Thesis--Copenhagen. / Summary in Danish. Includes bibliographical references (p. 175-191).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1965. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: l. 58-62.

Thesis--Copenhagen. / Summary in Danish. Bibliography: p. 175-191.

Thesis (doctoral)--University of Lund. / Description based on print version record.

Inaug.-diss.-Bern. / Lebenslauf. "Literatur": p. [53]-54.

Proefschrift Maastricht. / Met lit. opg. - Met samenvatting in het Nederlands.

Abstract The carbonic anhydrases (CAs) participate in the maintenance of pH homeostasis in various tissues of the human body by catalyzing the reversible reaction CO2 + H2O ⇔ HCO3- + H+. Carbonic anhydrase isoenzyme VI (CA VI) is secreted into the human saliva by the serous acinar cells of the parotid and submandibular glands. The present work was undertaken in order to gain an understanding of the physiological role of CA VI in the oral cavity. CA VI concentrations were compared with other salivary characteristics and with the clinical dental status of the subjects. Saliva samples were collected under strictly controlled conditions from 209 young, healthy men and their CA VI concentrations determined by means of a specific time-resolved immunofluorometric assay. Salivary secretion rate, pH, buffering capacity, α-amylase activity level and counts of lactobacilli and mutans streptococci were also determined. Salivary CA VI concentrations showed positive correlations with salivary secretion rate (r = 0.20, p = 0.003) and amylase activity level (r = 0.46, p < 0.001), but not with pH, buffering capacity, or counts of mutans streptococci or lactobacilli. Salivary CA VI concentration, pH and buffering capacity correlated negatively with the number of decayed, missing or filled teeth (DMFT index). The correlation between salivary CA VI concentration and DMFT index was closest in the subjects with poor oral hygiene. No correlation was found between salivary secretion rate or amylase activity and the DMFT index. The location of CA VI in the enamel pellicle, a thin layer of proteins on dental surfaces providing a protective interface between the tooth surface and the external environment, was demonstrated in samples of extracted teeth using immunostaining with anti-CA VI antibody. Immunostaining for salivary α-amylase, which was used as a positive control, produced virtually the same staining patterns. The presence of CA VI in the natural enamel pellicle was confirmed by Western blotting of pellicle proteins. Histochemical staining of enamel pellicle formed in vitro showed that the bound enzyme retains its CA activity. To determine whether CA VI is transferred into the circulation, blood and saliva samples were collected from four healthy male volunteers at 3-h intervals throughout a 24-h period and assayed for CA VI concentration. CA VI was present in all the serum samples, although its concentration was about 22 times lower than in the saliva. The presence of CA VI in serum was confirmed using a sensitive Western blotting method. Western blotting also showed that serum CA VI is associated with IgG, which may protect the enzyme from proteolytic degradation or target it to sites that do not contain CA VI. The present results suggest that salivary CA VI is not involved in regulation of the actual pH or buffering capacity of the saliva, but it does seem to have a specific role in the oral cavity. High salivary concentrations of CA VI appear to be associated with low caries experience. Since active CA VI is located in the enamel pellicle, it may function locally in the microenvironment of the dental surfaces and accelerate the neutralization of the acid metabolic products of bacterial plaque.

Assisted reproductive technologies have become a common method used to treat infertility. These techniques have advanced quickly since the first birth of an in vitro fertilization (IVF) baby in 1978, at the Royal Oldham Hospital in the United Kingdom. Currently, IVF with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection, is used throughout the world to achieve oocyte retrieval, fertilization, implantation of an embryo, clinical pregnancy, ongoing clinical pregnancy, and a live-born infant. The rationale for selecting one type of fertility treatment over another is multifactorial: the confirmed or unconfirmed cause of infertility, the age of the gamete donor and the recipient, the availability of the type of treatment, and the cost associated with the treatment. The ultimate goal of any fertility treatment is to achieve a successful pregnancy that results in a healthy infant. However, the literature is equivocal on the effects of fertility treatment cycles on the health outcomes of infants and mothers. Presently, there are thirty-six fertility treatment centres across Canada, eighteen of which reside in Ontario. A national, comprehensive database of assisted reproductive technology treatment cycles (Canadian Assisted Reproductive Technologies Register (CARTR) Plus) began collecting data in 2013, and has made the research objectives of this doctoral thesis feasible. Before this data collection system, population-wide studies involving fertility treatments were not possible in Canada. Two understudied issues associated with IVF are the impact of fertility treatments on the maternal serum screening markers used in prenatal screening programs to identify fetal aneuploidies; and the association between fertility treatments and adverse perinatal outcomes, such as preeclampsia and stillbirth. Given the increasing number of women who are using fertility treatments to conceive, it is imperative that studies investigating the association with adverse outcomes are conducted. As the science supporting fertility treatment procedure has advanced, so has prenatal screening. One of the first screening tests that are performed for newly pregnant women, including women who conceived following IVF, is maternal serum screening. The first objective of this doctoral thesis was to systematically review the literature on the association between IVF treatment and maternal serum screening marker levels and nuchal translucency (NT) thickness. After the search and screening of the literature there were 40 studies that were included in this systematic review. A decrease in pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and an increase in total human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was consistently reported for IVF pregnancies. However, since the levels of the other maternal serum screening markers reported also varied we were unable to generalize about the differences between prenatal screening results in the IVF population. These results led to investigating maternal serum screening marker levels among IVF patients in Ontario, Canada. The second objective of this thesis was three-fold: 1) to investigate the accuracy of IVF identification on the Ontario prenatal screening record, relative to reference standard on the CARTR Plus database; 2) to compare the prenatal screening markers in IVF versus non-IVF pregnancies in the population of Ontario; and 3) to propose updated IVF adjustment factors for prenatal screening in the Ontario population, based on the more accurate coding for IVF status in the CARTR Plus database. Significant differences between IVF and non-IVF groups, based on both the prenatal screening requisition information and CARTR Plus information, were found among the ethnicity adjusted mean multiple of the median (MoM)s for several prenatal screening markers: alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), PAPP-A, unconjugated estriol (µE3), first trimester hCG, total hCG, and dimeric inhibin A (DIA). When we developed the proposed adjustment factors for all CARTR Plus identified pregnancies we found that for PAPP-A, total hCG, and µE3 the mean adjusted marker MoMs were significantly closer to 1.00, as compared to the prenatal screening adjusted or the unadjusted mean marker MoMs. Currently, there is no adjustment made to the other maternal serum screening markers and NT measurement. The third objective was to examine the effect of type of infertility on placental-mediated adverse outcomes (preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, placental abruption, and stillbirth). Type of infertility was classified as male factor (sperm count, poor sperm motility, and abnormal sperm morphology), female factor (ovulation disorders, tubal infertility, and uterine or cervical causes), and unexplained infertility. No significant associations were found between type of conception and the composite outcome, as well as each individual primary outcome. Similarly, the type of infertility was not associated with the composite outcome or any of the individual primary outcomes, except for female factor infertility, which was associated with increased probability of placental abruption. Overall, the results from this doctoral thesis suggest that there are substantial differences seen in maternal serum screening marker MoMs among women who use IVF to conceive, suggesting that appropriate adjustment factors should be employed to ensure accurate results for determining the risk of Down syndrome and trisomy 18. Additionally, although the literature has shown an association between fertility treatment and placental-mediated adverse outcomes no significant associations were found in the population of Ontario. Further studies should be performed to confirm the results of these observational studies.

The use of electrolytes in horses has become common in the equine community. Proper management of the equine athlete encourages the supplementation of electrolytes, especially during exercise. Electrolyte imbalance can cause physiological issues including fatigue, irregular heartbeat, cramping, and more. Electrolyte supplementation is utilized to replace losses via the sweat, urine, and defecation. Commercially available oral electrolyte forms include paste, powder, and pellets. Work describing chewable electrolyte use in horses has not been published. The objective of this work is two-fold: to determine preference across four electrolyte chew flavors and to ascertain efficacy of a novel electrolyte product. Protocol approval (#21-029) by Southern Illinois University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee was obtained prior to initiation of this work. The study was completed in two phases. The first phase examined the palatability of the novel electrolyte chew while the second phase tested the serological effect of the product in exercising horses. In the first phase, stock-type horses (n = 10) were utilized for individual preference testing in palatability stocks over six days. During the palatability session, each horse was permitted 30 seconds to olfactorily investigate the product prior to release for consumption. Immediately following the olfactory period, each horse was allowed up to 5 minutes to voluntarily consume the electrolyte chews. Horses were presented with four treatments (A, B, C, D) on an alternating basis, with two treatments offered side-by-side per day. Treatment formulations consisted of the same base electrolyte content with varying flavors of peppermint, salt, and orchard grass (Table 2). Treatment locations were switched daily to prevent bias associated with location. Variables of interest included number of chews consumed (TI), first action (FA), first choice (FC), time spent consuming (TC) and water consumption (WC) were recorded. Bodyweight (BW) and body condition scores (BCS) were recorded twice over the study duration. Data were analyzed via numerical and categorical methods using PROC GENMOD, PROC FREQ & PROC GLM of SAS (v. 9.5). Significance was set at P < 0.05. There was no significant overall preference for any of the treatment formulations examined. However, there was a significant difference in chew consumption between days 1 and 2 (P = 0.0204). There was also a highly significant treatment effect between days 5 and 6 (P < 0.0001). The relationship between individual horse and consumption was variable and highly significant (P < 0.0001). The mean acceptance rate of the product was 63.6%. These results indicate palatability may differ significantly across horses for the flavors examined. In the second study phase, privately-owned local foxhunting horses (n = 15) were utilized in an exercise study. Due to poor consumption, nine horses were selected for use in the experiment to test treatments. There were three treatment groups: control (CON) offered no supplementation, light (LIG) consumed 6-9 chews, and moderate (MOD) voluntarily consumed 15-20 chews. Baseline jugular venipuncture and vitals assessments were completed on all horses prior to supplementation. Supplementation was offered in two parts: 30 minutes pre-ride and immediately following a 2-hour foxhunt ride in the afternoon. Afternoon temperature was 52°F with mostly sunshine and approximately 42% humidity. Upon return, horses were immediately offered electrolyte supplementation. Venipuncture and vitals assessments were repeated 30 minutes post-ride. Variables recorded were serum values (Na, K, Cl, Ca, HCO−3, Mg), chew consumption (TI), age, respiratory rate (RR), skin turgor (SKN), rectal temperature (BT), distance travelled (DIS) and average speed (SPD). Categorical variables were body condition score (BCS), sex, breed (BRD), and sweat rating (SWR). Data was analyzed via PROC GLM, PROC FREQ and PROC REG dependent on test with SAS (v. 9.5). Significance for all tests was set at P < 0.05. Serological values were unaffected by electrolyte consumption (P > 0.05). Body temperature was significantly higher for all horses following exercise, regardless of treatment group (P = 0.0005). Skin turgor showed significantly more time before return to original state during post-ride evaluation (P = 0.0013). Directional serum changes between Cl and K were significantly correlated (P = 0.0227) as well as Mg and Cl (P = 0.0316). Correlations of relational change between Ca and HCO−3 in addition to Ca and Na were approaching significance (P = 0.0707; P = 0.0800). Mares demonstrated a greater ability to maintain lower post-ride serum calcium levels than geldings (P = 0.013). The effect of breed on serological calcium change may also be considered (P = 0.0312). These results suggest that several major contributive factors require further investigation for the successful implementation of oral electrolyte chews into equine exercise regimens.

No description available.