Correlation of foetal body weight by coronet width measurement using ultrasonography in prepartum cows: a pilot study.

This study aimed to clarify the effectiveness of foetal body weight estimation by measuring foetal coronet width using transrectal ultrasonography in beef cows during near-term pregnancy. A characteristic 'gull wing' pattern was obtained from the foetal coronet cross-section from the dewclaw side using ultrasonography. This pattern was matched to the bone surface of the distal part of the middle phalanx. Then, the relationship between coronet width and body weight at birth of 22 Japanese Brown calves was analysed and a high correlation coefficient of 0.8965 (P < 0.001) was obtained. In conclusion, the coronet width of the fetus is depicted as a 'gull wing' hyperechoic structure and can be measured by ultrasonography per rectum during near-term pregnancy. This technique may be a useful tool to identify high-risk cows with dystocia before calving. High foetal coronet values may predispose cattle to dystocia.

A missense mutation (p.Leu2153His) of the factor VIII gene causes cattle haemophilia A.

Two cases of hereditary bleeding disorder diagnosed as haemophilia A were recently observed in Japanese Brown cattle. We sequenced the entire coding region of the factor VIII gene of the affected animals to find a causative mutation. A nucleotide substitution of T to A resulting in an amino acid substitution of leucine to histidine (p.Leu2153His) was identified in a highly conserved residue in the C1 domain of factor VIII. Genotyping of 254 normal animals including the pedigree of the affected animals and randomly sampled animals of different breeds confirmed that the substitution is the causative mutation of cattle haemophilia A.

Effects of dynamic diffraction conditions on magnetic parameter determination in a double perovskite Sr2FeMoO6 using electron energy-loss magnetic chiral dichroism.

Electron energy-loss magnetic chiral dichroism (EMCD) spectroscopy, which is similar to the well-established X-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy (XMCD), can determine the quantitative magnetic parameters of materials with high spatial resolution. One of the major obstacles in quantitative analysis using the EMCD technique is the relatively poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), compared to XMCD. Here, in the example of a double perovskite Sr2FeMoO6, we predicted the optimal dynamical diffraction conditions such as sample thickness, crystallographic orientation and detection aperture position by theoretical simulations. By using the optimized conditions, we showed that the SNR of experimental EMCD spectra can be significantly improved and the error of quantitative magnetic parameter determined by EMCD technique can be remarkably lowered. Our results demonstrate that, with enhanced SNR, the EMCD technique can be a unique tool to understand the structure-property relationship of magnetic materials particularly in the high-density magnetic recording and spintronic devices by quantitatively determining magnetic structure and properties at the nanometer scale.

Observation of anomalous single-magnon scattering in half-metallic ferromagnets by chemical pressure control

The temperature variation of the resistivity rho and specific heat C have been measured for prototypical half-metallic ferromagnets, R0. 6Sr 0.4MnO3, by controlling the one-electron bandwidth W. We have found variations in the temperature scalings of rho from approximately T2 ( R = La, and Nd) to approximately T3 ( R = Sm), and have interpreted the T3 law in terms of the anomalous single-magnon scattering process in the half-metallic system.

Independent freezing of charge and spin dynamics in La1.5Sr0.5CoO4

We present elastic and quasielastic neutron scattering measurements characterizing peculiar short-range charge-orbital and spin order in the layered perovskite material La1.5Sr0.5CoO4. We find that below T(c) approximately 750 K holes introduced by Sr doping lose mobility and enter a statically ordered charge glass phase with loosely correlated checkerboard arrangement of empty and occupied d(3z(2)-r(2)) orbitals ( Co3+ and Co2+). The dynamics of the resultant mixed spin system is governed by the anisotropic nature of the crystal-field Hamiltonian and the peculiar exchange pattern produced by the orbital order. It undergoes a spin freezing transition at a much lower temperature, T(s) less, similar30 K.

Albuminuria is directly associated with increased plasma PAI-1 and factor VII levels in NIDDM patients.

Increased plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), coagulation factor VII (FVII) and fibrinogen levels have been recognized as risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Because a substantially high incidence of cardiovascular disease has been reported in diabetic patients with nephropathy compared with those without nephropathy, we measured plasma levels of PAI-1, FVII activity and fibrinogen in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients (NIDDM) with normoalbuminuria (without nephropathy), microalbuminuria (incipient nephropathy) and macroalbuminuria (overt nephropathy). PAI-1 and FVII levels were significantly increased in NIDDM with overt nephropathy compared with NIDDM without nephropathy. Fibrinogen levels were comparable between the patients with normo-, micro- and macro-albuminuria. Univariate regression analysis indicated that PAI-1 and FVII levels were significantly correlated with the albumin excretion rate (AER) in urine. PAI-1, FVII and fibrinogen levels were significantly correlated with the degree of insulin resistance estimated by the steady state plasma glucose concentration (SSPG) during the continuous infusion of glucose, insulin and octreotide. PAI-1 levels were correlated with plasma triglyceride (TG) levels. Multiple regression analysis revealed that AER was significantly associated with PAI-1 and FVII levels, whereas TG lost significant correlation with PAI-1 when AER, SSPG and plasma TG were entered as independent variables. SSPG retained an independent correlation with fibrinogen, PAI-1 and FVII levels. These results suggest that elevated plasma levels of PAI-1 and FVII in NIDDM patients with nephropathy are directly associated with renal damage, whereas insulin resistance widely regulates hemostatic components in NIDDM patients, irrespective of the presence of nephropathy.

Morphological changes of epiphyseal plate in the long bone of chondrodysplastic dwarfism in Japanese brown cattle.

A total of 20 cases of disproportionate calves on Japanese Brown cattle were examined morphologically. Investigation of 5 affected calves revealed that the insufficiency of endochondral ossification was confined only to the long bones of the limbs and was not accompanied by other associated changes. On the basis of the histological changes of epiphyseal plate and the affected site, this condition may be called chondrodysplasia of the rhizomelic type. Therefore, this disorder was defined as a bovine dwarfism. From three dimensional image analysis and histological changes of the tibial proximal portion in the other 15 cases, deformity and shortness of the tibia were related to the state of distribution and the degree of damages of the epiphyseal plate. In the affected cartilage matrix, cystoid degeneration, fibrous striation, bone spicule, necrotic foci and rent were found. Inadequate metachromasia suggests the abnormal staining of sulfated glycosaminoglycans and alcian blue stainability may be attributable to the abnormal interactions between proteoglycan and other matrix components. At the interface of cartilage and bone, irregular calcification, fibrotic scar and sealing by osseous tissue with relation to vascularity were found. These changes in this study indicated the failure of modeling on the epiphyseal plate, showing disturbance of chondrocytic differentiation and abnormal formation of the matrix.

Craniofacial skeletal abnormalities in anomalous calves with clefts of the face.

Thirteen anomalous calves with clefts of the face were morphologically examined, and craniofacial skeletons were studied in detail. According to the type and site of the cleft, four groups could be distinguished: median cleft lip and jaw (CLJ); median cleft lip, jaw, and palate (CLJP); lateral CLJ; and cleft palate (CP), including unilateral and bilateral type. Craniofacial skeletal abnormalities were observed in several bones at the roof, wall, and floor of the nasal cavity and at the boundary portion between the nasal and cranial cavities. Fissure formation at the cranial sutures, partial absence of the nasal process of the incisive bone, and opening of the bony palate were characteristic changes in median CLJ and CLJP, lateral CLJ, and CP, respectively. Furthermore, various associated changes were recognized in the median and paramedian skeletal elements of the face and other organs. The morphological changes of craniofacial skeletons with various types of clefts of the face depended on the site and degree of the cleft formation and reflected developmental errors of the facial embryonic segments. These changes would suggest disorders of the correlated development of facial processes and of other fetal organs of the face. For these conditions, etiologically hereditary cases were negative.

Unilateral anophthalmia in a Holstein calf.

Unilateral anophthalmia in a Holstein calf was examined morphologically. On the left side, a small cystic remnant of the eye ball (CRE) was present in the orbit. The CRE was adhered to the dura mater through an abnormal foramen formed in the orbital region of the cranial base. At this region of the left cerebral hemisphere, a porencephalic change was detected. Histologically, the pigment epithelium was continued from the lining of the inner surface of CRE to the residual cerebrocortical tissue attached to the dura mater. These characteristic changes seem to suggest the partial fusion of the outer layer of the optic cup to the telencephalon during optic organogenesis.

Skeletal aspects of the atlanto-occipital fusion in a Japanese brown calf.

Atlanto-occipital fusion in a Japanese Brown calf was examined morphologically, paying special attention to skeletal changes. At the craniovertebral junction, the basal occipital bone fused to the cranial extremity of the ventral arch of the atlas with the rudiment of the atlantal centrum. The dens was not formed at the axis. These changes suggest that a hypocentrum and a centrum of the atlas derived from the first cervical sclerotome had failed to separate the occipital base from the proatlantal sclerotome including the apical element of the dens. Although a developmental disturbance at the cervical and thoracic vertebrae was also associated, critical neurological signs such as ataxia and paralysis were absent.

Congenital anophthalmia with caudal vertebral anomalies in Japanese Brown cattle.

Anophthalmia and caudal vertebral anomalies such as taillessness or wry tail were morphologically examined in ten Japanese Brown calves obtained in Kumamoto Prefecture. The anomalous calves lacked eyeball bilaterally or unilaterally but had small-sized eyelids and narrow palpebral fissures. A small cystic, solid or spot-like remnant of eyeball (REB) was buried in the mixture of vestigial extraocular muscles, lacrimal gland and adipose tissue of the orbit. The REB was composed of irregularly arranged elements of ocular wall such as sclera, choroid and retina. The retina was often dysplastic and connected to the hypoplastic optic nerve. These morphological changes might represent the defective processes after the formation of the optic vesicle or cup. Therefore, this eye defect may be defined as degenerative anophthalmia. The defects of the vertebral body such as wedge vertebra, hemivertebra, and sagittal cleft vertebra seen in the lumbar, sacral, and coccygial regions and the meandering of the axial line of abnormal vertebrae may suggest the failure of notochord formation in the early fetal period. From the embryological point of view, it seemed possible that the calves were exposed to teratogen at the critical time of optic organogenesis and notochordal formation. The cause of anomalies could not be determined in this study.

Spontaneous vascular mineralization in the brain of horses.

Cerebral vascular mineralization was found in 12 (60%) of 20 3- to 10-year-old healthy horses collected at an abattoir. It was variable in degree and occurred mostly in the pallidal arteries showing two types of lesions; small globoid bodies along capillaries, and amorphous deposits in the wall of arterioles, small- or medium-sized arteries and veins. Both types were strongly positive for periodic acid-Schiff reaction, and weakly positive for von Kossa's and Berlin blue stains. Elemental analysis of the deposit revealed the presence of large amounts of aluminum, moderate amounts of phosphorus, zinc, calcium and iron, and a small amount of sodium.