MyHC and MyLC isoforms in Akhal-Teke horses of different gender and genetic background

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between MyHC and MyLC isoforms and the pedigree of the horses from different genetic background and gender. 26 Purebred Akhal-Teke horses (8 stallions and 18 mares) were used in this study, the horses belonged to 7 different sire lines and 9 different dam families. A muscle biopsy of depth 60 mm from the left gluteus medius muscle was obtained. The present study found the highest heritability for MyLC 1_fast, MyLC 2_slow and MyHC I isoform proportions, while only the first was statistically significantly different from zero. The mares had higher proportion of MyHC IIx and MyLC 3_fast isoforms than the stallions. No statistically significant differences were found between sire lines and dam families. However, as the heritability of MyHC and MyLC in horses is found to be of moderate value, our study does not reject the hypothesis that it could be used as additional parameter in choosing the right animals for sport and breeding.     

Human–Dromedary Camel Interactions and the Risk of Acquiring Zoonotic Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) cases without documented contact with another human MERS‐CoV case make up 61% (517/853) of all reported cases. These primary cases are of particular interest for understanding the source(s) and route(s) of transmission and for designing long‐term disease control measures. Dromedary camels are the only animal species for which there is convincing evidence that it is a host species for MERS‐CoV and hence a potential source of human infections. However, only a small proportion of the primary cases have reported contact with camels. Other possible sources and vehicles of infection include food‐borne transmission through consumption of unpasteurized camel milk and raw meat, medicinal use of camel urine and zoonotic transmission from other species. There are critical knowledge gaps around this new disease which can only be closed through traditional field epidemiological investigations and studies designed to test hypothesis regarding sources of infection and risk factors for disease. Since the 1960s, there has been a radical change in dromedary camel farming practices in the Arabian Peninsula with an intensification of the production and a concentration of the production around cities. It is possible that the recent intensification of camel herding in the Arabian Peninsula has increased the virus' reproductive number and attack rate in camel herds while the ‘urbanization’ of camel herding increased the frequency of zoonotic ‘spillover’ infections from camels to humans. It is reasonable to assume, although difficult to measure, that the sensitivity of public health surveillance to detect previously unknown diseases is lower in East Africa than in Saudi Arabia and that sporadic human cases may have gone undetected there.     

Preclinical evaluation of rapeseed, raspberry, and pine bark phenolics for health related effects

Rapeseed, raspberry, and pine bark are promising bioactive sources of plant phenolics selected from among ca. 100 previously screened plant materials for in vitro preclinical evaluation of health related effects. Phenolic extracts and isolated fractions of the selected materials were investigated for antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, and antimutagenic properties as well as for cell permeability. It was shown that rapeseed and pine bark phenolics and raspberry anthocyanins were good or excellent antioxidants toward oxidation of phosphatidylcholine membrane (liposomes), rapeseed oil (crude) phenolics were effective radical scavengers (DPPH test), and both raspberry and pine bark phenolics inhibited LDL oxidation. Rapeseed oil phenolics, principally vinylsyringol, raspberry anthocyanins, and pinoresinol and matairesinol, the principal components of pine bark phenolic isolate, were effective against formation of the proinflammatory mediator, prostaglandin E(2). Raspberry ellagitannins inhibited the growth of Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella oxytoca. Pine bark and rapeseed had minor effects on the permeability of model drugs in Caco-2 experiments. None of the tested extracts were mutagenic nor toxic to Caco-2 cells or macrophages. Thus, phenolic isolates from rapeseed, raspberry, and pine bark and are safe and bioactive for possible food applications including functional foods intended for health benefit.     

Understorey vegetation in young naturally regenerated and planted birch (Betula spp.) stands on abandoned agricultural land

The abandonment of agricultural lands in Northern and Eastern Europe increases the area covered by first generation forests, which are either formed as an outcome of secondary succession or established as plantations. However, questions remain as to how these new stands develop and what kind of species they favour, which in turn has impacts on their ecological and economical value. Our aim was to compare understorey vascular plant and bryophyte vegetation characteristics between naturally regenerated and planted birch stands on abandoned agricultural sites in Estonia, focusing on the aspects of species richness and forest understorey recovery. Species richness and diversity of vascular plants were similar in both stand types but the number of forest vascular plant species was significantly higher in naturally regenerated stands. The bryophyte layer of naturally regenerated stands had a higher species richness, diversity, and number of forest bryophyte species. The higher number of forest vascular plant and bryophyte species in naturally regenerated stands can be explained by the longer undisturbed succession period. The recovery of the forest understorey was unaffected by former agricultural land use (crop field or grassland). The influence of soil properties on the recovery of the forest understorey was not detected, but the number of vascular plant species that grow in forests as well as in grasslands was negatively correlated with distance from forest. Overall, understorey vegetation of natural and planted birch stands did not reveal substantial differences. However, in the case of vigorous natural birch regeneration in the vicinity of forest land, unassisted reforestation should be favoured.     

Vertical and horizontal distribution of ascending Atlantic salmon in power plant tailrace channels

Three‐dimensional distribution of adult upstream‐migrating Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., was studied in three power plant tailrace channels on the large, regulated River Kemijoki in northern Finland using novel pressure sensor radio telemetry. The salmon swam mostly at depths of 1–4 m below the surface, with the salmon‐specific averages ranging from 1.3 to 6.4 m. When approaching a power plant, no change in swimming depth was observed. The horizontal locations of salmon in the two regularly shaped tailrace channels peaked at 5–10 m distance from the shoreline and showed a positively skewed distribution with a tail towards the central part of the tailrace. A graphical presentation of salmon locations in the tailrace channel and data on swimming depth and distance from the shoreline may prove useful in determining the location and design of a fishway entrance and in dimensioning attraction flow.     

Effects of release timing on migration behaviour and survival of hatchery‐reared Atlantic salmon smolts in a regulated river

In this study, 221 two‐year‐old hatchery‐reared salmon, Salmo salar, smolts were tagged with radio transmitters over a period of three consecutive years and released in the river in groups of 20–21 fish in various dates between late April and early June. Tagged smolts were tracked during their downstream migration in the lower 36‐km stretch of the regulated River Oulujoki, with the focus on the effects of release date, water temperature and river flow on migration behaviour and survival. The results indicate that release timing and river temperature have profound effects on the initiation of migration, swimming speed and survival of released S. salar smolts. Smolts released early in the spring in cold waters ceased migration after brief downstream movement and were vulnerable to predation, whereas the migration speed and survival rates increased markedly for smolts released later in the spring.     

Potential of parasitoids to control populations of the weevil Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham) on winter oilseed rape

Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a major pest of oilseed rape in Europe and North America. The last decade has seen growing interest in the occurrence, importance and efficiacy of its parasitoids as biocontrol agents. The infestation of pods by C. obstrictus larvae and their parasitism rates were assessed in a total of nine commercially-grown crops and fifteen experimental plots of winter oilseed rape in 2004–2007. Pod samples were collected at the pod maturation stage and incubated in emergence traps. Emerged larvae, their exit holes and parasitoids were counted and identified; the percentage of infested pods and parasitism rates were calculated. Pod infestation by larvae increased continuously over the study period. The parasitism level was lowest in 2005 and increased thereafter up to 96%. The most abundant parasitoid was Trichomalus perfectus (Walker), but Mesopolobus morys (Walker) and Stenomalina gracilis (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) were also reared from host larvae. This study showed that naturally-occurring ectoparasitoids of C. obstrictus were capable of becoming established as viable populations and have the potential to contribute to biological control of C. obstrictus.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses in a cut-and-carry forage production system of legume tree Gliricidia sepium and fodder grass Dichanthium aristatum

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbioses may alter the competitive abilities of plant species and facilitate positive interactions such as nutrient transfer between plants. They are therefore particularly interesting components in agroforestry systems. We studied spatial variation of AM colonisation on a cut-and-carry fodder production site (agroforestry plot) of the legume tree Gliricidia sepium and the fodder grass Dichanthium aristatum. Roots of the two plant species were sampled under the tree canopies and on the adjacent grass plot at 1 and 3.5 m from the first tree row where G. sepium roots also occur. Roots of D. aristatum were also sampled on a nearby grass monocrop. Colonisation of arbuscules, vesicles and hyphae in root samples was visually determined, and AM fungal species were identified by DNA sequencing. Colonisation and frequency of types of AM formations varied statistically significantly between the species and sampling points. Arbuscular colonisation in G. sepium roots was higher under the tree canopies than on the adjacent grass plot. Soil nutrient content, particularly P and N, and interspecies competition are the most probable explanations for the observed variation in AM colonisation. Both arbuscular colonisation and arbuscule:vesicle ratio in D. aristatum roots was lower on the D. aristatum monocrop than on the agroforestry plot under or near the tree canopies. Intercropping could stimulate AM symbiosis in D. aristatum. Both plant species formed symbiosis with Rhizophagus intraradices, indicating potential for interplant N transfer via common mycelial networks of AM-forming fungi.