Effect of flaked maize in diets for early-weaned pigs on performance to 6 weeks of age

Macaque models of human infectious disease

Macaques have served as models for more than 70 human infectious diseases of diverse etiologies, including a multitude of agents—bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, prions. The remarkable diversity of human infectious diseases that have been modeled in the macaque includes global, childhood, and tropical diseases as well as newly emergent, sexually transmitted, oncogenic, degenerative neurologic, potential bioterrorism, and miscellaneous other diseases. Historically, macaques played a major role in establishing the etiology of yellow fever, polio, and prion diseases. With rare exceptions (Chagas disease, bartonellosis), all of the infectious diseases in this review are of Old World origin. Perhaps most surprising is the large number of tropical (16), newly emergent (7), and bioterrorism diseases (9) that have been modeled in macaques. Many of these human diseases (e.g., AIDS, hepatitis E, bartonellosis) are a consequence of zoonotic infection. However, infectious agents of certain diseases, including measles and tuberculosis, can sometimes go both ways, and thus several human pathogens are threats to nonhuman primates including macaques. Through experimental studies in macaques, researchers have gained insight into pathogenic mechanisms and novel treatment and vaccine approaches for many human infectious diseases, most notably acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is caused by infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Other infectious agents for which macaques have been a uniquely valuable resource for biomedical research, and particularly vaccinology, include influenza virus, paramyxoviruses, flaviviruses, arenaviruses, hepatitis E virus, papillomavirus, smallpox virus, Mycobacteria, Bacillus anthracis, Helicobacter pylori, Yersinia pestis, and Plasmodium species. This review summarizes the extensive past and present research on macaque models of human infectious disease.

Digestive development of the early-weaned pig. 2. Effect of level of food intake on digestive enzyme activity during the immediate post-weaning period

Gastric intubation was adopted as a means of comparing the effect of two feeding levels, continuous nutrient supply (C) and restricted nutrient supply (R), on the digestive development of pigs weaned at 14 d of age, during the first 5 d post-weaning. The absolute weights of the stomach and the pancreas were significantly greater (P less than 0.001) in C compared with R pigs. The effect was not significant for pancreas weight when expressed per kg body-weight but was significant (P less than 0.05) for stomach weight. The weights of the small intestine (SI), SI mucosa and total mucosal protein were significantly higher (P less than 0.001) in C pigs but protein content per g mucosa was similar in the C and R groups. There was no significant effect of treatment on the activity of lactase (beta-glucosidase; EC 3.2.1.23) or sucrase (sucrose-alpha-glucosidase; EC 3.2.1.48) irrespective of the basis of comparison used. The specific activity (mumol/min per g protein) of maltase (alpha-glucosidase; EC 3.2.1.20) and of glucoamylase (glucan-1,4-alpha-glucosidase; EC 3.2.1.3) were similar in C and R groups but activities of maltase (mumol/g mucosa) (P less than 0.05), and maltase and glucoamylase (mol/d) (P less than 0.01) were significantly higher in C pigs. Villous height and crypt depth were significantly greater in C pigs (P less than 0.001 and P less than 0.05 respectively). Enteroglucagon was significantly (P less than 0.05) higher in C compared with R pigs. Xylose absorption and the digestibility of energy were not affected by treatment. Digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein (nitrogen x 6.25) and carbohydrate were significantly higher (P less than 0.001, P less than 0.01, P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.001 respectively) in R pigs compared with C pigs but the differences were small, ranging from 1.3 to 2.5%. These results demonstrate that (1) nutrient intake in the weaned pig affects the anatomy, morphology and function of the gut, (2) there is considerable 'spare capacity' for digestion of cereal-based diets even in pigs weaned at 14 d of age, (3) measurements in vitro of digestive function are of limited value unless supported by information in vivo on absorption/digestibility.

Infectious oral necrosis (cancrum oris) in Nigerian children: a review

The devastating orofacial gangrenous disease known as cancrum oris (noma) is still commonly seen in underprivileged Nigerian children. These children are usually victims of such stressors as chronic malnutrition, numerous endemic communicable diseases and severe adverse physical conditions which may lead to depletion of their adaptive resources or produce physiological maladaptation to additional stressors. Measles is the most common infection preceding the development of noma in Nigerian children. Acquired immunodeficiency as well as the impaired endocrine balance of the chronically malnourished permits, for example, widespread infection with the measles virus. Anergy resulting from the combination of malnutrition and measles virus infection promotes selective overgrowth and invasion by an infective consortium consisting of anaerobic organisms and other species capable of elaborating necessary growth factors for the former. Because of the pre-existing depletion of adaptive physiologic resources in the malnourished child, the infection is not readily contained locally as necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis but instead spreads rapidly to the next naturally occurring anatomical barriers. This is then followed by continuing necrosis and possible sequestration as exemplified by noma.