Preference for pasture versus freestall housing by dairy cattle when stall availability indoors is reduced

Providing cattle with access to pasture has been shown to yield benefits, including access to more space, fewer agonistic interactions, better air quality, and the ability to perform a greater range of normal behaviors. Preference for pasture appears to depend on several parameters, including weather conditions and availability of shade. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the preference for pasture versus inside a freestall barn with variable stocking densities at the stalls. We also investigated the effect of temperature-humidity index (THI) and precipitation on this preference. Overall, cows spent on average 13.7 ± 2.6 h/d (mean ± SD) on pasture (ranging from 7.2 to 18.0 h/d across days); at night (between 2000 and 0600 h) cows spent the majority of their time (78.5 ± 27.8%) on pasture. Stall availability had no effect on time spent outside, but time spent on pasture decreased with increasing THI during the day and declined during nights with more rainfall. Stall usage changed depending on stall availability; standing with 2 and 4 feet in the stall and lying time indoors decreased with decreasing stall availability. Indoor lying time also increased with higher THI and more precipitation. In conclusion, cows preferred to be outside at night; they were much more likely to remain indoors during the day, even when overstocked

Preference for pasture versus freestall housing by dairy cattle when stall availability indoors is reduced

Providing cattle with access to pasture has been shown to yield benefits, including access to more space, fewer agonistic interactions, better air quality, and the ability to perform a greater range of normal behaviors. Preference for pasture appears to depend on several parameters, including weather conditions and availability of shade. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the preference for pasture versus inside a freestall barn with variable stocking densities at the stalls. We also investigated the effect of temperature-humidity index (THI) and precipitation on this preference. Overall, cows spent on average 13.7 ± 2.6 h/d (mean ± SD) on pasture (ranging from 7.2 to 18.0 h/d across days); at night (between 2000 and 0600 h) cows spent the majority of their time (78.5 ± 27.8%) on pasture. Stall availability had no effect on time spent outside, but time spent on pasture decreased with increasing THI during the day and declined during nights with more rainfall. Stall usage changed depending on stall availability; standing with 2 and 4 feet in the stall and lying time indoors decreased with decreasing stall availability. Indoor lying time also increased with higher THI and more precipitation. In conclusion, cows preferred to be outside at night; they were much more likely to remain indoors during the day, even when overstocked

Ankyrin G restricts ion channel diffusion at the axonal initial segment before the establishment of the diffusion barrier

Ion channel immobilization by ankyrin G is regulated by casein kinase 2 in immature hippocampal neurons

Convergent evolution of tRNA gene targeting preferences in compact genomes

Background: In gene-dense genomes, mobile elements are confronted with highly selective pressure to amplify without causing excessive damage to the host. The targeting of tRNA genes as potentially safe integration sites has been developed by retrotransposons in various organisms such as the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In D. discoideum, tRNA gene-targeting retrotransposons have expanded to approximately 3 % of the genome. Recently obtained genome sequences of species representing the evolutionary history of social amoebae enabled us to determine whether the targeting of tRNA genes is a generally successful strategy for mobile elements to colonize compact genomes. Results: During the evolution of dictyostelids, different retrotransposon types independently developed the targeting of tRNA genes at least six times. DGLT-A elements are long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons that display integration preferences similar to 15 bp upstream of tRNA gene-coding regions reminiscent of the yeast Ty3 element. Skipper elements are chromoviruses that have developed two subgroups: one has canonical chromo domains that may favor integration in centromeric regions, whereas the other has diverged chromo domains and is found similar to 100 bp downstream of tRNA genes. The integration of D. discoideum non-LTR retrotransposons similar to 50 bp upstream (TRE5 elements) and similar to 100 bp downstream (TRE3 elements) of tRNA genes, respectively, likely emerged at the root of dictyostelid evolution. We identified two novel non-LTR retrotransposons unrelated to TREs: one with a TRE5-like integration behavior and the other with preference similar to 4 bp upstream of tRNA genes. Conclusions: Dictyostelid retrotransposons demonstrate convergent evolution of tRNA gene targeting as a probable means to colonize the compact genomes of their hosts without being excessively mutagenic. However, high copy numbers of tRNA gene-associated retrotransposons, such as those observed in D. discoideum, are an exception, suggesting that the targeting of tRNA genes does not necessarily favor the amplification of position-specific integrating elements to high copy numbers under the repressive conditions that prevail in most host cells

Elektrionenstrahlgestütztes Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von Kontakten

The device has a detector module (2) having several detectors for detecting affected tissue. A laser beam source (3) is connected to detectors of the detector module through optical fibers in a sensor head (1). A control and evaluating device (4) is provided for evaluating detector signals and controlling laser beam source depending on the result of the evaluation of the detector signals

Verfahren zum Glätten eines Bauteiloberflächenbereichs

The invention relates to a method for smoothing a surface region of a component (11; 21), which at least within the surface region consists of an electrically conductive material, wherein the surface region of the component (11; 21) is coated inside a vacuum chamber, by means of at least one focused electron beam (13; 23) with a first surface energy, which brings about melting of the component material within the surface region, wherein a), before melting, the surface region is passed over at least twice by the electron beam (13; 23), each time with a different focal length (27a; 27b; 27c) of the electron beam (13; 23), wherein b) a second surface energy is set for the electron beam (13, 23), such that no melting of the component material is brought about in the surface region, wherein c) data which characterize the electric current caused by the backscattered electrodes impinging on the sensors (14; 24) are recorded by means of a number of sensors (14; 24) arranged inside the vacuum chamber, wherein d) within an evaluation device (15; 25), an actual value for the roughness within the surface region is derived from the data recorded by the sensors (14; 24), the actual value of the roughness is compared with a setpoint value of the roughness and, if the actual value of the roughness has not reached the setpoint value of the roughness, a value for the first surface energy is determined in dependence on the result of the comparison, after which e) the surface region is passed over by the electron beam (13; 23) with the first surface energy, after which the procedure is continued with method step a)

Additional file 1: Figure S1. of Convergent evolution of tRNA gene targeting preferences in compact genomes

Alignments of GPY/F motifs in the carboxy-terminal regions of integrase domains in dictyostelid LTR retrotransposons. Figure S2. Alignments of RT, RNH, and IN domains of dictyostelid LTR retrotransposons. Figure S3. Phylogenetic analysis of dictyostelid LTR elements. Figure S4. Alignment of RT domains of dictyostelid non-LTR retrotransposons. Figure S5. Phylogenetic analysis of RT domains of dictyostelid non-LTR elements. Figure S6. Alignment of dictyostelid non-LTR elements bearing RNH domains. Table S1. Comparison of retrotransposon in annotated dictyostelid genomes. Table S2. Association of tRNA genes with TREs in the D. discoideum genome. (PDF 7243 kb