Phosphorus application reduces N2O emissions from tropical leguminous plantation soil when phosphorus uptake is occurring

We examined the effects of phosphorus (P) fertilization on N₂O emissions from an Acacia mangium plantation in Indonesia. We focused on the roles of microbial and plant root activities using a trenching method to prepare root-excluded and root-including plots. In root-excluded plots, P application did not change the amount of N₂O emissions. By contrast, in root-including plots, P application significantly reduced N₂O emissions (from 71.1?±?20.2 to 19.3?±?5.1 mg N m^?2 106 days^?1). Lower total P, Bray-2 P, and Bio-P (microbial P determined by chloroform fumigation extraction method) contents in the soils of root-including plots as compared to root-excluded plots a few days after P application shows that acacia trees absorbed P fertilizer rapidly. This rapid P uptake probably relieved the P limitation of acacia and might have consistently increased root N uptake. This interpretation is supported by lower inorganic N content in P-applied soils (the average of three sampling times is 8.9 and 11.3 μg N g soil^?1 in P-applied soils and soils without P application, respectively), which in turn decreased N₂O emissions. Our study suggests that P fertilizer suppresses N₂O emissions from tropical leguminous forest plantations.     

Resistance of larches to bark stripping by sika deer in Hokkaido,northern Japan

Resistance of the Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi) (Lk), the Kurile larch (L. gmelinii var. japonica) (Lg), and their F₁ hybrid (Lg × Lk) to bark stripping by sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) were studied in a forest in Hokkaido by cafeteria tests. Several sets of logs prepared from Lk, Lg, and Lg × Lk were fed to the deer. The stripped areas of logs significantly differed between the Lk/Lg set and the Lk/Lg × Lk set (P 0.05). The resistances of Lg and Lg × Lk to bark stripping was stronger than Lk. This result was similar to those of previous studies on gray-sided voles and mountain hares in Hokkaido.     

Methane flux and regulatory variables in soils of three equal-aged Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) forests in central Japan

To compare factors that control methane flux in forest soils, we studied three equal-aged Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) forests in Chubu district, central Japan. The three sites are located at different altitudes: 630 m (SET), 1010 m (INB), and 1350 m (OSK). Methane was absorbed at every site. The highest uptake rate was observed in the middle-altitude soil (INB, 5.89 mg CH₄ m⁻² d⁻¹), which was the only site where methane uptake rate was correlated with air and soil surface temperatures. Methane flux in the field was not correlated with water content, inorganic N content, or water-soluble organic carbon. C/N ratio was correlated with methane flux (r=0.64,p<0.001). The results suggest that some organic inhibitors might be produced through decomposition of organic matter. There was a negative correlation between methane uptake rate and water-soluble Al (r=−0.63,p<0.001). Inhibition of methane consumption by 1 and 5 mM Al solutions was observed in laboratory incubation. This result suggests that water-soluble Al may be a factor controlling methane uptake. Multiple regression with a backward-elimination procedure identified three variables that were significantly associated with methane flux in the field (p<0.05): air temperature, C/N ratio, and the concentration of water-soluble Al.     

Measurement for canine IgE using canine recombinant high affinity IgE receptor α chain (FcεRIα)

To detect allergen-specific IgE in dogs with allergic diseases, we developed a recombinant canine high affinity IgE receptor α chain (FcεRIα)-based IgE detection system. Using the recombinant protein of canine FcεRIα expressed by an Escherichia coli expression system, we could detect house dust mite (Dermatophagoides farinae) allergen-specific IgE in sera from dogs naturally and experimentally sensitized to this allergen with ELISA and western blotting. The IgE binding activity of recombinant canine FcεRIα on ELISA was impaired by heat treatment of these sera. The specificity of this recombinant canine FcεRIα-based IgE detection system was confirmed by inhibition assays with canine IgE. The recombinant canine FcεRIα-based IgE detection system established in this study offers an alternative tool to measure allergen-specific IgE in dogs.     

Evaluation of the systemic activity of simeconazole in comparison with that of other DMI fungicides

The systemic activity of simeconazole (RS-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-3-trimethylsilylpropan-2-ol) in plants was compared with those of eight other sterol demethylation inhibitor (DMI) fungicides. Simeconazole prevented the infection of Blumeria graminis (DC) Speer f sp hordei Marchal on barley leaves within a radius of several centimeters from the edge of local treatment on the leaves when the compound was separated from the leaves by glass coverslips. This reveals that simeconazole has prominent vapour-phase activity. Simeconazole showed excellent curative activity against barley powdery mildew when treated 1-3 days after inoculation. Furthermore, this indicates that simeconazole has notable translaminar activity because, when the compound was applied onto either the adaxial or abaxial leaf surface, it showed excellent efficacy against powdery mildew on the opposite side of the leaf surface of barley and cucumber. Simeconazole also showed excellent efficacy against barley powdery mildew by soil drench 24h after inoculation. This suggests that simeconazole was absorbed very quickly into the barley plant after treatment. The permeability of the compound through cuticular membranes prepared from tomato fruits was about 20% at 22 h after the treatment and was much superior to that of the other DMI fungicides tested.     

Moisture Distribution and Diffusion in Cooked Spaghetti Studied by NMR Imaging and Diffusion Model

Moisture diffusion in spaghetti during boiling and holding after boiling was analyzed with a cylinder diffusion model based on moisture content mapped by magnetic resonance imaging. The images showed water penetrating concentrically in the cross section of a cooked spaghetti strand. The moisture profiles calculated from the images refracted near the central part in undercooked spaghetti due to the presence of ungelatinized starch. The moisture profiles of the samples with different holding times intersected around one‐third of the radius from the surface. The slope of the moisture profile decreased along with the holding time while the moisture content at the intersection remained unchanged. The diffusion coefficients were determined statistically for the fully gelatinized region with a cylinder model. The theoretical moisture profiles calculated using such coefficients fitted very well to experimental data. The diffusion coefficients of dried spaghetti were smaller than those of fresh spaghetti at both boiling and holding periods, suggesting that the moisture transport property had been reduced by the drying process during manufacture of spaghetti. The diffusion coefficients decreased with increases in boiling and holding times. The diffusion model with a constant diffusion coefficient is, therefore, valid in a limited boiling or holding time.     

Effects of dietary microalgal species and hormone treatment on the lorica size and reproductivity of heavy-ion beam irradiated rotifers

In aquatic seeding production, the feeding regime of fish larvae consists of rotifers to Artemia, while there is a lack of intermediate-sized feed in the range of 350–600 µm. To solve this problem, in our previous study, the euryhaline rotifer Brachionus plicatilis (L-type, Notojima strain) were irradiated with carbon heavy-ion-beams, and large-sized rotifer mutant lines (>?350 µm lorica length) were established. This study aimed to enhance the mutated morphometric characteristics and reproductivity through the combined use of three microalgal species (Nannochloropsis oculata, Tetraselmis tetrathele, and Chlorella vulgaris), and two hormones [juvenile hormone (JH) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)]. The combination of T. tetrathele and JH was effective in enhancing the mutated phenotype, and the largest lorica length of 344–425 µm was observed with no significant differences in population growth between the wild-type and mutant strains. The combination of N. oculata and GABA enhanced the population growth of the mutant line, and its growth rate was 2.4 times higher than that of the control group (without GABA). This study indicates that the morphometric characteristics and reproductivity of rotifer mutant lines could be regulated by feed and hormone supplementation. These findings can promote the efficient use of mutant rotifer lines in aquaculture facilities.