This study assessed soil contamination with high radioactive cesium (R–Cs) concentration in buckwheat grains by lodging, and assessed the possibility of R–Cs reduction in grain through post-harvest ...preparation. Analysis of buckwheat grain produced in farmers’ fields and reports from farmers indicated that grain from fields that had lodging showed higher R–Cs than grain from fields with no lodging. A field experiment demonstrated that R–Cs in grain after threshing and winnowing (TW) was about six times higher in lodged plants than in nonlodged plants. In lodged plants, R–Cs in grain was decreased to about one-fourth by polishing, and was decreased to about one-seventh by ultrasonic cleaning, compared with R–Cs in grain after TW. These results demonstrate that R–Cs of buckwheat grain of lodged plants can be decreased by removing soil from the grain surface by polishing and winnowing.
•Some buckwheat samples had relatively high radioactive Cs in eastern Japan in 2012.•K application effectively decreased the radioactive Cs in buckwheat.•Radioactive Cs in buckwheat decreased after ...the recommendation of K application in 2013.
Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant released radioactive cesium (Cs) into the environment after the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011. After radioactive Cs fell onto agricultural fields, radioactive nuclide levels in some buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) grain subsequently exceeded new standard limits for radioactive materials, including that for radioactive Cs (100Bqkg−1) established by the Japanese government in 2012. A survey of soils and buckwheat grain from 68 farmers’ fields in 2012 revealed that soil exchangeable potassium (K) concentration was significantly and negatively correlated with radioactive Cs concentration in the grain. The effect of K application on the reduction of radioactive Cs concentration in the grain was confirmed by pot and field experiments conducted respectively in 2012 and 2013. This effect might result from the similarity of ion forms of K and Cs and/or the lower exchangeable Cs concentrations at higher exchangeable K concentrations in soil. Based on these results, farmers were recommended to establish a soil exchangeable K concentration of 250mgkg−1 (300mgkg−1 in K2O) before applying basal fertilizer. After this recommendation, the soil K concentrations of farmers’ fields increased, causing an overall decrease in radioactive Cs concentrations of buckwheat grain produced in 2013. Consequently, no grain sample from this year exceeded the standard limits for radioactive Cs level across the affected area in Japan. These efforts contributed greatly to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of agriculture in the area contaminated with radioactive Cs.
Rice reflectance was measured to determine the spectral regions most sensitive to leaf blast infection with a multispectral radiometer. As disease severity increased, reflectance also increased in ...the 400-500 nm (blue), 570-700 nm (red), and 900-2000 nm regions but decreased in the 500-570 nm and 700-900 nm regions. The increased reflectance in the blue and red regions may be attributed to decreased chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in response to the blast infection. The maximum and minimum reflectance differences occurred at 680 nm and 760 nm for the nondiseased and diseased rice, respectively. The spectral location of maximum sensitivity was 675 nm regardless of disease severity. Rice reflectance ratios were evaluated as indicators of leaf blast severity. Two ratios, R550/R675 (reflectance at 550 nm divided by reflectance at 675 nm), and R570/R675 quantified the significant disease severity. These wavelengths were selected based on the sensitivity minima and maxima. The ratios of nondiseased rice plants varied depending on growth stage. The variation in ratios must be considered when they are used to estimate leaf blast severity. PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
The authors have reported that porcine liver hyaluronidase(Hase) is Inhibited by several substances with a negative charge, such as chondroitin sulfate(CS). The adsorption properties of Sephacryl ...S-200 have also been reported 2. The aim of the present study has been to investigate the interactions between Hase and CS, ultimately with a view to devising a purification scheme based on affinity chromatography.
This study assessed soil contamination with high radioactive cesium (R-Cs) concentration in buckwheat grains by lodging, and assessed the possibility of R-Cs reduction in grain through post-harvest ...preparation. Analysis of buckwheat grain produced in farmers' fields and reports from farmers indicated that grain from fields that had lodging showed higher R-Cs than grain from fields with no lodging. A field experiment demonstrated that R-Cs in grain after threshing and winnowing (TW) was about six times higher in lodged plants than in nonlodged plants. In lodged plants, R-Cs in grain was decreased to about one-fourth by polishing, and was decreased to about one-seventh by ultrasonic cleaning, compared with R-Cs in grain after TW. These results demonstrate that R-Cs of buckwheat grain of lodged plants can be decreased by removing soil from the grain surface by polishing and winnowing.
Background
Tumor budding is known predictors of lymph node metastasis from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. However, it is not easy to detect such small cell clusters on hematoxylin–eosin (HE) ...staining. Therefore, we evaluated tumor budding using immunohistochemistry (IHC) for epithelial cell markers.
Method
We analyzed tumor budding in 50 cases of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. We evaluated the impact of clinicopathological factors and tumor budding to predict lymph node metastasis. A total of 565 tumor sections were assessed using HE staining and IHC for cytokeratin 5/6.
Results
Based on receiver operating characteristic curves, the cut-off values for high-grade tumor budding evaluated using HE staining or IHC were 2 and 11, respectively. High-grade tumor budding evaluated using HE staining (
P
= 0.007) and IHC (
P
≤ 0.001) were significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis. For tumors with pT1a-MM to pT1b-SM1, high-grade tumor budding evaluated using IHC was correlated with lymph node metastasis (
P
= 0.050).
Conclusions
Tumor budding was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis. The optimal cut-off values of tumor budding on HE staining and tumor budding on IHC were 2 and 11, respectively. Even though both tumor budding on HE staining and tumor budding on IHC were significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, tumor budding on IHC tend to be more associated with lymph node metastasis.
Aims
Extra‐ampullary duodenal adenoma (EADA) is a rare condition with poorly described clinicopathological details. In this study, we aimed to characterize EADA clinicopathologically.
Methods and ...results
We performed a retrospective review of 44 serial cases of EADA. Each EADA was categorized as either gastric‐type (n = 5) or intestinal‐type (n = 39). All gastric‐type adenomas were located in the first portion of the duodenum and exhibited a pedunculated shape. Gastric‐type adenomas were classified into two subtypes: pyloric gland and foveolar. The former consisted of mucin 6 (MUC6)‐positive glands covered with MUC5AC‐positive cells, whereas nearly all the latter consisted of MUC5AC‐positive cells. When EADAs were categorized into high and low grades, approximately 40% (16 of 44) were high‐grade. The high‐grade adenomas were significantly larger than the low‐grade adenomas (19.4 ± 8.6 mm versus 11.8 ± 5.1 mm, P = 0.021), and all adenomas greater than 20 mm in largest diameter were categorized as high‐grade adenomas. Among 16 individuals who underwent total colonoscopy before or after duodenal mucosal resection, nine had a colorectal neoplasm, and all nine duodenal lesions were of the intestinal phenotype.
Conclusions
We clarified the clinicopathological characteristics of gastric‐ and intestinal‐type EADAs. EADAs greater than 20 mm at the largest diameter were consistently high‐grade, and are thought to have the potential to progress to adenocarcinoma. These findings should be helpful for the clinical management of EADA.
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