Rural household and forest: an evaluation of household’s dependency on community forest in Nepal

The aim of this paper is to analyze the level of dependency of rural households on forests, based on the economic status of the households and the property regimes of forests. The analysis of household-level dependency suggests that large numbers of rural households are benefiting regularly from their community forests. Out of three forest property regimes examined, community forests were found to be the most prominent sources for supplying forest products to local households. Analysis of the degree of forest-products dependency and the economic status of households shows that the low economic status households rely more on the community forest than the economically better-off households. In addition, a ² analysis indicates that the economic status of households affects the degree of forest-product collection activities. The results show three types of property regime with respect to forest management in Chitwan. Each regime holds its own ownership rights, which control the harvesting of forest products and provides incentives to the local households.     

Long-term outcome of myotonia associated with hyperadrenocorticism in 2 dogs

Two dogs were diagnosed with myotonia associated with hyperadrenocorticism and treated with trilostane. One dog showed temporary improvement, but the other dog showed no improvement. The dogs survived 2383 and 1902 days, respectively. Findings suggest that myotonia persists despite treatment, but this condition is not associated with a poor prognosis for survival.     

Comparison of results from the semiautomated serum bone alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme assay with the periosteal alkaline phosphatase assay for use in rat models

BACKGROUND: Assessment of bone formation activity is an important component of pharmacologic efficacy and toxicity evaluations for compounds in development for osteoporosis therapies. Antemortem biomarkers of bone formation and remodeling in rodents are uncommon. While the periosteal alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assay is a postmortem and laborious means of testing bone-building activity, the semiautomated ALP isoenzyme assay is an antemortem assay that is performed on an automated chemistry analyzer after 2 simple dilutions of the initial serum sample and a short incubation. OBJECTIVES: The goal of our investigation was to determine if the serum bone ALP (BALP) data obtained from the semiautomated ALP isoenzyme assay had a similar pattern of response when compared with the periosteal ALP (PALP) assay for use in pharmacologic screening in rats. METHODS: Serum and bone tissue samples were obtained from orchidectomized Wistar rats, a model of clinically induced osteoporosis. Subsequent bone formation was initiated via treatment with one of several compounds. In study 1, orchidectomized male rats were given either vehicle, dihydrotestosterone or a testosterone derivative subcutaneously every 4 days for 28 days. In study 2, orchidectomized male rats were given either vehicle or compounds A, B, or C by oral gavage daily for 15 days. Blood and tibias were collected at necropsy. Serum was analyzed for BALP activity using a semiautomated ALP assay. Tibias from the same rats were analyzed for PALP activity. RESULTS: Serum BALP activity paralleled PALP activity within each group when compared with the controls. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that the semiautomated serum BALP isoenzyme assay may be used as a biomarker of bone-building potential in rat models of osteoporosis. This assay affords many advantages to investigators of musculoskeletal diseases, including the potential to measure multiple data points in a single study.     

Effect of long-term administration of a prostacyclin analogue (beraprost sodium) on myocardial fibrosis in Dahl rats

Beraprost sodium (BPS) is an orally active prostacyclin analogue. The effects of BPS on the heart, including coronary circulation improvement, myocardial and vascular protection and anti-fibrosis effect on myocardium interstitium, have previously been demonstrated. However, the effects of BPS on hemodynamics, cardiac function and myocardial contractility in patients in the hypertrophic phase have not been clarified. Therefore, in the present study, the effects of BPS under long-term administration were investigated using the hypertension model of salt-sensitive Dahl rats. Six-week-old Dahl rats were divided into three groups, an 8% high salt diet group treated with BPS (BPS group), an untreated 8% high salt diet group (HHF group) and an untreated 0.3% low salt diet group (Control group), and observations were conducted until 17 weeks of age. In the BPS and HHF groups, the survival rates after 11 weeks of high salt diet intake were 87.5% and 47.1%, respectively (p<0.05). At 17 weeks of age, the atrial systolic peak velocity/early diastolic peak velocity and heart weight index of the BPS group decreased significantly compared with the HHF group (p<0.05). The HHF group exhibited significantly more severe myocardial fibrosis mainly in the endocardial layer of the left and right ventricles compared with the BPS and Control groups (p<0.05). In the present study, long-term BPS administration preserved diastolic function and prevented myocardial interstitial fibrosis in the non-compensatory phase. The results of the present study suggest that BPS is effective for treatment of hypertensive cardiac hypertrophy.     

Effects of harvest time and low temperature storage on the texture of cabbage leaves

Leaf textures of four cabbage cultivars (T-520, Fuyu-nobori, Satsuki-ou, and Kinkei-201) harvested in winter and spring were evaluated. Acoustic vibration signals generated during penetration of four stacked cabbage leaves were measured using a novel texture measurement system. Texture was quantified using a texture index (TI). The TI of T-520 was higher than that of Fuyu-nobori and continually declined during the entire investigation period (between February and May). However, Fuyu-nobori's TI persisted after early April. This implied that Fuyu-nobori was superior to T-520 in terms of preservation of quality. Satsuki-ou showed either an equivalent or higher TI than T-520 in May. Kinkei-201 had a much lower TI than the other cultivars. TIs of T-520 and Fuyu-nobori stored at a 5 °C for 4 weeks were lower than those of samples without storage. This implied that low temperature storage did not effectively retain the texture quality of the cabbages.     

Application of a bioeconomics model to examine sustainability of fishery resources in the global market: the case of octopus resource in Morocco

A study was conducted to examine the long-term relationship among price of fish, harvest level, and resource condition using a bioeconomics model. Data on the annual amount of production and prices of octopus (Octopus vulgaris) in Morocco from 1970 to 2006 are plotted on a diagram to trace annual changes of price and production. The plotted pattern suggests a long-term movement of the yield-price equilibrium along the line of a theoretical long-term supply function curve of the bioeconomics model. The plotted data also suggests that there are four stages of resource exploitation for octopus in Morocco: (1) the underexploited stage from 1970 to 1987 which is characterized by small catch and low prices, (2) the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) stage from 1988 to 1998 which is characterized by moderate catch and intermediate prices, (3) the overexploited stage from 1999 to 2001 which is characterized by large catch and intermediate prices, and (4) the reduced stock stage after 2002 which is characterized by small catch and high prices. This result is consistent with the independent scientific research information on octopus harvested in Morocco. Our study indicates that an analysis of market information (i.e., amount of production and price) could be an effective tool in identifying approximate status of fishery resources.     

Distribution of the FoToml gene encoding tomatinase in formae speciales of Fusarium oxysporum and identification of a novel tomatinase from F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici, the causal agent of Fusarium crown and root rot of tomato

The antifungal glycoalkaloid -tomatine accumulates in tomato plants and may protect plants from fungal infection. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, the causal agent of vascular wilt of tomato, produces a tomatinase (FoToml) that degrades -tomatine to the nontoxic compounds tetrasaccharide lycotetraose and tomatidine. Induction of tomatinases and the distribution of FoToml homologs were examined among 30 strains belonging to 16 formae speciales of F. oxysporum. Tomatinase activity was found in 27 strains belonging to 15 formae speciales, but FoToml homologs (>98% sequence identity) were detected in only six strains belonging to four formae speciales. To identify tomatinases other than FoToml, -tomatine-inducible proteins of another tomato pathogen F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. A protein with a molecular mass of 64kDa accumulated in the -tomatine-induced culture filtrates, and the protein had tomatinase activity, degrading -tomatine to lycotetraose and tomatidine.     

Conjoint analysis of consumer preference for bluefin tuna

Tuna is one of the most important marine products in Japan, but fishery productivity is decreasing, especially for bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis, Thunnus thynnus) because of strict capture limits implemented by regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs). Such capture limitations are necessitated by a shortage of resources. At the same time, full-cycle farming technology of Thunnus orientalis has recently been developed. This technology is set to achieve productivity levels at an industrial scale. In Japan, however, most consumers are believed to have a negative image of farmed products; therefore effective marketing is necessary. This study employs conjoint analysis via an internet questionnaire to clarify consumer preferences and the determine the possibility of marketing through provision of information to consumers regarding bluefin tuna and the environmental background of the problem. The results show that once consumers are provided with enough information about bluefin tuna, particularly in terms of the underlying resources problem, the willingness to pay (WTP) for full-cycle farmed fish is greater compared to conventionally farmed fish. Furthermore, if the product has an “eco-label,” the WTP increases drastically. Therefore, the informational process is important for marketing, and labeling can be an efficient marketing method.     

种盘秧苗生产中图像处理与机器人技术

为提高蔬果类种盘秧苗生产系统的自动化程度,本文应用图像处理与机器人技术对其排种装置漏播的检出和补种方法进行了探讨。利用对播种前后的数字图像进行相减运算来提取种子的尺寸和灰度特征,从而对种盘种穴内的漏播情况进行判断。试验证明,此法可精确地检出黄瓜及丸粒化的莴苣种子的漏播。同时利用检出的漏播信号控制辅助播种机器人,能有效地对漏播的种穴进行补种作业,补种精度达到９９％ 。     

Efficiency of planting hybrid larch F1 ( Larix gmelinii var. japonica × L. kaempferi ) at different planting densities and using seedlings or rooted cuttings

The efficiency of planting a hybrid larch F₁ at two planting densities and of using seedlings of hybrid larch F₁ or rooted cuttings of Gream, the registered variety, was investigated. Significantly more time was required to move from one planting spot to the next in plots with 625 seedlings/ha than in plots with 1,333 seedlings/ha, but there was no significant difference between seedlings and rooted cuttings. Approximately 18% more time was needed to plant a single planting stock at the low planting density than at the high density. The need to prune roots or enlarge a planting hole occurred more often for rooted cuttings than for seedlings, and 17% more time was needed to plant rooted cuttings of Gream than seedlings.