Computed tomographic images of discospondylitis in a calf

A 2-month-old male Japanese Black calf was presented with a 30-day history of progressive ataxia. Antemortem examination using computed tomography (CT) revealed narrowing of the disc spaces due to destruction of intervertebral structures between the first and second thoracic vertebrae and between the second and third thoracic vertebrae. Osteolysis was evident as irregular hypoattenuating lesions within the opposing end plates of the first, second and third thoracic vertebrae. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was detected as the causative bacteria, and discospondylitis was diagnosed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first bovine case report describing the application of CT for the diagnosis of discospondylitis.     

Contingent valuation approach in measuring the multifunctionality of agriculture and rural areas in Japan

The purpose of this study was to measure the economic value of the multifunctionality of agriculture and rural areas based on a more realistic assumption than that adopted in previous studies. Willingness to pay (WTP) for implementing a policy that would maintain a level of multifunctionality corresponding to a 20% decrease in the farmland area in Japan was measured by the double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation method (CVM). According to a country-wide survey, the overall median WTP was 4,144 yen per household annually. The multifunctionality of agriculture and rural areas was classified into eight functions. The WTP for each of these functions was calculated taking into account the ratings assigned to the functions by the respondents. The WTP was 649 yen for flood prevention, 505 yen for recharging groundwater, 642 yen for water environment conservation, 445 yen for soil erosion prevention, 579 yen for organic resource utilization, 394 yen for the development of favorable landscapes, 290 yen for recreation and relaxation, and 641 yen for wildlife protection.     

祁门红茶的香气特征

通过对祁红当家品种——槠叶群体种及其适制绿茶的亲缘种——安徽7号(对照)在加工红茶的过程中香气形成的动态分析和比较研究表明,在祁红检出的110多种香气成分中,己醛,1-戊烯-3-醇、反-2-己烯醛、顺-3-己烯醇、芳樟醇氧化物Ⅱ、芳樟醇、香叶醇、橙花叔醇等含量较高。在相同的祁红加工过程中,槠叶群体的香气物质形成总量高于对照,且形成高峰超前,其中香叶醇含量在揉捻阶段剧增;与安徽7号相比,香叶醇含量高出30倍以上,而其他香气成分含量则无明显差异。实验还发现,两品种茶叶在加工过程中,儿茶素的减少与茶叶香气总量及其中的萜烯醇类的增长均具有很好的对应关系,槠叶群体中有关香气配糖体的含量高于安徽7号,文中对此作了讨论。     

Effects of oral glucosamine hydrochloride administration on plasma free amino acid concentrations in dogs

We examined the effects of oral glucosamine hydrochloride (GlcN), N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) and d-glucose (Glc) administration on plasma total free amino acid (PFAA) concentrations in dogs. The PFAA concentrations increased in the control group and the GlcNAc group at one hour after feeding, and each amino acid concentration increased. On the other hand, in the GlcN group and the Glc group PFAA concentrations decreased at one hour after feeding. A significant decrease in amino acid concentration was observed for glutamate, glycine and alanine. Our results suggest the existence of differences in PFAA dynamics after oral administration of GlcN and GlcNAc in dogs.     

Bacterial community in plant residues in a Japanese paddy field estimated by RFLP and DGGE analyses

Plant residues (PRs) are “hot spots” of microbial activities in soil. PRs with the size more than 0.5 mm were collected from a Japanese paddy field during rice cultivation period (from May to September) and fractionated into four categories by size (>4, 2-4, 1-2, and 0.5-1 mm) using sieves. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) patterns were compared among the fractions after DNA extraction from the PRs and PCR amplification. The total amount of PRs with the size over 0.5 mm decreased in the field with the first-order kinetics (r²=0.810, p<0.01) with time from rice transplanting to harvest. RFLP analysis showed that the bacterial community structure in PRs with the 0.5-2 mm fraction was different from that in PRs with the >2 mm fraction and the latter community structure changed after the midseason drainage. In contrast, the DGGE patterns of the bacterial community in the PRs indicated the succession from June to September during rice cultivation forming three major groups irrespective of the fraction size. Sequence analysis of DGGE bands showed that Firmicutes (clostridia), α-, γ-, δ-Proteobacteria (myxobacteria), Nitrospira, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia and Spirochaetes were predominant members in the PRs irrespective of fraction size.     

Soil Solution Chemistry in Forests with Granite Bedrock in Japan

Soil solutions were taken from three forest areas with granite bedrock in Japan (Abukuma, Tateyama and Hiroshima) to investigate pH values, forms of Al and the molar BC/Al ratios. In each area, 10 sites were chosen for study. At each site, a target tree was selected, and two soil solution samples were taken from 10 cm depth at points 10 cm and 100 cm from the trunk of the tree to evaluate the effects of stemflow and throughfall on soil solution chemistry. Values of pH of samples taken 10 cm from the trunks (referred to as S samples) and 100 cm from the trunks (referred to as T samples) ranged from 3.66 to 6.52 and from 4.55 to 6.48, respectively. For Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) trees, S samples showed lower pH than T samples, whereas the inverse relation was observed for broadleaf trees. In the Abukuma and Tateyama areas, the concentrations of monomeric Al (Al_m) were mostly below 30 µmol L^?1. In the Hiroshima area, however, extremely high Al_m concentrations (up to 293 µmol L^?1) were observed at some sites. The molar ratio of BC (= Ca + Mg + K) to inorganic monomeric Al was higher than 1 for all samples, except for an S sample from the Hiroshima area having a ratio of 0.72.     

Comparison of phospholipid fatty acid composition in percolating water,floodwater, and the plow layer soil during the rice cultivation period in a Japanese paddy field

Azolla has been used as a green manure for rice in Vietnam and southern China (3). Recently it was adopted by farmers in the Koronadal area in South Cotabato Province, the Philippines (2). In that area Azolla pinnata grows reasonably well without phosphate fertilizer, which is generally used for stimulating Azolla growth (3, 5).     

Comparison of microbial communities in percolating water from plow layer and subsoil layer estimated by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis

Abstract

The amount and composition of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) in the percolating water taken from different depths of soil (10 cm, PW10; 40 cm, PW40) and floodwater (FW) in a paddy field were compared during the period of rice cultivation. The amounts of PLFAs in PW10, PW40, and FW ranged from 22.6 to 46.2 μg L^?1, from 22.3 to 54.5 μg L^?1, and from 82.9 to 179.0 μg L^?1, respectively. The PLFA profiles in PW10, PW40, and FW were similar to each other and 16 : 1ω7c, 18 : 1ω7, and 16 : 0 PLFAs were dominant components, irrespective of the sampling site and sampling time. High proportions of straight mono-unsaturated PLFAs ranging from 42.0 to 76.5% suggested that Gram-negative bacteria were the major members in the microbial communities of the water samples studied. A potential indicator of the environmental stresses imposed upon the microbiota that was represented by the trans vs. cis ratio of 16 : 17 PLFA was constantly low (< 0.05), indicating that the microbial communities at these sites were hardly stressed.     

Microbial communities responsible for the decomposition of rice straw compost in a Japanese rice paddy field determined by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis

To identify the microbial communities responsible for the decomposition of rice straw compost in soil during the rice cultivation period, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) composition of rice straw compost was determined by periodically sampling the compost from a Japanese rice field under flooded conditions. About 21% of the compost was decomposed within a period of 3 months. The total amount of PLFAs, as an indicator of microbial biomass, was significantly lower under drained conditions than under flooded conditions and was relatively constant during the flooding period. This indicates that the microbial biomass in the compost samples did not increase during the gradual decomposition of rice straw compost under flooded conditions. The proportion of branched-chain PLFAs (biomarker of Grampositive and anaerobic Gram-negative bacteria) slightly decreased during the early period after placement, and increased gradually afterwards. Among the branched-chain PLFAs, i15:0, ail5:0, i16:0 and i17:0 PLFAs predominated and their proportions increased gradually except for i16:0. The proportion of straight mono-unsaturated PLFAs (biomarker of Gramnegative bacteria) was almost constant throughout the period, and 18:1ω9 and 18:1ω7 PLFAs predominated. The proportion of straight poly-unsaturated PLFAs as a biomarker of eukaryotes including fungi was also constant throughout the period, except for a decrease under drained conditions. Straight poly-unsaturated PLFAs consisted mainly of 18:2ω6c PLFA. Therefore, these results suggest that the proportions of Gram-positive and anaerobic Gram-negative bacteria increased during the decomposition of rice straw compost in flooded paddy field. Statistical analyses enabled to divide PLFA patterns of microbiota in the rice straw compost into two groups, one group consisting of rice straw compost samples collected before mid-season drainage and the other of samples collected after mid-season drainage. Small squared distances among samples in cluster analysis indicated that the community structure of microbiota was similar to each other as a whole. These results suggest that the microbial communities changed gradually during the period of placement, and that mid-season drainage may have affected the community structure of microbiota. Principal component analysis of the PLFA composition suggested that the succession of microbiota along with the decomposition in flooded soil was similar between rice straw compost and rice straw and that the changes in the community structure during the decomposition in flooded soil were more conspicuous for rice straw than for rice straw compost.     

Effects of environmental factors on growth and mortality of Parashorea macrophylla (Dipterocarpaceae) planted on slopes and valleys in a degraded tropical secondary forest in Sarawak,Malaysia

Enrichment planting with climax trees such as dipterocarps is required to rehabilitate degraded tropical forests in Southeast Asia, because these forests have been damaged by various anthropogenic activities. Severely degraded tropical secondary forests are the most important targets for enrichment planting in the region, because secondary forest trees potentially provide moderate conditions for planted seedlings by preventing strong sunlight and high temperatures. In an enrichment planting site located in Sarawak, Malaysia, we explored how variation in secondary forest structure (biomass and stand density) and soil (nutrient and water) conditions influenced the mortality and growth rates of planted dipterocarp seedlings (Parashorea macrophylla, Wyatt-Sm. ex P.S. Ashton) over the period from 2000–2007. Experimental plots were set up on different topographical features (slopes and valleys). Using the data collected, we demonstrated the ways in which environmental factors, such as soil nitrogen content, relate to climax tree seedling growth and mortality in degraded tropical secondary forests dominated by the genera Macaranga, Ficus, and Glochidion. Stand density and total aboveground biomass of secondary forest trees were significantly lower in the valley plots than on the slopes, whereas soil total nitrogen and water contents were significantly higher in valley plots. Over seven years, the total biomass of trees increased, whereas the density of secondary forest trees decreased in all plots. Nutrient stocks (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) in the soil (0–5?cm) also decreased over seven years in all plots. Height, diameter, and mortality of planted seedlings were higher in the valley plots than on slopes. Multiple stepwise regression demonstrated significant positive effects of total soil nitrogen and water content on the relative growth rate of seedlings over seven years. There were no significant relationships between seedling mortality and any of the environmental factors measured, including soil conditions. We conclude that (1) seedling growth was enhanced by soil total nitrogen rather than by available phosphorus or potassium, and (2) planted seedlings grew faster and died more often in the valley plots than on the slopes.