Stocktake study of current fertilisation recommendations across Europe and discussion towards a more harmonised approach

The European Commission has set targets for a reduction in nutrient losses by at least 50% and a reduction in fertiliser use by at least 20% by 2030 while ensuring no deterioration in soil fertility. Within the mandate of the European Joint Programme EJP Soil ‘Towards climate-smart sustainable management of agricultural soils’, the objective of this study was to assess current fertilisation practices across Europe and discuss the potential for harmonisation of fertilisation methodologies as a strategy to reduce nutrient loss and overall fertiliser use. A stocktake study of current methods of delivering fertilisation advice took place across 23 European countries. The stocktake was in the form of a questionnaire, comprising 46 questions. Information was gathered on a large range of factors, including soil analysis methods, along with soil, crop and climatic factors taken into consideration within fertilisation calculations. The questionnaire was completed by experts, who are involved in compiling fertilisation recommendations within their country. Substantial differences exist in the content, format and delivery of fertilisation guidelines across Europe. The barriers, constraints and potential benefits of a harmonised approach to fertilisation across Europe are discussed. The general consensus from all participating countries was that harmonisation of fertilisation guidelines should be increased, but it was unclear in what format this could be achieved. Shared learning in the delivery and format of fertilisation guidelines and mechanisms to adhere to environmental legislation were viewed as being beneficial. However, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to harmonise all soil test data and fertilisation methodologies at EU level due to diverse soil types and agro-ecosystem influences. Nevertheless, increased future collaboration, especially between neighbouring countries within the same environmental zone, was seen as potentially very beneficial. This study is unique in providing current detail on fertilisation practices across European countries in a side-by-side comparison. The gathered data can provide a baseline for the development of scientifically based EU policy targets for nutrient loss and soil fertility evaluation.     

Use of C-reactive protein to predict outcome in dogs with systemic inflammatory response syndrome or sepsis

Background – There is a high mortality rate in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) or sepsis. Therefore, an early diagnosis and prognostic assessment is important for optimal therapeutic intervention. The objective of the study was to evaluate if baseline values and changes in serum C-reactive protein (CRP) might predict survival in dogs with SIRS and sepsis.
Design – Prospective study; July 2004 to July 2005.
Setting – Small Animal Clinic, Berlin, Clinic of Small Animal Medicine, Munich.
Animals – Sixty-one dogs.
Measurements and Main Results – For the CRP analysis blood was drawn on day 0, 1, and 2; CRP was measured using a commercial ELISA test kit. Thirteen dogs suffered from nonseptic SIRS and 48 dogs from sepsis. The 14-day survival rate was 61% (69% nonseptic SIRS, 58% sepsis). Serum CRP was higher in sick dogs compared with controls ( P <0.001). Over the 3-day period surviving dogs ( n =31) displayed a significantly greater decrease in CRP than nonsurvivors ( n =10) ( P =0.001). No correlation was found between the initial CRP concentrations and the survival rate. The changes in CRP corresponded to the survival rate ( P =0.01).
Conclusion – There was no significant relationship between the survival rate in dogs with nonseptic SIRS or sepsis and the initial serum CRP concentrations. There was a correlation between decreasing CRP concentrations and recovery from disease. However, the changes in CRP concentrations over a 3-day period correctly predicted survival in 94% of dogs and death in 30% of the dogs (false positive rate 22%).     

Effect of heat damage in an autoclave on the reactive lysine contents of soy products and corn distillers dried grains with solubles. Use of the results to check on lysine damage in common qualities of these ingredients

The suitability of the homoarginine reaction for determining the reactive lysine in soy products and corn distillers dried grain with solubles (DDGS) was tested. For this purpose, some batches were subjected to deliberate heat damage for up to 30 min in an autoclave with 135 degrees C hot steam, and the samples were analyzed for total lysine and reactive lysine. In addition, 84 samples of common soy and 80 samples of corn DDGS were tested for their content of total and reactive lysine, and the contents were compared with those of the autoclave tests. For soy products conclusive results were obtained. In the case of heat treatment, both total lysine and reactive lysine decrease, but the latter is clearly a more sensitive indicator of lysine damage. Most normal products are quite similar, with toasting-induced damage to reactive lysine of ca. 15% compared to untoasted beans. The cause of the constantly occurring residual lysine after guanidination and the poorer reaction balance in the case of damage were explained. For common DDGS samples, however, less favorable results were obtained. Reactive and total lysine decreased almost in parallel due to heat damage, showing a great gap between them. Results showed indeed that variation of total and reactive lysine in DDGS is high, proving that its production conditions are not yet optimal for a feed ingredient.     

Large-scale biotechnological production of the antileukemic marine natural product sorbicillactone A

In the search for novel bioactive compounds from sponge-derived microorganisms, we have recently identified two structurally and biosynthetically unprecedented fungal metabolites, the novel-type alkaloids sorbicillactone A and sorbicillactone B. Sorbicillactone A is active against leukemia cells without showing notable cytotoxicity. Therefore, we have developed an efficient process for its biotechnological production and isolation on a large scale supplying sufficient material for the ongoing preclinical investigations and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies.     

利用烯丙孕素使授精未孕母猪重返预定的配种方案

为研究烯丙孕素、马绒毛膜促性腺激素(eCG)和人绒毛膜促性腺激素(hCG)或促性腺激素释放激素类似物(GnRH-A)D-Phe6-LHRH在促使诊断为未孕的高胎龄母猪同步发情同步排卵以使其重返预定的人工授精方案中的作用,特进行了一项现场研究。试验选用531头在人工授精后第21～35天期间经超声波检查确诊为未孕的母猪,并随机分入3个试验组:⑴试验Ⅰ组(EGⅠ):每头母猪按16mg/d的剂量连续15d口服烯丙孕素以阻止滤泡的生长,停服24h后肌肉注射1000IU马绒毛膜促性腺激素以刺激卵泡生长,78～80h后再肌肉注射500IU人绒毛膜促性腺激素以诱导排卵;⑵试验Ⅱ组(EGⅡ):除将烯丙孕素的剂量由16mg改为20mg和马绒毛膜促性腺激素剂量由1000IU改为800IU以外,其它与试验Ⅰ组相似;⑶试验Ⅲ组(EGⅢ):除用50μg促性腺激素释放激素类似物D-Phe6-LHRH替代500IU人绒毛膜促性腺激素来诱导排卵外,其它均与试验Ⅱ组相似。试验母猪分别在注射eCG/D-Phe6-LHRH后16h和40h各进行一次人工授精,并利用超声波扫描仪检查卵巢情况以确诊激素处理是否获得成功。记录母猪的受孕率、分娩率、总产仔数和活产仔数,并与同步发情首次配种的母猪比较。试验母猪在激素处理前卵巢结构各不相同,烯丙孕素的两种口服剂量都能使80%以上的母猪卵巢卵泡生长得到阻止,不过口服16mg/d的烯丙孕素会提高多囊卵巢变性的发生率。4%～18%的母猪经烯丙孕素处理后其卵巢中仍存在黄体,大多数母猪在2次人工授精之间或第2次人工授精之后排卵(P<0.05)。注射促性腺激素释放激素类似物(GnRH-A)D-Phe6-LHRH的母猪排卵往往早于注射人绒毛膜促性腺激素的母猪。被诊断为未怀孕的母猪受孕率和分娩率比初次交配母猪低25%(P<0.05)。在诊断为未孕的母猪中,注射促性腺激素释放激素类似物(GnRH-A)D-Phe6-LHRH的母猪受孕率较高(P<0.05),但在总产仔数和活产仔数上各试验组间无显著差异。总之,给诊断为未孕的母猪口服20mg烯丙孕素,然后肌注800IU马绒毛膜促性腺激素和50μg促性腺激素释放激素类似物D-Phe6-LHRH是诱使其同步发情和同步排卵的最佳方法,至于母猪口服烯丙孕素的时间是否一个较长的18d间隔还有待进一步的研究。     

CO2浓度变化下燕麦对干旱胁迫的生理响应

利用步入式CO2生长室模拟研究了CO2浓度变化和土壤含水量的交互作用对燕麦（Avena sativa）的光合、生长及水分利用效率的影响。结果表明,低CO2浓度对燕麦的光合作用和生物量产生极大的抑制作用,而高CO2浓度产生一定的促进作用。在低CO2浓度下,燕麦的净光合速率和水分利用效率随着水分含量的降低没有发生显著变化,生物量和叶氮含量有少量降低,根冠比增加。在高CO2浓度下,燕麦的净光合速率、根冠比、水分利用效率随着水分含量的降低而有升高趋势,叶氮含量变化不显著,但生物量显著下降。研究认为过去低CO2浓度没有加剧干旱对燕麦的负面影响,将来高CO2浓度也未能减缓干旱对燕麦的负面影响。燕麦对过去低CO2浓度的适应可能限制了自身对将来高CO2浓度的响应。