Detecting estrus in synchronized heifers-using tailpaint and an aerosol raddle

A synchronization treatment was initiated when each of 1227 heifers (four trials) was tailpainted. The tailpaint was sprayed with an aerosol raddle at the end of the treatment period. The heifers were in herds of 20 to 279 animals. Each herd was observed for estrus at selected post treatment intervals. A heifer was considered to be (or to have been) in estrus when the raddle was rubbed off. In three of the trials, animals which had the raddle removed were inseminated at 48h following the end of the synchronization treatment. The tailpaint of an inseminated animal was scored from 0 (less than 10% of the paint remained) to 5 (more than 90% of the paint remained) and was then reraddled with a second color. The detection-insemination sequence was always repeated at 72 and 96h, and sometimes at 120h. Animals which had been previously inseminated, but then had paint scores reduced by at least 2 units were reinseminated 24h later. Over the four trials, 94.5% of the heifers were detected in estrus through the use of the tailpaint and raddle system. The remaining 67 animals included only 10 (0.8%) which had ovulated without being detected in estrus. The reinsemination rate on consecutive days was 11.3% and was highest among animals that had a tailpaint score of 4 or 5 at 48h. The proportion of animals detected in estrus at selected posttreatment intervals varied with the different synchronization treatments used within one herd, or with the same treatment used in different herds. The combination of tailpaint, raddling, tailpaint scoring and reraddling is a simple sequence which can be effectively used to detect estrus among heifers synchronized in research or commercial herds.     

Sequence polymorphism of human complement factor H

Factor H is a major regulatory protein of the complement system. The complete cDNA coding sequence has been derived from overlapping clones, and a polymorphism at base 1277 has been characterized. In four clones there is a T at nucleotide 1277 and in two others there is a C. This T/C change represents a tyrosine/histidine polymorphism at position 384 in the derived amino acid sequence. Protein sequence studies on peptides generated by trypsin digestion of factor H, purified from pooled plasma from 12 donors, confirmed the presence of both tyrosine and histidine at this position. Tyrosine and histidine were observed in a ratio of 2 : 1, respectively, and therefore this polymorphism is likely to represent a sequence difference between the two most abundant charge variants, FH1 and FH2, of factor H.     

Production of dextranase byLipomyces starkeyi

Summary The optimal growth rate ofLipomyces starkeyi, with dextran as sole carbon source, was found within the pH range 2.5–4.0, and temperature between 25–30°C. This yeast was unable to grow above 33°C. Dextranase production optima paralleled growth optima, except at pH 2.5. Decrease in enzyme yield at this pH could not be attributed to poor yeast growth or enzyme stability.     

Glutamate Oxidation by Soybean Cotyledon and Leaf Mitochondria

Mitochondria purified from cotyledons of soybean seedlings fiveto ten days old have the capacity to rapidly oxidize glutamate(measured as glutamate dependent oxygen consumption). This capacitywas greatest at ten days after planting but was very low priorto emergence of cotyledons from the vermiculite and during senescence.Solubilized glutamate dehydrogenase activity, on the other hand,was substantial at two days after planting, peaked at sevendays, then declined and rose again during senescence. It issuggested that mitochondrial glutamate oxidation plays a rolein reserve mobilization and amino acid metabolism during seedlinggrowth. Leaf mitochondria and those from senescing cotyledonscould not sustain rapid rates of glutamate oxidation despiteready oxidation of other substrates and high solubilized glutamatedehydrogenase activity, suggesting an alternative role for theenzyme in these tissues. Possible controlling factors are discussed. ² Present address, Garvan Institute, Darlinghurst, N. S. W.,Australia. ³ Permanent address, Department de Biologia Vegetal, Facultatde Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. (Received May 6, 1988; Accepted August 3, 1988)     

Human IFN-gamma production is inhibited by a synthetic peptide homologous to retroviral envelope protein

A synthetic 17 amino acid peptide (CKS-17) homologous to a highly conserved region of human and animal retroviral transmembrane proteins was investigated for its influence on the in vitro production of IFN-gamma from human peripheral mononuclear cells. The results showed that CKS-17 coupled to a carrier protein, BSA, inhibited production of IFN-gamma in a dose-dependent manner. Controls, consisting of BSA, which had undergone the coupling procedure or neurotensin coupled to BSA in an identical manner as CKS-17, showed no such inhibition. Reduction in IFN-gamma production could not be attributed to decreased viability of cells, delay of IFN-gamma production or to involvement of suppressor cells. Moreover, inhibition of IFN-gamma production was not related to the inhibition of DNA synthesis. The inhibition appeared to be a direct effect of CKS-17 on IFN-gamma-producing cells. Kinetic studies revealed that this suppression occurred when CKS-17 was introduced to the culture concurrent with or within 48 h after introduction of IFN inducers. Preincubation experiments showed that the presence of CKS-17 in the culture medium was not necessary to exert its inhibitory effect. These results suggest that a portion of retroviral envelope proteins possess important immunomodulatory actions.     

Vaginal and pelvic reconstruction with distally based rectus abdominis myocutaneous flaps

This report introduces a new method of vaginal reconstruction using a single rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap based distally. Applications of this flap in reconstruction of major abdominal wall and pelvic defects, such as hemipelvectomies, are also described. The flap is designed to carry a paddle of upper abdominal skin on a distally based muscle and vascular pedicle. Advantages of this flap design are (1) the technique is straightforward and rapid, (2) flap viability is reliable, (3) the epigastric skin-fascial donor defect preserves the anterior rectus fascia distal to the linea semicircularis, which prevents hernia, (4) a large arc of rotation is provided, and (5) the epigastric donor site does not interfere with colostomy and urinary conduit stomas in the pelvic exenteration patient. We have done 11 vaginal reconstructions and 9 major pelvic defect reconstructions with this flap during the last 3 1/2 years. In these 20 patients, the only complications were two partial flap losses. No major flap losses or ventral hernias occurred.     

The group-specific protein marker: a possible indicator of syphilis,not human immunodeficiency virus infection.

We wished to compare the frequency of group-specific (Gc) phenotypes in the general population with that in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection to find out whether the Gc protein is a marker for susceptibility to HIV infection. We determined the phenotype frequency in 1083 randomly selected serum samples obtained from the Canadian Influenza Survey Studies and compared it with that in 263 serum samples obtained from the Federal Centre for AIDS and the Syphilis Serology Proficiency Testing Laboratory. No association between Gc phenotype and HIV status was found. However, there was a strong association between the Gc protein 1f/1f phenotype and syphilis.     

Sensitivity of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains to some antibiotics, antiseptics and disinfectants

The effects of antibiotics, antiseptics and disinfectants against some methicillin resistant (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) Staphylococcus aureus strains have been studied. The MRSA and MSSA strains were equally sensitive to phenols, esters of para(4)-hydroxybenzoit acid and chlorhexidine but MRSA strains were slightly more resistant to quaternary ammonium compounds and considerably more so to dibromopropamidine isothionate. Some MRSA strains were also resistant to phenylmercuric nitrate (but not another organomercurial, thiomersal), mercuric chloride and cadmium chloride. All MRSA strains produced β-lactamase. Strains from the Royal Free Hospital, London were highly resistant to β-lactam antibiotics, erythromycin, trimethoprim and tetracyctines but were sensitive to other antibiotics. One strain from the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff was resistant to gentamicin but sensitive to tetracycline and trimethoprim.     

Testicular expression of PC4 in the rat: molecular diversity of a novel germ cell-specific Kex2/subtilisin-like proprotein convertase.

The rat cDNA sequence of PC4 (rPC4), representing a new member of the Kex2/subtilisin-like proprotein convertases, demonstrated the presence of at least three rPC4 mRNAs resulting in the production of rPC4-A (654 amino acids), rPC4-B (619 amino acids), and rPC4-C (609 amino acids) with different C-terminal sequences. Analogous to rat PC4, three cDNAs were also found for the mouse PC4. The observed molecular diversity of PC4 mRNA possibly results from the differential splicing and/or exon skipping of the parent gene. PC4 mRNA, with a major form at 2.8 kilobases, was highly abundant in the rat testis but could not be detected by Northern analysis in any other tissues including the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Testicular cell separation studies combined with Northern analysis indicate the high expression levels of PC4 in germ cells but not in Leydig, Sertoli, or peritubular cells. In situ hybridization histochemistry confirms the site of PC4 gene expression as the pachytene spermatocytes and the round spermatids but not in the elongating spermatids. We also demonstrate the colocalization of PC4 with proenkephalin in testicular germ cells by in situ hybridization. A study of the ontogeny of PC4 indicated that PC4 mRNA was first expressed postnatally between days 19 and 22, coinciding with the first stages of spermiogenesis. The stage-specific expression of PC4 in testis indicates its potential role in the developmental maturation of germ cells and that this convertase may play a specific physiological function in reproduction.     

The effect of the enantiomers of ibuprofen and flurbiprofen on the beta-oxidation of palmitate in the rat.

The effects of the enantiomers of ibuprofen (0.25 and 0.50 mmol/kg b.w.) and flurbiprofen (0.01, 0.03, and 0.06 mmol/kg b.w.) on the beta-oxidation of palmitate were investigated in the rat. The mean cumulative exhalation of 14CO2 after ip administration of [U-14C]palmitic acid was significantly reduced over 6 h by ibuprofen at the higher dose but not at the lower dose for either enantiomer. There was no difference between the enantiomers, the reduction over 6 h being 31.3 and 33.0% for (R)- and (S)-ibuprofen, respectively. There was also a significant inhibition of beta-oxidation by flurbiprofen at all 3 doses. Again, there was no stereoselectivity evident in this inhibition. Flurbiprofen was much more potent than ibuprofen in eliciting this effect, the 0.01mmol/kg dose giving a similar reduction in beta-oxidation as observed for the 0.50 mmol/kg dose of ibuprofen. The data support the hypothesis that inhibition of the in vivo beta-oxidation of palmitate by ibuprofen and flurbiprofen is primarily via a nonstereoselective noncoenzyme A-dependent mechanism.