Feed intake is a key factor affecting pig performance; thus, the objective of these studies was to assess a variety of factors that could potentially affect intake in pigs in different production stages. Studies were conducted to determine the effects of flavor and diet complexity, Appetein™ (an alternative protein source), and graded levels of salt on swine feed intake and feed preference. Two newly developed flavors were used in nursery pig diets. The use of the two flavors did not increase feed intake (P > 0.05). Nursery pigs actually showed a preference for the control diet. Complex diet formulation does increase feed intake (P < 0.03) in nursery pigs when diets are not over-formulated. When flavor was added to lactation diets sow feed intake did not change compared to the control. The flavor did not affect litter performance (P > 0.05). When Appetein™ was added to lactation diets at 0.5%, pig weight and litter weight were numerically greater for the sows fed Appetein™ but not significantly so. Appetein™ did not affect feed intake. When nursery pigs were fed graded levels of salt (0.1, 0.5, and 0.8%) feed intake increased (P < 0.01) as salt level increased. Nursery pigs also preferred (P < 0.05) 0.8% salt over other levels the first two weeks after weaning when given a choice among diets.

Three experiments were conducted to assess the efficacy of including selected feed additives in the diet of weaning and grow-finish pigs. Experiment 1 utilized 24 crossbred grow-finish pigs and measured the effect of added EHY on DM, N, and energy digestibility. There were no differences in DM, Energy, and N digestibility between diets 1 through 4. Experiment 2 utilized a total of 36 crossbred pigs [18 barrows, 18 gilts] in order to determine if preference would be shown when presented with naturally-contaminated corn. There were three dietary comparisons, Control vs Diet 2 (Comparison 1), Control vs Diet 4 (Comparison 2), and Diet 2 vs Diet 4 (Comparison 3). A preference was shown for the control diet over Diet 2, as well as for the control diet over Diet 4. Experiment 3 utilized a total of 24 crossbred pigs [12 barrows, 12 gilts] in order to measure the effect of contaminated corn on performance and DM, energy, and N digestibility. DM, energy, and N digestibility were affected by corn quality.

Research suggests that individuals with severe developmental disabilities are able to indicate preferences during direct preference assessments with objects. However, they may not have the discrimination skills to respond effectively to pictures. Recent research has begun to focus on identifying and teaching individuals the skills needed to indicate their preferences using pictures, due to the practical advantages of presenting choices with pictures versus objects. Further, it has been suggested that generalized identity matching may be associated with successful performance during picture preference assessments. The present study evaluated whether teaching generalized identity matching with pictures would lead to improved performance on picture preference assessments. Two adults, one male and one female, diagnosed with moderate to severe mental retardation, with limited to no speech, and varying degrees of physical impairments participated in the study. Before training, participants were able to indicate their preferences using objects but not with pictures and they were unable to perform generalized identity matching. Participants were trained on an object-picture matching-to-sample relation in a multiple baseline across tasks design. Individual data showed that neither Participant 1 nor Participant 2 met the pass criterion (80% or higher correct responses) on at least one generalized identity matching task after one training task was taught. Further, both participants showed improved concordance between preference assessments using objects and pictures of the same objects after mastering one training task respectively. These findings were independent of the accuracy of responding during the generalized identity matching post-assessment for each participant. These results suggest that the ability to respond accurately on generalized picture-picture identity matching tasks may not be related to performance on picture preference assessments (i.e., for individuals to indicate their preferences with pictures).

Two groups of subjects were given personality tests and identical interpretations of these tests. One group was told that a Graduate student had done the interpretations while the other group was told that a Professional had done the interpretations. A one to seven scale was used to rate the interpretations on a statement by statement basis. The Analysis of Variance yielded no significant difference between groups but a significant group by item interaction was noted. This indicated a need for further item research.

Phenotypic plasticity in Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) can be driven by a trade-off for ecological specialisation to littoral and pelagic resources. Previous studies on perch have found that this specialisation can have different effects on linkage between the littoral and pelagic food web depending on water transparency. In this study I aimed to answer how foraging efficiency and prey preference of phenotypic divergent perch are affected by high and low water transparency, and the presence of a predator in a series of aquarium experiments. Two different phenotypes of perch were kept in littoral and pelagic environments in the lab. By presenting perch with Daphnia sp. and Ephemeroptera, either separately or combined. I found that in clear water the littoral and pelagic phenotypes were comparatively more efficient on resources that were representative of their habitats (Ephemeroptera and Daphnia, respectively) and that both phenotypes prefer Ephemeroptera over Daphnia. In low visibility the differences in foraging efficiency between phenotypes when feeding on Daphnia disappeared but remained similar to clear water when feeding on Ephemeroptera. When vision was constrained littoral and pelagic perch showed no sign of prey preferences. In the presence of a predator the difference in foraging efficiency between the phenotypes, and also prey preference disappeared. I found that littoral phenotypes interacted more with other group members than did pelagic phenotypes, when foraging on littoral prey. And for perch in general, when foraging for Daphnia the interaction among group members was markedly reduced compared to when foraging for Ephemeroptera. In this study I show that morphological adaptation and prey choice is affected by visibility and predation. I also give suggestions how and argue why this can affect linkage of food webs and the community composition in littoral and pelagic habitats.

In this thesis, some old decision strategies are investigated and a new one that furthers our understanding of how decisions are made is introduced. Three studies are presented. In Study I and II, strategies are investigated in terms of inferences and in Study III, strategies are investigated in terms of preferences. Inferences refer to decisions regarding facts, e.g., whether a patient has a heart disease or not. Preferences refer to decision makers’ personal preferences between different choice alternatives, e.g., which flat out of many to choose. In all three studies, both non-compensatory strategies and compensatory strategies were investigated. In compensatory strategies, a high value in one attribute cannot compensate for a low value in another, while in non-compensatory strategies such compensation is possible. Results from Study I showed that both compensatory (logistic regression) and non-compensatory (fast and frugal) strategies make inferences equally well, but logistic regression strategies are more frugal (i.e., use fewer cues) than the fast and frugal strategies. Study II showed that the results were independent of the degree of expertise. The good inferential ability of both non-compensatory and compensatory strategies suggests there might be room for a strategy that can combine the strengths of the two. Study III introduces such a strategy, the Concordant-ranks (CR) strategy. Results from Study III showed that choices and attractiveness evaluations followed this new strategy. This strategy dictates a choice of an alternative with concordant ranks between attribute values and attribute weights when alternatives are about equally attractive. CR also serves as a proxy for finding the alternative with the shortest distance to an ideal. The CR strategy combines the computational simplicity of non-compensatory strategies with the superior information integration ability of compensatory strategies. / At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: Submitted. Paper 2: Submitted.

This thesis investigated the role of carbohydrates in the dietary choices of ruminants with an emphasis on dairy cows. The first two experiments investigated the ability of sheep to select between feeds based on their carbohydrate degradability. A further two indoor experiments using dairy cows were designed to establish whether post-ingestive feedback from rumen fluid propionic acid concentration influenced preference. The final experiment examined the potential of ryegrass bred for high water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentrations to increase the long-term (9 days) preferences and intake of grazing dairy cows. / Constraints to intake imposed by offering sheep access to only one feed were overcome by offering a choice between two feeds simultaneously. Within each choice, sheep generally selected the more slowly degradable option. However, when overall NDF intake could be maintained at approximately 800g/day, the rapidly degraded feed was preferred. / Dairy cows were able to form associations between flavour and postingestive feedback from rumen propionic acid concentration. Although a dose-dependent response was not observed between the concentration of ruminal propionic acid infusion and preference intensity, there was a correlation between ruminal propionic acid concentration and energy status of the cow. In the subsequent experiment, the comparative effect of propionate supplied in the form of salt (instead of acid) on food preference was confounded by a flavour bias. / Diurnal WSC monitoring of perennial ryegrass cultivars bred in the U.K. for 'typical' and 'high' WSC concentrations, expressed similar concentrations at different times of the day and year when grown in northern Victoria. Consequently, in a test of preference between the cultivars, cows showed only slight preference that was not based on WSC concentration. In other choices between adjacent monocultures, cows selected a mixed diet of 62% white clover and 38% ryegrass. / It was concluded that the ideal diet from the animals' perspective is influenced by the rumen propionic acid concentration and the energy status of the animal. Further, an important priority for the ruminant is to maintain an adequate supply of structural carbohydrates to the rumen. Further work is needed to identify the benefits of feeding pasture with higher WSC, but this might be a difficult objective under Australian field conditions until plant material becomes available that more reliably expresses high WSC.

Recent interest in identifying and measuring health outcomes represents an advance in our understanding of how health care for individuals should be evaluated. However, the concept of health outcomes has mainly focussed on improvements in health status. Non-health outcomes of health care may also be important to patients. In this thesis, four tasks were undertaken with the aim of identifying non-health outcomes and establishing the extent of their relevance and importance to patients. First, the illness experience literature was reviewed to identify potential non-health outcomes. Seven categories of non-health outcomes were identified: information, being treated with dignity, being able to trust the health care provider, having distress recognised and supported, participating in decision making, legitimation and reassurance. Second, to gain an in-depth understanding of these concepts, topic-specific literature was reviewed and synthesised. Third, in order to confirm how relevant and important the concepts were to patients, a qualitative study was conducted with each of two different groups of health service users. Broadly, patients considered that all the non-health concepts were relevant, although the extent to which they were important varied. Fourth, to test the relative importance of the seven concepts, a Stated Preference Discrete Choice experiment in the context of general practice was conducted. This study showed that most people thought their GP demonstrated behaviour likely to result in the production of non-health outcomes. The results showed that although all the non-health outcomes were, to some extent, preferred by respondents, trust was most important, followed by legitimation and recognition of and support for emotional distress. Once again, these results point to the importance of context in the evaluation of health care from the patient's perspective. While still being perceived as positive aspects of health care, the provision of information and acting autonomously or participating in decisions about their health care were the non-health outcomes considered least important by patients

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1967. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Roger A. Myers. Dissertation Committee: Donald E. Super. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1969. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.