Comparison of genetic gains per year for carcass traits among breeding programs in the Japanese Brown and the Japanese Black cattle

The breeding program for beef cattle in Japan has changed dramatically over 4 decades. Visual judging was done initially, but progeny testing in test stations began in 1968. In the 1980s, the genetic evaluation program using field records, so-called on-farm progeny testing, was first adopted in Oita, Hyogo, and Kumamoto prefectures. In this study, genetic trends for carcass traits in these 3 Wagyu populations were estimated, and genetic gains per year were compared among the 3 different beef cattle breeding programs. The field carcass records used were collected between 1988 and 2003. The traits analyzed were carcass weight, LM area, rib thickness, s.c. fat thickness, and beef marbling standard number. The average breeding values of reproducing dams born the same year were used to estimate the genetic trends for the carcass traits. For comparison of the 3 breeding programs, birth years of the dams were divided into 3 periods reflecting each program. Positive genetic trends for beef marbling standard number were clearly shown in all populations. The genetic gains per year for all carcass traits were significantly enhanced by adopting the on-farm progeny testing program. These results indicate that the on-farm progeny testing program with BLUP is a very powerful approach for genetic improvement of carcass traits in Japanese Wagyu beef cattle.

[Hyena disease in a Brown Swiss heifer]

A heifer with developmental skeletal disorder was presented to the ruminant clinic of the University of Berne. Abnormal long bone growth and a wobbling gait were the main clinical signs. All long bones were examined radiologically, several parameters of body size were measured and the results were compared to the measurements of a healthy control animal. Haematology and blood chemistry were normal. Based on the poor prognosis the animal was slaughtered. The final diagnosis of hyena disease was based on the characteristic growth disturbances in the caudal parts of the body, giving the animal a hyena-like appearance. For the first time a case of hyena disease is reported in Switzerland.

Assessment of estrogenic exposure in brown trout (Salmo trutta) in a Swiss midland river: integrated analysis of passive samplers, wild and caged fish, and vitellogenin mRNA and protein

This field study examined the vitellogenin (VTG) biomarker response under conditions of low and fluctuating activities of environmental estrogenicity. The present study was performed on immature brown trout (Salmo trutta) exposed to the small river Luetzelmurg, which is located in the prealpine Swiss midland region and receives effluents from a single sewage treatment plant (STP). To understand better factors influencing the relationship between estrogenic exposure and VTG induction, we compared VTG levels in caged (stationary) and feral (free-ranging) fish, VTG levels in fish from up- and downstream of the STP, and two different methods for quantifying VTG (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay vs real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction), and we used passive samplers (polar organic chemical integrative sampler [POCIS]) to integrate the variable, bioaccumulative estrogenic load in the river water over time. The POCIS from the downstream site contained approximately 20-fold higher levels of bioassay-derived estrogen equivalents than the POCIS from the upstream site. In feral fish, this site difference in estrogenic exposure was reflected in VTG protein levels but not in VTG mRNA. In contrast, in caged fish, the site difference was evident only for VTG mRNA but not for VTG protein. Thus, the outcome of VTG biomarker measurements varied with the analytical detection method (protein vs mRNA) and with the exposure modus (caged vs feral). Our findings suggest that for environmental situations with low and variable estrogenic contamination, a multiple-assessment approach may be necessary for the assessment of estrogenic exposure in fish.

To look or not to look at threat? Scanpath differences within a group of spider phobics

Predicting the behavior of phobic patients in a confrontational situation is challenging. While avoidance as a major clinical component of phobias suggests that patients orient away from threat, findings based on cognitive paradigms indicate an attentional bias towards threat. Here we present eye movement data from 21 spider phobics and 21 control subjects, based on 3 basic oculomotor tasks and a visual exploration task that included close-up views of spiders. Relative to the control group, patients showed accelerated reflexive saccades in one of the basic oculomotor tasks, while the fear-relevant exploration task evoked a general slowing in their scanning behavior and pronounced oculomotor avoidance. However, this avoidance strongly varied within the patient group and was not associated with the scores from spider avoidance-sensitive questionnaire scales. We suggest that variation of oculomotor avoidance between phobics reflects different strategies of how they cope with threat in confrontational situations.

Silhouettella loricatula (Arachnida, Araneae, Oonopidae): a Haplogyne spider with complex female genitalia

The female genital system of the oonopid Silhouettella loricatula is astonishingly complex. The genital opening is situated medially and leads into an oval receptaculum that is heavily sclerotized except for the ventral half of the posterior wall that appears chitinized only. A large striking sclerite lying in the posterior wall of the uterus externus is attached anteriorly to the receptaculum and continues dorsally into a globular appendix that bears a furrow. The uterus externus shows a peculiar modification in its anterior wall: a paddle-like sclerite with a nail-like posterior process. This sclerite lies opposite to the furrow proceeding in the globular appendix and may serve females to lock the uterus externus by muscle contractions. Massive muscles connect the sclerite with the anterior scutum of the opisthosoma and with two other sclerites that are attached to the receptaculum and serve as attachments for further muscles. Gland cells extend around a pore field of the receptaculum. They produce secretion that encloses spermatozoa in a discrete package (secretory sac) inside the receptaculum. In this way, the mixing of sperm from different males and thus sperm competition may be severely limited or completely prevented. During a copulation in the laboratory the ejection of a secretory sac that most probably contained spermatozoa was observed, indicating sperm dumping in S. loricatula. The ejection of the secretory sac may be caused by female muscle contractions or by male pedipalp movements. The majority of the investigated females have microorganisms in the receptacula that could represent symbionts or infectious agents. The microorganisms can be identified partly as bacteria. They are enclosed in secretion and are always found in the same position inside the receptaculum.

Complex genital system of a haplogyne spider (Arachnida, Araneae, Tetrablemmidae) indicates internal fertilization and full female control over transferred sperm

The female genital organs of the tetrablemmid Indicoblemma lannaianum are astonishingly complex. The copulatory orifice lies anterior to the opening of the uterus externus and leads into a narrow insertion duct that ends in a genital cavity. The genital cavity continues laterally in paired tube-like copulatory ducts, which lead into paired, large, sac-like receptacula. Each receptaculum has a sclerotized pore plate with associated gland cells. Paired small fertilization ducts originate in the receptacula and take their curved course inside the copulatory ducts. The fertilization ducts end in slit-like openings in the sclerotized posterior walls of the copulatory ducts. Huge masses of secretions forming large balls are detectable in the female receptacula. An important function of these secretory balls seems to be the encapsulation of spermatozoa in discrete packages in order to avoid the mixing of sperm from different males. In this way, sperm competition may be completely prevented or at least severely limited. Females seem to have full control over transferred sperm and be able to express preference for spermatozoa of certain males. The lumen of the sperm containing secretory balls is connected with the fertilization duct. Activated spermatozoa are only found in the uterus internus of females, which is an indication of internal fertilization. The sperm cells in the uterus internus are characterized by an extensive cytoplasm and an elongated, cone-shaped nucleus. The male genital system of I. lannaianum consists of thick testes and thin convoluted vasa deferentia that open into the wide ductus ejaculatorius. The voluminous globular palpal bulb is filled with seminal fluid consisting of a globular secretion in which only a few spermatozoa are embedded. The spermatozoa are encapsulated by a sheath produced in the genital system. The secretions in females may at least partly consist of male secretions that could be involved in the building of the secretory balls or play a role in sperm activation. The male secretions could also afford nutriments to the spermatozoa.

CSTX-1, a toxin from the venom of the hunting spider Cupiennius salei, is a selective blocker of L-type calcium channels in mammalian neurons

The inhibitor cystine-knot motif identified in the structure of CSTX-1 from Cupiennius salei venom suggests that this toxin may act as a blocker of ion channels. Whole-cell patch-clamp experiments performed on cockroach neurons revealed that CSTX-1 produced a slow voltage-independent block of both mid/low- (M-LVA) and high-voltage-activated (HVA) insect Ca(v) channels. Since C. salei venom affects both insect as well as rodent species, we investigated whether Ca(v) channel currents of rat neurons are also inhibited by CSTX-1. CSTX-1 blocked rat neuronal L-type, but no other types of HVA Ca(v) channels, and failed to modulate LVA Ca(v) channel currents. Using neuroendocrine GH3 and GH4 cells, CSTX-1 produced a rapid voltage-independent block of L-type Ca(v) channel currents. The concentration-response curve was biphasic in GH4 neurons and the subnanomolar IC(50) values were at least 1000-fold lower than in GH3 cells. L-type Ca(v) channel currents of skeletal muscle myoballs and other voltage-gated ion currents of rat neurons, such as I(Na(v)) or I(K(v)) were not affected by CSTX-1. The high potency and selectivity of CSTX-1 for a subset of L-type channels in mammalian neurons may enable the toxin to be used as a molecular tool for the investigation of this family of Ca(v) channels.