T-cell lymphoma in a wild Okinawa rail (Gallirallus okinawae)

The Okinawa rail (Gallirallus okinawae) is an endangered species that inhabits the northern part of Okinawa Main Island in southern Japan. A wild Okinawa rail was rescued from a road in Kunigami Village in Okinawa in October 2009. The bird subsequently died and underwent necropsy. Tumors were found in the liver, spleen and part of the small intestine. Microscopically, lymphoid neoplasm was confirmed in these tissues. The tumor cells were mainly positive for CD3 and CD8α by immunohistochemistry. No Marek's disease virus genes were detected by PCR of a liver tumor. This is the first report of T-cell lymphoma in the Okinawa rail.     

Antioxidative functions of natto,a kind of fermented soybeans: effect on LDL oxidation and lipid metabolism in cholesterol-fed rats

Natto water-soluble fractions, low-molecular-weight viscous substance, and soybean water extract, which had an inhibitory effect on the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in vitro, were fed to rats for 3 weeks. These fractions had no influence on the growth of rats, which were fed a basal diet containing 1% cholesterol, but lowered plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol. Inhibition of copper-oxidation of plasma and LDL ex vivo, and a reduction in lipid peroxidation in liver and aorta in vivo, were also observed. The antioxidant enzymes were not induced in rats fed natto fraction diets. These results demonstrate that ingestion of the natto fractions led to inhibition of LDL oxidation, and that the fractions perform direct antioxidant action in the body. It is suggested that natto fractions might help to prevent arteriosclerosis, as they appear to reduce lipid peroxidation and improve lipid metabolism.     

Development of nuclear DNA markers to characterize genetically diverse groups of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Misgurnus anguillicaudatus</Emphasis> and its closely related species

Repetitive DNA sequences, ManDra and ManBgl, were isolated from the DraI and BglII digests of the genomic DNA of Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, respectively. A primer set of ManDra distinguished two genetically different groups (A and B) of M. anguillicaudatus by specific electrophoretograms. A primer set of ManBgl amplified the DNA of M. anguillicaudatus and M. mizolepis. The individuals of M. anguillicaudatus were divided into two groups depending on the fragment sizes, in which the groups A and B (B-1 and B-2) showed 400 and 460 bp, respectively. M. mizolepis was distinguished by a different pattern (400-, 460-, and 510-bp fragments). PCR–RFLP analyses of recombination activating gene 1 gave a clear difference between A or B-2 (443-bp fragment) and B-1 groups (296- and 147-bp fragments). Clonal lineages and hybrids between B-1 and B-2 groups could be identified by appearance of three fragments (443, 296, and 147 bp). The combined analyses using the above three nuclear markers discriminated among nuclear genomes of genetic groups (A, B-1 and B-2) of M. anguillicaudatus and M. mizolepis. In several localities, natural hybridizations between the group B-1 and B-2 loaches and introgressions of clonal mitochondrial genomes into the group B-1 loaches were detected.     

Growth of the brittle star Ophiura sarsii sarsii in Funka Bay,Hokkaido, Japan

Fisheries Science - The brittle star Ophiura sarsii with a disc diameter (DD) of less than 9&nbsp;mm is an important prey item for flathead flounder Hippoglossoides dubius in Funka...     

Abstracts of nippon Dozyohiryogaku Zasshi

This study is an attempt to establish an evaluation method of water repellency of soil ranging complete wettability to complete nonwettability. The principal used was the theory of capillary rise.

The samples were packed into teflon tubes which are verv hydrophobic and placed at a certain depth in water. In this method, the height of capillary rise of very nonwettable sample would remain under the free water level even for an infinite lime. On the other hand, the letting front of the wettable samples would be above the free water level for an infinite lime. This method is considered to he suitable for both writable and nonwettable samples. It was found that not onlv writable samples but also nonwettable samples changed to be completely lettable bv healing at 250 C, and also thai this change was particularly remarkable in the case of humic acid.

From the ratio of the maximum height of capillary rise of the sample heated at 105°C to that 250 C, the sample heated at 250 C, the water repellency of the soil sample can be represented as contact angle, whether the sample is very wettable of nonwettable.