A new diagnostic indicator using concanavalin a low-affinity lactoferrin levels in mammary gland secretion in mastitic drying cows

We examined the effective diagnostic indicator using the concanavalin A (Con A) low-affinity lactoferrin (Lf) to mastitic drying cows. The concentrations of both Lf and Con A low-affinity Lf in mammary gland secretions (MGSs) were lower than normal MGSs at the early and middle dry periods and colostrums. On the other hand, the levels of Con A low-affinity Lf in MGSs increased following the appearance of mastitis symptoms, and decreased when the mastitic symptoms were cured. Moreover, IgG1 concentrations of colostrums decrease on the quarters where a high level of Con A low-affinity Lf was determined after the onset of dry period. These results suggest that this method could be used as a useful indicator to mastitic drying cows.     

Muscle fiber types,growth and development in the whole myotome of cultured Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis

Following the successful development of Pacific bluefin tuna (PBT) aquaculture, it is of considerable importance to determine the muscle fiber types and their growth patterns for future development. Muscle fiber profiles of dorsal ordinary, lateral ordinary (LO) and dark muscles and their growth patterns in PBT from 3.0 to 54.3 kg body weight were studied. Muscle fibers were histochemically stained for NADH-diaphorase and myosin adenosine triphosphatase activity (mATPase), and immunohistochemically stained with S-58 slow-muscle myosin antibody. All muscle fibers in dorsal and LO muscles showed low NADH-diaphorase activity, and acid-labile (pH 4.0 or 4.3) and alkali-stable mATPase activity. In LO muscle adjacent to dark muscle, three intensities of mATPase activity were observed after acid pre-incubation at pH 4.5 or 5.0, and the activity was related to the muscle fiber diameter. In dark muscle, all small and some large fibers stained intensely for NADH-diaphorase activity, related to their high aerobic metabolism. The high-active fibers with NADH-diaphorase in dark muscle were positive for S-58 antibody. Some large fibers in dark muscle showed intermediate NADH-diaphorase activity and high mATPase activity after alkali pre-incubations. These are fast-twitch oxido-glycolytic fibers in dark muscle and transformed to red muscle fibers with increasing body weight.     

Investigation of serum concentrations and immunohistochemical localization of α1-acid glycoprotein in tumor dogs

The purpose of this study was to measure the dynamics of serum α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) concentration in dogs with various tumors, and to investigate the localization of AGP in some tissues using immunohistochemical staining. Sera were obtained from 171 dogs bearing tumors of various types. Serum AGP concentration was measured by single radial immunodiffusion. Tumors occurring in the liver and spleen were also investigated immunohistochemically using anti-canine AGP antibody. Mean serum AGP levels were 749 ± 602 mg/L in dogs with carcinoma (n = 39), 1,014 ± 971 mg/L with sarcoma (n = 18), and 887 ± 935 mg/L with round cell tumors (n = 46), all significantly higher than serum AGP level in healthy dogs (n = 137, 364 ± 106 mg/L). Mean serum AGP levels were significantly higher than in healthy dogs in complex mammary gland carcinoma (n = 5, 876 ± 721 mg/L), malignant melanoma (n = 7, 1,010 ± 821 mg/L), and hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 5, 936 ± 741 mg/L) among carcinomas, hemangiosarcoma (n = 5, 1,740 ± 1,323 mg/L) among sarcomas, and lymphoma (n = 19, 1,072 ± 965 mg/L) and histiocytic tumor (n = 6, 1,800 ± 1,387 mg/L) among round cell tumors. In an immunohistochemical investigation of AGP localization, both weak and strong staining for anti-AGP antibody were seen in hepatic tissue in dogs with primary non-tumorous lesions originating in the spleen (hematoma) and elevated serum AGP, but all tumor tissue in the spleen was negative. Among dogs with primary tumor lesions of the spleen (hemangiosarcoma) and elevated serum AGP levels, both weak, moderate and strong staining for anti-AGP antibody were seen in hepatic tissue, while strong positive staining was apparent in all tumorous tissue from the spleen. In primary tumor lesions in the liver (hepatocellular carcinoma), both moderate and strong staining for anti-AGP antibody were seen in normal hepatic tissue, and both weak, moderate and strong staining were seen in tumor tissues of the liver. AGP levels thus appear to be elevated in dogs with carcinomas, sarcomas, and round cell tumors. With some of these malignant tumors, localization of AGP in tumor tissue was seen.     

不同品种柿树果实发育中期的单宁细胞观察

以君迁子和美国柿为对照,在果实发育中期,对41个柿品种、45个样品的果实内单宁细胞,进行了组织学镜检。结果表明,一般甜柿较涩柿的单宁细胞数目少,个小,横径/纵径指数小。从果实顶部到基部,单宁细胞的横径变化不显著,但纵径从小到大,横径/纵径指数由大到小,甜柿一般较涩柿变化明显。作为砧木的君迁子和美国柿,果实内单宁细胞数量为普通柿的3～7倍,横径/纵径指数在0.7以上,但果实不同部位差异很小。     

Antioxidant properties of ferulic acid and its related compounds

Antioxidant activity of 24 ferulic acid related compounds together with 6 gallic acid related compounds was evaluated using several different physical systems as well as their radical scavenging activity. The radical scavenging activity on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) decreased in the order caffeic acid > sinapic acid > ferulic acid > ferulic acid esters > p-coumaric acid. In bulk methyl linoleate, test hydroxycinnamic acids and ferulic acid esters showed antioxidant activity in parallel with their radical scavenging activity. In an ethanol-buffer solution of linoleic acid, the activity of test compounds was not always associated with their radical scavenging activity. Ferulic acid was most effective among the tested phenolic acids. Esterification of ferulic acid resulted in increasing activity. The activity of alkyl ferulates was somewhat influenced by the chain length of alcohol moiety. When the inhibitory effects of alkyl ferulates against oxidation of liposome induced by AAPH were tested, hexyl, octyl, and 2-ethyl-1-hexyl ferulates were more active than the other alkyl ferulates. Furthermore, lauryl gallate is most effective among the tested alkyl gallates. These results indicated that not only the radical scavenging activity of antioxidants, but also their affinity with lipid substrates, might be important factors in their activity.     

Effects of soy protein isolate feeding on severe kidney damage in DOCA salt-treated obese Zucker rats

This study assessed the effects of soy protein isolate (SPI) on severe kidney damage in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) salt-treated obese Zucker rats. These rats underwent heminephrectomy and were fed either casein or SPI diet for 12 weeks. From weeks 8 to 10 of the experiment, kidney damage was induced by biweekly injection of 25 mg/kg DOCA and administration of 0.5% NaCl (w/v) ad libitum. Urinary protein and N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase excretions of SPI rats were much lower than those of casein rats at weeks 1 (p < 0.01) and 2 (p < 0.05) after DOCA treatment. Abnormal mineral excretions induced by DOCA treatment in casein rats were hardly detected in SPI rats. Severe atrophy of tubular epithelium and some flattened/detached renal tubules were also observed in casein rats, but not in SPI rats. These results indicate that consecutive treatment of SPI protects against renal dysfunction, particularly tubulointerstitial nephritis, in DOCA salt-treated obese Zucker rats.     

A Possible treatment strategy and clinical factors to estimate the treatment response in Bebesia gibsoni infection

The effectiveness of combination therapy using clindamycin, metronidazole and doxycycline against canine babesiosis, and the usefulness of platelet count and the plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration as an estimation factor for treatment, were evaluated in four dogs experimentally infected with Babesia gibsoni. The combination therapy successfully eliminated B. gibsoni in peripheral blood in 3 of 4 dogs, however the remaining dog showed obvious uncontrolled relapse after a temporary recovery. In addition, it was shown that CRP levels decreased in an inverse relationship to the recovery of packed cell volume and therefore CRP levels could be used as an optional clinical marker to estimate the response to treatment.     

Gene Arrangement and Sequence of str Operon of Phytoplasma Resemble Those of Bacillus More Than Those of Mycoplasma

The complete region of a putative streptomycin operon (str operon) of onion yellows (OY) phytoplasma, a phytopathogenic mollicute, was isolated and sequenced. This operon contains four genes, rps12, rps7, fus, and tuf, encoding ribosomal proteins S12 and s7, elongation factor (EF) -G, and EF-Tu, respectively. These four genes constitute the str operon in non-mollicute bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. In two species of mollicute Mycoplasma, the tuf gene was reported not to be included in this operon, but was located apart, indicating that the gene arrangement of this operon in phytoplasmas resembles that of B. subtilis more than that of Mycoplasma spp. In addition, the deduced amino acid sequence of EF-G of phytoplasmas also resembles that of B. subtilis more than that of Mycoplasma spp. These results suggest that analyses of the gene organization and sequence of the phytoplasma genome will provide valuable insights into evolutionary relationships among the culturable mollicutes, phytoplasmas and other Gram-positive bacteria. Received 25 April 2001/ Accepted in revised form 21 August 2001     

First report of Phytophthora blight of celery (Apium graveolens var. dulce) caused by Phytophthora tentaculata in Japan

Journal of General Plant Pathology - A new disease on celery discovered in Japan caused extreme stunting, dwarfed and yellowed leaves, black rot of the celery “heart”, and root rot. A...     

Race 3, a new race of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Fusarium oxysporum</Emphasis> f. sp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">lactucae </Emphasis>determined by a differential system with commercial cultivars

 Pathogenic variation among 26 Japanese isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae (FOL) was tested using 21 lettuce cultivars to select commercial lettuce cultivars as race differential indicators. Cultivar Costa Rica No. 4 was resistant to race 1 but susceptible to race 2, consistent with the conventional standard differential line VP1010. Cultivar Banchu Red Fire was susceptible to race 1 but resistant to race 2, which showed an opposite type of reaction as another differential line VP1013. Cultivar Patriot was susceptible to both races. The resistance reactions of the three cultivars under field conditions were identical with that observed in the seedlings. Thus cv. Costa Rica No. 4 and cv. Banchu Red Fire can be used as differential hosts to identify pathogenic races of FOL. This differential system showed that all FOL isolates obtained from diseased butterhead lettuce in Fukuoka, Japan were new races (i.e., pathogenic to three cultivars). We propose that the new race be designated race 3. Isolates of FOL, the pathogen of Fusarium wilt in lettuce, obtained from California showed the same reaction as that of race 1. Furthermore, the Japanese isolate SB1-1 (race 1) and California isolate HL-2 belonged to the same vegetative compatibility group. Our results suggest that both of the fungi are the same forma specialis. Received: March 25, 2002 / Accepted: August 26, 2002