Accuracy of detection of major genes segregating in outbred population by Gibbs sampling using phenotypic values of quantitative traits

Based on the segregation analysis with Gibbs sampling the accuracy to detect a major gene segregating in outbred populations was investigated by using only phenotypic values and pedigree information.The analyses were carried out with 50 simulated populations (replicates). When a major gene effect was large enough to make the phenotypic distribution deviate from normal, the additive allele effect and total major gene variance were correctly estimated. In populations with a low or moderate effect of the major gene, the additive allele effect was systematically underestimated. When no major gene was present, the additive allele effect had a tendency to be overestimated but the major gene variances turned out to be very close to zero as expected. Our results suggest that the major gene variances can be used to detect major genes segregating in a population.     

Computer image analysis for prediction of carcass composition from cross-sections of Japanese Black steers.

Carcasses from Japanese Black steers were used to obtain prediction equations for carcass composition from information derived by computer image analysis of carcass cross-section images. The total weights of lean, fat, and bone were obtained from the left sides of 55 carcasses (Data Set I) and 18 carcasses (Data Set II) by physical dissection. The information such as total lean, fat, and bone areas in the cross-sections; muscle area, muscle circumference, short and long radius axis lengths, and direction of long radius axis; and geometric distance between any two muscle centers of gravity was obtained by scanning and image analysis of pictures of the cross-sections of the beef side at the 6th/7th rib interface. The coefficients of determination of the multiple regression equations estimated from Data Set I for kilograms of lean, fat, and bone were 0.76, 0.82, and 0.69, respectively, whereas for the percentages of lean, fat, and bone they were 0.57, 0.66, and 0.42, respectively. The multiple regression equations from Data Set I was applied to Data Set II in order to test the applicability of the prediction equations obtained. The correlation coefficients between the value predicted by the multiple regression equation and the measurement obtained by physical dissection for kilograms of lean, fat, and bone were 0.71, 0.72, and 0.70, respectively, whereas those for the percentages of lean, fat, and bone were 0.63, 0.44, and 0.29, respectively. The results indicate that the information obtained from the carcass cross-sections by the computer image analysis method can be used to predict carcass composition in Japanese Black steers.     

Current-controlled magnetic domain-wall nanowire shift register

The controlled motion of a series of domain walls along magnetic nanowires using spin-polarized current pulses is the essential ingredient of the proposed magnetic racetrack memory, a new class of potential non-volatile storage-class memories. Using permalloy nanowires, we achieved the successive creation, motion, and detection of domain walls by using sequences of properly timed, nanosecond-long, spin-polarized current pulses. The cycle time for the writing and shifting of the domain walls was a few tens of nanoseconds. Our results illustrate the basic concept of a magnetic shift register that relies on the phenomenon of spin-momentum transfer to move series of closely spaced domain walls.     

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) production using mannitol as a sole carbon source by Burkholderia sp. AIU M5M02 isolated from a marine environment

Fisheries Science - We isolated Burkholderia sp. AIU M5M02, which accumulates poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] homopolymer in a nitrogen-limiting mineral salt medium containing mannitol as a sole...     

Embryonic heart rate measurements during artificial incubation of emu eggs

1. Daily changes in embryonic heart rate (HR) of emu were determined non-invasively at 36 degrees C by acoustocardiography (ACG) during the last 30% of artificial incubation (predicted incubation time is 50 d). 2. The pattern of daily changes in mean HR of hatched embryos decreased from about 175 bpm to about 140 bpm towards the end of incubation. 3. The mean HR at 80% of incubation (ca. 170 bpm) was close to the value predicted from an allometric equation reported previously for precocial domesticated birds. 4. ACG could measure embryonic HR even during the external pipping period. 5. If the artificial external pipping procedure is timed correctly after internal pipping, it might aid the embryos in hatching. However, further investigation into this aspect is needed.     

New lactic acid bacterial strains from traditional Mongolian fermented milk products have altered adhesion to porcine gastric mucin depending on the carbon source

Attachment of lactic acid bacteria to the mucosal surface of the gastrointestinal tract is a major property of probiotics. Here, we examined the ability of 21 lactic acid bacterial strains isolated from traditional fermented milk products in Mongolia to adhere to porcine gastric mucin in vitro. Higher attachment was observed with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strains 6‐8 and 8‐1 than with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (positive control). Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris strain 7‐1 adhered to mucin as effectively as did strain GG. Heat inactivation decreased the adhesive ability of strains 6‐8 and 8‐1 but did not affect strain 7‐1. The adhesion of strains 6‐8, 7‐1 and 8‐1 was significantly inhibited when the cells were pretreated with periodate and trypsin, indicating that proteinaceous and carbohydrate‐like cell surface compounds are involved in the adhesion of these strains. The adhesion of strain 7‐1 was affected by the type of carbohydrate present in the growth medium, being higher with fructose than with lactose, galactose or xylose as the carbon source. The sugar content of 7‐1 cells grown on various carbohydrates was negatively correlated with its adhesive ability. We provide new probiotic candidate strains and new information regarding carbohydrate preference that influences lactic acid bacterial adhesion to mucin.     

Population structure of the Japanese Brown breed

SUMMARY: The population structure of the Japanese Brown in Kumamoto Prefecture was investigated with pedigree analysis. Two hundred heifers were randomly sampled, in 1960, 1970, 1980, and 1990. Population genetic parameters, i.e. F-statistics, index of subdivision, generation interval, effective population size, and effective number of sires, were estimated. The effective number of sires decreased, most dramatically, from 1970 to 1980. The average inbreeding coefficient (F(IT) ) increased, from 0.64% in 1960 to 5.43% in 1990. F(ST) increased in parallel with F(IT) , while F(IS) remained low. From 1960 to 1980, the index of diversity showed a decreasing trend, but this improved a little, with the index at 1.1 in 1990. The generation interval tended to be longer year by year, and was 5.52 during 1980-90. On the other hand, N(e) decreased, from 724.6 before 1960 to 40.1 at the present. The population structure of the Japanese Brown is not problematical at present, when considering F(IT) , but the irreversible inbreeding coefficient (F(ST) ) increases constantly. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Untersuchungen der Populationsstruktur der japanischen braunen Rasse Die Populationsstruktur in der Kumamotopr?fektur wurde an Hand einer Pedigreeanalyse untersucht. Zweihundert Kalbinnen wurden in den Jahren 1960, 1970, 1980 und 1990 zuf?llig ausgew?hlt und populationsgenetische Parameter F-Werte, Index der Unter-teilung und genetisch wirksame Zahl von Stieren gesch?tzt. Die wirksame Zahl von Vatertieren hat abgenommen, wobei das am st?rksten zwischen 1970 und 1980 vor sich gegangen ist. Der durchschnittliche Inzuchtkoeffizient (F(IT) ) zeigte Zunahme von 0, 64% im Jahr 1960 auf 5, 43% im Jahr 1990. F(ST) nahm parallel mit F(IT) zu, w?hrend F(IS) nieder geblieben ist. Von 1960 bis 1980 zeigte der Diversit?tsindex eine abnehmende Tendenz, hat aber sp?ter etwas zugenommen, wobei der Index im Jahr 1990 1, 1 erreicht hat. Die Populationsstruktur des japanischen Braunviehs ist derzeit keinen alarmierenden Status, aber F(ST) steigt kontinuierlich an.     

Relationships between sap flow,hydraulic conductivity,and the anatomical characteristics of stems and roots in apple rootstocks of different vigour

Summary

To find a useful parameter that could be related to the degree of rootstock vigour, for rootstock breeding programmes, sap flow, hydraulic conductivity, and the anatomical characteristics of stems and roots were measured in 1-year-old trees of apple rootstocks of different vigour. Sap flow was less active in dwarfing rootstocks than in invigorating rootstocks, when taking leaf area into account, under a controlled temperature of 20ºC with the root zone at 15ºC. The hydraulic conductivities of stems and roots were not consistent with the degree of dwarfing.The hydraulic conductivity of the stem appeared to be related to the diameter and density of the large vessels in the xylem. On the other hand, the phloem-to-xylem ratio in roots with diameters of 1.5 – 2.0 mm, was closely-related to sap flow and the degree of dwarfing. The phloem-to-xylem ratio decreased as the degree of vigour increased. Moreover, the phloem-to-xylem ratio was considered to be related to the ability of roots to absorb and transport water, which was expressed as the root-specific sap flow. Therefore, the phloem-to-xylem ratio could be a useful index for evaluating the potential of apple trees as dwarfing rootstocks.     

Sequence of the S 9-RNase cDNA and PCR-RFLP system for discriminating S 1- to S 9-allele in Japanese pear

A new S ₉-allele was discovered in 6 Japanese pear cultivars, ‘Shinkou’, ‘Shinsei’, ‘Niitaka’, ‘Amanogawa’, ‘Nangetsu’ and ‘Nansui’. cDNA encoding S ₉-RNase, a stylar product of S ₉-allele, was cloned from pistils of ‘Shinkou’ and ‘Shinsei’ by 3' and 5' RACE. The S ₉-RNase gene had an open reading frame of 684 nucleotides encoding 228 amino acid residues. S ₉-RNase had a hypervariable (HV) region different from S ₁- to S ₈-RNase and shared higher similarity (95.2%) with apple S ₃-RNase than with 8 Japanese pear S-RNases (from 61.0% to 70.7%). Genomic PCR with primers ‘FTQQYQ’ and ‘anti-(I/T) IWPNV’ provided S ₁- to S ₉-amplicon (product), but could not discriminate the S ₂ from the S ₉ of ca. 1.3 kb. The S ₂ and S ₉ were distinguished by digestion with AflII and BstBI, respectively. The digestion with nine S-allele-specific restriction endonucleases, SfcI, AflII, PpuMI, NdeI,AlwNI, HincII, AccII, NruI and BstBI, distinguished S ₁ to S ₉, establishing that this PCR-RFLP system is useful for S-genotype assignments in Japanese pear harboring S ₁- to S ₉-allele. ‘Shinkou’, ‘Shinsei’, ‘Nangetsu’ and ‘Nansui’ assigned as S ₄ S ₉ were determined to be cross incompatible. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.