Pharmacokinetics and effects on clinical and physiological parameters following a single bolus dose of propofol in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

The objectives of this study were (a) to establish a population pharmacokinetic model and (b) to investigate the clinical and physiological effects of a single bolus dose of propofol in common marmosets. In Study 1, pharmacokinetic analysis was performed in six marmosets under sevoflurane anaesthesia. 8 mg/kg of propofol was administrated at a rate of 4 mg kg^?1 min^?1. Blood samples were collected 2, 5, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120 or 180 min after starting propofol administration. Plasma concentration was measured, and population pharmacokinetic modelling was performed. A two‐compartment model was selected as the final model. The population pharmacokinetic parameters were as follows: V₁ = 1.14 L, V₂ = 77.6 L, CL₁ = 0.00182 L/min, CL₂ = 0.0461 L/min. In Study 2, clinical and physiological parameters were assessed and recorded every 2 min after 12 mg/kg of propofol was administrated at a rate of 4 mg kg^?1 min^?1. Immobilization was sustained for 5 min following propofol administration without apparent bradycardia. While combination of propofol and sevoflurane caused apnoea in Study 1, apnoea was not observed following single administration of propofol in Study 2. These data provide bases for further investigation on intravenous anaesthesia using propofol in common marmosets.     

Time-course comparison of pulmonary inflammation induced by intratracheal instillation of four different nickel oxide nanoparticles in male Fischer rats

Occupational exposure to nickel oxide (NiO) is an important cause of respiratory tract cancer. Toxicity is known to be associated with the dissociated component, i.e. nickel (II) ions. To address the relationship between physicochemical properties, including solubility in artificial lysosomal fluid, of NiO and time-course changes in the pulmonary response, we conducted an intratracheal instillation study in male Fischer rats using four different well-characterized NiO products, US3352 (NiO A), NovaWireNi01 (NiO B), I small particle (NiO C), and 637130 (NiO D). The NiOs were suspended in purified water and instilled once intratracheally into male F344 rats (12 weeks old) at 0 (vehicle control), 0.67, 2, and 6 mg/kg body weight. The animals were euthanized on days 3, 28, or 91 after instillation, and blood analysis, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) testing, and histopathological examination were performed. The most soluble product, NiO B, caused the most severe systemic toxicity, leading to a high mortality rate, but the response was transient and surviving animals recovered. The second-most-soluble material, NiO D, and the third, NiO A, caused evident pulmonary inflammation, and the responses persisted for at least 91 days with collagen proliferation. In contrast, NiO C induced barely detectable inflammation in the BALF examination, and no marked changes were noted on histopathology. These results indicate that the early phase toxic potential of NiO products, but not the persistence of pulmonary inflammation, is associated with their solubility.     

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).     

Artificially induced tetraploid masu salmon have the ability to form primordial germ cells

Diploid gametes generated with tetraploid animals are a stepping stone to improving chromosome manipulation techniques. However, artificially induced tetraploid individuals generally die soon after hatching. Diploid gametes could be induced by in vivo cultures of tetraploid primordial germ cells (PGCs) through germ-line chimera. In the present study, characteristics of PGCs were studied in inviable tetraploid masu salmon, Oncorhynchus masou. Histological observation of tetraploid embryos revealed that the same or smaller numbers of PGCs were observed and they migrate into the genital ridges as did diploid PGCs during gonadogenesis. By whole-mount in situ hybridization using vasa messenger RNA (mRNA), 4–35 vasa-positive signals were detected in a pair of genital ridges of tetraploids. By cytological observation of genital ridge cell suspensions, several large round cells were observed, some of which extended pseudopodia. They also contained large nuclei and round granules in their cytoplasm, characteristics of PGCs. As the results suggest that inviable artificial tetraploids have PGCs, we expect to achieve diploid gamete production through surrogate propagation and tetraploid fish production.     

Oxidative degradation of bisphenol a by crude enzyme prepared from potato

When crude enzymes prepared from some vegetables and fruits were incubated with bisphenol A (2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane, BPA) at 37 degrees C, BPA was oxidized by crude enzymes from potato, eggplant, and lettuce. The crude enzyme prepared from potato (Solanum tuberosum) had the strongest oxidative activity for BPA. Its optimal temperature and pH were 40-45 degrees C and 8.0, respectively. More than 95% of BPA was oxidized after the incubation with potato enzyme for 60 min. BPA gave two oxidation products besides insoluble compounds during the oxidation by potato enzyme. The oxidation products were identified to be 4[1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-methyl-ethyl]-benzene-1,2-diol and 4[1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-methyl-ethyl]-benzene-1,3-diol. Enzymatically oxidized BPA lost the estrogen-like activity to enhance the growth of human breast cancer (MCF-7) cells.     

Poxvirus infection in Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus)

An outbreak was encountered of numerous yellowish cutaneous nodules in one- to two-year-old farmed Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) in Kasaba Bay Crocodile Farm at Lake Tanganyika in Zambia during 1988. Out of 4000 crocodiles of different age groups, 300 yearlings were affected and 82 of those affected died. The lesions were prominent on the head, especially around the eyelids, the nostrils, both sides of the mouth, ventral neck, ventral pale belly, limbs and the root of the tail. Histologically, the epidermal lesions revealed large focal areas of marked acanthosis accompanied by hyperkeratosis and parakeratosis. In the prickle cells, there were multiple small neutrophilic granular inclusions and large eosinophilic homogeneous cytoplasmic inclusions. Electron microscopically, there were numerous poxvirus particles and matrices in the cytoplasm of many prickle cells. Dark blue homogeneous cytoplasmic inclusions in toluidine blue sections consisted of an electron opaque matrix with mature viral particles (160 x 200 x 230 nm). Furthermore, there were clumps of granular matrix containing immature viral particles (200 x 399 nm) in the cytoplasm. Various features of viral developing processes were observed.     

Mangrove Habitat Formation and Response to Holocene Sea-level Changes on Kosrae Island,Micronesia

Mangrove habitats on Kosrae are divided into three types, i.e., an estuary or delta type, a backmarsh or lagoon type and a coral reef or tidal-flat type. Most of the mangrove forests of Kosrae have been developed during the last 2000 years by accumulating mangrove peat with the gradual sea-level rise of 1 to 2 mm/yr except the landward part of the estuary or delta type. On the other hand, during the period of rapid sea-level rise of about 10 mm/yr between 4100 and 3700 yr B.P., the mangrove forests ceased peat accumulation and retreated landward. Until 3500 yr B.P., mangrove forests were distributed only in narrow bands in the inlets. Therefore, the critical rate of mangrove peat accretion with sea-level rise is estimated at more than 2 mm/yr and less than 10 mm/yr. If the anticipated sea-level rise exceeds this critical rate, all of the mangrove forests of Kosrae will retreat landward and reduce rapidly.     

Age trends in the genetic parameters of wood density and the relationship with growth rates in hybrid larch (Larix gmelinii var. japonica × L. kaempferi) F1

Age trends in variance components and heritability of overall wood density, earlywood and latewood density, and latewood proportion were investigated in 29-year-old trees of 19 full-sib families of hybrid larch (Larix gmelinii var. japonica × Larix kaempferi) F₁. The age–age correlation and optimum selection age for these traits were also estimated and genetic and phenotypic correlations between wood density and radial growth rate were calculated for each growth ring. Intraring wood density data were obtained using X-ray densitometry. The coefficient of additive genetic variance was stable over all ages, whereas the coefficient of environmental variances gradually decreased with increasing age, resulting in increases in heritability estimates with age for overall density. The latewood proportion had the highest heritability estimates at all ages, ranging from 0.44 to 0.66. Overall density and its various components at 28 years of age showed strong genetic correlations with their respective traits at all younger ages. Optimum selection ages for the wood density traits ranged from 8 to 14 years, at which point maximum gain efficiencies per year were obtained. There were negative correlations between wood density and radial growth rate at early ages, although these relationships tended to be weaker with increasing age. These results suggest that selection at a young age is effective for wood density, but particular care must be taken in selecting trees with an improved radial growth rate because rapid growth will result in a low-density wood product, especially in the early growth period.