The present study was carried out to investigate the pattern of apoptosis in the healthy antral and atretic follicles of Philippine swamp buffaloes (BU) in comparison with Holstein-Friesian (HF) cows. Paraffin sections of healthy follicles and various stages of atretic follicles were stained using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated biotinylated deoxyuridine triphosphates (dUTP) nick end-labelling (TUNEL) method to detect DNA fragmentation and cleaved caspase-3 antibody to detect cells committed to undergo apoptosis. Five equidistant areas of a follicle were counted for the presence of TUNEL- and caspase-3-positive cells. Healthy follicles of BU and HF contained no TUNEL-positive cells in the granulosa and theca layer but showed some caspase-3 positivity. The granulosa layer of advanced atretic follicles showed a significantly higher frequency of caspase-3 positivity than the healthy and early atretic follicles in both breeds. The frequency of caspase-3-positive cells of BU was significantly higher than HF in the granulosa layer of healthy, early atretic and advanced atretic follicles. In the theca interna layer, BU and HF showed a significantly lower and higher frequency of TUNEL-positive cells in the late atretic follicles compared with advanced atretic follicle, respectively. However, the frequency of caspase-3-positive cells of both BU and HF in the late atretic follicles was significantly higher than the advanced atretic follicles in the theca interna layer. These results indicate that caspase-3 and DNA fragmentation is involved in the buffalo ovarian apoptotic process. 相似文献
The present study was carried out to describe the proliferative activity of granulosa and theca cells in healthy antral and atretic follicles of Philippine buffaloes (BU) and Holstein-Friesian (HF) cows. Paraffin sections of ovary were immunostained with mouse monoclonal antibody to proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Then the follicles were classified into healthy and various stages of atretic follicles. The granulosa layer of healthy follicles had a significantly higher frequency of PCNA-positive cells than the early and advanced atretic follicles in both breeds. In the theca interna, significantly reduced populations of the PCNA-positive cells were found in both breeds as atresia progressed. Moreover, HF had significantly higher PCNA-positive cells in the theca interna of healthy, early atretic and advanced atretic follicles than BU. A reduction of PCNA-positive cells during atresia was also noted in the theca externa in both animals although differences were not significant. The results of the present work suggest that the proliferative activity of granulosa and theca cells decreases in association with follicular atresia in the BU similar to HF. Furthermore, a significantly deficient cell proliferative activity of theca interna was found in BU compared with HF. 相似文献
AIM: To investigate a possible interaction between lolitrem B and ergovaline by comparing the incidence and severity of ryegrass staggers in sheep grazing ryegrass (Lolium perenne) containing lolitrem B or ryegrass containing both lolitrem B and ergovaline.
METHODS: Ninety lambs, aged approximately 6 months, were grazed on plots of perennial ryegrass infected with either AR98 endophyte (containing lolitrem B), standard endophyte (containing lolitrem B and ergovaline) or no endophyte, for up to 42 days from 2 February 2010. Ten lambs were grazed on three replicate plots per cultivar. Herbage samples were collected for alkaloid analysis and lambs were scored for ryegrass staggers (scores from 0–5) weekly during the study. Any animal which was scored ≥4 was removed from the study.
RESULTS: Concentrations of lolitrem B did not differ between AR98 and standard endophyte-infected pastures during the study period (p=0.26), and ergovaline was present only in standard endophyte pastures. Ryegrass staggers was observed in sheep grazing both the AR98 and standard endophyte plots, with median scores increasing in the third week of the study. Prior to the end of the 42-day grazing period, 22 and 17 animals were removed from the standard endophyte and AR98 plots, respectively, because their staggers scores were ≥4. The cumulative probability of lambs having scores ≥4 did not differ between animals grazing the two pasture types (p=0.41).
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There was no evidence for ergovaline increasing the severity of ryegrass staggers induced by lolitrem B. In situations where the severity of ryegrass staggers appears to be greater than that predicted on the basis of concentrations of lolitrem B, the presence of other tremorgenic alkaloids should be investigated. 相似文献
In this research the relative importance of leaf area and microclimatic factors in determining water use of tree lines was
examined in sub-humid Western Kenya. Measurements of tree water-use by a heat-balance technique, leaf area, bulk air saturation
deficit, daily radiation, and soil water content were done in an experiment with tree lines within crop fields. The tree species
were Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden, Grevillea robusta A. Cunn. and Cedrella serrata Royle, grown to produce poles on a phosphorus-fixing Oxisol/Ferralsol with (+P) or without (−P) phosphorus application. Doubling
the leaf area of Cedrella and Grevillea doubled water use in a leaf area (LA) range of 1–11 m2 per tree. The response of Eucalyptus water use (W) to increases in leaf area was slightly less marked, with W = LAn, n<1. Transpiration rate per unit leaf area (Tr) was the other important determinant of water use, being affected by both tree
species and phosphorus fertilization. A doubling of the saturation deficit (SD) halved the water use of all trees except for
Cedrella +P, in which water use increased. A direct effect of soil water content on water use was only found in Grevillea -P,
with a small increase (60%) as available water increased from 1.4 to 8.9% above wilting point (32%). This low direct response
to soil water content is probably due to the extensive tree-root systems and the deep clayey soils supplying sufficient water
to meet the evaporative demand. Indirect responses to soil water content via decreases in leaf area occurred in the dry season.
The results showed that water use of tree lines was more determined by leaf area and transpiration rate per unit leaf area
than by micro meteorological factors. The linear response of tree water use to leaf area, over a wide range leaf areas, is
a specific characteristic of tree line configurations and distinguished them from forest stands. In tree lines light interception
and canopy conductance increase with leaf area much more than a similar leaf area increase would have caused in a closed forest
canopy. 相似文献
This study aimed to assess the effects of different cooling curves and centrifugation regimes used in cryopreservation protocols on the post‐thaw viability of Piau‐breed wild boar (Sus scrofa) sperm using in vitro assessment tests. Two centrifugations (800 g for 10 min and 2400 g for 3 min) and two cooling curves (conventional cooling using nitrogen vapour – freezing 1 and automated cooling using a programmed freezing machine – freezing 2) were tested. Therefore, the treatments were divided into M3 – centrifugation at 2400 g for 3 min and freezing 2; M10 – centrifugation at 800 g for 10 min and freezing 2; R3 – centrifugation at 2400 g for 3 min and freezing 1; and R10 – centrifugation at 800 g for 10 min and freezing 1. No significant differences (p > 0.05) between treatments occurred post‐thawing regarding the total sperm motility means recorded. The mean values of the different treatments were not different from each other regarding the supravital staining (SV), hypo‐osmotic test (HO), sperm–egg binding assay or sperm morphology. This study showed that both the cooling curve and the centrifugation regime affected the quality of post‐thaw sperm, and centrifugation for shorter times and cooling curves using automated cooling are the most suitable for minimizing sperm injury. 相似文献
Agroforestry Systems - Increasing tree cover and managing trees better on farms in Ethiopia supports livelihoods and the environment but most tree-planting schemes promote only a few species. This... 相似文献
The amplitude, duration, frequency, and predictability of runoff and inundation of aquatic habitats are key hydrological characteristics linked to aquatic ecosystem functioning and biodiversity, but they are seldom integrated into analyses of Amazon floodplain ecology. Remote sensing approaches, measurements and modelling of floodplain hydrology provide a basis for this integration.
Effective legislation to protect floodplains and other wetlands depends on operational definitions that require application of hydrological data.
Extent and changes of flooded areas are linked to fish diversity and to presence and growth of flooded forests and floating plants.
Dam construction reduces river system connectivity and modifies the flood pulse, with major negative implications for floodplain ecosystems adapted to and dependent on a natural flood regime.
Trends and variability in climate plus deforestation are altering the Amazon's hydrological cycle, causing changes in discharge and flooded area with concomitant ecological impacts.