Functional expression of geraniol 10-hydroxylase reveals its dual function in the biosynthesis of terpenoid and phenylpropanoid

Geraniol 10-hydroxylase (G10H), a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, has been reported to be involved in the biosynthesis of terpenoid indole alkaloids. The gene for Catharanthus roseus G10H (CrG10H) was cloned and heterologously expressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells. A number of substrates were subjected to assay the enzyme activity of CrG10H. As reported in a previous study, CrG10H hydroxylated the monoterpenoid geraniol at the C-10 position to generate 10-hydroxygeraniol. Interestingly, CrG10H also catalyzed 3'-hydroxylation of naringenin to produce eriodictyol. Coexpression of an Arabidopsis NADPH P450 reductase substantially increased the ability of CrG10H to hydroxylate naringenin. The catalytic activity of CrG10H was approximately 10 times more efficient with geraniol than with naringenin, judged by the k(cat)/K(m) values. Thus, G10H also plays an important role in the biosynthetic pathway of flavonoids, in addition to its previously described role in the metabolism of terpenoids.     

Using Seven Types of GM (1, 1) Model to Forecast Hourly Particulate Matter Concentration in Banciao City of Taiwan

In this study, seven types of first-order and one-variable grey differential equation model (abbreviated as GM (1, 1) model) were used to predict hourly particulate matter (PM) including PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations in Banciao City of Taiwan. Their prediction performance was also compared. The results indicated that the minimum mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), mean squared error (MSE), root mean squared error (RMSE), and maximum correlation coefficient (R) was 14.10%, 25.62, 5.06, and 0.96, respectively, when predicting PM₁₀. When predicting PM_2.5, the minimum MAPE, MSE, RMSE, and maximum R value of 15.24%, 11.57, 3.40, and 0.93, respectively, could be achieved. All statistical values revealed that the predicting performance of GM (1, 1, x ⁽⁰⁾), GM (1, 1, a), and GM (1, 1, b) outperformed other GM (1, 1) models. According to the results, it revealed that GM (1, 1) GM (1, 1) was an efficiently early warning tool for providing PM information to the inhabitants.     

Composition and mechanism of antitumor effects of Hericium erinaceus mushroom extracts in tumor-bearing mice

We investigated antitumor effects of the following four extracts of freeze-dried Hericium erinaceus mushrooms in Balb/c mice intracutaneously transplanted on the backs with CT-26 colon cancer cells: HWE, hot water extraction by boiling in water for 3 h; MWE, microwaving in 50% ethanol/water at 60 W for 3 min; and ACE and AKE, boiling in 1% HCl or 3% NaOH for 2 h. HWE and MWE with a higher content of β-glucans, determined by an assay kit, than ACE and MKE were active in all bioassays. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses showed the presence of 40, 27, 16, and 13 compounds, respectively, in the four extracts. Daily intraperitoneal (ip) injections of HWE and MWE for 2 weeks significantly reduced tumor weights by 38 and 41%. Tumor regressions were associated with changes in the following cancer biomarkers as compared to phosphate buffer (PBS)-treated control mice: 2.7- and 2.4-fold increases in cytolytic activity of splenic natural killer (NK) cells; restored nitric oxide production and phagocytosis in peritoneal macrophages to 95-98% of normal levels; ～2-fold increase in released pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 from macrophages; and ～56 and ～60% reductions in the number of blood vessels inside the tumor. The pro-angiogenic factors vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) were also significantly reduced in mRNA and protein expression by tumor genes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of tumor cells confirmed reduced expression of COX-2 and 5-LOX (32 and 31%). Reduced COX-2 and 5-LOX expression down-regulated VEGF expression, resulting in inhibition of neo-angiogenesis inside the tumors. The results indicate that induction of NK activity, activation of macrophages, and inhibition of angiogenesis all contribute to the mechanism of reduction of tumor size.     

Association between the body weight of growing pigs and the functional capacity of their gut microbiota

Gastrointestinal microbiota impact host's biological activities, including digestion of indigestible feed components, energy harvest, and immunity. In this study, fecal microbiota of high body weight (HW) and low body weight (LW) growing pigs at 103 days of age were compared. Principal coordinates analysis separated the HW and LW groups into two clusters, indicating their potential differences between microbial community composition. Although the abundances of two major phyla, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, did not significantly differ between the HW and LW groups, some genera showed significant differences. Among them, Peptococcus and Eubacterium exhibited strong positive correlations with body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) (Rho > 0.40), whereas Treponema, Desulfovibrio, Parabacteroides, and Ruminococcaceae_unclassified exhibited strong negative correlations with BW and ADG (Rho < ?0.40). Based on these results, the structure of intestinal microbiota may affect growth traits in pigs through host–microbe interactions. Further in‐depth studies will provide insights into how best to reshape host–microbe interactions in pigs and other animals as well.     

The NURBS human body modeling using local knot removal

These days consumers’ various demands are accelerating research on apparel manufacturing system including automatic measurement, pattern generation, and clothing simulation. Accordingly, methods of reconstructing human body from point-clouds measured using a three dimensional scanning device are required for apparel CAD system to support these functions. In particular, we present in this study a human body reconstruction method focused on two issues, which are the decision of the number of control point for each sectional curve with error bound and the local knot removal for reducing the unusual concentration of control points. The approximation of sectional curves with error bounds as an approximation criterion leads all sectional curves to their own particular shapes apart from the number of control points. In addition, the application of the local knot removal to construction of human body sectional curves reduces the unusual concentration of control points effectively. The results may be used to produce an apparel CAD system as an automatic pattern generation system and a clothing simulation system through the low level control of NUBS or NURBS.     

Topical formulations of water-soluble chitin as a wound healing assistant

Water-soluble chitin (WSC) was prepared by carefully deacetylating chitins to about 50% of N-acetyl content. Topical formulations based on WSC were prepared and their effects on wound healing were evaluated on a rabbit ear model. Full-thickness, open skin wounds were made on the ears of rabbits and WSC ointments were embedded in the open wounds. The application of WSC ointments significantly accelerated wound healing and wound contraction. The areas of epithelialization and granulation tissues in WSC ointment group are remarkably larger than those in control group (no treatment) and in placebo group (treated with ointment-base materials). A large number of grown granulation tissues including dense fibroblast deposition were observed under the thickened epithelium of the wound treated with WSC ointments. The number of inflammatory cells in WSC ointment group was significantly decreased compared with those in control and placebo groups, indicating that WSC would give low stimuli to wounds and prevent excessive scar formation. Neovascularization was the most prominent in WSC ointment group. Wound contraction in WSC ointment group was much larger than those in control and placebo groups. Overall results demonstrate that the topical formulation based on WSC is considered to become an excellent dressing as a wound healing assistant.     

Relation between chemical structure of yellow disperse dyes and their lightfastness

Five yellow disperse dyes were synthesized and their dyeing, fastness and photodegradation behaviors were investigated. It was found that dyes derived from phenylindole and N-alkylaminobenzene showed dye uptake directly proportional to the dye concentration, but the build-up of dyes derived from carbazole and pyridone were not good. The wavelength at maximum absorption, molar extinction coefficient, and the tendency to the photodegradation were strongly dependent on the electron donating ability of the coupling component. The dye, whose coupling component was phenylindole, possessed the excellent dyeing properties and the high degree of lightfastness. UVA had an effect on the inhibition of the photodegradation especially for the easily photodegradable dyes.     

PORK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN CHINA: A REVIEW OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT,CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS IN GREEN PRODUCTION

•Large-scale industrial pork production enterprises are preferred in China in the future.•Challenges to green pork production include emissions, feed shortage and residues.•Potential solutions to green production include precise feeding and manure recycling.This paper reviews the changes in pork production in China, the largest pork producing and consuming nation in the world. The pork sector in China has changed dramatically since the 1990s, with large-scale intensive pork production systems replacing the former, exclusively family-based pork production systems. Modern breeding, feeding, vaccinating, and management technologies are widely used now. However, smallholders still account for a large proportion of the total production. The intensification and specialization of the pork sector is expected to continue in the future, but there is increasing awareness and pressure to develop more environmentally-sustainable production systems. The relative shortage of domestically produced feed, the low utilization efficiency of feed ingredients, the large emissions of nitrogen and phosphorus to the environment, the high use of antibiotics, and the presence of residual metals in manures are very large challenges for the pork sector nowadays. To solve these problems, techniques including new feed resource utilization, precise feeding, low-protein diets, alternatives to antibiotics and increased manure recycling are all important topics and research directions today. With new techniques and management approaches, it is possible to build more sustainable pork production systems in China.     

Fluorescence and NIR spectroscopic study on the water interaction in polycarbonate film

Water interactions in polycarbonate films have been studied using fluorescence and NIR Fourier transform spectroscopy. During water sorption process, the fluorescence emission spectra showed sensitive changes with the peak at 332 nm red shifted by 18 nm with water sorption. This red-shifted peak could be due to phenyl-2-phenoxybezoate, which is one of two major thermal degradation products in polycarbonate. In the spectra of phenyl-2-phenoxybenzoate in dimethyl formamide solution, a progressive red shift was also observed with the water addition. By using the NIR spectra, hydrogen-bonding interactions of the sorbed water with polycarbonate were investigated. It was found that water can be analyzed as free water S₀ or single hydrogen bonded water, S₁ while double hydrogen bonded water was negligible. During water immersion, most water species which are present as S₀ species decrease slightly, with a small increase in S₁ species. During desorption, S₀ species decrease sharply, while S1 species is reduced gradually. Two examples of S₁ structure in water-sorbed polycarbonate are proposed.     

Studies on the macromolecular components of nonwood available in Bangladesh

The structural feature of macromolecular component of dhaincha, cotton stalks, jute fiber, rice straw and wheat straw, which are commonly used in paper pulp production in forest deficient countries, was thoroughly studied. Lignin was isolated by classical Bjorkman method and characterized by elemental and methoxyl analysis, alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation, FTIR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The C₉ formulas for cotton stalks, jute fiber, dhaincha, rice straw and wheat straw were C₉H_8.95O_3.53(OCH₃)_1.00, C₉H_8.12O_4.03(OCH₃)_1.65, C₉H_8.10O_4.65(OCH₃)_1.32, C₉H_8.58O_3.74(OCH₃)_1.23 and C₉H_8.31O_3.54(OCH₃)_1.23, respectively. The alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation products showed that syringyl to vanilin ratio of these nonwood varied from 1.1 to 2.9. Jute fiber showed the highest syringyl to vanilin ratio that are consistent with C₉ formula. The β-O-4 units in these nonwood lignins had predominately erythro stereochemistry type. The crystalline structure of these nonwood cellulose was also studied using X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy. The proportions of crystallinity, crystal size were varied from plant to plant. Jute fiber showed the highest proportion of crystallinity (73.4%) and crystal size (4.2 nm). The degree of polymerization of these nonwoods cellulose has also been studied. Degree of polymerization of jute cellulose was also the highest (3875). FTIR spectroscopy showed that these nonwoods cellulose was monoclinic unit cell structure (I_β). Carbohydrate analysis showed that the main sugar component in the hydrolyzates of these nonwoods were xylose apart from glucose.