Adenosine deaminase activity in cats infected with feline immunodeficiency virus

Adenosine deaminase (ADA), an enzyme involved in purine metabolism, has been shown to be of clinical importance in several diseases in humans. To investigate whether ADA is of any clinical significance in cats, plasma adenosine deaminase (P-ADA) and T cell adenosine deaminase (T-ADA) activities were measured in feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) negative and positive cats. The AIDS-related complex (ARC) group showed a significant elevation in P-ADA activity compared to the asymptomatic carrier (AC), and FIV-negative groups (P<0.005). T-ADA activity was significantly elevated in FIV-positive cats compared to the FIV-negative group (P<0.05) and this elevation was attributed to the increase in the ARC group (P<0.01). A correlation was found between P-ADA and T-ADA activities in the FIV-negative group. T-ADA activity and CD4(+)cell number showed a strong negative correlation in FIV-positive cats (P<0.0005). CD4(+) cell numbers were significantly reduced in the ARC group compared to the healthy controls (P<0.005). Our results showed that T-ADA is increased in FIV-positive cats during the ARC stage. These results also suggest that ADA may be an indicator of T cell activation in the ARC stage of FIV infection.     

A canine case of necrotizing meningoencephalitis for long-term observation: clinical and MRI findings

A 3-year-old female pug presented with general seizure following a partial seizure. During the remaining 48 months till death, the dog showed various neurological signs such as disturbance of consciousness, myoclonus and various types of partial seizure after each occurrence of the seizure clusters, and the dog eventually exhibited inability to stand and dementia. Magnetic resonance imaging findings revealed atrophy of the brain over the course of the disease. On histopathological analysis, the dog was diagnosed with necrotizing meningoencephalitis. This case of a canine necrotizing meningoencephalitis observed over the long term is valuable.     

A case of lymphoma developing in the rabbit cecum

A rare lymphoma that developed in the cecum of a domestic pet rabbit (6 years old, male, crossbred) was examined pathologically. The tumor consisted of proliferating neoplastic lymphoid cells, which were strongly stained with anti-CD79alpha monoclonal antibody. Electron microscopy revealed the tumor cells were composed of rough endoplasmic reticula and/or dilated rough endoplasmic reticula filled with moderately electron-dense material. These findings indicated the present case was rare digestive tract lymphoma originated from B-lymphocytic lineage in the cecum.     

The growth‐promoting activity of egg white proteins in the C2C12 myoblast cell line

In this study, we examined the effects of several egg white proteins (ovalbumin, ovomucoid, ovotransferrin and lysozyme) on proliferation and myotube growth in C2C12 murine myoblast cells. Cell proliferation was measured using a water‐soluble tetrazolium salt (WST‐8)‐based assay and then validated using Giemsa staining. Significant proliferative activities of C2C12 cells were observed in response to the addition of 10^?5–10^?4 mol/L ovalbumin or ovomucoid. Ovotransferrin decreased C2C12 cell proliferation and lysozyme showed no significant effects on the proliferation of C2C12 cells. In contrast, the proliferative effects of ovalbumin and ovomucoid were not observed in 3T3‐L1 murine preadipocyte cells. We also measured the effects of ovalbumin and ovomucoid on C2C12 myotube diameters by using histological analysis. In comparison to control cells, myotube diameters were significantly increased in cells cultured in 10^?6–10^?4 mol/L ovalbumin or ovomucoid, suggesting that ovalbumin and ovomucoid stimulate the growth of myotubes. Thus, our results clearly demonstrated that ovalbumin or ovomucoid stimulated the proliferation of myoblasts and growth of myotubes.     

Extracellular cyclophilin A possesses chemotaxic activity in cattle

Cyclophilin A (CyPA) was originally discovered in bovine thymocytes as a cytosolic binding protein of the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine A. Recent studies have revealed that in mice and humans, CyPA is secreted from cells in injured or infected tissues and plays a role in recruiting inflammatory cells in those tissues. Here we found that in cattle abundant level of extracellular CyPA was observed in tissues with inflammation. To aid in investigating the role of extracellular CyPA in cattle, we generated recombinant bovine CyPA (rbCyPA) and tested its biological activity as an inflammatory mediator. When bovine peripheral blood cells were treated with rbCyPA in vitro, we observed that rbCyPA reacts with the membranous surface of granulocytes, monocytes and lymphocytes. Chemotaxis analysis showed that the granulocytes migrate toward rbCyPA and the migration is inhibited by pre-treatment with an anti-bovine CyPA antibody. These results indicate that, as for mice and humans, extracellular CyPA possesses chemotactic activity to recruit inflammatory cells (e.g., granulocytes) in cattle, and could thus be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of inflammation.     

输液器污染微生物辐射抗性频率分布的研究

从 5 6套输液器分离得到 3 0 3 2株分离菌 ,系统地研究了输液器上污染微生物的辐射抗性。用辐射处理获得了较高抗辐射的微生物 98株 ,测定了它们的辐射抗性D10 。分离菌株的D10 是在 0 8～ 4 0kGy之间 ,主要集中在 1 2～ 1 6kGy。D10 ≤1 6kGy占全部污染菌的 99%。所有辐射筛选菌株是革兰氏阳性菌 ,其中 84株是Bacillussp .,1 4株是micrococcussp .。在输液器外壁获得了 1株桔红色的菌株 ,其D10 为 4 0kGy。     

Mode of action of novel 2-(benzylamino)-4-methyl-6-(trifluoro- methyl)-1,3,5-triazine herbicides: inhibition of photosynthetic electron transport and binding studies.

Novel 2-(benzylamino)-4-methyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3,5-triazines have the same 1,3,5-triazine skeleton as atrazine, although some of them, for example, 2-(3-chlorobenzylamino)-4-methyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3,5-tria zin e [pI(50)(spinach) = 7.21], show a >3 times stronger photosynthetic electron transport inhibitory activity than atrazine [pI(50)(spinach) = 6.72]. The new triazines have only one amino group at the triazine ring, and their molecular shapes are different from atrazine. The replacement of the bound [(14)C]atrazine by 1,3,5-triazines was tested to determine whether the novel 1,3,5-triazine analogues exhibit the same binding pattern at the D1-protein as atrazine. It was found that [(14)C]atrazine bound to the D1-protein was replaced by the triazine tested by a clearly competitive interaction. Obviously, the novel 1,3,5-triazines are attached to the same binding niche as atrazine.     

Quantitative analysis of pyroglutamic acid in peptides.

A simplified and rapid procedure for the determination of pyroglutamic acid in peptides was developed. The method involves the enzymatic cleavage of an N-terminal pyroglutamate residue using a thermostable pyroglutamate aminopeptidase and isocratic HPLC separation of the resulting enzymatic hydrolysate using a column switching technique. Pyroglutamate aminopeptidase from a thermophilic archaebacteria, Pyrococcus furiosus, cleaves N-terminal pyroglutamic acid residue independent of the molecular weight of the substrate. It cleaves more than 85% of pyroglutamate from peptides whose molecular weight ranges from 362.4 to 4599.4 Da. Thus, a new method is presented that quantitatively estimates N-terminal pyroglutamic acid residue in peptides.     

Rapid degradation of carbaryl by two novel strains ofArthrobacter spp. isolated from forest soil

Carbaryl is one of the carbamate insecticides widely used in agricultural fields and forests. To restore the environment contaminated with carbaryl application, it is suggested that microbial degradation of carbaryl could be an effective method. Two novel bacterial strains degrading rapidly carbaryl were isolated from forest soil. These strains designated as 19B and 19C were identified as novel species ofArthrobacter, respectively based on main bacterial properties including GC-content, major fatty acid composition, major menaquinone isoprenologue and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Strain 19B started to degrade carbaryl within several hours and completely degraded 50μg/ml carbaryl in a mineral salt medium within a day. Similarly, strain 19C showed a high degradation ability. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis showed that the major degradation metabolite is 1-naphthol (M=144) and minor metabolites are 1,4-naphthalenedione (M=158) and 1,4-naphthalenediol (M=160), suggesting a pathway of carbaryl degradation by both strains. This research was supported by a Grant-in-Aid from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan.     

Salmonella typhimurium infection in domesticated fowl in a children's zoo.

Salmonella typhimurium infection occurred in a children's zoo where 11 fowl and 85 mammals were kept. Initially, the guinea pigs were infected and transmitted the infection to the fowl and rabbits. These mammals responded to medication and cleared of the infection; however, the birds were judged to contain excreters despite four regimens of treatment with antibiotics. Cloacal swabs were taken from all the birds. One turkey was positive for Salmonella and was destroyed. Pooled fecal samples from the birds were again positive. All the birds were tested serologically, and two birds, a goose and a turkey, were positive with Salmonella pullorum-gallinarum antigen, which was assumed to be a cross reaction with S. typhimurium antigen. The two birds were destroyed and the goose yielded Salmonella. The infection was finally eradicated, and the serologic examination was considered to be the most useful procedure for detection of the excreters.