Cytotoxic and antitumor activities of thiosulfinates from Allium tuberosum L

In this study we isolated crude thiosulfinates from Allium tuberosum L. using CH 2Cl 2 and then with silica gel column chromatography purified S-methyl methanthiosulfinate and S-methyl 2-propene-1-thiosulfinate from the crude thiosulfinates. Subsequently, in vitro cytotoxicities against human cancer cells and in vivo antitumor activities of the thiosulfinates were investigated. Their cytotoxicities were strong in human cancer cells, in the order of S-methyl 2-propene-1-thiosulfinate, crude thiosulfinates, and S-methyl methanthiosulfinate. When thiosulfinates were administered consecutively for 7 days at 10, 30, and 50 mg/kg ip, in mice, we found significant increases in the life spans of mice that had been inoculated with Sacorma-180 tumor cells. The crude thiosulfinates also induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cancer cells. These results suggest that thiosulfinates from Allium tuberosum L. inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells via apoptosis and have antitumor activities.     

Development of a simple typing method for the ovine Toll-like receptor 4 gene

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) recognizes lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Gram-negative bacteria, as well as a number of other ligands. Genetic variation in the TLR gene has been associated with altered immune responses to pathogens and results in variation in disease susceptibility. The objective of this work was to develop a simple and rapid genotyping system for ovine TLR4 and of a sensitivity that would allow detection of allelic variation in this gene. While variation in exon 3 of the ovine TLR4 gene has been described previously, we describe here an improved genotyping method. This method could not only reveal the four alleles that have been reported previously, but also revealed a further three new alleles of this gene in a population of 1670 New Zealand sheep. This improved genotyping method will be useful in understanding innate immune responses in individual sheep and could also be a useful tool for large-scale immune studies in sheep production systems.     

Isolation and characterization of antioxidative peptides from gelatin hydrolysate of Alaska pollack skin

Gelatin extracted from Alaska pollack skin was hydrolyzed with serial digestions in the order of Alcalase, Pronase E, and collagenase using a three-step recycling membrane reactor. The fraction from the second step, which was hydrolyzed with Pronase E, was composed of peptides ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 kDa and showed high antioxidative activity. Two different peptides showing strong antioxidative activity were isolated from the hydrolysate using consecutive chromatographic methods including gel filtration on a Sephadex G-25 column, ion-exchange chromatography on a SP-Sephadex C-25 column, and high-performance liquid chromatography on an ODS column. The isolated peptides, P1 and P2, were composed of 13 and 16 amino acid residues, respectively; and both peptides contained a Gly residue at the C-terminus and the repeating motif Gly-Pro-Hyp. The antioxidative activities of the purified peptides were measured using the thiobarbituric acid method, and the cell viability was measured with MTT assay. The results showed that P2 had potent antioxidative activity on peroxidation of linoleic acid. Moreover, the cell viability of cultured liver cells was significantly enhanced by addition of the peptide. These results indicate that the purified peptide, P2, from gelatin hydrolysate of Alaska pollack skin is a natural antioxidant which has potent antioxidative activity.     

Development and characterization of a flavoring agent from oyster cooker effluent

The general composition of concentrated oyster cooker effluent (OCE) was 80% moisture, 6.7% total nitrogen, 2.4% glycogen, and 8.5% ash. Optimum conditions for enzymatic hydrolysis of OCE were 50 degrees C, 2 h of reaction time, 0.1% amylase mixture (alpha-amylase plus glucoamylase), and 0.2% protease NP. Hydrolysis of OCE led to an increase in free amino acids, with taurine comprising approximately 20% of the total. Inosine monophosphate was predominant (456 mg/100 g) among nucleotides and related compounds. Enzyme hydrolysis increased extractable nitrogen by approximately 2-fold. Trimethylamine, trimethylamine oxide, and total creatinine levels were not affected by enzyme treatment. Predominant aroma-active components of enzyme-hydrolyzed OCE included 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline and 3-(methylthio)propanal. Results of this study may help alleviate the wastewater disposal problem currently caused by OCE.     

Source identification and assessment of heavy metal contamination in urban soils based on cluster analysis and multiple pollution indices

Purpose

To identify the sources and levels of contamination with anthropogenically derived heavy metals (HMs) for appropriate pollution control. We quantified anthropogenic influences with respect to HM pollution in soil, based on multiple pollution indices and cluster analysis derived from the results of an annual nationwide survey conducted in Korea.

Methods

Contamination levels of HMs in soils were quantitatively evaluated using multiple pollution indices: contamination factor (CF), geo-accumulation index (I_geo), Nemerow’s integrated pollution index (NIPI), and pollution load index (PLI). Hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted to elucidate the correlations between HMs and contamination sources. A total of 2214 HM concentration data including six contamination sources were used to evaluate the pollution state of anthropogenic effects of HMs.

Results

The CFs for Zn and Cu revealed a broad enrichment of these HMs in all pollution sources. Scrap recycling sites (SRS) had the highest likelihood of pollutant distribution in soil surfaces. NIPI and PLI varied with the extent of anthropogenic activities or land use, especially in SRS, waste disposal sites (WDS), transport maintenance sites (TMS), and industrial sites (INS), and anthropogenic sources were divided into three discrete clusters: INS-TMS-LDS (land development sites), SRS-WDS, and vicinities of industrial sites (VIS).

Conclusion

Our results confirmed that soil pollution indices combined with cluster analysis were useful to identify sources of anthropogenic HMs in urban soil, as well as to assess the levels of HM contamination.

     

Continuous infusion of propofol or intermittent bolus of tiletamine‐zolazepam in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus)

ObjectiveTo investigate an infusion of propofol for anesthesia in comparison to tiletamine-zolazepam anesthesia, evaluating physiological variables and recovery in squirrel monkeys.Study designProspective non-blinded randomized study.AnimalsEight healthy squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus), aged 3 years and weighing 0.340–0.695 kg.MethodsPremedication was intramuscular midazolam (0.5 mg) and meperidine (4 mg). Anesthesia was induced with intravenous (IV) propofol (4 mg kg^?1 minute^?1) and maintained with propofol starting at 0.4 mg kg^?1 minute^?1 (PRO, n = 4) or IV tiletamine-zolazepam (5 mg kg^?1) and maintained with supplementary doses of TZ (TZ, n = 4). Cardiopulmonary variables were measured continuously. Arterial blood gases and lactate concentration were measured at the end of anesthesia. Quality and times of recovery were determined. Repeatedly measured data for significant differences were tested between groups with t-test and within groups by anova.ResultsMedian time for induction of anesthesia in PRO was 180 seconds. Mean maintenance infusion rate of propofol was 0.43 ± 0.05 mg kg^?1 minute^?1, varying during the 1 hour period. One monkey died after administration of TZ; others required 1, 4, or 8 supplemental doses. Cardiopulmonary variables were similar between groups, but hypotension was recorded. Recovery times to ventral recumbency in PRO (32 ± 17 minutes) and TZ (84 ± 11 minutes) and normal ambulation in PRO (58 ± 22 minutes) and TZ (358 ± 109minutes) were significantly different (p < 0.05). Recovery quality was superior in PRO, with less ataxia and fewer unsuccessful attempts to stand. Lactate concentration was not different between treatments.Conclusions and clinical relevanceCardiopulmonary variables were similar between protocols, aside from the higher incidence of hypotension in PRO, indicating that further studies with a larger number of animals are required. Compared to tiletamine-zolazepam, propofol anesthesia provided faster and superior anesthetic recovery in these animals.     

Pasting characteristics and in vitro digestibility of γ-irradiated RS4 waxy maize starches

The effect of γ-irradiation on the physicochemical properties of cross-linked waxy maize resistant starches was examined. The cross-linked waxy maize starches contained resistant starch (RS) of 56.1 and 63.5%, respectively for 5 and 10% sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP)/sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) cross-linking, and the RS contents slightly decreased as the irradiation dose increased whereas the RS content in unmodified waxy maize starch increased with an increase in irradiation dose. For both native and cross-linked starches, the rapidly digestible starch (RDS) content increased and the slowly digestible starch (SDS) content decreased by the irradiation. The solubility of the native and cross-linked starches increased as the irradiation dose increased. The cross-linked starches did not swell in boiling water without showing pasting viscosity. However, the starches became swellable, forming pastes by irradiation, and the pasting viscosity gradually increased with an increase in irradiation dose. The crystallinity as determined by an X-ray diffraction analysis remained unchanged upon cross-linking and γ-irradiation. However, the gelatinization enthalpy of the cross-linked starches decreased in proportion with irradiation dose. The melting temperatures of cross-linked starches gradually decreased and the temperature range for melting increased with an increase in irradiation dose.     

Modelling rice competition with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Echinochloa crus-galli</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eleocharis kuroguwai</Emphasis> in transplanted rice cultivation

Field experiments were conducted to investigate rice — Echinochloa crus-galli and rice — Eleocharis kuroguwai competition under transplanted rice cultivation in four major rice production areas; Suwon, Daejeon, Iksan, and Naju in Korea. Rice yield data were used to predict rice yield as a function of plant densities of E. crus-galli and E. kuroguwai using a rectangular hyperbola and to determine economic threshold (ET) levels of the weeds. Both weed species significantly reduced number of tillers at early rice growth stage, resulting in significant reduction in number of spikes, and the other yield components such as number of grains, maturity and 1,000-grain weight at later growth stage. The weed competitivity represented by parameter ranged from 0.0145 to 0.0346 for E. crus-galli and from 0.0037 to 0.0187 for E. kuroguwai, indicating that the competition effect of E. crus-galli on rice yield was slightly greater than that of E. kuroguwai. The ET values of E. crus-galli were between 0.298 and 1.078 plants m⁻², while those of E. kuroguwai were between 0.848 and 5.298 plants m⁻², depending on weed competitivity and herbicide price. Therefore, our results can be used to support decision-making on herbicide application for E. crus-galli and E. kuroguwai management in transplanted rice cultivation.     

Follicle Development in Mares

The mare provides a unique experimental model for studying follicle development in monovular species. Development of antral follicles in horses is characterized by the periodic growth of follicular waves which often involve the selection of a single dominant follicle. If properly stimulated, the dominant follicle will complete development and eventually ovulate a fertile oocyte. Regulation of follicular wave emergence and follicle selection involves an interplay between circulating gonadotropins and follicular factors that ensures that individual follicles are properly stimulated to grow (or to regress) at any given stage of follicular wave development. Periodic development of follicular waves continuously occurs during most of post-natal life in the mare and is influenced by factors such as stage of oestrous cycle, season, pregnancy, age, breed and individual so that different types of follicular waves (minor or major, ovulatory or anovulatory) and different levels of activity within waves may develop under different physiological conditions. Changes in gonadotropin levels and/or in the sensitivity of follicles to circulating gonadotropins seem to account largely for these physiological variations in follicle development.