Changes of hip joint congruity after triple pelvic osteotomy in the dog with hip dysplasia

Changes in hip joint congruity was evaluated in dogs with hip dysplasia before and after triple pelvic osteotomy by computed tomography examination in the standing position. Lateral center edge angle significantly increased, and center distance (CD) significantly decreased after surgery compared to the values before surgery, respectively. There was an inverse proportion between the postoperative period and the change in the ratio of CD. These results suggested that joint laxity was improved with time after surgery, providing evidence of the clinical usefulness of this surgery.     

Deleterious effects of fungi isolated from paddy soils on seminal root of rice

Soil samples were collected from rice paddies at 22 locations in northeastern Honshu, Japan. In 20 of the samples, seedling growth of rice was improved by soil pasteurization (aerated steaming at 60°C for 30 min), although no typical disease symptoms were observed in the seedlings grown in the untreated soil samples. In most locations, rice seedlings grew better in a potting medium containing root material from plants grown in the pasteurized portion of a soil sample than in a medium with root material from plants grown in the unpasteurized portion of the same sample. The results suggest that microorganisms that restrained rice seedling growth may be common in the soils of rice paddies. Approximately 800 isolates were obtained from seedling roots grown in unpasteurized soils and grouped by cultural and microscopic morphologies. The deleterious effects of 79 isolates from 21 major groups, most of which were soil-dwelling taxa, were examined after direct inoculation of the seminal roots. Isolates of Curvularia sp., Cirrenalia sp., Eppicoccum nigrum, Fusarium graminearum, F. oxysporum, Gliocladium virens, Humicola sp., Penicillium sp., Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae, Sclerotium hydrophilum, Trichoderma aureoviride, and T. harzianum inhibited root growth, suggesting that deleterious root-infecting fungi were more common in paddy soil than previously thought. These fungi may be involved in the restraint of rice seedling growth.     

Serum progesterone and estradiol-17beta concentrations in captive and free-ranging adult female japanese black bears (Ursus thibetanus japonicus)

Progesterone (P4) and estradiol-17beta (E2) concentrations were measured in serum samples obtained from 23 captive and 23 free-ranging adult female Japanese black bears. We then determined the relationship between changes in these sex steroid hormones and pregnancy. In all captive bears, which included animals of both known and unknown reproductive status, serum P4 concentrations were low from April to July, then tended to become higher after August. The levels then became much higher still in November and December, but returned to low levels in March. Serum P4 concentrations in eight captive pregnant bears, which had parturitions the following spring, increased gradually from August (0.5-2.4 ng/ml) to October (0.9-3.6 ng/ml), and achieved significantly higher maximum levels in December (7.2-18.0 ng/ml). Thereafter, serum P4 concentrations tended to decrease (3.5-6.4 ng/ml in January and 0.3-0.7 ng/ml in March). In all captive bears, serum E2 concentrations varied from April to October but showed low levels in November and December, and became high in January. Serum E2 concentrations in the eight pregnant bears were high in May (95.6-191.4 pg/ml) and varied from August to October (35.6-143.3 pg/ml). Subsequently, serum E2 concentrations in December dropped to significantly lower minimum levels (5.3-11.9 pg/ml) and increased again in January (67.6-153.1 pg/ml). Among the free-ranging bears, the data on serum P4 concentrations in eight bears led to expectations of pregnancy, whereas serum E2 concentrations showed no distinct evidence related to pregnancy. These results, particularly in captive pregnant bears, indicate that a marked increase of P4 in December might be accompanied by reactivation of the corpus luteum preceding implantation. Furthermore, changes in E2 concentrations suggested the possibility that a decline in December and an increase in January are associated with implantation and parturition, respectively.     

Incidence of viruses in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alstroemeria</Emphasis> plants cultivated in Japan and characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Broad bean wilt virus-2, Cucumber mosaic virus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Youcai mosaic virus</Emphasis>

Alstroemeria plants were surveyed for viruses in Japan from 2002 to 2004. Seventy-two Alstroemeria plants were collected from Aichi, Nagano, and Hokkaido prefectures and 54.2% were infected with some species of virus. The predominant virus was Alstroemeria mosaic virus, followed by Tomato spotted wilt virus, Youcai mosaic virus (YoMV), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Alstroemeria virus X and Broad bean wilt virus-2 (BBWV-2). On the basis of nucleotide sequence of the coat protein genes, all four CMV isolates belong to subgroup IA. CMV isolates induced mosaic and/or necrosis on Alstroemeria. YoMV and BBWV-2 were newly identified by traits such as host range, particle morphology, and nucleotide sequence as viruses infecting Alstroemeria. A BBWV-2 isolate also induced mosaic symptoms on Alstroemeria seedlings.     

Effect of inundation duration on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salix gracilistyla</Emphasis> density and size on a gravel bar

To clarify the effects of inundation on the establishment of Salix gracilistyla trees, the relationship between total inundation duration and the distribution and size of trees was examined on a gravel bar along the Miya River in central Japan. The density of S. gracilistyla was low at both low and high elevations on the gravel bar, but high at middle elevations. The density increased with up to 165 days of inundation and declined gradually with more than 165 days of inundation. Density had a negative effect on crown area, whereas inundation duration had a positive effect. At lower elevations, growth limitation of S. gracilistyla is mainly caused by inundation stress, whereas at higher elevations it seems to be primarily due to drought stress, although it depends on the total duration of inundation in a year (TDIY). Consequently, the density is highest at middle elevations where trees do not become too large. These results suggest that inundation duration is one factor determining the density of S. gracilistyla trees, which in turn affects the size of each tree.     

Seasonal changes of azimuthal,radial, and tree-to-tree variations in sap flux affect stand transpiration estimates in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cryptomeria japonica</Emphasis> forest,central Taiwan

Stand transpiration (E) estimated using the sap flux methods is affected by the azimuthal, radial, and tree-to-tree variations of sap flux. Although several studies have examined the relative importance of the three variations in estimating E, the seasonality of the three variations remains unknown. In the current study, we attempted to clarify whether the relative importance of these three variations could show seasonal changes. Using sap flux data measured in a subtropical cloud forest from August 2010 to July 2011, we calculated the differences resulting from omitting the three variations in estimating E. The effects of the three variations in estimating E showed seasonality. The azimuthal and tree-to-tree variations were more pronounced during winter, whereas the radial variation was more pronounced during summer. However, the effect of tree-to-tree variation was consistently much larger than the other two variations throughout the study period. The tree-to-tree variation is more important in estimating E monthly, seasonally and annually than both the azimuthal and radial variations, although all three variations have shown seasonality. In addition, the sensor allocation for summer would be acceptable for the practical estimation of E if aiming at the long time scale.     

An epidemiological analysis of Salmonella enteritidis contamination in a rat-infested chicken layer farm, an egg processing facility, and liquid egg samples by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

In order to determine the epidemiological link between the Salmonella Enteritidis contamination in a rat-infested chicken layer farm, an attached egg processing facility and liquid egg samples, several S. Enteritidis isolates were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and bacteriophage typing. A total of 33 S. Enteritidis strains were isolated from a total of 4,081 samples. Similar pulsed-field patterns were generated by S. Enteritidis isolates from liquid eggs, rats and effluent water. Additionally, only two phage types were detected among the S. Enteritidis isolates, PT 1b and PT 6. These results suggest that S. Enteritidis isolates from rats, egg processing facility, and liquid eggs are genetically related. Furthermore, S. Enteritidis infection in rats in layer farms poses a serious public health concern and should be included in future epidemiological studies.     

Rainfall interception in a moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) forest

In recent years, moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) forest areas in Japan have rapidly expanded, and bamboo is now invading nearby natural or plantation forests. To date, only one study has examined the rainfall interception of a moso bamboo forest. In that study, it was reported that the interception ratio (interception/rainfall) of the bamboo forest did not exceed the interception ratios of other natural and plantation forests (n = 4) in Japan. To expand the current state of knowledge about rainfall interception of bamboo forests, we measured throughfall and stemflow at another bamboo forest site. Annual rainfall (Rf), throughfall (Tf), and stemflow (Sf) during the measurement period were 2,105, 1,556, and 322 mm, respectively. Annual rainfall interception at the plot (I) was 228 mm. Tf/Rf, Sf/Rf, and I/Rf were 73.9, 15.3, 10.8%, respectively. I/Rf was less than 20% throughout the year except in October, the month with lowest rainfall. We also summarized rainfall interception data from 19 other natural and plantation forests. The I/Rf value of our site did not exceed the I/Rf values of these natural and plantation forests (n = 19). Our data will be useful for assessing changes in water resources that result from replacement of natural or plantation forests by bamboo forests.     

Cytotoxic activity of some Asarum plants

The cytotoxic activity against some tumor cell lines of 16 commonly used species of Asarum was evaluated in this study. All of these plants were widely used in Asian countries as traditional medicines or folk medicines. Their inhibitory activities against four tumor cell lines (HL-60, BGC-823, KB and Bel-7402) were compared. It was observed that 10 of the tested extracts (eight ethanol extracts and two water extracts) among 32 extracts of these plants showed cytotoxic activity. Those 95% ethanol extractions from A. caudigerellum, A. forbesii, A. inflatum and A. maximum exhibited the highest cytotoxic activity, and 95% ethanol extracts or water extracts of A. sieboldii var. seoulense, A. himalaicum, A. splendens and A. crispulatum showed selective activity against one or two cells among the tested tumor cells. This is the first report of Asarum plants possessing cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines.