Gastroduodenal adenocarcinomas and rectal adenoma in a cougar (Felis concolor) infected with Helicobacter-like organisms and spirochetes

A 14-year-old female cougar died from gastroduodenal adenocarcinomas and rectal adenoma. At necropsy, polypoid tumor masses of various sizes were scattered on the mucosal surfaces of the stomach, duodenum, and rectum. Histologically, the gastric tumor was diagnosed as an intestinal type adenocarcinoma and the tumor cells metastasized to the mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen, and lung. Helicobacter-like organisms were detected in the lumina lined by foveolar epithelium. In the duodenum, the carcinoma cells were localized in the limina propria and many of them were intensely positive for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). In contrast, the rectal adenoma had a lower number of PCNA-positive cells. In the rectum, chronic inflammation with numerous spirochetes was also noted. These results indicated that the occurrence of the gastrointestinal tumors might be associated with the bacterial infection described above.     

Surveillance of avian influenza viruses in Northern pintails (Anas acuta) in Tohoku District, Japan

Among winter migratory waterfowl, Northern pintails (Anas acuta), in one of the largest flocks in Tohoku district, northeast Japan, were surveyed for influenza A viruses at five wintering sites in three prefectures, viz., Aomori, Akita, and Miyagi. A total of 38 influenza A viruses were isolated from 2066 fecal samples collected during November 2006 through March 2007. The overall isolation rate was 1.84%. Eleven different subtypes were isolated, including nine H5N2, seven H6N8, seven H10N1, four H4N6, three H6N1, three H11N9, and one each of H1N1, H6N2, H6N5, H10N9, H11N1. Only the H4N6 subtype was detected during two successive months, November and December, from Lake Ogawara of Aomori prefecture. One wintering site, Lake Izunuma of Miyagi prefecture, was negative for virus isolation throughout the study period. During the sampling period, the highest virus isolation rate was in December (4.90%) followed by November (2.18%), January (0.91%), and February (0.30%). Virus isolation was negative for samples collected in March 2007. These results suggest that influenza viruses are introduced by Northern pintail when they migrate into Japan, but the viruses are not maintained in the flocks, most likely because the birds are not breeding during the winter. We believe that this relatively large data set creates a strong foundation for future studies of avian influenza virus (AIV) prevalence, evolution, and ecology in wintering sites, along with the role of Northern pintails in the spread of AIV during their migration from northern Russia and Asia to Japan.     

Lipomatosis of axillary lymph nodes in a cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis)

Lipomatosis of lymph nodes is defined as the replacement of the lymphatic parenchyma by adipose tissue which grows in the node from the hilus toward the cortical zone. In humans, it is considered as part of the normal aging process and is common in obese patients, but there are no reports in non-human primates. In this report, we describe the first case of lymph node lipomatosis in the bilateral axillary lymph nodes of a young adult cynomolgus monkey. Macroscopically, there were no apparent abnormalities in the axillary lymph nodes on either side, and their volumes were unchanged. At the cut surface, pale yellow fat-like tissue was observed in the medullary area. Histopathologically, well differentiated adipocytes replaced a large part of the lymphatic parenchyma in the area from the hilus to the medulla without any malignant findings. Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed with lipomatosis of the lymph nodes.     

狐狸巴氏杆菌病病原的分离与鉴定

巴氏杆菌病又叫出血性败血症，简称出败，主要是由多杀性巴氏杆菌所引起的各种畜禽和野生动物感染的一种传染病。临床特征急性病例主要表现为败血症和炎性出血，慢性特征表现为皮下组织、关节、各脏器的局灶性化脓性炎症。该病常在畜禽中发生，而在狐狸等经济动物方面报道相对较少。2006年秋，吉林左家某狐场的狐狸突然发病并陆续死亡，经流行病学调查、病理剖检和实验室检验，确诊为多杀性巴氏杆菌感染所致。     

Orbital influence on Earth's magnetic field: 100,000-year periodicity in inclination

A continuous record of the inclination and intensity of Earth's magnetic field, during the past 2.25 million years, was obtained from a marine sediment core of 42 meters in length. This record reveals the presence of 100,000-year periodicity in inclination and intensity, which suggests that the magnetic field is modulated by orbital eccentricity. The correlation between inclination and intensity shifted from antiphase to in-phase, corresponding to a magnetic polarity change from reversed to normal. To explain the observation, we propose a model in which the strength of the geocentric axial dipole field varies with 100,000-year periodicity, whereas persistent nondipole components do not.     

Effect of Free-Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) on the Community Structure of Aquatic Organisms in Floodwater of a Japanese Paddy Field during the Flooding Period of Rice Cultivation

In the present study, the effect of free-air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) on the diversity and the community structure of aquatic organisms in the floodwater of a paddy field in northern Japan was evaluated. The varieties and the number of aquatic organisms ranging from 30 μm to 2 cm were compared four times at intervals of 20 d between the FACE (599 ppm CO₂) and ambient air (384 ppm CO₂) plots during the flooding period of rice cultivation. Aquatic organisms were classified mainly at the order level. Twenty-eight taxonomical groups were detected, and the number of groups in the FACE plots was significantly lower than that in the ambient plots. Zygnematales and Chaetonotida were less frequently detected in the FACE plots. The population densities of Zygnematales, and Chaetonotida also tended to be lower in the FACE plots than in the ambient plots in the late flooding period (after 50 d of flooding). No groups showed a significantly higher population density and frequency of presence in the FACE plots than in the ambient plots. The seasonal variations in the number of taxonomical groups and the community structure of aquatic organisms were less conspicuous in the FACE plots than in the ambient plots. We concluded that the FACE conditions adversely affected the communities of aquatic organisms in paddy fields.     

Midgut juice of Plutellaxylostella highly resistant to Bacillusthuringiensis Cry1Ac contains a three times larger amount of glucosinolate sulfatase which binds to Cry1Ac compared to that of susceptible strain

Midgut juice of Plutellaxylostella strain PXR which is resistant to Cry1Ac was biochemically characterized relative to the susceptible PXS strain. The midgut juice of PXR (PXR-Juice) was shown to process Cry1Ac protoxin to 60 kDa active toxin with the same processing pattern as that of juice from PXS (PXS-Juice) in SDS–PAGE. PXS larvae which were given the Cry1Ac toxin pre-processed with PXR-Juice were killed with the same rate as that with Cry1Ac pre-activated by trypsin. PXR-Juice was found to contain three times larger amount of 66 kDa protein (P66) than PXS-Juice and the N-terminal amino acid sequence of P66 was matched to that of glucosinolate sulfatase in data base search. The protein band of P66 was coincided with the band of p-nitro phenyl sulfatase activity in zymogram. P66 purified to homogeneity in SDS-PAGE bound to Cry1Ac and soybean agglutinin, and K_D for Cry1Ac was estimated to be 718 nM with surface plasmon resonance analysis. Using purified sulfatase, K_m and V_max were estimated and involvement of the enzyme in the PXR resistance was discussed.     

黑龙港地区盐碱地演变的研究

应用１／１０万，１／２５万ＴＭ图象编制的黑龙港地区盐碱地分布图，代表了８０年代中后期该区盐碱分布的实际状况。经量算，盐碱地共有３９３４００ｈａ，其中轻盐化占一半以上，受自然因素，人为因素的综合影响，盐碱地处于明显的面积缩小，程度减轻的过程中，而且愈向平原上部愈益明显，到了滨海地带虽规律相似，但仍然盐重。由综合分析来看，盐渍扩大了农林牧业的适宜发展幅度，但同时地下水位下降，水资源日益紧缺又将带来生态     

CYP1B1 is polymorphic in cynomolgus and rhesus macaques

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1B1 is involved in the metabolic activation of various procarcinogens, and some CYP1B1 genetic variants alter CYP1B1-dependent procarcinogen metabolism. Cynomolgus and rhesus macaques are frequently used in toxicity tests due to their evolutionary closeness to humans. In this study, we attempted to identify CYP1B1 genetic variants in 13 cynomolgus and 4 rhesus macaques. A total of 17 genetic variants were identified, including 8 non-synonymous genetic variants, indicating that, similar to humans, CYP1B1 is polymorphic in macaques. These CYP1B1 genetic variants could be the basis for understanding potential inter-animal differences in macaque CYP1B1-dependent metabolism of promutagens.     

Effect of Deep Placement of Slow-release Fertilizer (Lime Nitrogen) Applied at Different Rates on Growth, N2 Fixation and Yield of Soya Bean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.)

A new fertilization method with deep placement of slow‐release N fertilizers, such as coated urea and lime nitrogen (LN) (calcium cyanamide) at 20 cm depth was found to promote soy bean seed yield. In the present study, the effect of deep placement of LN was investigated on different parameters such as growth, N accumulation, N₂ fixation activity and yield of soy bean by applying LN at different rates in the rotated paddy field of Niigata, Japan. In addition to the basal fertilizer, ammonium sulphate (16 kg N ha^?1), deep placement of LN was conducted by applying various amounts such as 50 kg N ha^?1 (A50), 100 kg N ha^?1 (A100) and 200 kg N ha^?1 (A200) at 20 cm depth in separate plots. A ¹⁵N‐labelled LN fertilizer was also employed for each of the above treatments to calculate N utilization from LN in separate plots. Soya bean plant growth and N₂ fixation activity were periodically analysed. Both plant growth and N accumulation were found to increase with LN treatment compared with control plants. An increase in N₂ fixation activity was found in the A100 plots. The total seed yield was the highest in the deep placement of LN with A100 (73 g per plant) compared with other treatments. The visual quality of harvested seeds also showed that A100 enhanced the quality of seeds compared with other treatments. Thus, it is suggested that N fertilization management with particular reference to optimum amount of fertilizers is important for maximum growth, N₂ fixation and enhancement of seed yield of soy bean.