Manipulation of plasma myo-inositol in broiler chickens: effect on growth performance, dietary energy, nutrient availability, and hepatic function

This study investigated the effects of graded levels of myo-inositol (INS) in diets containing 2 levels of available P on growth performance, nutrient retention, liver N, fat and Vitamin E contents, INS and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentrations in blood plasma. A total of 120 male Ross 308 broilers were allocated to 60 small floor pens each holding 2 birds. Two basal mash diets were formulated to be nutritionally adequate for chicks at that age, with one diet designed to have the recommended available P content (RP) (4.8 g/kg non-phytate P) and the other diet containing low available P (LP) (2.5 g/kg non-phytate P). The 2 basal diets were split in 3 batches each and 2 of the batches were supplemented with INS at 3.0 and 30 g/kg diet, with the remaining batch of each basal diet not supplemented, giving a total of 6 experimental diets. Diets were fed ad libitum to 10 pens from 7 to 21 d age following randomization. Feeding RP diets improved (P 0.05) influence bird growth, dietary AME, or nutrient retention coefficients. Feeding INS linearly increased (P 0.05) the endogenous losses (measured as sialic acid concentration) in excreta. Dietary INS did not influence (P > 0.05) the hepatic Vitamin E concentration but increased (P < 0.001) the ALP in the blood of birds fed 30 g/kg INS. In conclusion, highlevel dietary INS supplementation did not affect bird growth performance, mineral availability, and endogenous losses, and there were no interactions between INS and P

The time-dependent expression of keratins 5 and 13 during the reepithelialization of human skin wounds

The time-dependent reepithelialization of 55 human surgical skin wounds with a wound age between 8h and more than 2 months was investigated by the immunohistochemical localization of cytokeratins 5 and 13. A complete, rebuilt epidermal layer over the wound area was first detectable in a 5-day-old wound, while all wounds of more than 18 days duration contained a completely reepithelialized wound area. Between 5 and 18 days the basal layer of keratinocytes showed — in contrast to normal skin — only some cells positive for cytokeratin 5. In some, but not all lesions with a wound age of 13 days or more, a basal cell layer completely staining for cytokeratin 5 was demonstrable. This staining pattern was found in all skin wounds with a wound age of more than 23 days. The immunohistochemical detection of cytokeratin 13 which can be observed regularly in non-cornifying squamous epithelia provides no information for the time-estimation of human skin wounds, since no significant temporary expression of this polypeptide seems to occur during the healing of human skin wounds

Comparison between human fetal and adult skin

Healing of early-gestation fetal wounds results in scarless healing. Since the capacity for regeneration is probably inherent to the fetal skin itself, knowledge of the fetal skin composition may contribute to the understanding of fetal wound healing. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression profiles of different epidermal and dermal components in the human fetal and adult skin. In the human fetal skin (ranging from 13 to 22 weeks’ gestation) and adult skin biopsies, the expression patterns of several epidermal proteins (K10, K14, K16, K17, SKALP, involucrin), basement membrane proteins, Ki-67, blood vessels and extracellular matrix proteins (fibronectin, chondroitin sulfate, elastin) were determined using immunohistochemistry. The expression profiles of K17, involucrin, dermal Ki-67, fibronectin and chondroitin sulfate were higher in the fetal skin than in adult skin. In the fetal skin, elastin was not present in the dermis, but it was found in the adult skin. The expression patterns of basement membrane proteins, blood vessels, K10, K14, K16 and epidermal Ki-67 were similar in human fetal skin and adult skin. In this systematic overview, most of the differences between fetal and adult skin were found at the level of dermal extracellular matrix molecules expression. This study suggests that, especially, dermal components are important in fetal scarless healing

A perspective on radical transformations to sustainability: resistances, movements and alternatives

A transformation to sustainability calls for radical and systemic societal shifts. Yet what this entails in practice and who the agents of this radical transformation are require further elaboration. This article recenters the role of environmental justice movements in transformations, arguing that the systemic, multi-dimensional and intersectional approach inherent in EJ activism is uniquely placed to contribute to the realization of equitable sustainable futures. Based on a perspective of conflict as productive, and a “conflict transformation” approach that can address the root issues of ecological conflicts and promote the emergence of alternatives, we lay out a conceptual framework for understanding transformations through a power analysis that aims to confront and subvert hegemonic power relations; that is, multi-dimensional and intersectional; balancing ecological concerns with social, economic, cultural and democratic spheres; and is multi-scalar, and mindful of impacts across place and space. Such a framework can help analyze and recognize the contribution of grassroots EJ movements to societal transformations to sustainability and support and aid radical transformation processes. While transitions literature tends to focus on artifacts and technologies, we suggest that a resistance-centred perspective focuses on the creation of new subjectivities, power relations, values and institutions. This recenters the agency of those who are engaged in the creation and recuperation of ecological and new ways of being in the world in the needed transformation

Substance or behavior as links? Explaining representational judgments

This chapter follows a subjective approach for evaluating representation and examines “citizens’ feeling of being represented” by the national parliament and their representatives. The authors examine this subject in two ways. The first explanatory approach emphasizes the relevance of substantive representation. In short, the more positively citizens perceive themselves to be represented concerning their values, issue preferences or their concerns as a member of a social group, the more positively they will evaluate the institutions and actors of the representational process. The second approach focuses on the behavior of representatives. It predicts representational judgments based on perceptions of MPs’ behavior. The results show that both explanatory approaches are relevant in explaining citizens’ representational judgments, but also suggest that perceptions of substantive representation are slightly more important than perceptions of MPs’ behavior