Forage quality and composition measurements as predictors of ethanol yield from maize (Zea mays L.) stover

Background  

Improvement of biofeedstock quality for cellulosic ethanol production will be facilitated by inexpensive and rapid methods of evaluation, such as those already employed in the field of ruminant nutrition. Our objective was to evaluate whether forage quality and compositional measurements could be used to estimate ethanol yield of maize stover as measured by a simplified pretreatment and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation assay. Twelve maize varieties selected to be diverse for stover digestibility and composition were evaluated.     

Anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs and reproduction

Rheumatic diseases in women of childbearing years may necessitate drug treatment during a pregnancy, to control maternal disease activity and to ensure a successful pregnancy outcome. This survey is based on a consensus workshop of international experts discussing effects of anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive and biological drugs during pregnancy and lactation. In addition, effects of these drugs on male and female fertility and possible long-term effects on infants exposed to drugs antenatally are discussed where data were available. Recommendations for drug treatment during pregnancy and lactation are given.     

True vaginal prolapse in a bitch

Frequently, vaginal fold prolapse is the protrusion of edematous vaginal tissue into and through the opening of the vulva occurring during proestrus and estrus stages of the sexual cycle. True vaginal prolapse may occur near parturition, as the concentration of serum progesterone declines and the concentration of serum oestrogen increases. In the bitch, this type of true vaginal prolapse is a very rare condition.

This short communication describes a 5-year-old female, cross-breed dog in moderate condition, weighing 33 kg, with distocia and true vaginal prolapse. Abdominal palpation and transabdominal ultrasonography revealed live and dead foetuses in the uterine horns. One dead and four live fetuses were removed from uterus by cesarean section. The ovariohysterectomy was performed after repositioning the vaginal wall with a combination of traction from within the abdomen and external manipulation through the vulva. Re-occurrence of a vaginal prolapse was not observed and the bitch recovered completely after the surgical therapy.

Compared to other vaginal disorders, vaginal prolapse is an uncommon condition in the bitch. In the present case, extreme tenesmus arising from distocia may have predisposed to the vaginal prolapse. The cause of dystocia was probably the disposition of the first foetus. We concluded that the vaginal prolapse was the result of dystocia in the present case.     

Effect of flunixin meglumine or prostaglandin E2 treatment 15 days after breeding on fertility in Saanen does

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of timely injections of flunixin meglumine (FM) or vaginal application of prostaglandin E2 (PgE₂) on pregnancy, fertility, fecundity, and prolificacy rates in Saanen goats. One hundred and sixty-three nonlactating Saanen does were treated with a flugestone acetate (20 mg)-containing intravaginal sponge for 12 days. They also received eCG (400 IU) and a PGF_2α analogue (50 μg) 10 days after progestagen priming. Does detected in estrus were mated and assigned randomly to one of three treatment groups. The PgE₂ group (N = 40) received PgE₂ (2.5 mg) intravaginally 15 days after mating. The FM group (N = 54) received flunixin meglumine (total dose, 100 mg) intramuscularly 15 days after mating. Flunixin meglumine was administered at 9:00 AM. Animals in the control group (N = 69) received no treatment. Pregnancy was diagnosed using transrectal ultrasonography (B-mode at 8 MHz) 30 days after mating. The pregnancy rate was significantly greater (P < 0.01) after 30 days in goats treated with PgE₂ and also in the control group than in those treated with FM (67.5%, 59.4%, and 42.5%, respectively). The pregnancy rate did not differ between the PgE₂ and the control group. The pregnancy and fertility rate were lowest in the FM group compared with the other groups. There was no significant difference in the prolificacy rate among experimental groups. In conclusion, our results showed that FM administration during a late luteal phase is detrimental to early pregnancy in goats.     

Epigenetic Mechanisms Underlying the Dynamic Expression of Cancer-Testis Genes,PAGE2, -2B and SPANX-B,during Mesenchymal-to-Epithelial Transition

Cancer-testis (CT) genes are expressed in various cancers but not in normal tissues other than in cells of the germline. Although DNA demethylation of promoter-proximal CpGs of CT genes is linked to their expression in cancer, the mechanisms leading to demethylation are unknown. To elucidate such mechanisms we chose to study the Caco-2 colorectal cancer cell line during the course of its spontaneous differentiation in vitro, as we found CT genes, in particular PAGE2, -2B and SPANX-B, to be up-regulated during this process. Differentiation of these cells resulted in a mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) as evidenced by the gain of epithelial markers CDX2, Claudin-4 and E-cadherin, and a concomitant loss of mesenchymal markers Vimentin, Fibronectin-1 and Transgelin. PAGE2 and SPAN-X up-regulation was accompanied by an increase in Ten-eleven translocation-2 (TET2) expression and cytosine 5-hydroxymethylation as well as the disassociation of heterochromatin protein 1 and the polycomb repressive complex 2 protein EZH2 from promoter-proximal regions of these genes. Reversal of differentiation resulted in down-regulation of PAGE2, -2B and SPANX-B, and induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, demonstrating the dynamic nature of CT gene regulation in this model.     

Plant-based FRET biosensor discriminates environmental zinc levels

Heavy metal accumulation in the environment poses great risks to flora and fauna. However, monitoring sites prone to accumulation poses scale and economic challenges. In this study, we present and test a method for monitoring these sites using fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) change in response to zinc (Zn) accumulation in plants as a proxy for environmental health. We modified a plant Zn transport protein by adding flanking fluorescent proteins (FPs) and deploying the construct into two different species. In Arabidopsis thaliana, FRET was monitored by a confocal microscope and had a 1.4-fold increase in intensity as the metal concentration increased. This led to a 16.7% overall error-rate when discriminating between a control (1μm Zn) and high (10mm Zn) treatment after 96h. The second host plant (Populus tremula×Populu salba) also had greater FRET values (1.3-fold increase) when exposed to the higher concentration of Zn, while overall error-rates were greater at 22.4%. These results indicate that as plants accumulate Zn, protein conformational changes occur in response to Zn causing differing interaction between FPs. This results in greater FRET values when exposed to greater amounts of Zn and monitored with appropriate light sources and filters. We also demonstrate how this construct can be moved into different host plants effectively including one tree species. This chimeric protein potentially offers a method for monitoring large areas of land for Zn accumulation, is transferable among species, and could be modified to monitor other specific heavy metals that pose environmental risks.     

Release profiles of tricalcium phosphate nanoparticles from poly(L-lactic acid) electrospun scaffolds with single component, core-sheath, or porous fiber morphologies: effects on hASC viability and osteogenic differentiation

Functional PLA scaffolds are created with single component, core-sheath, or porous fiber morphology and doped with TCP nanoparticles to study the release profiles for use in bone tissue engineering applications. Pharmacokinetic analyses are performed for the three different nanofibrous structures after doping with TCP. Results indicate that single component and porous fiber scaffolds exhibit an initial-burst release profile whereas core-sheath fibers show a steady release. All scaffolds are then seeded with human adipose-derived stem cells (hASC), which remain viable and continue proliferation on all nanofibrous morphologies for up to 21 d. Osteogenic differentiation of hASC and cell-mediated calcium accretion are largest on porous fibers.     

Cervical leiomyoma in a dairy cow during pregnancy

In the present report we describe a case of cervical leiomyoma that was diagnosed at parturition in a Holstein cow. The tumor mass, which measured 25.5 cm x 21.5 cm x 14.5 cm in size and weighed 4.5 kg, was removed surgically. The tumor was solid, well circumscribed, whitish-pink colored, and encapsulated. The tumor was diagnosed as leiomyoma. The leiomyoma had no adverse effects on pregnancy. This is the first report of a bovine cervical leiomyoma during parturition.     

Guanylin in the human pancreas: a novel luminocrine regulatory pathway of electrolyte secretion via cGMP and CFTR in the ductal system

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is a channel and regulator protein that is crucially involved in transepithelial ion transport. In the exocrine pancreas, the CFTR-mediated secretion of an electrolyte-rich fluid is a major but as yet incompletely understood function. We show here that the peptide guanylin is a specific activator of CFTR function in the human pancreas implicating regulation of pancreatic electrolyte secretion. Guanylin and its affiliated signaling and effector proteins including guanylate cyclase C, cGMP-dependent protein kinase II, CFTR, and the epithelial Cl-/HCO3- exchanger, anion exchanger 2, are highly expressed in the human pancreas. Guanylin is localized specifically to the typical centroacinar cells and proximal duct cells which, based on its additional presence in the pancreatic juice, is obviously released luminally into the pancreatic ducts. The guanylin receptor and the respective functional downstream proteins are all confined to the apical membrane of the duct cells implicating an as yet unknown route of luminal regulatory pathway of electrolyte secretion in the ductal system. Functional studies in two different human pancreatic duct cell lines expressing the CFTR Cl- channel that is functionally intact in CAPAN-1 cells but defective (delta F508) in CFPAC-1 cells clearly identify guanylin as a specific regulator of pancreatic CFTR channel function. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in CAPAN-1 cells revealed that forskolin induces an increase of Cl- conductance mediated by cAMP. In contrast, guanylin increased Cl- conductance in the same cells via cGMP but not cAMP; the respective membrane current was largely blockable by the sulfonylurea glibenclamide. In CFPAC-1 cells, however, neither guanylin nor forskolin produced a current activation. Based on the present findings we conclude that guanylin is an intrinsic pancreatic regulator of Cl- current activation in pancreatic duct cells via cGMP and CFTR. Remarkably, in the pancreas guanylin may exert its function through an intriguing luminocrine mode via the pancreatic juice.