Dielectric relaxation due to heterogeneous structure in moist wood

Dielectric properties in three main directions for hinoki wood (Chamaecyparis obtusa) specimens conditioned at various levels of relative humidity were measured in the frequency range from 20 Hz to 10 MHz over the temperature range from −150°C to 20°C. Three relaxations were observed in the specimens conditioned at high levels of relative humidity. The relaxation in the highest frequency range was ascribed to the motions of adsorbed water molecules. The relaxation in the middle frequency range remained unchanged by the ethanol–benzene extraction of specimens. The relaxation location was independent of measuring directions. The relaxation in the lowest frequency range was not detected in the specimens impregnated with methyl methacrylate (MMA). This result suggested that the relaxation was due to electrode polarization. The Cole-Cole circular arc law applied well to two relaxations recognized in the specimens impregnated with MMA. The relaxation magnitude in the middle frequency range was extremely large, and the distribution of relaxation times was very narrow. These characteristics suggested relaxation of the Maxwell-Wagner type resulting from the interfacial polarization in the heterogeneous structure, which included adsorbed water with large electrical conductivity within the insulating cell walls.     

Evaluating environmental impacts of the Japanese beef cow–calf system by the life cycle assessment method

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the environmental impacts of a beef cow–calf system using a life cycle assessment (LCA) method and to investigate the effects of scenarios to reduce environmental impacts on the LCA results. The functional unit was defined as one marketed beef calf, and the processes associated with the cow–calf life cycle, such as feed production, feed transport, animal management, the biological activity of the animal and the treatment of cattle waste were included in the system boundary. The present results showed that the total contributions of one beef calf throughout its life cycle to global warming, acidification, eutrophication and energy consumption were 4550 kg of CO₂ equivalents, 40.1 kg of SO₂ equivalents, 7.0 kg of phosphate (PO₄) equivalents and 16.1 GJ, respectively. The contribution of each process to the total environmental impact in each environmental impact category showed a similar tendency to the contribution of each process in each environmental category reported in the case of the beef fattening system as a whole. The results from this analysis showed that shortening calving intervals by 1 month reduced environmental impacts by 5.7–5.8% in all the environmental impact categories examined in the current study, and increasing the number of calves per cow also reduced environmental impacts in all the categories, although the effects were smaller.     

Histological and immunohistochemical features of cutaneous mast cell tumor in six captive four-toed hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris)

This report described the histopathological and immunohistochemical features of cutaneous mast cell tumor (MCT) in six hedgehogs. The hedgehogs presented single cutaneous mass with ulcer and crusting. Histologically, the neoplastic lesions were characterized by the proliferation of well-differentiated mast cells (3 cases), and atypical mast cells (3 cases) with one atypical histiocytic morphology. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for KIT and mast cell tryptase, and were negative for Iba-1. In well-differentiated MCT, all patients were clinically improved and survived more than 365 days after surgical excision, whereas an atypical histiocytic MCT showed aggressive behavior with re-recurrence, and the animal died 115 days after surgery. These findings suggest that, compatible with other animals, well-differentiated MCT has a better prognosis in hedgehogs.     

Two new tryptamine derivatives, leptoclinidamide and (-)-leptoclinidamine B, from an Indonesian ascidian Leptoclinides dubius

Two new tryptamine-derived alkaloids, named as leptoclinidamide (1) and (-)-leptoclinidamine B (2), were isolated from an Indonesian ascidian Leptoclinides dubius together with C2-α-D-mannosylpyranosyl-L-tryptophan (3). The structure of 1 was assigned on the basis of spectroscopic data for 1 and its N-acetyl derivative (4). Compound 1 was an amide of tryptamine with two β-alanine units. Although the planar structure of 2 is identical to that of the known compound (+)-leptoclinidamine B (5), compound 2 was determined to be the enantiomer of 5 based on amino acid analysis using HPLC methods. Compounds 1 to 4 were evaluated for cytotoxicity against two human cancer cell lines, HCT-15 (colon) and Jurkat (T-cell lymphoma) cells, but none of the compounds showed activity.     

Effects of polyethylene glycol and a synthetic ice blocker during vitrification of immature porcine oocytes on survival and subsequent embryo development

We evaluated the effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and Supercool X‐1000 (SC) as supplements during the vitrification of immature cumulus‐enclosed porcine oocytes in a solution based on 17.5% ethylene glycol + 17.5% propylene glycol. After warming, the oocytes were subjected to in vitro maturation, fertilization and embryo culture. In Experiment 1, equilibration and vitrification solutions were supplemented with or without 2% (w/v) PEG (PEG+ and PEG‐, respectively). The survival rate, cleavage and blastocyst development were similar between PEG+ and PEG‐ groups; however, all values were lower than those in the non‐vitrified control. In Experiment 2, vitrification solution was supplemented with or without 1% (v/v) SC (SC+ and SC‐, respectively). The percentages of survival and blastocyst development were similar between SC+ and SC‐ groups but lower than those in the non‐vitrified control. The percentage of cleavage in the SC‐ group was significantly lower than the control and the SC+ groups, which were in turn similar to one another. In both experiments, the cell numbers in blastocysts were not significantly different among the non‐vitrified and vitrified groups. In conclusion, PEG did not improve oocyte survival and embryo development, whereas SC improved the ability of surviving oocytes to cleave but not to develop into blastocysts.     

Essential role of Fkbp6 in male fertility and homologous chromosome pairing in meiosis

Meiosis is a critical stage of gametogenesis in which alignment and synapsis of chromosomal pairs occur, allowing for the recombination of maternal and paternal genomes. Here we show that FK506 binding protein (Fkbp6) localizes to meiotic chromosome cores and regions of homologous chromosome synapsis. Targeted inactivation of Fkbp6 in mice results in aspermic males and the absence of normal pachytene spermatocytes. Moreover, we identified the deletion of Fkbp6 exon 8 as the causative mutation in spontaneously male sterile as/as mutant rats. Loss of Fkbp6 results in abnormal pairing and misalignments between homologous chromosomes, nonhomologous partner switches, and autosynapsis of X chromosome cores in meiotic spermatocytes. Fertility and meiosis are normal in Fkbp6 mutant females. Thus, Fkbp6 is a component of the synaptonemal complex essential for sex-specific fertility and for the fidelity of homologous chromosome pairing in meiosis.     

Anti-Mycobacterial Nucleoside Antibiotics from a Marine-Derived Streptomyces sp. TPU1236A

Five new nucleoside antibiotics, named streptcytosines A–E (1–5), and six known compounds, de-amosaminyl-cytosamine (6), plicacetin (7), bamicetin (8), amicetin (9), collismycin B (10), and SF2738 C (11), were isolated from a culture broth of Streptomyces sp. TPU1236A collected in Okinawa, Japan. The structures of new compounds were elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic data (HRFABMS, IR, UV, and 2D NMR experiments including ¹H-¹H COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY spectra). Streptcytosine A (1) belonged to the amicetin group antibiotics, and streptcytosines B–E (2–5) were derivatives of de-amosaminyl-cytosamine (6), 2,3,6-trideoxyglucopyranosyl cytosine. Compound 1 inhibited the growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis (MIC = 32 µg/mL), while compounds 2–5 were not active at 50 µg/disc. Bamicetin (8) and amicetin (9) showed the MICs of 16 and 8 µg/mL, respectively.     

β 1-4 mannobiose enhances Salmonella-killing activity and activates innate immune responses in chicken macrophages

Salmonella spp. is one of the major causes of food-borne illness in humans, and Salmonella enteritidis (SE) infection in commercial poultry is a world-wide problem. Here we have investigated the in vitro immune-modulating effects of β 1-4 mannobiose (MNB), which was previously found to prevent SE infection in vivo in chickens, using chicken macrophage (MQ-MCSU) cells. Treatment of MQ-NCSU cells with MNB dose-dependently increased both phagocytic activity and Salmonella-killing activity of macrophages, with the highest reduction in SE viability observed at a concentration of 40 μg/ml at 48 h post-infection. Likewise, both hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and nitric oxide (NO) production were increased in a dose-dependent manner by MNB. Gene expression analysis of MNB-treated macrophages revealed significant increases in the expression of iNOS, NOX-1, IFN-γ, NRAMP1, and LITAF, genes critical for host defense and antimicrobial activity, when compared to untreated cells. This data confirms that MNB possesses potent innate immune-modulating activities and can up-regulate antibacterial defenses in chicken macrophages.