Effects of temperature,food availability,and body size on daily growth rate of Japanese anchovy <Emphasis Type="Italic">Engraulis japonicus</Emphasis> larvae in Hiuchi-nada

With data sampled from 2003 to 2006, this study presents the effects of temperature, food availability (C), and body size on the somatic growth rate [^(g)] \hat{g} (mm day⁻¹) and on the size-specific growth rates [^(G)] \hat{G} (day⁻¹) of larval Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus caught in Hiuchi-nada, Seto Inland Sea, Japan, a semi-enclosed narrow sea. C was calculated using an individual-based model, which is an encounter model between copepods and anchovy where the anchovy resulted in a successful capture of the copepod. [^(g)] \hat{g} decreased with increasing anchovy length, but increased with increasing C. No significant relationship was found between [^(g)] \hat{g} and temperature. [^(G)] \hat{G} decreased with increasing temperature, but anchovy weight, on the other hand, increased with increasing C. In the literature, the mechanism of growth determination for larvae of pelagic fish species is considered to be primarily determined by sea temperature and secondarily by food availability. However, [^(g)] \hat{g} and [^(G)] \hat{G} were found to be dependent on C rather than temperature. [^(G)] \hat{G} was dependent on anchovy weight rather than C and temperature. For forecasting the number of days required for development from an arbitrary pre-recruitment size to the recruitment size, we address not only temperature but also food availability and the size effect when considering the mechanism of growth determination for larvae.     

Distribution of cells immunopositive for AM-3K, a novel monoclonal antibody recognizing human macrophages, in normal and diseased tissues of dogs, cats, horses, cattle, pigs, and rabbits

The monoclonal antibody AM-3K, which was developed using human pulmonary macrophages as the immunogen, immunocytochemically labels most human macrophages except for blood monocytes and dendritic cell populations. AM-3K also shows cross-reactivity in some animal species. To evaluate the usefulness of AM-3K, the present study investigated the detailed distribution of AM-3K-immunopositive macrophages in normal and diseased tissues of dogs, cats, horses, cattle, pigs, and rabbits. Zamboni's solution-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections were the most available for the immunocytochemistry with AM-3K. In all animal species examined, AM-3K labeled most macrophages in splenic red pulp, lymph node sinuses and thymus, and tissue macrophages in the interstitium of various organs and sites such as the kidneys, lungs, heart, pancreas, intestines, and skin. Alveolar macrophages and perivascular microglial cells were also immunoreactive for AM-3K. Interestingly, Kupffer cells of dogs, cats, and horses were labeled for AM-3K, but those of cattle, pigs, and rabbits were not. Furthermore, in tumor tissues and inflammatory lesions such as liver fibrosis and encephalomalacia that were obtained from dogs, infiltrating macrophages were stained with AM-3K, but not all infiltrating macrophages reacted to AM-3K. In addition, only 30-50% of pulmonary and peritoneal macrophages obtained from cats and dogs were reactive for AM-3K. AM-3K did not react with blood monocytes, dendritic cell populations, and osteoclasts. These observations indicate that AM-3K specifically labels most exudate and tissue macrophages in the animal species examined. However, the expression of antigens recognized by AM-3K on macrophages may be dependent on differential maturation stages or different functions evoked by some conditions. AM-3K immunoreaction products were seen on the cytoplasmic membrane of macrophages by immunoelectron microscopy. AM-3K would be useful for detection of macrophage populations in the animal species examined here.     

Genetic variability of the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica (Temminck & Schlegel) related to latitude

Abstract— Isozyme genotypes of 400 glass eels recruiting to 4 localities along the east Asian coast, stretching from Taiwan to the Yalu River of northeastern China, were studied using starch gel electrophoresis. Geographic cline was found to exist in two loci: NADP-isocitrate dehygenase-1 and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase. Frequencies of the most common allele of these two loci increased from south to north. In the latitudinal range of 25°N to 40°N, the magnitude of difference of IDH100 and PGD100 was 13% and 9% respectively. However, deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were found to be insignificant in both loci at three of the four localities. The cline was, therefore, unlikely to have resulted from selection. Migration time-lag from different parts of the continent to the spawning ground in the western Pacific was suggested to be a possible reason for the formation of the cline.     

Evaluation of genetic structure of Korean wild soybean (Glycine soja) based on saponin allele polymorphism

Korean wild soybeans (Glycine soja) hypocotyl exhibit seven common saponin allele combinations: Sg-1 ^a /sg-4/sg-6 (phenotype: Aa), Sg-1 ^b /sg-4/sg-6 (Ab), Sg-1 ^a /Sg-4/sg-6 (AaBc), Sg-1 ^b /Sg-4/sg-6 (AbBc), Sg-1 ^a /sg-4/Sg-6 (Aa + α), Sg-1 ^a /Sg-4/Sg-6 (AaBc + α) and Sg-1 ^b /Sg-4/Sg-6 (AbBc + α). Diversity of saponin allele frequency (H_af) and saponin allele combination frequency (H_acf) was evaluated by Shannon–Weaver Index that was ranged from 0.75 to 1.04 and 0.28 to 1.25, respectively. High values of H_af and H_acf were found in Jeollanam-do and its adjoining regions Jeollabuk-do and Gyeongsangnam-do. The genetic index of Korean wild soybean increased towards south from north and west from east regions. The frequency of Sg-1 ^b and Sg-6 allele combinations increased towards south region (Jeollanam-do). These results suggest that Jeollanam-do region is the primary center of diversity, Jeollabuk-do and Gyeongsangnam-do regions are the secondary center of diversity and the remaining regions (Gyeonggi-do, Gangwon-do, Chungcheongbuk-do, Chungcheongnam-do, Jeollabuk-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do and Jeju-do) are the tertiary center of diversity for soyasaponin polymorphism in Korea. Furthermore, saponin allele frequency distribution suggested that alleles Sg-1 ^b and Sg-6 dispersed from Jeollanam-do to other regions of Korea. Our findings have laid the foundation for uncovering genetic diversity in Korean wild soybeans that could be exploited in soybean breeding programs.     

Secomycalolide A: A New Proteasome Inhibitor Isolated from a Marine Sponge of the Genus Mycale

A new oxazole-containing proteasome inhibitor, secomycalolide A, together with known mycalolide A and 30-hydroxymycalolide A, was isolated from a marine sponge of the genus Mycale. They showed proteasome inhibitory activities with IC₅₀ values of 11–45 μg/mL.