Assessment of genetic diversity in Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) populations with no family records using ddRAD-seq.

OBJECTIVE: Selective breeding for desirable traits is becoming popular in aquaculture. In Miyagi prefecture, Japan, a selectively bred population of Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) has been established with the original, randomly breeding population maintained separately. Since they have been bred without family records, the genetic diversity within these populations remains unknown. In this study, we estimated the genetic diversity and key quantitative genetic parameters such as heritability and genomic breeding value for body size traits by means of genomic best linear unbiased prediction to assess the genetic health of these populations. RESULTS: Ninety-nine and 83 females from the selective and random groups, respectively, were genotyped at 2350 putative SNPs by means of double digest restriction associated DNA sequencing. The genetic diversity in the selectively bred group was low, as were the estimated heritability and prediction accuracy for length and weight (h2 = 0.26-0.28; accuracy = 0.34), compared to the randomly bred group (h2 = 0.50-0.60; accuracy = 0.51-0.54). Although the tested sample size was small, these results suggest that further selection is difficult for the selectively bred population, while there is some potential for the randomly bred group, especially with the aid of genomic information.

Preventive effect of chronic endothelin type A receptor antagonist on coronary microvascular spasm induced by repeated epicardial coronary artery endothelial denudation in pigs.

AIM: We investigated the role of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in coronary microvascular spasm in a porcine model. METHODS: A flowmeter was implanted around the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), and epicardial coronary artery endothelial denudation (ED) was performed just distal to the flowmeter every 2 weeks (W) until 6 W in 10 pigs (ED group). Ten pigs were chronically treated with endothelin type A receptor (ET(A)) antagonist (TA-0201, 0.1 mg/kg/day, ED+ET(A) group), while neither ED nor administration of ET(A) antagonist was performed in 12 pigs (Control group). We assessed changes in LAD blood flow and the denuded site diameter induced by acetylcholine (ACh, 0.05 microg/kg i.c.). RESULTS: In the ED group, administration of ACh to LAD induced zero flow without LAD diameter reduction at 8 W. In the ED+ET(A) group, the decrease in LAD blood flow response to ACh was suppressed. Chronic administration of TA-0201 suppressed ROS generation in the myocardium. Decreases of eNOS and intimal thickening were smaller in the TA-0201 administration group than the non-TA-0201 administration group. CONCLUSION: Chronic administration of ET(A) receptor antagonist is effective to prevent coronary microvascular spasm.

Reversibility of cognitive disorder after treatment of dural arteriovenous fistulae.

INTRODUCTION: Dural arteriovenous fistulae (DAVF) occasionally lead to cognitive disorders whose reversibility after DAVF treatment remains unclear. We studied changes on pre- and post-treatment magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans in ten patients with cognitive disorder due to DAVF. METHODS: We studied the symptoms, pre- and post-treatment MRI scans, SPECT findings, and mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and treatment results in ten patients with cognitive disorder due to DAVF. They were divided into two groups; the post-treatment MMSE score exceeded 25 points in group 1 (n = 6) and was lower than 24 points in group 2 (n = 4). RESULTS: In the six group 1 patients, pretreatment diffusion-weighted images (DWI) showed hyperintense areas, and SPECT scans demonstrated the preservation of vasoreactivity after acetazolamide challenge. In the four group 2 patients, pretreatment SPECT demonstrated hypoperfusion areas that coincided with the hyperintense areas seen on DWI; there were areas with marked disturbance in vasoreactivity. The post-treatment MMSE score in groups 1 and 2 improved by 13.7 +/- 2.4 and 3.8 +/- 1.0 points, respectively; the difference was significant at p < 0.01. CONCLUSION: In patients with cognitive disorder due to DAVF, the preservation of vasoreactivity on SPECT after acetazolamide challenge indicates that their cognitive disorder may be reversible by DAVF treatment.

Cognitive function of patients with brain tumor in pre- and postoperative stage.

BACKGROUND: Nobody knows whether cognitive dysfunction affects survival. Furthermore, it is unknown whether the dysfunction is caused by the tumor itself or by its treatment. METHODS: Patients with 20 gliomas (LGG, 7; MG, 13 [AG, 4; GM, 9]) in the right brain (nondominant) and 11 gliomas (LGG, 1; MG, 10 [AG, 6; GM, 4]) in the left brain (dominant) were studied. Thirty-four patients with meningioma were also studied. Cognitive function was evaluated by the 3MS examination, and propriety of radical resection of tumor was reviewed. RESULTS: Cognitive function pre-Op and post-Op was normal in patients with LGG and MGs in the right brain but decreased before an Op in all patients with MG in the left brain, and they did not normalize after Op. In patients with MG in left brain, the test of temporal and spatial orientation, first recall, similarities, 4-legged animals, mental reversal, and writing decreased after Op. Cognitive hypofunction before or after Op did not correlate with tumor malignancy and degree of tumor resection. CONCLUSION: Firstly, radical Op should aim at improvement of cognitive function for patients with glioma in the right brain, and for patients with glioma in the left brain, QOL should be thought about without expecting improvement of cognitive function. Secondly, improvement of cognitive function cannot be anticipated in patients with meningioma in the left brain. Aged patients older than 75 years require carefulness in Op. Then, damage of the cingulated gyrus and corpus callosum should be avoided in the left brain. This study emphasizes that clinicians should be careful in the evaluation of cognitive function in glioma and meningioma treatment.

Identification of a gene for UDP-sulfoquinovose synthase of a green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and its phylogeny.

Sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol is responsible for the structural and functional integrity of the photosystem II complex of a green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. We cloned a cDNA of C. reinhardtii containing an open reading frame for a protein 36-64% identical in the primary structure to known UDP-sulfoquinovose synthases, which are required for SQDG synthesis, in other organisms. Through the introduction of the cDNA, a cyanobacterial disruptant as to the UDP-sulfoquinovose synthase gene recovered the ability to synthesize sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol, thus confirming that the cDNA encodes the UDP-sulfoquinovose synthase. On the genome, the cDNA was divided into 14 exons, and the gene designated as SQD1 was present as one copy. The molecular phylogenetic tree for the UDP-sulfoquinovose synthase showed grouping of C. reinhardtii together with species that require sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol for the functioning of the PSII complex, but not with those that do not utilize the lipid for photosynthesis. The role of sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol in the functioning of the photosynthetic membranes might evolve in harmony with the system of the membrane lipid synthesis such as UDP-sulfoquinovose synthase gene.

Different contribution of apoptosis to the antiproliferative effects of L-arginine, enalapril and losartan on neointimal growth inhibition after balloon arterial injury.

It remains to be clarified how angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor-induced function (ie, increased NO related action or the inhibition of angiotensin II AT1 receptor dependent action) affects apoptosis of smooth muscle cells in the neointima following arterial injury. Saline (control), enalapril, L-arginine, combined enalapril and L-arginine, or losartan was administered for 14 days to Sprague-Dawley rats after balloon carotid injury and the ratio of intima to media areas (I/M), inducible NO synthase (iNOS) concentrations and %TUNEL were measured. I/M decreased similarly in the enalapril, L-arginine and losartan groups, and the combination of enalapril and L-arginine resulted in the largest I/M decrease. TUNEL positivity was increased compared with controls in the following order: losartan, L-arginine, enalapril and combination of enalapril and L-arginine. The intensity of immunostaining for iNOS was increased approximately 1.9-fold compared with the control in the combined enarapril and L-arginine group as well as in the enalapril group. These data suggest that the apoptosis in the neointima is different for L-arginine, losartan and enalapril under similar conditions and was higher under treatment with enalapril, not only via the action of NO or blocking of the AT1, but also by upregulation of iNOS.