Seasonal variation in pigmentation and anthocyanidin phenetics in commercial Eustoma flowers

The seasonal change in petal color and pigmentation of 29 commercial Eustoma cultivars was studied. The flowers are basically divided into four groups according to the major anthocyanidin phenotype in association with petal coloration, i.e., delphinidin (Dp)-based (purple flower), cyanidin (Cy)-based (reddish purple flower), pelargonidin (Pg)-based (pink flower), and none (white flower) groups. The constitution of petal anthocyanidins was not changed by forcing treatment in most of the flowers. Lightness (L^*) and chroma (C^*, color saturation) showed a change along with the increase/decrease of hue angle difference (ΔH^*), thus simultaneously the chromatic tonalities tended to move to redder and bluer, respectively. Floral pigment clustering described two flower groups in a dendrogram, based on anthocyanidin constitutions as phenetic markers, which are apparently the Dp- and Pg-based phenotypes of anthocyanidin syntheses. The Cy-based flowers made a subcluster with the Pg-based flowers, indicating a close relationship in the biosynthesis of the two anthocyanidins, and suggesting the Dp- and Pg-syntheses complement one another.     

Clinical evaluation of growth hormone secretion in cattle using insulin tolerance test

Growth hormone secretion was evaluated in cattle. Clinically healthy bovine growth hormone (bGH) concentrations were 10.7 +/- 1.6 ng/ml in Holstein and 7.8 +/- 3.9 ng/ml in Japanese black cattle. The bGH concentration alternated at three-hour intervals, and tended to be higher at midnight and lower in the morning and before feeding. Insulin tolerance test (ITT) at an insulin dosage of 0.25 U/kg showed a significant increase of bGH concentration to 331 +/- 153% at 60 to 90 min after injection. In ITT applied to five under-growth calves of Japanese black cattle, the basal bGH concentrations were lower and peak values after insulin injection were shown to be significantly low. The ITT is useful for the clinical examination of bGH secretion in cattle.     

Management approach using simple indices of deer density and status of understory vegetation for conserving deciduous hardwood forests on a regional scale

We investigated the validity and efficiency of a survey using sight per unit effort (SPUE) of sika deer and shrub-layer decline rank (SDR), which is an index of decline in the physical structure of a whole stand caused by sika deer, based on data collected on a broad scale. This survey was to be used to manage a deer population in order to conserve a forest ecosystem. First, we evaluated the spatial and temporal scales of deer density that are most appropriate for predicting decline in the status of understory vegetation. The model with SPUE calculated in a buffer with a radius of 4.5 km using data for the past 4 years was found to be the best. We showed that our knowledge of the relationship between deer density and status of shrub-layer vegetation is improved by identifying the most suitable spatial and temporal scales of SPUE for predicting SDR. Next, we quantified the effects of SPUE and environmental components on SDR in stands. We found that SPUE had the greatest effect on SDR among all explanatory variables. Moreover, the area under the curve (AUC) was large in a model that only used SPUE (AUC = 0.718). This result suggests that the variation in SDR among stands was explained well by SPUE regardless of differences in the forest environment. Furthermore, we identified the effective values of SPUE for preventing shrub-layer vegetation from declining through deer density control. We conclude that a management system based on SPUE and SDR is a simple and valid method for managing deer populations in order to conserve forest ecosystems.     

Difference in cutting age for highest profit by methods for calculating CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> emission trading and the price of CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>

 The amounts of CO₂ that are absorbed and emitted by forest in a model stand area were determined using two calculation methods, namely the flow approach and the stock approach for emission trading, to understand the relationships between the cutting age for the highest profit rate (CAHPR; optimum tree ages to be cut so as to maximize the profit) and (1) the prices of CO₂ and (2) the balance between CO₂ emission and absorption. The resultant CAHPR differed between these two CO₂ accounting methods, which give different tree ages for maximum log volume yield. A rise in CO₂ price caused the CAHPR to approach the tree age of maximum log volume in the flow approach method, and to deviate from the tree age of maximum log volume in the stock approach method. Even at the same CO₂ price, the CAHPR differed between the CO₂ accounting methods. At low CO₂ prices, the CAHPR did not affect situations where the difference of average profit is large by cutting age. On the other hand, the CAHPR was greatly affected at low CO₂ prices when the mean log volume growth changed with tree age. These trends were found to be universal. Received: September 18, 2001 / Accepted: October 25, 2002 Acknowledgments This study is one of the fifth science study subsidy projects of the Japan Forest Technology Association. Correspondence to:K. Sakata     

Polymer distribution in the cell wall of a wood-polyethylenimine composite

Summary A light microscopic (LM) visual technique to determine the polyethylenimine (PEI) distribution in a wood-PEI composite was studied by the adsorption of acid red or the circulation of Cu(II) ion with PEI in the composite. The amount of the adsorbed dye or Cu(II) on the composite increased linearly with an increase in the PEI content of the wood-PEI. The dyed composites were observed with LM under monochromatic light, corresponding to their absorption maxima at 560 nm for acid red and at 640 nm for copper chelate. The microscopic image was photographically recorded and the negative was subjected to densitometric analysis. At a polymer content lower than 4% in the composite, about 70% of total polymer was located in the middle lamella region, leaving only 30% in the secondary wall. With increasing PEI content of the composite, the concentration in the secondary wall increased, and about 80% of the polymer was located in the secondary wall at a PEI content of 27%. There were no noticeable differences between the amount of polymer detected by dyeing with acid red and by chelating with Cu(II). From the results of the line analysis of the intensity of the characteristic X-ray of uranium, the distribution of the PEI in the cell wall agreed closely with that determined by the LM method. It was concluded that the LM visual technique to determine the PEI location in the wood-PEI composite by dyeing with acid red or by chelating with Cu(II) is a simple and reliable method.     

Host selection of small cedar longicorn beetle, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Callidiellum rufipenne</Emphasis> (Coleoptera:Cerambycidae), on Japanese cedar, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cryptomeria japonica</Emphasis>, in terms of bark water content of host trees

We caught the adults of a secondary wood-boring insect, Callidiellum rufipenne (Motschulsky), on Japanese cedar, Cryptomeria japonica D. Don., trees and logs with manipulated bark water contents to clarify the mechanism of host selection by C. rufipenne. More C. rufipenne were trapped when the bark water content range was ca. 120–200%. Fewer C. rufipenne were trapped at higher and lower bark water contents. These findings indicate that C. rufipenne adults do not simply select weakened or dying trees. Bark water content is one of important factors for C. rufipenne choosing their host for oviposition.     

Estimating the production and mortality of fine roots in a Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) plantation using a minirhizotron technique

Fine roots are a key component of forested ecosystems, but available information is still limited. This study examined the production and mortality of fine roots less than 1 mm in diameter in a Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) plantation located on the Kanto Plain in central Japan. We used a minirhizotron technique in combination with soil coring, and collected data for 1 year (May 2002–May 2003). Fine root production and mortality were determined from changes in the lengths of individual fine roots on minirhizotron tubes. Both fine root production and mortality rates were greater in the upper soil than in lower soil levels. Both rates were seasonal, with higher values in summer than in winter; this trend was more pronounced in upper soil levels. These results suggest that environmental conditions, such as temperature or soil properties, affect the production and mortality rates of fine roots. Fine root production and mortality occurred simultaneously, and their rates were similar, which may have led to unclear seasonal changes in fine root standing crop estimates. Soil coring indicated that the fine root biomass of this stand was about 120 g m⁻², of which 40% was from Japanese cedar. The estimated rates of dry matter production and mortality of total fine roots, including understory plants, were both approximately 300 g m⁻² year⁻¹.     

Effects of animal liver and bile extracts on biochemical values of rat ethanol‐induced fatty liver

The purposes of this study were to assess the improvement of fatty liver induced by ethanol with animal liver and bile extracts. This research aimed to increase the economic values of animal liver and bile extracts and used these to reduce damage of ethanol‐induced fatty liver. Extracts came from animal liver and bile, including pig bile powder, pig liver extract, a mixture of pig bile powder and pig liver extract, chicken bile powder, chicken liver extract, and a mixture of chicken bile powder and chicken liver extract, and these were fed to Long‐Evans rats. The results showed that rats fed ethanol for long terms could increase values of aspartate transaminase, cholesterol, γ‐glutamy‐transferase and alkaline phosphatase. Pig bile powder could decrease the values of aspartate transaminase, cholesterol and γ‐glutamy‐transferase. The significances also decreased on aspartate transaminase, γ‐glutamy‐transferase and aspartate transaminase, which were carried out with the pig liver extract treatment. These results suggest pig bile and liver extracts have high potential to improve rats' ethanol‐induced fatty liver with serum biochemical parameters.     

Changes in estrogen receptor expression in the chick thymus during late embryonic development

In chickens, although estrogen receptors (ER) are reported to be associated with the immunological processes, detailed information about the differences in ER expression in the tissues related to the development of lymphocytes is not fully known, especially during the developmental stage. To learn more about this immunological relationship, we used semi‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction method to detect the ER expression levels in the thymus tissues of chicks during the developmental stage. Furthermore, ER‐expressing cells were detected by immunohistochemistry. The results of this study show that the expression level of ER increased on embryonic day 16 and decreased on day 20. Furthermore, ER expression was significantly higher in male than in female chickens at day 16. The increased expression on day 16 and decreased level on day 20 were also reproduced in the incidence of immunoreactive cells, although there was a 1‐day delay in the elevated incidence of the cells. This study revealed the changes in ER expression and the incidence of ER‐positive cells in the thymus of chickens during the developmental stage.