An immunohistochemical study of ovarian follicle histogenesis in the early post-hatch Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

The early post-hatch development of immunoreactivity to vimentin, desmin, smooth muscle actin (SMA) and laminin, in relation to follicle histogenesis, was described in this study. Ovigerous cords in day old quails contained pre-granulosa cells and oocytes. Pre-granulosa cells at the cortico-medullary junction were vimentin immunopositive. A laminin immunopositive basement membrane and desmin immunopositive mesenchymal cells lined the ovigerous cords. Ovigerous cords in 3-day-old quails contained developing primordial follicles, the vimentin immunopositive pre-granulosa cells of which were partially encircled by a basement membrane and desmin immunopositive mesenchymal cells. In 5- to 7-day-old quails, ovigerous cords formed an outer cortical region, while primordial follicles formed the inner cortical region. Early pre-vitellogenic follicles were present in 9- to 13-day-old quails. Underlying the granulosa cells of these follicles was a laminin immunopositive basement membrane and a layer of desmin immunopositive thecal cells. Early and late pre-vitellogenic follicles dominated the ovary in 15- to 17-day-old quails. The thecal layer in these follicles was desmin immunopositive, but SMA immunonegative. The results of the study have shown that the process of primordial follicle development in the Japanese quail is similar to that reported in mammals. The study suggests that in the quail pre-granulosa cells originate predominantly from the medulla. The study has shown that, in the Japanese quail, thecal cells are derived from desmin immunopositive mesenchymal cells lining the ovigerous cords.     

Alternative Protein Sources in Artificial Diets for New Zealand's Black‐Footed Abalone,Haliotis iris,Martyn 1784, Juveniles

Growth and health parameters were tested in juvenile New Zealand black‐footed abalone, Haliotis iris, fed nine diets containing different protein sources (white and red fishmeal, blood meal, meat and bone meal, casein, soybean concentrate, wheat gluten, maize gluten, and Spirulina powder) over a 5‐mo period. The growth parameters measured included shell length, total animal weight, and soft body and gonad weights. The health indicators included survival, goblet cell counts, and epithelium thickness of the tentacle region. Proximate analyses and amino acid and fatty acid profiles were also determined on the diets, soft body tissues and shell materials to evaluate the nutrient contents (diet and animal) and requirements (animal). Measurements of soft body, gonad, and shell growth parameters indicated that white and red fishmeals generally result in better growth. Animals fed blood meal had the lowest survival rates and crude protein contents. Spirulina produced animals with the heaviest shells and soybean treatments produced animals with the highest gonad to soft body ratios. Significantly lower acid/basic amino acid ratios were found in fishmeal diets, indicating that animals fed fishmeal may incorporate more aragonite than calcite in their shells.     

Block copolymers containing poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) and poly (<Emphasis Type="Italic">ɛ</Emphasis>-caprolactone) units: Synthesis,characterization and thermal degradation

Biodegradable block copolymers containing poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and poly (ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) units (PHCLs) with different contents of PCL block were synthesized successfully by using telechelic hydroxylated PHBV (PHBV-diol) with low molecular weight as a macroinitiator to initiate ring-opening bulk polymerization of ɛ-caprolactone (ɛ-CL). The chemical structure and molecular weight were characterized by 1H NMR, FTIR and GPC. The PHBV and PCL blocks in PHCLs were miscible in amorphous state, and formed separate crystalline phases with lower crystallinity than corresponding homopolymers, which was characterized by DSC and WAXD. The results of TGA showed that PHCLs underwent a two-step thermal degradation process. The thermal degradation process of PCL blocks was significantly different from PCL homopolymers. The activation energies of thermal degradation of PCL blocks calculated by Horowitz and Metzger method were much higher than that of each step of thermal degradation of PCL homopolymers.     

Application and development of a decision-support system for assessing water shortage and allocation with climate change

The assessment to vulnerability of the water supply system needs several modeling tools and cases to simulate. A decision-support tool which integrates the common procedures of impact assessment of climate change, downscaling, weather generation, hydrological model, and interface for linking system dynamics model is proposed here. In this study, the impact of climatic change and growing water demand to the water supply system in Touchien river basin in Taiwan was derived. The vulnerability for the current water supply system was estimated for present and future conditions. The result demonstrated that the water supply system could meet the water demand in Touchien river basin but might be subjected to serious water shortage due to climatic change and expanded water demand. Results are expected to give the authorized government sectors a hint for instituting water policy and implementing allocation measures for irrigational water.     

Evaluation of crude palm oil and refined palm olein as dietary lipids in pelleted feeds for a tropical bagrid catfish Mystus nemurus (Cuvier & Valenciennes)

The effects of different dietary lipids on the growth, feed utilization and tissue fatty acid composition of a tropical bagrid catfish Mystus nemurus (Cuvier & Valenciennes) were investigated. Eight isonitrogenous and isoenergetic semi‐purified diets were fed to triplicate groups of M. nemurus fingerlings for 10 weeks. Diet lipid levels were fixed at 10%, with 1% coming from residual oil in fishmeal and the remainder from cod liver oil (CLO), corn oil (CORN), soybean oil (SBO), crude palm oil (CPO), refined, bleached and deodorized palm olein (RBDPO) or various combinations of these oils. Catfish fed diets supplemented with 9% RBDPO showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher growth rates compared with fish fed the other seven diets. No significant differences in growth performance or feed efficiency ratio were observed between M. nemurus fed 9% CLO, CORN or CPO or fish fed diets containing 4% CLO with either 5% CORN, SBO, CPO or RBDPO. Based upon these results, palm oil‐based diets can be used effectively for M. nemurus without compromising growth or feed utilization efficiency. Muscle and liver fatty acid composition of M. nemurus reflected that of the dietary oils added in pelleted diets fed to the fish. Considering the lower cost and availability of palm oil (compared with imported vegetable oils and fish oils) in many tropical countries, its use in dietary formulations for M. nemurus, and possibly other catfish species, will make these fish feeds less expensive.     

Demonstration of vector competence of Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) for Setaria digitata

In Taiwan, Setaria digitata infection causes a lumber paralysis in increasing number of cattle. Culex quinquefasciatus is one of the predominant mosquitoes, and it has been suspected that C. quinquefasciatus acts as a vector to Setaria nematodes prevalence but this was not confirmed. C. quinquefasciatus, Aedes albopictus and A. aegypti of various strains were investigated using an artificial infection system to evaluate their vector competence. After blood feeding at day 14, the number of larvae (stage III) per infected mosquito in A. aegypti (Liverpool strain), A. aegypti (Kaohsiung strain), A. aegypti (Tungan strain), C. quinquefasciatus (Taichung strain) and A. albopictus (Taichung strain) was 1.3 +/- 0.1, 1.3 +/- 0.1, 1.4 +/- 0.1, 1.0 +/- 0.0 and 0 +/- 0.0 (mean +/- S.E.M), respectively. The vector efficiency index of A. aegypti (Liverpool) was the highest among mosquitoes whereas A. albopictus showed a complete refractoriness to the infection. In conclusion, C. quinquefasciatus demonstrates its potential competence for serving as a transmission vector of S. digitata. This mosquito might therefore be responsible, at least in part, for the prevalence of cattle lumbar paralysis in Taiwan. This is the first report of C. quinquefasciatu demonstrating its vector competence for S. digitata.     

A nutrient requirement mapping system for new crop introduction

A procedure for mapping nutrient requirement for introduction of a new crop to an area has been developed. The procedure makes use of the US Soil Taxonomy for grouping soils into homogeneous fertility areas. Subsoil chemical properties are used for nutrient estimation. The Hawaii Natural Resource Information System was adapted to produce sample phosphorus requirement maps for the island of Oahu.     

In vitro effects of the ionophore lysocellin on ruminal fermentation and microbial populations.

Batch and continuous culture techniques were used to evaluate the effect of the ionophore lysocellin on ruminal fermentation and microbial populations. In batch culture, .5 and 1 ppm (of the fluid) lysocellin markedly decreased (P less than .01) the acetate:propionate ratio without affecting fiber digestion, ammonia concentration, or culture pH. Greater concentrations of lysocellin had negative effects (P less than .05) on fiber digestion and increased (P less than .05) culture pH. In continuous culture, a low level of lysocellin (33 ppm of the diet DM or about .7 ppm of the fluid) decreased pH (P less than .05) and methane (P less than .05) production but had no effect on fiber digestion. Lysocellin tended to increase (P less than .05) OM digestion in corn-based diets but decreased OM digestion in barley-based diets (starch source x lysocellin interaction, P less than .05). In addition, the molar proportion of propionate was increased more in barley- than in corn-based diets. Total anaerobes and amylolytic and lactate-utilizing microorganisms were not affected by the ionophore. In continuous culture, cellulolytic and lactate-producing organisms were insensitive to lysocellin, but, in lysocellin-treated media, cellulolytic organisms were resistant, whereas lactic acid producers were sensitive to lysocellin at 4 ppm. In summary, the ionophore lysocellin alters ruminal fermentation by decreasing ruminal methane production and increasing the molar proportion of propionate; however, effects varied depending on whether corn or barley served as the primary starch source.