Studies on the effect of humic acid on availability of phosphorus

It is believed that some organic compounds form complexes with iron and aluminum and prevent the fixation of phosphate applied to soils.     

Phenolic antioxidants from the leaves of Corchorus olitorius L.

Six phenolic antioxidative compounds [5-caffeoylquinic acid (chlorogenic acid), 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, quercetin 3-galactoside, quercetin 3-glucoside, quercetin 3-(6-malonylglucoside), and quercetin 3-(6-malonylgalactoside) (tentative)] were identified from the leaves of Corchorus olitorius L. (moroheiya) by NMR and FAB-MS. The contents of these phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, and alpha-tocopherol in C. olitorius leaves were determined, and their antioxidative activities were measured using the radical generator-initiated peroxidation of linoleic acid. The results obtained showed that 5-caffeoylquinic acid was a predominant phenolic antioxidant in C. olitorius leaves.     

Combination of lipids and emulsifiers enhances the absorption of orally administered quercetin in rats

The effects of lipids, emulsifiers, and ethanol on the absorption of orally administered quercetin in rats were investigated for its efficient intestinal absorption. Rats were administered 150 micromol/kg quercetin in water supplemented with lipids and/or emulsifiers, or ethanol, and blood was collected from the tail for 6 h after administration. Co-administration of lipids such as lecithin and soybean oil or emulsifiers including sucrose fatty acid ester, polyglycerol fatty acid ester, and sodium taurocholate had no statistically significant effects on quercetin absorption, although these constituents rather increased the accumulation of conjugated forms of quercetin and those of isorhamnetin in rat plasma. However, the combination of lipids and emulsifiers enhanced the absorption of quercetin significantly. Thirty and fifty percent (v/v) of the ethanol in the vehicle raised the efficiency of quercetin absorption in a concentration-dependent manner. Quercetin absorption-enhancing effects of these constituents seemed to be affected by quercetin's solubility in respective vehicles used for the administration. Ethanol is not helpful for the effective absorption of quercetin, as a high concentration is required. In conclusion, a combination of lipids and emulsifiers is necessary for enhancing quercetin absorption.     

Nitrogen fertilization affects yields and storage compound contents in seeds of field-grown soybeans cv Enrei (Glycine max. L) and its super-nodulating mutant En-b0-1 through changing N2 fixation activity of the plants

ABSTRACT

We compared the protein and oil contents, seed yields, and natural abundance of ¹⁵N (σ¹⁵N) of seeds from the plants of the cultivar Enrei, which has moderate nodulating ability (Enrei) with those of its two near-isogenic lines (NILs), a super-nodulating genotype of Enrei, i.e., En-b0-1, and a non-nodulating genotype of Enrei, i.e., En1282. Plants of these three genotypes were grown on four types of field plots with different types of urea coated slow-release nitrogen (N) fertilizers (CUSLNFs) which delivered N in different manners during plant growth . The seed yield of the En1282 plants was similar to that of the Enrei plants but much greater than that of the En-b0-1 plants when the plants were grown on the field to which a CUSLNF with a long lifespan was applied. The amounts of protein per seed were positively correlated with those of oil per seed in the case of En1282 plants irrespective of the field N conditions. The seed protein contents were proportional to the seed weight in both En1282 and Enrei plants. Such a relationship was not observed in the En-b0-1 plants, and the protein and oil contents in the seeds of En-b0-1 plants were negatively correlated with each other. These observations suggested that the N supply to maturing seeds was a key to the protein contents in the En1282 and Enrei plants and that the C supply to maturing seeds was a key to the protein contents in the En-b0-1 plants. The comparison of the σ¹⁵N values, protein contents, and seed yields of seeds from En1282 plants suggested that the Enrei plants assimilated considerable amounts of N from the soil during the late plant growth. We concluded that high N₂ fixation activity depressed the amounts of oil per seed and changed the protein and oil contents in soybean seeds.     

Erythrocyte-replaced mouse model for Haemoparasite studies: comparison of NOD/shi-scid and C.B-17/Jcl-scid mouse upon acceptability of human erythrocytes

The erythrocyte-exchanged chimera mouse model has become to be a significant tool for studying animal and human (hu) protozoan haemoparasites, though the usefulness of this model varies depending primarily on the acceptability of xenogeneic red blood cells (RBC). To find a superior recipient in comparison with C.B-17/Jcl mouse with severe combined immuno-deficiency (scid) mutation, we examined in this report the non-obese diabetes (NOD)/shi-scid mouse, a recently available strain of SCID. When 2.5 x 10(8) of fluorescent dye-labeled hu-RBCs were transfused, C.B-17scid mouse eliminated them logarithmically by a simple linear regression, while NOD-scid mouse eradicated hu-RBCs by a unique two-step fashion, i.e., a potent but only briefly functioning RBC eradication followed by a weak steadily functioning step. The means of regression line constance +/- their standard deviations (SD) of 205 C.B-17scid and of 213 NOD-scid mice for their short- and long-lasting steps were -0.73 +/- 0.63, -0.53 +/- 0.25 and -0.16 +/- 0.10, respectively. Hu-RBC half-lives determined from these means of C.B-17scid mice and of NOD-scid mice for the short- and long-living steps were 3.6, 4.9 and 16.3 hr, respectively. Higher hu-RBC acceptability of NOD-scid mouse, especially at their long-lasting step, was also demonstrated under at an activated state of mouse innate immunity. Treatment with 1.0 mg heat-killed Candida cells caused an acceleration of hu-RBC elimination in both mouse strains but the magnitudes for the short- and long-living steps of NOD-scid mice evaluated by "stimulation index" were only 1/2.6 and 1/7.6 of C.B-17scid mice, respectively.     

A pleomorphic adenoma of the lacrimal gland in a dog

A 13-year-old female mongrel dog had a pleomorphic adenoma of the lacrimal gland in the right upper orbit. The tumor measured 3.8 x 3.0 x 3.3 cm, appeared white, round, and firm, and pressed the right globe and surrounding tissues. Histopathologically, the tumor had a thin connective tissue capsule and was composed of tubules with two cell types, some resembling luminal epithelial cells making up the tubular structures and the other of myoepithelial cells. Epithelial tubules were disposed in an adenomatous fashion and separated from each other by proliferating pleomorphic myoepithelial cells. Immunohistochemically, large numbers of the luminal epithelial cells revealed an immunopositive reaction against keratin/cytokeratin (AE1/AE3), and some epithelial cells reacted against cytokeratin 14. Spindle-shaped myoepithelial cells revealed an immunopositive reaction against cytokeratin 14, alpha-smooth muscle actin, and vimentin. A small number of myoepithelial cells reacted against desmin. S-100 protein immunopositivity was frequently found in luminal epithelial cells and rarely in the pleomorphic myoepithelial cells. Glial fibrillary acidic protein positivity was commonly found in myoepithelial cells, myxoid matrices, and intracystic materials, but not in luminal epithelial cells.     

Evaluating environmental impacts of the Japanese beef cow–calf system by the life cycle assessment method

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the environmental impacts of a beef cow–calf system using a life cycle assessment (LCA) method and to investigate the effects of scenarios to reduce environmental impacts on the LCA results. The functional unit was defined as one marketed beef calf, and the processes associated with the cow–calf life cycle, such as feed production, feed transport, animal management, the biological activity of the animal and the treatment of cattle waste were included in the system boundary. The present results showed that the total contributions of one beef calf throughout its life cycle to global warming, acidification, eutrophication and energy consumption were 4550 kg of CO₂ equivalents, 40.1 kg of SO₂ equivalents, 7.0 kg of phosphate (PO₄) equivalents and 16.1 GJ, respectively. The contribution of each process to the total environmental impact in each environmental impact category showed a similar tendency to the contribution of each process in each environmental category reported in the case of the beef fattening system as a whole. The results from this analysis showed that shortening calving intervals by 1 month reduced environmental impacts by 5.7–5.8% in all the environmental impact categories examined in the current study, and increasing the number of calves per cow also reduced environmental impacts in all the categories, although the effects were smaller.     

Mitigation of nitrous oxide (N2O) emission from swine wastewater treatment in an aerobic bioreactor packed with carbon fibers

Mitigation of nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission from swine wastewater treatment was demonstrated in an aerobic bioreactor packed with carbon fibers (CF reactor). The CF reactor had a demonstrated advantage in mitigating N₂O emission and avoiding NOx (NO₃ + NO₂) accumulation. The N₂O emission factor was 0.0003 g N₂O‐N/gTN‐load in the CF bioreactor compared to 0.03 gN₂O‐N/gTN‐load in an activated sludge reactor (AS reactor). N₂O and CH₄ emissions from the CF reactor were 42 g‐CO₂ eq/m³/day, while those from the AS reactor were 725 g‐CO₂ eq/m³/day. The dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) in the CF reactor removed an average of 156 mg/L of the NH₄‐N, and accumulated an average of 14 mg/L of the NO₃‐N. In contrast, the DIN in the AS reactor removed an average 144 mg/L of the NH₄‐N and accumulated an average 183 mg/L of the NO₃‐N. NO₂‐N was almost undetectable in both reactors.