Expression of neurotrophic factors in injured spinal cord after transplantation of human-umbilical cord blood stem cells in rats

We induced percutaneous spinal cord injuries (SCI) using a balloon catheter in 45 rats and transplanted human umbilical cord blood derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) at the injury site. Locomotor function was significantly improved in hUCB-MSCs transplanted groups. Quantitative ELISA of extract from entire injured spinal cord showed increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3). Our results show that treatment of SCI with hUCB-MSCs can improve locomotor functions, and suggest that increased levels of BDNF, NGF and NT-3 in the injured spinal cord were the main therapeutic effect.     

Ribosomal protein s3 immunoreactivity in the young, adult and aged gerbil hippocampus

Ribosomal protein S3 (rpS3) is well known to participate in DNA repair mechanisms. In the present study, we compared rpS3 immunoreactivity and its protein levels in the hippocampus among young, adult and aged gerbils. In the postnatal month (PM) 3 group as the young, rpS3 immunoreaction was observed in pyramidal and non-pyramidal cells of the hippocampus proper and in granule and polymorphic cells of the dentate gyrus. In the PM 12 group as adult and 24 group as the aged, rpS immunoreactivity in the hippocampus was decreased compared to the PM 3 group. Western blot analysis showed that rpS3 levels were decreased with time; lowest at PM 24. These results indicate that rpS3 immunoreactivity and protein levels were markedly decreased in the aged gerbil hippocampus.     

Modulus of elasticity declines with decreasing planting density for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations

Context

Loblolly pine is often grown in intensively managed plantations for wood production. In order to fully evaluate the effects of management practices on wood quality and ultimately value, it is necessary to relate mechanical properties to management practices.

Aims

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of planting density on mechanical properties of lumber recovered from loblolly pine trees from a 27-year-old spacing trial and develop prediction equations for modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture from stand, tree, and board characteristics.

Methods

Regression methods were applied to sample trees from three planting densities (2,989, 1,682, and 746 trees ha^?1) and used to relate mechanical properties of lumber extracted from the trees to stand, tree, and board characteristics.

Results

Initial planting density was found to be correlated with modulus of elasticity and, to a lesser extent, with modulus of rupture. Including board characteristics and utilizing the visual grade and board position as regressors produced improved prediction equations.

Conclusions

The mean modulus of elasticity declines with decreasing planting density while the variability increases, suggesting that planting density is a surrogate for frequency and size of knots. Thus, lower planting densities, while producing more lumber, may produce proportionally fewer boards of greater modulus of elasticity than higher planting densities.     

Subchronic administration of rosmarinic acid,a natural prolyl oligopeptidase inhibitor,enhances cognitive performances

It is well known that inhibition of prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) is involved in memory-related function. In this study, we observed that rosmarinic acid (RA) inhibits POP activity with an IC₅₀ of 63.7 μM. Subsequently, we investigated the cognitive-enhancing effects of RA employing the Morris water maze paradigm. The results demonstrated that RA is non-competitive POP inhibitor and that acute and subchronic RA treatments showed an inverted U-shaped dose–response curve in the platform crossings. Furthermore, chronic RA treatment significantly increased the platform crossings. These results suggest that RA has a cognitive-enhancing effect which may be mediated by inhibition of POP.     

Micromorphological characteristics of bamboo (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phyllostachys pubescens</Emphasis>) fibers degraded by a brown rot fungus (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gloeophyllum trabeum</Emphasis>)

The decay pattern in bamboo fibers caused by a brown rot fungus, Gloeophyllum trabeum, was examined by microscopy. The inner part of the polylaminate secondary wall was degraded, while the outer part of the secondary wall remained essentially intact. Degradation in bamboo fiber walls without direct contact with the fungal hyphae was similar to wood decay caused by brown rot fungi. Degradation in polylaminate walls was almost confined to the broad layers whereas the narrow layers appeared resistant. The p-hydroxylphenyl unit lignin in middle lamella, particularly in the cell corner regions, was also degraded. The degradation of lignin in bamboo fibers was evidenced by Fourier transform infrared spectra. The present work suggests that the decay of bamboo fiber walls by G. trabeum was influenced by lignin distribution in the fiber walls as well as the polylaminate structures.     

Detection and genotyping of SNPs tightly linked to two disease resistance loci, Rsv1 and Rsv3, of soybean

Allele‐specific polymerase chain reaction (AS‐PCR) for assaying single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) would be more widely used with increased availability of AS primers sufficient to distinguish between SNP alleles. AS‐PCR could be a means unambiguously to detect the presence or absence of PCR products. Examples are given here of the detection and genotyping of SNPs in the genomic DNA fragments tightly linked to two soybean mosaic virus resistance genes, Rsv1 and Rsv3, with a modified AS‐PCR procedure in soybean. The modified AS‐PCR that introduces an additional base mismatch closest to the 3′‐end of the AS primers and uses publicly available microsatellite markers as positive controls directly determined SNP alleles from primary PCR of genomic DNAs. It was demonstrated that a set of AS primers designed from two adjacent SNP loci could simultaneously detect the two SNP loci. Using the modified procedure, many SNP loci in eight soybean parental lines and F₂ individuals of three mapping populations could be genotyped. The modified AS‐PCR procedure could greatly facilitate small‐to‐medium scale marker‐assisted selection programmes for agronomically important genes.     

Quantitative trait locus analysis for soybean (Glycine max) seed protein and oil concentrations using selected breeding populations

Soybean seed protein and oil concentrations are important traits that directly affect the quality of soyfoods. Many studies and breeding programmes have been conducted to find major quantitative trait loci (QTL) that regulate protein and oil concentrations and to develop soybean cultivars with high protein and/or oil content. The purpose of this study was to identify these QTL using a selected breeding population. The population was tested in field conditions over a period of 3 years. Seed protein and oil concentrations were measured each year. Single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used to construct genetic map using a 180K SoyaSNP array, which identified 1,570 SNPs. We identified 12 QTL for seed protein, 11 for seed oil concentration and four for both traits. Among these, 17 QTL were closely mapped to previously reported QTL, whereas ten sites were novel. Several QTL were detected across at least two experimental years. These loci are good candidate QTL for optimal seed protein and oil concentrations. Our results demonstrate that favourable target QTL can be successfully identified using selected breeding populations.     

Effect of sowing time on buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) growth and yield in central Korea

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum MOENCH) is a traditional Korean crop that gaining global attention as a health food due to its rich nutrition. Climate change effects such as high temperature, cold weather, flooding, and drought induce plant stress, reduced production yield of upland crops. In general, buckwheat is grown during the fall season in Korea. Flooding is a severe environmental stress factor, and flooding during the early growth stage of buckwheat causes large reductions in yield. Therefore, we established optimum growth parameters to maximize buckwheat yield. The optimum temperature for harvesting of buckwheat was approximately 1,083 ~ 1,515°C. The number of growing degree days (G.D.D.) from flowering to harvest was 509 ~ 673°C. Plant hight, stem diameter, and dry matter weight were reduced as planting date was delayed (p < 0.05). We investigated buckwheat sowing time during fall, and established an optimum cropping system according to the local climate conditions in central Korea. The growth period of buckwheat cultivar ‘Yangjueol’ was approximately 56 ~ 60 days during fall, and yield was higher than that of cultivar ‘Daesan’. The results indicated that buckwheat yield in central Korea was maximized by sowing cultivar on 25th August and cultivar ‘Daesan’ on 15th August. The yield of Yangjeol sown in spring was 119 kg 10a^-1, whereas the yield of Daesan sown in summer was 158kg 10a^-1. The results of this study established the effects of sowing time on growth and yield in central Korea. We propose an optimum cropping system for improving quality.     

Effects, quenching mechanisms, and kinetics of water soluble compounds in riboflavin photosensitized oxidation of milk

To protect the nutrient and flavor stability of milk under light, the effects of 0, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05 M 1,4-diazabicyclo[2,2,2]octane (DABCO) and 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) on the riboflavin photosensitized oxidation of milk were studied. The oxidation of milk was studied by measuring the headspace oxygen in sample bottles after 3 h of light exposure at 3000 lux. As the concentration of DABCO and DMF, which are water soluble compounds, increased in the sample from 0, 0.01, and 0.03 to 0.05 M, the depleted headspace oxygen content significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Steady state kinetic studies of singlet oxygen oxidation showed that the antioxidant activity of DABCO and DMF was due to singlet oxygen quenching. The reaction rate constant of singlet oxygen with milk fat was 8.1 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1). Total singlet oxygen quenching rates of DABCO and DMF were 1.5 x 10(7) and 2.6 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. DABCO and DMF could be used to slow the reaction between singlet oxygen and milk components to protect nutrients, especially riboflavin, and to improve the oxidative stability of milk fat during storage or processing under light.