Effect of dietary fish oil intake on ubiquitin ligase expression during muscle atrophy induced by sciatic nerve denervation in mice

Dietary fish oil intake improves muscle atrophy in several atrophy models however the effect on denervation‐induced muscle atrophy is not clear. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary fish oil intake on muscle atrophy and the expression of muscle atrophy markers induced by sciatic nerve denervation in mice. We performed histological and quantitative mRNA expression analysis of muscle atrophy markers in mice fed with fish oil with sciatic nerve denervation. Histological analysis indicated that dietary fish oil intake slightly prevented the decrease of muscle fiber diameter induced by denervation treatment. In addition, dietary fish oil intake suppressed the MuRF1 (tripartite motif‐containing 63) expression up‐regulated by denervation treatment, and this was due to decreased tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) production in skeletal muscle. We concluded that dietary fish oil intake suppressed MuRF1 expression by decreasing TNF‐α production during muscle atrophy induced by sciatic nerve denervation in mice.     

Late arrival of Anguilla japonica glass eels at the Sagami River estuary in two recent consecutive year classes: ecology and socio-economic impacts

To determine the actual status of the recruiting glass eel stock of Anguilla japonica, we conducted a continuous monthly monitoring program for 2?years between November 2009 and October 2011 at the Sagami River estuary, Japan. A total of 114 and 372 A. japonica glass eels were observed in the 2009?C2010 and 2010?C2011 seasons, respectively. Recruitment patterns were the same in both years, starting in early winter (December in 2009 and November in 2010), increasing slightly until March, decreasing in April, but attaining the largest peak in June, after which no glass eels were observed during August?COctober. The Japanese eel has been known to spawn mainly in the summer, and glass eels recruit to their freshwater growth habitats during the winter to early spring. Our results clearly demonstrate an unexpected late arrival of glass eels in the early summer for two recent consecutive year classes. The summer recruitment found in our study indicates the unusual phenology of the Japanese eel, which may be a possible response to recent climate change.     

Potential conflicts for the reuse of rice husk in Thailand

This study aims to investigate the impact of rice-husk power generation on agricultural uses of rice husk and its ash. We conducted case studies at a rice-husk power plant and organic farming groups in northeast Thailand. The case study on a rice-husk power plant showed that rice husk was useful in generating electricity without consuming fossil fuel, while husk ash, the by-product, could be utilized as silicate supplement for farmland soils. The case study on organic farming groups indicated that rice husk was one of the indispensable materials in conducting organic farming with locally available resources. On the basis of these findings, an analytical study on possible husk uses in Thailand was conducted, in which three potential major uses of rice husk were considered: i.e. (1) fuel use inside rice mills followed by husk-ash reuse, (2) fuel use at power plants followed by husk-ash reuse, and (3) direct reuse of husk for compost production. The result indicated that there would be conflicting demands for rice husk among those uses in the future. Therefore, there needs to be a strategy for balancing husk uses among them.     

Economic and environmental effects of rice-straw bioethanol production in Vietnam

Bioethanol production from rice-straw is carbon neutral and less competitive with food supplies, so it provides great possibilities for resolving global issues. This study aims to conduct economic and environmental evaluations on rice-straw bioethanol production in Vietnam, where huge amounts of unused rice-straw are available, by a top–down life-cycle assessment by means of an input–output table. The economic impacts are evaluated by total costs, total production, and total added value; the environmental impacts are assessed by greenhouse gas emissions with consideration of life-cycle, i.e., the plant construction phase, production phase, and plant scrapping phase. Three technology scenarios are assumed: (1) present technology, (2) advanced technology with higher conversion rates, and (3) innovative technology with a new production method and economies of scale. The results demonstrate that, first, rice-straw bioethanol production can reduce annual gasoline consumption by more than 20 %, and plant construction costs account for 8–22 % of the total investment in Vietnam. Second, under the present technology, both economic and environmental net benefits are negative. However, the innovative technology makes both benefits positive. Third, under the advanced technology, the environmental net benefit is positive, while the economic net benefit is negative. This implies that satisfying economic viability is more difficult than attaining environmental viability in rice-straw bioethanol production. Therefore, technological development and transfer are necessary to make rice-straw bioethanol production feasible.     

Regulation of stony hard peach softening with ACC treatment

Controlling the rate of fruit softening in melting-flesh peaches is a primary goal of the fruit industry. Stony hard (SH) peach varieties lack the ability to synthesize 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), the precursor of ethylene, which is required for fruit maturation. SH peaches thus have crisp flesh that remains firm during ripening. In this study, we developed a simple technique to stimulate fruit softening by a single spray application of ACC at a concentration of 10–20 mM, which was sufficient to allow ethylene synthesis and fruit softening. Higher concentrations of ACC increased ethylene production, and made the fruit softer. Ethylene synthesis was limited to the first 2–3 d after ACC treatment, after which fruit ceased softening and retained its remaining firmness. These results indicate that a single application of ACC solution can be used to regulate the process of fruit softening in SH peaches.     

Erratum to: Water management strategies for hydropower annexation at existing irrigation dams in Japan

Paddy and Water Environment -     

Cell wall modification during development of mealy texture in the stony-hard peach “Odoroki” treated with propylene

The melting peach cultivar “Akatsuki” [Prunus persica L. Batsh] develops melting texture during ripening, but the stony-hard peach cultivar “Odoroki”, softens and develops a mealy texture when treated with propylene. Cell wall polysaccharides were fractionated as 1,2-diaminocyclohexanetetraacetic acid (CDTA)-, Na₂CO₃-, NaOH-soluble fractions, or the cellulosic residues that remained after solvent extraction. Size-exclusion chromatography of the CDTA-soluble fraction revealed a limited depolymerization of polyuronides in mealy “Odoroki” fruit, accompanying a lower level of endo-polygalacturonase (endo-PG) and a higher level of exo-PG activities compared to melting “Akatsuki” fruit. “Akatsuki” fruit showed increases in the arabinose, galactose and rhamnose contents in the CDTA-soluble fraction. These neutral sugars decreased in the Na₂CO₃-soluble and cellulosic residue fractions during ripening. Similar changes were observed for neutral sugars other than arabinose during softening in mealy “Odoroki” fruit. Arabinose content did not increase in the CDTA-soluble fraction of “Odoroki” fruit; however, arabinose content decreased in the Na₂CO₃-soluble fraction and in the cellulosic residue as observed for “Akatsuki” fruit. A significant increase in α-l-arabinofuranosidase activity, about 10 times higher than for “Akatsuki” fruit, was observed in propylene-treated mealy “Odoroki” fruit. Differences in ripening-associated metabolic changes in the cell walls of these peach cultivars seem to be related to their differences in texture.     

Earthquake source fault beneath Tokyo

Devastating earthquakes occur on a megathrust fault that underlies the Tokyo metropolitan region. We identify this fault with use of deep seismic reflection profiling to be the upper surface of the Philippine Sea plate. The depth to the top of this plate, 4 to 26 kilometers, is much shallower than previous estimates based on the distribution of seismicity. This shallower plate geometry changes the location of maximum finite slip of the 1923 Kanto earthquake and will affect estimations of strong ground motion for seismic hazards analysis within the Tokyo region.