Application of odor-stimulated labeling methods of olfactory receptor neurons of sockeye salmon using agmatine

Olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) in the olfactory epithelium (OE) and olfactory projection areas in the brain of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) were investigated by a newly developed odor-stimulated labeling methods using agmatine (AGB). The olfactory receptor cells (ORCs) in OE were immunocytochemically labeled by stimulation with AGB or AGB plus L-alanine. Immuno-electron microscopy demonstrated that the labeled ORCs were predominately microvillus ORCs. Moreover, AGB immunoreactivities were observed in mitral cells of the olfactory bulb and neurons of the telencephalon. These results reveal that AGB can be used as an activity-dependent label for ORNs in salmonid fishes.     

Somatic growth and otolith microstructure of larval and juvenile pacific cod <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gadus macrocephalus</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:   Microstructures of sagittae and lapilli were examined in relation to somatic growth for reared larvae and juveniles of Pacific cod. The Laird–Gompertz model was fitted to the daily age and somatic growth relationship. Growth increments were deposited on a daily basis in both kinds of otoliths, with a check formed at hatching. Two subsequent checks and an accessory primordia (AP) occurred in the sagittae. The lapillus was adequate for increment width measurement through the early life stages. Sagittal and frontal plane of sagitta was adequate for measurement in the pre-AP and post-AP formation stages, respectively. The shift of desirable plane was caused by changes in otolith and increment shapes with AP formation. Back-calculated total lengths using the biological intercept method did not significantly differ with certain body lengths ( P  > 0.05), suggesting validity of back-calculation in this species. Using the back-calculated total length, morphological and ecologic changes that seemed to affect checks and AP formations are discussed.     

The protective effect of stevia extract on the gastric mucosa of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) fed dietary histamine

Stevia extract was made from stevia stem by extraction with boiling water and fermentation. The protective effect of a Stevia extract on rainbow trout (average weight, 12 g) fed 1% of dietary histamine for 4 weeks was investigated. Administration of dietary histamine to trout did not result in a reduction in growth rate or feed consumption but caused a gastric abnormality, e.g. exfoliation of the mucosal epithelium and atrophy of mucosal lamina propria. Stevia extract protected gastric tissue from histamine‐induced damage. Pepsin activity in gastric fluid increased and liver α‐tocopherol content was reduced after histamine treatment, but Stevia treatment prevented these abnormalities. The results suggest that the stevia extract might protect the rainbow trout stomach from histamine toxicity.     

A simple and rapid method for the analysis of fish histamine by paper electrophoresis

ABSTRACT:   The described analytical method for histamine determination in fish and seafood consists of sample extraction, adsorption onto a paper disc, application of the paper disc onto electrophoresis paper, electrophoresis for only 10 min, drying, and color developing by Pauly's reagent. Histamine can be satisfactorily detected and completely separated from histidine, carnosine and other Pauly reagent-positive compounds. This method does not require expensive instrumentation and any tedious pretreatment to eliminate potential interference by other imidazole compounds, such as histidine or carnosine. This method can be used to detect histamine in multiple fish and seafood samples simultaneously that contain as little as 15 p.p.m. histamine (1.5 mg/100 g).     

Biological nitrate removal using sugar-industry wastes

Biological denitrification experiment was conducted using sugar-industry wastes, namely final molasses as a carbon source and bagasse charcoal pellets as supporting media for denitrifying bacteria. We employed an upflow fixed-bed reactor filled with the pellets and biofilm attached onto them. This was fed with potassium-nitrate and dilute-molasses solutions. Total nitrogen removals of more than 85% were achieved at influent carbon–nitrogen (C/N) ratios between 2 and 4, and hydraulic residence times of more than 0.8 h. This demonstrated that final molasses could be used as an alternative carbon source. On the other hand, final molasses also contained some organic/ammonium nitrogen and refractory organic matter including colors, both of which were difficult to remove with the reactor. Accordingly, at higher C/N ratios, these substances caused major increases in effluent total-nitrogen and organic-carbon concentrations. Therefore, an optimum C/N ratio was found to be around 2.     

Inducing infection of oak logs by a pathogenic fungus carried byPlatypus quercivorus (Murayama) (Coleoptera: Platypodidae)

This study examined the frequency of infection by an unidentified pathogenic fungus of oak logs bored into by males alone or by both males and females ofPlatypus quercivorus (Murayama) in the field. The fungus, which is associated with mass mortality of oak trees in Japan, was not isolated from logs bored into by males alone, which bored only short entrance galleries. However, it was isolated from logs bored into by both males and females, which together bored longer galleries and reproduced successfully. This suggests that it is difficult for the fungus to colonize logs bored into by males alone. The fungus was not isolated from a log in which the beetles failed to reproduce, and in which the galleries were significantly shorter than in logs where reproduction succeeded, but it was unclear whether the shortness of the galleries prevented colonization of the log by the fungus. The study also revealed that some gallery-initiating males survived for at least 2 months in the absence of females, and that females elongated entrance galleries that had been bored by the gallery-initiating males.     

Measurement of diurnal changes in stem and branch diameters using strain gauges

The applicability of a strain gauge for monitoring the diurnal changes of tree stem diameters and the differences in diurnal shrinkages between a stem and branches were investigated. Estimates of stem diameter changes obtained by a strain gauge were compared with changes obtained by a differential transformer. Patterns of strain changes obtained by a strain gauge were remarkably similar to the changes in the tree trunk diameter. This results demonstrated that a strain gauge is an effective technique for examining the behavior of changes in tree trunk diameter. Diurnal changes of diameter at various parts of the a tree were also measured with the help of several strain gauges. Diurnal strain changes of a stem and branches showed similar patterns of shrinkage during the day and swelling at night. However, the precise times at which the branches had their maximum and minimum strains differed from those observed in the stem, and the maximum rates of the strain changes lagged behind the stems in a day. These results lead us to believe that there is a time lag in the supply of water, which is required for compensating the water deficit between the stem and its branches. A part of this paper was presented at the 105th Annual Meeting of Japanese Forestry Society (1994).     

Preparation and crosslinking of oligoesterified woods based on maleic anhydride and allyl glycidyl ether

Summary Oligoesterification of wood was investigated by alternately adding esterification reactions of wood with maleic anhydride and allyl glycidyl ether. The products obtained consisted of acetone-insoluble and soluble parts. The insoluble parts were novel oligoesterified woods with oligoester chains having polymerizable double bonds. The oligoester chain length showed a tendency to decrease with increase in wood content in feed. The soluble parts were free oligoesters which were not linked with the wood matrix. The products (the oligoesterified wood-containing mixtures), when subjected to hot-pressing in the presence of a peroxide, gave plasticized crosslinked wood boards whose surfaces are smooth, glossy, and plasticlike. In this case, the free oligoesters which were hardening worked as a plasticizer for the wood components and were combined, by the crosslinking, with the oligoesterified woods, resulting in the formation of the network structure. The crosslinked wood boards exhibited outstanding properties in heat distortion temperature (>165°C) and compressive strength (ca. 1,600–2,300 kg/cm²).