Effects of Fipronil on Non-target Ants and Other Invertebrates in a Program for Eradication of the Argentine Ant, Linepithema humile

Pesticides are frequently used to eradicate invasive ant species, but pose ecological harm. Previous studies assessed non-target effects only in terms of the increase or decrease of abundance or species richness after pesticide applications. Positive effects of the release from pressure caused by invasive ant species have not been considered so far. To more accurately assess pesticide effects in the field, the non-target effects of pesticides should be considered separately from the positive effects of such releases. Here, we used monitoring data of ants and other invertebrates collected in a program for the eradication of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Mayr), using fipronil. First, we separately assessed the effects of L. humile abundance and fipronil exposure on non-target ants and other invertebrates using generalized linear models. The abundance of L. humile and the number of pesticide treatments were negatively associated with the total number of non-target individuals and taxonomic richness. We also noted negative relationships between the number of individuals of some ant species and other invertebrate taxonomic groups. The L. humile × pesticide interaction was significant, suggesting that the abundance of L. humile affected the level of impact of pesticide treatment on non-target fauna. Second, we evaluated the dynamics of non-target ant communities for 3 years using principal response curve analyses. Non-target ant communities treated with fipronil continuously for 3 years recovered little, whereas those treated for 1 year recovered to the level of the untreated and non-invaded environment

Recombinant human interleukin 6 (B-cell stimulatory factor 2) is a potent inducer of differentiation of mouse myeloid leukemia cells (M1)

AbstractRecombinant human interleukin 6 (IL-6), a lymphokine involved in the final differentiation of activated B-cells into antibody-forming cells, greatly suppressed proliferation and induced differentiation of murine myeloid leukemia cells (M1) into mature macrophage-like cells. When M1 cells were treated with IL-6, their growth was completely arrested as early as on day 2, and they were induced to differentiate morphologically into macrophage-like cells. Differentiation-associated properties such as phagocytic activity, adherence to the dish surface, Fc and C3 receptors, were also induced within 24 h by IL-6, and they reached their respective maximal levels on day 2 or 3. The potency of IL-6 in suppressing proliferation and inducing differentiation was much greater than that of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 one of the most potent inducers of M1 cells. The present report indicates that IL-6 is involved in the differentiation of not only B-cells but also myeloid leukemia cells

Foveal Structural Analysis of Amblyopic Eyes with Two Types of Fixation Behavior by Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

We used spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) to compare the foveal and parafoveal structures of 19 subjects aged 16-58 years (8 men, 11 women): 6 amblyopic patients with eccentric fixation, 5 amblyopic patients with central fixation, and 8 visually normal controls. We obtained foveal horizontal line scans using SD-OCT on all of the patients and controls. The total and layer thicknesses at foveal areas were analyzed. The mean (SD) ages of individuals in the eccentric fixation, central fixation, and control groups were 43.0 (13.9), 42.2 (16.3), and 38.5 (15.5) years, respectively. We observed no significant differences in the foveal or parafoveal retinal thicknesses at 500 and 1,500 μm from the foveal center among the 3 groups or between the amblyopic and fellow eyes. No significant differences were observed in the thickness of the ganglion cell complex layer or outer retinal layer at 500 and 1,500 μm from the foveal center among the three groups or between the two eyes. Overall, our SD-OCT analyses revealed no characteristic structural change in foveal regions in amblyopic eyes irrespective of the fixation behavior

Development of Power stock exercise for prevention of Locomotive Syndrome

要介護の危険性が高い状態であるロコモティブシンドロームの予防を目的としてストックやポールを活用した「パワー・ストック・エクササイズ」を開発した。この運動プログラムの特長は，健常な中高年者から後期高齢者，低体力者まで様々な体力レベルの方が実施可能なことである。ストックを利用することにより安全に運動することが出来，また運動負荷の調整も可能となる。さらに正しいフォームの獲得にも有効である。トレーニングメニューの中核は「フラミンゴバランス」と「カンガルー運動」と「カモシカステップ」で構成されている。これらの運動プログラムの実践によりバランス機能と筋力，ステップワークの改善が期待される。We developed the exercise program named 'Power stock exercise' for preventing locomotive syndrome. The strong point of this program is that the person of various physical strength levels can carry out. Even the elderly people to whom muscular power fell can practice the exercise. The strong point of this program is safety, and the 2nd strong point is being able to adjust the load of exercise. In addition, stock is utilizable also as an item for gaining the right training form. The main exercise consists of flamingo balance, kangaroo exercise, and antelope step. We think that they are effective in a balance function, the muscular power of the leg, and improvement in a step work. We will verify the effect of this exercise program from now on

Recombinant human interleukin-6 (IL-6/BSF-2/HSF) regulates the synthesis of acute phase proteins in human hepatocytes

AbstractRecombinant human IL-6 (rhIL-6) is a potent inducer of the synthesis of acute phase proteins in adult human hepatocytes. A wide spectrum of acute phase proteins is regulated by this mediator. After labeling of rhIL-6 stimulated human hepatocytes with [35S]methionine acute phase protein synthesis was measured by immunoprecipitation. Serum amyloid A, C-reactive protein, haptoglobin, α1-antichymotrypsin and fibrinogen were strongly induced (26-, 23-, 8.6-, 4.6- and 3.8-fold increases, respectively). Moderate increases were found for α1-antitrypsin (2.7-fold) and α1-acid glycoprotein (2.7-fold). RhIL-6 had no effect on α1-macroglobulin, whereas fibronectin, albumin and transferrin decreased to 64, 56 and 55% of controls. In the cases of serum amyloid A, haptoglobin, α1-antichymotrypsin, α1-antitrypsin and α1-acid glycoprotein, dexamethasone enhanced the action of rhIL-6. We conclude that rhIL-6 controls the acute phase response in human liver cells

Epidemiology of Chlamydophila caviae-like Chlamydia Isolated from Urethra and Uterine Cervix

In 2000, chlamydial strains OK133 and OK135 were isolated from 2 female patients with cervicitis. These strains were unresponsive to commercially available PCR and LCR test kits for the diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis infection, and their phenotypic characteristics were very similar. The OK135 nucleotide sequence in MOMP-VD2 gene closely resembled that of Chlamydophila caviae GPIC. A similar strain was isolated in 2003 from a male patient OKM2 with urethritis, from which the strain SC10-6 was cloned by the plaque purification method. The nucleotide sequence of the entire MOMP gene of SC10-6 was exactly the same as that of OK135. Thus, the strains OK135 and SC10-6, together with OK133, have been called C. caviae-like Chlamydia. We designed primers for nested PCR assay, the product of which showed a single-band 311-bp fragment, to detect C. caviae-like Chlamydia. Of swab specimens obtained from 202 patients from 2003 to 2006 (119 male and 83 female patients), 18 specimens (8.9%) from 14 male and 4 female patients were positive, suggesting that C. caviae-like Chlamydia infection is rather common. Thus far, it has not been determined whether C. caviae-like Chlamydia is pathogenic for humans.</p

Preventive Effect of Proglumide on Erosive Gastritis in the Rat

The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not proglumide has a preventive effect on the erosive gastritis induced by sodium salt of taurocholic acid (TCA) in the rat. Its effect on the formation of gastric erosions, serum gastrin levels and secretion of acid and pepsin were also studied. The rats were given standard feed containing 0.25% proglumide and water containing 5mM TCA (experimental E group). The control rats were given standard feed and water containing 5mM TCA (TCA group). All rats were killed at the end of the 3 months. The tissue specimens of the resected gastric mucosa were stained with hematoxylin eosin for histopathology and with azan for evaluation of fibrous ploriferation. From microscopic observation of the stained specimens, the following results were obtained. TCA-group showed long mucosal surface injury (erosion), inflammatory cell infiltration, a reduction in the number of parietal cells, a decrease of mucosal thickness, and proliferation of collagenous fiber. In contrast, in the E group, these morphological and morphoquantitative changes were significantly small. The length of erosion and inflammatory cell infiltration were significantly reduced in the E group when compared with the TCA group. Furthermore, mucosal thickness was almost normal and fibrous proliferation was significantly scarce in the E group. Proglumide had an insignificant effect on pH on the mucosa, volume and pH of gastric juice, serum gastrin levels and tetragastrin-induced secretion of acid and pepsin. It is, thus, evident that proglumide has a preventive effect on the induction of erosive gastritis caused by TCA in the rats. Since it is difficult to explain its mechanism for the prevention of gastritis from only the already known facts that it has protective action on gastric mucosa and an inhibitory effect on secretion of acid and pepsin, unknown mechanisms are suspected to be involved

Estruturas de comunidades de animais de solo e sobrevivência dos caracóis terrestres numa ilha do Arquipélago Ogasawara

On Chichijima, one of the Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands located in the Western Pacific Ocean, land snails have declined, the suggested cause being predation pressure by an invasive flatworm (Platydemus manokwari). Soil fauna were investigated in areas where the snail survives, and where it has become extinct. Much of the fauna, dominated by introduced earthworms and ants, was undiminished, however, one undescribed but endemic carabid (Badister sp.), which selectively feeds on land snails, was absent in snail-extinct areas. The invasive flatworm P. manokwari has been reported to feed also on the carcasses of earthworms, as well as on live snails, and is therefore expected to occur in most parts of Chichijima Island. Among other groups, the density of isopods (also dominated by exotic species) was very low, in comparison with the reported ones 30 years ago. Community structure is currently reflected by dominance of earthworms and ants, decline of endemic isopods, and a high frequency of introduced or alien species.Em Chichijima, uma das ilhas do Arquipélago Ogasawara (Bonin), localizado no Oceano Pacífico Ocidental, o número de caracóis terrestres diminuiu, e a causa provável é a predação por uma planária invasora (Platydemus manokwari). A fauna edáfica foi avaliada nas áreas onde o caracol sobreviveu e onde se extinguiu. Grande parte da fauna, dominada inicialmente por minhocas e formigas, não diminuiu; contudo, um carabídeo endêmico e não descrito (Badister sp.), que se alimenta de caracóis terrestres, não estava presente nas áreas em que o caracol foi extinto. Sabe-se que a planária invasiva P. manokwari se alimenta não só das carcaças das minhocas, mas também de caracóis vivos, e por isso habita a maior parte da Ilha Chichijima. Entre outros grupos, a densidade de isópodos (também dominados por espécies exóticas) foi muita baixa, em comparação aos relatos feitos 30 anos antes. A estrutura da comunidade é refletida atualmente pela dominância de minhocas e formigas, declínio de isópodos endêmicos, e uma alta frequência de espécies introduzidas ou exóticas