Ultraviolet B radiation-mediated stress ethylene emission from rice plants is regulated by 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase-producing bacteria

Dear Editor,Industrial emissions have played a major role in damaging the ozone layer,leading to increased atmospheric penetration of ultraviolet B (UV-B)(290–320 nm) radiation (Jordan,2002).The recovery rate of the damaged ozone layer in the mid-latitudes and tropics has been insignificant since 1979(Chipperfield et al.,2017),even after the adoption of the Montreal Protocol (Protocol,1987),and the recovery process is expected to take many decades.In the meantime,UV-B radiation continues to penetrate the atmosphere (McKenzie et al.,2011;Bais et al.,2019).The characteristic short length and high energy of this radiation wavelength can directly affect major molecules,such as DNA,proteins,and lipids,which are important to living beings (Hideg et al.,2013).Rice is one of the major global crops,which is generally cultivated at lower latitudes and can potentially be exposed to a higher flux of UV radiation due to greater solar angles and longer duration of sunlight (Kataria and Guruprasad,2012).     

Two cases of acute polyradiculoneuritis in dogs consuming a raw poultry diet

A 9-year-old female mixed-breed dog presented with ascending flaccid tetraparesis, and a 5-year-old castrated male Poodle dog presented with ventroflexion of neck, dysphonia, and hindlimb weakness, which progressed to acute ascending tetraparesis. Both dogs were fed raw poultry for over 9 and 5 years, respectively. Blood examination and other test results were normal or unrelated to the present case. Fecal polymerase chain reaction analysis in the Poodle dog was positive for Clostridium perfringens and Campylobacter jejuni. Tetraparesis improved with supportive care in both dogs. Human IV immunoglobulin was only administered to the Poodle dog, which showed a shorter recovery (12 days compared to 34 days in the mixed-breed dog). Both dogs returned to normal conditions eventually.     

CHARACTERIZATION OF PHYSIOLOGIC 18F‐FDG UPTAKE WITH PET‐CT IN DOGS

We evaluated the whole body distribution of 2‐deoxy‐2‐[18F]fluoro‐d ‐glucose (¹⁸F‐FDG) in seven beagle dogs using positron emission tomography/computed tomography. The mean and maximum standard uptake values (SUV) for various tissues were computed. The SUV of the aortic blood pool was 0.65±0.19. Moderate uptake was present in brain (3.40±1.01). Mild uptake was present in orbital muscles, soft palate, laryngeal and pharyngeal region, mandibular salivary gland, myocardium, liver, pancreas, kidney, and intestine. ¹⁸F‐FDG uptake would be normally higher in these tissues because of normal physiologic activity. Mean and maximum SUV values of the eye, skeletal muscle, bone tissue, spleen, adrenal gland, stomach, tongue, gall bladder, and lung were similar to or lower than that of the aortic blood pool. These data provide a normal baseline for comparing pathologic ¹⁸F‐FDG uptake.     

Evolutionary Characterization of Two Lily Isolates of Cucumber mosaic virus Isolated in Japan and Korea

We analyzed the evolutionary histories of two lily strains of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) isolated in Japan and Korea (HL- and Ly2-CMVs). They share common biological characteristics in that their host ranges are very restricted perhaps from a unique adaptation to lily plants. Although HL and Ly2 were isolated independently from different lily species in separate countries, their RNA3 sequences had a very high sequence similarity (97%). The evolutionary relationships between the two isolates were characterized by comparing their phylogenetic trees for the 3a and CP genes. The two lily CMVs always formed a distinct cluster within subgroup IB in 3a, but within IA in CP. Together, the phylogenetic tree topology and the sequence identity between the two lily CMVs suggest that they evolved from a common progenitor. Received 5 November 2001/ Accepted in revised form 11 January 2002     

Adiposity, fatty acid composition, and delta-9 desaturase activity during growth in beef cattle

Oleic acid (18:1n‐9) is the most abundant fatty acid in bovine adipose tissue. Because most of the lipid in bovine muscle is contributed by intramuscular adipocytes, oleic acid also is the predominant fatty acid in beef. In many species, the concentration of oleic acid in adipose tissue is dictated by the average concentration of oleic acid in the diet, but in ruminant species such as beef cattle, oleic acid is hydrogenated largely to stearic acid by ruminal microorganisms. In these species, the concentration of oleic acid in adipose tissue is dependent upon the activity of Δ⁹ desaturase, encoded by the stearoyl coenzyme A desaturase (SCD) gene. Expression of the SCD gene is essential for bovine preadipocyte differentiation, and desaturase gene expression and catalytic activity increase dramatically as adipose tissue mass increases after weaning. Feeding a hay‐based diet to American Wagyu steers to a typical Japanese bodyweight endpoint (650 kg) markedly stimulated desaturase enzyme activity as well as the accumulation of both oleic acid and intramuscular lipid, but the increase in oleic acid and intramuscular lipid was much less in hay‐fed Angus steers. Increasing the concentration of oleic acid improves the palatability and healthiness of beef, and Korean Hanwoo and Japanese Black (and American Wagyu) seem especially well adapted to accumulate oleic acid in their adipose tissue.     

Usefulness of CT imaging for segmental lung lobe torsion without typical radiographic imaging in a Pomeranian

A 3-year-old, intact female Pomeranian presented with a 1-month history of coughing. Thoracic radiography showed focal infiltration of the left cranial lung lobe and widening of the cranial mediastinum. Subsequent computed tomography revealed torsion of the caudal segment of the left cranial lung lobe, which was confirmed by exploratory thoracotomy. There was no apparent underlying etiology for the condition. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of lung lobe torsion in this breed and the first detailed CT imaging report for segmental lung lobe torsion.     

Electroacupuncture at the Zusanli and Baihui acupoints ameliorates type-2 diabetes-induced reductions in proliferating cells and differentiated neuroblasts in the hippocampal dentate gyrus with increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels

In the current study, we investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) can inhibit pathological reductions in neurogenesis. Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats at 7 weeks of age were anesthetized with zoletil, and sham-acupuncture or EA at the Zusanli (ST36) and Baihui (GV20) acupoints was administered once a day for 5 weeks. In the ZDF group that received sham-EA (ZDF-Sham group), the blood glucose level was significantly increased together with age as compared to the control littermates [Zucker lean control (ZLC) rat]. In contrast, proliferating cells and differentiated neuroblasts were significantly decreased in the ZDF-Sham group compared to the ZLC group. Although EA treatment decreased blood glucose levels, this was not statistically significant when compared to blood glucose levels changes in the ZDF-Sham group. However, proliferating cells and differentiated neuroblasts were significantly increased with EA in ZDF rats as compared to those in the ZDF-Sham group. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were significantly decreased in hippocampal homogenates of ZDF-Sham group compared to those in the ZLC group. The EA treatment significantly increased the BDNF levels compared to those in the ZDF-Sham group, and BDNF levels in this group were similar to those in the ZLC group. These results suggest that EA at ST36 and GV20 can ameliorate the reductions in proliferating cells and differentiated neuroblasts in the dentate gyrus induced by type-2 diabetes without significantly reducing blood glucose levels with increasing BDNF levels.     

Evaluation of ruminal motility using an indwelling 3-axis accelerometer in the reticulum in cattle

Attempts to increase production and improve farm environments have been made for several years. Rumen motility (RM) is one of the biological parameters that provides essential information of individuals in ruminants, and it is usually evaluated by auscultation. The study was aimed to examine RM using the 3-axis accelerometer (3XA) in cattle. The manufactured 3XA were placed in the reticulum (3XA-R) and implanted in the subcutaneous layer of the brisket (3XA-SC), respectively, and the accelerations were compared following intramuscular injection of xylazine (0.05 mg/kg) or saline in experiment 1 and of xylazine (0.05 mg/kg) or atropine (0.04 mg/kg) in experiment 2. In experiment 3, the dose-dependent decrease of RM was evaluated following xylazine administration (0, 0.05, 0.1 mg/kg) in the 3XA-R equipped cows via a 3 × 3 Latin square method. In experiment 1, saline-treated animals showed a continuous fluctuation while the frequency and amplitude of 3XA-R in xylazine-injected cows were reduced after administration. The acceleration of 3XA-SC was changed after administration, but not abruptly. Among the motion parameters, V2 was calculated only using X- and Z-axis acceleration in consideration of the cylindrical shape, and it showed the apparent difference between pre- and post-xylazine administration. In experiment 2, the V2 of 3XA-R was decreased after atropine administration while that of 3XA-SC was maintained. In experiment 3, a dose-dependent V2 decrement of 3XA-R after xylazine administration was observed and lasted for 40 and 80 min in doses of 0.05 mg/kg and 0.1 mg/kg, respectively. In conclusion, The 3XA detected the decrease in RM efficiently and processed the data wirelessly without interference from body movement. This technology will help detect problems early and prevent a decline in cattle productivity.     

Comparative Analysis of the Total Factor Productivity of Manufacturing in Northeast Asian Metropolitan Areas

We compare and analyze the total factor productivity of the manufacturing industries in the major metropolitan areas of South Korea, China, and Japan. This study can contribute to the economic cooperation among these countries by analyzing their productivity growth and evaluating their relative competitiveness. Statistical data from manufacturing industries are used to analyze five metropolitan areas. The manufacturing industries are classified into 10 sectors, and two different time periods (before and after 1997, when the foreign currency crisis began in Korea) are examined. The results in terms of the development and competitiveness of the manufacturing industries in Korea, China, and Japan will be useful in establishing promotional strategies.