Purification and structure determination of glucosides of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin from various Capsicum fruits

Two new glucosides, capsaicin-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1) and dihydrocapsaicin-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), were discovered in the fruit of the Capsicum annuum cultivar 'High Heat'. They were sequentially purified by acetone extraction, n-hexane extraction, and acetonitrile extraction, followed by medium-pressure liquid chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography performed on an octadecylsilane column. Their chemical structures were elucidated by proton nuclear magnetic resonance, carbon nuclear magnetic resonance, and hydrolysis with alpha- and beta-glucosidases. The glucosides were also detected in various pungent cultivars of C. annuum, Capsicum frutescens, and Capsicum chinense by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. However, they were not detected in nonpungent cultivars of C. annuum. Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between the quantity of the capsaicinoids, capsaicin, and dihydrocapsaicin and their glucosides.     

Estimation of the proportion of offspring having soluble solids content in fruit exceeding a given critical value in Japanese persimmon

In fruit breeding, the selection is often based on individual plant performance, therefore, the expected proportion of offspring having genotypic values exceeding a given critical value (EP) was estimated for soluble solids content (SSC) in Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.). A simple model was used in the study: the mean value of offspring in a full-sib family is solely determined by the regression of that on midparental value (MP) and all families have an equal within-family variance due to segregation. The population consisted of 39 full-sib families with three offspring each. Between-family variance was much smaller than within-family variance. Genetic variance for MP was much smaller than that for offspring. The EP therefore was not highly affected by the regression. Based on the parental mean performance of 35 fruits on a single tree for three years, the proportion of offspring having SSC higher than 18% was estimated as 32%, 50% and 69% for three groups of MP differing in SSC, i.e. 16.5%, 17.5%, and 18.5%, respectively. The distributions which were predicted using those results for 246 offspring from 46 families, and 86, 44, 43 and 31 offspring from four selected families, respectively, were largely consistent with those observed.     

Evaluation of maturity of poultry manure compost by phospholipid fatty acids analysis

To study the influence of the physical properties of compost feedstock on some characteristics associated with maturity, two types of compost were made from poultry manure, rice husk, and rice bran. The bulk density of one type (PMC) was always higher than that of another type (NMC) during composting. In the case of PMC, the change in temperature, decrease in NH₄⁺, appearance of NO₃^–, and increase in germination indices (GI) with Japanese Komatsuna (Brassica campestris cv. Osome) were all more delayed than in NMC. As the composting process progressed, the proportion of branched (iso-, anteiso-, 10Me-) and saturated phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) [BRANCHED FAMES (fatty acid methyl esters), biomarkers for gram-positive bacteria] gradually increased, then reached plateau. The high proportion of BRANCHED FAMES was maintained over a long storage period. The straight hydroxyl and saturated PLFAs (SOH-FAMES) initially increased, then disappeared with the progress of composting. The increase in BRANCHED FAMES and the decrease in SOH-FAMES were more delayed in PMC than NMC. The day on which the proportion of BRANCHED FAMES reached plateau and the proportion of SOH-FAMES dipped below 2 mol% coincided with the maturity stage based on the changes of physicochemical characteristics and GI. The composition of BRANCHED FAMES showed highly positive and negative correlation with GI and NH₄⁺, respectively. In the case of SOH-FAMES, inverse correlations were observed. This indicates that the proportion of BRANCHED FAMES and/or SOH-FAMES can be used as a tool for evaluating the maturity of poultry manure compost.     

Food organisms and feeding habits of larval and juvenile Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus at Ohama Beach in Hiuchi-Nada, the central Seto Inland Sea, Japan

ABSTRACT:   The abundance of food organisms and feeding habits of larval and juvenile Japanese flounder were examined during the period from May to August in 1999, 2000 and 2001 at the sandy Ohama beach, the central Seto Inland Sea. The food organisms collected with a sledge net consisted of 40 families from 18 orders, dominated by mysids, crangonids and gammarids. The mean densities of mysids, crangonid shrimp ( Crangon spp.), gammarids and fish were 2.74, 6.74, 2.91 and 0.15 individuals/m², respectively. The main prey of the flounder ( n  = 202; range of total length 9.80–75.95 mm) was mysids and small crangonid shrimp (<14 mm in body length). Prey fish availability was low, as the density of fish was low. The small crangonid shrimp was abundant, and the large crangonid shrimp, which could prey on larval flounder, was not abundant. The crangonid shrimp was important not as a predator for the flounder but as prey. The flounder preferred epifaunal mysids, Nipponomysis ornata and Anisomysis ijimai , to sand-burrowing mysids, Iiella oshimai , and avoided crangonid shrimp.     

梅花鹿慢性氟中毒的骨病理学研究

对来自因１年前饲喂含氟量过高的饲料而导致鹿群慢性氟中毒鹿场的２头梅花鹿作了病理学研究。其主要病理学特征为全身骨骼多发性骨外膜性骨瘤形成，无氟斑牙变化。血钙０．１２５～０．６２４ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ，骨组织氟含量４９９×１０－６～１０６９×１０－６。病理组织学特征为骨外膜增生亢进，骨密质外层骨小梁异常增生，并在骨密质内有变性骨单位形成，而破骨过程微弱。研究结果认为，骨瘤的形成及发展是氟的持续作用所致的进行性病变。超微结构显示，甲状旁腺呈现机能衰退状态，甲状腺滤泡旁细胞则显示机能亢进形态     

Quantitative and qualitative changes of organic matter in an Ando soil induced by mineral fertilizer and cattle manure applications for 20 years

The effects of continuous application of cattle manure on the quantity and quality of soil organic matter (OM) were investigated in an Ando soil (Melanudand). Surface soil samples were periodically taken from NPK and NPK+ manure (80, 160, and 320 Mg ha^-1 y^-1) plots over a period of 20 y. Particulate (>53 µm) and mineral-associated <53 µm) OM fractions were separated from the soil samples by sieving after:mechanical dispersion. For the NPK treatment, both the organic C and total N concentrations of the whole soil continued to decrease, the reduction reaching about 10% after 20 y. Manure application at the rate of 80 Mg ha^-1 y^-1 did not lead to an increase in the amounts of organic C and total N in the whole soil. In contrast, both the organic C and total N concentrations increased by the application of 160 and 320 Mg ha^-1 y^-1 manure. Manure application at the rate of 320 Mg ha^-1 y^-1 increased the organic C concentration by 30% and total N concentration by 48% after 20 y. The decrease in the organic C and total N concentrations in soil with NPK fertilization was attributed to a decrease in the amount of mineralassociated OM. Manure application increased significantly the amount of particulate OM, while it did not affect the amount of mineral-associated OM. It also resulted in a decrease in the C/N ratio of soil OM, especially of the particulate OM. The analysis of humic acids showed that manure application induced a decrease in the degree of humification and an accumulation of high molecular weight components. The quantitative'and qualitative changes of OM in the Ando soil upon manure application were mainly due to the accumulation of manure-derived particulate OM.     

Socioeconomic factors influencing global paper and paperboard demand

To clarify the socioeconomic factors influencing global paper and paperboard demand, a panel data analysis was conducted covering the period 1961–2014. This study used paper and paperboard demand as the dependent variable, and a country’s economic level, Internet usage rate, plastic packaging demand, and time trend as the explanatory variables. An inverse U-shaped quadratic relationship, such as an environmental Kuznets curve, was found between economic level and paper and paperboard demand, which saturates and begins to decline as economic level increases. The economic level representing the turning point differs significantly with the use, ranging from around 37,000 US$/person for newsprint paper to around 66,000 US$/person for printing and writing paper. For both newsprint paper and printing and writing paper, demand declines owing to the spread of the Internet as the economic level rises, although this reductive effect is greater for printing and writing paper than for newsprint paper. A substitution relationship is not found between wrapping paper and corrugated cardboard on the one hand and plastic packaging on the other hand as the economic level becomes higher.     

转型中的亚洲林业(续一)

在过去的20年里,亚洲林业经历了引人注目的转型,包括从计划经济到市场经济的转变,从天然林供给木材到人工林供给木材的转变,木材替代品与非木质林产品的增加,地方分权与当地群众的参与,生态时代的发展与生态系统管理。在促进亚洲可持续森林资源管理中,市场工具、社区参与和环境服务都得到了应用。亚洲林业的转型表现出多样化,其森林、社会与环境之间的联系是丰富多彩的。