Interactions between different media and follicle‐stimulating hormone supplementation on in vitro culture of preantral follicles enclosed in ovarian tissue derived from collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu Linneaus, 1758)

The aim was to verify the effect of follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) supplementation to α‐MEM+ or TCM199+ media on the in vitro development of ovarian preantral follicles (PFs) derived from collared peccaries. Ovaries (n = 5 pairs) were collected and divided into fragments destined to control group (non‐cultured) or treatments that were cultured for 7 days. The PFs morphology, growth and activation were evaluated by classical histology. The immunohistochemistry markers Ag‐NOR and PCNA were used for nuclear proliferation analysis, and the picrosirius red labelling was used for ovarian extracellular matrix (ECM) evaluation. After 7‐day culture, only the TCM199+ treatment maintained the proportion of intact PFs similar to day 1 (63.2%), but no differences were found among treatments (p > .05). In addition, a significant increase in the growing follicles proportion was verified for all the treatments, indicating follicular activation (p > .05). By the Ag‐NOR analysis, only the TCM199+/FSH maintained the nuclear proliferation similar to the first day (p > .05). The picrosirius red staining revealed that the ECM remained intact in all the treatments (p > .05). We suggest the use of TCM199+ medium supplemented of FSH for the in vitro development of peccaries PFs under 7‐day culturing conditions.     

Progressive axonopathy: an inherited neuropathy of Boxer dogs. 1. Further studies of the clinical and electrophysiological features

The clinical and electrophysiological findings in 14 Boxer dogs with progressive axonopathy (PA) are described. The salient clinical features are hind-limb ataxia which may later involve forelegs, proprioceptive defects, hypotonia, patellar areflexia, absence of muscle atrophy and, in a few instances, ocular tremor and head bobbing. The outward signs are often observed by 2–3 months of age but clinical testing can reveal patellar areflexia at 1 month of age. After an initial progression, the signs may stabilize and dogs are alive at 4 years of age having shown no deterioration over the previous 2 years. The electrophysiology shows reduced motor nerve conduction velocities and evoked potential amplitudes after about 4 months of age. The F-wave latency is considerably increased. Sensory nerves also show a marked reduction in the amplitude of their evoked potentials and eventually cease to conduct. Abnormal spontaneous activity is not a feature on electromyography. The conduction defects probably reflect to some degree the reduced nerve fibre diameters and myelin sheath changes found in PA although other factors may also be operating. The study shows that PA can be diagnosed with reasonable confidence by routine clinical testing at an early age.     

The influence of earthworms and cranefly larvae on the decomposition of uniformly 14C labelled plant material in soil

Amounts of the individual carbohydrate components derived from uniformly ¹⁴Clabelled grass added to soil were monitored in incubations lasting for up to 2 years. Decomposition was enhanced by the presence of the earthworms. Allolobophora caliginosa and Lumbricus rubellus and the cranefly larvae Tipula paludosa. After 28 d larvae had increased the loss of ¹⁴C-arabinose by 8.8% (compared to soil without larvae), -xylose by 15%, -non cellulose glucose by 5.3% and -cellulose glucose by 12.5%. Earthworms had increased the loss of ¹⁴C-xylose by 5%, -galactose by 21% and -total glucose by 11% after 6 months, and by another 29%, 14% and 8% respectively after 12 months. The losses of ¹⁴C, initially about 60% from soil with tipulid larvae after 1 month, and 50% from soil with earthworms after 3 months, became progressively less. Total ¹⁴C losses in the presence of earthworms were 66% after 12 months and 60% after 2 years, respectively. Increased decomposition is considered to be the result of the mixing of soil and substrate by the invertebrates, rather than an effect of their digestive capabilities.     

The effects of soil structure on protozoa in a clay-loam soil

Physical disruption of a clay-loam soil by slaking, grinding and compaction was used to determine the specific effects of soil structure on soil protozoa. Individual air-dry aggregates (1–2 cm diameter) were wetted slowly, or had their structure disrupted by slaking or grinding. They were then moistened with nutrient solution and incubated, at a matric potential of ?10 kPa. The nutrient solution had to supply at least 400 μg C g^?1 dry soil before protozoan populations increased measurably. Numbers of ciliate protozoa were enhanced by grinding, regardless of the amount of nutrient added. The moisture content and, therefore, the final nutrient concentration of the disrupted aggregates, changed markedly and could account for the observed increase in protozoan biomass from slowly wet to slaked to ground aggregates. There were no differences in protozoan biomass when the applied nutrient concentration was adjusted so that all treatments contained the same amount of nutrient. Soil cores were prepared from sieved (2–4 mm diameter), ground and ground/compacted soil. Thin sections revealed that the pore space accessible to protozoa decreased in these three treatments from 24% to 13% to 9%, respectively. Protozoan biomass was unaffected by grinding but showed a greater than 30-fold decrease following compaction that could not be accounted for solely by the reduced pore space. Grinding and compacting could have favoured anaerobic conditions in the core which would have reduced protozoan activity. Soil structure had no measurable direct effect on protozoan populations, but it had a much greater indirect effect through its influence on moisture content and aeration status.     

A progressive axonopathy of Boxer dogs affecting the central and peripheral nervous systems

Five Boxer dogs with a new neurological disease are described. There is a progressive ataxia and weakness, initially in the hind-legs but later involving forelegs. The onset of signs is usually around 6 months of age although an older dog was affected. Proprioceptive function, muscle tone and tendon reflexes are diminished or absent while pedal reflexes and pain sensation are preserved. Muscle atrophy is minimal. The peripheral nerves are depleted in myelinated fibres. Nerve roots and, to a lesser extent, peripheral nerves show demyelination/remyelination changes and in the cervical ventral roots in particular, regenerative clusters are present. Forelimb muscles show evidence of re-innervation. In the CNS numerous swollen axons are present. The dorsolateral and ventral columns of the spinal cord are affected throughout their length. In the brain a number of nuclei and tracts, particularly in the lower brain stem, are affected and the superior olives are severely involved. The cerebral cortex and subcortical white matter appear normal. Various portions of the auditory and optic pathways are affected pathologically as are a number of cranial nerves. The axonal swellings contain a number of organelles including smooth endoplasmic reticulum, disordered neurofilaments, vesicles and mitochondria. The disease may be specific to Boxer dogs and may be inherited.     

Seasonal variation in the components of partial resistance of seedlings of winter wheat cultivars Maris Huntsman and Maris Ranger to Septoria nodorum

Components of partial resistance of two winter wheat cultivars, Maris Huntsman and Maris Ranger, to Septoria nodorum were measured on potted seedlings exposed in the open during the spring and early summer of 1978. The number of lesions 10 days after inoculation was always greater for Maris Ranger than for Maris Huntsman but the relative differences changed during the season: about 10:1 in March, April and May, but only 3:1 in June. The time from infection to first sporulation (latent period) on Maris Ranger was always shorter, especially in March. The percentage leaf area covered by lesions at the end of the latent period was usually greater on Maris Ranger, but variation in the percentage leaf area necrotic at this time did not follow a distinct seasonal trend, nor did cultivars differ in this respect. Twice as many spores per unit area diseased were produced on Maris Ranger as on Maris Huntsman. Seasonal variation in these components could partially be interpreted in terms of the changing weather conditions to which the plants were exposed.