Burrow Plasticity in the Deep-Sea Isopod Bathynomus doederleini (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cirolanidae)

We investigated whether the deep-sea isopod Bathynomus doederleini has the capacity to change burrow length in response to changes in environmental conditions. We observed burrowing behavior in individuals that were placed on substrates with either simple (ST) or complex (CT) surface topographies. Individuals in the ST group (N = 10) constructed seven burrows. The mean ratio of the burrow length to body length was 1.8. The individuals in the CT group ( N = 10) constructed eight burrows with a mean ratio of burrow length to body length of 2.5. Thus the burrows were significantly longer in the CT group. In addition, the isopods in the CT group often incorporated a chamber in the mid-section of the burrow. Our results may be used to infer the determinants of burrow morphology and speculate about the lifestyle of this species in the deep sea.ArticleZOOLOGICAL SCIENCE. 28(12):863-868 (2011)journal articl

The effects of magnesium deficiency on molybdenum metabolism in rats.

Our previous report indicated that magnesium (Mg) deficiency increased molybdenum (Mo) concentration in the rat liver, suggesting the possibility that Mg deficiency affects Mo metabolism. Growing male rats were given a control diet or a Mg-deficient diet for 4 weeks. Urine and feces were collected during the second and fourth weeks of the feeding trial. The liver, kidney, spleen, skeletal muscle, and blood were collected at the end of the feeding trial. Mg deficiency did not affect the apparent absorption of Mo, but it reduced urinary excretion of Mo. The retention of Mo tended to be higher in the Mg-deficient group than in the control group. Hepatic Mo concentration was higher in the Mg-deficient group than in the control group, but Mg deficiency did not affect Mo concentration in other tissues and plasma. Mg deficiency downregulated the mRNA expression of Mo transporter 2 (MOT2) in the liver, but not in the kidney. These results suggest that Mg deficiency decreases urinary Mo excretion, which is too slight to affect plasma Mo concentration, and that Mg deficiency selectively disturbs the homeostatic mechanism of Mo in the liver, which is not related to the mRNA expression of MOT2 in the liver

Effective colloidal processing for densification before SPS

In conventional dry processing, fine particles tend to agglomerate spontaneously due to Van der Waals attractive forces. Since the agglomeration of particles forms large residual pores in green bodies, elevated temperatures are necessary for densification. Colloidal processing is a very effective technique for controlling the pore size distribution in green compacts before sintering. The green compacts having small residual pores with a narrow size distribution is expected to enhance the densification at low sintering temperature during SPS. We already reported that colloidal processing for controlling the packing structure in green compact is effective for densification in SPS in the case of SiC. A commercially available SiC (6H) powder with the average particle size of 0.55 mm was used as the starting materials. When using the dry processing for consolidation, the density of the sample sintered by SPS in a vacuum atmosphere at 1950°C was 92% of the theoretical value. Aqueous suspensions with dispersed particles were prepared by adjusting pH and consolidated by slip casting to prepare the dense green compacts. The relative density of SiC prepared by SPS was increased with increasing temperature and reached more than 97% at 1950°C as shown in Fig. 1. In this presentation, this processing was applied to fabrication of transparent alumina. Commercially available Al2O3 powder with the average particle size of 0.4 mm was used as the starting materials. Suspensions with 30 vol% solid were consolidated by slip casting. The green compacts before sintering were further densified by cold isostatic pressing at 392 MPa for 10 min and calcined at 500°C for 1 h in air in order to burn off the dispersant. Final sintering was carried out at 1150°C under a uniaxial pressure of 100 MPa using an SPS. After rapid heating to 600°C, the temperature was raised from 600°C to 1150°C using a heating rate of 5°C/min. After holding samples at the sintering temperature for 10 min and then subsequently annealing them at 1000°C for 10 min, we obtained a sintered disk with a diameter of 25 mm and a thickness of 2 mm. Fig. 2(a) shows the photograph of the sample from the green compact prepared by slip casting, Fig2(b) is the sample densified by SPS from the as-received powder directly. The transparency of the sample prepared by slip casting is clearer than that of the sample by SPS from the as-received powder directly. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Regulatory expression of uncoupling protein 1 and its related genes by endogenous activity of the transforming growth factor‐β family in bovine myogenic cells

Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) is responsible for non-shivering thermogenesis, with restricted expression in brown/beige adipocytes in humans and rodents. We have previously shown an unexpected expression of UCP1 in bovine skeletal muscles. This study evaluated factors affecting Ucp1 gene expression in cultured bovine myogenic cells. Myosatellite cells, which were isolated from the bovine musculus longissimus cervicis, were induced to differentiate into myotubes in the presence of 2% horse serum. Previous studies using murine brown/beige adipocytes revealed that Ucp1 expression levels are directly increased by forskolin and all-trans retinoic acid (RA). The transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/activin pathway negatively regulated Ucp1 expression, whereas activation of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway indirectly increases Ucp1 expression through the stimulation of brown/beige adipogenesis. Neither forskolin nor RA significantly affected Ucp1 mRNA levels in bovine myogenic cells. A-83-01, an inhibitor of the TGF-β/activin pathway, stimulated myogenesis in these cells. A-83-01 significantly increased the expression of some brown fat signature genes such as Pgc-1α, Cox7a1, and Dio2, with a quantitative but not significant increase in the expression of Ucp1. Treatment with LDN-193189, an inhibitor of the BMP pathway, did not affect the differentiation of bovine myosatellite cells. Rather, LDN-193189 increased Ucp1 mRNA levels without modulating the levels of other brown/beige adipocyte-related genes. The current results indicate that the regulation of Ucp1 expression in bovine myogenic cells is distinct from that in murine brown/beige adipocytes, which has been more intensely characterized

Large enhancement of superconducting transition temperature in single-element superconducting rhenium by shear strain

Finding a physical approach for increasing the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) is a challenge in the field of material science. Shear strain effects on the superconductivity of rhenium were investigated using magnetic measurements, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and first-principles calculations. A large shear strain reduces the grain size and simultaneously expands the unit cells, resulting in an increase in Tc. Here we show that this shear strain approach is a new method for enhancing Tc and differs from that using hydrostatic strain. The enhancement of Tc is explained by an increase in net electron–electron coupling rather than a change in the density of states near the Fermi level. The shear strain effect in rhenium could be a successful example of manipulating Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer-type Cooper pairing, in which the unit cell volumes are indeed a key parameter

Natural capitals for nature’s contributions to people: the case of Japan

Recently, natural capital has gained the attention of researchers and policymakers to promote sustainability. Previous studies have investigated the value of ecosystem services with respect to specific areas or species. Other studies have investigated the value of various types of ecosystem services and natural capital by integrating a number of findings using meta-analyses at the global level. Although these studies have provided information on either the global value of natural capital or the local value of specific subjects, there is little evidence on the country-specific values of natural capital in Japan, which will provide useful information for national environmental policies. We investigated the perceived values of terrestrial and marine natural capital in Japan using internet surveys and payment card methods. Data on various natural forms of capital were collected in a unified format and comparable manner. We found that some explanatory variables, such as perceived importance and visit frequency, as well as sociodemographic characteristics, are significant drivers of the willingness to pay (WTP), which maintains each aspect of natural capital. In addition, we conducted future predictions of terrestrial and marine natural capital using a scenario developed in a previous study. Our results indicate that Japan should follow a population dispersed scenario for the sustainable management of natural capital up to 2050

Burrow Plasticity in the Deep-Sea Isopod Bathynomus doederleini

We investigated whether the deep-sea isopod Bathynomus doederleini has the capacity to change burrow length in response to changes in environmental conditions. We observed burrowing behavior in individuals that were placed on substrates with either simple (ST) or complex (CT) surface topographies. Individuals in the ST group (N = 10) constructed seven burrows. The mean ratio of the burrow length to body length was 1.8. The individuals in the CT group ( N = 10) constructed eight burrows with a mean ratio of burrow length to body length of 2.5. Thus the burrows were significantly longer in the CT group. In addition, the isopods in the CT group often incorporated a chamber in the mid-section of the burrow. Our results may be used to infer the determinants of burrow morphology and speculate about the lifestyle of this species in the deep sea