Comparison of N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide and three cardiac biomarkers for discriminatory ability of clinical stage in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease

Plasma N-terminal pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (NT-proANP) concentration increases with progression of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) in dogs. This multicentre, prospective study compared plasma NT-proANP, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), ANP, and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations in dogs with MMVD for their characteristics and discriminatory ability to detect cardiac dilatation and congestive heart failure (CHF). Thirty-six healthy dogs and 69 dogs with MMVD were included. Clinical variables were obtained via physical examination, thoracic radiography, and echocardiography. The discriminatory ability of each cardiac biomarker (CB) to determine the presence or absence of cardiac dilatation (event 1) and CHF (event 2) was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curves. Plasma NT-proANP, NT-proBNP, and ANP concentrations showed a significant association with the left atrium/aorta ratio (P<0.01). The area under the curve of plasma NT-proANP and NT-proBNP concentrations were 0.72 and 0.75, respectively in event1 and 0.72 and 0.76, respectively in event2. Plasma NT-proANP and NT-proBNP concentrations showed sensitivity 80.0 and 80.0%; specificity 67.6 and 64.7% in event1 (cutoff value; 8,497.81 pg/ml and 1,453.00 pmol/l, respectively) and sensitivity 85.7 and 81.0%; specificity 60.4 and 64.6% in event2 (cutoff value; 8,684.33 pg/ml and 1,772.00 pmol/l, respectively). In dogs with MMVD, plasma NT-proANP, NT-proBNP, and ANP concentrations increase with left atrial enlargement. Particularly, plasma NT-proANP and NT-proBNP concentrations appeared to be equally useful in the discriminatory ability to detect cardiac dilatation and CHF.     

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.     

Analysis of mesh breaking loads in cotton gill nets: Possible solution to ghost fishing

ABSTRACT:   A small number of fishers in Chiba Prefecture of eastern Japan use cotton gill nets to catch Japanese spiny lobster Panulirus japonicus. To examine the advantages of cotton gill nets, we analyzed changes in mesh breaking load of a new cotton gill net used in a fishing operation. A new cotton gill net was also soaked in a seawater tank to simulate ghost fishing conditions. The average mesh breaking load of new cotton mesh was 50.3 N. This value decreased to 19.0 N after 38 days (∼912 h), and after 82 days (∼1968 h) the mesh could be easily torn (breaking load 0.07 N). Under fishing conditions, the cumulative soak time was only 744.4 h over 19 months. The average breaking load at the end of this period was 43.1 N, a strength 86% that of the presoaked mesh. The mesh breaking load of a cotton gill net continuously soaked for 744.4 h was 26.1 N, as estimated from tank experiment data. Thus, a cotton gill net maintains reasonable strength under typical use conditions, but will degrade if lost at sea.     

Potassium behavior and clay mineral composition in the soil with low effectiveness of potassium application

ABSTRACT

Increasing exchangeable potassium (ExK) content in soil to an appropriate level is important to mitigate the transfer of radioactive cesium to crops. We focused on a buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) field with a low ExK content, despite the application of K, in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan (Field A), following the Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Dai-ichi (No. 1) Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011. We examined the relationship between K concentration and clay mineral composition in the soil of Field A and compared the findings with another field in Fukushima Prefecture (Field B) to clarify whether K applied to the soil was leached or remaining fixed. Pot experiments showed that K concentration in water seepage from pots following irrigation was significantly lower in pots from Field A than in those from Field B. Soil ExK content after soybean cultivation was lower in soils of Field A than those of Field B. These results indicate that K applied to Field A was fixed in the soil. Analysis of clay mineral composition confirmed the distinctive vermiculitic nature of Field A soils. This clay mineralogy would be associated with the higher K fixation ability of Field A than Field B soils. This study demonstrated that K fixation in vermiculite was a factor preventing the increase in ExK content from K application to Field A.     

Effects of genes increasing the number of spikelets per panicle,TAW1 and APO1, on yield and yield-related traits in rice

The genes TAWAWA1 (TAW1) and ABERRANT PANICLE ORGANIZATION1 (APO1) increase the number of spikelets per panicle (SN). In the present study, we examined the effects of these genes on morphological traits, yield, and yield-related traits including yield components using the near-isogenic lines (NILs) in the genetic background of a japonica rice variety, Koshihikari – NIL-taw1, NIL-apo1-D3, and NIL-apo1-D4 – in a field experiment. The SN and total number of spikelets per area of the three NILs were larger than those of Koshihikari. However, the yield of the three NILs did not exceed that of Koshihikari due to their low filling ability. Interestingly, our field experiments indicated that TAW1 did not affect the diameter of internodes and the PN, whereas APO1 decreased the PN and increased the diameter of internodes. These results suggest that TAW1 and APO1 differently affect yield-related traits.     

Production of patchouli mild mosaic virus resistant patchouli plants by genetic engineering of coat protein precursor gene

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth), an aromatic crop which yields an essential oil, is widely cultivated in South-east Asia. Patchouli mild mosaic virus (PaMMV) infects patchouli plants and causes decrease in leaf biomass and essential oil yield. Transgenic patchouli plants with PaMMV coat protein precursor (CP-P) gene have been produced by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. PaMMV CP-P gene integration into the patchouli genome was confirmed by the PCR method and by Southern blot analysis. The transformants were estimated to contain one to three copy genes using Southern blot analysis. The transformant with three copy genes was tested for the resistance to PaMMV by artificially inoculating plants grown in an environmentally controlled cabinet, and this transformant was found to be highly resistant to PaMMV. The transgenic patchouli plant with PaMMV CP-P gene should provide valuable material for protecting against PaMMV.     

Effect of regular walking exercise on glucose tolerance and insulin response to i.v. glucose infusion in growing beef steers

The purpose of the present paper was to investigate the effect of regular walking exercise on glucose tolerance and insulin response to i.v. glucose infusion in growing beef steers. Four crossbred beef steers walked on a treadmill during a 6 week exercise period (1.2 km/h, 1 h/day and 5 days/week). The changes in plasma glucose and insulin levels following glucose infusion were analyzed immediately prior to (bodyweight: 260.4 ± 24.2 kg) and after (295.7 ± 30.1 kg) the exercise period. The basal levels of plasma glucose (86.4 vs. 82.0 mg/dL, P = 0.040) and insulin (24.5 vs. 14.3 μU/mL, P = 0.016) were significantly lower after the exercise period. Further, the increase in the levels of plasma glucose (420.4 vs. 280.8 mg/dL, P < 0.001) and insulin (94.5 vs. 73.1 μU/mL, P = 0.028) following the glucose infusion decreased after the exercise period. The area under the curve of plasma glucose (108.8 vs. 62.9 mg/dL per min, P < 0.001) and insulin (53.6 vs. 29.7 μU/mL per min, P = 0.018) indicated more rapid clearance of exogenous glucose and less insulin secretion for glucose clearance after the exercise period. These results suggest that regular exercise improves glucose tolerance, with lower insulin response to glucose infusion in growing steers, as observed in rodents and humans.