Current Performance and On-Going Improvements of the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope

An overview of the current status of the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope constructed and operated at Mauna Kea, Hawaii, by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan is presented. The basic design concept and the verified performance of the telescope system are described. Also given are the status of the instrument package offered to the astronomical community, the status of operation, and some of the future plans. The status of the telescope reported in a number of SPIE papers as of the summer of 2002 are incorporated with some updates included as of 2004 February. However, readers are encouraged to check the most updated status of the telescope through the home page, http://subarutelescope.org/index.html, and/or the direct contact with the observatory staff.Comment: 18 pages (17 pages in published version), 29 figures (GIF format), This is the version before the galley proo

mRNA Expression of Cytochrome P450 17αhydroxylase, Cytochrome P450 Aromatase, Anti-Müllerian Hormone, Estrogen Receptor α, and Androgen Receptor in Developing Gonads of Japanese Quail

Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) is widely used in avian reproduction tests and avian sex reversal screening tests for evaluating adverse effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). However, there are few reports on the molecular biological profiles during the development and sexual differentiation of the gonads in Japanese quail. In the present study, we investigated mRNA expression of cytochrome P450 17αhydroxylase (P450c17), cytochrome P450 aromatase (P450arom), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), estrogen receptor α (ERα) and androgen receptor (AR) in the embryonic and post-hatching gonads of Japanese quail by using real-time RT-PCR. The left gonads of male and female Japanese quail at 16 days of incubation and 3, 7 and 14 days after hatching were used in the study. P450c17 mRNA expression in females was significantly higher than that in males at 16 days of incubation, 3 and 7 days after hatching. P450arom mRNA expression in females was markedly higher than that in males and there were significant differences at 3, 7 and 14 days after hatching. AMH mRNA expression in males was apparently higher than that in females and there were significant differences at 16 days of incubation and 3 days after hatching. ERα mRNA was highly expressed not only in females but also in males at 16 days of incubation. There were no meaningful trends of AR mRNA expressions in male and female gonads during the observation periods. It is likely that the profiles of mRNA expression of P450c17, P450arom, AMH, ERα and AR in the embryonic and post-hatching gonads of normal Japanese quail in the present study provide basic and useful information

A CASE OF ACUTE LIVER FAILURE CAUSED BY THE INGESTION OF GALERINA FASCICULATA

A 76-year-old man presented to another hospital with a two-day history of severe diarrhea andvomiting. A laboratory analysis revealed liver dysfunction. He was admitted to that hospital,but the laboratory data showed the exacerbation of patient’s liver dysfunction and renal dysfunction.He was therefore transferred to our hospital for multidisciplinary treatment. According topatient’s laboratory data and medical history, he was diagnosed with acute liver failure due tomushroom poisoning. This mushroom was identified as Galerina fasciculata. An investigationat the prefecture’s agricultural center revealed that the mushroom contained amatoxin