Comparison of corn gluten meal and meat meal as a protein source in dry foods formulated for cats

OBJECTIVE: To compare the nutritional value of corn gluten meal (CGM) and meat meal (MM) as a dietary source of protein in dry food formulated for adult cats. ANIMALS: 8 healthy adult cats (4 males and 4 females). PROCEDURE: Diets containing CGM or MM as the main protein source were each fed for a 3-week period in a crossover study. Digestibility and nutritional balance experiments were conducted during the last 7 days of each period. Furthermore, freshly voided urine was obtained to measure urinary pH, struvite crystals, and sediment concentrations. RESULTS: Daily food intake and dry-matter digestibility were significantly higher for the MM diet. Fecal moisture content also was higher for the MM diet. Apparent nitrogen (N) absorption and N retention were higher for the MM diet, even when values were expressed as a percentage to account for differences in N intake. Urinary pH, struvite activity product, number of struvite crystals in urine, and urinary sediment concentrations were not different between diets. Retention of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium was lower for the CGM diet, and cats lost body calcium and magnesium when fed the CGM diet. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Meat meal was superior to CGM as a protein source in dry foods formulated for cats, because dry-matter digestibility and N utilization were higher for the MM diet. In addition, net loss of body calcium and magnesium for the CGM diet suggests that mineral requirements increase when CGM is used as a protein source.     

Determination of nitrotyrosine by HPLC-ECD and its application

3-nitrotyrosine, a product of tyrosine nitration, is a useful indicator of oxidative damage. We modified the previously reported HPLC-electrochemical detection (ECD) method: specifically, a through-type porous carbon electrode was used as a reducing electrode instead of the mercury-gold amalgam electrode, because the response of the latter changes over time. A combination of reverse-phase HPLC and electrochemical detector passed through -800 mV reduction potential and subsequently under +250 mV oxidation potential allows measurement of 3-nitrotyrosine. The detection limit of this assay was less than 10 fmol. In mice to which lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was administered intraperitoneally, plasma 3-nitrotyrosine levels were elevated, corresponding to LPS dosage. These findings suggest that the improved HPLC-ECD method can be used as a specific and sensitive assay of biological 3-nitrotyrosine and can be applied clinically.     

Isolation and characterization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 from beef,pork and cattle fecal samples in Changchun,China

Meat samples and fecal specimens from adult cattle were collected in Changchun, China and were examined for presence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) serogroup O157. STEC O157 strains were isolated from 2 (5%) of 40 beef, 1 (3.3%) of 30 pork, and 3 (1.7%) of 176 adult cattle fecal samples. The strains belonged to phage types (PT) 4, 8, or 47. Two beef strains and a strain previously isolated from a patient in Shandong, China, were PT-4 and showed a similar PFGE pattern, suggesting the possibility of food-borne transmission. It is suggested that cattle are a reservoir of STEC O157:H7 and meat products are contaminated by this pathogen in Changchun, China as well as in other countries.     

Classification of lactic acid bacteria isolated from chigee and mare milk collected in Inner Mongolia

One hundred and seventeen isolates from chigee and 191 isolates from mare milk collected in Inner Mongolia were classified into six and 10 groups, respectively, based on the protein profiles obtained by sodium dodecyl sulfate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE). A dendrogram on the basis of the molecular sizes of the protein bands was drawn and the similarity among the groups ranged from 96% to 44%. Representative isolates from all groups were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing and a phylogenetic tree was drawn. Furthermore, the results of carbohydrate fermentation tests of all groups were compared with those obtained by 16S rDNA sequencing and SDS‐PAGE analyzes. The isolates from chigee consisted of mainly Lactobacillus sp., Lactobacillus (Lb.) plantarum, Lb. pentosus and Lactococcus (Lc.) lactis ssp. cremoris were isolated at the rates of 48, 33 and 19%, respectively. The isolates from mare milk consisted of coccus, namely, Leuconostoc (Leuc.) mesenteroides, Leuc. pseudomesenteroides, Lc. garvieae, Lc. lactis ssp. lactis, Streptococcus (Sc.) parauberis and Enterococcus (Ec.) faecium. The isolation rates were 45, 19, 7, 8, 16 and 6%, respectively. The results demonstrated that the species isolated from chigee were different from those in mare milk.     

Inheritance of von Willebrand's disease in a colony of Doberman Pinschers

OBJECTIVE: To determine the mode of inheritance of von Willebrand's disease (vWD) and perform linkage analysis between vWD and coat color or narcolepsy in a colony of Doberman Pinschers. ANIMALS: 159 Doberman Pinschers. PROCEDURE: von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF:Ag) concentration was measured by use of ELISA, and results were used to classify dogs as having low (< 20%), intermediate (20 to 65%), or high (> 65%) vWF:Ag concentration, compared with results of analysis of standard pooled plasma. Buccal bleeding time was measured, and mode of inheritance of vWD was assessed by pedigree analysis. RESULTS: von Willebrand's disease was transmitted as a single autosomal gene defect. Results suggested that 27.04% of dogs were homozygous for vWD, 62.26% were heterozygous, and 10.69% did not have the defect. Most homozygous and some heterozygous dogs had prolonged bleeding times. Dogs with diluted coat colors (blue and fawn) were significantly overrepresented in the homozygous group, compared with black and red dogs, but a significant link between vWD and coat color was not detected. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: von Willebrand's disease is transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait with variable penetrance; most dogs in this colony (89.3%) were carriers of vWD. Homozygosity for vWD is not likely to be lethal. Some heterozygous dogs have prolonged bleeding times. An association between diluted coat colors and vWD may exist.     

Review of pathophysiology and clinical management of narcolepsy in dogs

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder that affects human beings and animals. Up to 17 breeds of dogs are affected sporadically, and familial forms occur in dobermanns, labrador retrievers and dachshunds. These dogs display characteristics strikingly similar to those of human narcolepsy, including cataplexy (a sudden loss of muscle tone in response to emotional stimulation) and a shorter sleep latency. It has recently been shown that the aetiology of both the familial form (receptor null mutation) and the sporadic form (loss of ligand production) of canine narcolepsy is associated with a deficit in hypocretin/orexin neurotransmission. Hypocretin deficiency can be detected by the measurement of hypocretin-1 in cerebrospinal fluid, and this could be used to diagnose hypocretin ligand deficient cases in clinical practice. Narcolepsy is neither progressive nor life-threatening, but the clinical signs persist throughout life, and lifelong treatment and care are required. This article reviews the recent progress in narcolepsy research in dogs, and describes the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.     

Identification of bacteria in total mixed ration silage produced with and without crop silage as an ingredient

As a forage source for total mixed ration (TMR) silage production, locally produced crop silage is now used in addition to imported hay. This type of TMR ensiling is regarded as a two‐step fermentation process; hence, a survey was carried out to determine whether the bacteria in crop silage affect the subsequent TMR ensiling. Fermentation product contents and bacterial community were determined for TMR silage and its ingredient silages collected in August, October and November. August product contained corn, sorghum and Italian ryegrass silages, October product had wheat silage exclusively and November product did not include any crop silages. Acetic acid, lactic acid, 2,3‐butanediol and ethanol were predominant fermentation products in corn, sorghum, Italian ryegrass and wheat silages, respectively. Robust lactic acid fermentation was seen in TMR silage, even if acetate‐type and alcohol‐type silages were mixed as ingredients. The finding that bacterial community of the TMR silage appeared unrelated to those of ingredient silage supported this. Silages of various fermentation types can therefore be formulated without interfering with lactate‐type fermentation in TMR silage.     

A review of tower flux observation sites in Asia

Aggregating and sharing the metadata of flux observation sites results in a strong collaboration among various fields of study. Such data sharing will also be a part of the future design of a tower flux observation network in Asia. The aim of this review is to comprehend the state of tower flux observation sites in Asia. There are 109 tower flux observation sites in Asia including 51 forest sites. There are more new sites under construction in Asia than in America and Europe. These sites range from the taiga in Siberia to the rainforest in Southeast Asia, and from the equatorial to polar Koeppen climate zones. There are many highly humid areas in Asia, not only at low latitudes but also at middle latitudes. This climate condition has developed unique vegetation such as lucidophyllous (evergreen broadleaf) forest, which is distributed in warm areas with high precipitation in the growing season. However, there are only a few observations taking place in lucidophyllous forest. Rice paddy fields are also unique land cover in Asia. It is important to accumulate long-term data for rice fields with their management records, because plant activity depends highly on both climate conditions and land-use management. Flux data, especially net ecosystem exchange and related elements, are used for widespread studies not only within the flux-research community but also in other fields of study, for example remote sensing. At present, however, both the quantity and quality of the data are not sufficient for these studies. Regarding the quantity, there are many recently established sites that have not published data yet; regarding quality, flux data include uncertainties caused by methodological problems. Flux researchers are required not only to obtain flux data but also to improve their quality. Meanwhile, data users must understand there are still uncertainties in flux data. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Estimating a suitable microsatellite marker set for individual identification and parentage tests of brown bear (Ursus arctos) in the Akan–Shiranuka Region, eastern Hokkaido, Japan

We examined 24 microsatellite markers to select those most suitable for individual identification and parentage tests of brown bears (Ursus arctos) based on statistical parameters and experimental error using liver samples (38 issues) from nuisance bears killed in the Akan–Shiranuka Region, eastern Hokkaido, Japan from 1996 to 2006. We found seven microsatellite markers suitable for identifying individuals (G1A, G10B, G10L, UarMU5, UarMU23, UarMU50, and UarMU51; probability of identity P _id = 3.17  × 10⁻⁷; probability of identity of sibs P _id-sib  = 2.23 × 10⁻³), 12 microsatellite markers suitable for parentage testing when one parent is known [G1A, G1D, G10B, G10L, G10P, UarMU5, UarMU23, UarMU50, UarMU51, UarMU59, UarMU61, and UarMU64; probability of excluding one parent (PE I = 0.9991)], and 15 microsatellite markers for parentage testing when neither parents are known [three markers added to the above: G10M, G10X, and UarMU9; probability of excluding both parents (PE II = 0.9869)].