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.     

Lipogenesis and stearoyl-CoA desaturase gene expression and enzyme activity in adipose tissue of short- and long-fed Angus and Wagyu steers fed corn- or hay-based diets

Angus and Wagyu steers consuming high-roughage diets exhibit large differences in adipose tissue fatty acid composition, but there are no differences in terminal measures of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) activity or gene expression. Also, adipose tissue lipids of cattle fed corn-based diets have greater MUFA:SFA ratios than cattle fed hay-based diets. We hypothesized that any changes in SCD gene expression and activity would precede similar changes in adipose tissue lipogenesis between short- and long-fed endpoints. Furthermore, changes in SCD activity and gene expression between production endpoints would differ between corn- and hay-fed steers and between Wagyu and Angus steers. Angus (n = 8) and Wagyu (n = 8) steers were fed a corn-based diet for 8 mo (short-fed; 16 mo of age) or 16 mo (long-fed; 24 mo of age), whereas another group of Angus (n = 8) and Wagyu (n = 8) steers was fed a hay-based diet for 12 mo (short-fed; 20 mo of age) or 20 mo (long-fed; 28 mo of age) to match the end point BW of the corn-fed steers. Acetate incorporation into lipids in vitro was greater (P < 0.01) in corn-fed steers than in hay-fed steers and tended (P = 0.06) to be greater in Wagyu than in Angus s.c. adipose tissue because the rate in Wagyu was twice that of Angus adipose tissue in the corn-fed, short-fed steers. There were diet x end point interactions for lipogenesis in i.m. and s.c. adipose tissues (both P < 0.01) because lipogenesis was 60 to 90% lower in the long-fed cattle than in short-fed cattle fed the corn-based diet. The greatest SCD enzyme activity in Angus s.c. adipose tissue was observed at 24 mo of age (corn-based diet), but activity in Wagyu adipose tissue was greatest at 28 mo of age (hay-based diet; breed x diet x end point interaction, P = 0.08). For short- vs. long-fed endpoints in Angus, s.c. adipose tissue SCD activity was less (hay diet) or the same (corn diet). Conversely, SCD gene expression was greatest in long-fed Wagyu steers fed the hay- or corn-based diets (breed x end point interaction; P < 0.01). Contrary to our hypotheses, SCD activity increased over time, whereas lipogenesis from acetate decreased. However, the developmental pattern of SCD gene expression and activity differed markedly between hay-fed Angus and Wagyu adipose tissues, which may explain the differences in the MUFA:SFA ratios observed in adipose tissues from these cattle.     

Production and characterization of Raphanus sativus-Brassica rapa monosomic chromosome addition lines

Breeding of Raphanus sativus‐Brassica rapa monosomic chromosome addition lines (MALs, 2n = 19) was carried out by backcrossing the synthesized amphidiploid line, Raphanobrassica (R. sativus×B. rapa, 2n = 38, RRAA, line RA89) with R. sativus cv. ‘Shogoin’ (2n = 18, RR). In the first cross of Raphanobrassica× radish, four sesquidiploidal BC₁ plants (2n = 28, RRA, RA89‐36‐1, RA89‐31‐1, RA89‐31‐2, RA89‐31‐3) were successfully developed. In these plants, the chromosome configurations of 9II + 10I and 10II + 8I were observed frequently at first metaphase (MI) of meiosis in pollen mother cells (PMCs). The RA 89‐36‐1 plant produced many seeds in the reciprocal backcrosses with radish. About 50% of the BC₂ plants obtained from the cross of RA89‐36‐1 plant × radish were 2n = 19 plants, followed by 2n = 18 plants (24%) and 2n = 20 plants (19%). In the reciprocal cross, 2n = 19 plants were also developed at the rate of 40%. From analysis of specific morphological traits, 2n = 19 plants were classified into eight types (a‐h). When 25 selected primers were used in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers derived from B. rapa for each type of MAL were detected in numbers between three for e‐type and 16 for b‐type. RAPD markers specific for each type alone were from one (OPE 05‐344) for h‐type to nine for b‐type. In the g‐type, no marker specific to this type alone was observed. However, 19 bands were common between at least two types. These MAL plants exhibited predominantly the chromosome configuration of 9II + 1I at MI of PMCs, pollen and seed fertility being the same level as the radish cv. ‘Shogoin’. From the morphological traits and DNA markers, eight different MAL types among 10 expected were identified.     

Methane emissions from different vegetation zones in a Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau wetland

We measured methane (CH₄) emissions in the Luanhaizi wetland, a typical alpine wetland on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China, during the plant growth season (early July to mid-September) in 2002. Our aim was to quantify the spatial and temporal variation of CH₄ flux and to elucidate key factors in this variation. Static chamber measurements of CH₄ flux were made in four vegetation zones along a gradient of water depth. There were three emergent-plant zones (Hippuris-dominated; Scirpus-dominated; and Carex-dominated) and one submerged-plant zone (Potamogeton-dominated). The smallest CH₄ flux (seasonal mean=33.1 mg CH₄ m⁻² d⁻¹) was observed in the Potamogeton-dominated zone, which occupied about 74% of the total area of the wetland. The greatest CH₄ flux (seasonal mean=214 mg CH₄ m⁻² d⁻¹) was observed in the Hippuris-dominated zone, in the second-deepest water area. CH₄ flux from three zones (excluding the Carex-dominated zone) showed a marked diurnal change and decreased dramatically under dark conditions. Light intensity had a major influence on the temporal variation in CH₄ flux, at least in three of the zones. Methane fluxes from all zones increased during the growing season with increasing aboveground biomass. CH₄ flux from the Scirpus-dominated zone was significantly lower than in the other emergent-plant zones despite the large biomass, because the root and rhizome intake ports for CH₄ transport in the dominant species were distributed in shallower and more oxidative soil than occupied in the other zones. Spatial and temporal variation in CH₄ flux from the alpine wetland was determined by the vegetation zone. Among the dominant species in each zone, there were variations in the density and biomass of shoots, gas-transport system, and root-rhizome architecture. The CH₄ flux from a typical alpine wetland on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau was as high as those of other boreal and alpine wetlands.     

Displacement above the hypocenter of the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake

The moment magnitude (M(w)) = 9.0 2011 Tohoku-Oki mega-thrust earthquake occurred off the coast of northeastern Japan. Combining Global Positioning System (GPS) and acoustic data, we detected very large sea-floor movements associated with this event directly above the focal region. An area with more than 20 meters of horizontal displacement, that is, four times larger than those detected on land, stretches several tens of kilometers long along the trench; the largest amount reaches about 24 meters toward east-southeast just above the hypocenter. Furthermore, nearly 3 meters of vertical uplift occurred, contrary to observed terrestrial subsidence.     

Effect of 3-O-octanoyl-(+)-catechin on the responses of GABA(A) receptors and Na+/glucose cotransporters expressed in xenopus oocytes and on the oocyte membrane potential

Recently, 3-O-octanoyl-(+)-catechin (OC) was synthesized from (+)-catechin (C) by incorporation of an octanoyl chain into C in the light of (-)-epicatechin gallate (ECg) and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), which are the major polyphenols found in green tea and have strong physiological activities. OC was found to inhibit the response of ionotropic gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors (GABA(A) receptors) and Na+/glucose cotransporters expressed in Xenopus oocytes in a noncompetitive manner more strongly than does C. OC also induced a nonspecific membrane current and decreased the membrane potential of the oocyte, and thus death of the oocyte occurred even at lower concentrations than that induced by C or EGCg. Although EGCg produced H2O2 in aqueous solution, OC did not. This newly synthesized catechin derivative OC possibly binds to the lipid membrane more strongly than does C, Ecg, or EGCg and as a result perturbs the membrane structure.     

Genetic factors determining varietal differences in characters affecting yield between two rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties,Koshihikari and IR64

The yield of Koshihikari, a Japanese premium rice variety, is relatively lower than that of modern high yielding varieties. IR64 carries several well-known genes such as GS3, an important gene for grain size, sd-1, a semi-dwarf gene, and NARROW LEAF1 (NAL1), a gene for small, narrow flag leaves. In this study, we used two sets of chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs), from Koshihikari and IR64, and attempted to evaluate the genetic factors that cause differences between parents by analyzing the function of chromosome regions affecting a trait (CRATs). For 28 traits, we identified 312 CRATs in the Koshihikari background and 275 in the IR64 background. In these, donor alleles had positive effects in 84 and 103 CRATs, respectively. Among these, the CRAT related to GS3 and those for grain number expanded the potential sink size in Koshihikari, although this did not affect final yield. The combination of CRATs that enhances source ability may increase grain yield. Although the sd-1 gene might improve resistance to lodging, the yield of CSSLs with sd-1 decreased by 28.7 %. These results suggest that the smaller biomass conferred by sd-1 might reduce canopy photosynthesis. In the Koshihikari background, the CRAT related to NAL1 and those located on chr. 6 increased SPAD value but had the opposite effect on leaf size. Two CRATs that were detected on chr. 6 and 7 increased leaf area without any effect on the SPAD value. The combination of these CRATs for area and SPAD value might improve source ability.