Quantitative trait loci for milk production and functional traits in two Danish Cattle breeds

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) in Danish Jersey and Danish Red cattle were independently mapped by least squares regression analysis. For Jersey breed, five grandsire families were genotyped for 186 markers on 16 chromosomes (BTAs). Eight traits analysed were milk yield (MY), fat percentage (FP), protein percentage (PP), clinical mastitis (CM), somatic cell score (SCS), maternal stillbirth, maternal calf size (MCS) and maternal calving difficulty. For Red breed, nine grandsire families were genotyped for 166 markers on 18 BTAs. Six traits analysed were MY, FP, PP, CM, SCS and female fertility. Nine and five QTL were detected in Jersey and Red breed, respectively, in across family tests. In Jersey breed, the results indicate QTL for CM and MCS on BTA 3. Additionally, there is an indication of QTL for MCS and FP on BTA 1 and a tentative evidence for a QTL for MY on BTA 26. There is a high risk of detected QTL being false positives. The detected QTL in Jersey breed indicate interesting results from a breeding perspective, but a practical application should await genome-wide association studies.     

Natural Removal of Crude and Heavy Fuel Oil on Rocky Shorelines in Arctic Climate Regimes

Water, Air, &; Soil Pollution - The ecotoxicity of nickel depends on water quality characteristics such as pH and dissolved organic carbon. Bioavailability models to predict nickel toxicity have...     

Pleuritis and pneumonia attributed to a conifer twig in a bronchus of a horse

A conifer twig was responsible for severe fibrinopyogranulomatous adhesive pleuritis and pneumonia in a horse. At necropsy, the twig was found in a terminal bronchus and extended into the lung parenchyma, through the pleura, and into the accumulated exudate. Inhalation of plant material may be a more common cause of pleuritis than previously recognized. Meticulous examination at necropsy would be necessary to make the diagnosis.     

The Self-Assembly Mechanism of Alkanethiols on Au(111)

The self-assembly mechanism of alkanethiol monolayers on the (111) surface of gold was discovered with the use of an ultrahigh-vacuum scanning tunneling microscope. Monolayer formation follows a two-step process that begins with condensation of low-density crystalline islands, characterized by surface-aligned molecular axes, from a lower density lattice-gas phase. At saturation coverage of this phase, the monolayer undergoes a phase transition to a denser phase by realignment of the molecular axes with the surface normal. These studies reveal the important role of molecule-substrate and molecule-molecule interactions in the self-assembly of these technologically important material systems.     

Multiple aspects of unnaturalness: are cisgenic crops perceived as being more natural and more acceptable than transgenic crops?

In Europe the use of genetically modified (GM) crops in food production has so far failed to gain wide public approval. Ordinary people are concerned about issues not covered by the existing regulation, including usefulness and unnaturalness. In response, particularly to worries about unnaturalness, biotechnologists have suggested that inserted genes should derive only from the plant itself, or from close relatives. This paper examines public perceptions of these so-called ‘cisgenic crops’ and asks whether the public shares the idea that they are less unnatural and thus more acceptable than transgenic plants. Using five focus group interviews, we identified five lines of argument about naturalness with a bearing on the assessment of cisgenic crops as well as GM crops in general. The paper concludes that, depending on perceptions of naturalness, some people would agree that cisgenic crops are more acceptable than their transgenic counterparts. The finding that ordinary people value different aspects of naturalness may be relevant to a broader audience than just those interested in gene technology. It cautions against a simplistic interpretation of what counts as ‘natural’.     

Replacement of the European wheat yellow rust population by new races from the centre of diversity in the near‐Himalayan region

Isolates of recently spreading races of yellow rust from wheat and triticale in Europe were analysed using virulence phenotypic data of 2605 isolates sampled in 12 countries between 2000 and 2014. A subset of 239 isolates was investigated by microsatellite markers. At least three races of non‐European origin, termed ‘Warrior’, ‘Kranich’ and ‘Triticale aggressive’, were identified in the post‐2011 population. The Warrior race was already present in high frequencies in the first year of detection in most European countries and to a large extent it replaced the pre‐2011 European population. In contrast, the two other exotic races were localized to certain regions and/or crop type. The presence already of at least six multilocus genotypes of the Warrior race and five genotypes of the Kranich race in the first year of detection and across large areas is consistent with a hypothesis of aerial spread from genetically diverse source populations. A comparison with reference isolates sampled from six continents suggested that the Warrior and Kranich races originated from sexually recombining populations in the centre of diversity of the yellow rust fungus in the near‐Himalayan region of Asia. However, the Triticale aggressive race was most similar to populations in the Middle East/Central Asia. The study illustrated the potential role of sexual Puccinia striiformis populations as a reservoir for new races replacing distant clonal populations.     

Happy pigs are dirty! – conflicting perspectives on animal welfare

The study of animal welfare cannot be based entirely on science. For a number of assumptions of an ethical nature will it inevitably enter the study of how good or bad animals fare under different systems of animal production.

In some cases, ethical assumptions may be uncontroversial, but they may also be the cause of disagreement. A case study is presented that seems to indicate that there is systematic disagreement between lay and expert views about what a good animal life is. The study is based on interviews about modern pig production. The title of this paper summarises the reaction of an interviewee when commenting on pictures of what is generally regarded as animal-friendly pig production. In the lay perspective, living a natural life is an important part of animal welfare – a part that supplements, and therefore needs to be combined with, the absence of suffering and frustration that are central components of the expert approach.

The main message of the paper for those who are professionally involved in animal production is that ethical assumptions and potential conflicts of view should be recognised and brought into the discussion of animal welfare.     

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in free-ranging wild boars hunted for human consumption in Estonia

Background

Although the prevalence of human Toxoplasma gondii infections is high in Estonia, no information is available on the prevalence of infections in the local animal populations. Wild boars are a good indicator species for estimating the prevalence and spread of T. gondii and were thus investigated in this nationwide cross-sectional study. Volunteer hunters sampled cardiac or skeletal muscle of 471 wild boars legally hunted for human consumption in Estonia during the hunting season of 2012–2013. Serosanguineous meat juice samples were obtained from thawed tissue samples, diluted 1:40, and screened for specific anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies with a commercial direct agglutination test.

Results

Almost one-quarter (113; 24%) of the wild boars examined were seropositive for T. gondii. The seroprevalence did not differ significantly between age groups or sexes. The seroprevalence was lowest in Viljandimaa, which is located in the southern part of Estonia. In other counties, the infection was evenly prevalent.

Conclusions

In Estonia, wild boars are commonly exposed to T. gondii, which is endemic and widespread. The consumption of raw or undercooked meat of Estonian wild boars may pose an infection risk to humans and other hosts.