Constraints to ruminant production in East Mamprusi District of Ghana

A study was designed to identify species-specific constraints to ruminant production as perceived by animal owners in East Mamprusi District. The hypothesis was that the constraints to production as perceived by sheep, goat and cattle farmers were sufficiently different to warrant species-specific strategies being recommended. A total of 516 ruminant owners were chosen from the 10 agricultural zones of the district using a multistage sampling technique. They were interviewed using a questionnaire with open-ended and closed questions. A total of 496 completed questionnaires were acceptable, comprising 32.9 per cent sheep owners, 36.7 per cent goat owners, and 30.4 per cent cattle owners. The response rate was 96 per cent. The study showed that the background or perceptions of sheep, goat and cattle owners differed significantly (

Selective chemical probe inhibitor of Stat3, identified through structure-based virtual screening, induces antitumor activity

S31-201 (NSC 74859) is a chemical probe inhibitor of Stat3 activity, which was identified from the National Cancer Institute chemical libraries by using structure-based virtual screening with a computer model of the Stat3 SH2 domain bound to its Stat3 phosphotyrosine peptide derived from the x-ray crystal structure of the Stat3 beta homodimer. S31-201 inhibits Stat3-Stat3 complex formation and Stat3 DNA-binding and transcriptional activities. Furthermore, S31-201 inhibits growth and induces apoptosis preferentially in tumor cells that contain persistently activated Stat3. Constitutively climerized and active Stat3C and Stat3 SH2 domain rescue tumor cells from S31-201-induced apoptosis. Finally, S31-201 inhibits the expression of the Stat3-regulated genes encoding cyclin D1, BcI-xL, and survivin and inhibits the growth of human breast tumors in vivo. These findings strongly suggest that the antitumor activity of S31-201 is mediated in part through inhibition of aberrant Stat3 activation and provide the proof-of-concept for the potential clinical use of Stat3 inhibitors such as S31-201 in tumors harboring aberrant Stat3

Salmonella in commercial swine from weaning through slaughter

Sixty swine on each of four farms in Iowa and on four farms in North Carolina were monitored for Salmonella, from weaning through kill. 1\vo farms in each state used ali-in-allout (AIAO) management, while two were continuous flow. All pigs were individually identified, in North Carolina with ear tags and in Iowa with implanted microchips. Feces for culture and serum for Danish mixELISA were collected at weaning and approximately every eight weeks, with the fourth collection coming within 48 hours of slaughter. At slaughter, carcasses were swabbed using the FSIS method. Ileocecal lymph nodes, cecum, and/or colon were collected

Necdin, a Negative Growth Regulator, Is a Novel STAT3 Target Gene Down-Regulated in Human Cancer

Cytokine and growth factor signaling pathways involving STAT3 are frequently constitutively activated in many human primary tumors, and are known for the transcriptional role they play in controlling cell growth and cell cycle progression. However, the extent of STAT3's reach on transcriptional control of the genome as a whole remains an important question. We predicted that this persistent STAT3 signaling affects a wide variety of cellular functions, many of which still remain to be characterized. We took a broad approach to identify novel STAT3 regulated genes by examining changes in the genome-wide gene expression profile by microarray, using cells expressing constitutively-activated STAT3. Using computational analysis, we were able to define the gene expression profiles of cells containing activated STAT3 and identify candidate target genes with a wide range of biological functions. Among these genes we identified Necdin, a negative growth regulator, as a novel STAT3 target gene, whose expression is down-regulated at the mRNA and protein levels when STAT3 is constitutively active. This repression is STAT3 dependent, since inhibition of STAT3 using siRNA restores Necdin expression. A STAT3 DNA-binding site was identified in the Necdin promoter and both EMSA and chromatin immunoprecipitation confirm binding of STAT3 to this region. Necdin expression has previously been shown to be down-regulated in a melanoma and a drug-resistant ovarian cancer cell line. Further analysis of Necdin expression demonstrated repression in a STAT3-dependent manner in human melanoma, prostate and breast cancer cell lines. These results suggest that STAT3 coordinates expression of genes involved in multiple metabolic and biosynthetic pathways, integrating signals that lead to global transcriptional changes and oncogenesis. STAT3 may exert its oncogenic effect by up-regulating transcription of genes involved in promoting growth and proliferation, but also by down-regulating expression of negative regulators of the same cellular processes, such as Necdin

Effects of some methodologic factors on detection of Salmonella in swine feces

Bacteriologic culture of feces for Salmonella continues to be a central component of epidemiologic studies. We conducted a series of experiments on fecal samples collected from commercial swine farms to evaluate the effects of several methodologic factors on detection of Salmonella. Factors examined included fecal sample storage (no storage, 4C, -15C) and fecal sample weight. In addition we compared the standard method (Method I) used in our laboratory [JOg feces/buffered peptone water pre-enrichment/selective enrichment in Rappaport Vassiliadis (RV) broth] with another method (Method 2) used by ourselves and others in the USA (=I g sample/primary enrichments in tetrathionate and Hajna GN broths/secondary enrichment in RV broth). Inunediate processing of samples yielded the best recovery of Salmonella, although storage at 4C for 6 days did not significantly reduce detection. Freezing of fecal samples resulted in significant reduction of detection. The weight of feces sampled had a marked linear effect on the detection of Salmonella using method I. Direct comparison of Method I and Method 2 indicated comparable results, with Method I tending to yield higher detection of Salmonella. However, when conducted on samples of equal weight, Method 2 had significantly better detection than Method I. The choice of methods can markedly affect the results of fecal sample culture. The preferred methodology for epidemiologic studies will be determined by many factors including logistics and cost. Our data highlight the imperfect sensitivity of culture methods, and the need for researchers to consider the sensitivity of their bacteriologic methods in the design and interpretation of field studies based on fecal culture