The potential for biological control of stoats (Mustela erminea)

Abstract

Accelerating the mortality of stoats (Mustela erminea) using biological agents, or reducing their fertility using chemosterilants or biological agents, are increasingly seen as more sustainable and more humane than trapping and poisoning. Obligate delayed implantation in fertilised female stoats of all ages allows 10–11 months for an applied biological agent or chemosterilant to interfere with gestation. Two chemosterilants (cabergoline and mifepristone) disrupt pregnancy in some species and may be effective on stoats, although they are not species‐specific and are probably more expensive than poisoning. For the longer term, more recent fertility control research has explored potentially more species‐specific options for other species based on inducing an immune response to an animal's own reproductive hormones, gametes, or products from embryos. Conception will be difficult to disrupt in stoats because females are sexually mature and are mated in the nest during a short period before they are weaned. A large research effort will be required to determine which of the immunosterilants being developed could be suitable candidates for stoat control. There are fewer options apparent for using biological agents to increase stoat mortality, although species‐specific strains of canine distemper virus may be effective against stoats.

The greatest impediment to controlling stoat fertility will be effective delivery of sterilants. For the foreseeable future, it will probably be necessary to rely on baits, but they are unlikely to put all target stoats at risk, and will be incapable of delivery over larger scales than at present.

Before undertaking expensive field trials and development of anti‐fertility and biological agents, the effects of putative compensatory changes in demographics that may be associated with changes in stoat density should be modelled to see if the sterilisation and mortality rates that are required to achieve a given level of population control are realistic targets. Also, population control should be defined in terms of accrued benefit for wildlife by establishing the relationships between stoat densities and the viability of prey populations.

Biological control of fertility or mortality may never be suitable as stand‐alone control options for stoats, particularly when some native fauna survive only if stoats are reduced to very low densities. Biological control may have greater potential when integrated with conventional control.     

GABA consumption during early pregnancy impairs endometrial receptivity and embryo development in mice

γ‐Aminobutyrate (GABA) is commonly used as a food supplement and a health care product by young females, due to its positive roles in relieving stress, alleviating anxiety, and improving sleep. However, its recommended daily dose in different products varies widely. Besides, it is unknown whether, and how, GABA consumption during early pregnancy influences pregnancy establishment. In this study, we found that when pregnant mice were treated with a high (12.5 mg/g) dose of GABA (orally) during preimplantation, there was a reduction in the number of implantation sites on day 5 of pregnancy. Also, among these unimplanted embryos, most exhibited morphological degeneration and developmental retardation, and only a few of them developed into blastocysts but could not implant into the uterus. Moreover, the expression of uterine receptivity–related factors—LIF, E‐cadherin, and HOXA10—were all downregulated, while the number of uterine glands was reduced in the high GABA dose group. Finally, in vitro results demonstrated that GABA (ranging from 10 to 50 μg/μL) markedly inhibited preimplantation embryo development in a dose‐response manner. However, this inhibitory effect was not observed when the embryos were pretreated with 40 μΜ 2‐hydroxysaclofen, a GABA_B antagonist, indicating that GABA exerts its inhibitory effects via its B‐type receptor. Our results suggest that exposure to certain GABA concentrations, during early pregnancy, can impair preimplantation embryo development via its B‐type receptor, and endometrial receptivity, which greatly disturbs early embryo implantation in mice. These findings could raise concerns about GABA consumption during the early stages of pregnancy.     

In vitro Damage to Rat Lens by Lumazine and Xanthine Oxidase: Prevention by Superoxide Dismutase

Intact rat lenses incubated with lumazine and xanthine oxidase are physiologically damaged as evidenced by a decrease in the net accumulation of rubidium ions against a concentration gradient. Superoxide dismutase protected the tissue against this damage. These experiments, therefore, demonstrate the susceptibility of the lens tissue to O₂^?_? injury under ambient and nonphotochemical conditions, suggesting a possible implication of this radical in the tissue in vivo and eventual cataract formation. The lumazine/xanthine oxidase system which is known to cause oxygen reduction predominantly by the monovalent route, producing superoxide, appears quite suitable to evaluate the toxicity of O₂^?_? to the tissues in vitro.     

Lens cell-to-cel channel protein: II. Conformational change in the presence of calmodulin

Summary Lens fibers are coupled by communicating junctions, clusters of cell-to-cell channels composed of a 28-kD intrinsic membrane protein (MIP26). Evidence suggests that these and other cell-to-cell channels may close as a result of protein conformational change induced by activated calmodulin. To test the validity of this hypothesis, we have measured the intrinsic fluorescence emission and far-ultraviolet circular dichroism of the isolated components MIP26, calmodulin, and the MIP26-calmodulin complex, both in the absence and presence of Ca⁺⁺, an uncoupling agent. MIP26 shows no change in either, fluorescence emission (primarily tryptophan and a measure of aromatic constitutivity) or in its circular dichroism spectrum. Calmodulin exhibits a 32% increase in fluorescence emission intensity with constant emission wavelength, entirely tyrosine, and a 44% increase in -helicity, changes previously described. The MIP26-calmodulin complex, on the other hand, displays fluorescence emission and circular dichroism spectra which are slightly different from the sum of the two single components, but shows marked differences in both spectra upon Ca⁺⁺ addition. This indicates a change in conformation in one or both of the two components. Spectral changes include a 5-nm blue-shift, a 50% increase in tyrosine fluorescene emission, a 25% decrease in tryptophan fluorescence emission, and a 5% increase in the -helicity of the complex. These changes also occur about an isosbestic point and are fully reversible. These data provide additional evidence that activated calmodulin may modulate gating of cell-to-cell channels by affecting channel protein.     

离子注入后诱导水稻多倍化的效果

利用3份二倍体水稻为材料,以氮离子束为诱变源,研究了离子注入后所引起的生物学效应和离子注入对水稻多倍化的效果。研究结果表明,氮离子束对3份二倍体水稻材料的效应因材料种类和离子注入剂量不同而异。N 注入处理后对利用秋水仙素诱导水稻多倍化的效果比较明显,但效果的明显程度则因离子注入剂量不同或秋水仙素诱导时间不同或试验材料的遗传背景不同而表现出一定的差异。在秋水仙素对试验材料的诱导时间为24 h的各个处理中,N 离子注入剂量为6.76×1016N /cm2的处理似乎更好,而在秋水仙素对试验材料的诱导时间为48 h的各个处理中,N 离子注入剂量为0.52×1016N /cm2的处理则更有利于获得同源四倍体材料。经过2个~3个世代的筛选之后并通过染色体核型分析,在试验材料的后代中已经获得了一些同源四倍体水稻材料。     

玻璃化法对离子注入拟南芥幼苗过程中的冻害防护效应

离子注入过程中活体材料往往由于真空造成的冻害而不能存活.文章以拟南芥幼苗为对象,尝试了玻璃化法对注入过程中冻害的防护效应.结果显示,玻璃化处理的2 d龄幼苗经液氮冻融处理后存活率最高,达80%以上.2 d龄幼苗经玻璃化处理后进行离子注入,在一定剂量范围内成活率在90%以上;而未经玻璃化处理的幼苗离子注入后均不能成活.玻璃化后注入的幼苗成活率随注入剂量的增加而呈下降趋势,但受注入的离子能量的影响不大.显示玻璃化法对离子注入过程中活体材料遭受的冻害有较好的防护效果,在应用上有一定的意义.     

ICL植入术矫正高度近视的短期临床观察

目的:观察后房型有晶体眼人工晶体(implantable contact lens,ICL)植入术矫正高度近视术后早期的有效性和安全性。方法:选择于我院行ICL植入术的高度近视患者18例(36眼),于术前及术后1周、1个月、3个月随访记录其裸眼视力(uncorrected visual acuity,UCVA),最佳矫正视力(best corrected visual acuity,BCVA),等效球镜(spherical equivalent,SE),前房深度(anterior chamber depth,ACD),眼内压(intraocular pressure,IOP),角膜内皮细胞密度(endothelial cell density,ECD)的变化。结果:所有患者术后3个月裸眼视力和有效球镜度均较术前显著提高(P0.05),前房深度较术前变浅(P0.05),眼内压与术前对比无明显差异(P0.05),角膜内皮细胞密度较术前显著减少(P0.05)。结论:ICL植入手术矫正高度近视的短期临床疗效和安全性均较好。     

Homeostasis in the vertebrate lens: mechanisms of solute exchange

The eye lens is avascular, deriving nutrients from the aqueous and vitreous humours. It is, however, unclear which mechanisms mediate the transfer of solutes between these humours and the lens' fibre cells (FCs). In this review, we integrate the published data with the previously unpublished ultrastructural, dye loading and magnetic resonance imaging results. The picture emerging is that solute transfer between the humours and the fibre mass is determined by four processes: (i) paracellular transport of ions, water and small molecules along the intercellular spaces between epithelial and FCs, driven by Na(+)-leak conductance; (ii) membrane transport of such solutes from the intercellular spaces into the fibre cytoplasm by specific carriers and transporters; (iii) gap-junctional coupling mediating solute flux between superficial and deeper fibres, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase-driven efflux of waste products in the equator, and electrical coupling of fibres; and (iv) transcellular transfer via caveoli and coated vesicles for the uptake of macromolecules and cholesterol. There is evidence that the Na(+)-driven influx of solutes occurs via paracellular and membrane transport and the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase-driven efflux of waste products via gap junctions. This micro-circulation is likely restricted to the superficial cortex and nearly absent beyond the zone of organelle loss, forming a solute exchange barrier in the lens.     

Lens fibre cell differentiation and organelle loss: many paths lead to clarity

The programmed removal of organelles from differentiating lens fibre cells contributes towards lens transparency through formation of an organelle-free zone (OFZ). Disruptions in OFZ formation are accompanied by the persistence of organelles in lens fibre cells and can contribute towards cataract. A great deal of work has gone into elucidating the nature of the mechanisms and signalling pathways involved. It is apparent that multiple, parallel and redundant pathways are involved in this process and that these pathways form interacting networks. Furthermore, it is possible that the pathways can functionally compensate for each other, for example in mouse knockout studies. This makes sense given the importance of lens clarity in an evolutionary context. Apoptosis signalling and proteolytic pathways have been implicated in both lens fibre cell differentiation and organelle loss, including the Bcl-2 and inhibitor of apoptosis families, tumour necrosis factors, p53 and its regulators (such as Mdm2) and proteolytic enzymes, including caspases, cathepsins, calpains and the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Ongoing approaches being used to dissect the molecular pathways involved, such as transgenics, lens-specific gene deletion and zebrafish mutants, are discussed here. Finally, some of the remaining unresolved issues and potential areas for future studies are highlighted.