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Unlikely Liberators Book Excerpts
No full textExcerpts from the book "Unlikely Liberators," about the men of the 100th Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The excerpts include a description of Yost and anecdotes from his time with the battalion
Dietary Protein Requirements for Juvenile Hybrid Culter (Culter alburnus ♀ × Ancherythroculter nigrocauda ♂)
Get PDFThis study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary protein levels on growth performance and digestive enzyme activities of juvenile hybrid culter (Culter alburnus ♀× Ancherythroculter nigrocauda ♂). Five solipidic experimental diets were formulated to contain graded levels of protein ranging from 29.54-48.98%. These were fed to triplicate groups of fish (11.44 ± 0.7 g/fish) for 8 weeks. Results from the feeding trial indicated that growth performance, body composition, and digestive enzyme activities of the fish were significantly different (P<0.05) between the groups. Growth performance had a generally increasing trend with increasing dietary protein levels. Weight gain (160.76%) and specific growth rate (1.71) of fish in the group where feed contained 40.07% dietary protein was significantly higher than the group where feed contained 33.58% dietary protein (118.76% and 1.40, respectively), but there was no significant difference compared with 45.04% dietary protein. Based on the statistical significance, our results indicated that the dietary protein level should not be less than 40% for juvenile hybrid culter
Apparent Digestibilities of Selected Feed Ingredients Fermented by Host Bacteria in Juvenile Turbot, Scophthalmus maxima L.
Get PDFFermentation is considered a promising method to improve the limited utilization of plant protein sources. In the present study, Shewanella sp. MR-7, isolated from the intestine of juvenile turbot, was used to ferment selected plant sources. We investigated the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of three plant sources fermented and not fermented by Shewanella sp. MR-7 in diets of juvenile turbot: soybean meal (SBM), fermented soybean meal (FSBM), peanut meal (PM), fermented peanut meal (FPM), corn gluten meal (CGM) and fermented corn gluten meal (FCGM). The ADCs of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), gross energy (GE), and amino acids（AA）were analyzed. Our results showed that the ADC of the plant protein sources improved significantly with fermentation. Moreover, the FSBM showed the highest improvement for apparent amino acid digestibility while FPM showed the lowest compared with the unfermented plant protein source. In conclusion, our results indicated that Shewanella sp. MR-7 fermentation can greatly improve the ADCs of SBM, PM, and CGM in diets of turbot. This study providedvaluable information for the use of host bacteria as zymocyte in aquaculture
Optimum Replacement Value of Fish Silage for Protein Source in Pacific White Shrimp Diets
Get PDFChemical and biological evaluations were undertaken to determine nutritive value of acid fish silage (FS) as a dietary protein source in the diet of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Proximate composition, and amino acid profile of FS were determined for chemical evaluation; amino acid profile of FS was employed to predict its nutritive value against shrimp requirements for essential amino acids (EAA). Three biological evaluations of FS were conducted: (1) the attractability of the FS diets were compared with diets containing no FS; (2) a growth trial of 60 days was performed to determine the effects of replacing protein sources in the diet with FS, on the growth performance of the shrimp; (3) shrimp from the growth trial in the second biological experiment were evaluated to determine whether or not FS in the diet resulted in enhanced immune response against Vibrio parahemolyticus. Experimental diets were prepared containing 5 levels of FS replacing the combined fish meal and Acetes meal (kept at a constant ratio of 1:3): 0% FS (control), 12.5%, 25%, 37.5% and 50% FS replacement. For results of the chemical evaluation, the computed EAAI of FS was 98.5 indicating a well-balanced profile. In the attractability test using a custom-made setup, results showed that shrimp (1-2 g) were significantly more attracted to the diet containing 50% FS replacement than any other diet; the control and the other experimental diets were statistically similar in attractability. In the growth trial experiment, shrimp (average weight =0.01g) were fed diets of the same composition as that used for the attractability test. Results showed that weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) of the FS-supplemented groups were significantly higher than the control group; however, 25% FS group did not significantly differ from that of the 37.5% FS. Feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and survival rate did not differ significantly among experimental groups. In the V. parahemolyticus challenge test, optimum FS replacement for immune enhancement was estimated to be 24.5% FS using a broken line model. In conclusion, the findings revealed that FS could serve as a feeding stimulant at 50% FS replacement. Likewise, FS could serve as an immunostimulant against V. parahaemolyticus in L. vannamei
Influence of High-Carbohydrate Diet on Growth, Muscle Composition, and Lipid Metabolism of Megalobrama amblycephala
Get PDFThe aim of this research was to study the influence of a high-carbohydrate diet on the growth and lipid metabolism of Megalobrama amblycephala. Wheat starch (carbohydrate source) and soybean oil (lipid source) were used to prepare a semipurified diet (control) and a high-carbohydrate diet (experimental). A series of measurements were conducted, which included growth performance, blood biochemical indices, muscle components, fatty acid composition, liver lipid deposition, and tissue structure. Results indicated that high levels of carbohydrate significantly reduce weight gain, specific growth rate, protein efficiency, and muscle protein content and increase lipids in fish. Composition of the muscle fatty acids was also altered and the activity of the hepatopancreatic lipid-metabolism enzymes decreased. A large quantity of lipid droplets, and vacuole degeneration, were observed in fish liver sections of the experimental group, indirectly suggesting a negative effect of a high-carbohydrate diet on the liver of M. amblycephala
Effect of Dietary Methionine on Taurine Distribution and Non-specific Immune Responses in Juvenile Blunt Snout Bream, Megalobrama amblycephala at A Constant Dietary Cystine Level
Get PDFA 9-week feeding trial was conducted to investigate taurine distribution by supplementation of methionine in juvenile Megalobrama amblycephala at a constant dietary cystine level. Six semi-purified diets were formulated to contain graded dietary methionine levels from 0.39-1.54% in about 0.25% increments. At the end of feeding trial, plasma methionine content significantly increased with increasing dietary methionine level from 0.39 to 1.0% (P < 0.05) and thereafter reached a plateau. The taurine content of muscle, intestine, liver, and eye in the fish fed dietary methionine level ranged from 1.24-1.54% and was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). Taurine content of the brain in fish fed 1.54% methionine diet was higher than the fish fed 0.39% (P < 0.05). Cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase content significantly increased with increasing dietary methionine level from 0.39-0.85% (P < 0.05) and thereafter stayed at a similar level. Supplementation with methionine significantly increased (P < 0.05) plasma total protein (TP) content, complement 3 (C3) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (0.85% methionine diet groups), aspartate transaminase (AST) activity (1.24% methionine diet groups) and albumin content (1.0% methionine diet groups). Supplemented groups had significantly decreased plasma urea content (0.85% methionine diet groups) (P < 0.05). In conclusion, these results indicate that crystalline methionine can be utilized efficiently, juvenile blunt snout bream were able to convert methionine to taurine directly, and appropriate dietary methionine supplementation improves non-specific immune responses in blunt snout bream
Comparative Analysis of Non-Specific Immunity of Clarias fuscus, Silurus asotus, and Silurus meridionalis
Get PDFClarias fuscus, Silurus asotus and Silurus meridionalis are economically important species in the aquaculture industry in China. However, comparative analysis of immune indices of C. fuscus, S. asotus, and S. eridionalis has been rarely been conducted. In the present study, head kidney and spleen indices and blood serum immunologically related enzyme activity of C. fuscus, S. asotus, and S. meridionalis were detected. Both head kidney and spleen body ratios were highest in S. meridionalis, followed by S. asotus, and lowest in C. fuscus. This suggests that the degree of lymphocyte proliferation and immune function of S. eridionalis might be strongest compared to S. asotus and C. fuscus. Blood serum lysozyme activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and alkaline phosphatase activity, were highest in S. meridionalis, followed by S. asotus, but lowest in C. fuscus. Compared to S. asotus, acid phosphatase activity and catalase activity was higher in C. fuscus. Both acid phosphatase and catalase activities were highest in S. meridionalis, which was in line with lysozyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD), alkaline phosphatase, head kidney and spleen body ratios. This indicated that compared to S. asotus and C. fuscus, the immune function of S. meridionalis was strongest, and might have the greatest resistance to invaders like parasites, bacteria, and viruses. These results provide a theoretical basis for selection of varieties and optimization of germplasm in fish culture production and may be very valuable in future research
