Evidence for extreme climatic warmth from late cretaceous arctic vertebrates

A Late Cretaceous (92 to 86 million years ago) vertebrate assemblage from the high Canadian Arctic (Axel Heiberg Island) implies that polar climates were warm (mean annual temperature exceeding 14 degreesC) rather than near freezing. The assemblage includes large (2.4 meters long) champsosaurs, which are extinct crocodilelike reptiles. Magmatism at six large igneous provinces at this time suggests that volcanic carbon dioxide emissions helped cause the global warmth.     

Killer whale predation on sea otters linking oceanic and nearshore ecosystems

After nearly a century of recovery from overhunting, sea otter populations are in abrupt decline over large areas of western Alaska. Increased killer whale predation is the likely cause of these declines. Elevated sea urchin density and the consequent deforestation of kelp beds in the nearshore community demonstrate that the otter's keystone role has been reduced or eliminated. This chain of interactions was probably initiated by anthropogenic changes in the offshore oceanic ecosystem.     

Protactinium-231 and thorium-230 abundances and high scavenging rates in the western arctic ocean

The Canadian Basin of the Arctic Ocean, largely ice covered and isolated from deep contact with the more dynamic Eurasian Basin by the Lomonosov Ridge, has historically been considered an area of low productivity and particle flux and sluggish circulation. High-sensitivity mass-spectrometric measurements of the naturally occurring radionuclides protactinium-231 and thorium-230 in the deep Canada Basin and on the adjacent shelf indicate high particle fluxes and scavenging rates in this region. The thorium-232 data suggest that offshore advection of particulate material from the shelves contributes to scavenging of reactive materials in areas of permanent ice cover.     

LTSER platforms as a place-based transdisciplinary research infrastructure: learning landscape approach through evaluation

Landscape Ecology - Place-based transdisciplinary research involves multiple academic disciplines and non-academic actors. Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research (LTSER) platform is one concept with ~...     

Cleaved PARP‐1, an Apoptotic Marker,can be Detected in Ram Spermatozoa

The presence of apoptotic features in spermatozoa has been related to lower quality and functional impairment. Members of the poly‐ADP‐ribose polymerases (PARP) familyare involved in both DNA repair and apoptosis, playing important roles in spermatogenesis. Poly‐ADP‐ribose polymerase can be cleaved by caspases, and the presence of its cleavage product (cPARP) in spermatozoa has been related to chromatin remodelling during spermatogenesis and to the activation of apoptotic pathways. There are no reports on immunodetection of cPARP in ram spermatozoa; thus, we have tested a commercially available antibody for this purpose. cPARP was microscopically detected in the acrosomal ridge of some spermatozoa (indirect immunofluorescence). A preliminary study was carried out by flow cytometry (direct immunofluorescence, FITC). Ram semen was extended in TALP and incubated for 4 h with apoptosis inducers staurosporine (10 μm ) or betulinic acid (200 μm ). Both inducers and incubation caused a significant increase in cPARP spermatozoa (0 h, control: 21.4±3.3%, inducers: 44.3±1.4%; 4 h, control: 44.3±2.4%, inducers: 53.3±1.4%). In a second experiment, we compared the sperm fractions after density gradient separation (pellet and interface). The pellet yielded a slightly lower proportion of cPARP spermatozoa (28.5±1.2% vs 36.2±2.0% in the interface; p < 0.001), and a 12‐h incubation increased cPARP similarly in both fractions (p < 0.001). cPARP seems to be an early marker of apoptosis in ram semen, although its presence in untreated samples was weakly related to worse quality (pellet/interface). We suggest to study the relationship of PARP and cPARP levels with between‐male differences on sperm fertility.     

Membrane Lipids of the Stallion Spermatozoon in Relation to Sperm Quality and Susceptibility to Lipid Peroxidation

Lipids were extracted from ejaculated spermatozoa from seven individual stallions to distinguish neutral lipids (NL) and polar lipids (PL) and determine their variation among stallions and their relationship with sperm quality and sperm susceptibility to lipid peroxidation. The isolated fatty acids were correlated with sperm quality (membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and expression of active caspases) and the sensitivity of the sperm plasma membrane to LPO. The miristic (C14: 0), palmitic (C16: 0), stearic (C18: 0) and oleic (C18: 1n9) acids were predominant among the NLs. Within the phospholipid fraction, the docosapentanoic acid (C22: 5n6) was dominant, albeit varying among stallions. Surprisingly, the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids was positively correlated with sperm quality and a low propensity for LPO, probably because these particular fatty acids provide a higher fluidity of the plasma membrane. The stallion showing the poorest sperm membrane integrity plus a high level of LPO in his ejaculate had a lower percentage (p < 0.05) of this fatty acid in his sperm plasma membranes.     

Chlamydiaceae in riverine buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and cows (Bos taurus) in Egypt with and without signs of reproductive disease

Abstract

AIMS: To obtain information and compare the prevalence of Chlamydiaceae in riverine buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and cows (Bos taurus) in Egypt with and without clinical signs of reproductive disease.

METHODS: Vaginal swabs and blood samples were collected from animals attending Governmental Veterinary Clinics without (buffalo n=39, cows n=20) and with (buffalo n=63, cows n=53) signs of reproductive disease. Serum samples were tested for antibodies to Chlamydiaceae using complement fixation testing (CFT). Vaginal swabs were tested for Chlamydiaceae following inoculation into Vero cells and 6-day-old embryonated chicken eggs, using modified Giménez and immunoperoxidase staining, PCR analyses targeting the omp2 gene, and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism PCR (RFLP-PCR) for species identification.

RESULTS: Antibodies to Chlamydiaceae were detected in 30/39 (77%) and 50/63 (79%) buffalo without and with signs of reproductive disease, respectively, and 10/20 (50%) and 39/53 (74%) of cows with and without signs of reproductive disease, respectively. Positive samples from PCR analysis were identified in 31/39 (79%) and 37/63 (59%) buffalo without and with signs of reproductive disease, respectively, and 12/20 (60%) and 46/53 (89%) of cows without and with signs of reproductive disease, respectively. Using RFLP-PCR, 57/68 (84%) of samples from buffalo, and 47/58 (81%) from cows, were identified as Chlamydophila psittaci and the reminder as Cp. abortus. From the CFT and PCR results there was no significant difference in the prevalence of positive samples between species, or between animals without or with signs of reproductive disease.

CONCLUSION: The presence of anti-Chlamydiaceae antibodies in 77% of the animals with signs of reproductive disease and the detection of Chlamydiaceae in 72% of vaginal swabs of the animals suggest a pathogenic role by Chlamydiaceae in riverine buffalo and cows. The main Chlamydiaceae found in the genital tract of cattle in Egypt were Cp. psittaci and Cp. abortus.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Chlamydophila spp. should be included in diagnostic algorithms for reproductive disorders, in order to assess the real burden of Chlamydophila associated disease in buffalo and cattle and to evaluate the potential value of vaccines.     

Active Immunization against Gonadotrophin-releasing Hormone in Chinese Male Pigs

We have investigated, under the normal conditions of local Chinese pig farming, castration of young male pigs by vaccination with a newly developed vaccine against gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH). Because of the very early onset of puberty, long fattening period and relatively harsh circumstances in Chinese pig production, an investigation of the endocrine response of Chinese breeds to this type of vaccination was of particular interest. Fifteen crossbred boars (Yorkshire × Yanan) from three different litters were randomly assigned to three groups of five animals each. The first group was immunized at 13 weeks of age with a GnRH tandem dimer OVA‐conjugate in Specol and received a booster immunization 8 weeks later. The second group was injected with Specol alone and served as untreated controls. The remaining group was surgically castrated at the time of weaning (at 6 weeks of age). Pigs were fed ad libitum from weaning onwards. All animals were slaughtered at 31 weeks of age. Immunized boars had undetectable or low serum testosterone (0.09 ± 0.12 ng/ml), low fat androstenone (0.05 ± 0.01 μg/g) levels and very low testes weights (19.1 ± 4.3 g). Intact controls had much higher serum levels of testosterone (9.76 ± 4.81 ng/ml), fat androstenone levels (2.26 ± 0.87 μg/g) and testes weights (114.3 ± 29.41 g) at slaughter. Both the immunized and castrated group grew significantly faster than intact boars (p < 0.01). Average daily gains in immunized, castrated and intact animals were 0.69 ± 0.08, 0.63 ± 0.05 and 0.42 ± 0.07 kg (mean ± SD), respectively. The present data demonstrate for the first time that the newly developed anti‐GnRH vaccine works very well under practical Chinese pig farming conditions, and can be an attractive alternative to surgical castration.