Sorption and desorption studies of Cs and Sr in contaminated soil samples around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Huge amounts of radiocesium, radiostrontium, and fission products were released into the atmosphere during the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP)...     

Assisted hatching of poor-quality bovine embryos increases pregnancy success rate after embryo transfer

Embryos of good, fair and poor quality were collected from superovulated cows and subjected to zona cutting (ZC) treatment using a needle under either an inverted microscope or a stereomicroscope. One (single transfer) or 2 (twin transfer) embryos with or without prior ZC treatment were transferred nonsurgically to recipients. Without the ZC treatment, lower embryonic quality resulted in lower pregnancy success rates. However, the ZC treatment increased the pregnancy success rate following transfer of poor-quality embryos, but not the pregnancy rate after transfer of good- or fair-quality embryos. No differences were observed between the pregnancy success rates after the transfer of embryos treated under the inverted microscope and those after transfer of embryos treated under the stereomicroscope, and this was the same after single and twin transfer. Moreover, ZC treatment of embryos prior to transfer did not result in an increased abortion rate, irrespective of the number of transferred embryos. In conclusion, ZC treatment improves pregnancy success rates following transfer of poor-quality embryos. Moreover, the results indicate that ZC treatment by using a stereomicroscope is practical for on-farm application.     

Identification of food-derived elastin peptide, prolyl-glycine (Pro-Gly), in human blood after ingestion of elastin hydrolysate

Elastin hydrolysate has apparent beneficial effects, and the food-derived peptide prolyl-glycine (Pro-Gly) is present in human blood after oral ingestion. Following ingestion of elastin hydrolysate (10 g/60 kg body weight) by healthy human volunteers, peripheral blood was used to prepare plasma samples from which peptides were extracted by solid phase extraction and fractionated by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). Peptides in the SEC fractions were derivatized with phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC) and resolved by reversed phase (RP)-HPLC. Pro-Gly was the major food-derived elastin peptide, reaching a maximum (18 μM) at 30 min after ingestion, and decreasing to approximately 20% at 4 h after ingestion. Finally, in cell culture, levels of Pro-Gly in the medium above 0.1 μg/mL significantly enhanced elastin synthesis of normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) without affecting the rate of cell proliferation.     

Number of services and the reservice intervals in relation to suboptimal reproductive performance in female pigs on commercial farms

This study investigated the associations of the number of services, reservice intervals (RI), parity, and weaning-to-first-mating intervals (WMI) with farrowing rate and pigs born alive (PBA) on commercial farms. The selected 117 farms included 115,442 service records and 93,867 farrowing records in 54,502 female pigs (females). A service was defined as one or more mating events within a 10-day time period of estrus. The number of services was categorized into three groups: non-return to service, first reservice, and second or later reservice. The RI was divided into 8 seven-day interval groups from 11 to 66 days and a group of 67–150 days. The effects of the number of services, RI, WMI, and parity on farrowing rate and PBA were analyzed by using the mixed-effects models. The frequency distributions of non-return to service, first reservice, and second or later reservice groups were 88.6, 9.7, and 1.7%, respectively. Farrowing rate decreased by approximately 18% with each service (P < 0.05). Reserviced females exhibited a different reproductive performance as compared to non-return to service females depending on parity and WMI. In the non-return to service group, sows with WMI 7–12 days had the lowest farrowing rate (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, in the first and second or later reservice groups, no differences between the WMI groups were found in farrowing rate. At parity 1 and 2, the first reservice group had the most PBA (P < 0.05). However, at parity 0, 3–5, and ≥ 6, no differences between the number of service groups were found in PBA. In the WMI 0–6 and 7–12 day groups, the first reservice group had the most PBA (P < 0.05). The mean of RI was 44.5 ± 0.28 days in 13,183 reservice records. RI decreased from 47.4 to 39.2 days as parity increased from 0 to ≥ 6 (P < 0.05). The frequency distributions of the RI 18–24, 39–45, and 67–150 days were 39.3, 12.4, and 18.8%, respectively. Gilts had lower proportions of the RI 18–24 days and higher proportions of RI 67–150 days than sows at parity 3–5 (P < 0.05). No differences between RI groups were found in farrowing rate and PBA. Increasing farrowing rate in non-return to service females and minimizing RI in females at low parity improved herd productivity.     

Microbial conversion of bamboo hemicellulose hydrolysate to xylitol

A hemicellulose hydrolysate containing 19 g L^?1 xylose was prepared from the culm of bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) by hydrolysis with 3 % sulphuric acid with a liquor to solid ratio of 10 (g g^?1) at 121 °C for 1 h. After detoxification of the hydrolysate with a commercially available activated char followed by neutralisation with calcium carbonate, the resulting sugar solution was subjected to fermentation using the yeast, Candida magnoliae. The maximum xylitol production (10.5 g L^?1) and the maximum xylitol volumetric productivity (0.42 g L^?1 h^?1) were attained under agitation set at 400 min^?1 and aeration rate of 0.67 vvm (volume of air per volume of medium per minute). According to the results, a suitable control of the oxygen supply permits the xylitol formation from bamboo hemicellulose hydrolysate.     

Relations between plasma IGF-I concentrations during treatment with CIDR-based or Ovsynch protocol for timed AI and conception in early postpartum Japanese black beef cows

We examined the relations between plasma insulin-like growth factor (IGF) -I concentrations during treatment with CIDR-based or Ovsynch protocol for timed AI and conception and plasma steroid concentrations in early postpartum Japanese Black beef cows. Cows in the control group (Ovsynch; n = 21) underwent Ovsynch protocol (GnRH analogue on Day 0, PGF(2alpha) analogue on Day 7, and GnRH analogue on Day 9), with AI on Day 10, approximately 20 h after the second GnRH treatment. Cows in the Ovsynch+CIDR group (n = 22) received Ovsynch protocol plus a CIDR for 7 days (starting on Day 0). Cows in the further treatment group (EB+CIDR+GnRH; n = 22) received 2 mg of estradiol benzoate (EB) on Day 0 in lieu of the first GnRH treatment, followed by the same treatment as in the Ovsynch+CIDR protocol. Plasma IGF-I concentrations were determined on Days -7, 0, 7, 9 and 17. Conception rates were improved in the CIDR-combined groups (both CIDR-treated groups were combined) relative to Ovsynch group (P < 0.05) for cows with low IGF-I concentrations (<1,000 ng/ml) on Days -7, 0, and 7, but improved conception rate produced by the CIDR-based protocols did not occur in cows with a high IGF-I concentration (> or =1,000 ng/ml). Plasma estradiol-17beta concentrations increased from Day 0 to 7 (P < 0.05) and were unchanged from Day 7 to 9 in the Ovsynch group with low IGF-I concentrations on Day 0, while they were unchanged from Day 0 to 7 and increased from Day 7 to 9 (P < 0.05) in the Ovsynch group with high IGF-I concentrations on Day 0 and in the CIDR-combined group. Plasma progesterone concentrations in the Ovsynch group with low IGF-I concentrations on Day 0 were higher on Day 14 than in the Ovsynch group with high IGF-I concentrations on Day 0 and in the CIDR-combined group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, CIDR-based protocols may improve conception relative to Ovsynch in early postpartum beef cows with lower plasma IGF-I concentrations at the start of the protocols. This improvement is probably due to prevention of premature increases of estradiol-17beta and progesterone concentrations, which occurred in cows with low IGF-I concentrations treated with Ovsynch, by the CIDR treatment.     

Behavior of radiocesium in decontaminated paddy fields in Fukushima Prefecture,Japan

Paddy and Water Environment - The 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami led to dispersal of radionuclides into the surrounding area from the Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima...     

Assessing decline in physical structure of deciduous hardwood forest stands under sika deer grazing using shrub-layer vegetation cover

For 345 stands of deciduous hardwood forest in Hyogo Prefecture, Western Japan, we assessed the decline of shrub-layer vegetation due to sika deer in each stand by using the shrub-layer decline rank (SDR), determined by combining the shrub-layer vegetation cover and the presence of signs of grazing by sika deer in a stand. Since there was a geographical correlation between SDR and sighting per unit effort (SPUE), which is an index of the relative density of sika deer, it appeared that decline of shrub-layer vegetation in a stand can be accurately evaluated by SDR. There were correlations between SDR and several variables that indicate the status of components in forests (presence of saplings of tall trees, occurrence of bark stripping of tall trees, proportion of bark-stripped stems of Clethra barvinervis, decline of subtree-layer vegetation by bark stripping, cover of litter on the ground, and area of soil surface erosion). These results indicate that the status of these components changes with decline of shrub-layer vegetation by sika deer grazing. It is thought that such synchronizations are caused by sika deer grazing or a direct or indirect effect by decline of shrub-layer vegetation due to sika deer. Therefore, it is reasonable to assess decline in physical structure due to sika deer for stands of deciduous hardwood forests according to SDR.     

Medium without ammonium accumulation supports the developmental competence of human embryos

L-Glutamine has been shown to play an important role during in vitro culture of mammalian embryos. However, it is easily decomposed into ammonium, which is believed to have deleterious effects on preimplantation embryos. In this study, we assessed prospectively the developmental competence of human embryos cultured in medium containing L-glutamine or a novel stable glutamine derivative and vitamins. The subjects of this study were 41 women who underwent IVF/ET treatment from September to November 2006 and from whom 6 or more oocytes were retrieved. Sibling oocytes were randomly divided into EA/BA (EmbryoAssyst and BlastAssyst containing a novel stable glutamine derivative and vitamins), and BAS groups (BlastAssyst system containing L-glutamine). There was no difference in pronuclear formation rate between EA/BA and BAS (74 vs. 69%). The blastulation rates of embryos based on the number of zygotes cultured in EA/BA on Days 5 (Day 0=insemination, 54%) and 6 (63%) were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those cultured in BAS (Day 5: 33% and Day 6: 45%, respectively). The present data indicate that a medium containing a novel stable glutamine derivative and vitamins supports the developmental competence of human embryos.