Musashi University

About: Musashi University is a education organization based out in Tokyo, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Supply chain & Frugivore. The organization has 125 authors who have published 328 publications receiving 3844 citations.

A survey of trace elements in pteridophytes.

Abstract: Concentration of 11 trace elements (Ca, Sc, Cr, Fe, Co, Zn, Rb, Cs, Ba, La, and Ce) in 96 pteridophytes (fern and fern ally species) was determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis to evaluate a concentration range for each element and also to find species characteristic in the uptake of trace elements. Asplenium trichomanes was found to accumulate Sc, Cr, and Co to the highest concentrations among 96 pteridophytes. The highest concentration of Ca and Zn was observed for Asplenium obscurum. The other Pteridophytes exhibited only one element whose concentration was the highest. A positive correlation was found between the concentrations of Fe and Sc, and also between the concentrations of Cr and Co. The remarkable accumulation of lanthanides (La and Ce) was observed mainly in diversifying genera (Polystichum and Dryopteris in Dryopteridaceae, Diplazium in Woodsiaceae, and Asplenium in Aspleniaceae).

Structural Distortion of 6-Coordinated Fe(II) Complexes in Zeolite Y

Abstract: Six-coordinated Fe(II) complex ions [FeL3]2+ (L = en, amp, bpy, dmbpy, phen, and dmphen), prepared in a supercage of zeolite Y, were characterized by UV−vis, XRD, Mossbauer spectroscopy, and IR. The UV−vis spectra and XRD patterns of the zeolite encapsulating the Fe(II) complex ions show that [Fe(en)3]2+, [Fe(amp)3]2+, [Fe(bpy)3]2+, and [Fe(phen)3]2+ are formed in the zeolite supercage. The Mossbauer spectra of [Fe(bpy)3]2+ and [Fe(phen)3]2+ in the supercage gave extraordinarily large values of the quadrupole splitting for low-spin Fe(II) species, indicating that these complex ions in a supercage are distorted by a strong steric interaction with the zeolite lattice. The IR spectra of [Fe(bpy)3]2+ and [Fe(phen)3]2+ in the supercage as well as their Mossbauer results reveal that the complex ion is located in the supercage; (i) the 3-fold axis of the complex is parallel to that of the supercage, (ii) each of the three bidentate-ligand molecules in the complex faces to the 12-membered ring of the supercage, a...

What Hinders and What Enhances Small Enterprises’ Access to Formal Credit in India?

Abstract: This paper investigates factors associated with the likelihood of receiving formal credit for small enterprises in India by employing a probit sample selection model. Our results indicate that enterprise size, owners’ education level, being registered under an agency and being involved in diversified activities are positively associated with access to formal credit. However, the ownership of land that can be used as collateral is negatively associated with the likelihood of receiving formal credit. This may be due to an obsolete land administration system resulting in high transaction costs of land as collateral. Furthermore, enterprises with female owners and those engaged in capital intensive industries are more likely to face credit constraints. These results provide some insights into the factors to improve credit constraints for small enterprises in India.

A botanical inventory of a tropical seasonal forest in Khao Yai National Park, Thailand: implications for fruit–frugivore interactions

Abstract: The diversity of plants in tropical forests makes dietary studies of frugivores difficult. This paper provides a botanical inventory of a tropical seasonal forest community in Khao Yai National Park, Thailand. The forest is valuable from a conservation perspective because it is one of the last remaining intact forests in northeastern Thailand, and is an important refuge for many animal and plant species. A 4-ha inventory plot measuring 200 × 200 m was established and all plants greater than or equal to 10 cm in diameter at breast height (dbh) were measured and permanently labeled. We found 1610 stems belonging to 105 species, 76 genera and 35 families, with a combined basal area of 142.5 m2. The community was dominated by species of Lauraceae, Cornaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Meliaceae, and Elaeocarpaceae. About one-third of the plant species (40 spp.) identified in this study were vulnerable to extinction because they were mostly dispersed by large frugivores, which were intolerant of human impact. If they disappear, these forests may become dominated by plant species that are dispersed by abiotic means and species with small-seeded fruits.