Microbial Sulfate Reduction and Biogeochemistry of Arsenic and Chromium Oxyanions in Anaerobic Bioreactors

A pilot-scale anaerobic bioreactor with high levels of microbial sulfate reduction, known to be capable of removing cationic metals from a metal- and acid-contaminated waste stream, was utilized to determine if the system would be effective in removing metals in the form of oxyanions such as arsenate and chromate. The system removed 90 % to >99 % of the arsenic and between 86 % and 94 % of the chromium from a waste stream containing 5 mg/L of each. Cadmium, copper, iron, lead, and zinc also were removed. An equilibrium geochemistry computer modeling code, MINTEQAK, modified from MINTEQA2, was used for the chemical modeling of processes in the bioreactor. Experimental evidence on the chemical and biological reduction of arsenic and chromium and fluorescent diffraction analysis of precipitates support the following hypotheses: the primary removal process for chromium was the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) by sulfides, followed by precipitation of chromium hydroxide [Cr(OH)_3(s)]; removal of arsenic was by direct microbial enzymatic reduction of As(V) to As(III) followed by precipitation of arsenic sulfides (As₂S₃ or AsS). Experimental evidence and modeling with MINTEQAK confirmed that 90 % to 95 % of the removal of arsenic and chromium occurred in the first quarter volume of the bioreactor. Additional removal of arsenic and chromium occurred in the remaining volume of the bioreactor. The use of a sulfate reduction-based anaerobic treatment system was effective for metal-laden wastewater with elevated concentrations of arsenic and chromium.     

Regulatory role of inhibin in follicle-stimulating hormone secretion and folliculogenesis in the guinea pig.

The effects of unilateral and bilateral ovariectomy and passive immunization against inhibin on follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) secretions and follicular development in the guinea pig were investigated. Bilateral ovariectomy decreased plasma immunoreactive (ir-) inhibin rapidly and increased plasma FSH significantly. Unilateral ovariectomy decreased plasma ir-inhibin and increased plasma FSH temporarily, and doubled the number of ova released from the remaining ovary at the subsequent ovulation in guinea pigs. Injection of 1.0 ml inhibin antiserum significantly increased concentrations of plasma FSH at 6 hr onwards and the number of small follicles (100-200 microm in diameter) at 48 hr after the injection in guinea pigs bearing progesterone-containing implants. In vitro bioassay showed that inhibin antiserum could neutralize the suppression of ovarian homogenate on FSH secretion from cultured rat anterior pituitary cells. These results confirm the evidence that the ovary is the main source of inhibin secretion and both in vitro bioassay and passive immunization against inhibin show that the inhibin is a major regulator in the follicular development through FSH secretion in guinea pigs.     

Isolation and identification of F-spondin in the boar testis and its production during testis growth

F-spondin/vascular smooth muscle cell growth-promoting factor (VSGP), purified from the follicular fluid of adult bovine ovaries, has been identified as a promoter of neuronal differentiation and vascular smooth muscle growth. The objectives of the present study were (1) to clarify whether F-spondin is also produced in the testis, which is ontogenically equivalent to the ovary, and (2) to examine whether production of this protein changes with testicular growth. To isolate F-spondin from the testis, testicular homogenates obtained from 8-week-old boars were sequentially subjected to heparin-Sepharose chromatography, diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-Sepharose chromatography, and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The isolated protein had a molecular mass of approximately 110 kDa and was cross-reactive with anti-F-spondin antibody by Western blotting. The purified protein was further characterized by amino acid sequence analysis of its internal peptide. The sequence obtained was GEQCNIVPDN VD, and a homology search indicated that the purified protein is a homologue of rat, human, and bovine F-spondin. By fractionation of the same amounts of testis tissue obtained from 1-, 8-, 16-, and 40-week-old boars, we analyzed age-related production of F-spondin in the testis. Western blotting of the fractions obtained from RP-HPLC revealed the presence of a band at approximately 110 kDa, corresponding to F-spondin, in the testes obtained from boars between 1 and 16 weeks old, but this band was not detected at 40 weeks. These results clearly indicate that (1) the porcine testis produces F-spondin and that (2) production of this protein is evident in the immature porcine testis, but not the adult testis.     

Changes of multi-drug resistance pattern in Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar typhimurium isolates from food-producing animals in Japan

A total of 153 isolates of Salmonella Typhimurium derived from food-producing animals in Japan between 2002 and 2005 were investigated for antimicrobial resistance and phage types related to definitive phage type 104 (DT104). The predominant resistance type was resistance to ampicillin, dihydrostreptomycin, kanamycin, and oxytetracycline in bovine (45.2%, 48/104) and resistance to dihydrostreptomycin and oxytetracycline in porcine isolates (58.7%, 27/48). DT104-related phage type was found in 32 of 104 bovine isolates, two of 48 porcine isolates, and one of eight isolates from poultry, showing that the proportion of the phage type in S. Typhimurium isolates from cattle and pigs significantly (P<0.01) decreased from 71.9% and 31.4% in 1999-2001 to 30.8% and 4.1% in 2002-2005, respectively.     

Comparison of plasma metabolite concentrations and enzyme activities in beef cattle raised by different feeding systems in Korea, Japan and New Zealand

Concentrations of metabolites and immunoreactive insulin (IRI) and activities of enzymes related to energy metabolism were measured in plasma of Korean and Japanese beef cattle, which were raised by the indoor feeding system programmed to feed larger amount of roughage in their growing periods and larger amount of concentrate diet in their finishing periods (Japanese feeding system), and grazing New Zealand beef cattle. By the Japanese beef grading system, Korean and Japanese beef cattle showed high beef quality score, average grade 3.3 and 3.6, respectively. The plasma free fatty acid and lactate concentrations and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities in Korean beef cattle were significantly higher than those in Japanese beef cattle. The plasma lactate concentration in Korean beef cattle was 8.40 mmol/l, which was similar to the values observed in lactic acidosis. The higher activities of plasma LDH, MDH and AST may indicate slight liver damage by slightly acidotic conditions in Korean beef cattle. New Zealand beef cattle fed on pasture which they harvest by grazing showed significantly lower plasma glucose, cholesterol, lactate and IRI concentrations and enzyme activities than those in Korean and Japanese beef cattle fed on larger amount of concentrate diets. Plasma metabolite concentrations and energy metabolism-related enzyme activities may be good indicators for evaluating metabolic conditions of beef cattle raised by different feeding systems.     

Studies on the methods of preparation of rinderpest hyperimmune sera in rabbits

The procedures for the preparation of the rinderpest hyperimmune sera in rabbits were studied by comparing the sera from rabbits immunised by three different schedules of inoculations. The best sera for use in immunodiffusion tests were obtained from rabbits inoculated first with rinderpest hyperimmune serum and lapinised virus, and then with lapinised virus mixed with oil adjuvant twice at weekly intervals. Those rabbits which received additional one or two intravenous inoculations with lapinised virus yielded satisfactory sera for use in the diagnosis of rinderpest by immunodiffusion technique.     

The Complete Nucleotide Sequence of Potato virus X Strain OS: The First Complete Sequence of a Japanese Isolate

The complete nucleotide sequence of the genomic RNA of a Japanese isolate of Potato virus X (PVX), strain OS (PVX-OS), was determined. The PVX-OS genome is 6435 nucleotides in length, excluding the 3′ poly(A) sequence, and encodes for five open reading frames (ORFs), similar to other reported PVX strains. Comparisons of the nucleotide sequence of PVX-OS with those of European and South American PVX strains revealed that the PVX-OS genomic sequence showed 95-96% homology with European strains and 77-78% with South American strains. Phylogenetic analysis of PVX-OS and other PVX strains found that PVX-OS clusters with European strains. This is the first report on the complete nucleotide sequence of a PVX strain from Japan. Received 10 May 2001/ Accepted in revised form 26 October 2001     

Discrimination of excellent-grade ‘nori’, the dried laver Porphyra spp., with analytical methods for volatile compounds

Analytical methods were investigated for the discrimination of ‘nori’, the dried laver Porphyra spp. sheet products, which were organoleptically judged as excellent-grade for commercial distribution. Volatile compounds of nori were analyzed with an electronic nose and a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC/MS) with headspace solid-phase micro-extraction. Each chopped dry nori sample was sealed in a vial and the headspace gas at 40 °C was analyzed. Excellent-grade nori product of ‘Akime’, first autumn shoots, of one season could be discriminated from other products by using principal component analyses (PCA) for the electronic nose response. PCA using a peak area of 32 compounds detected in the GC/MS analysis clearly discriminated all excellent-grade samples from all other samples. Excellent-grade products were considered to be characterized by higher total contents of 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, octanal and trimethylamine, and by lower total volatile contents, especially 1-pentanol, 2-pentenal, (E)-2-hexenal, acetoin, 2-methyl-2-butenal, 3-methyl butanal and others. These findings revealed the possibility of analytical discrimination of excellent-grade nori products as a substitution for organoleptic testing.