在应激低反应期新生大鼠的海马和视交叉上核核受体-MR、GR表达的变化

目的搞清新生大鼠HPA轴改变在应激低反应时期（stress hyporesponsive period、SHRP））的核受体-MR（盐皮质激素受体）和GR（糖皮质激素受体）在海马和视交叉上核（SCN）的表达变化。从而进一步了解新生大鼠发育时间对MR和GR的影响。方法本研究应用免疫荧光技术研究了生后4d（PD4）和生后12d（PD12）的新生大鼠海马和SCN的MR、GR的表达。同时采用RIA方法测定了血清中皮质类固醇的浓度水平。结果RIA结果显示在应激低反应期给予刺激,血清皮质类固醇水平没有明显改变。在海马,PD12较PD4,MR-和GR-i mmunoreactivity在CA1区表达增强;在齿状回没有明显变化;在海马门（hilus）减弱。而在海马的CA3区和SCN中,PD4 GR-ir强烈表达,在PD12却下降。同时也发现在hilus细胞出现GR和nestin（巢蛋白）阳性表达的共存,但是却没有发现MR和nestin的共存。结论新生大鼠阶段,发育时间对MR和GR的影响因区域不同影响不同。GR和nestin（巢蛋白）的共存为探讨在新生大鼠阶段GR对神经干细胞的分化有否影响提供了实验资料。本研究也为进一步研究新生大鼠应激低反应状态下海马及SCN与低活性的HPA轴的关系提供了形态学依据。     

羽叶薰衣草雄性不育的细胞学研究

用光镜和电镜观察羽叶薰衣草(Lavandula pinnata L.)雄性不育小孢子发育过程的细胞形态学特征.结果表明:羽叶薰衣草花药4枚,每枚花药通常具4个小孢子囊.花药壁发育为双子叶型,从外向内分为表皮、药室内壁、中层和绒毡层4层细胞.减数分裂形成的四分体为四面体及十字交叉型.小孢子的发育过程可分为造孢细胞期、减数分裂时期、小孢子发育早期、小孢子发育晚期.未观察到二胞花粉期和成熟花粉期.羽叶薰衣草花粉败育主要发生在单核花粉时期,细胞内物质解体并逐渐消失变成空壳花粉或花粉皱缩变形成为各种畸形的败育花粉.在此之前小孢子的发育正常.羽叶薰衣草小孢子不育机制体现在绒毡层过早解体、四分体时期以后各细胞中线粒体结构不正常、胼胝质壁与小孢子母细胞脱离、花药壁细胞中淀粉出现时间异常等. 壁发育为双子叶型,从外向内分为表皮、药室内壁、中层和绒毡层4层细胞.减数分裂形成的四分体为四面体及十字交叉型.小孢子的发育过程可分为造孢细胞期、减数分裂时期、小孢子发育早期、小孢子发育晚期.未观察到二胞花粉期和成熟花粉期.羽叶薰衣草花粉败育主要发生在单核花粉时期,细胞内物质解体并逐渐消失变成空壳花粉或花粉皱缩变形成为各种畸形的败育花粉.在此 前小孢子的发育正常.羽叶薰衣草小孢子不育机制体现在绒毡层过早解体、四分体时期以后各细胞中线粒体结构不正常、胼胝质壁与小孢子母细胞脱离、花药壁细胞中淀粉出现时间异常等. 壁发育为双子叶型,从外向内分为表皮、药室内壁、中层和绒毡层4层细胞.减数分裂形成的四分体为四     

Efficient production of nuclear transferred rat embryos by modified methods of reconstruction

In this study we investigated spontaneous oocyte activation and developmental ability of rat embryos of the SD-OFA substrain. We also tried to improve the somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technique in the rat by optimizing methods for the production of reconstructed embryos. About 20% of oocytes extruded the second polar body after culture for 3 hr in vitro and 84% of oocytes were at the MII stage. MG132 blocked spontaneous activation but decreased efficiency of parthenogenetic activation. Pronuclear formation was more efficient in strontium-activated oocytes (66.1-80.9%) compared to roscovitine activation (24.1-54.5%). Survival rate after enucleation was significantly higher (89.4%) after slitting the zona pellucida and then pressing the oocyte with a holding pipette in medium without cytochalasin B (CB) compared to the conventional protocol using aspiration of the chromosomes after CB treatment (67.7%). Exposure of rat ova to UV light for 30 sec did not decrease their in vitro developmental capacity. Intracytoplasmic cumulus cell injection dramatically decreased survival rate of oocytes (42%). In contrast, 75.9% of oocytes could be successfully electrofused. Development to the 2-cell stage was reduced after SCNT (24.6% compared 94.6% in controls) and none from 244 reconstructed embryos developed in vitro beyond this stage. After overnight in vitro culture, 74.4% of the SCNT embryos survived and 56.1% formed pronuclei. The pregnancy rate of 33 recipients after the transfer of 695 of these cloned embryos was, however, very low (18.2%) and only six implantation sites could be detected (0.9%) without any live fetuses and offspring.     

Short- and long-term effects of immunization against gonadotropin-releasing hormone, using Improvac, on sexual maturity, reproductive organs and sperm morphology in male pigs

The objective of this study was to determine the short and long term effects of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) vaccine (Improvac™ Pfizer Ltd.), on sexual maturity, development of the reproductive organs, and the morphology of caudal epididymal spermatozoa in non-castrated male pigs. The pigs were slaughtered 4, 16 or 22 weeks after the second Improvac™ vaccination. A total of 80 crossbred non-castrated male pigs were included in this study comprising two experiments, a short-effect (Experiment 1) and a long-effect (Experiment 2). The first experiment included 56 pigs, 24 of them were maintained as controls and 32 were vaccinated twice, and slaughtered 4 weeks after the second vaccination. The second experiment included 24 pigs, 12 controls and 12 vaccinated twice, and slaughtered either 16 weeks (n = 6) or 22 weeks (n = 6) after the second vaccination. None of the immunized pigs was sexually mature at slaughter, i.e. 4, 16 or 22 weeks after second vaccination. Corresponding results of the control pigs showed that 50% had reached sexual maturity at the age corresponding to 4 weeks after the second vaccination, and 100% at slaughter 16, respectively, 22 weeks after vaccination. At 4, 16 and 22 weeks after second vaccination both testes weight and bulbourethral length were significantly reduced (p < 0.001). The percentages of proximal droplets and abnormal heads were significantly lower in the control pigs than in the immunized pigs at slaughter 4 weeks after vaccination, whereas distal droplets were higher. For the other morphological parameters no significant differences were seen, but all mean values except for acrosome defects were numerically lower in the control pigs compared with the immunized pigs. For pigs slaughtered 16 or 22 weeks after vaccination, the vaccination effect was significant for percentages of proximal droplets, distal droplets, acrosome defects, acrosome abnormality and abnormal heads (p = 0.017-0.001). The immunization clearly disrupted the number and morphology of the interstitial Leydig cells, lasting throughout the study period (4-22 weeks after vaccination). Spermatogenesis was also clearly affected in the immunized pigs, to various degrees, from mild disruption (spermatocyte loss, decrease of the normal number of layers of germ cells) to severe loss of germ cells including tubuli with Sertoli cells-only (complete disappearance of germ cells), also covering the entire study period. The results indicated that the effect of immunization persisted for at least 22 weeks after the second vaccination.     

A simple model for adaptive variation in the sex ratios of mammalian offspring

We present a simple mathematical model that describes how primary and secondary sex ratios of offspring may vary adaptively in order to maintain equal numbers of the sexes at the age of reproductive maturity. The model postulates that the sex of an offspring depends probabilistically on a weighted linear combination of maternal testosterone and male vulnerability. The model operates at population level, and is based on three physiological phenomena: first that maternal testosterone in follicular fluid is normally distributed, with levels above the mean more likely to be associated with the conception of males; secondly, that males are more vulnerable than females from conception onwards; and thirdly that under conditions of chronic stress, increased secretion of female testosterone coincides with increased male vulnerability. Thus during times of chronic stress, more males are conceived, but their number of live births is moderated by increased male loss. Variations in secondary sex ratios should therefore be related not only to the stressfulness of environmental conditions, but also to the timing of changes in stressfulness.     

清洁级SD大鼠血液生理生化指标的测定

目的建立清洁级SD大鼠血液生理生化正常值。方法应用动物芯片血球计数仪测试常规血细胞计数;采用全自动生化测定仪对清洁级SD大鼠的血液28项生化指标进行测定,并进行统计分析雌雄差异显著性检验。结果建立了清洁级SD大鼠血液生理和28项血液生化参考值,ALB、AST/ALT、AG雌雄之间差异显著;血液血球计数雌雄差异不显著。结论比较详细的建立了清洁级SD大鼠的血液生理生化指标参考值,为其应用提供基础数据。     

SD雌性大鼠性发育早期性器官等脏器和性激素的动态变化

目的探讨正常SD雌性大鼠性成熟前不同日龄段的脏器与促黄体生成素（LH）、促卵泡素（FSH）、雌二醇（E2）等性激素的变化及其关系。方法从生产群中取出60窝密度状态一致的SD大鼠,在不同日龄随机选取雌性大鼠,检测15、25、32、40日龄时大鼠体重、主要脏器指数,子宫、卵巢组织变化和15、25、32、40、60日龄大鼠血清LH、FSH、E2水平。结果记录了SD雌性大鼠性成熟前各脏器指数和卵巢、子宫组织变化,结果显示大鼠卵巢、子宫的增长速度大于体重的增长,而其他脏器增速大都小于体重的增长。本研究还记录了血清LH、FSH、E2水平在不同日龄段的变化规律,表明血清LH、E2浓度在32日龄时出现较为明显升高。结论不同日龄大鼠脏器指数的动态变化提示大鼠性器官在性发育早期得到机体的优先发育。血清LH、E2水平在32日龄时有了明显升高,提示性腺轴功能已经激活。60日龄大鼠血清性激素水平的波动类似于动情周期的规律性变化,推测大鼠在60日龄前即已进入性成熟,这些结果将为大鼠性发育的相关研究提供重要的参考数据。     

Structural-functional study of glycine-and-proline-containing peptides (Glyprolines) as potential neuroprotectors

A synthetic scheme for preparation of (Gly-Pro) _n , (Pro-Gly) _n (n = 2, 3), and (Pro-Gly-Pro) _n (n = 1, 2) peptides was elaborated. The effect of the synthesized peptides and the Gly-Pro and Pro-Gly dipeptides on survival of cultured cells of PC12 rat pheochromocytoma was studied under the conditions of oxidative stress induced by brief incubation of the cells with hydrogen peroxide. Peptides of the general formula (Gly-Pro) _n and the Pro-Gly-Pro peptide at a concentration of 0.2–100 μM were shown to decrease the number of damaged cells. The Gly-Pro peptide was the most active and decreased the number of damaged cells by 49% on average at a concentration of 100 μM.     

Menstrual cycle phases and female receptivity to a courtship solicitation: an evaluation in a nightclub

Previous research has demonstrated that female behaviors toward men or sexual interest are different across the menstrual cycle. However, women's receptivity to an explicit courtship solicitation still remained in question. In a field experiment, 20-year-old women were approached by 20-year-old male confederates in nightclubs and solicited to dance during the period when slow songs were played. A survey was administered to the women in order to obtain information about the number of days since the onset of previous menses. It was found that women in their fertile phase agreed more favorably to the dance request than women in their luteal phase or in their menstrual phase.     

Cigarette smoking and serum soluble Fas levels: Findings from the JACC study

Cigarette smoking enhances low-grade systemic inflammation in the lung and other organs. Activated immune cells play an important role at early and late stages of inflammation, and in recent years, soluble Fas (sFas), an isoform of death molecule Fas, was found to interfere with the apoptotic pathways of these activated immune cells. The aim of this study was to confirm the association between cigarette smoking and sFas levels in healthy male subjects. We measured serum sFas levels of 4415 male subjects selected as controls for a nested case-control study within the large-scale cohort study conducted in Japan, called the JACC Study. Smoking status at baseline was evaluated by a self-administered questionnaire. Least square means of sFas according to smoking status and numbers of cigarettes smoked per day among smokers were calculated and adjusted for possible confounding factors. Mean sFas levels showed an increasing trend across never smokers, past smokers and current smokers, as 2.21 (95% CI: 2.14–2.27) ng/ml, 2.29 (2.22–2.36) ng/ml, and 2.36 (2.30–2.43) ng/ml, respectively. However, no dose-response relationship was observed between the number of cigarettes smoked per day and sFas levels among smokers.