• Journal of Species Research
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.395-406
• /
• 2019

The aim of this study was to compile a species list of endemic water beetles of Mongolia and determine their distribution patterns. A total of 1,179 individuals of endemic water beetles were collected from nine different sub-basins (123 sample points) throughout the country. Currently, 21 endemic and sub-endemic species have been recorded in Mongolia. Eight of these species were strictly endemic. The endemic and sub-endemic species were found only among four families: Dytiscidae (10 out 99 spp.), Gyrinidae (1 out 7 spp.), Helophoridae (5 out 16 spp.), and Hydraenidae (5 out 13 spp.). The rate of endemism was higher in Hydraenidae than other families (38.4%). Endemic beetle fauna was most similar between the Onon and Kherlen River Basins (80%). Helophorus parajacutus Angus, 1970 was common in five sub-basins, but Agabus kaszabi $Gu{\acute{e}}orguiev$, 1972, Gyrinus sugunurensis Nilsson, 2001 and Ochthebius mongolicus Janssens, 1967 were recorded from only one sub-basin. In terms of sub-endemic species, Mongolia was mostly similar to the fauna of Eastern Siberia, Russia (73.7%) than other neighboring regions. Due to Mongolia's vast territory and different natural zones, endemism was exceptionally low (12.4%), but these data provide baseline information of endemic and rare species for their further conservation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.640-647
• /
• 2008

Breed differences in adult animals are determined during fetal development. If interventions are to be developed that influence growth of muscle and fat, it is important to know at which time during gestation breed differences appear and are fixed. The objective of this study was to characterize fetal development in cattle of different breeds. Pregnant cows of 4 cattle breeds with different growth impetus and muscularity were slaughtered under normal processing conditions and the fetuses were removed. German Angus, a typical beef cattle; Galloway, a smaller, environmentally resistant beef type; Holstein Friesian, a dairy type; and Belgian Blue, an extreme type for muscle growth were used. Fetuses of each breed were investigated at 3, 6, and 9 mo of gestation. Fetuses were weighed and dissected into carcass, organs, and muscles. Body fat weight was obtained using the Soxhlet extraction method. Fetal weight increased most rapidly in the third trimester of gestation mainly due to the accelerated muscle and fat deposition. The organ weight to body weight (BW) ratios decreased and the muscle and fat weight to BW ratios increased. At 3 mo of gestation, Galloway fetuses had the significantly smallest BW, half-carcass weight, leg weight, organ weight, muscle weight and shortest leg length. In contrast, Holstein fetuses had the significantly greatest BW, liver, kidney, and lung weights and significantly longest leg length among the 4 breeds, but no differences between Holstein Friesian and Belgian Blue were detected in half-carcass and leg weight. Indeed, Belgian Blue fetuses had the significantly greatest half-carcass weight, leg weight, and muscle weight at 9 mo of gestation, and Galloway had a significantly greater body fat to BW ratio than Holstein Friesian and Belgian Blue. These differences were not evident at 3 and 6 mo of gestation. These data show that the profound increase of tissue and organ weights occurred in later gestation in cattle fetuses even though breed differences were evident as early as 3 mo of gestation. Depending on the tissue of interest, impacting fetal growth likely needs to occur early in gestation before the appearance of breed-specific differences.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.307-316
• /
• 1987

This study was conducted to identify Babesia sp. strain isolated from the imported beef cattle, Aberdeen-angus heifers, in J farm of Jangsu Prefecture, Cheon-buk Province of Korea, morphologically, etiologically and serologically. Babesia sp. strain was purely isolated through the serial blood passages of three generations against splenectomized calves and one generation of blood passage against non-splenectomized calf(intact calf) by inhibiting the appearance of Theileria sergenti in the blood stream by means of injection of 20% oil pamaquine intramuscularly. In the splenectomized calves, the parasite multiplied markedly in blood stream soon after inoculation and parasitaemia was much severe. An elevated body temperature, anorexia, severe anaemia and icterus were observed clinically. Of three splenectomized calves, two were affected with haemoglobinuria and died. But in the non-splenectomized calf the clinical signs and parasitaemia were very mild. The means of the incubation period, the highest parasitaemia, the highest body temperature and the lowest PCV were 3.5 days, 41.1%, ${42^{\circ}C}$ and 9%, respectively, in the splenectomized calves. In calf erythrocytes Babesia sp. protozoa were polymorphic showing the round, oval, ameboid, piriform and paired piriform etc. The sizes of protozoa were $2.51{\sim}3.91{\times}1.32{\sim}2.19{{\mu}m}$ ($3.20{\times}1.60{\mu}m$). Serologically the isolated Babesia sp. were compared with other parasites, B. ovata, B. bigemina, B. bovis, T. sergenti, A. marginale and A. centrale by using the complement fixation(CF) test. As a result, the antibody titer between the homologous species were high. It was two tubes or more in the CF test. From the results obtained above the pure isolated Babesia species was identical with Babesia ovata Minami and Ishihara, 1980.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.18 no.12
• /
• pp.1735-1740
• /
• 2005

Forty-two single-bearing and 42 twin-bearing mature Angus${\times}$Hereford cows were allocated, seven per cell to 3 replications of 2 stocking rates (3.2 cows/ha; medium stocking rate [MSR], and 3.8 cows/ha; high stocking rate [HSR]) to graze summer-active and winter-active pastures from late pregnancy to the weaning of their calves. Cow liveweights and growth of calves were recorded as well as estimates of pasture quantity and forage intake. Pasture quantity did not differ in the paddocks grazed by single- and twin-bearing cows during pregnancy, nor effectively did forage intake. Subsequently, intake was higher during mid-lactation especially with twin-rearing cows (25% higher than single-rearing cows at the MSR; 9% at the HSR). However, quantity of pasture decreased for twin-rearing cows and was less than that available to single-rearing cows as lactation progressed. Liveweights of twinrearing cows decreased by 16% from late pregnancy to weaning at the MSR, and by 14% at the HSR, compared to decreases of 1% for single-rearing cows. Twin calves were lighter at birth, had slower growth rates, and were lighter at weaning than single calves. In spite of weaning smaller calves twinning increased the output (kg of calf weaned) per cow and per ha, and increased the efficiency (kg calf weaned per unit of forage eaten by the cow) over single calf production by 46% at the MSR and by 58% at the HSR. Twinning also increased the marginal returns from investment in high input pastures required by the enterprise.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.20 no.11
• /
• pp.1662-1669
• /
• 2007

The high mobility group AT-hook1 (HMGA1) proteins are known to be related to the regulation of gene transcription, replication and promotion of metastatic progression in cancer cells. The loss of expression by disrupting the HMGA1 gene affects insulin signaling and causes diabetes in the mouse. Previously identified single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of HMGA1 was significantly associated with fat deposition traits in the pig. In this study, we identified 3,935 bp nucleotide sequences from exon 5 to exon 8 of the bovine HMGA1 gene and its mRNA expression was observed by quantitative real-time PCR. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms in the bovine HMGA1 gene were detected and the allele frequencies of these SNPs were investigated using the PCR-RFLP method in nine cattle breeds including Limousin, Simmental, Brown Swiss, Hereford, Angus, Charolais, Hanwoo, Brahman and Red Chittagong cattle. The map location showed that the bovine HMGA1 gene was also closely located with a previously identified meat quality QTL region indicating this gene is the most likely positional candidate for meat quality traits in cattle.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.265-296
• /
• 2020

Macao, a special administrative region of China, has been able to maintain the records of zero deaths and keep confirmed cases under 50 since the outbreak of COVID-19 for more than half a year as of July 2020, despite being the world's most densely populated city. The current paper utilizes the dialogic public relations theory to analyze the situation using both literature review on how the various government actions and strategies during the pandemic were corresponding to the theory, and a quantitative random digital dialing (RDD) telephone survey, with a sample of 502 Macao residents aged 18 or above, to study the public reactions towards the government pandemic prevention actions. Survey results show a high level of public satisfaction towards epidemic prevention performance, as well as some forms of collaborative information redissemination behavior in social media platforms. Literature review and analysis from dialogic theory found that spirit of mutual equality, collaboration with local community, immediacy of presence in crisis time, engagements with stakeholders through maximum media channels and networks, supportiveness to public with both useful information and practical social support like subsidy program, as well as commitment to transparent and genuine communication, are all the dialogic communications strategies that describe what the Macao government has done in the crisis of COVID-19. The dialogic strategies that could be learned from the Macao government may be used as a reference for similar urbanized and densely populated cities in other territories.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.9
• /
• pp.1474-1480
• /
• 2018

Objective: Isoquinoline Alkaloids, derived from one plant (Macleaya cordata) can be an alternative when it is desired to increase performance in feedlot cattle. However, results on these nutritional additives in high energy diets in ruminants are still incipient in literature. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate performance and carcass traits of feedlot bulls supplemented with sanguinarine, the main alkaloid presents in Macleaya cordata in high energy density diets. Methods: Thirty-two crossbred Angus-Nelore bulls with mean initial body weight of $365{\pm}10kg$ and mean initial age of $11{\pm}3$ months were used. The experiment lasted 119 days, with 14 days of adaptation and 105 experimental days. Experimental diet consisted of 85% whole corn grains and 15% protein-vitamin-mineral nucleus and supplied ad libitum. Treatments consisted of a control diet (CON) and a diet with sanguinarine supplementation (SAN) at a dosage of 4 g of product sufficient to provide 6 mg of sanguinarine/d. Experimental design was completely randomized. Results: Dry matter intake, average daily gain and feed conversion were similar (p>0.05) between treatments. However, SAN group animals had higher carcass yield (p = 0.045) and were more efficient in the transformation of dry matter consumed in carcass gain (p = 0.046) than CON. In addition, haptoglobin, increased throughout feedlot duration meaning high challenge for the animals due to the diet, but this behavior was similar (p>0.05) between treatments. Conclusion: Sanguinarine produced positive results in relation to carcass yield and could be used as an additive for bulls fed diets receiving high energy density diet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.10 no.5
• /
• pp.471-477
• /
• 1997

A study detennined whether certain biochemical and physiological variables were altered during marginal Zn deficiency. Ten weaned crossbred Hereford Angus heifer calves, weighing $163{\pm}2kg$, were utilized. Five calves were fed a Zn - deficient (- Zn) brome-alfalfa hay diet containing 17 mg Zn/kg diet DM, and five calves were fed a Zn-adequate (+Zn) diet with 23 mg Zn/kg diet DM from $ZnSO_4$ added to the - Zn diet (total diet, 40 mg Zn/kg diet DM), for 32 d. At 21 d the - Zn calves had a reduction (p < .05) in feed efficiency. By 25 d, plasma Zn and alkaline phosphatase concentrations were reduced (p < .05) in the - Zn calves. Blood urea nitrogen, glucose, insulin, IGF-I, Cu plasma concentration and Zn and Cu concentrations of red blood cell (RBC) and liver were not altered (p > .05) by the - Zn diet through 25 d. In response to a single i. m. injection of dexamethasone (20 mg) on d 25, calves fed the two dietary Zn amounts showed no changes (p > .05) in plasma or RBC Zn and Cu concentrations, serum IGF-I, insulin, and glucose when measured at 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after injection. In response to an intradermal injection of phytohemagglutinin on d 30, cell mediated immune (CMI) response was reduced (p < .05) in the - Zn calves. These observations indicate that during a marginal Zn deficiency in calves, there was a decrease in feed efficiency, plasma Zn, serum alkaline phosphatase, and CMI response.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.547-559
• /
• 2007

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) was first described by Berliner [10] when he isolated a Bacillus species from the Mediterranean flour moth, Anagasta kuehniella, and named it after the province Thuringia in Germany where the infected moth was found. Although this was the first description under the name B. thuringiensis, it was not the first isolation. In 1901, a Japanese biologist, Ishiwata Shigetane, discovered a previously undescribed bacterium as the causative agent of a disease afflicting silkworms. Bt was originally considered a risk for silkworm rearing but it has become the heart of microbial insect control. The earliest commercial production began in France in 1938, under the name Sporeine [72]. A resurgence of interest in Bt has been attributed to Edward Steinhaus [105], who obtained a culture in 1942 and attracted attention to the potential of Bt through his subsequent studies. In 1956, T. Angus [3] demonstrated that the crystalline protein inclusions formed in the course of sporulation were responsible for the insecticidal action of Bt. By the early 1980's, Gonzalez et al. [48] revealed that the genes coding for crystal proteins were localized on transmissible plasmids, using a plasmid curing technique, and Schnepf and Whiteley [103] first cloned and characterized the genes coding for crystal proteins that had toxicity to larvae of the tobacco hornworm, from plasmid DNA of Bt subsp. kurstaki HD-1. This first cloning was followed quickly by the cloning of many other cry genes and eventually led to the development of Bt transgenic plants. In the 1980s, several scientists successively demonstrated that plants can be genetically engineered, and finally, Bt cotton reached the market in 1996 [104].

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.39 no.9
• /
• pp.692-698
• /
• 2016

Advances in next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have enabled population-level studies for many animals to unravel the relationships between genotypic differences and traits of specific populations. The objective of this study was to perform evolutionary analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in genes of Korean native cattle Hanwoo in comparison to SNP data from four other cattle breeds (Jersey, Simmental, Angus, and Holstein) and four related species (pig, horse, human, and mouse) obtained from public databases through NGS-based resequencing. We analyzed population structures and differentiation levels for the five cattle breeds and estimated species-specific SNPs with their origins and phylogenetic relationships among species. In addition, we identified Hanwoo-specific genes and proteins, and determined distinct changes in protein-protein interactions among five species (cattle, pig, horse, human, mouse) in the STRING network database by additionally considering indirect protein interactions. We found that the Hanwoo population was clearly different from the other four cattle populations. There were Hanwoo-specific genes related to its meat trait. Protein interaction rewiring analysis also confirmed that there were Hanwoo-specific protein-protein interactions that might have contributed to its unique meat quality.