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.     

Direct measurement of the current-phase relation of a superfluid 3He-B weak link

Direct measurements of the current-phase relation, I versus Deltaphi, for a weak link coupling two reservoirs of B-phase superfluid helium-3 (3He-B) were made over a wide range of temperatures. The weak link consists of a square array of 100-nanometer-diameter apertures. For temperatures T such that T/Tc >/= 0.6 (where Tc is the superfluid transition temperature), I approximately sin(Deltaphi). At lower temperatures, I(Deltaphi) approaches a straight line. Several remarkable phenomena heretofore inaccessible to superconducting Josephson junctions, including direct observation of quantum oscillations and continuous knowledge of Deltaphi, were also observed.     

Newcastle disease in a vaccinated flock which had experienced subclinical infectious bursal disease

A flock of 4,500 Cobb broilers inoculated with Newcastle disease vaccine intra-ocular strain B1 type at 10 days of age developed clinical signs of the disease 19 days later; the mortality rate was 71%. Necropsy examinations showed characteristic lesions. Newcastle disease virus was isolated and identified in the allantoic fluid of embryonating chicken eggs by haemagglutination and haemagglutination-inhibition tests. Histopathological examination showed that follicles of the bursa were depleted of lymphocytes, had many large cavities and were being repopulated by newly formed healthy lymphocytes. Both the acute and convalescent serum samples were positive for infectious bursal disease antibodies in agar gel precipitation tests. Haemagglutination inhibition titres of the acute and convalescent sera were 20 to 80 and 80 to 640 respectively. The vaccine failure may be due to either the subclinical bursal disease or the highly pathogenic nature of the wild Newcastle disease virus.     

Measurements of the equation of state of deuterium at the fluid insulator-metal transition

A high-intensity laser was used to shock-compress liquid deuterium to pressures from 22 to 340 gigapascals. In this regime deuterium is predicted to transform from an insulating molecular fluid to an atomic metallic fluid. Shock densities and pressures, determined by radiography, revealed an increase in compressibility near 100 gigapascals indicative of such a transition. Velocity interferometry measurements, obtained by reflecting a laser probe directly off the shock front in flight, demonstrated that deuterium shocked above 55 gigapascals has an electrical conductivity characteristic of a liquid metal and independently confirmed the radiography.     

Is the ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta) two species? Genetic analysis reveals within‐species divergence associated with plain and spotted morphotype frequencies

The ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta) is a marine fish belonging to the family Labridae characterized by 2 main morphotypes that occur in sympatry: spotty and plain. Previous studies have revealed differences in their life‐history traits, such as growth and maturation; however, the genetic relationship between forms is presently unknown. Using 20 recently developed microsatellite markers, we conducted a genetic analysis of 41 and 48 spotty and plain ballan wrasse collected in Galicia (northwest Spain). The 2 morphotypes displayed highly significant genetic differences to each other (F_ST = 0.018, P < 0.0001). A similar degree of genetic differentiation (F_ST = 0.025, P < 0.0001) was shown using the STRUCTURE clustering approach with no priors at K = 2. In this case, the frequency of spotty and plain morphotypes was significantly different (χ² = 9.46, P = 0.002). It is concluded that there is significant genetic heterogeneity within this species, which appears to be highly associated with the spotty and plain forms, but not completely explained by them. Given the previously demonstrated biological differences between morphotypes, and the present genetic analyses, we speculate about the convenience of a taxonomic re‐evaluation of this species.     

Non Cat-Like Ovarian Cycle in the Eurasian and the Iberian Lynx – Ultrasonographical and Endocrinological Analysis

The Iberian lynx is considered the most endangered felid species. Therefore, an ex situ conservation program was initiated to protect this species from extinction. Additional knowledge on lynx reproduction biology and reliable methods for reproductive monitoring are important for developing a captive breeding program. The aim of this study in lynx was to implement transrectal ultrasonography to visualize ovarian structures (follicles, corpora lutea) and to assess ovarian activity in addition to analysis of serum progesterone and oestradiol. Because of limited access to Iberian lynxes, the less-endangered Eurasian lynx and bobcat were also studied in this comparative study. Recent endocrinological studies based on faecal and urinary progesterone and oestrogen metabolites revealed that steroid profiles in both these species were alike and did not follow the typical pattern of other felids. Pregnancy diagnosis was not possible, since progesterone concentrations did not differ between pregnant and pseudopregnant animals. Progesterone was also detected after parturition as well as after weaning until the onset of a new oestrous cycle. In the present study, the presence of corpora lutea during the non-breeding season was confirmed by ultrasonography and by elevated serum levels of progesterone averaging 3.56 ± 1.3 ng/ml in Eurasian and 6.1 ± 0.26 ng/ml in Iberian lynx, respectively. The ultrasonographical findings on the ovarian structures suggest strongly that corpora lutea developed after ovulation stay active until November and regress before the onset of the next oestrus.     

Comparison Between Vestibular and Subcutaneous Insertion of Deslorelin Implants for Oestrus Induction in Bitches

Investigations using sustained-release deslorelin implants at various insertion sites have shown that this method consistently induces oestrus in anoestus bitches. However, fertility comparisons between implant insertion sites have not been performed. Anestrous beagle bitches received one 2.1 mg deslorelin implant beneath the vestibular mucosa (VM group; n = 6) or in the subcutaneous tissue between the shoulder blades (SubQ group; n = 8). Vestibular implants were removed when serum progesterone concentrations first exceeded 1.5 ng/ml. Vaginal cytologies and blood samples were collected daily and bitches were inseminated during oestrus. Serum progesterone and deslorelin concentrations were measured and pregnancy status was determined using ultrasonography. There were no differences between groups in the intervals between implant administration and the onset of proestrus, the time of the luteinizing hormone surge and the onset of cytologic diestrus. There were also no differences in the number of corpora lutea or foetuses. However, conception rate was significantly lower in the SubQ group. The pregnancy rate did not differ significantly between the VM and SubQ groups [4 out of 6 (66.7%) and 3 out of 8 (37.5%), respectively]. One bitch (16.7%) in the VM group and three bitches (37.5%) in the SubQ group suffered distinct, premature declines in serum progesterone concentrations starting 1–4 weeks after cytologic diestrus. Serum progesterone concentrations did not recover (premature luteal failure), resulting in abortion. Bitches with premature luteal failure in the SubQ group still had serum deslorelin concentrations >100 pg/ml 20 days after implant insertion, suggesting a possible association between prolonged deslorelin release and luteal failure.     

Responses of white yam (Dioscorea rotundata) cultivars to inoculation with three viruses

The responses of 24 white yam ( Dioscorea rotundata ) cultivars to mechanical and vector transmission with each of three viruses infecting yams were assessed through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and symptom development. The viruses were Dioscorea alata virus (DAV), genus Potyvirus ; Dioscorea alata bacilliform virus (DaBV), genus Badnavirus ; and Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), genus Cucumovirus . Only TDr 95-128, a landrace cultivar from Nigeria, developed symptoms of infection with CMV and DaBV following mechanical and vector transmission, respectively. PAS-ELISA showed that nine genotypes remained uninfected by DAV and 11 were uninfected by CMV or DaBV. Genotypes TDr 747 and TDr 1640 both showed resistance to all three viruses.     

The Current State of Solar Modeling

Data from the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) project and other helioseismic experiments provide a test for models of stellar interiors and for the thermodynamic and radiative properties, on which the models depend, of matter under the extreme conditions found in the sun. Current models are in agreement with the helioseismic inferences, which suggests, for example, that the disagreement between the predicted and observed fluxes of neutrinos from the sun is not caused by errors in the models. However, the GONG data reveal subtle errors in the models, such as an excess in sound speed just beneath the convection zone. These discrepancies indicate effects that have so far not been correctly accounted for; for example, it is plausible that the sound-speed differences reflect weak mixing in stellar interiors, of potential importance to the overall evolution of stars and ultimately to estimates of the age of the galaxy based on stellar evolution calculations.