Reduced quality of bovine embryos cultured in media conditioned by exposure to an inflamed endometrium

OBJECTIVE: A suboptimal uterine environment contributes to the bovine repeat breeder syndrome. Subclinical endometritis is a component, so the mechanism by which inflammation affects embryo survival was investigated by assessing the effect of non-cellular products of an inflamed endometrium on embryo development to blastocyst. DESIGN: Endometrial fluid from a lactating dairy cow was collected by lavage using embryo culture medium. Aseptic inflammation was then induced by infusion of glycogen and lavage was repeated 6 h later. The recovered fluid was used to culture Day 5 in-vitro-derived embryos for 2 days. Embryo development and quality were compared for two treatment groups (culture media conditioned by inflamed or non-inflamed endometrium) and two controls (control or control + serum). RESULTS: Development to blastocyst was higher for conditioned media or media + serum (inflamed 42.2%; non-inflamed 49.3%; control + serum 50.9%; control 16.9%; P < 0.001). Blastocyst cell numbers were lower for the conditioned-inflamed group (inflamed, 83.1; non-inflamed, 99.8; control + serum, 100.6; control, 110.1; P < 0.001). Trophectoderm cell number, but not inner cell mass number, was reduced in the conditioned-inflamed group and the inner cell mass:trophectoderm ratio was increased (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Altering the embryo culture environment with the products of endometrial inflammation had a subtle effect on embryo quality. An increased inner cell mass:trophoblast ratio is likely to negatively affect embryonic survival. Altered embryo quality is a mechanism for early embryonic failure in cows with subclinical endometritis. Culture of embryos with normal endometrial fluid may improve in vitro embryo production.     

Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Stimulation Tests in Cardiomyopathic Doberman Pinschers: A Retrospective Study

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) response tests were performed in 152 Doberman Pinschers. Seventy-nine dogs had cardiomyopathy (46 were in congestive heart failure [CHF] and 33 were not in CHF). Seventy-three dogs were presented for noncardiac problems (15 with skin disease, 21 with neurologic disease, 20 with internal medicine disorders, and 17 with other problems), although some may have had cardiomyopathy. The TSH response test results in the cardiomyopathic group were interpreted as normal or euthyroid-sick in 45 (57%) dogs, abnormal in 23 (29%) dogs, and equivocal in 11 (14%) dogs. The prevalence of hypothyroidism in the CHF and non-CHF cardiomyopathy groups was not different. Among the dogs presented for noncardiac problems, 27 (37%) were assessed as normal or euthyroid-sick, 29 (40%) as hypothyroid, and 17 (23%) as equivocal. No significant differences were found in the prevalence of hypothyroid test results among the subgroups of these dogs. The prevalence of hypothyroidism was not higher in the cardiomyopathic group compared to the other group, and 63 and 49% of cardiomyopathic dogs with or without CHF, respectively, tested as either euthyroid or euthyroid-sick.     

Electroencephalograms and electrocardiograms in young bulls following upper cervical vertebrae-to-brisket stunning

Passing an electric current (50 Hz, 400 V open circuit, current limited to 1.5 A) from two electrodes acting as a common single electrode set applied on each side of the dorsal surface of the neck (cervical vertebrae C2 to C5 region) to another placed on the brisket of young bulls causes fibrillation of the cardiac muscle, does not induce epileptiform changes in the electroencephalogram, and produces a state of body rigidity. Passing the same electric current through the same neck electrodes, now acting as two separate electrodes, without the brisket electrode, does induce epileptiform activity similar to that seen with head-only stunning, does not fibrillate the heart, and produces a state of limb rigidity lasting for some time after the stun. Given that the presence of epileptiform activity is a criterion for effective electrical stunning and is indicative of insensibility, neck-to-brisket stunning as described here does not appear to be humane.     

Supplemental methionine sources have a neutral impact on oxidative status in broiler chickens

To determine the effect of different dietary Met sources on oxidative status, male Cobb 500 broiler chickens were fed from day of hatch to 26 days of age (d26) a diet deficient in sulfur amino acids (control) or a diet containing 0.22% DL‐Met, 0.22% L‐Met or 0.31% Met precursor, DL‐2‐hydroxy‐4‐(methylthio) butanoic acid (DL‐HMTBA) to meet the Met + Cys requirements. Liver, breast muscle, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were collected at day 10 (d10) and d26 to assay markers of oxidative stress, including total glutathione (TGSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), reduced glutathione (rGSH), protein carbonyls, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP). In breast muscle, TGSH and rGSH were greater in L‐Met and DL‐HMTBA groups than in the control group (p < 0.05). An interaction of treatment and age was observed for TGSH in ileum (p = 0.01) and jejunum (p = 0.01), for GSSG in jejunum (p < 0.001), and for rGSH in ileum (p = 0.02). The ratios of rGSH to GSSG and GSSG to TGSH, which define oxidative status, were not affected by Met source. Protein carbonyls varied among groups in jejunum (p = 0.05) and breast muscle (p < 0.001), but were in the normal physiological range. No difference among treatment groups was observed for TBARS and FRAP in different tissues. Age effects were observed in all tissues for multiple oxidative stress markers. In conclusion, consuming different sources of supplementary Met did not alter the oxidative status in several tissues of broilers. Met + Cys deficiency did not compromise antioxidant capacity of chickens although growth was retarded.     

Systemic transport of tritiated phosphonate in tomato plantlets (lycopersicon esculentum mill)

Phosphonate uptake and distribution were evaluated in tomato plantlets by direct determination and by autoradiography. The rate of root uptake was linear during the 2 h of assay, suggesting active transport of the molecule. Phosphonate was readily taken up through the roots and translocated to the leaves, which contained the molecule within 2 min of root application. Autoradiography showed that phosphonate was transferred apoplastically by veins and progressively entered the lamina by symplastic transport. After a root loading of 2 h, plants were transferred to water and phosphonate levels were evaluated over the following 3 days: the concentrations in roots increased with a corresponding decrease in phosphonate levels in the leaves. These experiments demonstrated the ambimobility of phosphonate.     

A quick method of recording plant growth stages

The recording of the stage of growth of crops and weeds by directly photocopying the plants is described.     

Growth,viscosity and beta‐glucanase activity of intestinal fluid in broiler chickens fed on barley‐based diets with or without exogenous beta‐glucanase

1. Three groups of birds were fed for up to 35 days on diets containing 500 g barley (cv. Condor) /kg diet, with or without exogenous β‐glucanase, either a commercial preparation or a recombinant endoglucanase.

2. Birds which received diets containing the exogenous enzymes grew faster for the first 3 weeks but after that there was no apparent difference in rate of growth.

3. β‐Glucanase activities in the crop and small intestine of birds given exogenous enzymes were generally higher than those of birds given only the basal diet.

4. Viscosity of intestinal fluid in birds given only the basal diet decreased with age but there was no corresponding increase in β‐glucanase activity. This discounts bacterial β‐glucanase as a contributory factor in the adaptation to β‐glucanase apparent in older birds.     

Male contribution to egg production in butterflies: evidence for transfer of nutrients at mating

Radiotracer studies on three butterfly species showed that nutrients contributed by males through mating are used by females for egg production and possibly for somatic maintenance.