Hemocyte types and some plasmatic properties of two edible crabs Cancer borealis and Cancer pagurus

Cancer pagurus and Cancer borealis and are edible crabs produced by economically relevant aquaculture. In this study the hemocytes and some plasmatic parameters of Cancer borealis and Cancer pagurus were examined. The cell features of the hemocytes were observed using light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Granulocytes, semigranulocytes and hyalinocytes were mainly identified on the basis of size, presence/absence and quantity of the cytoplasmic granules and the nucleus-to-citoplasma (N/C) ratio. SEM observations were useful for disclosing the surface features of these cells, and the same characteristics were found in both crab species. A smooth surface distinguishes elongated hyalinocytes and a rough texture the irregular surface of spherical/ovoid granular cells. Total (THC) and differential hemocyte counts (DHC) were performed, and the differences between the two crab species were disclosed. Also we were valuated pH and osmolarity values, agglutinating activity and different protein contents of the hemolymp

Interactions between nutritional and opioidergic pathways in the control of LH secretion in male sheep

Our aim was to determine the role of opioidergic processes in the effects of nutrition on the secretion of LH pulses in the mature male sheep. In the first of three experiments, adult Merino rams were acclimatised to a maintenance diet and then allocated to one of three dietary groups (n = 5): continuation of the maintenance diet (Group M); reduction to half of the maintenance allocation (Group HM); or supplementation of the maintenance diet with lupin grain (Group HD). An initial administration of naloxone (2 mg/kg body weight, i.v.) was followed at 40-min intervals by three further administrations (1 mg/kg). Blood was sampled every 20 min for 12 h before the initial naloxone administration and then for a further 6 h. LH pulse frequency after naloxone treatment was significantly higher in Group HD than in Group HM (P < 0.05). The second study tested whether the response to naloxone depended on calcium status. We used 22 adult Merino rams in two consecutive experiments, one in which the rams were fed a maintenance diet, and one in which the rams were fed with the maintenance diet plus 1 kg lupin grain for 5 weeks. In both experiments, rams were allocated to groups that received one of the following treatments: (a) 0.02 g/kg calcium borogluconate + 0.2 mg/kg naloxone hydrochloride (Nal + Ca2+; n = 6); (b) 0.2 mg/kg naloxone hydrochloride (Nal; n = 6); (c) 0.02 g/kg calcium borogluconate (Ca2+; n = 5); (d) 0.1 ml/kg NaCl 0.9% (Saline; n = 5). All treatments were given as a single i.v. administration daily for 5 days. Blood was sampled every 20 min for 24 h during the acclimatization period (Day 0) and on the last day (Day 5) of treatment. In the first study (under maintenance), none of the treatments affected LH pulse frequency. In the second study (the lupin-supplemented rams), LH pulse frequency was significantly increased (P < 0.05) by the administration of naloxone + Ca2+, naloxone alone and Ca2+ alone. Overall, rams on a low plane of nutrition showed the smallest response to naloxone, suggesting that an opioidergic mechanism is not involved in the suppressive effect of restricted nutrition on the gonadotrophic axis. Rather, because testosterone secretion was increased on the high plane of nutrition, the LH responses to naloxone are better explained by the effects of testosterone on opioidergic mechanisms. Finally, we failed to observe any interaction between opioids and calcium in the control of LH secretion

Gravity localization on thick branes: a numerical approach

We introduce a numerical procedure to investigate the spectrum of massive modes and its contribution for gravity localization on thick branes. After considering a model with an analytically known Schroedinger potential, we present the method and discuss its applicability. With this procedure we can study several models even when the Schroedinger potential is not known analytically. We discuss both the occurrence of localization of gravity and the correction to the Newtonian potential given by the massive modes.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figure

Flow Equations for Non-BPS Extremal Black Holes

We exploit some common features of black hole and domain wall solutions of (super)gravity theories coupled to scalar fields and construct a class of stable extremal black holes that are non-BPS, but still can be described by first-order differential equations. These are driven by a "superpotential'', which replaces the central charge Z in the usual black hole potential. We provide a general procedure for finding this class and deriving the associated "superpotential''. We also identify some other cases which do not belong to this class, but show a similar behaviour.Comment: LaTeX, 21 pages, 2 figures. v2: reference added, JHEP versio