This dissertation is an investigation into the effect of different zinc sources and levels on eggshell quality and microstructure, as well as keel bone damage. Eggshell function is two-fold; eggshells function to protect the developing embryo, as well as act as a barrier against bacterial penetration, optimizing food safety of the egg for human consumption (Mabe et. Al., 2003). Two small trials were conducted in order to determine differences in eggshell microstructure of eggs produced from hens at peak lay (26 weeks of age) and at the end of lay (88 weeks of age). Two groups of hens were fed a calcium sufficient or a calcium deficient diet. From this it was determined that eggs with higher breaking strengths had some differences in eggshell microstructure. Eggs with greater breaking strengths had a greater density of ‘normal’ structures, compared to ‘abnormal’ structures. Additionally, eggs requiring a greater breaking force, had a thicker micro-structure, compared to shells requiring less breaking force. With this knowledge on microstructure, a larger, 36-week study was conducted using different zinc sources. Every four weeks, eggs were collected and standard egg quality measurements were taken and keel bones were scored. At the end of the study, keel bones were collected from randomly selected hens representing each treatment. Picture of these keel bones were taken and measurements were taken to determine type and degree of deformation, in comparison to scores taken on the live bird. Pens selected for keel bone analysis, were the same pens that eggs were taken for imaging by the scanning electron microscope, to determine eggshell microstructure. From this data, it was determined that egg quality differences were detected, as well as differences in eggshell microstructure. Additionally, keel bone scores progressively worsened throughout the 36-week long study, with type and degree of deformation differing depending on zinc source.

Elevated yolk progesterone has been shown to impair prenatal, but facilitate postnatal auditory learning in bobwhite quail chicks. Elevated yolk testosterone has facilitated prenatal learning, but its effects on postnatal auditory learning in quail are unknown. Either testosterone or an oil vehicle was injected into bobwhite quail eggs prior to incubation. Control eggs were unmanipulated. Following hatching, chicks were exposed to a conspecific maternal call (A or B) for 240 min. At 48 hr, chicks were tested for their preference for the familiarized vs. novel call. All groups demonstrated a preference for the familiar call (p < .05), but minimal between group difference were found. Contrary to previous research, elevated yolk testosterone neither facilitated nor impaired postnatal auditory learning in bobwhite quail chicks. Further research will examine underlying mechanisms responsible for differential effects and explore if similar systems are involved in other species-typical processes such as social motivation. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2011 / Poverty among communities is not a static condition. There are many factors which contribute to its causes and depth. In South Africa, the economic gaps imposed by the previous apartheid government aggravated economic inequalities and caused considerable disparities, which resulted in the high unemployment rates. This led to a call for pro-active initiatives by post 1994 democratic government to remedy the living condition of the previously disadvantaged people. As part of its poverty relief drive, the South African government has embarked on a series of developmental initiatives to bring services to the poor and to reduce enormous prevailing backlogs, with the aim of increasing community participation and improving the lives of the poor. This study evaluates the egg layers project as a poverty alleviation effort within Blouberg Municipality of the Limpopo Province to respond to the prevailing poverty and underdevelopment among the poor communities. This study revealed from the observations, interviews conducted and questionnaires administrated to sampled beneficiaries of Blouberg Municipality who faces poverty. The study formulated strategies and made recommendations regarding the impact and implementation of the egg layers on poor people.

Thesis (MA.Agricultural Management (Animal Production)) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / The objectives of the study were to evaluate the productivity of the Vhembe egg production project and determine the management and socio-economic factors affecting productivity. The data were collected from 2005 to 2007. Thirty-two farmers from four municipalities were randomly selected. Each household received a once-off unit consisting of a cage with eighteen point of lay chickens 4x50 bags of laying mesh, feeding and drinking troughs. Production records from sampled farmers were used in the analysis. Data included monthly egg production, eggs consumed, eggs sold, income from eggs, production costs, monthly feed utilization and mortality. Primary data on educational standards, socio-economic characteristics (age and gender of the household head, farming size, level of education and alternative income, were collected using a questionnaire. The study revealed that sex, age and educational level had impact on production as low production was associated with older farmers and low level of education. These factors should be considered when planning community projects. Chicken rearing and ownership is often shared among the family members, in this study, the management was predominantly by women (63%) and children (18%). This may be an indication that if assistance efforts are targeted towards women, village poverty could be significantly reduced. It is concluded that the low income accrued from the project explains the reason for high abandonment or neglect of the project. The income received from the project is smaller than the government grants and as such not attractive. It is not surprising that presently most farmers have abandoned the project. It is noted that if labour costs had been taken into consideration, the project would be running at a serious loss and the resultant output would discourage even the most enthusiastic farmers.

Thesis (M.A. Agricultural Management (Animal Production)) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / The objectives of the study were to evaluate the productivity of the Vhembe egg production project and determine the management and socio-economic factors affecting productivity. The data were collected from 2005 to 2007. Thirty-two farmers from four municipalities were randomly selected. Each household received a once-off unit consisting of a cage with eighteen point of lay chickens 4x50 bags of laying mesh, feeding and drinking troughs. Production records from sampled farmers were used in the analysis. Data included monthly egg production, eggs consumed, eggs sold, income from eggs, production costs, monthly feed utilization and mortality. Primary data on educational standards, socio-economic characteristics (age and gender of the household head, farming size, level of education and alternative income, were collected using a questionnaire. The study revealed that sex, age and educational level had impact on production as low production was associated with older farmers and low level of education. These factors should be considered when planning community projects. Chicken rearing and ownership is often shared among the family members, in this study, the management was predominantly by women (63%) and children (18%). This may be an indication that if assistance efforts are targeted towards women, village poverty could be significantly reduced. It is concluded that the low income accrued from the project explains the reason for high abandonment or neglect of the project. The income received from the project is smaller than the government grants and as such not attractive. It is not surprising that presently most farmers have abandoned the project. It is noted that if labour costs had been taken into consideration, the project would be running at a serious loss and the resultant output would discourage even the most enthusiastic farmers.

Egg hatchability has been correlated with many factors, including clutch size, presence of helpers, timing of breeding and predation risk. Hatching failure is higher in a suburban population of Florida Scrub-Jays than in a wildland population, but the reasons for this pattern are unclear. An analysis of long-term demographic data on scrub-jays in both habitats revealed the factors that best explained variation in hatching failure, and an experiment tested whether two potential site factors, ambient temperature and predation risk, could increase hatching failure in the suburbs. Although a global model was best supported by the data for occurrence of partial hatching failure (PHF), clutch size and site were the most significant parameters in this model, which is consistent with the analysis of rates of PHF. I further examined two potential site differences, ambient temperature and predation risk, which might increase PHF in the suburbs. Human activity may increase the perception of predation risk, thus suburban jays may take fewer, longer off-bouts or make fewer incubation feedings to decrease this perceived risk. These behavioral changes may increase nest temperature, thus increase embryo mortality. I placed thermocouples and video cameras at nests during incubation to gauge both ambient and nest temperature and behavior of scrub-jays at each site. I predicted higher ambient temperatures in the suburbs, because suburban areas often serve as heat islands. I also predicted fewer, longer off-bouts and fewer feedings in the suburbs and where human activity was increased experimentally. Ambient temperatures were higher in the suburbs as a result of higher daily minimums rather than higher maximums. Furthermore, females exposed to increased human activity took fewer but not longer off-bouts than suburban or wildland controls; therefore, they increased their nest attentiveness.

As an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) that has been available for over twenty years, the transfer of healthy eggs from a presumably fertile woman into the womb of a woman diagnosed as infertile has become a common part of the landscape of human reproduction in the United States. Yet the general societal acceptance of this practice commonly known as "egg donation" oversimplifies the complex medical, ethical, and societal issues ignited by its use. In light of the limited critical discussions presently occurring about egg transfer, I will interrogate some of the silences and more ambiguous issues invoked by its practice. By giving particular attention to the often ignored experiences of egg "donors," I will analyze the popularly used discourses around this ART. In doing so, I will investigate the ways in which egg donation complicates notions of altruism, autonomy, and exploitation as well as what consequences this has for women's reproductive freedoms as envisioned by many U.S. feminists.

<p>Dette prosjektet har satt søkelyset på to problemstillinger knyttet til samevolusjonen mellom parasitt og vert; 1) utvikling av vertstilpasninger som mottrekk mot tilpasninger hos parasitten, med spesiell fokus på eggtilpasninger, og 2) mekanismer som kan forklare den store variasjonen i forsvarsatferd mot kullparasittisme blant ulike verter.</p><p>1) Flere gjøk- (Cuculus canorus) stammer eller gentes har utviklet egg som er veldig like vertens egne egg, såkalt eggmimikry, for å vanskeliggjøre vertenes eggavvisning. For å svare på dette har mange verter på sin side gjort det vanskeligere for parasitten ved å utvikle en lavere variasjon i utseende mellom sine egg innen kullet (innenkull-variasjon), og en høyere variasjon mellom egg fra kull til kull (mellomkull-variasjon). Mange nordamerikanske spurvefugler blir benyttet som verter av brunhodetrupialen (Molothrus ater), men denne parasitten har ikke utviklet eggmimikry i forhold til vertseggene. Vi sammenlignet kullvariasjonen mellom spurvefugler i Europa og Nord-Amerika og fant en høyere innenkull-variasjon og en lavere mellomkull-variasjon i eggutseende hos nordamerikanske spurvefugler, selv om forskjellen i innenkull-variasjon mellom kontinentene var mindre enn forventet.Hos europeiske spurvefugler er det i tidligere eksperimenter funnet at det er en sammenheng som forventet mellom avvisningsraten overfor parasittiske ikkemimikry egg og kullvariasjonen i eggutseende. Vi fant at det ikke var noen slik sammenheng hos spurvefugler i Nord-Amerika. Resultatene gir støtte til hypotesen om at parasitter med eggmimikry utøver et betydelig seleksjonstrykk for utvikling av bestemte eggkarakterer hos sine verter.</p><p>Vi undersøkte om det var noen forskjell i innenkull-variasjon hos avvisere og akseptorer av parasittegg innen bestemte populasjoner av tre europeiske spurvefugler; rørsanger (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), bokfink (Fringilla coelebs) og munk (Sylvia atricapilla). Det ble funnet at det var en signifikant forskjell i innenkull-variasjon i eggutseende mellom avvisere og akseptorer av kunstige ikke-mimikry gjøkegg i en rørsanger-populasjon i Tsjekkia; avviserne hadde en lavere innenkull variasjon enn akseptorer av slike egg. Denne vertspopulasjonen har en intermediær avvisningsrate overfor ikke-mimikry egg. Et tilsvarende forsøk ble utført hos en bokfink-populasjon i Norge og en munk-populasjon i Tsjekkia. Begge artene er meget gode avvisere av ikke-mimikry egg, noe som indikerer at de aller fleste individer er i stand til å avvise slike egg. Vi valgte derfor å benytte egg fra artsfrender i forsøkene med disse artene. I motsetning til hos rørsangeren fant vi at det ikke var noen forskjell i innenkullvariasjon mellom akseptorer og avvisere av fremmede egg hos bokfink og munk. Hos begge artene ble det funnet at avvisningen av fremmede egg i stor grad avhenger av kontrasten (grad av mimikry) mellom egne egg og parasittegget. Dette viser at selv om individene er i stand til å avvise parasittegg, så finnes det kognitive begrensninger som medfører at egg som utseendemessig ligger under en viss terskelverdi med hensyn til likhet med egne egg vil bli akseptert. Det ble ikke funnet noen indikasjoner på at avvisningsatferden var avhengig av vertenes alder eller av kondisjonelle stimuli for noen av de tre artene. Dette kan tyde på at det er en genetisk basert kobling mellom det å kunne gjenkjenne fremmede egg og innenkull-variasjon. </p><p>2) Mange vertsarter viser ingen eller kun intermediære avvisningsrater overfor fremmede ikke-mimikry egg. En slik tilsynelatende suboptimal atferd kan skyldes at det er kostnader forbundet med avvisningen som forhindrer evolusjon av perfekt avvisningsatferd. Slike kostnader kan være feilaktig avvisning av egne egg i uparasitterte reir (gjenkjenningsfeil), eller avvisning av egne egg i tillegg til parasittegget i parasitterte reir (avvisningskostnader). Hos gjøkverter, som ved suksessfull gjøkparasittisme har en reproduktiv suksess tilnærmet lik null, vil kun gjenkjenningsfeil være kilde til et potensielt seleksjonstrykk mot utvikling av høy avvisning av fremmede egg. Vi undersøkte om slike kostnader forekommer hos bokfink og munk; to arter som antas å ha blitt benyttet av gjøken tidligere, men som i dag ikke blir regelmessig parasittert. På grunn av at avvisningsatferden opprettholdes i fravær av parasittisme, forventet vi at disse artene begår få gjenkjenningsfeil.</p><p>Undersøkelsen gav støtte til denne prediksjonen; avvisningskostnader i parasitterte reir var relativt høye, men gjenkjenningsfeil i uparasitterte reir var meget sjeldent forekommende.</p><p>En hypotese ("spatiell habitat-struktur hypotesen") basert på metapopulasjonsdynamikk og med vekt på karakteristikker vedrørende vertsartenes hekkebiotop ble framsatt for å forklare de store variasjonene i avvisning hos europeiske spurvefugler. Hypotesen bygger på at gjøken benytter de verter som hekker nær utkikkspunkter for parasitten, dvs. nær trær. Arter som hekker både nær og langt fra trær er de beste gjøkvertene, i og med at genflyt fra uparasitterte populasjoner vil forhindre utvikling av perfekt avvisning i parasitterte populasjoner. Arter som alltid hekker nær trær har høye avvisningsrater fordi få eller ingen populasjoner har unnsluppet parasittering, og det har derfor vært sterk seleksjon for utvikling av vertsforsvar. Data for gjøkverter i Europa gav god støtte til hypotesen. Grad av parasitt eggmimikry og parasitteringsrater er høyest hos de vertsarter som kan hekke både langt fra trær og nær trær, noe som tyder på at gjøken har størst suksess hos slike arter.</p> / <p>This thesis deals with two topics in the coevolution between brood parasites and their hosts: 1) evolution of host adaptations against parasite egg mimicry, and 2) sources that could explain the considerable variation in rejection behaviour found among various passerines.</p><p>1) Several common cuckoo (<i>Cuculus canorus</i>) tribes or gentes in Europe have evolved eggs that are remarkably similar to the host eggs in both size and appearance (i.e. egg mimicry). To counter this adaptation in the parasite, hosts can produce eggs with similar appearance within clutches (low intraclutch variation) as well as eggs with diverging appearance between different clutches (high interclutch variation). Many North American passerines are utilised as hosts by the brown-headed cowbird (<i>Molothrus ater</i>). However, this parasite generally lays non-mimetic eggs. As predicted, we found that European passerines had a lower intraclutch variation and a higher interclutch variation in egg appearance than North American passerines.</p><p>However, the difference in intraclutch variation between the continents was less than expected. A relationship has previously been found among European passerines between the rejection rate of non-mimetic eggs and clutch variation in egg appearance, and this is thought to reflect the stage in the coevolution between parasite and host. We found no evidence of such patterns among North American species. These results provide support for the hypothesis that specific host clutch variation is a counteradaptation against parasite egg mimicry.</p><p>We investigated whether there was any difference in clutch variation between acceptors and rejecters of parasitic eggs within populations of three European passerines; reed warblers (<i>Acrocephalus scirpaceus</i>), chaffinches (<i>Fringilla coelebs</i>), and blackcaps (<i>Sylvia atricapilla</i>). In a Czech reed warbler population with an intermediate rejection rate of non-mimetic cuckoo eggs, it was found that rejecters had a statistically significant lower intraclutch variation than acceptors of such eggs. Age or conditional stimuli did not seem to have any influence on the rejectionbehaviour. A similar experiment was carried out in a Norwegian chaffinch population and a Czech blackcap population, which, however, were experimentally parasitised with foreign conspecific eggs because they are both very good rejecters of nonmimetic parasitic eggs. We found no difference in intraclutch variation among acceptors and rejecters of foreign eggs in chaffinches and blackcaps. However, it was found that the rejection of conspecific eggs greatly depends upon the contrast (i.e. mimicry) between the parasitic and their own eggs. It therefore seems that even though individuals have the ability to reject foreign eggs, limitations in their cognitive system entails that parasitic eggs that are too similar to the host eggs will be accepted. We also looked for potential effects of age on rejection behaviour and intraclutch variation, but no relationship between these variables was found. The results indicate that in these three species both rejection behaviour and clutch variation are more or less innate features, and also that there is a genetically based linkage between recognition of odd eggs and intraclutch variation in egg appearance.</p><p>2) Many hosts of brood parasites show no or only intermediate rejection rates of foreign non-mimetic eggs. Evolution of proper rejection behaviour could be prevented by costs related to egg rejection. Important in this respect are erroneous rejection of their own eggs in non-parasitised nests (recognition errors) and rejection of their own eggs in addition to the parasitic egg in parasitised clutches (rejection costs). Because successful cuckoo parasitism usually is detrimental to the breeding success of the host, only recognition errors are believed to be important as an opposing selective pressure against proper host defence in cuckoo hosts. We examined whether such costs exist in chaffinches and blackcaps. These species maintain a high rejection rate of foreign eggs, even though they are not currently used as hosts by the cuckoo. We therefore predicted that recognition errors should be absent or at least rare in these species. We found support for this prediction; rejection costs were relatively high but recognition errors were at best rare events.</p><p>In another investigation, we proposed a hypothesis (the "spatial habitat structure hypothesis") based upon metapopulation dynamics and characteristics concerning host breeding habitats to explain the variation in rejection behaviour found among European passerines. This hypothesis is based upon the fact that the cuckoo, as well as other avian brood parasites, needs access to vantage points in trees to monitor host nests, and thus only species breeding near trees are available as hosts. Our results were very much in accordance with this hypothesis. Species that breed both near and far away from trees are the best cuckoo hosts, because gene flow from non-parasitised populations breeding far from trees will prevent the evolution of proper rejection behaviour in parasitised populations breeding near trees. However, species that always breed near trees have high rejection rates because the majority of the populations have been utilised as hosts, and thus there has been a strong selection for the evolution of host defences. Furthermore, the level of parasite egg mimicry and the level of parasitism was found to be highest among hosts breeding both near and far away from trees, indicating that the cuckoo is most successful when utilising such species as hosts.</p> / Paper VI is not included as a paper in this thesis, but is included as the introduction.

<p>Abstract</p><p>Korpus, Einar, (2008): Reklamiska. Guldäggsannonser 1975–2007 (Advertese. Golden Egg Awards ads 1975–2007), Studier från Örebro i svenska språket 3, 310 pp.</p><p>This study of Swedish advertising, and the language in its advertisements in particular, has two main purposes. One is to investigate the language and structure of ads, and seek to explain why ads have these exist. A second purpose is to investigate the continuity and change in the language and structure of ads.</p><p>An ad consists of a number of elements. The main verbal element is called copy. The term headline is used for the main headline of an ad. Ads almost invariably also have a logotype, and more often than not a slogan placed near this logotype. This slogan is here called a payoff. The term used in this study for something final, e. g., a whole ad, is utterance, a Bakhtinian term.</p><p>Starting with 1975 and ending with 2007, the material holds considerable variation. Swedish ads from the late 70´s and early 80´s display both long copy and documentary photography. Proportions between ad elements change during the investigated period of time.</p><p>Accepting the presupposition that ads have the purpose of persuading their readers, it´s likely that most or possibly all of their features are meant to play a part in that persuasion. This will include the ways in which ads speak to their readers. Part of the investigation deals with this by looking at how pronouns, questions, and urges are used. Also, humour is an internalized part of contemporary advertising. This was established before 1975 and is a common feature of the Golden Egg Awards ads.</p><p>Discourses meet in ads, in order to make ads more trustworthy. This explains borrowing from discourses like science and journalism. There is one further main reason for ads to use traits from other discourses: intimacy. Private life has had more impact on advertising and advertising language than any other discourse.</p>

Advances in recent nanoscience technologies have generated a new compilation of biocompatible, fluorescent nanoparticles derived from semiconductor quantum dots (QDs). QDs are extremely small in size and possess very large surface areas, which gives them unique physical properties and applications distinct from those of bulk systems. When exposed to biological fluid, these QDs may become coated with proteins and other biomolecules given their dynamic nature. These protein-QD systems may affect or enhance the changes in protein structure and stability, leading to the destruction of biological function. It is believed that these QDs can act as nucleation centers and subsequently promote protein fibril formation. Protein fibrillation is closely associated with many fatal human diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases and a variety of systemic amyloidoses. This topic of protein-QD interaction brings about many key issues and concerns, especially with respect to the potential risks to human health and the environment. Herein, the behavioral effects of dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA)-capped CdSe/ZnS (core/shell) QDs in hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) and human serum albumin (HSA) protein systems were systematically analyzed. This study gives rise to a better understanding of the potentially useful application of these protein-QD systems in nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine as a bioimaging tool and/or as a reference for controlled biological self-assembly processes.