Using PCR with primers derived from a non-coding region of the human TT virus (TTV) genome, the TTV sequence in serum samples obtained from pigs (Sus domesticus), dogs (Canis familiaris) and cats (Felis catus) was identified and the entire genomic sequence was determined for each representative isolate. Three TTV isolates (Sd-TTV31 from a pig, Cf-TTV10 from a dog and Fc-TTV4 from a cat) comprising 2878, 2797 and 2064 nucleotides, respectively, each had three open reading frames (ORFs) encoding 436-635 (ORF1), 73-105 (ORF2) and 224-243 (ORF3) aa but lacked ORF4, similar to tupaia TTV. ORF3 was presumed to arise from a splicing of TTV mRNA, similar to human prototype TTV. Although the nucleotide sequence of Sd-TTV31, Cf-TTV10 and Fc-TTV4 differed by more than 50 % from each other and from previously reported TTVs of 3n4-3n9 kb and TTV-like mini viruses (TLMVs) of 2n8-3n0 kb isolated from humans and non-human primates as well as tupaia TTVs of 2n2 kb, they resembled known TTVs and TLMVs with regard to genomic organization and presumed transcriptional profile rather than animal circoviruses of 1n7-2n3 kb. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Sd-TTV31, Cf-TTV10 and Fc-TTV4 were closer to TTVs from lower-order primates and tupaias than to TTVs from higher-order primates and TLMVs. These results indicate that domestic pigs, cats and dogs are naturally infected with species-specific TTVs with small genomic size and suggest a wide distribution of TTVs with extremely divergent genomic sequence and length in animals.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of immediate enteral nutrition (EN) on nutritional status, immunological competence, and the suppression of excessive inflammatory responses in patients following esophageal cancer surgery. Twenty-four patients who underwent the same elective operation for thoracic esophageal carcinoma were randomized into an immediate enteral nutrition (IEN) group who received EN from postoperative day (POD) 1 and a parenteral nutrition (PAN) group. Both groups received comparable volumes and calories on the same POD. Laboratory studies were carried out preoperatively and on PODs 1-7. Other nutritional and immunological assessments were repeated on PODs 1 and 7. Plasma concentrations of nitrate and nitrite were also measured. All of the patients in the IEN group tolerated enteral feeding well. There were no significant differences in the results of nutritional assessments, lymphocyte function, or plasma nitrate and nitrite levels between the two groups. The IEN group showed a significantly earlier recovery of the total lymphocyte count. The serum levels of total bilirubin and C-reactive protein were significantly attenuated in the IEN group. These results indicate that immediate EN may have beneficial effects on immunological competence and the suppression of excessive inflammatory responses in patients following esophagectomy. Patients undergoing radical esophageal surgery who are subjected to severe surgical stress might benefit the most from early EN.

ABSTRACT. Urinary excretion of N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) was examined in healthy dogs and dogs with urinary diseases, and its clinical usefulness as an indicator of urinary diseases was discussed. Twenty-eight healthy dogs and 20 dogs with urinary diseases were used. Urinary NAG activity was measured using p-nitrophenyl N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminide as substrate, and expressed as units per gram of urinary creatinine (NAG index). Urinary NAG index in urine of healthy dogs was 3.2 ± 2.4 U/g, and NAG index in the dogs with chronic renal failure or lower urinary tract infection accompanied by pyelonephritis was higher than that in healthy dogs. However, the dogs with lower urinary tract infection without pyelonephritis showed normal values of NAG index. Some dogs with diabetic mellitus showed elevated values of NAG index when control of blood sugar was not successful. Increase of NAG index was observed in some dogs with pyometra before increases of BUN and serum creatinine concentration. Therefore, NAG index in urine seems to be a good indicator for urinary diseases in dogs. KEY WORDS: canine, N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), urinary disease, urine.J. Vet. Med. Sci. 64(4): 361-365, 2002 N-Acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG; EC 3.2.1.30) is a lysosomal enzyme found predominantly in the proximal renal tubular cells. Urinary NAG activity has been reported to increase under conditions of renal pathologic damage in both humans [2,6,[8][9][10]20] and other animals [1,4,15]. Urinary NAG activity also has been proposed as a sensitive marker of the progression of renal diseases [2,6,8,9] and the rejection of renal allografts [13,21]. Its activity increases prior to abnormal changes of other renal function test results [8]. The usefulness of urinary NAG activity values in dogs with drug-induced proximal tubular damage has been reported [4]. We reported the usefulness of measurements of urinary NAG activity in cattle [14,15]. However, there is little information available about the measurement of urinary NAG activity in clinical cases of canine renal diseases.In the present study, to clarify the usefulness of measurements of urinary NAG activity, we evaluated urinary levels of NAG in healthy dogs and dogs with urinary diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS Animals:Twenty-eight healthy dogs (18 males and 10 females, 1-8 years old) and 20 dogs with urinary diseases (10 males and 10 females, 1-17 years old ) were studied. The clinical conditions of the dogs with urinary disease are shown in Table 1, and included chronic renal failure (7 cases), lower urinary tract infection accompanied by pyelonephritis (2 cases), lower urinary tract infection without pyelonephritis (4 cases), diabetes mellitus (3 cases) and pyometra (4 cases). All of these dogs were sexually intact. Clinical diagnoses in diseased dogs were decided based on physical examinations, urinalysis, CBC, serum biochemistry, ultrasonography and radiography (plain and excretory urography).Urine preparation: Untimed, freely caught urine samples were collected from the do...

Laminar bone or primary plexiform tissue, not Haversian bone, shows an alternative concentric pattern of laminar-bone units or plates around the bone marrow periphery of long bones, although the laminar bone is gradually replaced by osteons during the growth period. One laminar-bone unit is constructed with a hypercalcified line in the center, woven bone on both sides of the line, and lamellar bone with laminated appositional lines. Such a laminar bone showing a homogeneous calcification has been reported in young calves and some young large animals, but it has not been reported in foals although a previous report proposed that the bone structure was distinguishable from plexiform tissue. In this study, we compared young calves with foals by backscattered electron imaging mainly of transverse ground sections of mid-diaphysis. Foals had many hypercalcified lines arranged concentrically around the bone marrow periphery, which were similar to those of young calves. However, rows of cylindrical osteon-like structures with Haversian canal-like canals running along the long-bone axis were arranged between the concentric hypercalcified lines. Each Haversian canal-like structure was enclosed with laminated appositional rings of lamellar bone deposited on the woven bone. In the developing period, the bone units containing the concentric hypercalcified lines were basically equal to the laminar-bone units. The osteon-like structures or ‘pseudo-osteons’ were gradually replaced by ‘true osteons’ during the growth period. The blood vessels in the Haversian canal-like canals of foals ran along the long-bone axis, whereas the blood vessels in the concentrically prolonged bone cavities of young calves ran transversely to obliquely against the long-bone axis. Thus, the long-bone cortex of foals showing an alternative concentric pattern of a row of the osteon-like structures arranged between the hypercalcified lines will be histologically classified into a variety of laminar bone caused by the different arrangement of blood vessels. Such a laminar bone may have a biomechanical structure against physical stress, especially the modified laminar bone of foals with osteon-like structures, when compared with the typical concentric laminar bone of young calves and also Haversian bone possessing variously calcified numerous osteons caused by bone remodeling.

ABSTRACT. Some young large farm animals show a laminar bone formation in the long-bone cortex. Such a laminar bone is gradually replaced by Haversian bone with osteons during their growth periods. In this preliminary study, we observed the transverse ground samples of tibia cortex in young calves, pigs, and sheep by backscattered electron imaging. The cortex bones of all the newborn (NB) animals were basically formed with laminar bone structures. The NB and 1-month-old (1-M) calves had a typical concentric structure of laminar bone, whereas the NB and 1-M pigs showed a wire-netting bone with laminar-bone units. The NB sheep was similar to the calf rather than the pig. In the growth rate of bone volume, sheep was similar to calf up to 6 months after birth (6-M). Such calf and sheep showed a more rapid ratio of bone volume than pig. A few osteons had initially appeared in the innermost layer of the 6-M calf. A 1-year-old (1-Y) calf showed scattered osteons in the bone cortex, but many laminar-bone units were still retained in the outer layer. A 6-M pig had many osteons in the entire cortex but only a few osteons in the outermost layer. In the 6-M sheep, no osteons were observed, whereas a 1-Y sheep showed a relatively small number of osteons mainly in the middle layer but a higher osteon-volume than the 1-Y calf. In the 1-Y sheep, the more widely absorbed areas by bone-remodeling with osteons were observed as compared with the 1-Y calf, and the bone volume was decreased from the 6-M into the 1-Y sheep because of the remarkable bone-absorption. Thus, calf kept on possessing many laminar-bone units for a longer time in the growth period than sheep, while pig showed the earliest bone-remodeling with osteons. These results may be caused by their different body size and withers height in calf and sheep after growing and the difference of the dependence upon mother's body during juvenile period between pig and calf with sheep. The initial region of osteon formation may be distinguishable among their animals, respectively. However, further detailed investigations of their young animals at successive stages will be necessary.