No abstract

– In the eastern part of Java and on the island of Bali betel chewing is a very common habit confined principally to females. The purpose of the present study was to examine the influence of betel chewing on the prevalence of dental caries. The study, which is based upon 982 villagers, indicates a strong inverse relationship between the prevalence of dental caries and the intensity of betel chewing. The possible mechanisms whereby betel chewing may have a caries‐inhibiting effect are discussed.

Viable cells of Aeromonas salmonicida remained in experimental marine systems after plate counts indicated an absence of culturable cells. These so-called viable but nonculturable (VBNC) cells were coccoid and smaller than their normal culturable counterparts. There was no reduction in lipopolysaccharide of the VBNC cells. There was an alteration in protein composition, however, with a decline in some (15, 70, 30, 22, and 17 kDa), but an increase in another protein (49 kDa). A significant loss of DNA occurred. The VBNC cells responded to fluorescent antibodies prepared against A. salmonicida by developing enlarged and bizarre shapes in the presence of yeast extract and nalidixic acid (the direct viable count technique), and they demonstrated respiratory activity. It was concluded that A. salmonicida survived in seawater, but major morphological changes occurred with cells retaining some viability but losing pathogenicity to Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

The fate of the fish pathogen Aeromonas salmonicida in the marine environment was examined by eulture, epifluoreseenee mieroscopy, the indireet fiuoreseent antibody teehnique (lFAT), direct viable eounts (= Kogure technique) and the assessment of respirator)' aetivity by the reduetion of tetrazoiium eompounds to eoloured formazans. In laboratorybased systems containing sediment, water, algae and invertebrates, cells of A. salmonicida were observed microseopieally after plate counts on tryptone soya agar declined to zero. Survival was maximal at a salinity of 25%o, and in wood and sediment, notably mud, rather than the water eolumn.

Background: High stocking density and intensive feeding in aquaculture systems lead to the accumulation of organic waste, which results in an increase in ammonia, nitrite, and nitrite concentrations in culture media. Biofloc is a potential technology to overcome this problem. The starter is a crucial carbon source for bacteria in the formation of biofloc. The objective of the present study aimed to explore the best starter of biofloc in a red tilapia Oreochromis niloticus culture system. Methods: A completely randomized design with four levels of treatment was used in this study. The tested starter was (A) control treatment, biofloc without starter, (B) biofloc with molasses starter, (C) biofloc with tapioca starter, and (D) biofloc with sucrose starter. The floc was cultured in 100-L tanks with a salinity of 17 ppt. The tanks were stocked with O. niloticus with a size of 3.71±0.11 cm at a stocking density of 30 fish per tank. The fish were fed on a commercial diet two times a day at satiation for 40 days. The ammonia, nitrite, and nitrite concentrations were measured for an interval of 8 days. Results: The study showed that the NH3-N range was 0.02–0.07 mg L−1 (mean, 0.03 ± 0.02 mg L−1), NO2-N range was 0.20–0.43 mg L−1 (mean, 0.25 ± 0.12 mg L−1), and NO3-N range was 0.90–3.20 mg L−1 (mean, 1.42 ± 1.19 mg L−1). Conclusion: Among the starters tested, molasses was found to be the best for biofloc in tilapia culture.