Electronuclear Transition into a Spatially Modulated Magnetic State in YbRh_{2}Si_{2}.

The nature of the antiferromagnetic order in the heavy fermion metal YbRh_{2}Si_{2}, its quantum criticality, and superconductivity, which appears at low mK temperatures, remain open questions. We report measurements of the heat capacity over the wide temperature range 180 µK-80 mK, using current sensing noise thermometry. In zero magnetic field we observe a remarkably sharp heat capacity anomaly at 1.5 mK, which we identify as an electronuclear transition into a state with spatially modulated electronic magnetic order of maximum amplitude 0.1 µ_{B}. We also report results of measurements in magnetic fields in the range 0 to 70 mT, applied perpendicular to the c axis, which show eventual suppression of this order. These results demonstrate a coexistence of a large moment antiferromagnet with putative superconductivity.

Fetal 4D flow MRI of the great thoracic vessels at 3 Tesla using Doppler-ultrasound gating: a feasibility study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility of Doppler-ultrasound (DUS)-gated 4D flow MRI of the fetal great thoracic vessels at 3T in a clinical setting. METHODS: Sixteen consecutive fetuses (range 30+4-38+5 weeks) with (n = 11) and without (n = 5) cardiovascular anomalies underwent 4D flow MRI of the great thoracic vessels at 3T. Direct fetal cardiac gating was obtained using a MR-compatible DUS device. 4D flow MRI-based visualisation and quantification of four target regions (ascending aorta (AAo), descending aorta (DAo), main pulmonary artery (MPA), and ductus arteriosus (DA)) were performed using dedicated software. RESULTS: Fetal 4D flow MRI of the great thoracic vessels was successful in 12/16 fetuses (75%) by adopting clinical 4D flow MR protocols in combination with direct fetal cardiac DUS-gating. Four datasets were excluded due to artefacts by fetal movement or maternal breathing. 4D flow MRI-derived time-velocity curves revealed typical arterial blood flow patterns in the aorta. 4D flow quantification was achieved for the pre-defined target regions. Average velocity and flow volume were 21.1 ± 5.2 cm/s and 6.0 ± 3.1 mL/s in the AAo, 24.3 ± 6.7 cm/s and 8.4 ± 3.7 mL/s in the DAo, 21.9 ± 6.4 cm/s and 7.8 ± 4.2 mL/s in the MPA, and 23.4 ± 4.7 cm/s and 5.9 ± 3.6 mL/s in the DA, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Combination of DUS-gating of the fetal heart and 4D flow MRI allows comprehensive visualisation and quantification of haemodynamics in the fetal great thoracic vessels. DUS-gated fetal 4D flow MRI may provide a new diagnostic approach for prenatal assessment of blood flow haemodynamics. KEY POINTS: • Fetal cardiac Doppler-ultrasound (DUS) gating and 4D flow MRI can be successfully combined. • DUS-gated fetal 4D flow MRI allowed visualisation and evaluation of streamline directionality, illustration of blood flow variations, and pulsatile arterial waveforms in the target vessels. • 4D flow MRI-based visualisation and quantification of the fetal great thoracic vessels were successful and flow metrics agreed with echocardiographic reference values.

[Automatic load-distributing band CPR (AutoPulse™) in prone position, feasible?] / Mechanische CPR (AutoPulse™) in Bauchlage, machbar?

BACKGROUND: Due to SARS-CoV­2 respiratory failure, prone positioning of patients with respiratory and hemodynamic instability has become a frequent intervention in intensive care units (ICUs), and even in patients undergoing transfer in an ambulance or helicopter. It has become increasingly important how to perform safe and effective CPR in prone position, achieving both an optimal outcome for the patient and optimal protection of staff from infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted feasibility tests to assess the effects of CPR with an automatic load-distributing band (AutoPulse™) in prone position and discussed different aspects of mechanical chest compression (mCPR) in prone position. RESULTS: In supine position, AutoPulse™ generated a constant pressure depth of 3cm at a frequency of 84/min. In prone position, AutoPulse™ generated a constant pressure depth of 2.6cm at a frequency of 84/min. CONCLUSION: We found mCPR to be feasible in manikins in both prone and supine positions.

[The quantitative EEG in electroencephalogram-based brain monitoring during general anesthesia]. / Das quantifizierte EEG im elektroenzephalogrammbasierten Monitoring während Allgemeinanästhesie.

The electroencephalogram (EEG) is increasingly being used in the clinical routine of anesthesia in German-speaking countries. In over 90% of patients the frontal EEG changes somewhat predictably in response to administration of the normally used anesthetic agents (propofol and volatile gasses). An adequate depth of anesthesia and appropriate concentrations of anesthetics in the brain generate mostly frontal oscillations between 8 and 12 Hz as well as slow delta waves between 0.5 and 4 Hz. The frontal EEG channel is well-suited for avoidance of insufficient depth of anesthesia and excessive administration of anesthetics. This article explains the clinical interpretation of the most important EEG patterns and the biophysical background. Also discussed are important limitations and pitfalls for the clinical routine, which the anesthetist should know in order to utilize the EEG as an admittedly incomplete but clinically extremely important parameter for the level of consciousness.

Transanal total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer has been suspended in Norway.

BACKGROUND: Transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) for rectal cancer has emerged as an alternative to the traditional abdominal approach. However, concerns have been raised about local recurrence. The aim of this study was to evaluate local recurrence after TaTME. Secondary aims included postoperative mortality, anastomotic leak and stoma rates. METHODS: Data on all patients who underwent TaTME were recorded and compared with those from national cohorts in the Norwegian Colorectal Cancer Registry (NCCR) and the Norwegian Registry for Gastrointestinal Surgery (NoRGast). Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to compare local recurrence. RESULTS: In Norway, 157 patients underwent TaTME for rectal cancer between October 2014 and October 2018. Three of seven hospitals abandoned TaTME after a total of five procedures. The local recurrence rate was 12 of 157 (7·6 per cent); eight local recurrences were multifocal or extensive. The estimated local recurrence rate at 2·4 years was 11·6 (95 per cent c.i. 6·6 to 19·9) per cent after TaTME compared with 2·4 (1·4 to 4·3) per cent in the NCCR (P < 0·001). The adjusted hazard ratio was 6·71 (95 per cent c.i. 2·94 to 15·32). Anastomotic leaks resulting in reoperation occurred in 8·4 per cent of patients in the TaTME cohort compared with 4·5 per cent in NoRGast (P = 0·047). Fifty-six patients (35·7 per cent) had a stoma at latest follow-up; 39 (24·8 per cent) were permanent. CONCLUSION: Anastomotic leak rates after TaTME were higher than national rates; local recurrence rates and growth patterns were unfavourable.

ANTECEDENTES: La resección total del mesorrecto transanal (transanal total mesorectal excision, TaTME) para el cáncer de recto se ha propuesto como una alternativa al abordaje abdominal tradicional. Sin embargo, la recidiva local (local recurrence, LR) después de este procedimiento es motivo de preocupación. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la LR en pacientes operados mediante TaTME. Los objetivos secundarios incluyeron la mortalidad postoperatoria, las fugas anastomóticas y el porcentaje de estomas. MÉTODOS: Se registraron los datos de todos los pacientes operados mediante TaTME y se compararon con las cohortes nacionales del Registro Noruego de Cáncer Colorrectal (Norwegian Colorectal Cancer Registry, NCCR) y del Registro Noruego de Cirugía Gastrointestinal (Norwegian Registry for Gastrointestinal Surgery, NoRGast) utilizando estimaciones de Kaplan-Meier y la prueba de log-rank para comparar curvas de LR. RESULTADOS: En Noruega, 157 pacientes se sometieron a TaTME por cáncer de recto entre octubre de 2014 y octubre de 2018. Tres de siete hospitales abandonaron el TaTME después de un total de cinco procedimientos. La LR observada fue 12/157 (7,6%), siendo ocho de ellas multifocales o extensas. La tasa estimada de LR a 2,4 años fue de 11,6 % (i.c. del 95% 6,6 a 19,9) versus 2,4 % (1,4 a 4,3) en el NCCR (log rank P < 0,001). El cociente de riesgos instantáneos (hazard ratio, HR) ajustado fue 6,7 (i.c. del 95% 2,9 a 15,3). Las fugas anastomóticas que precisaron una reintervención después de TaTME ocurrieron en un 8,4% versus 4,5% en el registro NoRGast (P = 0,047). Cincuenta y seis pacientes (35,7%) tenían un estoma en el último seguimiento; 39 (24,8%) eran permanentes. CONCLUSIÓN: Las tasas de fuga anastomótica tras una TaTME fueron más altas que los datos nacionales con tasas de LR y patrones de crecimiento desfavorables.

Estimates of calf starter energy affected by consumption of nutrients. 2. Effect of changing digestion on energy content in calf starters.

Apparent total-tract digestibility data from 3 published studies with calves from 0 to 4 mo of age were used to evaluate National Research Council (NRC; 2001) estimates of digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) in calf starters (CS). Calves (n = 83) or pens of calves (n = 24) were used in model development. In each study, 48 Holstein bull calves (2-3 d of age at initiation of each study) were fed varying amounts of milk replacer with CS and water for ad libitum consumption. Calf starters varied in nutrient composition and physical form (pelleted, textured, or mixed with 5% grass hay and fed as a total mixed ration). Apparent total-tract digestibility was measured at various ages. Feed and feces were collected from 20 calves per trial during 5-d collection periods during the first 56 d of each trial. In 2 studies, calves were grouped in pens (4 calves/pen) for a second 56-d measurement period. Fecal collections were repeated occasionally during the second period. Total-tract digestibilities (n = 207) of neutral detergent fiber, nonfiber carbohydrates (NFC), crude protein (CP), and fat were used to calculate ME in CS using equations from the 2001 Dairy NRC. Contributions of digestible CP and fat from milk replacer before weaning were estimated using nonlinear regression and removed from estimates of fat and CP digestibility in CS. Digestion of most nutrients in CS and calculated DE and ME in CS were low early in life and increased with increasing cumulative NFC intake. The natural logarithm of cumulative NFC intake, measured from d 0 to the end of each digestibility period, accounted for more variation in CS nutrient digestibilities, DE and ME estimates compared with daily NFC intake or intake of other nutrients, intake of milk replacer, or age of calf. Calculated ME values in CS were similar to those predicted by NRC after calves consumed approximately 15 kg of cumulative NFC or 28 kg of cumulative dry matter intake (assuming 53% NFC in CS). Current estimates of energy in CS fed to 4 mo of age may overestimate contribution of dry feed to overall energy metabolism in young calves.

Estimates of calf starter energy affected by consumption of nutrients. 1. Evaluation of models to predict changing digestion on energy content in calf starters.

Apparent total-tract digestibility data from 3 published studies with calves from 0 to 4 mo of age were used to evaluate National Research Council (2001) estimates of metabolizable energy (ME) in calf starters (CS). Calves (n = 83) or pens of calves (n = 24) were used in model development. In each study, 48 Holstein bull calves (2 to 3 d of age at initiation of each study) were fed varying amounts of milk replacer with CS and water for ad libitum consumption. Calf starters varied in nutrient content and form (pelleted, texturized, or mixed with 5% grass hay and fed as a total mixed ration). Apparent total-tract digestibility was measured at various ages from 3 to 16 wk. Feed and feces were collected from 20 calves per trial during 5-d collection periods during the first 56 d of each trial. In 2 studies, calves were grouped in pens (4 calves/pen) for a second 56-d measurement period. Fecal collections were repeated occasionally during the second period. Total-tract digestibilities (n = 207) of neutral detergent fiber, nonfiber carbohydrates, crude protein, and fat were used to calculate digestible energy (DE) and ME in CS using equations from the 2001 Dairy National Research Council. Three modeling approaches were constructed to evaluate changing digestion of nutrients, DE, and ME in CS, including linear mixed models, broken-line regression, and exponential models. Linear mixed models provided best model fit statistics for digestion of crude protein, ether extract, neutral detergent fiber, and ME. Exponential models were optimal for digestion of dry matter and nonfiber carbohydrates. Linear mixed models were selected for evaluation of effects of intake on changing nutrient digestion from CS and amount of DE and ME available at various ages.

Effects of combined helium pre/post-conditioning on the brain and heart in a rat resuscitation model.

BACKGROUND: The noble gas helium induces cardio- and neuroprotection by pre- and post-conditioning. We investigated the effects of helium pre- and post-conditioning on the brain and heart in a rat resuscitation model. METHODS: After approval by the Animal Care Committee, 96 Wistar rats underwent cardiac arrest for 6 min induced by ventricular fibrillation. Animals received 70% helium and 30% oxygen for 5 min before cardiac arrest and for 30 min after restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Control animals received 70% nitrogen and 30% oxygen. Hearts and brains were excised after 2, 4 h or 7 days. Neurological degeneration was evaluated using TUNEL and Nissl staining in the hippocampal CA-1 sector. Cognitive function after 7 days was detected with the tape removal test. Molecular targets were measured by infrared western blot. Data are shown as median [Interquartile range]. RESULTS: Helium treatment resulted in significantly less apoptosis (TUNEL positive cells/100 pixel 73.5 [60.3-78.6] vs.78.2 [70.4-92.9] P = 0.023). Changes in Caveolin-3 expression in the membrane fraction and Hexokinase-II in the mitochondrial fraction were observed in the heart. Caveolin-1 expression of treated animals significantly differed from control animals in the membrane fraction of the heart and brain after ROSC. CONCLUSION: Treatment with helium reduced apoptosis in our resuscitation model. Differential expression levels of Caveolin-1, Caveolin-3 and Hexokinase II in the heart were found after helium pre- and post-conditioning. No beneficial effects were seen on neurofunctional outcome.

Relationships between starch concentration of dry feed, diet digestibility, and growth of dairy calves up to 16 weeks of age.

Our objective was to examine the potential relationship between starch concentration of dry feed and growth performance of young dairy calves via mixed-effects model analyses. A database was developed from 6 published studies conducted at the Nurture Research Center, Provimi (Brookville, OH), from 2008 to 2017 that included 18 dietary treatments and 372 calves at 0 to 8 wk of age in 5 nursery trials and 26 dietary treatments and 660 calves at 8 to 16 wk of age in 8 grower trials. The dry feeds ranged from 10.1 to 53.3% starch, 12.1 to 45.3% neutral detergent fiber, and 2.7 to 3.0 Mcal/kg of metabolizable energy [dry matter (DM) basis]. In all nursery trials, with increasing starch concentration in starter, average daily gain (ADG), hip width change, and starter intake linearly increased. In all grower trials, as starch concentration of dry feed increased, ADG, hip width change, and ADG/DM intake linearly increased; DM intake and DM intake/body weight were unaffected. In addition, the calves at 6 to 16 wk of age had greater digestibility of DM and crude protein with increasing starch concentration of dry feed. As indicated by meta-regression analysis, growth responses to starch concentration were influenced by metabolizable energy concentration in dry feed fed to the calves up to 16 wk of age. Changing starch from 23 to 43% on a DM basis (a typical range in the US industry) was predicted to increase ADG and hip width change by 5.8 and 5.0%, respectively, for calves at 0 to 8 wk of age and by 9.6 and 11.2%, respectively, for calves at 8 to 16 wk of age. Positive linear relationships between starch concentration of dry feed with DM digestibility, ADG, and hip width change reflect the importance of starch in the diets of young dairy calves.

[Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta : Option for incompressible trunk bleeding?] / "Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta" : Option für nichtkomprimierbare Körperstammblutungen?

Hemorrhage is the single largest cause of avoidable death in trauma patients, whereby in civil emergency medicine in Europe most life-threatening hemorrhages occur in the abdomen and the pelvis. This is one reason why endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (EBOA), a procedure especially established in vascular surgery, is increasingly propagated for rapid bleeding control in these patients. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the technique, indications, contraindications and complications of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA). Additionally, outcomes reported in in the currently available literature are summarized and discussed. From this practical and user-oriented consequences for future successful introduction of REBOA in the field of emergency medicine are deduced.

[Approaches to pre-hospital bleeding management : Current overview on civilian emergency medicine]. / Ansätze zur prähospitalen Gerinnungstherapie : Aktuelle Übersicht für die zivile Notfallmedizin.

Severe bleeding is a typical result of traumatic injuries. Hemorrhage is responsible for almost 50% of deaths within the first 6 h after trauma. Appropriate bleeding control and coagulation therapy depends on an integrated concept of local hemostasis by primary pressure with the hands, compression, and tourniquets accompanied by prevention of hypothermia, acidosis and hypocalcemia. Additionally, permissive hypotension is accepted for suitable patients and tranexamic acid should be administered early. Multiple publications prove that prehospital transfusion of blood products (e. g. red blood cells and plasma) and coagulation factors (e. g. fibrinogen) is feasible and safe, but only required for <5% of polytrauma patients in the civilian setting.

BEESCOUT: A model of bee scouting behaviour and a software tool for characterizing nectar/pollen landscapes for BEEHAVE.

Social bees are central place foragers collecting floral resources from the surrounding landscape, but little is known about the probability of a scouting bee finding a particular flower patch. We therefore developed a software tool, BEESCOUT, to theoretically examine how bees might explore a landscape and distribute their scouting activities over time and space. An image file can be imported, which is interpreted by the model as a "forage map" with certain colours representing certain crops or habitat types as specified by the user. BEESCOUT calculates the size and location of these potential food sources in that landscape relative to a bee colony. An individual-based model then determines the detection probabilities of the food patches by bees, based on parameter values gathered from the flight patterns of radar-tracked honeybees and bumblebees. Various "search modes" describe hypothetical search strategies for the long-range exploration of scouting bees. The resulting detection probabilities of forage patches can be used as input for the recently developed honeybee model BEEHAVE, to explore realistic scenarios of colony growth and death in response to different stressors. In example simulations, we find that detection probabilities for food sources close to the colony fit empirical data reasonably well. However, for food sources further away no empirical data are available to validate model output. The simulated detection probabilities depend largely on the bees' search mode, and whether they exchange information about food source locations. Nevertheless, we show that landscape structure and connectivity of food sources can have a strong impact on the results. We believe that BEESCOUT is a valuable tool to better understand how landscape configurations and searching behaviour of bees affect detection probabilities of food sources. It can also guide the collection of relevant data and the design of experiments to close knowledge gaps, and provides a useful extension to the BEEHAVE honeybee model, enabling future users to explore how landscape structure and food availability affect the foraging decisions and patch visitation rates of the bees and, in consequence, to predict colony development and survival.

[Anesthesiological approach to postpartum hemorrhage]. / Anästhesiologisches Vorgehen bei peripartaler Blutung.

Peripartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a frequent obstetric emergency situation with increasing incidence in the last decades. It requires a fast, coordinated and interdisciplinary management. This life-threatening situation is often recognized too late and not adequately treated (too little is done too late); therefore, it is important to be aware of the most important risk factors for PPH known as the 4 Ts (i.e. tonus, trauma, tissue and thrombin). Due to the special patient population there is only little evidence-based data on hemostatic therapy in this situation; therefore, the currently available studies on the therapy of PPH is discussed.

Landscape and climatic characteristics associated with human alveolar echinococcosis in France, 1982 to 2007.

Human alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a severe hepatic disease caused by Echinococcus multilocularis. In France, the definitive and intermediate hosts of E. multilocularis (foxes and rodents, respectively) have a broader geographical distribution than that of human AE. In this two-part study, we describe the link between AE incidence in France between 1982 and 2007 and climatic and landscape characteristics. National-level analysis demonstrated a dramatic increase in AE risk in areas with very cold winters and high annual rainfall levels. Notably, 52% (207/401) of cases resided in French communes (smallest French administrative level) with a mountain climate. The mountain climate communes displayed a 133-fold (95% CI: 95-191) increase in AE risk compared with communes in which the majority of the population resides. A case-control study performed in the most affected areas confirmed the link between AE risk and climatic factors. This arm of the study also revealed that populations residing in forest or pasture areas were at high risk of developing AE. We therefore hypothesised that snow-covered ground may facilitate predators to track their prey, thus increasing E. multilocularis biomass in foxes. Such climatic and landscape conditions could lead to an increased risk of developing AE among humans residing in nearby areas.

Echinococcus multilocularis in Kyrgyzstan: similarity in the Asian EmsB genotypic profiles from village populations of Eastern mole voles (Ellobius tancrei) and dogs in the Alay valley.

Echinococcus multilocularis is a cestode that causes human alveolar echinococcosis, a lethal zoonosis of public health concern in central Asia and western China. In the present study, one of 42 Eastern mole voles (Ellobius tancrei) caught in Sary Mogol (Alay valley, southern Kyrgyzstan) presented liver lesions with E. multilocularis from which the EmsB target was amplified. The Asian profile obtained was almost identical to one amplified from domestic dog faeces collected in a nearby village. This observation adds additional information to the potential role of E. tancrei in the transmission of E. multilocularis, and to the known distribution range of E. multilocularis (Asian strain) in central Asia.

Invited review: Current representation and future trends of predicting amino acid utilization in the lactating dairy cow.

In current dairy production systems, an average of 25% of dietary N is captured in milk, with the remainder being excreted in urine and feces. About 60% of total N losses occur postabsorption. Splanchnic tissues extract a fixed proportion of total inflow of each essential AA (EAA). Those EAA removed by splanchnic tissues and not incorporated into protein are subjected to catabolism, with the resulting N converted to urea. Splanchnic affinity varies among individual EAA, from several fold lower than mammary glands' affinity for the branched-chain AA to similar or higher affinity for Phe, Met, His, and Arg. On average, 85% of absorbed EAA appear in peripheral circulation, indicating that first-pass removal is not the main source of loss. Essential AA in excess of the needs of the mammary glands return to general circulation. High splanchnic blood flow dictates that a large proportion of EAA that return to general circulation flow through splanchnic tissues. In association with this constant recycling, EAA are removed and catabolized by splanchnic tissues. This results in splanchnic catabolism equaling or surpassing the use of many EAA for milk protein synthesis. Recent studies have demonstrated that EAA, energy substrates, and hormones activate signaling pathways that in turn regulate local blood flow, tissue extraction of EAA, and rates of milk protein synthesis. These recent findings would allow manipulation of dairy diets to maximize mammary uptake of EAA and reduce catabolism by splanchnic tissues. Dairy cattle nutrient requirement systems consider EAA requirements in aggregate as metabolizable protein (MP) and assume a fixed efficiency of MP use for milk protein. Lysine and Met sufficiency is only considered after MP requirements have been met. By doing so, requirement systems limit the scope of diet manipulation to achieve improved gross N efficiency. Therefore, this review focuses on understanding the dynamics of EAA metabolism in mammary and splanchnic tissues that would lead to improved requirement prediction systems. Inclusion of variable individual EAA efficiencies derived from splanchnic and mammary responses to nutrient and hormonal signals should help reduce dietary protein levels. Supplementing reduced crude protein diets with individual EAA should increase gross N efficiency to more than 30%, reducing N excretion by the US dairy industry by 92,000 t annually.

Effects of wortmannin, sodium nitroprusside, insulin, genistein, and guanosine triphosphate on chemotaxis and cell growth of Entodinium caudatum, Epidinium caudatum, and mixed ruminal protozoa.

The mechanisms by which ruminal protozoa sense and migrate toward nutrients are not fully understood. Chemotaxis by many diverse eukaryotic cells is mediated by phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, which is highly conserved in receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling pathways and consistently inhibited by wortmannin. In experiment 1a, increasing the concentration of wortmannin inhibited cell growth nonlinearly at 24h of a culture of the rumen protozoan Entodinium caudatum, but high variability prevented growth inhibition of Epidinium caudatum from reaching significance. In experiment 1b, increasing the insulin concentration recovered 24-h cell counts for both cultures, depending on wortmannin concentration. In experiment 2, addition of sodium nitroprusside (Snp; activator of protein kinase G for cilial beat reversal in nonrumen ciliate models) at 500µM or wortmannin at 200µM in beakers containing rumen fluid decreased random swimming by mixed entodiniomorphids into capillary tubes (inserted into beakers) containing saline. Both Snp and wortmannin increased chemotaxis into tubes containing glucose compared with the beaker control. For isotrichids, beaker treatments had no response. Glucose increased chemotaxis, but peptides decreased chemotaxis even when combined with glucose. In experiment 3, we assessed preincubation of genistein (a purported RTK blocker in nonrumen ciliate models) at 40 or 400µM in beakers and guanosine triphosphate (GTP; a universal chemorepellent in nonrumen ciliate models, perhaps mediated through an RTK) at 10 or 100µM combined with glucose in capillary tubes. Neither genistein nor GTP affected chemotaxis toward glucose for entodiniomorphids. However, GTP at 100µM reduced chemotaxis toward glucose for isotrichids. After the animal is fed, isotrichids that are depleted in glycogen migrate to the dorsal area of the rumen, and the rapid uptake of sugars is enhanced through strong chemotaxis but can be reversed by peptides or GTP. In contrast, entodiniomorphids are less intensely chemoattracted to glucose than isotrichids but are chemoattracted to peptides. Entodiniomorphids' chemoattraction appears to be integrated with slower but prolonged availability of energy from digesting starch and fiber.

Invited review: Enteric methane in dairy cattle production: quantifying the opportunities and impact of reducing emissions.

Many opportunities exist to reduce enteric methane (CH4) and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per unit of product from ruminant livestock. Research over the past century in genetics, animal health, microbiology, nutrition, and physiology has led to improvements in dairy production where intensively managed farms have GHG emissions as low as 1 kg of CO2 equivalents (CO2e)/kg of energy-corrected milk (ECM), compared with >7 kg of CO2 e/kg of ECM in extensive systems. The objectives of this review are to evaluate options that have been demonstrated to mitigate enteric CH4 emissions per unit of ECM (CH4/ECM) from dairy cattle on a quantitative basis and in a sustained manner and to integrate approaches in genetics, feeding and nutrition, physiology, and health to emphasize why herd productivity, not individual animal productivity, is important to environmental sustainability. A nutrition model based on carbohydrate digestion was used to evaluate the effect of feeding and nutrition strategies on CH4/ECM, and a meta-analysis was conducted to quantify the effects of lipid supplementation on CH4/ECM. A second model combining herd structure dynamics and production level was used to estimate the effect of genetic and management strategies that increase milk yield and reduce culling on CH4/ECM. Some of these approaches discussed require further research, but many could be implemented now. Past efforts in CH4 mitigation have largely focused on identifying and evaluating CH4 mitigation approaches based on nutrition, feeding, and modifications of rumen function. Nutrition and feeding approaches may be able to reduce CH4/ECM by 2.5 to 15%, whereas rumen modifiers have had very little success in terms of sustained CH4 reductions without compromising milk production. More significant reductions of 15 to 30% CH4/ECM can be achieved by combinations of genetic and management approaches, including improvements in heat abatement, disease and fertility management, performance-enhancing technologies, and facility design to increase feed efficiency and life-time productivity of individual animals and herds. Many of the approaches discussed are only partially additive, and all approaches to reducing enteric CH4 emissions should consider the economic impacts on farm profitability and the relationships between enteric CH4 and other GHG.

Detection of a high-endemic focus of Echinococcus multilocularis in red foxes in southern Denmark, January 2013.

The Danish surveillance programme for Echinococcus multilocularis was initiated in September 2011, and so far 679 wild carnivores have been examined. In April 2012, one infected fox was detected in Højer near the Danish-German border, and in January 2013 three additional foxes from the same area were found infected. Local prevalence in the area was 31% (four of 13 foxes) which is a new epidemiological situation calling for reevaluation of the national risk management.