The Control of Reactive Oxygen Species Influences Porcine Oocyte In Vitro Maturation

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of varying intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels during oocyte in vitro maturation with enzymatic ROS production systems (xanthine + xanthine oxidase or xanthine + xanthine oxidase + catalase), scavenger systems (catalase or superoxide dismutase + catalase) or cysteine on porcine oocyte maturation. Oocyte ROS levels showed an increase when H₂O₂ or O₂?^‐ production systems were added to the culture medium (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the presence of ROS scavengers in the maturation medium did not modify oocyte ROS levels compared with the control after 48 h of maturation, but the addition of cysteine induced a decrease in oocyte ROS levels (p < 0.05). The ROS production systems used in this work did not modified the percentage of oocyte nuclear maturation, but increased the decondensation of sperm head (p < 0.05) and decreased the pronuclear formation (p < 0.05). In turn, the addition of O₂?^‐ and H₂O₂ scavenging systems during in vitro maturation did not modify the percentage of oocytes reaching metaphase II nor the oocytes with decondensed sperm head or pronuclei after fertilization. However, both parameters increased in the presence of cysteine (p < 0.05). The exogenous generation of O₂?^‐ and H₂O₂ during oocyte in vitro maturation would not affect nuclear maturation or later sperm penetration, but most of the spermatozoa cannot progress to form the pronuclei after fusion with the oocyte. The decrease in endogenous ROS levels by the addition of cysteine would improve pronuclear formation after sperm penetration.     

苜蓿抗寒性研究进展

在国内外大量研究成果的基础上,对苜蓿经过低温胁迫后的形态、生理生化方面的变化,苜蓿秋眠性与抗寒性的关系,现代生物技术以及辐射诱变和太空搭载在苜蓿抗寒育种中的应用进行了系统阐述,讨论了当前苜蓿抗寒性研究工作中存在的不足,并对未来的研究重点进行了展望。     

Re: Advances in animal welfare in New Zealand

Extract

The review article which appeared in the Jubilee Issue of the New Zealand Veterinary Journal (Stafford et al 2002) provided a good summary of recent research into the animal suffering associated with normal farming practices and pest control. In many cases, such research has been helpful in making improvements to animal welfare regulations, and the knowledge gained may prove even more useful in making further beneficial changes during the current submission round on codes of ethical conduct.     

Effects of sodium nitroprusside after load reduction and/or atropine pre-treatment prior to dexmedetomidine administration on cardiovascular variables in dogs

The purpose of this study was to determine the cardiovascular effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP)‐induced after load reduction in dogs administered dexmedetomidine (DEX). Using a randomized crossover design and allowing at least 2 weeks between treatments 12 adult hound dogs of either sex weighing 22 ± 1.7 SD kg were anesthetized by face mask administration of 2.9% ET sevoflurane to facilitate instrumentation prior to administration of treatment drugs. Dogs were intubated and instrumented to enable measurement of heart rate (HR), systolic (SAP), mean (MAP) and diastolic (DAP) arterial pressures, mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), central venous pressure (CVP), pulmonary arterial temperature (TEMP), and cardiac output (CO). Systemic (SVR) and pulmonary vascular resistances were calculated. Following completion of instrumentation dogs were allowed to recover for 40 minutes. After collection of baseline data, dogs were administered one of four treatments at T–10 minutes prior to injection of DEX (500? g M^–2 IM): 1) saline (SAL); 2) atropine (ATR, 0.02 [n = 6] or 0.04 [n = 6] mg kg^–1 IM); 3) SAL + SNP (infused at 1–10 ?g kg^–1 minute^–1, IV as needed to maintain MAP between 90–110 mm Hg; or 4) ATR + SNP. Cardiovascular data were collected at T‐20 minutes prior to administration of DEX, T‐5 and at 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 60 minutes following DEX. Data were analyzed using anova for repeated measures with post hoc differences between means identified using Bonferroni's method (p < 0.05). Differences in ATR dose were not found to be significant and thus results for ATR dose groups were pooled. Administration of SAL (dexmedetomidine alone) was associated with decreases in HR and CO and increases in SAP, MAP, DAP, CVP, and SVR. Administration of ATR was associated with an increase in HR and CO compared with SAL. Administration of SNP was associated with an increase in HR and CO and a decrease in SVR, MAP and CVP compared with SAL. Administration of SNP + ATR was associated with effects similar to that of SNP or ATR alone and resulted in an additive increase in CO. We conclude that SNP‐induced afterload reduction with or without atropine is effective in mitigating DEX‐induced impairment of cardiovascular function.     

Aspiration of barium-impregnated polyethylene spheres by a dog

This case report describes an 11-year-old Belgian Malinois dog with acute onset of cough caused by aspiration of barium-impregnated polyethylene spheres (BIPS) and pneumonia following an episode of suspected gastric dilation. Although bronchoscopic retrieval of the BIPS was largely unsuccessful, the dog recovered uneventfully, with most of the BIPS being coughed out and swallowed over a 1-month period. Aspiration of BIPS should be considered a potential complication of their administration. Furthermore, endoscopic removal of aspirated BIPS is challenging and may not be indicated because of their inert nature and possible self-clearance.     

中间偃麦草、长穗偃麦草及其杂种F1代同工酶研究

通过对过氧化物酶(POD)、酯酶(EST)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和多酚氧化酶(PPO)同工酶谱的分析,探讨中间偃麦草(Elytrigia elongata(Host)Nevski)、长穗偃麦草(E.intermedia(Host)Nevski)及其杂种F₁代的酶谱特征和亲缘关系。结果表明:亲本同工酶酶带数目、迁移率、着色程度等差异不大,二者亲缘关系较近。与亲本相比,杂种F₁代存在POD、SOD、PPO酶带丢失现象,但正、反交植株中均产生了一些亲本没有的新生带。杂种F₁代EST酶谱与亲本基本相同,仅着色程度略有差异。杂种F₁代植株的POD、PPO酶谱特征有偏向中间偃麦草的倾向,而SOD酶谱特征倾向于长穗偃麦草。杂种F₁代同工酶具有多态性,可作为遗传标记用于杂种鉴定和后代株系目标性状的选择。