Successful use of prednisolone and radiation therapy in a dog with intracranial histiocytic sarcoma

The ideal treatment for intracranial histiocytic sarcoma (HS) remains unclear. Herein, we report a case of intracranial HS that was successfully treated using prednisolone and radiation therapy. The patient was a 9-year-old spayed female Pembroke Welsh Corgi that presented with epileptic seizures. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a contrast-enhancing mass adjacent to the right piriform lobe. Prednisolone administration (1 mg/kg/day) decreased the lesion size. Additional palliative radiation therapy (total dose, 37 Gy) resulted in complete disappearance of the lesion. However, on day 164, the dog’s neurological signs deteriorated, and she was euthanized. Necropsy revealed an intracranial metastasis of HS via the cerebrospinal fluid without any extracranial metastasis. Nonetheless, combined prednisolone and radiation therapy might be effective in treating intracranial HS.     

Effect of oral administration of colostrum on inflammation in the udders of dairy cows suffering from mastitis

The present study was undertaken to examine whether oral administration of colostrum to mastitic cows reduced inflammation in the udder. Fifty milliliters of a colostrum whey product was administered orally daily for 3 days to cows suffering from mastitis. Milk was collected on day 0 and 7 of colostrum administration. For Experiment 1, milk from 11 udder quarters with high somatic cell counts (SCC) in four cows was used. SCC in milk decreased significantly after colostrum administration, whereas colostrum administration increased sodium and IgA concentrations significantly compared with those before administration. In Experiment 2, cows with clinical mastitis were divided into two groups, with and without colostrum administration, whereas all cows with subclinical mastitis were administered colostrum. Antibiotics were infused into the mammary gland from the first day of colostrum administration for 2–4 days. There was no significant decrease in SCC after colostrum administration in any group. However, udder firmness in both clinical mastitis groups was reduced after administration regardless of colostrum administration. IgA concentration in both clinical mastitis groups was significantly increased after colostrum administration compared to that before administration, although there was no significant difference between them. These results suggest the possibility that oral administration of colostrum attenuates inflammation of the mammary gland. Further studies are required to examine the effect of colostrum more precisely using cows with subclinical and chronic mastitis and longer duration of colostrum administration.     

Synthesis and antifungal activity of the proposed structure of a volatile compound isolated from the edible mushroom Hypsizygus marmoreus

We synthesized the proposed structure of an antifungal compound detected in the culture broth of the edible mushroom Hypsizygus marmoreus. Using the Evans aldol and Abiko–Masamune aldol reactions as the key steps, we synthesized all of the stereoisomers of the compound with high stereoselectivity. The GC retention times and the fragmentation patterns in the mass spectra of the synthesized isomers did not match those of the natural product. Therefore, this result may imply that it is necessary to reisolate the natural product and reconsider its structure. All of the synthesized isomers were found to exhibit antifungal activity against the phytopathogenic fungus Alternaria brassicicola. Due to their simple structures, the obtained isomers could be lead compounds for new pesticides.     

Reproduction affects partitioning between new organs of a pulse of 15N applied during seed ripening in Fagus crenata

Seasonal internal nitrogen (N) cycling is an important strategy for trees to uncouple growth from N acquisition. While N uptake, allocation and storage has been intensively studied in association with leaf phenology and vegetative growth, influence of reproduction on these key processes is still poorly understood. Therefore, we applied pulse ¹⁵N labelling to three fruiting and three non-fruiting trees in a 92-year-old Fagus crenata forest on 18 July and traced ¹⁵N content per organ dry mass (¹⁵N_excess) in all new shoot organs from the upper crowns periodically until leaf fall. The amount of ¹⁵N_excess recovered in the whole new shoots in fruiting trees did not differ from non-fruiting individuals, although up to 70% of ¹⁵N_excess was recovered in fruits of fruiting trees but 87% in leaves of non-fruiting individuals. In addition, dramatic increase in ¹⁵N_excess amount in nuts was accompanied by about twofold increase in nut N content. These results indicate that new N uptake from the soil contributed greatly to seed ripening, which in turn resulted in less allocation to leaves in fruiting trees. In non-fruiting individuals, on the other hand, ¹⁵N_excess allocated to leaves was not accompanied by concomitant increase in leaf N content because biomass growth had ceased when ¹⁵N was applied. These results suggest that N uptake in the late growing season contributed to internal N storage in non-fruiting trees. These reproduction-related variations in seasonal N cycle have implications for N dynamics in the plant–soil system during environmental change.

     

Mapping of expressed sequence tag markers with a cDNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism method in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

In our previous study, a Kobe‐NIBS Japanese quail (KNQ) linkage map was constructed mainly using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. In order to compare chicken and quail chromosomes, we developed expressed sequence tag (EST) markers derived from cDNA‐AFLP fragments and localized these markers on the linkage map. Using a total of 128 AFLP primer combinations, 24 polymorphic bands were obtained between a neurofilament‐deficient mutant quail line male and a muscular disorder quail line female, which were the parents of the KNQ resource family. Nine of the 24 markers were mapped by linkage analysis. These markers were mapped to seven linkage groups, namely 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 15 and 42. A subsequent homology search using chicken genome sequences strongly suggests that these linkage groups correspond with chicken chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 5, 15, 23 and 26.     

Effect of environmental enrichment by providing trees as rubbing objects in grassland: Grazing cattle need tree-grooming

We examined the role of trees as grooming objects in grazing pasture and investigated their necessity. Four grazing Japanese Black cows were used. Experimental pastures with restricted (RST) and released (RLS) grooming with trees were established. Examination was carried out for 24 h in each RST and RLS. The respective frequencies and duration of self‐grooming, allo‐grooming (social grooming) and grooming with trees was recorded by a continuous scan sampling method, and maintenance behavior was recorded by a 2‐min group animal scan sampling method. Grooming with trees in RLS occurred 29 ± 12 times/24 h and for 1342 ± 475 s/24 h. Total frequencies and duration of grooming in RLS tended to increase from that in RST (P = 0.08, P = 0.06, respectively). However, self‐grooming and allo‐grooming exhibited no differences. The results indicate that cattle may enrich their grooming through the use of trees if the latter are available. Furthermore, they may not substitute grooming with trees with other forms of grooming if no trees are available in the grassland. No difference was observed in the general proportion of their maintenance behavior. These results suggest that trees in grassland provide a good environmental enrichment object that satisfies cattle's potential needs of grooming and did not restrict their general behavior.     

Sequence and polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the large subunit rRNA gene of bivalve: Simple and widely applicable technique for multiple species identification of bivalve larva

ABSTRACT:   One of the biggest and long-standing difficulties in investigation of larval ecology in the field is species-level identification. In the present study, we developed polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis based on the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene (rDNA) D1/D2/D3 region for identification of multiple species of bivalve larvae using 14 species of bivalve collected from Maizuru Bay. The LSU rDNA D1/D2/D3 region of all analyzed species could be amplified by PCR using bvD1f/bvD3r primers, and RFLP analysis by Hae III digestion on the PCR products showed species-specific fragment patterns. Furthermore, this analysis applied to single bivalve larvae in Maizuru Bay revealed efficient amplification of the target region and the species-specific pattern from 80% of the larvae, 75% of which showed a pattern that matched a certain pattern of the adult bivalves. In addition, the analysis of inter- and intraspecies variation of the LSU rDNA D1/D2/D3 region using the sequence data of the genus Crassostrea from the DDBJ database showed high applicability of this RFLP analysis on closely related species. Because of the wide applicability and technical simplicity, this method can become the standard for the identification of bivalve larvae species once the sequence data of the LSU rDNA D1/D2/D3 region of many bivalve species have been accumulated.     

AN EVALUATION OF A NEW RADIOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUE UTILIZING A CONCAVE TABLE

In conventional radiography systems, it is apparent that only the area immediately around the central x-ray beam can be evaluated accurately. Consequently in some instances, spinal radiography for example, several exposures are needed at various points along the body to create an accurate image for diagnosis. However, if the film and body part are in a concave shape such that the radius of the curve is equal to the film focal distance, the x-ray beam will penetrate the body and strike the film at two-dimensionally right angles in all areas. Using the spine as an example we found the curved technique had three major advantages over the traditional flat technique: lack of distortion, more uniform beam intensity due to a constant focal film distance, and improved resolution at the periphery of the radiograph because of lack of a cross over effect. It was concluded that an accurate evaluation of larger body parts can be made with minimal distortion utilizing the principles of a curved table technique.     

Beta-cyanoalanine synthase as a molecular marker for induced resistance by fungal glycoprotein elicitor and commercial plant activators

ABSTRACT The biocontrol agent Pythium oligandrum produces glycoprotein elicitor in the cell wall fraction, designated CWP, and induces resistance to a broad range of pathogens. To understand the mechanism of CWP-induced resistance to pathogens, gene expression at the early stage of CWP treatment in tomato roots was analyzed using a cDNA array. At 4 h after CWP treatment, 144 genes were up-regulated and 99 genes were down-regulated. In the 144 up-regulated genes, nine genes exhibited about eightfold increased expression. Analysis of the response of these nine genes to three commercial plant activators indicated that a high level of one gene, beta-cyanoalanine synthase gene (LeCAS) encoding hydrogen cyanide (HCN) detoxification enzyme, was stably induced in tomato roots by such treatment. However, expression of LeCAS was not significantly induced in tomato roots at 4 h by abiotic stresses, whereas only a very low level of induction of such expression by cold stress was observed. This LeCAS expression was also induced after exogenous treatment with a low level of 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylate as the precursor of ethylene, but not with either salicylic acid or methyl jas-monate. The induction of LeCAS expression in CWP-treated and plant activator-treated roots is likely to be caused by the detoxification of HCN during ethylene production. Transient activation of LeCAS expression caused by ethylene production in tomato roots may be a general phenomenon in fungal elicitor-induced and synthetic plant activator-induced resistance. LeCAS seems to be useful for screening possible novel plant activators for plant protection against pathogens.