Cholecystokinin inhibits tail pinch-induced eating in rats

Peripheral administration of the COOH-terminal octapeptide of cholecystokinin in doses from 1 to 100 micrograms per kilogram of body weight (0.25 to 25.0 micrograms per rat) significantly antagonized tail pinch-induced eating in rats, an animal model for stress-induced human hyperphagia. Centrally administered cholecystokinin was effective only in high doses (3 micrograms into the cerebral ventricle). The finding that the minimal effective dose of cholecystokinin in suppressing stress-induced appetitive behavior is smaller after peripheral than central administration suggests that the peptide is acting on peripheral, as opposed to central nervous system, substrates.     

Immunomodulatory potential of marine secondary metabolites against bacterial diseases of shrimp

Shrimp disease management using bioactive marine secondary metabolites (MSMs) was developed as a package of practice for the sustainable shrimp farming. Therefore, the effect of MSMs on the host defense factors of shrimp was evaluated in the present study. Findings indicated that Ulva diet significantly increase the defense factors such as haemogram, agglutination index, phagocytic rate, bacterial clearance and serum bactericidal activity of treated shrimps over the control group. Based on the gut bacterial load, Ulva diet was considered as proactive drug whereas Dendrilla diet was determined as a curative agent.     

A method for measuring tenderness of cooked Brussels sprouts

A cherry pitter of 7.9 mm diameter fitted to an Instron testing-machine was a satisfactory puncture probe for measuring tenderness of cooked Brussels sprouts.     

Soil selenium fractionation,depth profiles and time trends in a vegetated site at Kesterson Reservoir

Kesterson Reservoir, in the San Joaquin Valley of California, was used for disposal of saline, seleniferous agricultural drain waters during the years 1981 - 1986. The combined effects of infrequent drain water application, reduction and oxidation of Se, and evapotranspirative removal of soil water within the upper 1 m of the soil profiles appear to provide explanations for distribution patterns of Se in soils of upland sites. From 1987 to 1990, an approximate doubling in average soil solution Se concentrations was observed. It is shown that currently only relatively insignificant quantities of Se have been transported into the Pond 11 soils from the shallow water table. Sequential extraction of these upland soils indicated that substantial inventories of Se were associated with soluble, adsorbed, carbonate, and soil organic matter fractions, while Se retained within refractory inorganic fractions were minor. The mobilization of Se from these potentially labile pools may account for the observed increases in soil solution concentrations of Se following the draining of Kesterson Reservoir.