Gamma-A cold agglutinin: importance of disulfide bonds in activity and structure

Cleavage of disulfide bonds caused by mild reduction with mercaptoethanol produces a reversible loss of cold agglutinin activity and antigen-binding ability in a gamma-A polymer cold agglutinin. Return of agglutination and antigen-binding ability occur only in those molecules that have not been depolyimerized by reduction. Loss of activity becomes irreversible if reduction is followed immediately by alkylation.     

Database derived microsatellite markers (SSRs) for cultivar differentiation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica oleracea</Emphasis>

Fifty-nine Brassica oleracea cultivars, belonging to five botanical varieties, were evaluated for microsatellite (SSR) polymorphisms using 11 database sequence derived primer pairs. The cultivars represented 12 broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica), ten Brussels sprouts (B. o. var. gemmifera), 21 cabbage (B. o. var. capitata, including the groups white and red cabbage), six savoy cabbage (B. o. var. sabauda), and ten cauliflower (B. o. var. botrytis) cultivars from 13 seed suppliers. The 11 primer pairs amplified in total 47 fragments, and differentiated 51 of the cultivars, whereas the remaining eight cultivars were differentiated from the rest in four inseparable pairs. All SSR markers, except one, produced a polymorphic information content (PIC value) of 0.5 or above. The average diversity for all markers within the tested material was 0.64. There was no major difference in the diversity within botanical varieties and groups. The cluster analysis and the resulting dendrogram showed that the cultivars tended to group within these taxonomic units. The present study substantiates the use of microsatellite markers as a powerful tool for cultivar differentiation and identification in vegetable brassicas.     

Impaired larval development in broods of eelpout (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Zoarces viviparus</Emphasis>) in Danish coastal waters

Eelpouts (Zoarces viviparus), a viviparous fish, were sampled in Danish coastal waters during October and November 2001 and 2002, in ten different areas, which are receiving effluents from cities and industry to more or minor degree. The presence of gross abnormalities in eelpout broods has been suggested to be a useful biomarker of the impact of hazardous substances on fish reproduction in the marine environment as chronic exposure to various substances has the potential to induce severe developmental defects in fish embryos and larvae. Relatively high frequencies of female eelpouts (20–53) with elevated levels (>5) of larvae with developmental defects in the broods were found in four shallow fjords with effluents from larger cities and industry compared to areas. Deformations like spiral or bend shapes of the spinal axis, cranio-facial defects, eye lesions or loss of eyes were the dominating types. In some ofthe areas with the highest incidences of developmental defects, the adults had significantly enlarged livers, which may also be a possible effect caused by contaminant exposure. In two of the areas, relatively high frequencies of the broods contained larvae, which had died late but without any visible developmental defects. These two areas were affected by severe oxygen depletion prior to sampling time suggesting that examination of broods in the eelpout may include not only impact of hazardous substances but also effect of eutrophication-related problems on fish reproduction in the marine environment.     

Urban Influences on Stream Chemistry and Biology in the Big Brushy Creek Watershed, South Carolina

Naturally high total dissolved solids and upstream agricultural runoff often mask the influence of urban land cover on stream chemistry and biology. We examined the influence of headwater urbanization on the water chemistry, microbiology, and fish communities of the Big Brushy Creek watershed, a 96 km² drainage basin in the piedmont of South Carolina, USA. Concentrations of most major anions and cations (especially nitrate, sulfate, chloride, sodium, potassium, and calcium) were highest in the urban headwaters and decreased downstream. Generally, the highest concentrations of suspended coliform bacteria occurred in the urban headwaters. In contrast, stream habitat quality and the abundance, species richness, and species diversity of fishes did not differ significantly between urban and rural sites. Discharge of wastewater treatment plant effluent at one rural location caused an increase in concentrations of many solutes and possibly the abundance of benthic algae. We hypothesize that atmospheric dry deposition and domestic animal wastes are important sources of stream solutes and of coliform bacteria, respectively, in the urban headwaters. The lack of significant differences in fish abundance and diversity between urban and rural sites may indicate that urban development in the Big Brushy Creek watershed has not yet degraded habitat conditions greatly for stream fishes. Alternatively, agriculture or other land uses may have degraded stream habitat quality throughout the watershed prior to urbanization.     

Profits and nitrate leaching under irrigated corn: a simulation

The economic impact of reducing the amount of nitrate leached out of the root zone under irrigation in the arid West was examined. The economic incentives of irrigation management were evaluated under the assumptions of both profit-maximizing and utility-maximizing (in reducing cost and effort expended in irrigation) decision-making criteria. The results indicate that there is a coincidence of interests of the farmer and the environment provided some leaching occurred. If no leaching is allowed, profit decreases markedly. Both behaviors result in less nitrate leaching than less profitable or less utility-producing irrigating practices.     

Complex vertebral malformation in holstein calves.

A recently observed lethal congenital defect of purebred Holstein calves is reported. Eighteen genetically related calves were necropsied. One calf had been aborted on gestation day 159, and the others were delivered between day 250 and day 285. Birth weights were reduced. The defect was characterized by shortening of the cervical and thoracic parts of the vertebral column due to multiple hemivertebrae, fused and misshaped vertebrae, and scoliosis. Symmetrical flexures of the carpal joints and the metacarpophalangeal joint in combination with a slight lateral rotation of the phalanges also were present. Similar low-grade arthrogryposis was present in the posterior limbs. Fifty percent of the calves had heart malformation. Other malformations occurred in a few calves. Complex vertebral malformation (CVM) is proposed as the designation for this defect. A genetic etiology is indicated because cases occurred following breeding between genetically related individuals. Two common ancestors were found; both were former elite sires of US Holstein origin. Because of the widespread international use of semen from sires occurring in the pedigrees of affected calves, CVM is expected to occur in several countries.     

Cross reaction between bovine enterovirus and South African Territories I5 foot-and-mouth disease virus.

A bovine enterovirus (E76T) isolated from a 2-year-old bull produced serologic cross reactions to South African Territories (SAT) I5 foot-and-mouth disease virus when inoculated into guinea pigs and cattle. Cross-reacting serum titers to SAT I5 virus of 1:320 by the plaque-reduction neutralization test and 1:20 by the radial immunodiffusion test occurred in 2 steers after they were inoculated with the E76T virus. In 1 steer, maximal cross-reacting titers appeared related to a 2nd exposure to the viruses or to a hyperimmune state. Ultracentrifugation and 2-mercaptoethanol studies indicated that the cross reactions were due to immunoglobulin M antibody. Sera from guinea pigs immunized with the E76T or the SAT I5 virus cross reacted with the heterologous virus by postinoculation day 7. Cross-reacting titers had decreased markedly by postinoculation day 35, whereas the homologous virus titer remained constant. Cross reactivity of the E76T virus was primarily with the SAT I5 virus, and to a lesser degree with SAT II3. Cross reactions did not occur with representatives of the 5 other antigenic types of foot-and-mouth disease virus.     

The effect of including genomic relationships in the estimation of genetic parameters of functional traits in pigs

The term functionality in animal breeding is used for traits that increase the efficiency of production by lowering the input cost, such as animal health and leg weakness related to longevity. The main objective of the study was to investigate the impact of genomic information, in a multivariate variance component analysis, on some of these traits. In addition, the effect of the inclusion was studied by testing the model's prediction ability based on best linear unbiased estimates for fixed and random effects. The material in this study consists of phenotypes from 76 683 animals, of which 4933 animals are genotyped. The heritabilities for front leg conformation, stayability, osteochondrosis and arched back, estimated using the traditional pedigree, were found to be between 0.12 and 0.29. When using the combined genomic and pedigree relationship matrix, the heritabilities were between 0.14 and 0.36. The results show that the combined relationship matrix can be used for the estimation of (co)variance components, and that the predictive ability of the model in this study marginally increases with the inclusion of genomic information.     

Adoption of milk cooling technology among smallholder dairy farmers in Kenya

Factors influencing adoption of milk cooling technology were studied with data for 90 smallholder dairy farmers who were randomly selected from seven dairy cooperative societies in Kiambu County, Kenya. Logistic regression identified the age of the household head, daily household milk consumption, freehold land ownership, fodder production area, number of female calves, cooperative membership and cooperative services as significant factors influencing farmers’ willingness to invest in milk cooling technology. These findings offer an entry point for increased interventions by policy makers and various dairy sector stakeholders in promoting milk cooling technology with the aim of significantly reducing post-harvest losses and increasing the sector’s competitiveness.