Hemorrhagic necrotizing splenitis in a slaughter pig infected with Arcanobacterium species

A 6-month-old barrow presented with lethargy, inappetence and dysstasia. At necropsy, multiple coalescing hemorrhagic foci were detected in the margins of the spleen. Gram-positive bacilli were isolated from the spleen, kidney, muscle and liver. Comparative 16S rDNA gene sequencing analysis of the isolates (TO16177) revealed that they would be the same species of unpublished Arcanobacterium species strain HJ57-14E (accession no. gi 18873551) (99.7% similarity based on a comparison of 675 bp). Histologic examination of the splenic tissue sections revealed extensive necrosis and inflammation, and gram-positive bacilli were discernible. Multifocal necrosis was also detected in the liver. Immunohistochemically, the isolates were cross-reacted with polyclonal antibodies against Arcanobacterium pyogenes and Actinomyces naeslundii, and the reaction was strong for the latter. Similar reactions were found in the suppurative lesions of the tonsil, and occasionally in the spleen and lymph nodes. The present results indicate that the unpublished Arcanobacterium species induced multiple organ failure accompanied by acute hemorrhagic necrotizing splenitis in this growing-finishing pig.     

Adsorption of Cr(VI) ion on synthetic hydrated oxides of iron

Abstract

The adsorption of Cr(VI) ion on synthetic hydrated oxides of iron (goethite (α-FeOOH) and lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH)) with different crystallinities was studied in order to remove the Cr(VI) ion from polluted water. At pH 4.5, the amounts of the adsorbed Cr(V1) ion on goethite and lepidocrocite were 51.9 and 62.2 mmol g^?, respectively. Probably, this is due to the fact that the structure of lepidocrocite is more open than that of goethite. Lepidocrocite, therefore, is more effective for the removal of Cr( V1) ion from Cr(Vl)-contaminated and acidic groundwater and sewage.     

Prevalence of equine herpesvirus type 1 strains of neuropathogenic genotype in a major breeding area of Japan

A single non-synonymous nucleotide substitution of guanine (G) for adenine (A) at position 2254 in the viral DNA polymerase gene (encoded by open reading frame [ORF] 30) of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) has been significantly associated with neuropathogenic potential in strains of this virus. To estimate the prevalence of EHV-1 strains with the neuropathogenic genotype (ORF30 G(2254)) in the Hidaka district--a major horse breeding area in Japan--we analyzed the ORF30 genomic region in cases of EHV-1 infection in this area during the years 2001-2010. Of the 113 cases analyzed, 3 (2.7%) were induced by ORF30 G(2254) strains. This prevalence is lower than those observed in the U.S.A. (10.8-19.4%), Argentina (7.4%), France (24%), and Germany (10.6%).     

Establishment of a quantitative ELISA for the measurement of allergen-specific IgE in dogs using anti-IgE antibody cross-reactive to mouse and dog IgE

As IgE plays a pivotal role in type I hypersensitivity-mediated allergic diseases, it is valuable to measure absolute quantity of serum antigen-specific IgE for clinical and research purposes. Here we describe a novel ELISA system that enables quantification of antigen-specific IgE in ng/ml in dogs. A newly developed monoclonal antibody (CRE-DM) was shown to recognize canine and mouse IgE equally in a dose dependent manner, but it did not recognize canine IgG. The reactivity of CRE-DM to canine IgE was also confirmed by an inhibition ELISA using canine IgE as an inhibitor and the maximum inhibition rate was 91.3%. In order to know whether canine IgE specific to an allergen could be quantitatively measured with an ELISA using CRE-DM, we established a quantitative ELISA that could measure canine IgE recognizing Cry j 1, one of the major allergens of Japanese cedar pollen. In this ELISA, a standard curve was created by using concentration-predetermined Cry j 1-specific monoclonal mouse IgE. According to the standard curve, the concentration of Cry j 1-specific IgE in dogs that were experimentally sensitized to Japanese cedar pollen could be calculated and determined in ng/ml. The specificity of the Cry j 1-specific IgE ELISA using CRE-DM was also confirmed by inhibition ELISA using canine IgE as an inhibitor and the inhibition rate was 97.0%. Reproducibility of the ELISA in three independent assays was determined using groups of pooled canine sera whose Cry j 1-IgE titers ranged from 155.9 to 888.2 ng/ml. Intra- and inter-assay reproducibility was determined with coefficient of variation ranging between 3.1-5.2% and 2.2-8.0%, respectively. These results demonstrated that the ELISA utilizing CRE-DM was a specific, reliable and robust new laboratory test that could quantify absolute amount of antigen-specific IgE in canine serum. The ELISA will serve as a useful tool in the clinics to evaluate the change of serum IgE titers during anti-allergic treatments as well as during seasonal fluctuation of allergen exposure.     

Flow cytometric analysis of chicken NK activity and its use on the effect of restraint stress

Immune system is organized by the influence of both neural and endocrine systems. NK activity plays an important role in the innate immunity. In this study, we observed the effects of restraint stress on chicken peripheral blood NK activity. Viability of FITC-labeled RP9 was measured with PI after treatment with the effector cells. Chicken peripheral blood CD8alpha+ cells expressed strong cytotoxic activity, in contrast to thrombocytes, while peripheral blood CD3+ CD8alpha+ cells and CD4+ cells had little cytotoxic activity. Con A supernatant enhanced the cytotoxic activity of CD8alpha+ cells. Therefore, it is considered that these cytotoxic activities measured by flow cytometry (FCM) analysis are NK activity. When chickens were exposed to restraint stress, the levels of serum corticosterone increased transiently over a short period of time while the NK activity decreased. The decreased NK activity, however, did not recover to the intact levels for a long time, even once the serum corticosterone levels had recovered. These data indicate that chicken NK activity is able to be measured by flow cytometric analysis and that restraint stress causes severe damage to the chicken NK activity.     

Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by using wood to protect against soil liquefaction

We compared the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from a log pile (LP) to those from a sand compaction pile (SCP) and from cement deep mixing (CDM) as measures against soil liquefaction, assuming that forest and waste management scenarios influence the GHG (CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O) balance of wood. We found little difference between the LP and SCP methods with respect to GHG emissions from fossil fuel and limestone consumption. However, GHG emissions from the CDM method were seven times higher than emissions from the LP method. In the GHG balance of wood, when the percentage of CH₄ emissions from carbon in underground wood was lower than 3.3%, permanent storage in the log achieved greater reductions in GHG emissions than using the waste log as fuel in place of coal or heavy oil. In order to obtain reductions in GHG emissions by replacing SCPs or CDM with LPs, sustainable forest management with reforestation and prevention of CH₄ emissions from the underground log are essential. Using reforestation, permanent storage of the log, no CH₄ emission from the log, and using logging residues instead of coal, the LP can achieve reductions in GHG emissions of 121 tonnes of CO₂ per 100 m² of improvement area by replacing CDM.     

Nitrogen uptake by sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) in the early growth stages

Previous trials have revealed variable responses of sago palm ( Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) to fertilizer application, particularly nitrogen (N). In the present study, we quantified the fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) of sago palm for the first time using ¹⁵N-labeled fertilizer in pot and field experiments. The pot experiment was conducted in Japan using a 2:1 mixture of sand to Philippine soil. The field experiment was conducted in Leyte in the Philippines. Both experiments consisted of three replicates in each of three treatments: control, ¹⁵N urea at 50 kg N ha⁻¹ and ¹⁵N urea at 100 kg N ha⁻¹. The N uptake of sago palm increased significantly, but inconsistently with increasing N application. The few instances of a significant increase in N uptake did not translate into significant improvements in growth parameters, except for the number of leaflets in the pot experiment. The FUE values for sago seedlings (< 6 months) in the pot experiment treated with 50 and 100 kg N ha⁻¹ were 10.5 and 13.2%, respectively, whereas for the 2-year-old sago palms in the field, the corresponding FUE values were 14.8 and 12.0%. The FUE values were similar at the two levels of N application in both experiments. Sago growth parameters appeared to be insensitive to N application, suggesting that the form of N and the timing of N fertilization are important factors for sago palms. Therefore, the use of N fertilizer in sago production can only be justified after determining and fully understanding the response of sago palm to N application.     

The influence of phosphate fertilizer application levels and cultivars on cadmium uptake by Komatsuna (Brassica rapa L. var. perviridis)

Cadmium (Cd) is a common impurity in phosphate fertilizers and application of phosphate fertilizer may contribute to soil Cd accumulation. Changes in Cd burdens to agricultural soils and the potential for plant Cd accumulation resulting from fertilizer input were investigated in this study. A field experiment was conducted on Haplaquept to investigate the influence of calcium superphosphate on extractable and total soil Cd and on growth and Cd uptake of different Komatsuna (Brassica rapa L. var. perviridis) cultivars. Four cultivars of Komatsuna were grown on the soil and harvested after 60 days. The superphosphate application increased total soil Cd from 2.51 to 2.75?mg?kg^?1, 0.1?mol?L^?1 hydrochloric acid (HCl) extractable Cd from 1.48 to 1.55?mg?kg^?1, 0.01?mol?L^?1 HCl extractable Cd from 0.043 to 0.046?mg?kg^?1 and water extractable Cd from 0.0057 to 0.0077?mg?kg^?1. Cd input reached 5.68?g?ha^–1 at a rate of 240?kg?ha^–1 superphosphate fertilizer application. Superphosphate affected dry-matter yield of leaves to different degrees in each cultivar. ‘Nakamachi’ produced the highest yield in 2008 and ‘Hamami No. 2’ in 2009. Compared with the control (no phosphate fertilizer), application of superphosphate at a rate of 240?kg?ha^–1 increased the Cd concentration in dry leaves by 0.14?mg?kg^?1 in ‘Maruha’, 1.03?mg?kg^?1 in ‘Nakamachi’, 0.63?mg?kg^?1 in ‘SC8-007’ in 2008, and by 0.19?mg?kg^?1 in Maruha’, 0.17?mg?kg^?1 in ‘Hamami No. 2’, while it decreased by 0.27?mg?kg^?1 in ‘Nakamachi’ in 2009. Field experiments in two years demonstrated that applications of different levels of calcium superphosphate did not influence Cd concentration in soil and Komatsuna significantly. However, there was a significant difference in Cd concentration of fresh and dry Komatsuna leaves among four cultivars in 2008 and 2009. The highest Cd concentration was found in the ‘Nakamachi’ cultivar (2.14?mg?kg^?1 in 2008 and 1.91?mg?kg^?1 in 2009). The lowest Cd concentration was observed in the ‘Maruha’ cultivar (1.51?mg?kg^?1?dry weight (DW)) in 2008 and in the ‘Hamami No. 2’ cultivar (1.56?mg?kg^?1?DW) in 2009. A decreasing trend in Cd concentration was found in ‘Nakamachi’, followed by ‘SC8-007’, ‘Hamami No. 2’ and ‘Maruha’ successively. It is necessary to consider a low-uptake cultivar for growing in a Cd polluted soil. In these two years’ results, ‘Maruha’ cultivar was the lowest Cd uptake cultivar compared to the others.     

Infection of a chimeric simian and human immunodeficiency virus with CCR5-specific HIV-1 envelope to Rhesus macaques

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects lymphocytes and macrophages via CD4 and chemokine receptors. In this study, the infectivity of a chimeric simian and human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) having a CCR5-specific HIV-1 envelope gene was examined. A SHIV strain termed SHIV-JRFL could enter cells via CD4 with a chemokine receptor CCR5, not CXCR4, and the viral replication was suppressed by recombinant human RANTES, one of beta-chemokines. The intravenous inoculation of SHIV-JRFL into two rhesus macaques resulted in a systemic infection, though it was rather weak. During the early infection, the production of RANTES from Con A-stimulated PBMCs of the infected monkeys increased. These results suggested that beta-chemokine has the potential to limit the infectivity of an R5-type SHIV.