The Izumi plain in Kagoshima prefecture, Japan, is an overwintering site of more than 10,000 cranes. The wet paddy areas are artificially created to provide roosting sites for the cranes every winter. Since wild ducks, known to be a natural reservoir of influenza A viruses, also overwinter in this area, the cranes' roost water likely serves as a source of influenza A virus infection. To assess this potential risk, we collected 126 water samples from the cranes' roost in the 2012/2013 winter season for virus isolation. We isolated six influenza viruses of three subtypes (H3N8, H4N6, and H4N8) from the water samples collected in the months of November and December. Genetic analysis of our isolates indicated that these viruses were genetically similar to the low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses circulating among Eurasian waterfowl. These findings suggest the possibility of the cranes becoming infected with the avian influenza viruses that are present in their roost water.
Previous studies have shown that intermittent cold stress (ICS) induces depression-like
behaviors in mammals. Tupaia belangeri (the tree shrew) is the only
experimental animal other than the chimpanzee that has been shown to be susceptible to
infection by hepatitis B and C viruses. Moreover, full genome sequence analysis has
revealed strong homology between host proteins in Tupaia and in humans
and other primates. Tupaia neuromodulator receptor proteins are also
known to have a high degree of homology with their corresponding primate proteins. Based
on these similarities, we hypothesized that induction of ICS in Tupaia
would provide a useful animal model of stress responses. We exposed young adult
Tupaia to ICS and observed decreases in body temperature and body
weight in both female and male Tupaia, suggesting that
Tupaia are an appropriate animal model for ICS studies. We further
examined the efficacy of a new small-molecule compound, C737, against the effects of ICS.
C737 mimics the helical structure of neuron-restrictive silencer factor (NRSF/REST), which
regulates a wide range of target genes involved in neuronal function and pain modulation.
Treatment with C737 significantly reduced stress-induced weight loss in female
Tupaia; these effects were stronger than those elicited by the
antidepressant agomelatine. These results suggest that Tupaia represents
a useful non-rodent ICS model. Our data also provide new insights into the function of
NRSF/REST in stress-induced depression and other disorders with epigenetic influences or
those with high prevalence in women.
We determined the complete genome sequences of torque teno sus viruses (TTSuVs) detected in pigs with postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and in healthy pigs in Japan. Unexpectedly, we found coinfection of a PMWS-affected pig in Japan with one strain of TTSuV1, five strains of TTSuV2, and one strain of PCV2. Full-genome sequencing of each of these strains, followed by phylogenetic analysis, revealed broad genetic diversity in the TTSuV2 strains infecting the PMWS-affected pig. These results suggest that the geographical bias in the available genetic information about TTSuVs has a limited impact on the evaluation of their genetic diversity.
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