Effects of IGF‐1 on In Vitro Culture of Bovine Preantral Follicles are Dose‐Dependent

This study aimed at assessing the effect of different concentrations of the growth factor similar to insulin 1 (IGF‐1) in the development, survival and ultrastructure of the bovine preantral follicles cultured in situ. Fragments of bovine ovarian cortical tissue were cultured during 1 and 7 days in 1 ml of α‐MEM⁺, supplemented with different concentrations of human recombinant IGF‐1 (0, 30, 70 and 100 ng/ml), in an incubator at 37°C and 5% of CO₂ in 24‐well plates with total replacement of the medium every 2 days. Non‐cultured ovarian fragments (control) and ovarian fragments cultured during 1 and 7 days were processed for classic histology, mechanical isolation and electron transmission microscopy (ETM). Parameters such as normality, viability, activation, development, diameter and ultrastructure were evaluated. All statistical analyses were carried out using sas Version 9.2. The results showed that the percentage of follicles morphologically normal in the IGF‐1 30 ng/ml treatment was similar to the fresh control (p > 0.05) both on the day 1 and on the day 7 of in vitro culture. In the viability analysis, the cultured treatments maintained the percentage of viable follicles during the entire culture period (p > 0.05). After 7 days of culture, the IGF‐1 30 ng/ml treatment showed higher percentages of developing follicles (48.33%) than those of the fresh control (22.22%) and the cultured treatments (p < 0.05). Also, after 7 days of culture, IGF‐1 30 ng/ml presented a higher follicular diameter when compared to the control and other concentrations of IGF‐1 tested. Ultrastructurally, the non‐cultured control and IGF‐1 30 ng/ml, after 7 days of culture, showed conserved oocytes, nuclei and organelles. Hence, it is concluded that IGF‐1 30 ng/ml was the most efficient concentration for the development of bovine preantral follicles cultured in vitro.     

Reproductive dominance of pasture trees in a fragmented tropical forest mosaic

Tropical forest fragmentation threatens biodiversity, yet basic information on population responses for major groups such as plants is lacking. Hypervariable genetic markers were used to reconstruct a population-level pedigree in fragmented tropical forest for the tree Symphonia globulifera. Though seedlings occurred only in remnant forest, the pedigree showed that most seedlings had been produced by sequentially fewer adults in pasture, creating a genetic bottleneck. The pedigree also implicated shifts in the foraging of animals that disperse pollen and seed in a secondary constriction of the bottleneck. These results suggest that tropical conservation strategies should anticipate complex, cryptic responses to fragmentation.     

Spatial pattern formation in an insect host-parasitoid system

Spatial models in ecology predict that populations may form patchy distributions within continuous habitats, through strong predator-prey or host-parasitoid interactions combined with limited dispersal. Empirical support of these models is provided. Parasitoids emanating from a population outbreak of tussock moths (Orgyia vetusta) suppressed the growth of nearby experimental populations of the moth, while experimental populations farther away were able to grow. This result explains the observed localized nature of tussock moth outbreaks and illustrates how population distributions can be regulated by dynamic spatial processes.     

Earth-Based Observations of the Galileo Probe Entry Site

Earth-based observations of Jupiter indicate that the Galileo probe probably entered Jupiter's atmosphere just inside a region that has less cloud cover and drier conditions than more than 99 percent of the rest of the planet. The visual appearance of the clouds at the site was generally dark at longer wavelengths. The tropospheric and stratospheric temperature fields have a strong longitudinal wave structure that is expected to manifest itself in the vertical temperature profile.     

水稻株型育种生理生态特性的研究现状与展望

阐述了株型育种发展的阶段及各阶段的特点,从茎、叶、穗、分蘖、根５个方面与水稻株型育各种有关的各种形态、生理、生态特性的研究现状进行了综合评述。认为株高增加、叶片直立、分蘖力适中、根系发达不早衰是株型育种目标的共同点,而北方粳稻区穗子直立更有利于提高光能利用率。认为通过籼粳稻杂交、水陆稻杂交,并进行多次人回交或复交,将非Ｆ１优势固定或通过籼粳杂交转能广亲和材料采用“架桥”的方法,是实现优化性状组配的     

A 0.5-million-year record of millennial-scale climate variability in the north atlantic

Long, continuous, marine sediment records from the subpolar North Atlantic document the glacial modulation of regional climate instability throughout the past 0.5 million years. Whenever ice sheet size surpasses a critical threshold indicated by the benthic oxygen isotope (delta18O) value of 3.5 per mil during each of the past five glaciation cycles, indicators of iceberg discharge and sea-surface temperature display dramatically larger amplitudes of millennial-scale variability than when ice sheets are small. Sea-surface temperature oscillations of 1 degrees to 2 degreesC increase in size to approximately 4 degrees to 6 degreesC, and catastrophic iceberg discharges begin alternating repeatedly with brief quiescent intervals. The glacial growth associated with this amplification threshold represents a relatively small departure from the modern ice sheet configuration and sea level. Instability characterizes nearly all observed climate states, with the exception of a limited range of baseline conditions that includes the current Holocene interglacial.     

仔猪梭菌性肠炎的防治经验

某场饲养的64头仔猪，于10d内发生梭菌性肠炎，采用疫苗免疫和中药治疗进行防治取得了很好的效果，其中中药治疗32例，治愈25例。     

Occurrence of cutaneous infections of Myxobolus episquamalis (Myxozoa: Myxobolidae) in sea mullet, Mugil cephalus L, in Australia

Objective To report the occurrence of Myxobolus episquamalis in sea mullet, Mugil cephalus L , caught in estuaries in eastern and western Australia.
Design A prospective study of commercial catches of mullet in the Clarence River of NSW and individual cases from other areas.
Results The organism caused pale, white to pink, raised lesions on the scales and fins of sea mullet. Occurrence of infection was highest in spring and in a marine (down-river) environment compared to a brackish environment. Up to 6% of fish were affected in commercial catches.
Conclusion The infection is widespread in Australian mullet, but rarely causes significant economic loss.     

Recent Developments in Oestrous Synchronization of Postpartum Dairy Cows with and without Ovarian Disorders

This report reviews the most recent developments in prostaglandin‐based oestrous synchronization programmes for postpartum dairy cows and addresses the efficiency of controlled breeding protocols based on such developments for cows with abnormal ovarian conditions. A double prostaglandin protocol applied 11–14 days apart seems to be capable of bringing most cows to oestrus. Because of varying oestrus onset times, improved conception rates are obtained following artificial insemination (AI) at detected oestrus rather than fixed‐time AI in prostaglandin‐treated cows. The administration of oestradiol or human chorionic gonadotrophin, or both these hormones, after prostaglandin treatment, improves the synchrony of oestrus yet does not enhance the conception rate. Progesterone‐based treatments for oestrous synchronization are considered the most appropriate for non‐cyclic or anoestrous postpartum dairy cows; prostaglandin alone being ineffective because of the absence of a mature corpus luteum in these cows. Improved oestrus synchrony and fertility rate have been reported using short‐term progesterone treatment regimes (7–9 days) with or without oestradiol benzoate combined with the use of a luteolytic agent given 1 day before, or at the time of, progesterone withdrawal. The ovulation synchronization (Ovsynch) protocol, based on the use of gonadotrophin releasing hormone and prostaglandin, was developed to coordinate follicular recruitment, CL regression and the time of ovulation. This protocol allows fixed time insemination and has proved effective in improving reproductive management in postpartum dairy cows. However, timed AI following Ovsynch seems to have no beneficial effects in heifers, because of an inconsistent follicle wave pattern, and in anoestrous cows, given their lack of prostaglandin responsive CL. To date, there are several prostaglandin based, fixed‐time insemination oestrous synchronization protocols for use in early postpartum dairy cows with ovarian disorders such as ovarian cysts and acyclicity.     

Pyloric outflow obstruction secondary to sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis in a dog

A 6-year-old, male neutered mixed breed dog was presented emergently with a three-week history of hyporexia, vomiting, diarrhoea and weight loss. Upon examination, the patient was dull, had generalised muscle atrophy, moderate abdominal pain and a mild amount of peritoneal effusion. A fluid-filled, distended, corrugated small bowel with marked gastroparesis and moderate peritoneal effusion was noted on abdominal ultrasonography. Endoscopy revealed hyperaemic and friable mucosa and a subjectively narrowed pylorus. Emergency exploratory celiotomy was performed due to worsening patient condition and revealed thick, diffuse, fibrous adhesions of the abdominal cavity. Based on these findings, sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) was suspected. A large mass of omentum adjacent to the greater curvature of the stomach had caused a pyloric outflow obstruction. Adhesiolysis was attempted but was unsuccessful due to the friability of the small intestines. The dog was humanely euthanased under anaesthesia. A diagnosis of SEP was confirmed via necropsy. No underlying cause was identified. This is the first known case of a pyloric outflow obstruction secondary to SEP in a dog. Although rare, this condition should be considered as a differential for dogs with signs of a pyloric outflow obstruction with concurrent ascites and abdominal pain, hyporexia, vomiting and diarrhoea.