Testosterone Influences Water Transport in Porcine Granulosa Cells

The development of antral ovarian follicles entails fluid accumulation, but the mechanisms regulating water flux are unknown. Aquaporins are small, integral membrane proteins facilitating passive movement of water, some of which are known to be regulated by steroid hormones. The aim of this study was to determine whether testosterone (T) influences water transport in porcine granulosa cells. To assess water movement, the swelling of granulosa cells when moved from isotonic (319 mOsm) to hypotonic (95 mOsm) medium was measured after 12‐hour pre‐incubation in the presence of either testosterone (T), the antiandrogen 2‐hydroxyflutamide (HF) or HF and T together. Pre‐incubation with T increased the swelling of granulosa cells (p < 0.01) and this was abolished by HF (p < 0.001). Neither T nor HF affected cells in isotonic medium (319 mOsm). The results indicate that T acting via intracellular androgen receptors increases water permeability of porcine granulosa cells, probably through the regulation of aquaporin activity.     

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in the cat: 18 cases (2000–2010)

There is little information regarding the presentation, biologic behaviour, treatment and prognosis in cats with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), and further investigation is needed to characterize this disease in cats. The goal of this study was to describe the clinical presentation, response to treatment and prognosis of feline CLL. A multi‐institutional retrospective study of 18 cats diagnosed with CLL between 2000 and 2010 was performed. CLL was defined as the presence of a mature lymphocytosis (> 9000 lymphocytes µL^?1) and confirmation of an immunophenotypically monomorphic or clonal lymphoid population. Each patient was required to also have at least one of the two following criteria: (1) concurrent cytopenia of at least one cell line and/or (2) >15% mature lymphocytes in the bone marrow. Data on signalment, history, clinical signs, clinicopathologic features and response to treatment were reviewed. Median age of the cats at initial presentation was 12.5 years (range: 5–20 years). The most common presenting complaint was chronic weight loss, which was present in 8/18 (44%) cats. Sixteen of 18 (89%) cats were treated with chlorambucil and prednisolone; four of these cats also received vincristine. Two (11%) cats were treated with multi‐agent injectable chemotherapy (L‐CHOP, l ‐asparaginase, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone). Eighty‐eight percent of cats evaluable for response achieved a complete (nine cats) or partial (six cats) remission. Median overall remission was 15.7 months (range: 1.3–22.8 months). The median overall survival in the 17 cats with follow‐up data was 14.4 months (range: 0.9–25.3 months). Results of this study suggest that CLL affects older‐aged cats and responds favourably to treatment with oral chlorambucil and prednisolone.     

Variability of historical forest structure and fire across ponderosa pine landscapes of the Coconino Plateau and south rim of Grand Canyon National Park,Arizona, USA

Landscape Ecology - We undertook reconstructions of historical ponderosa pine forest structure and fire regimes across an entire landscape to expand understanding of spatial variability in forest...     

The Effect of Summer Nitrogen Applications on The Quality of Apple Blossom

A summer application of nitrogen was used to induce the production of “ strong ” flowers for comparison with the " normal ” flowers produced on trees of Worcester Pearmain given only a spring application of nitrogen.

The flowers were given various pollination treatments to provide material for an assessment of flower quality. These included the following : auto and alio self-pollination and cross-pollination with diploid apple or pear at anthesis, cross-pollinations and self-pollinations at additional daily intervals subsequent to anthesis.

The stigmas of strong flowers remained receptive for a longer period than those of normal flowers.

After cross-pollination with a diploid apple, fertilization took place in 6-7 days. After self-pollination a typical incompatibility reaction was apparent. Pear pollen tubes showed an intermediate response.

Egg sacs in strong flowers continued to enlarge after those of corresponding normal flowers had ceased to grow. The fertilized ovules and embryo sacs of strong flowers showed a more rapid acceleration in growth rate than those of normal flowers.

Cell division in unfertilized ovules also continued for a longer period in strong flowers and appeared to be correlated with the behaviour of the egg sac.

Ovule longevity provided the most striking difference between the two flower types. The ovules of strong flowers remained capable of fertilization for almost twice as long as those of normal flowers.

Abnormalities of several types were seen in ovules. The most common was the production of secondary egg sacs, a feature of strong flowers which had been self-pollinated. Three types of secondary sac, micropylar, lateral and chalazal are described and illustrated.

The effects of rate of pollen tube growth, ovule longevity and the period of stigma receptivity in limiting the effective pollination period, are discussed. It is suggested that some variations in fruit set may be due to differences in flower quality. The use of summer or early autumn nitrogen is advocated as a method of improving blossom quality in certain varieties.     

The effect of paclobutrazol injected into the soil on vegetative growth and yield of Vitis vinifera L., cv. Thompson Seedless

Summary

Grapevines, cv. Thompson Seedless were treated with the plant growth regulator paclobutrazol in the spring of 1984. The treatments consisted of four soil application rates (including a zero control) of paclobutrazol on two phenological dates (budbreak and bloom). Vegetative growth, as measured by pruning weight, vine yield and fruit maturity characteristics, were determined in 1984 and in the next three growing seasons. There was no significant difference in vine yield between treatments at harvest in 1984; however, the fruit of vines receiving paclobutrazol at budbreak had accumulated less sugar at that time. Paclobutrazol application significantly (P < 0.01 ) reduced pruning weights in 1984 for all vines receiving paclobutrazol. Only the highest rate of paclobutrazol significantly reduced pruning weights in 1985. The number of clusters per vine and yield were significantly less for the treated vines than for the control ones in 1985 and 1986. Pruning weights in 1986 and yield in 1987 showed no significant differences between treatments. The results indicate that a single soil application of paclobutrazol was effective in reducing vegetative growth of Thompson Seedless grapevines for a period of two years if the rate of application was greater than 1.1 kg a. i. ha^-1. However, the adverse effect of this growth regulator on vine yield indicate that it would be of little practical use when applied via the soil to this seedless cultivar.     

Microbiotic Crust Influence on Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivity

Microbiotic crusts occur extensively in rangeland soils . Developed by filaments of cyanobacteria and algae , and thalli of lichen and moss entanglement of soil particles , they create a physical discontinuity in the surface profile with greater concen trations of clay , silt , and potentially hydrophobic organic matter. These conditions potentially contribute to variability in soil hydrology of arid land and should be considered in the development of hydrologic and erosion models. However, there is limited manipulative research examining the functional relationships between soil and microbiotic crusts . We investigated the influence of cyanobacterial-dominated microbiotic crust on measured hydraulic conductivity (K) in a sandy loam soil at a southeastern Utah site . Using a tension infiltrometer , we determined K under three surface treatments: undisturbed , chemically killed (representing dead microphytes within the crust), and removed (scalped) microbiotic crusts. We applied treatments to spatially interspersed intact surface soils within shrub interspaces . Microbiotic crusts at this site and in this stage of successional development had no discernible influence on K. This finding supports results from research conducted in a variety of soils from sandy to silt dominated with a range of microbiotic development . Because this research was site and time specific , and because the role of microbiotic crusts in the environment continues to be debated , additional research is warranted to deter mine how stage of development of microbiotic crust influences soil hydrology .     

Effect of processing on recovery and variability associated with immunochemical analytical methods for multiple allergens in a single matrix: dark chocolate

Immunodetection of allergens in dark chocolate is complicated by interference from the chocolate components. The objectives of this study were to establish reference materials for detecting multiple allergens in dark chocolate and to determine the accuracy and precision of allergen detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and after chocolate processing. Defatted peanut flour, whole egg powder, and spray-dried milk were added to melted chocolate at seven incurred levels and tempered for 4 h. Allergen concentrations were measured using commercial ELISA kits. Tempering decreased the detection of casein and β-lactoglobulin (BLG), but had no significant effect on the detection of peanut and egg. Total coefficients of variation were higher in tempered than untempered chocolate for casein and BLG, but total and analytical CVs were comparable for peanut and egg. These findings indicate that processing has a greater effect on recovery and variability of casein and BLG than peanut and egg detection in a dark chocolate matrix.     

Effect of processing on recovery and variability associated with immunochemical analytical methods for multiple allergens in a single matrix: sugar cookies

Among the major food allergies, peanut, egg, and milk are the most common. The immunochemical detection of food allergens depends on various factors, such as the food matrix and processing method, which can affect allergen conformation and extractability. This study aimed to (1) develop matrix-specific incurred reference materials for allergen testing, (2) determine whether multiple allergens in the same model food can be simultaneously detected, and (3) establish the effect of processing on reference material stability and allergen detection. Defatted peanut flour, whole egg powder, and spray-dried milk were added to cookie dough at seven incurred levels before baking. Allergens were measured using five commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. All kits showed decreased recovery of all allergens after baking. Analytical coefficients of variation for most kits increased with baking time, but decreased with incurred allergen level. Thus, food processing negatively affects the recovery and variability of peanut, egg, and milk detection in a sugar cookie matrix when using immunochemical methods.