Artifical diets and rearing of the nun moth, Lymantria monacha

Artificial diets were reviewed and two tested. The highest level of survival to the adult stage (72%) was obtained on a modified diet of Odell & Rollinson (1966). Rearing required 61 days for males and 70 days for females. Wing deformation occurred in 16% of the adults. The sex ratio ( : ) was 0.80. Average pupal weight was 281 mg for males and 368 mg for females. Females averaged 102 eggs (range 80–125 eggs). Neonates from field-collected egg masses started hatching on 6 December; frost was not necessary for hatching. Hatching could be postponed until at least 10 November of the following year by storing egg masses at-2°C. L. monacha can be maintained continuously in the laboratory.

---

Zusammenfassung Eine Massenvermehrung der Nonne, Lymantria monacha (L.), trat in 1984 auf 500 ha Pinus sylvestris bei Budelerbergen (S.O. der Niederlande) auf und betraf 1985 eine Fläche von 2800 ha. Obwohl die Vermehrung durch eine Luftapplikation mit Dimilin 25 bekämpft werden konnte, wurden Untersuchungen begonnen zur Entwicklung von für die Umwelt sicheren Bekämpfungsmethoden, besonders die Anwendung von Virosen. Das Ziel bestand in der Virusproduktion in künstlichen Raupenzuchten. Die Nonne wurde bisher mit verschiedenen für andere Insektenarten oder speziell für diesen Zweck entwickelten künstlichen Nährböden gezüchtet. Da die Zusammensetzung dieser Nährböden und die Zuchtmethoden nicht veröffentlicht waren und da wenige Details über die Raupenentwicklung vorlagen, wurden modifizierten Nährböden von McMorran sowie von Odell & Rollinson für die Massenzucht der Nonne geprüft.

     

Unexpected thymic hyperplasia in transgenic mice harboring a neuronal promoter fused with simian virus 40 large T antigen.

The hypothalamic peptide growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) regulates the secretion and production of growth hormone from the anterior pituitary (M. C. Gelato and G. R. Merriam, Annu. Rev. Physiol. 48:569-591). To study GRF gene regulation, transgenic mice were generated that harbor the human GRF promoter fused to the coding sequences from the simian virus 40 early region. These mice had normal hypothalamic functions but unexpectedly suffered from severe thymic hyperplasia. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that large T antigen was expressed in the thymic epithelial cells. These cells have endocrine properties and are known to produce thymic hormones [corrected]. The thymic hyperplasia was the apparent consequence of inappropriate production of T-cell maturation factors by epithelial cells and could involve increased self renewal of apparently normal T stem cells in the thymus.     

Chondroid bone arises from mesenchymal stem cells in organ culture of mandibular condyles

Mandibular condyles of fetal mice 19 to 20 days in utero comprising clean cartilage and its perichondrium were cultured for up to 14 days, and their capacity to develop osteoid and to mineralize in vitro was examined. After 3 days in culture the cartilage of the mandibular condyle appeared to have lost its inherent structural characteristics, including its various cell layers: chondroprogenitor, chondroblastic, and hypertrophic cells. At that time interval no chondroblasts could be seen; instead, most of the cartilage consisted of hypertrophic chondrocytes. By that time, the surrounding perichondrium, which contains pluripotential mesenchymal stem cells, revealed the first signs of extracellular matrix enclosing type I collagen, bone alkaline phosphatase, osteonection, fibronectin, and bone sialoprotein as demonstrated by immunofluorescent techniques. Electron microscopic examinations of the newly formed matrix revealed foci of mineralization within and along collagen fibers as is normally observed during bone development. The composition of the latter mineral deposits resembled calcium pyrophosphate crystals. Following 14 days in culture larger portions of the condyle revealed signs of osseous matrix, yet the tissue reacted positively for type II collagen. Hence, the condylar cartilage, a genuine representative of secondary-type cartilage, elaborated in vitro a unique type of bone that would be most appropriately defined as chondroid bone. Biochemical assays indicated that the de novo formation of chondroid bone was correlated with changes in alkaline phosphatase activity and 45Ca incorporation. The findings of the present study imply that mesenchymal stem cells that ordinarily differentiate into cartilage possess the capacity to differentiate into osteogenic cells and form chondroid bone.     

The surface distribution of low density lipoprotein receptors on cultured fibroblasts and endothelial cells. Ultrastructural evidence for dispersed receptors

The distribution of low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors marked with colloidal gold-conjugated low density lipoproteins has been mapped on the surfaces of cultured human skin fibroblasts and bovine aortic endothelial cells viewed whole in the transmission electron microscope. A dispersed or scattered population of LDL receptors, in addition to and clearly distinct from clustered receptors was detected on the surfaces of both fibroblasts and dividing endothelial cells. No LDL receptors could be detected on contact-inhibited endothelial cells. Clustered receptors imaged in whole-mount preparations were often arranged in rings with an approximate diameter of 250 nm. In ultra-thin sections of marked cells, clustered receptors were localised in coated pits while the few dispersed receptors seen were restricted to non-coated membrane regions. Clustered receptors often appeared localised on the rims of coated pits whose central areas were not marked. The dispersed population of receptors was usually distributed diffusely amongst the clusters on dividing endothelial cells and normal fibroblasts. Only the dispersed population appeared on LDL receptor internalisation-defective mutant fibroblasts. The marginal zones of both fibroblasts and dividing endothelial cells were populated by dispersed receptors. Clusters appeared further "inland" and were rarely seen near the cell margins. These results indicate that LDL receptors on dividing endothelial cells and fibroblasts may be dispersed on the cell surface upon or soon after their insertion during recycling.     

Operant supplementary heating in groups of growing pigs in relation to air velocity

The aim of the experiments was to investigate the effect of air velocity on the temperature preferred by growing pigs 12–14 weeks old. Pigs displayed a temperature preference by means of operant supplemental heating. They pushed a button connected to heating lamps. Six experiments of three weeks each and with two treatments with a group of 8 pigs each were made. Animals were housed in groups and weighed 14–20 kg at the start of the experiments. Air velocity was 0.08, 0.25 and 0.40 m/s. At each air velocity four replicates were made. Mean temperatures preferred were 17.9°C at 0.08 m/s, 20.5°C at 0.25 m/s and 21.7°C at 0.40 m/s. Within a day temperature preference fluctuated with 5.7 K at 0.08 m/s, 4.3 K at 0.25 m/s and 4.2 K at 0.4 m/s. Temperatures preferred were highest during day time.     

Effect of bromocriptine and progesterone on the length of the ovarian cycle in 4- and 5-day estrous cyclic rats

To study the effect of prolactin and progesterone on the length of the reproductive cycle in the rat, rats of different estrous cycle length (four and five days, respectively) were injected daily (09.00 h) with either bromocriptine (1 mg/rat) or 70% ethanol vehicle (0.25 ml) from the day of estrus onward, up to the appearance of the next ovulation. Each group of rats was then (16.00, metestrus) also injected with either progesterone (4 mg/rat) or 0.2 ml of olive oil. The effects of these treatments on the length of the estrous cycle was studied by both the recording of vaginal smears daily and by direct visualization of oocyte-cumulus complexes on the ensuing day of estrus (10.00 h-12.00 h). Bromocriptine treatment shortened the length of the cycle by one day in 5-day but not in 4-day cyclic rats, while progesterone treatment lengthened estrous cycles by one day in both groups of rats. Treatment with both bromocriptine and progesterone had no effect on the estrous cycle length of 5-day cyclic rats, but did prolong in one day the cycle of 4-day cyclic rats. These facts suggest that prolactin regulates the length of the ovarian reproductive cycle in the rat through its action on the secretion of progesterone by the corpus luteum.     

Role of phospholipase A2 in the stimulation of sponge cell proliferation by homologous lectin

Using the Geodia cydonium system, we showed that after incubation of competent sponge cells in the presence of lectin, phospholipase A2 was released from the cells. The substrates for this enzyme, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine, were identified in the extracellular material of sponge tissue. In addition, the phospholipase A2 inhibitor calelectrin was identified by immunobiochemical techniques; this molecule was associated with the aggregation factor. Reconstitution experiments strongly suggested that phospholipase A2 catalyzed the release of arachidonic acid, which is then taken up by the cells. Intracellularly, arachidonic acid was metabolized primarily to prostaglandin E2. Inhibition studies revealed that prostaglandin E2 is involved in the ultimate increase of DNA synthesis. These findings suggest that the phospholipase A2-arachidonic acid system is involved in the matrix-initiated signal transduction pathway in sponges.