Tokyo Metropolitan Nogyo High School

We studied the characteristics of the marking behavior of Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) at rub trees. We recorded the tree-marking (tree-rubbing and bark-scratching) and associated (stomping) behaviors in Japan between 2010 and 2015 using automatic cameras and compared the results with those from previous studies on other bear species. We recorded 22 visits to trees by ≥6 different individuals. During these visits, there were no differences in the frequency or duration between the 3 body orientations of back rubbing, front rubbing, and body-side rubbing, which differs from the findings for other bear species. However, bipedal standing was the most common posture, as observed in other species. We also analyzed the order of tree-marking actions. For a better understanding of the Asiatic black bear's marking behavior, further examples of marking behavior and anatomical studies of secretory glands are needed.

Abstract Objective: Apis mellifera is a honeybee that has been introduced around the world as an industrial beekeeping species. Recently, urban beekeeping has attracted attention as a means of ecosystem protection and urban greening. This study aimed to investigate nectar sources of an urban beekeeping in Kōtō-ku, Tokyo using pollen DNA metabarcoding.Results: We extracted DNA from pollen collected by the honeybees of a local urban beekeeping. DNA metabarcoding analysis was carried out by sequencing a part of the rbcL region of the chloroplast genome. A total of 31 samples collected between mid-March, 2018 and mid-October, 2018 yielded 54 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) comprising 14 families, 32 genera, and 8 species. Whereas 5 OTUs were profiled throughout all seasons, 38 OTUs were season-specific (spring, summer, or autumn). Therefore, we were able to infer seasonal nectar sources for the beekeeping at the family or genus level, and at the species level to a lesser extent. Our pollen-sampling strategy was effective for profiling season-specific nectar sources, with the exception of a few anomalies that can be accounted for by out–of-season flowering by artificial gardening and/or pollen accumulation over multiple seasons.

The characteristics of intervarietal and interspecific chimeras synthesized by the graft-culture method were determined by morphology, anthocyanin pigmentation pattern, and crossing. In an intervarietal chimera between 'YR-ranpou' (green cabbage) and 'Ruby ball' (red cabbage) in Brassica oleracea, a segregation phenomenon was noted in which seeds giving rise to purple and green plants were both produced in a single capsule in F1 progeny from crosses of chimeras with YR ranpou, the anthocyanin-free graft partner type. The degrees of segregation varied, reflecting the structure of the chimeras. YR ranpou-dominant chimeras produced capsules in which seeds gave rise to green plants at a high frequency, while Ruby ball-dominant chimeras produced capsules in which seeds in one capsule gave rise to purple plants at a high frequency. Mixed chimeras produced capsules with green plants or purple plants more regularly than did other chimeral types. Furthermore, a chimeral type in which seeds gave rise to green and purple plants was found in 3.2% of the total crosses. Segregation patterns in the progenies corresponded with the chimeral types. Chlorophyll-deficient variation (resulting in variegation or the production of albino plants) was found at a frequency of 2.6%. These results show that chimeric tissues are actually in a mixed state and that either the ovary develops from more than two cells or else that variation occurs in the germ-cell layer. In interspecific chimeras between Ruby ball and Komatsuna (B. campestris) various types of chimeras generally showed low pollen fertility, few capsules, and low seed-setting. Progenies from selves (geitonogamy), open crosses and crosses with the two parental species produce a predominantly homogeneous genotype showing either the Ruby ball or the Komatsuna type. Only two crosses produced four interspecific hybrids which expressed variations in their morphological and isozymic characters.

An efficient chimera formation method by tissue culture combined with grafting was studied in Brassica. Cabbage cultivars "Ruby-ball" and "YR-ranpou" (Brassica oleracea) were used for intervarietal chimera formation. Seven-day-old seedlings leaving one of two cotyledons were approach-grafted and cultured in vitro (AGSC method). Chimeric shoots were obtained by the subculture of directly growing chimeric leaves (DGCL) from grafted part and cross-cut section of the united part after the graft culture. These were rooted and grown to complete chimera. An approach-grafted culture method was also available for interspecific chimera formation between "Komatsuna" (B. campestris) and "Ruby-ball" (B. oleracea), resulting in 20% formation per culture. Interspecific chimeras were identified as complex and peripheral-sectorial type by microscopic observation and the electrophoretic analysis of acid phosphatase isozyme pattern. The AGSC method was more effective than the usual Winkler's graft method and a simple mixed culture of heterogeneous cells or tissues.

前報(1)においてLeuconostoc mesenteroides P-60 (Leuc. P-60)をはじめ,各種乳酸菌の生育に対する緑茶抽出液中の阻害成分がポリフェノール関連物質であることを推定したので,セルロースカラムクロマトグラフィーによりポリフェノール成分を分別し,ペーパークロマトグラフィー,赤外吸収スペクトルの測定などにより確認し,その各区分による生育阻害性を調べた.また,緑茶および各阻害物質の合成および天然培地における阻害パターンを比較し,次の結果を得た. (1) 緑茶抽出液の阻害作用について,合成と天然培地を用い検討した結果,タンニン酸の阻害作用によく似た傾向を示した. (2) 緑茶抽出液から分離したエピガロカテキンガレート(EGCG),エピカテキンガレート(ECG),エピガロカテキン(EGC)およびエピカテキン(EC)の4種のポリフェノール成分がLeuc. P-60の生育におよぼす影響を調べた結果,いずれも阻止を示した.

緑茶抽出液を田村,角田改良培地またはGYP培地に添加すると,Leuconostoc mesenteroidesP-60をはじめ,各種乳酸菌の生育が阻害されることを認めたので,緑茶のいかなる成分によるかについて実験を行ない,次の結果を得た. (1) 緑茶抽出液添加による阻止効果は,ある濃度までは無効で,一定濃度を越すと急に効果を示すのが特微である. (2) 緑茶抽出液からブタノールあるいは酢酸エチルにより抽出を行なったところ,いずれも酸性における可溶部が阻止した.このことから,阻害成分は酸性物質であることが推定される. (3) 緑茶の水溶性灰分は,阻害を示さなかった.したがって,阻害成分は無機物ではない. (4) 緑茶抽出液を透析によって外液と内液とに分け,それぞれを添加して調べた結果は,透析外液の方が阻止した.したがって,阻害成分は低分子のものであることを示している. (5) 市販の各種フェノール関連物質のうち,タンニン酸,ヒドロキノン,ピロガロール,ピロカテコール,アセチルサリチル酸,コーヒー酸,レゾルシノール,没食子酸,フェノール,サリチル酸およびフロログルシノールによっても阻止が見られたが,クロロロゲン酸およびキナ酸は阻害を示さなかった.

In vitro growth inhibitory effects of glycine and several sodium salts of organic acid were tested using 9 laboratory stock strains, which originally isolated from Vienna sawsages. Consequently, it was found that the presence of 2.0% of glycine and 2.0% of sodium citrate in the culture media considerably inhibited the growth of most of the organisms tested. Experimental Vienna sawsages, supplemented with about 1.0% of glycine and about 1.0% of sodium citrate, followed by their 10min immersion in the solution containing about 1.0% of glycine and about 1.0% of sodium citrate, successfully prolonged their preservation period by 6 days at 10°C storage, when compared with that of the non-treated specimens.