Fuzzy neural network model for habitat prediction and HEP for habitat quality estimation focusing on Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) in agricultural canals

In the field of agriculture, development of evaluation techniques for environmental changes is urgently required for the purpose of finding a balance between growth in agricultural productivity and environmental considerations. The habitat evaluation procedures (HEP) constitute one technique for habitat assessment. While HEP is widely applied to estimate both habitat quality and quantity in an environment, it appears to be necessary to develop an accurate habitat prediction model in order to evaluate environments precisely. In fact, habitat selection by fish is affected by complicated interaction between multiple environmental factors, which makes it difficult to relate physical environments to habitat preference. In the present study, we utilize artificial neural networks (ANNs), which are commonly applied to model complex systems, to predict the habitat selection of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) in agricultural canals. Considering the essential vagueness of fish behavior, fuzzy membership functions are introduced into the input layer, which advances ANN to fuzzy neural network (FNN). In addition, symmetric triangular fuzzy numbers are employed to account for uncertainty in measurement errors and dispersions of physical environment. The FNN model precisely predicts the habitat preference of Japanese medaka in an agricultural canal, and the results show a good agreement between the calculated and observed habitat suitability indices (HSI). Finally, the habitat quality of two different reaches at the same point in time is compared using HEP, with a view of suitable habitat for Japanese medaka.     

Fucoxanthin and Its Metabolites in Edible Brown Algae Cultivated in Deep Seawater

Three metabolites of fucoxanthin were isolated from a brown alga, Scytosiphon lomentaria, and the structure of a new compound was determined by NMR. The content of fucoxanthin, a biologically active carotenoid, in four edible brown algae, cultivated in deep seawater, was studied.     

Relationship between wet deposition of sulfate and nitrate and rainfall amount in Japan

A regression model of wet deposition on rainfall amount for non-seasalt sulfate (nss-SO₄ ^2?) and nitrate (NO₃ ^?) was applied to a data set obtained through a nationwide survey from April 1989 to March 1993. Wet-only samples on a biweekly basis were collected at 29 sites over Japan. Reparameterized bivariate lognormal distribution was employed to describe the joint distribution of concentration (C) and rainfall amount (R) for each site. Ranges of geometric mean (μ_D) of biweekly deposition (D = C. R) for each site were 0.54–2.90 meq m^?2 for nss-SU₄ ^2?, and 0.21–1.36 meq m^?22 for NO₃ ^?; that of biweekly rainfall amount (μ_R) was 24.1–78.0 mm. Urban or industrialized areas had high values of μ_D for these ions. Ranges of estimates of the slope of the regression equation of log(D/μ_D) on log(R/μ_R), were 0.45–0.99 for nss-SO₄ ^2?, and 0.35–0.86 for NO₃ ^?; thus estimates of the slope for nss-SO₄ ^2? tend to be larger than those for NO₃ ^?. The present analysis, consequently, statistically clarified some differences between the two ions in deposition processes which is understood in the light of current knowledge of atmospheric chemistry.     

Detection of a simplex RAPD marker linked to resistance to potato virus Y in a tetraploid potato

Extreme resistance to potato virus Y, derived from a wild diploid speciesSolanum chacoense, was found in Japanese cultivar Konafubuki. The segregation ratio of resistant vs susceptible in the tetraploid population from Kita-akari (susceptible) x Konafubuki (resistant) indicated that the resistance gene followed a monogenic dominant fashion. Bulked DNA samples of resistant and of susceptible clones were screened with 306 decamer primers by PCR to find RAPD markers linked to the resistance. The RAPD marker 38-530 was reproducibly detected in the resistant clones with a recombination frequency of 16.3%. Except for Konafubuki the marker band was found only in a few limited parental lines and cultivars where the resistance is not involved. Thus, using Konafubuki as a resistance gene source, the RAPD marker 38-530 would be practically and widely useful in tetraploid breeding programs.     

Effect of polyolefin resin coated slow release iron fertilizer and its methods of application on rice production in calcareous soil

Experiment was carried out to evaluate the, efficiency of different iron sources including polyolefin resin coated slow release Fe fertilizer (PRCCFe) and its methods of application on the performance of rice var. Swarna during rainy seasons of 2001 and 2002 under calcareous soil at Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. The pots were filled with 10 kg calcareous soil having high CaCO₃ (36.32%) and low iron contents (1.45 pp—less than critical limit). The experimental treatments comprised five iron sources (NPK + 100% pyrite, NPK + 100% polyolefin resin coated slow release Fe (PRCSRFe), NPK + 50% pyrite + 50% PRCSRFe, NPK + 75% pyrite + 25% PCRSRFe, and NPK + 25% pyrite + 75% PCRSRFe and two methods of application (uniform and co-situs) including one control (NPK only). These 11 treatment combinations were laid out in Completely Randomized Block Design (CRBD) replicated thrice. The two methods of iron application did not differ significantly with respect to crop yield though higher yield was recorded with co-situs application. Among the Fe sources, application of iron 75% through to + 25% through polyolefin resin coated slow release Fe fertilizer produced the highest grain yield.     

Leaching behaviour of benzalkonium chloride homologues in soil and water solutions

Experiments were carried out to determine the leaching mechanism of benzalkonium chloride (BAC) from treated wood in soil. Wood specimens were treated with C12, C14 and C16 BAC homologues and exposed to soil or aqueous solutions containing oxalic acid, sodium oxalate, hydrochloric acid, sodium chloride or sodium humate. The leaching rates of the homologues in soil were close to each other and all higher than in distilled water. The order of the rates in soil (C12 ≈ C14 ≈ C16) was different from that in distilled water (C12 > C14 > C16). The leaching rates of the homologues in the acidic solutions and their salts solution were also higher than in distilled water, and the order of the rates was the same as in distilled water. The aqueous solution of sodium humate also accelerated homologue leaching but resulted in an order of C16 > C14 > C12. The BAC leaching acceleration mechanism by humate was thought to be different from the mechanisms of acids and their salts and plays an important role in the leaching behaviour of BAC in soil.     

Correlation with itchy feeling of fabric handling change by physicochemical processing of woolen fabric

The purpose of this research is in solution of two important subjects mutually related; (1) creation of fabrics of various handlings by finish processing and (2) mechanism of generation of itchy feeling acting as the hindrance of a comfortable clothing life and establishment of its objective evaluation method. For the purpose of solution of these two subjects, the same fabrics were used and they were changed by 18 kinds of different physicochemical procedures, which come out 18 levels of fabric handlings ranging from very soft to very stiff. As for handlings of 18 kinds of fabrics, the items of Hand Value were calculated based on all of KES basic properties in terms of KES procedures. Solution of these subjects is also connected with a high level of fabric finishing technology. On the other hand, one of the authors is an expert in fabric finish processing, and has been sure of itchy feeling of fabrics being closely connected with the hardness of fabrics from many years of experience. The degrees of itchy feeling for 18 kinds of fabric were judged by 50 evaluators of different ages and occupations, in terms of five ranks of evaluation method beforehand. As a result, itchy feeling had a high correlation with shear properties and Koshi, and had a negative high correlation with Numeri. It was confirmed that that itchy feeling could be evaluated by objective data of KES properties in terms of KES procedure.     

Potential predictive biomarkers of obesity in Burmese cats

Australian Burmese cats are predisposed to diabetes mellitus and, compared to other breeds, have delayed triglyceride clearance that may result in subtle changes within cells and tissues that trigger specific alterations in gene expression within peripheral blood leucocytes (PBLs). Expression of genes involved in energy metabolism (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase), lipogenesis (ATP citrate lyase [ACL], fatty acid synthase [FAS] and sterol regulatory binding protein-1c [SREBP-1c]), and insulin signalling (insulin receptor substrates 1 and 2, and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase), as well as cholesterol lipoprotein subfraction profiling were carried out on PBLs from lean Burmese cats and compared with similar profiles of age and gender matched lean and obese Australian domestic shorthaired cats (DSHs) in an attempt to identify possible biomarkers for assessing obesity.For the majority of the genes examined, the lean Burmese cats demonstrated similar PBL gene expression patterns as age and gender matched obese Australian DSH cats. Lean Burmese had increased expression of ACL and FAS, but not SREBP-1c, a main upstream regulator of lipid synthesis, suggesting possible aberrations in lipogenesis. Moreover, lean Burmese displayed a 3- to 4-fold increase in the very low density cholesterol fraction percentage, which was double that for obese DSH cats, indicating an increased degree of lipid dysregulation especially in relation to triglycerides. The findings suggest that Burmese cats may have a particular propensity for dysregulation in lipid metabolism.     

Organ formation from the excised bulb scales of Hippeastrum hybridum in vitro

The excised bulb scales of amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybridum), cultured on Murashige and Skoog’s medium supplemented with combinations of NAA and kinetin, developed buds or roots or both together. The patterns of organogenesis were governed by the concentration of NAA in the medium. On the other hand, kinetin was not only less effective but was also toxic at high concentrations.