A cylindrical thermistor probe for experiments on suppositories in rabbits

A cylindrical thermistor probe with a rubber disk stopper, which is beneficial for inserting a suppository into the rectum of rabbits without removal of the probe from the rectum, was developed. It is possible to measure body temperature continuously by using this probe in an experiment to assess the effects of a suppository on the body temperature of rabbits. After insertion of a suppository, leakage of the melted suppository from the rectum was not observed. No differences between this thermistor probe and an ordinary thermistor probe in the ability of the probe to detect the febrile response of rabbits injected with a bacterial pyrogen were observed. From these results, it could be concluded that this newly improved cylindrical thermistor probe is suitable for studying the effect of suppositories on the body temperature of rabbits.     

Thermistor probe for testing an antipyretic suppository in rabbits

The thermistor probe for estimating the effects of an antipyretic suppository after its administration into the rectum of the rabbit was studied. A thermistor probe with three rubber disk stoppers was confirmed to be able to prevent the leakage of drugs from the rectum of a rabbit restrained in a neck stock. By using this newly devised thermistor probe or the usual thermistor probe without a stopper, the febrile response was determined in rabbits injected with bacterial pyrogen. There was no difference in the ability to detect rectal temperature between the two thermistor probes. From these results, it could be concluded that this newly devised thermistor prove was useful in studying the effects of antipyretic suppositories in rabbits.     

Application of Congo Red agar for detection of Streptococcus dysgalactiae isolated from diseased fish

The strong clinical similarity between Lancefield group C Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae (GCSD) and Lactococcus garvieae infections, characterized by development of necrotic lesions in the caudal peduncle of infected fish, has hindered differentiation of these two strains, making rapid and accurate diagnosis of diseased fish in fish farms difficult. GCSD from diseased fish were presumptively identified and isolated using Todd-Hewitt agar containing 30 μg ml⁻¹ of Congo Red dye (TH-CR). TH-CR agar was also used to detect and presumptively identify the GCSD obtained from artificially or naturally infected fish. Orange GCSD colonies distinct from the L. garvieae colonies were observed on the TH-CR agar; thus, TH-CR agar can be used to detect and identify GCSD isolated from infected fish.     

A novel gene of tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily from kuruma shrimp,Marsupenaeus japonicus

A tumor necrosis factor (TNF) gene has been isolated and characterized in kuruma shrimp, Marsupenaeus japonicus, providing the first conclusive evidence for the existence of the TNF ligand in shrimp. The kuruma shrimp TNF (MjTNF) cDNA was composed of 1868 bp with a 262 bp 5′-untranslated region (UTR) and a 220 bp 3′-UTR, which was translated into a protein of 462 amino acid residues that included a predicted transmembrane domain of 23 amino acid residues (Trp20–Val42) and the TNF family signature (Pro321–Leu448). Homology analysis of MjTNF showed 30.7% and 26.7% identities with fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) Eiger and human (Homo sapiens) ectodysplasin A, respectively. The MjTNF gene was constitutively expressed in unstimulated organs of shrimp such as the muscle, stomach, brain and gill. In lymphoid organ cells, an enhanced expression of the MjTNF gene was observed following stimulation with peptidoglycan and polycytidylic acid. A high expression level of MjTNF was observed in vivo 2 h and 4 h after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide and Vibrio penaeicida, respectively. These observations suggest that MjTNF plays a role in the innate immune defense in kuruma shrimp. The discovery of shrimp TNF will allow a more complete and concrete understanding of shrimp inflammatory responses.     

Ovarian primary tissue culture of the kuruma shrimp Marsupenaeus japonicus

Cell growth in ovarian primary culture of the kuruma shrimp, Marsupenaeus japonicus, was examined under various culture conditions. The best growth of ovarian cells was obtained in a culture system consisting of double strength of Leibovitz-15 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, glucose (1 g/L), proline (0.1 g/L), TC-Yeastolate (1 g/L), and lactalbumin hydrolysate (1 g/L). The cells survived in this medium at 25 degrees C for 45 d. The epithelial-like cells predominated in 10-d-old cultures, covering >80% of the surface area on the bottom of flask. Cells in mitosis were often observed. Cell proliferation was monitored by incorporation of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU), an analog of thymidine. 5-Bromo-2'-deoxyuridine-associated cells accounted for 11.5 and 35.0% of cell populations at 2 and 24 h, respectively, after BrdU treatment. Our results provide an improved culture technique for ovarian tissue of the kuruma shrimp.     

BEHAVIORAL EVIDENCE FOR HOST-RACE FORMATION IN EUROSTA SOLIDAGINIS

We report behavioral evidence that Eurosta solidaginis, a stem-galling tephritid fly, has formed host races on its two goldenrod hosts, Solidago altissima and S. gigantea. Previous work has shown that flies from each host plant differ electrophoretically at the level of host races. The two host-associated populations were truly sympatric and were frequently found on host plants of the two species growing interdigitated with each other. Each host-associated population demonstrated a strong preference for ovipuncturing its own host. The S. gigantea–associated population emerged 10 to 14 d earlier than the S. altissima–associated population, contributing to the reproductive isolation between populations. Partial reproductive isolation is also maintained by a preference for mating on the host from which the fly emerged. The populations meet the criteria established for host races, suggesting that they may be in an intermediate stage of sympatric speciation.     

In vitro propagation of herbaceous peony (paeonia lactiflora pall.) by a longitudinal shoot-split method

A procedure for the clonal propagation ofPaeonia lactiflora Pall. cvs. Takinoyosooi and Sarah Bernhardt through shoot tip culture is described. Half strength Murashige and Shoog (1962) medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine plus 1 mg/l gibberellic acid promoted formation and growth of axillary buds. Continuous shoot multiplication was achieved by vertically splitting the shoot axis and subsequent division of elongated axillary shoots every 36 days. High frequency (57–100%) of rooting was obtained on paper-bridge liquid medium supplemented with 1 mg/l indole-3-butyric acid. Half of the rooted plantlets were established on porous soil. Thus, 700 and 300 plants of cv. Takinoyosooi and Sarah Bernhardt could be theoretically obtained from a single bud in one year.Abbreviations BAP 6-benzylaminopurine - GA gibberellic acid - NAA a-naphthaleneacetic acid - IBA indole-3-butyric acid - MS Murashige and Skoog (1962) basal medium