β-carotene and retinol contents in the meat of herbivorous ungulates with a special reference to their public health importance

The aim of this study was to estimate total carotenoids, β-carotene and retinol concentrations in the liversand muscles of some ungulates (cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and horses) in comparison with the Wistar rats asa control. Cattle and horses had the highest contents of total carotenoids and β-carotene. Unexpectedly, sheepwas the highest accumulator of retinol with a mean concentration of 203 ± 23.34 µg/g, whilethe least accumulator was buffalo, having a mean value of 58.28 ± 13.77 µg/g. Livers hadhigher contents of the examined phytochemicals than muscles. Consumption of these tissues may provide humanwith some needs from these important phytochemicals, though ingestion of livers, especially that of the sheep,is not advisable for the pregnant women.     

A shot in the dark for conservation: Evidence of illegal commerce in endemic and threatened species of elasmobranch at a public fish market in southern Brazil

1. The illegal sale of endangered elasmobranchs has been recorded in a number of different Brazilian states, where sharks and rays are being marketed primarily as ‘cação’ or ‘viola’. Brazil is ranked among the top 10 nations worldwide that harvest most sharks, causing an immeasurable impact on the local elasmobranch populations.
2. The present study applied the DNA barcoding technique, based on the cytochrome C oxidase subunit I gene, for the molecular identification of the elasmobranch species sold as processed products under the generic names of ‘cação’, ‘mangona’, ‘azul’, ‘cambeva’, ‘fiuso’ and ‘lombo preto’, in the fish market of the city of Florianópolis, capital of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil.
3. Nine elasmobranch species were identified in the 56 samples analysed, including six sharks and three rays, representing six families, the Carcharhinidae, Sphyrnidae, Squatinidae, Arhynchobatidae, Myliobatidae and Gymnuridae. Prionace glauca, identified in more than half (56%) of the samples analysed, is listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
4. Six species identified in the present study, Sphyrna zygaena, Sphyrna lewini, Squatina guggenheim, Carcharhinus signatus, Gymnura altavela and Rioraja agassizii, are under some level of risk of extinction, while two others (Rhizoprionodon lalandii and Myliobatis goodei) are listed as Data Deficient.
5. Our results indicate that the commercial exploitation of endemic sharks and rays at risk of extinction is commonplace in southern Brazil. This reinforces the need for more systematic monitoring of the trade in fishery products and more effective application of the environmental legislation and conservation programmes.

     

Acid Dissolution of Olivines, Feldspars and Dunite

We have treated feldspars (orthoclase, albite, anorthite), JF-1 (a mixture of orthoclase and albite), olivines (fayalite, forsterite) and JP-1 (dunite: an olivine-rich rock) with HNO₃ solution at pH 2 for 10 – 1200 min. The resultant changes in surface composition were assessed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS data for fayalite, notably shifts in the Si 2s and O 1s binding energies, indicate preferential dissolution of Fe and formation of a Si-rich surface layer composed of amorphous silica. A Si-rich layer also forms on the surface of the other minerals as the result of acid treatment but the changes in binding energies are relatively small. Forsterite and anorthite dissolved almost congruently in acid solutions, and the Si-rich surface layer is poorly developed. Unlike forsterite, JP-1 shows preferential leaching of Mg relative to Si. Although forsterite is the major constituent of JP-1, this rock also contains some talc and orthopyroxene. These minor mineral constituents appear to influence the behavior of JP-1 in acid solutions. On the other hand, the dissolution and resultant surface alteration of JF-1 were comparable to those of its constituent minerals. The extent of Si-rich surface layer formation followed the order of albite = orthoclase > anorthite for the feldspars, and fayalite > forsterite for the olivines.     

Background data of 2-year-old male and female F344 gpt delta rats

Although gpt delta rats, as reporter gene-transgenic rats, were originally developed for in vivo mutation assays, they have also been used to evaluate chemical carcinogenesis and comprehensive toxicity. Therefore, it is necessary to accumulate background data on carcinogenicity and general toxicity in gpt delta rats. Here, we investigated the background data of 110-week-old male and female F344 gpt delta rats and wild-type rats. There was no effect of reporter gene transfection on animal survival rates and body weights during the experiment. The relative weight of male gpt delta rat adrenals was significantly higher than that of wild-type rats, possibly due to the higher incidence of pheochromocytoma. There were no intergenotype differences in the incidence of nonneoplastic lesions in both sexes, including chronic progressive nephropathy and focus of cellular alteration in the liver, which had a higher incidence in both genotypes. Additionally, the significantly higher incidence of adrenal pheochromocytoma in male gpt delta rats than that in wild-type rats was likely incidental because of the lack of differences in the incidences of preneoplastic (male and female) and neoplastic (female) adrenal lesions in both genotypes. Other neoplastic lesions in both sexes showed no intergenotype differences in incidence rates, although large granular lymphocytic leukemia in the spleen and Leydig cell tumors in the testes of males showed higher incidence rates. Overall, there were no effects of reporter gene transfection on the spectrum of spontaneous lesions in F344 gpt delta rats, thus supporting their applicability in evaluating chemical toxicity and carcinogenicity.     

Effect of 50 kilobase-plasmid, pKDSC50, of Salmonella choleraesuis RF-1 strain on pig septicemia.

Salmonella choleraesuis strains with and without 50-kilobase plasmid (pKDSC50) were intravenously inoculated into Yorkshire pigs. By the inoculation of 7.2 x 10(5) - 3.5 x 10(7) cells, RF-1 strain with pKDSC50, but not 31N-1 strain without the plasmid, caused a septicemia. The inoculation of 8.7 x 10(9) RF-1 cells killed pigs at 2-4 day postinfection with severe hemorrhage on the whole body. Pigs with a similar number of 31N-1 cells (8.3 x 10(9) cells), showed milder hemorrhage, and they died at 6 day postinfection. These results indicated that pKDSC50 is required for RF-1 strain to express the full virulence causing a heavy cutaneous pig septicemia.     

Effects of different water management practices on the dry matter production process and characteristics in NERICAs

ABSTRACT

In this study, we aimed to clarify the effects of different water management strategies on dry matter production and yield performance of New Rice for Africa (NERICA) varieties. Dry matter production of NERICA 1 and NERICA 5 was compared with that of Yumenohatamochi, a Japanese upland variety, and Hinohikari, a Japanese lowland variety under three water regimes, i.e. continuously flooded, supplemental irrigation, and non-irrigation (rainfed). Total carbohydrate content in the panicles under different watering regimes was more closely related to post-heading photosynthates than pre-heading reserve assimilates. Dry matter production during ripening tended to decrease under low soil water conditions, whereas the dry matter translocated from the leaf and stem to the panicle tended to increase. Consequently, the distribution ratio of post-heading photosynthates in the total carbohydrate content declined in response to the reduction in available soil moisture. These results indicate that the total carbohydrate content vary depending on the soil water conditions. In NERICAs, dry matter production during ripening was lower than that in Japanese varieties, indicating that their dependence on pre-heading reserve assimilates was greater. In particular, post-heading photosynthate content of NERICA 1 was strongly affected by the variation in water management in comparison with that of other varieties. The decrease in crop growth rate during ripening in NERICA 1 can be mainly attributed to the lower post-heading photosynthate content. Thus, the ability of NERICA 1 to assimilate carbon after heading was considered to be potentially low, which has to be improved to achieve higher yield.