Oxytocin Cells in the Supraoptic Nucleus Receive Excitatory Synaptic Inputs from the Contralateral Supraoptic and Paraventricular Nuclei in the Lactating Rat

The present experiments were undertaken to examine whether oxytocin cells in the supraoptic nucleus receive synaptic inputs from the contralateral supraoptic nucleus or paraventricular nucleus. Using urethane-anesthetized lactating rats, extracellular action potentials were recorded from single oxytocin or vasopressin cells in the supraoptic nucleus. Electrical stimulation was applied to the contralateral supraoptic nucleus or paraventricular nucleus, and responses of oxytocin or vasopressin cells were analyzed by peri-stimulus time histogram or by change in firing rate of oxytocin or vasopressin cells. Electrical stimulation of the contralateral supraoptic nucleus or paraventricular nucleus did not cause antidromic excitation in oxytocin or vasopressin cells but caused orthodromic responses. Although analysis by peri-stimulus time histogram showed that electrical stimulation of the contralateral supraoptic nucleus or paraventricular nucleus caused orthodromic excitation in both oxytocin and vasopressin cells, the proportion of excited oxytocin cells was greater than that of vasopressin cells. Train stimulation applied to the contralateral supraoptic nucleus or paraventricular nucleus at 10 Hz increased firing rates of oxytocin cells and decreased those of vasopressin cells. The results of the present experiments suggest that oxytocin cells in the supraoptic nucleus receive mainly excitatory synaptic inputs from the contralateral supraoptic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus. Receipt these synaptic inputs to oxytocin cells may contribute to the synchronized activation of oxytocin cells during the milk ejection reflex.     

Effect of different organic amendments on the resistance and resilience of the organic matter decomposing ability of soil and the role of aggregated soil structure

The effect of organic amendment on the resistance and resilience of the organic matter decomposing activity was compared between soils amended with compost and with chemical fertilizers. The impact of metam sodium disinfection on cellulose-decomposing activity and on the number of nematodes in three types of soils was periodically measured. In an andosol, cellulose-decomposing activity was significantly suppressed by soil disinfection only in the chemically fertilized soil (CF-soil) and not in the soils to which cow manure compost and okara (the residue in tofu production)/coffee compost was added. In a brown lowland soil, cellulose-decomposing activity was significantly suppressed by soil disinfection in the CF-soil, but not in the soils to which higher amounts of cow manure compost and pig manure compost had been added. In a red-yellow soil, cellulose-decomposing activity was significantly suppressed by soil disinfection in all soils, but its resilience was higher in the soils to which cow manure compost or coffee compost was added compared with the CF-soil. Total numbers of nematodes were markedly decreased by soil disinfection in all soils. These results may suggest that the resistance and resilience of cellulose-decomposing activity against soil disinfection were enhanced by organic amendments, while disinfection had fatal effects on soil nematodes. In most of the organically amended soils, the mean weight diameters of aggregates were larger compared with the CF-soils, suggesting that highly structured soil pore networks may provide shelters for the soil microbes responsible for cellulose decomposition against disinfection. This hypothesis was supported by the result that the resistance of cellulose-decomposing activity against soil disinfection decreased when the soil structure was destroyed by grinding in a mortal and pestle.     

Anticancer activities of thelephantin O and vialinin A isolated from Thelephora aurantiotincta

Thelephora aurantiotincta is an edible mushroom belonging to the genus Thelephora; it grows in symbiosis with pine trees. Recently, phytochemical investigations have revealed that the genus Thelephora is an abundant source of p-terphenyl derivatives. However, their bioactivity has not yet been well characterized. In screening for natural materials with anticancer activity, a T. aurantiotincta ethanol extract (TAE) was found to decrease cell viability in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2). In this study, a new p-terphenyl derivative, thelephantin O, and a known compound, vialinin A, were isolated as the principal bioactive components of TAE. These compounds decreased cell viability in HepG2 and human colonic carcinoma cells (Caco2), but not in noncancerous human hepatocytes. This is the first report of the isolation from T. aurantiotincta of selective cytotoxic agents against cancer cells.     

Effects of coumestrol administration to maternal mice during pregnancy and lactation on renal Ca metabolism in neonatal mice

The present study was conducted to clarify the effects of coumestrol administration to maternal mice during pregnancy and lactation on serum Ca and Ca metabolism in their neonatal mice. From 6.5 to 16.5 days post coitus and from 3 to 10 days after parturition, maternal mice were administered at 200 µg/kg body weight/day of coumestrol. Coumestrol administration did not affect weight gains, serum Ca and the expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR) protein in the kidney of neonatal mice, but weight gains of maternal mice were decreased by coumestrol administration. Coumestrol administration increased the messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions of epithelial Ca channels 1 (ECaC1) and VDR in the kidney of neonatal mice, and also increased the mRNA expressions of ECaC2 in the kidney and small intestine of male neonatal mice. The mRNA expressions of ECaC1, ECaC2, calbindin‐D_9k (CaBP‐9k) and estrogen receptor (ER)α in the kidney and VDR in the small intestine of male neonatal mice were higher than those of female mice. Thus, coumestrol administration to maternal mice during pregnancy and lactation may affect renal Ca metabolism in neonatal mice, especially male neonatal mice via maternal milk.     

Behavior of nitrogen in the media supplied with the aqueous phase produced by methane fermentation as liquid fertilizer

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Behavior of nitrogen in the media was investigated when the aqueous phase produced by methane fermentation was supplied as liquid fertilizer.
When the aqueous phase was supplied to masa-soil,      included in masa-soil was nitrified to      . Additionally, in masa-soil,       absorption was observed. On the other hand, in the case of coconut fiber and rockwool,     has been hardly nitrified. From above results, it was determined that       toxic effect from the aqueous phase on tomato plants growth was inhibited by means of the progress of nitrification and       absorption by masa-soil.
  However, nitrification was restrained so that       was fixed in masa-soil. On the other hand, in the sampled field soil,       was not fixed, and was nitrified immediately. In the field soil, there was a great deal of generated      . In comparison with masa-soil.     

The effects of nitrogen uptake before and after heading on grain protein content and the occurrence of basal- and back-white grains in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Chalky rice (Oryza sativa L.) grains are induced by high temperature during the grain-filling period. Plant nitrogen status also affects the occurrence of basal- and back-white grains (BBWG). The objective of this study was to elucidate the relations between nitrogen availability per spikelet during the grain-filling period (N_GF) and each of the percentage of BBWG and grain protein content (GPC). We further compared the effect of the components of N_GF determined before heading (N_BH) and after heading (N_AH) on BBWG and GPC. We grew the rice cultivar ‘Koshihikari’ in pots in 2012 and 2013, and top-dressed nitrogen at the panicle formation and heading stages, under two (2012) or three (2013) temperature regimes during the grain-filling period. GPC was explained well by N_GF, but BBWG was not. BBWG was best explained in a multiple-regression equation by mean air temperature after heading and by N_BH and N_AH. The partial correlation coefficients for N_BH were 1.6 and 3.0 times those for N_AH in 2012 and 2013, respectively. On the other hand, in a multiple-regression equation for GPC, the partial correlation coefficients for N_BH were 0.91 and 0.71 times those for N_AH in 2012 and 2013, respectively. These results suggest that rice grains are most sensitive to plant nitrogen status before heading for BBWG but after heading for GPC, and that there is an optimal timing for nitrogen top-dressing that would maximize the reduction in BBWG per unit increment of GPC.