<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ageratum</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">yellow vein virus</Emphasis> isolated from tomato plants with leaf curl on Ishigaki Island,Okinawa, Japan

In 2005, severe leaf curling and yellowing were observed on tomato plants on Ishigaki Island. Because the symptoms were consistent with infection by a begomovirus, we used a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific primers for begomovirus DNA-A and DNA satellite component (DNA-β) and detected products of the expected sizes from symptomatic tomato plant samples. DNA sequence analyses of the PCR products revealed that the symptomatic tomato plants were associated with Ageratum yellow vein virus (AYVV) infection. We confirmed AYVV transmission from the naturally infected weed host, Ageratum conyzoides, to healthy tomato plants by the insect vector Bemisia tabaci B biotype. This report is the first of AYVV occurrence in Japan.     

Spontaneously occurring intracranial lipomatous hamartoma in a young BALB/c mouse and a literature review

An intracranial lipomatous hamartoma was found in the third ventricle of a 7-week-old female BALB/cAnNCrlCrlj mouse. The nodule was composed of mature white adipose cells, which contained one large fat droplet, and there was no evidence of cytological atypia. The brain parenchyma at the retrosplenial granular cortex and the hippocampus in the cerebrum were slightly compressed, and the choroid plexus was dislocated downward. Scattered capillary vessels penetrated the nodule from the surrounding tissue. Based on these findings, the lesion was diagnosed as a lipomatous hamartoma that occurred from the roof of the third ventricle. This extremely rare tumor-like nodule represents an overgrowth of the mature adipocyte population as a malformation rather than a true neoplasm.     

Postharvest anthracnose on Satsuma mandarin orange caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum fioriniae</Emphasis>

In early January 2015–2017, anthracnose was detected on Satsuma mandarin orange (SMO) (Citrus unshiu) fruits kept in farmers’ storage rooms in Saga Prefecture, Japan. Three single-spore isolates from rotten fruits reproduced the postharvest anthracnose symptoms in wound-inoculated SMO fruits and were re-isolated from lesions. The isolates were identified as Colletotrichum fioriniae based on conidial morphology, culture characteristics, rDNA-ITS, and beta-tubulin-2 gene sequences. This is the first report of postharvest anthracnose on SMO caused by C. fioriniae.     

High level expression of C-terminal truncated recombinant chicken interferon-gamma in baculovirus vector system

Chicken interferon-gamma (ChIFN-gamma) was expressed by baculovirus in a C-terminal truncated form, namely ChIFN-gammaT, to accelerate the secretion of the expressed protein. It is also expressed as ChIFN-gammaT bearing poly His tag, ChIFN-gammaTHis, for easy purification. The expressed proteins were detected by SDS-PAGE analysis with Coomassie brilliant blue staining. The purified ChIFN-gammaTHis with nickel chelated column showed anti-viral activity in vitro and stimulation of the secretion of nitrogen intermediates such as nitric oxide in chicken peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Antiserum against ChIFN-gammaTHis recognized the 15 kDa, 16 kDa, and 32 kDa bands that seemed to be an unglycosylated monomer, a glycosylated monomer, and a homodimer of ChIFN-gammaTHis in the culture supernatant, respectively. The anti-serum also recognized around 14 kDa and 28 kDa bands in the sera of chickens or concanavalin A stimulated spleen cell culture supernatants that seemed to be monomeric and dimeric forms of a natural ChIFN-gamma, respectively.     

Resistance of Venturia nashicola to thiophanate-methyl and benomyl: build-up and decline of resistance in the field

Changes in the proportion of benzimidazole-resistant strains in populations of Venturia nashicola were monitored in pear orchards. Successive applications of thiophanate-methyl increased the level of resistance in the populations. When the application of benzimidazoles was stopped and other fungicides were applied, the proportion of highly resistant strains gradually decreased and the proportion of intermediately resistant, weakly resistant and sensitive strains increased. It is suggested that this phenomenon is an example of genetic homeostasis within microbial populations.     

Genetic diversity ofKandelia candel andBruguiera gymnorrhiza in the Southwest Islands, Japan

The genetic diversity of the mangrove tree speciesKandelia candel andBruguiera gymnorrhiza in the Southwest Islands of Japan was investigated. These islands are located at the periphery of the distribution area of the two species, and their populations are relatively small. Allozyme analyses of 17 loci inK. candel and 13 loci inB. gynmorrhiza revealed very little genetic variation in both species. At the species level, the proportion of polymorphic loci was 4.2%, the average effective number of alleles per locus was 1.02, and the average expected heterozygosity was 0.012 inK. candel. The corresponding figures forB. gymnorrhiza were 9.0%, 1.06 and 0.035, respectively. However, the coefficients of genetic differentiation among the populations were high (G _ST=0.165 forK. candel and 0.253 forB. gymnorrhiza). The genetic variation and habitat area ofK. candel on Amami Island is greater than on the islands Okinawa and Iriomote. The genetic variation and habitat area ofB. gymnorrhiza is greater on Iriomote Island than on the islands Okinawa and Amami. The level of genetic variation in both of the species might be related to their population sizes.     

In vitro screening of angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitors from Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica)

Screening and isolation of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors from Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) based on the in vitro ACE inhibitory assay were attempted. The ethanol extract from outer bark showed the highest inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ is 16g/ml) among 24 extracts prepared from roots, leaves, heartwood, sapwood, inner bark, and outer bark by successive extraction with four solvents. The fractionation of the outer bark ethanol extract followed by the bioassay resulted in the isolation of two strong ACE inhibitors, catechin and dimeric procyanidin B3. The bioassay of three flavan-3-ols including (+)-catechin and six flavones revealed that most of these compounds have high ACE inhibitory activity. The results suggest that the phenolic hydroxyl group at the C7 position and heterocyclic oxygen atom of these compounds are important for expressing the inhibitory activity.     

Soil respiration and soil CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> concentration in a tropical forest,Thailand

Soil respiration and soil carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration were investigated in a tropical monsoon forest in northern Thailand, from 1998 to 2000. Soil respiration was relatively high during the rainy season and low during the dry season, although interannual fluctuations were large. Soil moisture was widely different between the dry and wet seasons, while soil temperature changed little throughout the year. As a result, the rate of soil respiration is determined predominantly by soil moisture, not by soil temperature. The roughly estimated annual soil respiration rate was 2560gCm^–2year^–1. The soil CO₂ concentration also increased in the rainy season and decreased in the dry season, and showed clearer seasonality than soil respiration did.     

The effects of cataract stage, lens-induced uveitis and cataract removal on ERG in dogs with cataract

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of cataract stage, lens-induced uveitis and cataract removal on the electroretinogram (ERG) of dogs with cataract. ANIMALS STUDIED: Fifty-seven dogs diagnosed with unilateral or bilateral cataract whose ERG was recorded at Rakuno Gakuen University Teaching Animal Hospital from 2001 to 2004. PROCEDURES: Four responses were recorded during the ERG: rod ERG, standard combined ERG, single-flash cone ERG and 30-Hz flicker ERG. Cataracts were divided into four stages: incipient, immature, mature and hypermature, and with or without lens induced uveitis (LIU). Noncataractous eyes of dogs with unilateral cataract were used as the control. We compared ERG amplitude, implicit time, and the b- to a-wave amplitude ratio of cataractous vs. noncataractous eyes, preoperative vs. postoperative cataractous eyes, and cataractous eyes with and without LIU. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in ERG amplitude between incipient, immature and hypermature cataractous eyes, while in mature cataractous eyes decreased amplitude was confirmed in all responses compared with control eyes. However, no significant difference in b/a ratio was found at any stage of cataract. In postoperative eyes, increased amplitude was recorded in all responses compared to preoperative values. In eyes with LIU a decreased amplitude in the rod ERG and b-wave of standard combined ERG was recorded and, furthermore, a significant decline was confirmed in b/a ratio. CONCLUSION: ERG values were influenced by cataract stage and LIU. LIU was associated with a reduction in the b/a ratio.