Natural foods utilized by Nile tilapia, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oreochromis niloticus</Emphasis>, in fertilizer-based fish ponds in Lao PDR identified through stable isotope analysis

Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, is one of the most popular freshwater aquaculture species in developing countries. Although formulated feed provides higher fish yield, it is expensive. Therefore, fertilizer-based fish culture using natural food sources is generally implemented in developing countries. The aim of this study was to identify the major natural foods contributing to tilapia growth in fertilizer-based fish ponds. The stomach contents of tilapia in a fertilizer-based fish pond in Lao PDR were analyzed to estimate their feeding behaviors; stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen in the potential food organisms and suspended solids were measured and compared with the ratios in the fish muscle tissues. Further, the feed efficiency of chironomid larvae was compared with that of chlorella and formulated feed in a laboratory feeding experiment. Consequently, chironomid larvae were identified as the main contributors to tilapia growth in the fertilizer-based fish pond. In conclusion, benthic larvae of insects belonging to the family Chironomidae are confirmed to be a natural food source for tilapia in the fertilizer-based fish pond.     

Wide genetic variation in phenolic compound content of seed coats among black soybean cultivars

Black soybeans have been used as a food source and also in traditional medicine because their seed coats contain natural phenolic compounds such as proanthocyanidin and anthocyanin. The objective of this research is to reveal the genetic variation in the phenolic compound contents (PCCs) of seed coats in 227 black soybean cultivars, most of which were Japanese landraces and cultivars. Total phenolics were extracted from seed coats using an acidic acetone reagent and the proanthocyanidin content, monomeric anthocyanin content, total flavonoids content, total phenolics content, and radical scavenging activity were measured. The cultivars showed wide genetic variation in PCCs. Each of the contents was highly correlated with one another, and was closely associated with radical scavenging activity. PCCs were also moderately associated by flowering date but not associated by seed weight. Cultivars with purple flowers had a tendency to produce higher PCCs compared with cultivars with white flowers, suggesting that the W1 locus for flower color can affect phenolic compound composition and content. Our results suggest that developing black soybean cultivars with high functional phenolic compounds activity is feasible.     

Development of cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS)-based markers for identification of sweetpotato cultivars

To develop a simple and reliable method to identify sweetpotato cultivars, we designed cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS)-based markers and used them to perform genotyping of Japanese sweetpotato cultivars. In order to screen the CAPS-based markers, 13 primer pairs were designed from the exon sequences of 11 sweetpotato genes to amplify fragments containing an intron. By digesting the amplified products with 8 restriction enzymes having different recognition sites, a total of 27 polymorphic marker fragments were obtained. Genotyping of 60 Japanese sweetpotato cultivars using these markers suggested that the markers can effectively distinguish sweetpotato cultivars. Among the genes used for primer design, the gene encoding the dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) showed the largest degree of polymorphism. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the development of CAPS-based markers in sweetpotato.     

Intake of Heated Leaf Extract of Coriandrum sativum Contributes to Resistance to Oxidative Stress via Decreases in Heavy Metal Concentrations in the Kidney

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Coriandrum sativum (coriander) is an annual herb of the Apiaceae family and has been used as a traditional remedy. Here we examined whether heated leaf extract of...     

Suitability of Japanese codling as a raw material for surimi-based products revealed by primary sequence analysis of myosin heavy chain and thermal gel properties

Fisheries Science - Complementary DNA encoding a part of myosin heavy chain was cloned from fast skeletal muscle of Japanese codling Physiculus japonicus. Japanese codling, a frequent catch off the...     

MiFish metabarcoding: a high-throughput approach for simultaneous detection of multiple fish species from environmental DNA and other samples

Fisheries Science - We reviewed the current methodology and practices of the DNA metabarcoding approach using a universal PCR primer pair MiFish, which co-amplifies a short fragment of fish DNA...     

Measurements of density contrast and sound-speed contrast for target strength estimation of Neocalanus copepods (Neocalanus cristatus and Neocalanus plumchrus) in the North Pacific Ocean

The mass density and sound-speed contrasts against surrounding seawater (g and h, respectively) of Neocalanus copepods (N. cristatus and N. plumchrus) were measured in 2006 and 2007 to compute the theoretical target strength (TS). The values of g ranged from 0.997 to 1.009 in N. cristatus and from 0.995 to 1.009 in N. plumchrus. There were no correlations between prosome length (PL) and g. The values of h ranged from 1.006 to 1.021 in N. cristatus and from 1.013 to 1.025 in N. plumchrus and varied with changes in temperature. TS was estimated with the theoretical sound scattering model using the values of g and h based on the temperature, salinity, and depth of the location where the specimens were collected. Regressions of the tilt-averaged TS versus PL were obtained at 38, 120, and 200 kHz. The averaged TS of N. cristatus and N. plumchrus at 120 kHz, which is widely used as a high frequency, ranged from −110.0 to −103.1 dB and from −121.4 to −109.7 dB, respectively. There was a positive correlation between frequency and averaged TS: the higher the frequency, the higher the value of averaged TS. The TS at 120 and 38 kHz varied from 14.8 to 16.4 dB in N. cristatus and from 17.9 to 18.7 dB in N. plumchrus, respectively; that at 200 and 120 kHz varied from 2.9 to 5.5 dB in N. cristatus and from 5.3 to 6.5 dB in N. plumchrus, respectively.     

Swimming angle and target strength of larval Japanese anchovy (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Engraulis japonicus</Emphasis>)

The swimming angle of larval Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) was measured in a tank, and target strength (TS) was calculated using a theoretical scattering model. The mean swimming angle was 12.8° (SD ±22.1). Increased speeds of flow led to increased mean swimming angles. The mean swimming angle at flow of 5 cm s⁻¹ was higher than at other speeds. TS values were estimated using a distorted-wave Born approximation model for two cases. Average values were 1–3 cm s⁻¹ (11.5° ± 22.1) and 5 cm s⁻¹ (16.6° ± 21.7) for cases 1 and 2, respectively. For case 1, TS ranged from −92.0 to −74.7 dB with a mean of −79.4 dB at 120 kHz. For case 2, TS ranged from −92.2 to −75.2 dB with a mean of −79.9 dB. The mean TS in case 2 was lower than that in case 1, with the maximum difference being 1.0 dB at 120 kHz (standard length 22.0 mm). However, there were no significant differences between the regression lines of cases 1 and 2. Thus, changes in flow speed altered the swimming angle of larval Japanese anchovy, but had little influence on TS.     

The immunohistochemical detection of peroxiredoxin 1 and 2 in canine spontaneous vascular endothelial tumors

Peroxiredoxin (PRDX) is an antioxidant enzyme family with six isoforms (PRDX1–6). The main function of PRDXs is to decrease cellular oxidative stress by reducing reactive oxygen species, such as hydrogen peroxide, to H₂O. Recently, it has been reported that PRDXs are overexpressed in various malignant tumors in humans, and are involved in the development, proliferation, and metastasis of tumors. However, studies on the expression of PRDXs in tumors of animals are limited. Therefore, in the present study, we immunohistochemically investigated the expression of PRDX1 and 2 in spontaneous canine hemangiosarcoma (HSA) and hemangioma (HA), as well as in selected normal tissue and granulation tissue, including newly formed blood vessels. Although there were some exceptions, immunolocalization of PRDX1 and 2 in normal canine tissues was similar to those in humans, rats, or mice. In granulation tissue, angiogenic endothelial cells were strongly positive for PRDX1 and 2, whereas quiescent endothelial cells in mature vessels were negative. Both PRDX1 and 2 were significantly highly expressed in HSA compared to HA. There were no significant differences in the expression of PRDX1 and 2 among the subtypes and primary sites of HSA. These results suggest that PRDX1 and 2 may be involved in the angiogenic phenotypes of endothelial cells in granulation tissue as well as in the behavior in the malignant endothelial tumors.