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The Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) web portal hosts genomic data generated by the ENCODE Consortium, Genomics of Gene Regulation, The NIH Roadmap Epigenomics Consortium, and the modENCODE and modERN projects. The goal of the ENCODE project is to build a comprehensive map of the functional elements of the human and mouse genomes. Currently, the portal database stores over 500 TB of raw and processed data from over 15,000 experiments spanning assays that measure gene expression, DNA accessibility, DNA and RNA binding, DNA methylation, and 3D chromatin structure across numerous cell lines, tissue types, and differentiation states with selected genetic and molecular perturbations. The ENCODE portal provides unrestricted access to the aforementioned data and relevant metadata as a service to the scientific community. The metadata model captures the details of the experiments, raw and processed data files, and processing pipelines in human and machine-readable form and enables the user to search for specific data either using a web browser or programmatically via REST API. Furthermore, ENCODE data can be freely visualized or downloaded for additional analyses. © 2019 The Authors. Basic Protocol: Query the portal Support Protocol 1: Batch downloading Support Protocol 2: Using the cart to download files Support Protocol 3: Visualize data Alternate Protocol: Query building and programmatic access.

Background: In a previous controlled study, we investigated the relationship between Bordetella pertussis infections and sudden unexpected deaths among German infants (sudden infant death syndrome, SIDS). In this present study, we investigated further the respiratory pathology in a subset of infants in the original study. Methods: Originally, there were 234 infants with SIDS and, of these, 12 had either a nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) or a tracheal swab specimen (TS) that was positive for B. pertussis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Here, tissue specimens from eight infants who were originally PCR-positive were compared with tissue specimens from seven infants in whom the original PCR studies were negative. Results: The histopathologic diagnoses were as follows: 14 of 15 had pulmonary edema and the remaining case had early diffuse alveolar damage. Although 14 of 15 cases had some histologic or clinical evidence suggesting respiratory tract infection, the features were more consistent with a viral etiology, and in none were the findings typical of respiratory disease attributable to B. pertussis. Conclusions: The findings in this present investigation do not support a direct role of B. pertussis at the site of infection (ciliated epithelium) in the causation of SIDS. The clinical aspects of this study were carried out in the 1990s when pertussis was widespread in Germany. Therefore, the original finding of some PCR-positive cases is not surprising. The possibility that B. pertussis infection could still be a factor in some SIDS cases, e.g., by a systemic release of toxins, cannot be definitely ruled out

Long-term measurements of ecological effects of warming are often not statistically significant because of annual variability or signal noise. These are reduced in indicators that filter or reduce the noise around the signal and allow effects of climate warming to emerge. In this way, certain indicators act as medium pass filters integrating the signal over years-to-decades. In the Alaskan Arctic, the 25-year record of warming of air temperature revealed no significant trend, yet environmental and ecological changes prove that warming is affecting the ecosystem. The useful indicators are deep permafrost temperatures, vegetation and shrub biomass, satellite measures of canopy reflectance (NDVI), and chemical measures of soil weathering. In contrast, the 18-year record in the Greenland Arctic revealed an extremely high summer air-warming of 1.3 °C/decade; the cover of some plant species increased while the cover of others decreased. Useful indicators of change are NDVI and the active layer thickness.

Genome-wide expression profiling with DNA microarrays has and will provide a great deal of data to the plant scientific community. However, reliability concerns have required the development data quality tests for common systematic biases. Fortunately, most large-scale systematic biases are detectable and some are correctable by normalization. Technical replication experiments and statistical surveys indicate that these biases vary widely in severity and appearance. As a result, no single normalization or correction method currently available is able to address all the issues. However, careful sequence selection, array design, experimental design and experimental annotation can substantially improve the quality and biological of microarray data. In this review, we discuss these issues with reference to examples from the Arabidopsis Functional Genomics Consortium (AFGC) microarray project.

Although about 1 percent of surgeons are infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), transmission from surgeons to patients is thought to be uncommon. In July 1992, a 47-year-old woman became ill with acute hepatitis B after undergoing a thymectomy in which a thoracic-surgery resident who had had acute hepatitis B six months earlier assisted.To determine whether the surgeon transmitted HBV to this patient and others, we conducted chart reviews, interviews, and serologic testing of thoracic-surgery patients at the two hospitals where the surgeon worked from July 1991 to July 1992. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) subtypes and DNA sequences from the surgeon and from infected patients were determined.Of 144 susceptible patients in whose surgery the infected surgeon participated, 19 had evidence of recent HBV infection (13 percent). One of the hospitals was selected for additional study, and none of the 124 susceptible patients of the other thoracic surgeons at this hospital had evidence of recent HBV infection (relative risk, infinity; 95 percent confidence interval, 4.7 to infinity). No evidence was found for any common source of HBV other than the infected surgeon. The HBsAg subtype and the partial HBV DNA sequences from the surgeon were identical to those in the infected patients. Transmission of the infection was associated with cardiac transplantation (relative risk, 4.9; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.5 to 15.5) but not with other surgical procedures. The surgeon was positive for hepatitis B e antigen and had a high serum HBV DNA concentration (15 ng per milliliter). Our investigations identified no deficiencies in the surgeon's infection-control practices.In this outbreak there was surgeon-to-patient HBV transmission despite apparent compliance with recommended infection-control practices. We could not identify any specific events that led to transmission.

The solution to the problem of os calcis fractures has not yet been found. While Boehler has done much to focus attention on the care of these fractures, it is doubtful if he has evolved a satisfactory method of treatment. His method carries with it certain dangers and appears to give but an indifferent end result. Other methods of treatment would appear worthy of trial.

Following up 107 operations for varicose veins over a 2-year period, 89 have been re-examined and the results of operation reviewed. The results have been listed as “ good ” (67), “fair” (9), and “failure “’ (13). Where ulceration has been present the result of operation would appear to have been very gratifying, with 20 cured out of 25.

Suspension culture cells of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) were examined using transmission electron microscopy to characterize morphological changes associated with hyperthermal stress. Cultures maintained at 26°C (unadapted cells) and 38°C (thermoadapted cells) were examined before and after exposure to elevated temperatures of 34°C and 45°C, respectively. Observations indicate that while there were significant ultrastructural differences between unadapted and thermoadapted cells, the following structural modifications in response to heat stress were observed in cells of both cultures: (a) almost a complete loss of polyribosomes, rough ER, and dictyosomes, (b) migration of intracellular waste material (presumably proteinaceous in composition) into the cell vacuole, (c) swelling of the nucleolus with assumed accumulation of preribosomal RNP granules, and (d) retraction of the tonoplast from the cytoplasm into the vacuoles of some cells. Heat shock granules (two size classes) were observed in the cytoplasm of stressed thermoadapted cells along with hollow-cored granules within the leucoplasts. Apart from a few minor differences, the morphological modifications that were made in apparent response to hyperthermal stress were remarkably similar in both cultures.

This unit outlines a variety of methods by which DNA sequences can be manipulated by computers. Procedures for entering sequence data into the computer and assembling raw sequence data into a contiguous sequence are described first, followed by a description of methods of analyzing and manipulating sequences--e.g., verifying sequences, constructing restriction maps, designing oligonucleotides, identifying protein-coding regions, and predicting secondary structures. This unit also provides information on the large amount of software available for sequence analysis. The appendix to this unit lists some of the commercial software, shareware, and free software related to DNA sequence manipulation. The goal of this unit is to serve as a starting point for researchers interested in utilizing the tremendous sequencing resources available to the computer-knowledgeable molecular biology laboratory.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene (THR1) encoding homoserine kinase (HK; EC 2.7.1.39) was cloned by complementation in yeast. Disruption of the THR1 gene results in threonine auxotrophy in yeast. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of yeast and bacterial HKs reveals substantial similarity.

Eight feeding trials of 8 weeks duration were conducted to evaluate cassava leaf meal (CLM) as a replacement for coconut oil meal (COM) in tropical broiler diets. Diets containing 0, 10, 20, and 30% CLM that replaced COM were fed in Trials 1 and 2. Broiler performance was improved at the 10% CLM level. However, 20 and 30% levels of CLM resulted in depressions in gain, feed intake, and feed efficiency. Liver and spleen weights (percent of body weight) increased linearly with increasing levels of CLM. Carcass pigmentation values, as measured by Roche color fan, favored CLM-based diets. Results of Trial 3 showed that broilers can tolerate a level of 15% CLM without adversely affecting their growth. In Trials 4 and 5, supplementation of methionine improved the gains of birds fed the 20% CLM diet but had no beneficial effect when added to the basal diet. All response criteria were improved when 3% soybean oil was added to the basal or the 20% CLM diet in Trials 6 and 7. Further addition of methionine had no effect on the performance of birds fed the basal diet but improved growth of those fed the 20% CLM diet. In Trial 8, gains of broilers tended (P

The effects of glucose and 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) on food intake and water consumption were investigated in broiler chicks. Artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) containing either glucose or the glucose antimetabolite 2-DG was injected into the lateral brain ventricles of fasted and satiated chicks. The satiated chicks received 10 microliters of CSF containing either 5 or 10% 2-DG, whereas those fasted for 24 hr received CSF with 10, 20, or 30% glucose (dextrose) in 10 microliters volumes. Chicks were maintained in a thermoneutral environment with continuous lighting. Intraventricular injections of 5 or 10% 2-DG had no significant effect on food intake or water consumption in the fully-fed chicks. In the 24-hr fasted chicks, 10% glucose had no effect on food or water intake. The decrease in food intake observed following the injection of 20 and 30% glucose appeared to be an osmotic effect. Based on results obtained, it was suggested that selection for increased growth rate, such as in broilers, may have resulted in a decrease in glucoreceptor sensitivity. Such a decrease in sensitivity could lead to an increased food intake as occurs in broilers.

Five microliters of a solution containing either 0, .5, 1.0, 2.0, or 5.0 mg of gold thioglucose (GTG), dissolved in autoclaved distilled water, was injected into the third ventricle of the brains of 45 nine-week-old chickens. The level of GTG administered was linearly related to mortality but had no influence on either feed consumption or body weight gain through 9 weeks postsurgery. Surviving birds were sacrificed and the brains processed for histological studies. There was no evidence of a selective GTG uptake by ventromedial hypothalamic cells, suggesting an absence of glucoreceptors as demonstrated in some mammals. A species difference in GTG sensitivity has not been ruled out by these data.

Data were obtained from 8-week-old females for body weight, breast weight, percentage carcass fat, weight of the sartorial and abdominal fat depots, and the number and size of adipocytes in the abdominal fat depot in parental lines and various crosses of Japanese quail. Correlations of breast weight with body weight, abdominal and sartorial fat depot weight, and percentage carcass fat were positive, significant, and of a similar magnitude. The relationship of body weight with percentage carcass fat was positive and significant, while those between body weight and sartorial and abdominal depot weight and size and number of adipocytes were low. Percentage carcass fat was highly correlated in a positive manner with the weight of the sartorial and abdominal fat depots. Also, there were highly significant positive correlations between depot weights and the number and size of abdominal adipocytes.

Forty-nine patients participated in a randomized double-blind, parallel group comparison of beclomethasone dipropionate aqueous nasal spray with terfenadine tablets in the treatment of hay fever. Symptom scores for nasal and ocular symptoms as well as grass pollen counts were registered daily for at least 1 month. Evaluation of daily symptom scores and the physicians' and patients' assessments of treatment demonstrated that both treatments were effective in controlling the symptoms of hay fever, with a similar incidence of side-effects. The beclomethasone dipropionate group, in general, had lower nasal symptom scores than the terfenadine group and this reached statistical significance on high pollen count days. In contrast, the terfenadine group had lower eye symptom scores than the other group and these were statistically significant during the first half of the study period. However, the use of additional medication for control of eye symptoms was similar in both groups. It is concluded that treatment with both beclomethasone dipropionate and terfenadine throughout the season was effective in controlling hay fever symptoms, but beclomethasone dipropionate is likely to provide better overall control since it prevented breakthrough of troublesome nasal symptoms during high pollen count days.

We compared feed intake responses of White Leghorn pullets to the dilution of corn-soybean meal, mash diets with cellulose (20%) to decrease feed density and with sand (20%) to increase feed density. Although isocaloric, the intakes of the cellulose-supplemented (CS) and sand-supplemented (SS) diets differed significantly. During the initial period of 24 hr after the diets were assigned, pullets fed the CS diet consumed significantly less feed than controls while those fed the SS diet ate about the same amount as the controls. These differences in feed consumption did not appear to correspond to differences in feed density. Over a period of 49 days, the pullets fed the CS diet consumed significantly more feed but fewer calories, exhibited decreased egg production, and gained less weight than the controls. The caloric intake, egg production, and body weight gain of the pullets fed the SS diet did not significantly differ from control values during this 49-day period. When the pullets fed the CS and SS diets were switched to the basal diet, those previously fed the CS diet initially increased both feed and caloric intakes while those previously fed the SS diet increased caloric intakes. About 10 days were required to compensate to the change in diet.

Body weights of broiler populations were lighter at 28 days of age when fed a low nutrient density starting diet than when fed a diet with a higher nutrient density. When placed on the same finishing diet from 28 to 56 days of age, the broilers previously fed the low-nutrient density diet grew at a more rapid rate and were more efficient in feed utilization than their counterparts previously fed the higher density starting diet. However, compensatory growth varied among populations, with the faster growing lines exhibiting little and the relatively slower growing ones exhibiting considerable compensatory growth. The influence of feeding regimes on the deposition of abdominal fat varied among populations with the low nutrient density starting diet either significantly increasing, significantly decreasing, or having no effect on the amount of abdominal fat. Furthermore, the amount of abdominal fat did not appear to be related to an ability to exhibit compensatory growth or to the relative growth rates of the populations. Feeding the low nutrient density starting diet did not significantly influence dressing percentage, weight or length of the gastrointestinal tract, or breast angle.

Comparisons were made of feed passage rates and size of the gastrointestinal tract components among populations of chickens exhibiting wide differences in growth rate. The populations consisted of White Plymouth Rock stocks selected bidirectionally for high and low juvenile body weight. Comparisons included males heterozygous for the sex-linked gene for dwarfism, as well as normal and dwarf males and females. The indigestible marker, ferric oxide, appeared earlier and disappeared later in the excreta of males from the low-weight line than in those from the high-weight line. Results with female chicks were similar, except that line differences in the time to the first appearance in the excreta were not significant. There were no significant differences in feed passage rates due to the dwarf gene. The weights of the crop, gizzard, duodenum, and the total gastrointestinal tract were, when expressed as a percentage of body weight, significantly heavier for male chicks from the low-weight than for those from the high-weight line. Duodenum weights of female chicks from the low-weight line were also significantly larger than those from the high-weight line. Effects of the dwarfing gene on various components of the gastrointestinal tract, when expressed as percentage weights, were not significant with one exception. Dwarf females from the high-weight line had lower duodenum weights than normals while the reverse was true in the low weight line. In general, the proportionately larger intestinal weights appeared to correspond with a slower clearance of feed through the gastrointestinal tract and may be indicative of altered digestive or absorptive functions resulting from selection for growth.

Five hundred seventy-six Single Comb White Leghorn pullets were divided into three body size categories at 20 weeks of age and assigned to laying cages for a 52-week production period. Average body weight of the heavy, medium, and light size groups were 1377, 1256, and 1131 g, respectively. Size of bird did not affect age at 50% production, hen-day or hen-housed production. Livability of the heavy birds was significantly lower (16.2 and 15.6%) than livability of the medium and light birds, respectively. Body weight differences at 20 weeks of age continued through 72 weeks of age. Heavy birds produced heavier eggs, consumed more feed per hen day, and consumed more feed per dozen eggs than the medium and light birds, while the medium birds had greater means than the light birds for each of these categories. The heavy birds also consumed 3.66% more feed/g egg mass than the light birds. The results of this experiment indicate that chickens can produce at lighter body weights than in the past, therefore, nutritional programs which produce lighter pullets may be desirable.

Two experiments were conducted to examine the temporal response of hens to the simultaneous dilution of high-protein (HP) and high-energy (HE) diets under self-selection feeding. In the initial experiment, the HE and HP diets consisted primarily of cornstarch and isolated soybean protein, respectively. In the second experiment, corn and soybean meal (49%) were used as the principal feed ingredients. The diluted diets consisted of a mixture of 80% of the HP and HE diets and 20% wood pulp. In both experiments, the hens initially consumed less of the diluted than of the nondiluted diets. After about 6 days, increased intakes of both the diluted HP and HE diets occurred. In the first experiment, compensation in protein and energy intakes in response to diet dilution resulted in intakes of these nutrients similar to those observed with the feeding of nondiluted diets. Compensations were similar in the second experiment, except that protein and caloric intakes remained below the levels obtained with the nondiluted diets. Differences in body weight and egg production between the birds fed the diluted and nondiluted diets were not significant in the first experiment. In the second experiment, the feeding of the diluted diets resulted in significant decreases in body weight and egg output. Irrespective of these differences, trends in the intakes of the diluted HP and HE diets were remarkably similar. It was concluded that the ability of chickens to balance protein intake was acquired in the same temporal framework as was the ability to balance caloric intake.

The phenotypic expression of dwarfism on egg formation was investigated by examining the weights of eggs and specific egg components from diverse weight lines into which the sex-linked dwarf gene, dw, had been introduced. The dw gene depressed egg weights, with a realtively greater reduction occurring in the low-weight than in the high-weight line. When expressed as a percentage of egg weight, egg shell was reduced by dw in both lines. Percentage yolk and albumen were not significantly affected by dw. Absolute weights of all components paralleled body weights, with the exception of shell membranes which tended to be relatively constant. Feeding diets containing higher nutrient densities partially alleviated the depressive effect of dw on egg weights. High density diets also attenuated the depressive effect of dw on percentage egg shell in the low-weight but not the high-weight line. Diet did not significantly alter the percentage of either yolk or albumen. It was postulated that some of the detrimental effects of dw on egg formation were related to insufficient food consumption due to defects in the basic mechanisms regulating appetite and feeding behavior.

Body weights and feed conversions of male broilers reared under different light regimes and fed diets containing varying nutrient densities were compared. Broilers subjected to continuous light with alternate intervals of high and low-intensity had significantly lower 49-day body weights when compared with broilers subjected to continuous low-intensity or intermittent light regimes. Feed conversion comparisons followed a similar pattern. Intermittent light regimes improved neither body weight nor feed conversion when compared to continuous low-intensity illumination. Broilers fed diets containing 3080 kcal of metabolizable energy per kg of starter diet (24.0% protein) and 3135 kcal per kg of finisher diet (22.0% protein) had significantly poorer body weights and feed conversions than did broilers fed diets containing metabolizable energy levels of 3160 (24.8% protein), 3300 (25.6% protein), and 3410 (26.4% protein) kcal per kg of starter diet and 3245 (22.8% protein), 33 55 (23.6% protein), and 3465 (24.4% protein) kcal per of finisher diet. There was also a significant light regime-nutrient density interaction for body weight. Diets containing higher nutrient densities resulted in increased body weights when fed to broilers reared under continuous low-intensity light but did not increase the performance of broilers subjected to the other light regimes.

In two experiments, parental populations of chickens and their F1 crosses were fed ad libitum or on alternate days. Eating and drinking behaviors, ability to compensate for fasting, and surface and cloacal temperatures were measured. Genetic and environmental (due to fasting) differences in feeding and drinking behaviors were found. Chicks from lines selected for larger body weight were better able to compensate for a 24-hr fast than those selected for smaller weight. Crosses were similar to the parental line that was the better compensator. Correlations between surface temperatures and body weights were consistently positive.

Factors potentially influencing feed conversion were studied in two lines of broilers known to differ in efficiency of feed utilization. When fed diets differing in energy, line by diet interactions were seldom significant and line effects were greater than those between diets. Chicks from the more efficient line had less plumage cover, less fat, and spent more time sitting than those from the less efficient line. These data imply that improved feed conversion is a function of several traits.

The influence of various light regimens, dietary energy levels, feeding space levels, and stocking densities on male broiler body weight, feed efficiency, and percentage abdominal fat was studied in a series of three experiments. Broilers subjected to intermittent light (1 hr on, 2 hr off) in combination with increased feeding space (2.94 or 4.40 cm/bd) had significantly higher 49 day body weights and feed efficiency (one experiment) than did birds under continuous illumination. However, when feeding space was reduced to 1.47 or 2.20 cm/bd, body weights and feed efficiencies of broilers in intermittently lighted pens were similar to or lower dian those of broilers under continuous illumination. Broilers given more floor space were significantly heavier than, and had similar feed efficiencies to, birds provided a more restricted floor regimen. Furthermore, body weight (one experiment) and feed efficiencies were higher for broilers fed rations containing higher versus lower levels of dietary energy. However, no significant interactions were observed between the lighting regimens and these variables. No differences were noted among treatments in any of the experiments for percentage abdominal fat.

A light control study in conjunction with feed restriction was conducted with 1600 meat-type chickens housed in 32 pens with sexes separate. All groups received continuous light of 50 lux for the first 7 days. Light intensity was reduced at weekly intervals to 3 lux at 4 weeks of age which was maintained to 8 weeks. Four light treatments were utilized. CL (continuous light); 1:2 (hours light: dark); .25:1.75; and DLR (decreasing light ratio as follows: 2:1 from 8 to 14 days, 1.5:2.5 from 15 to 21 days, 1:2 from 22 to 28 days, .5:2.5 from 29 to 42 days, .25:1.75 from 43 to 56 days). Feed treatments were full-fed and restricted (85% of full-fed from 15 to 42 days). No differences between light regimes for 8-week body weight of females were noted; however, the males under 1:2 were heavier than CL and DLR regime males. Poorer feed efficiency was noted with CL in females and also when compared to DLR with males. No differences in dressing percentages were noted between light treatments. Intermittent light groups tended toward more abdominal fat, especially in the females. During the period of feed restriction (14 to 42 days) greater gains and better feed efficiencies were noted for the full-fed groups than for the restricted groups; however, from 43 to 56 days when all were full-fed this was reversed. Dressing percentage was greater with less abdominal fat for full-fed males than for restricted. Broilers subjected to the restricted feed treatment exhibited considerable compensatory growth, however, 8-week body weights were significantly reduced.

Effects of sequential changes in dietary protein on growth from 0 to 20 weeks of age and on egg production from 20 to 72 weeks of age were evaluated with White Leghorn chickens. Four dietary treatments were compared. They consisted of three dietary regimens wherein an 18% crude protein (CP) diet was fed to 1, 2, or 3 weeks of age (Treatments 1, 2, and 3, respectively) and then common 12, 15, and 18% CP diets to 8, 14, and 20 weeks, respectively. These three regimens were compared with a control regimen (Treatment 4) that consisted of feeding 18, 15, and 12% CP diets to 6, 14, and 20 weeks of age, respectively. At 20 weeks of age, 144 birds from each treatment were moved into laying cages for the subsequent 52 weeks of egg production. In comparison with birds on the control feeding regimen, those reared under Treatments 1, 2, and 3 consumed significantly less feed during the 20-week growing period. Birds of Treatments 2 and 3 consumed significantly more protein than those of Treatments 1 and 4. By feeding a 12% CP diet from 1, 2, and 3 to 8 weeks of age, body weights were significantly lower than the average body weight of the control birds, approximately 20, 17, and 13%, respectively, by 6 weeks of age, but only 2 to 4% at 16 weeks of age, and by nonsignificant amounts at 28 weeks of age. Treatment 1 birds consumed 1.8% (significantly) less feed per unit body weight and were 2.6% (significantly) lighter at 20 weeks of age compared with the control birds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Breaking strength of skin from the breast, back, lateral thigh, and side of 56-day-old male and female broilers was measured in response to diets containing comparatively wide or narrow ratios of calories to protein (C:P). Males had stronger and thinner skin than females, with the differences in thickness being due primarily to differences in the adipose tissue-rich hypodermis. Regardless of sex, feeding diets containing wider C:P ratios resulted in weaker and thicker skin. Increased skin thickness due to these diets was associated with an increase in hypodermis thickness and a decrease in the combined thickness of the dermis and epidermis. Among sites, skin from the breast was strongest, and that from the side was weakest, while skin from the back and thigh exhibited intermediate values for breaking strength. With the exception of differences between the back and thigh, increases in breaking strength occurring between sites were associated with a reduction in total skin thickness and in hypodermis thickness. The results suggest that increased hypodermis thickness or decreased combined thickness of the dermis and epidermis reduces skin strength.

Female chicks from lines selected for high and low body weight and their reciprocal F1 crosses were overfed via force feeding to crop capacity from hatching to 21 days of age. Low-weight line chicks could be overfed at an earlier age to a greater extent than those from the high-weight line and F1 progeny. The degree of overfeeding appeared to be associated with the relative size of certain gastrointestinal components. Differences among lines in their capacity to be overfed were reflected in concomitant changes in body weight and carcass fat. Relationships among feed consumption and growth are discussed within the context of selection for body weight and heterosis under various feeding regimens.

Two experiments were conducted to compare body composition, plasma concentrations of glucose, lipid and protein, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) morphology, and digestive enzyme activities among populations of chickens exhibiting wide differences in growth. In the first experiment, males from a high weight (HW) line, a low weight (LW) line, and crosses between the lines (HL) were examined. In the second experiment, the same high weight (HW′) line, a White Leghorn (LEG) line and their crosses (HLEG) were compared. In both experiments, comparisons were made at both 25 and 61 days of age. The HW chicks were heavier and had larger breasts and longer shanks than the LW or LEG chicks. Although the crosses (HL, HLEG) exhibited values for these traits intermediate to those of the parental lines, HLEG chicks tended to resemble one of the parental lines more closely than did the HL chicks. Differences among all mating combinations were significant for body fat, but the crosses (HLEG, HL) tended to more closely resemble their HW parental line. The HW chicks had significantly higher concentrations of glucose, lipid, and protein in plasma at 25 but not 61 days of age. No differences in glucose, lipid, or protein concentrations in plasma were observed in the second experiment. When expressed as a percentage of body weight, LW and LEG chicks tended to have larger GIT than HW chicks, whereas crosses more closely resembled the HW line. Although significant differences in digestive enzyme activities were obtained, these differences were generally associated with differences in body weight. It was concluded that genetic variation in the traits examined was dependent on both population and age.

Prior to adjusting caloric intake, Single Comb White Leghorn pullets changed to diets with 10% cellulose decreased feed consumption, while those changed to diets supplemented with 10% hydrolyzed fat increased feed consumption. The feeding of diets supplemented with both 10% fat and 10% cellulose suggested that the feed consumption responses observed were not due either to metabolizable energy concentrations or feed density. It was concluded that palatability was an important factor contributing to the voluntary feed intake of chickens on a relatively short term basis.

The consumption of feed or water of chickens selected for high body weight was restricted to that of a line selected for low body weight. In addition, reciprocal crosses of the two lines underwent feed or water restriction to that of the low body weight parental line. Restriction of water depressed feed intake to a greater degree in the high line than in the crosses but depressed body weight by approximately 10% in all groups through 28 days of age. Feed restriction caused a greater depression in body weight in the high line than in the crosses at 28 days of age. The effect of feed or water restriction on the feed:water ratio was dependent upon mating type, suggesting the absence of a simple relationship among growth, body composition, and feed efficiency.

Summary A retrospective study was made of 96 patients diagnosed as cranial arteritis of whom 32 were accepted using strict clinical criteria or a positive temporal artery biopsy. Unusual presentations of fever, psychiatric illness, headache-free patients and a ‘normal’ ESR are described. The recognition of these variations is important in the early diagnosis of temporal arteritis.

Chicks and rats were compared in their response to dietary thyroprotein and liver supplements. The addition of high levels of thyroprotein to casein-glucose diets reduced weight gain and decreased survival time of growing chicks and albino rats. Concomitant supplementation with liver partially prevented growth depression and increased survival time. Heart and kidney weights of chicks were increased by thyroprotein and decreased by liver supplements. Liver weights appeared to be similarly, but less dramatically, affected. Spleen weights were generally reduced by thyroprotein and increased by liver while effects of thyroprotein on thymus weights were variable and inconclusive. In chicks fed thyroprotein supplements, oxygen consumption rates decreased rapidly after the initiation of fasting and were equal or slightly below euthyroid controls after 24 hours. In non-fasted chicks and rats, oxygen consumption was increased by thyroprotein and the addition of liver to thyroprotein supplemented diets partially prevented the increase in oxygen consumption. However, liver supplementation did not affect the endogenous metabolic rate of chicks. It appears that similar mechanisms are involved in the antithyrotoxic response of the two species.

In this monograph I have tried to present several aspects of viral exanthematous diseases that allow for diagnosis. With a systematic approach to the diagnosis, the physician frequently can make a specific diagnosis and nearly always can assign illness to the correct category. Accurate diagnosis is useful because it prevents unnecessary therapy and apprehension in some patients, allows definitive therapy in others, and, most important, it is fun and scientifically rewarding for the physician.

Adult males from lines of chickens selected for high (HW) and low (LW) body weights were subjected to either ad libitum, forced, or restricted feeding for 21 consecutive days. Males from the HW line could be force fed to a greater extent than could those from the LW line. A preference for glucose solution versus water was tested in the groups fed diets ad libitum and restricted and in birds compensating from force feeding. Regardless of line, ad libitum-fed birds preferred the glucose solution to water and the restricted-fed birds preferred water to glucose. The HW birds compensating from forced feeding preferred glucose to water, whereas birds treated similarly from the LW line preferred water to glucose. After the assays were completed for preference for glucose solution versus water, each bird was provided continuous access to both a high protein and a high energy diet. Under ad libitum feeding, the HW males consumed more of the high-protein diet than of the high energy diet, while those from the LW line voluntarily consumed more of the high energy than of the high protein diet. The preference of the LW birds for the high energy diet was enhanced by both restricted and forced feeding. The preference of the HW males for the high protein diet was changed by both force and restricted feeding; more of the high energy diet than of the high protein diet was consumed by these birds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The potential of using the weight of the sartorial (M. sartorius) fat depot as a measurement of abdominal and/or total body fat was investigated. A preliminary experiment using populations of chickens exhibiting wide differences in growth rate revealed correlations, at 63 days of age, of .40 between abdominal and percent carcass fat and .71 between abdominal and sartorial fat. The relationships among these traits were further explored using two commercial broiler stocks chosen on the basis of known differences in adiposity. In addition, dietary effects were investigated by feeding diets containing different calorie to protein ratios. Sartorial fat was highly correlated with abdominal and total carcass fat. Genetic and nutritional effects on the weight of abdominal fat were consistent with corresponding weight changes in sartorial fat. Thus, a final experiment was conducted to study the longitudinal development of these adipose depots in commercial broilers with the objective of determining the association between abdominal fat deposition and sartorial fat weights over time. Although sartorial fat was not highly associated with abdominal fat at 14 days, correlations were highly significant at 28 and 42 days of age and significant at 56 days of age. Differences among genetic populations in fat deposition were particularly evident at 28 and 42 days of age.

The development of adipose depots in broiler chickens prior to sexual maturity occurred as a consequence of both adipocyte hyperplasia and hypertrophy. Prior to about 28 days of age, increases in fat deposition were primarily associated with differences in adipocyte number while at later ages adipocyte hypertrophy became the primary influence. The feeding of diets containing a low calorie-to-protein ratio reduced fat deposition by decreasing adipocyte hypertrophy. The differences in adiposity between two commercial broiler stocks were due primarily to differences in adipocyte number prior to 28 days of age. Results at older ages were inconclusive for differences among populations.

The research presented here was designed to investigate the mode of inheritance of fat and lean tissue deposition, and the relationship between them and body weight in Japanese quail. Heterotic effects were found for weight, size, and number of adipocytes in the abdominal fat depots, weight of the sartorial fat depot and percentage carcass fat with means for the hybrids being lower than those for the parental lines. General inferences concerning the importance of nonadditive genetic variation for lean and body weight were precluded due to inconsistencies observed among mating combinations. Thus, although heterosis and recombination effects were general for characteristics associated with fat deposition, the situation for body weight and lean was unique to the populations involved. It may be hypothesized that heterosis in the efficiency of feed utilization is reflected by the heterosis for fat deposition which explains why hybrids utilize feed better than their parental lines.