Superovulatory response of ovarian follicles of Wave 1 versus Wave 2 in heifers

Experiments were designed to test the hypotheses that ovarian follicular response to superstimulatory treatment initiated during Wave 1 is equivalent to that of Wave 2, and recovery rate and quality of ova embryos derived from follicles of Wave 1 are equivalent to those derived from follicles of Wave 2. In a preliminary experiment (Experiment 1), heifers were given Folltropin-V (20 mg NIH-FSH-P1, im, bid for 5 d) beginning the day after emergence of the first (n=10) or second (n=10) follicular wave of the estrous cycle, equivalent to approximately Day 1 and Day 10, respectively (Day 0=ovulation). Luteolysis was induced with cloprostenol (500 mug im, bid) on the fourth day of treatment. Fewer (P<0.05) ovulations per heifer were induced in the Wave 1 group than in the Wave 2 group (4.6+/-1.0 vs 9.1+/-1.3). However, the interval from wave emergence to initiation of treatment was found, in retrospect, to have been longer (P<0.05) in the Wave 1 group, i.e., treatment was initiated relatively later with respect to wave emergence. Experiment 2 was designed to correct this disparity and to initiate the same treatment protocol on the day of wave emergence rather than the day after (n=21 per Wave group). There was no difference between Wave 1 and Wave 2 groups in the interval from wave emergence to initiation of treatment (0.4+/-0.1 d), the number of ovulations detected by ultrasonography (6.6+/-1.0 vs 8.2+/-1.7), the number of CL detected at slaughter (6.5+/-0.9 vs 8.1+/-1.8), the total number of ova embryos recovered (5.2+/-0.7 vs 5.1+/-0.8), or the number of fertilized embryos collected (2.8+/-0.6 vs 3.0+/-0.6). In addition, there was no difference between groups in the proportion of heifers that ovulated in either experiment; collectively, luteolysis and ovulation was induced in 58 of 60 heifers. The results supported the general hypothesis that follicles and oocytes of the first and second follicular waves are equivalent in the response to superstimulatory treatment. Regardless of which follicular wave, initiation of treatment near the time of wave emergence appears critical for maximal superovulatory response. Because of the consistency in the time of emergence of Wave 1 (day of ovulation) and equivalence in superovulatory response, use of Wave 1 rather than subsequent follicular waves may be more convenient and time-sparing in superovulation programs; the day of estrus (day before ovulation) may be used as a consistent point of reference for the start of treatment.     

Superovulatory response to a single subcutaneous injection of Folltropin-V in beef cattle

A series of 4 experiments were designed to evaluate the feasibility of superstimulation in beef cattle with a single sc injection of the porcine pituitary extract, Folltropin-V. In the preliminary study (Experiment 1), superovulatory response of cows (n=7) treated with a single sc injection of 400 mg NIH-FSH-P1 Folltropin-V was not different than that of cows (n=8) superstimulated with twice daily im injections over 4 d, or a single sc injection plus an injection of eCG (n=12). Experiments 2 and 3 were designed to determine the optimal site of a single sc injection. In Experiment 2, cows (n=25) with body condition scores (BCS) of 1 to 2 were used. The mean number of CL counted and ova/embryos collected was lower (P<0.05) in cows treated with the single sc injection in the neck region than in cows treated with a single sc injection behind the shoulder, or with the twice daily im injection treatment. In Experiment 3, cows (n=49) with BCS of 3 to 5 were used. There were no differences in the number of CL, total ova/embrvos collected, fertilized ova and transferable embryos whether treatments were given in the neck region or behind the shoulder, or whether the cows were implanted or not implanted with Syncro-Mate-B. Experiment 4 was designed to determine the optimal superstimulatory dosage of Folltropin-V administered by a single sc injection. Superovulatory response of cows treated with the higher doses (400 mg, 600 mg or 800 mg NIH-FSH-P1) was higher (P<0.05) than those treated with 200 mg NIH-FSH-P1. The number of unovulated (>/=10 mm) follicles at the time of ova/embryo collection was higher (P<0.05) in the 600 and 800 mg groups, and progesterone concentration at estrus was higher (P<0.05) in cows treated with 800 mg than with 400 or 200 mg. It was concluded that a single, bolus sc injection of 400 mg NIH-FSH-P1 of Folltropin-V is as efficacious as the 4-d, twice daily im treatment protocol for inducing superovulation in beef cows. The amount of subcutaneous fat and site of injection appeared to affect the efficacy of a single sc injection; a single bolus sc injection of Folltropin-V behind the shoulder resulted in the most predictable superovulatory response.     

Lipase-catalyzed alcoholysis of triglycerides for the preparation of 2-monoglycerides

Rhizopus arrhizus lipase immobilized on celite was used to prepare isomerically pure 2-monoglycerides by alcoholysis of triglycerides in organic media. Reaction parameters such as choice of solvent, choice of alcohol, and alcohol concentration were studied. When 12.5 mM tripalmitin was used as substrate, methyl-tert-butyl ether was the best solvent for alcoholysis at water activity 0.11. Ethanol gave the highest yield (97%) at an optimal ethanol concentration of 200–300 mM. At higher alcohol concentrations, the enzyme activity was substantially lowered. The enzyme preparation showed high stability in repeated-batch reactions.     

华中地区小家鼠生物学特性观察

华中地区农村小家鼠的个体较小,主要栖息于农舍,终年繁殖,繁殖高峰期为７月和８月,１－３月为繁殖低谷期;种群数量高峰在９月,低谷期在７－８月,冬季的种群数量水平较高,呈后峰型。在较高的密度条件下,雌鼠的怀孕率降低,性成熟延缓。     

Equilibrium hormone binding to human estrogen receptors in highly diluted cell extracts is non-cooperative and has a Kd of approximately 10 pM

It is generally accepted that the K_d for hormone binding to estrogen receptors in extracts ranges between 0.1–1 nM and that binding displays positive cooperativity due to formation of homodimers. After carefully optimizing assay procedures, to diminish ligand depletion phenomena and to fully control recoveries, we find a single class of non-interacting high affinity hormone binding sites with a K_d of approx. 10 pM. Ligand depletion was avoided by decreasing receptor concentrations to 5–8 pM. We were therefore obliged to employ radioiodinated estradiol as a probe as the specific radioactivity of tritiated estradiol was too low to maintain the accuracy of the binding assay. Human estrogen receptor extracted from the MCF7 cell line and recombinantly produced (in yeast) wild-type human receptor have identical equilibrium hormone binding characteristics.     

Ovarian superstimulatory response relative to follicular wave emergence in heifers

Two experiments were designed to evaluate the responsiveness of beef heifers to superstimulatory treatments administered during the first follicular wave. Heifers were examined daily (Experiment 1) or twice daily (Experiment 2) by ultrasonography to determine the status of follicular wave development and the day of initiation of superstimulatory treatment. Heifers in both experiments were superstimulated with a total dose of 10 ml Folltropin (equivalent to 200 mg of NIH-FSH-P1), divided into 10 equal intramuscular injections over 5 days. On the last day of treatment, heifers received 500 mug of cloprostenol after each injection of Folltropin to induce luteolysis. In the respective groups, superstimulatory treatments were initiated on Day -1, Day 0 (day of ovulation) or Day +1 for Experiment 1, and on Day -1, Day 0, Day +1 or Day +2 for Experiment 2. In Experiment 1, the number of ovulations in each ovary was assessed by ultrasonography and by counting the number of corpora lutea (CL) in each ovary at slaughter. The correlation between both techniques for assessing ovulatory response was high (r= 0.98; P< 0.0001), and there was no significant difference in the mean number of ovulations detected by ultrasound (5.7+/-1.1) versus the mean number of CL counted at slaughter (6.2+/-1.2). In Experiment 1, the mean (+/- SEM) number of CL counted at slaughter in heifers treated on Day -1 (9.4+/-3.8) and Day 0 (7.3+/-1.6) was higher (P< 0.05) than that of heifers treated on Day +1 (0.7+/-0.3). The mean number of follicles >/=7 mm in diameter on the last day of treatment was also higher (P<0.05) in the Day -1 group compared with the Day +1 group; the Day 0 group was intermediate. In Experiment 2, the mean number of ovulations was higher (P< 0.05) in the Day 0 group (18.4+/-3.4) than the Day -1 (9.5+/-2.3), Day +1 (6.7+/-2.2) or Day +2 (6.5+/-2.3) groups. Heifers in the Day -1, and Day 0 groups had more (P< 0.05) follicles >/=7 mm at the end of treatment compared with heifers in the Day +1 or the Day +2 group. The stated hypothesis was supported: exogenous FSH treatment initiated at the time of wave emergence, near the expected time of the endogenous wave-eliciting FSH surge, has a positive effect on the superstimulatory response. A higher superstimulatory response was elicited when treatments were initiated on the day of, or the day before, wave emergence compared with that of later treatments.     

Rat liver foci study on coexposure with 50 Hz magnetic fields and known carcinogens

A study was performed to investigate possible interactions by magnetic fields (MF) with the processes of initiation and promotion of chemically induced preneoplastic lesions in rat liver. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a 70% partial hepatectomy followed after 24 h by i.p. injection of diethylnitrosamine (DENA) as a tumour initiator. Starting one week after the DENA-treatment phenobarbital (PB) was given to promote growth of enzymatically altered foci of liver cells. MF was applied immediately after the partial hepatectomy and continued until sacrifice after 12 weeks of PB exposure. Homogenous horizontal AC magnetic fields with a frequency of 50 Hz and flux densities of 0.5 μT or 0.5 mT were used. The rats coexposed with MF and DENA plus PB did not gain weight as much as the rats exposed to the chemical agents only. The MF-exposure also resulted in a slight reduction in size and numbers of the focal lesions. The results suggest an interaction of MF with the processes of chemical carcinogenesis either as a result of stress or depending on effects on the proliferation of preneoplastic cells. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

重组人IL6／2融合蛋白对6.5Gy照射小鼠造血功能恢复的影响

观察了ｈＦＰＩＬ６／２对６．５Ｇｙγ线照射ＮＩＨ小鼠第１０天造血功能恢复的影响。结果表明：照射小鼠连续４ｄ给予ｈＦＰＩＬ６／２２５０μｇ·ｋｇ－１·ｄ－１,其脾重、ＣＦＵ－８、骨髓有核细胞数及ＣＭ－ＣＦＵ分别比对照组增加５９．０％、２７８．５％、５７．９％和１３８．２％,统计学处理均有显著差异;对此四项指标的改善也明显优于２５μｇ组。另外,２５０μｇ剂量组小鼠外周血象３０ｄ的动态观察结果表明,ｈＦＰＩＬ６／２不但能明显提高红细胞和血红蛋白的最低值,而且能使血小板的恢复提前。提示ｈＦＰＩＬ６／２在促进血小板生成和促进红系造血方面可能具有良好的应用前景。     

慢性前列腺炎厌氧菌感染的研究

本文对１０６例前列腺标本进行了细菌学研究。慢性前列腺炎厌氧菌检出率为２７．３％（２９／１０６）。厌氧菌阳性者中６８．９％（２０／２９）与需氧菌组成混合感染３１％（９／２９）为单纯厌氧菌感染。研究还提示：厌氧菌感染是慢性前列腺炎不可忽视的原因,氟呱酸对厌氧菌有强大杀灭作用。