Determination phase at transition of gonocytes to spermatogonial stem cells improves establishment efficiency of spermatogonial stem cells in domestic cats

The development of germ cells has not been entirely documented in the cat especially the transition phase of the gonocyte to the spermatogonial stem cell (G/SSC). The aims of study were to examine testicular development and to identify the G/SSC transition in order to isolate and culture SSCs in vitro. Testes were divided into 3 groups according to donor age (I, < 4 months; II, 4–6 months; and III, > 6 months). In Exp. 1, we studied testicular development by histology, transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. In Exp. 2, we determined the expression of GFRα-1, DDX-4 and c-kit and performed flow cytometry. The SSCs isolated from groups II and III were characterized by RT-PCR and TEM (Exp. 3). Chronological changes in the G/SSC transition were demonstrated. The size, morphology and ultrastructure of SSCs were distinguishable from those of gonocytes. The results demonstrated that group II contained the highest numbers of SSCs per seminiferous cord/tubule (17.66 ± 2.20%) and GFRα-1⁺ cells (14.89 ± 5.66%) compared with the other groups. The findings coincided with an increased efficiency of SSC derivation in group II compared with group III (74.33 ± 2.64% vs. 23.33 ± 2.23%). The colonies expressed mRNA for GFRA1, ZBTB16, RET and POU5F1. Our study found that the G/SSC transition occurs at 4–6 months of age. This period is useful for isolation and improves the establishment efficiency of cat SSCs in vitro.     

Potential for production of ‘mini-mussels’ in Great Belt (Denmark) evaluated on basis of actual and modeled growth of young mussels Mytilus edulis

The present study is a first step towards evaluation of the potential for line-mussel production in the Great Belt region between the Kattegat and Baltic Sea, Denmark. We present experimental results for actual growth rates of juvenile/adult mussels Mytilus edulis in suspended net bags in terms of shell length and dry weight of soft parts during extended periods (27–80 days) in the productive season in the first 6 series of field experiments, including 4 sites in Great Belt and 2 sites in Limfjorden, Denmark. Data were correlated and interpreted in terms of specific growth rate (μ, % day^?1) as a function of dry weight of soft parts (W, g) by a previously developed simple bioenergetic growth model μ = aW ^?0.34. Results were generally in good agreement with the model which assumes the prevailing average chlorophyll a concentration at field sites to essentially account for the nutrition. Our studies have shown that M. edulis can grow from settlement in spring to 30 mm in shell length in November. We therefore suggest line farming of 30 mm ‘mini-mussels’ during one growth season, recovering all equipment at the time of harvest and re-establishing it with a new population of settled mussel larvae at the beginning of the next season, thus protecting the equipment from the damaging weather of the Danish winter season. The growth behavior during the fall–winter season was recorded in an additional 7th series of mussel growth experiments on farm-ropes to show the disadvantage of this period.     

Accelerated extractions of North Atlantic cod and herring, 1520–1790

We propose the concept of Accelerated Marine Extraction to signify two periods when rapidly increasing cod (Gadus morhua, Gadidae) and herring (Clupea harengus, Clupeidae) fisheries, c.1540–1600 and c. 1730–1790, exceeded human demographic growth. Total landings vastly exceeded previous assessments and more than doubled between 1520 and 1620 from about 220,000 metric tonnes (t) to 460,000 t. Supplies of cod and herring to the European market peaked in 1788 at more than 1 million t before the unrest connected with the French Revolution brought many fisheries to a temporary halt. Accelerated Marine Extractions increased European food security at times of human demographic growth by almost doubling the supplies of fish protein per capita. While herring was the most important species by 1520, cod dominated through the period 1540–1790, and the trajectories of cod and herring extractions differed significantly. Cod landings increased almost ten-fold between 1520 and 1790, driven by strong and sustained landings in the Northwest Atlantic. Herring landings remained stable through the 16th century but declined severely through the next 150 years. However, from 1750, herring landings quadrupled, largely because of Swedish west coast fisheries. The results fundamentally shift our understanding of the scale of Atlantic fisheries in the past and underline the role of marine resources for European societies.     

Phosphoryl transfer and calcium ion occlusion in the calcium pump

A tight coupling between adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis and vectorial ion transport has to be maintained by ATP-consuming ion pumps. We report two crystal structures of Ca2+-bound sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-adenosine triphosphatase (SERCA) at 2.6 and 2.9 angstrom resolution in complex with (i) a nonhydrolyzable ATP analog [adenosine (beta-gamma methylene)-triphosphate] and (ii) adenosine diphosphate plus aluminum fluoride. SERCA reacts with ATP by an associative mechanism mediated by two Mg2+ ions to form an aspartyl-phosphorylated intermediate state (Ca2-E1 approximately P). The conformational changes that accompany the reaction with ATP pull the transmembrane helices 1 and 2 and close a cytosolic entrance for Ca2+, thereby preventing backflow before Ca2+ is released on the other side of the membrane.     

Mycoplasma canis and urogenital disease in dogs in Norway

Mycoplasmas identified as Mycoplasma canis were isolated from nine dogs with clinical signs of urogenital disease in Norway over a period of 20 months. Some of the dogs had been treated unsuccessfully with antibiotics, and three were euthanased as a result of severe persistent disease. Seven of the dogs had a urinary tract infection, one had chronic purulent epididymitis and one had chronic prostatitis. Overt haematuria was frequently observed among the dogs with cystitis. M canis was isolated in pure culture from seven of the dogs and in mixed culture from the other two. In three cases the mycoplasma was cultivated only from urinary sediment, and it was typically obtained in smaller numbers than would be considered indicative of a urinary tract infection. In contrast with most mycoplasmas, the M canis isolated from all the dogs grew on ordinary blood agar plates used for routine bacteriological cultivation. Specific mycoplasma media were not used and the presence of other Mycoplasma or Ureaplasma species cannot be excluded.     

Mycoplasma suipneumoniae isolated in Denmark

Though several agents may be involved in the etiology of enzootic pneumonia of pigs, recent investigations seem to indicate that the great majority of cases are caused by a Mycoplasma species — called M. suipneumoniae in Britain (Goodwin et al 1965) and M. hyopneumoniae in the U.S.A. (Maré & Switzer 1965).     

Yield components and fruit development in ‘Golden Delicious’ apples as affected by the timing of nitrogen supply

The nitrogen (N) supply of ‘Golden Delicious’ was changed in various ways during the growing season by altering the N concentration of nutrient solutions or by urea sprays. The terminal shoot growth increased with the duration of “high” N supply, especially with the early summer application where some degree of correlation with the N values of the leaves was established. Blossom density was decreased only at continuously low N supply, when evaluated on the basis of the previous year's crop level. Fruit set was reduced when N in spur leaves, immediately after bloom, dropped below 2.8–3.0%, which occurred with continuously low N, or with high N supply only in the early summer. Growth of fruits at a definite $\text{fruit}\text{leaf}$ ratio increased with N supply and, with some variation between years, the N supply during the early part of the fruit growth period was the more important. The yellow colouring of the fruit at certain $\text{fruit}\text{leaf}$ ratios was greater at low N levels or when the N supply was low during the later part of the fruit growth period. Other effects on fruit quality and composition were small or experimentally inconsistent when the more N-deficient treatments were excluded. The relative importance of the timing of N supply on the different components of yield and fruit quality is discussed.     

Multi-criteria assessment tool for sustainability appraisal of remediation alternatives for a contaminated site

Purpose

In order to improve and support decision-making for the selection of remedial techniques for contaminated sites, a multi-criteria assessment (MCA) method has been developed. The MCA framework is structured in a decision process actively involving stakeholders, and compares the sustainability of remediation alternatives by integrating environmental, societal, and economic criteria in the assessment.

Materials and methods

The MCA includes five main decision criteria: remedial effect, remediation cost, remediation time, environmental impacts, and societal impacts. The main criteria are divided into a number of sub-criteria. The environmental impacts consider secondary impacts to the environment caused by remedial activities and are assessed by life-cycle assessment (LCA). The societal impacts mainly consider local impacts and are assessed in a more qualitative manner on a scale from 1 to 5. The performance on each main criterion is normalized to a score between 0 and 1, with 1 being the worst score. An overall score is obtained by calculating a weighted sum with criteria weights determined by stakeholders. The MCA method was applied to assess remediation alternatives for the Groyne 42 site, one of the largest contaminated sites in Denmark.

Results and discussion

The compared remediation alternatives for the site were: (1) excavation of the site followed by soil treatment; (2) in situ alkaline hydrolysis; (3) in situ thermal remediation; and (4) continued encapsulation of the site by sheet piling. Criteria weights were derived by a stakeholder panel. The stakeholders gave the highest weighting to the remedial effect of the methods and to the societal impacts. For the Groyne 42 case study, the excavation option obtained the lowest overall score in the MCA, and was therefore found to be the most sustainable option. This was especially due to the fact that this option obtained a high score in the main categories Effect and Social impacts, which were weighted highest by the stakeholders.

Conclusions

The developed MCA method is structured with five main criteria. Effect and time are included in addition to the three pillars of sustainability (environment, society, and economy). The remedial effect of remediation is therefore assessed and weighted separately from the main criteria environment. This structure makes interpretation of criteria scores more transparent and emphasizes the importance of effect and time as decision parameters. This also facilitated an easier weighting procedure for the stakeholders in the case study, who expressed a wish to weigh the remedial effect independently from the secondary environmental impacts.