Horizontal transmission and host-virulence attenuation of totivirus in violet root rot fungus Helicobasidium mompa

Monokaryotic strains of Helicobasidium mompa were used as vectors of a mycovirus between various H. mompa isolates to examine the transmissibility of one of the mycoviruses, totivirus (HmTV1–17 virus) in the hypovirulent isolate V17 of H. mompa. The isolates that acquired HmTV1–17 virus were also examined for any alteration in the virulence. Twelve dikaryotic isolates of H. mompa, belonging to 11 mycelial compatibility groups (MCGs) and being mycelially incompatible with isolate V17, were used as recipients of HmTV1–17 virus. Two monokaryotic isolates that were mycelially incompatible with isolate V17 and all of the recipients were also used as vectors of HmTV1-17 virus between isolate V17 and the recipients. When isolate V17 and recipients were directly paired on plate media, HmTV1-17 virus was transmitted from isolate V17 into 2 of the 12 recipients (i.e., 2 of the 11 MCGs). Two monokaryotic strains were paired with isolate V17, and the monokaryotic strains that acquired HmTV1-17 virus were then used as new virus donors. When the monokaryotic strains containing HmTV1-17 virus were paired with the 12 recipients, HmTV1-17 virus was transmitted into 7 of the 12 recipients from the monokaryotic strains (i.e., 7 of 11 MCGs). Based on these results, we concluded that monokaryotic strains could act as vectors to transmit HmTV1-17 virus into H. mompa isolates. When four of the H. mompa isolates that acquired HmTV1-17 virus were used to inoculate apple rootstock Malus prunifolia, the virulence of all of the isolates was attenuated from that of their parental isolates. Moreover, because the DNA fingerprints of the fungal isolates that acquired HmTV1-17 virus were the same as those of their parental isolates, the infection with HmTV1-17 virus is considered the cause of virulence attenuation of H. mompa.     

Effect of ruminal dosing of mechanical stimulating brush on rumination time, ruminal passage rate and rumen fermentation status in Holstein steers fed a concentrate diet

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of ruminal dosing of a mechanical stimulating brush on rumination time, ruminal passage rate and rumen fermentation status in steers fed a concentrate diet at maintenance level. Animals were dosed three Rumen Faibu (RF) per head through the rumen fistulae (RF treatment) and not dosed (control) in a change‐over design. The organic cell wall content of the concentrate diet was 12.7% of dry matter. Daily time spent on rumination was very short in both treatments with 24 min in RF treatment and 15 min in control. The turnover rate of ruminal fluid in RF treatment was higher than that in control. There were no differences in ruminal pH and total volatile fatty acid concentration between RF treatment and control. Acetic and butyric acid concentrations were not different between the treatments. Propionic acid concentration tended to be higher in the animals on RF treatment than in control animals. The RF dosing in Holstein steers fed a low fiber diet did not affect the rumination time, but increased rumen digesta passage rate and ruminal propionic acid production.     

Antagonism of medetomidine sedation by atipamezole in pigs.

The efficacy of atipamezole as a medetomidine antagonist was evaluated in pigs. The atipamezole doses (intramuscularly) were 80, 160, 320 and 480 micrograms/kg of body weight, which were one, two, four and six times higher than the preceding medetomidine dose (80 micrograms/kg, intramuscularly). Atipamezole effectively reversed medetomidine-induced sedation, and the optimal action was seen at doses of 160 and 320 micrograms/kg. Recovery from sedation was quick and smooth, and adverse effects such as hyperactivity or tachycardia were minimal with either dose.     

Effect of dasatinib in a xenograft mouse model of canine histiocytic sarcoma and in vitro expression status of its potential target EPHA2

Canine histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is an aggressive and highly metastatic tumor. Previously, the kinase inhibitor dasatinib was shown to have potent growth inhibitory activity against HS cells in vitro, possibly via targeting the EPHA2 receptor. Here, the in vivo effect of dasatinib in HS cells was investigated using a xenograft mouse model. Moreover, the expression status of EPHA2 was examined in six HS cell lines, ranging from insensitive to highly sensitive to dasatinib. In the HS xenograft mouse model, dasatinib significantly suppressed tumor growth, as illustrated by a decrease in mitotic and Ki67 indices and an increase in apoptotic index in tumor tissues. On Western blot analysis, EPHA2 was only weakly detected in all HS cell lines, regardless of sensitivity to dasatinib. Dasatinib likely results in the inhibition of xenograft tumor growth via a mechanism other than targeting EPHA2. The findings of this study suggest that dasatinib is a targeted therapy drug worthy of further exploration for the treatment of canine HS.     

Growth performance,carcass traits,physiochemical characteristics and intramuscular fatty acid composition of finishing Japanese black steers fed soybean curd residue and soy sauce cake

This study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary soybean curd residue (SCR) and soy sauce cake (SSC) on the growth performance, carcass traits and physiochemical and intramuscular fatty acid (FA) characteristics in Japanese Black steers. Ten steers (29.7 ± 0.3 months old, 856.6 ± 24.4 kg body weight) were assigned to either treatment C, fed a conventional concentrate or T, fed the test diet including dried SCR and SSC for 3 months. In growth performance, dry matter (DM) intake and average daily gain, and carcass traits did not differ significantly between the treatments. Color of beef was affected by the dietary treatments and meat samples from T showed higher a^* value and chroma than those in C. On FA composition, there was no significant difference between the treatments in neutral lipids, whereas in polar lipids, meat samples from T had higher C16:1 (P < 0.05) and tended to have higher C16:0 (P = 0.05) and C18:1 (P = 0.08), but lower C17:0 (P = 0.098), C18:2 (P = 0.06) and C20:4 (P = 0.07) than those from C. The study suggested that SCR and SSC could be used as a substitute for conventional concentrate and would influence meat color and intramuscular FA composition of polar lipids.     

A canine case of skull base meningioma treated with hydroxyurea

An 11-year-old female miniature schnauzer was tentatively diagnosed with the skull base meningioma, based on several examinations. Because surgical treatment was difficult, and outpatient radiation therapy was not available in the local area, chemotherapy with hydroxyurea combined with dexamethasone was selected. The patient's clinical symptoms improved after one week of treatment, and the tumor size was obviously reduced on MRI performed 37 days after treatment began. The patient received hydroxyurea for 7 months, with symptoms remaining stable, and the tumor re-increased to almost the same size at 7 months as that at the initial examination. At that time, hydroxyurea was discontinued. The patient died from pulmonary edema 14 months after treatment began. Pathologically, the tumor was diagnosed as a meningioma.     

Comparison of dendritic cell-mediated immune responses among canine malignant cells

Dendritic cell (DC) vaccination is one of the most attractive immunotherapies for malignancies in dogs. To examine the differences in DC-mediated immune responses from different types of malignancies in dogs, we vaccinated dogs using autologous DCs pulsed with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and cell lysate prepared from squamous cell carcinoma SCC2/88 (SCC-KLH-DC), histiocytic sarcoma CHS-5 (CHS-KLH-DC), or B cell leukemia GL-1 (GL-KLH-DC) in vitro. In vivo inductions of immune responses against these tumor cells were compared by the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin test. The DTH response against SCC2/88 cells were observed in dogs vaccinated with autologous SCC-KLH-DC, while the response was undetectable against CHS-5 and GL-1 cells in dogs vaccinated with autologous CHS-KLH-DC and GL-KLH-DC. Skin biopsies taken from DTH challenge sites were then examined for immunohistochemistry, and recruitment of CD8 and CD4 T cells was detected at the site where SCC2/88 cells were inoculated in dogs vaccinated with SCC-KLH-DC. By contrast, neither CD8 nor CD4 T cell infiltration was found at the DTH challenge site in the dogs vaccinated with CHS-KLH-DC or GL-KLH-DC. These findings may reflect that the efficacy of immune induction by DC vaccination varies among tumor types and that immune responses could be inducible in squamous cell carcinoma. Our results encouraged further investigation of therapeutic vaccination for dogs with advanced squamous cell carcinoma in clinical trials.     

Magnetic resonance imaging findings of neuroaxonal dystrophy in a papillon puppy

A 3.5-month-old papillon puppy was brought to our clinic with chief complaints of progressive quadriparesis, ataxia and head tremor. Lesions in the cerebellum, brainstem and spinal cord were suspected on the basis of a neurological examination. No abnormality was found in a clinicopathological examination or on magnetic resonance imaging. On the basis of these results differential diagnoses including an inflammatory disease, a degenerative condition or a storage disorder were considered. Subsequently, the signs progressed and glossoplegia and dysphagia developed at six months of age. At a second magnetic resonance imaging, severe atrophy of the entire brain was found. After these examinations, the puppy was euthanased and histopathologically diagnosed with neuroaxonal dystrophy. Because magnetic resonance imaging detected abnormal features that were characteristic of neuroaxonal dystrophy in this case, we speculate that magnetic resonance imaging can assist in the pre-mortem diagnosis of this disease.     

Emission of dimethyl sulfide,carbonyl sulfide,and carbon bisulfide from paddy fields

Abstract

Emission rates of dimethyl sulficle (DMS), carbonyl sulfide (COS), and carbon disulfide (CS₂) to the atmosphere from paddy fields at Ryugasaki, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan were measured by using the closed chamber method. DMS was emitted mainly through the rice plant and its emission rate was much higher than those of COS and CS₂. During a cropping period COS was slightly absorbed by the rice plant. Significant diurnal and seasonal variations of DMS iuxes were observed. The highest DMS iux was observed immediately after the heading day of rice plant. The annual DMS emission rate was in the order of mineral plot > straw plot > no-N plot, ranging from 4.5 to 6.9 mg S m^-2 yr^-1. The annual COS emission rate was in the order of straw plot > no-N plot > mineral plot, ranging from -0.2 to 1.8 mg S m^-2 yr^-1. The annual CS₂ emission rate was slightly higher in the straw plot, ranging from 0.9 to 2.0 mg S m^-2 yr^-1.     

Kinetic Parameters of Gross N Mineralization of Peat Soils as Related to the Composition of Soil Organic Matter

Peat land has been considered as an alternative type of land for agricultural development especially in the tropics. In the present study, the N-supplying capacity, one of the most important soil properties in terms of crop production, of peat soils was examined. Ten peat soil samples were collected from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Japan. Gross N mineralization in the soil samples was estimated using a zero-order model, and kinetic parameters of mineralization were determined using a simple type model. Soil organic matter composition was investigated using ¹³C CPMAS NMR. Mineralization potential ( N ₀), apparent activation energy ( E _a), and mineralization rate constant ( k ) ranged between 571–2,445 mg kg⁻¹, 281–8,181 J mol⁻¹, and 0.009–0.020 d⁻¹, respectively. Although none of the parameters showed a significant correlation with the soil C/N ratio, a negative correlation was observed between the k value and the ratio of the proportion of alkyl C in total C to that of O -alkyl C estimated by ¹³C CPMAS NMR. The latter suggested that the k values were higher in the peat soils relatively rich in readily decomposable organic matter including carbohydrates.