Ovarian mixed germ-cell tumor comprising mature teratoma and embryonal carcinoma in a four-toed hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)

This report describes the clinical and histopathological characteristics of a rare mixed germ-cell tumor comprising teratoma and embryonal carcinoma in the left ovary of a 10-month-old four-toed hedgehog, with chief complaints of loss of appetite and lethargy. Laparotomy revealed a swollen left ovary with small disseminated peritoneal nodules, and bilateral ovariohysterectomy was performed. The left ovary had a mature teratoma with well-differentiated fat, bone, cartilage, salivary gland, trachea, keratin cyst, and nervous tissues, and an embryonal carcinoma consisting of poorly-differentiated epithelial cells arranged in tubular, alveolar, or solid patterns. Immunohistochemically, the embryonal carcinoma cells were positive for placental alkaline phosphatase and c-KIT. This is the first case of mature teratoma with embryonal carcinoma in the ovary of a hedgehog.     

Effects of apple pomace proportion levels on the fermentation quality of total mixed ration silage and its digestibility,preference and ruminal fermentation in beef cows

Four Japanese black beef cows were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square to evaluate the fermentation quality, digestibility, ruminal fermentation and preference of total mixed ration (TMR) silages prepared with differing proportions of apple pomace (AP). Experimental treatments were the control (no AP added, CAP), 5% (low, LAP), 10% (medium, MAP) and 20% (high, HAP) of TMR dry matter (DM) as AP. All TMR silages were well preserved. Ethanol was produced in silages containing AP and the amount increased with the proportion of AP (P < 0.05). Nutrient digestibility with LAP, MAP and HAP treatment was lower than that with CAP treatment (P < 0.05). The ruminal molar proportion of acetic acid increased (P < 0.05), but the ruminal ammonia‐N concentration decreased (P < 0.05) as the proportion of AP increased. The preference of the animals was highest for HAP, followed by MAP, CAP and LAP. This study demonstrates that decrease in nutrient digestibility might be related to the ethanol produced naturally from AP. Therefore, the proportion of AP in TMR silages should be less than 5% of dietary DM.     

Effects of apple pomace‐mixed silage on growth performance and meat quality in finishing pigs

We measured the growth performance and meat quality of 10 crossbred (Yorkshire × Duroc × Landrace) neutered male pigs to evaluate the effects of apple pomace‐mixed silage (APMS). The pigs were divided into two groups and were respectively fed the control feed and the AMPS ad libitum during the experiment. No difference was found in the finished body weight, average daily gain, carcass weight, back fat thickness or dressing ratio between the control and the AMPS treatments, but average dairy feed intake (dry matter) was significantly lower and feed efficiency was significantly higher using the APMS treatment (P < 0.05). With regard to meat quality, the APMS increased the moisture content but decreased the water holding capacity (P < 0.05) compared with the control treatment. Furthermore, the APMS affected the fatty acid composition of the back fat by increasing linoleic acid (C18:2n6), linolenic acid (C18:3) and arachidic acid (C20:0) levels, while decreasing palmitic acid (C16:0), palmitoleic acid (C16:1) and heptadecenoic acid (C17:1) levels, compared with the control treatment. These results indicate that feeding fermented apple pomace to finishing pigs increases the feed efficiency and affects the meat quality and fatty acid composition of back fat.     

Suppurative meningoencephalitis and perineuritis caused by Streptococcus gallolyticus in a Japanese Black calf

A 179-day-old calf, which was weak and stunted, showed neurological signs and was euthanized. Postmortem examination revealed extensive and severe cloudy area in the meninges, and pleural pneumonia. Gram-positive cocci were isolated from systemic organs. Biochemical and 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses identified the isolate as Streptococcus gallolyticus, and its subspecies was suggested to be gallolyticus (SGG). The isolate was classified as a novel sequence type (ST115) by the multilocus sequence typing scheme for SGG and showed susceptibility to penicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, florfenicol, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and chloramphenicol. Histopathologically, suppurative meningoencephalitis and perineuritis were detected. As SGG has been isolated solely from a cow with mastitis in Japan, this is the first SGG infection in a calf with suppurative meningoencephalitis and perineuritis in this country.     

Effects of pre-feeding of a corn silage-based supplement on the feed intake, milk production and nitrogen utilization of grazing dairy cows

Four Holstein cows were used to determine the effect of timing of the feeding of a corn silage (CS)‐based supplement on the feed intake, milk production and nitrogen utilization of grazing dairy cows. The cows were fed the supplement 2 h before grazing (pre‐grazing) or immediately after grazing (post‐grazing). Cows were grazed for 5 h per day under a rotational grazing system. There was no difference in the herbage and total feed intake between treatments. The milk protein yield for pre‐grazing tended to be higher than that for post‐grazing, whereas the milk yield did not differ between treatments. The total nitrogen intake for pre‐grazing tended to be higher than that for post‐grazing (P = 0.06). There was no difference in the urinary nitrogen output between treatments, whereas the proportion of urinary nitrogen output : total nitrogen intake for pre‐grazing tended to be lower than that for post‐grazing (P = 0.06). The milk nitrogen output and nitrogen retention for pre‐grazing tended to be higher than that for post‐grazing (milk nitrogen, P = 0.06; nitrogen retention, P = 0.05). Nitrogen utilization of grazing dairy cows was improved by feeding a CS‐based supplement before grazing.     

Quantification of DNA of citrus huanglongbing pathogen in diseased leaves using competitive PCR

A quantification system for huanglongbing pathogen using a competitive polymerase chain reaction method and image-analyzing software were developed to obtain precise results. Significant differences in the quantity of pathogen were thus determined in leaves of two citrus cultivars commonly cultivated in southern Vietnam. Less pathogen-related DNA was detected from the tissue of citrus cultivars that are believed to be more tolerant than susceptible cultivars. The quantification system will be used in studies on pathogen proliferation and movement inside citrus tissue.     

Chemical changes of kenaf core binderless boards during hot pressing (I): influence of the pressing temperature condition

Self-bonding is the main factor of the performance expression of binderless boards, and therefore its clarification is considered to be an important issue. For this purpose, a series of chemical analyses were conducted on kenaf core binderless boards and their chemical changes during the hot-pressing process are discussed in this article. First of all, binderless boards were prepared from kenaf core powder at different pressing temperatures (without steam-explosion process) and were used for chemical analyses after they were reduced into powders and extracted with methanol. To investigate their chemical changes, lignin, holocellulose, and neutral sugar contents were determined, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra were recorded, and the nitrobenzene oxidation procedure was applied. As a result, it was found that parts of lignin and hemicelullose were decomposed during the hot-pressing process; however, the contribution of the resulting fractions to selfbonding was not observed. In addition, progress of condensation reactions in lignin and the formation of chemical bonds by low molecular weight conjugated carbonyl compounds in methanol extractives were observed. Thermal softening of lignin is also suggested to play an important role in the expression of board performance.     

Initial shapes of stress-strain curve of wood specimen subjected to repeated combined compression and vibration stresses and the piezoelectric behavior

This study investigated the relationship between the initial shape of the stress (σ)-strain (ε) curve of a Chamaecyparis obtusa wood specimen subjected to repeated combined compression and vibration stresses at various angles between the fiber direction and load direction and the piezoelectric behavior. The main findings of the study are: (1) the σ-ε curve became convex initially, and then the stress was proportional to the strain. The σ-ε curve had almost the same shape during both loading and unloading. (2) The σ-piezoelectric voltage (P) curve was nonlinear, with a maximal point or cusp on the curve, which had almost the same shape during both loading and unloading, as was also observed for the σ-ε curve. (3) The plot of the first derivative of the stress [dσ/dε (= σ′)] against ε was nonlinear. The σ′-ε and P-ε curves at various angles were fairly similar. (4) The stress at the maximal point (or cusp) of the σ-P curve decreased with an increase in the angle between the fiber direction and load direction. The tendency of the stresses was very similar to that of Young’s modulus and compression strength calculated from Hook’s law and Hankinson’s law, respectively.     

Manufacture and mechanical properties of binderless boards from kenaf core

Binderless boards were prepared from finely ground powders of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) core under varying manufacturing conditions. This research was designed to investigate their mechanical properties and evaluate the various manufacturing conditions: pressing temperature and time, pressing pressure, board density, board thickness, grain size of raw materials, and addition of furfural. The mechanical properties (i.e., modulus of rupture and elasticity, internal bonding strength) of boards increased with increasing board density and met the requirement for 15 type medium-density fiberboard (MDF) by JIS A 5905-1994. Thickness swelling and water absorption of boards exceeded the maximum permitted levels for 15 type MDF and S20 grade hardboard by JIS A 5905-1994, which indicates the low water-resistant property of binderless boards. In contrast to that in usual wood-based materials, internal bonding strength showed significant correlations with other board properties: modulus of rupture and elasticity, thickness swelling, and water absorption. We confirmed experimentally that the best manufacturing conditions proved to be as follows: pressing temperature 180°C, time 10min; pressing pressure 5.3MPa; board thickness 5mm; board density 1.0g/cm³; average grain size 53µm; and powder with no furfural content.Part of this paper was presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Gifu, April 2002     

Mechanical behavior of the crystal lattice of natural cellulose in wood under repeated uniaxial tension stress in the fiber direction

This study investigated the relationship between the cellulose crystal lattice strain (crystalline region) and the macroscopic surface strain in specimens of Chamaecyparis obtusa wood under repeated uniaxial tension stress in the fiber direction. Changes in the strain of the crystal lattice were measured from the peak of (004) reflection using the transit X-ray method. The macroscopic surface strain of each specimen was measured with a strain gauge. In both loading and unloading, the surface strain changed linearly with changes in stress. However, crystal lattice strain was not linear but exhibited changes along a curve with changing stress. Under stressed conditions, the crystal lattice strain was always less than the surface strain, regardless of the frequency of repetition in the loading and unloading cycle. The ratio of the crystal lattice strain to the surface strain showed a negative correlation for stress in both loading and unloading. That is, the ratio decreased with increasing stress, and finally tend to converge to a specific value. The ratio (I/I ₀) between the diffracted intensity (I ₀) in the (004) plane in the unloaded condition and the diffracted intensity (I) in the (004) plane in the loaded condition tend to converge on a specific value with increasing frequency of repetition. When the substantial tension Young’s modulus of the wood in the longitudinal direction decreased, the ratio of the strain of the crystal lattice to the surface strain also decreased. Moreover, the ratio decreased with increasing microfibril angle of the specimen.