Development of large-scale microalgae production in the Middle East.

Microalgae in the Middle East can theoretically address food security without competing for arable land, but concerns exist around scalability and durability of production systems under the extreme heat. Large-scale Chlorella sorokiniana production was developed in outdoor raceway ponds in Oman and monitored for 2 years to gather data for commercial production. Biological and technical challenges included construction, indoor/outdoor preculturing, upscaling, relating productivity to water temperature and meteorological conditions, harvesting, drying, and quality control. Small cultivation systems required cooling for initial scale-up, but, despite maximum temperatures of 49.7 °C, water temperatures were at acceptable levels by evaporative cooling in larger raceway ponds. Contamination with Vampirovibrio chlorellavorus was identified by 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing and addressed by culture replacement. Productivities ranged from 8 to 30 g-dry weight m-2d-1, with estimated annual productivity of 16 g-dry weight m-2d-1 as functions of solar intensity and water temperature, confirming that the region is suitable for commercial microalgae production.

Congenital malformations in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) at Takasakiyama.

From the late 1960s to the early 1970s, many congenitally malformed infants were born into provisioned Japanese macaque troops. Although the exact cause of this problem was not determined, the occurrence of malformations decreased thereafter. We examined possible factors such as total population size, number of adult females, birth rate, and volume of provisioned food. Agrichemicals attached to provisioned food are suspected as the main cause, as other factors were found to have no influence. Many more malformations were seen in males compared with females, in feet compared with hands, and in the fourth compared with other digits. We confirmed that the frequency of congenital malformation was high during the 1960s through to the mid-1970s when increased levels of provisioned food were given and that the incidence of congenital malformations was also elevated among wild macaques during this time.

A photogrammetric method to evaluate nutritional status without capture in habituated free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata): a pilot study.

The quantification of nutritional status (e.g., total body fat) of animals is difficult, because the linear dimension (body length) required for the calculation of proxy parameters, such as the physique or body mass indices, cannot be measured without capture. One solution is photogrammetry of body length, provided the following two criteria are met: (1) the camera axes and subject are oriented vertically, and (2) anatomical landmarks are easily identified with low measurement error. By modifying Mori's (Primates 20:371-397, 1979) approach, we devised an accurate photogrammetric method that uses a horizontal bar with an attached ruler for the monkey to traverse, and the anatomical landmarks of the eye and upper border of the ischial callosity to measure body length. We tested the applicability of this method on 11 adult female, habituated, free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). Somatometric body length (crown-rump length and anterior trunk length) was statistically compared with the body length obtained using photogrammetry. The significant correlation of the photogrammetric body length with each somatometric measurement verified that the former could be employed to calculate various indices that are used to characterize fat mass (nutritional status) in Japanese macaques. The advantages and disadvantages of photogrammetry are also discussed.

Twinning frequency of Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata) at Takasakiyama.

In a wild-living, artificially provisioned population of Japanese macaques at Takasakiyama in southern Japan, nine sets of twins were recorded from 12,392 known deliveries over a 56-year study period. Recorded twinning frequency was 0.073%. During the first 28-year period, artificial food was given until macaques were satiated and population size increased rapidly. In the second 28-year period, provisioned food was restricted to about half of the former period's calorific content. Seven sets of twins were born in the first period and two sets in the second. Twining frequency in the two periods was 0.137 and 0.027%, respectively. In comparing studies of other Catarrhine primate samples, we hypothesize that twinning frequency is influenced by living conditions, and we suggest that living conditions should be carefully evaluated in studies of twinning frequency.

Stochastic variation in sex ratios in infant mortality rates due to small samples in provisioned Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) populations.

Sex differences in infant mortality in provisioned Japanese macaque populations were examined using 10 data sets from five populations. The results indicate that there was no available data set in which a sex difference in infant mortality was statistically significant. To examine whether the observed sex ratios in infant mortality rates could be the product of stochastic variation in small samples, a correlation between sample size and the magnitude of sex ratios in infant mortality rates was also examined. Notably, the magnitude of sex ratios in infant mortality rates declined significantly as sample sizes increased. These results suggest that previously reported marked sex ratios in infant mortality could be the product of stochastic variation in small samples.

[Screening test for drugs in health foods using 2-dimensional TLC].

A simple and rapid method for screening of drugs in health foods using 2-dimensional TLC was established. The development systems were: (1) ethyl acetate/methanol/28% ammonia (85:10:5), (2) cyclohexane/toluene/diethyl amine (65:25:10), (3) methanol and (4) ethyl acetate/methanol/25% ammonia (85:10:5). System (1) and (2) were run as 2-dimensional high-performance TLC, and System (3) and (4) were run as 2-dimensional conventional TLC. Sample extracted with methanol from health foods was applied to standardized two 2-dimensional TLCs and 4 Rf values obtained from 4 development systems were compared with reference Rf values which were measured previously using standard materials. The repeatability of reference Rf values were secured by standardizing development conditions and pattern of 4 Rf values was specific for 80 drugs. Moreover, using 2-dimensional TLC enable to assign 4 Rf values to unknown substance without influence of matrix from health foods, so it was possible to determine drugs comparing 4 Rf values. This method could be applied as first screening test for prevention of health crisis occurred by drugs added to health foods illegally.

Al(3+) interaction sites of calmodulin and the Al(3+) effect on target binding of calmodulin.

The interaction between calmodulin (CaM) and Al(3+) was studied by spectroscopic methods. Heteronuclear two-dimensional NMR data indicated that peaks related to the both lobes and middle of the central helix of CaM are largely affected by Al(3+). But chemical shift perturbation suggested that overall conformation of Ca(2+)-loaded CaM is not changed by Al(3+) binding. It is thought that Al(3+) interaction to the middle of the central helix is a key for the property of CaM's target recognition. If the structure and/or flexibility of the central helix are/is changed by Al(3+), target affinity to CaM must be influenced by Al(3+). Thus, we performed surface plasmon resonance experiments to observe the effect of Al(3+) on the target recognition by CaM. The data clearly indicated that target affinity to CaM is reduced by addition of Al(3+). All the results presented here support a hypothesis that Al(3+) may affect on the Ca(2+) signaling pathway in cells.