Intensive Sampling Periods Research Articles

Immunoneutralization with a monoclonal antibody attenuates the superstimulatory effects of PMSG on endocrine and ovarian responses in red deer ( [formula omitted

Superovulation has proved to be a problematic part of embryo transfer in red deer as in other domestic ruminants. Use of PMSG in red deer hinds has been associated with disturbance of follicular development and the endocrine environment. In this study, the effects of PMSG neutralization with a monoclonal antibody on the ovulation rate and the associated LH surge were investigated. Thirty mature hinds were treated during the breeding season with intravaginal progesterone impregnated CIDR devices and divided into 6 treatment groups. Group 1 received no further treatment and served as controls. All other groups were treated with 1200 IU PMSG at −72 h (CIDR withdrawal = time 0). Group 2 received no further treatment. Groups 3 through 6 received a single intravenous injection of a monoclonal antibody to PMSG at −72, 0, 12 and 24 h respectively. Blood samples were taken throughout the experiment and for a 72 h intensive sampling period following CIDR device withdrawal and analyzed for progesterone and LH, respectively. Ovarian response was assessed at laparoscopy on Day 7. The proportion of animals with more than 1 corpus luteum was higher in PMSG-only and +24 h groups than in control, −72, 0 and +12 h groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the PMSG-only treated animals, ovulation rate in PMSG-treated hinds was reduced following treatment with the antibody at −72, 0 and +12 h (P < 0.05) and the number of large Graafian follicles was reduced in all antibody-treated groups. The incidence of a LH surge was lower in the 0 and +12 h than in the PMSG-only and +24 h groups (P < 0.05). Peak progesterone concentrations in hinds treated with PMSG only and antibody at +24 h were higher than in hinds of the other treatment groups (P < 0.05). Two hinds treated with PMSG alone underwent premature luteal regression, evinced by a sharp decline in progesterone after Day 7. These results suggest that passive immunization neutralizes the biological action of PMSG in red deer, and may provide a means of overcoming some of the adverse effects of the hormone. However, the timing of the antibody treatment is crucial to ensure lack of interference with the endogenous LH surge and subsequent ovulation.

Modes in the size distributions of atmospheric inorganic aerosol

Ambient aerosol in the size range 0.075–16 μm was sampled with Berner cascade impactors during the summer and fall intensive sampling periods of the Southern California Air Quality Study (SCAQS) of 1987. Deposits on the greased Tedlar stage substrates were extracted with deionized water and analyzed for inorganic anions and cations by ion chromatography. Stage mass data were inverted by a modified version of the Twomey nonlinear iterative algorithm and modes in the inverted size distributions were fitted with lognormal functions. Nine hundred size distributions of ionic species were obtained. Three modes, two submicron and one coarse, were sufficient to fit all of the size distributions. The smallest mode, at 0.2±0.1 μm, aerodynamic diameter, is probably a condensation mode containing gas phase reaction products. A larger mode, at 0.7±0.2 μm, is identified as a droplet mode. Evidence was obtained that the droplet mode grew out of the condensation mode by the addition of water and sulfate. During SCAQS, most of the inorganic particle mass was in the droplet mode except during a period of exceptionally low relative humidity. Nitrate was internally mixed with sulfate in the droplet mode. Since most of the aerosol fine mass is included in the ions analyzed, the observed condensation and droplet modes characterize the overall size distribution in the 0.1–1 μm range, previously described by Whitby as a single accumulation mode.

Temporal and spatial variations of the Vienna aerosol

For several intensive sampling periods the mass concentration, light extinction, light scattering and light absorption coefficients, and the mass size distribution of the aerosol have been determined at up to eleven location in the non-industrial town of Vienna. Obviously, large variations of the measured values have been found. The following factors influenced the aerosol markedly: wind speed, wind direction, increased aerosol production such as by space heating or traffic and resuspension. Most of the variations in aerosol were found to be caused by these factors. A comparison of the mass concentration and light absorption of the aerosol upwind and downwind of Vienna permitted the estimation of locally produced aerosols: about 50% of the mass of the aerosol and 75% of the light-absorbing aerosol appears to be produced locally.

Plasma progesterone and LH concentrations during oestrous synchronization in female fallow deer ( Dama dama)

Fifteen non-lactating adult fallow does were allocated to three treatment regimens ( n = 5 does each) designed to synchronize oestrus on or about 28 May (about 4 weeks after the first natural oestrus during autumn). Does assigned to Treatment 1 (natural oestrus) were initially synchronized with intravaginal progesterone CIDRs and the return oestrus was predicted to occur 21 days later on 28 May. Does assigned to Treatment 2 (prostaglandin-induced oestrus) were also initially synchronized with CIDRs and each doe was given an i.m. injection of cloprostenol on Day 13 (26 May) of the subsequent oestrous cycle. Does assigned to Treatment 3 (CIDR-induced oestrus) each received single intravaginal CIDRs for a 14-day period, with CIDR withdrawal occurring on 26 May. Blood samples from all does were collected at 2-h intervals for 70 h from 06:00 h on 26 May (i.e. cloprostenol injection/CIDR withdrawal) to 04:00 h on 29 May inclusive. Plasma samples were analysed for concentrations of progesterone and LH. Only one doe (Treatment 3) was not observed in oestrus during the intensive blood sampling period. Oestrus synchrony was over a 28-h period for Treatment 1, a 12-h period for Treatment 2 (36–48 h from cloprostenol injection) and a 28-h period for Treatment 3 (32–60 h from CIDR withdrawal). Plasma progesterone concentrations of does allocated to Treatment 1 were low (< 0.5 ng/ml) throughout the blood sampling period but mean values for does allocated to Treatments 2 and 3 were 4–5 ng/ml at the start of the respective synchronization treatments. The decline to basal plasma progesterone concentrations (i.e. < 0.5 ng/ml) was more rapid following CIDR withdrawal (4 h) than following cloprostenol administration (14 h). Does in all 3 treatment groups exhibited similar mean plasma LH profiles, with the onset of the preovulatory LH surge occurring around the onset of oestrus. Maximum mean LH concentrations during the preovulatory surge (∼30 ng/ml) were ∼20 fold higher than basal values and occurred 4–8 h after the onset of oestrus. The doe not observed in oestrus (Treatment 3) exhibited erratic fluctuations in plasma progesterone concentrations throughout the sampling period and failed to exhibit a preovulatory LH surge.

Hygroscopic properties of atmospheric aerosol in Riverside, California

The hygroscopic properties of atmospheric aerosol were investigated by performing in-situ optical measurements under controlled temperature and relative humidity conditions. Complementary measurements included ambient relative humidity and aerosol filter sampling. Measurements were performed in Riverside, California during the months of August and September, 1983. Experimental results indicate that ambient aerosol particles, with diameters less than 2 μm, exhibited deliquescence between 73 and 78% relative humidity during 52% of the measurements. During a one-week intensive sampling period, ambient aerosol particles existed as droplets during 86% of the tests and were dry during the balance of those measurements. When ambient aerosol droplets were detected, they were supersaturated with respect to solute concentration during 71 % of tests and were otherwise subsaturated with respect to solute concentration. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.1987.tb00201.x

Trace element loading of southern Lake Michigan by dry deposition of atmospheric aerosol

Aerosol samples and meteorological data were collected at a mid-southern Lake Michigan site (87° 00′ W, 42° 00′ N) from May through September 1977. Hi-volume samplers with cellulose fiber filters and a digital meteorological data recording system were operated on board the U.S. EPA's R/VRoger R. Simons during four intensive sampling periods. Aerosol samples were analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy for seventeen trace elements. A diabatic drag coefficient method was used to determine aerosol deposition velocity (vd) overlake. A meanvd of 0.5 cm s−1 was found for the 0.1<diameter<2.0 μm aerosol. By relating the observed trace element concentrations andvd to a long-term climatological record, annual dry deposition loadings to the southern basin for nine elements were estimated. For four elements, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn, dry deposition loadings to the southern basin alone of at least 500, 30, 250, and 100 (×103 kg yr−1) were found. For Fe and Mn, these loadings represent about 15% of the total of all inputs to Lake Michigan. for Zn and Pb, about one-third to one-half of the annual loading from all sources is from dry deposition of atmospheric aerosol.