Transport of Atmospheric Pollutants from East Asia

Air-borne measurements of air pollutants transported from northeast Asia to Japan and the Pacific Ocean were carried out three times from 1996 to 1999 over the seas between Japan and Asian Continent. Those campaigns were named PEACAMPOT II under auspices of the IGAC/APARE program. A transport pattern of a highly polluted air mass from central China was found. Such air mass was driven by the quick movement of low pressure traveling from Taiwan area to the northeast of Japan. This finding supported well the results of modeling studies for long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants from East Asia.     

Seasonal changes of nitrate concentrations in baseflow headwaters of coniferous forests in Japan: A significant indicator for N saturation

Understanding the seasonal and regional patterns of nitrogen (N) components in the headwaters of forested watersheds is important for forests management. Here, we investigated the NO₃-N concentration and its seasonal variations in the baseflow headwaters in Japanese coniferous forests with different N saturation status in five regions (i.e., Nagano, Tokyo, Aichi, Kochi and Mie). We found that the ratios of NO₃-N to DON were significantly higher in the N-saturated regions including Nagano (14.1 ± 2.2) and Tokyo (16.5 ± 4.1), compared with the regions, which didn't experience N saturation including Aichi (1.4 ± 0.2), Kochi (5.1 ± 1.8), and Mie (2.2 ± 0.5). In comparison with the regions without experiencing N saturation, the relatively higher NO₃-N concentration, as well as its contrastive variation between growing season and dormant season, was also characteristic of the seasonal NO₃-N concentration in the N-saturated regions. Our findings have indicated that NO₃-N concentration, its seasonal variations, and the ratio of NO₃-N to DON, are the better and applicable indicators for evaluating N saturation status in Japanese coniferous forests.     

Effect of supplemented sericin on the development,cell number,cryosurvival and number of lipid droplets in cultured bovine embryos

Sericin was investigated as an alternative to fetal bovine serum (FBS) for bovine embryo culture. In vitro matured oocytes were developed using 0.05%, 0.1% or 0.15% sericin. The developmental rate, cryosurvival rate and blastulation time of these embryos were compared with those of embryos developed using 5% FBS. The number of lipid droplets was compared among the blastocysts developed using 5% FBS, using 0.05% sericin and in vivo. The rate of cleavage and blastocyst formation was similar among all groups. Blastulation occurred significantly earlier in the embryos developed using 5% FBS than in those developed using sericin at any concentration (P < 0.05). At 72 h after thawing, the cryosurvival rate of the blastocysts developed using 5% FBS and 0.05% sericin were significantly higher compared with those developed using 0.1% and 0.15% sericin (P < 0.05). The blastocysts developed using 0.05% sericin and in vivo produced a significantly fewer number of medium and large lipid droplets than those developed using 5% FBS. These results suggest that the blastocysts developed using 0.05% sericin show characteristics similar to those of the blastocysts developed in vivo and that the use of sericin as an alternative to FBS is feasible.     

Improved control of black rot of broccoli caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xanthomonas campestris</Emphasis> pv. <Emphasis Type="Italic">campestris</Emphasis> using a bacteriophage and a nonpathogenic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xanthomonas</Emphasis> sp. strain

We examined the potential for biological control of black rot of broccoli, caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc), using nonpathogenic Xanthomonas sp. strain 11-100-01 (npX) mixed with bacteriophage XcpSFC211 (pXS). Inoculation of intact broccoli plants in greenhouse trials with either npX or pXS did not control black rot. After injured plant inoculation, however, npX alone or npX with pXS significantly controlled black rot. When a mixed suspension of npX with pXS was placed on a membrane filter, then washed with distilled water and air-dried, a substantial amount of pXS adsorbed to the surface of npX. In a field trial, broccoli plants were sprayed with a suspension of npX with pXS, then inoculated with Xcc. A meta-analysis of the results from five field trials showed an integrated risk ratio (IRR, the ratio of disease incidence in inoculated broccoli plants to the incidence in control plants) of 0.69 after treatment with only npX and 0.59 with npX with pXS, indicating that black rot incidence was significantly reduced by each treatment. The difference between these two treatments was also significant. IRR was 1.24 when comparing suppression by npX with pXS and that by basic copper sulfate wettable powder; thus, their control was comparable. The combination of npX with pXS improved the preventive effect against black rot. This is the first report describing that a nonpathogenic Xanthomonas sp. strain mixed with a bacteriophage effectively controlled black rot of broccoli in field trials.     

Novel reovirus isolation from an Ostrich (Struthio camelus) in Japan

An orthoreovirus was isolated from an Ostrich (Struthio camelus) and rapidly identified as orthoreovirus by the rapid determination of viral RNA sequences (RDV) system and electron microscopy. Phylogenetic analysis of the sigma A protein indicated that the isolate belonged to avian species and was closely related to chicken orthoreovirus strain 138. The results of the present study indicated that an ostrich orthoreovirus is slight different from other chicken orthoreoviruses and provided evidence of diversity among avian orthoreoviruses. To our knowledge, this is the first genetic report of an orthoreovirus isolated from an ostrich.     

In vivo screening of subcutaneous tolerability for the development of novel excipients

To develop safe subcutaneous formulations and minimize the risk of local irritation, it is essential to optimize the composition of active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients. Depending on the physicochemical properties of the active pharmaceutical ingredient, additional excipients may be required to improve the stability and solubility of the active pharmaceutical ingredient. However, some of these excipients may not have been previously used in injectable drugs. Owing to the lack of safety data for such excipients, especially those used in subcutaneous dosing, it is important to evaluate their potential for local irritation during the early stages of formulation development. We evaluated the tolerability of 44 formulations with 24 candidate novel excipients, such as surfactants, polymers, and lipids, in a single subcutaneous dose in rats. Excipient formulations were administered as single bolus subcutaneous injections with an injection volume of 1 mL. The injection sites were observed for 2 days, and macroscopic and microscopic examinations were conducted. Local tolerability was evaluated on the basis of severity, incidence, and pathophysiology of each finding. Formulations that caused tissue degeneration or necrosis, which is indicative of tissue injury, were determined to be irritative and poorly tolerated. A single-dose subcutaneous screening study in rats was considered effective in ranking the safety of candidate excipients during the formulation optimization phase.