mRNA expression and localization of bNOS,eNOS and iNOS in human cervix at preterm and term labour

Background  

Preterm birth is the primary cause of the neonatal mortality and morbidity. There will be no preterm birth without a cervical softening. Nitric oxide (NO) is shown to be a mediator of term cervical ripening. The aim of this study was to investigate mRNA expression of the three isomers of NO synthases (NOS) and to identify them by immunohistochemistry in the human cervix at preterm birth compared to term.     

The Effect of Coumarin on Growth, Production of Dry Matter, Protein and Nucleic Acids in Roots of Maize and Wheat and the Interaction of Coumarin with Metabolic Inhibitors

Effects of coumarin on fresh weight, dry matter, protein and nucleic acid content per cell in attached roots of maize and wheat and in whole excised elongation zones of maize were determined. The inhibition in cell length exerted by coumarin did not correspond to an inhibition of the net synthetic capacity. Coumarin treatment increased the cell surface, the production of dry matter and the protein content per cell. The dry matter and the protein content per unit surface was slightly increased or unaffected. The effect of coumann on cell shape seemed to be independent of that on dry matter production and net protein synthesis. The same was found in excised elongation zones. —The net DNA-synthesis per cell was slightly increased in attached roots by coumann treatment, but this effect was probably not correlated with the morphogenetic changes. Inhibition of DNA-synthesis with hydroxyurea did not alter the coumarin induced changes in cell shape. —The net RNA-synthesis per cell was slightly decreased after coumarin treatment, but the net RNA-synthesis per cell and the morphogenetic effects exerted by coumarin were not related with each other. Inhibition of m-RNA-synthesis with actinomycin D did not prevent the effects of coumarin on cell division, cell expansion, dry matter production and net protein synthesis. The same was true for inhibitors of protein synthesis, puromycin and p-fluorophenyl-alanine. The findings are in support of the view that coumarin affects already existing structures or enzymes. —Comparisons between coumarin and the uncouplers, DNP and dicoumarol, showed that the effects of coumarin were not, solely, due to uncoupling. SH-protecting agents, BAL, DTE and glutathione, did, with few exceptions, not reduce the morphogenetic effects of coumarin.     

Zero-Heat-Flux Thermometry for Non-Invasive Measurement of Core Body Temperature in Pigs

Hypothermia is a severe, unpleasant side effect during general anesthesia. Thus, temperature surveillance is a prerequisite in general anesthesia settings during experimental surgeries. The gold standard to measure the core body temperature (T_core) is placement of a Swan-Ganz catheter in the pulmonary artery, which is a highly invasive procedure. Therefore, T_core is commonly examined in the urine bladder and rectum. However, these procedures are known for their inaccuracy and delayed record of temperatures. Zero-heat-flux (ZHF) thermometry is an alternative, non-invasive method quantifying T_core in human patients by applying a thermosensoric patch to the lateral forehead. Since the porcine cranial anatomy is different to the human’s, the optimal location of the patch remains unclear to date. The aim was to compare three different patch locations of ZHF thermometry in a porcine hypothermia model. Hypothermia (33.0°C T_core) was conducted in 11 anesthetized female pigs (26-30kg). T_core was measured continuously by an invasive Swan-Ganz catheter in the pulmonary artery (T_pulm). A ZHF thermometry device was mounted on three different defined locations. The smallest average difference between T_pulm and T_ZHF during stable temperatures was 0.21 ± 0.16°C at location A, where the patch was placed directly behind the eye. Also during rapidly changing temperatures location A showed the smallest bias with 0.48 ± 0.29°C. Location A provided the most reliable data for T_core. Therefore, the ZHF thermometry patch should be placed directly behind the left temporal corner of the eye to provide a non-invasive method for accurate measurement of T_core in pigs.     

The expression of nuclear lamin A and C epitopes is regulated by the developmental stage of the cytoplasm in mouse oocytes or embryos.

The cytoplasmic regulation of changes of nuclear lamin antigens was examined by transferring 16-cell stage blastomeres into mouse oocytes. Sixteen-cell stage blastomeres were transferred to either pronuclear eggs, enucleated pronuclear eggs or metaphase II oocytes, which were subsequently activated. Pronuclei react with a monoclonal antibody to A/C lamins (J9), whereas nuclei from 16-cell stage blastomeres do not react with J9. However, after transfer of 16-cell stage nuclei to activated metaphase II oocytes, the transferred nuclei acquire the antigen. This is in contrast to 16-cell nuclei that were transferred to intact or enucleated pronuclear eggs; i.e., the nuclei only faintly acquired the A/C epitope. These results suggest that the developmental stage of the cytoplasm regulates the exposure of nuclear lamina epitopes, perhaps by limiting the supply of lamin A/C in the oocyte or because nuclear lamina assembly can only occur at the telophase transition. Furthermore, it appears that there is some exchange of the A/C epitope between (pro)nuclei within the same cell but that the majority of the A/C lamin epitope can be removed from a cell with (pro)nuclear removal.     

Development of SCAR markers linked to powdery mildew (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Uncinula necator</Emphasis>) resistance in grapevine (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vitis vinifera</Emphasis> L. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vitis</Emphasis> sp.)

Sequence-characterized amplified regions markers (SCARs) were developed from six randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers linked to the major QTL region for powdery mildew (Uncinula necator) resistance in a test population derived from the cross of grapevine cultivars “Regent” (resistant) × “Lemberger”(susceptible). RAPD products were cloned and sequenced. Primer pairs with at least 21 nucleotides primer length were designed. All pairs were tested in the F1 progeny of “Regent” × “Lemberger”. The SCAR primers resulted in the amplification of specific bands of expected sizes and were tested in additional genetic resources of resistant and susceptible germplasm. All SCAR primer pairs resulted in the amplification of specific fragments. Two of the SCAR markers named ScORA7-760 and ScORN3-R produced amplification products predominantly in resistant individuals and were found to correlate to disease resistance. ScORA7-760, in particular, is suitable for marker-assisted selection for powdery mildew resistance and to facilitate pyramiding powdery mildew resistance genes from various sources.     

Community-Level Physiological Profiles of Cloacal Microbes in Songbirds (Order: Passeriformes): Variation Due to Host Species, Host Diet, and Habitat

The relationship between microorganisms and birds has received increased attention recently. The state of knowledge of this relationship, however, is based largely on examination of sick or dead birds, and knowledge of the prevalence and community structure and function of microbes in healthy wild populations is limited. Using carbon substrate utilization profiles, microbial communities were examined in 91 cloacal samples from 14 species within apparently healthy summer and winter passerine populations. Within each season, gradient lengths and eigenvalues from ordination analyses suggested that many samples differed in their carbon substrate utilization and several had very different communities. Cloacal microbe carbon utilization profiles were distinguishable among host species, season-specific diet, and study site in the ordination analyses. However, these patterns were only observed for the analysis of the summer data set. The results of this study support the idea that the avian host’s microbial community, relative to carbon substrate utilization, is related to host diet. Previously, this pattern had only been reported for potential pathogens isolated from the avian cloaca. Study site–specific patterns in the ordination analysis suggest that environmental conditions at a particular study site may influence cloacal microbial communities in birds. Results of this study indicate that examination of community-level physiological profiles may be a useful technique for distinguishing among avian cloacal samples, similar to that already established for discriminating aqueous and soil samples. Future studies that correlate microbe physiological profiles to condition-based indices of avian hosts may be most useful for eventually using the profile as an indicator of environmental conditions experienced by hosts.