Maternal-infant separation impedes changes in feeding behavior during estrous cycle of rats

Traumatic and stressful events during childhood are associated with the development ofeating disorders. We conducted an animal study to test if association stress in childhoodaffects ingestive behavior later in life by using female rats that have an adjustedestrous cycle. First, electrical impedance of the vagina was conducted to test estrouscycle adjustment. Second, the effects of 6 h per day maternal separation from birth toweaning, which models a psychologically stressful experience in childhood, was used totest feeding behavior during an ovarian cycle in female adult rats with matched estrouscycles. Food and water intake in maternal separated and non-separated rats was measured ineach estrous phase. Non-separated rats showed periodical changes, but maternal separatedrats showed no significant changes in food and water intake during an estrous cycle. Anopposing tendency for food and water intake was seen between maternal separated andnon-separated rats. These observations suggest that electrical impedance of the vaginashowed the highest value in the estrous phase of rats housed in a reversed light-darkcycle, and maternal separation was found to disturb changes in feeding behavior during theestrous cycle.     

Effects of artificial codon changes in the movement protein gene on adaptation of a hybrid bromovirus to cowpea

A hybrid Cowpea chlorotic mottle virus(CCMV) with the movement protein (MP) gene replaced with that of the closely related Brome mosaic virus cannot infect cowpea systemically. Twenty-nine spontaneous mutants from the hybrid CCMV capable of systemic infection in cowpea appeared through biased codon changes that resulted in Lys or Arg at five specific positions in the MP gene. In this study, we report that systemic infection of cowpea with the hybrid CCMV can be achieved by artificial codon changes that do not result in Lys or Arg. We discuss mechanisms that restrict the occurrence of cowpea-adapted mutants in nature.     

Therapeutic and life-prolonging effect of intrapleural injection with a streptococcal preparation,OK-432, and IL2-cultured effusion lymphocytes to breast cancer patients with malignant pleural effusion

We developed a local AIT using PEL cultured with TCGF combined with preadministration of OK-432. Twenty-six patients of breast cancer with pleural effusion have been treated with this therapy since 1983. PEL expanded and tumor cells collapsed by day 9 in culture with TCGF. Cultured PEL possessed significantly higher cytotoxic activity against autologous tumor cells than PBL cultured in the same condition (p < 0.05), but there was no difference between their cytotoxic activities against K562. The proliferation rate of PEL obtained after intrapleural administration of OK-432 was higher than that obtained before OK-432 (p < 0.01). Moreover, the cytotoxic activities against both autologous tumor and K562 of cultured PEL obtained after OK-432 administration was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those cultured PEL obtained before.Cultured PEL (1 x 10⁸ - 6 x 10⁹) were transferred into the pleural cavity after the intrapleural administration of OK-432 (1–5 KE). The volume of pleural effusion increased temporarily after the administration of OK-432 but significantly (p < 0.01) decreased after AIT. Tumor cells disappeared cytologically in 22 patients at the last puncture of pleural effusion. Pleural effusion disappeared completely in 19 of 26 patients and decreased by more than 50% in volume in 6 patients. Performance status improved in 22 patients. The response rate for OK-432-combined AIT in the present study was 96%. The survival period of the patients treated by OK-432-combined AIT in this trial was significantly (p < 0.002) prolonged compared to that of the patients receiving chemotherapy alone. The side effects were fever and general malaise after OK-432 administration but no critical toxicity was observed.     

Molecular phylogenetic and isotopic evidence of two lineages of chemoautotrophic endosymbionts distinct at the subdivision level harbored in one host-animal type: the genus Alviniconcha (Gastropoda: Provannidae)

The hydrothermal-vent gastropod Alviniconcha hessleri from the Alice Springs deep-sea hydrothermal field in the Mariana Back-Arc Basin in the Western Pacific houses an intracellular bacterial endosymbiont in its gill. Although enzymatic analysis has revealed that the endosymbiont is a sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotroph using the Calvin-Benson cycle for the fixation of carbon dioxide, the phylogenetic affiliation of, and the trophic relationship of A. hessleri with, the chemoautotrophic endosymbiont remains undetermined. A single 16S rRNA gene sequence was obtained from the DNA extract of the gill, and phylogenetic analysis placed the source organism within the lineage of the gamma subdivision of the Proteobacteria that consists of many chemoautotrophic endosymbionts of marine invertebrates. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis showed the bacterium densely colonizing the gill filaments. The fatty acid profile of the symbiont-free mantle contains the high level of the 16:1 fatty acid originating from the endosymbiont, which indicates that the endosymbiont cells are digested by, and incorporated into, the host. Compound-specific carbon isotopic analysis revealed that fatty acids from the gastropod tissues are all (13)C-depleted relative to the gastropod biomass. This fractionation pattern is consistent with chemoautotrophy based on the Calvin-Benson cycle and subsequent fatty-acid biosynthesis from (13)C-depleted acetyl coenzyme A. The results from the present study are clearly different from those from our previous study for A. aff. hessleri from the Indian Ocean that harbors a chemoautotrophic endosymbiont belonging to the epsilon subdivision of the Proteobacteria, which mediates the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle for carbon fixation. Thus, it is concluded here that two lineages of chemoautotrophic bacteria, phylogenetically distinct at the subdivision level, occur as the primary endosymbiont in one host-animal type, which is unknown for the other metazoans.     

Urological Screening of a Wild Group of Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui): Investigating Trends in Nutrition and Health

Primates are among the most threatened of animal taxa, and it is therefore increasingly important to examine ways to monitor their health in the wild. We here investigate trends in nutrition and health in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui) under natural conditions using a common tool from human and veterinary health practices: urinalysis. Between October 2007 and August 2009, we collected 103 urine samples ad libitum from 29 identified individuals of a group of macaques on Yakushima Island. We used multireagent dipstick analysis to examine variation in 10 urine chemistry parameters across subjects in combination with systematic monitoring of clinical signs of disease (via focal sampling). Positive tests tended to be transient and weak, i.e., analytes detected in trace amounts, and were not associated with clinical signs of disease. In addition, most urine samples we collected were highly concentrated (urine specific gravity ≥1.030), which could have increased the likelihood of detecting clinically insignificant amounts of analytes that can occur in urine. However, we found that ketone bodies, which are not normally found in urine, were more prevalent during winter than summer, which may indicate that Japanese macaques inhabiting the richest habitat available to the species nonetheless experience an energy deficit during periods of low food quality and high thermoregulatory costs. We conclude that dipstick urinalysis can be used to examine general trends in nutrition and health, but that results must be interpreted with care because positive tests may not reflect clinically significant urological conditions in many cases.     

Fast and Stable Proton Conduction in Heavily Scandium‐Doped Polycrystalline Barium Zirconate at Intermediate Temperatures

The environmental benefits of fuel cells and electrolyzers have become increasingly recognized in recent years. Fuel cells and electrolyzers that can operate at intermediate temperatures (300–450 °C) require, in principle, neither the precious metal catalysts that are typically used in polymer‐electrolyte‐membrane systems nor the costly heat‐resistant alloys used in balance‐of‐plant components of high‐temperature solid oxide electrochemical cells. These devices require an electrolyte with high ionic conductivity, typically more than 0.01 S cm^?1, and high chemical stability. To date, however, high ionic conductivities have been found in chemically unstable materials such as CsH₂PO₄, In‐doped SnP₂O₇, BaH₂, and LaH_3?2xO_x. Here, fast and stable proton conduction in 60‐at% Sc‐doped barium zirconate polycrystal, with a total conductivity of 0.01 S cm^?1 at 396 °C for 200 h is demonstrated. Heavy doping of Sc in barium zirconate simultaneously enhances the proton concentration, bulk proton diffusivity, specific grain boundary conductivity, and grain growth. An accelerated stability test under a highly concentrated and humidified CO₂ stream using in situ X‐ray diffraction shows that the perovskite phase is stable over 240 h at 400 °C under 0.98 atm of CO₂. These results show great promises as an electrolyte in solid‐state electrochemical devices operated at intermediate temperatures.     

Peptide drugs accelerate BMP‐2‐induced calvarial bone regeneration and stimulate osteoblast differentiation through mTORC1 signaling

Both W9 and OP3‐4 were known to bind the receptor activator of NF‐κB ligand (RANKL), inhibiting osteoclastogenesis. Recently, both peptides were shown to stimulate osteoblast differentiation; however, the mechanism underlying the activity of these peptides remains to be clarified. A primary osteoblast culture showed that rapamycin, an mTORC1 inhibitor, which was recently demonstrated to be an important serine/threonine kinase for bone formation, inhibited the peptide‐induced alkaline phosphatase activity. Furthermore, both peptides promoted the phosphorylation of Akt and S6K1, an upstream molecule of mTORC1 and the effector molecule of mTORC1, respectively. In the in vivo calvarial defect model, W9 and OP3‐4 accelerated BMP‐2‐induced bone formation to a similar extent, which was confirmed by histomorphometric analyses using fluorescence images of undecalcified sections. Our data suggest that these RANKL‐binding peptides could stimulate the mTORC1 activity, which might play a role in the acceleration of BMP‐2‐induced bone regeneration by the RANKL‐binding peptides.     

Alkaline Catalase Produced by Bacillus No. Ku-1

Bacillus No. Ku-1 isolated from soil produced and alkaline catalase in alkaline media. The characteristic point of this bacteria was especially good growth in alkaline media. The alkaline catalase in the culture fluid was purified by DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex columns. The enzyme was most active at pH 10.0 and was stable at pH 7.0 to 8.5. The sedimentation constant was about 12.5 S. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by NaN₃, KCN, FeSO₄ and Fe₂ (SO₄)₃. Properties of the enzyme are almost same as those of catalases so far reported except optimum pH for enzyme action and Kat.f. value (4.4×10⁴).     

Outer Membrane Changes in a Toluene-Sensitive Mutant of Toluene-Tolerant Pseudomonas putida IH-2000

We isolated a toluene-sensitive mutant, named mutant No. 32, which showed unchanged antibiotic resistance levels, from toluene-tolerant Pseudomonas putida IH-2000 by transposon mutagenesis with Tn5. The gene disrupted by insertion of Tn5 was identified as cyoC, which is one of the subunits of cytochrome o. The membrane protein, phospholipid, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of IH-2000 and that of mutant No. 32 were examined and compared. Some of the outer membrane proteins showed a decrease in mutant No. 32. The fatty acid components of LPS were found to be dodecanoic acid, 2-hydroxydodecanoic acid, 3-hydroxydodecanoic acid, and 3-hydroxydecanoic acid in both IH-2000 and No. 32; however, the relative proportions of these components differed in the two strains. Furthermore, cell surface hydrophobicity was increased in No. 32. These data suggest that mutation of cyoC caused the decrease in outer membrane proteins and the changing fatty acid composition of LPS. These changes in the outer membrane would cause an increase in cell surface hydrophobicity, and mutant No. 32 is considered to be sensitive to toluene.