Water use of rice and mung bean cultivations in a downstream area of an irrigation system in South Sulawesi in the 2nd dry season

Paddy and Water Environment - This paper revealed the irrigation rate by groundwater, evapotranspiration (ET), total water balance and yield in the experimental rice and mung bean fields in a...     

Sequence and unique phylogeny of G genes of bovine respiratory syncytial viruses circulating in Japan

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) is an etiologic agent of bovine respiratory disease. The rapid evolutionary rate of BRSV contributes to genetic and antigenic heterogeneity of field strains and causes occasional vaccine failure. We conducted molecular epidemiologic characterization of BRSV circulating in Japan to obtain genetic information for vaccine-based disease control. Phylogenetic analysis of G and F gene sequences revealed that all of the isolated Japanese BRSV strains clustered in the same genetic subgroup, which was distinct from the 9 known groups. We assigned the Japanese group to subgenotype X. The Japanese isolates formed 2 temporal clusters: isolates from 2003 to 2005 clustered in lineage A; isolates from 2017 to 2019 formed lineage B. The alignment of the deduced amino acid sequences of the G gene revealed that the central hydrophobic region responsible for viral antigenicity is conserved in all of the isolates; unique amino acid mutations were found mainly in mucin-like regions. Our results suggest that BRSV has evolved uniquely in Japan to form the new subgenotype X; the antigenic homogeneity of the viruses within this group is inferred.     

Identification of the core rumen bacterial taxa and their population dynamics during the fattening period in Japanese Black cattle

The rumen microbiota comprises a vast range of bacterial taxa, which may affect the production of high-quality meat in Japanese Black cattle. The aim of this study was to identify core rumen microbiota in rumen fluid samples collected from 74 Japanese Black cattle raised under different dietary conditions using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. In the rumen of fattening Japanese Black cattle, 10 bacterial taxa, showing >1% average relative abundance and >95% prevalence, irrespective of the dietary conditions and the fattening periods, were identified as the core rumen bacterial taxa, which accounted for approximately 80% of the rumen microbiota in Japanese Black cattle. Additionally, population dynamics of the core rumen bacterial taxa revealed two distinct patterns: Prevotella spp. and unclassified Bacteroidales decreased in the mid-fattening period, whereas unclassified Clostridiales, unclassified Ruminococcaceae, Ruminococcus spp., and unclassified Christensenellaceae increased during the same period. Therefore, the present study reports the wide distribution of the core rumen bacterial taxa in Japanese Black cattle, and the complementary nature of the population dynamics of these core taxa, which may ensure stable rumen fermentation during the fattening period.     

Effects of atelocollagen gel containing bone marrow-derived stromal cells on repair of osteochondral defect in a dog

To clarify the contribution of autologous transplantation of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), an atelocollagen gel containing or not containing fluorescently-labeled canine MSCs was transplanted into an osteochondral defect which did not repair spontaneously and the histological repair of the defect was compared. Although an early repair of the cartilage was not observed in either defect, the reproduction of subchondral bone was remarkable in the MSCs-implanted defect. Moreover, in 2 weeks after operation, the implanted MSCs were located in the deeper regions of the defect, suggesting the differentiation of osteoblasts. There was a possibility that the movement of the implanted MSCs was due to an increase in intra-articular pressure from postoperative inflammation.     

Ability of salmon growth hormone to accelerate somatic growth of juvenil abalone Haliotis discus hannai

ABSTRACT:   The ability of salmon growth hormone (sGH) to accelerate the somatic growth of juvenile abalone Haliotis discus hannai by immersion was examined. After immersion for one hour into a sGH-rich solution at a concentration of 30 mg/L, the sGH immunoreactivity in the body fluid of abalone was maximal after one day, and levels were still detectable at two days. No immunoreactivity was observed in the control group. Following immersion for one hour at one or two-week intervals for 120 weeks into the sGH-rich solution at 30 mg/L, the sGH-immersed abalone exhibited a significant increase in shell length and body weight. On the other hand, abalone immersed into a salmon prolactin (sPRL)-rich solution at 30 mg/L for one hour showed a lower increase in both shell length and body weight than the sGH-immersed abalone. No increases in shell length and body weight were observed in either the bovine serum albumin-immersed abalone or untreated controls. These results provide evidence that sGH can be transported from ambient water into the circulatory system of abalone, and can subsequently improve the somatic growth of juveniles.     

Metabarcoding of feces and intestinal contents to determine carnivorous diets in red-crowned cranes in eastern Hokkaido,Japan

The red-crowned crane Grus japonensis in Hokkaido, Japan forms a closed population as a residence that is independent of the mainland population. Based on observations of a limited number of individuals as well as cranes in captivity, red-crowned cranes are omnivores and eat fish, worms, insects and plants in their own territories except in winter, when they are fed with dent corn that is supplied in eastern Hokkaido. DNA metabarcoding based on high throughput sequencing was carried out using universal primer sets for cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene. Feces from 27 chicks collected in June and July in the period from 2016 to 2018 and intestinal contents from 33 adult and subadult cranes that were found dead almost throughout year in 2006–2013 in the field in eastern Hokkaido were used. Although compositions varied considerably in the cranes, both insects and fish were found in adults and subadults to the same extents, while insects were predominant in chicks. Both insects and fish were detected in all seasons for adults and subadults. Horse flies, scarab beetles and weevils accounted for the most of the insects regardless of the life stage. Dace, stickleback, flatfish and sculpin were the major fish species in adults, while chicks ate almost only stickleback. The results provide the first comprehensive data on carnivorous diets in wild red-crowned cranes in eastern Hokkaido as basis for conservation of red-crowned cranes, for which the life style and area continue to change.     

Effects of pre-feeding of a corn silage-based supplement on the feed intake, milk production and nitrogen utilization of grazing dairy cows

Four Holstein cows were used to determine the effect of timing of the feeding of a corn silage (CS)‐based supplement on the feed intake, milk production and nitrogen utilization of grazing dairy cows. The cows were fed the supplement 2 h before grazing (pre‐grazing) or immediately after grazing (post‐grazing). Cows were grazed for 5 h per day under a rotational grazing system. There was no difference in the herbage and total feed intake between treatments. The milk protein yield for pre‐grazing tended to be higher than that for post‐grazing, whereas the milk yield did not differ between treatments. The total nitrogen intake for pre‐grazing tended to be higher than that for post‐grazing (P = 0.06). There was no difference in the urinary nitrogen output between treatments, whereas the proportion of urinary nitrogen output : total nitrogen intake for pre‐grazing tended to be lower than that for post‐grazing (P = 0.06). The milk nitrogen output and nitrogen retention for pre‐grazing tended to be higher than that for post‐grazing (milk nitrogen, P = 0.06; nitrogen retention, P = 0.05). Nitrogen utilization of grazing dairy cows was improved by feeding a CS‐based supplement before grazing.