Retroviral association with ovarian adenocarcinoma in laying hens.

The laying hen has been used as a model for ovarian adenocarcinoma (OAC) in women. Previous work has shown an association between expression of endogenous retroviral proteins and elevated envelope mRNA and occurrence of OAC in humans, but causality has not been demonstrated. The objective of this study was to determine whether there is a similar association between retrovirus presence and OAC in a commercial laying hen flock at the University of Illinois Poultry Research facility with a history of a high OAC prevalence in older hens.

Considerations for studying transmission of antimicrobial resistant enteric bacteria between wild birds and the environment on intensive dairy and beef cattle operations.

Background: Wild birds using livestock facilities for food and shelter may contribute to dissemination of enteric pathogens or antimicrobial resistant bacteria. However, drivers of microbial exchange among wildlife and livestock are not well characterized. Predisposition for acquiring and retaining environmental bacteria may vary among species because of physiologic or behavioral differences, complicating selection of a bacterial model that can accurately characterize microbial connections among hosts of interest.

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) alters proliferation and uterine gland numbers in the uteri of adult exposed mice.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is an endocrine-disrupting chemical that has been shown to impair normal reproductive function in males and females. This study investigated whether adult exposure to environmental and occupational doses of DEHP alters homeostasis of uterine proliferation, morphology, and number of uterine glands. Adult female CD1 mice were orally dosed with DEHP (0, 20 μg/kg/day, 200 μg/kg/day, 20 mg/kg/day or 200 mg/kg/day) for 30 days.

A survey of biosecurity practices as risk factors affecting broiler performance on the Delmarva Peninsula.

A 10-page questionnaire on biosecurity practices was mailed to 187 growers on the Delmarva Peninsula in October 2000. The growers were selected by three broiler integrators on the basis of flock performance and were classified as cases (bottom 10% performers) and controls (top 10% performers). After two mailings, 71 growers (38%) responded to the survey, of which 47 (66.