Performance of agency-managed and farmer-managed irrigation systems: A comparative case study at Chitwan, Nepal

Management reforms are considered one of the best alternatives in increasing efficiency of the irrigation systems. Transfer of day-to-day operation and maintenance to farmers is not a new concept. However due to lags, even now it is a hot issue in developing countries and Nepal is not an exception. In this context of growing argument about the transfer of management of public irrigation systems to the Water Users' Group, this paper examines the comparative performance of farmer-managed and agency-managed irrigation systems. Khageri Irrigation System in the Chitwan district of Nepal was taken as the study site where complete management transfer has been done in 1996. The situations before and after complete transfer were compared. Intensive case studies of the selected farmers showed that equity in distribution of water and leakage had significantly improved after management transfer. Logit analysis revealed that age and education level of the household head, distance from main canal, leakage of the canal and equity in distribution are significantly related to the satisfaction level of the beneficiary farmers from FMIS compared to AMIS. However, landholding size of the respondent farmer has no significant effect. Similarly results from t-test revealed that rice productivity and overall profits from agriculture has also increased significantly due to irrigation management transfer.     

GM1 gangliosidosis in a Japanese domestic cat: a new variant identified in Hokkaido,Japan

A male Japanese domestic cat with retarded growth in Hokkaido, Japan, showed progressive motor dysfunction, such as ataxia starting at 3 months of age and tremors, visual disorder and seizure after 4 months of age. Finally, the cat died of neurological deterioration at 9 months of age. Approximately half of the peripheral blood lymphocytes had multiple abnormal vacuoles. Magnetic resonance imaging showed bisymmetrical hyperintensity in the white matter of the parietal and occipital lobes in the forebrain on T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images, and mild encephalatrophy of the olfactory bulbs and temporal lobes. The activity of lysosomal acid β-galactosidase in leukocytes was negligible, resulting in the biochemical diagnosis of GM1 gangliosidosis. Histologically, swollen neurons characterized by accumulation of pale, slightly granular cytoplasmic materials were observed throughout the central nervous system. Dysmyelination or demyelination and gemistocytic astrocytosis were observed in the white matter. Ultrastructually, membranous cytoplasmic bodies were detected in the lysosomes of neurons. However, genetic analysis did not identify the c.1448G>C mutation, which is the single known mutation of feline GM1 gangliosidosis, suggesting that the cat was affected with a new variant of the feline disease.     

Beneficial effects on meat quality of yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata induced by diets containing red pepper

The meat quality of farmed yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata fed on extruded pellets (EP) containing 0.5% (v/v) red pepper (experimental group) was compared with yellowtail of the same age fed on EP (control group). In 1-year-old yellowtail, the crude lipid content of the dorsal muscle of the experimental group tended to be lower than that of the control group. In contrast, there was no difference in the lipid content of the dorsal muscle between the control group and the experimental group in 2-year-old yellowtail. The muscle texture of the experimental group was significantly firmer than that of the control group, with the effect of red pepper unrelated to fish age and lipid content. Color change of red muscle of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group, and the content of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in the red muscle was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group. These results are the first to demonstrate that the inclusion of red pepper in the diet is able to reduce the loss of muscle texture firmness and to slow down color change in red muscle of yellowtail.     

Comparison of flower color with anthocyanin composition patterns in evergreen azalea

In evergreen azaleas, major anthocyanins were detected from petals of wild species and cultivars by HPLC analysis. Depending on flower color, all samples were divided into three groups: red, purple or white, using the Japan color standard for horticultural plants. The chromatic components a* and b* values of red group samples showed a convergent distribution, whereas those of purple group samples showed a wider distribution. According to the HPLC analysis, red group samples had two to four major anthocyanins, and those of the purple group had two to six major ones. In contrast, no anthocyanins were detected in the white group petals, although anthocyanidins were detected. These results suggest that the anthocyanin constitution of the purple group flowers is more varied than that of the red group flowers, and this wider variety among purple flowers contributes to extending the diversity of flower color in evergreen azalea.     

Immunohistochemical study on changes in gill Na+/K+-ATPase α-subunit during smoltification in the wild masu salmon, Oncorhynchus masou

Changes in immunoreactivity of Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase -subunit in gill sections of wild masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) during the parr-smolt transformation (smoltification) were compared with changes in gill Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase specific activity. Gill Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase specific activity increased from April and peaked in May. Immunohistochemical analysis, using an antiserum against a synthetic oligopeptide based on the conserved region of the Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase -subunit, revealed that immunoreactivity was confined to chloride cells in the surface layer of primary lamellae and the proximal end of secondary lamellae. The size and number of these cells increased gradually from February to May; however, the number of chloride cells of the secondary lamellae decreased in May. These data suggest that the synthesis of Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase and the proliferation of chloride cells occur prior to the elevation of enzyme activity. Moreover, it is likely the proliferation and hypertrophy of chloride cells on primary lamellae prepare smolts for entry into seawater and migration in the ocean.     

Influence of volcanic ash sediments on spore adhesion of the red alga Gelidium elegans from the coastal seabed around Miyakejima Island, Japan

The populations of red alga Gelidium elegans along the coast of Miyakejima Island were severely damaged by a volcanic eruption in 2000. The effect of this volcanic eruption has been long lasting, and populations of this red alga still have not recovered. We investigated the effect of seabed sediment particles derived from volcanic ash on the substrate adhesion of G.?elegans spores. The analysis provides evidence that increasing amounts of sediment particles result in lower adhesion rates of G.?elegans spores, and that smaller sediment particles have a greater influence on adhesion. The amount of seabed sediment particles around Miyakejima Island was 9.3?C1815.4?mg/cm². This amount has changed greatly from year to year. The adhesion rate of G.?elegans spores in water around Miyakejima Island was 0?% at all points in 2008 and 2010, but it was estimated as 6.3?C38.6?% in 2009. These results suggest that there is significant inhibition of algal spore adhesion by seabed sediment particles derived from volcanic ash around Miyakejima Island.     

Intrapancreatic accessory spleen mimicking pancreatic insulinoma with intrapancreatic metastasis in a cat

An 11-year-old neutered male Domestic Shorthair cat presented with a 3-month history of hypoglycemia, two episodes of seizure, and intermittent tick-like signs. Serum biochemistry revealed severe hypoglycemia associated with high insulin concentrations. Dynamic abdominal computed tomography (CT) indicated two pancreatic masses, which were enhanced most during the late arterial phase but had different degrees and variations of attenuation. Partial pancreatectomy was performed. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed that one mass was an insulinoma and the other was an ectopic splenic tissue, consistent with the differences in imaging findings. When an intrapancreatic lesion with hyper-attenuation on dynamic abdominal CT is detected, not only insulinoma or metastasis of malignancies but also intrapancreatic accessory spleen (IPAS) should be considered as differential diagnoses.     

Kinetic Parameters of Gross N Mineralization of Peat Soils as Related to the Composition of Soil Organic Matter

Peat land has been considered as an alternative type of land for agricultural development especially in the tropics. In the present study, the N-supplying capacity, one of the most important soil properties in terms of crop production, of peat soils was examined. Ten peat soil samples were collected from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Japan. Gross N mineralization in the soil samples was estimated using a zero-order model, and kinetic parameters of mineralization were determined using a simple type model. Soil organic matter composition was investigated using ¹³C CPMAS NMR. Mineralization potential ( N ₀), apparent activation energy ( E _a), and mineralization rate constant ( k ) ranged between 571–2,445 mg kg⁻¹, 281–8,181 J mol⁻¹, and 0.009–0.020 d⁻¹, respectively. Although none of the parameters showed a significant correlation with the soil C/N ratio, a negative correlation was observed between the k value and the ratio of the proportion of alkyl C in total C to that of O -alkyl C estimated by ¹³C CPMAS NMR. The latter suggested that the k values were higher in the peat soils relatively rich in readily decomposable organic matter including carbohydrates.