Determination of Feeder Cell‐Based Cellular Niches Supporting the Colonization and Maintenance of Spermatogonial Stem Cells from Prepubertal Domestic Cat Testes

Recently, isolation and in vitro culture of putative spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in the domestic cat have been conducted. However, the cellular niche conditions that facilitate the establishment and long‐term maintenance of feline SSCs (FSSCs) have not been described. Therefore, we investigated the type of feeder cells used to stimulate colony formation and growth of FSSCs among the various factors in the FSSC niche. Spermatogonial stem cells isolated from feline testes were cultured on mitotically inactivated testicular stromal cells (TSCs) derived from cats, dogs and mice, and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). The formation and growth of colonies derived from SSCs cultured on each type of feeder cell were identified at passage 0, and the morphology, alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity and expression of SSC‐specific genes in surviving colonies were investigated at passage 4. Among these diverse feeder cells, TSCs from cat showed the greatest colony formation, growth and maintenance of FSSCs, and SSC colonies cultured by passage 4 showed a typical dome‐shaped morphology, AP activity and expression of SSC‐specific genes (NANOG, OCT4, SOX2 and CD9). Accordingly, these results demonstrate that feline TSCs could be used as feeder cells to support the establishment and maintenance of SSCs from domestic cats.     

Nasopharyngeal tooth foreign body in a dog

An 8-year-old Shih-tzu dog was presented with a 2-week history of cough and nasal discharge. Upon presentation, the dog had constant open-mouth breathing with stertor and blood-tinged mucopurulent nasal discharge. Oral examination revealed a missing right mandibular second premolar tooth and severe periodontal disease. Computed tomography showed a radiodense, retropharyngeal foreign body. The foreign body was removed using caudal rhinoscopy. The foreign body was the right mandibular second premolar covered by thick calculus.     

Therapeutic trial of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor for dilated cardiomyopathy in three dogs

Three dogs were presented to us for evaluation of cardiac problems. Electrocardiographic recordings revealed severe tachyarrhythmia and atrial fibrillation with ventricular tachycardia in 2 of the 3 dogs. The echocardiographic findings of the 3 dogs revealed markedly decreased fractional shortening and a marked increase in E-point septal separation. Based on the results of electrocardiographic and echocardiographic evaluation, the 3 dogs were diagnosed as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The dogs were treated with conventional cardiac medication, but cardiac function did not improve and the clinical signs remained. We subsequently attempted treatment with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF; 10 microg/kg, subcutaneously). The specific purpose of G-CSF therapy for DCM was to improve cardiac function and a significant improvement in cardiac function was confirmed. The three dogs had no treatment side effects. This case report suggests that G-CSF might have therapeutic effects for medically refractory DCM in dogs.     

白菜EST-SSR信息分析与标记的建立

 数量迅速增加的EST为开发新的SSR标记提供了宝贵的资源。本研究对4 584条白菜EST进行了搜索, 共检索出474个SSR, 检出率为10.3% , 包括40种重复基元。其中二核苷酸和三核苷酸重复单元的EST-SSR占主导地位, 二者出现的频率基本相近, 占总SSR的近83%; 其它重复类型所占比例均不足5%。GA和GAA是二、三核苷酸中的优势重复类型, 分别占二、三核苷酸重复类型的71.5%和37.5%。设计了15对EST-SSR引物, 在合适的PCR反应体系下, 以构建EST的白菜自交系A的DNA为模板, 对设计的EST-SSR引物进行筛选, 发现15对EST-SSR引物都能扩增出产物。进一步用这些可扩增的引物对28个白菜品种进行PCR扩增, 发现7对引物显示多态性, 占引物总数的46.7%。此结果表明, 根据EST建立EST-SSR标记是一条简便而又有效的途径。     

The effects of replacement of antibiotics with by‐products of oriental medicinal plants on growth performance and meat qualities in fattening pigs

The effect of by‐products of oriental medicinal plants (OMP; T1) containing 0.03% herb extracts (T2) or 0.1% aminolevulinic acid (T3) on the production performance of swine during the finishing period and on its meat quality were investigated. No significant differences were found in the weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion rate among the tested groups (P > 0.05). But the treated group showed higher (P < 0.05) moisture and ash and lower protein than the control group. The T3 group showed a lower meat cholesterol content (38.42 mg/100 g) compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). The vitamin E content of the muscle in the treated groups was higher compared to the control group. No antibiotic content was detected in all treated and control samples. The values of the volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) of the treated groups were significantly lower (P < 0.01) than the control group. The treated groups had significantly better (P < 0.05) sensory‐test scores for color, flavor, off‐flavor and total acceptability compared to the control group.     

Anti-inflammatory inhibition of endothelial cell adhesion molecule expression by flavone derivatives

Endothelial expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAM) including VCAM-1, E-selectin, and PECAM-1 plays a leading role in atherosclerosis. Phenolic flavones have been shown to have an anti-inflammatory property. This study examines whether 3',4'-dimethoxy-7-hydroxyflavone (methoxyflavone) and 2',3',7-trihydroxyflavone (hydroxyflavone) inhibited monocyte adhesion to TNF-alpha-activated endothelium via reduction of CAM expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). In stimulated HUVEC the expression of VCAM-1 and E-selectin was enhanced with increasing mRNA levels. Methoxyflavone markedly interfered with the THP-1 monocyte adhesion to TNF-alpha-stimulated HUVEC. At concentrations of > or =25 microM, methoxyflavone blocked the induction of VCAM-1 but not that of E-selectin on the activated HUVEC. Immunocytochemical staining showed that methoxyflavone modestly inhibited PECAM-1 expression induced by TNF-alpha. In contrast, hydroxyflavone minimally inhibited TNF-alpha-stimulated E-selectin expression without affecting VCAM-1 level. The inhibitory effect of methoxyflavone on THP-1 adhesion to HUVEC appears to be greater than that of hydroxyflavone, most likely due to a greater inhibition of CAM expression. Thus, some flavone derivatives containing methoxy groups may have therapeutic potential attenuating inflammatory response-related atherosclerosis.     

Lowland rainforest avifauna and human disturbance: persistence of primary forest birds in selectively logged forests and mixed-rural habitats of southern Peninsular Malaysia

We compared the composition and structure of primary forest avifauna among primary forests, selectively logged forests and mixed-rural areas (e.g. villages and agricultural areas) of Peninsular Malaysia. We found that forests that were selectively logged at least 30 years ago contained only 73-75% of the 159 species of extant primary forest birds, with an increased proportion of dominant species. We estimated that only 28-32% of the primary forest species utilized the mixed-rural habitat, and that the number of species that bred in the agricultural landscapes might be even lower. The microhabitat of different species most affected their vulnerability to disturbance. Most small, arboreal frugivores and omnivores, and insectivores that fed from tree trunks, showed greater persistence in the mixed-rural habitat than ground dwelling bird species, which were affected most by disturbance. Resource abundance and variables that were closely related to forest disturbance such as the density of large trees, density of dead trees, canopy cover density and shrub volume influenced the distribution of the primary forest birds. Large primary forest reserves and a revision of short-cycle logging regimes (ca. 30 years) are needed if we are to conserve the lowland rainforest avifauna of Peninsular Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia.