Structural Characteristics and Anticancer Activity of Fucoidan from the Brown Alga Sargassum mcclurei

Three different fucoidan fractions were isolated and purified from the brown alga, Sargassum mcclurei. The SmF1 and SmF2 fucoidans are sulfated heteropolysaccharides that contain fucose, galactose, mannose, xylose and glucose. The SmF3 fucoidan is highly sulfated (35%) galactofucan, and the main chain of the polysaccharide contains a →3)-α-l-Fucp(2,4SO₃⁻)-(1→3)-α-l-Fucp(2,4SO₃⁻)-(1→ motif with 1,4-linked 3-sulfated α-l-Fucp inserts and 6-linked galactose on reducing end. Possible branching points include the 1,2,6- or 1,3,6-linked galactose and/or 1,3,4-linked fucose residues that could be glycosylated with terminal β-d-Galp residues or chains of alternating sulfated 1,3-linked α-l-Fucp and 1,4-linked β-d-Galp residues, which have been identified in galactofucans for the first time. Both α-l-Fucp and β-d-Galp residues are sulfated at C-2 and/or C-4 (and some C-6 of β-d-Galp) and potentially the C-3 of terminal β-d-Galp, 1,4-linked β-d-Galp and 1,4-linked α-l-Fucp residues. All fucoidans fractions were less cytotoxic and displayed colony formation inhibition in colon cancer DLD-1 cells. Therefore, these fucoidan fractions are potential antitumor agents.     

Predictors of the distribution of street and backyard vegetation in Montreal,Canada

Urban vegetation is shown to be unevenly distributed across cities and there is evidence of disparities in benefits provided by vegetation and of public health problems induced by urban heat islands. In order to improve vegetation cover, it remains crucial to understand the underpinning of such unevenness. In this paper, we investigate in Montreal (Canada) how the built environment, sociodemographic factors and administrative boroughs influence tree and lawn cover in public and residential land. The analysis was conducted at the dissemination area (DA) level, a Canadian census unit containing about 400–700 people. Six vegetation indicators were used as dependent variables: the proportion of a DA covered by trees/shrubs, lawn and total vegetation; the proportion of streets covered by trees/shrubs and the proportion of residential yards covered by trees/shrubs and total vegetation. Three sets of independent variables were studied: the built environment, sociodemographics and borough names. We used spatial autoregressive models to control for dependence and the spatial autoregressive term explained a large amount of variability in vegetation cover. The built-environment variables tend to have higher effects than the socio-demographic variables when predicting the three DA vegetation indicators, backyard vegetation, and to a lesser degree, street tree/shrub cover. In particular, population density is associated negatively to all indicators but positively to street tree cover. Socio-demographics are substantial in the explanation of the distribution of street trees, especially the presence of recent immigrants (negative effect) and of university degree holders (positive effect). These findings call for appropriate greening programs adapted to the local socio-demographic profile. The significance of boroughs also suggests the need for further research on the impact of within-city administrative hierarchies on the unevenness of urban vegetation.     

A study of genetic diversity of sesame (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sesamum indicum</Emphasis> L.) in Vietnam and Cambodia estimated by RAPD markers

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is a traditional oil crop cultivated throughout South East Asia. To estimate the genetic diversity of this crop in parts at the region, 22 sesame accessions collected in Vietnam and Cambodia were analyzed using 10 RAPD markers. The 10 primers generated 107 amplification products of which 88 were polymorphic fragments (83%). Genetic diversity of all populations was H_t = 0.34 when estimated by Nei’s genetic diversity and species diversity was H′_sp = 0.513 when estimated by Shannon diversity index. Genetic distance ranged from 0.03 to 0.43, with a mean genetic distance of 0.23. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA) cluster analysis for the 22 accessions divided the material in four groups. The dendrogram revealed a clear division among the sesame accessions based on their geographical region. Interestingly, some geographically distant accessions clustered in the same group, which might indicate the human factor involved in the spreading of sesame varieties. The high level of polymorphism shown suggests that RAPD techniques can also be useful for the selection of parents in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) breeding program and for cultivar differentiation.     

Comparative studies on the effects of a yucca extract and acibenzolar-<Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>-methyl (ASM) on inhibition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Venturia inaequalis</Emphasis> in apple leaves

The effect of an extract of Yucca schidigera on the control and infection process of the apple scab pathogen, Venturia inaequalis, was examined and compared with the chemical resistance inducer, acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM). In seedling assays, both materials significantly reduced apple scab symptoms and pathogen sporulation on leaves and both showed similar control efficacies as the reference treatment, sulphur. Whereas yucca extract and sulphur gave significant inhibition of conidial germination in vitro, ASM did not inhibit germination. Histopathological studies of the infection process of V. inaequalis in apple leaves showed that the yucca extract primarily acted by inhibiting pre-penetration events and penetration itself. In contrast, the ASM treatment significantly inhibited more stages of the infection process (pre-penetration, penetration and post-penetration events). These observations suggest that the yucca extract acted mainly by a direct fungitoxic effect whereas ASM, as expected, acted as a resistance inducer. However, expression studies of two genes encoding the PR proteins, PR1 and PR8, in apple seedlings indicated that yucca extract may also affect plant defence as expression of both genes was up-regulated following yucca treatment, to a level similar to that observed after treatment with ASM. The fungitoxic effect of sulphur on V. inaequalis was also confirmed in this study.     

Isolation of Sesquiterpenoids and Steroids from the Soft Coral Sinularia brassica and Determination of Their Absolute Configuration

Two undescribed rearranged cadinane-type sesquiterpenoids (1–2), named sinulaketol A-B, together with one new chlorinated steroid (3), one new gorgosterol (4), one known sesquiterpene (5), one known dibromoditerpene (6) and two known polyhydroxylated steroids (7–8) were isolated from the soft coral Sinularia brassica. The structures of these compounds were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis, including HRESIMS, 1D, and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Their absolute configurations were also determined by the ECD calculations and DP4+ probability analysis. Antileishmanial activity of compounds 1–8 was evaluated in vitro against the amastigote forms of Leishmania donovani, in which compounds 3, 6, and 7 inhibited the growth of L. donovani by 58.7, 74.3, 54.7%, respectively, at a concentration of 50 μM. Antimicrobial effect of the isolated compounds were also evaluated against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. Compound 6, a brominated diterpene, exhibited antimicrobial effect against S. aureus.     

Spatial prediction of saline and sodic soils in rice‒shrimp farming land by using integrated artificial neural network/regression model and kriging

In the context of widespread saline and sodic soil, mapping and monitoring spatial distribution of soil salinity and sodicity are important for utilization and management in agriculture lands. In this study, two-stage assessment was proposed to predict spatial distribution of saline and sodic soils. First, artificial neural network (ANN) and multiple linear regressions (MLR) model were used to predict sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) based on soil electrical conductivity (EC) and pH. Then, the Kriging interpolation method combined with overlay mapping technique was used to perform saline spatial predictions in the study area. The model accuracy level is evaluated based on coefficient of determination (R²) and root mean square error (RMSE). In the first stage, the values of R² and RMSE of SAR and ESP were 0.94, 0.17 and 0.94, 0.24 for ANN, and 0.35, 0.52 and 0.34, 0.76 for MLR, respectively. Similarly, in the second stage, the RMSE of ANN-Kriging were much closer to 0 and relatively lower than MLR-Kriging and Kriging. The results show that ANN-Kriging can be used to improve the accuracy of mapping and monitoring spatial distribution of saline and sodic soil in areas that develop the rice-shrimp cultivation model.     

Combining Ability for Foliar Resistance to Late Blight [<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora infestans</Emphasis> (Mont.) de Bary] of Potato Cultivars with Different Levels of Resistance

Combining ability for resistance of potato to late blight (LB) was analyzed by testing segregating seedling progenies obtained from a full diallel crossing design between 3 potato parent cultivars with different levels of LB resistance and a North Carolina Mating Design II with the same resistant parents as females crossed to 2 LB susceptible male parents, against a complex race of P. infestans. Artificial inoculation was conducted under greenhouse conditions in Dalat, Vietnam at 1500 m above sea level. Percentage of foliage infection was recorded visually at 5 days intervals until 25th day after inoculation when the susceptible check was totally destroyed. General combining ability effect was significant and predominant, indicating that in the inheritance of resistance to LB, additive gene actions are more important. Specific combining ability was significant only for crosses between resistant parents, but insignificant for those between resistant and susceptible parents. In almost all cases, no significant reciprocal effect was found. Cultivar C88 was the best general combiner for resistance to LB. There were evidences that 1) the major genes R1, R3a and Rpi-blb1 alone are not enough to condition a good level of resistance to the isolate used; 2) the resistance of C88 was plausibly mostly due to presence of the gene R2, which is probably the main genetic factor of the durable resistance of this cultivar and, 3) the resistance to LB in potato seems background dependent, the background being the set of nuclear factors (major or minor genes) whose expression collectively affects the resistance level.     

Impact of Climate Change on the Technical Efficiency of Striped Catfish,Pangasianodon hypophthalmus,Farming in the Mekong Delta,Vietnam

The technical efficiency of randomly sampled pangasius farms in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam was estimated using data envelopment analysis, and factors affecting technical and scale efficiency were examined with bootstrap truncated regression. The mean technical efficiency score assuming variable returns to scale was 0.84. The technical efficiency of downstream farmers was higher due to lower energy costs and stocking once a year. Most of the up‐ and midstream farms needed to pump water and stocked at least three times in 2 yr. Regression analysis showed a positive effect on technical efficiency of the farmers' education level and having experienced climate change impact through flooding or salinity intrusion in the past. Farms affected by salinity intrusion had a lower scale efficiency as they reduce stocking frequency and rate. In general, reducing fish mortality and the cost of inputs, increasing scale of operation, and being trained, using appropriate methods, in management strategies may improve technical efficiency.