Cutaneous rhabdoid tumor in a cat

Rhabdoid tumor is a highly aggressive neoplasm of unknown cellular origin in humans, usually occurring in the kidney and central nervous system of infants or children. In older patients, it occurs rarely in other organs, including the skin and soft tissues. A subcutaneous mass in a 13-year-old male mixed-breed cat was composed of nests or sheets of round to polygonal cells with glassy eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions. Immunohistochemically, many neoplastic cells expressed vimentin, localized to the cytoplasmic inclusions, whereas the cytoplasm of some neoplastic cells was diffusely positive for neuron-specific enolase, neurofilament, or S-100 protein. By electron microscopy, the cytoplasmic inclusions were found to be composed of aggregates of intermediate filaments. These findings are quite similar to the histologic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural features of human rhabdoid tumors and the few rhabdoid tumors reported in animals.     

A method for extracting carboxy‐myoglobin from beef

The present study was conducted to devise a method for the effective extraction of carboxy‐myoglobin (COMb) from beef without carbon monoxide dissociation. The ratio of COMb to myoglobin was computed at absorptions of wavelengths 541 and 551 nm, which characterize COMb and the isosbestic point between COMb and deoxy‐myoglobin, respectively. The COMb extraction rate was found to vary with temperature, pH and oxygen conditions. The decrease observed in this rate was inversely proportional to the rise in extraction temperature. The COMb extraction rate was also affected by pH, and the stability of COMb in the extract solution was the highest at pH 8.0–9.0. Moreover, the presence of oxygen was found to disturb COMb extraction. According to these results, nearly all COMb could be extracted from carbon‐monoxide‐treated beef under stirring conditions in pH 8.5 deoxidized buffer, at 1°C, and under N₂ flow with the improved extraction method in this study (98.1 ± 2.7%). The decrement of COMb in the extract was accelerated by light, and the COMb was stable for 20 min in the dark, at 1°C. The extraction conditions for COMb described above should allow the accurate evaluation of COMb in meat tissue.     

Genome‐wide association studies identified variants for taurine concentration in Japanese Black beef

We performed genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) using the BovineSNP50 array to detect significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that may affect the concentration of 22 free amino acids and three peptides in Japanese Black beef cattle. A total of 574 Japanese Black cattle and 40,657 SNPs from the array were used for this study. Genome‐wide significant SNPs were detected for β‐alanine (three SNPs on chromosomes 22 and 29) and taurine (26 SNPs on chromosome 22). Importantly, the top two SNPs for taurine were highly significant (p = 6.2 × 10^?21), and the frequency of the increase‐concentration allele (Q) for taurine was found to be 0.73. The Q allele frequency of this population was similar to that of the other unrelated Japanese Black cattle, but different from that of the other breeds. In addition, the significant SNPs were not associated with carcass traits or fatty acid compositions. Interestingly, the top three of the four most significant SNPs for taurine were located near solute carrier family 6, member 6 (SLC6A6), which is a membrane transporter for taurine. We also found two associated variants in the 5′‐upstream region of SLC6A6; however, they were less significantly associated than the SNPs from the BovineSNP50 array.     

Effects of supplementary mother liquor,by‐product of monosodium glutamate,on in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics

Mother liquor (ML) is monosodium glutamate by‐product and contains much crude protein (CP). The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of supplementation of two types of MLs having different chemical compositions on in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics. ML1 had 74% organic matter (OM) and 70% CP and ML2 had 85% OM and 83% CP on a dry matter (DM) basis. The experiments were conducted using 0.5 gDM rolled barley or ryegrass straw as substrates. Urea and freeze‐dried MLs were added at three levels of nitrogen to be isonitrogenous. The ML1 treatment increased gas production compared with the ML2 treatment in barley substrate condition (p < 0.05). The supplementary ML2 increased gas production compared with the supplementary urea, and the digestibilities of DM and neutral detergent fiber expressed exclusive of residual ash (NDFom) were higher for the supplementary ML2 than for the supplementary ML1 in straw substrate condition (p < 0.05). In both the conditions, ammonia nitrogen concentrations of the ML1 and ML2 treatments were lower than that of the urea treatment (p < 0.05). The results indicated that the supplementary ML1 and ML2 activated in vitro ruminal fermentation particularly in concentrate and roughage substrate conditions respectively.     

Differential binding of a N-phenylformamidoxime compound in cell-free extracts of benzimidazole-resistant and-sensitive isolates of Venturia nashicola,Botrytis cinerea and Gibberella fujikuroi

Venturia nashicola isolates with a high level of resistance to carbendazim showed either increased sensitivity or were resistant to theN-phenylformamidoxime compoundN-(3,5-dichloro-4-propynyloyphenyl)-N′-methoxyformamidine (DCPF). Isolates with an intermediate or low level of carbendazim resistance were resistant to DCPF. Increased sensitivity to DCPF was also associated with a high level of carbendazim resistance inBotrytis cinerea but not with a moderate resistance level. Increased sensitivity to DCPF was not observed in carbendazim resistant isolates ofGibberella fujikuroi.Binding of [¹⁴C]DCPF in cell-free mycelial extracts of the highly carbendazim-resistant and DCPF-sensitive isolate ofV. nashicola was higher than in those of DCPF-resistant isolates that were either highly-resistant, intermediately resistant, or weakly resistant to carbendazim or were sensitive to carbendazim. [¹⁴C]carbendazim binding in extracts of highly carbendazim-resistant isolates ofB. cinerea was lower than that in extracts of sensitive isolates, whereas [¹⁴C]DCFP binding was higher. A decreased [¹⁴C]carbendazim binding was also observed in extracts of carbendazim-resistant isolates ofG. fujikuroi, binding of [¹⁴C]DCPF, however, was similar in extracts of both carbendazim-resistant and sensitive isolates.     

Molecular and chemical analysis of β-amylase-less mutant barley in Tibet

The molecular and biochemical aspects of Tibetan β‐amylase‐less mutant barley were investigated. An enzyme assay showed that there were eight β‐amylase‐less mutant lines in the Tibetan landrace barley. Following Southern analysis and polymerase chain reaction, it is suggested that these mutants result from the same insert mutation in the latter part of the β‐amylase structural gene. The α‐glucosidase activity level of the mutant line was high in the initial period of germination, and the glucose ratio in the sugar conformation was remarkably high in the germinated seed of the mutant line. These results suggest that this β‐amylase‐less mutant line could be a new breeding material for beer production.     

Conserving Forests in Privatized Commons: Trends and Management Options in an Ifugao Village,Philippines

This study addresses the question, ‘How can remaining forests be conserved when these are already individually privatized, and when the people prefer landuses other than forestry?’ These changes in landuse and forest ownership are demonstrated through a case study of a village in Ifugao, Philippines. A rapid and continued conversion of forest into agricultural land is observed, particularly for vegetable farming. Traditionally, most of the village total land area was under communal land ownership, but now almost half is under de facto private ownership. This transition in land (including forest) ownership is generally attributed to increased demand for land which is further attributed to changes in peoples’ values towards wealth accumulation rather than redistribution, greater integration to the market economy and a shift towards commercial agriculture. Past forest policies have been ineffective in regulating the landuse largely because they have not reflected local reality, and this appears to be true with the present national forest management strategy of community-based forest management. It is argued that the granting of land titles will improve forest conservation because it will improve the enforcement of forest laws and related contractual agreements. Based on the reality of private land ownership, it is further argued that forest policy in IP land should include private (individual, family or household) forest management. Given the possibility that indigenous people may prefer landuses other than forestry or may sell their property for various reasons, policies should regulate landuse as well as make it legal for IPs to transfer rights of ownership to ‘outsiders’. There is scope to improve the implementation of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act in the Philippines.     

Effects of beer and hop on ionotropic gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors

Beer induced the response of the ionotropic gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABA(A) receptors) expressed in Xenopus oocytes, indicating the presence of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-like activity. Furthermore, the pentane extract of the beer, hop (Humulus lupulus L.) oil, and myrcenol potentiated the GABA(A) receptor response elicited by GABA. The GABA(A) receptor responses were also potentiated by the addition of aliphatic esters, most of which are reported to be present in beer flavor. Aliphatic esters showed the tendency to decrease in the potentiation of the GABA(A) receptor response with an increase in their carbon chain length. When myrcenol was injected to mice prior to intraperitoneal administration of pentobarbital, the pentobarbital-induced sleeping time of mice increased additionally. Therefore, the beer contained not only GABA-like activity but also the modulator(s) of the GABA(A) receptor response.     

Accurate evaluation and verification of varietal ranking for flooding tolerance at the seedling stage in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Soil flooding or waterlogging is a major abiotic stress in upland crops. In barley, there have been several reported studies of selection for flooding-tolerant genotypes, but it is difficult to obtain varietal rankings that are consistent among researchers. Our objectives were to establish experimental conditions that could be applied by other research groups and to verify the varietal ranking conducted in an earlier study. We conducted greenhouse experiments on 14 barley varieties. At the 2.5-leaf stage, they were flooded with 0% or 0.1% soluble starch solution (mimicking reducing conditions). At 13 to 15 days after the start of treatment, the degree of leaf injury and the shoot dry weight ratio (treatment:control) were recorded. Reliable and highly repeatable results were obtained for the criterion of leaf injury under reducing conditions, whereas shoot dry weight ratio was unstable. The varieties OUJ820 and OUA301 were highly tolerant, whereas OUA002 and OUJ247 were sensitive; these results matched those of the earlier study. The experimental conditions that we developed here may be useful for selection testing and genetic analysis of flooding tolerance in other laboratories.     

Heat tolerance in food legumes as evaluated by cell membrane thermostability and chlorophyll fluorescence techniques

Summary The genotypic variation for heat tolerance in chickpea, groundnut, pigeonpea, and soya bean was evaluated by testing membrane stability and photosystem (PSII) function in leaves at high temperatures. The legumes could be ranked from heat-tolerant to sensitive in the order: groundnut, soya bean, pigeonpea and chickpea. The damage to cell membranes (as reflected by an increased leakage of electrolytes) and PS II (as reflected by a decrease in the ratio of variable to maximum fluorescence) was less, and recovery from heat stress was faster in groundnut than in other crops. Prior exposure of plants to 35°C for 24h led to a reduced leakage of electrolytes at high temperatures in all crops but the differences among legumes were consistent. Substantial genotypic variation for heat tolerance was found in all legumes. Membrane injury was negatively associated with specific leaf weight in groundnut (r=–0.69^**) and soya bean (r=–0.56^**) but not in the pulses. Electrolyte leakage and fluorescence ratio were negatively correlated in all legumes. The potential use of electrolyte leakage and fluorescence tests as screening procedures for breeding heat-tolerant legumes is discussed.Abbreviations RI relative injury - Fo initial fluorescence - Fm maximum fluorescence - Fv variable fluorescence - PS II photosystem II - PAR photosynthetically active radiation