Functional and morphological changes in the hypothalamus-pituitary posterior lobe system after hypophysectomy in the dog

Acute diabetes insipidus-like symptoms have been reported as a complication after hypophysectomy in dogs. These symptoms are believed to be the consequence of deficiency of arginine vasopressin (AVP) secretion. The symptoms spontaneously resolve within 2 weeks, but the mechanism is unclear. In the present study, AVP secretion related to increases in Na+ concentration and serum osmotic pressure was measured, and immunohistochemical analysis in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei was performed after hypophysectomy in normal dog. In the hypertonic saline test, the plasma AVP concentration slightly increased in hypophysectomized dogs, although the increase was markedly smaller than that in normal dogs. An immunohistochemical study of the hypothalamus nucleus revealed that, AVP-positive cells tended to decrease after hypophysectomy. It suggests that excision of the posterior lobe by surgery injured the axon of magnocellular neuron in the hypothalamus. A decrease in the function and the number of AVP-producing and -secreting magnocellular neurons after hypophysectomy, suggests that the clinical improvement of postoperative diabetes insipidus-like symptoms may not be related to the recovery of AVP secretion.     

Comparison of the functions of the barley nicotianamine synthase gene HvNAS1 and rice nicotianamine synthase gene OsNAS1 promoters in response to iron deficiency in transgenic tobacco

Barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) nicotianamine synthase gene ( HvNAS1 ) expression in barley is strongly induced by Fe deficiency in the roots and rice ( Oryza sativa L.) nicotianamine synthase gene ( OsNAS1 ) expression in rice is induced by Fe deficiency both in the roots and in the shoots. In dicots, NAS genes are not strongly induced by Fe deficiency, and they function to maintain Fe homeostasis. Rice OsNAS1promoter::GUS or barley HvNAS1promoter::GUS was introduced into tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L.) and tissue specificities and systemic regulation of their expression were compared. A split-root experiment revealed that the HvNAS1 promoter exhibited functions similar to those of Fe-acquisition-related genes in tobacco roots, suggesting that this promoter responded to certain Fe-deficiency systemic signals and to the Fe concentration in the rhizosphere. The HvNAS1 promoter might harbor a type of universal system of gene expression for Fe acquisition. However, the OsNAS1 promoter did not respond to local application of Fe to the roots and induced GUS activities in mature leaves in response to Fe deficiency. This promoter might possess numerous types of cis -acting sequences that are involved in Fe metabolism.     

Effects of Undaria pinnatifida (Wakame) on Postprandial Glycemia and Insulin Levels in Humans: a Randomized Crossover Trial

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Postprandial hyperglycemia is a known risk factor for the development of several health disorders, including type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease....     

Taxonomical study into two new species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) previously identified as Philometra lateolabracis (Yamaguti, 1935)

Males of the nematode Philometra lateolabracis (Yamaguti, 1935), the type species of the genus Philometra Costa, 1845, were discovered for the first time in gonads of its type host, the Japanese seaperch, Lateolabraxjaponicus (Cuvier). Morphological comparisons carried out between the collected male and female P. lateolabracis with the male and female philometrid nematodes previously reported as P. lateolabracis infecting chicken grunt, Parapristipoma trilineatum (Thunberg), and red sea bream, Pagrus major (Temminck et Schlegel), revealed that the latter represent two new species, Philometra isaki sp. n. and Philometra madai sp. n., respectively. Molecular comparison of ITS2 rDNA between P. lateolabracis and P. madai supported the morphological conclusion that the two nematodes obtained from different fish species should be assigned to different species.     

水分胁迫条件下臭柏匍匐茎的蒸腾和吸水特性

在臭柏长期室内石砾土栽培条件下,通过培养液中加入PEG以调节溶液渗透势,设置对照区(pF值3.0)、水分胁迫区(pF值2.3)2种处理,并分别从匍匐茎中部人工培养不定根,测定有不定根和无不定根匍匐茎小枝的蒸腾速率、气孔导度及其水势的日变化和叶片水分特性.结果表明:1)在水分胁迫条件下,匍匐茎先端小枝通过降低正午水势提高吸水能力;基部小枝通过控制蒸腾,维持枝条水势防止失水.2)有不定根的匍匐茎通过降低质壁分离时的水势(ψwtlp)和充分吸水时的渗透势(ψ,ssat)提高吸水能力,而且增加细胞弹性率,迅速降低膨压保证失水时能尽快关闭气孔;而无不定根匍匐茎虽然吸水能力较差,但细胞壁柔软,即使蒸腾失水,也能在较长时间内维持膨压,保证生命活动进行.     

3种竹类植物杂种的分子鉴定

利用从GenBank中毛竹GSS序列开发出来的在多个竹种中有高通用性的10多个SSR标记,鉴别部分杂交竹种的杂种真实性.结果表明:3个杂交竹种(Pleioblastus simonii×Phyllostachys violascens,Sasa tokugawana ×S.borealis和Sinobambusa tootsik×Pl.distivhus),在其中的3个SSR位点(PBM014,PBM018和PBM025)上扩增产物的电泳条带分别为其父母本条带的组合;进一步对相应的扩增条带测序,结果表明杂种和亲本之间的相对应的序列具有同源性,进而确定杂种的真实性.研究证明利用在竹类植物中有较高通用性的SSR标记可以对杂交竹种的真实性进行早期鉴定.     

Long-term influence of stream water chemistry in Japanese cedar plantation after clear-cutting using the forest rotation in central Japan

Because both natural and anthropogenic disturbances affect biogeochemical cycles in forest ecosystems, monitoring is needed to separate their influences. Chronosequence is very useful for such studies. In our study area, plantation through forest rotation on a watershed basis resulted in more than 40 adjacent watersheds of between 0 and 87 years of stand age, kind of chronosequence. Here, we examined the biological similarity of the watersheds and the long-term effects of clear-cutting on stream water chemistry. The stream water NO₃⁻–stand age relationship was similar between the two observation years; stream water NO₃⁻ concentrations increased dramatically in the watersheds after clear-cutting and decreased in 7–10-year-old replanted watersheds. The slope of stream water NO₃⁻ concentrations between the different watersheds covered by same age stand was significant, at 1:1. Additionally, stream water NO₃⁻ concentrations were more strongly correlated between the different watersheds covered by same aged stand than between the observations at 4 years intervals within a watershed. These findings indicate that stream water NO₃⁻ concentration is mainly regulated by stand age, i.e., by vegetation regrowth, rather than watershed-specific characteristics. Hence, adjacent watersheds are biologically similar apart from stand age and can be regarded as a chronosequence. While there was a clear relationship between stream water NO₃⁻ concentration and stand age, there was significant correlation with stream water SO₄²⁻, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻ or Na⁺ between two observations in the same watershed. This indicates that watershed-specific characteristics, rather than vegetation regrowth, control stream SO₄²⁻, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻, and Na⁺ concentrations. After 25 years of clear-cutting Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and Na⁺ concentrations significantly increased. It is likely the contribution of forest floor accumulation with stand development. Based on these results, clear-cutting influences stream chemistry, not only NO₃⁻, but also the major cation and the influence of clear-cutting continues for several decades at this study site.     

High nitrate reductase activity in sprouts of Phyllostachys pubescens

We investigated the distribution of nitrate reductase activity (NRA) among leaves, roots, culms, twigs, sprouts, culm sheaths, and new leaves of Phyllostachys pubescens Mazel in May, when many sprouts emerge above ground and new leaves of adult culms expand. We found that the NRA differed among parts, and that sprouts showed high NRA. These results indicate that different tissues of P. pubescens vary in nitrate reduction, and sprouts possess high nitrate reduction capacity. We also found that culm sheaths showed high NRA, indicating that they have a high potential for nitrate reduction, even though they are shed in the way of sprout growth.