Antigenic relationship among strains of ibaraki virus and epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus studied with monoclonal antibodies

Twelve monoclonal antibodies against ibaraki virus (IbV) were established and preliminarily characterised by indirect immunoperoxidase (IIP), haemagglutination inhibition (HI) and neutralisation (NT) tests. Five antibodies reacted in the IIP test with all IbV and epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) strains tested, and five antibodies reacted with IbV and Alberta strain (serotype 2) but not with New Jersey strain (serotype 1) of EHDV. Two of 12 antibodies showed both HI and NT activities. Viral proteins with molecular weights of about 24,000 daltons (24KD) and 78KD were determined by two monoclonal antibodies in Western blot analysis. One of two antibodies with the ability of both HI and NT recognised a viral protein with a molecular weight of about 78KD.     

Changes in fructooligosaccaride composition and related enzyme activities of burdock root during low-temperature storage

Changes in the composition of fructooligosaccarides (FOSs) and related enzyme activities of burdock root during low-temperature storage (1 °C) were measured. Burdock root is composed of monosaccharides, such as glucose and fructose, disaccharides, such as sucrose, and FOS in the extracted carbohydrates. The composition was the highest in fructose, followed by sucrose, FOS, and glucose. The FOS composition was the highest in 1-kestose, followed by nystose and 1-fructofuranosyl nystose. The fructose and glucose contents in burdock root during storage at 1 °C decreased significantly, whereas the sucrose content increased sharply. In contrast, the 1-kestose, nystose, and 1-fructofuranosyl nystose contents significantly increased. The activities of sucrose:sucrose 1-fructosyl transferase (1-SST) and fructan:fructan 1-fructosyl transferase (1-FFT) increased sharply and then gradually decreased, and they were closely related to the changes in FOS content. However, the activity of fructan 1-exohydrolase (1-FEH) was constant. These results indicate that changes in the FOS composition and related enzyme activities of burdock root might be related to low temperature during long term storage.     

Enhanced absorption of anthocyanins after oral administration of phytic acid in rats and humans

Many studies on the bioavailability of polyphenols have been reported. However, the relative urinary excretions of AC are also low, ranging from 0.004% to 0.1%. By contrast, other polyphenols show higher urinary excretion levels. Here, we studied the enhancing effects of phytic acid (IP6) on absorption of blackcurrant anthocyanins (BCAs) in rats and humans. In rats after oral administration of BCAs (as 241 mg of AC/kg body weight) in IP6 (0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 2.5%) solution, the ACs recovery in urine was increased dependent on IP6 dose. These results suggest that the IP6 enhances gastrointestinal absorption of ACs. At the further analysis of IP6 enhancement effect in rat, whereas BCAs were normally passed through the stomach and duodenum within 2 h, in IP6 group, after 2-6 h post-administration, stomach and jejunum content's weights were specifically heavy, and large amounts of ACs were also detected in stomach, duodenum, and jejunum. These results suggested that the mixture of BCAs and IP6 reduced the gastrointestinal motility. Prolongation of ACs residue in gastrointestinal tract then caused the enhancing effects of IP6 on absorption of AC. In the human study, each subject was orally administrated a BCA beverage containing BCA concentrate (AC 4 mg/kg body weight), 1% of IP6, and 1% of sodium citrate as a pH stabilizer. Both the plasma level and the urinary excretion of AC were increased as compared to BCA administration without IP6. AC intake with IP6 may increase the bioavailability of AC to the comparative level as other polyphenols. Yet, phytic acid, being a strong chelator of important minerals, contributes to mineral deficiencies. An interference with iron uptake has been reported. Safety tests are therefore necessary before high dose IP6 can be used in foods.     

Estimation of shear strength of dowel-type timber connections with multiple slotted-in steel plates by European yield theory

The shear strength of dowel-type timber connections with multiple slotted-in steel plates was estimated based on European yield theory. The values calculated based on the yield theory were compared with experimentally obtained results. An experiment was performed on dowel-type timber connections with two and three slottedin steel plates under lateral loads parallel to the grain. The yield mode of the dowel-type connection assumed in this study corresponds approximately to the failure mode of the connection obtained from the experiment. The shear strength of the dowel-type connections calculated based on the yield theory showed good agreement with the results for shear strength obtained in the experiment. The yield theory was useful for estimating the shear strength of the doweltype connection with multiple slotted-in steel plates. The shear strength of the dowel-type connection was greatly affected by the spacing of the steel plates, the number of steel plates, and the timber thickness. The values of these parameters that showed the proper shear strength of the dowel-type connection could be estimated based on the yield theory. Part of this paper was presented at the 9th Timber Engineering Forum of the Japan Timber Engineering Society, December 2005     

网目尺寸对金枪鱼围网沉降性能及网具形态的影响

根据以往的研究结果和海上网具性能实测,并在听取生产第一线船长意见的基础上,把上海开创远洋渔业有限公司现行金枪鱼围网主网衣下部约三分之一网衣的网目尺寸放大50%,即从260 mm增大到390 mm,以探讨改进围网渔具的沉降性能。实验应用田内准则换算并制作成模型网,在日本下关西日本日网公司专业围网动水槽进行模型试验,比较了侧流、背流、顺流(流速8 cm/s,相当实物网0.20 m/s)3种相对流向的放网模式下放网以及无流(0 cm/s)海况下放网,网目尺寸改变前后围网的沉降性能、网具形态和闭合效果。结果显示,主网衣下部网目尺寸从30 mm (对照网,相当于实物网网目尺寸260 mm)放大到45 mm (试验网,相当于实物网网目尺寸390 mm),网具的沉降深度和沉降速度分别提高1.6%和1.1%;试验网的收绞时间比对照网缩短14.3%,且能保持较好的形态;有流时的3种放网模式下,试验网和对照网浮子纲在放网结束时刻的初始包围面积基本相同;在收绞结束时,试验网浮子纲包围面积为对照网的1.33倍,绞纲结束前6 s,试验网沉子纲包围面积为对照网的1.79倍,说明增大网目尺寸有利于网具包围面积的增大,改善了被围鱼群的活动空间。     

Efficacy of taurine supplementation for preventing green liver syndrome and improving growth performance in yearling red sea bream Pagrus major fed low-fishmeal diet

ABSTRACT:   This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of taurine supplementation for preventing green liver syndrome and improving growth performance in red sea bream Pagrus major fed a low-fishmeal (FM) diet. Yearling red sea bream were fed for 34 weeks on low-FM diets either supplemented with taurine, or without taurine, and the tissue taurine and bile pigment concentrations were measured. Compared to the fish fed the FM diet, fish fed the low-FM diet without taurine supplementation resulted in inferior feed performances and higher incidence of green liver related to the morphological transformation of the erythrocytes. In these fish, the hepatopancreatic taurine concentration was significantly lower and hepatopancreatic biliverdin concentration was high compared to the fish fed the FM diet. These parameters were markedly improved by taurine supplementation of the low-FM diet and were similar in levels to the fish fed the FM diet. These results indicate that green liver appearance and inferior feed performances of red sea bream fed the low-FM diet without taurine supplementation were caused by dietary taurine deficiency, and indicate the requirement of taurine supplementation to low-FM diets for red sea bream.     

Supplemental effect of bile salts to soybean meal-based diet on growth and feed utilization of rainbow trout <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus mykiss</Emphasis>

A feeding experiment was conducted to evaluate the supplemental effect of bile salts to a defatted soybean meal-based non-fish meal diet for rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. A fish meal-based diet (FM) and two non-fish meal diets with and without bovine bile salts (SC+B and SC, respectively) were fed to fish (13 g initial weight) for 10 weeks. Fish fed diet SC showed inferior growth and feed efficiency, while bile salt supplementation improved the parameters to the same levels as fish fed diet FM. Crude fat and starch digestibility of diet SC-fed fish decreased after the 10-week feeding trial compared to the data obtained with fish that had no experience of the diet. Total biliary bile salt content and intestinal maltase activity of fish fed diet SC were the lowest among treatments, while these parameters were improved by bile salt supplementation. Morphological changes occurred in the distal intestine and liver of the diet SC group, although the histological features of fish fed diet SC+B were similar to those of fish fed diet FM. These results suggest that bile salt supplementation to a soybean meal-based diet improves the nutrient utilization by normalizing digestive processes in rainbow trout.     

Optimum dietary taurine level in casein-based diet for juvenile red sea bream Pagrus major

ABSTRACT:   This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary taurine and cholyltaurine (C-tau) on growth and body composition of juvenile red sea bream Pagrus major . Semi-purified casein-based diets supplemented with 0 (control diet), 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7% taurine and 0.5% C-tau were fed to red sea bream (average body weight 4.7 g) for 6 weeks at 20°C. The growth and feed efficiency were the lowest in fish fed the control diet. Taurine supplementation improved the growth and feed efficiency of fish dose-dependently, and the taurine requirement was estimated as 0.52% in terms of optimizing growth and 0.48% in terms of optimizing feed efficiency. Taurine content in the whole body and liver increased with the dietary taurine level. Supplemental C-tau at the 0.5% level had limited effects on the growth and no effect on body taurine, biliary bile salt and liver fat contents. From these results it can be inferred that the optimal dietary taurine requirement of juvenile red sea bream is 0.5% on a dry weight basis, and that the supplementation of taurine in the diet not only improves the growth but also increases hepatic lipid levels of red sea bream juveniles.