Hog Cholera: I. Investigation of the Agar Double-Diffusion Precipitation Test for The Detection of the Virus in Swine Tissue

The agar double-diffusion precipitation test was investigated to detect hog cholera virus in splenic and pancreatic tissues of swine. Special attention was given to the conditions influencing the sensitivity and specificity of the test. These studies emphasize the strict techniques and methods required in the test in order to detect specific antigen — antibody reaction. Absorption studies performed on serum fractions prepared by DEAE cellulose chromatography and studied electrophoretically, indicated the specific reaction was given by fractions, migrating in the gamma-globulin region and was absorbed by infected but not by normal spleens. The sensitivity of the test is dependent to a great extent on the successful liberation of the viral antigen from the tissue.     

Effects of long-term administration of recombinant bovine tumor necrosis factor-alpha on glucose metabolism and growth hormone secretion in steers

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of long-term administration of recombinant bovine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rbTNF) on plasma glucose and growth hormone concentrations, and to determine whether treatment with rbTNF causes insulin resistance in steers. ANIMALS: 5 steers treated with rbTNF and 5 steers treated with saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (control). PROCEDURES: In experiment 1, rbTNF (5.0 microg/kg of body weight) or saline solution (5 ml) was administered SC daily for 12 days. Blood samples were obtained before treatment, and plasma was harvested for determination of glucose, insulin, and growth hormone (GH) concentrations. In experiment 2, insulin, glucose, or growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) was administered IV on days 7, 9, and 11, respectively, after initiation of rbTNF or saline treatment in experiment 1. Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were measured before and at various times for 4 hours after insulin or glucose administration. Plasma GH concentrations were measured at various times for 3 hours after GHRH administration. RESULTS: In experiment 1, administration of rbTNF resulted in hyperinsulinemia without hypoglycemia and decreased plasma GH concentrations. In experiment 2, plasma glucose concentrations were higher in steers treated with rbTNF and insulin than in controls. Plasma GH concentrations were lower in steers treated with rbTNF and GHRH than in controls. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Prolonged treatment with rbTNF induced insulin resistance and inhibited GHRH-stimulated release of GH in steers. Results indicate that rbTNF is a proximal mediator of insulin resistance and inhibits release of GH during periods of endotoxemia or infection.     

Proposal for stock-recruitment relationship for Japanese sardine <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sardinops melanostictus</Emphasis> in North-Western Pacific

ABSTRACT:   This study assessed the stock-recruitment relationship (SRR) for the Japanese sardine Sardinops melanostictus in the North-western Pacific. Of the 20 SRR models investigated, the Akaike information criterion (AIC) was the minimum (AIC = 551.2) when the data were separated into two groups (A and B) and the log-normal distribution was applied as the error term. Group A was constructed with SRR data from 1976–1987 and 1992–2004. Group B consisted of data from 1988–1991. The AIC minimum model was R  = 22.8 S  ×  e ^ε for Group A, where R , S , and ε denote the recruitment of sardine (individual number of 0-year old fish), spawning stock biomass (SSB), and error term, respectively. This model indicated that recruitment was proportional to the SSB and that no density-dependent effect operated over the range of SSB investigated (51 000–11.3 million t). Recruitment was markedly higher (lower) when the sea surface temperature (SST) of the Kuroshio Extension area in February was low (high). The essential SRR can simply be expressed as R  = 22.8 S  ×  e ^ε with the level of recruitment deviating from the model to a greater or lesser degree depending on the environmental conditions.     

Lipogenic gene expression in abdominal adipose and liver tissues of diet-induced overweight cats

The effect of overweight status on the expression of SREBP-1c and downstream lipogenic genes, such as ATP citrate lyase (ACL) and fatty acid synthase (FAS), in abdominal adipose and liver tissues was determined in cats using a diet-induced weight gain model. ACL and SREBP-1c mRNA expression was significantly reduced (～65% and 20%, respectively) in liver tissue, whereas FAS and SREBP-1c expression was significantly increased (～80% and 45%, respectively) in abdominal omental adipose tissue of overweight animals as compared to healthy animals. Additionally, ACL, FAS, and SREBP-1c expression was significantly reduced by ～50%, 75%, and 70%, respectively, in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue of overweight animals. Omental adipose tissue appeared to foster, whereas subcutaneous adipose and liver tissues appeared to defer lipid storage based on differences in SREBP-1c mRNA expression. Overall, reduced lipogenic gene mRNA expression patterns support the hypothesis that SREBP-1c expression is reduced in overweight and possibly obese cats, reflecting down-regulation of the lipogenic pathway to prevent further fat accumulation and weight gain.     

Inhibitory effects of Zingiber officinale Roscoe derived components on aldose reductase activity in vitro and in vivo

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) continues to be used as an important cooking spice and herbal medicine around the world. Scientific research has gradually verified the antidiabetic effects of ginger. Especially gingerols, which are the major components of ginger, are known to improve diabetes including the effect of enhancement against insulin-sensitivity. Aldose reductase inhibitors have considerable potential for the treatment of diabetes, without increased risk of hypoglycemia. The assay for aldose reductase inhibitors in ginger led to the isolation of five active compounds including 2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)ethanol (2) and 2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)ethanoic acid (3). Compounds 2 and 3 were good inhibitors of recombinant human aldose reductase, with IC50 values of 19.2 +/- 1.9 and 18.5 +/- 1.1 microM, respectively. Furthermore, these compounds significantly suppressed not only sorbitol accumulation in human erythrocytes but also lens galactitol accumulation in 30% of galactose-fed cataract rat model. A structure-activity relationship study revealed that the applicable side alkyl chain length and the presence of a C3 OCH3 group in the aromatic ring are essential features for enzyme recognition and binding. These results suggested that it would contribute to the protection against or improvement of diabetic complications for a dietary supplement of ginger or its extract containing aldose reductase inhibitors.     

Eastern little tuna,Euthynnus affinis (Cantor, 1849) mature and reproduce within 1 year of rearing in land‐based tanks

Eastern little tuna (ELT, Euthynnus affinis) is expected to see use as a novel aquaculture species due to its rapid growth and high economic value. In this study, closing of the complete life cycle of ELT in land‐based tanks was successfully carried out. Seed production of a first generation (F1) derived from wild‐caught ELT broodstock was conducted in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Survival percentages of F1 ELT at 365 days post hatching for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 year classes were 0.9%, 0.4% and 6.3% respectively. On average, F1 ELT were approximately 40 cm in total length and weighed 1500 g by the time they reached 1 year of age. Successful artificial induction of spawning was achieved in 1‐year‐old F1 ELT using a gonadotropin‐releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa). Induction of spawning was successful at the first administration of GnRHa in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 year classes. First spawning was observed at 4 or 5 days post implantation, which indicated that oogenesis and spermatogenesis progressed within 1 year of rearing in land‐based tanks. During spawning periods, the average number of fertilized eggs and the average number of hatched larvae per spawning event in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 year classes were 20,480 eggs day^?1 and 177 larvae day^?1, 39,423 eggs day^?1 and 9347 larvae day^?1, and 819,555 eggs day^?1 and 674,445 larvae day^?1 respectively. Therefore, it was concluded that both male and female ELT reared in land‐based tanks were capable of reproduction at 1 year of age.     

Androgen induces production of male effect pheromone in female goats

Previously we showed that the primer pheromone responsible for the "male effect" was produced in specific skin regions of castrated male goats by androgen treatments. In the present study, we examined whether androgen can also induce production of the male effect pheromone in female goats. Capsules containing dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or testosterone (T) were subcutaneously implanted into six ovariectomized (OVX) goats for 28 days. Small skin samples were collected from the head and rump regions, and the pheromone activity of their ether extracts was examined using a bioassay that monitors the electrophysiological manifestation of the hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone pulse generator as multiple-unit activity. Behaviors of OVX goats towards ovary-intact estrous goats were also examined before and at the end of DHT or T treatment. Before androgen treatment, neither the head nor rump skin samples in OVX goats showed pheromone activity. DHT treatment induced pheromone activity in the head skin sample of six OVX goats and in the rump skin sample of two OVX goats. Similar results were obtained by T treatment. In addition, OVX goats treated with T showed masculine-type sexual behaviors such as courtship and mounting behaviors towards the estrous goats. These results demonstrate that androgen is capable of inducing primer pheromone activity in the female and suggest that the synthesis pathway of the male effect pheromone exists in both sexes in the goat.     

Effects of oral administration of colostrum whey in peripartum goat on antimicrobial peptides in postpartum milk

The present study was conducted to examine whether colostrum supplementation in peripartum goats increases the antimicrobial peptides in their milk. Goats were orally administered 2 ml of colostrum whey products (colostrum group) or water (control group) daily, from 2 weeks before until 2 weeks after kidding. Body weights of mothers and kids were measured. Blood, milk, and fecal samples were collected from the mothers, and blood samples were collected from the kids. Concentrations of milk antimicrobial peptides (beta‐defensin, cathelicidin, lactoferrin, S100A7, lactoperoxidase, and immunoglobulin A [IgA]) were determined. IgA and nutritional parameters (glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, ketone bodies, and non‐esterified fatty acids) were also determined in the blood of mothers and kids. Milk IgA and lactoferrin concentrations were higher in the colostrum group than in the control group. Conversely, lower milk concentrations of S100A7 were observed in the colostrum group than that in the control group. Plasma IgA concentrations were higher for kids from the colostrum group than for those from the control group. These results suggest that oral administration of colostrum in pregnant goats increases IgA concentration in postpartum milk, which can subsequently improve the health of their kids.     

Nursery soil cover influences germination of Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondai seeds

We examined the influence of nursery soil cover on germination of Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondai. Seeds were sown under seeding bed conditions: (1) nursery soil (andosol) without soil cover, (2) Kanuma pumice without soil cover, (3) nursery soil with nursery soil cover, and (4) nursery soil with sterilized sand cover. Germination percentages were compared between these conditions. The germination percentage (8.8%) at 10 weeks after sowing under condition 3 was significantly lower than under conditions 1, 2, and 4 (56.8%, 52.0%, and 47.2%, respectively). Of the nongerminated seeds under condition 3, 75.0% were decayed and several fungi were isolated from decayed seeds. An inoculation test of isolated fungi Cylindrocarpon tenue, Cylindrocarpon sp., Fusarium oxysporum, and Botrytis sp. to seeds showed that these fungi caused seed decay. Our results indicated that nursery soil cover may not be suitable for T. dolabrata var. hondai seeds sown in nursery soil because of seed decay by pathogens.