Fluorous nanodroplets structurally confined in an organopalladium sphere

The distinct properties of fluorous phases are practically useful for separation, purification, and reaction control in organic synthesis. Here, we report the formation of a liquid-like fluorous droplet, composed of 24 perfluoroalkyl chains confined in the interior of a 5-nanometer-sized, roughly spherical shell that spontaneously assembled in solution from 12 palladium ions and 24 bridging ligands. Crystallographic analysis confirmed the rigid shell framework and amorphous interior. Perfluoroalkanes can dissolve in this well-defined fluorous phase, whereas they can hardly dissolve in a surrounding polar organic solution, and their solubility (up to approximately eight perfluoroalkane molecules per spherical complex) can be finely controlled by tuning the length of perfluoroalkyl chains tethered to the shell.     

Characterization of near-isogenic lines carrying QTL for high spikelet number with the genetic background of an indica rice variety IR64 (Oryza sativa L.)

Total spikelet number per panicle (TSN) is one of the most important traits associated with rice yield potential. This trait was assessed in a set of 334 chromosomal segment introgression lines (ILs: BC₃-derived lines), developed from new plant type (NPT) varieties as donor parents and having the genetic background of an indica-type rice variety IR64. Among the 334 ILs, five lines which had different donor parents and showed significantly higher TSN than IR64 were used for genetic analysis. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was conducted using F₂ populations derived from crosses between IR64 and these ILs. As a result, a QTL for high TSN (one from each NPT donor variety) was detected on common region of the long arm of chromosome 4. The effect of the QTL was confirmed by an increase in TSN of five near-isogenic lines (NILs) developed in the present study. The variation in TSN was found among these NILs, attributing to the panicle architecture in the numbers of primary, secondary and tertiary branches. The NILs for TSN and the SSR markers linked to the TSN QTLs are expected to be useful materials for research and breeding to enhance the yield potential of rice varieties.     

Effects on flowering and seed yield of dominant alleles at maturity loci E2 and E3 in a Japanese cultivar,Enrei

‘Enrei’ is the second leading variety of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in Japan. Its cultivation area is mainly restricted to the Hokuriku region. In order to expand the adaptability of ‘Enrei’, we developed two near-isogenic lines (NILs) of ‘Enrei’ for the dominant alleles controlling late flowering at the maturity loci, E2 and E3, by backcrossing with marker-assisted selection. The resultant NILs and the original variety were evaluated for flowering, maturity, seed productivity and other agronomic traits in five different locations. Expectedly, NILs with E2 or E3 alleles flowered later than the original variety in most locations. These NILs produced comparatively larger plants in all locations. Seed yields were improved by E2 and E3 in the southern location or in late-sowing conditions, whereas the NIL for E2 exhibited almost the same or lower productivity in the northern locations due to higher degrees of lodging. Seed quality-related traits, such as 100-seed weight and protein content, were not significantly different between the original variety and its NILs. These results suggest that the modification of genotypes at maturity loci provides new varieties that are adaptive to environments of different latitudes while retaining almost the same seed quality as that of the original.     

The oral administration of thermophile-fermented compost extract and its influence on stillbirths and growth rate of pre-weaning piglets

Food produced via fermentation with mesophilic bacteria has been used to confer health benefits. In contrast, mammalian physiological responses to the intake of thermophile-fermented products have not been thoroughly investigated. We examined the effects of administering a compost extract consisting of fermented marine animals with thermophiles, including Bacillaceae, to pregnant sows and piglets. Retrospective studies were performed on two different swine farms (n=330-1050 sows). The rate of stillbirth was markedly lower in all parities of the compost extract-fed group compared to those of the control group (p≦0.001). Additionally, the birth to weaning period of newborns was significantly shorter (p<0.0001), while the ratio of weanlings per liveborn piglets was increased by more than 6.5% in the compost extract-fed group. Thus thermophiles and their products in the compost extract might promote growth and reduce stillbirths of piglets during the birth to weaning period.     

Seroprevalence of tularemia in wild bears and hares in Japan

Tularemia is a zoonotic disease caused by Francisella tularensis. The distribution of the pathogen in Japan has not been studied well. In this study, seroprevalence of tularemia among wild black bears and hares in Japan was determined. Blood samples collected from 431 Japanese black bears (Ursus thibetanus japonicus) and 293 Japanese hares (Lepus brachurus) between 1998 and 2009 were examined for antibodies against F. tularensis by micro-agglutination test (MA) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. By subsequent confirmatory tests using western blot (WB) and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), eight sera from Japanese black bears were definitely shown to be seropositive. All of these eight bears were residents of the northeastern part of main-island of Japan, where human tularemia had been reported. On the other hand, no seropositive Japanese hares were found. These results suggest that Japanese black bears can serve as sentinel for tularemia surveillance and may help understand the distribution of F. tularensis throughout the country. This is the first report on detection of antibody to F. tularensis in black bears of Japan.     

Seroepidemiological survey of distemper virus infection in the Caspian Sea and in Lake Baikal

Forty Caspian seals were surveyed seroepidemiologically between 1993 and 1998 around the times of mass mortality that occurred in 1997 in the Caspian Sea and seven Baikal seals were also surveyed in 1998. Virus neutralizing tests and ELISA clearly suggested that distemper virus epidemic was caused in Caspian seals before the spring of 1997 and that CDV infection continued to occur in Lake Baikal in recent years.     

Distribution of photoperiod-insensitive allele Ppd-A1a and its effect on heading time in Japanese wheat cultivars

The Ppd-A1 genotype of 240 Japanese wheat cultivars and 40 foreign cultivars was determined using a PCR-based method. Among Japanese cultivars, only 12 cultivars, all of which were Hokkaido winter wheat, carried the Ppd-A1a allele, while this allele was not found in Hokkaido spring wheat cultivars or Tohoku-Kyushu cultivars. Cultivars with a photoperiod-insensitive allele headed 6.9–9.8 days earlier in Kanto and 2.5 days earlier in Hokkaido than photoperiod-sensitive cultivars. The lower effect of photoperiod-insensitive alleles observed in Hokkaido could be due to the longer day-length at the spike formation stage compared with that in Kanto. Pedigree analysis showed that ‘Purple Straw’ and ‘Tohoku 118’ were donors of Ppd-A1a and Ppd-D1a in Hokkaido wheat cultivars, respectively. Wheat cultivars recently developed in Hokkaido carry photoperiod-insensitive alleles at a high frequency. For efficient utilization of Ppd-1 alleles in the Hokkaido wheat-breeding program, the effect of Ppd-1 on growth pattern and grain yield should be investigated. Ppd-A1a may be useful as a unique gene source for fine tuning the heading time in the Tohoku-Kyushu region since the effect of Ppd-A1a on photoperiod insensitivity appears to differ from the effect of Ppd-B1a and Ppd-D1a.