Utility of 5-aminolaevulinic acid fluorescence-guided endoscopic biopsy for malignant mesothelioma in a cat and dog

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is uncommon in cats and dogs and can be challenging to diagnose. Adequate tissue sampling is required for superior diagnostic accuracy. Protoporphyrin IX, a metabolite of 5-aminolaevulinic acid (5-ALA), is a photosensitiser for photodynamic diagnosis (PDD). To the best of our knowledge, no study has reported the use of 5-ALA-PDD to detect MM in veterinary medicine. The present study describes the use of 5-ALA-PDD for MM diagnosis in a cat and dog, as well as the effectiveness of intracavitary chemotherapy. We evaluated the use of PDD with 5-ALA hydrochloride (5-ALA-PDD) in two cases of MM. A 12-year-old cat presented with a 1-month history of respiratory distress, and a 9-year-old dog presented with a 3-month history of mild abdominal distention. We endoscopically biopsied lesions in both the cases using 5-ALA-PDD. Histopathological examination revealed mesothelioma, and immunohistochemical staining was positive for calretinin. Both patients were treated with carboplatin. The cat died of respiratory failure. Although, the dog's condition improved 21 days after the first chemotherapeutic drug administration, the dog died on day 684 owing to cardiac-related issues. 5-ALA-PDD is thus, safe and feasible for the diagnosis of MM in veterinary medicine.     

Dynamic aspects of N.P.K. uptake and O2 secretion in relation to the metabolic pathways within the plant roots

As previously reported^1)-4) the inhibition of nutrients uptake by rice plant with such respiration inhibitors as hydrogen sulfide, butyric acid, cyanide, and azide differed strikingly from element to element. The order of suppression, however, was similar in these respiratory inhibitors, and the Ce I Itlon coefficients as revealed in terms of percents of decrease were grouped in the order of K²O·P²O⁵>SiO²·SO³·Br>MnO·NH⁴-N·H²O2> MgO·CaO. This established order attracted the authors interest to elucidate the essential mechanism of the uptake of each element, possibly linked specifically with metabolic pathways, particularly of respiration, within the plant roots. In view of the prime importance of three major fertilizer elements N.P.K., the specific metabolic linkages of these three elements were subjected to a energetic study.     

Characteristics of minerals extracted from the mid-gut gland of Japanese scallop Patinopecten yessoensis at various pH values

This experiment was carried out to determine the proximate composition of the mid-gut gland (MGG) of the Japanese scallop Patinopecten yessoensis to evaluate the characteristics of divalent minerals and water-soluble protein at various pHs, and to examine Cd-binding protein at different molecular weights. MGG of scallop contained protein, fat and ash of 28.9 g/100 g dry matter, 44.6 g/100 g dry matter and 6.78 g/100 dry matter, respectively. MGG also contained the macrominerals sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, and the trace minerals iron, zinc, cadmium and copper. The solubility of divalent minerals and water-soluble protein was high in both acidic and alkaline conditions, except that magnesium was not affected by acidity. The solubility of copper and iron had a positive correlation with water-soluble protein at all pH values, whereas cadmium had a strong correlation at alkaline pH. Low-molecular-weight water-soluble protein (fraction III, 437.5 < MW < 1,355) bound cadmium strongly in acidic, neutral and alkaline conditions. However, in acidic conditions cadmium had the strongest binding to protein.     

Characteristics of divalent minerals extracted from liver of Japanese common squid Todarodes pacificus under various experimental conditions

In relation to the problem of how to utilize the waste from squid processing, we determined the proximate and mineral compositions of liver of the Japanese common squid Todarodes pacificus, and characterized the behavior of divalent minerals, focusing in particular on cadmium removal. The squid liver contained fat (44.0 g/100 g dry matter), protein (13.5 g/100 g dry matter), and ash (2.11 g/100 g dry matter). It also contained the macrominerals sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, as well as the trace minerals iron, zinc, cadmium, and copper. Low- and high-pH treatments (pH 2 and 12) removed the cadmium entirely, but the trace minerals zinc, iron, and copper, as well as soluble protein, which are all important for proper functioning of the human organism, were also removed in large quantities. High percentages of soluble minerals and soluble protein were found in the low molecular weight (MW < 10,000) fraction. The solubility of zinc and copper were strongly related to the solubility of cadmium, but there was no relationship between the solubilities of magnesium and cadmium. On the other hand, while treatment with either 0.9 % NaCl or 100 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) also removed the cadmium completely, it left some useful compounds (trace minerals and soluble protein) in the solid part, so these treatments may represent appropriate methods for removing cadmium from squid processing waste.     

Relationship between N2O and NO emission potentials and soil properties in Japanese forest soils

To determine the relationship between nitrous oxide (N₂O) and nitric oxide (NO) emission rates and soil properties in forest soils, N₂O and NO emission rates in soils were measured in incubation experiments under standardized temperature and water conditions (water content at a water-holding capacity of 60%) using soils packed into a cylindrical core, and variations in the soil properties were also determined. The N₂O emission rates from nitrification and from denitrification were determined separately using a nitrification inhibitor (10 Pa acetylene). Soil samples were taken from 25 forest stands in a central temperate area of Japan. The N₂O and NO emission rates were highly variable, even under the standardized temperature and water-holding capacity (60%) conditions. According to a partial least squared regression model analysis, the C:N ratio and pH strongly affected the N₂O emission rate, whereas     , water-soluble Al and the C:N ratio strongly affected the NO emission rate. The C:N ratio negatively affected the emission rate of both N oxide gases, suggesting that N mineralization is an important factor in the rates of N oxide gas emission. The acetylene inhibition experiment showed that N₂O emission from denitrification was positively affected by pH, water-filled pore space and filling density, and negatively affected by the C:N ratio, total carbon and total nitrogen.     

Soybean preference for Bradyrhizobium japonicum for modulation

Abstract

Caldwell and Vest (1968) planted soybeans (Glycine max L. Merr.) with various genotypes at Beltsville, USA, without inoculating them with Bradyrhizobium japonicum, and showed that soybeans preferred certain serotypes of rhizobial strains for nodulation. Recently, the authors have reported that soybeans carrying nodulation-conditioning genes preferred appropriate strains showing specific behavior for nodulation (Ishizuka et al. 1991). For instance, nodulation of soybean cv. Hardee which carries the nodulation-conditioning genes, Rj ₂ and Rj ₃, does not occur with B. japonicum USDA122, USDA33, Is-1, etc. Nodulation of cv. Hill which carries the Rj ₄ gene, does not occur with B. japonicum USDA61, Is-21, etc. while A62-2 which carries a recessive gene rj ₁, does not nodulate with almost any of the strains of B. japonicum. Therefore, the B. japonicum strains can be classified into three nodulation types based on the compatibility with these Rj-cultivars, that is, type A strains which effectively nodulated both Rj ₂ Rj ₃-cultivars and Rj ₄-ones, type B strains which did not nodulate the Rj ₂ Rj ₃-cultivars and type C strains which did not nodulate the Rj ₄-cultivars. When the nodulation types of the isolates from nodules of field-grown soybeans were examined, it was suggested that the Rj ₂ Rj ₃-cultivars and Rj ₄-cultivars preferred the type C and type B strains, respectively (Ishizuka et al. 1991).     

15N study on the partitioning of the nitrogen taken by soybeans from atmospheric dinitrogen,medium nitrate or ammonium

Abstract

Soybean plants (Glycine max, cv. Akisengoku) were water-grown in a greenhouse with a low concentration of nitrate in the culture solution. Under these conditions root nodulation mostly on primary roots was profuse. At the vegetative and pod-filling stages, plants were fed ¹⁵N-labeled dinitrogen, nitrate, or ammonium for 7 to 8 hr in the daytime.

Partitioning of the ¹⁵N from the three nitrogen sources showed distinct characteristics. The nitrogen (N) from dinitrogen preferentially distributed to the developing organs, young leaves, and developing pods, in comparison with N from nitrate. N from ammonium showed distribution pattern similar to that of N from dinitrogen.

The nodule N was supplied by both directly fixed-N and transferred nitrogen, and fixedN was inferred to play a major role in this process. The pro tein N in the roots could be furnished by the recycled N of dinitrogen and nitrate through the shoots along with direct incorporation of amino acids produced in the roots from nitrate     

Spatial variations in nitrous oxide and nitric oxide emission potential on a slope of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) forest

To quantify the spatial variation and spatial structure of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and nitric oxide (NO) emission from forest soils, we measured N₂O and NO emission rates from surface soil cores taken at 1 m intervals on a cross-line transect (65 m × 20 m) on a slope of Japanese cedar ( Cryptomeria japonica ) forest in a temperate region of central Japan and analyzed the spatial dependency of N oxide gas emissions using geostatistics. We divided N₂O emission into N₂O from denitrification and N₂O from nitrification using the acetylene inhibition method. According to the geostatistical analysis, N₂O emission rates on the slope had large spatial variation and weak spatial dependency. This weak spatial dependency was caused by the inordinately high N₂O emissions on the slope, which were derived mainly from denitrification. In contrast, NO emission rate on the slope had large spatial variation, but strong spatial dependency and a distinct spatial distribution related to slope position, that is, high in the middle of the slope and low in the shoulder and the foot of the slope. The CN ratio and water-filled pore space were the dominant factors controlling NO emission rate on a slope. Our results suggest that spatial information about topographic factors helps to improve the estimation of both N₂O emission and NO emission from forest soils.     

Variations in the proximate composition of muscle in cultured yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata at different anatomical portions

In this study, we examined differences in the proximate composition of five major muscles of the yellowtail, as well as the relation between seasonal variations in the levels of crude lipids and texture of these muscles. The differences in content among these muscles and the variations in each muscle were greater for crude lipid and moisture content than for crude protein content. The crude lipid content of Musculus latero-dorsalis correlated with that of M. carinatus dorsalis, M. latero-ventralis, M. carinatus ventralis, and red muscle. In M. latero-dorsalis, the crude lipid content started to increase in October, remained high from November to January, started to decrease in March, and was low from April to June. The firmness of M. latero-dorsalis increased from October to November and started to decrease in March. Firmness decreased concurrently with decreases in crude lipid content and increased concurrently with increases in crude lipid content. The results of this study suggest that it is possible to predict the proximate compositions of other yellowtail muscles from the proximate composition of M. latero-dorsalis. Seasonal variation in crude lipid content of the M. latero-dorsalis was found, and variations in crude lipid tended to parallel those in firmness.