Emission of dimethyl sulfide,carbonyl sulfide,and carbon bisulfide from paddy fields

Abstract

Emission rates of dimethyl sulficle (DMS), carbonyl sulfide (COS), and carbon disulfide (CS₂) to the atmosphere from paddy fields at Ryugasaki, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan were measured by using the closed chamber method. DMS was emitted mainly through the rice plant and its emission rate was much higher than those of COS and CS₂. During a cropping period COS was slightly absorbed by the rice plant. Significant diurnal and seasonal variations of DMS iuxes were observed. The highest DMS iux was observed immediately after the heading day of rice plant. The annual DMS emission rate was in the order of mineral plot > straw plot > no-N plot, ranging from 4.5 to 6.9 mg S m^-2 yr^-1. The annual COS emission rate was in the order of straw plot > no-N plot > mineral plot, ranging from -0.2 to 1.8 mg S m^-2 yr^-1. The annual CS₂ emission rate was slightly higher in the straw plot, ranging from 0.9 to 2.0 mg S m^-2 yr^-1.     

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF HYDROPIC DEGENERATION OF THE LIVER IN DAIRY CATTLE THROUGH BIOCHEMISTRY, ULTRASONOGRAPHY AND DIGITAL ANALYSIS

Ultrasonography of the liver of 181 Holstein-Friesian cows was performed and blood samples were collected for analysis. The hepatic ultrasonograms were evaluated and the echoes were analyzed digitally. After slaughter, liver specimens were taken and examined histopathologically. Of the 181 animals, 120 had a normal liver and 61 had hydropic degeneration of the liver, diagnosed through histopathologic examination. Diagnostic accuracy rates for hydropic degeneration were determined based on the following test positive conditions: a) for biochemical analysis—high levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin and non-esterified fatty acids; b) for ultrasonography—presence of dark pattern and blurring of edges; and c) for digital analysis—low echo means at 1 cm and 3 cm from the hepatic surface. Digital analysis had the highest overall specificity, accuracy and positive predictive values for hydropic degeneration, followed by ultrasonography. The results suggest that ultrasonography and digital analysis of hepatic ultrasonograms can be used for diagnosis of hydropic degeneration of the liver in place of biochemical analysis.     

Evaluation of the Cranial Cruciate Ligament Repair System? in Surgery for Laryngeal Hemiplegia in Heavy Draft Horses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the canine cranial cruciate ligament repair system on laryngeal hemiplegia in heavy draft horses. Twenty-four heavy draft horses diagnosed with grade 4 laryngeal hemiplegia were allocated to either the prosthetic laryngoplasty (PL) group (n=14) or a canine cranial cruciate ligament repair system (CCCLRS) group (n=10). Right to left angle quotients (RLQs) of abductions of the arytenoid cartilages were endoscopically evaluated before and after surgery. Post-operative RLQs in the CCCLRS group were significantly lower than those of the PL group (P<0.01). The canine cranial cruciate ligament repair system was revealed to be a good surgical procedure for laryngeal hemiplegia in heavy draft horses.     

Flow cytometric analysis of chicken NK activity and its use on the effect of restraint stress

Immune system is organized by the influence of both neural and endocrine systems. NK activity plays an important role in the innate immunity. In this study, we observed the effects of restraint stress on chicken peripheral blood NK activity. Viability of FITC-labeled RP9 was measured with PI after treatment with the effector cells. Chicken peripheral blood CD8alpha+ cells expressed strong cytotoxic activity, in contrast to thrombocytes, while peripheral blood CD3+ CD8alpha+ cells and CD4+ cells had little cytotoxic activity. Con A supernatant enhanced the cytotoxic activity of CD8alpha+ cells. Therefore, it is considered that these cytotoxic activities measured by flow cytometry (FCM) analysis are NK activity. When chickens were exposed to restraint stress, the levels of serum corticosterone increased transiently over a short period of time while the NK activity decreased. The decreased NK activity, however, did not recover to the intact levels for a long time, even once the serum corticosterone levels had recovered. These data indicate that chicken NK activity is able to be measured by flow cytometric analysis and that restraint stress causes severe damage to the chicken NK activity.     

Lignin pyrolysis reactions

Lignin, an aromatic constituent of woody biomass, is a potential renewable aromatic feedstock for a sustainable future carbon economy. Pyrolysis-based technologies, such as fast pyrolysis and gasification, are promising methods for converting lignin into biochemicals, biomaterials, and biofuels. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in lignin pyrolysis/gasification would guide the development of the controlled pyrolysis and gasification systems to overcome issues with low product selectivity, an intrinsic drawback of current pyrolysis-based technologies. This review article summaries the state-of-the-art research into molecular mechanisms of lignin pyrolysis and gasification. This information should also be useful for understanding the influence of high temperature heat treatments on the properties of wood.     

Species identification method for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scombrops boops</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scombrops gilberti</Emphasis> based on polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of mitochondrial DNA

ABSTRACT:   Gnomefish Scombrops boops and Scombrops gilberti are commercially important fishes in Japan, but these species are often confused in the markets because of their morphological similarity. To identify these two species, we performed nucleotide sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis on 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and the control region in mitochondrial DNA. Five and 12 nucleotide substitutions were observed between species in the 777-bp 16S rRNA gene and 471-bp control region, respectively. Diagnostic restriction sites for discriminating between S. boops and S. gilberti were found in the 16S rRNA gene, but not in the control region. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–RFLP analysis using two enzymes, Eco NI and Mva I, clearly discriminated between S. boops and S. gilberti identified by meristic characters. The PCR–RFLP analysis identified most of the 168 Scombrops young caught in the coastal waters of the Izu and Miura peninsulas as S. boops , suggesting that S. gilberti juveniles are rare in this area.     

An immunohistochemical study of endocrine cells in the abomasum of vagotomized calf

The effect of thoraco-vagotomy on the distribution and frequency of chromogranin-, serotonin-, somatostatin- and gastrin-immunoreactive cells in the abomasum of the calf were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Calves were vagotomized at 1 week old and sampled 2 and 4 weeks later. The endocrine cells generally decreased in number in vagotomized calves as compared to non-operated control calves. However, the detailed responses of endocrine cells to vagotomy varied depending on the endocrine cell type, region of gastric mucosa, and period after vagotomy. The present result suggests that the vagus nerve has an influence on the intrinsic regulatory system by endocrine cell control in the ruminant abomasum.     

Distribution of a fish pathogen Listonella anguillarum in the Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus hatchery

The present study was undertaken to investigate the distribution of Listonella anguillarum in a Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) hatchery. A total of 2704 isolates were obtained from the developing fish, live diets and artificial feeds of Japanese flounder and their rearing water, 439 of which were identified as L. anguillarum by the combining incubation on thiosulfate-citrate-bile salt-sucrose (TCBS) agar at 35 °C overnight with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection for the VAH1 hemolysin gene. L. anguillarum was detected in all seven rotifer samples, with densities of 2.5 × 10³ to 4.6 × 10⁶ colony forming units (CFU) g^− 1. Both the analyzed samples of Nannochloropsis oculata contained this bacterium at densities of 1.6 × 10⁴ to 1.4 × 10⁵ CFU g^− 1. L. anguillarum was detected in only one of four samples of Artemia nauplii with a density of 4.8 × 10⁵ CFU g^− 1 (35%) and it was not detected in the two analyzed artificial feed samples. L. anguillarum was detected in 11 of 18 specimens of larval and juvenile Japanese flounder at densities of 5.0 × 10¹ to 7.4 × 10⁵ CFU g^− 1, while it was not detected in the two analyzed egg specimens of Japanese flounder. These results indicate that L. anguillarum associated with the developing Japanese flounder is likely derived from rearing water and live diets such as rotifers. Further, it is strongly suggested that L. anguillarum is a transient bacterium of the intestinal microflora for the Japanese flounder but is a permanently indigenous one for the Japanese flounder hatcheries.