Molecular characterization of A2 and D strains of Soybean mosaic virus, which caused a recent virus outbreak in soybean cultivar Sachiyutaka in Chugoku and Shikoku regions of Japan

Coat protein sequences of two isolates in strain A₂ and five isolates in strain D of Soybean mosaic virus (SMV), which caused a recent mosaic outbreak in soybeans (cv. Sachiyutaka) in Chugoku and Shikoku in Japan, were compared to published data on 15 other Asian-origin isolates. Sequence comparison and cluster analysis showed that SMV isolates of strain A₂ from these districts were closely related, as were those of strain D, but strains A₂ and D were not. Thus, the two strains may have different origins and be carried through seed transmission.     

Irrigated guayule — Evapotranspiration and plant water stress

Natural rubber is a critical agricultural material, and guayule (Parthenium argentatum Gray) is the most promising domestic, agricultural source. A study on guayule was initiated to provide information on the water requirements and plant water stress behavior for this new perennial crop. Measured evapotranspiration averaged 3000, 2410, 2040, 1720, 1470 and 1520 mm, from May 1981 to December 1982, in decreasing order of water applications on the six irrigation treatments from the wettest to the driest. These evapotranspiration values indicated that the water use by guayule can be higher than many former estimates for an arid-type crop. Plant canopy temperatures also showed a progressive increase in plant water stress as irrigation water amounts decreased. The two-fold decrease in evapotranspiration from the wet to dry treatments corresponded to a four-fold increase in plant water stress indices based on remote infrared thermometer measurements. Both the concepts of stress degree days and crop water stress index, evaluated over the entire growing cycle, correlated well with the measured evapotranspiration. Even though the guayule plant can withstand long periods of drought, moisture stress will occur within a relatively short period of time after an irrigation for the guayule crop.     

INTRAOPERATIVE SPINAL ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN DOGS: NORMAL FINDINGS AND CASE-HISTORY REPORTS

Intraoperative spinal ultrasonography was performed in cervical and lumbar spine of 2 and 5 normal dogs, respectively, following ventral slot technique or dorsal or hemilamenectomy. The dura was hyperechoic, while the parenchyma was hypoechoic. The subarachnoid space was anechoic. An echogenic line was present in the center of the spinal cord, as seen in human. Pulsation of the spinal cord was noted during M-mode imaging. Clinical findings of one dog with thoracolumbar disk herniation and one with thoracic vertebral fracture/subluxation confirmed the usefulness of intraoperative spinal ultrasonography for real time evaluation of spinal canal spatial abnormalities (mass lesion and degree of spinal cord compression on scanning planes) and spinal cord motion. Follow-up ultrasound examinations were possible from 6 days postoperatively.     

Glomerulopathy with IgA deposition in the dog.

In 100 dogs autopsied, glomerular IgA deposition was examined by the immunofluorescence technique and the histopathological features of glomeruli with IgA deposition were examined by light and electron microscopy. The incidence of the IgA deposition was age-related but there were no sex and breed predisposition. Deposition of IgA was observed mainly in mesangial areas in approximately a half (47%) of dogs examined. IgG, IgM and C3 often co-deposited. Histopathology of the glomeruli with IgA deposition indicated increase of mesangial cells, crescent formation, hemispherical deposits in paramesangial areas and glomerular sclerosis. Ultrastructurally electron dense substances positive for IgA deposited in mesangial and paramesangial areas. The examination to know the relation between the severity of IgA deposition and the number of mesangial cells or percent of the cells to total glomerular cells indicated that mesangial cells increased at the early stage of the disease and subsequently epithelial and endothelial cells proliferated as the increasing amount of IgA. Dogs suffering from enteritis or liver diseases showed high incidence of glomerular IgA deposition.     

Quantitative structure-activity study of insecticidal 2-methoxy-5-(substituted-phenyl)-1, 3, 2-oxazaphospholidine 2-sulfides against Musca domestica L. by topical application

The quantitative relationship between the structure of 2-methoxy-5-(substituted-phenyl)-1, 3, 2-oxazaphospholidine 2-sulfides (5-PMOS) and their insecticidal activity against the house fly. Musca domestica L., was analyzed using reported physicochemical parameters and regression analysis. The electronic nature of the substituent on the phenyl group of 5-PMOS has the most significant effect on the activity, followed by hydrophobic and steric effects; the optimum value of Σρ is zero and the more hydrophobic the substituents on the phenyl group, the higher the insecticidal activity. The plots of observed pLD₅₀, values against calculated pLD₅₀ values for compounds having substituents in the ortho-position deviated downwards from those of compounds having substituents at the meta and/or para positions. This ortho-effect, which reduces the insecticidal activity of compounds having substituents at the ortho-position, was expressed by a dummy parameter D, which has the value 2 for di-ortho-substituted derivatives, 1 for mono-ortho-substituted derivatives and zero for others. Thus, the highest activity was obtained for 2-methoxy-5-phenyl-1, 3, 2-oxazaphospholidine 2-sulfide, and the activity was decreased by the introduction of any substituents on the phenyl group.     

The cumulative methane production from dairy cattle slurry can be explained by its volatile solid,temperature and length of storage

In order to refine the national estimate of methane emission from stored cattle slurry, it is important to comprehend the basic characteristics of methane production. Two dairy cattle slurries were obtained from livestock farms located in Hokkaido (a northern island) and Kyushu (a southern island). The slurries were diluted with water into three levels: undiluted, three times diluted, and 10 times diluted. Three hundred mL of the slurries were put into a bottle with a headspace volume of 2.0 L, which was filled with nitrogen gas and then sealed by butyl rubber. Four levels of temperature were used for incubation: 35, 25, 15 and 5 °C. The time course of the cumulative methane production per volatile solid (VS) was satisfactorily expressed by an asymptotic regression model. The effect of dilution on the methane production per VS was not distinctive, but that of temperature was of primary importance. In particular, higher temperature yields a higher potential production and a shorter time when the cumulative production reaches half of the potential production. The inclusive and simple models obtained in this study indicate that the cumulative methane production from stored cattle slurry can be explained by VS, temperature and length of storage.     

The use of accelerometer to measure sleeping posture of beef cows

Sleep is one of the essential behaviors for mammals. The aims of this study were to validate the use of accelerometer for measuring sleeping posture of cattle. Duration of sleeping posture of seven Japanese Black cows from 19.00 to 07.00 hours was measured by both accelerometer and video, and a total of 67 accelerometer and video measurement sets were collected. We calculated Cohen's κ coefficient between accelerometer and video measurements and 91.5% of the κ‐values were >0.80. Intra‐ and inter‐observer coefficient of variance showed that specific acceleration waveform patterns of sleeping posture could be easily and accurately detected by independent observers. There were no significant differences in the frequency of sleeping posture occurrences between accelerometer and video measurements. We compared averaged sleeping posture bout, and the total sleeping posture time between accelerometer and video measurements using regression. In each trait, the slope was close to 1 and the intercept was not different from 0, which showed a strong agreement between accelerometer and video measurements. This shows that an accelerometer could accurately detect sleeping postures of cattle. We conclude that adequate measurements of sleeping postures can be made using an accelerometer.     

Practical Application of Miyazaki Jitokko Chickens Selected for a Superior Allele at a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Site in the Cholecystokinin Type A Receptor Gene

This study aimed to examine 1) whether selection for a superior allele at a single nucleotide polymorphism site (SNP; {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"AB604331","term_id":"315258605","term_text":"AB604331"}}AB604331, g.420 C>A) of the chicken cholecystokinin type A receptor (CCKAR) gene in Miyazaki Jitokko chickens is detectable in commercial poultry farms, and 2) whether the reproductive traits of the Kyushu Rhode hens, as a maternal stock line of the Miyazaki Jitokko chickens, are affected by SNP selection. Conventional and A-allele fixed (improved) Miyazaki Jitokko chicks were hatched on the same day and raised in a battery cage until 7 days of age. The chicks were then deposited at two commercial poultry farms and reared until slaughter at 126 and 163 days for cockerels and pullets, respectively. Body weight on the day of hatching (day 0), at 5 days of age, and at slaughter were measured. The differences in the body weights of the farm and test groups at slaughter were analyzed using the generalized linear model. A-allele fixation increased the body weight at slaughter by approximately +123.5 g and +131.9 g in cockerels and pullets, respectively. No significant differences between the conventional and improved hens were detected in terms of egg-laying rate, fertilization rate, and hatchability in the Kyushu Rhode hens. The data suggest that fattening chicks can be supplied as usual, even if Kyushu Rhode hens are switched from the conventional to improved type. In conclusion, genetic improvements using the CCKAR SNP site as a marker were effectively established in terms of the growth of the Miyazaki Jitokko chickens in commercial farms and the reproductive traits of the Kyushu Rhode hens.