Fire resistance of sugi covering materials for structural steel

Glued laminated timbers (glulam) or planks 50mm thick were added to structural steel columns and beams as covering materials. The wood used in the glulam was sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) laminated with resorcinol resin adhesive between woods and epoxy resin adhesive between wood and steel. The 50mm thick planks of sugi around the steel were fixed with spirally threaded nails (screws), and 25mm long wood plugs were used to cover the tops of the nails. The 50mm thick glulam showed 1h of fire resistance. The temperatures of the flanges and webs of steel were 100°C at 1h and 200°C after 4h. The epoxy resin used to bond the wood and steel was an appropriate adhesive from a recycling perspective because it is easy to separate or peel from the steel.     

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Orally Administered Monostroma nitidum Rhamnan Sulfate against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Damage to Mouse Organs and Vascular Endothelium

We previously reported that rhamnan sulfate (RS) purified from Monostroma nitidum significantly suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in cultured human vascular endothelial cells. Here, we analyzed the effect of orally administered RS on LPS-induced damage to mouse organs and vascular endothelium. RS (1 mg) was orally administered daily to BALB/c mice, 50 μg of LPS was intraperitoneally administered on day 8, and Evans blue was injected into the tail vein 6 h later. After 30 min, LPS-treated mice showed pulmonary Evans blue leakage and elevated plasma levels of liver damage markers, whereas this reaction was suppressed in LPS + RS-treated mice. Immunohistochemical and Western blot analysis of mouse organs 24 h after LPS treatment showed significant neutrophil infiltration into the lung, liver, and jejunum tissues of LPS-treated mice and high expression levels of inflammation-related factors in these tissues. Expression levels of these factors were significantly suppressed in LPS + RS-treated mice. Analysis of lung glycocalyx showed a significant reduction in glycocalyx in LPS-treated mice but not in LPS + RS-treated mice. Levels of syndecan-4, one of the glycocalyx components, decreased in LPS-treated mice and increased in LPS + RS-treated mice. The current results suggest that orally administered RS protects organs and vascular endothelium from LPS-induced inflammation and maintains blood circulation.     

Effects of different heating conditions on the texture and extracts of the meat from each part of the yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata

Fisheries Science - We investigated the effects of different heating conditions on the texture and extractive compounds of meat derived from each part of the yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata fish....     

Spatial structures of N2O, CO2, and CH4 fluxes from Acacia mangium plantation soils during a relatively dry season in Indonesia

We investigated spatial structures of N₂O, CO₂, and CH₄ fluxes during a relatively dry season in an Acacia mangium plantation stand in Sumatra, Indonesia. The fluxes and soil properties were measured at 1-m intervals in a 1 × 30-m plot (62 grid points) and at 10-m intervals in a 40 × 100-m plot (55 grid points) at different topographical positions of the upper plateau, slope, and valley bottom in the plantation. Spatial structures of each gas flux and soil property were identified using geostatistical analysis. The means (±SD) of N₂O, CO₂, and CH₄ fluxes in the 10-m grids were 0.54 (±0.33) mg N m⁻² d⁻¹, 2.81 (±0.71) g C m⁻² d⁻¹, and −0.84 (±0.33) mg C m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively. This suggests that A. mangium soils function as a larger source of N₂O than natural forest soils in the adjacent province on Sumatra during the relatively dry season, while CO₂ and CH₄ emissions from the A. mangium soils were less than or consistent with those in the natural forest soils. Multiple spatial dependence of N₂O fluxes within 3.2 m (1-m grids) and 35.0 m (10-m grids), and CO₂ fluxes within 1.8 m (1-m grids) and over 65 m (10-m grids) was detected. From the relationship among N₂O and CO₂ gas fluxes, soil properties, and topographic elements, we suggest that the multiple spatial structures of N₂O and CO₂ fluxes are mainly associated with soil resources such as readily mineralizable carbon and nitrogen in a relatively dry season. The soil resource distributions were probably controlled by the meso- and microtopography. Meanwhile, CH₄ fluxes were spatially independent in the A. mangium soils, and the water-filled pore space appeared to mainly control the spatial distribution of these fluxes.     

Molecular epidemiology of avian influenza viruses circulating among healthy poultry flocks in farms in northern Vietnam

Repeated epizootics of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus subtype H5N1 were reported from 2003 to 2005 among poultry in Vietnam. More than 200 million birds were killed to control the spread of the disease. Human cases of H5N1 infection have been sporadically reported in an area where repeated H5N1 outbreaks among birds had occurred. Subtype H5N1 strains are established as endemic among poultry in Vietnam, however, insights into how avian influenza viruses including the H5N1 subtype are maintained in endemic areas is not clear. In order to determine the prevalence of different avian influenza viruses (AIVs), including H5N1 circulating among poultry in northern Vietnam, surveillance was conducted during the years 2006-2009. A subtype H5N1 strain was isolated from an apparently healthy duck reared on a farm in northern Vietnam in 2008 and was identified as an HPAI. Although only one H5N1 virus was isolated, it supports the view that healthy domestic ducks play a pivotal role in maintaining and transmitting H5N1 viruses which cause disease outbreaks in northern Vietnam. In addition, a total of 26 AIVs with low pathogenicity were isolated from poultry and phylogenetic analysis of all the eight gene segments revealed their diverse genetical backgrounds, implying that reassortments have occurred frequently among strains in northern Vietnam. It is, therefore, important to monitor the prevalence of influenza viruses among healthy poultry between epidemics in an area where AIVs are endemic.     

Breeding and brewing quality of the Canadian malting barley variety ‘CDC Goldstar’ lacking lipoxygenase-1

Various types of malt quality profiles have been investigated to benefit the North American brewing industry. Herein, we report the development and brewing quality of the hulled, two-row malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) variety ‘CDC Goldstar’ lacking lipoxygenase-1 (LOX-1-less). This new variety offers a novel malt type for the improvement of beer flavor stability. The agronomic performance of ‘CDC Goldstar’ was tested in the Western Cooperative Two Row Barley Registration Trials during 2013–2014. In addition to high lodging tolerance, the new variety showed 6% higher yield than the current leading variety ‘CDC Copeland’. The malt quality of ‘CDC Goldstar’ showed higher diastatic power and lower wort β-glucan content than ‘CDC Copeland’ and controllable proteolytic modification (soluble nitrogen and Kolbach Index). Pilot- (100 L) and commercial-scale (5,000 L) brewing trials were conducted using ‘CDC PlatinumStar’, another LOX-1-less variety with a low enzymatic profile, as the control variety. Absence of the LOX-1 trait from ‘CDC Goldstar’ maintained trans-2-nonenal levels in aged beers as low as those in other LOX-1-less varieties without affecting major beer parameters, such as ester and aldehyde content or foam stability. The newly developed ‘CDC Goldstar’ malting barley provides added value for the beer industry and consumers.     

Molecular detection of human periodontal pathogens in oral swab specimens from dogs in Japan

Periodontal diseases are known to be major diseases in humans, and are also common in dogs. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the distribution of periodontitis-related bacterial species using oral swab specimens collected from 26 pet dogs. The distribution of an animal gingival organism Porphyromonas gulae, in addition to 10 human periodontitis-related bacterial species, including Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Tannerella forsythia, Capnocytophaga ochracea, Capnocytophaga sputigena, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella nigrescens, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Campylobacter rectus, and Eikenella corrodens, were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction with species-specific sets of primers. Porphyromonas gulae, Tannerella forsythia and Campylobacter rectus were detected in almost all dogs analyzed, all of which should be regarded as common members of oral flora in dogs. Then, isolation and identification of the Porphyromonas species in swab specimens were performed. There were 35 strains isolated from 22 dogs, and broad-range polymerase chain reaction and sequencing methods revealed that approximately 70% of them were Porphyromonas gulae. In contrast, the frequency of Porphyromonas gingivalis was extremely low. These findings indicate the presence of specific periodontitis-related pathogens in pet dogs, especially Porphyromonas gulae.     

Close linkage of a blast resistance gene,Pias(t), with a bacterial leaf blight resistance gene,Xa1-as(t), in a rice cultivar ‘Asominori’

It has long been known that a bacterial leaf blight-resistant line in rice obtained from a crossing using ‘Asominori’ as a resistant parent also has resistance to blast, but a blast resistance gene in ‘Asominori’ has not been investigated in detail. In the present study, a blast resistance gene in ‘Asominori’, tentatively named Pias(t), was revealed to be located within 162-kb region between DNA markers YX4-3 and NX4-1 on chromosome 4 and to be linked with an ‘Asominori’ allele of the bacterial leaf blight resistance gene Xa1, tentatively named Xa1-as(t). An ‘Asominori’ allele of Pias(t) was found to be dominant and difference of disease severity between lines having the ‘Asominori’ allele of Pias(t) and those without it was 1.2 in disease index from 0 to 10. Pias(t) was also closely linked with the Ph gene controlling phenol reaction, suggesting the possibility of successful selection of blast resistance using the phenol reaction. Since blast-resistant commercial cultivars have been developed using ‘Asominori’ as a parent, Pias(t) is considered to be a useful gene in rice breeding for blast resistance.     

Mutual antagonism between sterol demethylation inhibitors and phosphorothiolate fungicides on Pyricularia oryzae and the implications for their mode of action

Joint action between a phosphorothiolate (PTL) fungicide, iprobenfos, and a sterol demethylation inhibitor (DMI), pefurazoate, was tested by crossed paper technique on three types of field isolates of Pyricularia oryzae Cavara that differed in PTL sensitivity and metabolism. Mutual antagonism in anti-fungal action between iprobenfos and pefurazoate was observed in a wild-type field isolate of the fungus sensitive to PTL and in an isolate moderately resistant to PTL, but not in a PTL-resistant isolate lacking the ability to metabolize PTL. Antagonism of the antifungal action of iprobenfos by pefurazoate seemed to be a result of inhibition of activation by cleavage of the P-S bond of iprobenfos mediated by mixed-function oxygenase (mfo) activity, while antagonism of the anti-fungal action of pefurazoate by iprobenfos may be caused by the binding of pefurazoate by large amounts of an iprobenfos-induced mfo which results in reduced inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis. In the PTL-resistant isolate, the mutually antagonistic action was not observed, presumably because the induction of the mfo-metabolizing iprobenfos was lacking. Similar antagonism was also observed when another PTL, edifenphos, was used instead of iprobenfos, and when other DMIs, propiconazole, prochloraz and hexaconazole were used instead of pefurazoate. The results of the present experiment indicate that DMIs may also bind to and inhibit an inducible type of fungal mfo which metabolizes xenobiotics, and that PTLs may be activated by an mfo prior to their anti-fungal action.