Prevention of estrus in the queen with chlormadinone acetate administered orally.

The possibility of estrus prevention in the queen by the oral administration of chlormadinone acetate was examined. The animals used were 29 mature and 15 immature queens. For 16 mature females, 4-12.5 mg was given daily by mouth for 7 days every 3 months. Ten of the 16 queens given this treatment came into estrus within 4 months of the first treatment. For 28 females including the immature, 2-12.5 mg was given once a week throughout the experiment. This treatment prevented estrous activity for at least 1 year. In the queens in this study, the side effects were not observed excepting an increase in body weight during treatment. Our results showed that oral administration of this drug weekly is safe and reliable for long-range prevention of estrus in queens.     

Effects of extracerebral dopamine on salsolinol‐ or thyrotropin‐releasing hormone‐induced prolactin (PRL) secretion in goats

The aim of the present study was to clarify the effect of extracerebral dopamine (DA) on salsolinol (SAL)‐induced prolactin (PRL) secretion in goats. An intravenous injection of SAL or thyrotropin‐releasing hormone (TRH) was given to female goats before and after treatment with an extracerebral DA receptor antagonist, domperidone (DOM), and the PRL‐releasing response to SAL was compared with that to TRH. DOM alone increased plasma PRL concentrations and the PRL‐releasing response to DOM alone was greater than that to either SAL alone or TRH alone. The PRL‐releasing response to DOM plus SAL was similar to that to DOM alone, and no additive effect of DOM and SAL on the secretion of PRL was observed. In contrast, the PRL‐releasing response to DOM plus TRH was greater than that to either TRH alone or DOM alone and DOM synergistically increased TRH‐induced PRL secretion. The present results demonstrate that the mechanism involved in PRL secretion by SAL differs from that by TRH, and suggest that the extracerebral DA might be associated in part with the modulation of SAL‐induced PRL secretion in goats.     

Preventive effects of CIDR-based protocols on premature ovulation before timed-AI in Ovsynch in cycling beef cows

Ovsynch is a program developed to synchronize ovulation for timed breeding. In this paper, the authors investigate whether controlled internal drug release (CIDR)-based protocols prevent premature ovulation before timed-artificial insemination (AI) when Ovsynch is started a few days before luteolysis in cycling beef cows. Nine beef cows at 16 days after oestrus were treated with (1) Ovsynch, i.e. gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue on day 0, prostaglandin (PG) F(2alpha) analogue on day 7 and GnRH analogue on day 9 with timed-AI on day 10, (n=3); (2) Ovsynch+CIDR (Ovsynch protocol plus a CIDR for 7 days from day 0, n=3), or (3) oestradiol benzoate (OB)+CIDR+GnRH (OB on day 0 in lieu of the first GnRH treatment, followed by the Ovsynch+CIDR protocol, n=3). In the Ovsynch group (1) plasma progesterone concentrations fell below 0.5 ng/mL earlier (day 5) than in both CIDR-treated groups (2) and (3), where this occurred on day 8. Plasma oestradiol-17beta concentrations peaked on day 8 in the Ovsynch group and on day 9 in both CIDR-treated groups. The dominant follicle ovulated on day 10 in the Ovsynch group and on day 11 in both CIDR-treated groups. Thus, both CIDR-based protocols prevented premature ovulation before timed-AI in Ovsynch when the protocol was started a few days before luteolysis. This reflects the fact that progesterone levels remained high until the beef cattle were treated with PGF(2alpha).     

Post-molt processes of cuticle formation and calcification in the Japanese mitten crab <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eriocheir japonicus</Emphasis>

This study examines the following in the Japanese mitten crab: (1) the structure of the exoskeleton with special reference to its calcification; (2) the progression of post-molt cuticle formation and calcification. In the crab, the structure and calcification state of the exoskeleton at the molt and during the inter-molt stage were similar to those of other crustaceans. During the inter-molt, the exoskeleton consisted of four cuticle layers; the outermost epicuticle, the exocuticle, the endocuticle and the innermost membrane layer. Intense calcification was observed in the exo- and endocuticle. At the molt, the synthesis of the epi- and exocuticle was already complete, and the addition of the endocuticle began after the molt. Calcification of the exocuticle initiated soon after the molt, but there was a delay between endocuticle matrix synthesis and calcification. Histology showed that the process of calcification was similar to that in other crustaceans. However, calcium concentrations within the exoskeleton continued to increase and never reached the levels of the inter-molt stage at the end of the experiment. This suggests that the Japanese mitten crab is relatively slow to calcify compared to other crustaceans.     

Supplemental effect of cholyltaurine and soybean lecithin to a soybean meal-based fish meal-free diet on hepatic and intestinal morphology of rainbow trout <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus mykiss</Emphasis>

The supplemental effects of cholyltaurine and soybean lecithin to a defatted soybean meal (SBM)-based fish meal-free diet on the hepatic and intestinal morphology of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were investigated. A fish meal-based diet (FM), three fish meal-free diets supplemented either with soybean lecithin (SL), bovine gall powder (BG) or cholyltaurine (C-tau) and an unsupplemented fish meal-free diet (NFM), were given to fish (−11 g) for 10 weeks. The growth was the lowest in fish fed diet NFM, intermediate in fish fed diet SL and the highest in fish fed diet FM, BG and C-tau. Hepatocytes of fish fed diet NFM were atrophied, and the distal intestine of these fish showed abnormal features: disintegrated microvilli and fatty degeneration in epithelial cells and increased amount of connective tissue in the submucosa. Hepatic and intestinal histological features in fish fed diets SL, BG and C-tau were similar to those in fish fed diet FM. These results indicate that soybean lecithin, bovine bile salts and cholyltaurine have similar effects on normalizing the hepatic and intestinal morphologies of rainbow trout fed the SBM-based diet, although growth promotion effect was limited in the soybean lecithin.     

日本横滨市土壤各形态铅和蚯蚓体内铅的含量关系研究

以日本横滨市国道两侧绿地土壤和横滨国立大学校内绿地土壤为研究区,采用连续浸提-ICP法分析了横滨市土壤环境中表层(0～5cm)和5～20cm处的Pb元素的水溶性、离子态、碳酸盐结合态、铁锰氧化物结合态、有机质结合态、和残渣态Pb的含量变化及其与土壤蚯蚓体内Pb含量的关系,结果表明:横滨市土壤表层全Pb含量在76.85～100.05mgkg-1之间,5～20cm土层全Pb含量为40.83～57mgkg-1之间,远高于当地的土壤Pb背景值(17mgkg-1),受到不同程度的污染;并且横滨国立大学校内绿地土壤比国道两侧绿地土壤表层的全Pb含量显著提高,其污染原因有待于进一步研究。蚯蚓体内的Pb含量变化范围在在研究区各采样点中没有显著差异,统计分析结果表明,蚯蚓体内的Pb含量与土壤环境中各形态Pb之间并无线性相关关系。     

渡良濑游水地土壤微生物群落结构与功能研究

利用BIOLOG和磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)技术,研究了受足尾铜矿废水影响下的日本西那须地区渡良濑游水地东、西两侧土壤生物学特性、微生物群落结构及功能变化.结果表明:东侧(对照区)土壤全铜含量为45.07mg/kg,有效态铜含量为0.42 mg/kg,同西侧相比,平均降低了19.32%和89.95%.土壤呼吸速率主要受土壤有效态铜、土壤有机质和C/N的影响,随土层深度增加,土壤微生物量氮和溶解性氮都迅速减小,东侧土壤具有较强的氮矿化能力,渡良濑游水地东、西两侧0-5 cm土层土壤的微生物群落生理代谢剖面在培养48 h后出现明显变化;土壤微生物群落的平均颜色变化值(AWCD)随培养时间的延长,趋于平缓增加.在48 h时培养后,西侧位点土壤的AWCD值与东侧相比,分别下降了40%,34%和16%;除B位点样品在20-40 cm土层深度的AWCD略高于其它3个位点外,其余样品的AWCD无明显差异.渡良濑游水地东侧土壤微生物对单一碳源底物的利用能力较高,土壤微生物群落利用碳源的功能多样性也较高.渡良濑游水地西侧区域C位点土壤的格兰仕阳性菌、格兰仕阴性菌、放线菌数量均显著高于东侧A位点,但渡良濑游水地东侧区域土壤3大类群微生物中细菌和放线菌比例更高.在渡良濑游水地自然恢复30多年后,东、西两侧土壤微生物群落结构与功能仍存在较明显的差异.     

Quantitative structure-activity analysis of larvicidal 1-(substituted benzoyl)-2-benzoyl-1-tert-butylhydrazines against Chilo suppressalis

The larvicidal activity of a number of 1-(substituted benzoyl)-2-benzoyl–1 -ten-butylhydrazines against the rice stem borer (Chilo suppressalis Walk.) was measured. Variations in the activity were examined quantitatively using physico-chemical substituent and molecular parameters and regression analysis. The results indicated that the molecular hydrophobicity and the electron-withdrawing inductive/ field effect of ontho substituents are favourable to larvicidal activity. The bulkiness of substituents at the meta and para positions was unfavourable to activity, substitution at the para position being more unfavourable than that at the meta position in terms of van der Waals' volume. The 2,3–, 2,5- and 2,6-disubstitution patterns were also unfavourable to activity. Reductions in larvicidal activity caused by the 2,6-,- 2,3,5- and 2,3,4,5-substitutions were greater than those induced by the 2,3- and 2,5-disubstitutions. When the sum of contributions from favourable effects is greater than that from unfavourable effects, the larvicidal activity is expected to be superior to that of the unsubstituted compound.     

Quantitative structure—activity studies of insect growth regulators. XI. Stimulation and inhibition of N-acetylglucosamine incorporation in a cultured integument system by substituted N-tert-butyl-N,N′-dibenzoylhydrazines

The ability to stimulate N-acetylglucosamine (GluNAc) incorporation in-vitro of a number of N-tert-butyl-N,N′-dibenzoylhydrazines having various substituents on both phenyl rings was measured in cultured integument excised from the rice stem borer (Chilo suppressalis Walker). The relationship between in-vitro and larvicidal potency was approximately linear. The substituent effects on variations in the potency were similar between in-vitro and larvicidal activities. An inhibitor of oxidative detoxication, piperonyl butoxide, had no synergistic effects on the in-vitro potency. The ability of some dibenzoylhydrazines to inhibit GluNAc incorporation at exposure periods longer than the optimum for stimulation was also measured in a similar cultured integument system. The relationship between the inhibitory and stimulatory potency indices was linear, indicating that the larvicidal activity of dibenzoylhydrazines is closely related to its ability to stimulate as well as to inhibit GluNAc incorporation into the larval cuticle.