While much is known about the attachment of the chlamydiae to the host cell and intracellular events during the developmental cycle, little is known about the mechanism(s) by which elementary bodies exit the cell. In this report, we use the guinea-pig conjunctival model of Chlamydia caviae infection to present in vivo ultrastructural evidence supporting two mechanisms for release of chlamydiae from the mucosal epithelia. Four days after infection, histopathologic observation shows an intense infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in the conjunctival epithelium. Using transmission electron microscopy, a gradient-directed PMN response to chlamydiae-infected epithelial cells was observed. As PMN infiltration intensifies, epithelial hemidesmosome/integrin/focal adhesion adherence with the basal lamina is disconnected and PMNs literally lift off and release infected superficial epithelia from the mucosa. Many of these infected cells appear to be healthy with intact microvilli, nuclei, and mitochondria. While lysis of some infected cells occurs with release of chlamydiae into the extracellular surface milieu, the majority of infected cells are pushed off the epithelium. We propose that PMNs play an active role in detaching infected cells from the epithelium and that these infected cells eventually die releasing organisms but, in the process, move to new tissue sites via fluid dynamics.

Few studies in the area of psychodietetics have concentrated upon the relationship between a single dietary nutrient and behavior. However, some vitamins have been shown to be particularly important to central nervous system activity. Among these is Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Two experiments were done to determine the effects of ascorbic acid deficient diets on a learning task in which guinea pigs were subjects. Learning was defined as acquisition and extinction of shock-escape and shock-avoidance behavior. In Experiment I, twelve adult guinea pigs were fed diets containing two different deficient amounts of ascorbic acid for six weeks. They were then run on shock-escape, shock-avoidance and extinction schedules. No significant differences in behavior among the dietary groups were shown by statistical analysis, either in acquisition or extinction. In Experiment II, three adult guinea pigs were fed the same ascorbic acid-deficient diets as in Experiment I for six weeks after a baseline performance on a shuttlebox shock avoidance schedule was obtained. Performance after dietary treatment among or across subjects was not observably different from the performance prior to treatment. Serum and adrenal protein analysis confirmed that the dietary treatment had lowered the total ascorbic acid content of the serum and adrenals, but behavior did not show a corresponding or consistent change. These results indicate that ascorbic acid deficient diets fed to adult guinea pigs did not result in a change in behavior as observed on shock-escape, shock-avoidance, or extinction schedules.

This document only includes an excerpt of the corresponding thesis or dissertation. To request a digital scan of the full text, please contact the Ruth Lilly Medical Library's Interlibrary Loan Department (rlmlill@iu.edu).

From quinua crop residue it is possible to obtain byproducts that can be used to feed small animals, especially guinea pigs. These byproducts can become an alternative feed to ameliorate food deficiencies generally present in the Altiplano. This study compared the effect of consumed quinua meal rations on guinea pig body weight increase and food and economic conversion. This project was developed in two phases: pre-experimental and experimental. In the first phase, genetic material appropriate for the project and the initial rations for consumption was acquired. The second phase included the experimental design where the treatments were developed. The study concluded that a diet of 30% of dry quinua residue completely substituted a diet of wheat meal. This study also presented information on a bactericidal effect of consumed quinua in the digestive tract, resulting in improved weight increase and feed conversion.

With the objective to determine guinea pig digestibility of the nutritive components of Vicia villosa, red clover, and Lolium multiflorum in relation to alfalfa, the digestibility coefficients were evaluated for fiber, protein, dry matter, energy, and dry matter consumption in these three species in a completely random block design with four repetitions. The results showed that for alfalfa digestibility coefficients of 85.7% of the protein and 2806.6 kcal/kg of digestible energy, plus an economic substitution value (ESV) of fiber, protein, and energy of US$0.41 and $0.38/kg and US$0.009/1000 kcal, respectively. Lolium multiflorum had the highest tendency toward digestibility with 60.7% of fiber and the highest consumption with 81.3g. Finally, the dry matter had a digestibility of 77.9% for red clover and 75.6% for alfalfa.

The present investigation was carried out in the rural community La Rinconada, located in the canton Ibarra of the province of Imbabura. The field work was developed during 12 months. Previous activities were developed to the rehearsal like socialization of the program; training in areas of: poscosecha of grains, alfalfa cultivation and systems of growth of guinea pigs. The rehearsal lasted 70 days and it was developed in the property of three families of the community. The formulation of diets balanced based on grains of waste of corn, wheat and barley for the growth and increment of weight of guinea pigs, it was the main objective from the investigation. The rehearsal was carried out with 84 weaned male guinea pigs of the improved Creole type, acquired in a farm of guinea pigs, of the province of the Carchi. It was used, experimental design of complete blocks at random (DBCA) with a factorial arrangement A x B + 1 and three repetitions. The factor A it was conformed by three formulations of balanced. The balanced 1 (B1) had as protein source the soy cake, the balanced 2 (B2) had as protein source the bean and the balanced 3 (B3) had as protein source the pea. The factor B it was conformed by two forage types : alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), forage 1 (F1) and the mixture forager pastures and boil of the community forage (F2). The witness treatment T7, was the traditional feeding of guinea pigs, in the community. Was used: kitchen waste, crop waste and boil and pastures of the community. The treatments were seven : T1 (Balanced 1 + alfalfa), T2 (Balanced 1 + pastures and boil of the community), T3 (Balanced 2 + alfalfa), T4 (Balanced 2 + pastures and boil of the community), T5 (Balanced 3 + alfalfa), T6 (Balanced 3 + pastures and boil of the community) and T7 witness treatment (traditional feeding). The evaluated variables were consumption of dry matter, increase of biweekly weight, nutritious conversion, mortality and production costs. The experimental unit was conformed by four weaned male guinea pigs. Of the obtained results it concludes that the Balanced 1 and Balanced 3 were the best. The mixture foragers, pastures and boil of the community presented superior results to those of the alfalfa . The treatment witness (traditional feeding of the community) it is not advisable, the guinea pigs didn't reach characteristic of weight and commercialization or for reproduction. For the results of increment of weight, nutritious conversion, production costs and access to the matters cousins, are recommended to use the diet of the treatment T6 (Balanced 3 + pastures and boil of the community) in the feeding of guinea pigs, in the rural sector of the Andean region of the Ecuador.

The breeding of the guinea pig in Bolivia has always been important for the inhabitants of rural areas. Nevertheless, in recent years there has been broader acceptance for consumption of the guinea pig in the urban middle class, beginning to grow the market of the meat of guinea pig in the Departamentos of Bolivia, because the good flavor and high degree of nutrition of this meat, therefore offering a good option to improve nutrition in the diet of Bolivians. Currently the type of breeding found of the valleys of Bolivia in the great majority of the communities is family-based, with essentially native and mixed-breed animals that have good characteristics of resilience and rapid maturation but with low yield with respect to the weight of the carcass. The producer has basic know-how of some aspects of the breeding; however, this is not sufficient to optimize of production and to achieve greater yields. In the Project of Genetic Improvement and Management of the guinea pig in Bolivia (MEJOCUY), through the course of several years of the investigation into the genetic improvement of guinea pigs, has achieved the establishment of two populations of meat production for different bioclimatic conditions of Bolivia: the MEJOCUY population and the Tamborada population. Nevertheless, the productive performance in field conditions by both populations is as yet unknown, for which reason the need arises to evaluate these yields to identify which of them presents better results and to offers the producer a population that adapts best to field conditions and can obtain better benefits. Therefore, the objectives of the given work were the following: GENERAL OBJECTIVE To compare the productive yield in guinea pigs of the two populations of meat production in field conditions and MEJOCUY research barns. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES To compare the productive yield of guinea pigs in family breeding of the High Valley of the Departamento of Cochabamba with the productive yield in the Project MEJOCUY research barns. To quantify weight gain per animal in the stages of lactation and adolescent development of the populations MEJOCUY and Tamborada under field conditions and at Project MEJOCUY research barns. HYPOTHESIS Ha: The productive yield of the populations MEJOCUY and Tamborada is greater in the Project MEJOCUY research barns with regard to the performance of the same in field conditions. Ho: The productive yield of the populations MEJOCUY and Tamborada is similar in field conditions with respect to the sheds of the project MEJOCUY.

The guinea pig (Cavia aperea porcellus) is an alternative to improve human nutrition because its meat is of excellent taste and quality. Thus, it is an important nutritional source. The feed conversion index was determined under the basic (forage) and mixed (forage and concentrate) diets during the growth phase. This was done with both sexes located in the Tamborada and MEJOCUY populations, using the AUQUI, and San Luis lines. This was done in order to quantify how many kilograms of feed an animal must eat to gain one kilogram of live weight. The animals were randomly distributed into individual pools based on population, line, and sex for the period from 14 to 56 days old. Depending on the feeding system used, they received alfalfa forage and/or concentrated feed. In addition, they were weighed before and after feeding so the difference between food eaten and food rejected could be calculated. At the end of the 42 days of investigation, the feed conversion indexes were 5, 5.1, 4.8, and 4.6 for the basic diet and 5, 5.5, 4.9, and 4.9 for the mixed diet for the guinea pigs of the Tamborada and MEJOCUY populations and the AUQUI and San Luis lines respectively. The male and female animals had indexes of 4.7 and 5.3 respectively. Generally speaking, the San Luis line has the best feed conversion index, followed by the AUQUI line, the Tamborada population, and lastly the MEJOCUY population.

The following work was conducted in the community of Socononi, La Paz, in which we analyzed the effects of three different portions of saka or suncho (viguera pascensis) during the growth, and fattening stages in guinea pigs (cavia aparea porcellus). We used 32 mestizo guinea pigs (improved Peruvian creole breed) weaned 21 days after birth. Four treatments were administrated to the 32 animals (16 males and 16 females), the treatments were the following: (R0) or witness, consisting of corn alone, (R2) consisting of 30% of saka, (R3) consisting of 50% of saka, and (R4) consisting of 70% saka. The variables were evaluated under a completely randomized design study with four repetitions. The bromatological analysis of the saka in a dry sample registered the following data: 5.27% of humidity, 13.8% of ash, 29.05% of fiber, 1.5% of lipids, 42.17% of protein, 8.21% of carbohydrates, 1996.75 mg of Ca, and 883.7 mg of P. We collected the following data in a moisturized sample: 86.91% of humidity, 2.065% of ash, 3.065% of fiber, 0.21% of lipids, 6.29% of protein, 1.015% of carbohydrates, 264.6 mg of Ca, and 116.44 mg of P. The weight after weaning was analyzed at the beginning of the study. We could not find any significant difference from the 4 groups in the study, though, the gender factor presented significant differences (p<0.05), males had a greater weight gain than females at the moment of weaning with 219.75 gr in males , and 207.75 gr in females. The final weight and daily food consumption was greater for those who received the R2, R3, R4, in relationship with the witness group. Males presented a greater weight gain with 726.31 gr, while females presented a total weight of 600 gr. The highest amount of weight gain was 39.66 and 37.05 gr/week for those who received the treatments of 30 % and 50% of saka; it is possible that saka had a direct correlation with the weight gain. After performing the economic evaluation, we concluded that feeding guinea pigs with saka at a 50% results in a better economic benefits, obtaining 1.39 Bs per each male, and 1.22 for each female.

The cost of feeding has been pointed out as the most trascendet investment inside a guinea-pig production. The present work carries out with the purpose to determine and to quantify feeding costs, total costs of production and profitability of Tamborada and MEJOCUY guinea-pig populations. In the stage of suckling period, breed and gestation, experimental station and field. The result of feeding cost was 0.05 and 0.03 $US in suckling period (14 days) for Tamborada and MEJOCUY population, in breeding (42 days) it was 0.14 $US in both populations and in gestation (67 days), it was 0.42 and 0.40 $US. In field for breeding it was 0.07 $US and in gestation it was 0.11 $US. According to the Feeding cost, the MEJOCUY population has bigger technical profitability than Tamborada, the results show a positive and high utility that indicates that the upbringing of guinea pigs is profitable.