Natural Abundance 14C Content of Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) from Three Marine Algae

Analysis of the natural abundance ¹⁴C content of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) from two edible brown algae, Undaria pinnatifida and Laminaria japonica, and a green alga, Ulva sp., revealed that the DBP was naturally produced. The natural abundance ¹⁴C content of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) obtained from the same algae was about 50–80% of the standard sample and the ¹⁴C content of the petrochemical (industrial) products of DBP and DEHP were below the detection limit.     

Meat and ascorbic acid can promote Fe availability from Fe-phytate but not from Fe-tannic acid complexes

This study utilized an in vitro digestion/Caco-2 cell model to determine the levels of ascorbic acid (AA) and "meat factor" needed to promote Fe absorption from Fe complexed with phytic acid (PA) or tannic acid (TA). AA reversed the inhibition of Fe absorption by PA beginning at a molar ratio of 1:20:1 (Fe:PA:AA) but essentially had no effect on the Fe complexed with TA. Fish also reversed the inhibition of Fe uptake by PA but not by TA. TA and fish decreased total Fe solubility. Iron in the presence of PA was highly soluble. AA, but not fish, increased the percentage of soluble Fe as Fe2+ in the presence of both inhibitors. The results indicate that monoferric phytate is a form of Fe that can be available for absorption in the presence of uptake promoters. In contrast, a TA-Fe complex is much less soluble and unavailable in the presence of promoters.     

Isolation of a series of apocarotenoids from the fruits of the red paprika Capsicum annuum L

Eleven apocarotenoids (1-11) including five new compounds, 4, 6, 9, 10 and 11, were isolated from the fruits of the red paprika Capsicum annuum L. The structures of new apocarotenoids were determined to be apo-14'-zeaxanthinal (4), apo-13-zeaxanthinone (6), apo-12'-capsorubinal (9), apo-8'-capsorubinal (10), and 9,9'-diapo-10,9'-retro-carotene-9,9'-dione (11) by spectroscopic analysis. The other six known apocarotenoids were identified to be apo-8'-zeaxanthinal (1), apo-10'-zeaxanthinal (2), apo-12'-zeaxanthinal (3), apo-15-zeaxanthinal (5), apo-11-zeaxanthinal (7), and apo-9-zeaxanthinone (8) which have not been previously found in paprika. These apocarotenoids were assumed to be oxidative cleavage products of C(40) carotenoid such as capsanthin in paprika.     

The 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake: displacement reaching the trench axis

We detected and measured coseismic displacement caused by the 11 March 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake [moment magnitude (M(W)) 9.0] by using multibeam bathymetric surveys. The difference between bathymetric data acquired before and after the earthquake revealed that the displacement extended out to the axis of the Japan Trench, suggesting that the fault rupture reached the trench axis. The sea floor on the outermost landward area moved about 50 meters horizontally east-southeast and ~10 meters upward. The large horizontal displacement lifted the sea floor by up to 16 meters on the landward slope in addition to the vertical displacement.     

Impacts of invasive Iris pseudacorus L. (yellow flag) establishing in an abandoned urban pond on native semi-wetland vegetation

Iris pseudacorus L., intentionally introduced in Japan as an ornamental plant and to improve aquatic environments, has been declared a noxious species in the Invasive Alien Species Act of Japan due to the suspected high ecological risks to the local species and ecosystems. Although prompt responses to I. pseudacorus have been sought to conserve local biodiversity, knowledge about its invasiveness is lacking. Here, we report the relationship between the establishment of I. pseudacorus and floristic changes in semi-wetland vegetation of an abandoned urban pond (Aoike), Nara City, Nara Prepecture, Japan. In total, 64 vascular plants were recorded in the pond, of which 50 were native species, seven were naturalized non-native, and seven were invasive species. On the other hand, most of these vascular plants (42 species) were grassland species and only several aquatic plants (10 species) were found in this study pond. The number of vascular plant species decreased significantly at quadrats with a coverage of I. pseudacorus above 50%. In addition, tendencies of lower number of native species and concomitant higher number of invasive species were found with increasing coverage of I. pseudacorus. From these results, we suggest that it is important to preferentially manage sites where the coverage of I. pseudacorus is above 50%, in order to preserve the local biodiversity. Additionally, as recommended in the literature, it is essential that the cut reproductive organs are kept submerged under deep water for an effective control of I. pseudacorus.     

Glutathione levels in phloem sap of rice plants under sulfur deficient conditions

Glutathione which is an abundant reduced sulfur compound in plants is considered to play important roles in the transmission of the sulfur nutrient status between organs within the plant body and in the long-distance transport of reduced sulfur. We determined the concentrations of glutathione, γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-EC), sulfate in the rice phloem sap collected by the insect laser technique. Phloem sap was collected from the plants cultured in sulfur-deficient and control solutions. The concentration of glutathione in the rice phloem sap was higher than that of sulfate in both control and sulfur-deficient plants. Under sulfur-deficient condition, the concentration of glutathione in the phloem sap did not decrease, whereas the sulfate concentration decreased significantly. The pattern of changes in γ-EC concentration was similar to that of glutathione. These data indicate the presence of mechanisms for the maintenance of a constant glutathione concentration in the phloem sap in rice plants under sulfur deficiency, whereas the sulfate concentration was found to be relatively unstable.     

Tomatidine, a tomato sapogenol, ameliorates hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis in apoE-deficient mice by inhibiting acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyl-transferase (ACAT)

It was previously revealed that esculeoside A, a new glycoalkaloid, and esculeogenin A, a new aglycon of esculeoside A, contained in ripe tomato ameliorate atherosclerosis in apoE-deficent mice. This study examined whether tomatidine, the aglycone of tomatine, which is a major tomato glycoalkaloid, also shows similar inhibitory effects on cholesterol ester (CE) accumulation in human monocyte-derived macrophages (HMDM) and atherogenesis in apoE-deficient mice. Tomatidine significantly inhibited the CE accumulation induced by acetylated LDL in HMDM in a dose-dependent manner. Tomatidine also inhibited CE formation in Chinese hamster ovary cells overexpressing acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyl-transferase (ACAT)-1 or ACAT-2, suggesting that tomatidine suppresses both ACAT-1 and ACAT-2 activities. Furthermore, the oral administration of tomatidine to apoE-deficient mice significantly reduced levels of serum cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and areas of atherosclerotic lesions. The study provides the first evidence that tomatidine significantly suppresses the activity of ACAT and leads to reduction of atherogenesis.     

Can stumps tell what people want: Pattern and preference of informal wood extraction in an urban forest of Nairobi, Kenya

Detailed patterns and preferences of informal wood extraction were investigated in an urban forest used by slum inhabitants of Nairobi, Kenya, as such information determines the sustainability of resource use. Instead of asking the people what they had secretly cut, a survey was conducted of the stumps and trees left in the forest to (i) evaluate how accessibility and patrolling affected spatial patterns of resource use, and to (ii) estimate a broad spectrum of species and species-specific size preferences. Both probability and size of cutting increased with better accessibility (represented by distance from the slum), and stump size exceeded that of living stem size around 1.7 km from the slum, which suggested magnified impact of tree cutting near the slum. Patrolling (represented by distance from ranger stations) had little effect in reducing the probability of cutting but was effective in reducing cut size. With the use of random effect models, a broad species preference spectrum (including less abundant and non-preferred species) was estimated, which indicated trends in vegetation change. Smaller stems were preferred for most species presumably used for domestic fuelwood, but major exploitation of large Brachylaena huillensis stems traded in the woodcarving industry was also revealed. Such detailed information on informal wood use can help forest managers to understand threats to the forests as well as the needs of local communities. This is a first step to redefining ‘acceptable’ resource use by the local community for their increased role and responsibility in sustainable forest management, especially when conventional controls of informal activities (i.e. exclusion and penalty) are not functioning well.