The fibrous barley hull is the main reason for barleys low available energy relative to corn. Barley grain contains hydroxycinnamic acids (mainly ferulic acid (FA) and ñ-coumaric acid (PCA)) which are cross-linked to polysaccharides, therefore, limit cell wall degradability in the rumen. Paricle size of barley grain also affects the digestion of barley in the rumen. The objective of this study was to evaluate a set of barley varieties grown in Saskatchewan (Canada) and provided by Crop Development Center (CDC, Canada) and find a variety with low hull, FA, PCA and fiber content, while maintaining large particle size after mechanical processing, and having high nutrient availability.<p> Three studies were conducted to determine the content of barley hull, FA, PCA, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) in various barley varities. Mean/median particle size of the barley grain after coarse dry-rolling was also determined. The relationships among these parameters and the digestibility of barley grain in ruminants were then assessed. Six barley varieties (AC Metcalfe, CDC Dolly, McLeod, CDC Helgason, CDC Trey and CDC Cowboy) from samples grown in three years (2003, 2004 and 2005) were evaluated in each study.<p> The first study determined the original content of barley hull, FA, PCA, NDF, ADF, ADL, and mean/median particle size of barley grain and evaluated the effects of barley variety. The results showed barley variety had a significant impact on the chemical and physical profiles of barley grain, with CDC Helgason and CDC Dolly showing relatively lower content of barley hull, FA, PCA, NDF, ADF, ADL, hemicellulose and cellulose, and moderate mean/median particle size, whereas McLeod and CDC Cowboy showed the opposite.<p> The second study involved two consecutive trials. Trial 1 was to assess differences in the in situ rumen degradability of dry matter (DM), FA, PCA, NDF, ADF and ADL at 12 and 24 h of rumen incubations. Results revealed that CDC Dolly consistently showed relatively lower rumen residues of DM, FA, PCA, NDF, ADF and ADL at 12 and 24 h, with McLeod being opposite. Barley variety displayed some effects on the digestibility of DM, FA, PCA, NDF, ADF and ADL at 12 and 24 h. Since CDC Dolly demonstrated relatively less content of hull, FA, PCA, NDF, ADF, ADL and mean/median particle size and higher rumen digestibility among the six barley varieties, while McLeod was the opposite, CDC Dolly and McLeod were selected for the third trial in order to compare differences in the rumen degradation kinetics of DM, FA and PCA. Trial 2 did not show significant differences in effective degradation of DM, FA, except for PCA. In general, CDC Dolly exhibited better degradability of DM, FA and PCA than McLeod.<p> The third study analyzed the correlation and regression between the original content of barley hull, FA, PCA, NDF, ADF, ADL and mean/median particle size in barley grain and rumen residual content of the corresponding parameters at 12 and 24 h of rumen incubation. Results showed that FA content in barley grain had a predominantly negative effect on DM degradability, while barley hull content affected the degradability of NDF and ADF.<p> In summary, the present studies show that hull and FA content in barley grain have negative effects on the degradability of barley grain in ruminants and also showed that CDC Dolly could be an ideal feed barley grain for ruminants due to its lower hull and FA content and higher rumen dry matter degradability.

Barley grain is an important source of energy and protein for ruminant animals. However, feeding must be carefully managed to avoid maladies caused by the rapid breakdown of barley starch in the rumen. The development of slower degrading barley for ruminants may alleviate health problems associated with barley grain consumption. Selection for hard endosperm may result in slower starch degradation and improved feed quality. The objectives of this study were to: examine the effect of grain hardness, variety and environment on dry matter disappearance rate (DMDR); identify accurate and efficient hardness selection tools; and study environmental effects, inheritance and heritability of hardness.<p>To study grain hardness and genetic and environmental effects on DMDR, two genotypes grown at multiple locations in 2004 were analyzed for Single Kernel Characterization System (SKCS) hardness, by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and for in situ DMDR. Genotype by environment interaction influenced DMDR, while neither SKCS hardness nor SEM analysis accurately differentiated DMDR between genotypes. <p>Eight genotypes were grown at multiple locations during 2003 and 2004 to study grain hardness measurement methodology, and genetic and environmental effects on hardness. Genotypes were analyzed for SKCS hardness, milling energy, endosperm light reflectance, feed particle size, protein and beta-glucan. Hardness measurements ranked genotypes similarly across environments. Feed particle size was correlated with milling energy but not other hardness measurements. Hardness measurements appeared to be influenced by protein and beta-glucan.<p>To examine the inheritance and heritability of barley grain hardness, 245 double haploid (DH) genotypes and parents, grown in 2003 and 2004, were analyzed for SKCS hardness, milling energy, protein, beta-glucan, with 100 evaluated for light reflectance. The population exhibited normal distributions for SKCS hardness, milling energy, protein and beta-glucan, suggesting quantitative inheritance for these traits with no apparent epistatic gene interaction. Narrow-sense heritability was 0.75 for SKCS hardness and 0.41 for protein. Light reflectance was not normally distributed, suggesting complementary gene interaction. Broad-sense heritability was 0.53.<p>Barley grain hardness is highly heritable and an efficient tool in making selections in a breeding program. However, breeding for high beta-glucan and protein may be better selection criteria for indirect selection of DMDR.

Approximately 80% of pharmaceutical products and the ingredients required for their manufacture are in powder form. The solid dosage form (tablets and capsules) is manufactured by either dry-blending of fine powder ingredients or combining the ingredients in a wet granulation step, followed by drying. Arching, ratholing, caking, segregation and flooding are some of the commonly encountered flow problems in the handling of fine powders. These problems lead to losses worth thousands of dollars at production scale. Poor powder flowability is a consequence of the combined effects of many variables, including improper equipment design, particle size, size distribution, shape, moisture content and surface texture. In the present work, a systematic study has been performed to determine the relationship between the flowability of fine powders and their physical properties of mean size and size distribution, density and shape.<p> Flowability studies were done on six different powders: the NutraSweet® Brand sweetener (aspartame), Respitose ML001, Alpha-D-Lactose monohydrate, the pharmaceutical binder Methocel (R) F50 Premium Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose- HPMC, a placebo pharmaceutical granulate, and common pastry flour. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and stereomicroscopy were used for particle shape and size analysis. Particle size distribution was determined using the laser light scattering technique. Powder flowability was measured using shear strength, angle of repose, and tapped-to-bulk density measurements. A novel method of measuring the dynamic angle of repose using electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) was developed. <p> Analysis of the images from microscopy revealed that the particles of aspartame and HPMC powders were elongated, the particles of ML001, pastry flour and lactose monohydrate powders were irregular, and the particles of placebo granulate were nearly spherical. Particle size was found to be the most reliable indicator of powder flowability, with decreasing particle size corresponding to lower flowability; however other parameters such as particle elongation and irregularity, were also found to have an influence on powder flowability. Although HPMC and pastry flour had similar particle sizes, they exhibited differences in flowability. This can be explained by the greater irregularity of the flour particles. Particle irregularity may cause mechanical interlocking between the particles, thus reducing powder flowability. ECT was found to be a promising non-intrusive tool for the measurement of the dynamic angle of repose. Unlike other methods for the measurement of dynamic angle of repose, the results obtained from ECT were not influenced by the effect of end caps. The present technique could be used by pharmaceutical industries in process analytical technology (PAT) for the detection and elimination of potential flow problems early in the manufacturing process.

Conceptual models of wood formation suggest that trees with large crowns produce low quality wood, but few studies have explicitly examined the relationship between crown size and wood quality. In this study, I examine how crown size influences the strength and stiffness of wood, as measured by Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) and Modulus of Rupture (MOR), using 42- and 72-old year plantation white spruce (Picea glauca) from Ontario, Canada. Mechanical properties were determined from 10x10x140 mm mini-clear samples (n=657), selected from a radial gradient at three heights within the stems. Non-linear mixed-effects models showed that strength and stiffness significantly decreased with crown size, and that MOE and MOR were best predicted by cambial age and crown ratio. The results suggest that the models could be used in conjunction with remotely sensed data to identify high quality timber prior to harvest.

A colloid of magnesium hydroxide is used to stabilize droplets of monomers before suspension polymerisation. The characteristics of precipitated magnesium hydroxide changes significantly during the first hours. The viscosity is high and flucctuating at first but decreases and becomes low and stable after a few hours. When the colloid ages the primary particles agglomerate into larger particles which increases in size by time due to, among other things, Oswald ripening and aggregation. This can cause problems with poor reproducibility in the production. Therefore, the purpose of this study was finding a way to age the colloid without an increase in particle size and without changing any other features. Several experiments were made to optimize the precipitation procedure and to find out what parameters that are most important. The results showed that the stirring rate and colloidal concentration have big influence. Small amounts of chemicals that modifies the surface of the colloid was added. This made the particle size near constant over time and the colloid was aged for two months without increasing in size or changing other properties. This was confirmed by making microspheres that had the same characteristics as microspheres made with a fresh colloid.

Conceptual models of wood formation suggest that trees with large crowns produce low quality wood, but few studies have explicitly examined the relationship between crown size and wood quality. In this study, I examine how crown size influences the strength and stiffness of wood, as measured by Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) and Modulus of Rupture (MOR), using 42- and 72-old year plantation white spruce (Picea glauca) from Ontario, Canada. Mechanical properties were determined from 10x10x140 mm mini-clear samples (n=657), selected from a radial gradient at three heights within the stems. Non-linear mixed-effects models showed that strength and stiffness significantly decreased with crown size, and that MOE and MOR were best predicted by cambial age and crown ratio. The results suggest that the models could be used in conjunction with remotely sensed data to identify high quality timber prior to harvest.

Crowding of grow-finish pigs reduces growth and is considered a welfare issue. Most crowding studies have been limited to smaller group sizes than are currently being considered in the swine industry. It has been hypothesized that pigs in large groups require less space to maintain growth and welfare. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of group size and space allowance on the performance, health and welfare of grow-finish pigs. The study consisted of eight blocks, each with four experimental units in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of group size (18 vs. 108 pigs/pen) and space allowance (0.52 vs. 0.78 m2/pig). Health assessments were conducted daily; production data were collected weekly; injury scores, behaviour and salivary cortisol data were collected bi-weekly; and carcass and adrenal gland data were collected at slaughter. Gains were lower for crowded pigs, but the effects were limited to the final week of the study. Pigs in crowded groups had a lower feed efficiency, which followed a trend similar to that of gains over time. In the crowded groups, pigs spent less time at the feeder, but no other variables differed among space allowances. Gains were lower for pigs housed in large groups, but the effects were limited to the initial two weeks of the study. Pigs in large groups had a lower feed efficiency and more lameness and leg sores. Other health measures did not differ between the group sizes. Lying behaviour of pigs in large groups indicated that they were able to utilize free space more efficiently than pigs housed in small groups. Analysis of feeding patterns suggests that pigs housed in large crowded groups were able to manoeuvre around their environment more easily than those in small crowded groups, yet performance of pigs in large groups was similarly affected by space restriction as pigs in small groups. Interactions of group size and space allowance indicated that pigs in large crowded groups were more susceptible to lameness. There was no indication that pigs in large groups required less space, or could perform as well at reduced space allowances, than pigs in small groups.

This study investigates the influence that newspaper news and other determinants exercise on the decision-making of executives and hence on the expansion strategies and the performance of medium-sized companies in the Italian food sector. This sector is characterized by companies that have a turnover between 10 and 50 million Euros and, for the bigger ones in this range, around 100 and 200 employees. The use of interviews (questionnaires) and secondary data, combined with a news gathering process are adopted by the authors in order to describe how managers respond to the information coming from newspapers and what other types of knowledge (or intangible assets) there are that can help to downplay the increasingly negative reports of the general downturn in the Italian economy. Evidently, as these companies show growth in revenues and a tendency to adopt exporting as the main strategy to go abroad, newspaper reports seem not to have an influence on managers’ decisions whereas know-how, instinct and personal experience are considered important factors, crucial for the achievement of the companies’ success.

Planning practitioners and academics continually search for ways to help revive ailing downtowns and to better understand the factors that influence the success or failures of downtown revitalization. Most of the literature dealing with such revitalization attempts focuses on either larger urban areas or small rural municipalities -- much of it is based on anecdotal evidence drawn from a very limited number of observations (Filion, et al. 2004; Gratz and Mintz, 1998; Leinberger, 2005; Robertson, 1995, 1999). For the most part, downtown revitalization strategies have focused on either physical or functional improvements. For the mid-size city (population between 50,000 to 500,000), the need for new remedies grounded in an understanding of their present day downtown challenges, is becoming increasingly evident. Recent studies have observed that those mid-size cities ranked as having successful or very successful downtowns all shared distinctive attributes such as high levels of pedestrian activity; a strong tourist or visitor appeal; a well-preserved historical district; attractive natural features such as waterfronts; and the presence of a university in the downtown (Bunting et al. 1999; Filion et al., 2004; Lederer and Seasons, 2005). This dissertation focuses one such factor – the presence of a university. It examines the university role(s) in downtown revitalization and collaborative partnerships between community and university. Collaborative planning theory was used to help conceptualize this research by providing further insights into the dynamics, nature, and roles of these “town-gown” partnerships. Community-university partnerships continue to grow and appear to be helping meet the challenges and complexity of downtown planning issues. However, little empirical research is available on the role of universities in downtown revitalization initiatives, especially in mid-size cities. Using a conceptual framework that included a literature review, field trips, a web-based questionnaire survey, and telephone interviews, information was collected about mid-size city downtowns, roles of universities, university and downtown revitalization, and community-university partnerships. Given the review of the available literature and the information provided by surveyed respondents, universities appear to be playing an important role in downtown revitalization primarily through economic development and human capital investment. The ability for partners to engage more freely in a mid-size city is apparent because they are more readily known and available to each other unlike their counterparts in larger urban centres. Strong leadership, relationship building, accessibility, and open lines of communication limit issues of mistrust and alienation amongst partners. Collaborative planning theory (Healey, 1997, 2003) helped illustrate the importance of mutual learning and relationship building to members who have or are involved with a community-university partnership. Although the roles of partners varied, the weight placed on such roles must be considered as of equal value. The planning process in building vision, capacity building, and negotiating outcomes can be led by community and facilitated by university partners – two very different roles yet weighted equally. The research also suggests that the use of collaborative planning for downtowns is appropriate in settings where collective action is necessary to help provide resources toward revitalizing ailing downtowns. Planners, therefore, must handle a number of roles: listening, educating, facilitating, mediating, advocating, communicating, and organizing. For the university, service learning also plays an important role in educating and developing community -- especially in downtown revitalization. It challenges universities to broaden their missions towards becoming “engaged” campuses supporting not only what is important to them within their own domain but outside as well (i.e. their host community). However, the degree of collaborative effort with universities (i.e. faculty, staff, and students) is dependent on an institution’s culture and its level of support for community engagement and outreach. This research provides new insights into the collaborative nature of the community and university partnership. The knowledge gained from this research provides further understanding of the implications for planning by informing planners and policy-makers about how these partnerships can facilitate downtown revitalization.

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