Identification of the core rumen bacterial taxa and their population dynamics during the fattening period in Japanese Black cattle

The rumen microbiota comprises a vast range of bacterial taxa, which may affect the production of high-quality meat in Japanese Black cattle. The aim of this study was to identify core rumen microbiota in rumen fluid samples collected from 74 Japanese Black cattle raised under different dietary conditions using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. In the rumen of fattening Japanese Black cattle, 10 bacterial taxa, showing >1% average relative abundance and >95% prevalence, irrespective of the dietary conditions and the fattening periods, were identified as the core rumen bacterial taxa, which accounted for approximately 80% of the rumen microbiota in Japanese Black cattle. Additionally, population dynamics of the core rumen bacterial taxa revealed two distinct patterns: Prevotella spp. and unclassified Bacteroidales decreased in the mid-fattening period, whereas unclassified Clostridiales, unclassified Ruminococcaceae, Ruminococcus spp., and unclassified Christensenellaceae increased during the same period. Therefore, the present study reports the wide distribution of the core rumen bacterial taxa in Japanese Black cattle, and the complementary nature of the population dynamics of these core taxa, which may ensure stable rumen fermentation during the fattening period.     

Comparison of depth- and mass-based approaches for estimating changes in forest soil carbon stocks: A case study in young plantations and secondary forests in West Java, Indonesia

Soil carbon (C) stocks in forest ecosystems have been widely estimated to a fixed soil depth (i.e., 0-30 cm) to clarify temporal changes in the C pool. However, surface elevations change as a result of compaction or expansion of the soil under forest management and land use. On the other hand, the calculation of soil C stocks based on “equivalent soil mass” is not affected by compaction or expansion of forest soil. To contribute to the development of a forest C accounting methodology, we compared changes in soil C stocks over 4 years between depth- and mass-based approaches using original soil data collected at 0-30 cm depths in young plantations and secondary forests in West Java, Indonesia. Our methodology expanded on the mass-based approach; rather than using one representative value for the mass-based calculation of soil C stocks, we adjusted individual values, maintaining the coefficient of variance in soil mass. We also considered the effect of an increase or decrease in soil organic matter on equivalent soil mass. Both increasing and decreasing trends in soil C stocks became clearer when the mass-based approach was used rather than the depth-based approach. The trends in soil C stocks based on equivalent soil mass were particularly evident in the surface soil layers (0-5 cm) and in plantation sites, compared with those for soil profiles including subsurface soil layers (0-30 cm) and in secondary forests. These trends in soil C stocks corresponded with temporal trends in litter stocks. We suggest that equivalent mass-basis soil C stock for the upper 30 cm of soil be calculated based on multiple soil layers to reduce estimation errors. Changes in soil organic matter mass had little effect on the estimation of soil C stock on an equivalent mass basis. For the development of a forest C accounting system, the mass-based approach should be used to characterize temporal trends in soil C stocks and to improve C cycle models, rather than simpler methods of calculating soil C stocks. These improvements will help to increase the tier level of country-specific forest C accounting systems.     

Two-decadal trends in aboveground litterfall and net primary production in self-thinning Pinus banksiana stands in Wood Buffalo National Park,NWT, Canada

We estimated the aboveground net primary production (ANPP) in five self-thinning jack pine (Pinus banksiana) stands in Wood Buffalo National Park, NWT, Canada. The stands (11 to ca.175 years old) were selected to examine the relationship between stand density and tree size and its effect on carbon dynamics. Aboveground litterfall was collected from each stand from 1997 to 2012. Stand biomass was estimated by measuring tree size every 5 years and estimating the individual mass using allometric relationships. ANPP was then estimated by summing the litterfall mass, dead stem mass increment and stand biomass increment. We determined the proportional contribution of each organ to the total litter and the seasonal pattern of needle litterfall. There was a lower turnover rate of aboveground biomass in older stands than younger stands. The ANPP increased in the youngest stand (<30 years old) showed a decreasing trend in stands >50 years old. The maximum ANPP was estimated to be ca. 500?g m^?2 year^?1 in dry matter, which was found in 30–50 year-old stands.     

IgE reactivity to milk components in dogs with cutaneous adverse food reactions

We investigated the IgE reactivity to crude and purified milk antigens in the sera of 112 dogs with cutaneous adverse food reactions (CAFRs). Of the 112 dogs, 33 (29%) had specific IgE for crude milk antigens. In the dogs with milk-specific IgE, IgE reactivity to casein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, and bovine IgG were 81%, 85%, 39%, 27%, and 35%, respectively. Casein and BSA may be important allergens in dogs with CAFRs. Some canine vaccines contain casein hydrolysate as a stabilizer and the pooled serum with anti-casein IgE showed IgE reactivity to the vaccines containing it. Information about IgE reactivity to casein in dogs with CAFRs could be useful for predicting adverse reactions to the vaccines including casein hydrolysate.     

Changes in somal growth and dendritic patterns of the retinal ganglion cells in the chicks and chick embryos

Changes in the somal growth and dendritic patterns of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) were studied in early chick embryos and post-hatching chicks by means of the retrograde axonal transport labeling with DiI. Branching patterns of the dendrites were relatively uniform on E8 (embryonic day 8) and became more complicated on E11. Variety of the branching pattern became plainly abundant after E14. On the other hand, somata of RGCs continued to grow until E14, corresponding the appearance of the central-peripheral gradient of the somal size. After E14, RGCs elaborated on the formation of the dendritic patterns as found in chick retina, and simultaneously the growth of somal sizes almost ceased.     

Contraceptive effect of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone vaccine on a captive female African Lion (Panthera leo): a case study

Lions (Panthera leo) breed well under captivity, so contraception has been commonly conducted for population management, leading to a demand for a less invasive and reversible contraceptive approach in lions. In this study, we examined the efficacy of a commercial gonadotropin-releasing hormone vaccine as a method of suppressing reproductive activity in a sexually matured female lion. Under behavioral restraint, the vaccine was injected twice (days 0 and 109). After the initial vaccination, ovarian activity is still observed. After the second vaccination, contraceptive effect was confirmed for 246 days until restart of estrous cycles. We confirmed only a slight swelling around the injection site after the second vaccination. This study may suggest an alternative option for a contraceptive method in lions.     

干旱区制种玉米农田蒸散研究

在黑河流域中游的张掖绿洲区建立了大田环境下的制种玉米农田蒸散研究观测点,以气象观测资料为基础,采用波文比能量平衡法(BREB)和参考作物蒸散量作物系数法(ET0Kc)对制种玉米的蒸散进行了计算。结果表明,在一个完整的生长期内,利用波文比能量平衡法得到的蒸散量为513.2 mm,日均3.2 mm/d,用参考作物蒸散量作物系数法得到的作物蒸散量为486.2 mm,日均3.1 mm/d,2种计算方法得到的蒸散量总值差别小。利用波文比能量平衡法所得结果的分析表明,试验地在不同生长阶段,ET变化剧烈,生长初期、发育期、中期、末期分别为2.3、2.9、4.1和3.0 mm/d,其蒸散量分别约占全年蒸散总量的13%、22%、50%和16%。ET月变化显示,4月和5月维持在一个较低水平,平均为2.1-2.3 mm/d;6月剧烈增加到3.6 mm/d;7月达到最大,平均为4.6mm/d;8月蒸散有所降低,为3.3 mm/d;9月,随着作物进入生长末期,蒸散急剧减小到2.8 mm/d。