Different drivers create spatial vegetation cover and vertical structure in semi-arid African savannas     

Rheinhardt Scholtz  Gregory A Kiker  Gregory D Duckworth  Ursula M Scharler  Henry G Mwambi  Frederick J Venter 《African Journal of Range and Forage Science》2016,33(2):91-100

Important drivers of woody cover in African savannas are rainfall, soil and nutrients, and disturbance factors, such as fire and herbivory. However, very little is known about how these drivers influence woody cover at specific height classes. The main aim of this study was to identify which of these drivers are the best predictors of woody cover at three height classes: shrub (0.75–2.5 m), brush (2.5–5.5 m) and tree (>5.5 m). Percent woody cover estimates were collected using a rapid monitoring technique over 1 700 sites in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Geology (basalt and granite), mean annual rainfall, fire frequency and elephant density were analysed as potential drivers of woody cover. Results indicate that mean annual rainfall was negatively associated with shrub cover, fire frequency was negatively associated with brush cover, and elephant density was negatively associated with tree cover. Patterns of woody cover show that while geology influences the spatial distribution of horizontal woody cover, variation in vertical vegetation structure is created and maintained by top-down disturbance. This provides the first documentation of drivers associated with structurally differentiated woody cover at regional scales. Future studies on woody cover in disturbance-driven environments should not ignore vegetation structure.  相似文献   

Effect of the Proximal Abducting Ulnar Osteotomy on Intra‐Articular Pressure Distribution and Contact Mechanics of Congruent and Incongruent Canine Elbows Ex Vivo          下载免费PDF全文

Marina J. McConkey  Dominick M. Valenzano  Alexander Wei  Ting Li  Margret S. Thompson  Hussni O. Mohammed  Marjolein C. H. van der Meulen  Ursula Krotscheck 《Veterinary surgery : VS》2016,45(3):347-355

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Pharmacokinetics of orally administered phenylbutazone in African and Asian elephants (Loxodonta africana and Elephas maximus)     

Ursula Bechert  J Mark Christensen  C Nguyen  R Neelkant  E Bendas 《Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine》2008,39(2):188-200

The pharmacokinetic parameters of phenylbutazone were determined in 18 elephants (Loxodonta africana and Elephas maximus) after single-dose oral administration of 2, 3, and 4 mg/kg phenylbutazone, as well as multiple-dose administrations with a 4-wk washout period between trials. After administration of 2 mg/kg phenylbutazone, mean serum concentrations peaked in approximately 7.5 hr at 4.3 +/- 2.02 microg/ml and 9.7 hr at 7.1 +/- 2.36 microg/ml for African and Asian elephants, respectively, while 3 mg/kg dosages resulted in peak serum concentrations of 7.2 +/- 4.06 microg/ml in 8.4 hr and 12.1 +/- 3.13 microg/ml in 14 hr. The harmonic mean half-life was long, ranging between 13 and 15 hr and 39 and 45 hr for African and Asian elephants, respectively. There was evidence of enterohepatic cycling of phenylbutazone in Asian elephants. Significant differences (P < 0.0001) in pharmacokinetic values occurred between African and Asian elephants for clearance (27.9 and 7.6 ml/hr/kg, respectively), terminal half-life (15.0 and 38.7 hr, respectively), and mean residence time (22.5 and 55.5 hr, respectively) using 2-mg/kg dosages as an example. This suggests that different treatment regimens for Asian and African elephants should be used. There were no apparent gender differences in these parameters for either elephant species.  相似文献   

Über ein Verfahren zur Zellphysiologischen Markierung Virusbefallener Zellen und Seine Anwendung zum Nachweis der Kartoffel Virosen an der Knolle     

Ursula Ruschke-Heilmann 《Potato Research》1960,3(2):164-181

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Zur Problematik des Stehendbefalls durch den Großen Waldgärtner,Blastophagus piniperda L.     

Dr. Ursula Köhler 《Journal of pest science》1986,59(8):145-147

Zusammenfassung Um Grundlagen für die Behandlung von Kiefernbeständen mit Stehendbefall durch den Großen Waldgärtner zu erarbeiten, wurden im Juli 1984 im Kirchenstiftswald Lindenhardt bei Bayreuth 3 Beobachtungsflächen angelegt. In diesen Flächen wiesen 53% der untersuchten Kiefern Einbohrungen auf. An 19 befallenen Bäumen wurde die vertikale Verteilung der Einbohrungen am Stamm erfaßt. Bestandsbildende Kiefern wurden häufiger als unterdrückte und zurückgebliebene Kiefern befallen; Bäume mit gebrochenem Wipfel wurden nicht bevorzugt attackiert. Von den 105 Kiefern der 3 Flächen wurde bis zum Herbst 1985 kein Baum durch den Großen Waldgärtner zum Absterben gebracht; der durchschnittliche Benadelungszustand der Kiefern veränderte sich über den Beobachtungszeitraum nicht. Anhand der erhobenen Daten wird die waldbauliche Behandlung von Kiefernbeständen bei Waldgärtner-Stehendbefall diskutiert.

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Problems of infesting standing trees byBlastophagus piniperda L.

Since July 1984 three plots of pine forest attacked byBlastophagus piniperda were studied near Bayreuth in Northern Bavaria. 53% of the examined trees were infested; in 19 of the trees the verticale distribution of the bore-holes was studied. The stand forming pines were more often infested than the suppressed ones (and the laggards), and trees with broken crowns were not preferred to others by the bark beetles. Up to autumn 1985 none of the 105 trees in the three plots were killed byB. piniperda. The average state of foliation of the pines did not change during the observation period. Based on the results of this study silvicultural measures in the management of pine forests attacked byB. piniperda are discussed.

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Mit einer Abbildung und 4 Tabellen  相似文献   

Overweight and obesity in a Swiss city: 10-year trends     

Kyle UG  Kossovsky MP  Genton L  Pichard C 《Public health nutrition》2007,10(9):914-919

BACKGROUND: Increased rates of overweight/obesity have been reported in recent years in developed countries. This population study of healthy subjects evaluated the changes in overweight/obesity prevalence in 2003, compared with 1993, and determined the association of age, sex and leisure-time activity with body mass index (BMI), fat-free mass index (FFMI) and fat mass index (FMI). DESIGN: Two transversal samples of convenience. PARTICIPANTS: Healthy volunteers (1993, n = 802; 2003, n = 1631). METHODS: Fat-free mass was determined using the bioelectrical impedance multiple regression equation. Multivariable linear regression, including confounding variables (age, sex, leisure-time activity), was used to model the body composition evolution between the 1993 and the 2003 subjects. RESULTS: BMI and FMI were higher in 2003 than in 1993, P < 0.001. FFMI was not higher in 2003 than in 1993, P = 0.38. More subjects were overweight/obese in 2003 than in 1993 (27.5 versus 17.2%, chi-square P < 0.001), and had a high FFMI (30.2 versus 21.8%, chi-square P < 0.001) and high FMI (28.0 versus 20.3%, chi-square P < 0.001). Multivariate linear regressions showed that leisure-time activity was negatively, and sex, age and inclusion year were positively associated with BMI, FFMI and FMI (the exception was a negative association with sex) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Overweight prevalence increased between 1993 and 2003 in a Swiss city, and was associated with a higher fat mass. This observation remained statistically significant after adjustment for age, sex and leisure-time activity.  相似文献   

Successful treatment of a novel generalized variant of canine discoid lupus erythematosus with oral hydroxychloroquine     

Oberkirchner U  Linder KE  Olivry T 《Veterinary dermatology》2012,23(1):65-70, e15-6

Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is a common canine autoimmune disease that usually manifests as a localized ulcerative and scarring nasal dermatitis. We report herein a generalized variant of canine DLE successfully treated with the antimalarial immunomodulator hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). A 9-year-old hairless Chinese crested dog was presented with annular and polycyclic hyperpigmented and scaly skin lesions with central erosions, hypopigmentation and/or scarring on the trunk, neck and lateral extremities. Associated systemic signs were not seen. The clinical diagnosis of generalized DLE was supported by the demonstration of lymphocyte-rich interface dermatitis with epidermal atrophy and dermo-epidermal deposition of immunoglobulins and activated complement. As for human DLE, treatment was initiated with HCQ at 5 mg/kg once daily along with 2 weeks of 0.1% tacrolimus ointment and restriction of sun exposure. Over the following year, complete remission was maintained with HCQ at 5 mg/kg orally once daily with the exception of three relapses; two occurred during treatment induction and the third arose when the frequency of HCQ administration was reduced to every other day. Disease flares were controlled with 0.1% tacrolimus ointment alternating with 0.1% prednicarbate cream once daily for 5-10 days. Altogether, adverse drug events were not seen with this regimen. In summary, clinically, histologically and immunologically, this dog's disease mirrored the generalized discoid variant of chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus of humans. The apparent benefit of HCQ, its safety and low cost warrant future investigations of its use for treatment of canine cutaneous lupus variants.  相似文献   

Determination of organic and inorganic carbon, δ13C,and nitrogen in soils containing carbonates after acid fumigation with HCl     

Lorenz Walthert  Ursula Graf  Adrian Kammer  Jörg Luster  Daniele Pezzotta  Stephan Zimmermann  Frank Hagedorn 《植物养料与土壤学杂志》2010,173(2):207-216

In carbonate‐containing soils a reliable determination of organic C requires a method that effectively separates organic and inorganic C without altering the organic matter. This study was conducted to determine whether HCl vapor completely removes carbonates even in dolomite‐rich soils and to what extent a widely used acid‐fumigation method has to be modified for humus‐rich soils. Furthermore, it was tested whether HCl fumigation alters organic‐C content. Since C and N parameters are often analyzed simultaneously we also tested the influence of acid‐vapor treatment on N content and on δ¹³C of soil organic matter. We applied fumigation with 37% HCl for 8 and 32 h using 9 carbonate‐containing soil samples. Inorganic C ranged from 7 to 124 and organic C from 9 to 267 g kg^–1. The maximum contents of dolomite and calcite were 940 and 640 g kg^–1, respectively. A time of 8 h was enough to completely remove all carbonates. Neither the content nor the δ¹³C of organic C were significantly affected by fumigation. In contrast, N contents were altered by acid treatment. Based on these results and on our experience in analyzing more than 1000 soil samples, a recommended procedure for acid fumigation of carbonate‐containing soils with a wide range of organic‐ and inorganic‐C contents was derived. Samples pretreated in this way can be analyzed reliably for their organic‐C content and δ¹³C. Furthermore, N and inorganic‐C contents can be determined with a quality sufficient for many purposes.  相似文献   

Molecular characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates from wild ungulates in south-central Spain     

Gortazar C  Vicente J  Samper S  Garrido JM  Fernández-De-Mera IG  Gavín P  Juste RA  Martín C  Acevedo P  De La Puente M  Höfle U 《Veterinary research》2005,36(1):43-52

The role of European wild ungulates in the epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) is still under discussion. This study describes the geographical distribution and molecular typing of 77 Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates belonging either to M. bovis or to M. caprae, cultivated from hunter harvested red deer (Cervus elaphus) and European wild boar (Sus scrofa) in 24 Spanish localities, and compares them with spoligotypes detected previously in humans, livestock or wild animals, as described in the literature. The distribution of the molecular type patterns suggests that the population of M. tuberculosis complex strains isolated from Spanish wild ungulates is spatially structured despite the lack of important geographical barriers and despite the increasingly frequent wildlife translocations. Red deer and the European wild boar can share the same molecular types in localities in which the M. tuberculosis complex was isolated from both species. Strains of bovine and caprine origin do circulate in the same local wildlife populations. Six out of 11 spoligotypes were similar to types described in human cases. The isolation of TB strains in fenced estates from wild animals that have not had contact with domestic livestock for at least the past two decades, strongly suggests that the M. tuberculosis complex is able to survive in these populations. Therefore, wildlife including cervids and the wild boar need to be considered in the epidemiology and control of tuberculosis.  相似文献   

Purification and partial characterization of feline pepsinogen     

Tress U  Steiner JM  Ruaux CG  Suchodolski JS  Williams DA 《American journal of veterinary research》2004,65(9):1195-1199

OBJECTIVE: To purify and partially characterize feline pepsinogen (fPG) from the gastric mucosa and compare fPG with PGs of other species. SAMPLE POPULATION: Stomachs of 6 cats. PROCEDURE: A crude protein extract was prepared from the gastric mucosa of feline stomachs. Feline PG A was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, weak-anion-exchange chromatography, size-exclusion chromatography, and strong-anion exchange chromatography. Partial characterization consisted of estimation of molecular weights (MWs) and isoelectric points, N-terminal amino acid sequencing, and investigation of susceptibility to pepstatin inhibition. RESULTS: Several fPG A-group isoforms were identified. The MWs of the isoforms ranged from 37,000 to 44,820. Isoelectric points were all < pH 3.0. The proteolytic activity of the activated PGs was inhibited completely by pepstatin in a range of equimolar to 10-fold molar excess. The specific absorbance of fPG A was 1.29. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the first 25 residues of the predominant fPG A7 had 75%, 72%, 64%, and 56% homology with PG A of dogs, rabbits, cattle, and humans, respectively. Sequences of 4 other fPG A-group isoforms were similar to fPG A7. All isoforms were immunologically cross-reactive with sheep anti-fPG A7 antiserum. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: PG A is the only identified type of PG in cats and, similar to pg in other species, comprises multiple isoforms. The availability of fPG A may be used to facilitate the development of an immunoassay to quantify serum fPG A as a potential marker for gastric disorders in cats.  相似文献