INFLUENCE OF GENOTYPE, PROTEIN-CALORIE RESTRICTION AND THEIR INTERACTION UPON RSV-INDUCED TUMORS IN CHICKENS

The major objective of this research was to investigate the relative contribution of genetics, nutritional restriction and the genetics by nutritional restriction interaction upon Rous sarcoma virus (RSV)-induced tumor development in chickens. Two genetic systems were used. The first involved an inbred line and a noninbred line of chickens. The second utilized F2 generation progeny from a cross of lines 6-1 and 15-1, highly inbred lines of White Leghorns from the Regional Poultry Research Laboratory of the United States Department of Agriculture at East Lansing, Michigan. These chickens had been blood typed for allcantigens coded for by genes of the major histocompatibility complex and were of two geneotypes--B2B2 and B5B5. Four-week-old chickens were either full-fed or restricted to 60% of the feed consumed by full-fed chickens of the same age. Two weeks after being placed on experimental rations, chickens were inoculated with RSV-1. Tumors were scored subjectively for size several times during a 10 week period. Forty percent nutritional restriction delayed the appearance of tumor and reduced tumor size at 2 and 3 weeks post-inoculation (PI). B genotype profoundly influenced tumor size. E2B2 chickens had smaller tumors between 3 and 10 weeks PI than did corresponding B5B5 chickens. Similar to 40% restriction, 50% restriction delayed tumor formation and retarded early tumor growth. Nutritional restriction may be retarding initial tumor growth by two possible mechanisms: (1)nutritional deprivation may inhibit antibody production, including blocking antibody, and enhance cell-mediated immunity, resulting in inhibited tumor growth, or (2)rapid tumor growth is restricted due to a limited supply of nutrients to the cancer cells. Forty percent restriction did not exert an effect on immunocompetence based upon antibody production to sheep erythrocytes and phytohemaglutinin-stimulated lymphocyte blastogenesis as measures of cell-mediated and humoral immunity, respectively. Thus a limited supply of nutrients may retard initial tumor growth

Ronald Reagan\u27s 1983 Evil Empire speech: A rhetorical analysis

In 1983, President Ronald Reagan addressed the National Association of Evangelicals, delivering what is now referred to as his Evil Empire speech. Hoping to reestablish his commitment to conservative values and encourage the audience to oppose a nuclear freeze, Reagan condemned the Soviet Union as the focus of evil in the modern world and urged the audience to resist the aggressive impulses of an evil empire. Although it initially received widespread criticism, Reagan\u27s speech has since been credited as a salient factor in the collapse of the Soviet Union and has been heralded as one of the most important addresses of his presidency; To illuminate the persuasive elements in the speech, this study examines its historical context, rhetorical problems and evolution of the text. The resulting critique discusses how Reagan\u27s masterful epideictic and deliberative speech reestablished his commitment to conservative values and justified his position in the nuclear freeze debate

Total synthesis of 7-epi-pukalide and 7-acetylsinumaximol B

Convergent total syntheses of the furanocembranoids 7-epi-pukalide and 7-acetylsinumaximol B have been achieved using a one-pot Knoevenagel condensation and thioether-mediated furan-forming reaction. Furan formation proceeds via a sulfur ylide and results in rapid introduction of structural complexity during the coupling of two highly functionalised fragments. The target compounds have been prepared in 16 steps from (R)-perillyl alcohol

The role of spirituality/religiosity in coping with the demands of the clinical and counselling psychology masters programme.

M. A. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2013.Post-graduate training in Clinical and Counselling Psychology has been likened to a ‘baptism of fire’, where students undergo an initiation or rite of passage as part of the process of becoming a psychologist. The purpose of the present research was to examine the role of spirituality and / or religiosity in coping with the demands of the Clinical and Counselling Psychology Masters Programme. Past and present students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Howard College Campus participated in the present study. Participants were invited via email to attend a one-on-one interview and an electronic survey. The findings of this study found that Clinical and Counselling Psychology post-graduate students do suffer from higher levels of distress due to the demands created by intense workloads, rigorous academic requirements and clinical training). This study’s results highlighted students' subjective perceptions of the demands of the training and their use of religious and spiritual coping methods as a means of ameliorating or coping with the stress caused by these demands. The specific religious and spiritual coping methods cited by respondents included comfort obtained from the act of surrendering to an omnipotent and benevolent being and ritualistic and private observances such as prayer, praise, devotional readings and religious attendance. These coping strategies created a sense of belonging and strength for those students. Implications and limitations of the current findings indicate that emphasis on and inclusion of spirituality and religion into the Masters training programme may be of benefit for both students and their future patients. Suggestions for future research are also offered

Free vs fee: Virtual meetings and online training

Doing more with less is a veritable mantra these days. Yet there are important questions to be answered: When is free good enough? How free is free? When should you buy ? Tools like Adobe Connect, Skype, Captivate, Camtasia, and Jing run the gamut of cost and ease of use while often accomplishing similar tasks in terms of interacting virtually and recording online content. In the first part of this session, learn about these tools which can expand the reach of your meetings and training sessions. We will compare and contrast these tools and focus on why you would use one over the other. During the second part, play the part of the decision-maker through scenarios and case studies. Learn techniques to think critically about these types of tools in the ever changing Library technology landscape today. ABOUT THE PRESENTERS: Kate Peterson is Information Literacy Librarian and Kirsten Clark is Government Information and Regional Depository Librarian at the University of Minnesota Libraries - Twin Citie

Characterization of the nodulation plasmid encoded chemoreceptor gene mcpG from Rhizobium leguminosarum

BACKGROUND: In general, chemotaxis in Rhizobium has not been well characterized. Methyl accepting chemotaxis proteins are sensory proteins important in chemotaxis of numerous bacteria, but their involvement in Rhizobium chemotaxis is unclear and merits further investigation. RESULTS: A putative methyl accepting chemotaxis protein gene (mcpG) of Rhizobium leguminosarum VF39SM was isolated and characterized. The gene was found to reside on the nodulation plasmid, pRleVF39d. The predicted mcpG ORF displayed motifs common to known methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins, such as two transmembrane domains and high homology to the conserved methylation and signaling domains of well-characterized MCPs. Phenotypic analysis of mcpG mutants using swarm plates did not identify ligands for this putative receptor. Additionally, gene knockouts of mcpG did not affect a mutant strain's ability to compete for nodulation with the wild type. Notably, mcpG was found to be plasmid-encoded in all strains of R. leguminosarum and R. etli examined, though it was found on the nodulation plasmid only in a minority of strains. CONCLUSIONS: Based on sequence homology R. leguminosarum mcpG gene codes for a methyl accepting chemotaxis protein. The gene is plasmid localized in numerous Rhizobium spp. Although localized to the sym plasmid of VF39SM mcpG does not appear to participate in early nodulation events. A ligand for McpG remains to be found. Apparent McpG orthologs appear in a diverse range of proteobacteria. Identification and characterization of mcpG adds to the family of mcp genes already identified in this organism

Using spectral indices to estimate water content and GPP in Sphagnum moss and other peatland vegetation

Peatlands provide important ecosystem services including carbon stroage and biodiversity conservation. Remote sensing shows potential for monitoring peatlands, but most off-the-shelf data produces are developed for unsaturated environments and it is unclear how well they can perform in peatland ecosystems. Sphagnum moss is an important peatland genus with specific characteristics which can affect spectral reflectance, and we hypothesized that the prevalence of Sphagnum in a peatland could affect the spectral signature of the area. This study combines results from both laboratory and field experiments to assess the relationship between spectral indices and the moisture content and GPP of peatland (blanket bog) vegetation species. The aim was to consider how well the selected indices perform under a range of conditions, and whether Sphagnum has a significant impact on the relationships tested. We found that both water indices tested (NDWI and fWBI) were sensitive to the water content changes in Sphagnum moss in the laboratory, and there was little difference between them. Most of the vegetation indices tested (the NDVI, EVI, SIPI and CIm) were found to have a strong relationship with GPP both in the laboratory and in the field. The NDVI and EVI are useful for large-scale estimation of GPP, but are sensitive to the proportion of Sphagnum present. The CIm is less affected by different species proportions and might therefore be the best to use in areas where species cover is unknown. The PRI is shown to be best suited to small-scale studies of single species

Prevention and management of hyperglycaemic crisis

Hyperglycaemia is a defining feature of diabetes mellitus. It involves an elevated level of glucose in the blood, which develops as a result of the body's inability to produce insulin or process insulin effectively. If left unchecked and untreated, patients with diabetes are at risk of short-term, potentially life-threatening hyperglycaemic crises such as diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state. Nurses frequently care for patients diagnosed with diabetes in various clinical settings; therefore, it is essential that they have an awareness of the prevention and management of hyperglycaemia and hyperglycaemic crises. This article explains the causes and clinical manifestations of hyperglycaemic crises, and details the management of patients with these conditions, in accordance with national guidelines. [Abstract copyright: © 2019 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.

Exposure to Household Air Pollution from Biomass Cookstoves and Blood Pressure Among Women in Rural Honduras: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Growing evidence links household air pollution exposure from biomass cookstoves with elevated blood pressure. We assessed cross‐sectional associations of 24‐hour mean concentrations of personal and kitchen fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), and stove type with blood pressure, adjusting for confounders, among 147 women using traditional or cleaner‐burning Justa stoves in Honduras. We investigated effect modification by age and body mass index. Traditional stove users had mean (standard deviation) personal and kitchen 24‐hour PM2.5 concentrations of 126 μg/m3 (77) and 360 μg/m3 (374), while Justa stove users’ exposures were 66 μg/m3 (38) and 137 μg/m3(194), respectively. BC concentrations were similarly lower among Justa stove users. Adjusted mean systolic blood pressure was 2.5 mm Hg higher (95% CI, 0.7‐4.3) per unit increase in natural log‐transformed kitchen PM2.5 concentration; results were stronger among women of 40 years or older (5.2 mm Hg increase, 95% CI, 2.3‐8.1). Adjusted odds of borderline high and high blood pressure (categorized) were also elevated (odds ratio = 1.5, 95% CI, 1.0‐2.3). Some results included null values and are suggestive. Results suggest that reduced household air pollution, even when concentrations exceed air quality guidelines, may help lower cardiovascular disease risk, particularly among older subgroups