Change of fatty acid composition of white adipose tissue with increasing age in Syrian hamster fed alfalfa or cereal based diet

The present study's aim was to investigate change of fatty acid composition of white adipose tissue with increasing age in Syrian hamster fed continuously alfalfa (LU) or cereal based diet (F2). A total of 43 Syrian hamsters with male and female, 22 head maintained with mating between sibling in a close herd fed F2 (GN) and 21 head selected for long‐term for large number of weaning pups per a mater using GN fed LU (ALF), were used. Fatty acid composition in adipose tissues taken from the back leg subcutaneous depot, periphery of kidney and reproductive organs at 3, 8 and 13 weeks of age were determined by using a gas chromatograph. Carbon (C)18:0 in GN tended to decrease and C18:1 increased significantly with increasing age, suggesting that Δ9‐desaturase had related adaptively. C18:3 in ALF increased significantly with increasing age. The present results indicate that, although the composition in unsaturated fatty acid (USFA) in both herds was different, the ratio of USFA to saturated fatty acid increased with increasing age suggesting that USFA in GN fed F2 was at a high level compared with in ALF fed LU.     

Clinical significance of circulating vascular endothelial growth factor in dogs with mammary gland tumors

Increase in circulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is suggested as a prognostic indicator in human patients with malignant tumors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of circulating VEGF in dogs with mammary gland tumors (MGT). Both plasma and serum VEGF were significantly higher in dogs with MGT when compared with those in the healthy dogs. In dogs with MGT, the plasma and serum VEGF of the malignant group increased significantly compared with those of the benign group. Additionally, there was a significant difference between the plasma and serum VEGF in the groups with postoperative metastasis and no metastasis. Circulating VEGF is expected to be clinically available for the determination of prognosis in canine MGT.     

Establishing conditions for the storage and elution of rabies virus RNA using FTA? cards

The Flinders Technology Associates filter paper cards (FTA^® cards) can be used to store nucleic acid from various samples and are easily portable. However, RNA is physicochemically unstable compared with DNA, and appropriate methods have not been established for storage and extraction of RNA from FTA^® cards. The present study investigated the optimum conditions for storage and elution of viral RNA (vRNA) using rabies virus (RABV) applied to FTA^® cards. When TE buffer was used, the elution rates of vRNA increased with the length of the elution time. When the cards were stored at −80°C or −20°C, vRNA was stable over 3 months. Degradation of vRNAs occurred following storage at 4°C and room temperature, suggesting that RNA should be extracted from cards as soon as possible if no freezer is available. When we tried to amplify vRNA from RABV-infected animal brains applied to FTA^® cards and stored at −80°C for 6 months, we did not detect any amplified products with the primer set for 964 bp of RABV N gene. However, we were able to detect amplified products by increasing the elution time of vRNA from FTA^® cards from 30 min to 24 hr or by changing the primer sets to amplify 290 bp of N gene. Thus, we recommend extending the elution time for damaged or low concentration samples in FTA^® cards.     

Pasting Characteristics of Maize Starch Heat‐Treated with Different Water‐Ethanol Mixtures

Pasting characteristics of maize starch heat‐treated with six different water‐to‐ethanol ratios (%wt base 0:100, 10:90, 20:80, 30:70, 40:60, 50:50) were investigated; treated starches were called EW 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50, respectively. Endotherms in DSC analysis shifted to a higher temperature as the water content in water‐ethanol mixture increased. The removed amount of fatty acids was much higher in treatments for EW 10, 20, and 30. The RVA peak viscosity of EW 10 and 20 were highest among the treated starches and setbacks were more than twice that of untreated starch. The characteristic change in the RVA viscogram corresponded to the amount of leached amylose from the granule. EW 30 displays similar properties as conventional heat‐moisture‐treated starch, but maintained a higher viscosity of ≈300 RVU throughout the heating process. In treatment with water‐ethanol mixtures, heat‐moisture treatment and defatting effects generated new types of modified starches. EW 40 and 50 had no clear pasting peak on RVA, and showed a viscosity at low temperature similar to granular cold water gelling.     

Application of Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) to mountainous forests in Japan

Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), originally developed by the USDA for agricultural lands and then used throughout the world, was applied in mountainous forest terrain in Japan. The slope length and steepness factors were extended for long slope lengths and steep slopes by recalculating the data from available literature in Japan and by using data from supplementary erosion experiments. As such, we conclude that the USLE can be used successfully to estimate surface erosion on long, steep mountainous forest slopes. The cover and management factors of many kinds of natural and artificial forest stands, cutting types, and disturbance regimes were calculated from the literature. The support practice factors of many types of soil and water conservation practices were also calculated from published information. Based on these results, we showed that the USLE can be applied to estimations of soil erosion from wide areas including many kinds of agricultural and forest lands. This study was funded by the Agricultural, Forestry, and Fishery Technology Council Office for comprehensive studies on agriculture, forestry, and fisheries and the agricultural, forestry, and fishery trading, resources, and environments.     

The polar neutral and basic taxoids isolated from needles and twigs of Taxus cuspidata and their biological activity

Twelve basic taxoids and 22 neutral taxoids were isolated from basic and polar neutral fractions of the extracts of needles and twigs of Taxus cuspidata. Among them, taxine NA-13, 3,11-cyclotaxinine NN-1, taxinine NN-6, 11(15→1)abeo-taxinine NN-1, taxine NA-8, and taxine NA-4 were isolated first from natural sources by us. The cytotoxic activity of isolated compounds was evaluated against three human cell lines: normal human fibroblast cells (WI-38), malignant tumor cells induced from WI-38 (VA-13), and human liver tumor cells (HepG2). 7-Epitaxol, 7-epicephalomannine, taxinine NN-6, taxine NA-2, taxuspine H, and taxagifine were active toward VA-13 cells and 7-epitaxol, 7-epicephalomannine, taxinine NN-1, 9,10-deacetyltaxinine, and taxagifine were active toward HepG2 cells. The multidrug-resistant (MDR) cancer reversal activity of isolated compounds was evaluated on the basis of the amount of vincristine (VCR) accumulated in MDR human ovarian cancer 2780 AD. Taxine NA-8, taxine NA-2, 5-cinnamoyl-10-acetyltaxicin II, and taxinine NN-1 indicated stronger MDR cancer reversal activity than verapamil. The result of primary screening based on 39 human cancer cell lines suggests that taxinine NN-1 belongs to a new mechanistic class and is a new anticancer agents. 7-Epicephalomannine was found to be an effective anticancer agent with tubulin as its molecular target, which is the same as paclitaxel. Part of this work was presented at the 74th Annual Meeting of the Chemical Society of Japan, Tanabe, March 1998, and the 41st Symposium on the Chemistry of Terpenes, Essential Oils, and Aromatics, Gifu, December 1998. The results of this work were also presented as patent documents at PCT Int: Appl WO 2001007040 A1, February 2001; Appl WO 2000-Jp 5036, 27 July 2000. Priority: JP 1999-214273, 28 July 1999; JP 1999-224652, 6 August 1999; JP 2000-76404, 14 March 2000     

Homogeneity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptococcus dysgalactiae</Emphasis> from farmed amberjack <Emphasis Type="Italic">Seriola dumerili</Emphasis> in Japan

Streptococcus dysgalactiae strains have been isolated from cultured amberjack Seriola dumerili and yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata in Japan. To characterize the fish isolates, we performed genetic analysis and compared the biochemical properties of these isolates with those of the S. dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae and S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis strains isolated from mammals. The genetic analysis revealed that the fish isolates were genetically very similar to each other with high DNA–DNA relatedness (>95.4%) and sequence homology. Meanwhile, the DNA relatedness between mammalian isolates and the fish isolates was 73.4–82.6%. In biased sinusoidal gel electrophoresis (BSFGE) analysis, the restriction patterns of mammalian isolates were different from those of fish isolates. The fish isolates did not show streptokinase activity in plasminogen obtained from mammals. These characteristics enabled us to distinguish between the fish isolates and the Sdd and Sde strains isolated from mammals. In order to obtain epidemiological information on the fish isolates, BSFGE patterns from 284 S. dysgalactiae strains from fish in Japan were examined. Based on the results of BSFGE analysis, the fish isolates were classified into 16 groups (AP1–AP16) with restriction enzyme ApaI. The dendrogram based on BSFGE analysis indicated that all fish isolates using in this study were closely related.     

Preventing discoloration and lipid oxidation in dark muscle of yellowtail by feeding an extract prepared from mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) cultured medium

Groups of 0+ Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts were transferred to duplicate seawater tanks, and subjected to five different ration levels, 0% (starved), 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% (full fed). Waste feed was collected after each meal. After six weeks all groups were re-fed in excess. During the trial period body weight and length increased significantly in the 50, 75 and 100% groups, while no significant changes in body weight were observed in the 0% and 25% groups. A significant decrease in SGR was observed in the 0 and 25% groups during the first month in sea water. After re-feeding, SGR increased in all groups. All groups, except the previously starved group, showed peak SGR between weeks 6–8 and 8–12. Food restriction at 0% and 25% of full ration for a period of six weeks resulted in significant osmotic disturbances. After six weeks in sea water, plasma Cl⁻ levels were higher in the 0% group than in the other groups. Branchial Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase activity increased in all groups following exposure to seawater. Re-feeding caused a transient increase in branchial Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase activity after two weeks in the previously starved group, with a concurrent reduction in plasma Cl⁻ levels. Previous exposure to different ration levels significantly influenced growth rate and mean body size. Compensatory growth and partial size compensation was seen in the 0, 25 and 50% feed deprivation groups, whereas full size compensation was found in the 75% group.     

Effect of raw materials on the extractive components and taste aspects of fermented fish paste: sakana miso

The suitability of various under-utilized fish species as starting material for the production of a miso-like fermented product was studied. To the end, four under-utilized fishes and shellfishes—spotted mackerel, lizard fish, horse mackerel, and common squid—were fermented, under either washed or unwashed conditions, with malt-rice (kome-koji) as a starter, and their quality parameters assessed. The protein content of the fermented fish pastes (18.1–22.4%) was superior to that of fermented soy paste (12.9%). Our analyses of other physico-chemical parameters of the finished products, including free amino acid, oligopeptide, organic acid, and mineral content, also revealed the potential utility of both washed and unwashed fish meat for the production of miso-like fermented fish pastes. Sensory evaluation revealed the potential of the washing step to produce a consistent product for large-scale production.