Investigation of wood properties that influence the final moisture content of air-dried sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) using principal component regression analysis

Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) lumber is known to have a large variability in final moisture content (MC_f) and is difficult to dry. This study investigated the variability in MC_f of sugi in relation to wood properties. The wood property variables included initial moisture content (MC_i), basic density (BD), annual ring orientation (ARO), annual ring width (ARW), heartwood ratio (HR) and CIE L ^* color (L ^*). Sugi samples were cut from flat-sawn lumbers and air-dried; a principal component regression (PCR) model for predicting MC_f was developed with the wood property variables. The wood properties that contributed to the prediction of MC_f were evaluated by PCR analysis. Significant positive regression coefficients of the PCR model were observed in the MC_i, BD, ARO and HR, whereas negative ones in the L ^*. There were no significant regression coefficients in the ARW. These results suggest that the MC_i, BD, ARO and HR had a positive influence, the L ^* had a negative influence, and the ARW had little influence on the MC_f of air-dried sugi wood. This finding is in line with the general view on the drying characteristics in relation to these wood properties.     

Molecular analyses of a potentially novel Anaplasma species closely related to Anaplasma phagocytophilum detected in sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in Japan

An Anaplasma species closely related to Anaplasma phagocytophilum detected in sika deer in Hokkaido, Japan was molecularly analyzed using 16S rRNA, citrate synthase (gltA), and heat-shock operon (groEL) gene sequences. Genome walking was performed to determine its complete gltA and groEL sequences (1233 bp and 1650 bp, respectively). Percent identities to the closest A. phagocytophilum sequences from the US and European strains were 98.6-98.8%, 76.5%, and 80.3-80.8% for 16S rRNA, gltA, and groEL genes, respectively. For deduced amino acid sequences, percent identities to the closest A. phagocytophilum sequences were 66.7% and 97.6% for gltA and groEL genes, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses revealed divergence from any known A. phagocytophilum strain. The lower identities and the divergent phylogenetic position of the Anaplasma sp. detected from sika deer in Japan with established A. phagocytophilum strains provide evidence of its potential novelty.     

Population structure of Nga Myin Yinn Silonia silondia in the Ayeyarwady River,Myanmar, by mitochondrial DNA markers

Fisheries Science - The Silond catfish Silonia silondia, locally known as Nga Myin Yinn, is a commercially important fish in Myanmar; however, fundamental knowledge of its population structure is...     

Comparison of enterotoxicity between autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale L.) and colchicine in the guinea pig and mouse : enterotoxicity in the guinea pig differs from that in the mouse

Autumn crocus poisoning of cattle is characterized by severe diarrhea caused by alkaloid colchicine. Previously, we examined pathologically this poisoning in cattle and reported that enterotoxic lesions were closely associated with apoptosis. To examine enterotoxicity of autumn crocus more precisely, a reproductive study was performed using guinea pigs and mice, and pathological findings associated with autumn crocus poisoning were compared with those of colchicine. Each group of guinea pigs given the bulb of autumn crocus or colchicine exhibited severe diarrhea. Histopathological findings in intoxicated guinea pigs were entirely consistent with those in the autumn crocus-poisoned cattle. In contrast, each group of mice administered with the bulb or colchicine did not develop diarrhea. Our results confirmed that the toxicity of autumn crocus bulb is attributable to the toxicity of ingredient colchicine, and revealed that the guinea pig has high reproducibility of autumn crocus poisoning in cattle and colchicine poisoning in humans. It has been reported that the physiological mechanism of the apoptotic process for eliminating the enterocytes in the mouse and rat differs from that of the guinea pig, monkey, cattle and horse. Taking the observation that the former animals do not develop diarrhea, whereas the latter animals do so in the autumn crocus or colchicine poisoning into consideration, it would seem that the species-difference in enterotoxicity of autumn crocus may be closely associated with the physiological mechanism of eliminating the effete enterocytes.     

A histochemical study of the camel (Camelus bactrianus) duodenal glands

The complex carbohydrates in the camel duodenal glands were examined histochemically at light and electron microscopic levels. The duodenal glands of the camel were distributed in the submucosa 2 m caudal from the pylorus. These were branched tubuloalveolar glands. The terminal portion of each lobule was formed by only one type of mucous cell. The duodenal gland cells contained acidic and neutral carbohydrates. The mucous cells mainly contained sulfate and carboxyl carbohydrate with sialic acid, and they also contained a few neutral carbohydrates with different saccharide residues such as mannose, glucose, galactose, N-acetyl glucosamine and N-acetyl galactosamine. The results showed that the secretary granules of the duodenal glands in the camel contain mainly acidic carbohydrates. These findings seem to be the morphological characteristics of the duodenal glands in the camel.     

Surgical correction of subvalvular aortic stenosis using cardiopulmonary bypass in a dog

A three-month-old male Golden Retriever had symptoms including exercise intolerance, dyspnea and syncope and was diagnosed with subvalvular aortic stenosis. Cardiac catheterization revealed a left ventricular-aortic systolic pressure gradient of 90 mm Hg. Surgical correction of the condition was achieved using cardiopulmonary bypass. The subvalvular fibrous lesion was resected through an aortotomy. The stenosis was dilated from 8.5 mm to 12.0 mm in diameter. Postoperatively the dog was asymptomatic. Seven months after surgery, the pressure gradient decreased to 44 mm Hg. However, after another three months, the dog died suddenly without any premonitory signs. Postmortem examination revealed that pathologic changes caused by increased left ventricular pressure overload were not severe.     

An epidemic of caprine arthritis encephalitis in Japan: isolation of the virus

A disease characterized by arthritis of carpal joints and occasionally by pneumonia was seen among goats on a farm in Nagano prefecture of Japan in the summer of 2002. Serological investigation was done on 30 goats, that is one group on the farm by agar gel immunodiffusion tests using maedi-visna virus as the antigen, and 19 goats were positive. The caprine arthritis encephalitis virus genome was detected in peripheral blood leukocytes from several antibody-positive goats. Two goats among them were necropsied and used for pathological tests and virus isolation. The isolated virus was serially propagated in fetal lamb lung cell cultures. Goats inoculated with the culture fluid became antibody positive. These results suggested that a CAEV-infected goat had been introduced accidentally to the farm and that subclinical infection occurred among the flock.     

The relationship between cellular radiosensitivity and radiation-induced DNA damage measured by the comet assay

The relationship between deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage and the cell death induced by gamma-irradiation was examined in three kinds of cells, Chinese hamster ovary fibroblast CHO-K1, human melanoma HMV-II and mouse leukemia L5178Y. Cell survival was determined by a clonogenic assay. The induction and rejoining of DNA strand breaks induced by radiation were measured by the alkaline and neutral comet assays. L5178Y cells were the most radiosensitive, while CHO-K1 cells and HMV-II cells were radioresistant. There was an inverse relationship between the survival fraction at 2 Gy (SF2) and the yield of initial DNA strand breaks per unit dose under the alkaline condition for the comet assay, and also a relationship between SF2 and the residual DNA strand breaks (for 4 hr after irradiation) under the neutral condition for the comet assay, the latter being generally considered to be relative to cellular radiosensitivity. In the present analysis, it was considered that the alkaline condition for the comet assay was optimal for evaluating the initial DNA strand breaks, while the neutral condition was optimal for evaluating the residual DNA strand breaks. Since the comet assay is simpler and more rapid than other methods for detecting radiation-induced DNA damage, this assay appears to be a useful predictive assay for evaluating cellular clonogenic radiosensitivity of tumor cells.