Survival analysis in dogs with urinary transitional cell carcinoma that underwent whole‐body computed tomography at diagnosis

This retrospective study aimed to evaluate factors associated with survival and to compare characteristics between tumour localizations in dogs with urinary transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) that underwent whole‐body computed tomography (CT) at diagnosis. Dogs with histologically confirmed TCC that received medical therapy between 2010 and 2017 were included; dogs that underwent surgery or radiotherapy for the primary tumour were excluded. According to the CT findings, primary tumour localization (classified into the Bladder, Urethra and Bladder and Urethra groups), prostate involvement, iliosacral lymphadenomegaly, sternal lymphadenomegaly and metastasis to the bone and lung were evaluated for survival analysis. CT at diagnosis revealed iliosacral lymphadenomegaly, sternal lymphadenomegaly, bone metastasis and lung metastasis in 47.7%, 18.5%, 24.6% and 35.4% of the 65 included dogs, respectively. The overall median survival time was 196 days. On multivariable analysis, TCC localization (hazard ratio [HR], 1.90; P = .037), bone metastasis (HR, 2.76; P = .013) and sternal lymphadenomegaly (HR, 3.56; P = .004) were significantly associated with survival. Compared to the Bladder group (n = 16), the Urethra group (n = 26) had higher metastasis rates to the bone (6.3% vs 42.3%; P = .045) and lung (6.3% vs 46.2%; P = .022). The survival time was shorter in the Urethra group than in the Bladder group (121.5 vs 420 days; P < .001), and it was similar only in female dogs (247 vs 420 days; P = .031). These findings suggest that whole‐body CT could be valuable for predicting the prognosis in urinary TCC.     

Biological features of canine cancer-associated fibroblasts and their influence on cancer cell invasion

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play an essential role in tumor invasion and metastasis. In dogs, the biological features of CAFs have not been well characterized. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in the biological activities of canine CAFs and normal fibroblasts (NFs), and their influence on the migration and invasion of cancer cells. Canine CAFs and NFs were harvested from surgically-resected malignant epithelial tumor tissues and skin tissues of dogs. A wound-healing assay was conducted to compare the migratory and invasive abilities of canine CAFs and NFs. The results of this study showed that canine CAFs have a greater migratory and invasive ability than NFs. To observe the indirect and direct interactions between fibroblasts and cancer cells, Boyden chamber assay and 3D co-culture with collagen gel were conducted. The number of migrated and infiltrated cancer cells co-cultured with canine CAFs was greater than that with NFs. In the 3D co-culture, cancer cells showed noteworthy proliferation on the surface of gels containing canine CAFs and invasion into the gel. On the other hand, no infiltration of cancer cells into the gel containing NFs was observed. It was suggested that canine CAFs activate migration and invasion of cancer cells and promote the infiltration of cancer cells into collagen gels.     

Effect of citrus pulp silage feeding on concentration of beta‐cryptoxanthin in plasma and milk of dairy cows

Citrus pulp is known to contain a functional molecule of beta‐cryptoxanthin which is one of the carotenoids showing anti‐oxidative capacity. Influences of citrus pulp silage feeding to dairy cows on beta‐cryptoxanthin concentration in plasma, other blood properties and milking performances were investigated. Four Holstein cows were fed total mixed ration (TMR) containing citrus pulp silage 20% dry matter (DM) for 2 weeks with free access to the TMR. Dry mater intake, milk production and milk components 2 weeks later were not altered compared with those of the control group without citrus pulp silage. Activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanin aminotransferase and gamma‐glutamyltranspeptidase in plasma were not affected by feeding of citrus pulp silage. Concentrations of protein, albumin, sulfhydryl residue, ascorbic acid, thio‐barbituric acid reactive substance and urea nitrogen in plasma were also not altered by citrus pulp silage feeding. Concentration of beta‐cryptoxanthin in plasma was increased approximately 20‐fold compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Content of beta‐cryptxanthin in pooled milk fat fraction was also increased approximately three times compared with that of the control group. Feeding of TMR containing citrus pulp silage 15% DM for 30 days to eight dairy cows also increased plasma beta‐cryptoxanthin concentration 30‐fold compared with that before feeding.     

Characterization of bagasse binderless particleboard manufactured in high-temperature range

This paper describes the features of binderless particleboard manufactured from sugarcane bagasse, under a high pressing temperature of 200–280 °C. Mechanical properties [i.e., modulus of rupture (MOR) and elasticity (MOE) in dry and wet conditions, internal bonding strength (IB)] and dimensional stability [i.e., thickness swelling (TS)] of the board were evaluated to investigate the effect of high pressing temperature. Recycled chip binderless particleboards were manufactured under the same conditions for comparison, and particleboards bonded with polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (PMDI) resin were manufactured as reference material. The target density was 0.8 g/cm³ for all of the boards. The results showed that the mechanical properties and dimensional stability of both types of binderless boards were improved by increasing the pressing temperature. Bagasse showed better performance than that of recycled chip as a raw material in all evaluations. Bagasse binderless particleboard manufactured at 260 °C had an MOE value of 3.5 GPa, which was equivalent to the PMDI particleboard, and a lower TS value of 3.7 % than that of PMDI particleboard. The MOR retention ratio under the dry and wet conditions was 87.0 %, while the ratio for the PMDI particleboard was only 54.6 %. The obtained results showed the possibility of manufacturing high-durability binderless particleboard, with good dimensional stability and water resistance, which previously were points of weakness for binderless boards. Manufacturing binderless boards under high temperature was effective even when using particles with poor contact area, and it was possible to express acceptable properties to allow the manufacture of particleboards. Further chemical analysis indicated a contribution of a saccharide in the bagasse to the improvement of the board properties.     

A stepwise change of frayed edge site content in biotite in response to the gradual release of potassium from the interlayers

ABSTRACT

Radiocesium (RCs) is selectively adsorbed on weathered micaceous minerals (mica) in soils. Although it is clear that weathered mica has selective adsorption sites for RCs, which have been called ‘frayed edge sites (FES),’ the relationship between the degree of mica weathering and the FES content has not been fully investigated. To evaluate the effect of mica weathering on its FES content, we investigated the changes in the FES content with the release of K⁺ from biotite samples by using sodium tetraphenylborate solution. The FES content was estimated from radiocesium interception potential. The vermiculitic layer charge (Vt charge) was also determined as an indicator of the degree of mica weathering. The amount of K extracted from biotite increased from 154 to 803 mmol kg^?1 as the condition of the K extraction was more intensive (i.e., longer time, lower solid/liquid ratio, and higher temperature). As K⁺ was removed to a greater extent, the FES content increased from 3.96 to 11.5 mmol kg^?1, whereas the Vt charge value increased from 17.1 to 329 mmol kg^?1. At the earlier stage of mica weathering, the formation of FES was proportional to the increasing amount of K⁺ released and to the Vt charges. However, at the later stage of mica weathering, when vermiculite was detected by an X-ray diffraction analysis, FES was not necessarily increased in proportion to the increase in K⁺ released and the amount of Vt charge. These findings indicated that although mica weathering largely increased the FES, the increase was not continuous throughout the weathering stage but evident at the earlier stage of weathering.     

Evaluation of a portable test system for assessing endotoxin activity in raw milk

The aim of the present study was to compare endotoxin activities detected in raw milk samples obtained from cattle by a commercially available portable test system (PTS) and traditional microplate limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL)-based assay, which determined activities using a kinetic turbidimetric (KT) assay. Raw milk samples were obtained from 53 and 12 dairy cattle without and with clinical mastitis, respectively. Comparison between the KT and PTS was performed by the Friedman test. The Pearson product moment correlation coefficients were calculated to evaluate associations between any two continuous variables. Linear regression model analysis was also performed to obtain the equation describing the relationship between PTS and KT assay. The endotoxin activities detected in 200- or 400-fold diluted milk samples were similar between PTS and KT assay, whereas a significant difference was observed in 100-fold diluted milk (P<0.001). The results obtained from 200- (r²=0.778, P<0.001) and 400-fold diluted milk samples (r²=0.945, P<0.001) using PTS correlated with those using KT assay. The median milk endotoxin activities in Gram-positive and Gram-negative clinical mastitis cows were 0.655 and 11,523.5 EU/ml, respectively. The results of the present study suggest that PTS as a simple and easy test to assess endotoxin activity in raw milk is efficient, simple and reproducible.