Plant foods and herbal sources of resveratrol

Stilbenes, in particular trans-resveratrol and its glucoside, are widely reported to be beneficial to health, having been shown to possess antioxidative, anticarcinogenic, and antitumor properties. Major dietary sources include grapes, wine, peanuts, and soy; however, they can also be introduced into the diet through Itadori tea, which has long been used in Japan and China as a traditional herbal remedy for heart disease and strokes. Analysis of grapes, peanuts, and Itadori tea shows that they contain mainly trans-resveratrol glucoside. In contrast, red wines are primarily a source of the aglycones cis- and trans-resveratrol. While peanuts and grapes contain low levels of the stilbenes, Itadori tea and red wine both supply relatively high concentrations of resveratrol. For people who do not consume alcohol, Itadori tea may be a suitable substitute for red wine. However, further study on the potential biological effects of other endogenous compounds in Itadori tea is required and there is also a need for more information on the absorption and in vivo biomedical actions of free and conjugated resveratrol.     

Nitrate Decrease with Isotopic Fractionation In Riverside Sediment Column During Infiltration Experiment

This study determined isotopic fractionation of nitrate-nitrogen during denitrification in riparian aquifer sediments by sequential-column experiments at two different water flow rates. The purpose was to discuss the relationships of nitrogen isotopic enrichment factor of denitrification, denitrification rate, and infiltrating condition in sediment. Sandy sediment and groundwater were collected from floodplain in the middle reach of the Tama River where nitrogen isotopic enrichment factor for denitrification had been measured in a result of previous field observation. The denitrification rates and the isotopic enrichment factors of nitrate-nitrogen were estimated at 2.1 mgN dry-kg^?1 day^?1 and ?32.9‰ during the low water flow condition, and at 3.5 mgN dry-kg^?1 day^?1 and ?34.1‰ during the high water flow condition. The calculated water flow rates of the present column experiments were 300–400 times higher than that of the field observation. Because of the fast flow rate, nitrate was expected to continuously pass though active denitrifying sites in the small pore spaces of sediment, and nitrate supply to denitrifers by infiltration flow transport greatly exceeded the supply by diffusion. The observed denitrification rates was proportional to Peclet number as the ratio of solute nitrate transport to the diffusion, and apparent nitrogen isotopic enrichment factors during denitrification of our column experiments were lower than those obtained from the field observation. This study showed that denitrification rate and apparent nitrogen isotopic enrichment factor of denitrification in sediment depended on Peclet number.     

Groundwater flow and transport and potential sources of groundwater nitrates in the Ryukyu Limestone as a mixed flow aquifer in Okinawa Island, Japan

We investigated the groundwater flow and the transport and potential source of groundwater nitrates in the typical karst setting of the Ryukyu Limestone aquifer in the southern part of Okinawa Island, Japan. Analysis of groundwater hydrographs indicated that this is a ??mixed flow?? aquifer with the coexistence of slow diffuse flow in the matrices and rapid conduit flow in the caves and caverns. This relationship is indicated by the travel time of groundwater flow: 70?days in the matrices of the aquifer and 6?days through the caves and caverns. The conduit flow system was also confirmed by the distribution of relatively low concentrations of ²²²Rn near caverns. The sampling sites were categorized into upland field (UF) type and residential area (RA) type according to the land-use ratio on the upstream side with a 600-m influential radius, and cave and cavern (CC) type according to the hydrogeologic setting near two large caverns, even though the CC type should be categorized as the UF type from the viewpoint of land use. Cross plots of NO₃-N versus SO₄ ^2? showed that the predominant source of UF groundwater nitrates was chemical fertilizer. A difference was observed in average ??¹⁵N values between UF (8.9??) and RA (10.0??). On the other hand, the average ??¹⁵N value for CC (10.5??) was similar to that for RA, indicating that CC nitrates were not related to the surrounding land use. This phenomenon is considered as evidence that CC groundwater nitrates were carried by rapid groundwater flow through caves and caverns from residential areas located higher upstream compared to the influential areas. According to previous studies, animal and human waste was considered the predominant sources of RA and CC groundwater nitrogen. The contribution ratio of chemical fertilizer (R _CF) was calculated using mass balance equations under assumed predictability. There was a relatively high correlation between the rate of upland areas and of residential areas and R _CF. Average R _CF for UF, RA and CC was 41, 27, and 25%, respectively.     

Notes on the Occurrence of Pathogenic Races of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xanthomonas oryzae </Emphasis>pv. <Emphasis Type="Italic">oryzae </Emphasis>Found in Hiroshima Prefecture in 1999

The pathogenic race of 59 cultures of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, a pathogen of bacterial leaf blight of rice, isolated from six locations in the inland mountainous area of Hiroshima Prefecture in 1999, were determined by a set of traditional differentials. Four races—I, II, V and VII—were found across the area; however, we noticed the composition of the races as well as the dominant race in each location different. All races were avirulent on differential cultivar Te-tep. Races V and VII were new to Hiroshima. The rice cultivars infected with bacterial leaf blight in Hiroshima are thought to be grouped into the Kinmaze group, which does not have any resistance genes. Apparently, a variety of races occurred unexpectedly on the cultivars contrary to stabilizing selection theory. Received 25 February 2000/ Accepted in revised form 13 July 2000     

Partial sequence of Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) immunoglobulin gamma heavy chain constant region

We determined the sequence of the immunoglobulin gamma heavy‐chain constant (IGHC) region of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). To isolate a part of the IGHC complementary DNA, we designed primers on the basis of highly conserved sequences in mouse, rat and hamster. The deduced IGHC is structurally similar to counterparts in other mammalian species and shows 84.6% identity to the IGHC of hamster IgG, 76.6% to rat IgG1, 83.3% to rat IgG2a, 78.1% to mouse IgG1, 81.8% to mouse IgG2a, 79.1% to mouse IgG2b and 79.2% to mouse IgG3 at the nucleotide level. The results suggest that gerbil IgG is closely related to hamster IgG and rat IgG2a.     

Polar cardenolide monoglycosides from stems and twigs of Nerium oleander and their biological activities

Twelve polar cardenolide monoglycosides, 1, 2, 4?C13, and oleagenin (3) were isolated from the methanol extract of stems and twigs of Nerium oleander. Among these, oleagenin (3) and cardenolide monoglycosides named cardenolide B-1 (1) and cardenolide B-2 (2) were isolated from natural sources for the first time. The in vitro antiinflammatory activity of compounds 1?C13 was examined on the basis of inhibitory activity against the induction of the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Compounds 4?C7 were active at an IC₅₀ value of less than 0.4 ??M. The cytotoxic activity of compounds 1?C13 was evaluated against three human cell lines: normal human fibroblast cells (WI-38), malignant tumor cells derived from WI-38 (VA-13), and human liver tumor cells (HepG2). Compounds 4, 6, and 7 were active toward these three cell lines at IC₅₀ values of less than 0.7 ??M, and compounds 5 and 8 were active toward the cell lines at IC₅₀ values of less than 1.5 ??M. The multidrug resistance (MDR) cancer-reversal activity of compounds 1?C13 was evaluated on the basis of the amount of calcein accumulated in MDR human ovarian cancer 2780AD cells in the presence of each compound. Compound 1 and 12 showed significant effects on calcein accumulation.     

Columnar architecture sculpted by GABA circuits in developing cat visual cortex

The mammalian visual cortex is organized into columns. Here, we examine cortical influences upon developing visual afferents in the cat by altering intrinsic gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated inhibition with benzodiazepines. Local enhancement by agonist (diazepam) infusion did not perturb visual responsiveness, but did widen column spacing. An inverse agonist (DMCM) produced the opposite effect. Thus, intracortical inhibitory circuits shape the geometry of incoming thalamic arbors, suggesting that cortical columnar architecture depends on neuronal activity.     

Elastomeric transistor stamps: reversible probing of charge transport in organic crystals

We introduce a method to fabricate high-performance field-effect transistors on the surface of freestanding organic single crystals. The transistors are constructed by laminating a monolithic elastomeric transistor stamp against the surface of a crystal. This method, which eliminates exposure of the fragile organic surface to the hazards of conventional processing, enables fabrication of rubrene transistors with charge carrier mobilities as high as approximately 15 cm2/V.s and subthreshold slopes as low as 2nF.V/decade.cm2. Multiple relamination of the transistor stamp against the same crystal does not affect the transistor characteristics; we exploit this reversibility to reveal anisotropic charge transport at the basal plane of rubrene.     

Effects of feeding time,water temperature,feeding frequency and dietary composition on apparent nutrient digestibility in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and common carp Cyprinus carpio

A series of experiments was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding time (daytime vs nighttime feeding), dietary fat content (8 and 20%), feeding frequency (trout 1–3 times/day, carp 2–7 times/day), water temperature (trout 18 and 11°C, carp 25 and 17°C), on the apparent nutrient digestibility in rainbow trout and common carp. The feeding time had little effect on the macronutrient digestibility in both species. In trout, starch digestibility decreased with the decrease of water temperature and with increase of feeding frequency, but in carp, increase of the feeding frequency markedly decreased the macronutrient digestibility and phosphrrus absorption of the high fat diet. Fat digestibility of the beef tallow diet decreased relative to the pollock oil diet in carp, without affecting the phosphorus absorption. Inclusion of raw starch, the digestibility of which was lower than that of gelatinized starch, increased the phosphorus absorption in carp. These results suggest that reduction of water temperature and increase of feeding frequency notably decreased starch digestibility in trout while in carp, the effects of feeding frequency and water temperature on macronutrient digestibility and phosphorus absorption are notable for a high fat diet.     

Effect of water temperature and short-term fasting on macronutrient self-selection by common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

The influence of water temperature (17 and 25 °C) and a period of fasting on the self-selection of macronutrients were examined in common carp held on a 12:12-h light/dark cycle. Eight replicate groups of juvenile carp (ca. 15 g body weight at 17 °C and 25 g at 25 °C) were fed with three test diets [high-protein (HP), high-fat (HF) and high-carbohydrate (HC) diets] by individual self-feeders for 3 weeks, followed by a 2-week period of fasting and then 3 weeks of refeeding. At 17 °C, the carp initially selected the HP and HF diets [HP/HF/HC (%)=38:40:22], whereas at 25 °C, the carp selected the HP diet over the others (55:21:24). After fasting, the carp tended to increase their demand for the HF diet at 17 °C and for the HC diet at 25 °C, but the overall self-selection of the test diets did not differ markedly from that prior to fasting. Carp held at 17 °C had higher relative whole body fat content and plasma triglyceride concentration; the latter decreased markedly during fasting. These results suggest that water temperature influences the macronutrient selection by carp: a relatively high demand for both protein and fat at 17 °C and for protein at 25 °C. Two weeks of fasting, however, did not markedly alter their macronutrient selection.