Responses of Riverine Macroinvertebrates to Zinc in Natural Streams: Implications for the Japanese Water Quality Standard

We conducted a field survey in Japanese streams and rivers to generate useful information about whether the Japanese water quality standard for zinc (Zn) in the freshwater environment (30 μg/L) is over- or underprotective of the populations and communities of lotic benthic macroinvertebrates. Many macroinvertebrate populations were reduced and community characteristics were altered at two polluted sites with Zn concentrations above 1,000 μg/L as compared with control sites with Zn concentrations below 30 μg/L. In contrast, at least one site among three polluted sites with Zn concentrations of 80–126 μg/L experienced noncritical effects (i.e., no significant difference was observed between the sample mean at a polluted site and that at the control sites, and the sample mean was within the minimum–maximum range of those at the control sites) for most of the ten community metrics for diversity and abundance. In addition, the abundances of 95% of the dominant taxa were not always significantly lower at more than one polluted site (Zn concentrations, ≥80 μg/L). Our results suggest that Zn concentrations below approximately 100 μg/L are likely to protect most aspects of richness and abundance of the riverine macroinvertebrate communities in the study areas. This study shows a case that the Japanese Zn standard is likely overprotective of the macroinvertebrate populations and communities.     

几种新型有机肥对菜用毛豆产量、品质及化肥氮利用率的影响

   通过田间试验研究4种有机废弃物中的KEON(KC1可提取态氮)和PEON(磷酸缓冲液可提取态氮)2种形态的有机氮对菜用毛豆生长及化肥氮利用率的影响.结果表明:施用鸡粪和豆粕混合肥与单施化肥相比,地上部分干物质重分别提高20.4%和33.2%,籽粒中的蛋白质含量分别提高17.8%和16.2%.达到显著差异水平;与单施化肥相比,毛豆产量分别提高38.0%和32.5%.有机肥中的KEON和PEON与化学氮肥利用率呈正相关,其相关系数分别达到0.88和0.87(P<0.05).与单施化肥相比,施用鸡粪和豆粕混合肥的当季化学氮肥利用率可分剐提高94.9%和67.4%.     

Peridinin from the Marine Symbiotic Dinoflagellate,Symbiodinium sp., Regulates Eosinophilia in Mice

Peridinin and fucoxanthin, which are natural carotenoids isolated from a symbiotic dinoflagellate, Symbiodinium sp., and a brown alga, Petalonia fascia, respectively, were compared for inhibitory effects on delayed-type hypersensitivity in mice. The number of eosinophils at the site of inflammation and in peripheral blood was compared for the administration of peridinin and fucoxanthin applied by painting and intraperitoneally. Peridinin, but not the structurally-related fucoxanthin, significantly suppressed the number of eosinophils in both the ear lobe and peripheral blood. Furthermore, peridinin applied topically, but not administered intraperitoneally, suppressed the level of eotaxin in the ears of sensitized mice. Fucoxanthin weakly suppressed the concentration of eotaxin in ears only by intraperitoneal administration. Although both carotenoids inhibited the migration of eosinophils toward eotaxin, the inhibitory effect of peridinin was higher than that of fucoxanthin. Peridinin may be a potential agent for suppressing allergic inflammatory responses, such as atopic dermatitis, in which eosinophils play a major role in the increase of inflammation.     

Effect of echo-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation on localized experimental tumors

We fabricated a prototype 3.25-MHz split-focus therapeutic transducer combined with a small 6.5-MHz imaging ultrasonic probe for transrectal treatment of prostate cancer and evaluated the feasibility of using split-focus high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to ablate localized tumor tissue without injuring the surrounding organs. We therefore established a localized tumor model by inoculating VX2 tumor into rabbit livers. The localized VX2 tumors of nine rabbits were transdermally treated with split-focus ablation at a peak intensity in water of 6 kW/cm2 for 4 s (6 shots) under the guidance of ultrasonic B-mode imaging. Necropsy a day after treatment found the surface of the livers and gastrointestinal tracts to be grossly normal. The VX2 tumors were completely coagulated and were surrounded by ablated liver tissue. The six shots of split-focus HIFU destroyed the VX2 tumors without injuring the liver surfaces or the surrounding organs. These results suggest that split-focus HIFU ablation could be an effective treatment of localized tumors.     

Structure of bovine fungiform taste buds and their immunoreactivity for gustducin

The taste buds of bovine fungiform papillae were studied by light and electron microscopy using both histological and immunohistochemical methods. The taste buds existed in the epithelium of the apical region of the papillae. By electron microscopy, two types of taste cells, namely type I and type II cells, could be classified according to the presence of dense-cored vesicles, the cytoplasmic density and the cell shape. Type I cells were thin, had an electron-dense cytoplasm containing dense-cored vesicles, and possessed long thick apical processes in the taste pore. Type II cells were thick, had an electron-lucent cytoplasm containing many electron-lucent vesicles, rather than dense-cored vesicles, and possessed microvilli in the taste pore. Immunohistochemical staining with an antiserum against gustducin was investigated by both light and electron microscopy using the avidin-biotin complex (ABC) method. Some, but not all, of the type II cells exhibited gustducin immunoreactivity, whereas none of the type I cells showed any immunoreactivity.     

Biological control of apple crown gall by nonpathogenic Rhizobium vitis strain VAR03-1

A nonpathogenic strain of Rhizobium vitis, VAR03-1, was tested as a biological control agent for crown gall of apple. When apple tree roots were soaked in a cell suspension of antagonists before planting in the field, treatment with VAR03-1 significantly reduced the number of plants with tumors and the disease severity. The inhibitory effects of treatment with VAR03-1 and the nonpathogenic R. rhizogenes strain K84, which is commercially used as a biological control agent throughout the world, on apple crown gall were almost identical. VAR03-1 was bacteriocinogenic, producing a halo of inhibition against two species of tumorigenic Rhizobium isolated from galled apple trees. Moreover, VAR03-1 established populations on roots of apple tree rootstock and persisted on roots for 437?days. This is the first report that the nonpathogenic R. vitis VAR03-1 effectively controls crown gall of apple.     

Comparison of the nitrogen balance in paddy fields under conventional rice straw application versus cow dung compost application in mixed crop–livestock systems

ABSTRACT

In Japan, rice straw (RS) is commonly incorporated into the soil after harvest to maintain the fertility of paddy soil. However, in mixed crop–livestock systems, RS is collected to feed livestock and then cow dung compost (CDC) is applied to the fields. We found in previous research that CDC supplied more N to the fields than RS, but the soil total N and available N of fields to which CDC was applied were similar to those receiving conventional RS application. To identify the reason for this result, we investigated the N inputs (organic matter, fertilizer, N fixation), N outputs (plant N uptake, N leaching loss), and the N balance of RS application (RS treatment) and RS removal plus CDC application (CDC treatment) in 10 neighboring paddy field pairs in Mamurogawa town, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. The N fertilizer contributed the highest percentage to total N input, followed by organic matter and N fixation. The amounts of N fertilizer and N fixation in the RS treatment were similar to those in the CDC treatment. CDC contributed significantly more N to the fields than RS, but the total N input was similar between treatments. The N output from plant N uptake and leaching loss were higher in the CDC treatment than the RS treatment, but the difference was not significant. Plant N uptake was the main N output, accounting for 98% of total N output. The N balance was positive and similar between treatments. Therefore, the non-significant differences in total N input, total N output, and N balance between treatments explain the similarity in soil total N and available N.