Livestock Farming Systems diversity and challenges for livestock development sustainable in selected countries in Central and Eastern Europe

International audienc

Livestock in the mountains and highlands of Asia, Africa and South America: An overview of research and Development issues and challenges

This chapter provides an overview of the main points raised in the papers presented at this workshop. The issues raised are summarised from all three regions under different thematic headings. The major issues include livestock in mountain and highland economies; trends and management strategies in livestock production systems; smallholder dairies and factors affecting their success; natural resource management, environment and sustainability concerns; livestock biodiversity and other produciton resources; gender concerns in livestock management; technological and institutional issues; policy issues for livestock Development; constraints to livestock production systems; and livestock research and Development issues. This summary is followed by working group sessions and recommendations

Rho mediates calcium-dependent activation of p38 alpha and subsequent excitotoxic cell death

Excitotoxic neuronal death contributes to many neurological disorders, and involves calcium influx and stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs) such as p38 alpha. There is indirect evidence that the small Rho-family GTPases Rac and cdc42 are involved in neuronal death subsequent to the withdrawal of nerve growth factor (NGF), whereas Rho is involved in the inhibition of neurite regeneration and the release of the amyloidogenic A beta(42) peptide. Here we show that Rho is activated in rat neurons by conditions that elevate intracellular calcium and in the mouse cerebral cortex during ischemia. Rho is required for the rapid glutamate-induced activation of p38a and ensuing neuronal death. The ability of RhoA to activate p38 alpha was not expected, and it was specific to primary neuronal cultures. The expression of active RhoA alone not only activated p38 alpha but also induced neuronal death that was sensitive to the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, showing that RhoA was sufficient to induce the excitotoxic pathway. Therefore, Rho is an essential component of the excitotoxic cell death pathway