Basal Portion Research Articles

Deep-Sea Tardigrades from the North-Western Pacific, with Descriptions of Two New Species

Three deep-sea tardigrade species were identified from the sediment samples collected during the four German–Russian joint deep-sea cruises that were conducted in the North-Western Pacific: Coronarctus sonne sp. nov., Moebjergarctus okhotensis sp. nov., and Angursa cf. bicuspis. Specimens of those species were collected at depths between 1700 and 5410 m. The new species Coronarctus sonne sp. nov. belongs to the Cor. tenellus group of species on the basis of morphological traits such as the short cephalic appendages and heteromorphic claws. The structure of the secondary clavae and two points, with an accessory point and a primary point simultaneously on the internal and external claws on legs IV, are significant characteristics distinguishing Coronarctus sonne sp. nov. from other described species. Moebjergarctus okhotensis sp. nov. is characterized by having cephalic cirri with the long smooth portion of the scapus and annulated scapus only in the basal portion, the structure of the male and female reproductive system, and differences in the sizes of some structures compared to the other described species. An analysis of the results of four deep-sea expeditions indicates a patchy distribution of tardigrades in the North-Western Pacific.

Mechanisms of hydraulic conductivity in the leaf galls of Meunieriella sp. (Cecidomyiidae) in Avicennia schaueriana (Acanthaceae): does vascularization explain the preferred sites of induction?

Intralaminar galls of Meunieriella result from ground tissue proliferation in leaves of Avicennia schaueriana, a typical halophytic mangrove. We tested if the preferred sites of gall induction were the midribs and secondary veins (SV) at the basal leaf portion, where the galls were expected to be largest; and if the vascular system in galls and adjacent regions was altered to favour water supply in galls, thus increasing their growth. Gall induction sites and gall sizes were quantified according to leaf portions and regions. Anatomical and histometric analyses in vascular and ground tissues of galls and adjacent regions were compared to equivalent regions of non-galled leaves. The galls were largest at basal sites on leaves, the midrib and SV. More galls occurred on the apical portion of the leaf, and on the leaf blade and secondary vein regions. Changes in shape and vascular system area, number and diameter of vessel elements were detected in both galls and adjacent regions. Fewer and smaller-sized vessel elements were observed in regions proximal to the galls and inside them. Gall size is not related with preferred induction sites, which could be explained by factors such as thermal balance. Alterations in the vascular system indicate reduced hydraulic conductivity in the xylem in the proximal region and inside galls, leading to water leakage to gall parenchyma cells. This compensatory mechanism explains the expansion and proliferation of water storage and spongy parenchyma cells in the galls, explaining the higher growth in more vascularized regions.

Calcareous nannofossils of the uppermost Bedoulian and lower Gargasian of La Tuilière - St-Saturnin-lès-Apt (area of the Aptian stratotype, Vaucluse, SE France)

An 148 m composite section located in the Gargas area stratotype in southeastern France has been studied for its calcareous nannofossil content. The four sections span the upper Bedoulian to lower Gargasian with the stadial boundary located within the basal section south of the village of Clavaillan. A total of 75 samples was processed to inventory taxonomy and stratigraphic distributions. Eprolithus floralis is present at the base of the stratigraphic succession. The lowest occurrence of this species, which marks the base of Subzone NC7A, has been documented in the uppermost lower Aptian (Bedoulian) in other sections in southeastern France. The highest occurrence of the genus Micrantholithus has been utilized to delineate the base of Subzone NC7B. This subzonal boundary was placed at 48 m in the Les Gays I section (113.5 m in the composite) below the lowest occurrence of the foraminifer Globigerinelloides ferreolensis in the suprajacent sample (50 m). The lowest occurrence of Braarudosphaera africana is identified as a regional biohorizon in lower Subzone NC7A and a local proxy for the Bedoulian/Gargasian boundary. This event was placed at 15.5 m in the Clavaillan section at the base of the Dufrenoyia furcata Zone and within the "Niveau Blanc inférieur" marker bed (NB1). The genus Nannoconus is abundant to very abundant in all samples examined. Taxonomic rigor has resulted in the recognition of five main morphologic groups (A-E), including all but one of the 15 species discriminated over this relatively short stratigraphic interval. Four main Nannoconus assemblage biozones - with one subdivision - have been distinguished through semi-quantitative analyses and organized relative to these taxonomic groupings. Assemblage Biozone B is restricted to the Bedoulian and has been correlated to the lower portion of Subzone NC7A (i.e., NC7A1). Assemblage biozones GI and GII (A-B) have been correlated to the upper portion of Subzone NC7A (i.e., NC7A2) and Biozone GIII to Subzone NC7B within the Gargasian. Assipetra is another solution-resistant genus included in semi-quantitative analyses, where both its species were separated into small and large forms based on a size of 10 μm. The highest percentages of large morphotypes are within the Bedoulian in the lower 10.5 m of the Clavaillan section, roughly coeval to an acme of large Assipetra observed in the basal portion of the Serre Chaitieu section in the nearby Vocontian Basin.

Locations of seed abortion in response to defoliation differ with pollen source in a native perennial legume herb.

In many flowering plants, flowers contain more ovules than fruits have seeds. What determines which ovules become seeds? When photosynthates are limited, as may happen when plants lose leaf area to herbivory, fewer fertilized ovules become seeds. Greenhouse-grown ramets of distinct individuals of a perennial herbaceous legume were manually defoliated to various levels determined in the field, then self- or cross-pollinated. For each seed produced, we recorded its position in the fruit and its mass. From a subset of seeds from different treatments and positions in the fruits, we grew seedlings and measured their dry mass. Ovules were aborted more frequently in fruits from flowers that were self-pollinated and from those on plants with higher levels of defoliation. Ovules in the basal portion of the fruits were more likely to be aborted than those at the stigmatic end; this pattern was most pronounced for fruits after self-pollination with high levels of defoliation. Total number of seeds produced and seed mass per pod were greatest in cross-pollinated fruits after no or low levels of defoliation. Mean individual seed mass was greater for fruits with fewer seeds, indicating a trade-off between seed number and seed mass. Seedling dry mass (a measure of vigor) was greatest for seeds in the middle positions of fruit produced by cross-pollination after severe herbivory; no positional differences were seen for seeds from self-pollinated fruits. Observed locations of seed abortion may have been selected not only by defoliation, but in part by propensity for dispersal, while positional differences in seedling vigor may be related to seed size and differential maternal allocation based on pollination treatment and leaf area lost.

The caddisflies from Serra dos rgos National Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the description of two new species of Ochrotrichia Mosely (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae: Ochrotrichiinae).

The Serra dos rgos National Park (PARNASO) is a federal conservation unit located in Rio de Janeiro State, within the Atlantic Forest biome. This biome is one of the worlds biodiversity hotspots and has high diversity and endemism of caddisfly taxa. Here, we present a checklist of caddisflies from PARNASO, including the description of two new species of Ochrotrichia Mosely (Hydroptilidae). Ochrotrichia sino sp. nov. and Ochrotrichia papel sp. nov. are assigned to the O. aldama Species Group due to the divided tergum X in male genitalia, although in the first one tergum X is not simple as in most species in this group. Ochrotrichia sino sp. nov. is recognized by tergum X having a broad basal portion bearing a basodorsal spine-like process on the left side and the apical portion with two elongate processes, one curved and crossing the other one underneath. Ochrotrichia papel sp. nov. is distinguished by the elongate inferior appendages, by tergum IX having its posterior margin obliquely emarginate, and tergum X being divided into two processes, the left one longer and almost straight, the right one curved to the left, slightly upturned in lateral view. The list of PARNASO species is based on isolated records in literature and on specimens in the Coleo Entomolgica Professor Jos Alfredo Pinheiro Dutra, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (Departamento de Zoologia) [UFRJ (DZRJ)], with samples collected since 2009. A total of 95 species were recorded from the PARNASO, of which eight are new distributional records for Rio de Janeiro State. Hydroptilidae (27 spp.), followed by Hydropsychidae (13 spp.), Leptoceridae, and Philopotamidae (12 spp. each) are the families with highest species richness. Before this work, only about 20 species of caddisflies were formally registered from the park area. In this way, this work is an important contribution to fill the gaps of knowledge caused by Wallacean and Linnean shortfalls.

Kanamycin and Cisplatin Ototoxicity: Differences in Patterns of Oxidative Stress, Antioxidant Enzyme Expression and Hair Cell Loss in the Cochlea.

Kanamycin and cisplatin are ototoxic drugs. The mechanisms are incompletely known. With subcutaneous kanamycin (400 mg/kg, 15 days), auditory threshold shifts were detected at days 12–13 at 16 and 32 kHz, extending to 8 and 4 kHz at days 14–15. The outer hair cell (OHC) loss was concentrated past day 12. The maximum cochlear length showing apoptotic cells, tested with TUNEL, was at day 13. At day 15, 1/5 of the apical cochlea contained preserved OHCs. 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) immunolabeling, showing oxidative stress, was found in surviving OHCs and in basal and middle portions of the stria vascularis (SV). The antioxidant Gpx1 gene expression was decreased. The immunocytochemistry showed diminished Gpx1 in OHCs. With intraperitoneal cisplatin (16 mg/kg, single injection), no evoked auditory activity was recorded at the end of treatment, at 72 h. The basal third of the cochlea lacked OHCs. Apoptosis occupied the adjacent 1/3, and the apical third contained preserved OHCs. 3-NT immunolabeling was extensive in OHCs and the SV. Gpx1 and Sod1 gene expression was downregulated. Gpx1 immunostaining diminished in middle and basal SV. More OHCs survived cisplatin than kanamycin towards the apex, despite undetectable evoked activity. Differential regulation of antioxidant enzyme levels suggests differences in the antioxidant response for both drugs.

Paecilomyces clematidis (Eurotiales, Thermoascaceae): a new species from Clematis root

During a survey of endophytic fungi associated with ornamental plants in the Czech Republic, Paecilomyces-like strains were isolated from the root of Clematis. Analyses based on a combined internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), beta-tubulin (tub2) and calmodulin (CaM) sequence data matrix were applied to infer the phylogenetic position of these isolates. The novel species is characterized by phialides with a cylindrical basal portion tapering to a thin long neck producing pyriform conidia in chains. The new species is introduced with comprehensive descriptions, illustrations and a phylogenetic tree herein. Two primer pairs targeting the partial CaM gene, cm1F/cm1R and cm2F/cm2R, were designed in this study.

Evaluation of insecticides against gall weevil Alcidodes collaris (Pascoe) on pigeonpea

Pigeonpea is attacked by many insect pests, and of these the gall weevil Alcidodes collaris (Pascoe) causes threat to pigeonpea at seedling stage by attacking basal portion of the stem and resulting in the gall formation. Evaluation of some insecticides revealed that less incidence was observed using seed treatment with imidacloprid 600FS followed by chlorantraniliprole 18.5SC spray (1.17 galled plants/ 10 plants) after 20 days of emergence. This also resulted in maximum reduction of galled plants (79.37%). Imidacloprid 600FS seed treatment with drenching of profenophos 50EC at 20 days after the crop emergence was observed to be the next best. Seeds treatment with imidacloprid 600FS followed by chlorantraniliprole 18.5SC spray gave maximum yield of 23.38 q/ ha.

Morphological and Phylogenetic Characterization Reveals Five New Species of Samsoniella (Cordycipitaceae, Hypocreales).

Samsoniella is a very important fungal resource, with some species in the genus having great medical, economic and ecological value. This study reports five new species of Samsoniella from Yunnan Province and Guizhou Province in Southwestern China and Dole Province in Vietnam, providing morphological descriptions, illustrations, phylogenetic placements, associated hosts and comparisons with allied taxa. Based on morphological observations and phylogenetic analyses of combined nrSSU, nrLSU, tef-1α, rpb1 and rpb2 sequence data, it was determined that these five new species were located in the clade of Samsoniella and different from other species of Samsoniella. The five novel species had morphologies similar to those of other species in the genus, with bright orange cylindrical to clavate stromata (gregarious). The fertile part lateral sides usually had a longitudinal ditch without producing perithecia, and superficial perithecia. The phialides had a swollen basal portion, tapering abruptly into a narrow neck and oval or fusiform one-celled conidia, often in chains. The morphological characteristics of 23 species in Samsoniella, including five novel species and 18 known taxa, were also compared in the present study.

Interobserver Agreement and Reference Intervals for Biventricular Myocardial Deformation in Full-Term, Healthy Newborns: A 2D Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography-Based Strain Analysis.

Data regarding reference intervals for strain parameters derived from 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography in full-term newborns are limited and still under development. Our objectives were to establish the level of reproducibility and reference intervals in assessing myocardial function using 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography for longitudinal and regional strain measurements. A total of 127 full-term newborns were examined to be included in the study, of which 103 were analyzed. We used two-dimensional acquisitions from apical four-chamber view of both ventricles and analyzed the autostrain function offline. We obtained interobserver agreement between the two observers ranging from good to excellent for all speckle-tracking parameters except for the strain of the medial portion of the left ventricle (LV) lateral wall and the strain measured on the basal portion of the inter-ventricular septum, which reflected a fair interobserver reproducibility (ICC = 0.52, 95% IC: 0.22–0.72 and ICC = 0.43, 95% IC: 0.12–0.67, respectively). The reference values obtained for the LV peak longitudinal strain were between −24.65 and −14.62, those for the right ventricle (RV) free wall were from −28.69 to −10.68, and those for the RV global four-chamber were from −22.30 to −11.37. In conclusion, two-dimensional peak longitudinal LV and RV strains are reproducible with good to excellent agreement and may represent a possible alternative for the cardiac assessment of healthy newborns in the clinical practice.

Advanced imaging findings in a cat with left ventricular apical aneurysm

An eight-year-old, male neutered, domestic shorthair cat presented with severe anemia. Two-dimensional echocardiography identified severe left ventricular apical dilation with wall thinning and akinesia. The basal portion of the left ventricle showed equivocal hypertrophy and subjective hyperkinesis. Speckle tracking echocardiography showed marked abnormalities in all deformation planes (longitudinal, circumferential, radial strain) and twist. Three-dimensional Bull's eye plot reconstruction was also performed. Post-mortem evaluation showed a pale and paper-thin left ventricular apex and histopathology confirmed full-thickness cardiomyocytes loss with fibrous replacement. Left ventricular acquired apical aneurysms are the result of chronic damage of the myocardium and are associated with many disease conditions in people, including coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy. The exact pathophysiological mechanism could not be determined with certainty in the cat of the present report, but advanced echocardiographic evaluation added some fine details into the characterization of this infrequently reported abnormality.

GEOQUÍMICA DO PERFIL LATERÍTICO DE OUTEIRO (BELÉM-PARÁ)

The Amazon region has, in all its immensity, abundant occurrences of laterites. These laterites, a product resulting from subaerial tropical weathering processes, keep records and important information about the environmental transformations experienced by the region. The Outeiro Island, inserted in this context, presents in its cliffs, good exposures of this lithological type. In this work these laterites are described as a function of the texture, closely related to the granulometry of the Barreiras Sediments, involved in the lateritization process. In them, the soil horizons, concretionary, mottled and remains of the mother rock and/or substrate are identified. The predominant mineralogy in the horizons in this profile is quartz and kaolinite, occurring in the concretionary horizon a large amount of hematite and goethite and muscovite in the most basal portion. The heavy minerals identified were, in order of abundance, staurolite, tourmaline, kyanite, zircon and rutile. The chemistry is characterized by high levels of SiO2, ranging from top to bottom from 90% to 51% and high levels of Fe and Al in the concretionary horizon and of Fe in the bedrock, not characterizing, however, a complete chemical differentiation, proving the immature nature of the profile. Keywords: Soils; concrecionary; mottled; kaolinite; hematite.

Rohdea grandiflora (Asparagaceae), a new species from southern Gansu, China

Rohdea grandiflora, a new species from Gansu, China, is described and illustrated. It is most similar to R. pachynema in sharing a long slender subterranean stolon, but differs mainly by the longer inner bracts, larger flowers, and columnar filaments adnate to the middle or basal portion of perianth lobes and not connate to adjacent ones.

Ciliary Proteins Repurposed by the Synaptic Ribbon: Trafficking Myristoylated Proteins at Rod Photoreceptor Synapses.

The Unc119 protein mediates transport of myristoylated proteins to the photoreceptor outer segment, a specialized primary cilium. This transport activity is regulated by the GTPase Arl3 as well as by Arl13b and Rp2 that control Arl3 activation/inactivation. Interestingly, Unc119 is also enriched in photoreceptor synapses and can bind to RIBEYE, the main component of synaptic ribbons. In the present study, we analyzed whether the known regulatory proteins, that control the Unc119-dependent myristoylated protein transport at the primary cilium, are also present at the photoreceptor synaptic ribbon complex by using high-resolution immunofluorescence and immunogold electron microscopy. We found Arl3 and Arl13b to be enriched at the synaptic ribbon whereas Rp2 was predominantly found on vesicles distributed within the entire terminal. These findings indicate that the synaptic ribbon could be involved in the discharge of Unc119-bound lipid-modified proteins. In agreement with this hypothesis, we found Nphp3 (Nephrocystin-3), a myristoylated, Unc119-dependent cargo protein enriched at the basal portion of the ribbon in close vicinity to the active zone. Mutations in Nphp3 are known to be associated with Senior–Løken Syndrome 3 (SLS3). Visual impairment and blindness in SLS3 might thus not only result from ciliary dysfunctions but also from malfunctions of the photoreceptor synapse.

Palynological and microfossil-based environmental reconstruction at 7,147–6,435 cal yr BP of the Lagoa Comprida coastal lagoon in the restinga de Jurubatiba National Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The restinga vegetation and environment dynamics during the Mid-Holocene have been reconstructed through microfossil analysis of a 153 cm-long core from the Lagoa Comprida coastal lagoon of the Parque Nacional Restinga de Jurubatiba (Restinga de Jurubatiba National Park), in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The analysis was supported by core stratigraphy, 14C dating, and evaluation of microfossil frequency and concentration. Core sediments were dated from ∼7,147 to 6,435 cal yr BP. Four zones of environmental changes were characterized. A high concentration of marine diatoms was recorded in the basal portion of the core, suggesting possible sea-water influence, corroborating a Holocene Marine Transgression event. The marine diatoms disappeared from the record before ∼7,005 cal yr BP when a major inflow of freshwater began. Palynoforaminifers remained until ca. 6,470 cal yr BP, revealing a mixohaline environment. The restinga vegetation was present in the surroundings from the beginning of the record. The open-scrub plant community was predominant, mainly characterized by Solanum, Borreria, Euphorbia, Pteridium, Garcinia, Guapira and Protium. This plant formation is the most representative vegetation physiognomy in the area nowadays. Clusia lanceolata was well established during the period studied but has since changed its distribution limit to being dominant further south, in the municipality of Maricá.

Technical feasibility of minicutting of different portions of the branch to produce clonal seedlings of Aloysia citrodora

Seedling production using the minicutting technique enables quick and efficient plants formation. However, there are no reports of application for Aloysia citrodora (lemon verbena) and the ideal portion of the branch. This study aimed to evaluate the production of seedlings from minicuttings taken from different parts of the branch.The experiment was performed in a completely randomized design. Three treatments consisted of minicuttings taken from other branch portions (basal, median, and apical), divided into two experiments (Exp1 and Exp2).Exp1 was carried out in a sub-irrigation system in phenolic foam, evaluating rooting percentage, length of the longest root, root number, number of shoots, number of leaves, and total dry mass. Exp2 used the minicuttings from the previous experiment, kept for another 35 days in pots to assess the quality of the seedlings, evaluating plant length, number of shoots, and leaves. For Exp1, 35 days after cutting, there was a higher percentage of survival, size of the longest root, number of the root, number of shoots, number of leaves, and total dry mass, in those minicuttings produced from the basal and median portions, being the exact behavior of Exp2, 35 days after transplantation to pots. The minicutting proved to be an efficient method for producing Aloysia citrodoraseedlings, when removed from the basal or median portion, standing out for a higher percentage of survival, better growth, and initial development and post-transplantation of the produced seedlings.

Resurrection of the African gecko genus Ancylodactylus Mller, 1907 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) and description of six new species from Kenya.

The genus Cnemaspis as presently construed is polyphyletic, with African, South Asian and Southeast Asian clades each representing independent lineages. The name Ancylodactylus Mller, 1907 is available for the African clade of forest geckos and features previously identified as putatively diagnostic of this group (loss or reduction of the second phalanx of digit IV of manus and pes, as well as a markedly dilated basal portions of the digits) are here regarded as characters supporting the monophyly of Ancylodactylus. Six new species of Ancylodactylus are described: A. kenyaensis sp. nov., A. kituiensis sp. nov., A. mathewsensis sp. nov., A. laikipiensis sp. nov., A. spawlsi sp. nov., and A. chyuluensis sp. nov. on the basis of unique combinations of body size, trunk and tail tubercles, median subcaudal scales, precloacal pores, enlarged subdigital plates, ventral color, and throat color and patterning. Ancylodactylus kenyaensis is among the largest members of the genus, reaching 65 mm SVL, whereas A. spawlsi and A. chyuluensis, with maximum SVLs of 30 mm or less, are the smallest of all members of the genus. All these geckos are chiefly scansorial, occurring on tree trunks, fallen logs and/or in rock outcrops. Ancylodactylus kituiensis and A. mathewsensis occur in isolated dryland hilltop forests surrounded by large tracts of arid lands and are locally abundant in suitable rock outcrops or caves, where they occur in small colonies. Ancylodactylus kenyaensis is a montane forest species found on tree trunks with cracks and crevices, whereas A. spawlsi is a montane forest species found in crevices and beneath loose bark of tree trunks as well as in rock crevices and slabs. Ancylodactylus laikipiensis is likewise both rupicolous and arboreal and A. chyuluensis has been taken only from a pitfall trap in a dry forest patch. All the new species are endemic to relatively small, circumscribed areas within Kenya and all occur within protected areas. At present we consider their IUCN conservation status to be Data Deficient. Herpetological surveys are recommended in other unexplored or under-explored forest areas, particularly hilltop montane forests in isolated dryland rocky hills as these may harbor other undescribed Ancylodactylus species or previously undocumented populations of known species.

C44 VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA IN PATIENT WITH PSEUDOISCHEMIC VENTRICULAR SCAR

Abstract We describe a case of 76 years old men. He was referred to emergency room for chest pain and short of breath. The medical history escluded pre–existent miocardial infarction, no history of fever and chest pain has been declared,.The electrocardiogram (ECG) showed a 200 pbm tachycardia with right bundle branch and right axial deviation. The transition was in V4 (Fig. 1). The tachycardia was not tolerated and after ineffective administration of amiodarone, the tachycardia was terminated by DC shock (200 J synchronized). We performed an echocardiogram with evidence of minimal ventricular dilatation, the inferior–posterior–lateral akinesia, inferior–posterior scar and severe reduction of ejection fraction (about 30%). For better characterization of the scar, we performed cardio magnetic resonanc imaging with evidence of significative thinning of the left ventricle free wall and trasmural LGE of the of left ventricle free wall suggest ischemic myocardial injury (Fig. 2 a,b,c,d,e). The coronary arteriography was performed without evidence of critical coronary stenosis.We decide to implant a single lead ICD. After one month, because of recurrence of tachycardia, we performed the electrophysiological study. We induced clinical ventricular tachycardia and the electroanatomical mapping highlighted an area of anomalous potentials extended in the infero–posterior and lower–basal region more at the epicardial level. In these areas, at the epicardial level, late potentials were highlighted and the ablation performed making the tachycardia no longer inducible. Despite of evidence of pseudo–ischemic scar localized at the basal portion of ventricle at the cardiac MRI, no critical coronary stenosis has been demonstrated and the arrhythmogenic substrate was exclusively epicardic. The preliminary hypothesis was a MINOCA, not of recent onset considering the negativity of myocardial enzymes at the admission and the absence of acute ischemic changes on post cardioversion ECG.We have therefore also considered forms of previous extensive myocarditis however with the limited longitudinal extension. From what has been described in the literature, the MRI images could also be attributable to a form of left ventricle arrhythmogenic dysplasia even in the absence of involvement of the apical portions. Forms of infiltrative cardiomyopathies such as sarcoidosis should be excluded due to the lack of involvement of the interventricular septum.

Unique expression patterns of the embryonal stem cell marker SOX2 and hormone receptors suggest the existence of a subpopulation of epithelial stem/progenitor cells in porcine and bovine endometrium.

BackgroundThere are currently insufficient data on the population of endometrial epithelial stem/progenitor cells in farm animals.ObjectivesWith the aim of identifying a potential population of epithelial stem/progenitor cells in the porcine and bovine endometrium, this study immunohistochemically examined the expression patterns of the oestrogen and progesterone receptors, as well as that of the embryonal stem cell marker SOX2.MethodsA total of 24 endometrial tissue samples obtained from cycling pigs (n = 12) and cows (n = 12) were included in our study. Each endometrium was divided into basal, middle and luminal portions. The percentage of marker‐positive cells and the intensity of the immunoreaction in each portion of the endometrium were determined.ResultsInverse expression patterns of SOX2 and progesterone receptors were found in both animal species throughout the oestrous cycle. Strong diffuse SOX2 expression was detected in the basal portions of the glands, while a significant decrease in positivity and a weak immunoreaction were found in the luminal two thirds of the glandular epithelium. Strong progesterone receptor expression was observed in at least 90% of glandular cells in the middle and luminal portions, whereas weak staining and significant decrease in positivity were detected in the basal portions of the glands. One oestrogen receptor expression pattern resembled that of progesterone receptors.ConclusionThe inverse expression patterns of SOX2 and hormone (especially progesterone) receptors suggest that endometrial epithelial stem/progenitor cells represent a subset of cells that reside in the basal portions of the endometrial glands in both the bovine and porcine endometrium.

Isolation of gametes and zygotes from Setaria viridis.

Setaria viridis, the wild ancestor of foxtail millet (Setaria italica), is an effective model plant for larger C4 crops because S. viridis has several desirable traits, such as short generation time, prolific seed production and a small genome size. These advantages are well suited for investigating molecular mechanisms in angiosperms, especially C4 crop species. Here, we report a procedure for isolating gametes and zygotes from S. viridis flowers. To isolate egg cells, ovaries were harvested from unpollinated mature flowers and cut transversely, which allowed direct access to the embryo sac. Thereafter, an egg cell was released from the cut end of the basal portion of the dissected ovary. To isolate sperm cells, pollen grains released from anthers were immersed in a mannitol solution, resulting in pollen-grain bursting, which released sperm cells. Additionally, S. viridis zygotes were successfully isolated from freshly pollinated flowers. Isolated zygotes cultured in a liquid medium developed into globular-like embryos and cell masses. Thus, isolated S. viridis gametes, zygotes and embryos are attainable for detailed observations and investigations of fertilization and developmental events in angiosperms.