Basics of effective erosion control in German agriculture

Present research in Germany on water, wind, and tillage erosion is examined. Existing soil‐protection strategies, laws, and guidelines are outlined. These are the result of extensive scientific investigations and the adoption of existing international knowledge. The most common methodologies currently used in Germany are reviewed. They allow an estimation of the water‐ and wind‐erosion risks as well as methods for their reduction. The results enable an aim‐orientated, site‐specific, risk‐adequate approach to implementing control measures in an easily understood framework. The most important remaining research problems are explained.     

anwendung der „vergleichsmethode standort (vermost)” zur bewertung der erosionsgefährdungspotenziale als datenbasis für förderinstrumente am beispiel des landes Brandenburg: Application of the site comparison method (vermost) to assess the potential erosion risk as a basis to examine instruments of environmental policy – the example of Brandenburg

This paper presents a comparative method (VERMOST) to evaluate complex site conditions at the level of a federal state (Brandenburg) and at different areal units. The methodology uses primary site conditions and provides the possibility to objectively compare and judge different ecological questions. Objects with heterogeneous content are pooled in comparison groups. Considering the main site characteristics allows a goal-oriented allocation of subsidies. The use of VERMOST is demonstrated for the wind and water erosion risk assessment across different scales from a federal state down to a parcel of land. The ‘parcel’ aggregation-level proves to be useful to assess the erosion risk. Larger scales are less useful in the assessment of subsidies policy with regard to erosion risk. A moving-window-technique combined with VERMOST is demonstrated to be suitable for comparing and assessing regional aspects more objectively compared with data administratively linked.     

Einschätzung der potentiellen wassererosionsgefährdung für gemeinden und regionen der bundesländer Mecklenburg‐Vorpommern,brandenburg, Sachsen‐Anhalt und der freistaaten Thüringen und Sachsen

Eine Karte der potentiellen Wassererosionsgefährdung für die östlichen Bundesländer wurde auf der Grundlage gemeindebezogener Datensätze mit Ergebnissen der Mittelmaßstäbigen landwirtschaftlichen Standortkartierung (MMK) erarbeitet. Die Karte enthält das Resultat einer vergleichenden Beurteilung der landwirtschaftlich genutzten Böden hinsichtlich der potentiellen Gefährdung durch Wassererosion auf der Grundlage von Kartierungseinheiten der MMK. Die potentielle Wassererosionsgefährdung wird nach Substrat‐ und Hangneigungsflächentypen eingeschätzt. Auf der Grundlage der gemeindebezogen digitalisierten Kartierungseinheiten der MMK wird der Flächenanteil der auf der landwirtschaftlichen Nutzfläche der einzelnen Gemeinden vorkommenden Gefährdungsklassen berechnet. Die Beurteilungskenngrößen können zum Vergleich erosionsrelevanter Grunddaten naturräumlicher und administrativer Gebietseinheiten dienen. Werden detailliertere Informationen benötigt, sind darüberhinaus konturenund schlagbezogene Bewertungen möglich. Nach entsprechender Interpretation ist es möglich, Daten zur überschlägigen Abschätzung potentieller Bodenund Schadstoffeinträge in Flußeinzugsgebiete bereitzustellen.     

First Steps Towards an Understanding of a Mode ofCarcinogenic Action for Vanadium Pentoxide

Inhalation of vanadium pentoxide clearly increases the incidence of alveolar/bronchiolar neoplasms in male and female B6C3F1 mice at all concentrations tested (1, 2 or 4 mg/m³), whereas responses in F344/N rats was, at most, ambiguous. While vanadium pentoxide is mutagenic in vitro and possibly in vivo in mice, this does not explain the species or site specificity of the neoplastic response. A nose-only inhalation study was conducted in female B6C3F1 mice (0, 0.25, 1 and 4 mg/m³, 6 h/day for 16 days) to explore histopathological, biochemical (α-tocopherol, glutathione and F2-isoprostane) and genetic (comet assays and 9 specific DNA-oxo-adducts) changes in the lungs. No treatment related histopathology was observed at 0.25 mg/m³. At 1 and 4 mg/m³, exposure-dependent increases were observed in lung weight, alveolar histiocytosis, sub-acute alveolitis and/or granulocytic infiltration and a generally time-dependent increased cell proliferation rate of histiocytes. Glutathione was slightly increased, whereas there were no consistent changes in α-tocopherol or 8-isoprostane F2α. There was no evidence for DNA strand breakage in lung or BAL cells, but there was an increase in 8-oxodGuo DNA lesions that could have been due to vanadium pentoxide induction of the lesions or inhibition of repair of spontaneous lesions. Thus, earlier reports of histopathological changes in the lungs after inhalation of vanadium pentoxide were confirmed, but no evidence has yet emerged for a genotoxic mode of action. Evidence is weak for oxidative stress playing any role in lung carcinogenesis at the lowest effective concentrations of vanadium pentoxide.     

养猪生产中后代性别的预选——发展现状和应用前景

动物精子的性别可通过流式精子分选仪和DNA标识进行鉴定,而利用鉴定性别的精子(即性控精子)并借助人工授精技术或其它授精技术产生的后代,在过去5年中估计已多达30000个(其中大多数是母牛)。有关文献资料证明,能有效地区分X精子和Y精子的唯一标记物是精子染色体中的DNA。众所周知,目前世界各地采用的方法是Beltsville精子分选技术,该技术根据X精子群和Y精子群中DNA相对含量上的差异,用荧光染液(Hoechst33342染液)标记精子,随后利用流式细胞仪分选经荧光标记的精子,从而达到分离精子的目的。目前,X精子或Y精子正常的生产速度是每小时1500万个,该项技术已在家畜、实验动物和动物园动物中应用,如果将该技术应用在人上,在预选后代性别比例上可达90%～95%的成功率。因动物品种不同,性控精子在动物体内的授精部位也不相同。常规的人工授精技术、宫内授精技术、输卵管内授精技术、用于胚胎移植的体外受精(in-vitro fertilization,IVF)技术或子宫角深部授精技术均能有效地使动物怀孕,至于利用哪种技术进行性控精子的精则取决于动物品种。尽管所有动物都能获得高纯度的分选精子,但是在实际生产中利用低剂量精子还难以让母猪怀孕。子宫角深部授精技术每次授精0.5～1.00亿个性控精子已能产生可喜的效果:利用特制的输精管,输入常规人工授精所需精子量的五十分之一的性控精子,足以使动物怀孕。性控精子通过常规的授精技术能够被猪成功利用前,还需重新设计输精管,同时输精的次数和每次授精时精子数量也需作进一步的研究。分选精子的低温保存技术已被牛人工授精普遍采用。尽管已能利用冷冻的性别分选精子生产小猪,但是性别分选精子经冷冻和解冻处理后在常规生产中的应用还未达到最理想的效果。本文将讨论猪精子性别分选的最新研究成果及其发展趋势,并重点探讨将性别分选技术应用于养猪生产中必须对其进行必要的技术开发。     

An animal model for interface tissue formation in cemented hip replacements

OBJECTIVE: To create a model in sheep for investigation of early changes related to the formation of an interface membrane in hip prosthesis. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. ANIMALS: Twenty-four female adult Swiss Alpine sheep. METHODS: Sheep were divided into 2 groups of 12 for unilateral cemented total hip arthroplasty. In Group I, the prosthesis was fixed with retrograde cement gun injection to achieve a complete cement mantle, whereas in Group II a primary cement mantle defect was produced. Groups I and II were further divided into 2 sub-groups with study end points of 2 and 8.5 months after surgery. Radiographs were evaluated postoperatively and at euthanasia for migration of the femoral component and bone resorption. Histologic sections were evaluated semiquantitatively for changes in cell types and numbers, and bone reactions; and quantitatively for size of interface membrane and new bone formation. RESULTS: Radiographically, there tended to be an increase in bone resorption and periosteal bone formation throughout the femoral shaft in Group II compared with Group I, but this was only statistically significant at the region of the femoral neck (R5) at both time periods (P<.05). Semiquantitative histologic evaluation revealed significant increases (P<.05) in cellularity, numbers of fibroblasts, giant cells, macrophages, and mononuclear cells, in Group II primarily at 2 months after surgery. This was also true for interface membrane formation and bone remodeling. Quantitative data showed an increased in the size of the interface membrane and area of bone formation at 8.5 months in Group II. CONCLUSIONS: The cement defect model offered controlled and repeatable production of an interface membrane. The results suggest that a primary cement mantle defect could be a possible trigger for implant instability, eliciting a cascade of biomechanical and molecular events in bone tissue leading to aseptic loosening. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The results show the effect of defects in the cement mantle in promoting interface membrane formation. Long-term and biochemical studies are required to evaluate the relevance of this interface membrane formation.