An outbreak of systemic granulomatous disease in cows with high milk yields

Seven of 92 lactating Holstein cows on a dairy farm developed urticaria with alopecia and decreased milk production, and three of the seven died over the course of 7 to 18 days. Pathologic examination of the three cows, including the two dead and one euthanized cow, revealed that the skin, liver, spleen, kidneys, heart, salivary glands, pancreas, adrenal glands, mammary glands, lymph nodes, and trigeminal ganglia had lymphocytic to lymphogranulomatous inflammation. Inflammation predominated by lymphocytic infiltration was prominent in the heart, pancreas, mammary glands, adrenal gland, and trigeminal ganglia. Severe granulomatous inflammation with multinucleated giant cells was present in the spleen and kidneys. These lesions and their distributions were most similar to those seen in suspected cases of citrus pulp toxicosis and hairy vetch toxicosis. The outbreak of this disease resolved with the elimination of Citrus pulp from the feed. Immunohistochemical detection of lymphocytes and macrophage markers confirmed dramatic hyperplasia of CD3-positive T lymphocytes in these lesions. This strongly suggested that a type 4 hypersensitivity reaction played a role in the development of the lesions.     

Introduction of exogenous DNA into gonads of chick embryos by lipofection and electroporation of stage X blastoderms in vivo

1. In order to introduce exogenous DNA into gonads of chick embryos, stage X blastoderms of freshly laid and unincubated eggs were transfected by lipofection and electroporation in vivo. 2. The introduced DNA, green fluorescence protein (GFP) gene, was efficiently expressed in the blastoderms incubated for 24 h (78.8%, 78/99). 3. The GFP gene was present in most of the embryonic bodies and extra-embryonic membranes died by d 10 of incubation, when analysed by polymerase chain reaction. On d 16 to 20 of incubation, the GFP gene was detected in 7.0 to 20.9% of embryos in the heart, liver, stomach and brain, but not in the sartorius muscle. For the gonads, the GFP gene was detected in 22.2% (6/27) of the testes and 6.3% (1/18) of the ovaries examined. 4. These results suggest that it is possible to introduce exogenous DNA into gonads of chick embryos by lipofection and electroporation of stage X blastoderms in vivo.     

Isolation of secretory IgA from feline bile and bile IgA levels in growing cats.

Secretory IgA was isolated from feline bile, using ammonium sulphate precipitation, gel-filtration chromatography and affinity chromatography. It formed a precipitating line between anti-cat whole serum or anti-cat bile serum by immunoelectrophoresis and double diffusion. It consisted of three subunits that molecular weight were 80 kd, 62 kd and 27 kd by SDS-PAGE analysis. The 80 kd protein was equivalent to secretory component of human and other animals. Immunoglobulin levels were observed on bile collected continuously by gallbladder cannulation in growing cats. Although immunoglobulins were not detected in bile of feline fetus, after birth its levels increased gradually. Biliary IgA levels reached the adult levels earlier than that of their serum.     

Multiple vitellogenins in white perch (Morone americana)

Three forms of female-specific plasma protein were purified from blood plasma of estrogen-treated white perch, characterized, and classified as three distinct vitellogenins (VgA, VgB, and VgC). This study describes the first purification of three classes of native Vg from any vertebrate and sets the stage for discovery of the different functions of each type of Vg.     

Maturational factors as indicators of egg quality in Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica

In order to identify maturational factors that can serve as indicators of egg quality in artificially matured Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica, maturation-promoting factor (MPF; consists of cdc2 and cyclin B) related proteins and chromosomes were examined. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK; 44 kDa band) and cdc2 (35 kDa and 34 kDa band) were detected. Chromosomes aligned on a vertical spindle appeared normal; however, chromosomes on a horizontal spindle and dispersed chromosomes seemed unusual.     

Varietal difference in vitamin C content in the fruit of kiwifruit and other actinidia species

Vitamin C content in the fruit of various cultivars of kiwifruit and other Actinidia species was estimated by determination of L-ascorbic acid and L-dehydroascorbic acid using ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Fruit of A. deliciosa cv. Hayward, the most common commercially available cultivar, contained 65.5 mg/100 g fresh weight (FW) vitamin C. Vitamin C content in A. deliciosa fruit varied from 29 mg/100 g FW to 80 mg/100 g FW. In most cultivars of A. chinensis, vitamin C content in fruit was higher than that of Hayward. In particular, vitamin C content in cv. Sanuki Gold fruit reached more than 3-fold that of Hayward on a weight for weight basis. In A. argutafruit, there was wide variation in vitamin C content, with concentrations ranging from 37 to 185 mg/100 g FW. In cv. Gassan, Issai, and Mitsuko, vitamin C content of the fruit was much higher than that of Hayward. In A. arguta fruit, the ratio of L-ascorbic acid to total ascorbic acid tended to be higher than that of other species.     

Utility of progesterone receptor-ires-Cre to generate conditional knockout mice for uterine study

In mice, the conditional knockout strategy using the Cre-loxP system is useful for various types of research. The Cre mouse line with progesterone receptor promoter (Pgr^Cre) has been widely used to produce specific uterine gene-deficient mice, but in the Cre line, endogenous Pgr gene is replaced by Cre recombinase gene, which makes the breeding of homozygous mice (Pgr^Cre/Cre) difficult because they are infertile. Yang et al. (2013, https://10.1016/j.cell.2013.04.017 ) reported the generation of another Pgr^iresCre mouse line that still has endogenous Pgr gene, and they inserted Cre recombinase downstream of the Pgr gene via an internal ribosome entry site (IRES). It is possible that this new Pgr^iresCre line would be useful for uterine research as the mice can be bred as homozygotes (Pgr^{iresCre/iresCre}). Herein, we confirmed the Pgr^iresCre mice effectively directed recombination in the female reproductive tract and was capable of genetic alteration in the endometrium that enables the studies of its uterine function. Our findings demonstrate that the new Pgr^iresCre mouse line is also useful for the generation of uterine-specific knockout mice. The findings using Pgr^iresCre mouse will contribute to the understanding of reproductive systems and diseases in humans and domestic animals.     

Long-term postsurgical outcomes of mast cell tumors resected with a margin proportional to the tumor diameter in 23 dogs

We evaluated the postsurgical outcomes of cutaneous or subcutaneous mast cell tumors (MCTs, n=25) in 23 dogs, resected with lateral surgical margins proportional to the widest tumor diameter, including at least one facial plane. The tumor diameter range was 0.3–2.6 cm (median: 0.9 cm), and all were histologically diagnosed as Kiupel’s low-grade MCT. Resection was histologically complete in 20, close (deep margin) in three, and incomplete (deep margin) in two. No dogs developed local recurrence at the site of initial surgery during follow-up of 161–2,219 days (median: 976 days). These results suggest that resection of low-grade, relatively small MCTs with surgical margins proportional to the tumor diameter is a practical procedure with high success rates.