Oxygen isotope exchange between refractory inclusion in allende and solar nebula Gas

A calcium-aluminum-rich inclusion (CAI) from the Allende meteorite was analyzed and found to contain melilite crystals with extreme oxygen-isotope compositions ( approximately 5 percent oxygen-16 enrichment relative to terrestrial oxygen-16). Some of the melilite is also anomalously enriched in oxygen-16 compared with oxygen isotopes measured in other CAIs. The oxygen isotopic variation measured among the minerals (melilite, spinel, and fassaite) indicates that crystallization of the CAI started from oxygen-16-rich materials that were probably liquid droplets in the solar nebula, and oxygen isotope exchange with the surrounding oxygen-16-poor nebular gas progressed through the crystallization of the CAI. Additional oxygen isotope exchange also occurred during subsequent reheating events in the solar nebula.     

Replacement of internal protein genes, with the exception of the matrix, in equine 1 viruses by equine 2 influenza virus genes during evolution in nature.

To establish the evolutionary association between the equine 1 H7 HA and M genes, phylogenetic analyses of the six internal gene segments of equine 1 influenza viruses (H7N7 subtype) were performed using partial nucleotide sequences. The results demonstrated that five internal genes (PBI, PB2, PA, NP and NS) of equine 1 viruses isolated after 1964 were replaced by those of equine 2 H3N8 viruses. However, the M gene was maintained during the evolution of these equine 1 viruses. These findings suggest a functional association between equine H7 HA and M gene products, most likely M2 protein.     

Biological Mode of Action of the Fungicide, Flusulfamide, Against Plasmodiophora brassicae (clubroot)

Flusulfamide (2, 4-dichloro-,,-trifluoro-4-nitro-m-toluenesulfonanilide) was investigated for its mode of action against Plasmodiophora brassicae Woronin. Seedlings of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. subsp. pekinensis) were grown for 14 and 21 days in soil infested with P. brassicae and then transplanted into soil containing flusulfamide (0.9µg a.i.g^–1 dry soil). Clubroot was not suppressed by this treatment, indicating that the fungicide is ineffective against P. brassicae established within cortical cells of the host root. Where seedlings were grown in soil infested with resting spores which had previously been treated with flusulfamide, root-hair infection and club formation were suppressed. This indicates that flusulfamide directly acts against resting spores. When placed in root exudates of Chinese cabbage, untreated resting spores germinated at a high frequency while flusulfamide-treated resting spores hardly germinated at all. Use of the Evan's blue staining assay indicated that flusulfamide-treated resting spores remained viable. Flusulfamide was detected by high performance liquid chromatography on resting spores treated with flusulfamide for 30min. This indicates that the chemical is adsorbed onto resting spores. These results suggest that flusulfamide suppresses clubroot disease by inhibiting germination of P. brassicae resting spores through adsorption onto their cell walls.     

Sesquiterpenes from the aerial part of Chloranthus japonicus and their cytotoxicities

Four new sesquiterpenes, chlorajapolides F–I (1–4), along with nine known terpenoids (5–13) were isolated from the aerial part of Chloranthus japonicus. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, and a lindenane sesquiterpene, named 9-hydroxy-heterogorgiolide, previously isolated from the C. japonicus, was revised as its 8-epimer (1a). Moreover, methanol extract (ME), EtOAc fraction (EF), water fraction (WF), and all isolates (1a, 1–13) were evaluated for their cytotoxicities using two human cancer cell lines.     

Vitrification procedure decreases inositol 1,4,5‐trisphophate receptor expression,resulting in low fertility of pig oocytes

Although cryopreservation of mammalian oocytes is an important technology, it is well known that unfertilized oocytes, especially in pigs, are highly sensitive to low temperature and that cryopreserved oocytes show low fertility and developmental ability. The aim of the present study was to clarify why porcine in vitro matured (IVM) oocytes at the metaphase II (MII) stage showed low fertility and developmental ability after vitrification. In vitro matured cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were vitrified with Cryotop and then evaluated for fertility through in vitro fertilization (IVF). Although sperm‐penetrated oocytes were observed to some extent (30–40%), the rate of pronuclear formation was low (9%) and none of them progressed to the two‐cell stage. The results suggest that activation ability of cryopreserved oocytes was decreased by vitrification. We examined the localization and expression level of the type 1 inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate receptor (IP₃R1), the channel responsible for Ca²⁺ release during IVF in porcine oocytes. Localization of IP₃R1 close to the plasma membrane and total expression level of IP₃R1 protein were both decreased by vitrification. In conclusion, our present study indicates that vitrified‐warmed porcine COCs showed a high survival rate but low fertility after IVF. This low fertility seems to be due to the decrease in IP₃R1 by the vitrification procedure.     

In vitro algaecide effect of disinfectants on Prototheca zopfii genotypes 1 and 2

Bovine mastitis due to Prototheca zopfii leads to reduced milk production and is difficult to cure. Therefore, prevention is the best approach and this is best achieved through the use of effective disinfectants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro algaecide efficacy of conventional disinfectants against strains of P. zopfii genotype 1 and 2. The minimal algaecide concentration (MAC) of alkyldiaminoethylglycine hydrochloride, chlorhexidine, dioxide chlorine, povidone iodine and sodium hypochlorous acid against 10 isolates and the type strain (SAG2063(T)) of P. zopfii genotype 1 as well as 10 isolates and the type strain (SAG2021(T)) of P. zopfii genotype 2 were examined using the micro dilution method. This in vitro study indicated that alkyldiaminoethylglycine hydrochloride, chlorhexidine, povidone iodine and sodium hypochlorous acid, but not dioxide chlorine, are effective against both genotypes of P. zopfii.     

Molecular epidemiological analysis of bat rabies viruses in Brazil

A molecular epidemiological analysis was performed in 19 rabies viruses (RVs) isolated from haematophagous, frugivorous and insectivorous bats, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The authors carried out RT-PCR for amplification of the RV nucleoprotein (N) gene, and determined 1,335 nucleotide sequences of N gene by direct sequencing method. Phylogenetic analysis, which was based on the N gene of Brazilian RV isolates identified presently and previously, revealed that RVs isolated from bats were genetically divided into four lineages had a tendency to depend on the host bat species. The first lineage consisted mainly of haematophagous bat (Desmodus rotundus) isolates, including frugivorous bat (Artibeus spp.) isolates. Other three lineages consisted of insectivorous bat isolates; mainly Eptesicus spp., Molossus spp. and Nyctinomops spp. isolates, respectively. These results indicate a possibility of that there are bat species-specific RV variants in Brazil.