Veevoer duurder maar veiliger

De opkomst van een biobased economy zal gevolgen hebben voor de veevoederindustrie. Reststromen die nu worden verwerkt tot voer voor koeien, kippen en varkens, verdwijnen in de toekomst mogelijk in de energieproductie of als grondstof voor andere industriële processen. Maar voor riskante afvalstromen ontstaat misschien een nieuwe mark

CaMKIIalpha interacts with multi-PDZ domain protein MUPP1 in spermatozoa and prevents spontaneous acrosomal exocytosis

The success of acrosomal exocytosis, a complex process with a variety of inter-related steps, relies on the coordinated interaction of participating signaling molecules. Since the acrosome reaction resembles Ca(2+)-regulated exocytosis in neurons, we investigated whether cognate neuronal binding partners of the multi-PDZ domain protein MUPP1, which recruits molecules that control the initial tethering and/or docking between the acrosomal vesicle and the plasma membrane, are also expressed in spermatozoa, and whether they contribute to the regulation of acrosomal secretion. We observed that CaMKIIalpha colocalizes with MUPP1 in the acrosomal region of epididymal spermatozoa where the kinase selectively binds to a region encompassing PDZ domains 10-11 of MUPP1. Furthermore, we found that pre-treating mouse spermatozoa with a CaMKII inhibitor that directly blocks the catalytic region of the kinase, as well as a competitive displacement of CaMKIIalpha from PDZ domains 10-11, led to a significant increase in spontaneous acrosomal exocytosis. Since Ca(2+)-calmodulin releases CaMKIIalpha from the PDZ scaffolding protein, MUPP1 represents a central signaling platform to dynamically regulate the assembly and disassembly of binding partners pertinent to acrosomal secretion, thereby precisely adjusting an increase in Ca(2+) to synchronized fusion pore formation

Impact of herbivores on nitrogen cycling:contrasting effects of small and large species

Herbivores are reported to slow down as well as enhance nutrient cycling in grasslands. These conflicting results may be explained by differences in herbivore type. In this study we focus on herbivore body size as a factor that causes differences in herbivore effects on N cycling. We used an exclosure set-up in a floodplain grassland grazed by cattle, rabbits and common voles, where we subsequently excluded cattle and rabbits. Exclusion of cattle lead to an increase in vole numbers and a 1.5-fold increase in net annual N mineralization at similar herbivore densities (corrected to metabolic weight). Timing and height of the mineralization peak in spring was the same in all treatments, but mineralization in the vole-grazed treatment showed a peak in autumn, when mineralization had already declined under cattle grazing. This mineralization peak in autumn coincides with a peak in vole density and high levels of N input through vole faeces at a fine-scale distribution, whereas under cattle grazing only a few patches receive all N and most experience net nutrient removal. The other parameters that we measured, which include potential N mineralization rates measured under standardized laboratory conditions and soil parameters, plant biomass and plant nutrient content measured in the field, were the same for all three grazing treatments and could therefore not cause the observed difference. When cows were excluded, more litter accumulated in the vegetation. The formation of this litter layer may have added to the higher mineralization rates under vole grazing, through enhanced nutrient return through litter or through modification of microclimate. We conclude that different-sized herbivores have different effects on N cycling within the same habitat. Exclusion of large herbivores resulted in increased N annual mineralization under small herbivore grazin

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Presumptive Ascending/Descending Myelomalacia in Dogs after Thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disk Herniation

Background: Ascending/descending myelomalacia (ADMM) is a severe complication of thoracolumbar intervertebral disk herniation (TL-IVDH) in dogs. Hypothesis/Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors for ADMM in nonambulatory dogs with surgically treated TL-IVDH. Animals: Six-hundred and fifty-two client-owned dogs evaluated for TL-IVDH that underwent decompressive spinal surgery. Methods: Retrospective medical record review from February 2007 through December 2015. Results: Thirteen dogs developed ADMM, with an overall prevalence of 2.0%. The prevalence of ADMM was 0% in dogs with neurological signs graded 1 or 2 at admission or before magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or surgical procedures, 0.6% in dogs with neurological signs graded 3, 2.7% in dogs with neurological signs graded 4, and 14.5% in dogs with neu- rological signs graded 5. Age (4.57 were significant risk factors in the univariate analysis for development of ADMM. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The factors identified in this study may be useful for the prediction of ADMM. Multicenter studies with a higher number of dogs with ADMM are required to confirm these data

Bildung braucht Räume

Beiträge zu der von der Arbeitsgruppe Pädagogik und Architektur veranstalteten Tagung "Akustik und Lärmbelastung in Kitas und Schulen" im Forum der Ostfriesischen Landschaft in Aurich. Die Beiträge der Publikation thematisieren die Notwendigkeiten und Perspektiven eines systematisch(er)en Zusammenwirkens von Pädagogik und Architektur in Kita und Schule am Beispiel Akustik und Lärmbelästigung in institutionalisierten Bildungssettings für Kinder und Jugendliche

Feed or fuel : biofuels en effecten op de kwaliteit en beschikbaarheid van diervoedergrondstoffen in Nederland

Door de actuele ontwikkelingen op gebied van de biobased economy ontstaan nieuwe kansen voor het ministerie van LNV om te sturen op integrale kwaliteitscriteria en certificering voor alle organische grondstoffen (biomassa voor energie, veevoer, afval). De noodzaak om de kwaliteit van nieuwe reststromen in kaart te brengen en emerging risks systematisch te identificeren (o.a. effecten van gebruik nieuwe reststromen) is onveranderd groo

Aligning Instructional Practices and Direct Instruction to Improve the Social-Emotional Competencies of Students

The action research conducted was brought about by the researcher identifying a need to develop social-emotional skills due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shutdown of schools. Students in this research are in third grade in the researcher’s classroom. The research was conducted over two weeks. Students were given self-assessments to rate their scores. During the research, instructional practices were designed or utilized to match desired social-emotional competencies targeted through direct instruction. Findings from the research indicate that instructional practices aligned to social-emotional competencies grow the self-rated ability levels of students. The research conducted highlighted the need to provide opportunities for students to practice social-emotional competencies targeted during direct instruction

Human Mas-related G protein-coupled receptors-X1 induce chemokine receptor 2 expression in rat dorsal root ganglia neurons and release of chemokine ligand 2 from the human LAD-2 mast cell line

Primate-specific Mas-related G protein-coupled receptors-X1 (MRGPR-X1) are highly enriched in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons and induce acute pain. Herein, we analyzed effects of MRGPR-X1 on serum response factors (SRF) or nuclear factors of activated T cells (NFAT), which control expression of various markers of chronic pain. Using HEK293, DRG neuron-derived F11 cells and cultured rat DRG neurons recombinantly expressing human MRGPR-X1, we found activation of a SRF reporter gene construct and induction of the early growth response protein-1 via extracellular signal-regulated kinases-1/2 known to play a significant role in the development of inflammatory pain. Furthermore, we observed MRGPR-X1-induced up-regulation of the chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) via NFAT, which is considered as a key event in the onset of neuropathic pain and, so far, has not yet been described for any endogenous neuropeptide. Up-regulation of CCR2 is often associated with increased release of its endogenous agonist chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2). We also found MRGPR-X1-promoted release of CCL2 in a human connective tissue mast cell line endogenously expressing MRGPR-X1. Thus, we provide first evidence to suggest that MRGPR-X1 induce expression of chronic pain markers in DRG neurons and propose a so far unidentified signaling circuit that enhances chemokine signaling by acting on two distinct yet functionally co-operating cell types. Given the important role of chemokine signaling in pain chronification, we propose that interruption of this signaling circuit might be a promising new strategy to alleviate chemokine-promoted pain

John F. Fallon, PhD: Fifty years of excellence in limb research and counting

No abstractPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/83770/1/22594_ftp.pd

Reports on the Walnut Creek Watershed monitoring project, Jasper County, Iowa : water years 1995-2000

https://ir.uiowa.edu/igs_tis/1045/thumbnail.jp