Effects of throughfall and litterfall manipulation on concentrations of methylmercury and mercury in forest‐floor percolates

The forest floor was shown to be an effective sink of atmospherically deposited methylmercury (MeHg) but less for total mercury (Hg_total). We studied factors controlling the difference in dynamics of MeHg and Hg_total in the forest floor by doubling the throughfall input and manipulating aboveground litter inputs (litter removal and doubling litter addition) in the snow‐free period in a Norway spruce forest in NE Bavaria, Germany, for 14 weeks. The MeHg concentrations in the forest‐floor percolates were not affected by any of the manipulation and ranged between 0.03 (Oa horizon) and 0.11 (Oi horizon) ng Hg L^–1. The Hg_total concentrations were largest in the Oa horizon (24 ng Hg L^–1) and increased under double litterfall (statistically significant in the Oi horizon). Similarly, concentrations of dissolved organic C (DOC) increased after doubling of litterfall. The concentrations of Hg_total and DOC correlated significantly in forest‐floor percolates from all plots. However, we did not find any effect of DOC on MeHg concentrations. The difference in the coupling of Hg_total and MeHg to DOC might be one reason for the differences in the mobility of Hg species in forest floors with a lower mobility of MeHg not controlled by DOC.     

Pregnancy Rates in Angus Cross Beef Cows Bred at Observed Oestrus With or Without Second GnRH Administration in Fixed‐Time Progesterone‐Supplemented Ovsynch and CO‐Synch Protocols

Crossbred cows (n = 1073) from five locations had oestrous cycles synchronized with 100 μg of GnRH IM and insertion of controlled internal drug release device (CIDR) on Day 0 followed by 25 mg of PGF_2α IM and CIDR removal on Day 7. Kamar^® patches were placed on all cows at CIDR removal. Cows were observed three times daily for oestrus after PGF_2α administration. In the Ovsynch‐CIDR group, cows detected in oestrus (n = 193) within 48 h after PGF_2α were inseminated using the AM–PM rule. Among these cows, 80 received and 113 did not receive a second GnRH at 48 h after PGF_2α. Cows (n = 345) not detected in oestrus received a second GnRH at 48 h after PGF_2α on Day 9, and fixed‐time AI 16 h after the GnRH on Day 10. In the CO‐Synch‐CIDR group, cows detected in oestrus (n = 224) within 48 h after PGF_2α were inseminated using the AM–PM rule. Among these cows, 79 received and 145 did not receive a second GnRH at 64 h after PGF_2α. Cows (n = 311) not detected in oestrus received a second GnRH on Day 10 at the time of AI, 64 h after PGF_2α. The AI pregnancy rates were not different between the Ovsynch‐CIDR and CO‐Synch‐CIDR groups (p = 0.48). There were no differences in the AI pregnancy rates for cows inseminated at a fixed time (p = 0.26) or at detected oestrus (p = 0.79) between the treatment groups. Among cows inseminated in oestrus, there were no differences in the AI pregnancy rates between cows that received or did not receive the second GnRH (p = 0.47). In conclusion, acceptable AI pregnancy rates can be achieved with or without inclusion of oestrus detection in the Ovsynch‐CIDR and CO‐Synch‐CIDR protocols. Among cows detected in oestrus, cows that received a second GnRH yielded similar pregnancy rates when compared with cows that did not receive the second GnRH.     

An International Delphi Study of the Causes of Death and the Criteria Used to Assign Cause of Death in Bovine Perinatal Mortality

The objective of the present study was to elicit opinion from two groups of veterinarians [subject matter experts and non‐subject matter experts] about the causes of bovine perinatal mortality and the criteria used to assign such causes. The subject matter experts were selected on the basis of their scientific publications or experience of working in a veterinary diagnostic or research laboratory in the area of bovine perinatal mortality. The non‐subject matter experts were self‐selected as cattle veterinarians without particular expertise in bovine perinatology. A total of 74 veterinarians (46 subject matter experts and 28 non‐subject matter experts) from 23 countries responded. The study was conducted using Delphi methodology over seven rounds. Respondents were asked to agree the causes of bovine perinatal mortality and for each cause to agree the supporting diagnostic criteria. There was a close agreement between groups on 16 causes of death apart from intra‐uterine growth retardation (IUGR) and micronutrient imbalances which were accepted by fewer subject matter experts. There was inter‐group consensus on the criteria to diagnose accidents, congenital defects, dystocia, hyperthermia, infections, premature placental separation, prematurity and prolonged calving. There was inter‐group consensus on the criteria to diagnose anoxia, apart from gingival cyanosis; on haemorrhage, apart from haemorrhagic anaemia; on IUGR, apart from organ weights; and on iodine imbalance, apart from goitre and thyroid iodine content. The results from this study highlighted the current lack of standardization of the criteria used to define the cause of death for bovine perinatal mortality and the need for such standardization.     

Effects of sesamol on apoptosis and steroidogenesis in MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells

Sesamol, a pure compound of sesame, has been reported to have antitumor effects. In the present study, the apoptotic and steroidogenic effects of sesamol on MA-10 cells, a mouse Leydig tumor cell line, was investigated by morphological observations, cell viability assay, flow cytometry analysis, radioimmunoassay, and immunoblotting assay. We found that the number of rounded-up cells increased as the treatment duration of sesamol increased from 3 to 24 h and that the plasma membrane blebbing phenomenon could be observed after 12 h of treatment. In the cell viability assay, the cell surviving rate significantly decreased as the dosage and duration of sesamol treatment increased (p<0.05). Moreover, cell cycle studies illustrated that the percentages of subG1 phase cells significantly increased after 1 mM sesamol treatments for 12 h, and 0.1 and 1 mM sesamol treatments for 24 h, respectively (p<0.05). Furthermore, 0.1 mM sesamol for 24 h and 1 mM sesamol for 12 and 24 h treatments, respectively, significantly induced the cleavage of caspase-3 (p<0.05). These results confirmed the apoptotic event of sesamol treatment on MA-10 cells. Meanwhile, we also found that sesamol at 1 mM for 24 h and 10 mM for 12 and 24 h significantly increased progesterone production (p<0.05), and 1 mM sesamol for 24 h treatment significantly activated the expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein (p<0.05). However, the expression of P450scc enzyme remained no different among all treatments (p>0.05). In conclusion, sesamol could concurrently induce apoptosis through the activation of the caspase pathway and steroidogenesis through the induction of StAR protein expression in MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cells.     

Comparative Variations of Extractive Nitrogenous Components and Quality in Fresh Muscle and Dried Product of Rabbitfish (Siganus fuscescens) in Taiwan

ABSTRACT

Variations in the level of quality and extractive nitrogenous components were investigated in the fresh muscle and commercial dried products of rabbitfish Siganus fuscescens collected from Penghu, Taiwan. The respective freshness quality for fresh muscle is as follows: trimethylamine oxide (TMAO), 29.50 mg N/100 g; trimethylamine (TMA), 2.30 mg N/100 g; NH₃, 6.61 mg/100 g; total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), 13.32 mg/100 g; aerobic plate count, 1.53 log CFU/g; and K-value, 28.80%. The respective freshness quality for dried products is as follows: TMAO, 43.44 mg N/100 g; TMA, 25.56 mg N/100 g wet wt.; NH₃, 52.00 mg/100 g wet wt.; TVBN, 149.98 mg/100 g; aerobic plate count, 4.16 log CFU/g; and K-value, 89.73%. The major fatty acids in the fresh muscle and dried products are C16:0, C18:1 n-9, C18:0, C16:1 C22:6 n-3, and C22:5 n-3. The major nucleotide compound is inosine 5?-monophosphate (IMP) in the fresh muscle (68%) and hypoxanthine (Hx) in the dried products (79%). The level of total free amino acids in the dried products shows significant variation depending on the processing method of the plants.     

Assessing the effect of size‐grading for rearing young‐of‐the‐year white‐clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes

Crayfish growth rates can vary considerably among individuals from the same brood, and social dominance hierarchies in crustacean species occur frequently. These hierarchies can reduce growth and survival when rearing communal groups. Size‐grading and single‐sex culturing are the methods used to combat this. A 160‐day experiment took place on 288 young‐of‐the‐year captive‐born Austropotamobius pallipes, within a closed‐circuit, indoor aquaculture facility. Crayfish were reared in three treatments (a) equal numbers of large males + small females (LMSF); (b) equal numbers of small males + large females (SMLF); (c) individuals of the same size, equal sex ratio; plus two control groups of single‐sex, same sized individuals. Female survival in the LMSF was significantly reduced (52.8%, SD = 20.7%), whereas overall survival in all other groups was high (83.1%, SD = 15.1%). Male growth (6.3 mm, SD = 0.6 mm) was greater than female growth (4.9 mm, SD = 0.9 mm) across all groups. Cheliped autotomy was significantly greater (8.8%) in males (26.7%, SD = 8.9%) than females (17.9%, SD = 2.7%). This study suggests that young‐of‐the‐year juvenile male A. pallipes grow faster and are more aggressive than females. Large males will suppress and reduce survival in smaller females whereas small males, when housed with larger females, will still grow faster than the females. We suggest that it is sex and not size that is the main factor that causes dominance hierarchies and growth suppression within juvenile A. pallipes. Maintaining juvenile A. pallipes in single‐sex groups is optimal to ensure high survival and growth rates.     

Determining an effective density regime for rearing juvenile Austropotamobius pallipes in a small‐scale closed system hatchery

With recent advances in aquaculture techniques, captive‐breeding of the endangered white‐clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes for restocking is becoming a widespread conservation method. Establishing optimal stocking densities for aquaculture is essential in maximizing productivity, and increases the likelihood of crayfish survival when released. A 240‐day experiment took place using 2‐month‐old juvenile, captive‐born, A. pallipes, within a small‐scale, closed‐circuit hatchery to investigate survival, growth and aggression at three treatment densities, low (100/m²), medium (200/m²) and high (300/m²). Crayfish were counted and measured every 60 days between August 2015 and April 2016. Mean survival rates were high across all three densities (87.7% ± 2.8%). Carapace length was significantly longer at low density than at medium and high densities. While growth rate was not significantly different between treatments, it was significantly higher in the first 2 months, across all three treatments (47.1% ± 6.6%) than in subsequent periods (14.1% ± 5.8%). Size variation within groups increased with density, suggesting that social dominance hierarchies are established with increasing stocking density: dominant individuals are larger and competitively exclude smaller individuals from food resources. Males were significantly larger than females from 6 months of age, (when they could be reliably sexed), in all three treatments. The larger male size suggests that sexual dimorphism begins prior to sexual maturity, with males growing faster and being more dominant and aggressive than females. In conclusion, young‐of‐the‐year A. pallipes can be reared at high densities without compromising survival; however, the optimal stocking density that maximizes growth and health is 100/m².