Drip irrigation scheduling for tomatoes in unheated greenhouses

During the last two decades, energy-saving solar greenhouses without heating systems, about 150-800 m² (width: 5-10 m, length: 30-80 m) in size, have been widely used in the North of China for vegetable production during cold seasons. The greenhouse is also suitable for use in other countries located in the temperate or warm-temperate zones, especially in the developing countries, because it is inexpensive with a simple structure, and does not need any additional energy for heating in winter. Drip irrigation has been recognized as a sensible method of supplying water inside the greenhouses, and a simple method for drip irrigation scheduling at low cost is urgently required. Using the water-balance method, the authors studied the water consumption of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and the relationship between evapotranspiration and water surface evaporation measured with 20 cm pan. Research results show that there is no significant water flux at 0.75 m depth when soil water potential is kept higher than -20 kPa at 15 cm depth, and around -20 kPa at 60 cm depth. The accumulative value of evapotranspiration is approximately equal to the accumulative value of water surface evaporation measured using 20 cm pan. Further analysis found that 20 cm pan can be used to determine the water requirement of tomato drip irrigation scheduling in this type of greenhouse.     

Allele frequencies of the extension locus encoding the melanocortin-1 receptor in Japanese and Korean cattle

In order to estimate the influence of the Extension (E) locus in cattle coat color, the melanocortin‐1 receptor (MC1R) gene in Japanese Black, Japanese Brown and Korean (Hanwoo) cattle were sequenced. The sequences of the coding region revealed three alleles (E^D, E⁺ and e), which were previously reported. Polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism was performed to investigate the gene frequencies of the three breeds. Japanese Black was almost composed of E^D and E⁺ individuals, E^D = 0.481 and E⁺ = 0.514, and no homozygous e/e, therefore that is consistent with the hypothesis that E^D and E⁺ induce black pigment synthesis. Allele frequencies between Japanese Brown and Hanwoo were obviously different; however, recessive red e allele frequency was 0.038 for Japanese Brown and 0.948 for Hanwoo, even though both breeds have quite similar coat colors (ranging from yellowish brown to dark brown including a red coat color). This result suggested that other genes are also associated with a coat color of red and brown in cattle.     

Susceptibility of Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) to Neospora caninum infection

Djungarian hamsters were examined for the susceptibility to Neospora caninum infection. After 29 Djungarian hamsters were intraperitoneally inoculated with 5 x 10(6) N. caninum tachyzoites of JPA1 strain, some animals showed symptoms such as ataxia, and many tissue cysts were detected in the brain and a cyst in the muscular tunics of stomach. Especially, more than 100 cysts per head were observed after 5 weeks post inoculation. It is suggested that the Djungarian hamster is a model useful to examine neosporosis.     

Antioxidant activity of peptides obtained from porcine myofibrillar proteins by protease treatment

Hydrolysates obtained from porcine myofibrillar proteins by protease treatment (papain or actinase E) exhibited high antioxidant activity in a linolenic acid peroxidation system induced by Fe(2+). Hydrolysates produced by both papain and actinase E showed higher activities at pH 7.1 than at pH 5.4. The antioxidant activity of the papain hydrolysate was almost the same as that of vitamin E at pH 7.0. These hydrolysates possessed 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and chelating activity toward metal ions. Antioxidant peptides were separated from the papain hydrolysate by ion exchange chromatography. The acidic fraction obtained by this method exhibited higher activity than the neutral or basic fractions. Antioxidant peptides in the acidic fraction were isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography on an ODS column and shown to possess the structures DSGVT, IEAEGE, DAQEKLE, EELDNALN, and VPSIDDQEELM. The DAQEKLE peptide showed the highest activity among these peptides.     

Mastitis caused by Mycobacterium kansasii infection in a dog

A 2‐year, 7‐month‐old female Chihuahua was admitted for a mammary mass measuring one cm in diameter. The dog had a history of demodicosis for 4 months and showed signs of pseudopregnancy at the time of the visit. Cytologic examination of an aspirate of the mass revealed a large number of macrophages containing nonstaining bacterial rods, which were acid‐fast in a Ziehl–Neelsen stain, suggesting mycobacterial infection. Histologic examination of the mass revealed a pyogranulomatous mastitis characterized by an infiltration with macrophages containing acid‐fast bacteria. Mycobacterium kansasii was subsequently cultured and identified by PCR. Surgical excision of the mass resulted in the growth of other dermal masses, but antimycobacterial treatment with rifampin and clarithromycin resolved these masses within 1 month. Three months after discontinuation of the treatment, similar organisms were found in aspirates of the enlarged bilateral inguinal lymph nodes by cytologic examination. Despite antimycobacterial treatment for another 4 months, there was no improvement and demodicosis also recurred. The dog eventually died of lymphoma 5 months after the relapse of mycobacterial infection. Although M kansasii is considered an important pathogen for pulmonary and cutaneous disease in people, there is only one report in a dog with an infection in a pleural effusion. As both adult‐onset demodicosis in dogs as well as mycobacterial infection in people have been associated with T‐lymphocyte deficiency, the M kansasii infection in this dog may have been associated with a condition of immune compromise.     

Molecular cloning and sequences of interleukin-10 in the Djungarian (Phodopus sungorus), Chinese (Cricetulus griseus), and Syrian (Mesocricetus auratus) hamster

Interleukin 10 (IL-10) genes of Djungarian, Chinese, and Syrian hamsters were cloned. The clones of IL-10 consisted of 537 bp nucleotides and 178 amino acids in full length, and the nucleotide and amino acid sequences exhibited a high degree of homology with those of the mouse and human. Since the number and position of signal sequences, N-glycosylations and cysteine sites in the IL-10 amino acid sequences of the hamsters were the same as those of the mouse, we suggest that the IL-10 molecular structures of the hamster are closer to that of the mouse than human.     

A novel repeated sequence located on the bovine Y chromosome: its application to rapid and precise embryo sexing by PCR

A novel repeated sequence specific to male cattle was identified and named S4. S4 is a highly repetitive sequence and is a 1.5 kb repeating unit that contains various internal repeated sequences. FISH analysis showed that S4 is localized on the whole long arm and the proximal region of the short arm of the Y chromosome. We found that a PCR primer set for S4 amplified a male-specific 178 bp product in addition to a 145 bp product common to both male and female cells. Although the origin of the 145 bp product is unknown, it acts as a positive internal control in practical embryo sexing. Due to the high copy number of S4, PCR required only 0.5 pg purified DNA for accurate amplification. This made it possible to reduce the amount of biopsy sample required for embryo sexing and thus result in less damage to embryos manipulated. These studies indicate that embryo sexing based on the S4 sequence is accurate and sensitive.