Protective effect of butylated hydroxylanisole against hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is a synthetic phenolic compound consisting of a mixture of two isomeric organic compounds: 2-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole. We examined the effect of BHA against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced apoptosis in primary cultured mouse hepatocytes. Cell viability was significantly decreased by H₂O₂ in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, H₂O₂ treatment increased Bax, decreased Bcl-2, and promoted PARP-1 cleavage in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment with BHA before exposure to H₂O₂ significantly attenuated the H₂O₂-induced decrease of cell viability. H₂O₂ exposure resulted in an increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation that was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with BHA or N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC, an ROS scavenger). H₂O₂-induced decrease of cell viability was also attenuated by pretreatment with BHA and NAC. Furthermore, H₂O₂-induced increase of Bax, decrease of Bcl-2, and PARP-1 cleavage was also inhibited by BHA. Taken together, results of this investigation demonstrated that BHA protects primary cultured mouse hepatocytes against H₂O₂-induced apoptosis by inhibiting ROS generation.     

Glycoalkaloids and metabolites inhibit the growth of human colon (HT29) and liver (HepG2) cancer cells

As part of an effort to improve plant-derived foods such as potatoes, eggplants, and tomatoes, the antiproliferative activities against human colon (HT29) and liver (HepG2) cancer cells of a series of structurally related individual compounds were examined using a microculture tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The objective was to assess the roles of the carbohydrate side chain and aglycon part of Solanum glycosides in influencing inhibitory activities of these compounds. Evaluations were carried out with four concentrations each (0.1, 1, 10, and 100 microg/mL) of the the potato trisaccharide glycoalkaloids alpha-chaconine and alpha-solanine; the disaccharides beta(1)-chaconine, beta(2)-chaconine, and beta(2)-solanine; the monosaccharide gamma-chaconine and their common aglycon solanidine; the tetrasaccharide potato glycoalkaloid dehydrocommersonine; the potato aglycon demissidine; the tetrasaccharide tomato glycoalkaloid alpha-tomatine, the trisaccharide beta(1)-tomatine, the disaccharide gamma-tomatine, the monosaccharide delta-tomatine, and their common aglycon tomatidine; the eggplant glycoalkaloids solamargine and solasonine and their common aglycon solasodine; and the nonsteroidal alkaloid jervine. All compounds were active in the assay, with the glycoalkaloids being the most active and the hydrolysis products less so. The effectiveness against the liver cells was greater than against the colon cells. Potencies of alpha-tomatine and alpha-chaconine at a concentration of 1 microg/mL against the liver carcinoma cells were higher than those observed with the anticancer drugs doxorubicin and camptothecin. Because alpha-chaconine, alpha-solanine, and alpha-tomatine also inhibited normal human liver HeLa (Chang) cells, safety considerations should guide the use of these compounds as preventative or therapeutic treatments against carcinomas.     

NaCl plus chitosan as a dietary salt to prevent the development of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats

The effect of NaCl plus 3% chitosan on the systolic blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were evaluated and compared with NaCl plus KCl (NaCl, 49.36% + KCl 49.36%) and chitosan or NaCl treatment alone. In SHR, administration of NaCl plus chitosan (44 mM Na/day) for two months significantly decreased the systolic blood pressure greater than of NaCl plus KCl and NaCl alone. NaCl plus chitosan resulted, though not statistically significant, in decreased urinary Na⁺ excretion and decreased blood urea nitrogen levels. Urinary creatinine of NaCl plus chitosan was slightly decreased compared to 3 treated groups. Serum electrolytes levels, however, remained unchanged. The combination of NaCl and chitosan may be superior to the conventional use of NaCl plus KCl or NaCl alone in the prevention of hypertension. Even though these supplementary diets have demonstrated potential anti-hypertensive effects in the experimental animal model, further research is needed before any recommendations can be made.     

Efficacy of strain RB51 vaccine in protecting infection and vertical transmission against Brucella abortus in Sprague-Dawley rats

Immunizing animals in the wild against Brucella (B.) abortus is essential to control bovine brucellosis because cattle can get the disease through close contact with infected wildlife. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effectiveness of the B. abortus strain RB51 vaccine in protecting infection as well as vertical transmission in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats against B. abortus biotype 1. Virgin female SD rats (n = 48) two months of age were divided into two groups: one group (n = 24) received RB51 vaccine intraperitoneally with 3 × 10¹⁰ colony forming units (CFU) and the other group (n = 24) was used as non-vaccinated control. Non-vaccinated and RB51-vaccinated rats were challenged with 1.5 × 10⁹ CFU of virulent B. abortus biotype 1 six weeks after vaccination. Three weeks after challenge, all rats were bred. Verification of RB51-vaccine induced protection in SD rats was determined by bacteriological, serological and molecular screening of maternal and fetal tissues at necropsy. The RB51 vaccine elicited 81.25% protection in SD rats against infection with B. abortus biotype 1. Offspring from rats vaccinated with RB51 had a decreased (p < 0.05) prevalence of vertical transmission of B. abortus biotype 1 compared to the offspring from non-vaccinated rats (20.23% and 87.50%, respectively). This is the first report of RB51 vaccination efficacy against the vertical transmission of B. abortus in the SD rat model.     

Identification of characteristic aroma-active compounds from water dropwort (Oenanthe javanica DC.)

Characteristic aroma components of water dropwort (Oenanthe javanica DC.) were evaluated by aroma extract dilution analysis and solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-olfactometry. Alpha-Terpinolene (plastic/cucumber-like) was the most intense aroma-active compound in water dropwort. Other potent aroma-active compounds included p-cymene (kerosene-like), alpha-terpinene (lemon), (E)-caryophyllene (woody), (Z,E)-alpha-farnesene (woody), hexanal (green), (Z)-3-hexenol (green), phenylacetaldehyde (honey), (E)-2-nonenal (cucumber), bornyl acetate (cooked vegetable), and gamma-terpinene (lemon). Of these, p-cymene was believed to be primarily responsible for the distinct kerosene-like aroma note of water dropwort. The aroma property of p-cymene was dependent on its concentration and was described as kerosene-like at relatively high concentrations but changed to citrus and green aroma notes at low concentrations.     

Analysis of methanogenic archaeal communities of rumen fluid and rumen particles from Korean black goats

Molecular diversity of methanogens in the rumen of Korean black goats was investigated with 16S rRNA gene clone libraries using methanogen‐specific primers. The libraries were composed of rumen fluid‐associated methanogens (FAM) and rumen particle‐associated methanogens (PAM) from rumen‐fistulated Korean black goats. Among the 141 clones of the FAM library, the sequences were mostly related to two phyla, the Methanobacteriaceae family (77.3%) and the Thermoplasmatales family (22.7%); and among the 68 clones of the PAM library, sequences were also mainly clustered in the two phyla, the Thermoplasmatales family (63.24%) and the Methanobacteriaceae family (35.29%). Most of the sequenced clones in the two libraries were closely related to uncultured methanogenic archaeon. Quantitative real‐time PCR revealed that PAM (8.97 log 10) had significantly higher (P < 0.01) density of methanogens by the methanogenic 16S rRNA gene copies than FAM (7.57 log 10). The two clone libraries also showed difference in Shannon index (FAM library 1.70 and PAM library 1.59) and Chao 1 estimator (FAM library 18 and PAM library 17 operational taxonomic units). Apparent differences found in the microbial community from the two 16S rRNA gene libraries could be a result of such factors as the chemical and physical nature of the target material surface, types or component of diets, the interaction between the methanogens and other microbes, and age of the experimental goats.     

Temperature-dependent development and survival of Podisus maculiventris (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae): implications for mass rearing and biological control

The spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say), is a generalist predator that can control >75 insect pests in various agroecosystems. Despite valuable results from the previous studies, thermal development and survival of P. maculiventris over a wide range of temperatures had not been elucidated completely. This study was conducted to investigate the stage-specific development and survival of P. maculiventris at eight constant temperatures (13.2, 18.4, 21.7, 23.7, 27.2, 32.7, 35.2, and 40.6 °C) covering the entire thermal range for P. maculiventris development. Completion of egg development was observed at 13.2–32.7 °C, whereas nymphs successfully developed into adults at 18.4–32.7 °C. Survival model using log-normal equations showed bell-shape patterns for all stages, and temperatures resulting in highest survival of P. maculiventris were 19.9, 24.3, and 24.5 °C for egg, nymph, and egg to adult, respectively. Developmental rates at the eight temperatures were fitted with a nonlinear Briere model, which estimated optimal temperatures for development as 31.2, 30.6, and 30.6 °C for egg, nymph, and egg to adult, respectively. Operative thermal ranges (i.e., in-between the lower and upper developmental thresholds) were estimated to be 8.9–35.2, 12.8–35.2, and 12.7–35.2 °C for egg, nymph, and egg to adult, respectively. In a linear model, the lower thresholds were 10.9, 13.1, and 13.0 °C for egg, nymph, and egg to adult, respectively. Findings herein provide comprehensive data and explanations on optimal temperature and thermal requirement for P. maculiventris, which can be used to optimize environmental condition in mass rearing and predicting phenology of P. maculiventris in the field.     

Effect of in vitro xenoestrogens on steroidogenesis in mature female fish, Chasmichthys dolichognathus

In this study, fully vitellogenic oocytes of the longchin goby (Chasmichthys dolichognathus) were exposed to in vitro xenoestrogens such as diethylstilbestrol (DES), bisphenol A (BPA) and nonylphenol (NP) at concentrations of 100 ng/ml in the presence of [³H]17α-hydroxyprogesterone as precursor. The major metabolites produced in vitro are progestogens [17α-hydroxy,20α-dihydroprogesterone (17α20αOHP) and 17α-hydroxy,20β-dihydroprogesterone (17α20βOHP)], androgens [androstenedione (A4) and testosterone (T)] and estrogens [estrone (E1) and estradiol-17β (E2)]. Comparative activities of these chemicals in oocyte steroid biosynthesis showed as follows: NP treatment resulted in clear stimulation of estrogen production, while the opposite occurred in DES treated incubation. Treatment with DES resulted in a higher synthesis of 17α20αOHP. BPA treatment increased the androgen, while estrogen synthesis was slightly inhibited. These results suggest that NP exhibited clearly estrogenic activity on the three chemicals.     

Functional characterization of extruded rice noodles with corn bran: Xanthophyll content and rheology

The rheological changes in rice noodles by the substitution of corn bran and the effect of temperature on the xanthophyll content (lutein and zeaxanthin) of the corn bran-rice flour noodles were evaluated. The use of corn bran increased the water holding capacity of rice flour at room temperature while the opposite results were observed after heating. The pasting parameters of rice flour-corn bran mixture were reduced with increasing levels of corn bran and the mixture paste exhibited more dominant liquid-like behavior. The noodles containing corn bran exhibited lower expansion ratio and softer textural properties. The levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in raw corn bran were 336.9 and 123.1 μg/100 g, respectively and were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) by heating. While lutein and zeaxanthin were not detected in the control noodles without corn bran, their levels in corn bran-incorporated noodles ranged from 56.2 to 137.3 μg/100 g and from 37.9 to 61.9 μg/100 g, respectively and were significantly reduced by 37.7–45.4% (P < 0.05) after cooking. Thus, the heat-labile characteristics of two xanthophylls were clearly observed. This study provides useful information on the processing performance and xanthophyll content of corn bran, possibly extending its use in a wider variety of foods.     

Giant piezoelectricity on Si for hyperactive MEMS

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) incorporating active piezoelectric layers offer integrated actuation, sensing, and transduction. The broad implementation of such active MEMS has long been constrained by the inability to integrate materials with giant piezoelectric response, such as Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))O(3)-PbTiO(3) (PMN-PT). We synthesized high-quality PMN-PT epitaxial thin films on vicinal (001) Si wafers with the use of an epitaxial (001) SrTiO(3) template layer with superior piezoelectric coefficients (e(31,f) = -27 ± 3 coulombs per square meter) and figures of merit for piezoelectric energy-harvesting systems. We have incorporated these heterostructures into microcantilevers that are actuated with extremely low drive voltage due to thin-film piezoelectric properties that rival bulk PMN-PT single crystals. These epitaxial heterostructures exhibit very large electromechanical coupling for ultrasound medical imaging, microfluidic control, mechanical sensing, and energy harvesting.