Breed differentiation among Japanese native chickens by specific skull features determined by direct measurements and computer vision techniques

1. Inter-breed morphological comparisons were made among 11 breeds of Japanese native chickens (Gifujidori, Hinaidori, Shokoku, Totenko, Tomaru, Satsumadori, Shamo, Koshamo, Koeyoshi, Chabo and Nagoya), White Leghorn, broiler chickens (Chunky) and red junglefowl collected in the Philippines, based on results of direct measurements and analysis by computer vision techniques of the skull. 2. Analysis of direct measurements identified two groups of chicken: a small type that included the Chabo, Koshamo, red junglefowl, Gifujidori and Shokoku and a large type that included the remaining breeds studied. These groupings were made based on size determined both in the first (PC1) and second principal component (PC2). The greatest length of the cranium and condylobasal length greatly contributed to the morphological differences between these two groups. 3. Analysis by computer vision techniques, however, identified three groups: the Bantam group (which includes red junglefowl), Shokoku group and Shamo group. White Leghorn clustered within the Shokoku group while the broiler chicken belonged to the Shamo group. The region around the junction of the neural cranium and the visceral cranium contributed greatly to the morphological differences among breeds, both in the PC1 and PC2.     

Genetic control of the long glume phenotype in tetraploid wheat by homoeologous chromosomes

The Ispahan emmer wheat, Triticum ispahanicum Heslot, was discovered in Iran 1957 by the French expedition of Vinnot- Bourgen. T. ispahanicum has a long glume and a more slender spike than T. turgidum var. polonicum. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the inheritance and chromosomal location of the gene for long glume, P2, from T. ispahanicum using the near- isogenic line P2-LD222, and (2) to compare the effects of the genes for long glume. The gene for long glume, P2, was located approximately 36.5 cM from the cn-B1 locus, which controls the chlorina trait and approximately 40 cM from the centromere on the long arm of 7B. The location of P2 approximately 29.6 cM from the Pc locus produced additional evidence that the order of loci was cn-B1, P2, and Pc. This raises the possibility of a paralogous gene set conditioning long glumes. A significant deviation from a 3:1 ratio in the F2 of LDN 7D(7B)/P2-LD222 confirmed the location of P2 on chromosome 7B. It is proposed that T. ispahanicum originated as a mutation of a gene affecting glume length on chromosome 7B of T. dicoccum, a spelt type of cultivated tetraploid wheat. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Reproductive traits and diel activity of adultMonochamus saltuarius (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) at two different temperatures

To investigate the reproductive traits and diel activity ofMonochamus saltuarius, 14 pairs of the adults were reared and observed at each of 20°C and 25°C. Both sexes were more active at 25°C than at 20°C irrespective of the presence or absence of light. A diel change in behavior during 24 h was found on 33% of a total of 48 observations of three age classes of both sexes. No significant difference was found in the mean longevity between sexes or between the two temperature conditions. The time required for reproductive maturation showed no significant difference within the same sex when reared at 20°C and 25°C. The mean oviposition period was significantly longer at 25°C (28.8 days) than at 20°C (12.2 days). The mean lifetime fecundity was significantly greater at 25°C than at 20°C. There was no significant difference in the oviposition ratio (number of eggs deposited/number of oviposition wounds excavated), oviposition rate or hatchability for females between the two temperature conditions.     

Variation for apparent amylose content of endosperm starch in Triticum durum and Aegilops squarrosa

For breeding to increase amylose content in the starch of hexaploid wheat, either the introduction of genes from Aegilops squarrosa (DD genome) or the development of high-amylose amphiploids between Triticum durum (AABB genome) and Ae. squarrosa is one of the most efficient ways. The high-amylose genes have not been detected in any species of Triticum and Aegilops. Therefore, we assessed the apparent amylose content in endosperm starch of T. durum and Ae. squarrosa accessions supplied from the major gene banks from world wide, and found several accessions with higher amylose content out of 665 T. durum accessions and out of 732 Ae. squarrosa accessions. Genetic analysis indicated that a high amylose trait in Ae. squarrosa is monogenically inherited by a recessive major gene. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Resistance of potato to cucumber mosaic virus appears related to localization in inoculated leaves

Although CMV can cause extensive damage to solanaceous crops like tomato, tobacco and pepper, it has little if any impact on the related crop, potato. To better understand this phenomenon, we have tested 32 potato genotypes for susceptibility or resistance to local and systemic Fny-CMV infection. Using ELISA, all genotypes appeared to show virus replication in leaves that were mechanically inoculated. In contrast, only ten genotypes exhibited systemic spread as expressed by significant CMV titers in new growth. These data suggest that, although CMV can replicate in potato cells and appears to spread short distances cell-to-cell, long distance movement appears to be blocked in most potato genotypes. Therefore, the general resistance of potato crops to CMV infection may be related to virus localization at points of entry.     

Effect of acute deficiency of dietary proline on proline balance in the rat small intestine and liver

Introduction Proline is widely found in all types of mammalian tissue, and accounts for about 20% of the amino acids that constitute collagen (A dams 1970). Proline is nutritionally nonessential but biologically it is an important amino acid and consequently mammalian organisms synthesize the required amounts of proline even in the absence of sufficient proline consumption via food. The metabolism of higher animals is unique, and amino acid metabolism differs from one tissue to the next. Some organs are capable of synthesizing nonessential amino acids for use throughout the body. For example, arginine is primarily synthesized in the kidney and then released and distributed throughout the body. Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase is the enzyme responsible for the final stage of proline synthesis, and its activity has been confirmed in many important organs and tissue such as the cartilage, liver, small intestine, kidney and thymus gland (H erzfeld et al. 1977; S mith and P hang 1978). However, the different levels of pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase activity among these organs has led to the belief that different amounts of proline are synthesized in these organs. In order to ascertain biological responses to dietary proline deficiency, it is important to identify the organs that release and distribute proline throughout the body when insufficient proline is consumed through the diet, thus reducing the blood proline concentration. Few studies have investigated this issue, but when ascertaining biological responses to dietary proline deficiency, it is more important to elucidate the effect of dietary proline deficiency on the metabolism of proline and other amino acids that are closely related metabolically to proline, in proline synthesizing organs. One of the most effective ways to assess amino acid metabolism in a target tissue of higher animals is to measure the difference between the arterial and venous concentrations of amino acids. I shikawa (1974) measured arteriovenous differences in order to examine the release of proline from the kidney and small intestine of fasted rats and the uptake of proline by the liver. In a previous study, it was found that when the plasma proline concentration was reduced to the fasting level by the consumption of a proline-deficient diet, proline was released from the kidney (W atanabe et al. 1995, 1997). In the present study, to ensure the induction of dietary proline deficiency, a completely purified diet containing all amino acids except for proline was prepared and fed to rats under experimental conditions. To investigate the role of the small intestine and liver in supplying and ingesting proline when the uptake of proline through food is restricted, the release and uptake of amino acids in the small intestine and liver were assessed by measuring carotid artery–portal vein and portal–hepatic vein differences in proline in rats.     

Swimming depths of the giant jellyfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nemopilema nomurai</Emphasis> investigated using pop-up archival transmitting tags and ultrasonic pingers

The swimming depths of 12 individual Nemopilema nomurai with bell diameters of 0.8–1.6 m were investigated using pop-up archival transmitting tags and ultrasonic pingers, and the validity of the research method was evaluated. The N. nomurai studied frequently showed vertical movement, with the swimming depth ranging from 0 to 176 m, The mean swimming depths of most individuals were less than 40 m. The swimming depths of N. nomurai in the northern Japan Sea in the winter were mostly deeper than those of this species in the southern Japan Sea in the autumn. This result suggests that the range of the depths almost depends on the vertical structure of the ocean. Swimming depths during the nighttime were significantly deeper than those during the daytime. More specifically, during the daytime, the swimming depths in the afternoon tended to be shallower than those in the morning, while during the nighttime, the swimming depths after midnight were deeper than those before midnight.     

Distribution of TNF receptors and TNF receptor-associated intracellular signaling factors on equine tendinocytes in vitro

Although tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha is an important key factor in degeneration of equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT), the dynamism of TNF receptors and associated factors on tendinocytes has not been elucidated. To reveal signaling events mediated by TNF-receptors (TNF-Rs) in tendinocytes, we focused on four signaling factors, TNF-R1, TNF-R2, TNF-R-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB), and investigated the distribution and production of these factors. Cultured tendinocytes were obtained from SDFTs of thoroughbred horses. The tendinocytes were treated with 10 ng/ml equine TNFalpha medium for 6 hours and then the four factors on tendinocytes were visualized by using an immunohistochemical method, and the amounts of the four factors were determined by Western blot analysis. Although TNF-R1 and TNF-R2 co-localized on the same tendinocyte, in untreated control cells (normal condition), immunoreactivity against TNF -R1 was very weak but TNF-R2 showed a strong reaction. However, TNF-R1 showed the same high level of reaction as TNF-R2 in TNFalpha-treated cells (inflamed condition). Intense TRAF2 and NF-kappaB were detected at inflamed condition, however both factors were also detected at normal condition. The distinct distributions of the four factors under different conditions (normal and inflamed condition) in vitro not only reflect the dynamism of the cytokines but may also provide important clues for a means to prevent from occurrence of tendonitis and progress of tendon degeneration.     

Molecular characteristics of cutaneous papillomavirus from the canine pigmented epidermal nevus

To investigate the relation between the canine pigmented epidermal nevus (PEN) and cutaneous papillomavirus, we cloned and sequenced the L1 gene of papillomavirus from the canine pigmented epidermal nevus (PEN). Amplification of DNA sample with the L1 consensus primers yielded an expected fragment of approximately 450-bp. The nucleotide sequences of the fragment showed about 64% of sequence similarity to the L1 region of human papillomavirus isolate CP6108 and less than 57% sequence similarity to those of canine oral papillomavirus (COPV). In situ hybridization determined the presence of papillomavirus DNA mainly in the upper stratum granulosum of skin in this case. The results indicated that the canine cutaneous papillomavirus from the PEN lesion was genetically close to human papillomavirus rather than COPV.     

Effect of intramammary infusion of tumour necrosis factor-alpha on milk protein composition and induction of acute-phase protein in the lactating cow

The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on lactating bovine mammary functions such as milk protein secretion and the integrity of the milk-blood barrier. The effect on the induction of the systemic inflammatory response was also examined using concentrations of serum haptoglobin (Hp), a major inflammatory acute-phase protein, as an index. One hundred micrograms per mammary gland of recombinant bovine (rBo) TNF-alpha or placebo saline was individually infused into a rear mammary gland of each of four lactating cows, and milk and blood samples were collected before and 4, 8, 24, 32, 48, 96 and 168 h after infusion. In the rBoTNF-alpha-infused gland, increases of somatic cell counts were observed at 4-48 h. Although concentrations of total milk protein were not changed, compositions of milk proteins varied following rBoTNF-alpha infusion. Concentrations of caseins, alpha-lactalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin were significantly decreased at 4 and 8 h. Lactoferrin concentrations were significantly increased at 4 h. Significant infiltrations of serum albumin, immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) and IgG2 were observed at 4 and 8 h. Elevations of the serum concentration of Hp were detected at 8-32 h, but were very small in comparison with those reported in inflammatory diseases. Changes in rectal temperature and white blood cell counts were not significant. These results show that single rBoTNF-alpha infusion into the lactating mammary gland suppresses the lactogenic function of the gland and influences the function of the milk-blood barrier, with little effect on the generalized inflammatory response.