The effect of exogenous purine supply on the endogenous excretion of purine derivatives in the urine of growing lambs

An experiment was made to determine the absorption of purine metabolites in dietary nucleic acids through the digestive tract, and also to determine the utilization of nucleic acids absorbed in the body, using growing lambs. Two pairs of 120‐ and 180‐day‐old twin female lambs with a bodyweight of 18.2–19.0 kg were kept in metabolism crates and fed on purine‐free milk replacement (MR) with supplements of exogenous purine (purine base or purine nucleoside) at a level of 0.2 mmol/BW^0.75/d for 5 consecutive days, and thereafter they were maintained in the crates for 4 days. The daily amount of exogenous purine supply was calculated based on the urinary excreted purine derivatives (PD) in lambs fed on milk replacement alone. A urine sample was collected daily for 9 consecutive days, and the urinary excretion of PD was determined daily. Urinary PD excretion opened to increase within 24 h after the dose of purine bases, and the level was recovered on 3 days after ceasing the exogenous purine supply. The recovery of PD in the urine was about 70% of the purine supplement. When purine nucleosides were added to the feed, urinary PD excretion was initiated within 24 h after dosing, and the values were recovered after ending the purine nucleoside supply. The recovery rate of PD in the urine was only 30% of the supplemented purine. The plasma allantoin levels were almost similar after feeding purine bases and purine nucleosides, and the values were mostly in the range (40–60 µmol/L). These findings indicate that an exogenous purine can be directly incorporated into the body, and the purine as nucleoside is more effectively utilized for the synthesis of nucleic acids than as a purine base in the body of growing lambs.     

Effect of soluble glass bolus administration on the blood selenium concentration in grazing Philippine goats under backyard conditions

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of selenium (Se) soluble glass bolus (SGB) on blood Se concentrations of mixed‐bred (native × Anglo Nubian) pregnant does weighing between 15 and 52 kg and grazing on natural pastures in the Philippines. The control group, consisting of 28 does, was not administered with SGB, while 23 does were administered with SGB every 6 months for a period of 12 months. Forage and blood samples in both groups were collected every 2 months. Their Se, sulfur, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper and zinc concentrations were analyzed using the wet digestion method. The results showed that the grazed forage had concentrations of all these minerals that were far higher than the accepted critical lower levels. The Se concentration was higher (P < 0.05) in the dry season than in the rainy season, especially in the whole blood collected from the does and newborn kids. In both groups the Se concentration in the kids tended to increase during the suckling period but decreased after weaning. Kids born to the SGB does had higher whole blood Se concentrations (P < 0.05) than those born to the control does. However, the administration of SGB to the does did not affect any blood mineral concentrations except for Se in the grazing does and their kids. The animals did not exhibit any clinical signs of mineral deficiencies or toxicities during the experimental period.     

Aloe ring spot,a new disease of aloe caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Haematonectria haematococca</Emphasis> (Berk. &; Broome) Samuels &; Nirenberg (anamorph: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium</Emphasis> sp.)

A ring spot disease of Aloe vera was found on leaves of potted seedlings of Aloe vera in Hachijojima and Chichijima Islands, Tokyo. From tissue of ring spot lesions, a fungus producing Fusarium-type conidia was consistently isolated. After 1 month, reddish perithecia of nectriaceous fungus had formed on the colonies of this isolate on PDA. These nectriaceous and Fusarium fungi were identified as Haematonectria haematococca and Fusarium sp., respectively. From a single ascospore isolation, the former was confirmed to be the teleomorph of the Fusarium sp. Typical ring spot lesions were reproduced by artificial inoculations using single ascospore and single conidium isolates. Inoculations of five species of genus Aloe revealed that they were highly susceptible except for A. arborescens. This is the first report of a disease on Aloe caused by H. haematococca (anamorph: Fusarium sp.) in Japan, and it was named aloe ring spot.     

Electroencephalogram of Japanese Black calves affected with cerebrocortical necrosis

Electroencephalogram (EEG) examinations were carried out on three Japanese Black calves (1, 2 and 14 week old) affected with cerebrocortical necrosis (CCN) in order to investigate the relationship between EEG abnormalities and encephalic lesions. Some neurologic signs such as circling, astasia, convulsion and opisthotonus appeared in two of the calves (case 1 and 3). The other calf (case 2), however, showed no neurologic signs. The EEGs obtained from the two calves (case 1 and 2), in the awake state, showed constant high amplitude (50-160 microV) and slow (1-4 Hz) activity (HASA). One of these (case 1) had necrosis mainly in the right hemisphere and showed a markedly asymmetric sharp wave. On the other hand, in case 3, the EEG showed diffuse lowered activity, and almost flat in some leads. A decrease in fast activity observed in common with all three animals. These findings suggest that one of the characteristic EEG patterns of CCN patient may be HASA and decreased fast activity. Histopathologic diagnoses of the calves were CCN in various degrees. The degrees of abnormality of the EEGs seemed to accord with the seriousness of the lesions. Because the EEG obtained from the calf having no obvious neurologic signs showed an abnormal pattern, it was considered that EEG examinations in the early stages of disorders are valuable to diagnose CCN.     

Reactivity of secondary hydroxyl groups in methylβ-d-xylopyranoside toward aβ-o-4-type quinone methide

Methyl-d-xylopyranoside was allowed to react with-O-4-type quinone methide without a catalyst to elucidate the reactivities of secondary hydroxyl groups at the C2, C3, and C4 positions. Benzyl ether-type lignin-carbohydrate complex (LCC) compounds linked at the C2 and C4 positions were predominant, at a ratio of 23. However, the reactivity of the hydroxyl group at the C3 position was quite low. These results strongly suggest that the reactivity of the C2 hydroxyl group in xylan toward quinone methide intermediate is higher than that of the C3 hydroxyl group during biosynthesis of LCCs.     

First report of trunk rot caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fomitiporia torreyae</Emphasis> in Kyoto prefecture on cultivars of Japanese cedar with no relatedness to ‘Sanbu-sugi’

Trunk rot, caused by Fomitiporia torreyae, is one of the most economically important sap rot diseases on Cryptomeria japonica, especially on a cutting cultivar ‘Sanbu-sugi’. This disease had been reported only from Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures in Japan; however, a similar trunk rot on Japanese cedars was found recently in Kyoto prefecture. We identified the causal agent of the trunk rot on Japanese cedars in Kyoto prefecture, clarified the genotype of ‘Sanbu-sugi’ (sensu stricto) using microsatellite markers, and then investigated the relatedness of these infected cedars with ‘Sanbu-sugi’. The pathogen was identified as F. torreyae by its DNA sequences and morphological characteristics of the fruiting body. The 25 ramets of ‘Sanbu-sugi’ had only one genotype based on eight microsatellite loci. Infected Japanese cedars in Kyoto were comprised of different genotypes and showed no close relatedness to ‘Sanbu-sugi’. This is the first report of trunk rot caused by F. torreyae on cultivars of Japanese cedar with no relatedness to ‘Sanbu-sugi’ outside of Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures and showed the potential for expansion of this disease to Japanese cedar plantations in other areas.     

Kebon tatangkalan: a disappearing agroforest in the Upper Citarum Watershed,West Java,Indonesia

A comprehensive study was carried out on a typical indigenous agroforestry system, called kebon tatangkalan, in the changing agricultural landscape of the Upper Citarum Watershed, West Java, Indonesia. The main objectives of the study are to elucidate the structural patterns, multidimensional functions, and dynamics of this multi-layered agroforest. The study has identified 12 groups of different plant assemblages indicating that this type of agroforest contributes considerably to the heterogeneity of the agricultural landscape in the study area. Multivariate analysis suggests that elevation and slope are the biophysical factors that correlate most significantly with the distribution of plant species in kebon tatangkalan. The presence of this man-made vegetation is currently declining from the landscape due to population growth and rapid regional economic development. Serious effort to revitalize this traditional agroforest is needed to prevent its disappearance. Introduction of highly productive species and establishment of integrated policies in regional land-use planning and management are measures that should be taken into account in preserving this traditional agroforestry system.     

Stem water transport of Lithocarpus edulis, an evergreen oak with radial-porous wood

The stem water conducting system of an evergreen broad-leaved oak, Lithocarpus edulis (Mak.) Nakai, was investigated. Evergreen broad-leaved oaks (Lithocarpus, Castanopsis, Cyclobalanopsis, Quercus) belonging to the Quercoideae are a major component of Asian monsoon forests, and are characterized by the possession of radial-porous wood. A characteristic of radial-porous wood is the development of aggregate rays between radially oriented files of vessels. We measured the distribution of vessel lumen diameters in a stem cross section and calculated the theoretical water conductivity of the wood. The radial profile of the heat pulse velocity (HPV) was measured for an intact whole tree under field conditions and compared with the theoretical distribution of water conductivity. Soft X-ray photographs of frozen stem sections indicated that most of the vessel lumina were filled with water, including those of vessels more than 20 years old. Even when vessels were relatively wide (lumen diameters > 100 microm), cavitation was negligible. The rate of water uptake from the cut stem base correlated closely with HPV (r = 0.96), and HPV closely reflected the mean volume flow per stem sectional area (SFVS) around the sensor probes. However, the ray tissue sharply inhibited heat transfer, and the positioning of the probes strongly affected the absolute value of HPV. It was also found that HPV more closely reflected the mean sap flow velocity in the vessels than did SFVS.