Ribosome impairment regulates intestinal stem cell identity via ZAKɑ activation.

The small intestine is a rapidly proliferating organ that is maintained by a small population of Lgr5-expressing intestinal stem cells (ISCs). However, several Lgr5-negative ISC populations have been identified, and this remarkable plasticity allows the intestine to rapidly respond to both the local environment and to damage. However, the mediators of such plasticity are still largely unknown.

Peptide fusion improves prime editing efficiency.

Prime editing enables search-and-replace genome editing but is limited by low editing efficiency. We present a high-throughput approach, the Peptide Self-Editing sequencing assay (PepSEq), to measure how fusion of 12,000 85-amino acid peptides influences prime editing efficiency. We show that peptide fusion can enhance prime editing, prime-enhancing peptides combine productively, and a top dual peptide-prime editor increases prime editing significantly in multiple cell lines across dozens of target sites.

Importance of Statistical Evidence in Estimating Valid DEA Scores.

Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) allows healthcare scholars to measure productivity in a holistic manner. It combines a production unit's multiple outputs and multiple inputs into a single measure of its overall performance relative to other units in the sample being analyzed. It accomplishes this task by aggregating a unit's weighted outputs and dividing the output sum by the unit's aggregated weighted inputs, choosing output and input weights that maximize its output/input ratio when the same weights are applied to other units in the sample.

Improving the efficiency of distributive and clinical services in hospital pharmacy.

Three problems impede the assessment of hospital pharmacy efficiency. First, although multiple efficiency indicators are utilized to measure a large variety of activities, it has not been possible to validly measure overall efficiency. Second, there have been no widely-used clinical activity indicators, so key outputs often have not been accounted for.

Measuring hospital efficiency with Data Envelopment Analysis: nonsubstitutable vs. substitutable inputs and outputs.

There is a conflict between Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) theory's requirement that inputs (outputs) be substitutable, and the ubiquitous use of nonsubstitutable inputs and outputs in DEA applications to hospitals. This paper develops efficiency indicators valid for nonsubstitutable variables. Then, using a sample of 87 community hospitals, it compares the new measures' efficiency estimates with those of conventional DEA measures.

Clinical intake of child and adolescent consumers in a rural community mental health center: does wait-time predict attendance?

This study examines the clinic variable of wait-time as a predictor of intake attendance in a rural community mental health center (CMHC) serving child and adolescent consumers. Data from 1,317 contacts seeking services for a child or adolescent (ages 2-17) were examined. In logistic regression analysis, wait-time between initial consumer contact and intake appointment was identified as a significant predictor of appointment attendance, even after accounting for consumer variables.

Necrotic enteritis potential in a model system using Clostridium perfringens isolated from field outbreaks.

Necrotic enteritis is an enteric disease of avian species caused by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium perfringens. The disease is regularly controlled in the broiler chicken industry with antimicrobials in feed but is reemerging in areas such as Europe where there is a ban on antimicrobials as growth promoters. To study prospective therapies, researchers must be able to reproduce this disease in a controlled environment, but this is not always possible because of differences in the pathogenicity of C.

Small molecule antagonists of the CCR2b receptor. Part 2: Discovery process and initial structure-activity relationships of diamine derivatives.

Structure-activity relationships (SAR) of a weakly active class of CCR2b inhibitors were utilized to initiate a lead evolution program employing the Drug Discovery Engine. Several alternative structural series have been discovered that display nanomolar activity in the CCR2b binding and CCR2b-mediated chemotaxis assays.

Small molecule inhibitors of the CCR2b receptor. Part 1: Discovery and optimization of homopiperazine derivatives.

N,N'-Disubstituted homopiperazine derivatives have been discovered as CC-chemokine receptor 2b (CCR2b) inhibitors with submicromolar activity in the CCR2b binding assay. A 4-substituted benzyl group on one homopiperazine nitrogen was an important moiety for binding affinity to the CCR2b receptor. The SAR for CCR2b binding affinity correlated inversely with the sigma factor of the functional group on this benzyl moiety.

The efficacy of bacitracin methylene disalicylate when fed in combination with narasin in the management of necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens.

The efficacy of bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) in the management of necrotic enteritis (NE) when fed in combination with narasin was investigated in a floor-pen study of 2,000 broiler chickens using a Clostridium perfringens inoculum challenge model. Treatments consisted of 1) nonchallenged-nonmedicated; 2) challenged-nonmedicated; 3) challenged-narasin (70 ppm); 4) challenged-BMD (55 ppm); 5) challenged-narasin (70 ppm) + BMD (55 ppm). Medication was provided in the feed from Day 0 to trial termination on Day 41.

Efficacy of in-feed tylosin phosphate for the treatment of necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens.

The efficacy of tylosin phosphate for the treatment of necrotic enteritis (NE) was investigated in a floor pen study of 2,000 broiler chickens. A model in which Clostridium perfringens was administered in the feed on Days 14 to 16 was used to initiate an outbreak of NE. Treatments, allocated at the pen level in a randomized complete block design, consisted of five levels of tylosin phosphate (0, 50, 100, 200, or 300 ppm) administered in the feed on Days 15 to 22, following the identification of an outbreak of NE on Day 15.

Efficacy of narasin in the prevention of necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens.

The efficacy of narasin in the control of necrotic enteritis (NE) was investigated in a floor pen study of 2000 broiler chickens using a Clostridium perfringens feed inoculum challenge model. Treatments were 1) nonmedicated, nonchallenged; 2) nonmedicated, challenged; 3) narasin, nonchallenged; 4) narasin, challenged. Narasin was administered at 70 ppm in the feed from day 0 to trial termination on day 41.

Experimental Staphylococcus aureus intramammary challenge in late lactation dairy cows: quarter and cow effects determining the probability of infection.

The purpose of this study was to identify factors at the quarter and cow level that determine whether a quarter remains infected after an intramammary challenge with Staphylococcus aureus Newbould 305. A total of 135 cows were studied. Information on animal characteristics, cow-conformation, cow somatic cell count (SCC), and bacteriology, blood vitamin E levels, serology for retro-viral infections, bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency-carrier status, and the presence of bovine lymphocyte antigens class I alleles was collected on each animal.

Identification of common functional configurations among molecules.

A new algorithm for identifying three-dimensional configurations of chemical features common to a set of molecules is described. The algorithm scores each configuration based both on the degree to which it is common to the input set and its estimated rarity. The algorithm can be applied to molecules with large (several hundred) conformational models.

Socioeconomic significance of the HAP group.

An overview is presented of some members of the HAP group important in animal disease. An attempt has been made to highlight the economic importance of these diseases and to alert us to the importance of research that will lead to their prevention and control.

Effect of chlorination of drinking water on experimental salmonella infection in poultry.

The type of drinker used for poults influenced the level of free available chlorine (FAC) in chlorinated water as well as the total plate count, fecal coliform count, and number of salmonellae in chlorinated and non-chlorinated drinking water. Nipple drinkers maintained higher levels of FAC in drinking water than Swish-cups, Swish-cups maintained higher levels than MarkIII, and MarkIII maintained higher levels than trough drinkers. The level of FAC retained in the water in trough drinkers was insufficient to exert a bactericidal effect against coliforms and salmonellae.

Observations on intramammary infections in first calf heifers in early lactation.

Intramammary infections and mastitis were monitored on four occasions at three-week intervals in 61 first calf heifers in five dairy herds during the first ten weeks of lactation. Of 940 quarter milk samples examined 65% were classed as negative, 10.4% as positive for mastitis (mainly subclinical), 1.

Preliminary observations on the use of latex agglutination test for the detection of mastitis due to Streptococcus agalactiae in cows.

A commercial latex agglutination test for the detection of Group B streptococcal antigens was used to detect infection due to Streptococcus agalactiae in whey of bovine milk samples. Fifteen out of 17 known infections were detected, but it was necessary to incubate the wheys at 37 degrees C for 18 hours in nine of the samples. It was found that the latex agglutination test could detect Group streptococcal carbohydrate antigens in whey samples from artificially infected quarters from one to four days after failure to detect the organism on culture or after antibiotic therapy of the affected quarter.

Comparison of the API Staph-Ident and DMS Staph Trac micromethods for the identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci.

Two rapid identification micromethods, the API Staph-Ident and the DMS Staph Trac, were compared for the identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci. Seventy-five isolates, mainly of bovine origin, were used as the test organisms. Species identification and profile numbers assigned to isolates by each system were compared.