Occurrence and Distribution of Lactate Dehydrogenase in Knee Joint Carilage in Healthy and Osteoarthrotic Dogs

According to clinical studies, degenerative diseases of canine joints lead to higher lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in synovial fluid. The goal of the present study was to examine the intraarticular distribution of LDH in healthy and osteoarthrotic knee joints in order to identify possible sources of LDH in synovial fluid. As synovial LDH concentrations neither correlate with the number of leukocytes nor with synovitis, our investigation focused on the articular cartilage. Samples from healthy and osteoarthrotic knee joints were fixed and processed for transmission electron microscopy (TEM), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunocytochemistry (ICC). In addition, fresh cartilage samples were investigated cytochemically by the tetrazolium‐formazan reaction. Analyses of blood and synovial fluid samples were used to confirm the absence of inflammatory disease. Morphology of articular cartilage was assessed macroscopically and by means of TEM. IHC revealed highest levels of LDH in chondrones and a diffuse labelling of the matrix with a distinctive decrease in signal from superficial to deeper cartilage layers. Ultrastructural localization by ICC showed LDH to be present in the cytoplasm of all chondrocytes and confirmed the density gradient in the matrix. Labelling was absent from nuclei and from pericellular rims. Cytochemistry confirmed the distribution pattern and, thus, expanded our findings beyond immunological evidence by providing proof of enzymatic activity of LDH in articular cartilage. The present results indicate that LDH is transferred from chondrocytes to the cartilaginous matrix. We suggest, therefore, that LDH found in synovial fluid originates from the articular cartilage and that osteoarthrotic processes promote LDH release from the cartilaginous matrix.     

Selecting the hologenome to breed for an improved feed efficiency in pigs—A novel selection index

Most traits in animal breeding, including feed efficiency traits in pigs, are affected by many genes with small effect and have a moderately high heritability between 0.1 and 0.5, which enables efficient selection. Since the microbiota composition in the gastrointestinal tract is also partly heritable and was shown to have a substantial effect on feed efficiency, the host genes affect the phenotype not only directly by altering metabolic pathways, but also indirectly by changing the microbiota composition. The effect of the microbiota composition on the breeding value of an animal is the conditional expectation of its breeding value, given the vector with microbiota frequencies, that is The breeding value of an animal can therefore be decomposed into a heritable contribution that arises from an altered microbiota composition and a heritable contribution that arises from altered metabolic pathways within the animal, so Instead of selecting for breeding value , an index comprising the two components and with appropriate weights, that is , can be used. The present study shows how this breeding strategy can be applied in pig genomic selection breeding scheme for two feed efficiency traits and daily gain.     

Analysis of Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids in Selected Algae and Cyanobacteria by Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography and a Novel MAA from the Red Alga Catenella repens

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), a group of small secondary metabolites found in algae, cyanobacteria, lichens and fungi, have become ecologically and pharmacologically relevant because of their pronounced UV-absorbing and photo-protective potential. Their analytical characterization is generally achieved by reversed phase HPLC and the compounds are often quantified based on molar extinction coefficients. As an alternative approach, in our study a fully validated hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) method is presented. It enables the precise quantification of several analytes with adequate retention times in a single run, and can be coupled directly to MS. Excellent linear correlation coefficients (R² > 0.9991) were obtained, with limit of detection (LOD) values ranging from 0.16 to 0.43 µg/mL. Furthermore, the assay was found to be accurate (recovery rates from 89.8% to 104.1%) and precise (intra-day precision: 5.6%, inter-day precision ≤6.6%). Several algae were assayed for their content of known MAAs like porphyra-334, shinorine, and palythine. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) data indicated a novel compound in some of them, which could be isolated from the marine species Catenella repens and structurally elucidated by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) as (E)-3-hydroxy-2-((5-hydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methoxy-3-((2-sulfoethyl)amino)cyclohex-2-en-1-ylidene)amino) propanoic acid, a novel MAA called catenelline.     

Long‐Term Tillage and Cropping System Effects on Chemical and Biochemical Characteristics of Soil Organic Matter in a Mediterranean Semiarid Environment

Several studies have reported how tillage and cropping systems affect quantity, quality, and distribution of soil organic matter (SOM) along the profile. However, the effect of soil management on the chemical structure of SOM and on its hydrophobic and hydrophilic components has been little investigated. In this work, the long‐term (19 years) effects of two cropping systems (wheat monoculture and wheat/faba bean rotation) and three tillage managements (conventional, reduced, and no tillage) on some chemical characteristics of SOM and their relationships with labile carbon (C) pools were evaluated. Soil samples were taken from the topsoil (0–15 cm) of a Chromic Haploxerert (central Sicily, Italy). After 19 years of different tillage and cropping systems management, total organic C significantly differed among treatments with the labile organic C pools showing the greater amount in no till and in wheat/faba bean plots. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic components of SOM, determined by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, were mainly affected by cropping system, whereas aromatic components of SOM by tillage. Soil organic matter components and characteristics showed significant correlations with the soil biochemical parameters, confirming the expected synergism between chemical and biochemical properties. This study demonstrated that (i) no tillage and crop rotation improve the chemical and biochemical properties of SOM of Vertisols under semiarid environment; and (ii) tillage management and cropping systems have affected, after 19 years, more the chemical and biochemical properties of SOM than its quantity. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Anatomical Atlas of the Quail's Ear (Coturnix coturnix)

This study aims to enhance the anatomical knowledge of the ear of the adult quail (Coturnix coturnix) through the creation of a scaled 3D model utilizing data from micro‐CT images. In addition, 17 annotated histological sections of the quail's ear are aligned to their 3D position in the model. The resulting anatomical atlas provides an intuitive insight into the 3D anatomy and can be used for medical education. The model also allows measuring anatomical structures and can thus serve as reference for the quail's auricular anatomy and as a basis to evaluate clinical diagnostic imaging results.     

Some serum parameters of first lactation cows in relation to their supply of macro and trace elements as well as of vitamins

At the Institute of Animal Nutrition of the Federal Agricultural Research Centre (FAL) in Braunschweig a feeding trial with 30 first lactating cows (German Holstein) was realised in 2004 for a complete lactation. All animals received a diet based on maize- and grass-silage ad libitum at the rate of 60:40 (DM-base) and concentrate depending on their milk yield.The animals were fed with energy and protein as recommended (GfE 2001) and were kept in loose housing. After calving they were split randomly into two feeding groups with 15 animals each. Group 1 was fed a concentrate according to the recommendations of the GfE (2001), whereas group 2 was offered the same concentrate with roughly the double amount of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, beta-carotene and vitamins A and E. To study the influence of the different concentrates on the serum concentrations of minerals and vitamins, blood, feed and milk samples were regularly taken and analysed in the course of lactation. Significantly higher blood concentrations were detected for phosphorus, zinc and vitamin E in group 2, but therefore a direct influence of the feeding on the blood concentrations was detected only for zinc and vitamin E. Over the whole lactation the average milk yield of group 1 was 2.6 kg/day higher and the average milk fat content was reduced about 0.6 percent points compared to group 2.     

Efficiency of inorganic fungicides against the formation of Erysiphe necator chasmothecia in vineyards

BACKGROUND

A reduction in chasmothecia, an important inoculum of grape powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator Schwein.), is essential for disease control in vineyards; the use of fungicides during the formation of chasmothecia on vine leaves, late in the growing season, may accomplish this. Inorganic fungicides, such as sulphur, copper, and potassium bicarbonate, are very useful for this purpose because of their multisite mode of action. The aim of this study was to evaluate chasmothecia reduction using different fungicide applications late in the growing season in commercially managed vineyards and in an exact application trial.

RESULTS

Chasmothecia on vine leaves were reduced in commercial vineyards by four copper (P = 0.01) and five potassium bicarbonate (P = 0.026) applications. The positive effect of potassium bicarbonate was also confirmed in the application trial, where two applications showed lower chasmothecia numbers than the control (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

The application of inorganic fungicides reduced the amount of chasmothecia as the primary inoculum source. Potassium bicarbonate and copper are of further interest for disease control as these fungicides can be used by organic and conventional wine growers. The application of these fungicides should be carried out as late as possible before harvest to reduce chasmothecia formation and, consequently, the potential for powdery mildew infestation in the subsequent season. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Short‐term degradation of semiarid grasslands—results from a controlled‐grazing experiment in Northern China

The assessment of grassland degradation due to overgrazing is a global challenge in semiarid environments. In particular, investigations of beginning steppe degradation after a change or intensification of the land use are needed in order to detect and adjust detrimental land‐use management rapidly and thus prevent severe damages in these sensitive ecosystems. A controlled‐grazing experiment was established in Inner Mongolia (China) in 2005 that included ungrazed (UG) and heavily grazed plots with grazing intensities of 4.5 (HG4.5) and 7.5 (HG7.5) sheep per hectare. Several soil and vegetation parameters were investigated at all sites before the start of the experiment. Topsoil samples were analyzed for soil organic C (SOC), total N (N_tot), total S (S_tot), and bulk density (BD). As vegetation parameters, aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), tiller density (TD), and leaf‐area index (LAI) were determined. After 3 y of the grazing experiment, BD increased and SOC, N_tot, S_tot, ANPP, and LAI significantly decreased with increasing grazing intensity. These sensitive parameters can be regarded as early‐warning indicators for degradation of semiarid grasslands. Vegetation parameters were, however, more sensitive not only to grazing but also to temporal variation of precipitation between 2006 and 2008. Contrary, soil parameters were primarily affected by grazing and resistant against climatic variations. The assessment of starting conditions in the study area and the application of defined grazing intensities is essential for the investigation of short‐term degradation in semiarid environments.