Circulating Hemocytes from Larvae of the Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle Allomyrina dichotoma (Linnaeus) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and the Cellular Immune Response to Microorganisms

Hemocytes of the last larva of the Japanese rhinoceros beetle A. dichotoma (Linnaeus) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) were classified as granulocytes, plasmatocytes, oenocytoids, spherulocytes, prohemocytes, and adipohemocytes. Among these cell types, only the granulocytes became immunologically activated with obvious morphological changes, displaying large amoeba-like, lobopodia-like, and fan-like structures. In addition, their cytoplasmic granules became larger and greatly increased in number. To explore whether these granules could be immunologically generated as phagosomes, total hemocytes were stained with LysoTracker. Greater than 90% of the granulocytes retained the LysoTracker dye at 4 h post-bacterial infection. In flow cytometry analysis, the red fluorescent signal was highly increased at 4 h post-bacterial infection (60.36%) compared to controls (5.08%), as was confirmed by fluorescent microscopy. After 12 h post-infection, these signals returned to basal levels. The uptake of pathogens by granulocytes rapidly triggered the translocation of the microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 alpha (LC3) to the phagosome, which may result in enhanced pathogen killing.     

Effects of Central Corneal Stromal Thickness and Epithelial Thickness on Intraocular Pressure Using Goldmann Applanation and Non-Contact Tonometers

Purpose

To investigate whether corneal thickness parameters measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT), such as central corneal thickness (CCT), central corneal stromal thickness (CCST), and central corneal epithelial thickness (CCET), influence the intraocular pressure (IOP) difference measured by Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) and non-contact tonometry (NCT).

Methods

In total, 50 eyes from 50 subjects without glaucomatous defects were included in this retrospective, cross-sectional study. We measured IOP using GAT and NCT and calculated the difference between the two methods. CCT was measured by a Cirrus HD-OCT device using anterior segment imaging. The basement membrane of the epithelium, which was seen as a high-reflection line in the OCT image, was taken as a reference line to measure CCST and CCET.

Results

The mean IOP measured by GAT and NCT was 16.7 ± 3.0 and 18.1 ± 3.8 mmHg, respectively. The mean IOP difference was 1.5 ± 1.7 mmHg, and the IOP measured by NCT was 8.4% ± 11.3% higher than that measured by GAT. The CCET and CCST were 57.9 ± 5.6 and 501.7 ± 33.8 μm, respectively. CCT showed a positive correlation with both GAT IOP (r = 0.648, P < 0.001) and NCT IOP (r = 0.676, P < 0.001). Although CCST showed a significant correlation with GAT IOP and NCT IOP, CCET did not. The difference between GAT IOP and NCT IOP increased with CCT (r = 0.333, P = 0.018), and CCET was positively correlated with the IOP difference between GAT and NCT (r = 0.435, P = 0.002).

Conclusions

IOP increased with greater CCT, and CCST seemed to have a more important role than CCET. CCET also increased with greater CCT, and this may be a possible explanation for the increasing difference in IOP between GAT and NCT with increasing CCT.     

BACTIBASE: a new web-accessible database for bacteriocin characterization

Background  

Bacteriocins are very diverse group of antimicrobial peptides produced by a wide range of bacteria and known for their inhibitory activity against various human and animal pathogens. Although many bacteriocins are now well characterized, much information is still missing or is unavailable to potential users. The assembly of such information in one central resource such as a database would therefore be of great benefit to the exploitation of these bioactive molecules in the present context of increasing antibiotic resistance and natural bio-preservation need.     

Metabolic pathways of the wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum aestivum</Emphasis>) endosperm amyloplast revealed by proteomics

Background  

By definition, amyloplasts are plastids specialized for starch production. However, a proteomic study of amyloplasts isolated from wheat (Triticum aestivum Butte 86) endosperm at 10 days after anthesis (DPA) detected enzymes from many other metabolic and biosynthetic pathways. To better understand the role of amyloplasts in food production, the data from that study were evaluated in detail and an amyloplast metabolic map was outlined.     

Towards β-globin gene-targeting with integrase-defective lentiviral vectors

We have developed an integrase-defective lentiviral (LV) vector in combination with a gene-targeting approach for gene therapy of β-thalassemia. The β-globin gene-targeting construct has two homologous stems including sequence upstream and downstream of the β-globin gene, a β-globin gene positioned between hygromycin and neomycin resistant genes and a herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase (HSVtk) suicide gene. Utilization of integrase-defective LV as a vector for the β-globin gene increased the number of selected clones relative to non-viral methods. This method represents an important step toward the ultimate goal of a clinical gene therapy for β-thalassemia.     

Dietary protein content affects the response of meadow voles, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microtus pennsylvanicus</Emphasis>, to over-marks

The response to signals, including scent marks, from opposite-sex conspecifics can be affected by the nutritional state of both the sender and receiver of these signals. Protein content of the diet affects how meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) respond to single scent marks, but it is unknown how it affects an individual’s response to the overlapping scent marks of two donors (an over-mark). In experiment 1, we tested the hypothesis that protein content of the diet affects the amount of time voles spend investigating the marks of the top- and bottom-scent donors of an over-mark. Males and females fed a 22% protein diet spent more time investigating the scent mark of the top-scent donor than that of the bottom-scent donor; voles fed 9% and 13% protein diets spent similar amounts of time investigating the top- and bottom-scent donors. In experiment 2, we tested the hypothesis that protein content of the diet of the top- and bottom-scent donors affects the amount of time conspecifics spend investigating their scent marks. Female voles spent more time investigating the mark of the top-scent male than that of the bottom-scent male, independent of the differences in protein content of the diets of the top- and bottom-scent donors. Male voles, however, spent more time investigating the top-scent female when she was fed a diet higher in protein content than that of the bottom-scent female. Our results are discussed within the context of the natural history of voles.     

Effect of Frequency and Waveform on Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium in Salsa by Ohmic Heating

The effect of frequency of alternating current during ohmic heating on electrode corrosion, heating rate, inactivation of food-borne pathogens, and quality of salsa was investigated. The impact of waveform on heating rate was also investigated. Salsa was treated with various frequencies (60 Hz to 20 kHz) and waveforms (sine, square, and sawtooth) at a constant electric field strength of 12.5 V/cm. Electrode corrosion did not occur when the frequency exceeded 1 kHz. The heating rate of the sample was dependent on frequency up to 500 Hz, but there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the heating rate when the frequency was increased above 1 kHz. The electrical conductivity of the sample increased with a rise in the frequency. At a frequency of 60 Hz, the square wave produced a lower heating rate than that of sine and sawtooth waves. The heating rate between waveforms was not significantly (P > 0.05) different when the frequency was >500 Hz. As the frequency increased, the treatment time required to reduce Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium to below the detection limit (1 log CFU/g) decreased without affecting product quality. These results suggest that ohmic heating can be effectively used to pasteurize salsa and that the effect of inactivation is dependent on frequency and electrical conductivity rather than waveform.