Automatic detection of a damaged cutting tool during machining II: method to detect gullet crack in a bandsaw during sawing

This paper presents a method for detecting gullet cracks in a bandsaw during sawing by monitoring burst-type acoustic emission (AE) signals with large amplitude. The amplitudes of the AE signal and profile height amplitude distributions based on roughness profiles of the sawn surface were compared for the bandsaw with and without gullet cracks. The amplitudes of the AE signal increased and the sawn surface quality became worse with the increased number of gullet cracks in the bandsaw.     

Malachite-green-removing properties of a bacterial strain isolated from fish ponds in Thailand

Malachite green (MG) has been focused on as a biotreatment target and its biological properties have also been an issue in food fish aquaculture. An MG-removing bacterium was isolated from aquaculture fish pond sediment samples in Thailand. The isolate, strain T-5-2, is a Gram-negative, aerobic rod-shaped bacterium, and has been identified as a member of the Pseudomonas putida group. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-NMR) analysis of a broth culture medium containing MG showed that the concentration of MG decreased markedly and that other molecules, including leucomalachite green (LMG), were generated. Moreover, liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) analysis showed that the MG concentration in the broth culture medium continuously decreased. This analysis also demonstrated that the concentration of LMG initially increased and then gradually decreased. Furthermore, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis showed 4-(dimethylamino)benzophenone (4DABP) as a degradation component of MG, which was confirmed by ¹H-NMR and LC–MS/MS analysis. These findings suggest that this bacterial strain can remove MG in broth culture and degrade it to certain metabolites, including LMG and 4DABP. This study is the first detailed evaluation by the combination of LC–MS/MS, GC–MS, and ¹H-NMR analyses of an MG-removing bacterium isolated from Thai aquaculture fish ponds.     

Isolation and characterization of an additional crustacean hyperglycemic hormone from the greasyback shrimp <Emphasis Type="Italic">Metapenaeus ensis</Emphasis>

Crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH) is released from the X-organ/sinus gland complex located in the eyestalks. In this study, the most abundant CHH in the sinus gland of the greasyback shrimp Metapenaeus ensis was purified by reversed-phase HPLC and identified by N-terminal amino acid sequencing. Although two CHH molecules (Mee-CHH-A and Mee-CHH-B) have already been identified from M. ensis by cDNA cloning, this study revealed the presence of an additional CHH peptide based on differences in the N-terminal amino acid sequences of the CHH-A and CHH-B. Therefore, this novel CHH was designated as Mee-CHH-C. A cDNA encoding the Mee-CHH-C precursor was cloned by RT-PCR coupled with 5′- and 3′-RACE, and it was found that the mature Mee-CHH-C consisted of 72 amino acid residues containing 6 conserved cysteine residues and possessed an amidated C terminus. Mee-CHH-C had 62 and 68% identities with Mee-CHH-A and Mee-CHH-B, respectively, and was highly homologous to CHHs characterized from other penaeid shrimp species. The hyperglycemic activity of Mee-CHH-C was examined by an in vivo bioassay using the kuruma prawn Marsupenaeus japonicus. Injection of Mee-CHH-C increased hemolymph glucose levels significantly and dose-dependently. These results indicate that Mee-CHH-C is possibly one of the major molecules in M. ensis that regulate glucose levels in the hemolymph.     

Bacterial and chemical properties of Japanese traditional anchovy product,salted Etari

Fisheries Science - We analyzed the bacterial flora and chemical properties of the Japanese traditional anchovy product called salted Etari, which is distributed in Nagasaki Prefecture in the...     

Seasonal variations in major components of Crassostrea gigas from Seto Inland Sea

Fisheries Science - The proximate composition and nutritional content of oysters define their quality and commercial value. Cultivation site and harvest date may impact these characteristics. We...     

Immunohistochemical features of canine ovarian papillary adenocarcinoma and utility of cell block technique for detecting neoplastic cells in body cavity effusions

Dogs with ovarian papillary adenocarcinoma occasionally present with ascites and/or pleural effusion. These aspirated fluids often contain a large number of cells, and distinction between neoplastic cells and activated mesothelial cells can be difficult. In this study, 7 cases of canine ovarian papillary adenocarcinoma, including 3 with ascites and pleural effusion, were immunohistochemically examined. Ovarian tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin CAM5.2 (CAM5.2), Wilms’ tumor 1 (WT-1) and progesterone receptor (PR) in all 7 cases. A metastatic lesion of the mediastinum in one case was also positive for CAM5.2, WT-1 and PR. Immunohistochemistry on cell blocks obtained from ascites and/or pleural effusion of 2 cases revealed the presence of PR-positive epithelial cells. Whereas, activated mesothelial cells in ascites or pleural effusion collected from dogs without neoplastic lesions were negative for PR. In addition, surface epithelium and subsurface epithelial structures (SES) of normal canine ovaries, that are considered to be the cell of origin for ovarian papillary adenocarcinoma, were also positive for CAM5.2, WT-1 and PR. These results indicate that, together with CAM5.2, WT-1 and PR is a useful diagnostic marker for canine ovarian papillary adenocarcinoma. Expression of PR may be associated with progesterone-dependent nature of canine ovarian papillary adenocarcinoma.     

Chemical changes in terpenes of sugi (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cryptomeria japonica</Emphasis>) wood during steam drying in kiln at high temperature

Sawdusts of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) wood prepared before and after steam drying at 120°C in a kiln were extracted with n-hexane and ethyl acetate to give n-hexane extracts and ethyl acetate extracts. From gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the ethyl acetate extracts from woods before and after steam drying, the components of 4-epi-cubebol, cubebol, and 2,7(14),10-bis-abolatrien-1-ol-4-one, which existed in the raw sugi wood, were proved to disappear in the steam-dried wood. These components were also absent in the ethyl acetate extract of the steam-condensed solution of waste steam from the kiln outlet. When these three components were treated with 0.2% (v/v) acetic acid solution at 120°C, δ-cadinene was produced as a major product from both 4-epi-cubebol and cubebol by dehydration and cleavage of the cyclopropane ring, and cryptomerone from 2,7(14),10-bisabolatrien-1-ol-4-one by hydration. The chemical changes of the three components presumably occur during steam drying of the sugi wood. This study was presented in part at the 85th Spring Meeting of the Chemical Society of Japan, Kanagawa, Japan, March 26–29, 2005     

Prognostic factors for dogs with surgically resected gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Few reports have investigated prognosis of canine gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) cases treated by surgical resection alone. In the present study, we investigated the overall survival (OS) and prognostic factors for dogs with GIST treated by surgical complete resection alone. Fifty-three dogs were included, and the median OS was 18 months. Multivariate analysis showed that primary tumors in small intestine (P=0.04) is significantly associated with shorter OS, and median OS of the cases with cecum lesion and those with small intestine lesion was 22 and 6 months, respectively. The present study suggested primary tumor site was a novel prognostic factor for dogs with GIST treated by surgical complete resection alone.     

DNA methylation-dependent modulator of Gsg2/Haspin gene expression

The Gsg2 (Haspin) gene encodes a serine/threonine protein kinase and is predominantly expressed in haploid germ cells. In proliferating somatic cells, Gsg2 is shown to be expressed weakly but plays an essential role in mitosis. Although the Gsg2 minimal promoter recognized by the spermatogenic cell-specific nuclear factor(s) has been found, to date, the molecular mechanism that differentially controls Gsg2 expression levels in germ and somatic cells remains to be sufficiently clarified. In this study, we analyzed the DNA methylation status of the upstream region containing the Gsg2 promoter. We found a tissue-dependent and differentially methylated region (T-DMR) upstream (-641 to -517) of the authentic promoter that is hypomethylated in germ cells but hypermethylated in other somatic tissues. Profiling of Gsg2 expression and DNA methylation status at the T-DMR in spermatogenic cells indicated that the hypomethylation of the T-DMR is maintained during spermatogenesis. Using the reporter assay, we also demonstrated that DNA methylation at the T-DMR of Gsg2 reduced the promoter activity by 60-80%, but did not fully suppress it. Therefore, the T-DMR functions as a modulator in a DNA methylation-dependent manner. In conclusion, Gsg2 is under epigenetic control.     

Occurrence of Listonella anguillarum in seed production environments of Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus (Temminck et Schlegel)

The present study was undertaken to investigate the distribution of Listonella anguillarum in the rearing water, fish and diets (rotifers) of Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). A total of 793 isolates were obtained from the seed production environment of Japanese flounder and 175 out of them were identified as L. anguillarum by biochemical characterization, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection for VAH1 haemolysin gene and phylogenetic analysis of 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acids (rDNA) sequences. These results strongly suggested that L. anguillarum is rapidly and accurately identified by the combination of incubation on thiosulphate–citrate–bile salt–sucrose agar at 35°C overnight and PCR detection for the VAH1 haemolysin gene. All flounder specimens and all rotifer samples harboured L. anguillarum at high densities of 6.9 × 10³–6.3 × 10⁵ colony forming units (CFU) g^?1 and 1.5 × 10⁴–2.3 × 10⁶ CFU g^?1, respectively, while as low as 5.0 × 10⁰–2.0 × 10¹ CFU mL^?1 of L. aguillarum were detected in only two of 11 seawater samples, even though no vibriosis occurred in larval and juvenile flounder of tanks. This fact strongly suggests that L. anguillarum is an inhabitant in the seed production environments of Japanese flounder.