Comparison of cholesterol levels among lipoprotein fractions separated by anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography in periparturient Holstein–Friesian dairy cows

Changes in lipoprotein profiles occur in dairy cows during the periparturient period and in cows with transition cow disease. Here, the lipoprotein profiles of Holstein–Friesian dairy cows during the periparturient period were obtained by anion-exchange, high-performance liquid chromatography to evaluate the usefulness of lipoprotein profile evaluation during the periparturient period and in cows with fatty liver and milk fever. Lipoprotein levels (including total and high- (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) cholesterol) in 10 healthy cows were low 4 weeks prepartum, with the lowest values at calving or within 1 week of calving; the values increased at 8 weeks postpartum. The lipoprotein levels were measured in 16 cows diagnosed with fatty liver (n=10) or milk fever (n=6) and compared to 10 healthy dairy cows. A significant difference was observed in HDL-C between healthy cows (at calving and 1 week postpartum), and the fatty liver and milk fever cows. Cows with fatty liver and milk fever had a lower mean HDL-C than the 10 healthy dairy cows at calving and 1 week postpartum. HDL-C might be a good indicator of energy balance for differentiating healthy cows from those with transition cow disease.     

Importance of shingle beaches as habitat for Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum

Fisheries Science - We carried out surveys to clarify how the density (no. of individuals/m2) and condition factor (CF) of Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum differ between estuarine tidal flats...     

Genetic variants of the unsaturated fatty acid receptor GPR120 relating to obesity in dogs

G protein-coupled receptor (GPR) 120 is an unsaturated fatty acid receptor, which is associated with various physiological functions. It is reported that the genetic variant of GPR120, p.Arg270His, is detected more in obese people, and this genetic variation functionally relates to obesity in humans. Obesity is a common nutritional disorder also in dogs, but the genetic factors have not ever been identified in dogs. In this study, we investigated the molecular structure of canine GPR120 and searched for candidate genetic variants which may relate to obesity in dogs. Canine GPR120 was highly homologous to those of other species, and seven transmembrane domains and two N-glycosylation sites were conserved. GPR120 mRNA was expressed in lung, jejunum, ileum, colon, hypothalamus, hippocampus, spinal cord, bone marrow, dermis and white adipose tissues in dogs, as those in mice and humans. Genetic variants of GPR120 were explored in client-owned 141 dogs, resulting in that 5 synonymous and 4 non-synonymous variants were found. The variant c.595C>A (p.Pro199Thr) was found in 40 dogs, and the gene frequency was significantly higher in dogs with higher body condition scores, i.e. 0.320 in BCS4–5 dogs, 0.175 in BCS3 dogs and 0.000 in BCS2 dogs. We conclude that c.595C>A (p.Pro199Thr) is a candidate variant relating to obesity, which may be helpful for nutritional management of dogs.     

The transition time from the juvenile phase to the adult phase differs in soybean cultivars ‘Enrei’ and ‘Peking’

Plants develop juvenile phase to adult phase in vegetative stage. Although soybean is a very important crop worldwide, there has been only one study of the juvenile–adult phase change. In this study, we determined that the juvenile–adult phase change occurred at different stages in two soybean cultivars that differ in their photosensitivity. Cultivar ‘Enrei’ (E1e2e3E4) is weakly photosensitive and cultivar ‘Peking’ (E1E2E3E4) is strongly photosensitive. In ‘Enrei’, the leaf size gradually increased at a constant leaf position regardless of the difference in day length. In ‘Peking’ plants transferred to short‐day conditions at several leaf development stages, leaf size gradually increased at different leaf positions. Expression of miR156 by ‘Enrei’ transferred to short‐day conditions had nearly the same pattern as that of ‘Enrei’ grown under long‐day conditions. In ‘Peking’, the expression of miR156 had different patterns in younger leaves of plants subjected to either a short‐day treatment or long‐day conditions. These results indicate that the E2 and E3 loci that regulate photosensitivity also regulate the expression of miR156 and the juvenile–adult phase change in soybean.     

Annual Element Budget of Soil in Snow-Dominated Forested Ecosystem

Seasonal fluctuation of concentration and flux of major inorganic ions in throughfall, stem flow, snowpack and soil solution was investigated at a natural cool temperature mixed forest in Hokkaido, northern Japan, in order to clarify the effect of snowmelt on the solute dynamics in the forest soil in snow-dominated region. Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl^? and SO₄ ^2? concentrations in soil solution showed a large fluctuation in the snowmelt period. The percentage of output of these elements from soil during the snowmelt period in the annual output was as follows. Mg²⁺: 51%, Na⁺ and Cl^?: 59 and 60%, SO₄ ^2?: 65%, Ca²⁺: 77%. Our results indicated that the snowmelt event was very important to quantify the annual elemental budgets in this region. Although the leaching of base cation from the soil was larger than that of inputs and accumulation into the vegetation, annual decreasing rate of acid neutralization capacity (ANC_(s)) from the soil was mostly affected by the base cation accumulation into the vegetation, related that the base cations weathering accompanied with bicarbonate was slow due to the acidic and weathered soil in the studied site. It is suggested that the weakly acidic soil which has low ANC_(s) in snow-dominated region will be relatively sensitive to the future increase of acidic deposition.     

Biological and chemical stability of garlic-derived allicin

This study verifies the instability of garlic ( Allium sativum L.)-derived allyl 2-propenylthiosulfinate (allicin) in various aqueous and ethanolic solutions as well as in vegetable oil through chemical and biological analyses performed simultaneously. Crushed fresh garlic cloves generated antibacterial activity and chemically detectable allicin, a major antibacterial principle, and both declined on a daily basis in aqueous and ethanolic solutions at room temperature, showing biological and chemical half-lives of about 6 and 11 days, respectively. Allicin was more stable in 20% alcohol than in water, but surprisingly unstable in vegetable oil, with an activity half-life 0.8 h, as estimated from its antibacterial activity toward Escherichia coli, and a chemical half-life of 3.1 h, based on chromatographic quantification. In alcoholic and aqueous extracts, the biological half-life of allicin tended to be longer than the chemical one, suggesting the occurrence of bioactive compounds other than allicin in the extracts.     

Detection and quantification of protein residues in food grade amino acids and nucleic acids using a dot-blot fluorescent staining method

Food allergies represent an important health problem in industrialized countries, such that detection and quantitative analysis of the protein considered to be the main allergen is crucial. A dot-blot fluorescent staining method for the detection and quantitative analysis of protein residues in food grade amino acids and nucleic acids is presented. This method combines fluorescence staining with dot-blotting onto PVDF membrane. Several standard proteins, such as bovine serum albumin (66 kDa), lysozyme (14 kDa), ubiquitin (8.6 kDa), bovine insulin (5.7 kDa), and oxidized insulin B chain (3.5 kDa), were detectable at 0.1 ppm using SYPRO Ruby blot stain. Twenty-five different amino acids and two different nucleic acids of food grade were analyzed using this method combined with an internal standard addition method using BSA as an internal standard. All amino acids and nucleic acids were dissolved in 3.6% aqueous HCl and dot-blotted onto PVDF membrane before a large amount of amino acids and nucleic acid were removed. Protein residues and the internal standard protein immobilized on the membrane were stained using SYPRO ruby blot stain. The internal standard in all samples was detectable at 0.1 ppm. Samples were dissolved at 120 or 70 mg/mL, according to their solubility under acidic conditions. The detection limit of protein residues per weight was 0.8-1.4 ppm in amino acids and nucleic acids; residual protein was not detected in any sample.     

Preparation of phytate-removed deamidated soybean globulins by ion exchangers and characterization of their calcium-binding ability.

Phytate-removed deamidated soybean globulins were prepared using ion-exchange resins to provide them with a functional property to enhance calcium absorption in the body. The phosphorus level was reduced from 45 to 20 micromol/g using 0.05 g/mL of AE-4, an anion-exchange resin with a (2-hydroxyethyl)dimethylammonium group, in 0.2% soybean globulin solution for 1 h at 4 degrees C, and 90-92% of the phosphorus in defatted soybeans could be removed. As for deamidation, CE-4, a cation-exchange resin of the carboxylate type, showed a much higher deamidation activity than CE-1 and CE-2, cation-exchange resins of the sulfonate type. No peptide bond hydrolysis was observed for any cation-exchange resin treated at 4 degrees C. There was no significant difference in the amount of acid amide deamidated at temperatures between 4 and 50 degrees C. The deamidation level was able to increase to 73% using 0.10 g/mL of CE-4 in a 0.2% soybean globulin solution for 6 h at 4 degrees C. The amount of calcium bound to the soybean globulins decreased with removal of the phytate but increased with deamidation.     

The influence of age and body mass index on relative accuracy of energy intake among Japanese adults

OBJECTIVE: To examine relationships between the ratio of energy intake to basal metabolic rate (EI/BMR) and age and body mass index (BMI) among Japanese adults. DESIGN: Energy intake was assessed by 4-day semi-weighed diet records in each of four seasons (16 days in total). The EI/BMR ratio was calculated from reported energy intake and estimated basal metabolic rate as an indicator of reporting accuracy. SETTING: Residents in three areas in Japan, namely Osaka (urban), Nagano (rural inland) and Tottori (rural coastal). SUBJECTS: One hundred and eighty-three healthy Japanese men and women aged > or =30 years. RESULTS: The oldest age group (> or =60 years) had higher EI/BMR values than the youngest age group (30-39 years) in both sexes (1.74 vs. 1.37 for men; 1.65 vs. 1.43 for women). In multiple regression analyses, age correlated positively (partial correlation coefficient, beta = 0.012, P < 0.001 for men; beta = 0.011, P < 0.001 for women) and BMI correlated negatively (beta = -0.031, P < 0.001 for men; beta = -0.025, P < 0.01 for women) with EI/BMR. CONCLUSION: Age and BMI may influence the relative accuracy of energy intake among Japanese adults.     

Underreporting of energy intake among Japanese women aged 18-20 years and its association with reported nutrient and food group intakes

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the ratio of energy intake to basal metabolic rate (EI/BMR) among young female Japanese adults, and to compare the lifestyle and dietary characteristics between relatively low and high reporters. DESIGN: Dietary intakes were assessed over a 1-month period with a validated, self-administered, diet history questionnaire, and lifestyle variables were assessed by a second questionnaire designed for this survey. The ratio of EI/BMR was calculated from reported energy intake and estimated basal metabolic rate. SUBJECTS: In total, 1889 female Japanese university students aged 18-20 years who were enrolled in dietetics courses. RESULTS: Ninety-five per cent of the subjects were classified into a non-obese group (body mass index (BMI) <25 kg m(-2); mean+/-standard deviation (SD): 20.8+/-2.6 kg m(-2)). EI/BMR was 1.43+/-0.40 (mean+/-SD). Sixty-eight per cent of the subjects showed an EI/BMR level below the possibly balanced value of 1.56, 37% showed EI/BMR below the minimum survival value of 1.27 and 2% of the subjects showed EI/BMR exceeding the maximum value for a sustainable lifestyle of 2.4. BMI, body weight and BMR decreased significantly with the increase in EI/BMR (P<0.001). The percentage of energy from carbohydrate was significantly higher, whereas those from fat and protein were significantly lower, among the lower EI/BMR groups. As for food groups, a significantly declining trend from the lowest to the highest EI/BMR groups was observed for cereals. CONCLUSION: Underreporting, rather than overreporting, of energy intake was predominant in this relatively lean Japanese female population. BMI was the most important factor affecting the reporting accuracy of energy intake.