The relation between the feeding activity of wintering shovelers (Anas clypeata) and the horizontal distribution of zooplankton in Lake Teganuma,Japan

We investigated seasonal changes in the number and feeding activity of Shovelers wintering in Lake Teganuma in connection with temporal and horizontal fluctuations of zooplankton, and analyzed esophageal contents of a captured Shoveler. Zooplankton community was dominated by rotifers followed by copepods during the study period. Horizontal distribution of both invertebrate taxa differed; rotifers most abundant in the western and eastern parts of the lake in February–March, and cyclopoid copepodids and nauplii more common in the northeast area of the eastern portion of the lake. The number and feeding activity of Shovelers increased from January to March in the northeast area of Lake Teganuma. A Shoveler captured in the area had mostly consumed cyclopoid copepodids despite the fact that rotifers dominated in the zooplankton community at that location. These results suggest that the horizontal distribution and feeding activity of the Shovelers were correlated with the distribution of the cyclopoid copepodids.     

High avidity cytokine autoantibodies in health and disease: Pathogenesis and mechanisms

Numerous reports have documented the presence of autoantibodies working against naturally occurring cytokines in humans in health and disease. In most instances, their physiological and pathophysiological significance remains unknown. However, recent advances in the methodologies for detecting cytokine autoantibodies and their application in research focused on specific disorders have shown that some cytokine autoantibodies play an important role in the pathogenesis of disease. Additionally, levels of cytokine autoantibodies may also correlate with disease severity and progression in certain infectious and autoimmune diseases but not in others. This suggests that cytokine-specific pathogenic differences exist. While multiple lines of evidence support the notion that high avidity cytokine autoantibodies are present and likely to be ubiquitous in healthy individuals, their potential physiological role, if any, is less clear. It is believed that they may function by scavenging pro-inflammatory cytokines and thereby inhibiting deleterious ‘endocrine’ effects, or by serving as carrier proteins, providing a ‘reservoir’ of inactive cytokines and thus modulating cytokine bioactivity. A central hypothesis is that sustained or repeated high-level exposure to cytokines triggers defects in T-cell tolerance, resulting in the expansion of existing cytokine autoantibody-producing B cells.     

Parental origin of germ-line and somatic mutations in the retinoblastoma gene

Segregation analysis of polymorphic sites within the retinoblastoma (RB) gene and on chromosome 13, as well as the parental origin of the lost allele in the tumor, were analyzed in 24 families with RB patients. Four mutant alleles transmitted through the germ-line and seven de novo germ-line mutant alleles were identified in 11 patients with hereditary RB. Segregation analysis within the RB gene and on chromosome 13 was useful for DNA diagnosis of susceptibility to RB in relatives of hereditary patients, even if mutations were not identified. All seven de novo germ-line mutant alleles were paternally derived. The bias toward the paternal allele for de novo germ-line mutations of the RB gene was statistically significant. Seven paternal alleles and six maternal alleles were lost in 13 non-hereditary RB tumors with no bias in the parental origin of the somatic allele loss. These results suggest that the physical environment or a deficiency in DNA repair during spermatogenesis may be associated with significant risk factors for de novo germ-line mutations.     

Antioxidant activities of phlorotannins isolated from Japanese Laminariaceae

The antioxidant activities of brown algal phlorotannins were evaluated using the inhibition of phospholipid peroxidation in the liposome system, and by determining radical scavenging activities against the superoxide anion and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Oligomers of phloroglucinol (1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene), eckol (a trimer), phlorofucofuroeckol A (a pentamer), dieckol and 8,8′-bieckol (hexamers), isolated from the Laminarian brown algae Eisenia bicyclis, Ecklonia cava and Ecklonia kurome, showed potent inhibition of phospholipid peroxidation at 1 μM in the liposome system. The phlorotannins had significant radical scavenging activities against the superoxide anion (50% effective concentration values: 6.5–8.4 μM) and DPPH (50% effective concentration values: 12–26 μM), and were more effective compared to ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol. For the purpose of using phlorotannins as functional food ingredients, the antioxidant activity of a complex of crude phlorotannins and soybean protein was examined. The complex had a pronounced DPPH-radical scavenging activity. These results suggest that phlorotannins are potent anti-inflammatory substances, and that the Laminariaceous brown algae, which are abundant in phlorotannins, may be useful as a new functional foodstuff or supplement with anti-inflammatory activity.     

Schistosoma mansoni and alpha-galactosylceramide: prophylactic effect of Th1 Immune suppression in a mouse model of Graves' hyperthyroidism

Graves' hyperthyroidism, an organ-specific autoimmune disease mediated by stimulatory thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) autoantibodies, has been considered a Th2-dominant disease. However, recent data with mouse Graves' models are conflicting. For example, we recently demonstrated that injection of BALB/c mice with adenovirus coding the TSHR induced Graves' hyperthyroidism characterized by mixed Th1 and Th2 immune responses against the TSHR, and that transient coexpression of the Th2 cytokine IL-4 by adenovirus skewed Ag-specific immune response toward Th2 and suppressed disease induction. To gain further insight into the relationship between immune polarization and Graves' disease, we evaluated the effect of Th2 immune polarization by helminth Schistosoma mansoni infection and alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer), both known to bias the systemic immune response to Th2, on Graves' disease. S. mansoni infection first induced mixed Th1 and Th2 immune responses to soluble worm Ags, followed by a Th2 response to soluble egg Ags. Prior infection with S. mansoni suppressed the Th1-type anti-TSHR immune response, as demonstrated by impaired Ag-specific IFN-gamma secretion of splenocytes and decreased titers of IgG2a subclass anti-TSHR Abs, and also prevented disease development. Similarly, alpha-GalCer suppressed Ag-specific splenocyte secretion of IFN-gamma and prevented disease induction. However, once the anti-TSHR immune response was fully induced, S. mansoni or alpha-GalCer was ineffective in curing disease. These data support the Th1 theory in Graves' disease and indicate that suppression of the Th1-type immune response at the time of Ag priming may be crucial for inhibiting the pathogenic anti-TSHR immune response.     

Predicting invasion in mammographically detected microcalcifcation: a preliminary report

Background

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare malignancy. The outcome remains poor despite complete surgical resection.

Patients and methods

Eleven patients with histologicaly proven epithelial type malignant pleural mesothelioma undergoing extrapleural pneumonectomy with systemic chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy before and after surgical resection were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

Ten out of 11 patients underwent complete surgical resection, of these 7 patients had stage I disease. Of these 7 patients, 5 are alive without any recurrence, a 2-year survival rate of 80% was observed in this group. There was no operative mortality or morbidity.

Conclusion

Extrapleural pneumonectomy with perioperative adjuvant treatment is safe and effective procedure for epithelial type malignant pleural mesothelioma.     

Nuclear selection in oidium formation from dikaryotic mycelia ofFlammulina velutipes

The effect of nuclear dominance in monokaryotic oidium formation from dikaryotic mycelia in a tetrapolar basidiomycete,Flammulina velutipes, was examined. A total of 46 monokaryotic stocks were used to produce 194 hybrid dikaryotic stocks by crossing. The proportion of homokaryons among the oidium isolates from dikaryotic mycelia was over 95%. The staining of nuclei of oidia with propidium iodide showed that over 90% of oidia were monokaryotic and suggested that these oidia had single haploid nuclei at the G1 stage. The monokaryotic oidium isolates from hybrid dikaryons were backrossed to parental monokaryotic stocks. Although most of the monokaryotic oidium isolates (except for those from 17 hybrid dikaryons from a total of 194 test stocks) showed nuclear types similar to only one of the parental stocks, the process seems to produce essentially the split nuclear type composition. Therefore, the monokaryotization in oidium formation from dikaryotic mycelia essentially involves the process of nuclear selection. The two separate results of hierarchies of relative dominance among two nuclei of the parental dikaryons in the monokaryotic oidium formation by grouping with incompatibility factor compositions were determined. Only a few discrepancies were found in the hierarchies between the two specific nuclear compositions of hybrid dikaryons.     

Anticoagulant properties of a sulfated galactan preparation from a marine green alga, Codium cylindricum

An anticoagulant was isolated from a marine green alga, Codium cylindricum. The anticoagulant was composed mainly of galactose with a small amount of glucose, and was highly sulfated (13.1% as SO Na). The anticoagulant properties of the purified anticoagulant were compared with that of heparin by assays of activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT) and thrombin time (TT) using normal human plasma. The anticoagulant showed similar activities with heparin, however, weaker than heparin. On the other hand, the anticoagulant did not affect PT even at the concentration at which APTT and TT were strongly prolonged. The anticoagulant did not potentiate antithrombin III (AT III) and heparin cofactor II (HC II), thus the anticoagulant mechanism would be different from that of other anticoagulants isolated so far from the genus Codium.