Low levels of haptoglobin and putative amino acid sequence in Taiwanese Lanyu miniature pigs

Porcine haptoglobin (Hp) is an acute phase protein. Its plasma level increases significantly during inflammation and infection. One of the main functions of Hp is to bind free hemoglobin (Hb) and inhibit its oxidative activity. In the present report, we studied the Hp phenotype of Taiwanese Lanyu miniature pigs (TLY minipigs; n=43) and found their Hp structure to be a homodimer (beta-alpha-alpha-beta) similar to human Hp 1-1. Interestingly, Western blot and high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis showed that 25% of the TLY minipigs possessed low or no plasma Hp level (<0.05 mg/ml). The Hp cDNA of these TLY minipigs was then cloned, and the translated amino acid sequence was analyzed. No sequences were found to be deficient; they showed a 99.7% identity with domestic pigs (NP_999165). The mean overall Hp level of the TLY minipigs (0.21 +/- 0.25 mg/ml; n=43) determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was markedly lower than that of domestic pigs (0.78 +/- 0.45 mg/ml; p<0.001), while 25% of the TLY minipigs had an Hp level that was extremely low (<0.05 mg/ml). In addition, the initial recovery rate (first 40 min) in the circulation of infused fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-Hb was significantly higher in the TLY minipigs with extremely low Hp levels than those with high levels. This data suggests that the low concentration of Hp-Hb complex is responsible for the higher recovery rate of Hb in the circulation. TLY minipigs have been used as an experimental model for cardiovascular diseases; whether they can be used as a model for inflammatory diseases, with Hp as a marker, remains a topic of interest. However, since the Hp level varies significantly among individual TLY minipigs, it is necessary to prescreen the Hp levels of the animals to minimize variation in the experimental baseline. The present study may provide a reference value for future use of the TLY minipig as an animal model for inflammation-associated diseases.     

Effects of Feed Rate and Screw Speed on Operating Characteristics and Extrudate Properties During Single-Screw Extrusion Cooking of Rice Flour

Rice flour (37% moisture content) was used to examine the effects of feed rate and screw speed on the specific energy input during single-screw extrusion cooking. Torque, raised by decreasing screw speed or increasing feed rate, was found to be a power law function of the ratio of feed rate to screw speed (F_r/S_s) with r² > 0.94. Specific mechanical energy (SME) calculated from torque also was a power law function of F_r/S_s with r² >0.84 and negative power law indices. The SME obtained was in the 225–481 kJ/kg range. Thus the extruder can be considered low shear. Increasing SME raised the die temperature and decreased both intrinsic viscosity and water absorption index (WAI). The degree of gelatinization and intrinsic viscosity of extrudates also were power law functions of F_r/S_s. The intrinsic viscosity correlated well with the degree of gelatinization, WAI, and cooking loss, and appeared to be a good index of the extrudate properties. Different screw profiles also affect torque measurement.     

Accumulation of 2,4-D and glyphosate in fish and water hyacinth

At a concentration of approximately one hundredth and one thousandth of the 48-hr LC₅₀ values, the accumulation of radioactivity and relative concentration of 2,4-D and glyphosate in carp and tilapia were studied by using labelled and unlabelled chemicals. About 83 (at a concentration of 0.5 ppm) and 91% (of 0.05 ppm) of the radioactive matter remained in the water until 14 days after ¹⁴C-2,4-D amended, but only 17.2% of glyphosate remained in the water with 0.05 ppm concentration of glyphosate. No significant variation was shown in the accumulation of the concentration of herbicide in fish from 2 to 7 d. Although glyphosate disappeared within 3 d in water under sunlight, the radiochemicals in the water hyacinth remained constant to the 14th d.     

Evaluation of the Ph‐3 gene‐specific marker developed for marker‐assisted selection of late blight‐resistant tomato

Late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans is one of the most destructive diseases of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) that mainly occurs in cool and wet environments. With the spread of the A2 mating type and new clonal lineages, fewer fungicides provide effective control of the disease, which has increased its worldwide threat. Host resistance could contribute significantly to sustainable disease control. Ph‐3 is a race‐specific late blight resistance gene commonly used in commercial tomato breeding. Availability of precise and easy to use gene‐based markers would facilitate selection. In this study, a Ph‐3 on‐gene cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) marker, Ph3.gsm/HincII, was developed based on the published gene sequence of Ph‐3. The effectiveness of the marker was evaluated along with other published Ph‐3 markers using an F₉ recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from NC 23E‐2(93) × L3708. Markers Ph3.gsm/HincII and TG328/BstNI accurately genotyped the RIL population for Ph‐3. In addition, Ph3.gsm/HincII was able to differentiate variable susceptible alleles. This reliable codominant DNA marker would be very useful in marker‐assisted selection, particularly for resistance gene pyramiding.     

Histamine content and isolation of histamine-forming bacteria in fish meal and fish soluble concentrate

Forty fish meals and five fish soluble concentrates (FSC) imported to Taiwan were sampled to determine biogenic amines and histamine-forming bacteria. Average levels of water activity (0.8), water content (39.9%), salt content (7.32%), and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) (150.7 mg/100 g) in FSC samples were significantly higher than those of fish meal samples, whereas the average levels of crude fat (3.94%) and crude protein (40.7%) in FSC samples were lower than those of fish meal samples. Thirty-five (87.5%) fish meal samples and 5 (100%) FSC samples had TVBN levels above the decomposition limit level of 30 mg/100 g in fresh fish meat. Average contents of putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, and tyramine in tested samples were higher than those of tryptamine, 2-phenylamine, spermidine, and spermine. Four fish meal samples (10%, 4/40) and 1 FSC sample (20%, 1/5) had histamine levels >20 mg/100 g. Five histamine-producing bacterial strains isolated from fish meal samples producing 1.31–6.21 ppm of histamine in trypticase soy broth supplemented with 1.0% l-histidine (TSBH) were identified as Bacillus licheniformis (three strains), B. amyloliquefaciens (one strain), and B. subtilis (one strain).     

Uptake and metabolism of isouron in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings

Summary Isouron, a pre-emergence herbicide, inhibited the growth of rice seedlings in a nutrient solution; the critical concentration was about 0.10 mg l^-1. Isotope studies showed that isouron, added to the nutrient solution, was observed by the rice roots and translocated rapidly to the shoot. In rice seedlings, isouron was converted to six known metabolites, 3-(5-(1-dimethyl-2-hydroxy-ethy)-3-isoxazolyl]urea, 3-(5-tert-butyl-3-isoxazolyl)-1-methylurea, 3-(5-tert-butyl-3-isoxazolyl)ure, 3-amino-5-tert-butylisoxazole, 3-[5-(1,1-dimethyl-2-hydroxyethyl)-3-isoxazolyl]-1-dimethylurea, and 3-[5-(1,1-dimethyl-2-hydroxyethyl)-3-isoxazolyl]-1-methylurea, and two unknown metabolites.