The influence of prenatal and postnatal fraternity size on reproduction in mice

Effects of prenatal and postnatal fraternity size (size of litter in which an individual is reared) on age at vaginal opening, growth, and subsequent litter production were examined by rearing mice in standardized prenatal and postnatal fraternities in a 3 X 3 factorial design. Prenatal fraternity size was standardized by reducing litters of 14 or more to either 14, 10, or 6 fetuses on Day 9 of gestation. Postnatal fraternity size was standardized by assigning pups randomly to nurse in litters of 5, 10, or 15 pups within 24 h of birth. Both prenatal and postnatal fraternity size affected growth of the mice (p = 0.02 and p less than 0.01, respectively) with mice reared in small fraternities attaining greater weights throughout the study. Prenatal fraternity size had a negative linear effect on litter size at second parity and tended to have a positive linear effect on age at vaginal opening. Postnatal fraternity size affected age at vaginal opening (p less than 0.01), litter size at first parity (p less than 0.01), and litter size at second parity (p = 0.03). These effects were positive and linear for age at vaginal opening (p less than 0.01; small fraternity size associated with younger age at vaginal opening) and negative and linear for litter size at first and second parity (p less than 0.01 and p = 0.10, respectively; smaller fraternity size associated with larger litter size). There was no interaction between prenatal and postnatal fraternity size effects on age at vaginal opening or litter size (p greater than 0.20).     

Comparative role of vitamin A and beta-carotene on reproduction and neonate survival in rats

Female rats were used to investigate the comparative role of vitamin A and beta-carotene (dietary or injected) on growth, feed intake and reproduction. After 3 wk of vitamin A and beta-carotene depletion, rats were assigned to one of six groups: 1) CON = fed 5% NRC recommended level of vitamin A (= 60 mug retinol equivalent (RE)/kg diet); 2) VA = fed 100% of vitamin A (= 1200 mug RE/kg diet); 3) HVA = fed 150% of vitamin A; 4) VA+C = fed 100% of vitamin A + 1.2mg beta-carotene; 5) VA+IC = fed 100% of vitamin A + injected weekly with 8.37 mg of beta-carotene; and 6) VA+IVA = fed 100% of vitamin A + injected weekly with 1400 IU of vitamin A. The level of vitamin A and beta-carotene in dam blood and liver reflected the level of supplementation. No difference in feed intake or body weight was observed. Although mean litter size was similar for all groups, mean pup weight at birth was lowest for deficient rats. Pup mortality through 2 wk postpartum was lower for groups receiving higher levels of either vitamin A or beta-carotene. However, supplemental beta-carotene did not influence growth or reproductive performance. Therefore, low intakes in vitamin A or beta-carotene had no effect on feed intake, growth or reproduction in female rats but decreased fetal growth and increased mortality among pups.     

吡虫啉亚致死剂量对禾谷缢管蚜生长和繁殖的影响

室内测定了吡虫啉亚致死剂量对禾谷缢管蚜Rhopalosiphum padi(Linnaeus)连续两个世代实验种群生长和繁殖的影响。结果发现,吡虫啉LC10剂量处理禾谷缢管蚜成蚜后,可导致亲代成蚜种群的存活率、平均寿命和产蚜量均低于对照种群,但差异不显著;F1世代吡虫啉处理组与对照组禾谷缢管蚜种群的存活率、寿命和繁殖水平无显著差异。结果表明,吡虫啉亚致死剂量对禾谷缢管蚜连续两个世代实验种群的生长和存活无明显影响,未发现亚致死剂量刺激禾谷缢管蚜当代和子代成蚜的增殖现象。     

Effects of CCK-8 on independent ingestion and central c-Fos-like immunoreactivity in rats on postnatal days 10 and 11

Controls of the independent ingestion of food in the preweanling rat emerge in the second postnatal week. We investigated the effects of CCK-8 (0, 1, 5, or 10 microg/kg IP) on intake and c-Fos-like immunoreactive (CFLI) cells in hindbrain and forebrain on postnatal days 10 and 11. Five micrograms per kilogram decreased intake and increased the number of CFLI cells in four subnuclei of the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), in arcuate nucleus (ARC), and in central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). Ten micrograms per kilogram decreased intake and increased CFLI in three NTS subnuclei as much as 5 microg/kg did, but was more potent than 5 microg/kg in the medial NTS subnucleus. Ten micrograms per kilogram increased CFLI in paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic (SON) nuclei, but 5 microg/kg did not. Thus, reduction of intake by CCK-8 on days 10 and 11 is associated with increased hindbrain and forebrain CFLI.     

In vitro effects of antibiotics on Brugia malayi worm survival and reproduction

Recent studies have suggested that intracellular Wolbachia spp. endobacteria are necessary for the reproduction and survival of filarial nematodes. The effects of antibiotics that are active against related bacteria on adult worms and microfilariae (Mf) of Brugia malayi in vitro were investigated. Antibiotics tested were doxycycline (Doxy), tetracycline (Tet), rifampicin (Rif), azithromycin (Azith), and chloramphenicol (Chlor). Doxy, Tet, Rif, and Azith reduced release of Mf by adult female worms. The minimum effective concentrations that reduced Mf release by 50% were 5 microg/ml for Doxy, 20 microg/ml for Tet, 40 microg/ml for Rif, and 100 microg/ml for Azith. The same drugs (at higher concentrations) killed adult worms and Mf. Embryograms showed that Tets blocked embryogenesis in female worms. Electron microscopy (EM) showed that the Tets, Rif, and Azith cleared Wolbachia spp. from adult worms and damaged developing embryos. These studies show that antibiotics active against Rickettsiaceae affect adult B. malayi worms and Mf in vitro. Additional studies will be needed to elucidate the mechanisms of action of these antibiotics on Wolbachia and filarial worms.     

The effects of age and artificial acclimatization on the survival of rats in cold

Clipped,young Holtzman rats can be made to withstand cold exposure of 5 C as a result of adaptive mechanisms which are activated during pre-acclimatization.These mechanisms are less pronounced in clipped mature rats and seem to decline with age. Where inherent adaptive mechanisms are unable to allow the rat to withstand exposure to 5C,treatment with thyroid hormones seems to impart an artificial acclimatization which permits the survival of mature as well as of old, clipped rats in the cold.

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Zusammenfassung Geschorene junge Hotzmann Ratten können gegen die Haltung bei 5C widerstandfÄhig werden auf Grund von Anpassungsfunktionen, die wÄhrend der Vorakklimatisation aktiviert werden.Diese Funktionen sind in geschorenen erwachsenen Ratten weniger ausgeprÄgt und scheinen mit dem Alter an Wirksamkeit zu verlieren. Wo angeborene AdaptationskrÄfte für die Ratte nicht ausreichen den Aufenthalt bei 5C zu ertragen, scheint die Behandlung mit Schilddrüsenhormonen eine künstliche Akklimatisation zu geben, die das überleben von erwachsenen und alten geschorenen Ratten ermöglicht.

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Résumé De jeunes rats Holtzman tondus peuvent devenir résistants á une température de 5C, grâce à des mécanismes d'adaptation activés pendant la pré-acclimatation. Cette faculté est moins marquée chez les rats tondus adultes et semble diminuer avec l'âge. Si les mécanismes normaux d'adaptation ne suffisent pas à développer la résistance à 5C, les hormones thyroidiennes semblent conférer une acclimatation artificielle permettant la survie des rats tondus adultes et âgés.

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Supported in part by Grants H-3901 and H-6778 from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A.     

模拟高原低氧对不同性别新生大鼠下丘脑 CRF和AVP水平的影响

目的:探讨高原低氧对雌雄新生大鼠下丘脑-腺垂体-肾上腺皮质轴中枢部位肽能神经元发育的影响.方法:在低压氧舱中模拟高海拔低氧,用放免法测定精氨酸加压素(AVP)和下丘脑促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素(CRF)含量.结果:无论是在2 300 m对照海拔,还是在5 000 m模拟海拔,雌雄生后大鼠具相同的发育模式.低氧下发育至21 d时,CRF水平显著低于对照;相反,21 d及28 d时,低氧组AVP水平高于对照.结论:下丘脑CRF和AVP神经元间不同的发育模式可能与它们的功能及发育阶段特性相异有关.     

Effect of separated or simultaneous ingestion of tannic acid, potassium metabisulfite and ethanol on reproduction in rats]

As compared to controls, female rats fed a diet containing 3.2% of tannic acid have a higher fertility index, but the number of their born alive young is smaller and the growth of their litters is slower. A diet containing 1% of potassium metabisulfite also decreases the growth rate of the litters. These effects are additives. Ethanol (fed at a level of 30 cal. % at the expense of carbohydrates) has no effect on the reproduction performances and does not interact with the previous effects.     

Comparative effects of prenatal and postnatal undernutrition on learning and memory in rats.

Effects of pre- and post-natal undernutrition on learning and memory parameters were studied in albino rats. Prenatal undernutrition was induced in rat pups by restricting the mother's diet by 50% during the entire gestation period, whereas postnatal undernutrition was induced in rat pups by restriction of their diet by rotating them between lactating and non-lactating maternalised females for 12 hr each day during suckling period from 2nd day to 18th day after birth. At 2.5 to 3 months of age all the rat offsprings were subjected to (i) original and reversal discrimination learning, (ii) passive avoidance, and (iii) active avoidance and its retention tests. The results indicate that both pre- and post-natal undernutrition in rat pups caused significant deficits in original and reversal discrimination learning, retention of passive avoidance after one week retention interval, and retention of active of avoidance learning. However, both pre- and post-natal undernutrition did not show significant effect on acquisition of active avoidance and retention of passive avoidance after 24 hr retention interval.     

Effects of chronic ingestion of caffeine on mammary growth and reproduction in mice

Normal mammary gland growth and reproduction were examined in C3H/HeMei mice given caffeine as drinking water (500 mg/l tap water) after weaning on day 20 of age. Caffeine ingestion had little effects on any of the day of vaginal opening, body growth, pattern of estrous cycles, mammary gland growth and reproduction except for the rearing rate on day 12 of lactation. Five out of 12 mothers given caffeine lost all pups before day 12 and resulted in 51% of the rearing rate on that day, while that of the control was 91%. The rate did not change thereafter in either group. The results indicate that the chronic heavy ingestion of caffeine would induce the high mortality of pups during early stage of lactation.     

亚致死剂量吡虫啉对麦二叉蚜生存和繁殖的影响

【目的】为明确亚致死剂量的吡虫啉对麦二叉蚜Schizaphis graminum (Rondani)连续3个世代种群的生存和繁殖的影响。【方法】采用浸叶法测定吡虫啉对麦二叉蚜的LC_(50),经吡虫啉亚致死剂量LC_(40)处理麦二叉蚜后,测定并分析其连续3个世代实验种群生存和繁殖的变化。【结果】同一世代中,吡虫啉LC_(40)剂量处理麦二叉蚜后,可导致F_0世代麦二叉蚜种群的平均寿命、产蚜总数和繁殖期均显著低于对照组种群（P<0.05）,但F_1和F_2世代LC_(40)组试虫的存活率和繁殖相关参数与对照组相比无显著差异（P>0.05）。方差分析结果表明,在不同世代间LC_(40)组试虫的产蚜总数随世代数的增加而显著增多（F=6.38,P=0.002）,存活率、平均寿命、繁殖期随世代数的增加而逐渐增加。【结论】吡虫啉的LC_(40)剂量可显著抑制F_0世代麦二叉蚜个体的存活率和繁殖力,但随着世代数增加,吡虫啉LC_(40)组麦二叉蚜的生存和繁殖力逐渐恢复,F_1和F_2世代与对照组种群的生存和繁殖参数无显著差异。