Characteristics of urine spraying and scraping the ground with hind paws as scent-marking of captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)

Olfactory communication is common in felids. We observed two scent-markings, urine spraying and scraping the ground with hind paws during excretion, of 25 captive cheetahs. We analyzed the association of sniffing with the timing of urine spraying and scraping, and differences in these behaviors based on sex, age, and captive environment to understand the olfactory communication among cheetahs. Both scent-markings were strongly associated with sniffing, especially scraping, and the presence or absence of scent was thought to be a trigger. Both behaviors were observed only in adults; scraping was observed only in males. To our knowledge, this study was first to confirm the discharge of secretions from the anal glands during scraping. The frequencies of both behaviors were significantly higher in males kept in shared enclosures containing other individuals than in males kept in monopolized enclosures, while there was no difference in the frequencies among females. Female cheetahs are solitary and have non-exclusive home range, whereas male cheetahs are either solitary or live in coalition groups and there are territorial and non-territorial males. Our results could be attributed to the differences in sociality between the sexes and effect of the living environment

Molecular diagnosis of an infant with TSC2/PKD1 contiguous gene syndrome

A 1-month-old Japanese infant with cardiac rhabdomyoma was diagnosed with TSC2/PKD1 contiguous gene syndrome by targeted panel sequencing with subsequent quantitative polymerase chain reaction that revealed gross monoallelic deletion, including parts of two genes: exons 19–42 of TSC2 and exons 2–46 of PKD1. Early molecular diagnosis can help to detect bilateral renal cyst formation and multidisciplinary follow-up of this multisystem disease

Delayed Follow-up Visits and Thyrotropin Among Patients With Levothyroxine During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Context: The indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical practice have received great attention, but evidence regarding thyroid disease management is lacking. Objective: We aimed to investigate the association between delayed follow-up visits during the pandemic and their serum thyrotropin (TSH) levels among patients being treated with levothyroxine. Methods: This study included 25 361 patients who made a follow-up visit as scheduled (n = 9063) or a delayed follow-up visit ( 4.5 mIU/L, aRR [95% CI] = 1.72 [1.60-1.85]; and TSH > 10 mIU/L, aRR [95% CI] = 2.38 [2.16-2.62]). Conclusion: A delayed follow-up visit during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with less well-controlled TSH among patients with levothyroxine

Intracrine activity involving NAD-dependent circadian steroidogenic activity governs age-associated meibomian gland dysfunction

新たなイントラクライン機構を用いた加齢性眼疾患治療へ --眼局所のホルモンの加齢変化とサーカディアンリズムが鍵--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-02-14.Canonically, hormones are produced in the endocrine organs and delivered to target tissues. However, for steroids, the concept of tissue intracrinology, whereby hormones are produced in the tissues where they exert their effect without release into circulation, has been proposed, but its role in physiology/disease remains unclear. The meibomian glands in the eyelids produce oil to prevent tear evaporation, which reduces with aging. Here, we demonstrate that (re)activation of local intracrine activity through nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent circadian 3β-hydroxyl-steroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) activity ameliorates age-associated meibomian gland dysfunction and accompanying evaporative dry eye disease. Genetic ablation of 3β-HSD nullified local steroidogenesis and led to atrophy of the meibomian gland. Conversely, reactivation of 3β-HSD activity by boosting its coenzyme NAD+ availability improved glandular cell proliferation and alleviated the dry eye disease phenotype. Both women and men express 3β-HSD in the meibomian gland. Enhancing local steroidogenesis may help combat age-associated meibomian gland dysfunction

アワ メイショ ズエ ニオケル ビザン ノ シゼン ト ケイカン

In this paper the nature and the landscape of the Mt. Bizan are investigated based on “Awa meisho zue” which was a guidebook of Awa (Tokushima) published about 200 years ago. In the picture entitled “Mt. Bizan” a tower at the Jimyoin Temple and two buildings are drawn in the mountain. The mountain is covered with pine trees, and there is a waterfall near the tower. Besides pine trees, three types of trees, Japanese cedar and/or Japanese cypress, trees that presumably cherry, and unknown broadleaf trees are drawn in Mt. Otakiyama that is a part of Mt. Bizan based on the picture entitled “Otakisan Jimyoin”. Other historical records in Edo era coincide with the composition of plant species in Mt. Bizan. Though the vegetation of Mt. Bizan was efended by laws throughout Edo era, it was deforested and the mountain became bald after the Meiji Restoration. Afterwards, it was protected by specifying it as the protection forest and by making it as a park. Now, pine trees and Japanese cedar and/or Japanese cypress have almost been lost, and pasania and live oak are well growing in the mountain. The tower at Jimyoin was burned down by the air raid in the World War II, and the waterfall has thinned. On the other hand, mountain trails and a ropeway were made, and a lot of buildings were built at the top of the mountain. Thus, the nature and the landscape of Mt. Bizan greatly changed in 200 years. However, citizens are still familiar with it as the symbol of Tokushima City

Relative Role of Flower Color and Scent on Pollinator Attraction: Experimental Tests using F1 and F2 Hybrids of Daylily and Nightlily

The daylily (Hemerocallis fulva) and nightlily (H. citrina) are typical examples of a butterfly-pollination system and a hawkmoth-pollination system, respectively. H. fulva has diurnal, reddish or orange-colored flowers and is mainly pollinated by diurnal swallowtail butterflies. H. citrina has nocturnal, yellowish flowers with a sweet fragrance and is pollinated by nocturnal hawkmoths. We evaluated the relative roles of flower color and scent on the evolutionary shift from a diurnally flowering ancestor to H. citrina. We conducted a series of experiments that mimic situations in which mutants differing in either flower color, floral scent or both appeared in a diurnally flowering population. An experimental array of 6×6 potted plants, mixed with 24 plants of H. fulva and 12 plants of either F1 or F2 hybrids, were placed in the field, and visitations of swallowtail butterflies and nocturnal hawkmoths were recorded with camcorders. Swallowtail butterflies preferentially visited reddish or orange-colored flowers and hawkmoths preferentially visited yellowish flowers. Neither swallowtail butterflies nor nocturnal hawkmoths showed significant preferences for overall scent emission. Our results suggest that mutations in flower color would be more relevant to the adaptive shift from a diurnally flowering ancestor to H. citrina than that in floral scent

Detection of Tuberculosis Infection Hotspots Using Activity Spaces Based Spatial Approach in an Urban Tokyo, from 2003 to 2011

Background: Identifying ongoing tuberculosis infection sites is crucial for breaking chains of transmission in tuberculosis-prevalent urban areas. Previous studies have pointed out that detection of local accumulation of tuberculosis patients based on their residential addresses may be limited by a lack of matching between residences and tuberculosis infection sites. This study aimed to identify possible tuberculosis hotspots using TB genotype clustering statuses and a concept of "activity space", a place where patients spend most of their waking hours. We further compared the spatial distribution by different residential statuses and describe urban environmental features of the detected hotspots. Methods: Culture-positive tuberculosis patients notified to Shinjuku city from 2003 to 2011 were enrolled in this case-based cross-sectional study, and their demographic and clinical information, TB genotype clustering statuses, and activity space were collected. Spatial statistics (Global Moran\u27s I and Getis-Ord Gi? statistics) identified significant hotspots in 152 census tracts, and urban environmental features and tuberculosis patients\u27 characteristics in these hotspots were assessed. Results: Of the enrolled 643 culture-positive tuberculosis patients, 416 (64.2%) were general inhabitants, 42 (6.5%) were foreign-born people, and 184 were homeless people (28.6%). The percentage of overall genotype clustering was 43.7%. Genotype-clustered general inhabitants and homeless people formed significant hotspots around a major railway station, whereas the non-clustered general inhabitants formed no hotspots. This suggested the detected hotspots of activity spaces may reflect ongoing tuberculosis transmission sites and were characterized by smaller residential floor size and a higher proportion of nonworking households. Conclusions: Activity space-based spatial analysis suggested possible TB transmission sites around the major railway station and it can assist in further comprehension of TB transmission dynamics in an urban setting in Japan