Melanocortins are a highly conserved family of peptides and receptors that includes multiple proopiomelanocortin-derived peptides and five defined melanocortin receptors. The melanocortins have an important role in maintaining immune homeostasis and in suppressing inflammation. Within the healthy eye, the melanocortins have a central role in preventing inflammation and maintaining immune privilege. A central mediator of the anti-inflammatory activity is the non-steroidogenic melanocortin peptide alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone. In this review we summarize the major findings of melanocortin regulation of ocular immunobiology with particular interest in the ability of melanocortin to induce immune tolerance and cytoprotection. The melanocortins have therapeutic potential because their mechanisms of action in regulating immunity are distinctly different from the actions of steroids.

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The objective of this study was to determine if selection for increased breast muscle mass has affected the supracoracoideus muscle's ability to regulate pH during physical activity in turkeys. The lightweight male line (LM) had the greatest breast muscle mass as a percent of body weight (p<0.0001), a lower average pH (6.68; p<0.0001), and greater Lactate Dehydrogenase (293 mmol NADH min-1 µg-1 ; p<0.0001) and Glyceraldehyde Phosphate Dehydrogenase (0.4452 mmol NADH min-1 µg-1 ; p<0.05) activities than the HM and FL lines. The LM line had the highest ratio (2.33:1)(p<0.05) of adult to neonatal myosin. Hens had greater breast muscle mass as a percent of body weight than males (p<0.0001), and a lower average pH (6.62; p<0.05). This study showed that genetic selection for breast muscle mass resulted in an increased ratio of adult to neonatal myosin and an increased anaerobic capacity, which may predispose birds to a lower ultimate pH during physical activity. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First, I would like to thank GOD for allowing me the opportunity to partake of this experience. I would also would like to give thanks to his son, Jesus Christ, for giving me the strength to deal with the adversity and trials of everyday life and higher education. I am truly thankful for the support of my wife, Jessica, and the rest of my family during my studies as a master's student. I would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Steve Learner and Paul Brown, British United Turkeys of America, for providing the birds for this study. I would like to offer my greatest appreciation to my major professor, Dr. P. Brett Kenney, for his willingness to provide me the opportunity to advance my education as a master's student. His constant supervision and encouragement were vital to the successful completion of my program and my personal development as a researcher. I would also like to thank the other members of my committee, Dr. John Killefer and Dr. Richard Russell, for providing their expertise to the structuring and application of my research. I am thankful to Susan Slider and Diana Keller for their input and assistance in conducting my laboratory analysis. I am greatly indebted to Rodney Kiser for his assistance in conducting the surgeries on the birds, and Jeff Altemus, Department of Anatomy, for his assistance with the video image analysis. I would like to thank my office mates, Rajesh Nayak and Sitima Jittinandana, along with the faculty members of the Division of Animal and Veterinary Sciences for their support.

This dissertation documents two separate works. The first is an evaluation of WVU SFMS/SOIDC Large Animal Module and the second is the development and use of the Stockman's Scorecard. The WVU SFMS/SOIDC Large Animal Module provides foundational information on food animal husbandry and veterinary procedures to SOF Combat Medic candidates. A quasi-experimental design was used to determine if the module content resulted in an increase in food animal production knowledge for the participants. Seventy-five percent of the subjects had no previous livestock exposure and only seven percent had previously participated in 4-H or FFA. Matched pair analysis determined that the average improvement of scores, pre-test versus post-test, was significantly greater for those that attended the module (18.5 vs. 0.9). Knowledge of food animal production can assist SOF medics in establishing rapport with indigenous population while on mission. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS