日本寒冷地带北海道抑制粳稻生成白未熟粒的栽培法（网络首发、推荐阅读）

白未熟粒的多发会使整粒率下降,降低检查等级,因此急需抑制其发生。白未熟粒中,乳白粒和基部未熟粒的发生率存在品种间差异。切除止叶减少光合作用,增肥导致每平方米稻谷数量的增加,疏植和育苗时高温引起早期异常抽穗所致的齐穗不良,以及收割时期的延迟等会造成白未熟粒的增多。此外倒伏还会导致青未熟粒、白未熟粒增多。在初期生长良好的情况下,从分蘖期开始的深水灌溉抑制了过剩的分蘖产生,增加了粒重和糙米产量,使糙米品质得以提高。由于成熟期的土壤过于干燥,因腹白粒产生引起的品质降低和千粒重减少会导致减产。从抽穗期到齐穗期10天后的茎叶到稻谷的每粒稻谷非结构性碳水化合物（NSC）流转量,以及粗糙米产量减去同一流转量的每粒稻谷NSC增加量越多,这些白未熟粒的产生就越少。为避免白未熟粒的多发,必须使施肥量、种植密度、育苗温室的温度管理、移植时期、成熟期的土壤水分和收割时期合理化,促进初期生长,用深水抑制过剩的分蘖。通过改善以上的栽培方法,以及1990年代中期后在共同干燥调制储藏设施中使用色选机选别糙米,北海道的一等米比例超过了日本全国的平均水平。     

日本寒地北海道稻作极限地带糯米外观品质的年度间地区间差异及其产生因素（网络首发、推荐阅读）

在六个种植地区及四个年度调查了北海道最寒冷的稻作地带生产的糯米外观品质。在不同年度之间,障碍型冷害危险期的平均气温和抽穗后40天之间的日平均累计气温（灌浆气温）越高,使得秕粒比率越低,千粒重越重,产量越高,整粒比率越高,未熟粒、受害粒及着色粒比率越低,大米蛋白质含量越低,糙米白度和大米白度越高。而在不同地区之间,这些关系不是很明确。这是由于各生育期的气温、生育特性以及整粒、未熟粒比率的变动（最小值与最大值之差以及变异系数）其年度间要比地区间大。但是,受害粒和着色粒比率其变动年度间要比地区间小,年度和地区综合分析时当灌浆气温分别为845、857 ℃时为最低,显示二次回归的关系。另外,整粒比率在年度间和地区间变化,受害粒和着色粒只在年度间变化;这些指标越差,同一年度时的地区间、同一地区时的年度间的变异系数就越大。烘干后半透明的阴糯籽粒与乳白不透明的糯米籽粒之间,其蛋白质含量、淀粉含量、淀粉颗粒的大小、纯化淀粉的碘吸收曲线最大吸收波长、吸光度等理化特性以及年糕面胚的明度基本上没有差异,且年糕面胚物理特性的差异不大,因此混有阴糯籽粒的糯米并不影响年糕面胚加工。与粳稻花粉杂交的糯稻品种胚乳变成粳性的异粉籽粒,其秕粒发生较多;虽然粳稻和糯稻的田块距离越远秕粒发生就越少,但是隔离距离600 m时也有发生。北海道为了避免糯米品质下降,在远离粳稻品种的地区种植糯稻。     

日本の寒地，北海道における2030年代の水稲生育への温暖化の影響予測とその対応(日语原文)

北海道では1980年代から2010年代まで,水稲圃場栽培期間である5–9月の気温は年代とともに上昇した。そこで,直近の2010年代（2010—2019年平均）と比べて, 2つの2030年代の予測気象から,既報の関係式より水稲生育を予測した。その結果,2030年代では2010年代に比べ,限界移植日（移植早限）が水稲栽培17地域の平均で8～9日早い。また,早限出穂期が1～5日早く,晩限出穂期が1～5日遅く,安全出穂期間が2～10日長い。出穂期は1～3日早い。出穂期から晩限出穂まで2～9日長いため,遅延型冷害の発生がやや少ない。生育期別気象は,出穂前24日以降30日間では生育が早いため平均気温が同じかやや低い。出穂前10日以降40日間および出穂期以降40日間では平均気温がやや高く,日射量はやや少ない。そのため,玄米収量は96～98％とやや低く,潜在収量性を示す気候登熟量示数は同じである。障害不稔発生に関係する穂ばらみ期冷害危険期の平均気温はわずかに低いかほぼ同じであるため,冷害発生の危険性は残る。一方,不稔発生をもたらす低温域の出現頻度には,地域間で差異がある。精米蛋白質含有率は同じであるが,アミロース含有率はやや低く,やや良食味である。米粒外観品質では被害粒歩合と着色粒歩合は一定の傾向がなく,未熟粒歩合はやや高い。精米白度は同じであるが,玄米白度はやや高い。以上の予測に対する技術的対応方向を示した。     

Effect of Surface Flaw Size on Fracture Strength of Alumina Ceramics

Semielliptical surface flaws of different sizes were introduced into Al₂O₃ by Knoop microhardness indentation. The specimens were fractured by four-point bending and the profiles of the indentation flaws were determined by observing the fracture surfaces with a scanning electron microscope. The relation between the indentation flaw size and the fracture strength could be well explained by applying the fracture-mechanics analysis for semielliptical surface flaw in bending. The calculated values of the as-indented critical stress intensity factor, K_IC, were lower than previously reported presumably because of the influence of the residual stresses produced by the indenter.     

An Investigation of Microstructure and Phase Transformation Behavior of Cu40Zn-1.0 wt.% Ti Brass Via Powder Metallurgy

The effects of Ti addition on phase transformation, precipitation behavior, and microhardness response of Cu40Zn brass were investigated at elevated heat treatment (HT) temperatures using the powder metallurgy method. The volume fraction of the α phase increased with the elevated temperatures, which showed an equal value as that of the β phase at 400 °C, and reached a maximum value of 55.9% at 500 °C. The solid solubility of Ti in Cu40Zn brass matrix decreased as the HT temperature increased. Supersaturated Ti showed high chemical potential for precipitates' reaction in Cu40Zn brass. Lower HT temperature retained higher Ti solid solubility and fine precipitates. The precipitates presented in form of Cu₂TiZn intermetallic compound, distributing uniformly in brass matrix which suppressed the phase and grain growth. After HT at elevated temperature, the precipitates coalesced, grew coarser, and segregated at the primary particle boundaries. The microhardness of the BS40-1.0Ti compact was primarily not only dependent on the solid solubility of Ti, but also dependent on the phase volume fraction of the α and β phases.     

Effect of oxygen partial pressure on the high-temperature oxidation of CVD SiC

The oxidation behavior of chemically vapor-deposited silicon carbide (CVD SiC) was studied at 1670-2010 K in O₂-Ar and CO₂-Ar. The oxidation kinetics in O₂-Ar was parabolic or linear parabolic, and was parabolic in CO₂-Ar. The activation energy for the parabolic rate constants (k_p) was 210-220 kJ/mol in O₂-Ar, and was 290-300 kJ/mol in CO₂-Ar. The oxygen partial pressure (P_O2) dependence of k_p was expressed as k_p∝ (P_O2)ⁿ, where n=0.08-0.13 and 0.37-0.53 in O₂-Ar and CO₂-Ar, respectively. Bubbles were formed at more than 1985 K and P_O2>5 kPa. The bubble formation temperature decreased with decreasing P_O2 at P_O2<5 kPa.     

4-Hydroxyderricin from Angelica keiskei roots induces caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death in HL60 human leukemia cells

The ethyl acetate (EtOAc)-soluble fraction of a methanol extract of Angelica keiskei roots exhibited cytotoxic activity against 4 human tumor cell lines, HL60 (leukemia), CRL1579 (melanoma), A549 (lung), and AZ521 (stomach). Nine chalcones (1-9), 5 coumarins (10-14), and 4 flavanones (15-18), isolated from the EtOAc-soluble fraction, were examined for their cytotoxic activities in the 4 human tumor cell lines. Among the compounds tested, 4-hydroxyderricin (2), a major chalcone constituent, exhibited potent cytotoxic activities in all 4 tumor cell lines with IC(50) values of 5.5 μM (HL60), 4.8 μM (CRL1579), 10.2 μM (A549), and 4.2 μM (AZ521). 4-Hydroxyderricin induced early apoptosis in HL60 cells, observed as membrane phospholipid exposure in flow cytometry. Western blot analysis showed that 4-hydroxyderricin markedly reduced the levels of procaspases-3, -8, and -9, while increasing the levels of cleaved caspases-3, -8, and -9. In addition, 4-hydroxyderricin exhibited potent inhibitory activity on human DNA topoisomerase (Topo) II (IC(50) 21.9 μM). These results suggested that 4-hydroxyderricin induces apoptotic cell death in HL60 via both the death receptor-mediated pathway and the mitochondrial pathway by, at least in part, Topo II inhibition. 4-Hydroxyderricin may therefore hold promise as an effective antitumor agent.     

Synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes by an arc-discharge method using selenium as a promoter

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with high purity and very narrow diameter distribution have been synthesized using the dc arc-discharge method with Y–Ni alloy as catalyst and selenium (Se) as promoter. The SWCNTs show a very narrow diameter distribution mainly at about 1.5 nm, and can further be readily purified up to >99% purity with traditional purification including HNO₃ reflux and air oxidation. The key factor of the wetting effect of Se in the SWCNTs growth improvement process is proposed and discussed. Moreover, a new less-destructive purification method including electrolysis, air-oxidation and centrifugation has been introduced, and SWCNTs with semiconducting content up to 94% have been produced through density gradient ultracentrifugation method.     

1-Octen-3-ol together with geosmin: new secretion compounds from a polydesmid millipede,Niponia nodulosa

The small millipede Niponia nodulosa (Polydesmida: Cryptodesmidae) emits an earthy smell when disturbed. This smell was obtained from hexane extracts from both sexes at the sixth and seventh instars and adult stages, and was found by GC/MS analyses to be composed of two compounds, 1-octen-3-ol as the major component and geosmin as the minor component. This is the first report of these compounds in secreted substances from millipedes. As they showed little repellent activity against foraging ants in bioassays, their biological function as defensive allomones was not clearly elucidated. However, both compounds provoked negative chemotaxis of conspecific millipedes in a Y-tube olfactometer, especially 1-octen-3-ol, which was active at a dose equivalent to the content of a single millipede. Such biological activity suggests that this compound is involved in intraspecific communication in this millipede and may play a role as an alarm pheromone.