Early changes in the biosynthesis of proteins in the thymocytes of mice following exposure to lympholytic agents

The method of two-dimensional electrophoresis was used to study protein biosynthesis in cytoplasm, nuclei and nuclear matrix of mouse thymocytes 15-75 min after exposure to ionizing radiation and hydrocortisone. Irradiation was shown to inhibit some cytoplasm proteins and to induce synthesis of a few polypeptides within the total nuclear proteins and nuclear matrix. Hydrocortisone promotes synthesis of some new proteins in all the fractions leading to the formation of new polypeptides. At least one common peptide is found within the total nuclear proteins and nuclear matrix after the effect of both factors.     

Growth and Puberty of Water Boles (Arvicola amphibius,Rodentia, Arvicolinae) in Relation to Birth Season and Family Factors

Biology Bulletin - In vivarium conditions, the growth and attainment of puberty of the offspring of constant parental pairs have been studied in relation to the calendar month of birth (May or...     

Role of Baseline Antral Follicle Count and Anti-Mullerian Hormone in Prediction of Cumulative Live Birth in the First In Vitro Fertilisation Cycle: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis

Objective

This retrospective study determined for the first time the role of baseline antral follicle count (AFC) and serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) level in the first in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycle in predicting cumulative live birth from one stimulation cycle.

Methods

We studied 1,156 women (median age 35 years) undergoing the first IVF cycle. Baseline AFC and AMH level on the day before ovarian stimulation were analysed. The main outcome measure was cumulative live birth in the fresh plus all the frozen embryo transfers after the same stimulation cycle.

Results

Serum AMH was significantly correlated with AFC. Both AMH and AFC showed significant correlation with age and ovarian response in the stimulated cycle and total number of transferrable embryos. Baseline AFC and serum AMH were significantly higher in subjects attaining a live birth than those who did not in the fresh stimulated cycle, as well as those attaining cumulative live birth. There was a significant trend of higher cumulative live birth rate in women with higher AMH or AFC. However, logistic regression revealed that both AMH and AFC were not significant predictors of cumulative live birth after adjusting for age and number of embryos available for transfer. Considering only one single predictor, the areas under the ROC curves for AMH (0.646, 95% CI 0.616–0.675) and age (0.648, 95% CI 0.618–0.677) were slightly higher than that for AFC (0.617, 95% CI 0.587–0.647) in predicting cumulative live birth. However, a model combining AMH (with or without AFC) and age of the women only classified an addition of less than 2% of subjects correctly compared to the model with age alone.

Conclusion

Baseline AFC and serum AMH have only modest predictive performance on the occurrence of cumulative live birth, and may not give additional value on top of the women''s age.     

The influence of season and levels of dietary lipid on growth performance and lipid composition in rainbow trout <Emphasis Type="Italic">Parasalmo mykiss</Emphasis> (Walbaum, 1792)

We studied the growth performance and lipid composition of liver, muscles and visceral fat in rainbow trout Parasalmo mykiss (Walbaum, 1792) and the diets used in its cultivation during the spring-summer season. The differences in dietary lipid composition determined modifications in the biochemical composition of tissues of rainbow trout and had an effect on the weight and growth rate of the fish. Trophic and seasonal factors also had their influence on the studied parameters. The degree of influence depended on the functional characteristics of tissues and organs of rainbow trout.     

Seasonal variability of some biochemical parameters in the whitefish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Coregonus muksun</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coregonus lavaretus</Emphasis>)

The base levels and seasonal variability of ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity, reduced glutathione concentration (GSH) and phospholipids concentration (PhL) of Coregonus lavaretus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Coregonus muksun (Pallas, 1814) were investigated. The relationships between this biochemical markers, hepatosomatic index and seasonal growth were also examined.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pelekysgnathus jeppssoni</Emphasis>, a new conodont species from the Eifelian Stage of the Bryansk Region,Russia

Distribution of the Devonian conodont genus Pelekysgnathus is considered. A new species, P. jeppssoni sp. nov. from the Mosolovian Regional Stage (Middle Devonian, Eifelian) of the Voronezh Anteclise is described.     

Microbial Communities Associated with Zones of Elevated Magnetic Susceptibility in Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Sediments

Recent studies suggest that magnetic susceptibility (MS) measurements can play an important role in identifying zones where microbial-mediated iron mineral transformations are occurring. Here we investigated the microbial community variations within zones of elevated MS in a petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifer near Bemidji, Minnesota, USA. Our main objective was to 1) identify the key microbial populations that may play a role in hydrocarbon degradation, 2) analyze which microbial populations could be connected to the elevated MS and 3) explore the use of non-destructive geophysical techniques as a tool to guide microbial sampling. Clone libraries based on the 16S rRNA gene revealed the presence of iron-reducing β-Proteobacteria in the vadose zone, whereas the free petroleum phase on the water table was characterized by a methanogenic consortium, in which the syntrophic δ-proteobacterium Smithella and the hydrogenotrophic Methanoregula predominated. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) found a close relationship between elevated MS values and the methanogenic hydrocarbon-degrading consortium. Our results suggest that magnetic susceptibility measurements can guide microbiologists to zones of active microbial biodegradation in aged petroleum spills.