Physiological responses to central and peripheral injection of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid in chicks

1. The purpose of the present study was to determine if intracerebroventricular (ICV) and intraperitoneal (IP) injection of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C), a viral mimetic that binds to toll-like receptor-3 (TLR3), affects food intake, voluntary activity, cloacal temperature, plasma corticosterone (CORT) and glucose concentrations, and crop emptying rate in chicks (Gallus gallus).

2. Both ICV and IP injection of poly I:C significantly decreased food intake.

3. IP but not ICV injection of poly I:C significantly suppressed voluntary activity, whereas ICV injection decreased time spent sitting. Both ICV and IP injection of poly I:C significantly increased plasma CORT and glucose concentration. Neither ICV nor IP injection of poly I:C significantly affected cloacal temperature.

4. In addition, ICV injection of poly I:C significantly reduced crop emptying rate, whereas IP injection had no effect.

5. These results suggested that central TLR3 is related to anorexia, stress response and retardation of crop emptying while peripheral TLR3 is related to anorexia, change in behaviour and stress responses during viral infection in chicks.     

Evaluation of nutritive value and palatability by goats and sheep of selected browse foliages from semiarid area of Kenya

The feeding value of five browse foliages (Acacia brevispica, Acacia mellifera, Berchemia discolor, Zizyphus mucronata and Maerua angolensis) grown in semiarid area of Kenya were evaluated. Their chemical composition including polyphenolics and in vitro gas production characteristics were determined. The biological activity of the polyphenolics was assessed as the increases in gas production profiles and in vitro true dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) digestibility after in vitro incubation with or without addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a tannin binding reagent. The intake and palatability ranking of the browse foliages by goats and sheep were also investigated. The browse foliages had variable crude protein content (149.5–248.6 g/kg DM) and variable content of neutral detergent fiber (205.1–424.0 g/kg DM). The content of total extractable tannins was generally low (2.4–34.8 g/kg DM). At 24 h of incubation, Z. mucronata produced the highest gas volume, while after 48 h of incubation, B. discolor produced the highest gas volume. M. angolensis had the least gas production potential within the browse foliages. Addition of PEG increased gas production except in A. mellifera and M. angolensis. However, PEG addition did not have any significant effect on in vitro true DM and OM digestibility except in B. discolor, which decreased. The rank order of preference (highest to least) for goats was A. brevispica, Z. mucronata, B. discolor, A. mellifera and M. angolensis while the rank order of preference for sheep was A. brevispica, B. discolor, A. mellifera, Z. mucronata and M. angolensis. The goats had higher intakes of all the browse foliages than sheep. The result of this study highlights the higher feeding value of the browse species as supplemental feed with low quality basal diet with both of animal species except M. angolensis.     

Treatment with a High Dose Combination of PMSG/hCG Preparation of Mares Clinically Diagnosed with Ovarian Quiescence during the Breeding Season (Investigation from 1975 to 2000)

A total of 88 thoroughbred mares were diagnosed with clinical ovarian quiescence and subjected to four treatment regimens. Using PMSG, hCG or combinations of both. A high dose combination of 5,000IU PMSG with 5,000IU hCG showed significantly higher rates of marked estrus and ovulation induction (P<0.01) as well as conception rates (P<0.05). In the present study, the administration of a high-dose combination of PMSG with hCG was shown to be an effective treatment of ovarian quiescence in light mares.     

Comparison of carcass and meat characteristics of Brahman grade cattle (Bos indicus) and crossbred water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) fed on high roughage diet

The objective of this study was to compare the carcass and meat quality in crossbred cattle and crossbred water buffalo at the same younger age and fed with high roughage in the Philippines. Ten crossbred cattle and 10 crossbred water buffalo, with an average age of 22 months (18–24 months) were used in this experiment. The animals were fed a similar diet, which consisted of 85% Napier or Para grass and 15% concentrate mixture on a dry matter basis, for 180 days before slaughter. Slaughter weight of the crossbred water buffalo was higher (P < 0.05) than that of the cattle, although the dressing percentage was significantly (P < 0.01) lower for the former than for the latter. The estimated lean yield was higher (P < 0.05) in crossbred cattle than crossbred water buffalo. The muscle fiber diameter of loin in buffalo meat was smaller (P < 0.05) than that in cattle. In regard to carcass and meat quality, the crossbred water buffalo was comparable or slightly superior to the crossbred cattle in tenderness, sensory score of color (P < 0.01) and flavor (P < 0.05). These results clearly indicate that at a younger age and even under high roughage‐based fattening rations, crossbred water buffalo are able to produce good quality meat, which will be by no means inferior to that of crossbred cattle in the Philippines.     

Characterization of Verticillium dahliae Isolates from Potato on Hokkaido by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and REP-PCR Analyses

Verticillium dahliae isolates from potato on the island of Hokkaido (potato isolates) and those belonging to pathotypes A (eggplant pathotype), B (tomato pathotype) and C (sweet pepper pathotype) were divided into three distinct groups by RAPD and REP-PCR. The three DNA groups I, II, III consisted of pathotypes A and C, pathotype B and potato isolates, respectively. The potato isolates were assigned to pathotype A on the basis of pathogenicity. Another set of potato isolates was further collected from eight potato cropping regions on Hokkaido to further examine the relationships among them in detail. Only one of these isolates was identified as DNA group II, but all the others were classified as DNA group III. Isolates from daikon, eggplant, and melon on Hokkaido also belonged to DNA group III. These results suggest that V. dahliae isolates from Hokkaido are unique at the DNA level and different from other pathotype A isolates in Japan. Received 28 February 2000/ Accepted in revised form 6 November 2000     

Prevalence of canine coronavirus (CCoV) in dog in Japan: detection of CCoV RNA and retrospective serological analysis

We collected rectal swabs from dogs in Japan during 2011 to 2014, and canine coronavirus (CCoV) nucleocapsid gene was detected by RT-PCR. The relationship between CCoV infection and the manifestation of diarrhea symptoms was investigated, and a correlation was noted (df=1, χ²=8.90, P<0.005). The types of CCoV detected in samples from CCoV-infected dogs were CCoV-I in 88.9% and CCoV-II in 7.4%, respectively. We retrospectively investigated the seroprevalence of CCoV-I in dogs in Japan during 1998 to 2006. The sera were tested with a neutralizing antibody test. In the absence of CCoV-I laboratory strain, we used feline coronavirus (FCoV)-I that shares high sequence homology in the S protein with CCoV-I. 77.7% of the sera were positive for neutralizing anti-FCoV-I antibodies.     

Software development for estimating the concentration of radioactive cesium in the skeletal muscles of cattle from blood samples

The 2011 earthquake severely damaged the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP), resulting in the release of large quantities of radioactive material into the environment. The deposition of these radionuclides in rice straw as livestock feed led to the circulation of contaminated beef in the market. Based on the safety concern of the consumers, a reliable method for estimating concentrations of radioactive cesium in muscle tissue is needed. In this study, we analyzed the concentrations of radioactive cesium in the blood and skeletal muscle of 88 cattle, and detected a linear correlation between them. We then developed software that can be used to estimate radioactive cesium concentrations in muscle tissue from blood samples. Distribution of this software to the livestock production field would allow us to easily identify high‐risk cattle, which would be beyond the safety regulation, before shipping out to the market. This software is planned to be released as freeware. This software would contribute to food safety, and aid the recovery of the livestock industry from the damage creacted by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.     

Contributions of salmon-derived nitrogen to riparian vegetation in the northwest Pacific region

We examined the relationship between the annual escapement of salmon and the δ ¹⁵N of willow (Salix spp.) leaves to evaluate the contribution of marine-derived nutrients (MDN) to riparian vegetation around the Pacific Northwest and Northeast regions. Foliar δ ¹⁵N values ranged from −3.42‰ to 4.65‰. The value increased with increasing density of carcasses up to 500 fish/km and 1500 fish/km. δ ¹⁵N values were variable at carcass densities below 500 fish/km. Possible factors affecting the fluctuation of δ ¹⁵N at reference sites are: (1) denitrification; (2) the presence of N₂-fixing trees, such as alder; and (3) agricultural runoff. δ ¹⁵N values at the sites with carcass densities over 500 fish/km were consistently high, while a value of δ ¹⁵N below zero was observed at only one site (Rusha River; δ ¹⁵N = −1.87‰). At this site, most adult pink salmon returned to limited locations near the estuary because steeper channel gradients acted as a migration barrier, resulting in the negative δ ¹⁵N value. Nevertheless, we concluded that our results showed evidence of the feedback of MDN to terrestrial vegetation, although the use of the δ ¹⁵N value as a terrestrial end member at spawning sites is limited. If the relationship between the enrichment index, which is expressed as the values using a mixing model, and salmon abundance was estimated, the availability of MDN in riparian ecosystems could possibly be evaluated and will lead to the establishment of escapement goals. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Characterization of sp<Superscript>2</Superscript>- and sp<Superscript>3</Superscript>-bonded carbon in wood charcoal

Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) preheated at 700°C was subsequently heated to 1800°C and characterized by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The degree of disorder of carbon crystallites and the amount of amorphous phase decreased considerably with an increase in heat treatment temperature to 1400°C, while carbon crystallites clearly developed above this temperature, showing that the microstructure of carbonized wood undergoes drastic changes around 1400°C. Besides showing the bands for sp²-bonded carbon, the Raman spectra showed a shoulder near 1100 cm⁻¹ assigned to sp³-bonded carbon. With an increase of heat treatment temperature, the peak position of the Raman sp³ band shifted to a lower frequency from 1190 to 1120 cm⁻¹, which is due to the transformation of sp³-bonded carbon from an amorphous phase to a nanocrystalline phase. These data showed that the microstructure of carbonized wood from 700° to 1800°C consisted of the combination of sp²- and sp³-bonded carbon, which is probably due to the disordered microstructure of carbonized wood. It is suggested that the sp³-bonded carbon is transformed from an amorphous structure to a nanocrystalline structure with the growth of polyaromatic stacks at temperatures above 1400°C.