CHORDOMA OF THE TAIL IN A DEGU (OCTODON DEGUS)

A 6-year-old female degu (Octodon degus) in good body condition was presented with a mass at the base of the tail. Following presentation and the owners’ approval, the tail of the degu was surgically amputated. The mass was submitted for pathological evaluation following the surgical procedure. Histologically, the mass was comprised of lobules and sheets of polygonal cells displaying moderate amounts of basophilic foamy cytoplasm (physaliferous cells). The pathological results of the tail mass were consistent with chordoma. Approximately 3 months following the tail amputation the patient died.     

A new liquid-type diet for leptocephali in mass production of artificial glass eels

Fisheries Science - Development of artificial production of glass eels still presents many problems to be solved. What and how to feed larvae is one of the most crucial problems for commercial mass...     

Accumulation mechanism of γ-aminobutyric acid in tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under low O2 with and without CO2

The storage of ripe tomatoes in low-O(2) conditions with and without CO(2) promotes γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) accumulation. The activities of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) and α-ketoglutarate-dependent GABA transaminase (GABA-TK) were higher and lower, respectively, following storage under hypoxic (2.4 or 3.5% O(2)) or adjusted aerobic (11% O(2)) conditions compared to the activities in air for 7 days at 25 °C. GAD activity was consistent with the expression level of mRNA for GAD. The GABA concentration in tomatoes stored under hypoxic conditions and adjusted aerobic conditions was 60-90% higher than that when they are stored in air on the same day. These results demonstrate that upregulation of GAD activity and downregulation of GABA-TK activity cause GABA accumulation in tomatoes stored under low-O(2) conditions. Meanwhile, the effect of CO(2) on GABA accumulation is probably minimal.     

B‐cell lymphoma with Mott cell differentiation in a cat

A 12‐year‐old, male castrated Domestic Shorthair cat was presented to Animal Medical Center of Gifu Univeristy with anorexia and vomiting. Physical examination revealed an enlarged left tonsil and right mandibular lymph node (approximately 2–3× the normal size), and a submucosal mass on the right side of the epiglottis (1.5 × 2.0 cm). On computed tomography images, an enlarged left tonsil, and enlarged right mandibular, right pharyngeal, and left and right cervical lymph nodes were observed. Cytologic examination of smears of tonsil and lymph nodes revealed numerous medium‐ to large‐sized neoplastic lymphoid cells, approximately half of which contained one or several light‐blue homogenous globoid cytoplasmic inclusions (5–10 μm), which stained magenta with periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) stain. Histopathologic examination of the left tonsil revealed diffuse proliferation of medium‐ to large‐sized neoplastic lymphoid cells effacing the original lymphoid architecture. Half of the cells contained one or several eosinophilic globoid cytoplasmic inclusions, which stained magenta with PAS and showed positive immunohistochemical reactions for immunoglobulin M (IgM) and λ light chain. Neoplastic lymphoid cells were also CD20⁺, Pax5⁺, and MUM1⁺, and CD3^?. Thus, the neoplastic lymphoid cells expressed a B‐cell immunophenotype, and the globoid cytoplasmic inclusions represented an aberrant IgM λ light chain accumulation, similar to Russell bodies. B‐cell lymphoma with Mott cell differentiation was diagnosed based on cytologic, histopathologic, and immunohistochemical features. This is the first report of B‐cell lymphoma with Mott cell differentiation in a cat.     

Use of fluorescent proteins to visualize interactions between the Bakanae disease pathogen <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gibberella fujikuroi</Emphasis> and the biocontrol agent <Emphasis Type="Italic">Talaromyces</Emphasis> sp. KNB-422

Talaromyces sp. isolate KNB-422, isolated from a rice seedling, is a biofungicidal agent effective against several seedborne pathogens of rice including Gibberella fujikuroi, which causes Bakanae disease. Because the fungal mode of action (MOA) has not yet been clarified, we used the fluorescent protein markers GFP and RFP to visualize cell–cell interactions between the biocontrol agent and the pathogen G. fujikuroi. In slide culture, the hyphal cell wall of G. fujikuroi collapsed, and fluorescence of its cytoplasm disappeared 3 days after contact with hyphae of Talaromyces sp. On inoculated rice plants, both fungi occupied the same regions of coleoptiles and roots, where the biocontrol effect of Talaromyces sp. must be exerted. Our observations suggest that the MOA of Talaromyces sp. is mycoparasitic.     

Changes in Chemical Structure and Biological Activity of L-DOPA as Influenced by an Andosol and Its Components

Velvetbean ( Mucuna pruriens ) has been reported to release 3-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-L-alanine (L-DOPA) as an allelochemical that inhibits the growth of other plants, although the inhibitory activity depends on the soil type and it is extremely reduced in Andosols. To clarify the effects of Andosols and their components on the chemical structure and plant-growth-inhibitory activity of L-DOPA, an L-DOPA solution was reacted with an Andosol and its components (weathered pumice and purified allophane), and the resultant solution was subjected to ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance and ultraviolet-visible spectral analyses, and plant-growth-inhibitory activity tests. When the L-DOPA solution was added to the soil components, the concentration of L-DOPA in the solution decreased by adsorption and transformation (polymerization) reactions. The adsorption mechanism included a ligand exchange reaction. The rate of L-DOPA transformation was faster at higher pH values. The soil components displayed a catalytic activity and accelerated the transformation of L-DOPA. Similar transformation occurred when light was irradiated. At pH values higher than 4.0, the transformed products from L-DOPA consisted of humic substances-like heterogeneous components, whereas specific components with low molecular weight were included when L-DOPA was transformed at a pH value of 9.7 or higher. The plant-growth-inhibitory activity of L-DOPA was extremely weakened when L-DOPA was adsorbed on or transformed (polymerized) by soil components. Therefore, in soils with high abilities of adsorption and transformation of L-DOPA such as in Andosols, it was likely that the L-DOPA concentration in the soil solution decreased quickly by adsorption and transformation reactions and the allelopathic activity of L-DOPA was lost.     

Development of taxon-specific sequences of common wheat for the detection of genetically modified wheat

Qualitative and quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) systems aimed at the specific detection and quantification of common wheat DNA are described. Many countries have issued regulations to label foods that include genetically modified organisms (GMOs). PCR technology is widely recognized as a reliable and useful technique for the qualitative and quantitative detection of GMOs. Detection methods are needed to amplify a target GM gene, and the amplified results should be compared with those of the corresponding taxon-specific reference gene to obtain reliable results. This paper describes the development of a specific DNA sequence in the waxy-D1 gene for common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and the design of a specific primer pair and TaqMan probe on the waxy-D1 gene for PCR analysis. The primers amplified a product (Wx012) of 102 bp. It is indicated that the Wx012 DNA sequence is specific to common wheat, showing homogeneity in qualitative PCR results and very similar quantification accuracy along 19 distantly related common wheat varieties. In Southern blot and real-time PCR analyses, this sequence showed either a single or a low number of copy genes. In addition, by qualitative and quantitative PCR using wx012 primers and a wx012-T probe, the limits of detection of the common wheat genome were found to be about 15 copies, and the reproducibility was reliable. In consequence, the PCR system using wx012 primers and wx012-T probe is considered to be suitable for use as a common wheat-specific taxon-specific reference gene in DNA analyses, including GMO tests.     

Simultaneous liquid chromatographic determination of residual synthetic antibacterials in cultured fish

A liquid chromatographic method is described to determine simultaneously the following 11 synthetic antibacterial agents used in a fishery: nitrofuran derivatives furazolidone, nifurpirinol, difurazone, and furamizole; sulfa drugs sulfamerazine, sulfisozole, sulfamonomethoxine, and sulfadimethoxine; and, oxolinic, nalidixic, and piromidic acids. A Nucleosil C18 column was used with tetrahydrofuran-acetonitrile-phosphoric acid-water (29 + 1 + 0.06 + 69.94) as the mobile phase. Pretreatment of the fish meat sample with acetone extraction and alumina column cleanup gave good separation of the LC peaks without interference from any other components. Recovery of the antibacterial agents was ca 80%. The lower limit of detection of the drugs was 1-2 ng for 10 microL injection.