Prevalence and characteristics of intimin- and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli from gulls,pigeons and broilers in Finland

The role of birds as sources of Shiga toxin-and intimin-producing Escherichia coli was studied. Fecal samples from live gulls (n=86), pigeons (n=33) and broiler chickens (n=199) from 23 flocks were analyzed for stx and eae by PCR. No stx positive samples were detected. In contrast, eae E. coli were highly prevalent among gulls (40%), and was also found in pigeons (7%) and chickens (57% of the flocks contaminated). The eae positive isolates were analyzed genetically and O-serogrouped. One isolate from a pigeon was found to have stx (2f). The isolates of gulls differed from those of pigeons and chickens, and all eae E. coli isolates from birds differed from human pathogenic strains by the lack of EHEC-hlyA and bfp/EAF as well as distribution of O-serogroups. Thus, birds cannot be regarded as important carriers of zoonotic stx or eae E. coli in Finland.     

Detection of Pythium aphanidermatum in tomato using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) with species-specific primers

A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) reaction with a primer set designed from the rDNA ITS sequence of P. aphanidermatum was developed. Results of a specificity test using 57 strains of Pythium spp. indicated that the LAMP assay gave no cross reactions in other 39 Pythium species, 11 strains of Phytophthora spp. and eight other soil borne pathogens. The detection limit was 10 fg of genomic DNA, which was ten times the sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction. The LAMP assay was applied to hydroponic solution samples from tomato fields, and the results were compared to those of the conventional plating method. LAMP was observed to be effective for the specific detection of P. aphanidermatum. Furthermore, P. aphanidermatum was detected directly in tomato roots infected with P. aphanidermatum without DNA extraction. The LAMP method established in this study is a simple, sensitive and rapid tool for the detection of P. aphanidermatum.     

Effect of pH on the thermal stability of potent roasty odorants, 3-mercapto-3-methylbutyl esters, in coffee drink

The effect of pH on the thermal stability of potent roasty odorants, 3-mercapto-3-methylbutyl esters, in coffee drinks was investigated. The concentration of 3-mercapto-3-methylbutyl formate in the coffee drink was drastically decreased during the heat processing. However, the residual ratio of this compound in the coffee drink adjusted to pH 5.0 was higher than that of pH 6.5. On the other hand, the residual ratios of 3-mercapto-3-methylbutyl acetate showed high values in the coffee drinks adjusted to both pHs. In the pH range of 3-7, the residual ratios of 3-mercapto-3-methylbutyl formate in aqueous model solutions varied depending on the pH value. It had a thermal stability maximum at pH 4.0, while 3-mercapto-3-methylbutyl acetate showed stability during heat processing over all the pH values tested. In addition, the residual ratios of the formate and acetate esters, which were composed of various alcohol derivatives, showed the same tendency as that of the 3-mercapto-3-methylbutyl esters. These results suggested that the low thermal stability and pH dependence of 3-mercapto-3-methylbutyl formate are based on the structure of the formate ester.     

Characteristics and Functional Properties of Ovary from Squid Loligo Formosana

The characteristics and functional properties of the ovary from Loligo formosana were studied. Moisture (72.07 ± 0.24%) was dominant, followed by protein (18.64 ± 0.51%) and carbohydrate (7.44 ± 0.2%). Ash (1.39 ± 0.03%) and lipids (0.46 ± 0.5%) were found as the minor constituents. Albumin (79.02 ± 0.79%) was the major protein of the squid ovary, followed by glutelin-1 (8.31 ± 0.62%) and globulin (6.68 ± 0.08%). Nevertheless, prolamin and glutelin-2 constituted approximately 1% of the total proteins. Based on the electrophoretic studies, albumin had the largest band intensity. The squid ovary was rich in non-essential amino acids (52.26%) and high in hydrophobic amino acids (48.03%). It was also rich in polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA, 43.76 ± 0.84%), followed by saturated fatty acid (SFA, 39.36 ± 0.12%) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA, 12.94 ± 0.55%). Ovary lipids had a high amount of docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6) (28.59%). At pH 3, the squid ovary powder (SOP) had the maximum solubility (96.39%), whereas the lowest solubility (38.33%) was observed at pH 9. The foaming capacity and stability of SOP were increased with increasing concentration up to 8% (p < 0.05). The globulin fraction showed the higher foaming capacity, as compared to albumin and glutelin-1 fractions. The squid ovary had good nutritional value and possessed excellent foaming properties. Therefore, the squid ovary could serve as a novel food additive or ingredient.     

Colonization of Pythium oligandrum in the tomato rhizosphere for biological control of bacterial wilt disease analyzed by real-time PCR and confocal laser-scanning microscopy

It recently has been reported that the non-plant-pathogenic oomycete Pythium oligandrum suppresses bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum in tomato. As one approach to determine disease-suppressive mechanisms of action, we analyzed the colonization of P. oligandrum in rhizospheres of tomato using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and confocal laser-scanning microscopy. The real-time PCR specifically quantified P. oligandrum in the tomato rhizosphere that is reliable over a range of 0.1 pg to 1 ng of P. oligandrum DNA from 25 mg dry weight of soil. Rhizosphere populations of P. oligandrum from tomato grown for 3 weeks in both unsterilized and sterilized field soils similarly increased with the initial application of at least 5 x 10(5) oospores per plant. Confocal microscopic observation also showed that hyphal development was frequent on the root surface and some hyphae penetrated into root epidermis. However, rhizosphere population dynamics after transplanting into sterilized soil showed that the P. oligandrum population decreased with time after transplanting, particularly at the root tips, indicating that this biocontrol fungus is rhizosphere competent but does not actively spread along roots. Protection over the long term from root-infecting pathogens does not seem to involve direct competition. However, sparse rhizosphere colonization of P. oligandrum reduced the bacterial wilt as well as more extensive colonization, which did not reduce the rhizosphere population of R. solanacearum. These results suggest that competition for infection sites and nutrients in rhizosphere is not the primary biocontrol mechanism of bacterial wilt by P. oligandrum.     

Filtering method for obtaining stock indices by shark species from species-combined logbook data in tuna longline fisheries

ABSTRACT:   A method of filtering logbook data to obtain estimates of catch per unit effort (CPUE) for sharks has been proposed which simultaneously addresses the issues of under-reporting and the lack of species-specific catch records in historical data. Logbook catch data from vessels with high shark reporting rates are used to represent catch rates for the abundant blue shark Prionace glauca and low reporting vessels' data are used for the main commercially valuable species, the shortfin mako Isurus oxyrinchus . Logbook reporting rate filter (RRF) levels are evaluated through analytical and model-based comparisons to species-specific logbook records available since 1994 and shipboard observer data. At the high reporting rates, the ≥ 80% filter avoids large numbers of false zeros and provides the best fit to observer data for blue shark. At the low reporting rates, the ≤ 40% filter best matches the observer data for makos, but this filter level includes large numbers of false zeros and sharks of other species. The ≤ 20% filter produces a dataset that is better targeted to mako catches but considerably under-estimates CPUE relative to observer records. For these reasons, other means of estimating mako catch rates are suggested for further research.     

Vitamin contents of eggs that produce larvae showing a high survival rate in the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica

This paper describes the relationship between the egg vitamin concentrations and the egg quality in the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica . No notable relation was found between any vitamin and the fertilization rate. Hatching and survival rates of larvae, however, significantly increased with an elevated level of egg vitamin C (VC). In contrast to VC, the relation between vitamins E (VE) and A (VA) concentrations and survival rate showed a clear peak, with a reduced survival rate at both higher and lower vitamin concentrations. The ratio of VE to lipid or highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) in eggs positively correlated with hatching and survival rates of larvae. High-quality (HQ) eggs were determined as eggs that produced larvae having a survival rate higher than 80% at 8 days post hatch, and low-quality (LQ) eggs were determined as eggs that did not hatch. The level of VC of HQ was significantly higher than LQ. The results of this study suggest that HQ eggs, which produce larvae having a high survival rate, must have high levels of VC and VE/HUFA ratio and contain optimum levels of VA and VE in Japanese eel.     

Effect of SCD and SREBP genotypes on fatty acid composition in adipose tissue of Japanese Black cattle herds

Fatty acid composition of beef adipose tissue is one of important traits because high proportions of monounsaturated fatty acid are related to favorable beef flavor and tenderness. In this study, we investigated effects of genetic factors such as stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) and sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) on beef carcass traits including fatty acid composition using two cattle populations. Sire effect was significantly related to almost all traits except BMS, suggesting that the trait examined in this study is highly controlled by genetic factors. The effect of SCD genotype on fatty acid composition was detected remarkably in both cattle groups, especially on stearic and oleic acids. This result was consistent with our previous studies and suggests that SCD is associated with fatty acid composition. Unlike SCD genotyping, the effect of SREBP genotype was not identified in this study. Our results suggested that SCD genotype would contribute to improving beef quality in field populations. Further studies about the relationship among these factors will bring an insight into the molecular mechanism of fatty acid metabolism in cattle.