Nickel-catalyzed carbonization of wood for coproduction of functional carbon and fluid fuels II: improved fuel quality of oil fraction and increased heating value of gas fraction

The yields and properties of oil and gas fractions coproduced during carbonization of larch wood loaded with Ni 2%, Ni 2%+Ca 1%, and Ni 4% and without catalyst (None) at 700°–900°C were examined to clarify the catalytic effect in terms of conversion into fluid fuels. The net calorific value of oil occurred mainly below 500°C and increased in the order None < Ni 2% < Ni 4% < Ni 2%+Ca 1%, while the yield decreased in this order. The same order held for the production of gases enriched with hydrogen at 500°–700°C. Even above 800°C, markedly promoted evolution of hydrogen took place for all catalyst systems. These observations confirmed the effectiveness of nickel-catalyzed carbonization at 900°C, particularly Ni 2%+Ca 1%, for both upgrading of oil and gaseous fractions, although the quality of oil was not satisfactory. The catalysis of nickel with and without calcium is discussed on the basis of the modified Broid-Shafizadeh scheme, and the scheme was altered to adapt to the high temperature region where oil was no longer produced. Part of this study was presented at the 14th Annual Meeting of the Japan Institute of Energy, Suita, August 2005, and at the 18th Symposium, Session D, of the Materials Research Society of Japan, Tokyo, December 2007     

Diversity of rDNA-ITS sequences of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polymyxa graminis</Emphasis> from wheat and barley in Japan

Polymyxa graminis is a soil-borne obligate organism that transmits bymoviruses and furoviruses to barley and wheat. We analyzed rDNA-ITS sequences of P. graminis from roots of wheat and barley in fields in Japan and obtained five kinds of sequences; two sequences were almost the same as known ribotype Ia and IIa, respectively, and three were close to ribotype Ib. When infection of P. graminis was examined using PCR, ribotype Ia was detected only in barley, but ribotypes Ib and IIa were detected in both wheat and barley. Our analysis suggested that Japanese ribotype Ib transmits furoviruses and bymoviruses.     

Ploidy variation of hardy kiwifruit (Actinidia arguta) resources and geographic distribution in Japan

Survey on the wild genetic resources of hardy kiwifruit (Actinidia arguta) in Japan was conducted to determine the ploidy variation and its geographic distribution. Among the 127 wild plants collected from different geographic locations, 15 plants were diploid, 87 were tetraploid, and 22 were hexaploid. Additionally, 2 plants were heptaploid and one plant was octaploid. The tetraploid plants were distributed all over the country, whereas the diploid and hexaploid plants were geographically localized, in the warm Pacific hill areas of the south western part and in the deep-snow region of the mid-northern part of Honshu, respectively. The diploid plants could be clearly distinguished from other plants with ploidy variation by the morphological characteristics of the leaf and fruit. Hexaploid plants showed a relatively larger L/D ratio of the leaf blade, a greenish petiole, and pubescence on the petiole and lower leaf vein, whereas the tetraploid plants exhibited a reddish petiole and callose hairs on the vein of the lower leaf surface. Fruit shape of the tetraploid plants varied largely, from round to ellipsoidal, whereas that of the hexaploid plants was mostly ellipsoidal. These results indicate that the hexaploid plants of A. arguta as well as the diploid and tetraploid ones, naturally grow in a certain size of population in the restricted region of Japan.     

Molecular mapping of a gene conferring resistance to Aphanomyces root rot (black root) in sugar beet (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Beta vulgaris</Emphasis> L.)

Caused by Aphanomyces cochlioides Drechsler, Aphanomyces root rot is a serious disease of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.), for which sources of resistance are scarce. To identify the segregation pattern of the rare resistance trait found in Japanese sugar beet line ‘NK-310mm-O’, F₁ and BC₁F₂ seedings, drawn from a cross between ‘NK-310mm-O’ and susceptible line ‘NK-184mm-O’, were inoculated with zoospores and their survival evaluated in the greenhouse. Resistance segregation followed was that of a single dominant gene, which was designated Acr1 (Aphanomyces cochlioides resistance 1). Molecular markers tightly linked to Acr1 were identified by bulked segregant analysis of two BC₁F₂ populations. Fourteen AFLP markers linked to Acr1 were identified, the closest located within ±3.3 cM. Three F₅ lines and two BC₂F₁ lines, selected on the basis of their Acr1-AFLP markers, were tested for their resistance to Aphanomyces root rot in a highly infested field. Results indicated that Acr1 conferred significant resistance to Aphanomyces root rot at the field level. Based on its linkage with CAPS marker tk, a representative marker for chromosome III, Acr1 was located on this chromosome. The clear linkage between tk and Rhizomania resistance trait Rz1, suggests the clustering of major disease resistance genes on chromosome III.     

Effects of branched-chain amino acids on immune status of young racing horses

High-intensity exercise and competition are associated with depressed immune function. Young horses, which participate in high-intensity exercise and competitions, are at increased risk for the development of infectious disease due to depression of immune function. The effects of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation on the immune status of young racing horses were evaluated, determining whether BCAA might help to avoid or reduce immune suppression during exercise and competitions. Twenty horses (10 male and 10 female) were treated with BCAA supplementation; another twenty untreated horses (10 male and 10 female) constituted control group. Peripheral blood was collected from each animal and evaluated for lymphocyte subsets, phagocytosis analysis of monocytes and granulocytes, lymphocyte proliferative response, and expression of cytokine-encoding messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs). The numbers of CD4⁺, CD8⁺, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II⁺ cells in females of the treated group were significantly higher than those in females of the control group. The lymphocyte proliferative response in female of the treated group also was significantly higher than that in females of the control group. In addition, expression of mRNAs encoding interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in females of the treated group was significantly higher than that in females of the control group. There were no significant differences between males of the treated and control groups. The results of this study indicated the positive effects of BCAA supplementation in counteracting immunosuppression in young female racing horses during and following high-intensity exercise.     

Reducing effect of dietary anacardic acid on body fat pads in rats

We have previously shown that anacardic acid has an uncoupling effect on oxidative phosphorylation in rat liver mitochondria using succinate as a substrate (Toyomizu et al. 2000). In the present study, in order to clarify whether or not anacardic acid could be used advantageously as a special feed/food supplement to reduce fat deposition through the uncoupling action, two sets of experiments were conducted to determine quantitatively the effect of dietary anacardic acid (0.1% w/w) supplementation. More specifically, effects on growth, feed efficiency, fattening, and levels of several constituents of blood serum in rats fed normal and low protein–high carbohydrate (CHO) diets were examined. There were no significant differences in bodyweight gain, feed consumption and feed efficiency among the experimental groups. For the total fat pad content, including inguinal and epididymal fat, significant interaction was shown between both treatments: dietary anacardic acid at 0.1% w/w significantly decreased the total fat pad content in rats fed the CHO diet, but not in rats fed the normal diet. Weights of heart, spleen and brown adipose tissue were not affected by either the dietary treatment or anacardic acid, while both liver and kidney weights decreased with feeding of anacardic acid at 0.1% w/w, but were not affected by the CHO diet. Anacardic acid supplementation in the diet had no effect on serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase or lactate dehydrogenase levels, suggesting that the dysfunction of liver or kidney may not be induced by dietary anacardic acid. The results of the present study reveal a unique function of anacardic acid in that, for dietary conditions enhancing body fat deposition, that is consumption of a diet high in carbohydrates, dietary anacardic acid has the potential to decrease body fat deposition. A possible mechanism for differences observed in anacardic acid‐induced regulation of body fat pad content between rats fed the normal and CHO diets, based on uncoupling action of anacardic acid on the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, is discussed.     

National surveillance of Salmonella enterica in food-producing animals in Japan

A total of 518 fecal samples collected from 183 apparently healthy cattle, 180 pigs and 155 broilers throughout Japan in 1999 were examined to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella. The isolation rates were 36.1% in broilers, 2.8% in pigs and 0.5% in cattle. S. enterica Infantis was the most frequent isolate, found in 22.6% of broiler fecal samples. Higher resistance rates were observed against oxytetracycline (82.0%), dihydrostreptomycin (77.9%), kanamycin (41.0%) and trimethoprim (35.2%). Resistance rates to ampicillin, ceftiofur, bicozamycin, chloramphenicol and nalidixic acid were <10%. CTX-M-2 β-lactamase producing S. enterica Senftenberg was found in the isolates obtained from one broiler fecal sample. This is the first report of cephalosporin-resistant Salmonella directly isolated from food animal in Japan.     

Black Spot of Peach Caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alternaria alternata</Emphasis> (Fr.) Keissler

A new disease of peach (Prunus persica Batsch var. vulgaris Maxim.), causing brown, sunken lesions and brownish to blackish brown spots with cracks on peach fruits, was found in Okayama prefecture, Japan, in 1995. The disease was observed not only on peach fruits but also on twigs and leaves. An Alternaria sp. was consistently isolated from these diseased fruits, twigs and leaves. The isolates were pathogenic to peach fruits and leaves. Based on the morphological characteristics, the causal fungus was identified as Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler. After cross-inoculation with isolates from peach, Japanese pear and apple, the isolates were found to be pathogenic only to their original host. This is the first report on a peach disease caused by a host-specific A. alternata; therefore, the common name of black spot (`Kokuhanbyo' in Japanese) was proposed. Received 25 June 1999/ Accepted in revised form 12 October 1999     

N applications that increase plant N during panicle development are highly effective in increasing spikelet number in rice

Efficient use of nitrogen fertilizer is critical in improving yield stability in rice. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of nitrogen (N) top-dressing on the number of total spikelet (fertile plus sterile) production and evaluate the effect among rice cultivars. We analyzed 136 sets of experimental data on growth and spikelet production for three lowland cultivars, grown under various regimes of N over 10 seasons at Kyoto, Ibaraki and Kanagawa, Japan. In each season, one to three of the lowland cultivars, Nipponbare (japonica), Koshihikari (japonica) and Takanari (indica), were studied. In 1986, 1995 and 1999-2001, the N regimes included basal application only, light basal and heavy top-dressing from the panicle initiation stage onward, heavy basal and heavy top-dressing from the spikelet formation stage onward, and no applications. In 2002 and 2005-2008, we set up experimental plots with varied time of N top-dressing, with or without N basal application. Takanari had the largest spikelet number averaged over all plots and was considered better efficient in spikelet production per applied N than the other cultivars. Although the trend is not clear, the effect of time of top-dressing on spikelet number was generally the greatest when N was top-dressed from 35 to 30 days before heading. The variation of observed spikelet number was analyzed with a linear regression of plant N 14 days before heading and by a model that estimates spikelet production accounting for plant N 14 days before heading and crop growth rate (CGR) during the 14-day period preceding heading. For the variation of spikelet number within each cultivar, the linear function model expressed the observed spikelet number than the two function model with R² 0.43** versus 0.13*-0.28** for the former and later models, respectively. When the results of all cultivars were combined, the two function model was much better for estimation of spikelet number than the linear function model (R² = 0.36** vs. 0.20*). This indicates that yearly and varietal variation of spikelet number was caused mainly by plant N status at the late spikelet differentiation stage. The varietal variation in spikelet production efficiency is explained by CGR during this 14-day period. We concluded that N applications that increase plant N 14 days before heading is highly effective in maximizing spikelet production among cultivars.     

Antimicrobial susceptibilities, serogroups, and molecular characterization of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli isolates in Japan

In total, 83 avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) isolates from avian colibacillosis during a period from 2001 to 2006 in Japan were investigated for serogroups, typical virulence factors, antimicrobial susceptibility, and genetic relatedness. The most common serogroup was O78 (30.1%); 80.7% of isolates harbored the iss gene and 55.4% of isolates harbored the tsh gene. Antimicrobial resistance of the isolates was found for ampicillin (77.1%), oxytetracycline (75.9%), kanamycin (36.1%), fradiomycin (33.7%), trimethoprim (25.3%), enrofloxacin (21.7%), and florfenicol (6.0%). Although multiple antimicrobial-resistant phenotypes (three or more antimicrobials) accounted for 54.2% of isolates, no isolate exhibited resistance to all agents tested. The fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates had point mutations in GyrA (Ser83 --> Leu, Asp87 --> Asn) and ParC (Ser80 --> Ile, Glu84 --> Gly). Of 18 enrofloxacin-resistant E. coli isolates, nine isolates belonged to serotype O78. In PFGE analysis, eight of the nine enrofloxacin-resistant O78 isolates were classified into an identical cluster. This suggests that a specific genotype of fluoroquinolone-resistant O78 APEC may be widely distributed in Japan.