Neutropenia associated with osteomyelitis due to Hepatozoon canis infection in a dog

A 4-year-old, intact male Shiba dog was referred to Yamaguchi University Animal Medical Center, Yamaguchi, Japan, for the following complaints: anorexia, lethargy, intermittent fever, gingival bleeding and abdominal purpura. The dog presented with persistent neutropenia. Histopathological examination of a bone marrow sample revealed round to oval structures that resembled Hepatozoon micromerozoites and formed a "wheel-spoke" pattern. Furthermore, mature neutrophils were observed around these structures. PCR and sequencing using bone marrow aspirate confirmed Hepatozoon canis (H. canis) infection. These findings suggest that the neutropenia observed in this case was associated with osteomyelitis due to H. canis infection. This is the first report of neutropenia associated with H. canis infection. H. canis infection can be included in the differential diagnosis in canine cases of neutropenia in areas where the disease is endemic.     

播期和密氮组合对镇麦10号干物质积累及产量的调控效应

为确定江苏淮南麦区红皮强筋小麦高产栽培的适宜播期、种植密度和氮肥施用量,选用红皮强筋小麦新品种镇麦10号作为试验材料,在基施45%复合肥375 kg·hm^-2和尿素150 kg·hm^-2条件下,分析了播期和密氮组合对小麦群体干物质积累和产量的影响。结果表明,播期和密氮组合对镇麦10号产量及干物质积累量有极显著的影响。随着播期的延迟,镇麦10号产量先升后降,穗数和千粒重下降,穗粒数略有增加。11月5日播种较10月20日和11月20日播种分别增产2.26%和10.59%;种植密度对籽粒产量的影响因播期不同而有所差异;种植密度增加有利于提高有效穗数,但降低穗粒数和千粒重。10月20日播种时,提高种植密度不利于产量的增加,在基本苗225×10⁴ 株·hm^-2下平均产量最高,较基本苗300×10⁴ 和375×10⁴ 株·hm^-2分别增产3.52%和9.21%;11月5日和11月20日播种时,籽粒产量随着密度的提高而增加,以基本苗375×10⁴ 株·hm^-2的产量最高,较基本苗225×10⁴ 和300×104株·hm^-2分别增产6.32%、4.89%和4.58%、3.25%。增加追氮量有利于穗数、穗粒数和千粒重的增加,但过量追氮时,穗数、穗粒数和千粒重降低;追施纯氮120 kg·hm^-2可显著提高籽粒产量,追氮量过多过少均不利于产量的增加。早播、增加种植密度、增施氮肥均能促进镇麦10号干物质积累,但不利于产量的提高。在本试验条件下,镇麦10号高产最适播期为11月5日,最优密度为375×10⁴ 株·hm^-2,适宜追氮量为120 kg·hm^-2。     

A dog with myelodysplastic syndrome: chronic myelomonocytic leukemia

An eleven-year-old female pug was referred to Yamaguchi University Animal Hospital for evaluation of anemia and thrombocytopenia. The cytological examination of the peripheral blood showed some giant monocytic lineage blast cells. A few granulocytes and platelets had dysplastic features. On day 7, in addition to increasing the monocytic lineage cells, the dysplastic features of the blood had also increased compared to the initial examination. We performed bone marrow aspiration upon her death. The bone marrow revealed dysplastic features in all three hematopoietic cell lines, and an increase in the monocytic cell line. Based on the features of the bone marrow and the peripheral blood, this case was confirmed to be myelodysplastic syndrome--Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (MDS-CMML).     

Cold pre-treatment is effective for 1-MCP efficacy in ‘Tsugaru’ apple fruit

1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment maintains apple fruit quality during storage, but its efficacy is dependent on a number of conditions. ‘Tsugaru’ apples are a major early season cultivar in Japan, but because ‘Tsugaru’ fruit produce abundant ethylene, they have a short shelf-life, and efficacy of 1-MCP is not as high with ‘Tsugaru’ as with other cultivars. To improve 1-MCP efficacy, ‘Tsugaru’ fruit were pre-cooled at −1 °C or −3 °C for 24 h before 1-MCP treatment. Ethylene production decreased with the cold treatment, resulting in better storage after 1-MCP treatment. Although ethylene production was low at the end of 24 h of the cold pre-treatment, expression of ACS1, the ethylene receptor genes ERS1, ETR1(a), ETR1b, ETR2 and ETR5, and the cell wall degradation-related gene PG1 all increased with a 24 h cold treatment. It is assumed that these elevated gene expression levels were not caused by ethylene, but more directly by cold stimulus. Thus, a short period of cold stimulus suppresses ethylene production, but induces expression of some genes. 1-MCP treatment was more effective with some initial fruit chilling.     

Phylogenetic differentiation of cultivated rice,XXIII. Potentiality of wild progenitors to evolve the Indica and Japonica types of rice cultivars

Summary Studies of intermediate wild-cultivated plants suggested that the Indica-Japonica differentiation of cultivars of Oryza sativa L. has taken place with the domestication of wild plants. The wild progenitor, which is considered to be the Asian form of O. perennis Moench, shows no trace of differentiation into two such types as the Indica and Japonica. To elucidate the potentiality of the wild progenitor to evolve the two types when domesticated, the selfed progenies from an Indica × wild and a japonica × wild cross were examined with regard to three characters known to be useful for distinguishing between the two types. The data showed that Japonica-like plants were derived from the Indica × wild cross and Indica-like plants from the Japonica × wild cross. The Indica-Japonica differentiation was considered to have resulted from selection of incipient domesticates having such potentiality under different climatic conditions; the dynamics was discussed.     

Supramolecular linear heterojunction composed of graphite-like semiconducting nanotubular segments

One-dimensionally connected organic nanostructures with dissimilar semiconducting properties are expected to provide a reliable platform in understanding the behaviors of photocarriers, which are important for the development of efficient photon-to-electrical energy conversion systems. Although bottom-up supramolecular approaches are considered promising for the realization of such nanoscale heterojunctions, the dynamic nature of molecular assembly is problematic. We report a semiconducting nanoscale organic heterojunction, demonstrated by stepwise nanotubular coassembly of two strategically designed molecular graphenes. The dissimilar nanotubular segments, thus connected noncovalently, were electronically communicable with one another over the heterojunction interface and displayed characteristic excitation energy transfer and charge transport properties not present in a mixture of the corresponding homotropically assembled nanotubes.     

Regulation of stony hard peach softening with ACC treatment

Controlling the rate of fruit softening in melting-flesh peaches is a primary goal of the fruit industry. Stony hard (SH) peach varieties lack the ability to synthesize 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), the precursor of ethylene, which is required for fruit maturation. SH peaches thus have crisp flesh that remains firm during ripening. In this study, we developed a simple technique to stimulate fruit softening by a single spray application of ACC at a concentration of 10–20 mM, which was sufficient to allow ethylene synthesis and fruit softening. Higher concentrations of ACC increased ethylene production, and made the fruit softer. Ethylene synthesis was limited to the first 2–3 d after ACC treatment, after which fruit ceased softening and retained its remaining firmness. These results indicate that a single application of ACC solution can be used to regulate the process of fruit softening in SH peaches.