Up‐Regulation of Insulin‐Like Growth Factor I and Uteroglobin in In Vivo‐Developed Parthenogenetic Embryos

Parthenote embryos are being considered as an alternative source of embryonic stem cells. However, as there is still a dearth of knowledge of this kind of embryos, a better understanding of their biology is needed for their application. In this work, we studied the differences and similarities between parthenotes and normal embryos at the blastocyst stage in vivo developed. We analysed the expression of factor OCT‐4, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF‐I) and uteroglobin (UG) by real‐time PCR. To do so, oocytes were recovered and after activation procedure were transferred by ventral middle laparoscopy to receptive does to undergo completely in vivo development. Does were slaughtered 6 days post‐ovulation induction, and parthenote and normal embryos were recovered for mRNA expression analysis. Our results reported that parthenotes and normal embryos showed similar mRNA expression for OCT‐4 and VEGF. However, IGF‐I and UG showed to be over‐expressed in parthenote embryos. Thus, our study highlights that despite the in vivo development of parthenotes, they still seem to have an altered expression and, therefore, to be different to normal embryos. The altered expression pattern of parthenote embryos suggests that these embryos should be studied carefully before future application.     

The Quantum Event of Oceanic Crustal Accretion: Impacts of Diking at Mid-Ocean Ridges

Seafloor diking-eruptive events represent the irreducible, quantum events of upper oceanic crustal accretion. They record events by which a large portion of the oceanic crust has formed through geological history. Since 1993, the U.S. Navy's real-time Sound Surveillance System has allowed location of ongoing acoustic signatures of dike emplacement and basalt eruptions at ridge crests in the northeast Pacific. These diking-eruptive events trigger a sequence of related, rapidly evolving physical, chemical, and biological processes. Magmatic volatiles released during these events may provide nutrients for communities of subseafloor microorganisms, some of which thrive in high-temperature anaerobic environments. Many of the organisms identified from these systems are Archaea. If microorganisms can thrive in the water-saturated pores and cracks within deep, volcanically active portions of our planet, other hydrothermally active planets may harbor similar life forms.     

Shipboard geophysical indications of asymmetry and melt production beneath the east pacific rise near the MELT experiment

Near the Mantle Electromagnetic and Tomography (MELT) Experiment, seamounts form and off-axis lava flows occur in a zone that extends farther to the west of the East Pacific Rise than to the east, indicating a broad, asymmetric region of melt production. More seamounts, slower subsidence, and less dense mantle on the western flank suggest transport of hotter mantle toward the axis from the west. Variations in axial ridge shape, axial magma chamber continuity, off-axis volcanism, and apparent mantle density indicate that upwelling is probably faster and more melt is produced beneath 17 degrees15'S than beneath 15 degrees55'S. Recent volcanism occurs above mantle with the lowest seismic velocities.     

Bosonic stimulation in the formation of a bose-einstein condensate

The formation of a Bose-Einstein condensate of a dilute atomic gas has been studied in situ with a nondestructive, time-resolved imaging technique. Sodium atoms were evaporatively cooled close to the onset of Bose-Einstein condensation and then suddenly quenched to below the transition temperature. The subsequent equilibration and condensate formation showed a slow onset distinctly different from simple relaxation. This behavior provided evidence for the process of bosonic stimulation, or coherent matter-wave amplification, crucial to the concept of an atom laser.     

An estimate of specificity for a Johne's disease absorbed ELISA in northern Australian cattle

Objective To estimate the specificity of an absorbed enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay kit^d for Johne's disease (JD) when used in mature cattle populations resident in northern Australia.
Design Blood samples were collected from beef cattle in northern Queensland, the Northern Territory and northern Western Australia, and from dairy cattle in northern Queensland. The specificity of a serological test for JD was estimated by testing the blood samples with an absorbed ELISA kit. Further samples were collected from cattle with positive ELISA results to determine the presence or absence of infection with Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis .
Procedure During 1995 and 1996, blood, tissue and gut contents were collected from beef cattle at abattoirs in Queensland and the Northern Territory; and blood and faecal samples were collected from dairy cattle in herds assessed to be most at risk for JD in northern Queensland. The blood samples were tested using an absorbed ELISA kit. Tissues and gut contents from beef cattle that had positive ELISA results were cultured for M avium subsp paratuberculosis , and tissues were examined histo-logically. Faecal samples from dairy cattle with positive ELISA results were cultured for M avium subsp paratuberculosis .
Results Estimates of specificity for this absorbed ELISA in mature northern Australian cattle were 98.0% (97.0 to 98.8%, 95% CI) in beef cattle, and 98.3% (96.7 to 99.3%, 95% CI) in dairy cattle.
Conclusion Estimates of specificity in this study were lower for beef cattle from the Northern Territory and northern Western Australia and for dairy cattle from northern Queensland than those quoted from studies on cattle in southern Western Australia. This should be considered when serological testing using the JD ELISA is carried out on northern Australian cattle.     

Treatment with vitamins A, D and E did not reduce weight loss in transported cattle

SUMMARY Two field trials using an injectable vitamin A, D and E solution conducted in the pastoral environment of northern Australia are described. It was found that treatment of lighter (< 150 kg) or heavier (> 372 kg) weight cattle did not reduce weight loss during road transport. These findings contradict anecdotal evidence of reduced weight loss during transport with the use of vitamins A, D and E. The lack of scientific basis for their use is discussed.     

Effects of pH, sodium bicarbonate, cryoprotectants and foetal bovine serum on the cryopreservation of European eel sperm.

The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of pH and bicarbonate concentration in the activation or inhibition of European eel (Anguilla anguilla) spermatozoa and to evaluate the effect of different cryoprotectants: dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), acetamide, ethylene glycol, propanol, glycerol and methanol (MeOH). The effect of these factors was evaluated comparing the percentage of motile cells, the percentage of alive cells (by Hoechst staining) and the spermatozoa morphometry pre- and post-cryopreservation (by computer-assisted morphology analysis). Based on the above findings, three cryoprotectants (DMSO, MeOH and glycerol) were chosen and evaluated in two media (P1 and P1 modified) with different concentrations of NaHCO(3) and in the presence or absence of foetal bovine serum (FBS). The effect of these factors was evaluated comparing the percentage of alive and motile cells post-cryopreservation. DMSO was the cryoprotectant showing better results in relation to the percentage of spermatic alive cells post-freezing and caused a smaller modification of the head spermatozoa morphology. The combination of P1-modified medium with DMSO and containing FBS increased slightly but significantly the percentage of motile spermatozoa post-cryopreservation.