The oxidation products formed from: Soil organic matter by hydrogen peroxide treatment

The oxidation products formed from soil organic matter during hydrogen peroxide digestion were studied by means of analyses of carbon and nitrogen, thin layer chromatography, infrared Spectroscopy, and redox titration.

The carbon remaining after hydrogen peroxide digestion, as expressed in percentage by WeIght of the original soil was 0.57 to 4.09, corresponding to 17.81 to 29.00 per cent of the carbon fOUnd in the original soil. The nitrogen remaining after the same treatment was 75 to 100 per cent of total nitrogen in the original soil. The greater part of the remaining water soluble nItrogen was NH₃-N. The thin layer chromatography showed the presence of oxalic acid and V.V. light-ahsorbing substances in the oxidation products. No organic matter other than oxalate Was indicated on the infrared spectra. The amount of water soluble oxalate formed from 100 g of soil determined by means of redox titration was 5.7 to 117.0 mmole. Assuming that the ratio of solution: soil is 5:1 at the final stage of per oxidation, the concentration of oxalate in the SUpernatant solution was in the range from 0.011 to 0.234 M.     

Effect of Addition of Al Hydroxides on Changes in Dispersibility and Charge Characteristics of Soils

Using a soil from a newly reclaimed area where high dispersibility of fine particles had led to poor physical properties in the field, changes in dispersibility and charge characteristics after artificial precipitation of Al hydroxides onto the soil were investigated. Al hydroxides were precipitated by neutralization with NaOH of an acidic A1C1₃ solution in which the soil samples were placed.

When the titration rates were changed, no significant differences in dispersibility were observed in the resultant soils. In the systems with the addition of 2 g kg^-1 or less of A1(OH)₃, dispersion ratios of clays were almost identical with those of blank samples although the specific surface areas were reduced. In the systems with 5 g kg^-1 or more of A1(OH)₃, considerable effects of Al hydroxides on reduction of clay dispersibility were recognized (e.g. 10 g kg^-1 addition yielded less than one-third of the original ratio of the clay dispersion). A slightly larger decrease in dispersion was observed by the addition of 15 g kg^-1 or more. As the amount of added Al increased, the amount of negative charges of the soil decreased while that of positive charges increased. The charge characteristics of the system with the addition of 20 g kg^-1 of A1(OH)₃ were closer to those of the adjacent forest soil which was characterized by a very low dispersibility. It was inferred that added Al hydroxides polymerized to form Al polycation species that were not readily exchangeable, neutralizing negative charges of clays, and acting as interparticle bonding between the clays. On the other hand, forest soils were considered to have acquired a physical stability against the dispersion of fine particles as free Al oxides had been accumulated in the process of natural weathering. It was concluded that charge characteristics primarily determined the dispersion and flocculation behavior of soils and that Al hydroxides were important modifiers of charge characteristics of soils.     

Selective determination and formation of elemental selenium in soils

A selective method for the determination of elemental selenium in soil was developed and was applied to the study of elemental selenium in soil. (1) Elemental selenium extracted with carbon disulfide from soil was selectively transformed into selenocyanate ion by reacting with potassium cyanide in carbon disulfide. The selenocyanate ion formed was recovered into an aqueous solution and the amount of selenium in the aqueous solution was determined. This method was specific to elemental selenium and did not interfere with the other selenium compounds and soil components. The method was also highly sensitive and enable to determine more than 0.1 μg kg^-1 of elemental selenium in soil. (2) The formation of elemental selenium was confirmed, when a soil was submerged and the redox potential of the soil decreased. The amount of elemental selenium formed was proportional to the selenite content of the soil, indicating that elemental selenium is transformed from selenite upon its reduction.     

Karyotype analysis of interspecific fusants of basidiomycetes by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

The purpose of this research was to analyze the karyotype of the interspecific fusants of twoPleurotus species. Auxotrophic mutants derived from the cultivated strain ofP. ostreatus andP. cornucopiae were used. Protoplasts were fused electrically, and the fusants were selected under auxotrophic complementation. Esterase isozyme analysis showed that several fusants had isozyme bands originating from both parental strains, and others had unilateral isozyme bands. The fusant that had expressed isozyme bands of both parental strains showed chromosomal DNA bands of both of the parental strains in pulsedfield gel electrophoresis analysis. Despite the above results, the chromosomal composition of the fusants obtained by the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis did not exhibit all of the bands of both fusion parents.     

Phylogenetic analysis of hindgut microbiota in Hokkaido native horses compared to light horses

The analysis of 16S rDNA sequence of bacteria in feces of Hokkaido native horses and light horses were performed to compare the hindgut microbiota between the two breeds. One hundred and four bacterial 16S rDNA clones (57 clones from four native horses and 47 clones from two light horses) were obtained. Only four sequences (3.8% of total sequences) showed 97% or more similarity to known species. The sequences were mainly affiliated with Cytophaga–Flavobacter–Bacteroides and low GC Gram‐positive bacteria (LGCGP). Proportion of LGCGP was higher in light horses. Other phyla including Verrucomicrobia, Spirochaetes and Archaea were detected only for native horses, suggesting high diversity of microbiota in native horses. In LGCGP, clusters related to known cellulolytic species were found only for native horses, while a cluster related to soluble sugar‐utilizing species was detected only for light horses. The library composition‐comparing software LIBSHUFF showed significant (P < 0.05) difference of fecal microbiota between the horse breeds. The number of Fibrobacter succinogenes‐related sequence and the frequency of detection of novel groups were found to be higher in native horses by selective amplification analysis. The results suggest that genetic diversity and population size of the F. succinogenes group are higher in the hindgut of native horses.     

Quantitative structure—activity relationships of light-dependent herbicidal 4-pyridone-3-carboxanilides I. Effect of benzene ring substituents at the anilide moiety

A number of substituted 4-pyridone-3-carboxanilide derivatives show various degrees of light-dependent herbicidal activity. The effects of substituents at the anilide moiety on the activity against Echinochloa oryzicola were analysed quantitatively with physicochemical substituent parameters. The activity was shown to vary parabolically with total hydrophobicity (Σπ) of the anilide ring substituents as well as with the steric parameter (E_s) of the ortho-substituents. The E_s parameter for only the bulkier ortho-substituent, with the more negative value, but not for the two, was significant. The effect of substituents at the 1-position was expressible by indicator variables assigned to each 1-substituted series, the physicochemical rationalization being left for future analyses.     

Quantitative structure-activity relationships of light-dependent herbicidal 4-pyridone-3-carboxanilides III. 3-D (comparative molecular field) analysis including light-dependent diphenyl ether herbicides

Using a set of representative members selected from 4-pyridone-3-carboxanilides and ortho-chlorinated diphenyl ethers exhibiting light-dependent herbicidal activity, we examined the three-dimensional structure-activity relationships quantitatively. The most stable conformation of each compound, regarded as the ‘active conformation’, was determined by either semi-empirical or ab initio molecular orbital calculations. With a hypothesis defining a common substructural skeleton between the two different compound series. each molecule was superimposed. We first analysed the structure-activity relationship using an index for the substructure shape similarity according to the superimposed conformations. After finding the relevance of the hypothesis, we examined the three-dimensional structure-activity relationship using the comparative molecular field analysis procedure. The results suggested that the two different series of compounds have a common region of the receptor site. The variations in the light-dependent herbicidal potency were governed by hydrophobicty and three-dimensional steric and electronic field parameters of molecules participating in the transport process and the interaction with the receptor site. The result was consistent with that derived from our previous quantitative analysis with the use of free-energy-related substituent parameters and the traditional regression procedure for a large number of pyridone-carboxanilides.     

Anatomical variation of habitat‐related changes in scapular morphology

The mammalian forelimb is adapted to different functions including postural, locomotor, feeding, exploratory, grooming and defence. Comparative studies on morphology of the mammalian scapula have been performed in an attempt to establish the functional differences in the use of the forelimb. In this study, a total of 102 scapulae collected from 66 species of animals, representatives of all major taxa from rodents, sirenians, marsupials, pilosa, cetaceans, carnivores, ungulates, primates and apes, were analysed. Parameters measured included scapular length, width, position, thickness, area, angles and index. Structures included supraspinous and infraspinous fossae, scapular spine, glenoid cavity, acromium and coracoid processes. Images were taken using computed tomographic (CT) scanning technology (CT‐Aquarium, Toshiba and micro CT‐LaTheta, Hotachi, Japan), and measurement values were acquired and processed using Avizo computer software and CanvasTM 11 ACD systems. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 2013. Results obtained showed that there were differences in morphological characteristics of scapula between mammals with arboreal locomotion and living in forest and mountainous areas and those with leaping and terrestrial locomotion living in open habitat or savannah. Differences were seen in the ratio of maximum length and maximum width, the orientation of scapular spine and the horizontal length of acromion and coracoid processes. The cause for the statistical grouping of the animals and the way the scapular shape covaries with habitat and to the type of locomotion and speed are discussed in detail.     

Partial characterization of phylogeny,ecology and function of the fibrolytic bacterium Ruminococcus flavefaciens OS14, newly isolated from the rumen of swamp buffalo

The fibrolytic rumen bacterium Ruminococcus flavefaciensOS14 was isolated from swamp buffalo and its phylogenetic, ecological and digestive properties were partially characterized. Isolates from rumen contents of four swamp buffalo were screened for fibrolytic bacteria; one of the 40 isolates showed a distinctive feature of solubilizing cellulose powder in liquid culture and was identified as R. flavefaciens based on its 16S ribosomal DNA sequence. This isolate, OS14, was employed for detection and digestion studies, for which a quantitative PCR assay was developed and defined cultures were tested with representative forages in Thailand. OS14 was phylogenetically distant from other isolated and uncultured R. flavefaciens and showed limited distribution among Thai ruminants but was absent in Japanese cattle. OS14 digested rice straw and other tropical forage to a greater extent than the type strain C94 of R. flavefaciens. OS14 produced more lactate than C94, and digested para grass to produce propionate more extensively in co‐culture with lactate‐utilizing Selenomonas ruminantium S137 than a co‐culture of C94 with S137. These results indicate that phylogenetically distinct OS14 could digest Thai local forage more efficiently than the type strain, possibly forming a symbiotic cross‐feeding relationship with lactate‐utilizing bacteria. This strain might be useful for future animal and other industrial applications.