Machinery and Techniques in Poultry Husbandry

Aktuelle Schwerpunktthemen im Geflügelbereich sind nach wie vor Maßnahmen zur Verbesserung des Tierwohls, u.a. Alternativen zur Tötung männlicher Eintagsküken (in ovo Geschlechtsbestimmung), zur Schnabelbehandlung sowie zur weiteren Optimierung von Haltungssystemen mit Fokus auf Tiergesundheit, Stalltechnik und Hygiene. Neben Novellierungen gesetzlicher Tierschutzvorschriften soll hierzu auch die Förderung tiergerechter Haltungsverfahren sowie die Einführung von Qualitätssiegeln für besonders tiergerecht erzeugte Produkte beitragen.Current topics in the poultry sector are measures to improve animal welfare, including alternatives to the killing of male day-old chicks (in ovo gender determination), the beak-treatment and for the improvement of housing systems with a focus on animal health, stable technology and hygiene. In addition to the statutory amendments of animal welfare legislation the promotion of animal husbandry procedures and the introduction of quality labels for most animal-friendly produced products should be particularly encouraged

Airborne limb-imaging measurements of temperature, HNO3, O3, ClONO2, H2O and CFC-12 during the Arctic winter 2015/2016: characterization, in situ validation and comparison to Aura/MLS

The Gimballed Limb Observer for Radiance Imaging of the Atmosphere (GLORIA) was operated on board the German High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft (HALO) during the PGS (POLSTRACC/GW-LCYCLE/SALSA) aircraft campaigns in the Arctic winter 2015/2016. Research flights were conducted from 17 December 2015 until 18 March 2016 within 25–87°N, 80°W–30°E. From the GLORIA infrared limb-emission measurements, two-dimensional cross sections of temperature, HNO3, O3, ClONO2, H2O and CFC-12 are retrieved. During 15 scientific flights of the PGS campaigns the GLORIA instrument measured more than 15000 atmospheric profiles at high spectral resolution. Dependent on flight altitude and tropospheric cloud cover, the profiles retrieved from the measurements typically range between 5 and 14km, and vertical resolutions between 400 and 1000m are achieved. The estimated total (random and systematic) 1σ errors are in the range of 1 to 2K for temperature and 10% to 20% relative error for the discussed trace gases. Comparisons to in situ instruments deployed on board HALO have been performed. Over all flights of this campaign the median differences and median absolute deviations between in situ and GLORIA observations are −0.75 K ± 0.88K for temperature, −0.03 ppbv ± 0.85ppbv for HNO3, −3.5 ppbv ± 116.8ppbv for O3, −15.4 pptv ± 102.8pptv for ClONO2, −0.13 ppmv ± 0.63ppmv for H2O and −19.8 pptv ± 46.9pptv for CFC-12. Seventy-three percent of these differences are within twice the combined estimated errors of the cross-compared instruments. Events with larger deviations are explained by atmospheric variability and different sampling characteristics of the instruments. Additionally, comparisons of GLORIA HNO3 and O3 with measurements of the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument show highly consistent structures in trace gas distributions and illustrate the potential of the high-spectral-resolution limb-imaging GLORIA observations for resolving narrow mesoscale structures in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS)

Mesoscale fine structure of a tropopause fold over mountains

We report airborne remote-sensing observations of a tropopause fold during two crossings of the polar front jet over northern Italy on 12 January 2016. The GLORIA (Gimballed Limb Observer for Radiance Imaging of the Atmosphere) observations allowed for a simultaneous mapping of temperature, water vapour, and ozone. They revealed deep, dry, and ozone-rich intrusions into the troposphere. The mesoscale fine structures of dry filaments at the cyclonic shear side north of the jet and tongues of moist air entraining tropospheric air into the stratosphere along the anticyclonic shear side south of the jet were clearly resolved by GLORIA observations. Vertically propagating mountain waves with recorded temperature residuals exceeding ±3 K were detected above the Apennines. Their presence enhanced gradients of all variables locally in the vicinity of the tropopause. The combination of H2O−O3 correlations with potential temperature reveals an active mixing region and shows clear evidence of troposphere-to-stratosphere and stratosphere-to-troposphere exchange. High-resolution short-term deterministic forecasts of ECMWF\u27s integrated forecast system (IFS) applying GLORIA\u27s observational filter reproduce location, shape, and depth of the tropopause fold very well. The fine structure of the mixing region, however, cannot be reproduced even with the 9 km horizontal resolution of the IFS, used here. This case study demonstrates convincingly the capabilities of linear limb-imaging observations to resolve mesoscale fine structures in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, validates the high quality of the IFS data, and suggests that mountain wave perturbations have the potential to modulate exchange processes in the vicinity of tropopause folds

Neuronal Profilin Isoforms Are Addressed by Different Signalling Pathways

Profilins are prominent regulators of actin dynamics. While most mammalian cells express only one profilin, two isoforms, PFN1 and PFN2a are present in the CNS. To challenge the hypothesis that the expression of two profilin isoforms is linked to the complex shape of neurons and to the activity-dependent structural plasticity, we analysed how PFN1 and PFN2a respond to changes of neuronal activity. Simultaneous labelling of rodent embryonic neurons with isoform-specific monoclonal antibodies revealed both isoforms in the same synapse. Immunoelectron microscopy on brain sections demonstrated both profilins in synapses of the mature rodent cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. Both isoforms were significantly more abundant in postsynaptic than in presynaptic structures. Immunofluorescence showed PFN2a associated with gephyrin clusters of the postsynaptic active zone in inhibitory synapses of embryonic neurons. When cultures were stimulated in order to change their activity level, active synapses that were identified by the uptake of synaptotagmin antibodies, displayed significantly higher amounts of both isoforms than non-stimulated controls. Specific inhibition of NMDA receptors by the antagonist APV in cultured rat hippocampal neurons resulted in a decrease of PFN2a but left PFN1 unaffected. Stimulation by the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), on the other hand, led to a significant increase in both synaptic PFN1 and PFN2a. Analogous results were obtained for neuronal nuclei: both isoforms were localized in the same nucleus, and their levels rose significantly in response to KCl stimulation, whereas BDNF caused here a higher increase in PFN1 than in PFN2a. Our results strongly support the notion of an isoform specific role for profilins as regulators of actin dynamics in different signalling pathways, in excitatory as well as in inhibitory synapses. Furthermore, they suggest a functional role for both profilins in neuronal nuclei

A dynamical separation of deep and shallow branches in the stratospheric circulation

The Brewer-Dobson circulation is the wave driven meridional circulation of the stratosphere it plays an important role in determining the transport of trace gases and aerosols within the stratosphere, affecting the lifetimes of ozone depleting substances, and the global radiation budget. The overturning part of the circulation is usually split into a deep and a shallow branch. Here, we investigate the dynamical driving of these circulation branches, aiming for a dynamical separation of different circulation regimes.For that purpose, we use data from fifth generation atmospheric reanalysis ERA5 by the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and apply the Transformed Eulerian Mean approach to estimate the overturning mass flux and the related wave forcing in the stratosphere. We find that reducing the horizontal resolution of the data from 0.3 to 1 degree does not affect results significantly. However, reducing temporal resolution from 1 to 6 hours has a significant effect on the structure of daily mean upwelling, but this effect is much less pronounced for monthly means. Eliassen-Palm flux divergence is used as a diagnostic to estimate the wave propagation in the stratosphere. Using Fourier transformation for spectral decomposition we estimate the contribution from different waves to the driving of the deep and shallow branches. In particular, it is found that the deep branch has a strong seasonality with maximum in winter, while the shallow branch is less affected by the change of seasons. On the one hand, we find a strong correlation between variability in residual circulation velocity along the deep branch and large scale waves with wavenumber 3 or smaller. On the other hand, variability of medium and small scale waves with wavenumber 4 or greater correlates strongly with variability in the shallow branch circulation velocities. The change between these two dynamical regimes happens at a level close to 37 hPa. These results were further tested by applying a downward control calculation, showing that indeed the large-scale, planetary waves (wavenumber less than 4) account for the largest part of deep branch variability, while smaller waves (wavenumber larger than 3) account for the largest part of shallow branch variability. Based on these results, we propose a physical definition of the different Brewer-Dobson circulation branches, with the deep branch defined as driven by planetary waves (wave numbers 1-3) and located above 35 hPa, whereas the shallow branch being located below that level and driven by smaller-scale waves (wave numbers 4 and greater)

A dynamical separation of deep and shallow branches in the stratospheric circulation

The Brewer-Dobson circulation is the wave driven meridional circulation of the stratosphere it plays an important role in determining the transport of trace gases and aerosols within the stratosphere, affecting the lifetimes of ozone depleting substances, and the global radiation budget. The overturning part of the circulation is usually split into a deep and a shallow branch. Here, we investigate the dynamical driving of these circulation branches, aiming for a dynamical separation of different circulation regimes.For that purpose, we use data from fifth generation atmospheric reanalysis ERA5 by the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and apply the Transformed Eulerian Mean approach to estimate the overturning mass flux and the related wave forcing in the stratosphere. We find that reducing the horizontal resolution of the data from 0.3 to 1 degree does not affect results significantly. However, reducing temporal resolution from 1 to 6 hours has a significant effect on the structure of daily mean upwelling, but this effect is much less pronounced for monthly means. Eliassen-Palm flux divergence is used as a diagnostic to estimate the wave propagation in the stratosphere. Using Fourier transformation for spectral decomposition we estimate the contribution from different waves to the driving of the deep and shallow branches. In particular, it is found that the deep branch has a strong seasonality with maximum in winter, while the shallow branch is less affected by the change of seasons. On the one hand, we find a strong correlation between variability in residual circulation velocity along the deep branch and large scale waves with wavenumber 3 or smaller. On the other hand, variability of medium and small scale waves with wavenumber 4 or greater correlates strongly with variability in the shallow branch circulation velocities. The change between these two dynamical regimes happens at a level close to 37 hPa. These results were further tested by applying a downward control calculation, showing that indeed the large-scale, planetary waves (wavenumber less than 4) account for the largest part of deep branch variability, while smaller waves (wavenumber larger than 3) account for the largest part of shallow branch variability. Based on these results, we propose a physical definition of the different Brewer-Dobson circulation branches, with the deep branch defined as driven by planetary waves (wave numbers 1-3) and located above 35 hPa, whereas the shallow branch being located below that level and driven by smaller-scale waves (wave numbers 4 and greater)

Structural Dynamics of Knowledge Networks

We investigate the structural patterns of the appearance and disappearance of links in dynamic knowledge networks. Human knowledge is nowadays increasingly created and curated online, in a collaborative and highly dynamic fashion. The knowledge thus created is interlinked in nature, and an important open task is to understand its temporal evolution. In this paper, we study the underlying mechanisms of changes in knowledge networks which are of structural nature, i.e., which are a direct result of a knowledge network’s structure. Concretely, we ask whether the appearance and disappearance of interconnections between concepts (items of a knowledge base) can be predicted using information about the network formed by these interconnections. In contrast to related work on this problem, we take into account the disappearance of links in our study, to account for the fact that the evolution of collaborative knowledge bases includes a high proportion of removals and reverts. We perform an empirical study on the best-known and largest collaborative knowledge base, Wikipedia, and show that traditional indicators of structural change used in the link analysis literature can be classified into four classes, which we show to indicate growth, decay, stability and instability of links. We finally use these methods to identify the underlying reasons for individual additions and removals of knowledge links.

Contactless in ovo sex determination of chicken eggs

We resume the research for contactless in ovo sex determination of the domestic chicken, which has the final aim to provide an alternative to day-old cockerels culling in the layer industry. In ovo Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy of blood of eggs incubated until day 3.5 enables correct sexing rates over 90% barely affecting the hatching rate. Full automatization of the processes to guarantee high sexing speed and fulfill industrial demands is required to allow transferring the technology inside the hatcheries in the next future

Postsynthetic Modification of Metal-Organic Frameworks through Nitrile Oxide-Alkyne Cycloaddition

von Zons T, Brokmann L, Lippke J, et al. Postsynthetic Modification of Metal-Organic Frameworks through Nitrile Oxide-Alkyne Cycloaddition. INORGANIC CHEMISTRY. 2018;57(6):3348-3359.Postsynthetic modification of metal-organic frameworks is an important method to tailor their properties. We report on the nitrile oxide-alkyne cycloaddition (NOAC) as a modification tool, a reaction requiring neither strained alkynes nor a catalyst. This is demonstrated with the reaction of nitrile oxides with PEPEP-PIZOF-15 and-19 at room temperature. PIZOF-15 and-19 are porous Zr-based MOFs (BET surface areas 1740 and 960 m(2) g(-1), respectively) consisting of two mutually interpenetrating UiO-type frameworks with linkers of the type -O2C[PE-P(R-1,R-2)-EP]CO2- (P, phenylene; E, ethynylene; and R-2, side chains at the central benzene ring with R-1 = R-2 = OCH2C CH or R-1 = OCH2C CH and R-2 = O(CH2CH2O)(3)Me). Their syntheses, using benzoic acid as a modulator, and their characterization are reported herein. The propargyloxy (OCH2C CH) side chains contain the ethyne moieties needed for NOAC. Formation of nitrile oxides through oxidation of oximes in aqueous ethanolic solution in the presence of PEPEP-PIZOF-15 and -19 resulted in the reaction of 96-100% of the ethyne moieties to give isoxazoles. Thereby the framework was preserved. The type of nitrile oxide RCNO was greatly varied with R being isopentyl, tolyl, 2-pyridyl, and pentafluorophenyl. A detailed NMR spectroscopic investigation showed the formation of the 3,5-disubstituted isoxazole to be clearly favored (>96%) over that of the constitutional isomeric 3,4-disubstituted isoxazole, except for one example