Effect of alcohol-based organosolv treatment combined with short-time ball milling on the enzymatic hydrolysis of Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa)

Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) is a recalcitrance softwood widely used as building material in Japan. A combined technique of alcohol-based organosolv treatment and ball milling (BM) of this softwood for the production of fermentable sugars from lignocellulose was investigated. Ethanol, ethylene glycol, water, and their mixtures were used as solvents, and acetic acid was used as a proton donor. After solvolysis, a residual sample was subjected to short-time BM, and the entire residue was evaluated by saccharification with Acremonium cellulase. Short-time BM after alcohol-based organosolv treatment greatly improved the enzymatic digestibility and decreased the required severity of organosolv treatment. Moreover, alcohol-based organosolv treatment increased the efficiency and reduced the time required for BM despite small quantity of removed lignin. It was found that the combination of alcohol-based organosolv treatment in mild condition and short-time BM had a synergistic effect on the enzymatic digestibility of Japanese cypress.     

Reverted glutathione S-transferase-like genes that influence flower color intensity of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) originated from excision of a transposable element

A glutathione S-transferase-like gene, DcGSTF2, is responsible for carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) flower color intensity. Two defective genes, DcGSTF2mu with a nonsense mutation and DcGSTF2-dTac1 containing a transposable element dTac1, have been characterized in detail in this report. dTac1 is an active element that produces reverted functional genes by excision of the element. A pale-pink cultivar ‘Daisy’ carries both defective genes, whereas a spontaneous deep-colored mutant ‘Daisy-VPR’ lost the element from DcGSTF2-dTac1. This finding confirmed that dTac1 is active and that the resulting reverted gene, DcGSTF2rev1, missing the element is responsible for this color change. Crosses between the pale-colored cultivar ‘06-LA’ and a deep-colored cultivar ‘Spectrum’ produced segregating progeny. Only the deep-colored progeny had DcGSTF2rev2 derived from the ‘Spectrum’ parent, whereas progeny with pale-colored flowers had defective forms from both parents, DcGSTF2mu and DcGSTF2-dTac1. Thus, DcGSTF2rev2 had functional activity and likely originated from excision of dTac1 since there was a footprint sequence at the vacated site of the dTac1 insertion. Characterizing the DcGSTF2 genes in several cultivars revealed that the two functional genes, DcGSTF2rev1 and DcGSTF2rev2, have been used for some time in carnation breeding with the latter in use for more than half a century.     

Anoxification recovery using underwater LED irradiation and influence of its optical spectrum on water quality improvement

Paddy and Water Environment - This study focuses on a method for improving water quality via anoxification recovery using underwater LED treatment in an organically polluted reservoir. The main aim...     

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma in a Wistar Hannover GALAS Rat

There are no reported spontaneous cases of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and there are few reports about chemically-induced PDAC in rats. We encountered a PDAC in a Wistar Hannover GALAS rat that had been subjected to a medium-term multiorgan carcinogenicity bioassay. This article describes the histological and histochemical findings of the tumor. The tumor was located in the pancreatic tissue and had not invaded the liver parenchyma or the mucosal layer of the alimentary tract. The tumor cells were atypical and were mainly arranged in small tubules. In addition, abundant stroma and mucus production were observed in the tumor. In an immunohistochemical examination, the tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin, Sox9 and pancreas duodenum homeobox 1 and negative for amylase 2A and insulin. Therefore, the tumor was diagnosed as a PDAC based on its histological and histochemical findings. We considered that the tumor was caused by the carcinogens administered during the abovementioned bioassay.     

Background Data on Developmental Parameters During the Gestation Period in Rats

Abstract: Background data during the gestation period were obtained from 128 Wistar Hannover GALAS rats and 26 Crl:CD(SD) pregnant rats in the control groups of our previous toxicity studies. The body weights of dams in the Wistar Hannover GALAS rats were significantly lower throughout the gestation period than those in the Crl:CD(SD) rats. In contrast, the time-dependent change in the body weight gain (%) of dams showed very similar trends in both strains. The mean number of live embryos/fetuses in the Wistar Hannover GALAS rats was 12.0, and was lower than that (14.5) in the Crl:CD(SD) rats. The placental weights gradually increased with pregnancy progression and reached a plateau on gestation day (GD) 19, although the embryo/fetal weights rapidly increased from GD 17 to GD 21. The embryo/fetal weights in the Wistar Hannover GALAS rats were significantly lower on only GD 21 than those in the Crl:CD(SD) rats. It is considered that this fetal weight difference between the strains develops during the fetal period, but not during the organogenesis period. In contrast, there were no differences in the placental weights between the two strains. Microscopically, the thickness of the labyrinth zone in the Wistar Hannover GALAS rats was thicker throughout the gestation period than that in the Crl:CD(SD) rats.     

Phylogenetic analysis of Theileria sp. from sika deer, Cervus nippon, in Japan

The 18S rRNA genes of Theileria species detected in sika deer, Cervus nippon centralis in Yamaguchi and Cervus nippon yesoensis in Hokkaido, were analyzed. The percent identities of the nucleotide sequences of Theileria from Cervus nippon centralis and Cervus nippon yesoensis were more than 99%. The percent identities of the Theileria sp. from sika deer and Theileria sergenti, Theileria buffeli and Theileria cervi were 97, 96 and 95%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of the gene sequences also revealed that Theileria sp. detected from sika deer comprise a clade that is clearly distinct from the clade comprised of Theileria from cattle.