Antimicrobial use and its association with the presence of methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL)-producing coliforms in mastitic milk on dairy farms in the Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

Food-producing animals, including dairy cattle, are potential reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance. However, there is limited data on antimicrobial use and the selection of resistant bacteria. Therefore, we investigated the association between antimicrobial use and resistance to mastitis pathogens using 2016 data from milk samples collected from cows with mastitis in 134 dairy farms in Chiba Prefecture, one of the principal dairy production prefectures in Japan.

Evaluating the antimicrobial use on dairy farms in Chiba Prefecture in Japan using the antimicrobial treatment incidence, an indicator based on Japanese defined daily doses from 2014-2016.

The use of antimicrobial agents in food-producing animals may lead to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria of animal origin. However, there is a paucity of data on the quantity of antimicrobials use on dairy farms in Japan. This study describes antimicrobial use on dairy farms from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2016 in five administrative districts (central, eastern, western, southern and northern) of Chiba Prefecture.

Congenital syringohydromyelia in a crossbred (Holstein-Friesian × Japanese Black) beef calf.

A 5-day-old male crossbred beef calf presented with a well-coordinated bilateral hopping gait of the hind limbs. Postmortem CT showed a poorly defined oval-shaped region at the L3-L4 spinal segments, which had high signal intensity on T2 weighted postmortem MRI images. On pathological examination, we identified a large cystic cavity filled with a large amount of cerebrospinal fluid on the cut surface of the spinal region.

A nasal osteoma with an acute course in a Japanese Black heifer.

A 14-month-old Japanese Black heifer presented with unilateral epistaxis and mild swelling of the right face. Radiography revealed a mass with increased radiopacity on the right side of the nasal bridge, extending to the left side. Intranasal endoscopy confirmed a large tumor-like structure protruding into the nasal cavity.

Stress relaxation and stress-strain characteristics of porcine amniotic membrane.

Background: Recently, amniotic membrane (AM) as scaffold is accumulating much more attention in tissue engineering. It is well-known that the mechanical properties of the scaffold inevitably affect the biological process of the incorporated cells.

Objective: This study investigates the stress relaxation and stress-strain characteristics of AM, which have not been sufficiently elucidated before.

Expression of uterine lipocalin 2 and its receptor during early- to mid-pregnancy period in mares.

From previous cDNA subtraction studies analyzing gene expression in equine endometrium, high lipocalin 2 (LCN2) mRNA expression was found in the gravid endometrium. In the uterus, LCN2 may transport hydrophobic molecules and siderophores with iron, or may form a complex with another protein, however, the expression of uterine LCN2 beyond day 20 of equine pregnancy and its receptor has not been characterized. To study the expression and potential roles of uterine LCN2 from pre-implantation to mid-gestation period, stage-specific endometrial samples were obtained from day 13 (day 0 = ovulation) cyclic and days 13, 19, 25, and 60 to 131 pregnant mares.

The mechanisms of fibroblast-mediated compaction of collagen gels and the mechanical niche around individual fibroblasts.

Fibroblast-mediated compaction of collagen gels attracts extensive attention in studies of wound healing, cellular fate processes, and regenerative medicine. However, the underlying mechanism and the cellular mechanical niche still remain obscure. This study examines the mechanical behaviour of collagen fibrils during the process of compaction from an alternative perspective on the primary mechanical interaction, providing a new viewpoint on the behaviour of populated fibroblasts.

Expression of endometrial immune-related genes possibly functioning during early pregnancy in the mare.

Despite enormous efforts, biochemical and molecular mechanisms associated with equine reproduction, particularly processes of pregnancy establishment, have not been well characterized. Previously, PCR-selected suppression subtraction hybridization analysis was executed to identify unique molecules functioning in the equine endometrium during periods of pregnancy establishment, and granzyme B (GZMB) cDNA was found in the pregnant endometrial cDNA library. Because GZMB is produced from natural killer (NK) cells, endometrial expression of GZMB and immune-related transcripts were characterized in this study.

C9-R95X polymorphism in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: A non-sense mutation at codon 95 in the gene encoding complement factor C9 (C9-R95X) is found most frequently among Japanese. The authors investigated the association between C9-R95X and Japanese patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).

Methods: The presence of the C9-R95X polymorphism was assessed by direct sequencing in Japanese patients with either PCV (n = 105) or neovascular AMD (n = 198) and 396 control subjects.

Elevated C-reactive protein levels and ARMS2/HTRA1 gene variants in subjects without age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To investigate the association between the serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and variants in age-related maculopathy susceptibility 2 (ARMS2)/HtrA serine peptidase 1 (HTRA1) genes in normal subjects with no evidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: After clinical evaluation, information related to medical and social history was collected from 476 Japanese individuals (age range 17-89 years) along with blood samples. These subjects were medical checkup participants recruited at Nagoya University Hospital with no macular disease, as confirmed by fundus photographs.

Production of calcium maintenance factor Stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) by the equine endometrium during the early pregnant period.

A factor responsible for progression to pregnancy establishment in the mare has not been definitively characterized. To identify factors possibly involved in the establishment of equine pregnancy, the endometrium was collected from day 13 (day 0=day of ovulation) cyclic and day 13, 19 and 25 pregnant animals. From initial subtractive hybridization studies, a calcium regulating factor, Stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) mRNA, was found as a candidate molecule expressed uniquely in the pregnant endometrium.

Synthesis of sulfanyl-, sulfinyl-, and sulfonyl-substituted bicyclic dioxetanes and their base-induced chemiluminescence.

The singlet oxygenation of 4-tert-butyl-3,3-dimethyl-5-(3-oxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydrothiophenes 5c-e bearing an acetoxy or methoxy group at the 2-position exclusively gave the corresponding sulfanyl-substituted bicyclic dioxetanes 2c-e, while that of 5a without 2-substituent mainly gave sulfoxide 11 along with a small amount of dioxetane 2a. These dioxetanes were sufficiently stable thermally to permit handling at room temperature. Sulfanyl-substituted dioxetanes, 2c and 2e, were further oxidized with m-chloroperbenzoic acid to afford the corresponding sulfinyl-substituted dioxetanes 3c, 3e and sulfonyl-substituted dioxetanes 4c, 4e.

Intravitreal injection of bevacizumab for macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion:results after 12 months and multiple regression analysis.

Purpose: To evaluate the 12-month follow-up results of intravitreal bevacizumab therapy for macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion and to identify the pretreatment factors that were associated with an improvement of the final visual outcome.

Methods: Fifty eyes of 50 patients with macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion received an injection of 1.25 mg/0.

New algorithm to analyze optical coherence tomographic images quantitatively.

Purpose: To determine whether an algorithm we have developed can be used to measure the retinal thickness on optical coherence tomography (OCT) images.

Methods: Six radial linear scans of 6 mm were made with the OCT instrument. The retinal thickness and volume determined with the built-in algorithm for the OCT instrument for 50 eyes of 50 control subjects with normal retinal boundaries were compared to the values obtained with our algorithm.

Associations between serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and polymorphisms of CRP, interleukin 1B, and tumor necrosis factor genes among Japanese health checkup examinees.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive marker of acute inflammation, which is associated with risk of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. Some CRP polymorphisms are reported to affect the basal and stimulated CRP levels. Thus we conducted a population-based cross-sectional study to examine the associations of CRP levels with CRP C1444T polymorphism and two cytokine polymorphisms (IL-1B C-31T and TNF-A T-1031C), according to sex, age, smoking, alcohol, and BMI, in a total of 489 Japanese health checkup examinees (156 males and 333 females).

Correlation between focal macular electroretinograms and angiographic findings after photodynamic therapy.

Purpose: It is known that the amplitudes of the multifocal electroretinograms are generally reduced soon after photodynamic therapy (PDT). The purpose of this study was to determine whether this amplitude reduction correlates with the changes in macular thickness or with changes in choroidal circulation.

Methods: Thirty-seven eyes that were successfully treated by PDT were studied.

Elevated C-reactive protein levels in patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy and patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To determine the relationship between systemic C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and advanced neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Japanese patients.

Design: Case-control study.

Participants: Ninety-seven patients with PCV, 176 with advanced neovascular AMD, and 262 control subjects without any macular abnormality were studied.

Focal macular electroretinograms before and after removal of choroidal neovascular lesions.

Purpose: To evaluate the changes in focal macular electroretinograms (fmERGs) after surgical removal of choroidal neovascular (CNV) lesions.

Methods: Fourteen patients (14 eyes) with subfoveal or juxtafoveal CNV associated with age-related macular degeneration and 1 patient with idiopathic CNV underwent vitrectomy and removal of the lesions. fmERGs elicited by a 15 degree stimulus were recorded before and 3 months after surgery.