Improvement of preservation method for ammonia-oxidizing bacteria by freeze-drying

Long-term preservation of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria had been achieved until now by using the silica gel-freezing method. Recently, the freeze-drying method for the preservation of microorganisms has been widely used, and has been applied to the preservation of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. The 10% skim milk-l% pyruvate or glutamate ratio was optimum as a dispersion-medium, and the preservation temperature of the freeze-dried cells was effective at -80°C. This method of preservation was found to be considerably more effective than the silica gel-freezing method.     

A GIS-aided two-phase grey fuzzy optimization model for nonpoint source pollution control in a small watershed

A method for allocating allowable ranges of total nitrogen (TN) load to nonpoint (diffuse pollution) sources in a watershed has been developed by adopting the two-phase grey fuzzy optimization approach. Competing goals of water quality management authorities and TN load dischargers at nonpoint sources such as paddy field, upland crop field, and residential area are described with linear imprecise membership functions including interval numbers. TN load discharged from each cell of the nonpoint sources is assumed to be transported along with surface, subsurface, and river flow under the conventional first-order kinetic removal with respect to distance. The travel length of the load is estimated with a digital elevation model in a geographic information system (GIS). Uncertainty of river discharge and self-purification coefficients appearing in the TN transport model is also expressed with interval numbers. The GIS-aided grey fuzzy optimization model developed here is applied to the Seimei River watershed, Japan. By solving the optimization model, the allowable load represented by an interval number at each cell is procured, which would be a scientific base for effluent control regarding nonpoint sources in the area.     

Comparison of the activities of enzymes related to glycolysis and gluconeogenesis in the liver of dogs and cats.

Activities of enzymes related to glucose metabolism were measured in canine and feline liver. There were no significant differences in plasma glucose and immunoreactive insulin concentrations between dogs and cats. Glucokinase activities were absent in feline liver, however, activities of other glycolytic enzymes such as hexokinase, phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase, were significantly higher than those in canine livers. Activities of rate limiting enzymes of gluconeogenesis such as pyruvate carboxylase, fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase and glucose-6-phosphatase in feline livers were significantly higher than those in canine livers.     

A dog with myelodysplastic syndrome: chronic myelomonocytic leukemia

An eleven-year-old female pug was referred to Yamaguchi University Animal Hospital for evaluation of anemia and thrombocytopenia. The cytological examination of the peripheral blood showed some giant monocytic lineage blast cells. A few granulocytes and platelets had dysplastic features. On day 7, in addition to increasing the monocytic lineage cells, the dysplastic features of the blood had also increased compared to the initial examination. We performed bone marrow aspiration upon her death. The bone marrow revealed dysplastic features in all three hematopoietic cell lines, and an increase in the monocytic cell line. Based on the features of the bone marrow and the peripheral blood, this case was confirmed to be myelodysplastic syndrome--Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (MDS-CMML).     

Frequencies of the M918I mutation in the sodium channel of the diamondback moth in China, Thailand and Japan and its association with pyrethroid resistance

In addition to the allele frequencies of the L1014F and T929I mutations which are involved in nerve-insensitive resistance to a pyrethroid, those of the M918I mutation were examined using field strains obtained in China, Thailand, and Japan during 2009-2011. Results show that the resistance allele frequencies at the L1014F site were 89-100%, 97-100% and 65-85%, respectively, for strains in China, Thailand, and Japan. The respective allele frequencies at the T929I site were 86-100%, 70-97% and 58-84% for Chinese, Thai, and Japanese strains. With low frequencies up to 27%, M918I was found in Japan and China, but not in Thailand. The strain homozygous for the M918I and L1014F mutations was established and its resistance level to a pyrethroid was examined. The strain lacks a portion of the sodium channel gene corresponding to the 3′ portion of exon 18a, intron 18, and the 5′ portion of exon 18b. Nevertheless, the strain showed a similar level of resistance to that which was homozygous for the T929I and L1014F mutations.     

Noxa, a BH3-only member of the Bcl-2 family and candidate mediator of p53-induced apoptosis

A critical function of tumor suppressor p53 is the induction of apoptosis in cells exposed to noxious stresses. We report a previously unidentified pro-apoptotic gene, Noxa. Expression of Noxa induction in primary mouse cells exposed to x-ray irradiation was dependent on p53. Noxa encodes a Bcl-2 homology 3 (BH3)-only member of the Bcl-2 family of proteins; this member contains the BH3 region but not other BH domains. When ectopically expressed, Noxa underwent BH3 motif-dependent localization to mitochondria and interacted with anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members, resulting in the activation of caspase-9. We also demonstrate that blocking the endogenous Noxa induction results in the suppression of apoptosis. Noxa may thus represent a mediator of p53-dependent apoptosis.     

Permuted tRNA genes expressed via a circular RNA intermediate in Cyanidioschyzon merolae

A computational analysis of the nuclear genome of a red alga, Cyanidioschyzon merolae, identified 11 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes in which the 3' half of the tRNA lies upstream of the 5' half in the genome. We verified that these genes are expressed and produce mature tRNAs that are aminoacylated. Analysis of tRNA-processing intermediates for these genes indicates an unusual processing pathway in which the termini of the tRNA precursor are ligated, resulting in formation of a characteristic circular RNA intermediate that is then processed at the acceptor stem to generate the correct termini.     

Treatment with an aromatase inhibitor induces complete sex change in the protogynous honeycomb grouper (Epinephelus merra)

To study the mechanism of protogynous sex change in honeycomb grouper, the wild fish of both sexes and transitionals were collected for one year, and changes in gonadal structures and serum levels of sex hormones in each individual were examined. The onset of sex change was associated with low serum estradiol - 17β (E2) levels. In order to clarify whether E2 deprivation causes sex change, maturing females were implanted with the non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor (Fadrozole, AI). AI caused complete sex change from female to functional males in two and half months. The present results suggest that E2 is an important endogenous factor which regulates protogynous sex change in the honeycomb grouper.