Phylogeography based on the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region of native Miscanthus sinensis (Poaceae) populations in Japan

Nucleotide sequence variations were investigated with respect to the geographical distribution patterns of Miscanthus sinensis populations that were sampled from 26 Japanese national parks and three populations of the Ryukyu Islands. Twelve homozygous sequences in the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region were detected. The populations of M. sinensis in mainland Japan mainly were composed of a monophyletic group with a symapomorphic character, whereas those in the Ryukyu Islands included a polyphyletic group. Only an internal transcribed spacer haplotype with a plesiomorphic character was found in both mainland Japan and the Ryukyu Islands. Thus, no clear geographical isolation was observed in this species. These facts might be caused by the ability of M. sinensis as a pioneer plant to have a high migration potential and high gene flow by outcrossing. On the basis of the results of this study (nuclear ribosomal DNA) and the previous study (chloroplast DNA), a phylogeographical history of M. sinensis was presumed where the ancestral and derived lineages were distributed in the southern and northern regions of Japan, respectively, without strict geographical isolation.     

Carbon fluxes and their response to environmental variables in a Dahurian larch forest ecosystem in northeast China

The Dahurian larch forest in northeast China is important due to its vastness and location within a transitional zone from boreal to temperate and at the southern distribution edge of the vast Siberian larch forest. The continuous carbon fluxes were measured from May 2004 to April 2005 in the Dahurian larch forest in Northeast China using an eddy covariance method. The results showed that the ecosystem released carbon in the dormant season from mid-October 2004 to April 2005, while it assimilated CO₂ from the atmosphere in the growing season from May to September 2004. The net carbon sequestration reached its peak of 112 g·m⁻²·month⁻¹ in June 2004 (simplified expression of g (carbon)·m⁻²·month⁻¹) and then gradually decreased. Annually, the larch forest was a carbon sink that sequestered carbon of 146 g·m⁻²·a⁻¹ (simplified expression of g (carbon)·m⁻²·a⁻¹) during the measurements. The photosynthetic process of the larch forest ecosystem was largely affected by the vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and temperature. Under humid conditions (VPD < 1.0 kPa), the gross ecosystem production (GEP) increased with increasing temperature. But the net ecosystem production (NEP) showed almost no change with increasing temperature because the increment of GEP was counterbalanced by that of the ecosystem respiration. Under a dry environment (VPD > 1.0 kPa), the GEP decreased with the increasing VPD at a rate of 3.0 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹·kPa^-1 and the ecosystem respiration was also enhanced simultaneously due to the increase of air temperature, which was linearly correlated with the VPD. As a result, the net ecosystem carbon sequestration rapidly decreased with the increasing VPD at a rate of 5.2 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹·kPa⁻¹. Under humid conditions (VPD < 1.0 kPa), both the GEP and NEP were obviously restricted by the low air temperature but were insensitive to the high temperature because the observed high temperature value comes within the category of the optimum range.     

Manageable risks and the demand for food products: the case of oyster

The risk of norovirus food poisoning from oyster consumption can be minimized by consumers, as thorough cooking can destroy norovirus. This paper uses data from 23 prefectures in Japan during 1970–2010 to examine how the demand for oysters responds to this manageable risk. We find that the incidence rate of norovirus has no effect on the price of oysters in prefectures that specialize in oysters for cooking, whereas it has significant negative impacts in prefectures that produce oysters to be eaten raw. These results indicate that consumers respond differently to manageable and non-manageable risks.     

Stereotactic body radiation therapy as an alternative to adrenalectomy for the treatment of pheochromocytomas in 8 dogs

The objective of this report is to describe the use and outcome of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for treatment of pheochromocytomas in 8 dogs. Pheochromocytomas are an uncommon but challenging tumour to manage. Adrenalectomy is the standard of care for treatment of pheochromocytomas in both animals and humans; however, unpredictable catecholamine secretion from the tumour and vascular and local invasion of the tumour and thrombi can pose life-threatening perioperative and anaesthetic risks. SBRT has been investigated as an alternative to adrenalectomy in human patients with pheochromocytomas. Eight dogs with clinical signs, an adrenal mass, and cytology and/or urine normetanephrine/creatinine ratios consistent with pheochromocytoma were treated with SBRT in lieu of adrenalectomy. Three dogs presented with acute hemoabdomen. Seven dogs had caval tumour invasion, 3 with extension into the right atrium. Following SBRT, all dogs had complete resolution of clinical signs and reduced urine normetanephrine/creatinine ratio and/or tumour size. No significant anaesthetic complications were encountered. Acute radiation toxicity was limited to grade I gastrointestinal signs in 3 dogs and resolved within 1–2 days of symptomatic therapy. Five of 8 dogs were alive at the time of follow up, with a median follow up time of 25.8 months. SBRT resulted in a favourable outcome and mitigated the life-threatening risks of adrenalectomy in these 8 dogs. SBRT may be a safe and effective alternative to adrenalectomy for pheochromocytomas in dogs with non-resectable tumours, or for owners averse to the risks of surgery.     

Effect of brown seaweed lipids on fatty acid composition and lipid hydroperoxide levels of mouse liver

Brown seaweed lipids from Undaria pinnatifida (Wakame), Sargassum horneri (Akamoku), and Cystoseira hakodatensis (Uganomoku) contained several bioactive compounds, namely, fucoxanthin, polyphenols, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Fucoxanthin and polyphenol contents of Akamoku and Uganomoku lipids were higher than those of Wakame lipids, while Wakame lipids showed higher total omega-3 PUFA content than Akamoku and Uganomoku lipids. The levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) in liver lipids of KK-A(y) mouse significantly increased by Akamoku and Uganomoku lipid feeding as compared with the control, but not by Wakame lipid feeding. Fucoxanthin has been reported to accelerate the bioconversion of omega-3 PUFA and omega-6 PUFA to DHA and AA, respectively. The higher hepatic DHA and AA level of mice fed Akamoku and Uganomoku lipids would be attributed to the higher content of fucoxanthin of Akamoku and Uganomoku lipids. The lipid hydroperoxide levels of the liver of mice fed brown seaweed lipids were significantly lower than those of control mice, even though total PUFA content was higher in the liver of mice fed brown seaweed lipids. This would be, at least in part, due to the antioxidant activity of fucoxanthin metabolites in the liver.     

Screening for proteinuria in cats using a conventional dipstick test after removal of cauxin from urine with a Lens culinaris agglutinin lectin tip

Proteinuria is an important indicator of urinary tract disease and urine dipsticks are simple and sensitive tools to screen for this marker. However, the use of dipsticks to screen for proteinuria may not be appropriate in cats, since cauxin, a 70 kDa glycoprotein, is secreted by the kidneys in clinically normal animals of this species. To circumvent this problem, a Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA) lectin tip was developed to remove cauxin from feline urine, followed by conventional urine dipstick testing for proteinuria. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) with Coomassie brilliant blue R-250 staining indicated that >90% cauxin in the urine of 13 clinically normal cats was trapped by the LCA lectin tip, so that the dipstick protein ‘score’ changed from ‘positive’ (?30 mg/dL) for untreated urine to ‘negative’ (?10 mg/dL) for lectin tip-treated urine. In contrast, SDS–PAGE indicated that lectin tip-treated samples from 20 animals with renal disease contained high concentrations of albumin and low-molecular weight proteins; dipstick testing of lectin tip-treated urine resulted in a consistently positive protein score. The accuracy of the dipstick method for detecting cats with abnormal proteinuria is enhanced if dipsticks are used with urine samples that have first been passed through the LCA lectin tip.     

Effects of meat species on the postprandial thermic effect in rats

We examined animal species differences in the postprandial thermic effect of meat and investigated the postprandial thermic effect of mutton in rats. After intake of experimental diets containing each meat, body temperatures of rats fed mutton or venison were significantly higher than that of rats fed rabbit meat. After intake of experimental diets containing fractionized mutton, the body temperatures of rats fed diets containing lean mutton protein were higher than those of rats fed diets without lean mutton protein. In a two‐dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis study of brown adipose tissue, it was shown that the intake of mutton up‐regulated the expression of many signaling molecules that are involved in energy metabolism. The postprandial thermic effect of mutton seems to be due not to catecholamine and adrenocorticotropic hormone but to thyroid hormones. The results suggest that intake of lean mutton protein stimulates the secretion of thyroid hormones and facilitates energy metabolism in rats.     

Complete contact of Brassica roots with phosphorus fertilizer in a phosphorus-deficient soil

The preferential development of Brassica lateral roots for phosphorus (P) to forage for P fertilizer was observed by using alginate gel beads in which powdery dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) was suspended (DCPD gel bead). The DCPD gel beads enabled to detect the characteristic root growth around them because of their larger diameter (1.5 cm) than that of standard fertilizer particles. The thin Brassica lateral roots completely encircled the DCPD gel beads and no soil area remained between the roots and the DCPD gel beads. This morphological plasticity of Brassica roots is highly suitable for improving the P recovery rate because even a few mm of soil with a high P retention capacity between a plant root and P fertilizer reduces the P recovery rate. The P recovery rate in the Brassica shoots exceeded 0.05 and the ratio of the shoot dry weight in the plot treated with DCPD gel beads to that in the control plot exceeded 10. Thus, the Brassica plants showed both a high P recovery rate and satisfactory growth in the P-deficient soil compared with other tested plants due to the complete contact between their roots and the DCPD gel beads. The preferential root proliferation for P was also observed in Fagopyrum esculentum Moench as well as Brassica plants among the 20 tested plants.     

Site-level model–data synthesis of terrestrial carbon fluxes in the CarboEastAsia eddy-covariance observation network: toward future modeling efforts

Based on the model–data comparison at the eddy-covariance observation sites from CarboEastAsia datasets, we report the current status of the terrestrial carbon cycle modeling in monsoon Asia. In order to assess the modeling performance and discuss future requirements for both modeling and observation efforts in Asia, we ran eight terrestrial biosphere models at 24 sites from 1901 to 2010. By analyzing the modeled carbon fluxes against the CarboEastAsia datasets, the strengths and weaknesses of terrestrial biosphere modeling over Asia were evaluated. In terms of pattern and magnitude, the carbon fluxes (i.e., gross primary productivity, ecosystem respiration, and net ecosystem exchange) at the temperate and boreal forest sites were simulated best, whereas the simulation results from the tropical forest, cropland, and disturbed sites were poor. The multi-model ensemble mean values showed lower root mean square errors and higher correlations, suggesting that composition of multiple terrestrial biosphere models would be preferable for terrestrial carbon budget assessments in Asia. These results indicate that the current model-based estimation of terrestrial carbon budget has large uncertainties, and future research should further refine the models to permit re-evaluation of the terrestrial carbon budget.