Degradation of three kinds of bioplastics and their effects on microbial biomass and microbial diversity in soil environment were analyzed. The degradation rate of bioplastic in soil was closely related to the main components in the bioplastics. Poly (butylene succinate)-starch (PBS-starch) and poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) were degraded by 1% to 7% after 28 days in a soil with an initial bacterial biomass of 1.4 × 10 9 cells/g-soil, however poly lactic acid (PLA) was not degraded in the soil after 28 days. When the powdered-bioplastics were examined for the degradation in the soil, PBS-starch also showed the highest degradability (24.4% degradation after 28 days), and the similar results were obtained in the case of long-term degradation experiment (2 years). To investigate the effect of bacterial biomass in soil on biodegradability of bioplastics, PBS-starch was buried in three kinds of soils differing in bacterial biomass (7.5 × 10 6 , 7.5 × 10 7 , and 7.5 × 10 8 cells/gsoil). The rate of bioplastic degradation was enhanced accompanied with an increase of the bacterial biomass in soil. 16S rDNA PCR-DGGE analysis indicated that the bacterial diversity in the soil was not affected by the degradation of bioplastics. Moreover, the degradation of bioplastic did not affect the nitrogen circulation activity in the soil.

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BackgroundThe aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of antiplatelet (aspirin plus cilostazol) dual therapy for patients with noncardioembolic stroke within 48 hours of symptom onset.Methods and ResultsThe ADS (Acute Aspirin Plus Cilostazol Dual Therapy for Non‐Cardiogenic Stroke Patients Within 48 Hours of Symptom Onset ) study is an investigator‐initiated, prospective, multicenter (34 hospitals in Japan), randomized, open‐label, and aspirin‐controlled trial. Acute stroke patients with noncardioembolic stroke within 48 hours of onset were studied. The subjects were randomly allocated to combination therapy with aspirin 81 to 200 mg plus cilostazol 200 mg (dual group) and single therapy with aspirin 81 to 200 mg (aspirin group) for 14 days. After the 14 days, all patients took the cilostazol 200 mg for 3 months. A primary efficacy outcome was defined as any one of the following occurring (neurological deterioration, symptomatic stroke recurrence, or transient ischemic attack) within 14 days. A primary safety outcome included intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Between May 2011 and June 2017, 1201 patients (796 [66%] men; median age, 69 [61–77] years) randomized 1:1 to either the dual group or the aspirin group were analyzed. Initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 2 (1–4) in both groups (P=0.830). A primary efficacy outcome was observed in 11% in the dual group and 11% in the aspirin group (P=0.853). A primary safety outcome occurred in 2 (0.3%) in the dual group and in 1 (0.2%) in the aspirin group (P=0.624).ConclusionsDual antiplatelet therapy using cilostazol and aspirin was safe but did not reduce the rate of short‐term neurological worsening.Clinical Trial Registration URL: umin.ac.jp/ctr/index/htm. Unique identifier: UMIN000004950.

The carotenoids from the carapace, flesh, and eyes in the antarctic krill Euphausia superba were investigated.The total amounts of carotenoids in the carapace, flesh, and eyes were found to be 1.13mg/ 100g, 1.06mg/100 g, and 90.82 mg/100g, respectively.Astaxanthin diester(55-64%), astaxanthin monoester (25-35%), astaxanthin (7-8%), and unknown carotenoids (3-4%) were isolated from those three organs. Each astaxanthin fraction consists of the three stereoisomers. (3R, 3'R)-astaxanthin (1)(62-71%) existed as a major com ponent along with(3R, 3'S; meso)-astaxanthin (2)(11-14%) and (3S, 3'S)-astaxanthin (3)(16-26%).

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