Determination of the Copy Number of Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses (PERV) in Auckland Island Pigs Repeatedly Used for Clinical Xenotransplantation and Elimination of PERV-C

Auckland Island pigs represent an inbred population of feral pigs isolated on the sub-Antarctic island for over 100 years. The animals have been maintained under pathogen-free conditions in New Zealand; they are well characterized virologically and have been used as donor sources in first clinical trials of porcine neonatal islet cell transplantation for the treatment of human diabetes patients. The animals do not carry any of the xenotransplantation-relevant viruses, and in the first clinical trials, no porcine viruses, including porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) were transmitted to the human recipients. PERVs pose a special risk in xenotransplantation, since they are part of the pig genome. When the copy number of PERVs in these animals was analyzed using droplet digital PCR and primers binding to a conserved region of the polymerase gene (PERVpol), a copy number typical for Western pigs was found. This confirms previous phylogenetic analyses of microsatellites as well as mitochondrial analyses showing a closer relationship to European pigs than to Chinese pigs. When kidney cells from very young piglets were analyzed, only around 20 PERVpol copies were detected. Using these cells as donors in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), animals were born showing PERVpol copy numbers between 35 and 56. These data indicate that Auckland Island pigs have a similar copy number in comparison with other Western pig breeds and that the copy number is higher in adult animals compared with cells from young piglets. Most importantly, PERV-C-free animals were selected and the absence of an additional eight porcine viruses was demonstrated

Was macht „gute“ Biologielehrkräfte aus?:Befragungen von Lehrenden in der Didaktik der Biologie und Biologie-Lehramtsstudierenden an deutschen Hochschulen

Im Projekt „Optimierung der Biologie-Lehramtsausbildung in gemeinsamer Anstrengung (OBLigAt)“ kommen Vorstellungen und Standpunkte von Biologie-Fachleitern, Biologiedidaktik-Dozenten an den Hochschulen, Biologie-Lehramtsstudierenden und -Referendaren zur Verbesserung der Ausbildung zum Ausdruck. Es werden die Ergebnisse von 79 Hochschuldozenten in der Didaktik der Biologie und von 442 Biologie-Lehramtsstudenten vorgestellt. Nach ihrer Meinung werden in den fachdidaktischen Studienanteilen viele Aspekte, die zu gutem Unterricht führen sollen, gut bis befriedigend behandelt. Grundsätzlich werden hierbei die Bedeutung der Berücksichtigung von Schülervorstellungen erkannt sowie personale und diagnostische Kompetenzen ausgebildet. Diskrepanzen zwischen der Schwerpunktsetzung der Dozenten und den Vorstellungen der Studierenden liegen in der Forderung der Studierenden nach mehr praktischen Aspekten, die sich unmittelbar für den Unterricht umsetzen lassen. Eine theoretische Fundierung als Basis der Unterrichtsgestaltung rückt eher für Dozenten in den Vordergrund. Insgesamt ist die Kooperation zwischen Fachwissenschaft, Didaktik und Pädagogik zu optimieren. Die Ergebnisse bieten Ansatzpunkte, die Ausbildung im Sinne des Projekts OBLigAt zu verbessern

Copy Number and Prevalence of Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses (PERVs) in German Wild Boars.

Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) are integrated in the genome of pigs and are transmitted like cellular genes from parents to the offspring. Whereas PERV-A and PERV-B are present in all pigs, PERV-C was found to be in many, but not all pigs. When PERV-C is present, recombination with PERV-A may happen and the PERV-A/C recombinants are characterized by a high replication rate. Until now, nothing has been known about the copy number of PERVs in wild boars and little is known about the prevalence of the phylogenetically youngest PERV-C in ancient wild boars. Here we investigated for the first time the copy number of PERVs in different populations of wild boars in and around Berlin using droplet digital PCR. Copy numbers between 3 and 69 per genome have been measured. A lower number but a higher variability was found compared to domestic pigs, including minipigs reported earlier (Fiebig et al., Xenotransplantation, 2018). The wild boar populations differed genetically and had been isolated during the existence of the Berlin wall. Despite this, the variations in copy number were larger in a single population compared to the differences between the populations. PERV-C was found in all 92 analyzed animals. Differences in the copy number of PERV in different organs of a single wild boar indicate that PERVs are also active in wild boars, replicating and infecting new cells as has been shown in domestic pigs

Was macht „gute“ Biologielehrkräfte aus? : Befragungen von Lehrenden in der Didaktik der Biologie und Biologie-Lehramtsstudierenden an deutschen Hochschulen

Im Projekt „Optimierung der Biologie-Lehramtsausbildung in gemeinsamer Anstrengung (OBLigAt)“ kommen Vorstellungen und Standpunkte von Biologie-Fachleitern, Biologiedidaktik-Dozenten an den Hochschulen, Biologie-Lehramtsstudierenden und -Referendaren zur Verbesserung der Ausbildung zum Ausdruck. Es werden die Ergebnisse von 79 Hochschuldozenten in der Didaktik der Biologie und von 442 Biologie-Lehramtsstudenten vorgestellt. Nach ihrer Meinung werden in den fachdidaktischen Studienanteilen viele Aspekte, die zu gutem Unterricht führen sollen, gut bis befriedigend behandelt. Grundsätzlich werden hierbei die Bedeutung der Berücksichtigung von Schülervorstellungen erkannt sowie personale und diagnostische Kompetenzen ausgebildet. Diskrepanzen zwischen der Schwerpunktsetzung der Dozenten und den Vorstellungen der Studierenden liegen in der Forderung der Studierenden nach mehr praktischen Aspekten, die sich unmittelbar für den Unterricht umsetzen lassen. Eine theoretische Fundierung als Basis der Unterrichtsgestaltung rückt eher für Dozenten in den Vordergrund. Insgesamt ist die Kooperation zwischen Fachwissenschaft, Didaktik und Pädagogik zu optimieren. Die Ergebnisse bieten Ansatzpunkte, die Ausbildung im Sinne des Projekts OBLigAt zu verbessern

Systematic Approach for Finite Element Analysis of Thermoplastic Impregnated 3D Filament Winding Structures—Advancements and Validation

This work aims to enhance and validate a systematic approach for the structural finite element (FE) analysis of thermoplastic impregnated 3D filament winding structures (fiber skeletons). The idealized modeling of geometrically complex fiber skeletons used in previous publications is refined by considering additional characteristic dimensions and investigating their mechanical influence. Moreover, the modeling approach is transferred from the meso- to the macro-level in order to reduce modeling and computational effort. The properties of meso- and macro-level FE models are compared using the example of simple loop specimens. Based on the results, respective application fields are defined. In the next step, the same modeling approach is applied to a more complex, three-dimensional specimen—the inclined loop. For its macro-level FE model, additional material characterization and modeling, as well as enhancements in the modeling of the geometry, are proposed. Together with previously determined effective composite properties of fiber skeletons, these results are validated in experimental tensile tests on inclined loop specimens

Rare isolation of human-tropic recombinant porcine endogenous retroviruses PERV-A/C from Göttingen minipigs

Background Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) can infect human cells and pose a risk for xenotransplantation when pig cells, tissues or organs are transplanted to human recipients. Xenotransplantation holds great promise to overcome the shortage of human donor organs after solving the problems of rejection, functionality and virus safety. We recently described the transmission of a human-tropic recombinant PERV-A/C, designated PERV-F, from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of a Göttingen Minipig (GöMP) to human 293 cells (Krüger et al., in Viruses 12(1):38, 2019). The goal of this study was to characterize PERV-F in more detail and to analyze the probability of virus isolation from other animals. Methods The recombination site in the envelope (env) gene, the long terminal repeats (LTR), the proteins and the morphology of the recombinant PERV-F were characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), sequencing, Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence, and transmissible electron microscopy. Mitogen-stimulated PBMCs from 47 additional pigs, including 17 new GöMP, were co-cultured with highly susceptible human 293 T cells, and the PERV-A/C prevalence and PERV transmission was analyzed by PCR. Results PERV-F, isolated from a GöMP, is an infectious human-tropic PERV-A/C virus with a novel type of recombination in the env gene. The length of the LTR of PERV-F increased after passaging on human cells. In a few minipigs, but not in German landrace pigs, PERV-A/C were found. There was no transmission of human-tropic PERV-A/C from additional 47 pigs, including 17 GöMP, to human cells. Conclusion These data show that human-tropic recombinant PERV-A/C proviruses can only be found in a very small number of minipigs, but not in other pigs, and that their isolation as infectious virus able to replicate on human cells is an extremely rare event, even when using highly susceptible 293 cells

Rare isolation of human-tropic recombinant porcine endogenous retroviruses PERV-A/C from Göttingen minipigs

Background: Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) can infect human cells and pose a risk for xenotransplantation when pig cells, tissues or organs are transplanted to human recipients. Xenotransplantation holds great promise to overcome the shortage of human donor organs after solving the problems of rejection, functionality and virus safety. We recently described the transmission of a human-tropic recombinant PERV-A/C, designated PERV-F, from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of a Göttingen Minipig (GöMP) to human 293 cells (Krüger et al., in Viruses 12(1):38, 2019). The goal of this study was to characterize PERV-F in more detail and to analyze the probability of virus isolation from other animals. Methods: The recombination site in the envelope (env) gene, the long terminal repeats (LTR), the proteins and the morphology of the recombinant PERV-F were characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), sequencing, Western blot analysis, immunofluorescence, and transmissible electron microscopy. Mitogen-stimulated PBMCs from 47 additional pigs, including 17 new GöMP, were co-cultured with highly susceptible human 293 T cells, and the PERV-A/C prevalence and PERV transmission was analyzed by PCR. Results: PERV-F, isolated from a GöMP, is an infectious human-tropic PERV-A/C virus with a novel type of recombination in the env gene. The length of the LTR of PERV-F increased after passaging on human cells. In a few minipigs, but not in German landrace pigs, PERV-A/C were found. There was no transmission of human-tropic PERV-A/C from additional 47 pigs, including 17 GöMP, to human cells. Conclusion: These data show that human-tropic recombinant PERV-A/C proviruses can only be found in a very small number of minipigs, but not in other pigs, and that their isolation as infectious virus able to replicate on human cells is an extremely rare event, even when using highly susceptible 293 cells.Peer Reviewe

Neues zu den Böden der Marsch - Profilprägende Prozesse, Merkmale und Kennzeichnung -

Für die eindeutige Beschreibung von Bö-den bedarf es klar definierter Symbole zur Kennzeichnung von Bodenmerkmalen und Bodenbildungsprozessen. Für die Böden der Marsch ist festzustellen, dass die Merk-male der Schwefeldynamik in der KA5 nur unzureichend Berücksichtigung finden. Daneben wird in der AG Bodensys-tematik im Rahmen einer Neuordnung die systematische Stellung der Marschen und deren bodentypologische Ansprache diskutiert. Direkte Anwendung finden diese Überlegungen in der derzeit stattfindenden Neukartierung der niedersächsischen Marsch. Hierfür sind eindeutige Beschreibungen der Bodenmerkmale und Horizontsymbole zwingende Voraussetzung. Der Beitrag macht diesbezüglich Vorschläge zur Kennzeich-nung von Merkmalen und Horizonten

Mehr Unterrichtspraxis in die Lehramtsausbildung! Das FOCUS-Videoportal als digitales Lehr-Lern-Medium

Unterrichtsrelevante Kompetenzen wie die professionelle Wahrnehmung können durch die Analyse von Unterrichtsvideos gefördert werden. Hierfür benötigte Fallbeispiele werden im FOCUS-Videoportal bereitgestellt. In diesem Beitrag wird untersucht, inwieweit das Videoportal benutzungsfreundlich ist und sich zur Förderung der professionellen Wahrnehmung eignet. Es wurden 339 Studierende befragt. Die Ergebnisse zeugen von einer generellen Zufriedenheit mit dem inhaltlichen Angebot, der Benutzungsfreundlichkeit und der ästhetischen Umsetzung des Videoportals. Zudem konnte durch die bereitgestellten Videotrainings das Kompetenzerleben hinsichtlich der professionellen Wahrnehmung gefördert werden

First virological and pathological study of Go¨ttingen Minipigs with Dippity Pig Syndrome (DPS)

Dippity Pig Syndrome (DPS) is a well-known but rare complex of clinical signs affecting minipigs, which has not been thoroughly investigated yet. Clinically affected animals show acute appearance of red, exudating lesions across the spine. The lesions are painful, evidenced by arching of the back (dipping), and the onset of clinical signs is generally sudden. In order to understand the pathogenesis, histological and virological investigations were performed in affected and unaffected Göttingen Minipigs (GöMPs). The following DNA viruses were screened for using PCR-based methods: Porcine cytomegalovirus (PCMV), which is a porcine roseolovirus (PCMV/PRV), porcine lymphotropic herpesviruses (PLHV-1, PLHV-2, PLHV-3), porcine circoviruses (PCV1, PCV2, PCV3, PCV4), porcine parvovirus 1 (PPV1), and Torque Teno sus viruses (TTSuV1, TTSuV2). Screening was also performed for integrated porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERV-A, PERV-B, PERV-C) and recombinant PERV-A/C and their expression as well as for the RNA viruses hepatitis E virus (HEV) and SARS-CoV-2. Eight clinically affected and one unaffected GöMPs were analyzed. Additional unaffected minipigs had been analyzed in the past. The analyzed GöMPs contained PERV-A and PERV-B integrated in the genome, which are present in all pigs and PERV-C, which is present in most, but not all pigs. In one affected GöMPs recombinant PERV-A/C was detected in blood. In this animal a very high expression of PERV mRNA was observed. PCMV/PRV was found in three affected animals, PCV1 was found in three animals with DPS and in the unaffected minipig, and PCV3 was detected in two animals with DPS and in the unaffected minipig. Most importantly, in one animal only PLHV-3 was detected. It was found in the affected and unaffected skin, and in other organs. Unfortunately, PLHV-3 could not be studied in all other affected minipigs. None of the other viruses were detected and using electron microscopy, no virus particles were found in the affected skin. No porcine virus RNA with exception of PERV and astrovirus RNA were detected in the affected skin by next generation sequencing. This data identified some virus infections in GöMPs with DPS and assign a special role to PLHV-3. Since PCMV/PRV, PCV1, PCV3 and PLHV-3 were also found in unaffected animals, a multifactorial cause of DPS is suggested. However, elimination of the viruses from GöMPs may prevent DPS