Production and analysis of reciprocal hybrids between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Asparagus officinalis</Emphasis> L. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">A. schoberioides</Emphasis> Kunth

The genus Asparagus (Asparagaceae) encompasses 100–300 species, including the important vegetable crop, A. officinalis (garden asparagus). Previous attempts to hybridize garden asparagus with A. densiflorus (Kunth) Jessop, with the aim of introducing disease resistance, were unsuccessful because of the failure of endosperm development. In the present study, reciprocal interspecific hybrids between garden asparagus and A. schoberioides Kunth were generated by hand pollination. The F1 hybrids were analyzed by using both morphological and molecular techniques. This is the first report describing the production of an interspecific hybrid between garden asparagus at the diploid level (2n = 2x = 20) and its diploid (2n = 2x = 20) wild relative, A. schoberioides. Morphological characteristics of candidate hybrids were a mixture of those found in the parents, and cytological and RFLP analyses confirmed that morphologically intermediate plants were indeed diploid hybrids of those two species. In other words, post-zygotic isolation is not complete between phylogenetically distinct these two species. Our results suggest that other Asparagus species may be capable of hybridizing with A. officinalis and that introducing wild characters through interspecific hybridization may offer advantages for breeding for novel traits. Takuro Ito and Toshinori Ochiai authors are contributed equally to this work     

Assessment of biomarkers influencing treatment success on small intestinal lymphoma in dogs

This study aimed to determine a reliable therapeutic biomarker for localized small intestinal lymphoma (SIL) in dogs based on clinical and histopathological features. We retrospectively investigated 84 dogs with localized SIL, including 36 dogs receiving surgery and 48 dogs receiving chemotherapy. The dogs receiving surgery were divided into two subgroups: 18 dogs (group 1) with overall survival (OS) <120 days (median OS) and 18 dogs (group 2) with OS ≥120 days. Correspondingly, the dogs receiving chemotherapy were divided into 24 dogs (group 3) with OS <98 days (median OS) and 24 dogs (group 4) with OS ≥98 days. Clinical, haematological, histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses were comparatively evaluated among the four subgroups. There was no significant difference in OS between the surgery and chemotherapy groups. In dogs receiving surgery, the rate of Ki67‐positive cells was significantly increased in group 1 compared to group 2 and showed no significant difference between groups 3 and 4. In dogs receiving chemotherapy, the rate of O6‐methylguanine‐DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) was significantly higher in group 3 than in group 4 and showed no significant difference between groups 1 and 2. Additionally, our data showed that OS in dogs with higher Ki67 expression might be significantly increased by chemotherapy than by surgery, that of those with higher MGMT expression might be significantly increased by surgery than by chemotherapy, and Ki67 and MGMT were independent of each other. Indices of Ki67 and MGMT are suggested therapeutic biomarkers to determine the optimal first‐line treatment for localized SIL in dogs.     

Long-term postsurgical outcomes of mast cell tumors resected with a margin proportional to the tumor diameter in 23 dogs

We evaluated the postsurgical outcomes of cutaneous or subcutaneous mast cell tumors (MCTs, n=25) in 23 dogs, resected with lateral surgical margins proportional to the widest tumor diameter, including at least one facial plane. The tumor diameter range was 0.3–2.6 cm (median: 0.9 cm), and all were histologically diagnosed as Kiupel’s low-grade MCT. Resection was histologically complete in 20, close (deep margin) in three, and incomplete (deep margin) in two. No dogs developed local recurrence at the site of initial surgery during follow-up of 161–2,219 days (median: 976 days). These results suggest that resection of low-grade, relatively small MCTs with surgical margins proportional to the tumor diameter is a practical procedure with high success rates.     

Metabolism of 7-fluoro-6-(3,4,5,6-tetrahydrophthalimido)-4- (2-propynyl)-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one (S-53482) in rat. 1. Identification of a sulfonic acid type conjugate

To examine the metabolic fate of 7-fluoro-6-(3,4,5, 6-tetrahydrophthalimido)-4-(2-propynyl)-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3( 4H)-one (S-53482), rats were given a single oral dose of [phenyl-(14)C]-S-53482 at 1 (low) or 100 (high) mg/kg. The radiocarbon was almost completely eliminated within 7 days after administration in both groups. (14)C recoveries (expressed as percentages relative to the dosed (14)C) in feces and urine were 56-72 and 31-43%, respectively, for the low dose and 78-85 and 13-23%, respectively, for the high dose. S-53482 and seven metabolites were identified in urine and feces. Six of them were purified by several chromatographic techniques and identified by spectroanalyses (NMR and MS). Alcohol derivatives and an acetoanilide derivative were isolated from urine. Three sulfonic acid conjugates having a sulfonic acid group incorporated into the double bond of the 3,4,5,6-tetrahydrophthalimide moiety were isolated from feces. On the basis of the metabolites identified in this study, the metabolic pathways of S-53482 in rats are proposed.     

Genetic Variation of Blast Resistance in Foxtail Millet (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Setaria italica</Emphasis> (L.) P. Beauv.) and its Geographic Distribution

To clarify the geographic variation and isolate specificity in blast resistance, 20 cultivars of foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.) originating from Eurasia were examined for their resistance using 11 Japanese Setaria isolates of blast fungus. Cultivars from the countries east of Pakistan generally showed resistance to most of the 11 fungus isolates, whereas those from the countries west of Afghanistan indicated higher susceptibility. The origin of this geographical regularity was discussed in relation to the deficiency or specificity of relevant resistance gene(s). No identical reaction pattern was observed among cultivars, indicating their highly distinctive isolate specificity. The virulence of isolates was also diverse, since only 2 out of 10 virulent isolates were identical for their reaction patterns. Preliminary genetic analysis of blast resistance to four fungus isolates suggests that they are governed by more than two dominant genes.     

Behaviors of D- and L-lactic acids during the brewing process of sake (Japanese rice wine)

The amounts of D- and L-lactic acids during the brewing process of sake were determined by capillary electrophoresis using 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin as a chiral selector. Because L-lactic acid, which prevents the growth of nonuseful microorganisms, is a raw material of sake, the ratio of L-lactic acid to total lactic acid is almost 1.0 at the initial stage of sake brewing. During brewing, the ratio decreased gradually and finally reached 0.39. Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) for sake brewing produced D-lactic acid, but not L-lactic acid in a culture medium. These results suggest that the decrease in the ratio of L-lactic acid to total lactic acid during sake brewing resulted in D-lactic acid production by yeast. The ratios in 18 brands of sake obtained commercially ranged from 0.23 to 0.78. The levels of D-lactic acid in sake (140-274 mg/L) were in a narrower range than those of L-lactic acid (61-461 mg/L). Although the D-lactic acid level in sake did not correspond to total lactic acid level, the L-lactic acid level correlated well with total lactic acid level (R(2) = 0.867). These results suggest that the ratio of L-lactic acid to total lactic acid in sake reflected the amount of L-lactic acid added at the initial stage of sake brewing.     

The crown shape of an evergreen oak,Quercus glauca, in a hardwood community

The spatial pattern of the crown spread ofQuercus glauca in a hardwood community was investigated in order to consider the effect of the patterns on its survival in a secondary hardwood community. The shape of a crown was defined by the spatial spread of the leaves (PCM crown), and by the spread of their branches (elliptic cylinder crown). The stem volume growth rate of a tree was strongly correlated with the corresponding total leaf area, which was then significantly correlated with the defined crown volume. This indicated that the stem volume growth depended on the crown volume as well as the total leaf area. An increase in leaf area was largely attained by the spatial volume of the crown, not by an increase in the leaf area density. The leaves inside the crown began to spread horizontally relative to the crown size as the total leaf area and tree size increased. On the other hand, for the crowns representing the branch spread, the crown shape (crown width/depth ratio) did not differ by internal leaf area and tree size. Such a spatial pattern was likely to be adaptive for a species that dominates at a mid-stage of secondary sere.     

Cloning, sequencing, and expression of the gene coding for the human platelet alpha 2-adrenergic receptor

The gene for the human platelet alpha 2-adrenergic receptor has been cloned with oligonucleotides corresponding to the partial amino acid sequence of the purified receptor. The identity of this gene has been confirmed by the binding of alpha 2-adrenergic ligands to the cloned receptor expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The deduced amino acid sequence is most similar to the recently cloned human beta 2- and beta 1-adrenergic receptors; however, similarities to the muscarinic cholinergic receptors are also evident. Two related genes have been identified by low stringency Southern blot analysis. These genes may represent additional alpha 2-adrenergic receptor subtypes.     

Prospects for multifunctionality of paddy rice cultivation in Japan and other countries in monsoon Asia

This paper presents a study carried out by a group of Japanese researchers to critically review past researches and discussions on the multifunctionality of paddy rice cultivation, with the aim of describing the current status of the subject and providing options and potentials for future research and practices. The review was of over 200 documented articles on the major external functions. The results of this study revealed that the importance of multifunctionality is well perceived in Japan. The methodologies to measure and estimate the magnitude have been established for most functions. However, there is a need for more cases, to integrate all the functions at the local or regional scale to represent site-specific characteristics of multifunctionality. There is also a need to develop management practices to sustain and enhance the positive multifunctionality of paddy rice cultivation while minimizing negative effects to the environment, which may be brought into the agricultural policies. Except for Korea, Taiwan, and Japan, there are slightly different notions on multifunctionality in other monsoon Asia countries, but the gap in this notion is reducing following recent international activities.