Piñon and juniper encroachment and infilling can alter ecosystem processes and decrease resilience and resistance in sagebrush grasslands. Land managers employ a variety of techniques to eliminate these trees and mitigate their negative effects. Mechanical mastication or shredding is an increasingly popular method of removing these trees in Utah. It is a versatile treatment that can reduce canopy fuels, increase infiltration, and reduced sediment loss. We compared vegetation cover for annual and perennial vegetation functional groups on shredded and adjacent unshredded areas across a range of sites. Our approach was to categorize sites by ecological site type (encroachment or tree) and subplots by treatment (untreated, shredded, and shredded-seeded) and initial tree cover. Mixed model analysis of covariance and the Tukey-Kramer test were used to determine significant differences among ecological site type and treatment combinations for each 5% increment of untreated or initial tree cover. Shrub cover was unaffected by treatment and decreased with increasing tree cover. In general, perennial herbaceous understory cover increased after shredding to equal or exceed initial encroachment and infilling levels. This held true for both ecological site types and treatments, even at high pretreatment tree cover percentages. Cheatgrass also increased in cover after tree shredding although this trend was dampened in the seeded treatments indicating some suppression of cheatgrass by seeding. Shredding when there is high cover of perennial herbaceous plants and shrubs or seeding in conjunction with shredding where initial tree cover exceeds 35-40% will help discourage dominance by weeds.

The collection and preservation of llama semen is not a standardized procedure as it is in cattle. It has a number of complications that are mainly associated with the characteristics of the semen. In order to contribute to the knowledge of reproductive biology, we decided to evaluate the behavior of llama semen in relation to the different diluters in this study. This study was done at the National Germplasm Bank for Camelids which is part of the Ministry of Rural Development of Agriculture and Environment. The Ministry is located in the Agriculture Experiment Center of Condoriri which belongs to the College of Agriculture, Livestock, and Veterinary Sciences of the Technical University of Oruro. The University is located 49 km northeast of the province of Cercado in the department of Oruro and 12 km northeast of the community of Caracollo. The geographic coordinates of Caracollo are 17º31’41” south latitude and 67º14’02” west longitude. It is at an altitude of 3830 m above sea level and has an area of 1640 ha (Geographical map of the Military Geographical Institute). The macroscopic evaluations made were: pH (7.2 - 7.6), volume (2 - 4.5 cc), color (clear white or milky white), density, or consistency by simple inspection (subjective). The microscopic evaluations made were: motility (50 - 70%), viability (50 - 70%), concentration (20 - 40 x 107/esp./cc), and abnormalities (10% at most). All materials and environments used in this assessment were at room temperature. The analysis of variance test at 99% probability showed that the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics are affected by different harvest times. The two diluter preparations studied were 1) PBS diluter (with all its components that will serve the sperm as energy, nutrient, and cushioning), egg yolk, blood serum, and glycerol, and 2) TRIS diluter (with all its components that will serve the sperm as energy, nutrient, cushioning, and elements to avoid contamination), egg yolk, blood serum, and glycerol. All these materials were brought to 35 - 37ºC before being added to the semen. The prepared samples containing the diluent were then cooled to 5ºC. The samples were then collected for storage, with special care to maintain the sample temperature. The freezing was done slowly by placing the rack of containers at a given height of liquid nitrogen for seven to ten minutes. Following this, the containers were submerged. This slow freezing process prevented problems in the metabolism of the sperm after thawing. The samples were unthawed at intervals of 15 and 30 days by rapidly removing them from the liquid nitrogen and placing them in a water bath for 30 seconds. The evaluations of viability, motility, and concentration were all performed within 15 minutes of thawing. The results obtained from the analyses after thawing on average were better for the diluter PBS than for the diluter TRIS. The analysis of variance test at 99% probability showed that the characteristics after thawing were affected differently according to the diluter used in the dilution.

The present study was performed in the Zoo-Technical Engineering department of the Tiahuanaco Rural Academic Unit of the Bolivian Catholic University. The biochemical components of the secretions produced by the bulb urethral glands of male llama that were studied are glucose, inorganic phosphorus, creatinine, total proteins, albumin, total lipids, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Spectrophotometer standardized techniques were used in nine animals of three, four, and five years of age from communities of the Ingavi province. Groups comprised of three animals each were selected by age criteria. After dissecting and separating the pelvic urethra, gland secretion was obtained by finger pressure. The process was made after beneficiating the animals. The bulb urethral gland secretions present a white color and a hard viscous consistency. The results of biochemical analysis in the three ages are as follows : glucose 535.79 mg/dl; inorganic phosphorus 30.67 mg/dl; creatinine 25.34 mg/dl; total proteins 11.78 g/dl; albumin, 8.596 g/dl; total lipids 1022.55 mg/dl; cholesterol 168.83 mg/dl; and triglycerides, 605.10 mg/dl. Animal age significantly influences on the concentrations of glucose, creatinine, and total lipids with a probability of (p>= 0.05). Animal age has no influence over the concentrations of inorganic phosphorus, total proteins, albumin, cholesterol, and triglycerides with a probability of (p

The study was done in the department of La Paz, providence of Ingavi in the community of Letanias (16° 39’ 15” S; 69° 60’ 18” W), in the Benson Institute building, located 3 kilometers from Viacha. The objectives were: to evaluate the growth and increase in weight and consumption of food in Guinea pig male and females under the effect of diets with different levels of barley sprout in the phases of growth; to determine the nutritional conversion; to determine the optimal level of use of the barley sprouts in the basic feeding of Guinea pigs; and to evaluate the results of the diets from the point of view of its economic efficiency. The diets utilized were isoprotein and isoenergetic and consisted of the following: D l (34% H. alfalfa + 33% P. barley + 33% bran), D-2 (45%H. alfalfa + 25% sprout + 14% P. barley + 16% bran), D-3 (35% H. alfalfa + 50% sprout + 12% P. barley + 3% bran), D-4 (22% H. alfalfa + 75% sprout + 2% P. barley + 1% bran). The design that I used was completely random with factorial arrangement, with four repetitions, taking into account 64 animals 32 male and 32 females. I analyzed the variables with the statistical package MSTATC obtaining the following results.- The analysis of variance obtained for the gaining and increasing of weight, I present differences in the phases of evaluation (sixth and eleventh week). Being D-2 the diet that presents greater weight with referring to the diets D l, D-2 and D-3. The consumption of food was greater in the diet D-2, showing greater flexibility than the diets D-2, D-3 and D-l. Analyzing the nutritional conversion index, weight, and economic relation it is concluded that the diet D-2 with 25% of barley sprout is the one that achieves the best behavior, achieving a good use of the goods that farmers have and the cost of feed is attainable for the producer. Barley sprouts can be an alternative feed for the guinea pig always as long as administered in low levels.

This study was carried out in the Azafranal community of the Desaguadero municipality, which is in the Ingavi Province of the Department of La Paz. It was conducted at an altitude of 3350 meters above sea level at 16°20’00” south latitude and 69°00’00” west longitude. The study went from December 20, 2003 to June 20, 2004. Our objective was to evaluate hair production in angora rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) fed with three different rations of reed. The experimental trial was done at the Angorita farm over a 135 day period that was divided into three smaller periods of 45 days. The experiment was done via a completely randomized block design. The means from each treatment (A, B, C, and D) were analyzed by a Duncan test with a level of 95% confidence. The population consisted of 16 male and 16 female English angora rabbits between 90 and 98 days of age. These were divided into four groups of eight individuals. Each group was then subjected to one of four treatments: 1) ration A with 40% reed content, 2) ration B with 30% reed content, 3) ration C with 20% reed content, and 4) ration D as a control with 0% reed content. The variables measured and studied were: hair weight (g), hair diameter (µ), hair length (cm), and length of a lock of hair (cm). The results reflect a positive effect on hair diameter with rations C and A, which had average diameters of 9.48 µ and 9.64 µ respectively. Furthermore, with respect to hair length, ration A had an average of 4.87 cm and ration C had an average of 4.68 cm. Lastly, with respect to length of a lock of hair, ration A had an average of 4.74 cm and ration B had an average of 4.52 cm (P0.05).

ABSTRACT COMPLETION OF AN IN VIVO DIGESTIBILITY TRIAL IN HORSES AND IN VITRO DIGESTIBILITY ASSAY DEVELOPMENT Cassandra Renee Sweeney In vivo analysis of equine feed digestibility has been the gold standard since the late 1800's, although it can be time consuming, costly, and labor intensive. In vitro digestibility analysis may be more economical and beneficial to both feed manufacturers and consumers. The availability of accurate in vivo data is crucial for critical evaluation and validation of any potential in vitro method (Coles et al., 2005). Ten adult American quarter horse geldings were used in the in vivo digestibility evaluation of two complete pelleted feeds fed as 100% of intake. The ingredients of the two treatments were similar: wheat middlings, rice hulls, alfalfa and beet pulp. The treatments differed in added mineral sources, yeast, direct fed microbials, and Yucca schidigera extract, added to enhance dry matter digestibility of the test diet. The in vivo evaluation consisted of two phases in a randomized crossover design. Total daily dry matter intake (DMI) and daily dry matter excretion (DME) were measured. Apparent digestibility (aDig) of % DM, % NDF, % ADF, % ADLom, and % OM (DM) were also calculated. No differences were seen in aDig of NDF, ADF, ADLOM or OM between the two experimental diets (P > 0.05). There was also no difference in DMI or DME, as a percentage of body weight (BW), between the two experimental diets. The effect of phase was not significant for all tests run on aDig, DMI, and DME (P > 0.05). BW was not significantly different (P > 0.05) between diets, however there was a trend for v heavier BW during phase 2 (P = 0.073). In vitro digestibility assay development followed the in vivo evaluation. A three-stage batch system as briefly described by Boisen and Fernandez (1997) was utilized. Through literature review, trial and error, personal communication with other labs and product and chemical manufactures, careful documentation of the methods were detailed. Using the control feed from the in vivo evaluation, variation in the methods was significantly reduced, and estimations of DML began to approach those seen in vivo throughout method development. Although further method development may be needed for species-specific use, the methods described here can provide the foundation for future in vitro digestibility studies.

No description available.

The aim of this investigation was to study some of the digenetic trematodes of marine fishes from Monterey Bay, with special reference to the genus Opecoelus family Opecoelidae Ozaki 1925. Extensive work on this family has been done by Dr. D. Yaiuaguti and his colleagues in Japan. After the Allan Hancock Pacific expeditions to the Galapagos Islands in 1934. Dr. H. W. Menter described a few new species from the Galapagos and some Lexicon Islands in 1940. The same author reported a new species from La Jolla, California in 1951; but until now, no further observations have been made on this genus in California. The project was undertaken in the fall of 1958, The preliminary preparations of specimens for microscopic observations were made by Dr. L. Noble during his visits to the Hopkins marine Station, California in 1927 and 1936 respectively.

Monostome trematodes of the family cyclocoelidae, taken from the American coot, Fulica americana, were described as a new species, Cyclocoelum microcotyleum, by Noble in 1933. These flukes were found in the air-spaces or the coelomes of birds taken from the waterways near Stockton, California. Before this present work various attempts had been made to determine the lite history of this fluke. A number of fresh-water snails, indigenous to the region in which the definitive host was found, were exposed to miracidia of this fluke, but observations or infection were not obtained. In the winter of 1940-41 specimens of the fresh-water snail Physa sp. were exposed to the newly-hatched miracidia of this fluke, and various stages of the larval forms were observed.

The infections agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia Burgdorferi is a complex microorganism with a highly diverse genome. One of the most remarkable aspects of the B. burgdorferi genome is the large number of sequences encoding predicted or known lipoproteins, including outer-surface proteins. The B. burgdorferi genome encodes no recognizable toxins. Instead, this extracellular pathogen causes pathology by migration through tissues, adhesion to host cells, and evasion of immune clearance. Inflammation elicited by infection with B. burgdorferi depends on the ability of the spirochete to survive in the mammalian host, as well as the immune response that arises upon the interaction of the bacterium with phagocytic, T and other cell types. Innate immune responses are critical in recognition and clearance of pathogens, and also play an important role in the outcome of adaptive immune responses. The regulation of innate immune responses to pathogens occurs through the interaction of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) with pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and the activation of several signaling pathways whose contribution to the overall innate immune response to pathogens is poorly understood. In this study we demonstrate a mechanism of control of murine macrophage responses mediated by TLR1/2 heterodimers through c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) activity. JNK also controls tumor necrosis factor production and TLR-mediated macrophage responses to B. burgdorferi. We also show that the proximal promoter region of the human tlr1 gene contains an AP-1 binding site that is subjected to regulation by the kinase and binds two complexes that involve the JNK substrates c-Jun, JunD, and ATF-2. These results demonstrate that JNK1 regulates the response to TLR1/2 ligands and suggest a positive feedback loop that may serve to increase the innate immune response to the spirochete. MCJ is a newly identified member of the DnaJ protein family of cochaperones that contains unique features different than the normally described DnaJ proteins. However, there is little known about its function and the role it plays in different cells and systems. It has been previously shown that MCJ is required for the repression of the ABCB1 drug transporter expression in breast cancer cells, and that this repression is mediated through the control of c-Jun protein stability. We were therefore interested in determining the role that MCJ plays in macrophages in response to B. burgdorferi antigens. We now provide evidence that MCJ controls inflammatory responses of macrophages through the regulation of c-Jun protein stability, and the expression and release of the inflammatory cytokine TNF through the regulation of the expression of TNF converting enzyme (TACE) inhibitor tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3 (TIMP-3).