1,721,011 research outputs found
First Record of Mimobdella japonica (Hirudinida: Arhynchobdellida: Salifidae) from Hachijojima Island, Izu Islands, Japan, with a Comment on the Genetic Diversity of the Species
No full textNakano, Takafumi, Meyer-Rochow, Victor Benno (2016): First Record of Mimobdella japonica (Hirudinida: Arhynchobdellida: Salifidae) from Hachijojima Island, Izu Islands, Japan, with a Comment on the Genetic Diversity of the Species. Species Diversity 21 (1): 49-54, DOI: 10.12782/sd.21.1.049, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.12782/sd.21.1.04
Edible Insects as Innovative Foods: Nutritional, Functional and Acceptability Assessments II
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It was first suggested nearly 50 years ago by Meyer-Rochow in Australia that the use of insects as food and feed sources could ease the problem of global food shortages, and that the WHO and the FAO should support the promotion of insects as a food item, especially in countries with a long tradition of entomophagy. However, food shortages in some parts of the world are only one aspect to consider; overeating and obesity in other parts of the world are another aspect. An increased use of edible insects might well be able to assist in overcoming, at least to some extent, both of these problems. This Special Issue of Foods represents Volume 2 of the topic “Edible Insects as Innovative Foods: Nutritional, Functional and Acceptability Assessments”. Some of the 20 contributions by scientists from 13 different countries deal with hitherto unreported food insects, and others explore the effects that a diet containing insects or insect products can have on the gut microbiota of the consumer, whether human or non-human. Food safety questions are not ignored, and questions related to the chemical composition of food insects, their content in terms of nutrients and antinutrients, and their acceptability by consumers are additional topics that the articles in this book explore. Altogether, this reprint provides convincing reasons for the advantages to health and the environment that a greater use of insects as food and feed would present, and ends with the slogans “Forget about the pork and put a cricket on your fork!” and “Mealworms and spaghetti is food that makes you happy!”.Summary
It was first suggested nearly 50 years ago by Meyer-Rochow in Australia that the use of insects as food and feed sources could ease the problem of global food shortages, and that the WHO and the FAO should support the promotion of insects as a food item, especially in countries with a long tradition of entomophagy. However, food shortages in some parts of the world are only one aspect to consider; overeating and obesity in other parts of the world are another aspect. An increased use of edible insects might well be able to assist in overcoming, at least to some extent, both of these problems. This Special Issue of Foods represents Volume 2 of the topic “Edible Insects as Innovative Foods: Nutritional, Functional and Acceptability Assessments”. Some of the 20 contributions by scientists from 13 different countries deal with hitherto unreported food insects, and others explore the effects that a diet containing insects or insect products can have on the gut microbiota of the consumer, whether human or non-human. Food safety questions are not ignored, and questions related to the chemical composition of food insects, their content in terms of nutrients and antinutrients, and their acceptability by consumers are additional topics that the articles in this book explore. Altogether, this reprint provides convincing reasons for the advantages to health and the environment that a greater use of insects as food and feed would present, and ends with the slogans “Forget about the pork and put a cricket on your fork!” and “Mealworms and spaghetti is food that makes you happy!”
On the Occurrence of the Invasive Freshwater Limpet Ferrissia californica (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in Japan
No full textTwo members of the genus Ferrissia Walker, 1903, namely Ferrissia nipponica (Kuroda, 1949) and F. japonica Habe and Burch, 1965, have been reported to occur in Japan, but due to a lack of molecular data, doubts have been expressed as to their validity. Furthermore, the possible presence of allochthonous Ferrissia taxa has been stated under a variety of names, so that even now there is no consensus on their presence and identity. Recently, freshwater limpets belonging to the planorbid genus Ferrissia were collected in an irrigation trough on the Izu island of Hachijōjima, Tokyo, Japan. Molecular identification of the collected specimens, based on a fragment of the large ribosomal subunit 16S (mtDNA), unequivocally proved that they belong to the allochthonous, invasive species Ferrissia californica (Rowell, 1863), the protagonist of a relentless cryptic invasion worldwide to which can Japan can now be added. The shells of the collected specimens show some scars, which bear testimony to the fragile nature of the shell and, possibly, to the paucity of calcium in the inland waters of Hachijōjima
Edible Insects as Innovative Foods
No full textThere is global interest in using insects as food and feed. However, before insects can be recommended as a type of nourishment to augment more traditional and widely accepted sources of food and feed, it is essential that in-depth research involving a variety of subjects is carried out. We can learn from societies in which insects are still a component of the local diet which species are preferred and how they are prepared for human consumption. We need information on the chemical composition of edible insects and have to make sure we know what kinds of micro-organisms and pathogens they contain. Legal questions in relation to the sale and breeding of certain species need to be addressed, and medicinal aspects of edible insects and their products should be examined. How best to market selected species and make them palatable to a clientele that more than often rejects the idea of insects in the diet are further important aspects in need of study. This book deals with these questions in 19 articles written by experts from at least 20 different countries that represent a range of disciplines. As such, it is a useful tome for a wide range of food researchers
Mealworms as Food Ingredient—Sensory Investigation of a Model System
Full text linkThe use of insects as food is a sustainable alternative to meat and as a protein source is fully comparable to meat, fish and soybeans. The next step is to make insects available for use in the more widespread production of food and meals. Sensory attributes are of great importance in being able to increase the understanding of insects as an ingredient in cooking and production. In this pilot study, mealworms were used as the main ingredient in a model system, where the aim was to evaluate the impact on sensory properties of changing particle size, oil/water ratio and salt content of the insects using a factorial design. Twelve different samples were produced according to the factorial design. Further, the effect of adding an antioxidant agent was evaluated. Sensory analysis and instrumental analyses were performed on the samples. Particle size significantly influenced the sensory attributes appearance, odor, taste and texture, but not flavor, whereas salt content affected taste and flavor. The viscosity was affected by the particle size and instrumentally measured color was affected by particle size and oil content. The addition of the antioxidant agent decreased the changes in color, rancidity and separation
An Underutilized Food “Miwu”: Diet History, Nutritional Evaluations, and Countermeasures for Industrial Development
Full text linkAbout 10 major crops basically feed the world. In fact, there are still a large number of plants that have not been fully explored and utilized because they have been ignored by the market and research. The expansion of food sources in various countries plays an important role in maintaining food security and nutrition security in the world. Miwu is the aerial part of the medicinal plant Rhizoma Chuanxiong belonging to a traditional local characteristic food raw material. Its edible value is still little known. Through textual research, component determination, literature survey, field research, and SWOT analysis, this paper has a comprehensive understanding of Miwu’s diet history, chemical components, safety risks, and industrial development status. It is found that Miwu has been eaten for 800 years, is rich in nutrients and active ingredients, and has no acute toxicity. In addition, the current industrial development of Miwu has significant advantages and many challenges. To sum up, Miwu is a potentially underutilized food raw material. This paper also provides countermeasures for the industrialized development of Miwu, which will provide a milestone reference for the future utilization and development of Miwu
Mimobdella japonica Blanchard 1897
No full textMimobdella japonica Blanchard, 1897 (Figs 1–3) Mimobdella japonica Blanchard, 1897: 94, 95, pl. 6, figs 16, 17; Nakano 2011: 3–7, figs 1–4; Nakano 2013: 100–103, figs 2–4. Material examined. Three specimens collected from Nakanogo, Hachijo, Hachijojima island, Tokyo, Japan (33.071886°N, 139.811194°E, elevation 130 m), by Victor Benno Meyer-Rochow: KUZ Z1653, dissected, collected from inside a rotten wooden log, on 19 April 2015; KUZ Z1657, in soil under a rotten wooden log, on 10 July 2015; and KUZ Z1658, dissected, in soil under a rotten wooden log, on 11 July 2015. Description. BL 68.2–91.1 mm, BW 6.2–8.8 mm (Fig. 1). Caudal sucker ventral, elliptic, CL 3.8–4.2 mm, CW 4.3– 5.0 mm (Figs 1B, 2D). Annulation of somites I–VII unclear, comprising 16–17 annuli altogether; according to annuli formation, annulation of somites I–VII tentatively interpreted as follows: somite I merged with prostomium; somite II uniannulate; somite III uni- or biannulate; somite IV bi- or triannulate; somite V triannulate; somite VI 4-annulate; somite VII basically 4-annulate; possibly somite V a3 to somite VI a2 forming posterior margin of oral sucker (Fig. 2A, B). Somite VIII 5-, or 6-annulate. Somite IX 6-, or 7-annulate. Somites X and XI 7-annulate (Fig. 2E). Somites XII and XIII 7-, or 9-annulate, a2 with slight furrow (Fig. 2E). Somites XIV–XXIII 9-annulate; a2 of each somite in somites XVII–XXIII with slight secondary furrow. Somite XXIV 6-annulate (Fig. 2C, D). Annulation of somites XXV–XXVII, comprising 5–8 annuli altogether, hardly discernable; 158th or 159th annulus last complete annulus on venter; according to annuli formation, annulation of somites XXV–XXVII tentatively interpreted as follows: somite XXV tri-, or 4-annulate; somite XXVI biannulate; somite XXVII uni- or triannulate. Anus between 159th [XXVI (a1 + a2)] and 160th (XXVI a3) annuli with 2 or 3 post-anal annuli (Fig. 2C, D). X b5 (c9) and XIII a2, respectively, first and last annuli of clitellum (Fig. 2E). Male gonopore in XI/XII. Female gonopore in XII/XIII (Fig. 2E). Gonopores separated by one full somite. Eyes undetectable. Papillae numerous, minute, hardly visible, one row on every annulus, and 2 or 3 rows on annuli with secondary furrow(s). Nephridiopores, in 17 pairs, in somites VIII–XXIV (Fig. 2B, D, E). Pharynx reaching to XIV/XV (KUZ Z1653) or XV c1 (KUZ Z1658), with 3 myognaths separated by triangular paragnaths, each myognath bearing two conical stylets arranged in tandem. Crop reaching to XXI a2/c9; terminal end of crop forming sphincter between crop and intestine, in XXI c1 (KUZ Z1653) or c1/c2 (KUZ Z1658) to XXI a2/ c9; pair of post-crop caeca, right post-crop caecum in XXI c1–d22 (KUZ Z1653) or XX d22–XI d22 (KUZ Z1658), lefl post-crop caecum in XXI c1–d22 (KUZ Z1653) or XX c12– XXI d21 (KUZ Z1658) (Fig. 2F). Intestine reaching to XXIV c2/b2 (KUZ Z1653) or a2/b5 (c9) (KUZ Z1658). Rectum tubular, thin-walled, reaching straight to anus. Testisacs multiple (Fig. 2G), ca. 220–260 on each side (KUZ Z1653) or uncountable (KUZ Z1658); on right side, in XVI c2 to 155th (KUZ Z1653) or 156th (KUZ Z1658) annulus (XXV b1), in total ca. 220 testisacs, ca. 20 in XVI, 30 in XVII, 27 in XVIII, 27 in XIX, 26 in XX, 26 in XXI, 23 in XXII, 27 in XXIII, 15 in XXIV, 5 in XXV; on lefl side, in XVI b2 to 156th (KUZ Z1653) (XXV b2) or 155th (KUZ Z1658) annulus (XXIV b6), in total ca. 260 testisacs, ca. 16 in XVI, 30 in XVII, 32 in XVIII, 26 in XIX, 31 in XX, 35 in XXI, 33 in XXII, 19 in XXIII, 32 in XXIV, 5 in XXV. Sperm duct paired; right sperm duct in XI c12 to XVI c2 (KUZ Z1653) or b2/a2 (KUZ Z1658); lefl sperm duct in XI c12 to XVI b2 (KUZ Z1653) or a2/c9 (KUZ Z1658). Paired atrial cornua in XI c11 (d21) to XII c1–c2. Male atrium in XI c11 (d21) to XII c1–c2. One pair of ovisacs; right ovisac descending directly to XXII c9 (KUZ Z1653) or descending to XIX c10/d21, turning anteriorly to reach XIX c1, then either turning posteriorly to XIX c2 (KUZ Z1658) (Fig. 2G); lefl ovisac descending directly to XXII a2 (KUZ Z1653) or descending to XXI b2/a2, turning anteriorly to reach XX c10, then either turning posteriorly to XX d21 (KUZ Z1658) (Fig. 2G); both ovisacs converging in XIII c1; then each ovisac descending directly to female gonopore. Colouration. In life, dorsal surface ochre; ventral surface pinkish gray (Fig. 3). Colour faded in preserved specimens; clitellum obvious, slightly deeper than surrounding body parts (Fig. 1). Distribution. This species has been recorded previously from Amamioshima and Okinawajima islands in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan (Nakano 2013). Herein, we report its first record from Hachijojima island, Izu Islands, Japan (Fig. 4). Natural history. Mimobdella japonica has been reported to be semi-aquatic (Nakano 2013), but all three individuals from Hachijojima were collected from terrestrial habitats. All had an obvious clitellum. Based on their dates of collection, we deduce that the reproductive season of this species on Hachijojima begins in April and continues until at least early July. It seems to have established a breeding population on this island despite the island’s being ~ 500– 700 km further north and having a colder climate than its other known localities in the Ryukyu Islands. Genetic distances. Three specimens from Hachijojima, two from Amamioshima, and four from Okinawajima had completely identical sequences of COI (1,267 bp), tRNACys– 16S (1,004 bp), and tRNALeu (34 bp). The pairwise ND1 uncorrected p -distance among these nine specimens was 0.0– 0.2% (Table 2). The 570th bp position (counted from the first position, thus in the third position of the codon) of the ND1 sequences of the two specimens from Okinawajima (KUZ Z721 and Z722) was T (it was C in the other seven sequences; Fig. 4). Remarks. The specimens collected from Hachijojima were clearly identified as Mimobdella japonica based on the diagnostic characteristics defined by Nakano (2013): midbody somites 9-annulate; anus with 2 or 3 post-anal annuli; male gonopore in XI/XII, female gonopore in XII/XIII, gonopores separated by one full somite; post-crop caeca in pairs in XX and XXI; sperm duct reaching to level anterior of middle part of XVI; and ovisacs long, reaching to XIX– XXII. In addition, their COI, tRNACys– 16S, and tRNALeu– ND1 sequences were identical to those of specimens collected from the Ryukyu Islands. These genetic data confirm the implications of the morphological data that these specimens are indeed M. japonica. Considering that all of the examined specimens including individuals from Hachijojima have essentially identical sequences of mitochondrial genes, it is conceivable that M. japonica has arrived in its known localities via recent dispersal events, or that it has been introduced via human activities. Hirano et al. (2014) considered the low genetic diversity of the bradybaenid land snail Bradybaena phaeogramma (Ancey, 1888), which is distributed in the Izu Islands as well as the Ryukyu Islands, and concluded that its distribution is the result of long-distance dispersal via an oceanic current. Despite this, some other terrestrial invertebrates are considered to have been introduced into Hachijojima via human activities. Karasawa et al. (2015) and Umezawa (1973) reported the whip scorpion Typopeltis stimpsonii (Wood, 1862), originally from Amamioshima and adjacent islands, in Hachijojima. Umezawa (1973) suggested that this whip scorpion was introduced to the island attaching with cycads in 1968. Fujiyama et al. (2012) and Meyer-Rochow (2015) reported mass outbreaks on Hachijojima of the polydesmid diplopod Chamberlinius hualienensis Wang, 1956, originally known from Hualien County, Taiwan (Wang 1956). Fujiyama et al. (2012) stated that this Taiwanese diplopod was first found on Hachijojima in 2002. The distributional history of this species remains unveiled because the number of examined specimens of M. japonica is still severely limited, and the distribution of this leech species is not fully revealed. Although two of the four specimens from Okinawajima island had ND1 sequence that were identical to specimens from the other two islands, the other two specimens from Okinawajima had unique ND1 sequences (Fig. 4). However, it is possible that this unique ND1 sequence will be detected from leeches in other localities in the future, which could further elucidate the distributional history of this species. Further faunal, distributional, and genetic studies are thus essential to determine the distributional history of M. japonica.Published as part of Nakano, Takafumi & Meyer-Rochow, Victor Benno, 2016, First Record of Mimobdella japonica (Hirudinida: Arhynchobdellida: Salifidae) from Hachijojima Island, Izu Islands, Japan, with a Comment on the Genetic Diversity of the Species, pp. 49-54 in Species Diversity 21 (1) on pages 50-53, DOI: 10.12782/sd.21.1.049, http://zenodo.org/record/458501
Can Molecularly Engineered Plant Galls Help to Ease the Problem of World Food Shortage (and Our Dependence on Pollinating Insects)?
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The world faces numerous problems and two of them are global food shortages and the dwindling number of pollinating insects. Plant products that do not arise from pollination are plant galls, which as in the case of oak apples, can resemble fruits and be the size of a cherry. It is suggested that once research has understood how chemical signals from gall-inducing insects program a plant to produce a gall, it should be possible to mimic and to improve nature and “bioengineer” designer galls of different sizes, colorations and specific contents to serve as food or a source of medicinally useful compounds. To achieve this objective, the genes involved in the formation of the galls need to be identified by RNA-sequencing and confirmed by gene expression analyses and gene slicing. Ultimately the relevant genes need to be transferred to naïve plants, possibly with the aid of plasmids or viruses as practiced in crop productivity increases. There is then even the prospect of engineered plant galls to be produced by plant tissue culture via genetic manipulation without the involvement of insects altogether.Abstract
The world faces numerous problems and two of them are global food shortages and the dwindling number of pollinating insects. Plant products that do not arise from pollination are plant galls, which as in the case of oak apples, can resemble fruits and be the size of a cherry. It is suggested that once research has understood how chemical signals from gall-inducing insects program a plant to produce a gall, it should be possible to mimic and to improve nature and “bioengineer” designer galls of different sizes, colorations and specific contents to serve as food or a source of medicinally useful compounds. To achieve this objective, the genes involved in the formation of the galls need to be identified by RNA-sequencing and confirmed by gene expression analyses and gene slicing. Ultimately the relevant genes need to be transferred to naïve plants, possibly with the aid of plasmids or viruses as practiced in crop productivity increases. There is then even the prospect of engineered plant galls to be produced by plant tissue culture via genetic manipulation without the involvement of insects altogether
Chin up: A novel functional explanation for the evolution of the chin
No full textAbstract
The human chin, also frequently referred to as the mental prominence, is a part of the human anatomy whose evolutionary origin and function have divided scientific opinion to this day. There were suggestions it could have been used in defence, assisted in the mastication process, aided in the formation of words (i.e. speaking), or that it played a role in mate choice. None of these explanations were satisfactory. This paper, backed up by observations on people from different parts of the world and cultures, using their chin to hold or clamp down objects resting on a person's arms in front of the body or to free the person's hands for other tasks, offers an explanation that has support from results on the evolution of bipedalism from apes to bipedal australopithecines, including Homo sapiens, and the importance of the hands in hominids as well as the heritability of the trait.Abstract
The human chin, also frequently referred to as the mental prominence, is a part of the human anatomy whose evolutionary origin and function have divided scientific opinion to this day. There were suggestions it could have been used in defence, assisted in the mastication process, aided in the formation of words (i.e. speaking), or that it played a role in mate choice. None of these explanations were satisfactory. This paper, backed up by observations on people from different parts of the world and cultures, using their chin to hold or clamp down objects resting on a person's arms in front of the body or to free the person's hands for other tasks, offers an explanation that has support from results on the evolution of bipedalism from apes to bipedal australopithecines, including Homo sapiens, and the importance of the hands in hominids as well as the heritability of the trait
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