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.     

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.     

柑桔爆皮虫(Agrilus auriventris Saunders)及其防治

柑桔爆皮虫为我国主要柑桔产区的重要害虫,发生已久。在浙江衢县是柑桔上的一种毁灭性害虫,对柑桔生产的影响很大。本文系1958—1960年在浙江衢县桔区結果此虫生活习性和防治的研究。 1.此虫在衢县对衢桔为害最重,广柑、香枹(柚之一种)次之,福桔和有柑为害最輕。一年发生一代,主要以第2—4龄幼虫在树干不同部位越冬,尤以木质部內的第4龄幼虫越冬为主。3月下旬开始化蛹,4月下旬化蛹盛期,同时成虫开始羽化,5月上旬羽化盛期,5月中旬成虫出洞,5月下旬为出洞盛期,以后一直延續到10月间陆續有成虫羽化出洞,但为数不多。 2.成虫产卵有选择性,在已受害的桔树上产卵多,并都在这些桔树树皮的小裂縫內产卵,在地衣、苔蘚內較少。 3.爆皮虫为害桔树主要在幼虫时期,其为害的发展趋势:一是在虫株上从下向上发展,这是主要的;二是横的发展,在同株內从虫干向邻近健干扩散或从被害株向邻近健株扩散,同园内不同桔株是从园边扩散到中間。 4.幼虫有4个龄期,第1—3龄幼虫在韌皮部与形成层内为害,第4龄幼虫在形成层及木质部內为害。 5.用10％二二三乳剂涂刷被害桔树,封閉成虫出洞的效果极好,同时它的残效长,对桔树无药害,是安全有效的防治方法。     

The NURBS human body modeling using local knot removal

These days consumers’ various demands are accelerating research on apparel manufacturing system including automatic measurement, pattern generation, and clothing simulation. Accordingly, methods of reconstructing human body from point-clouds measured using a three dimensional scanning device are required for apparel CAD system to support these functions. In particular, we present in this study a human body reconstruction method focused on two issues, which are the decision of the number of control point for each sectional curve with error bound and the local knot removal for reducing the unusual concentration of control points. The approximation of sectional curves with error bounds as an approximation criterion leads all sectional curves to their own particular shapes apart from the number of control points. In addition, the application of the local knot removal to construction of human body sectional curves reduces the unusual concentration of control points effectively. The results may be used to produce an apparel CAD system as an automatic pattern generation system and a clothing simulation system through the low level control of NUBS or NURBS.     

PORK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN CHINA: A REVIEW OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT,CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS IN GREEN PRODUCTION

•Large-scale industrial pork production enterprises are preferred in China in the future.•Challenges to green pork production include emissions, feed shortage and residues.•Potential solutions to green production include precise feeding and manure recycling.This paper reviews the changes in pork production in China, the largest pork producing and consuming nation in the world. The pork sector in China has changed dramatically since the 1990s, with large-scale intensive pork production systems replacing the former, exclusively family-based pork production systems. Modern breeding, feeding, vaccinating, and management technologies are widely used now. However, smallholders still account for a large proportion of the total production. The intensification and specialization of the pork sector is expected to continue in the future, but there is increasing awareness and pressure to develop more environmentally-sustainable production systems. The relative shortage of domestically produced feed, the low utilization efficiency of feed ingredients, the large emissions of nitrogen and phosphorus to the environment, the high use of antibiotics, and the presence of residual metals in manures are very large challenges for the pork sector nowadays. To solve these problems, techniques including new feed resource utilization, precise feeding, low-protein diets, alternatives to antibiotics and increased manure recycling are all important topics and research directions today. With new techniques and management approaches, it is possible to build more sustainable pork production systems in China.     

Effect of glycerol cross-linking and PDI on the shape memory effect and mechanical properties of polyurethane

A series of shape memory polyurethane (PU) copolymers synthesized from 1,4-phenyldiisocyanate (PDI), poly(tetramethyleneglycol) (PTMG), 1,4-butanediol (BD) as a chain extender, and glycerol as a cross-linking agent were tested for the mechanical properties and the shape memory effect at the temperature 20 °C above melting temperature (T _m), and were compared with other PUs synthesized from 4,4′-methylene-bis-phenyldiisocyanate (MDI), PTMG, and BD. Mechanical properties and shape memory effect were improved substantially by adopting both PDI and glycerol. Interestingly, enthalpy of melting and T _m were not affected by the glycerol content. Vibration and shock absorption ability was investigated by measuring both loss tan δ and storage modulus with dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA).     

Synthesis and application of o,o′-dihydroxyazo dyes and their metal complexes

This paper presents the synthesis of metal complex acid dyes obtained from the reaction of o,o′-dihydroxyazo dyes and chromium and cobalt sulfate. The ¹H-NMR, FT-IR and UV/Visible Spectrophotometer, TLC (Thin Layer Chromatography) and ICP (Ion Chromatography) of the intermediates and the metal complexes were studied and compared. Their properties such as dyeing, fastness and toxicity on nylon were also assessed according to standard methods.     

Endosperm-Specific Expression of Serotonin <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-Hydroxycinnamoyltransferase in Rice

Serotonin N-hydroxycinnamoyltransferase (SHT) is a key enzyme in the synthesis of feruloylserotonin (FS) and 4-coumaroylserotonin (CS). These serotonin derivatives show strong antioxidant activity, making them valuable for both nutritional and pharmacological use in humans. Ectopic expression of SHT under the control of the endosperm specific-glutelin and prolamin promoters from rice was produced via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. SHT expression was confirmed by Southern blot analysis, followed by Northern blotting and SHT enzyme activity analyses using total RNA and protein, respectively, extracted from transgenic seeds. The glutelin A3 (GluA3) promoter produced low SHT mRNA expression in rice seeds, whereas the prolamin promoter expressed high levels of SHT mRNA. In spite of the ectopic expression of SHT in rice seeds, both transgenic genotypes accumulated levels of serotonin derivatives similar to those found in wild-type rice. Furthermore, our data suggest that serotonin, rather than phenylpropanid-CoAs, is the rate-limiting substrate in the biosynthesis of serotonin derivatives in SHT-overexpressing transgenic rice seeds.     

Biosafety assessment of transgenic poplars overexpressing xyloglucanase (AaXEG2) prior to field trials

We performed biosafety assessments of transgenic poplars prior to field trials. Constitutive expression of the Aspergillus aculeatus xyloglucanase in Populus alba increased the cellulose content and specific gravity of its stem, the leaves of which were visibly greener, thicker, and smaller than those of the wild-type plant. Although the young transgenic poplars grew faster than the wild type in a growth chamber, there was no distinguishable difference in growth between the poplars when they were placed in a special screened greenhouse. Allelopathic tests showed that the transgenic poplars do not produce harmful substances. Based on all the biosafety assessments and the scientific literature on poplar species, we came to the conclusion that transgenic poplars probably do not disturb the biological diversity of the surrounding environment, even when they are submitted to field trials.