Endoscope Application for the Mussel Watch Program of Marine Pollution Monitoring

As a trial for the complete establishment of mussel watch program, it was shown that the ciliary stroke of Mytilus edulis can be used as an indicator of its bioaccumulation of pollutants from sea water when it was measured by use of a high function OES endoscope. This is reasonable because the ciliary strokes result in the intake of phytoplankton by raising the constant water current along the cilia from an inhalant siphon transported to the mouth. The ciliary strokes showed an evident diel fluctuation with the maximal activity during the night. The contribution of mucus excretion was evident for efficient filter-feeding. The ciliary stroke and the mucus excretion were activated almost simultaneously showing similar diel fluctuation while filter-feeding. The maximal ciliary stroke was observed at 20 °C in salt solution from 30 to 40‰ salinities. The stroke follows the Arrhenius equation in the temperature range from 5 to 30 °C with a break at around 20 °C when the experiment was performed with salt solution between 10 to 33‰ salinities.     

Evaluation from otolith Sr stable isotope ratios of possible juvenile growth areas of Japanese eels collected from the West Mariana Ridge spawning area

Fisheries Science - The widely distributed East Asian Japanese eel Anguilla japonica constitutes a single genetically homogeneous population with a single spawning area near the West Mariana Ridge....     

Diagnostic imaging of intra-abdominal cyst in heifer using the computed tomography

A 10-month-old Japanese black heifer was diagnosed as having an intra-abdominal cyst using computed tomography (CT). Through a posterior ventral midline incision, the cyst was removed, and the heifer completely recovered after the surgery. CT scans enabled detection of the intra-abdominal cyst and measurements of the diameter of the cyst before the surgery.     

Molecular detection of human periodontal pathogens in oral swab specimens from dogs in Japan

Periodontal diseases are known to be major diseases in humans, and are also common in dogs. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the distribution of periodontitis-related bacterial species using oral swab specimens collected from 26 pet dogs. The distribution of an animal gingival organism Porphyromonas gulae, in addition to 10 human periodontitis-related bacterial species, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Tannerella forsythia, Capnocytophaga ochracea, Capnocytophaga sputigena, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella nigrescens, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Campylobacter rectus, and Eikenella corrodens, were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction with species-specific sets of primers. Porphyromonas gulae, Tannerella forsythia and Campylobacter rectus were detected in almost all dogs analyzed, all of which should be regarded as common members of oral flora in dogs. Then, isolation and identification of the Porphyromonas species in swab specimens were performed. There were 35 strains isolated from 22 dogs, and broad-range polymerase chain reaction and sequencing methods revealed that approximately 70% of them were Porphyromonas gulae. In contrast, the frequency of Porphyromonas gingivalis was extremely low. These findings indicate the presence of specific periodontitis-related pathogens in pet dogs, especially Porphyromonas gulae.     

Mycobacteriosis in two captive Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris).

Two male Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) died at the marine aquarium in Inagi City, Tokyo, Japan. Acid-fast bacteria were demonstrated in tuberculoid nodules in the lungs from both manatees. Mycobacterium marinum and M. fortuitum were isolated from one manatee; M. marinum and M. kansasii were cultured from the second animal. This report confirms the pathogenicity and potentially fatal outcome of mycobacterial infection in manatees. In addition, the pathologic response to infection with these mycobacteria in manatees is similar to that associated with Mycobacterium spp. in other animals.     

水果内部品质在线近红外分光检测装置及试验

阐述了近红外分光法检测水果内部品质的基本原理和检测流程，分析比较了在线式反射光测定法、不完全遮光型透过光测定法和完全遮光型透过光测定法的特点；以柑橘和苹果为检测对象，用完全遮光型透过光水果内部品质测定装置进行在线糖度、酸度及内部褐变等检测试验，并与常规分析法测定结果进行回归分析。结果表明，在线检测的糖度值与实测值的相关系数在0.95以上，酸度相关系数大于0.85，且能检测内部缺陷，完全满足在线检测水果内部品质的要求。     

Comparison of serum lipid compositions, lipid peroxide, alpha-tocopherol and lipoproteins in captive marine mammals (bottlenose dolphins, spotted seals and West Indian manatees) and terrestrial mammals

Concentrations of serum lipid components, lipid peroxide (LPO) and α-tocopherol and electrophoretic patterns of lipoproteins in serum samples obtained from captive marine mammals and terrestrial mammals were compared. Serum concentrations of total cholesterol, free fatty acid, and phospholipid in fish-eating animals were significantly higher than those in manatees and cows. Serum LPO and α-tocopherol concentrations in the fish-eating animals were also significantly higher than those in manatees, cows and dogs. Different patterns of densitometric scans of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and a significantly lower percentage of LDL were demonstrated in the dolphins compared with the seals, cow and dogs. The concentration of LPO was significantly correlated with triglyceride and phospholipid concentrations in serum from the dolphins. These results suggest that triglyceride and phospholipid are susceptible to oxidative reaction in fish-eating animals. Evaluation of serum lipids, LPO and α-tocopherol concentrations is needed for nutritional husbandry for fish-eating animals.     

Investigation on the contamination of field crops by artificial radioactivities as a result of the H-bomb tests at Bikini Atoll

Introduction

As a result of the H-bomb explosion tests of the U.S.A. in the Southern Pacific Ocean, rain-out in Japan is contaminated considerably by fission products, and field crops also show apparently artificial radioactivities. Many workers are now investigating to clarify degree and regional extent of contamination or sorts of radioactive elements.     

Einfluss vom in der mülldeponie gebildeten gas auf den boden

Es wurde der Einftuß vom aus der mit Erde bedeckte Mülldeponie entqundenen Gas auf die mikrobiologischen und chemischen Eigenschaften des Oberbodens untersucht. Auf dem einer Deponie benachbarten Acker wurde das Pflanzenwachstum beeinträchtigt. Sein Bodenprofil war teilweise bläulichschwarz gefärbt. Seine Bodenluft war durch O₂-Abnahme und CH₄ und CO₂-Zunahme gekennzeichnet. Durch den Brutversuch mit sterilisierten und unsterilisierten Bodenproben unter Zusatz von CH₄ konnte seine Oxydation durch Mikroorganismen bestätigt werden. Durch das Einfließen des kohlenwasserstoffreichen, sauerstoffarmen Gases und durch den mikrobiellen O₂-Verbrauch entstanden anaerobe Verhältnisse. Hierdurch ergaben sich Reduktionen von Fe-, Mn-, N-, und S-Verbindungen, und eine Senkung des Redoxpotentials. Wurde feldfrische Feinerde im Becberglas bebrütet, nahm angereichertes Fe²⁺ sehr schnell, Mn²⁺ dagegen langsamer ab. Die Wachstumsstörung sollte auf Sauerstoffmangel, der Gegenwart von Schwefelwasserstoff und Mangan-Überachuß im Boden beruhen.     

Peripheral mononuclear cell response in Japanese black calves after oral administration of IFN-alpha

To investigate the effects of oral administration of an interferon (IFN)-alpha drug on the immune reaction of healthy Japanese Black (JB) calves, peripheral leukocyte populations and their ability to produce cytokine mRNA were analyzed after oral administration of IFN-alpha. Fourteen calves fed in one herd were divided into two groups; seven calves were orally administered 0.1 g/day of IFN-alpha from the day of birth to day 5 on each day (group 1, N=7), and the other seven calves were used as the control (group 2, N=7). Blood samples were collected from the jugular veins of all calves before administration and in weeks 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 after birth. The number of MHC class II+CD14+ monocytes in the leukocytes population of group 1 increased gradually after birth, and significantly higher numbers were detected in week 4 compared with group 2. MHC class II-CD14+ monocytes in group 1 peaked in week 1, and a significant increase was detected compared with group 2. The level of IL-12 in the cytokine mRNA of group 1 increased gradually between weeks 1 and 2, and a significantly higher level of IL-12 was found compared with group 2. These results suggest that oral administration of IFN-alpha induces activation of the monocyte functions in JB calves.