Artificial burrow preference by the Japanese crayfish Cambaroides japonicus

SUMMARY: Preference for artificial burrows by the endangered Japanese crayfish species Cambaroides japonicus was studied to improve its cultivation. The occupation of artificial burrows, which were made from straight polyvinyl chloride pipes of different internal diameters ( Y , mm), by crayfishes of different total lengths ( X , mm) was significantly ( P < 0.001, n = 56) described by a linear regression: Y = 0.49 X + 3.42 (19.0 ≤ X ≤ 70.2). Among burrows of different lengths [crayfish total length (TL) × 1, × 2, × 3, and × 4], crayfishes significantly preferred burrows that were greater than TL × 3 ( P < 0.001, n = 588).     

Influence of death struggle on the structural changes in chub mackerel muscle during chilled storage

ABSTRACT: Chub mackerel (34–35 cm, approximately 500 g), which were caught by fishing with a rod and line at the Bungo Channel, Oita prefecture, were rested overnight in a fish preserve and either killed by decapitation (control group) or allowed to struggle in air for 30 min (struggled group). Muscle samples were excised every 4 h, and measurements on breaking strength and histological observations were done for both groups. The breaking strength of muscle in the control group was significantly higher than that in the struggled group, whereby a decrease in breaking strength was delayed for 12 h compared to the struggled group. Light microscopy showed space extension among muscle cells in association with a decrease in breaking strength. Especially in the struggled group, the extended area was larger and the difference in area was significant at the time when breaking strength showed a significant difference. Using electron microscopy, the extended area showed cut and/or disappeared collagen fibrils. From these results, it was demonstrated that struggling to death promoted the degradation of collagen fibrils and the weakening of connective tissue and, resultantly, led to the faster softening of muscle of chub mackerel.     

Physiological Races and Vegetative Compatibility Groups of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae Isolated from Crisphead Lettuce in Japan

One hundred and sixteen isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae obtained from 85 fields in three crisphead lettuce-producing areas in Nagano Prefecture, Japan were typed for races using differential cultivars Patriot, Banchu Red Fire and Costa Rica No. 4. They were also grouped into vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) using complementation tests with nitrate non-utilizing (nit) mutants. Two California strains reported as F. oxysporum f. sp. lactucum, a type culture of F. oxysporum f. sp. lactucae, and 28 avirulent isolates of F. oxysporum obtained from crisphead lettuce were included for comparison. Among Nagano isolates, 66 isolates were identified as race 1, and 50 as race 2. Race 1 strains derived from Shiojiri and Komoro cities and race 2 from Kawakami village and Komoro city. All isolates of race 2 were biotin auxotrophs, and the race could be distinguished based on its requirement for biotin on minimal nitrate agar medium (MM). Pathogenic isolates were classified into two VCGs and three heterokaryon self-incompatible isolates. Strong correlations were found between race and VCG. All the race 1 strains were assigned to VCG 1 except self-incompatible isolates, and all the race 2 strains to VCG 2. The 28 avirulent isolates of F. oxysporum were incompatible with VCG 1 and VCG 2. California strains was vegetatively compatible with VCG 1, and they were assigned to race 1. Based on vegetative compatibility, these two races of F. oxysporum f. sp. lactucae may be genetically distinct, and F. oxysporum f. sp. lactucae race 1 is identical to F. oxysporum f. sp. lactucum. Received 7 May 2002/ Accepted in revised form 6 September 2002     

The Complete Nucleotide Sequence of a Japanese Isolate of White clover mosaic virus Strain RC

The complete nucleotide sequence was determined for genomic RNA of White clover mosaic virus (WClMV-RC) isolated from red clover (Trifolium pratense) in Japan, It is 5843 nucleotides in length, excluding the poly(A) tail at the 3' terminus. Similar to other potexviruses, it contains five open reading frames (ORFs 1 through 5), which putatively encode an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) (147 kDa), a triple gene block (TGB) (26 kDa/13 kDa/7 kDa), and a coat protein (CP) (22 kDa), respectively. The deduced amino acid sequence of the WClMV-RC CP was identical to that of WClMV-O, one of two New Zealand isolates, but only 85% identical to that of WClMV-M, the other New Zealand isolate, because of heterogeneity in the C-termini of CP amino acid sequences. The implication of this CP heterogeneity is discussed. Received 30 August 2001/ Accepted in revised form 11 January 2002     

Evaluation of Cold Tolerance in NERICAs Compared with Japanese Standard Rice Varieties at the Reproductive Stage

New Rice for Africa (NERICA) is a general name for interspecific rice varieties derived from a cross between the high‐yielding Asian rice (Oryza sativa L.) between locally adapted African rice (Oryza glaberrima Steud.). Eight NERICAs were evaluated for cold tolerance (CT) at the reproductive stage and compared with their O. sativa parents and three Japanese standard rice varieties over 3 years. Cold tolerance was evaluated based on the filled grain ratio (FGR) after cold water irrigation. The FGR was greatly reduced by cold water irrigation. NERICA 1, 2 and 7 had higher FGR (51.9–57.9 %), while NERICA 6, 15 and 16 had lower FGR (6.2–14.5 %). NERICA 1, 2 and 7 were less affected by cold stress, with a 31 % mean reduction in FGR, while NERICA 6, 15 and 16 were greatly affected, with their FGRs being reduced by more than 80 %. NERICA 3 and 4 were moderately affected by cold stress, with about 45 % reduction rate in FGR. FGR significantly influenced the grain weights of the varieties with strong positive correlations (r = 0.83–0.91; P < 0.001), and thus, similar trends in grain weights were observed. Grain weights were reduced by 61.7–96.4 % under cold stress. NERICA 1, 2 and 7 showed significantly better performance than NERICA 3 and 4, while NERICA 6, 15 and 16 performed poorly under cold water irrigation. The Japanese varieties Koshihikari (very tolerant) and Ozora (moderately tolerant) were more affected by cold water irrigation than NERICA 1, 2 and 7. On the basis of the mean reduction rate (%) in FGR under cold stress, the varieties were classified as follows: NERICA 1, 2 and 7 as tolerant; NERICA 3 and 4 as moderately tolerant; and NERICA 6, 15 and 16 as susceptible to cold stress. However, NERICA 7 grain yields were lower under cold stress due to both greatly reduced number of panicles per plant and number of spikelets per panicle. Therefore, NERICA 1 and 2 are suitable candidates for production in the highland regions of East Africa and should be promoted for production.     

Regional variability in landscape effects on forest bird communities

Landscape Ecology - Functional responses to landscape heterogeneity are context-dependent, hampering the transferability of landscape-scale conservation initiatives. Japan provides a unique...     

Expression dynamics of bovine MX genes in the endometrium and placenta during early to mid pregnancy

MX belongs to a family of type I interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes, and the MX protein has antiviral activity. MX has at least two isoforms, known as MX1 and MX2, in mammals. Moreover, bovine MX1 has been found to have alternative splice variants—namely, MX1-a and MX1B. In ruminants, IFN-τ—a type I IFN—is temporarily produced from the conceptus before implantation and induces MX expression in the endometrium. However, the expression dynamics of MX after implantation are not clear. In the present study, we investigated the expression of MX1-a, MX1B and MX2 in the endometrium and placenta before and after implantation along with the expression of IFN-α, type I receptors (IFNAR1 and IFNAR2) and interferon regulatory factors (IRF3 and IRF9). Pregnant uterine samples were divided into five groups according to pregnancy days 14–18, 25–40, 50–70, 80–100, and 130–150. Tissue samples were collected from the intercaruncular endometrium (IC), caruncular endometrium (C) and fetal placenta (P). Although all the MX expressions were significantly higher in the IC and C at days 14–18, presumably caused by embryo-secreted IFN-τ stimulation, their expressions were also detectable in the IC, C and P after implantation. Furthermore, IFN-α expression was significantly higher in the IC. RT-PCR indicated IFNAR1, IFNAR2, IRF3 and IRF9 mRNA in all the tissues during pregnancy. These results suggest that all the MX genes are affected by the type I IFN pathway during pregnancy and are involved in an immune response to protect the mother and fetus.     

Involvement of a host erythrocyte sialic acid content in Babesia bovis infection

Host sialic acid (SA) has recently been suggested to play an important role in erythrocyte (RBC) infection by Babesia spp. The present study attempted to further determine the specific type of SAs important in the RBC invasion. Bovine RBC was found to bear abundant alpha2-3-linked SA residues but not alpha2-6-linked SA in nature, confirmed by flow cytometric analysis of the neuraminidase (Nm)-treated RBCs. Lectin-blot analyses revealed the removal of alpha2-3-linked SAs from the 97-, 33-, and 31-kDa bands by the Nm treatment. Addition of the Nm-treated RBCs into an in vitro culture of B. bovis resulted in a decreased population of the parasitized RBCs. The thin smear samples from the cultures were then observed under a confocal laser scanning microscope after staining with the alpha2-3-linked SA-specific lectin: a selective invasion of B. bovis was found only in the intact RBCs bearing the SAs, but not in the desialylated RBCs. Furthermore, a significant reduction of the parasitized RBCs was also observed in the culture supplemented with exogenous 3'-sialyllactose containing the alpha2-3-linked SAs. However, the complete inhibition of parasite proliferation was not achieved in the culture. These findings indicate that while the alpha2-3-linked SA-dependent pathway is needed for highly efficient invasion of host RBCs by B. bovis, there might also be other potential alternative pathways.