Increase in Iron and Zinc Concentrations in Rice Grains Via the Introduction of Barley Genes Involved in Phytosiderophore Synthesis

Increasing the iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) concentrations of staple foods, such as rice, could solve Fe and Zn deficiencies, which are two of the most serious nutritional problems affecting humans. Mugineic acid family phytosiderophores (MAs) play a very important role in the uptake of Fe from the soil and Fe transport within the plant in graminaceous plants. To explore the possibility of MAs increasing the Fe concentration in grains, we cultivated three transgenic rice lines possessing barley genome fragments containing genes for MAs synthesis (i.e., HvNAS1, HvNAS1, and HvNAAT-A and HvNAAT-B or IDS3) in a paddy field with Andosol soils. Polished rice seeds with IDS3 inserts had up to 1.40 and 1.35 times higher Fe and Zn concentrations, respectively, compared to non-transgenic rice seeds. Enhanced MAs production due to the introduced barley genes is suggested to be effective for increasing Fe and Zn concentrations in rice grains.     

Isolation and species distribution of staphylococci from animal and human skin

From April 1999 to December 2000, a survey was made on the distribution of Staphylococcus species on the skin of 7 kinds of animals and humans. Staphylococci were isolated from 12 (100%) of 12 pigs, 17 (89.5%) of 19 horses, 30 (100%) of 30 cows, 73 (90.1%) of 81 chickens, 10 (40%) of 25 dogs, 23 (76.7%) of 30 laboratory mice, 20 (52.6%) of 38 pigeons, and 80 (88.9%) of 90 human beings. The predominant staphylococci isolated from a variety of animal species were novobiocin-resistant species, S. xylosus and S. sciuri regardless of the animal host species. The novobiocin-resistant species including S. xylosus and S. sciuri were only occasionally isolated from human skin. The predominant staphylococci found on human skin were novobiocin-sensitive species, S. epidermidis (63.8%), followed by S. warneri (28.8%) and S. hominis (13.8%). The results suggest that the staphylococcal flora inhabiting animal skin are different from those of human skin in regard to the predominant species isolated. In this study, we used pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to examine the chromosomal polymorphisms of S. epidermidis isolated most frequently from human skin. Strains of S. epidermidis showed the greatest genomic diversity in their fragment patterns.     

Immunolocalization of sex steroid receptors in the epididymis and ductus deferens of immature and mature Japanese Quail, Coturnix Japonica

The goal of this study was to determine whether in the Japanese quail the male genital tract contains receptors for progesterone, androgen and estrogen (PR, AR and ER, respectively), which have significant roles in reproductive functions, and whether their localization changes during sexual maturation. The epididymis and ductus deferens (middle and ampulla regions) of immature (approximately 30-day-old) and mature male Japanese quail were collected and frozen sections of them were immunostained for PR, AR and ER. The immunoreaction products for AR and PR were found in the nuclei of epithelial cells in the efferent ductules, epididymal duct, and the middle and ampulla regions of the ductus deferens of mature and immature birds. In the mature birds, the epithelial cells of the efferent ductules, epididymal duct, and the middle and ampulla regions of the ductus deferens were positive for ER, although some of the cells in the ductus deferens were negative. The epithelial cells of the ductules in the epididymis stained positive for ER, but the immunoreactions were negligible in the ductus deferens of immature birds. These results suggest that the epididymis and ductus deferens in quail possesses PR, AR and ER receptors. Each receptor is expressed before sexual maturation, although enhancement of ER expression may occur during maturation.     

The influence of age and body mass index on relative accuracy of energy intake among Japanese adults

OBJECTIVE: To examine relationships between the ratio of energy intake to basal metabolic rate (EI/BMR) and age and body mass index (BMI) among Japanese adults. DESIGN: Energy intake was assessed by 4-day semi-weighed diet records in each of four seasons (16 days in total). The EI/BMR ratio was calculated from reported energy intake and estimated basal metabolic rate as an indicator of reporting accuracy. SETTING: Residents in three areas in Japan, namely Osaka (urban), Nagano (rural inland) and Tottori (rural coastal). SUBJECTS: One hundred and eighty-three healthy Japanese men and women aged > or =30 years. RESULTS: The oldest age group (> or =60 years) had higher EI/BMR values than the youngest age group (30-39 years) in both sexes (1.74 vs. 1.37 for men; 1.65 vs. 1.43 for women). In multiple regression analyses, age correlated positively (partial correlation coefficient, beta = 0.012, P < 0.001 for men; beta = 0.011, P < 0.001 for women) and BMI correlated negatively (beta = -0.031, P < 0.001 for men; beta = -0.025, P < 0.01 for women) with EI/BMR. CONCLUSION: Age and BMI may influence the relative accuracy of energy intake among Japanese adults.     

Potential role of frugivorous birds in the recovery process of forest vegetation after feral goat eradication in Mukojima Island, the Bonin Islands

Some introduced frugivorous birds disperse introduced plants and are thus a substitute for extinct native birds. Introduced birds have negative and/or infrequently positive effects on local ecosystems. It is important for management of the ecosystems to understand the relationships between native and introduced frugivorous and plant species. In this study, we elucidated these relationships in Mukojima Island, the Bonin Islands, where was anthropologically deforested and Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus and some plants were already introduced. We examined the habitat selection of frugivorous birds, actual dispersed seeds in bird feces, and the distribution of the potentially dispersed plant species. The Japanese White-eye and the native, Blue Rockthrush Monticola solitarius, were dominant on this island. The former mainly used the forest area and dispersed only small seeds and frequently introduced plant seeds. The latter mainly used the open area and dispersed both small and large seeds. Some small-seed plants occurred not only in the forest but also in the open area. Their seedlings were distributed farther from their adult trees than the large-seed species. These indicate that small-seed plants would be more spread than the large-seed plants because the two bird species disperse their seeds in different environments. This introduced bird species may be important in vegetation recovery, although it may contribute to the distribution of introduced plants on this island.     

In vitro development and postvitrification survival of cloned feline embryos derived from preadipocytes

The aim of the present study was to optimize the conditions for in vitro development and postvitrification survival of somatic cell cloned feline embryos. To determine the effects of cell cycle synchronization of the nuclear donor cells, we cultured preadipocytes under serum starvation or conventional conditions. After two days in serum starvation culture, the proportion of synchronized donor cells at the G0/G1 phase was 91.6%. This was significantly higher than the proportion of non-synchronized cells in the proliferative phase (72.6%, P<0.05). The in vitro development of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos reconstructed using donor cells treated under serum starvation conditions (normal cleavage rate of 65.7%, 46/70, and blastocyst formation rate of 20.0%, 14/70) was comparable to that of the serum supplemented group (52.5%, 31/59, and 20.3%, 12/59). Use of in vitro or in vivo matured oocytes as recipient cytoplasts equally supported development of the SCNT embryos to the blastocyst stage (11.9%, 5/42, vs. 9.5%, 2/21). SCNT-derived blastocysts were vitrified using the original minimum volume cooling (MVC) or the modified (stepwise) MVC method. Although none (n=10) of the SCNT blastocysts survived following vitrification by the original MVC method, the stepwise MVC method resulted in 100% survival after rewarming (n=11). In conclusion, we demonstrated that feline somatic cell cloned embryos with a high developmental ability can be produced irrespective of cell cycle synchronization of donor cells using either in vivo or in vitro matured oocytes. Furthermore, by utilizing a stepwise vitrification method, we showed that it is possible to cryopreserve cloned feline blastocysts.     

Cytotoxic constituents in the holdfast of cultivated Laminaria japonica

ABSTRACT:     Four steroidal ketones were isolated from the holdfast of cultivated Laminaria japonica . The structures were characterized as ergosta-4,24(28)-diene-3-one (1), ergosta-4,24(28)-diene-3,6-dione (2), stigmasta-4,24(28)-diene-3-one (3) and stigmasta-4,24(28)-diene-3,6-dione (4), by spectral data. Compounds 2 and 4 were shown to be cytotoxic against the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell, and the growth of MCF-7 was inhibited by 96% and 79%, respectively, at 10 µg/mL. It is the first report on the isolation of cytotoxic steroidal ketones from the kelp in the genus of Laminaria.     

Development of late-bolting F<Subscript>1</Subscript> hybrids of Chinese cabbage (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica rapa</Emphasis> L.) allowing early spring cultivation without heating

We developed new F₁ hybrids of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) that allow cultivation earlier in spring without heating by introducing extremely late-bolting alleles at two homologs of the flowering repressor Flowering Locus C (BrFLC2 and BrFLC3) from non-heading ‘Leafy Green Parental Line No. 2’. These new F₁ hybrids were produced by the following four steps. First, the extremely late bolting selected lines were developed. These selected lines headed in spring after overwintering cultivation, whereas the conventional F₁ cultivars flowered. Secondly, an investigation of the three plantings showed that our F₁ hybrids formed heads when seeds were sown from mid-February to early March, whereas the conventional F₁ cultivar did not form heads because of premature bolting. Thirdly, we identified some F₁ hybrids with extremely late bolting during early spring cultivation in an investigation of many F₁ hybrids. Finally, based on an investigation across four cold regions for 2 years, we compared the commercialization rate, defined as the proportion of plants greater than 2000 g in weight and with a flowering stalk less than 10 cm long. Then we identified a F₁ of MS02 × 12-04 which had a high commercialization rate on average (92%), whereas the rates of three conventional F₁ cultivars were only 0–2%. In the near future, these F₁ hybrids will be valuable late-bolting cultivars despite climate change, permitting stable cultivation and harvest over wide regions.     

Abscisic acid related compounds and lignans in prunes (Prunus domestica L.) and their oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC)

Four new abscisic acid related compounds (1-4), together with (+)-abscisic acid (5), (+)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl abscisate (6), (6S,9R)-roseoside (7), and two lignan glucosides ((+)-pinoresinol mono-beta-D-glucopyranoside (8) and 3-(beta-D-glucopyranosyloxymethyl)-2- (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-5-(3-hydroxypropyl)-7-methoxy-(2R,3S)-dihydrobenzofuran (9)) were isolated from the antioxidative ethanol extract of prunes (Prunus domestica L.). The structures of 1-4 were elucidated on the basis of NMR and MS spectrometric data to be rel-5-(3S,8S-dihydroxy-1R,5S-dimethyl-7-oxa-6-oxobicyclo[3,2,1]oct-8-yl)-3-methyl-2Z,4E-pentadienoic acid (1), rel-5-(3S,8S-dihydroxy-1R,5S-dimethyl-7-oxa-6-oxobicyclo[3,2,1]oct-8-yl)-3-methyl-2Z,4E-pentadienoic acid 3'-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (2), rel-5-(1R,5S-dimethyl-3R,4R,8S-trihydroxy-7-oxa-6-oxobicyclo[3,2,1]oct-8-yl)-3-methyl-2Z,4E-pentadienoic acid (3), and rel-5-(1R,5S-dimethyl-3R,4R,8S-trihydroxy-7-oxabicyclo[3,2,1]- oct-8-yl)-3-methyl-2Z,4E-pentadienoic acid (4). The antioxidant activities of these isolated compounds were evaluated on the basis of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). The ORAC values of abscisic acid related compounds (1-7) were very low. Two lignans (8 and 9) were more effective antioxidants whose ORAC values were 1.09 and 2.33 micromol of Trolox equiv/micromol, respectively.