Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Fecundability”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 685 records · Page 38Linked to original sources

Observations on the infectivity and fecundity of Schistosoma curassoni from Senegal in albino mice.

An average of 11% of adult Schistosoma curassoni were recovered from 200 albino mice which had been infected subcutaneously with 150-250 cercariae. Worms were primarily found in the portal veins. The average number of intrauterine eggs per female during the first 100 days p.i. was 13 and the average number of eggs produced per female worm was 103 per day for the first 60 days post oviposition. The majority of eggs were recovered from the liver (98.3%). The oograms were determined until day 95 p.i. For screening of antischistosomal drugs it is recommended not to use infections older than 60 d.p.i.

Animals↗

Host age and the growth and fecundity of Hymenolepis diminuta in the rat.

Five, 20, and 80 cysticercoid infections of Hymenolepis diminuta were established in 1-, 2- and 5-month-old male Wistar rats. Worm numbers, dry weights and egg outputs were determined on day 28 post infection. Worm recovery was found to be independent of cysticercoid dose in 1-month-old rats, but density-dependent in older rats. Density dependence affected both worm dry weight and egg production in all 3 age classes of host studied. However, at the highest dose both dry weight and egg production were significantly decreased in 2- and 5-month-old rats compared with 1-month-old rats. The results cannot be explained solely in terms of competition for a resource, and suggest that immunological mechanisms may have an important role in the "crowding effect".

Aging↗

Effect of the organophosphorous insecticide, chlorpyrifos (Dursban), on growth, fecundity and mortality of Biomphalaria alexandrina and on the production of Schistosoma mansoni cercariae in the snail.

Exposure of Biomphalaria alexandrina to sublethal concentrations (0.125, 0.25 and 0.05 ppm) of the organophosphorous insecticide, chlorpyrifos (Dursban), induced a reduction in egg production and egg hatchability. Exposure of Schistosoma mansoni miracidia to the insecticide (60 min, 0.50 ppm) prior to infection of B. alexandrina did not affect the subsequent production of cercariae. However, exposure of S. mansoni-infected snails to the insecticide until day 55, from day 20 to day 62 and from day 35 to 62 following infection resulted in blockage of cercarial shedding. Cercarial shedding commenced in some snails when the treatment stopped. Exposure to the insecticide in concentrations of 0.125 and 0.25 ppm during the first 20 days following infection did not affect the subsequent production of cercariae, but exposure to 0.5 ppm during the first 20 days affected markedly the production of cercariae due to a high snail mortality. The findings indicate that the cercaria is the target stage for the activity of chlorpyrifos on the intramolluscan larval development. It is suggested that S. mansoni cercarial production in B. alexandrina may be a useful system for monitoring the effect of low concentrations of pesticides on the aquatic environment, and that the ability by chemical means to interrupt the cercarial production might be a useful tool in further analyses of important aspects of the snail/parasite relationship.

Animals↗

Observations on the infectivity and fecundity of a Sudanese isolate of Schistosoma bovis in albino mice.

A Sudanese isolate of Schistosoma bovis from experimentally infected sheep was found to be highly pathogenic to albino mice. Eggs were first found in the livers 42 days after exposure. The distribution of eggs in the liver and small and large intestines changed little during the course of infection. Results are compared with others using an Iranian isolate of S. bovis, which causes only a mild infection, and S. mattheei.

Animals↗

Hymenolepis diminuta-induced fecundity reduction may be caused by changes in hormone binding to Tenebrio molitor ovaries.

Aspects of vitellogenesis, known to be controlled by juvenile hormone, are adversely affected by Hymenolepis diminuta infection of Tenebrio molitor, in spite of circulating titres of the hormone remaining unchanged. It has therefore been proposed that juvenile hormone binding is disrupted at the tissue site level. Juvenile hormone III binding sites were located in the nuclear, microsomal and post-microsomal supernatant fractions of the follicle cells of Tenebrio molitor. When JH-III binding was quantified for both control and Hymenolepis diminuta-infected beetles, binding in the nucleus and cytosol were found to be largely unaffected. However, microsomal binding was severely disrupted; on days 3 and 6 post-infection, binding was greatly diminished, on day 9 post-infection, binding was slightly reduced and, by day 15, binding was 'restored' to that of control insects. Using follicle cell microsomes at day 3 post-infection, previous Scatchard analysis revealed the presence of at least two JH-III binding sites. The first is of higher affinity, Kd = 5.3 x 10(-8) M, Bmax = 1.5 x 10(-11) mol/mg protein and the second of lower affinity Kd = 7.7 x 10(-7) M, Bmax = 9.75 x 10(-11) mol/mg protein. A comparison with microsomal binding parameters of follicle cells from non-infected Tenebrio indicated that although the Bmax values were unchanged, the Kd value of the higher affinity site was increased by approximately 5-fold. These data are indicative of a parasite-induced competitive binding inhibitor.

Animals↗

Detection of density-dependent growth and fecundity of helminths in natural infections.

Density-dependent constraints on parasite growth, survival or reproduction are thought to be important in preventing the unchecked increase in parasite numbers within individual hosts or host populations. While it is important to know where, and with what severity, density dependence is acting within the parasite life-cycle, interpretation of data from natural infections is difficult. In this paper, we present a Monte Carlo simulation technique for examining such data for evidence of density dependence. We also describe how this technique may be used to distinguish among mechanisms hypothesized to generate density-dependent phenomena.

Animals↗

Reduced fecundity in small populations of the rare plant Gentianopsis ciliate (Gentianaceae).

Habitat destruction is the main cause for the biodiversity crisis. Surviving populations are often fragmented, i.e., small and isolated from each other. Reproduction of plants in small populations is often reduced, and this has been attributed to inbreeding depression, reduced attractiveness for pollinators, and reduced habitat quality in small populations. Here we present data on the effects of fragmentation on the rare, self-compatible perennial herb Gentianopsis ciliata (Gentianaceae), a species with very small and presumably well-dispersed seeds. We studied the relationship between population size, plant size, and the number of flowers produced in 63 populations from 1996-1998. In one of the years, leaf and flower size and the number of seeds produced per fruit was studied in a subset of 25 populations. Plant size, flower size, and the number of seeds per fruit and per plant increased with population size, whereas leaf length and the number of flowers per plant did not. The effects of population size on reproduction and on flower size remained significant if the effects were adjusted for differences in plant size, indicating that they could not be explained by differences in habitat quality. The strongly reduced reproduction in small populations may be due to pollination limitation, while the reduced flower size could indicate genetic effects.

Biodiversity↗

Ovarian follicles of new-born Merino lambs from genetic lines which differ in fecundity.

Ovaries were obtained from 78 new-born lambs (12 singletons, 25 twins, 28 triplets, 10 quadruplets and 3 quintuplets) from flocks selected for (T902, T903 and Booroola) or against (O) multiple births. Sections of the ovaries were examined with a projection microscope and the numbers of all types of follicles were estimated. There were no differences between genetic lines in the number of primordial follicles, after adjustment for litter size and sire; however, there were significantly more of these follicles in single-born lambs than in lambs born in litters of two or more within genetic lines. The number of vesicular follicles was lower in Booroola than in O lambs.

Animals↗