The Effects of Environment, Feed Form and Dietary Caloric Density on Broiler Performance; and Effect of Variable CatP Ratio and Phytase on Growth performance and Mineral Deposition in Corn-Soy Diets fed to Straight-run Broilers

The objective of the first study was to assess the effect of variations of feed form and dietary caloric density on production and immunity parameters in broilers reared on clean shavings and built-up litter. Treatments were arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial randomized block design within a split plot. Whole plot treatments considered one room (11 x 7.32m) of either clean shavings or built-up litter; divided into 16 treatment replications of either standard (30%) or improved (80% feed form), and 16 replications of either commercial or increased (+110 kcal/kg) dietary caloric density comprising the 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Broilers consuming an improved feed form demonstrated an improved feed intake (FI), live weight gain (LWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), breast weight and breast yield (p \u3c 0.05). Providing an improved feed form demonstrated an increased concentration in IgG (p \u3c 0.05). An environment x energy interaction (p \u3c 0.05) demonstrated increased concentration of IgG in broilers fed a commercial energy reared in a built-up litter environment, whereas broilers maintained a similar IgG concentration when fed an increased energy regardless of environment. Linear contrasts demonstrated that broilers provided improved feed form at commercial energy increased FI and LWG (p ≤ 0.05), while maintaining FCR (p \u3e 0.05) compared to broilers provided standard feed form at increased energy regardless of environment. These data suggest feed form improvements may partition energy towards growth more than feeding an increased energy diet.;The objective of the second study was to assess the effect and potential for interaction of corn/soy diets containing variable Ca/tP ratios and phytase inclusions on straight-run broiler performance and mineral deposition. A positive control was compared to 12 treatment combinations comprised of a 4 x 3 factorial arranged in a randomized complete block design. Main effects consisted of four Ca/tP ratios (1.0, 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6) and three inclusions of phytase (low ≈ 1,000, medium ≈ 2,000, and high ≈ 3,000 FTU/kg). All diets were steam conditioned at 82°C for 10s and extruded through a 4.7 x 38 mm pellet die. Diets were crumbled via roller mill for starter (d 1-14) and grower (14-28) growth phases and left as intact pellets for the finisher phase (28-42). Straight-run Hubbard x Cobb 1-day-old broiler chicks were obtained from a commercial hatchery and randomly assigned to floor pens (0.69 x 2.4 m) at a density of 0.06 m2/bird (23 birds/pen) with feeder access space of 1.2 cm/bird. Seven replicate pens of broilers were fed one of 13 dietary treatments for 42 days. Tibia extraction and total GI tract digesta were collected on d 28. Higher phytase inclusions increased LWG (p = 0.0166) and decreased FCR (p = 0.0016) in the starter growth phase. Increasing Ca/tP decreased LWG (p = 0.0005) in the grower phase. High phytase inclusion demonstrated a decreased LWG (p = 0.0428) in the finisher phase. Phytase inclusion and Ca/tP ratio interacted for starter FI (p \u3c 0.05) and demonstrated a trend of interacting for finisher and overall FI (p = 0.1). In general, higher feed intakes were associated with high inclusions of phytase in diets with a 1.4 Ca/tP ratio. Overall growth performance was not significantly affected by treatment (p \u3e 0.05). Mineral digestibility was improved when Ca/tP decreased (p \u3c 0.05) and phytase inclusion increased (p \u3c 0.05). Bone mineralization measures in general showed improvement at a Ca/tP ratio higher than 1.0 (p \u3c0.05). Based on these data; broiler performance and mineral deposition was optimized for 1.2 and 1.4 Ca/tP ratio and phytase inclusions above 1,000 FTU/kg

The Affective Impact of Financial Skewness on Neural Activity and Choice

Few finance theories consider the influence of “skewness” (or large and asymmetric but unlikely outcomes) on financial choice. We investigated the impact of skewed gambles on subjects' neural activity, self-reported affective responses, and subsequent preferences using functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI). Neurally, skewed gambles elicited more anterior insula activation than symmetric gambles equated for expected value and variance, and positively skewed gambles also specifically elicited more nucleus accumbens (NAcc) activation than negatively skewed gambles. Affectively, positively skewed gambles elicited more positive arousal and negatively skewed gambles elicited more negative arousal than symmetric gambles equated for expected value and variance. Subjects also preferred positively skewed gambles more, but negatively skewed gambles less than symmetric gambles of equal expected value. Individual differences in both NAcc activity and positive arousal predicted preferences for positively skewed gambles. These findings support an anticipatory affect account in which statistical properties of gambles—including skewness—can influence neural activity, affective responses, and ultimately, choice

Sensitivity and Insensitivity of Galaxy Cluster Surveys to New Physics

We study the implications and limitations of galaxy cluster surveys for constraining models of particle physics and gravity beyond the Standard Model. Flux limited cluster counts probe the history of large scale structure formation in the universe, and as such provide useful constraints on cosmological parameters. As a result of uncertainties in some aspects of cluster dynamics, cluster surveys are currently more useful for analyzing physics that would affect the formation of structure than physics that would modify the appearance of clusters. As an example we consider the Lambda-CDM cosmology and dimming mechanisms, such as photon-axion mixing.Comment: 24 pages, 8 eps figures. References added, discussion of scatter in relations between cluster observables lengthene

Probing the effect of ß-triketonates in visible and NIR emitting lanthanoid complexes

An isomorphous series of lanthanoid complexes containing tribenzoylmethanide (tbm) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) ligands has been synthesised and structurally characterised. These complexes, formulated as [Ln(phen)(tbm)3] (Ln = Eu3+, Er3+ and Yb3+), were compared with analogous dibenzoylmethanide (dbm) [Ln(phen)(dbm)3] complexes to investigate the effect of changing ß-diketonate to ß-triketonate ligands on the photophysical properties of the complex. The photophysical properties for the Eu3+ complexes were similar for both systems, whereas a modest enhancement was observed for Yb3+ and Er3+ moving from the dbm to the tbm complexes. A detailed study of the NIR photophysical properties was achieved by adapting the integrating sphere method for the calculation of overall quantum yields in the solid state

Long-Distance Three-Color Neuronal Tracing in Fixed Tissue Using NeuroVue Dyes

Dissecting development of neuronal connections is critical for understanding neuronal function in both normal and diseased states. Charting the development of the multitude of connections is a monumental task, since a given neuron typically receives hundreds of convergent inputs from other neurons and provides divergent outputs for hundreds of other neurons. Although progress is being made utilizing various mutants and/or genetic constructs expressing fluorescent proteins like GFP, substantial work remains before a database documenting the development and final location of the neuronal pathways in an adult animal is completed. The vast majority of developing neurons cannot be specifically labeled with antibodies and making specific GFP-expressing constructs to tag each of them is an overwhelming task. Fortunately, fluorescent lipophilic dyes have emerged as very useful tools to systematically compare changes in neuronal networks between wild-type and mutant mice. These dyes diffuse laterally along nerve cell membranes in fixed preparations, allowing tracing of the position of a given neuron within the neuronal network in murine mutants fixed at various stages of development. Until recently, however, most evaluations have been limited to one, or at most, two color analyses. We have previously reported three color neuronal profiling using the novel lipophilic dyes NeuroVue (NV) Green, Red and Maroon (Fritzsch et al., Brain. Res. Bull. 66:249–258, 2005). Unfortunately such three color experiments have been limited by the fact that NV Green and its brighter successor, NV Emerald, both exhibit substantially decreased signal intensities when times greater than 48 hours at 37°C are required to achieve neuronal profile filling (unpublished observations). Here we describe a standardized test system developed to allow comparison of candidate dyes and its use to evaluate a series of 488 nm-excited green-emitting lipophilic dyes. The best of these, NV Jade, has spectral properties well matched to NV Red and NV Maroon, better solubility in DMF than DiO or DiA, improved thermostability compared with NV Emerald, and the ability to fill neuronal profiles at rates of 1 mm per day for periods of at least 5 days. Use of NV Jade in combination with NV Red and NV Maroon substantially improves the efficiency of connectional analysis in complex mutants and transgenic models where limited numbers of specimens are available

Elevated Plasma Von Willebrand Factor and Propeptide Levels in Malawian Children with Malaria

In children with malaria plasma VWF and propeptide levels are markedly elevated in both cerebral and mild paediatric malaria, with levels matching disease severity, and these normalize upon recovery. High levels of both markers also occur in retinopathy-negative 'cerebral malaria' cases, many of whom are thought to be suffering from diseases other than malaria, indicating that further studies of these markers will be required to determine their sensitivity and specificity

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

Prostate cancer disparities in Black men of African descent: a comparative literature review of prostate cancer burden among Black men in the United States, Caribbean, United Kingdom, and West Africa

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>African American men have the highest prostate cancer morbidity and mortality rates than any other racial or ethnic group in the US. Although the overall incidence of and mortality from prostate cancer has been declining in White men since 1991, the decline in African American men lags behind White men. Of particular concern is the growing literature on the disproportionate burden of prostate cancer among other Black men of West African ancestry in the Caribbean Islands, United Kingdom and West Africa. This higher incidence of prostate cancer observed in populations of African descent may be attributed to the fact that these populations share ancestral genetic factors. To better understand the burden of prostate cancer among men of West African Ancestry, we conducted a review of the literature on prostate cancer incidence, prevalence, and mortality in the countries connected by the Transatlantic Slave Trade.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Several published studies indicate high prostate cancer burden in Nigeria and Ghana. There was no published literature for the countries Benin, Gambia and Senegal that met our review criteria. Prostate cancer morbidity and/or mortality data from the Caribbean Islands and the United Kingdom also provided comparable or worse prostate cancer burden to that of US Blacks.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The growing literature on the disproportionate burden of prostate cancer among other Black men of West African ancestry follows the path of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. To better understand and address the global prostate cancer disparities seen in Black men of West African ancestry, future studies should explore the genetic and environmental risk factors for prostate cancer among this group.</p