Synthesis and Bioactivity of Novel Acetylenic Compounds

The synthesis of novel acetylenic ketone compounds and anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities are herein described.     

Protein-Calcium-Phytic Acid Relationships in Soybean

This paper constitutes the first report in a research series undertaken in order to clarify the interactive relationships among soybean meal protein, calcium and phytic acid in solution and in precipitate.

Data presented are mainly concerned with solubility characteristics of soybean meal proteins as a function of pH. The results support the suggestion as follows; phosphorus and calcium give the remarkable effects on solubility characteristics of protein, the complex containing protein, calcium and phosphorus is formed above isoelectric point of protein and the combinations are labile above at pH 8, especially by heating.     

Monitoring Autophagy Flux and Activity: Principles and Applications

Macroautophagy is a major degradation mechanism of cell components via the lysosome. Macroautophagy greatly contributes to not only cell homeostasis but also the prevention of various diseases. Because macroautophagy proceeds through multi-step reactions, researchers often face a persistent question of how macroautophagic activity can be measured correctly. To make a straightforward determination of macroautophagic activity, diverse monitoring assays have been developed. Direct measurement of lysosome-dependent degradation of radioisotopically labeled cell proteins has long been applied. Meanwhile, indirect monitoring procedures have been developed. In these assays, autophagosome marker proteins, microtubule-associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3B-II (LC3B-II) and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor-associated protein-II (GABARAP-II) have been analyzed and the validity of the assays strongly depends on appropriate assessment of the fluctuation of LC3-II and/or GABARAP-II levels in the presence or absence of lysosomal inhibitors. This article describes these monitoring methods, paying special attention to the principles and characteristics of each procedure.     

Decrease in bacterial production over the past three decades in the north basin of Lake Biwa,Japan

Limnology - In Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, external pollutant loads have decreased since the 1980s, leading to improved water quality, such as reduction in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)...     

Invasive legume management strategies differentially impact mutualist abundance and benefit to native and invasive hosts

Determining the best management practices for plant invasions is a critical, but often elusive goal. Invasive removals frequently involve complex and poorly understood biotic interactions. For example, invasive species can leave potent legacies that influence the success of native species restoration efforts, and positive plant‐microbial feedbacks may promote continued reinvasion by an exotic species following restoration. Removal methods can vary in their effects on plant–soil feedbacks, with consequences for restoration of native species. We determined the effects of invasion by a leguminous shrub (French broom; Genista monspessulana) on the density and community composition of, and benefit conferred by, its microbial mutualists in its invading range. Densities of soil‐dwelling rhizobia were much higher in areas invaded by G. monspessulana relative to uninvaded areas, and this increased density of rhizobia fed back to increase seedling growth of both the invader and native legumes. We further compared how three techniques for removing G. monspessulana affected the densities of rhizobia relative to areas where G. monspessulana was still present. Removal by hand‐pulling reduced soil rhizobial densities, and reduced growth of one native legume, while having no effect on the growth of the invader. Overall, our results show that the consequences of restoration techniques, both above‐ and belowground, could be critical for the successful removal of an invasive legume and restoration of native species.     

Enhancing coral larval supply and seedling production using a special bundle collection system “coral larval cradle” for large‐scale coral restoration

Larval recruitment is essential for sustaining coral communities and a fundamental tool in some interventions for reef restoration. To improve larval supply and post‐settlement survival in sexually assisted coral restoration efforts, an integrated in situ collector system, the larval cradle, was designed to collect spawned gametes then culture the resulting larvae until settled on artificial substrates. The final design of the larval cradle was cylindrical, a nylon mesh structure with a volume of 9 m³, suspended in the sea and extending vertically toward the seabed. We found three key design features that improved the efficiency of the apparatus: (1) an open area of sea surface and mesh size of less than 100 μm produced high fertilization and optimal survival (>90%), (2) a special skirt‐shaped net (3 m in diameter) with a connection hose for attaching the cradle to collect bundles from many adult colonies over a wide area and at various depths, and (3) adding short square tube pieces, called square hollow sections, as a substrate for enhancing larval settlement and survival, to a larval cradle at 4 days after spawning was optimal for uniform settlement. This system allowed not only the collection of several million eggs, but also subsequent production of several thousand settled juvenile corals, without land facilities. Our design achieved several hundred times higher survival for early life stages of Acropora tenuis compared to nature.