Changes in platelet life span in dogs with mitral valve regurgitation

Platelet life span was measured in dogs with experimentally-induced mitral regurgitation (MR) by using an in vitro whole-blood biotinylation technique to evaluate the effects of shear stress induced by MR. Mitral regurgitation was created in healthy dogs by ablation of the mitral valve chordae tendineae. Mitral regurgitation was identified by auscultation and postoperative color Doppler echocardiography. Platelets were biotinylated. and derivatized blood was reinfused into the dogs. Biotinylated platelet disappearance was measured over time to determine platelet life span. Pre- and postablation platelet life span was compared in each dog. Platelet life span was shorter in dogs with experimentally induced MR. Shear stress from MR was postulated to shorten platelet life span. Alternations in platelet function and life span may contribute to the progression of cardiovascular disease in dogs with MR. Further studies are required to determine if platelet dysfunction is related to disease progression in these patients.     

Hypolipemia associated with the wasting condition of rabbits infected with Strongyloides papillosus

Rabbits develop a wasting condition in the intestinal stage of Strongyloides papillosus infection. Serum inflammatory cytokine and lipid profiles were investigated in five rabbits infected with S. papillosus and five uninfected pair-fed controls to ascertain whether the disease is inflammatory cytokine-mediated cachexia. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) was detected in one infected animal at Day 7 after infection. Interleukin (IL)-1 was detected in three infected, and one control, animals at Day 28. IL-6 remained unchanged in both the groups. Infected animals developed hypolipemia, including hypotriglyceridemia in the intestinal stage of infection. Control animals lost body weight in the same manner as the infected animals, but had elevated cholesterols and phospholipids with normal triglyceride concentrations. The results suggested that the wasting condition has no association with cachexia induced by TNF alpha. IL-1 or IL-6, and that hepatic function for lipid synthesis is affected during the intestinal stage of S. papillosus infection.     

Cross-reactivity of anti-Taenia crassiceps cysticerci immune antibodies with Taenia solium antigens

A comparative study of antibody production was carried out using BALB/c mice immunized with 20 or 50microg vesicular fluid (VF)-Tcra (Taenia crassiceps) antigens, and gel of <30kD or eluate from <30kD peptides. Good IgM, IgA and IgG levels were detected by ELISA-Tcra and the antibodies presented reactivity with the <20kD peptides when tested by immunoblotting-Tcra. The antibodies from animals immunized with 20 and 50microg presented high anti-Tso cross-reactivity in ELISA (IgG>IgM and IgA). All groups presented IgG antibodies identifying the 12kD Tso-peptide.     

An encephalopathy with argyrophilic inclusions in a Holstein-Friesian cow

The brain of a 6-year-old Holstein cow, which showed progressive neurologic symptoms during several months, was examined by histopathologic methods. Many round or oval-shaped cytoplasmic inclusions were observed, mainly in neurons of the temporal lobe and the hippocampus. Those inclusions were faintly eosinophilic with hematoxylin and eosin and positive with Bielschowsky's silver stain. Immunohistochemically, the inclusions were recognized by antiubiquitin and antiphosphorylated tau antibodies. Ultrastructurally, the inclusions were globular and well demarcated from the rest of the cytoplasm, lacked limiting membranes, and were mainly composed of straight fibrils about 15 nm in width. The structure of the inclusions was similar to that of Pick bodies in Pick's disease of humans. The pathogenesis of this bovine condition is not known.     

Prevalence of Bartonella henselae, Bartonella clarridgeiae and the 16S rRNA gene types of Bartonella henselae among pet cats in Japan

The authors investigated bacteriologically the prevalence of Bartonella infection among 690 pet cats derived from 10 private animal hospitals in six cities (Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture; Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture; Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture; Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecutre; Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture; Sanda, Hyogo Prefecutre) and 4 counties (Mishima, Osaka Prefecture; Hikawa, Shimane Prefecture; Aira, Kagoshima Prefecture; Shimajiri, Okinawa Prefecture) located from the north to the south of Japan. Bartonella species were isolated from 7.2% (50/690) of all the cats examined. No Bartonella species were isolated from the cats in Sapporo or Sendai. The isolation rate varied from 2% in Joetsu and Sanda to 20% in Shimajiri. Bartonella clarridgeiae was isolated from two of 50 cats in Kyoto, three of 50 in Mishima and one of 50 in Shimajiri, but not in cats from the other cities or counties. Though the cats of Joetsu, Fujisawa, Kyoto, Sanda, Aira and Shimajiri were infected with either B. henselae or B. clarridgeiae, one of eight infected cats in Mishima was harboring both Bartonella species. Type I of 16S rRNA gene was the predominant type among the isolates of B. henselae, but only one isolate derived from Shimajiri was found to be of type II. Prevalence of B. clarridgeiae and the 16S rRNA gene type of B. henselae among cats in Japan was demonstrated for the first time in this investigation.     

Sequence analysis of the genes encoding the phosphoprotein of recent isolates of canine distemper virus in Japan

The nucleotide sequences of the phosphoprotein (P) of canine distemper virus (CDV) strains isolated between 1992 and 1996 in Japan were determined. This is the first report of the complete sequences of the P genes of recently prevalent CDV strains. The deduced amino acid sequences of the P, C and V proteins showed that in the new Japanese isolates, these proteins have approximately 93%, 90-91% and 92% identities with those of the Onderstepoort vaccine strain, respectively. The predicted functional regions were conserved. RNA editing resulting in a shift to the open reading frame (ORF) of the V protein was shown to occur with the same efficiency in both the field isolates and vaccine strain.     

Molecular characteristics of cutaneous papillomavirus from the canine pigmented epidermal nevus

To investigate the relation between the canine pigmented epidermal nevus (PEN) and cutaneous papillomavirus, we cloned and sequenced the L1 gene of papillomavirus from the canine pigmented epidermal nevus (PEN). Amplification of DNA sample with the L1 consensus primers yielded an expected fragment of approximately 450-bp. The nucleotide sequences of the fragment showed about 64% of sequence similarity to the L1 region of human papillomavirus isolate CP6108 and less than 57% sequence similarity to those of canine oral papillomavirus (COPV). In situ hybridization determined the presence of papillomavirus DNA mainly in the upper stratum granulosum of skin in this case. The results indicated that the canine cutaneous papillomavirus from the PEN lesion was genetically close to human papillomavirus rather than COPV.     

Identification of Petunia hybrida cultivars that diurnally emit floral fragrances

In order to identify genetic resources for breeding fragrant petunias for use as bedding plants, volatile compounds released by day from the flowers of 40 commercial Petunia hybrida cultivars were analyzed using a solid-phase micro-extraction technique coupled with GC–MS. The three cultivars with solid deep-blue flowers that accumulate malvidin in corollas with high tissue pH were found to emit abundant iso-eugenol as the principal floral fragrance. Several other cultivars that emitted considerable amounts of methylbenzoate and/or benzylbenzoate from the flower were also identified. Association between the floral fragrance and the other floral traits such as floral anthocyanin composition and corolla-tissue pH was discussed.     

The process of decline of an endangered tree species,Pinus armandii Franch. var.amamiana (Koidz.) Hatusima, on the southern slope of Mt. Hasa-dake in Yaku-shima Island

The process of decline of an endangered tree species,Pinus armandii var.amamiana, was monitored on the southern slope of Mt. Hasa-dake in Yaku-shima Island from 1994 to 1998. There are 163 trees ofP. armandii var.amamiana over 1.3 m in height. They are distributed on steep ridges and rocks with a thin soil layer mostly consisting of friable granite. During the monitoring period, 21 trees ofP. armandii var.amamiana died and the mortality rate was 12.9%. Dead trees were categorized into three types: standing, uprooted and landslide. The uprooted- and landslide-typed dead trees were found only after a severe typhoon struck Yaku-shima Island. This suggests that the combination of fragile site conditions and severe typhoons play an important role in the process of decline ofP. armandii var.amamiana. The standing-typed dead trees were presumed to have been killed by pine wilt disease, accounting for 71.4% of the dead trees. However,Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the cause of pine wilt disease, was not detected from any of the wood chips or branch samples from the standing-typed dead trees ofP. armandii var.amamiana. This might indicate that some factor(s) other than pine wilt disease could be responsible for the standing-typed death ofP. armandii var.amamiana in natural habitats. A part of this paper was presented at the 109th Meeting of the Japanese Forestry Society.