Leg weakness (LW) issues are a great concern for pig breeding industry. And it also has a serious impact on animal welfare. To dissect the genetic architecture of limb-and-hoof firmness in commercial pigs, a genome-wide association study was conducted on bone mineral density (BMD) in three sow populations, including Duroc, Landrace and Yorkshire. The BMD data were obtained by ultrasound technology from 812 pigs (including Duroc 115, Landrace 243 and Yorkshire 454). In addition, all pigs were genotyped using genome-by-sequencing and a total of 224 162 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were obtained. After quality control, 218 141 SNPs were used for subsequent genome-wide association analysis. Nine significant associations were identified on chromosomes 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12 and 18 that passed Bonferroni correction threshold of 0.05/(total SNP numbers). The most significant locus that associated with BMD (P value = 1.92e−14) was detected at approximately 41.7 Mb on SSC6 (SSC stands for Sus scrofa chromosome). CUL7, PTK7, SRF, VEGFA, RHEB, PRKAR1A and TPO that are located near the lead SNP of significant loci were highlighted as functionally plausible candidate genes for sow limb-and-hoof firmness. Moreover, we also applied a new method to measure the BMD data of pigs by ultrasound technology. The results provide an insight into the genetic architecture of LW and can also help to improve animal welfare in pigs.

A natural clinoptilolite nanostructure (CNS) along with ultrasonic irradiation was used to remove Cu2+ ions from polluted water. In the first part of this work, natural clinoptilolite was converted to CNS by ball milling. The natural clinoptilolite and prepared CNS samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption/desorption and pH at the point of zero charge analyses. The SEM images showed the development of CNS from natural clinoptilolite by ball milling. The N2 adsorption/desorption and FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the greater specific surface area, pore volume and number of surface groups of the CNS compared to the natural clinoptilolite. In addition, the crystalline phase of the CNS was the same as the natural clinoptilolite. In the second part of this work, the ultrasonic-assisted sorption of Cu2+ ions from polluted water by CNS was investigated. These experiments were optimized with response surface methodology based on central composite designs. The effects of initial pH of solution, CNS dosage, sonication time and temperature on Cu2+ ion-removal efficiency were investigated. By using a CNS dosage of 500 mg L−1, an initial pH of 6, a sonication time of 12 min and a sonication temperature of 45°C as optimal conditions, 97% of Cu2+ ions were removed from contaminated water. The initial pH was the most effective variable. Ultrasonic-assisted sorption of Cu2+ was more effective than sorption alone, onto the CNS.

This study investigated four electrolytes (tap water, mineral water, seawater, and Al2O3 nanoparticles emulsified in deionized water) to prepare nanofluids for enhancing their microgeneration and heattransfer capabilities by conducting thermoelectric performance experiments on power generation facilities. This study first performed a two-step synthesis process by using emulsion-ultrasonic technology for fabricating an Al2O3 nanofluid to determine the optimal suspended stability for the alumina nanofluid used as an electrolyte according to the Zeta potential, pH value, thermal conductivity, and viscosity. The alumina nanofluid was then compared with the other aqueous solutions to determine the characteristics of the effects of the output currents, voltages, resistances, and temperature distributions at different operating temperatures, distances, and electrode areas. Finally, the emulsifying effect of the alumina nanofluid between 0 wt % and 2 wt % demonstrated the most favorable stability, particle fraction, thermal conductivity, and stable current output.

Several studies have shown that the placement of a face mask on a horse can have effects on ventilation, gas exchange and the cardiovascular system during exercise. The aim of the present study was to determine if airflow and ventilation measured with the same ultrasonic flowmeters were different during exercise between horses wearing half- (HM) and full-face (FM) masks. Five clinically healthy Thoroughbred horses with no history of respiratory disease were studied in an unbalanced crossover design. They were exercised on a treadmill at speeds between 1.7 and 11ms−1 on a 3° incline wearing both masks. The following variables were recorded: peak inspired (PIF) and peak expired flow rates (PEF), inspiratory tidal volume (VT), respiratory rate (fR ), inspiratory minute ventilation (VE), inspiratory time, (TI), expiratory time (TE ), total breath time (TT), end tidal oxygen (ETO2), end tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) and heart rate (HR). A mask by speed of exercise interaction term was not significant for any of the models. The PEF (mean difference 12.91s−1; lower and upper 95% CI 7.6 and 18.21s−1, respectively; P<0.0001) and ETO2 (mean difference 0.77%; lower and upper 95% CI 0.48 and 1.00%, respectively; P<0.0001) were significantly greater and ETCO2 was significantly lower (mean difference −1.3%; lower and upper 95% CI −2.0 and 0.7%, respectively; P<0.0001) with the FM compared with the HM. There was also a trend for inspired VE to be higher with the FM compared with the HM (mean difference 1021min−1; lower and upper 95% CI 26 and 1781 min−1, respectively; non-significant). We conclude that the HM may impair ventilation in the horse during exercise compared with the FM, despite the latter having a greater deadspace.