Developmental changes in structure and polypeptide profile of the androgenic gland of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Although the mechanism of sex-differentiation in crustaceans has yet to be defined, the androgenic gland (AG) is thought to be the exclusive organ that produces the androgenic hormone (AH) which induces male sexual development. This paper presents results of light and transmission electron microscopy and total protein analysis of androgenic glands from three male morphotypes (orange-claw, orange-blue-claw and blue-claw) of the freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Highest protein content (76 µg//AG) was found in the blue-claw morphotype as compared to the orange-blue-claw (45 µg/AG) and the orange-claw morphotype (19 µg/AG). Sodiumdodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-page) analysis of the cell free extract of the AG from the three morphotypes revealed four polypeptides (16, 18, 23 and 26 Kd) which quantitatively increase from the sexually immature orange-claw to the sexually mature blue-claw morphotype. The 16 and 18 Kd polypeptides could be the AHs.     

Low compliance with recommendations on folic acid use in relation to pregnancy: is there a need for fortification?

OBJECTIVE: As a means to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs), women planning pregnancy in Denmark are recommended to take a dietary supplement of 400 microg folic acid daily during the periconceptional period. We examined compliance with this recommendation in a national survey. DESIGN: Cohort study on pregnant women in Denmark. SETTING: The Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC). SUBJECTS: From November 2000 to February 2002, 22,000 pregnant women were recruited for DNBC. Use of dietary supplements was recorded at enrollment. Compliance with the recommendation was related to an information campaign that took place during the second half of 2001, and to lifestyle factors provided in a telephone interview by the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. RESULTS: An increase was seen in the proportion of women complying with the recommendation in the study period and this coincided with the information campaign events. However, even at the end of the period, only 22.3% of the women who had planned their pregnancy fully complied with the recommendation. No increase at all was seen in periconceptional folic acid use among women with unplanned pregnancies. Young age, low education and smoking were identified as factors that determined non-compliance. CONCLUSIONS: Alternative and more effective strategies are needed if the Danish population is to benefit fully from the knowledge that folic acid prevents NTDs. Future strategies should not only target vulnerable groups, such as the less educated and the young, but also women who get pregnant without planning this. The only possible way to reach the last group may be through fortification of foods with folic acid.     

Antioxidant properties of carnosine re-evaluated in a ferrylmyoglobin model system and in cooked pork patties

The antioxidative effect of purified carnosine (i.e., separated from the common contaminant hydrazine) has been evaluated in two systems: (i) Carnosine was found to possess poor reducing properties toward the prooxidant ferrylmyoglobin; at pH approximately 5 the presence of carnosine did not increase the rate of reduction of MbFe(IV)=O compared to autoreduction, whereas at pH 7.4 the rate constant for reduction by carnosine was 0.010 +/- 0.002 M(-1).s(-1) (I = 0.16; 25.0 degrees C). (ii) In cooked pork patties prepared from meat (longissimus dorsi and masseter) with purified or nonpurified carnosine added, the effect of purified carnosine was insignificant when compared to control patties, whereas patties with carnosine contaminated with hydrazine had a lower oxidation level than patties with purified carnosine. Carnosine is concluded not to deactivate the prooxidant ferrylmyoglobin and not to have any antioxidative effect in cooked pork.     

Genetic variability in wild populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus divaricata</Emphasis> Ledeb. in northern Iran evaluated by EST-SSR and genomic SSR marker analysis

A population genetic analysis based on eight genomic SSR markers and three EST-SSR (expressed sequence tags) markers developed in peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) and Japanese plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) was carried out in 12 wild populations of cherry plum (Prunus divaricata Ledeb.) sampled along the Iranian coast of the Caspian Sea. A total of 184 alleles (3–31 per locus) were detected with a mean value of 16.7 alleles per locus. None of the loci or populations showed deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, and all markers proved to be unlinked. The mean values for the observed and the expected heterozygosity were 0.66 and 0.73, respectively. There was very little genetic differentiation among populations, as was indicated by low overall values of Wright’s F_ST (0.03) and Nei’s G_ST (0.08). An analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that 96.8% of the total variance was attributable to differences between individuals within populations. Genetic and geographic distances were nevertheless positively correlated, as evidenced by a Mantel test. The high level of genetic diversity and the apparent lack of genetic structure in wild P. divaricata may be attributed to frequent long distance gene flow through frugivorous birds and possibly humans, as has been documented for other Prunus species.     

Evaluation Of An Additive Solution For Preservation Of Canine Red Blood Cells

The effect of an additive preservative solution on canine red blood cell posttransfusion viability (PTV) and on selected canine red blood cell biochemical parameters was studied. One unit (450 mL) of blood was collected from 6 clinically normal dogs into the anticoagulant citrate phosphate dextrose, centrifuged, and the plasma removed. The red blood cells were then suspended in 100 mL of a saline, adenine, dextrose, and mannitol solution and stored at 4°C. Aliquots were removed for study at 1, 10, 20, 30, 37, and 44 days. The 24-hour PTV of autologous red blood cells was determined using a sodium chromate (⁶¹Cr) label. Red blood cell concentrations of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG), adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP), and pH were also determined. Canine red blood cell PTV, pH, ATP, and 2,3-DPG concentrations decreased during storage ( P < .05). The PTV decreased from 94% using day 1 red blood cells to 80% and 75% using day 37 and day 44 red blood cells, respectively ( P < .05). Although the mean PTV of the day 44 stored units equaled the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) minimum standard for human red blood cells, the PTV was substandard in 75% of the day 44 units. The FDA standard was exceeded in 83% of the day 37 units. It was concluded that 37-day-old canine red blood cells preserved with a saline, adenine, dextrose, and mannitol solution are of acceptable quality for transfusion.     

Orosomucoid expression profiles in liver,adipose tissues and serum of lean and obese domestic pigs,Göttingen minipigs and Ossabaw minipigs

The acute phase protein orosomucoid (ORM) has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, and may play an important role in the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis in obesity-induced low-grade inflammation. Even though the pig is a widely used model for obesity related metabolic symptoms, the expression of ORM has not yet been characterized in such pig models. The objective of this study was to investigate the expression of ORM1 mRNA in liver, visceral adipose tissue, subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) from the abdomen or retroperitoneal abdominal adipose tissue (RPAT) and SAT from the neck, as well as the serum concentration of ORM protein in three porcine obesity models; the domestic pig, Göttingen minipigs and Ossabaw minipigs.No changes in ORM1 mRNA expression were observed in obese pigs compared to lean pigs in the four types of tissues. However, obese Ossabaw minipigs, but none of the other breeds, showed significantly elevated ORM serum concentrations compared to their lean counterparts. Studies in humans have shown that the expression of ORM was unchanged in adipose tissue depots in obese humans with an increased serum concentration of ORM. Thus in this respect, obese Ossabaw minipigs behave more similarly to obese humans than the other two pig breeds investigated.     

Comparison of parasite-specific immunoglobulin levels in two chicken lines during sustained infection with Ascaridia galli

Increasingly large numbers of poultry are held in production systems with access to outdoor areas. In these systems intestinal helminths are found with flock prevalences of up to 100%. Helminth infections influence chicken health negatively, which is why the following investigation has been performed.In the present experiment, 20 chickens of two inbred chicken lines containing the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotypes, B14 and R5, were inoculated with 500 embryonated Ascaridia galli eggs. The A. galli-specific IgG titres of serum samples and the excretion of A. galli eggs in chicken faeces were measured for a period of 81 weeks.The level of excreted A. galli eggs measured as eggs per gram chicken faeces (EPG) varied greatly between chickens in each line. Significant differences were found between the two lines and with the R5 chickens reaching the highest levels. Likewise, the A. galli-specific IgG titres in serum differed significantly between the two lines, and an inverse relationship between infection level (EPG) and antibody titres was found. Although this inverse relationship suggests that humoral immunity may be involved in protection against A. galli infection, the high antibody titres did not prevent continued infection.     

Screening Mangrove Endophytic Fungi for Antimalarial Natural Products

We conducted a screening campaign to investigate fungi as a source for new antimalarial compounds. A subset of our fungal collection comprising Chinese mangrove endophytes provided over 5000 lipophilic extracts. We developed an accelerated discovery program based on small-scale cultivation for crude extract screening and a high-throughput malaria assay. Criteria for hits were developed and high priority hits were subjected to scale-up cultivation. Extracts from large scale cultivation were fractionated and these fractions subjected to both in vitro malaria and cytotoxicity screening. Criteria for advancing fractions to purification were developed, including the introduction of a selectivity index and by dereplication of known metabolites. From the Chinese mangrove endophytes, four new compounds (14–16, 18) were isolated including a new dimeric tetrahydroxanthone, dicerandrol D (14), which was found to display the most favorable bioactivity profile.