Biostimulation of indigenous microbial communities for anaerobic transformation of pentachlorophenol in paddy soils of southern China

This study explored biostimulation mechanisms with an electron donor and a shuttle for accelerating pentachlorophenol (PCP) transformation in iron-rich soils. The results indicated that indigenous microbial communities are important for PCP transformation in soils. Biostimulation of indigenous microbial communities by the addition of lactate and anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) led to the enhanced rates of PCP dechlorination by the dechlorinating- and iron-reducing bacteria in soils. The electrochemical studies using cyclic voltammograms and microbial current measurements confirmed the high reduction potential and the large amount of electrons generated under biostimulation conditions, which were responsible for the higher rates of PCP transformation. After biostimulation treatments by the additions of lactate and/or AQDS during PCP dechlorination processes, microbial community analysis by the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) method showed the abundance terminal restricted fragments (T-RFs), an indicator of bacterial abundance, which represents the dechlorinating- and iron-reducing bacteria, suggesting their critical roles in PCP dechlorination in soils.     

Yield losses due to missing plants in potato crops

Missing plants in potato crops can be caused by diseases and other factors, and can result from non-emergence or from plants incapacitated at any time during the growing season. Field experiments were conducted to simulate missing plants and to estimate the resulting yield losses by removing different percentages of plants at random from plots at emergence and/or later stages. The recorded yield losses were not proportional to the percentage of missing plants. Two surveys of fields of table stock and seed stock of the cultivar Netted Gem in New Brunswick in 1972 showed that approximately 25% of the plants were missing at emergence, probably causing around8% loss in total tuber yield. Assuming all cultivars have similar levels of misses, the yield loss clue to missing plants at emergence in New Brunswick in 1972 was equivalent to a financial loss of approximately $1 1/2 million.     

Fucoidan and Fucoxanthin Attenuate Hepatic Steatosis and Inflammation of NAFLD through Modulation of Leptin/Adiponectin Axis

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the emerging cause of chronic liver disease globally and lack of approved therapies. Here, we investigated the feasibility of combinatorial effects of low molecular weight fucoidan and high stability fucoxanthin (LMF-HSFx) as a therapeutic approach against NAFLD. We evaluated the inhibitory effects of LMF-HSFx or placebo in 42 NAFLD patients for 24 weeks and related mechanism in high fat diet (HFD) mice model and HepaRG^TM cell line. We found that LMF-HSFx reduces the relative values of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total cholesterol, triglyceride, fasting blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c in NAFLD patients. For lipid metabolism, LMF-HSFx reduces the scores of controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and increases adiponectin and leptin expression. Interestingly, it reduces liver fibrosis in NAFLD patients, either. The proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and interferon-γ are reduced in LMF-HSFx group. In HFD mice, LMF-HSFx attenuates hepatic lipotoxicity and modulates adipogenesis. Additionally, LMF-HSFx modulates SIRI-PGC-1 pathway in HepaRG cells under palmitic acid-induced lipotoxicity environment. Here, we describe that LMF-HSFx ameliorated hepatic steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis and insulin resistance in NAFLD patients. LMF-HSFx may modulate leptin-adiponectin axis in adipocytes and hepatocytes, then regulate lipid and glycogen metabolism, decrease insulin resistance and is against NAFLD.     

Influence of organic matter and inorganic fertilizer on the growth and nitrogen accumulation of corn plants

Effects of different nitrogen (N) sources on the growth and N accumulation of corn plants were studied on plots treated with a compost, a leguminous green manure, and a peat, respectively, associated with a chemical N fertilizer. The experiment included seven treatments with a no‐fertilization check and a conventional chemical fertilizer treatment. Whole corn plants were sampled, and total N was analyzed at 22, 33, 56, 77, and 120 days after seeding (DAS). The results showed that compost with an adequate amount of chemical N fertilizer could reach a high dry matter yield and a high N accumulation, even higher than those of the conventional chemical N fertilizer treatment. With green manure, a considerable amount of N was mineralized and utilized by the corn plants for growth and resulted in a good yield. Neither the peat nor the compost alone could supply enough N for the growth of corn plants. There were no significant effect of treatments on the distribution of dry matter yield and N accumulated in various organs. The crop growth rate of the corn plants of different treatments were significantly different at the vegetative growth stage, however, there were no significant difference during the grain filling period. The apparent N recovery of various treatments were between 0.22 to 0.51 kg N for each kg N applied.     

Cracking the Cytotoxicity Code: Apoptotic Induction of 10-Acetylirciformonin B is Mediated through ROS Generation and Mitochondrial Dysfunction

A marine furanoterpenoid derivative, 10-acetylirciformonin B (10AB), was found to inhibit the proliferation of leukemia, hepatoma, and colon cancer cell lines, with selective and significant potency against leukemia cells. It induced DNA damage and apoptosis in leukemia HL 60 cells. To fully understand the mechanism behind the 10AB apoptotic induction against HL 60 cells, we extended our previous findings and further explored the precise molecular targets of 10AB. We found that the use of 10AB increased apoptosis by 8.9%–87.6% and caused disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) by 15.2%–95.2% in a dose-dependent manner, as demonstrated by annexin-V/PI and JC-1 staining assays, respectively. Moreover, our findings indicated that the pretreatment of HL 60 cells with N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, diminished MMP disruption and apoptosis induced by 10AB, suggesting that ROS overproduction plays a crucial rule in the cytotoxic activity of 10AB. The results of a cell-free system assay indicated that 10AB could act as a topoisomerase catalytic inhibitor through the inhibition of topoisomerase IIα. On the protein level, the expression of the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-xL and Bcl-2, caspase inhibitors XIAP and survivin, as well as hexokinase II were inhibited by the use of 10AB. On the other hand, the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax was increased after 10AB treatment. Taken together, our results suggest that 10AB-induced apoptosis is mediated through the overproduction of ROS and the disruption of mitochondrial metabolism.     

Expression and the molecular forms of neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin and matrix metalloproteinase 9 in canine mammary tumours

Neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a new biomarker for renal injury. It is also involved in tumorigenesis of different human cancer types. The oncogenic role of NGAL is related to its molecular forms, and heterodimer formation with matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) promotes human breast cancer (HBC) invasion and metastasis. To date, the levels of NGAL and NGAL/MMP9 complex have not yet been explored in canine mammary tumours (CMTs). Hence, this study aimed to investigate whether NGAL and its molecular forms could be the biomarker for CMT diagnosis. To this end, expression profile of NGAL and MMP9 in mammary epithelial cells as well as in urine samples were detected. By immunohistochemistry staining, NGAL was expressed at variable levels. Unlike HBC, a significant reduction in NGAL expression was demonstrated in benign and malignant CMTs as compared with normal controls. Additionally, NGAL expression was significantly reduced in dogs with metastatic CMTs. By contrast, the mean score of MMP9 expression in ascending order was normal groups, benign, and malignant CMTs. Interestingly, analysis of the molecular form revealed the NGAL/MMP9 complex presents in most mammary tissues and urine of dogs with benign or malignant CMTs, whereas the complex was absent in samples from dogs without CMTs. In conclusion, NGAL and MMP9 are ubiquitously expressed in canine mammary epithelial cells in normal and cancerous status. However, the NGAL/MMP9 complex exclusively presents in mammary tissues and urine of dogs with tumours.     

Alpha-chaconine-reduced metastasis involves a PI3K/Akt signaling pathway with downregulation of NF-kappaB in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells

Alpha-chaconine, isolated from Solanum tuberosum Linn., is a naturally occurring steroidal glycoalkaloid in potato sprouts. Some reports demonstrated that alpha-chaconine had various anticarcinogenic properties. The aim of this study is to investigate the inhibitory effect of alpha-chaconine on lung adenocarcinoma cell metastasis in vitro. We chose the highly metastatic A549 cells, which were treated with various concentrations of alpha-chaconine to clarify the potential of inhibiting A549 cells invasion and migration. Data showed that alpha-chaconine inhibited A549 cell invasion/migration according to wound healing assay and Boyden chamber assay. Our results also showed that alpha-chaconine could inhibit phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and Akt, whereas it did not affected phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulating kinase (ERK) and p38. In addition, alpha-chaconine significantly decreased the nuclear level of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) and the binding ability of NF-kappaB. These results suggested that alpha-chaconine inhibited A549 cell metastasis by a reduction of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activities involving suppression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt/NF-kappaB (PI3K/Akt/NF-kappaB) signaling pathway. Inhibiting metastasis by alpha-chaconine might offer a pivotal mechanism for its effective chemotherapeutic action.     

Survey of gastrointestinal parasitic infections in quarantined dogs in Taiwan

Intestinal helminth and protozoan infection in the quarantined dogs in Taiwan were examined using fecal examination between January to December, 2004. Of the 376 dogs imported from 11 countries, 63 (16.8%) were found to be infected with at least one species of intestinal parasite. The parasites detected were oocysts of Isospora canis and eggs of Toxocara canis, Trichuris vulpis and hookworms. Of the 63 infected dogs, 11 were found to have a mixed infection of two different species of parasites. This paper illustrates that parasites are transmitted from one country to another through the transport of animals. Moreover, there is also a possibility of parasitic infection among quarantined dogs as well as the zoonotic potential for quarantine officers during the quarantine period.