Evaluation of different dietary additives based on growth performance,innate immunity and disease resistance in juvenile Amur catfish,Silurus asotus

Three different dietary additives were evaluated based on growth performance, innate immune responses and disease resistance in juvenile Amur catfish Silurus asotus. Four diets were prepared by supplementing 0.4% Song-gang® stone (SG), 0.05% Yucca meal (YM), 0.05% β-glucan (BG) in combination with 0.04% SG and 0.05% BG (SG + BG) to a basal commercial diet (control; CONT). Triplicate groups of fish averaging 4.95 ± 0.05 g were fed one of the test diets between 3 and 5% body weight for 8 weeks. At the end of the feeding trial, weight gain, specific growth rate, feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio of fish fed SG and SG + BG were significantly higher than those of fish fed the BG and CONT diets (P < 0.05). Lysozyme activity in fish fed the SG, YM, and SG + BG diets was significantly higher than those of fish fed the CONT diet. Super oxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly higher among fish fed the SG, YM, BG and SG + BG diets than fish fed the CONT diet. After 14 days challenge test with Edwardsiella tarda, cumulative survival rates of fish fed the SG and SG + BG diets were significantly higher than those of fish fed the BG and CONT diets. Results revealed that dietary SG or SG + BG diets had positive responses over other additives in juvenile Amur catfish. However, Song-gang® stone is proposed to be a cheaper dietary additive contributing 0.04 cents/kg of feed based on economic point of view.     

Protective effect of butylated hydroxylanisole against hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is a synthetic phenolic compound consisting of a mixture of two isomeric organic compounds: 2-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole. We examined the effect of BHA against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced apoptosis in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes. Cell viability was significantly decreased by H₂O₂ in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, H₂O₂ treatment increased Bax, decreased Bcl-2, and promoted PARP-1 cleavage in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment with BHA before exposure to H₂O₂ significantly attenuated the H₂O₂-induced decrease of cell viability. H₂O₂ exposure resulted in an increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation that was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with BHA or N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC, an ROS scavenger). H₂O₂-induced decrease of cell viability was also attenuated by pretreatment with BHA and NAC. Furthermore, H₂O₂-induced increase of Bax, decrease of Bcl-2, and PARP-1 cleavage was also inhibited by BHA. Taken together, results of this investigation demonstrated that BHA protects primary cultured mouse hepatocytes against H₂O₂-induced apoptosis by inhibiting ROS generation.     

Productive efficiency of the sandfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arctoscopus japonicus</Emphasis> coastal gillnet fishery using stochastic frontier analysis

It is important to estimate the productive efficiencies of industries, especially the fishing industry, in order to determine policies that can improve business conditions. In this study, the productive efficiency of the sandfish coastal gillnet fishery on the east coast of Korea has been estimated using stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). A translog production function wherein the inefficiency was represented by a truncated-normal distribution was established; the output variable was the trip production quantity, the input variables were physical production factors directly related to the fishing activities of vessels, such as tonnage, horsepower, and the number of employed fishers. The average productive efficiency of the sample was 0.59 [0.40–0.79], which implied that productive inefficiency occurs in sandfish coastal gillnet vessels. Moreover, it was verified that there are no differences among the average productive efficiencies of fishing vessels of different tonnages.     

Review of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eilema</Emphasis> group of lichen moths from South Korea,with description of one new species (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini)

This review details the Korean species of the Eilema group in the subfamily Arctiinae of Erebidae: 19 species in five genera (Manulea, Collita, Katha, Dolgoma, and Wittia), a new species (Collita hwacheonensis Bayarsaikhan & Bae, sp. nov.), and an unrecorded species [C. vetusta aegrota (Butler 1877)]. All species are diagnosed, and figures of the adults and genitalia and a key to species based on male genital structure of Eilema group in South Korea are included.     

Impact of Buckwheat Flavonoids on In Vitro Starch Digestibility and Noodle‐Making Properties

The effects of various buckwheat materials (buckwheat flour [BF], dietary fiber extract [DE], flavonoids extract [FE], and rutin‐enhanced flavonoids extract [REFE]) on starch digestibility and noodle‐making properties were evaluated. When FE and REFE were incorporated into noodles, the amount of rapidly digestible starch and the predicted glycemic index (pGI) were reduced. However, BF and DE did not significantly decrease the pGI value of noodles. When assessing noodle properties, hardness was increased with increasing content of buckwheat materials, whereas other texture parameters were not significantly affected by buckwheat addition. All noodles were similar in regard to water absorption and swelling index, but cooking loss was slightly increased in FE and REFE noodles. FE and REFE demonstrated higher flavonoid stability during noodle making and, additionally, were more effective at reducing starch digestibility than BF and DE. REFE, specifically, does not generate quercetin (the cause of a bitter taste), and, therefore, REFE was effective in suppressing the hydrolysis of starch in the noodles, lowering the pGI.     

Statistical analysis of interactive cytotoxicity in human epidermal keratinocytes following exposure to a mixture of four metals

Exposure to mixtures of chemicals is an important and relevant environmental issue. Of particular interest is the detection and characterization of departure of biological effects from additivity. Methodology based on the assumption of additivity is used in fitting single-chemicaldata. Interactionsare determined and characterized by making comparisons between the observed and predicted responses at mixtures along a fixed ratio ray of the component substances. Two simultaneous tests are developed for testing for any departure from additivity. Multiple comparisons procedures are used to compare observed responses to that predicted under additivity. A simultaneous confidence band on the predicted responses along the mixture ray is also developed. The methods are illustrated with cytotoxicity data that arise when human epidermal keratinocytes are exposed to a mixture of arsenic, chromium, cadmium, and lead. Synergistic, antagonistic, and additive cytotoxicities were observed at different dose levels of the four-metal mixture.     

Mechanical properties and water-vapor permeability of soy-protein films affected by calcium salts and glucono-delta-lactone

Edible films were prepared from solutions of soy protein with calcium salts and glucono-delta-lactone (GDL). Calcium salts cross-linking interactions with soy-protein isolate (SPI) could result in the formation of films with rigid three-dimensional structure. GDL contributed to the formation of a homogeneous film structure due to increased protein--solvent attraction. Tensile strength (TS) of calcium sulfate treated SPI film (8.6 MPa) was higher than the TS of calcium chloride treated SPI films (6.4 MPa) and the control SPI film (5.5 MPa). Puncture strength (PS) of calcium sulfate treated SPI film (9.8 MPa) was higher than the PS of calcium chloride treated SPI films (8.5 MPa) and the control SPI film (5.9 MPa). SPI film formulated with GDL had larger elongation at break (39.4%) than that of SPI control film (18.2%). Calcium salts and GDL-treated SPI films had lower water-vapor permeability than the SPI control film.     

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure in the Heavily Exploited Korean Rockfish,Sebastes schlegeli,in Korea

The Korean rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli, is a valuable and intensively exploited species in Korea. We discuss the genetic diversity and genetic structure of four Korean rockfish populations using eight microsatellite loci. In total, 161 different alleles from 138 individuals were observed. Average allele number per locus ranged from 2.5 to 23 and allelic richness varied from 13.38 to 14.63 within a population. Despite a long history of stocking practices, we found very high levels of polymorphism (mean heterozygosity = 0.810), which is comparable to other congeneric species. No significant difference in genetic diversity and molecular genetic variance (F_ST and R_ST) was observed among four local samples (P > 0.1). Little indication of contemporary inbreeding (F_IS= 0.051) or population structure (K = 1) was detected. This absence of differentiation may reflect high levels of gene flow along the coast of Korea. Our study demonstrates that rockfish in Korea should be managed as a single unit. Currently, the species does not appear to be genetically threatened, but the potential for a rapid loss of genetic diversity remains. This information on the genetic characteristics of Korean rockfish populations has important implications for fisheries management and conservation efforts, and will aid in the sustainable exploitation of the fishing resources and the preservation of biodiversity.     

Size selectivity of Korean flounder (Glyptocephalus stelleri) by gillnets and trammel nets using an extension of SELECT for experiments with differing mesh sizes

In 2008, Korean flounder (Glyptocephalus stelleri) was designated by the Korean Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as a species for restoration in the coastal waters of Korea. However, there are currently no regulations regarding the minimum landed size of flounder, or the minimum legal mesh size used by the coastal gillnet and trammel net fisheries. Selectivity experiments for gillnets and trammel nets were conducted using commercial vessels in several areas off the eastern coast of Korea between October 2006 and June 2009. The selectivity analysis required an adaption of the SELECT method because trammel net mesh sizes were altered part-way through the experiment. Gillnet and trammel net selectivity was best described using a bi-modal selection curve. The two gears were found to have different selection curves for a given mesh size. The length of maximum retention was similar for the two gears, but the selection curve of the trammel net was substantially wider than that of the gillnet. For the largest size of mesh used in the commercial fishery (8.5 cm stretched), 50% relative retention was estimated to occur at a length of 20.4 cm for the trammel net, and 22.5 cm for the gillnet. In comparison, the length of 50% maturity for this species is approximately 26 cm. As there are currently no size restrictions on landings of Korean flounder, these results suggest that use of these gears may pose a serious threat to local stocks of this species.