Which insect species numerically respond to allochthonous inputs?

Herons (Ardeidae) frequently breed in inland forests and provide organic material in the form of carcasses of prey (that they drop) and chicks (that die) to the forest floor. Such allochthonous inputs of organic materials are known to increase arthropod populations in forests. However, the exact species that show numerical responses to allochthonous inputs in heron breeding colonies remains unclear. Very few studies have clarified which factors determine numerical responses in individual species. We used pitfall and baited traps to compare the densities of arthropods between forest patches in heron breeding colonies (five sites) and areas outside of colonies (five sites) in central Japan. The density of all arthropods was not significantly different between colonies and non-colony areas. However, significant differences between colonies and non-colony areas were found in four arthropod groups. Earwigs (Dermaptera: Anisolabididae), hister beetles (Coleoptera: Histeridae), and carrion beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) were more abundant in colonies, while ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) were less abundant in colonies. We detected numerical responses to heron breeding in two earwig, one histerid, five silphid, and one ant species. Chick and prey carcasses from herons may have directly led to increases in consumer populations such as earwigs, histerids, and silphids in colonies, while microenvironmental changes caused by heron breeding may have reduced ant abundance. In the Silphidae, five species showed numerical responses to allochthonous inputs, and the other two species did not. Numerical responses in individual species may have been determined by life history traits such as reproductive behaviour.     

Co-composting of acid waste bentonites and their effects on soil properties and crop biomass

Acid waste bentonite is a byproduct from vegetable oil bleaching that is acidic (pH < 3.0) and hydrophobic. These materials are currently disposed of in landfills and could potentially have a negative impact on the effective function of microbes that are intolerant of acidic conditions. A study was undertaken using three different sources of acid waste bentonites, namely soybean oil bentonite (SB), palm oil bentonite (PB), and rice bran oil bentonite (RB). These materials were co-composted with rice husk, rice husk ash, and chicken litter to eliminate their acid reactivity and hydrophobic nature. The organic carbon (OC) content, pH, exchangeable cations, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the acid-activated bentonites increased significantly after the co-composting phase. In addition, the hydrophobic nature of these materials as measured using the water drop penetration time (WDPT) decreased from >10 800 s to 16 to 80 s after composting. Furthermore, these composted materials showed positive impacts on soil physical attributes including specific surface area, bulk density, and available water content for crop growth. Highly significant increases in maize biomass (Zea mays L.) production over two consecutive cropping cycles was observed in treatments receiving co-composted bentonite. The study clearly demonstrates the potential for converting an environmentally hazardous material into a high-quality soil conditioner using readily available agricultural byproducts. It is envisaged that the application of these composted acid waste bentonites to degraded soils will increase productivity and on-farm income, thus contributing toward food security and poverty alleviation.     

Synthesis of novel polymer type sulfoxide solid phase combined with the porogen imprinting for enabling selective separation of polychlorinated biphenyls

We developed a novel polymer type sulfoxide-modified solid phase enabling to achieve selective separation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from insulation oil. In this study, firstly we prepared base-polymer based on the concept of the molecular imprinting to capture PCBs in selectively, then, the sulfoxide groups were modified on the pore surface of base-polymers by changing preparation methods. As results of liquid chromatographic analyses for the polymers as columns, the base-polymer prepared by xylene as a porogenic solvent showed selective retention ability for chlorinated aromatic compounds by the porogen imprinting effect. Additionally, the polymer-type sulfoxide solid phases showed highly retention ability for PCBs by increasing amount of introduced sulfoxide groups. Consequently, the results of separation of PCBs comparing to insulation oil suggested that the prepared solid phase can be used for the selective separation of PCBs at the same level as a commercially available media utilized for the regulated method.     

Production of activated carbon from walnut shell by CO2 activation in a fluidized bed reactor and its adsorption performance of copper ion

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Low-cost and effective activated carbon for copper ion adsorption was prepared from walnut shell by CO2 activation in a fluidized bed. The effects...     

Biochemical and Genetic Characterization of an Extracellular Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate) Depolymerase from Acidovorax Sp. Strain TP4

To determine the properties of enzymes from bacteria that degrade polypropiolactone (PPL), we isolated 13 PPL-degrading bacteria from pond water, river water, and soil. Nine of these strains were identified as Acidovorax sp., three as Variovorax paradoxus, and one as Sphingomonas paucimobilis. All the isolates also degraded poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB). A PPL-degrading enzyme was purified to electrophoretical homogeneity from one of these bacteria, designated Acidovorax sp. TP4. The purified enzyme also degraded PHB. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated as about 50,000. The enzyme activity was inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate, dithiothreitol, and Triton X-100. The structural gene of the depolymerase was cloned in Escherichia coli. The nucleotide sequence of the cloned DNA fragment contained an open reading frame (1476 bp) specifying a protein with a deduced molecular weight of 50,961 (491 amino acids). The deduced overall sequence was very similar to that of a PHB depolymerase of Comamonas acidovorans YM1609. From these results it was concluded that the isolated PPL-degrading enzyme belongs to the class of PHB depolymerases. A conserved amino acid sequence, Gly-X₁-Ser-X₂-Gly (lipase box), was found at the N-terminal side of the amino acid sequence. Site-directed mutagenesis of the TP4 enzyme confirmed that ²⁰Ser in the lipase box was essential for the enzyme activity. This is the first report of the isolation a PHB depolymerase from Acidovorax.     

A nationwide survey of outdoor radon concentration in Japan

Nationwide outdoor radon (222Rn) concentrations in Japan were measured to survey the environmental outdoor 222Rn level and to estimate the effective dose to the general public from 222Rn and its progeny. The 222Rn concentration was measured with a passive-type radon monitor. The 222Rn monitors were installed at about 700 points throughout Japan from 1997 to 1999. The annual mean 222Rn concentration in Japan was estimated from four quarters measurements of 47 prefectures in Japan. Nationwide outdoor mean 222Rn concentration was 6.1 Bq m(-3). This was about 40% of the indoor 222Rn concentration in Japan. The 222Rn concentration in Japan ranged from 3.3 Bq m(-3) in the Okinawa region to 9.8 Bq m(-3) in the Chugoku region, reflecting geological characteristics. Seasonal variation of outdoor 222Rn concentration was also found to be lowest in July to September, and highest in October to December. From the results of this 222Rn survey and previous indoor 222Rn survey program, the effective dose to the general public from 222Rn and its progeny was estimated to be 0.45 mSv y(-1).     

Feasibility Study of Airbag Concept Applicable to Motorcycles Without Sufficient Reaction Structure

Objectives: An airbag system for motorcycle applications was developed and marketed in 2006 followed by many research projects on the system. In the airbag system, the bag should be supported during the kinetic energy–absorbing period of a rider in a collision. The previously developed system employed a configuration in which motorcycle structures support the airbag, such as a gauge unit and/or a steering structure. The supporting structure functions to receive the reaction force to hold the airbag during a crash to properly absorb the rider's kinetic energy. However, the previous system requires a larger area for this reaction structure and is applicable only to the motorcycles that can provide that area. To overcome this limitation, we propose an airbag system employing another concept. In this concept, the airbag does not use its vehicle structures as a reaction structure but uses the structures of an opposing vehicle, such as doors and/or pillars of an opposing vehicle. In this project, we aim to verify the effectiveness of the proposed system when installed in a motorcycle that cannot provide a larger area for the reaction structure.

Methods: In the system with this concept, it is assumed that the occupant protection performance is largely affected depending on impact configurations. Accordingly, full-scale motorcycle-to-car crash tests using 125 cm³ scooter-type models with and without the proposed system were conducted in various impact configurations. The 7 impact configurations specified in ISO 13232 were selected as the test configurations. Injury variables and injury indices of head, neck, chest, and abdomen were evaluated with the motorcyclist dummy.

Results: Injury variables and indices obtained from the crash tests with the airbag were compared to those of the baseline tests. In 2 impact configurations, the airbags were supported by the side structures of the opposing vehicle and performed to reduce the injury variable of head and/or chest compared to that of the baseline test.

Conclusion: Through the crash tests, beneficial protection effects of the airbag system were confirmed in particular impact configurations. No significant risk for the occupant due to the airbag was observed in the conducted crash tests. It was concluded that the proposed airbag system has feasibility to reduce rider injury in a collision of a motorcycle without sufficient reaction structure.     

Erythrocyte supply from the spleen and hemoconcentration in hypoxic yellowtail

Hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration of yellowtail blood elevated more than 30% during severe hypoxia for 35 or 40 min. About 40% of the hematocrit elevation is considered to have been caused by erythrocyte supply from the spleen, and about 60% by hemoconcentration due to water shift out of the circulating plasma. Osmotic swelling of erythrocytes is considered not to have occurred, judging from the constant level in the saturation index of the blood.     

Physiological responses and phytoremediation capacity of floating and submerged aquatic macrophytes exposed to ciprofloxacin

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) water contamination is a global concern, having reached disturbing concentrations and threatening the aquatic ecosystems. We...     

Long-term Trends in Surface Water Quality of Five Lakes in Japan

Since 1983, the Ministry of the Environment of Japan has conducted nation-wide acid deposition surveys. To investigate the effects of acid deposition on surface water, we used the nonparametric Mann–Kendall test to find temporal trends in pH, alkalinity, and electrical conductivity (EC) in more than 10 years of data collected from five lakes and their catchments (Lake Kuttara: northernmost; Lake Kamakita: near Tokyo; Lake Ijira: central; Lake Banryu: western; and Lake Unagiike: southernmost). The pH of Lake Ijira water has declined slightly since the mid-1990s, corresponding with the downward trends seen in the pH and alkalinity of the river water flowing into the lake. There were significant upward trends in the EC of both the lake and stream water; the same trends were also found for concentrations. These trends show evidence of acidification due to atmospheric deposition, and this is the first such finding in Japan based on significant long-term trends. Lake Ijira is located about 40 km north of the Chukyo industrial area near Nagoya. The annual depositions of H⁺, nss-, and in Lake Ijira were among the highest of all deposition monitoring sites, suggesting that this is the main cause of the significant acidification observed in Lake Ijira. No significant trends suggesting acidification were observed in any of the other lake catchments in spite of the significant upward trends in EC. Upward trends in pH and alkalinity at Lake Banryu and upward trends in alkalinity at Lake Kamakita were detected, but no change in pH or alkalinity at Lake Kuttara and Lake Unagiike was observed.