Depressive realism from the perspective of cognitive-experiential self-theory.

To explain why the depressive realism effect has been found in trivial, artificial laboratory but not in more realistic or emotionally engaging situations, the authors hypothesized that depressed people overcompensate for a tendency toward maladaptive experiential (intuitive) processing by exercising excessive rational control in trivial situations. In more consequential situations, they are unable to control their maladaptive experiential processing because it is excessive, or their rational control is insufficient, or both. As predicted, a subclinically depressed group (n = 39) made more optimal decisions than a nondepressed control group (n = 36) under trivial conditions, and the groups converged under more consequential conditions, with the depressed group responding less and the control group more optimally. Also, the depressed group reported engaging in less rational processing and in more maladaptive experiential processing in everyday life than did the control group.

Effect of altering the early dietary protein level on males from two strains of commercial turkeys.

Two trials were conducted in which male turkeys from commercial Strains A and B were fed diets calculated to contain 80, 100, or 120% of recommended levels of protein from 1 to 8 wk of age and recommended levels of protein at other ages. Feeding reduced protein diets decreased 8-wk BW of both strains. No difference in BW, however, was evident at 17 wk in either strain. Dietary protein level generally did not influence overall feed to gain ratios, feed intake, or behaviors of male turkeys from these two strains. Effects of dietary protein level on walking ability were inconclusive. The results of the present study indicate that it may be possible to reduce early dietary protein levels with savings in feed cost for male turkeys with no adverse effects on growth or feed conversion at market age.

The effect of beak trimming on two strains of commercial tom turkeys. 1. Performance traits.

Two commercial strains (Strains A and B) of tom turkeys were either beak trimmed or left with intact beaks. These strains responded similarly to beak trimming for performance traits, with the exception of a higher incidence of beak-inflicted injuries among Strain B toms with intact beaks. Turkeys with trimmed beaks had higher body weights at 8, 12, and 16 wk. Feed efficiency was better in beak-trimmed birds from 4 to 8 wk, 12 to 16 wk, and 0 to 18 wk. Beak treatment did not effect mortality. Leg abnormalities caused the majority of culling or resulted in death or culling from beak-inflicted injuries. Beak trimming seems to be a beneficial practice in tom turkeys because feed efficiency of beak-trimmed toms was improved and injuries were reduced in a strain that tended to exhibit a high degree of beak-inflicted injuries. The results suggest that the need for beak trimming tom turkeys may be reduced when feed efficiency of toms with intact beaks is improved.

A comparison of two techniques for determining glomerular size distributions in domestic fowl.

Nephrons in the avian kidney have an extremely heterogeneous size distribution. The shortest nephrons have very small glomeruli, and the larger nephrons have very large glomeruli. Physiological, nutritional, and disease factors may be correlated with the functioning of different sized nephrons. The present study was conducted to compare two techniques for measuring glomerular size distributions. A postmortem India ink infusion technique gave results that were highly comparable to an in vivo alcian blue infusion technique. Single Comb White Leghorn pullets were found to have approximately 270,000 glomeruli per kidney; glomerular circumferences and diameters ranged between .07 to .42 mm and .02 to.14 mm, respectively. A unimodal size distribution was found, with most glomeruli falling within the circumference range of .15 to .26 mm. The alcian blue technique should provide a quantitative in vivo method for evaluating selective tubular damage or physiological glomerular intermittency.

Infected feather follicles in cage reared broilers.

A high incidence of feather follicle infection was observed in broilers reared in cages with wood slat floors. The incidence of feather follicle infection was significantly higher for males than for females within cage-reared broilers at 59 days of age. Male broilers at 50 days of age had a significantly lower incidence of the feather follicle condition than hatch mates at 59 days of age. Intact feather follicles were removed from freshly killed cage-reared birds and prepared for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Examination of infected follicles revealed surface detail about the lesions. Removal of the encrustations covering the infected follicles revealed numerous cocci type bacteria at the base of the follicle. Infected and non-infected follicles were also examined by conventional histological techniques. Gram positive cocci were observed at the base of the infected follicles.