Degradation of diphenyl ether herbicides in soils

The gas chromatographic determination of CNP (2,4,6-trichlorophenyl 4-nitrophenyl ether), nitrofen (2,4-dichlorophenyl 4′-nitrophenyI ether), chlomethoxynil (2,4-dieblorophenyl 3′-methoxy-4′-nitrophenyl ether), CFNP (2,4-dichloro-6-fluorophenyl 4-nitrophenyl ether) and their amino derivatives in soils were carried out. Good recoveries from soils were obtained for the diphenyl ethers. On the other hand, satisfactory recoveries from soils were also obtained for the amino derivatives at high concentrations, but the recoveries at lower concentrations averaged about 66% for the least recovered compound.

The degradation of several diphenyl ether herbicides in two paddy soils were compared under flooded and upland conditions. The degradation was much slower under upland than under flooded conditions. Considerable amounts of their amino derivatives were produced in soils under flooded conditions, but not under upland conditions. It was suggested that the diphenyl ethers to the amino derivatives involved both chemical and microbial processes. CNP and chlomethoxynil degraded faster at lower concentrations than at higher ones.     

Degradation products of chlomethoxynil (X-52) in soil

The degradation of unlabelled and ^l4C-labelled chlomethoxynil (2,4-dichlorophenyl 3′-methoxy-4′-nitrophenyl ether) in a flooded soil was studied in the laboratory, using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Chlomethoxynil was rapidly degraded, and labelled chlomethoxynil was largely transformed into substances which were unextractable with organic solvents. Moreover, most of the radioactive substances extracted with organic solvents were not “free” compounds but complexes. The degradation products identified were the amino derivative (2,4-dichlorophenyl 4′-amino-3-methoxyphenyl ether), the demethyl derivative (2,4-dichlorophenyl 3′-hydroxy-4′-nitrophenyl ether), the formylamino derivative (2,4-dichlorophenyl 4-formylamino-3′-methoxyphenyl ether), the acetylamino derivative (2,4-dichlorophenyl 3-methoxy-4′-acetylaminophenyl ether), thepropionylamino derivative (2,4-dichlorophenyl 4-propionylaminophenyl ether), 2,4-dichlorophenol, and several other minor compounds.     

Expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes in Malus sylvestris L. ‘Mutsu’ non-red apples

Summary

The expression of five anthocyanin biosynthetic genes of chalcone synthase (MdCHS). flavanane 3-hydroxylase (MdF3H). dihydroflavonol 4-reducase (pDFR), anthocyanidin synthase (MdANS) and UDP glucose-flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase (pUFGluT) was investigated during fruit development in the skin of non-red ‘Mutsu’ apples (Malus sylvestris (L) Mill. van domestica (Borkh) Mansf.). MdCHS, MdF3H and pDFR appeared in the skin of non-bagged fruit from 81 d after full bloom (DAFB) to 167 DAFB, but MdANS and pUFGluT did not appear. When the fruit was bagged during fruit development and unbagged before the maturation, anthocyanin was produced in the exposed portion but not in the shaded portion. All five genes including MdANS and pUFGluT were detected in the exposed portion at 165 DAFB. In the shaded portion, MdANS was detected, but pUFGluT was not. The skin colour of the shaded portion after unbagging in the bagged fruit was more yellow than that in non-bagged fruit. This result suggests that the yellowing of the skin may relate to the expression of MdANS. All five anthocyanin biosynthetic genes were detected at 20 DAFB despite the absence of anthocyanin. The roles of genes in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway may differ from one development stage to the next.     

Rapid estimation of species-specific DNA digestibility based on differential qPCR

Digestibility of DNA in selected prey species was estimated by an in vivo feeding trial using six test diets. Each diet contained one of the following: (a) goldfish, (b) goldfish + citric acid, (c) goldfish + CaCO₃, (d) shrimp, (e) snail, and (f) goldfish + shrimp + snail. The diets were fed to rainbow trout and fecal samples were collected. Mitochondrial DNA was extracted from both diet and fecal samples and quantified by qPCR using two sets of species-specific primers for each prey species. The first set of primers amplified a short stretch of DNA (51–80 bp), whereas another set amplified a longer stretch (126–162 bp). DNA digestibility was estimated based on the ratio between short and long amplicons using the following formula: Digestibility (%) = log_{((Mt?S)/(Mt?L))} ([S]/[L])/(0.01 × Mt), where Mt: 16,000 (bp), S: length of short amplicon (bp), L: length of long amplicon (bp), [S]: relative quantity of short amplicon, [L]: relative quantity of long amplicon. Calculated fecal digestibility of goldfish DNA ranged from ?1.05 % (f) to 2.07 % (a). Digestibility of shrimp DNA was 10.79 % (d) and 12.61 % (f). Digestibility of snail DNA was 1.88 % (e) and 2.06 % (f). These results suggest that the digestibility of dietary DNA can be estimated based on the ratio between long and short fragments.     

NON-INVASIVE DIAGNOSIS OF ISCHEMIC BRAIN DAMAGE AFTER CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION IN DOGS BY USING TRANSCRANIAL DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY

We have attempted to identify whether it is possible to utilize transcranial Doppler ultrasonography to evaluate the brain damage that occurs after resuscitation from 3 min (control group) and 12 min (damage group) of cardiac arrest in dogs. In this study we used transcranial Doppler ultrasonography to follow the basilar arterial flow and middle cerebral arterial flow for 180 min following the induction of cardiac arrests. Two abnormal waveform patterns (the "to-and-fro" and "diastolic no-flow" patterns) were found in all dogs in the damage group whereas abnormal waveforms were not detected in the control group. Pathological diagnosis revealed that, compared with the control group, the damage group recognized ischemic alteration at the level of the hippocampus and caudate nucleus. In conclusion, this study shows that the basilar arterial flow of observed with transcranial Doppler ultrasonography may be use for the prediction of outcome and the diagnosis of brain damage in the dog.     

Brainstem auditory evoked potentials in Japanese Black and Holstein cattle

This study was performed to examine normal brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) data for adult Japanese Black cattle and to evaluate whether differences exist in the peak latencies, interpeak latencies (IPL) and waveforms of BAEP between Japanese Black and Holstein cattle. The peaks were detected as major waves I, II, III and V in each group. The threshold of the BAEP waves in the Holstein cattle was 65-75 dB nHL, but the threshold in the Japanese Black cattle was 75-85 dB nHL. The I-III and I-V IPLs were significantly shorter in the Japanese Black compared with the Holstein cattle at an intensity of 105 dB nHL. The present findings suggest that the IPL and wave threshold of BAEP are influenced by bovine breed.     

The use of behavioral tests of fearfulness in chicks to distinguish between the Japanese native chicken breeds,Tosa-Kukin and Yakido

The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in fearfulness between two Japanese native chicken breeds, Tosa-Kukin (TOK) and Yakido (YKD). In a tonic immobility test, TOK breed chicks showed longer duration and lower induction number compared with YKD. The number of peeps in YKD in an isolation test was lower than that in TOK, whereas there were more bouts of peeping in YKD than in TOK. In a manual restraint test, YKD showed more active responses and initiated peeps and struggling earlier than TOK. The three behavioral tests all indicated that YKD are less fearful than TOK chickens. A latent structures discriminant (OPLS-DA) analysis was used to identify behavioral parameters that contributed to the differences between the breeds. The major parameters were duration and number of inductions in the tonic immobility test and number of struggle in the manual restraint test. These results suggest that three behavioral tests can be used together to evaluate fearfulness of Japanese native breeds of chickens.     

Relationship Between Physicochemical Properties of Starches and White Salted Noodle Quality in Japanese Wheat Flours

This study describes the effect of starch properties of Japanese wheat flours on the quality of white salted noodles (WSN). Starch was isolated from 24 flours of 17 Japanese cultivars and amylose content was determined along with pasting properties by Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA), thermal properties by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the distribution of amylopectin chain length by high‐performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC). Twenty flours were used to prepare WSN. As expected, 5–6% lower amylose content was associated with good WSN quality (higher scores in softness, elasticity, and smoothness). RVA analysis indicated that the pasting temperature had the greatest influence on WSN quality, while breakdown and setback showed slight effects on WSN quality. DSC results showed that lower endothermal enthalpy (ΔH) in the amylose‐lipid complex was associated with good WSN quality. Chainlength distribution of amylopectin by HPAEC was not an important factor in relation to WSN quality.