Variation in lysine,threonine, and tryptophan availability in meat and bone meal as estimated by the slope‐ratio growth assay technique in growing rats

Meat and bone meal (MBM) is an important protein source used in animal feeds. However, as the composition and availability of amino acids (AAs) in MBM fluctuate markedly, it is important to verify the magnitude of these parameters in different MBMs. In this study, the AA compositions of 19 MBMs were analyzed to confirm variations in lysine (Lys), threonine (Thr), and tryptophan (Trp), then which were compared with those of soybean meal (SBM) and fish meal (FM). Instability in Lys, Thr, and Trp availabilities in six MBMs were also considered after estimation using the slope‐ratio growth assay technique in rats. Variations in AA composition were evaluated using the coefficient of variance (CV: Standard deviation/Mean). CVs for Lys, Thr, and Trp content were 9.40, 11.83, and 18.12 in MBM, 2.71, 2.48, and 3.19 in SBM, and 10.09, 10.44, and 13.47 in FM. Furthermore, means and SDs for Lys, Thr, and Trp availabilities in MBM were 53.3 ± 10.4% (CV: 19.5), 65.9 ± 17.6% (CV: 26.6), and 83.2 ± 11.2% (CV: 13.5), respectively. These results provide the first evidence that variations in MBM AA compositions were 3.5 to 5.7 times higher than those in SBM, but similar to FM, and that the large variation in availability substantially existed.     

Estimation of genetic parameters of defective appearances in Japanese Black heifer calves in Kagoshima

Defective appearances, including white spotting (WS), tongue defect (TD), and nipple defect (ND), in Japanese Black cattle potentially lead to economic losses to farmers in Japan. We estimated genetic parameters of defective appearances using 553,433 records of Japanese Black heifer calves housed in the Kagoshima Prefecture. Variance and covariance were estimated using the Gibbs sampling algorithm. The estimated heritability ranged from 0.29 for TD to 0.76 for WS. Percent breeding value (%BV) estimates indicated high variation in WS and ND among sires, reflecting higher heritability. Furthermore, there was a positive linear relationship between the %BV estimate of a sire and the mean incidence rate of each defect in his female offsprings. TD was positively associated with other defects. Therefore, genetic factors strongly affect the incidence of defective appearances in Japanese Black cattle.     

Examination of milk microbiota,fecal microbiota,and blood metabolites of Jersey cows in cool and hot seasons

Microbiota of individual cow milk, bulk tank milk, and feces of Jersey cows were examined. Samples were collected from two farms (F1 and F2) in cool (November, Nov) and hot (July, Jul) seasons. Milk yield and milk composition were similar between the two farms and between the two seasons. Prevalent taxa of the fecal microbiota, i.e. Ruminococcaceae, Bacteroidaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Rikenellaceae, and Clostridiaceae, were unaffected by the farm and season. Relative abundance of milk microbiota for Pseudomonadaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, and Streptococcaceae (F1 > F2) and Lactobacillaceae, Bifidobacteriaceae, and Cellulomonadaceae (F1 < F2) were different between the two farms, and those for Staphylococcaceae, Bacillaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Veillonellaceae (Nov < Jul) and Methylobacteriaceae and Moraxellaceae (Nov > Jul) were different between the two seasons. The microbiota of bulk tank milk was numerically different from that of individual cow milk. Principal coordinate analysis indicated that the milk microbiota was unrelated to the fecal microbiota. The finding that relative abundance of Pseudomonadaceae and Moraxellaceae appeared greater than those reported for Holstein milk suggested that higher protein and fat content may result in a greater abundance of proteolytic and lipolytic taxa in Jersey cow milk.     

Modeling grain protein formation in relation to nitrogen uptake and remobilization in rice plant

Protein concentration of grain is an important quality index of rice, and formation of grain protein largely depends on pre-anthesis nitrogen assimilation and post-anthesis nitrogen remobilization in the rice plant. The primary objective of this study was to develop a simplified process model for simulating nitrogen accumulation and remobilization in plant and protein formation in rice grains on the basis of an established rice growth model. Six field experiments, involving different years, eco-sites, varieties, nitrogen rates, and irrigation regimes, were conducted to obtain the necessary data for model building, genotypic parameter determination, and model validation. Using physiological development time (PDT) as general time scale of development progress and cultivar-specific grain protein concentration as genotypic parameter, the dynamic relationships of plant nitrogen accumulation and translocation to environmental and genetic factors were quantified and synthesized in the present model. The pre-anthesis nitrogen uptake rate by plant changed with the PDT in a negative exponential pattern, and post-anthesis nitrogen uptake rate changed with leaf area index (LAI) in an exponential equation. Post-anthesis nitrogen translocation rate depended on the plant nitrogen concentration and dry weight at anthesis as well as residue nitrogen concentration of plant at maturity. The nitrogen for protein synthesis in grains came from two sources: the nitrogen pre-stored in leaves, stem and sheath before anthesis and then remobilized after anthesis, and the nitrogen absorbed directly by plant after anthesis. Finally, the model was tested by using the data sets of different years, eco-sites, varieties, and N fertilization and irrigation conditions with the root mean square errors (RMSE) 0.22%–0.26%, indicating the general and reliable features of the model. It is hoped that by properly integrating with the existing rice growth models, the present model can be used for predicting grain protein concentration and grain protein yield of rice under various environments and genotypes.     

Identification of Bphs,an autoimmune disease locus,as histamine receptor H1

Bphs controls Bordetella pertussis toxin (PTX)-induced vasoactive amine sensitization elicited by histamine (VAASH) and has an established role in autoimmunity. We report that congenic mapping links Bphs to the histamine H1 receptor gene (Hrh1/H1R) and that H1R differs at three amino acid residues in VAASH-susceptible and -resistant mice. Hrh1-/- mice are protected from VAASH, which can be restored by genetic complementation with a susceptible Bphs/Hrh1 allele, and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis and autoimmune orchitis due to immune deviation. Thus, natural alleles of Hrh1 control both the autoimmune T cell and vascular responses regulated by histamine after PTX sensitization.     

Morphological analyses of nephrin expression in progressive glomerulonephropathy of common marmosets

In this study, we focused on nephrin, one of the key molecules within the slit diaphragm of podocytes, as although there have been reports on its expression in humans and rats, their presence in common marmosets has not been reported. We investigated nephrin expression and changes in glomeruli, depending on the development of spontaneous progressive glomerulonephropathy in common marmosets. Nineteen common marmosets at two to ten years of age were evaluated. The kidney was examined by microscopy with hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical staining for nephrin. The lesions were classified into three grades according to a renal lesion grading system reported previously. The nephrin-positive area was measured by morphometric analysis, and the nephrin-positive ratio was calculated. Nephrin expression was observed along the glomerular capillary loop in a continuous linear pattern in renal lesion grades 0 to 2 and either discontinuous linear or coarse granular pattern in grade 3. Nephrin expression tended to decrease significantly depending on the grade of renal lesions. Alteration in nephrin expression has been suggested to play an important role in the progression of renal lesions.     

Biological potentials for a family of disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAMDEC)-1 in mouse normal pregnancy

Our previous research has indicated local expression of ADAMDEC-1, a family of disintegrin and metalloproteinase, was confirmed in the mouse placentas and enhancement was found in the sites for spontaneous abortion. Present study was aimed to identify biological effects of ADAMDEC-1 in pregnancy process. Syngeneic pairs of C57BL/6J mice and heterogenic mating pairs of CBA/J and DBA/2 mice were used. Pregnant mice were treated with recombinant ADAMDEC-1 protein. Vasculogenesis effects was evaluated using the Matrigel plugs including vascular endothelial growth factor singularity or combination with ADAMDEC-1. ADAMDEC-1 single effects were evaluated by tubal formation and proliferation assays using HuEht-1 endothelial cells. Expression of ADAMDEC-1 was not exactly corresponded with the time periods for miscarriage initiation. ADAMDEC-1 was distributed in normal placentas and fetuses, especially at extraembryonic ectoderm, decidua cells, uterine natural killer (uNK) cells in decidua, trophoblasts in labyrinthine zone, and hematopoietic cells in umbilical blood and fetal liver. ADAMDEC-1 treatment did not affect reproductive performances, while it elevated uNK cell recruitment in placenta and enlarged lumen sizes of the intraplacental vessels. In vitro analysis also indicated ADAMDEC-1 promoting effect on tubal formation and cell length of HuEht-1. qPCR analysis showed that ADAMDEC-1 modified placental gene expression especially for linkage of actin filament rearrangement. Our findings suggested that ADAMDEC-1 is correlated on cell shape, stability, and movement via modification of actin cytoskeleton. ADMADEC-1 suspected to regulate cellular activity of endothelial cells, trophoblasts, and uNK cells and may support normal developing of mouse placentas.     

Growth performance responses to increased tryptophan supplementation in growing barrows fed three different very low crude protein corn and soybean meal-based diets fortified with essential amino acids

Seventy-five individually fed barrows averaging 35 kg were used in a series of three experiments for 6-week growth assays (25 barrows each) to determine the effects of l -tryptophan (Trp) supplementation on growth performance and to establish the lower limits of dietary crude protein (CP) levels. Corn and soybean meal (SBM)-based diets containing 9% (Experiment 1), 10% (Experiment 2), and 11% CP (Experiment 3) fortified with deficient essential amino acids (AAs) except Trp were used as basal diets for each experiment. The experimental diets were supplemented with 0.00%, 0.02%, 0.04%, or 0.06% Trp. A 16% CP corn–SBM-based diet was set as a positive control in each experiment, and feed and water were provided ad libitum. Average daily gain and gain-to-feed ratio improved quadratically (P < 0.05) as supplemented Trp increased in the 9% and 10% CP group, although these positive effects were not observed in the 11% CP group. Because the maximum performance parameters in 9%, 10%, and 11% CP groups were not different from that of the 16% CP positive control group, the marginally reduced level of dietary CP without growth performance being affected appears to be around 9% at most. A potential reduction of nitrogen intake was clearly indicated.     

Structure and properties of syndiotactic polystyrene fibers prepared in high-speed melt spinning process

High-speed melt spinning of syndiotactic polystyrene was carried out using high and low molecular weight polymers, HMs-PS and LMs-PS, at the throughput rates of 3 and 6 g/min. The effect of take-up velocity on the structure and properties of as-spun fibers was investigated. Wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) patterns of the as-spun fibers revealed that the orientation-induced crystallization started to occur at the take-up velocities of 2–3 km/min. The crystal modification wasα-form. Birefringence of as-spun fibers showed negative value, and the absolute value of birefringence increased with an increase in the take-up velocity. The cold crystallization temperature analyzed through the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) decreased with an increase in the take-up velocity in the low speed region, whereas as the melting temperature increased after the on-set of orientation-induced crystallization. It was found that the fiber structure development proceeded from lower take-up velocities when the spinning conditions of higher molecular weight and lower throughput rate were adopted. The highest tensile modulus of 6.5 GPa was obtained for the fibers prepared at the spinning conditions of LMs-PS, 6 g/min and 5 km/min, whereas the highest tensile strength of 160 MPa was obtained for the HMs-PS fibers at the take-up velocity of 2 km/min. Elongation at break of as-spun fibers showed an abrupt increase, which was regarded as the brittle-ductile transition, in the low speed region, and subsequently decreased with an increase in the take-up velocity. There was a universal relation between the thermal and mechanical properties of as-spun fibers and the birefringence of as-spun fibers when the fibers were still amorphous. The orientation-induced crystallization was found to start when the birefringence reached — 0.02. After the starting of the orientation-induced crystallization, thermal and mechanical properties of as-spun fibers with similar level of birefringence varied significantly depending on the processing conditions.