A new diabetic strain of rat (WBN/Kob)

A new, spontaneously occurring diabetic syndrome has been observed in the aged males of an inbred strain of Wistar rats, WBN/Kob. The main clinical sign, glycosuria, was first detected at about 60 weeks of age, and thereafter some animals developed hyperlipidaemia and gradual emaciation. Prior to the onset of glucosuria, male rats showed impaired glucose tolerance after a glucose load at 21 weeks of age. The histopathologic lesions of the pancreas in the diabetic males consisted of multifocal fibrosis, decreased in number and size of islets and atrophy of exocrine tissue. Multifocal inflammatory foci of varying stages were the main pancreatic lesion in prediabetic male rats. This inflammatory change was detected even in 12-week-old rats and tended to occur around the islets. Therefore focal fibrosis and the decrease in the number and size of islets were considered to result from post-inflammatory scarring. The maturity-onset of this syndrome and the impaired glucose tolerance in younger animals suggested that diabetes mellitus of this rat strain is insulin-independent type II. However, the histological lesions of the pancreas were somewhat different from previous reports of both type I and II diabetes mellitus in man and animals.     

A congenic strain (F344.OLETF-Imfm) displays the existence of intramuscular fat accumulation QTL on rat chromosome 1.

A genomic region between D1Wox8 and D1Rat90 on rat chromosome 1 was previously shown to be linked to intramuscular fat accumulation by quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis using a F2 population derived from the Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rat, which exhibits an increase in the levels of intramuscular fat content in Musculus longissimus, and the F344 rat. There exist two regions showing major and minor lod peaks for linkage to intramuscular fat accumulation, in the chromosomal region. We constructed a congenic strain introgressing the OLETF allele on the minor but not the major lod peak region in the F344 rat strain. The congenic strain had higher levels of intramuscular fat content in Musculus longissimus than the inbred partner F344 rat, thereby proving the existence of a QTL, designated Imfm (for Intramuscular fat-minor), responsible for the intramuscular fat accumulation in the congenic region of the minor lod peak region of about 10 cM. The F344.OLETF-Imfm congenic strain might provide a refined tool for the analysis of the gene causing intramuscular fat accumulation.     

A new BF variant (F025)

A rare variant of Factor B exhibiting a mobility intermediate between BF F and BF S was described. After comparison with the mobilities of BF F and F075, this variant was designated BF F025. The allele was transmitted together with C2*C, C4A*3, and C4B*1.     

Two new Fagopyrum (Polygonaceae) species,F. gracilipedoides and F. jinshaense from Yunnan,China

Two new Fagopyrum (Polygonaceae) species, F. gracilipedoides and F. jinshaense, are described. Fagopyrum gracilipedoides was only found at Baoshan village, Lijiang district, Yunnan province, China. This species resembles the weedy species, F. gracilipes in morphology but they differ in both mating system and ploidy level; F. gracilipedoides is a heterostylous self-incompatible diploid species (2n = 16), whereas F. gracilipes is a self-compatible tetraploid species (2n = 32). Fagopyrum jinshaense was found along the Jinsha River valley near the border of Sichuan, Yunnan, and Tibet in China. Fagopyrum jinshaense is morphologically similar to F. gilesii, but they differ in the morphology of their inflorescences. Fagopyrum jinshaense has long spike-like inflorescences, whereas F. gilesii has a compact head-like one. Both F. jinshaense and F. gilesii are self-incompatible with heterostylous flowers and are diploid. Interspecific crosses between the two new species and already known species in the urophyllum group of Fagopyrum resulted in the production of self- and cross-sterile hybrids in the species combinations attempted. These results indicated that both new species are reproductively isolated from other Fagopyrum species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the nucleotide sequence of the trnK gene intron in chloroplast DNA revealed the following points: 1) F. gracilipedoides, F. rubifolium and F. gracilipes / F. capillatum showed a trifurcating relationship and 2) F. jinshaense formed a clade with F. pleioramosum, F. callanthum, and F. macrocarpum, and was only distantly related to F. gilesii. In the clade of F. capillatum, F. gracilipes, F. gracilipedoides and F. rubifolium, the breakdown of self-incompatibility accompanying genome duplication seems to have occurred twice independently.     

Foonchewia coriacea,a new combination to replace F. guangdongensis (Rubiaceae)

Examination of both specimens and literature has shown that Mycetia coriacea (based on Adenosacme coriacea; Rubiaceae) has apically dehiscent dry capsules, quite different from the indehiscent berries of other species of the genus Mycetia. In various characters including the fruits, the species is found to be identical with the newly described species Foonchewia guangdongensis, the only species of the genus Foonchewia and the tribe Foonchewieae. Therefore, the new combination Foonchewia coriacea is here proposed to replace F. guangdongensis.     

sn-Glycero(3)phosphoinositol glycerophosphohydrolase. A new phosphodiesterase in rat tissues.

1. A phosphodiesterase that cleaves glycerophosphoinositol into glycerophosphate and inositol has been detected in rat tissues. 2. The enzyme requires Mg2+ (Mn2+) and has a pH optimum of 7.7. 3. The richest sources of the enzyme are kidney and intestinal mucosa. In pancreas subcellular fractions it occurs largely in the microsomal fraction. 4. The enzyme is inhibited by excess substrate and by the reaction product glycerophosphate. 5. Temperature-stability studies and other observations distinguish the enzyme from other membrane-bound phosphodiesterases active at an alkaline pH e.g. glycerophosphoinositol inositophosphohydrolase, glycerophosphocholine diesterase, inositol cyclic phosphate phosphodiesterase and phosphodiesterase I.     

A new semi-selective medium for Fusarium graminearum,F. proliferatum,F. subglutinans and F. verticillioides in maize seed

Zea mays L., known also as corn and maize, is the most important crop according to the amount of tonnes produced each year. Fungi cause significant destruction of maize in the field as well as during storage rendering the grain unsuitable for human consumption by decreasing its nutritional value and by producing mycotoxins that are detrimental to both human and animal health. Fusarium species are widely distributed and are amongst the most frequently isolated fungal species by plant pathologists. Due to the fact that the Fusarium species involved in maize ear rot vary in fungicide sensitivity, pathogenicity as well as in their capability to produce mycotoxins, accurate quantification and identification is of paramount significance. Currently no method has been developed to test for Fusarium species in maize seed that has been validated and published by the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). Malachite green agar 2.5 ppm (MGA 2.5) is a potent selective medium for isolation and enumeration of Fusarium spp. In this study, eight different media compositions, potato dextrose agar (PDA), PDA + malachite green oxalate, corn meal agar, 1/2 PDA + malachite green oxalate, 1% malt agar, carnation leaf agar supplemented with potassium chloride (KCLA), malachite green agar (MGA 2.5) and MGA 2.5 + sterile carnation leaf pieces were compared using four Fusarium species (F. graminearum, F. proliferatum, F. subglutinans and F. verticillioides) and five commonly encountered saprophytic fungi (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium crustosum, P. digitatum, Trichoderma harzianum and Rhizopus stolonifer). The maize kernels were surface disinfected using three concentrations of sodium hypochlorite (0.5%, 1% and 1.5% NaOCl) and for different time intervals (1 min, 3 min, 5 min and 10 min). The effect of black-blue light (365 nm) on sporulation of the fungi was also investigated. Surface disinfection of maize seeds with 1% NaOCl for 5 min provided consistent results. PDA, 1/2 PDA, 1% malt agar and KCLA allowed profuse growth of the Fusarium species as well as saprophytes. Media that contained malachite green oxalate was most inhibitory to the radial colony growth of the saprophytes and the Fusarium species. The Fusarium species growing on these media formed underdeveloped morphological structures, thereby obscuring accurate identification. MGA 2.5 showed better hindering of the saprophytes in some instances. MGA 2.5 amended with sterile carnation leaf pieces was the most satisfactory medium in hindering the growth of the saprophytes while allowing adequate sporulation by the four Fusarium species to permit accurate identification. The media also resulted in higher F. verticillioides and lower saprophytic fungal isolation frequency when compared to the other media tested.     

A novel cellulolytic,anaerobic, and thermophilic bacterium,Moorella sp. strain F21

A cellulolytic and thermophilic anaerobe was isolated from soil. This bacterium made a halo on a roll-tube culture containing Avicel. Analysis of the PCR-based 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the bacterium was closely related to Moorella thermoacetica. Scanning electron microscopy showed the bacterium is a rod and has no protuberant structure on the surface of cells growing on cellulose, suggesting that this strain is a non-cellulosomal cellulolytic bacterium. Carboxymethyl cellulase and xylanase activities were detected in the culture broth. A major fermentation product from ball-milled cellulose was acetate. This strain has a potential to convert cellulosic biomass to acetate, directly.     

A new strain, Streptomyces venezuelae GY1, producing a poly(vinyl alcohol)-degrading enzyme

Summary An actinomycete strain, which could produce an extracellular poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-degrading enzyme, was isolated from a PVA-contaminated soil sample using PVA as the sole carbon source. The strain was identified as Streptomyces venezuelae according to the whole-nucleotide-sequence analysis of 16S rDNA, the morphological and the physiological characteristics. The strain produced 120 U/l extracellular PVA-degrading enzyme when PVA was used as the sole carbon source. When glucose was used as the sole carbon source, however, the extracellular enzyme activity was very low (12 U/l). This is the first report showing that an actinomycete strain can produce a PVA-degrading enzyme.     

A decrease in DKK1, a WNT inhibitor, contributes to placental lipid accumulation in an obesity-prone rat model

Placenta, as the sole transport mechanism between mother and fetus, links the maternal physical state and the immediate as well as lifelong outcomes of the offspring. The present study examined the consequences of maternal obesity on placental lipid accumulation and metabolism. Pregnant obesity-prone (OP) and obesity-resistant (OR) rat strains were fed a control diet throughout gestation. Placentas were collected on Gestational Day 21 for mRNA and oxidative stress analysis, and frozen placental sections were analyzed for fat accumulation as well as beta-catenin and Dickkopf homolog 1 (Xenopus laevis) (DKK1) localization. JEG3 trophoblast cells were cultured in vitro to determine the relationship between DKK1 and lipid accumulation. Maternal plasma and placental nonesterified fatty acids and triglycerides (TG) were elevated in OP dams. Placental Dkk1 mRNA content was 4-fold lower in OP placentas, and a significant increase was noted in beta-catenin accumulation as well as in mRNA content of fat transport and TG synthesis genes, including Ppard (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta), Slc27a1 (fatty acid transport protein 1; also known as Fatp1), Cd36 (cluster of differentiation 36; also known as fatty acid translocation [Fat]), Lipin1, and Lipin3. Significant lipid accumulation was found within the decidual zones in OP, but not OR, placentas, and thickness of the decidual and junctional zones was significantly smaller in OP than in OR placentas. Overexpression of DKK1 in JEG3 cells decreased lipid accumulation and mRNA content of PPARD, SLC27A1, CD36, LIPIN1, and LIPIN3. Our results demonstrate that DKK1 is regulating certain aspects of placental lipid metabolism through the WNT signaling pathway.     

松蜕盾蚧等四种蜕盾蚧分类地位的研究（同翅目：盾蚧科）

将松蜕盾蚧Florinia pinicola Maskell接种于盆栽马尾松上饲养,得到大量标本,通过对这些标本的观察研究,结果发现：臀背边缘管腺的大小．数量以及触角的形态等特征变化很大;研究表明松蜕盾蚧F.pinicola、日本蜕盾蚧F.japonica、柏蜕盾蜕F.externa和霜蜕盾蚧F.prulnosa,实际上是同一个种,即松蜕盾蚧F.pinicola。     

Nude rat (F344/N-rnu) tuberculosis

As many mononuclear cells from Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected lung tissues are not available for fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis and the tuberculin test is not feasible in a mouse tuberculosis model, we attempted to develop a rat tuberculosis model. We have previously reported that rat tuberculosis is associated with granulomas that lack central necrosis. In order to develop a better animal model of tuberculosis in immunocompromised humans (tuberculosis associated with HIV infection or tuberculosis of the elderly), we infected F344/N-rnu nude rats with M. tuberculosis via the airborne route. The animals developed pulmonary granulomas with central necrosis encapsulated by dense collagen fibres, closely resembling those of human tuberculosis. The nude rats died of disseminated tuberculosis by the 85th day after aerosol infection, while F344 wild-type rats did not. Interestingly, T-cells that were reactive with anti-CD4 antibody and anti-CD8 antibody, indicating the presence of remnant thymus, were observed in the infected lung tissues of the nude rats. Therefore, T-cell precursors may be present in nude rats. The nude rat tuberculosis model mimics tuberculosis in immunocompromised humans and may provide a suitable model for immunological studies in vivo.     

Reversible ischemic inhibition of F(1)F(0)-ATPase in rat and human myocardium

The physiological role of F(1)F(0)-ATPase inhibition in ischemia may be to retard ATP depletion although views of the significance of IF(1) are at variance. We corroborate here a method for measuring the ex vivo activity of F(1)F(0)-ATPase in perfused rat heart and show that observation of ischemic F(1)F(0)-ATPase inhibition in rat heart is critically dependent on the sample preparation and assay conditions, and that the methods can be applied to assay the ischemic and reperfused human heart during coronary by-pass surgery. A 5-min period of ischemia inhibited F(1)F(0)-ATPase by 20% in both rat and human myocardium. After a 15-min reperfusion a subsequent 5-min period of ischemia doubled the inhibition in the rat heart but this potentiation was lost after 120 min of reperfusion. Experiments with isolated rat heart mitochondria showed that ATP hydrolysis is required for effective inhibition by uncoupling. The concentration of oligomycin for 50% inhibition (I(50)) for oxygen consumption was five times higher than its I(50) for F(1)F(0)-ATPase. Because of the different control strengths of F(1)F(0)-ATPase in oxidative phosphorylation and ATP hydrolysis an inhibition of the F(1)F(0)-ATPase activity in ischemia with the resultant ATP-sparing has an advantage even in an ischemia/reperfusion situation.     

A new species of blackflies--Simulium (Argentisimulium) dolini sp. n. (Diptera, Simuliidae)

Female, male and larva of the new species of black flies, Simulium (Argentisimulium) dolini sp. n. are described. By its morphology the species occupies an "intermediate position" between S. nolleri and S. palustre. In the USSR the species was found in wooded and forest-steppe zones of West Ukraine.