Effect of β-casein A1 or A2 milk on body composition, milk intake, and growth in Holstein, Simmental, and crossbred dairy calves of both sexes.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of feeding homozygous β-CN A1 or A2 milk on the body composition, milk intake, and growth of German Holstein (GH), German Simmental (GS), and crossbred (CR) dairy calves of both sexes during the first 2 wk of life. A total of 104 calves (n = 54 female, f; and n = 50 male, m) from the breed groups GH (n = 23), GS (n = 61), and crossbred GH × GS (n = 20) were evaluated. Calves were weighed after birth and received colostrum ad libitum.

Ectomycorrhizal fungal communities are dominated by mammalian dispersed truffle-like taxa in north-east Australian woodlands.

Mycorrhizal fungi are very diverse, including those that produce truffle-like fruiting bodies. Truffle-like fungi are hypogeous and sequestrate (produced below-ground, with an enclosed hymenophore) and rely on animal consumption, mainly by mammals, for spore dispersal. This dependence links mycophagous mammals to mycorrhizal diversity and, assuming truffle-like fungi are important components of mycorrhizal communities, to plant nutrient cycling and ecosystem health.

A Functionally Different Immune Phenotype in Cattle Is Associated With Higher Mastitis Incidence.

A novel vaccine against bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) induced pathogenic antibody production in 5-10% of BVD-vaccinated cows. Transfer of these antibodies via colostrum caused Bovine neonatal pancytopenia (BNP) in calves, with a lethality rate of 90%. The exact immunological mechanisms behind the onset of BNP are not fully understood to date.

The endangered northern bettong, Bettongia tropica, performs a unique and potentially irreplaceable dispersal function for ectomycorrhizal truffle fungi.

Organisms that are highly connected in food webs often perform unique and vital functions within ecosystems. Understanding the unique ecological roles played by highly connected organisms and the consequences of their loss requires a comprehensive understanding of the functional redundancy amongst organisms. One important, yet poorly understood, food web is that between truffle-forming ectomycorrhizal fungi and their mammalian consumers and dispersers.

Data on the fungal species consumed by mammal species in Australia.

The data reported here support the manuscript Nuske et al. (2017) [1]. Searches were made for quantitative data on the occurrence of fungi within dietary studies of Australian mammal species.

A Multi-Sensor Fusion MAV State Estimation from Long-Range Stereo, IMU, GPS and Barometric Sensors.

State estimation is the most critical capability for MAV (Micro-Aerial Vehicle) localization, autonomous obstacle avoidance, robust flight control and 3D environmental mapping. There are three main challenges for MAV state estimation: (1) it can deal with aggressive 6 DOF (Degree Of Freedom) motion; (2) it should be robust to intermittent GPS (Global Positioning System) (even GPS-denied) situations; (3) it should work well both for low- and high-altitude flight. In this paper, we present a state estimation technique by fusing long-range stereo visual odometry, GPS, barometric and IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) measurements.

A New Nanobody-Based Biosensor to Study Endogenous PARP1 In Vitro and in Live Human Cells.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) is a key player in DNA repair, genomic stability and cell survival and it emerges as a highly relevant target for cancer therapies. To deepen our understanding of PARP biology and mechanisms of action of PARP1-targeting anti-cancer compounds, we generated a novel PARP1-affinity reagent, active both in vitro and in live cells. This PARP1-biosensor is based on a PARP1-specific single-domain antibody fragment (~ 15 kDa), termed nanobody, which recognizes the N-terminus of human PARP1 with nanomolar affinity.

Direct and dynamic detection of HIV-1 in living cells.

In basic and applied HIV research, reliable detection of viral components is crucial to monitor progression of infection. While it is routine to detect structural viral proteins in vitro for diagnostic purposes, it previously remained impossible to directly and dynamically visualize HIV in living cells without genetic modification of the virus. Here, we describe a novel fluorescent biosensor to dynamically trace HIV-1 morphogenesis in living cells.

Association between floor type and behaviour, skin lesions, and claw dimensions in group-housed fattening bulls.

Rubber mats covering concrete slatted flooring are a developing market in dairy barns but remain rare in beef cattle facilities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of covering slatted concrete floor with perforated rubber mats on behaviour and occurrence of skin and claw lesions in fattening bulls. The groups of six bulls each with a total average age of 9.

Body composition and bone mineralization measurement in calves of different genetic origin by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in bone mineralization [bone mineral density (BMD, g/cm(2)), and bone mineral content (BMC, %)] and body composition of F1 and F2 crossbred calves and their purebred controls from the dairy breeds German Holsteins (GH) and German Fleckvieh (FV). In total, 62 male and 64 female calves were analyzed under light sedation with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The study started when the calves were 4 days old and continued until they were 60 days old.

Mapping of the bovine spinal muscular atrophy locus to Chromosome 24.

A hereditary form of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) caused by an autosomal recessive gene has been reported for American Brown-Swiss cattle and in advanced backcrosses between American Brown-Swiss and many European brown cattle breeds. Bovine SMA (bovSMA) bears remarkable resemblance to the human SMA (SMA1). Affected homozygous calves also show progressive symmetric weakness and neurogenic atrophy of proximal muscles.