Influences of aluminum ions on the determination of zpc (zero point of charge) of variable charge soils

Influence of Al dissolution on soil ZPC (zero point of charge) measured by a potentio-metric titration (PT) method and a modified salt titration (STPT) method was examined using two strongly weathered soils from Thailand and two volcanic ash soils from Japan. The amount of dissolved Al ions increased with the increase in the concentration of a supporting electrolyte for the strongly weathered soils, while the increase was negligible for the volcanic ash soils.

ZPC value of the strongly weathered soils determined by the PT method was lower than that by the STPT method, due to the greater Al dissolution associated with the higher electrolyte concentration used in the PT method. Al ions adsorbed onto the soil surface would shift the ZPC to a higher pH value not as a result of the formation of hydroxy Al polymers, but due to the blocking of permanent negative charge sites, which could otherwise lower the ZPC. The σp value, as a measure of permanent charge or the amount of 11 or O11 adsorbed by a soil required to attain the ZPC, could be used to describe this phenomenon.

In the STPT method, the salt concentration was not high enough to causc a significant Al dissolution at the ZPC, which is considered to be a more suitable condition than in the PT method because the ZPC value can be evaluated at a low salt concentration as in the ease of field conditions for crop production. Thus, the STPT method is rccommendcd for the determination of the ZPC.     

Ethanol production from sugi pulp under simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using a cocktail enzyme of T. reesei and A. tubingensis produced by solid-state fermentation

The process of solid-state fermentation was used to produce a cocktail enzyme of Trichoderma reesei ATCC 66587 and Aspergillus tubingensis KRCF 700-33. Wheat bran, corncob, and sugi pulp were supplemented with ammonium sulfate as an enzyme-producing medium using T. reesei and A. tubingensis. The corncob blend ratio, duration of incubation, and ammonium sulfate concentration were optimized for enhancing cellulase production from T. reesei using a Box-Behnken design. Filter paper degrading activity more than tripled when T. reesei was grown in the optimized medium, as compared with the initial medium. The highest activity of 4.03 FPU/ml (about 29 FPU/g of dry material) was obtained with a cocktail enzyme having a 25 % content of A. tubingensis and 75 % of T. reesei. The sugi pulp was then fermented to ethanol with the cocktail enzyme and thermotolerant yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae BA-11) under simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) at 40 °C. An ethanol concentration of 4.48 % (w/v) was achieved using the cocktail enzyme (4 FPU/g-pulp) that was produced on-site with a substrate loading level of 12.5 wt %, which achieved an ethanol yield of 76 % after 72 h.     

Breeding and brewing quality of the Canadian malting barley variety ‘CDC Goldstar’ lacking lipoxygenase-1

Various types of malt quality profiles have been investigated to benefit the North American brewing industry. Herein, we report the development and brewing quality of the hulled, two-row malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) variety ‘CDC Goldstar’ lacking lipoxygenase-1 (LOX-1-less). This new variety offers a novel malt type for the improvement of beer flavor stability. The agronomic performance of ‘CDC Goldstar’ was tested in the Western Cooperative Two Row Barley Registration Trials during 2013–2014. In addition to high lodging tolerance, the new variety showed 6% higher yield than the current leading variety ‘CDC Copeland’. The malt quality of ‘CDC Goldstar’ showed higher diastatic power and lower wort β-glucan content than ‘CDC Copeland’ and controllable proteolytic modification (soluble nitrogen and Kolbach Index). Pilot- (100 L) and commercial-scale (5,000 L) brewing trials were conducted using ‘CDC PlatinumStar’, another LOX-1-less variety with a low enzymatic profile, as the control variety. Absence of the LOX-1 trait from ‘CDC Goldstar’ maintained trans-2-nonenal levels in aged beers as low as those in other LOX-1-less varieties without affecting major beer parameters, such as ester and aldehyde content or foam stability. The newly developed ‘CDC Goldstar’ malting barley provides added value for the beer industry and consumers.     

Effects of photoperiod on the secretion of growth hormone in female goats

The aim of the present study was to clarify the effect of photoperiod on the secretion of growth hormone (GH) in goats. Adult female goats were kept at 20°C with an 8‐h or 16‐h photoperiod, and secretory patterns of GH for 4 h (12.00 to 16.00 hours) were compared. In addition, the goats were kept under a 16‐h photoperiod and orally administered saline (controls) or melatonin, and the effects of melatonin on the secretion of GH were examined. GH was secreted in a pulsatile manner. There were no significant differences in pulse frequency between the 8‐ and 16‐h photoperiods; however, GH pulse amplitude tended to be greater in the group with the 16‐h photoperiod (P = 0.1), and mean GH concentrations were significantly greater in the 16‐h photoperiod (P < 0.05). The GH‐releasing response to GH‐releasing hormone (GHRH) was also significantly greater for the 16‐h photoperiod (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in GH pulse frequency between the saline‐ and melatonin‐treated groups. However, GH pulse amplitude and mean GH concentrations were significantly greater in the saline‐treated group (P < 0.05). The present results show that a long photoperiod enhances the secretion of GH, and melatonin modifies GH secretion in female goats.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Nicotiana debneyi</Emphasis> has a single dominant gene causing hybrid lethality in crosses with <Emphasis Type="Italic">N. tabacum</Emphasis>

To elucidate the genetic mechanism of hybrid lethality observed in hybrids between cultivated tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum, and wild tobacco species in the section Suaveolentes, genetic analyses were conducted through the triple cross of the hybrids of wild species, including N. benthamiana and N. fragrans, and N. tabacum. N. benthamiana and N. fragrans produced only viable hybrids after crossing with N. tabacum. Subsequently, N. benthamiana and N. fragrans were crossed with N. africana, N. debneyi, and/or N. suaveolens, which produced inviable hybrids after crossing with N. tabacum. Hybrids of the wild species were obtained from four of the six cross combinations. Only when hybrid plants of N. debneyi × N. fragrans, whose hybridity was confirmed by morphological characteristics, random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis, and chromosome observation, were crossed with N. tabacum, triple hybrids were obtained and segregated 1:1 (lethal:viable). Based on these results, a single dominant gene, designated Hybrid Lethality A1 (HLA1), in N. debneyi was found to control hybrid lethality by the interaction with gene(s) on the Q chromosome in N. tabacum. This represents the first report to identify a causal gene for hybrid lethality in the genus Nicotiana.     

Macromorphometric study on ciliary body location in canine eyes

This macroscopic study firstly examined the precise locational information of the canine ciliary body, i.e., the ciliary crown and the ciliary ring in the beagle. The safe and effective transscleral laser photocoagulation technique requires the accurate location of the ciliary body. In both sides of the eyeball in 10 beagle dogs, the width of the ciliary ring and the distance from the limbus to the ciliary ring were measured with calipers using a stereomicroscope at the 8 points. The widest portion of ciliary body was found at the dorsal to ventro-temporal area of the lateral canthus (lateral portion of the eyelid; ear side). In contrast, the narrowest portion was seen at the ventro-nasal to nasal area of the medial canthus (medial portion of the eyelid; nasal quadrants). Use of transscleral photocoagulation at the present narrowest area of ciliary body may carry a high risk of destruction of the optic portion of retina.     

Molecular typing of VapA-positive Rhodococcus equi isolates from Jeju native horses, Korea

We recently demonstrated the presence of virulence-associated protein antigen (VapA)-positive Rhodococcus equi in Jeju Island, Korea. These bacteria contained one of two distinct plasmid types, a 90-kb type II plasmid, which has been found in isolates from the native Kiso horses of Japan, and a new variant, a 90-kb type V plasmid. However, the genotypic characters of the VapA-positive R. equi from Jeju native horses and their environments are poorly understood. Ninety-eight isolates from soil samples and 89 isolates from fecal samples were collected from five farms that breed or have bred Jeju native horses, and were tested for the presence of VapA by immunoblotting and PCR. Of the 98 soil isolates and 89 fecal isolates, seven and 13 were VapA-positive R. equi, respectively. In 2003, two Jeju foals died suddenly and were brought to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cheju National University, for postmortem examination. Pure cultures of R. equi were isolated from the lung lesions of both foals. Of the 16 clinical isolates, 14 were VapA-positive R. equi. Of the 34 VapA-positive clinical and environmental isolates, 16 contained the 90-kb type II plasmid and 18 contained a 90-kb type V plasmid. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns of the VapA-positive isolates from Jeju horses and Kiso horses, containing the 90-kb type II plasmid, were compared and formed two distinct groups. Furthermore, 18 virulent isolates containing the 90-kb type V plasmid formed two distinct PFGE groups (of 16 and two isolates). These results demonstrate that two virulence plasmid types are widespread in R. equi in Jeju native horses. However, there is little diversity in the PFGE patterns of virulent isolates, suggesting the clonal spread of virulent R. equi. The PFGE pattern of the virulent R. equi isolates from Jeju native horses in Korea is not identical to those of Kiso native horses in Japan.     

The prevalence of a group 2 coronavirus in dogs in Japan

Canine coronavirus (CCoV) has been reported to cause acute diarrhea mainly in young pups. CCoV and feline coronavirus are classified as group 1 coronaviruses. However, it has recently been reported in the United Kingdom that the group 2 coronavirus gene, which is more closely related to the bovine coronavirus (BCoV) and human coronavirus strain OC43, has been detected in respiratory tract tissue samples from dogs with respiratory disease. In this study, we examined the prevalence of antibodies to group 2 coronaviruses in domestic dogs and cats in Japan by a neutralization test using BCoV. All 104 feline serum samples were negative (<1:5) for anti-BCoV antibodies. In contrast, of the 898 canine serum samples, 160 (17.8%) were positive for anti-BCoV antibodies, and the antibody titers ranged from 1:5 to more than 1:640, with 1:160 being the most frequent. No correlation was found between the titers of the anti-BCoV and anti-CCoV antibodies in the 198 serum samples of dogs with a known history of CCoV vaccination. We amplified, by RT-PCR, group 2 coronavirus-specific hemagglutination/esterase genes in the oral swabs of a total of 10 young pups presenting with or having recovered from respiratory signs, or having anti-BCoV antibodies, with the result that 2 pups were positive for the hemagglutination/esterase genes. These results strongly suggest that an unknown group 2 coronavirus as well as the known enteritis-causing CCoV (group 1 coronavirus) is prevalent among domestic dogs in Japan.     

Relations between plasma IGF-I concentrations during treatment with CIDR-based or Ovsynch protocol for timed AI and conception in early postpartum Japanese black beef cows

We examined the relations between plasma insulin-like growth factor (IGF) -I concentrations during treatment with CIDR-based or Ovsynch protocol for timed AI and conception and plasma steroid concentrations in early postpartum Japanese Black beef cows. Cows in the control group (Ovsynch; n = 21) underwent Ovsynch protocol (GnRH analogue on Day 0, PGF(2alpha) analogue on Day 7, and GnRH analogue on Day 9), with AI on Day 10, approximately 20 h after the second GnRH treatment. Cows in the Ovsynch+CIDR group (n = 22) received Ovsynch protocol plus a CIDR for 7 days (starting on Day 0). Cows in the further treatment group (EB+CIDR+GnRH; n = 22) received 2 mg of estradiol benzoate (EB) on Day 0 in lieu of the first GnRH treatment, followed by the same treatment as in the Ovsynch+CIDR protocol. Plasma IGF-I concentrations were determined on Days -7, 0, 7, 9 and 17. Conception rates were improved in the CIDR-combined groups (both CIDR-treated groups were combined) relative to Ovsynch group (P < 0.05) for cows with low IGF-I concentrations (<1,000 ng/ml) on Days -7, 0, and 7, but improved conception rate produced by the CIDR-based protocols did not occur in cows with a high IGF-I concentration (> or =1,000 ng/ml). Plasma estradiol-17beta concentrations increased from Day 0 to 7 (P < 0.05) and were unchanged from Day 7 to 9 in the Ovsynch group with low IGF-I concentrations on Day 0, while they were unchanged from Day 0 to 7 and increased from Day 7 to 9 (P < 0.05) in the Ovsynch group with high IGF-I concentrations on Day 0 and in the CIDR-combined group. Plasma progesterone concentrations in the Ovsynch group with low IGF-I concentrations on Day 0 were higher on Day 14 than in the Ovsynch group with high IGF-I concentrations on Day 0 and in the CIDR-combined group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, CIDR-based protocols may improve conception relative to Ovsynch in early postpartum beef cows with lower plasma IGF-I concentrations at the start of the protocols. This improvement is probably due to prevention of premature increases of estradiol-17beta and progesterone concentrations, which occurred in cows with low IGF-I concentrations treated with Ovsynch, by the CIDR treatment.     

An ultrastructural study on the interaction of Mycoplasma gallisepticum with the chicken tracheal epithelium

Seven-day-old chickens wee intratracheally inoculated with Mycoplasma gallisepticum. The tracheas collected 6 and 14 days after chickens were inoculated were subjected to titration of mycoplasma and examination by light and electron microscopy. The mycoplasma organisms grew well; 10(7) to 10(8) color-changing units in a milligram of tissue were determined. Tracheal lesions occurred in close association with the presence of mycoplasmas and were characterized by degeneration of the epithelial cells and inflammatory cellular infiltration of the mucosa. Mycoplasmas were predominantly found extracellularly and only rarely in phagocytic vacuoles of the epithelial cells. Although the mycoplasmas exhibited considerable pleomorphism in size and shape, most of them were oval or round, and the largest diameters were between 300 and 700 mn. Elongated and irregular forms were also observed, particularly in those mycoplasmas adhering to the epithelial cells. The organism had a limiting unit membrane, the fibrillar nuclear area, the peripheral cytoplasmic area containing numerous ribosomes, and a terminal bleb structure. Mycoplasmas attached to the epithelial cells by their blebs close to the host cell membrane. At the attachment site, neither fusion of the membranes of the mycoplasma and host cell nor injury to the host cell membrane could be demonstrated. Nevertheless, seemingly, the intimate association between the adhering mycoplasmas and the epithelial cells might be an important factor in pathogenesis of the disease.