Comparison of the effectiveness of high and low LET radiations for the proportion of survivals with liver tumors at every age in (C57BL/6N x C3H/HeN) F1 mice

To investigate the late effects of neutrons at the energy below 1 MeV on the liver carcinogenesis as a function of age, one-week old mice were exposed to 1.0 Gy monoenergetic neutrons (0.317, 0.525 and 1.026 MeV) or 137Cs gamma rays. Survival and carcinogenesis were examined by 18 months of age. Following radiation, tumor incidences in liver, Harderian gland, lung, ovary and pituitary gland were compared. The proportion of the lifespan with liver tumors exposed to neutrons to that exposed to gamma rays was calculated as a function of age. Survival rates among the three groups exposed to neutrons of different energies were not significantly different from one another but shorter than those treated with gamma rays for both sexes. With regard to liver tumor incidence evaluated at 18 months of age, the effectiveness of neutrons to gamma rays was 2.54 for females, and 2.08 for males by the factor. Levels of estrogen in the serum were similar between mice bearing liver tumors and those devoid of tumors. In conclusion, all three energies of neutrons induced similar effectiveness with respect to liver carcinogenicity. Proportions of the lifespan with liver tumors of neutron-exposed to gamma-exposed were shorter in females than males along with ages over 12 months. To obtain this factor at every age contributed for the evaluation of the biological effectiveness of radiations with the parameter of tumor incidence and latency simultaneously.     

Comparison of electrophoretic patterns of soluble proteins and isozymes of the red rot disease fungus Pythium sp. isolated from Porphyra yezoensis from Korea and Japan

SUMMARY: Pythium sp., the causative organism of red rot disease, isolated from Porphyra yezoensis from Wando in Korea was compared with those from Miyagi, Aichi, and Fukuoka Prefectures by means of electrophoretic patterns of soluble proteins and isozymes. Native and sodium dodecylsulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic patterns of soluble proteins revealed small but significant differences among the four isolates. Among the 14 detected enzymes, catalase (CAT), carboxylesterase (CE), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), glucosephosphate isomerase (GPI), isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) possessed isozymes. The dissimilarity value of isozyme banding patterns for four isolates by unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic averages (UPGMA) cluster analysis was highest (0.51) between the isolate from Fukuoka and those from Miyagi and Aichi, and lowest (0.19) between the isolate from Miyagi and that from Aichi. Cluster analysis of data from isozyme banding patterns grouped the isolates from Miyagi and Aichi. These results indicate that the isolates from Miyagi and Aichi are similar, but each isolate from Wando and Fukuoka differed slightly from those of Miyagi and Aichi.     

Changes in concentrations of serum amyloid A protein, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, haptoglobin, and C-reactive protein in feline sera due to induced inflammation and surgery

To identify candidates for feline acute phase proteins, the concentrations of serum amyloid A protein (SAA), alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (alpha 1-AG), C-reactive protein (CRP), and haptoglobin (Hp) were measured in sera isolated from clinically normal and hospitalized (or diseased) cats, from cats with experimentally induced inflammation, and cats subjected to surgery for urinary diversion. Measurements were made by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and single radial immunodiffusion. The concentrations of SAA, alpha 1-AG, and Hp in sera from hospitalized cats were 7-11 times higher than in clinically normal cats. Similar results were obtained for the concentrations of SAA, alpha 1-AG, and Hp in cats with induced inflammation and cats subjected to surgery. By contrast, the serum concentration of feline CRP did not change significantly between clinically normal cats and hospitalized cats or inflammation-induced or post-surgery cats. Feline SAA concentration was found to increase earliest, with alpha 1-AG and Hp beginning to increase thereafter. From these results, feline SAA is concluded to be an acute phase reactant at the early stage of inflammation.     

Sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay by using monoclonal antibody for detection of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin

Sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the quantitative estimation of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CPE) with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies as capturing and detecting antibodies, respectively. The dose-dependent relationship between absorbance at 405 nm and concentration of purified CPE was obtained over the range of 0.64-400 ng/ml. The sandwich ELISA was fond to detect crude CPE in culture and CPE in 10% fecal extracts. This method is convenient, rapid and sensitive for specific detection of CPE.     

Heinz body hemolytic anemia with eccentrocytosis from ingestion of Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum) and garlic (Allium sativum) in a dog

A 4-year-old, intact male miniature schnauzer was presented with anorexia. The dog had ingested some Chinese steamed dumplings 2 days before, which contained Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum) and garlic (Allium sativum). Hematological examinations revealed severe Heinz body hemolytic anemia with eccentrocytosis and an increased concentration of methemoglobin, which was thought to result from oxidative damage to erythrocytes by constituents in these Allium plants. In this case, eccentrocytosis was a hallmark finding and could be detected easily, suggesting that this hematological abnormality is useful in diagnosing Allium plant-induced hemolysis.     

Clinicopathological survey of 101 canine mammary gland tumors: differences between small-breed dogs and others

Clinicopathological features of mammary gland tumors (MGTs) in 101 dogs were evaluated retrospectively. The incidence of histological malignancy in 60 small- and 41 other-breed dogs were 25% and 58.5%, respectively. In 82 epithelial MGTs, small-sized tumors (< 3 cm) or non-invasive tumors were predominant in small breeds. In multivariate survival analysis, small breed (p=0.048) and lower stage of tumor cell invasion (p=0.006) were significantly associated with longer survival time. These results suggest that the incidence of histological or biological malignancy in MGTs is lower in small-breed dogs than in others.     

Bovine leukemia virus high tax molecular clone experimentally induces leukemia/lymphoma in sheep

Sheep were inoculated with high tax coded pBLV-IF (H group, Nos.1-5) of bovine leukemia virus (BLV), wild tax coded pBLV-IF (W group, Nos. 6-11), or control plasmid (C group, Nos. 12-14). During the observation period (4 to 46 months), 5 of 5 cases in H group and 3 of 6 cases (Nos. 6, 7, 9) in W group became positive for gp 51. Only 1 case in H group became leukemic, and one case each of H and W groups developed lymphoma. In No. 3, lesions were found in multiple organs including the lymph nodes, gastrointestinal tract following abomasum, and heart. In No. 6, lesions of lymphoma were found only in the jejunum and heart. Morphologically, small to middle-sized lymphocytic neoplastic (NP) cells were found in both cases, but lymphoblastic NP cells were found only in No. 3. By immunohistochemical examination, the phenotypes of NP cells were determined as CD1-, CD4-, CD5- -, CD8alpha-, sIgM+, lambda light chain+, B-B4+, MHC class II+ in both case. The results of this study indicate that inoculation of pBLV-IF can induce lymphocytic and lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma in sheep. Additionally, it is suggested that the expression rate of tax gene is not associated with the development of leukemia/lymphoma in sheep experimentally inoculated with pBLV-IF.     

Characterization and differentiation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Erwinia carotovora</Emphasis> strains from mulberry trees

We recently reported that two diverse types (types 1 and 2) were identified among strains of Erwinia carotovora from mulberry trees. Type 1 strains were similar to E. carotovora subsp. carotovora (Ecc), whereas type 2 strains were distinct from Ecc and other E. carotovora strains. In this study, seven more mulberry strains of type 2 and reference strains were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and randomly amplified of polymorphic DNA (RAPD). On the basis of SDS-PAGE profiles of whole-cell proteins, type 2 strains had high similarity with one another. In addition, they had an unique peptide band with a molecular mass of approximately 28kDa. RAPD analysis showed that they were also effectively differentiated by a strong, specific RAPD fragment for type 2 strains. Based on these two approaches, we have confirmed that the present type 2 strains from mulberry can be discriminated clearly from other soft rot Erwinia species.     

Protective effects of vaccination with bovine leukemia virus (BLV) Tax DNA against BLV infection in sheep

A DNA vaccination trial was performed on sheep to determine whether vaccination with bovine leukemia virus (BLV) transactivator Tax DNA is effective against BLV infection. Immunization was carried out with cationic liposomes containing the Tax-expressing plasmid DNA and subsequently all sheep were challenged with BLV. BLV titers in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) determined by syncytium formation assay and BLV provirus load detected by genomic PCR analysis showed higher levels of virus titers in control sheep than those in Tax-vaccinated sheep. Higher levels of IFN-gamma mRNA expression have been demonstrated in vaccinated sheep after the challenge. These results suggested that Th1 type immune response induced by Tax DNA vaccine inhibited BLV propagation in vaccinated sheep at the early phase of infection.