Correlation of changes in seasonal distribution and catch of red sea bream Pagrus major with winter temperature in the eastern Seto Inland Sea,Japan (1972–2010)

Red sea bream Pagrus major is a commercially important fish in Japan. In eastern Seto Inland Sea (SIS), the catch has increased from 297 tons in 1972 to 2,039 tons in 2010. We examined the relationship, 1972–2010, between increase in catch and winter temperature, based on the catch in February and March and the lowest water temperature at 10 m depth. In 1972–1986, the lowest water temperatures in the inner SIS areas (Osaka Bay, Harima‐nada, and Bisan‐seto) were <8°C, which is physiologically unfavorable for red sea bream. However, in 1987–2010 temperatures were generally ≥8°C. In the inner areas, the catch during winter had been minimal until the early 1980s, presumably because most red sea breams moved to the Kuroshio‐influenced (warmer) Kii Channel area. However, the winter catch in the inner areas of SIS increased from the late 1980s with warm winters. In addition, the catch between April and June, the spawning season, increased in the inner areas from the 1990s, and the catch rate of the inner areas was more than twice higher in the 2000s than in the 1980s. The results suggest that expansion of the distribution area during winter due to warm winter and increase in egg production in the inner areas greatly contributes to the increasing in catch in the eastern SIS.     

Bacteriological and genetic assessment of game meat from Japanese wild boars

Bacterial tests were used to assess bacterial contamination of game meat from Japanese wild boars. The bacterial contamination of wild boar meat was less than that of domestic pork, as determined by aerobic plate counts (APC) and coliform counts. None of the meat examined in this study was contaminated by Salmonella or E. coli O-157. To detect adulteration by domestic pig meat or European wild boar meat, 46 samples of game meat sold as Japanese wild boar were examined genetically. A total of 17 samples showed genetic haplotypes of European and Asian domestic pigs in the D-loop of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and 16 samples showed nuclear glucosephosphate isomerase-processed pseudogene (GPIP) genotypes of European domestic pigs. The European GPIP genotypes of these samples were confirmed by PCR-RFLP analysis. These results indicate that some game meat sold as Japanese wild boar is adulterated by cross-breeding between pigs and wild boars or by contamination with meat from domestic pigs or European wild boars.     

Trophinin is expressed in the porcine endometrium during the estrous cycle

We investigated endometrial expression of trophinin mRNA and protein, homophilic cell adhesion molecules, during the estrous cycle of gilts. An immunopositive reaction for trophinin was observed in the luminal and glandular epithelia of the endometrium at all stages of the estrous cycle, but not in endometrial stromal cells or the myometrium. A partial coding sequence of porcine trophinin was similar to sequences in humans and mice, with homologies of 75% and 70%, respectively. As in humans and mice, the trophinin gene is expressed in the endometrium. Trophinin, however, is expressed in the endometrium of the pig throughout the estrous cycle, higher expression levels were observed at some points of the luteal phase, as in humans. These findings suggest that regulation of trophinin gene expression in the pig is different from that in mice, but similar to that in humans. Furthermore, the present results suggest that the pig might be a suitable model for studying the physiological importance of trophinin in early pregnancy in humans.     

Immunohistochemical analysis of expression patterns of tumor necrosis factor receptors on lymphoma cells in enzootic bovine leukosis

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) has been reported to be associated with the progression of lymphoproliferative neoplastic diseases and retroviral infections. Hence we examined immunohistochemically the expression patterns of TNF-receptors (TNF-RI and RII) on lymphoma cells derived from the 29 cases of enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL). Lymphomas obtained in 29 animals with EBL were histopathologically classified into three types: diffuse mixed type (10 cases), diffuse large type (9 cases), and diffuse large cleaved type (10 cases). Immunohistochemically using a monoclonal antibody to a bovine lymphocyte surface antigen, the lymphomas were classified into three phenotypes: B-1a (CD5+/CD11b+), B-1b (CD5-/CD11b+) and B-2 (conventional B) (CD5-/CD11b-). Interestingly, the lymphoma cells in all animals expressed TNF-RII, but not TNF-RI. Although, in EBL, lymphoma cells of which the histopathological and immunological property differs has been formed, the expression patterns of TNF-Rs had the universality in all lymphoma cells. TNF-RII, which induces cell proliferation, was expressed but TNF-RI, which induces cell apoptosis was not expressed on all lymphoma cells, suggesting that TNF-Rs play an important role in the malignant proliferation of B cells and formation of lymphomas in EBL.     

Representation of action sequence boundaries by macaque prefrontal cortical neurons

Complex biological systems such as human language and the genetic code are characterized by explicit markers at the beginning and end of functional sequences. We report here that macaque prefrontal cortical neurons exhibit phasic peaks of spike activity that occur at the beginning and endpoint of sequential oculomotor saccade performance and have the properties of dynamic start- and end-state encoders accompanying responses to sequential actions. Sequence bounding may thus reflect a general mechanism for encoding biological information.     

Distribution of radioactive cesium in edible parts of cattle

After the disastrous incident of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, various agricultural, livestock and fishery products have been inspected for radioactive contamination with cesium in Japan. In this study, radioactive cesium was measured in various edible parts of cattle to verify the current inspection method for cattle, in which the neck tissues are generally used as samples. Radioactive cesium concentration in the short plate, diaphragm, liver, lung, omasum, abomasum and small intestine were lower and sirloin, tenderloin, top round meat and tongue were higher than that in the neck. There was no significant difference between the other organs (heart, kidney, lumen and reticulum) and the neck. Ninety‐five percent upper tolerance limits of the relative concentration to the neck were 1.88 for sirloin, 1.74 for tenderloin, 1.87 for top round and 1.45 for tongue. These results suggest that a safety factor of 2 is recommended for the radioactivity inspection of cattle to prevent a marketing of meat with higher cesium than the legal limit. Re‐inspection should be conducted using another part of muscle, for example, top round, when suspicious levels of 50–100 Bq/kg are detected in the neck.     

Alternative BSE risk assessment methodology for beef and beef offal imported into Japan

The Food Safety Commission (FSC) of Japan, established in July 2003, has its own initiative to conduct risk assessments on food stuffs known as "self-tasking assessment". Within this framework, the FSC decided to conduct a risk assessment of beef and beef offal imported into Japan from countries with no previous BSE reports; thus, a methodology was formed to suit to this purpose. This methodology was partly based on the previous assessments of Japanese domestic beef and beef imported from U.S.A./Canada, but some modifications were made. Other organizations' assessment methods, such as those used for BSE status assessment in live cattle by the OIE and EFSA's GBR, were also consulted. In this review, the authors introduce this alternative methodology, which reflects (1) the risk of live cattle in the assessed country including temporal risks of BSE invasion and domestic propagation, with the assessment results verified by surveillance data, and (2) the risk of beef and beef offal consisting of cumulative BSE risk by types of slaughtering and meat production processes implemented and the status of mechanically recovered meat production. Other possible influencing factors such as atypical BSE cases were also reviewed. The key characteristic of the current assessment is a combination of the time-sequential risk level of live cattle and qualitative risk level of meat production at present in an assessed country.