GM1 gangliosidosis in a Japanese domestic cat: a new variant identified in Hokkaido,Japan

A male Japanese domestic cat with retarded growth in Hokkaido, Japan, showed progressive motor dysfunction, such as ataxia starting at 3 months of age and tremors, visual disorder and seizure after 4 months of age. Finally, the cat died of neurological deterioration at 9 months of age. Approximately half of the peripheral blood lymphocytes had multiple abnormal vacuoles. Magnetic resonance imaging showed bisymmetrical hyperintensity in the white matter of the parietal and occipital lobes in the forebrain on T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images, and mild encephalatrophy of the olfactory bulbs and temporal lobes. The activity of lysosomal acid β-galactosidase in leukocytes was negligible, resulting in the biochemical diagnosis of GM1 gangliosidosis. Histologically, swollen neurons characterized by accumulation of pale, slightly granular cytoplasmic materials were observed throughout the central nervous system. Dysmyelination or demyelination and gemistocytic astrocytosis were observed in the white matter. Ultrastructually, membranous cytoplasmic bodies were detected in the lysosomes of neurons. However, genetic analysis did not identify the c.1448G>C mutation, which is the single known mutation of feline GM1 gangliosidosis, suggesting that the cat was affected with a new variant of the feline disease.     

基于NIR和GIS的甘蔗含糖量与种植条件关系研究

为监测较大区域内甘蔗产量及含糖量的时间、空间变化情况,了解地区、环境及土壤成分与甘蔗含糖量的关系,为甘蔗栽培提供指导,以日本琉球群岛南大东岛甘蔗栽培区为对象,用NIR方法测定甘蔗含糖量及其他成分含量,采用GIS技术建立地块位置、甘蔗产量、含糖量及P、K含量和土壤K含量数据库。在此基础上,建立3个栽培年度甘蔗含糖量、单产与甘蔗汁P、K含量的空间分布图,发现甘蔗含糖量与降水量及种植区水环境密切相关。对甘蔗含糖量及P、K含量和土壤K含量的相关分析表明,甘蔗含糖量与甘蔗汁P含量呈正相关,而与甘蔗汁和土壤K含量均呈负相关。     

Effect of temperature and cell density on ethanol fermentation by a thermotolerant aquatic yeast strain isolated from a hot spring environment

ABSTRACT: A thermotolerant, fermentative yeast strain named RND13 from a hot spring drainage was evaluated for its ethanol-producing ability at elevated temperatures at a high substrate concentration [15% (w/v) glucose] close to the level reflecting industrial practice. The RND13 was capable of utilizing glucose almost completely at 40°C with increasing inoculum size, producing ethanol up to 6.6% (w/v), which is comparable to levels (7.0–7.2%) at 30°C. The maximum rate of ethanol production by the RND13 was found to be 9.0 g/L per h at 40°C in an inoculum sized 5% (w/v). At 43°C, however, the RND13 could not utilize glucose to completion and showed a slight drop in the extent of produced ethanol [6.0% (w/v)]. Thus, the culture at 40°C with a 5% cell inoculum was considered to be the optimal condition for ethanol production at higher temperatures in terms of batch fermentation. In the phylogenetic analysis based on the small-subunit rDNA sequence, the strain was grouped together with both Candida glabrata and Kluyveromyces delphensis , which are relatively close to Saccharomyces cerevisiae .     

Serological assessment of chlamydial infection in the koala by a slide EIA technique

A rapid and simplified slide enzyme immunosorbent assay (EIA) was developed for the diagnosis of chlamydial infection in the koala. HeLa 229 cells infected with koala strain Chlamydia psittaci were fixed on the surface of multiwell slides and used as the antigen. The assay consisted of first reacting koala antiserum with the fixed C psittaci antigen, followed by reaction with biotinylated rabbit anti-koala IgG, ABC reagent and substrate. The chlamydial EIA antibody titres obtained were compared with those of a complement fixation (CF) test using koala strain C psittaci as antigen. Of 35 koala sera tested, 16 CF positive sera (greater than or equal to 1:8) also had a positive titre (greater than or equal to 1:200) in the slide EIA test (sensitivity 93.8%, 15/16). Nineteen CF negative sera were also negative in the slide EIA (specificity 100%, 19/19). Sixty-eight samples of koala blood were collected by ear-prick using a sampling paper method and were assayed by both tests. Sensitivity of the slide EIA was 100% (15/15) and specificity of the test was 96.2% (51/53). To simplify the slide EIA for use as a practical screening test, a 3-point serum dilution series (1:100, 1:200, 1:400) was used. This 3-point slide EIA was compared with the CF test using sheep strain chlamydial antigen. Thirty-nine sera were assayed by both tests. The sensitivity of the 3-point method was 85.7% (6/7) and the specificity was 71.9% (23/32) as compared with the sheep antigen CF test.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

不同栽培法和收割期对甘蔗单产及含糖量影响的分析

本研究利用1975～2008年33年间日本南大东岛甘蔗生产数据, 分析了甘蔗栽培方法[新苗种植(包括夏植和春植)、宿根]和收割时期对其产量、品质和经济性的影响.结果表明, 不同栽培法甘蔗多年平均产量依次为夏植>宿根>春植; 新植甘蔗的种植期越早产量越高; 宿根甘蔗产量与前茬甘蔗的收割期呈二次函数曲线关系, 前茬甘蔗收割过早或过迟均对宿根甘蔗生长不利; 宿根甘蔗产量随宿根次数增加呈下降趋势; 宿根甘蔗含糖量通常高于新植甘蔗, 且不同栽培法下3月下旬前收获的甘蔗含糖量随收割期后延而逐渐增加.在此基础上, 建立了依据栽培方法、收割时期预测甘蔗单产和含糖量的数学模型, 模型对我国甘蔗种植业具有理论和实际的参考价值.     

Effect of supplementation with the reduced form of coenzyme Q10 on semen quality and antioxidant status in dogs with poor semen quality: Three case studies

Oxidative stress owing to an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants, such as coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), is a major contributor to male infertility. We investigated the effects of the reduced form of CoQ10 (ubiquinol) supplementation on semen quality in dogs with poor semen quality. Three dogs received 100 mg of ubiquinol orally once daily for 12 weeks. Semen quality, serum testosterone, and seminal plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were examined at 2-week intervals from 2 weeks before ubiquinol supplementation to 4 weeks after the treatment. Ubiquinol improved sperm motility, reduced morphologically abnormal sperm, and increased seminal plasma SOD activity; however, it had no effect on testosterone level, semen volume, and sperm number. Ubiquinol supplementation could be used as a non-endocrine therapy for infertile dogs.     

Characterization of bradykinin-induced endothelium-independent contraction in equine basilar artery

We investigated the effect of bradykinin (BK) on isolated equine basilar arterial rings with and without endothelium. BK induced concentration-dependent contraction of resting arterial rings and no relaxation when the rings were precontracted by prostaglandin F_2α. The maximal response and pD₂ value were 161.2 ± 28.1% (to 60 m m KCl-induced contraction) and 8.24 ± 0.25 respectively. The cumulative concentration–response curve for BK was not shifted to the right by des-Arg⁹-[Leu⁸]-BK (a B₁-receptor antagonist), HOE140 (a B₂-receptor antagonist) or NPC567 (another B₂-receptor antagonist). In four of six basilar arteries, NPC567 induced concentration-dependent contraction. Indomethacin (a cyclooxygenase inhibitor), nordihydroguaiaretic acid (a lipoxygenase inhibitor), quinacrine (a phospholipase A₂ inhibitor), tetrodotoxin (a selective blocker of Na⁺ channels), guanethidine (a nor-adrenergic neuron blocking drug), phentolamine (an α-adrenoceptor antagonist), Nω-nitro- l -arginine ( l -NNA, a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor) and endothelial denudation did not affect the BK-induced contraction. l -NNA and indomethacin induced contraction and relaxation under resting vascular tone respectively. These results suggest that endothelial cells are not involved in BK-induced contraction and that the contraction is not mediated via activation of known B₁ and B₂ receptors. Arachidonic acid metabolites and neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and NO might not play a role in BK-induced contraction in equine basilar artery.     

Effect of oral administration of colostrum on inflammation in the udders of dairy cows suffering from mastitis

The present study was undertaken to examine whether oral administration of colostrum to mastitic cows reduced inflammation in the udder. Fifty milliliters of a colostrum whey product was administered orally daily for 3 days to cows suffering from mastitis. Milk was collected on day 0 and 7 of colostrum administration. For Experiment 1, milk from 11 udder quarters with high somatic cell counts (SCC) in four cows was used. SCC in milk decreased significantly after colostrum administration, whereas colostrum administration increased sodium and IgA concentrations significantly compared with those before administration. In Experiment 2, cows with clinical mastitis were divided into two groups, with and without colostrum administration, whereas all cows with subclinical mastitis were administered colostrum. Antibiotics were infused into the mammary gland from the first day of colostrum administration for 2–4 days. There was no significant decrease in SCC after colostrum administration in any group. However, udder firmness in both clinical mastitis groups was reduced after administration regardless of colostrum administration. IgA concentration in both clinical mastitis groups was significantly increased after colostrum administration compared to that before administration, although there was no significant difference between them. These results suggest the possibility that oral administration of colostrum attenuates inflammation of the mammary gland. Further studies are required to examine the effect of colostrum more precisely using cows with subclinical and chronic mastitis and longer duration of colostrum administration.     

Sequence and polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the large subunit rRNA gene of bivalve: Simple and widely applicable technique for multiple species identification of bivalve larva

ABSTRACT:   One of the biggest and long-standing difficulties in investigation of larval ecology in the field is species-level identification. In the present study, we developed polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis based on the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene (rDNA) D1/D2/D3 region for identification of multiple species of bivalve larvae using 14 species of bivalve collected from Maizuru Bay. The LSU rDNA D1/D2/D3 region of all analyzed species could be amplified by PCR using bvD1f/bvD3r primers, and RFLP analysis by Hae III digestion on the PCR products showed species-specific fragment patterns. Furthermore, this analysis applied to single bivalve larvae in Maizuru Bay revealed efficient amplification of the target region and the species-specific pattern from 80% of the larvae, 75% of which showed a pattern that matched a certain pattern of the adult bivalves. In addition, the analysis of inter- and intraspecies variation of the LSU rDNA D1/D2/D3 region using the sequence data of the genus Crassostrea from the DDBJ database showed high applicability of this RFLP analysis on closely related species. Because of the wide applicability and technical simplicity, this method can become the standard for the identification of bivalve larvae species once the sequence data of the LSU rDNA D1/D2/D3 region of many bivalve species have been accumulated.