Seroprevalence of antibodies against spotted fever group rickettsia among dogs and humans in Okinawa, Japan

We evaluated serum antibodies against Rickettsia japonica in 517 dogs (430 stray dogs and 87 pet dogs) and 164 humans in Okinawa, Japan, by indirect immunofluorescence assay. The seropositive rate in stray dogs was significantly higher than that in pet dogs (30.7 versus 4.6%, P<0.01). This high prevalence rate is attributed to the understandably frequent environmental exposure of stray dogs to tick infestation. Human samples obtained from Okinawa and Sapporo also showed a significant difference in seropositive antibody percentages (45.1 and 12.0%, respectively, P<0.01). This result suggests that there has been pre-exposure to spotted fever group rickettsia in humans in Okinawa.     

Nestling growth and mortality of Pied Flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca in relation to weather and breeding effort

The growth pattern and mortality of young Pied Flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca were studied to focus on the mechanisms and constraints behind the widely studied optimization of clutch size. The clutch sizes were modified, and the growth and survival of chicks from different clutch sizes were monitored along with the prevailing weather during the nestling period to detect the effect of weather on reproductive success. The weather conditions during the feeding period of the nestlings varied within a season as well as between breeding seasons. The prevailing weather markedly affected both the growth rate and the survival of chicks, yet, the effects of weather on growth were not greater in enlarged clutches. The impact of adverse weather was more pronounced in the later phases of nesting, when the food demand of a brood was highest. Brood reduction and total nest losses were more likely during extensive rainfall during the nestling phase and also in the enlarged clutches. Thus, weather is a very important determinant of reproductive success in this species. Weather conditions during the breeding season are unpredictable, however, and therefore brood reduction through sibling competition is a mechanism whereby brood size can be adjusted to the level the parents can rear under the prevailing conditions.     

PERCEIVED EATING DIFFICULTIES AND PREFERENCES FOR VARIOUS TEXTURES OF RAW AND COOKED CARROTS IN YOUNG AND ELDERLY SUBJECTS

The aim of the study was to determine how those texture attributes that elderly people find difficult to eat are related to their preferences for different modifications of carrot textures. This study was conducted with same methods in Finland and in the United Kingdom (UK). Trained sensory panels in both countries described sensory profiles of a range of carrot samples with same glossary of texture terms. The texture of carrot samples was manipulated using different preparation and cooking methods. Based on the Principal Component Analysis (PCA), boiled and puréed samples were perceived as soft, wet, pulpy and smooth, whereas raw samples were dry, brittle, rough, crispy and crunchy. Two age groups were used for the consumer tests: a young adult group aged 23 to 40 years, mean 32 (Finland) and 33 (UK) and an elderly group aged over 60 years, mean 75 (Finland) and 76 (UK). Both the elderly and young adult respondents considered samples as difficult to eat if they needed a long chewing time, were crunchy, hard, brittle, dry, rough or sharp, such as raw slices and coarsely grated samples. On the other hand, slimy, wet, smooth, soft and pulpy samples, such as boiled carrots and purée, were considered as easy-to-eat. The young adults liked more difficult textures such as rough, crispy, crunchy and hard than did the elderly respondents, but the easiest textures were not liked by either age group. Subjects with dental deficiencies liked easier textures more than those fully dentate.     

The effects of continuous illumination on the function and structure of Micrasterias torreyi Bail. (Conjugatophyceae)

Abstract. The division rate of Micrasterias torreyi cells grown under continuous illumination first accelerated but soon slowed down, and the cells lost their ability to divide after about 1 month. During the treatment the cells became pale green, the pyrenoids became fewer in number and defects appeared in the chloroplasts. After 1 month, the cells also soon died, even when subjected to intermittent illumination. The most striking structural alterations were found in the chloroplasts: the starch granules lost their typical structure, the lamellae were damaged and numerous electron dense precipitates appeared in the chloroplasts. The precipitates were similar to those formed in cells treated with supraoptimal external calcium concentrations and X-ray microanalysis showed that the precipitates were rich in calcium in both cases. The results suggest that light controls and activates the Ca²⁺ uptake in the plasma membrane as well as in the chloroplast envelope, that the large sized chloroplasts of Micrasterias are effective in regulation of cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ concentration, and that the injuries caused by continuous illumination may be largely due to the accumulation of Ca²⁺ in the chloroplasts.     

Expression of nm23-H1 gene product in thyroid,ovary, and breast cancers

The nm23 gene product is one of several possible mediators of cancer invasion and metastasis. As the amounts of nm23-H1 mRNA and gene product are reduced in metastatic lymph nodes from patients with papillary carcinoma of the thyroid, we examined the expression of nm23 gene product in 115 thyroid cancers, 78 ovarian cancers, 63 breast cancers, and metastatic lymph node tissues by immunohistochemistry. It was found that nm23-H1, but not nm23-H2 gene product, was expressed in primary sites of thyroid, ovarian, and breast cancers, except for medullary and anaplastic carcinomas of the thyroid, but expressed only weakly or poorly in metastatic lymph nodes. Although nm23-H1 gene product expression was lower in anaplastic and medullary carcinomas of the thyroid, there was no significant difference in nm23-H1 gene product expression among histological types of ovarian and breast cancers. Our data indicate that the nm23-H1 gene product may play a role in metastasis in these hormone-producing organs and that other factors may be involved in metastasis of anaplastic and medullary carcinomas of the thyroid.     

Functional T cell responses to tumor antigens in breast cancer patients have a distinct phenotype and cytokine signature

The overall prevalence with which endogenous tumor Ags induce host T cell responses is unclear. Even when such responses are detected, they do not usually result in spontaneous remission of the cancer. We hypothesized that this might be associated with a predominant phenotype and/or cytokine profile of tumor-specific responses that is different from protective T cell responses to other chronic Ags, such as CMV. We detected significant T cell responses to CEA, HER-2/neu, and/or MAGE-A3 in 17 of 21 breast cancer patients naive to immunotherapy. The pattern of T cell cytokines produced in response to tumor-associated Ags (TAAs) in breast cancer patients was significantly different from that produced in response to CMV or influenza in the same patients. Specifically, there was a higher proportion of IL-2-producing CD8(+) T cells, and a lower proportion of IFN-gamma-producing CD4(+) and/or CD8(+) T cells responding to TAAs compared with CMV or influenza Ags. Finally, the phenotype of TAA-responsive CD8(+) T cells in breast cancer patients was almost completely CD28(+)CD45RA(-) (memory phenotype). CMV-responsive CD8(+) T cells in the same patients were broadly distributed among phenotypes, and contained a high proportion of terminal effector cells (CD27(-)CD28(-)CD45RA(+)) that were absent in the TAA responses. Taken together, these results suggest that TAA-responsive T cells are induced in breast cancer patients, but those T cells are phenotypically and functionally different from CMV- or influenza-responsive T cells. Immunotherapies directed against TAAs may need to alter these T cell signatures to be effective.     

Mesenchymal stem cells are recruited into wounded skin and contribute to wound repair by transdifferentiation into multiple skin cell type

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can differentiate not only into mesenchymal lineage cells but also into various other cell lineages. As MSCs can easily be isolated from bone marrow, they can be used in various tissue engineering strategies. In this study, we assessed whether MSCs can differentiate into multiple skin cell types including keratinocytes and contribute to wound repair. First, we found keratin 14-positive cells, presumed to be keratinocytes that transdifferentiated from MSCs in vitro. Next, we assessed whether MSCs can transdifferentiate into multiple skin cell types in vivo. At sites of mouse wounds that had been i.v. injected with MSCs derived from GFP transgenic mice, we detected GFP-positive cells associated with specific markers for keratinocytes, endothelial cells, and pericytes. Because MSCs are predominantly located in bone marrow, we investigated the main MSC recruitment mechanism. MSCs expressed several chemokine receptors; especially CCR7, which is a receptor of SLC/CCL21, that enhanced MSC migration. Finally, MSC-injected mice underwent rapid wound repaired. Furthermore, intradermal injection of SLC/CCL21 increased the migration of MSCs, which resulted in an even greater acceleration of wound repair. Taken together, we have demonstrated that MSCs contribute to wound repair via processes involving MSCs differentiation various cell components of the skin.     

Detection of Rickettsia helvetica DNA from peripheral blood of Sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in Japan

Partial nucleotide sequences of the citrate synthase and 17-kDa genes of Rickettsia helvetica were detected from peripheral blood samples of Sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in Hokkaido, Japan. Results suggest the presence of a rickettsiemia associated with R. helvetica. This is the first evidence of R. helvetica infection in Sika deer and indicates that this species may represent a potential reservoir host of R. helvetica in Japan.