Genotypic effects on the variation of wood quality and growth traits in plantation forest made by cutting cultivars of Japanese cedar

We studied the effect of genotypes of planting stocks regarding the variation of the modulus of elasticity of tree trunks on standing trees (trunk-MOE), tree height (TH), and diameter at breast height (DBH) in a 19-year-old Japanese cedar plantation made with root cuttings. Trunk-MOE was assessed nondestructively using a tree-bending method. Genotypes of individual trees were detected using the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. RAPD analysis revealed that the sampled plantation consisted of 14 genotypes. Genotypic effects on DBH and TH were unclear, and there was no significant difference among genotypes. This result indicated that an acquired variation should have more influence than an inherited variation on DBH and TH. For trunk-MOE, there were significant differences among the four largest genotypes at the 5% level. However the coefficient of variation in trunk-MOE of each genotype ranged from 7.5% to 26.8%. It seems reasonable to assume that the wide variation in trunk-MOE in a sampled plantation may depend on the environmental effect within a clone as well as on the genetic origin of clones. We therefore conclude that the use of multiple planting stocks from different cuttings for which the wood quality is unknown contributed strongly to the wide variation in trunk-MOE in the plantation of Japanese cedar.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis NST3/SND1</Emphasis> promoter is active in secondary woody tissue in poplar

Wood biomass is one of the promising future materials for biofuels with no competing food uses. However, the higher cost to produce bioethanol from wood feedstocks is regarded as a priority issue. Genetic engineering techniques have been proposed to enhance the quality and quantity of wood materials to overcome the cost problem. Although many genetically engineered trees with applicable traits such as low lignin, a high syringyl to guaiacyl ratio and high cellulose content are generated, ectopic expression of an effector gene under a constitutive promoter can sometimes induce untoward side effects on plant growth and development. Our recent study demonstrated that AtNST3/SND1 promoter of Arabidopsis thaliana is a candidate tool for driving a potent activator to enhance wood biomass production in poplar without any growth retardation. However, the tissue- and cell-dependent activity of the promoter remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we generated transgenic poplar expressing AtNST3/SND1promoter::GUS to examine in detail the activity of the AtNST3/SND1 promoter. Histochemical analysis revealed that the promoter was predominantly active in secondary woody tissue. Our result indicates that the AtNST3/SND1 promoter is an option for expressing an effector gene to modify secondary cell wall components and wood biomass.     

Effects of temperature on growth,survival and physiological parameters in juveniles of Lophiosilurus alexandri,a carnivorous neotropical catfish

This study aimed to analyse the effects of different water temperatures on the growth, survival and blood physiological parameters of Lophiosilurus alexandri. Juveniles measuring 12.6 ± 0.5 cm and weighing 30.6 ± 3.6 g were subjected to four water temperature regimes: 23, 26, 29 and 32°C with four replicates. The animals were fed twice daily with formulated diet. The experiment lasted for 35 days. Survival was 100% at all water temperatures, and the best temperature for growth was estimated to be 27.8°C using a quadratic regression model. The estimated temperatures for the best feed conversion and highest feed consumption rates were 26.2 and 28.8°C respectively. The fat visceral‐somatic index was highest at 32°C. The highest haemoglobin and haematocrit values were 29.4 and 32.1°C respectively. For plasma protein and cholesterol, the lowest values estimated were 23.9 and 24.1°C respectively. Glucose and liver nitrogen content increased with rising temperature. Higher values of total ammonia in the water were observed at higher temperatures. No effects of temperature were seen on the amounts of muscle dry matter, nitrogen, energy content and triglycerides or on the hepatosomatic index. Water temperature has an important role in the developmental and blood physiological parameters of juvenile L. alexandri, and the quadratic regression model showed that the appropriate temperature for growth is between 27 and 28°C.     

Comparison of Quality‐Related Alleles Among Australian and North American Wheat Classes Exported to Japan

Grain hardness, amylose content, and glutenin subunit composition are critical determinants for end‐use properties of wheat. To improve the end‐use properties of domestic wheats, we studied these traits between the Australian and North American wheat classes exported to Japan in 2009 and 2011 by analyzing the corresponding alleles. Most hard classes had Pina‐D1b or Pinb‐D1b. A partial waxy allele (Wx‐B1b) was found in all Australian Standard White (ASW) seeds in 2009 and two‐thirds of ASW seeds in 2011. All or most American hard wheat seeds had Glu‐D1d. Most U.S. Western White (WW) seeds had a null allele (Glu‐A1c) or alleles that lacked one of the two Glu‐B1 subunits. Most hard red winter (HRW) seeds had Glu‐B3b or Glu‐B3g. Quality characteristics of these classes seemed to be consistent with these results. In addition, we also found new Glu‐1 and Glu‐3 alleles in HRW and WW. These results suggested that although there are variations in its allelic composition from year to year, each class has unique quality‐related alleles corresponding to its end use. We proposed two matrices for classification of starch properties on the basis of Pin and Wx allelic combinations and for classification of gluten strength on the basis of glutenin allelic combinations.     

Seasonal variation of domoic acid in a bivalve Spondylus versicolor in association with that in plankton samples in Nha Phu Bay,Khanh Hoa,Vietnam

Previously we reported that a significant level of domoic acid, a causative toxin for amnesic shellfish poisoning, was detected in bivalves belonging to a genus Spondylus from various tropical Asian countries. These findings indicate that causative plankton species for domoic acid widely distribute in these areas. In the present study, we monitored seasonal change of domoic acid level of Spondylus versicolor in association with that of plankton samples in Nha Phu Bay, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam from December 2004 to October 2005. The toxicity of S. versicolor showed distinct seasonal variation. During the period when domoic acid level of S. versicolor was increasing, a significant level of domoic acid was detected in the plankton samples, showing the correlation between these two parameters. These findings show that plankton causative for domoic acid occurred in the bay, and S. versicolor accumulate domoic acid during a bloom of the toxic plankton by food web transfer.     

Therapeutic and adverse effects of flunixin-meglumine in adult and young cats

In this study, we elucidated the difference in nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug sensitivities between young and adult cats on therapeutic and adverse effects. In the prevention of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hyperthermia using flunixin-meglumine, young (<3 months old) and adult (>12 months old) cats of both sexes were given LPS (0.3 μg/kg, i.v.), and body temperature was measured 24 hr later. Flunixin (1 mg/kg, s.c.) was administered 30 min before the LPS injection. LPS-induced hyperthermia was almost completely inhibited by pre-treatment with flunixin in both adult and young cats. In addition, flunixin showed almost the same antipyretic effects in both young and adult cats. The animals were administered flunixin (1 mg/kg, s.c.) once a day for 3 days, and sacrificed 24 hr later to examine the gastrointestinal mucosal lesions. In adult cats, flunixin caused many severe lesions in the small intestine. In contrast, very few gastrointestinal lesions were produced by flunixin in young cats. In the pharmacokinetics of flunixin, plasma concentrations of flunixin were analysed using a high performance liquid chromatography. There were no significant differences in plasma concentration of flunixin between young and adult cats from 0.5 to 4 hr after the injection. These results demonstrated that NSAIDs could be used more safely in young than in adult cats from the points of gastrointestinal adverse effects. Furthermore, this difference in gastrointestinal lesions between adult and young cats was not related with the plasma concentration of flunixin.     

Use of microsatellite DNA and amplified fragment length polymorphism for Cherry salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) complex identification

Formosa landlocked salmon (Oncorhynchus masou formosanus), an endemic, critically endangered subspecies of Cherry salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) complex, is only found in Taiwan. Because the eyed eggs and ungutted carcasses of Pacific salmons (genus Oncorhynchus) are imported for aquaculture and food to Taiwan from overseas every year, the requirement for preventing illegal trade or accidental commercial imports to avoid unwanted fish from contaminating the gene pool of Formosa landlocked salmon and infect them with diseases is critical for the conservation of Formosa landlocked salmon. Traditional morphology‐based species identification is impossible for salmon eggs and larvae that lack clearly defined morphological features. In the present study, the genetic differences among four subspecies (Oncorhynchus masou ishikawae, O. masou subsp., Oncorhynchus masou masou and O. masou formosanus) of Cherry salmon complex were determined from microsatellite DNA and amplified fragment length polymorphism analyses. We successfully generated a genetic marker to aid traditional taxonomy and investigate the integrity of the current taxonomic status among members of Cherry salmon complex. Use of molecular markers, in combination with traditional morphological identification, is a promising tool for identifying four closely related subspecies of Cherry salmon complex.