Eastern little tuna,Euthynnus affinis (Cantor, 1849) mature and reproduce within 1 year of rearing in land‐based tanks

Eastern little tuna (ELT, Euthynnus affinis) is expected to see use as a novel aquaculture species due to its rapid growth and high economic value. In this study, closing of the complete life cycle of ELT in land‐based tanks was successfully carried out. Seed production of a first generation (F1) derived from wild‐caught ELT broodstock was conducted in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Survival percentages of F1 ELT at 365 days post hatching for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 year classes were 0.9%, 0.4% and 6.3% respectively. On average, F1 ELT were approximately 40 cm in total length and weighed 1500 g by the time they reached 1 year of age. Successful artificial induction of spawning was achieved in 1‐year‐old F1 ELT using a gonadotropin‐releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa). Induction of spawning was successful at the first administration of GnRHa in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 year classes. First spawning was observed at 4 or 5 days post implantation, which indicated that oogenesis and spermatogenesis progressed within 1 year of rearing in land‐based tanks. During spawning periods, the average number of fertilized eggs and the average number of hatched larvae per spawning event in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 year classes were 20,480 eggs day^?1 and 177 larvae day^?1, 39,423 eggs day^?1 and 9347 larvae day^?1, and 819,555 eggs day^?1 and 674,445 larvae day^?1 respectively. Therefore, it was concluded that both male and female ELT reared in land‐based tanks were capable of reproduction at 1 year of age.     

Central injection of ketone body suppresses luteinizing hormone release via the catecholaminergic pathway in female rats

Ketosis is found in various pathophysiological conditions, including diabetes and starvation, that are accompanied by suppression of gonadal activity. The aim of the present study was to determine the role of ketone body in the brain in regulating pulsatile luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion in female rats. Injection of 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB), a ketone body, into the fourth cerebroventricle (4V) induced suppression of pulsatile LH secretion in a dose-dependent manner in ovariectomized (OVX) rats with an estradiol (E2) implant producing diestrus plasma E2 levels. Plasma glucose and corticosterone levels increased immediately after the 4V 3HB injection, suggesting that the treatment caused a hunger response. The 3HB-induced suppression of LH pulses might be mediated by noradrenergic inputs to the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) because a local injection of α-methyl- p-tyrosine, a catecholamine synthesis inhibitor, into the PVN blocked 3HB-induced suppression of LH pulses and PVN noradrenaline release was increased by 4V 3HB injection in E2-primed OVX rats. These results suggest that ketone body sensed by a central energy sensor in the hindbrain may suppress gonadotropin release via noradrenergic inputs to the PVN under ketosis.     

Cloned porcine embryos can maintain developmental ability after cryopreservation at the morula stage

The aim of the present study was to clarify the overall efficiency of porcine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) by incorporating cryopreservation of the cloned embryos before transfer. The SCNT embryos reconstructed with preadipocytes and in vitro-matured (IVM) oocytes were cultured to harvest morula stage embryos; they were then subjected to delipation (removal of cytoplasmic lipid droplets) and vitrification. After warming and culture, the embryos developing to blastocysts were transferred to recipients to obtain cloned piglets. From 372 reconstructed embryos, 188 (50.5%) reached the morula stage and 117 (31.5%) developed to blastocysts after vitrification. Transfer of 98 (26.3%) morphologically normal blastocysts gave rise to 6 (1.6%) piglets, including 1 stillborn. The efficiency of the cloned piglet production was comparable with that obtained using SCNT embryos without cryopreservation (2.7%, 17/635). Here, we demonstrate that porcine somatic cell cloning can be performed without a significant reduction in efficiency even when the SCNT embryos are cryopreserved before transfer.     

Effects of oral administration of colostrum whey in peripartum goat on antimicrobial peptides in postpartum milk

The present study was conducted to examine whether colostrum supplementation in peripartum goats increases the antimicrobial peptides in their milk. Goats were orally administered 2 ml of colostrum whey products (colostrum group) or water (control group) daily, from 2 weeks before until 2 weeks after kidding. Body weights of mothers and kids were measured. Blood, milk, and fecal samples were collected from the mothers, and blood samples were collected from the kids. Concentrations of milk antimicrobial peptides (beta‐defensin, cathelicidin, lactoferrin, S100A7, lactoperoxidase, and immunoglobulin A [IgA]) were determined. IgA and nutritional parameters (glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, ketone bodies, and non‐esterified fatty acids) were also determined in the blood of mothers and kids. Milk IgA and lactoferrin concentrations were higher in the colostrum group than in the control group. Conversely, lower milk concentrations of S100A7 were observed in the colostrum group than that in the control group. Plasma IgA concentrations were higher for kids from the colostrum group than for those from the control group. These results suggest that oral administration of colostrum in pregnant goats increases IgA concentration in postpartum milk, which can subsequently improve the health of their kids.     

Rediscovery of Indian dwarf wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ssp. sphaerococcum (Perc.) MK.) an ancient crop of the Indian subcontinent

Indian dwarf wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ssp. sphaerococcum (Perc.) Mac Key, synonym: T. sphaerococcum Perc.) is endemic to southern Pakistan and northwestern India. It was one of the main winter crops grown by ancient Indian cultures. However, it disappeared from the record during the early twentieth century, especially after the Green Revolution brought modern wheat varieties into India and Pakistan. Whether or not Indian dwarf wheat is presently cultivated has been unclear. Here we report on the rediscovery of the cultivation of this wheat in northern Karnataka and southern Maharashtra in India. Molecular genetic analysis of the chloroplast DNA of the two specimens collected at location 3 revealed that both samples have a unique haplotype that is specific to Indian dwarf wheat. We found this wheat at three locations in 2010, but at only one of the three locations in 2011. Therefore, the future survival of this subspecies is uncertain. Further ethnobotanical research is urgently needed to conserve this unique genetic resource for the future.     

Nitrogen fixation of Sesbania rostrata: Contribution of stem nodules to nitrogen acquisition

Abstract

Nitrogen contents, nodule numbers, and nodule dry weights of 6-week-oId Sesbania rostrata plants grown in sand culture with only root nodules, only stem nodules or with both were compared and the root nodules were found to contribute to nitrogen acquisition more significantly than the stem nodules. Similar findings were obtained in ¹⁵N₂-fixing experiments. An 8-week-old plant with both stem and root nodules fixed 1.50 mg nitrogen in a 12 h light period, while the fixation decreased to 1.15 mg nitrogen after the removal of the stem nodules, suggesting that root nodules played major role in nitrogen fixation. However, acetylene-reducing activities per nodule dry weight were higher in the stem nodules. Under flooding conditions, the aerenchyma tissues contributed to about 40% of N₂ transport to root nodules, and 60% was supplied through stem.     

Texture measurement of cabbages using an acoustical vibration method

Textures of six cabbage cultivars were quantified using an acoustical vibration technique. A sample of four outer leaves of a cabbage was penetrated using a probe. The acoustical vibration signals were measured during penetration using a piezoelectric sensor. A new texture index (TI), the “energy density”, was introduced, which was determined by the integration of squared amplitudes of texture signals multiplied by a factor of a frequency band. This TI enabled evaluation of acoustical signals in the high-frequency region (>1000 Hz) more sensitively than the previously used index (“amplitude density”), which was determined by the integration of texture signal amplitudes. Significant differences in TI among the cultivars were obtained by using ANOVA, especially between a spring and a winter cabbage. We also examined cabbages that had been stored under 4 °C for 10 or 19 d. Most TI readings increased after the storage. These results provide useful information related to the shelf-life of cabbages.