Early B cell factor (EBF) is a transcription factor essential for specification and commitment to the B cell fate. In this study, we show downregulation of a developmentally regulated cluster of hoxa genes, notably hoxa9, coincides with induction of EBF at the Pro-B cell stage of B cell differentiation. Analysis of the hematopoietic progenitor compartment in Hoxa9(-/-) mice revealed significant...

Much research has recognized the general importance of maternal behavior in the early development and programing of the mammalian offspring's brain. Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) duration, the amount of time in which breastfed meals are the only source of sustenance, plays a prominent role in promoting healthy brain and cognitive development in human children. However, surprisingly little is kn...

Carcass traits have been successfully used to determine body composition of steers. Body composition, in turn, has been used to predict energy content of ADG to compute feed requirements of individual animals fed in groups. This information is used in the Cornell value discovery system (CVDS) to predict DM required (DMR) for the observed animal performance. In this experiment, the prediction of...

BACKGROUND Given the recognized benefits of breastfeeding for the health of the mother and infants, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months of life. However, the prevalence of EBF is low globally in many of the developing and developed countries around the world. There is much interest in the effectiveness of breastfeeding promotion ...

The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors encoded by the E2A gene function at the apex of a transcriptional hierarchy involving E2A, early B cell factor (EBF), and Pax5, which is essential for B lymphopoiesis. In committed B lineage progenitors, E2A proteins have also been shown to regulate many lineage-associated genes. Herein, we demonstrate that the block in B lymphopoiesis imposed by...

The pathways through which behavior change interventions impact breastfeeding practices have not been well studied. This study aimed to examine: (1) the effects of exposure to mass media and interpersonal counseling on exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and hypothesized psychosocial determinants (i.e. knowledge, intention, beliefs, social norms, and self-efficacy); and (2) the pathways through which...

Early nutrition is critical for later health and sustainable development. We determined potential effectiveness of the Kenyan Community Health Strategy in promoting exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in urban poor settings in Nairobi, Kenya. We used a quasi-experimental study design, based on three studies [Pre-intervention (2007-2011; n=5824), Intervention (2012-2015; n=1110) and Comparison (2012-2...

Background: Knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) among women is essential when promoting optimal practices. Breastfeeding recommended for the first six months life and continuation adequate complementary foods up to two years age or beyond.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. This utilized a mixed method approach (qualitative quantitative).Results: The prevalence ...

BACKGROUND The recent National Nutrition Survey of 2013 demonstrated that 16.7% of women in childbearing age are underweight, and 5.0-10.0% of these women manifested a Hemoglobin (Hb) level less than 11.0 g/dl. The purpose of this study was to investigate if such maternal nutritional status affects success of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practice. METHODS This cross-sectional study investiga...