Cutaneous leishmaniosis in a horse in southern Germany caused by Leishmania infantum

This report describes a case of cutaneous leishmaniosis in a horse in southern Germany. Diagnosis is based on histopathology, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. The protozoan was identified as Leishmania infantum via PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism. The horse did not show specific Leishmania antibodies. The lesions healed completely within 6 months without any specific treatment. Since neither the infected horse nor its dam had ever left their rural area, autochthonous infection in Germany cannot be excluded. Factors possibly influencing the epidemiological situation are discussed.     

Patient and environmental factors associated with calcium oxalate urolithiasis in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that breed, age, sex, body condition, and environment are risk factors for development of calcium oxalate uroliths in dogs. DESIGN: Case-control study. ANIMALS: 1,074 dogs that formed calcium oxalate uroliths and 1,724 control dogs that did not have uroliths. PROCEDURE: A validated multiple-choice questionnaire was designed to collect information from veterinarians and owners within 1 year of the date of urolith detection concerning signalment and environment of the dogs. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to calculate odds ratios to assess whether breed, age, sex, body condition, and environment were risk factors for calcium oxalate urolith formation. RESULTS: Middle-aged (8- to 12-year-old) castrated male dogs had increased risk for formation of calcium oxalate uroliths. Urolith formation was also associated with increasing age. Dogs of certain breeds, including Miniature and Standard Schnauzer, Lhasa Apso, Yorkshire Terrier, Bichon Frise, Shih Tzu, and Miniature and Toy Poodle, had increased risk for developing calcium oxalate uroliths. Overweight dogs also had increased risk. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Knowledge of patient and environmental risk factors for development of calcium oxalate uroliths may facilitate development of surveillance strategies that result in earlier detection of this disease. Modification of environmental factors and body weight may minimize calcium oxalate urolith formation and recurrence.     

Covariation of synaptonemal complex length and mammalian meiotic exchange rates

Analysis of recombination between loci (linkage analysis) has been a cornerstone of human genetic research, enabling investigators to localize and, ultimately, identify genetic loci. However, despite these efforts little is known about patterns of meiotic exchange in human germ cells or the mechanisms that control these patterns. Using recently developed immunofluorescence methodology to examine exchanges in human spermatocytes, we have identified remarkable variation in the rate of recombination within and among individuals. Subsequent analyses indicate that, in humans and mice, this variation is linked to differences in the length of the synaptonemal complex. Thus, at least in mammals, a physical structure, the synaptonemal complex, reflects genetic rather than physical distance.     

Rapid degradation of gliadin peptides toxic for coeliac disease patients by proteases from germinating cereals

We report the isolation and characterisation of proteases from germinated wheat, rye and barley, and their ability to degrade gliadin peptides toxic for coeliac patients. It is shown for the first time that these proteases cleave these peptides rapidly into non-toxic fragments with less than nine amino acids. These proteases have distinct advantages when compared to bacterial or fungal proteases, and are promising candidates for the detoxification of gluten containing foods and for oral therapy for celiac patients.     

Increased grain yield and micronutrient concentration in transgenic winter wheat by ectopic expression of a barley sucrose transporter

Optimising assimilate partitioning to spikes is important to increase wheat yield potential. Novel winter wheat lines (HOSUT), ectopically expressing barley sucrose transporter HvSUT1 controlled by the barley Hordein B1 promoter were used to evaluate the potential of improved sucrose uptake capacity on grain yield and quality under field-like conditions. Three independent HOSUT lines were grown over three years in micro-plots. Grain yield per plot was significantly increased by 28%, together with higher protein yield per plot and higher iron and zinc concentration when compared to the non-transformed control wheat Certo. Thousand grain weight was enhanced, indicating that expression of HvSUT1 increases individual grain sink strength. HOSUT grains are larger, display increased grain width and to a lesser extent grain length, indicating transgene effects at a stage when grains grow under filial control. Grain number per spike was decreased by 15% and protein contents by 5%, on average, especially that of glutenins. Overall, despite some compensating effects on grain number per spike and protein contents, HOSUT lines generate a significant yield advantage. The findings can contribute to understanding determinants of grain size and number and its relationship to grain sink strength and might identify limitations of wheat yield potential.     

Effect of hydrostatic pressure and temperature on the chemical and functional properties of wheat gluten II. Studies on the influence of additives

Cysteine, N-ethylmaleinimide, radical scavengers, various salts or urea were added to wheat gluten. After treatment at increasing pressure (0.1–800 MPa) and temperature (30–80 °C) the resulting material was analysed by micro-extension tests and an extraction/HPLC method to measure protein solubility. Furthermore, cysteine was added to isolated gliadin and glutenin prior to high-pressure treatment and protein solubility was determined. The resistance to extension of gluten strongly increased and the solubility of gliadin in aqueous ethanol decreased with increasing pressure and temperature. As compared to experiments without additive the observed effects were much stronger. Isolated gliadin turned largely insoluble in aqueous ethanol when cysteine was added prior to high-pressure treatment. The S-rich α- and γ-gliadins were much more strongly affected than the S-poor ω-gliadins pointing to a disulphide related mechanism. Monomeric gliadin components were completely recovered after reduction of the aggregates with dithioerythritol. In contrast, samples without free thiol groups such as isolated gliadins or with SH groups, which had been blocked by N-ethylmaleinimide, were hardly affected by high-pressure treatment. The addition of radical scavengers to gluten showed no effect in comparison to the control experiment, indicating that a radical mechanism of the high-pressure effect can be excluded. The observed effects can be explained by thiol-/disulphide interchange reactions, which require the presence of free thiol groups in the sample. The addition of salts and urea showed that unfolding of the protein due to weakening of interprotein hydrogen bonds is strongest for ions with a high radius (e.g. thiocyanate). This leads to weakening of gluten at ambient pressure but it facilitates high pressure induced reactions, e.g. of disulphide bonds.