Effect of dietary histidine on contents of carnosine and anserine in muscles of broilers

Carnosine (β‐alanyl‐L‐histidine) and anserine (β‐alanyl‐1‐methyl‐L‐histidine) are dipeptides mainly found in skeletal muscle and brain of many vertebrates, and particularly high concentrations are observed in chicken pectoral muscles. It was reported that these peptides have many functions, such as antioxidant activity. In this study, we examined the effect of different levels of dietary histidine on carnosine and anserine contents in broiler muscles. The 14‐days‐old female Chunky strain broilers were given feeds containing three different levels of histidine; 67% (Low‐His), 100% (Control) and 200% (High‐His) of histidine requirement according to the NRC (1994). Chicks were fed experimental diets for 10 days. Both dipeptides in muscle were significantly decreased. In particular, carnosine was not detected at all in the Low‐His group and was significantly increased in the High‐His group. Both dipeptides were not detected in plasma. These results indicated the possibility to produce chicken meat with enhanced amount of these dipeptides by high histidine feeding.     

Autoantibodies against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in cerebrospinal fluids from Pug dogs with necrotizing meningoencephalitis

Cerebrospinal fluids (CSFs) from 9 Pug dogs with necrotizing meningoencephalitis (NME: Pug dog encephalitis) were examined to identify the antigens for anti-astrocyte autoantibodies. Each CSF exhibited a positive reaction to the cytoplasm of cultured canine astrocytes by an indirect fluorescent antibody test. In an immunoblotting analysis on normal canine brain proteins, eight of 9 CSFs showed a common band of 52 kDa, corresponding to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and all of 9 CSFs reacted with purified bovine GFAP. From these results, GFAP is one of the common autoantigens in Pug dogs with NME. On the other hand, the reactivity of CSFs to chymotrypsin-digested bovine GFAP fragments were variable among dogs, indicating that the antibodies in the CSFs recognized different epitopes on GFAP.     

Changes in the charged metabolite and sugar profiles of pasteurized and unpasteurized Japanese sake with storage

Japanese sake (rice wine) is commonly heat treated (pasteurized) to maintain its quality. In this study, temporal changes in the metabolite profiles of pasteurized and unpasteurized sake were investigated during storage. Metabolomic analyses were conducted for eight sets of pasteurized and unpasteurized sake obtained from single process batches stored at 8 or 20 °C for 0, 1, 2, or 4 months. Capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry were used to obtain charged metabolite and sugar profiles, respectively. The total amino acid concentration decreased with storage, and the decrease was faster in pasteurized sake than in unpasteurized. The organic acid concentrations were relatively constant in both types of sake. Peptide and glucose concentrations increased and polysaccharide concentrations decreased in unpasteurized sake, while they were relatively constant in pasteurized sake. Rather than stabilizing the sake metabolite profile during storage, pasteurization results in characteristic changes compared to unpasteurized sake.     

The effect of 7.2% hypertonic saline solution on m-mode echocardiographic indices in normovolemic dogs

This study investigated whether a small volume of 7.2% hypertonic saline solution (HSS) could affect M-mode echocardiographic indices in dogs. HSS induced significant increase in heart rate, stroke volume and cardiac index, when the fluid infusion was completed (P<0.05). In the HSS group, the left ventricular end-diastolic volume index, as an index of preload, significantly increased (P<0.05), whereas left ventricular end-systolic volume index were not altered. HSS induced slight increases in ejection fraction at end of infusion despite significantly differences were not observed. In conclusion, HSS did not induce a demonstrable effect on M-mode echocardiographic indices of systolic function-enhance cardiac contractility, but it caused preload augmentation that may contribute to an abrupt and transient increase in cardiac output just after HSS infusion.     

Molecular cloning of feline lung resistance-related protein (LRP) cDNA and its expression in a feline lymphoma cell line and adriamycin-resistant subline

Molecular cloning of feline lung resistance-related protein (LRP) was performed to evaluate the relationship between its expression level and drug resistance against chemotherapeutics. The nucleotide sequence of the coding region of feline LRP cDNA was found to be 2670-bp long and to show 84.2-92.6% homology to its human, mouse, and rat counterparts. The expression level of feline LRP mRNA was relatively high in lung, jejunum, and colon. An adriamycin (ADM)-resistant feline lymphoma subline, FT-1/ADM, showed a high level of MDR1 mRNA expression compared with parental FT-1 cells. However, no relationship was observed between the drug-resistant phenotype and the LRP mRNA expression level. Although no direct contribution of LRP to the development of the drug-resistant phenotype was observed, further investigation is advisable.     

Comparative study of the plasma globulin level, CD21(-) B-cell counts and FOXP3 mRNA expression level in CD4(+) T-cells for different clinical stages of feline immunodeficiency virus infected cats

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection leads to hypergammaglobulinemia through mechanisms that remain poorly understood. We investigated changes in plasma globulin level, B cells, and T cells with progression of the clinical stage of FIV-infected cats. We classified FIV-infected cats into the stage of Asymptomatic carrier (AC) and AIDS-related complex (ARC) based on the clinical symptoms, and measured the plasma globulin level, the CD4(+) T-cell counts, and analyzed surface markers of B cells. We investigated the relationship between the plasma globulin level and regulatory T cells (Tregs) using the Forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) mRNA expression level. In FIV-infected cats, the plasma globulin level and the surface immunoglobulin (sIg)(+) CD21(-) B-cell counts were increased, whereas the CD4(+) T-cell counts were decreased compared with specific-pathogen free (SPF) cats. The mRNA expression of Blimp-1 (master gene of plasma cells) was increased in peripheral blood, and the FOXP3 mRNA expression level was decreased in CD4(+) T-cells. These immunological changes were marked in the ARC stage. These data indicate that the decrease of Tregs and the increase of plasma cells lead to hypergammaglobulinemia.     

Detection of novel kobu-like viruses in Japanese black cattle in Japan

During surveillance for bovine diarrhea of unknown causes in Japanese black cattle in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, we found two types of novel kobu-like viruses in fecal samples of calves. Sequence analyses revealed that they had L protein and 2A protein with H-box/NC sequence motif, which are present in kobuviruses. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that they were related to kobuviruses; however, they clustered apart from other kobuviruses. In the prevalence study of two types of novel kobu-like viruses, 16.9% and 10.4% prevalence of these viruses were observed in the feces of diarrheal calves in this area.     

Regulation of free glutamate content in meat by dietary lysine in broilers

Regulation of taste is important for improving meat quality and glutamate (Glu) is one of the important taste‐active components in meat. Here, the effects of dietary lysine (Lys) content on taste‐active components in meat, especially free Glu, were investigated. Fourteen‐day‐old broiler chicks (Gallus gallus) were fed on diets containing 100% or 150% of the recommended Lys content for 10 days. Concentrations of free amino acids in plasma, muscle and liver were measured. The levels of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) for enzymes related to Glu metabolism were determined in muscle and liver. The concentration of muscle metabolites was also determined. The free Glu content in muscle of chicks fed the Lys150% diet was increased by 44.0% compared with that in chicks fed the Lys100% diet (P < 0.01). The mRNA level of lysine α‐ketoglutarate reductase, which is involved in Lys degradation and Glu production, was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the Lys150% group. Metabolome analysis showed that the Lys degradation products, muscular saccharopine, pipecolic acid and α‐aminoadipic acid, were increased in the Lys150% group. Our results suggest that free Glu content in muscle is regulated by Lys degradation. These results suggest that a short‐term feeding of high‐Lys diet could improve the taste of meat.     

低洼易涝盐碱地中影响旱稻产量的因素分析--以河北省南皮县"七万亩"试区为例

本文以河北省南皮县“七万亩”试区为例，采用方差和通径分析的方法，对旱稻产量变化在0.36吨每公顷--6.5吨每公顷条件下低洼易涝盐碱地中影响旱稻产量的因素进行了分析。结果表明，在这样的条件下，首先应注意保苗及全苗技术，从而保证收获时的单位面积上的穗数，这是获高产的第一因子，其次是提高千粒重的栽培措施，再者是提高每穗粒数的方法。大穗品种不宜在类似条件下推广，而早熟品种则需要引起足够的重视。     

Saving Irrigation Water for Winter Wheat with Phosphorus Application in the North China Plain

Conserving irrigation water resources is a most important measure for sustainable wheat production in the North China Plain. In the present study, the effect of phosphorus (P) application for saving irrigation water was evaluated. The application of fertilizer P increased nitrogen and phosphorus uptake, shoot biomass, head number, seed number and, consequently, grain yield, and increased soil water use and seasonal evapo-transpiration. The lower the volume of irrigation water applied, the more obvious were these effects. When winter wheat was basally fertilized with 88.5 kg P₂O₅/ha and irrigated with 90 mm at the jointing stage, the highest fertilizer P use efficiency, apparent P recovery and net profit (due to irrigation and/or fertilizer P) were obtained. The results suggested that fertilizer P should be used for saving irrigation water resources in the North China Plain.