Evaluation of humoral immune responses in cattle grazing endophyte-infected or endophyte-free fescue

Anecdotal reports suggest cattle with fescue toxicosis may not respond to vaccination and thus, experience increased incidence of Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex (BRDC) when shipped to feedlots. Fescue toxicosis causes hypoprolactemia in cattle. Hypoprolactemia decreases humoral immune responses in mice. Therefore, a study was conducted to compare the magnitude of primary and secondary humoral immune responses against specific antigens in cattle grazing endophyte-infected or endophyte-free fescue. Angus steers were blocked by weight and allocated into four groups. Two groups grazed endophyte-infected (EI) fescue and the other two groups grazed endophyte-free (EF) fescue. All steers were injected IM on d 0 and 21 with lysozyme without adjuvant and concanavalin. A (Con A) with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in incomplete adjuvant of Freund. Steers were bled on days 0, 21 and 35 post-vaccination. Average daily gains (ADG), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, cholesterol concentrations, rectal temperatures, and serum prolactin concentrations were measured to confirm fescue toxicosis in steers grazing EI fescue. Antibodies to Con A and SRBC were determined by ELISA and hemagglutination assay, respectively. The ADG were decreased for the EI group during the first month. Rectal temperature were elevated and serum prolactin concentrations were decreased in the EI group. Cholesterol and ALP concentrations also were decreased in the EI group. Primary and secondary immune responses against Con A tended to be increased and were increased against SRBC in the EI group. Antibodies against lysozyme were not induced in either group. In conclusion, cattle grazing EI fescue mounted similar humoral immune responses to vaccination, despite hypoprolactemia, as cattle grazing EF fescue. Increases in bovine respiratory disease in cattle maintained on EI fescue probably is not associated with lack of humoral immune response to vaccination protocols as a result of fescue toxicosis.     

Cuprates intermediate between one and two dimensions

The key elements in all known cuprate superconductors are lightly doped CuO_i-planes. Recently a new homologous series of compounds Sr_n–1Cu_n+1O_2n have been reported in which the planes contain a parallel array of line defects which form a trellis lattice with ladder-segments of the square lattice weakly coupled through triangular line defects. The width of the ladder segments is determined by the parameter n and varies from single chains to arbitrarily wide ladders. The magnetic properties of undoped compounds will be dominated by the properties of the ladders. Heisenberg s = 1/2 ladders can have a spin liquid groundstate with a spin gap if the number of rungs is odd so that a short range RVB groundstate is predicted for such trellis lattices. Using a t-J model to describe the doped material leads to the prediction of a d-wave RVB superconducting groundstate with a large spin gap.     

Describing collaborative forms: a profile of the team-writingprocess

The paper examines collaborative writing practices students in the Air Force Institute of Technology's Graduate School of Logistics and Acquisition Management use to produce team-authored theses. In analyzing how student writing teams plan, execute, and assess writing activities, the researchers identify and describe some of the forms that collaboration takes, thereby successfully connecting their work within a broader research continuum concerning collaborative writing, particularly when applied in academic settings     

Brazing as a means of sealing ceramic membranes for use in advanced coal gasification processes

Coal is potentially a very inexpensive source of clean hydrogen fuel for use in fuel cells, turbines, and various process applications. To realize its potential however, efficient low-cost gas separation systems are needed to provide high purity oxygen that will enhance the coal gasification reaction and to extract hydrogen from the resulting gas product stream. Several types of inorganic membranes are being developed for hydrogen or oxygen separation, including porous alumina, transition metal oxide perovskites, and zirconia. Because they form the heart of the working device, numerous advances have been made in the fabrication and performance of these membrane materials. However, less emphasis has been placed on the materials that will be used in the balance of the device; in particular, the seals that bond the functional ceramic to the metallic structural component. In an effort to begin addressing this issue, we have examined ceramic-to-metal brazing as a method of sealing a model set of gas separation component materials: yttria-stabilized zirconia and stainless steel. In comparative high-temperature exposure testing of joints prepared using commercial brazes and a newly conceived braze alloy, the commercial material proved to be unsuitable due to excessive oxidation. On the other hand, the new material not only displayed superior oxidation resistance, but also excellent hermeticity in prototypic membrane testing.     

A Multisite Comparison of Actuarial Risk Instruments for Sex Offenders.

Four actuarial instruments for the prediction of violent and sexual reoffending (the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide [VRAG], Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide [SORAG], Rapid Risk Assessment for Sex Offender Recidivism [RRASOR], and Static-99) were evaluated in 4 samples of sex offenders (N = 396). Although all 4 instruments predicted violent (including sexual) recidivism and recidivism known to be sexually motivated, areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) were consistently higher for the VRAG and the SORAG. The instruments performed better when there were fewer missing items and follow-up time was fixed, with an ROC area up to .84 for the VRAG, for example, under such favorable conditions. Predictive accuracy was higher for child molesters than for rapists, especially for the Static-99 and the RRASOR. Consistent with past research, survival analyses revealed that those offenders high in both psychopathy and sexual deviance were an especially high-risk group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of vesnarinone, a novel orally active inotropic agent with an immunosuppressive action, on experimental cardiac transplantation in rats

BACKGROUND: Vesnarinone (VES) has been used for treatment of patients with congestive heart failure. In addition to inotropic effects, it seems to have immunosuppressive action. We tested the hypothesis that VES suppresses graft rejection, inotropic dysfunction caused by early rejection, and chronic coronary obstruction in a heterotopic rat cardiac transplantation model. METHODS: (1) To study acute rejection, hearts from Lewis-Brown Norway (LBN) rats were transplanted into Lewis rats, which were treated with or without VES (50 or 100 mg/kg/day orally). (2) In a functional study, LBN hearts with or without VES (100 mg/kg/ day) were isolated and perfused on day 3 after transplantation to assess inotropic response to isoproterenol (3 x 10(-8) M). (3) To study chronic rejection, Lewis hearts were transplanted into Fisher 344 rats, which were treated with or without VES (50 mg/kg/day) for 90 days. Coronary obstructive disease was assessed by morphometric analysis. There were five to six animals in each group. RESULTS: (1) VES (100 mg/kg/day) prolonged LBN heart survival (11.7 +/- 0.7 vs. 9.6 +/- 0.7 days in control; P < 0.05). (2) Left ventricular developed pressure was depressed in transplanted hearts regardless of VES treatment (84 +/- 12, 90 +/- 8 vs. 144 +/- 16 mmHg in untransplanted hearts; P < 0.01). The developed pressure after administration of isoproterenol in VES-treated hearts (184 +/- 20 mmHg) was higher than transplanted hearts without VES (118 +/- 16 mmHg; P < 0.05), and similar to untransplanted hearts (203 +/- 27 mmHg; P = NS). (3) Transplanted hearts treated with or without VES showed similar grades of rejection (2.0 +/- 0.3 vs. 2.6 +/- 0.2; P = NS), intimal area (6,996 +/- 3,186 vs. 13,441 +/- 5,165 microns2; NS), and coronary luminal obstruction (45 +/- 16% vs. 67 +/- 14%; NS). CONCLUSIONS: VES produces mild prolongation in survival of rat heart grafts, but has no significant effect on chronic graft atherosclerosis. VES preserves the positive inotropic effects of isoproterenol that are otherwise deteriorated by early acute rejection.     

High levels of ascorbic acid, not glutathione, in the CNS of anoxia-tolerant reptiles contrasted with levels in anoxia-intolerant species

Ascorbic acid and glutathione (GSH) are antioxidants and free radical scavengers that provide the first line of defense against oxidative damage in the CNS. Using HPLC with electrochemical detection, we determined tissue contents of these antioxidants in brain and spinal cord in species with varying abilities to tolerate anoxia, including anoxia-tolerant pond and box turtles, moderately tolerant garter snakes, anoxia-intolerant clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis), and intolerant Long-Evans hooded rats. These data were compared with ascorbate and GSH levels in selected regions of guinea pig CNS, human cortex, and values from the literature. Ascorbate levels in turtles were typically 100% higher than those in rat. Cortex, olfactory bulb, and dorsal ventricular ridge had the highest content in turtle, 5-6 mumol g-1 of tissue wet weight, which was twice that in rat cortex (2.82 +/- 0.05 mumol g-1) and threefold greater than in guinea pig cortex (1.71 +/- 0.03 mumol g-1). Regionally distinct levels (2-4 mumol g-1) were found in turtle cerebellum, optic lobe, brainstem, and spinal cord, with a decreasing anterior-to-posterior gradient. Ascorbate was lowest in white matter (optic nerve) in each species. Snake cortex and brainstem had significantly higher ascorbate levels than in rat or guinea pig, although other regions had comparable or lower levels. Frog ascorbate was generally in an intermediate range between that in rat and guinea pig. In contrast to ascorbate, GSH levels in anoxia-tolerant turtles, 2-3 mumol g-1 of tissue wet weight, were similar to those in mammalian or amphibian brain, with no consistent pattern associated with anoxia tolerance. GSH levels in pond turtle CNS were significantly higher (by 10-20%) than in rat for several regions but were generally lower than in guinea pig or frog. GSH in box turtle and snake CNS were the same or lower than in rat or guinea pig. The distribution GSH in the CNS also had a decreasing anterior-to-posterior gradient but with less variability than ascorbate: levels were similar in optic nerve, brainstem, and spinal cord. The paradoxically high levels of ascorbate in turtle brain, which has a lower rate of oxidative metabolism than mammalian, suggest that ascorbate is an essential cerebral antioxidant. High levels may have evolved to protect cells from oxidative damage when aerobic metabolism resumes after a hypoxic dive.     

Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of chromosome 1p36 deletions in human MYCN amplified neuroblastoma

Artificial illumination is an important factor in the management of layers. In this study, a new monochromatic light system was developed for egg layers. Prelaying pullets (Lohmann) were marked and housed in nine light and temperature control rooms (15 battery cages, 3 hens per cage; n = 45), divided into three light treatments: 0.1 and 0.01 W/m2 light intensity using light emitting diode (LED) lamps and 0.1 W/m2 using mini-fluorescent bulbs (PL) (control). In each of the LED rooms, three wavelengths were tested: 560 (n = 9), 660 (n = 9), 880 (n = 6), and 660 intermitted lighting (15 min light 45 min dark, 660IN) (n = 9). Birds were exposed to 12 h light and 12 h of darkness using PL lamps. At 21 wk of age, the light period was increased to 12.75 h by using 5.5 h of LED lamps and 7.25 of PL light source for Groups 1 and 2, the third group received 12.75 h of PL light. Until 28 wk of age, light hours increased by 0.5 h/w using LED light for Groups 1 and 2 and PL source for the third group, reaching 16 h of light at 28 wk of age. Egg production and feed consumption were recorded daily; egg components were recorded weekly for 10 mo. A significant reduction in egg production was observed in all 880nm groups; no differences in egg production and quality were found in the other groups. Feed consumption was significantly lower by 7% in all 0.01 W/m2 groups. We suggest that an important reduction in rearing costs of laying hens may be obtained by using this system.     

The Mayo Clinic-Canadian Cooperative trial of sulfasalazine in active multiple sclerosis

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether sulfasalazine is better than placebo in slowing disability progression in MS. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trial, 199 patients with active relapsing-remitting (n = 151) or progressive (n = 48) MS were evaluated at 3-month intervals for a minimum of 3 years (94% completed 3 years of follow-up; mean follow-up, 3.7 years). MRI studies were performed at 6-month intervals on a subset of 89 patients. RESULTS: Sulfasalazine failed to slow or prevent disability progression as measured by the primary outcome (confirmed worsening of the Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] score by at least 1.0 point on two consecutive 3-month visits). Sulfasalazine influenced favorably a number of secondary outcomes during the first 18 months of the trial (e.g., annualized relapse rate, proportion of relapse-free patients; progressive subgroup only: rate of EDSS progression at 1 and 2 years, median time to EDSS progression) but these positive findings were not sustained into the second half of the trial. CONCLUSIONS: Sulfasalazine does not prevent EDSS score progression in the subset of MS patients studied by this protocol. Treatments may improve relapse-related outcomes in MS, at least temporarily, without providing sustained slowing of EDSS progression. Phase III MS trials should be of sufficient length to determine a meaningful impact on disease course.