Tomato severe rugose virus: Another Begomovirus Causing Leaf Deformation and Mosaic Symptoms on Potato in Brazil.

Over the past 10 years, Tomato yellow vein streak virus (ToYVSV) has been a major begomovirus in the main solanaceous crop region of Campinas, São Paulo, which includes counties of Sumaré, Monte Mor, Elias Fausto, and Indaiatuba. The top leaves of potato plants (Solanum tuberosum) having deforming mosaic symptoms (dms), which includes a yellow mosaic or mottling on distorted and deformed leaflets, were associated with this geminivirus (4). Recently, a table potato crop (cv. Agata) from Sumaré, with a record of a few or no white flies (Bemisia tabaci), during the winter season of June to September 2006 had 5 to 7% dms, suggestive of seed potato tuber borne virus infection. Double-antibody sandwich (DAS)-ELISA for Potato virus Y (PVY), Potato leaf roll virus (PLRV), Potato virus X (PVX), and Potato virus S (PVS) (SASA kits and protocols, Edinburgh, Scotland) gave negative results for four field collected potato plants showing dms. Bioassays (mechanical transmission from potato leaf extracts in phosphate buffered saline, 1:5 w/v) with test plants of Nicotiana tabaccum cvs. Turkish and TNN, Gomphrena globosa, Chenopodium quinoa, Datura metel, Solanum tuberosum, and a Physalis sp. were all negative. Inoculated D. stramonium developed symptoms resembling ToYVSV infection including vein clearing and mild mottling on new leaves 2 to 3 weeks postinoculation. Using primers PAC1v1978/PAV1c715 for begomovirus detection (3), the predicted PCR amplified fragment of 1,320 bp was obtained from leaf DNA extracted from all four of the dms field potato plants, as well as the inoculated and symptomatic D. stramoniium test plants. Sequence analysis indicated 100% nt identity among the 1.3-kb PCR fragments obtained from potato and D. stramonium infected plants. Sequences of 96 cloned amplicons (pGEM-T Easy Kit; Promega, Madison, WI) from symptomatic plants in the Sumaré potato field were 98 to 99% identical to Tomato severe rugose virus (ToSRV). BLAST analysis of a consensus sequence (Sequencher 3.1; Gene Codes Corporation, Ann Arbor, MI) revealed more than 95 and 99% identity with ToSRV isolates from Uberlandia (Accession No. AY029750) and Goias (Accession No. DQ207749), respectively. The DNA-based phylogenetic dendrogram confirmed the highest similarity with ToSRV and the lowest similarity with ToYVSV (72%), which was located in another cluster. These results indicate that ToSRV was the causal agent producing dms in potato plants from Sumaré. Therefore, similarly to ToYVSV (4), potato dms can be caused by ToSRV. Preliminary tests revealed that ToSRV was transmitted via seed tubers. Thus, it is of concern for seed potato certification in Brazil, especially in the major seed-potato-producing state of Santa Catarina where an outbreak of ToSRV was recently reported in tomato crops (1). Although ToSRV has been identified in other solanaceous crops in Brazil, especially tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and sweet pepper (Capsicum annum) (2), to our knowledge, this is the first report of ToSRV in potato in Brazil. Reference: (1) A. T. M. Lima et al. Fitopatol. Bras. 31:224, 2006. (2) D. N. Nozaki et al. Summa Phytopathol. 33:93, 2007. (3) M. R. Rojas et al. Plant Dis. 77:340, 1993. (4) J. A. C. Souza-Dias et al. CultivarHF 5(26):22, 2004.

Incidentally discovered giant renal arteriovenous malformation.

A case is presented of giant renal arteriovenous malformation (AVM). A 61-year-old woman was admitted to the National Defense Medical College Hospital for further evaluation of a renal cyst. Doppler ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a giant renal AVM, although the patient had no history nor clinical sign suggesting an AVM. Under the diagnosis of a right renal AVM, the patient underwent AVM resection.

[Transformation of the fungus ball type pulmonary aspergillosis].

Though the concept of semi-invasive pulmonary aspergillosis was advocated in 1981 by Gefter et al., its histopathological appearance has not yet been reported in detail. Pathological studies on fungus ball type pulmonary aspergillosis (PA) were originally made mainly in regard to related bronchi. Chronic-progressive destructive changes cannot be completely explained from this viewpoint alone. Clinically, since bloody sputum and hemoptysis appeared frequently, further studies on the pulmonary vasculature were considered necessary. In the resected lungs of 3 cases of semi-invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, the pathological features of pulmonary vasculature were characterized by numerous fungal clots within pulmonary arteries and veins, marked destruction of pulmonary blood vessels and extensive intravascular fibrin deposition. Intravascular fibrin deposition causes stasis of blood flow, promotes intravascular proliferation of aspergilli and probably accelerates pulmonary destruction caused by blood stasis. Important pathological findings of fungus ball type pulmonary aspergillosis of the semi-invasive subtype with clinical aspects of chronic-progressive lung destruction caused by severe inflammation, were reported for both the vascular and the bronchial system.

[Extraction, partial characterization and nutritional aspects of proteins from Carioca 80 bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)]. / Extração, caracterização parcial e aspectos nutricionais das proteínas do feijão Carioca 80 (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

Extraction, fractionation and characterization by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of proteins from Carioca 80 beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) were performed at three pH values (2.5, 8.0 and 9.0). Extraction at pH 7.0 proved to be more efficient and, after dialysis, produced a better separation of the albumin and globulin fractions. Relative mobility of the main protein in the globulin fractions occurred between 0.30 and 0.40, and dissociation was observed when the pH was increased. The two most representative bands gave molecular weights of 35,400 and 76,900, while in regard to the trypsin inhibitor, three bands gave 28,800, 22,500 and 18,300. Pepsin and pancreatin in vitro digestibility rendered values of 33.43% and 62.63% for whole flour and for protein precipitated at pH 4.5, respectively. The content of available methionine found, of 1.36 g/16 g N, appears to be high in relation to that of other bean varieties.

Influence of varied [Ca2+]0 and [Na+]0 on slow responses of newborn and adult rat hearts.

The electrophysiological properties of slow responses of rat hearts were investigated in newborn (two-day-old) and adult (few-month-old) rats under conditions of high [K+]0 (25 mM) with isoproterenol (1 X 10(-7)M) using the standard techniques of intracellular microelectrode recording. The potentials of slow responses were measured in varied [Ca2+]0: in adults the peak potential varied linearly with a slope of about 31 mV for a 10-fold change in [Ca2+]0, while in newborns it varied, but not linearly, and showed a positive peak potential in low [Ca2+]0 (0.5 mM). In a low [Na+]0 solution (55% [Na+]0), with constant [Ca2+]0 (2 mM), the peak potential was reduced in newborn hearts, while it was little affected in adult hearts. These results suggest that the peak potential of the slow response depends mainly on [Ca2+]0 in adult rat hearts, while it depends on both [Ca2+]0 and [Na+]0 in newborns.

[Idiopathic neurologic diseases in dogs and cats in Japan from the viewpoint of animal models of human disease (author's transl)].

This study was intended to demonstrate the neurological characteristics of idiopathic neurologic diseases of dogs and cats as a material for evaluating them as animal models for human diseases. A hundred and nineteen animals selected for this study from among outpatients with various neurological disorders presented to the Veterinary Hospital of University of Tokyo were studied mainly by the neurological examination with assistant methods of electroencephalography and electromyography. Hydrocephalus and vestibular diseases were highest in incidence in dogs, followed in order by encephalitis and epilepsy. Choleiform movements or other abnormal movements such as athetosis and hemiballism that are seen in diseases of the extrapyramidal system of man were not observed in dogs. Cerebellar degenerative disease showed the highest incidence in cats, which is believed to occur by transplacental infection of panleukopenia virus. Intervertebral disk disorders, the most common neurologic disease in the dog, usually occurred in the thoracic, unlike in man, and lumbar segments, not only causing pain but precipitating paresis or paralysis of the legs or of the trunk.

[The clinical values fro chemical constituents of blood in normal miniature Shiba goats (author's transl)].

Using the both methods. RaBA-Super System (Rapid Blood Analyzer System), the clinical values for chemical constituents of blood in Shiba goats bred in Stock Farm, University of Tokyo, were determined on the following items: total protein, albumin, TTT, glucose, BUN, total bilirubin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, GOT, GPT, ALP, LDH, CPK, cholinesterase, calcium and inorganic phosphorus. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1) All items determined were to be analyzed by means of the RaBA-Super System, although the values for total cholesterol, TTT, ALP and CPK varied considerably with individuals. 2) The values of adult female goats were significantly higher than those of young ones in total protein and albumin, and lower in glucose, cholinesterase, ALP and CPK. 3) The values of GPT and BUN of adult female goats in summer were significantly lower than those in winter and autumn. 4) The values for triglyceride and albumin of adult female goats using the RaBA-Super System were inconsistent with those analyzed simultaneously by the manual method, but a significant linear correlation was recognized between the both methods.