Uptake by dietary exposure and elimination of aflatoxins in muscle and liver of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Uptake and elimination of aflatoxins (AFs) by rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) during a long-term (21 days) dietary exposure were studied to assess contamination by AFs in aquaculture fish fed AF-containing feed. The uptake factor (UF) of aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) in muscle ranged from 0.40 × 10(-3) to 1.30 × 10(-3). AFB(1) concentrations in liver were 165-342 times higher than in muscle. AFs from feed were more highly accumulated in liver than in muscle. Aflatoxicol (AFL) and aflatoxin M(1) (AFM(1)) were detected in muscle and liver and also in the rearing water. AFL concentrations were higher than AFM(1) by 2 orders of magnitude in muscle, and AFL was a major metabolite of AFB(1). The elimination rate constants (α) of AFB(1) and AFL in muscle (1.83 and 2.02 day(-1), respectively) and liver (1.38 and 2.41 day(-1), respectively) were very large. The elimination half-life (t(1/2)) of AFB(1) was 0.38 days (9.12 h) in muscle and 0.50 days (12.00 h) in liver. The elimination half-life of AFL in muscle and liver was 0.34 day (8.16 h) and 0.29 day (6.96 h), respectively. These data show that AFs are eliminated rapidly and are not biomagnified in fish. Thus, AFB(1) concentration in muscle of fish fed AFB(1)-containing feed (ca. 500 μg/kg) decreased to below the detection limit (20 ng/kg) of the most sensitive analytical method at 1.54 days (36.96 h) after the change to uncontaminated feed.     

Current status and future of land surface models

Although climate conditions primarily determine the distribution and functioning of vegetation, vegetation also influences climate via biophysical and biogeochemical features such as evapotranspiration, albedo, carbon cycling, trace gas emissions and the roughness of the land surface. Forecasts of rapid climate change during the next 100~200 years, fueled by an increase in greenhouse gases, have motivated the development of land surface models (LSMs) that predict changes in vegetation functions. Here, we review how these models have been developed and used to simulate interactive processes between climate and the land surface. Current limitations and future perspectives of the LSMs are also presented.     

Effects of gamma-rays on segregation ratios in potato families

Summary Gamma-rays from a⁶⁰Co source were applied to dry, ‘true’ seed from the cross ofSpartaan × Maris Piper and the segregation rations for various characters were investigated. The treatment affected the segregation ratios for stem colour, tuber shape, net skin, and vein necrosis; also possibly affected were maturity and number of primary leaflets. Ratios for depth of eye, leaf index and secondary growth of tubers were not changed. The changes in segregation ratios may be due to mutations and/or chromosome aberrations. Most of the changes in segregation ratios are suggested to be due to an increase in the frequency of nulliplex genotypes. The mutation rates estimated from the segregation ratios ranged from 2.0×10⁻⁶ to 10.9×10⁻⁶ per R.

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Einfluss der Gammabestrahlung auf die Aufspaltungsverh?ltnisse in Zuchfamilien bei der Kartoffel

Zusammenfassung Trockene Samenk?rner aus der KreuzungSpartaan Maris Piper wurden mit Gammastrahlen⁶⁰Co in Dosen von 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 und 64 krad behandelt und die Aufspaltungsverh?ltnisse für verschicdene Merkmale untersucht. Die Keimungs- und Reproduktionsraten für die verschiedenen Dosen sind in Abb. I dargestellt. Als Reproduktionsrate wird das Verh?ltnis der Anzahl knollentragender Pflanzen zur Gesamtanzahl überlebender Pflanzen bezeichnet. RD₅₀ der Reproduktionsrate war ungef?hr 40 krad. Die H?ufigkeit mangelhafter Pflanzen wurde durch die Bestrahlung erh?ht (Tabelle 1). Die Behandlung beeinflusste die Aufspaltungsverh?ltnisse in der Stengelfarbe (Tabelle 2), Knollenform (Tabelle 3), Netzzeichnung der Schale (Tabelle 5) und Adernnekrose (Tabelle 8). M?glicherweise wurden auch die Reife (Tabelle 9) und die Zahl der prim?ren Fiederbl?ttchen (Tabelle 6) ver?ndert. Die Verh?ltnisse für die Augentiefe (Tabelle 5), Fiederbl?ttchenform (Tabelle 7) und die Kindelbildung der Knollen (Tabelle 5) wurden nicht ver?ndert. Die H?ufigkeit ph?notypischer rezessiver Erscheinungen wurde durch die Behandlung bei einigen Merkmalen. wie z.B. Netzeeichnung der Schale (Tabelle 5). Anzahl Fiederbl?ttchen (Tabelle 6) und Schalenfarbe (Tabelle 4), significant verringert. Die Aenderung in den Aufspaltungsverh?ltnissen dürfte auf Mutationen und/oder Chromosomen-Abweichungen zurückzuführen sein. Man vermutet, dass die meisten Aenderungen in den Aufspaltungsverh?ltnissen auf ein Ansteigen der H?ufigkeit von nulliplexen Genotypen zurückgehen. Die Sch?tzung der Mutationsraten auf Grund der Aufspaltungsverh?ltnisse bewegt sich zwischen 2.0 · 10⁻⁶ und 10.9 · 10⁻⁶ pro R (Tabelle 10).

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Effects de rayons gamma sur les rapports de ségrégation dans des familles de ponne de terre

Résumé On a appliqué des rayons gamma émis par le cobalt 60 à des doses de 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 et 64 krad à des semences sèches provenant du croisementSpartaan. Maris Piper et on a recherché les rapports de ségrégation de différents caractères. La Figure I donne les taux de germination et de reproduction pour les différentes doses. Le taux de reproduction est défini par le rapport de nombre de plantes qui tubérisent au nombre total de plantes survivant. RD₅₀ du taux de reproduction est d'environ 40 krad. L'irradiation accroit la fréquence de plantes déficientes (Tableau 1). Le traitement influence les rapports de ségrégation pour la couleur de la tige (Tableau 2) la forme du tubercule (Tableau 3). la peau réticulée (Tableau 5) et la nécrose des nervures (Tableau 8). II est possible que soient également influencées la maturité (Tableau 9), ainsi que le nombre de folioles primaires (Tableau 6). Ne sont pas modifiés les rapports pour la profondeur des yeux (Tableau 5) la forme des folioles (Tableau 7) et la croissance secondaire des tubercules (Tableau 5). La fréquence de phénotypes récessifs est significativement abaissée par le traitement pour quelques caractères tels que peau réticulée (Tableau 5). nombre de folioles latérales (Tableau 6) la couleur de la peau (Tableau 4). Les changements dans les rapports de ségrégation peuvent être dus à des mutations ou à des aberrations chromosomiques. On pense que la plupart des changements dans les rapports de ségrégation sont dus à une augmentation de la fréquence de génotypes nulliplex. Les taux de mutations estimés à partir des rapports de ségrégation varient de 2.0 · 10⁻⁶ à 10.9 · 10⁻⁶ par R (Tableau 10).

     

Identification of RFLP markers linked with heading date and its heterosis in hexaploid wheat

Recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from a cross between hexaploid wheat (T. aestivum cv. Chinese Spring (CS) and T. spelta (Sp)) were used for RFLP analysis of heading date and heterosis. Fourteen RFLP markers linking with heading date were identified; two were localized on chromosome 1A, one on 2A, three on 2B, one on 2D, four on 5A, two on 7A and one unlinked but reported to be on group 2. All of these markers may be attributable to genes for earliness per se. However, the markers in the chromosomes of 1A and 7A are new to this study. RILs were crossed with (tim)-CS, the alloplasmic CS with T. timopheevi cytoplasm, and the heterosis from earlier-parent and mid-parents were calculated for the F₁s to examine the heterotic effect toward earliness on heading date. Five and two RFLP markers were associated with heterosis from the earlier-parent and mid-parents, respectively. They were distributed on the chromosomes of homoeologous groups 1 and 2. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of insect predation on hypocotyl survival and germination success of maturequercus variabilis acorns

The rates of hypocotyl and radicle survival and of germination success were investigated in mature acorns ofQuercus variabilis Blume in relation to endosperm loss due to seed insects. The acorns were damaged by curculio weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and moths, including tortricid moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae); the former were more abundant than the latter. Acorns damaged by curculio weevils showed a significantly lower germination rate when there was a large endosperm loss than the rate for sound acorns. The survival rate of the hypocotyl and radicle also decreased as endosperm loss increased. These results suggest that acorn germination is directly inhibited by damage to the hypocotyl and radicle, which depends on the amount of endosperm eaten by the weevils. However, the germination rate of acorns with hypocotyl and radicle was consistently high, irrespective of the degree of endosperm loss, which suggests that weevil-damaged acorns probably germinate, provided the hypocotyl and radicle survive until the cessation of damage. Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. This study was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japan Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (No. 09001647, No. 10660144, and No. 11460068) and the Nippon Life Insurance Foundation.     

Transpiration response of two bread wheat lines differing in drought resilience and their backcross parent under dry-down conditions

Improving wheat productivity in drylands largely depends on how plants manage limited water resources. Using fraction of transpirable soil water threshold (FTSW_Th) and drought stress response function, we characterized the water conservation traits of two wheat multiple synthetic derivative lines (MSD53 and MSD345) which both contain introgressed segments from Aegilops tauschii but differ in drought resilience. The lines and their backcross parent, ‘Norin 61’, were subjected to dry-down conditions. MSD53 had a higher FTSW_Th for transpiration decrease than ‘Norin 61’ and MSD345. In terms of drought stress response function, MSD53 had the lowest threshold suction, suggesting a lower drought resilience capacity compared with MSD345. However, MSD53 exhibited an effective-water-use trait whereas MSD345 exhibited a water-saving trait under dry-down conditions. These results are consistent with the reported higher yield of MSD53 in comparison with MSD345 under drought stress in Sudan, and demonstrate that high FTSW_Th supports effective water use for improved agricultural productivity in drylands. The differences in water conservation traits between the two MSD lines may be attributed to variation in introgressed segments, which can be further explored for drought resilience breeding.     

Evaluation of fertilizing capacity of cryopreserved rainbow trout sperm

ABSTRACT:   Experimental insemination was performed using artificially produced low-motility sperm. A mathematical model was applied to the results of the insemination in order to clarify the relationship between sperm motility, the density of sperm and the fertilization rate of eggs. In the model, the probability of fertilization by individual spermatozoa was a function of sperm density in the insemination solution. The results showed that the probability of fertilization clearly decreased with increased sperm density, and the maximum possible fertilizing rate by increasing the sperm density was constrained by the proportion of motile sperm (% motility). The model was also applied to the results of insemination tests of cryopreserved sperm in order to evaluate the fertilizing capacity of cryopreserved sperm. It was proven that cryopreserved sperm needed a higher density to obtain the maximum fertilization rate compared with fresh sperm, and it was anticipated that the ratio of the motile inseminated cryopreserved sperm should be more than 5.0% to achieve an egg fertilization rate greater than 90%.     

Effect of atropine and pyridostigmine on growth hormone response to GH-releasing peptide-2 and GH-releasing hormone in swine

To investigate the effects of high and low somatostatinergic tone on GH-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) and GH-releasing hormone (GHRH)-induced growth hormone (GH) secretion in swine, we examined GHRP-2- and GHRH-induced GH secretion after pretreatment with atropine or pyridostigmine. Pretreatment of swine with atropine (80 µg/kg bodyweight (BW), intravenous (i.v.)) 15 min before i.v. administration of saline, GHRP-2 (30 µg/kg BW), GHRH (1 µg/kg BW) or a combination of GHRP-2 and GHRH, reduced plasma GH area under the curve ( P  < 0.05), completely blocked GH response to GHRH, and attenuated GH response to GHRP-2 and GHRH combined ( P  < 0.05), without affecting GH response to GHRP-2 only. A synergistic effect of GHRP-2 and GHRH was not observed. In contrast, pretreatment of swine with pyridostigmine (100 µg/kg BW, i.v.), under the same pretreatment conditions as above, increased plasma GH concentration ( P  < 0.01), augmented GH response to GHRP-2 ( P  < 0.05), and GHRP-2 and GHRH combined ( P  < 0.05), but did not affect GH response to GHRH. These results suggest that the cholinergic muscarinic agents atropine and pyridostigmine modulate the GH response to GHRP-2 and GHRH, and that GHRP-2 acts antagonistically on the inhibitory effect of somatostatin in swine.     

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using canine coronavirus-infected CRFK cells as antigen for detection of anti-coronavirus antibody in cat

From the reasons that canine coronavirus (CCV) grows more efficiently than feline coronavirus in a cell culture and they are mutually related in their antigenicities, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using CCV-infected feline kidney (CRFK) cells as substrate antigens was developed for detection of anti-coronavirus antibodies in cats. It was indispensable for generating coronavirus-specific ELISA antibody activities that the sample was applied to the mock-infected, normal CRFK cells in parallel with the CCV-infected cells and then the optical density values given by the mock-infected cell antigen were subtracted from those given by the virus-infected cell antigen. On the basis of ELISA antibody titers obtained in sera from the cats experimentally infected with CCV and from the spontaneous feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) cases, the ELISA described in the present study was found to be applicable as a simple and easy serologic test which was able to detect anti-coronavirus antibodies as efficiently as the indirect immunofluorescence assay with homologous FIP virus.