Phosphorus Requirement for Finishing Heifers

Sixty head of crossbred heifers (614 lb initial BW) were individually fed one of five levels of phosphorus of 0.10, 0.17, 0.24, 0.31, 0.38 % of diet DM with supplemental P from monosodium phosphate. Heifers were fed an energy-dense diet composed primarily of corn starch and corn fiber to minimize P from corn. When compared to the other four levels, heifers fed at the 0.10 % P level had lower DMI, ADG and final BW. Heifers fed 0.10%P had lower plasma P concentration. Breakpoint analysis of ADG suggests that the P requirement for finishing heifers is 0.115% P of diet DM within the range of 8.2 to 10.3g P/day (0.104 and 0.127% P on a DM basis)

The Effect of Supplementing Mannan Oligosaccharide or Finely Ground Fiber, during the Summer on Body Temperature, Performance, and Blood Metabolites of Finishing Steers

Crossbred beef steers (12 pens, n=96) were used to determine the effect of adding Agrimos or 5% ground (1 in.) wheat straw compared to a control on body temperature, panting score and performance. Th ere were no differences in final BW, ADG, and DMI among treatments. Feed conversion was increased for cattle fed 5% additional ground straw when compared to control and Agrimos. Hot carcass weight, dressing %, LM area, and marbling score were not different among treatments. Cattle fed the control had greater 12th rib fat depth and USDA yield grade than cattle fed straw or Agrimos. Both average and maximum body temperatures were slightly greater for cattle fed Agrimos than for cattle fed control or added straw. Panting scores were decreased slightly for cattle fed the extra straw when compared to control and Agrimos. The addition of Agrimos or wheat straw to the diet had minimal effects on heat stress measures

H3N2 Influenza Virus Transmission from Swine to Turkeys, United States

Swinelike H3N2 influenza viruses were isolated from two geographically distinct turkey farms in the United States

Characterization of an unusual and complex chromosome 21 rearrangement using somatic cell genetics and cloned DNA probes

In a previous case of a newborn infant with typical Down syndrome, chromosome analysis indicated the presence of an unusual and complex translocation of chromosome 21. The patient's cells contained one normal chromosome 21 and a rearranged, F group-sized submeta-centric chromosome. This abnormal chromosome appeared to involve duplication of the distal portion of 21q with translocation to the short arm, and a deletion of C-band-positive centromeric heterochromatin. Using linearly ordered cloned DNA probes, we report the detailed molecular examination of this abnormal chromosome, which has been isolated on a hamster background in a hybrid cell line. Both short arm and pericentromeric sequences are present on this chromosome, as well as distal 21q sequences. However, a substantial portion of proximal 21q is deleted. The distal boundary of this deleted section can be pinpointed within the region between two loci (D21S8 and D21S54), a distance of about 5,000 kb. This study illustrates the power of using precisely mapped, linearly ordered DNA probes to characterize this type of rearrangement. In addition, this hybrid cell line can also be used as a member of a mapping panel to map DNA sequences regionally on chromosome 21.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/38249/1/1320330316_ftp.pd

Effect of an Education Programme for South Asians with Asthma and Their Clinicians: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial (OEDIPUS).

BACKGROUND: People with asthma from ethnic minority groups experience significant morbidity. Culturally-specific interventions to reduce asthma morbidity are rare. We tested the hypothesis that a culturally-specific education programme, adapted from promising theory-based interventions developed in the USA, would reduce unscheduled care for South Asians with asthma in the UK. METHODS: A cluster randomised controlled trial, set in two east London boroughs. 105 of 107 eligible general practices were randomised to usual care or the education programme. Participants were south Asians with asthma aged 3 years and older with recent unscheduled care. The programme had two components: the Physician Asthma Care Education (PACE) programme and the Chronic Disease Self Management Programme (CDSMP), targeted at clinicians and patients with asthma respectively. Both were culturally adapted for south Asians with asthma. Specialist nurses, and primary care teams from intervention practices were trained using the PACE programme. South Asian participants attended an outpatient appointment; those registered with intervention practices received self-management training from PACE-trained specialist nurses, a follow-up appointment with PACE-trained primary care practices, and an invitation to attend the CDSMP. Patients from control practices received usual care. Primary outcome was unscheduled care. FINDINGS: 375 south Asians with asthma from 84 general practices took part, 183 registered with intervention practices and 192 with control practices. Primary outcome data were available for 358/375 (95.5%) of participants. The intervention had no effect on time to first unscheduled attendance for asthma (Adjusted Hazard Ratio AHR = 1.19 95% CI 0.92 to 1.53). Time to first review in primary care was reduced (AHR = 2.22, (1.67 to 2.95). Asthma-related quality of life and self-efficacy were improved at 3 months (adjusted mean difference -2.56, (-3.89 to -1.24); 0.44, (0.05 to 0.82) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A multi-component education programme adapted for south Asians with asthma did not reduce unscheduled care but did improve follow-up in primary care, self-efficacy and quality of life. More effective interventions are needed for south Asians with asthma

Does Reduced IGF-1R Signaling in Igf1r+/− Mice Alter Aging?

Mutations in insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway have been shown to lead to increased longevity in various invertebrate models. Therefore, the effect of the haplo- insufficiency of the IGF-1 receptor (Igf1r+/−) on longevity/aging was evaluated in C57Bl/6 mice using rigorous criteria where lifespan and end-of-life pathology were measured under optimal husbandry conditions using large sample sizes. Igf1r+/− mice exhibited reductions in IGF-1 receptor levels and the activation of Akt by IGF-1, with no compensatory increases in serum IGF-1 or tissue IGF-1 mRNA levels, indicating that the Igf1r+/− mice show reduced IGF-1 signaling. Aged male, but not female Igf1r+/− mice were glucose intolerant, and both genders developed insulin resistance as they aged. Female, but not male Igf1r+/− mice survived longer than wild type mice after lethal paraquat and diquat exposure, and female Igf1r+/− mice also exhibited less diquat-induced liver damage. However, no significant difference between the lifespans of the male Igf1r+/− and wild type mice was observed; and the mean lifespan of the Igf1r+/− females was increased only slightly (less than 5%) compared to wild type mice. A comprehensive pathological analysis showed no significant difference in end-of-life pathological lesions between the Igf1r+/− and wild type mice. These data show that the Igf1r+/− mouse is not a model of increased longevity and delayed aging as predicted by invertebrate models with mutations in the insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway