improvements in performance were due to decreased feed wastage. This treatment was designed to minimize feed wastage by dropping feed closer to the floor for pigs fed 2 times per day. Pigs fed 6 times daily had improved (P < 0.05) ADG and G:F compared with pigs in either treatment fed 2 times per day. No difference (P > 0.05) in performance was observed between pigs fed 2 times per day when feed was dropped from the feed drop or by the modified method. In Exp. 4, increasing the feeding frequency from 2 to 6 times per day improved (P < 0.01) ADG and G:F for pigs fed the low feed intake and tended to increase (P < 0.06) ADG and improved (P < 0.05) G:F for pigs fed the high feed intake. In limit-feeding situations, increasing the frequency of feeding from 2 to 6 times per day improved pig performance, which confirmed our earlier findings in gestating gilts.

Prevalence of depression and suicidal behaviors among male migrant workers in United Arab Emirates.

Migrant workers comprise 80% of the population of the United Arab Emirates, but there is little research on their mental health. To determine the prevalence and correlates of depression among workers living in labor camps, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in labor camps in Al Ain city. The Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-42) was used to assess depression and suicidal ideation among the study participants. Off the 319 contacted workers agreed to participate, however 239 fully completed the DASS-42. The prevalence of a score >=10 ("depression") was 25.1% (60/239). Depression was correlated with physical illness (97/301), (adjusted odds ratio-AOR = 2.9; 95% CI 2.26-5.18), working in construction industry (prevalence 124/304), AOR = 2.2; 95%CI 1.56-3.83), earning less than 1,000 UAE Dirham per month (prevalence 203/314), (AOR = 1.8; 95%CI 1.33-3.16), and working more than 8 h a day (prevalence 213/315), (AOR = 2.7; 95%CI 1.19-6.27). 20/261 (6.3%) of the study participants reported thoughts of suicide and 8/265 (2.5%) had attempted suicide. People with suicidal ideation were more likely to have a physical illness (AOR = 8.1, 95%CI 2.49-26.67), earn less than 1,000 UAE Dirham per month (AOR = 5.98, 95%CI 1.26-28.45), and work for more than 8 h a day (AOR = 8.35, 95%CI 1.03-67.23). The study identified self reported indicators of a substantial burden of depression, and thoughts of self-harm among laborers surveyed. Policy level intervention and implementation, is needed to improve working conditions, including minimum wages and regulation of working hours is recommended.

Determining the effect of lysine:calorie ratio on growth performance of ten- to twenty-kilogram of body weight nursery pigs of two different genotypes.

Four experiments were conducted to determine the effects of standardized ileal digestible (SID) Lys:calorie (Lys:Mcal) ratio on growth performance of 10- to 20-kg pigs of 2 different genotypes. Experiment 1 (360 pigs, average BW = 10.2 kg; source 1) and Exp. 2 (351 pigs; average BW = 9.3 kg; source 2), were both organized as a combination of 2 simultaneous experiments with the first set of diets consisting of 5 treatments with increasing SID Lys and the second set of diets consisting of 5 treatments with increasing energy density (Exp. 1: 9.9, 10.7, 11.5, 12.2, and 13.0 g/kg of Lys and 2.95, 3.09, 3.24, 3.38, and 3.52 Mcal/kg of ME, respectively; Exp. 2: 11.1, 11.9, 12.6, 13.4, and 14.2 g/kg and 2.95, 3.10, 3.25, 3.40, and 3.55 Mcal of ME/kg, respectively). In Exp. 1, increasing dietary SID Lys increased (linear, P < 0.01) ADG and G:F, and increasing dietary ME increased (quadratic, P < 0.05) G:F. In Exp. 1 the optimal Lys:Mcal ratio was estimated to be at least 4.1 g of Lys/Mcal of ME based on G:F. In Exp. 2, increasing dietary SID Lys increased (linear, P < 0.01) ADG and G:F. Increasing dietary ME increased (linear, P < 0.01) G:F. Because of the linear responses in this experiment, optimal Lys:Mcal ratio was at least 4.0 g of Lys/Mcal of ME. In Exp. 3 (350 pigs; average BW = 9.4 kg; source 1) and Exp. 4 (350 pigs; average BW = 7.5 kg; source 2), Lys:Mcal ratios in Exp. 1 and 2 were compared by titrating Lys at 2 energy levels. Pigs were fed diets with 2.95 or 3.29 Mcal/kg of ME with SID Lys:Mcal ratios of 3.1 to 4.1 g/Mcal of ME (Exp. 3) and 3.5 to 4.5 g/Mcal of ME (Exp. 4). In Exp. 3, there was an ME x Lys:Mcal ratio interaction (P < 0.03) for ADG. The greatest ADG was a Lys:Mcal ratio of 3.60 for pigs fed low ME and a ratio of 3.35 for pigs fed high ME. Gain:feed ratio increased with increased (P < 0.01) ME concentration and as Lys:Mcal ratio increased (quadratic, P < 0.01); the best G:F was observed at 3.67 g of Lys/Mcal of ME. In Exp. 4, there was a tendency for ME x Lys:Mcal ratio interaction (P < 0.08) for G:F. The greatest G:F was achieved with a Lys: Mcal ratio of at least 4.50 for pigs fed low ME and a ratio of 4.29 for pigs fed high ME. Results (i.e., lack of ADG response to high energy density) suggest pigs reared in this environment were not in energy dependent growth phases. These pigs needed approximately 11 g/d of SID Lys (19 g of Lys/kg of gain) to optimize ADG and G:F. Based on these results, optimal Lys:Mcal ratio may differ depending on daily caloric intake of the pig.

Effects of feeding schedule on body condition, aggressiveness, and reproductive failure in group-housed sows.

A total of 208 sows and 288 gilts (PIC line C29) were used to determine the influence of feeding frequency (2 vs. 6 times/d, floor fed) on performance and welfare measurements on a commercial sow farm. Treatments consisted of feeding similar amounts of feed to each sow (2.5 kg) or gilt (2.05 kg) over 2 (0700 and 1530) or 6 times daily (0700, 0730, 0800, 1530, 1600, and 1630). There were 8 sows or 12 gilts in each pen. Gilts and sows were moved to pens 1 to 4 d after breeding. In sows, there were no differences (P > 0.10) in ADG, backfat change, or variation in BW. There was a trend (P < 0.08) for sows fed twice daily to farrow more total pigs born, but number born alive or other reproductive performance traits were not different (P > 0.10) among treatments. Sows fed 6 times per day had increased vocalization during the morning (P < 0.07) and afternoon (P < 0.01) feeding periods compared with sows fed twice daily. Sows fed twice daily had more skin (P < 0.01) and vulva (P < 0.04) lesions as well as a small increase in feet and leg (P < 0.01) and hoof (P < 0.02) problems. In this commercial facility, the standard management protocol required moving gilts to a different gestation facility on d 42. On d 42, two pens of gilts with similar breeding dates and treatment were combined and moved to another facility with larger pens until farrowing. Gilts fed 6 times daily had a tendency for greater ADG (P < 0.07) from d 0 to 42 and a tendency for greater (P < 0.09) backfat on d 42. After movement to the larger groups from d 42 to farrowing, ADG was similar (P > 0.10) for gilts fed 2 or 6 times daily. Gilts fed twice daily had lower BW variation at d 42 (P < 0.04) and tended to at farrowing (P < 0.10). In gilts, there were no differences (P > 0.10) for reproductive performance, skin and vulva lesions, and feet and leg scores. In conclusion, there were few growth, farrowing, or aggression differences among gilts fed 2 or 6 times daily. This suggests that either feeding method is suitable for group-housed gilts. Among sows, feeding frequency resulted in few growth or farrowing performance differences. Feeding 6 times daily resulted in a small but significant reduction in skin and vulva lesions and structural problem scores while increasing vocalization. Increasing the feeding frequency from 2 to 6 times daily does not appear to have a negative or positive impact on performance or welfare of group-housed gilts and sows.

Beam-halo measurements in high-current proton beams.

We present results from an experimental study of the beam halo in a high-current 6.7-MeV proton beam propagating through a 52-quadrupole periodic-focusing channel. The gradients of the first four quadrupoles were independently adjusted to match or mismatch the injected beam. Emittances and beamwidths were obtained from measured profiles for comparisons with maximum emittance-growth predictions of a free-energy model and maximum halo-amplitude predictions of a particle-core model. The experimental results support both models and the present theoretical picture of halo formation.

Pyrroline-5-Carboxylate Reductase in Soybean Nodules : Comparison of the Enzymes in Host Cytosol, Bradyrhizobium japonicum Bacteroids, and Cultures.

Characteristics of pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (P5CR) from Bradyrhizobium japonicum bacteroids and cultured rhizobia were compared with those of the enzyme in soybean nodule host cytosol. Reductase from host cytosol differed from that in bacteroids in: (a) the effect of pH on enzymic activity, (b) the capacity to catalyze both reduction of pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid and NAD(+)-dependent proline oxidation, (c) apparent affinities for pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid, and (d) sensitivities to inhibition by NADP(+) and proline. The K(1) for proline inhibition of P5CR in bacteroid cytosol was 1.8 millimolar. The properties of P5CR in B. japonicum and bacteroid cytosol were similar. The specific activities of P5CR in the cytosolic fractions of the nodule host and the bacteroid compartment were also comparable.

[Effector influence of oxygen-containing C1 compounds in the cultivation of the methanotrophic bacterial strain GB 25]. / Effektorwirkung von sauerstoffhaltigen C1-Verbindungen bei der Kultivierung des methanotrophen Bakterienstammes GB 25.

Addition of oxygen-containing C1-compounds to chemostat cultures of GB 25 increases both the yield of biomass and the specific growth rate. At optimum concentrations the catalytic activity of these compounds increases with increasing growth rates. Their influence on maintenance coefficients and maximum yield coefficients decreases in the order CH3OH greater than CO2 greater than HCOOH greater than HCHO. This result together with spectrophotometric NADH determinations suggests that the NADH pool determines the balance between the assimilatory and oxidative utilization of formaldehyde.

[Effect of oxygen containing C1 compounds on the growth of methane-assimilating bacteria]. / Einfluss sauerstoffhaltiger C1-Verbindungen auf das Wachstum methanassimilierender Bakterien.

Added C1-compounds of the intermediates methanol, formaldehyde, formate and carbon dioxide show a catalytic effect on the growth rate and cell yield of CH4-assimilating bacteria GB 25 with serine pathway. Maximum stimulation is obtained by added amounts of about 20 mg C1-compound/g bacteria dry matter. The influence of C1-compounds decreases as follows: methanol greater than carbon dioxide greater than formate greater than formaldehyde.