Phytoplankton uptake and growth rate in the Japanese egg cockle Fulvia mutica

To clarify the relationship between the quantity of food ingested by and the growth rate of the Japanese egg cockle Fulvia mutica (Reeve), we conducted a laboratory breeding experiment for 2 weeks and estimated the chlorophyll a (chl-a) concentrations in water and the increments in shell length and soft-body weight of this species under five chl-a concentrations. Moreover, we compared the relationship between cockle growth (changes in soft-body weight and shell length) and their feeding environment observed in the laboratory experiment with the results of a field investigation conducted at two sites in the Sea of Japan, Kumihama Bay (35°38′5″ N, 134°54′00″ E) and Kunda Bay (35°33′30″ N, 135°15′4″ E). The changes in soft-body weight were similar in both laboratory and field investigations, but those in shell length were not. We, therefore, considered shell length changes as unsuitable for evaluating the relationship between growth and feeding in F. mutica. Based on the changes in soft-body weight, it was possible to classify the feeding environment of this species into the following three types: (1) < 1.52 μg chl-a L−1, negative feeding environment for cockle growth; (2) 1.52–5.71 μg chl-a L−1, neutral feeding environment for cockle growth; (3) > 5.71 μg chl-a L−1, positive feeding environment for cockle growth (growth increased with increasing chl-a concentration up to about 11 μg chl-a L−1). These results indicate that maintaining chl-a concentration in the breeding water within 5.71–11 μg chl-a L−1 is desirable for rearing Japanese egg cockle.     

Improved conception rates in sows inseminated with cryopreserved boar spermatozoa prepared with a more optimal combination of osmolality and glycerol in the freezing extender

Cryoprotectant agents (CPAs) are added in freezing extenders to prevent intracellular ice crystal formation. However, it has been reported that high dose of CPAs confer toxicity on spermatozoa. Recently, the reduction of intracellular water by a high osmolality solution has also resulted in the suppression of ice crystal formation in spermatozoa, suggesting that the optimal combination of glycerol concentration and freezing extender osmolality could contribute to the development of effective sperm cryopreservation techniques. In this study, we investigated the motility, membrane and acrosomal integrity of frozen-thawed boar spermatozoa treated with freezing extender (NSF) of varying osmolalities (300, 400, 500 mOsm/kg) and final concentrations of glycerol (0.5, 1, 2, 3%). The spermatozoa that were treated at 400 mOsm/kg and 2% glycerol showed significantly higher rates of motility and membrane integrity compared with those in other treatment groups. In addition, the conception and implantation rates of swine artificially inseminated with spermatozoa frozen by the novel freezing extender (conception; 79%, implantation; 57.5%) were significantly higher than those of frozen-thawed spermatozoa treated in the conventional NSF (300 mOsm/kg, 3% glycerol) (conception; 29%, implantation; 33.8%). From these results, we concluded that the novel hyperosmotic (400 mOsm/kg) and low-glycerol (final concentration 2%) freezing extender is beneficial for the cryopreservation of boar spermatozoa.     

Age, growth and hatching season of the diamond squid Thysanoteuthis rhombus estimated from statolith analysis and catch data in the western Sea of Japan

Age, growth and hatching season were estimated for the diamond squid (Thysanoteuthis rhombus) migrating into the Sea of Japan based on analyses of statolith growth increments and length–frequency data of the catch in 1999–2004. Growth rates did not differ significantly between the sexes. The oldest squid was 306 days old, which provides further evidence that T. rhombus has a 1-year life span. The hatching season extended from January to September, with a peak in February–March, and the spawning grounds were suggested to extend from the far southwestern Pacific to the East China Sea. Using aging results from statolith analysis, growth was well described by a logistic formula, which also closely corresponded with the sequential progress of the mean mantle length in size–frequency distribution of the catch. Growth rates varied depending on the time of hatching; earlier-hatched squid grew faster than later-hatched ones, suggesting that the former hatched in warmer upper-stream areas of the Tsushima Current or the Kuroshio region and the latter hatched in colder mid- or downstream areas of the Tsushima Current.     

Transform high seas management to build climate resilience in marine seafood supply

Climate change is projected to redistribute fisheries resources, resulting in tropical regions suffering decreases in seafood production. While sustainably managing marine ecosystems contributes to building climate resilience, these solutions require transformation of ocean governance. Recent studies and international initiatives suggest that conserving high seas biodiversity and fish stocks will have ecological and economic benefits; however, implications for seafood security under climate change have not been examined. Here, we apply global‐scale mechanistic species distribution models to 30 major straddling fish stocks to show that transforming high seas fisheries governance could increase resilience to climate change impacts. By closing the high seas to fishing or cooperatively managing its fisheries, we project that catches in exclusive economic zones (EEZs) would likely increase by around 10% by 2050 relative to 2000 under climate change (representative concentration pathway 4.5 and 8.5), compensating for the expected losses (around ?6%) from ‘business‐as‐usual’. Specifically, high seas closure increases the resilience of fish stocks, as indicated by a mean species abundance index, by 30% in EEZs. We suggest that improving high seas fisheries governance would increase the resilience of coastal countries to climate change.     

Xenotransplantation of cryopreserved equine squamous cell carcinoma to athymic nude and SCID mice

Cryopreserved equine ocular squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was inoculated subcutaneously into 15 athymic nude and 15 SCID mice. Xenotransplantation resulted in tumor growth in two athymic nude mice and 1 SCID mouse. Histological appearance and immunohistochemical characterization using cytokeratin 5/6 markers and p53 markers of the tumor grown in mice was in full accord with the original equine tumors. No evidence of metastasis was noted in any mouse. This model may serve as a relevant in vivo model for studying the biology of equine ocular SCC and for the testing of new therapeutic modalities.     

Pretreatment of macrophages with the combination of IFN-gamma and IL-12 induces resistance to Leishmania major at the early phase of infection

Interferon (IFN)-gamma is essential but not sufficient to control leishmaniasis. It is known that IFN-gamma is one of the major macrophage-activating cytokines, and the activated macrophages are a principal source of interleukin (IL)-12, which induces autocrine macrophage activation. In this study, the combined effect of IFN-gamma and IL-12 on the susceptibility of macrophages to Leishmania major infection was evaluated. Macrophages pretreated with IFN-gamma and/or IL-12 were infected with the parasites. Four hr post-infection (p.i.), the levels of infection and parasite load in the macrophages treated with the combination of IFN-gamma and IL-12 (IFN-gamma/IL-12) were significantly lower than those in the nontreated cells. However, the macrophages treated with either IFN-gamma or IL-12 did not show resistance to L. major infection. In addition, 72 hr p.i., the IFN-gamma/IL-12-treated and IFN-gamma-treated macrophages showed significantly lower levels of infection and parasite load than the nontreated cells, and higher levels of resistance was observed in the IFN-gamma/IL-12-treated macrophages than in the IFN-gamma-treated macrophages. Although IFN-gamma/IL-12 treatment of macrophages prior to the infection led to the induction of resistance, as described above, this resistance was not induced when these cytokines and the parasites were added simultaneously to the macrophage culture. These results suggest that IFN-gamma/IL-12 treatment prior to the infection restricts the early phase of the infection.     

Effects of feeding high volumes of milk replacer on reproductive performance and on concentrations of metabolites and hormones in blood of Japanese black heifer calves

We evaluated the effects of feeding high volumes of milk replacer on growth and reproductive performances in Japanese black heifers. Fifty-one heifers were fed milk replacer at 9 L/day for 60 days (9 L × 60 days; n = 18) or 41 days (9 L × 41 days; n = 15), or at 7 L/day for 40 days (7 L × 40 days; n = 18). Artificial insemination (AI) was performed on heifers with ≥270 kg body weight and ≥116 cm body height at 300 days of age. The age at the first AI was 0.35 month later for 7 L × 40 days than the other groups (p < .01). However, age at calving did not differ among treatments (22.1 months). The interval from the first AI to pregnancy tended to be ~2 months longer for the 9 L × 60 days than the other groups (p = .07). Our results showed that feeding high volumes of milk replacer may reduce the age at calving via an improved rate of growth. In addition, we propose that feeding a maximum of 7 L milk replacer for 40 days may be the most appropriate rearing regime because the success of pregnancy per AI may be reduced in calves fed a maximum of 9 L for 41 and 60 days.     

MgO-induced defence against bacterial wilt disease in Arabidopsis thaliana

Bacterial wilt, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, is a devastating soilborne disease in plants that limits the production of many crops worldwide. Although management of bacterial wilt has so far been unsuccessful, enhancing host resistance to the pathogen may be an effective control strategy. Recently, magnesium oxide (MgO) was found to induce defence responses against R. solanacearum in tomato plants. Here, the mechanisms underlying MgO-induced defence responses against R. solanacearum (MgO-i DARS) were investigated using Arabidopsis thaliana as a host plant. MgO-i DARS was confirmed in A. thaliana mutants deficient in jasmonic acid or ethylene signalling pathways as well as in the wildtype (Col-0) plants. In contrast, no MgO-i DARS was found in A. thaliana mutants deficient in the salicylic acid (SA) production (sid2-2) and signalling pathways (tga1-1 and npr-1). MgO treatment led to significant accumulation of SA in both roots and shoots of Col-0. The SA biosynthesis gene isochorismate synthase 1 (ICS1) was induced in roots and shoots of A. thaliana treated with MgO. An NADPH oxidase gene respiratory burst oxidase homolog D (AtRbohD) was up-regulated in both roots and shoots of Col-0 treated with MgO. No MgO-i DARS was observed in A. thaliana mutants deficient in AtRbohD. These results suggest that SA and RBOHD-mediated ROS are pivotal for MgO-i DARS in A. thaliana.     

Characterization of Tritrichomonas foetus antigens, using bovine antiserum

Tritrichomonas foetus antigens were identified, using the serum of an Angus heifer that had been repeatedly immunized with suspensions of 1 X 10(8) organisms in Freund's complete adjuvant. Antibody activity against T foetus was determined by dot-blot analysis, using horse-radish peroxidase-conjugated anti-bovine immunoglobulin to detect bound antibody. The antiserum contained antibodies against surface and flagellar components of live or fixed T foetus, as determined by use of immunofluorescence. The antiserum reacted with approximately 38 proteins in a pool of 55 to 60 components resolvable by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis of T foetus extracts.     

AE—Automation and Emerging Technologies: A Segmentation Algorithm for the Automatic Recognition of Fuji Apples at Harvest

An algorithm for the automatic recognition of Fuji apples on the tree was developed for a robotic harvesting system. The machine vision system was composed of a colour charge coupled device camera to capture apple images, and a personal computer to process images for recognising and locating the fruit. The fruit image was enhanced using the red colour difference because results showed that the fruit had the highest red colour difference among the objects in the image. The intensity histogram of the enhanced image had a bimodal distribution for the fruit portion and the background portion. The maximum grey level variance of the red colour difference between the fruit and the background determined the optimal threshold. The optimal threshold had the minimum probability between the peaks of the two distributions. Results of the segmentation using the optimal threshold showed a success rate of over 88%. However, the error rate was over 18% for images with the back lighting condition.