Pharmacokinetics and effects on clinical and physiological parameters following a single bolus dose of propofol in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

The objectives of this study were (a) to establish a population pharmacokinetic model and (b) to investigate the clinical and physiological effects of a single bolus dose of propofol in common marmosets. In Study 1, pharmacokinetic analysis was performed in six marmosets under sevoflurane anaesthesia. 8 mg/kg of propofol was administrated at a rate of 4 mg kg^?1 min^?1. Blood samples were collected 2, 5, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120 or 180 min after starting propofol administration. Plasma concentration was measured, and population pharmacokinetic modelling was performed. A two‐compartment model was selected as the final model. The population pharmacokinetic parameters were as follows: V₁ = 1.14 L, V₂ = 77.6 L, CL₁ = 0.00182 L/min, CL₂ = 0.0461 L/min. In Study 2, clinical and physiological parameters were assessed and recorded every 2 min after 12 mg/kg of propofol was administrated at a rate of 4 mg kg^?1 min^?1. Immobilization was sustained for 5 min following propofol administration without apparent bradycardia. While combination of propofol and sevoflurane caused apnoea in Study 1, apnoea was not observed following single administration of propofol in Study 2. These data provide bases for further investigation on intravenous anaesthesia using propofol in common marmosets.     

Effects of thyroxine,cod liver oil and potassium iodide on growth and survival of juvenile seahorse,Hippocampus barbouri

Low survival at early stage is the bottleneck in seahorse aquaculture, particularly in the feeding aspect since newborn seahorses must feed immediately upon birth to sustain themselves. Seahorses are visual predator, therefore preferred live feed such as zooplankton. In aquaculture, the most common live feed used is Artemia. In this study, two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of different Artemia enrichment on the growth and survival of newborn Hippocampus barbouri. In the first experiment, six treatments using Artemia enriched with Culture Selco Plus? (SELCO), thyroxine (T4), potassium iodide (KI), cod liver oil (CLO), cod liver oil in combination with thyroxine (CLO + T4) and potassium iodide (CLO+KI) were fed to newborn H. barbouri. Newly hatched Artemia were used as control. At the end of first experiment, treatments using CLO + T4 produced juvenile H. barbouri with the best (p < .05) wet weight (0.142 ± 0.000 g), while juvenile in treatment CLO+KI recorded the highest (p < .05) standard length (3.947 ± 0.014 cm). Subsequently, a second experiment was carried out using the two best enrichment (CLO + T4 and CLO + KI) from the first experiment, but given at different frequency (daily, twice a week, once a week, once in 2 weeks). Daily enrichment using both CLO + T4 and CLO + KI showed no significant (p > .05) difference in growth performance and survival of juvenile of H. barbouri. Interestingly, juvenile fed CLO + T4 enriched Artemia at frequency of twice a week also has no significant difference (p > .05) in survival and growth performance (except for final standard length) when compared with treatment CLO + T4 at daily frequency.     

Anthracnose of Japanese radish caused by Colletotrichum dematium

Anthracnose of Japanese radish found in Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures was demonstrated to be caused by Colletotrichum dematium based on inoculation experiments and morphological and molecular identification of the pathogenic fungus. Although symptoms of Japanese radish anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum higginsianum were similar to those caused by C. dematium, damage by the latter pathogen was more severe than that by C. higginsianum.     

松萝酸的防腐作用研究

以西藏色季拉山长松萝为材料,乙酸乙酯为溶剂回流提取制备松萝酸,并采用滤纸片法对提取物松萝酸进行了抑菌活性和最小抑制浓度测定,同时以苯甲酸为对照,研究了松萝酸的防腐作用。结果表明,松萝酸对细菌、霉菌和酵母菌的生长均有明显的抑制作用;将用松萝酸处理的鲜猪肉、豆腐和牛奶放入37℃的恒温培养箱中1周后,其菌数均不超过5×108／g(mL),而对照不低于15×10-8／g(mL)。细菌菌落数的明显减少表明,松萝酸具有一定的防腐效果;但与相同浓度的苯甲酸相比,松萝酸的抑菌防腐效果稍差。     

Inhibitory effects of lignans on the activity of human matrix metalloproteinase 7 (matrilysin)

Inhibitory effects of nine dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans on a human matrix metalloproteinase, matrilysin, were examined. All of the lignans examined inhibited matrilysin with the IC(50) values ranging from 50 to >280 microM. Matairesinol, which has the basic structure of the other lignans, showed the weakest inhibition. Lignans with methylenedioxy ring(s) or a hydroxyl group at the C5-position inhibited matrilysin more strongly than matairesinol. 5-Hydroxypluviatolide, which has both a methylenedioxy ring and a hydroxyl group at the C5-position, was the most potent inhibitor (IC(50) = 50 microM), suggesting that the introduction of these two elements might enhance synergistically the inhibitory activity of lignans. 5-Hydroxypluviatolide inhibited matrilysin in a competitive manner, and its inhibitory effect was greatly suppressed by the presence of another competitive inhibitor, dimethyl sulfoxide. The precursors of matairesinol, coniferyl alcohol and secoisolariciresinol, had no inhibitory activity, indicating that the dibenzylbutyrolactone structure is essential for the inhibition. It has been shown that lignans have the potential to inhibit matrilysin, and the knowledge of their structure-activity relationship might be beneficial to developing selective inhibitors for matrix metalloproteinases.     

Ray speck of chrysanthemum caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stemphylium lycopersici</Emphasis> in Japan

A new disease of chrysanthemum causing ray speck was found in Okinoerabu island, Kagoshima, Japan in March 2006. Small reddish-brown lesions were observed on the ray florets of the chrysanthemum (cv. Anastasia). The causal fungus was exclusively isolated from the lesions, and typical symptoms were reproduced after inoculation with the isolate. The causal fungus was identified as Stemphylium lycopersici (Enjoji) Yamamoto based on morphology and the sequences of rDNA-ITS and the gpd gene regions. The name, “sho-hanten-byo”, in Japanese is proposed for this ray speck disease.     

西藏长松萝浸提物抑菌作用研究

用苯、乙酸乙酯、乙醇、水等4种溶剂对长松萝进行浸提。浸提物抑菌试验表明,苯、乙酸乙酯、乙醇的浸提物对霉菌、细菌、酵母菌、植物病原菌有抑制作用,而水提物对所示菌种无抑制作用。     

Isolation and identification of indigenous marine diatoms (Bacillariophyta) for biomass production in open raceway ponds

For the successful, large‐scale cultivation of microalgae, which for our work refers to diatoms, it is important to select the appropriate species for the right environment. Intensive research on the growth of different strains of microalgae from several regions worldwide is an ongoing effort. The aim of our research in this context was to select the best isolates of diatoms from different coastal sites in Oman, a region whose flora is poorly known, and identify these species using molecular (nuclear‐encoded small subunit ribosomal RNA and chloroplast‐encoded rbcL and psbC) and morphologic data. We aimed also to investigate and measure the growth rate, biomass production and fatty acid composition under ambient environmental conditions. Our results showed that in contrast to most of the research reported in the literature, the production of biomass from six isolates has been successfully carried out with reduced amounts of nutrients and without CO₂ addition. Growth rates for species cultivated outdoors were high and ranged from 0.37 to 0.92 day^?1. These findings are economically very promising as fast growth rates, associated with reduced operational costs, could remarkably improve the production efficiency and thereby justify their use as biomass feedstocks. Molecular data revealed that one isolate was Bellerochea malleus, four isolates represented an unidentified species of Bellerochea and the remaining strain studied represented an unidentified species of the genus Nitzschia. These six strains were rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, with an average of 47% of the total fatty acids, confirming their potential use as aquaculture feed supplements.