Artificial burrow preference by the Japanese crayfish Cambaroides japonicus

SUMMARY: Preference for artificial burrows by the endangered Japanese crayfish species Cambaroides japonicus was studied to improve its cultivation. The occupation of artificial burrows, which were made from straight polyvinyl chloride pipes of different internal diameters ( Y , mm), by crayfishes of different total lengths ( X , mm) was significantly ( P < 0.001, n = 56) described by a linear regression: Y = 0.49 X + 3.42 (19.0 ≤ X ≤ 70.2). Among burrows of different lengths [crayfish total length (TL) × 1, × 2, × 3, and × 4], crayfishes significantly preferred burrows that were greater than TL × 3 ( P < 0.001, n = 588).     

钙素对叶用莴苣营养吸收和生长发育的影响

 采用NFT 栽培, 研究了叶用莴苣钙素与主要无机成分间的相互关系, 以及对叶用莴苣生长发育的影响。结果表明, 缺钙胁迫引起叶绿素含量降低, 缘腐病发病率上升, 叶片干、鲜样质量降低。生长中后期, 特别是新生内叶易发生钙素营养失调症。营养液中钙浓度过高会降低钾、镁的吸收, 而对氮、磷吸收影响不大。提高营养液中NH₄⁺ -N 比例会抑制钙吸收, 降低其有效性。     

Molecular characterization of Ascaridia galli from Bangladesh and development of a PCR method for distinguishing A. galli from Heterakis spp.

We analyzed the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 and ITS2 sequences for Bangladesh isolates of Ascaridia galli, and we determined that the sequences were unreliable as molecular markers for distinguishing A. galli from other Ascaridia species, because the sequences showed high identity with that of A. columbae. However, the ITS1 sequences were available for designing PCR primers distinguishable between Ascaridia galli and Heterakis spp. Bangladesh isolates of A. galli constituted a monophyletic clade along with other geographical isolates in the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) phylogenetic tree, however, we could not clarify the phylogenetic relationships between A. galli and other Ascaridia spp., because their available sequences in GenBank were very few. The developed PCR method using DNA from A. galli and Heterakis spp. eggs would enable differential diagnosis of the individual infections in the future.     

Immunogenic properties of Landrace pigs selected for resistance to mycoplasma pneumonia of swine

Mycoplasma pneumonia of swine (MPS) lung lesions and immunogenic properties were compared between a Landrace line that was genetically selected for reduced incidence of pulmonary MPS lesions, and a non‐selected Landrace line. The MPS‐selected Landrace line showed significantly lower degrees of pulmonary MPS lesions compared with the non‐selected Landrace line. When changes in immunity before and after vaccination were compared, the percentage of B cells in the peripheral blood of the MPS‐selected Landrace line was significantly lower than that of the non‐selected line. Furthermore, the concentration of growth hormone and the mitogen activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the MPS‐selected Landrace line showed significantly (P < 0.05) lower increases after vaccination than the non‐selected line. Conversely, the concentration of peripheral blood interferon (IFN)‐γ and salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) after Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccination was significantly higher in the MPS‐selected Landrace line than in the non‐selected line. Gene expression of toll‐like receptor (TLR)2 and TLR4 was significantly higher in the MPS‐selected Landrace line in immune tissues, with the exception of the hilar lymph nodes. The present results suggest that peripheral blood IFN‐γ, salivary IgA TLR2, and TLR4 are important immunological factors influencing the development of MPS lesions.     

Immunogenic properties and mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (MPS) lung lesions in Large White pigs selected for higher peripheral blood immune capacity

Immunogenic properties and mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine (MPS) lung lesions were compared between the immunity‐selected Large White line and the non‐selected Large White line. The selected Large White line showed a higher level of pulmonary MPS lesions compared with the non‐selected Large White line. Subsequent to vaccination, the percentage of natural killer cells and T cells (CD3⁺CD4⁺CD8^‐ and CD3⁺CD4^?CD8⁺ T cells) were significantly increased in the non‐selected line but remained unchanged in the immunity‐selected Large White line. Secretion of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccine‐specific immunoblogulin G and phagocyte activity in peripheral blood were significantly higher in the immunity‐selected Large White line than in the non‐selected line. Expression of interleukin (IL)‐4 and IL‐6 messenger RNA in hilar lymph nodes was significantly lower in the immunity‐selected Large White line than in the non‐selected line. However, expression of IL‐10 in all immune tissues was significantly higher in the immunity‐selected Large White line. These results suggest that the selection for high immunity was not effective in increasing resistance to MPS lung lesions.     

Mycoplasma pneumonia of swine (MPS) resistance and immune characteristics of pig lines generated by crossing an MPS pulmonary lesion selected Landrace line and a highly immune capacity selected Large White line

To understand the influence of crossbreeding on Mycoplasma pneumonia of swine (MPS) resistance and immune characteristics, two crossbred lines were characterized. One crossbred line, LaWa, was generated by crossing the MPS pulmonary lesion selected Landrace line (La) and the highly immune‐selected Large White line (Wa). The second crossbred line, LaWb, was generated by crossing the La line and the nonselected Large White line (Wb). The crossbred LbWb line (nonselected Landrace line × nonselected Large White line) and the La line were used as controls. The LaWa and LaWb lines had an intermediate level of MPS lung lesions between La and LbWb lines, although the difference was not statistically significant. After stimulation with sheep red blood cells (SRBCs), the LaWb and LaWa lines showed immune characteristics similar to that of the La line; the number of monocytes in peripheral blood increased, while B cells, T cells, secretion of SRBC‐specific immunoglobulin G, and interleukin (IL)‐13 decreased. Additionally, the number of natural killer (NK) cells and the expression of IL‐4 and IL‐17 were significantly higher in the LaWb and LaWa lines, respectively. These data suggested that crossbreeding of La and Wa lines resulted in the inheritance of some of the selected immune responses.     

Antihyaluronidase action of ellagic acid effectively prevents polyspermy as a result of suppression of the acrosome reaction induced by sperm-zona interaction during in vitro fertilization of porcine oocytes

The present study was conducted to examine the effects of three tannin relatives (tannic acid, TA; gallic acid, GA; and ellagic acid, EA) on antihyaluronidase and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity, in vitro fertilization (IVF) parameters, and the acrosome reaction (AR) induced by sperm-zona interaction. Among the three tannin relatives, TA and EA showed the strongest potency for blocking the hyaluronidase activity of boar sperm, with concentration-dependent inhibition over the range of 2-10 microg/ml. In contrast, ROSs were effectively scavenged by TA and GA, but not EA. When cumulus-free oocytes were inseminated in IVF medium containing 5 microg/ml of the tannin relatives, polyspermy was significantly reduced by TA and EA (32 and 29%, respectively) compared with oocytes treated with or without GA (51 and 69%, respectively) under conditions that maintained a high sperm penetration rate (P<0.05). Interestingly, induction of the AR by treatment of preincubated sperm with progesterone was blocked by TA and GA as a result of their higher levels of ROS scavenging activity, while EA, which possessed weak ROS scavenging activity, did not disturb induction of the AR with progesterone. However, the incidence of AR induced by sperm-zona interaction was significantly decreased by the strong antihyaluronidase actions of TA and EA compared with that in the absence of these compounds. Treatment with the compounds caused neither a protective proteolytic modification of the zona pellucida matrix before fertilization nor a reduction in acrosomal proteolytic activity or the number of zona-bound sperm. These findings suggest that the antihyaluronidase action of EA effectively prevents polyspermy by suppression of AR functionality induced by sperm-zona interaction and that hyaluronidase intervention is therefore required during porcine IVF.     

Molecular dynamics of heterochromatin protein 1beta, HP1beta, during mouse preimplantation development

To elucidate the molecular dynamics of HP1beta in mouse preimplantation embryos, we examined the localization, dynamics, and mobility of HP1beta in the (pro)nucleus by live cell imaging. Time-lapse observation revealed that the chromatin association of HP1beta is regulated in a cell cycle-dependent manner. HP1beta was localized in the interphase nucleus and was dynamically dissociated from the nucleus during the metaphase stage. The HP1beta assembly and clustered heterochromatin structure were both found in the nuclei of 2-cell and later-stage embryos. Moreover, fluorescent recovery after photobleaching analysis implied that HP1beta is more freely mobile in the pronucleus of the 1-cell embryo than in the 4-cell nucleus. These results suggest that the chromatin configuration may be regulated by the stability and mobility of chromatin-associated proteins including HP1beta during early embryonic stages.