Age-related Variation of Plasma Concentrations of Skatole, Androstenone, Testosterone, Oestradiol-17β, Oestrone Sulphate, Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulphate, Triiodothyronine and IGF-1 in Six Entire Male Pigs

This study describes the age-related variation in boar taint compounds, skatole and androstenone, and testosterone, oestradiol-17 beta (E17 beta), oestrone sulphate (ES), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), triiodothyronine (T(3)) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in six boars. Three pairs of littermates of crossbred entire male pigs (from three Yorkshire x Duroc dams and one Hampshire sire) were included. Blood samples were taken at the age of 9-15 weeks and thereafter at weekly intervals from the age of 20-32 weeks. Plasma concentrations of skatole, androstenone, testosterone, E17 beta, ES, DHEAS, T(3) and IGF-1 were measured. We found that skatole levels in boars increased at the age around puberty after an increase in the levels of testicular steroids. Levels of skatole were not associated with the levels of sex steroids, T(3) and IGF-1. However, the increased level of testicular steroids is probably the underlying factor needed for high skatole levels to occur although the specific mechanism leading to increased skatole levels remains unknown.     

Monoclonal antibody-based competitive ELISA for simultaneous detection of rinderpest virus and peste des petits ruminants virus antibodies

An experimental competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (morbillivirus cELISA) using a recombinant N antigen (rRPV N) expressed in a baculovirus and a ruminant morbillivirus (RPV and PPRV)-specific monoclonal antibody (P-13A9) was developed for simultaneous detection of rinderpest virus (RPV) and peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) antibodies and its diagnostic performance was evaluated. A set of known reference antisera against RPV and PPRV belonging to different lineages, experimental sera from cattle vaccinated for a RPV of Asian lineage, and field sera from cattle and sheep/goat populations known to be positive (West Africa) and negative (Korea) for RPV and PPRV were used for the evaluation. Morbillivirus cELISA results on the panel of experimental RPV and PPRV antisera showed high correlation (r=0.97) between the whole virus and the rRPV N antigens, suggesting that the rRPV N contains a ruminant morbillivirus-specific antigenic determinant recognized by the P-13A9 and it may be suitable as an ELISA antigen in place of the whole virus. Morbillivirus cELISA detected anti-RPV and anti-PPRV antibodies in all reference RPV and PPRV antisera containing VN titers >/=1:8, suggesting that the assay can simultaneously detect antibodies against RPV and PPRV. Anti-RPV antibody was detected by morbillivirus cELISA in vaccinated cattle as early as the VNT and continued to be detectable by both the cELISA and the VNT until termination of the study. When applied to field samples from Africa, morbillivirus cELISA showed good agreement with a RP cELISA kit (kappa value of 0.86) in bovine sera and with a peste des petits ruminant cELISA kit (kappa value of 0.81) in caprine/ovine sera. Usefulness of morbillivirus cELISA using the rRPV N protein was discussed.     

A case of chronic wasting disease in an elk imported to Korea from Canada

A seven-year-old male elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) was euthanized and necropsied after having a 3-week history of body weight loss, emaciation, excessive salivation, teeth grinding, fever, anorexia, and respiratory distress. The elk was imported into Korea from Canada on March 9, 1997. Gross pathologic findings were restricted to a diffuse fibrinous pneumonia. Microscopic lesions included mild neuronal vacuolation and spongiform change in the neuropil of selected brain stem nuclei and generalized astrocytosis. Immunohistochemistry for protease-resistant prion protein (PrP(res)) was positive in all brain sections but more pronounced in the section of the obex of the medulla. And the PrP(res) was also detected by western immunoblotting in the brain and spinal cord. All the remaining elk and deer that had been in contact with this elk were destroyed and negative for chronic wasting disease (CWD). To our knowledge, this is the first case of CWD occurring outside of the U.S.A. and Canada.     

In vitro isolation and characterization of bovine Neospora caninum in Korea

The brains of nine aborted bovine fetuses and two newborn calves born from dams suspected to be infected with Neospora caninum were homogenized and inoculated into Vero cells. All fetuses and calves were from cows determined as seropositive to N. caninum by an IFA test. Sera and thoracic fluids of all fetuses and calves also revealed high antibody titer to N. caninum by IFAT ranging from 1:800 to 1:3200. N. caninum was isolated from the brains of one aborted fetus and one newborn calf when the brain homogenates were grown continuously in Vero cell culture. N. caninum tachyzoites, giemsa-positive, were first observed on Days 45 and 56 postinoculation in the newborn calf and the aborted fetus, respectively. The isolates (KBA-1 and KBA-2) were morphologically and ultrastructurally similar to previously published Neospora isolates. The isolated parasites were confirmed as N. caninum by means of the antigenic reactivities, immunostaining, PCR and southern blotting, and electron microscopy.     

Effects of AMF inoculation on growth of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer seedlings and on soil structures in mycorrhizosphere

We aimed to investigate the effects of inoculating Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer seedlings with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) by examining the root colonization, plant nutrition uptake, growth characteristics, and soil aggregation of P. ginseng seedlings inoculated at the time of transplantation. At 16 weeks, the AMF spore density per 30 g of fresh mycorrhizosphere in seedlings inoculated with AMF (AMF+ seedlings) was 256.8 and that in seedlings not inoculated with AMF (AMF− seedlings) was 186.3, respectively. The colonization rate of AMF in the lateral roots of AMF+ seedlings was approximately 19% higher than that in the lateral roots of AMF− seedlings. The patterns of AMF colonization in ginseng roots were similar to those of the Paris-type mycorrhizal association. Plant growth characteristics, such as plant height, root length, leaf area, number of lateral roots, fresh weight of shoots and roots, and chlorophyll content, were significantly enhanced in AMF+ seedlings compared to AMF− seedlings. The macronutrient content (P, K, and Ca) and micronutrient content (Cu, Fe, and Zn) of both shoots and roots were also significantly higher in AMF+ seedlings compared to AMF− seedlings. Furthermore, glomalin content and soil aggregation were significantly enhanced in AMF inoculated areas. Our results indicate that AMF inoculation may enhance the growth of ginseng seedlings by improving the uptake of mineral nutrients and the soil structure in mycorrhizosphere.     

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Immunohistochemical Expression of Growth Factors in the Follicular Wall of Normal and Cystic Ovaries of Sows

The expression of growth factors was evaluated immunohistochemically in normal and cystic ovaries of sows. The immunohistochemically stained area (IHCSA) was quantified by image analysis to analyse the expression of these proteins in the follicular wall of secondary, tertiary and cystic follicles. IGF‐I immunoreactivity was strong in the granulosa cell layer (GC), moderate in the theca interna (TI) and mild in the theca externa (TE) of the normal follicles. There was severe reduction of the labelling to IGF‐I in the GC of the follicular and luteinized cysts. In the normal follicles, the reactivity for IGF‐II was very similar to pattern noted in IGF‐I. There was reduction of the IHCSAs in the GC of the follicular and luteinized cysts, but the decrease was not significant. The staining of the IGF‐II in the TI and TE of the cysts was increased, in comparison with normal follicles. The IHCSAs for VEGF were higher in the GC and TE of the normal follicles in contrast to TI, but this difference was noted only in the tertiary follicle. The VEGF reactivity increased in the GC of the cysts, in relation to normal follicles. The results of the current study show that the formation of ovarian cysts in sows is associated with alterations in the immunohistochemical expression of some growth factors.     

Molecular cloning of the cDNA encoding the β subunit of thyrotropin and regulation of its gene expression by thyroid hormones in the goldfish, Carassius auratus

A cDNA encoding the subunit of thyrotropin (TSH) was isolated from a goldfish (Carassius auratus) pituitary gland cDNA library. By comparing the sequence with other teleost TSHs, a signal peptide of 19 amino acids and a mature hormone of 131 amino acids were predicted for goldfish TSH subunits. The resulting putative mature hormone of 131 amino acids had well-conserved cysteine positions and a putative N-linked glycosylation site; homology was 51–67% with TSHs from other teleosts, 38–43% with tetrapod TSHs, but only 27 and 29% with goldfish GTH-I and -II, respectively. We also examined the effects of thyroid hormones (TH) and thiourea (TU, an inhibitor of TH production) treatments on TSH and GTH subunit gene expressions in the goldfish pituitary gland. After thyroxine (T₄) treatment, circulating T₄ concentration increased and TSH mRNA level decreased. Supressing the amount of circulating T₄ and triiodothyronine (T₃) by TU treatment increased the TSH mRNA level. Moreover, T₄ replacement therapy (simultaneous treatment of both TU and T₄) caused a high level of circulating T₄ and a low level of circulating T₃, and a decrease in the TSH mRNA level. Thus, changing levels of circulating TH exert a negative feedback on the level of TSH subunit mRNA in goldfish in vivo. On the other hand, GTH subunit mRNA levels were not affected by changes in the levels of circulating TH.     

Design guidelines for the Dashilar,Beijing Open Green Space Redevelopment Project

When an urban redevelopment project is planned, the design needs to reflect the preferences of the users of the planned space. In China, however, the preferences of residents have rarely been reflected in projects dealing with public places such as open green spaces in urban settings. This paper employs three independent conjoint analyses covering components of open green space, including locational conditions, physical conditions, and greenery conditions in order to propose the most preferable design for a new open green space. The results of choice simulation showed that the users prefer the private garden style to the general public park style for the new open green space in Dashilar. Our research with three independent conjoint analyses is expected to provide specific guidelines for open green space design as a whole, which is intended to satisfy potential users of the space.