An association between lifespan and variation in insulin-like growth factor I receptor in sheep

Longevity in livestock is a valuable trait. When productive animals live longer, fewer replacement animals need to be raised. However, selection for longevity is not commonly the focus of breeding programs as direct selection for long-lived breeding stock is virtually impossible until late in the reproductive life of the animal. Additionally the underlying genetic factors or genes associated with longevity are either not known, or not well understood. In humans, there is evidence that IGF 1 receptor (IGF1R) is involved in longevity. Polymorphism in the IGF1R gene has been associated with longevity in a number of species. Recently, 3 alleles of ovine IGF1R were identified, but no analysis of the effect of IGF1R variation on sheep longevity has been reported. In this study, associations between ovine IGF1R variation, longevity and fertility were investigated. Polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) was used to type IGF1R variation in 1,716 New Zealand sheep belonging to 6 breeds and 36 flocks. Ovine IGF1R C was associated with age when adjusting for flock (present 5.5 ± 0.2 yr, absent 5.0 ± 0.1 yr, P = 0.02). A general linear mixed effects model suggested an association (P = 0.06) between age and genotype, when correcting for flock. Pairwise comparison (least significant difference) of specific genotypes revealed the difference to be between AA (5.0 ± 0.1 yr) and AC (5.6 ± 0.2 yr, P = 0.02). A weak negative Pearson correlation between fertility and longevity traits was observed (r = -0.25, P < 0.01). The finding of an association between variation in IGF1R and lifespan in sheep may be useful in prolonging the lifespan of sheep.     

Synergistic action of an X-prolyl dipeptidyl aminopeptidase and a non-specific aminopeptidase in protein hydrolysis

Non-specific monoaminopeptidase (AP; E.C. 3.4.11) and X-prolyl dipeptidyl aminopeptidase (X-PDAP; E.C. 3.4.14.5), both from Aspergillus oryzae, demonstrate strong synergism in hydrolyzing proline-containing peptides. Incubation of AP alone with the peptide Ala-Pro-Gly-Asp-Arg-Ile-Tyr-Val-His-Pro-Phe does not generate free amino acids. However, when AP and X-PDAP are added in combination, complete and immediate hydrolysis of all peptide bonds, other than X-Pro bonds, is observed. In the enzymatic hydrolysis of casein, soy, and gluten, degree of hydrolysis (DH) values of 54, 54, and 47% were achieved, respectively, when subtilisin (E.C. 3.4.21.62) was supplemented with AP. Addition of a third enzyme, X-PDAP, resulted in significantly higher DH values of 69, 72, and 64%, respectively, establishing the utility of this synergism in protein hydrolysis.     

Effect of gamma-irradiation on degradation of alginate

The aqueous solution of alginate was irradiated by 60Co gamma-rays in the dose range of 10-500 kGy. To assess the effect of irradiation on the degradation of alginate, the irradiation-induced changes in the viscosity, molecular weight, color, monomer composition, and sequence were measured. The molecular weight of raw alginate was reduced from 300000 to 25000 when irradiated at 100 kGy. The degradation rate decreased and the chain breaks per molecule increased with increasing irradiation dose. The viscosity of irradiated alginate solution reached a near minimum as low as at 10 kGy. No appreciable color changes were observed in the samples irradiated at up to 100 kGy, but intense browning occurred beyond 200 kGy. The 13C NMR spectra showed that homopolymeric blocks, MM and GG, increased and the M/G ratio decreased with irradiation. Considering both the level of degradation and the color change of alginate, the optimum irradiation dose was found to be 100 kGy.     

Angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitory peptides purified from bovine skin gelatin hydrolysate.

Bovine skin gelatin was hydrolyzed with sequential protease treatments in the order of Alcalase, Pronase E, and collagenase using a three-step ultrafiltration membrane reactor. The molecular weight distributions of the first, second, and third hydrolysates were 4.8-6.6, 3.4-6.6, and 0.9-1.9 kDa, respectively. The angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity of the third hydrolysate (IC(50) = 0.689 mg/mL) was higher than that of the first and second hydrolysates. Two different peptides showing strong ACE inhibitory activity were isolated from the hydrolysate using consecutive chromatographic methods including gel filtration chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography, and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The isolated peptides were composed of Gly-Pro-Leu and Gly-Pro-Val and showed IC(50) values of 2.55 and 4.67 microM, respectively.     

Natural occurrence of grape poisoning in two dogs

Clinical grape poisoning in two dogs (a 1.6-year-old male Shih Tzu and a 5-year-old female Yorkshire Terrier) was described in the present study. Clinical signs included decreased urine output in the Shih Tzu and ataxia in the Yorkshire Terrier after grape ingestion. The Shih Tzu died 5 days post-grape ingestion, while the Yorkshire Terrier died 3 days post-grape ingestion. Erythematous serosae and mucosae, multifocal red small intestinal foci, and blood and grape seeds were identified in the intestinal lumen. Brownish-yellow crystals were bilaterally identified in the renal pelvis. The primary histological findings were acute tubular necrosis of the proximal convoluted tubules, severe necrosis, and mineralization in the renal cortical tubules. Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and alanine aminotransferase were increased in the dogs. Many Korean veterinary clinicians have suspected clinical grape poisoning. However, to our knowledge, grape poisoning has not been identified by pathologic and clinicopathologic basis until this writing in Korea. Education and knowledge about the risks of grape poisoning is necessary for the prevention of accidental exposures.     

Outbreaks of hydropericardium syndrome and molecular characterization of Korean fowl adenoviral isolates

Outbreaks ofhydropericardium syndrome (HPS), caused by fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAdV-4), have occurred in Korea and caused severe economic loss due to mortality and weight loss. From these outbreaks, several adenoviruses were isolated and identified in samples from broilers, layers, breeders, and native Korean fowl. In pathologic examinations, hydropericardium and multifocal hepatic necrosis, with an intranuclear inclusion body in hepatocytes, were observed. Specific adenovirus particles were also observed in the nucleus of hepatocytes, by electron microscopic examination. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of the hexon gene identified all of the isolates as FAdV, serotype 4 and genotype C. To reproduce FAdV-4 field cases, 8- and 52-week-old specific pathogen free (SPF) chicks were infected intramuscularly with the field isolate CBU070244. The mortality rate of infected chicks ranged from 10%-40%, and specific pathologic lesions, such as swollen livers and hydropericardium, were observed. Further studies to determine the prevalence of infection, and analysis of the economic impact to the poultry industry, are needed in the near future.     

A forest planning model for continuous employment in a forested village with primarily young stands in Korea

This paper presents a practical forest planning approach for continuous forest-based employment in a forested village with primarily young stands. The model is designed to find the practice level for continuous forest employment which embraces both the goal of maximizing the total forest employment and the constraint of maintaining its annual balance, considering forest size and condition, and budget available for forest practice. Through controlling the practice level with the help of a desired employment effect that contributes to allocating forest practices equally to each plan year, a marginal practice level can be found under which any practice level fulfills the goal and constraints. The potential practice area, which is determined by forest area, stand age, and practice schedule, contributes to determining the area silviculturally available for forest practice. Our forest planning model is focused on the planning of young forests which are not expected to yield merchantable products in the near term. The model can also be characterized by landscape-level forest planning in which stand-level practices are planned for achieving a forest-level goal of continuous forest employment. Thus, the model can serve as a basic planning tool for maintaining healthy forests as well as continuous forest employment in young forest areas, where forest-level goals are predicated on stand level practices.     

Seed transmission of Sweet potato leaf curl virus in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)

Sweet potato leaf curl virus (SPLCV) infects sweet potato and is a member of the family Geminiviridae (genus Begomovirus). SPLCV transmission occurs from plant to plant mostly via vegetative propagation as well as by the insect vector Bemisia tabaci. When sweet potato seeds were planted and cultivated in a whitefly‐free greenhouse, some sweet potato plants started to show SPLCV‐specific symptoms. SPLCV was detected by PCR from all leaves and floral tissues that showed leaf curl disease symptoms. More than 70% of the seeds harvested from SPLCV‐infected sweet potato plants tested positive for SPLCV. SPLCV was also identified from dissected endosperm and embryos. The transmission level of SPLCV from seeds to seedlings was up to 15%. Southern blot hybridization showed SPLCV‐specific single‐ and double‐stranded DNAs in seedlings germinated from SPLCV‐infected seeds. Taken altogether, the results show that SPLCV in plants of the tested sweet potato cultivars can be transmitted via seeds and SPLCV DNA can replicate in developing seedlings. This is the first seed transmission report of SPLCV in sweet potato plants and also, to the authors' knowledge, the first report of seed transmission for any geminivirus.