Hexachlorophene and cuprizone induce the spongy change of the developing rat brain by different mechanisms: the role of 2', 3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNPase)

The goal of this research was to identify mechanisms responsible for the spongy change induced in rats after repeated hexachlorophene (HCP) or cuprizone (CPZ) dosing. Rats were dosed with 35 mg/kg HCP for 5 days followed by drug withdrawal for 7 days suffered spongy changes to the white matter of the cerebrum, cerebellum, medulla oblongata, and spinal cord that were accompanied by degeneration of oligodendroglia. The severity of both lesions increased prominently on day 5; however, the spongy change decreased and degeneration of oligodendroglia reversed on day 12 (7 days after dosing ceased). On day 12, cerebral cortex oligodendroglia were stained strongly by anti-CNPase. Other rats were fed for 8 days with powdered chow containing 1% (w/w) CPZ, which was then withdrawn for 16 days. The rats exhibited the spongy change in the white matter of the cerebrum and cerebellum as well as oligodendroglial cell death from day 3. The severity of both lesions increased prominently on day 8. Cerebral cortex oligodendroglia were stained strongly by anti-CNPase on days 3 to 8 and decreased to the control levels by day 24 (16 days after dosing ceased). Electron microscopy revealed that oligodendroglia frequently displayed apoptotic morphology. These findings suggest that CNPase expression was induced in the course of restoration following HCP-induced insults to oligodendroglia and the myelin sheath, and in the course of demyelination by CPZ-induced damage to oligodendroglia. However, the role of CNPase on both courses is unclear.     

Serum hyaluronic acid in dogs with congenital portosystemic shunts

Objectives : To compare the serum level of hyaluronic acid in dogs with congenital portosystemic shunt with that in healthy dogs and to investigate the perioperative change in serum hyaluronic acid following shunt attenuation. Methods : Blood samples were obtained from 29 congenital portosystemic shunt dogs before the operation, and 2 and 4 weeks after the operation from 17 and 7 dogs, respectively. The serum hyaluronic acid level of these dogs was measured and compared with that of 10 healthy beagles. Results : The median preoperative hyaluronic acid level in dogs with congenital portosystemic shunt was significantly elevated compared with that in healthy dogs. Furthermore, the median postoperative hyaluronic acid level significantly decreased compared with the median preoperative levels in congenital portosystemic shunt dogs. Clinical Significance : In the case of dogs with congenital portosystemic shunt, the reduction of intrahepatic portal blood flow might lower the clearance rate of hyaluronic acid in hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells, so hyaluronic acid clearance could be improved by attenuation of a shunt vessel. Hence, serum hyaluronic acid levels might be useful to evaluate liver function and also have the potential to evaluate successful attenuation of a shunt vessel in dogs with congenital portosystemic shunt. Further investigations are required to clarify whether serum hyaluronic acid offers significant benefits over existing markers such as serum bile acid or ammonia concentrations.     

Characteristics and classification of an unirrigated anthropogenic-alluvial soil found in the Kumamoto Plain

In Japan anthropogenic-alluvial soils excluding irrigated rice soils are lagging for behind other genetic soil types in pedological investigations. Although there are some investigations of anthropogenic-alluvial soils used for mulberry plantations, orchards, vegetable gardens, and seeding beds for trees, the main object of these investigations is not pedological. Kanno et al. (1) reported that unirrigated anthropogenic-alluvial soils used for vegetable growing in the Chikugo Plain resemble the “Alochthonous brown warp soil” defined by Kubiena (2). First of all, it is of great importance to accumulate general data for unirrigated anthropogenic-alluvial soils and to develop the classification principles for them. Classification problems will be settled in accordance with the accumulated data. This paper deals with characteristics of an unirrigated anthorpogenic-alluvial soil found in the Kumamoto Plain and with classification principles for it. These principles have almost never been described for a pedological standpoint in Japan.     

Genesis and characteristics of brown forest soils derived from Serpentine in Kyushu,Japan

One of the main objects of the present study is to determine what genetic soil types have been formed from ultra-basic rocks such as serpentine under humid, subtropical conditions. Red-Yellow soils, which are important zonal soils in Kyushu, have not been formed from serpentine, but Brown Forest soils have been formed, as will be described in the part 2 of this paper. This fact for the most part has been governed by the mineralogical and chemical peculiarities of serpentine. Therefore the part 1 of this paper deals with the mineralogical and chemical characteristics of serpentine as a parent rock from which Brown Forest soils have developed.     

Diagnostic accuracy of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide concentrations in cats with and without cardiomyopathies

Objectives

Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels have been reported to be elevated in cats with cardiomyopathy. We investigated the diagnostic accuracy of plasma ANP concentration as an indicator of the severity of cardiomyopathies.

Effect of reducing conditions on P sorption of soils

Abstract

The phosphate sorption (P _sor) capacity of soils increased when the soils were reduced (Willet and Higgins, Aust. J. Soil Res., 16, 319–326, 1978). The present study aimed at the elucidation of this mechanism using Na₂S₂O₄ and 5 different soils. The P _sor of the 5 soils increased with the addition of a small amount of Na₂S₂O₄. Fe(II) was released from the soils with the addition of the same small amount of Na₂S₂O₄. Furthermore, when the amount of FeCl₂ corresponding to the amount of Fe(II) released along with the small amount of Na₂S₂O₄ was added, the P _sor of the soil increased. However, the P _sor of the lowland soils, of which the hydrous Fe oxide content was lower than the others, decreased when the amount of Na₂S₂O₄ addition was increased up to 150–200 g kg^?1. Based on these results, the following process is inferred for the increase in the P _sor of the soils when they are reduced. Hydrous Fe oxide in soil takes the form of very fine, high-density particles and reacts with P mainly on their surface. When a small amount of Na₂S₂O₄ is added, the hydrous Fe oxide is partially reduced, dissolved and finally re-precipitates with P by oxidation with O₂ from the air during the experiment.