Genotype and virulence of Streptococcus iniae isolated from diseased olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus in Korea

In the study, we characterized 29 Streptococcus iniae isolates from diseased olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus in Korea from 2000 to 2005. Biochemical characteristics of 29 isolates using API 20 strep were identical. Through analysis of repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) using BoxA primer and random amplified polymorphic DNA using p14 primer, 29 isolates of S. iniae were divided into two genotypes. The isolates were divided into two clusters by comparison of genetic distance using a sequence of the capsular polysaccharide D gene that was consistent with genotyping by the rep-PCR. The isolates belonging to genotype 1 in rep-PCR analysis showed a high virulence in the flounder, while the isolates belonging to genotype 2 were relatively low in virulence. Therefore, a correlation between the genotype and the virulence of S. iniae isolates has been identified.     

Ingestion of food pellets containing Escherichia coli overexpressing the heat‐shock protein DnaK protects Penaeus vannamei (Boone) against Vibrio harveyi (Baumann) infection

Feeding aquatic animals with bacterial encapsulated heat‐shock proteins (Hsps) is potentially a new method to combat vibriosis, an important disease affecting aquatic animals used in aquaculture. Food pellets comprised of shrimp and containing Escherichia coli overexpressing either DnaK‐DnaJ‐GrpE, the prokaryotic equivalents of Hsp70‐Hsp40‐Hsp20, or only DnaK were fed to juveniles of the white leg shrimp Penaeus vannamei, and protection against pathogenic Vibrio harveyi was determined. Maintaining pellets at different temperatures for varying lengths of time reduced the number of live adhering E. coli, as did contact with sea water, demonstrating that storage and immersion adversely affected bacterial survival and attachment to pellets. Feeding P. vannamei with E. coli did not compromise their survival, indicating that the bacteria were not pathogenic to shrimp. Feeding P. vannamei with pellets containing bacteria overproducing DnaK (approximately 60 cells g^?1 pellets) boosted P. vannamei survival twofold against V. harveyi, suggesting that DnaK plays a role in Vibrio tolerance. Pellets containing DnaK were effective in providing protection to P. vannamei for up to 2 weeks before loss of viability and that DnaK encapsulated by these bacteria enhanced shrimp resistance against Vibrio infection.     

Effects of dietary substitution of fishmeal with the combined dry microalgae,Nannochloropsis oceanica (NO) biomass residue and casein on growth and body composition of juvenile abalone (Haliotis discus)

The effects of dietary substitution of fishmeal with the combined dry Nannochloropsis oceanica (NO) biomass residue and casein on growth performance and carcass composition of juvenile abalone was determined. One thousand two hundred and sixty juvenile abalone were randomly distributed into the 18 L plastic rectangular containers. Five experimental diets in triplicate were prepared. The 28% fishmeal was included into the control (Con) diet. The 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% fishmeal were substituted with the combination of graded levels of dry NO biomass residue and casein, referred to as the NO25, NO50, NO75 and NO100 diets respectively. Finally, the salted sea tangle (ST), Laminaria japonica was prepared to compare the effect of the experimental diets on performance of abalone. The essential amino acids, such as isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, threonine and valine tended to increase with dietary substitution of fishmeal with NO biomass residue in the experimental diets. Arginine tended to decrease with dietary substitution of fishmeal with NO biomass residue. Survival of abalone fed the experimental diets was higher than that of abalone fed the ST diet for 16 weeks. Weight gain and specific growth rate (SGR) of abalone fed the NO100 diet were higher than those of abalone fed the all other diets. Weight gain and SGR of abalone linearly increased with dietary substation of fishmeal with NO. Shell length of abalone tended to increase with dietary substitution of fishmeal with the combined dry NO biomass residue and casein. The chemical composition of the soft body of abalone was different among treatments except for moisture content. In conclusion, fishmeal in the diets for abalone could be completely replaced with the combined dry NO biomass residue and casein when the 28% fishmeal was included.     

Impacts of weaning age on dietary needs of whey permeate for pigs at 7 to 11 kg body weight

Background:Whey permeate is an effective lactose source for nursery pigs and the most benefits are obtained when pigs are at 7 to 11 kg BW.Altering weaning ages could cause different length of early-weaner phases until 7 kg BW and thus it would influence the dietary need of whey permeate during 7 to 11 kg BW of pigs.This study aimed to evaluate if weaning ages would affect the dietary needs of whey permeate for optimum growth performance of pigs at 7 to 11 kg BW.Methods:A total of 1,632 pigs were weaned at d 21(d 21.2±1.3)or d 25(d 24.6±1.1)after birth.All pigs had a common early-weaner feeds until they reached 7 kg BW.When pigs reached 7 kg BW within a weaning age group,they were allotted in a randomized complete block design(2×4 factorial).Two factors were weaning age groups(21 and 25 d of age)and varying whey permeate levels(7.50%,11.25%,15.00%,and 18.75%).Data were analyzed using the GLM and NLIN procedures of SAS for slope-ratio and broken-line analyses to determine the growth response to whey permeate and optimal daily whey permeate intake for the growth of the pigs weaned at different ages.Results:Pigs weaned at 21 d of age had a common diet for 11 d to reach 7 kg BW whereas pigs weaned at 25 d of age needed 2 d.The G:F of pigs weaned at 25 d of age responded to increased daily whey permeate intake greater(P<0.05)than pigs weaned at 21 d of age.Breakpoints were obtained(P<0.05)at 88 and 60 g/d daily whey permeate intake or 17.0%and 14.4%of whey permeate for G:F of pigs weaned at 21 and 25 d of age,respectively.Conclusion:Pigs weaned at an older age with a short early-weaner phase had a greater growth response to whey permeate intake compared with pigs weaned at a younger age with a long early-weaner phase.Altering weaning ages affected dietary needs of whey permeate for optimum growth performance of pigs from 7 to 11 kg BW.     

Ochraceopetalin,a Mixed-Biogenetic Salt of Polyketide and Amino Acid Origins from a Marine-Derived Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis Fungus

Ochraceopetalin (1), a mixed-biogenetic salt compound and its component 2 were isolated from the culture broths of a marine-derived fungus, Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis. Based on combined spectroscopic and chemical analyses, the structure of 1 was determined to be a sulfonated diphenylether-aminol-amino acid ester guanidinium salt of an unprecedented structural class, while 2 was determined to be the corresponding sulfonated diphenylether. Ochraceopetaguanidine (3), the other guanidine-bearing aminol amino acid ester component, was also prepared and structurally elucidated. Compound 1 exhibited significant cytotoxicity against K562 and A549 cells.     

Revitalizing Mountain Ginseng Cultivation in North Jeolla Province,South Korea

A study was made of measures to revitalize mountain ginseng cultivation in the eastern mountainous area of Muju, Jinan and Jangsu municipalities of North Jeolla province, South Korea. The targeted area is typical forested land and is utilized for the cultivation of ginseng. Access to seeds and seedlings for mountain ginseng cultivation is relatively easy in North Jeolla province, and the species is cultivated widely (on 63 % of the area of the province and by 74 % of farmers). This study investigated the current state of mountain ginseng cultivation and business management, including production costs and subsidy, sales and distribution system, and other business management concerns. A survey was conducted on 86 mountain ginseng-cultivating farming households living in the targeted area in 2013. It is concluded that to achieve greater production an aggressive government policy promoting the renting out of suitable sites for mountain ginseng cultivation in national and public production forestland to individual farms and farming cooperatives is necessary. Further research on increasing the survival rate of cultivated mountain ginseng (CMG) until harvesting and preventing damage by wild animals is also deemed necessary. More effective use of related municipal budget subsidy needs to be supported selectively to the enterprising farmers who aggressively pursue mountain ginseng cultivation and business management. Opening CMG retail stores to realize sustainable income growth and developing various processed products will increase farm income. The government needs to introduce policies to sustain consumer trust in CMG through initiatives such as establishing a CMG quality management system for growers, distributing government-approved seeds, and implementing a government-based CMG purchase system.     

Effects of dietary inclusion of various concentrations of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi extract on growth,body composition,serum chemistry and challenge test of far eastern catfish (Silurus asotus)

Effects of various concentrations of Scutellaria baicalensis (SB) extract in diets on growth, body composition, serum chemistry and disease challenge test of far eastern catfish (Silurus asotus) were determined and compared with a commercially available immune enhancer. Eight experimental diets were prepared in triplicate: control (Con) diet without supplementation of SB and SB‐0.25, SB‐0.5, SB‐1, SB‐2, SB‐3 and SB‐5 diets containing SB at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 5%, respectively. In addition, 0.1% of a commercial immune enhancer product (CP) was also tested. No significant difference in weight gain of fish was found. Feed consumption, feed efficiency ratio and protein retention of fish were not affected by the experimental diets. At the end of the 8‐week feeding trial, 10 externally normal fish from each tank were infected by Vibrio anguillarum or Strepotococcus iniae. Cumulative mortality of fish fed the Con diet was higher than that of fish fed the all other diets in 10 and 25 days after V. anguillarum or S. iniae infection. Results of this study indicated that dietary inclusion of SB extract was effective in improving survival of eastern catfish after V. anguillarum and S. iniae infection, but the various concentrations of SB did not affect fish performance.     

Dyeing properties of nylon,PET, and N/P mixture fabric with reactive-disperse dyes having a sulfatoethylsulfone group

The dyeing and color fastness properties of two reactive-disperse dyes containing a sulfatoethylsulfone group on nylon, PET and N/P mixture fabrics were examined. The rate of dyeing on nylon fabric was greatly dependent upon dye bath pH. The final dye uptakes at all pH, however, were as high as 97 %. Color strength of the dyed nylon fabric linearly increased up to 0.5 %owf and then slowed down over 1 %owf dyeing. Washing and rubbing fastness of the dyed nylon fabric were excellent, but grade of light fastness was moderate. Dyeability of the reactive-disperse dyes on PET fabric was not much affected by pH, and K/S values of PET fabric dyed at pH 5–8 were lower than those of nylon fabric at all pH examined. Buildup and color fastnesses properties on PET fabric showed the same tendency with nylon fabric. The rate of dyeing of the reactive-disperse dyes on nylon fabric was faster than on PET fabric when both fabrics were dyed simultaneously in the same dye pot, resulting in higher color strength of nylon than PET. The reactive-disperse dyes were found to be adequate to the one-bath, one-step dyeing of N/P mixture fabric when applied at pH 5 and 120 °C.