Low frequency of extra-pair paternity in two colonies of the socially monogamous short-tailed shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris

The short-tailed shearwater is a colonially nesting, socially monogamous seabird. Little is known about mate fidelity and breeding behaviour in this species because breeding birds are nocturnal on land and spend much of their time within subterranean nesting burrows. Colonial breeding and extended sperm storage create opportunities for extra-pair copulations which may form a significant component of the mating strategy in this species. Multilocus DNA fingerprinting was used to examine the genetic relationship between nestlings and the male and female nest attendants in 83 burrows from two distinct breeding colonies. Genetic analyses identified nine nestlings, approximately equally distributed between the two colonies, that were not related to the attendant pair male in those burrows, implying extra-pair paternity through extra-pair copulations. These results are used retrospectively to discuss the characteristics of extra-pair copulations and extra-pair fertilizations and the implications for estimates of life-time reproductive success in the short-tailed shearwater.     

The timing and interval of mate encounter affects investment during mating

The benefits obtained from mating are usually condition‐dependent, favouring the evolution of flexible investment during copulation; for example, in terms of invested time, energy or sperm. Flexible investment strategies are predicted to depend on the likelihood of acquiring alternative mates and therefore they should depend on the timing of mate encounter. However, scarce experimental evidence for this hypothesis exists. In the present study, we manipulated the time delay until first mating and the interval between first and second mating in the polygynandrous common lizard Zootoca vivipara. We determined treatment effects on fertilization success and copulation duration, with the latter being a proxy for investment in mating and for the quantity of transferred sperm. The duration of the second copulation decreased with increasing inter‐mating interval and depended on the fertilization success of first mates. The former provides evidence for time‐dependent investment strategies, most likely resulting from the progression of the female's reproductive cycle. The fertilization success of first mates increased with increasing inter‐mating interval and was higher when females were closer to ovulation, showing that flexible investment strategies significantly affected male reproductive success. This indicates fertilization assurance, which may mitigate the negative effects of low population density on reproductive success (e.g. Allee effects).     

Mitochondrial DNA copy number is maintained during spermatogenesis and in the development of male larvae to sustain the doubly uniparental inheritance of mitochondrial DNA system in the blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Doubly uniparental inheritance (DUI) of mitochondrial (mt) DNA has been reported in the blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. In DUI, males inherit both paternal (M type) and maternal (F type) mtDNA. Here we investigated changes in M type mtDNA copy numbers and mitochondrial mass in testicular cells by real‐time polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry. The ratios of M type mtDNA copy numbers to nuclear DNA content were not different between haploid (1n), diploid (2n) and tetraploid (4n) spermatogenic cells. The mitochondrial mass decreased gradually during spermatogenesis. These results suggest that mtDNA and mitochondrial mass are maintained during spermatogenesis. We then traced M type mtDNA in larvae after fertilization. M type mtDNA was maintained up to 24 h after fertilization in the male‐biased crosses, but decreased significantly in female‐biased crosses (predicted by Mito Tracker staining pattern). These results are strikingly different from those reported for mammals and fish, where it is well known that the mitochondria and mtDNA are reduced during spermatogenesis and that sperm mitochondria and mtDNA are eliminated soon after fertilization. Thus, the M type mtDNA copy number is maintained during spermatogenesis and in the development of male larvae to sustain the DUI system in the blue mussel.     

雄性生殖单位研究的回顾和展望

本文扼要回顾和评述了雄性生殖单位的发现、意义和研究进展,并对目前存在的问题和今后的研究进行了讨论和展望。     

辅酶Q10联合金凤丸对体外授精-胚胎移植患者卵巢功能及子宫内膜容受性的影响

目的:探讨辅酶Q10联合金凤丸对体外授精-胚胎移植患者卵巢功能及子宫内膜容受性的影响。方法:选择2017年7月～2017年10月接诊的185例体外授精-胚胎移植患者进行研究,通过随机数表法将其分为观察组(n=95)和对照组(n=90)。对照组采用金凤丸进行治疗,观察组在对照组的基础上加用辅酶Q10进行治疗。治疗后,比较两组血清卵泡刺激素(FSH)、促黄体生成素(LH)、睾酮(T)、雌二醇(E_2)、胰岛素(INS)、子宫内膜厚度、孕激素(P)水平、获卵数、受精率及妊娠率。结果:治疗后,两组患者血清FSH、LH、T、E_2、INS水平均较治疗前明显下降,且观察组以上指标水平均显著低于对照组(P0.05);两组患者子宫内膜厚度和血清P水平均较治疗前明显升高,且观察组以上指标均显著高于对照组(P0.05);两组患者获卵数无明显差异,观察组患者受精率、妊娠率均显著高于对照组(P0.05)。结论:辅酶Q10联合金凤丸可明显增加子宫内膜厚度,提高妊娠率。     

Association between dental health behaviours, mental/physical function and self-feeding ability among the elderly: a cross-sectional survey

Objectives : The aim of this study was to determine the association between dental health behaviour, mental/physical function and self‐feeding ability among the elderly. Subjects : A total of 414 elderly dental patients aged 65 years and older participated in this study. Methods : A survey was carried out for three years and seven months starting in January 1998 at the Chubu National Hospital. The patients or their carers were examined/interviewed about the severity of senile dementia, dental health behaviour, ability to rinse their mouths, ability to manage dentures, and ability to sit at a table during meals. To assess the association with self‐feeding ability among the elderly, cut‐offs were given for these variables, and then the odds ratios were calculated. Results : The strongest association to self‐feeding ability was marked by inability to rinse their own mouth, followed by inability to manage dentures, inability to sit at a table during meals, severe senile dementia and less frequency of toothbrushing. Conclusion : Elderly who have lost the feeding ability often could not maintain their dental health by themselves. Carers must provide not only a feeding service with acknowledgement of aspiration but oral care to prevent dental disease and fatal pneumonia in the elderly.     

‘晚大新高’梨授粉及受精过程的显微动态研究

应用荧光显微法和石蜡切片解剖法对‘晚大新高’梨授粉受精过程进行了系统观察研究。结果表明：‘晚大新高’梨自花授粉不结实;异花最佳授粉品种为‘黄花’,其次为‘翠冠’和‘丰水’。与选用‘黄花’为异花授粉品种相比,自花和异花的授粉受精过程存在明显差异,自花花粉在授粉后2h开始萌发,8h花粉管生长至离柱头约1／3处停止生长,顶端膨大呈球形,表现出自交不亲和性;异花花粉在授粉后1h开始部分萌发,8h花粉管生长至花柱中部,24h到达花柱基部并进入子房,48h进入胚囊,72h完成双受精过程。