A comparative study of zinc protoporphyrin IX‐forming properties of animal by‐products as sources for improving the color of meat products

The objective of this study was to obtain fundamental data for improving the color of meat products by using animal by‐products. We investigated zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP)‐forming properties of various internal organs from pigs and chickens. ZnPP was formed in the liver, heart and kidney, whereas the porcine spleen and bile, which are involved in the metabolism of heme, did not have ZnPP‐forming properties. The optimum pH values were different among the internal organs and the ZnPP‐forming properties of porcine organs were better than those of chicken organs. The porcine liver showed the greatest ZnPP‐forming properties among all of the internal organs investigated in this study. The optimum pH value for ZnPP formation in the liver was lower than that of skeletal muscle. Oxygen did not inhibit the formation of ZnPP in the liver, unlike in skeletal muscle. Animal by‐products such as the liver have good ability for the formation of ZnPP and might be useful for improving the color of meat products.     

Meningoencephalomyelitis in domestic cats: 3 cases of Pasteurella multocida infection and literature review

Neurologic diseases are common in domestic cats, and infectious agents are suspected to be the primary cause in 30–45% of cases. Among infectious etiologies, those of bacterial origin are only sporadically characterized in the literature, with few of these reports correlating gross and histologic findings with confirmatory bacteriologic identification. Here, we describe bacterial meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis associated with Pasteurella multocida in 3 domestic cats. Purulent exudate expanding the cerebral meninges was grossly evident in 2 of the cases. In all 3 cases, histologic changes included multifocal suppurative-to-necrosuppurative meningitis and/or meningoencephalomyelitis of variable severity. Intralesional colonies of gram-negative, short rod-shaped to coccobacillary bacteria were evident histologically in only 1 case. P. multocida was confirmed by routine bacteriologic culture in all cases. Based on our cases, we hypothesize that the upper respiratory system serves as the main portal of entry for P. multocida, leading to invasion of the central nervous system and possible systemic hematogenous dissemination. A case series of meningoencephalomyelitis associated with P. multocida infection in cats has not been reported previously, to our knowledge. We also review briefly other causes of meningoencephalomyelitis in cats.     

Carbon fluxes and their response to environmental variables in a Dahurian larch forest ecosystem in northeast China

The Dahurian larch forest in northeast China is important due to its vastness and location within a transitional zone from boreal to temperate and at the southern distribution edge of the vast Siberian larch forest. The continuous carbon fluxes were measured from May 2004 to April 2005 in the Dahurian larch forest in Northeast China using an eddy covariance method. The results showed that the ecosystem released carbon in the dormant season from mid-October 2004 to April 2005, while it assimilated CO2 from the atmosphere in the growing season from May to September 2004. The net carbon sequestration reached its peak of 112 g.m^-2.month ^-1 in June 2004 （simplified expression of g （carbon）.m^-2.month^-1） and then gradually decreased. Annually, the larch forest was a carbon sink that sequestered carbon of 146 g-m^-2.a^-1 （simplified expression of g （carbon）.m^-2.a^-1） during the measurements. The photosynthetic process of the larch forest ecosystem was largely affected by the vapor pressure deficit （VPD） and temperature. Under humid conditions （VPD 〈 1.0 kPa）, the gross ecosystem production （GEP） increased with increasing temperature. But the net ecosystem production （NEP） showed almost no change with increasing temperature because the increment of GEP was counterbalanced by that of the ecosystem respiration. Under a dry environment （VPD 〉 1.0 kPa）, the GEP decreased with the increasing VPD at a rate of 3.0 μmol.m^-2.s^-1kPa -1 and the ecosystem respiration was also enhanced simultaneously due to the increase of air temperature, which was linearly correlated with the VPD. As a result, the net ecosystem carbon sequestration rapidly decreased with the increasing VPD at a rate of 5.2 μmol.m^-2.s-1.kPa^-1. Under humid conditions （VPD 〈 1.0 kPa）, both the GEP and NEP were obviously restricted by the low air temperature but were insensitive to the high temperature because the observed high temperature value comes within the category of the optimum range.     

Laminin binds to myostatin and attenuates its signaling

Myostatin is a growth and differentiation factor and acts as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass. Although the mechanism whereby myostatin controls muscle cell growth is mostly clarified, the regulation of myostatin activity after its secretion into the extracellular matrix (ECM) is still unclear. In the present study, we investigated the interaction between laminin and myostatin and the effect of laminin on myostatin signaling in vitro. The surface plasmon resonance assay showed that laminin bound to mature myostatin and activin receptor type IIB (ActRIIB), but did not bind to latency‐associated protein, which remains non‐covalently linked to mature myostatin. Furthermore, kinetic analysis demonstrated that the affinity of mature myostatin for laminin was similar to that for ActRIIB. Next, we examined the action of laminin on the myostatin signaling pathway using a conventional reporter assay. The luciferase activity of myostatin‐treated cells was repressed significantly (P < 0.05) by coincubation of laminin. These results suggest that laminin has a potential to regulate myostatin activity through binding to mature myostatin and/or its receptor ActRIIB.     

Chemical Characteristics of Fog Water at Mt. Tateyama, Near the Coast of the Japan Sea in Central Japan

Measurements of the chemical composition of fog water at Murododaira (altitude, 2,450 m), on the western slope of Mt. Tateyama near the coast of the Japan Sea, were performed each autumn from 2004 through 2007. Strong acidic fogs (pH?<?4) containing high concentrations of nssSO ₄ ^2? were frequently observed in the autumn of 2005, when the air mass at Mt. Tateyama originated mainly from the polluted regions of Asia. The ratio of NO ₃ ^? /nssSO ₄ ^2? in fog water was relatively high in 2004 and 2007. High concentrations of nssCa²⁺ derived from dust particles were detected in 2006. Background Kosa particles might have been predominant in the free troposphere and could have neutralized acidic fogs in the autumn of 2006. High concentrations of sea-salt components were also observed in October 2005. The sea-salt particles might have been transported from the Pacific Ocean by a strong typhoon, and significant Mg²⁺ loss was observed. Peroxides higher than 100 μM, which are seriously harmful to vegetation were sometimes detected.     

Potential use of cholesterol lipoprotein profile to confirm obesity status in dogs

A common sign of obesity, in dogs, is hyperlipidemia, which is characterized by hypercholesterolemia and/or hypertriglycemia. Hyperlipidemia can be caused by a quantitative increase in circulating lipoproteins (LP) or by a higher lipid concentration in the various LP classes. In this study, we sought to determine whether aberrations occur with cholesterol lipoprotein profile, especially with sub HDL-cholesterol fraction % in obese dogs. Using clinically healthy and disease free (no overt signs) body condition score classified obese dogs, of all ages, we attempted to determine the influence of age, gender and obesity status on cholesterol lipoprotein profiling. Overall, no aberration in pattern was observed in obese dogs <8 years of age. However, in older obese animals (≥8 years of age), the general aberration pattern to cholesterol lipoprotein observed was that a significant decrease in HDL2 and 3 fraction % occurs with a concomitant increase in either HDL1-Cho or VLDL and LDL -Cho fraction % depending on gender. Linear regression analysis indicated that obesity status appears to significantly affect total cholesterol, HDL2 and 3-Cho, VLDL and LDL-Cho levels (P = 0.02, 0.046, and 0.045, respectively), whereas it is borderline with HDL1-Cho (P = 0.062). On the other hand, age significantly influenced TG, Total cholesterol, and HDL1-Cho levels (P = 0.009, 0.006, and 0.002, respectively), while gender influenced VLDL and LDL-Cho (P = 0.024) level. Therefore, aberrations in cholesterol lipoprotein profile pattern might be of potential use to assess and diagnose obesity status, in conjunction with BCS, especially of older overweight animals which might be considered borderline obese.     

Recurrent selection programs for white clover (Trifolium repens L.) using self-compatible plants. I. Selection of self-compatible plants and inheritance of a self-compatibility factor

Summary When white clover plants were self-pollinated, 75% of a 143-plant population did not set seed. Plants which did set small numbers of seed probably did so as a result of pseudo-self-compatibility. One highly self-compatible plant was selected from the breeding materials. The S₂ progeny of this plant was autogamous and genetically fixed for morphology and isozyme patterns. Genetic analyses of self-compatibility were conducted as far as the F₃ progeny. It was concluded from these data that self-compatibility was inherited in a simple Mendelian way and that plants homozygous for self-compatibility were obtained. There was no correlation between presence or absence of self-compatibility and growth vigor. The possibility of application of self-compatible plants to recurrent selection procedures is outlined and the utilization of self-compatible plants in white clover breeding programs is discussed.