Natural Spawning of Captive Bigeye Scad Selar crumenophthalmus in Hawaii

Abstract.— Juvenile bigeye scad Selar crumenophthalmus were caught from the wild by hook and line and reared over 3 yr to establish a spawning broodstock of this species. The size at first maturity for captive males and females was 19-cm and 25-cm fork length (FL). Natural spawning of captive individuals occurred during the first year in captivity. The broodstock were observed to spawn repeatedly throughout their second and third years in culture. This species is a multiple spawner producing approximately 96 × 10³ to 121 × 10³ eggs/spawning group, 5 to 10 times per year. Stocking densities of 1–8 individuals/m³ were found to be suitable for natural spawning to occur. Collectively, the results indicate that this species exhibits notable potential for artificial propagation.     

Comparison of feeding systems: feed cost,palatability and environmental impact among hay‐fattened beef,consistent grass‐only‐fed beef and conventional marbled beef in Wagyu (Japanese Black cattle)

The objective of this article is to compare feed cost, palatability and environmental impacts among feeding systems of high concentrate (HC), high hay (HH) and grass‐only‐fed (Gof) groups. Feed cost was the sum of costs paid for feed intake times the price of feed per kilogram. Palatability was measured by a panel taste test using HH and Gof beef and analyzed for differences. Environmental impacts were calculated based on 1 kg of Japanese beef yield of CO₂ equivalents (eq) and animal end weights at each feeding stage. Results showed that the HH and Gof feeding systems could significantly reduce feed costs by approximately 60% and 78%, respectively, from the HC. In the panel taste test, 50% and 47.50% of panelists indicated that HH beef was ‘extremely delicious’ and ‘acceptable,’ respectively, while 15% indicated that Gof beef was ‘extremely delicious’; 62.50% indicated that Gof beef was ‘acceptable.’ Environmental impacts of each feeding system in terms of CO₂ equivalents (eq) were 9.32, 6.10 and 2.04 tonnes of eq for the HC, HH and Gof, respectively. The HH was an economical system that produced moderate impacts on the environment and had impressive taste.     

Dual infection of the central nervous system by AIDS viruses with distinct cellular tropisms

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the causative agent of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). A large number of AIDS patients show evidence of neurologic involvement, known as AIDS-related subacute encephalopathy, which has been correlated with the presence of HIV in the brain. In this study, two genetically distinct but related viruses were isolated from one patient from two different sources in the central nervous system: brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid. Both viruses were found to replicate in peripheral blood lymphocytes, but only virus from brain tissue will efficiently infect macrophage/monocytes. The viruses also differ in their ability to infect a brain glioma explant culture. This infection of the brain-derived cells in vitro is generally nonproductive, and appears to be some form of persistent or latent infection. These results indicate that genetic variation of HIV in vivo may result in altered cell tropisms and possibly implicate strains of HIV with glial cell tropism in the pathogenesis of some neurologic disorders of AIDS.     

Pharmacokinetics of cycloalliin, an organosulfur compound found in garlic and onion, in rats

Cycloalliin, an organosulfur compound found in garlic and onion, has been reported to exert several biological activities and also to remain stable during storage and processing. In this study, we investigated the pharmacokinetics of cycloalliin in rats after intravenous or oral administration. Cycloalliin and its metabolite, (3R,5S)-5-methyl-1,4-thiazane-3-carboxylic acid, in plasma, urine, feces, and organs was determined by a validated liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. When administered intravenously at 50 mg/kg, cycloalliin was rapidly eliminated from blood and excreted into urine, and its total recovery in urine was 97.8% +/- 1.3% in 48 h. After oral administration, cycloalliin appeared rapidly in plasma, with a tmax of 0.47 +/- 0.03 h at 25 mg/kg and 0.67 +/- 0.14 h at 50 mg/kg. Orally administered cycloalliin was distributed in heart, lung, liver, spleen, and especially kidney. The Cmax and AUC0-inf values of cycloalliin at 50 mg/kg were approximately 5 times those at 25 mg/kg. When administered orally at 50 mg/kg, cycloalliin was excreted into urine (17.6% +/- 4.2%) but not feces. However, the total fecal excretion of (3R,5S)-5-methyl-1,4-thiazane-3-carboxylic acid was 67.3% +/- 5.9% (value corrected for cycloalliin equivalents). In addition, no (3R,5S)-5-methyl-1,4-thiazane-3-carboxylic acid was detected in plasma (<0.1 microg/mL), and negligible amounts (1.0% +/- 0.3%) were excreted into urine. In in vitro experiments, cycloalliin was reduced to (3R,5S)-5-methyl-1,4-thiazane-3-carboxylic acid during anaerobic incubation with cecal contents of rats. These data indicated that the low bioavailability (3.73% and 9.65% at 25 and 50 mg/kg, respectively) of cycloalliin was due mainly to reduction to (3R,5S)-5-methyl-1,4-thiazane-3-carboxylic acid by the intestinal flora and also poor absorption in the upper gastrointestinal tract. These findings are helpful for understanding the biological effects of cycloalliin.     

A RAPD-derived STS marker is linked to a bacterial wilt (Burkholderia caryophylli) resistance gene in carnation

Bacterial wilt caused by Burkholderia caryophylli is one of the most important and damaging diseases of carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus) in Japan. We aimed to identify random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers associated with the genes controlling bacterial wilt resistance in a resistance-segregating population of 134 progeny plants derived from a cross between Carnation Nou No. 1 (a carnation breeding line resistant to bacterial wilt) and Pretty Favvare (a susceptible cultivar). We screened a total of 505 primers to obtain RAPD markers useful for selecting resistant carnation lines: 8 RAPD markers identified by bulked segregant analysis were linked to a major resistance gene; of these, WG44-1050 had the greatest effect on resistance to bacterial wilt. A locus with large effect on bacterial resistance was mapped around WG44-1050 through QTL analysis. The RAPD marker WG44-1050 was successfully converted to a sequence-tagged site (STS) marker suitable for marker-assisted selection (MAS). Five combinations of primers were designed for specific amplification of WG44-1050. In addition, the STS marker we developed was useful and reliable as a selection marker for breeding for resistance to bacterial wilt, using a highly resistant wild species, D. capitatus ssp. andrzejowskianus and a resistant line, Carnation Nou No. 1, as breeding materials.