Total hip replacement in two dogs with unsuccessful femoral head ostectomy

An English setter (case 1) and a Tibetan mastiff (case 2) presented with intermittent weight-bearing lameness on the right hind limb when trotting. The dogs had a history of femoral head and neck ostectomy (FHNO). Orthopedic examination revealed pain and crepitus on the right hip joint. The dogs underwent total hip replacement (THR). At the 2-year (case 1) and 1-year (case 2) follow-up, both dogs had resumed normal activity without lameness. The muscle mass and range of motion were significantly improved in the affected hind limb. In conclusion, FHNO with poor functional outcomes can be successfully ameliorated with THR.     

Irradiation and modified atmosphere packaging effects on residual nitrite,ascorbic acid,nitrosomyoglobin, and color in sausage

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the irradiation and modified atmosphere packaging effects on emulsion-type cooked pork sausage during storage for 4 weeks. CO(2) (100%), N(2) (100%), or 25% CO(2)/75% N(2) packaged sausage were irradiated at 0, 5, and 10 kGy, and residual nitrite, residual ascorbic acid, nitrosomyoglobin (NO-Mb), color values, and their correlation were observed. Irradiation significantly reduced the residual nitrite content and caused partial reduction of NO-Mb during storage. No difference was observed in ascorbic acid content by irradiation. Irradiation decreased the Hunter color a value of sausage. CO(2) or CO(2)/N(2) packaging were more effective for reducing residual nitrite and inhibiting the loss of the red color of sausage compared to N(2) packaging. Results indicated that the proper combination of irradiation and modified atmosphere packaging could reduce the residual nitrite in sausage with minimization of color change.     

Delivery management water requirement for irrigation ditches associated with large-sized paddy plots in Korea

Delivery management water requirement (DMWR) is the use of bypass water in paddy field irrigation to help maintain desired water levels in irrigation canals and to distribute water to paddy plots in a uniform manner. Diverted irrigation water (DIW), DMWR, and the DMWR/DIW ratio were investigated for concrete lined irrigation ditches with large-sized paddy plots (100 m×100 m) during irrigation periods (May to mid-September). DIW and DMWR were measured at 5- to 10-day intervals at the inlets and outlets of irrigation ditches on stable water supply days. The mean DMWR/DIW ratios in irrigation ditches L₁ and L₂ over 3 years were 36 and 34%, respectively. The mean DMWR/DIW ratios displayed month-to-month and year-to-year variation. The monthly mean DMWR/DIW ratios were highest (55 and 71%) in June and lowest (<20%) in August and September. The annual mean DMWR/DIW ratios during a dry year markedly decreased to 11%, compared with 42% in other years. The decrease was due to the small DIW and farmers water management to maximize capture of limited irrigation water during the drought. The DMWRs in May and June were significantly (p<0.01) correlated with the DIWs, indicating that high DMWR in May and June are attributed to excessive DIW.     

Blackberry extract attenuates oxidative stress through up-regulation of Nrf2-dependent antioxidant enzymes in carbon tetrachloride-treated rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective ability of blackberry extract (BE) against oxidative stress in carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-treated rats. The results showed that treatment with BE attenuated lipid peroxidation that was increased by CCl(4) and also markedly recovered the activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR), that were decreased by CCl(4). BE also elevated the protein expression levels of NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2), CuZnSOD, MnSOD, GPx-1/2, and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), but not that of catalase. Furthermore, the administration of BE significantly attenuated the levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) that were increased by CCl(4). Therefore, the present study suggests that BE possesses significant protective effects against in vivo oxidative stress.     

Larvicidal activity of Kaempferia galanga rhizome phenylpropanoids towards three mosquito species

BACKGROUND: This study was aimed at assessing the toxicity of ethyl cinnamate and ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (EMC) identified in Kaempferia galangal L. (Zingiberaceae) rhizome and another 12 known compounds to third-instar larvae from laboratory-reared Culex pipiens pallens Forskal, Aedes aegypti L. and Ochlerotatus togoi Theobald and field-collected C. pipiens pallens (Jinhae colony). Results were compared with those for fenthion and temephos. RESULTS: Ethyl p-methoxycinnamate was the most toxic of the test compounds to larvae of the three mosquito species (LC(50) 12.3-20.7 mg L(-1)) but less toxic than either fenthion (0.0096-0.021 mg L(-1)) or temephos (0.0039-0.0079 mg L(-1)). Ethyl cinnamate and 3-carene were highly active against C. pipiens pallens larvae (24.1 and 21.6 mg L(-1)) but less toxic to A. aegypti and O. togoi larvae (ca 40 and 60 mg L(-1) respectively). The toxicity of these compounds to larvae from the Jinhae colony of C. pipiens pallens was almost the same as their toxicity to the laboratory-reared larvae, although the larvae from the colony exhibited low levels of resistance to fenthion (resistance ratio 9.1) and temephos (5.8).CONCLUSION: Kaempferia galanga rhizome-derived materials, particularly ethyl p-methoxycinnamate, merit further study as potential mosquito control agents for protection of humans and domestic animals from vector-borne diseases and nuisance caused by mosquitoes.     

Graphene barristor, a triode device with a gate-controlled Schottky barrier

Despite several years of research into graphene electronics, sufficient on/off current ratio I(on)/I(off) in graphene transistors with conventional device structures has been impossible to obtain. We report on a three-terminal active device, a graphene variable-barrier "barristor" (GB), in which the key is an atomically sharp interface between graphene and hydrogenated silicon. Large modulation on the device current (on/off ratio of 10(5)) is achieved by adjusting the gate voltage to control the graphene-silicon Schottky barrier. The absence of Fermi-level pinning at the interface allows the barrier's height to be tuned to 0.2 electron volt by adjusting graphene's work function, which results in large shifts of diode threshold voltages. Fabricating GBs on respective 150-mm wafers and combining complementary p- and n-type GBs, we demonstrate inverter and half-adder logic circuits.     

An association between lifespan and variation in insulin-like growth factor I receptor in sheep

Longevity in livestock is a valuable trait. When productive animals live longer, fewer replacement animals need to be raised. However, selection for longevity is not commonly the focus of breeding programs as direct selection for long-lived breeding stock is virtually impossible until late in the reproductive life of the animal. Additionally the underlying genetic factors or genes associated with longevity are either not known, or not well understood. In humans, there is evidence that IGF 1 receptor (IGF1R) is involved in longevity. Polymorphism in the IGF1R gene has been associated with longevity in a number of species. Recently, 3 alleles of ovine IGF1R were identified, but no analysis of the effect of IGF1R variation on sheep longevity has been reported. In this study, associations between ovine IGF1R variation, longevity and fertility were investigated. Polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) was used to type IGF1R variation in 1,716 New Zealand sheep belonging to 6 breeds and 36 flocks. Ovine IGF1R C was associated with age when adjusting for flock (present 5.5 ± 0.2 yr, absent 5.0 ± 0.1 yr, P = 0.02). A general linear mixed effects model suggested an association (P = 0.06) between age and genotype, when correcting for flock. Pairwise comparison (least significant difference) of specific genotypes revealed the difference to be between AA (5.0 ± 0.1 yr) and AC (5.6 ± 0.2 yr, P = 0.02). A weak negative Pearson correlation between fertility and longevity traits was observed (r = -0.25, P < 0.01). The finding of an association between variation in IGF1R and lifespan in sheep may be useful in prolonging the lifespan of sheep.     

Synergistic action of an X-prolyl dipeptidyl aminopeptidase and a non-specific aminopeptidase in protein hydrolysis

Non-specific monoaminopeptidase (AP; E.C. 3.4.11) and X-prolyl dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (X-PDAP; E.C. 3.4.14.5), both from Aspergillus oryzae, demonstrate strong synergism in hydrolyzing proline-containing peptides. Incubation of AP alone with the peptide Ala-Pro-Gly-Asp-Arg-Ile-Tyr-Val-His-Pro-Phe does not generate free amino acids. However, when AP and X-PDAP are added in combination, complete and immediate hydrolysis of all peptide bonds, other than X-Pro bonds, is observed. In the enzymatic hydrolysis of casein, soy, and gluten, degree of hydrolysis (DH) values of 54, 54, and 47% were achieved, respectively, when subtilisin (E.C. 3.4.21.62) was supplemented with AP. Addition of a third enzyme, X-PDAP, resulted in significantly higher DH values of 69, 72, and 64%, respectively, establishing the utility of this synergism in protein hydrolysis.