Plectosporium blight of monkshood caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plectosporium tabacinum</Emphasis>

Severe blight of potted seedlings of monkshood caused by Plectosporium tabacinum was found in glasshouses in Kagawa Prefecture in southwest Japan in May 2001. Root rot and browning of stem bases were followed by wilting and yellowing of leaves, then blighting of leaves, flower buds and stems. A fungus was isolated from diseased plants and confirmed to cause the disease. The new disease was named “Plectosporium blight of monkshood”.     

In vitro effect of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha on canine neutrophil apoptosis

Neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes: PMNs) are essential for the host defense against various infections and are often injurious to the host, causing inflammatory diseases where tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is suggested to play an important role. Since an effect of TNF-alpha on canine PMN apoptosis has not been studied, canine PMNs were stimulated with recombinant human (rh)TNF-alpha in the present study to investigate the effect of TNF-alpha on canine PMN apoptosis. PMN apoptosis and function to produce ROS were assessed by flow cytometry. Delayed apoptosis was observed in the PMNs treated with rhTNF-alpha at 100 ng/ml, accompanied by retention of capability to produce ROS. However, PMN apoptosis was accelerated by rhTNF-alpha combined with cycloheximide. Therefore, it is indicated that TNF-alpha is able to activate anti- and pro-apoptotic pathways in PMNs and that the inhibition of PMN apoptosis by TNF-alpha requires protein synthesis in the PMNs.     

Effects of a collagenolytic cell wall component from Fusobacterium necrophorum subsp. necrophorum on rabbit tissue-culture cells

The effects on rabbit tissue-cultured cells of collagenolytic cell wall component (CCWC) from Fusobacterium necrophorum subsp. necrophorum were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that CCWC damaged the cell surfaces of the rabbit granulocytes and hepatocytes but the effects of the cells differed from each other. Granulocytes appeared smooth and morphologically irregular whereas hepatocytes looked rough and had tiny holes in the cell membranes. Differences in cell viability were observed in MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulphophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt) assay. The findings suggest that cytotoxic activity in vivo may well contribute to the establishment of an initial injury in visceral tissues, and the action of CCWC could increase the chances of survival for an invading F. necrophorum subsp. necrophorum at the first stages of infection.     

Strategies of newcastle disease vaccination for commercial ostrich farms in Japan

Strategies of Newcastle disease (ND) vaccination were demonstrated in a commercial ostrich farm in Japan. Three of 13 seven-month-old ostriches kept in a pen were vaccinated with a live ND vaccine by eye dropping for the 1st and 2nd vaccinations and spraying for the 3rd to 5th vaccinations. Antibodies against ND virus (NDV) were detected in all of the unvaccinated ostriches by virus neutralization test. At 2.5 months post final vaccination, 2 ostriches introduced into the pen raised antibodies against NDV. These data indicate that NDV may be transmitted from vaccinated to unvaccinated ostriches in the flock and that the virus may be sustained for a certain period in the flock. These data may be helpful for ND vaccination management in ostrich farms.     

Bilateral segmental aplasia with unilateral uterine horn torsion in a pomeranian bitch

Bilateral segmental aplasia of the uterine horns with unilateral pyometra and uterine horn torsion were diagnosed in a Pomeranian bitch that presented with chronic abdominal distension and an acute onset of anorexia and lethargy. Because radiographic and ultrasonographic findings revealed the presence of markedly enlarged bilateral uterine horns filled with fluid in the caudal abdomen, a tentative diagnosis of either pyometra or hydrometra with uterine horn torsion was made. Exploratory laparotomy showed bilateral, segmentally distended uterine horns with unilateral uterine horn torsion. Ovariohysterectomy was performed, and bilateral segmental aplasia of the uterine horns with the development of unilateral uterine horn torsion was diagnosed histopathologically. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of uterine horn torsion in conjunction with segmental aplasia of the uterine horn in a bitch.     

Thermal behaviors and transitions of wood detected by temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry

The thermal properties and transitions of solid and ground wood samples conditioned at different humidity conditions were investigated by temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry. A time-dependent transition was detected as an endothermic peak in the total and non-reversing heat flows and as a step change in the reversing heat flow during the first heating run of samples with moisture contents above 5?%, but it disappeared in the second heating run. These different thermal behaviors indicate that the effect of heat and moisture on the thermal properties of wood is history dependent. This step change in the reversing heat flow is considered to be a glass transition of moist wood. Other relaxation processes (e.g., enthalpy relaxation) occur simultaneously with this glass transition. The temperature ranges of the transition and the relaxation decreased drastically as the moisture content increased up to 11?%, while they remained almost constant at higher moisture contents. In addition, the transitions of the ground wood occurred at lower temperatures than those of the solid wood at similar moisture contents. Kissinger plots revealed that the apparent activation energy for the glass transition of the solid wood with a moisture content of 11?% was about 600?kJ/mol, whereas that of the ground wood was 220?kJ/mol.     

Genetic and enzymatic analyses of metalloprotease (aureolysin) from Staphylococcus aureus isolated from domestic animals.

The gene (aur) encoding the metalloprotease (aureolysin) of Staphylococcus aureus from domestic animals was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and sequencing. The aur gene was detected in all 74 isolates from cows, pigs and chickens by PCR amplification and was classified into types I and II by PCR-RFLP patterns. The type II aur gene was contained in 36 (94.7%) of 38 protease-positive isolates as judged by skim milk agar plate culture, while type I was contained in 28 (77.8%) of 36 protease-negative isolates. The deduced amino acid sequences of aureolysins from type I and II isolates were almost identical with those of the published data. Subsequently, the two aureolysins were purified from the culture supernatants of type I and II isolates. The molecular weights of purified type I and II aureolysins were both estimated at 34kDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These aureolysins had maximum proteolytic activity at 30-50 degrees C and pH 7.0-8.0. Their activity was inhibited by metal- and zinc-specific inhibitors, such as EDTA, EGTA and 1,10-phenanthroline. Specific activity (activity/protein) of type II aureolysin was two times higher than that of type I. These results indicated that the aur gene is highly conserved with two allelic forms (types I and II) among bovine, porcine and avian isolates of S. aureus.     

Changes in the anatomy of surface and liquid uptake of wood after laser incising

The effects of laser incising on the surface of heat-affected zones (HAZs) and liquid uptake of wood were examined. Deep pin holes were incised on the tangential section of the wood with a laser beam of 1 kW in power with varied pulse widths, and the HAZs of the holes were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. The length of liquid uptake passing through HAZs surfaces was then measured. It was observed that the HAZs were unable to maintain normal porous structure, and smooth surfaces such as that of wood charcoal were also not observed. This is because the composite of the middle lamella completely melted, which led to a decrease in the length of liquid uptake. In addition, the release of high gas-pressure and thermal energy during the laser-incising process did not damage the tylose and the aspirated pit in the longitudinal direction. Because of this, the liquid movement remained blocked. However, the incising holes provided additional liquid-intake points, resulting in greater intake capacity. Moreover, it was observed that improvement of liquid impregnation is related to hole diameter.     

Expressed sequence tag analysis of phyllosomas and hemocytes of Japanese spiny lobster Panulirus japonicus

Two complementary DNA (cDNA) libraries were constructed from phyllosomas and hemocytes of adult Japanese spiny lobster Panulirus japonicus and a total of 2,673 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were obtained. After assembly and clustering, 450 and 458 unique sequences were found from the phyllosoma and hemocyte cDNA libraries, respectively. Of these, 114 and 220 ESTs showed significant homologies with known genes in the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. The remaining sequences were of unknown function. Immune-related genes found in this study include lectin, proteinase inhibitor, prophenoloxidase, heat-shock protein, antimicrobial peptide, and a few putative defense-related proteins.