Genomic prediction in Japanese Black cattle: application of a single-step approach to beef cattle

The implementation of genomic selection for Japanese Black cattle, known for rich marbling of their meat, is now being explored. Although multiple-step methods are often adopted for dairy cattle, they present shortcomings such as bias and loss of information in addition to operational complexity. These can be avoided using single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) based on the relationship matrix H, which is constructed from the numerator relationship matrix (A) augmented by the genomic relationship matrix (G). This study assessed the use of ssGBLUP for 3 economically important traits in Japanese Black cattle. Three aspects of ssGBLUP that are important for practical use were examined specifically: the mixing proportions of blending G with A, selection of subsets of genotyped animals used for constructing H, and prediction ability for ungenotyped animals. Different mixing proportions were tested to assess the influence of these proportions on variance component estimation and prediction accuracy. For all traits, the highest or nearly highest accuracy was obtained when the adopted mixing proportion provided heritability closest to that inferred based on A. However, the accuracy did not increase greatly under adjustment of the mixing proportion, thereby suggesting that the influence of the mixing proportion on the accuracy was limited. Genotype data of influential bulls showed a greater contribution to accuracy than that of bulls that were less influential. Genotyping animals with phenotypic records increased the accuracy. It can be prioritized over genotyping bulls that are not influential on the population. These results are expected to present good guides to the future expansion of genotyped populations. Even for animals without genotype data but with genotyped sires, ssGBLUP provided more accurate prediction than BLUP did. For both phenotype and breeding value prediction, ssGBLUP provides more accurate prediction than BLUP, suggesting its usefulness in genomic selection in Japanese Black cattle.

Factors having effect on graft survival in cadaveric renal transplantation

BACKGROUND

One of the problems of cadaveric renal transplantation is that its graft survival rate is less than that for living renal transplantation. We aim to study relationships between the graft survival of cadaveric renal transplantation patients and various factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 350 cadaveric renal transplantation patients from our institutions from 1983 to 2011. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to evaluate graft survival ratios. Using a multivariable Cox regression model, we evaluated the relationship between graft survival and the factors such as age and gender of donor and recipient, body mass index of recipient, duration of hemodialysis, warm ischemic time, and acute rejection (AR), etc.

RESULTS

Among 235 males and 115 females, the overall mean age was 41 years. Median follow-up was 15 years (2 to 28 years). The graft survival ratio was 97% at 1 year, 85% at 5 years, and 71% at 10 years. Using the Cox regression model, graft survival was affected by donor age (younger than 60 years; hazard ratio [HR] 1.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-2.0; P = .027) and early acute rejection (within 3 months; HR 2.1; CI 1.6-2.8; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The graft survival of cadaveric renal transplantation patients is affected by factors of donor age and early AR.

An Escherichia coli trap in human serum albumin microtubes

Human serum albumin microtubes captured Escherichia coli (E. coli) into their one-dimensional pore space interior with a high efficiency. Similar MTs including an Fe₃O₄ layer also captured E. coli and were manipulated by a magnetic field.

Haemoglobin wrapped covalently by human serum albumin mutants containing Mn(iii) protoporphyrin IX: an O2 complex stable in H2O2 solution

Haemoglobin (Hb) wrapped covalently by human serum albumin mutants [HSA(Y161H)] containing Mn(iii) protoporphyrin IX (MnPP), the Hb–[HSA(Y161H)–MnPP]₃ cluster, formed a stable O₂-complex even in H₂O₂ solution.

Spatial distributions of floating seaweeds in the East China Sea from late winter to early spring

Floating seaweeds play an important role as a habitat for many animals accompanying or attaching to them in offshore waters. It was in 2000 that the first report described abundant distributions of floating seaweeds in offshore waters in the East China Sea in spring. Young individuals of the yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata are captured for aquaculture purposes from floating seaweeds in the East China Sea. Therefore, a sound understanding of the distributions of floating seaweeds in the East China Sea is needed. Detailed information is especially important during the late winter to early spring, which corresponds to the juvenile period of the yellowtail. Thus, field surveys using R/V Tansei-Maru were conducted in the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone in the East China Sea from late winter to early spring in 2010 and 2011. We obtained positions of the vessel by GPS and transversal distances from the vessel to a raft by visual observation. Distance sampling method (Thomas et al. 2010) was applied to estimation of floating seaweed densities (rafts km-2). Seaweed rafts were also randomly sampled using nets during the research cruises. In the East China Sea, seaweed rafts were distributed mainly on the continental shelf west of the Kuroshio, especially in waters between 26° N and 30° N. Collected rafts consisted of only one species, Sargassum horneri (Turner) C. Agardh. Taking into account surface currents and geographical distribution of S. horneri, it is estimated that these floating seaweeds originated from natural beds along the coast between mid and south China. Considering the approximate travel times, it is suggested that floating patches are colonized by yellowtails early on during their trips, i.e., close to the Chinese coast.

Establishing apoptosis resistant cell lines for improving protein productivity of cell culture

The authors established apoptosis resistant COS-1, myeloma, hybridoma, and Friend leukemia cell lines by genetically engineering cells, aiming at more efficient protein production by cell culture. COS-1 cells, which are most widely used for eukariotic gene expression, were transfected with human bcl-2 gene. Both bcl-2 and mock transfected COS-1 cells were cultured at low (0.2%) serum concentration for 9 days. The final viable cell number of the bcl-2 transfected cells was ninefold of that of the mock transfectants. Both bcl-2 and mock transfectants were further transfected with the vector pcDNA-λ containing SV40 ori and immunoglobulin λ gene for transiently expressing λ protein. The bcl-2 expressing COS-1 cells produced more λ protein than the mock transfected COS-1 cells after 4 days posttransfection.Mouse myeloma p3-X63-Ag.8.653 cells, which are widely used as the partner for preparing hybridoma, and hybridoma 2E3 cells were transfected with human bcl-2 gene. Both bcl-2 transfected myeloma and hybridoma survived longer than the corresponding original cells in batch culture. The bcl-2 transfected 2E3 cells survived 2 to 4 four days longer in culture, producing 1.5- to 4-fold amount of antibody in comparison with the mock transfectants.Coexpression of bag-1 with bcl-2 improved survival of hybridoma 2E3 cells more than bcl-2 expression alone. The bag-1 and bcl-2 coexpressing cells produced more IgG than the the cells expressing bcl-2 alone.Apoptosis of Friend murine erythroleukemia(F-MEL) cells was suppressed with antisense c-jun expression. The antisense c-jun expressing cells survived 16 days at non-growth state.

Co-expression of bcl-2 and bag-1, apoptosis suppressing genes, prolonged viable culture period of hybridoma and enhanced antibody production

Human bcl-2 and bag-1 DNA were introduced into mouse hybridoma 2E3- O cells and expressed. The expression of bcl-2 in BCMGneo-bcl2 transfectants was confirmed by ELISA and that of bag-1 in pZeo-bag1 was confirmed by western blotting. In batch cultures, the over-expression of bcl-2 prolonged the culture period by 2 days and co-expression of bcl-2 and bag-1 prolonged the culture period by 3 days. The delayed increase in the dead cell number in culture of the bcl-2 and bag-1 cotransfectant indicated the additional antiapoptosis effect of bcl-2 and bag-1 cotransfection in comparison with the bcl-2 only transfection. The bcl-2 transfectants (2E3O-Bcl2) produced antibody twofold per batch culture in comparison with 2E3-O cells transfected with BCMGSneo (2E3O-Mock). Enhancement of this MoAb production was due to the improved survival of the cells and was not due to stimulation of antibody production rate per cell by Bcl-2 expression. And the bcl-2 and bag-1 co-transfectant (2E3O-Bcl2-BAG1) produced antibody approximately fourfold of 2E3O-Mock per batch culture. Enhancement of this MoAb production was due to the improved survival of the cells and was partly due to stimulation of MoAb production rate per cell in the non-growing phase by the cotransfection. The method to engineer hybridoma cells genetically with bcl-2 and bag-1 for increasing viability and productivity would be widely applied for improving antibody productivity of hybridoma cultures.

[Respiratory distress due to rapid expansion of intrapericardial bronchogenic cyst]

A 79-year-old female who had been observed for an intrapericardial cyst for 3 years was admitted due to severe dyspnea and back pain. During 3 years observation, there were no symptoms and no growth of the cyst. Computed tomography scans showed rapid expansion of the cyst compared with an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) taken 9-days before when she visited our hospital for the 1st time. Urgent complete extirpation of the tumor was successfully done and a histological diagnosis found it was an intrapericardial bronchogenic cyst. This is a 1st report of intrapericardial bronchogenic cyst of which rapid expansion is clearly demonstrated by radiology. It is suggested that complete surgical excision of intrapericardial bronchogenic cysts at the time of diagnosis even if asymptomatic.

Prolonged carbon dioxide insufflation under general anesthesia for endoscopic submucosal dissection

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

Carbon dioxide (CO (2)) insufflation for endoscopy has been reported to provide superior recovery and is expected to reduce the risk of serious complications, including air embolism and tension pneumothorax, whereas general anesthesia offers some advantages not found under intravenous sedation. Little is known about the effect of prolonged CO (2) insufflation into gastrointestinal tracts on arterial CO (2) tension (PaCO (2)). Here we introduce the use of general anesthesia with CO (2) insufflation for esophagogastroduodenal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective observational study was conducted in a university-affiliated hospital. A total of 100 patients were scheduled for esophagogastroduodenal ESD under general anesthesia with CO (2) insufflation, using standardized anesthesia techniques and unchanged ventilatory settings. Arterial blood gas analyses were repeated at predetermined time intervals.

RESULTS

Of the initial 100 participants, 94 patients undergoing ESD and four patients undergoing endoscopic mucosal resection completed the study. The median procedure time was 122 minutes (range 29 - 309 minutes). The median baseline PaCO (2) of 28 mmHg increased to a median peak PaCO (2) of 39 mmHg ( P < 0.001), with marked inter-individual variability in the time courses of changes in PaCO (2). The correlation coefficient of PaCO (2) with the procedure time was low (r = 0.194; n = 577, P < 0.0001). FEV (1.0) % (forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity) of < 70 % and esophagoscopy vs. gastroduodenoscopy were relative enhancement factors of PaCO (2).

CONCLUSION

Increases of PaCO (2) during esophagogastroduodenal ESD under general anesthesia with CO (2) insufflation remained within acceptable or readily controllable ranges, and are little enhanced by prolongation of the procedure. Esophagogastroduodenal ESD can be performed safely and feasibly with this procedure.

[Solitary fibrous tumor of the seminal vesicle]

A 56-year-old man presented to our hospital with a pelvic mass. The tumor was diagnosed to occur from right seminal vesicle and to be a benign solitary fibrous tumor by transrectal tumor biopsy. The tumor enlarged during follow up, and he under-went resection of the tumor.

Endotoxin-induced lung injury in α-galactosylceramide-sensitized mice is caused by failure of interleukin-4 production in lung natural killer T cells

Administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) known as endotoxin into α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer)-sensitized mice causes severe lung lesions but few hepatic lesions in lethal shock, and interferon (IFN)-γ is suggested to play a pivotal role in preparation of the lung lesions. In order to clarify the mechanism of how α-GalCer sensitization causes lung lesions exclusively in mice, we examined the differential responsiveness of lungs and livers to α-GalCer sensitization. Although lung and liver natural killer T (NK T) cells both produced IFN-γ in response to α-GalCer, IFN-γ signalling was triggered only in the lungs of α-GalCer-sensitized mice. Lung NK T cells did not produce interleukin (IL)-4 in response to α-GalCer and it did not induce the expression of suppressor of cytokine signalling 1 (SOCS1) in the lungs. Conversely, IL-4 produced by liver NK T cells led to the expression of SOCS1 in the livers of the mice. Neutralization of IL-4 reduced SOCS1 expression in the livers and exacerbated LPS-induced hepatic lesions. IL-10 was produced by liver NK T cells but not lung NK T cells. However, IL-10 was produced constitutively by alveolar epithelial cells in normal lung. Lung NK T cells and liver NK T cells might express CD8 and CD4, respectively. Based on the fact that IL-4 inhibited IFN-γ signalling in the livers of α-GalCer-sensitized mice via SOCS1 expression and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT-1) activation, no inhibition of the IFN-γ signalling in the lungs caused LPS-induced lung lesions in α-GalCer-sensitized mice. The detailed mechanism of development of the lung lesions in α-GalCer-sensitized mice is discussed.

Metformin attenuates production of nitric oxide in response to lipopolysaccharide by inhibiting MyD88-independent pathway

Metformin is reported to ameliorate inflammation in diabetic patients. The effect of metformin on lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production was studied by using RAW 264.7 macrophage-like cells. The action of metformin was analyzed by dividing lipopolysaccharide signaling into the MyD88-dependent and -independent pathways. Metformin significantly reduced the expression of an inducible type of nitric oxide synthase and inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production. On the other hand, metformin did not inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha production. The expression levels of interferon-beta protein and mRNA, which is a key molecule in MyD88-independent pathway, were significantly inhibited by metformin. Compound C, a specific AMP-activated protein kinase inhibitor, did not affect the inhibitory action of metformin. Metformin was suggested to inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production via inhibition of interferon-beta production in MyD88-independent pathway. Metformin might exhibit an anti- inflammatory action on diabetic complications as well as the antidiabetic action.