Amino Acid Composition,Volatile Compounds and Bioavailability of Biocalcium Powders from Salmon Frame as Affected by Pretreatment

Biocalcium powders, Bio-cal-H, and Bio-cal-A, obtained from non-alkaline treated and alkaline treated salmon frame were characterized. Glycine was the dominant amino acid (216.45–321.80 mg/g), followed by glutamic acid (102.52–110.38 mg/g), proline (72.96–96.10 mg/g), and hydroxyproline (72.98–83.75 mg/g) in both biocalcium powders. Bio-cal-H possessed a high abundance of volatile compounds such as 2-propanone, acetonitrile, and 2-butanone than Bio-cal-A. Bio-cal-A had a higher solubility in in vitro simulated gastrointestinal tract than Bio-cal-H and CaCO₃ (P < .05). However, transportation of calcium across Caco-2 cell monolayer of Bio-cal-H was higher than Bio-cal-A and CaCO₃ (P < .05). Overall, biocalcium could serve as a promising source of calcium supplementation.     

High incidence of death due to collision of hatchery-reared Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis juveniles in sea cages, as revealed by head and spinal injuries

High mortality of hatchery-reared Pacific bluefin tuna (PBT) juveniles is frequently observed in sea cages after transfer from indoor tanks, and is likely due to collisions of the fish with the net wall of the sea cages. Because collisions frequently cause bone injuries due to physical impact, such injuries can be considered an index of obvious collisions. In the present study, bone injuries of dead juveniles were investigated in order to examine the prevalence of net collision as a cause of death among hatchery-reared PBT juveniles in sea cages. Juvenile PBT were reared in sea cages for 90 days after transfer, and dead fish were collected and examined by the clearing and staining method or by dissection to detect injury to the vertebral column and parasphenoid. The prevalence of injuries to the vertebral column and parasphenoid until day 30 after transfer was low (0.0–12.0 %) when the fish were 5.5–15.2 cm in total length (TL). However, it drastically increased to 17.8–78.0 % for fish 21.0–39.2 cm TL from day 31 onward after transfer. These results suggest that the mortalities of juvenile PBT larger than 20 cm TL in cages were induced by net collisions.     

Simulation study of the vegetation structure and function in eastern Siberian larch forests using the individual-based vegetation model SEIB-DGVM

The global ecosystem model SEIB-DGVM was adapted for an eastern Siberian larch forest through incorporation of empirical rules of allometry, allocation, and phenology developed for a larch stand at the Spasskaya-pad tower site, Yakutsk, Russia. After calibration, the model reconstructed post-fire successional patterns of forest structure and carbon cycling. It also reconstructed seasonal changes in carbon, water, and energy cycling in a mature larch forest. Sensitivity analysis showed that simulated functional properties of forest (LAI, NPP, carbon pools, and water runoff) are mainly determined by climatic environment, and population dynamic parameters (i.e., parameters for establishment and mortality) plays only minor role on them. Sensitivity analysis also showed that plant productivity and biomass were mainly limited by available water at Spasskaya-pad, where mean annual precipitation is only 257 mm. In the model, higher air temperature increases plant productivity via extension of growing season, and decreases plant productivity via causing drought and higher respiration. We found that the net effect is reduction of productivity, suggesting a possibility that global warming induces decrement of plant productivity in eastern Siberian larch forests.     

Comparison of symptomatic and neurophysiological activities of enantiomers of the insecticide 3-phenoxybenzyl 1-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-2,2-dichlorocyclopropane-1-carboxylate

The insecticidal activities of optical isomers of 3-phenoxybenzyl 1-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-2,2-dichlorocyclopropanecarboxylate and related compounds were measured with American cockroaches and their knockdown activities were evaluated with house flies. The activities of the S(?)-isomer of the dichlorocyclopropanecarboxylate were higher than those of the R(+)-isomer. The effects of the compounds on the inward membrane currents induced by a stepdepolarizing pulse in crayfish axonal membranes were examined under voltage clamp conditions by the sucrose gap method. The compounds induced a tail current upon step repolarization of the membrane. The tail current decayed to zero in each record, but developed with time after the start of application of the compound until a steady level was reached. The rate of decay of the tail current observed in axonal membranes treated with the S(?)-isomer was slower than with the R(+)-isomer. The rates of development of the tail current induced by the two isomers were not very different.     

Contagious equine metritis eradicated from Japan

Contagious equine metritis (CEM), a contagious venereal disease of horses, invaded Japan in 1980 and spread in the Thoroughbred population of the Hidaka-Iburi district of Hokkaido. To eradicate CEM, we ran a program aimed at detecting Taylorella equigenitalis, the causal agent, in carrier horses by using the PCR test, followed by culling or treatment. In 2001, the first year of the program, 12,356 Thoroughbred racing stallions and mares were tested and 11 carriers were found. Four, two, one, and one carrier mares were detected in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005, respectively, by application of the program at the same scale as in 2001. No PCR-positive horses were found from 2006 to 2010. These results strongly suggest that CEM was eradicated from Japan by 2010.     

Antiangiogenic activity of nasunin, an antioxidant anthocyanin, in eggplant peels

Nasunin, delphinidin-3-(p-coumaroylrutinoside)-5-glucoside, an antioxidant anthocyanin isolated from eggplant peels, was demonstrated as an angiogenesis inhibitor. Nasunin at higher 10 microM suppressed microvessel outgrowth in an ex vivo angiogenesis assay using a rat aortic ring. The effect of nasunin was examined in various in vitro angiogenesis models using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Nasunin suppressed HUVEC proliferation in a dose-dependent manner (50-200 microM); however, it had no significant effect on HUVEC chemotaxis in a Boyden chamber assay and HUVEC tube formation on a reconstituted basement membrane. These results imply that nasunin with both antioxidant and antiangiogenic activities might be useful to prevent angiogenesis-related diseases.     

Prevalence of Salmonella spp. in pet reptiles in Japan

From November 2000 to July 2002, 112 fecal samples from pet reptiles, including 18 turtles, 71 lizards and 23 snakes, sold at a pet shop were examined for the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in Japan. Salmonella spp. were isolated from 83 (74.1%) of 112 samples, and a total of 112 Salmonella isolates were identified as subspecies I to IV. The majority of isolates (62.5%) belonged to subspecies I and 54 isolates could be identified as any of 28 serovars. The predominant serovars were found to be S. Bardo, S. Newport and S. Panama, which cause human salmonellosis. These results indicate that pet reptiles may be a potential infectious source of human salmonellosis in Japan.     

Sequence comparison of the ORF 7 region of transmissible gastroenteritis viruses isolated in Japan

The 3' end region nucleotide sequence, including ORF7, of nine Japanese and two U.S.A. isolates of transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) were determined and compared. Nine Japanese TGEV strains have been isolated over the past 40 years (1956-1997). From the comparison of determined nucleotide sequences, we could divide the TGEV Japanese isolates into two groups and distinguish them from TGEV U.S.A. isolates.     

Age-related changes of bone mineral density and microarchitecture in miniature pigs

Bone mineral density (BMD), distribution of its density and bone histomorphometric parameters were evaluated in lumbar vertebra of normally growing miniature pigs. The fourth lumbar vertebra (L4) of the G?ttingen miniature pig were used in this cross-sectional study in vitro. The BMD of the miniature pig was similar to that of humans in tendency of gender differences and some growth patterns during puberty. In these regards this animal appears useful as a model for human bone study. However, the trabecular and cortical BMDs of lumbar spine were extremely high value (399.43 +/- 26.36 mg/cm(3) in female trabeculae; 973.06 +/- 69.55 mg/cm(3) in female cortical bone; 419.04 +/- 34.84 mg/cm(3) in male trabeculae; 1038.81 +/- 125.72 mg/cm(3) in male cortical bone in pigs 30 months or more). Furthermore, histomorphometric analysis yielded values that were remarkably different from those found in humans. From these results, it was revealed that miniature pig had a higher bone mass and denser trabecular network than human, indicating that its bone is probably stronger. Therefore, care should be taken in choosing the miniature pig as a bone study model.