Three sets of experiments were conducted on environmental changes affecting the occurrence of mass surface deaths in the prelarval stage of the red-spotted grouper,
Epinephelus akaara. The first ...experiment, which was on light intensity, showed that a light source attracted the larvae intensely and they dashed toward it. The maximum number of dead fish was at the intensity of 2000 lx. The second experiment showed that an oil film on the water surface completely prevented the occurrence of mass surface deaths. The third experiment showed that the presence of a water current decreased the number of dead fish. These results suggest that water surface tension is a key environmental factor in the occurrence of surface deaths. Mucus secreted on the body surface of prelarvae functions as a glue when larvae are attracted to the water surface by light coming from above. The oil film deprives the water surface of surface tension, which seems to be the key to prevent the occurrence of mass surface deaths in the prelarval stage of groupers. The use of an oil film must be discontinued prior to swim bladder inflation.
Summary
This study examined how saddleback syndrome (SBS) and vertebral deformity affect the body shape and size of juvenile stage red spotted grouper, Epinephelus akaara, using the landmark‐based ...geometric morphometrics method. According to the criterion of skeletal conditions, three groups, i.e. vertebral deformity, SBS, and normal groups, were identified. The results revealed significant differences in body shape among the three groups, in which the vertebral‐deformed group had the deepest mid‐body, the broadest anterior part, and a shortened caudal peduncle, while the SBS group showed the shallowest mid‐body and the narrowest anterior part. The normal group had a body shape intermediate between the vertebral and SBS groups. A comparison of body size among the three groups revealed significant differences in centroid size, with the vertebral‐deformed and SBS groups showing smallest and largest centroid size, respectively. This study illuminates that not all skeletal deformities lead to smaller body size. We suggest that rearing conditions might have caused the deformities reported herein.
Topical application of 12-
O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) to mouse ear induced a prolonged skin inflammation. Histological analysis revealed that the early stage (∼3
h) and later stage (6–24
...h) of the skin reaction are characterized by dermal edema and cell accumulation, respectively. Topical application with TPA also induced increase in the level of TNF-α and prostagrandin E
2 (PGE
2) at the application site. The increase of TNF-α was transient with a peak at ∼5
h, followed by a gradual elevation of PGE
2 level in the skin. An in vitro study with human keratinocytes as well as immunohistochemical analysis suggested that TNF-α induction in the skin might be produced by epidermis treated with TPA. Administration of a cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin inhibited the later stage of the TPA-induced edema. In contrast, TNF-α antagonist etanercept inhibited exclusively the early stage of the reaction. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the prolongation of the skin inflammation induced by TPA may be due to the sequential production of proinflammatory mediators such as eicosanoids and cytokines, and show for the first time the importance of TNF-α in the TPA-induced dermatitis especially at the stage where dermal edema is significant.
A case of infantile malignant osteopetrosis is described. The patient died from respiratory hemorrhage at 7 months of age despite treatment that included high doses of active vitamin D and ...administration of interferon-γ. A postmortem examination revealed the presence of many osteoclasts in the bone, which lacked ruffled borders. This observation was consistent with the histology of bone reported in
Atp6i-knockout mice, which lack the gene encoding the a3 subunit of vacuolar-type H
+-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase). Sequence analysis of the
TCIRG1 gene encoding the a3 subunit revealed two novel mutations: a deletion/insertion mutation in exon 9 and a T-to-C transition at the splice donor site of intron 19. The former mutation caused a frame shift and premature stop codon. The latter was associated with abnormal splicing, which was confirmed by sequencing the products amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), using total RNA from the liver specimen as template. Although several mutations in the
TCIRG1 gene in infantile malignant osteopetrosis have been reported in other populations, this is the first case of a Japanese patient with a mutation identified in this gene. These results support the important role of the subunit in the function of the proton pump.
Cytokines that use the common gamma chain γc are critical for lymphoid development and function. Mutations of the IL-7 receptor, γc, or its associated kinase, Jak3, are the major cause of human ...severe combined immunodeficiency. Although activated by IL-7, Stat5a/b (Stat, signal transducer and activator of transcription) have been thought to play limited roles in lymphoid development. However, we now show that mice completely deficient in Stat5a/b have severely impaired lymphoid development and differentiation. Absence of Stat5 also abrogates T cell receptor γ rearrangement and survival of peripheral CD8⁺ T cells. Thus, deficiency of Stat5 results in severe combined immunodeficiency, similar in many respects to deficiency of IL-7R, γc, and Jak3.
Issue Title: The 2000 eruption of Miyakeijma volcano, Japan The model for the 2000 dike intrusion event between Kozushima and Miyakejima volcano, Japan, was reinvestigated. After the sudden ...earthquake swarm in Miyakejima volcano, a dike intrusion of large volume was detected by the nationwide GPS network (Geonet). The displacements detected with GPS stations over an area with a radius of about 200 km shows a distribution that is consistent with the dike source being located near Miyakejima volcano. The dike was intruded northwestwards between Miyakejima and the neighboring Kozushima volcano. We searched for the parameters in the models that reproduce the regional displacements due to dike intrusion between Miyakejima and Kozushiima islands. We tested three models, (1) the model with a single dike, (2) the model with a dike and a point dislocation source which represents a creep dislocation source and (3) the model with a dike and a deflation source which represents a magma reservoir. Though all three models can match the horizontal displacements near the source area, model 1 fails to reproduce the regional displacements in the central part of Japan. Both models 2 and 3 can reproduce the regional displacement for horizontal components. Model 3 produces slightly better results than model 2 for vertical components. The balance in the volume budget for models 2 and 3 is also consistent with the observations. These results show that we cannot distinguish between the two models using only GPS observation. As there is no direct evidence for such a large creep or ductile source (corresponds to M7 or more) as proposed in model 2 and the active seismic region migrated back and forth within the linear swarm region, the model with a dike and a deep magma source is preferable. For the deflation point source, we obtained a deflation volume of 1.5 km^sup 3^ at the depth of 20 km below the dike. An additional ~0.95 km^sup 3^ of volume loss through caldera collapse and edifice deflation took place at Miyakejima. We conclude that the magma that intruded the dike came in part from below Miyakejima and in part from below the sea floor between Miyakejima and Kozushima, perhaps from reservoirs at the Moho.PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
To identify risk factors of relapse in IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) during glucocorticoid (GC) tapering.
A total of 27 consecutive patients with IgG4-RD (7 with and 20 without relapse) treated with ...GC for more than 6 months were enrolled. Baseline characteristics were compared in patients with and without relapse. Longitudinal analysis was also performed.
Patients with relapse had significantly higher levels of serum IgG4 (816.0 vs. 346.5 mg/dL, p=0.048) and number of organs involved (5 vs. 3, p=0.008) and lower levels of serum IgA (82 vs. 176 mg/dL, p=0.002) at baseline, compared to patients without relapse. The most useful cut-off value of baseline serum IgG4 to predictive relapse was 813 mg/dl with a sensitivity of 57.1% and a specificity of 95.0%. In longitudinal analysis, serum IgG4 decreased at 6 months after treatment in both groups, but was elevated at relapse in patients with relapse, while remaining low in those without relapse.
Higher levels of serum IgG4 at baseline were associated with relapse in IgG4-RD. Re-elevation of serum IgG4 levels during GC treatment reflected disease relapse.
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