Distribution of Copepoda along 140°E in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean

NORPAC net samplings at three stations along a south-north transect on ca. 140°E were conducted in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean from March 10 to 12 in 2002 during the 43rd Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition. The survey was held to examine the community structure and abundance of Copepoda in the seasonal ice zone of the Southern Ocean. A total of 15 species of copepod were identified at the stations. For nine species of copepod, Microcalanus pygmaeus, Calanus simillimus, Rhincalanus gigas, Euchaeta antarctica, Clausocalanus laticeps, Scolecithricella minor, Metridia lucens, Haloptilus oxycephalus and Oithona frigida, disparities of the distributions between the south of the Southern Boundary (SB) and the north became apparent. As here was a distinct difference of, about 2°C, in the sea surface temperature between the south and north of the SB, these disparities were considered to be influenced by the difference in the physical structure in the ocean, in particular by the water temperature, which was driven by the SB. Among Calanoides acutus, Calanus propinquus, and R. gigas, the earlier copepodite stages were observed at higher latitudes at all stations. This trend was considered to be a result of the sea ice retreat, which caused a later spawning period for Copepoda. In addition, an interaction between the sea ice conditions and the community structure of copepod along 140°E was suggested

Unusual abundance of appendicularians in the seasonal ice zone(140°E ) of the Southern Ocean

During the 43rd Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition(JARE) cruise on March 10-12 in 2002, NORPAC net samplings at three stations along a south-north transect, ca. 140°E in the Indian sector were conducted to survey zooplankton community structure and abundance in the seasonal ice zone(SIZ) of the Southern Ocean. A total of fourteen species/taxa were identified from the three stations. While copepods were numerically dominant at two stations(79.9% and 93.1% respectively of total abundance), appendicularians were found to be numerically dominant(84.0% of total abundance) at the southernmost station. This dominance of Appendicularia at this station suggested that Appendicularia is possibly an integral part of the community structure of the zooplankton in the SIZ. The Southern Boundary(SB) on the 140°E transect was found to be located at ～64.30°S and the southernmost station was located south of the SB while the two other stations were located north of the SB. Some species, such as Rhincalanus gigas, Calanus simillimus, Amphipoda, Euphausiacea, and Polychaeta, had distribution patterns that correlated with the position of the SB, therefore the SB is considered important in influencing the distribution of the zooplankton and its community structure in the SIZ

Zooplankton distribution patterns in relation to the Antarctic Polar Front Zones Recorded by Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) during 1999/2000 Kaiyo Maru cruise

During the 8th Antarctic Expedition of the R/V Kaiyo Maru of the Japan Fisheries Agency, October 1999 to March 2000,a Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) was used to investigate zooplankton composition and abundance in the surface of the Indian sector of Southern Ocean between South Africa and Antarctica. Total zooplankton abundance ranged from 0 to 432 individuals/segment (a 5 nautical miles of the surface towing) (Mean±SD=69.7±83.5). Zooplankton abundance tended to be higher in the high latitudes than the Sub-Antarctic Front (SAF). Opposite correlations were observed between zooplankton and seawater temperature (negative), salinity (positive) and in vivo fluorescence value (positive) reflecting the higher abundance of zooplankton found in the cooler waters south of the SAF, which also have higher salinities and phytoplankton. Among twenty-nine species/taxa identified, cyclopoid copepod Oithona spp. were found throughout the transect, and accounted for 53.3% of total zooplankton abundance. Cluster analysis based on seventeen dominant zooplankton species/taxa revealed two groups and three ungrouped individual species/taxa at the 84% dissimilarity level. On the other hand, the cluster analysis based on the samples obtained in a 5 nautical miles indicated two major distinctive zooplankton community groups at 89% dissimilarity level. The main group included most segments in the Polar Frontal Zone (PFZ : region between SAF and the Polar Front) and Antarctic Zone (AZ : south of the Polar Front) with high zooplankton abundance while the second mainly group comprised lower latitude segment with low abundance (<100 individuals/segment)

A new liver perfusion and preservation system for transplantation Research in large animals

A kidney perfusion machine, model MOX-100 (Waters Instruments, Ltd, Rochester, MN) was modified to allow continuous perfusion of the portal vein and pulsatile perfusion of the hepatic artery of the liver. Additional apparatus consists of a cooling system, a membrane oxygenator, a filter for foreign bodies, and bubble traps. This system not only allows hypothermic perfusion preservation of the liver graft, but furthermore enables investigation of ex vivo simulation of various circulatory circumstances in which physiological perfusion of the liver is studied. We have used this system to evaluate the viability of liver allografts preserved by cold storage. The liver was placed on the perfusion system and perfused with blood with a hematocrit of approximately 20% and maintained at 37°C for 3 h. The flows of the hepatic artery and portal vein were adjusted to 0.33 mL and 0.67 mL/g of liver tissue, respectively. Parameters of viability consisted of hourly bile output, oxygen consumption, liver enzymes, electrolytes, vascular resistance, and liver histology. This method of liver assessment in large animals will allow the objective evaluation of organ viability for transplantation and thereby improve the outcome of organ transplantation. Furthermore, this pump enables investigation into the pathophysiology of liver ischemia and preservation. © 1990 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted

Expression of TLR4/MyD88 in CRC

BACKGROUND: The Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 signalling pathway has been shown to have oncogenic effects in vitro and in vivo. To demonstrate the role of TLR4 signalling in colon tumourigenesis, we examined the expression of TLR4 and myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) in colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: The expression of TLR4 and MyD88 in 108 CRC samples, 15 adenomas, and 15 normal mucosae was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, and the correlations between their immunoscores and clinicopathological variables, including disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS), were analysed. RESULTS: Compared with normal mucosae and adenomas, 20% cancers displayed high expression of TLR4, and 23% cancers showed high expression of MyD88. The high expression of TLR4 and MyD88 was significantly correlated with liver metastasis (P=0.0001, P=0.0054). In univariate analysis, the high expression of TLR4 was significantly associated with shorter OS (hazard ratio (HR): 2.17; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.15–4.07; P=0.015). The high expression of MyD88 expression was significantly associated with poor DFS and OS (HR: 2.33; 95% CI: 1.31–4.13; P=0.0038 and HR: 3.03; 95% CI: 1.67–5.48; P=0.0002). The high combined expression of TLR4 and MyD88 was also significantly associated with poor DFS and OS (HR: 2.25; 95% CI: 1.27–3.99; P=0.0053 and HR: 2.97; 95% CI: 1.64–5.38; P=0.0003). Multivariate analysis showed that high expressions of TLR4 (OS: adjusted HR: 1.88; 95% CI: 0.99–3.55; P=0.0298) and MyD88 (DFS: adjusted HR: 1.93; 95% CI: 1.01–3.67; P=0.0441; OS: adjusted HR: 2.25; 95% CI: 1.17–4.33; P=0.0112) were independent prognostic factors of OS. Furthermore, high co-expression of TLR4/MyD88 was strongly associated with both poor DFS and OS. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that high expression of TLR4 and MyD88 is associated with liver metastasis and is an independent predictor of poor prognosis in patients with CRC