PRNP promoter polymorphisms are associated with BSE susceptibility in Swiss and German cattle

BACKGROUND: Non-synonymous polymorphisms within the prion protein gene (PRNP) influence the susceptibility and incubation time for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) in some species such as sheep and humans. In cattle, none of the known polymorphisms within the PRNP coding region has a major influence on susceptibility to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Recently, however, we demonstrated an association between susceptibility to BSE and a 23 bp insertion/deletion (indel) polymorphism and a 12 bp indel polymorphism within the putative PRNP promoter region using 43 German BSE cases and 48 German control cattle. The objective of this study was to extend this work by including a larger number of BSE cases and control cattle of German and Swiss origin. RESULTS: Allele, genotype and haplotype frequencies of the two indel polymorphisms were determined in 449 BSE cattle and 431 unaffected cattle from Switzerland and Germany including all 43 German BSE and 16 German control animals from the original study. When breeds with similar allele and genotype distributions were compared, the 23 bp indel polymorphism again showed a significant association with susceptibility to BSE. However, some additional breed-specific allele and genotype distributions were identified, mainly related to the Brown breeds. CONCLUSION: Our study corroborated earlier findings that polymorphisms in the PRNP promoter region have an influence on susceptibility to BSE. However, breed-specific differences exist that need to be accounted for when analyzing such data.

The Performance of Swiss and German Family Firms: Investigating Strategies, Orientations and SEW as Determinants

In this chapter we center our attention on the performance drivers of family firms in Switzerland and Germany and compare the corresponding results with the findings generated in the US. Investigating family firms is justified as this organizational form not only constitutes the majority of all firms globally (Sharma and Carney, 2012), but in particular in Switzerland and Germany. In fact, more than 88 percent of all firms in Switzerland are defined as family firms (Frey, Halter, Klein, and Zellweger, 2004), and numbers for Germany are similar (Klein, 2000). While more than 99 percent of all companies in Switzerland are small and medium-sized (Frey et al., 2004), the share of family firms varies with firm size; more specifically, the share of family firms decreases with increasing firm size, which is in line with findings from Germany (Klein, 2000). The social and economic impact of family firms is remarkable. In Germany for instance, family controlled firms provide 60 percent of all jobs and account for 51 percent of the total sales of the German economy (cf. www.familienunternehmen.de). Even though the interest of both academics and practitioners in family firms has been rising significantly in recent years, the existing body of knowledge in the field is still rather fragmented (Sharma, 2004; Sharma and Carney, 2012).

Historic background and annals of the Swiss and German pioneer settlers of southeastern Pennsylvania, and of their remote ancestors, from the middle of the dark ages, down to the time of the revolutionary war; an authentic history, from original sources ... with particular reference to the German-Swiss Mennonites or Anabaptists, the Amish and other nonresistant sects.

Mode of access: Internet.

Schweizerische Schauspiele des sechszehnten Jahrhunderts /

Each volume has special t.-p.

Die Praefigurationen im geistlichen Drama Deutschlands ...

Lebenslauf.

The Drama; its history, literature and influence on civilization.

Vols. 4 and 10, without edition statement have only special t.p. with imprint : London, New York, Smart and Stanley [1903]

The German theatre.

v. 1. The stranger. Rolla. Pizarre. By A. von Kotzebue.--v. 2. Don Carlos, by F. Schiller. Count Benyowsky, by A. von Kotzebue.--v. 3. Lovers' vows. Deaf and dumb. Indian exiles. False delicacy. By A. von Kotzebue.--v. 4. Otto of Wittlesbach. Dageobert. By J.M. Babo. Adelaide of Wulfingen, by A. von Kotzebue.--v. 5. The robbers, by F. Schiller. The happy family, by A. von Kotzebue. Conscience, by A.W. Iffland.--v. 6. The ensign by F.L. Schroeder. Count Koenigsmark, by C. von Reitzenstein. Stella, by J.W. von Göethe. Emilia Galotti, by G.E. Lessing.

Das Drama der klassischen Periode,

1.t. Törring. Babo. Hensler. Bretzner. 2.t., 1. abt. Gemmingen. Schroder. Iffland. 2.t., 2 abt. Kotzebue und Collin.

Der Sonnenstaat. Drama in fünf Akten.

Mode of access: Internet.

The German theatre,

Mode of access: Internet.

Das Drama vom verlornen Sohn; ein Beitrag zur Geschichte des Dramas,

Photocopy (Duopage)

The origin of the German carnival comedy,

"Presented in substance at the March, 1919, meeting of the Johns Hopkins philological association and ... afterwards published in the Journal of English and Germanic philology. [XVIII, (1919) 402-454]"

Das deutsche drama der gegenwart,

Mode of access: Internet.