Effects of haul distance and stocking density on young suckling calves transported in Japan

We conducted applicability evaluation of recommendations of the European Union (EU) and the Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) for suckling calves. Nineteen calves (14 Holstein aged 11–26 days and five cross‐bred aged 13–45 days) were divided into six groups. Three groups were allocated into the stocking densities of 0.25, 0.35, 0.45 m²/head and were weekly transported 50, 100, 150 km in this order. Another three groups were allocated and transported in reverse order. Observation was conducted during and after transportation. Blood sampling was performed before and after transportation. The occurrences of lying and turning round on the truck were significantly associated with stocking density (P < 0.05), but not with haul distance. Scratching was observed only in one calf. Incidence of watery feces was not associated with both factors. There were significant effects of haul distance on the concentrations of plasma cortisol and noradrenaline, and serum aspartate aminotranserase (AST) and IgM (P < 0.05). These concentrations, except cortisol, were higher after transportation at 150 km compared to the pre‐transportation value (AST and IgM P < 0.05; noradrenaline P < 0.10). Results suggest that haul distances greater than 100 km should not be recommended even for suckling calves transported in Japan.     

Genetic diversity and pathogenicity of potato spindle tuber viroid and chrysanthemum stunt viroid isolates in Russia

European Journal of Plant Pathology - To investigate the current status of viroid infection in potato fields in Russia, potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) and chrysanthemum stunt viroid (CSVd)...     

Effects of soy protein isolate feeding on severe kidney damage in DOCA salt-treated obese Zucker rats

This study assessed the effects of soy protein isolate (SPI) on severe kidney damage in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) salt-treated obese Zucker rats. These rats underwent heminephrectomy and were fed either casein or SPI diet for 12 weeks. From weeks 8 to 10 of the experiment, kidney damage was induced by biweekly injection of 25 mg/kg DOCA and administration of 0.5% NaCl (w/v) ad libitum. Urinary protein and N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase excretions of SPI rats were much lower than those of casein rats at weeks 1 (p < 0.01) and 2 (p < 0.05) after DOCA treatment. Abnormal mineral excretions induced by DOCA treatment in casein rats were hardly detected in SPI rats. Severe atrophy of tubular epithelium and some flattened/detached renal tubules were also observed in casein rats, but not in SPI rats. These results indicate that consecutive treatment of SPI protects against renal dysfunction, particularly tubulointerstitial nephritis, in DOCA salt-treated obese Zucker rats.     

Use of a box to prevent agonistic behavior after regrouping in isolated and non-isolated pigs

The effects of a box in the pen on the agonistic behavior of pigs after regrouping was determined in 24 pigs from five litters that were kept in three pens after weaning. For the experiment, the pigs were allocated to six pens with four animals each and kept with their peers for 2 weeks. The lightest pig from each pen was removed and isolated for 2 weeks, and then regrouped with its original peers. At the time of regrouping, half of the pens were equipped with the box. The number and duration of agonistic behavior events were particularly large and long in the pen without a box on the first day after regrouping, and for the isolated pig on the first day (all P  < 0.05). The number of times the box was accessed was large for the isolated pig on the first day after regrouping ( P  < 0.01). The number of agonistic behavior events and the times the box was accessed was correlated on the first day after regrouping ( r _s = 0.79, P  < 0.01). The number of agonistic behavior events on the first day after regrouping was greater in the pens without a box than in the pens with a box ( P  < 0.01). It was suggested that the box had the effect of reducing agonistic behavior after regrouping.     

Assessing the end-point temperature of heated fish and shellfish meats

ABSTRACT: Attempts have been made to assess the end-point temperature (EPT) of heated fish and shellfish meats by using the coagulation method together with sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis and enzyme activity determination. Unfrozen and frozen fish and shellfish meats were heat-treated at different selected temperatures with 0, 15 or 30 min holding times. Proteins were extracted with NaCl solution. The coagulation method was able to determine EPT of heated fish and shellfish meats between 60 and 67°C. SDS-PAGE patterns of the filtrates from heated meats were closely related to the results of the coagulation method and enzyme activity determination. Two proteins responsible for producing coagulum of fish meat extracts seem to be lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). End-point temperatures determined by these methods were not significantly different between unfrozen and frozen samples. On the contrary, a highly thermostable protein with a molecular mass of 35 kDa was detected in heated shellfish meats up to 108°C. In scallop adductor muscle, this highly thermostable protein was found to be the tropomyosin subunit from its amino acid composition and their partial sequences. Tropomyosin could be used as an EPT indicator up to 108°C for heated shellfish meats.     

Reliability of stock size estimates from adaptive framework virtual population analysis

ABSTRACT:   The stock size estimates from adaptive framework virtual population analysis are sometimes very sensitive to the model's assumptions. The uniqueness and precision of stock size estimates from adaptive framework virtual population analysis are examined analytically and numerically. The results indicate that (i) when the fishing mortalities remain constant for all years, the stock size estimates are not determined uniquely without additional assumptions, and (ii) when the cumulative fishing mortalities are similar among cohorts, the precision of stock size estimates will be poor, even if the abundance indices are precise and informative. For the precise estimation of stock size, it is necessary that fishing mortalities vary among years, that cumulative fishing mortalities vary among cohorts and that auxiliary information such as selectivity is available in addition to precise abundance indices.     

Cloning of estrogen receptor-β cDNA of common Japanese conger Conger myriaster and expression of the gene during oocyte development

ABSTRACT:   Estrogen receptor (ER) cDNA was cloned from the liver of common Japanese conger Conger myriaster . Common Japanese conger ER cDNA contains 2543 nucleotides including an open reading frame that encodes 596 amino acids, with a molecular weight of 66.1 kDa. The deduced amino-acid sequence of the common Japanese conger ER shares 85% identity with that of eel Anguilla japonica ER-β, and 39–46% and 53–59% identity with the deduced sequences of ER-α and ER-β of other species, respectively. In a phylogenetic analysis, the common Japanese conger ER was found to cluster with the ER-β of other species. The common Japanese conger ER-β also has six domains (A–F), which are conserved in the nuclear receptor superfamily. The amino-acid sequences in the C and E domains were highly conserved between common Japanese conger ER-β and other ER. However, the other domains showed low homology. In the female common Japanese conger, ER-β mRNA was highly expressed in the liver and pituitary gland. The expression levels of the ER-β gene increased from the oil droplet stage to the primary yolk globule stage and were maintained until the migratory nucleus stage.