Granulomatous nephritis and meningoencephalomyelitis caused by Halicephalobus gingivalis in a pony gelding

A ten-year-old Shetland pony gelding showed low appetite, ataxia, peculiar swaying, clouding of consciousness, and ultimately died. At necropsy, multiple coalescing granulomatous foci were detected in the kidneys, and small necrotic lesions were found in the cerebellum. Histologic examination of the renal tissue sections revealed extensive granuloma, and Halicephalobus gingivalis-like nematodes were seen. Similar nematodes were found in the granulomatous or necrotic lesions of the renal lymph nodes and cerebellum, and were also frequently detected in cerebrospinal meningovascular lesions. Morphologic features together with partial ribosomal RNA gene sequences of the nematodes in the lesions revealed that they were H. gingivalis. The present results indicated that H. gingivalis caused granulomatous nephritis and meningoencephalomyelitis in this pony gelding.     

Fucoxanthin and Its Metabolites in Edible Brown Algae Cultivated in Deep Seawater

Three metabolites of fucoxanthin were isolated from a brown alga, Scytosiphon lomentaria, and the structure of a new compound was determined by NMR. The content of fucoxanthin, a biologically active carotenoid, in four edible brown algae, cultivated in deep seawater, was studied.     

Effectiveness of tetrazolium salts in microbial ecological studies in submerged soil

Several trials to obtain information on the living microorganisms at micro-sites of the submerged soil by the novel utilization of the tetrazolium salts were described. Results are summarized as follows:

(1) The air-dried soil was incubated with TIC (triphenyl tetrazolium chloride) under submerged condition according to the modified double layer plate method. The red formazan (the reduced product of TIC) was precipitated at the biologically active sites by the dehy. drogenase activity. Using a binocular microscope, most of the biologically active sites were found to be localized on and around the organic debris.

(2) The amount of nitrogen mineralized by incubating the soil under submerged condi. tion correlated well not only with the amount of formazan formed biologically in the submerged soil but also with the amount of formazan formed non-biologically by heating the soil with TIC in Ba(OH). solution. In addition, the pattern of precipitation of the nonbiologically formed formazan was very similar to that of the biologically formed formazan. Accordingly, the substances which reduced TIC non-biologically were considered to be closely associated with the substrates for the microorganisms.

(3) The plant debris stained with the red formazan could be mounted on a slide glass and observed at high magnification for the detailed study on the process of decomposition. Addition of lactophenol cotton blue to the plant debris could visualize the microorganisms responsible for the decomposition of the plant debris.

(4) NTB (nitro tetrazolium blue) was the most suitable for staining individual microorganisms growing on cellulosic materials or plant debris. The double staining with NTB and rosebengal made the discrimination between dead or resting cells and viable ones possible when this technique was applied to the decomposed filter paper.     

Organic matter production in rice field flood water

To assess the contribution of organic matter produced in the flood water to the fertility of a rice soil, the primary productivity and the algal biomass therein were examined throughout one crop. Primary productivity was estimated from the diurnal curve of dissolved oxygen.

Just after transplanting, an algal bloom developed due to fert,ilizer or ploughing or both. After submerged weeds occupied the whole paddy no distinct algal growth was found. At the ripening stage, the rice plant canopy suppressed the growth of aquatic plants. Benthic algal biomass did not change much throughout the crop period. The standing crop of algae ranged from 2 to 114 kg/ha by fresh weight, while the maximum standing crop of submerged weeds (Najas sp., Chara sp.) was 400 kg/ha by dry weight.

The primary productivity of the flood water community was high (0.6-3.3 g 0 1 m^-2day^-l) and equivalent to productivity values in eutrophic lakes. The total gross primary production of the flood water community during the cropping period corresponded to 10% and 15% of that of rice plant in the fertilized plot and non-fertilized plot, respectively.

Considering the movement of CO₂ in the flood water, it is suggested that the photosynthesis activity in the flood water prevents surplus CO₂ from being lost.     

Spatial variability of soil solution chemistry under Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) in Tama Hills

A monitoring study on precipitation and soil solution was conducted to analyze soil acidification processes at the Rolling Land Laboratory (RLL), Hachioji, Tokyo based on the spatial variability of the soil solution chemistry around the Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) trunk. Soil solution samples were taken at various distances from the tree trunks and at various depths. Soil solution pH at the depth of 10 cm decreased to 4.1–4.2 on the downslope side of large tree trunks, presumably due to the heterogeneity of throughfall input and extensive infiltration of acidic stemflow. Ammonium ions brought by throughfall and stemflow were nitrified and provided large amounts of H⁺. Protons were replaced with exchangeable cations. When base cations were depleted, aluminum ion became the dominant cation species. On the average, Ca²⁺ concentration in the soil solutions at the depth of 10 cm decreased from 0.28 mmol_c L^-1 at the reference site to 0.18 mmol_c L^-1 on the downslope side and Mg²⁺ concentration decreased from 0.30 mmol_c L^-1 to 0.15 mmol_c L^-1. Arithmetic mean aluminum concentration at the depth of 10 cm on the downslope side was 0.35 mmol_c L^-1. Here aluminum dissolution was the main acid sink. Based on the spatial variability of the soil solution chemistry, soil solution acidification processes were divided into four stages.     

Effects of land-use and management practices on soil ergosterol content in andosols

Ergosterol is a fungus-specific chemical component which has been extensively used to assess the fungal biomass and activity in soils. In the present study, we investigated the soil ergosterol content in a group of Japanese soils differing in management. In addition, the relationships among the soil ergosterol content (SEC), microbial biomass C (MBC), and microbial biomass N (MBN) were also tested in different seasons. Our results showed that the SEC was lower in intensively cropped soils than in pasture and forest soils. In general, no consistent trend was observed for SEC of pasture soils within the same sampling period. However, SEC tended to decrease in most of the soils in autumn, which may be ascribed to the effect of seasonal changes on fungal biomass. No strong evidence could be obtained for the effect of different fertilizers on SEC, which can be due to different management variables and interspecific variations between fungal communities at different soil sites. Our results did not suggest the presence of a noticeable correlation between SEC and MBC or MBN. The ratio of SEC in total biomass C was lower (0.20 and 0.11% in spring and autumn, respectively) compared with the values reported.     

Nitrate adsorption in some andisols developed under different moisture conditions

Nitrate leaching from agricultural lands is one of the most critical problems related to both environmental quality and human health. Although in many studies surfacecharge properties of and nitrate adsorption in soils have been analyzed in tropical and subtropical regions, fewer studies have been conducted on the nitrateretention properties of allo phanic Andisols. The objectives of the present study were to examine the potential nitrate adsorption capacity and the factors affecting nitrate retention in topsoils and subsoils of three Andisols Tokaachi, Hokkaido. Nitrate adsorption at pH 6.0 was found to be low or negligible even in the subsoil of a Haplic Wet Andisol (Melanaquands), despite the high clay content, Nitrate adsorption maxima calculated from the Langmuir equation were higher in the lower horizons of a Haplic Andisol (Melanudands) and a Lowhumic Andisol (Hap ludands), which were developed under moderate to moderately dry moisture conditions and displayed a high allophane content and a low total carbon content. The nitrate adsorption of the aliophanic Andisols was much higher than that reported from other studies conducted in Ultisols and Oxisols, which are rich in iron oxides. The potential capacity to adsorb nitrates and retard nitrate movement should be taken into account in predicting the fate of nitrate in soils and the consequent mitigation of groundwater contamination.     

Butyltin and phenyltin compounds in river i bay sediments of Tokyo

The occurrence and current status of butyltin and phenyltin compounds were investigated in sediments collected from the Arakawa and Sumida Rivers and Tokyo Bay in 2000. A series of butyltin and phenyltin compounds, including monobutyltin (MBT), dibutyltin (DBT), tributyltin (TBT), monophenyltin (MPT), diphenyltin (DPT), and triphenyltin (TPT) was detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The total concentrations of the butyltin (MBT + DBT + TBT) and phenyltin (MPT + DPT + TPT) compounds ranged from 25.7 to 116 and from non-detectable levels to 22.4 ng g' (as Sn), respectively. The concentrations of the organotin (OT) compounds in sediments were relatively lower than those of the samples collected in 1984. OT compounds accounted for 124% (as Sn) of total Sn in the sediments. Among the OT compounds investigated, MBT was the most prevalent in the sediments.     

Changes of fumonisin production in rice grain during ensiling

We assessed fumonisin production during the ensiling of rice grain. Rice grain was harvested at the full‐ripe stage and prepared as rough rice, crushed rough rice, brown rice or crushed brown rice. Each material was ensiled under six conditions: (1) no fungus, anaerobic; (2) no fungus, aerobic; (3) water added, anaerobic; (4) water and fumonisin‐producing fungus added, anaerobic; (5) water and fumonisin‐producing fungus added, aerobic; or (6) fumonisin‐producing fungus added to autoclaved material, aerobic. After 40 days of ensilage, we analyzed the silage fermentative quality and fumonisin concentration. The fermentative quality of all materials was good in treatments (3) and (4) (pH < 4), reasonable in treatment (5) (pH = 5～6) and unacceptable in treatments (1) and (2) (pH > 6.5). The fumonisin concentration was low in all materials in treatments (1) to (4), slightly increased in the three materials other than rough rice in treatment (5), and enormously increased in all materials in treatment (6). The results indicate that the fumonisin‐producing fungus does not produce fumonisin in anaerobic conditions. It is important that an anaerobic condition be maintained during ensiling in order to reduce the fumonisin content in rice grain silage.     

Successful blastocyst production by intracytoplasmic injection of sperm after in vitro maturation of follicular oocytes obtained from immature female squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis)

Advanced reproductive technologies are being applied for the propagation of squirrel monkeys, to ensure their preservation as a genetic resource and the effective use of their gametes in the future. In the present study, oocytes and spermatozoa were collected from live squirrel monkeys, following which piezo intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was performed using these gametes. Follicular development was induced by administering equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) containing inhibin antiserum to an immature squirrel monkey female. The unilateral ovary was excised after the administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), to induce ovulation, following which the larger developed follicular oocytes were collected. Follicular oocytes were prepared for ICSI using sperm from the epididymal tail of a unilateral testis extracted from a mature male. The embryos were continuously incubated in CMRL 1066 medium supplemented with 10% (v/v) fetal bovine serum. Embryo culture was performed with cumulus cells. Two experiments of ICSI carried out with three females resulted in 14 mature oocytes from the 49 cumulus-oocyte complexes collected and five embryos, three of which developed into blastocysts. These blastocysts were vitrified, thawed, and transferred to recipient monkeys, but no pregnancies resulted. In conclusion, the present study is the first to successfully produce ICSI-derived blastocysts from MII oocytes obtained by means of hormone administration (a combination of eCG+inhibin antiserum and hCG) and in vitro maturation in immature squirrel monkeys.