Compositions, probiotic formulations and methods to promote digestion and improve nutrition in poultry

The present disclosure relates to probiotic compositions, formulations and methods for promoting digestion and improving nutrition in birds, and probiotic compositions and formulations for increasing enzyme production and improving parameters and indications in birds

Poultry probiotic vaccine compositions and methods of use thereof

Provided herein are compositions including a probiotic including at least one strain of live bacteria and a Marek\u27s Disease vaccine. Compositions including a probiotic or a probiotic and a Marek\u27s Disease vaccine may be administered to subjects, including poultry. The compositions may be administered in ovo to increase early lactic acid bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, to decrease the gram negative bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, to reduce the level of Salmonella in the gastrointestinal tract of the subject and to increase the body weight gain of the subject. Also provided are kits including a probiotic and a Marek\u27s Disease vaccine

Mucosal adjuvants and delivery systems

Adjuvants comprising chitosan cross-linked with an aldehyde or mannosylated chitosan are provided herein. Methods of making the adjuvants and methods of combining or linking the adjuvants with antigens are also provided. The adjuvant-antigen combinations can be used in vaccine formulations and the vaccine formulations can be used in methods to vaccinate animals against the source of the antigen or to enhance the immune response in a subject

Compositions and methods of enhancing immune responses to Eimeria

Vaccines comprising TRAP polypeptides and Salmonella enteritidis vectors comprising TRAP polypeptides are provided. The vaccines may also include a CD154 polypeptide capable of binding to CD40. Also provided are methods of enhancing an immune response against Apicomplexan parasites and methods of reducing morbidity associated with infection with Apicomplexan parasites

Compositions and methods of enhancing immune responses to Eimeria

Vaccines comprising TRAP polypeptides and Salmonella enteritidis vectors comprising TRAP polypeptides are provided. The vaccines may also include a CD154 polypeptide capable of binding to CD40. Also provided are methods of enhancing an immune response against Apicomplexan parasites and methods of reducing morbidity associated with infection with Apicomplexan parasites

Methods and compositions including spore-forming bacteria for increasing the health of animals

Describe methods, compositions and bacterial isolates for improving the gastrointestinal health of animals and in particular of poultry are provided herein. The methods include administering an endospore-forming bacteria to an animal. The bacteria are selected for the ability to reduce the growth and presence of bacterial pathogens, such as Salmonella, Clostridium, and Campylobacter, in the gastrointestinal tract of the animal. The bacteria are also selected for the ability to improve at least one production parameter in the animal

Optimizing flushing parameters in intracoronary optical coherence tomography: an in vivo swine study

Intracoronary optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI), requires the displacement of blood for clear visualization of the artery wall. Radiographic contrast agents are highly effective at displacing blood however, may increase the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy. Flushing media viscosity, flow rate, and flush duration influence the efficiency of blood displacement necessary for obtaining diagnostic quality OFDI images. The aim of this work was to determine the optimal flushing parameters necessary to reliably perform intracoronary OFDI while reducing the volume of administered radiographic contrast, and assess the influence of flushing media choice on vessel wall measurements. 144 OFDI pullbacks were acquired together with synchronized EKG and intracoronary pressure wire recordings in three swine. OFDI images were graded on diagnostic quality and quantitative comparisons of flushing efficiency and intracoronary cross-sectional area with and without precise refractive index calibration were performed. Flushing media with higher viscosities resulted in rapid and efficient blood displacement. Media with lower viscosities resulted in increased blood-media transition zones, reducing the pullback length of diagnostic quality images obtained. Flushing efficiency was found to increase with increases in flow rate and duration. Calculations of lumen area using different flushing media were significantly different, varying up to 23 % (p < 0.0001). This error was eliminated with careful refractive index calibration. Flushing media viscosity, flow rate, and flush duration influence the efficiency of blood displacement necessary for obtaining diagnostic quality OFDI images. For patients with sensitivity to contrast, to reduce the risk of contrast induced nephrotoxicity we recommend that intracoronary OFDI be conducted with flushing solutions containing little or no radiographic contrast. In addition, our findings show that careful refractive index compensation should be performed, taking into account the specific contrast agent used, in order to obtain accurate intravascular OFDI measurements.Merck & Co., Inc.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant Numbers R00CA134920, R01HL076398, R01HL093717

Method for Bacteriophage Delivery and Amplification

Methods of selecting wide host range bacteriophage capable of growing in a plurality of bacteria including pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria and bacteriophage selected are described. In addition to methods of treating a subject infected with a pathogenic bacterium using bacteriophage, of decontaminating objects using bacteriophage, of producing vaccines. In another aspect, methods of determining bacterial viability and methods of improving the sensitivity of a biosensor using wide host range bacteriophages are also disclosed

Method for bacteriophage delivery and amplification

Methods of selecting wide host range bacteriophage capable of growing in a plurality of bacteria including pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria and bacteriophage selected by the methods are disclosed. Also disclosed are: methods of treating a subject infected with a pathogenic bacterium using bacteriophage, of decontaminating objects using bacteriophage, and of producing vaccines. In another aspect, methods of determining bacterial viability and of improving the sensitivity of a biosensor using wide host range bacteriophages are also disclosed

Compositions and methods of enhancing immune responses to Eimeria

Vaccines comprising TRAP polypeptides and Salmonella enteritidis vectors comprising TRAP polypeptides are provided. The vaccines may also include a CD154 polypeptide capable of binding to CD40. Methods of enhancing an immune response against Apicomplexan parasites and methods of reducing morbidity associated with infection with Apicomplexan parasites are also provided