The optimal dietary level of ascorbic acid for juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna, Thunnus orientalis

A feeding experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of, and determine the requirements for dietary AsA (l-ascorbic acid) using its popular derivative l-ascorbyl-2-monophosphate-Mg (APM) for juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna (PBT). The five test diets (with APM-0, -400, -800, -1200 and -1600) were prepared by adding 0, 400, 800, 1200 and 1600 mg of APM kg diet^?1, respectively. These diets, together with chopped sand lance (the control diet), were administered, in duplicate to 0.27 g PBT at 25 days after hatching (300 juveniles per 15 m³ tank). The PBT were fed to apparent satiety 6 times a day for 2 weeks. While final body weight, feed conversion and survival showed no differences among diets APM 400–1600, PBT fed APM-0 indicated lower growth performance together with anorexia, dark pigmentation and ataxia from 5 days and reached 80 % mortality at 12 days after the start of the feeding trial. In addition, liver and brain ascorbic acid (AsA) concentrations increased with increasing dietary APM levels, the values were similar in PBT fed diets with APM-1200 and APM-1600, and liver and brain concentrations of AsA were significantly higher in these fish than in the PBT fed the other diets (P < 0.05). The PBT responded to increasing dietary APM, and the fish fed APM-1200 had the highest weight gain, protein and lipid content. The data indicate that PBT can utilize APM as an AsA source and suggest that dietary supplementation with APM-1200 (454 mg AsA kg^?1 diet) would result in satisfactory growth.     

Effect of High β-Glucan Barley on Serum Cholesterol Concentrations and Visceral Fat Area in Japanese Men—A Randomized,Double-blinded,Placebo-controlled Trial

This study investigated whether the consumption of a diet in which high-β-glucan barley replaced rice would reduce the visceral fat area as well as the serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) in hypercholesterolemic Japanese men. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled intervention study was conducted in 44 hypercholesterolemic Japanese men with a body mass index (BMI) >22 kg/m². The subjects were randomly assigned to groups consuming either rice (placebo group) or a mixture of rice and pearl barley with a high β-glucan content (test group, 7.0 g β-glucan per day) for 12 weeks. Blood samples were taken, and CT scan obtained before the trial and every four weeks during the trial. The pearl barley intake significantly reduced serum concentrations of LDL-C (P = 0.041) and TC (P = 0.037) during the trial. Significant differences between the test and placebo groups were found for the visceral fat (P = 0.039), BMI (P = 0.015), and waist circumference (P = 0.011) at the end point. The consumption of pearl barley with a high β-glucan content reduces not only LDL-C but also visceral fat area.     

Identification of urinary and intestinal bacterial metabolites of ellagitannin geraniin in rats

Hydrolyzable tannins, including ellagitannins, occur in foods such as berries and nuts. Various biological activities, including antioxidant, antiviral, and antitumor activities, have been noted and reported for ellagitannins, but the absorption and metabolism of purified ellagitannins are poorly understood. We describe herein the characterization of urinary and intestinal microbial metabolites in rats after the ingestion of ellagitannins. Urine samples were collected after oral administration of ellagitannins such as geraniin ( 1), corilagin ( 2), and their related polyphenols. The suspension of rat intestinal microflora was anaerobically incubated with ellagitannins. Each sample was separated by column chromatography and/or preparative HPLC to give seven metabolites, M1- M7. The structures of these metabolites were determined on the basis of spectroscopic data and chemical evidence. These compounds, except for M1, were characterized as ellagitannin metabolites for the first time. Furthermore, among four major metabolites ( M1- M4) in urine, M2 showed an antioxidant activity comparable to intact geraniin and related polyphenols.     

Walnut polyphenols prevent liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride and d-galactosamine: hepatoprotective hydrolyzable tannins in the kernel pellicles of walnut

The polyphenol-rich fraction (WP, 45% polyphenol) prepared from the kernel pellicles of walnuts was assessed for its hepatoprotective effect in mice. A single oral administration of WP (200 mg/kg) significantly suppressed serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) elevation in liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4), while it did not suppress d-galactosamine (GalN)-induced liver injury. In order to identify the active principles in WP, we examined individual constituents for the protective effect on cell damage induced by CCl 4 and d-GalN in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. WP was effective against both CCl 4- and d-GalN-induced hepatocyte damages. Among the constituents, only ellagitannins with a galloylated glucopyranose core, such as tellimagrandins I, II, and rugosin C, suppressed CCl 4-induced hepatocyte damage significantly. Most of the ellagitannins including tellimagrandin I and 2,3- O-hexahydroxydiphenoylglucose exhibited remarkable inhibitory effect against d-GalN-induced damage. Telliamgrandin I especially completely suppressed both CCl 4- and d-GalN-induced cell damage, and thus is likely the principal constituent for the hepatoprotective effect of WP.     

大蒜播种机排种器及开沟器设计与控制（摘选）

目前的大蒜播种机为8行式,本研究侧重于通过减少播种机的设计方案以增加播种能力,通过增加最佳行数和种子均匀度来增加田间作业效率。对于新设计的10行式大蒜播种机,来自农场的测试结果以下列标准为基础:工作速度1.68kmh,输种管高于地面30cm,且为最低变量。田间工作效率0.13hm2h,株距11.73cm,打滑率10.36%。开沟器为靴式,2行,行间距为250mm,拉力为10.3N行,且保持不变。大蒜平均发芽率为74.57%,平均单产26919kghm2,而农户的平均种植产量为30419kghm2。人力种植的精度值为20.93%,而10行大蒜播种机的精度值平均为21.0%。      

Variation in leaf morphology of Quercus crispula and Quercus dentata assemblages among contact zones: a method for detection of probable hybridization

I describe variation in leaf morphology of Quercus crispula and Quercus dentata assemblages within and among their contact zones. Such relationships provide a relatively fast and accurate method for detecting hybridization. Using discriminant function (DF) analysis based on leaf characteristics, I was able to differentiate between these two species in pure zones. In three of five contact zones, the DF scores showed broad, continuous distributions with three or more peaks. The trees showing intermediate leaf morphology are considered to be hybrids. In the other two contact zones, the DF scores showed distinct bimodal distributions, suggesting that Q. crispula and Q. dentata rarely hybridize in these sites. Thus, the method described in this study should be effective for detecting probable hybridization between these two species in contact zones, and the relative frequency of hybridization among contact zones. However, there was likely to be intraspecific variation of Q. crispula between geographic ranges, restricting interpretations to patterns occurring within sites or limited geographic ranges.     

Leaf spot disease of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hyoscyamus muticus</Emphasis> (Egyptian henbane) caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cladosporium herbarum</Emphasis>

Severe brown spots caused by Cladosporium herbarum appeared on the leaves of Hyoscyamus muticus (Egyptian henbane) grown in a greenhouse at Yamaguchi city, Japan, in the summer of 2008. Nucleotide sequence analysis of rDNA-ITS and 28S rDNA supported the morphological identification of the isolate, which caused the same disease symptoms after reinoculation of the host. This new disease was named “Cladosporium leaf spot of Egyptian henbane”.     

Simultaneous detection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Japanese yam mosaic virus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Yam mild mosaic virus</Emphasis> from yam leaves using a tube capture reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay

To detect Japanese yam mosaic virus (JYMV) and Yam mild mosaic virus (YMMV) in yam plants in Japan, we developed a duplex RT-PCR assay consisting of a tube-capture procedure followed by one-step RT-PCR with two primer pairs. A 241-bp fragment of the coat protein region of JYMV and a 174-bp fragment of the nuclear inclusion protein b region of YMMV were amplified, thus identifying the two viruses from yam plants cultivated in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 2007. All water yam plants examined were infected with YMMV alone. All the Japanese yam and Chinese yam plants were infected with either JYMV alone or both JYMV and YMMV, suggesting that YMMV and JYMV are prevalent among field-grown yam plants.     

Anthracnose of Christmas rose caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum</Emphasis> sp.

Leaf spots were found on Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, in October 2006. The morphology of the causal fungus was very close to that of Colletotrichum truncatum. Classifying the species from the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer regions of ribosomal DNA was inconclusive, and the isolates were identified only as Colletotrichum sp. Artificial inoculation confirmed the pathogenicity of isolates to the host plant and some legumes. We propose the name anthracnose of Christmas rose for this disease by Colletotrichum sp.