Questionnaire-based study on consumer requirements for beef quality in Japan

A questionnaire study examining Japanese consumers’ requirements for beef quality was carried out in April 2002 in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. Answers from 532 participants were used for the statistical analysis. Twenty questions about sensory properties, appearance, safety and freshness, production area, price, and other properties were prepared. The answers were applied to principal component analysis. Five principal components were obtained and defined, and the principle component scores were used to classify participants. The panels were classified into four groups profiled as ‘specific quality orientated’, ‘Wagyu (Japanese beef) orientated’, ‘safety and freshness orientated’ and ‘overall high quality orientated’. In addition, gender and age characteristics were different among the groups. Sensory properties did not affect the classification of respondents.     

Contribution of insulin to the ascorbate recycling system in the chicken liver

The effect of insulin on the ascorbate recycling system in the chicken liver was examined. First, insulin was injected subcutaneously into the chicken, and liver glutathione‐dependent dehydroascorbate reductase (GSH‐DHAR) activity was determined. Insulin increased liver GSH‐DHAR activity, but did not affect plasma and liver ascorbate concentration. Dehydroascorbate increased plasma and liver ascorbate levels, and liver GSH‐DHAR activity. However, distinct changes in plasma insulin level were not observed by dehydroascorbate injection. In addition, reduction of external dehydroascorbate in cultured chicken hepatocytes could not be observed in an insulin‐deprived culture, although the cells reduced external dehydroascorbate in a serum‐free culture with insulin. We concluded that insulin affects the ascorbate recycling system as an essential factor in the chicken liver.     

The effect of depopulation and restocking on reproductive and growth performances on Japanese commercial swine farms

This study compared the reproductive and growth performances of pigs before and after depopulation and restocking after a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Japan. Data for the time period before and after depopulation and restocking were obtained from three farrow-to-finish farms. As a result of depopulation and restocking, hygiene levels were improved, and common infectious diseases, such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome and Aujeszky’s disease, remained undetected on the farms. Compared with before depopulation, reproductive and growth performances improved after depopulation; the number of total pigs born was higher, the postweaning mortality rate was lower, and the age at slaughter was lower (P<0.05). In summary, depopulation and restocking improved the reproductive and growth performances of pigs.     

Effects of oral orbifloxacin on fecal coliforms in healthy cats: a pilot study

The study objective was to determine the effect of oral orbifloxacin (ORB) on antimicrobial susceptibility and composition of fecal coliforms in cats. Nine cats were randomized to two groups administered a daily oral dose of 2.5 and 5.0 mg ORB/kg for 7 days and a control group (three cats per group). Coliforms were isolated from stool samples and were tested for susceptibilities to ORB and 5 other drugs. ORB concentration in feces was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The coliforms were undetectable after 2 days of ORB administration, and their number increased in most cats after termination of the administration. Furthermore, only isolates of Escherichia coli were detected in all cats before administration, and those of Citrobacter freundii were detected after termination of the administration. E. coli isolates exhibited high ORB susceptibility [Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), ≤0.125 µg/ml] or relatively low susceptibility (MIC, 1−2 µg/ml) with a single gyrA mutation. C. freundii isolates largely exhibited intermediate ORB susceptibility (MIC, 4 µg/ml), in addition to resistance to ampicillin and cefazolin, and harbored qnrB, but not a gyrA mutation. HPLC revealed that the peaks of mean concentration were 61.3 and 141.0 µg/g in groups receiving 2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg, respectively. Our findings suggest that oral ORB may alter the total counts and composition of fecal coliform, but is unlikely to yield highly fluoroquinolone-resistant mutants of E. coli and C. freundii in cats, possibly because of the high drug concentration in feces.     

Comparison of intraoperative cardiorespiratory and behavioral responses to medetomidine combined with tramadol or butorphanol during standing laparoscopic ovariectomy in horses

The purpose of this study was to assess the cardiorespiratory and behavioral responses to the combination of medetomidine and tramadol (M-T) or butorphanol (M-B) in standing laparoscopic ovariectomy in horses. One ovary was removed under M-T and the contralateral ovary was removed under M-B with at least 4 weeks between operations at random. Horses were sedated using intravenous medetomidine (5 µg/kg) followed by tramadol (1 mg/kg) or butorphanol (10 µg/kg) after 5 min. Sedation was maintained through the repeated injection of medetomidine (1 µg/kg) and tramadol (0.4 mg/kg) or medetomidine (1 µg/kg) and butorphanol (4 µg/kg) every 15 min. Cardiorespiratory function and behavioral responses, including, sedation, ataxia, and analgesia, were assessed during the surgery. There were no significant differences in cardiorespiratory values and sedation and analgesia scores between M-T and M-B. Ataxia scores were significantly lower in M-T than in M-B. This result suggests that M-T could maintain smooth and stable standing surgery with minimal cardiorespiratory changes in horses.     

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.     

Phylogenetic relationships of rodent pinworms (genus Syphacia) in Japan inferred from mitochondrial CO1 gene sequences

Species of the genus Syphacia are considered to have generally co-evolved with their rodent hosts. This study determined partial sequences of the CO1 gene from several species in the genus Syphacia and discuss the relationships between pinworms and their hosts. Syphacia montana, which parasitizes Microtinae, was closely related to S. frederici and S. obvelata, which parasitize Murinae. Although both S. obvelata and S. ohtaorum parasitize rodents in the genus Mus, these two species were not found to be closely related to each other. Syphacia frederici, S. emileromani and S. agraria are all pinworms of the Apodemus species, but genetic affiliation between these three species was not indicated. These facts suggest that the co-evolutionary relationship between species of the genus Syphacia and their host rodents may not so strict and host switching has probably occurred during the course of evolution.     

Ophiostomatoid fungi associated with bark beetles onAbies veitchii in wave-regenerated forests

Relationships between tree mortality and bark beetle infestation onAbies veitchii at the wave-regenerated forest in Mt. Asahi, Okuchichibu area were investigated. Most of the firs with green needles and newly developed current year’s shoots in the dieback zone were heavily infested by bark beetles before the death of the trees. After heavy infestation of beetles, about half of the infested firs died within the year, and the other half died in the next year. When the species composition of bark beetles and associated ophiostomatoid fungi were investigated in Mt. Asahi and also at a typical wave-regenerated forest in Mt. Shimagare, Yatsugatake area,Cryphalus montanus andC. piceae were dominant beetle species for Mt. Asahi and Mt. Shimagare, respectively.Ophiostoma subalpinum andO. europhioides were dominant fungal species at both wave-generated forests. BecauseO. subalpinum was detected more frequently from deeper areas of sapwood thanO. europhioides, it was suggested that the fungal species may accelerate the death of stressed firs in wave-regenerated forests. Contribution No. 169, Laboratory of Plant Parasitic Mycology, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Tsukuba.     

Effect of a single injection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on testicular blood flow measured by color doppler ultrasonography in male Shiba goats

Although color Doppler ultrasonography has been used to evaluate testicular blood flow in many species, very little has been done in goat. Eight male Shiba goats were exposed to a single intramuscular injection of either gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH group; 1 µg/kg BW) or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG group; 25 IU/kg BW). Plasma testosterone (T), estradiol (E2) and inhibin (INH) were measured just before (0 hr) and at different intervals post injection by radioimmunoassay. Testis volume (TV) and Doppler indices, such as resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) of the supratesticular artery, were measured by B-mode and color Doppler ultrasonography, respectively. The results indicated an increase in testicular blood flow in both groups, as RI and PI decreased significantly (P<0.05), but this increase was significant higher and earlier in hCG group (1 hr) than in the GnRH group (2 hr). A high correlation was found for RI and PI with both T (RI, r= −0.862; PI, r= −0.707) and INH in the GnRH group (RI, r=0.661; PI, r=0.701). However, a significant (P<0.05) correlation was found between E2 and both RI (r= −0.610) and PI (r= −0.763) in hCG group. In addition, TV significantly increased and was highly correlated with RI in both groups (GnRH, r= −0.718; hCG, r= −0.779). In conclusion, hCG and GnRH may improve testicular blood flow and TV in Shiba goats.