Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 mRNA Expression in the Uterus of Streptozotocin-treated Diabetic Mice

Reproductive functions decline with the onset of diabetes in female mice. Diabetic mice have smaller uteri with an underdeveloped endometrium, suggesting diminished estrogen-induced growth. We aimed to clarify the changes in the estrous cycle and in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) expression in the uteri of streptozotocin (STZ)-treated diabetic mice, because IGF1 is one of the main growth factors involved in estrogen-induced uterine growth. ICR female mice were intraperitoneally administered STZ (10 mg/100 g BW), and blood glucose levels were determined. Mice with blood glucose levels > 200 mg/dl were classified as diabetic mice. The onset of diabetes was associated with acyclic estrous cycles. Diabetes was also induced with STZ in ovariectomized mice. Uterine Igf1 mRNA levels were reduced in ovariectomized STZ-treated diabetic mice. Estrogen is known to stimulate Igf1 mRNA expression in the uterus, but estrogen action was abolished in the uteri of STZ-treated diabetic mice. mRNA expressions of estrogen receptor α (ERα) and steroid hormone receptor coactivators (SRC-1/Ncoa1, SRC-2/Ncoa2, SRC-3/Ncoa3 and CBP/p300/Crebbp) were reduced in the uteri of ovariectomized STZ-treated diabetic mice. The present study demonstrates that diabetes induces a decline in female reproductive functions in mice. Igf1 expression in ovariectomized diabetic female mice was decreased, and decreased responsiveness to estrogen in the uteri of diabetic mice is probably associated with a reduction in ERα and steroid receptor coactivator mRNA expression.     

叶面喷施寡糖对生菜生长和品质的调节作用

为探究不同单一寡糖和复配寡糖对作物生长发育、产量及品质的影响,选择生长周期较短的生菜品种“意大利耐抽薹”作为研究对象,以80mg·L-1的纤维寡糖（ZH-A）、低聚木糖（ZH-B）、甲壳低聚糖（ZH-C）和以上3种寡糖等质量比的复配寡糖（ZH-M）以及多糖海藻酸钠（GY-D）对定植后的生菜进行4次叶面喷施处理,以喷清水为对照（CK）。从定植后的第3天（三叶一心）开始,每隔2d连续喷施4次,至采收期（定植23d）测定生菜的生长特征（生物量、叶面积、荧光光合）、根系表型特征（根长、根表面积、根体积）以及品质特征（可溶性糖、叶绿素、Vc、硝酸盐）。结果表明：单一寡糖、复配寡糖及海藻酸钠多糖处理均能显著增加生菜生物量;纤维寡糖（ZH-A）对促进根系生长及降低硝酸盐含量具有显著效果;甲壳低聚糖（ZH-C）对叶绿素含量、最大光化学效率Fv/Fm及可溶性糖含量有显著的提高作用;复配寡糖对生菜地上部、地下部及品质的增长和提升效果明显优于单一寡糖和多糖,采收期地上部鲜重及叶面积分别增加52.58%和57.60%,根干重、总根长、总体积及总表面积分别增加35.07%、89.10%、49.23%和40.68%,可溶性糖增加25.20%,叶绿素含量增加21.50%,Vc含量提高12.08%,硝酸盐含量降低27.65%。综上可知,不同寡糖对生菜生长特征和生理性状的作用效果和调控机制具有明显差异;复配寡糖对生菜促生长和提品质的调节效果显著优于单一寡糖。     

The influence of barley malt protein modification on beer foam stability and their relationship to the barley dimeric alpha-amylase inhibitor-I (BDAI-I) as a possible foam-promoting protein

The foam stability of beer is one of the important key factors in evaluating the quality of beer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the level of malt modification (degradation of protein, starch, and so on) and the beer foam stability. This was achieved by examining foam-promoting proteins using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE). We found that the foam stability of beer samples brewed from the barley malts of cultivars B and C decreased as the level of malt modification increased; however, the foam stability of cultivar A did not change. To identify the property providing the increased foam stability of cultivar A, we analyzed beer proteins using 2DE. We analyzed three fractions that could contain beer foam-promoting proteins, namely, beer whole proteins, salt-precipitated proteins, and the proteins concentrated from beer foam. As a result, we found that in cultivar A, some protein spots did not change in any of these three protein fractions even when the level of malt modification increased, although the corresponding protein spots in cultivars B and C decreased. We analyzed these protein spots by peptide mass finger printing using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. As a result, all of these spots were identified as barley dimeric alpha-amylase inhibitor-I (BDAI-I). These results suggest that BDAI-I is an important contributor to beer foam stability.     

Novel prediction method of beer foam stability using protein Z, barley dimeric alpha-amylase inhibitor-1 (BDAI-1) and yeast thioredoxin

Foam stability is an important quality trait of beer. Our previous results of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) analyses of beer proteins implied a relationship between barley dimeric alpha-amylase inhibitor-1 (BDAI-1) and beer foam stability as judged by the NIBEM-T analyzer. To develop a novel prediction method of beer foam stability under different conditions of barley cultivar and malt modification, multiple linear regression analysis was applied. The spot intensities of major beer proteins on 2DE gel were quantified and used as explanatory variables. The foam stabilities of 25 beer samples each brewed from malt with different malt modification in one of the three cultivars (cultivars A, B, and C) were explained by the spot intensities of BDAI-1 at the 5% significance level ( r = 0.421). Furthermore, two other major protein spots (b0 and b5) were observed on the 2DE gels of Japanese commercial beer samples with different foam stability. Then, multiple regression for foam stability was calculated using these three spot intensities as explanatory variables. As a result, 72.1% of the beer foam stability in 25 beer samples was explained by a novel multiple regression equation calculated using spot b0 and BDAI-1 as positive explanatory variables and spot b5 as a negative variable. To verify the validity of the multiple regression equation and the explanatory variables, the beer foam stability in practical beer samples was analyzed. As a result, 81.5% of the beer foam stability in 10 Japanese commercial beer samples was also explained by using spot b0 and BDAI-1 as positive explanatory variables and spot b5 as a negative variable. Mass spectrometry analyses followed by database searches revealed that protein spots b0 and b5 were identified as protein Z originated from barley and thioredoxin originated from yeast, respectively. These results confirm that BDAI-1 and protein Z are foam-positive factors and identify yeast thioredoxin as a possible novel foam-negative factor.     

Eukaryotic communities associated with the decomposition of rice straw compost in a Japanese rice paddy field estimated by DGGE analysis

To estimate the succession and phylogenetic composition of the eukaryotic communities responsible for the decomposition of rice straw compost under flooded conditions during the cultivation period of paddy rice, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis targeting 18S rDNA followed by sequencing was conducted in a Japanese paddy field. The eukaryotic communities in rice straw compost incorporated into the flooded paddy field were influenced by the mid-season drainage and mainly composed of fungi (Ascomycota, Zygomycota, and Chytridiomycota) and protozoa (Ciliophora, Euglyphida, and Dactylopodida), most of which existed continuously during the cultivation period of paddy rice. The results indicated that these eukaryotic members were associated with the decomposition of rice straw compost in paddy field soil directly or indirectly.     

Evaluation of genetic diversity of bread wheat landraces from Pakistan by AFLP and implications for a future collection strategy

We used amplified-fragment-length polymorphism (AFLP) markers to evaluate genetic variation in a set of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) landraces and improved materials. Landraces collected from different geographic and agro-ecological zones in Pakistan in 1987, 1989 and 1991 were separated into two groups based on their geographic origins: northern (Himalaya) and south-western (Balochistan) Pakistan. Six AFLP primer combinations detected 453 AFLP markers in the 43 landrace accessions and four high-yield varieties (HYVs). Of these, 225 (49.67%) were rare (shared with < 5% of all accessions). Among these rare alleles, 23 (10.22%) were common in the Himalaya (shared with > 10% of accessions collected there) but were not found in Balochistan. We conclude that there is a higher probability of collecting rare alleles at overall, but which are in contrast locally common ones in the Himalayan region. Gene diversity was 0.17 in the Himalayan group and 0.15 in the Balochistan group. Considerable genetic variability was found in both groups. Accessions from different agro-ecological zones were indistinguishable by cluster analysis, indicating intensive seed trading within the country. Cluster analysis indicated that the landraces and the HYVs are genetically distinct; suggesting that genetic erosion of wheat landraces has been unlikely taken in place. This study provides an example of how analysis of existing materials and data, can serve as a basis for future collection planning and conservation policies.     

The Effect of Methanolic Valeriana officinalis Root Extract on Adipocyte Differentiation and Adiponectin Production in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Adipose tissue is an endocrine organ and its endocrine function is closely associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Valeriana officinalis (Valerian) exerts some...     

Generation of monoclonal antibody against canine neural-cell adhesion molecule

A monoclonal antibody, K9BYU, was generated using Escherichia coli recombinant extracellular domain of canine neural-cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) as an antigen. Immunoreactivity of K9BYU to insect cell recombinant canine N-CAM was demonstrated by Western blotting using Sf9 insect cells transfected with the canine N-CAM gene. In Western blotting against canine brain tissue, K9BYU detected three isoforms of N-CAM that correspond to three major isoforms of human and mouse N-CAM (N-CAM-120, -140, and -180). From these results, K9BYU was considered to be a useful tool for research of canine N-CAM.     

Use of propofol for anesthesia in cats with primary hepatic lipidosis: 44 cases (1995-2004)

OBJECTIVE-To determine morbidity and fatalities in cats with hepatic lipidosis that received propofol to facilitate placement of a feeding tube. STUDY DESIGN-Retrospective case series. ANIMALS-44 Cats with presumed primary hepatic lipidosis anesthetized for placement of a feeding tube. PROCEDURES-Medical records from January 1995 through December 2004 were reviewed to identify cats that matched the inclusion criteria (histologic confirmation of hepatic lipidosis, anesthetized for placement of feeding tube, complete intensive care unit [ICU] records, and recorded outcome). Data extracted included age, body weight, sex, anesthetic drugs, drug dosages, type of feeding tube, duration of anesthesia, number of hours in ICU, administration of blood products, and survival until discharge from ICU. RESULTS-44 Cats (21 females and 23 males) were included in the analysis. Age range was 3 to 15 years (median, 8 years), and body weight ranged from 1.8 to 9.0 kg (4.0 to 19.8 lb), with a median of 4.8 kg (10.6 lb). Twenty-seven cats were administered propofol. There was no significant association between the use of propofol or the dosage of propofol and any risk factor, need for blood products, number of hours in the ICU, or survival. There was no significant difference between cats that received propofol and cats that did not receive propofol with regard to interval until discharge from the ICU. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE-The use of propofol did not increase morbidity or fatalities in cats with primary hepatic lipidosis. Thus, propofol can be used in these cats for placement of a feeding tube.     

Effect of Low-Dose Human Interferon-alpha on Shipping Fever of Thoroughbred Racehorses

To assess the effect of human interferon-alpha (IFNα) on shipping fever of Thoroughbred racehorses subjected to long-distance transportation, an IFNα preparation was orally administered to 48 horses three times (once daily, 3 successive days) before transportation (IFNα group). In the control group (25 horses), maltose was administered in the same way. These treatments induced no abnormal findings in Thoroughbred racehorses before transportation. Immediately after transportation, significant increases in rectal temperature were observed in both treatment groups, whereas the rectal temperature of the IFNα group tended to be lower than that of the control group. Although WBC, Fbg, and SAA immediately after transportation were significantly increased due to transportation in both groups, the extent of the increases in the IFNα group was significantly smaller than in the control group. Long-distance transportation had a relatively profound impact on Thoroughbred racehorses, which was mitigated by IFNα treatment.