Investigation of lactic acid bacterial strains for meat fermentation and the product's antioxidant and angiotensin‐I‐converting‐enzyme inhibitory activities

In the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains screened from our LAB collection, Lactobacillus (L.) sakei strain no. 23 and L. curvatus strain no. 28 degraded meat protein and tolerated salt and nitrite in vitro. Fermented sausages inoculated strains no. 23 and no. 28 showed not only favorable increases in viable LAB counts and reduced pH, but also the degradation of meat protein. The sausages fermented with these strains showed significantly higher antioxidant activity than those without LAB or fermented by each LAB type strain. Angiotensin‐I‐converting‐enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity was also significantly higher in the sausages fermented with strain no. 23 than in those fermented with the type strain. Higher ACE inhibitory activity was also observed in the sausages fermented with strain no. 28, but did not differ significantly from those with the type strain. An analysis of the proteolysis and degradation products formed by each LAB in sausages suggested that those bioactivities yielded fermentation products such as peptides. Therefore, LAB starters that can adequately ferment meat, such as strains no. 23 and no. 28, should contribute to the production of bioactive compounds in meat products.     

Estimating Crop Coefficient in Intermittent Irrigation Paddy Fields Using Excel Solver

The current study proposes a novel method using Excel Solver to estimate,from limited data,crop coefficient(Kc) in paddy fields under intermittent irrigation(II).The proposed method was examined in a field experiment conducted at Karang Sari Village,Bekasi,West Java,Indonesia during the first rice season of 2007/2008(December 2007 to April 2008) in the rainy season.As the control,continuous flooding irrigation(CF) was applied to the conventional rice cultivation fields.Based on the observed water storage,Excel Solver was used to estimate crop evapotranspiration.Estimated crop evapotranspiration was used to compute Kc value,then the average Kc values at each growth stage were compared with that for the CF treatment.The estimation method was evaluated by comparing estimated crop evapotranspiration and the crop evapotranspiration derived by the well established FAO procedure.Excel Solver estimated crop evapotranspiration accurately with R2 values higher than 0.81.Accordingly,more than 81% of the FAO crop evapotranspiration was described by the proposed method.Thus,Kc value could be well determined from those estimated crop evapotranspiration.Under the II treatment,the average Kc values were 0.70,1.06,1.24 and 1.22 for the initial,crop development,reproductive and late stages,respectively.These values were lower than those under the CF treatment for initial and crop development stages because of a minimal soil evaporation and intense dryness during these stages.However,average Kc values under the II treatment were higher than those under the CF treatment at the reproductive and late stages,indicating that the II treatment promoted more plant activity particularly for dry biomass production as indicated by a greater number of tillers per hill.     

Identification of a novel Bacillus species isolated from Calculus Bovis

A novel Bacillus species of Calculus Bovis (cow gallstone) was isolated and identified in this study. Morphological features, bacterial fatty acid analysis using a microbial identification system, carbon source utilization profiles using Biolog system and 16S rDNA sequencing were employed to identify the isolated bacterium. This isolated bacterium was observed to be Gram‐negative, aerobic growing, rod‐shaped and short chain. The results of bacterial fatty acid analysis and physiological characteristics were not matched to the database. The main fatty acids found in the bacterium were 65.96% branched chain saturated fatty acids (iso C_11:0, anteiso C_11:0 and iso C_13:0～anteiso C_19:0). The bacterium oxidized 35 carbon sources and weakly responded with 49 of the 95 different carbon sources analyzed with the Biolog identification system. Based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis, this bacterium was classified as a novel Bacillus species.     

Parent‐of‐origin effects on carcass traits in Japanese Black cattle

Variances caused by the differential expression of paternally and maternally imprinted genes controlling carcass traits in Japanese Black cattle were estimated in this study. Data on marbling score (BMS), carcass weight, rib thickness, rib‐eye area (REA) and subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) were collected from a total of 13,115 feedlot steers and heifers in a commercial population. A sire–maternal grandsire model was used to analyse the data, and then, imprinting parameters were derived by replacing the genetic effect of the dam with the effect of the maternal grandsire in the imprinting model to calculate the genetic parameter estimates. The proportions of the total genetic variance attributable to imprinted genes ranged from 8.7% (SFT) to 35.2% (BMS). The remarkably large imprinting variance of BMS was mainly contributed by maternally expressed inheritance because the maternal contribution of the trait was much larger than that of the paternal trait. The parent‐of‐origin effect originating from maternal gene expression was also observed for REA. The results suggested the existence of genomic imprinting effects on the traits of the Japanese Black cattle. Hence, the parent‐of‐origin effect should be considered for the genetic evaluation of Japanese Black cattle in breeding programmes.     

Effects of a high milk intake during the pre‐weaning period on nutrient metabolism and growth rate in Japanese Black cattle

This study aimed to determine the effects of feeding an increased volume of high‐fat milk during the early post‐natal life on metabolite concentrations in the blood, the expression of key genes regulating intermediary metabolism in the skeletal muscles, and the rate of growth of Japanese Black cattle. All calves were fed a high‐fat milk replacer (crude protein, 26%; crude fat, 25.5%; total dissolved nitrogen, 116%). Control calves (n = 4) were nursed with 500 g milk replacer until 3 months of age, whereas calves in the experimental group (n = 4) were nursed with 1800 g milk replacer until 3 months, and then the volume was gradually reduced until 5 months. Body weight was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group at 7 months. Plasma glucose concentrations were significantly lower in the experimental group. Expression of glucose‐transporter‐4 messenger RNA (mRNA) was lower, whereas that of glucose transporter 1, cluster of differentiation 36, and carnitine palmitoyltransferase‐1b mRNA was significantly higher in the Longissimus thoracis of the experimental group. Nutritional status during early post‐natal life appears to strongly influence the growth rate and glucose and lipid metabolism in Japanese Black cattle.     

Characterization of monoclonal antibodies against canine P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1)

Thirteen different monoclonal antibodies against canine P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (cPSGL-1) were obtained by immunization of rats with cells of a canine lymphoma cell line (Ema). O-sialoglycoprotein endopeptidase treatment of Ema cells showed that all of these antibodies recognized O-glycosylated peptides of canine PSGL-1. Experiments using deletion or point mutants of cPSGL-1 indicated that these antibodies could be categorized into several groups based on their cPSGL-1 recognition characteristics. These anti-cPSGL-1 monoclonal antibodies will be useful for analysis of the canine P-selectin and PSGL-1 system.     

Development of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to feline interferon (fIFN)-γ as tools to evaluate cellular immune responses to feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV)

Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) can cause a lethal disease in cats, feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). The antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of FIPV infection has been recognised in experimentally infected cats, and cellular immunity is considered to play an important role in preventing the onset of FIP. To evaluate the importance of cellular immunity for FIPV infection, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against feline interferon (fIFN)-γ were first created to establish fIFN-γ detection systems using the MAbs. Six anti-fIFN-γ MAbs were created. Then, the difference in epitope which those MAbs recognise was demonstrated by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and IFN-γ neutralisation tests. Detection systems for fIFN-γ (sandwich ELISA, ELISpot assay, and two-colour flow cytometry) were established using anti-fIFN-γ MAbs that recognise different epitopes. In all tests, fIFN-γ production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from cats experimentally infected with an FIPV isolate that did not develop the disease was significantly increased by heat-inactivated FIPV stimulation in comparison with medium alone. Especially, CD8(+)fIFN-γ(+) cells, but not CD4(+)fIFN-γ(+) cells, were increased. In contrast, fIFN-γ production from PBMCs isolated from cats that had developed FIP and specific pathogen-free (SPF) cats was not increased by heat-inactivated FIPV stimulation. These results suggest that cellular immunity plays an important role in preventing the development of FIP. Measurement of fIFN-γ production with the anti-fIFN-γ MAbs created in this study appeared to be useful in evaluating cellular immunity in cats.     

Treatment of canine otitis externa using video otoscopy

Otitis externa in 27 toy poodles and 40 miniature dachshunds was treated using a video otoscope. A distinct concavity (external tympanic concavity) was observed at the junction between the ventral part of the external surface of the tympanum and the ear canal to which a considerable amount of hair and debris had adhered. All hair and debris adhering to the external tympanic concavity were removed, and systemic antibiotic and antifungal agents were administered, after which all of the dogs recovered. The pattern of hair growth observed in the external tympanic concavity could be characterized according to the breed of dog. All of the toy poodles presented with curly hairs, while the miniature dachshunds had upright or flat-lying hairs.     

Isolation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium hirsutum</Emphasis> from spoiled,packaged asparagus spears in Japan

During storage studies on asparagus spears packed in plastic film and held at 15°C, a Penicillium fungus was associated with subsequent spoilage. On the basis of colony characteristics, the isolate was identified as Penicillium hirsutum Diercks. This report is the first of Penicillium hirsutum causing spoilage of asparagus spears in Japan. Inoculation tests showed that among all the Penicillium species tested in this study only the identified fungus was able to infect asparagus spears.