Evaluation of the Mutagenicity Potential of Trace-Rutinosidase Variety of Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) Using the Ames Test

To ensure the safety of “Manten-Kirari”, a non-bitter and trace-rutinosidase variety of Tartary buckwheat, we evaluated its mutagenic activity in a bacterial reverse mutagenicity assay, the Ames test. Salmonella typhimurium TA100, TA1535, TA98, TA153, and Escherichia coli WP2 uvrA were employed as test bacteria. The flour of “Manten-Kirari” was dissolved at 12 - 50,000 μg/mL in DMSO and investigated. The number of revertants did not differ compared to the negative control for all concentrations tested, whereas that in the positive control, the number of revertants was increased with or without metabolic activation for each bacterial strain tested. These results suggested that the flour of the Tartary buckwheat “Manten-Kirari” was not genotoxic.

Quantitative differentiation of phenolic compounds in different varieties of buckwheat cultivars from China, Japan and Korea

The aim of this study was to determine the variation of phenolic compounds in common and tartary buckwheats collected from China, Japan and Korea. Two buckwheat varieties of each country were cultivated using nutrient solution and vermiculite in the greenhouse from February to May, 2012 and harvested at two-week intervals. Phenolics such as chlorogenic acid, C-glycosylflavones (orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, and isovitexin), rutin, and quercetin were quantified using high performance liquid chroma-tography (HPLC). At 17, 29, 44, 58, and 72 days after sowing (DAS), before harvesting each organs, rutin content of cultivars from China and Korea at 17 DAS was the highest (mean 43.63 and 39.95 mg?g–1 DW, respectively) than that of 29 and 44 DAS. However, two varieties from Japan at 44 DAS were documented maximum;whereas, the amount of rutin in “Hokkai T10” harvested at 44 DAS (58.36 mg?g–1 DW) was the highest of all cultivars. Rutin level in the leaves and stems at 72 DAS were comparatively higher than at 58 DAS. The highest of rutin content was found at 72 DAS (73.33 mg?g–1 DW) in “Hokkai T10” leaves followed by “Daegwan No.3-3” (61.13 mg?g–1 DW), “rice tartary” (53.89 mg?g–1 DW). Rutin content of flowers was presented as the highest amount in “Hokkai T10” at 72 DAS (88.3 mg?g–1 DW) was approximately 14-fold higher than that of 58 DAS (6.44 mg?g–1 DW). However, rutin content of flower in “Xiqiao No.2” was 3-fold higher at 72 DAS than at 58 DAS. Rutin and total phenolic compounds content in flowers, leaves, and stems were higher in the order. The content of four C-glycosylflavones in common buckwheat was higher than those in tartary buckwheat, but rutin content which accounted >90% of the total phenolic compounds was higher in tartary buckwheat. The highest amounts of chlorogenic acid and quercetin were measured in the flower of “Xiqiao No.2” (6.85 and 11.69 mg?g–1 DW, respectively). Based on these results, the presence of different phenolic compounds in all the varieties of buckwheat confirmed that it can be regarded as a potent source of functional foods.

Quantifying Roll Feel of a Car by Using a Musculoskeletal Mathematical Model

Primary purpose of this research is to create a three-dimensional musculoskeletal mathematical model of a driver of a car using a motion capture system.The model is then used in an analysis of drive torque around joints and attached muscles as a vehicle travels in different travel modes and damping force settings to examine‘burdens’for the driver.Previous studies proposed a method of quantifying the degree of musculoskeletal load in simple human motion from the changes in drive torque around joints and attached muscles.However,examination of the level of burdens for the driver while driving using this method does not seem to exist.Especially within the scope of evaluating different travel modes and dampers,there is no other study.Results of this study are hence a valuable new perspective on quantitative analysis of the burdens for the driver’s joints and muscles depending on the different settings of travel modes and dampers.

Effects of metal ions on the activity and stability of peroxidase in Tartary buckwheat shoots

This is the first report to purify and characterize POX in shoots of buckwheat species. POX was partially purified from Tartary buckwheat shoots by 48.0 fold with a final yield of 9.07%. During ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography,only one peak corresponding to POX activity was found. The molecular weight of POX was determined to be 37.5 kDa using gel filtration chromatography. The optimal pH of POX activity was 5.5 (guaiacol, quercetin) and 5.0 (ABTS). The Km of POX activity was 22.3 mM (guaiacol), 6.3 mM (ABTS) and 0.92 mM (quercetin). In contrast, the Km for quercetin in the presence of Fe3+ions was two orders of magnitude less (0.018 mM) than that in its absence. The stability of POX activity was increased in the presence of trivalentmetal ions, even after 186 h in solution. POX activity was retained by 83.6% and 56.1% in the presence of 1?mMFe3+and Al3+ions, respectively, whereasit was completely inactivated in their absence. To the best of our knowledge, this is thefirst study to detail the activation and stabilization of POX activity in relation to trivalent metal ions.