Origin of plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) during estrus in goats

The objective of this study was to clarify the origin of the increase in plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) during estrus in goats. Focusing on the uterus, the effect of estradiol-17 beta (E2) on the secretion of IGF-I was examined using ovariectomized and hysterectomized animals. A single 5 microg/kg BW of E2 was injected intramuscularly into ovariectomized and hysterectomized goats for 3 consecutive days, and plasma IGF-I concentrations in the two groups were compared. The concentrations of IGF-I rose after the treatments in both groups. The concentrations were significantly higher from 3 to 8 days after the treatment than before the treatment in ovariectomized goats (P<0.05), and from 1 to 3 days after the treatment than before in hysterectomized goats (P<0.05). Thus higher concentrations of plasma IGF-I tended to last longer in ovariectomized than hysterectomized goats. The area under the IGF-I response curve for the 8-day period after the first injection of E2 tended to be greater in ovariectomized than in hysterectomized goats. The results show that E2 increases plasma IGF-I concentrations in goats, and suggest that E2-stimulated IGF-I in plasma may originate mainly from the uterus.     

Application of a real-time PCR assay for the detection of Ascaris suum DNA in the liver of experimentally infected chickens

This study aimed to evaluate the sampling method for the detection of Ascaris suum larval DNA in chicken livers using real-time PCR. Chickens were inoculated with A. suum eggs of a single dose (Group A) or repeatedly low doses (Group B). White spots (WSs) were continuously observed on liver from day 3 after the last infection in Group B and day 14 in Group A. In Group A, larval DNA was detected in WS lesions (78.6%) at a significantly higher rate than in the remaining tissue samples (31.3%). In conclusion, applying WS lesions to the assay improved the detection rate of A. suum DNA in chicken livers, especially in the case of a single infection.     

Potato composition: III. Tissue selection and its effects on total nitrogen,free amino acid nitrogen and enzyme activity (polyphenolase,monophenolase, peroxidase and catalase)

Russet Burbank, Norchip, Kennebec, White Rose, Red La Soda and Lenape tubers were sampled at harvest, after storage for 2 and 4 mo at 7 C, and after 3 wk at 20 C following each storage treatment. Freeze-dried tissue from the bud-end, stem-end and core was analyzed for total, and free amino acid nitrogen, and for monophenolase, polyphenolase, peroxidase, and catalase activities. Significant differences among cultivars and among different parts of the tuber were found for all nitrogen fractions and all enzyme activities. Storage treatments significantly changed the total and free amino acid nitrogen contents and polyphenolase, peroxidase, and catalase activities. When compared for total nitrogen content and catalase activity, differences among different parts of the tuber which were statistically significant were similar in all cultivars. However, when compared for free amino acid content, and monophenolase, polyphenolase and peroxidase activities, differences among different parts of the tuber which were statistically significant were dependent upon which cultivar was examined. The differences among cultivars which were statistically significant for all nitrogen fractions and all enzyme activities, except peroxidase, were not significantly changed by storage treatment. The differences among different parts of the tuber which were statistically significant for quantity of both nitrogen fractions and for all enzyme activities were not significantly changed by storage.     

Influence of storage temperatures and killing procedures on post-mortem changes in the muscle of horse mackerel caught near Nagasaki Prefecture,Japan

ABSTRACT:   The effect of storage temperature (0, 5, 10, and 15°C) and killing procedure (instant, struggled, temperature shocked, and spinal cord destruction killing) on post-mortem changes in the muscle of the horse mackerel caught near Nagasaki, Japan, was investigated. Temporal changes in adenosine triphosphate (ATP), inosine monophosphate (IMP), and lactic acid concentrations were slowest at 10°C storage temperature. The increase in K -values was slower at 10°C and below than at 15°C storage temperature. In addition, 10°C storage temperature was most suitable for maintaining a constant breaking strength value of the muscle. Regarding the effect of killing procedure, temporal changes in ATP, IMP, and lactic acid concentrations were slowest when killed by spinal cord destruction. The increase in K -value and the decrease in breaking strength were also slowest in the spinal cord destruction group. From these results, it was considered that storage at 10°C temperature and spinal cord destruction killing procedure were most effective in delaying post-mortem change in the horse mackerel.     

Population structure of Japanese spiny lobster Panulirus japonicus inferred by nucleotide sequence analysis of mitochondrial COI gene

ABSTRACT:   The mitochondrial DNA sequence for the COI region was determined for 73 Panulirus japonicus individuals collected at three sample locations in Japan. Fifty-one haplotypes, including 69 polymorphic sites without insertion and deletion, were detected, of which three dominant haplotypes were shared among the three sample locations. The nucleotide and haplotype diversities at the three sample locations were in the ranges of 0.009–0.010 and 0.959–0.990, respectively. No significant population subdivision was detected among the sample locations based on the F _st value and net nucleotide substitution rate, and analysis of the molecular variance model ( amova ). There was no characteristic geographic distribution pattern for these haplotypes. These results indicate there is no genetic differentiation between P. japonicus populations in Japan, and support the hypothesis that benthic individuals of P. japonicus are sustained from a population of a common pool of long-period phyllosoma larvae through long-distance larval transport within the Kuroshio Subgyre.     

Milk production,nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance in lactating cows fed total mixed ration silages containing steam‐flaked brown rice as substitute for steam‐flaked corn,and wet food by‐products

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of substituting brown rice grain for corn grain in total mixed ration (TMR) silage containing food by‐products on the milk production, whole‐tract nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance in dairy cows. Six multiparous Holstein cows were used in a crossover design with two dietary treatments: a diet containing 30.9% steam‐flaked corn (corn TMR) or 30.9% steam‐flaked brown rice (rice TMR) with wet soybean curd residue and wet soy sauce cake. Dietary treatment did not affect the dry matter intake, milk yield and compositions in dairy cows. The dry matter and starch digestibility were higher, and the neutral detergent fiber digestibility was lower for rice TMR than for corn TMR. The urinary nitrogen (N) excretion as a proportion of the N intake was lower for rice TMR than for corn TMR with no dietary effect on N secretion in milk and fecal N excretion. These results indicated that the replacement of corn with brown rice in TMR silage relatively reduced urinary N loss without adverse effects on feed intake and milk production, when food by‐products such as soybean curd residue were included in the TMR silage as dietary crude protein sources.     

Prevalence and intensity of Echinococcus multilocularis in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes schrencki) and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides albus) in Otaru City, Hokkaido, Japan

A survey was done in an attempt to investigate the epidemiological status of Echinococcus multilocularis in red foxes and raccoon dogs in Otaru city from June to September 1999. Sixty-seven red foxes (Vulpes vulpes schrencki) and 13 raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides albus) were captured, and postmortem examinations were conducted with them. Thirty-eight red foxes (56.7%) and 3 raccoon dogs (23.1%) were found to be infected with E. multilocularis. The total biomass of E. multilocularis in all infected red foxes and raccoon dogs were 2,817,000 and 1,515 worms, respectively. Nine of the infected red foxes harboring more than 100,000 worms accounted for 90.6% of the total biomass. No significant differences in the prevalence were observed between male and female, and juvenile and adult. However, the worm burden was higher in juvenile than in adult foxes. In one of the infected raccoon dogs, mature worms and eggs of E. multilocularis were found in the intestine and fecal sample, respectively. This result suggested that the raccoon dogs are probably playing a small role in the egg contamination of the environment. The validity of coproantigen ELISA for diagnosis of foxes was confirmed by comparing the results of autopsy, egg examination and coproantigen ELISA using rectal fecal samples.     

Effects of rice conservation methods on lactation,blood metabolites,and rumen fermentation in dairy cows

We investigated the effect of rice grain conservation methods on feed intake, milk production, blood metabolites, and rumen fermentation in dairy cows. Raw rice grain was dried before crushing (DRY), ensiled after crushing (ENS‐A), or ensiled before crushing (ENS‐B). Twelve multiparous Holstein cows were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with three dietary treatments comprising ad libitum access to one of three total mixed rations (TMRs; containing DRY, ENS‐A, or ENS‐B at 17% of dietary dry matter) plus a standard allowance of 2.0 kg/day of dairy concentrates. The dietary treatments did not affect the feed intake, milk yield, or milk composition. The selected blood constituents were not influenced by the rice conservation method. The ruminal lactic acid and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations and the VFA proportion in the cows were not influenced by the rice conservation method. These results demonstrate that the rice grain conservation method has little impact on lactation performance when cows are fed a TMR containing 17% treated rice grain (dry matter basis).     

Fasting in freshwater severely affects growth of juvenile chum salmon when entering cold seawater

Fisheries Science - We conducted rearing experiments to examine the cumulative effects of fasting in freshwater and transfer to cold seawater on the growth of juvenile chum salmon. In the first...