Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating meat producing animal feed conversion efficiency and carbon footprint, such as to allow adjustments to be made in the animals feed to improve meat production, reduce waste, and/or reduce the carbon footprint. In embodiments of the present application, a system is provided that integrates a digestion model of an animal feed with weight gain efficiency and carbon footprint. Such systems and methods are useful to analyze and compare different animal feed compositions that differ from one another in one or more components and/or to analyze the effect of the addition of a feed supplement on weight gain efficiency and/or carbon footprint. In embodiments, the systems and methods described herein provide a feed parameter-carbon footprint compromise. A feed parameter-carbon footprint compromise is useful to adjust animal feed composition by balancing weight gain efficiency with effects on carbon footprint.

Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating milk producing animal feed conversion efficiency and carbon footprint, such as to allow adjustments to be made in the animals feed to improve milk production, reduce waste, and/or reduce the carbon footprint. In embodiments of the present application, a system is provided that integrates a digestion model of an animal feed with milk production efficiency and carbon footprint. Such systems and methods are useful to analyze and compare different animal feed compositions that differ from one another in one or more components and/or to analyze the effect of the addition of a feed supplement on milk production efficiency and/or carbon footprint. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein provide feed parameter-carbon footprint compromise. A feed parameter-carbon footprint compromise is useful to adjust animal feed composition by balancing milk production efficiency with effects on carbon footprint.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for developing a semantic network are disclosed. The system includes a server and a client computer, and the method involves: creating a semantic network containing at least one root concept; performing a set of instructions associated with the semantic network, the set of instructions comprising: transmitting information about the semantic network from the client computer to a server; providing information about at least one resource to the server, the at least one resource containing concepts and relations associated with the at least one root concept; receiving information about a modified semantic network from the server; presenting the information about the modified semantic network to a user; receiving a response from the user; based on the response, further modifying the semantic network. The system interactively modifies semantic networks in response to user feedback, and produces personal semantic networks and document use histories.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for developing a semantic network are disclosed. The system includes a server and a client computer, and the method involves: creating a semantic network containing at least one root concept; performing a set of instructions associated with the semantic network, the set of instructions comprising: transmitting information about the semantic network from the client computer to a server; providing information about at least one resource to the server, the at least one resource containing concepts and relations associated with the at least one root concept; receiving information about a modified semantic network from the server; presenting the information about the modified semantic network to a user; receiving a response from the user; based on the response, further modifying the semantic network. The system interactively modifies semantic networks in response to user feedback, and produces personal semantic networks and document use histories.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for generating a document representation are disclosed. The system includes a server and a client computer, and the method involves: receiving into memory a resource containing at least one sentence of text; producing a tree comprising tree elements indicating parts-of-speech and grammatical relations between the tree elements; producing semantic structures each having three tree elements to represent a simple clause (subject-predicate-object); and storing a semantic network of semantic structures and connections therebetween. The semantic network may be created from a user provided root concept. Output representations include concept maps, facts listings, text summaries, tag clouds, indices; and an annotated text. The system interactively modifies semantic networks in response to user feedback, and produces personal semantic networks and document use histories.

Abstract: This invention relates to dietary supplement compositions, foodstuffs (e.g., animal feed) comprising the same and methods of utilizing the same. In particular, the invention provides ruminant dietary supplement compositions (e.g., comprising a protein extract (e.g., a crude protein extract (e.g., a bacterial or yeast extract))) having a specific nitrogen and/or amino acid profile and a small particle size, methods of manufacturing the same, and compositions containing and methods of using the same (e.g., as a liquid or dry dietary supplement composition or as a component of a foodstuff (e.g., animal feed) to increase ruminant protein and amino acid absorption).

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to methods for detecting, identifying, and measuring bacterial adherence to mucus and epithelial cells. In particular, the present invention provides assays for detecting and identifying the presence or absence of bacterial adherence to mucus (epithelial cells (e.g., present in the intestines), or other portion of an animal where bacteria may be present, and methods for identifying and characterizing (e.g., the efficacy of) modulators of bacterial adherence to mucus and epithelial cells, or other portion of the animal where bacteria may be present.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for generating a document representation are disclosed. The system includes a server and a client computer, and the method involves: receiving into memory a resource containing at least one sentence of text; producing a tree comprising tree elements indicating parts-of-speech and grammatical relations between the tree elements; producing semantic structures each having three tree elements to represent a simple clause (subject-predicate-object); and storing a semantic network of semantic structures and connections therebetween. The semantic network may be created from a user provided root concept. Output representations include concept maps, facts listings, text summaries, tag clouds, indices; and an annotated text. The system interactively modifies semantic networks in response to user feedback, and produces personal semantic networks and document use histories.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for reducing or eliminating antibiotic resistance in bacteria, comprising exposing the bacteria to a composition comprising a yeast cell wall preparation in an amount effective for reducing or eliminating resistance of the bacteria to at least one antibiotic. In one embodiment, the method comprises exposing the bacteria to the yeast cell wall preparation in an amount effective for eliminating a plasmid conferring resistance to the antibiotic, or for preventing transfer of the plasmid between bacteria. In another aspect, a method is provided for reducing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in an animal, comprising administering to the animal a composition comprising a yeast cell wall preparation in an amount effective for reducing or eliminating the presence of an antibiotic-resistant bacterial population in the animal.

Abstract: Feeding yeast cell wall-containing compositions, including those compositions comprising mannanoligosaccharide(s), to animals exposed to or infected with coccidia, especially poultry exposed to pathogenic species of Eimeria, results in improved livestock performance and physical condition as compared with those animals who were not fed such compositions.

Abstract: Methods and enzyme supplements for enhancing fiber digestion in mammals and birds are described. The supplement comprises an effective amount of acetyl esterase, formulated for feeding to animals consuming significant percentages of forages in the diet. The compositions of this invention improve dry matter and neutral detergent fiber disappearance rates, and are useful dietary supplements for improving fiber digestion. The compositions of this invention may be utilized alone or in combination with known exogenous fibrolytic enzyme supplement to improve fiber digestion in mammals and birds. The acetyl esterase advantageously used in the compositions and methods of the present invention is produced by a ruminal isolate of Orpinomyces.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for the following: improving rumen fermentation efficiency; increasing the efficiency with which dietary starch is utilized while preventing a deleterious increase in ruminal lactic acid concentration and/or a deleterious drop in ruminal pH; and promoting the growth of beneficial ruminal microorganisms. As a result, there is a concurrent improvement in the productivity and profitability of ruminant animal husbandry, especially in the diary and beef industries. These methods and compositions provide for the supplementation of the diet of a ruminant animal with exogenous amylase at relatively low levels, without any concomitant need for exogenous fibrolytic enzymes such as cellulases and xylanases. The methods and compositions of the present invention can further comprise supplementation with yeast preparations, rumen buffering agents, ionophores or other growth and productivity stimulating agents.

Abstract: Feeding yeast cell wall-containing compositions, including those compositions comprising mannanoligosaccharide(s), to animals exposed to or infected with coccidia, especially poultry exposed to pathogenic species of Eimeria, results in improved livestock performance and physical condition as compared with those animals who were not fed such compositions.

Abstract: Methods and enzyme supplements for enhancing fiber digestion in mammals and birds are described. The supplement comprises an effective amount of acetyl esterase, formulated for feeding to animals consuming significant percentages of forages in the diet. The compositions of this invention improve dry matter and neutral detergent fiber disappearance rates, and are useful dietary supplements for improving fiber digestion. The compositions of this invention may be utilized alone or in combination with known exogenous fibrolytic enzyme supplement to improve fiber digestion in mammals and birds. The acetyl esterase advantageously used in the compositions and methods of the present invention is produced by a ruminal isolate of Orpinomyces.

Abstract: A method for separating male and female determining spermatozoa includes the initial step of exposing freshly ejaculated spermatozoa in a substantially protein free diluent to an excess concentration of a monoclonal antibody directed against H-Y antigen that binds substantially exclusively with male determining spermatozoa. The method continues with the suspending of the exposed spermatozoa together with a conjugate of (1) an immunoglobulin G antibody that binds substantially exclusively to the monoclonal antibody and (2) an immunoabsorbant substrate in a substantially protein free diluent. This forms a conjugate/spermatozoa preparation. The method concludes with the recovering of the separated male and female determining spermatozoa.