Discovery of a new nucleotide substitution in the MC1R gene and haplotype distribution in native and non-Japanese chicken breeds.

Melanocortin 1-receptor (MC1R) is one of the major genes that controls chicken plumage colour. In this study, we investigated the sequence and haplotype distribution of the MC1R gene in native Japanese chickens, along with non-Japanese chicken breeds. In total, 732 and 155 chickens from 30 Japanese and eight non-Japanese breeds respectively were used. Three synonymous and 11 non-synonymous nucleotide substitutions were detected, resulting in 15 haplotypes (H0-H14). Of these, three were newly found haplotypes (H9, H13 and H14), of which one (H9) was composed of known substitutions C69T, T212C, G274A and G636A. The second one (H13) possessed newly found non-synonymous substitution C919G, apart from the known substitutions C69T, G178A, G274A, G636A and T637C. The third one (H14) comprised a newly discovered substitution C919G in addition to the known C69T, G274A and G409A substitutions. The homozygote for this new haplotype exhibited wt like plumage despite the presence of G274A. In addition to discovering a new nucleotide substitution (C919G) and three new haplotypes, we defined the plumage colour of the bird that was homozygous for the A644C substitution (H5 haplotype) as wheaten-like for the first time; although the substitution has been already reported, its effect was not revealed. Besides detecting the new plumage colour, we also confirmed that the A427G and G274A substitutions contribute in expressing brownish and black plumage colour respectively, as reported by the previous studies. Moreover, we confirmed that the buttercup allele does not express black plumage despite possessing a G274A substitution, under the suppression effect of A644C. In contrast, the birds homozygous for the birchen allele presented solid black plumage, which was contradictory to the previous reports. In conclusion, we revealed a large diversity in the MC1R gene of native Japanese chicken breeds, along with the discovery of a new non-synonymous nucleotide substitution (C919G) and three novel haplotypes (H9, H13 and H14).

Interest in international programmes - a survey of Japanese dental hygiene students and educators.

PURPOSE: Globalization of Japanese dental hygienists is important to match the demands in the present society. The purpose of this study was to gauge opinions on international programmes of Japanese dental hygiene students and educators. METHOD: Data were collected using a survey that was sent to all eight Japanese universities of oral hygiene in December 2014. Participants were composed of 466 university students majoring in oral hygiene (463 women; three men; mean age: 21 years) and 45 educators teaching dental hygiene education (mean age: 50 years). The response rates were 83.81% and 46.88%, respectively. RESULTS: 48.06% of 464 students would like to study abroad, and 76.04% of 330 students would like to interact with foreign students frequently. 97.54% of 455 students answered that learning English is important for dental hygienists, but 72.39% of 460 students are not comfortable interacting with foreigners in English. Those who knew more dental English terms had higher interest in studying abroad (odds ratio: 1.136). 75% of 44 educators think that dental hygiene students need to or sometimes need to study abroad. 68.89% of 45 educators think that teaching international programmes is costly. CONCLUSION: We found that Japanese dental hygiene students and educators have positive interest in international programmes. However, they have concerns about their English skills and about the cost of studying it. Therefore, English classes need to be improved, and new approaches are required for lowering the cost of teaching international programmes, while stimulating foreign students' and educators' interest in studying abroad in Japan.

Endogenous viral gene ev21 is not responsible for the expression of late feathering in chickens.

The late-feathering (LF) gene K on the Z chromosome is an important gene in the chicken industry, which is frequently utilized for the feather sexing, a type of autosexing, of neonatal chicks. The K gene is closely associated with the endogenous ev21 gene from an avian leukosis virus and the incomplete duplication (ID) of prolactin receptor (PRLR) and sperm flagellar protein 2 (SPEF2) genes, and ev21 has been used as a molecular marker to detect LF birds. In the present study, a comprehensive survey for the presence or absence of ev21 and ID across 1,994 birds from 52 chicken breeds, three commercial hybrid groups, and the Red Jungle Fowl revealed that almost all LF breeds have both ev21 and ID. However, only one LF breed (Ingie) has only ID and no ev21. Moreover, this study revealed that almost all early (normal)-feathering (EF) breeds lack both ev21 and ID, but only one breed (White Plymouth Rock) included EF birds with ev21 but no ID. Therefore, regarding LF expression, the results indicated that ID is responsible, but ev21 is not required. Henceforth, ID should be used as a molecular marker to detect LF birds instead of ev21. Because ev21 contains the full genome of an avian leukosis virus, there is a risk of disease development in breeds with this gene. Therefore, the Ingie breed, which has no ev21 at the K locus, represents excellent material for the establishment of new LF stocks.

[Electrocardiogram in pulmonary heart disease--clinical evaluation of right chest leads].

A clinical study was made to evaluate the usefulness of electrocardiograms in right precordial leads (V3r or V4R) for the diagnosis of cardiac complications among patients with chronic pulmonary disease. Walsh and colleagues reported that the change of direction in the terminal vector of QRS loop in the vector cardiogram is useful for the evaluation of chronic pulmonary heart disease. They showed that the terminal vectors of QRS loops tend to deviate to the right and/or posterior direction in the early stage of chronic pulmonary heart disease. We utilized the electrocardiograms in the right precordial leads to detect the second R waves, which are thought to reflect the terminal vectors of QRS loops in the vectorcardiograms. When the electrocardiograms in the right precordial leads were compared, the second R waves in leads V3R or V4R were more frequently observed among patients with chronic pulmonary heart disease than those without. However, in the same two groups, the frequency of second R waves in leads V5R or V6R didn't differ. We conclude that the second R waves in leads V3R or V4R in a patient with chronic lung disease suggest the presence of chronic pulmonary heart disease as a complication.