Regulation of Luteal Function and Corpus Luteum Regression in Cows: Hormonal Control, Immune Mechanisms and Intercellular Communication

The main function of the corpus luteum (CL) is production of progesterone (P4). Adequate luteal function to secrete P4 is crucial for determining the physiological duration of the oestrous cycle and for achieving a successful pregnancy. The bovine CL grows very fast and regresses within a few days at luteolysis. Mechanisms controlling development and secretory function of the bovine CL may involve many factors that are produced both within and outside the CL. Some of these regulators seem to be prostaglandins (PGs), oxytocin, growth and adrenergic factors. Moreover, there is evidence that P4 acts within the CL as an autocrine or paracrine regulator. Each of these factors may act on the CL independently or may modify the actions of others. Although uterine PGF_2α is known to be a principal luteolytic factor, its direct action on the CL is mediated by local factors: cytokines, endothelin-1, nitric oxide. The changes in ovarian blood flow have also been suggested to have some role in regulation of CL development, maintenance and regression.     

Room temperature-operating spin-valve transistors formed by vacuum bonding

Functional integration between semiconductors and ferromagnets was demonstrated with the spin-valve transistor. A ferromagnetic multilayer was sandwiched between two device-quality silicon substrates by means of vacuum bonding. The emitter Schottky barrier injected hot electrons into the spin-valve base. The collector Schottky barrier accepts only ballistic electrons, which makes the collector current very sensitive to magnetic fields. Room temperature operation was accomplished by preparing Si-Pt-Co-Cu-Co-Si devices. The vacuum bonding technique allows the realization of many ideas for vertical transport devices and forms a permanent link that is useful in demanding adhesion applications.     

Isolation of an intrinsic precursor to molecular chemisorption

Over the past 70 years, numerous gas-surface adsorption studies have indicated the existence of a weakly bound, mobile intermediate that is a precursor to chemical bond formation. The direct observation and characterization of such a species are presented. Precursor and chemisorbed benzene on a silicon surface were clearly distinguished with the use of a tunable-temperature scanning tunneling microscope. Precursor decay to chemisorption was observed, allowing the salient features of the potential energy surface to be determined.     

Effect of hCG Treatment on the Oestrous and Ovulation Responses to FSH in Prepubertal Gilts

To ensure sufficient numbers of pregnant females, particularly at hotter times of the year, hormonal induction of gilt oestrus may be necessary. However, the gilt oestrus and ovulation responses to gonadotrophin treatment have often proven unpredictable. The objective of this study was to examine possible reasons for this unpredictability. Prepubertal gilts (approximately 150 days of age, n = 63) were assigned to one of three treatments: injection of 300 IU hCG (n = 15); pre-treatment with 100 mg FSH in polyvinylpyrrolidinone administered as 2 × 50 mg injections 24 h apart, followed by 600 IU eCG at 24 h after the second FSH injection (n = 23); or FSH pre-treatment as above followed by 300 IU hCG at 24 h after the second FSH injection (n = 25). To facilitate oestrus detection, gilts were exposed to a mature boar for 15 min daily for 7 days. Blood samples were obtained on the day of eCG or hCG injection and again 10 days later and gilt ovulation responses determined based on elevated progesterone concentrations. The oestrus responses by 7 days were 6.7%, 17.5% and 64.0% for gilts treated with hCG, FSH + eCG and FSH + hCG, respectively (p < 0.001). The oestrous gilt receiving hCG alone and one oestrous FSH + hCG gilt did not ovulate, all other oestrous gilts ovulated. A further two anoestrous FSH + eCG-treated gilts ovulated. These data suggest that FSH pre-treatment facilitated the development of ovarian follicles to the point where they became responsive to hCG, but had little effect on the response to eCG.     

Luteolytic Effect of Prostaglandin F2α on Bovine Corpus Luteum Depends on Cell Composition and Contact

Prostaglandin F_2α (PGF_2α) is a main luteolytic factor in vivo; however, its direct luteolytic influence on steroidogenic cells of bovine corpus luteum (CL) is controversial and not fully understood. The aim of the study was to clarify PGF_2α action on bovine CL in different in vivo and in vitro conditions and to examine whether the contact among all main types of CL cells is necessary for luteolytic PGF_2α action. In experiment 1, the bovine CL (day 15 of the oestrous cycle) was perfused using in vivo microdialysis system with dinoprost (an analogue of PGF_2α) for 0.5 h. Dinoprost caused a short‐time increase in progesterone (P4), whose concentration decreased thereafter (at 6‐, 10‐, 12‐ and 24‐h after treatment). In experiment 2, the direct effect of PGF_2α on P4 accumulation in CL steroidogenic cells cultured in monolayer (day 15 of the cycle) was determined. PGF_2α after 24 h of incubation increased P4 accumulation in steroidogenic CL cells. In experiment 3 steroidogenic, endothelial CL and immune cells (day 15 of the cycle) were incubated with PGF_2α in cocultures for 24 h in glass tubes and the levels of P4, stable metabolites of nitric oxide (NO) and leukotriene (LT) C₄ were determined. Although PGF_2α treatment increased P4 secretion in homogeneous steroidogenic CL cell culture, the decrease in P4 secretion in cocultures of all types of CL cells was observed. The secretion of NO and LTC₄ increased after the treatment of PGF_2α both in pure cultures of CL cells and in cocultures. The interactions between endothelial and immune cells with steroidogenic CL cells are needed for luteolytic PGF_2α action within the bovine CL. Our results indicate that the cell coculture model, including the main types of CL cells, is the most approximate to study PGF_2α role in vitro.     

在西双版纳地区进行玉米南繁加代的可行性研究

我单位在云南西双版纳地区连续３年进行玉米南繁试验,事实证明,１０月１０日前播种是阳适宜播期,于１２月授粉,２月上中旬收获,生长期间未遇低温危害;１１月１５日前播种,采用地膜覆盖栽培,于１２月至１月授粉,在花期遇７￣８℃低温的情况下,开花授粉及结实仍然良好,一般完成授粉任务的９５％以上。３月中下旬收获,４月中子可运回,及时为春播提供种源。在西双版纳有大量的冬闲土地,并且气候温和,从不受台风影响,南繁