A retrospective analysis of radiation oncology related scientific articles in the journal Veterinary Radiology and Ultrasound: Trends over 40 years (1976‐2015)

The journal Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound is a veterinary specialty journal devoted to the fields of veterinary diagnostic imaging and radiation oncology. The purpose of this retrospective, observational study is to evaluate progressive trends in radiation oncology articles published in Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound during the 40‐year period (1976‐2015) and describe a shift of trends through several viewpoints. This 40‐year period was divided into four subperiods: Period 1 (1976‐1985), Period 2 (1986‐1995), Period 3 (1996‐2005), and Period 4 (2006‐2015). These articles were divided into six categories based on the nature of the study: 1) studies related to teletherapy with endpoints being patient outcome, 2) radiation therapy dosimetry/planning, 3) patient setup, 4) reviews, 5) case reports, and 6) others. The number of radiation oncology articles in Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound has increased over the 40‐year period. The number of authors per article has increased between Periods 1 and 3. The number of articles related to linear accelerator has increased between Periods 3 and 4. The median number of treated patients per clinical article related to teletherapy ranged from 15 to 21, which has not changed significantly over the 40‐year period. The most commonly used radiation therapy protocols during Periods 2 and 3 were fine‐fractionated protocols (defined as 10 or more fractions), whereas coarse‐fractionated protocols were more common during Periods 1 and 4. Findings from this study highlight the notable changes of trends in veterinary radiation oncology articles published in Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound, which clearly reflect changes in the field of veterinary radiation oncology during the past 40 years.     

Congenital cystic adenomatoid-like malformation in a cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis)

Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) is a developmental lung abnormality characterized by abnormal proliferation of mesenchymal elements and failure of bronchiolar structures to mature, ultimately resulting in the compression of normal pulmonary tissue and mediastinal shift with rapid expansion of cysts. Although various clinical and pathologic studies of CCAM in humans exist, CCAM has yet to be reported in animals, even in nonhuman primates. In the present study, histopathologic analyses of a neonatal cynomolgus monkey that died 17 days after birth revealed that normal lung architecture was replaced by disorganized overgrowths of cysts lined with simple cuboidal epithelium. The epithelium projected a few ciliates into the air spaces and produced mucus. To our knowledge, this is the first case study describing CCAM or a CCAM-like lesion in nonhuman primates.     

Development of genetic evaluation for milk production traits of Holsteins in Japan

The procedure used for the genetic evaluation of dairy cattle in Japan has developed from a lactation sire–MGS model to a multiple‐lactation random regression test‐day animal model. Genetic evaluation of Holstein bulls in Japan began in 1989 with the use of field‐style progeny testing; dairy herd improvement program data from all over Japan were used, along with a sire and maternal grandsire model. In 1993, an animal model was introduced to estimate breeding values for yield and type traits. A random regression test‐day model was first applied in 2010. In the business of breeding dairy cattle, it is very important to users that estimated breeding values are reliable and stable among subsequent routine evaluations. With experience in the genetic evaluation of dairy cattle in Japan, Japanese researchers have found ways to improve the stability of estimated breeding values. These modifications involve changes in data editing, development of evaluation models, changes to the structures of unknown‐parent groups, awareness of the problems of predicting lactation yield from partial test‐day records, and adjustment for heterogeneity within herd variances. Here, I introduce developments in, and our experiences with, the genetic evaluation of yield traits of Holstein cattle in Japan.     

Effect of bovine lactoferrin feeding on lipopolysaccharide-induced metabolic and hormonal disturbances in preruminant calves

One of the biological functions of bovine lactoferrin (LF) is modulation of the host defense system, including cytokine production and immune response. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of oral administration of LF in calves on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced metabolic and hormonal changes in inflammatory response. Thirty Holstein calves at 4 day of age were given one of three oral doses of LF (0, 1, 3 g/day) for 10 days (?10 day to ?1 day). They were injected i.v. with LPS (50 ng/kg bodyweight) the day (day 0) after the end of LF treatment. Plasma samples were obtained on ?10, 0 day (immediately before LPS injection), and at 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after LPS injection. Plasma tumor necrosis factor‐α concentrations at 2 h after LPS treatment were lower (P < 0.05) in LF 1 g/day‐fed claves compared with LF 0 g/day (control) calves. On day 0 there were no significant group differences in plasma LF concentration. Plasma concentration of haptoglobin in control calves was elevated by LPS injection. In LF groups, plasma haptoglobin concentrations slightly increased after LPS injection, but those levels at 6–24 h were lower (P < 0.05) than in the control group. The LF treatment inhibited (P < 0.05) the reduction of plasma ferrin concentration in calves following LPS challenge. The concentration of plasma aspartate aminotransferase in calves treated with LF was lower (P < 0.05) than in control calves at 24–96 h after LPS treatment. The concentration of plasma insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) in all groups was decreased by LPS treatment, while in the LF groups the IGF‐1 level was higher (P < 0.05) than in the control group. Plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone and insulin concentrations in LF groups were lower (P < 0.05) than in control calves at 2 h after LPS injection. These data suggest that LF has a substantial anti‐inflammatory effect on the modulation of the host defense system in preruminant calves.     

Adenosine Deaminase Activity in Soils

Adenosine deaminase activity in six soil samples was measured. One g of moist soil was incubated with 0.02 M adenosine in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.6) and toluene in a shaking water bath (30°C) for 72 h. Inosine and NH₂ ⁺ were detected in the filtrate as degradation products of adenosine; inosine was identified by paper chromatography, and NH₂ ⁺ was determined by Nessler’s method.

The adenosine deaminase activity in soils was completely inhibited by autoclaving (120°C, 15 min).

The relation between substrate concentration and reaction rate followed the Michaelis-Menten equation.

The optimum pH for adenosine deaminase activity in soils ranged from about 7 to 8.

The adenosine deaminase activity in soils ranged from about 1.51 to 4.33 munit (nmol per min) per g of dry soil at 30°C.     

Linear relation between the amount of respiratory quinones and the microbial biomass in soil

A linear relationship was observed between the amount of total respiratory quinones and the microbial biomass measured by a fumigation-extraction method in 15 soil samples regardless of the significant differences in the composition of the quinone profiles, with one exception in a soil amended with a very high application rate of farmyard manure. It is suggested that the amount of total respiratory quinones can be used as an indicator of the microbial biomass in soil.     

Changes of abscisic acid and its metabolite during development of apple fruit

Summary

Free and conjugated abscisic acid (ABA) and phaseic acid (PA) concentrations in the seed and pulp of apples (Malus pumila Mill. cv. Tsugaru) and ABA metabolism in the fruit after cis-(+)-ABA application were investigated. In the seed, the levels of cis- and trans-ABA and conjugated cis- and trans-ABA showed a general increase towards harvest, except for the decrease of cis-ABA at 131 d after full bloom (DAFB) (harvest). PA levels reached a peak at 41 DAFB, then decreased until harvest. The levels of free ABA in the seed were higher than those in the pulp. In the pulp, the levels of cis-ABA increased gradually from 20 DAFB and rapidly from 111 DAFB towards harvest. The levels of trans-ABA and conjugated trans-ABA also showed similar changes to cis-ABA, i.e. increased steeply from 111 DAFB. In contrast, the level of conjugated cis-ABA was the highest at 20 DAFB, then fell rapidly until 111 DAFB and then increased again towards harvest. PA showed the highest level at 20 DAFB, then decreased gradually until 111 DAFB and then increased again towards harvest. It is therefore assumed that not only cis-ABA but also its metabolite may be associated with the ripening of apple fruit. Cis- and trans-ABA and conjugated cis- and trans-ABA concentrations in cis-(+)-ABA treated fruit increased significantly on 11 d after ABA application (122 DAFB). However, at 20 d after cis-(+)-ABA application, only trans-ABA and conjugated trans-ABA showed higher levels than those of the untreated control, while the levels of cis-ABA and conjugated cis-ABA fell to the same levels as the untreated control. PA levels did not show significant increase on 11 and 20 d after cis-(+)-ABA application. These results suggest that cis-(+)-ABA treated exogenously to apple fruit may eventually metabolize to trans-ABA, conjugated trans-ABA and further metabolites.     

The characterization of low pathogenic avian influenza viruses isolated from wild birds in northern Vietnam from 2006 to 2009

Due to concerns that wild birds could possibly spread H5N1 viruses, surveillance was conducted to monitor the types of avian influenza viruses circulating among the wild birds migrating to or inhabiting in northern Vietnam from 2006 to 2009. An H5N2 virus isolated from a Eurasian woodcock had a close phylogenetic relationship to H5 viruses recently isolated in South Korea and Japan, suggesting that H5N2 has been shared between Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan. An H9N2 virus isolated from a Chinese Hwamei was closely related to two H9N2 viruses that were isolated from humans in Hong Kong in 2009, suggesting that an H9N2 strain relevant to the human isolates had been transmitted to and maintained among the wild bird population in Vietnam and South China. The results support the idea that wild bird species play a significant role in the spread and maintenance of avian influenza and that this also occurs in Vietnam.