Greenhouse gas emissions after application of digestate: short-term effects of nitrification inhibitor and application technique effects

Nitrogen-use efficiency in arable agriculture after organic fertilization can be improved by the incorporation of digestate into soil and through the use of nitrification inhibitors. To test the efficiency and the interaction of these measures, a laboratory microcosm study was conducted with undisturbed samples from two arable soils – a Gleysol and a Plaggic Anthrosol. Treatments were digestate application by injection to 15 or 20 cm depths or by trailing hose with subsequent incorporation. Half of the replicates of each application treatment were treated with the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethyl pyrazole phosphate (DMPP). Emissions of the greenhouse gases (GHGs) CO₂, N₂O and CH₄ were monitored during 51 days of incubation. Deeper injection (20 cm) did not lead to different GHG emissions compared with a shallow injection (15 cm). Application of DMPP decreased cumulative N₂O emissions significantly by 17–70%. DMPP inhibited N₂O fluxes and NO₃- production, suggesting a positive effect of DMPP on the mitigation of direct GHG emission and nitrate leaching at least during several weeks after digestate fertilization. The effect of DMPP is independent of the application technique.     

Reproduction and recruitment of the brown shrimp Crangon crangon in the inner German Bight (North Sea): An interannual study and critical reappraisal

The brown shrimp, Crangon crangon, is the most important target of the coastal crustacean fisheries in the German Bight. In order to evaluate the relation between the abundance of ovigerous females and larvae in spring and the recruitment success in autumn, we first analysed the seasonal appearance of ovigerous females and larvae from weekly samples throughout 2012. The spawning season in the German Bight extends over several months comprising multiple unsynchronized spawning events. The minimum shares of ovigerous females appeared in early autumn, and the highest shares in late winter bearing mostly early egg stages. We defined the putative start of the reproductive cycle for November when the frequency of ovigerous females started to increase. There was no distinct separation between winter and summer eggs, but a continuous transition between large eggs spawned in winter (the early spawning season) and batches of smaller eggs in spring and summer. Larval densities peaked in April/May. Consequently, regular annual larval surveys from 2013 to 2016 were scheduled for April/May and extended to six transects covering the inner German Bight. Ovigerous females were most abundant in shallow waters above the 20‐m isobaths, which also explained regional differences in abundance between the regions off North Frisia and East Frisia. No relation was obvious between the number of larvae in spring and recruited stock in autumn. Due to the short lifespan of C. crangon, the combination of various abiotic factors and predator presence seems to be the principal parameters controlling stock size.     

Binding of the human Prp31 Nop domain to a composite RNA-protein platform in U4 snRNP

Although highly homologous, the spliceosomal hPrp31 and the nucleolar Nop56 and Nop58 (Nop56/58) proteins recognize different ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particles. hPrp31 interacts with complexes containing the 15.5K protein and U4 or U4atac small nuclear RNA (snRNA), whereas Nop56/58 associate with 15.5K-box C/D small nucleolar RNA complexes. We present structural and biochemical analyses of hPrp31-15.5K-U4 snRNA complexes that show how the conserved Nop domain in hPrp31 maintains high RNP binding selectivity despite relaxed RNA sequence requirements. The Nop domain is a genuine RNP binding module, exhibiting RNA and protein binding surfaces. Yeast two-hybrid analyses suggest a link between retinitis pigmentosa and an aberrant hPrp31-hPrp6 interaction that blocks U4/U6-U5 tri-snRNP formation.     

Sound recording and digital phonocardiography of cardiac murmurs in dogs by using a sensor-based electronic stethoscope

The goals of this study were to present a technique of digitalised sound recordings and phonocardiograms (dPCGs), and to analyse its diagnostic capabilities. Heart sounds of 20 dogs were auscultated in vivo (on-line) and recorded with dPCGs by two authors using a Welch Allyn Meditron Stethoscope System. Sound recordings were auscultated off-line and blindly by four different observers having various auscultatory experiences, then listened to while viewing dPCGs. The results were compared to echocardiographic diagnoses. There was a significant agreement (p < 0.001) between on-line and off-line auscultatory findings regarding the four observers, ranging from 45% to 75% (weighted kappa values: 0.72 to 0.87). The best agreement was achieved by Observer 1 having the highest experience. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between Observer 1 and Observer 4 (with the lowest experience) in judging the quality of the murmurs during the off-line and blind auscultation. However, there were only minimal differences (95% to 100% agreements) in dPCG analyses among the four observers regarding intensity and quality of the murmurs while simultaneously listening to and viewing the dPCGs. Significant correlations were found between the traditional '0 to 6 scale' and a new '0 to 3 scale' murmur intensity gradings by all observers (correlation coefficients 0.640 to 0.908; p < 0.01 to p < 0.001). Analysis of dPCGs might be a valuable, additional tool helping with the diagnosis of canine cardiac murmurs, especially for those with less cardiological experience.     

Prevalence of specific IgG-antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in domestic turkeys determined by kinetic ELISA based on recombinant GRA7 and GRA8

The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma (T.) gondii is one of the most common zoonotic infectious agents worldwide. Besides its sexual reproduction in cats, T. gondii can also infect a wide spectrum of other warm-blooded animals. These include animals used for human consumption such as pigs or chickens. Nevertheless, the role of turkeys for the epidemiology of T. gondii infections has not been studied thoroughly. We have established a kinetic ELISA (KELA) for the detection of T. gondii-specific IgG antibodies in turkey serum samples. The test is based on the recombinant dense granule antigens GRA7 and GRA8. These proteins were used as an antigen mixture at a concentration of 0.13 μg per well. The overall sensitivity of the assay was between 92.6% and 100% and the specificity ranged from 78.1% to 100%, depending on the method used to calculate these parameters. Using this KELA we examined 1913 turkey serum samples from 14 turkey farms from different areas of Germany. From these sera, 387 produced a signal in the KELA, corresponding to a true seroprevalence of up to 20.2%. The seropositivity rate in individual fattening cycles at individual farms ranged from 0.0% to 77.1%, whereas the rates were highly variable within the individual farms and individual fattening cycles. Consequently, conditions of animal husbandry could not be associated with particular seroprevalence rates. Although seropositivity cannot be linked directly to infectious tissue cysts in the muscle tissue of commercially produced turkey meat, we state that there is a potential risk of being infected by consuming turkey meat products that were not heat treated.     

Aktuelles aus der Presse

Mitteilungen

Aktuelles aus der Presse     

Marzipan: polymerase chain reaction-driven methods for authenticity control

According to German food guidelines, almonds are the only oilseed ingredient allowed for the production of marzipan. Persipan is a marzipan surrogate in which the almonds are replaced by apricot or peach kernels. Cross-contamination of marzipan products with persipan may occur if both products are produced using the same production line. Adulterations or dilutions, respectively, of marzipan with other plant-derived products, for example, lupine or pea, have also been found. Almond and apricot plants are closely related. Consequently, classical analytical methods for the identification/differentiation often fail or are not sensitive enough to quantify apricot concentrations below 1%. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods have been shown to enable the differentiation of closely related plant species in the past. These methods are characterized by high specificity and low detection limits. Isolation methods were developed and evaluated especially with respect to the matrix marzipan in terms of yield, purity, integrity, and amplificability of the isolated DNA. For the reliable detection of apricot, peach, pea, bean, lupine, soy, cashew, pistachio, and chickpea, qualitative standard and duplex PCR methods were developed and established. The applicability of these methods was tested by cross-reaction studies and analysis of spiked raw pastes. Contaminations at the level of 0.1% could be detected.     

Patterns and processes of initial terrestrial‐ecosystem development

Ecosystems are characterized as complex systems with abiotic and biotic processes interacting between the various components that have evolved over long‐term periods. Most ecosystem studies so far have been carried out in mature systems. Only limited knowledge exists on the very initial phase of ecosystem development. Concepts on the development of ecosystems are often based on assumptions and extrapolations with respect to structure–process interactions in the initial stage. To characterize the effect of this initial phase on structure and functioning of ecosystems in later stages, it is necessary to disentangle the close interaction of spatial and temporal patterns of ecosystem structural assemblages with processes of ecosystem development. The study of initial, less complex systems could help to better identify and characterize coupled patterns and processes. This paper gives an overview of concepts for the initial development of different ecosystem compartments and identifies open questions and research gaps. The artificial catchment site “Chicken Creek” is introduced as a new research approach to investigate these patterns and processes of initial ecosystem development under defined boundary conditions. This approach allows to integrate the relevant processes with related pattern and structure development over temporal and spatial scales and to derive thresholds and stages in state and functioning of ecosystems at the catchment level.