Improved bondability of wax-treated wood following plasma treatment

In this study, the impact of a plasma treatment using dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure on wax-treated beech was investigated by surface energy determination and adhesion tests. Measurements of the surface energy revealed a strong increase in surface polarity along with increased surface energy as a result of the plasma treatment, pointing to increased adhesion properties. To evaluate the adhesion properties of a polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) adhesive on beech treated with montan ester wax and synthetic Fischer–Tropsch wax, a special peel test was applied. This peel test provided evidence of increased adhesion of the PVAc after plasma treatment of both materials investigated.     

Cold tolerance during juvenile development in sorghum: a comparative analysis by genomewide association and linkage mapping

Improved cold tolerance during the juvenile phase is a major breeding goal to develop new sorghum cultivars suitable as an alternative energy crop in temperate regions. The objectives of this study were to identify marker‐trait associations for cold tolerance in a sorghum diversity panel fingerprinted with 2620 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) in two F_2:3 populations. Traits of interest were dry matter growth rate (DMGR), leaf appearance rate (LAR), chlorophyll content (SPAD) and chlorophyll fluorescence (F_v′/F_m′ and Ф_PSII) in relation to temperature. The association panel comprised 194 genotypes, while the F_2:3 populations consisted of 80 and 92 genotypes. All populations were tested under controlled conditions in a minimum of four temperature regimes ranging from 9.4°C to 20.8°C. QTL were identified for means across environments and regression parameters describing temperature effects. Several marker‐trait associations for mean (m) DMGR, base temperature (T_b) of SPAD and Ф_PSII and temperature effect on LAR were validated by QTL detected in population 1 or 2. Promising QTL regions were found on chromosomes SBI‐01, SBI‐02, SBI‐03, SBI‐04, SBI‐06 and SBI‐09, among them genomic regions where candidate genes involved in the C‐repeat binding pathway or encoding cold‐shock proteins are located.     

Effect of post-insemination progesterone supplementation on pregnancy rate in dairy cows

Progesterone plays an important role in maintenance of pregnancy. It is hypothesized that insufficient progesterone early in pregnancy may result in embryonic loss, and that supplemental progesterone would decrease pregnancy loss in dairy cows. In Experiment 1, 84 cows and 16 heifers from a single dairy operation were selected randomly. Within each age category, controlled internal drug release (CIDR) devices were inserted into the vagina of every other female on Day 4 post-insemination and removed on Day 18 post-insemination. Transrectal ultrasonography was performed to determine pregnancy at 4 time periods [days 30 to 37 (week 5), days 44 to 51 (week 7), days 58 to 65 (week 9), and days 86 to 93 (week 13)]. Progesterone supplementation had no effect on pregnancy rate. In Experiment 2, there were no differences in progesterone concentrations between cows that did and did not receive a CIDR. Further, cows receiving CIDR devices did not have an increase in circulating progesterone concentrations 30 min or 1 h after CIDR insertion. It appears that progesterone supplementation does not increase circulating levels of progesterone in the early pregnant lactating dairy cow. Alterative methods to influence progesterone concentrations and/or early embryonic loss need to be investigated.     

Untersuchungen an den Nervi optici and an den Gehirnen von Schafen mit Mikrophthalmie

Inhalt An 6 Schafen mit angeborener Mikrophthalmie wurden morphologische und histologische Untersuchungen an der Sehbahn im Bereich des Dienzephalons durchgeführt and die Befunde mit denen bei 3 Kontrolltieren verglichen. Die Tracti optici der Probanden sind umfangsvermindert. Die Corpora geniculata lateralia sind umfangsvermindert and flach. In den Nuclei dorsales ist der schichtenförmige Aufbau nur undeutlich ausgebildet. Die Zelldichte variiert in den einzelnen Schnittebenen. An den Nervenzellen lassen sich verschiedenartige zytologische Veränderungen feststellen. Die Colliculi anteriores und die Brachia colliculi anterium sind deutlich verkleinert. Histologische Veränderungen sind auf das Stratum zonale und das Stratum cinereum beschränkt und durch eine erhöhte Zelldichte und eine unregelmäβige Zellverteilung gekennzeichnet. Die Colliculi posteriores erscheinen vergröβert. Die Ursprungskerne des Nervus oculomotorius weisen keine Veränderungen auf. Contents Investigations on the optic nerves and brains of microphthalmic sheep. Communication II: Report on the optic nerves in the area of the diencephalon. Morphological and histological experiments on the visual tract in the area of the diencephaton were carried out on 6 sheep with congenital microphthalmia. The Results were compared with 3 control animals. The corpora geniculata lateralia of experimental animals were smaller in circumference. The laminated structure of the nuclei dorsales did not clearly develop, the number of cells per unit area varied in the individual sections and the nerve cells revealed a variety of cytological changes. The colliculi anteriores and the brachia colliculi anterium were clearly smaller. Only the stratum zonale and the stratum cinereum revealed histological changes. These were characterized by an in-crease in the number of cells per unit and an irregular cell distribution. The colliculi posteriores appeared enlarged. The nuclei at the origin of the nervus oculomotorius remained unchanged.     

Evaluation of a point-of-care test for canine C-reactive protein

Background: In veterinary medicine, there is increasing interest in measuring C‐reactive protein (CRP) as a tool for diagnosis and monitoring of inflammatory diseases. Reported CRP concentrations for healthy dogs have ranged from 0 to 8.9 mg/L. Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate a canine‐specific point‐of‐care (POC) lateral flow immunoassay for qualitative CRP measurement in healthy and diseased dogs and to compare results with those obtained by a quantitative ELISA. Methods: Blood samples from 73 client‐owned dogs were available for testing: 16 healthy dogs and 57 dogs with a variety of infectious, inflammatory, or neoplastic diseases. CRP was measured in heparinized whole blood samples and serum with the TECOmedical Dog CRP‐visual POC test. A red line develops in the POC device if CRP is ≥5 mg/L, and results are scored as negative or positive. An ELISA validated previously for canine serum was used as the reference method. Results: For all dogs, serum CRP concentrations measured by the ELISA ranged from 0.1 to ≥350 mg/L (median=38 mg/L). Percentages of the CRP POC test results that agreed with the ELISA results were 98.6% for whole blood and 97.3% for serum samples. For serum samples, sensitivity of the POC test was 96.4% and specificity was 81.3%. For whole blood, sensitivity was 94.7% and specificity was 93.8%. Conclusions: The POC test had very good agreement with the ELISA test and had high sensitivity and specificity; therefore, it can be used as a qualitative test to screen for increases in CRP concentrations.     

Vergleich von Nachweismethoden für Kartoffelzystennematoden (Globodera spp.) im Hinblick auf eine Qualitätssicherung von Diagnosen geregelter Schadorganismen

Testing for PCN is indispensable in EC seed potato production, to avoid a further spread or introduction of this pest. Till now methods for sampling and detection are varying between member states and even within Germany. Therefore in order to obtain comparable results within a new PCN directive the procedure will be regulated by EPPO standard diagnostic protocols, like it is the case for testing Globodera spp. resistance of potato varieties. The Bavarian plant protection service hopes, that beside cyst extraction by flotation the bioassay will be part of the new EPPO standard. The bioassy – in contrast to PCR methods – is well established and allows a reliable discrimination not only of PCN species but also of races and pathotypes. Results of a long-time survey demonstrate clearly, that bioassay and cyst extraction yield comparable results provided quality assurance criteria are met.