Optimum digestible protein and energy levels and ratio for greater amberjack Seriola dumerili (Risso) fingerling

A study was conducted to determine optimum dietary digestible protein (DP) and digestible energy (DE) levels and DP DE⁻¹ ratio for growth of greater amberjack Seriola dumerili fingerlings. A 3 × 3 factorial design with duplication was used in this study. Nine experimental diets were formulated to contain three levels of crude protein (CP; 420, 470 and 530 g kg⁻¹) and three levels of crude lipid (CL; 130, 180 and 230 g kg⁻¹). Nine groups of fingerling (initial weight 51.8 g) were fed each experimental diet for 40 days. Final body weight, feed efficiency, specific growth rate and energy efficiency were significantly affected by dietary protein and lipid level. These parameters tended to improve with increasing dietary protein level. Conversely, an increase of lipid level negatively affected these parameters. High growth rate and feed efficiency were obtained from fish fed the diet containing 393 g kg⁻¹ DP and 14.2 MJ kg⁻¹ DE (27.7 g MJ⁻¹ DP DE⁻¹). The high DP DE⁻¹ (27.7 g MJ⁻¹) indicates that greater amberjack fingerling are highly dependent on dietary protein as an energy source.     

Mathematical expression for the relationship between internode number and internode length for bamboo, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phyllostachys pubescens</Emphasis>

We analyzed the relationship between internode number and internode length for one of the largest bamboo, Phyllostachys pubescens Mazel ex Houz. For 50 sample culms with various sizes felled in a purest and of P. pubescens, the internode number was assigned from base totip and the length for each internode was directly measured. The result indicated that the internode length should be cumulated from base to tip,and then the cumulated internode length should be relativized by the total culm length. It was inappropriate to relativize the internode length by themaximum intenode length. In addition, the relationship between therelative internode number (the internode number relativized by the total number of internodes) and the relative cumulated internode length should be described not by a power function but by a sigmoid function such as the third-order function. The determined function enabled us to estimate the actual internode length, with the root mean squared error being 4 cm.In conclusion, the mathematical expression presented here, i.e., there lativization of the cumulated internode length by the total culm length and the application of the sigmoid function, will be useful in describing the relationship between internode number and internode length for P.pubescens.     

Preventive effect of silymarin on UV irradiation-induced A375-S2 cell apoptosis

AIM: To search for the active compound from Chinese herbal medicine which could inhibit ultraviolet (UV) irradiation-induced apoptosis in human malignant cells (A375-S2 cell). METHODS: MTT, photomicroscopical observation, DNA agarose gel electrophoresis, LDH release and Western blot analysis were used. Caspase activation was detected by using caspase apoptosis detection kit. RESULTS: Treatment with silymarin (500 μmol/L) for 12 h significantly inhibited UV irradiation (2.4 J/cm2, 5 min)-induced apoptosis in A375-S2 cells. Activities of caspase-9 and caspase-3 in UV-irradiated A375-S2 cells were effectively reduced by silymarin in a dose-dependent manner, while protein expressions of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL (Bcl-2 family member) were increased simultaneously. CONCLUSION: Silymarin prevents UV irradiation-induced A375-S2 cell apoptosis through blockage of caspase pathway after protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL.     

Changes in the gene expression of adiponectin and glucose transporter 12 (GLUT12) in lactating and non-lactating cows

Glucose delivery and uptake by the mammary gland is a rate‐limiting step in milk synthesis. Insulin resistance is believed to increase throughout the body following the onset of lactation. To study glucose metabolism in peak‐, late‐, and non‐lactating cows we analyzed the expression of an adipokine, namely, adiponectin, decreased insulin resistance, leptin, and a novel insulin‐responsive glucose transporter (GLUT12) in the adipose tissue and mammary gland by using real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Our results demonstrated that the mRNA level of adiponectin in the adipose tissue was greater in non‐lactating cows than in peak‐lactating cows. In the adipose tissue, there were no significant differences in the abundance of GLUT12 mRNA between the peak‐, late‐, and non‐lactating cows. In contrast, in the mammary gland, the mRNA level of GLUT12 was greater in non‐lactating cows than in peak‐ and late‐lactating cows. In the adipose tissue, the mRNA level of leptin and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma 2 (PPARγ2) was greater in non‐lactating cows than in peak‐lactating cows. The results of the present study suggest that in lactating cows adiponectin plays an important role in insulin resistance in the adipose tissue; in the mammary gland, GLUT12 expression is believed to be an important factor for insulin‐dependent glucose metabolism.     

Sulfated glycofuranans as inhibitors of melanoma lung metastasis

Chemically synthesized (1 5)--d-glucofuranan, (1 5)--d-galactofuranan, (1 5)--d-xylofuranan, (1 5)--L-arabinofuranan, natural xylan, and curdlan were sulfated to investigate their inhibitory activities on B16-BL6 lung metastasis and anticoagulant activities. (1 5)--d-Glucofuranan sulfate, (1 5)--d-galactofuranan sulfate, xylan sulfate, and curdlan sulfate had binding abilities with B16-BL6 melanoma lysate. The inhibitory activities of sulfated polysaccharides on B16-BL6 lung metastasis selected by heparin binding assay were in the order (1 5)--d-galactofuranan sulfate > (1 5)---d-glucofuranan sulfate > xylan sulfate curdlan sulfate. Furthermore, (1 5)--d-galactofuranan sulfate, (1 5)--d-glucofuranan sulfate, and xylan sulfate had not only high inhibitory activity on B16-BL6 lung metastasis but also low anticoagulant activity. The correlation between chemical structure and biological activity is discussed.Part of this paper was presented at the 10th International Synposium on Wood and Pulping Chemistry, Yokohama, Japan, June 1999     

Influence of carboxyl group on the acid hydrolysis of cellulose

Cellulose isolated from wood is more susceptible than cotton cellulose to homogeneous hydrolysis in phosphoric acid. The influence of carboxyl group introduction at the C6 position on the hydrolysis rate of cellulose in 82.5% phosphoric acid was studied as a model of the oxidation of cellulose during pulping. The rate constant of hydrolysis for dissolving pulp was larger than that of cotton cellulose at temperatures of 25°–35°C. Mercerized cotton cellulose was partially oxidized regioselectively at the C6 position by a free radical system using 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl (TEMPO). The oxidized cellulose was obtained at a range of 1.7–12.7 mEq carboxyl content per 100 g of cellulose. The hydrolysis rate of the oxidized cellulose samples accelerated with increasing carboxyl content in the samples.Part of this work was presented at the 5th Annual Meeting of the Cellulose Society of Japan, Kyoto, July 1998     

Vibrational property changes of spruce wood by impregnation with water-soluble extractives of pernambuco (Guilandina echinata Spreng.)

Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis Carr.) was treated with water-soluble extractive components of pernambuco (Guilandina echinata Spreng. syn Caesalpinia echinata Lam.) by two methods: impregnation under evacuation using an aspirator and repetitive surface application using a brush. The influence of these treatments on the vibrational properties were examined. The loss tangent (tan ) of the impregnated specimen decreased, up to nearly a half of its original value, with increasing weight gain. It is suggested that the decrease in tan results from impregnation of the extractive components into the amorphous region of cell walls, forming secondary bonds between matrix substances. The surface application of the extractive components, on the other hand, hardly brought about the desirable change in vibrational properties.Part of this work was presented at the 47th annual meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Kochi, April 1997, and the 48th annual meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Shizuoka, April 1998