Effects of Bamboo Fargesia murielae on Plant Diversity in Fir Forest on Mountain Shennongjia

Simultaneous flowering caused a gregarious dieback of umbrella bamboo (Fargesia murielae) all over the world in 1993-2000. Mountain Shennongjia in Central China‘s Hubei Province is the only native home of umbrella bamboo, where it dominates the understorey of the farges fir (Abiesfargesii) forest between 2 400 and 3 100 m, covering the ground for more than one century before a periodically flowering death. Data from 20 quadrats along a vegetation sequence revealed that the density, coverage,and height of umbrella bamboo negatively affected the species richness, diversity, and evenness of vascular plants in the forest. Local climax community of fir-bamboo was the poorest in species diversity, while the bamboo-free communities (i.e. shrubs and meadows)were bearing a higher species diversity. The simultaneous dieback of umbrella bamboo is an ecological relcase, which can pcriodically promote the plant diversity in the fir forest.     

Penetration studies of propoxur and phoxim from eggshell into whole egg after experimental exposure and application in henhouses

The penetration of propoxur and phoxim from eggshell into whole egg was investigated in vitro by spraying eggs directly and in vivo after application of the compounds in henhouses. Although mean concentrations of the compounds on eggshells were up to 23000 microg kg(-1), mean residue concentrations in whole eggs were far below the current maximum residue levels (50 microg kg(-1) for propoxur and 60 microg kg(-1) for phoxim). These results provide the first evidence that propoxur and phoxim do not penetrate from eggshell into whole egg under experimental and field conditions. Subsequently, residue carry-over after egg cracking in households and during a worst-case situation in an egg-cracking plant was investigated. However, when eggs were cracked manually, a negligible contamination of whole egg values occurred. If, in an automated process, eggshells accidentally come into close contact with whole egg, very high residue levels of propoxur and phoxim may be generated time dependently. These results suggest that eggshell contact with whole egg during egg cracking must be avoided to prevent pesticide carry-over.     

Inhibition of photophosphorylation and electron transport chain in thylakoids by lasiodiplodin, a natural product from Botryosphaeria rhodina

Four natural products were isolated from the fungus Botryosphaeria rhodina, and their effects on photosynthesis were tested. Only lasiodiplodin (1) inhibited ATP synthesis and electron flow from water to methylviologen; therefore, it acts as a Hill reaction inhibitor in freshly lysed spinach thylakoids. Photosystem I and II and partial reactions as well as ATPase were measured in the presence of 1. Three new different sites of 1 interaction and inhibition were found: one at CF1, the second in the water-splitting enzyme, and the third at the electron-transfer path between P680 and QA; these targets are different from that of the synthetic herbicides present. Electron transport chain inhibition by 1 was corroborated by fluorescence induction kinetics studies.     

Effect of feeding increasing quantities of starch on glycaemic and insulinaemic responses in healthy horses

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of increasing the intake of starch on the glycaemic and insulinaemic responses of horses. A cross-over study design was used in which four horses were fed increasing amounts of a compound feed (0.5–3.5 kg) to provide 0.3, 0.6, 0.8, 1.1, 1.4 and 2 g starch/kg bodyweight (BW)/meal. The glycaemic response increased with starch intake (P < 0.05), while feeding <1.1 g starch/kg BW resulted in a lowered response, compared to when 1.1–2 g starch/kg BW was fed (P < 0.01). The results suggested that insulin responses may be more appropriate to define the effect of feeding different starch levels than glycaemic responses. A starch intake of <1.1 g/kg BW/meal produced only moderate glucose and insulin responses, even though highly processed cereals were used. It is therefore recommended that a starch intake of <1.1 g/kg BW/meal or a meal size of 0.3 kg/100 kg BW (starch content of 30–40%) is used for horses.     

Bewertung von Pyrus-Arten auf Befall mit Birnengitterrost (Gymnosporangium sabinae Dicks.)

Zusammenfassung Birnengitterrost breitet sich in nicht kommerziell genutzten Anlagen zunehmend aus, vor allem dort, wo Pflanzenschutzmaßnahmen unterbleiben. In unserer Untersuchung wurde nach alternativen Lösungen gesucht, den Befall zu minimieren. Dazu wurden Pyrus-Arten und -Hybriden ohne Pflanzenschutz angezogen und der natürliche Befall bewertet. Die Arten Pyrus korzhinskyi, P. betulifolia, P. cordata und die Hybride P. salicifolia Pendula zeigten den geringsten Befall. Sie könnten als Züchtungsausgangsmaterial eingesetzt werden. Ebenso scheint eine Prüfung als Park- oder Landschaftsgehölz sinnvoll.     

Natural FCoV infection: cats with FIP exhibit significantly higher viral loads than healthy infected cats

Natural feline coronavirus (FCoV) infection has been shown to not only induce intestinal infection with viral shedding, but also systemic infection which either remains without clinical signs or leads to feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). As systemic infection is not the key event in the development of FIP, the question arises as to whether a potential difference in viral load might be of importance. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to quantitatively assess feline coronavirus (FCoV) RNA loads in haemolymphatic tissues of healthy, long-term FCoV-infected cats and cats with FIP. In cats that died from FIP, viral loads were significantly higher, indicating a higher rate of viral replication or a reduced capacity for viral clearance in cats developing and/or suffering from FIP.     

Ultrasonographic imaging of abomasal milk clotting and abomasal diameter in healthy and diarrheic calves

In case of diarrhea calves are treated with oral rehydration solutions (ORS), which are known to increase abomasal pH and inhibit milk clotting in vitro. Nevertheless, recent studies have shown that ORS with HCO₃^‐ ≤ 62 mmol/L do not interfere with abomasal milk clotting in healthy calves. However, in diarrheic calves, feeding ORS and milk simultaneously may disturb abomasal curd formation and exacerbate diarrhea due to faster abomasal passage of ingesta. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to ultrasonographically examine abomasal milk clotting and diameter after feeding milk and milk replacer (MR) with and without ORS to healthy and diarrheic calves. Abomasal curd formation and diameter in healthy and diarrheic calves were ultrasonographically imaged before and after feeding milk, MR and ORS prepared in milk or MR. Feeding mixtures of milk or MR with ORS did not cause any remarkable differences in the ultrasonographic images of abomasal content. Moreover, abomasal milk clotting was not disturbed due to diarrhea. Statistically significant differences of abomasal diameter after feeding between healthy and diarrheic calves indicated that abomasal emptying is delayed in diarrheic calves. Hence, further studies are needed to determine reasons for decelerated abomasal passage in calves suffering from diarrhea.     

Long-term effects of intermittent equine parathyroid hormone fragment (ePTH-1-37) administration on bone metabolism in healthy horses

Intermittent administration of parathyroid hormone (PTH) is an anabolic therapy for osteoporotic conditions in humans. This study evaluated the effects of equine PTH fragment (ePTH-1-37) administration on bone metabolism in 12 healthy horses. Six horses each were treated once daily for 120days with subcutaneous injections of 0.5μg/kg ePTH-1-37 or placebo. Blood was collected to determine ionized calcium (Ca(++)), total Ca (Ca(T)), inorganic phosphorus, serum equine osteocalcin (eOC), carboxy-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, and carboxy-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen. Bone mineral density (BMD) was determined with dual X-ray absorptiometry of the metacarpus and calcaneus. Significantly higher blood Ca(++) and plasma Ca(T) concentrations were measured 5h after ePTH-1-37 administration compared to placebo. Higher serum eOC concentrations were found for ePTH-1-37 treatment at days 90 (P<0.05) and 120 (P=0.05). Significantly higher serum ICTP levels were observed with ePTH-1-37 treatment at days 60 and 90. For both study groups, BMD increased significantly in the calcaneus. Long-term use of ePTH-1-37 seemed to have no negative effects on bone metabolism in healthy horses. The absence of undesirable side effects is the premise to ensure safety for further clinical investigations in horses with increased bone resorption processes.     

Proposals of the working group "Antibiotic resistance" for the configuration of microtitre plates to be used in routine antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacterial pathogens from infections of large food-producing animals and mastitis cases

Two layouts for microtitre plates, which should serve for in-vitro susceptibility testing in routine diagnostics, have been set up by the working group "Antibiotic resistance" of the German Society for Veterinary Medicine. One of these layouts was designed for the testing of bacteria from cases of mastitis and the other for bacteria from infections in large food-producing animals. The choice of the antimicrobial agents and their concentrations to be included in these layouts were based on (1) the bacteria frequently associated with the respective diseases/animals, (2) the antimicrobial agents licensed for therapeutic use in these diseases/animals, (3) the currently available breakpoints, and (4) cross-resistances between the antimicrobial agerts so far known to occur in the respective bacteria.