PMEL p.Leu18del dilutes coat color of Kumamoto sub-breed of Japanese Brown cattle.

BACKGROUND: Coat color is important for registration and maintenance of livestock. Standard coat color of Kumamoto sub-breed of Japanese Brown cattle is solid brown, but individuals with diluted coat color have been observed recently. In this study, we attempted to identify polymorphism(s) responsible for coat color dilution by whole genome analysis. RESULTS: One of the diluted cattle possessed 7302 exonic polymorphisms which could affect genes' function. Among them, 14 polymorphisms in 10 coat color-related genes were assumed to be specific for the diluted cattle. Subsequent genotyping with three diluted cattle and 74 standard cattle elucidated that PMEL p.Leu18del was the causative polymorphism for coat color dilution in this sub-breed. Individuals with del/del type of this polymorphism showed diluted coat color, but coat color of heterozygotes were intermediate with various dilution rates. CONCLUSIONS: Coat color dilution of Kumamoto sub-breed was caused by PMEL p.Leu18del. The causative del allele has been detected in several genetically distant cattle breeds, suggesting that PMEL p.Leu18del can be used as a DNA marker to control cattle coat color.

Early primary duodenal carcinoma arising from Brunner's glands synchronously occurring with sigmoid colon carcinoma: report of a case.

We herein report a case of early primary duodenal carcinoma arising from Brunner's glands synchronously occurring with sigmoid colon carcinoma. A 65-year-old man with a 5-year history of diabetes mellitus and benign prostatic hypertrophy was admitted to our hospital to undergo a resection of sigmoid colon carcinoma in December 2000. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, which was performed as routine preoperative screening, revealed an elevated submucosal-tumor-like lesion with a shallow central depression in the anterior wall of the duodenal bulb. A partial duodenectomy with a partial gastrectomy including No. 5 and No. 6 lymph node dissection and a sigmoidectomy were thus performed. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful. The histopathology of the resected duodenal specimen revealed the tumor to be an adenocarcinoma arising from Brunner's glands. The patient has remained disease-free and has shown no relapse for 6 years postoperatively. Because duodenal carcinoma arising from Brunner's glands is very rare, we report our case with a review of 25 similar documented cases.

[Post-operative respiratory management in infants].

Regarding postoperative respiratory management in infants, their postoperative circulatory and respiratory conditions are quite different among medical centers. The lung functions of infants are still immature. Respiratory rate of infants decreases from the birth (just after birth ; 47, 12 months ; 26 cycles x mimute(-1)). Tidal volume increases with body weight (just after birth ; 23.8, 12 months ; 89.1 ml), and tidal volume per body weight is constant (6.9-9.0 ml x kg(-1)). When we perform postoperative respiratory managements, we must discuss the ventilatory mode to use, permissible airway pressure, and values of blood gas analysis among postoperative care team. In infants with acute lung injury, we should select high frequency oscillation (HFO) according to lung protective ventilatory strategy theory (low tidal volume+open lung approach).