Morphologic and cytochemical study of Sertoli cell nuclei in ruminants]

Nuclei and nucleoli were examined at an ultrastructural level in the testicular tissue of bulls and rams. In the two species there occurs a morphologically interesting so called multivesicular nuclear body; the interpretation of its function is not quite clear. The tissue was processed by a routine electron microscope technique and than a cytochemical demonstration of several types of proteins was used. Acidic argyrophilic proteins were demonstrated by a silver-staining technique, basic lysine-rich proteins by means of ethanolic PTA, and ribonucleoproteins (RNP) by the method of Bernhard's regressive preferential staining. Multivesicular nuclear bodies in bull Sertoli's cells are composed of a greater number of membrane bound vesicles with granules on the outer surface (Fig. 1). The results of cytochemistry reactions show that the granules contain acidic argyrophilic proteins (Fig. 3) and RNP (Fig. 7). The intervesicular material is an analogy of the dense fibrillar component of normal nucleoli of somatic cells. This component contains the three types of investigated proteins (Figs. 2, 3, 5, 7). In the nuclear bodies of ram Sertoli's cells the number of vesicles is much lower, the fibrillar component is prevailing, in form of clusters and striae of filamentous material around the vesicles. The cytochemistry reactions proved that this material contains acidic argyrophilic proteins (Fig. 4) and basic PTA positive (Fig. 6) proteins. The presence of acidic and basic regulatory proteins in the fibrillar component of multivesicular nuclear bodies indicates the active synthesis of RNA occurring in this material. It is therefore possible to consider this special type of nuclear bodies as a full equivalent of nucleoli of somatic cells as to the function.     

Use of mass spectrometry in the chemical analysis of organophosporus compounds]

The authors studied the possibility of using mass spectrometry in the chemical analysis of the biologically highly active organophosphorus compounds. The results show that methylthiophosphorous acid O-ethyl-S-(2-dimethylaminoethyl) ester has the most complex mass spectrum of all the substances under study. In the spectrum characteristic fragments were detected, having m/e values of 42, 44, 58, 71 and 72 [corresponding to the presence of the (CH3)2NCH2CH2-group], and 81, 95, 97, 105 and 125 which are characteristic of the phosphoester group. Mass spectrometric analysis, performed in this study, proved that the MS method is suitable for a qualitative analysis of biologically highly active organophosphorus compounds such as methylthiophosphorous acid O-ethyl-S-(2-dimethylaminoethyl) ester.     

The effect of defaunation on fermentation in vitro]

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of defaunation on the fermentation of two different diets consisting of hay (100%) and hay+barley (80% + +20%) in a rumen pouch (RUSITEC). The survival and composition of protozoa were investigated in an in vitro system in control vessels where no defaunation was carried out. Defaunation decreased the production of total volatile fatty acids (P < < 0.01), acetate, butyrate (P < 0.001)--Tab. II; dry matter digestibility (P < 0.05) and detergent fibre digestibility: acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), cellulose (P < 0.001), hemicellulose (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively) in our experiment (Tab. I). These parameters also decreased: production of CH4 (P < 0.001), CO2 (P < 0.01 for the barley diet), total production of gases (P < 0.001 for the barley diet), total utilization (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively) and recovery of H2 (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively), NH3-N in effluent (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively)--Tab. III; and production of ATP (P < 0.01)--Tab. IV, as a result of fermentation in our experiment. On the other hand, there was a significant increase in the following parameters: production of propionate (P < 0.001 for the barley diet)--Tab. II; microbial nitrogen/kg of organic matter fermented--OMF (P < 0.001), Tab. III; energy yield--E of volatile fatty acids (VFA), proportion of VFA energy with respect to fermented hexose energy--E1, proportion of energy in bacterial cells with respect to fermented hexose energy--E3 (P < 0.001) and the effectiveness of microbial proteosynthesis--YATP (P < 0.001), Tab. IV, as a result of defaunation. The total number of protozoa and the number of some species, especially the number of big entodinio-morphid protozoa, were markedly higher (p < 0.001) for the barley diet--Tab. V. The number of protozoa decreased rapidly within three days after the system initiation. Later on, the values were more or less steady.     

Ecotoxicologic relations on a large pig-fattening farm located in a lignite mining area and near and solid-fuel electical power plant]

Major contaminants identified in 1983-1984 on a pig fattening farm with an output of 60,000 pigs per annum, located in a lignite mining area and near a solid fuel power plant, were mercury, cadmium, lead, chromium and aflatoxin B1 (Tab. I, II, III, IV). Feed samples were collected from througs to assess the contamination load at feed uptake. Permissible concentrations of mercury, chromium, cadmium, aflatoxin B1, lead and atrazin in the feed were exceeded in 56, 50, 31, 19, 6 and 6% samples, respectively (Tab. I). Stable dust deposits, in which the contaminants concentrate, (Tab. I) proved to be a suitable material for assessing the type and level of environmental contamination. Permissible concentrations of mercury, cadmium and lead in porcine muscles were exceeded in 65, 51 and 24% samples, respectively (Tab. III). Corresponding values of mercury, cadmium, lead and aflatoxin B1 in the liver were 27, 27, 16 and 3%, respectively (Tab. III) and those of mercury, lead and chromium in kidneys 24, 22 and 5%, respectively (Tab. III). Rather surprisingly, elevated pancreatic concentrations of aflatoxin B1 were found (Tab. IV). Pigs fattened in the contaminated environment (i.e. fed contaminated feed mixtures, inspiring contaminated dust and absorbing percutaneously contaminants form dust deposits on the body surface) showed: 1) Impairment of the genetic apparatus (percentage of aberrant peripheral leucocytes elevated to 6.2%); 2) a certain degree of immunosuppression (concentrations of IgG, IgM and IgA reduced by 16.9, 45.1 and 45.0%, respectively); 3) higher feed consumption per 1 kg weight gain (4 kg) and lower average daily weight gain (0.57 kg); 4) increased incidence of health disorders (dermatitis in 25%, pancreatopathy in 13%, liver dystrophy in 8% and femoral fracture in 6% of the pigs). Unfortunately, the authors were not allowed to analyse ash and solid emissions from the power plant. Therefore the share of the emissions in the overall environmental contamination on the fattening farm could not be quantified. The personnel, working in the contaminated environment for a prolonged period, is endangered most of all by stable dust, being exposed to its mechanical, chemical, allergic and infectious effects (Tab. I). In addition to the chemical contaminants, 21 mould genera and species, six mite species and numerous saprophytic and some pathogenic bacteria were demonstrated in stable dust samples in our earlier experiments. Consumption of meat and organs from pigs fattened in a contaminated environment is associated with the risk of an increased uptake of various contaminants.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Ultrastructural study of the hypothalamic region after administration of aurothioglucose in mice]

Aurothioglucose dose of 1 mg g-1 1. w. was applied intraperitoneally to experimental female mice. After 24 hours the animals were decapitated and samples for ultrastructural examination were immediately taken from the region of the hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus. The following findings were obtained from the study of 243 electronograms of 8 experimental animals: 1. dense round particles 0.034 to 0.016 mu in size, representing the gold of aurothioglucose; 2. parenchymatous dystrophy of the mitochondria; 3. peeling off of the individual layers of myelin sheath and the granularity of these layers corresponding to the disintegration of nerve fibres.     

THE INTRODUCTION OF CORNUS STOLONIFERA AND ITS PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES

INTRODUCTIONCornusstoIonderaisoneofthespeciesofthegenusCornusLinnwhichbelongstothefamilycornaceae,originallydistributedintheareasfromNevadaMountaintoSisjiu,Texlenede,NewMexicoandAlaskaofU.S.AandtoNewfoundlandofCanada.Itisoftenfoundinconiferousforest-cov-eredmountainareaswithanelevationoflessthan27oom,alongthebanksofriversandgulliesandintheopenmoistplaces.Altboughthisspecieshasawiderangeofdistribution,itshabitatisrelativelynarrow.Selectingamoistplantingsiteisthekeytothesuceessfulintr…     

Can place names be used as indicators of landscape changes? Application to the Doñana Natural Park (Spain)

This work broaches the possibility of using place names as indicators of original landscapes that have been much transformed. The reconstruction of landscape elements from place names is commonly disputed because such daring notion is impossible to demonstrate. The present case avoids this by making a preliminary study of changes in the landscape using conventional methods. With the knowledge gained from objective and reliable sources, the possibility is analyzed of whether place names are a reflection of landscape changes taking place over a considerable period of time (the last few centuries). It is concluded that, for the present case study, in natural areas with a high rate of change of land use (Doñana Natural Park), place names indicate not only changes in the landscape, but also how such changes are perceived. In the study area, this is especially clear regarding the fens.     

Peroral administration of zinc sulfate to pregnant cows and its effect on selected metabolic indicators in the dam-calf lineage

A comparative trial was conducted with the oral administration of zinc sulphate to pregnant cows and heifers aimed at influencing the selected metabolic parameters in the dam-calf line. The total daily ZnSO4.7H2O dose of 3 g (680 mg Zn++) was given to dry standing cows and heifers for 35 days on an average (15-65) before the expected date of calving. The breeding conditions in the stock were problematic: losses of calves suffered in the last half-a-year period were higher than 30% of born calves; the main causes of this high mortality were coli-septicaemia and coli-enteritis. As compared with the eight control animals, the experimental cows and heifers (12 head) exhibited a transient increase in zincaemia, followed by a tendency to proteinaemia; aspartate aminotransferase activity increased, total immunoglobulins remained unchanged, and decreases were recorded in the activities of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, creatine phosphokinase and aldolase. On the other hand, the concentration of total bilirubin tended to increase. In 77% of the cows and first-calvers of the experimental group the quality of colostrum complied with the standard; in the case of the control animals this proportion was 83%. Significant zincaemia occurred in the calves of the experimental cows between the first and 14th day of their age; no differences from the control calves were recorded in immunoglobulinaemia, proteinaemia, albuminaemia and in the activities of alanine aminotransferase and creatine phosphokinase. On the other hand, aspartate aminotransferase activity tended to grow and alkaline phosphatase activity tended to sink. Neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia disappeared within the first 14 days of age in both the experimental and the control calves. The results failed to show clearly that the intention to increase the values of the studied parameters of immunopoiesis was met.