Environmental conditions and isozyme polymorphism in Chenopodium album L.

Electrophoretic variations within four enzyme systems (α-esterase, acid phosphatase, malate dehydrogenase and leucine amino peptidase), were studied for various garden and field populations of Chenopodium album. A correlation was found between the degree of polymorphism for the electrophoretic traits and environmental conditions. The amount of phenotypic polymorphism is very high in gardens, intermediate in an untreated and, low in herbicide-treated fields and nil for a triazine resistant population in a maize (Zea mats L.) monoculture. Furthermore, the tetraploid versus hexaploid ratio is higher within garden populations. Higher variability in garden populations is due, in part, to a high proportion of polymorphic phenotypes, and in part to a low effect of selection pressure in such types of habitat. Although there is a difference between phenotypes of populations from acid soils and those from more basic ones, we cannot be sure that the variation of polymorphism is due only to selection.     

Embryo Production in Superovulated Goats Treated with Insulin Before or After Mating or By Continuous Propylene Glycol Supplementation

Seventeen adult and cyclic Moxoto goats were synchronized using 60 mg MPA vaginal sponge for 11 days and 50 μg cloprostenol, 48 h before sponge removal, and superovulated with 120 mg pFSH i.m. in decreasing doses at 12 h intervals for three consecutive days. In seven goats, 0.2 IU/kg BW/day of long acting insulin was subcutaneously injected at same time as pFSH, and in the other five goats, the same dose of insulin was injected for three consecutive days starting 24 h after mating. Finally, five goats were supplemented with an oral dose of 80 ml/goat/day of propylene glycol continuously during the experiment. The animals were flushed at 7 days after mating and the embryos were classified based on International Embryo Transfer Society criteria. Blood samples were collected every 3 days for insulin assay. Administration of insulin raised the insulin levels of the goats (p < 0.05), whereas in the group treated with propylene glycol, insulin rate was different only between FSH treatment and after mating (p < 0.05). Similar rates of recovery for total (80.05 ± 9.78%) or transferable structures (61.03 ± 15.13%) were obtained. Treatment was not influenced (p > 0.05) by responsiveness to superovulation, which averaged 64%. By contrast, insulin treatments were shown to increase the number of embryos considered excellent with respect to goats supplemented with propylene glycol (p < 0.05). When insulin was given before mating, a strong relationship (r = 0. 90) (p < 0.05) between number of transferable embryo and ovulations was observed in the animals. In conclusion, superovulated goats treated with low doses of exogenous insulin resulted in an enhancement in embryo quality, which was related to changes in circulating insulin concentrations.     

Effect of synchronization protocols on reproductive indices,progesterone profile and fertility under subtropical environmental conditions in repeat breeder Holstein cows

The objectives were to evaluate the reproductive indices and survival analysis of pregnancy outcomes in multiparous repeat breeder Holstein cows (n = 557). The cows were synchronized to ovulate by Ovsynch, new controlled internal drug release device (N‐CIDRsynch), and once‐used CIDR device (U‐CIDRsynch). The pregnancy per AI at 28 days post‐insemination (P/AI 28) in the N‐CIDRsynch group (28.75%) was significantly (COR = 1.49; p = 0.011) greater than that reported in the Ovsynch (23.46%) and U‐CIDRsynch (21.73%) groups. Furthermore, the pregnancy per AI at day 75 post‐insemination (P/AI 75) in the N‐CIDRsynch group was significantly greater than the Ovysync group (COR = 1.35; p = 0.050). The repeat breeder cows received a N‐CIDR device had a significantly higher progesterone level on day 2 and day 4 of CIDR insertion (1.38 and 1.67 ng/ml, respectively) than those received a U‐CIDR device or the control group (p = 0.012 and 0.001, respectively). The Cox regression model recorded significant associations for synchronization protocols, THI at the TAI and season of calving with the hazard of P/AI 28 and P/AI 75 (p = 0.044 and 0.046; 0.001 and 0.005; 0.003 and 0.001, respectively). Multiparous repeat breeder cows (>3) had a lower hazard ratio (HR) of P/AI 28 than that reported in the reference (2nd parity) group (HR = 0.74, p = 0.050). The repeat breeder cows inseminated at 76–80 and >80 temperature‐humidity index (THI) had significantly lower HR of P/AI 28 than those inseminated at the baseline (<70) THI value (HR = 0.73 and 0.30, p = 0.036 and 0.001, respectively). The current results indicate that the use of N‐CIDR synch protocol may achieve satisfactory pregnancy outcomes in repeat breeder cows.     

从肿头综合征鸡分离出产Vero毒素E.coli

本研究从哈尔滨郊区某鸡场肿头综合征（ Ｓ Ｈ Ｓ）鸡分离出 ３ 株血清型为 Ｏ７８ 的埃希氏大肠杆菌（ Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉ）,从鞍山 Ｓ Ｈ Ｓ病料分离出 １ 株血清型为 Ｏ８ 的 Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉ。并证实这 ４ 株 Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉ 能够对 Ｖｅｒｏ 细胞产生毒性作用,与产 Ｖｅｒｏ 毒素的 Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉ一致。对哈尔滨市郊 Ｓ Ｈ Ｓ病鸡做病理组织学观察,主要变化为头部皮下组织,头盖骨气室及鼻粘膜下纤维素性化脓性炎症,水肿和大肠杆菌性肉芽肿,心、肝、肾等器官炎症变化并有大量异嗜性粒细胞和细菌团块。     

Immunohistochemical Expression of Cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) in Feline Endometrial Adenocarcinoma and in Normal and Hyperplastic Endometria

Cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) is overexpressed in several human and animal neoplasms, including the human endometrial carcinoma. It has been suggested as a prognostic marker and a potential therapeutic target. This study aimed to (i) clarify histological aspects of feline endometrial adenocarcinomas (FEA) of the papillary serous type and (ii) characterize COX‐2 immunohistochemical expression in normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic endometrium in this species. Archived paraffin‐embedded tissue samples of 33 FEA, eight cystic endometrial hyperplasias (CEHs) and 21 samples of normal, healthy endometrium in the follicular (FS; n = 10) and luteal (LS; n = 11) stages were evaluated. Histological evaluation of haematoxylin and eosin‐stained sections of the FEA revealed a papillary proliferation of neoplastic cells of serous type, accompanied by clear and multinucleated cells. Other architectural arrangements mainly included solid and tubular growth. Randomly distributed areas of necrosis within the tumours were commonly observed. Invasion of the myometrium, of the serosa and of the vascular and/or lymphatic vessels was not constant features. The mean number of mitoses was higher in FEA compared to non‐neoplastic endometrium. COX‐2 scores were lower in FEA (p = 0.003) and CEH (p = 0.05) when compared to normal epithelium (NE). The loss of the membrane apical reinforcement in epithelial cells was observed in FEA samples, which was accompanied by the dislocation of COX‐2 labelling into the cytoplasm and the perinuclear area; in contrast, in epithelial cells in the healthy and hyperplastic endometria, the immunoreaction showed the characteristic pattern of apical membrane reinforcement, suggestive of the membrane polarization. COX‐2 epithelial scores were higher in the FS than in the LS. No differences were found in stromal COX‐2 expression between normal, CEH and FEA groups, but it was higher in the LS than in the FS. In summary, loss of COX‐2 compartmentalization in neoplastic epithelial cells might be one of the molecular events underlying endometrial carcinogenesis.     

Semaphorin 3E and plexin-D1 control vascular pattern independently of neuropilins

The development of a patterned vasculature is essential for normal organogenesis. We found that signaling by semaphorin 3E (Sema3E) and its receptor plexin-D1 controls endothelial cell positioning and the patterning of the developing vasculature in the mouse. Sema3E is highly expressed in developing somites, where it acts as a repulsive cue for plexin-D1-expressing endothelial cells of adjacent intersomitic vessels. Sema3E-plexin-D1 signaling did not require neuropilins, which were previously presumed to be obligate Sema3 coreceptors. Moreover, genetic ablation of Sema3E or plexin-D1 but not neuropilin-mediated Sema3 signaling disrupted vascular patterning. These findings reveal an unexpected semaphorin signaling pathway and define a mechanism for controlling vascular patterning.