Effects of preventing hyperphagia on glycolipid metabolic abnormalities in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii fatty rats

Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) fatty rats, made by introducing the fa allele of the Zucker fatty rat into the SDT rat genome, represent a new model of obese type 2 diabetes. SDT fatty ^fa/fa (SDT fatty) rats exhibit overt obesity, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia from about six weeks of age, and this is associated with hyperphagia by an induced disorder of leptin action. The present study was conducted to elucidate whether suppression of hyperphagia can improve reduce abnormalities in SDT fatty rats. SDT fatty rats were subjected to pair-feeding with SDT fatty ^{+/ +} (SDT) rats from 6 to 26 weeks of age, and the effects on metabolic parameters and diabetic complications were assessed. Body weights of the pair-fed rats were similar with those of SDT rats during the experimental period. Improvement of hyperglycemia or hypertriglyceridemia was observed from 8 to 16 or 12 weeks of age in the pair-fed rats, but hypercholesterolemia was not entirely improved during the experimental period. We also examined mRNAs expression in liver, and found that the expression associated with glyconeogenesis, such as glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), tended to decrease in the pair-fed rats, and the mRNA expression of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) was elevated. Renal parameters, such as blood urea nitrogen and urinary albumin excretion, were improved in the pair-fed rats. The incidence or progression of diabetic complications, such as renal lesions and cataract, was reduced. In conclusion, suppression of hyperphagia in SDT fatty rats was effective in temporally improving hyperglycemia or hypertriglyceridemia, and reducing the incidence or progression of diabetic complications, but was ineffective in reducing hypercholesterolemia.     

A Monitoring System for Green Fluorescence Protein Gene-transformed Fusarium oxysporum in Melon Seedlings

Using melon seedlings at the cotyledon stage and genetically marked fungi, a system for monitoring pathogenic and nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum was devised in the present study. Protoplasts were prepared from three formae speciales (melonis, radicis-lycopersici and fragariae )of F. oxysporum and transformed with a synthetic gene for green fluorescence protein. Transformants were primarily isolated in the presence of hygromycin B and then screened by the emission of bright green fluorescence. Roots of melon seedlings were inoculated with fluorescing microconidia of these fungi, and fungal infection behavior was traced. Using fluorescence microscopy, we directly observed not only the fungus at the root surface, but also the mycelia elongating in the trachea of roots. Both pathogenic and nonpathogenic fungi germinated and hyphae elongated superficially on the surface of root. Only pathogenic fungi caused root necrosis at the inoculation site. Hyphae grew within the stem to induce constriction or cracking of lower hypocotyls, then causing wilting of the seedlings. Infection behavior of genetically marked pathogenic and nonpathogenic F. oxysporum could be successfully monitored after inoculation of cotyledons of seedlings. Received 6 June 2001/ Accepted in revised form 3 August 2001     

Expression of genes encoding inflammasome sensor subunits in the duodenal and colonic mucosae of dogs with chronic enteropathy

Inflammasomes play a pivotal role in gastrointestinal homeostasis and inflammation. However, it remains elusive whether the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor (NLR) family inflammasomes, such as NLR family pyrin domain-containing (NLRP) 3, NLRP6, and NLRP12, are involved in the pathogenesis of canine chronic enteropathy (CE), which includes antibiotic-responsive enteropathy (ARE), food-responsive enteropathy (FRE), immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy (IRE), and non-responsive enteropathy (NRE). Thus, we measured mRNA expression of NLRP3, NLRP6, and NLRP12 in the intestinal mucosa of 35 dogs with CE (ARE, four dogs; FRE, 11 dogs; IRE and NRE, 20 dogs) and seven healthy dogs. As per real-time PCR analysis, significant increases in mRNA expression of NLRP3 and NLRP12 were noted in the colonic but not in the duodenal mucosa of dogs with FRE compared to healthy dogs. These findings suggested that the NLRP3 and NLRP12 inflammasomes might contribute to the development of colitis in dogs with FRE.     

Development and comparative test of squid liver artificial bait for tuna longline

ABSTRACT:   We have been developing an artificial bait for longline tuna fishing using the liver of the Japanese common squid Todarodes pacificus , a waste product of the squid fisheries industry, as the primary component. Three control test operations using the artificial bait and natural squid were conducted during January 1998, 1999 and 2000. During these operations, we compared the angling performance of the artificial bait with that of the natural squid. Some tuna was caught using the artificial bait; however, the hooking ratio for the artificial bait was less than that for the natural baits. Despite this, there was no significant difference between the hooking ratio by artificial bait and natural squid. In addition, species selectivity in the by-catch, a characteristic particular to this artificial bait, was observed. In the present paper, we discuss the hooking ratio and the reduction in by-catch of the artificial bait compared with natural bait.     

A marking method of cutting uropods using malformed regeneration for kuruma prawn Marsupenaeus japonicus

ABSTRACT:   Malformed regeneration after cutting uropods was effective as a marking method for kuruma prawn, Marsupenaeus japonicus , 50 mm in body length (BL). After cutting uropods, the shape of uropods was changed by 12 cutting positions, and the malformed uropods were classified into four types for both lateral (Convex, Wide, Hollow and Narrow types) and mesial (Convex, Hollow, Narrow and Short types) rami. Group X2 reached the highest frequency of occurrence of 97%, 9 months after the uropod was cut, and it did not return to its normal shape. This malformed uropod was easy to find and was proven to be satisfactory over the long term.     

Successful outcome after a single endoscopic fecal microbiota transplantation in a Shiba dog with non-responsive enteropathy during the treatment with chlorambucil

A 7-year 6-month-old, castrated male Shiba dog presented with a 1-month history of lethargy, anorexia, vomiting, and frequent watery diarrhea. Weight loss, hypoalbuminemia, anemia, and leukocytosis were detected at the first visit. The dog was diagnosed with non-responsive enteropathy (NRE) based on clinical and histopathological examinations. Since the dog did not respond to the immunosuppressive drugs, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was performed during the treatment with chlorambucil. A single endoscopic FMT into the cecum and colon drastically recovered clinical signs and clinicopathological abnormalities and corrected dysbiosis in the dog. No recurrence or adverse events were observed. The present case report suggests that FMT, possibly together with chlorambucil, might be a treatment option for NRE in Shiba dogs that have poorer prognosis compared with other dog breeds.     

Analysis of the green fraction of humic acids

The green fraction of humic acids (HAs), Pg, was fractionated by gel chromatography on Sephadex G-50. Repeated chromatography of the crude Pg obtained by the first chromatography of HA yielded a sharp peak (G₁) and two broad bands (G₂) of purified Pg. The recovery of Pg in G₁ and G₂ as percentages of the total Pg content of the HA were 16.2 and 14.5%, respectively. Distinct peaks were detected at 615, 570, 450 and 280 nm in the UV-visible spectra of both G₁ and G₂ in alkali solutions. Estimates of weight-average molecular weight were 9.7 * 10³ for G₁ and 1.23 * 10⁴ for G₂. In the ¹H-NMR spectra the percentage of hydroxyl groups of 4,9-dihydroxy-perylene-3, 10-quinone (DHPQ) nuclei, which are known to be the chromophore of Pg, was 4.1 and 4.5% of the total H, respectively. Based on these values and the H/C ratios, DHPQ-C was estimated as 28% of total C. ¹³C-NMR spectra obtained using inverse-gated decoupling yielded 40–41% aromatic C, which suggested the presence of aromatic rings other than DHPQ. All of the IR, ¹³C- and ¹H-NMR spectra indicated that the two purified Pg samples largely differed from each other in their contents of alkyl and polysaccharide components.