Performance and economic consideration of broiler chickens fed enzyme supplemented cassava fibre meal

The search for alternative energy source to substitute for the expensive conventional energy feed resources in broiler chicken diet is the driving force of this study. Thus, the study assessed the performance and economics of the production of broiler chickens fed enzyme supplemented cassava fibre meal (CFM) in a 56-day feeding trial. A batch of three hundred and sixty (360) day-old Arbor acre broiler-chicks was allotted to twelve (12) diets replicated five (5) times of six (6) birds in a complete randomization. Cassava fibre was sun dried for 5 days with constant turning to prevent fermentation, reduce the moisture content and possibly reduce the cyanide content. Proximate composition, phytochemical components and cyanide contents were determined using appropriate standard methods. Cassava fibre meal was substituted for maize at 0, 20, 40, and 60% levels and Roxazyme® G2 supplementation was at 0, 100 and 200 mg/kg. Data collected on feed intake and weight gain were analysed using the General Linear Model (GLM), and differences in means where observed were separated using Duncan option of the SPSS 2006 version 15.0. The Economics of broiler chicken production was determined using economic tools such as gross margin and economic efficiency analyses. Results showed that CFM contained appreciable levels of nutrients that could promote broiler growth when substituted at optimum level as an energy source in broiler chicken diet. Substitution of CFM at 40 and 60% levels for maize led to a decrease (p<0.05) in weight gain and feed conversion of broiler chickens. Feed intake and weight gain were not influenced by dietary substitution of CFM for maize in the broiler starter and broiler finisher stages of growth. The effect of enzyme supplementation was not significant in the birds’ physiological growth at both starter and finisher stages. The effect of interaction was not significant (p>0.05) indicating that birds’ performance were not dependent on the two factors under investigation. Economics of broiler chicken production revealed that total cost was lower in birds fed CFM with or without enzyme supplementation compared with those fed the maizebased diets. Net revenue, economic efficiency and profitability ratio analysis showed better economic viability and profitability in birds fed CFM with or without enzyme supplementation compared with those fed maize-based diets

Carbon Nanotubes Encapsulating Superconducting Single-Crystalline Tin Nanowires

Superconducting low dimensional systems are the natural choice for fast and sensitive infrared detection, because of their quantum nature and the low-noise, cryogenic operation environment. On the other hand, monochromatic and coherent electron beams, emitted from superconductors and carbon-based nanostructured materials, respectively, are significant for the development of electron optical systems such as electron microscopes and electron-beam nanofabrication systems. Here we describe for the first time a simple method which yields carbon nanotubes encapsulating single crystalline superconducting tin nanowires by employing the catalytic chemical vapor deposition method over solid tin dioxide. The superconducting tin nanowires, with diameters 15-35 nm, are covered with well-graphitized carbon walls and show, due to their reduced diameters, a critical magnetic field (Hc) more than 30 times higher than the value of bulk metallic tin.

Alcohol marketing and drunkenness among students in the Philippines: findings from the nationally representative Global School-based Student Health Survey

BACKGROUND: A largely unaddressed issue in lower income countries and the Philippines, in particular, is the role of alcohol marketing and its potential link to early alcohol use among youth. This study examines the associations between exposures to alcohol marketing and Filipino youths’ drinking prevalence and drunkenness. METHODS: Cross-sectional analyses were used to examine the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) conducted in Philippines (2011). The self-administered questionnaires were completed by students primarily 13 to 16 years of age (N = 5290). Three statistical models were computed to test the associations between alcohol marketing and alcohol use, while controlling for possible confounding factors. RESULTS: Alcohol marketing, specifically through providing free alcohol through a company representative, was associated with drunkenness (AOR: 1.84; 95% CI = 1.06–3.21) among youths after controlling for demographic and psychosocial characteristics, peer environment, and risky behaviors. In addition, seeing alcohol ads in newspapers and magazines (AOR: 1.65, 95% CI = 1.05–2.58) and seeing ads at sports events, concerts or fairs (AOR: 1.50, 95% CI = 1.06–2.12) were significantly associated with increased reports of drunkenness. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant associations between alcohol marketing exposure and increased alcohol use and drunkenness among youth in the Philippines. These findings highlight the need to put policies into effect that restrict alcohol marketing practices as an important prevention strategy for reducing alcohol use and its dire consequences among vulnerable youth

Intermediate filament cytoskeleton of the liver in health and disease

Intermediate filaments (IFs) represent the largest cytoskeletal gene family comprising ~70 genes expressed in tissue specific manner. In addition to scaffolding function, they form complex signaling platforms and interact with various kinases, adaptor, and apoptotic proteins. IFs are established cytoprotectants and IF variants are associated with >30 human diseases. Furthermore, IF-containing inclusion bodies are characteristic features of several neurodegenerative, muscular, and other disorders. Acidic (type I) and basic keratins (type II) build obligatory type I and type II heteropolymers and are expressed in epithelial cells. Adult hepatocytes contain K8 and K18 as their only cytoplasmic IF pair, whereas cholangiocytes express K7 and K19 in addition. K8/K18-deficient animals exhibit a marked susceptibility to various toxic agents and Fas-induced apoptosis. In humans, K8/K18 variants predispose to development of end-stage liver disease and acute liver failure (ALF). K8/K18 variants also associate with development of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Mallory-Denk bodies (MDBs) are protein aggregates consisting of ubiquitinated K8/K18, chaperones and sequestosome1/p62 (p62) as their major constituents. MDBs are found in various liver diseases including alcoholic and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and can be formed in mice by feeding hepatotoxic substances griseofulvin and 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC). MDBs also arise in cell culture after transfection with K8/K18, ubiquitin, and p62. Major factors that determine MDB formation in vivo are the type of stress (with oxidative stress as a major player), the extent of stress-induced protein misfolding and resulting chaperone, proteasome and autophagy overload, keratin 8 excess, transglutaminase activation with transamidation of keratin 8 and p62 upregulation

Family coordination in families who have a child with autism spectrum disorder

Little is known about the interactions of families where there is a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study applies the Lausanne Trilogue Play (LTP) to explore both its applicability to this population as well as to assess resources and areas of deficit in these families. The sample consisted of 68 families with a child with ASD, and 43 families with a typically developing (TD) child. With respect to the global score for family coordination there were several negative correlations: the more severe the symptoms (based on the child’s ADOS score), the more family coordination was dysfunctional. This correlation was particularly high when parents had to play together with the child. In the parts in which only one of the parents played actively with the child, while the other was simply present, some families did achieve scores in the functional range, despite the child’s symptom severity. The outcomes are discussed in terms of their clinical implications both for assessment and for interventio

The Growth and Tumor Suppressors NORE1A and RASSF1A Are Targets for Calpain-Mediated Proteolysis

Background: NORE1A and RASSF1A are growth and tumour suppressors inactivated in a variety of cancers. Methylation of NORE1A and RASSF1A promoters is the predominant mechanism for downregulation of these proteins; however, other mechanisms are likely to exist. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here we describe a proteolysis of NORE1A and RASSF1A by calpains as alternative mechanism of their downregulation. Extracts of H358 cell line, a human bronchoalveolar carcinoma, and H460, a large cell carcinoma, were capable of proteolysis of NORE1A protein in the calpain-dependent manner. Likewise, RASSF1A tumor suppressor was proteolyzed by the H358 cell extract. Addition of calpain inhibitor to H358 and H460 cells growing in tissue culture resulted in re-expression of endogenous NORE1A. A survey of 10 human lung tumours revealed that three of them contain an activity capable of inducing NORE1A degradation. Conclusions/Significance: Thus, degradation by calpains is a novel mechanism for downregulation of NORE1A and RASSF1A proteins and might be the mechanism allowing cancer cells to escape growth suppression

Is spoken language all-or-nothing? Implications for future speech-based human-machine interaction

Recent years have seen significant market penetration for voice-based personal assistants such as Apple’s Siri. However, despite this success, user take-up is frustratingly low. This article argues that there is a habitability gap caused by the inevitablemismatch between the capabilities and expectations of human users and the features and benefits provided by contemporary technology. Suggestions aremade as to how such problems might be mitigated, but a more worrisome question emerges: “is spoken language all-or-nothing”? The answer, based on contemporary views on the special nature of (spoken) language, is that there may indeed be a fundamental limit to the interaction that can take place between mismatched interlocutors (such as humans and machines). However, it is concluded that interactions between native and non-native speakers, or between adults and children, or even between humans and dogs, might provide critical inspiration for the design of future speech-based human-machine interaction

Expression of the transcription factor, TFII-I, during post-implantation mouse embryonic development

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>General transcription factor (TFII-I) is a multi-functional transcription factor encoded by the Gtf2i gene, that has been demonstrated to regulate transcription of genes critical for development. Because of the broad range of genes regulated by TFII-I as well as its potential role in a significant neuro-developmental disorder, developing a comprehensive expression profile is critical to the study of this transcription factor. We sought to define the timing and pattern of expression of TFII-I in post-implantation embryos at a time during which many putative TFII-I target genes are expressed.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Antibodies to the N-terminus of TFII-I were used to probe embryonic mouse sections. TFII-I protein is widely expressed in the developing embryo. TFII-I is expressed throughout the period from E8-E16. However, within this period there are striking shifts in localization from cytoplasmic predominant to nuclear. TFII-I expression varies in both a spatial and temporal fashion. There is extensive expression in neural precursors at E8. This expression persists at later stages. TFII-I is expressed in developing lung, heart and gut structures. There is no evidence of isoform specific expression. Available data regarding expression patterns at both an RNA and protein level throughout development are also comprehensively reviewed.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our immunohistochemical studies of the temporal and spatial expression patterns of TFII-I in mouse embryonic sections are consistent with the hypothesis that hemizygous deletion of <it>GTF2I </it>in individuals with Williams-Beuren Syndrome contributes to the distinct cognitive and physiological symptoms associated with the disorder.</p

Telecardiology and Remote Monitoring of Implanted Electrical Devices: The Potential for Fresh Clinical Care Perspectives

Telecardiology may help confront the growing burden of monitoring the reliability of implantable defibrillators/pacemakers. Herein, we suggest that the evolving capabilities of implanted devices to monitor patients’ status (heart rhythm, fluid overload, right ventricular pressure, oximetry, etc.) may imply a shift from strictly device-centered follow-up to perspectives centered on the patient (and patient-device interactions). Such approaches could provide improvements in health care delivery and clinical outcomes, especially in the field of heart failure. Major professional, policy, and ethical issues will have to be overcome to enable real-world implementation. This challenge may be relevant for the evolution of our health care systems