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Eleven oribatid species were collected from the Kumaya Cave of Iheya village in Central Ryukyu Arc, South Japan. The cave is a descending horizontal tunnel of a deep-sea abysmal quartziferous deposit formed in the Permian period of the Palaeozoic era and excavated by sea erosion. The floor of the cave was covered with sand, three to four meters deep. Fragments of psephite are found at the end of the cave. Each sample of about 200 ml was collected by hand from the following five marked points of the cave on 17 March 2010: A, Sand and a fragment of psephite; B, Sand and a fragment of psephite; C, Sand, a fragment of psephite, and litter of Ficus microcarpa; D, Litter and humus of F. microcarpa and Cassytha filiformis, and sand; E, Litter and humus of F. microcarpa and C. filiformis, and sand. All species belonged to Brachypylina: Oppiella (O.) nova from A; Mabulatrichus kumayaensis sp. nov., Protoribates kumayaensis sp. nov. and Zygoribatula iheyaensis sp. nov. from B; Tectocepheus kumayaensis sp. nov. from C; Tectocepheus iheyaensis sp. nov., Oribatula kumayaensis sp. nov., Protoribates hirokous sp. nov. and Haplozetes makii sp. nov. from D; Eupelops kumayaensis sp. nov. from E; Neoliodes iheyaensis sp. nov. from C, D and E.

The objective was to evaluate effects of feeding level of milk replacer on body growth, plasma metabolite and insulin concentrations, and allometric growth of visceral organs in suckling calves. Holstein bull calves (n = 8; 3-4 days of age) were fed either a low amount (average 0.63 kgDM/day, LM) or high amount (average 1.15 kgDM/day, HM) of high protein milk replacer until they were slaughtered at 6 weeks of age. Body weight (BW) at 4, 5, and 6 weeks of age, feed intake, average daily gain, and feed efficiency were higher in the HM than LM calves. The HM group had higher plasma glucose at 3 and 4 weeks of age and insulin levels after the age of 4 weeks compared with LM calves whereas no effect was detected on plasma nonesterified fatty acid or urea nitrogen concentrations. The HM calves had greater empty body weight (EBW), viscera-free BW and most of the organs dissected than LM calves. Relative weights (% of EBW) of liver, spleen, kidneys, and internal fat were higher, whereas head and large intestine was lower in HM than LM calves. The results suggest that increased milk feeding levels would accelerate the growth of the body and specific organs.

The histochemical properties, collagen content and architecture of Musculus longissimusthoracis (LT), Musculus pectoralis profundus (PP) and Musculus biceps femoris (BF) were compared in F(1) (half blood) and F(2) (quarter blood) wild boar crossbred pigs and commercial hybrid pigs, and Japanese wild pigs. F(1) pigs showed the lowest growth rate, followed by F(2) pigs. The most rapid growth was shown by the commercial pigs. The percentage weights of LT and PP muscle to body weight were larger in the wild boar crossbred pigs than commercial pigs. The muscles of the crossbred pigs contained type I and IIA myofibers at higher frequency and type IIB at lower frequency than the commercial pigs, except for LT muscle of F(2) pigs. The myofiber diameter in each type of muscle did not differ between pigs except for the smaller type IIA in BF muscle in commercial pigs. The total amount of intramuscular collagen was less in LT muscles than the others. More intramuscular collagen was found in the wild boar crossbred pigs than the commercial pigs in LT and PP muscles. With an increase of collagen content, the perimysial collagen architecture developed but not the endomysial architecture. Traits characteristic of the crossbred pigs seem to be inherited from the wild boar. Our results clarify that cross breeding with wild boar results in pigs with distinctive muscle characteristics in terms of histochemical properties, collagen content and architecture.

Using the dorsal ordinary muscle (DOM) of cultured Pacific bluefin tuna (body length [BL]: 47.5–81.8 cm, body weight [BW]: 2.1–13.5 kg, n=15), the changes of proximate compositions and myoglobin (Mb) content with growth were investigated. There was a positive correlation (r=0.9832, P

We investigated the changes in myoglobin (Mb) content and proximate compositions of the cephalad parts of the dorsal ordinary muscles (Ce-DOM) of full-cycle cultured (FC) Pacific bluefin tuna [body length: 42.6-115.4 cm, body weight (BW): 1.7-38.4 kg, killed from July 2004 to October 2005]. The Mb content of Ce-DOM increased (P

Using the full-cycle cultured (FC) Pacific bluefin tuna, Thunnus orientalis [body weights: 13.1 ± 4.5 (FC1; April in 2004), 20.2 ± 1.8 (FC2; July in 2004), 28.5 ± 6.3 (FC3; November in 2004), 27.0 ± 3.3 (FC4; February in 2005) and 33.5 ± 4.7 kg (FC5; May in 2005), n = 3, respectively] and wild bluefin tuna [33.3 ± 1.5kg (June in 2005), n = 3], proximate and fatty acid compositions of the cephalal (Ce-) and caudal (Ca-) parts of the dorsal (D) and ventral (V) ordinary muscles (OMs) were investigated. Lipid contents of the Ce-DOM and VOMs of FC1-5 increased with growth. In particular, lipid content of the Ce-DOM (23.0%) and VOMs (55.1%) of FC5 was higher ( P P n –3: n –6 (9.4%) of the Ce-VOM of FC5 was lower ( P

Using full-cycle cultured (FC) Pacific bluefin tuna (body length [BL], 42.6–66.4 cm; body weight [BW], 1.66–7.40 kg, n=15), the changes in chemical compositions and histological structure of the cephalal parts of the dorsal ordinary muscles (DOM) occurring with growth were investigated. A positive correlation (r=0.9644, P

Using the full-cycle cultured (FC) Pacific bluefin tuna [body weight 16.3±1.9 kg (pre-fasting group, pre-FG), 14.2±0.9 kg (post-fasting group, post-FG)], changes in the physical/chemical properties of the cephalal parts of dorsal (D) and ventral (V) ordinary muscles (OM) by fasting (6 days) during chilled storage (4°C) were investigated. Condition factors were 26.7 (pre-FG) and 20.3 (post-FG, P < 0.05). Fasting changed the liver color to green. Fasting also decreased the amount of protein and lipid contents of the DOM and VOM of FC tuna. The breaking strength and pH of the DOM and VOM of post-FG tuna were higher (P

Using full-cycle cultured Pacific bluefin tuna (BW: 33.5 ± 2.7 kg, cultured for about 33 mo), the physical/ chemical composition and histological properties of the cephalal parts of the dorsal ordinary muscles (DOMs) and ventral ordinary muscles (VOMs) were investigated during chilled storage at 4 °C for 69 h. VOM showed high fat content compared with DOM. The breaking strength of DOM increased up to 33 h but decreased thereafter, whereas VOM decreased gradually after 15 h. The pH and glycogen content of DOMs and VOMs decreased gradually after 9 h. The met-myoglobin (met-Mb)% and K-value of DOMs and VOMs increased gradually during storage. Extension of intercellular spaces of DOM was observed by LM during storage. The abundant quantity of glycogen granules that accumulated around the myofibrils of DOM was confirmed by TEM to decrease during storage (especially, from 15 h).

Collagen content and architecture of the longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle were compared between the concentrate- and forage-fed male goats. During the experimental period of 9 to 26 wks old, the former gained 15.7kg in body weight by feeding on commercial concentrate food and Italian ryegrass hay, while the latter gaincd only 2.4 kg by feeding on hay only. Dry matter, crude protein and crude fat were contained at significantly higher percentages in the LT muscle of the concentrate-fed goats than the forage-fed goats, and conversely, collagen content was significantly higher in the muscle of the latter. However, the collagen pyridinoline content did not differ between them. The myofibers in the concentrate-fed goats (54.0~am) were twlce the size of those in the forage-fed goats (25.5llm). The higher content of crude fat (2.890/0) in the LT muscle of the concentrate-fed g6ats was not enough for adipose tissues to develop wlthin the perimysium as marbling. Immunohistochemical methods revealed types I and HI collagens over both perimysium and endomysium. Thin collagen bundles were loosely distributed in the perimysium of concentrate-fed goats muscles, and conversely, the perimysial architecture in the forage-fed goats muscles appeared as dense stacks of thick collagen fibers. From these results, it was indicated that the development of loose tissues of slender collagen fibers had an intimate relationship with the rapid growih rate of muscle rather than the development of adipose tissue.

The histological properties of the cephalad parts of the dorsal ordinary muscles (CD-OMs) of wild (body weight 33.3 ± 0.9 kg, n = 3) and full-cycle cultured (body weights 13.1 ± 2.6 (FC 1), 20.2 ± 1.0 (FC 2) and 28.5 ± 3.6 (FC 3) kg, n = 3 respectively) Pacific bluefin tuna were investigated. The CD-OMs of FC 1–3 tuna showed low moisture content (P < 0.05) and high fat content (about six times more, P < 0.05) in comparison with wild fish. A large quantity of adipose tissue was observed in the wide spaces between muscle fibres in the CD-OMs of FC 1-3 tuna. The muscle fibre diameter of the CD-OM of FC 3 tuna was significantly lower than that of wild fish (P < 0.05). Myofibrils in the CD-OM of wild tuna were surrounded by a developed sarcoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria; however, there were many glycogen granules among the myofibrils and a large quantity of fat in the CD-OM of full-cycle cultured fish. In particular, the glycogen content of the CD-OM of FC 3 tuna was significantly higher (about 50 times) than that of wild fish. These results indicate that feeding and exercise conditions affect the histological structure and metabolism of the bluefin tuna muscle. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry

The effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), γ-linolenic acid (GLA), linoleic acid (LA), and their combinations, on skin composition in mice were investigated. Mice (8 weeks old) were orally administered with either LA, GLA, CLA, LA + GLA, LA + CLA, or CLA + GLA for 4 weeks. Then, the skin was analysed for triacylglycerol content, fatty acid composition and collagen content. Additionally, thicknesses of the dermis layer and subcutaneous tissue layer, and the size and number of adipocytes were measured histologically. The skin fatty acid composition was modified depending upon the fatty acid composition of supplemented oils. In each oil-alone group, skin triacylglycerol content was the highest in LA, followed by GLA and CLA treatments. Combinations with CLA had a similar triacylglycerol content compared with the CLA-alone group. No significant changes in collagen content were observed among any treatments. The effects on subcutaneous thickness were similar to the results obtained in the triacylglycerol contents, where groups supplemented with CLA alone or other fatty acids had significantly thinner subcutaneous tissue compared with the LA-alone group. However, no significant difference was detected in the thickness of the dermis layers. The number of adipocytes was highest in the LA + GLA group and tended to be reduced by CLA with or without the other fatty acids. These results suggest that CLA alone or in combination with other fatty acids strongly modifies skin composition in mice.

Using the skeletal muscle of full-cycle cultured Pacific bluefin tuna (body weight: 13.1±2.6 kg, cultured for about 21 months), the proximate compositions, breaking strength and histological structure of the front and rear parts of the dorsal ordinary muscles (FD-OM and RD-OM) and the ventral ordinary muscles (FV-OM and RV-OM) were compared. The FV-OM showed low moisture, protein, ash and high fat contents (P

Each sample of about 200 cm3 was collected on June 27th 2011 by hand from the following three marked points after a large tidal wave (Tsunami) struck on March 11th 2011: Two specimens belonging to Masthermannia and Eupelops were collected from a sample A (about 188 m from sea); five specimens of four species belonging to Nothrus and Tectocepheus from sample B (about 5mfrom sample A) were found; twenty-five specimens of Trhypochthonius, Scheloribates and Trichogalumna from sample C (about 20 m from sample B) were collected. One oribatid species of the Masthermannia genus from sample A was found to be identical to an undescribed species from Kumamoto Prefecture, which was studied together with the specimen from sample A.