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Biomedical subjects

H M Miller

Publications and source records attributed to H M Miller.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Effects of zinc oxide and Enterococcus faecium SF68 dietary supplementation on the performance, intestinal microbiota and immune status of weaned piglets.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of zinc oxide (ZnO) and the probiotic Enterococcus faecium SF68 (Cylactin) dietary supplementation on the performance, intestinal microbiota and immune parameters of the weaned piglet reared under commercial conditions. The diets were devoid of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP). Two hundred and eight crossbred piglets were allocated to a 2 x 2 factorial experiment involving two levels of zinc oxide supplementation (0 or 3100 mg ZnO/kg feed), and two levels of E. faecium SF68 supplementation (0 or 1.4 x 10(9)CFU/kg feed (Cylactin ME10)). The diets were offered ad libitum for 20 days post-weaning. Piglet performance was assessed by calculating average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) on a pen basis. In addition, components of the distal ileal digesta, tissue-associated and mesenteric lymph node (MLN) bacterial populations were enumerated and serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and intestinal immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentrations were determined on days 6 and 20 post-weaning. Regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the bacterial populations at the different sites. Supplementation of the post-weaning diet with either ZnO or E. faecium SF68 did not affect piglet performance. E. faecium SF68 did not affect gastrointestinal bacterial populations but did tend to reduce serum IgG (P<0.1) on day 20. Zinc oxide reduced anaerobic (P<0.05) and tended to decrease lactic acid (P<0.1) bacterial translocation to the MLN, and tended to increase intestinal IgA concentration (P<0.1) on day 20. Generally, luminal bacterial populations were found to be poor predictors of tissue-associated or MLN populations. ZnO and E. faecium SF68 dietary supplementation were ineffective under these trial conditions. Further investigations into the possible immunomodulator role of dietary ZnO are warranted.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Effects of dietary quillaja saponin and curcumin on the performance and immune status of weaned piglets.

The objective of this study was to determine whether dietary quillaja saponin and curcumin (extract of turmeric) can modify piglet immune status and performance immediately after weaning. Piglets (n = 192) were weaned at 29 +/- 0.1 d and allocated to treatment (six replicates of eight pig per treatment) accounting for weight, litter, and gender, using a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Factors were diets with or without (as-fed basis) quillaja saponin (750 mg/kg during wk 1, 300 mg/kg during wk 2 to 3) and with or without dietary curcumin (200 mg/kg). Diets were fed ad libitum for 20 d after weaning. Feed intake was measured daily. Piglets were weighed at weaning, d 7, 14, and 20 after weaning. On each of d 6 and 20 after weaning, eight pigs per treatment were sacrificed for blood and tissue collection. Treatment had no effect on piglet growth. The ADFI and G:F were similar for all treatments between d 0 and 14 of the trial. Between d 15 and 20, ADFI and G:F were lower in quillaja-supplemented piglets (ADFI = 621 vs. 572 g/d; G:F = 0.75 vs. 0.85; P < 0.05). Serum immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA, interferon-gamma, and C-reactive protein (CRP) did not differ among treatments on d 6 after weaning. On d 20, IgG and CRP were greater (P < 0.05) in saponin-supplemented pigs (IgG = 17.5 vs. 11.4 mg/mL; CRP = 26.98 vs. 12.5 mg/mL). Small intestine villus and crypt measurements did not differ among treatments on either d 6 or 20. Saponin supplementation during the postweaning period seemed to potentiate an immune response in the weaned piglet but had a detrimental effect on the utilization of feed. Dietary curcumin had no influence on any measured aspect of pig performance or immune status.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2004

The ability of laying hens to regulate phosphorus intake when offered two feeds containing different levels of phosphorus.

The ability of laying hens to adjust their intake of available P (AP) was investigated with a maize-soyabean diet fed to forty-eight individually caged birds in a 2 x 4 factorial experiment. From 19 to 25 weeks of age (phase 1) twenty-four birds were fed a normal-P (NP) diet (2.2 g AP/kg DM) and twenty-four were fed a low-P (LP) diet (1.1 g AP/kg). LP eggs were lighter (51 v. 54 (SEM 1.0) g; P<0.05), providing evidence that the LP diet was deficient in AP. From 25 to 28 weeks of age six hens from each phase 1 treatment were fed either the NP or LP diet alone or a choice of the LP and NP feeds or a choice of the LP feed and a phytase-supplemented (PP) feed (LP diet with 400 microbial phytase units/kg). With a choice of the NP and LP feeds, the hens fed the LP diet in phase 1 ate a smaller proportion of the LP feed (34 (SEM 12.0) %) than the hens fed the NP diet in phase 1 (72 (SEM 12.0) %; P<0.05), showing that P deficiency influenced subsequent selection for AP, i.e. an appetite for P was demonstrated. In those birds offered the LP and PP feeds, the presence of phytase in one of the two feeds significantly alleviated the effect of P deficiency on egg and body weights. The proportion of the LP diet chosen was not significantly affected by phase 1 treatment; it was not necessary for the hens to eat more than 50 % of PP feed.

6-Phytase↗
PubMed1999

The effects of feed intake and body fatness on progesterone metabolism in ovariectomized gilts.

We studied the effects of feed intake and fatness on metabolic clearance rate (MCR) and half-life of progesterone in 40 ovariectomized gilts (10x4 littermates). One gilt from each litter was randomly allocated to each of four treatments in a randomized block design. Gilts were reared to be either lean (Ln), 113 kg BW and 10 mm backfat measured 65 mm from the midline at the level of the last rib (P2), or fat (F), 124 kg BW and 20 mm P2 backfat. They were ovariectomized and fitted with bilateral jugular catheters. Fat and Ln gilts were then fed either low (1.15 x maintenance energy, L), or high (2.30 x maintenance energy, H) feed intakes. Gilts received an i.m. injection of 130 mg of progesterone on two consecutive days (d1 and 2). From d 3, progesterone was infused at 5.4 mg/h (130 mg/d) for 60 h. Blood samples for progesterone analysis were taken during the last 24 h of infusion and for a further 72 h. Gilts were then slaughtered, and livers were sampled for microsomal studies. Fatness did not affect any aspect of progesterone metabolism measured. Postprandial MCR was greater in H than in L gilts, 103.0 vs. 76.1 mL x min(-1) x kg BW(-1) (P<.01), respectively. Feed intake did not affect the disappearance rate constant of progesterone (mean -.019), and the estimated half-life of progesterone was 36.5 h. High-intake gilts had larger proportional liver size (P<.001) than L gilts. Microsomal metabolism of progesterone and P450 enzyme concentration were similar across treatments. We conclude that increasing feed intake increases MCR of progesterone and could be used to manipulate progesterone concentration in sows.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1992

Women's views of postpartum sibling visitation.

The purpose of this study was to identify women's views of postpartum sibling visitation. Fifty-eight Lamaze-prepared, married multigravidae expressed their views on sibling visitation in a semistructured interview conducted during their postpartum hospitalization. The majority of women (84%) chose to have their children visit. Women identified positive and negative aspects of sibling visitation, explained reasons for not having siblings visit, and discussed reactions to separation from their children. The women believed both siblings and mothers benefitted emotionally from the visit. Negative aspects of sibling visitation included emotional reactions of mothers and siblings, lack of control between siblings and infants, and inconvenient location for the visit.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Effect of chronic heat load during pregnancy on birth weight, behaviour and body composition of Australian feral goat kids.

Six feral does maintained at elevated ambient temperatures (27.2 degrees - 34.8 degrees) for the last half of pregnancy had rectal temperatures (Tr) elevated by 0.4 degrees above 10 unstressed does. Heat-stressed twin-bearers were 0.15 degrees hotter than single-bearers and bore lighter kids (1.70 kg), than unstressed does (2.24 kg) while singles were less affected (2.22 kg versus 2.28 kg). Birth weight was more highly correlated (P less than 0.001) with the daily minimum Tr of the dam than with the mean or maximum Tr. Kids from heated does stood and began sucking as quickly as control kids but during the first six hours scored significantly (P less than 0.01) lower on a scale of general activity. There were no significant differences in body content of nitrogen, fat and ash or, when birth weight was considered, weight of hide, CNS and liver.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Folded skin associated with underlying nevus lipomatosus.

A mentally retarded female infant had abnormalities of the feet, hemiplegia, and an underlying nevus lipomatosus. To our knowledge, this represents the second reported case of marked folding of the skin; with an underlying nevus lipomatosus; this case demonstrated an association of this cutaneous disorder with multiple defects, including chromosomal abnormalities, which have not been previously reported.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1977

Long chain fatty acid inhibition of sodium plus potassium-activated adenosine triphosphatase from rat heart.

Long chain fatty acids were found to inhibit (Na+ + K+)-ATPase prepared from rat heart. Unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids were more inhibitory than saturated fatty acids with myristic acid being the most inhibitory saturated fatty acid tested and linoleic the most inhibitory unsaturated fatty acid. As an example of fatty acid modification of the enzyme, inhibition of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by oleate was examined. When compared to ouabain, inhibition of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by oleate was found to be similar in that both were dependent on K+ concentration, but, in contrast to the almost instantaneous inhibition by ouabain, oleate inhibition was a slow process requiring over 20 min incubation at 37 degrees to produce maximum inhibition. Inhibition of rat heart (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by oleate was found to be readily reversible by washout. In the presence of albumin an oleate/albumin molar ratio greater than 7.5 was required for inhibition to occur. The activity of rat heart (Na+ + K+)-ATPase had a temperature optimum above 40 degrees and a discontinuous Arrhenius' plot with a transition temperature of 25 degrees. In the presence of oleate, however, the enzyme's optimum temperature decreased to below 40 degrees, the activation energy of the reaction at temperatures below 25 degrees was lowered from 24.7 kcal/mol to 12.6 kcal/mol and the enzyme had a linear Arrhenius' plot. The possibility of in vivo inhibition of cardiac (Na+ + K+)-ATPase under conditions of elevated fatty acids is discussed.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1976

Surface topography of the Bacillus stearothermophilus ribosome.

The surface topography of the intact 70S ribosomes and free 30S and 50S subunits from Bacillus stearothermophilus strain 2184 was investigated by lactoperoxidase-catalyzed iodination. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was employed to separate ribosomal proteins for analysis of their reactivity. Free 50S subunits incorporated about 18% more 125I than did 50S subunits derived from 70S ribosomes, whereas, free 30S subunits and 30S subunits derived from 70S ribosomes incorporated similar amounts of 125I. Iodinated 70S ribosomes and subunits retained 62-78% of the protein synthesis activity of untreated particles and sedimentation profiles showed no gross conformational changes due to iodination. The proteins most reactive to enzymatic iodination were S4, S7, S10 and Sa of the small subunit and L2, L4, L5/9, L6 and L36 of the large subunit. Proteins S2, S3, S7, S13, Sa, L5/9, L10, L11 and L24/25 were labeled substantially more in the free subunits than in the 70S ribosome. Other proteins, including S5, S9, S12, S15/16, S18 and L36 were more extensively iodinated in the 70S ribosomes than in the free subunits. The locations of tyrosine residues in some homologous ribosomal proteins from B. stearothermophilus and E. coli are compared.

Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel↗
PubMed1974

Intracellular protein breakdown in thermophilic and mesophilic fungi.

1. The rate of protein breakdown was determined on growing and non-growing cultures of thermophilic and mesophilic fungi. 2. In growing cells protein breakdown was negligible. 3. In non-growing cells the breakdown rate of total protein varied between 5.2%/h and 6.7%/h. These values were found to be dependent on both the temperature of the protein breakdown assay and the temperature of growth of the organism. 4. The rate of breakdown of soluble protein in thermophilic fungi was 9-15%/h whereas the rate in mesophilic fungi for the soluble protein fraction was only 4%/h.

Aspergillus↗