The causes of soil alkalinization in the Songnen Plain of Northeast China

The causes of soil alkalinization in the Songnen Plain of Northeast China were mainly analyzed from two aspects, natural and anthropogenic. Natural factors of alkalinization are parent materials, topographic positions, freeze-thaw action, wind conveyance, water properties and semi-arid/sub-humid climate. Some of them were always being neglected, such as freeze-thaw action and wind conveyance. Anthropogenic causes are mainly population pressure, overgrazing and improper agricultural and economic policies. In recent decades, overgrazing played a main role in secondary soil alkalinization, which led to the decline of Leymus chinensis grasslands. Now, the alkalinization is very severe, and more than 3.2 × 10⁶ ha area has been affected by salt, which becomes one of the three largest sodic–saline areas in the world.     

Coexistence of anadromous and lacustrine life histories of the shirauo, Salangichthys microdon

The environmental history of the shirauo, Salangichthys microdon, was examined in terms of strontium (Sr) and calcium (Ca) uptake in the otolith, by means of wavelength dispersive X‐ray spectrometry on an electron microprobe. Anadromous and lacustrine type of the shirauo were found to occur sympatric. Otolith Sr concentration or Sr : Ca ratios of anadromous shirauo fluctuated strongly along the life‐history transect in accordance with the migration (habitat) pattern from sea to freshwater. In contrast, the Sr concentration or the Sr : Ca ratios of lacustrine shirauo remained at consistently low levels throughout the otolith. The higher ratios in anadromous shirauo, in the otolith region from the core to 90–230 μm, corresponded to the initial sea‐going period, probably reflecting the ambient salinity or the seawater–freshwater gradient in Sr concentration. The findings clearly indicated that otolith Sr : Ca ratios reflected individual life histories, enabling these anadromous shirauo to be distinguished from lacustrine shirauo.     

Physiological effects of wood on humans: a review

It is empirically known that wood can cause a comfort enhancement effect in humans. On the other hand, not enough scientific knowledge based on evidence-based research is available on this subject. However, data using physiological indices have increasingly accumulated in recent years. This review provides an overview of the current situation for peer-reviewed reports related to the physiological effects of wood. We reviewed reports that elucidated the effects of wood-derived stimulations on the olfactory, visual, auditory, and tactile sensations using physiological indices such as brain activity (e.g., near-infrared spectroscopy) and autonomic nervous activity (e.g., heart rate variability and blood pressure). It became clear that many studies were limited by (1) a small number of participants, mostly aged in their 20s; (2) use of only a single stimulus (e.g., only olfactory or only visual), or (3) an incomplete experimental design. In addition, this review examined the field of forest therapy, for which there is abundant research. Further study is needed to elucidate the physiological effects of wood on humans.     

Possible active transport mechanism in pharmacokinetics of flunixin-meglumin in rabbits

The plasma and urine kinetics of flunixin-meglumin (FNX, 2 mg/kg, i.v.) in rabbits were examined. Unusual pharmacokinetic profiles were obtained, including high binding percentage with plasma protein (> 99%), a short elimination half-life (< 4 hr) and a relatively large Vd-area (0.5 L/kg). These profiles indicate that some active transport mechanisms are involved in FNX disposition. The recovery of FNX from urine was approximately 9 % of the dose within 24 hr following the injection. The estimated renal clearance of the unbound drug nearly corresponded to the renal blood flow rates, indicating that active tubular secretion in the renal re-absorptive tract may be involved in the disposition. The effect of a concomitant administration of pravastatin (PV) on FNX disposition was also examined. PV is a representative substrate of a transporter in human liver cells (OATP-2). After the PV administrations, the Vd-area of FNX and total body clearance markedly decreased, indicating that FNX is actively taken up and metabolized in liver cells by an OATP-2 like transporter. In conclusion, there are at least 2 active transport pathways for FNX pharmacokinetics in rabbits, one is renal tubular secretion and the other is in the sinusoidal section of the liver.     

Isolation and purification of a protective protein antigen of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae

The rapid growth and high survival rate of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was determined using a culture of the bacterium in tryptic soy broth supplemented with 0.3% Tris-hydroxymethyl aminomethane and 0.1% Tween 80 (TT-TS broth). High concentrations of 64, 66 and 43 kDa proteins, which are associated with protection against E. rhusiopathiae infection in mice, were obtained by alkaline treatment of whole cells using 0.05-1 N NaOH. The supernatant of alkaline treated cells (alkaline extract; AE) was stable at alkaline or neutral pH. However, aggregates appeared at neutral pH in the absence of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). A high yield of 64, 66 and 43 kDa proteins was obtained from strain Agata (serovar 5). The proteins were eluted from gel bands following SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of the AE from strain Agata and designated P64 and P43. The amounts of P64 and P43 isolated were 0.7 and 0.3 mg/16 g of wet bacteria, respectively. In a mouse protection test, 50% protective doses (PD50) of P64 and P43 were 0.58 and 0.63 microgram, respectively. Upon Western blotting of the AE, both anti-P64 and anti-P43 antibodies reacted with the 64 and 43 kDa proteins. From these results, it is suggested that P64 is the most effective protective antigen and that P43 (43 kDa protein) is a degradation product of P64. Therefore, the 64 kDa structural proteins are associated with the induction of a protective activity against E. rhusiopathiae infection in mice.     

RFLP analysis of a PCR amplified region of chloroplast DNA in eggplant and related Solanum species

RFLP analysis of a PCR amplified 3.2-kbp region of cpDNA bounded by the conserved sequences in rbc L and ORF 106 was performed in eggplant (Solanum melongena), its related Solanum species, S. incanum, S. virginianum (= S. surattense), S. torvum, S. aethiopicum (= S. gilo), S. aethiopicum (= S. integrifolium), S. violaceum (= S. indicum), S. violaceum (= S. sanitwongsei) and S. mammosum and the reciprocal hybrids between S. aethiopicum (= S. integrifolium) and S. melongena 'Uttara'. The target region of cpDNA was amplified correctly by PCR. The amplified products were digested with each of 10 restriction enzymes (Alu I, Ase I, BamH I, Hinf I, Msp I, Rsa I, ScrF I, Sty I, Taq I and Xba I). Variations of restriction patterns among the species were recognized after digesting the amplified products with each of the seven restriction enzymes, Taq I, Alu I, Rsa I, Sty I, Ase I, Hinf I and Xba I. The restriction patterns divided the examined nine species into the following five clusters, 1) S. melongena and S. incanum, 2) S. virginianum (= S. surattense), 3) S. torvum, 4) S. aethiopicum (= S. gilo), S. aethiopicum (= S. integrifolium), S. violaceum (= S. indicum) and S. violaceum (= S. sanitwongsei) and 5) S. mammosum. The restriction pattern with Alu I in each of the reciprocal hybrids between S. melongena 'Uttara' and S. aethiopicum (= S. integrifolium) was identical with that of seed parent. The present study demonstrated the availability of the PCR-RFLP analysis of cpDNA for assessing taxonomic relationships and identifying cytoplasmic parentage of interspecific hybrids in eggplant and related Solanum species. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

In vitro but not in planta encapsidation of Rice gall dwarf virus core particles by the outer capsid P8 protein of Rice dwarf virus expressed in transgenic rice plants

Transencapsidation of the Rice gall dwarf virus (RGDV) inner core by the Rice dwarf virus (RDV) outer capsid P8 protein was examined in vitro and in planta. When RGDV core particles were incubated with an extract from RDV P8-transgenic rice leaf tissue, RDV P8 encapsidated the RGDV core particles to form double-shelled virus-like particles in vitro. In contrast, when RDV P8-transgenic rice plants were inoculated with RGDV, progeny RGDV particles contained RGDV P8 but RDV P8 was not detectable in the virions. No significant differences were found in acquisition by the vector insects and subsequent transmission rates between RGDV infecting nontransgenic rice plants and those infecting RDV P8-transgenic rice plants. These results indicate that mechanisms of and/or requirements for interactions between P8 and the inner core particles of phytoreoviruses differ between in vitro and in planta.     

Radiocesium transfer from Andosols to brown rice in the northern and northwest areas of Tochigi Prefecture,in the first 3 years following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident

ABSTRACT

Following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident of 2011, the potential for radiocesium transfer from contaminated soils, such as Andosols, to agricultural crops became a significant concern. Andosols account for up to 70％ of paddy soils in the northern and northwest areas of Tochigi Prefecture, where the radiocesium concentration is 1000 Bq kg^?1 or greater in the soil of some fields. The present study was carried out in order to determine the phytoavailability of radiocesium in Andosols by comparing it with that of gray lowland soils in the first 3 years following the accident. The transfer factor (TF) tended to be higher in Andosols than in gray lowland soils, leading to higher radiocesium concentrations in brown rice grown in Andosols. The exchangeable potassium (Ex-K₂O) in Andosols was highly and negatively correlated with TF, followed by clay. The Ex-K₂O value was positively correlated with the clay/total carbon (T-C) value, suggesting that a high T–C ratio could weaken K₂O adsorption on clay mineral sites; hence, the low clay/T-C values can partially explain the relatively large TF values of Andosols. Samples with Ex-K₂O contents less than 200 mg kg^?1 and with low clay/T-C values showed striking decreases in TF values from 2011 to 2012. However, the decrease from 2012 to 2013 was quite small; radiocesium in these samples was potentially available for rice uptake for a long time, likely due to the reversible adsorption and fixation characteristics of allophane. Most gray lowland soil samples showed very low TF values over the 3 years of the study, except for those with TF values greater than 0.1 due to low Ex-K₂O and clay contents; the geometric mean (GM) value of TF was below 0.01 in 2012. The extraction of exchangeable radiocesium (Ex-Cs) with a 1 mol L^?1 ammonium acetate solution may not be an appropriate method for explaining the variability in radiocesium TF in Andosols. This is because the Ex-Cs value was significantly correlated with Ex-K₂O in Andosols, but not in gray lowland soils, indicating that Ex-K₂O explained this variability in relation to Ex-Cs.     

Prevention of acute liver failure in rats with reversibly immortalized human hepatocytes

Because of a critical shortage in suitable organs, many patients with terminal liver disease die each year before liver transplantation can be performed. Transplantation of isolated hepatocytes has been proposed for the temporary metabolic support of patients awaiting liver transplantation or spontaneous reversion of their liver disease. A major limitation of this form of therapy is the present inability to isolate an adequate number of transplantable hepatocytes. A highly differentiated cell line, NKNT-3, was generated by retroviral transfer in normal primary adult human hepatocytes of an immortalizing gene that can be subsequently and completely excised by Cre/Lox site-specific recombination. When transplanted into the spleen of rats under transient immunosuppression, reversibly immortalized NKNT-3 cells provided life-saving metabolic support during acute liver failure induced by 90% hepatectomy.