Studies on the Maturation and Spawning of Milkfish Chanos chanos Forsskal in a Photoperiod-Controlled Room

Progress in propagation of milkfish has been impeded by the shortage of mature broodstock. This study was a first step toward revealing the environmental cues for the maturation of milkfish. Experiments were carried out during 1978-1985 in an indoor tank (5.2 × 4.8 × 13 m) under photoperiod control and in an outdoor tank (63 × 5.4 × 13 m). In two controlled, long-photoperiod regime experiments, 86 and 83% of the fish matured, the highest percentages yet reported. In these experiments, milkfish matured one month earlier than the normal spawning season, two months after the fish were exposed to the long daylight regime. Only 21% of the fish under a natural photoperiod regime in the outdoor tank matured. Results of the current study suggest that a change and increase in photoperiod are necessary for the onset of maturation.     

Rotifers fed various diets of baker''s yeast and/or Nannochloropsis oculata and their effect on the growth and survival of striped mullet (Mugil cephalus) and milkfish (Chanos chanos) larvae

The rotifer Brachionus plicatilis (S-type Hawaiian strain) was cultured with various combinations of baker's yeast and Nannochloropsis oculata. There were no significant differences in the daily rotifer production and amino acid profiles of the resulting rotifers. The significantly lower levels of fatty acids (C14, C16, C20:4n−6, C20:5n−3 and C22:6n−3) observed in the rotifers were found to correspond with the amount of yeast presented in their diet. The low survival and growth of striped mullet larvae recorded at Day 15 posthatching indicates that rotifers fed only yeast were nutritionally deficient in fatty acids. The fatty acid requirements of mullet, however, appeared to be satisfied with rotifers cultured on a combination of yeast and N. oculata. In contrast, no significant differences in larval milkfish survival and growth at Day 10 posthatching were detected when using rotifers fed the various diets in the larval rearing protocol.     

Cholesterol-lowering effects of plant steryl and stanyl laurate by oral administration in mice

The present study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of synthesized plant steryl and stanyl laurate in lowering the cholesterol level and to further examine the cholesterol-lowering potential of the free plant sterols and stanols dissolved in liquid emulsion on serum and liver lipids in mice by oral administration. Experimental results showed that both plant steryl and stanyl laurate could significantly decrease the serum levels of TC, LDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C, and liver cholesterol contents and markedly increase fecal cholesterol concentrations but have no effect on serum TAG level, indicating that the produced plant steryl and stanyl laurate retained the cholesterol-lowering potential of natural plant sterols and stanols. However, no statistical difference in cholesterol-lowering efficacy was observed between plant steryl laurate and plant stanyl laurate, and free plant sterols and stanols dissolved in liquid emulsion could also significantly decrease serum cholesterol levels and markedly increase fecal cholesterol excretion. These results suggested that the esterified plant sterols/stanols had comparable effects to the free plant sterols/stanols in lowering serum TC levels but that they did gain a solubility advantage from the free plant sterols/stanols. Therefore, plant steryl/stanyl laurate could be considered as a potential nutraceutical or functional ingredient to reduce or prevent atherosclerosis and its related complications.     

烟草根际土壤中解钾细菌的分离与多样性分析

土壤中含有丰富的钾元素,但主要以缓效态形式存在于钾长石或云母等硅酸盐矿物中,不能被作物直接吸收利用。解钾微生物能溶解硅酸盐矿物中的钾,提高土壤中作物可利用钾的含量,有望缓解我国钾肥短缺的现状。本研究利用选择性培养基,从烟草根际筛选钾细菌,基于16S rDNA序列分析烟草根际土壤解钾细菌的多样性,通过测定解钾细菌的解钾效能及对烟草的促生作用,筛选有应用潜力的优良解钾细菌菌株。结果表明,从四川、湖北和山东烟区烟草根际土壤分离获得的27株解钾细菌,在解钾固体培养上溶钾圈直径为0.11~0.30 cm。16S rDNA序列分析表明,烟草根际土壤解钾细菌主要包括变形菌门γ亚群(Gammaproteobacteria,85.18%)、变形菌门α亚群(Alphaproteobacteria,3.70%)、变形菌门β亚群(Betaproteobacteria,3.70%)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria,3.70%)和拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes,3.70%),其中克雷伯菌属(Klebsiella)为优势菌属(66.67%)。27个菌株均有一定的解钾能力,解钾活性为0.59~4.40 mg.L–1。参试菌株均对烟草有一定的促生作用,利用解钾细菌菌液处理烟株20 d后,与对照相比,株高增加0.97%~38.64%,最大叶长增加4.40%~31.02%。本研究筛选出的菌株XF11、GM2、JM19和GL7具有较高的解钾活性和促进植物生长的能力,展现了良好的应用潜力。     

Oocyte Growth in the Striped Mullet Mugil cephalus L. Maturing at Different Salinities

Profiles of oocyte growth were obtained from female striped mullet Mugil cephalus L. held in salinities ranging from fresh water to seawater during two consecutive spawning seasons (1988–1990) in Hawaii. Females underwent vitellogenesis at all salinities (i.e., 32–35, 13–20, and 0%‰) tested. Females maturing in fresh water exhibited a slower rate of oocyte growth, and a significantly lower number completed vitellogenesis. All females were induced to spawn in full seawater. The number of fertilized eggs per spawning was highest from females maturing in brackish water. More females were able to be induced to spawn twice in brackish water during the 1989–1990 season than in fresh or seawater. The results from the current investigation suggest that salinities ranging from 13–35 ppt are adequate for ovarian maturation in captive striped mullet females.