Many herbal extracts have been reported to have a preventive or therapeutic effect of on diabetes mellitus. Momordica Charantia commonly known as bitter melon or karela has been reported to be a medicinal plant for treating various diseases including cancers and diabetes. The objectives of this study were to investigate anti-diabetic effects of bitter melon (BM) as determined by blood glucose levels, glucose tolerance test (GTT), insulin tolerance test (ITT), insulin and HbA∧1c activities in serum, serum biochemical and lipid levels histopathology, immunohistochemistry and AMPK-α2 expression of skeletal muscle in male C57BL/6J db/db mice. There were four experimental groups including vehicle control, BM 10 mg/kg, BM 50 mg/kg, and BM 250 mg/kg. BM at doses of 10, 50, and 250 mg/kg was orally administered to the diabetic mice everyday for 8 weeks. The treatments of BM 10, 50, and 250 mg/kg significantly decreased the blood glucose level in the diabetic mice compared with vehicle control (p less than 0.05). The treatments of BM 10 and 50 mg/kg significantly decreased the GTT, ITT and HbA1c levels in the diabetic mice compared with vehicle control (p less than 0.05). All BM groups significantly decreased GOT, GPT, BUN, LDL and glucose levels in the diabetic mice compared with the vehicle control mice (p less than 0.05). The livers of mice treated with the BM 10, 50, and 250 mg/kg showed a remarkable decrease in the number of lipid droplets compared with the vehicle control. The pancreas of mice treated with the BM 10, 50, and 250 mg/kg showed a remarkable increase in insulin concentration of β-cells compared with the vehicle control. In addition, the treatments of BM 10, 50, and 250 mg/kg actually increased the expression of AMPK-α2 compared with vehicle control. These results suggest that BM has a respectable anti-diabetic effect resulting from inhibition of blood glucose level and lipid level in serum and that consumption of BM may give a benefit for controlling diabetes mellitus in humans.

A 4-year-old female Cocker spaniel was presented with respiratory distress and abdominal distension. Pleural effusion, ascites, hepatosplenomegaly, and superficial lymphadenopathy were observed and multicentric lymphoma was diagnosed by cytological examination. Immunophenotyping of lymph node and bone marrow using polymerase chain reaction for antigen receptor rearrangement identified a stage V lymphoma origination from T-cell. Despite of systemic chemotherapy using L-asparagenase, vincristine, cyclophoaphamide and prednisolone, neurologic deficits came out and progressed. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed neoplastic lymphocytic pleocytosis indicating central nervous system involvement of lymphoma. The postmortem diagnosis was confirmed based on the histology and imunohistochemistry.

Throughout the world, rotavirus infections cause extensive morbidity in human infants and diarrhea in animals such as white scour caused by bovine rotavirus in calves. We isolated three rotavirus strains designated KV0407, KV0418, and KV0426 from 103 fecal samples of diarrheic calves. The genes coding for proteins VP4, VP6, VP7, and NSP4 from strain KV0407 were sequenced and compared with the nucleotide sequences of other known strains of rotavirus. The KV0407 VP4 gene was highly homologous to the OSU (99.4%) and JL94 (99.4%), but not the B223 (62.4%) and K33 (62.4%) VP4 genes. The KV0407 and KV0418 VP7 genes were most similar to the OSU and super-short type VMRI VP7 genes. Based on nucleotide sequence analysis, the KV0407 strain was tentatively assigned to A serogroup (SG I), G5P[7], NSP4 genotype B and the KV0418 and KV0426 strains were assigned to A serogroup (SG I), G6P[5], NSP4 genotype A. The genetic characterization of these bovine rotavirus isolates could be useful for the diagnosis and prevention of diarrhea in calves.

The genus Lactobacillus is the largest of the genera included in lactic acid bacteria and is associated with mucosal membranes of human and animal. Only a few Lactobacillus plasmid-encoded functions have been discovered and used. In this study, a novel plasmid (pILR091) was isolated from a wild L. reuteri isolated from pig and described the characteristics of its replicons, genetic organization, and relationship with other plasmids. After digestion of the plasmid, pILR091, with SalI, plasmid DNA was cloned into the pQE-30Xa vector and sequenced. The complete sequence was confirmed by the sequencing of PCR products and analyzed with the Genbank database. The isolate copy number and stability were determined by quantitative-PCR. The complete sequence of L. reuteri contained 7,185 nucleotides with 39% G-C content and one cut site by two enzymes, SalI and HindIII. The similar ori sequence of the pC194- rolling circle replication family (TTTATATTGAT) was located 63 bp upstream of the protein replication sequence, ORF 1. Total of five ORFs was identified and the coding sequence represented 4,966 nucleotides (70.4%). ORF1 of pILR091 had a low similarity with the sequence of pTE44. Other ORFs also showed low homology and E-values. The average G-C content of pILR091 was 39%, similar with that of genomic DNA. The copy number of pILR091 was determined at approximately 24 to 25 molecules per genomic DNA. These results suggested that pILR091 might be a good candidate to construct a new vector, which could be used for cloning and expression of foreign genes in lactobacilli.

Body weights and blood biochemical values in chickens infected with reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV)-HI, a Korean isolate, were studied. REV-HI causes severe body weight depression in chickens inoculated but not in chicken contact-infected. Body weights of infected chickens in 3, 4, and 5 weeks after infection were 78%, 76% and 65% of those of control respectively. Blood glucose levels in REV-infected chickens were extremely high compared with those in control (226±21 vs. 814±91.3 mg/dl in week 2) during the experiment period. Triglyceride levels in REV-infected chickens were significantly higher in week 2 and 3, whereas in week 4, REV-infected chickens showed significantly lower levels than the control. Blood lipase, amylase and alkaline phosphatase levels of REV-infected chickens in week 2 were significantly higher, whereas cholesterol, magnesium and calcium values in week 4 were significantly lower than the control. Other blood biochemical values such as alkaline aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and γ-glutamyltransferase were nonsignificantly different from the control. These above results suggest that weight depression by REV may be related with increase of blood glucose, which indicated that REV-infected chickens could not use blood glucose as energy source.

Granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis (GME) is a sporadic, idiopathic, non suppurative inflammatory disease of the canine central nervous system. GME appears to have a worldwide distribution and to occur mostly in young to middle-age dogs of small breeds. A 6-year-old female mixed dog with wry neck, ataxia and rolling was submitted to the Cheju National University for diagnosis. Grossly, in the brain, cerebrospinal fluid was mildly increased and dilatation of the subarachnoid blood vessels was observed. Histopathologically, the lesions were characterized by perivascular cuffs of lymphocytes, various numbers of macrophages and plasma cells in the brainstem and cerebral white matter. Numerous granuloma composed of lymphocytes and histiocytes were scattered throughout the brainstem. Two malacic foci characterized by axonal swelling and gitter cell infiltration with hemorrhage were noted in the medulla oblongata and cerebellum. Special stains failed to demonstrate any infectious agents. Immunohistochemically, the infiltrated cells demonstrated strong positive reactions for CD3, a marker for T lymphocytes origin. Based on the clinical signs, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry, this case was diagnosed as GME in a mixed dog.

Necropsy was performed on a total of twenty three either white leghorn or ogol chickens which were more than 150 weeks of age. Among twenty three chickens examined, fifteen chickens were laying and the rest eight chickens were non-laying. On necropsy, neoplastic mass in the five chickens among non-laying chickens was found. These neoplastic masses were present mostly in the ovaries and one case in the liver and characterized by multifocal to coalescing 1 to 5 mm tan firm nodular formation. On histopathology, ovarian adenocarcinoma with widespread abdominal seeding and hepatic metastasis was diagnosed in the three chickens. Oviductal leiomyoma was also found in two chickens that had a focal well-demarcated nodules in the oviduct. Taken together, the number with ovarian adenocarcinoma among non-laying chickens over 150 week old was 37.5%. As most animal species do rarely develop ovarian tumors, the high rate of spontaneous ovarian adenocarcinoma in non-laying hen suggest that the hen is a proper model for human ovarian cancer study.

A 17-month-old intact male Cocker Spaniel was presented with primary complaints of severe ascites, exercise intolerance, and diarrhea. Diagnostic studies revealed tricuspid and pulmonic regurgitation on phonocardiogram, right ventricular enlargement on the electrocardiogram, typical right cardiac enlargement signs on the thoracic radiography and tricuspid valve malformation and marked enlargement of the right atrium and right ventricle on the echocardiography and tricuspid and pulmonary regurgitation on the color spectral echocardiography, suggesting tricuspid valve dysplasia and pulmonary hypertension. Using angiography and cardiac catheterization, pulmonary hypertension was ruled out. Further echocardiographic study revealed membranous valvular structures cranial to pulmonary annulus causing pulmonary regurgitation. Based on these findings on the diagnostic investigation, the case was diagnosed as tricuspid valve dysplasia complicated with pulmonic regurgitation. The dog was medically managed with furosemide, enalapril, nitroglycerine transdermal patch and pimobendan after the ascitic fluid removal.

An 8-year-old male mynah (Gracula spp.) was presented for depression, anorexia, and respiratory distress. The patient's diet consisted of sponge cake and yogurt alone. Physical examination revealed high body condition score (4/5), abdominal distention, and severe orthopnea. Hepatomegaly was observed on abdominal radiographs. The patient died 4 h after presentation, and severe hepatomegaly was observed at necropsy. Based on histopathological findings, the bird was definitively diagnosed with iron storage disease with concurrent hepatic lipidosis.

A 2-year-old female Pekingese dog was presented with primary complaints including exercise intolerance and neurological sign associated with hepatic encephalopathy. The major findings in clinical examination included an intermittent seizure, a slow heart rate with pulse deficit, leukocytosis and anemia in hemogram, elevated pre- and post-prandial serum bile acid and hepatic enzymes, hypoproteinemia, coagulopathy, ammonium urate crystaluria and bilirubinuria. Diagnostic tests revealed an intrahepatic portosystemic shunt complicated with a second degree atrioventricular block and QT prolongation. The case was successfully treated with a transvenous coil embolization. Clinical signs were gradually improved and cardiac bradyarrhythmia disappeared. This case is a rare case of intrahepatic portosystemic shunts complicated with a cardiac bradyarrhythmia in a small breed dog fixed by a transvenous coil embolization.