RATE OF TESTICULAR MATURATION, IN RELATION TO GONADOTROPHIN AND TESTOSTERONE LEVELS, IN QUAIL EXPOSED TO VARIOUS ARTIFICIAL PHOTOPERIODS AND TO NATURAL DAYLENGTHS

1978 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. K. FOLLETT ◽  
S. L. MAUNG

SUMMARY Rates of testicular growth and plasma levels of FSH, LH and testosterone were determined in Japanese quail exposed to various fixed photoperiods (number of hours of light: number of hours of darkness): 12L: 12D, 13L: 11D, 14L: 10D, 16L: 8D and 20L: 4D and to natural daylengths. All five artificial photoperiods stimulated spermatogenesis, with the testes reaching maturity after 30–40 days. Maximum rates of testicular growth occurred with 14L: 10D, 16L: 8D or 20L: 4D but the rate was reduced by 50% in birds exposed to 12L: 12D. This reduction was due to decreased growth in the seminiferous tubule epithelium (and hence in tubule diameter); the duration of spermatogenesis hardly being affected. Near maximum growth rates occurred with 13L: 11D. The hormone profiles offer an explanation for the differential rates of testicular growth. In the three longest photoperiods, FSH rose from 20 ng/ml to peak levels of 300–400 ng/ml after 10 days. As the testes matured, so the level of FSH decreased to 50–100 ng/ml. This pattern was not seen under 12L: 12D; the level of FSH rose slowly to about 100 ng/ml and showed no peak of secretion. With 13L: 11D a small peak was found, which decreased at maturity. In quail with testes > 1500 mg, the level of FSH was invariably about 100 ng/ml. Patterns of LH secretion were rather similar with all treatments, but testosterone was affected by photoperiod; lower levels were found under 12L: 12D than 20L: 4D. The rate of photoperiodically induced testicular growth was proportional to the levels of FSH, and possibly also testosterone, in the circulation. Outdoors, testicular growth began when daylengths reached about 12 h. Maturity occurred within the next 40 days. The levels of FSH rose steadily but did not show a peak of secretion. In general, the highest levels of hormone were found in July just before gonadal regression which occurred when the daylengths were still quite long.

1982 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. F. URBANSKI ◽  
B. K. FOLLETT

Male Japanese quail were castrated when sexually immature and immediately exposed to one of the following stimulatory lighting regimes for 52 days: 11 h light: 13 h darkness/day (11L : 13D), 12L : 12D, 13L : 11D, 14L : 10D, 15L : 9D, 16L : 8D, 20L : 4D or 23L : 1D. One group was retained on short days (8L : 16D). Clearcut differences in the plasma levels of LH and FSH emerged between the various groups. Levels remained very low in castrated quail on 8L : 16D but were much greater in those on 14L : 10D, 15L : 9D, 16L : 8D, 20L : 4D and 23L : 1D, eventually becoming 15 to 20 times higher. Less pronounced castration responses developed on 13L : 11D, 12L : 12D or 11L : 13D. Alterations in photoperiod after day 52 caused an appropriate rise or fall in LH secretion. Photoperiodically induced suppressions were rapid, being highly significant within 4 days, but increases usually had a slower time course. When sexually mature quail (on 16L : 8D) were castrated and transferred to 8L : 16D they also exhibited a rapid suppression in LH secretion. Thus in quail, unlike some mammals, the photoperiodic control over gonadotrophin secretion is independent of the reproductive status of the animal at the time of castration. The results confirm the view that changes in sensitivity of the hypothalamo-pituitary axis to gonadal steroids are not a primary factor in the neural mechanisms underlying photoperiodism in quail.


1976 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. K. FOLLETT

SUMMARY Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was measured in Japanese quail using a heterologous radioimmunoassay, the specificity of which was confirmed by its cross-reactions with purified chicken FSH and luteinizing hormone (LH). Plasma concentrations of FSH, LH and testosterone were determined in quail during the testicular growth and sexual maturation which follows their transfer from short to long daylengths. All three hormones could be detected in short-day birds but their concentrations were greatly increased following photostimulation. Plasma FSH increased 12-fold during the first 9 long days, remained at this level for a week, and then declined steadily so that by the time the birds were sexually mature the level of FSH had decreased to one-third of the maximum level. LH reached a high level (five times the short day level) after 4 long days. Thereafter two patterns of LH secretion could be distinguished. In one experiment the high level of LH was maintained unchanged throughout sexual maturation while in another experiment LH secretion decreased significantly between days 11 and 28 of photostimulation. A strong correlation existed between testicular growth and the plasma FSH concentration. It was maximal during the phase of rapid testicular growth and decreased as spermiogenesis began. The pituitary FSH content increased during photostimulation. Castration caused a 20-fold rise in plasma FSH compared with that in intact quail. The change in LH concentration after castration was about eightfold. The changes in hormone secretion were strikingly similar to those found during sexual development and puberty in the rat.


1975 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. R. GIBSON ◽  
B. K. FOLLETT ◽  
BARBARA GLEDHILL

SUMMARY Plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured by radioimmunoassay in gonadectomized male and female Japanese quail, exposed either to 8 h light: 16 h darkness per day (8L:16D; short days) or to 20L:4D (long days). In both sexes, exposure to long days increased LH levels and in the gonadectomized quail LH continued to rise over several weeks. Eventually the castrated quail had levels about five times higher than the control birds and the ovariectomized quail had levels about 14 times higher than their controls. Quail kept on short days had low LH levels while birds kept on long days and returned to short days resumed low levels after a delay of some days. Since very high levels of LH occurred in gonadectomized quail only when they were on long days, we conclude that the photoperiodic regulation of LH secretion does not operate solely by adjusting sensitivity to gonadal feedback, but works in a more direct manner. Ovariectomized females whether on long days (high LH) or short days (low LH) grew masculine plumage and castrated males retained male plumage. This confirms that the ovary is responsible for sexual dimorphism of plumage and shows that the action of the ovary is not mediated by LH (through feedback). The remaining rudimentary (right) gonad in ovariectomized females did not undergo visible hypertrophy and did not secrete enough hormone to stimulate the cloacal gland or oviduct.


1978 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Monteith

SUMMARYFigures for maximum crop growth rates, reviewed by Gifford (1974), suggest that the productivity of C3 and C4 species is almost indistinguishable. However, close inspection of these figures at source and correspondence with several authors revealed a number of errors. When all unreliable figures were discarded, the maximum growth rate for C3 stands fell in the range 34–39 g m−2 d−1 compared with 50–54 g m−2 d−1 for C4 stands. Maximum growth rates averaged over the whole growing season showed a similar difference: 13 g m−2 d−1 for C3 and 22 g m−2 d−1 for C4. These figures correspond to photosynthetic efficiencies of approximately 1·4 and 2·0%.


1997 ◽  
Vol 483 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Ustin ◽  
C. Long ◽  
L. Lauhon ◽  
W. Ho

AbstractCubic SiC films have been grown on Si(001) and Si(111) substrates at temperatures between 600 °C and 900 °C with a single supersonic molecular beam source. Methylsilane (H3SiCH3) was used as the sole precursor with hydrogen and nitrogen as seeding gases. Optical reflectance was used to monitor in situ growth rate and macroscopic roughness. The growth rate of SiC was found to depend strongly on substrate orientation, methylsilane kinetic energy, and growth temperature. Growth rates were 1.5 to 2 times greater on Si(111) than on Si(001). The maximum growth rates achieved were 0.63 μm/hr on Si(111) and 0.375μm/hr on Si(001). Transmission electron diffraction (TED) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for structural characterization. In-plane azimuthal (ø-) scans show that films on Si(001) have the correct 4-fold symmetry and that films on Si(111) have a 6-fold symmetry. The 6-fold symmetry indicates that stacking has occurred in two different sequences and double positioning boundaries have been formed. The minimum rocking curve width for SiC on Si(001) and Si(111) is 1.2°. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) absorption was performed to discern the chemical bonding. Cross Sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (XTEM) was used to image the SiC/Si interface.


2017 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 308-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijay K. Juneja ◽  
Abhinav Mishra ◽  
Abani K. Pradhan

ABSTRACT Kinetic growth data for Bacillus cereus grown from spores were collected in cooked beans under several isothermal conditions (10 to 49°C). Samples were inoculated with approximately 2 log CFU/g heat-shocked (80°C for 10 min) spores and stored at isothermal temperatures. B. cereus populations were determined at appropriate intervals by plating on mannitol–egg yolk–polymyxin agar and incubating at 30°C for 24 h. Data were fitted into Baranyi, Huang, modified Gompertz, and three-phase linear primary growth models. All four models were fitted to the experimental growth data collected at 13 to 46°C. Performances of these models were evaluated based on accuracy and bias factors, the coefficient of determination (R2), and the root mean square error. Based on these criteria, the Baranyi model best described the growth data, followed by the Huang, modified Gompertz, and three-phase linear models. The maximum growth rates of each primary model were fitted as a function of temperature using the modified Ratkowsky model. The high R2 values (0.95 to 0.98) indicate that the modified Ratkowsky model can be used to describe the effect of temperature on the growth rates for all four primary models. The acceptable prediction zone (APZ) approach also was used for validation of the model with observed data collected during single and two-step dynamic cooling temperature protocols. When the predictions using the Baranyi model were compared with the observed data using the APZ analysis, all 24 observations for the exponential single rate cooling were within the APZ, which was set between −0.5 and 1 log CFU/g; 26 of 28 predictions for the two-step cooling profiles also were within the APZ limits. The developed dynamic model can be used to predict potential B. cereus growth from spores in beans under various temperature conditions or during extended chilling of cooked beans.


Energy Policy ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 281-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jyotirmay Mathur ◽  
Narendra Kumar Bansal ◽  
Hermann-Joseph Wagner

2009 ◽  
Vol 102 (11) ◽  
pp. 945-950 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingvild Agledahl ◽  
Johan Svartberg ◽  
John-Bjarne Hansen ◽  
Ellen Brodin

SummaryMen have a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than women of similar age, and it has been suggested that testosterone may influence the development of CVD. Recently, we demonstrated that elderly men with low testosterone levels had lower plasma levels of free tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) Ag associated with shortened tissue factor (TF)-induced coagulation initiation in a population based case-control study. Our hypothesis was that one year of testosterone treatment to physiological levels in elderly men would increase the levels of free TFPI Ag in plasma and have a favorable effect on TF-induced coagulation. Twenty-six men with low testosterone levels (≤11.0 nM) were randomly assigned to treatment with intramuscular testosterone depot injections (testosterone undecanoate 1,000 mg) or placebo in a double-blinded study. Each participant received a total of five injections, at baseline, 6, 16, 28 and 40 weeks, and TF-induced thrombin generation ex vivo and plasma free TFPI Ag were measured after one year. At the end of the study total and free testosterone levels were significantly higher in the testosterone treated group (14.9 ± 4.5 nM vs. 8.1 ± 2.4 nM; p<0.001, and 363.3 ± 106.6 pM vs. 187.3 ± 63.2 pM; p<0.001, respectively). Testosterone treatment for one year did neither cause significant changes in TF-induced thrombin generation ex vivo nor changes in plasma levels of free TFPI Ag. In conclusion, normalising testosterone levels by testosterone treatment for 12 months in elderly men did not affect TF-induced coagulation or plasma TFPI levels. The potential antithrombotic role of testosterone therapy remains to be elucidated.


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