Ueber den sogenannten Fleischl-Effect

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Zicht op de plantaardige biologische keten

This study forms part of the project entitled 'Visions of organic farming: a system analysis'. This project is being financed by Wageningen University and Research Centre, from Strategic Expertise Development funds. This project distinguishes categories of people in order to crystallise the visions. This report comprises a description of the vegetable-based organic chain. This chain is described from the consumer stage right through to the suppliers. The description concludes with a SWOT analysis for the four categories of people and a quantification of the technical parameters for those categories. De studie vormt een onderdeel van het project 'Visies op biologische landbouw: een systeem analyse'. Dit project is gefinancierd door Wageningen Universiteit en Researchcentrum uit middelen voor Strategische Expertise Ontwikkeling. In dit project worden mensbeelden on-derscheiden om de visies te concretiseren. Dit rapport bevat een beschrijving van de plantaardige biologische keten. Deze keten wordt vanaf de consument tot de toeleverende be-drijven beschreven. De beschrijving eindigt met een SWOT-analyse voor de vier mensbeelden en kwantificering van de technische parameters voor die mensbeelden.Crop Production/Industries,

Effects of transport age (14 d vs. 28 d of age) on blood total cholesterol, insulin and IGF-1 concentrations of veal calves.

The main aim of the current study was to find biomarkers of health in calves transported at different ages. The selected blood parameters were total cholesterol, insulin and IGF-1 and the longitudinal study investigated whether or not these concentrations were different between calves that were transported from the dairy farm to the veal farm at 14 d or 28 d of age. Relationships between these blood variables and health characteristics of veal calves were investigated. In a 34-wk study period, a total of 683 calves originating from 13 Dutch dairy farms were transported at an age of 14 or 28 d to 8 Dutch veal farms. Calves were blood sampled the first wk after birth (mean and SD: 4.4 ± 2.1 d), a day before transport (mean and SD: 25.8 ± 7.3 d) and in wk 2 post-transport (mean and SD: 36.7 ± 12.2 d). In these samples, insulin, IGF-1 and total cholesterol were determined and analyzed with a linear mixed model (LMM). Individual medical treatments were recorded from birth until the day of transport at the dairy farm, and from the moment of arrival at the veal farm until slaughter, and analyzed as a binary response variable (calf treated or not) with a generalized linear mixed model. Fecal (calf with or without loose or liquid manure) and navel (calves with or without swollen and inflamed navel) scores measured during a single visit in wk 2 post-transport were also analyzed as binary response variables, whereas carcass weights at slaughter age were analyzed with a LMM. Cholesterol, insulin and IGF-1 were included as covariates in the previous models to test their relationships with the likelihood of calves being medically treated, fecal and navel scores, and carcass weights. One day before transport 28 d-old calves had higher blood cholesterol (Δ = 0.40 mmol/l) and IGF-1 (Δ = 53.6 ng/ml) concentrations, and evidence of higher insulin (Δ = 12.2 µU/ml) compared with 14 d-old calves. In wk 2 post-transport, 28-d old calves had higher blood IGF-1 (Δ = 21.1 ng/ml), with evidence of higher insulin (Δ = 12.2 µU/ml) concentrations compared with 14-d old calves. Cholesterol concentration measured one day before transport and in wk 2 post-transport had a positive relationship with carcass weight at slaughter (β = 4.8 and 7.7 kg/mmol/l, respectively). Blood cholesterol concentration in wk 2 post-transport was negatively associated with the fecal score measured at the same sampling moment (β = -0.55/mmol/l), with the likelihood of a calf of being treated with antibiotics (β = -0.36/mmol/l) and other medicines (β = -0.45/mmol/l) at the veal farm. Blood IGF-1 concentration in wk 2 post-transport was negatively associated with the likelihood of a calf of being treated with antibiotics and other medicines (both β = -0.01/ng/ml) at the veal farm, and with fecal score recorded in wk 2 post-transport (β = -0.004/ng/ml). When looking at the blood indicators, it appeared that calves transported at 28 d of age were more developed compared with 14 d old calves, thus transport at an older age might be more beneficial for the animals. It can be concluded that both blood cholesterol and IGF-1 concentrations seemed to be valuable biomarkers of health and energy availability in veal calves

Quick scan kritische succesfactoren voor de inpassing van biodiversiteit op agrarische bedrijven

Het doel van de publicatie is om agrarische ondernemers een aantal praktische instrumenten aan te reiken waarmee het voor hen gemakkelijker wordt om daadwerkelijk iets te verbeteren aan de biodiversiteit op hun bedrijf. Daarbij wordt bijvoorbeeld gedacht aan instrumenten waarmee ondernemers een beter inzicht krijgen in de werkelijke “kosten” en “baten” van zulke aanpassingen. Het rapport heeft tot doel keuzes te kunnen maken, welke instrumenten op dit moment voor agrariërs het meest gewenst zijn en welke de beste bijdrage kunnen leveren om ondernemers ook daadwerkelijk tot maatregelen op hun bedrijf te laten komen. Door middel van interviews met deskundigen zijn kritische succesfactoren voor het ondernemen met biodiversiteit op een rij gezet. Daarbij is een prioriteitvolgorde aangegeven van de deskundigen zelf, en is aangegeven welke mogelijke oplossingsrichtingen op de korte termijn het meeste kunnen bijdragen aan een verbetering van biodiversiteit op nationaal niveau

Nutrition in agricultural development: Land settlement in coast province, Kenya

ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde

Determinants of postnatal spleen tissue regeneration and organogenesis

Abstract The spleen is an organ that filters the blood and is responsible for generating blood-borne immune responses. It is also an organ with a remarkable capacity to regenerate. Techniques for splenic auto-transplantation have emerged to take advantage of this characteristic and rebuild spleen tissue in individuals undergoing splenectomy. While this procedure has been performed for decades, the underlying mechanisms controlling spleen regeneration have remained elusive. Insights into secondary lymphoid organogenesis and the roles of stromal organiser cells and lymphotoxin signalling in lymph node development have helped reveal similar requirements for spleen regeneration. These factors are now considered in the regulation of embryonic and postnatal spleen formation, and in the establishment of mature white pulp and marginal zone compartments which are essential for spleen-mediated immunity. A greater understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms which control spleen development will assist in the design of more precise and efficient tissue grafting methods for spleen regeneration on demand. Regeneration of organs which harbour functional white pulp tissue will also offer novel opportunities for effective immunotherapy against cancer as well as infectious diseases

PIN71 QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL) AND OTHER ENDPOINTS COMPARISON IN THE TREATMENT OF FACIAL LIPOATROPHY WITH INJECTION OF POLY-L-LACTIC ACID

Context: Longitudinal data on bone mineral density(BMD) in children and adolescents with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) during long-term GH treatment are not available. Objective: This study aimed to determine effects of long-term GH treatment and puberty on BMD of total body (BMDTB), lumbar spine (BMDLS), and bone mineral apparent density of the lumbar spine (BMAD(LS)) in children with PWS. Design and Setting: This was a prospective longitudinal study of a Dutch PWS cohort. Participants: Seventy-seven children with PWS who remained prepubertal during GH treatment for 4 years and 64 children with PWS who received GH treatment for 9 years participated in the study. Intervention: The children received GH treatment, 1 mg/m(2)/day (congruent to 0.035 mg/kg/d). Main Outcome Measures: BMDTB, BMDLS, and BMAD(LS) was measured by using the same dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry machine for all annual measurements. Results: In the prepubertal group, BMDTB standard deviation score (SDS) and BMDLSSDS significantly increased during 4 years of GH treatment whereas BMAD(LS)SDS remained stable. During adolescence, BMDTBSDS and BMAD(LS)SDS decreased significantly, in girls from the age of 11 years and in boys from the ages of 14 and 16 years, respectively, but all BMD parameters remained within the normal range. Higher Tanner stages tended to be associated with lower BMDTBSDS (P = .083) and a significantly lowerBMAD(LS)SDS (P = .016). After 9 years of GH treatment, lean body mass SDS was the most powerful predictor of BMDTBSDS and BMDLSSDS in adolescents with PWS. Conclusions: This long-term GH study demonstrates that BMDTB, BMDLS, and BMAD(LS) remain stable in prepubertal children with PWS but decreases during adolescence, parallel to incomplete pubertal development. Based on our findings, clinicians should start sex hormone therapy from the age of 11 years in girls and 14 years in boys unless there is a normal progression of puberty

Prevalence of growth hormone (GH) deficiency in previously GH-treated young adults with Prader-Willi syndrome

Objective: Some features of subjects with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) resemble those seen in growth hormone deficiency (GHD). Children with PWS are treated with growth hormone (GH), which has substantially changed their phenotype. Currently, young adults with PWS must discontinue GH after attainment of adult height when they do not fulfil the criteria of adult GHD. Limited information is available about the prevalence of GHD in adults with PWS. This study aimed to investigate the GH/insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) axis and the prevalence of GHD in previously GH-treated young adults with PWS. Design: Cross-sectional study in 60 young adults with PWS. Measurements: Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels, GH peak during combined growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH)-arginine stimulation test. Results: Serum IGF-I was <−2 standard deviation scores (SDS) in 2 (3%) patients, and IGFBP-3 was within the normal range in all but one patient. Median (IQR) GH peak was 17.8 μg/L (12.2; 29.7) [~53.4 mU/L] and below 9 μg/L in 9 (15%) patients. Not one patient fulfilled the criteria for adult GHD (GH peak < 9 μg/L and IGF-I < −2 SDS), also when BMI-dependent criteria were used. A higher BMI and a higher fat mass percentage were significantly associated with a lower GH peak. There was no significant difference in GH peak between patients with a deletion or a maternal uniparental disomy (mUPD). Conclusions: In a large group of previously GH-treated young adults with PWS, approximately 1 in 7 exhibited a GH peak <9 μg/L during a GHRH-arginine test. However, none of the patients fulfilled the consensus criteria for adult GHD

ILC3 function as a double-edged sword in inflammatory bowel diseases

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), composed mainly of Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are strongly implicated in the development of intestinal inflammation lesions. Its exact etiology and pathogenesis are still undetermined. Recently accumulating evidence supports that group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) are responsible for gastrointestinal mucosal homeostasis through moderate generation of IL-22, IL-17, and GM-CSF in the physiological state. ILC3 contribute to the progression and aggravation of IBD while both IL-22 and IL-17, along with IFN-γ, are overexpressed by the dysregulation of NCR− ILC3 or NCR+ ILC3 function and the bias of NCR+ ILC3 towards ILC1 as well as regulatory ILC dysfunction in the pathological state. Herein, we feature the group 3 innate lymphoid cells’ development, biological function, maintenance of gut homeostasis, mediation of IBD occurrence, and potential application to IBD therapy