Effects of Phytophthora sojae inoculation under flooded conditions on growth of soybean seedlings

Phytophthora root and stem rot due to Phytophthora sojae is a major constraint of soybean production. This study evaluated the combined effect of P. sojae inoculation and flooding on growth of soybean seedlings. The soybean cultivar ‘Enrei’ was grown in a greenhouse in pots containing vermiculite and containers of field soil. The plants were inoculated with two P. sojae isolates and subjected to flooding. The ratio of dead to live plants ranged from 0 to 0.32 across all treatments. Pathogen inoculation caused a significantly shorter maximum root length (MRL) in all the three experiments. MRL and shoot and root dry weight were affected by interaction between inoculation and flooding in one experiment with vermiculite media. Flooding affected the growth parameters only in the experiment with soil media. The results indicated that root of the soybean seedlings that survived from P. sojae infection grew less well than the non-inoculated plants

Atmospheric temperature effect on Cosmic Ray count rate observed at Syowa Station in Antarctic

The Tenth Symposium on Polar Science/Special session: [S] Future plan of Antarctic research: Towards phase X of the Japanese Antarctic Research Project (2022-2028) and beyond, Tue. 3 Dec. / Entrance Hall (1st floor) at National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR

Bulk Density Effects on Soil Hydrologic and Thermal Characteristics: a Numerical Investigation

Soil bulk density (ρb) is commonly treated as static in studies of land surface dynamics. Magnitudes of errors associated with this assumption are largely unknown. Our objectives were to: i) quantify ρb effects on soil hydrologic and thermal properties, and ii) evaluate effects of ρb on surface energy balance and heat and water transfer. We evaluated six soil properties, volumetric heat capacity, thermal conductivity, soil thermal diffusivity, water retention characteristics, hydraulic conductivity, and vapor diffusivity, over a range of ρb, using a combination of six models. Thermal conductivity, water retention, hydraulic conductivity, and vapor diffusivity were most sensitive to ρb, each changing by fractions greater than the associated fractional changes in ρb. A 10% change in ρb led to 10-11% change in thermal conductivity, 6-11% change in saturated and residual water content, 49-54% change in saturated hydraulic conductivity, and 80% change in vapor diffusivity. Subsequently, three field seasons were simulated with a numerical model (HYDRUS-1D) for a range of ρb values. When ρb increased from 1.2 to 1.5 Mg m-3; 25% increase, soil temperature variation decreased by 2.1°C in shallow layers and increased by 1°C in subsurface layers. Surface water content differed by 0.02 m3 m-3 for various ρb values during drying events but differences mostly disappeared in the subsurface. Matric potential varied by \u3e100 m of water. Surface energy balance showed clear trends with ρb. Latent heat flux decreased 6%, sensible heat flux increased 9%, and magnitude of ground heat flux varied by 18% with a 25% ρb increase). Transient ρb impacted surface conditions and fluxes, and clearly it warrants consideration in field and modeling investigations

Temperature dependence of energy gap of (GaAs)_n/(AlAs)_n Superlattices

Proceedings of SPI

HSP70 and HSP90 Differentially Regulate Translocation of Extracellular Antigen to the Cytosol for Cross-Presentation

Antigens (Ag) from cancer or virus-infected cells must be internalized by dendritic cells (DCs) to be presented to CD8+ T cells, which eventually differentiate into Ag-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) that destroy cancer cells and infected cells. This pathway is termed cross-presentation and is also implicated as an essential step in triggering autoimmune diseases such as Type I diabetes. Internalized Ag locates within endosomes, followed by translocation through a putative pore structure spanning endosomal membranes into the cytosol, where it is degraded by the proteasome to generate antigen peptides. During translocation, Ag is believed to be unfolded since the pore size is too narrow to accept native Ag structure. Here, we show that paraformaldehyde-fixed, structurally inflexible Ag is less efficient in cross-presentation because of diminished translocation into the cytosol, supporting the “unfolded Ag” theory. We also show that HSP70 inhibitors block both endogenous and cross-presentation. ImageStream analysis revealed that the inhibition in cross-presentation is not due to blocking of Ag translocation because a HSP70 inhibitor rather facilitates the translocation, which is in marked contrast to the effect of an HSP90 inhibitor that blocks Ag translocation. Our results indicate that Ag translocation to the cytosol in cross-presentation is differentially regulated by HSP70 and HSP90

Direct and indirect Transitions in (GaAs)_n/(AlAs)_n Superlattices with n=1-15

Proceedings of SPI

A Case of Benign Schwannoma of the Transverse Colon with Granulation Tissue

Schwannomas occurring in the gastrointestinal tract are rare, and among them, schwannomas of the large intestine are extremely rare. In this paper, we report a case of a macroscopically atypical schwannoma of the transverse colon. The case is a female aged 67. Stool occult blood test was positive, and colonoscopy revealed a protruded lesion resembling a type 1 carcinoma measuring 4 cm with a reddish and uneven surface on the transverse colon. The surface was smooth and lobulated in observation with indigo carmine spray, and granulation tissue was revealed by biopsies. CT of the abdomen showed an irregular mass, and clinical examinations could not rule out malignancy. Therefore, partial transverse colectomy with peripheral lymph node dissection was performed. Histologically, proliferation of spindle cells was observed originating from the muscularis propria, and most of the upper part of the lesion was replaced by granulation tissue. In immunohistochemical staining, S-100 protein and NSE were positive while KIT, CD34, desmin and smooth muscle actin were negative, and the tumor was therefore diagnosed to be a schwannoma. In addition, since the MIB-1 labeling index was low and virtually no mitosis was observed, it was diagnosed as benign tumor