367 Combinational use of sodium butyrate and phytogenics on intestinal health of nursery pigs

The effects of encapsulated sodium butyrate (SB), phytogenics (PH), or a combination were studied on intestinal health of nursery pigs. Phytogenics were blends of dry herbs and essential oil components. Forty-eight weaned pigs (21-d-old; 6.9 ± 0.6 kg BW) were individually housed, blocked by initial BW and sex, allotted to 4 dietary treatments (n = 12) in a RCBD, and fed for 33-d (P1: 0–7; P2: 7–19; and P3: 19–33). Treatments were arranged by 2 factors: SB (P1: 0.2% and P2: 0.1%) and PH (P3: 0.033%). Diets were formulated to meet or exceed NRC (2012) nutrient requirements and pigs were fed ad libitum. For each phase, ADG, ADFI, and G:F were measured. Fecal scores were assessed during d 3–19 and d 26–33. Blood samples were drawn in P2 and P3 to measure tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), IL-6, and immunoglobulin G (IgG). Four pigs at P2 and 8 pigs in P3 from each treatment were euthanized to collect jejunal tissue, jejunal mucosa, and ileal digesta to measure gut histology, TNF-α, IL-6, myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), and protein carbonyl. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS. Fixed effects were treatments and random effects were blocks. In P2 and P1-2, SB decreased (P < 0.05) ADFI whereas no effect on ADG and G:F. In P2, SB tended to decrease (P = 0.063) villus height to crypt depth ratio (VH:CD) whereas increased (P < 0.05) enterocyte proliferation in P3. In P3 and overall, PH increased (P < 0.05) G:F. No changes were found in TNF-α, IL-6, MPO, MDA, IgG, and protein carbonyl. Conclusively, SB and a combinational use of SB and PH showed minimal effects on growth performance and gut health when added to the diets of nursery pigs. However, PH supplementation increased feed efficiency of nursery pigs during 19–33 d post-weaning.

Strategies for engaging with future radiation protection professionals: a public outreach case study

It is evident that there is a nuclear skills shortage within the UK, and logically it can be assumed that the shortfall extends to the radiation protection arena. Plans for nuclear new-build and the decommissioning of existing nuclear sites will require many more people with radiological knowledge and practical competencies. This converts to a nuclear industry requirement in the order of 1000 new recruits per year over at least the next ten years, mainly as new apprentices and graduates. At the same time, the strong demand for persons with radiation protection know-how in the non-nuclear and health care sectors is unlikely to diminish. The task of filling this skills gap is a significant one and it will require a determined effort from many UK stakeholders. The Society for Radiological Protection (SRP) has adopted a strategy in recent years to help address this skills gap. The aim is to engage the interest of secondary school students in the science of radiation and inspire them to follow a career in radiation protection. This paper presents the reasoning behind this strategy and, in an 'outreach case study', describes the establishment of the annual SRP Schools Event. This event is becoming an important addition to the national efforts aimed at increasing the numbers of skilled UK radiation protection professionals over the forthcoming decades.