Exploring the Impact of Human-Animal Connections and Trust in Labeling Consumers' Intentions to Buy Cage-Free Eggs: Findings from Taiwan

Recently, interest in animal welfare has steadily increased, driven by a growing focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. This trend aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. This underscores the importance of comprehending consumer attitudes towards products that are respectful to animal welfare. This research aims to employ the Value-Attitude-Behavior (VAB) model as a theoretical basis to explore the behavioral intentions of Taiwanese consumers to buy cage-free eggs. To provide comprehensive insights into consumer behavior in this domain, the study examines key variables such as 'human-nature connectedness', 'trust in labels', and 'attitude towards animal welfare'. By addressing an existing research gap in the literature and exploring consumer behavior in relation to animal welfare-friendly products, the research contributes to an area that has received limited attention. We gathered a total of 341 valid questionnaires for this research. Employing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) along with Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE), we investigated the causal connections between variables. The study presents three key observations: First, consumers who value sustainability and ethics tend to maintain a positive perspective on free-range eggs. Second, a favorable stance towards cage-free eggs directly correlates with positive future behaviors. Lastly, label trustworthiness and a supportive view towards animal welfare heavily affect behavioral intentions in consumers. Given these insights and the growing significance of animal welfare in consumer choices, we recommend that participants in the food and livestock sector earnestly advocate for and back practices that prioritize animal well-being.

Methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism in date palms (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and their off-shoots

DNA methylation plays an important role in the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. In this study, the extent and patterns of DNA methylation were assessed in date palm mother-plants and their off-shoots using the methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) technique. Three types of bands were generated using 12 pairs of primers. Type I were present in both ECOR I + HPA II and ECOR I + MSP I lanes; type II were present in ECOR I + HPA II lanes, but not in ECOR I + MSP I lanes; and type III bands were present in ECOR I + MSP I lanes, but not in ECOR I + HPA II lanes. The total numbers of these three types of bands were 782, 55, and 34, respectively. Among these three types of bands, the polymorphic bands were, respectively, 37, 10, and 0. The distribution of polymorphic bands among mother-plants and off-shoots suggests the methylation variation was present in both the mother-plants and off-shoots. Forty- four out of these 47 polymorphic bands show clear difference between mother-plant and off-shoots: 38 were present only in off-shoots and 6 in both mother-plants and off-shoots. Compared to methylation status in mother-plants, the methylation variation during off-shoot growth of date palm can be characterized as a process involving primarily de-methylation. Hypomethylation of DNA in off-shoots, compared with mother-plants, reflects the marked expression of this molecular feature, which may be related to gene expression during off-shoot development. The methylation or de-methylation status of specific loci in the mother-plants and their off-shoots were probably random events.

AFLP analysis of nephthytis (Syngonium podophyllum Schott) selected from somaclonal variants

This study analyzed genetic differences of 19 cultivars selected from somaclonal variants of Syngonium podophyllum Schott along with their parents as well as seven additional Syngonium species and six other aroids using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers generated by 12 primer sets. Among the 19 somaclonal cultivars, 'Pink Allusion' was selected from 'White Butterfly'. Tissue culture of 'Pink Allusion' through organogenesis resulted in the development of 13 additional cultivars. Self-pollination of 'Pink Allusion' obtained a cultivar, 'Regina Red Allusion', and tissue culture propagation of 'Regina Red Allusion' led to the release of five other cultivars. The 12 primer sets generated a total of 1,583 scorable fragments from all accessions, of which 1,284 were polymorphic (81.9%). The percentages of polymorphic fragments within 'White Butterfly' and 'Regina Red Allusion' groups, however, were only 1.2% and 0.4%, respectively. Jaccard's similarity coefficients among somaclonal cultivars derived from 'White Butterfly' and 'Regina Red Allusion', on average, were 0.98 and 0.99, respectively. Seven out of the 15 cultivars from the 'White Butterfly' group and three out of six from the 'Regina Red Allusion' group were clearly distinguished by AFLP analysis as unique fragments were associated with respective cultivars. The unsuccessful attempt to distinguish the remaining eight cultivars from the 'White Butterfly' group and three from the 'Regina Red Allusion' group was not attributed to experimental errors or the number of primer sets used; rather it is hypothesized to be caused by DNA methylation and/or some rare mutations. This study also calls for increased genetic diversity of cultivated Syngonium as they are largely derived from somaclonal variants.

Randomized, double-blind comparison of irbesartan and enalapril for treatment of mild to moderate hypertension

BACKGROUND

Irbesartan is a newly developed angiotensin II receptor antagonist. Its antihypertensive efficacy and safety in Taiwanese patients with mild to moderate hypertension remains to be determined.

METHODS

This was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, parallel group study. One hundred and sixteen patients from three centers were enrolled. After a placebo lead-in period of 14 days, 55 patients (24-75 years-of-age) who had a mean seated diastolic blood pressure of 95 to 110 mmHg were randomized to once-daily treatment with irbesartan 150 mg or enalapril 10 mg. Doses were doubled at week 4 if trough seated diastolic blood pressure was 90 mmHg or more. Trough blood pressure was measured at zero, two, four and eight weeks of treatment.

RESULTS

Both treatments lowered blood pressure with no significant difference in efficacy between treatment groups. Irbesartan 150 mg to 300 mg provided reductions in trough seated systolic and diastolic blood pressures at week 8 of -16.5 mmHg and -7.2 mmHg, respectively, with 36% of patients having a favorable response. Similarly, enalapril 10 mg to 20 mg reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure by -10.6 mmHg and -5.0 mmHg, respectively, with a response rate of 43%. Headache, malaise and dizziness were the major adverse reactions observed in both groups. The incidence of drug-related cough was significantly higher with enalapril (18%) than with irbesartan (0%).

CONCLUSIONS

Irbesartan 150 mg to 300 mg once daily was as effective in lowering blood pressure as enalapril 10 mg to 20 mg once daily. Both irbesartan and enalapril were well tolerated, while there was a significantly lower incidence of cough with irbesartan compared with enalapril.

Genetic Analysis of Avirulence/Virulence of an Isolate of Magnaporthe grisea from a Rice Field in Texas

ABSTRACT An isolate of Magnaporthe grisea, Tm4, from a rice field in Texas was crossed with a fertile laboratory strain, 70-6. The progenies showed segregation of avirulence/virulence on rice cvs. Newbonnet, Lemont, Lebonnet, Leah, and Katy. The avirulent/virulent segregation ratios were 29:6 on Newbonnet, Lemont, and Lebonnet; 28:7 on Leah; and 33:2 on Katy. There was cosegregation on the first three cultivars. Several avirulent progenies were backcrossed to virulent parent 70-6. Three generations of backcrossing avirulent progenies to 70-6 led to segregation ratios that suggested certain strains had only one avirulence gene. Strains avirulent only on cv. Katy or only on cvs. Newbonnet, Lemont, and Lebonnet were test crossed with virulent siblings. Strains that gave progeny ratios approximating 1 avirulent:1 virulent when crossed with virulent siblings were selected for further test crossing. Intercrosses between strains with possible single avirulence genes were made to determine whether these strains had the same or different avirulence genes. Many lines still segregated two genes for avirulence after three generations of backcrossing. This is based on the recovery of virulent progenies from crossing two avirulent siblings.

Inhibitory effect of ethanol on voltage-dependent potassium currents in single aortic smooth muscle cells

The effect of ethanol on voltage-dependent K+ currents was examined in single aortic smooth muscle cells. The aortic smooth muscle cells were isolated from guinea pigs. The tight-seal patch clamp technique in whole cell configuration was employed. Ethanol (500 mM) reversibly inhibited voltage-dependent transient outward K+ current, the spontaneous transient oscillatory K+ current (STOC) and steady-state K+ current, whereas ethanol (50 mM) did not produce any change in these K+ currents. When the peak-height amplitudes of STOC were analyzed, the application of ethanol (50 mM) was noted to produce significant inhibition on both amplitude and frequency of STOC evoked at the holding potential of +10 mV. The results shown in the present study indicate that ethanol-induced inhibition of the voltage-dependent K+ channel, which is not required for the elicitation of either GTP-binding protein(s) or inositol triphosphate, may contribute to its vasoconstrictor effect because the inhibition of the voltage-dependent K+ channel may lead to the increase of cell excitability in vascular smooth muscle.

Islet allograft survival after a single course of treatment of recipient with antibody to L3T4

Allografts of pancreatic islets of Langerhans were induced to survive for an indefinite period in diabetic mice if, at the time of engraftment, the mice received a single course of treatment with a monoclonal antibody directed against the L3T4 determinant, a nonpolymorphic cell surface glycoprotein present on the cell surface of the murine T helper-inducer lymphocyte subset. This treatment allowed the survival of islets of Langerhans transplanted across a major histocompatibility barrier without additional immunosuppression. The results demonstrate that the lymphocyte subset defined by the expression of the L3T4 molecules is central to the induction of allograft rejection and provides a model for tolerance induction for organ allograft transplantation.