Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) is the most widely planted tree species in Japan; however, Japanese cedar planted forests in cool-temperate regions are highly vulnerable to heavy snowfall. Snow damage reduces the number of healthy, marketable trees, leading to declines in timber-provisioning services and income for forest owners. In contrast, ecological succession following snow disturbance often promotes establishment of deciduous tree species such as Aralia elata, Chengiopanax sciadophylloides, and Kalopanax septemlobus, which produce edible wild shoots that may provide an alternative income source. To evaluate the economic implications of snow disturbance for both timber- and food-provisioning services, we conducted a tree inventory in a Japanese cedar stand severely damaged by heavy snowfall in December 2014 in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and combined these data with national statistics and online marketplace analyses. The estimated timber income loss caused by snow disturbance was approximately JPY 443,000 ha−1. In contrast, field surveys conducted in spring 2023 indicated that the potential seasonal value of harvestable edible wild shoots reached JPY 83,800 ha−1 year −1. Market analyses showed that these shoots are actively traded as wild delicacies on nationwide online platforms, enabling forest owners to reach a broad consumer base. Overall, our findings suggest that income losses caused by snow-related reductions in timber provisioning may be partially offset over several years by utilizing naturally regenerating edible wild plants. Incorporating edible wild plant harvesting into post-disturbance forest management may enhance the economic resilience and sustainable use of snow-disturbed planted forests.
A metabolomics-based framework for evaluating coriander freshness was developed using cumulative respiratory CO₂ as a physiological reference. Primary metabolite profiles obtained by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) were used to develop a partial least squares regression (PLSR) model for predicting cumulative respiratory CO₂ production. The model showed moderate predictive performance under leave-one-out cross-validation, with cross-validated predictive ability (Q²) of 0.717 and root mean square error of cross-validation (RMSECV) of 38.86 mmol kg⁻¹ . Among 64 predictors, variable importance in projection (VIP) analysis identified tyramine, serine, lysine, isoleucine, and threonine as metabolites with high model importance. In an independent 10 °C application experiment, the model-derived cumulative CO₂ increased with storage duration, whereas leaf yellowness did not change significantly, suggesting that the metabolomics-based approach may capture storage-associated physiological change that is not readily reflected by conventional visual assessment. The framework was further applied under modified-atmosphere conditions generated by two packaging configurations. The model-derived values differed substantially from the independent gas-balance estimates under the strongly hypoxic 0.08-mm LDPE condition, suggesting limited quantitative transferability under physiological conditions not represented in the training dataset. These results support metabolite-based prediction as a framework for evaluating storage-associated physiological change in coriander while highlighting the need for further validation under a wider range of postharvest conditions.
This study investigated the prevalence and genetic diversity of tick-borne pathogens in the forested suburbs of Gifu in central Japan, where human cases of Japanese spotted fever and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) have recently been reported. A total of 130 ticks representing eight species were analyzed for spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR) and viruses in the family Phenuiviridae using PCR and reverse transcription-PCR, respectively. While the causative agents of Japanese spotted fever (Rickettsia japonica) and SFTS were not detected in this study, SFGR-specific genes were identified in 35 specimens. Candidatus Rickettsia jingxinensis was the predominant species, primarily associated with Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks. Multiple lineages related to Rickettsia monacensis and other uncharacterized species were also identified, reflecting a highly diverse rickettsial population. Dabieshan tick virus (DTV), a member of the family Phenuiviridae, was detected in 11H. longicornis specimens, marking its first identification in central Japan. Notably, these strains form a genetically unique clade distinct from previously detected DTV strains in Japan. Although the pathogenicity of the microorganisms detected in this study remains unclear, our findings highlight the diversity of tick-borne microorganisms in this area. The substantial diversity, characterized by multiple rickettsial lineages and the presence of a unique DTV clade, underscores the importance of continuous surveillance to understand this complex microbial landscape and its potential implications for public health.
Covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) is a highly prevalent complication of liver cirrhosis. Despite the absence of overt symptoms, CHE is strongly associated with impaired quality-of-life, overt hepatic encephalopathy, and mortality. Over the past two decades, evidence regarding the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of CHE has accumulated considerably, and clinical guidelines recommend screening in patients with cirrhosis. Nevertheless, diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms have not been fully implemented in real-world practice, and many patients remain undiagnosed and untreated. Understanding the natural history of CHE is essential to improve cirrhosis care, as it provides a framework for appropriate screening, treatment decision-making, and patient counseling. CHE is a multi-organ syndrome with complex interactions between the liver, gut, skeletal muscle, kidneys, and brain, with impaired ammonia handling and systemic inflammation acting as central drivers of this organ crosstalk. Hyperammonemia induces astrocytic dysfunction, brain edema, and neuroinflammation, while systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, sarcopenia, gut dysbiosis, and altered microbial metabolites, including bile acids and short-chain fatty acids, further modulate disease expression. In this review, we summarize current understanding of CHE pathophysiology, diagnostic testing, including psychometric batteries and point-of-care tools, such as the Stroop test and animal naming test, and therapeutic options, ranging from lactulose and rifaximin to microbiome-targeted approaches, including fecal microbiota transplantation. We also highlight major challenges in CHE management, including limited implementation of testing, inadequate biomarkers, diagnostic difficulties in geriatric cirrhosis, and unmet needs in fall and driving risk management, and emphasize the importance of multidisciplinary team-based approaches to improve patient outcomes.
Ligand-controlled palladium-catalyzed reactions of acyl fluorides with hydrosilanes enables the selective generation and isolation of silicon-fluorine species, R3Si-F, which have typically been regarded as inert by-products in organosilicon chemistry. The formation of these silicon-fluorine compounds was confirmed by both F-19 NMR and Si-29{H-1} NMR spectroscopic analyses, and one of the isolated species, Ph3Si-F, was found to undergo a subsequent palladium-catalyzed transformation via Si-F bond cleavage. These results demonstrate silicon-fluorine species as potential viable intermediates in palladium catalysis and expand the synthetic utility of acyl fluorides as versatile fluorine sources.
