Mapping carcass and meat quality QTL on Sus Scrofa chromosome 2 in commercial finishing pigs

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting carcass and meat quality located on SSC2 were identified using variance component methods. A large number of traits involved in meat and carcass quality was detected in a commercial crossbred population: 1855 pigs sired by 17 boars from a synthetic line, which where homozygous (A/A) for IGF2. Using combined linkage and linkage disequilibrium mapping (LDLA), several QTL significantly affecting loin muscle mass, ham weight and ham muscles (outer ham and knuckle ham) and meat quality traits, such as Minolta-L* and -b*, ultimate pH and Japanese colour score were detected. These results agreed well with previous QTL-studies involving SSC2. Since our study is carried out on crossbreds, different QTL may be segregating in the parental lines. To address this question, we compared models with a single QTL-variance component with models allowing for separate sire and dam QTL-variance components. The same QTL were identified using a single QTL variance component model compared to a model allowing for separate variances with minor differences with respect to QTL location. However, the variance component method made it possible to detect QTL segregating in the paternal line (e.g. HAMB), the maternal lines (e.g. Ham) or in both (e.g. pHu). Combining association and linkage information among haplotypes improved slightly the significance of the QTL compared to an analysis using linkage information only.     

Distribution of phosphorus compounds in corn processing

Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and corn gluten feed (CGF) are major coproducts of ethanol production from corn dry grind and wet milling facilities, respectively. These coproducts contain important nutrients, nevertheless, high levels of phosphorus (P). About 50-80% of the P in these products is in an organically bound form known as phytate. The phytate P in these products cannot be digested by nonruminant animals. Consequently, large quantities of phytate are deposited into the soil with the animal wastes which potentially could cause P pollution in soil and underground water resources. As regulations on the concentration of P material in ethanol production coproducts become more restrictive, measures need to be taken for effective extraction of phytate P from the coproducts to make these processes more environmentally compatible. Proper marketing of coproducts is critical to the overall economy of ethanol production facilities. In this study, distribution of P compounds in different streams of dry grind and wet milling operations was determined. In the dry grind process, the highest P concentration was found to be in the condensed distillers solubles (CDS) at about 1.34 wt.% (db). About 59% of P in this stream was in phosphates form. The highest concentration of P in the wet milling process was found in the light steep water at about 3.4 wt.% (db). In this stream, about 22% of P was attributed to phosphates.     

Adverse environmental conditions influence age-related innate immune responsiveness

Background-  

The innate immune system plays an important role in the recognition and induction of protective responses against infectious pathogens, whilst there is increasing evidence for a role in mediating chronic inflammatory diseases at older age. Despite indications that environmental conditions can influence the senescence process of the adaptive immune system, it is not known whether the same holds true for the innate immune system. Therefore we studied whether age-related innate immune responses are similar or differ between populations living under very diverse environmental conditions.     

Soluble pig lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3; CD223) inhibits human-to-pig xenogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction

Lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3; CD223) is a transmembrane protein that is structurally similar to CD4. Since LAG-3 has a much higher binding affinity to MHC class II than that of CD4, several approaches using soluble LAG-3 were used to modulate immune responses by activation or inhibition of MHC class II expressing antigen presenting cells. In this study, we constructed soluble pig LAG-3 containing a critical binding site (D1 and D2 region) to MHC class II molecules, combined with a constant region of an immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain. Flow cytometry analyses indicated that soluble pig LAG-3 binds to both pig and human MHC class II molecules. Moreover, soluble pig LAG-3 can inhibit human lymphocyte proliferation in the human–pig xenogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that soluble pig LAG-3 may be useful for controlling the xenogeneic T cell immune responses between the human and pig.     

Bioisosterism of urea-based GCPII inhibitors: Synthesis and structure–activity relationship studies

We report a strategy based on bioisosterism to improve the physicochemical properties of existing hydrophilic, urea-based GCPII inhibitors. Comprehensive structure–activity relationship studies of the P1′ site of ZJ-43- and DCIBzL-based compounds identified several glutamate-free inhibitors with K_i values below 20 nM. Among them, compound 32d (K_i = 11 nM) exhibited selective uptake in GCPII-expressing tumors by SPECT-CT imaging in mice. A novel conformational change of amino acids in the S1′ pharmacophore pocket was observed in the X-ray crystal structure of GCPII complexed with 32d.     

Dilute-acid pretreatment of distillers’ grains and corn fiber

Distillers’ grains and corn fiber are the coproducts of the dry grind and wet corn milling industries, respectively. Availability of distillers’ grains and corn fiber at the ethanol plant and their high levels of lignocellulosic material make them attractive feedstock for conversion to ethanol. In this study, dilute sulfuric acid hydrolysis for the conversion of distillers’ grains and corn fiber to monomeric sugars and the formation of furfural were investigated. The extent of solubilization of biomass beyond monomeric sugars was also monitored. Biomass loadings in the range of 5–20 wt.% at 5% intervals, acid concentrations in the range of 0.5–1.5 vol.% at 0.5% intervals, and temperatures of 120 and 140 °C were studied. The highest yields of monomeric sugars were observed when the least amount of biomass loading was pretreated with the highest concentration of sulfuric acid and when the temperature was 140 °C. For the majority of the cases under consideration, the most effective period of hydrolysis appeared to be during the initial 20–30 min of the reaction. Formation of furfural during the course of hydrolysis was significantly lower at 120 °C and also lower for the distillers’ grains samples compared with the corn fiber samples. The total amount of the solubilized matter during the hydrolysis was significantly higher than the amount of the monomeric sugars. Analyses according to standard procedure were performed to quantify moisture, oil, carbohydrates, and ash in distillers’ grains and corn fiber samples. The total carbohydrate content of distillers’ grains and corn fiber were 57.7 ± 2.0 and 77.0 ± 1.0 wt.%, respectively. The presented results will provide a foundation for the suitability of the pretreated distillers’ grains and corn fiber for enzymatic hydrolysis step.     

Enhanced cell permeability of kojic acid–phenylalanine amide with metal complex

Kojic acid–phenylalanine amide (KA–F–NH₂), which showed an excellent tyrosinase inhibitory activity, did not inhibit melanogenesis in melanocyte due to its low cell permeability. To enhance its cell permeability by increasing lipophilicity, we prepared metal coordination compounds of KA–F–NH₂ and characterized them by FT-IR and ICP analysis. The metal complex of KA–F–NH₂ inhibited mushroom tyrosinase activity as much as KA–F–NH₂ and reduced melanin contents in melanocyte efficiently.     

Improvement of Artificial Foldable Wing Models by Mimicking the Unfolding/Folding Mechanism of a Beetle Hind Wing

<正> In an attempt to realize a flapping wing micro-air vehicle with morphing wings, we report on improvements to our previousfoldable artificial hind wing.Multiple hinges, which were implemented to mimic the bending zone of a beetle hind wing, weremade of small composite hinge plates and tiny aluminum rivets.The buck-tails of rivets were flared after the hinge plates wereassembled with the rivets so that the folding/unfolding motions could be completed in less time, and the straight shape of theartificial hind wing could be maintained after fabrication.Folding and unfolding actions were triggered by electrically-activatedShape Memory Alloy (SMA) wires.For wing folding, the actuation characteristics of the SMA wire actuator were modifiedthrough heat treatment.Through a series of flapping tests, we confirmed that the artificial wings did not fold back and arbitrarilyfluctuate during the flapping motion.     

Patterns of inflammation and the use of reversibility testing in smokers with airway complaints

Background

Although both smoking and respiratory complaints are very common, tools to improve diagnostic accuracy are scarce in primary care. This study aimed to reveal what inflammatory patterns prevail in clinically established diagnosis groups, and what factors are associated with eosinophilia.

Method

Induced sputum and blood plasma of 59 primary care patients with COPD (n = 17), asthma (n = 11), chronic bronchitis (CB, n = 14) and smokers with no respiratory complaints ('healthy smokers', n = 17) were collected, as well as lung function, smoking history and clinical work-up. Patterns of inflammatory markers per clinical diagnosis and factors associated with eosinophilia were analyzed by multiple regression analyses, the differences expressed in odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals.

Results

Multivariately, COPD was significantly associated with raised plasma-LBP (OR 1.2 [1.04–1.37]) and sTNF-R55 in sputum (OR 1.01 [1.001–1.01]), while HS expressed significantly lowered plasma-LBP (OR 0.8 [0.72–0.95]). Asthma was characterized by higher sputum eosinophilic counts (OR 1.3 [1.05–1.54]), while CB showed a significantly higher proportion of sputum lymphocytic counts (OR 1.5 [1.12–1.9]). Sputum eosinophilia was significantly associated with reversibility after adjusting for smoking, lung function, age, gender and allergy.

Conclusion

Patterns of inflammatory markers in a panel of blood plasma and sputum cells and mediators were discernable in clinical diagnosis groups of respiratory disease. COPD and so-called healthy smokers showed consistent opposite associations with plasma LBP, while chronic bronchitics showed relatively predominant lymphocytic inflammation compared to other diagnosis groups. Only sputum eosinophilia remained significantly associated with reversibility across the spectrum of respiratory disease in smokers with airway complaints.