Composition and digestibility of untreated and chemically treated animal excreta for ruminants—A review

The paper reports on the crude nutrient content and the mineral profile, as well as the apparent digestibility by ruminants, of faeces of poultry, pigs and cattle, poultry litter and solid matter of poultry, pig and cattle slurries. The second part of the paper deals with chemical treatment of pig and cattle slurry solids with NaOH, KOH and urea.Nutrient and mineral content as well as digestibility of animal excreta are greatly influenced by species, age and type of feeding, the bedding material used and the method of solid-liquid separation of slurries.The digestibility of poultry excreta is higher than that of pig waste. Cattle faeces are unsuitable as feeds even after chemical treatment.In sacco degradability, apparent digestibility, energy content and intake of pig slurry solids were increased by treatment with urea, NaOH and KOH. Level of chemicals used and temperature influenced the effect of treatment. Wet pig-slurry solids may be preserved with urea.     

Molecular biology of Ri-plasmid—A review

Agrobacterium rhizogenes transfers a segment of its plasmid to the plant genome. The transferred DNA contains genes which are involved in the synthesis of plant hormones. These genes express in the plant cell and give rise to rooty-tumors at the infection site. Transgenic plants can be readily regenerated from the rooty-tumors and the transferred DNA is transmitted to progeny plants. High regeneration potential and sustained maintenance of transferred DNA makes the bacterium a suitable vector for plant genetic engineering. DNA sequences homologous to the transferred DNA ofAgrobacterium rhizogenes were detected in some untransformed plant species suggesting a past infection byAgrobacterium rhizogenes during evolution of some genera, notably Nicotiana.     

Smoking and Pregnancy—A Statistical Study of 5,659 Patients

The outcome of 5,659 pregnancies was recorded over a period of six years. The group was divided into 2,630 smokers and 3,029 non-smokers.Smoking was associated with increased incidence of premature babies, but not increased infant mortality.This study confirms the findings of other investigators.     

What influences recruitment to randomised controlled trials? A review of trials funded by two UK funding agencies

Background

Traditional harvesting of the internal thoracic artery (ITA) for use as a conduit in coronary bypass surgery involves the dissection of a rim of tissue surrounding the artery on either side. Recent studies, primarily observational, have suggested that skeletonization of the ITA can improve conduit flow, increase length, and reduce the risk of deep sternal infection in high risk patients. Furthermore, skeletonization of the ITA can potentially preserve intercostal nerves and reduce post-operative pain and dysesthesias associated with ITA harvesting. In order to assess the effects of ITA skeletonization, we report a prospective, randomized, within-patient study design that shares many features of a cross-over study.

Methods

Patients undergoing bilateral internal thoracic artery harvest will be randomized to having one side skeletonized and the other harvested in a non-skeletonized manner. Outcome measures include ITA flow and length measured intra-operatively, post-operative pain and dysesthesia, evaluated at discharge, four weeks, and three months post-operatively, and sternal perfusion assessed using single photon emission computed tomography. Harvest times as well as safety endpoints of ITA injury will be recorded.

Discussion

This study design, using within-patient comparisons and paired analyses, minimizes the variability of the outcome measures, which is seldom possible in the evaluation of surgical techniques, with minimal chance of carryover effects that can hamper the interpretation of traditional cross-over studies. This study will provide a valid evaluation of clinically relevant effects of internal thoracic artery skeletonization in improving outcomes following coronary artery bypass surgery.     

Host specificity of entomophilic nematodes—A review

Entomophilic nematodes can be biologically manipulated either as biological control agents or as biological insecticide agents. The characteristics, mode of application, and degree of specificity for each of these is considered. The importance of host specificity information for nematode parasites potentially useful in controlling insect pests is emphasized. A general discussion of host specificity and the factors influencing host specificity of entomophilic nematodes is presented.Characteristics of nematodes of the genus Heterotylenchus are discussed while particular emphasis is placed on H. autumnalis, a potentially useful biological control agent of the face fly, Musca autumnalis. Greater detail of the bionomics of this nematode, its attributes and disadvantages as a successful control agent are considered. The factors resulting in host specificity of this parasite, especially host resistance, in Musca domestica, Orthellia caesarion, and Ravinia l'herminieri, are encapsulation and melanization.It is emphasized that biological control workers are working with a dynamic, evolving host-parasite system and that really they are faced with the same problems (resistance of the host and target specificity of the applied material) originally and still confronting the toxicologist and economic entomologist.     

Micropropagation of the Acacia species—A review

Summary The genus Acacia comprises many species which are important for firewood. fodder, tannin, pulpwood, shelterbelts, and soil improvement. Species of Acacia are dispersed widely in tropical and subtropical regions of Australia. South America, Asia, and Africa. In the past, the majority of forest trees have been propagated through the traditional family forestry method, where trees are grown from seeds and propagated sexually. Clonal propagation through tissue culture offers an alternative to vegetative practices and has the potential to provide high multiplication rates of uniform genotypes, resulting in short-term gains. Extensive in vitro research and success have been achieved for a number of forest trees, including the Pinus, Eucalyptus, and Acacia species. Acacia mearnsii is fast becoming one of the most important trees in South African forestry. For this reason it is important to employ biotechnology to enable the industry to compete in the international market. However, for these procedures to be commercially viable, the post-culture performance in the field must be improved because the initial financial outlay is high. This review provides an overview on in vitro work done on the Acacia species.     

Do genetically modified crops affect animal reproduction? A review of the ongoing debate

In the past few years, genetically modified (GM) crops aimed at producing food/feed that became part of the regular agriculture in many areas of the world. However, we are uncertain whether GM food and feed can exert potential adverse effects on humans or animals. Of importance, the reproductive toxicology of GM crops has been studied using a number of methods, and by feeding GM crops to a number species of animals to ensure the safety assessment of GM food and feed. It appears that there are no adverse effects of GM crops on many species of animals in acute and short-term feeding studies, but serious debates of effects of long-term and multigenerational feeding studies remain. The aims of this review are to focus on the latest (last 3 to 4 years) findings and debates on reproduction of male and female animals after feeding daily diets containing the GM crops, and to present the possible mechanism(s) to explain their influences.     

Methods for recovery of ionic liquids—A review

Ionic liquids (ILs) have attracted much attention in both academics and industries as promising solvents for a diverse range of applications. However, there were little industrial processes employing ILs as current time due to the economical and efficient use of ILs. The economic efficiency can be improved by recycling and reuse of ILs. In the last few decades, several attempts have been made, by the researchers, for recovery and recycling of ILs. This review is intended to present a comprehensive summary on the methods used for recovery and recycling of ILs.     

Should IACUCs review scientific merit of animal research projects?

Whether IACUCs should review animal research protocols for scientific merit is not addressed in the federal regulations, resulting in ongoing confusion on the subject. The authors examine this issue, discuss the pros and cons, suggest how IACUCs can go about reviewing protocols for scientific merit, and question what effect recent changes in regulations will have on this issue.     

Does home visiting prevent childhood injury? A systematic review of randomised controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE--To quantify the effectiveness of home visiting programmes in the prevention of child injury and child abuse. DESIGN--Systematic review of 11 randomised controlled trials of home visiting programmes. Pooled odds ratios were estimated as an inverse variance weighted average of the study specific odds ratios. SETTING--Randomised trials that were available by April 1995. SUBJECTS--The trials comprised 3433 participants. RESULTS--Eight trials examined the effectiveness of home visiting in the prevention of childhood injury. The pooled odds ratio for the eight trials was 0.74 (95% confidence interval 0.60 to 0.92). Four studies examined the effect of home visiting on injury in the first year of life. The pooled odds ratio was 0.98 (0.62 to 1.53). Nine trials examined the effect of home visiting on the occurrence of suspected abuse, reported abuse, or out of home placement for child abuse. Because of the potential for bias in outcome reporting in these studies, pooled effect estimates were not calculated. CONCLUSIONS--Home visiting programmes have the potential to reduce significantly the rates of childhood injury. The problem of differential surveillance for child abuse between intervention and control groups precludes the use of reported abuse as a valid outcome measure in controlled trials of home visiting.     

Plantamajoside — A current review

Plantamajoside is a bioactive caffeic acid derivative, a dihydroxyphenethyl glucoside in the group of polyphenolic compounds. It is one of the principal caffeic acid glycoside in the Plantago Digitalis, Hemiphragma, Lagotis, Picrorhiza, Rehmannia, Veronica, Wulfeniopsis and Wulfenia genera within the Plantaginaceae family. This compound is also present in the genera Aeschynanthus and Chirita of the Gesneriaceae family and the genus Boschniakia of the Orobanchaceae family. Plantamajoside is present in the greatest concentrations in roots of young plants, but it is also found in seeds, flower stalks, stems, leaves, in vivo cultivated plant cells and transgenic root cultures. Plantamajoside is used as a biomarker in chemotaxonomical studies, and is a compound with numerous biological applications and considerable pharmacological potential. It is a protective agent against ultra-violet light in plants and acts as antioxidant agent with very low toxicity. In addition, plantamajoside can also be industrially synthesized. This review aims to give an overview of plantamajoside in various plantago species as well as its potential as a biomarker and as a new drug compound.     

Microcycle conidiation — A review

Microcycle conidiation is defined as the germination of spores by the direct formation of conidia without the intervention of mycelial growth, as occurs in most normal life cycles. It is a method of asexual spore formation in which the normal life cycle of the fungus is bypassed. Spores formed through sexual reproduction and species with unicellular thalli are not included in microcycle conidiation. The term secondary conidium or secondary spore is usually, but not always, synonymous with microcycle conidiation. In the laboratory various factors, but especially temperature, can induce the microcycle condition in such fungi asAspergillus niger, Penicillium andNeurospora crassa, providing a useful tool for research. Microcycle conidiation has also been reported in a broad range of species in nature, and comprises a normal part of the life cycle in several groups, including the Entomophthorales, Taphrinales, Clavicipitales, Uredinales, Ustilaginales, Tremellales and Exobasidiales. The presence of a microcycle in such fungi undoubtedly provides a survival mechanisn for spores that encounter unfavorable conditions.     

The history of beer additives in Europe — A review

The many excavations of medieval sites during recent years have resulted in a strong increase in archaeobotanical records including species which were used as beer additives. Since the first compilation of records by the author in 1984 relating to the two main species, namelyMyrica gale andHumulus lupulus, the number of finds has quadrupled. Distribution maps of the sites with fossil occurrence of these two species are presented and this evidence is complemented by that from written sources.M. gale seems to have been used for brewing as early as the centuries immediately before and after the birth of Christ in a small area at the Rhine estuary in the northern Netherlands. During the early and high Middle Ages there are records of this plant, in what are potentially brewing contexts, across its north-west European area of natural distribution. Written sources confirm its use in brewing as early as the tenth century. The finds ofH. lupulus indicate that this species has been used in brewing from the early Middle Ages and this hypothesis is supported by documentary evidence. Cultivation of hop began around A.D. 859. In the late Medieval period, strong competition developed between both kinds of beer, which resulted in the take-over byH. lupulus in the eighteenth century. Many other herbs of secondary importance have been used to flavour beer or to prepare medicinal beers. These are mentioned in old herbals and have been compiled in this paper. These various flavouring agents, combined with the use of all available species of cereals led to a variety of beers that is unimaginable today.     

Eogenesis — The origin of animal forms

Zusammenfassung Alle Formen von Leben entstanden aus der primitiven Zelle, betrachtet eher als eine Art denn als ein Individuum, welches die Fähigkeit für ununterbrochene Selbst-Teilung besass. Fortgesetzte Vermehrung der Zellen mag eins von drei verschiedenen Verfahren folgen: 1. Die zwei Zellen von jeder Teilung hervorgehend, mögen sich vollständig von einander trennen; diese Linie der Entwicklung der primitiven Zelle rief die Protozoa hervor. 2. Während die Zellen sich teilen, mögen sie mehr oder weniger unregelmässig zusammen hängen. Diese Linie rief die Porifera (Schwämme) hervor. 3. Die sich teilenden Zellen mögen regelmässig zusammenhängen, eine Blastula und eine Gastrula bildend. Die Gastrula ist fähig eine unbestimmte Anzahl von Variationen hervorzubringen, und durch diese Variationen in der Gastrula entstanden alle Tier-Typen ausser der Protozoa und der Porifera.Diese Linien der Entwicklung von der einzelnen Zelle stellen alle die physischen und geometrischen entfaltungsfähigen Möglichkeiten, denkbar im Falle von Zellen, dar, die die Kraft besitzen sich durch Selbst-Teilung zu vermehren. Da diese entfaltungsfähigen Linien einfach mechanische Antworten auf die geometrischen und physischen Eigentümlichkeiten sind, eigen der Vermehrung der sich selbst teilenden Zellen, so gibt es keine Rechtfertigung für die Annahme einer bestimmten Ordnung in ihrem Vorkommen. Es ist logischer anzunehmen, dass die primitive Zelle gleich nach ihrem Erscheinen sich nach jeder möglichen Richtung gleichzeitig entwickelte, kurz, dass alle die Haupttypen des Tierlebens gleichzeitig erschienen.Es gibt keinen Beweis gegen diese Annahme, welche in Übereinstimmung mit dem geologischen Hintergrund des Lebens ist, wie wir es verstehen; mit der Fossilien-Urkunde, wie illustriert durch Fossilien von genau vergleichbaren Umgebungen; und mit der angenommenen Nötigkeit für ein System von Kontrolle und Ausgleich zwischen den verschiedenen Typen von Leben.

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Résumé Toutes les formes de la vie proviennent d'une cellule primitive unique, considérée comme espèce plutôt que comme individu, possédant le pouvoir de se multiplier par bi-partition répétée. La propagation continue de cellules peut avoir lieu de trois façons différentes: 1. Les deux cellules, après la division, peuvent se séparer complètement l'une de l'autre; cette forme de propagation de la cellule primitive a donné lieu aux Protozoaires. 2. Les cellules, en se divisant, peuvent rester liées plus ou moins irrégulièrement; cette forme de propagation caractérise les Porifères (spongiées). 3. Les cellules, en se divisant, peuvent rester liées selon un arrangement régulier, en formant une blastula et une gastrula; la gastrula peut être formée selon un infinité de modalités, et c'est à ces différences de la formation de la gastrula que sont dues toutes les espèces animales exceptés les Protozoaires et les spongiées.Ces formes de propagation de la cellule unique représentent la somme des possibilités d'arrangement permises par les lois de la géométrie et de la physique. Du moment que ces procédés de propagation sont soumis à un arrangement mécanique gouverné par des lois physiques et géométriques, il n'y a pas lieu d'admettre qu'il y ait, dans leur succession, d'ordre déterminé. Il est plus logique de supposer qu'aussitôt parue la cellule primitive se soit propager simutanément dans toutes les directions concevables, en d'autres mots que toutes les phyla animales se soient différenciées au même moment.Aucune preuve ne démont cette hypothèse qui, d'ailleurs, concorde avec les prémises géologiques de la vie telles que nous les comprenons, avec les vestiges fossilisés de couches géologiques strictément comparable, et avec la théorie qui admet l'établissement de l'équilibre entre les différentes espèces animales au moyen d'un contrôle et de limitations mutuelles.

     

Molecular genetics of preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome — A review

Preeclampsia is characterised by new onset hypertension and proteinuria and is a major obstetrical problem for both mother and foetus. Haemolysis elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome is an obstetrical emergency and most cases occur in the presence of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia and HELLP are complicated syndromes with a wide variety in severity of clinical symptoms and gestational age at onset. The pathophysiology depends not only on periconceptional conditions and the foetal and placental genotype, but also on the capability of the maternal system to deal with pregnancy. Genetically, preeclampsia is a complex disorder and despite numerous efforts no clear mode of inheritance has been established. A minor fraction of HELLP cases is caused by foetal homozygous LCHAD deficiency, but for most cases the genetic background has not been elucidated yet. At least 178 genes have been described in relation to preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome. Confined placental mosaicism (CPM) is documented to cause early onset preeclampsia in some cases; the overall contribution of CPM to the occurrence of preeclampsia has not been adequately investigated yet. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Molecular Genetics of Human Reproductive Failure.