Study on the strength retention of technical cord yarn

This research studies the factors which influence the tensile strength of tire cords. Five yarn samples are made by changing the spinning conditions and viscosity to get various physical properties. Different twisting methods are introduced and the yarns are twisted under different processing conditions for each twisting process. With the experimental results, various analyses are performed to find the important factors in retaining strength after the twisting process. SEM and optical microscopic photographs are taken along with some measurements to assist the analysis.     

Influenza virus neuraminidase inhibitory activity of phlorotannins from the edible brown alga Ecklonia cava

Influenza A virus infections continue to pose a major threat to humans and several animal species. Neuraminidase (NA) is one of the most promising targets for the development of drugs against influenza viruses because of its critical role in the viral life cycle. During the course of a search for NA inhibitors from edible natural sources, we found that the ethyl acetate layer of ethanol extracts of Ecklonia cava showed extremely high NA-inhibitory activity (72.1% inhibition at 30 μg/mL). Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the ethyl acetate layer yielded five phlorotannins, identified as phloroglucinol (1), eckol (2), 7-phloroeckol (3), phlorofucofuroeckol (4), and dieckol (5). The inhibitory activities of these compounds (1-5) against NAs from group-1 (A/Bervig_Mission/1/18 [H1N1], A/PR/8/34 [H1N1]) and group-2 (A/Hong Kong/8/68 [H3N2], A/Chicken/Korea/MS96/96 [H9N2]) influenza A were evaluated to determine potencies and kinetic behavior. Analyses using various in vitro influenza A virus NA assays showed that all five phlorotannin derivatives were selective NA inhibitors. Of the phlorotannins, phlorofucofuroeckol (4) exhibited the most potent inhibitory activities toward group-1 NAs (IC?? values, 4.5 and 14.7 μM), whereas dieckol (5) potently inhibited group-2 NAs. Kinetic analyses indicated that compounds 1-5 were all noncompetitive. Notably, these noncompetitive inhibitors synergized with oseltamivir to enhance the NA-inhibitory effects of oseltamivir.     

Tracking the structural and functional development of a perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium L.) infestation using a multi-year archive of webcam imagery and eddy covariance measurements

The continued spread of invasive weeds is threatening ecosystem health throughout North America. Understanding the relationships between invasive weeds’ key phenological phases and structural and/or functional canopy development is an essential step for making informed decisions regarding their management. We analyzed a three-year image archive obtained from an inexpensive webcam overlooking a perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium L.) infestation in California to explore the ability of red (R)-green (G)-blue (B) color space information to track the structural and functional development of the pepperweed. We characterized structural and functional canopy development through surface roughness length (z_0m; a proxy for canopy height and leaf area index) and canopy photosynthesis (F_A), respectively, both of which we derived from eddy covariance measurements. Here we demonstrate the use of cross-correlation functions to determine the temporal lags between chromatic coordinates and two color indices, all calculated from RGB brightness levels, with z_0m and F_A. We found that these color metrics fail to represent the structural and/or functional state of the canopy. In contrast, relative luminance (CIE Y) appears to be a better indicator for z_0m and especially for F_A. We calculated CIE Y from pepperweed RGB brightness levels in relation to hypothetical horizontal reference RGB brightness levels. We obtained the latter by applying the ratio between horizontally measured and hypothetical incoming solar radiation on a vertical surface to RGB brightness levels of a vertically oriented reference of invariant light-grey color. We conclude that webcam image archives may provide an inexpensive tool for making informed decisions regarding the timing but not for assessing the effectiveness of invasive plant control measures such as mowing.     

Association between the body weight of growing pigs and the functional capacity of their gut microbiota

Gastrointestinal microbiota impact host's biological activities, including digestion of indigestible feed components, energy harvest, and immunity. In this study, fecal microbiota of high body weight (HW) and low body weight (LW) growing pigs at 103 days of age were compared. Principal coordinates analysis separated the HW and LW groups into two clusters, indicating their potential differences between microbial community composition. Although the abundances of two major phyla, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, did not significantly differ between the HW and LW groups, some genera showed significant differences. Among them, Peptococcus and Eubacterium exhibited strong positive correlations with body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) (Rho > 0.40), whereas Treponema, Desulfovibrio, Parabacteroides, and Ruminococcaceae_unclassified exhibited strong negative correlations with BW and ADG (Rho < ?0.40). Based on these results, the structure of intestinal microbiota may affect growth traits in pigs through host–microbe interactions. Further in‐depth studies will provide insights into how best to reshape host–microbe interactions in pigs and other animals as well.     

Effects of different application timings of methane fermentation digested liquid to paddy plots on soil nitrogen and rice yield

Treatment of animal and food wastes using a methane fermentation technique is drawing considerable public attention as a suitable option for the utilization of biomass resources. The application of a fermentation byproduct (methane fermentation digested liquid) as an agricultural fertilizer has been investigated. Determining the appropriate timing required for applying digested liquid on a rice (Oryza sativa L.) paddy plot is important. The concentrations of soil nitrogen (N) components and rice yield should be considered because digested liquid contains both inorganic and organic N. This study compares the N transformation and the rice yield and growth at different application times over a period of 3 y. The effects of the timing of basal application on soil N were different and the timing that maximized the rice yield was different in each year. Days before ponding (DBP) affected soil N before mid-summer drainage, and rice growth rates at the panicle formation stage and the ear emergence stage. The effects of DBP disappeared before harvest. The results indicated that sufficient potentially mineralizable N existed regardless of DBP, and the effect of DBP lessened after the mid-summer drainage, which coincides with the period when N uptake is most active.     

Formation and properties of hydroxy iron(iii) oligomer-citrate complex

Instantaneous neutralization of Fe (III) chloride dissolved in N a citrate by powdery NaHC03 gave stable clear brown sols. The sol particles separated by dialysis and freeze-drying showed a single diffraction peak at 2 nm and a citrate/Fe molar ratio of about 0.2 irrespective of the composition of the starting solutions. This indicates that the product may be a novel phase of Fe (III) citrate.     

Expression of esterase gene in yeast for organophosphates biodegradation

Organophosphates are esters of phosphoric acid and can be hydrolyzed and detoxified by carboxylesterase and phosphotriesterase. In this work esterase enzyme (Est5S) was expressed in yeast to demonstrate the organophosphorus hydrolytic activity from a metagenomic library of cow rumen bacteria. The esterase gene (est5S) is 1098 bp in length, encoding a protein of 366 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 40 kDa. Est5S enzyme was successfully produced by Pichia pastoris at a high expression level of approximately 4.0 g L⁻¹. With p-nitrophenol butyrate as the substrate, the optimal temperature and pH for enzyme activity were determined to be 40 °C and pH 7.0, respectively. The esterase enzyme was tested for degradation of chlorpyrifos (CP). TLC results obtained inferred that CP could be degraded by esterase enzyme (Est5S) and HPLC results revealed that CP could be efficiently degraded up to 100 ppm. Cadusafos (CS), coumaphos (CM), diazinon (DZ) dyfonate (DF), ethoprophos (EP), fenamiphos (FM), methylparathion (MPT), and parathion (PT) were also degraded up to 68, 60, 80, 40, 45, 60, 95, and 100%, respectively, when used as a substrate with Est5S protein. The results highlight the potential use of this enzyme in the cleanup of contaminated insecticides.     

Seaweeds and Their Natural Products for Preventing Cardiovascular Associated Dysfunction

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), which involves the onset and exacerbation of various conditions including dyslipidemia, activation of the renin–angiotensin system, vascular endothelial cell damage, and oxidative stress, is a leading cause of high mortality rates and accounts for one-third of deaths worldwide. Accordingly, as dietary changes in daily life are thought to greatly reduce the prevalence of CVD, numerous studies have been conducted to examine the potential use of foods and their bioactive components for preventing and treating CVD. In particular, seaweeds contain unique bioactive metabolites that are not found in terrestrial plants because of the harsh environment in which they survive, leading to in vitro and in vivo studies of their prevention and treatment effects. This review summarizes studies that focused on the beneficial effects of seaweeds and their natural products targeting markers involved in a cascade of mechanisms related to CVD pathogenesis. The purpose of this review is to describe the potential of seaweeds and their natural products for preventing and treating CVD based on in vivo and in vitro studies. This review provides a basis for future research in the field of marine drugs.     

Extracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate‐dependent protein kinase A autoantibody and C‐reactive protein as serum biomarkers for diagnosis of cancer in dogs

Protein kinase A, a cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP)‐dependent enzyme, normally exists within mammalian cells; however, in cancer cells, it can leak out and be found in the serum. Extracellular cyclic AMP‐dependent protein kinase A (ECPKA) has been determined to increase in the serum of cancer‐bearing dogs. However, there have been no reports in the veterinary literature on serum ECPKA autoantibody (ECPKA‐Ab) expression in dogs with cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate ECPKA‐Ab and C‐reactive protein (CRP) as serum biomarkers for cancer in dogs. ECPKA‐Ab and CRP levels were detected by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay in serum samples from dogs with malignant tumours (n = 167), benign tumours (n = 42), or non‐tumour disease (n = 155) and from healthy control dogs (n = 123). ECPKA‐Ab and CRP levels were significantly higher in the dogs with malignant tumours than in those with benign tumours or non‐tumour diseases, as well as in the healthy controls (P < 0.001, Kruskal‐Wallis test). There was a significant positive correlation between the neoplastic index, which was developed using ECPKA‐Ab and CRP levels, and the presence of cancer in dogs (P < 0.001); the area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve was estimated to be >0.85 (P < 0.001). In conclusion, ECPKA‐Ab is a potential serum biomarker for a broad spectrum of cancers. Combined measurement of CRP and ECPKA‐Ab levels in serum improves the sensitivity and accuracy of a diagnosis of cancer in dogs.     

Generation of RUNX3 knockout pigs using CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated gene targeting

Pigs are an attractive animal model to study the progression of cancer because of their anatomical and physiological similarities to human. However, the use of pig models for cancer research has been limited by availability of genetically engineered pigs which can recapitulate human cancer progression. Utilizing genome editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 system allows us to generate genetically engineered pigs at a higher efficiency. In this study, specific CRISPR/Cas9 systems were used to target RUNX3, a known tumour suppressor gene, to generate a pig model that can induce gastric cancer in human. First, RUNX3 knockout cell lines carrying genetic modification (monoallelic or biallelic) of RUNX3 were generated by introducing engineered CRISPR/Cas9 system specific to RUNX3 into foetal fibroblast cells. Then, the genetically modified foetal fibroblast cells were used as donor cells for somatic cell nuclear transfer, followed by embryo transfer. We successfully obtained four live RUNX3 knockout piglets from two surrogates. The piglets showed the lack of RUNX3 protein in their internal organ system. Our results demonstrate that the CRISPR/Cas9 system is effective in inducing mutations on a specific locus of genome and the RUNX3 knockout pigs can be useful resources for human cancer research and to develop novel cancer therapies.