Body and claw measurements and pressure distribution under the claws in calves of different cattle breeds

In 58 female calves of the three breeds German Holstein (GH), German Brown (GB) and German Red (GR) the body weight and height were determined at the age of 79 to 188 days. At the right front limb and the left hind limb the following claw measurements were taken: dorsal border length, diagonal length, heel length and height, angle of the dorsal border and hardness of the claw horn. Furthermore, the punctual pressure under the medial and the lateral claw of the right front limb and the left hind limb were determined using an electronic measuring system. The GH calves weighing 136.8 kg were heavier than GB, which was the tallest breed with 106.2 cm height at the sacral bone. GR calves were the smallest (99.1 cm) and weighed 121.1 kg. The length of the diagonal and the angle of the dorsal border were smaller at the hind limb of all breeds which resulted in a smaller area of ground surface for the claw of this limb. The GR calves had the longest and flattest claws. The GB showed the highest pressures per cm2 at the front limb with 25.6 N/cm2 under both claws as well as at the hind limb with 26.7 N/cm2. The AR had the smallest pressure load with 20.8 N/cm2 at the front limb and 20.2 N/cm2 at the hind limb. The animals showed a larger relative weight load and area of ground surface on the medial claws of the front and hind limbs than on the lateral claws. The highest pressures were found underneath the rear part of the medial claw in all breeds. GB calves showed the highest average pressures (33.3 N/cm2 at the front limb) while GR calves had the lowest (26.3 N/cm2 at the hind limb). GR calves had the highest claw hardness at all measuring positions.     

The Physcomitrella genome reveals evolutionary insights into the conquest of land by plants

We report the draft genome sequence of the model moss Physcomitrella patens and compare its features with those of flowering plants, from which it is separated by more than 400 million years, and unicellular aquatic algae. This comparison reveals genomic changes concomitant with the evolutionary movement to land, including a general increase in gene family complexity; loss of genes associated with aquatic environments (e.g., flagellar arms); acquisition of genes for tolerating terrestrial stresses (e.g., variation in temperature and water availability); and the development of the auxin and abscisic acid signaling pathways for coordinating multicellular growth and dehydration response. The Physcomitrella genome provides a resource for phylogenetic inferences about gene function and for experimental analysis of plant processes through this plant's unique facility for reverse genetics.     

Chemerin analog regulates energy metabolism in sheep

Accumulating data suggest a relationship between chemerin and energy metabolism. Our group previously described gene cloning, expression analysis and the regulatory mechanism of chemerin and its own receptor in mice and cattle. The objective of the present study was to investigate the physiological effect of chemerin on endocrine changes and energy metabolism in sheep using a biologically stable chemerin analog. The chemerin analog was intravenously administrated (100 or 500 µg/head) to sheep, and plasma insulin and metabolites (glucose, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), triglyceride, total cholesterol and high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol) were analyzed. The chemerin analog dramatically increased the insulin levels, and glucose levels were decreased. NEFA levels were slightly decreased at 20 min but then increased gradually from 60 to 180 min after analog administration. In addition, injection of the chemerin analog immediately increased triglyceride and total cholesterol but not HDL levels. These results suggested that chemerin analog regulated insulin secretion related to glucose metabolism and the release of triglycerides in sheep in vivo. This study provides new information about endocrine and metabolic changes in response to chemerin in sheep.     

Virulence genotype of Pasteurella multocida strains isolated from different hosts with various disease status

To learn more about the molecular biology of Pasteurella multocida 289 strains isolated from various clinically healthy and diseased hosts were examined for capsule biosynthesis genes (capA, B, D, E, and F) and 14 virulence associated genes by PCR and DNA-DNA-hybridization. As expected, capsule type A strains were highly adapted to bovines (92.3%) and poultry (85.7%) while we mainly found capA (34.9%)- and capD (58.1%)-positive strains in swine. A noticeable amount of capD-positive strains also originated from small ruminants (34.9%) and capF was detected in wild type strains from diseased cattle (2.2%) and cats (7.4%). None of the isolates harboured capE, while capB was exclusively found in all strains from buffaloes. Nearly all isolates showed a combination of genes encoding outer membrane proteins, colonization factors, iron aquisition factors and superoxid-dismutases without any clue for host specificity. In contrast, the transferrin binding protein encoding gene tbpA (31.5%) was limited to ruminant strains and only 37.0% of all P. multocida strains harboured pfhA, coding for a filamentous hemagglutinin, supposed to be a putative adhesion- und serum resistance factor. PfhA revealed a strong positive association to the outcome of disease in bovine hosts and in combination with toxA to that in swine. The dermonecrotoxin encoding toxA, present in 12.5% of all strains, was detected in isolates from swine, small ruminants, cattle, and poultry. A significant association to the disease status, however, was only existent in swine, although with 66.7% we found a notably high prevalence of the toxin gene among strains from small ruminants. The genes toxA, tbpA and pfhA as well as capsule biosynthesis genes are supposed to be important epidemiological marker genes for characterizing P. multocida field strains.     

The raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in Germany--an established Neozoon as host and vector for parasites and other pathogenes

Some invasive wildlife species have the potential to act as additional host and vector species for parasitic and other infectious diseases. We used the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonides), a carnivore species that has its origin in Asia, as an example to demonstrate biological and ecological prerequisites which enables an invasive species to occupy a new habitat permanently. Studies conducted during the last ten years identified a total of 23 endoparasites, two ectoparasites, six bacterial or protozoan species and five viruses, found in the Nyctereutes procyonoides ussuriensis subspecies in its newly occupied range or in N. procyonoides koreensis in its original range. Results of studies in Finland and Germany furthermore showed that biological characteristics of the raccoon dog make this carnivore an appropriate host or vector for a variety of parasites and infectious diseases. This may result in a growing importance of this invasive carnivore for the epidemiology of transmissible diseases in Germany. Especially with regard to zoonotic disease outbreaks, the raccoon dog should therefore be paid more attention in disease prevention and eradication strategies.     

Holzbiologische Untersuchungen über den Einfluß von Auftausalz auf Hamburger Straßenbäume

Zusammenfassung Aus dem Stadtgebiet von Hamburg wurden 341 Stra?enb?ume der GattungenAcer, Aesculus, Betula, Fraxinus, Platanus, Quercus, Robinia, Sorbus undTilia hinsichtlich ihrer Empfindlichkeit gegenüber Streusalz untersucht. Als Untersuchungsmethoden dienten Jahrring-analyse sowie Histometrie und energiedispersive R?ntgen-Mikroanalyse. Auf Standorten mit hohem Bodensalzgehalt zeigten die meisten B?ume seit Mitte der 60er Jahre Zuwachsrückg?nge von über 50%, was zu einer Verringerung der wasserleitenden Querschnittsfl?che in den St?mmen und vermutlich zu den Blattnekrosen in der Krone führte. Alle an streusalzbelasteten Stra?en lebenden Ahornb?ume, Linden und Ro?kastanien zeigten eine starke Vitalit?tsminderung. Lediglich die Eichen und Robinien lassen keine streusalzbedingten Wachstums?nderungen erkennen. Zur Erholung der gesch?digten B?ume sowie zur Sicherung der toleranten Baumarten müssen eine weitere Salzzufuhr verhindert und die bereits angereicherten Salzmengen aus dem Kreislauf Boden-Baum-Boden entfernt werden.

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Wood-biological investigations on the influence of deicing salt on roadside trees in Hamburg

Summary From the urban area of Hamburg, 341 roadside trees of the generaAcer, Aesculus, Betula, Fraxinus, Platanus, Quercus, Robinia, Sorbus andTilia have been investigated concerning their sensitivity to deicing salt. The methods used were tree-ring analysis, histometrical studies, and X-ray microanalysis. Since the middle of the Sixties the radial growth of most tress decreased more than 50% on all sites with a high salt content in the soil, leading to a reduction of the water-conducting area in the stems. The necrosis of the leaves is presumably a result of this situation. All maples, horsechestnuts, and limes growing along roads affected by deicing salt showed a highly decreased vitality. Only oak and black locust do not exhibit any saltinfluenced growth responses. For the recovery of the injured trees as well as for safeguarding the more tolerant tree species a further salt transport to the roots must be prevented, and the amount of salt already accumulated must be removed from the soil-tree-soil cycle.

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Wir danken Dr.H. Meyer-Spasche, Ordinariat für Bodenkunde der Universit?t Hamburg, für die Bereitstellung der bodenchemischen Standortsdaten, Prof. Dr.N. Parameswaran für die energiedispersive R?ntgen-Mikroanalyse sowie Frau Dipl.-HolzwirtS. Wrobel und FrauF. Quiehl für ihre Mithilfe bei der Laborauswertung. Die Arbeit wurde von der Beh?rde für Bezirksangelegenheiten, Naturschutz und Umweltgestaltung (BBNU) der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg finanziell unterstützt. Die Baubeh?rde stellte Informationen über die Intensit?t der Streusalzanwendung zur Verfügung.     

Intragenic vectors for gene transfer without foreign DNA

The intragenic vector system involves identifying functional equivalents of vector components from the genome of a specific crop species (or related species to which it can be hybridised) and using these DNA sequences to assemble vectors for transformation of that plant species. This system offers an attractive alternative to current genetic engineering strategies where vectors are based on DNA sequences that usually originate from bacteria. The construction of intragenic vectors enables the well-defined genetic improvement of plants with all transferred DNA originating from within the gene pool already available to plant breeders. In this manner genes can be introgressed into elite cultivars in a single step without linkage drag and without the incorporation of foreign DNA. The resulting plants are non-transgenic, although they are derived using the tools of molecular biology and plant transformation. The use of intragenic vectors for the transfer of genes from within the gene pools of crops may help to alleviate some of the major public concerns over the deployment of GM crops in agriculture, notably the ethical issue associated with the transfer of DNA across wide taxonomic boundaries. This paper reviews the progress toward the development and use of intragenic vectors and the implications of their use for the genetic improvement of crops. Dedicated to the late Hans Sandbrink for his enthusiasm in helping to develop intragenic vectors     

Sustainable palm oil as a public responsibility? On the governance capacity of Indonesian Standard for Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO)

This paper is motivated by the observation that Southern governments start to take responsibility for a more sustainable production of agricultural commodities as a response to earlier private initiatives by businesses and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Indonesia is one of the leading countries in this respect, with new public sustainability regulations on coffee, cocoa and palm oil. Based on the concept of governance capacity, the paper develops an evaluation tool to answer the question whether the new public regulation on sustainable palm oil (ISPO) may become a viable alternative to private regulation. ISPO embraces a tremendous governance challenge as thousands of companies and millions of smallholder farmers are expected to participate. It is concluded that, although ISPO has initiated a process of change, it has not yet developed its full potential. The main reason regards ISPO’s rather loose problem definition, weak authority of the implementing organization, and the fact that the reliability of ISPO is still too low to convince (parts) of the global market. ISPO may therefore face difficulties in meeting its own targets and solving palm-oil related problems, such as deforestation, biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and social conflicts between big plantations and local communities. The main governance challenge regards combining a more authoritative implementation mechanism with a convincing balance between sustainability objectives and economic interests of the sector.     

Thiamin (vitamin B1) and thiamin phosphate esters in five cereal grains during maturation

Non-phosphorylated thiamin (T), thiamin monophosphate (TMP), and thiamin diphosphate (TDP) were extracted from whole grains of wheat (Triticum aestivum, cv. Dekan), triticale (Triticosecale, cv. SW Talentro), rye (Secale cereale, cv. Agronom), oats (Avena sativa, cv. Dominik), and barley (Hordeum vulgare, cv. Merlot) at different growth stages (from inflorescence emergence to full ripeness of the grains) and determined with high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection. No thiamin triphosphate or adenosine thiamin triphosphate was found in these cereals. Total thiamin levels (the sum of T and its phosphate esters) determined on a dry matter (DM) basis were found to be quite similar in all grain samples throughout the analysis period, ranging from 5.59 (wheat) to 13.00 nmol/g DM (oats). In spikelets 3–5 days after flowering, the total thiamin content in all cereals was 40–75% T, 5–13% TMP, and 18–46% TDP. Generally, T increased and TDP decreased continuously with grain development, with maximum T (88–99%), and minimum TDP (2–10%) at ripeness. No TMP was detected in mature grains. The results indicate that variation in T, TMP, and TDP levels is probably due above all to the conversion of phosphorylated thiamin phosphate esters into less highly or non-phosphorylated forms.