P-2 Evaluation of the influence of sex, diet and time on skin pH and surface lipids of cats

Liquorice, a derivative of the root of Glycyrrhizia glabra, has been proposed as a treatment for gastric ulcers. Here, a preparation of liquorice combined with sesame oil was evaluated in experimental wound healing. The study was carried out in two female 10-month-old Holstein calves. An area of 10 × 10 cm on each side of the thorax of the animals was surgically prepared and infiltrated with local anaesthetic. Eight uniform skin wounds were created in two rows with an 8-mm biopsy punch on each prepared area. Each side of an animal was used to evaluate one treatment (Groups 1–4). To make the mixture, powdered and sieved liquorice (16 g) was mixed with sesame oil (36 g) to make a suspension. The wounds were treated for 7 days. The wounds of Groups 1–3 were rinsed daily with normal saline, after which the mixture of liquorice and sesame oil (Group 1) or only the sesame oil (Group 2) was applied to the wounds. In Group 4, no treatment was applied. All wounds were left open. On day 8, skin biopsies were taken from the wounds for histopathologic study. In Group 1, seven wounds (87%) showed moderate granulation tissue, mild scab formation, and complete re-epithelialization. In Group 2, there was massive scab formation with no granulation tissue and minimal re-epithelialization. In Groups 3 and 4, mild granulation tissue, severe scab formation and very limited re-epithelialization were observed. We conclude that a preparation of liquorice and sesame oil can be an effective remedy for wound healing.
Funding: Self-funded.     

Supplementations of dl‐Methionine and Methionine Dipeptide in Diets are Effective for the Development and Growth of Larvae and Juvenile Red Sea Bream,Pagrus major

Growth trials for larvae and juvenile red sea bream, Pagrus major, were conducted to elucidate the efficacy of two molecular forms of methionine; dl ‐methionine (dl ‐Met) and methionine dipeptide (Met‐Met). For the larvae experiment, five experimental diets were formulated and fed to fish (42 mg) for 30 days. A diet which has 15% soy protein isolate served as the control diet. Similarly, test diets supplemented with dl ‐Met and Met‐Met at 0.5%, which were either precoated by zein or intact, were also formulated. For the juvenile experiment, five experimental diets were formulated wherein the control diet contained 25% soy protein isolate. Test diets were supplemented with dl ‐Met and Met‐Met at 0.75%, which were either coated by carboxymethycellulose or intact and fed to juveniles (0.75 g) for 56 days. The results of two feeding trials showed both dl ‐Met and Met‐Met can be equally utilized by red sea bream larvae and juveniles. Coating the amino acid significantly improved both fish larval and juvenile growth performance. The development of digestive protease activity of larvae was significantly influenced by coating the amino acid, but the type of methionine was not a factor in changing the protease activity of larvae.     

Re‐Regulation in the Post‐WTO Period? A Case Study of Vietnam's Food Retailing Sector

Academic interest on domestic regulatory (and re‐regulatory) impacts of retail foreign direct investment remains surprisingly under‐researched, despite high‐profile campaigns, particularly in Southeast Asia, to rein in the expansion of retail transnational corporations. This paper focuses on the trends of re‐regulation of foreign retailers, particularly in the food sector, in Vietnam before and after the accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2007. The findings reveal a complex layering of regulation, some of it a holdover from the pre‐2007 period and some of it occurring since WTO accession, in the form of the controversial Economic Needs Test.     

Aquaculture and poverty alleviation in Ben Tre Province,Vietnam

Research results on the effects of aquaculture on poverty alleviation have been mixed. We use Tobit, simulation models and cross sectional survey data of 285 households, in Ben Tre Province, Vietnam, to evaluate the effects of aquaculture involvement on poverty, measured using per capita consumption of less than $1.25 USD, $1.50, and $2.00 per day. The results show for per capita consumption of less than $1.25 per day that households’ aquaculture participation or productivity had no or little effect on the living standard. For income levels above $1.25 per capita per day aquaculture participation or productivity influenced the standard of living.     

Plant diversity and composition of rice field bunds in Southeast Asia

Which plant species can be found on rice field bunds and what are the prevailing life forms? Which plant communities occur and what are the main environmental drivers and phytogeographic patterns shaping these communities? How do species diversity and composition differ between bunds and paddies? To answer these questions, 133 vegetation relevés using the Braun-Blanquet method were collected in lowlands and uplands of Vietnam and the Philippines between 2012 and 2015. Soil samples were collected and farmers were interviewed. Properties of soil, climate, and geography were assessed, further structural parameters, landscape heterogeneity, seasonality, management and intensity of cultivation. Hierarchical UPGMA cluster analysis and NMDS ordinations were performed to visualize variation in plant community composition and the determinants. We found 302 vascular plant species, of which 94 species are red listed by the IUCN (under category “Least concern”). Therophytes and helophytes are the prevailing life forms. Six clusters of plant communities were classified, and temperature, soil acidity, land use intensity and nutrient availability were identified (according to relevance) as explanatory variables. Bunds revealed higher species richness than paddies and bunds in mountain areas were more species-rich than those in the lowlands. We conclude that the composition of bund communities provides valuable information on environmental and biogeographical conditions of the local rice landscapes, and that it is probably the best applicable and most reliable indicator of management intensity.     

Apparent digestibility of animal,plant and microbial ingredients for Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

A digestibility trial was conducted to determine apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, protein, energy and amino acids of animal, plant and microbial ingredients for Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. The tested ingredients included traditional soybean meal (TSBM), PepsoyGen soybean meal (PSBM), NutriVance soybean meal (NSBM), fish meal (FM), poultry meal (PM), squid hydrolysis (SQH), scallop hydrolysis (SCH), flash dried yeast (FDY), two batches of Ulva meal (UMF and UMS) and bacteria biomass (BB). A basal diet was formulated and produced along with the experimental diets which included 300 g/kg of each ingredient and 700 g/kg of the basal diet. Juvenile shrimp (initial mean weight: 12 g, six shrimp/tank, n = 3) were stocked in a recirculation system. Apparent dry matter, protein and energy digestibility coefficients ranged from ?40.11% to 78.51%, 15.17% to 97.03% and 13.33% to 82.56% among different protein sources, respectively. In general, protein and energy digestibilities in soy sources (77.6% to 97.03% and 62.77% to 82.56%, respectively) are higher than the tested animal protein (51.39% to 71.41% and 45.29% to 69.77%, respectively) and single‐cell protein sources (15.17% to 53.47% and 13.33% to 40.39%, respectively). Among the three soybean sources, TSBM showed highest protein and energy digestibility. Apparent individual amino acid digestibility coefficients were also variable among different types of ingredients, and there was a reasonable correspondence to protein digestibility. The most digestible feed ingredients for Pacific white shrimp in this study were conventional soybean meal (SBM) and NutriVance soybean meal (NSBM), which indicated that these ingredients are good protein and amino acid sources for Pacific white shrimp. Resultant digestibility data may provide useful information to commercial shrimp feed industry.     

Yield and Economic Efficiency of Green Water in Combination with Supplemental Feeds for Artemia Production in Vietnamese Salt Ponds

We evaluated the combined effects of different green water sources and feed supplements on Artemia biomass production and economic efficiency. A two-factor experiment was set up with two green water types produced from the ratios of nitrogen and phosphorus (N:P = 5 and N:P = 10) in combination with two types of supplemental feed (rice bran or pig manure). After 12 weeks of culture, total Artemia biomass yield with the N:P = 5 treatment (2.29 ton ha^?1 crop^?1) was 14% higher than that with the N:P = 10 treatment (1.97 ton ha^?1 crop^?1), although this difference was not significant (P > 0.05). There was no significant interaction between green water and supplemental feeding treatments for the final yield of Artemia biomass. Comparative cost-benefit analysis showed that the treatment of N:P = 5 combined with pig manure attained a significantly higher net profit and cost/benefit ratio than the other treatments.     

Characterization of the ion-paired polyurethane copolymers

The polyurethane (PU) copolymer was grafted with either 3-dimethylaminopropanol as a basic pendant group or 4-hydroxylphenylacetic acid as an acidic pendant group. The two types of PU were mixed in solution to form ion-pairing between acidic and basic pendant groups. The structural change after grafting and ion-pairing was followed by acid-base titration, infrared spectra, differential scanning calorimetry, and absolute viscosity. The tensile stress can be raised as much as 70 % by the control of the ion-pairing ratio of acidic and basic PUs. Shape recovery was over 80 % and reproducible for four test cycles. The minor control of tensile properties of PU was possible through the ion-pairing method.