A 10-year survey of antimicrobial susceptibility of streptococcus suis isolates from swine in Japan

A number of 689 Streptococcus suis isolates collected nationwide from diseased and healthy pigs from 1987 to 1996 were surveyed for antibiotic susceptibilities to 11 drugs. No isolates resistant to amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim were found. Isolates were highly susceptible to penicillins (penicillin G, ampicillin, and amoxicillin) except cloxacillin. They were not susceptible to tetracycline, streptomycin, and kanamaycin (MIC90 50 microg/ml, > or = 100 microg/ml, and > or = 100 microg/ml, respectively). Multiple-resistant isolates (> or = 3 antimicrobial agents) were found in 20.3% of all isolates tested.     

Fungal cell wall degrading enzyme-producing bacterium enhances the biocontrol efficacy of antibiotic-producing bacterium against cabbage yellows

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The antagonistic rhizobacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens strain LRB3W1, controls cabbage Fusarium yellows caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans...     

Hemorrhagic septicemia: naturally acquired antibodies against Pasteurella multocida types B and E in calves in the United States

Antibodies against Pasteurella multocida capsular types B and E, which cause hemorrhagic septicemia, were demonstrated in a high percentage of sera from domestic feeder calves. Since the calves had not been vaccinated with any Pasteurella organisms, the antibodies were considered to be naturally acquired. The antibodies were demonstrated by passively immunizing mice and by indirect hemagglutination and agglutination tests. Sera from 81% (44 of 54) of the calves protected mice that were challenge exposed with a capsular type B organism, and sera from 91% (49 of 54) of the calves protected mice that were challenge exposed with a capsular type E organism. Indirect hemagglutination and agglutination tests demonstrated antibody in nearly all sera. Since capsular type E organisms have been isolated only in Africa and there is only 1 report of capsular type B isolation from cattle in the United States, these organisms were not considered likely sources of the antigenic stimulation that provoked production of these antibodies.     

Assessment of wood surface roughness: comparison of tactile roughness and three-dimensional parameters derived using a robust Gaussian regression filter

Japanese oak and Japanese beech were sanded by hand with abrasive papers of varying grit number. Two three-dimensional parameters selected to characterize their surface roughness – one parameter for the distribution of roughness-profile peaks and the other for the relative area of the roughness-profile peaks above the threshold height – were compared against tactile roughness. The parameters were obtained from roughness profiles as determined by a robust Gaussian regression filter (RGRF) using seven cutoffs. The RGRF filtering process was adjusted specifically for the evaluation of wood surface roughness. Except for a cutoff wavelength of 0.25mm, the RGRF lent itself well to the determination of roughness profiles. No distortion of roughness profiles occurred around deep valleys, and there was a good correlation between the parameters and tactile roughness.Part of this study was presented at the 2002 Kansai Branch Office lecture meeting of the Japan Society for Precision Engineering, Kyotanabe, August 2002     

Taurine transporter from the giant Pacific oyster <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea gigas</Emphasis>: function and expression in response to hyper- and hypo-osmotic stress

ABSTRACT:   Taurine is the primary osmolyte in marine molluscs, whose cellular osmo-conforming process is vital for environmental adaptation because of a lack of osmotic homeostasis. Here, cDNA cloning and expression, and functional analyses of taurine transporter (TAUT) from the giant Pacific oyster are reported on. The deduced amino-acid sequence of oyster TAUT (oyTAUT) showed 47–51% identity to those of vertebrate TAUT, whereas identity among the vertebrates is 78–95%. Functional analysis of oyTAUT expressed in Xenopus oocytes revealed that oyTAUT has a lower affinity and specificity for taurine and a requirement for higher NaCl concentration, compared with vertebrate TAUT. Taken together with similar functional properties of TAUT from mussel, indicated by our previous study, it is possible that these functional features reflect the internal environment of the molluscs (i.e. higher taurine and NaCl concentrations). Oyster taurine transporter mRNA expression was induced by not only hyper-osmotic stress, similar to other TAUT, but also hypo-osmotic stress. It is speculated that the expression in response to hypo-osmotic stress was induced by a substantial decrease in tissue taurine content following the decrease in the internal osmolality.     

Cliniconeuropathologic findings of familial frontal lobe epilepsy in Shetland sheepdogs

We examined an epileptic focus by electroencephalography (EEG) by using an international 10-20 electrode system in 11 Shetland sheep dogs affected with familial idiopathic epilepsy. We also performed an evaluation of the amino acids in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and a pathologic examination of the brains of 8 dogs that died from status epilepticus. Continuous electroencephalography demonstrated that an epileptic focus was initially detected in the frontal lobe, particularly the internal area, and that paroxysmal foci developed diffusely in other lobes of affected dogs with recurrent convulsions. The EEG analyses indicated spike and sharp wave complexes, which were considered to be paroxysmal discharges. An increased value for glutamate or aspartate was found in the CSF of some epileptic dogs. Histologically, acute neuronal necrosis and astrocytosis were distributed predominantly in the cingulate cortex and internal area of frontal cortex, less frequently in other areas of the cerebrum. The results of this study suggest that, initially, the dogs have an epileptic focus in the frontal lobe, and that the focus extends gradually to other areas of the cerebrum. Based on the distribution of neuronal necrosis and astrocytosis, acute neuronal damage may be related to the superexcitation of neurons following epilepsy.     

Plectosporium blight of monkshood caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plectosporium tabacinum</Emphasis>

Severe blight of potted seedlings of monkshood caused by Plectosporium tabacinum was found in glasshouses in Kagawa Prefecture in southwest Japan in May 2001. Root rot and browning of stem bases were followed by wilting and yellowing of leaves, then blighting of leaves, flower buds and stems. A fungus was isolated from diseased plants and confirmed to cause the disease. The new disease was named “Plectosporium blight of monkshood”.