Phytogenic feed additives mixture enhances the lactational performance, feed utilization and ruminal fermentation of Friesian cows.

The assay aimed to evaluate the effect of feeding a recently developed phytogenic feed additives mixture in diets of lactating Friesian cows (n = 30; 514 ± 10.1 kg body weight) for 3 months. Cows were stratified into three groups of 10 cows each and fed a control diet alone or the control diet supplemented with the additives mixture at 3 g (PHY3) or 6 g (PHY6)/cow daily. Menthol, levomenthol, ß-linaloolm, anethole, hexadecanoic acid and p-menthane were the principle compounds identified in the additives mixture. The PHY3 increased (p < 0.01) intake and nutrient digestibility. PHY3 and PHY6 increased (p < 0.01) ruminal pH, total volatile fatty acids, propionate and acetate. PHY3 and PHY6 improved serum total protein and antioxidant capacity and decreased the concentrations of serum urea-N, triglycerides, total lipids, cholesterol and malondialdehyde (p < 0.05). PHY3 increased milk production and milk content of total solids, protein, lactose and fat. Both PHY3 and PHY6 did not affect mineral concentrations in blood or milk. It is concluded that the inclusion of 3 g/cow/d of feed additives mixture in the lactating Friesian cows diet enhanced milk production and feed utilization, with negative effects observed with increasing the dose of additives mixture to 6 g/cow daily.

Lactating performance, water and feed consumption of rabbit does reared under a Mediterranean summer circadian cycle of temperature v. comfort temperature conditions.

The general aim of this research was to study the effect of high ambient temperature on the performance of does during lactation, specifically the following factors: average daily feed (ADFI) and water (ADWI) intakes, daily milk yield (DMY); milk composition: dry matter (DM), CP and gross energy (GE); doe BW (DW); individual kit weaning weight (IWW) and litter survival rate during lactation (SR). The study was undertaken comparing the performance of two groups of contemporary does reared under the same management, feeding regime and environmental conditions, except the environmental temperature and humidity. A total of 80 females were randomly allocated, at 60 days of age, into two identical and continuous rooms. In one room, the temperature was maintained permanently within the thermo-neutral zone (between 18°C to 22°C); thus, environmental conditions in this room were considered as comfort conditions. In the second room, the environmental temperature pattern simulated the daily temperature cycles that were characteristic of the summer in Mediterranean countries (24°C at 0800 h, increasing up to 29°C until 1100 h; maintenance at 29°C to 31°C for 4 h and decreasing to about 24°C to 26°C around 1700 h until 0800 h of the following day), which were considered as thermal stress conditions. Females followed a semi-intensive reproductive rhythm, first artificial insemination at 4.5 months of age, with subsequent 42-day reproductive cycles. Traits were recorded from a total of 138 lactations. Does were controlled up to the 5th lactation. Data were analyzed using linear and linear mixed models. High ambient temperature led to a lower ADFI (-9.4%), DW (-6.2%) and IWW (-8%), but it did not affect ADWI. No significant difference was found either for DMY, milk composition (DM, CP and GE) and SR during the lactation period. Heat stress was moderate, and does were able to adapt to it behaviorally by decreasing feed intake (to reduce heat production), but also live weight, allowing them to preserve milk yield and composition for assuring litter survival. On the other hand, water consumption could not be the main animal mechanism to overcome heat stress.

Adjoint variable method for two-dimensional plasmonic structures.

We present, for the first time, an adjoint variable method (AVM) for wideband sensitivity analysis of dispersive materials. The time domain transmission line modeling technique is exploited to calculate the response and its sensitivities with respect to all the designable parameters using at most one extra simulation. A z-domain representation of dispersive materials is utilized in the derivation of this technique. Our approach is illustrated through sensitivity analysis of a two-dimensional teeth-shaped plasmonic resonator. The AVM sensitivities are compared with the accurate and expensive finite difference approach and good agreement is achieved. This theory can be extended to other dispersive materials and dispersive metamaterials as well.

Insomnia related to dysthymia: polysomnographic and psychometric comparison with normal controls and acute therapeutic trials with trazodone.

Utilizing polysomnography (PSG) and psychometry, objective and subjective sleep and awakening quality was investigated in 11 patients (mean age 50 +/- 14) with nonorganic insomnia (F 51.0) related to dysthymia (F 34.1) as compared with 11 age- and sex-matched normal controls. Patients demonstrated decreased sleep efficiency and sleep stage S2 as well as increased sleep latency to S1, S2 and S3, wakefulness within the total sleep period, number of awakenings, S1 and REM sleep. There was no intergroup difference in REM latency. Subjective sleep quality and the total score of the Self-Assessment Scale for Sleep and Awakening Quality (SSA) were deteriorated as were evening and morning well-being, mood, affectivity and drowsiness. Noopsychic measures showed deteriorated numerical memory, fine motor activity and reaction time variability. In a placebo-controlled crossover design study, the acute effects of 100 mg trazodone, a serotonin reuptake inhibitor with a sedative action due to 5HT(2) and alpha(1) receptor blockade, were investigated in the patients. As compared with placebo, trazodone induced an increase in slow-wave sleep (S3 + 4), a lengthening of REM latency, a decrease in REM sleep and a normalization of the periodic leg movement (PLM) index. In the morning, there was a minimal increase in somatic complaints and a decrease in critical flicker frequency and systolic blood pressure. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that dysthymia induced significant changes in objective and subjective sleep and awakening quality, which were counteracted by 100 mg trazodone, thus suggesting a key-lock principle in the treatment of nonorganic insomnia related to dysthymia with this drug.