Does environmental enrichment improve performance, morphometry, yield and weight of broiler parts at different ages?

ABSTRACT The inclusion of environmental enrichment in conventional broiler rearing can increase mobility, bone mass and muscle. This research aimed to evaluate the use of environmental enrichment in the rearing of broilers at different ages and its influence on performance, morphometry, yield and weight of the parts. It was used the completely randomized design in split-plot scheme, being the plots the treatments presence (T1) and absence (T2) of environmental enrichment and the subplots the broiler ages (1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 days), with 56 chicks in each treatment (T1 and T2). Data obtained were analyzed by the linear effect model of fixed effects and compared by Tukey’s test of means. The animals were raised in a controlled environment, divided into four boxes with dimensions: 1.5 × 1.0 × 0.7 m, containing rice straw bed. In T1 a ladder with a perch on top was used, distributed every 1.5 m2. Environmental enrichment used did not influence broiler’s zootechnical performance. Broilers’ morphometric properties, parts weight and body weight increased due to environmental enrichment and, improvement was observed in chicks rearing’s final phase. The environmental enrichment was beneficial for muscle and bone mass gain in the main commercial parts of the chicken carcass, in addition to reducing the allometric coefficient of the breasts in chickens.

Lead Corrosion and Corrosivity Classification in Archives, Museums, and Churches

Sixteen localities were involved in a broad study, resulting in the classification of the indoor corrosivity of metals considered in the ISO 11844 standard, especially lead. Recently, lead has been added to the standard as a metal specifically sensitive to volatile organic compounds such as acetic acid. Data on one-year exposure in museum depositories and exhibition spaces, archives, libraries, and churches show that the currently valid lead corrosivity categories are not correctly defined. The obtained data allowed for the proposal of new realistic ranges of indoor corrosivity categories for lead. The exposure program was also used to validate techniques for determining the corrosion degradation of metal coupons. Mass increase and mass loss techniques were supplemented with the galvanostatic reduction technique and the measurement of color changes. The study identified the limitations of the mass gain method. Not only is the galvanostatic reduction technique applicable for silver and copper coupons, but the build-up of reducible lead corrosion products depends on air corrosivity. CIELab color-change measurement has proven to be a simple and easy-to-apply method for monitoring the corrosivity of indoor atmospheres with regard to lead. A more reliable response is provided by the determination of color change after 3 months of exposure rather than after one year.

Effect of Al Addition on the Oxidation Resistance of HfC Thin Films

In this paper, we focus on the research of Al addition on Hf–Al–C film structure and oxidation resistance. It was found that obtained Hf–A–C films consist of a solid solution of Al in non-stoichiometric cubic HfC and have identical XRD patterns to bcc–HfC. Besides, the Al addition decreases the sample mass gain during oxidation in air at temperatures up to 800 °C. Mass gain for Hf–Al–C was 44.3 and 22.5% less, compared to pristine HfC, at 600 and 800 °C, respectively.

Effect of V and Ti on the Oxidation Resistance of WMoTaNb Refractory High-Entropy Alloy at High Temperatures

Alloying with V and Ti elements effectively improves the strength of WMoTaNb refractory high entropy alloys (RHEAs) at elevated temperatures. However, their effects on the oxidation resistance of WMoTaNb RHEAs are unknown, which is vitally important to their application at high temperatures. In this work, the effect of V and Ti on the oxidation behavior of WMoTaNb RHEA at 1000 °C was investigated using a thermogravimetric system, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The oxidation of all alloys was found to obey a power law passivating oxidation at the early stage. The addition of V aggravates the volatility of V2O5, MoO3 and WO3, and leads to disastrous internal oxidation. The addition of Ti reduces the mass gain in forming the full coverage of passivating scale and prolongs the passivation duration of alloys.

Evaluation of water loss and solute uptake during osmotic treatment of white radishes (Raphanus sativus L.) in salt-sucrose solution

White radish, scientifically known as Raphanus sativus L., is a yearly vegetable. Currently, it was being grown and widely used in the world, including Vietnam. These plants have been used as food or food processing. The osmotic treatment of vegetables involves the removal of water from plants in which the solids from the osmotic solution are transported to the plant material by osmosis. By this procedure, sucrose and saline solution are usually performed. White radishes were dehydrated in different hypertonic solutions by combined sucrose and NaCl at three different concentrations, including 9 runs. Mass transfer behaviour was applied according to three common models such as Fick’s second law, Weibull and Peleg’s equations based on the change of moisture and solid content of white radish during osmotic dehydration. The obtained results showed that the mass transfer was fast at initial stage and became slowly at the later stage. The effective moisture (Dm) and solid diffusivities (Ds) were ranged from 1.0186 to 1.2826x10-8 and from 1.0692 to 2.3322x10-8 (m2/s) respectively. The Peleg’s equation was found to be the best fitting for water loss and solid uptake thanks to the high determination coefficient (>97.64%) and the low average relative error (<3.174%). Raised up solution concentration resulted in higher water loss and mass gain.

Kinetic and Metallography Study of the Oxidation at 1250 °C of {Co+Ni}-Based Superalloys Containing Ti to Form MC Carbides

Six conventionally cast chromium-rich titanium-containing alloys based on cobalt and nickel with various Co/Ni ratios were considered. They were tested in oxidation in air at 1250 °C for 70 h in a thermo-balance. The mass gain curves were exploited to specify different types of kinetic constants as well as several parameters characterizing the oxide spallation occurring during cooling. The obtained results show that, the higher the Ni content, the slower the mass gain and the better the quality of the protective external chromia scale. Secondly, no dependence of the oxide spallation characteristics on the Co content was clearly noted. Globally, the isothermal oxidation behavior becomes better when Ni is more and more present at the expense of Co. Titanium seems to be playing a particular role in the process of oxidation. It notably leads to the presence of an external thin TiO2 continuous scale beyond the chromia scale. The thermogravimetry records were numerically treated to determine the parabolic constant and the chromia volatilization constant. The values of these constants evidenced a double tendency: chromia growth acceleration and chromia volatilization slow-down. These trends are to be confirmed and further investigated.

Deformations in Cement Pastes during Capillary Imbibition and Their Relation to Water and Isopropanol as Imbibing Liquids

The traditional approach for evaluating capillary imbibition, which describes the phenomena as a linear relationship between mass gain and the square root of time, considers a rigid pore structure. The common deviation from the linearity when using the square-root law (manifested in a downward curvature, i.e., slower water ingress) can be explained by considering a changing pore structure during the process caused by the swelling of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) during water ingress. Analysing how the combination of deforming phase (C-S-H), non-deforming phase, and porosity affects the capillary water ingress rate is relevant for a deeper understanding of concrete durability. In this research, the C-S-H content was quantified by means of XRD diffraction coupled with Rietveld + PONKCS, dynamic water sorption (DVS), and SEM/BSE images coupled with phase mapping using PhAse Recognition and Characterization (PARC) software. The porosity was assessed by mercury intrusion porosimetry, water absorption under vacuum, and DVS. Furthermore, to assess deformations occurring with water and a non-aqueous imbibant, capillary imbibition tests with water and isopropanol as invading liquids were performed along with simultaneous deformation measurements. The relation between the relative C-S-H content and porosity has a great impact on the transport process. Samples exposed to isopropanol presented a much larger liquid uptake but significantly fewer deformations in comparison to imbibition with water. The effects of the changing pore structure were also evaluated with the Thomas and Jennings model, from which calculations indicated that pore shrink during imbibition. A comprehensive description of the relation between deformations and capillary imbibition in cement pastes reveals that liquid ingress is highly influenced by deformations.

Mineral Density and Markers of Bone Remodelling in Young Athletes in Response to Weightlifting Exercise: A Pilot Study

Background: Weightlifting is a practice that exerts a high degree of pressure on the skeleton when supporting large loads of weight. The practice of exercise contributes by improving bone mineral density (BMD) and can prevent problems associated with low BMD. Objective: The objective of the present study was to determine BMD and measure bone turnover using blood markers in weightlifting athletes in response to exercise. Methods: The study included 16 athletes and 16 controls of both sexes in the range of 18 to 22 years old. BMD was determined at the femoral neck, hip, lumbar spine, and Total Mineral Density (TMD). The value of the total mineral density (TMDV) was obtained from the sum of the BMD of the evaluated regions. Bone formation and resorption in blood were evaluated by Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) and Acid Phosphatase (ACP), respectively. In addition, the concentration of urea and Creatine Kinase (CK) were determined. Results: The mean BMD of the lumbar spine and TMDV was of 1.2 g/cm2 in female and male athletes. In young people who did not practice weightlifting, BMD in the lumbar spine (0.9 g/cm2 in both groups) and TMDV (1.05 g/cm2 in women and 1.11 g/cm2 in men) were significantly lower (p <0.05). The activity in bone formation and CK in male athletes was twice as high compared to the other groups. The blood urea concentration in athletes (32.7- 38.0 mg/dL) was significantly higher (p <0.05) compared to the control groups (19.3-18.8 mg/dL). Conclusion: The practice of weightlifting benefits bone mass gain in the lumbar spine. These findings suggest that exercises in which high weight loads are supported promote bone turnover and mineralization to prevent bone weakening.

A Single Dose of Ginkgo biloba Extract Induces Gene Expression of Hypothalamic Anorexigenic Effectors in Male Rats

Previous studies have shown that Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE) reduces food intake and body mass gain and regulates proteins related to lipid metabolism in obese rats. In ovariectomized rats, GbE restored the hippocampal and hypothalamic serotonergic system activity, favoring the spontaneous feeding decrement. Considering the promising hypophagic effect of GbE, this study aimed to investigate the effect of a single acute dose on hypothalamic pathways that regulate feeding behavior in male rats. Four-month-old Wistar male rats received either a single acute oral GbE dose (500 mg/kg) or vehicle. Food intake and body mass were measured after 1, 4, 12, and 24 h. Rats were euthanized, and hypothalami were removed for mRNA quantification of anorexigenic (POMC/CART) and orexigenic (AgRP/NPY) neuropeptides, leptin/serotonin receptors (5HT1A, 5HT1B, 5HT2C), and serotonin transporters. We also investigated POMC, 5-HT1B, and 5-HT2C protein levels. A single acute GbE dose induced the hypothalamic POMC, CART, and 5-HT2C gene expression but failed to modify orexigenic effectors. No alterations in food intake, body mass, and hypothalamic protein levels were observed. In summary, the present findings demonstrate the rapid stimulation of pivotal hypothalamic anorexigenic pathways in response to a single GbE administration, reinforcing the GbE hypophagic activity. However, more studies are necessary to evaluate its potential as an appetite modulator.

Diffusion of water in palm leaf materials

Diffusion of water into plant materials is known to decrease their mechanical strength and stiffness but improve formability. Here, we characterize water diffusion through areca palm leaf-sheath—a model plant material, with hierarchical structure, used in eco-friendly foodware. The diffusion process is studied using mass gain measurements and in situ imaging of water transport. By treating the areca sheath as homogeneous ensemble, and incorporating effects of material swelling due­ to water absorption, a factor typically neglected in prior studies, the diffusion coefficient D w for water is estimated as (6.5 ± 2.2) × 10 −4 mm 2 s −1 . It is shown that neglecting the swelling results in gross underestimation of D w . Microstructural effects (e.g. fibre, matrix) on the diffusion are characterized using in situ imaging of the water transport at high resolution. The observations show that the water diffuses an order of magnitude faster in the matrix (8.63 × 10 −4 mm 2 s −1 ) than in the fibres (7.19 × 10 −5 mm 2 s −1 ). This non-uniformity is also reflected in the swelling-induced strain in the leaf, mapped by image correlation. Lastly, we vary salt concentration by controlled additions of NaCl and note a non-monotonic dependence of the diffusion on concentration. Implications of the results for improving foodware manufacturing processes and product life are discussed.