Effect of different live food on survival and growth of first feeding barber goby,Elacatinus figaro (Sazima,Moura & Rosa 1997) larvae

One of the major challenges in marine fish culture is how to provide live food of adequate size and nutritional quality for first‐feeding larvae. Commonly used live food organisms, rotifers and brine shrimp, may not always be the best option. To determine the suitability of different zooplankton in the larviculture of Elacatinus figaro, three diets were tested: RE – rotifers Brachionus sp. (10 ind mL^?1)+ciliate Euplotes sp. (10 ind mL^?1), enriched with fatty acids; RC – enriched rotifers (10 ind mL^?1)+wild copepod nauplii (10 ind mL^?1); and R – enriched rotifers (20 ind mL^?1). Survival rates were estimated 10 days after hatch (DAH) for the three test groups, and growth rates were evaluated for RE and R at 10 and 20 DAH. Although survival rate was numerically higher for the RC diet (41.1±14.2%), no significant difference was detected between groups fed RE (20.5±18.1%), RC or R (32.1±16.5%). At 10 DAH, the growth rate was significantly higher in RC (5.7±0.6 mm) than in R (4.6±0.5 mm), a trend that was also observed at 20 DAH for RC (8.6±0.5 mm) and R (5.8±0.7 mm) (P<0.05). E. figaro larvae fed on ciliates did not show satisfactory results, whereas feeding copepod nauplii enhanced growth.     

Electroretinography using contact lens electrode with built-in light source in dogs

Electroretinography (ERG) is an effective method for the diagnosis of retinal disease. In the dog, dependable ERG recording is difficult without the use of an expensive device like a Ganzfeld full-field stimulator. The International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision has defined the standard flash stimulus condition (SF) and evaluation of the retina using the b/a ratio in humans. In dogs, evaluation using the b/a ratio has not been reported, whereas the intensity of SF has been defined. In this study, we performed a convenient ERG recording method using a contact lens electrode with a built-in light source (LED-electrode), and confirmed SF as reported previously. ERG recordings were performed on 15 healthy beagle dogs under sedation. We performed bilateral ERG at 12 different intensities after 30 min dark adaptation. After 10 min light adaptation, we recorded single flash cone and flicker cone response using the SF determined in this study. In this study, SF of 3.0 cd/m(2)/sec (6,000 cd/m(2), 0.5 msec) resulted in b/a=2. The intensity for rod response that recorded only the b-wave was 0.0096 cd/m(2)/sec (80 cd/m(2), 0.12 msec). We could achieve ERG for each response easily and smoothly under sedation, and without general anesthesia. Using an LED-electrode, we could perform more quantitative and reproducible ERG examinations than with traditional methods. We propose that the b/a ratio is the most useful parameter in ERG reporting for evaluating retinal function.     

Congenital myopathy in Japanese Black calves

Two Japanese Black bull calves from a dam showed muscular weakness and became recumbent after birth. At necropsy, skeletal muscles, including face, neck, body and proximal and distal forelimb and hindlimb were extremely pale in color and edematous. Histopathological examination of skeletal muscles revealed degenerative changes as follows: replacement of muscle with fat, variation in muscle fiber diameter, internal nuclei, central core-like structures, and vacuolar and hyaline degeneration of muscle fibers. Ultrastructurally, the lesions were characterized by focal myofibrillar disorganization with streaming or irregularity of Z bands. The present cases seem to be classified as congenital myopathy based on pathological alterations and age of onset.     

Characterization and genetic status of Banana bunchy top virus isolated from Okinawa, Japan

Isolates of Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV), which causes bunchy top disease in bananas, were collected in field surveys on seven islands in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. From 44 banana samples, one isolate from each island was selected, and the DNA-1 and DNA-3 components were sequenced. Analysis of the major common region of DNA-1 showed that BBTV in Okinawa belongs to the Asian group of BBTV. DNA-1 and DNA-3 analysis revealed that Okinawan BBTV had a closer relationship with isolates from Taiwan and the Philippines than with some isolates from China and Vietnam. All the Okinawan BBTV isolates had high homology in the nucleotide sequences of DNA-1 and DNA-3 (%) because of a single, recent BBTV invasion of this area.The nucleotide sequence data reported are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under the accession numbers AB108449 – AB108458     

Marker-assisted selection for forelimb-girdle muscular anomaly of Japanese Black cattle

Forelimb‐girdle muscular anomaly is a hereditary disorder of Japanese Black cattle characterized by tremors and astasia caused by hypoplasia of the forelimb‐girdle muscles. The locus responsible for this disorder has been mapped on a middle region of bovine chromosome 26. In this study, we applied marker‐assisted selection to identify the carriers of this disorder. Four microsatellite markers, DIK4440, BM4505, MOK2602 and IDVGA‐59, linked to the disorder locus were genotyped in 37 unaffected offspring of a carrier sire. Transmission of the mutant or wild‐type allele of the disorder locus of the sire to the 37 offspring was determined by examining the haplotypes of these markers. The results showed that nine and 18 of the 37 animals possessed the paternally transmitted mutant and wild‐type alleles, respectively, and therefore, the nine animals with the mutant allele were identified as carriers. We concluded that the marker‐assisted selection using these four markers can be applied for the identification of the carriers of forelimb‐girdle muscular anomaly of Japanese Black cattle.     

Determination of GHG and ammonia emissions from stored dairy cattle slurry by using a floating dynamic chamber

We developed a system for measuring emissions from stored slurry by using a floating dynamic chamber. CH₄, CO₂, N₂O and NH₃ emitted from the storage tank of a dairy cattle farm in eastern Hokkaido were measured during summer 2008 (7/16–8/6), fall 2008 (10/2–10/26), spring 2009 (6/2–6/21) and winter 2009 (3/11). Average daily gas emission rates in summer, fall and spring were, respectively, 54.8, 54.2 and 34.3 g/m² for CH₄; 602, 274 and 254 g/m² for CO₂; 55.4, 68.2 and trace mg/m² for N₂O; and 0.55, 0.73 and 0.46 g/m² for NH₃. CH₄, CO₂ and NH₃ emission rates during the brief measurement period in winter were reduced to 1/4, 1/23 and 1/2, respectively, of summer emission rate levels. All gas emissions showed diurnal fluctuation and were greatest during the daytime, when the ambient temperature rose. CH₄, NH₃ and CO₂ emissions increased significantly during the daytime, and the daily emission (in grams) of each gas was positively correlated with maximum daily temperature. According to the combined spring, summer and fall measurements, the CH₄, N₂O and NH₃ annual emission factors were 1.42% (g CH₄/g volatile solids), 0.02% (g N₂O‐N/g total N) and 0.43% (g NH₃‐N/g total N), respectively.     

Glia-synapse interaction through Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors in Bergmann glia

Glial cells express a variety of neurotransmitter receptors. Notably, Bergmann glial cells in the cerebellum have Ca2+-permeable alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) assembled without the GluR2 subunit. To elucidate the role of these Ca2+-permeable AMPARs, we converted them into Ca2+-impermeable receptors by adenoviral-mediated delivery of the GluR2 gene. This conversion retracted the glial processes ensheathing synapses on Purkinje cell dendritic spines and retarded the removal of synaptically released glutamate. Furthermore, it caused multiple innervation of Purkinje cells by the climbing fibers. Thus, the glial Ca2+-permeable AMPARs are indispensable for proper structural and functional relations between Bergmann glia and glutamatergic synapses.     

Effects of wood kraft pulp feeding on feed digestibility and rumen fermentation of Japanese Black steer in the middle fattening stage

We investigated the effects of wood kraft pulp (KP) feeding on feed digestibility and rumen fermentation of Japanese Black (JB) steer in the middle fattening stage. The feeding experiment was carried out a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design using six JB steers (16.2 ± 0.8 months of age). Steers were fed rice straw and three concentrated feeds: commercial formula feed (control), formula feed containing 7.5% KP on a dry matter (DM) basis (7.5% KP), and formula feed containing 15% KP on a DM basis (15% KP). Feed digestibility and rumen fermentation parameters were recorded for 3 days during the measurement period, after an adaptation phase of 11 days. There was no significant difference in DM intake per day among diets. A slightly higher digestibility of neutral detergent fiber was observed in steers fed 15% KP, compared with those fed other diets (P = 0.059). The butyric acid ratio in rumen fluid was higher in steers fed KP diets than in steers fed control (P = 0.083). The average ruminal pH was unaffected by KP diets. This study suggests that replacing 15% of concentrated feed with KP has little effect on feed digestibility and rumen fermentation in JB fattening steer.     

Osteoinductivity of gelatin/β-tricalcium phosphate sponges loaded with different concentrations of mesenchymal stem cells and bone morphogenetic protein-2 in an equine bone defect model

Fracture is one of the most life-threatening injuries in horses. Fracture repair is often associated with unsatisfactory outcomes and is associated with a high incidence of complications. This study aimed to evaluate the osteogenic effects of gelatin/β-tricalcium phosphate (GT) sponges loaded with different concentrations/ratios of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) in an equine bone defect model. Seven thoroughbred horses were used in this study. Eight bone defects were created in the third metatarsal bones of each horse. Then, eight treatments, namely control, GT, GT/M-5, GT/M-6, GT/M-5/B-1, GT/M-5/B-3, GT/M-6/B-1, and GT/M-6/B-3 were applied to the eight different sites in a randomized manner (M-5: 2?×?10⁵ MSCs; M-6: 2?×?10⁶ MSCs; B-1: 1 μg of BMP-2; B-3: 3 μg of BMP-2). Repair of bone defects was assessed by radiography, quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and histopathological evaluation. Radiographic scores and CT values were significantly lower in the control group than in the other groups, while they were significantly higher in the GT/M-5/B-3 and GT/M-6/B-3 groups than in the other groups. The amount of mature compact bone filling the defects was greater in the GT/M-5/B-3 and GT/M-6/B-3 groups than in the other groups. The present study demonstrated that the GT sponge loaded with MSCs and BMP-2 promoted bone regeneration in an equine bone defect model. The GT/MSC/BMP-2 described here may be useful for treating horses with bone injuries.