A case of perosomus elumbis in a Holstein calf

Perosomus elumbis is an occasionally found congenital anomaly of unknown etiology and is characterized by partial or complete agenesis of lumbar, sacral and coccygeal vertebrae and ankylosis of the hindlimbs. A 2-day-old female Holstein calf presented nearly normal forelimbs but flexure and ankylosis of the hindlimbs. The vertebrae and pelvic malformations and agenesis were radiographed and then necropsied. Mild ankylosis of the hindlimbs, absence of cauda equina, left scoliosis in state of fusion of T11 and T12 and complete fusion of L4 and L5, narrowed pelvic canal and misshapen ilium were confirmed. However, abnormal development or agenesis was not observed in the urogenital and intestinal system in this calf.     

Segmental aplasia of the uterine horn with ipsilateral renal agenesis in a cat

A nine-month-old domestic short haired cat was admitted with the history of acute vomiting, depression and shivering. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed minimum enlargement of the right uterine horn filled with anechoic fluid. On excretory urography, functionally and anatomically normal, enlarged left kidney was found, but right kidney was absent. It was preliminary diagnosed as hydrometra with right renal agenesis. Aiming at the correction of hydrometra, we performed ovariohysterectomy. During spaying, we found a missing segment of distal part of the right uterine horn and absence of ipsilateral kidney and ureter. Compressed uterine structure and segmental aplasia of right uterine horn were found in histopathological investigation. Taken together, it was diagnosed as a segmental aplasia of uterine horn with ipsilateral renal agenesis.     

Genetic diversity of avian infectious bronchitis virus isolates in Korea between 2003 and 2006

Thirty-three field isolates of avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were recovered from commercial chicken flocks in Korea between 2003 and 2006 and were characterized phylogenetically by nucleotide sequence analysis of the IBV S1 gene hyper-variable region. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed that recent field isolates of IBV formed at least three distinct phylogenetic types, including K-I, K-II, and K-III. K-I type IBV consisted of indigenous, 13 IBV isolates which evolved from the Kr-EJ/95 strain and then separated into the lineages of type K-Ia and type K-Ib. K-II type IBV isolates (n = 19) were closely related to nephropathogenic IBV variants from China and Japan. The K-III type isolate (Kr/D064/05), first identified by this study, was closely related to enteric IBV variants from the Chinese strains that cause proventriculitis. Sequence comparisons showed amino acid differences of >27.5% between IBV types. The molecular epidemiologic characteristics of IBV field isolates are briefly discussed.     

Plasma haptoglobin and immunoglobulins as diagnostic indicators of deoxynivalenol intoxication

This study aimed to discover potential biomarkers for dioxynivalenol (DON) intoxication. B6C3F1 male mice were orally exposed to 0.83, 2.5 and 7.5 mg/kg body weight (bw) DON for 8 days and the differential protein expressions in their blood plasma were determined by SELDI - Time-of-Flight/Mass Spectrometry (TOF/MS) and the immunoglobulins (Igs) G, A, M and E in the serum were investigated. 11.7 kDa protein was significantly highly expressed according to DON administration and this protein was purified by employing a methyl ceramic HyperD F column with using optimization buffer for adsorption and desorption. The purified protein was identified as a haptoglobin precursor by peptide mapping with using LC/Q-TOF/MS and MALDI-TOF/MS and this was confirmed by western blotting and ELISA. IgG and IgM in serum were decreased in a dose-dependent manner and IgA was decreased at 7.5 mg/kg bw DON administration, but the IgE level was not changed. To compare the expressions of haptoglobin and the Igs patterns between aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), zearalenone (ZEA) and DON intoxications, rats were orally administered with AFB1 1.0, ZEA 240 and DON 7.5 mg/kg bw for 8 days. Haptoglobin was increased only at DON 7.5 mg/kg bw, while it was slightly decreased at ZEA 240 mg/kg bw and it was not detected at all at AFB1 1.0 mg/kg bw. IgG and IgA were decreased by DON, but IgG, IgA, IgM and IgE were all increased by AFB1. No changes were observed by ZEA administration. These results show that plasma haptoglobin could be a diagnostic biomarker for DON intoxication when this is combined with examining the serum Igs.     

Short-term effects of fire on soil properties inPinus densiflora stands

This study was performed to investigate a short time change (one week after fire) on soil properties due to the fire inPinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc stands of the Kosung area in Kangwon Province in Korea. Twenty seven sampling plots [16 burned (8 low intensity fire, 8 high intensity fire) and 11 unburned plots] were chosen. Mineral soil samples from three depths (0–5, 5–15, and 15–25 cm) under the forest floor were collected. Forest fire in the area affected soil chemical properties. Soil pH, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium in the surface soil (0–5 cm) of the burned area compared with the unburned area increased, but there was no marked change in the subsurface soil (5–25 cm). Organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and exchangeable cations in the surface soil were generally lower in the high than in the low intensity fire areas. This indicates that these nutrients on the high intensity fire may be volatilized. The results suggest that change in soil chemical properties in the area was restricted mainly to the surface soil and was different between the high and the low intensity fire types.     

Growth-inhibiting effects of Coptis japonica root-derived isoquinoline alkaloids on human intestinal bacteria.

The growth-inhibiting activity of Coptis japonica (Makino) root-derived materials toward eight human intestinal bacteria was examined using an impregnated paper disk method and compared to that of four commercially available isoquinoline alkaloids [berberine sulfate (BS), berberine iodide (BI), palmatine chloride (PC), and palmatine sulfate(PS)], as well as that of Thea sinensis leaf-derived epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). The biologically active constituents of the Coptis extract were characterized as the isoquinoline alkaloids berberine chloride (BC), palmatine iodide (PI), and coptisine chloride (CC) by spectral analysis. The growth responses varied with both chemical and bacterial strain used. In a test using 500 microg/disk, BC and PI produced a clear inhibitory effect against Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Clostridium perfringens, and Clostridium paraputrificum, whereas weak or no inhibition was observed in Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, and Escherichia coli. At 1000 microg/ disk, CC revealed weak or no growth inhibition toward all test bacteria, whereas EGCG exhibited weak growth inhibition against only C. perfringens and C. paraputrificum. Among various isoquinoline alkaloids, BC exhibited more potent inhibitory activity toward C. perfringens than BI and BS, whereas the inhibitory effect was more pronounced in PI compared to PC and PS. The Coptis root-derived materials did not promote growth of B. longum and C. perfringens.     

Lipid content and fatty acid composition of freshwater eels Anguilla japonica caught in different seasons and locations in South Korea

Fisheries Science - The objective of this study is to determine the lipid content and fatty acid composition of Anguilla japonica caught in South Korea. Seventy-nine eels caught at four different...     

Attenuation of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) inhibition in MCF-10A cells by c9,t11-conjugated linoleic acid

The protective effect of c9,t11-conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on the inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) was examined in a human mammary epithelial cell line (MCF-10A) treated with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), relative to t10,c12-CLA isomer. TPA inhibited GJIC in a dose-dependent and reversible manner and was associated with connexin 43 phosphorylation. Pretreatment of 20 μM c9,t11-CLA for 24 h prior to 60 nM TPA for 1 h prevented the inhibition of GJIC by reducing the phosphorylation of connexin 43 via suppressing extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) activation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation by TPA was attenuated by c9,t11-CLA. The efficacy of c9,t11-CLA in protecting inhibition of GJIC, connexin 43 phosphorylation, and ROS production was superior to that of t10,c12-CLA. These results suggest that c9,t11-CLA, including t10,c12-CLA, prevents the carcinogenesis of MCF-10A cells by protecting down-regulation of GJIC during the cancer promotion stage, and lack of their toxicities could be an excellent indicator for the chemoprevention of breast cancer.     

Regional variations in the distribution of small intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes in three inbred strains of mice

The regional variation in the intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) in the small intestine was examined in BALB/c male and female mice and C3H/He and C57BL/6 male mice. The small intestines were taken from 11 to 12-week-old mice and divided equally into 3 parts (the proximal, middle and distal parts). IELs were isolated from each part of the intestine and analyzed with flow cytometer. The number of IELs was highest in the proximal part and lowest in the distal part. The distribution of IEL subsets was markedly different between the proximal and the distal parts, and that in the middle part showed the intermediate pattern. The percentage of alphabeta T cells were higher in the distal part. In alphabeta T cell subset, the percentage of CD8alphaalpha T cells was higher in the proximal part, whereas those of CD4 and CD4CD8alphaalpha double positive T cells were higher in the distal part. In gammadelta T cell subset, no regional variations were found. The regional variations in the number and subsets of IELs showed almost the same patterns between male and female BALB/c mice and similar patterns among three strains of mice. This strongly suggests that the regional variations in the small intestinal IELs are common to mouse species.     

Intercostal thoracotomy in 20 dogs: muscle-sparing versus traditional techniques

The levels of pain, duration of approaching and closure, and surgical exposure associated with intercostal thoracotomy were compared between muscle-sparing and traditional techniques in 20 dogs. Postoperative pain was assessed based on numerical pain scores using behavioral observation, heart rate, respiratory rate, and wound palpation. Time for approaching and closure were measured, and the extent of intrathoracic organ exposure for the surgical procedures was described for each technique. There were significant differences in numerical pain scores at 2 h as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 days after surgery between the two groups (p < 0.0001). There was no significant (p = 0.725) difference in times for approaching and closure between the two groups. Compared to the traditional method, the muscle-sparing technique also achieved the desired exposure without compromising exposure of the target organs. Our results suggest that the muscle-sparing technique is more effective than the traditional method for providing a less painful recovery during the first 7 days after intercostal thoracotomy. Additionally, the muscle-sparing technique is as effective as the traditional modality for providing an appropriate time for approaching and closure during intercostal thoracotomy as well as adequate organ exposure for the surgical procedures.