Educational heterogamy and the division of paid labour in the family: a comparison of present-day Belgium and Sweden

Building on the growing importance of partner effects in stratification research, this study adopts a couple perspective on the division of paid labour in the family. It considers the role of educational heterogamy, and takes account of the family life cycle by means of the presence of (young) children. The importance of these two factors for women’s relative labour market participation is compared between Belgium and Sweden – two European countries that share socio-economic features but differ regarding labour market and social policies. Multinomial logistic Diagonal Reference Models are used to analyse the pooled cross-sectional data of the EU-SILC 2004-2008. Our results show that women’s relative labour market participation is less education-driven in Sweden than in Belgium, and it is more related to the couple effect of educational heterogamy and the life cycle effect of the presence of (young) children, confirming more egalitarianism and family friendliness in Scandinavia than in continental Europe

Asymmetric somatic plant hybridization : status and applications

To create asymmetric somatic hybrids, the genome of the so-called donor protoplast is fragmented prior to protoplast fusion. As a result, only a limited amount of the donor genome is transferred to the fusion product. This technique can circumvent some commonly observed problems related to symmetric fusion and offers a practical breeding tool for asexual hybridization. Genomes are typically fragmented by irradiation, microprotoplast production or application of metabolic inhibitors such as iodoacetamide. Irradiation and microprotoplast production fragment the nuclear genome, whereas iodoacetamide inactivates the cytoplasmic genome. It can therefore be used to introduce cytoplasmic male ste- rility, an important practical application. For hybrid verification and genome characterization, molecular markers and cytogenetic techniques are applied. This review highlights and discusses progress made during the last decade in sper- matophytes asymmetric protoplast fusion

Myzostomes from Papua New Guinea, with related Indo-West Pacific distribution records and description of five new species

Eighteen species of myzostomes were found in association with crinoids collected in Papua New Guinea. Thirteen of the former are described by means of in vivo, light microscopical, and SEM-based observations. Five are new to science: Myzostoma cuniculus, M. laingense, M. nigromaculatum, and M. longitergum are ectocommensals; Contramyzostoma sphaera is a parasite living in a soft cyst induced upon its host. The eight previously described species, six of which are redescribed in detail, include Myzostoma ambiguum Graff, M. capitocutis Eeckhaut, VandenSpiegel and Grygier, M. fissum Graff, M. mortenseni (Jägersten), M. polycyclus Atkins, and M. stochoeides Atkins, as well as Hypomyzostoma crosslandi (Boulenger) and Notopharyngoides aruensis (Remscheid). Most are ectocommensals but the last is an intradigestive symbiont. New Indo-West Pacific distribution and host records for all eight are listed, based on surveys of museum collections, and their entire range are mapped. Hypomyzostoma Perrier, 1897 (type species Myzostoma folium Graff) is resurrected for one of the species-groups previously recognized within Myzostoma, and a lectotype is selected for H. crosslandi. Specimens from Singapore previously identified as M. elegans Graff are reassigned to M. capitocutis

Biomarkers for monitoring intestinal health in poultry : present status and future perspectives

Intestinal health is determined by host (immunity, mucosal barrier), nutritional, microbial and environmental factors. Deficiencies in intestinal health are associated with shifts in the composition of the intestinal microbiome (dysbiosis), leakage of the mucosal barrier and/or inflammation. Since the ban on growth promoting antimicrobials in animal feed, these dysbiosis-related problems have become a major issue, especially in intensive animal farming. The economical and animal welfare consequences are considerable. Consequently, there is a need for continuous monitoring of the intestinal health status, particularly in intensively reared animals, where the intestinal function is often pushed to the limit. In the current review, the recent advances in the field of intestinal health biomarkers, both in human and veterinary medicine are discussed, trying to identify present and future markers of intestinal health in poultry. The most promising new biomarkers will be stable molecules ending up in the feces and litter that can be quantified, preferably using rapid and simple pen-side tests. It is unlikely, however, that a single biomarker will be sufficient to follow up all aspects of intestinal health. Combinations of multiple biomarkers and/or metabarcoding, metagenomic, metatranscriptomic, metaproteomic and metabolomic approaches will be the way to go in the future. Candidate biomarkers currently are being investigated by many research groups, but the validation will be a major challenge, due to the complexity of intestinal health in the field

Thermic dehorning and ear tagging as atypical portals of entry of Clostridium tetani in ruminants

This paper describes two infections with Clostridium tetani (C. tetani). One outbreak occurred after dehorning of calves, the second infection happened after ear tagging of a goat. In the first case 3 young Holstein Friesian calves showed generalized stiffness, severe lock-jaw and bloat two weeks after dehorning. The thermal dehorning wounds were identified as the infection sites of C. tetani by bacterial culture and PCR. The second case was a three-year old male castrated goat, with generalized stiffness. The animal had been ear tagged one week prior to the onset of the symptoms. C. tetani could be cultured from pus on the ear tag. Treatment was attempted in two calves and the goat. Wounds were debrided and disinfected, penicillin and anti-tetanus serum were administered and polyionic perfusions provided. In addition, the goat was vaccinated against tetanus. The goat and one calf fully recovered after 36 and 8 days respectively. To the authors' knowledge a tetanus outbreak in association with thermal dehorning has not been described previously. Also ear tagging as a possible cause for C. tetani infection has not been described in goats