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Biomedical subjects

E R Miller

Publications and source records attributed to E R Miller.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Iron requirements of baby pigs reared in germ-free or conventional environments on a condensed milk diet.

Baby pigs were maintained in either a germ-free or a conventional environment and fed a sterile condensed milk diet (10 micrograms Fe/g milk solids) supplemented with 0, 50 or 100 micrograms Fe/g solids from FeSO4.7H2O or given an im injection of 100 mg Fe from Fe dextran. Pigs were reared on these diets for 4 wk, and weekly measures of gain, food consumption and hematology were taken. The pigs were then killed, and organ weights were taken and tissues analyzed for Fe concentration. All conventional pigs not given supplemental Fe died. None of the unsupplemented pigs raised in the germ-free environmental died. Conventional pigs gained faster and more efficiently and became anemic more rapidly. However, conventional and germ-free pigs were similar in the efficiency with which they incorporated supplemental Fe into hemoglobin or stored Fe in liver and spleen. We concluded from this study that both germ-free and conventional pigs fed a condensed milk diet require 50 to 100 micrograms Fe/g milk solids or more than 100 mg of Fe from Fe dextran once parenterally to maintain desirable hematological traits for 4 wk.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Effects of dietary protein and fat sources on plasma cholesterol parameters, LCAT activity and amino acid levels and on tissue lipid content of growing pigs.

Young male pigs were used to examine effects of dietary protein and fat sources on plasma cholesterol parameters. Diets providing 16 and 42% of metabolizable energy from protein and fat, respectively, were fed for 12-14 weeks. Protein was derived either from plant sources (50% from soybean meal and 25% each from corn and wheat) or from animal sources (90% from casein and 10% from lactalbumin). The polyunsaturated to saturated fat ratio in the diets averaged 3.0 in the polyunsaturated fat diets and 0.3 in the saturated fat diets. Cholesterol content of the four experimental diets (plant protein-polyunsatured fat; plant protein-saturated fat; animal protein-polyunsaturated fat; and animal protein-saturated fat) was 0.6 mg/kcal. Consumption of diets containing plant protein rather than animal protein reduced total plasma cholesterol levels by 50 mg/dl; high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels were also lowered in pigs fed plant protein. Similarly, plasma cholesterol levels were approximately 40 mg/dl lower in pigs fed the polyunsaturated fat diets than in pigs fed the saturated fat diets. HDL cholesterol levels, however, were unaffected by source of fat fed. These results show that the hypocholesterolemic action of the plant proteins was as great as the hypocholesterolemic action of polyunsaturated fat and that consumption of plant proteins rather than animal proteins resulted in lower plasma cholesterol levels regardless of whether polyunsaturated or saturated fats were fed.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1979

Copper requirement of baby pigs fed purified diets.

Three experiments involving 52 baby pigs were conducted to determine the minimum copper requirement of baby pigs fed purified diets. Diets were supplemented with anhydrous cupric sulfate to yield the following copper concentrations (ppm, by analysis) when the three experiments were combined: 0.6, 0.9, 1.3, 1.9, 2.0, 2.8, 3.2, 4.0, 4.9, 5.6 and 9.3. Parameters examined include weight gain, hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, plasma ceruloplasmin activity, plasma copper concentration, copper balance, brain and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activity, copper concentration of liver, kidney, spleen, heart, brain, femur and hair, liver ferritin-iron and total iron concentration, strength characteristics of the femur, and gross and histological appearance at necropsy. Weight gains were subnormal at dietary copper concentrations below 1.9 ppm; plasma ceruloplasmin activities, and plasma and tissue copper concentrations were depressed at dietary copper levels below 2.8 ppm. Bone histopathology was evident at dietary copper levels below 3.2 ppm, and copper balance was low at dietary copper levels below 4.9 ppm. Some evidence of anemia was present at dietary copper levels below 5.6 ppm. Under the conditions of this study, the copper requirement of the baby pig fed a purified diet was judged to be approximately 5.6 ppm (6 ppm copper, dry basis).

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed1979

Hatchability of bobwhite quail eggs incubated in various temperature combinations.

Five experiments were conducted to compare the effects of various incubation temperature combinations on the hatchability of Bobwhite quail eggs. A starting incubation temperature of 40.6 C resulted in numerically lower hatchability. Incubation at 37.5 C resulted in a greater number of pipped, unhatched eggs, and a later, less uniform hatch. Temperatures during the hatching period (22 to 25 days of incubation) of 36.9 C and 38.1 C resulted in lower hatchability than the hatching temperature of 37.5 C.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) in the growing pig diet.

Twelve pigs which averaged 13.7 kg were randomly allotted from litters to a corn-soybean meal grower diet containing 0, 20, or 200 ppm of polybrominated biphenyls (PPB). During a 16-week growth trial, average daily gain (kg), average daily feed (kg) and feed/gain for pigs on diets containing 0, 20, or 200 ppm of PBB, respectively, were 0.82, 2.45, 2.99; 0.67, 1.88, 2.79; 0.45, 1.23, 2.70. Mean daily gain differences between all lots were highly significant (p < 0.01). Blood from each pig was withdrawn biweekly through the first 8 weeks of the trial and at 4 week intervals thereafter. Hemoglobin and hematocrit differed significantly only at the 6 weeks bleeding, being reduced in pigs receiving 200 ppm of PBB. Erythrocyte reduced glutathione concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity were not significantly influenced by level of dietary PBB. Serum lactic dehydrogenase activity was significantly higher in control pigs than in either PBB supplemented lots at 16 weeks. There was no significant influence of PBB upon serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serum alkaline phosphatase or serum creatine phosphokinase. Based on these enzyme assays, PBB produced no evidence of significant necrosis of liver, myocardium, or skeletal muscle. There was no consistent effect of dietary PBB upon total serum protein concentration or electrophoretic profile. Pigs on either level of PBB did not have overt clinical signs of toxicity during the 16-week test period with the exception of a dermatosis on the ventral surface of two of the pigs receiving 200 ppm of PBB. There was a marked increase in liver weight of pigs receiving either level of dietary PBB. Heart, kidney, and adrenals of pigs receiving either level of dietary PBB were heavier as a percent of body weight than that of control pigs. Fat retention of PBB and urinary and fecal PBB excretion were significantly affected by dietary PBB level. Grossly, the glandular portion of the stomach appeared somewhat hyperplastic in pigs on 200 ppm of PBB. Two pigs which had received 200 ppm of PBB were placed on the control diet and over the next 14 weeks normal growth rate occurred. One of these pigs was killed and organ weights were normal. The other pig, a gilt, came into estrus. She was bred and conceived. At the end of gestation, four pigs were born. Three survived and grew normally; the one death at birth examined at gross necropsy did not reveal changes in organ size or other tissue alterations.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1978

The relationship of production status to serum calcium and phosphorus in hens.

The effect of production status on the serum levels of calcium and phosphorous of laying hens was examined. Commercial-type White Leghorn hens, 66 weeks of age, were selected on the basis of whether or not they had laid an egg each day during a two-day period. A five ml. blood sample was collected via anterior heart puncture from each of the selected hens and subjected to serum calcium and phosphorus analyses. Serum phosphorus varied significantly in relation to whether or not a bird laid an egg the day before and/or the day of blood collection. Except for birds which were reproductively inactive, serum calcium was less affected by production status than was serum phosphorus. It was hypothesized that the variations were related to the physiological changes in shell calcification activity, bone resorption and remineralization, intestinal absorption of minerals and muscular activity. It was suggested from the results that birds selected for serum mineral analyses should be of similar production status.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Cyclic changes in serum phosphorus of laying hens.

Three trials were conducted to measure changes in the serum phosphorus level of laying hens over a 24-hour period. Sixty-three-week-old hens were selected for blood sampling according to the criteria that: 1. they laid an egg the day prior to and the day of blood collection and 2. the oviposition time on both days was 10 a.m. +/- 2 hours. Blood samples were obtained via heart puncture. Serum was collected by centrifugation, deproteinized and analyzed colorimetrically for phosphorus content. Sampling times were as follows: Trial 1--6 p.m., 12 midnight, 6 a.m. and 12 noon; Trial 2--6 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 12 noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.; Trial 3--12 midnight, 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. Hens used in this study received natural and/or artifical light from 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. each day. Results indicated that serum phosphorus reached a peak of 6.08 mg.% at 7 a.m. At 8 a.m., the phosphorus level dropped to 4.88 mg.% and remained within 0.08 mg.% of this value until 12 noon. From 2 p.m. to 6 a.m. it gradually increased from 5.29 mg9% to 5.80 mg.%. Observed changes in serum phosphorus over time are related to changes in shell calcification, bone resorption and remineralization, and renal clearance.

Animals↗