Effects of slitting the zona pellucida and its subsequent sealing on freeze-thaw survival of Day 7 bovine embryos

The effects of slitting the zona pellucida and its subsequent sealing by either embedding in agar or surrounding with an additional zona pellucida on the development of frozen/thawed Day 7 bovine embryos were investigated in vitro and in vivo. A total of 225 embryos was frozen and thawed rapidly as controls (Group 1), after slitting the zona pellucida (Group 2), after slitting and subsequent sealing of the zona pellucida with agar (Group 3), or after slitting the zona pellucida (Grothen transferring the embryo into an additional zona pellucida (Group 4). The survival rate (embryos classified morphologically as excellent, good, or poor) was 95.1, 95.4, 92.2, and 94.3% for Groupsl, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Culture of 145 embryos in vitro for 60 h revealed that 57.1, 59.5, 47.4, and 57.1% developed to hatching and hatched blastocysts in Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Within Group 3, however, a significantly (P < 0.05) lower percentage of the embryos continued to develop when the agar was not removed after thawing (31.8%) compared with embryos from which the agar had been removed (68.8%). After nonsurgical transfer of 78 embryos, the pregnancy rate was significantly (P < 0.05) lower (8.3%) with embryos of Group 3 compared with controls (61.5%) or embryos of Group 2 (42.9%). No significant difference existed between controls and embryos of Group 2. We conclude that an intact zona pellucida prior to rapid freezing is not essential for the survival of Day 7 bovine embryos.     

Inhibition of sperm transport and fertilization in superovulating ewes

In Experiment 1, all ewes were treated with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH-P) to induce superovulation. Ewes came into natural estrus or were treated with prostaglandin F(2)alpha (PGF(2)alpha) or 6-methyl-17-acetoxyprogesterone (MAP) to regulate the time of estrus. The ewes were mated during estrus and necropsied 3 h after mating. Regulation of estrus with either compound reduced the number of sperm recovered from the cervix, uterus, and oviducts and increased the proportions of sperm recovered from the cervix and uterine body that were immotile, dead, or had disrupted membranes. In Experiment 2, all ewes were in natural estrus. They either ovulated naturally or were superovulated, and ewes in each group were necropsied at 3 or 23 h after mating. Superovulation reduced the number of sperm in oviducts, uterus, and anterior segments of the cervix at both time intervals and increased the proportions of sperm that were immotile, dead, or had disrupted membranes. In Experiment 3, of 3x2 design, ewes were in either natural estrus or estrus regulated with PGF(2)alpha or with MAP; they ovulated naturally or were superovulated. Ewes were necropsied 3 d after mating and ova were examined. Both regulation of estrus and superovulation reduced the proportion of ova that were fertilized and reduced the number of accessory sperm attached to fertilized ova.     

Na-Stimulated Transport of l-Methionine in Brevibacterium linens CNRZ 918

The transport of l-methionine by the gram-positive species Brevibacterium linens CNRZ 918 is described. The one transport system (K(m) = 55 muM) found is constitutive for l-methionine, stereospecific, and pH and temperature dependent. Entry of l-methionine into cells is controlled by the internal methionine pool. Competition studies indicate that l-methionine and alpha-aminobutyric acid share a common carrier for their transport. Neither methionine derivatives substituted on the amino or carboxyl groups nor d-methionine was an inhibitor, whereas powerful inhibition was shown by l-cysteine, s-methyl-l-cysteine, dl-selenomethionine and dl-homocysteine. Sodium plays important and varied roles in l-methionine transport by B. linens CNRZ 918: (i) it stimulates transport without affecting the K(m), (ii) it increases the specific activity (on a biomass basis) of the l-methionine transport system when present with methionine in the medium, suggesting a coinduction mechanism. l-Methionine transport requires an exogenous energy source, which may be succinic, lactic, acetic, or pyruvic acid but not glucose or sucrose. The fact that l-methionine transport was stimulated by potassium arsenate and to a lesser extent by potassium fluoride suggests that high-energy phosphorylated intermediates are not involved in the process. Monensin eliminates stimulation by sodium. Gramicidin and carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone act in the presence or absence of Na. N-Ethylmaleimide, p-chloromercurobenzoate, valinomycin, sodium azide, and potassium cyanide have no or only a partial inhibitory effect. These results tend to indicate that the proton motive force reinforced by the Na gradient is involved in the mechanism of energy coupling of l-methionine transport by B. linens CNRZ 918. Thus, this transport is partially similar to the well-described systems in gram-negative bacteria, except for the role of sodium, which is very effective in B. linens, a species adapted to the high sodium levels of its niche.     

Ice Encasement Injury to Microsomal Membranes from Winter Wheat Crowns : I. Comparison of Membrane Properties after Lethal Ice Encasement and during a Post-Thaw Period

The functional and physical properties of cellular membranes isolated from Triticum aestivum, cvs Norstar and Fredrick, were altered coincident with changes in composition after a lethal ice-encasement stress and further during a 6 hour post-thaw period. Crowns encased in ice for a duration which inhibited regrowth, exhibited enhanced rates of electrolyte leakage. Furthermore, the recovery of total microsomal protein and phospholipid declined, suggesting that some membrane degradation had been induced during the anoxic stress. The microviscosity of microsomes and liposomes prepared from such membranes increased during stress, and this was correlated with a 2- to 4-fold increase in the free fatty acid levels in the microsomal fraction. There was, however, only a relatively minor change in fatty acid unsaturation during the ice-encasement stress. The process continued during a 6 hour aerobic post-thaw treatment, but the pattern was somewhat different. During this phase, the leakage of electrolytes was further increased and the recovery of microsomal protein and phospholipid continued to decline, indicating general degradation; but, in contrast to the anoxic phase, the degree of fatty acid unsaturation declined markedly, indicating lipid peroxidation.     

兔栓尾线虫成虫体表结构的扫描电镜观察

本虫最初由Rudolphi在1819年定名为Oxyurts ambigua,随后由Dujardin于1845年修订为Pa ssalurus ambiguus。本虫种在光镜下的形态已有描述,但迄今尚无电子显微镜观察报道。本文报告兔拴尾线虫成虫在扫描电子显徽镜下的体表徽细结构。     

苹果“长富2”和安徽珍稀“软子石榴”休眠条的催芽及其芽离体繁殖和生根

(一)植物名称:苹果(Malus pumila)日本着色系富士“长富2”材料类别:高接于成年苹果树上的一年生“长富2”休眠条及其萌发的新枝芽节培养条件:1986年1月剪取“长富2”休眠条,在冰箱6±1℃冷藏一个月,然后将其插在不同溶液中(2％蔗糖、1mg/16-BA、蔗糖2％与6-BA 1mg/1混合液及蒸馏水),在室温23—25℃,每天16小时     

玉米叶片生长规律的观察

供试品种玉米各叶位的生长有严格的顺序性,叶面积大小与延续生长期呈正相关。叶面积系数最高值为3.14,增长期51天,稳定期37天。单位叶面积叶绿素含量在第9、13叶出现两个高峰,其中第1峰与单位面积鲜重的高峰重合。     

有壳变形虫在我国第四纪古环境研究中的意义

有壳变形虫在我国第四纪地层中广泛分布,常见种有旋匣壳虫、无棘匣壳虫、针棘匣壳虫和砂壳虫未定种等。作为能在低pH环境下抗溶蚀的原生动物,它们在缺乏钙质化石的地层中是特别有用的环境标志。在我国,有壳变形虫在沿海平原与陆架海区是辨认海相、陆相和海陆过渡相沉积的宝贵标志。此外,有壳变形虫对于营养水平、沉积速率和其它环境参数反应灵敏,是第四纪地层古湖泊学的潜在指示化石。但是为了将有壳变形虫用于我国古湖泊学研究,需要对其现代分布进行定量的研究。 本文描述了一个新种,即亚洲鸟嘴虫Hoogenraadia asiatica。     

费伯克(竹蜓)(Verbeekina)壳的构造

本文所研究的费伯克得(竹蜓)标本系采自广西合山下二叠统茅口组的石灰岩,我们在研究其立体标本时发现,由于(竹蜓)壳内圈和外圈的包旋轴有微小的变化,使得至少有一部分拟旋脊延伸方向与前一壳圈上的隔壁沟斜交。拟旋脊常常时隐时现呈虚线状,甚至在列孔两侧的隔壁上并无拟旋脊出现,而只具有列孔,隔壁沟也不是完全平直,壁孔的孔经大约为列孔的十分之一。本文还阐述了Verbeekina的拟旋脊细微构造。