Hepatocellular toxicosis associated with the alternate administration of carprofen and meloxicam in a siberian husky

A 4-year-old female Siberian Husky was diagnosed with pyogranulomatous steatitis at the site of a recurrence of left anal sac rupture (day 1). Carprofen and orbifloxacin were given for 13 days without improvement. A single dose of meloxicam was administered prior to surgical resection of the anal sac, and based on elevated liver enzyme activity, liver supportive therapy was initiated. The dog received carprofen and orbifloxacin orally on the evening of day 14. The dog became anorectic the following morning, and began vomiting. Despite supportive therapy, the dog was unresponsive to treatment and died on day 16. Postmortem examination revealed severe vacuolar change and acute necrosis of hepatocytes consistent with carprofen and meloxicam induced-toxicosis.     

Serological and virological studies of Newcastle disease and avian influenza in slaughter-age ostriches (Struthio camelus) in Japan

Serum samples from 191 ostriches (Struthio camelus) in Japan were tested for antibodies to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and avian influenza virus (AIV). Twenty-two (12%) contained NDV-specific neutralizing antibodies by a virus-neutralization (VN) test without vaccination. Antibodies to AIV were not detected in the any sera by an agar gel precipitation test. Seven serum samples that had vaccinated with live NDV by eye drop were all positive by the VN test at 1 month post vaccination. A haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test for NDV seemed not to be suitable for ostriches because of non-specific agglutination of chicken red blood cells. No haemagglutinating viruses were isolated. This is the first report on detection of antibodies against NDV in ostriches in Japan.     

Analysis of the promoter of mutated human whey acidic protein (WAP) gene

Although whey acidic protein (WAP) has been identified in the milk of a range of species, it has been predicted that WAP is not secreted into human milk as a result of critical point mutations within the coding region. In the present study, we first investigated computationally the promoter region of mutated human WAP genes by comparing with those of other known WAP genes. Computational database analyses showed that the human WAP promoter region was highly conserved, as in other species with milk WAP. Next, we evaluated the activity of the human WAP promoter (2.6 kb) using a reporter gene assay. MCF-7 cells were stably transfected with the hWAP/hGH (human growth hormone) fusion gene, cultured on Matrigel, and treated with lactogenic hormones. Radioimmunoassay detected hGH in the culture medium, indicating that the human WAP promoter was responsible for the lactogenic hormones. The human WAP promoter was significantly more active in MCF-7 cells than the mouse WAP promoter (2.4 kb). The present results provide us with important information on the molecular evolution of milk protein genes.     

Genotype by environment interaction effects on fibre components in potato (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum tuberosum</Emphasis> L.)

Increasing awareness of heart health and disease prevention has led consumers to more proactive grocery food choices. Fibre and its associated health benefits remains an important area of research given the current interest in food, nutrition, and health. To position the potato as a good source of fibre, breeding efforts have focused on developing cultivars and germplasm with high fibre content. The current study examined eight elite potato clones and four commercial cultivars (checks) across six environments (three locations over two years) for their total dietary fibre (TDF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), and soluble fibre (SF) content. Genotype by environment interaction (GEI) and stability analysis were conducted with SAS and GGE Biplot software. Significant genotypic (G), environmental (E) and GEI effects were found. The six environments differed in temperature and moisture levels, which were linked to levels of NDF and TDF. Some genotypes had high levels of stability for fibre content. GGE biplot analysis found no significant mega-environments for fibre components. Two elite clones (CV96044-3 and F05081) were identified as high fibre sources (13.3 and 14.4 %, respectively) compared to the other elite clones and commercial cultivars (e.g., Russet Burbank: 11.7 %). These lines may also be suitable as parents with high fibre and stability to breed into backgrounds with other desirable qualities.     

Effect of Selection for Chip Colour on Some Economic Traits of Potatoes

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of selection for chip colour after harvest (CH), after storage at 12. 8°C (OR), and after storage at 3°C (GO) on maturity, yield, tuber size and specific gravity. Three hybrid populations of random clones were used in this study. The parents plus seven other cultivars were also evaluated, as checks. Experiments were carried out at Benton Ridge and at Fredericton, NB, in 1991. The experimental design was an augmented block. Clones of populations were non-replicated and distributed randomly in the experiment. Check cultivars were replicated four times in a randomized complete block design. Negative responses were predicted for maturity, marketable and total yield, and tuber size (agronomic traits) and positive response for specific gravity in varying amounts for the three populations by selection for the three chip quality traits (CH, CR and CC). Therefore, selection for CH, CR and CC and the agronomic traits could not be made without some adverse effects on each other, whereas chip quality traits and specific gravity could be improved simultaneously.     

The effect of maleic hydrazide (potassium salt) on potato yield,sugar content and chip color of Kennebec and Norchip cultivars

A new formulation of maleic hydrazide (MH), a potassium salt formulation, was field tested for 3 years in Ontario to evaluate effects on yield performance, and on the sprouting and processing quality of cvs. Norchip and Kennebec potatoes. Foliar applied MH had no apparent effect on yield of potatoes, was effective in suppressing sprout growth, and had no effect on the sugar content (i.e., fructose, glucose and sucrose) of potatoes newly harvested and after 6 months storage. Although chip color varied from yearto-year, no consistent difference was found between the color of chips made from potatoes from untreated and MH-treated plants.     

Evaluation of the Affinity of Some Toxic Elements to Schwertmannite in Natural Streams Contaminated with Acid Mine Drainage

In order to evaluate fixation potential of schwertmannite for fluvial transport of various toxic elements, we examined bottom precipitates and stream waters collected from the rivers contaminated with acid mine drainage (AMD), which arose from the abandoned Nishinomaki mine (Shimonita, Gunma, Japan). Mineralogical and morphological observations revealed that schwertmannite was the main mineral of the precipitates. The affinity of various toxic ions to schwertmannite was evaluated on the basis of (1) apparent solid?Cliquid partition coefficients (K _d??s) between precipitates and stream waters, (2) coprecipitation behaviors during schwertmannite formation in a laboratory test, and (3) consideration on coprecipitation processes using partial charge model (PCM). As a result, oxyanions of V, As, Mo and Sb, K _d??s of which were relatively large (>10⁴ (ml g^?1)), were considered to be immobilized by schwertmannite precipitates. A laboratory test also demonstrated that these ions except Mo coprecipitated with schwertmannite. In addition, partial charges and average electronegativities predicted on the basis of PCM suggested that the oxyanions of V, As, Mo, and Sb could create stable inner sphere complexes with schwertmannite embryos, which results in their high affinity to schwertmannite. On the other hand, cationic ions of Mn, Cu, Zn, Sr, Cs, and U, K _d??s of which were relatively small (<10⁴ (ml g^?1)), were thought to have a tendency to flow downstream without uptake by schwertmannite precipitates. All these results suggested that schwertmannite has high fixation potential for fluvial transport of various toxic oxyanions in AMD-contaminated rivers.