Indirect ELISA for the detection of antibodies against Opisthorchis felineus (Rivolta, 1884) and Metorchis bilis (Braun, 1790) in foxes.

Serological investigations focused on the detection of specific opisthorchiid liver fluke antibodies in silver foxes (Vulpes vulpes fulva). Animals were experimentally infected with Opisthorchis felineus (nos. 1 and 2) and Metorchis bilis (nos.

[The helminth fauna of indigenous white storks (Ciconia ciconia)].

120 carcasses of white storks originating from the federal countries Saxonia-Anhalt and Brandenburg where examined between 1994 and 2000 for internal parasites. The established parasite spectrum consisted of 8 trematode (Tylodelphis excavata, Chaunocephalus ferox, Cathemasia hians, Echinostoma revolutum, Echinoparyphium sp., Monilifer spinulosus, Ignavia ciconiae and Brachylaimus sp.

Chemistry of the oil gland secretion of Collohmannia gigantea (Acari: Oribatida).

The chemistry of the lemon-scented oil gland secretion of Collohmannia gigantea, a middle-derivative mixonomatan oribatid mite, was investigated by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry. Gas chromatographic profiles of whole body extracts of C. gigantea revealed two distinct chromatographic zones, the first containing a set of six volatile compounds, comprising the lemon-scented monoterpene aldehydes neral and geranial, the scented monoterpene ester neryl formate, a distinctly scented aromatic aldehyde (2-hydroxy-6-methyl-benzaldehyde = 2,6-HMBD), and the two non-scented hydrocarbons, tridecane and pentadecane.

Occurrence and diversity of egg pathogenic fungi of the Mediterranean cereal cyst nematode Heterodera latipons.

Eighteen fungal strains in nine genera present in German and Syrian soils were isolated from eggs of the barley cyst nematode H. latipons. The fungi were selected out of the soil microflora using the slide-frame baiting technique from a semiarid soil originating from Syria heavily infested with H.

Conserved transactivating and pro-apoptotic functions of hepadnaviral X protein in ortho- and avihepadnaviruses.

Two established activities of the multifunctional human hepatitis B virus X-protein are its transactivating and pro-apoptotic potential. We analysed whether X-proteins from other orthohepadnaviruses and the newly discovered avihepadnaviral X-proteins have similar functions as HBx. Previously, we have shown that HBx suppresses oncogenic transformation of primary rat embryo fibroblasts (REF) by induction of apoptosis.

Cooperative coordination as a social behavior : Experiments with an animal model.

Coordinating behavior is widespread in contexts that include courtship, aggression, and cooperation for shared outcomes. The social significance of cooperative coordination (CC) is usually downplayed by learning theorists, evolutionary biologists, and game theorists in favor of an individual behavior → outcome perspective predicated on maximizing payoffs for all participants. To more closely model CC as it occurs under free-ranging conditions, pairs of rats were rewarded for coordinated shuttling within a shared chamber with unrestricted social interaction.

[Occurrence of parasites in indigenous birds of prey and owls].

In the present paper a general overview on parasites in birds of prey and owls is given. This part is followed by a study investigating the prevalences and species of parasites in free-ranging birds of prey and owls in Berlin and Brandenburg State, Germany. Over a one year period, 84 birds of prey and owls of the following species were examined for the presence of endo- and ectoparasites: Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) (n = 32), Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) (n = 20), Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) (n = 9), Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) (n = 8), Black Kite (Milvus migrans) (n = 4), Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) (n = 3), Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) (n = 1), White-tailed-Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) (n = 1), Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) (n = 4), Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) (n = 1) and Barn Owl (Tyto alba) (n = 1).

Optimised conditions for the production of hepatitis B virus from cell culture.

In chronically infected patients, hepatitis B virus (HBV) particles reach numbers as large as >10(9) genome equivalents (GE)/ml of serum. However, expression of infectious HBV particles in cell culture only yields 10(5)-10(6) GE/ml, which is insufficient for many studies. HBV transcription and possibly replication is dependent on hepatocyte-specific differentiation.

[Change in procedure and re-osteosynthesis of the femur. Definition and retrospective analysis].

The change of treatment modality in osteosynthesis is based on two principles. On one hand, one can exchange the implant as part of a two step procedure to reduce side effects of stabilizing fractures. On the other hand, a reosteosynthesis may be required for treatment of complications.

Rock climbers' attitudes toward management of climbing and the use of bolts.

The purpose of this research was to verify that various segments of the rock climbing community have different attitudes toward resource management and to aid in the understanding of attitudinal differences that can affect rock-climbing management. Respondents were given an on-site questionnaire; 400 usable surveys were collected from 13 different locations in the United States. Respondents identified themselves according to the type of climbing they participated in (e.

[Helminth findings in indigenous raccoon dogs Nyctereutes procyonoides (Gray, 1843)].

Internal organs of 74 racoon dogs originating from the eastern districts of the Federal Land Brandenburg were subjected to a complete helminthological dissection. In addition, samples of diaphragma muscles from 46 further animals were examined for Trichinella larvae. Altogether 3 trematode- (Alaria alata, Isthmiophora melis, Metorchis bilis), 3 cestode- (Mesocestoides sp.

Electrochemical microfabrication of metallic nanowires--a revival of electrochemical methods for modern device technologies?

An old dog taught new tricks is how electrochemical methods relate to modern device technologies. Penner et al. use electrochemical deposition, rather than chemical vapor deposition methods, to form molybdenum wires of monodisperse and controllable diameters in the range 20-900 nm; direct application to contempory nanotechnology and minaturization is envisioned.

Receptor serine/threonine protein kinases in signalling: analysis of the erecta receptor-like kinase of Arabidopsis thaliana.

The Arabidopsis ERECTA (ER) gene regulates elongation of above-ground organs. ER encodes a member of the leucine-rich repeats-receptor-like protein kinases (LRR-RLK) gene family, with the predicted protein containing a signal peptide, 20 leucine-rich repeats in the extracellular domain, a transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic serine/threonine protein kinase domain. The structural features of the predicted ER protein suggest its role in cell-cell signalling is through phosphorylating serine/threonine residues.

[Liver fluke infection and sarcoptic mange in red foxes in Berlin].

396 red foxes originating from the city of Berlin were examined for opisthorchiid liver flukes and clinical sarcoptic mange between January 1997 and March 1998. Out of 232 (= 58.6%) foxes positive for opisthorchiid flukes 221 animals harboured Metorchis bilis and 70 were infected with Opisthorchis felineus.

Electrochemical nanostructuring with ultrashort voltage pulses.

The application of nanosecond voltage pulses to electrodes provides three ways to conduct local electrochemistry on the micro- to nanometer scale. (1) The finite charging time of the double-layer capacity allows the machining of three-dimensional microstructures. (2) In an electrochemical scanning tunneling microscope, reactions are confined to the tunneling region, due to the depletion of the electrolyte in the tip--surface gap.

[Distribution of opisthorchiid liver flukes in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in western Brandenburg].

226 (= 43.9%) out of 515 red foxes originating from the western districts of the Federal State Brandenburg were positive for opisthorchiid flukes. Metorchis bilis, Opisthorchis felineus and Pseudamphistomum truncatum occurred in prevalences of 36.

Duck hepatitis B virus expresses a regulatory HBx-like protein from a hidden open reading frame.

Duck hepatitis B viruses (DHBV), unlike mammalian hepadnaviruses, are thought to lack X genes, which encode transcription-regulatory proteins believed to contribute to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. A lack of association of chronic DHBV infection with hepatocellular carcinoma development supports this belief. Here, we demonstrate that DHBV genomes have a hidden open reading frame from which a transcription-regulatory protein, designated DHBx, is expressed both in vitro and in vivo.

Fagopyritols, D-chiro-inositol, and other soluble carbohydrates in buckwheat seed milling fractions.

Fagopyritols are mono-, di-, and trigalactosyl derivatives of D-chiro-inositol that accumulate in seeds of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and may be important for seed maturation and as a dietary supplement. Fagopyritols and other soluble carbohydrates were assayed in mature groats and 11 milling fractions of common buckwheat seed. Because fagopyritols are in embryo and aleurone tissues, differences in fagopyritol concentrations reflect varying proportions of these tissues in each milling fraction.

Electrochemical micromachining.

The application of ultrashort voltage pulses between a tool electrode and a workpiece in an electrochemical environment allows the three-dimensional machining of conducting materials with submicrometer precision. The principle is based on the finite time constant for double-layer charging, which varies linearly with the local separation between the electrodes. During nanosecond pulses, the electrochemical reactions are confined to electrode regions in close proximity.

Oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) as intermediate hosts of tapeworms of the Family Anoplocephalidae (Cestoda) and the transmission of Moniezia expansa cysticercoids in South Africa.

Six species of adult oribatid mites (Galumna racilis, Kilimabates pilosus, Kilimabates sp., Scheloribates fusifer, Muliercula ngoyensis and Zygoribatula undulata) and two immature stages belonging to the superfamilies Galumnoidea and Ceratozetoidea were isolated from a lawn (mixed Pennisetum and Cynodon spp.) at Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, South Africa.

Malignant cell detection by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in effusions from patients with carcinoma.

Cytological diagnosis of malignant cells in effusions is hampered by difficulties in the differentiation from reactive mesothelial cells. Because interphase cytogenetics by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) might complement cytological evaluation, we determined the power of tumor cell detection using FISH and cytology in 201 effusions from patients with advanced cancer. Furthermore, 9 primary breast tumors were FISH-karyotyped, and chromosomal aberrations were compared with those of corresponding metastatic effusion cells.

Induction of apoptosis by the transactivating domains of the hepatitis B virus X gene leads to suppression of oncogenic transformation of primary rat embryo fibroblasts.

Epidemiology shows a clear correlation between chronic infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The potential role of the transactivating hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) in transformation by HBV is controversial. Here we report that HBx suppresses transformation of primary rat embryo fibroblasts (REFs).

Passive smoke exposure in infants and children with respiratory tract diseases.

1. The adverse effect of passive smoke exposure on the respiratory tract, particularly in infants and children, is not an issue of dispute. It was the objective of this study to analyse the extent and the intensity of passive smoke exposure in infants and children with respiratory tract diseases, and compare the information obtained with parents' subjective assessment.