Effects of Road Deicer Runoff on Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities in Korean Freshwaters with Toxicity Tests of Calcium Chloride (CaCl2)

Quantifying plant biomass and related processes such as element allocation is a major challenge at the scale of entire riparian zones. We applied sub-decimetre-resolution (5 cm) remote sensing using an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) in combination with field sampling to quantify riparian vegetation biomass at three locations (320-m river stretches) along a mining-impacted boreal river and estimated the amounts of Cd, Cu, and Zn stored in the dominant species. A species-level vegetation map was derived from visual interpretation of aerial images acquired using the UAS and field sampling to determine species composition and cover. Herbaceous and shrub biomass and metal contents were assessed by combining the vegetation maps with field sampling results. Riparian zone productivity decreased from 9.5 to 5.4 t ha^?1 with increasing distance from the source of contamination, and the total amount of vegetation-bound Cd and Zn decreased from 24 to 0.4 and 3,488 to 211 g, respectively. Most Cu was stored at the central location. Biomass and metal contents indicated large variation between species. Salix spp. comprised only 17 % of the total dominant-species biomass but contained 95 % of all Cd and 65 % of all Zn. In contrast, Carex rostrata/vesicaria comprised 64 % of the total dominant-species biomass and contained 63 % of all Cu and 25 % of all Zn. Our study demonstrates the applicability of UAS for monitoring entire riparian zones. The method offers great potential for accurately assessing nutrient and trace element cycling in the riparian zone and for planning potential phytoremediation measures in polluted areas.     

Genetic diversity and population structure of the selected core set in Amaranthus using SSR markers

The genus Amaranthus has gained much attention, particularly for its high economic and nutritional value. It is a genus of taxonomic complexity with many interspecific hybrids. For effective conservation and management of the germplasm collected, the development of a core set of accessions is especially important. A core set of 63 accessions was successfully developed from an entire collection of 634 accessions using the powercore 1.0. Among the tested methods for developing the core set – the advanced M strategy using the modified heuristic method (HCC), randomly chosen collections and stratified random collections – HCC was found to be best, with 100% coverage of alleles and minimum redundancy. Allele frequency distribution of the core set developed with HCC was highly correlated with that of entire collections (r = 0.91). Model‐based structure analysis revealed the presence of three subpopulations and 11 admixtures in the selected core set, which is basically consistent with clustering based on the genetic distance. The results from this study will provide effective information for future germplasm conservation and improvement programmes in Amaranthus.     

Characterizing morphological traits and estimating genetic relationship for intermediate soybean collected from South Korea

Twenty‐two wild, 16 intermediate and 20 cultivated soybean varieties were used to analyse relationships among the species of subgenus Soja, genus Glycine using 11 morphological traits and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. These genotypes using eleven agronomic characteristics were divided into three clusters: cluster I included 20 G. max, cluster II included 12 intermediate, and cluster III included 22 G. soja and four intermediate lines. Genetic relationships among the species of subgenus Soja showed three distinct clusters. Cluster I consisted of 20 G. max cultivars and two intermediate type lines, and cluster II consisted of 13 intermediate type and two G. soja lines; however, cluster III consisted of 20 G. soja and one intermediate type lines. These phenotypic and genetic data suggest that the intermediate type lines could be distinguished between G. max and G. soja lines. However, the intermediate type could not be classified as a new species.     

Licochalcone A prevents adipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis via suppression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and sterol regulatory element-binding protein pathways

Licochalcone A (LA) has been shown to exert multiple pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, antifungal, anticancer, and osteogenic activities. The present study investigated the ability of LA to suppress the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, and its antiobesity activity was explored using high fat diet (HFD)-fed ICR mice. During the terminal differentiation process, 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were treated with LA, and the lipid contents were quantified along with any changes in the expression of biomarkers associated with adipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis. The results show that LA significantly reduced lipid accumulation and down-regulated the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α, sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c, and their target genes (fatty acid binding protein, fatty acid synthase, stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1, and glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase). In an animal study, body weight, triglyceride, cholesterol, and nonesterified fatty acid levels in the group given 10 mg/kg LA were significantly decreased by 14.0, 48.2, 58.9, and 73.5%, respectively. Transverse microcomputed tomography indicated that visceral fat depots in LA-treated mice were markedly reduced when compared with those of the HFD control group. In summary, these results suggest that LA exerts an antiobesity effect and that it is a candidate for future clinical trials.     

Enzymatic Synthesis of Piceid Glucosides Using Maltosyltransferase from Caldicellulosiruptor bescii DSM 6725

Piceid is widely used in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals because of its therapeutic benefits. However, the use of piceid as a drug is limited because of its low solubility. To increase solubility, we synthesized piceid glucosides using maltosyltransferase from Caldicellulosiruptor bescii . The MTase gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli . The enzyme had a unique transfer specificity to the transfer of maltosyl units. Four piceid transglycosylation products were present and identified by thin-layer chromatography and recycling preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. The major product was purified by C(18) and gel filtration chromatography, and its molecular structure was determined using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to be α-d-maltosyl-(1→4)-piceid. The solubility of maltosyl piceid was 8.54 × 10(3) and 1.86 × 10(3) times those of natural resveratrol and piceid, respectively, suggesting that the transglycosylation greatly increased the water solubility. This suggests that dietary intake of this compound can enhance the bioavailability of resveratrol in the human body.     

Photocatalytic Degradation of Chlorophenol Compounds using Poly Aromatic Star Copolymer

This study investigated the encapsulation and photocatalysis of chlorophenol compounds in water using porphyrin-(polystyrene-b-2-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate) star polymer. The chloride ions generated during photocatalytic process were identified and quantified. 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol, pentachlorophenol, and 2,4-dichlorophenol were satisfactorily decomposed in the photoreactor using porphyrin-(polystyrene-b-2-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate) star polymer, with removal efficiencies of 2,454, 498, and 760 mg/g of porphyrin-(polystyrene-b-2-dimethylaminoethyl acrylate) star polymer. The half-life times reached around 30 min, with the exception of that for 2,4-dichlorophenol. The star polymer-impregnated porphyrin is a promising photocatalyst for the removal of chlorophenols.     

Removal of Benzene Using the Characteristics of Block Copolymers for Encapsulation

This study assessed the aqueous benzene removal capacity of a polymeric adsorbent, based on an amphiphilic material, in a batch experiment. Two types of polystyrene-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) have structures containing a hydrophobic core and hydrophilic shell. The encapsulation mechanism of benzene by a polymeric adsorbent was investigated, and found to be attributable to the Van der Waals interactions between the benzene aromatic ring and the hydrophobic core of the adsorbent. The equilibrium data were analyzed using the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms, and found to be a good fit to both. The maximum adsorption capacity for benzene by the polymeric adsorbent was found to be 194.53 mg/g. The kinetic data followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic model. Polystyrene-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) showed the potential to be an effective adsorbent for application to wastewater treatment.     

Population-specific QTLs and their different epistatic interactions for pod dehiscence in soybean [<Emphasis Type="Italic">Glycine max</Emphasis> (L.) Merr.]

Pod dehiscence (PD) prior to harvest results in serious yield loss in soybean. Two linkage maps with simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were independently constructed using recombinant inbred lines (RILs) developed from Keunolkong (pod-dehiscent) × Sinpaldalkong (pod-indehiscent) and Keunolkong × Iksan 10 (pod-indehiscent). These soybean RIL populations were used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) conditioning resistance to PD. While a single major QTL on linkage group (LG) J explained 46% of phenotypic variation in PD in the Keunolkong × Sinpaldalkong population with four minor QTLs, three minor QTLs were identified in the Keunolkong × Iksan 10 population. Although these two populations share the pod dehiscent parent, no common QTL has been identified. In addition, epistatic interactions among three marker loci partially explained phenotypic variation in PD in both populations. The result of this study indicates that different breeding strategies will be required for PD depending on genetic background.