The formation process of button ulcers in pigs experimentally infected with a subgenotype 2.1 isolate of classical swine fever virus

We evaluated the role of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) in the formation of button ulcers in the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses of pigs experimentally infected with a subgenotype 2.1 isolate of CSFV, which was isolated in Japan in 2019, revealed follicular necrosis in the submucosal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue and herniation of crypts as factors that contribute to the development of button ulcers during CSFV infection. These findings indicate that CSFV induces follicular necrosis and is one of the causative agents of button ulcers in pigs.     

Factors impacting yields in rain-fed paddies of the lower Mekong River Basin

The Mekong River Basin (MRB) is the biggest basin in Monsoon Asia. About 80% of the agricultural lands, which occupy about 40% of the basin are rain-fed paddy rice area. Therefore, it is assumed that changes in rain-fed paddy rice production affect the total agricultural production to a great degree in the Mekong River Basin. While there are many factors affecting the productivity of rain-fed paddies, such as climate, water use, rice varieties, applications of manure, fertilizer and agro-chemicals, sowing date and other agronomic practices, this paper focuses on the relation between rainfall and yields of rain-fed paddies. Agricultural statistics and rainfall data were collected and analyzed for all 24 provinces in Cambodia for the years 2001 and 2002. Factors such as soil fertility and other natural conditions were removed by comparing the yield and rainfall in one province for different years. Special attention was given to the relation between yields of paddy in the wet season and rainfall, considering factors such as rice varieties, soil fertility, irrigation ratio and the ratio of area damaged by flood, drought, and insect. Although it is not easy to assess those impact factors on yields because they are organically interactive, the following results were obtained: (1) The ratio of high yielding varieties (HYV), soil fertility, and irrigation ratio among many factors that affect yields individually, especially if they are combined, (2) Total rainfall did not have a significant influence on rice yields even for the rain-fed paddies if it was over 700 mm in wet season, and one of the reasons for this would be that there exist supplementary water uses through small ponds and water ponding in local land depressions in and around paddies.     

Microbial metabolism in reduction process of paddy soils (Part 2)

The previous experiences^1-3) with incubation experiments of the soils under submargd condition indicated that the disappearance of molecular oxygen and nitrates occurred shortly after sub-emerging, and then the reduction of ferric iron proceeded, being followed by the reduction of sulfates and the formation of methane which nre caused by the activities of strict anaerobes. It was suggested from the above fact that the reduction process in the submarged soils was affected mainly by two factors: namely, the amount of reducible ferric iron and the soil organic matters which are avaiable as substrate for microbial metabolism.     

Benzpyrimoxan: Design,synthesis, and biological activity of a novel insecticide

Benzpyrimoxan (5-(1,3-dioxan-2-yl)-4-{[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]methoxy}pyrimidine, NNI-1501) was discovered as a novel insecticide structurally characterized by a pyrimidine derivative substituted with 1,3-dioxanyl and 4-trifluoromethylbenzyloxy groups. The compound showed remarkable activity against nymphs of rice planthoppers, including strains resistant to existing insecticides. Furthermore, benzpyrimoxan had low adverse effects on pollinators and beneficial arthropods. Because of these features, benzpyrimoxan is expected to be a suitable part of an integrated pest management strategy. In this report, the history of the discovery to reach benzpyrimoxan and details of the structure–activity relationships are described.     

Changes of fumonisin production in rice grain during ensiling

We assessed fumonisin production during the ensiling of rice grain. Rice grain was harvested at the full‐ripe stage and prepared as rough rice, crushed rough rice, brown rice or crushed brown rice. Each material was ensiled under six conditions: (1) no fungus, anaerobic; (2) no fungus, aerobic; (3) water added, anaerobic; (4) water and fumonisin‐producing fungus added, anaerobic; (5) water and fumonisin‐producing fungus added, aerobic; or (6) fumonisin‐producing fungus added to autoclaved material, aerobic. After 40 days of ensilage, we analyzed the silage fermentative quality and fumonisin concentration. The fermentative quality of all materials was good in treatments (3) and (4) (pH < 4), reasonable in treatment (5) (pH = 5～6) and unacceptable in treatments (1) and (2) (pH > 6.5). The fumonisin concentration was low in all materials in treatments (1) to (4), slightly increased in the three materials other than rough rice in treatment (5), and enormously increased in all materials in treatment (6). The results indicate that the fumonisin‐producing fungus does not produce fumonisin in anaerobic conditions. It is important that an anaerobic condition be maintained during ensiling in order to reduce the fumonisin content in rice grain silage.     

Isolation and characterization of a phenolic antioxidant from the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas)

Using an oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay, antioxidant activity was detected in the ethanol extract of the Pacific oyster, which was purified by sequential extraction with organic solvents. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the strongest antioxidant activity and was further purified, yielding a single compound [as assessed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)]. This compound was identified as 3,5-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzyl alcohol on the basis of (1)H and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation (HMBC), and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) spectral analyses, a conclusion that was confirmed by chemical synthesis. The concentration of the compound was 6.7 mg/100 g of whole oyster meat wet weight. This amphiphilic antioxidant retarded the copper-mediated oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and the generation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Furthermore, the compound showed substantial antioxidant activity using the ORAC and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays compared to natural antioxidants. Although the same compound was previously found in brown algae, its presence in other organisms and antioxidant activity are reported here for the first time.     

Effects of Oral Administration of Fucoidan Extracted from Cladosiphon okamuranus on Tumor Growth and Survival Time in a Tumor-Bearing Mouse Model

We evaluated the anti-tumor activities of the oral administration of fucoidan extracted from Cladosiphon okamuranus using a tumor (colon 26)-bearing mouse model. The materials used included low-molecular-weight fucoidan (LMWF: 6.5–40 kDa), intermediate-molecular-weight fucoidan (IMWF: 110–138 kDa) and high-molecular-weight fucoidan (HMWF: 300–330 kDa). The IMWF group showed significantly suppressed tumor growth. The LMWF and HMWF groups showed significantly increased survival times compared with that observed in the control group (mice fed a fucoidan-free diet). The median survival times in the control, LMWF, IMWF and HMWF groups were 23, 46, 40 and 43 days, respectively. It was also found that oral administration of fucoidan increased the population of natural killer cells in the spleen. Furthermore, from the results of the experiment using Myd-88 knockout mice, it was found that these effects are related to gut immunity. These results suggest that fucoidan is a candidate anti-tumor functional food.     

Total Synthesis and Absolute Configuration of the Marine Norditerpenoid Xestenone

Xestenone is a marine norditerpenoid found in the northeastern Pacific sponge Xestospongia vanilla. The relative configuration of C-3 and C-7 in xestenone was determined by NOESY spectral analysis. However the relative configuration of C-12 and the absolute configuration of this compound were not determined. The authors have now achieved the total synthesis of xestenone using their developed one-pot synthesis of cyclopentane derivatives employing allyl phenyl sulfone and an epoxy iodide as a key step. The relative and absolute configurations of xestenone were thus successfully determined by this synthesis.