Genome‐wide association studies identified variants for taurine concentration in Japanese Black beef

We performed genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) using the BovineSNP50 array to detect significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that may affect the concentration of 22 free amino acids and three peptides in Japanese Black beef cattle. A total of 574 Japanese Black cattle and 40,657 SNPs from the array were used for this study. Genome‐wide significant SNPs were detected for β‐alanine (three SNPs on chromosomes 22 and 29) and taurine (26 SNPs on chromosome 22). Importantly, the top two SNPs for taurine were highly significant (p = 6.2 × 10^?21), and the frequency of the increase‐concentration allele (Q) for taurine was found to be 0.73. The Q allele frequency of this population was similar to that of the other unrelated Japanese Black cattle, but different from that of the other breeds. In addition, the significant SNPs were not associated with carcass traits or fatty acid compositions. Interestingly, the top three of the four most significant SNPs for taurine were located near solute carrier family 6, member 6 (SLC6A6), which is a membrane transporter for taurine. We also found two associated variants in the 5′‐upstream region of SLC6A6; however, they were less significantly associated than the SNPs from the BovineSNP50 array.     

Addition of Wakame seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida) stalk to animal feed enhances immune response and improves intestinal microflora in pigs

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplementation of Wakame seaweed stalks on the immunity and intestinal microflora of pigs. Three separate experiments were performed: Relatively young (start at 20–30 kg; Experiments 1 and 2) and fattening period (70 kg; Experiment 3). All pigs (including the control group) were fed the same commercial feed, free from antibiotic additives, but in the feed for the treatment groups, 1% seaweed powder was added. There were no group differences observed in daily weight gain and feed intake in Experiments 1 and 2 between groups; however, daily weight gain was significantly higher in the treatment group compared to the control group in Experiment 3. The percentage of peripheral blood natural killer cells of the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the control group in all experiments. Although addition of seaweed changed the gene expression of cytokine and toll‐like receptors of the small intestinal Peyer's patches slightly, seaweed seems to alter intestinal microflora preferentially, for instance, there was an increase in Lactobacillus and a decrease of Escherichia coli observed. These results suggest that Wakame seaweed can be used as supplement for pig feed to improve the gut health and immunity of pigs.     

Estimation of genetic parameters for farrowing traits in purebred Landrace and Large White pigs

Genetic parameters were estimated for six reproductive traits related to farrowing events in Landrace and Large White pigs; total number born (TNB), number born alive (NBA), number stillborn (NSB), total litter weight at birth (LWB), mean litter weight at birth (MWB), and gestation length (GL). We analyzed 62,534 farrowing records for 10,637 Landrace dams and 49,817 farrowing records for 8,649 Large White dams. Estimated heritabilities of TNB, NBA, NSB, LWB, MWB, and GL by single‐trait repeatability model analyses were 0.12, 0.12, 0.08, 0.18, 0.19, and 0.29, respectively, in Landrace, and 0.12, 0.10, 0.08, 0.18, 0.16, and 0.34, respectively, in Large White. Genetic correlation between NBA and NSB was unfavorable: 0.20 in Landrace and 0.33 in Large White. Genetic correlations of GL with the other five traits were weak: from ?0.18 with NSB to ?0.03 with NBA in Landrace, and from ?0.22 with NSB to ?0.07 with NBA in Large White. LWB had a highly favorable genetic correlation with NBA (0.74 in both breeds), indicating the possibility of using LWB for the genetic improvement of NBA.     

新疆小麦地方品种籽粒硬度及其Puroindoline 基因等位变异研究

[目的]籽粒硬度是重要的小麦品质性状,了解新生疆小麦地方品种籽粒硬度的变异类型和分布,为新疆小麦品质育种提供遗传信息.[方法]利用单籽粒硬度仪(SKCS)和PCR扩增、酶切及DNA测序技术,结合改良的Friabilin提取及电泳分析方法,对105份新疆小麦地方品种的籽粒硬度及Pina和Pint等位基因进行研究.[结果]新疆小麦地方品种以硬质类型为主,平均硬度值为63.5.新疆小麦地方品种Puroindoline基因共有9种突变型,分别是Pina-D1a/Pinb-D1a,Pina-D1a/Pinb-Dlb,Pina-D1a/Pint-D1p,Pina-D1k ()/,Pina-D1l/Pinb-D1a,Pina-D1r/Pinb-D1a,Pina-D1a/Pinb-D1ab,Pina-D1a/Pint-Dlac和Pina-D1b/Pinb-D1p,其中Pina-D1 r/Pinb-D1a为新发现的突变型.新疆小麦地方品种Puroindoline基因型以Pina-D1a/Pinb-D1p为主导类型,共有62份,占59.1;;其Pina-D1k()/和Pina-D1 a/Pint-D1ab两种突变型与其地理来源和生态型密切相关,主要分布在南疆冬小麦中.Pina-D1a/Pinb-D1a(野生型)的硬度值显著低于突变型,Pina-Dlk()/的硬度值最高,但Pins-D1k ()/ ,Pina-D1a/Pinb-D1p和Pina-D1a/Pinb-D1ab的硬度值差异不显著.[结论]新疆小麦地方品种籽粒硬度及其Puroindoline等位变异和分布信息能为新疆小麦品质改良和引种提供理论依据.     

Effects of specimen configuration and measurement method of strain on the characterization of tensile properties of paper

Uniaxial-tension tests of copy paper were conducted to measure the tensile properties, including Young’s modulus, proportional limit stress, and tensile strength in the machine direction (MD) and cross direction (CD) using straight and dog-bone-shaped specimens. In the tests using the straight specimen, the distance between the grips was varied. Additionally, the tensile strain was obtained from the crosshead movement and elongation between the lines photographed by a CCD camera. When using a straight specimen in the MD, the grip distance influenced the Young’s modulus value, and the tensile strength was markedly lower than that of the dog-bone-shaped specimen. In contrast, the tensile properties in the CD could be obtained even when using the straight specimen while reducing the influence of stress concentration at the grip.     

Effects of whole-grain paddy rice replacement with or without enzyme addition on broiler performance and intestinal morphology

1. To investigate the effect of replacing maize with whole-grain paddy rice (WPR) in broiler chicken diets, with or without enzyme addition, on growth performance and histological structures of the intestinal villi, 14-d-old Marshall Chunky male chicks were divided into 4 groups with 4 replicates of 4 chicks each. The experimental diets containing different concentrations of WPR were as follows: (1) 0 g/kg (Control); (2) 141.5 g/kg, grower, and 125.0 g/kg, finisher (25WPR); (3) 283.0 g/kg, grower, and 250.0 g/kg, finisher (50WPR); (4) 283.0 g/kg, grower, and 250.0 g/kg, finisher, and enzyme supplementation (50WPR + enzyme). All diets were formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous and provided ad libitum for 35 d.

2. There were no differences among the diets on the growth performance and digestive organ size.

3. The villus height and cell mitosis number of all intestinal segments did not change in any treatment. The ileal villus area, duodenal cell area, duodenal and jejunal goblet cell number in the 50WPR group increased significantly relative to the control but not when enzyme was included.

4. In the scanning electron microscope results, all experimental groups showed clear protuberant cells and cell clusters on the villus apical surface of the duodenum. In the jejunum, cell clusters and areas having cells with no microvilli were frequently found in both the 50WPR and 50WPR + enzyme groups.

5. In conclusion, broilers fed on diets replacing maize with WPR showed hypertrophied villi of duodenum and ileum and epithelial cells in duodenum and jejunum, especially in the 50WPR group, without negatively affecting growth performance. These findings suggest that WPR can replace maize up to a level of 50% (283.0 g/kg, starter, and 250.0 g/kg, finisher) in broiler diets without enzyme supplementation. However, further studies are needed to improve our knowledge of the influence of WPR on higher numbers of birds.     

Importance of starting age for myelotoxicity study in dietary restricted rats

The aim of this study was to prove our hypothesis that adult rats with lowering of body weight gain, rats at 12 weeks of age as an example, are suitable for evaluation of myelotoxicity. Age-related differences between young rats (6-week-old study) and adult rats (12-week-old study) were analyzed in hematological examination values. The data of the young rats were reprinted from our previous report (Miyata et al., 2009) since our hypothesis was verified by comparison with that previous report. Several experimental groups were defined for the 12-week-old study as well as for the 6-week-old study; these included 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) treated groups receiving 12, 15 and 18 mg/kg/day (FU12, FU15 and FU18), pair-feeding groups (R12, R15 and R18 receiving the same amount of food as in the FU12, FU15 and FU18 groups, respectively) and a nontreated control group. Numerous hematologic and bone marrow parameters in the 5-FU treated groups were comparable to those in the corresponding pair-feeding groups in both age studies. Generally, the influences of undernutrition were more apparent in the young rats than in the adult rats. Histopathological examinations showed a decrease in hematopoiesis in the bone marrow in the 5-FU treated and pair-feeding groups. No apparent differences were observed in the decreased hematopoiesis between the 5-FU treated and pair-feeding groups in the 6-week-old study, but a difference between these groups was noted in the 12-week-old study; decreased hematopoiesis was more frequently noted in the 5-FU treated groups. These facts suggest that adult rats are more suitable than young rats for evaluation of 5-FU-induced myelotoxicity.     

Evaluation of the hypolipemic property of Camellia sinensisVar. ptilophylla on postprandial hypertriglyceridemia

A naturally decaffeinated tea, Camellia sinensis var. ptilophylla (cocoa tea), has long been popular in southern China as a healthy beverage. Our experiments indicate that a single oral administration of 500 mg/kg of cocoa tea extract suppresses increases in plasma triacylgycerol (TG) levels when fed with 5 mL/kg of olive or lard oil in mice and that the inhibition rates are 22.9% and 31.5%, respectively, compared with controls. Under the same condition, cocoa tea extract did not affect the level of plasma free fatty acid. Likewise, the extract reduced the lymphatic absorption of lipids at 250 and 500 mg/kg. Also, cocoa tea extract and polyphenols isolated from cocoa tea inhibit pancreatic lipase. These findings suggest that cocoa tea has hypolipemic activity, which may be due to the suppression of digestive lipase activity by the polyphenols contained within the tea.     

Alcohol and dietary fibre intakes affect circulating sex hormones among premenopausal women

BACKGROUND: The association of alcohol and fibre intake with breast cancer may be mediated by circulating sex hormone levels, which are predictors of breast cancer risk. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship of alcohol and dietary fibre intake with circulating sex hormone levels among premenopausal women. METHODS: A total of 205 premenopausal women completed a validated food-frequency questionnaire at baseline and after 2 years; blood samples taken at the same time were analysed for circulating sex hormone concentrations, including oestrone (E1), oestradiol (E2), free E2, progesterone, androstenedione and sex hormone-binding globulin, by radioimmunoassay. We used mixed models to estimate least-square means of sex hormone concentrations for alcohol intake categories and quartiles of dietary intake. RESULTS: After adjustment for covariates, alcohol consumption was moderately associated with higher circulating oestrogen levels; those who consumed more than one drink per day had 20% higher E2 (Ptrend=0.07) levels than non-drinkers. In contrast, higher dietary fibre intake was associated with lower serum levels of androstenedione (-8% between the lowest and highest quartiles of intake, Ptrend=0.06), but not oestrogens. Similarly, consumption of fruits (-12%, Ptrend=0.03), vegetables (-9%, Ptrend=0.15) and whole grains (-7%, Ptrend=0.07) showed inverse associations with androstenedione levels. CONCLUSIONS: The consistency of the observed differences in sex hormone levels associated with alcohol and fibre-rich foods indicates that these nutritional factors may affect sex hormone concentrations and play a role in breast cancer aetiology and prevention.     

Effects of beer and hop on ionotropic gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors

Beer induced the response of the ionotropic gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABA(A) receptors) expressed in Xenopus oocytes, indicating the presence of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-like activity. Furthermore, the pentane extract of the beer, hop (Humulus lupulus L.) oil, and myrcenol potentiated the GABA(A) receptor response elicited by GABA. The GABA(A) receptor responses were also potentiated by the addition of aliphatic esters, most of which are reported to be present in beer flavor. Aliphatic esters showed the tendency to decrease in the potentiation of the GABA(A) receptor response with an increase in their carbon chain length. When myrcenol was injected to mice prior to intraperitoneal administration of pentobarbital, the pentobarbital-induced sleeping time of mice increased additionally. Therefore, the beer contained not only GABA-like activity but also the modulator(s) of the GABA(A) receptor response.