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Inhibition of Dehydration-Induced Water Intake by Glucocorticoids Is Associated with Activation of Hypothalamic Natriuretic Peptide Receptor-A in Rat

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) provides a potent defense mechanism against volume overload in mammals. Its primary receptor, natriuretic peptide receptor-A (NPR-A), is localized mostly in the kidney, but also is found in hypothalamic areas involved in body fluid volume regulation. Acute glucocorticoid administration produces potent diuresis and natriuresis, possibly by acting in the renal natriuretic peptide system. However, chronic glucocorticoid administration attenuates renal water and sodium excretion. The precise mechanism underlying this paradoxical phenomenon is unclear. We assume that chronic glucocorticoid administration may activate natriuretic peptide system in hypothalamus, and cause volume depletion by inhibiting dehydration-induced water intake. Volume depletion, in turn, compromises renal water excretion. To test this postulation, we determined the effect of dexamethasone on dehydration-induced water intake and assessed the expression of NPR-A in the hypothalamus. The rats were deprived of water for 24 hours to have dehydrated status. Prior to free access to water, the water-deprived rats were pretreated with dexamethasone or vehicle. Urinary volume and water intake were monitored. We found that dexamethasone pretreatment not only produced potent diuresis, but dramatically inhibited the dehydration-induced water intake. Western blotting analysis showed the expression of NPR-A in the hypothalamus was dramatically upregulated by dexamethasone. Consequently, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (the second messenger for the ANP) content in the hypothalamus was remarkably increased. The inhibitory effect of dexamethasone on water intake presented in a time- and dose-dependent manner, which emerged at least after 18-hour dexamethasone pretreatment. This effect was glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mediated and was abolished by GR antagonist RU486. These results indicated a possible physiologic role for glucocorticoids in the hypothalamic control of water intake and revealed that the glucocorticoids can act centrally, as well as peripherally, to assist in the normalization of extracellular fluid volume

THE GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND YIELD OF HEADED CHINESE CABBAGE IN AUTUMN PROTECTED CULTURE IN TRANSYLVANIAN TABLELAND SPECIFIC CONDITIONS

Headed Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris var. pekinensis) is a member of the cole crops being an important fresh and processed vegetable in special in Asian countries.  It can be cultivated in several periods of the year. The present research was conducted at University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj - Napoca. The aim of the research was the study of the behavior of several Chinese cabbage varieties and hybrids in autumn protected culture in Transylvanian Tableland specific conditions. The results showed that yields up to 63 t/ha can be obtain in these culture, if there is practiced an improved cultivation technology, most valuable variety being Granat

Haemoproteus infection status of collared flycatcher males changes within a breeding season

In ecological studies of haemosporidian parasites, prevalence is typically considered as a stable attribute. However, little is known about the possible within-host dynamics of these parasites that may originate from environmental fluctuations, parasite life cycles and the ability of hosts to suppress or clear infection. We sampled the blood of male collared flycatchers Ficedula albicollis twice within a breeding season and investigated the determinants of initial infection status and change in infection status. We found that older males tended to be initially more infected at courtship. Change in infection status was unrelated to male traits, but a widespread disappearance of Haemoproteus pallidus infection from the blood was detected between courtship and nestling rearing. The probability of change in infection status increased with the time elapsed between sampling occasions. This suggests that the disappearance of infection from the blood was due to either an active parasite suppression mechanism or the beginning of the latent phase in the parasite life cycle. Initial infection status or disappearance of infection from the blood showed no correlation with breeding success. These results show that H. pallidus infection status and thus prevalence are dynamically changing attributes and this has widespread practical and ecological implications.Peer Reviewe

BOLTING OF CHINESE CABBAGE INFLUENCED BY FERTILIZATION AND CULTIVATION PLACE

The main aim of the experiment was to study the behavior of several hybrids of Chinese cabbage cultivated in protected places and open field when different types of manures were applied. The research took place in Poieni, a small village near Cluj Napoca, in a polyethylene tunnel, respectively in open field, and involved three hybrids: Golden Wa-Wa, Vitimo and Hybrid Super. Cattle and horse manure was applied before planting and in the vegetative period. Results showed that bolting of Chinese cabbage was influenced by cultivation place - best results (1.41% of bolted plants) were registered in the case of protected crops; by fertilization - a higher number of plants bolted (3.39%) when no fertilizers were added and by planting material - a lower bolting ratio (1.31%) was registered at Hybrid Super. It can be concluded that bolting of Chinese cabbage can be reduced by choosing the right planting material combined with an improved cultivation technology

SOME MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ONION BULBS FROM IRRIGATED AND DIRECTLY SOWN CROPS IN THE TERMS OF MIHAI VITEAZU AREA, IN 2014

The vegetables have a dry matter content of only 4-25% and high water content (75-96%). The vegetables from onion’s group have the highest content of dry matter, and the lowest content of dry matter (4.8 to 5%) is owned by cucumbers, squash and greens (lettuce, chicory). In comparison with the Brunswick, Density and Stuttgart varieties, which have a bulb with six thickened sheets, the Roșie de Arieș variety has a bulb with eight thickened sheets. The number of first class bulbs is higher for the irrigated variant for all four experimental varieties grown in the field and for all fertilization variants

The role of central corticoliberin in the ether stress-induced secretion of neurohypophyseal hormones and corticosterone in the rat

As corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and oxytocin (OXT) are released in response to various stressors and a role of CRF in stress-induced OXT secretion has been proposed by previous authors, the present experiments were scheduled to investigate the participation of the brain CRF system in the stress-evoked release of OXT, arginine-8-vasopressin (AVP) and corticosterone. CRF-antiserum (AS) was given into the lateral ventricle of the brain of Wistar male rats, and 24 h later, the injection was repeated 30 min prior to ether stress followed by decapitation in 5 min. Plasma OXT and AVP were measured by radioimmunoassay and corticosterone by fluorimetry. Ether stress increased the levels of corticosterone and OXT, but not that of AVP. CRF-AS alone did not change the secretion of these hormones. CRF-AS pretreatment blocked the corticosterone-releasing action of ether stress, whereas it exerted no influence on the stress-induced OXT secretion into the circulation. There was no effect of a combined application of CRF-AS and stress on the plasma AVP level. These results suggest that the central CRF system is involved in the ether stress-elicited corticosterone response, however CRF is unlikely to be connected with the regulation of OXT secretion under these experimental conditions