Sugar levels and composition were determined in developing `Hakuto' peach (Prunus persica Batsch var. vulgaris Maxim.) fruit. Glucose and fructose in nearly equal amounts were the predominant sugars detected during the early stage of development. Sucrose subsequently began to accumulate and was the predominant sugar in mature fruit. Sorbitol remained at a low level throughout development. The large increase in the amount of sucrose was accompanied by a rapid increase in sucrose synthase (EC 2.4.1.13) activity. Sucrose phosphate synthase (EC 2.4.1.14) was also detected in flesh extracts, but the activities were low throughout development. Acid invertase (EC 3.2.1.26) activity was highest in young fruit and declined with development. Activity, however, increased again at a later stage of development. Peach fruit contained appreciable sorbitol oxidase activity, while other sorbitol-related enzymes were barely detectable, suggesting that transported sorbitol was predominantly converted to glucose. These results suggest that the supply of glucose and fructose depends on acid invertase and sorbitol oxidase, and that accumulation of sucrose depends on-sucrose synthase.

An isotope of the 113th element, i.e., 278 113, was produced in a nuclear reaction with a 70 Zn beam on a 209 Bi target. We observed six consecutive decays following the implantation of a heavy particle in nearly the same position in the semiconductor detector under an extremely low background condition. The fifth and sixth decays are fully consistent with the sequential decays of 262 Db and 258 Lr in both decay energies and decay times. This indicates that the present decay chain consisted of 278 113, 274 Rg (Z 111), 270 Mt (Z 109), 266 Bh (Z 107), 262 Db (Z 105), and 258 Lr (Z 103) with firm connections. This result, together with previously reported results from 2004 and 2007, conclusively leads to the unambiguous production and identification of the isotope 278 113 of the 113th element.

This study demonstrated thromboembolic pulmonary arterial hypertension to be a crucial complication in congenital portosystemic venous shunt, and this pathologic state may be latently present in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension of unknown etiology.

Photoassimilates needed for fruit development are supplied from leaves, converted in fruit to substances relating to the specific quality of the fruit, then accumulate in the fruit. There are various regulation steps in the process from photoassimilate synthesis in leaves to sugar accumulation in fruit: photosynthesis, synthesis of translocation sugars, loading of translocation sugars, their translocation, their unloading, their membrane transport, their metabolic conversion, and compartmentation in vacuoles. Thus, it is important to clarify the mechanism and regulation of each step in fruit development. In this review, mainly the metabolic conversion of translocation sugars and their regulation at the genetic level in fruit are described because the metabolic conversion in fruit contributes greatly to produce the sink activity needed for fruit development.