Babesia gibsoni rhoptry-associated protein 1 and its potential use as a diagnostic antigen

A cDNA encoding the rhoptry-associated protein 1 (RAP-1) homologue was obtained by immunoscreening an expression library prepared from Babesia gibsoni merozoite mRNA. The complete nucleotide sequence of the gene was 1740bp. Computer analysis suggested that the sequence contains an open reading frame of 1425bp encoding an expected protein with a molecular weight of 52kDa. Based on the sequence similarity, this putative protein was designated as the B. gibsoni RAP-1 (BgRAP-1). The BgRAP-1 gene was expressed in the Escherichia coli BL21 strain, and the recombinant BgRAP-1 was used as the antigen in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results can differentiate between the B. gibsoni-infected dog sera and the Babesia canis infected dog sera or the normal dog sera. Furthermore, the antibody response against the recombinant protein was maintained during the chronic stage of infection, indicating that the recombinant BgRAP-1 protein might be a useful diagnostic antigen for the detection of antibodies to B. gibsoni infection in dogs.     

Bacterial leaf blight of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) caused by Pseudomonas cichorii in Japan

Sweet peppers (cv. Tosajishi beauty) with leaf blight symptoms were observed in Kochi Prefecture, 2003. Initially, small spots formed on leaves, and later enlarged to brown to dark brown spots, and eventually blighted leaves fell. Several bacteria that caused the same symptoms were isolated and subsequently reisolated. These bacteria were identified as Pseudomonas cichorii on the basis of bacterial characteristics and the 16S rRNA gene sequence. This is the first report of bacterial leaf blight in the sweet pepper in the world.     

Effects of Brief Summer or Winter Fasting on the Muscle Quality of Cultured Pacific Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus orientalis)

The effects of fasting on the quality of the dorsal and ventral ordinary muscles from cultured Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) during chilled storage were investigated. Tuna were subjected to fasting for 2 days in the summer or 6 days in the winter prior to harvesting. The breaking strength of the dorsal ordinary muscle sampled in the summer increased until 24 h and then decreased. There were no significant differences in the lipid and glycogen content of the ordinary muscle after 9 h of storage between the controls and either fasting group. The pH of the ordinary muscle subjected to summer and winter fasting was higher than in the controls after 24–48 h of storage. However, the relationship between the pH and glycogen content was unclear. The metmyoglobin content during chilled storage was lower in the ordinary muscles from either fasting group than in the controls. In conclusion, fasting for 6 days in the winter improved the color stability of the ordinary muscle without a decline in its lipid content.     

Effects of time and duration of rearing with bottom sand on the occurrence and expansion of staining-type hypermelanosis in the Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus

We previously reported that the progression of staining-type hypermelanosis spontaneously ceased at a specific time and area in Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. To examine whether time is a limiting factor in the spontaneous cessation of staining, we experimentally controlled the initiation and duration of staining by manipulating the bottom substrate condition in the fish tanks. At 151 days post hatching (DPH; 11 weeks), spontaneous cessation of staining was observed in fish reared in tanks without a sandy substrate. However, staining resumed (or was initiated) in tanks where sand was removed from 11 weeks, indicating a strong but temporary effect of bottom sand and the absence of time limitation in the staining progression by 151 DPH. Extended duration of the inhibitory period of hypermelanosis expansion (9 weeks or more) aided in only a 20 % reduction of the final staining area because of the increased rate of staining expansion. The bottom sandy substrate decreased the visibility of the staining area in individuals, but this was observed only before the completion of the staining expansion. These findings are discussed in relation to possible presence of area limitation of future staining, as well as the fundamental nature of staining.     

Physiological effects of wood on humans: a review

It is empirically known that wood can cause a comfort enhancement effect in humans. On the other hand, not enough scientific knowledge based on evidence-based research is available on this subject. However, data using physiological indices have increasingly accumulated in recent years. This review provides an overview of the current situation for peer-reviewed reports related to the physiological effects of wood. We reviewed reports that elucidated the effects of wood-derived stimulations on the olfactory, visual, auditory, and tactile sensations using physiological indices such as brain activity (e.g., near-infrared spectroscopy) and autonomic nervous activity (e.g., heart rate variability and blood pressure). It became clear that many studies were limited by (1) a small number of participants, mostly aged in their 20s; (2) use of only a single stimulus (e.g., only olfactory or only visual), or (3) an incomplete experimental design. In addition, this review examined the field of forest therapy, for which there is abundant research. Further study is needed to elucidate the physiological effects of wood on humans.     

Effects of contact with wood on blood pressure and subjective evaluation

This study examined the effects of contact with wood on the living human body using a physiological index and subjective evaluation. Consecutive blood pressure measurements were used as the physiological index, and sensory evaluation using the semantic differential (SD) method was used for subjective evaluation. Consideration was also given to cases in which materials were cooled and heated as well as kept at room temperature, to eliminate the effects of heat flux due to differences in thermal conductivity between wood and other materials. It was found that contact with wood produced coarse/natural sensations, with no associated increase in systolic blood pressure. Contact with cold wood created subjectively dangerous/uncomfortable but still coarse/natural sensations, also with no associated increase in blood pressure; therefore, there was no correspondence between subjective evaluation and physiological responses. Contact with aluminum kept at room temperature and cold acrylic plastic created flat/artificial and dangerous/uncomfortable sensations, with an associated significant increase in blood pressure; thus, there was a close correlation between subjective evaluation and physiological responses. It was therefore concluded that contact with wood, unlike artificial materials such as aluminum, induces no physiological stress even when kept at room temperature or cooled. Part of this report was presented at the 48th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society in Shizuoka, April 1998     

Undulated flooring in the rearing tank decreases hypermelanosis in Japanese flounder <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paralichthys olivaceus</Emphasis>

In the aquaculture of the Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus, hypermelanosis, a malpigmentation condition in which the scales of a significant area on the blind side express the characteristics of those on the ocular side, remains a major concern. Since introducing sand into the rearing tank effectively suppresses hypermelanosis, the inhibitory effects of various characteristics of the surface of the tank floor were investigated. Although an inhibitory effect was observed in both tanks with a sand-image floor and a sand-pasted floor, the strongest effect was found in tanks with a dimpled floor. In addition, covering the inner surface of the tank with net also inhibited hypermelanosis. Using a commercially available corrugated plate, the inhibition of hypermelanosis was confirmed with a noted increase in this effect when combined with light coloration. Juveniles tended to situate themselves in the valley portions of the corrugated plate, suggesting that floor contact with the blind side may contribute to hypermelanosis inhibition. Further observations on the floor contact area with various floor configurations suggested that hypermelanosis is locally suppressed in the areas with floor contact. Therefore, suppression by an undulated (both dimpled and corrugated) floor is likely due to an increase in floor contact area with the blind side.     

Intravaginal administration of estradiol benzoate capsule for estrus synchronization in goats

Estrus synchronization requires multiple treatments of hormonal drugs, requiring considerable time and cost. The aim of the present study was to develop an estrus synchronization protocol using intravaginal administration of estradiol benzoate (EB) capsules in goats. Two types of capsules were prepared: an EB capsule that melted immediately after administration and a sustained-release (SR) EB capsule that dissolved slowly and reached a peak after 24 h. Goats with functional corpus lutea were intramuscularly treated with prostaglandin F_2α (PG). At 24 h after PG administration, goats were administered 1 mg of EB solution intramuscularly (PG + 24IM; n = 6) or 1 mg of EB capsule intravaginally (PG + 24EB; n = 6). The SR EB capsule was administered intravaginally at the time of PG administration (PG + SR; n = 6). The control group (n = 6) received only PG. All groups showed estrus within 72 h after PG administration. The onset of estrus did not differ significantly between the PG + 24IM and PG + SR groups but was earlier than in the control group. Estradiol concentration in the PG + SR group peaked at 11.5 ± 6.1 h after EB and PG administration. Peak estradiol concentrations were not significantly different between the PG + 24IM and PG + SR groups (78.0 ± 25.8 and 64.0 ± 38.1 pg/ml, respectively), and were higher than the PG + 24EB and control groups (27.3 ± 8.8 and 14.6 ± 6.1 pg/ml, respectively). These results suggest that intravaginal administration of an EB capsule with a sustained-drug release base is applicable for estrus synchronization, as an alternative to intramuscular administration.