Expression of hepatitis C virus core protein associated with malignant lymphoma in transgenic mice

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major causative agent for chronic liver diseases leading to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has also been suggested to be a possible etiologic factor for different lymphoproliferative diseases, including mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) and B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). To understand the roles of HCV core protein in the pathogenesis of HCV related diseases, we produced two lines of the transgenic mice (HC82310 and HC9053) that express the HCV core transgene. One of the lines, HC9053, developed malignant lymphoma (ML, follicular center cell type) with a high frequency (80%) at the ages over 20 months. Hepatocellular adenoma was also observed in this line of transgenic mouse. We demonstrated expression of HCV core protein and mRNA in the liver of transgenic mice, and also detected the core mRNA in the enlarged lymph nodes of the transgenic mice which developed ML. These results suggest that the core protein may play an important role in the development of ML, and that the HC9053 transgenic mice provide suitable models for understanding the mechanism of HCV-related lymphoproliferative diseases.     

Effects of ruminal dosing of mechanical stimulating brush on digestibility and rumen fermentation status in Holstein steers fed low rice straw at different lengths

The objectives of the present study were to determine the effect of ruminal dosing of mechanical stimulating brush (Rumen faibu; RF) on digestibility and on rumen fermentation status in Holstein steers fed high concentrate and low rice straw. Eight steers (461 kg in average bodyweight) were used. Four steers were orally dosed three RF per head (RF‐dosing) and the other four were not dosed (non‐RF). All steers were fed enough concentrate and rice straw to gain 1.4 kg/day in bodyweight. Rice straw was cut 2 cm and 30 cm. The organic cell wall content of feeding diets was 17% in dry matter basis. Digestibility and nutritive value were not affected by RF dosing and length of rice straw. Ruminal pH was significantly lower in RF‐dosing group than in non‐RF group after feeding, and tended to be higher in long rice straw than in short rice straw throughout the day. There were no clear difference on total volatile fatty acid concentration and molar proportion of volatile fatty acid by RF dosing and length of rice straw throughout examined period. These present results suggest that digestibility and rumen fermentation status are not affected by RF dosing when organic cell wall content of feeding diets is approximately 17% in dry matter with rice straw over 2 cm.     

Linkage mapping of four chicken calpain genes

Calpains are intracellular Ca²⁺‐dependent proteases and enzymes that contribute to growth and meat quality. In the present study, we identified polymorphisms in four calpain genes (CAPN1, CAPN2, CAPN3, and CAPN1.5) expressed ubiquitously in chicken using polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism, and mapped them using two backcross families (East Lansing (EL) and Kobe University (KU)). CAPN2 and CAPN1.5 mapped to two locations on chromosome 3 about 30 cM apart, while CAPN3 mapped to chromosome 5. CAPN1 was linked to a previously unlinked microsatellite marker LEI0140 to form a new linkage group called E66. CAPN2 and CAPN3 extend the amount of conserved synteny between chicken chromosome 3 and human chromosome 1, and between chicken chromosome 5 and human chromosome 15, respectively. Although CAPN2, CAPN3, and CAPN1.5 were found in the University of California Santa Cruz chicken genome browser gateway, CAPN1 and LEI0140 were not in specific genomic positions.     

Establishing a ready biodegradability test system using OxiTop® to evaluate chemical fate in a realistic environment

The purpose of this study is to propose the use of OxiTop® for measuring biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) under the Japanese Chemical Substances Control Law in order to properly evaluate chemical fate in a real environment. In our previous study, the biodegradation of test chemicals was accelerated by both adsorbing the chemical to silica gel with chloroform and increasing the medium volume from 300 to 3900 mL in the OECD 301F test using a coulometer. However, the biodegradability of these chemicals could not be evaluated based on BOD due to chloroform residue in the silica gel, or the medium volume could not be increased further due to the oven size of the coulometer. In this study, we established an evaluation system using OxiTop® based on BOD by increasing the medium volume to 9000 mL. Based on triplicate testing, increasing the medium volume accelerated biodegradation and decreased variation in BOD.     

Allozyme variation of littleneck clam Ruditapes philippinarum and genetic mixture analysis of foreign clams in Ariake Sea and Shiranui Sea off Kyushu Island, Japan

ABSTRACT:   Allozyme variation of the littleneck clam Ruditapes philippinarum was evaluated in four samples from Nameishi and Matsuo in the Ariake Sea, Ryugatake and Ushibuka in the Shiranui Sea off Kyushu Island, Japan, and in one sample from Jinzhou, China, in the Bohai Sea. A Ruditapes bruguieri sample imported from the Korean Bay off Nampo, North Korea was also studied. Among the R. philippinarum samples, heterozygosity varied from 0.265 to 0.301 and F _IS estimates indicated significant homozygosity excess in 15 of 40 loci analyzed. Deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium were significant in all samples ( P  < 0.05). Pairwise F _ST estimates indicate that genetic differences between the Chinese and Japanese samples were very low, but significantly different from zero. Mixture proportions with 95% confidence intervals of Chinese R. philippinarum in Nameishi and Matsuo were estimated at 0.4098 [0.2512, 0.5705] and 0.4899 [0.3262, 0.6540], respectively. However, genetic invasion of stocked Chinese R. philippinarum into wild populations in the Ariake Sea remains uncertain due to the low precision of the estimates caused by the high similarity of allele frequencies between Jinzhou and the Ariake Sea.     

圆台型聚风罩对垂直轴风力机起动性的影响

为提高直线翼垂直轴风力机自起动性能,设计可安装在风轮上下两端圆台型聚风罩,收集更大面积来流提高来流风速。针对聚风罩高度、倾角及距风轮距离等主要结构参数作二次正交旋转组合设计,利用三维数值模拟方法计算不同聚风罩结构参数条件下风力机起动力矩,对比分析优化聚风罩结构参数,可有效提升风力机起动力矩。通过分析聚风罩与风轮间流场变化,揭示聚风罩对风力机起动力矩影响机理。     

High level activity of 2', 5'-oligoadenylate synthetase in dog serum

Most animal cells that are exposed to interferon (IFN) experience an increase in the activity of 2', 5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS), which is an important effector of IFN's antiviral action. OAS activity has been widely used in clinical chemistry as an indicator of IFN activity. In this study, we found that OAS activity in canine serum is 46.0 +/- 40.4 nmol/dl/hr, which is 10- to 100-fold higher than in other animals such as the cat (1.9 +/- 2.1), rabbit (4.0 +/- 1.1), and guinea pig (0.3 +/- 0.6). The canine OAS protein was detected by Western blotting using a 68M-10 monoclonal anti-murine OAS antibody, and was found to be composed of at least three distinct molecular species of p40 class OAS. Among these, the 40 and 42 kDa components were determined to be the major species in serum and fibroblast cell lines, respectively.     

Orbital malignant schwannoma and embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in rats caused by leakage of locally injected nickel subsulfide to the orbit

Nickel subsulfide (Ni₃S₂) is known to induce intraocular neoplasms when injected intravitreally into the eyes of rats. Here, we found two extraocular orbital neoplasms in two different rat strains, presumably due to the leakage of locally injected Ni₃S₂ to the extraocular orbital tissues. In the F344/DuCrlCrlj rat, an orbital mass arose at 30 weeks after injection, and invaded into the cranium. Histologically, the orbital mass was composed of areas arranged in parallel bundles formed by densely packed elongated or spindle-shaped cells with indistinct cytoplasmic borders, and of areas of hypocellular arrangement consisting of round cells in eosinophilic myxoid-like substances. Metastases were observed in the right submandibular and cervical lymph nodes. The neoplastic cells were immunopositive for S-100 protein and vimentin. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the neoplastic cells had cellular processes and pericytoplasmic basal laminae. In the RccHan^TM:WIST rat, an orbital mass arose at 36 weeks after injection. Histologically, the mass consisted of rhabdoid-like large round cells with proliferation of small round-to-polygonal cells, and these neoplastic cells infiltrated into the extraocular muscles. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were positive for desmin and vimentin. Transmission electron microscopy detected immature myofibrils with Z-band structures in the cytoplasm of these neoplastic cells. Consequently, the tumors were diagnosed as an orbital malignant schwannoma in an F344/DuCrlCrlj rat and an orbital embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in a RccHan^TM:WIST rat. The results of this case report suggest that leakage of Ni₃S₂ to the orbit caused the induction of orbital malignant schwannoma or rhabdomyosarcoma in rats.