Cytosolic glutamine synthetase is present in the phloem sap of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The presence of glutamine synthetase (GS) in the rice sieve tube was examined. Proteins in the rice phloem sap from leaf sheaths were separated by sodium dodecylsulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, transferred to polyvinylidine difluoride membranes and immunoblotted with anti-GS1 antibody. A cross-reacting band, thought to be GS1, was detected in the phloem sap. Moreover, the phloem sap contained a significant amount of GS transferase activity. Previous studies have shown that the concentrations of substrates and cofactors in the rice phloem sap are sufficient for cytosolic GS reaction. These data suggest that physiologically active GS1 is present in rice phloem sap, which might convert glutamate to glutamine in vivo .     

Psycho-educational Horseback Riding to Facilitate Communication Ability of Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders

In this study, we applied a novel psycho-educational horseback riding (PEHR) program to the treatment of four Japanese children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) in order to facilitate the acquisition of verbal and nonverbal communication skills. The behavioral changes in each child were evaluated using a psychological and behavioral scale. The scale for evaluating the effect of Human-Equips-Interaction on Mental activity (HEIM scale) was designed to assess the behavioral improvement of children based on the following 10 items: Human relationships, Imitation, Emotional expression, Sudden physical movement, Fixative behavior, Adaptation to change, Visual response, Fear or nervousness, and Verbal and nonverbal communication. After taking part in the PEHR program for several months, all subjects showed remarkably improved HEIM scores and marked improvements were observed in eye contact with others (instructors, side walkers, and leaders) in the riding area. A statistical difference was found in items 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, and 9. However, no statistical difference was found in items 4, 5, and 10. As the program progressed, the children showed enhanced verbal and nonverbal communication skills, and became more expressive in their emotional and empathetic interaction with their parents. These observations suggest that the normal functioning of pleasurable emotions and empathy may facilitate further improvements in joint attention, imitation and empathy, and may result in successful verbal expression by PDD children. Therefore, horseback riding can play a very important role in the psycho-educational support required for the communication ability of PDD children.     

Formation of zinc protoporphyrin IX in Parma-like ham without nitrate or nitrite

Zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZPP) is a characteristic red pigment in meat products that are manufactured without the addition of a curing agent such as nitrate or nitrite. To examine the effects of impurities such as mineral components in sea salt on the formation of ZPP, we manufactured Parmatype dry-cured hams that were salted with refined salt or sea salt and examined the involvement of oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) in the formation of ZPP. The content of ZPP was increased drastically after 40 weeks. Microscopic observation showed strong fluorescence caused by ZPP muscle fiber after 40 weeks. Conversely, heme content varied considerably during processing. ORP increased during processing. However, there was no obvious difference between ham salted with refined salt and that salted with sea salt. Therefore, it was concluded that impurities in sea salt were not involved in the formation of ZPP.     

Effects of maize (Zea mays L.) silage feeding on dry matter intake and milk production of dairy buffalo and cattle in Tarai, Nepal

To identify the effects of whole crop maize silage (MS) as a substitute for rice straw (RS) on feed intake and milk production of mid-late lactating buffalo and cattle in Tarai, Nepal, eight Murrah and eight Jersey-Hariana were fed the basal diet, RS ( ad libitum ) with concentrate (0.68% of bodyweight [BW] on a dry matter [DM] basis). A 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment was conducted in each animal species with graded levels of MS substitution for RS (0%, T1; 33%, T2; 67%, T3 and 100%, T4). The MS had higher digestibility and total digestible nutrient (TDN) than RS. The DM intake per BW of the both species was highest in T3. The substitution of MS for RS increased the crude protein intake and the TDN intake in the both species. Although the buffalo showed the highest milking performance in T4, the cattle showed no significant differences in their milking performance among the treatments. The substitution of MS for RS improved the feed intake and milk production in the buffalo. On the other hand, the milk yield was not raised in the cattle, though the feed intake was increased by the substitution.     

Evaluation of a Collagenase Generated Osteoarthritis Biomarker in Naturally Occurring Canine Cruciate Disease

Objective— To determine the clinical value of a novel osteoarthritis (OA) biomarker in detecting canine cruciate disease.
Study Design— Cross sectional clinical study.
Animals— Dogs (n=22) with cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture and 12 control dogs.
Methods— Concentrations of collagenase-generated cleavage epitope of type II collagen (Col2-3/4C_{long mono}, or C2C) in serum, urine, and joint fluid were compared between a group of dogs with CCL rupture and a control group. Correlation of C2C concentrations to the clinical stage of stifle OA was also evaluated.
Results— There were no significant differences in C2C concentrations in serum, urine, and joint fluid between groups ( P >.05). Subjective scores of lameness, joint effusion, osteophytosis were significantly more severe in the CCL rupture group compared with the control group ( P <.05). There was no significant correlation of C2C concentrations with clinical stage of stifle OA ( P >.05).
Conclusion— This OA biomarker did not detect pathology associated with CCL rupture. Our results suggest that collagenase-specific degradation of type II collagen in articular cartilage may not be involved in the early stage of naturally occurring canine cruciate disease, and that pathology associated with naturally occurring CCL rupture is different from that of experimental OA model.
Clinical Relevance— C2C is not clinically useful in detecting CCL rupture in dogs.     

Origin identification of dried seaweed product “nori” by PCR–RFLP analysis of Pyropia yezoensis in the internal transcribed spacer ITS-1 region

Nucleotide sequences in internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-1 region derived from dried nori products produced in Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea were compared. Thalli contained in the Japanese products were genetically homogenous, and their nucleotide sequences in ITS-1 were identical to those of the reference strains of Pyropia yezoensis f. narawaensis. In Chinese products, the thalli were related to P. yezoensis strain Minomiasakusa. In contrast, the thalli in the Korean products were genetically heterogeneous, and several different P. yezoensis strains and other Pyropia spp. were used for dried nori products. In some thalli produced in both China and Korea, the DNA sequences of the ITS-1 region were identical with that of Japan, suggesting that the cultivar strains might have been transplanted from Japan to China in recent years. The 432-bp-long nucleotide sequences in the ITS-1 region of thalli derived from Japanese origin were cleaved to two restriction fragments at 154 and 278 bp by cleavage of PCR-amplified products using MspI. Conversely, almost all of the corresponding sequences derived from China and Korea were lacking MspI or other restriction patterns, except for nori products from some areas that cultivate a closely related strain to the Japanese cultivar.     

Myostatin down‐regulates the IGF‐2 expression via ALK‐Smad signaling during myogenesis in cattle

Myostatin (MSTN) is a negative regulator during muscle differentiation, whereas insulin‐like growth factors (IGFs) are essential for muscle development. MSTN and IGFs act oppositely during myogenesis, but there is little information on the mutual relationship of MSTN and IGFs. The present study was conducted to examine whether MSTN affects IGF expression during early myogenesis in cattle. IGF‐1 mRNA was similarly expressed in M. longissimus thoracis of double‐muscled (DM) and normal (NM) Japanese shorthorn cattle. IGF‐2 mRNA expression was consistently higher in the normal and regenerating muscle of DM cattle than those of NM cattle. When myoblasts were isolated from regenerating M. longissimus thoracis, IGF‐2 mRNA expression showed a significant increase in differentiating DM derived myoblasts (DM‐myoblasts) as compared with differentiating NM derived myoblasts (NM‐myoblasts). An addition of recombinant mouse myostatin (rMSTN) to myoblast cultures attenuated IGF‐2 mRNA expression and decreased myotube formation, but did not effect IGF‐1 mRNA expression. An activin‐like kinase (ALK) inhibitor, SB431542, mediates MSTN action, suppressed the translocation of Smad2/3 into the nucleus in DM‐myoblasts, and restored the attenuated IGF‐2 mRNA expression and the decreased myotube formation induced by rMSTN in myoblast cultures. The findings indicate that MSTN may negatively regulate myoblast differentiation by suppressing IGF‐2 expression via ALK‐Smad signaling.     

Development of Novel Water-extraction System with Thermoelectric Module Using Solar and Wind Power in Arid Land

This study aimed to develop a water-extraction system which could produce the fresh water from the air in arid regions and which used renewable energies as the electric power source. In this paper, the experiments for water extraction from the air were carried out by using the novel multi-stage water-extraction device with Peltier deices for two cases of temperature and related humidity of the air. One was the case where the temperature and the related humidity of the air were constant, and the other was the case where they were simulated the variation of the temperature and related humidity of the air in a day of summer and spring in Loess Plateau, China. The effects of the temperature and related humidity of the atmospheric air and supply the electric power to Peltier devices on performance of water production of the device were investigated and reported.     

Epigenetic assessment of environmental chemicals detected in maternal peripheral and cord blood samples

Epigenetic alteration is an emerging paradigm underlying the long-term effects of chemicals on gene functions. Various chemicals, including organophosphate insecticides and heavy metals, have been detected in the human fetal environment. Epigenetics by DNA methylation and histone modifications, through dynamic chromatin remodeling, is a mechanism for genome stability and gene functions. To investigate whether such environmental chemicals may cause epigenetic alterations, we studied the effects of selected chemicals on morphological changes in heterochromatin and DNA methylation status in mouse ES cells (ESCs). Twenty-five chemicals, including organophosphate insecticides, heavy metals and their metabolites, were assessed for their effect on the epigenetic status of mouse ESCs by monitoring heterochromatin stained with 4￠,6-diamino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). The cells were surveyed after 48 or 96 h of exposure to the chemicals at the serum concentrations of cord blood. The candidates for epigenetic mutagens were examined for the effect on DNA methylation at genic regions. Of the 25 chemicals, five chemicals (diethyl phosphate (DEP), mercury (Hg), cotinine, selenium (Se) and octachlorodipropyl ether (S-421)) caused alterations in nuclear staining, suggesting that they affected heterochromatin conditions. Hg and Se caused aberrant DNA methylation at gene loci. Furthermore, DEP at 0.1 ppb caused irreversible heterochromatin changes in ESCs, and DEP-, Hg- and S-421-exposed cells also exhibited impaired formation of the embryoid body (EB), which is an in vitro model for early embryos. We established a system for assessment of epigenetic mutagens. We identified environmental chemicals that could have effects on the human fetus epigenetic status.     

Effects of topography on the construction and efficiency of earthen weirs for rice irrigation in Northeast Thailand

Farmers in some parts of the Indochina Peninsula have been using earthen weirs to supply water to their rice fields, and the use of such weirs is especially prevalent in Northeast Thailand. Although now a typical rain-fed rice cultivation area, a significant percentage of rice fields in Northeast Thailand used earthen weirs before the extensive expansion of rain-fed rice fields that occurred in the early 20th century. In this study, we clarified some of the historical changes associated with the construction and use of earthen weirs and their effects on rice production. In particular, we investigated some of the topographic effects, such as terrain, catchment size, and slope grade, on water delivery. In addition, water delivery methods, construction periods, and the discontinued use of earthen weirs were examined with respect to regional influences and topography. Earthen weirs were found to be most suitable in areas that exhibited complementarity between the riverbed slope and the water catchment. The type of earthen weir was dependent on the magnitude of the riverbed slope. Earthen weirs have been constructed continuously on steeper upstream slopes of rivers for more than a century, while weir construction on lower riverbeds with larger catchments appears to be more recent.