Comparative lipid and lipoprotein metabolism

This review summarizes a number of recent reports in several areas of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Absorption of dietary lipids, cholesterol synthesis, and biliary cholesterol metabolism are mentioned only briefly to be complete. Comparative aspects of lipoprotein metabolism, however, are detailed in an effort to integrate the myriad metabolic events which characterize these important lipid transport particles. Where comparative information is known, those aspects of lipoprotein metabolism that may be protective against atherogenesis in certain mammalian species are also described. Efforts to understand atherogenic resistance comparatively in animals lends a better understanding of the metabolic events leading to coronary artery disease in humans. They also provide an important basis for understanding lipid metabolism in numerous veterinary species.     

Application of the rpoS gene for the detection of Vibrio anguillarum in flounder and prawn by polymerase chain reaction

Vibrio anguillarum , an opportunistic fish pathogen, is the main species responsible for vibriosis, a disease that affects feral and farmed fish and shellfish, and causes considerable economic losses in marine aquaculture. In this study, we used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect V. anguillarum . PCR specificity was evaluated by amplifying the rpoS gene, a general stress regulator, in six strains of V. anguillarum and 36 other bacterial species. PCR amplified a species-specific fragment (689 bp) from V. anguillarum . Furthermore, the PCR assay was sensitive enough to detect rpoS expression from 3 pg of genomic DNA , or from six colony-forming units (CFU) mL⁻¹ of cultured V. anguillarum . However, the assay was less sensitive when genomic DNA from the infected flounder and prawn was used (limit of detection, 50 ng and 10 ng g⁻¹ tissue, respectively). These data demonstrate that PCR amplification of the rpoS gene is a sensitive and species-specific method to detect V. anguillarum in practical situations.     

Improvement of water-stability of clay aggregates admixed with aqueous polymer soil stabilizers

Aqueous soil stabilizers improve soil properties. Water-stability of soil aggregates was determined using two different soil stabilizers: S-type and E-type. Various concentrations of the two soil stabilizers were tested in soil aggregates that were bigger than 5 mm but smaller than 10 mm. Testing the aggregates using the static water-measure method showed that the water-stability index, K, increased with the concentrations of soil stabilizers. S-type soil stabilizer in concentrations ranging between 20% and 40% resulted in K-values between 64.0% and 83.8%, and E-type polymer emulsions in concentrations between 3% and 7% resulted in K-values between 90.1% and 99.7% respectively. The soil aggregates admixed with water resulted in a K-value of 11.5%, which was tested as a control. Two aggregate collapse models were found and discussed based on the collapse characteristics of the modified aggregates: S-type soil stabilizer in low concentrations follows a gradual collapse pattern, while S-type stabilizer in high concentrations and E-type stabilizer in low concentrations follow an explosive collapse pattern. These patterns depend on the formation of a membrane structure on the surface of the aggregates through physicochemical bonding. By identifying the mechanisms of the membrane structure and calculating the K-values, significant information on the improvement of soil properties can be determined.     

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure in the Heavily Exploited Korean Rockfish,Sebastes schlegeli,in Korea

The Korean rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli, is a valuable and intensively exploited species in Korea. We discuss the genetic diversity and genetic structure of four Korean rockfish populations using eight microsatellite loci. In total, 161 different alleles from 138 individuals were observed. Average allele number per locus ranged from 2.5 to 23 and allelic richness varied from 13.38 to 14.63 within a population. Despite a long history of stocking practices, we found very high levels of polymorphism (mean heterozygosity = 0.810), which is comparable to other congeneric species. No significant difference in genetic diversity and molecular genetic variance (F_ST and R_ST) was observed among four local samples (P > 0.1). Little indication of contemporary inbreeding (F_IS= 0.051) or population structure (K = 1) was detected. This absence of differentiation may reflect high levels of gene flow along the coast of Korea. Our study demonstrates that rockfish in Korea should be managed as a single unit. Currently, the species does not appear to be genetically threatened, but the potential for a rapid loss of genetic diversity remains. This information on the genetic characteristics of Korean rockfish populations has important implications for fisheries management and conservation efforts, and will aid in the sustainable exploitation of the fishing resources and the preservation of biodiversity.     

Comparison of methods to assess dog owners' therapeutic compliance

Objective To compare different methods for assessing the compliance of veterinary clients administering medication to their dogs.
Procedure Thirty-one owners whose dogs were prescribed amoxycillin-clavulanate, twice and thrice daily, for a duration of five to seven days were recruited from three Sydney veterinary hospitals. Compliance was assessed by electronic monitoring devices, return medication counts, client self-reports and veterinarians' estimation of likely compliance.
Results Electronic monitoring showed owners administered on average 84% (range 7 to 104%) of prescribed medication to their dogs. Both return medication counts and client self-reports tended to overestimate therapeutic compliance when compared with electronic monitoring. When questioned, the majority of owners (71%) claimed perfect compliance with the prescribed regimen. No correlation was found between veterinarians' estimates of owner compliance and that assessed electronically.
Conclusion Electronic monitoring provided valuable information on dose timing and variation, but proved costly and difficult to employ in veterinary practice. Simplicity and low cost of return medication counts makes this method attractive for use in veterinary compliance studies. Client self-reports reliably detected some noncompliers and permitted identification of individual problems or errors. For practical purposes a combination of return medication counts and client self-reports may have merit in future veterinary compliance studies.     

Review of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eilema</Emphasis> group of lichen moths from South Korea,with description of one new species (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini)

This review details the Korean species of the Eilema group in the subfamily Arctiinae of Erebidae: 19 species in five genera (Manulea, Collita, Katha, Dolgoma, and Wittia), a new species (Collita hwacheonensis Bayarsaikhan & Bae, sp. nov.), and an unrecorded species [C. vetusta aegrota (Butler 1877)]. All species are diagnosed, and figures of the adults and genitalia and a key to species based on male genital structure of Eilema group in South Korea are included.     

Impact of Buckwheat Flavonoids on In Vitro Starch Digestibility and Noodle‐Making Properties

The effects of various buckwheat materials (buckwheat flour [BF], dietary fiber extract [DE], flavonoids extract [FE], and rutin‐enhanced flavonoids extract [REFE]) on starch digestibility and noodle‐making properties were evaluated. When FE and REFE were incorporated into noodles, the amount of rapidly digestible starch and the predicted glycemic index (pGI) were reduced. However, BF and DE did not significantly decrease the pGI value of noodles. When assessing noodle properties, hardness was increased with increasing content of buckwheat materials, whereas other texture parameters were not significantly affected by buckwheat addition. All noodles were similar in regard to water absorption and swelling index, but cooking loss was slightly increased in FE and REFE noodles. FE and REFE demonstrated higher flavonoid stability during noodle making and, additionally, were more effective at reducing starch digestibility than BF and DE. REFE, specifically, does not generate quercetin (the cause of a bitter taste), and, therefore, REFE was effective in suppressing the hydrolysis of starch in the noodles, lowering the pGI.     

Protective effect of butylated hydroxylanisole against hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is a synthetic phenolic compound consisting of a mixture of two isomeric organic compounds: 2-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole. We examined the effect of BHA against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced apoptosis in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes. Cell viability was significantly decreased by H₂O₂ in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, H₂O₂ treatment increased Bax, decreased Bcl-2, and promoted PARP-1 cleavage in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment with BHA before exposure to H₂O₂ significantly attenuated the H₂O₂-induced decrease of cell viability. H₂O₂ exposure resulted in an increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation that was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with BHA or N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC, an ROS scavenger). H₂O₂-induced decrease of cell viability was also attenuated by pretreatment with BHA and NAC. Furthermore, H₂O₂-induced increase of Bax, decrease of Bcl-2, and PARP-1 cleavage was also inhibited by BHA. Taken together, results of this investigation demonstrated that BHA protects primary cultured mouse hepatocytes against H₂O₂-induced apoptosis by inhibiting ROS generation.