Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-118). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri--Columbia, 2002. / "December 2002." Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 109-118). Also issued on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri--Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 109-118). Also issued on the Internet.

Atherosclerosis is a complex disease which develops silently over decades and can lead to acute myocardial infarction or stroke, the main cause of death worldwide. Apoliporotein E (apo E) is a glycoprotein known for its major role in lipid metabolism and its pro-atherogenic effects. Swine make a unique and viable research model as it shares most of the anatomic and physiologic characteristics with humans, notably for the the cardiovascular system. In addition, it is the only animal species, other than nonhuman primates, that develops atherosclerosis spontaneously. In this study we examined the feasibility for creating an apo E-deficient pig model of atherosclerosis using RNA interference (RNAi) and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The knockdown efficiency was tested in porcine granulosa cells. It varied from 45% to 82% compared to control cells, as revealed by real-time PCR analysis. Accordingly, short hairpin RNA-expressing vectors were constructed and used to transfect porcine fetal fibroblast cells. Cell lines with stable chromosomal integration were established and used to produce embryos by SCNT. Development of SCNT embryos to the blastocyst stage (33%) was comparable to non-transgenic embryos. The integration of the shRNA into the genome of GFP-expressing embryos was revealed by PCR and gel electrophoresis. These findings indicate that porcine embryos harboring shRNA-specific to apo E created by SCNT may lead to the production of apo E-deficient pigs. These pigs would be a promising new animal model for advancing atherosclerosis research.

Two experiments were undertaken to evaluate the baby pig as a biomedical model with which to study Protein-Calorie malnutrition. In the first experiment, 32Yorkshire and Yorkshire X Landrace pigs weaned at 21 days were fed either an 18% or 4% protein ration. Blood samples were taken biweekly from the anterior vena cava and the serum samples analyzed for calcium, phosphorus, glucose, cholesterol, lactic dehydrogenase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, amylase, a 1ka1ine phosphatase, total protein, albumin and blood urea nitrogen. Significant (p ≤.01) treatment effects were observed for total protein, albumin, amylase, alkaline phosphatase, lactic dehydrogenase, cholesterol, calcium and phosphorus. In the second experiment, 40 Yorkshire and Yorkshire X Landrace pigs weaned at 28 days were fed rations containing 18%, 10%, 8%, 6%, and 4% protein. Blood samples were again taken biweekly and serum samples were analyzed for the same parameters as in trial one. In addition, serum copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc were measured. The livers of any animals which died on the low protein diets, were fat extracted, and the level of fat compared to that obtained from livers of animals killed as suckling pigs at a slaughter plant. Total body water was determined on three animals on the 18% ration and three on the h% ration utilizing tritiated water as a tracer. Total protein, albumin, amylase, lactic dehydrogenase, calcium, phosphorus, copper, iron and magnesium correlated well with dietary protein intake. Significant treatment effects were observed for total body water and fat content of the liver. An attempt was made to find a biochemical parameter which might be used in diagnosing developing protein calorie malnutrition. The results of the study would indicate that serum phosphate and amylase are the most sensitive parameters to dietary protein intake. Not every lesion or biochemical serum change occurring in man was reproduced in the present study. Nevertheless, characteristic symptoms such as the development of fatty liver, growth retardation, abnormal hair texture, hypoalbuminemia, and apathy were reproduced in the protein deficient swine. The baby pig would therefore appear to be a good model for the study of protein-calorie malnutrition. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

No description available.

No description available.

Lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) was purified 30,000-fold from hog plasma in a homogeneous state as indicated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified enzyme had an apparent molecular weight of 66,000 and was found to contain about 21.4 percent (w/w) carbohydrate. The properties of hog LCAT including amino acid composition were compared with human LCAT. High density lipoprotein (HDL) was isolated from the hog plasma by an immunoaffinity column chromatography. The isolated HDL showed nearly identical lipid-protein composition although it contained additional protein components when it was compared to HDL isolated by a traditional method involving ultracentrifugation.

Orientador: Helio Grassi Filho / Banca: Antonio de Padua Sousa / Banca: Thomaz Figueiredo Lobo / Resumo: O objetivo do presente trabalho foi de avaliar a uniformidade de aplicação de água utilizando o coeficiente de uniformidade de distribuição (CUD), coeficiente de uniformidade de Christiansen (CUC) e o coeficiente de uniformidade estatístico (CUE), além de determinar o coeficiente de variação de vazão (CVQ) utilizando o tubo gotejador da marca Netafim modelo Streamline 16060, após seu uso com água residuária oriunda da suinocultura. O experimento foi conduzido no Laboratório de Irrigação da UNESP-FCA, Campus de Botucatu-SP. Foi executado em uma bancada de ensaio de gotejadores, utilizando quatro segmentos do tubo gotejador com 6 metros, e escolhidos 32 emissores, onde se verificou a vazão destes emissores com as seguintes pressões: 45, 55, 65, 78 kPa, com quatro repetições para cada gotejador. Após os ensaios, o tubo gotejador foi submetido a 600 horas de trabalho com água residuária oriunda da suinocultura. Foram realizados os mesmos ensaios com o tubo gotejador novo com, 100, 200, 300, 400 e 500 horas de trabalho com água residuária. Os valores obtidos com o tubo novo e após seu uso durante 400 horas com água residuária da suinocultura para o CVQ foram classificados como bons, pela tabela da ABNT (1987). Já quando se atingiu 500 horas de trabalho as pressões 45 e 65 kPa apresentaram um CVQ de 0,5 considerado médio pela ABNT (1987) e com 600 horas de trabalho as avaliações em todas pressões foram classificadas como médio. O CUD, CUC, e o CUE, desde o ensaio inicial e até 600 horas de trabalho na bancada, foram considerados como excelentes, de acordo com Merriam & Keller (1978), apesar de alguns gotejadores ao longo do tempo apresentarem obstruções parciais. Porem com o passar do tempo o CUD e o CUE apesar de serem classificados como excelentes apresentaram um leve declínio em seus valores. Com base nos resultados obtidos, foi possível concluir que, após 600 horas... / Abstract: The aim of the present work was to evaluate the application uniformity of water using the distribution uniformity coefficient (DU), Christiansen uniformity coefficient (UC) and statistical uniformity coefficient (SUC), besides determine the flow variation coefficient (FVC) using a Netafim brand 16060 Streamline model dripper tube, after its use with swine wastewater. The The experiment was done in Irrigation Laboratory of UNESP-FCA, Botucatu-SP campus. It have done in a dripper test bench using four sections of 6 meters dripper tubes, 32 emitters chosen, where the flow verified in the emitters was the following pressure: 45, 55, 65, 78kPa, with four repetitions for each dripper. After the test, the dripper tube was subordinated to 600 hours work with swine wastewater. It have done the same tests with the new dripper tube with 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 hours of work with residual water. The obtained values with the new tube and after its use through 400 hours with swine wastewater for FVC were classified as good by ABNT chart (1987). Nevertheless, when reached 500 hours of work, the pressures 45 and 65 kPa show a FVC of 0.5 considerate medium by ABNT (1987) and with 600 hours of work, the evaluation in all pressures were classified as medium. The DU, UC and SUC, since initial test to 600 hours of work in bench were classified as excellent, according to Merriam & Keller (1978), despite of some drippers show partial obstruction through time. However, through the time, the DU and UC besides classified as excellent show a small decline in their values. Based in the obtained results, it is possible to conclude that after 600 dripper tube hours of use, the dripper keep satisfactory water application uniformity, the test showed the possibility of swine wastewater for dripper irrigation, without dripper obstruction problems in periods until 600 hours of use. For swine wastewater use in irrigation projects ... / Mestre

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio State University, 2009. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 85-94).