Bacterial black spot caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Burkholderia andropogonis</Emphasis> on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Odontoglossum</Emphasis> and intergeneric hybrid orchids

A new bacterial black spot disease was observed on Odontoglossum, Odontioda, Odontocidium, and Vuylstekeara orchids in Japan. Typical symptoms on the leaves were dark or black spots (or both) with a yellow halo. The causal agent was identified as Burkholderia andropogonis (Smith 1911) Gillis, Van Van, Bardin, Goor, Hebbar, Willems, Segers, Kersters, Heulin and Fernandez 1995. The isolates were pathogenic on four original host orchids, Phalaenopsis orchid, and tulip; they were not pathogenic on white clover or corn after needle stab inoculation. An antibiotic bactericide (oxytetracycline/streptomycin mixture WP) was most effective for controlling the disease.     

Effects of oxygen tension in the gas atmosphere during in vitro maturation, in vitro fertilization and in vitro culture on the efficiency of in vitro production of mouse embryos

Effects of oxygen (O2) tension in the gas atmosphere during in vitro maturation (IVM), in vitro fertilization (IVF) and in vitro culture (IVC) on the efficiency of in vitro production of mouse embryos were examined. Mouse oocytes recovered from large antral follicles were subjected to IVM in Waymouth medium for 15, 16 and 17 hr under 5 or 20% O2 and then subjected to IVF and IVC under 5 or 20% O2 tension. Lowering the O2 tension in the gas atmosphere for IVM from 20 to 5% improved the cleavage rate after IVF when the oocytes were subjected to IVM for 15 hr; however, no improvement in the cleavage rate was observed when the culture period for IVM was extended to 16 and 17 hr. Lowering the O2 tension to 5% for IVM and IVC improved the development of the cleaved oocytes to the blastocyst stage, regardless of the culture period for IVM. However, the O2 tension for IVF had no remarkable effect on the subsequent embryonic development. These results demonstrate that 5% O2 is superior to 20% O2 for IVM and IVC, and suggest that 20% O2 for IVM may delay oocyte maturation and/or the acquisition of fertilizability and impair the developmental competence of oocytes.     

Characterization of epoxydecenal isomers as potent odorants in black tea (Dimbula) infusion

In a black tea (Dimbula) infusion, the potent "sweet and/or juicy" odorants were identified as the cis- and trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenals by comparison of their gas chromatography retention indices, mass spectra, and odor quality to those of the actual synthetic compounds. Of the two odorants, cis-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal has been identified for the first time in the black tea. On the basis of the aroma extract dilution analysis on the flavor distillate obtained using the solvent-assisted flavor evaporation technique from the black tea infusion, these isomers showed higher flavor dilution (FD) factors. The FD factors and concentrations of these odorants in the black tea infusion were observed to be much higher than those from Japanese green tea. In addition, the model studies showed that these odorants were generated from linoleic acid and its hydroperoxides by heating, but the generated amounts of these odorants from linoleic acid were much less than those of its hydroperoxides. It can be assumed from these results that the withering and fermentation, which are characteristic processes during the manufacturing of the black tea, which includes the enzymatic reaction such as lipoxygenase, is one of the most important factors for the formation of the epoxydecenal isomers.     

Extrachromosomal microDNAs and chromosomal microdeletions in normal tissues

We have identified tens of thousands of short extrachromosomal circular DNAs (microDNA) in mouse tissues as well as mouse and human cell lines. These microDNAs are 200 to 400 base pairs long, are derived from unique nonrepetitive sequence, and are enriched in the 5'-untranslated regions of genes, exons, and CpG islands. Chromosomal loci that are enriched sources of microDNA in the adult brain are somatically mosaic for microdeletions that appear to arise from the excision of microDNAs. Germline microdeletions identified by the "Thousand Genomes" project may also arise from the excision of microDNAs in the germline lineage. We have thus identified a previously unknown DNA entity in mammalian cells and provide evidence that their generation leaves behind deletions in different genomic loci.     

The Effects of Frequent Electroejaculation on the Semen Characteristics of a Captive Siberian Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)

Artificial insemination (AI) can help to avoid inbreeding and genetic degeneration for sustaining genetically healthy populations of endangered species in captivity. Collection of a sufficient quantity of viable sperm is an essential first step in the AI process. In the present study, we examined the effects of frequent electroejaculation on semen characteristics in a Siberian tiger. We collected semen in all 17 trials during 6 breeding seasons (6 years). The mean number of sperm and the percentage of motile sperm were 294.3 ± 250.2×10⁶/ejaculate and 82.4 ± 11.4%, respectively. The number of motile sperm tended to increase during frequent electroejaculation in the same breeding season. Semen collection by electroejaculation can be performed effectively up to the fourth sequential ejaculate, which contained the most sperm in the study. In conclusion, frequent collection of sperm by electroejaculation from tigers may be effective for collection of a large number of motile sperm.     

Preparation of liquid polyesterpolyols from glucose and its methyl derivative

Preparation of liquid polyols from d-(+)-glucose (Glc) and its derivative, methyl--d-glucoside (m-Glc), has been studied. Direct reaction of -caprolactone (CL) with Glc (CL:Glc = 2:1–5:1 in weight ratio) at 150°C using tin(II) 2-ethyl hexanoate (SnEht₂) (series A), in which melted Glc was suspended in CL, resulted in a dark-brown coloration of the reactants. The reaction was accompanied by formation of high molecular weight resins, a pH drop, production of water, and a considerable decrease in the hydroxyl value from the theoretically expected one. In the case of Glc/ethylene glycol (EG)/CL reaction system with SnEht₂ catalyst at 150°C (series B), in which the weight ratio of Glc to EG was fixed at 1:1, Glc dissolved in the EG/CL mixture, but the brown coloration of the reactant mixture still occurred. In this case, the formation of water was enhanced, but the other effects found in series A were suppressed to a considerable extent. In the m-Glc/CL/SnEht₂ reaction system (series C), in which m-Glc reacted with two to five times weight amounts of CL under the same conditions adopted in series A, development of the color, the production of high molecular weight materials and water, and the changes in pH and hydroxyl value were not observed. These results are discussed based on the chemical structural differences: Glc exists mostly in the hemiacetal form, but tautomerizes to the aldehyde, whereas m-Glc is an acetal and is protected from reversion to the aldehyde.     

Adjusting for heterogeneity of variance for carcass traits affects single and multiple trait selections in genetic evaluation of Japanese Black cattle

Heterogeneity of variance among subclasses of an effect is a potential source of bias in genetic evaluation. Degrees of the heterogeneity of variance among farm‐market‐year‐sex (FMYS) subclasses for carcass weight, beef marbling standard number, rib‐eye area, rib thickness and subcutaneous fat thickness were investigated in Japanese Black cattle. Consequences of adjusting for the heterogeneity on the predicted breeding values (PBVs) or on the genetic indexes derived from the PBVs of the five carcass traits were assessed. A total of 57 461 records were collected between 1997 and 2002 from steers and heifers fattened at farms across Japan. These records were grouped into 1591 FMYS subclasses. Bartlett's test showed that the degree of the heterogeneity of variance among the FMYS subclasses was sizeable in all traits (P < 0.0001). By applying a two‐step adjustment procedure it was possible to reduce the standard deviation, the coefficient of variation and the Gini coefficient of the phenotypic variances by 67.5% to 75.0% in the different traits. The applied adjustment caused a substantial re‐ranking of elite dams in the PBV for each trait as well as in the genetic index. This study provided evidence that the applied adjustment reduces the bias in the PBVs due to heterogeneous variances and increases the accuracy of bull‐dam selection.