Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Infection in Two Pet Marmosets in Japan

An 8-month-old common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) was presented with tic-like symptoms, and a 2-year-old pigmy marmoset (Callithrix pygmaea) was presented with dyspnea and hypersalivation. Both monkeys died within a few days, and necropsies were performed. Histopathological examinations revealed ulcerative stomatitis with epithelial cell swelling and eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in the oral epithelium of both cases. In the central and peripheral nervous systems, neuronal cell degeneration with intranuclear inclusion bodies was observed. Immunohistochemical examination using anti-herpes simplex virus type 1 antibody revealed virus antigens in both cases. Both animals had been kept as pets with limited exposure to the ambient environment except via their owners. Therefore, herpes simplex virus type-1 was probably acquired from close contact with their owners.     

Regolith migration and sorting on asteroid Itokawa

High-resolution images of the surface of asteroid Itokawa from the Hayabusa mission reveal it to be covered with unconsolidated millimeter-sized and larger gravels. Locations and morphologic characteristics of this gravel indicate that Itokawa has experienced considerable vibrations, which have triggered global-scale granular processes in its dry, vacuum, microgravity environment. These processes likely include granular convection, landslide-like granular migrations, and particle sorting, resulting in the segregation of the fine gravels into areas of potential lows. Granular processes become major resurfacing processes because of Itokawa's small size, implying that they can occur on other small asteroids should those have regolith.     

Diagnostic utility of measuring serum amyloid A with a latex agglutination turbidimetric immunoassay in bovine mastitis: Comparison with haptoglobin and alpha 1 acid glycoprotein

This study established the precision and accuracy of a modified latex agglutination turbidimetric immunoassay (LATIA) reagent, and evaluated the ability of the measurement of serum amyloid A (SAA) compared to haptoglobin and α1-acid glycoprotein, which are acute phase proteins (APPs), for diagnosis of clinical mastitis. Concentrations of APPs in cows with mastitis were significantly higher than those in healthy cow. Only the plasma SAA concentration in cows with clinical mastitis (44.90 mg/l; n=15) was significantly higher than that in those with subclinical mastitis (10.70 mg/l; n=16), enabling their diagnosis in contrast to other APPs. Thus, the SAA assay using a LATIA reagent is useful in assessing mastitis severity due to its higher sensitivity and specificity than other APP assays.     

豆腐渣资源在近临界水中的分解动力学实验研究

根据豆腐渣中的主要组分蛋白质、脂肪、纤维素、糖分等在近临界水中分解速度的不同，提出了一条豆腐渣资源化新工艺。该工艺包括豆腐渣在近临界水中分解、过滤和分离等工序。对近临界水中豆腐渣的分解动力学进行了研究。在该实验条件下，豆腐渣分解的表观活化能为10.2 kJ/mol。通过对分解产物的分析，初步确认了新工艺的可行性。     

Distribution and abundance of two species of codlet (Teleostei, Bregmacerotidae) larvae from the south-eastern Brazilian Bight

Two species of codlet (Bregmacerotidae) larvae were collected during nine survey cruises conducted in the south-eastern Brazilian Bight between 23^oS and 30^oS in 1985-91. Of 4846 codlet larvae collected during nine cruises, 99.2% were identified as Bregmaceros canton and only 0.8% were B. athanticus. The two species were more abundant during winter in the neritic region (60–135 m depth). Vertical distribution of codlet larvae was studied using the BIOMOC net, and vertical profiles of temperature/salinity and chlorophyll a concentration were recorded by CTD and fluorescent sonde. Only 9.0% of larvae were collected in the upper 30 m and 91.0% were found deeper (> 40 m). The depths of highest density of larvae bore a close relationship to the subsurface chlorophyll maximum layer. Some B. canton larvae were found in the upper 30 m layer at night, but no larva was found during the day. Water temperatures where B. canton larvae occurred ranged from 16 to 23^oC, but most larvae were found at 18–20^oC and in salinities of 35.5–36.5 psu.     

Selecting the desirable method for predicting 305‐day lactation yields in Mongolia

In Mongolia, milk production must be improved both quantitatively and qualitatively, and we must find the most desirable method for predicting 305‐day milk yields for cows in Mongolia. Therefore, the predicted 305‐day milk yield from the test interval method (TIM), multiple‐trait prediction (MTP) and the random regression model (RRM) were compared. The daily milk production records during 305 days for cows calving from 1986 to 2007 from the National Livestock Breeding Center in Japan, and the test day records every month for cows calving from 1985 to 2005 from the Hokkaido Dairy Milk Recording and Testing Association were used. Wilmink's model for the average of lactation curve in MTP was adopted. A cubic Legendre polynomials and the parameters of Wilmink's function were used for RRM. The results suggested that RRM was the most desirable method for predicting 305‐day milk yields in Mongolia because estimates by RRM were the most accurate when using over four records. Further analyses will be required to examine the properties of RRM when predicting 305‐day milk yields using test day records in Mongolia.     

Expression of mRNA for cell adhesion molecules in the bovine corpus luteum during the estrous cycle and PGF2alpha-induced luteolysis

Cell-to-cell interaction via cell contact-dependent pathway is essentially important for maintenance and regulation of corpus luteum (CL) integrity and its physiological actions. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the mRNA expression of the cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) that are constituent factors of gap junctions [connexin (Cx) 43] and adherence junctions (VE-, E-, N-cadherin) in two types of endothelial cells from the mid CL and in CL tissue during the estrous cycle and PGF(2alpha)-induced luteolysis in the cow. Specific mRNA expression for Cx43 and N-cadherin was detected in cytokeratin-positive (CK+) and cytokeratin-negative (CK-) luteal endothelial cells (EC) and fully luteinized granulosa cells (LGC). E-cadherin mRNA was expressed in CK+EC and LGC, but not in CK-EC. VE-cadherin mRNA was expressed in both CK+ and CK-EC. During the estrous cycle, Cx43 mRNA expression was significantly lower in the regressing CL. VE-cadherin expression also tended to increase in the mid CL and increased significantly in the regressing CL. E-cadherin mRNA expression was higher in the early and late CL than in the mid- and regressing CL. N-cadherin mRNA expression gradually increased from the early to late CL followed by a decrease in the regressing CL. During PGF(2alpha)-induced luteolysis, Cx43 mRNA expression appeared to increase, and VE-cadherin and E-cadherin mRNA significantly increased at 24 h. N-cadherin mRNA expression decreased 2 and 4 h after PGF(2alpha) administration. Collectively, expression of the mRNAs for CAMs was different in the two types of luteal endothelial cells and fully luteinized granulosa cells and changed independently in the CL during the estrous cycle and PGF(2alpha)-induced luteolysis in the cow. The results suggest that CAMs play physiological roles in cell-to-cell communication to regulate both gap and adherence junctions during CL development and regression in the cow.     

4-Nitro-3-phenylphenol has both androgenic and anti-androgenic-like effects in rats

To investigate the effect of endocrine disruption of 4-nitro-3-phenylphenol (PNMPP) on immature male Wistar-Imamichi rats, the rat pituitary was exposed to PNMPP (10^–5–10^–9 M) for 24 h with or without gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in experiment I. In addition, the Leydig cells (10^–5–10^–9 M) were exposed to PNMPP for 24 h with or without human chronic gonadotropin (hCG) in experiment II. Our results showed that the PNMPP at 10^–5–10^–7 M suppressed follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) productions from GnRH-stimulated pituitary cells. At the same time, PNMPP 10^–5–10^–7 M induced an increase in testosterone production from the Leydig cells treated with or without hCG. Based on our results, it can be concluded that that PNMPP might have both androgen agonist action by decreasing FSH and LH production in the pituitary and anti-androgenic action by increasing testosterone production in the Leydig cell.