Use of progesterone in microspheres for maintenance of pregnancy in mares.

Administration of progesterone in poly(d-,l-lactide) microspheres was used to maintain pregnancy in mares after luteolysis was induced by treatment with prostaglandin F2 alpha at day 14 of pregnancy. Mares were given vehicle only (control, n = 6) or 0.75 g (n = 7), 1.5 g (n = 8), or 2.25 g (n = 5) of microencapsulated progesterone at days 12 and 22 of pregnancy. Serum progesterone concentrations were determined daily, and pregnancy was evaluated by transrectal ultrasonography on alternate days. Significantly (P less than 0.05) more mares given 1.5 or 2.25 g of progesterone (6 of 8 and 4 of 5 mares, respectively), but not those given 0.75 g (3 of 7 mares), maintained pregnancy through day 32, compared with control mares (0 of 6). Progesterone concentrations decreased significantly (P less than 0.025) in all groups after administration of prostaglandin F2 alpha at day 14, and significant (P less than 0.05) effects of time and treatment on progesterone concentrations were found between days 12 and 22, and 22 and 32. Although treatment with 1.5-g and 2.25-g doses of microencapsulated progesterone improved maintenance of pregnancy, compared with that of vehicle-treated controls, administration of 2.25 g of microencapsulated progesterone appeared to be most efficacious in maintenance of pregnancy during the study interval.     

Ovarian follicular characteristics, embryo recovery, and embryo viability in heifers fed high-fat diets and treated with follicle-stimulating hormone.

Postpubertal beef heifers (n = 55) were used to examine the effects of high-fat diets, independently of energy intake, on nonesterified fatty acid and lipoprotein metabolic patterns, ovarian follicular dynamics, and embryo recovery/viability after FSH superstimulation. High-lipid (HL) diets (5.4% added fat) increased (P < .01) serum concentrations of cholesterol, but not of nonesterified fatty acids, during the 35-d period before FSH treatment. Development of medium-sized (5 to 9.9 mm) follicles was enhanced (P < .05) during this period in heifers fed the HL diet. The HL diet increased total cholesterol (P < .05) and progesterone (P = .14) concentrations in follicular fluid obtained at ovariectomy (n = 10) 60 h after the onset of FSH treatment, but neither estradiol-17 beta nor androstenedione was affected. Granulosa cells recovered from FSH-induced, estrogen-active follicles in heifers fed the HL diet produced greater quantities of progesterone (P = .06) and less estradiol-17 beta (P < .05) in vitro than did granulosa cells from heifers fed the normal lipid diet. Dietary treatment did not influence FSH-stimulated recruitment of medium and large follicles, number of ovulations, embryo recovery, or embryo viability. Data suggest that increments in dietary fat intake can alter specific aspects of ovarian steroidogenic potential and can increase the population of medium-sized follicles theoretically available for maturation and harvest during the estrous cycle. However, conditions that limited the latter process in the current experiment are not understood and require further investigation.     

Kinetics of hydration and effect of liquid uptake on specific gravity of small hay and silage particles.

Kinetics of hydration of ground hay and silage particles (2-mm screen), determined by a pycnometric technique, was best described by a two- and one-pool exponential model, respectively. Fractional rates of hydration of the large pool, detected in hay particles only, and of the small pool present in both hay and silage particles averaged .135 and .021 min-1, respectively. When hydration was complete, liquid associated with particles averaged 1.16, 1.90, and .83 g/g of insoluble DM for bromegrass hay, alfalfa hay, and alfalfa silage, respectively. Functional specific gravity, which accounts for the effect of associated gas volume, averaged 1.54, 1.46, and 1.54, but unit specific gravity, calculated to include the effect of gases and liquid of hydration, averaged 1.22, 1.14, and 1.26 for bromegrass hay, alfalfa hay, and alfalfa silage, respectively. Preservation of forage as silage not only lowered gas volume, but also reduced water-holding capacity, both of which contribute to greater unit specific gravity and faster rate of escape from the rumen. In addition, estimates of unit specific gravity of approximately 1.2 indicate that even in the absence of associated gas, hydrated forage particles would tend to escape the rumen at a slower rate than that achieved by more dense particles.     

Function of neutrophils and chemoattractant properties of fetal placental tissue during the last month of pregnancy in cows.

Neutrophils were isolated from the blood of pregnant cows on days 255, 265, and 275 of pregnancy, and on the day of parturition (n = 5/group), and in addition, simultaneously from 4 ovariectomized healthy cows (control animals). Neutrophils were subjected to neutrophil function assays (chemotaxis against zymosan-activated serum, random migration, ingestion of 125I-iododeoxyuridine [IdUR]-labeled Staphylococcus aureus, iodination of proteins, cytochrome C reduction, antibody-independent and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity). Results were expressed as percentage of control animals. Fetal placental tissue (cotyledon), uterine wall tissue, and skeletal muscle were obtained from the principal animals on the aforementioned days via laparotomy, and tissue suspensions were prepared. Chemotaxis of neutrophils was tested against tissue supernatants. Compared with day 255, there was an increase in ingestion of 125I-IdUR-S aureus at parturition, whereas iodination of proteins and cytochrome C reduction were reduced on the day of calving. The other neutrophil functions tested did not change over time of gestation. Fetal placental and uterine wall tissue attracted neutrophils with uterine wall tissue having a tendency to be more potent than cotyledonary tissue. Skeletal muscle tissue did not attract neutrophils. There was no change in chemotaxis response of neutrophils evoked by intrauterine and uterine tissues over time of gestation. It was concluded that at parturition, neutrophil function is impaired with respect to their bactericidal effects, which may render the animal more susceptible to bacterial infections, and that the chemoattractant properties of fetal placental and uterine wall tissues are tissue-specific, at least when compared with skeletal muscle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Hypokalaemic episodic polymyopathy in cats fed a vegetarian diet

A previously undocumented hypokalaemic condition with a cyclical nature, comprising acute bouts of polymyopathy followed by spontaneous recoveries, is described in the cat. Cats being fed a high protein vegetarian diet developed recurrent episodes of polymyopathy, characterised by ventroflexion of the head and neck, stiff forelimb gait, lateral head-resting and generalised muscle weakness. Plasma potassium concentrations (mean +/- standard deviation) were reduced from 3.28 +/- 0.33 mmol/l at the beginning of the experiment to 2.45 +/- 0.24 mmol/l during bouts of myopathy. This hypokalaemia was associated with increased creatine kinase activities indicative of muscle damage, and decreased urinary potassium concentrations, and was caused by insufficient dietary potassium. Cats that received the same diet supplemented with potassium did not develop hypokalaemic polymyopathy. Spontaneous recoveries of affected cats were not associated consistently with increases in plasma potassium concentrations. Plasma taurine concentrations decreased and glutamic acid increased markedly in all cats fed the experimental diet. There was no evidence of thiamin deficiency associated with the high glutamic acid intake. Veterinarians should be aware that hypokalaemic cats, and in particular those on potassium-deficient diets, may show cyclical disease with episodes of polymyopathy recurring after periods of spontaneous clinical recovery. This condition in cats may be a useful animal model for familial hypokalaemic periodic paralysis in humans.     

A context for recruitment correlations: why marine fisheries biologists should still look for them

In many cases when ecologists want to investigate a process, they often look for the best system on which to conduct the research, "best" meaning that the possibility of discovering mechanisms is optimized or made easier in some way. In fisheries we do it backwards. The species and system are given to us by economics, and we then fly in the face of the difficult circumstances to find mechanisms that are elusive anyway. These difficult circumstances constitute in some sense the first set of statistical problems. Using examples from the Northeast Pacific, I review the characteristics of cohort time series that make some species more tractable; propose a conscious process of conceptualization to assist in the formulation of clear, germane hypotheses; highlight the contrast between modeling in the sense of statistical fitting versus simulation models of processes; explore how the first round of models integrates with the second round of planning for new data collection at sea and in the lab; and, finally, propose how to judge success in terms of an operational approach.     

Use of netting and whitewash spray to protect papaya plants against Nivun Haamir (NH)-dieback disease

A disease causing the decline of papaya (Carica papaya) plants was noticed in the Jordan Valley in 1982. The disease caused severe yellowing of the upper leaves and dieback of the apex. The disease was not transmissible mechanically and continued efforts to associate viruses and viroids have so far been unsuccessful. Epidemiological observations suggested that the disease is airborne and probably caused by a mollicute. In order to test this hypothesis, plots were covered by an insect-proof net and with white nets providing 15, 30 and 50% shade. The 30%, 50% and insect-proof nettings provided complete protection, and the 15% netting reduced disease incidence to <2%, compared with>37% in the uncovered control plot. Spraying plants at weekly intervals with a commercial whitewash solution was also found to be effective in reducing disease incidence. The advantages of using a range of netting field treatments as a simple means for obtaining information on the epidemiological nature of a new disease are described.     

Duck lymphocytes. VI. Requirement for phagocytic and adherent cells in lymphocyte transformation.

Preparations of duck (Anas platyrhynchos) spleen and blood lymphocytes depleted of cells capable of phagocytosing carbonyl iron gave lower transformation responses to the mitogens phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), Bandeiraea simplicifolia seed lectin (BSS), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), lentil lectin (LL) and phorbol ester (PMA) than intact cell preparations. When cell populations were fractionated on the basis of their adherence to plastic, it was found that the adherent cells were responsive to PHA, Con A, BSS, WGA and PMA, while the non-adherent cells responded to LL. These observations confirm the expected requirement for phagocytic accessory cells in the induction of in vitro mitogen-driven duck lymphocyte responses. The responses of plastic-adherent populations of cells to most mitogens are believed to reflect the generally close physical relationship between the adherent accessory cells and the lymphocytes, although it remains possible that duck monocytes respond to some of the mitogens employed. The data also suggest that LL stimulates a population of cells different to those responding to other mitogens.     

Immunocytochemical Study of the Ultimobranchial Tubule in Wistar Rats

A systematic immunohistochemical study of the ultimobranchial tubule (UBT) has been carried out in 45 Wistar rats of different ages (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 60 and 120 days). The existence of calcitonin immunoreactive cells in the UBT wall has been demonstrated in a 5-days old rat. In addition, immunohistochemical studies for thyroglobulin revealed positive staining in follicular cells connected to the UBT and, occasionally, in isolated cells lying within solid clusters from the UBT. These last results together with the continued and repeated existence of numerous mitosis and PAS (+) microfollicles, apparently rising from the UBT, support the hypothesis that the ultimobranchial body (UBB) may contribute partially to the formation of a part of the follicular component.     

Oscillating potentials on the B-wave of the ERG in the dog]

The oscillatory potentials (OP) on the b-wave of the canine ERG are characterized. Normal values for an OP-index, implicit times and periodicity are given. The OP-index increases during dark adaptation as well as with increasing stimulus intensities for white light flashes. Scotopic blue and red stimuli, although balanced for the maximum b-wave amplitude, surprisingly result in higher OP-indices for red flashes. Implicit times decrease for all OP with increasing stimulus intensities. Scotopic balanced red light results in OP with markedly reduced implicit times compared to blue light stimulation. The intervals between two OPs remain constant during dark adaptation, however, intervals between OPs with longer implicit times tend to be shorter. In contrast, the b-waves for scotopic balanced stimuli show rhythmic oscillations with constant intervals between them, the intervals being shorter for blue light than for red light. The intervals between OPs tend to become shorter with increasing stimulus intensities. This investigation indicates that OPs are influenced but not generated by photoreceptors. The examination of a dog with optic nerve hypoplasia indicates that the ganglion cells do not contribute to the biogenesis of OPs. The prognostic value of OPs in the early diagnosis for hereditary retinal degenerations in the dog is discussed.