In vitro Effect of Zearalenone and α-Zearalenol on Boar Sperm Characteristics and Acrosome Reaction

This study was conducted to determine the in vitro effects of three different concentrations (125, 187.5 and 250 microM in diluted semen) of zearalenone (zen) and alpha-zearalenol (alpha-zen) on boar sperm. Semen parameters such as motility, viability and spontaneous acrosome reaction were evaluated. From the results it was shown that both zen and alpha-zen affected the sperm characteristics significantly (p < 0.05), except for alpha-zen at the low concentration which did not decrease the percentage of live reacted spermatozoa significantly. In conclusion, zen and alpha-zen are directly toxic when they affect boar semen in vitro and consequently decrease the fertilization ability of the sperm. The higher the concentration of mycotoxin tested, the greater the decline of sperm parameters noticed. The influence of mycotoxins was found to be time- and dose-dependent.     

Does Clinical Treatment with Phenylbutazone and Meloxicam in the Pre‐ovulatory Period Influence the Ovulation Rate in Mares?

The presence of anovulatory haemorrhagic follicles during the oestrous cycle of mares causes financial impacts, slowing conception and increasing the number of services per pregnancy. Non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as meloxicam and phenylbutazone are used in the treatment of several disorders in mares, and these drugs can impair the formation of prostaglandins (PGs) and consequently interfere with reproductive activity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of treatment with NSAIDs on the development of pre‐ovulatory follicles in mares. In total, 11 mares were studied over three consecutive oestrous cycles, and gynaecological and ultrasound examinations were performed every 12 h. When 32‐mm‐diameter follicles were detected, 1 mg of deslorelin was administered to induce ovulation. The first cycle was used as a control, and the mares received only a dose of deslorelin. In the subsequent cycles, in addition to receiving the same dose of deslorelin, each mare was treated with NSAIDs. In the second cycle, 4.4 mg/kg of phenylbutazone was administered, and in the third cycle, 0.6 mg/kg of meloxicam was administered once a day until ovulation or the beginning of follicular haemorrhage. All of the mares ovulated between 36 and 48 h after the induction in the control cycle. In the meloxicam cycle, 10 mares (92%) did not ovulate, while in the phenylbutazone cycle, nine mares (83%) did not ovulate. In both treatments, intrafollicular hyperechoic spots indicative of haemorrhagic follicles were observed on ultrasound. Thus, our results suggested that treatment with meloxicam and phenylbutazone at therapeutic doses induced intrafollicular haemorrhage and luteinization of anovulatory follicles.     

The Seismic Structure of the Sun

Global Oscillation Network Group data reveal that the internal structure of the sun can be well represented by a calibrated standard model. However, immediately beneath the convection zone and at the edge of the energy-generating core, the sound-speed variation is somewhat smoother in the sun than it is in the model. This could be a consequence of chemical inhomogeneity that is too severe in the model, perhaps owing to inaccurate modeling of gravitational settling or to neglected macroscopic motion that may be present in the sun. Accurate knowledge of the sun's structure enables inferences to be made about the physics that controls the sun; for example, through the opacity, the equation of state, or wave motion. Those inferences can then be used elsewhere in astrophysics.     

Changes in leaf components and peroxidase activity of potato plants (cv. Bintje) in relation to mature-plant resistance to PVYN

Summary It can be of economic importance for seed potato growers to know the stage of mature-plant resistance of a crop to viruses when aphid flights occur. In 1976 four field experiments were carried out in different parts of the northern Netherlands in which potato plants were artificially inoculated with potato virus Y^N at four dates. Leaves, tubers and total crop growth were analysed during the growing season to see if a biochemical test could be used to determine the onset of mature-plant resistance. It is concluded that such a test is useful only when used in combination with additional information about early infections. None of the criteria (dry matter, organic nitrogen, chlorophyll and soluble protein contents, and peroxidase activity) proved to be useful in establishing or predicting the time of occurrence of a high level of mature-plant resistance with the desired accuracy.

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Zusammenfassung Die wichtigste Viruskrankheit hinsichtlich nachteiliger Wirkungen auf die Qualit?t von Pflanzkartoffeln in den Niederlanden ist das Blattlaus-übertragene Y^N-Virus (PVY^N). Die Resistenz reifer Pflanzen gegen PVY^N entwickelt sich relativ sp?t in der Wachstumszeit, und bei anwesenheit von Blattl?usen bleibt das Risiko der Knolleninfektion für eine l?ngere Zeitspanne hoch. Zur Verhinderung der Knolleninfektion wird in den Niederlanden nach dem Blattlausflug ein Datum zur Krautabt?tung festgelegt, welches jedoch unabh?ngig vom Stadium der Altersresistenz ist. Würde man dieses Stadium durch einen biochemischen Test bestimmen oder vorhersagen k?nnen, k?nnte auch das Abt?tedatum pr?ziser festgelegt werden. Dies wiederum würde zu geringerer Virusinfektion und h?herem Ertrag führen. 1976 wurden in vier Feldversuchen in den n?rdlichen Niederlanden Kartoffelpflanzen zu vier Zeitpunkten künstlich mit PVY^N inokuliert. Das Wachstum von Bl?ttern, Knollen und ganzer Pflanzen wurde w?hrend der Vegetationszeit analysiert, um die M?glichkeiten eines biochemischen Tests zur Feststellung des Stadiums der Altersresistenz zu ermitteln. Ein hoher Grad von Altersresistenz im Bestand ergab sich in vier Feldern zu verschiedenen Zeiten zwischen 14. Juli (Wieringerwerf) und 2. August (Kloosterburen). Früh fliegende Blattl?use verursachten 1976 hohe natürliche Infektion, welche einen Anstieg des Anteils infizierter Knollen zur Folge hatte, sogar nach dem Datum, zu welchem neue künstliche Inokulationen innerhalb von 14 Tagen nicht mehr zu Knolleninfektionen führten. Daraus ergibt sich, dass ein biochemischer Test nur bei Kenntnis früher Infektionen anwendbar ist. Die Entwicklungszeit für einen hohen Stand der Altersresistenz steht im Zusammenhang zum physiologischen Wachstumsstadium und ?ndert sich von Jahr zu Jahr (Tab. 1) und von Standort zu Standort (Abb. 1). Die Variabilit?t in der Bestandesentwicklung zwischen den Standorten zeigt sich in der Gesamtproduktion von Trockensubstanz (Abb. 2), im Chlorophyllgehalt (Abb. 1 c und 4) und der Vergilbung des sechsten und zehnten Blattes. Die Vergilbung des sechsten Blattes hing von der Struktur des Bestandes und nicht von der Altersresistenz ab. Um die Methoden zur Festlegung eines Abt?tungstermines zu verbessern, sollte ein Test die Konditionen hinsichtlich der Inhaltsstoffe oder Aktivit?ten und deren signifikante ?nderung innerhalb von wenigen Tagen zur Zeit der Probenahmen bestimmen-bevor also ein ‘kritischer Wert’ überschritten würde. In einem ausführlichen Versuch in Wieringerwerf wurden sechste und zehnte Bl?tter auf den Gehalt an Trockensubstanz, organischem Stickstoff, Chlorophyll, l?slichem Protein und auf Peroxydase-Aktivit?t untersucht (Abb. 1). Wegen der grossen Variabilit?t zwischen den vier Wiederholungen (vgl. Standardabweichungen) konnten weder vor noch nach dem Datum mit hohem Grad an Altersresistenz bei den meisten der genannten Inhaltsstoffe und der Peroxydase-Aktivit?t signifikante ?nderungen (P<0,05) gefunden werden. Die Kriterien sind deshalb ungeeignet für einen Test zur ausreichend akkuraten Festlegung oder Vorhersage der Zeit des Eintritts h?heren Altersresistenz. Die analytischen Resultate der inokulierten Pflanzen unterschieden sich nicht signifikant von denen der Kontrollpflanzen.

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Résumé Aux Pays-Bas, la plus importante maladie virale qui affecte la qualité des plantes est provoquée par le virus Y^N transmis par les pucerons. La résistance de la plante à maturité se manifeste à un stade relativement tardif de la croissance et les risques d'infection des tubercules sont élevés pendant une longue période en cas de présence des pucerons. Pour empêcher l'infection des tubercules, une date de défanage est fixée dans le pays, indépendamment du stade de résistance de la plante, en fonction des vols de pucerons. Si le stade de résistance pouvait être déterminé ou prévu par test biochimique, la date de destruction des fanes serait établie avec plus de précision, ce qui réduirait les infections virales et augmenterait les rendements. En 1976, une inoculation artificielle du virus Y^N sur plantes a été réalisée à 4 dates différentes dans 4 parcelles du Nord des Pays-Bas. Les feuilles, les tubercules et la croissance totale des plantes ont été analysés à différents stades de la culture pour voir si il était possible de déterminer la résistance des plantes à maturité à l'aide d'un test biochimique. Un stade élevé de résistance a été atteint à des dates différentes, entre le 14 juillet et le 2 ao?t, dans les 4 parcelles. Des vols précoces de pucerons ont été à l'origine d'une infection naturelle importante en 1976, ce qui s'est traduit par une augmentation du pourcentage de tubercules atteints même après la date ou une nouvelle inoculation artificielle n'infecte plus les tubercules dans les 15 jours qui suivent. En conclusion, un test biochimique peut s'avérer utile uniquement lorsqu'il peut être rattaché à une information concernant les infections précoces. Le temps nécessaire à l'obtention d'un niveau élevé de la résistance à maturité de la plante dépend de son stade physiologique et varie suivant les années (tableau 1) et les localités (figure 3). La production totale de matière sèche (figure 2), la teneur en chlorophylle (figure 1c et 4) ainsi que le jaunissement des 6èmes et 10èmes feuilles sont très variables suivant le stade de la plante dans les différentes régions. Le jaunissement des 6èmes feuilles est d? aux conditions de la culture et non pas à la résistance de la plante à maturité. Pour améliorer la méthode définissant la date de défanage, un test devrait déterminer la condition pour laquelle le niveau d'une teneur ou d'une activité mesurée (qui n'aurait pas encore atteint sa valeur critique) changerait de fa?on significative dans les jours qui suivent la date d'échantillonnage. Dans une étude plus détaillée faite à Wieringerwerf, les teneurs en matière sèche, azote organique, chlorophylle, protéines solubles et activité de la peroxydase ont été analysées sur les 6èmes et 10èmes feuilles (figure 1). En raison de l'importante variation entre les 4 répétitions (voir les valeurs de l'écart type), aucun changement significantif (P<0,05) n'a été mis en évidence pour les teneurs et l'activité peroxydasique mesurée avant et après la date correspondant au stade élevé de résistance atteint par la plante à maturité. Ces critères ne permettaient donc pas de prédire ou d'établir avec assurance la date pour laquelle le stade élevé de résistance était atteint. Les résultats analytiques des plants inoculés ne présentaient pas de différence significative par rapport à ceux des témoins.

     

Yield and dry matter content of early and late potatoes,as affected by monoculture and mixed cultures

The competition model of de Wit proved to be applicable to the yields of early and late varieties in mixed culture. The mixture can be advantageous. The calculated maximum yield increase led to different ratios of the varieties in the seed mixture. The dry matter content of the early varieties decreased in mixed culture, that of the late varieties increased. The haulm/tuber ratio was decreased compared with that of the late variety. In growing the varieties row by row the early variety was crowded out tot a greater extent than at interchanging the varieties in the row. Mixed culture would need to be restricted to the growing of potatoes for the starch industry or for other uses for which a mixed product is admissible. The prospects are dependent on the availability of the appropriate varieties.     

Use of a virtual-reference concept to interpret active crop canopy sensor data

Active crop canopy sensors make possible in-season fertilizer nitrogen (N) applications by using the crop as a bio-indicator of vigor and N status. However, sensor calibration is difficult early in the growing season when crops are rapidly growing. Studies were conducted in the United States and Mexico to evaluate procedures to determine the vegetation index of adequately fertilized plants in producer fields without establishing a nitrogen-rich reference area. The virtual-reference concept uses a histogram to characterize and display the sensor data from which the vegetation index of adequately fertilized plants can be identified. Corn in Mexico at the five-leaf growth stage was used to evaluate opportunities for variable rate N fertilizer application using conventional tractor-based equipment. A field in Nebraska, USA at the twelve-leaf growth stage was used to compare data interpretation strategies using: (1) the conventional virtual reference concept where the vegetation index of adequately fertilized plants was determined before N application was initiated; and (2) a drive-and-apply approach (no prior canopy sensor information for the field before initiating fertilizer application) where the fertilizer flow-rate control system continuously updates a histogram and automatically calculates the vegetation index of adequately fertilized plants. The 95-percentile value from a vegetation-index histogram was used to determine the vegetation index of adequately fertilized plants. This value was used to calculate a sufficiency index value for other plants in the fields. The vegetation index of reference plants analyzed using an N-rich approach was 3–5 % lower than derived using the virtual-reference concept.     

24(S)-Saringosterol Prevents Cognitive Decline in a Mouse Model for Alzheimer’s Disease

We recently found that dietary supplementation with the seaweed Sargassum fusiforme, containing the preferential LXRβ-agonist 24(S)-saringosterol, prevented memory decline and reduced amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition in an Alzheimer’s disease (AD) mouse model without inducing hepatic steatosis. Here, we examined the effects of 24(S)-saringosterol as a food additive on cognition and neuropathology in AD mice. Six-month-old male APPswePS1ΔE9 mice and wildtype C57BL/6J littermates received 24(S)-saringosterol (0.5 mg/25 g body weight/day) (APPswePS1ΔE9 n = 20; C57BL/6J n = 19) or vehicle (APPswePS1ΔE9 n = 17; C57BL/6J n = 19) for 10 weeks. Cognition was assessed using object recognition and object location tasks. Sterols were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, Aβ and inflammatory markers by immunohistochemistry, and gene expression by quantitative real-time PCR. Hepatic lipids were quantified after Oil-Red-O staining. Administration of 24(S)-saringosterol prevented cognitive decline in APPswePS1ΔE9 mice without affecting the Aβ plaque load. Moreover, 24(S)-saringosterol prevented the increase in the inflammatory marker Iba1 in the cortex of APPswePS1ΔE9 mice (p < 0.001). Furthermore, 24(S)-saringosterol did not affect the expression of lipid metabolism-related LXR-response genes in the hippocampus nor the hepatic neutral lipid content. Thus, administration of 24(S)-saringosterol prevented cognitive decline in APPswePS1ΔE9 mice independent of effects on Aβ load and without adverse effects on liver fat content. The anti-inflammatory effects of 24(S)-saringosterol may contribute to the prevention of cognitive decline.     

Sperm Chromatin Stability During In Vitro Manipulation of Beef Bull Semen

Seven experiments were conducted to study the effect of freezing extenders, antioxidants, motility stimulants, thawing temperature, incubation temperature and time, centrifugation and capacitation on sperm chromatin instability (CI) as well as the influence of sperm CI on pregnancy rates of heifers (n = 360) after AI with frozen semen. Semen was collected once a week from Blonde d’Aquitaine and Limousine bulls (n = 3/breed) via an artificial vagina and only individual ejaculates (n = 300) of >0.3 × 10⁹ sperm/ml and ≥ 70% progressive motility were used. Sperm CI was evaluated by nuclear DNA susceptibility to acid‐induced denaturation using acridine orange fluorescence and by chromatin susceptibility to decondensation using quantitative transmission electron microscopy. Bioxcell extender was better than AndroMed and egg yolk extenders in terms of low incidence of sperm CI in one bull (p < 0.05). Neither antioxidants (EDTA–2Na, Na‐pyruvate and albumin) nor motility stimulants (caffeine and blood serum) had any significant effect on sperm CI. Thawing of frozen semen at 45°C for 30 s decreased (p < 0.025) CI in one bull. Incubation of frozen sperm at 25 and 39°C for 240 min increased sperm CI percentages from 3.47 ± 0.48 and 4.50 ± 0.41% to 6.70 ± 0.36 and 9.71 ± 0.53%, respectively (p < 0.001). Although centrifugation and removal of extracellular milieu increased CI of cooled sperm, it decreased CI of frozen–thawed sperm (p < 0.025). Follicular fluid as a capacitating agent destabilized chromatin structure (p < 0.001). Sperm vulnerability to CI had a negative impact (r² = 0.37–0.77, p < 0.001) on fertility of frozen ejaculates. In conclusion, in vitro manipulation of bovine semen can influence incidence of sperm CI, whereas integrity of sperm chromatin contributes significantly to heifers’ fertility. We would recommend selection of the appropriate extender and thawing temperature for each bull together with careful manipulation of frozen semen to minimize damage of sperm chromatin.