Vol. 13 Issue 2
A.S. Al-Akel and M.J.K. Shamsi
The energy values in the fillet and gut content of some predominantly carnivorous fishes were determined in order to derive a parameter for expressing the biomass in terms of energy units. The energy values of the nutrients in the fillet/food, determined by Organic Carbon and Karzinkin Tarkovaskaya Methods for five species, were in order; Scomberomorus commerson (13534.91/ 6405.50 and 15409.96/6874.72 J g/m); Epinephelus tauvina (12636.44/ 6462.66 and 13864.16/ 6702.22 J g/m); Alepes djeddaba (10931.29/6466.71 and 12529.99/ 6726.13 J g/m); Valamugil seheti (10758.89/6068.03 and 1197.04/6604 J g/m) and Lethrinus harak (7602.53/5034.98 and 10278.65/6202.57 J g/m) respectively. The implications of the results obtained by the method used, have been indicated and the ratio between the energetic values of food and fillet have been given. Consistency of the results obtained in each fish clearly indicate the reliability of the method used.
Al-Fassi, F. A.
The biological activities in ten soil samples, from eight rhizosphere of halophytic plants and two of bare soils. At Protectorate Farasan Island, Saudi Arabia, were investigated. Respiration rates (CO2 evolution), moisture content, organic matter, soluble salts and pH were estimated.
The results showed that respiration rates fluctuated greatly in soil samples of different plant species grown under identical conditions. The greater respiration rates were correlated with the greater organic matter content and the lower salinity levels. Both, the total and active microbial biomass, were calculated, the first was concomitant to the respiration rate activities, while the other was adversely proportional to the rate of respiration.
E. M. Abdel-Magied
The cranial cervical ganglion (CCG) of the one humped camel was studied by light and electron microscopy. Light microscopy has shown that the CCG of the camel is completely invested with a thick connective tissue/ perineurial cell capsule, and that the ganglion is lobulated. The nerve cell bodies was never seen in groups and they all belonged to the class of multipolar neurons. Electron microscopy has revealed that the perineurial cells of the capsule contain heterophagic vacuoles and this suggests that they are phagocytic. The nerve cell bodies showed the general ultrastructural features of sympathetic neuronal perikarya. Intranuclear inclusion bodies were frequently encountered and this suggests that neurons of the CCG of the camel are highly active. A small number of neuronal perikarya characterized by many large granules were seen in the CCG of the camel. They were considered to be somata of peptidergic neurons. The small granule- containing cells reported in the CCG of some other mammals were not seen in this study.
Said M. Al-Ghais
Age, growth and reproduction of Pomadasys stridens Forskal, 1775 (Pomadasyidae), native to United Arab Emirates reefs, were investigated. The length frequency distribution ranged from 15.0 to 16.0 cm throughout the year. The growth marks on otolith were used to estimate the age. The maximum standard length (SL) of this species was 21.0 cm (338.6g female).The pre-spawning and spawning months (November to March) exhibited the highest and post-spawning (April to July) the lowest values for coefficient of condition K. The average value of K over the standard length range of 12 to 20 cm decreased in proportion to the increase in fish length. The minimum length of fully mature fish was 11.0 cm, with females maturing earlier. Development of gonads occurred in November and December. From April through OCtober all the fish were found to be in the spent stage. The female to male sex ration was 2.5:1.
Al-Himaidi, A.R., Al-Furaiji, M.M. and Subh A.M.
This study was conducted to explore the possibility of making use of ova collected from slaughtered cows from local abattoirs. The recovered ova was cultured in vitro in artificial media for in vitro maturation (IVM) and invitro fertilization (IVF).
The ova collected was 115 from 31 ovaries, over a period of about 3 months. After maturation (IVM), 20 ova were fertilized. Of these, 45% reached the two cell stage, 20% reached the four cell stage, 15% reached the 8 cell stage and 20% reached the morula stage. These low rates of the developed embryos are comparable to many studies conducted elsewhere (30%).
The study indicated that such methods could be advantageous in getting hold of cows embryos with very little cost especially for the studies that do not require a large number of embryos.
Suad Al-Hooti, Jiwan S. Sidhu, and Hussain Qabazard
Date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera L.) samples of five cultivars viz. Shahla, Gash Gaafar, Gash Habash, Lulu and Bushibal, were evaluated for their physical and chemical composition. All the cultivars were green at the kimri stage, but after reaching the Khalal stage, they each attained a distinctive color of their own. The Shahla and Bushibal varieties were red, the Gash Gaafar and Lulu varieties yellow, and Gash Habash variety yellow-scarlet. The Lulu fruit was nearly round while fruit from the other four cultivars was cylindrical in shape. The fruit weights ranged from 4.6 to 7.6 and from 6.5 to 10.6 g at the kimri and khalal stages, respectively. These cultivars can, therefore, be classified as small-fruit varieties. The pulp:seed ratios centered around 90:10 in most of the cultivars. They were slightly lower (84:16) in the Gash Habash and Bushibal varieties. At the kimri-stage, the fruits had a moisture content between 84 and 85.5%, which decreased to between 48.7 and 59.9% at khalal. The moisture content decreased further at rutab (between 38 and 49%) and tamr (between 13.7 and 27.7%).
As the fruits matured from kimri to tamr, their chemical composition changed considerably. Moisture, protein, ash, fat, tannin and crude fiber contents decreased progressively from kimri to tamr, but total sugars, glucose and fructose increased. At the tamr stage, glucose and fructose were the main sugars present; but sucrose was not detected in these cultivars. The date cultivars were found to be reasonably good sources of some important minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper and zinc, but extremely low in sodium content.