Regulation of pituitary somatotroph differentiation by hormones of peripheral endocrine glands

Anterior pituitary somatotroph differentiation occurs during chick embryonic and rat fetal development. A number of findings support the hypothesis that differentiation of these growth hormone (GH) producing cells in the chick and the rat is regulated by adrenal glucocorticoids and thyroid hormones. Somatotroph differentiation can be induced in cultures of chick embryonic and rat fetal pituitary cells with adrenal glucocorticoids and this effect can be modulated by concomitant treatment with thyroid hormones. Plasma levels of thyroid hormones, corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone increase during development, consistent with the ontogeny of somatotrophs. Treatment of chick embryos or rat fetuses with glucocorticoids in vivo induces premature somatotroph differentiation, indicating that the adrenal gland, and ultimately anterior pituitary corticotrophs, may function to regulate pituitary GH cell differentiation during development. Administration of thyroid hormones in vivo also increases somatotrophs prematurely, and administration of the thyroid hormone synthesis inhibitor methimazole inhibits somatotroph differentiation in vivo, suggesting that endogenous thyroid hormone synthesis contributes to normal somatotroph differentiation. Our working model for the regulation of somatotroph differentiation during normal development includes modulation by elements of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid axes. Additional research is reviewed defining the mechanism of action for these peripheral hormones in induction of pituitary GH gene expression during development.     

Salmon prices in France and the UK: Does origin or market place matter?

Abstract

There have been several attempts to distinguish farmed Atlantic salmon by origin using trademarks. Whether there exist different regional markets for salmon, and in particular whether the UK market is separate from the market in continental Europe, is also an issue that has received attention. To address these questions, we investigate the relationship between Norwegian and Scottish salmon both in France and the UK, and between Scottish salmon in France and the UK. The analysis is carried out by investigating how the development of prices is related using co‐integration tests.     

Effects of ketamine and magnesium on the minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane in goats

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of ketamine, magnesium sulfate, and their combination on the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane (ISO-MAC) in goats. ANIMALS: 8 adult goats. PROCEDURES: Anesthesia was induced with isoflurane delivered via face mask. Goats were intubated and ventilated to maintain normocapnia. After an appropriate equilibration period, baseline MAC (MAC(B)) was determined and the following 4 treatments were administered IV: saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (loading dose [LD], 30 mL/20 min; constant rate infusion [CRI], 60 mL/h), magnesium sulfate (LD, 50 mg/kg; CRI, 10 mg/kg/h), ketamine (LD, 1 mg/kg; CRI, 25 microg/kg/min), and magnesium sulfate (LD, 50 mg/kg; CRI, 10 mg/kg/h) combined with ketamine (LD, 1 mg/kg; CRI, 25 microg/kg/min); then MAC was redetermined. RESULTS: Ketamine significantly decreased ISOMAC by 28.7 +/- 3.7%, and ketamine combined with magnesium sulfate significantly decreased ISOMAC by 21.1 +/- 4.1%. Saline solution or magnesium sulfate alone did not significantly change ISOMAC. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Ketamine and ketamine combined with magnesium sulfate, at doses used in the study, decreased the end-tidal isoflurane concentration needed to maintain anesthesia, verifying the clinical impression that ketamine decreases the end-tidal isoflurane concentration needed to maintain surgical anesthesia. Magnesium, at doses used in the study, did not decrease ISOMAC or augment ketamine's effects on ISOMAC.     

Miniaturized methods for testing the toxicity of pesticides to microorganisms

A minialurized method of determining the toxicity of pesticides to large numbers or soil mitroorganisms is described. Bacteria. actinomycetes, yeasts, fungi and algae can be used as test organisms. A modification of the method allows determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations of pesticides to specific microorganisms. Some results obtained with herbicides are presented. Microméthodex pour éprauver la toxicité des pesticides vis-á-vis des micro-organismes Une micromethode pour determiner la toxicité des pesticides vis-á-vis de nombreux micro-organismes du sol est décrite. Des bactéries. des actinomycetes, des levures. des champignons et des algues peuvent ëtre utilisés comme organismes-tesis. Une modifitation de la méthode permel les determinations des concentrations minimales inhibitrices des pesticides vis-á-vis des micro-organismes specifiques. Quelques resultats obtenus avec des herbicides sont présentés. Miniaturisierte Methoden zur Prüf'ung der Toxizitüt von Pflan- zenhehandlumgsmit teln auf Mikraorganismen Es wird einc miniaturisierte Methode zur BestimmungderToxi- zität von Pfianzenbehandlungsmitteln für groβe Zablen von Bodenmikroorganismen beschrieben, Als Testorganismen können Bakterien. Actinomyceten. Hefen, Pilze und Algen benutzi werden. Eine Modifizierung der Methode gestattet die Bestimmung der Minimum-Hemmkonzentration von Pflanzen- behandlungsmitteln auf spezielle Mikroorganismen. Einige Ergebnisse, die mit Herbiziden erarbeitel wurden. sind darge-stellt.     

Survey on viroids infecting grapevine in Italy: identification and characterization of Australian grapevine viroid and Grapevine yellow speckle viroid 2

Five viroid species have been reported from grapevine. Hop stunt viroid (HSVd) and Grapevine yellow speckle viroid 1 (GYSVd-1) are distributed worldwide, whereas Grapevine yellow speckle viroid 2 (GYSVd-2), Australian grapevine viroid (AGVd) and Citrus exocortis viroid (CEVd) are found only sporadically. However, the presence of AGVd and GYSVd-2 in several countries, including China, Turkey and Tunisia, suggests a wider dissemination, possibly also in Europe, where AGVd has never been found and GYSVd-2 has been occasionally identified in Italy. Taking advantage of a multiplex RT-PCR assay recently developed for detecting simultaneously these five viroids, vines growing in Italy in commercial vineyards and germplasm collections were surveyed. Besides confirming the widespread presence of HSVd and GYSVd-1 in the field, GYSVd-2 and/or AGVd were identified in two grapevine table cultivars (Sultanina Bianca and Red Globe) from germplasm collections. Tests extended to vines cultivated in southern Italy confirmed the presence of both viroids, which were further characterized. No major sequence divergences between the AGVd and GYSVd-2 variants from Italy and those previously described from other countries were observed. Phylogenetic analysis supported the close relationships among AGVd variants from Italy, Tunisia and Australia. To our knowledge this is the first report of AGVd in Europe and the first molecular characterization of GYSVd-2 isolates from a European country.     

Antigenic relationship of turkey coronavirus isolates from different geographic locations in the United States

The purpose of the present study was to examine the antigenicity of turkey coronavirus (TCV) isolates from various geographic areas with antibodies to different viruses. Seventeen isolates of TCV were recovered from intestinal samples submitted to Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University, from turkey farms located in different geographic areas. The prototype TCV Minnesota isolate (TCV-ATCC) was obtained from the American Type Culture Collection. Intestinal sections were prepared from turkey embryos infected with different TCV isolates and reacted with polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies to TCV, infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), bovine coronavirus (BCV), transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), reovirus, rotavirus, adenovirus, or enterovirus in immunofluorescent antibody staining. All 18 TCV isolates have the same antigenic reactivity pattern with the same panel of antibodies. Positive reactivity was seen with polyclonal antibodies to the TCV Indiana isolate, the TCV Virginia isolate, TCV-ATCC, and the IBV Massachusetts strain as well as monoclonal antibodies to the TCV North Carolina isolate or the membrane protein of IBV. Antibodies to BCV or TGEV were not reactive with any of the TCV isolates. Reactivity of antibodies to unrelated virus, rotavirus, reovirus, adenovirus, or enterovirus with different TCV isolates was all negative, except positive response was seen between enterovirus antibody and a TCV western North Carolina isolate, suggesting coinfection of turkeys with TCV and enterovirus in that particular case. The results indicated that the TCV isolates from these geographic locations in the U.S. shared close antigenicity and were antigenically related to IBV.     

Differential effects of the endocrine-disrupting compounds bisphenol-A and octylphenol on gonadotropin secretion, in prepubertal ewe lambs

This study examined the effects of long-term exposure to the endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) Bisphenol-A (BPA) and Octylphenol (OP) on gonadotrophin secretion in pre-pubertal female sheep. Four-week-old, female lambs were randomly allocated to four groups (n=6), and twice each week treated with i.m. injections of either corn oil (vehicle controls), diethylstilbestrol (DES; 0.175mg/kg), BPA (3.5mg/kg) or OP (3.5mg/kg). After 5 weeks of treatment, animals were ovariectomized (ovx) and ovary weights recorded. Two weeks later, blood samples were collected from lambs every 15min for 6h, for LH pulse analysis. Animals were then euthanased and adrenal and kidney weight recorded. An age-related increase in tonic LH secretion was noted in Control, BPA- and OP-treated lambs, but was absent in DES-treated lambs. Following ovx, LH secretion increased in all except DES-treated lambs; FSH concentrations increased in all groups. BPA and DES significantly suppressed LH pulse frequency (C: 6.7+/-0.3pulses/6h, DES: 1.5+/-0.8pulses/6h, BPA: 2.3+/-0.8pulses/6h) and amplitude (C: 7.1+/-1.0ng/ml, DES: 1.9+/-0.6ng/ml, BPA: 1.6+/-0.4ng/ml). OP had no effect on LH secretion (Frequency: 5.8+/-0.5pulses/6h, amplitude: 8.0+/-2.0ng/ml). Ovary weight was similar among all groups. Results show that chronic in vivo exposure of prepubertal female lambs to BPA, at levels lower than those reported previously, can have significant effects on LH secretion that are comparable to those seen following exposure to the known xenoestrogen, DES. Exposure to an equal dose of the EDC OP, over the equivalent period of time was without effect on gonadotropin secretion in the prepubertal ewe lamb. These results indicate that exposure of prepubertal female lambs to the EDC BPA can induce significant effects on gonadotropin secretion, the potential long-term effects of exposure and the effects of these changes on reproductive performance and efficacy, therefore, merit further study.     

Evaluation of the infectivity of Trichinella papuae and Trichinella zimbabwensis for equatorial freshwater fishes

The discovery of Trichinella species infecting poikilotherm vertebrates has opened new possibilities in the epidemiology of this parasite group. The aim of the present work was to investigate the infectivity of the two non-encapsulated species of Trichinella infecting both mammals and reptiles, Trichinella papuae and Trichinella zimbabwensis, for equatorial freshwater carnivore fishes. To this end, two species of piranhas, four Serrasalmus nattereri and four Serrasalmus rhombeus, were each inoculated per os with the two species of Trichinella larvae. Six days post infection (p.i.), one fish of each species inoculated with one of the two species of Trichinella was sacrificed. The intestines and celomatic cavities were searched for worms using dissection microscopy, and the presence of muscle larvae was evaluated by artificial digestion. The other 4 inoculated fish were sacrificed 60 days p.i. and similarly searched for the presence of worms. No larva or adult worms were detected in any organ or tissue at 6 or 60 days p.i. The lack of infectivity of T. papuae and T. zimbabwensis for fish suggests that the entozoic habitat of this animal does not represent a suitable environment for these two Trichinella species. More importantly, these data indicate that freshwater fishes, one of the food resources for crocodiles, caimans and alligators, are unlikely to play a role in the epidemiology of the known species of the genus Trichinella.