Hemal nodes and hemolymph nodes are lymphoid organs which share morphologic and functional characteristics of lymph nodes and spleens. Hemal nodes and hemolymph nodes are normally present in Korean native goats. Hemal nodes had extensive subcapsular and deep sinuses distended by a great number of erythrocytes, and no typical cortex and medulla were observed. Blood vessels commonly occurred, but lymph vessel was not observed in the hemal node. Hemolymph nodes had distince cortex and medulla, and also had afferent and efferent lymph vessels. The aim of the present study was to obtain new informationon the distinct morphological structures of hemal nodes and hemolymph nodes according to ages, and have the basic data for their functions. Goats are divided into 5 groups, consisting of 3 animals aged 1, 3, 6, 10, and 12 momths. The morphological studies of the organs were carried out by groww anatomy, light microscopy and immunohistochemistry. During aging, there was an increase in the size of the organs, while there were no significant changes of their numbers, locations and colors. As the goat got older, the lymphatic nodules of hemal nodes were more developed, and the number of macrophage containing phagocytosed erythrocytes was more increased. As the goat was younger,the lymphatic tissues of hemolymph nodes were less developed. There was no difference in distribution of T-and B-lymphocytes according to ages.

Morphometrical analysis of chicken Crytosporidium baileyi in various stages of life cycle in the bursa of Fabricius wer carried out by electron microscope to establish a differential point for identification of C baileyi. By avidin-biotin complex method, protozoans of the bursa of Favricius were identified Cryptosporidium spp. The size and area on each developmental stages of C baileyi, as measured by Morphomat 10 attached to electron microscope were as follews. Trophozoites' size with range of 3.21+_0.70*2.49+_0.59 micro meter, area with range of 118. 82+_41.92 micro meter2; meronts' size with 3.99+_1.07*2.96+_0.52 micro meter, area 210.11+_57.11 micro meter2 ; merozoites' size 1.98+_0.43*0.60+_0.18 micro meter, area 24.10+_5.97 micro meter2; microgametes' size 1.36+_0.83*0.50+_0.23 micro meter, area 20.23+_6.73 micro meter2; macrogametes'size 4.57+_0.65*4.02+_0.55 micro meter, area 258.37+_51.83 micro meter2; oocytes' size 4.39+_0.56*3.44+_0.50 micro meter, area 187.21 +_62.68 micro meter2. In conclusion, the size and area on each developmental stages of Cryptosporidium baileyi is different from that of other Cryptosporidia spp. It suggests, with considering tissue tropism and life cycle, morphometrical analysis can be quite a good way to identify C baileyi.

A six-month-old, male mongrel dog presented with wet ventral abdominal skin hairs and a short prepuce with penis. In physical examination, the penis was underdeveloped with fusion failure of the prepuce and the urethral opening was in the transitional area between os penis and perineal region. the radiological shape of urinary bladder was normal in positive contrast cystography and there was no any other routes except the observed urethral opening. Cryptochidism was also shown. It was diagnosed as hypospadia.

Anatomical and histological changes were studied in the dorsal, ventral, third and splenic lobes of the pancreas of the chicken embryos (8 days of incubation, 10 days of incubation to hatching). From 13 days of incubation, all four pancreatic lobes, namely, dorsal, ventral, third and splenic lobes were observed. Histologically, the pancreas of 10-14 days of incubation were consisted of mesenchymal tissue, exocrine acini and pancreatic islets. But mesenchymal tissues were disappeared from 15 days of incubation. The pancreatic ducts were observed from 14 days of incubation. The dark and light typed pancreatic islets were observed in splenic lobe from 13 days of incubation, in the third lobe from 11 days of incubation, and in the dorsall lobe from 13 days of incubation. But no dark typed islets were observed in the ventral lobes.

There are few copies of Borna disease virus (BDV) genome in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and no reliable standard reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method for the detection of BDV RNA, which is both highly sensitive and free of contamination. Single-step RT-PCR, in which both reverse transcription and amplification by Taq DNA polymerase work efficiently in a single buffer, was applied to detect the p24 region of BDV RNA in vitro and in vivo. Using in vitro synthesized RNA, it was demonstrated that at least 100 copies of BDV RNA could be detected and the sensitivity and specificity were nearly equal to those obtained by RT-nested PCR. We could detect BDV RNA from more than 1 pg of cellular RNA obtained from BDV-persistently infected MDCK cells. Furthermore, this method was successfully performed on brain specimens obtained from a BDV-infected rat at 11 weeks post-inoculation. This single-step RT-PCR method will be convenient for detecting limited amounts of BDV RNA in various cells and tissue samples

The proteolytic activities present in midguts of both fed and unfed Haemaphysalis longicornis were assessed by using the gelatin-substrate gel electrophoresis and inhibitor sensitivity analyses. Three predominant (116, 48 and 40 kDa) and two weak (55 and 60 kDa) proteinase bands were commonly expressed in both unfed and fed ticks, while a weak 80 kDa band was only present in fed ticks. Consistent with observations on other tick species, proteolytic activity against the gelatin substrate was observed only under acidic conditions. Inhibition studies against the gelatin substrate using a panel of inhibitors showed that the predominant proteolytic enzymes of 40 and 48 kDa molecular mass are cysteine proteinases. These results are discussed in the context of host vaccination as an alternative tick control method to the current use of chemical acaricides

Substance P (SP) is colocalized with ACh in splanchnic nerves that innervate into adrenal medulla and the peptide has been shown to inhibit nicotinic agonists-induced catecholamine secretion. To elucidate the effects of SP on cytosolic Ca(2+) dynamics, the present study was conducted using fura-2-loaded isolated bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. Stimulation of the cells with nicotine (10-100mu-M) produced a rapid rise of cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]i), the peak level of which increased in a dose-dependent manner, followed by a gradual decay. In the presence of 10mu-M SP, the dose-response relationship of the peak levels shifted downward. Quantitative analyses implied that SP inhibits the nicotine-induced Ca(2+) influx in a noncompetitive manner. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is composed of two major functional domains: an agonist-binding site and an ionophore or channel domain. Agonist binding activates ionophore / channel domain and causes mainly Na(+) influx. This Na(+) influx depolarizes the cell and activates voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels. Based on this fact, the present results indicate that SP dose not block nicotine binding sites but interferes with other sites of nicotinic receptor / channel molecule, most probably a channel domain. It was suggested that SP colocalized with ACh in splanchnic nerves functions as a physiological modulator of catecholamine secretion by non-competitively suppressing ACh-induced cytosolic Ca(2+) dynamics in bovine a

The validity of a coproantigen ELISA for Echinococcus multilocularis was evaluated by comparison of three diagnostic methods; autopsy, egg examination and the ELISA. Of 71 foxes, 39 were found to be infected with the cestode at autopsy. The overall mean of worm burdens was 3,451, but the number varied (1-34,522). The ELISA could detect 94.9% (37/39) of the worm positives and there were no false-positives. Two false-negatives were infected with 1 and 4 cestodes, whereas 3 cases with similar worm burdens (2, 4 and 6 worms) were diagnosed as positives. This indicates the detection limit of the assay may be equivalent to less than 10 (in the worm burden). On the other hand, egg examination showed low sensitivity (43.6%, 17/39). These results suggest the ELISA has a potential to replace for the conventional methods

The hemagglutinin (HA) of six H5 influenza virus strains isolated from ducks in Japan and China in 1976 to 1996 were analyzed antigenically and genetically. Antigenic analysis using a panel of monoclonal antibodies revealed that the HA of H5 influenza viruses isolated from ducks are antigenically closely related to each other. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the isolates from ducks in Hokkaido were derived from an ancestor common with the highly pathogenic isolates from chickens and human

Intranasal administration of plasmid DNA encoding glycoprotein B of pseudorabies virus into mice induced both serum and secretory antibody responses. These mice resisted intranasal challenge with lethal dose of the virus, but did not intraperitoneal challenge. On the other hand, intramuscular injection of the plasmid induced less secretory and higher serum antibody responses than those of intranasally vaccinated mice. None of them was protected from virus challenge. The present results suggest that administration of plasmid DNA encoding glycoprotein B by respiratory mucosal route generates local secretory antibodies which serve to protect animals from pseudorabies virus infection