A Case Report of a Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma in a T-cell Receptor β Chain and p53 Double-knockout Mouse

A subcutaneous tumor was found in the right abdomen of a 16-week-old male TCRβ and p53 double-knockout mouse. The tumor had indistinct borders with the surrounding tissue. The cut surface after formalin fixation was pale yellowish white, partially dark red and partly white. Histologically, the tumor was composed of three distinct regions. The first region showed pleomorphic cells arranged in sheets. The second region showed spindle cells arranged in interlacing fascicles. The final region contained a mixture of the above mentioned two types of cells. Furthermore, a small amount of collagen fibers, round cells, multinucleated giant cells, and cells with eosinophilic granules were observed between these tumor cells. Immunohistochemical examination and electron microscopy identified that the pleomorphic cells and spindle cells were histiocytes and fibroblasts, respectively, and that the round cells were undifferentiated mesenchymal cells. Based on these findings, the tumor was diagnosed as a malignant fibrous histiocytoma.     

Comparison of excretory urographic contrast effects of dimeric and monomeric non-ionic iodinated contrast media in dogs

In excretory urography, the osmolarity of contrast media has rarely been treated as important in veterinary medicine. In this study, the contrast effect of two contrast media (monomeric iohexol and dimeric iodixanol) in the renal cortex and aorta were compared using computed tomography (CT). Five beagle dogs were used and the study employed a cross-over method for each contrast media. The results showed that there was no difference between the media in the aorta, but iodixanol showed higher CT value and a longer contrast effect than iohexol in the renal cortex, in spite of having the same iodine dosage. It is believed that iodixanol, with its low osmolarity, is diluted less by osmotic diuresis than monomeric iohexol. It is important to consider the osmolarity of the contrast media when evaluating the contrast effect, and it is essential to use the same contrast media for each examination, or the renal excretory speed will be under/overestimated.     

A retrospective study and gene analysis of canine sterile panniculitis

In this study, a retrospective analysis was conducted to assess the current aspects and predisposing factors of canine sterile panniculitis. Miniature dachshund, neutered, and younger dogs appeared to be predisposed. In addition, histories of previous surgery and injection were associated in 46.5% of the cases, with several types of surgical suture materials used. About 88% of the dogs had multifocal lesions, frequently with signs of systemic illnesses. Whereas systemic immunosuppressive therapy was effective in most dogs, surgical excision of lesions was rarely curative. In order to prevent recurrences, over 65% of the cases required prolonged immunosuppressive therapy. Polymorphism of canine alpha(1)AT gene was investigated as a candidate gene for sterile panniculitis. Eight polymorphisms were discovered in seven Miniature dachshunds by direct nucleotide sequencing, which included a 12-bp deletion, three non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms, and four silent substitutions. Genotyping of the two polymorphisms, c.109_120del12 and c.483A>C, which identified at high incidence in the dachshunds, was conducted in 83 dogs of 6 popular breeds. The frequencies of neither polymorphism differed between Miniature dachshunds and other breeds, suggesting that neither is responsible for developing panniculitis.     

In vitro enhancement by CpG ODN of phagocytic activity of rainbow trout head kidney phagocytes against fish pathogen Vibrio ordalii, but not against polystyrene particles

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) head kidney phagocytes precultured with a synthetic cytidine-phosphate-guanosine (CpG) oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) displayed significantly higher phagocytic activity against Vibrio ordalii than phagocytes precultured with non-CpG ODN. However, head kidney phagocytes precultured with CpG ODN did not show enhanced phagocytic activity against polystyrene particles.     

Validation of CADESI-03, a severity scale for clinical trials enrolling dogs with atopic dermatitis

In dogs, atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common and chronic allergic skin disease that often necessitates treatment with pharmacological interventions. In the last 30 years, numerous clinical trials testing the efficacy of anti-inflammatory drugs have been reported, but there has been a lack of consistency in the assessment of outcome measures. Several clinical scales have been employed over time, but none of these scoring systems were ever tested for validity and reliability. A committee of the International Task Force on Canine Atopic Dermatitis evaluated the currently available scales used to assess disease morbidity in humans and dogs with AD, and a third version of the Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index (CADESI-03) was designed. This version was expanded from previous ones by redistribution and increase in body sites tested, the use of an additional lesion reflecting underlying pruritus (e.g. self-induced alopecia) and an increase in the numerical range of severity for each lesion. The CADESI-03 scale was tested for validity and reliability in a cohort of 38 dogs with AD. Overall, this revised version of the CADESI was found to exhibit acceptable content, construct, criterion, and inter- and intra-observer reliability and sensitivity to change. As a result, this scale is recommended as a validated tool for assessment of disease severity in clinical trials testing the efficacy of interventions in dogs with AD.     

Effects of age,sex, and breed on the composition of free extractable ceramides in the stratum corneum of healthy dogs

Veterinary Research Communications - Ceramide (CER), an important component of the extracellular lamellar lipids in the stratum corneum (SC), plays a critical role in maintaining the cutaneous...     

N-Acetyl-d-Glucosamine-Binding Lectin in Acropora tenuis Attracts Specific Symbiodiniaceae Cell Culture Strains

Many corals establish symbiosis with Symbiodiniaceae cells from surrounding environments, but very few Symbiodiniaceae cells exist in the water column. Given that the N-acetyl-d-glucosamine-binding lectin ActL attracts Symbiodiniaceae cells, we hypothesized that corals must attract Symbiodiniaceae cells using ActL to acquire them. Anti-ActL antibody inhibited acquisition of Symbiodiniaceae cells, and rearing seawater for juvenile Acropora tenuis contained ActL, suggesting that juvenile A. tenuis discharge ActL to attract these cells. Among eight Symbiodiniaceae cultured strains, ActL attracted NBRC102920 (Symbiodinium tridacnidorum) most strongly followed by CS-161 (Symbiodinium tridacnidorum), CCMP2556 (Durusdinium trenchii), and CCMP1633 (Breviolum sp.); however, it did not attract GTP-A6-Sy (Symbiodinium natans), CCMP421 (Effrenium voratum), FKM0207 (Fugacium sp.), and CS-156 (Fugacium sp.). Juvenile polyps of A. tenuis acquired limited Symbiodiniaceae cell strains, and the number of acquired Symbiodiniaceae cells in a polyp also differed from each other. The number of Symbiodiniaceae cells acquired by juvenile polyps of A. tenuis was correlated with the ActL chemotactic activity. Thus, ActL could be used to attract select Symbiodiniaceae cells and help Symbiodiniaceae cell acquisition in juvenile polyps of A. tenuis, facilitating establishment of symbiosis between A. tenuis and Symbiodiniaceae cells.     

Properties and metabolic diversity of microbial communities in soils treated with steam sterilization compared with methyl bromide and chloropicrin fumigations

The effects of steam sterilization (SS) on soil microbial properties including metabolic diversity of the microbial communities were examined in a greenhouse compared with those of two fumigants, methyl bromide (MB) and chloropicrin (CP). The numbers of fungi decreased in all the treatments. Nitrifiers, both ammonium-oxidizing bacteria and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, were severely affected by the SS and CP treatments, resulting in their virtual disappearance. The decrease in the levels of microbial biomass C and N after the treatments suggested that the SS and CP treatments eradicated the microorganisms more effectively than the MB treatment and that the influence of the former persisted until the end of the experiment, 4 months after the treatments. Accumulation of NH₄-N was observed after the SS and CP treatments mainly due to the partial decomposition of the dead microorganisms and the marked decrease in the number of ammonium-oxidizing bacteria. The richness and average well color development (AWCD) values in the microbial communities after the SS treatment were evaluated by the carbon substrate utilization method using Biolog ECO MicroPlates. The values decreased markedly immediately after the treatment but showed a rapid recovery, while those after the CP treatment continued to decrease until the transplanting of tomato seedlings. The effect of the MB treatment on the soil microbial communities was less pronounced. The growth of the tomato plants was promoted by the SS and CP treatments due to the increase in the N supply at the initial stage of tomato growth.