Screening of endophytic bacteria against fungal plant pathogens

Bacterial endophytes were found from 6 plant leaves among 35 plant leaves screened. Two of the isolated bacteria showed antagonistic activity against fungal plant pathogens. An isolate named KL1 showed the clear inihibition against plant pathogens, Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizoctonia solani, on PDA as well as TSA plate. Supernatant of the bacterial culture also showed the clear inhibition against the fungal growth on the plate and the antibiotic substance was identified as iturin A by HPLC analysis. KL1 was identified as Bacillus sp. from the 16S rRNA gene analysis. Very thin hyphae of R. solani was miccroscopically observed when the fungus was co-cultivated with KL1.     

Feasible conditions for Japanese woody biomass utilization

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - There is an abundance of woody biomass in Japan. However, its economic feasibility is limited. There have been several discussions on whether...     

Rate of hexabromocyclododecane decomposition and production of brominated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during combustion in a pilot-scale incinerator

Here, we examined the incineration of extruded polystyrene containing hexabromocyclododecane(HBCD) in a pilot-scale incinerator under various combustion temperatures(800–950℃) and flue gas residence times(2–8 sec). Rates of HBCD decomposition ranged from 99.996%(800℃, 2 sec) to 99.9999%(950℃, 8 sec); the decomposition of HBCD, except during the initial stage of combustion(flue gas residence time 2 sec), followed a pseudo-first-order kinetics model. An Arrhenius plot revealed that the activation energy and frequency factor of the decomposition of HBCD by combustion were 14.2 kJ/mol and 1.69 sec~(-1),respectively. During combustion, 11 brominated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(BrPAHs)were detected as unintentional by-products. Of the 11 BrPAHs detected, 2-bromoanthracene and 1-bromopyrene were detected at the highest concentrations. The mutagenic and carcinogenic BrPAHs 1,5-dibromoanthracene and 1-bromopyrene were most frequently detected in the flue gases analyzed. The total concentration of BrPAHs exponentially increased(range,87.8–2,040,000 ng/m~3) with increasing flue gas residence time. Results from a qualitative analysis using gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry suggest that bromofluorene and bromopyrene(or fluoranthene) congeners were also produced during the combustion.     

Effect of temperature on growth and maturation pattern of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Caprella mutica</Emphasis> (Crustacea,Amphipoda): does the temperature–size rule function in caprellids?

Many ectothermal marine animals mature at larger sizes in lower temperature environments and at smaller sizes in higher temperature environments. This phenomenon is called the temperature–size rule. To examine whether this rule controls the appearance of large adults in a winter population of caprellids, individuals of Caprella mutica were reared at different temperatures. Caprellids at 5°C died at instar III before they reached maturity. In contrast, the animals reared at 10, 15 and 20°C lived to higher instars and reached maturity within their lifetime. Somatic growth pattern did not change between 10 and 20°C. Maturation instar of males was not affected by temperature. This indicates that the appearance of large adults in winter is not a result of a change in somatic growth pattern with temperature change. However, female maturation size becomes larger due to a delay in maturation at lower temperature. This, in turn, indicates that the temperature–size rule plays a role in the mechanism controlling the appearance of large female adults in winter populations.     

Differences of two polychaete species reflected in enzyme activities

Polychaetes constitute most of the benthic macroinvertebrates in estuarine and coastal environments. We investigated the utilization of organic matter in two polychaete species, Capitella sp. I and Perinereis nuntia brevicirris, living in different coastal habitats. The protease activity of Capitella sp. I (89.7 μg mg⁻¹) was about 10 times that of P. nuntia brevicirris (8.0 μg mg⁻¹). High cellulase (endo-β-1,4-glucanase) activity was detected in P. nuntia brevicirris (3.2 μg mg⁻¹), whereas scarcely any was detected in Capitella sp. I. We isolated cDNA clones of protease mRNA from Capitella sp. I and of cellulase mRNA from P. nuntia brevicirris. The high protease activity of Capitella sp. I enabled it to survive in the sediment under a fish farm, where it degrades organic matter. In contrast, the high cellulase activity of the estuary-dwelling P. nuntia brevicirris allowed it to degrade organic matter originating from terrestrial areas.     

Relationship of urinary arsenic metabolites to intake estimates in residents of the Red River Delta, Vietnam

This study investigated the status of arsenic (As) exposure from groundwater and rice, and its methylation capacity in residents from the Red River Delta, Vietnam. Arsenic levels in groundwater ranged from <1.8 to 486 μg/L. Remarkably, 86% of groundwater samples exceeded WHO drinking water guideline of 10 μg/L. Also, estimated inorganic As intake from groundwater and rice were over Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (15 μg/week/kg body wt.) by FAO/WHO for 92% of the residents examined. Inorganic As and its metabolite (monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid) concentrations in human urine were positively correlated with estimated inorganic As intake. These results suggest that residents in these areas are exposed to As through consumption of groundwater and rice, and potential health risk of As is of great concern for these people. Urinary concentration ratios of dimethylarsinic acid to monomethylarsonic acid in children were higher than those in adults, especially among men, indicating greater As methylation capacity in children.     

A game model for dominance relations among group-living animals

We present here an attempt to understand behaviors of dominant individuals and of subordinate individuals as behavior strategies in an asymmetric “hawk-dove” game. We assume that contestants have perfect information about relative fighting ability and the value of the resource. Any type of asymmetry, both relevant to and irrelevant to the fighting ability, can be considered. It is concluded that evolutionarily stable strategies (ESSs) depend on the resource value (V), the cost of injury (D), and the probability that the individual in one role will win (x). Different ESSs can exist even when values of V, D, and x are the same. The characteristics of dominance relations detected by observers may result from the ESSs that the individuals are adopting. The model explains some characteristics of dominance relations, for example, the consistent outcome of contests, the rare occurrence of escalated fights, and the discrepancy between resource holding potential (RHP) and dominance relations, from the viewpoint of individual selection. Received: 7 May 1997 / Accepted after revision: 17 October 1997