Herd prevalence and genotypes of Coxiella burnetii in dairy cattle bulk tank milk in Gyeongsang provinces of South Korea

Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of the zoonotic Q fever, and its reservoirs include ticks and livestock, which are key sources of transmission to humans. Although there have been several studies on the prevalence of C. burnetii antibodies in dairy cattle bulk tank milk (BTM), there is a lack of information on the molecular detection of C. burnetii in BTM in South Korea. Thus, this study was designed to assess milk shedding of C. burnetii in BTM from dairy cattle herds. Among the 607 BTM samples collected from 41 counties in Gyeongsang provinces in 2015, 108 (17.8%) from 23 (56.1%) counties tested positive for C. burnetii by PCR. Because the 16S rRNA sequences of C. burnetii from all 108 PCR-positive samples were identical, two representative samples (BTM-GB-10 and BTM-GN-63) are described in this paper. These sequences showed high identity (96.9–100%) to other C. burnetii sequences deposited in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these two sequences were clustered with existing C. burnetii strains. The relatively high prevalence rates of C. burnetii in BTM detected in this study suggest that C. burnetii is prevalent among dairy cattle herds in South Korea. Thus, implementation of continuous monitoring and control strategies for domestic animals is needed to prevent disease transmission and protect public health.

     

Observation of antiferromagnetic domains in epitaxial thin films

Antiferromagnetic domains in an epitaxial thin film, LaFeO(3) on SrTiO(3)(100), were observed using a high-spatial-resolution photoelectron emission microscope with contrast generated by the large x-ray magnetic linear dichroism effect at the multiplet-split L edge of Fe. The antiferromagnetic domains are linked to 90 degrees twinned crystallographic regions in the film. The Neel temperature of the thin film is reduced by 70 kelvin relative to the bulk material, and this reduction is attributed to epitaxial strain. These studies open the door for a microscopic understanding of the magnetic coupling across antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic interfaces.     

Evaluation of regional climate scenario data for impact assessment of climate change on rice productivity in Korea

Spatial evaluation of the uncertainty associated with climate data would allow reliable interpretation of simulation results for regional crop yield using gridded climate data as input to a crop growth model. The objective of this study was to examine the spatial uncertainty of regional climate model data through determining optimal seeding date with the ORYZA2000 model for assessment of climate change impact on rice productivity in Korea. The optimal seeding date was determined at each grid point using regional climate model outputs under the RCP 8.5 scenarios. In major rice production areas such as inland plain regions, where temperatures of regional climate data were relatively accurate, the optimal seeding date determined using those gridded data were reasonable. However, areas with complex terrains including areas near bodies of water, e.g. coastal areas, riverbasins, lakes, and mountainous areas, had a relatively large uncertainty of the optimal seeding date determined using the regional climate data. These results indicated that the uncertainty of regional climate data at a high spatial resolution of 12.5 km should be taken into account in the regional impact assessment based on crop growth simulations in Korea. In addition, further studies would be merited to assess the impact of climate change on rice yield at an ultra-high spatial resolution of 1 km in Korea. Crop yields were projected to decrease after the 2020s when crop yield simulations from inland plain areas were considered, which suggested that adaptation strategies should be established and implemented in the near future.     

Ishophloroglucin A,Isolated from Ishige okamurae,Alleviates Dexamethasone-Induced Muscle Atrophy through Muscle Protein Metabolism In Vivo

The in vitro capacity of Ishige okamurae extract (IO) to improve impaired muscle function has been previously examined. However, the mechanism underlying IO-mediated muscle protein metabolism and the role of its component, Ishophloroglucin A (IPA), in mice with dexamethasone (Dexa)-induced muscle atrophy remains unknown. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of IO and IPA supplementation on Dexa-induced muscle atrophy by assessing muscle protein metabolism in gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of mice. IO and IPA supplementation improved the Dexa-induced decrease in muscle weight and width, leading to enhanced grip strength. In addition, IO and IPA supplementation regulated impaired protein synthesis (PI3K and Akt) or degradation (muscle-specific ubiquitin ligase muscle RING finger and atrogin-1) by modulating mRNA levels in gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. Additionally, IO and IPA upregulated mRNA levels associated with muscle growth activation (transient receptor potential vanilloid type 4 and adenosine A1 receptor) or inhibition (myostatin and sirtuin 1) in gastrocnemius and soleus muscle tissues of Dexa-induced mice. Collectively, these results suggest that IO and IO-derived IPA can regulate muscle growth through muscle protein metabolism in Dexa-induced muscle atrophy.     

Implication of Echinochrome A in the Plasticity and Damage of Intestinal Epithelium

The diverse therapeutic feasibility of the sea urchin-derived naphthoquinone pigment, Echinochrome A (Ech A), has been studied. Simple and noninvasive administration routes should be explored, to obtain the feasibility. Although the therapeutic potential has been proven through several preclinical studies, the biosafety of orally administered Ech A and its direct influence on intestinal cells have not been evaluated. To estimate the bioavailability of Ech A as an oral administration drug, small intestinal and colonic epithelial organoids were developed from mice and humans. The morphology and cellular composition of intestinal organoids were evaluated after Ech A treatment. Ech A treatment significantly increased the expression of LGR5 (~2.38-fold change, p = 0.009) and MUC2 (~1.85-fold change, p = 0.08). Notably, in the presence of oxidative stress, Ech A attenuated oxidative stress up to 1.8-fold (p = 0.04), with a restored gene expression of LGR5 (~4.11-fold change, p = 0.0004), as well as an increased expression of Ly6a (~3.51-fold change, p = 0.005) and CLU (~2.5-fold change, p = 0.01), markers of revival stem cells. In conclusion, Ech A is harmless to intestinal tissues; rather, it promotes the maintenance and regeneration of the intestinal epithelium, suggesting possible beneficial effects on the intestine when used as an oral medication.     

Minimally invasive proximal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis using a locking compression plate and tissue engineering in horses: A pilot study

This pilot study assessed the efficacy of 2 minimally invasive techniques for proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint arthrodesis in horses. The PIP joints of both forelimbs (n = 6) were stabilized with locking compression plates (LCP) using a minimally invasive technique (LCP technique). Subsequently, for 1 randomly selected PIP joint of each horse, surgical drilling (SurD) was performed and tissue engineering (TE) was applied (LCP/SurD/TE technique). Minimally invasive PIP joint arthrodesis with LCP demonstrated low postoperative infection rates. Gross and histological evaluations revealed considerable destruction of the articular cartilage in the LCP/SurD/TE-treated joints. In contrast, almost no destruction of the cartilage was observed in the LCP-treated joints. Our results suggest that the LCP technique alone is not sufficient for PIP joint arthrodesis and that the LCP/SurD/TE technique may be useful for PIP joint arthrodesis in horses.     

Primary sinonasal malignant melanoma with systemic metastasis in a non-gray horse

A 27-y-old Anglo-Arabian gelding with bay coat color was presented with a swelling of the left maxillary region. Fenestration on the left maxilla revealed that the left maxillary sinus was filled with black-red tissue. A portion of the tissue was excised and diagnosed histologically as malignant melanoma. Genotyping of the STX17 gene for gray coat color revealed that the horse did not have the “gray” factor. The horse was euthanized ~3 mo after first presentation. During autopsy, a black-to-gray mass extended from the left nasal cavity to the surrounding paranasal sinus and invaded the hard palate, cribriform plate, and the cranial portion of the left olfactory bulb. Moreover, identical black nodules were present in lymph nodes from the mandible to the larynx, and in the spleen, liver, kidney, and adrenal glands. However, masses were not found in the skin, perineal region, or pelvic cavity. All of the black-to-gray nodules were malignant melanomas that were histologically identical to the initial biopsy; tumor emboli were also found in the kidney. Sinonasal mucosal melanoma is a rare disease in horses.