Solute diffusion into cell walls in solution-impregnated wood under conditioning process III: effect of relative humidity schedule on solute diffusion into shrinking cell walls

This study has focused on solute diffusing into cell walls in solution-impregnated wood under conditioning, process of evaporating solvent. The purpose of this paper was to clarify the RH- (relative humidity-) schedule that promotes the solute diffusion into shrinking cell walls during conditioning. The wood samples impregnated with a 20 mass% aqueous solution of polyethylene glycol (PEG1540) was conditioned with a temperature of 40?°C to the equilibrium point at the RH where the samples swelled maximally. The samples were subsequently conditioned at 40?°C under the schedules including four ways of RH-decrease steps where the cell walls shrunk. The amount of solute (PEGs) diffused into cell walls during the conditioning logarithmically increased with increasing the number of the RH-decrease steps. This was well explained by the theoretical model that describes the solute diffusion into shrinking cell walls. It is clarified from the model that the RH, or moisture content of the sample, should be decreased as gradually as possible to increase the total amount of diffused solute into shrinking cell walls, and that the amount of diffused solute is smaller for the lower moisture content. The model also suggests that effect of change in RH schedule on change in total amount of diffused solute does not depend on solute diffusivity in the sample under drying in a vacuum over phosphorous pentoxide, and that impregnated wood should be conditioned under natural convection rather than forced convection for promoting the diffusion into shrinking cell walls.     

Winter nitrate uptake by the temperate deciduous tree <Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus serrata</Emphasis>

Winter nitrogen use in deciduous species is largely uncharacterized. We investigated nitrate uptake in the fine roots of a deciduous oak (Quercus serrata Thunb. ex. Murray). We conducted a ¹⁵N-labeling experiment using saplings of Q. serrata in the winter. During three weeks of labeled nitrate application, the concentration of ¹⁵N in the fine roots increased significantly. The amount of nitrogen absorbed, as nitrate, was 1.16 ± 1.02 mg N g DW⁻¹, equivalent to 7.6 ± 5.8% of the total nitrogen content. Our results indicate that Q. serrata saplings have significant potential for nitrate uptake in the fine roots in midwinter (i.e., in the absence of leaves). Although a significant amount of nitrogen applied as nitrate was accumulated, nitrate concentration in the fine roots remained low during the labeling period. Furthermore, significant nitrate reductase activity was detected. These data suggest that Q. serrata saplings can assimilate nitrate in the fine roots in midwinter.     

Immunohistochemical detection of phosphatidylserine and thrombospondin on denucleating erythroblasts in rat bone marrow

The hypothesis that apoptotic factors play some roles in the denucleation of erythroblasts has been confirmed by the immunohistological detection of both phosphatidylserine and thrombospondin as phagocytosis-inducing factors in general apoptotic events. Both phosphatidylserine and thrombospondin were detected on the surface of cell membrane of mature erythroblasts, while thrombospondin was also detected in more immature erythroblasts. The intensities of their immune reactions increased as the erythroids matured. During denucleation, the positivities of both phosphatidylserine and thrombospondin were restricted on the surface of the cell membrane surrounding the protruding nuclei. Thus, the apoptotic process involves denucleation of erythroblasts and phosphatidylserine, and thrombospondin acts as phagocytosis-inducing factors in the denucleation event.     

Exposure to blue LED light before the onset of darkness under a long‐day photoperiod alters melatonin secretion,feeding behaviour and growth in female dairy calves

The effect of blue LED on melatonin secretion, feeding behaviour and growth was addressed in Holstein female dairy calves. In Exp.1, six animals (8 weeks old, 97 ± 4.1 kg BW) were exposed to yellow or blue LED for 2 hr before darkness over 7 days under a long‐day photoperiod (LDPP). In Exp. 2, six animals (8 weeks old, 88.5 ± 4.8 kg BW) were exposed to blue light from a white LED all daytime or a yellow LED for 2 hr before the darkness of LDPP (blue light cut) over 3 weeks. In Exp. 1, blue light mildly suppressed melatonin secretion during the 2‐hr treatment but did not affect the timing of the nightly melatonin rise. However, the rise in nighty melatonin levels was higher with yellow than blue LED. In Exp. 2, white LED completely suppressed melatonin secretion during the 2‐hr treatment, but plasma melatonin concentrations were similar during the darkness. Grass hay intake, rumination time, frequency of water intake and body weight gain were higher in animals exposed to the yellow rather than the white LED. Overall results indicate that exposure to blue light from white LEDs under an LDPP suppresses melatonin secretion and might negatively impact the development of female dairy calves.     

Microbial reduction mechanism of ferric iron in paddy soils (Part I)

In the previous paper¹⁾ the authors proved that the ferric iron reduction in submerged paddy soils is entirely or mostly effected by the activities of microorganisms in the soil. Prior to the study on the ferric iron reducing microorganisms isolated from the soil, the present paper reports the research for the microbial mechanism of iron reduction. working with the soil itself.     

The reduction mechanism of manganese in paddy soils

Hydroquinone method manganese (soluble in pH 7.0, 1 N-ammonium acetate solution containing 0.2 percent hydroquinone) and microbially active manganese (soluble in pH 7.0, 1 M-magnesium sulfate solution after flooding soils with or without Chinese milk vetch for 12 or 20 days respectively at 30°C) of 22 paddy soils were determined. The amounts of manganese reduced with sodium oxalate under acid conditions (oxalate method manganese (a) and (b), the former was determined under more rigorous conditions than the latter) were also determined and compared with hydroquinone method manganese and microbially active manganese.

Their levels of many soil samples representing soil groups were also determined to examine the dlfferences In amounts of active manganese among soil groups. The results obtained are as follows.

The relationship between microbially and chemically active manganese. 1) The amounts of microbially active manganese in soils were 48 to 68 mg Mn per 100 g oven-dried soil and these were increased by the addition of Chinese milk vetch. 2) The amounts of hydroquinone method manganese were less than microbially active manganese, and the amounts of oxalate method manganese (b) were larger than microbially active manganese. The amounts of oxalate method manganese (a) were the largest of all the types of manganese. 3) There were high correlations between the amounts of various types of active manganese described in 2). The levels of microbially and chemically active manganese. 1) The amounts of microbially active manganese lay between the amounts of chemically active manganese determined by the hydroqulnone method and by the oxalate method (b) In all soil samples representing soil groups. High correlations were found between these types of active manganese. 2) The hydroquinone method was considered to be unsuitable for quantitatively determining the amounts of chemicallY active manganese in soils of high organic matter content. 3) In both cases of microbially active manganese and chemically active manganese, tha widest range and the largest amount determined were both observed in strongly gley soila. The averages of theae types of active manganese were high in strongly gley soils, pea, and muck soils, and black soils. The differences among soil groups were smalle1 than the differences among soil samples, and little tendency was observed in the differences among soil groups.

From these findings described above it is suggested that the oxalate methoo (b) is more appropriate than the hydroqulnone method for determining chemically active manganese as an index of microbially active manganese.     

Effect of flutianil on the morphology and gene expression of powdery mildew

Flutianil, a fungicide effective only on powdery mildew, was previously reported to affect the host cell''s haustorial formation and nutrient absorption. Studies were conducted to investigate flutianil''s primary site of action on Blumeria graminis morphology using transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation and RNA sequencing (RAN-seq) techniques. TEM observation revealed that flutianil caused the extra-haustorial matrix and fungal cell wall to be obscured, without remarkable changes of other fungal organelles. RNA-seq analysis indicated that, unlike other powdery-mildew fungicides, flutianil did not significantly affect the constantly expressed genes for the survival of B. graminis. Genes whose expression is up- or downregulated by flutianil were found; these are the three sugar transporter genes and various effector genes, mainly expressed in haustoria. These findings indicate that the primary site of action of flutianil might be in the haustoria.     

An Improved Synthesis of 7, 8-Epoxy-1,3,11-cembratriene- 15R(α), 16-diol,a Cembranoid of Marine Origin with a Potent Cancer Chemopreventive Activity

An effective method for the synthesis of 7,8-epoxy-1,3,11-cembratriene- 15R(α),16-diol and its in vitro Epstein-Barr Virus Early Antigen (EBV-EA) Activation Chemopreventive Assay are reported. This semisynthetic product is a new cembranoid with a potent tumor inhibitory activity that is expected to be a lead compound for a new class of chemopreventive agents of marine origin.     

An index for evaluating the flood-prevention function of paddies

Urbanization is expanding in and around small to medium-sized cities as well as in large cities, and the expansion includes low-lying areas where the flood risk is high. Flood risk in small watersheds has been evaluated using precise mathematical models. However, these models cannot be applied to larger basins due to the complexity of data collection and analysis. As a result, quantitative evaluations of flood risk at macro scales and the flood-prevention function of paddies around urban areas have not been made. This paper proposes a method and an index that can be used to evaluate the flood-prevention function of paddies on a regional scale. In addition, the use of this system for basin-wide management is illustrated by an example for the Kinu and Kokai rivers, which are tributaries of the Tone River of Japan. The applicability of the approach is evaluated using data from a major flood that occurred in the study area.     

Antiproliferative and antiangiogenic activities of smenospongine, a marine sponge sesquiterpene aminoquinone

We previously reported that smenospongine, a sesquiterpene aminoquinone isolated from the marine sponge Dactylospongia elegans, showed antiproliferative or cytotoxic activities on leukemia cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of smenospongine on solid tumors. Since angiogenesis is well known to be closely involved in growth and metastasis of solid tumors, the antiangiogenic effect of smenospongine was determined. We found that smenospongine inhibited proliferation, migration and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Moreover, the inhibitory activity of smenospongine on growth of solid tumor cells was investigated. Smenospongine inhibited the growth of 39 human solid cancer cells in vitro, with a mean Log GI(50) value of -5.55. In conclusion, smenospongine exhibits antitumor activity on solid tumors via two mechanisms, an antiangiogenic effect on endothelial cells and direct inhibition of growth of tumor cells.