Estimation of gillnet selectivity curve by maximum likelihood method

ABSTRACT: A maximum likelihood method of estimating gillnet selectivity when data are obtained by gillnet fleets consisting of several nets of differing mesh size is presented in this paper. The SELECT model is expanded by application of the relative length (i.e. the ratio of fish length to mesh size) to obtain a master curve of gillnet selectivity. Four kinds of functional model, normal, lognormal, skew-normal and bi-normal are fitted to the data. In addition, two cases in which the relative fishing intensity is either estimated or fixed by catch effort are compared. The bi-normal model has the lower model deviance regardless of whether the relative fishing intensity is estimated or not. The estimation of relative fishing intensity by catch effort is also examined in which the estimates of the parameter of the SELECT model are compared with the catch effort as determined by the number of nets of each mesh size used. For the bi-normal model these quantities compare well. Thus, it is concluded that this method gives reliable estimates even if data for each mesh size is obtained with different catch efforts.     

日本沿海捕鳗笼的网目选择性

1995~2000年在东京湾进行的套网法实验,结果表明:网目尺寸为21·0、18·1、15·5、13·6、11·6mm的笼网目选择率在星康吉鳗全长035·50cm、l>32·50cm、l>27·50cm、l>26·50cm、l>24·00cm时,全长选择率几乎接近于1·00,50%选择全长分别为29·80、26·80、23·00、22·00、20·00cm;选择域为3·80、4·30、3·50、3·00、3·00cm。依据AIC理论,套网和实验网的网目接近时,套网的影响显著;Single curve model所得到的主选择性曲线可更好地反映网目选择性。50%选择相对体周长MGc1·11,选择域为0·52。01·60,选择率趋向于1·00。     

Effect of taurine supplemented practical diet on growth performance and taurine contents in whole body and tissues of juvenile Japanese flounder <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paralichthys olivaceus</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:   The effect of dietary taurine on juvenile Japanese flounder was determined by feeding three taurine-supplemented experimental diets (TAU) and a commercial diet (CD) to evaluate a practical diet for juvenile Japanese flounder. Juvenile Japanese flounder were reared on the three experimental diets supplemented with taurine at 0, 0.5, 1.0% and CD. These diets were fed to juvenile Japanese flounder of an initial mean body weight of 0.2 g for 6 weeks at 20°C and the taurine contents of the whole body and tissues were analyzed. The final average body weight of juvenile Japanese flounder fed the 1.0% TAU was significantly higher than that of the other groups. Taurine contents in the whole body and tissues increased with the increase in dietary taurine level. These results indicate that juvenile Japanese flounder require at least 15 mg/g taurine in the diet, even though a combined mix of fish, krill and squid meal was the main protein source in the experimental diets.     

Assessment of criteria for improvement in Theileria orientalis sergenti infection tolerance

We examined the relationships between calf productivity, anemia and Theileria orientalis sergenti infection from records of 109 Japanese shorthorn calves during a grazing period and we quantified the relative importance of the T. orientalis sergenti infection‐resistance criteria used. A decrease in average parasitemia (AvePara) and an increase in average packed cell volume (AvePCV) would cause a decrease in the number of drug treatments. An increase in AvePCV would decrease the number of drug treatments more efficiently than a decrease in AvePara. An increase in AvePCV would cause an increase in dairy gain, while a decrease in AvePara would cause a decrease in dairy gain. Therefore, an improvement in the capacity to control anemia development would improve T. orientalis sergenti infection resistance more efficiently than an improvement in the capacity to control parasitemia development.     

Comprehensive Analysis of Plant Gene Expression in Soybean Root Nodules at Different Growth Stages

Gene expression profiles in early (12 d after sowing, DAS), mature (35 DAS) and senescent (77 DAS) soybean ( Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv. Enrei) root nodules were analyzed using Lotus japonicus cDNA macroarray. The cDNA macroarray membranes contained 18,144 independent cDNAs of L. japonicus isolated from various organs. The membranes were hybridized to ³³P-labeled single-strand cDNAs transcribed from mRNA extracted from the soybean root nodules at three different growth stages. The results showed that over 75% of the cDNA clones gave a relative signal intensity (RSI) lower than 300, irrespective of the soybean growth stage. cDNA with an RSI value over 5,000 accounted for 2.1, 1.2 and 0.5% of the total cDNA clones at 12, 35 and 77 DAS, respectively. The highest RSI value was detected in a clone hybridized to putative pectinesterase (MWM097c10_r) at 12 DAS, while the RSI value of lycopene β-cyclase (MWL025d06_r) was the highest at 35 and 77 DAS. At 77 DAS, the percentage of transferase gene cDNA clones accounted for 20.5% of the total cDNA clones showing an RSI value over 500, a value clearly lower than that at 12 and 35 DAS. On the other hand, the percentage of hydrolase gene cDNA clones accounted for 45.2% at 77 DAS, a value around 1.5 times higher than that at 12 and 35 DAS. The chronological RSI profiles of individual cDNA clones were classified into nine patterns, and the profiles of the cDNA clones belonging to 15 homologous gene groups encoding enzymes of nitrogen and carbon metabolism, nodule specific proteins, enzymes of RNA and protein hydrolysis, and synthesis of jasmonic acid precursor were compared within and between groups. As a result, significant variations both within- and between-groups were revealed.     

Structural unit of xylans from sugi (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cryptomeria japonica</Emphasis>) and hinoki (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chamaecyparis obtusa</Emphasis>)

Arabinoglucuronoxylans (AGXs) isolated from the holocellulose of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) and hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa) contained one 4-O-methyl-d-glucopyranosyluronic acid (4-O-Me-d-GlcAp) residue per 6.2 d-xylopyranose (d-Xylp) residues and one 4-O-Me-d-GlcAp residue per 3.8 d-Xylp residues. These AGXs were subjected to partial acid hydrolysis. Analyses by size exclusion chromatography and electrospray-ionization mass spectroscopy of the neutral sugar fractions in the hydrolysates showed the presence of xylooligosaccharides having a degree of polymerization of 2-8 in addition to d-Xyl, suggesting that the AGXs from sugi and hinoki contained unsubstituted chains consisting of at least eight d-Xyl residues. The acidic sugars in the hydrolysates were separated into two series of aldouronic acids composed of 4-O-Me-d-GlcAp and d-Xylp by ion-exchange chromatography. The first series included aldouronic acids from aldobiouronic acid (4-O-Me-d-GlcAp-Xyl) to aldopentaouronic acids (4-O-Me-d-GlcAp-Xyl₄). The second series were aldouronic acids composed of two 4-O-Me-d-GlcAp residues and 2-4 d-Xyl residues. In these acidic sugars, the uronic acid side chains were located on two contiguous d-Xyl residues. These facts indicated that AGXs from sugi and hinoki had a structural unit containing two 4-O-Me-d-GlcAp residues on two contiguous d-Xyl residues as well as AGXs from spruce and larch.