Clistobothrium sp. (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea) in oarfish (Regalecus russelii) stranded on the coast of Akita Prefecture, Japan

Oarfish (Regalecus russelii Cuvier) are mesopelagic fish with little known about their life history. Oarfish live in deep water, making it difficult for researchers to collect specimens; thus, records of their parasitic helminths are limited. Two plerocercoids were found for the first time in an oarfish stranded on the coast of Akita Prefecture, Japan. These plerocercoids were identified as Clistobothrium sp. RR-1 using morphological and molecular analyses. It was revealed that oarfish represent one of the intermediate hosts of the genus Clistobothrium, and large sharks are the definitive hosts for these parasites.     

Detection of Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean cryptic species on soybean in São Paulo and Paraná States (Brazil) and interaction of cowpea mild mottle virus with whiteflies

Since the detection of Bemisia tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) species in Brazil in the early 1990s, this whitefly has been the predominant species and the main viral vector in the country. In this work, whiteflies were collected from commercial soybean fields near and far from greenhouses where Mediterranean (MED) species had previously been detected infesting vegetable crops. Results indicated that MEAM1 was the predominant whitefly species in soybean in most sampling sites, while MED was found colonizing soybean plants in open field conditions alone and/or with MEAM1 in several places. Among the tested insects, MED species was mostly detected harbouring the facultative endosymbiont Hamiltonella. We also detected cowpea mild mottle virus (CPMMV) infecting soybean plants. Transmission assays demonstrated that MED species was more efficient transmitting CPMMV from beans to beans and from soybean to soybean plants than MEAM1, while MEAM1 was more efficient in transmitting the virus from soybean to bean than MED. Performance assays indicated that adult emergence of both species on CPMMV-infected soybean plants was higher when compared with the emergence on healthy plants. Moreover, nonviruliferous MED and MEAM1 adults preferred to settle more often on healthy plants, while viruliferous adults settled more often on CPMMV-infected soybean plants. As MED has already been found in soybean open fields in São Paulo and Paraná States, Brazil, and it is a good vector of CPMMV, we anticipate problems related to whitefly management and to increase in the incidence of the virus in soybean.     

Distribution of Flavobacterium psychrophilum and its gyrA genotypes in a river

Fisheries Science - Flavobacterium psychrophilum can be divided into three genotypes, G-C type (ayu type), A-C type (multi-fish type), and A-T type (salmon-trout type), by two single-nucleotide...     

The use of machine learning to predict acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) in shrimp farmed on the east coast of the Mekong Delta of Vietnam

Fisheries Science - Predicting the outbreak of disease is essential when managing shrimp farms. Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a serious...     

Localization and responsiveness of a cowpea apyrase VsNTPase1 to phytopathogenic microorganisms

Apyrases (NTPases) are associated with both compatible and incompatible interactions between plants and microorganisms. Previously we reported that the ATPase activities of cell-wall-bound apyrases of several leguminous plants, such as pea, cowpea, soybean, and kidney bean, were enhanced by a glycoprotein elicitor and were inhibited in a species-specific manner by mucin-type glycopeptide suppressors secreted from a pea pathogenic fungus, Mycosphaerella pinodes. In this study, we isolated two apyrase genes, VsNTPase1 and VsNTPase2, from a cDNA library of Vigna sinensis Endl. cv. Sanjakusasage. Based on phylogenetic analysis, VsNTPase1 may belong to a group that responds to environmental stimuli. In a transient assay using DNA bombardment, a fusion protein of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and the N-terminal putative signal sequence of VsNTPase1 was distributed in the nucleus, cytoplasm (cytoskeletal structure), and cell wall. On the other hand, a fusion protein of GFP and the N-terminal putative VsNTPase2-signal sequence was localized in the cytoplasm, especially in small particles (perhaps mitochondria). A recombinant VsNTPase1 expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda 21 cells responded directly to signal molecules from several phytopathogenic microorganisms. Here, we discuss the role of apyrases in recognizing and responding to exogenous signals. The nucleotide sequences of VsNTPase1 and VsNTPase2 in this article have been submitted to DDBJ as accession numbers AB196769 and AB196770, respectively.     

Phenotypic analysis and effects of sequential administration of activated canine lymphocytes on healthy beagles

We attempted to accumulate the basic data for evaluation of activated lymphocyte therapy for small animal medicine. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected from healthy dogs were activated using anti-CD3 antibody and human recombinant (hr) interleukin (IL)-2 and reactivated using hr interferon (IFN)-alpha and hr IL-2. The property of obtained cells was compared with PBMCs. The number of cells was shown to have increased approximately>50 -fold by cultivation. The proportion of CD8+ cells was significantly increased, the cytotoxicity of the cultured cells was revealed to have been reinforced. Additionally, CD56 mRNA levels tended to have increased. The cells obtained by this method were confirmed to be activated lymphocytes. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of sequential administration of the obtained cells to healthy dogs. By sequential administration of the activated lymphocytes, the cell proliferative activity, proportion of CD4+ cells and CD8+ cells, and serum IFN-gamma concentration were shown to have increased, and no severe adverse effects were observed. Consequently, activated lymphocytes could be induced using anti-CD3 antibody and IL-2 in healthy dogs, and sequential administration of activated lymphocytes reinforced the recipient's immunity.     

Lactational performance for improving postweaning reproductive performance and lifetime performance on swine commercial farms

We studied the associations of the weaning litter weight (WLWt) and number of pigs weaned (PW) with measurements of postweaning reproductive performance and examined the repeatability of WLWt, PW and average pig weight at weaning (PIGWt) on commercial swine farms. This study spanned 6 years and was conducted using 57,611 weaning records from 11,574 sows born in 1999 on 92 farms. Variance components analysis was used to determine the repeatability of measurements of lactational performance. Mixed-effects models were used to analyze the associations of measurements of lactational performance with farrowing rate and weaning-to-first-mating interval. The values for repeatability of WLWt, PIGWt and PW were 0.31, 0.34 and 0.17, respectively. No differences in weaning-to-first-mating intervals were found among the five PW groups (< or = 6, 7 to 8, 9 to 10, 11 and 12 to 14 pigs) or among the three WLWt groups (< or = 48.0, 48.0 to 69.0 and > or = 69.0 kg). Sows with 12 to 14 PW had farrowing rates similar to those with 9 to 11 PW. Sows with a WLWt > or = 69.0 kg had the highest farrowing rate (P<0.01). However, sows with 11 PW had an approximately 100 to 200 g lighter PIGWt than those with 4 to 10 PW (P<0.01). This study suggests that increased WLWt and PW do not impair postweaning reproductive performance, but instead decrease PIGWt.