Influence of Acid Deposition on Inland Water Chemistry - A Case Study from Hyogo Prefecture, Japan -

The Influence of acid deposition on stream and lake water chemistry was studied in a forested watershed of Hyogo prefecture, Japan. Monthly sampling of four streams, one artificial lake, and precipitation was carried out from 1995 to 2000. The pH of the monthly bulk precipitation and rainwater were ranged from 4.06 to 7.10. No trends were evident during the monitoring periods. The pH and alkalinity in the four streams, which flow into the artificial lake, ranged from 6.37 to 8.72 and 0.077 meqL^?1 to 0.485 meqL^?1, respectively. The differences in the water quality of the four streams were related to the geology of each watershed. Lower pH and alkalinity were observed during high- discharge periods. On the other hand, the pH and alkalinity of the outflow from the lake ranged from 6.47 to 7.36 and 0.195 meqL^?1 to 0.339 meqL^?1, respectively. No acidification of the aquatic environment was observed during the investigated periods. The results suggest that this forested ecosystem has the capacity to neutralize incoming acid deposition.     

Symbolic and political ecology among contemporary Nez Perce Indians in Idaho, USA: Functions and meanings of hunting, fishing, and gathering practices

Indigenous ecologies in industrial societies need immediate attention in light of the ongoing debate on indigenous resource rights and decreasing biodiversity. This paper examines the functions and meanings of hunting, fishing, and gathering activities among contemporary Nez Perce Indians in Idaho, USA. The collected data were analyzed with Pierre Bourdieu's (1977) concepts of “symbolic capital” and “practice” within the framework of political ecology. The results clearly demonstrate that hunting, fishing, and gathering practices play significant roles not only in social and religious but also economic and political senses within the contemporary Nez Perce society. This study suggests that investigation of indigenous ecologies in industrial societies take a synthesized approach between idealist and materialist perspectives.     

Atmospheric methane and nitrous oxide of the Late Pleistocene from Antarctic ice cores

The European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica Dome C ice core enables us to extend existing records of atmospheric methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) back to 650,000 years before the present. A combined record of CH4 measured along the Dome C and the Vostok ice cores demonstrates, within the resolution of our measurements, that preindustrial concentrations over Antarctica have not exceeded 773 +/- 15 ppbv (parts per billion by volume) during the past 650,000 years. Before 420,000 years ago, when interglacials were cooler, maximum CH4 concentrations were only about 600 ppbv, similar to lower Holocene values. In contrast, the N2O record shows maximum concentrations of 278 +/- 7 ppbv, slightly higher than early Holocene values.     

Permuted tRNA genes expressed via a circular RNA intermediate in Cyanidioschyzon merolae

A computational analysis of the nuclear genome of a red alga, Cyanidioschyzon merolae, identified 11 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes in which the 3' half of the tRNA lies upstream of the 5' half in the genome. We verified that these genes are expressed and produce mature tRNAs that are aminoacylated. Analysis of tRNA-processing intermediates for these genes indicates an unusual processing pathway in which the termini of the tRNA precursor are ligated, resulting in formation of a characteristic circular RNA intermediate that is then processed at the acceptor stem to generate the correct termini.     

Specialized inhibitory synaptic actions between nearby neocortical pyramidal neurons

We found that, in the mouse visual cortex, action potentials generated in a single layer-2/3 pyramidal (excitatory) neuron can reliably evoke large, constant-latency inhibitory postsynaptic currents in other nearby pyramidal cells. This effect is mediated by axo-axonic ionotropic glutamate receptor-mediated excitation of the nerve terminals of inhibitory interneurons, which connect to the target pyramidal cells. Therefore, individual cortical excitatory neurons can generate inhibition independently from the somatic firing of inhibitory interneurons.     

Food-drug interaction between ferulic acid and nateglinide involving the fluorescein/H+ cotransport system

In clinical, patients usually take many kinds of drugs at the same time. Thus, drug-drug interactions involving transporters can often directly affect the therapeutic safety and efficacy of many drugs. However, there have been few studies on food-drug interactions involving transporters. Dietary polyphenols have been widely assumed to be beneficial to human health. Polyphenols are commercially prepared and used as functional foods. We report here for the first time that ferulic acid, which is widely used as a functional food, affects the transport of clinical agents. It is important to be aware of the potential of food-drug interactions and to act in order to prevent undesirable and harmful clinical consequences.     

Detection of uremic peaks in dogs by anion exchange high performance liquid chromatography.

Sera of dogs with gentamicin-induced uremia were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography system with strongly basic macroreticular anion exchange resin. Satisfactory separation of peaks was achieved with good reproducibility after deproteinization of sera with trichloroacetic acid at a final concentration of 3%, confirming that the system was suitable for qualitative analysis of uremic serum. The chromatograms showed that the number of peaks and the peak area had relation to concentrations of serum urea nitrogen or creatinine and severity of uremia. Four peaks were selected as suspected canine uremic peaks with high correlation to serum creatinine concentrations which were hardly influenced by extrarenal factors. The results suggested that these four fractions might contain uremic toxins.