Basal levels and GnRH-induced responses of peripheral testosterone and estrogen in Holstein bulls with poor semen quality     

Devkota B  Takahashi K  Matsuzaki S  Matsui M  Miyamoto A  Yamagishi N  Osawa T  Hashizume T  Izaike Y  Miyake Y 《The Journal of reproduction and development》2011,57(3):373-378

The present study investigated the basal levels and GnRH-induced responses of peripheral testosterone and estrogen in Holstein bulls with poor semen quality. On the basis of semen parameters, bulls (n=5) having poor semen quality were selected as experimental bulls, and good semen quality bulls (n=4) were used as control bulls. Both groups were treated intramuscularly once with GnRH (250 μg of fertirelin acetate). Blood samples were collected at -1 day (d), -30 min and 0 h (treatment) followed by every 30 min for 5 h and 1, 3 and 5 d post-GnRH treatment (PGT), and LH, testosterone and estradiol-17β (E(2)) concentrations were measured. The pretreatment concentrations were used as basal levels. The percentage increments based on the 0-h levels were calculated per bull for each sampling time until 5 h PGT, and differences were compared between the experimental and control groups. The PGT concentrations of testosterone and basal and PGT concentrations of E(2) were significantly lower in the experimental group. The testosterone increment in the experimental group was delayed and significantly lower from 1 to 5 h PGT than those in the control group. It can be suggested that bulls with poor semen quality have delayed and lower GnRH-induced testosterone response and may also have lower estrogen levels.  相似文献   

Fungitoxic alkaloids from Hokkaido Papaveraceae.   总被引：3，自引：0，他引：3  

W G Ma  Y Fukushi  S Tahara  T Osawa 《Fitoterapia》2000,71(5):527-534

Papaver orientale, Dicentra spectabilis and Chelidonium majus, three Papaveraceae collected from Hokkaido area, were studied for their fungitoxic alkaloids. Ten alkaloids were isolated, identified and tested for their fungitoxic activity. Two of these isolates were found to be new compounds.  相似文献   

Effects of service number on conception rate in Japanese Black cattle          下载免费PDF全文

N Irikura  M Uematsu  G Kitahara  T Osawa  Y Sasaki 《Reproduction in domestic animals》2018,53(1):34-39

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Individual-based measurement and analysis of root system development: case studies for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Larix gmelinii</Emphasis> trees growing on the permafrost region in Siberia     

Takuya Kajimoto  Akira Osawa  Yojiro Matsuura  Anatoly P. Abaimov  Olga A. Zyryanova  Kazuma Kondo  Naoko Tokuchi  Muneto Hirobe 《Journal of Forest Research》2007,12(2):103-112

We present results of individual-based root system measurement and analysis applied for Larix gmelinii trees growing on the continuous permafrost region of central Siberia. The data of root excavation taken from the three stands were used for the analyses; young (26 years old), mature (105 years old), and uneven-aged over-mature stand (220 years old). In this article, we highlight two topics: (1) factors affecting spatio-temporal pattern of root system development, and (2) interactions between aboveground (i.e., crown) and belowground (i.e., root) competition. For the first topic, the detailed observation of lateral roots was applied to one sample tree of the overmature stand. The tree constructed a superficial (<30 cm in depth) and rather asymmetric root system, and each lateral root expanded mainly into elevated mounds rather than depressed troughs. This indicated that spatial development of an individual root system was largely affected by microtopography (i.e., earth hummocks). For these lateral roots, elongation growth curves were reconstructed using annual-ring data, and annual growth rates and patterns were compared among them. The comparison suggested that temporal root system development is associated with differences in carbon allocation among the lateral roots. For the second topic, we examined relationships between individual crown projection area (CA) and horizontal rooting area (RA) for the sample trees of each stand. RA was almost equal to CA in the young stand, while RA was much larger (three or four times) than CA in the mature and overmature stands. Two measures of stand-level space occupation, crown area index (aboveground: CAI; sum of CAs per unit land area) and rooting area index (belowground: RAI; sum of RAs), were estimated in each stand. The estimates of RAI (1.3–1.8 m² m₋₂) exceeded unity in all stands. In contrast, CAI exceeded unity (1.3 m² m₋₂) only in the young stand, and was much smaller (<0.3 m² m₋₂) in the two older stands. These between-stand differences in RAI–CAI relationships suggest that intertree competition for both aboveground and belowground spaces occurred in the young stand, but only belowground competition still occurred in the two older stands. Based on this finding, we hypothesized that competition below the ground may become predominant as a stand ages in L. gmelinii forests. Methodological limitations of our analysis are also discussed, especially for the analysis using the two indices of space occupation (CAI, RAI).  相似文献   

A nationwide survey on seroprevalence of Neospora caninum infection in beef cattle in Uruguay     

Bañales P  Fernandez L  Repiso MV  Gil A  Dargatz DA  Osawa T 《Veterinary parasitology》2006,139(1-3):15-20

Bovine abortions due to Neospora caninum infection have been reported worldwide and its economic impact on the beef industry has been acknowledged as a problem. Uruguay has the largest export value of beef per acre in South America. However, no data on the prevalence of N. caninum infection have been available in this country. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and distribution of N. caninum infection in beef cattle in Uruguay through a nationwide survey. A two stage sampling design was used with farms being selected in stage one and animals being selected in stage two. A brief questionnaire was administered on each farm. Seroprevalence of N. caninum in 4444 beef cattle from 229 farms in all the counties, except Montevideo, of Uruguay was determined by an ELISA. The data were then analyzed to identify associations between infection and variables such as type of animal (cow or heifer), herd size, use of veterinary advice, productivity of the soil in relation to the national average, use of improved grass, use of mineral salts, use of supplemental feed, and presence of a dog(s) on the farm. The estimated proportion of positive farms for all the beef cattle operations was 69.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 53.7-84.7). The overall cattle seroprevalence was estimated as 13.9% (95% CI, 11.6-16.3). The prevalence estimation by animal category was 14.3% (95% CI, 11.4-17.2) for beef cows and 12.9% (95% CI, 10.0-15.8) for beef heifers. There was no significant difference in the estimated prevalence between the two animal types. There was no significant difference in the animal level prevalence of N. caninum infection among different herd sizes. None of the herd demographic or management variables was significantly associated with the seropositivity to N. caninum infection. In conclusion, these results show that N. caninum infection is common among beef herds across Uruguay. Since the beef industry is one of the key industries in Uruguay, the economic effect and risk factors of N. caninum infection among beef cattle in this country should be further evaluated in the near future.  相似文献   

Comparisons of Ophiostomatoid fungi associated withTomicus piniperda andT. minor in Japanese red pine     

Hayato Masuya  Shigeru Kaneko  Yuichi Yamaoka  Masashi Osawa 《Journal of Forest Research》1999,4(2):131-135

Five species ofOphiostoma, twoLeptographium species and aGraphium species were isolated from two morphologically and ecologically similar bark beetle species,Tomicus piniperda andT. minor, and their infested Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora) in Yamanashi Prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. An underscribedOphiostoma species andO. minus were isolated mainly fromT. piniperda and its galleries.Ophiostoma canum which was found for the first time in Japan was mainly fromT. minor and its galleries. Specific relationships between the beetles and fungal species are suggested. Contribution No.140, Laboratory of Plant Pathology and Mycology, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Tsukuba. Part of this study was presented at 108th Annual meeting of Japanese Forestry Society, April 2, 1997, Fukuoka, Japan.  相似文献   

Purification and characteristics of trypsin from masu salmon (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus masou</Emphasis>) cultured in fresh-water     

Gaku Kanno  Takahito Yamaguchi  Hideki Kishimura  Etsurou Yamaha  Hiroki Saeki 《Fish physiology and biochemistry》2010,36(3):637-645

Trypsin from the pyloric ceca of masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) cultured in fresh water was purified by a series of chromatographies including Sephacryl S-200, Sephadex G-50 and diethylaminoethyl cellulose to obtain a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) and native PAGE. The molecular mass of the purified trypsin was estimated to be approximately 24,000 Da by SDS–PAGE. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, soybean trypsin inhibitor, and N ^α -p-tosyl-l-lysine chloromethyl ketone. Masu salmon trypsin was stabilized by calcium ion. The optimum pH of the masu salmon trypsin was around pH 8.5, and the trypsin was unstable below pH 5.0. The optimum temperature of the masu salmon trypsin was around 60°C, and the trypsin was stable below 50°C, like temperate-zone and tropical-zone fish trypsins. The N-terminal 20 amino acid sequence of the masu salmon trypsin was IVGGYECKAYSQPHQVSLNS, and its charged amino acid content was lower than those of trypsins from frigid-zone fish and similar to those of trypsins from temperate-zone and tropical-zone fish. In the phylogenetic tree, the masu salmon trypsin was classified into the group of the temperate-zone fish trypsin.  相似文献   

Regulation of biosynthesis,perception, and functions of strigolactones for promoting arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis and managing root parasitic weeds     

Koichi Yoneyama  Xiaonan Xie  Kaori Yoneyama  Takahito Nomura  Ikuo Takahashi  Tadao Asami  Narumi Mori  Kohki Akiyama  Miyuki Kusajima  Hideo Nakashita 《Pest management science》2019,75(9):2353-2359

Strigolactones (SLs) are carotenoid‐derived plant secondary metabolites that play important roles in various aspects of plant growth and development as plant hormones, and in rhizosphere communications with symbiotic microbes and also root parasitic weeds. Therefore, sophisticated regulation of the biosynthesis, perception and functions of SLs is expected to promote symbiosis of beneficial microbes including arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and also to retard parasitism by devastating root parasitic weeds. We have developed SL mimics with different skeletons, SL biosynthesis inhibitors acting at different biosynthetic steps, SL perception inhibitors that covalently bind to the SL receptor D14, and SL function inhibitors that bind to the serine residue at the catalytic site. In greenhouse pot tests, TIS108, an azole‐type SL biosynthesis inhibitor effectively reduced numbers of attached root parasites Orobanche minor and Striga hermonthica without affecting their host plants; tomato and rice, respectively. AM colonization resulted in weak but distinctly enhanced plant resistance to pathogens. SL mimics can be used to promote AM symbiosis and to reduce the application rate of systemic‐acquired resistance inducers which are generally phytotoxic to horticultural crops. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry  相似文献   

Identification and antioxidant activity of flavonoid metabolites in plasma and urine of eriocitrin-treated rats   总被引：5，自引：0，他引：5  

Miyake Y  Shimoi K  Kumazawa S  Yamamoto K  Kinae N  Osawa T 《Journal of agricultural and food chemistry》2000,48(8):3217-3224

Eriocitrin, a flavonoid glycoside present in lemon fruit, is metabolized in vivo to a series of eriodictyol, methylated eriodictyol, 3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid, and their conjugates. Plasma antioxidant activity increased following oral administration of aqueous eriocitrin solutions to rats. Eriocitrin metabolites were found in plasma and renal excreted urine through HPLC and LC-MS analyses. Eriocitrin was not detected in plasma and urine, but eriodictyol, homoeriodictyol, and hesperetin in their conjugated forms were detected in plasma of 4.0 h following administration of eriocitrin. In urine for 24 h, both nonconjugates and conjugates of these metabolites were detected. 3,4-Dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid, which is metabolized from eriodictyol by intestinal bacteria, was detected in slight amounts with each form in 4.0-h plasma and 24-h urine. Eriocitrin was suggested to be metabolized by intestinal bacteria, and then eriodictyol and 3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic of its metabolite were absorbed. Following administration of eriocitrin, plasma exhibited an elevated resistance effect to lipid peroxidation. Eriocitrin metabolites functioning as antioxidant agents are discussed.  相似文献   

Quantitative genetic parameters for growth-related and morphometric traits of hatchery-produced Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus in the wild   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

Takahito Shikano 《Aquaculture Research》2007,38(12):1248-1253

To understand quantitative genetic characteristics of hatchery‐produced Japanese flounder in the wild, heritability and genetic correlation of growth‐related and morphometric traits were examined in yearling released individuals at a coastal region in northeast Japan. Quantitative genetic parameters were estimated with restricted maximum likelihood following reconstruction of pedigree by a likelihood method using seven microsatellite loci. Estimates of heritability were 0.65 and 0.51 for growth‐related traits (body length and the proportion of body length to body depth) and 0.45–0.62 for morphometric traits (vertebral count and dorsal and anal fin ray counts). Genetic correlation was significantly positive (0.61) between dorsal and anal fin ray counts, indicating the possibility of pleiotropic genes or gametic phase disequilibrium for these traits. All the estimates of heritability and genetic correlation in the released individuals were close to those of hatchery‐reared juveniles, suggesting that yearling released individuals had similar quantitative genetic characteristics of growth and morphometric traits in the wild to hatchery‐reared juveniles.  相似文献