Electrolyte and Water Balance of the Early Avian Embryo: Effects of Egg Turning

Formation of sub-embryonic fluid (SEF) is a key aspect of the physiology of the early avian embryo.Here we review the process of SEF formation and the factors which influence its composition and the rate of SEF production and depletion in the Japanese quail and domestic fowl.There is particular emphasis on the role of turning of the egg during incubation and we briefly consider the broader role of egg turning during avian incubation. The bulk of the review deals with the growth of the area vasculosa of the yolk sac membrane, the cellular processes of SEF formation, and the water and electrolyte physiology of the avian embryo during the first half of incubation.We conclude with a brief discussion of the areas for future investigation

Interactions of the Gasotransmitters Contribute to Microvascular Tone (Dys)regulation in the Preterm Neonate

Background & Aims Hydrogen sulphide (H2S), nitric oxide (NO), and carbon monoxide (CO) are involved in transitional microvascular tone dysregulation in the preterm infant; however there is conflicting evidence on the interaction of these gasotransmitters, and their overall contribution to the microcirculation in newborns is not known. The aim of this study was to measure the levels of all 3 gasotransmitters, characterise their interrelationships and elucidate their combined effects on microvascular blood flow. Methods 90 preterm neonates were studied at 24h postnatal age. Microvascular studies were performed by laser Doppler. Arterial COHb levels (a measure of CO) were determined through co-oximetry. NO was measured as nitrate and nitrite in urine. H2S was measured as thiosulphate by liquid chromatography. Relationships between levels of the gasotransmitters and microvascular blood flow were assessed through partial correlation controlling for the influence of gestational age. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the combination of these effects on microvascular blood flow and derive a theoretical model of their interactions. Results No relationship was observed between NO and CO (p = 0.18, r = 0.18). A positive relationship between NO and H2S (p = 0.008, r = 0.28) and an inverse relationship between CO and H2S (p = 0.01, r = -0.33) exists. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the combination of these effects on microvascular blood flow. The model with the best fit is presented. Conclusions The relationships between NO and H2S, and CO and H2S may be of importance in the preterm newborn, particularly as NO levels in males are associated with higher H2S levels and higher microvascular blood flow and CO in females appears to convey protection against vascular dysregulation. Here we present a theoretical model of these interactions and their overall effects on microvascular flow in the preterm newborn, upon which future mechanistic studies may be based.The authors would like to acknowledge the parents of the neonates enrolled in the 2CANS study for their participation, the staff of the Kaleidoscope Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the John Hunter Children’s Hospital, and Kimberly-Clark Australia for providing the diapers used in this stud

Investigating the Near-Infrared Properties of Planetary Nebulae. I. Narrowband Images

We present the results of a near-infrared narrowband imaging survey of planetary nebulae. Objects were selected in a way that complements similar surveys done at visible and near-infrared wavelengths. No new detections of molecular hydrogen emission were made. The H2 is frequently found to be extended, except in young, visibly compact objects. Our results are consistent with the already determined correlation of H2 emission with planetary nebula morphological type. Filamentary and other kinds of structures are clearly resolved in many nebulae.Comment: 21 pages text+tables and 38 figures, full preprint available at http://www.cv.nrao.edu/html/library/nrao_preprints.html, report #9571 (4.4MB gzipped file), or email [email protected]. Accepted ApJS, scheduled Sept. 199

Infrared Observations of the Helix Planetary Nebula

We have mapped the Helix (NGC 7293) planetary nebula (PN) with the IRAC instrument on the Spitzer Space Telescope. The Helix is one of the closest bright PNs and therefore provides an opportunity to resolve the small-scale structure in the nebula. The emission from this PN in the 5.8 and 8 μm IRAC bands is dominated by the pure rotational lines of molecular hydrogen, with a smaller contribution from forbidden line emission such as [Ar III] in the ionized region. The IRAC images resolve the "cometary knots," which have been previously studied in this PN. The "tails" of the knots and the radial rays extending into the outer regions of the PN are seen in emission in the IRAC bands. IRS spectra on the main ring and the emission in the IRAC bands are consistent with shock-excited H_2 models, with a small (~10%) component from photodissociation regions. In the northeast arc, the H_2 emission is located in a shell outside the Hα emission

The Herschel-SPIRE instrument and its in-flight performance

The Spectral and Photometric Imaging REceiver (SPIRE), is the Herschel Space Observatory`s submillimetre camera and spectrometer. It contains a three-band imaging photometer operating at 250, 350 and 500 μm, and an imaging Fourier-transform spectrometer (FTS) which covers simultaneously its whole operating range of 194–671 μm (447–1550 GHz). The SPIRE detectors are arrays of feedhorn-coupled bolometers cooled to 0.3 K. The photometer has a field of view of 4´× 8´, observed simultaneously in the three spectral bands. Its main operating mode is scan-mapping, whereby the field of view is scanned across the sky to achieve full spatial sampling and to cover large areas if desired. The spectrometer has an approximately circular field of view with a diameter of 2.6´. The spectral resolution can be adjusted between 1.2 and 25 GHz by changing the stroke length of the FTS scan mirror. Its main operating mode involves a fixed telescope pointing with multiple scans of the FTS mirror to acquire spectral data. For extended source measurements, multiple position offsets are implemented by means of an internal beam steering mirror to achieve the desired spatial sampling and by rastering of the telescope pointing to map areas larger than the field of view. The SPIRE instrument consists of a cold focal plane unit located inside the Herschel cryostat and warm electronics units, located on the spacecraft Service Module, for instrument control and data handling. Science data are transmitted to Earth with no on-board data compression, and processed by automatic pipelines to produce calibrated science products. The in-flight performance of the instrument matches or exceeds predictions based on pre-launch testing and modelling: the photometer sensitivity is comparable to or slightly better than estimated pre-launch, and the spectrometer sensitivity is also better by a factor of 1.5–2

Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) Observations of Planetary Nebulae

We present the initial results from the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) imaging survey of planetary nebulae (PNs). The IRAC colors of PNs are red, especially in the 8.0 μm band. Emission in this band is likely due to contributions from two strong H2 lines and a [Ar III] line in that bandpass. IRAC is sensitive to the emission in the halos as well as in the ionized regions that are optically bright. In NGC 246, we have observed an unexpected ring of emission in the 5.8 and 8.0 μm IRAC bands not seen previously at other wavelengths. In NGC 650 and NGC 3132, the 8.0 μm emission is at larger distances from the central star compared to the optical and other IRAC bands, possibly related to the H2 emission in that band and the tendency for the molecular material to exist outside of the ionized zones. In the flocculi of the outer halo of NGC 6543, however, this trend is reversed, with the 8.0 μm emission bright on the inner edges of the structures. This may be related to the emission mechanism, where the H2 is possibly excited in shocks in the NGC 6543 halo, whereas H2 emission is likely fluorescently excited in the UV fields near the central star