Changes in mRNA of immune factors expressed by milk somatic cells of Holstein cows with hypocalcemia after calving

Changes in immune factors expressed by milk somatic cells from Holstein cows with hypocalcemia after calving were investigated in this study. Fourteen multiparous Holstein cows after their 3rd or 4th calving in one farm were used. The cows were divided into 2 groups: 7 cows needing treatment due to onset of hypocalcemia (hypocalcemia group; age = 5.53 ± 0.27 years, parity = 3.14 ± 0.14) and 7 cows without health problems (control group; age = 5.88 ± 0.31 years, parity = 3.57 ± 0.26). Milk samples were collected aseptically using a cannula and mRNA of immune factors expressed by milk somatic cells were analyzed. Milk samples (50 mL) were collected from the right rear mammary gland of cows before milking at day 1 and weeks 1, 2, 4, and 8 after calving. All milk samples showed a negative reaction to the California Mastitis Test. Levels of relative interleukin (IL)-6 and cathelicidin in the hypocalcemia group were lower than those in the control group in weeks 1 to 8. A significant difference in relative IL-6 levels was found in week 4 (P < 0.05). These results suggest that levels of IL-6 expressed by milk somatic cells may be affected by hypocalcemia in dairy cows.     

Copper-associated hepatitis in a young Dalmatian dog in Japan

A male 25-month-old Dalmatian dog attended our veterinary hospital because of anorexia and high circulating liver enzyme activities. Abdominal computed tomography showed a slightly small liver with rounded edges, and laparoscopic examination showed that the liver was yellowish. Histopathological examination revealed multifocal necrosis of hepatocytes and severe chronic hepatitis. Rhodanine staining showed severe copper accumulation in hepatocytes and a quantitative analysis of the copper content of the liver showed substantial accumulation (10.3 mg/g dry mass), suggesting a diagnosis of copper-associated hepatitis. Previously reported canine mutation in the COMMD1, the gene responsible for the copper-associated hepatitis in the Bedlington terrier, was not identified. To our knowledge, this is the first report of copper-associated hepatitis in a Dalmatian in Japan.     

Stock structure of Japanese flounder inferred from morphological and genetic analyses

ABSTRACT:   Stock structure of Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus has been inferred mainly from either morphological or genetic analyses. However, because the results of both analyses did not always agree with each other, an inclusive conclusion has never been obtained. In this study, the stock structure has been inferred from both morphological and genetic analyses using 722 wild Japanese flounder collected from nine locations along the Japanese coast. The dorsal and anal fin ray counts were larger in the southern than in the northern populations. In total, 1041 bp of mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit-2 ( ND2 ) and 1830 bp of ND5 sequences were aligned. There are 578 variable sites in the concatenated sequence from the two genes, which defined a total of 490 haplotypes. Both results of morphological and genetic analyses indicated that the western Kyushu group, which included the Nagasaki and Kagoshima populations, was divided from the other seven populations. This is the first report to reveal the heterogeneity of the western Kyushu group based on statistical analysis.     

Effect of different dietary taurine levels on the conjugated bile acid composition and growth performance of juvenile and fingerling Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus

This study investigated the effects of different taurine levels on the conjugated bile acid composition and growth performance of juvenile and fingerling Japanese flounder. Five level diets of dietary taurine were prepared by the supplementation of taurine (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1.5%) to a basal composition. Fish meal washed with 70% ethanol to remove taurine was used as the sole protein source. Two feeding experiments were carried out at 20 °C by using different sized fish (BW: 0.7 g and 9.6 g). Both size groups of fish were fed the experimental diets for 6 weeks. At the end of experiments, fish were weighed and stored at − 80 °C for analysis of free amino acids and conjugated bile acids composition. The body weight and feed efficiency of Japanese flounder were improved by taurine supplementation in the experimental diets. The taurine contents of the whole body and tissues increased with the increase of the taurine supplementation. The conjugated bile acids in gall bladder were composed with taurocholic acid (Expt.I: 33.0-146.8 mg/ml; Expt.II: 64.8-145.3 mg/ml) and taurochenodeoxycholic acid (Expt.I: 0.8-5.5 mg/ml; Expt.II: 3.5-4.9 mg/ml). These bile acids increased with the increase of the dietary taurine level. Taurocholic acid accounted for more than 95% of the total conjugated bile acids. No other conjugated bile acids except the taurine conjugated bile acids were detected in the gall bladder of Japanese flounder. This means that taurine is the sole amino acid to conjugate bile acid in Japanese flounder. Dietary taurine intake affects the conjugated bile acid composition in juvenile and fingerling Japanese flounder.