Expression of CD4 T cell cytokine genes in the colorectal mucosa of inflammatory colorectal polyps in miniature dachshunds

Inflammatory colorectal polyps (ICRPs) in miniature dachshunds are recently recognized as a major cause of large bowel diarrhea in this dog breed in Japan. ICRPs are characterized by the formation of multiple small polyps and a space-occupying large polyp in the colorectal area, and are thought to be a novel form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In humans, specific cytokine patterns attributed to T helper (Th)1, Th17 and regulatory T cells have important roles in the pathogenesis of IBD. Thus, the aim of the present study was to assess the gene expression of cytokines of T cell subsets in the colorectal mucosa from dogs with ICRPs. Colorectal mucosal specimens from 10 dogs with ICRPs and 14 control dogs were used in this study. Interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-17A and IL-10 mRNA expression was assessed using quantitative real-time PCR. IL-17A mRNA expression was significantly increased in large polyps compared to small polyps and controls. IFN-γ and IL-10 mRNA expression in large polyps were significantly higher than in controls. There was no significant difference in IL-4 mRNA expression among the three groups. IL-17A is thought to play important roles in the pathogenesis of ICRPs. IL-10 up-regulation could oppose the proinflammatory function of IL-17A.     

In vitro evaluation of the growth inhibitory activities of 15 drugs against Babesia gibsoni (Aomori strain)

The in vitro growth inhibitory activities of 15 drugs against Babesia gibsoni were evaluated following establishment of a continuous culture isolate (Aomori isolate). The culture was successfully continued in an RPMI-1640 medium supplemented with 20% normal canine serum or fetal bovine serum in a humidified atmosphere containing 5% CO(2) and 5% O(2) at 37 degrees C. We used this isolate to evaluate the growth inhibitory effect of naphthoquinone (atovaquone), aromatic diamidine (diminazene and pentamidine), artemisinin compounds (artesunate and dihydroartemisinin), an iron chelator (deferoxamine), quinoline-containing compounds (quinine and chloroquine), macrolide antibiotics (azithromycin), lyncomycin antibiotics (clindamycin), tetracycline antibiotics (doxycycline and minocycline), imidazole antifungals (clotrimazole and ketoconazole), and a nitroimidazole antiprotozoal (metronidazole). Atovaquone and aromatic diamidine showed the highest activity; they were followed by artesunate compounds with nanomole levels of IC(50). Metronidazole did not exhibit activity against the parasite. Other drugs exhibited intermediate in vitro activities with micromole levels of IC(50). This is the first report to screen drug activities against B. gibsoni in vitro. The results of our study may support further in vitro drug evaluation for the establishment of therapeutic strategies against canine B. gibsoni infections.     

Retrospective diagnosis of feline GM2 gangliosidosis variant 0 (Sandhoff-like disease) in Japan: possible spread of the mutant allele in the Japanese domestic cat population

GM2 gangliosidosis variant 0 (human Sandhoff disease) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by simultaneous deficiencies of acid beta-hexosaminidase (Hex) A and Hex B due to an abnormality of beta-subunit, a common component in these enzyme molecules, which is coded by the HEXB gene. In the present study, a retrospective diagnosis was performed in 2 previous suspected cases of feline Sandhoff-like disease using a DNA test to detect the causative mutation identified previously in 4 cats in 2 other families of Japanese domestic cats. Enzymic analysis was also performed using stored leukocytes and plasma collected from the subject families in order to investigate the usefulness of enzymic diagnosis and genotyping of carriers. The DNA test suggested that the 2 cases were homozygous recessive for the mutation. Consequently, 6 cats homozygous for the same mutation have been found in 4 separate locations of Japan, suggesting that this mutant allele may be spread widely in the Japanese domestic cat populations. In enzymic analysis, Hex A and Hex B activities in leukocytes and plasma measured using 4-methylumbelliferyl N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide as a substrate were negligible in affected cats, compared with those in normal and carrier cats. However, there was a wide overlap in enzyme activity between normal and carrier cats. Therefore, it was concluded that enzymic analysis is useful for diagnosis of affected cats, but is not acceptable for genotyping of carriers.     

Comparison and phylogenetic analysis of the heat shock protein 70 gene of Babesia parasites from dogs

The heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) genes of Babesia gibsoni, B. canis canis, B. canis vogeli, and B. canis rossi isolated from infected dogs were cloned by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. In the nucleotide sequence and the predicted amino acid sequence of the gene, the parasites were very similar to each other. The nucleotide sequences of the hsp70 gene had more variety than those of 18S nuclear subunit ribosomal DNA (18S rDNA). A phylogenetic analysis of these sequences and comparisons with sequences from other Babesia and Theileria species revealed that all canine babesial isolates analyzed in the present study were closely related to each other and formed one cluster. Additionally, a phylogenetic analysis of Babesia and Theileria species showed that these parasites could be divided into three groups: group A including canine babesial isolates, B. divergens, B. odocoilei, B. bovis, B. caballi, and B. ovis; group B including Theileria annulata, T. orientalis, and T. cervi; and group C including B. microti and B. rodhaini. These results suggested that a phylogenetic analysis of the hsp70 gene sequence might be helpful in classifying Babesia and Theileria species, and that canine babesial isolates might be closely related to each other, indicating their evolution from the same ancestry.     

Effect of dietary protein content on growth rate,survival and body composition of juvenile cauque river prawn,Macrobrachium americanum (Bate 1868)

We determined the effect of four concentrations of dietary crude protein, 30.7, 37.2, 41.8 and 46.8% on growth rate, survival and body composition of the juvenile cauque river prawn (Macrobrachium americanum). The prawns were hatched in the laboratory from the spawn of one wild ovigerous female. Prawns consuming 37.2% crude protein reached a final weight of 0.58 g (feed conversion ratio of 2.15), which was significantly better than the other treatments. Survival was 100% in all treatments. Protein content in the diets had no significant effect on whole body proximate composition and amino acid profile. Juveniles consuming the 37.2% crude protein diet grew faster than those fed the other diets. Specific growth rate was adjusted to the two‐slope broken‐line regression analysis model to estimate the optimal protein requirement. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that the 37.2% protein level diet is optimal for juvenile cauque river prawn M. americanum in the experimental conditions of this study.     

Reduced sensitivity to fenarimol in Japanese field strains of Venturia nashicola

Monoconidial strains of Venturia nashicola Tanaka et Yamamoto were isolated from Japanese or Chinese white pear trees which had never been treated with sterol demethylation inhibitors (DMIs) and their baseline sensitivities to fenarimol were determined by mycelial growth tests on fungicide-amended culture media. Strains were also obtained from Japanese pear orchards, which had been intensively treated with DMIs for several years and monitored for the shifts of fenarimol sensitivity in comparison with the baseline sensitivity. Results suggested slight shifts to lower fenarimol sensitivity in strains isolated from DMI-treated Japanese pear orchards. However, in inoculation tests on pear seedlings, fenarimol still provided adequate control of V. nashicola strains with reduced sensitivity to fenarimol in vitro, suggesting that the performance of this fungicide will still be maintained in the field. © 1998 Society of Chemical Industry     

Analysis of Phytosterol,Fatty Acid,and Carotenoid Composition of 19 Microalgae and 6 Bivalve Species

ABSTRACT

In this study, the functional components of 19 microalgae and 6 bivalve species were investigated in the context of the application in bivalve feeding and human health food. Principal component analysis was performed to detect any association between the functional components and individual microalgal species or taxonomic group. The proportions of the functional components differed depending on the taxonomic group or species of microalga. The genera Cheatoceros, Thalassiosira, and Isochrysis contained high concentrations of fucosterol and fucoxanthin, which are present in large amounts in brown algae. Diatoms, haptophytes, and eustigmatophytes, which are used as feed for bivalves, were rich in fucosterol and eicosapentenoic acid (EPA); further, haptophytes were rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). In addition, the microalgae associated with red tide, i.e., the raphidophytes, were found to be rich in fucoxanthin, β-sitosterol, and EPA, whereas dinoflagellates were rich in DHA. Seven bivalve species also contained high concentrations of fucosterol, EPA, and DHA, as did microalgae, which were used to feed by bivalves. These results are useful in selecting microalgae effectively as feed of the bivalves.     

Assessing sexual maturity of feminized Japanese eel Anguilla japonica by measuring eye size

For efficient production of Japanese eel Anguilla japonica eggs, knowledge of the status of the sexual maturity of potential broodstock females is important because this status directly influences the time required to produce mature eggs by successive hormone doses. Here we apply an eye index (relative eye size) to evaluate the gonadal status of feminized A. japonica, which were induced by administration of estradiol-17β. Examination of gonad somatic and eye indexes of 267 feminized eels, cultivated for 12–56 months, revealed a significant correlation between these two indexes. Artificial maturation of 35 feminized eels showed that the number of hormone injections administered before ovulation was significantly lower as the eye index score increased, indicating availability of this noninvasive method of predicting sexual maturity of feminized eel. There was no correlation between eye index and fertilization rate, hatching rate, or larval survival rate, suggesting that sexual maturity before hormonal treatment does not affect egg quality.     

Assessing Silicon Availability in Soils of Rice-Growing Lowlands and Neighboring Uplands in Benin and Nigeria

Silicon(Si) is known as a beneficial nutrient in the cultivation of rice, playing a key role in photosynthesis enhancement, lodging resistance and tolerance to various environmental stress. The present study aimed to examine available Si content in both lowland soils(n = 29) and neighboring upland soils(n = 21) collected from Benin and Nigeria and to evaluate the validity of the assessment results through a pot experiment. Our results revealed that the acetate-buffer method predicted Si concentration in rice straw at the harvest stage(R~2 = 0.68, P < 0.01) better than the anaerobic-incubation method(R2 = 0.31, P > 0.05), and 76% of the uplands and 38% of the lowlands were deficient(< 50 mg/kg) in acetate-buffer soluble Si. These findings suggest that the Si-deficiency soils prevail across the study area, making rice plants starved for Si and prone to environmental stress.