Hepatic AA amyloidosis in a cat: cytologic and histologic identification of AA amyloid in macrophages

A 3‐year‐old, spayed female, Domestic Shorthair cat presented with anorexia, lethargy, vomiting, probable hemoabdomen, and multiple masses on the right lateral liver lobe. Clinicopathologic and imaging abnormalities included anemia, azotemia, icterus, and hepatomegaly with hypoechoic masses. On cytologic evaluation of a fine‐needle aspiration of a liver mass there was abundant extracellular pink‐ to purple‐colored material between hepatocytes. The amorphous material was stained with direct fast scarlet (DFS), and green birefringent areas were observed under polarized light, confirming the presence of amyloid. A unique finding on the cytologic smear were macrophages containing amorphous and fibrillar amyloid‐like protein. Histopathologic examination using H&E and Congo red staining confirmed amyloid deposits within the space of Disse, along the sinusoids, portal tracts, blood vessel walls, and within the cytoplasm of macrophages. Immunohistochemical staining with anti‐AA amyloid antibodies further confirmed the presence of AA amyloid. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report of the cytologic finding of AA amyloid protein within macrophages and DFS stain detection of amyloid on a cytologic smear.     

Relationships among the chalkiness,kernel size and endosperm cell morphology of rice kernels at different spikelet positions within a panicle

The occurrence of chalky kernels in rice is causally related to kernel size and endosperm morphology. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of chalky kernels by analyzing kernel size, and the number and area of endosperm cells. Spikelets were sampled from upper and middle primary branches and lower secondary branches in a panicle, and divided into four categories: upper, middle, and lower perfect (PF) kernels and lower milky-white (MW) kernels. On the lower secondary branches, there was a higher percentage of chalky kernels, with smaller kernel lengths, widths and thicknesses, than the kernels on the upper and middle primary branches. MW kernels were smaller in size than PF kernels even on the same lower secondary branches. Regardless of grain appearance quality traits, the total areas of endosperm cross sections in lower kernels were significantly smaller than in upper kernels owing to the decreased cell area, and there was a significant negative correlation between the number of cells and average cell area. When the numbers and the areas of cells were analyzed using angular 30° intervals from the line connecting the center point and the dorsal vascular bundle, the MW kernels had significantly less cells than PF kernels near the ventral side at 120–180°. Thus, the decrease in the number of cells near the ventral side was a main causal factor in the decrease in MW kernel widths compared with PF kernel widths, and this suggested that cell division in MW kernels was inhibited at the early grain-filling stage.     

Development and introduction of detection dogs in surveying for scats of small Indian mongoose as invasive alien species

The small Indian mongoose was introduced to the island of Okinawa in 1910 to control rats and snakes, however, it poses a threat to many endemic species in the Yambaru forest region in Okinawa Island. An important concern in eradication is that, as much as possible, capture should be carried out without affecting native species. To protect endemic species in the Yambaru region of Okinawa Island, we trained and used detection dogs to search for mongoose scats that indicated that mongoose were present in the area. We confirmed the ability of the dogs to detect scats in positive and negative control tests in the Yambaru forest region after basic, obedience, and mongoose-scat-detection specific training. In 30 trials, the dogs found 60 of 65 scats samples. For the trained alert, the dogs carried out 59 trained alerts for the 60 scats found. In the positive and negative control tests, the dogs showed no reaction to 129 of 130 negative controls. We then surveyed the forest in the Yambaru region for mongoose scats using the detection dogs. In this study, the detection dogs found 79 scats in a survey of a 69.0-km area. We divided the survey area into 43 grids and calculated the rate of detection in each grid. The rate of detection of scats was higher in the southern part of the Yambaru region. These result showed that our mongoose scat detection dogs can be useful tools to assist in determining the presence of mongoose in the Yambaru region of Okinawa Island.     

Soybean meal can partially replace enzyme-treated fish meal in the diet of juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thunnus orientalis</Emphasis>

This study was carried out to investigate whether expensive enzyme-treated fish meal (EFM) can be partially replaced by soybean meal (SM) or enzyme-treated SM (ESM) without compromising the growth of captive-raised Pacific bluefin tuna (PBT) juveniles. Five fish diets were tested: EFM (control) and EFM in which 10 or 20% of the EFM was replaced with either ESM or SM (ESM₁₀, ESM₂₀, SM₁₀ and SM₂₀, respectively). The respective diets were provided to 28-day-old PBT juveniles (mean body weight approx. 0.38 g) stocked randomly in 15-m³ tanks (276 juveniles per tank; two tanks per treatment) for 12 days. The final mean body weight of PBT juveniles on diets EFM, SM₁₀, and SM₂₀ was significantly higher than that of juveniles on diet ESM₂₀. Although daily feeding rate was significantly higher in the ESM and SM groups, feed efficiency (FE) was significantly higher in the EFM group; there was no significant difference between juveniles fed diets EFM and SM₁₀. Protein and phosphorus retention efficiency were significantly lower in the ESM₂₀, and ESM₂₀ and EFM groups, respectively. Phosphorus discharge was significantly lower in the SM groups. The results demonstrate that 10% SM (11% EFM replacement) can be included in EFM without compromising the growth performance of PBT juveniles.     

Preliminary study on homing,site fidelity,and diel movement of black rockfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sebastes inermis</Emphasis> measured by acoustic telemetry

Several species of fish exhibit strong homing ability and distinct site fidelity to their original habitats and spawning sites. We have studied the homing ability, site fidelity, and diel movement patterns of three nocturnal black rockfish Sebastes inermis. The patterns were studied by radio-linked acoustic positioning system (VRAP) and fixed monitoring receivers (VR2) in Maizuru Bay, Japan from June to July 2004. All tagged fish were displaced by 80–120 m, but they returned to their respective captured sites at dusk, regardless of the time of release. The fish tagged with a depth sensor transmitter displayed active vertical movement just after the release, and subsequently swam near the bottom depth around the captured site. After homing, they displayed small home ranges [average 815 ± 265 m² (SD)] around a single rocky area with one or two core areas (average 64 ± 30 m²). One core area was utilized during the daylight and dark periods, whereas the other was used primarily during the dark period. The depth-tagged fish primarily used the depth of the rock crevice during the daylight, and it spent its dark period between the surface and the deeper bottom depth.     

Indirect evaluation of hardness and delamination strength of Akoya cultured pearl nacre based on UV fluorescence intensity

The durability of Akoya pearls is closely related to the mechanical strength of the nacre. Therefore, obtaining information about the mechanical strength of the nacre is very important in the quality control of pearls. The nacre of Akoya pearls is composed of aragonite contained within an organic matrix. The presence of the organic matrix provides mechanical strength and fracture toughness much higher than that of monolithic aragonite. In this study, we investigated the hardness and delamination strength of Akoya cultured pearls classified into four levels by “Gray Value (GV)”, a score given by a non-destructive inspection method based on UV fluorescence intensity that provides an indication of the condition of the nacre’s organic components. Pearl hardness decreased significantly with decreasing GV. Furthermore, delamination strength of the pearl surface layer was very low when the GV was very low. These results suggest that the GV indirectly represents the mechanical strength of the nacre and could be used as a non-destructive quality-control method to maintain the quality of pearls used as jewelry.

     

Post-release movement and diel activity patterns of hatchery-reared and wild black-spot tuskfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Choerodon schoenleinii</Emphasis> determined by ultrasonic telemetry

ABSTRACT:   Post-release movement and diel activity patterns of hatchery-reared and wild black-spot tuskfish were examined using ultrasonic telemetry. Five hatchery-reared and four wild fish were released in the sandy bottom of Urasoko Bay, Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan, and monitored using automated monitoring receivers from November 2005 to February 2006. Both hatchery-reared and wild fish tended to stay near the release site for over two weeks, before leaving the release site. Both hatchery-reared and wild tuskfish showed diurnal rhythm intermittently; signals were recorded more frequently in the daytime and less frequently in the nighttime, suggesting that the fish of both origins were active during the day and inactive during the night. These findings indicate that the one-year-old hatchery-reared tuskfish have some consistent behavioral characteristics with those of the wild.     

Polycitorols A and B,New Tricyclic Alkaloids from an Ascidian

Two new tricyclic alkaloids, polycitorols A (1) and B (2) have been isolated along with the known lepadiformine (3) from a marine ascidian of the family Polycitoridae. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by analysis of NMR data and comparison with those of 3 and other related compounds [1–5]. Compounds 1 and 2 are closely related to cylindricines A and B, lacking C-4 oxygenation found in cylindricines and having a butyl instead of a hexyl appendage. NOE experiments on compounds 1 and 2 suggested the A/B ring fusion to be cis.     

Expression of P-glycoprotein and breast cancer resistance protein in three cases of canine lymphoma showing drug resistance

In canine lymphoma, drug resistance is the major factor hindering treatment. In this study, we performed immunohistochemical examination of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), which are considered as transporters related to multidrug resistance in three recurrent canine lymphomas. All cases were negative for both transporters before anticancer drug administration, but became positive after this administration. The expression was confirmed in capillary endothelial cells, such as in brain capillaries acting as the blood-brain barrier (BBB). It is suggested that both transporters expressed on capillary endothelial cells in lymphoma tissue may inhibit the spread of anticancer drugs into tumor tissues from blood, the same as the BBB. Therefore, capillary endothelial cells could act as a blood-tumor barrier, which might be involved in drug resistance in canine lymphoma.