Current Situation of Fertilizer in Japan

Nitrogenous Fertilizer

The production of nitrogenous fertilizer in 1953 Fertilizer Year (August 1953–July 1954) showed an increase of 293.000 metric tons or 11.4% over the preceding year through furtherance of rationalization of the industry as well as better conditions of electricity. This increase was attributable to that of ammonia form fertilizer, which was 331,000 tons over preceding year, while calcium cyanamide showed a slight decrease as per Table 1.     

Radiocesium transfer into the fruit of deciduous fruit trees contaminated during dormancy

Following the accident at the Tokyo Electric Power Company, Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), radiocesium (¹³⁴Cs + ¹³⁷Cs) concentrations in deciduous mature fruits were determined in orchards in the northern area of Fukushima Prefecture. At the time of the nuclear accident, most deciduous fruit trees were in the dormant stage prior to bud burst. To evaluate the relationship between radiocesium deposition in the soil and fruit contamination, radiocesium concentrations were measured from the 5-cm topsoil and from six fruit species across 17 orchards in 2011. The vertical distribution of radiocesium in the topsoil (0–30 cm in depth) and its spatial distribution in the 5-cm topsoil underlying the tree canopy of a peach, Prunus persica (L.) Batsh, orchard (“Akatsuki” cultivar) were also investigated. Significant correlations between the radiocesium concentration in the mature fruit and that in the 5-cm topsoil layer were observed for the 17 orchards as well as for the trees of the peach orchard. However, 93% of the ¹³⁷Cs found in the 30-cm soil core was retained within the top 3 cm of the soil in the peach orchard. Considering the profile of the root of this deciduous fruit tree, we assumed a negligible level of radiocesium uptake via the roots. However, the possibility of inward migration via the bark was undeniable, because some radiocesium adhered to the tree canopy before bud burst while depositing on the soil surface. Additionally, transfer factors for peach and grape, hybrid of Vitis labrusca L. and Vitis vinifera L., from young, uncontaminated trees cultivated with contaminated soil were lower than those previously reported.     

Distribution of carbohydrates and related enzyme activities in yacon (polymnia sonchifolia)

Abstract

Yacon (Polymnia sonchifolia) plants originating from Andean highlands are known to accumulate a large amount of oligofructans in their tubers and tuberous roots (Ohyama et al. 1990; Asami et al. 1992). Asami et al. (1992) have reported that tubers and tuberous roots which were harvested in late fall contained about 57 and 66% respectively (on a dry matter basis) of oligofructans. However, the tubers, tuberous roots and shoots of the yacon contained only a small amount of starch and inulin. The tuberous roots of yacon which resemble those of sweet potato in appearance are usually eaten raw and are expected to become commercially valuable as a source of oligofructans.     

Isolation of the non-fastidious microalga with astaxanthin-accumulating property and its potential for application to aquaculture

Astaxanthin has recently attracted considerable attention for its biological properties such as the antioxidant activity as well as a coloring agent used for farmed fish. However, its biological production, mainly by a green microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis, is costly because of its fastidious growth characters. Therefore, for future applications of biological astaxanthin production in aquaculture, non-fastidious microalgal strains were isolated from environmental samples, examined for their astaxanthin-accumulating activity, and characterized phylogenetically. While β-carotene was found in all tested isolates, one isolate, GK12, from activated sludge of a sewage treatment plant accumulated 2.5 ± 0.36 mg/g dry cell of free astaxanthin de novo under photoautotrophic culture condition, which was comparable to photoautotrophic cultures of other known astaxanthin-accumulating microorganisms. Mixotrophic culture conditions increased GK12 biomass, but astaxanthin content was decreased, suggesting that the simple photoautotrophic cultivation is more efficient way for GK12 to produce astaxanthin than mixotrophic cultivation. A phylogenetic study of SSU rDNA strongly suggested that GK12 is a novel species in the genus Monoraphidium, Chlorophyta. Besides making efforts to increase astaxanthin-productivity of known astaxanthin accumulators, it is also beneficial to study GK12 from the view point of applications to aquaculture.     

Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Characterization of Spontaneously Occurring Uterine Deciduomas in Young Adult Rats

Uterine deciduomas were found in two female virgin rats, a 15-week-old Lewis rat and a 7-week-old Sprague-Dawley rat. The firm white nodules were located at the base of unilateral uterine horns and were approximately 6 mm and 4 mm in diameter. Histopathologically, the nodules were composed of three areas, each with a distinct type of proliferating cells: large epithelioid decidual cells with round nuclei, prominent nucleoli and abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm (antimesometrial region); compact spindle-shaped cells with oval nuclei and vacuolar cytoplasm (transitional region); and pleomorphic and spiny cells with round to oval nuclei and compact eosinophilic cytoplasm (mesometrial region). These cells proliferated in sheet-like arrangements and transformed into the other types of cells located in surrounding regions. Immunohistochemically, proliferating cells in all regions were strongly positive for proliferating cell nuclear antigen. The proliferating cells were positive for vimentin, and large decidual cells were positive for common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen 10, a marker of uterine interstitial cells. Large decidual cells were positive for α-smooth muscle actin and desmin, suggesting differentiation into muscular cells. Progesterone receptor was expressed in all cell types; however, estrogen receptor α was not expressed in the antimesometrial region. These extremely rare tumor-like nodules represent nonneoplastic lesions referred as decidual reactions of endometrial interstitial cells, and their biological behavior is that of a space-occupying benign tumor in young rats. Our cases might provide information as a historical control in toxicity and pharmacological studies in rats.     

Impacts of climate change on rice market and production capacity in the Lower Mekong Basin

The supply of water is affected by climate changes. In addition, high economic growth in the lower Mekong River countries including two large rice exporters is expected to reduce the per capita consumption of rice as incomes grow. Consequently, the need exist to investigate changes in supply and demand using econometric models of rice markets in the countries, where water supplies are expected to change. The objective of this research is to clarify impacts of water supply changes on rice producers and consumers using supply and demand models of rice considering changes in the water supply to aid in producing agricultural policies and plans. The following two simulations were conducted in this assessment: (a) baseline and (b) CC_B2. The simulation of the baseline includes the assumption that the evapotranspiration (ET) of each province after 2000 is the average quantity of ET from 1995 to 1999. The simulation of the CC_B2 includes the assumptions that ET of each province after 2010 accords with the IPCC socioeconomic scenario B2. The simulation results suggest that climate change will depress wet season rice production in Cambodia and Mekong River Delta (MRD) region in Vietnam, and that of dry season rice in the MRD region in Vietnam and northeastern region (Isan) Thailand. The simulation results also indicate that climate change will increase farm prices of rice in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. The results suggest that climate changes will weigh on the livelihood of rice consumers, especially those of poor rural populations.

     

Large-area three-dimensional molecular ordering of a polymer brush by one-step processing

Rational molecular design and processing, enabling large-area molecular ordering, are important for creating high-performance organic materials and devices. We show that, upon one-step hot-pressing with uniaxially stretched Teflon sheets, a polymer brush carrying azobenzene-containing mesogenic side chains self-assembles into a freestanding film, where the polymer backbone aligns homeotropically to the film plane and the side chains align horizontally. Such an ordered structure forms through translation of a one-dimensional molecular order of the Teflon sheet and propagates from the interface macroscopically on both sides of the film. The resultant wide-area bimorph configuration allows the polymer film to bend rapidly and reversibly when the azobenzene units are photoisomerized. The combination of polymer brushes with hot-pressing and Teflon sheets provides many possibilities in designing functional soft materials.     

Investigation of Staphylococcus aureus positive for Staphylococcal enterotoxin S and T genes

Staphylococcus aureus produces staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) and causes food poisoning. It is known that almost all SE-encoding genes are present on various types of mobile genetic elements and can mobilize among S. aureus populations. Further, plasmids comprise one of SE gene carriers. Previously, we reported novel SEs, SES and SET, harbored by the plasmid pF5 from Fukuoka5. In the present study, we analyzed the distribution of these SEs in various S. aureus isolates in Japan. We used 526 S. aureus strains and found 311 strains positive for at least one SE/SE-like toxin gene, but only two strains (Fukuoka5 and Hiroshima3) were positive for ses and set among the specimens. We analyzed two plasmids (pF5 and pH3) from these strains and found that they were different. Whereas these plasmids partially shared similar sequences involved in the ser/selj/set/ses gene cluster, other sequences were different. A comparison of these plasmids with those deposited in the NCBI database revealed that only one plasmid had the ser/selj/set/ses cluster with a stop mutation in set similar to that in pH3. In addition, the chromosomes of Fukuoka5 and Hiroshima3, positive for ses and set, were classified into different genotypes. Despite the low rate of gene positivity for these SEs, it is suggested that there is diversity in plasmids and strains carrying these two SEs. Consequently, regarding the entire feature of SE prevalence, we improved the multiplex PCR detection method for the SE superfamily to obtain further insight.     

Spontaneously occurring intracranial lipomatous hamartoma in a young BALB/c mouse and a literature review

An intracranial lipomatous hamartoma was found in the third ventricle of a 7-week-old female BALB/cAnNCrlCrlj mouse. The nodule was composed of mature white adipose cells, which contained one large fat droplet, and there was no evidence of cytological atypia. The brain parenchyma at the retrosplenial granular cortex and the hippocampus in the cerebrum were slightly compressed, and the choroid plexus was dislocated downward. Scattered capillary vessels penetrated the nodule from the surrounding tissue. Based on these findings, the lesion was diagnosed as a lipomatous hamartoma that occurred from the roof of the third ventricle. This extremely rare tumor-like nodule represents an overgrowth of the mature adipocyte population as a malformation rather than a true neoplasm.