A neuroendocrine carcinoma of undetermined origin in a dog

In this report, we describe a case of neuroendocrine carcinoma of undetermined origin in a dog. Necropsy revealed scattered small neoplastic nodules in the bilateral lungs and a small nodule in the parapancreatic lymph node. Histopathologically, both pulmonary and lymph nodal nodules showed a similar histologic pattern, with neoplastic cells being arranged in diffusely proliferating sheet-like cellular nests separated by variable amounts of fibrous septa, sometimes forming rosettes and duct-like structures. Scattered small necrotic foci and invasion to fibrous septa were typically observed. Neoplastic cells showed round to oval-shaped nuclei with prominent nucleoli and abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm that were positive for Grimelius' silver impregnation staining and immunostaining with cytokeratin, synaptophysin, vasoactive intestinal peptide and chromogranin A, indicative of the development of a neuroendocrine carcinoma. However, judging from the distribution of tumors lacking the portion suggestive of the primary site in any organ examined, as well as no further indication of differentiation potential of neoplastic cells, this tumor has so far been diagnosed as neuroendocrine carcinoma of undetermined origin.     

Degree of RNA silencing and the ability of a viral suppressor vary depending on the cell species in a protoplast system

RNA silencing is a sequence-specific defense mechanism against viruses. As a counterdefense, viruses evolved silencing suppressors to interfere with host silencing. In analyses using protoplasts prepared from cultured cells (BY-2) and mesophyll cells of Nicotiana tabacum and N. benthamiana, viral suppressors differentially functioned in different cell types. This phenomenon has not been discussed in earlier papers on protoplast systems and RNA silencing. In investigations of the cellular activities of viral suppressors and their role in the RNA-silencing pathway, assays with host protoplasts offer many advantages and can complement other in planta assays such as Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression.     

Detection of Nesopora caninum-Specific DNA from Cerebrospinal Fluid by Polymerase Chain Reaction in a Dog with Confirmed Neosporosis

A one-month male Greyhound dog presented with a swinging gait of the hindlimbs, and later developed muscular atrophy of the femoral region and hyperextension of hindlimbs. The dog had positive serum IFAT titers to Neospora caninum, but a negative titer in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). N. caninum-specific DNA was amplified from the CSF using a semi-nested polymerase chain reaction assay. Clusters of protozoa in biopsied muscle fibers were subsequently confirmed as N. caninum tachyzoites by immunohistochemical examination. Early recognition and treatment are necessary for effective recovery of clinical canine neosporosis, but antemortem diagnosis is difficult. We suggest that the detection of parasite deoxyribonucleic acid in the CSF is a useful antemortem diagnostic method in facilitating treatment of this disease.     

A radio transmission pH measurement system for continuous evaluation of fluid pH in the rumen of cows

We developed a novel wireless radio transmission pH measurement system to continuously monitor ruminal bottom pH in cows, and compared these measurements to pH values determined by a spot-sample method. The wireless system consists of a pH sensor, data measurement receiver, relay unit, and personal computer with special software. The bullet-shaped sensor can be easily administered orally via a catheter into the rumen, without surgery. The glass electrode, using a temperature compensation system, can detect the rumen fluid pH with high accuracy. The ruminal bottom pH in healthy rumen-fistulated cows was measured as 6.52 ± 0.18 by the wireless system and as 6.62 ± 0.20 by the spot-sample method; with a correlation between pH measurements using these different methods (n = 8, 24 samples, r = 0.952, P < 0.01). When measured serially in a cow fed a diet evoking rumen acidosis, the ruminal bottom pH decreased markedly following the morning feeding and then increased gradually by the next morning feeding. This wireless system is a ready-to-use tool for estimating circadian changes in ruminal bottom pH.     

Changes in microbial communities in an apple orchard and its adjacent bush soil in response to season,land-use,and violet root rot infestation

Soil microbial communities in an apple orchard and its adjacent boundary bush with or without infestation by violet root rot were investigated for 2 years. Effects of season (spring, summer, and fall), land-use (apple orchard and boundary bush), and violet root rot (infested and healthy) on soil microbial populations, microbial activity, and microbial community structures were determined using physiological, cytochemical, and molecular (PCR-DGGE) approaches. Seasonal fluctuations were significant (P<0.05) in viable bacteria and fungal populations, bacterial FAME, fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis, and diversity (H′) and evenness (J′) of community-level physiological profile (CLPP) in both years. However, seasonal differences of soil microbial guilds that utilize carbon substrate groups observed in the first year were not reproduced in the second year. The land-use factor differentiated the apple orchard from the boundary bush where viable bacterial population, bacterial FAME and FDA hydrolysis were significantly greater in both years. Infestation status of violet root rot, on the other hand, significantly increased bacterial FAME and FDA hydrolysis in both years. In addition, neither the land-use nor the disease infestation factor significantly influenced the utilization patterns of individual substrate guilds for the 2 years. In both years, saturated fatty acids were significantly more abundant in the orchard than in the bush soil, and monosaturated fatty acids vice versa. Principal component analyses for CLPP, FAME, and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) consistently exhibited that, although the violet root rot influenced the soil microbial community structures both in the apple orchard and the boundary bush, overall magnitude of the difference in communities between the violet root rot infested and non-infested sites in the bush were greater than in the orchard, irrespective of the season. These results suggested that the seasonal and the land-use factors affected soil microbial community both quantitatively and qualitatively, whereas the impact of the violet root rot on the soil microbial community was mainly qualitative and more pronounced in the adjacent bush than in the orchard.     

Experimental study on seepage characteristics of reservoir embankment considering interval of horizontal filter

Paddy and Water Environment - In the zone fill-type reservoir embankment, the vertical filter for drainage is essentially installed, but in the case of the horizontal filter, the applicability is...     

Molecular clonings and sequences of Djungarian (Phodopus sungorus) and Chinese (Cricetulus griseus) hamster interferon-gammas

Djungarian (Phodopus sungorus) and Chinese (Cricetulus griseus) hamster IFN-gamma genes were cloned and sequenced. The Djungarian and Chinese hamster genes were both 525bp nucleotides, resulting in 174 amino acids in full length with a predicted molecular weight (MW) of 19,560 dal and 19,775 dal, respectively. The first 23 amino terminal amino acids consisted of a hydrophobic signal sequence when cleavaged, which would result in a mature 151 amino acid polypeptide with a predicted MW of 17,115 dal in the Djungarian hamster IFN-gamma and 17,255 dal in the Chinese hamster one.     

Induced resistance against Fusarium diseases of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cymbidium</Emphasis> species by weakly virulent strain HPF-1 (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium</Emphasis> sp.)

The mechanism by which Fusarium diseases of cymbidium plants are suppressed by a weakly virulent strain HPF-1 of Fusarium sp. was studied. Strain HPF-1 produced microscopic, necrotic local lesions on cymbidium leaves, causing minor damage to palisade tissues at the infection sites. This weakly virulent strain remained near the site of infection and did not develop further. It systemically and nonselectively suppressed some diseases of cymbidium such as yellow spot of leaves caused by Fusarium proliferatum and F. fractiflexum, bulb and root rot caused by F. oxysporum, and dry rot of bulbs and roots caused by F. solani. Because endogenous salicylic acid levels increased in cymbidium leaves inoculated with strain HPF-1, the mechanism of disease suppression is thought to be systemic acquired resistance.     

Molecular epidemiology of VapA-positive Rhodococcus equi in thoroughbred horses in Kagoshima,Japan

The prevalence of virulent R. equi having 15- to 17-kDa antigens (VapA) in fecal isolates from 13 thoroughbred foals and their dams on 5 farms in Kagoshima, Japan, and the plasmid profiles of VapA-positive isolates by restriction fragment digestion patterns were investigated to compare the genotypic variation among virulence plasmids of R. equi isolates from Japan. In total, 218 (24.6%) of 886 isolates from the feces of the 13 foals and 13 (12.5%) of 104 isolates from the feces of their dams demonstrated VapA-positive R. equi. Plasmid DNA preparations of 231 virulent isolates from foals and dams were analyzed by restriction enzyme digestion with endonucleases EcoRI, EcoT22I and HindIII and were divided into 3 types: 172 isolates contained a 90-kb type I plasmid, 57 contained a 90-kb type III plasmid and 2 contained a 90-kb type IV plasmid. This study demonstrates a geographic character in the distribution of virulence plasmids found in VapA-positive isolates from thoroughbred foals in Kagoshima.