Gravinol ameliorates high-fructose-induced metabolic syndrome through regulation of lipid metabolism and proinflammatory state in rats

Using a rat model with fructose-induced metabolic syndrome, the effect of gravinol was investigated. Male Wistar rats were fed a 65% fructose diet and administered 10 or 20 mg of gravinol/kg of body weight/day for 2 weeks. High-level fructose feeding led to hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, hypertri-glyceridemia, and hypertension. On the other hand, the administration of gravinol significantly lowered serum glucose and total cholesterol levels. The tail arterial blood pressure was significantly elevated with the high-fructose diet. However, rats given gravinol showed a lower blood pressure as compared with fructose-fed control rats. In addition, the triglyceride (TG) levels in serum and lipoprotein fraction were dose-dependently reduced in rats fed gravinol. The decreases of hepatic TG and total cholesterol by gravinol were responsible for the down-regulation of hepatic sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP)-1. However, gravinol did not affect the protein levels of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha and SREBP-2. Moreover, gravinol administration in the fructose-fed rats markedly reduced the glycosylated protein and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance levels in the serum and hepatic mitochondria, and it inhibited the increase of the cyclooxygenase-2 protein level as a result of the down-regulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB). Furthermore, the decrease of anti-apoptotic bcl-2 protein levels and the increase of pro-apoptotic bax protein levels by the high-fructose diet were reversed by gravinol. These findings suggest that fructose-induced metabolic syndrome is attenuated by gravinol administration, which is associated with the reduction of serum lipids and protection against the proinflammatory state induced by oxidative stress.     

Synthesis of haptens for development of antibodies to alkylphenols and evaluation and optimization of a selected antibody for ELISA development

The development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on polyclonal antibodies for a class of endocrine disrupting compounds, 4-nonylphenol, is described. The parent molecule was derivatized at the ortho position of the free phenolic hydroxyl group to obtain the hapten, NP1, and it was conjugated with keyhole limpet hemocyanin, which was used as an immunogen. Four antisera were generated and screened against three coating antigens. The most sensitive ELISA from the screening tests (antiserum NP03As, 1/1000, and coating antigen NP1-BSA, 1 microg/mL) was further optimized and characterized. The influence of various physicochemical factors (organic solvent, pH, ion strength) was investigated. Methanol as the additive organic solvent was found to be the best organic solvent for the ELISA, with optimal sensitivity observed at a concentration of 5%. The ELISA parameters were changed at more acidic or basic pH values, whereas higher ionic strengths strongly suppressed the I(50) value and the maximum absorbance. The most sensitive ELISA for 4-nonylphenol exhibited an I(50) value of 38.6 +/- 5.5 microg/L, with a dynamic range from 12 to 350 microg/L, and the lower limit of detection was 7.7 +/- 1.3 microg/L. The optimized ELISA displayed no significant cross-reaction against the parent compounds, nonylphenol ethoxylates, degradation products, carboxylates, and bisphenol A, except in 4-octylphenol.     

Chemerin analog regulates energy metabolism in sheep

Accumulating data suggest a relationship between chemerin and energy metabolism. Our group previously described gene cloning, expression analysis and the regulatory mechanism of chemerin and its own receptor in mice and cattle. The objective of the present study was to investigate the physiological effect of chemerin on endocrine changes and energy metabolism in sheep using a biologically stable chemerin analog. The chemerin analog was intravenously administrated (100 or 500 µg/head) to sheep, and plasma insulin and metabolites (glucose, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), triglyceride, total cholesterol and high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol) were analyzed. The chemerin analog dramatically increased the insulin levels, and glucose levels were decreased. NEFA levels were slightly decreased at 20 min but then increased gradually from 60 to 180 min after analog administration. In addition, injection of the chemerin analog immediately increased triglyceride and total cholesterol but not HDL levels. These results suggested that chemerin analog regulated insulin secretion related to glucose metabolism and the release of triglycerides in sheep in vivo. This study provides new information about endocrine and metabolic changes in response to chemerin in sheep.     

Effects of warming, wetting and nitrogen addition on substrate-induced respiration and temperature sensitivity of heterotrophic respiration in a temperate forest soil

Soil heterotrophic respiration and its temperature sensitivity are affected by various climatic and environmental factors.However,little is known about the combined effects of concurrent climatic and environmental changes,such as climatic warming,changing precipitation regimes,and increasing nitrogen(N)deposition.Therefore,in this study,we investigated the individual and combined effects of warming,wetting,and N addition on soil heterotrophic respiration and temperature sensitivity.We incubated soils collected from a temperate forest in South Korea for 60 d at two temperature levels(15 and 20℃,representing the annual mean temperature of the study site and 5℃warming,respectively),three moisture levels(10%,28%,and 50%water-filled pore space(WFPS),representing dry,moist,and wet conditions,respectively),and two N levels(without N and with N addition equivalent to 50 kg N ha^-1year^-1).On day 30,soils were distributed across five different temperatures(10,15,20,25,and 30℃)for 24 h to determine short-term changes in temperature sensitivity(Q₁₀,change in respiration with 10℃increase in temperature)of soil heterotrophic respiration.After completing the incubation on day 60,we measured substrate-induced respiration(SIR)by adding six labile substrates to the three types of treatments.Wetting treatment(increase from 28%to 50%WFPS)reduced SIR by 40.8%(3.77 to 2.23μg CO₂-C g^-1h^-1),but warming(increase from 15 to 20℃)and N addition increased SIR by 47.7%(3.77 to 5.57μg CO₂-C g^-1h^-1)and 42.0%(3.77 to 5.35μg CO₂-C g^-1h^-1),respectively.A combination of any two treatments did not affect SIR,but the combination of three treatments reduced SIR by 42.4%(3.70 to 2.20μg CO₂-C g^-1h^-1).Wetting treatment increased Q₁₀by 25.0%(2.4 to 3.0).However,warming and N addition reduced Q₁₀by 37.5%(2.4 to 1.5)and 16.7%(2.4 to 2.0),respectively.Warming coupled with wetting did not significantly change Q₁₀,while warming coupled with N addition reduced Q₁₀by 33.3%(2.4 to 1.6).The combination of three treatments increased Q₁₀by 12.5%(2.4 to 2.7).Our results demonstrated that among the three factors,soil moisture is the most important one controlling SIR and Q₁₀.The results suggest that the effect of warming on SIR and Q₁₀can be modified significantly by rainfall variability and elevated N availability.Therefore,this study emphasizes that concurrent climatic and environmental changes,such as increasing rainfall variability and N deposition,should be considered when predicting changes induced by warming in soil respiration and its temperature sensitivity.     

Establishment of optimal scan delay for multi-phase computed tomography using bolus-tracking technique in canine pancreas

To establish a protocol for a multi-phase computed tomography (CT) of the canine pancreas using the bolus-tracking technique, dynamic scan and multi-phase CT were performed in six normal beagle dogs. The dynamic scan was performed for 60 sec at 1-sec intervals after the injection (4 ml/sec) of a contrast medium, and intervals from aortic enhancement appearance to aortic, pancreatic parenchymal and portal vein peaks were measured. The multi-phase CT with 3 phases was performed three times using a bolus-tracking technique. Scan delays were 0, 15 and 30 in first multi-phase scan; 5, 20 and 35 in second multi-phase scan; and 10, 25 and 40 sec in third multi-phase scan, respectively. Attenuation values and contrast enhancement pattern were analyzed from the aorta, pancreas and portal vein. The intervals from aortic enhancement appearance to aortic, pancreatic parenchymal and portal vein peaks were 3.8 ± 0.7, 8.7 ± 0.9 and 13.3 ± 1.5 sec, respectively. The maximum attenuation values of the aorta, pancreatic parenchyma and portal vein were present at scan sections with no scan delay, a 5-sec delay and a 10-sec delay, respectively. When a multi-phase CT of the canine pancreas is triggered at aortic enhancement appearance using a bolus-tracking technique, the recommended optimal delay times of the arterial and pancreatic parenchymal phases are no scan delay and 5 sec, respectively.     

Effects of AMF inoculation on growth of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer seedlings and on soil structures in mycorrhizosphere

We aimed to investigate the effects of inoculating Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer seedlings with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) by examining the root colonization, plant nutrition uptake, growth characteristics, and soil aggregation of P. ginseng seedlings inoculated at the time of transplantation. At 16 weeks, the AMF spore density per 30 g of fresh mycorrhizosphere in seedlings inoculated with AMF (AMF+ seedlings) was 256.8 and that in seedlings not inoculated with AMF (AMF− seedlings) was 186.3, respectively. The colonization rate of AMF in the lateral roots of AMF+ seedlings was approximately 19% higher than that in the lateral roots of AMF− seedlings. The patterns of AMF colonization in ginseng roots were similar to those of the Paris-type mycorrhizal association. Plant growth characteristics, such as plant height, root length, leaf area, number of lateral roots, fresh weight of shoots and roots, and chlorophyll content, were significantly enhanced in AMF+ seedlings compared to AMF− seedlings. The macronutrient content (P, K, and Ca) and micronutrient content (Cu, Fe, and Zn) of both shoots and roots were also significantly higher in AMF+ seedlings compared to AMF− seedlings. Furthermore, glomalin content and soil aggregation were significantly enhanced in AMF inoculated areas. Our results indicate that AMF inoculation may enhance the growth of ginseng seedlings by improving the uptake of mineral nutrients and the soil structure in mycorrhizosphere.     

Proximate and mineral components of Viscum album var. coloratum grown on eight different host tree species

Mistletoes are parasite plants growing on various tree species,taking nutrients from the host.Beneficial compounds of mistletoe were used in medicine and these mistletoes were commonly collected from oak species that were not well identified.We analyzed the nutritional value by measuring proximate and mineral components of Korean mistletoe(Viscum album var.coloratum)from various host trees.Carbohydrate was the most proximate component in both leaves and twigs followed crude protein,crude fiber,crude ash and crude fat.While the contents of the proximate components and minerals varied among hosts and between plant parts,leaves contained higher crude protein and ash,and more minerals except for magnesium than twigs,although no significant difference was found inmistletoe grown on Prunus mandshurica.There were significant differences of proximate and mineral contents depending on the host species.Mistletoe grown on Chaenomeles sinensis contained higher levels of carbohydrates,crude fat,crude ash,magnesium,calcium,sodium,iron,and zinc than mistletoe grown on other species.Mistletoe grown on P.mandshurica contained high mineral levels of potassium,copper and phosphorous.The nutritional value of mistletoes were greatly influenced by the host species but among the hosts,specific nutrients accumulated in leaves more than in twigs,and vice versa.Based on the analysis,Korean mistletoe contains relatively good quality of nutrients and has high potential for dietary supplements as well as for medicinal compounds.     

Evaluation of immobilizing agents as soil quality conditioners in addition to their metal(loid) immobilizing effect

In trace metal (TM)-contaminated agricultural soils, management of TM availability is important for safe crop production. In addition, maintenance or improvement of soil quality is vital for sustainable crop cultivation. Decreased TM phytoavailability and increased soil quality can be achieved by the application of various immobilizing agents to soil, which can supply both macronutrients and organic matter. This study investigated the long-term influences of four common immobilizing agents on so...