Superficial necrolytic dermatitis associated with extrapancreatic glucagonoma in a dog

An 11-year-old Shih Tzu presented with crusting and erythema, mainly on the abdomen and the root of the tail. Based on histopathological findings, blood examinations and necropsy findings, the condition was diagnosed as superficial necrolytic dermatitis associated with a glucagon-secreting extrapancreatic neuroendocrine tumour. Gross necropsy revealed tumour invasion into the spleen, liver, adrenal glands and mesenteric lymph nodes. Immunohistochemical analysis of the neoplastic cells revealed that the tumour was a glucagonoma, consistent with earlier findings of persistent glucagonaemia and hypoaminoacidaemia.     

Hindbrain decompression in a dog with scoliosis associated with syringomyelia

A 6-month-old female Border Collie was examined because of a 1-month history of progressive curvature of the cervical portion of the vertebral column. Radiography revealed severe cervical and thoracic scoliosis. Cervical syringomyelia and hydrocephalus were observed by means of magnetic resonance imaging. Suboccipital craniotomy and laminectomy of the first cervical vertebra were performed, and substantial improvement in the scoliosis and syringomyelia was observed 3 months after surgery. No recurrences were seen during the first year after surgery.     

Molecular epidemiological analysis of bat rabies viruses in Brazil

A molecular epidemiological analysis was performed in 19 rabies viruses (RVs) isolated from haematophagous, frugivorous and insectivorous bats, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The authors carried out RT-PCR for amplification of the RV nucleoprotein (N) gene, and determined 1,335 nucleotide sequences of N gene by direct sequencing method. Phylogenetic analysis, which was based on the N gene of Brazilian RV isolates identified presently and previously, revealed that RVs isolated from bats were genetically divided into four lineages had a tendency to depend on the host bat species. The first lineage consisted mainly of haematophagous bat (Desmodus rotundus) isolates, including frugivorous bat (Artibeus spp.) isolates. Other three lineages consisted of insectivorous bat isolates; mainly Eptesicus spp., Molossus spp. and Nyctinomops spp. isolates, respectively. These results indicate a possibility of that there are bat species-specific RV variants in Brazil.     

Transient uplift after a 17th-century earthquake along the Kuril subduction zone

In eastern Hokkaido, 60 to 80 kilometers above a subducting oceanic plate, tidal mudflats changed into freshwater forests during the first decades after a 17th-century tsunami. The mudflats gradually rose by a meter, as judged from fossil diatom assemblages. Both the tsunami and the ensuing uplift exceeded any in the region's 200 years of written history, and both resulted from a shallow plate-boundary earthquake of unusually large size along the Kuril subduction zone. This earthquake probably induced more creep farther down the plate boundary than did any of the region's historical events.     

Improvement of the gelling properties of meat emulsion gel by the addition of porcine sarcoplasmic proteins

The effects of porcine sarcoplasmic proteins (SP) on the physicochemical properties of meat emulsion gel were examined. Meat emulsion was prepared from water‐washed pork meat (WWM), corn oil and SP. Whole SP (W‐SP) enhanced the breaking stress of the WWM emulsion gel as well as other animal proteins in the presence of 0.2 mol/L NaCl. The breaking stress of the emulsion with W‐SP increased with an increase in corn oil content. Furthermore, this tendency was more noticeable at a lower NaCl concentration (0.15 mol/L) rather than at 0.45 mol/L NaCl. Ammonium sulfate (AS) treatment fractionated W‐SP into three portions (SP‐f1, SP‐f2 and SP‐f3), which were the precipitates at 0–50% and 50–75% AS saturation and the supernatant at 75% AS saturation, respectively. The fractions SP‐f2 and SP‐f3 increased the gel strength more than W‐SP. In particular, the fraction SP‐f3 increased the gel strength approximately 10‐fold compared to the control. Sodium dodecyl sulfate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis showed that SP‐f3 had several kinds of proteins and a main protein with a molecular mass of 35 kDa, which corresponded to glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase. These results indicate that the influence of SP should not be ignored when processing of low‐salt meat products and the fraction SP‐f3 has a gel‐enhancing factor for myofibrillar proteins.     

A binding protein for fungal signal molecules in the cell wall of Pisum sativum

In the plant cell wall of Pisum sativum seedlings, we found an NTPase (E.C. 3.6.1.5.) with ATP-hydrolyzing activity that was regulated by an elicitor and suppressors of defense from pea pathogen Mycosphaerella pinodes. The ATPase-rich fraction was purified from pea cell walls by NaCl solubilization, ammonium sulfate precipitation, and chromatography with an ATP-conjugated agarose column and an anion-exchange column. The specific activity of the final ATPase-rich fraction increased 600-fold over that of the initial NaCl-solubilized fraction. The purified ATPase-rich fraction also had peroxidase activity and generated superoxide, both of which were regulated by the M. pinodes elicitor and suppressor (supprescins). Active staining and Western blot analysis also showed that the ATPase was copurified along with peroxidases. In this fraction, a biotinylated elicitor and the supprescins were bound primarily and specifically to ca. 55-kDa protein (CWP-55) with an N-terminal amino acid sequence of QEEISSYAVVFDA. The cDNA clone of CWP-55 contained five ACR domains, which are conserved in the apyrases (NTPases), and the protein is identical to a pea NTPase cDNA (GenBank accession AB071369). Based on these results, we discuss a role for the plant cell wall in recognizing exogenous signal molecules.     

Repair of urinary bladder rupture through a urethrotomy and urethral sphincterotomy in four postpartum mares

OBJECTIVE: To report the clinical findings, surgical technique, and outcome after repair of urinary bladder rupture through a urethral incision in postpartum mares. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: Four Thoroughbred broodmares. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed for clinical signs, surgical technique, medical therapy, and outcome. The bladder was everted into the vagina through a urethral incision that included a sphincterotomy. The bladder defect was repaired with absorbable suture material in a single-layer, full thickness, simple, continuous pattern. The urethral incision was closed similarly. RESULTS: Depression, inappetence, signs of shock, dehydration, azotemia, and serum electrolyte abnormalities were consistent findings that increased temporally after bladder rupture. Each bladder defect was repaired successfully, and metabolic derangements were corrected with supportive medical therapy. All mares survived, conceived, and had more foals without further complications CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Bladder rupture associated with parturition in mares can be repaired in a standing position by eversion of the bladder through a urethrotomy and urethral sphincterotomy.     

Influence of dietary conjugated linoleic acid isomers on early inflammatory responses in male broiler chickens

1. The influence of dietary conjugated linoleic acid isomer (CLA, 0 and 10 g/kg) on the metabolic and physiological responses to immune stimulation induced by a single injection of Salmonella enteritidis lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or repeated injections of LPS and Sephadex G-50 was determined in male broiler chicks. 2. In experiment 1, 10-d-old chicks were fed on experimental diets for 14 d and half of the birds fed on each diet were injected intraperitoneally with LPS (1.5 mg/kg body weight). In experiment 2,7-d-old chicks were fed on experimental diets for 18 d. Immune stimulation was started at 19 d old and continued for 5 d. Half of the birds fed on each diet were injected intraperitoneally with 0.25 mg/kg body weight of LPS at 19, 21 and 23 d of age, and with 250 mg/kg body weight of Sephadex at 20 and 22 d of age to stimulate the immune system. 3. In experiment 1, giving CLA prevented an increase in blood heterophil to lymphocyte ratio 7 h after a single injection of LPS, and increases in plasma ceruloplasmin and alpha 1 acid glycoprotein (AGP) 24 h after the injection, but not 7 h after the injection. CLA also prevented a decrease in food intake for 24 h after LPS injection. 4. In experiment 2, the CLA diet partially prevented reductions in body weight gain and weight gain to feed intake ratio caused by repeated injections of LPS and Sephadex. Feeding CLA prevented increases in plasma ceruloplasmin and AGP at 24 d of age caused by repeated injections of LPS and Sephadex, but not at 20 d of age. 5. These results suggest that feeding CLA alleviates some undesirable metabolic and physiological changes induced by immunological stimulation in male broiler chicks.     

Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural identification of Fusobacterium necrophorum subsp. necrophorum in bovine fatal necrotizing glossitis

A 37-day-old male Japanese black calf showing marked salivation and leucocytosis died and was examined the tissues histologically. Histological lesions were characterized by severe focal necrotic glossitis on the ventral side of the root of the tongue. Immunohistochemically, Fusobacterium necrophorum subsp. necrophorum antigen was detected in the necrotic tissues and its distribution corresponded to that of the gram-negative, nonsporeforming, long filamentous organisms. Ultrastructural similarities between the organism and F. necrophorum subsp. necrophorum, but not subsp. funduliforme were observed. These findings clearly demonstrated that the fatal necrotic glossitis was caused by F. necrophorum subsp. necrophorum. This is the first report of bovine fatal necrotizing glossitis with leucocytosis caused by F. necrophorum subsp. necrophorum infection, and this organism may be an important fatal pathogen in calves with glossal lesions.