Grazing and heat stress protection of native grass by a sand-fixing shrub in the arid lands of northern China

Shrub species are used in restoration projects on dryland for their facilitation effects, which include environmental improvements and protection from herbivore feeding. Facilitation effects on forage grasses are potentially important in improving grazing capacity on rangelands. However, the morphology-dependent performance of benefactor plants in facilitating forage species growth and supplementation under moderate grazing intensity remains unclear. Here, our main purpose was to measure facilitation performance in terms of the survival of a native forage grass, Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn. (Gramineae)., in accordance with the growth conditions of a sand-fixing benefactor shrub, Caragana microphylla Lam., in the Hulun Buir Grassland, northern China. Six study sites with patches of A. cristatum and C. microphylla were established at the foot of fixed sand dunes. At each site, five quadrats were set in places where C. microphylla coverage was 100% and A. cristatum grew among the shrubs (shrub quadrats), and another five were set where A. cristatum grew alone without C. microphylla (grass quadrats). We measured the morphological traits of C. microphylla and A. cristatum in all 60 quadrats, along with the soil water content and soil temperature. The data were compared between the shrub and grass quadrats by generalized linear mixed-effect models to assess the shrub's facilitation effects. We also used such models to elucidate the relationship between the average height of C. microphylla and the morphological traits of A. cristatum in the shrub quadrats. The maximum height, average grazed height, and the number of seed heads of A. cristatum were greater in the shrub quadrats than in the grass quadrats. The soil surface temperature was lower in the shrub quadrats. The maximum height and seed head number of A. cristatum were positively associated with the average height of C. microphylla. These results suggest that the grazing impact and heat stress were smaller in shrub quadrats than in grass quadrats, and that the degree of this protective effect depended on the shrub height. The shrub canopy seemed to reduce the increase in soil temperature and keep the grass vigorous. Livestock likely avoided grazing grasses in the C. microphylla patches because of the shrub's spiny leaves; only the upper parts of the grass stems (including the seed heads) protruding from the shrub canopy were grazed. The sand-fixing shrub thus moderates the grazing impact and soil temperature, and contributes to vegetation restoration and grazing system sustainability.     

Changes in mineral concentrations in amberjack Seriola dumerili larvae during seed production: high concentrations of certain minerals in rotifers do not directly affect the mineral concentrations in larvae

This study examined the changes in mineral concentrations in amberjack Seriola dumerili larvae during seed production taking into consideration the mineral concentrations of rotifers in the larval rearing tanks (tank rotifers), since the concentrations of certain minerals in tank rotifers have been reported to be very high. In the present study, the concentrations of Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn and Mn in tank rotifers were generally higher than in freshly enriched rotifers. The extent of the increase in tank rotifers varied depending on the mineral, larval production facility and larval production trial. Concentrations of Ca in the larvae increased as they grew, those of P and Mn increased up to ca. 30 days post-hatching (DPH), those of Mg and Fe increased up to ca. 20 DPH and then decreased, and those of Zn continuously decreased through the seed production periods (to ca. 40 DPH). However, there were no clear relationships between the mineral concentrations of the tank rotifers and the larvae. These results indicate that high concentrations of minerals in tank rotifers are not directly reflected in amberjack larvae. This suggests that amberjack larvae maintain their mineral status by controlling the uptake and/or excretion of food minerals.     

Measurement of ammonia volatilization loss using a dynamic chamber technique: A case study of surface-incorporated manure and ammonium sulfate in an upland field of light-colored Andosol

The present study aimed to elucidate ammonia (NH₃) volatilization loss following surface incorporation (0–15 cm mixing depth) of nitrogen (N) fertilizer in an upland field of light-colored Andosol in central Japan. A dynamic chamber technique was used to measure the NH₃ effluxes. Poultry manure, pelleted poultry manure, cattle manure, pelleted cattle manure and ammonium sulfate were used as N fertilizers for basal fertilization to a bare soil with surface incorporation. All three experiments in summer and autumn 2007 and in summer 2008 showed negligible NH₃ volatilization losses following the application of all N fertilizers with the same application rate of 120 kg N ha⁻¹ as total N; these negligible losses were primarily ascribed to chemical properties of the soil, that is, its high cation exchange capacity (283 mmol_c kg⁻¹ dry soil) and relatively low pH(H₂O) (5.9). In addition, the surface incorporation, the very small ratio of ammoniacal N to total N for the manure, and the decrease in soil pH to ≤5.5 following applications of ammonium sulfate were also advantageous to the inhibition of NH₃ volatilization loss from the field-applied N fertilizers.     

Confirming the authenticity of the geographical origin of Naruto dried wakame Undaria pinnatifida using stable nitrogen isotope ratios

In aquatic ecosystems, the stable nitrogen isotope ratio (δ¹⁵N) of wakame is affected by the δ¹⁵N of its nitrogen source. Thus, the δ¹⁵N of wakame is thought to differ between those grown in different aquatic ecosystems. To confirm the authenticity of the geographic origin of Naruto dried wakame (DW), we conducted δ¹⁵N analysis. The δ¹⁵N (mean ± σ) of Naruto DW model samples (n = 72) was 11.1 ± 1.9 ‰. The δ¹⁵N confidence range of Naruto DW from the model was 5.3–16.9 ‰ (mean ± 3σ). The δ¹⁵N values of the DW model of Chinese (n = 23) and South Korean origin (n = 22) were 4.2 ± 1.4 and 1.6 ± 2.3 ‰, respectively. Within the δ¹⁵N confidence range of Naruto DW, two model samples of Chinese DW and one model sample of South Korean DW were found. From those results, DW of Naruto origin was able to be distinguished from DWs of the Chinese and the South Korean.     

A client/server architecture remote fish finder system for a set net fishery

In order to monitor the fish volume entrapped over time in a set net in real time, a new remote fish finder system based on a mobile network was developed and tested. This system was designed with a client/server architecture including an echo sounder terminal, a web server, and some end user display terminals, which allowed fishermen to monitor the fishing state of a set net via any display device. In addition, in order to transfer the echo data smoothly via a mobile network, a fish echo extraction method based on image processing and a data organization structure were proposed, which can significantly reduce the data volume for transmission, supply sufficient information to reconstruct the high resolution echogram at the user terminals, and calculate the positional and morphometric parameters of fish echoes. Furthermore, a semiautomatic data recording method for use with a database was proposed to manage the extracted fish echo data and the fishing records. The functions and capabilities of the new system were demonstrated by a sea trial.     

Genetic analysis of ion-beam induced extremely late heading mutants in rice

Two extremely late heading mutants were induced by ion beam irradiation in rice cultivar ‘Taichung 65’: KGM26 and KGM27. The F₂ populations from the cross between the two mutants and Taichung 65 showed clear 3 early: 1 late segregation, suggesting control of late heading by a recessive gene. The genes identified in KGM26 and KGM27 were respectively designated as FLT1 and FLT2. The two genes were mapped using the crosses between the two mutants and an Indica cultivar ‘Kasalath’. FLT1 was located on the distal end of the short arm of chromosome 8. FLT2 was located around the centromere of chromosome 9. FLT1 might share the same locus as EHD3 because their chromosomal location is overlapping. FLT2 is inferred to be a new gene because no gene with a comparable effect to that of this gene was mapped near the centromere of chromosome 9. In crosses with Kasalath, homozygotes of late heading mutant genes showed a large variation of days to heading, suggesting that other genes affected late heading mutant genes.     

Inhibitory effect of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, extracted from spinach using supercritical CO2, on mammalian DNA polymerase activity

We investigated the effective extraction of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) from dried spinach (Spinacia oleracea) using supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SC-CO(2)) with a modifier/entrainer. The yield of MGDG in the SC-CO(2) extract was not influenced by increasing temperature at a constant pressure, although the total extract yield was decreased. The total extract yield and MGDG yield in the extract from commercially purchased spinach (unknown subspecies), were greatly influenced by lower pressure. In a modifier (i.e., ethanol) concentration range of 2.5-20%, both the extract and MGDG yield increased as the ethanol concentration rose. The highest total extract yield (69.5 mg/g of spinach) and a good MGDG yield (16.3 mg/g of spinach) were obtained at 80 degrees C, 25 MPa, and 20% ethanol. The highest MGDG concentration (76.0% in the extract) was obtained at 80 degrees C, 25 MPa, and 2.5% ethanol, although the total extract yield under these conditions was low (5.2 mg/g of spinach). The optimal conditions for the extraction of MGDG were 80 degrees C, 20 MPa, and 10% ethanol. Of the 11 subspecies of spinach tested under these conditions, "Ujyou" had the highest concentration of MGDG. The total extract yield and MGDG concentration of Ujyou were 20.4 mg of the extract/g of spinach and 70.5%, respectively. The concentration of MGDG was higher in the SC-CO(2) extract than in the extract obtained using solvents such as methanol and n-hexane. The extract of Ujyou, which was the optimal subspecies for the extraction of MGDG, inhibited the activity of calf DNA polymerase alpha with IC(50) values of 145 microg/mL but was not effective against DNA polymerase beta.     

Genetic relationships between meat quality traits and fatty acid composition in Japanese black cattle

Genetic parameters were estimated to investigate the relationships between meat quality traits and fatty acid composition from 11 855 Japanese Black cattle. The meat quality traits included beef marbling score (BMS), beef color score, firmness of beef (FIR), texture of beef (TEX) and beef fat color score (BFS). The data on fatty acid composition included oleic acid and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) contents, the ratio of MUFA to saturated fatty acids (MUS) and the ratio of elongation. The heritability estimates for meat quality traits ranged from moderate (0.30) to high (0.72). The strong genetic correlations between them were useful for simultaneous genetic improvement. In addition, high heritability estimates of fatty acid composition, ranging from 0.60 to 0.63, indicated that they could also be improved genetically. The genetic correlations of fatty acid composition with BMS, FIR and TEX were weak and negative. In contrast, positive and stronger genetic correlations were found between BFS and fatty acid composition, in particular, related to the level of unsaturation (0.77 and 0.79 for MUFA and MUS, respectively). This implies that improving the level of unsaturation makes fat darker (more yellow) and thus requires balancing with BFS.     

Bilberry extract protect restraint stress-induced liver damage through attenuating mitochondrial dysfunction

The aim of the present study is to investigate the protective effect of bilberry extract on liver damage in restraint stressed mice. A remarkable increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels was observed in stressed mice. Treatment with bilberry extract restored ALT and ROS to normal levels, and enhanced mitochondrial complex II activity that was lowered in restraint stressed mice. The mitochondrial electron transfer chain (ETC)-related gene expression was measured by RT-PCR, and a significant up-regulation of complex II mRNA was observed for SDHA, B, C and D mRNA in bilberry extract-treated group compared with that in stressed group. Bilberry extract administration also profoundly elevated the Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity and mitochondria membrane potential (?Ψ_m), which was reduced in the stressed group. Bilberry extract exhibited protective effect by scavenging free radicals and attenuating mitochondrial dysfunction in the liver of restraint stressed mice. It may be used as a promising therapeutic agent in preventing and delaying the life-related disease.