Highly regioselective amination of unactivated alkanes by hypervalent sulfonylimino-λ³-bromane

Amination of alkanes has generally required metal catalysts and/or high temperatures. Here we report that simple exposure of a broad range of alkanes to N-triflylimino-λ(3)-bromane 1 at ambient temperature results in C-H insertion of the nitrogen functionality to afford triflyl-substituted amines in moderate to high yields. Marked selectivity for tertiary over secondary C-H bonds was observed; primary (methyl) C-H bonds were inert. Addition of hexafluoroisopropanol to inhibit decomposition of 1 dramatically improved the C-H amination efficiencies. Second-order kinetics, activation parameters (negative activation entropy), deuterium isotope effects, and theoretical calculations suggest a concerted asynchronous bimolecular transition state for the metal-free C-H amination event.     

Differentially methylated CpG sites related to fertility in Japanese Black bull spermatozoa: epigenetic biomarker candidates to predict sire conception rate

For semen suppliers, predicting the low fertility of service bull candidates before artificial insemination would help prevent economic loss; however, predicting bull fertility through in vitro assessment of semen is yet to be established. In the present study, we focused on the methylated CpG sites of sperm nuclear DNA and examined methylation levels to screen new biomarkers for predicting bull fertility. In frozen-thawed semen samples collected from Japanese Black bulls, for which the sire conception rate (SCR) was recorded, the methylation level of each CpG site was analyzed using human methylation microarray. According to regression analysis, 143 CpG sites related to SCR were significantly differentially methylated. Whole genome bisulfite sequence data were obtained from three semen samples and the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that included the target CpG sites selected by human methylation microarray were confirmed. Using combined bisulfite restriction analysis, fertility-related methylation changes were detected in 10 DMRs. With the exception of one DMR, the methylation levels of these DMRs were significantly different between groups with high fertility (> 50%) and low fertility (< 40%). From multiple regression analysis of methylation levels and SCR, three DMRs were selected that could effectively predict bull fertility. We suggest that these fertility-related differences in spermatozoal methylation levels could be new epigenetic biomarkers for predicting bull fertility.     

Late seeding of soybean after rice transplanting period using variety "Yukihomare" in central area of Hokkaido

(Jpn. J. Soil Sci.Plant Nutr., 77, 293–298, 2006)
"Kitanokaori" is a new variety of wheat for bread use bred at the National Agricultural Research Center for Hokkaido Region. The grain protein content of wheat for bread use should be higher than 120 g kg−1. Much nitrogen application is necessary to obtain high grain protein content. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the optimum amount of nitrogen to obtain the required protein content and to prevent nitrogen from remaining in the soil. The nutrition diagnosis using leaf color was investigated to predict the need and the amount of top-dressing. Field experiments were conducted for four years with nitrogen treatments in Andosol, which has moderate nitrogen fertility, and in Histosol, which is a fertile soil. The leaf color was measured using a chlorophyll meter SPAD502 (CM value) at the middle part of the leaf, avoiding the center rib. The colors of the 10·15 uppermost second leaves were measured in one plot and averaged.
A close relation was found between leaf color at the full heading stage and grain protein content at harvest. Leaf color at the full heading stage is therefore a good index to control the protein content. Considering the effect of top-dressing at the full heading stage in each CM value, the diagnosis criterion was decided. When the CM value is over 52 at the full heading stage, more nitrogen application is not needed. When the CM value is 50·52, 30 kg N ha−1 of top-dressing at the full heading stage is needed, and when the CM value is 45·50, 60 kg N ha−1 of top-dressing is needed to obtain a grain protein content of more than 120 g kg−1.     

Phosphorus retention efficiency in rainbow trout fed diets with low fish meal and alternative protein ingredients

ABSTRACT:   Two experiments were conducted to evaluate feed quality and body phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) retention by rainbow trout fed test diets with low amounts of fish meal content and alternative low-P protein sources. A fish meal (FM) diet was used as control. Fish weighing 2.0 g and 134.7 g on average were reared with the experimental diets for 30 weeks and 15 weeks, respectively. The experimental diets had a good growth rate and feed utilization. In the first experiment the P retention was higher in the group of fish fed test diets (56 and 69%) compared to the FM-based diet (36%); N retention rates were similar for all groups. In the second experiment, fish were fed the test diet that had the best P retention in the earlier experiment. The P retention was lower than the values obtained in the first experiment (smaller fish), but still higher in the group of fish fed the low FM diet in comparison with the control group (36.0% and 22.2%, respectively). This represents a P loading into the water of 5.9 kg/t and 12.8 kg/t production for the test and the control diet, respectively. Therefore, low-P-loading diets for rainbow trout can be developed through the appropriate combination of alternative protein sources.     

Effect of initial age variation on production of Florida red tilapia fry under intensive, brackishwater tank culture

Abstract. Growth and survival were compared among uniform- and mixed-age groups of Florida red tilapia fry during sex reversal in brackishwater (12ppt) tanks, under commercial-scale hatchery conditions. Three treatment groups of post-yolksac (i.e. free-swimming) stage fry of different age compositions were compared: (1) 100% fry collected at the free-swimming stage (FSF); (2) 100% fry obtained through artificial incubation of eggs and non-swimming sacfry (ENS); and (3) a mixed group consisting of 50% of each type (FSF+ENS). Fry were stocked into 530–1 cylindroconical tanks at a density of seven fish/l (3700/tank) and reared on an androgen-treated diet for 30 days. While specific growth rates (range = 17·1–17·8% body weight/day) did not differ (P > 0·05) among treatments, significant (P < 0.05) differences were observed for survival and feed conversion ratio (FCR). ENS showed highest survival (76·8%) and lowest FCR (1·14), FSF showed intermediate survival (59·2%) and FCR(l·33), while the mixed-age group (FSF+ENS) showed lowest survival (38·5%) and highest FCR (1·70). Under all treatments, a majority of fry losses were attributed to cannibalism. A highly significant ( P < 0·001) negative regression between survival and coefficient of variation of initial weights (CV = SD/) indicated that cannibalism was reduced by minimizing age/size variation at stocking. The CV of initial weight may be a useful parameter for predicting fry survival under intensive tank culture.