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Maintenance of female reproductive competence depends on the actions of several hormones and signaling factors. Recent reports suggest roles for bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) in early stages of folliculogenesis. A role for the type I BMP receptor BmprIB as a regulator of ovulation rates in sheep has been described recently, but little is known about the roles of BMP signaling pathways in other aspects of reproductive function. We report here that BMPRIB is essential for multiple aspects of female fertility. Mice deficient in BmprIB exhibit irregular estrous cycles and an impaired pseudopregnancy response. BmprIB mutants produce oocytes that can be fertilized in vitro, but defects in cumulus expansion prevent fertilization in vivo. This defect is associated with decreased levels of aromatase production in granulosa cells. Unexpectedly, levels of mRNA for cyclooxygenase 2, an enzyme required for cumulus expansion, are increased. BmprIB mutants also exhibit a failure in endometrial gland formation. The expression of BmprIB in uterine linings suggests that these defects are a direct consequence of loss of BMP signaling in this tissue. In summary, these studies demonstrate the importance of BMP signaling pathways for estrus cyclicity, estradiol biosynthesis, and cumulus cell expansion in vivo and reveal sites of action for BMP signaling pathways in reproductive tissues.

Studies of the interaction of polarized light or particles (including electrons, e-, or positrons, e+) with asymmetric forms of matter has been of interest to scientists since the discovery of chirality and the subsequent development of particle physics. Researchers have been interested in e+ interactions with chiral molecules for decades, but with mixed and indecisive results. After reviewing the field, we speculated that the e+ or positronium (Ps) might interact differently with chiral pairs of large single crystals, i.e., the left-handed or right-handed asymmetric forms of the crystals -- and subsequently observed significant differences in "free positron" annihilation and intensities in the evaluation of left-handed or right-handed quartz single crystals. This result may be understood to be a "particle stereorecognition" phenomenon. To extend this line of inquiry we crystallized mm scale L- or D-alanine crystals and performed positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy measurements using a 22Na positron source. Alanine crystals were obtained via slow evaporation of water in a Dewar, or from water/acetone solvent in a temperature-controlled environment. These methods resulted in small (≈ 0:5 cm/side) or large (≥ 1:0 cm/side) crystals, respectively. While some intensity (I2) results from left-handed and right-handed crystals varied in positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy analysis, the errors associated with the measurements do not indicate a stereorecognition of alanine via positron interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to study the morphology and microstructure of an amine-cured epoxy before and after outdoor exposure. Measurements were made from samples prepared in an essentially CO2-free, H2O-free glove box and from samples prepared in ambient conditions. For those prepared in a CO2-free glove box, AFM imaging was conducted on (1) an unexposed air/coating surface, (2) an unexposed coating bulk, (3) an unexposed coating/substrate interface, and (4) a field exposed air/coating surface. For samples prepared in ambient conditions, only the unexposed air/coating surface was investigated. The same regions of the exposed samples were scanned periodically by the AFM to monitor changes in the surface morphology of the coating as UV exposure progressed. Small angle neutron scattering and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies were performed to verify the microstructure and to follow chemical changes during outdoor exposure, respectively. The results have shown that amine blushing, which occurs only under ambient conditions, had a significant effect on the surface morphology and microstructure of the epoxy. The surface morphology of the samples prepared under CO2-free, dry conditions was generally smooth and homogeneous. However, the interface and the bulk samples clearly revealed a two-phase structure consisting of bright nodular domains and dark interstitial regions, indicating an inhomogeneous microstructure. Such heterogeneous structure of the bulk was in good agreement with results obtained by small angle neutron scattering of unexposed samples and by AFM phase imaging of the degraded sample surface. The relationship between submicrometer physical changes and molecular chemical degradation is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface properties of a polymeric coating system have a strong influence on its performance and service life. However, the surface of a polymer coating may have different chemical, physical, and mechanical properties from the bulk. In order to monitor the coating property changes with environmental exposures from the early stages of degradation, nondestructive techniques with the ability to characterize surface properties with micro- to nanoscale spatial resolution are required. In this article, atomic force microscopy has been applied to study surface microstructure and morphological changes during degradation in polymer coatings. Additionally, the use of AFM with a controlled tip-sample environment to study nanochemical heterogeneity and the application of nanoindentation to characterize mechanical properties of coatings surfaces are demonstrated. The results obtained from these nanometer characterization techniques will provide a better understanding of the degradation mechanisms and a fundamental basis for predicting the service life of polymer coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the action of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) in the stages of folliculogenesis. Regulation of ovulation by the type 1 BMP receptor (BmprIB); Exhibition of estrous cycles in mice deficient with BmprIB; Decrease of aromatase production in granulosa cells.