A mathematical verification of the reinforced-matrix hypothesis using the Mori-Tanaka theory

This article presents a theoretical verification of the reinforced-matrix hypothesis derived from tensor equations, σ ^W = σ ^f + σ ^m and ε ^W = ε ^f = ε ^m (Wood Sci Technol 32:171–182, 1998; Wood Sci Technol 33:311–325, 1999; J Biomech Eng 124:432–440, 2002), using classical Mori-Tanaka theory on the micromechanics of fiber-reinforced materials (Acta Metall 21:571–574, 1973; Micromechanics — dislcation and inclusions (in Japanese), pp 141–147, 1976). The Mori-Tanaka theory was applied to a small fragment of the cell wall undergoing changes in its physical state, such as those arising from sorption of moisture, maturation of wall components, or action of an external force, to obtain 〈σ ^A〉_D = ϕ·〈σ ^F〉_I + (1−ϕ)·〈σ ^M〉_D−I. When the constitutive equation of each constituent material was applied to the equation 〈σ ^A〉_D = ϕ·〈σ ^F〉_I + (1−ϕ)·〈σ ^M〉_D−I, the equations σ ^W = σ ^f + σ ^m and ε ^W = ε ^f = ε ^m were derived to lend support to the concept that two main phases, the reinforcing cellulose microfibril and the lignin-hemicellulose matrix, coexist in the same domain. The constitutive equations for the cell wall fragment were obtained without recourse to additional parameters such as Eshelby’s tensor S and Hill’s averaged concentration tensors A^F and A^M. In our previous articles, the coexistence of two main phases and σ ^W = σ ^f + σ ^m and ε ^W = ε ^f =ε ^m had been taken as our starting point to formulate the behavior of wood fiber with multilayered cell walls. The present article provides a rational explanation for both concepts.     

Presence of surfactant proteins in the uteri and placentae of pregnant mares

Immunohistochemical investigations of the expression of surfactant protein A (SP-A) and surfactant protein D (SP-D) in the uterine and placental tissues of 13 pregnant mares were performed using anti-horse monoclonal primary antibodies. Strong positive reactions for both SP-A and SP-D were observed in the trophoblasts in the microcotyledons of the placentae at 182 to 314 days of gestation; in uterine glandular epithelial cells, faint-to-weak reactions were observed during gestation. This study describes, for the first time, the changes in the SP-A and SP-D expression levels in the endometrium of mares during gestation; the SP-A and SP-D expression levels increased after the second trimester of gestation.     

Occurrence of orally administered mulberry 1-deoxynojirimycin in rat plasma

1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), a potent glucosidase inhibitor, is a characteristic constituent of the mulberry leaf. Dietary mulberry DNJ may be beneficial for the suppression of abnormally high blood glucose levels, thereby preventing diabetes mellitus. Although there is considerable interest in the effects of mulberry DNJ, the intestinal absorption and pharmacokinetic profile of orally administered mulberry DNJ have never been characterized. In this study, we developed a method for determining the level of plasma DNJ by hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometric detector (HILIC-MS) to investigate the absorption and metabolism of orally administered mulberry DNJ in rats. DNJ was separated from plasma extract on a TSK gel Amide-80 column, a representative column for HILIC. At postcolumn, DNJ was concurrently detected and identified by MS. The plasma DNJ concentration in fasted rats was below the detection limit [<1 microg (6 nmol)/mL]; however, the concentration reached a maximum [15 microg (92 nmol)/mL] 30 min after the administration of mulberry DNJ (110 mg/kg of body weight), and the DNJ concentration decreased rapidly thereafter. When the rats received different amounts of mulberry DNJ (1.1, 11, and 110 mg/kg of body weight), dose-dependent incorporation of DNJ into the plasma was confirmed. We did not detect any DNJ metabolites in the plasma. These findings indicate that orally administered mulberry DNJ is absorbed as an intact form from the alimentary tract and then is quickly excreted from the body. The developed HILIC-MS method could be applied in determining levels of DNJ in urine and tissues, and therefore, the method would be a powerful tool for studying the metabolic fate of mulberry DNJ as well as its bioavailability.     

A novel acylase from Streptomyces mobaraensis that efficiently catalyzes hydrolysis/synthesis of capsaicins as well as N-acyl-L-amino acids and N-acyl-peptides

A novel enzyme that catalyzes efficient hydrolysis of capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) was isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces mobaraensis. The enzyme consisted of two dissimilar subunits with molecular masses of 61 and 19 kDa. The enzyme was activated and stabilized in the presence of Co2+. It showed a pH optimum of about 8 and was stable at temperatures of up to 55 degrees C for 1 h at pH 7.8. The specific activity of the enzyme for the hydrolysis of capsaicin was 10(2)-10(4) times higher than those for the enzymes reported to date. In an aqueous/n-hexane biphasic system, capsaicin analogues such as octanoyl, decanoyl, and lauroyl vanillylamides were synthesized from the corresponding fatty acids and vanillylamine at yields of 50% or greater. In addition, the enzyme catalyzed the deacylation of N-lauroyl-L-amino acids and N-lauroyl-L-dipeptides and the efficient synthesis of Nalpha-lauroyl-L-lysine, Nepsilon-lauroyl-L-lysine, and various N-lauroyl-peptides in aqueous solution in both the absence and the presence of glycerol.     

Spontaneous lymphoma in a prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus)

A 4-year-old, female, black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) was examined for acute dyspnea and two skin masses. Tentative diagnosis of lymphoma was made based on cytology of pleural effusion and the skin masses. Administration of prednisolone was initially effective in improving the condition; however, the clinical signs deteriorated after radiation therapy and administration of cyclophosphamide. Postmortem examination revealed that neoplastic lymphocytes had infiltrated most of the organs, and the histopathological diagnosis was multi-centric lymphoma.     

Incidence of canine glaucoma with goniodysplasia in Japan : a retrospective study

The incidence of primary and secondary glaucoma in dogs was investigated. A total of 1244 dogs received ophthalmologic examinations, including tonometry and gonioscopy. Goniophotographs were taken using a goniolens to evaluate the iridocorneal angle (ICA) as well as pectinate ligament (PL). The anterior width of the ciliary cleft and the total distance from the origin of the PL to the anterior corneal surface were measured from the goniophotographs. Glaucoma was diagnosed based on the cupping of the optic nerve head, clinical signs, ocular changes, and high IOP, and it was synchronized with gonioscopic grades to differentiate between primary and secondary glaucoma. We investigated 1244 dogs of 29 breeds, including the mixed breed; among these, glaucoma was diagnosed in 127 dogs (162 eyes). Of 162 eyes, primary glaucoma was diagnosed in 129 eyes and secondary glaucoma in 33 eyes. Shiba Inu dogs (42 dogs, 33%) showed the highest incidence of glaucoma, followed by Shih-Tzu (21 dogs, 16.5%). Furthermore, all the glaucomatous Shiba Inu dogs had primary glaucoma with abnormal ICA grades and dysplastic PLs. The findings of our study reveal that the Shiba Inu breed in Japan may have a hereditary predisposition to glaucoma.     

Development of a monoclonal antibody-based sandwich ELISA for detection of guinea pig interleukin-2

Interleukin 2 (IL-2) is a T cell proliferation factor released by Th0- and Th1-type helper T cells and is an essential cytokine for immune responses. In the present study, recombinant glutathione S-transferase (GST)-guinea pig IL-2 (GPIL-2) fusion protein was prepared by Escherichia coli (E. coli) and by using this protein as an immunogen, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against GPIL-2 were produced to establish a basis for a research on immune responses in guinea pigs. Three stable hybridoma cell lines were established, and specific binding of each mAb to recombinant GPIL-2 produced by E. coli and insect cells infected with recombinant baculovirus was shown by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and/or immunoblot analysis. Isotype analyses of these mAbs revealed that all three mAbs were IgG1 and had kappa chain. Furthermore, assessment of their epitopes by competition binding assay indicated that the mAbs obtained in this study bound to three different epitopes. Thus, a sandwich ELISA based on the two mAbs specific to different GPIL-2 epitopes was developed for detection of GPIL-2, which had a sensitivity threshold of about 0.3 ng/ml of GPIL-2.     

Formation of follicular cysts in cattle and therapeutic effects of controlled internal drug release

Follicular cysts in cattle result from excessive growth of the dominant follicle without ovulation and still constitute a major reproductive disorder in this species. One key hormonal characteristic of cows with follicular cysts is the lack of an LH surge, although they have increased plasma estradiol concentrations. Another is a relatively high level of pulsatile secretion of LH that promotes continued growth of the dominant follicle. These LH characteristics seem to result from a functional abnormality in the feedback regulation of LH secretion by estradiol. Treatment with controlled internal drug release devices that increase circulating progesterone levels is effective in resolving follicular cystic conditions by 1) lowering pulsatile LH secretion and 2) restoring the ability of the hypothalamo-pituitary axis to generate an LH surge in response to an increase in circulating estradiol.     

Development of cultivar-specific DNA markers based on retrotransposon-based insertional polymorphism in Japanese pear

We developed retrotransposon-based insertional polymorphism (RBIP) markers based on the long terminal repeat (LTR) sequences of copia-like retrotransposon Ppcrt4 and flanking genome sequences, which were derived from 454 sequencing data from Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) ‘Hosui’. Out of 40 sequences including both LTR and flanking genome regions, we developed 22 RBIP markers and used them for DNA profiling of 80 pear cultivars: 64 Japanese, 10 Chinese (Pyrus ussuriensis) and 6 European (Pyrus communis). Three RBIP markers were enough to differentiate ‘Hosui’ from the other Japanese pear cultivars. The 22 RBIP markers could also distinguish 61 of the 64 Japanese pear cultivars. European pears showed almost no amplification of the 22 RBIP markers, which might suggest that retrotransposons had transposed during Asian pear evolution or reflect the genetic relationship between Asian and European pears. Sixteen of the RBIP markers could be positioned on a genetic linkage map of ‘Hosui’. The RBIP loci were distributed in 10 linkage groups, and some loci were very closely located within the same linkage group. The information obtained will be applicable to developing cultivar-specific RBIP marker sets in plants.     

Lectin binding pattern of gastric mucosa of pacific white-sided dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens

The stomach of the Pacific white-sided dolphin is divided into three parts: forestomach, proper gastric gland portion, and pyloric chamber. The histological features of the dolphin stomach are similar to those of terrestrial mammal stomachs, although the distribution of glycoconjugates in mucosal cells of the dolphin stomach is unknown. To learn about glycoconjugates in cetacean gastric mucosa, the glycoconjugate distribution in the mucous epithelium of the Pacific white-sided dolphin was studied using 21 lectins. Among the lectins tested, GSL-I and DBA specifically labelled the superficial layer of the forestomach epithelium. GSL-I, SBA, RCA-I, VVA, GSL-II, DSL, LEL, STL, s-WGA, WGA, PNA, and Jacalin labelled the luminal surface of the chief cells in the proper gastric gland. GSL-I, SBA, RCA-I, DSL, LEL, STL, s-WGA, PNA, and LCA labelled tubular structures in the cytoplasm of parietal cells. The surface portion of the pits in the pyloric chamber strongly reacted with RCA-I, GSL-II, WGA, PNA, LCA, PHA-L, and UEA-I, whereas the neck portion reacted weakly. Although lining one tubular portion, individual secretory cells in the pyloric gland displayed a heterogeneous reaction. This is the first report on the lectin histochemistry of a cetacean stomach and reveals GSL-I and DBA as specific marker lectins for the cornified stratified squamous epithelium cells of the Pacific white-sided dolphin. The stomachs of cetaceans and terrestrial mammals have similar histological features and mucous glycoconjugate content.