Enzymatic hydrolysis of wood with alkaline treatment

Pulverized samples of wood, cedar and eucalyptus were treated with 5 N NaOH solutions at 25–150 °C. Hemicellulose and lignin content in the samples decreased with increasing treatment temperatures, while the recovery of glucose was maintained at nearly 90 %. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the content of the original cellulose I structure in the samples decreased with increasing temperature, and most of the cellulose in the sample treated at 150 °C was converted to cellulose II by mercerization. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the alkaline-treated samples was carried out at 37 °C using solutions comprising a mixture of cellulase and β-glucosidase. The samples treated at higher temperatures showed better enzymatic degradability. Treatment with an alkaline solution of lower concentration (1 N NaOH) at 150 °C was also used. Despite significant quantities of hemicellulose and lignin being removed, mercerization was not induced. The enzymatic degradability was much lower than that of the sample treated with a 5 N NaOH solution at 150 °C. Thus, treatment with concentrated alkaline solution at high temperature led to not only the removal of hemicellulose and lignin, but also to modification of the cellulose structure, which resulted in high efficiency of enzymatic saccharification of the wood samples.     

Correlation between skeletal muscle fiber type and responses of a taste sensing system in various beef samples

The difference of muscle fiber type composition affects several parameters related to meat quality; however, the relationship between muscle fiber types and meat taste is unclear. To elucidate this relationship, we determined the taste of various beef samples using a taste sensor (INSENT SA402B) and analyzed its correlation with different muscle fiber type composition. We used 22 kinds of beef samples and measured nine tastes, including the relative and change of membrane potential caused by adsorption (CPA) values, using six sensors (GL1, CT0, CA0, AAE, C00, and AE1). The taste sensor analysis indicated positive value outputs for the relative C00, AAE, and GL1 values as well as for the CPA value of AAE, which corresponded to bitterness, umami, sweetness, and richness, respectively. We found significant positive correlations of the myosin heavy chain 1 (MyHC1) composition with umami taste, and with richness. This result suggests that high levels of slow MyHC1 can induce strong umami taste and richness in beef. We expect that our results will contribute to the elucidation of the relationship between muscle fiber types and meat palatability.     

Open Heart Surgery with Deep Hypothermia and Cardiopulmonary Bypass in Small and Toy Dogs

Objective: To evaluate open heart surgery with deep surface‐induced hypothermia (sHT) and low‐flow cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in small and toy‐breed dogs. Study Design: Case series. Animals: Small breed dogs (n=8) weighing <5.5 kg with naturally occurring cardiac disease. Methods: Deep sHT under isoflurane anesthesia and low‐flow rate CPB with a small‐volume prime circuit were used. Ventricular septal defect was closed directly in 2 dogs and severe mitral regurgitation was corrected with mitral valvuloplasty (MVP) in 5 dogs and mitral valve replacement in 1 dog. Results: All dogs survived surgery; 1 dog died 6 days and 1 died 2 months after MVP. The other 6 dogs lived (mean follow‐up, 32.8 months; range, 12–65 months). Mean body weight at surgery was 3.6 kg (range, 2–5.3 kg). Mean lowest esophageal temperature was 21.4°C (range, 19.8–23.8°C). Mean lowest pump flow volume was 29.2 mL/kg/min (range, 9.4–57.7 mL/kg/min) during aortic cross‐clamping (mean, 53.5 minutes; range, 25–79 minutes). Mean hematocrit before CPB was 38.6% (range, 33–47%) and 20.3% (range, 13–24%) during CPB with a small circuit priming volume of 225–260 mL. Conclusion: Deep sHT with low‐flow rate CPB may be used for open heart surgery in small dogs weighing <5.5 kg. Clinical Relevance: Open heart surgery for selected congenital defects and acquired defects in small and toy‐breed dogs may be successfully performed using deep sHT and CPB.     

Quantification of waste feed and fish faeces in sediments beneath yellowtail pens and possibility to reduce waste loading by co‐culturing with sea cucumbers: an isotopic study

To evaluate environmental impacts of yellowtail culture and to examine the efficiency of the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus in reduction of waste loading, surface sediments were sampled and A. japonicus were cultured at a yellowtail farm in Owase Bay, Japan. Waste feed‐ and faeces‐derived organic matter (WOM, FOM) in sedimentary organic matter (SOM) was estimated based on the δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of the fish feed (?21.7‰, 9.2‰), yellowtail faeces (?20.6‰, 6.2‰) and SOM reference (?24.4‰, 4.4‰). Small WOM (0–22% in SOM) but substantial FOM (28–61%) loadings in the fish farm area and high sulphide concentrations in the sediments (1.0 mg g^?1) suggest that reduction in the fish stocks or mitigation of the faeces should be considered. A. japonicus juveniles were cultured in three cages deployed below a pen and growth was assessed after three different periods (62, 107, 181 days). A. japonicus grew well during the first 107 days (daily specific growth rate, 3.7%) and their survivorship was high (80–90%). Growth ceased after 107 days, probably due to fouling on the cages. The δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of their hypothetical diet (–19.7‰, 5.5‰) were close to the FOM values, suggesting assimilation of FOM.     

Progress of oxidation of non-phenolic lignin moiety in an oxygen bleaching process via the conversion of non-phenolic into phenolic lignin moiety

To examine whether non-phenolic lignin moiety is converted into the new phenolic counterpart by the participation of active oxygen species (AOS) under oxygen bleaching conditions, a β-O-4 type dimeric lignin model compound, 2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)propane-1,3-diol (I), 2-(3,5-difluorophenoxy)-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)propane-1,3-diol (III), or 2-(3,5-difluorophenoxy)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)propane-1,3-diol (IV), was treated under conditions similar to those for oxygen bleaching. A phenolic compound, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl alcohol, was added together to generate AOS in the reaction of compound I or IV. The results obtained suggested that AOS attack the side chains of compounds I, III, and IV accompanied by the β-O-4 bond cleavages and the liberations of the corresponding phenolic compounds, 2-methoxyphenol (II), 3,5-difluorophenol (V), and compound V, respectively. However, the rapid liberation of compound V in the oxygen-alkali treatment of compound III may mainly be caused by alkaline-induced reactions and/or some oxidation reactions of the primary degradation product of compound III, a muconic acid derivative.     

Predominant formation of aromatic aldehyde and acid from a dimeric <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">O</Emphasis>-4-type lignin model compound under hydrogen peroxide bleaching conditions with high pH levels

When a dimeric non-phenolic β-O-4-type lignin model compound, 2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)propane-1,3-diol (veratrylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (VG)), was treated under alkaline oxygen or hydrogen peroxide bleaching conditions (O₂ or H₂O₂ system, respectively), 3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde (veratraldehyde) and 3,4-dimethoxybenzoic acid (veratric acid) formed with yields dependent on the system. The yield of veratraldehyde based on the mole amount of disappearing VG (VG disappearance) was about 30% in the O₂ system at a high pH level. However, the total yield of veratraldehyde and veratric acid was 70–80% based on VG disappearance in the H₂O₂ system at high pH levels, where H₂O₂ was added stepwise. A prolonged reaction with the further stepwise addition of H₂O₂ at the high pHs would further increase the formations of veratraldehyde and veratric acid with maintaining the yields based on VG disappearance. The yields (70–80%) are higher than those reported in the previous study, which employed VG, oxygen, and 1,10-phenanthroline and copper (II) sulfate as the catalysts. The high yields in the H₂O₂ system with high pH levels can be explained by the reactivity of oxyl anion radical, which is the most responsible active oxygen species at these high pHs and preferably attacks the aliphatic side-chain of VG rather than the aromatic nucleus.     

Effects of dietary astaxanthin supplementation on survival,growth and stress resistance in larval and post‐larval kuruma shrimp,Marsupenaeus japonicus

Two trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of chemically synthesized astaxanthin (Ax) on growth performance, survival, and stress resistance in larval and post‐larval kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus). Six dietary levels of Ax (0, 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg diet) were added to a baseline diet. As a first study, an 8‐day feeding trial was conducted on larval kuruma shrimp, with results showing that larvae‐fed diets supplemented with different Ax levels exhibited better performance during developmental and metamorphosis to postlarvae. Broken‐line regression analysis indicated that the optimal levels for growth and stress resistance of larvae were 168.9 mg/kg and 82.1 mg/kg diet, respectively. Second, a 30‐day feeding trial was conducted on post‐larval shrimp. Supplementation with 100 and 200 mg/kg Ax yielded significantly higher final body weight, body weight gain and specific growth rate than that in a control group. A cumulative mortality index for osmotic stress revealed significantly better performance in a group fed 200 mg/kg supplementation than in controls. Broken‐line regression analysis indicated that the optimal levels for growth and stress resistance of postlarvae were 108.7 mg/kg and 178.1 mg/kg diet, respectively. Based on these results, we suggest that carefully dosed Ax supplementation is a beneficial nutritional strategy for the early developmental stages of kuruma shrimp.     

Changes in microbial communities in an apple orchard and its adjacent bush soil in response to season,land-use,and violet root rot infestation

Soil microbial communities in an apple orchard and its adjacent boundary bush with or without infestation by violet root rot were investigated for 2 years. Effects of season (spring, summer, and fall), land-use (apple orchard and boundary bush), and violet root rot (infested and healthy) on soil microbial populations, microbial activity, and microbial community structures were determined using physiological, cytochemical, and molecular (PCR-DGGE) approaches. Seasonal fluctuations were significant (P<0.05) in viable bacteria and fungal populations, bacterial FAME, fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis, and diversity (H′) and evenness (J′) of community-level physiological profile (CLPP) in both years. However, seasonal differences of soil microbial guilds that utilize carbon substrate groups observed in the first year were not reproduced in the second year. The land-use factor differentiated the apple orchard from the boundary bush where viable bacterial population, bacterial FAME and FDA hydrolysis were significantly greater in both years. Infestation status of violet root rot, on the other hand, significantly increased bacterial FAME and FDA hydrolysis in both years. In addition, neither the land-use nor the disease infestation factor significantly influenced the utilization patterns of individual substrate guilds for the 2 years. In both years, saturated fatty acids were significantly more abundant in the orchard than in the bush soil, and monosaturated fatty acids vice versa. Principal component analyses for CLPP, FAME, and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) consistently exhibited that, although the violet root rot influenced the soil microbial community structures both in the apple orchard and the boundary bush, overall magnitude of the difference in communities between the violet root rot infested and non-infested sites in the bush were greater than in the orchard, irrespective of the season. These results suggested that the seasonal and the land-use factors affected soil microbial community both quantitatively and qualitatively, whereas the impact of the violet root rot on the soil microbial community was mainly qualitative and more pronounced in the adjacent bush than in the orchard.     

Provirus variants of bovine leukemia virus in naturally infected cattle from Argentina and Japan

A serologic subgroup of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) has not been identified, whereas genetic diversity among BLVs has been reported by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). To investigate the distribution of BLV provirus variants, 42 isolates from Argentina and Japan were examined by nested PCR for a segment of the env gene, followed by DNA sequencing. The nucleotide sequences were compared with other previously characterized BLV variants from different geographical areas (Belgium, France, Italy, North America, Australia, Japan and Argentina). The majority of analyzed segments had a tendency for nucleotide substitution without changing the amino acid. The constructed phylogenetic tree showed the relations and differences between proviruses and within each one. Most of the samples in Argentina formed one cluster. The samples in Japan, except one, also formed one cluster and some of them showed high homology with the isolates from Australia and the USA. Considering the sequence analysis of env PCR products of all Japanese and Argentine samples and comparing them with the other previously isolated sequences, the variation was up to 3.5% and was characterized geographically in each area.