Letter of announcement : Newsletter publication

 

 Sir,

              Taking advantage of hour and a half years of achievement at

our primate center (TPC), we are very happy to announce a newsletter

publication.  This have been our long-cherished desire since the scheme

of TPC was laid out.  In these years, many valuable experiences on

quarantine, breeding and rearing of laboratory primates have been

acquired as well as specific research data.

 

              Our intention in publishing this newsletter is to propagate

not only TPCfs ideas, present status and future plans but also to

publicize routine and research activities of personnel working for TPC.

We also hope this newsletter will serve as a means of communication

between related facilities and persons both in and out of Japan and

meet future requirements of the scientific community regarding nonhuman

Primate biology and medicine.

 

              The mailing list of this newsletter is open to anyone with

special interest in primates.  No subscription fee is needed, but due

to our extensive distribution and rising production cost, our letter

of willingness or unwillingness of receiving our newsletter will be

 very much appreciated.

 

              Enclosed herewith is an English summary copy which we hope

will help you understand our intentions.

 

                                      Yours truly,

                           

                             Shigeo HONJO, DVM, Ph.D.

                             Director

 

 

 

TPC News Vol. 1, No. 1,  Fall, 1982 (Whole Number 1)

(English Summary) (Revised Edition)

 

Page - 5  Breeding topics - on cynomolgus monkeys

 

                   Analyses of breeding data are topically made.  Recently, for the first time, we experienced the birth of twins.  Both are female and growing well.  As the life span of the cynomolgus monkey is as yet unknown, the interesting data of breeding performance of senile male and female breeders are introduced.

 

Page - 5   A case report:  Brain abscess

 

                   Among autopsied cases of newly imported cynomolgus monkeys of Indonesian origin, a very rare case was discovered: brain abscess.  Nocardia asteroides was identified as the causative agent.  a researcher speculates on the reason why it rarely happens to wild monkeys

 

Page 6  Natural infections of pathogenic agents in recently imported monkeys - A survey in cynomolgus monkeys during the quarantine period.

 

                   Through a quarantine survey in 160 cynomolgus monkeys imported from Southeast Asian countries, infection rates of parasitic, bacterial and viral agents are quoted according to the monkeyfs origin.

 

Page - 7 A truck for transportation of laboratory primates

 

                   We have a truck that can carry 48 cages of laboratory primates.  Many special devices were developed for the truck mainly from a viewpoint of biohazard control.  There are two heat sources both of which can keep the room temperature constant at 25}3 ‹C.

 

Page-8  Swage treatment facility at TPC - A capacity of 400 t/day treatment

 

                   We have adopted an activated-sludge treatment method after 6 month of preliminary experiment.  Nowadays sewage water amounts to about 200 t a day and about 70% of the water is concentrated during two hours in the morning.  We have several drainage cisterns to solve the above the above problem, and furthermore we had an unexpectedly good result with the action of activated sludge in the drainpipe itself.

 

Page-9 An attractive way to establish new blood groups in cynomolgus monkeys

 

                   This note deals with amazing experiences which an investigator of TPC encountered in the process of scrutinizing new group-specific red cell antigens using alloantibodies produced by cross-immunization of red cells, three phenotypes (O cy, A cy and A cy B cy : tentative names) were established at first.

                   However, he could not detect the last one (B cy) at his cynofs colony.  On the other hand, group-B cy was found in the green monkey colony and all the green monkeys were judged to belong to group- B cy.  After discovering the group- B cy in the green monkey, a small number of group- B cy was found in the cynomolgus monkey using group-specific antisera absorbed with green monkeyfs red cells.  Now this blood group system is completely clarified including itfs inheritance mode.

 

Page-11 CITES ratified by 77 countries.

 

                   A list of names of 77 countries with the data of entry into force of the convention.

 

Page-12  Mr. A.T. Virifs compound in Manila, the Philippines

 

                   A technical staff member reports on his visit to Manila in order to purchase female cynomolgus breeders.  He is particularly impressed by the technique of well-trained animal caretakers in catching their monkeys.

 

Page-13  Introduction of Southwest Foundation for Research and Education (SFRE)

 

                   Introducing the big-scale facility of SFRE with its specific administrative and research activities which greatly contribute to the scientific communities of the world .

 

Page-14  A review of my own experiences on care and management of monkeys at TPC

 

                   As a life-science researcher, the author looks back on his trainee experiences.  He appreciates the difficulties of judging health conditions of 2f00 monkeys kept at TPC daily.  A the same time, he believes that it is necessary for him to complete a routine handling manual of monkeys for his own use.

 

Page-15  A clinical commentary by a cub veterinarian.

                   A new staff member of TPC ( a veterinarian) writes a memorandum on his three characteristic roles:  one is as a vet of an emergency hospital, another is of a health center and the last of a primate medicine researcher.  Matters he encounters at animal quarters will appear serially in his news.

 

Page-15  Sketching from a spot of animal rooms

                   Looking after common squirrel monkeys daily, a technical staff member cannot help hoping each monkey lives a vivid long life.

 

Page-16  A guide to recent literature

                   Abstracts of foreign scientific papers for Japanese readers who are interested in laboratory primates.

 

Page-17  Library news

                   At present our library holds 420 monographs and 37 kinds of domestic and foreign journals and copy services we are offering.

 

Page-17  Guests, visiting researchers, etc.

                   All the foreign an local guests, visiting researchers and trainees we welcomed from 1978 to July 1982 are listed.

 

Page-18  Announcement

                   An announcement of the 2nd TPC symposium Laboratory Primates and the Progress of Endocrinology, which will be held on December 10, 1982, at Tsukuba Center for Institutes and the names of speakers

 

Page-18  Afterword