Comparison of N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide and three cardiac biomarkers for discriminatory ability of clinical stage in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease

Plasma N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (NT-proANP) concentration increases with progression of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) in dogs. This multicentre, prospective study compared plasma NT-proANP, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), ANP, and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations in dogs with MMVD for their characteristics and discriminatory ability to detect cardiac dilatation and congestive heart failure (CHF). Thirty-six healthy dogs and 69 dogs with MMVD were included. Clinical variables were obtained via physical examination, thoracic radiography, and echocardiography. The discriminatory ability of each cardiac biomarker (CB) to determine the presence or absence of cardiac dilatation (event 1) and CHF (event 2) was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curves. Plasma NT-proANP, NT-proBNP, and ANP concentrations showed a significant association with the left atrium/aorta ratio (P<0.01). The area under the curve of plasma NT-proANP and NT-proBNP concentrations were 0.72 and 0.75, respectively in event1 and 0.72 and 0.76, respectively in event2. Plasma NT-proANP and NT-proBNP concentrations showed sensitivity 80.0 and 80.0%; specificity 67.6 and 64.7% in event1 (cutoff value; 8,497.81 pg/ml and 1,453.00 pmol/l, respectively) and sensitivity 85.7 and 81.0%; specificity 60.4 and 64.6% in event2 (cutoff value; 8,684.33 pg/ml and 1,772.00 pmol/l, respectively). In dogs with MMVD, plasma NT-proANP, NT-proBNP, and ANP concentrations increase with left atrial enlargement. Particularly, plasma NT-proANP and NT-proBNP concentrations appeared to be equally useful in the discriminatory ability to detect cardiac dilatation and CHF.     

Long-term case study of myelodysplastic syndrome in a dog

A 10-year-old, female shih tzu was diagnosed as having myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) based on the presence of a nonregenerative anemia, dysplastic changes in the three hematopoietic cell lines, a normal to hypercellular bone marrow, and less than 30% blast cells of all nucleated cells in the bone marrow. Low-dose aclarubicin, a differentiation-induction therapy for MDS and atypical leukemias in humans, was administered. Hematological improvement was observed, and the dog lived for 809 days after the first presentation.     

Effects of instream structures on Kirikuchi charr, southernmost population of genus Salvelinus, in a small mountain stream of Japan

ABSTRACT:   The changes in physical habitats and responses of fish, e.g. the Kirikuchi charr Salvelinus leucomaenis japonicus , were examined by placing instream structures in a stream on the upper drainage of the Totsu River system of the Kii Peninsula, Japan, over a two-year period. Instream structures created pools below the structures, and these pools have maintained their functions as fish habitats over two years. In two treatment sections, sections A and B (some red-spotted masu salmon were removed in advance in section B), mean water depth increased soon after placing the structures, but decreased over two years. Mean water velocity slowed after placing the structures in both sections. Total fish abundance has been relatively high at the two treatment sections compared with a control section after placing the structures. Age 1 Kirikuchi charr, however, increased only in section B. These results indicate that instream structures can serve as habitat enhancement for fish, including Kirikuchi charr, in the study area if other appropriate habitat factors for respective species are taken into consideration.     

Effects of silvering state on induced maturation and spawning in wild female Japanese eel <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anguilla japonica</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:   The effects of silvering state of wild female Japanese eels Anguilla japonica on the success of induced maturation and the following spawning were examined. Thirty-eight females, collected in Mikawa Bay, were divided into four stages based on their silvering state: yellow (Y1), late-yellow (Y2), silver (S1) and late silver eels (S2). Despite injections of salmon pituitary extract (SPE) through the standard technique, Y1 and Y2 eels did not respond to the treatment with undeveloped gonad (gonad-somatic index [GSI]: 0.3–0.9), and all these females died by 5 weeks, probably due to an abnormal physiological condition. Most S1 (81%) and S2 eels (100%) matured completely (GSI: 17.8–51.4), and finally spawned successfully (69% for S1, 89% for S2). S2 eels fully matured with oocytes of over 750 μm in diameter by significantly smaller number of injections of SPE (5–6 times) than the case of S1 eels (6–8 times). The amount of eggs released by S2 eels (0.65 ± 0.11 g/fish per body weight [BW]) was significantly larger than those by S1 eels (0.54 ± 0.09 g/fish per BW). There was no difference in fertilization and hatching rates between eggs released by S1 eels and those of S2 eels. These results indicate that the success of induced maturation and spawning in wild female Japanese eels depends on their silvering state, and matured eggs can be obtained efficiently through the use of S2 eels rather than other stages.     

Performance of using opposing homozygotes for paternity testing in Japanese Black cattle

Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers in Japanese Black cattle enable genomic prediction and verifying parent–offspring relationships. We assessed the performance of opposing homozygotes (OH) for paternity testing in Japanese Black cattle, using SNP genotype information of 50 sires and 3,420 fattened animals, 1,945 of which were fathered by the 50 genotyped sires. The number of OH was counted for each sire–progeny pair in 28,764 SNPs with minor allele frequencies of ≥0.05 in this population. Across all pairs of animals, the number of OH tended to increase as the pedigree-based coefficient of relationship decreased. With a threshold of 288 (1% of SNPs) for paternity testing, most sire–progeny pairs were detected as true relationships. The frequency of Mendelian inconsistencies was 2.4%, reflecting the high accuracy of pedigree information in Japanese Black cattle population. The results indicate the utility of OH for paternity testing in Japanese Black cattle.     

Response of gas exchange rates in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abies firma</Emphasis> seedlings to various additional stresses under chronic acid fog stress

In order to clarify the chronic influence of acid fog on the gas exchange rates of momi fir (Abies firma Sieb. et Zucc.) trees, we exposed them to simulated acid fog (pH 3) for 3 years. The composition of the acid fog was similar to that observed in a region where momi fir trees have been declining, and it contained organic acids. We then treated the firs with various additional stresses, such as drought, low temperature, fine root cutting, ozone exposure, soil acidification, nitrogen load, and rhizosphere aluminum stress. Under chronic exposure to acid fog, the momi fir seedlings exhibited a pattern of stomatal behavior whereby they excessively opened in summer and closed in winter. Furthermore, the stomata of these seedlings tended to open during drought stress, and their needles were visibly injured after ozone exposure. The net photosynthesis rates of the seedlings exposed to acid fog were regulated by their stomatal aperture, rather than directly by acid fog. These results suggest that acid fog exposure disturbs the control of stomatal function in the momi fir seedlings. In addition, we found that chronic acid fog exposure suppressed the decrease in net photosynthesis rate, due to its nitrogen load.     

First report of trunk rot caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fomitiporia torreyae</Emphasis> in Kyoto prefecture on cultivars of Japanese cedar with no relatedness to ‘Sanbu-sugi’

Trunk rot, caused by Fomitiporia torreyae, is one of the most economically important sap rot diseases on Cryptomeria japonica, especially on a cutting cultivar ‘Sanbu-sugi’. This disease had been reported only from Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures in Japan; however, a similar trunk rot on Japanese cedars was found recently in Kyoto prefecture. We identified the causal agent of the trunk rot on Japanese cedars in Kyoto prefecture, clarified the genotype of ‘Sanbu-sugi’ (sensu stricto) using microsatellite markers, and then investigated the relatedness of these infected cedars with ‘Sanbu-sugi’. The pathogen was identified as F. torreyae by its DNA sequences and morphological characteristics of the fruiting body. The 25 ramets of ‘Sanbu-sugi’ had only one genotype based on eight microsatellite loci. Infected Japanese cedars in Kyoto were comprised of different genotypes and showed no close relatedness to ‘Sanbu-sugi’. This is the first report of trunk rot caused by F. torreyae on cultivars of Japanese cedar with no relatedness to ‘Sanbu-sugi’ outside of Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures and showed the potential for expansion of this disease to Japanese cedar plantations in other areas.     

Entomosporium leaf spot of Pomoideae (Rosaceae) in Japan. III. Additional basis for identification of the fungus,and distribution of the disease

Treatment by Sivanesan and Gibson (1976), that combined all species of Entomosporium into one species E. mespili (DC. ex Duby) Sacc, was supported through the investigation of many exsiccati and fresh specimens.Morphologically, all specimens and isolates of Entomosporium, which had been differentiated into 4 species, could not be divided into clearly separated groups.The fungus has been recorded on 50 host species and the disease is widespread throughout the world.     

Isolation and antimicrobial susceptibility of Plesiomonas shigelloides from great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo hanedae) in Gifu and Shiga Prefectures,Japan

Plesiomonas shigelloides is a causal agent of gastroenteritis, sepsis and meningitis in humans. We examined the prevalence of P. shigelloides among great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo hanedae) in Japan and the antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates. P. shigelloides was isolated from 33 (47.8%) of 69 fecal samples from great cormorants in 2014. All 33 isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing using broth microdilution methods, which showed resistance to ampicillin (31 isolates, 93.9%), tetracycline (two isolates, 6.1%) and trimethoprim (one isolate, 3.0%). The high prevalence of P. shigelloides in the great cormorants implicates the possible microbiological risk to public health.     

Seasonal changes in the spatial structures of N2O, CO2, and CH4 fluxes from Acacia mangium plantation soils in Indonesia

We evaluated the spatial structures of nitrous oxide (N₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and methane (CH₄) fluxes in an Acacia mangium plantation stand in Sumatra, Indonesia, in drier (August) and wetter (March) seasons. A 60 × 100-m plot was established in an A. mangium plantation that included different topographical elements of the upper plateau, lower plateau, upper slope and foot slope. The plot was divided into 10 × 10-m grids and gas fluxes and soil properties were measured at 77 grid points at 10-m intervals within the plot. Spatial structures of the gas fluxes and soil properties were identified using geostatistical analyses. Averaged N₂O and CO₂ fluxes in the wetter season (1.85 mg N m⁻² d⁻¹ and 4.29 g C m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively) were significantly higher than those in the drier season (0.55 mg N m⁻² d⁻¹ and 2.73 g C m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively) and averaged CH₄ uptake rates in the drier season (−0.62 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹) were higher than those in the wetter season (−0.24 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹). These values of N₂O fluxes in A. mangium soils were higher than those reported for natural forest soils in Sumatra, while CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes were in the range of fluxes reported for natural forest soils. Seasonal differences in these gas fluxes appears to be controlled by soil water content and substrate availability due to differing precipitation and mineralization of litter between seasons. N₂O fluxes had strong spatial dependence with a range of about 18 m in both the drier and wetter seasons. Topography was associated with the N₂O fluxes in the wetter season with higher and lower fluxes on the foot slope and on the upper plateau, respectively, via controlling the anaerobic-aerobic conditions in the soils. In the drier season, however, we could not find obvious topographic influences on the spatial patterns of N₂O fluxes and they may have depended on litter amount distribution. CO₂ fluxes had no spatial dependence in both seasons, but the topographic influence was significant in the drier season with lowest fluxes on the foot slope, while there was no significant difference between topographic positions in the wetter season. The distributions of litter amount and soil organic matter were possibly associated with CO₂ fluxes through their effects on microbial activities and fine root distribution in this A. mangium plantation.