Seed dispersal function of the brown bear Ursus arctos on Hokkaido Island in northern Japan: gut passage time, dispersal distance, germination, and effects of remaining pulp.

Megafauna are important seed dispersers because they can disperse large quantities of seeds over long distances. In Hokkaido, Japan, the largest terrestrial animal is the brown bear (Ursus arctos) and other megafauna seed dispersers are lacking. Thus, brown bears are expected to have an important function as seed dispersers in Hokkaido.

Evaluation of solute penetration across the polysulfone membrane with vitamin E coating.

Vitamin E (vit E) is coated on polysulfone (PS) dialysis membrane for antioxidative purpose. The membrane, however, has not yet been evaluated from the mass transfer point of view. We investigated this PS membrane with and without vit E coating in vitro ultrafiltration experiments to identify whether or not the coating influences the mass transfer.

Erythrocyte-like liposomes prepared by means of amphiphilic cyclodextrin sulfates.

A novel class of sulfated glycolipids with excellent self-assembling capacity to form stable monolayers at an air-water interface and specific erythrocyte-like liposomes was synthesised from alpha, beta, and gamma-cyclodextrins as starting materials.