Application of natural forest structures to riparian greenways

This study analyzed structures of natural riparian forests and explored planning models applicable to establishing riparian greenways. Twenty-one streams or valleys were selected considering watersheds and climate regions of four major rivers in South Korea. The study surveyed mature structures and growth environments of the forests typical of the study streams in 122 sample plots. Forest communities associated with environmental gradients from floodplains to uplands were typified based on importance values of woody plant species and classification criteria of forest types in the country. The riparian forests were classified into 6–12 community types for each river watershed. The majority of dominant community tree species were distributed widely over the study streams, but some tree species were dominant in community types found in warmer regions only. This study presented planning models for restoring riparian greenways that reflect the distinct structural characteristics of the native community types. The planning models included species selection and composition, density and distance, and soil properties for tree plantings by community type, as well as a minimum width for riparian greenways. The models emphasized highly diverse ecological planting to enhance the multiple functions of riparian greenways, and establish native landscapes earlier through direct tree plantings rather than natural succession. A case study greenway was designed and planted to illustrate application of the planning model.     

Characterization of porcine NLRP3 inflammasome activation and its upstream mechanism

Inflammasomes, which are intracellular sensors of endogenous or exogenous danger signals, activate caspase-1, resulting in interleukin (IL)-1β maturation. Although most studies on inflammasomes have been performed in human and/or mouse-derived macrophages, porcine inflammasome activation has not been elucidated even though pigs are considered one of the best animal models for translational and preclinical investigations. In this study, we optimized detection of porcine IL-1β secretion, which is the most well established indicator of inflammasome activation, and compared inflammasome activation between miniature and domestic pigs as well as between porcine and murine macrophages. In our results, anti-sera against murine IL-1β had higher affinity to porcine IL-1β than anti-sera against human IL-1β, even though the amino acid sequence of porcine IL-1β was more similar to that of human IL-1β. In addition, there was no significant difference in inflammasome activation between miniature and domestic pigs. Furthermore, well established inflammasome triggers (ATP, nigericin, and crystals) in humans and mice had similar effects on porcine NLRP3 inflammasome activation. We further elucidated the upstream signaling pathway of porcine inflammasome activation using pharmacological inhibitors. Similar to the mechanisms of inflammasome activation in humans and mice, potassium efflux and reactive oxygen species generation were confirmed as key pathways in porcine inflammasome activation. Thus, inflammasome activation in pigs is not different from that in humans or mice.     

Increased expression of osteopontin in the heart tissue of Lewis rats with experimental autoimmune myocarditis

The expression of osteopontin (OPN) in the hearts of rats with experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) was evaluated. Western blot analysis showed that OPN was significantly increased in the hearts with EAM compared with those of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) immunized control. Immunohistochemically, OPN was weakly expressed in the cardiomyocytes in the heart with normal and CFA immunized controls. In EAM lesions, OPN was intensely immunostained in some inflammatory cells, mainly ED1 positive macrophages. These findings suggest that OPN is significantly increased in EAM lesions and that OPN mediates the inflammatory process in the course of rat EAM model.     

Synthesis, structure analyses, and characterization of novel epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) glycosides using the glucansucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-1299CB

In this study, three epigallocatechin gallate glycosides were synthesized by the acceptor reaction of a glucansucrase produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-1299CB with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and sucrose. Each of these glycosides was then purified, and the structures were assigned as follows: epigallocatechin gallate 7-O-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (EGCG-G1); epigallocatechin gallate 4'-O-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (EGCG-G1'); and epigallocatechin gallate 7,4'-O-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (EGCG-G2). One of these compounds (EGCG-G1) was a novel compound. The EGCG glycosides exhibited similar or slower antioxidant effects, depending on their structures (EGCG > or = EGCG-G1 > EGCG-G1' > EGCG-G2), and also manifested a higher degree of browning resistance than was previously noted in EGCG. Also, EGCG-G1, EGCG-G1', and EGCG-G2 were 49, 55, and 114 times as water soluble, respectively, as EGCG.     

Evidence of shedding of porcine circovirus type 2 in milk from experimentally infected sows

Detection of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) was to evaluate the milk from experimentally infected sows using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and virus isolation. Six pregnant sows were inoculated intranasally with PCV2 at 93 days of gestation, and milk samples were collected from all sows at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, and 27 days of lactation. PCV2 was detected in milk as early as day 1 of lactation in all six sows. Thereafter, all infected sows remained positive by PCR for PCV2 in milk until 27 days of lactation. In addition, PCV2 itself was isolated from milk collected from a virus-infected sows. These results suggest that PCV2 may be shed in milk following infection of pregnant sows by the virus.     

Larvicidal activity of Cnidium monnieri fruit coumarins and structurally related compounds against insecticide-susceptible and insecticide-resistant Culex pipiens pallens and Aedes aegypti

BACKGROUND: An assessment was made of the toxicity of imperatorin and osthole identified in Cnidium monnieri fruit, 11 related compounds and five insecticides to larvae from insecticide‐susceptible Culex pipiens pallens (KS‐CP strain) and Aedes aegypti and wild C.p. pallens (YS‐CP colony) using a direct‐contact mortality bioassay. Results were compared with those of the conventional larvicide temephos. RESULTS: Imperatorin (LC₅₀ = 3.14 and 2.88 mg L^?1) was 1.9‐, 3.7‐ and 4.2‐fold and 2.4‐, 4.5‐ and 4.6‐fold more toxic than isopimpinellin, isoimperatorin and osthole against susceptible C. p. pallens and A. aegypti larvae respectively. Overall, all of the compounds were less toxic than temephos (0.011 and 0.019 mg L^?1). The toxicity of these compounds was virtually identical against larvae from the two Culex strains, even though YS‐CP larvae were resistant to fenthion (resistance ratio RR = 390), deltamethrin (RR = 164), cyfluthrin (RR = 14) and temephos (RR = 14). This finding indicates that the coumarins and the insecticides do not share a common mode of action. The structure–activity relationship indicates that the chemical structure and alkoxy substitution and length of the alkoxyl side chain at the C8 position are essential for imparting toxicity. CONCLUSION: The C. monnieri fruit‐derived coumarins and the related coumarins described merit further study as potential insecticides or lead molecules for the control of insecticide‐resistant mosquito populations. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Repellent activity of constituents identified in Foeniculum vulgare fruit against Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

The repellent activity of materials derived from the methanol extract of fruits from Foeniculum vulgareagainst hungry Aedes aegypti females was examined using skin and patch tests and compared with that of the commercial N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (deet) and (Z)-9-octadecenoic acid. The biologically active constituents of the Foeniculum fruits were characterized as (+)-fenchone and (E)-9-octadecenoic acid by spectroscopic analyses. Responses varied according to compound, dose, and exposure time. In a skin test with female mosquitoes, at a dose of 0.4 mg/cm(2), (+)-fenchone and (Z)-9-octadecenoic acid exhibited moderate repellent activity at 30 min after treatment, whereas deet provided >1 h of protection against adult mosquitoes at 0.2 mg/cm(2). (Z)-9-Octadecenoic acid was a more potent repellent agent than (E)-9-octadecenoic acid. (+)-Fenchone and (E)-9-octadecenoic acid merit further study as potential mosquito repellent agents or as lead compounds.     

Physical and Chemical Properties of a Winter-Time Yellow Sand Event in Northeast Asia

The long range transport of mineral dust such as Yellow Sand (YS) is not restricted to the springtime periods in Northeast Asia. A YS phenomenon was observed during 25～27 January 1999, which was a remarkably distinctive episode in the occurrence time and intensity that had ever been observed in the wintertime in Korea. This YS event had a bi-modal temporal structure with the daily average concentrations of 210～349 µg m^?3. The long-lasted second one followed the first arriving short and strong dust pulse. The dominant ion components were SO₄ ^2?, NO₃ ^?, Ca²⁺ and Na⁺ with the concentration of 11.3, 7.6, 6.1 and 4.2 µg m^?3, respectively during the passage of YS, compared to the corresponding concentrations of 4.1, 4.6, 0.4, and 1.2 µg m^?3 after the passage of YS (AYS) over Korea. The mode diameter of these compounds of YS was around 4 µm, compared to 0.4～0.9 µm of AYS. Concentrations of SO₄ ^2? and NO₃ ^? were found to be highly correlated with that of Ca²⁺ in the coarse mode during the YS event, whereas they were well correlated with NH₄ ⁺ during the non-YS period.     

Development and characterization of a flavoring agent from oyster cooker effluent

The general composition of concentrated oyster cooker effluent (OCE) was 80% moisture, 6.7% total nitrogen, 2.4% glycogen, and 8.5% ash. Optimum conditions for enzymatic hydrolysis of OCE were 50 degrees C, 2 h of reaction time, 0.1% amylase mixture (alpha-amylase plus glucoamylase), and 0.2% protease NP. Hydrolysis of OCE led to an increase in free amino acids, with taurine comprising approximately 20% of the total. Inosine monophosphate was predominant (456 mg/100 g) among nucleotides and related compounds. Enzyme hydrolysis increased extractable nitrogen by approximately 2-fold. Trimethylamine, trimethylamine oxide, and total creatinine levels were not affected by enzyme treatment. Predominant aroma-active components of enzyme-hydrolyzed OCE included 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline and 3-(methylthio)propanal. Results of this study may help alleviate the wastewater disposal problem currently caused by OCE.     

Development of an ELISA for the detection of the residues of the insecticide imidacloprid in agricultural and environmental samples

A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the chloronicotinyl insecticide imidacloprid was developed using a polyclonal antibody produced against a hapten conjugated through the imidazolidine to keyhole limpet hemocyanin. In the standard curve of imidacloprid, an IC(50) of 17.3 ng/mL was obtained using a competitive heterologous system at pH 10. Very low cross-reactivity was found for some structurally related compounds including the insecticide thiacloprid. The high cross-reactivity with a metabolite containing the carbonyl group in the imidazolidine moiety suggests the involvement of its polarity and stereochemical fitness in forming the antibody--antigen complex. The effects of various assay conditions, including organic solvents, detergent content, salt concentration, and pH on the sensitivity were evaluated. High-performance liquid chromatography was run for comparison to validate the ELISA with fortified water samples, the correlation being 0.997-0.998 (n = 15) with a slope of 1.10--1.38. The ELISA turned out to be a convenient tool for monitoring imidacloprid residues in agricultural and environmental samples.