Wind‐induced stock variation of the neon flying squid (Ommastrephes bartramii) winter–spring cohort in the subtropical North Pacific Ocean

Our examination of the neon flying squid (Ommastrephes bartramii) winter–spring cohort catch per unit effort (CPUE, an index of stock) revealed significant positive correlations with the interannual variations of observed chlorophyll‐a (Chl‐a) concentration and autumn–winter mixed layer depth (MLD) in the winter–spring feeding grounds of paralarvae and juveniles (130–170°E, 20–27°N). These correlations suggest the importance of integrated bottom‐up effects by the autumn–winter MLD for the neon flying squid stocks. However, the influence of autumn–winter MLD interannual variation in the forage availability for paralarvae and juveniles, i.e., particulate organic matter and zooplankton, has still been unclear. In this study, we use the lower trophic ecosystem model NEMURO, which uses the physical environmental data from the ocean reanalysis dataset obtained by the four‐dimensional variational (4DVAR) data assimilation method. The model‐based investigation enables us to clarify how the autumn–winter MLD controls the particulate organic matter and zooplankton abundance in the feeding grounds. Further, our investigation of the autumn–winter MLD interannual variation demonstrates that the stronger autumn wind in the feeding grounds develops a deeper mixed layer. Therefore, the deep mixed layer entrains nutrient‐rich water and enhances photosynthesis, which results in good feeding conditions for paralarvae and juveniles. Our results underline that the wind system interannual variation has critical roles on the winter–spring cohort of the neon flying squid stock.     

Variations in the proximate composition of muscle in cultured yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata at different anatomical portions

In this study, we examined differences in the proximate composition of five major muscles of the yellowtail, as well as the relation between seasonal variations in the levels of crude lipids and texture of these muscles. The differences in content among these muscles and the variations in each muscle were greater for crude lipid and moisture content than for crude protein content. The crude lipid content of Musculus latero-dorsalis correlated with that of M. carinatus dorsalis, M. latero-ventralis, M. carinatus ventralis, and red muscle. In M. latero-dorsalis, the crude lipid content started to increase in October, remained high from November to January, started to decrease in March, and was low from April to June. The firmness of M. latero-dorsalis increased from October to November and started to decrease in March. Firmness decreased concurrently with decreases in crude lipid content and increased concurrently with increases in crude lipid content. The results of this study suggest that it is possible to predict the proximate compositions of other yellowtail muscles from the proximate composition of M. latero-dorsalis. Seasonal variation in crude lipid content of the M. latero-dorsalis was found, and variations in crude lipid tended to parallel those in firmness.     

Effects of alcohol extract of defatted soybean meal on growth performance and digestive physiology of yellowtail <Emphasis Type="Italic">Seriola quinqueradiata</Emphasis>

The effects of alcohol extract of soybean meal on growth performance, digestibility, and pancreatic enzyme and bile acid status of yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata were studied. Fish were fed one of the following for 8 weeks: a fish meal (FM) control diet (FMD), a defatted soybean meal diet (SBMD), an alcohol-extracted SBM diet (ExSBMD), an ExSBMD with alcohol-extract diet (ExSBM + ExtD), and an FMD with alcohol-extract diet (FM + ExtD). Growth performance was significantly inferior in fish fed with SBM, ExSBM + ExtD, and FM + ExtD compared to FMD- or ExSBMD-fed fish. Total bile acid levels, and trypsin and lipase activities in the anterior intestine were significantly lower in fish fed with SBM, ExSBM + ExtD, and FM + ExtD than in fish fed with ExSBMD and FMD, despite similar values in gallbladder or pyloric caeca. Cholecystokinin mRNA levels of the former diet-fed fish were significantly lower than those of FMD- or ExSBMD-fed fish. Lipid and protein digestibility of fish fed with SBMD, ExSBM + ExtD, and FM + ExtD was significantly reduced in comparison with that of fish fed with FMD or ExSBMD. These findings indicate that the alcohol extract of soybean meal inhibited the secretion of bile acids and pancreatic enzymes by a decrease of cholecystokinin stimulation. This inhibition seemed to be responsible for a low growth performance through impairment of the assimilation of lipid and protein.     

Nephrocalcinosis formation by soy isoflavones in male rats

Isoflavones (IFs), found in the form of both aglycones and glucosides in soybean foods, induce weak estrogenic activities. Although IFs have a number of health benefits, it was previously reported that IFs cause nephrocalcinosis (NC) in the kidney of male Fischer 344 (F344) rats. The present study aims to elucidate the safety of IFs by focusing on IF-induced NC formation in rats. Fermented soybean extract (FSE) containing 420 mg/g isoflavone aglycones was orally administered to male F344 and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats for 28 days. FSE induced NC formation in the kidney of F344 rats, but not in SD rats. However, absorption of IFs did not differ between F344 and SD rats. NC formation and its severity of FSE were histologically compared with those of soybean extract (SE) containing 518 mg/g isoflavone glucosides in F344 rats. There were no differences in the number of NC formations and the extent of calcium deposit between FSE and SE groups. To examine the dose effect of FSE on NC formation, doses of 20, 140, or 1000 mg/kg FSE were administered to F344 rats for 90 days. NC formation was observed in the 140 and 1000 mg/kg groups. These results indicated that a high dose of oral administration of IFs induced NC formation depending on the strain of rat.     

Structural identification of anthocyanins and analysis of concentrations during growth and flowering in buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) petals

The anthocyanin profiles and variety/breeding-line differences of anthocyanin concentrations in petals of common buckwheat flowers have been studied. Four anthocyanins, cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside, cyanidin 3-O-rhamnoside, and cyanidin 3-O-galactosyl-rhamnoside were isolated from the petals of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), separated using high performance liquid chromatography and identified using reversed-phase liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry techniques. In every variety/breeding line tested, cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside was detected as the major anthocyanin and the next is cyanidin 3-O-glucoside whereas cyanidin 3-O-rhamnoside and cyanidin 3-O-galactosyl-rhamnoside were trace or not detectable in white and pink flowered buckwheat. Of all the varieties/breeding lines tested, Gan-Chao, a Chinese variety, contained the highest amount of anthocyanins. The largest part of cyanidin moiety was presented as a proanthocyanidin form (PAs-Cy). Anthocyanins and PAs-Cy in petals were increased along with increase of flower development stages. Therefore, fully developed petals of red flowered buckwheat, especially Gan-Chao, are promising as a new anthocyanin-rich material for food processing.     

Bovine abortion and necrotic placentitis by Aspergillus terreus

A 31-month-old Japanese Black cow (Bos taurus) aborted at 5 months of gestation with no clinical symptoms. Histopathological examination of the placenta and fetus revealed severe necrotic placentitis associated with numerous irregular degenerative fungi and inflammatory cells. Regular filamentous fungi were also detected, without inflammatory response in the fetal digestive and respiratory organs. Both fungi had aleurioconidia and septa in the placenta and fetal organs and immunohistochemically stained with antibodies against Aspergillus spp. Aspergillus terreus was isolated from the fetal lung and abomasal contents as confirmed using mycological and molecular methods. This is the first immunohistochemical, morphological, and molecular identification of A. terreus in bovine placenta and aborted fetuses.     

Lack of hepatocarcinogenicity of 2,2’-[1,2-ethanediylbis(oxymethylene)]bis-oxirane, 3-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid,and acetoacetanilide in a medium-term rat liver bioassay

The carcinogenicity of 2,2’-[1,2-ethanediylbis(oxymethylene)]bis-oxirane (ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether; EGDE), 3-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (HNA), and acetoacetanilide (AAA) was investigated using a medium-term rat liver bioassay for an occupational safety assessment. F344 male rats were administered a single intraperitoneal injection of diethylnitrosamine (200 mg/kg body weight (bw)/day) and then starting 2 weeks later, they received EGDE at 6, 20, and 60 mg/kg bw/day, HNA at 20, 60, and 200 mg/kg bw/day, or AAA at 60, 200, and 600 mg/kg bw/day by oral gavage for 6 weeks. The animals in the positive control group received phenobarbital sodium solution (PB, 25 mg/kg bw/day) by oral gavage and those in the negative control group received a vehicle (water/corn oil) during the administration period of test substances in this model. All animals were subjected to two-thirds partial hepatectomy at week 3 and euthanized at week 8. Neither the number nor the area of hepatocellular foci positive for glutathione S-transferase placental form (GST-P) increased in any of the EGDE, HNA, or AAA treated groups. However, the number and area of GST-P-positive foci significantly increased in the positive control group treated with PB. The results indicate that EGDE, HNA, and AAA lack hepatocarcinogenicity in rats.     

Number of nitrate- and nitrite-reducing Selenomonas ruminantium in the rumen, and possible factors affecting its growth

The cell number of Selenomonas ruminantium (S. ruminantium) that reduces nitrate and nitrite in the rumen was usually 8–10% of the total number of S. ruminantium (an order of 10⁶/mL). The percentage was not affected by the roughage/concentrate ratio or nitrate content of the diet in 2 weeks. However, feeding a high‐nitrate diet for 12 weeks increased the percentage. The percentage of lactate‐using S. ruminantium, such as the ssp. lactilytica, was less than 1% of the total number of S. ruminantium. No S. ruminantium was found that used formate as an electron donor for nitrate and nitrite reduction. Lactate and H₂ appeared to be important for nitrate and nitrite reduction by S. ruminantium. Nitrate reduction by S. ruminantium was enhanced by the coexistence of amylolytic bacteria in a medium containing starch, and as a result, nitrite accumulation increased. Coexistence of cellulolytic bacteria facilitated the growth of S. ruminantium in a medium containing cellulose, and consequently increased nitrite reduction. In order to suppress nitrite accumulation in the rumen, it may be important to enhance fiber digestion.     

Isolation and expression of five-amino-acid-deleted variant of feline hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) cDNA

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that stimulates a wide array of cellular targets, including hepatocytes and other epithelial cells, melanocytes, endothelial and hematopoietic cells. We have cloned a different form of cDNA, with a deletion of 15 base pairs predicted to result in the loss of 5 amino acids from the first kringle domain. To investigate the biological activity, original and deleted variant of feline HGF cDNAs were transiently expressed in COS-7 cells. Both recombinant feline HGFs showed almost the same dose-response curves in the stimulation of the growth of BNL CL.2 cells (a mouse hepatocyte cell line) and scatter activity of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. The findings reported here suggest that the deleted variant of feline HGF has almost the same biological activity as the original in terms of the proliferation and scatter activity.     

Anesthetic and cardiovascular effects of balanced anesthesia using constant rate infusion of midazolam-ketamine-medetomidine with inhalation of oxygen-sevoflurane (MKM-OS anesthesia) in horses

The anesthetic sparring and cardiovascular effects produced by midazolam 0.8 mg/ml-ketamine 40 mg/ml-medetomidine 0.05 mg/ml (0.025 ml/kg/hr) drug infusion during sevoflurane in oxygen (MKM-OS) anesthesia was determined in healthy horses. The anesthetic sparring effects of MKM-OS were assessed in 6 healthy thoroughbred horses in which the right carotid artery was surgically relocated to a subcutaneous position. All horses were intubated and ventilated with oxygen using intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV). The end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane (ET(SEV)) required to maintain surgical anesthesia was approximately 1.7%. Heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure averaged 23-41 beats/min and 70-112 mmHg, respectively. All horses stood between 23-44 min after the cessation of all anesthetic drugs. The cardiovascular effects of MKM-OS anesthesia were evaluated in 5 healthy thoroughbred horses ventilated using IPPV. Anesthesia was maintained for 4 hr at an ET(SEV) of 1.7%. Each horse was studied during left lateral (LR) and dorsal recumbency (DR) with a minimum interval between evaluations of 1 month. Cardiac output and cardiac index were maintained between 70-80% of baseline values during LR and 65-70% of baseline values during DR. Stroke volume was maintained between 75-85% of baseline values during LR and 60-70% of baseline values during DR. Systemic vascular resistance was not different from baseline values regardless of position. MKM-OS anesthesia may be useful for prolonged equine surgery because of its minimal cardiovascular depression in both of lateral and dorsal recumbency.