Long-term clinical observations on feline immunodeficiency virus infected asymptomatic carriers.

Eleven feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infected asymptomatic carrier (AC) cats were observed for 2 years for development of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Four of the 11 (36.4%) showed progression of the clinical stage. Persistent generalized lymphadenopathy was noted in three cats as the first sign of illness after the AC phase, while the other showed lymphadenopathy with signs of AIDS-related complex. In all four cats the AIDS-related complex stage lasted for 10 months or longer, and two showed progression of the disease into AIDS. The two cats showing AIDS illnesses died within approximately 1 year after they had developed persistent generalized lymphadenopathy. Pathology confirmed the diagnosis of AIDS characterized by the presence of depletion lesions in the lymphoid organs, and of severe infections of an opportunistic nature. The overall mortality of FIV infected AC cats during a 2 year period was two out of 11 (18.2%). These cats showed decreased concanavalin A mitogen response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells as the disease progressed.     

Clinical pharmacokinetics of oseltamivir and its active metabolite oseltamivir carboxylate after oral administration in horses

The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics of oseltamivir carboxylate (OC) in horses (n=6) after oral administration of its prodrug oseltamivir. The binding rate of OC to horse plasma proteins was negligible (<1%). Oral administration of oseltamivir of 2 mg/kg body weight of oseltamivir to horses provided a plasma concentration of OC (mean maximum concentration: 257.9 ng/ml) above the inhibitory concentrations against equine influenza A viruses determined in vitro. However, because OC is rapidly eliminated from horse plasma (mean elimination half-life: 2.5 hr), administration intervals should be less than 10 hr to retain a suitable concentration when using a single dose of 2 mg/kg oseltamivir.     

Molecular characterization of the equine herpesvirus 1 strains RacL11 and Kentucky D

The pathogenicities of RacL11 and Kentucky D strains of equine herpesvirus 1 in the hamster infection model are different from those of Ab4p and the Japanese isolates. Virus genome restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and sequence comparison of an intergenic region, glycoproteins and tegument genes showed higher conservation but with some strain-specific differences. These results indicate that point nucleotide differences in RacL11 and Kentucky D might be responsible for their pathogenicity in rodent models.     

Community structure of bacteria on different types of mineral particles in a sandy soil

Various types of mineral particles in a soil probably provide different microenvironments for microorganisms. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether different types of mineral in a soil harbor different bacterial populations. DNA was extracted from five types (quartz, feldspar, pyroxene, magnetite, iron-coated reddish brown particles) of sand-size mineral particles separated from a sandy soil, and was amplified for partial 16 S rRNA gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Twenty-nine to 69 amplicons per each type of mineral were cloned and sequenced, followed by phylogenetic affiliation of the sequences. As a result, some types of bacteria were detected on all of the types of mineral including the orders Rhizobiales, Bacillales, and Acidobacteriales. In the case of Acidobacteriales, higher percentages were found on magnetite and quartz. Some taxa were restricted to specific types of mineral; the class Actinobacteria was found on pyroxene but not on quartz, and rarely on magnetite and feldspar. Bacterial diversity at the order level estimated by Chao1 value was higher in feldspar and pyroxene than the other three types of mineral. The UniFrac Significance test indicated that the differences in bacterial communitiy structures among the particles were suggestive except that between feldspar and pyroxene. These results support the idea that different communities of bacteria were associated with each of the mineral types.     

Influences of indigenous phototrophs on methane emissions from a straw-amended paddy soil

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the influences of indigenous phototrophs on methane (CH₄) emissions from a paddy soil where rice straw was incorporated or was surface-applied. During the cultivation, half of the pots were covered with aluminum foil, except for the minimum space for rice plants, to prevent ambient light reaching the floodwater or the soil surface. Growth of oxygen-producing phototrophs was hardly observed in the unilluminated plots, whereas intensive growth of algae, duckweed and hydrophytes was found in the illuminated ones. Plant growth was not affected by the different treatments. Seasonal changes in CH₄ emission determined by a closed chamber method indicated that illumination had no or only minor effects on CH₄ emissions when rice straw was incorporated or was not applied, but significantly reduced CH₄ emissions when rice straw was surface-applied. Methanogenesis occurring in the soil-floodwater interface was further investigated in two lab-scale model experiments measuring methanogenic activity. As a result, more activated methanogenesis was found in the surface-applied rice straw and the soil around the straw compared with the soil incubated without rice straw. The magnitude of the methanogenic activity in the rice straw incubated under illuminated conditions was significantly lower than that incubated in the dark. Consequently, this study demonstrates that methanogenesis in paddy soil occurs even in the soil-floodwater interface if plant residues like rice straw exist, and such methanogenesis is likely to be suppressed by growth of indigenous phototrophs under illumination.     

Development of X-ray computed tomography for live standing cattle

An X‐ray computed tomography (CT) system for live standing cattle was developed for studying the meat yield, carcass composition and so on. The gantry contained three X‐ray tubes and detectors that corresponded to each X‐ray tube. The system was able to operate while the animal remained standing. The scan area had a diameter of 900 mm. The Musculus longissimus and Musculus trapezius areas, and the back fat thickness in the CT image were evaluated and compared to the actual cross‐section of the carcass using eight cattle. The differences among the muscles, and the subcutaneous and intermuscular fat were easily recognized. The correlation coefficient between the CT image and the actual carcass photograph of the M. longissimus area and the back fat thickness was high (r = 0.84, r = 0.93, P < 0.01). The present study demonstrated that muscle, fat and bone can be clearly imaged from a live standing animal using X‐ray equipment.     

Time-dependent changes in protein phosphorylation patterns in rat brain synaptosomes caused by deltamethrin

Effects of deltamethrin, a powerful pyrethroid insecticide, on the protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation processes during depolarization in rat brain synaptosomes were studied by using [³²P]phosphoric acid as a starting radiotracer and high external concentration of potassium ions or veratridine (10^?-5 M) as depolarizing agents. At the onset of depolarization there was a quick rise in phosphorylation in various synaptic proteins for about 15–30 s followed by a gradual decline in levels of phosphorylation. The effect of deltamethrin (10^?-7 M) on this system was found to be dependent on the length of preincubation of the synaptosome with the pesticide prior to depolarization. At an early stage (0–3 min preincubation period) it caused a modest suppression of protein phosphorylation activities. When the period of deltamethrin preincubation was extended to 5–20 min, however, it caused a significant increase in protein phosphorylation throughout the depolarization period. At the later stage of the action of deltamethrin (e.g. preincubation period of 30–40 min), deltamethrin-treated synaptosomes no longer responded to the depolarization signal to raise the level of phosphorylation on many proteins. These results indicate that deltamethrin's actions on the synaptic process are complex. Depending on the length of exposure, its effects on protein phosphorylation responses in intact synaptosomes could be either stimulatory or inhibitory. To study the cause of deltamethrin-induced synaptic block at the later stage, effects of deltamethrin on protein kinases were studied by using lysed synaptic membranes with [gamma-³²P]ATP. Deltamethrin was shown to inhibit calcium–calmodulin-dependent protein phosphorylation activities at 10^?-7 M when given directly to the enzyme source 10 min prior to the addition of [³²P]ATP. Such an observation helps to explain the inhibitory action of deltamethrin on protein phosphorylation which occurs at the late stage of its action (i.e. preincubation time > 20 min).     

Taurine transporter from the giant Pacific oyster <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea gigas</Emphasis>: function and expression in response to hyper- and hypo-osmotic stress

ABSTRACT:   Taurine is the primary osmolyte in marine molluscs, whose cellular osmo-conforming process is vital for environmental adaptation because of a lack of osmotic homeostasis. Here, cDNA cloning and expression, and functional analyses of taurine transporter (TAUT) from the giant Pacific oyster are reported on. The deduced amino-acid sequence of oyster TAUT (oyTAUT) showed 47–51% identity to those of vertebrate TAUT, whereas identity among the vertebrates is 78–95%. Functional analysis of oyTAUT expressed in Xenopus oocytes revealed that oyTAUT has a lower affinity and specificity for taurine and a requirement for higher NaCl concentration, compared with vertebrate TAUT. Taken together with similar functional properties of TAUT from mussel, indicated by our previous study, it is possible that these functional features reflect the internal environment of the molluscs (i.e. higher taurine and NaCl concentrations). Oyster taurine transporter mRNA expression was induced by not only hyper-osmotic stress, similar to other TAUT, but also hypo-osmotic stress. It is speculated that the expression in response to hypo-osmotic stress was induced by a substantial decrease in tissue taurine content following the decrease in the internal osmolality.