Establishment of a standard operating procedure for predicting the time of calving in cattle

Precise calving monitoring is essential for minimizing the effects of dystocia in cows and calves. We conducted two studies in healthy cows that compared seven clinical signs (broad pelvic ligaments relaxation, vaginal secretion, udder hyperplasia, udder edema, teat filling, tail relaxation, and vulva edema) alone and in combination in order to predict the time of parturition. The relaxation of the broad pelvic ligaments combined with teat filling gave the best values for predicting either calving or no calving within 12 h. For the proposed parturition score (PS), a threshold of 4 PS points was identified below which calving within the next 12 h could be ruled out with a probability of 99.3% in cows (95.5% in heifers). Above this threshold, intermitted calving monitoring every 3 h and a progesterone rapid blood test (PRBT) would be recommended. By combining the PS and PRBT (if PS ≥ 4), the prediction of calving within the next 12 h improved from 14.9% to 53.1%, and the probability of ruling out calving was 96.8%. The PRBT was compared to the results of an enzyme immunoassay (sensitivity, 90.2%; specificity, 74.9%). The standard operating procedure developed in this study that combines the PS and PRBT will enable veterinarians to rule out or predict calving within a 12 h period in cows with high accuracy under field conditions.     

Crown plasticity in mixed forests—Quantifying asymmetry as a measure of competition using terrestrial laser scanning

Interspecific competition is a key process determining the dynamics of mixed forest stands and influencing the yield of multispecies tree plantations. Trees can respond to competitive pressure from neighbors by crown plasticity, thereby avoiding competition. We employed a high-resolution ground-based laser scanner to analyze the 3-dimensional extensions and shape of the tree crowns in a near-natural broad-leaved mixed forest in order to quantify the direction and degree of crown asymmetry of 15 trees (Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior, Carpinus betulus) in detail. We also scanned the direct neighbors and analyzed the distance of their crown centres and the crown shape with the aim to predict the crown asymmetry of the focal tree from competition-relevant attributes of its neighbors. It was found that the combination of two parameters, one summarizing the size of the neighbor (DBH) and one describing the distance to the neighbor tree (HD), was most suitable for characterizing the strength of the competitive interaction exerted on a target tree by a given neighbor. By summing up the virtual competitive pressure of all neighbors in a single competitive pressure vector, we were able to predict the direction of crown asymmetry of the focal tree with an accuracy of 96° on the full circle (360°).The competitive pressure model was equally applicable to beech, ash and hornbeam trees and may generate valuable insight into competitive interactions among tree crowns in mixed stands, provided that sufficiently precise data on the shape and position of the tree crowns is available. Multiple-aspect laser-scanning proved to be an accurate and practicable approach for analyzing the complex 3-dimensional shape of the tree crowns, needed to quantify the plasticity of growth processes in the canopy. We conclude that the laser-based analysis of crown plasticity offers the opportunity to achieve a better understanding of the dynamics of canopy space exploration and also may produce valuable advice for the silvicultural management of mixed stands.     

Detection of the water reservoir in a forming planetary system

Icy bodies may have delivered the oceans to the early Earth, yet little is known about water in the ice-dominated regions of extrasolar planet-forming disks. The Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared on board the Herschel Space Observatory has detected emission lines from both spin isomers of cold water vapor from the disk around the young star TW Hydrae. This water vapor likely originates from ice-coated solids near the disk surface, hinting at a water ice reservoir equivalent to several thousand Earth oceans in mass. The water's ortho-to-para ratio falls well below that of solar system comets, suggesting that comets contain heterogeneous ice mixtures collected across the entire solar nebula during the early stages of planetary birth.     

Correction to: Assessment of cable tensile forces in active winch-assist harvesting using an anchor machine configuration

European Journal of Forest Research - A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-021-01385-w     

Pathogenesis of West Nile virus lineage 1 and 2 in experimentally infected large falcons

West Nile virus (WNV) is a zoonotic flavivirus that is transmitted by blood-suckling mosquitoes with birds serving as the primary vertebrate reservoir hosts (enzootic cycle). Some bird species like ravens, raptors and jays are highly susceptible and develop deadly encephalitis while others are infected subclinically only. Birds of prey are highly susceptible and show substantial mortality rates following infection. To investigate the WNV pathogenesis in falcons we inoculated twelve large falcons, 6 birds per group, subcutaneously with viruses belonging to two different lineages (lineage 1 strain NY 99 and lineage 2 strain Austria). Three different infection doses were utilized: low (approx. 500 TCID50), intermediate (approx. 4 log10 TCID50) and high (approx. 6 log10 TCID50). Clinical signs were monitored during the course of the experiments lasting 14 and 21 days. All falcons developed viremia for two weeks and shed virus for almost the same period of time. Using quantitative real-time RT-PCR WNV was detected in blood, in cloacal and oropharyngeal swabs and following euthanasia and necropsy of the animals in a variety of neuronal and extraneuronal organs. Antibodies to WNV were first time detected by ELISA and neutralization assay after 6 days post infection (dpi). Pathological findings consistently included splenomegaly, non-suppurative myocarditis, meningoencephalitis and vasculitis. By immunohistochemistry WNV-antigens were demonstrated intralesionally. These results impressively illustrate the devastating and possibly deadly effects of WNV infection in falcons, independent of the genetic lineage and dose of the challenge virus used. Due to the relatively high virus load and long duration of viremia falcons may also be considered competent WNV amplifying hosts, and thus may play a role in the transmission cycle of this zoonotic virus.     

Linking weed patterns with soil properties: a long-term case study

Precision Agriculture - The spatial distribution and density of different weed species were monitored during a long-term survey over a period of 9 years on a 5.8 ha arable field...     

Nectar sugars and bird visitation define a floral niche for basidiomycetous yeast on the Canary Islands

Background

Studies on the diversity of yeasts in floral nectar were first carried out in the late 19^th century. A narrow group of fermenting, osmophilous ascomycetes were regarded as exclusive specialists able to populate this unique and species poor environment. More recently, it became apparent that microorganisms might play an important role in the process of plant pollination. Despite the importance of these nectar dwelling yeasts, knowledge of the factors that drive their diversity and species composition is scarce.

Results

In this study, we linked the frequencies of yeast species in floral nectars from various host plants on the Canary Islands to nectar traits and flower visitors. We estimated the structuring impact of pollination syndromes (nectar volume, sugar concentration and sugar composition) on yeast diversity.The observed total yeast diversity was consistent with former studies, however, the present survey yielded additional basidiomycetous yeasts in unexpectedly high numbers. Our results show these basidiomycetes are significantly associated with ornithophilous flowers. Specialized ascomycetes inhabit sucrose-dominant nectars, but are surprisingly rare in nectar dominated by monosaccharides.

Conclusions

There are two conclusions from this study: (i) a shift of floral visitors towards ornithophily alters the likelihood of yeast inoculation in flowers, and (ii) low concentrated hexose-dominant nectar promotes colonization of flowers by basidiomycetes. In the studied floral system, basidiomycete yeasts are acknowledged as regular members of nectar. This challenges the current understanding that nectar is an ecological niche solely occupied by ascomycetous yeasts.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12898-015-0036-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Hybrid breeding for biomass yield in winter triticale: I. Hybrid performance,trait correlations and heterosis

Triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack) holds great potential as a source for biomass production for industrial applications in Central Europe and hybrid breeding in particular appears promising owing to the higher vigour of hybrids compared to lines. In this study, a set of 178 winter triticale genotypes, including 91 hybrids, their 10 male and 23 female parental lines, as well as 54 varieties were evaluated for biomass yield and other agronomically relevant traits in 2 years at five locations in Germany. We observed a large variation of dry biomass yield as well as significant genotypic variances and high heritabilities for all traits. For the hybrids, a moderate correlation was observed between biomass and plant height and between biomass and grain yield. Mid‐parent heterosis of biomass yield ranged from ?13.6 to 16.5% with an average of 4.8%, and the maximum commercial heterosis was 9.1%. Taken together, our results illustrate the potential of hybrid breeding of triticale for biomass yield to diversify our portfolio of crops for biomass production.     

Effects of genetic and environmental factors on chronic lower airway disease in horses

Background : Environment and genetics influence the manifestation of recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), but the associations of specific factors with mild, moderate, and severe clinical signs are unknown.
Hypothesis : We hypothesized that sire, feed, bedding, time outdoors, sex, and age are associated with clinical manifestations of mild, moderate, and severe lower airway disease.
Animals : Direct offspring of 2 RAO-affected Warmblood stallions (F1S1, n = 172; F1S2, n = 135); maternal half-siblings of F1S1 (mHSS1, n = 66); and an age-matched, randomly chosen control group (CG, n = 33).
Methods : A standardized questionnaire was used to assess potential risk factors and to establish a horse owner assessed respiratory signs index (HOARSI 1–4, from healthy to severe) according to clinical signs of lower airway disease.
Results : More F1S1 and F1S2 horses showed moderate to severe clinical signs (HOARSI 3 and HOARSI 4 combined, 29.6 and 27.3%, respectively) compared with CG and mHSS1 horses (9.1 and 6.2%, respectively; contingency table overall test, P < .001). Sire, hay feeding, and age (in decreasing order of strength) were associated with more severe clinical signs (higher HOARSI), more frequent coughing, and nasal discharge.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance : There is a genetic predisposition and lesser but also marked effects of hay feeding and age on the manifestation of moderate to severe clinical signs, most markedly on coughing frequency. In contrast, mild clinical signs were not associated with sire or hay feeding in our populations.