Identification of the medicinal off-flavor compound formed from ascorbic acid and (E)-hex-2-enal

A test apple beverage made up of apple juice (20%), high-fructose corn syrup (11.5%), citric acid (0.43%), trisodium citrate (0.02%), apple-odor flavor (0.1%), and ascorbic acid (0.02%) was stored at 40 °C and then analyzed for the change of odor in the beverage. Although no thermoacidophilic bacteria (TAB) were detected, a medicinal off-flavor was perceived after the 8 weeks of storage. Model experiments on the ingredients of the test apple beverage revealed that the off-flavor compound had been formed by ascorbic acid and (E)-hex-2-enal. Synthesis and NMR (1H, 13C, HMQC, and HMBC) analyses identified the compound as 6-propylbenzofuran-7-ol. The odor quality, retention index (RI), and mass spectrum of synthetic 6-propylbenzofuran-7-ol were identical with those of the medicinal odor compound from the test apple beverage. Sensory evaluation revealed the recognition thresholds for medicinal odor were 31.4 ppb in water and 24.0 ppb in apple beverage, and the detection thresholds were 19.6 ppb in water and 8.6 ppb in apple beverage, respectively. The quantified concentration of 6-propylbenzofuran-7-ol formed in test apple beverage was 90 ppb, approximately. This concentration was well above the odor threshold, so it was concluded that the compound was the source of the medicinal off-flavor.     

旱稻水分利用率与碳同位素识别值之间的关系

通过温室盆栽试验 ,分析和探讨了三个水平的土壤水分条件对分蘖期和成熟期收获的旱稻(OryzasativaL .)生物量累积、水分利用率 (WUE)、植株不同部位的碳同位素识别值 (CID)的影响 ,并了解了它们之间的相互关系。水分条件包括 :饱和含水量 (W1 )、饱和含水量的 70 %(W2 )、饱和含水量的 4 0 %(W3)。结果表明当土壤水分条件从W1降低到W2时 ,分蘖期收获的生物量降低 4 5 %左右 ,成熟期收获的生物量降低 1 6 %～ 1 9%;而当从W1降低到W3时 ,分蘖期收获的生物量降低 73%左右 ,成熟期收获的生物量降低 5 5 %～ 5 7%。然而 ,根据地上部干重计算而来的WUE(WUE 地上部 )和根据全株干重计算而来的WUE(WUE 全株 )则随土壤含水量的降低而增加 ,其增幅在分蘖期为 0 .0 7～ 0 .2 8gkg-1 ,在成熟期为 0 .0 7～ 0 .4 5gkg-1 。植株的CID值变幅为 1 7.0～ 2 0 .6 ,但植株不同部位间差别显著 ,分蘖期收获的样品CID值从小到大的顺序为 :根 <最近完全伸展叶 <叶芽 <茎秆 ;而成熟期收获的样品CID值从小到大的顺序为 :籽粒 <根 <茎秆 <旗叶。随着土壤含水量的降低 ,植株所有部位的CID值亦显著减小。叶部的CID值与WUE 地上部(和WUE 全株 )之间呈一致的负相关关系。     

Effects of carbon and nitrogen amendment on soil carbon and nitrogen mineralization in volcanic immature soil in southern Kyushu,Japan

Soil N mineralization is affected by microbial biomass and respiration, which are limited by available C and N. To examine the relationship between C and N for soil microbial dynamics and N dynamics, we conducted long-term laboratory incubation (150 days) after C and N amendment and measured changes in C and N mineralization, microbial biomass C, and dissolved C and N throughout the incubation period. The study soil was volcanic immature soil from the southern part of Japan, which contains lower C and N compared with other Japanese forest soils. Despite this, the area is covered by well-developed natural and plantation forests. Carbon amendment resulted in an increase in both microbial biomass and respiration, and net N mineralization decreased, probably due to increasing microbial immobilization. In contrast, N amendment resulted in a decrease in microbial respiration and an increase in net N mineralization, possibly due to decreased immobilization by microbes. Amendment of both C and N simultaneously did not affect microbial biomass and respiration, although net N mineralization was slightly increased. The results suggested that inhibitory effect on microbial respiration by N amendment should be reduced if carbon availability is higher. Thus, soil available C may limit microbial biomass and respiration in this volcanic immature soil. Even in immature soil where C and N substrate is low, soil C, such as plant root exudates and materials from above- and belowground dead organisms, might help to maintain microbial activity and N mineralization in this study site.     

Leaf-fall phenology along a topography-mediated environmental gradient in a cool–temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest in Japan

Leaf-fall phenology was studied in a cool–temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest in central Japan in relation to the topographic environmental gradients that occur along a short mountain slope. Leaf-fall phenology was described quantitatively using data from leaf litter collected along the slope. In autumn, leaf fall at the study site tended to occur slightly earlier on the upper slope than on the lower slope. This pattern was found at both the stand and the species levels. Our results suggest that leaf-fall phenology may be affected by difference in microclimatic conditions, because environmental conditions are thought to be more severe on the upper slope than on the lower slope. The less intensive methods used in this study, the litter trap method, and Dixon’s model succeeded in quantifying the phenological patterns of leaf fall within stands and within species along the short mountain slope.     

A molecular epidemiological survey of Babesia, Hepatozoon,Ehrlichia and Anaplasma infections of dogs in Japan

Tick-borne diseases are often encountered in canine clinical practice. In the present study, a molecular epidemiological survey of dogs in Japan was conducted to understand the prevalence and geographical distribution of Babesia spp., Hepatozoon spp., Ehrlichia spp. and Anaplasma spp. Pathogen-derived DNA in blood samples obtained from 722 dogs with a history of exposure to ticks and/or fleas was examined by PCR. The prevalence of Babesia gibsoni, Babesia odocoilei-like species, Hepatozoon canis and Ehrlichia spp./Anaplasma spp. was 2.4% (16/722), 0.1% (1/722), 2.5% (18/722) and 1.5% (11/722), respectively. While B. gibsoni and Ehrlichia spp./Anaplasma spp. were detected in the western part of Japan, H. canis was detected in Tohoku area in addition to western and central parts of Japan.     

Leaf-lamina conductance contributes to an equal distribution of water delivery in current-year shoots of kudzu-vine shoot, Pueraria lobata

Leaf-lamina resistance, R(L), accounts for a large fraction of branch resistance across a wide range of plant species. This work hypothesized that large R(L) is essential for distributing water equally to leaves on the shoot, and tested this hypothesis through theoretical analyses and measurements using over 10-m-long current-year shoots of kudzu vine, Pueraria lobata [Willd.] Ohwi. First, the hydraulic architecture and the distribution of the motive force achieving equal distribution of water delivery were theoretically obtained by simulating water flow through a hypothetical shoot comprising an axial pathway and several lateral pathways as a stem and leaves, respectively, in a kudzu-vine shoot. The model predicts that large resistance of the lateral pathway relative to that of the axial pathway is associated strongly with small variation in the hydraulic conductance of a pathway from the base of the axial pathways to the lateral pathway among the nodes, rendering water delivery to each lateral pathway equal under small variation in motive force for water flow. For the kudzu-vine shoot, the measured ratio of the lateral (a petiole) to the axial (a stem) resistance was 115. When R(L) was added to the lateral pathway, the ratio increased to 1136. According to the model prediction, these values imply that the hydraulic conductance of a pathway comprising a stem and a petiole, K(BP), is favored strongly at the basal nodes, while the hydraulic conductance of a pathway including a stem, a petiole and a lamina, K(SL), is slightly different across the nodes. For the shoots with leaf lamina, the diurnal change in transpiration rate was not different between the leaves on the three nodes dividing the shoot into four parts. K(SL) was not related significantly to node number. Conversely, K(BP) at the distal node was ~0.06-fold that at the basal node. Furthermore, the motive force for water flow should vary by 6.64-fold among nodes to compensate for the favored distribution of K(BP), which is an unrealistic value. These results indicate that R(L) contributes largely to an equal distribution of water delivery in a shoot, supporting our hypothesis.     

HPLC fluorometric determination of natural phytoplankton phycocyanin and its usefulness as cyanobacterial biomass in highly eutrophic shallow lake

A method for HPLC determination of phycocyanin in phytoplankton samples using gelchromatography with a fluorescence detector was developed to examine the use of phycocyanin as an index of the appearance and progress of cyanobacterial blooms in highly eutrophic lake. At least two types of phycocyanin with different molecular weights, each spectroscopically different from phycoerythrin and allophycocyanin, were found in natural phytoplankton samples. Changes in phycocyanin concentrations were clearly coupled to changes in chlorophyll-a concentrations during June to October while cyanobacterial blooms were occurring. The chlorophyll-a to phycocyanin relationship was linear at chlorophyll-a concentrations of less than 250 μg L^?1. The relationship between cyanobacterial carbon and phycocyanin concentration was also linear, suggesting that phycocyanin content may be a useful index of cyanobacterial biomass in highly eutrophic lakes where large cyanobacterial blooms occur.     

Changes in aboveground and belowground properties during secondary natural succession of a cool-temperate forest in Japan

Forest development in temperate regions is considered to be a global carbon sink. Many studies have examined forest development after harvesting or fire from aboveground (e.g., biomass) or belowground (e.g., soil nutrient) perspectives. However, few studies have explored forest development from both perspectives simultaneously in cool-temperate forests in Japan. In this study, we examined changes over 105 years in both aboveground and belowground components during secondary natural succession. The aboveground biomass increased for 50 years and reached a plateau in a 105-year-old stand. The N mineralization rate increased during succession for 50 years, but showed a decline in the 105-year-old stand due to the decrease in the nitrification rate in late succession. The percent nitrification (i.e., relative contribution of nitrification to N mineralization) decreased significantly with increasing forest stand age. The N mineralization rates had significant relationships with N concentrations of the dominant tree foliage and litter fall and with the amount of litter fall N. Meanwhile, other belowground properties (i.e., soil pH, phenol concentration, soil microbial respiration, and litter mass loss) did not show any significant relationship with forest stand age. This may be because the soil at the study sites was heterogeneous and consisted of Cambisols and Andosols, the latter of which originally has high organic matter content, and thus may have buffered the effect of the aboveground development. These results indicate that belowground N dynamics are more closely associated with aboveground development than other belowground properties in these forests.     

The structure of iron in Earth's inner core

Earth's solid inner core is mainly composed of iron (Fe). Because the relevant ultrahigh pressure and temperature conditions are difficult to produce experimentally, the preferred crystal structure of Fe at the inner core remains uncertain. Static compression experiments showed that the hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structure of Fe is stable up to 377 gigapascals and 5700 kelvin, corresponding to inner core conditions. The observed weak temperature dependence of the c/a axial ratio suggests that hcp Fe is elastically anisotropic at core temperatures. Preferred orientation of the hcp phase may explain previously observed inner core seismic anisotropy.