--The mating behavior of the male feral cat (Felis catus) living on a small island was investigated. The cats in the study area (6.0 ha) formed the "feeding groups" at the garbage sites (Yamane et al. 1994;Izawa et al. 1982). We examined the factors influencing fighting ability, rank during courtship, and mating success of the male cat. Males with heavier body weight mostly won over lighter males in the agonistic encounters during the estrous season. Heavier males occupied the more advantageous positions to copulate with the estrous females and had higher mating success. These results suggest that body weight was one of the important factors affecting the courtship rank and the mating success of the male cat. When males visited and courted the females of feeding groups other than their own, they were sometimes defeated by the lighter males in that particular group, which lowered their courtship rank and success in copulations. These results indicate that the location of the courting male (inside or outside of its own group) and the kind of females they courted (member of the same group or not) were also important factors.
The food habits of the Iriomote cat Felis iriomotensis were studied by analyzing 177 feces collected monthly from 1987 to 1988. A total of 26 food items were identified. The frequency of lizards and frogs in the feces was higher than those of mammals and birds. The food habits changed greatly seasonally. Eumeces skinks were fed on most frequently, and found in the feces with a similar high frequency occurrence in March–April and July–September, while their proportion to the total number of food items was larger in March–April than in July–September. The cats fed on larg‐sized skinks, adult Eumeces kishinouyei, more in March–April than in other seasons. The number of skinks sighted in the course of a road census was greater from March to August, and large‐sized skinks were sighted more in March–April than in July–August. The cats fed selectively on large‐sized skinks in every season. Therefore, changes in the food habits depended on the food availability. Characteristics of food habits in the Iriomote cat are discussed in comparison with the food habits of other felids in temperate and tropical regions.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSENuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a redox-sensitive transcription factor that binds to antioxidant response elements located in the promoter region of genes encoding many antioxidant enzymes and phase II detoxifying enzymes. Activation of the Nrf2 pathway seems protective for many organs, and although a well-known Nrf2 activator, bardoxolone methyl, was evaluated clinically for treating chronic kidney disease, it was found to induce adverse events. Many bardoxolone methyl derivatives, mostly derived by chemical modifications, have already been studied. However, we adopted a biotransformation technique to obtain a novel Nrf2 activator. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHThe potent novel Nrf2 activator, RS9, was obtained from microbial transformation products. Its Nrf2 activity was evaluated by determining NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase-1 induction activity in Hepa1c1c7 cells. We also investigated the effects of RS9 on oxygen-induced retinopathy in rats and glycated albumin-induced blood-retinal barrier permeability in rabbits because many ocular diseases are associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. KEY RESULTSBardoxolone methyl doubled the specific activity of Nrf2 in Hepa1c1c7 cells at a much higher concentration than RS9. Moreover, the induction of Nrf2-targeted genes was observed at a one-tenth lower concentration of RS9. Interestingly, the cytotoxicity of RS9 was substantially reduced compared with bardoxolone methyl. Oral and intravitreal administration of RS9 ameliorated the pathological scores and leakage in the models of retinopathy in rats and ocular inflammation in rabbits respectively. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONSNrf2 activators are applicable for treating ocular diseases and novel Nrf2 activators have potential as a unique method for prevention and treatment of retinovascular disease. AbbreviationsAU, arbitrary unit; BEACON study, bardoxolone methyl evaluation in patients with chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes: the occurrence of renal events; BEAM study, bardoxolone methyl treatment: renal function in chronic kidney disease/type 2 diabetes; CD, concentration to double NQO1 activity; CDDO, 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid; Ct, threshold cycle; Keap1, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1; NQO1, NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase-1; Nrf2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2; P, post-natal day; PLA, poly lactic acid; tBHP, tert-butyl hydroperoxide
A new coelomycetes fungal species, Pestalotiopsis pallidotheae, is described. This endophytic fungus, isolated from a leaf of Japanese andromeda (Pieris japonica), has knob-tipped appendages on the apical and basal cells of the conidia. The conidial morphology is similar to that of Pestalotiopsis theae except that the color of the median cells is paler in P. pallidotheae. Molecular analyses of the ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 site placed P. pallidotheae in a group different from P. theae.
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