Optical Studies of Pulsar NP 0532

The period of optical pulsations from NP 0532 has been determined to within 3 nanoseconds on three different nights. The time rate of change of the period (dP/dt)(p) was 36.17 x 10(-9) second per day. The pulse shape was highly asymmetrical with strong indications of structure. The ratio of the amplitude of the main pulse to that of the interpulse varied with time. No evidence was found for photon coincidences in the pulse on a time scale shorter than 2 microseconds.     

Determination of flavonol metabolites in plasma and tissues of rats by HPLC-radiocounting and tandem mass spectrometry following oral ingestion of [2-(14)C]quercetin-4'-glucoside

Epidemiological studies suggest that consumption of flavonol-rich diets decreases the risk of developing heart disease and certain cancers. Recent studies have detected flavonol conjugates in blood and urine following various dietary interventions. To assess to what extent flavonols also accumulate in tissues, where they might be expected to exert anti-carcinogenic and anti-atherogenic effects, [2-(14)C]quercetin-4'-glucoside was synthesized and fed to rats. After 60 min, 93.6% of the ingested radioactivity was recovered from the intestine, incorporated into 18 metabolites that had undergone deglycosylation followed by varying degrees of glucuronidation, methylation, and/or sulfation. [(14)C]Quercetin, the aglycon of the radiolabeled substrate, was present in the intestine and in trace amounts in the liver but was not detected in the plasma and kidneys. The original [2-(14)C]quercetin-4'-glucoside was detected exclusively in the intestine, where it accounted for only 26.2% of the radioactivity. The remainder of the recovered radioactivity was located mainly in the plasma, liver, and kidneys as (14)C-labeled metabolites. However, compared to the quantities in the gastrointestinal tract, the levels of metabolites in plasma and body tissues were very low, indicating only limited absorption into the blood stream. The data demonstrate that quercetin-4'-glucoside, which is a major flavonol in onions, undergoes rapid and extensive metabolism in the intestine, and this appears not to be associated to any extent with transport across the gut wall into the blood stream.     

Osteophagia in the Cape porcupine Hystrix africaeaustralis

Two groups of porcupines (Hystrix africaeaustralis) were maintained for a period of 23 weeks on a diet containing high levels of Ca²* and PO4. Parallel to this another two groups were maintained on a diet containing low levels of these minerals. All groups were provided with defatted bovine bones during weeks 18 to 23 of the experiment. Plasma Ca²⁺ and P0₄ levels were determined at intervals throughout the experiment. The amount of osteophagia that occurred was determined by weighing the bones at two-weekly intervals. No significant differences in the plasma Ca²⁺ and P0₄ levels of the porcupines on the high diet and those on the low diet were detected. Osteophagia by porcupines on the low diet was twice that of porcupines on the high diet.     

Increased peroxidation of erythrocytes of stress-susceptible pigs: an improved diagnostic test for porcine stress syndrome

When incubated with solutions of hydrogen peroxide, erythrocytes of stress-susceptible pigs produced more by-products of lipid peroxidation (as measured as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances [TBARS]) than did erythrocytes from stress-resistant pigs. Using this technique, discrimination between the 2 pig types was absolute at hydrogen peroxide concentrations of 0.9 and 1.5%. This was in contrast to other methods of identifying stress-susceptible pigs, such as osmotically induced erythrocyte lysis and the determination of plasma pyruvate kinase and creatine kinase activities, for which considerable overlap of data was observed between pig types. The increased TBARS production by erythrocytes was further evidence for the existence of an antioxidant abnormality in stress-susceptible pigs. However, because there were no discernible differences in the major blood antioxidant-related values between stress-susceptible and stress-resistant pigs, the nature of the defect remains unclear. The production of TBARS by erythrocytes when incubated with hydrogen peroxide provides an improved method for identifying stress-susceptible pigs.     

Cryopreservation of European Mouflon (Ovis Gmelini Musimon) Semen During the non-Breeding Season is Enhanced by the Use of Trehalose

The influence of trehalose on European mouflon spermatozoa cryopreservation during the non-breeding season was tested. Semen was frozen in two different extenders: (a) recommended Tris-based ram extender (CTR); (b) CTR extender supplemented with trehalose 0.147 mm (TRH). Sperm viability and acrosome integrity were assessed using propidium iodide and fluorescein isothiocynate labelled Pisum Sativum agglutinin. Trehalose significantly enhanced sperm viability after thawing compared with CTR extender (62.7% vs 51.8%; p < 0.05), whereas no differences were observed on acrosome integrity (42.9% vs 42.1%). Trehalose influence was also evidenced in the in vitro fertility test performed with sheep oocytes matured in vitro. Both fertilization rates (60.9% TRH vs 43.6% CTR; p < 0.05) and cleavage rates (58% TRH vs 39.8% CTR; p < 0.001) were higher for trehalose frozen semen compared with control extender frozen semen. A higher percentage of zygotes resulting from fertilization with trehalose cryopreserved semen presented the first cleavage earlier if compared with the group fertilized with control semen (48.7% vs 31.5%, respectively; p < 0.01). This result was confirmed by embryo kinetic development. Fertilization with trehalose cryopreserved semen leaded to an higher percentage of blastocysts (40.2% vs 27.8% CTR; p < 0.05), and enhanced in particular the number of blastocysts that developed on the day 6th of culture (28.6% vs 17% CTR; p < 0.05). Our data demonstrated that, during mouflon non-breeding season, trehalose extender enhances spermatozoa viability and its in vitro fertilizing capacity, allowing the production of an higher number of blastocysts.     

Parent material uniformity and degree of weathering in a soil chronosequence, northwestern Italy

The uniformity of the parent material and degree of weathering of the soils of a chronosequence developed during the Pleistocene were investigated using optical microscopy, X-ray fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Uniformity of the parent material was assessed by two criteria: the ratios of resistant minerals, and their specific elements, in the heavy fraction (S.G. > 2.96 g · cm⁻³). There was some variation between heavy mineral ratios but there was less variation between ratios from the chemical data, and on this basis it was concluded that the parent material of each of the three soils in the sequence was uniform. SEM examination confirmed that the resistant minerals had remained unaltered although some Ti-bearing minerals showed some alteration. The degree of chemical weathering, as expressed by the ratio of mobile to non-mobile elements, and by Parker's Index, increased from the youngest to the oldest soil.     

Chemical and mineralogical weathering rates and processes in an upland granitic till catchment in Scotland

Weathering in an upland granitic till catchment receiving an intermediate level of acidic deposition has been studied by chemical and mineralogical analyses of soil profiles and chemical analysis of precipitation and streamwater. Long-term weathering rates for base cations calculated from analyses of soil profile horizons using Zr as an internal, immobile, index element are similar for alpine podzols and peaty podzols and are 2–3 meq.m^–2.a^–1 for Ca and Mg, and 10–11 meq.m^–2.a^–1 for K and Na. The high loss of Na is associated with the weathering of oligoclase, particularly in the coarse sand fraction. Loss of K is related to weathering of K-feldspar and micas. Current weathering rates for base cations calculated from input-output budgets are higher than long-term rates by factors of 12, 8 and 3 for Ca, Mg and Na, but lower by a factor of 7 for K probably due to biomass uptake. The higher current overall loss of base cations may be due to increased rates of weathering in recent times but this is not conclusive as there are large uncertainties inherent in both methods of estimation.