Pseudodynamic tests and earthquake response analysis of timber structures II: two-level conventional wooden structures with plywood sheathed shear walls

Pseudodynamic (PSD) tests were conducted on two-level timber structures with plywood-sheathed shear walls, which each had an opening of different configuration, to study the effects of the mechanical properties of the first and second levels on the earthquake response of the structure. The specimens had two-level conventional post and beam frames that were 3 m wide, 3 m deep, and 6 m high with plywood sheathings nailed on one face of the structure. The first and second levels had different opening configurations of window, door, or slit. Lateral forces were applied at the top of the first and second levels, calculating step by step the next displacement based on the North-South (NS) components of the 1940 El Centro earthquake. The test results were compared with those of the time-history earthquake response analysis using the lumped mass model and hysteresis model presented in the companion article (part I). The experimental and simulated results showed that the simulation by means of the lumped mass time-history earthquake response analysis predicted quite well the response of the first level, but tended to underestimate the response of the second level, and that the PSD tests of an individual wall system with the mass supported by that particular wall generally show a conservative estimate of the response.     

Effects of thinning on wind damage in Pinus thunbergii plantation ——Based on theoretlcal derlvation of risk—ratios for assessing wind damage

Based on paper of “Theoretical derivation of risk-ratios for assessing wind damage in coastal forest“,wind damage in the pine coasteal forest,which was thinned at four levels in December of 1997,was investigated for four successive growing seasons.Besides wind damage,the wind profiles outside and inside the coastal forest stand and the distributions of optical stratification porosity (OSP) were also observed.Based on these data,risk-ratios of wind damage for both individual trees and stands were estimated according to the methods developed in “Theoretical derivation of risk-ratios for assessing wind damage in a coastal forest“.The results showed that risk-ratios of wind damage,which were calculated from the meen height and diameter only and from the combination of wind and stand sructure profiles,accurately predicted wind damage in the plantation.Relationships between different thinning ratios and incidence of wind damage showed that stand stability decreased soon after the thinning.This was due to the immediate effects of thinning on increasing the canopy roughness and wind load,and on decreasing the sheltering effects from surrounding trees.However,thinning strategies could improve the stability by long-term effects on growthand development of trees against extreme wind.Only canopy damage was recorded during the experimental period,no stem damage was found,even though the maximum 10-min wind speed outside the coastal forest attained 30.2m s^-1.The results obtained in this study indicate that thinning is the most effective silvicultural strategy available for managing coastal forest despite the increased probability of wind damage soon after thinning.     

Genetic variants of the unsaturated fatty acid receptor GPR120 relating to obesity in dogs

G protein-coupled receptor (GPR) 120 is an unsaturated fatty acid receptor, which is associated with various physiological functions. It is reported that the genetic variant of GPR120, p.Arg270His, is detected more in obese people, and this genetic variation functionally relates to obesity in humans. Obesity is a common nutritional disorder also in dogs, but the genetic factors have not ever been identified in dogs. In this study, we investigated the molecular structure of canine GPR120 and searched for candidate genetic variants which may relate to obesity in dogs. Canine GPR120 was highly homologous to those of other species, and seven transmembrane domains and two N-glycosylation sites were conserved. GPR120 mRNA was expressed in lung, jejunum, ileum, colon, hypothalamus, hippocampus, spinal cord, bone marrow, dermis and white adipose tissues in dogs, as those in mice and humans. Genetic variants of GPR120 were explored in client-owned 141 dogs, resulting in that 5 synonymous and 4 non-synonymous variants were found. The variant c.595C>A (p.Pro199Thr) was found in 40 dogs, and the gene frequency was significantly higher in dogs with higher body condition scores, i.e. 0.320 in BCS4–5 dogs, 0.175 in BCS3 dogs and 0.000 in BCS2 dogs. We conclude that c.595C>A (p.Pro199Thr) is a candidate variant relating to obesity, which may be helpful for nutritional management of dogs.     

Establishment of a Model of Spontaneously-Running-Tokushima-Shikoku Rats with Left Atrial Thrombosis

Studies that investigate the underlying mechanisms of disease and treatment options typically require the use of a suitable animal model. Few suitable animal models exist for left atrial thrombosis. Here, we demonstrated that the Spontaneously-Running-Tokushima-Shikoku (SPORTS) rat — a Wistar strain known for its running ability—is predisposed to the development of thrombi in the left atrium. We investigated the incidence of left atrial thrombosis in male (n = 16) and female (n = 17) SPORTS rats and observed organized atrial thrombosis in 57% and 38% of males and female rats, respectively. In the male rats, systolic blood pressures and heart rates were significantly higher in SPORTS rats than in control Wistar rats. We could not find any evidence of arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, during electrocardiographic examination of SPORTS rats. We believe that the SPORTS rat could serve as a new research model for left atrial thrombosis; further, it may be suitable for research investigating the development of new antithrombotic approaches for the control of atrial thrombosis or familial thrombophilia in humans.     

Sericin Accelerates the Production of Hyaluronan and Decreases the Incidence of Polyspermy Fertilization in Bovine Oocytes During In Vitro Maturation

Fetal bovine serum (FBS) has been widely used as a supplement in the maturation medium of bovine oocytes in vitro. However, serum contains many undefined factors and is potentially infectious to humans and animals. As a serum replacement, we evaluated the feasibility of using the silk protein, sericin, derived from the cocoons of silkworm. To examine the rates of oocyte maturation and fertilization, cumulus-oocyte complexes were cultured in TCM-199 supplemented with 0.01%, 0.05%, 0.1% or 0.15% sericin or 5% FBS. The sizes of the perivitelline space that might relate to polyspermy, the expressions of Has2 and CD44 mRNA, the amount of hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid: HA) contained in the oocytes and the rates of blastocyst formation following insemination were then compared between the oocytes cultured with 0.05% sericin and 5% FBS, because the polyspermy rates in oocytes cultured with 0.05% sericin were significantly lower than in those cultured with 5% FBS. After in vitro maturation (IVM), the mean size of the perivitelline space was significantly greater in oocytes cultured with sericin than in those cultured with FBS, although the rates of nuclear maturation, fertilization and blastocyst formation of oocytes under both IVM conditions were not significantly different. The expression of HAS2 and CD44 mRNA and the amount of HA in the denuded oocytes cultured with 0.05% sericin were significantly greater than in those cultured with FBS. These results indicate the feasibility of sericin as an alternative protein supplement for IVM in bovine oocytes.     

Is experience on a farm an effective approach to understanding animal products and the management of dairy farming?

The understanding of animal products and dairy farming is important for the promotion of dairy farming. Thus, to examine the effects of farm experience on the understanding of animal products and the management of dairy farming, the interaction between students and dairy cows was investigated in groups of first‐year veterinary nursing students in 2011 and 2012 (n = 201). These students included 181 women and 20 men. Nine items about dairy cows were presented in a questionnaire. The survey was performed before and after praxis on the educational farm attached to the authors' university. After praxis on the farm, increases occurred in the number of positive responses to the items involving the price of milk, dairy farming and the taste of milk. For these items, a significant difference (P < 0.05) was found between the scores obtained before and after training. The results of the study suggested that farm experience is useful for improving the understanding of animal products and dairy farming.     

Immunohistochemical detection of gonadotropin-like material in the hagfish pituitary, correlated with their gonadal conditions

In the present study, immunoreactive gonadotropin (GTH)-like material was examined in the hagfish pituitary, in correlation with their gonadal conditions. For this purpose, three species of hagfish, Myxine glutinosa, Eptatretus burgeri and Paramyxine atami, were used. In all species, GTH-like cells were observed in the adenohypophysis. They were stained with several antibodies to LH-related GTHs, such as ovine LHβ, human LHβ, bullfrog LH, and salmon GTHIIβ. In the subsequent study, the relationship between the amount of GTH-like material and gonadal conditions was examined in Paramyxine atami. The adenohypophysis of adult animals exhibited well-developing features, and about half of the adenohypophysial cells were stained intensely with anti-ovine LHβ. On the other hand, the adenohypophysis of juveniles exhibited less developed features with few or no cells stained with anti-ovine LHβ. These results suggest that a GTH-gonadal system is truly present in the hagfish.     

Distribution of three GnRHs in the brain and pituitary of the wild Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus

ABSTRACT:   Wild adult maturing and immature female Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus were collected in June 2004 and January 2005, respectively, to clarify a possible role of gonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRHs) in reproduction. Levels of salmon GnRH (sGnRH), chicken GnRH-II (cGnRH-II) and sea bream GnRH (sbGnRH) in the brain and pituitary were examined by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay. Three forms of GnRHs were detected in the discrete brain at various levels. In the pituitary of both maturing and immature fish, sbGnRH was abundant together with a pronounced amount of sGnRH, whereas cGnRH-II was almost below the detectable limit. In maturing fish, levels of sbGnRH were high in the telencephalon, hypothalamus and pituitary, while levels of sbGnRH of immature fish were very low in these regions. These results indicate that sbGnRH is mainly responsible for gonadotropin secretion, and that sbGnRH in the anterior part of the brain is associated with gonadal maturation in the Japanese flounder.     

Interactions between different genotypic tissues in citrus graft chimeras

The heritability of tolerance of wheat F₃ lines to competition from annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum), and its relationship to morphological traits, were determined using crosses between wheat cultivars with good and poor competitive ability. Forty F₂-derived F₃ lines from a cross between two late flowering varieties (Machete × Spear) and 40 from a cross between early flowering varieties (Wilgoyne × Gutha) were grown in the field with and without annual ryegrass. There was significant genetic variation between lines within each of the two populations in a number of aspects of plant growth and development, including yield in monoculture. The estimates of heritability for % yield loss due to competition were 0.25 and 0.57 in the two crosses respectively, indicating that selection for high tolerance to competition in the F₃ generation or later should be effective. Fairly strong relationships between height and % yield loss and between leaf length and % yield loss suggest that these may be useful auxiliary traits when selecting for low % yield loss. However, differences between crosses in the magnitude and sign of genetic and phenotypic correlation between traits indicate that competitive ability is a complex character influenced by many factors. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.