Comparison in taste and extractive components of boiled dorsal muscle and broth from half-smooth golden puffer Lagocephalus spadiceus caught in Japan with those of the same fish imported

The taste and extractive components of boiled dorsal muscle and broth prepared from half-smooth golden puffer Lagocephalus spadiceus caught in Japan and from those imported from China were compared. In the sensory test, the first taste, elasticity, and saltiness of boiled muscle from Japanese (domestic) fish were higher than those of the imported fish, whereas the orthonasal fishy smell of the imported fish was higher than that of the domestic fish. The first taste, aftertaste, retronasal fishy smell, sweetness, saltiness, and umami of the broth prepared from dorsal muscle of the domestic fish were higher than those of the imported fish, whereas orthonasal fishy smell and bitterness of the imported fish were higher than those of the domestic fish. Most panelists preferred the overall taste of the domestic fish to that of the imported fish. The concentration of trimethylamine in the trichloroacetic acid extracts from boiled muscle and broth of the imported fish was higher than that of the domestic fish, suggesting that this substance contributes to the orthonasal fishy smell of the imported fish.     

Interannual variability in stock abundance of the neon flying squid, Ommastrephes bartramii, in the North Pacific Ocean during 1979–1998: impact of driftnet fishing and oceanographic conditions

Variability in catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) was examined for the autumn cohort of Ommastrephes bartramii collected with research driftnets during 1979–1998 along five longitudinal transects passing through the Subarctic, Transitional and Subtropical Domains in the North Pacific. CPUE was generally low during the period of intensive commercial driftnet fishing (1980–1992) and increased following the 1992 moratorium on the use of large-scale driftnets. However, CPUE levels were low for the cohorts hatched in 1992 and 1996 (captured in subsequent years owing to a one-year life of O. bartramii ) that experienced low sea surface temperatures from hatching to recruitment. Among similar-aged squid collected from 180° and 179°30'W in June, mantle lengths were significantly greater in 1997 than during 1995–96. These findings suggest that the driftnet fishery and sea surface temperatures from hatching to recruitment strongly affected stock abundance and possibly growth.     

Expression of Kit, the receptor for stem cell factor, in bovine peripheral blood

The expression of Kit, the receptor for stem cell factor (SCF), on bovine peripheral blood cells (PBCs) was examined by using monoclonal antibodies against the bovine Kit protein. Flow cytometric analysis showed that approximately 1.5% of PBCs expressed Kit. In cytospin preparations, the morphology of most Kit+ PBCs was similar to that of large lymphocytes. Subsets of Kit+ PBCs coexpressed CD3, IgM, and/or CD11b but not CD14 or G1. SCF did not induce the proliferation of Kit+ PBCs in vitro. These results indicate that Kit is expressed on subsets of lymphocytes in bovine peripheral blood, but the ligand of Kit, SCF, does not directly induce the proliferation of this cell population.     

Ontogeny of testicular inhibin and activin in ducks: An immunocytochemical analysis

The ontogeny of testicular inhibin/activin in ducks was investigated. Testicular localization of three inhibin/activin subunits (α, β_A and β_B) was determined in embryonic and newly hatched ducks from 12 days of incubation to 1 day of age, in immature ducks and in adult ducks. In the duck embryonic testis, positive α‐subunit immunostaining was first detected in the Leydig cells and Sertoli cells on day 15 of incubation, whereas β_A‐subunit and β_B‐subunit immunostaining were found in Sertoli cells and primary germ cells on day 18 of incubation. In 1 month old ducks, intense staining of α‐subunit was present in the seminiferous epithelium consistent with localization in Sertoli cells and primary germ cells, and the immunostaining of the β_A‐ and β_B‐subunit was also present in Sertoli cells and primary germ cells. Specific immunostaining with inhibin/activin α‐, β_A‐ and β_B‐subunits antisera occurred in Sertoli cells in the adult duck testes. In conclusion, it was shown that, in the duck testis, the majority of α‐, β_A‐ and β_B‐subunits are colocalized in Sertoli cells with a certain degree of staining in germ cells and the α‐subunit is present in Leydig cells of embryonic testes before day 18 of incubation. These results indicate that Sertoli cells and possibly germ cells in the embryonic testes of late stage of incubation and newly hatched ducks, immature ducks and mature ducks may produce bioactive inhibin dimers, inhibin A and inhibin B, as a possible regulator of follicle‐stimulating hormone secretion. Free inhibin/activin subunits and their dimers may also play an autocrine/paracrine role in the development of the testis and spermatogenesis. Furthermore, early onset of the α‐subunit in duck testes indicates that it may have an autocrine/paracrine effect on steroid hormones, which is important for sex differentiation.     

Concentrations of toxic metals and essential minerals in the mane hair of healthy racing horses and their relation to age

Concentrations of trace elements (As, Al, Pb, Cd, Hg, Se, Si, P, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Cr, Ni and Mn) in the mane hair obtained from 9 female and 15 male healthy racing Thoroughbred horses aged 2-5 years were analyzed by the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) method. No significant differences between the female and male horses were observed in the mean concentrations of those minerals. Significantly positive correlations with age were observed in Cd (r=0.546, p<0.01) and Mo (r=0.733, p<0.001). Significantly negative correlations with age were observed in Hg (r= -0.726, p<0.001), Mn (r= -0.450, p<0.05) and Fe (r=-0.642, p<0.01). This reference range of trace elements in the mane hair of racing horses should be used to assess disease and the nutritional status in equine practice.     

神经元特异性烯醇化酶在大鼠动情周期子宫中的分布

选择健康、未产、体重220-250g成年雌性SD大鼠，采用阴道涂片方法鉴定其动情周期，并采用免疫组织化学SP法研究了神经元特异性烯醇化酶（NSE）在大鼠动情周期子宫内分布的变化规律。结果显示，子宫各层均有不同程度NSE免疫阳性产物分布，并随动情周期的变化表现出一定的规律：各期子宫内膜黏膜上皮细胞、腺上皮细胞、基质细胞、血管内皮细胞及肥大细胞等NSE免疫阳性细胞数量变化不大，但着色深浅有一定差别，动情期着色最深，动情后期、动情间期、动情前期着色依次减弱；肌层和子宫外膜中，动情期着色最深，动情后期着色最浅，动情间期表达量明显回升，动情前期比动情期着色稍浅。表明，NSE在子宫中的分布可能受性类固醇激素的调节。     

起垄栽培对苹果根系构型的影响

以9年生寒富/山定子为试材,研究砂土地和粘土地起垄栽培对苹果根系构型的影响。结果表明,无论砂土地还是粘土地进行起垄栽培,根系主要分布于垄台空间以内;垂直深扎根系较少;整个空间内根系分布比较均匀,没有明显的层次;骨干根数量增多,毛细根量大。骨干根粗度一般在3 cm左右,很少发生5 cm以上的大型骨干根;根系分支级数下降,一般在3级左右;大部分骨干根上直接着生小型根组,毛细根与骨干根之间运输距离缩短。地上部表现树势强健,叶片肥大明亮,果实分布均匀。     

饲喂频率对妊娠母猪背膘厚和繁殖性能的影响

[目的] 研究饲喂频率对妊娠母猪背膘厚和繁殖性能的影响。[方法] 挑选加系杜洛克经产母猪480头,配种时按照胎次（2~7胎）、背膘厚（11~22 mm）相近的原则随机将母猪分为T1组（每天饲喂1次）和T2组（每天饲喂2次）,两组每天等量饲喂。T1组母猪220头,饲喂时间为8：00;T2组母猪260头,饲喂时间为8：00和15：00,每次饲喂量为总量的一半,定位栏饲养。[结果] ①饲喂频率不影响妊娠56 d、开配-妊娠56 d的背膘厚（妊娠56 d背膘厚-开配背膘厚）（P>0.05）;T2组妊娠110 d（P=0.06）、妊娠56-110 d（P=0.09）背膘厚（妊娠110 d背膘厚-妊娠56 d背膘厚）有高于T1组的趋势。②饲喂频率对窝产总仔数、活仔数、死胎数、木乃伊胎数、初生窝重以及初生个体重均无显著（P>0.05）影响。③在三胎母猪中,T2组妊娠110 d（P=0.01）、妊娠56-110 d（P=0.04）背膘厚均显著高于T1组;五胎及以上母猪,T2组妊娠56-110 d（P=0.08）背膘厚有高于T1组的趋势。④饲喂频率不影响二胎母猪窝产总仔数、死胎数、木乃伊胎数、初生窝重以及初生个体重（P>0.05）,但二胎母猪中T2组活仔数有高于T1组的趋势（P=0.07）。[结论] 饲喂频率由每天两餐减少到每天一餐不会对母猪的繁殖性能产生不利影响。