Briarenolides K and L,New Anti-Inflammatory Briarane Diterpenoids from an Octocoral Briareum sp. (Briareidae)

Two new briarane-type diterpenoids, briarenolides K (1) and L (2), were isolated from an octocoral identified as Briareum sp. The structures of new briaranes 1 and 2 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. In the in vitro anti-inflammatory effects test, briaranes 1 and 2 were found to significantly inhibit the accumulation of the pro-inflammatory iNOS protein of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells.     

Inhibition of A549 Lung Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion by Ent-Caprolactin C via the Suppression of Transforming Growth Factor-β-Induced Epithelial—Mesenchymal Transition

The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells is a crucial process in cancer cell metastasis. An Aquimarina sp. MC085 extract was found to inhibit A549 human lung cancer cell invasion, and caprolactin C (1), a new natural product, α-amino-ε-caprolactam linked to 3-methyl butanoic acid, was purified through bioactivity-guided isolation of the extract. Furthermore, its enantiomeric compound, ent-caprolactin C (2), was synthesized. Both 1 and 2 inhibited the invasion and γ-irradiation-induced migration of A549 cells. In transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-treated A549 cells, 2 inhibited the phosphorylation of Smad2/3 and suppressed the EMT cell marker proteins (N-cadherin, β-catenin, and vimentin), as well as the related messenger ribonucleic acid expression (N-cadherin, matrix metalloproteinase-9, Snail, and vimentin), while compound 1 did not suppress Smad2/3 phosphorylation and the expression of EMT cell markers. Therefore, compound 2 could be a potential candidate for antimetastatic agent development, because it suppresses TGF-β-induced EMT.     

The effect of fermented apple diet supplementation on the growth performance and meat quality in finishing pigs

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of fermented apple diet (FAD) supplementation on the growth performance and meat quality in finishing Berkshires. The FAD was made from dropped apple mixed with rice bran and barley bran. Until 81 ± 1 kg live weight at 133 ± 1 days, the animals were fed a growing diet, after which experimental samples were fixed at 0, 2, 4 and 6% FAD as C, T1, T2 and T3 in the finishing diets. Growth performance, ADG, ADFI and feed efficiency were improved in T1 than other groups. In carcass parameters, carcass weight was higher ( P  < 0.05) in T1 than in other groups. In meat quality, moisture and crude protein contents decreased ( P  < 0.05) by addition of FAD. pH₂₄ and WHC were higher ( P  < 0.05) in T1 than other groups. In sensory evaluation, marbling of fresh meat and tenderness, juiciness, flavor and overall acceptability of cooked meat were improved by the addition of FAD. According to the results of our experiment, FAD can be used for improvement of meat quality parameters.     

Investigation of the prevalence of neurologic equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) in a 23-year retrospective analysis (1984–2007)

A single nucleotide polymorphism in the equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) DNA polymerase gene (ORF30 A₂₂₅₄ to G) has been associated with clinical signs of equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM). The purpose of our study was to determine the odds ratio for this genetic marker and EHM using a panel of field isolates from North America collected over the past twenty-three years. EHV-1 isolates cultured at the Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory from 1984 to 2007 were retrieved along with their clinical histories. DNA was extracted from these EHV-1 cultures and allelic discrimination was performed using real-time PCR. The results were confirmed by sequencing of the target region in ORF30. PCR and sequencing were in 100% agreement and showed that 19 out of the 176 isolates had the ORF30 G₂₂₅₄ allele (11%), of which16 were EHM cases and 3 respiratory or abortion cases. The odds of having neurologic disease with the ORF30 G₂₂₅₄ genotype were computed as 162 times greater than those with the opposite allele ORF30 A₂₂₅₄ (95% confidence interval: 35–742). Despite this strong statistical significance, 24% (5/21) of horses with neurologic disease in our study population harbored the “non-neurologic” form of the allele (ORF30 A₂₂₅₄), suggesting that other factors may also contribute to the onset of EHM.     

Briarenolides F and G, new briarane diterpenoids from a Briareum sp. octocoral

Two new briarane diterpenoids, briarenolides, F (1) and G (2), were isolated from an octocoral identified as Briareum sp. The structures of briaranes 1 and 2 were established by spectroscopic methods and by comparison of the spectroscopic data with those of known briarane analogues. Briarenolide F was proven to be the first 6-hydroperoxybriarane derivative and this compound displayed a significant inhibitory effect on the generation of superoxide anion by human neutrophils.     

Pseudoalteromone B: A Novel 15C Compound from a Marine Bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. CGH2XX

A novel 15C compound, pseudoalteromone B (1), possessing a novel carbon skeleton, was obtained from a marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. CGH2XX. This bacterium was originally isolated from a cultured-type octocoral Lobophytum crassum, that was growing in cultivating tanks equipped with a flow-through sea water system. The structure of 1 was established by spectroscopic methods. Pseudoalteromone B (1) displayed a modestly inhibitory effect on the release of elastase by human neutrophils.     

Natural Product Chemistry of Gorgonian Corals of the Family Plexauridae Distributed in the Indo-Pacific Ocean

The structures, names, bioactivities and references of 105 natural products obtained from gorgonian corals belonging to the family Plexauridae with an Indo-Pacific distribution are described in this review. All compounds mentioned in this review were obtained from gorgonian corals belonging to the genera Astrogorgia, Bebryce, Echinomuricea, Euplexaura and Menella.     

Identification of Vibrio harveyi,Vibrio ichthyoenteri,and Photobacterium damselae isolated from olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus in Korea by multiplex PCR developed using the rpoB gene

Major fish bacterial diseases in Korea are edwardsiellosis, streptococcosis, and vibriosis. Among vibrionaceae, Listonella anguillarum, Vibrio harveyi, V. ichthyoenteri, and Photobacterium damselae were identified as causative organisms of vibriosis in flounder. In this study, we developed a multiplex PCR method using the RNA polymerase β subunit (rpoB) gene, known as a housekeeping gene for identification of Vibrio spp. causing vibriosis in flounder. Three pairs of PCR primers were designed based on the rpoB sequence of three species, V. harveyi, V. ichthyoenteri, and P. damselae. The PCR assay, using a mixture of six primers, yielded amplicons of 601, 434, and 533 bp in V. harveyi, V. ichthyoenteri, and P. damselae. None of the untargeted species yielded an amplicon. The detection limits for pure culture in kidney were 2.5 × 10⁴ cfu/g kidney for V. harveyi, 2.5 × 10⁵ cfu/g kidney for V. ichthyoenteri, and 2.5 × 10⁶ cfu/g kidney for P. damselae. From the colonies on TCBS agar plates of different samples, 632 Vibrio spp. isolated from aquacultured flounder between 2004 and 2010 were identified by the multiplex PCR method. As a result, 265 strains (41.9 %) were V. ichthyoenteri; 115 strains (18.2 %) were V. harveyi and 72 strains (11.4 %) were P. damselae.     

Phenotypic Variation in a Germplasm Collection of Pepper (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Capsicum chinense</Emphasis> Jacq.) from Korea

A total of 47 core collections of pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) conserved in National Agrobiodiversity Center (NAC) were studied under field condition at Jeonju over two consecutive years (2015 and 2016). All accessions were characterized for their 14 qualitative and 16 quantitative characters. Results revealed that both qualitative and quantitative characters exhibited wide variation among the studied germplasm. Distribution of fruit characters (fruit length, width, and fruit wall thickness) among the accessions was positively skewed. Of the 47 accessions evaluated, 38.3% accessions had conical shaped fruits and mature fruit color was predominantly red (51.1%), orange (21.3%) and yellow (14.9%). Principal component analyses revealed that (i) 56.64% of the qualitative (fruit shape, color and fruit surface) variation and (ii) 89.42% of the quantitative (plant width, height and fruit maturity days) variation were explained by the first two components. Clustering revealed two groups and dendrogram revealed morphological variation among accessions. The phenotypic diversity exists in this core collections provide valuable information to improve agronomic traits in pepper breeding program.     

Coat and hair color: hair cortisol and serotonin levels in lactating Holstein cows under heat stress conditions

The deleterious effects of heat stress on animal health are being increasingly recognized. This study aimed to determine hair cortisol (HC) and serotonin levels in lactating Holstein cows under heat stress conditions with different coat and hair‐cut color. Forty‐five multiparous lactating Holstein cows (days in milk = 130 ± 47, body weight = 753 ± 85 kg) were divided to two main groups of over 80% black coat color (BC) and over 85% white coat color (WC) visually observed based on registry certificates and subdividing to black hair sample (BH) and white hair samples (WH) in 2 × 2 factorial arrangements. Hair samples were taken from the forehead of the individuals. Higher HC levels were observed in BC than WC cows (P < 0.05). No differences were found in HC levels between BH and WH groups (P > 0.05). Serotonin levels showed no difference between BC and WC (P > 0.05). Interaction between coat color and hair color was not significant (P > 0.05). The cortisol levels in hair are not affected by pigmentation. However, pigmentation within the coat alters cortisol levels. In conclusion, white coat color retains less cortisol than the black coat. Therefore, white coats are preferable for dairy cows under heat stress conditions.