A piglet with concurrent polioencephalomyelitis due to porcine teschovirus and postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome

A piglet developed respiratory distress followed by difficulty in standing and unsteady gait. The lesions were characterized by polioencephalomyelitis with the predominant distribution in the brain stem, as well as lymphocyte depletion and histiocyte infiltration with cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in the lymphoid tissues throughout the body and interstitial pneumonia. Porcine teschovirus (PTV) antigens were found in the former lesions and porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) in the latter two lesions. PTV genes were detected from the diencephalon. The results suggest that the piglet was concurrently affected with polioencephalomyelitis due to PTV and postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) associated with PCV2. They also suggest that the immunosuppressive condition developing in PMWS may have facilitated the infection of the brain with PTV.     

Software development for estimating the concentration of radioactive cesium in the skeletal muscles of cattle from blood samples

The 2011 earthquake severely damaged the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP), resulting in the release of large quantities of radioactive material into the environment. The deposition of these radionuclides in rice straw as livestock feed led to the circulation of contaminated beef in the market. Based on the safety concern of the consumers, a reliable method for estimating concentrations of radioactive cesium in muscle tissue is needed. In this study, we analyzed the concentrations of radioactive cesium in the blood and skeletal muscle of 88 cattle, and detected a linear correlation between them. We then developed software that can be used to estimate radioactive cesium concentrations in muscle tissue from blood samples. Distribution of this software to the livestock production field would allow us to easily identify high‐risk cattle, which would be beyond the safety regulation, before shipping out to the market. This software is planned to be released as freeware. This software would contribute to food safety, and aid the recovery of the livestock industry from the damage creacted by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.     

Anisotropy and corotation of galactic cosmic rays

The intensity of Galactic cosmic rays is nearly isotropic because of the influence of magnetic fields in the Milky Way. Here, we present two-dimensional high-precision anisotropy measurement for energies from a few to several hundred teraelectronvolts (TeV), using the large data sample of the Tibet Air Shower Arrays. Besides revealing finer details of the known anisotropies, a new component of Galactic cosmic ray anisotropy in sidereal time is uncovered around the Cygnus region direction. For cosmic-ray energies up to a few hundred TeV, all components of anisotropies fade away, showing a corotation of Galactic cosmic rays with the local Galactic magnetic environment. These results have broad implications for a comprehensive understanding of cosmic rays, supernovae, magnetic fields, and heliospheric and Galactic dynamic environments.     

Development of EST-SSR markers and construction of a linkage map in faba bean (Vicia faba)

To develop a high density linkage map in faba bean, a total of 1,363 FBES (Faba bean expressed sequence tag [EST]-derived simple sequence repeat [SSR]) markers were designed based on 5,090 non-redundant ESTs developed in this study. A total of 109 plants of a ‘Nubaria 2’ × ‘Misr 3’ F₂ mapping population were used for map construction. Because the parents were not pure homozygous lines, the 109 F₂ plants were divided into three subpopulations according to the original F₁ plants. Linkage groups (LGs) generated in each subpopulation were integrated by commonly mapped markers. The integrated ‘Nubaria 2’ × ‘Misr 3’ map consisted of six LGs, representing a total length of 684.7 cM, with 552 loci. Of the mapped loci, 47% were generated from multi-loci diagnostic (MLD) markers. Alignment of homologous sequence pairs along each linkage group revealed obvious syntenic relationships between LGs in faba bean and the genomes of two model legumes, Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula. In a polymorphic analysis with ten Egyptian faba bean varieties, 78.9% (384/487) of the FBES markers showed polymorphisms. Along with the EST-SSR markers, the dense map developed in this study is expected to accelerate marker assisted breeding in faba bean.     

Genomic insights into the immune system of the sea urchin

Comparative analysis of the sea urchin genome has broad implications for the primitive state of deuterostome host defense and the genetic underpinnings of immunity in vertebrates. The sea urchin has an unprecedented complexity of innate immune recognition receptors relative to other animal species yet characterized. These receptor genes include a vast repertoire of 222 Toll-like receptors, a superfamily of more than 200 NACHT domain-leucine-rich repeat proteins (similar to nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain (NOD) and NALP proteins of vertebrates), and a large family of scavenger receptor cysteine-rich proteins. More typical numbers of genes encode other immune recognition factors. Homologs of important immune and hematopoietic regulators, many of which have previously been identified only from chordates, as well as genes that are critical in adaptive immunity of jawed vertebrates, also are present. The findings serve to underscore the dynamic utilization of receptors and the complexity of immune recognition that may be basal for deuterostomes and predicts features of the ancestral bilaterian form.     

Evaluation of Meat and Bone Meal as Replacement for Protein Concentrate in the Practical Diet for Sutchi Catfish,Pangasius hypophthalmus (Sauvage 1878), Reared under Pond Condition

An 80‐d feeding trial was conducted to evaluate meat and bone meal (MBM) as replacement of protein concentrate (PC) in practical diets for sutchi catfish, Pangasius hypophthalmus. Triplicate groups of juvenile sutchi catfish (initial weight 4.80 g) were stocked at the rate of 20,000 fish/ha in 12 earthen ponds (30 m² each). Four isocaloric diets (4.12 kcal/g) were formulated by replacing 0 (Diet 1, control), 33 (Diet 2), 67 (Diet 3), and 100% (Diet 4) PC protein with MBM. The growth parameters [final weight, % weight gain, and specific growth rate (SGR)] of fish fed Diets 1, 2, and 3 were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from each other but were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those in Diet 4. The protein content in fish fed Diet 4 was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than the others. The total production of fish in different treatments ranged between 1917 and 2648 kg/ha/80 d. A simple economic analysis determined that the highest net profit (Tk. 52,965/ha) was obtained with Diet 2 and the lowest (Tk. 27,127/ha) with Diet 4 having 100% PC protein replacement. From the results of the study it is concluded that MBM can substitute up to 67% PC protein in catfish diet without hampering the growth and feed utilization.     

Growth performance of juvenile kuruma shrimp,Marsupenaeus japonicus (Bate) fed diets replacing fishmeal with soybean meal

A feeding trail was conducted to evaluate the effect of lowering dietary fishmeal (FM) levels while increasing levels of dehulled soybean meal (SBM) on growth, nutrient utilization and body composition of juvenile kuruma shrimp, Marsupenaeus japonicas. Five experimental diets were formulated to be isoenergetic, isolipidic and isonitrogenous with decreasing FM levels from 40 to 16% while increasing SBM from 0 to 33% respectively. Quadruplicate groups of shrimp (initial wt = 1.5 g) were fed the test diets for 56 days under the flow‐through system. There were no significant differences in final weight (g) and specific growth rate (SGR, % day) among shrimp fed FM40, FM34, FM28 and FM22 diets respectively. Growth parameters significantly decreased in shrimp when fed FM16 diet, which was the lowest level of FM. Feed intake was positively correlated with the SGR of shrimp, and the lowest one was found in shrimp fed FM16 diet. Protein gain and retention, whole body lipid, arginine and methionine significantly decreased in FM16 fed group. Thus, it is concluded that dietary FM could be reduced down to 22% with SBM without compromising growth, nutrient utilization and retention, and whole body composition of kuruma shrimp.     

Dietary Soy Peptide Enhances Thermotolerance and Survival of Juvenile Japanese Flounder,Paralichthys olivaceus

Soy peptide (SP), a soy protein enzymatic hydrolysate, contains bioactive substances that could be utilized as an immune‐stimulating feed ingredient. The experiment evaluated the efficacy of dietary SP on promoting growth, and enhancing tolerance and survival to heat stress in juvenile Japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus. Four diets were incorporated with different levels of SP (0, 2, 5, and 10%) and a 6‐wk feeding trial ensued. Following the feeding trial, the experimental groups were subjected to heat stress to measure survival rate and heat shock protein 70s (HSP70s) in gill, liver, and skin. Fish fed diets with SP inclusion showed considerable decrease in percent weight gain. Significantly higher lethal time values to 50% mortality (LT₅₀) value were recorded for fish fed 10% SP. Moreover, LT₅₀ values of fish fed 2 and 5% SP were significantly higher compared with fish fed control diet. HSP70s produced in all the tissues were significantly highest in fish fed 10% SP. HSP70s values were significantly higher in fish fed 2 and 5% SP compared with fish fed control diet. A significant reduction in HSP70s among all groups during recovery period was also observed. These results suggest that SP can be used to enhance the immune response and survival of P. olivaceus under heat stress.