Endemic infections of bovine viral diarrhea virus genotypes 1b and 2a isolated from cattle in Japan between 2014 and 2020

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a causative agent of bovine viral diarrhea. In Japan, a previous study reported that subgenotype 1b viruses were predominant until 2014. Because there is little information regarding the recent epidemiological status of BVDV circulating in Japan, we performed genetic characterization of 909 BVDV isolates obtained between 2014 and 2020. We found that 657 and 252 isolates were classified as BVDV-1 and BVDV-2, respectively, and that they were further subdivided into 1a (35 isolates, 3.9%), 1b (588, 64.7%), 1c (34, 3.7%), and 2a (252, 27.7%). Phylogenetic analysis using entire E2 coding sequence revealed that a major domestic cluster in Japan among BVDV-1b and 2a viruses were unchanged from a previous study conducted from 2006 to 2014. These results provide updated information concerning the epidemic strain of BVDV in Japan, which would be helpful for appropriate vaccine selection.     

Bioremediation of organically enriched sediment deposited below fish farms with artificially mass-cultured colonies of a deposit-feeding polychaete <Emphasis Type="Italic">Capitella</Emphasis> sp. I

ABSTRACT:   For bioremediation of organically enriched sediment deposited below fish farms, the extremely high potential for population growth of a deposit-feeding polychaete, Capitella sp. I, in the organically enriched sediment, and the effect on decomposition of organic matter in the sediment, were examined. A mass-culturing technique was conducted for this species. Bioremediation experiments were conducted on the organically enriched sediment in a fish farm in Kusuura Bay, Japan in 2003–2006. Approximately 1.7 million individuals of the worms were placed on the sediment below one net pen in December 2003, 9.3 million individuals in November 2004, and 2.2 million individuals in November 2005. After the worms were spread on the sediment, they rapidly increased in number and reached the highest densities of approximately 134 000 inds/m² in February 2004, 527 000 inds/m² in March 2005 and 103 000 inds/m² in January 2006. In the process of rapid population growth, the decomposition of the organic matter of the sediment was enhanced markedly. Our results demonstrate that the promotion of population growth by spreading cultured colonies of Capitella can enhance the decomposition rate of organic matter markedly in organically enriched sediment below fish farms. This method is promising for minimization of the negative effects of fish farms.     

Plasma Membrane Lipids Are the Powerful Components for Early Stage Aluminum Tolerance in Triticale

The order of aluminum (Al) tolerance in triticale lines (ST2>ST22) after re-elongation in an Al-free 0.2 mM calcium (Ca) solution for 9 h (Ca period) following 1 h pretreatment with 20 μM Al (Al period) agreed with that after 24 h of Al treatment. Permeability of the plasma membrane (PM) of root-tip cells after the Ca period was significantly increased in Al-sensitive ST22. Al was accumulated more heavily in the root-tip portion of ST22 than in that of ST2, although similar amounts of malic and citric acid anions were released from both triticale lines. We established a new system examining lipid permeability using synthesized nylon-2,8 ultrathin and porous capsules trapped previously with 0.1% (w/v) methylene blue solution and coated thereafter with PM lipid isolated from root tips by a newly developed technique. Permeability of the PM lipid measured with time in 0.2 mM Ca with or without 50 μM Al photometrically ( A ₆₈₀) was significantly greater in Al-sensitive ST22 after 5 min of Al treatment. This is the first report to directly show the primary and early role of PM lipid in Al tolerance in triticale.     

Effect of Inoculation with Anaerobic Nitrogen-Fixing Consortium on Salt Tolerance of Miscanthus sinensis

A functional community of bacterial endophytes, an anaerobic nitrogen-fixing consortium (ANFICO), was previously isolated from grasses. In the present study, we investigated another function of ANFICO. The grass Miscanthus sinensis was inoculated with an ANFICO that included Clostridium sp. Kas201-1 and Enterobacter sp. B901-2 and was more tolerant to salinity stress than uninoculated or B901-2-inoculated plants. Microscopic observations using an immunostaining technique revealed the presence of endophytic colonization by the clostridia and the maintenance of a substantial clostridial population until the end of plant cultivation. We conclude that endophytic Clostridium sp. Kas201-1 accompanying Enterobacter sp. B901-2 enhances the salinity tolerance of the host plant.     

Molecular design of antifungal agents

In a rational approach to the design of antifungal agents against Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a series of alkyl gallates (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoates) were synthesized and assayed. Nonyl gallate (1) was found to be the most effective with a minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of 12.5 microg/mL (42 microM), followed by octyl gallate (2) with an MFC of 25 microg/mL (89 microM). These MFCs are little influenced by pH values. A time-kill curve study indicates that nonyl gallate exhibits fungicidal activity against S. cerevisiae at any growing stage. The antifungal activity of nonyl gallate is due primarily to its ability to act as a nonionic surface-active agent (surfactant). The length of the alkyl group is not a major contributor but plays a role in eliciting the activity to a large extent. As far as alkyl gallates are concerned, their antimicrobial spectra and potency depend largely on the hydrophobic portion of the molecules.     

Polypolar spindle formation during first cell cycle in rainbow trout <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus mykiss</Emphasis> embryos after heat-shock treatment

ABSTRACT:   Heat shock has been used to inhibit cleavage for the induction of monogenic diploids or tetraploids in animals, but usually the success rate is low. Heat-shocked rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss embryos were used in this histological study to clarify the causes of this low success rate. Embryos treated with hydrostatic pressure were used for comparison. After heat shock had disorganized the spindles, polypolar (tripolar or tetrapolar) spindles in addition to bipolar spindles were often reassembled soon after treatment. The embryos then completed tripolar or tetrapolar division at the first mitosis, and directly turned into three- or four-cell embryos as a result of the first cleavage. During the second mitosis, a monopolar spindle was formed in each blastomere of four-cell embryos and approximately 60% of three-cell embryos. In the remaining three-cell embryos, two of the three blastomeres formed a monopolar spindle, and the third one formed a bipolar spindle. The formation of polypoles is assumed to be caused by insufficient disorganization of daughter centrioles and splitting from the mother centriole by heat shock. Polypolar division is considered to be the cause of aneuploidy and the low success rate of chromosome set doubling. In the case of hydrostatic pressure treatment, the regenerated spindles were bipolar in almost all embryos.     

Effect of grain direction on transmittance of 100-GHz millimeter wave for hinoki (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chamaecyparis obtusa</Emphasis>)

The attenuation coefficients of 100-GHz millimeter waves polarized linearly were measured for cross-cut, quarter-sawn, and flat-sawn boards of hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa) that were 0.2–2.0 cm thick. This was done to examine the applicability of free-wave propagation theory for applying electromagnetic waves to wood. It was found that the transmittance of a millimeter wave through the specimen boards was lower when the fiber direction of a board was parallel to the direction of the electric field of the incident wave than when the fiber direction was perpendicular to the electric field, and there was little difference in the transmittance between the tangential and radial directions for the former case. These findings can be quantitatively explained by using propagation theory and the dielectric properties of wood.     

Analysis of chromosome-sized DNA and genome typing of isolated strains ofTaylorella equigenitalis

Analysis of chromosome-sized DNA and genome typing ofTaylorella equigenitalis NCTC11184, Kentucky 188, and five strains ofT. equigenitalis isolated in Japan were carried out. The three restriction enzymes used,ApaI,NaeI andNotI, cleaved the genomic DNAs of five Japanese strains ofT. equigenitalis into relatively limited numbers of restriction fragments, which were well resolved on crossed-field gel electrophoresis (CFGE). The respective profiles after CFGE of the restriction fragments from all five strains were essentially identical to each other after digestion byApaI,NaeI orNotI. Hence it appears that these strains have a common genome type with respect to these three restriction enzymes. It was also shown that the respective profiles from these strains were essentially different from those ofT. equigenitalis NCTC11184 and those of Kentucky 188 after digestion withApaI,NaeI orNotI.Abbreviations CFGE crossed-field gel electrophoresis - FIGE field inversion gel electrophoresis - PFGE pulsed-field gel electrophoresis