Confirming the authenticity of the geographical origin of Naruto dried wakame Undaria pinnatifida using stable nitrogen isotope ratios

In aquatic ecosystems, the stable nitrogen isotope ratio (δ¹⁵N) of wakame is affected by the δ¹⁵N of its nitrogen source. Thus, the δ¹⁵N of wakame is thought to differ between those grown in different aquatic ecosystems. To confirm the authenticity of the geographic origin of Naruto dried wakame (DW), we conducted δ¹⁵N analysis. The δ¹⁵N (mean ± σ) of Naruto DW model samples (n = 72) was 11.1 ± 1.9 ‰. The δ¹⁵N confidence range of Naruto DW from the model was 5.3–16.9 ‰ (mean ± 3σ). The δ¹⁵N values of the DW model of Chinese (n = 23) and South Korean origin (n = 22) were 4.2 ± 1.4 and 1.6 ± 2.3 ‰, respectively. Within the δ¹⁵N confidence range of Naruto DW, two model samples of Chinese DW and one model sample of South Korean DW were found. From those results, DW of Naruto origin was able to be distinguished from DWs of the Chinese and the South Korean.     

Near-infrared spectroscopic sensing system for on-line milk quality assessment in a milking robot

A near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic sensing system was constructed on an experimental basis. This system enabled NIR spectra of raw milk to be obtained in an automatic milking system (milking robot system) over a wavelength range of 600–1050 nm. Calibration models for determining three major milk constituents (fat, protein and lactose), somatic cell count (SCC) and milk urea nitrogen (MUN) of unhomogenized milk were developed, and the precision and accuracy of the models were validated. The coefficient of determination (r²) and standard error of prediction (SEP) of the validation set for fat were 0.95 and 0.25%, respectively. The values of r² and SEP for lactose were 0.83 and 0.26%, those for protein were 0.72 and 0.15%, those for SCC were 0.68 and 0.28 log SCC/mL, and those for MUN were 0.53 and 1.50 mg/dL, respectively. These results indicate that the NIR spectroscopic system can be used to assess milk quality in real-time in an automatic milking system. The system can provide dairy farmers with information on milk quality and physiological condition of an individual cow and, therefore, give them feedback control for optimizing dairy farm management. By using the system, dairy farmers will be able to produce high-quality milk and precision dairy farming will be realized.     

Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis refractory to ivermectin treatment in two dogs

A 10-year-old castrated male Shih Tzu presented with severe generalized pruritus. Skin scrapings revealed the presence of Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis. A Yorkshire terrier in the same household simultaneously developed pruritus due to scabies. Both dogs were treated with 300 μg/kg ivermectin, at first orally and then subcutaneously at 14 day intervals. However, live mites were still found on day 35, and the skin condition deteriorated in both dogs. These findings suggested that the S. scabiei in these dogs was clinically refractory to ivermectin. The pruritus in both dogs rapidly and completely disappeared following topical fipronil administration. This appears to be the first report of canine scabies refractory to ivermectin treatment.     

Overexpression of CO2-responsive CCT protein,a key regulator of starch synthesis strikingly increases the glucose yield from rice straw for bioethanol production

Production of bioethanol from rice straw has attracted attention from the point of effective use of agricultural residue. Starch content is an important determinant for bioethanol production from rice straw. The overexpression of CO₂-responsive CCT protein (CRCT), which is the positive regulator of starch synthesis in vegetative organs, notably increased the starch content in rice straw. To produce the bioethanol from rice straw, the dilute acid pretreatment is a general pretreatment method. Importantly, the glucose yields in liquid hydrolyzate after dilute acid pretreatment was markedly increased in the CRCT overexpression lines compared with non-transgenic rice. In addition, the overexpression of CRCT enhanced the biomass production. In contrast, CRCT did not affect on the glucose yields from cellulose in acid-insoluble residue obtained after dilute acid pretreatment. With respect to byproduct in liquid hydrolyzate which inhibits the fermentation, the formic acid content was increased, whereas the furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and acetic acid contents were unchanged by the overexpression of CRCT. These results demonstrate that genetic engineering of CRCT is an effective method to increase the bioethanol production from rice straw.     

Changes in the nitrogen localized in the lamellae systems and stroma of rice chloroplast accompanying the stages of growth

The change in the nitrogen localized in the lamellae systems and stroma region of the rice chloroplast was pursued throughout the stages of growth and, further, the relationship between the composition of the chloroplast and leaf N content was examined. A common trend accompanying the stages of growth is recognized: that in the early stages of growth the amount of nitrogen existing as a form of stroma N is larger than that of lamellae N. Thereafter, stroma N tends to decrease in relation to lamellae N and finally, lamellae N becomes a dominant nitrogenous fraction in the chloroplast. The change in the composition of the chloroplast seems to be brought about by a change in the nitrogen metabolism of the chloroplast by which the distribution of absorbed nitrogen among the nitrogenous fractions of the chloroplast differs.     

Tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.) roots secrete oxalic acid and caffeine into medium containing aluminum

We examined the response of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis L.) to aluminum (Al) exposure under sterile conditions, focusing specifically on the secretion of low molecular mass organic compounds from roots. After germination in agar medium, tea seedlings together with medium were placed on agar containing 0.4?mM Al with 0.2% hematoxyline (hematoxylin-Al medium). The purple color of the hematoxylin-Al medium was observed to fade gradually, until none of the color remained 6 days later. The tea seedlings were then treated with simple calcium solution (0.2?mM, at pH 4.2) containing AlCl₃, which ranged in concentration from 0 to 0.8?mM, for 24?hrs. The amount of oxalate secreted into the medium increased as the external Al concentration increased, while the concentrations of malate and citrate in the medium remained unchanged. Oxalate secretion started within 30?min after Al exposure and increased linearly thereafter. The findings demonstrated that oxalate was a key compound in the Al-tolerance mechanism employed by the tea plant, which detoxifies Al³⁺ externally in the rhizosphere. In addition to oxalate, caffeine was also secreted by tea roots in response to Al exposure. It is possible that caffeine excretion from the roots of tea plants may stimulate root growth through the inhibition of callose deposition in root tips.     

The prevalence of Hantaan viruses among Rattus norvegicus in Tokyo in the 1960's

During the 1960's, 15 out of 89 rats (16.8%) captured in the port area and 6 out of 59 rats (10.2%) in the suburb of Tokyo were seropositive against Hantaan viruses.     

Isolation of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus from wild house mice (Mus musculus) in Osaka Port, Japan.

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) was isolated from 14 out of 35 wild house mouse samples captured on two piers of Osaka port in Japan. Four of them were isolated from were isolated from 18 antibody positive mice while 10 were from 17 antibody negative mice. This is the first report of the isolation of LCMV from wild mice in Japan.