The Presence of Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor (ghrelin receptor) in Metabolic Tissues of Beef Cattle with Differences in Composition of Gain

Beef steers (n = 72) of similar age, weight (651 ± 3.1 lb), and genetic (Angus crossbred) background were used to determine the effects of growing diet composition (high‐forage vs. high‐concentrate) on the abundance of growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS‐R or ghrelin receptor) in metabolically important tissues of beef cattle. At trial initiation (d 0), 8 steers were harvested for initial carcass composition. The remaining 64 steers were allotted, by weight, to pen and treatment was assigned randomly. Treatments were 1) a high‐forage diet fed during the growing period (116 d) followed by a high‐concentrate diet during the finishing period (117‐209 d; GRW‐FNSH) or 2) a high‐concentrate diet fed for the duration of the trial (0‐209 d; FNSH‐FNSH). Steers were allowed ad libitum consumption regardless of dietary treatment. Eight steers per treatment were harvested on d 88, 116, 165, and 209. Immediately following harvest, liver, muscle (sternomandibularis), and subcutaneous adipose tissue samples were collected from each steer and immersed in liquid nitrogen. Longissimus dorsi samples were collected following a 48 h chill to establish a preliminary analysis of GHS‐R abundance within an economically important muscle tissue. Protein separation and quantification was determined using SDSPAGE and Western blotting techniques. Protein abundance was detected using the LI‐COR® system and standardized to β‐Actin. Protein abundance data were analyzed statistically using the GLM procedure of SAS comparing diet, harvest date, and their interaction. Protein abundance of GHS‐R in longissimus dorsi tissue fluctuated relative to serial harvest date (P \u3c 0.001), and was highest on d 88 in both treatment groups. The FNSH‐FNSH steers had increased abundance of GHS‐R in longissimus dorsi on d 88 and 116 compared with the GRW‐FNSH steers. A dietary treatment by serial harvest day interaction (P \u3c 0.05) occurred for protein abundance of GHS‐R in subcutaneous adipose tissue. Abundance of GHS‐R in subcutaneous adipose tissue of the GRW‐FNSH was greatest on d 88, whereas abundance for the FNSHFNSH treatment was greatest at the end of the finishing period (d 209). An interaction of dietary treatment and serial harvest day resulted (P \u3c 0.05) for GHS‐R abundance in liver tissue. The GRW‐FNSH steers had increased liver GHS‐R abundance following realimentation compared with the FNSH‐FNSH steers which were on a continuous plane of nutrition. Protein abundance for liver GHS‐R in both dietary treatments increased quadraticly (P \u3c 0.001) throughout the feeding period. The GHS‐R was not detected in sternomandibularis tissue. Overall liver GHS‐R abundance increased in both dietary treatments following realimentation which is inconsistent with our hypothesis. Increased GHS‐R abundance in various tissues of beef cattle while ghrelin concentrations are high and excess fat deposition is occurring warrants further investigation

Radiocarbon Date List XI: Radiocarbon Dates from Marine Sediment Cores of the Iceland, Greenland, and Northeast Canadian Arctic Shelves and Nares Strait

Radiocarbon Date List XI contains an annotated listing of 178 AMS radiocarbon dates on samples from marine (169 samples) and lake (9 samples) sediment cores. Marine sediment cores, from which the samples for dating were taken, were collected on the Greenland Shelf, Baffin Bay, and the Eastern Canadian Arctic shelf. About 80% of the marine samples for dating were collected on the SW to N Icelandic shelf. The lake sediment cores were collected in northwestern Iceland. For dating of the marine samples, we submitted molluscs (117 samples), benthic and planktic foraminifera (45 samples), plant macrofauna (3 samples), and one serpulid worm. For dating of the lake cores, we submitted wood (8 samples) and one peat sample. The Conventional Radiocarbon Ages range from 294±9114C yr BP to 34,600±640 14C yr BP. The dates have been used to address a variety of research questions. The dates constrain the timing of high northern latitude late Quaternary environmental fluctuations, which include glacier extent, sea level history, isostatic rebound, sediment input, and ocean circulation. The dates also allowed assessment of the accuracy of commonly used reservoir correction. The samples were submitted by INSTAAR and affiliated researchers

Effect of Maternal Nutrition on Fetal Adipocyte Development

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effects of maternal nutrition on the expression of genes in fetal tissues. Genes of interest were selected because each has been demonstrated previously to influence body composition. Twenty‐two Angus‐cross bred heifers (BW = 1161 ± 19 lbs) randomly were assigned to three dietary treatments. Maternal dietary treatments were formulated and intake was controlled to provide 150% (HIGH), 100% (INT), and 80% (LOW) of maintenance energy requirements for growing pregnant Angus heifers (NRC, 2000). Heifers were on dietary treatment from d 85 to d 180 of gestation, at which point fetuses were removed via cesarean section and muscle, subcutaneous fat, and liver samples were collected. At trial initiation dam BW was similar between treatment groups. Dam BW differed (P = 0.002) at the end of the treatment period as a result of dietary treatment. Final BW was lowest for the LOW dams, intermediate for INT dams, and highest for HIGH dams. Both ribfat thickness and ribeye area were increased in the HIGH treatment group compared with LOW and INT dams (P \u3c 0.05). Thus, dam growth was influenced by diet during treatment period. Dietary treatment did not influence fetal weight, crown rump length, liver weight, or right hind leg weight of the fetus. Relative gene expression for preadipocyte factor‐1 was more highly expressed (P \u3c 0.05) in HIGH heifers as compared with INT and LOW heifers. These preliminary results suggest that fetal growth characteristics are not affected by manipulation of maternal nutrition during mid‐gestation in beef cows. However, gene expression differences could potentially lead to differences in composition of growth, and warrants further investigation

Radiocarbon Date List X: Baffin Bay, Baffin Island, Iceland, Labrador Sea, and the Northern North Atlantic

Date List X contains an annotated listing of 213 radiocarbon dates determined on samples from marine and terrestrial environments. The marine samples were collected from the East Greenland, Iceland, Spitzbergen, and Norwegian margins, Baffin Bay, and Labrador Sea. The terrestrial samples were collected from Vestfirdir, Iceland and Baffin Island. The samples were submitted by INSTAAR and researchers affiliated with INSTAAR\u27s Micropaleontology Laboratory under the direction of Dr.’s John T. Andrews and Anne E. Jennings. All of the dates from marine sediment cores were determined from either shells or foraminifera (both benthic and planktic). All dates were obtained by the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) method. Regions of concentrated marine research include: Baffin Bay, Baffin Island, Labrador Sea, East Greenland fjords, shelf and slope, Denmark Strait, the southwestern and northwestern Iceland shelves, and Vestfirdir, Iceland. The non-marine radiocarbon dates are from peat, wood, plant microfossils, and mollusc. The radiocarbon dates have been used to address a variety of research objectives such as: 1. determining the timing of northern hemisphere high latitude environmental changes including glacier advance and retreat, and 2. assessing the accuracy of a fluctuating reservoir correction. Thus, most of the dates constrain the timing, rate, and interaction of late Quaternary paleoenvironmental fluctuations in sea level, glacier extent, sediment input, and changes in ocean circulation patterns. Where significant, stratigraphic and sample contexts are presented for each core to document the basis for interpretations

Surface and sub-surface multi-proxy reconstruction of middle to late Holocene palaeoceanographic changes in Disko Bugt, West Greenland

We present new surface water proxy records of meltwater production (alkenone derived), relative sea surface temperature (diatom, alkenones) and sea ice (diatoms) changes from the Disko Bugt area off central West Greenland. We combine these new surface water reconstructions with published proxy records (benthic foraminifera - bottom water proxy; dinocyst assemblages – surface water proxy), along with atmospheric temperature from Greenland ice core and Greenland lake records. This multi-proxy approach allows us to reconstruct centennial scale middle to late Holocene palaeoenvironmental evolution of Disko Bugt and the Western Greenland coastal region with more detail than previously available. Combining surface and bottom water proxies identifies the coupling between ocean circulation (West Greenland Current conditions), the atmosphere and the Greenland Ice Sheet. Centennial to millennial scale changes in the wider North Atlantic region were accompanied by variations in the West Greenland Current (WGC). During periods of relatively warm WGC, increased surface air temperature over western Greenland led to ice sheet retreat and significant meltwater flux. In contrast, during periods of cold WGC, atmospheric cooling resulted in glacier advances. We also identify potential linkages between the palaeoceanography of the Disko Bugt region and key changes in the history of human occupation. Cooler oceanographic conditions at 3.5 ka BP support the view that the Saqqaq culture left Disko Bugt due to deteriorating climatic conditions. The cause of the disappearance of the Dorset culture is unclear, but the new data presented here indicate that it may be linked to a significant increase in meltwater flux, which caused cold and unstable coastal conditions at ca. 2 ka BP. The subsequent settlement of the Norse occurred at the same time as climatic amelioration during the Medieval Climate Anomaly and their disappearance may be related to harsher conditions at the beginning of the Little Ice Age

Relationship of Circulating Ghrelin and Leptin Concentrations in Beef Cattle ExhibitingDifferences in Composition of Gain

Beef steers (n = 72) of similar age, weight (651 ± 3.1 lb), and genetic background (Angus crossbred) were used to determine the effects of growing period diet on the relationship of plasma ghrelin and leptin concentrations with growth performance and carcass composition. At trial initiation (d 0), 8 steers were harvested for initial carcass composition. The remaining 64 steers were allotted, by weight, to pen and treatment was assigned randomly. Treatments were 1) a high‐forage diet fed during the growing period (0‐116 d) followed by a high‐concentrate diet during the finishing period (117‐209 d; GRW‐FNSH) or 2) a high‐concentrate diet fed for the duration of the trial (0‐209 d; FNSH‐FNSH). Steers were allowed ad libitum consumption regardless of dietary treatment. Eight steers per treatment (1 pen) were harvested on d 88, 116, 165, and 209. At each harvest date, 9‐10‐11th rib sections were dissected for chemical composition, and carcass characteristics were recorded. Replicate blood samples were collected from every steer prior to each harvest, and assayed for ghrelin, leptin, GH, insulin, and NEFA concentrations. Hormone, growth performance, and carcass composition were analyzed statistically using the GLM procedure of SAS to evaluate diet, harvest date, and their interaction. Linear, quadratic, and cubic contrasts were performed. Percent carcass protein decreased linearly (P \u3c 0.001) and percent carcass fat increased linearly (P \u3c 0.001) in both treatments. At each harvest day, FNSH‐FNSH steers had greater carcass fat (P \u3c 0.01) compared with GRW‐FNSH steers. Plasma ghrelin concentrations for FNSH‐FNSH increased quadraticly (P \u3c 0.001) over time, whereas plasma ghrelin concentrations were not different over time for GRW‐FNSH. Plasma leptin concentrations for FNSH‐FNSH increased (P \u3c 0.001) from d 0 to 88 and then plateaued, whereas plasma leptin concentrations increased linearly (P \u3c 0.001) for the GRW‐FNSH. Plasma ghrelin and leptin concentrations fluctuated relative to nutritional status, and plasma ghrelin concentrations were highest in excessively fat cattle. The role of ghrelin during fat accumulation warrants further investigation

Spectrum of the Y=2 Pentaquarks

By assuming a mass formula for the spectrum of the Y=2 pentaquarks, where the chromo-magnetic interaction plays a main role, and identifying the lightest state with the Theta^+(1540), we predict a spectrum in good agreement with the few I=0 and I=1 candidates proposed in the past.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, LaTe

A Naturally Narrow Positive Parity Theta^+

We present a consistent color-flavor-spin-orbital wave function for a positive parity Theta^+ that naturally explains the observed narrowness of the state. The wave function is totally symmetric in its flavor-spin part and totally antisymmetric in its color-orbital part. If flavor-spin interactions dominate, this wave function renders the positive parity Theta^+ lighter than its negative parity counterpart. We consider decays of the Theta^+ and compute the overlap of this state with the kinematically allowed final states. Our results are numerically small. We note that dynamical correlations between quarks are not necessary to obtain narrow pentaquark widths.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure, Revtex4, two-column format, version to be published in Phys. Rev. D, includes numerical estimates of decay width

37^th plenary meeting report of the scientific, technical and economic committee for fisheries (PLEN-11-02)

The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries hold its 37th plenary on 11-15 July 2011 in Copenhagen (Denmark). The terms of reference included both issues assessments of STECF Expert Working Group reports and additional requests submitted to the STECF by the Commission. Topics dealt with ranged from fisheries economics to management plan evaluation issues