高寒退化草地恢复中种子包衣对出苗的影响

采用植物性吸水材料对垂穗披碱草(Elymus nutant)和山野豌豆(Vicia amoena)种子进行包衣处理,在模拟高寒草地条件下观察包衣种子的出苗,同时测定包衣混合物的持水力.结果表明,最适条件下两种牧草种子的出苗率分别为86%和88%;在模拟条件下,种子的出苗率分别为38%和24%.经过包衣处理后,种子的出苗...     

Spinal epidural empyema concurrent with sequestrum in a cat: a case report

A 5-month-old intact female mixed cat presented with repetitive paraplegia and drainage of pus from the back despite continuous antibiotic medication. Neurologic examination was consistent with below T3-L3 myelopathy. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a contrast-enhanced mass in the L1-3 spinal canal, and bone fragments in the T13 and L1 spinal canal. Spinal epidural empyema was suspected, and hemilaminectomy was performed for T12-L2 on the right side and T11-12 on the left side. Bone fragments were diagnosed as sequestrum infected with Bacteroides sp. The cat recovered enough to ambulate next day. One month after surgery, there was no deficit in neurological function. This is the first report of spinal epidural empyema concurrent with sequestrum in a cat.     

Effect of enzymes of microbial origin on in vitro digestibilities of dry matter and crude protein in soybean meal

The effects of supplementation with cellulase, xylanase, pectinase, hemicellulase, glucanase, phytase and protease of microbial origin on digestibility of crude protein (CP) and dry matter (DM) of soybean meal in vitro were examined in the present study. Changes in viscosity during in vitro digestion were also examined as an index of carbohydrate digestibility. Hemicellulase and all enzyme combinations without protease showed significant improvement of CP digestibility. Cellulase, xylanase, phytase and glucanase tended to improve CP digestibility. Dry matter digestibility was improved significantly by pectinase and all enzyme combinations. Cellulase and phytase tended to improve DM digestibility. Crude protein and DM digestibilities were the highest when all the enzymes except protease were added. Protease, cellulase, pectinase, xylanase, glucanase and hemicellulase significantly reduced viscosity, while phytase had no effect on viscosity. Viscosity was increased unexpectedly when all the enzymes were added. These results strongly suggest that a combination of carbohydrases improves the CP and DM digestibility of soybean meal while protease inhibits the actions of these enzymes. The present study also suggests that viscosity is not always a good index of digestibility. Moreover, excluding the protease from commercial crude enzyme preparations may improve digestibility.     

Phylogenetic analysis of hindgut microbiota in Hokkaido native horses compared to light horses

The analysis of 16S rDNA sequence of bacteria in feces of Hokkaido native horses and light horses were performed to compare the hindgut microbiota between the two breeds. One hundred and four bacterial 16S rDNA clones (57 clones from four native horses and 47 clones from two light horses) were obtained. Only four sequences (3.8% of total sequences) showed 97% or more similarity to known species. The sequences were mainly affiliated with Cytophaga–Flavobacter–Bacteroides and low GC Gram‐positive bacteria (LGCGP). Proportion of LGCGP was higher in light horses. Other phyla including Verrucomicrobia, Spirochaetes and Archaea were detected only for native horses, suggesting high diversity of microbiota in native horses. In LGCGP, clusters related to known cellulolytic species were found only for native horses, while a cluster related to soluble sugar‐utilizing species was detected only for light horses. The library composition‐comparing software LIBSHUFF showed significant (P < 0.05) difference of fecal microbiota between the horse breeds. The number of Fibrobacter succinogenes‐related sequence and the frequency of detection of novel groups were found to be higher in native horses by selective amplification analysis. The results suggest that genetic diversity and population size of the F. succinogenes group are higher in the hindgut of native horses.     

Changes of plasma free amino acid concentrations and myofibrillar proteolysis index by starvation in non-pregnant dry cows

The effects of 5 day starvation on urinary metabolite excretion, plasma metabolites and free amino acid concentrations in four non‐pregnant dry cows were investigated. Starvation significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the bodyweight and feces weight. The plasma glucose concentration decreased (P < 0.05) during days 2–5 of starvation. Starvation significantly increased (P < 0.05) the plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentration. The plasma urea nitrogen concentration and urinary urea nitrogen excretion increased transiently (P < 0.05) at days 1 and 2 of starvation. The plasma 3‐methlhistidine concentration was significantly higher (P < 0.05) at days 2, 3 and 5 of starvation. However, the urinary 3‐methylhistidine excretion was significantly higher (P < 0.05) at days 4 and 5 of starvation, not corresponding to the change in the plasma. Starvation did not change the plasma proline, methionine, lysine and total amino acid concentrations. On the other hand, starvation reduced (P < 0.05) the plasma aspartic acid, serine, asparagine, glutamic acid, glutamine, alanine, tyrosine, tryptophan and histidine concentrations. Plasma glycine increased during starvation. Plasma threonine, isoleucine, leucine and branched‐chain amino acid increased (P < 0.05) by prolonged starvation. The results of this study indicate that prolonged starvation accelerated myofibril protein degradation in non‐pregnant dry cows and apparently consumes most glucogenic amino acids in preference to other amino acids.     

Analysis of 46-kDa protein in the perivitelline membrane of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

The extracellular matrix surrounding the oocyte before ovulation is called the perivitelline membrane (PL) in avian species. The PL is constructed with two major glycoproteins, ZPC and ZP1, which are synthesized in the ovarian granulosa cells and the liver, respectively. Although the properties of the major components in the PL have been examined, knowledge about the nature of its minor constituents is lacking. In this study we focused on PL protein, which migrates at 46‐kDa in the gel of SDS‐PAGE. N‐terminal sequence analysis demonstrated that the 46‐kDa protein is the C‐terminal fragment of ZP1. Analysis of lysylendopeptidase digests or cyanogens bromide‐degraded fragments of ZP1 confirmed this postulate. Western blot analysis using antiserum against 46‐kDa protein indicated the absence of 46‐kDa protein in the serum. Moreover, small immunoreactive bands, thought to be cleaved fragments of ZP1, were detected in the PL lysate by western blot analysis using antiserum against the N‐terminal peptide of ZP1. These results indicated that the N‐terminal proteolytic processing of ZP1 might take place after the arrival of ZP1 at the ovary, and the resulting product, 46‐kDa protein, is incorporated into the PL.     

Predominant expression of growth hormone secretagogue receptor in the caudal lobe of chicken pituitary and parallel developmental increase in expression of pituitary GH and proventriculus ghrelin mRNA

To examine the involvement of ghrelin in growth hormone (GH) synthesis in the chicken pituitary, the regional distribution of GH secretagogue receptor (GHS‐R)/ghrelin receptor was investigated. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (Q‐PCR) analysis revealed that the expression levels of GHS‐R and GH mRNA in the caudal lobe were about fourfold and sevenfold higher in the cephalic lobe of 7 day‐old chickens, respectively. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that GHS‐R immunoreactivity was more abundant in the caudal lobe than in the cephalic lobe, as was the case for GH immunoreactivity. By Q‐PCR, parallel increases were observed in the expression levels of ghrelin mRNA in the proventriculus and GH mRNA in the pituitary from embryonic day 17 to day 7 after hatching, whereas no significant change was found in the expression levels of GHS‐R mRNA in the pituitary during this period. These results suggest that proventriculus‐derived ghrelin may participate in pituitary GH synthesis by acting on its receptor during late embryonic development and the early post‐hatching period in chickens.     

Differential expression of myostatin and its receptor in the porcine anterior pituitary gland

Myostatin (MSTN), known as growth and differentiation factor 8 (GDF-8), is a member of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily that negatively regulates skeletal muscle mass. Myostatin binds with high affinity to the receptor serine threonine kinase activin receptor type IIB (ActRIIB). Activins that also belong to the TGF-β superfamily, stimulate follicle-stimulating hormone production in gonadotrophs and suppress growth hormone and adrenocorticotropic hormone production in somatotrophs and corticotrophs, respectively. The aim of the present paper was therefore to clarify the endocrine action of MSTN in adenohypophysis. The present study details the expression and cellular localization of MSTN and ActRIIB in porcine anterior pituitary gland. The mRNA of MSTN and ActRIIB was consistently expressed in RT-PCR. Immunohistochemistry of MSTN and specific hormones showed that MSTN localized in thyrotrophs and gonadotrophs, in which most of the MSTN immunoreactive cells were identified as thyrotrophs. The immunostaining of ActRIIB was restricted to corticotrophs. These results indicate that MSTN was mainly produced in thyrotrophs and its receptor, ActRIIB, was restrictively contained in corticotrophs. Interestingly, thyrotrophs immunoreactive for MSTN were frequently close to corticotrophs immunoreactive for ActRIIB. The present study suggests that MSTN from thyrotrophs may regulate corticotroph function as a paracrine mediator among the porcine anterior pituitary cells.     

Harpinpsta from Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci Is Defective and Deficient in Its Expression and HR-inducing Activity

To elucidate the role of harpins produced by Pseudomonas syringae, the corresponding hrpZ gene was isolated from P. s. pv. tabaci. The sequence information revealed that this gene carries a serious mutation with 326 bp lacking in the central region and potentially encodes only 140 N-terminal amino acids because of a frame shift. The investigation of biological properties using recombinant harpin indicated harpin_psta was incapable of inducing HR in both host and nonhost plants. Based on an immunoblot analysis to detect harpin from P. s. pathovars in hrp-inducing medium, the truncated harpin_psta was neither expressed nor secreted into the culture medium. These results suggest that harpin is not the sole determinant of the host-parasite specificity in P. s. pv. tabaci. Received 10 August 2000/ Accepted in revised form 21 December 2000