Successful treatment of two dogs with allergic dermatitis by anti-allergic peptides (MS-antigen)

The effects of non-specific immunotherapy with anti-allergic peptides extracted from the urine of human allergic patients (MS-antigen), in two dogs with allergic dermatitis (AD) have been described. Clinically, severe pruritus accompanied by secondary bacterial pyoderma did not respond to conventional therapy with systemic antibiotics. The first clinical change appeared as a significant reduction in pruritus within 3 months, around the time of the 15th injection in both cases. The clinical condition was stabilized after 5 months, allowing the gradual withdrawal of concurrent therapies and an increase of injection intervals. The correlation between the results of intradermal skin tests before and after treatment and the improvement of clinical signs was not obvious.     

The renal structure in an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)

The renal structure of a female Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) was observed in both macroscopic and light microscopic levels. The left kidney was elongated-ellipse in shape, whereas the right appeared round. The left kidney was 31 cm in cranio-caudal length, 21 cm in medio-lateral length, and 2950 g in weight. The right kidney was 34 cm in cranio-caudal length, 22 cm in medio-lateral length, and 3250 g in weight. The external appearance showed the six separated renal lobes in both sides of the kidney. The four pairs of the lobes were fused in the deepest region in both sides of kidney, so we considered it as an incompletely lobated kidney in this species. We observed the proximal and distal urinary tubules in histological sections. Many renal corpuscles consisted of the glomerulus and Bowman's capsule. Many mesangial cells and some podocytes were confirmed in each glomerulus; however, Bowman's capsules were larger than those in other mammalian species.     

Comparative functional morphology of the masticatory apparatus in the long-snouted crocodiles

The masticatory muscles and their related structures of the skull were observed in the Indian gavial (Gavialis gangeticus), the false gavial (Tomistoma schlegelii), and the African slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus) to detail some morphological differences in comparison with the other crocodile species, and to compare and elucidate the functional strategy of themasticatory apparatus in these long-snouted species. The Musculus pterygoideus posterior was relatively smaller in the three species compared with many short-snouted crocodiles. It suggests that the masticatory power in fish-eating long-snouted species is not so high as in the short-snouted crocodiles, while the masticatory muscles were morphologically different among the three long-snouted species as follows. The M. pterygoideus posterior of the false gavial was extended in the lateral side of the lower jaw unlike the Indian gavial. The M. pseudotemporalis and the Fenestra supratemporalis were largely developed in the Indian gavial, however we suggest that the other two species possess the weak bundles in this muscle. The false gavial and the African slender-snouted crocodile have the pterygoid bone well-developed extending dorso-ventrally and it is suggested that the M. adductor mandibulae posterior attached to the pterygoid bone may be much larger than the Indian gavial. These data morphologically clarify the masticatory mechanism in the long-snouted crocodiles different from the short-snouted species, and demonstrate that the evolutional strategy to share the functional role in the masticatory muscles have been differently established between the Indian gavial and the other two species. We also obtained the morphological data in the fossil skull of the Machikane crocodile (Toyotamaphymeia machikanense) and concluded from the fossil characters that the considerable developments of the M.pterygoideus posterior and the M.pseudotemporalis in this species had not morphologically been consistent with both the Indian and false gavials.     

On the morphology of the liver in the two-humped camel (Camelus bactrianus)

The liver of a two-humped camel (Camelus bactrianus) was examined by means of gross anatomy and histology. The liver appeared characteristically as an enlarged triangle in visceral aspect, and showed the following lobation: the left lateral and medial lobes, the right lobe, the caudate lobe and the quadrate lobe. These findings were similar to those for the one-humped camel. Histologically, a distinct lobulation, a typical arrangement of the interlobular connective tissue, and the trias was confirmed.     

Geographical variation of mandible size and shape in the Japanese wild pig (Sus scrofa leucomystax)

The mandibles of the Japanese wild pigs (Sus scrofa leucomystax) from various geographical locations, which have been stored in the University of Tokyo and National Science Museum, Tokyo were examined. The mandibles from northern localities were larger in size than those from southern localities. The Oita population was significantly smaller than the Honshu populations. The Mie population was smaller than the Hyogo population in length from the angle of the mandible. In the multivariate analysis, the Kyushu populations could be obviously distinguished from the Honshu populations in the principal component charts. However, each Honshu population did not show the locality-specific distribution of the principal component plots.     

Sympatric distribution of the two morphological types of the common tree shrew in Hat-Yai districts (South Thailand)

The two color types (grayish northern and reddish southern types) of the common tree shrew (Tupaia glis and Tupaia belangeri) were co-distributed in Hat-Yai region (South Thailand). Although the Isthmus of Kra in South Thailand has been considered as distribution barrier of the two types, the sympatric distribution of both types was confirmed in southern side of the Isthmus. In the principal component analysis, the skull measurement character from Hat-Yai region could also be separated into the northern and southern groups according to the skin color identification of corresponding individuals. We could generally distinguish the common tree shrew into two types by skull morphology as well as external skin color.     

Adaptation of the muscles of mastication to the flat skull feature in the polar bear (Ursus maritimus)

The muscles of mastication of the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) and those of the brown bear (U. arctos) were examined by anatomical approach. In addition, the examination of the skull was carried out in the polar bear, brown bear and giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). In the polar bear, the rostro-ventral part of the superficial layer of the M. masseter possessed the abundant fleshy portion folded in the rostral and lateral directions like an accordion. Moreover, the rostro-medial area of the superficial layer became hollow in the nuchal direction when the mouth was closed. The M. temporalis of the polar bear covered up the anterior border of the coronoid process of the mandible and occupied the almost entire area of the cranial surface. The M. pterygoideus medialis of the polar bear was inserted on the ventral border of the mandible and on the ventral part of the temporal bone more widely than that of the brown bear. As results of our measurements of the mandible, an effect of the leverage in the polar bear was the smallest in three species. In the polar bear, the skull was flat, and the space between zygomatic arch and ventral border of the mandible, occupied by the M. masseter was the narrowest. It is suggested that the muscles of mastication of the polar bear is adapted to the flat skull feature for supplementing the functions.     

Histochemistry of Complex Carbohydrate in the Major Salivary Glands of Hoary Bamboo Rats (Rhizomys purinosus)

The major salivary glands (parotid glands, monostomatic sublingual glands and submandibular glands) were obtained from hoary bamboo rats (Rhizomys purinosus) and fixed in Bouin's solution. Paraffin sections were subjected to a battery of staining methods including lectin staining for demonstration of complex carbohydrates. Among the three major salivary glands, unique histochemical features were observed in the submandibular gland. Different from most myomorpha species, submandibular glands of the hoary bamboo rats have two types of secretory cells in the secretory endpieces. One type of cells showed positive reactions with Alcian blue (AB)(pH2.5), periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and some lectins (peanuts agglutinin, Griffonia simplicifolia I. Machura pomifera agglutinin). The granular ducts, which exist in animals belonging to suborder myomorpha, were not observed in the submandibular glands of this animal.     

The Guttural Pouch is not Present in the White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum); Morphology of the Eustachian Tube and Nasopharynx

The nasopharynx and eustachian tube (auditory tube) were morphologically examined in the white rhinoceros. The narrow nasopharynx cavity was enlarged dorsoventrally. The most lateral part of both sides sharply rises in a dorsal direction and the volume is estimated at 173 cc. The eustachian tube is 145 mm in length from the auditory bulla to the nasopharynx. The hyaline cartilage is well-developed in the middle region of the eustachian tube wall. The results demonstrated that the white rhinoceros does not have a guttural pouch. We suggest that the occurrence of the guttural pouch may not be dependent on the phylogenetic status of perissodactyls such as horse, donkey and tapir.