Search Results (130)

Gerald Horne’s explication of Cold War-era political history as negotiated white supremacy leads to an enhanced understanding of Japan in the Cold War. Although subject to important qualifications, Japanese anti-racism and solidarity with non-white peoples before, during, and after World War II contextualizes the view held by American intellectual W.E.B. Du Bois—and complicated and in places contested by Horne—that Japan was, in many ways, a champion of anti-white supremacy. The experiences of Black American servicemen and -women who served in Japan during the Cold War provide important historical grounding for Du Bois’ initial, state-centered insights about Japan as an anti-racist power. This modified “Du Bois Thesis” in turn guides the Horne Thesis, on the role of white supremacy in modern global history, into a deeper harmony with the history of Cold War Japan. Full article

Sleep supports brain development and adaptability, yet its relationship with cognitive performance in farm animals remains unclear. This study examined the association between a behavioral indicator of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the REM sleep-like posture (RSLP), and cognitive ability in Japanese Black calves. Twenty two-month-old calves (11 males and 9 females; 88.0 ± 11.0 kg) were continuously video-recorded for 48 h to quantify daily RSLP time, frequency, and bout duration. Calves then performed associative and reversal learning tasks using color cues paired with rewarding (sweet) or aversive (acidic) fluids. Daily RSLP time, frequency, and bout duration were 220.9 ± 67.3 min/day, 34.9 ± 10.0 bouts/day, and 6.8 ± 2.1 min/bout. Fifteen calves (7 males and 8 females) reached the associative learning criterion, while five (1 female and 4 males) did not. No association was found with associative learning, whereas calves with longer daily RSLP time required fewer rounds to reach the reversal learning criterion (r = −0.56, p = 0.030), indicating greater cognitive flexibility. These findings suggest that longer REM-related sleep may support adaptability in calves. Monitoring RSLP could provide a non-invasive indicator of welfare and cognitive capacity, supporting precision management to improve comfort and productivity of calves. Full article

Adverse effects of transportation arise from the buildup of various stressors, which collectively compromise animal welfare. This study aimed to assess short-term behavioral responses, physiological stress, and meat quality as indicators of welfare in Japanese Black cattle on arrival at the slaughter facility. A total of 154 animals from different production farms were observed. Generalized linear mixed models were used, with fixed effects including animal type, weight, season, source, loading size, distance, transport experience, and their interaction with time periods. Significant post-transport behaviors and elevated cortisol concentration were observed, particularly in heifers, lighter animals, those transported in summer, from multiple farms, at high loading sizes, or without prior transport experience. Steers, heavier animals, and the same farm groups yielded higher carcass weights, while cattle transported under low loading size had improved marbling scores and a higher probability of achieving A5-grade carcasses. These findings suggest that management practices should focus on animals most susceptible to transport stress and strategies such as mitigating heat stress, transporting animals from the same production farm, and reducing loading sizes should be implemented to improve welfare and meat quality upon arrival. Full article

Background: Elevated global temperatures increase the risk of heat-stroke among athletes exercising in hot conditions. Japanese high school baseball tournaments occur during peak summer, raising concerns regarding heat-related health issues. We examined whether the color of footwear and legwear affects lower-limb temperature, exploring approaches to prevent heat-related health problems. Methods: Eight mannequin legs were fitted with shoes, socks, and baseball stirrup socks in white or black combinations. Plantar and shin surface temperatures were recorded for 120 min on both dirt and artificial turf at wet-bulb globe temperatures above 30 °C and compared across color combinations. Reflectance spectra of shin legwear were also measured. Results: Plantar and shin surface temperatures increased under all conditions. On the dirt field, mannequins wearing all-black gear (shoe, sock, and baseball stirrup sock) exhibited plantar temperatures exceeding 45 °C and shin temperatures over 50 °C. The highest shin temperature occurred with the white shoe/black baseball stirrup sock combination. Temperature increases were smaller for all-white items compared with all-black items. Reflectance spectra showed that white baseball stirrup socks strongly reflected both visible and infrared light. Conclusions: Footwear and legwear color significantly influence lower-limb temperature increases during baseball games in summer heat, especially when wearing all-black items. White gear may help prevent heat-related health problems and improve performance in baseball and other outdoor sports. Full article

Background: The periosteum and periosteum-derived cells have attracted considerable attention for their potential use in clinical applications for treating bone defects. Bovine periosteum-derived cells have been investigated because of their capability for scaffold-free bone regeneration. Previous mass spectrometry (MS) and immunohistochemistry studies have shown the presence of F-box/leucine-rich repeat protein 14 (FBXL14) in bovine periosteum and periosteum-derived cells. Recently, studies using ESI-Q-Orbitrap MS suggested the presence of type IV collagen in the periosteum. The aim of the present study was to clarify the relationship between type IV collagen and FBXL14 in the formation of periosteum-derived cells. Methods: Bovine periosteum-derived cells were obtained from Japanese Black Cattle’s legs in Medium 199 with ascorbic acid and 10% fetal bovine serum. Immunohistochemistry for type IV collagen and FBXL14 was performed using bovine bone with periosteum and periosteum alone for explant culture. Results: Both type IV collagen and FBXL14 were expressed in Volkmann’s canals and the Haversian canals in bone and periosteum. After 5 weeks, type IV collagen and FBXL14 surrounded crystals containing osteocalcin and had formed periosteum-derived cells. Von Kossa staining and immunostaining of osteocalcin revealed that the crystals contained calcified substances and osteocalcin. Conclusions: Clinically, understanding osteocalcin-interacting proteins will help promote bone regeneration. Interactions between type IV collagen and FBXL14 may contribute to scaffold-free bone regeneration. Full article

Pine wilt disease (PWD) is a serious forest disease caused by pine wood nematode (PWN). To examine the relationship between coniferous endophytes and PWD resistance, this study investigated endophytic bacterial and fungal communities in five conifer species: two Japanese black pine populations (Pinus thunbergii from Qingdao University, PQ, and Fushan Forest Park, PF), Chinese arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis, PO), cedar (Cedrus deodara, CD), and Masson pine (Pinus massoniana, PM). Results showed a strong correlation between endophytic microbial diversity and PWD resistance. PO with high PWD resistance hosted the most unique bacterial species, while PM with low PWD resistance had the fewest unique bacteria and significantly lower ACE and Shannon indices. At the bacterial genus level, dominant genera in resistant conifers often showed high nematocidal activity, whereas those in susceptible plants boosted nematode reproduction. PQ featured the unique dominant genus Pantoea, and PO’s unique Acinetobacter and the shared genus Bacillus (with CD) both displayed high toxicity to PWNs. In contrast, PF’s Pseudomonas and PM’s Stenotrophomonas significantly promoted nematode reproduction. Fungal community analysis revealed that the unique endophytic fungi in PQ are more abundant than those in PF, and the Shannon index of its endophytic fungi is comparable to that of CD and significantly higher than that of PF. PF’s dominant fungal genus Pestalotiopsis might facilitate nematode invasion, and its fungal Shannon index is significantly lower than PQ’s. Eight bacterial strains were isolated from these five conifer plants, with six highly nematocidal strains originating from PQ, CD, and PO. This study offers evidence that endophytic microbial communities critically influence PWD resistance, offering a microbial basis for developing resistant conifer cultivars through microbiome engineering. Full article

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is widespread globally and causes economic losses in the cattle industry. BoLA-DRB3 is a polymorphic gene associated with the BLV proviral load (PVL), which correlates with disease progression and transmission risk. However, the distribution of BoLA-DRB3 alleles in semen and their potential impact on the PVL of progeny remain unclear. Here, we investigated whether BLV susceptibility linked to BoLA-DRB3 alleles in semen is inherited by progeny. We analyzed 178 commercial semen samples from Japanese Black sires and identified 20 BoLA-DRB3 alleles and 70 genotypes. The susceptible allele DRB3*016:01 was the most frequent (26.4%), whereas resistant alleles DRB3*011:01 (5.3%) and DRB3*009:02 (0.6%) were rare. Subsequently, we collected blood samples from 200 progeny produced by artificial insemination using 36 of the 178 semen samples. Progeny derived from semen carrying at least one susceptible allele and no resistant alleles had significantly higher PVL in the blood than those derived from semen containing at least one resistant allele. These findings demonstrate that BLV susceptibility is inherited via BoLA-DRB3 alleles in semen and highlight the potential of BoLA-DRB3 alleles as valuable markers in breeding strategies aimed at mitigating BLV infection and transmission. Full article

Mycotoxin contamination in animal feed can cause acute or chronic adverse effects on growth, productivity, and immune function in livestock. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of difructose anhydride III (DFA III) supplementation on serum biochemical parameters and intestinal environment in Japanese Black (JB) breeding cows under low-level chronic dietary exposure to zearalenone (ZEN). Using urinary ZEN concentration as an indicator of exposure, 25 JB cows were selected from a breeding farm with confirmed natural feed contamination. Blood samples were collected before DFA III supplementation (day 0), and on days 20 and 40 post-supplementation. Serum biochemical parameters and short-chain fatty acid concentrations were measured. During the studies, dietary ZEN concentration increased, yet improvements were observed in liver function, nutritional status, immune response, and inflammatory markers. Notably, serum butyrate concentration significantly increased following DFA III administration. These findings suggest that DFA III may positively influence intestinal microflora and enhance intestinal barrier function, which could contribute to improved health and nutritional status in cattle exposed to low-level chronic dietary ZEN contamination. DFA III supplementation may represent a promising strategy for mitigating the effects of low-level mycotoxin exposure in livestock production systems. Full article

With the increasing importance of animal welfare, behavioral indicators such as changes in head and ear posture are widely recognized as non-invasive and field-applicable markers for evaluating the emotional state and stress levels of animals. However, traditional visual observation methods are often subjective, as assessments can vary between observers, and are unsuitable for long-term, quantitative monitoring. This study proposes an artificial intelligence (AI)-based system for the detection and pose estimation of cattle heads and ears using deep learning techniques. The system integrates Mask R-CNN for accurate object detection and FSA-Net for robust 3D pose estimation (yaw, pitch, and roll) of cattle heads and left ears. Comprehensive datasets were constructed from images of Japanese Black cattle, collected under natural conditions and annotated for both detection and pose estimation tasks. The proposed framework achieved mean average precision (mAP) values of 0.79 for head detection and 0.71 for left ear detection and mean absolute error (MAE) of approximately 8–9° for pose estimation, demonstrating reliable performance across diverse orientations. This approach enables long-term, quantitative, and objective monitoring of cattle behavior, offering significant advantages over traditional subjective stress assessment methods. The developed system holds promise for practical applications in animal welfare research and real-time farm management. Full article

Black knot (BK) disease, caused by Apiosporina morbosa (Schwein.) v. Arx, significantly afflicts Japanese plums (Prunus salicina L.), resulting in substantial economic losses due to its destructive invasion of branches and trunks. Phenotyping for disease severity is critical to understanding resistance and susceptibility across diverse genotypes. In this study, 200 Japanese plum trees from a mixed lineage breeding program were phenotyped for BK severity using a rating scale from 0 to 5. Trees were rated by two independent raters and repeated on a second day, in early spring 2023, before leaf emergence, for peak visibility. The rating system was designed to capture varying levels of infection, with 0 representing no symptoms and 5 indicating severe infection with major effects to the tree’s overall health. Compared to data from 2015 and 2018, there was a noticeable increase in the number of heavily diseased trees relative to symptom-free trees. In 2023, the proportion of completely resistant trees remained the same as in 2018, suggesting true resistance. Median scores were calculated from four independent ratings per tree, comprised of two individuals on two different days, minimizing individual biases. Additionally, inter-rater reliability was assessed using the weighted Kappa statistic, which yielded a value of 0.903, indicating strong agreement between raters. This phenotypic assessment provides a robust dataset for correlation with genetic markers and supports further breeding efforts aimed at developing BK-resistant cultivars. Full article

Pine wilt disease, caused by the nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, poses a significant threat to pine forests worldwide. Understanding the dynamics of its spread is crucial for effective disease management. In this study, we investigated the involvement of asymptomatic carrier trees in the expansion of pine wilt disease through a series of experiments. Cage-releasing experiments revealed that sexually immature Japanese pine sawyer beetles, Monochamus alternatus, feeding on healthy pine branches drops only a minimal number of nematodes (primary infection). However, sexually mature beetles, still harboring numerous nematodes, fly to weakened trees for breeding and extend their feeding activities to healthy pines around weakened trees, infecting them with nematodes and thus spreading the disease further. Inoculation experiments on field-planted black pine seedlings demonstrated that even a small number of nematodes can lead to a high occurrence of asymptomatic carrier trees. Our findings suggest that nematode infections transmitted by sexually mature Monochamus beetles significantly contribute to the expansion of pine wilt damage and play a crucial role in the persistence of asymptomatic carrier trees. This conclusion is based on cage-release experiments demonstrating nematode transmission by mature beetles and inoculation experiments highlighting the conditions leading to asymptomatic carrier trees. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the variations in serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations and influencing factors in young Japanese Black (JB) cattle. The cut-off values were 18.5 mg/L, 17.7 mg/L, 14.4 mg/L, and 8.1 mg/L at 30–59, 60–89, 90–119, and 120–300 days of age, respectively. Calves that ingested colostrum had significantly higher SAA concentrations than those that did not. The SAA concentrations at 1–7 days of age showed no correlation with γ-glutamyltransferase, total protein, or globulin levels. A slight increase in mammary-associated amyloid A concentrations—a colostrum-derived SAA—was observed before and after colostrum intake on 1 day of age; however, a significant overall increase in SAA concentrations was noted. The reference values for the SAA concentration in 1-month-old calves also showed a gradual decline. These findings suggest that the elevated SAA concentrations in 1-month-old JB calves, similar to Holstein calves, are not due to absorption from colostrum but SAA is instead biosynthesized by the calves as a biological defense mechanism. The clinical application of SAA concentrations in JB calves after one month of age may contribute to improving calf productivity. Full article

Spices are a part of modern and ancient cultures due to their recognized culinary and medicinal properties. Pepper is commonly used in many recipes; however, in the field of gastronomy, the term “pepper” usually refers to a group that includes several different spices, such as black pepper (Piper nigrum L.), cubeb pepper (Piper cubeba L.f.), long pepper (Piper longum L.), pink pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi), allspice (Pimenta dioica L. Merrill), and Japanese pepper (Zanthoxylum piperitum DC.). Despite the extensive study of the chemical characterization and medicinal and culinary properties of “pepper”, sensory analysis (color, aroma profile, odor profile, and chemesthesis) of these spices have not been completed. Therefore, the aim of this review was to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats within the spice supply chain considering these six “peppers” to analyze their positive and negative aspects. Finally, we selected the most representative molecules and properties of spices referred to as “pepper” to expand the research focus and highlight their key aspects related to health and sensory science for future applications. In this sense, this review provides a new strategic guideline that will help us understand and assess the key internal and external factors of pepper, allowing them to be applied in different sectors with different approaches. Full article

Since epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors were introduced in 2004, various driver gene mutations have been identified in non-small cell lung cancer, particularly adenocarcinoma, where mutations are typically mutually exclusive. EGFR and Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS) mutations are most prevalent in Japan, with routine testing now standard. However, hematoxylin and eosin staining often fails to detect mutations, except in cases such as ALK fusion lung cancer. We report a 76-year-old non-smoking Japanese woman diagnosed with adenocarcinoma confirmed as KRAS G12D/S-positive. Histological features, including thanatosomes (hyaline globules), nuclear pleomorphism, and cytoplasmic clearing, may aid in identifying mutations. Numerous thanatosomes were identified, some containing nuclear dust. Thanatosomes revealed periodic acid–Schiff reactivity with diastase resistance, fuchsinophilia with Masson’s trichrome stain, and dark blue-black color with Mallory’s PTAH stain. This is the first report linking thanatosomes in KRAS-mutant pulmonary adenocarcinoma to apoptosis via cleaved caspase-3 staining. Full article

Background: Ectopic fat deposition refers to lipid accumulation that affects metabolic function and tissue characteristics. Japanese Black cattle are distinguished by their high intramuscular fat content, which contributes to their distinctive character. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying these traits remain unclear. This study compared gene expression patterns in different muscle regions to identify genes associated with intramuscular fat accumulation. First, we conducted RNA sequencing to analyze differences in gene expression profiles among the sternocleidomastoid, pectoralis minor, and pectoralis major muscles. In addition, single-cell nuclear RNA sequencing was conducted to investigate the cellular composition of these muscle tissues. Results: Distinct gene expression patterns were observed among the different muscles. In the pectoralis, which contains a high proportion of intramuscular fat, adipocyte-related genes such as FABP4, SCD, and ADIPOQ were highly expressed. In addition, lipases such as PNPLA2, LPL, MGLL, and LIPE were predominantly expressed in intramuscular fat, whereas PLA2G12A, PLD3, and ALOX15 were specifically expressed in myofibers. Moreover, a subclass of fibro–adipogenic progenitor cells that differentiate into intramuscular adipocytes was found to express genes related to microenvironment formation, including ICAM1, TGFBRs, and members of the COL4A family. Conclusions: This study provides novel insight into the genetic regulation of intramuscular fat accumulation. It improves our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying their distinctive meat characteristics. Full article