Blowout conditions and properties of isocyanate resin bonded particleboard manufactured from high-moisture particles using an air-injection press

Blowouts of particleboards were artificially induced by increasing the vapor pressure inside the boards. Isocyanate resin bonded boards were manufactured from high-moisture particles, and the blowouts and board properties were analyzed. Boards with a high resin content of 5 % showed high bonding strength and did not blow out when pressed at 190 °C, but blew out at a raised temperature of 210 °C to increase vapor pressure inside the boards, thereby showing that blowout occurred when vapor pressure inside the boards exceeded the bonding strength of isocyanate resin. Boards with a low resin content of 2.5 % had low bonding strength and blew out when manufactured without air injection, but were successfully manufactured with air injection that prevents blowouts. However, the injection of high-pressure air reduced the strength properties of the board and increased the coefficient of variation, likely due to the discharge of isocyanate resin from the boards. Therefore, very small local blowouts occurred inside the boards, which lowered the strength properties of some specimens and led to a large coefficient of variation. When the pressure of injected air was lowered, the strength properties increased and the coefficient of variation decreased. This was possibly because the low-pressure air allowed isocyanate resin to remain in the boards, resulting in virtually no parts showing very low-strength properties.     

The Composition of Volatile Aroma Components, Flavanones, and Polymethoxylated Flavones in Shiikuwasha (Citrus depressa Hayata) Peels of Different Cultivation Lines

Citrus peels are important sources of various pleasant aroma compounds and valuable bioactive substances. To investigate differences in the composition and content of Shiikuwasha (Citrus depressa Hayata) peels from different cultivation lines, the composition of volatile aroma components, flavanones, and polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) in four Shiikuwasha cultivation lines was examined. The composition of volatile aroma components in cold-pressed extracts of Shiikuwasha peels was analyzed using gas chromatography-flame ionization detection and gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry. The extracts contained mainly monoterpene hydrocarbons (93.40-97.25%), including limonene (46.52-68.26%) and γ-terpinene (21.48-30.52%). Differences in the composition of volatile aroma compounds in the Shiikuwasha cultivation lines were revealed using principal component analysis. Additionally, the composition of flavanones and PMFs was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography methods. Neohesperidin (96.58%) was the predominant flavanone in 'Izumi kugani' peel, while the other peels had high hesperidin contents (89.26-98.66%). Moreover, the PMFs of Shiikuwasha peels were composed of nobiletin (56.74-64.77%) and tangeretin (23.17-34.70%).     

Effects of water soaking and outdoor exposure on nail joint properties of particleboard

Phenol-formaldehyde resin-bonded particleboard (PF board) and isocyanate resin-bonded particleboard (MDI board) were soaked in water at 40, 70 and 100 °C, and the relationships between soaking conditions and nail joint properties were analyzed. The soaking time to reach the lower limit of nail-head pull-through (NHPT) of the PF board was 2 h at 100 °C, while it took 168 h at 70 °C. The soaking time to reach the lower limit of lateral nail resistance (LNR) of the PF board was 24 h at 100 °C, but it did not take 168 h at 70 °C to reach it. The lower limits of NHPT and LNR for the MDI board were higher than those for the PF board. For the PF board, there was a high correlation between modulus of rupture, internal bond strength and nail joint properties. Based on the results of water soaking and outdoor exposure, it was shown that thickness change has a significant effect on NHPT and LNR, and that the reduction in NHPT and LNR results from the collapse of bonding points owing to swelling of the board.     

Satellite cells produce neural chemorepellent semaphorin 3A upon muscle injury

Regenerative mechanisms that regulate intramuscular motor innervation. including configuration of the neuromuscular connections are thought to reside in the spatiotemporal expression of axon‐guidance molecules. Our previous studies proposed a heretofore unexplored role of satellite cells as a key source of a secreted neural chemorepellent semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) expression. In order to verify this concept, there is still a critical need to provide direct evidence to show the up‐regulation of Sema3A protein in satellite cells in vivo upon muscle injury. The present study employed a Sema3A/MyoD double‐immunohistochemical staining for cryo‐sections prepared from cardiotoxin injected gastrocnemius muscle of adult mouse lower hind‐limb. Results clearly demonstrated that Sema3A expression was up‐regulated in myogenic differentiation‐positive satellite cells at 4–12 days post‐injury period, the time that corresponds to the cell differentiation phase characterized by increasing myogenin messenger RNA expression. This direct proof encourages a possible implication of satellite cells in the spatiotemporal regulation of extracellular Sema3A concentrations, which potentially ensures coordinating a delay in neurite sprouting and re‐attachment of motoneuron terminals onto damaged muscle fibers early in muscle regeneration in synchrony with recovery of muscle‐fiber integrity.     

Pneumonia in horses induced by intrapulmonary inoculation of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus

To evaluate the possibility that Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S.z) the causative bacterial agent of equine shipping fever pneumonia (ESFP), as well as to investigate its pathogenesis, 10 horses (seven Thoroughbreds and three Anglo-Arab species, ranging from 2-4 years in age) were experimentally inoculated, via an endoscope, into bronchus of the lung lobe with a dose of 30 ml of 1-7 x 10(8) CFU/ml of S.z. After inoculation, autopsy and pathological examinations were sequentially conducted 30 min, 1, 2, 3, 4, 17, 20 hr and 2 weeks later. Pneumonia induced by the intrapulmonary inoculation of S.z was characterized by small purulent pneumonic foci in the inoculated areas. With the lapse of time, these foci developed into serous hemorrhagic pneumonia, hemorrhagic purulent pneumonia, and then purulent, coagulation necrotic pneumonia. These pathomorphological characteristics of experimental pneumonia closely resemble those naturally occurring ESFP. There is strong evidence that S.z. is implicated as a causal factor in ESFP. S.z. grew in the mucus, exudate, and pulmonary effusions. Further, the bacteria showed resistance against phagocytosis by pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAM) and neutrophils. Inhibition of PAM and neutrophil function is considered to be important in the development of pneumonia. With the progression of the disease, the neutrophils often adhered to the endothelial surface of the alveolar capillary lumen and played a role in generating coagulation necrosis of lung tissues.     

Inhibition of mitogen activated protein kinase activity induces parthenogenetic activation and increases cyclin B accumulation during porcine oocyte maturation

The inhibition of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation during porcine oocyte maturation leads to decreased maturation promoting factor (MPF) activity and to the induction of parthenogenetic activation. In the present study, in order to analyze the mechanism underlying the suppression of MPF activity in MAPK-inhibited porcine oocytes, we injected mRNA of SASA-MEK, a dominant negative MAPK kinase, or antisense RNA of c-mos, a MAPK kinase kinase, into immature porcine oocyte cytoplasm. The injection of SASA-MEK mRNA or c-mos antisense RNA inhibited the MAPK activity partially or completely, respectively, decreased the MPF activity slightly or significantly, respectively, and induced parthenogenetic activation in 17.1% or 96.6% of mature oocytes, respectively, although no parthenogenetic activation was observed in the control oocytes. Immunoblotting experiments revealed that cyclin B accumulation in these MAPK-suppressed porcine oocytes was increased significantly after 50 h of culture and that a considerable amount of MPF was converted into inactive pre-MPF by hyperphosphorylation. These results indicate that the inhibition of MAPK activity in porcine oocytes did not promote cyclin B degradation but rather suppressed it; also the decrease in MPF activity in MAPK-suppressed porcine oocytes correlated with the conversion of active MPF into inactive pre-MPF.     

Laccase Gene LAC1 of Colletotrichum lagenarium Is Not Essential for Melanin Biosynthesis and Pathogenicity

Laccase has been shown to oxidize 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene (1,8-DHN) in the final step of melanin biosynthesis in several fungi. In this study, a laccase gene (LAC1) was cloned from Colletotrichum lagenarium that synthesizes 1,8-DHN melanin, and characterized. To clone the LAC1 sequences, genomic DNA was subject to polymerase chain reactions (PCR) with degenerate oligonucleotide primers that were designed on the basis of amino acid sequences conserved among characterized laccases from other ascomycetes Botrytis cinerea, Neurospora crassa, Aspergillus nidulans, and Cryphonectria parasiticus. The LAC1 gene contained an open reading frame composed of 589 codons and three introns of 51, 49, and 57 nucleotides. The deduced amino acid sequence of Lac1p had high similarity to that of laccase from N. crassa and significant homology with those of multicopper blue proteins. Under melanin-induced culture of this fungus, laccase activity significantly increased and LAC1 expression was also detected. However, the lac1Δ mutants retained laccase activity and had no significant phenotypic differences in melanin production or pathogenicity from the wild-type strain. Received 23 February 2001/ Accepted in revised form 29 March 2001     

Enhancement of chicken resistance against Escherichia coli infection by oral administration of Bifidobacterium thermophilum preparations

Three types of Bifidobacterium thermophilum extract were prepared and fed to 2-wk-old chickens to evaluate their usefulness in enhancing the defense activity of the chickens against pathogenic Escherichia coli. All three preparations resulted in significant reduction (P < 0.05) of E. coli numbers in the lungs of the treated chicken groups compared with the control nontreated group. Besides, improvement in the survival rate was observed in the treated chicken groups, especially the one administered the enzyme-digested B. thermophilum extract sample. Concanavalin A-stimulated lymphocytes from the latter group demonstrated significantly higher proliferation activity compared with those from the control group. These results suggest that oral administration of B. thermophilum preparations may be used to enhance the resistance of chickens against E. coli infection.     

Isolation of Streptobacillus moniliformis from a pet rat

We isolated Streptobacillus moniliformis, the causative agent of rat-bite fever in humans, from the salivary gland of a pet rat postmortem. The isolate was a Gram-negative pleomorphic coccobacillus, which produced acid from glucose and showed enzymatic activities for eight items in the API ZYM system. The results were consistent with those of the reference strain, ATCC 14647(T), except for acid production from dextrin. Partial sequencing of 16S rRNA (1,440 bp) and gyrB genes (514 bp) of the isolate revealed similarities of 100% and 99.8%, respectively, to those of S. moniliformis in GenBank. Therefore, the isolate was identified as S. moniliformis. These results suggested the potential risk of rat-bite fever arising from pet rats in Japan.     

Epistatic effects between pairs of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a,growth hormone,growth hormone receptor,non‐SMC condensin I complex,subunit G and stearoyl‐CoA desaturase genes on carcass,price‐related and fatty acid composition traits in Japanese Black cattle

Growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHSR1a), growth hormone (GH), growth hormone receptor (GHR), non‐SMC condensin I complex, subunit G (NCAPG) and stearoyl‐CoA desaturase (SCD), are known to play important roles in growth and lipid metabolisms. Single and epistatic effects of the five genes on carcass, price‐related and fatty acid (FA) composition traits were analyzed in a commercial Japanese Black cattle population of Ibaraki Prefecture. A total of 650 steers and 116 heifers for carcass and price‐related traits, and 158 steers for FA composition traits were used in this study. Epistatic effects between pairs of the five genes were found in several traits. Alleles showing strain‐specific differences in the five genes had significant single and epistatic effects in some traits. The data suggest that a TG‐repeat polymorphism of the GHSR1a.5′UTR‐(TG)_n locus plays a central role in gene–gene epistatic interaction of FA composition traits in the adipose tissue of Japanese Black cattle.