Hypereosinophilic syndrome in two cats

Two cats showing chronic vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss were found to have leukocytosis with marked eosinophilia. Both cats were diagnosed with hypereosinophilic syndrome by the findings of increased eosinophils and their precursors in the bone marrow, eosinophilic infiltration into multiple organs, and exclusion of other causes for eosinophilia. Although cytoreductive chemotherapy with hydroxycarbamide and prednisolone was performed, these two cats died 48 days and 91 days after the initial presentation.     

Epidemic of equine influenza among vaccinated racehorses in Japan in 2007

On August 2007, we encountered equine influenza epidemic by Florida sub-lineage strain (H3N8) in Japan Racing Association's facilities where 4142 racehorses in total were stabled. The number of new febrile cases sharply increased, but the occurrence was rapidly calmed down within 2 weeks. The morbidity rate in these facilities was 12.8% and the subclinical infection rate of healthy racehorses examined by rapid antigen detection tests was 19.4% at the early stage of epidemic. The serological studies along with the low morbidity rate and the existence of numbers of asymptomatically infected racehorses, suggested that the cross-reactivity of the antibodies provided by vaccination against the epidemic strain contributed to reducing the morbidity rate and duration of epidemic.     

Embryo collection from pigs post‐pseudopregnancy induced by estradiol dipropionate

We aimed to define whether embryo collection carried out after pseudopregnancy was of similar outcome and quality as after artificial abortion. To induce pseudopregnancy, 30 gilts or sows were given 20 mg intramuscular estradiol dipropionate (EDP) 10–11 days after the onset of estrus. Ten additional pigs were inseminated artificially at natural estrus as a control group. Prostaglandin F_2α (PGF_2α) was administered twice with a 24 hr interval beginning 15, 20, or 25 days after EDP‐treatment (n = 10 per group) or between 23 and 39 days after artificial insemination in control pigs. Following this, all pigs were given 1,000 IU equine chorionic gonadotropin and 500 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and then inseminated. Embryos were recovered 6 or 7 days after hCG treatment and outcome was recorded. There was no significant difference in the number of normal embryos collected from the pigs with PGF_2α initiated at different time points or from the control group. Embryonic developmental stages 7 days after hCG treatment also did not differ among groups. These results indicate that the use of EDP to induce pseudopregnancy, followed by PGF_2α administration to synchronize estrus for subsequent embryo harvest, is a suitable alternative to the artificial abortion method.     

Energy expenditure for chewing in sheep fed timothy or sudangrass hay at the same intake level

In order to investigate the energy expended in chewing during eating and rumination in sheep fed timothy or sudangrass hay at the same intake level, the energy expenditure of the head was measured using the arterial-venous difference technique and that of the whole body was measured using an open-circuit, indirect respiration calorimeter. There was no difference in the per-chew energy expenditure between timothy hay and sudangrass hay during eating and rumination, but for both types of hay there was a difference in energy expenditure between eating (0.25 J per chew per kilogram body weight) and rumination (0.18 J per chew per kilogram body weight). There was no effect of time period after feeding on the energy expended in one chew during eating and rumination. On average, for a given type of hay, the energy expended in chewing during eating + rumination accounted for 4.9% of the daily energy expenditure of the whole body.     

Seed abortion of ‘Tosa-Buntan’ pummelo pollinated with soft-X-irradiated pollens

Cross-pollination was performed with soft-X-irradiated hyuga-natsu pollens (1000 Gy) for ‘Tosa-Buntan’ pummelo (Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck). This resulted in the transformation of large and complete seeds into small and empty ones (practically seedless). Although fruit set, fruit retention, total soluble solids content (TSS) and titratable acidity of the juice were not affected, decrement in the fruit size was observed. Two weeks after the pollination, endosperm cell division with free nuclei began in both the non-irradiated and irradiated pollen treatment conditions. Seven weeks after pollination, endosperm division with the cell wall occurred in the non-irradiated pollen treatment conditions; however, the endosperm development ceased in most ovules that underwent the irradiated pollen treatment, and the ovules remained in their free nuclear stage. The delayed degeneration of the ovules, following successful fertilization and commencement of endosperm cell division, allow these seedless fruits to be categorized as pseudo-parthenocarpic.     

Storage of plug seedlings of tomato under limited fertilisation,and growth,flowering and yield after planting

We stored plug seedlings of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Momotaro) under limited fertilisation (LF) for 12 weeks, and evaluated growth and development during storage and after planting. Seedlings in the LF treatment were grown in substrate containing starter fertiliser and irrigated with water. Controls (CT) were irrigated with nutrient solution. Stem growth, leaf growth, and biomass accumulation slowed or ceased during storage of LF seedlings, while CT seedlings showed increases in these parameters. At 2 weeks after planting, the stem length of LF seedlings was shorter than that of CT seedlings, but the two seedling types had similar numbers of leaves. At harvest, LF and CT plants had similar numbers of leaves under the fruit trusses, but the trusses formed at lower heights in LF than in CT seedlings. LF and CT plants produced similar numbers of fruits and similar yields from the first to third trusses. These results indicate that tomato plug seedlings can be stored for more than 2 months under LF.     

Seroprevalence of Neospora caninum in dairy cattle in Bahia, Brazil.

Sera collected from 447 dairy cattle on 14 dairy farms were tested for Neospora caninum antibodies by use of an immunofluorescent antibody technique. Positive reactions with titres > or =1:200 were found in 63 (14.09%) of animals. Neospora positive sera were also tested for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies by using a commercial latex agglutination test. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 3 (4.76%) of 63 N. caninum positive sera. These results indicate that N. caninum infection is widespread among dairy cattle in Bahia state.     

Wireless monitoring of blood glucose levels in flatfish with a needle biosensor

A wireless biosensor system was developed for the continuous measurement of blood glucose levels in flatfish. The biosensor was implanted in the interstitial fluid under the scleral surface of the eyeball (EISF) to investigate the relationship between EISF and blood glucose levels. EISF glucose levels were found to be correlated with those in the blood and to be approximately the same as blood glucose levels in the range of 7–25 mg dl⁻¹. A needle-type biosensor was prepared for the continuous EISF glucose monitoring in flatfish. A working electrode was constructed using platinum iridium wire, and glucose oxidase was immobilized to the electrode. The biosensor was inserted into the EISF of flatfish for sensor implantation. A 650-mV potential (vs. Ag/AgCl) was applied by a wireless potentiostat to the working electrode for the amperometric glucose measurement. We investigated whether glucose in the EISF can be determined in vivo. The estimated glucose levels using a one-point calibration method were correlated with actual blood glucose levels. In conclusion, using a wireless biosensor system, we were able to monitor blood glucose levels in flatfish under free-swimming conditions for 16 h.     

Characterisation of starch properties and physical characteristics in buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.) mutant lacking accumulation of ‘granule-bound starch synthase a’

The concentration of amylose, which is synthesised using granule-bound starch synthase, affects the physical properties of food. However, no studies have focused on starch properties and physical characteristics of low-amylose buckwheat. Here, we hypothesised that low-amylose buckwheat would be useful to produce new buckwheat products because low-amylose characteristics change the texture of buckwheat food. In this study, we bred relatively low-amylose buckwheat compared to wild type and investigated the causative genes of the traits, starch properties and physical properties of noodles. In the GBSSa mutant, the amylose concentration was lower than that in the wild type. Compared with the wild type, the mutant exhibited the following traits: Amylose concentration decreased by approximately 2%, setback in the Rapid Visco Analyzer decreased by 30 points and the physical characteristics of noodles in the sensory analysis were soft and sticky. These results suggest that this trait may be useful for changing the texture of foods. In addition, the mutant is promising for producing new foods with physical characteristics that are different from those of the wild type.     

Thermal tolerance of a thermally selected strain of rainbow trout <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus mykiss</Emphasis> and the pedigrees of its F1 and F2 generations indicated by their critical thermal maxima

A thermally selected strain of rainbow trout has been established by selective breeding since 1966 in Miyazaki, Japan. In the present study, we compared the critical thermal maxima (CTMs), the temperatures at which organisms reach a predefined sublethal endpoint and lose their equilibrium, between a thermally selected and two normal (Donaldson) strains of rainbow trout. The CTM of one normal strain from Nikko (Nikko strain) acclimated to 20 °C (29.7 °C) was significantly lower than those of the thermally selected strain (30.0 °C) and the other Donaldson strain from Aomori (29.9 °C) (P?<?0.05). The F1 generations, F1T and F1N, were produced by crossing thermally selected strain females with Nikko strain males and Nikko strain females with thermally selected strain males, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the CTM between F1T [30.1?±?0.15 °C (n?=?30)] and F1N [30.1?±?0.16 °C (n?=?30)] (P?>?0.05) for fish acclimated to 20 °C, suggesting that the F1 offspring inherited the thermal tolerance trait from one thermally selected strain parent irrespective of whether it was the male or female. F2 offspring of F1T or F1N also showed the thermal tolerance trait. The coefficients of variation for CTM were also compared among all the datasets obtained in the present study and their values for F1 hybrids were lower than those of the parental generation of the Nikko strain (P?<?0.05). In contrast, the coefficients of variation of F2s were the same as those of their parental generation. Furthermore, the thermally selected strain and Nikko strain as a reference family provide a F2 generation for segregating phenotypes, which is required for in-depth genetic analysis of the thermally selected rainbow trout strain.