Effect of manipulation of growth and fermentation patterns on nutrient availability and performance of feedlot cattle

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. August 2019. Major: Animal Sciences. Advisors: Marshall Stern, Alfredo DiCostanzo. 1 computer file (PDF); xii, 167 pages.Alteration of ruminal environment by nutritional strategy presents opportunities for manipulating beef cattle growth. Changing fermentation patterns by altering feed type can impact both the composition and rate of gain in beef cattle. Three experiments were conducted to examine the effect of manipulation of growth and fermentation patterns on nutrient availability and performance of feedlot cattle. Experiment 1 studied the impact of ruminal environment on the passage of omega-3 fatty acids through the rumen of grass-fed verses grain-fed cattle. Omasal samples were collected from steers fed either fresh green chop, a high grain diet supplemented with flaxseed oil, or a high grain diet supplemented with corn oil. Regardless of diet, fatty acids with the greatest number of unsaturated bonds found in the highest abundance were transformed preferentially. Despite no differences (P = 0.88) in omega-3 transformation across treatments, grain-fed cattle with a flaxseed oil supplement demonstrated the greatest (P < 0.01) g of omega-3 fatty acid flow escaping biohydrogenation due to an increase in intake of dietary omega-3 fatty acids. Experiment 2 evaluated how utilization of bio-fuel coproducts impacts rumen environment and fatty acid profile at end point of fermentation. Omasal samples were collected from steers fed a steam flaked corn (SFC) basal diet with a portion of corn replaced by distillers grains (DGS) (40%), crude glycerin (GLY) (10%) or both. Total unsaturated fatty acids concentration in digesta were not different (P = 0.43) for the main effect of GLY, which indicates GLY is an effective alternative to corn when provided at the dietary concentrations evaluated in this study. The decrease (P < 0.01) in unsaturated fatty acids in digesta for main effect of DGS may be beneficial for shelf life stability of meat. Experiment 3 used a meta-analysis approach to examine how nutritional strategy and performance during a post-weaning growing phase can be used to predict finishing performance and carcass characteristics. When examining feedlot and carcass performance attributes by growing strategy factors, like ADGgrowing, DOFgrowing, and initial BWfinishing, interacted to create the most optimal compensatory gain response. Optimal combinations of DOFgrowing and initial BWgrowing differed between performance characteristics (Table 4.6) but as an average across dressing percent, LMA, Final BWfinishing, and HCW it was identified that maximized performance occurred when cattle began the growing phase around 240 kg

Effect of Sulfur Content of Distillers Grains on Protein Digestion in Ruminants using In Situ and In Vitro Procedures

This research was supported by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

Evaluation of the Alaska Native Health Board Sanitation Facility Operation and Maintenance Program: Final Report on Phase III Projects and Extended Phase II Projects

Nina Miller, project manager at the Alaska Native Health Board, and Joe Sarcone, rural sanitation coordinator at EPA’s Alaska Regional Office, were also invaluable members of the team, providing all the field notes, project documents, and implementation information for this report. We gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of personnel in the demonstration communities, as well as review and consultation by members of the project's coordinating committee.The Alaska Native Health Board (ANHB) has a multi-year project funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Wastewater Management, to administer sanitation facilities operations and maintenance (O&M) demonstration grants in rural Alaska. Nine projects were funded in the first wave, beginning in April 1996. Nineteen projects, including two carry- overs from the first wave, were funded in the second wave, which started in April 1997. The third and last wave, with seven projects, started in April 1998. The Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Alaska Anchorage is monitoring and evaluating the individual sanitation facility O&M projects and the program overall. EPA initially funded this work; it is now funded by ANHB. The research design and the underlying program design differ somewhat across the three phases. The innovation in the Phase III design was the addition of mentor communities to assist project communities. This report comprises the final evaluation for the seven Phase III community projects and four Phase II projects that extended beyond the deadline for the Phase II report.Alaska Native Health Board Office of Wastewater Management (EPA

INCREASING ACCESS TO FREE SCHOOL LUNCHES IN DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NC TO ADDRESS YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES VIA REDUCING FOOD INSECURITY STRESS

The social and community context a child grows up in greatly influences their health over the course of their life. Healthy mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) development is essential for building resistance to stress during childhood and throughout the lifespan. However, without proper nutrition and access to healthy foods, healthy MEB development cannot occur and poor mental health outcomes result. According to the 2019 Durham County Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 32% of middle school students and 35% of high school students reported feeling depressed in the past year (Davis, 2019). This proposal aims to improve mental health among Black and Latino youth in Durham County through free school lunches (FSL) at all Durham Public Schools. Schools that are eligible for and willing to apply for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) will be incentivized to do so, while additional funding will be secured to implement FSL at schools that do not receive CEP. Behavioral outcomes associated with free meal programs include reduction in hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, and a reduced surge in disciplinary infractions (Hanks, n.d.).Master of Public Healt

INCREASING ACCESS TO FREE SCHOOL LUNCHES IN DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NC TO ADDRESS YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES VIA REDUCING FOOD INSECURITY STRESS

The social and community context a child grows up in greatly influences their health over the course of their life. Healthy mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) development is essential for building resistance to stress during childhood and throughout the lifespan. However, without proper nutrition and access to healthy foods, healthy MEB development cannot occur and poor mental health outcomes result. According to the 2019 Durham County Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 32% of middle school students and 35% of high school students reported feeling depressed in the past year (Davis, 2019). This proposal aims to improve mental health among Black and Latino youth in Durham County through free school lunches (FSL) at all Durham Public Schools. Schools that are eligible for and willing to apply for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) will be incentivized to do so, while additional funding will be secured to implement FSL at schools that do not receive CEP. Behavioral outcomes associated with free meal programs include reduction in hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, and a reduced surge in disciplinary infractions (Hanks, n.d.).Master of Public Healt

INCREASING ACCESS TO FREE SCHOOL LUNCHES IN DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NC TO ADDRESS YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES VIA REDUCING FOOD INSECURITY STRESS

The social and community context a child grows up in greatly influences their health over the course of their life. Healthy mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) development is essential for building resistance to stress during childhood and throughout the lifespan. However, without proper nutrition and access to healthy foods, healthy MEB development cannot occur and poor mental health outcomes result. According to the 2019 Durham County Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 32% of middle school students and 35% of high school students reported feeling depressed in the past year (Davis, 2019). This proposal aims to improve mental health among Black and Latino youth in Durham County through free school lunches (FSL) at all Durham Public Schools. Schools that are eligible for and willing to apply for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) will be incentivized to do so, while additional funding will be secured to implement FSL at schools that do not receive CEP. Behavioral outcomes associated with free meal programs include reduction in hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, and a reduced surge in disciplinary infractions (Hanks, n.d.).Master of Public Healt

Mapping and characterization of structural variation in 17,795 human genomes

Structural variants in more than 17,000 human genomes are mapped and characterized using whole-genome sequencing, showing how this type of variation contributes to rare deleterious coding and noncoding alleles. A key goal of whole-genome sequencing for studies of human genetics is to interrogate all forms of variation, including single-nucleotide variants, small insertion or deletion (indel) variants and structural variants. However, tools and resources for the study of structural variants have lagged behind those for smaller variants. Here we used a scalable pipeline(1)to map and characterize structural variants in 17,795 deeply sequenced human genomes. We publicly release site-frequency data to create the largest, to our knowledge, whole-genome-sequencing-based structural variant resource so far. On average, individuals carry 2.9 rare structural variants that alter coding regions; these variants affect the dosage or structure of 4.2 genes and account for 4.0-11.2% of rare high-impact coding alleles. Using a computational model, we estimate that structural variants account for 17.2% of rare alleles genome-wide, with predicted deleterious effects that are equivalent to loss-of-function coding alleles; approximately 90% of such structural variants are noncoding deletions (mean 19.1 per genome). We report 158,991 ultra-rare structural variants and show that 2% of individuals carry ultra-rare megabase-scale structural variants, nearly half of which are balanced or complex rearrangements. Finally, we infer the dosage sensitivity of genes and noncoding elements, and reveal trends that relate to element class and conservation. This work will help to guide the analysis and interpretation of structural variants in the era of whole-genome sequencing.Peer reviewe

Mitochondrial genome copy number measured by DNA sequencing in human blood is strongly associated with metabolic traits via cell-type composition differences

BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial genome copy number (MT-CN) varies among humans and across tissues and is highly heritable, but its causes and consequences are not well understood. When measured by bulk DNA sequencing in blood, MT-CN may reflect a combination of the number of mitochondria per cell and cell-type composition. Here, we studied MT-CN variation in blood-derived DNA from 19184 Finnish individuals using a combination of genome (N = 4163) and exome sequencing (N = 19034) data as well as imputed genotypes (N = 17718). RESULTS: We identified two loci significantly associated with MT-CN variation: a common variant at the MYB-HBS1L locus (P = 1.6 × 10 CONCLUSION: These results suggest that measurements of MT-CN in blood-derived DNA partially reflect differences in cell-type composition and that these differences are causally linked to insulin and related traits

IFNAR2 Is Required for Anti-influenza Immunity and Alters Susceptibility to Post-influenza Bacterial Superinfections

Influenza virus infections particularly when followed by bacterial superinfections (BSI) result in significant morbidities and mortalities especially during influenza pandemics. Type I interferons (IFNs) regulate both anti-influenza immunity and host susceptibility to subsequent BSIs. These type I IFNs consisting of, among others, 14 IFN-α's and a single IFN-β, are recognized by and signal through the heterodimeric type I IFN receptor (IFNAR) comprised of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2. However, the individual receptor subunits can bind IFN-β or IFN-α's independently of each other and induce distinct signaling. The role of type I IFN signaling in regulating host susceptibility to both viral infections and BSI has been only examined with respect to IFNAR1 deficiency. Here, we demonstrate that despite some redundancies, IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 have distinct roles in regulating both anti-influenza A virus (IAV) immunity and in shaping host susceptibility to subsequent BSI caused by S. aureus. We found IFNAR2 to be critical for anti-viral immunity. In contrast to Ifnar1−/− mice, IAV-infected Ifnar2−/− mice displayed both increased and accelerated morbidity and mortality compared to WT mice. Furthermore, unlike IFNAR1, IFNAR2 was sufficient to generate protection from lethal IAV infection when stimulated with IFN-β. With regards to BSI, unlike what we found previously in Ifnar1−/− mice, Ifnar2−/− mice were not susceptible to BSI induced on day 3 post-IAV, even though absence of IFNAR2 resulted in increased viral burden and an increased inflammatory environment. The Ifnar2−/− mice similar to what we previously found in Ifnar1−/− mice were less susceptible than WT mice to BSI induced on day 7 post-IAV, indicating that signaling through a complete receptor increases BSI susceptibility late during clinical IAV infection. Thus, our results support a role for IFNAR2 in induction of anti-IAV immune responses that are involved in altering host susceptibility to BSI and are essential for decreasing the morbidity and mortality associated with IAV infection. These results begin to elucidate some of the mechanisms involved in how the individual IFNAR subunits shape the anti-viral immune response. Moreover, our results highlight the importance of examining the contributions of entire receptors, as individual subunits can induce distinct outcomes as shown here