Antifeedant activity of flavonoids and related compounds against the subterranean termiteCoptotermes formosanus Shiraki

Antifeedant activity of some flavonoids and their related compounds against the subterranean termiteCoptotermes formosanus Shiraki was examined with nochoice tests and two-choice tests. The activities of these compounds were evaluated in relation to their chemical structures. All flavonoids tested showed antifeedant activity, whereas catechinic acid, possessing no A-ring or pyran ring in the molecule, showed feeding-preference activity. For the structure-activity relations, it was found that compounds containing two hydroxyl groups at C-5 and C-7 in A-rings showed high antifeedant activity. Furthermore, the presence of a carbonyl group at C-4 in the pyran rings of the compounds was necessary for the occurrence of high activity. 3-Hydroxyflavones and 3-hydroxyflavanones with 3,4-dihydroxylated B-rings exhibited higher activity than those with 4-hydroxylated B-rings.Part of this paper was presented at the 49th annual meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Tokyo, April 1999     

Changes of decay and termite durabilities of Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis) wood due to high-temperature kiln drying processes

We investigated the effects of high-temperature drying schedules (120°–130°C) on decay and termite feeding of Japanese larch timbers. Thermogravimetric analysis was conducted to investigate changes of the wood components. Decay and termite feeding tests showed that specimens dried under high-temperature schedules were susceptible against a decaying fungus Fomitopsis palustris and attacks from termites Coptotermes formosanus and Reticulitermes speratus. These drying schedules changed chemical components, which were suggested by the thermal analytical result compared to the control sample. The results of this study indicated that the acceleration of termite feeding takes place even under temperatures that are comparatively lower than that used in our previous research in which 170°C steaming treatment was applied to Japanese larch wood. Decay durability against a brown rot fungus also decreased, possibly from production of low molecular weight fragments when hemicellulose decreased during the high-temperature drying processes.     

How different or similar are nematode communities between a paddy and an upland rice fields across a flooding-drainage cycle?

The paddy field is being recognised as a biodiversity hotspot fostering a variety of organisms. However, there are few studies on the ecology of paddy field nematodes. We characterised nematode communities in rice paddy fields by comparing them with upland fields of rice or soybean. We examined nematode communities of the top (0-15 mm) and second (15-50 mm) soil layers before flooding (March or April), during flooding (June or July) and during the draining period (October) 2007-2009. We found that the nematode community in the paddy was different than that in the upland fields during all periods. Rhabdolaimus, Tobrilus, Mesodorylaims and Monhysteridae characterised the top of the paddy and Hirschmanniella characterised the second layer of the paddy. Total nematode density was generally lower in the paddy than in the upland field. However, the density in the paddy top layer increased with time from the flooding period to the draining period, during which time it was about the same as (or even greater than) the peak density in the upland fields. The density in the second layer of the paddy remained lower than that in the top layer of the paddy throughout the time course. Community diversity values were generally greater in the paddy top layer than in the paddy second layer across the six sampling periods, but periodic differences between the paddy and upland fields or between soil layers were not significant. During the flooding period, the F/(F + B) (13-37) and Enrichment Index (17-38) values were lower in the paddy than in the upland fields (32-47, 37-74, respectively) to reflect that bacteria dominate over fungi with slow decomposition due to anaerobic conditions in the flooded paddy field. In addition, particularly in the top layer, the Maturity (2.0-2.4) and Structure Index (23-72) values were greater in the paddy than in the upland fields (1.7-2.1, 9-15, respectively), indicating a well-developed ecosystem under water. These unique nematode communities persisted during the draining period, but there was a rapid increase in opportunistic bacterivores, which increased the EI values. We suggest that bactivorous nematodes in the families Cephalobidae and Chronogasteridae, herbivores in the genus Hirschmanniella, and fungivores in the genus Filenchus may be specific to paddy field soil rather than to pond and lake sediments.     

Investigation of the Heavy Metal Sources in Relation to Automobiles

In order to investigate the sources of roadside heavy metal pollution, auto tire, gasoline, gas oil, kerosene, paint for road markings (white, yellow and red), the soot from the discharge spout, auto tire rubber, asphalt pavement, gray paint and anticorrosive on the guardrail were gathered together and analyzed. As a consequence, Pb may be originally from yellow and red road markings, and gray paint or anticorrosive. Hg is mainly emitted from the combustion of premium gasoline and diesel soot is an important source of As, Ni and Zn. Cd and Zn are mainly emitted from the abrasion of tire rubber. The wear of asphalt pavement is considered to be a source of Ni and V.     

旱稻水分利用率与碳同位素识别值之间的关系

通过温室盆栽试验 ,分析和探讨了三个水平的土壤水分条件对分蘖期和成熟期收获的旱稻(OryzasativaL .)生物量累积、水分利用率 (WUE)、植株不同部位的碳同位素识别值 (CID)的影响 ,并了解了它们之间的相互关系。水分条件包括 :饱和含水量 (W1 )、饱和含水量的 70 %(W2 )、饱和含水量的 4 0 %(W3)。结果表明当土壤水分条件从W1降低到W2时 ,分蘖期收获的生物量降低 4 5 %左右 ,成熟期收获的生物量降低 1 6 %～ 1 9%;而当从W1降低到W3时 ,分蘖期收获的生物量降低 73%左右 ,成熟期收获的生物量降低 5 5 %～ 5 7%。然而 ,根据地上部干重计算而来的WUE(WUE 地上部 )和根据全株干重计算而来的WUE(WUE 全株 )则随土壤含水量的降低而增加 ,其增幅在分蘖期为 0 .0 7～ 0 .2 8gkg-1 ,在成熟期为 0 .0 7～ 0 .4 5gkg-1 。植株的CID值变幅为 1 7.0～ 2 0 .6 ,但植株不同部位间差别显著 ,分蘖期收获的样品CID值从小到大的顺序为 :根 <最近完全伸展叶 <叶芽 <茎秆 ;而成熟期收获的样品CID值从小到大的顺序为 :籽粒 <根 <茎秆 <旗叶。随着土壤含水量的降低 ,植株所有部位的CID值亦显著减小。叶部的CID值与WUE 地上部(和WUE 全株 )之间呈一致的负相关关系。     

覆盖作物与耕作法对土壤性质的影响

冬季种植覆盖作物结合免耕法构成的保护性耕作法,在冬春季土壤休闲时期可提高土壤含水率,抑制土壤风蚀,回收土壤残留氮素;在夏季作物栽培时期仍可提高土壤的含水率,抑制土壤有机质下降,提高土壤生物活性,改善土壤团粒结构,起到土壤保护作用。     

Inter- and intraspecific sequence variations of the chloroplast genome in wild and cultivated Raphanus

To assess the differentiation of the chloroplast genome in wild and cultivated species of Raphanus , nucleotide sequence polymorphisms were investigated for approximately 2 kbp ranging from trnL (UAA) to psbG in R. raphanistrum and R. sativus . Eighteen plants of wild species, 10 Japanese wild radish plants ( R. sativus ), and 31 cultivated plants were used for sequence analysis. Intraspecific variations of the chloroplast genome were present both in wild and cultivated Raphanus . All three genes investigated ( trnL , trnF and ndhJ ) contained nucleotide substitutions within the genus. Whereas, larger numbers of mutations were observed in the intergenic regions. Using the detected variations, the 59 radish plants were classified into 11 haplotypes, seven of which were unique to wild species. Among the haplotypes, one type corresponded completely with the Ogura male sterile cytoplasm. All the cultivated radishes belonged to one of four types, of which three were also observed in Japanese wild radish. The haplotypes were classified into four groups by cluster analysis, and the distribution in the dendrogram confirmed that cultivated radish has multiple origins. On the other hand, the seven haplotypes uniquely observed in R. raphanistrum were considered as useful materials to provide genetic diversity of cytoplasm for breeding of cultivated radishes.     

Epigenetic assessment of environmental chemicals detected in maternal peripheral and cord blood samples

Epigenetic alteration is an emerging paradigm underlying the long-term effects of chemicals on gene functions. Various chemicals, including organophosphate insecticides and heavy metals, have been detected in the human fetal environment. Epigenetics by DNA methylation and histone modifications, through dynamic chromatin remodeling, is a mechanism for genome stability and gene functions. To investigate whether such environmental chemicals may cause epigenetic alterations, we studied the effects of selected chemicals on morphological changes in heterochromatin and DNA methylation status in mouse ES cells (ESCs). Twenty-five chemicals, including organophosphate insecticides, heavy metals and their metabolites, were assessed for their effect on the epigenetic status of mouse ESCs by monitoring heterochromatin stained with 4￠,6-diamino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). The cells were surveyed after 48 or 96 h of exposure to the chemicals at the serum concentrations of cord blood. The candidates for epigenetic mutagens were examined for the effect on DNA methylation at genic regions. Of the 25 chemicals, five chemicals (diethyl phosphate (DEP), mercury (Hg), cotinine, selenium (Se) and octachlorodipropyl ether (S-421)) caused alterations in nuclear staining, suggesting that they affected heterochromatin conditions. Hg and Se caused aberrant DNA methylation at gene loci. Furthermore, DEP at 0.1 ppb caused irreversible heterochromatin changes in ESCs, and DEP-, Hg- and S-421-exposed cells also exhibited impaired formation of the embryoid body (EB), which is an in vitro model for early embryos. We established a system for assessment of epigenetic mutagens. We identified environmental chemicals that could have effects on the human fetus epigenetic status.