The effects of amino acid supplementation and medication of salmonella pullorum in chicks

The widespread and sometimes indiscriminate use of drugs and medicants has, in part, led to masking of the physiological and biochemical mechanisms involved in host-parasite relation-ships in certain bacterial diseases. Additional knowledge is needed in relation to physiological alterations with emphasis on the metabolic disturbances within the host during infection. The literature suggests that certain infectious diseases can cause alterations in protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism. The observations of Rettger (1909), indicating the presence of unabsorbed yolk in young chicks dying of pullorum disease, first suggested an impairment of metabolic processes. Although pullorum disease has been largely controlled by testing programs, there still exists a potential danger to the poultry industry from this disease. There is still no known treatment for pullorum disease in poultry that can guarantee complete recovery and control. Consequently, more needs to be known regarding host-parasite relationships, drug action and therapeutic evaluation of drugs in its control. Furthermore, this knowledge might well be applied to other bacterial infections. Dubos (1955) has done much to renew the interest in the biochemical basis to infection. With the metabolic disturbances in mind, Ross et al. (1955a) and Dooley et al. (1956) reported some major alterations in the nitrogen metabolism of chicks clinically infected with Salmonella pullorum. Among this findings was the observation that certain free and bound amino acids in the blood serum were depleted during the course of infection. Subsequent supplementation of some of the depleted amino acids resulted in prolonging the survival time of the fatally infected chicks. Much work has been done with dietary protein levels and disease interrelationships. However, little has been reported with respect to individual amino acids and disease interaction. The study reported in this thesis was undertaken to explore the aspects of amino acid deficiencies; supplementation of serum-deficient amino acids; and drug evaluation in search for a combined treatment that might be beneficial in treating chickens with pullorum disease

A Study of Bobwhite Quail Nest Initiation Dates, Clutch Sizes, and Hatch Sizes in Southwest Georgia

Nest initiation dates, size of clutches, and proportion of eggs hatching are presented for a high-density bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) population studied from 1967 through 1971 in southwest Georgia. Initiation dates were known for 680 nests that were active when found; of these, 379 nests (56%) were initiated before 16 June. Nesting success (percentage of all nests producing chicks) was low for these nests. Of 171 successful active nests with known initiation dates, only 38 (22%) were initiated before 16 June. Mean monthly clutch size decreased from March (25.0) to August (9.4). The mean clutch size for all nests was 12.0. The number of eggs hatching per nest also decreased from March (20.0) to August (8.4) with a mean of 9.9 eggs hatching for all nests

Newly discovered activities for calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 ): Implications for future pharmacological use

Recent studies have yielded new insights into the critical importance of adequate vitamin D 3 intake and metabolism. Investigations of the actions of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (calcitriol) on novel target tissues has revealed that this hormone has functions other than its recognized action in regulating blood calcium and phosphate levels. Reports have characterized calcitriol receptors and activities in organs and tissues as diverse as pancreas, skeletal and heart muscle, blood cells, brain, skin, pituitary, parathyroid, kidney, bone and intestine. These studies suggest functions for calcitriol as varied as the regulation of insulin and prolactin secretion, muscle contractility, immune cell metabolism, melanin synthesis and differentiation of blood cells. This information may ultimately help us to understand the etiologies of several kinds of organ dysfunction and lead to the development of tissue-specific agents for new therapies.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/50182/1/950040206_ftp.pd

Carotenoids are the likely precursor of a significant fraction of marine dissolved organic matter.

The ocean's biota sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) in part by producing dissolved organic matter (DOM) that persists in the ocean for millennia. This long-term accumulation of carbon may be facilitated by abiotic and biotic production of chemical structures that resist degradation, consequently contributing disproportionately to refractory DOM. Compounds that are selectively preserved in seawater were identified in solid-phase extracted DOM (PPL-DOM) using comprehensive gas chromatography (GC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS). These molecules contained cyclic head groups that were linked to isoprenoid tails, and their overall structures closely resembled carotenoid degradation products (CDP). The origin of these compounds in PPL-DOM was further confirmed with an in vitro β-carotene photooxidation experiment that generated water-soluble CDP with similar structural characteristics. The molecular-level identification linked at least 10% of PPL-DOM carbon, and thus 4% of total DOM carbon, to CDP. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of experimental CDP and environmental PPL-DOM overlapped considerably, which indicated that even a greater proportion of PPL-DOM was likely composed of CDP. The CDP-rich DOM fraction was depleted in radiocarbon (14C age > 1500 years), a finding that supports the possible long-term accumulation of CDP in seawater. By linking a specific class of widespread biochemicals to refractory DOM, this work provides a foundation for future studies that aim to examine how persistent DOM forms in the ocean

Application of diffracto sight ot the nondestructive inspection of aircraft structures

The D Sight optical set up was first assembled nearly ten years ago at Diffracto Ltd. It has received several patents, the first of which was in the United States [1]. Since the mid 1980’s, D Sight has been successfully applied to surface quality inspections, particularly in the automotive and plastics industries. Recently, Komorowski et al. [2–5] have shown several potential applications of D Sight in the field of nondestructive inspection of aircraft structures. The technique has been shown to be particularly effective in locating nonvisible impact damage on large surfaces of aircraft structures built from composite materials. The early work at the IAR, NRCC led to a development program for a D Sight based device for impact damage location. In parallel, new potential applications for D Sight have been identified

Investigating Disease Mechanisms and Drug Response Differences in Transcriptomics Sequencing Data

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)In eukaryotes, genetic information is encoded by DNA, transcribed to precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA), processed into mature messenger RNA (mRNA), and translated into functional proteins. Splicing of pre-mRNA is an important epigenetic process that alters the function of proteins through modifying the exon structure of mature mRNA transcripts and is known to greatly contribute to diversity of the human proteome. The vast majority of human genes are expressed through multiple transcript isoforms. Expression of genes through splicing of pre-mRNA plays crucial roles in cellular development, identity, and processes. Both the identity of genes selected for transcription and the specific transcript isoforms that are expressed are essential for normal cellular function. Deviations in gene expression or isoform proportion can be an indication or the cause of disease. RNA sequencing (RNAseq) is a high-throughput next-generation sequencing technology that allows for the interrogation of gene expression on a massive scale. RNAseq generates short sequences that reflect pieces of mRNAs present in a sample. RNAseq can therefore be used to explore differences in gene expression, reveal transcript isoform identities and compare changes in isoform proportions. In this dissertation, I design and apply advanced analysis techniques to RNAseq, phenotypic and drug response data to investigate disease mechanisms and drug sensitivity. Research Goals: The work described in this dissertation accomplishes 4 aims. Aim 1) Evaluate the gene expression signature of concussion in collegiate athletes and identify potential biomarkers for response and recovery. Aim 2) Implement a machine-learning algorithm to determine if splicing can predict drug response in cancer cell lines. Aim 3) Design a fast, scalable method to identify differentially spliced events related to cancer drug response. Aim 4) Construct a drug-splicing network and use a systems biology approach to search for similarities in underlying splicing events

A Numerical Model for Heat Transfer and Moisture Evaporation Processes in Hot-Press Drying—An Integral Approach

A numerical model, which was based on the energy principle that the rate of water evaporation from the interface (or wet line) at a given time during hot-press drying was controlled by the rate of heat energy reaching the interface at that time, has been developed. The model treated the drying as a process in which the retreat of the interface and free water flow to the interface occur simultaneously. After all parameters were determined according to the available literature and experiments, the numerical model worked well in predicting the drying curves from process and material variables. The model, which has a sound theoretical base but is numerically simple, has a good potential to be expanded for general high temperature drying and to be adopted in a production line to presort the lumber for good drying practice

Pectocarya anisocarpa, a new species of Boraginaceae, and a revised key for the genus in western North America

Pectocarya is a genus of 13 currently accepted taxa in Boraginaceae, subtribe Cryptanthinae. The genus has an amphitropical distribution in the New World, with eight taxa in western North America, seven in South America, and two occurring in both continents. Members of Pectocarya are distinctive in having a bilaterally or radially symmetrical fruit of four strongly divergent nutlets. Taxa within the genus are distinguished largely by the morphology of the nutlets, including shape, size, margin, posture, and variability both within a fruit and/or within a plant. Pectocarya anisocarpa (Boraginaceae) was previously named and described, but not validly published. Along with taxon-specific nutlet ornamentation, P. “anisocarpa” has fruits within a plant that are monomorphic and nutlets within a fruit that are heteromorphic. It is common throughout its range, which in the United States includes the southern half of California, Arizona, and southern Utah to the east. The species’ southernmost extent is in northwestern Baja California, Mexico. It is often encountered in mixed populations with congeners, and has been confused historically with P. penicillata and P. linearis var. ferocula in California and Baja California and P. heterocarpa in Arizona and Utah. Here we validly publish the name P. anisocarpa, as well as provide illustrations, an image of the holotype specimen, and a range map of the new taxon. A revised taxonomic key and photographs of the fruits of the North American Pectocarya taxa are also included