Trehalose may prevent postsurgical adhesions in a rabbit model of hysterotomy

The adhesion-preventing effect of trehalose in visceral organs was evaluated in a rabbit model. All rabbits underwent a hysterotomy, during which mild abrasion and desiccation was induced on the surfaces of visceral organs. In the control group, the intestines were kept dry during hysterotomy. In the saline and trehalose groups, saline solution and 7% trehalose solution, respectively, were sprayed on the organ surfaces. Adhesion formation on organ surfaces on which abrasion and desiccation were induced declined significantly in the trehalose group compared with the other groups. In contrast, at the hysterotomy site, there was no significant difference in adhesions between groups, suggesting that trehalose prevents adhesions in organs that have developed minor inflammation by abrasion and desiccation.     

Echocardiographic estimation of left atrial pressure in beagle dogs with experimentally-induced mitral valve regurgitation

Non-invasive and immediate estimation of left atrial pressure (LAP) is very useful for the management of mitral regurgitation (MR), and many reports have assessed echocardiographic estimations of LAP to date. However, it has been unclear of which examination and evaluate article possess the best accuracy for the MR severity. The present research aims to establish the echocardiographic estimation equation of LAP that is well applicable for clinical MR dogs. After the chordae tendineae rupture was experimentally induced via left atriotomy in six healthy beagle dogs (three males and three females, two years old, weighing between 9.8 to 12.8 kg), a radio telemetry transmitter catheter was inserted, which allows the continuous recordings of LAP without the use of sedation. Approximately 5 weeks after the surgery, echocardiographic examination, indirect blood pressure measurement, measurement of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and LAP measurement by way of the radio telemetry system was performed simultaneously. Subsequently, simple linear regression equations between LAP and each variable were obtained, and the equations were evaluated whether to be applicable for clinical MR dogs. As a result, the ratio of early diastolic mitral flow to early diastolic lateral mitral annulus velocity (E/Ea) had the strongest correlation as maximum LAP=7.03*(E/Ea)-54.86 (r=0.74), and as mean LAP=4.94*(E/Ea)-40.37 (r=0.70) among the all variables. Therefore, these two equations associated with E/Ea should bring more precise and instant estimations of maximum and mean LAP in clinical MR dogs.     

Developmental competence of cat oocytes from ovaries stored at various temperature for 24 h

We conducted two experiments to investigate the effects of storage temperature and period for cat ovaries on the meiotic and developmental competence of oocytes collected from the ovaries. In Experiment 1, ovaries were stored in physiological saline for 24 h at 4 C, 23-25 C, or 38 C (cold, room, and incubator temperature groups, respectively), and then oocytes were collected from the ovaries in each group. Morphologically intact oocytes were then selected and cultured in maturation medium for 24 h. Significantly more oocytes reached metaphase II (MII) in the cold temperature group (53.4%) than in the room and incubator temperature groups (20.0 and 2.4%, respectively). In Experiment 2, ovaries were stored in physiological saline at room temperature for 0, 6, 12 or 18 h, and then they were stored at 4 C (cold storage) until reaching a total storage period of 24 h. After storage of the ovaries, morphologically intact oocytes were matured, fertilized with frozen-thawed spermatozoa, and cultured in vitro. The rates of morphologically intact oocytes obtained from the ovaries stored at room temperature for 0, 6, 12 or 18 h were 35.3, 30.0, 26.4 and 14.7%, respectively, and the rates of intact oocytes that reached MII were 63.2, 36.4, 26.5 and 11.9%, respectively. The results suggested that the numbers of morphologically intact oocytes and intact oocytes that reached MII after in vitro maturation decrease gradually as the period of storage at room temperature before cold storage increases. Only oocytes from ovaries stored for 6 h developed to the blastocyst stage after in vitro maturation and fertilization when ovaries were stored at room temperature before cold storage. These results indicate that 24 h storage of ovaries at high temperatures (>23 C) decreases the meiotic competence of oocytes. The quality and developmental competence of oocytes are influenced by the length of storage at room temperature before cold storage.     

Pollen tube attraction by the synergid cell

In flowering plants, guidance of the pollen tube to the embryo sac (the haploid female gametophyte) is critical for successful fertilization. The target embryo sac may attract the pollen tube as the final step of guidance in the pistil. We show by laser cell ablation that two synergid cells adjacent to the egg cell attract the pollen tube. A single synergid cell was sufficient to generate an attraction signal, and two cells enhanced it. After fertilization, the embryo sac no longer attracts the pollen tube, despite the persistence of one synergid cell. This cessation of attraction might be involved in blocking polyspermy.     

Induction of detoxication enzymes in mice by naturally occurring allyl nitrile

Little is known about whether glucosinolate-derived nitriles have the ability to increase phase 2 detoxication enzymes and glutathione (GSH) in vivo. In this study, the ability of allyl nitrile, a hydrolysis product of the glucosinolate sinigrin, to increase tissue levels of the phase 2 detoxication enzymes glutathione S-transferase and quinone reductase and GSH in a variety of mouse tissues was examined. At the lowest dose level (11.8 mg/kg/day), allyl nitrile showed inductive ability in the stomach and lungs. At 23.6 mg/kg/day, the inductive effect was observed in the stomach, rectum, urinary bladder, and lungs, whereas at 47.2 mg/kg/day, it was recorded in the stomach, rectum, urinary bladder, kidneys, and lungs. These results show that allyl nitrile displays its maximum potency in the stomach and lungs, which is of interest in light of epidemiological studies demonstrating an inverse association between crucifer intake and the incidence of stomach and lung cancers.     

Suppression of rice blast,cabbage black leaf spot,and tomato bacterial wilt diseases by Meyerozyma guilliermondii TA-2 and the nature of protection

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of yeast strain TA-2 for controlling rice blast, cabbage black leaf spot, and tomato bacterial wilt diseases. Microscopic and phylogenetic analyses based on rDNA-internal transcribed region (ITS) and rDNA-D1/D2 sequences indicated that yeast strain TA-2 is Meyerozyma guilliermondii. Pretreatment with TA-2 by soil drenching significantly reduced the severity of black leaf spot disease caused by Alternaria brassicicola and leaf blast disease caused by Magnaporthe oryzae. Symptom development of tomato bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum in both soil drench and needle inoculation tests was significantly reduced in TA-2-pretreated plants under soil drenching. Disease severity and R. solanacearum growth were significantly reduced in tomato plants pretreated with yeast culture, cell suspension, or culture filtrate of TA-2 under soil drenching. TA-2 does not produce antibiotics. The present study indicates that disease suppression is systemic, as the roots were treated with TA-2 and the pathogens were inoculated onto leaves or stems, thereby separating the two spatially. M. guilliermondii TA-2 could become a promising natural antimicrobial agent against rice blast, cabbage black leaf spot, and tomato bacterial wilt diseases and might be useful as an eco-friendly control measure, contributing to sustainable agriculture.     

Clinical assessment of systolic myocardial deformations in dogs with chronic mitral valve insufficiency using two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to clinically assess myocardial deformations in dogs with chronic mitral valve insufficiency (CMVI) using two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE).Animals87 dogs with CMVI.MethodsDogs were placed into 1 of 3 classes, based on the International Small Animal Cardiac Health Council classification. In addition, 20 weight- and age-matched healthy dogs were enrolled as controls. The dogs were examined for myocardial deformations using 2D-STE, and strain and strain rate in the longitudinal, circumferential, and radial directions were evaluated.ResultsClass II and III dogs had higher circumferential strain than class I dogs (P = 0.002 and P = 0.001, respectively) and controls (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Class III dogs had higher radial strain than class I dogs (P = 0.001) and controls (P < 0.001). Class III dogs had higher radial strain rate than class I dogs (P = 0.006) and controls (P = 0.001). Other deformations, including longitudinal deformations, were not significantly different between classes of CMVI or between CMVI dogs and controls.ConclusionsIn the clinical progression of CMVI in dogs, myocardial deformations, as assessed by 2D-STE, differed according to myocardial contractile direction. Thus, assessments of multidirectional myocardial deformations may be important for better assessment of clinical cardiac function in dogs with CMVI.