Functional rice cultivars goami and nokwon may lower body weight and improve lipid metabolism in high fat-fed mice cultivars

The demand for functional foods is rapidly increasing due to the rising prevalence of metabolic diseases, particularly obesity and hyperlipidemia. In the few past years, various rice cultivars with enhanced functional quality and health-promoting properties have been produced. Functional rice Goami (high-amylose rice) and Nokwon (green-kerneled rice) have recently been developed, but little is known about their physiological activity. Hence, this study was conducted to determine the effect of functional rice on the body weight and lipid metabolism in mice under high-fat diet conditions. Forty male C57BL/6N mice were randomly divided and fed with experimental diets for 8 weeks: normal control (NC), high fat (HF), and high fat supplemented with white rice (HF-WR), Goami rice (HF-GR), and Nokwon rice (HF-NR). At the end of the experimental period, a marked increase in the body weight, plasma triglyceride level, and total cholesterol concentrations were found in the HF mice relative to the NC group. However, diet supplementation of Goami and Nokwon improved the lipid profile in mice through regulation of lipogenesis and adipokine production. These findings illustrate that the new functional rice cultivars Goami and Nokwon may be useful as biomaterials in the development of functional food for the prevention and treatment of high-fat, diet-induced hyperlipidemia and obesity.     

Olfactory Response of Trichogramma ostriniae （Hymenoptera： Trichogrammatidae） to Volatiles Emitted by Mungbean Plants

Intereropping maize with the prostrate variety of mungbean, Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek which grows flat along the ground China, by Trichogramma ostriniae Pang & Chen. This study investigated the behavioural responses of T. ostriniae to plant volatiles emitted from whole plants, leaves, and flowers of prostrate and erect varieties of mungbean in a 4-armed olfactometer. Female parasitiods were significantly attracted to the odours from some varieties of prostrate mungbean when the visit duration and the number of visits were considered, but were not attracted to the odours from any erect varieties. The attractive odours were shown to emanate from the leaves, rather than from the flowers of prostrate mungbean plants. These results have implications for the augmentation of Trichogramma parasitoids in bio-control of O. furnacalis and other crop pests.     

Integrin heterodimer α9β1 is localized on the surface of porcine spermatogonial stem cells in the undifferentiated state

A previous study found that undifferentiated porcine spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) did not adhere to tenascin C, indicating that the integrin α₉ and β₁ subunits are inactive on the surface of porcine SSCs. However, that study used recombinant tenascin C without FNIII‐like repeats. Therefore, this study re‐evaluated the existence of integrin α₉β₁ actively functioning on the plasma membrane of porcine SSCs using full‐length native tenascin C with FNIII‐like repeats. The localization and function of the integrin heterodimer were confirmed using immunocytochemistry, attachment and antibody inhibition assays. In undifferentiated porcine SSCs with integrin α₉β₁ on the cell surface, adhesion to native tenascin C was significantly higher compared with cells lacking native tenascin C and functional blocking of integrin α₉β₁ significantly inhibited the attachment to native tenascin C compared with no functional blocking. Accordingly, we confirmed that the integrin α₉ and β₁ subunits function as an active heterodimer on the surface of porcine SSCs in the undifferentiated state.     

Infiltrating Foxp3+ Regulatory T cells and Histopathological Features in Canine Classical and Spermatocytic Seminomas

In humans, regulatory T (T reg) cells are known to play a critical role in both the regulation of immune homoeostasis and the progression of cancer. However, there is little information about the identification, characterization and the function of T reg cells in canine tumours. We identified T reg cells in 28 canine seminoma samples using a Forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) antibody and investigated the relationship between T reg cell infiltration and histopathological features of classical and spermatocytic seminomas (SE and SS, respectively). The Foxp3 protein showed nuclear immunostaining in infiltrating lymphocytes, and Foxp3+ cells were diffused or focally distributed in seminoma tissues. Foxp3+ cells were frequently present in the SS histotype, in seminomas that showed no evidence of tumour cell invasion into the vessels and in seminomas showing a diffuse growth pattern with three cell types. Neither the SE/SS histotype nor the histopathological features of the tumour correlated with Foxp3+ cell counts. These results indicate that Foxp3+ T reg cells may be associated with a less malignant histological phenotype or may not play a critical role in the immune response of canine seminomas. Moreover, Foxp3+ T reg cells may be associated with SS seminoma, but further studies, involving a larger number of samples, are required to better understand whether these cells play a critical role in the immune response in canine seminomas. This is the first report to demonstrate the characteristics of T reg cell infiltration in canine seminoma.     

Effects of processing conditions on the physical and chemical properties of buckwheat grit cakes

Buckwheat grit cakes were prepared with a rice cake machine using the following independent variables: tempering moisture contents (15, 17, and 19%, wb), heating temperatures (240, 246, 252, and 258 degrees C), and heating times (5, 6, 7, and 8 s). Higher moisture, higher heating temperature, or longer heating time produced cakes with a higher cake specific volume. Cakes became lighter in color at a lower heating temperature or a shorter heating time. The hardest cake was produced at 252 degrees C for 5 s at 19% moisture content. The percent weight loss after tumbling decreased with increasing heating times and heating temperatures. Increased heating time resulted in more expanded products. The average rutin content decreased as the heating temperature or heating time increased. These results suggest that processing conditions, including tempering moisture, heating temperature, and heating time, significantly influenced physical and chemical qualities of buckwheat grit cakes such as specific volume, hardness, integrity, color, internal structure, and rutin content.     

Expression of HER-2 and nuclear localization of HER-3 protein in canine mammary tumors: histopathological and immunohistochemical study

HER-2 and HER-3 are transmembrane receptor proteins that are considered to be important but poorly understood biomarkers in canine tumors. In this study, the expression and the localization of HER-2 and HER-3 were evaluated immunohistochemically in canine mammary tumors (n = 64; 12 benign, 52 malignant).HER-2 overexpression was identified in 2/12 (16.7%) benign and in 18/51 (35.3%) malignant cases. HER-3 was expressed in a non-nuclear localization in 11/12 (91.7%) benign and 18/52 (34.6%) malignant tumors. In contrast, HER-3 was expressed in the nucleus of neoplastic cells in 0/12 (0%) benign and 22/52 (42.3%) malignant tumors. Nuclear HER-3 expression was higher in neoplastic epithelial cells compared to myoepithelial cells, and positively correlated with high histological grade and lymphatic vessel invasion. These results suggest that nuclear HER-3 expression is significantly associated with tumor progression and metastasis and may serve as a useful prognostic biomarker in canine malignant mammary tumors.     

Nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics in foliage and twig of pitch pine and Japanese larch plantations in relation to fertilization

Seasonal foliage and twig nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) dynamics were determined for 40‐year‐old pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.) and Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis Gord.) plantations established on similar soils in central Korea. Also, the effects of three levels of N plus P fertilizers on N and P retranslocation were evaluated. In general, Japanese larch had significantly higher current foliage N and P concentrations than pitch pine, and N and P concentrations were higher in foliage than those in twigs for both study species. Foliage N and P concentrations were highest in mid‐growing season and lowest in autumn whereas twig N and P concentrations increased during foliage senescence, suggesting that twig served as a storage tissue. We did not find differences in foliage N and P retranslocation between pitch pine and Japanese larch; current foliage N and P retranslocation of the control trees were 35% and 56% for pitch pine, and 39% and 59% for Japanese larch, respectively. There were no consistent patterns in foliage and twig N and P retranslocation following fertilization.     

Molecular distinction among mulberry (Morus spp.) species and varieties cultivated in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Mulberry (Morus spp.) is a cross-pollinating and highly hybridized plant of which productivity are greatly varied in different varieties. Accurate distinction among mulberry varieties and understanding of phylogenetic relationship among them would be crucial for the development of sericulture. We have analysed molecular distinction among four mulberry species and varieties cultivated in DPR Korea by using nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. ITS sequences doesn’t represent a remarkable interspecific distinction among four mulberry species used in our study, suggesting that it could not be employed to identify them. ISSR analysis using 16 random primers generated 158 different markers ranging from 100 to 4000 bp in size. The results showed the inter-specific genetic variation (55.34%) was slightly higher than intra-specific genetic variation (44.66%), with comparatively low average number of migrants per generation (Nm) among populations (0.3886). Using ISSR primers selected in this study, in the future, the suitable breeding strategy might be established in raising of elite mulberry varieties on the basis of interspecific hybridization.