Antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli isolated from feces of wild cranes migrating to Kagoshima, Japan

Susceptibility to 13 antimicrobial agents was examined for 138 Escherichia coli isolates obtained from 192 fecal samples of wild cranes that migrated for wintering to the Izumi plain, Kagoshima prefecture in Japan. The numbers of isolates that were resistant to the antimicrobials used in this study are as follows: oxytetracycline (OTC), 22 isolates; minocycline, 7 isolates; ampicillin (ABPC), 4 isolates; nalidixic acid, 4 isolates; enrofloxacin, 2 isolates; kanamycin, one isolate. Multidrug resistant isolates exhibiting 2-4 drug resistances were obtained. All of the OTC-resistant isolates carried either the tet (A) or tet(B) gene. The bla(TEM) gene was found in all of the ABPC-resistant isolates.     

Minimum alveolar concentration for blunting adrenergic responses (MAC-BAR) of sevoflurane in dogs

It is well known that heart rate or arterial blood pressure may increase in response to surgical stimulation despite the absence of a purposeful movement. However, there is limited information regarding anesthetic requirement for blunting adrenergic response in dogs. This study was designed to compare the minimum alveolar concentrations of sevoflurane required to prevent autonomic response (MAC-BAR) and purposeful movement (MAC) in dogs. Sevoflurane MAC-BAR and MAC were determined in 5 beagle dogs by judging dogs' response to a noxious electrical stimulus applied to the gingiva. The sevoflurane MAC-BAR was significantly higher than MAC (3.33 ± 0.48 vs 2.10 ± 0.28%, P=0.005). These results suggested that autonomic responses occurred at sevoflurane anesthetic concentrations at which purposeful movements were absent.     

Correction to: Dispersion and degradation of environmental DNA from caged fish in a marine environment

Fisheries Science - In the original publication the text in right column of page 330, the sequences of primers were incorrectly published as.     

Genetic variations within Symbiodinium clade C among zooxanthellate corals (Scleractinia) in the temperate zone of Japan

In a recent study most of the temperate-living corals were found to harbor stress-sensitive Symbiodinium clade C, which is common in the tropical zone. In this study, we investigated the genetic variations within Symbiodinium clade C among corals living in temperate waters of Japan (17 genera; 26 species) using rDNA internal transcribed spacers (ITSs) to clarify the genetic differences between climatic zones. We also focused on two widespread coral species, Acropora hyacinthus and Pocillopora damicornis, to compare the genetic differences of Symbiodinium clade C between subtropical and temperate regions. We found multiple haplotypes of Symbiodinium ITSs in clade C, which formed nine subclades. Our data indicate that five genera (Acropora, Cyphastrea, Stylocoeniella, Porites, Pocillopora) contained host-specific Symbiodinium, while members of the family Faviidae and others contained several Symbiodinium ITS haplotypes from two or three subclades. A comparative analysis using Acropora and Pocillopora also revealed that the temperate zone coral population formed a single subclade of Symbiodinium clade C that was genetically isolated from those of subtropical populations. In summary, the majority of corals living in temperate waters of Japan, such as faviid corals, have several ITS haplotypes which possibly are utilized as an opportunistic survival strategy under severe environmental conditions, whereas Acropora and Pocillopora at the very least harbor temperate zone-specific Symbiodinium.     

Differences in lamina joint anatomy cause cultivar differences in leaf inclination angle of rice

ABSTRACT

Leaf erectness is an important agronomic trait for improving canopy photosynthesis in rice. It is well known that leaf inclination angle (LIA) decreases after expansion during ripening. However, the high-yielding indica cultivar ‘Takanari’ retains a greater LIA during ripening than the high-quality japonica cultivar ‘Koshihikari’. To clarify the cause of the cultivar difference in LIA, we investigated anatomical characteristics of the lamina joint of a flag leaf. We found a close linear correlation between LIA at the centre and at the base of the leaf blade in both cultivars during ripening. The length of the lamina joint increased significantly more on the adaxial side of a leaf (the margin of the collar) than on the abaxial side (the abaxial side of the central part of the collar) in ‘Koshihikari’ after leaf expansion, but there was no clear difference in ‘Takanari’. We found a close linear correlation between the ratio of lamina joint length on the adaxial to abaxial sides and LIA in ‘Koshihikari’ and ‘Takanari’ during ripening. In ‘Koshihikari’, the average length of cells on the adaxial side increased significantly after leaf expansion, with no significant increase in that on the abaxial side and no significant change in cell number on either side. In ‘Takanari’, cell length and cell number showed no significant changes on either side of the lamina joint. We conclude that the cultivar difference in LIA during ripening is caused mainly by cell elongation on the adaxial side of the lamina joint.

List of Abbreviations: k: light extinction coefficient; LIA: leaf inclination angle; QTL: quantitative trait locus     

Clinical evaluation of balanced anesthesia using infusion of midazolam–ketamine–medetomidine in combination with inhalation of sevoflurane (MKM–OS anesthesia) in horses

MKM–OS anesthesia provides general anesthesia with minimum cardiovascular depression in experimental horses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of MKM–OS anesthesia in clinical cases. Sixty‐eight horses were anesthetized with MKM–OS anesthesia for selective or emergency surgery. The horse physical status was categorized based upon the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification scheme. Forty‐four horses were classified as ASA I or II (low‐risk; 30 soft tissue, eight ophthalmic, and six orthopedic surgeries) and 24 horses were classified as ASA III to V (high‐risk; 24 emergency colic surgeries). All horses were administered medetomidine (0.005 mg kg^–1 IV) as premedication and anesthetized with ketamine (2.5 mg kg^–1 IV) and midazolam (0.04 mg kg^–1 IV). The horses were orotracheally intubated and connected to a large animal breathing circuit that delivered oxygen‐sevoflurane and administered the midazolam (0.8 mg mL^–1)‐ketamine (40 mg mL^–1)‐medetomidine (0.05 mg mL^–1) drug combination at a rate of 0.025 mL kg^–1 hour^–1. Surgical anesthesia was maintained by controlling the dial setting of the sevoflurane vaporizer and achieved by delivering 1.6–1.8% of end‐tidal sevoflurane concentration. All horses were mechanically ventilated during anesthesia. Hypercapnia and hypoxia were not sufficiently improved in high‐risk horses (PaCO₂; low‐risk 45–53 mm Hg versus high‐risk 56–60 mm Hg, p < 0.01: PaO₂ low‐risk 248–388 mm Hg versus high‐risk 95–180 mm Hg, p < 0.01). Heart rate was significantly higher in high‐risk horses (low‐risk 37–42 bpm versus high‐risk 44–73 bpm, p < 0.01). Dobutamine infusion was required in five low‐risk (11%) and 17 high‐risk horses (68%) to maintain mean arterial blood pressure >70 mm Hg. Eleven high‐risk horses died during the perioperative period (three euthanized during surgery, two died during recovery, six died after recovery). The quality of recovery was good in low‐risk horses and good to satisfactory in high‐risk horses. MKM–OS anesthesia provided excellent surgical anesthesia with minimal to mild cardiovascular depression in low risk‐horses and mild to moderate cardiovascular depression in high risk‐horses. The possibility of preserve cardiovascular function could be the advantage of MKM–OS anesthesia in high‐risk horses.     

Characterization of Staphylococcus intermedius from pigeons, dogs, foxes, mink, and horses by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

Staphylococcus intermedius from pigeons, dogs, foxes, mink, and horses, was characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to evaluate the use of this typing method for discriminating among strains. SmaI cut the chromosomal DNA into 7-13 fragments ranging from approximately 48 kb to 655 kb, with most of the detectable fragments being smaller than 172 kb. S. intermedius from various animals had a high degree of restriction fragment length polymorphism. Pigeon strains have a similar genotype, despite the difference in their isolation area. Phage typing indicated that the dog, fox, and mink strains belong to the canine I or canine II type. The PFGE method further differentiated the mink strains from the dog and fox strains with regard to three fragments between 256 kb and 570 kb. As such, genomic DNA fingerprinting by PFGE appears to be an effective technique for discriminating S. intermedius strains from various animals. A combination of PFGE typing and phage typing would provide more detailed information than the single method for ecological investigations of S. intermedius.     

Determination of antigenic proteins of housedust mites in 90 dogs suffering from atopic dermatitis

Housedust mites, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D. pteronyssinus) and Dermatophagoides farinae (D. farinae), are the important causative agents of allergic diseases in human and animals. By using 165 dogs suffering from atopic dermatitis (AD), serum levels of immunogloblin E (IgE) antibody against 25 kinds of allergen including housedust mites were determined. Housedust mites were the most frequent allergen against which 90 of the 165 allergic dogs (54.5%) by IMMUNODOT assay. With the further analysis of immunoblotting assay in the 90 dogs sensitized with housedust mites, antigenic proteins of housedust mites recognized by IgE antibodies were with the apparent molecular masses of 15, 76, 90, 98, and 170-kD. Among them, the 15-kD protein that might be identical to Group 2 antigens (Der f2, Der p2) was prominently observed (52/90). This study indicates that about a half of dogs with AD were sensitized to housedust mites, suggesting that Group 2 antigens of housedust mites may be a major allergen in canine AD.     

Effects of lectin in the scleractinian coral Ctenactis echinata on symbiotic zooxanthellae

We report herein the presence of a lectin in the scleractinian coral Ctenactis (Fungia) echinata. The lectin bound preferentially to lactose, melibiose, and d-galactose. The purified lectin CecL was composed of several isolectins, and it was found to have a molecular mass of 67.4 kDa via gel filtration. Glycopeptidase F-treated CecL showed a single band at 32.5 kDa. The mass/charge ratios of the reduced CecL peaks were equivalent to half those of the native peaks. These results suggest that CecL is composed of two glycosylated polypeptides linked by interchain disulfide bonds. In a biological activity test using a zooxanthellal culture (Dinoflagellate Symbiodinium) clonally isolated from Fungia cf. fungites, CecL transformed the flagellated motile form of Symbiodinium into the nonmotile coccoid form, a form equivalent to the symbiotic stage. The activity of CecL on Symbiodinium cells was concentration dependent, and 100 μg/ml CecL arrested Symbiodinium cells in the coccoid form for 5 days. CecL also suppressed the growth of Symbiodinium cells, unlike the octocoral lectin derived from Sinularia lochmodes, which arrests Symbiodinium cells in the coccoid form but does not affect the growth of the coccoid. This result provides further evidence that coral lectins play a role in symbiont engagement and maintenance in zooxanthellae–coral symbiosis.