Association of Fertility with Numbers of Antral Follicles within a Follicular Wave During the Oestrous Cycle in Beef Cattle

The association between conception rate at first service and numbers of follicles developed during a follicular wave was examined in 102 suckled beef cows and 14 heifers. Follicular development was monitored using ultrasonography for either two (trial 1) or three (trial 2) consecutive oestrous cycles (pre-breeding, breeding and post-breeding equivalent). Animals were examined on alternate days from day 6 after first oestrus (day 0) until ovulation and from day 6 after insemination until next ovulation or day 24 of pregnancy and were observed for oestrus twice daily and inseminated artificially at either the second (trial 1) or third oestrus (trial 2). Cows were classified as having two or three waves of follicular development for each oestrous cycle. Numbers of follicles >or=4 mm per wave were determined, and based on the maximum diameter they attained, were classified as small (4-6 mm), medium (7-10 mm) or large (>or=11 mm) follicles. Total numbers of follicles, and primarily numbers of small and medium follicles, were affected by trial and within trial by cow, oestrous cycle and follicular wave. Heifers had more small and total numbers of follicles, but fewer large follicles than cows in trial 1 (p < 0.05). The average number of antral follicles per wave in the breeding cycle or post-breeding period did not affect conception rates, which averaged 84%. Repeatability of the total numbers of antral follicles between and among oestrous cycles and follicular waves ranged from 0.01 to 0.97. In conclusion, fertility was not affected by the numbers of antral follicles >or=4 mm in diameter in a single follicular wave.     

Pasteurella multocida septicaemia in fallow deer (Dama dama)

Thirteen of 100 fallow deer, aged between 6 months and 10 years, died over a 5 week period. The deaths occurred in 2 outbreaks 3 weeks apart. Both outbreaks were preceded by at least 3 days of cold wet and windy weather, and were associated with water-logged pastures. Affected animals were usually found dead, with a frothy blood-stained nasal discharge. In the 8 deer necropsied, gross lesions included widespread subserosal petechial haemorrhages, severe pulmonary congestion and oedema with froth-filled airways, and fibrinous pneumonia and pleurisy in 4 deer. Two deer, also, had extensive subcutaneous petechial and ecchymotic haemorrhages and oedema of skeletal musculature. Histologically, the most significant lesions were present in the lungs. Moderate to severe pulmonary congestion and oedema, with fibrinous exudation into alveoli and septal oedema, were present in all deer. In some deer these changes were accompanied by a diffuse infiltration with polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Pasteurella multocida was isolated from a range of tissues from 7 of 8 deer examined. The remaining animal had been treated with antibiotics 8 hours before death. The isolates had identical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis patterns and were of the same antigenic type-Carter group A, Heddleston type 3,4.     

The Effects of Isoflavones on Androgens and Glucocorticoids During Puberty on Male Wistar Rats

Isoflavones are the most common phytoestrogens found in human diets. However, it is still not clear whether isoflavones have effects on the reproductive and the endocrine systems under normal dietary intake and overdose. The aim of this study was to determine how the most important isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, affect androgen and glucorticoid levels on male prepuberal rats. A hundred and seventy‐five 30‐day‐old male Wistar rats were dosed orally by stomach tube every day for 35 days, with saline solution, low and high doses of genistein, daidzein and a mixture of both. Serum samples were analysed by an enzyme immunoassay for hormone determinations. In control group, there was a peak of testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone levels associated to the onset of puberty, at the third week. However, in low‐dose groups, the same peak was found at the fourth week (p < 0.05), indicating a delay in the onset of puberty in these groups. Moreover, high doses groups serum androgen levels were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than the control group from the first week until fifth week. This fact was supported by a epididymal histological analysis that indicate in low doses there were several content of spermatozoa at fourth week and in high doses there were few content of spermatozoa. Besides, corticosterone levels followed the same pattern of androgens in all groups. We can conclude that oral administration of isoflavones in male rats decreased the secretion of androgens and glucocorticoids causing a delay in the onset of puberty and may cause physiological and developmental problems.     

A "Schrodinger Cat" Superposition State of an Atom

A "Schrodinger cat"-like state of matter was generated at the single atom level. A trapped 9Be+ ion was laser-cooled to the zero-point energy and then prepared in a superposition of spatially separated coherent harmonic oscillator states. This state was created by application of a sequence of laser pulses, which entangles internal (electronic) and external (motional) states of the ion. The Schrodinger cat superposition was verified by detection of the quantum mechanical interference between the localized wave packets. This mesoscopic system may provide insight into the fuzzy boundary between the classical and quantum worlds by allowing controlled studies of quantum measurement and quantum decoherence.     

The Current State of Solar Modeling

Data from the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) project and other helioseismic experiments provide a test for models of stellar interiors and for the thermodynamic and radiative properties, on which the models depend, of matter under the extreme conditions found in the sun. Current models are in agreement with the helioseismic inferences, which suggests, for example, that the disagreement between the predicted and observed fluxes of neutrinos from the sun is not caused by errors in the models. However, the GONG data reveal subtle errors in the models, such as an excess in sound speed just beneath the convection zone. These discrepancies indicate effects that have so far not been correctly accounted for; for example, it is plausible that the sound-speed differences reflect weak mixing in stellar interiors, of potential importance to the overall evolution of stars and ultimately to estimates of the age of the galaxy based on stellar evolution calculations.     

Detection and Characterization of the Cumulene Carbenes H2C5 and H2C6

Two cumulene carbenes, H2C5 and H2C6, were detected in a supersonic molecular beam by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. Their rotational and leading centrifugal distortion constants were determined with high accuracy, such that the entire radio spectrum can now be calculated. Like the known carbenes H2C3 and H2C4, both molecules have singlet electronic ground states and linear carbon-chain backbones. They can be produced in sufficiently high concentrations in the laboratory that their electronic spectra, expected to lie in the visible, should be readily detectable by laser spectroscopy. The microwave spectra of other, more exotic isomers may be detectable as well.     

Selected blood chemistry values in mobility-impaired broiler breeder hens with suspected calcium tetany using the i-STAT handheld clinical analyzer

Calcium tetany is a poorly defined disease of broiler breeder hens that results from acute hypocalcemia. It is characterized by impaired mobility, increased mortality, and absence of gross lesions that would explain the impaired mobility. To evaluate if hens with impaired mobility had calcium tetany or other abnormalities, blood values from normal and affected hens were determined using the i-STAT handheld clinical analyzer. Three flocks were evaluated weekly prior to peak production (range 25-30 wk of age) comparing normal hens to hens with clinically apparent calcium tetany. Calcium tetany suspect (CaTS) hens from four additional flocks were also evaluated. Significant hypocalcemia (P < 0.001) was observed in CaTS hens (average = 1.14 mmol/L ionized calcium [iCa]) compared to normal hens (average = 1.53 mmol/L iCa) in only one of three flocks sampled weekly. Clinically affected hens from one of the other four flocks also had hypocalcemia. Blood value abnormalities in mobility-impaired hens without hypocalcemia included hypernatremia. Findings in this study indicate calcium tetany is one cause of impaired mobility in breeder hens, but mobility impairment without hypocalcemia can also occur. Calcium tetany should be confirmed by finding significantly decreased levels of iCa in the blood, as diagnosis based on clinical presentation and necropsy results can be inaccurate. The i-STAT handheld clinical analyzer is an efficient, relatively low-cost method to determine iCa and other blood chemistry values that may be associated with impaired mobility in broiler breeder hens.