New Briarane diterpenoids from the gorgonian coral Junceella juncea

Chemical investigation of Junceella juncea has resulted in the isolation of three new briaranes designated juncenolides M-O (1-3). The structures of these compounds were determined by spectroscopic analysis including 2D-NMR (COSY, HMBC and NOESY) and HRMS. Compound 1 is a new chlorinated briarane while compound 3 contains a rare methyl ester at C-16. The anti-inflammatory activities tested on superoxide anion generation and elastase release by human neutrophils in response to FMLP/CB were evaluated.     

Integrated nutrient management for environmental-friendly rice production in salt-affected rice paddy fields of Saemangeum reclaimed land of South Korea

This study was conducted in an attempt to determine the proper nitrogen and phosphorus application levels, nitrogen split application ratio, and application method for environmental-friendly rice production in a salt-affected rice paddy field, which was located in the Saemangeum reclaimed tidal belt on the western coast of South Korea, between April 1, 2003 and October 10, 2004. All treatments were replicated three times in a randomized block design (5 m × 4 m plot) with 11 treatments (total 33 plots). We designed three treatments for the evaluation of reasonable application levels of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers (A1–A3); five treatments to evaluate the nitrogen split application system (T1–T5); and three treatments to determine the proper application for chemical fertilizer (M1–M3). There was no significant difference of amylose and protein content among the application levels, application methods, and nitrogen split application ratios (P < 0.05). No significant differences in grain yield and yield components of rice were observed among the different application levels, application methods, and nitrogen split application ratios (P < 0.05). In order to save labor in agricultural households, preserve or enhance the grain quality of rice, and reduce nutrient losses, we determined that the optimum application level of nitrogen fertilizer was 140 kg ha⁻¹; the application split ratio of nitrogen fertilizer at four different periods was 40% for basal fertilization, 20% for maximum tilling stage, 30% for the panicle formation stage, and 10% for the booting stage; and the best application methods were deep layer application and whole layer application.     

Laboratory evaluation of the termiticidal efficacy of copper HDO

A laboratory no-choice termite bioassay was conducted to evaluate the ability of copper HDO (CX-A or copper xyligen) to protect radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) wood samples from attack by two subterranean termite species, Reticulitermes speratus and Coptotermes formosanus. A series of sapwood samples were pressure treated with either 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%, or 1.00% copper HDO solution. Samples treated with equivalent concentrations of a benchmark preservative, CCA-C, were used as treated controls. All samples (including controls) were subjected to an artificial weathering schedule before the bioassay. The samples were exposed to 30-day R. speratus tests and 3-week C. formosanus tests. Copper HDO was shown to deter termites from significant feeding on the treated wood. At a retention of 5.8 kg/m3 (treated with 0.75% solution) or higher, the mass loss from termite feeding did not exceed 3% for both the 30-day R. speratus tests and the 3-week C. formosanus tests. At each of the retentions tested, copper HDO performed comparably with equivalent retentions of CCA-C; however, field data are needed to validate these laboratory results. The preliminary findings are that copper HDO pressure treatment has potential as a viable method of protecting wood from attack by both termite species tested.     

Glucose and weight control in mice with a designed ghrelin O-acyltransferase inhibitor

Ghrelin is a gastric peptide hormone that stimulates weight gain in vertebrates. The biological activities of ghrelin require octanoylation of the peptide on Ser(3), an unusual posttranslational modification that is catalyzed by the enzyme ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT). Here, we describe the design, synthesis, and characterization of GO-CoA-Tat, a peptide-based bisubstrate analog that antagonizes GOAT. GO-CoA-Tat potently inhibits GOAT in vitro, in cultured cells, and in mice. Intraperitoneal administration of GO-CoA-Tat improves glucose tolerance and reduces weight gain in wild-type mice but not in ghrelin-deficient mice, supporting the concept that its beneficial metabolic effects are due specifically to GOAT inhibition. In addition to serving as a research tool for mapping ghrelin actions, GO-CoA-Tat may help pave the way for clinical targeting of GOAT in metabolic diseases.     

Measuring tensile strength of nanofibers using conductive substrates and dynamic mechanical analyzer

Though the tensile strength of nanofibers is essential to determine their application fields, few studies have been conducted on this topic, due to the difficulties involved in the preparation of single nanofiber tensile specimens, the manipulation of the clamping device, and the sensing of the nano- force and strain. A bundle testing method was employed in this work to measure the tensile strength of nanofibers. For this purpose, a conductive substrate was designed to hold several thousand nanofibers extruded from a spinning nozzle and align them uniaxially during the electrospinning process. This substrate was designed for a dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA), because most DMAs are equipped with fine sensors sensitive enough to measure a very small force and strain. Nylon 6 nanofibers were electrospun and collected on the substrate. Then, they were elongated simultaneously in the DMA until they were fractured, showing that the aligned nanofibers have superior tensile strength and modulus compared to their counterpart microfibers and thus suggesting that polymeric nanofibers have the potential to be used as reinforcement fibers for composite materials.     

Genetic variation in Fusarium avenaceum causing root rot on field pea

Isolates of Fusarium spp. were recovered from the roots of field pea (Pisum sativum) collected from 15 commercial fields in Alberta, Canada. Most of the isolates (75 out of 96) were identified as F. avenaceum, based on morphology, phylogeny and species‐specific PCR amplification. Molecular differences in the F. avenaceum isolates were detected based on putative mating type, and on ITS and CPN60 sequences. MAT‐1 and MAT‐2 were equally distributed among the isolates. Phylogenetic analysis based on ITS and CPN60 sequences clustered most of the F. avenaceum isolates into a single group. In some cases, isolates with low aggressiveness clustered together in additional groups. There was no correlation between phylogenetic profile and either mating type or geographic origin. This population of F. avenaceum has a low level of genetic variation and consists of isolates derived from the two mating types. Isolates with low aggressiveness are also retained in the population.     

Estimation of genetic distance and its predictability of F<Subscript>1</Subscript> hybrid performance in barley

Heterotic performance of hybrids is dependent upon the amount of genetic variability among parents and combining ability of alleles at the loci associated with target traits. This study was carried out to determine if (1) pedigree-based genetic distance could explain molecular levels of genetic diversity, and (2) molecular marker-based genetic distance could predict the degree of hybrid performance in barley. The average value of Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-based genetic similarity for all 58 genotypes was 0.641. Twenty-two hulless barley and eight malt barley varieties showed low levels of genetic diversity with higher similarity values than the average of all or of the hulled barley variety pool. Coefficients of parentage (COPs) computed for 1,653 pairs of 58 Korean barley varieties ranged from 0 to 0.984 with a mean of 0.048. Correlation between the genealogical and RAPD-based genetic similarity matrices was 0.256 (P < 0.01). Correlation values for the related and for all (related + unrelated) genotype pairs were almost similar to each other, indicating that the unrelated genotypes share a large portion of genomes alike in state, not identical by descent. RAPD-based genetic similarity estimates among parents were poorly correlated with their hybrid performance such as 1,000-grain weight (r = 0.34), biomass yield (r = −0.12), and grain yield (r = −0.04) for 11 genotype pairs of hulled barley. However, correlations between heterozygosity at marker loci and hybrid performance for biomass and grain yield slightly increased when two F1 hybrids were excluded in the analysis due to their low yield.     

Effect of year,location, compost,and mixed oilseed cake on bulb and scale characteristic,nutrients and organic compounds in bulb and leaf,and storage quality in organic bulb onion

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of years and different locations, beef cattle manure compost (BCMC) and mixed oilseed cake (MOC) application rates on bulb and scale characteristics, nutrient content and nutrient uptake in bulb and leaf, and storage quality of intermediate-day onions (Allium cepa L.) at two organic onion growers' fields during the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 growing seasons. Treatments included BCMC applied at rates of 0, 30 ton·ha^-1 and MOC applied at rates of 0, 3, 6, 9 t·ha^-1. Average temperature at two experimental locations during the growing season in 2013/2014 was 1.2°C higher than in 2012/2013, while total rainfall was 206.6 mm higher in 2012/2013 than in 2013/2014. Onion bulb diameter, bulb fresh weight, scale thickness and fresh leaf weight were significantly greater in 2013 than in 2014, but bulb dry matter was greater in 2014 than in 2013. Nitrogen, potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) contents and uptakes in bulb were significantly higher in 2013/2014 than in 2012/2013. BCMC application at 30 t·ha^-1 rate increased K and Mg contents in bulb and leaf as compared with no BCMC. Total soluble solids (TSSs), pyruvic acid (PA), total phenolics (TPs) and total flavonoids (TFs) contents were higher in 2013/2014 than in 2012/2013. BCMC application at 3 t·ha^-1 decreased TSSs and PA content compared with no BCMC. MOC application increased PA content. Rot and weight loss on 8 September in cold room storage were lower in 2013/2014 than in 2012/2013, but the loss on 14 October and 10 December were not significantly different between two years. In conclusion, high air temperature and low rainfall in Mar. and Apr. increased fresh bulb weight and bulb thickness, while high temperature, low rainfall and long sunshine duration increased TSSs, PA, TPs and TFs contents. Compost and oilseed cake application increased fresh bulb weight, scale thickness, while they decreased TSSs and did not affect organic compounds.