Gelation Characteristics of Surimi Gel from Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) by Application of Acid-Alkali Processes

Textural characteristics of silver carp surimi gel prepared from acid- and alkali-produced protein isolates were investigated and compared to the surimi gels derived by conventional methods. The acid-aided method showed the most efficiency to recover proteins (86.2%) in comparison to the alkaline-aided (79.8%) and conventional (76.7%) methods. In the washing of fish mince, every step resulted in reduction of sarcoplasmic protein, and consequently the myofibrillar fraction became more concentrated, as shown by the protein patterns in wash water. Some myofibrillar proteins (mainly actin and myosin) were removed along with sarcoplasmic proteins during washing, reducing yield efficiency during the conventional method of making surimi. During the pH shifting process, myosin heavy chain (MHC) was degraded during low (2.5) pH solubilization, whereas there was only a minimal loss of MHC by either hydrolysis or proteolysis during alkaline solubilization. The breaking force and breaking distance of surimi gel prepared in the pH-shifting processes were significantly (p < 0.05) greater than those of surimi gel made by conventional methods, as were expressible moisture, cohesiveness, and springiness. In conclusion, the pH-shifting technique can be considered as an efficient alternative process in recovery of greater quantities of functional protein from silver carp fillet.     

Encapsulation rates of the parasitoid <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Anagyrus</Emphasis> sp. nr. <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">pseudococci</Emphasis>, by three mealybug species (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Laboratory studies assessing the degree of suitability of the mealybugs Planococcus ficus (Signoret), Planococcus citri (Risso) and Pseudococcus calceolariae (Maskell), towards the Sicilian ecotype of the encyrtid parasitoid Anagyrus sp. nr. pseudococci were carried out. All three species of mealybugs were shown to encapsulate the eggs of the encyrtid; however, significant differences were revealed among them in rates of encapsulation and/or superparasitism. The level of aggregate encapsulation and effective encapsulation of the parasitoid eggs by P. citri (74.95 ± 0.87 and 60.19 ± 1.70, respectively) was significantly higher than that recorded for P. ficus (aggregate encapsulation = 58.43 ± 0.83 and effective encapsulation = 31.31 ± 1.55) and significantly lower than the values found in Ps. calceolariae (93.99 ± 0.97 and 88.61 ± 2.03, respectively). As such, rates of parasitism were significantly lower for P. ficus compared with both P. citri and Ps. calceolariae. The two latter species of mealybugs showed similar rates of parasitism by A. sp. nr. pseudococci. Moreover, a significantly higher rate of superparasitism was found for Ps. calceolariae compared with both P. citri and P. ficus, whereas no significant differences were found between the two species of Planococcus for this parameter.     

Scrotal enlargement in rams and bucks in Qassim region,central of Saudi Arabia: clinical and ultrasonographic findings and seroprevalence of brucellosis

The aim of this study was to clarify the causes of scrotal enlargement in rams and bucks in Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. Enlarged scrotal contents of rams and bucks (n = 153) were examined by visual inspection, palpation, and ultrasonography. Blood samples were obtained and tested for Brucella sp. infection. Clinical and ultrasonographic findings showed that scrotal enlargement was mainly associated with orchitis, peri-orchitis, and epididymitis. Miscellaneous findings were scrotal hernia, scrotal hematoma, and hydrocele. The frequencies of orchitis, peri-orchitis, and epididymitis were 47.4, 21.1, and 14.1% in Awassi rams; 54.5, 21.7, and 8.7% in Najdi rams; 52.3, 20.5, and 9.1% in Ardi bucks; and 50, 16.7, and 16.7% in Damascus bucks, respectively. Orchitis was associated with no-abscess formation (23%), single-abscess formation (15.4%), and multiple-abscesses formation (61.6%). Peri-orchitis was characterized by hard consistency, atrophy of the testes, and extensive connective tissue formation. Epididymitis was observed mainly at the tail of the epididymis (82.4%) but rarely at the head (17.6%). Epididymitis was associated in many cases with abscessation (70.6%). Males with orchitis, peri-orchitis, and epididymitis were positive for Brucella melitensis and Brucella ovis in the frequency of 21.3% and 48.8%, respectively. In conclusion, scrotal enlargement in rams and bucks in Qassim region is caused mainly by inflammation of the testis and/or epididymis and associated tremendously with brucellosis seropositivity.

     

基于高通量测序技术检测草地贪夜蛾病毒多样性

为探索草地贪夜蛾Spodoptera frugiperda病毒的多样性,通过宏转录组和小RNA测序技术手段分析鉴定了自云南省采集的草地贪夜蛾田间自然种群携带的病毒类型。结果显示,宏转录组测序数据分析可比对得到14个病毒科,包括5个昆虫相关的病毒科,5个植物病毒科和4个细菌病毒科。昆虫相关的病毒分别属于杆状病毒科Baculoviridae、呼肠孤病毒科Reoviridae、分体RNA病毒科Partitiviridae、传染性软腐病病毒科Iflaviridae和弹状病毒科Rhabdoviridae,其中传染性软腐病病毒和分体RNA病毒为首次在草地贪夜蛾中报道。同时利用小RNA深度测序技术从草地贪夜蛾样品中检测到鳞翅目杆状病毒、分体RNA病毒和传染性软腐病病毒的序列,进一步验证了宏转录组的分析结果。表明利用高通量测序技术可初步揭示存在于草地贪夜蛾自然种群的昆虫病毒多样性。     

A 40-bp Insertion/Deletion Polymorphism of Murine Double Minute2 (MDM2) Increased the Risk of Breast Cancer in Zahedan,Southeast Iran

Background: MDM2 (Murine Double Minute2) is an oncoprotein that inhibits the P53 activity. Overexpression of MDM2 gene has been reported in several human tumors. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of 40-bp insertion/deletion (ins/del) polymorphism on the promoter of MDM2 and susceptibility to breast cancer in a sample of Iranian population. Methods: This case-control study was carried out on 236 patients with breast cancer and 203 healthy individuals. Genomic DNA was extracted from the whole blood by the salting-out method. The 40-bp ins/del polymorphism was determined by using polymerase chain reaction. Results: The findings indicated that MDM2 ins/del variant increased the risk of breast cancer in co-dominant- (odds ratio [OR] = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.14-3.85, P = 0.018, del/del vs. ins/ins), dominant- (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.02-2.18, P = 0.038, ins/del + del/del vs. ins/ins), and recessive- (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.03-3.34, P = 0.038, del/del vs. ins/ins + ins/del) tested inheritance models. The del allele increased the risk of breast cancer (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.11-1.98, P = 0.008) compared with ins allele. Conclusions: Our result revealed that 40-bp ins/del polymorphism in the promoter of MDM2 increased the risk of breast cancer in an Iranian population. Further investigations with larger sample sizes and diverse ethnicities are needed to verify our findings. Key Words: Breast cancer, Murine Double Minute2 (MDM2), Polymorphism     

Does timing of daily feeding affect growth rates of juvenile three‐spined sticklebacks,Gasterosteus aculeatus L?

Abstract – To assess the consequences of unpredictability in the availability of food, this study measured the effect of timing of the daily feeding on food consumption and growth rates of juvenile Gasterosteus aculeatus. The experiment lasted 21 days at 14 °C and a photoperiod of 10 hours of light and 14 hours of dark. Fish were housed individually and allocated at random to three treatments. The mean initial weight of fish was 0.402 g. Group 1 were fed live enchytraeid worms for 2 h after lights came on ("morning"), group 2 was offered food for 2 h randomly at any time of the day ("random") during the light period and group 3 received food for 2 h before the lights went off ("evening"). There was no significant effect of timing of feeding on mean daily food consumption, which was 0.052 g day⁻¹. Daily consumption on the random schedule was more irregular than on the two fixed schedules. Timing of feeding had no significant effect on mean specific growth rate (G) (2.42% day⁻¹), gross growth efficiency (23.3%), white muscle RNA:DNA ratio (5.6), carcase lipid content (31.7% dry wt) and carcase dry matter content (27.4% wet wt). Thus, a lack of predictability in the availability of food during the light period of the day did not impose a detectable cost on the growth performance of the stickleback.     

Effect of low level of dietary aflatoxins on baladi rabbits

Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 & G2 were administered in a low concentration (100 ppb of each aflatoxin (AN] in a mash offered to Baladi rabbits. An other group of rabbits were fed on the same contaminated mash in addition to 0.25% charcoal (CC). The two groups were compared to control animals fed on AN-free mash. Inclusion of AN in the diet decreased feed and water consumption, body weight and survival rate. Charcoal improved somewhat feed and water consumption and growth rate than AN-group. However, CC-group affected digestibility of organic matter more than AN-group. Relative weights of liver, kidneys, heart and adrenal glands were significantly higher in AN and CC groups than the control group. Blood haemoglobin content, packed cell volume percentage and sedimentation rate were lower in AN group. Although there were an increase in each of serum, calcium, inorganic phosphorus, cholesterol, phospholipids and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase in AN group, yet the serum nitrogen and glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase were reduced. Charcoal had alleviated AN-effects concerning N, GPT and phospholipids. Chemical analysis revealed elevation of water, ash and silica contents of liver and water content of muscles from AN-animals. On the other hand, fat content, GOT and vitamin A in the liver as well as muscles ash were reduced. Addition of CC to the diet reduced AN-effects on liver fat, ash and silica but resulted in a rise of the water content of liver and muscles and liver GPT activity. Charcoal also resulted in a sharp decrease in vitamin A content of the liver. Aflatoxin treatments (in AN and CC groups) reduced bone ash, silica and magnesium as well as bone volume. Charcoal administration increased Ca-content of bones. Aflatoxin feeding (in AN group) resulted in a high residual percentage of AN in muscles, serum, liver, heart and kidneys with relationships of 51 :24 : 3 :2 : 1, respectively. Only 1.42% of the fed AN was excreted in the faeces. Charcoal usage had a good effect as it prevented AN to accumulate in the organs. Aflatoxin contaminated diets (in AN and CC groups) resulted in paralysis, disorder of fat deposition, discolouration and haemorrhages of some organs. Scanning electron microscopic examination revealed no ill effect on the surface structure of the small intestine due to either AN or AN + CC. Pathological examination showed that the main affected organs were liver, heart and spleen, respectively. The changes include hepatic round cell infiltration, irregularities of lobular plats, focal necrosis and periportal fibrosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Estimation of additive and non-additive genetic variance component for growth traits in Adani goats

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Non-additive genetic effects are important to increase the accuracy of estimating genetic parameters for growth traits. The aim of this study was to estimate...     

灌溉模式与种植方式对河西地区青贮玉米生长、产量和经济效益的影响

为探究灌溉模式与种植方式对青贮玉米（Zea mays L.）生长、产量和经济效益的影响,本研究在河西地区设置3个种植方式（S：青贮玉米单播;SM：青贮玉米与秣食豆（Glycine max L.Merr）混播;SL：青贮玉米与拉巴豆（Lablab purpureus L.Sweet）混播）和6种灌溉模式（W1：6叶期灌溉;W2：6叶期和12叶期灌溉;W3：6叶期和散粉期灌溉;W4：6叶期、12叶期和散粉期灌溉;W5：6叶期、散粉期和灌浆期灌溉;W6：6叶期、12叶期、散粉期和灌浆期灌溉）进行田间试验。结果表明：SM、SL和S种植下玉米的株高、茎粗和相叶绿素含量差异不显著,但SM和SL较S显著提高了叶面积指数;SM和SL的鲜干草产量和净收益显著高于S;在灌浆期和收获期,W5和W6的株高、茎粗、相对叶绿素含量和叶面积指数显著高于W1;W5、W6的鲜干草产量和净收益显著高于W1,W2和W3。所有处理中,SM-W5获得了最高的干草产量和净收益,是河西地区青贮玉米适宜的栽培模式。