A spontaneously occurring malignant ovarian Sertoli cell tumor in a young Sprague Dawley rat

Primary ovarian tumors are generally uncommon in rats used in toxicologic studies. A malignant Sertoli cell tumor was present in the ovary of a 19-week-old female Sprague Dawley rat. Macroscopically, the mass was white and firm, 10 × 13 × 17 mm in size, and located in the right ovary. Histopathologically, the mass was composed of nests of pleomorphic cells, which formed seminiferous-like tubules separated by a thin fibrovascular stroma. The tubules were lined by tumor cells, which had basally located nuclei and abundant eosinophilic and vacuolated cytoplasm. In some areas, the tumor cells were arranged in a retiform growth pattern, mimicking a rete testis/ovarii. Disseminated metastases to the surfaces of the mesentery, spleen and liver were also present. Immunohistochemically, many tumor cells were strongly positive for vimentin, estrogen receptor α and Ki 67. Some tumor cells were positive for pancytokeratin and inhibin α. These findings closely resemble those of an ovarian-derived human malignant Sertoli cell tumor. From our review of the literature, we believe this is the first report of a spontaneous malignant Sertoli cell tumor in the ovary of a young laboratory rat. This case might provide useful historical control information for rat toxicity studies.     

Dietary mannitol increased the absorption of calcium and magnesium in rats

The effect of mannitol on bone‐related mineral absorption and retention and the mechanism was investigated in this study. Fourteen 8‐week‐old male Wistar rats in experiment 1 and same number and age cecectomized Wistar male rats in experiment 2 were divided into two subgroups of seven animals, respectively, fed diets containing 0 or 4% mannitol for 28 days. Mineral balance tests were determined twice during days 8–12 and days 22–26, and the rats were slaughtered on day 28 both in experiment 1 and experiment 2. The whole caecum and colon were collected with the content to analyse tissue weight, content weight, content's pH and moisture, organic acids' concentration and mineral levels. In experiment 1, Ca absorption and retention and Mg absorption were significantly increased by mannitol feeding during days 8–12. Caecal total weight, tissue weight and content weight were increased, the pH of caecum and colon was reduced, and the concentrations of caecal short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were modified by mannitol feeding. In experiment 2, during days 8–12 and days 22–26, Ca absorption and retention were significantly lowered by mannitol feeding in cecectomized rats; however, mannitol feeding decreased Mg absorption during days 8–12, but did not impact Mg retention. Colonic total weight, tissue weight and content weight were significantly increased, and colonic pH was reduced by mannitol feeding. In conclusion, dietary mannitol increased the absorption of Ca and Mg and the caecum markedly contributed to this promoting effect of mannitol.     

基于鼹鼠多趾结构特征的仿生切土刀片设计与试验

为降低土壤耕作阻力,分析了鼹鼠前肢手掌的多趾组合结构特征,得到鼹鼠多趾组合结构是一种多窄齿组合结构,且相邻齿间间距可调整,最终确定了多趾组合结构的数学模型。基于该模型,设计了具有仿生结构特征的切土刀片。通过土槽试验,采用四因素三水平的二次正交回归试验方法,分析仿生结构元素m和n、土壤含水率和切土倾角对水平阻力的影响,得到土壤含水率和切土倾角对水平阻力的影响更显著,最优仿生结构元素m为5、n为1.75。通过比较传统和仿生刀片在切土倾角10°~90°和土壤含水率10%~30%下的水平阻力,得到仿生几何结构对刀片切土的临界倾角无显著影响,但土壤含水率对其有显著影响：当土壤含水率为10%和20%时,临界倾角均为30°左右;当土壤含水率为30%时,临界倾角均在40°~50°之间。然而,仿生几何结构对刀片所受的水平阻力有显著影响,在相同的土壤含水率下,仿生刀片的水平阻力总小于传统刀片的水平阻力：当土壤含水率为10%、20%、30%时,仿生刀片的水平阻力分别减小11.48%~39.16%、17.81%~28.00%和11.19%~33.26%。此外,水平阻力的变化与土壤内聚力具有极大的相关性,研究表明土壤含水率为10%~20%时,仿生刀片具有更好的切土性能。     

Anti-allergic effects of the brown alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eisenia arborea</Emphasis> on Brown Norway rats

To investigate the anti-allergic effects of the brown alga Eisenia arborea. A strain of Brown Norway rats know to strongly respond to immunoglobulin E (IgE) were used as an allergy model animal. The rats were immunized with ovalbumin by oral administration. The levels of serum IgE and histamine were suppressed in the rats fed a diet supplemented with dried E. arborea powder. As for the cytokine pattern, the interferon-γ production in the spleens and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) was enhanced, and the interleukin-4 (IL-4) production in the spleens and/or IL-10 production in the spleens and MLN were suppressed. These results, together with the change in the Th1/Th2 balance, indicate that the rats fed with E. arborea became more anti-allergic, suggesting that E. arborea might possess anti-allergic effects.     

Spontaneous well-differentiated pancreatic islet cell carcinoma with vascular invasion in a male F344 rat

This case report describes a case of spontaneous pancreatic islet cell carcinoma with vascular invasion in a 110-week-old male F344 rat. Histologically, a pancreatic nodule consisting of tumor cells and many blood-rich vessels, and covered with a fibrous capsule showed local invasion in the capsule and adjacent acinar tissues, encircling a large duct-like structure (DS). The tumor was composed of well-differentiated tumor cells resembling normal pancreatic islet cells, which had small round nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm. Mitotic figures were rare. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the tumor cells were positive for insulin. Although endothelial cells were not detected, the DS wall showed cells positive for α-smooth muscle actin and elastic fibers, suggesting that the DS is the pancreatic artery. This is a rare case of islet cell carcinoma consisting of well-differentiated tumor cells with invasion of the pancreatic artery in a rat.     

Malignant pinealoma observed in the deep cerebral parenchyma of a male Wistar rat

This report describes a case of spontaneous malignant pinealoma in a 90-week-old male Wistar rat. The tumor mass occurred in the deep cerebral parenchyma and no intact pineal gland was observed in the area between the posterior-dorsal median line of the cerebrum and the cerebellum. The tumor was characterized by a large nodular proliferation occupying the central area of the brain, extending from the dorsal surface to the base of the brain, corresponding to the thalamus. The tumor cells had round to irregular oblong nuclei approximately 5–17 μm in diameter and showed faintly or moderately eosinophilic cytoplasm and indistinct cell boundaries. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for synaptophysin and partially positive for neuron-specific enolase (NSE). The tumor showed malignant features including cellular pleomorphism, high mitotic index, necrotic foci, and invasive and extensive growth and was, therefore, diagnosed as an extremely rare malignant pinealoma in the deep cerebral parenchyma.     

A possible critical dosing period of p-cumylphenol for development of cystic kidneys in rat neonates

In accordance with a previous report on cystic kidneys induced in rat neonates when dosed with p-cumylphenol (PCP) for 18 days from postnatal day (PND) 4, 3 rat neonates were dosed with PCP once a day for 14 days, either from PND 14, 21, 28, 35, or 42 as W2, W3, W4, W5, and W6 groups, respectively, to investigate whether dosing periods in different PNDs influenced the development of cystic renal tubules. The lesion was striking in the W2 group and at a lesser magnitude in the W3 group, whereas either kidney was unaffected when dosing was initiated beyond PND 28. These findings, together with the results from the previous study, suggested that PND 14-28 is a critical dosing period for PCP to develop cystic kidneys in rat neonates. The lining epithelium of the cystic tubules was immunohistochemically positive for AQP2. This finding and the anatomical location indicated that the cystic tubules were of collecting duct origin. Either obstruction, fluid accumulation, or reparative hyperplasia of the lining epithelium was unlikely to be involved in the formation of cystic tubules lined with a monolayer of cuboidal or columnar epithelium with a high nuclear density. Thus, the follow-up investigation on PCP suggested a critical dosing period of PND 14-28 in rat neonates for the development of cystic dilation of renal collecting ducts. This study further supports that additive hyperplasia of the lining epithelium is a fundamental basis of this unique lesion.     

大鼠发情周期各阶段的阴道细胞变化观察

为了比较准确的确定大鼠发情周期各个阶段,利用阴道组织涂片法,对14只6月龄雌性Wistar大鼠连续20 d进行阴道涂片,镜检,观察阴道涂片中细胞的变化规律。结果表明,在发情间期,阴道涂片以白细胞为主(84.6个±1.1个);发情前期以有核上皮细胞为主(72.4个±8.3个);在发情期,以角质化的上皮细胞为主(78个±5.4个);发情后期角质化上皮细胞、有核上皮细胞和白细胞3种细胞都有,而且比例相当。阴道涂片法能简便有效的区分大鼠发情周期的各个阶段。     

利用秋水仙素喷淋加倍不同遗传基础的单倍体子粒探讨

以不同血缘及不同世代的遗传育种材料为母本、高频孤雌生殖诱导系辽诱1和CAU5等为父本杂交诱导产生的单倍体子粒为实验材料,研究秋水仙素浓度为0.625 mg/mL的条件下,用喷淋加倍设备对试验材料进行8 h喷淋的加倍效果。结果表明,喷淋秋水仙素后,郑单958的S2代的材料加倍率最高,为33.75%;第2位的是L3258×H71,是NSS种质S0代材料,其加倍率为13.02%;第3位的是D299/PH4CV,为NSS种质S1代材料,加倍率为10.34%。研究表明,喷淋秋水仙素的加倍效果与遗传背景关系紧密,喷淋秋水仙素加倍率总体由高到低的顺序为郑单958NSS种质(SS+NSS)种质SS种质欧洲杂交种,喷淋秋水仙素对全部试验材料的加倍率都有提高作用,比自然加倍提高0.83～5.08倍。利用该喷淋设备加倍单倍体子粒,具有节约用药量、操作简便、便于大规模生产应用、减少人员对秋水仙素的接触、废液回收方便、有利于保护环境等优点。     

Effects of Different Processed Products of Radix Codonopsis on Intestinal Flora of Rats with Spleen Deficiency

[Objectives]This study aimed to observe the effects of different processed products of Radix Codonopsis on intestinal flora in rats with spleen deficiency.[Meth...