Estimation of daily urinary potassium excretion using urinary creatinine as an index substance in prepartum dairy cows

In the present study, the daily excretion of potassium (K) in urine (urinary K(UK)) was estimated from a 6 h urine sample using urinary creatinine (UC) as the index substance. All urine was collected from six pregnant Holstein cows at 6 h intervals for 24 h on 3 days of the 4th, 2nd and final week before the expected date of parturition. In total, 72 6 h urine samples were obtained. Daily UC excretion (mg/day per kg bodyweight (BW)) was almost the same for the three sampling days. Daily UC excretion varied among cows from 22.1 to 24.3 mg/day per kg BW with a mean of 22.8 mg/day per kg BW with no significant difference. Thus, daily UC excretion was confirmed to be constant throughout the prepartum period with no differences among individuals. The concentration ratios of K to creatinine ((UK mg/dL)/(UC mg/dL) (UK/UC)) correlated strongly to the hourly K excretions (mg/h per kg BW) (r = 0.952, P < 0.01) in the 6 h urine samples. The differences in the UK/UC ratio between sampling periods were not significant within each cow. Therefore, daily UK excretion (mg/day) can be estimated using the equation: daily UK excretion (mg/day) = daily UC excretion (mg/day per kg BW) × BW (kg) × 6 h urine sample UK/UC, where daily UC excretion can be a given value.     

Effects of feeding and animal performance on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium excretion by Holstein cows

Thirty‐four Holstein dry cows and 16 lactating cows were used in balance trials to identify the effects of feeding and animal performance on nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) excretion by dairy cows, and to develop prediction models for these excreta. Orchard grass silage, corn silage, alfalfa silage or timothy hay were offered to dry cows. Orchard grass silage or alfalfa silage, and concentrates were offered to lactating cows. In the statistical analysis, the independent variables were bodyweight (kg), dry matter (DM) intake (kg/day), milk yield (for lactating cows only, kg/day), water intake (free water plus water in feed, kg/day), intake (g/day) of N, P and K and dietary contents (% of DM) of crude protein, P and K. The dependent variables were N, P and K excretion (g/day) in feces and urine. In both dry and lactating cows, intake of N, P and K had large effects on corresponding excretion. The results indicated that a decrease in the intake of N, P and K could decrease the corresponding excretion. Further research by path analysis showed that K intake positively affected urinary N excretion in dry cows indirectly, through water intake and urine volume.     

Geographical variation of skull morphology and its functional significances in the red-cheeked squirrel

Skulls of the red-cheeked squirrel (Dremomys rufigenis) from various geographical locations: Malaysia (peninsular area), Vietnam (south district)-Laos, and Thailand (north district) were osteometrically examined. The skull size of the squirrels in the southern (Malaysia) population was fundamentally larger than that in the northern (Vietnam, Laos and Thailand) populations. The proportion indices indicated that the splanchnocranium was relatively longer in the Malaysia population, and that the interorbital space was narrower in Vietnam-Laos, and Thailand populations. We suggest that the long nose and laterally-oriented orbits in the skull may be better adapted for terrestrial-insectivorous life in the Malaysia population and the binocular sense facilitated by rostrally-oriented eyes contributes to the arboreal-fruit eating behavior in the two northern populations. The Malaysia population was clearly distinguished from the other populations by the principal component analysis. We suggest that the geographical barrier of the Isthmus of Kra influences the morphological variation of the skull among the squirrel populations.     

Prevalence and characteristics of intimin- and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli from gulls,pigeons and broilers in Finland

The role of birds as sources of Shiga toxin-and intimin-producing Escherichia coli was studied. Fecal samples from live gulls (n=86), pigeons (n=33) and broiler chickens (n=199) from 23 flocks were analyzed for stx and eae by PCR. No stx positive samples were detected. In contrast, eae E. coli were highly prevalent among gulls (40%), and was also found in pigeons (7%) and chickens (57% of the flocks contaminated). The eae positive isolates were analyzed genetically and O-serogrouped. One isolate from a pigeon was found to have stx (2f). The isolates of gulls differed from those of pigeons and chickens, and all eae E. coli isolates from birds differed from human pathogenic strains by the lack of EHEC-hlyA and bfp/EAF as well as distribution of O-serogroups. Thus, birds cannot be regarded as important carriers of zoonotic stx or eae E. coli in Finland.     

Evaluating environmental impacts of the Japanese beef cow–calf system by the life cycle assessment method

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the environmental impacts of a beef cow–calf system using a life cycle assessment (LCA) method and to investigate the effects of scenarios to reduce environmental impacts on the LCA results. The functional unit was defined as one marketed beef calf, and the processes associated with the cow–calf life cycle, such as feed production, feed transport, animal management, the biological activity of the animal and the treatment of cattle waste were included in the system boundary. The present results showed that the total contributions of one beef calf throughout its life cycle to global warming, acidification, eutrophication and energy consumption were 4550 kg of CO₂ equivalents, 40.1 kg of SO₂ equivalents, 7.0 kg of phosphate (PO₄) equivalents and 16.1 GJ, respectively. The contribution of each process to the total environmental impact in each environmental impact category showed a similar tendency to the contribution of each process in each environmental category reported in the case of the beef fattening system as a whole. The results from this analysis showed that shortening calving intervals by 1 month reduced environmental impacts by 5.7–5.8% in all the environmental impact categories examined in the current study, and increasing the number of calves per cow also reduced environmental impacts in all the categories, although the effects were smaller.     

An epidemiological survey of Chrysanthemum chlorotic mottle viroid in Akita Prefecture as a model region in Japan

In epidemiological surveys on Chrysanthemum chlorotic mottle viroid (CChMVd) in various chrysanthemums cultivated in Akita Prefecture, Japan, in 2002–2005, approximately 20% of cultivars harbored CChMVd, including more symptomatic types than nonsymptomatic. Large-flowered cultivars were less frequently infected than small-flowered and spray types. The number of CChMVd-infected chrysanthemums is increasing, and the disease is found throughout major chrysanthemum-producing districts. Chrysanthemums infected only with CChMVd, in general, had no noticeable symptoms of disease. Most of those dually infected with known viruses and/or viroid also had no symptoms characteristic of chlorotic mottle disease. The lack of noticeable symptoms in major Japanese cultivars may have resulted in the unnoticed spread of the viroid.     

猪隐秘杆菌型出血性坏死性脾炎

六月龄去势公猪表现昏睡、食欲不振、站立困难。尸检发现脾脏边缘呈多重出血灶。从脾脏、肾脏、肌肉和肝脏中分离出革兰氏阳性杆菌,对分离株(TO16177)的16S rDNA基因序列比较分析发现,其可能与未发表过的隐秘杆菌属HJ57-14E菌株(登记号:gi18873551)(比较675bp个碱基,相似性达99.7%)为同一个属。脾脏组织切片的组织学检查发现呈广泛性坏死和炎症,其中革兰氏阳性杆菌显而易见。肝脏中可见多病灶的坏死斑。免疫组织化学检测发现,分离株与抗化脓性隐秘杆菌属(Arcanobacterium pyogenes)和内氏放线菌(Actinomyces naeslundii)的多克隆抗体具有交叉反应,且与后者的交叉反应更强烈。相似的反应也见于扁桃体的化脓灶中分离株,偶尔也见于脾脏和淋巴结中的分离株。本研究结果表明,这种未公开发布的隐秘杆菌属的细菌会引起生长肥育猪多器官功能衰竭,而后继发急性出血性坏死性脾炎。     

Age and growth of alfonsino Beryx splendens from the Kanto District, central Japan, based on growth increments on otoliths

ABSTRACT:   Age and growth of alfonsino Beryx splendens (Lowe) were studied using counts of presumed daily incremental growth rings on the transverse section of otoliths of fish collected from the Kanto District, central Japan. Microstructural growth increments were observed from the core to the outermost margin of the broadest of approximately 50 branches formed on the surface of an otolith. Of 98 otoliths examined, 46 were readable. The number of increments and fish lengths ranged from 448 (218 mm fork length [FL]) to 3701 (411 mm FL). The ages of these fish were estimated to be 1 year, 2 months and 10 years, 2 months, respectively, assuming that an increment was formed daily. The von Bertalanffy growth equation combined for males and females was expressed as follows: L _t  = 542 {1 −  exp  [−0.133( t  + 2.00)]}, where L _t is fork length (mm) at yearly age t . The results of the present study were compared with those of other researchers who had studied alfonsino from central Japan.     

Induction of cell proliferation in the rat liver by the short-term administration of ethyl tertiary-butyl ether

In the present study, in continuation of our previous experiment in order to investigate the mode of action (MOA) of ethyl tertiary-butyl ether (ETBE) hepatotumorigenicity in rats, we aimed to examine alterations in cell proliferation, that are induced by short-term administration of ETBE. F344 rats were administered ETBE at doses of 0, and 1,000 mg/kg body weight twice a day by gavage for 3, 10, 17 and 28 days. It was found that the previously observed significant increase of P450 total content and hydroxyl radical levels after 7 days of ETBE administration, and 8-OHdG formation at day 14, accompanied by accumulation of CYP2B1/2B2, CYP3A1/3A2, CYP2C6, CYP2E1 and CYP1A1 and downregulation of DNA oxoguanine glycosylase 1, was preceded by induction of cell proliferation at day 3. Furthermore, we observed an increase in regenerative cell proliferation as a result of ETBE treatment at day 28, followed by induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by day 14. These results indicated that short-term administration of ETBE led to a significant early increase in cell proliferation activity associated with induction of oxidative stress, and to a regenerative cell proliferation as an adaptive response, which could contribute to the hepatotumorigenicity of ETBE in rats.     

Comparative functional anatomy of hindlimb muscles and bones with reference to aquatic adaptation of the sea otter

Although the sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a complete aquatic species, spending its entire life in the ocean, it has been considered morphologically to be a semi-aquatic animal. This study aimed to clarify the unique hindlimb morphology and functional adaptations of E. lutris in comparison to other Mustelidae species. We compared muscle mass and bone measurements of five Mustelidae species: the sea otter, Eurasian river otter (Lutra lutra), American mink (Neovison vison), Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi) and Siberian weasel (M. sibirica). In comparison with the other 4 species, E. lutris possessed significantly larger gluteus, popliteus and peroneus muscles, but smaller adductor and ischiopubic muscles. The popliteus muscle may act as a medial rotator of the crus, and the peroneus muscle may act as an abductor of the fifth toe and/or the pronator of the foot. The bundles of the gluteus superficialis muscle of E. lutris were fused with those of the tensor fasciae latae muscle and gluteofemoralis muscles, and they may play a role in femur abduction. These results suggest that E. lutris uses the abducted femur, medially rotated crus, eversion of the ankle and abducted fifth digit or extended interdigital web as a powerful propulsion generator. Therefore, we conclude that E. lutris is a complete aquatic animal, possessing differences in the proportions of the hindlimb muscles compared with those in other semi-aquatic and terrestrial mustelids.