Pyelonephritis associated with Staphylococcus intermedius in a Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)

Pyelonephritis, in which Staphylococcus intermedius was isolated, was diagnosed in a 4-year-old female Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica). At necropsy, the renal pelvis was dilated with a large amount of purulent exudates. Microscopically, the lesions of renal pelvis and medulla consisted of necrotic foci intermingled primarily with numerous degenerative neutrophils and a few lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages. Bacteriology showed the presence of S. intermedius. This is the first report on pyelonephritis associated with S. intermedius in wild felidae.     

Hypercalcemia and high parathyroid hormone-related peptide concentration in a dog with a complex mammary carcinoma

A 10-year-old female Dachshund was presented with a history of mammary masses, slight lethargy, polyuria, and polydipsia. Physical examination findings included masses involving the first, second, and fourth mammary glands of the left side. The mandibular, axillary, and right popliteal lymph nodes were mildly enlarged. Serum chemistry results included hypercalcemia (13.9 mg/dL, reference interval 8.0-11.5 mg/dL). Although intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentration (1.05 pmol/L) was below the reference interval (2-13 pmol/L), PTH-related protein (PTHrP) concentration was markedly increased (9.40 pmol/L, reference value < 2 pmol/L). The masses were surgically removed, and the histopathologic diagnosis was complex mammary carcinoma. Three weeks after surgery, serum total calcium concentration had decreased to 10.5 mg/dL. Resolution of the hypercalcemia and clinical signs supported a diagnosis of humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy associated with mammary gland carcinoma.     

Overexpression of OCT4A ortholog elevates endogenous XIST in porcine parthenogenic blastocysts

X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) is an epigenetic process that equalizes expression of X-borne genes between male and female eutherians. This process is observed in early eutherian embryo development in a species-specific manner. Until recently, various pluripotent factors have been suggested to regulate the process of XCI by repressing XIST expression, which is the master inducer for XCI. Recent insights into the process and its regulation have been restricted in mouse species despite the evolutionary diversity of the process and molecular mechanism among the species. OCT4A is one of the represented pluripotent factors, the gate-keeper for maintaining pluripotency, and an XIST repressor. Therefore, in here, we examined the relation between OCT4A and X-linked genes in porcine preimplantation embryos. Three X-linked genes, XIST, LOC102165544, and RLIM, were selected in present study because their orthologues have been known to regulate XCI in mice. Expression levels of OCT4A were positively correlated with XIST and LOC102165544 in female blastocysts. Furthermore, overexpression of exogenous human OCT4A in cleaved parthenotes generated blastocysts with increased XIST expression levels. However, increased XIST expression was not observed when exogenous OCT4A was obtained from early blastocysts. These results suggest the possibility that OCT4A would be directly or indirectly involved in XIST expression in earlier stage porcine embryos rather than blastocysts.     

Employment of hordein subunit polymorphisms in establishing selection criteria for high quality malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Cereal seed storage proteins are encoded by complex multigene families and their subunit profiles are highly related to end-use qualities. Each fraction of albumin and hordein was extracted and its subunit profile was evaluated in related to malt and grain quality parameters. The purpose of this study was to provide selection criteria for high quality malting barley using grain and malt quality parameters and biochemical-genetic information. Grain and malt quality of 13 local adaptability test (LAT) lines were evaluated for malting process. A total of 16 germplasm accessions of high or low seed storage protein content were also evaluated for biochemicalgenetic analysis. The correlation coefficients among quality parameters were analyzed. Several important quality parameters in brewing process showed significant positive or negative correlations. Seed storage protein subunits of albumin and hordein of all tested lines and accessions were evaluated using 12% 1D SDS-PAGE. Scored data of protein subunit’s presence or absence was applied to Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) for statistical analysis and showed specific grouping patterns among tested lines. Clustered lines with subunit information were highly related with agricultural performance and grain and malt qualities. Based on the profiles of seed storage protein subunits, association of hordein subunit of 38, 43, and 65 kDa with high malt scored lines was found. The obtained results would provide improved selection criteria for high quality malting barley in the malting barley breeding program.     

Solvatochromism of indonaphthol dye

The solvatochromic behavior of indonaphthol dye was described. The UV/Vis absorption spectra of this compound have been studied in 5 solvents of different polarity. The solvatochromism of indonaphthol dye is discussed with the aid of semiempirical calculations.     

Synthesis and application of alkyl-substituted disazo yellow dyes for unmodified polypropylene fiber

The several disazo dyes having different alkyl substituents were synthesized to dye unmodified polypropylene fiber. The affinity of the dyes onto unmodified polypropylene was increased with the increase of the length of alkyl substituents. Therefore, the heptyl-substituted dye having the longest alkyl group in this experiment showed very high color strength of dyeings with K/S value of over 24 at maximum absorption wavelength. The color fastnesses to washing, rubbing and light were also improved significantly for the longer alkyl substituted dyes, so that the heptyl-substituted dye exhibited a rating of 4∼5 for all kinds of fastnesses.     

New fluorescent dye chemosensor for mercury ion (Hg2+) detection

The dye chemosensor for mercury ion detection was designed, which was based on donor-acceptor intramolecular charge transfer system and the corresponding fluorescence changing property was successfully monitored. This new dye chemosensor was containing dimethylcarbamodithioate groups to coordinate Hg²⁺, which showed very effective sensing functions. But it showed no significant changes upon the addition of other metal ions such as Ca²⁺, Pb²⁺, Al³⁺, Ce²⁺, Ba²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Mg²⁺.     

A new flavonoid glycoside from the leaf of Cephalotaxus koreana

A new flavone glycoside, apigenin 5-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->3)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), along with four known flavonol glycosides (2-5), were isolated from the leaf of Cephalotaxus koreana. The new glycoside 1 showed inhibitory activity in superoxide radical scavenging assay with IC(50) value of 13.0 microM, while it showed weak activity in 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay. Compounds 2-5 exhibited antioxidant activity in scavenging DPPH and superoxide radicals with IC(50) values ranging from 5.7 to 22.3 microM.     

A serine proteinase from the sarcoplasmic fraction of red sea bream Pagrus major is possibly derived from blood

Collagen degradation is known to be involved in the post mortem tenderization of fish muscle. A serine proteinase that is assumed to be related to collagen degradation after fish death was purified from the sarcoplasmic fraction of red sea bream Pagrus major by ammonium sulfate fractionation and column chromatography on Sephacryl S-300, Q Sepharose and Phenyl Sepharose CL-4B. The enzyme hydrolyzed gelatin and was obtained as a protein band of approximately 38 kDa upon sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing conditions. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme was determined for 32 residues. A protein that had the same N-terminal amino acid sequence as the enzyme for ten residues was purified from the serum of red sea bream and showed the same characteristics as the enzyme. Therefore, it is suggested that the serine proteinase migrates from the blood to muscle and degrades muscle proteins after the death of the fish.