Fecal progestagen and estrone during pregnancy in a giraffe: a case report

The present study was carried out to measure fecal progestagen and estrone concentrations during pregnancy in a giraffe and examine the possibility of utilizing this assay system for pregnancy diagnosis. Fecal samples were collected from a giraffe during her third and fourth parities and mixed with methanol to prepare a fecal solution. Diluted fecal solution was used for direct enzyme immunoassay for progestagen and estrone. The newborn calf from the third parity was viable, although that from the fourth parity died 5 days after calving. In the third parity, the giraffe's progestagen and estrone concentrations increased transiently from days 30 to 120 of pregnancy. Then, they decreased and remained low until day 330. This was followed by a drastic rise in both concentrations as parturition approached. Parturition caused a reduction in the progestagen and estrone concentrations of the feces. In the fourth parity, the progestagen concentration increased gradually after mating until day 320. This was followed by a reduction in the concentration until parturition. However, the estrone concentration fluctuated, and the duration and extent of the prepartum rise in concentration were shorter and lower than those of the third parity. The hormone dynamics of the third parity suggest the possibility of early pregnancy diagnosis by measuring progestagen or estrone between days 30 and 120 after mating.     

Performance of geophytes on extensive green roofs in the United Kingdom

Dwarf geophytes have great potential for use on extensive green roofs because they often come from arid areas and can survive dry and hot summer in a dormant state. However, there has been little research regarding geophytes on green roofs. This experiment was conducted to study the performance of 26 species of geophytes on a green roof during 2005–2006 in Sheffield, UK. The geophytes were grown at two substrate depths (5 cm and 10 cm) of substrate on a green roof without irrigation. To investigate the susceptibility of geophytes to competition from a covering of permanent plants, the geophytes were grown with or without a surface vegetation layer of Sedum album. Overall, the growth, survival rate, regeneration and flowering of geophytes were more successful at a substrate depth of 10 cm than of 5 cm, probably because of improved moisture retention, fewer temperature fluctuations and the protection from digging by animals. The flowering period was limited to spring, therefore, it is recommended to combine with other plant species such as covering plants. Geophyte species did not compete much with S. album and Sedum cover had no significant effects on the growth, survival rate, regeneration and flowering of geophytes in most species. Iris bucharica, Muscari azureum, Tulipa clusiana var. chrysantha, Tulipa humilis, Tulipa tarda and Tulipa turkestanica had good performance at the substrate depth of 5 cm. In addition, Narcissus cyclamineus ‘February gold’ and Tulipa urumiensis exhibited a successful performance at the substrate depth of 10 cm.     

Luteophanol D,New Polyhydroxyl Metabolite from Marine Dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp

Luteophanol D (1), a new polyhydroxyl linear carbon-chain metabolite, has been isolated from the cultured marine dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp., which was isolated from Okinawan marine acoel flatworm Pseudaphanostoma luteocoloris. The structure of 1 was elucidated by detailed analyses of 2D NMR spectra. Luteophanol D (1) possesses two tetrahydropyran rings and twenty-three hydroxyl groups on C₆₃-linear aliphatic chain with one exo-methylene and two methyl branches.     

A case of recovery from canine destructive cholangitis in a Miniature Dachshund

A 7-year-old Miniature Dachshund presented with severe chronic jaundice and elevated liver enzymes. Destructive cholangitis was diagnosed according to histopathological findings of remarkable ductopenia with inflammatory infiltrates and fibrosis in the portal areas. Supportive therapy with prednisolone, high-dose ursodeoxycholic acid, human placental extract and antibiotics was tried, and the patient showed recovery of clinical signs 3 months after diagnosis. A second liver biopsy was performed about 1 year after initial diagnosis, and bile duct restoration was confirmed with continuous inflammation around portal areas and inside the lobules. Although we could not determine which treatment was effective in this case, destructive cholangitis in dogs may be recoverable with long-term supportive therapies.     

Effects of bistheonellide A,an Actin-polymerization Inhibitor,on Chinese Hamster V79 Cells and on IL-8 Production in PMA-stimulated HL-60 Cells

Bioassay-guided isolation from the ethanol extract of a marine sponge Theonella sp. collected in Palau yielded bistheonellide A, which strongly inhibited the colony formation of Chinese hamster V79 cells (EC₅₀ = 6.8 nM). Bistheonellide A is an actin-polymerization inhibitor and was suggested to control cytokine production. Therefore, we attempted to detect an effect of this compound on IL-8 production in PMA-stimulated HL-60 cells. Interestingly, bistheonellide A did not modulate the production of IL-8 under cytotoxic concentrations as determined by LDH analysis. Although the correlation between the inhibition of microtubule assembly and the stimulation of IL-8 production has been observed for several compounds, the polymerization of actin was not related to an IL-8 production in the case of bistheonellide A. It will be suggested that the actin polymerization is not involved in the IL-8 production system.     

Estimation for the timing of the internal developmental processes of acorns from fruit size in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus serrata</Emphasis> Thunb. ex Murray

To evaluate the relative importance of the factors affecting the premature abortion of acorns in Quercus serrata Thunb. ex Murray during the course of their development, inner developmental processes of acorns were observed by microscope, and applicability of the diameter of fruits (acorns with cupules) as an indicator of the inner developmental processes was discussed. Based on the observations using microscope, the developmental processes of acorns were classified into five stages; one prezygotic and four postzygotic stages (stages I to V). The diameter of sound fruits increased exponentially until 14 weeks after pollination, and the variance of diameter in each tree was fairly small (CV = 6%) during the process. Diameter of fruits can be used as a good indicator of developmental stages of acorns at individual level, and effective for the evaluation of the ecological factors affecting the premature abortion of acorns.