Oestrus synchronization in sheep with progesterone-impregnated (MAP) intravaginal sponges and a prostagland in analogue

A double injection of PGF2α at two different dosage levels, 5 mg and 10 mg, eleven days apart, were compared with a combination of MAP-sponges and 5 mg or 10 mg PGF2α.The combination of MAP-sponges plus 10 mg PGF2α gave the best syn=chronization results (93,4%), as well as the best conception rate (84,9%) when ewes were inseminated on a fixed time basis 68 and 80 hours after treatment.     

Peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activity in malformed mango inflorescence caused byFusarium moniliforme var.subglutinans

Peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activities in malformed mango inflorescences of ‘Himsagar’ and ‘Bombay green’ oultivars wore found to be increased considerably following infection byFusarium moniliforme var.subglutinans. Whether such increased activities were due to their synthesis by the pathogen or the host, or both, was not studied although it was found that the pathogen was incapable of producing the enzymesin vitro. The activities of both the enzymes in infected tissues were found to increase considerably during the experimental period. It was found that activities of polyphenol oxidase were inhibited in the presence of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate and phenylthiourea; the former acted as chelating agent of Cu of the enzymes and the latter as a competitive inhibitor. Similarly, peroxidase activity was found to be inhibited by cycloheximide which acted as inhibitor of enzyme protein synthesis. The fact that the ‘Himsagar’ cultivar showed greater enzyme activity than the ‘Bombay green’ cultivar possibly suggests its higher resistance to the pathogen.     

Gambiense Human African Trypanosomiasis and Immunological Memory: Effect on Phenotypic Lymphocyte Profiles and Humoral Immunity

In mice, experimental infection with Trypanosoma brucei causes decreased bone marrow B-cell development, abolished splenic B-cell maturation and loss of antibody mediated protection including vaccine induced memory responses. Nothing is known about this phenomenon in human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), but if occurring, it would imply the need of revaccination of HAT patients after therapy and abolish hope for a HAT vaccine. The effect of gambiense HAT on peripheral blood memory T- and B-cells and on innate and vaccine induced antibody levels was examined. The percentage of memory B- and T-cells was quantified in peripheral blood, prospectively collected in DR Congo from 117 Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infected HAT patients before and six months after treatment and 117 controls at the same time points. Antibodies against carbohydrate antigens on red blood cells and against measles were quantified. Before treatment, significantly higher percentages of memory B-cells, mainly T-independent memory B-cells, were observed in HAT patients compared to controls (CD20+CD27+IgM+, 13.0% versus 2.0%, p<0.001). The percentage of memory T-cells, mainly early effector/memory T-cells, was higher in HAT (CD3+CD45RO+CD27+, 19.4% versus 16.7%, p = 0.003). After treatment, the percentage of memory T-cells normalized, the percentage of memory B-cells did not. The median anti-red blood cell carbohydrate IgM level was one titer lower in HAT patients than in controls (p<0.004), and partially normalized after treatment. Anti-measles antibody concentrations were lower in HAT patients than in controls (medians of 1500 versus 2250 mIU/ml, p = 0.02), and remained so after treatment, but were above the cut-off level assumed to provide protection in 94.8% of HAT patients, before and after treatment (versus 98.3% of controls, p = 0.3). Although functionality of the B-cells was not verified, the results suggest that immunity was conserved in T.b. gambiense infected HAT patients and that B-cell dysfunction might not be that severe as in mouse models.     

Constant rate allocation in nymphal development in species of Hemiptera

Abstract. This study investigated the existence of rate isomorphy (the constant allocation of relative times to different stages of development under different abiotic conditions) in Macrolophus pygmaeus (Hemiptera: Miridae; a phytophagous and predatory insect). Replicated data were used from a range of temperatures regarding (i) the developmental period of each nymphal stage in relation to the total duration of nymph development, when feeding on three host plants either with different prey species or without prey, and (ii) its egg, total nymphal and preoviposition period, on two host plants, with different prey species. The proportion of time required for the development of each nymphal stage of M. pygmaeus is not different among the temperatures or the kind of food available. These proportions ranged among the different host plants, temperatures and prey presence/absence from 17.3–21.8% in the first, 14.5–18.8% in the second, 14.2–18.3% in the third, 16.5–21.0% in the fourth and from 25.4–30.6% in the fifth nymphal stage. Thus, temperature does not significantly affect the proportion of time spent in each nymphal stage and rate isomorphy exists in nymphal development. This phenomenon was also investigated using data from the literature, and it also occurs in several other Hemiptera species. Therefore, there appears to be a constant time allocation in the nymphal development of the higher taxonomic groups of insects. However, for M. pygmaeus, rate isomorphy does not hold when considering egg‐to‐egg development and the relative duration of times to egg hatch, total nymphal development and preoviposition period. The ecophysiological implications of this rate isomorphy phenomenon are discussed in relation to endocrinological mechanisms. Apart from its theoretical interest, the existence of rate isomorphy simplifies studies on the rate of development and the estimation of thermal constants of an insect, which are essential for the prediction of insect population dynamics. It is also proposed that the term ‘rate isomorphy’ does not strictly describe the phenomenon, and it is suggested that ‘constant rate allocation’ would be a more suitable term.