Development of fermented surimi products using simulated tofuyo processing: associated changes in chemical composition,antioxidant activities and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition

Fisheries Science - Traditional Japanese koji-fermented tofu (tofuyo) processing was simulated to make fermented seafood. The koji fermentation process at room temperature was applied to steamed...     

Genetic variants of the unsaturated fatty acid receptor GPR120 relating to obesity in dogs

G protein-coupled receptor (GPR) 120 is an unsaturated fatty acid receptor, which is associated with various physiological functions. It is reported that the genetic variant of GPR120, p.Arg270His, is detected more in obese people, and this genetic variation functionally relates to obesity in humans. Obesity is a common nutritional disorder also in dogs, but the genetic factors have not ever been identified in dogs. In this study, we investigated the molecular structure of canine GPR120 and searched for candidate genetic variants which may relate to obesity in dogs. Canine GPR120 was highly homologous to those of other species, and seven transmembrane domains and two N-glycosylation sites were conserved. GPR120 mRNA was expressed in lung, jejunum, ileum, colon, hypothalamus, hippocampus, spinal cord, bone marrow, dermis and white adipose tissues in dogs, as those in mice and humans. Genetic variants of GPR120 were explored in client-owned 141 dogs, resulting in that 5 synonymous and 4 non-synonymous variants were found. The variant c.595C>A (p.Pro199Thr) was found in 40 dogs, and the gene frequency was significantly higher in dogs with higher body condition scores, i.e. 0.320 in BCS4–5 dogs, 0.175 in BCS3 dogs and 0.000 in BCS2 dogs. We conclude that c.595C>A (p.Pro199Thr) is a candidate variant relating to obesity, which may be helpful for nutritional management of dogs.     

Evidence of LAT1 expression in canine caput epididymis

L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1), the first isotype of amino acid transport system L, transports aromatic and branched amino acids pivotal for fundamental cellular activities such cellular growth and proliferation. LAT1 expression was high only in the brain in contrast to its limited distribution and low level of expression in normal tissues. We found potent LAT1 expression in canine caput epididymis by quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis. Immnuno-histochemical examination revealed observable LAT1 in microvillous epithelial cells.     

Pharmacokinetics of metoclopramide in calves with renal dysfunction

To clarify the effect of renal dysfunction on pharmacokinetics of the prokinetic agent metoclopramide (MCP), we administered intravenously 0.4 mg/kg MCP to healthy calves and calves subjected to right kidney vessel ligation (ligation) without or with a subsequent left nephrectomy (ligation plus removal). Plasma MCP concentration, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and plasma prolactin level were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, simplified equation using iodixanol and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Only in calves with ligation plus removal, plasma MCP concentrations were increased significantly 6, 8 and 12 hr after injection, showing that a negative correlation was observed between the plasma MCP concentrations and GFR value. A tendency to increase in plasma PRL concentration was noted also in these calves. In conclusions, plasma MCP concentrations depend on the GFR mode in calves, and its critical GFR value was estimated.     

Fatigue of structural plywood under cyclic shear through thickness I: fatigue process and failure criterion based on strain energy

The fatigue behavior of plywood specimens under shear through thickness was examined on the basis of strain energy to obtain common empirical equations for the fatigue process and failure criterion under various loading conditions. Specimens were cut from commercial plywood panels of 9-mm thickness. Loading conditions were set as follows: a square waveform at a loading frequency of 0.5 Hz, a triangular waveform at 0.5 Hz, and a triangular waveform at 5.0 Hz. Peak stress applied was determined to be 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9 of static strength, that is, stress levels of 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9. The stress-strain relationships were measured throughout the fatigue test, and the strain energy was obtained at each loading cycle. Loading conditions apparently affected the relationship between stress level and fatigue life. On the other hand, the relationship between mean strain energy per cycle and fatigue life was found to be independent of loading conditions. Mean strain energy per cycle obtained as the fatigue limit was 5.85 kJ/m³ per cycle. Assuming that the accumulation of strain energy is a fatigue indicator, the fatigue process and failure criterion for the plywood specimens under the three loading conditions were commonly expressed by the relationship between cumulative strain energy and loading cycles.     

Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration alters the effect of phosphate supply on growth of Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora) seedlings

We demonstrated that the inorganic phosphate (P(i)) requirement for growth of Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora Sieb. & Zucc.) seedlings is increased by elevated CO(2) concentration ([CO(2)]) and that responses of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker & Couch to P(i) supply are also altered. To investigate the growth response of non-mycorrhizal seedlings to P(i) supply in elevated [CO(2)], non-mycorrhizal seedlings were grown for 73 days in ambient or elevated [CO(2)] (350 or 700 micromol mol(-1)) with nutrient solutions containing one of seven phosphate concentrations (0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10 and 0.20 mM). In ambient [CO(2)], the growth response to P(i) was saturated at about 0.1 mM P(i), whereas in elevated [CO(2)], the growth response to P(i) supply did not saturate, even at the highest P(i) supply (0.2 mM), indicating that the P(i) requirement is higher in elevated [CO(2)] than in ambient [CO(2)]. The increased requirement was due mainly to an altered shoot growth response to P(i) supply. The enhanced P(i) requirement in elevated [CO(2)] was not associated with a change in photosynthetic response to P(i) or a change in leaf phosphorus (P) status. We investigated the effect of P(i) supply (0.04, 0.08 and 0.20 mM) on the ectomycorrhizal fungus P. tinctorius in mycorrhizal seedlings grown in ambient or elevated [CO(2)]. Root ergosterol concentration (an indicator of fungal biomass) decreased with increasing P(i) supply in ambient [CO(2)], but the decrease was far less in elevated [CO(2)]. In ambient [CO(2)] the ratio of extramatrical mycelium to root biomass decreased with increasing P(i) supply but did not change in elevated [CO(2)]. We conclude that, because elevated [CO(2)] increased the P(i) requirement for shoot growth, the significance of the ectomycorrhizal association was also increased in elevated [CO(2)].     

Determining Young’s modulus of timber on the basis of a strength database and stress wave propagation velocity I: an estimation method for Young’s modulus employing Monte Carlo simulation

In this article, we report on an estimation method for Young’s modulus that entails measuring only the stress wave propagation velocity of timber built into structures such as wooden buildings. Methods of estimating Young’s modulus that use the stress wave propagation velocity and characteristic frequency of timber in conjunction with timber density have long been used. In this article, we propose a method of easily and accurately estimating Young’s modulus from the stress wave propagation velocity without knowing the timber density. This method is based on a database of wood strength performance and density accumulated from a variety of research data and the method estimates Young’s modulus by a simulation method. We compared the Young’s moduli estimated by this method with those obtained by the bending test and by the measurement of the stress wave propagation velocity and density, and found similar results. This coincidence suggests that the method of estimating Young’s modulus presented in this article is valid. For example, the method is effective for convenient evaluation on site when determining whether a wooden building’s structural components should be reused or replaced when repairing or remodeling a building.