Relationship between blood calcium level and ST peak interval of electrocardiographic variables in peripartum Holstein cows

The association between blood calcium levels and electrocardiographic variables was compared in 137 normal parturient and 36 peripartum recumbent Holstein cows to determine whether hypocalcemia in peripartum dairy cows can be rapidly diagnosed using electrocardiograph. Inverse of STc (ST peak interval/SS interval^0.5) and blood ionized calcium or serum calcium concentrations were strongly correlated, and both correlation coefficients were 0.81 (P<0.001). The 95% prediction interval indicated that cows with STc >0.385 ± 0.001 sec are very likely to be hypocalcemic (blood ionized or serum calcium concentrations of <0.9 mmol/l or <7.5 mg/dl, respectively). These findings indicate that hypocalcemia in parturient cows can be non-invasively estimated using the STc.     

Ligand-binding characteristics of feline insulin-binding immunoglobulin G

Polyclonal immunoglobulin (Ig) G autoantibodies against insulin have been identified in sera of healthy cats. We purified and fractionated insulin-binding IgGs from cat sera by affinity chromatography and analyzed affinity of insulin-binding IgGs for insulin and their epitopes. Following the passing of fraction A, which did not bind to insulin, insulin-binding IgGs were eluted into two fractions, B and C, by affinity chromatography using a column fixed with bovine insulin. Dissociation constant (KD) values between insulin-binding IgGs and insulin, determined by surface plasmon resonance analysis (Biacore™system), were 1.64e⁻⁴ M for fraction B (low affinity IgGs) and 2e⁻⁵ M for fraction C (high affinity IgGs). Epitope analysis was conducted using 16 peptide fragments synthesized in concord with the amino acid sequence of feline insulin by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Fractions B and C showed higher absorbance (affinity) of the peptide fragment of 10 amino acid residues at the carboxyl-terminal of the B chain (peptide No. 19), followed by peptide fragments of 6 to 15 amino acid residues of the B chain (peptide No. 8). Fraction C showed a higher absorbance to 7 to 16 amino acid residues of the B chain (peptide No. 5) compared with the absorbance of fraction B. Polyclonal insulin-binding IgGs may form a macromolecule complex with insulin through the multiple affinity sites of IgG molecules. Feline insulin-binding IgGs are multifocal and may be composed of multiple IgG components and insulin.     

Hypoxia inducible factor 1α expression and effects of its inhibitors in canine lymphoma

Hypoxic conditions in various cancers are believed to relate with their malignancy, and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) has been shown to be a major regulator of the response to low oxygen. In this study, we examined HIF-1α expression in canine lymphoma using cell lines and clinical samples and found that these cells expressed HIF-1α. Moreover, the HIF-1α inhibitors, echinomycin, YC-1 and 2-methoxyestradiol, suppressed the proliferation of canine lymphoma cell lines. In a xenograft model using NOD/scid mice, echinomycin treatment resulted in a dose-dependent regression of the tumor. Our results suggest that HIF-1α contributes to the proliferation and/or survival of canine lymphoma cells. Therefore, HIF-1α inhibitors may be potential agents to treat canine lymphoma.     

Specific detection of potentially allergenic kiwifruit in foods using polymerase chain reaction

Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa and Actinidia chinensis) is allergenic to sensitive patients, and, under Japanese regulations, it is one of the food items that are recommended to be declared on food labeling as much as possible. To develop PCR-based methods for the detection of trace amounts of kiwifruit in foods, two primer pairs targeting the ITS-1 region of the Actinidia spp. were designed using PCR simulation software. On the basis of the known distribution of a major kiwifruit allergen (actinidin) within the Actinidia spp., as well as of reports on clinical and immunological cross-reactivities, one of the primer pairs was designed to detect all Actinidia spp. and the other to detect commercially grown Actinidia spp. (i.e., kiwifruit, Actinidia arguta, and their interspecific hybrids) except for Actinidia polygama. The specificity of the developed methods using the designed primer pairs was verified by performing PCR experiments on 8 Actinidia spp. and 26 other plants including fruits. The methods were considered to be specific enough to yield target-size products only from the target Actinidia spp. and to detect no target-size products from nontarget species. The methods were sensitive enough to detect 5-50 fg of Actinidia spp. DNA spiked in 50 ng of salmon testis DNA used as a carrier (1-10 ppm of kiwifruit DNA) and 1700 ppm (w/w) of fresh kiwifruit puree spiked in a commercial plain yogurt (corresponding to ca. 10 ppm of kiwifruit protein). These methods would be expected to be useful in the detection of hidden kiwifruit and its related species in processed foods.     

Monetary costs of dietary energy reported by young Japanese women: association with food and nutrient intake and body mass index

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the relationship of monetary diet costs to dietary intake and obesity, particularly in non-Western populations. This study examined monetary cost of dietary energy in relation to diet quality and body mass index (BMI) among young Japanese women. DESIGN: Dietary intake was assessed by a validated, self-administered, diet history questionnaire. Diet costs were estimated using retail food prices. Monetary cost of dietary energy (Japanese yen 1000 kcal-1) was then calculated. BMI was computed from self-reported body weight and height. SUBJECTS: A total of 3931 female Japanese dietetic students aged 18-20 years. RESULTS: Monetary cost of dietary energy was positively associated with intakes of fruits, vegetables, fish and shellfish, and pulses; however, higher monetary cost of dietary energy was also associated with higher consumption of fat and oil, meat and energy-containing beverages, and lower consumption of cereals (rice, bread and noodles) (all P for trend <0.01). At the nutrient level, monetary cost of dietary energy was positively associated with intakes of dietary fibre and key vitamins and minerals, but also associated positively with intakes of fat, saturated fatty acids, cholesterol and sodium, and negatively with carbohydrate intake (all P for trend <0.0001). After adjustment for possible confounders, monetary cost of dietary energy was quite weakly but significantly negatively associated with BMI (P for trend = 0.0197). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing monetary cost of dietary energy was associated with both favourable and unfavourable dietary intake patterns and a quite small decrease in BMI in young Japanese women.     

Quantitative analysis of pattern of gonial proliferation during sexual maturation in Japanese scallop <Emphasis Type="Italic">Patinopecten yessoensis</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:   This study was undertaken to describe and quantitatively analyze the pattern of development of gametes in the Japanese scallop Patinopecten yessoensis . Incorporation of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) into gonial cells was used to quantitatively detect mitotically active gonial cells. Oogonia increased in number from November to December and decreased rapidly to March. A small number of oocytes was detected in November. Oocytes steadily increased in number and size up to March. The number of spermatogonia slightly increased from November to December, and increased markedly from January to March. Both ratios of BrdU-immunopositive gonial cells in the ovary and testis to gonial cells moderately increased from September to December. The ratio of BrdU-immunopositive spermatogonia to gonial cells drastically increased from January to February and kept an elevated level in March, whereas the oogonia started to disappear in January. The results suggest that the pattern of proliferation of gonial cells can be divided into two phases: (i) phase I, oogonia and spermatogonia slowly proliferate through the growing stage; and (ii) phase II, oogonia develop into oocytes and spermatogonia begin to proliferate rapidly through the mature and spawning stages. The proliferation of gonial cells is likely under different endocrine controls in phases I and II.     

Expression of HSP70 in response to heat-shock and its cDNA cloning from Mediterranean blue mussel

Expression of HSP70 in response to heat-shock was investigated at the protein and mRNA levels in Mediterranean blue mussel. Western and Northern blot analyses revealed that HSP70 was expressed following heat-shock in the mantle at both protein and mRNA levels, suggesting that gene expression of HSP70 is implicated in the cellular response to heat-shock stress in mussel. It was then attempted to clone HSP70 cDNA in order to determine the primary structure of mussel HSP70. As a result, two full-length cDNA encoding HSP70 were isolated from a cDNA library prepared from the heat-shocked mantle. The isolated cDNA consist of single open reading frames of 2067 bp and 1911 bp which encode proteins of 689 amino acids and 637 amino acids, respectively. Both HSP70 cDNA encode an ATPase do main, and a substrate-binding do main in addition to a Glu-Glu-Val-Asp (EEVD) peptide motif that is specific for cytosolic HSP70. These findings suggest that the cDNA clones obtained in the present study encode cytosolic HSP70.     

A Comparison of the Histological Structure of the Placenta in Experimental Animals

The primary function of the placenta is to act as an interface between the dam and fetus. The anatomic structure of the chorioallantoic placenta in eutherian mammals varies between different animal species. The placental types in eutherian mammals are classified from various standpoints based on the gross shape, the histological structure of the materno-fetal interface, the type of materno-fetal interdigitation, etc. Particularly, the histological structure is generally considered one of the most useful and instructive classifications for functionally describing placental type. In this system, three main types are recognized according to the cell layers comprising the interhemal area: (1) epitheliochorial type (horses, pigs and ruminants), (2) endotheliochorial type (carnivores) and (3) hemochorial type (primates, rodents and rabbits). The number of cell layers in the interhemal area is considered to modify the transfer of nutrients between maternal and fetal blood and is one of the important factors with respect to the difference in placental permeability between animal species. Therefore, in reproductive and developmental toxicity studies, careful attention should be paid to the histological structure of the interhemal area when extrapolating information concerning placental transfer characteristics to different animal species.